All in the family

Well, it's been a busy few weeks, but a really good busy. On the 13th we (Lew, me, and my sister from CT) drove down to NC to surprise my brother for his 60th birthday. Jim, Tammy, and the kids also drove in from SC, so he got a double whammy surprise. Hard to believe my 'baby' brother is so old! I can remember when he was still in my mommy's tummy!

Two of my favorite guys -
Bro John on left and my son, Jim

My sister-in-law really pulled the whole thing off very nicely because John thought they were having a pig roast party for the teachers from the school where she works! Heh, heh heh -- and a good time was had by all.

The birthday boy and his lovely lady, Lynne

Jim's lovely lady, Tammy

It was especially nice getting to see the Southern grands. Christy has usually had to work so hasn't been able to get to too many recent family gatherings; due to other necessities this year -- summer school and band camp -- the boys aren't going to be able to come up for summer like they have in the past either. We talk a lot on the phone, but it was better getting to see them all.

Granddaughter Christy

Grandson Christopher

Grandson Michael - catching a few zzzs

After an uneventful trip back to MD, my sis spent another week with us and we had a great time catching up, playing games, and just enjoying each other's company.

We took her back to CT this past weekend but what should have been a mere six hour trip turned into a nine hour ordeal after we crossed the George Washington Bridge. Three straight hours of traffic, downpours, and misery later, we finally got to CT where my niece had a yummy meal and flowers waiting to greet us. Haven't seen my niece and nephews in waaay too long so got to visit with them and their partners, as well as my nephew's adorable poochie I've heard so much about. We really had a good time.

Sister Lonnie, niece Leslie, and me

Molly, my nephew's adorable shih tzu

Then, on the way back to MD, we made a stop in NJ and had a wonderful, but way too short visit with Susan, Lawrence, Winston, and new grandbaby, Lewis. The baby is totally adorable and Winston is definitely a treasure. He's not yet three and already knows his letters. Oh, and did I tell you he can also swim and speak Chinese? Heh, heh, heh -- that's MY grandson! ;)

Proud Grandpa Lew enjoying his namesake, baby Lewis

Snoozing sweetie

Awake, alert and ready for some action

Big brother, Winston taking a break from his cars

There are more photos of baby Lewis on Lew's Other Pics.

~ ~ ~

So, I think we'll be staying put for awhile, but... it's hard telling, not knowing!

A good dentist is hard to find.

Always be a little kinder than necessary.
~James M. Barrie~

Recently, I had to make an unexpected trip to my dentist for a repair. A bridge had worked loose and threatened to pop out every time I ate.

Now, my dentist is not only a very nice man, but he's extremely good at what he does; very exacting, very precise, and well versed on state-of-the-art techniques. He doesn't take shortcuts for the sake of expediency for even the most minor procedure. He's also very solicitous about his patient's comfort.

Knowing all this, I still wasn't looking forward to this repair because I knew that rather than just reglue the silly thing, he would treat it as a brand new procedure, making sure he didn't overlook any damage or decay under the bridge that may have occurred over a period of time.

And so he did -- x-rays, exploration, poking here, there, and everywhere, a little numbing shot, a little reaming of the root canal under the bridge, a little cleaning, a lot of this, that and everything else. Finally, he finished and I had my bridge firmly reattached the way it should be, along with a drooping, drooling lip.

Oh, and the cost for all this?? Nada. Nothing. No charge.

I love my dentist.

Ravenous little beasts!

So, today was our annual termite inspection. Fortunately, there's no sign of any activity... for now. Howsomeever, it's probably only a matter of time before they rear their ugly little swarming bodies and decide to invade my kitchen again.

We've had issues a couple of times since the original termite treatment -- when the house was built -- expired. The first time we had to have the drilling around the perimeter of the house treatment, inside and out. About ten years later, we had to have a couple of spot treatments. So now, about ten years after that, it's coming time to do something again and I'll be damned if I'm going to let them drill holes in my brand new (well, almost) family room floor... just not gonna happen!

Soooo, the company wants to sell us a new bait system, which supposedly is very effective and would eliminate the need to drill holes. Of course, the initial cost is up there, and the annual fee is about 4 times what we pay now. Arrrgh! So far, from what I'm reading on-line, I'm not terribly impressed. Looks like we have a lot of research to do before any signing on the dotted line. In the meantime, I'm hoping they'll find somewhere else to dine until I'm ready to serve my fare.

You know, sometimes owning a house is a real pain in the posterior!

Sign of the times?

In all the years I've lived here, the field behind our house has either been full of corn, wheat, soy, or in earlier years, cows. This year all it's full of is the leavings of last year's crop. This is the first season I can remember that it has lain empty. Unplowed, unfertilized, and unplanted. It's depressing.



Used to be I could reach across the back fence and feed the cows the field clover that threatened to overtake my lawn. Used to be the farmer would round them up at o'dark:thirty on his motorcycle or, in later years, just swing a light by the barn, call "come on, cow" and off they'd go to be milked. It was a hoot. When they got moved to an adjacent field, I could still take my teeny-tiny granddaughter under our fence into the common area where she looooved being able to see those huge beasts up close and personal.

In the ensuing years the cows were moved a couple of fields across the farm and the field behind our house became a crop field, providing feed for a steadily decreasing number of cows. Little by little, the farm has become less and less productive. What was once a proud and well-kept dairy farm, has fallen into disrepair. The main house, barn and outbuildings are in dire need of paint and a little TLC. There seems to be little pride or interest in keeping the place tidy.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago the farmer did make a pass over the unprepared field with his planting machine. It'll be interesting to see what grows.

He's here!!

Wheee! We be grandparents of a new baby boy!! Mommy, daddy, and baby Lewis(!) are all doing fine. Baby weighed in at a healthy 9lbs, 4 oz.

Grandpa Lew is soooo proud -- and delightfully surprised with baby's name!!

All creatures...

...not so great or small. Ack!! My granddaughter was attacked by a dog -- a huskie/shepherd type -- today!! She's okay, just very sore and shaken.

In her job as a veterinary assistant, she and another staff member were holding the pooch while the vet performed an examination. The beast, apparently taking issue with getting a shot, turned aggressive, escaped its muzzle, and attacked her, biting her left hand. Subsequently, it chased the staff member onto a table top before the owner could be fetched to calm it down! Phew!

She has seven puncture wounds, one of which was rather severe with "stuff" hanging out, and would normally require stitches. Since they don't close up bite wounds with stiches to alleviate infectious bacteria complications, she's all taped, bandaged, and full of antibiotics. She goes back to the doctor on Friday to have it checked. Thank goodness it wasn't worse.

She has such a great attitude. She's always had a passion for animals but fully realizes the risks involved in working with them. While this incident has left her shaken, it has also left her with a determination to just be more cautious in the future. When I asked her if she had any doubts about returning to the job, she said, "oh mommaw, nooooo! It's like riding a bike... when you fall off, you just get back on."

I love this child! :)

One would think...

...that living out in rural cow country, one would be free from the nerve jangling, obnoxious noises of city living;

...that once retired, one had earned the luxury of sleeping in and waking up when one pleased instead of being at the mercy of an alarm clock and a waiting job, especially on a Monday morning;

...that those poor unfortunates who must be up at the crack of dawn would have just a skosh of forethought and consideration for those who don't.

One would think, wouldn't one?

One would be wrong...

just ask the Frederick county construction workers who just had to begin operating a jackhammer outside my window before 8 o'clock this AM.