Thursday, August 25, 2011

Unpacking

I moved just in time for the earthquake. Except I'd gone back to the River House to do some cleaning & get some things I left behind that day. Mum & I were downstairs in the garage when it sounded & felt like a herd of elephants going overhead. "What is that?" I asked. Mum said in typically practical-British fashion, "Oh, that's probably just the AC kicking in." By the time we had that little exchange, it was over. It wasn't until I got to Mystic Pet to pick up M&M that I found out we'd had a genu-ine earthquake. Anyway, I just popped in to say that I'm getting settled in the new home, but my internet is spotty & takes forever. The good news is I'm getting Comcast in a few days & by that time, I'll be a bit more settled & can get back to regular (some would say irregular!) posting.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

GranAnne Boot Camp

A few years ago, Mum & I were babysitting for Brother Atlasta & he & chiro-sister were joking & calling it "GranAnne's Boot Camp." Well, the name stuck. The week before her birthday, Mum had the eldest 6 of 7 nieces & nephews at her house.

Side note here: We grew up with notes all around the house & the car; mostly about not eating, drinking, leaving a mess, etc. The one in the car was particularly spectacular & is emblazoned in my memory:

POSITIVELY NO EATING 
or drinking in this vehicle. 
The queen has spoken.

I'm embellishing with that last line, but it was implied. Anyway, here was the note she posted for GranAnne's Boot Camp.


After a week of fun with Mum, the kiddliewinks came to my house for a sleepover. I had them all draw pictures & write about their favourite things they did with GranAnne. Then I made it into a book for her. Here are a coupla letters:
Yes. Thak you!

This is cute--doesn't include any boy cousins.
I hosted a party for Mum's b-day the day before her b-day. Her actual b-day was the next day, so I went over & spent the day with her. I gave her the GranAnne's Boot Camp 2011 book:


This is the card I made to go with it.

Monday, August 15, 2011

M&M Monday

I walked into the kitchen & did a double-take. I couldn't believe this when I saw it:

Millie acting like a normal dog! Neither dog has ever gotten into the trash before.

First spot the girls go to when they venture outside.

Then they wandered down the drive a bit & plopped down. 
I take these pictures from the LR window. Maggie looking over at me. Hullo.
Maggie leaves & Millie stays. Hullo.

Maggie at the top of the ramp where Tabby casts a weary eye.

Back inside, the girls settle in for a snooze. 

Maggie's paws in the crook of Millie's face. SO SWEET.  Zzzzz . . . .

Sunday, August 14, 2011

The Red Chair

Back in my married life, I went car shopping with the husband. He evaluated cars based on--wait for it-- the number of cup holders. Such a guy thing. So it was funny when we found a chair with cup holders. The chair has been Mum's spot when she comes for a vizzie & we have a Drop Dead Diva or Frasier Fest. And now with my move to the new house, it's finding its new home in Mum's LR. Friends John & Mel came over to drop off some furniture & pick up the chair:

John & Mel loading up.

But not before we labeled the cup holders:

John pushed the cup holder part down & said, "This is the ejector button." So we labeled it.
And the other one, of course:

V. appropriate!
Here's Mum with the chair in its new spot:

All ready for a movie fest!

Monday, August 8, 2011

M&M Monday

Friday I got my nieces & nephews for a vizzie & sleep-over before Mum's b-day party on Saturday. Maggie & Millie were pretty good about all the extra activity & noise. I have a no screaming or running rule in my house. Still, the girls managed to find respite on the back porch:

Taking a break.
Maggie seems to enjoy being around the kids. She trotted into the LR on Saturday morning & plopped down on my fuzzy, white blanket that somebody left on the floor. Like I'll ever get the dog hair off that!

All my nieces slept in the LR on Friday night.

Sweet Maggie in the middle of all of it.  :-)

I covered this dog bed with a sheet & 2of my nieces slept there.  I had M&M in my office for much of Mum's b-day party, but they came out and sat here out of the way.  Then Maggie got up & went outside.
Get ready to say, "Awwww."

Millie with youngest nephew Rowan. SO SWEET.



Then Rowan went off to play, but before he left, he gave Millie a block to play with.
They were really great with the kids. One of my nieces said, "I wish they were puppies so they would play with us instead of just lying there and sleeping most of the time." Which is coincidentally what they are doing now:

Zzzzz . . . . HAPPY Monday!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

HAPPY B-Day Mum!!!

I had my nieces & nephews over Friday night, so we made b-day cards. This one was the cover of a pop-up card.

This is the pop-up part. SO CUTE! 

Abstract mixed media crayon resist with water colour & crayons.

That's GranAnne in the middle of all those hearts, of course.


From the eldest; so cute-smart-funny!
Friends & fam celebrated yesterday at my house, amongst moving boxes & dogs.

Mum looking at her b-day cards.
 Cake time! With Pioneer Sister's famous chocolate truffle ganache deliciousness:

Singing Happy Birthday.

Mum conducting.

Mum's candle blowing was usurped by my niece. "Did you steal GranAnne's wish?" I asked her. No apology from said niece, just a smirk.
 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MUM!!! 
MAY ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE!

Monday, August 1, 2011

M&M Monday

I have a total of 7 dog beds; 3 in the LR, 2 in the bedroom, & 2 in the office. Aaaaand . . .

Do they lie on them???  Not really. 

Well, sometimes.  Let's just let sleeping dogs lie.

Millie fell asleep and her ear was hanging over her water bowl. Her ear would start drooping & touch the water & she would flick it back up out of the water. I tried to get it on video, but no luck. It was v. funny, tho.

Here's Maggie by my feet. As per usual.  :-)
And here's Millie at one of her favourite spots:

Whatcha lookin' at, Mil?

One of the twins. SO SWEET.
Here's Maggie out on the porch:

As long as Tabby's away from the food/water bowls, Maggie's friendly. 

Tabby, on the other hand, is a bit suspicious of her intentions.
And later, out the window:

Turkeys!  Again. The chicks are getting big.  :-)

It's like Millie's version of TV.

Turkeys AND deer!