Warning....really long post.

Well, it's been a long while. Since before Christmas, but it's not all my fault. Clyde has been hogging my computer. I bother him if I'm in here while he's working, and since he's taking classes at CTU now, after work he needs it for his classes. And he will deny it, but everytime I sit down in here while he's work, he asks "Don't you have something to do? You're bothering me and I might need the computer."

So all I manage is the bank accounts while he is out feeding the horses, or first thing in the morning while he's still sleeping. ERRRRRRRR!!!!

So this first picture is me in the hat and scarf that Bekka made me for Christmas. Sorry about the quality of the picture, I don't usually try to take them in the mirror. I know others do this just fine, but it's not my best work.



Last weekend, Rachel brought the kids over to visit. She finally has reliable transportation so she can come without Ed if she wants. It was a very busy weekend, so I didn't get many good shots. But that's not all my fault. The nerds weren't doing a whole lot. Here they are with Cordelia playing the game and G and M watching intently.



This is Miss M on the computer when she finally got a turn. I missed the best shot of the weekend, that was Wyatt with the earphones on, sitting at the computer with his hand on the mouse looking like he knew exactly what he was doing.


We had strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream for desert one night and as you can see, they loved it!! Wyatt is coming out of his shell, and is much more personable, and he didn't even cry when I went near him.



Thursday, Brandi and I went to Dream Pastries to change out the paintings that I had up there. They had been up for about 3 1/2 months and it was time. We went with a flower theme. So here are my latest paintings (all copyrighted of course.). This one Brandi suggested that I title 'Garden Party'. I am so not good at titles. Not enough imagination.



This one is an older one, and I'm calling it 'Ladybugs' even though there are sunflowers in it too.
Clyde wasn't sure about this one, until I brought it home framed and he hung it on the wall. Then he liked it.



The top two are quarter sheets of watercolor paper, so about 11 x 15. The next one, while the photo came out smaller (I had to crop off some blurs around the edges) is a half sheet of watercolor paper so 15x20 just for the painting. I'm calling this one 'Promises'. Can you guess why?


Here is what the wall looks like. Mine are on the left, and Brandi's are on the right. She is using more subtle colors and experimenting with monochromatic colors. I'm still the bright, in your face colors that I really like. Maybe eventually I'll try the more subtle colors.


Dream Pastries is on Perry St. in Castle Rock. The have the best lunches and pastries! We had lunch there, and brought a lot of pastries home, along with chili and a sandwich with potato salad for Clyde. They even make their own mayonnaise there. Really a great place to eat.

Today we went to Petsmart to get X a rabies shot so we can get him groomed. I've managed a little around the ears and head, but I can't get all the mats out. He is going to be a lot less fluffy for a while after all the mats come out and before the hair grows back. This little girl came along, and she really likes dogs. She stayed and petted and talked while her father did his shopping.





Got right down on the floor with X, and petted and hugged. No fear at all.

And here's a face picture of X that I took. He's got a really sweet face, and it's about half again as big as Gnarly's. His eyes are larger too. Everything about him is larger......





I'll try to update more. Just have to get to the computer!

The week I wish wasn't.......

This past week has been a disaster, not to mention busy....

First, the fan in the truck for the heater/defroster doesn't work. And Monday morning, it was cold and snowing..great way to have to drive to work! I started the truck about 15 minutes before I had to leave, and set the heater on defrost, so eventually it did get some of the snow to melt. But I had to scrape too.

And the steering wheel was cold on my hands. I was cold by the time I got to the clinic.

Then on Wednesday, I had a dentist appointment. I got there early, and her first appointment had canceled so we could get started right away. However, then her suction thingy wouldn't work, so we had to pick up and move to another chair. Lots of fiddling there, so I guess it was good that I was early. But I missed the turn on the way there for the gas station, so I was really running on low..

Had an 11 o'clock appointment with the horse vet to do shots, but she called about 10:30 and said they were almost there. Oh great, I was still in the Springs. But the good thing was that they know my horses, and could get started. I, however, still didn't have any gas, and it was telling me I had 50+ miles til empty. Went home and then to the 80, got all the horses their shots ;>), but five of them need floats (like dental cleaning for horses) :>( Expensive.)

Then needed to get shopping done, so back out the door to the library, gas station and pharmacy before hitting Sam's and Walmart. And the truck started making squeaking noises while it was running. I know that sound, serpent belt going bad.

Got home, the chimney sweep had been there, and gone. Now back to town, downtown to Josh and John's with Gnarly. I needed reference photos for the urban landscape that I have to do for class....and the kids all have fond memories of that place. So does Gnarly now. Oh, did I mention that we completely reset the camera, and it still delays taking a picture, so now that has to go to the camera shop to be fixed.

Then dinner and back home, fed animals, called the cats in, and brushed my teeth.
Turned off the water, and I could still hear it running. Oops! Accused Clyde of leaving the water on outside, had to catch the cat so he could get up and go out the garage door to check. (got him out of bed where he was finally getting warm).

No, not there. Came back inside, pulled everything out from under the sink, and found a big puddle. Oh great...:>(

Tried to turn off the water under the sink, no luck. It stopped when we turned off the hot water from the heater. Now no hot water.

