A new arrival at the Baker home

Sorry I haven't posted in forever - I really need to work on that - you know, set aside some time for myself to work on this.

Wanted to let you know that my husband and I have done our part here at Christmas-time and have adopted a dog for our own kid - also a dog -

Seriously, we have been toying with the idea of getting a second dog; one smaller than Sassy, but just as much fun, and I think we have picked ourselves a real winner here.

His name is Pete, and he's a terrier mix. Very cute. The pound called on Tuesday, and now we are four.

So here's a couple of shots for you dog lovers out there. Here's hoping this one doesn't learn any of Sassy's bad habits!

Merry Christmas!

Sixty Five

My father turned 65 on Friday. We all went out to eat, my parents, my sister, brother-in-law, three nephews, Brent and me. Yes, it was a hoot. But we all had seafood, well most of us did, and then we went over to my parents' house for cake and ice cream.

While supper settled, we had a photosession on the front porch - which was another hoot - trying to get all three boys to sit with their parents at one time is like trying to pick a broken egg off of the floor with your fingers.

After cake and ice cream, dad opened his gifts. We are all preparing him for his trip to Australia which is coming up in October. Brent and I gave him cash for a card for his digital camera. My sister's crew gave him the coolest backpack from LL Bean. Very nice. Mom gave him a post-dated check to be sure he didn't cash it before he left on his trip - hahaha - because he would.

I can't believe my parents are 65 years old. I never thought they would be my Grandmama's age, of course I can't believe she's in her mid 80's, so who am I to really say anything.

Happy Birthday old man!

It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas . . .

Went over to my mom's house on Sunday while my sister and her three sons were there. They were rampaging as usual - three boys will do that - but the center of attention was the new Sears Christmas Wishbook.

Now, let me warn you. If you are, say, thirty or older and have fond memories of an actual book that Sears but out full of toys for Christmas, the new version would disappoint you, to say the least. Today's version is more of a magazine, limiting the wish list my nephews can make.

I remember being young, primary school-aged, and getting off the bus in early November always wondering if the Wishbook had come yet. Note the capitalization - this was no mere catalog to be looked at once and thrown in the burn pile. Oh no, the Wishbook let you dream about things you would never see - at least not until you were old enough to buy your own. I know my sister and I wore out my Grandmama's Wishbook. We would go through and circle things and fold pages down - just waiting for my mama to get there so we could push the catalog at her to be sure Santa would know what we wanted.

There were drum sets and guitars, telescopes and machines that would take old bottles and turn them into polished glass stones. Oh we were soooooooooo excited. And there were trampolines, something I had always wanted, and dolls, and horses. I could go on forever.

But Sunday, there was my four-year-old nephew all excited about a bowling game that works with an air hockey puck. And my nine-almost-ten-year-old nephew had already circled two or three PlayStation games he wanted. So I guess the Wishbook is still capturing kids attentions, and I'm glad of it.

A Mighty Wind

Okay. We've survived Ernesto. I think the worst thing Brent and I had to deal with was the ninety minute wait for the oh so exciting call saying that school was closed today. Our power was out, so we sat listening to the only radio we could find (needless to say we were not really ready). The DJ kept promising updates but would only play commercials and then a song or two. The water had backed up from the drains to block our driveway, so I told Brent I was just going to go back to bed. That's when the call came through - and the radio announced - school was closed. I'm worse than the kids on snow days.

We had water up to the curb, but not in the yard, thank the good Lord. No real trees or branches, just lots of yard trash which I will leave for the guy that cuts our grass.

Brent and I went out around 11 to see what kind of damage we could see - I took some pictures but haven't downloaded anything yet - will do that next and post anything good here -

I think that the National Weather Service may want to rethink when hurricane season starts and ends. Seems to start and end later every year. But that could just be me.

Monday Morning

Okay - have switched to a template I can deal with -

Getting ready to go to a meeting today and then back to it tomorrow - when will summer vacation ever begin?

Fixing Things Up

Okay - I have switched my template - twice - and am still not satisfied - will work on it more later - because everytime I change my template I have to replace my three links -

And PLEASE visit them

I love Dooce - that's how I really got interested in reading blogs

and The Daily Mumps is a little out there sometimes but still hilarious

and SkeeterGun - well - that's sorta a personal problem I have - lol

And just so you know

I do have a dog. A lovely beagle mix we call Sassy - and she totally lives up to the name.

I asked her opinion on the dog at Lowe's situation, and she is totally in agreement with me.

She loves Sam's with all the free samples.

Here's something I TOTALLY don't understand

When did it become okay for people to carry small dogs under their arms into Lowe's? I have been out there twice now and have seen two different women shopping for God only knows what with little dogs under their arms. What in the world? What is she shopping for? And how does she pick anything up?

Of course I have to remember that both of these women were older women who looked like they didn't have to worry about picking anything up. The kind that were probably just browsing for something to tell their gardener to do the next time he was at the house.

But seriously - what was the dog thinking - oh boy I get to be squeezed around the middle for awhile while we look at lumber? I think not. Wouldn't it have been better off at home? In the AC, in what I am sure is a very nice doggie bed?

OF course the first dog I saw was on a leash. That's right folks. If you need to run out to the hardware store at least bring the leash for old Fido there. He could walk around and help pick out those bathroom fixtures you have been trying to decide on.

And God forbid one of these animals poop or pee in the store. What happens then?

So, from me to you guys, STOP the insanity - leave the dog at home - HARDWARE stores are not the place for Fido -

oh and I almost forgot

I cannot believe that it has been almost a solid year since I started this thing. Almost as bad as someone else I know. Hopefully I will find a little time now and then to sit down and add something.

Later

Another trip to Rocky Mount

Today I had another doctor's appointment to be sure nothing was wrong with me. I don't want to write a lot here about my doctor, but I have to go a lot these days to be sure nothing is wrong.

What I really want to write about is something I saw on a back road between here and there.

I left work early, so I ran into school buses. One school bus was having to turn around in a drive way and dodge a large, furry golden retriever mutt in the process. That dog wanted to be there when that bus stopped no matter how many times the bus had to dodge the dog.

When the bus finally turned around it dropped to kids off in that driveway: a boy about forteen and a girl about eight. That dog was so happy to see those kids. He was smiling.

But neither of the kids even looked at the dog. No exchange of pleasantries, no encouraging look, nothing.

It's sorta sad, really. Think about that poor dog, so happy to see the bus with his children on it, and then when they get off, there's nothing. Nothing at all.

I hate it for the dog, but I really hate it for the two kids. They are going to grow up missing something that is supposed to be the best part of growing up - unconditional love from a pet.

But that's just my opinion.