Hello??? Can I say something here???

Ok, Puss, I accept your challenge, however, could we make it about, oh,... say, 10:00-ish? I mean sunrise is so early! I like to sleep in, then I have to shower, do my nails, do my hair... well, anyway, I will be there. I shall go by, "Donkey", the anoying sidekick. I'll be the one who shows up with the big ugly ogre! Ha, ha, ha,...


Actually, Bob says he is placing bets in Vegas. Mom? Are you in? Apparently the pot is getting sizable. But he won't tell me who is money is on!!!! I guess with 3 of us involved it could be a Win, Place and Show type of thing. Ya know, that way everybody wins 'something' and nobody feels left out.

But ya know, the visual of Jodi and Kate out there on the beach brings to mind the picture of Ricky Ticky Tavi and the Cobra. I don't want to participate, I just wanna watch! Besides, I KNOW when I’m out-gunned. I wouldn’t stand a chance in that ring. I mean, I’m so meek and helpless and all.

Kate with cotton candy??? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Wait a minute, wait a minute… > trying to regain my composure < JODI, LEG WRESTLE???? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Oh my god…. I’m gonna pee my pants! I gotta go!!!

So much going on...

"What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." ~ I dunnano who said it

I haven't updated my blog lately because I've had so much going on. I'll try to summarize into a brief bit so that this doesn't turn out to be a novel.

Basically, I've shuttled daughters back and forth to Portland, so now Lisa is here and Andrea is gone.

Andrea is struggling with that awkward stage when one is no longer under a parents control, but one is not really an adult yet either. It's difficult to see her go through it, but it's something she's got to do. I keep reminding her of the above mentioned quote.

Lisa has made the leap, and is becoming a Portlander. It's been a difficult processes for her because leaving a town she is absolutely sick of and wants to get rid of, requires leaving a job she enjoys and the man she loves, (Sweet Rodrick!) I keep reminding her of the above mentioned quote.

I am currently, uh.... between jobs. Ok, unemployed. Ugh! See, I was offered a job (over the phone - red flag #1) doing landscape design at Loen Nursery. I love design work, and it paid $20 an hour, so I accepted it. I put in my 1 day notice at Blooming Nursery. (Loen said they needed me to start immediately, red flag #2.) I went out to Loen to speak to the manager, (the owner hired me,), and other than the manager and the owners son, there were NO OTHER EMPLOYEES there, (red flag #3.) Hello??? Linda??? Are you paying attention to your insticts here??? Then, I called the owner to tell him I needed time off, for my family reunion, and he went balistic, became a complete asshole! (Or as Jodi called him - the Nursery Natzi!) OK, at this point, I FINALLY decided to pay attention to my insticts, and told him I would not be taking the job afterall. But I absolutely HATE being unemployed. Heavy Sigh,... at this point, I have to remind myself of the above mentioned quote.

Being without a job is a dreadful feeling. I NEVER leave a job without having another one first, no matter how much I dislike the job. I almost went to Loen anyway, just until I found something else. However, my darling sister Kate threatened me with bodily injury if I went to work for psyco-man, and because she has the demeanor of a badger, I chose unemployment over a possible hospital stay. Did I make the right decision? How bad could Kate really mess me up? I mean, "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." Right?

The Earth Laughs In Flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

And if that’s the case, this time next year, my yard is going to be hysterical!

When we moved in here in May, the front yard was knee deep in weeds. Loving plants the way I do, I was quick to take on making the front yard look pretty! My plan was to have all plants and a couple of walkways, with no grass at all, (not in the front yard anyway.)

So, - The good thing about working at Blooming Nursery, is that I get a killer discount on plants!
The bad thing about working at Blooming Nursery, is that I get a killer discount on plants!

Yes, it can work against me. With so many wonderful things that grow over here, and so many pretty plants to chose from, I now have 147 plants in our small front yard! Whew! That’s a lot of planting! Blooming Nursery only grows perennials and flowering shrubs, so the yard is all flowering plants. Next year it’s gonna be ‘chuck a block’ with flowers!