Got up Thursday morning, called the plumber, and he's trying to fix a boiler for someone who has no water, no heat. Doesn't know when he'll get done.

Not Thursday, had to go visit Bekka to take a shower.

Friday night: we have hot water, Clyde ran the dishwasher, I can take a shower in the morning! Eric worked on the trucks, but isn't finished. Maybe next week will be better.

But I did get this great picture of Gnarly:


Hope I don't have as much fun this next week!

huh.....??

Clyde, surveying the kitchen counters: Are we collecting more stuff in our old age???

Me: No, we're not cleaning as much in our old age!!!!

After the squirrels......

Clyde planted his sunflower garden again this year. Makes three years in a row. You can see how well they grow. The fence is five feet tall, and the sunflowers are taller. Last year they were even taller.




Well, this year, the squirrels got over their fear of the plastic pinwheels that we put all over the garden and fence to scare the birds and squirrels away. This is what we have now.




They pulled the stalks over and broke them, then broke the flowers off to eat the seeds.

Now what can I do with the stalks that are left??

Grand Junction, butterfly place

Here are some of the pictures that I took with the Nikon point and shoot, since Grandpa took the other camera away......First up is Grandpa in his stylish shorts outfit.



Next up is Ed. I caught him looking at his pictures on this camera. He likes to take pictures just like Grandpa.



Here's C on the jolly green giant. If you look closely, she has a mustache from the smoothie they were giving away.



And here is the little W. Doesn't look too happy, does he? But at least he's not crying. And it was hot, at least hotter than we're used to.



Ok, I found pictures from CJ's birthday party, and M's party, and more feeding ducks, this time with a different cast. I'll post them next. Hope you enjoy the pictures. I sure do. Leave a comment so I know you came. I'm not doing this for the galaxy, you know..LOL

:

More kids from the weekend. In descending age. G up first.



C:



M:



CJ with Bekka(He showed up on the sleepy side, which was good, because he spent the rest of the time until bedtime chasing G and C up and down the sidewalk.)



W: (he loves his daddy's computer so much!)



And guess who W took to? It's NOT FAIR!! I'M THE GRANDMA!! HE'S SUPPOSED TO LIKE ME BETTER!



But I have to say, he did like the book I brought him, and he would come to me with it to read. But I still couldn't pick him up. And he even cozied up to Grandpa (which picture I can't post because Grandpa wasn't completely dressed.) And I have to say, Grandpa did have a computer beside him, so maybe he cozied up to the computer and not Grandpa.

Fish at the Butterfly place. There was only one butterfly, and my picture of it has the butterfly out of focus, but all the leaves around it are in focus. Only me!!



And right after I took this picture, Grandpa had to have the camera because I wasn't taking enough pictures for him.....So I got stuck with the coolpix, and haven't unloaded those pictures yet....more to come.

On another note, I had a very busy day today. Left just before 9 am to pick up horse meds, a receipt from the periodontist, and a parking tag for school before a 10 am class. First thing to go was the horse meds, next thing to go was the periodontist as I was running late. At house plus 10 miles I remembered the stuff I was supposed to bring for Linda. At house plus 25 miles I remembered that I didn't bring an ice chest for the groceries.

At class time - 20 minutes, I pulled into the parking garage, and all the spots for PPCC were taken. Overflow spot was full also. Found a spot next to a wall that was jutting out, and scraped the right rear door on that. Backed up, and took two parking spots marked compact cars only. Figured my truck is a short bed. That's compact!

Got to the office for the parking tag, and mine's still good.

Got out of class, picked up the receipt and met Linda for lunch--Happy Birthday Linda!

Went to Sam's, then had to bring those groceries home. On the way, I stopped by the vet's and got the horse meds. Good thing Grandpa volunteered to come with me to WalMart and the library, because I was going to whine if he didn't!

Busy day, I need to go to bed now!


So

Herding cats....er, kids!

We had a surprise party for me on Saturday night, because it was my birthday the next day. All five of the grandkids were together. However, they were together about as well as five cats would be together. You can see in the following pictures what it was like trying to get a picture with all five of them in it.

Try number 1. G is trying to be funny. (the rabbit ears that he is giving to C.)

And CJ wasn't paying attention.

Try number 2. The three oldest are doing ok, but CJ is looking at W, and W has decided that he doesn't want to play any more. That's Rachel in the background trying to keep them in line.


Try number 3. W has completely disappeared. The oldest two are doing ok. The middle two have decided to turn around and see what's going on. Doesn't Rachel look excited with all of this?

Try number 4. G has his hands on his head, C and M look like they're standing at attention, CJ is chewing on his fingers and Rachel is trying to hold W in place.


Try number 5. G has his arms up, and his pants are slipping, C looks serious, M is not smiling, and CJ is still eating his fingers. W looks ok, but he's definitely being held in place.

And that is the tale of how we got all five grandkids lined up in descending age. Now I just have to figure out how to get them all engaged and looking at the camera and smiling at the same time.

Or I guess I could put all five pictures together and then keep only the best image of each one.
(I think not, that sounds like too much work!!)

More later, I have lots of good pictures to post....