Everything is still tiny this year, but by next year, when things start growing together, and everything really gets blooming, this is going to be one ‘happenin’ yard.

My Lifelong Roommate

"She is not quite refined. She is not quite unrefined. She’s the type that keeps a parrot." ~ Mark Twain

My Gracie Bird came to work with me today. She needed a break from the boredom of being home alone with the Three Stooges.

I’m sure glad I’ve had her with me while Bob has been gone. She really is wonderful company, and has kept me from getting lonesome. Gracie is not like a pet at all. She’s more like a,… well, like a roommate or a friend. I wouldn’t say she’s like having another child, it’s a very different relationship than that. It’s not the loving, nurturing relationship one has with a child, or a dog, even. It’s more grown up than that, more conversational. She let’s me know what she wants and needs, and she lets me know when she’s bored and what’s something to do. And I let her know what I want and need, and when I’m bored and want something to do.

She’s versatile, portable, and not skiddish around strangers or new places. So if I want to go for a walk around the block or something, Gracie is more than happy to go with me. I have a little padded harness that goes across my shoulder and she just rides along and enjoys the view!

She’s curious, and truly interested in things. If I’m doing something new, she asks, "Whatcha doin’?" And she actually wants to come closer and see. So I usually tell her, and explain stuff. I know she can’t really understand what I’m telling her, but she loves just being included. She’s been sitting on the back of one of the dining room chairs the past several nights, watching while I piece together Cole’s patchwork baby quilt. It’s funny, sometimes when she’s doing something silly, I’ll say, "Whatcha doin’?", and she will mumble some jibberish as if she is explaining it to me.

Gracie and I understand each other, we entertain each other, and make each other laugh. Actually, it’s kind of like having Kate around! Only, she doesn’t poop as much. Kate, not Gracie. Did I explain that right? Well, you get the idea.

In Love With The Blue Angels

The US Navy's Blue Angels are in town, practicing for an airshow in Hillsboro on Saturday. There is very little that affects me the way The Blue Angels do.

It's been a while since I've seen them, but the effect is the same every time . My heart races, goosebumps fly up my arms and across the back of my neck, I get a strange lump in my throat, and my eyes even tear up a little bit. It's amazing how it effects me when they roar over head, at the speed of sound, in perfect formation, with just a few feet between their wingtips. I am amazed. I am so enthralled. What is it that gets to me so much? Is it patriotic pride? Appreciation for the danger and skill involved? Is it excitement? Awe? Or a combination of all those, and more.

They began arriving last night, I saw two just flying placidly overhead. But this morning there were 4 of them out in formation. They were flying all over town, everywhere! By noon, there were 6 here, and about 3:00 I saw all 8 of them together! They were buzzing over the nursery this morning, but as luck would have it, one of my accounts is right near the airport, so I found a reason to go call on them, and I sat there with the folks at that nursery and watched the Angels for about an hour.

You know, this is going to sound really weird, but it feels a lot like being in love,... they take my breath away.

My Two Best Friends....

I smile because you are my sister.

I LAUGH – because there’s nothing you can do about it!!!

Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha!

Ha! Ha! Ha!!!!

Body Worlds Exhibit

"Beauty is only skin deep. " ~ old proverb

Lisa, Andrea and I went to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) yesterday. The current ‘traveling exhibit’ that is on display there is called "Body Worlds 3". It’s very bizarre, but fascinating.

It’s actual human bodies that have been preserved through a special ‘plasticine’ process. It’s not as gross as it sounds. It’s actually very artistically done. You’re not just looking at dead bodies laying on a slab. They are preserved in amazing poses so that you can really see what muscles are used.

But the most amazing display was the lungs. If I had not already quit smoking, that display would have done it for me! OH MY GOD!!!

If you want to see more about this wild exihibit, you can go to http://www.google.com/ and select "images" and type in Body Worlds or go to their website at

ahttp://www.bodyworlds.com/en/exhibitions/current_exhibitions.html .

OR - you can come visit me and you can go to OMSI and see the exhibit for yourself.

Missing my family...

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh," he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."


It’s not as much fun having blog sites, when 2/3 of the entertainment is away in Canada.