I keep forgetting to tell you guys something - the breeder from whom I bought Miss Lily also has some puppies available which are a German/Australian Shepherd cross. Now, to the best of their knowledge, this is a new kind of hybrid, which is showing all the positive characteristics from both breeds, i.e.: intelligence, eagerness to please, strength, working instinct, etc. If you would like to take a look at these beauties, follow this link, then hit “Click here for other Hybrid Puppies” on the front page of the web site. She still has one littermate of Lily’s left, too, in case you’re interested, and he’s a real cutie! ;)

Okay, that’s all. I feel better now. lol

Hi Everyone. Here I am, once again apologizing for having been gone so long. It’s hard to explain, but …. I just don’t want to be at the computer much at all. I don’t know why. I just … don’t want to. It’s not that I don’t think about all of you, because I do — a lot! I guess it’s probably for the same reason that I don’t call anyone on the phone, either — I just don’t want to talk to anyone right now. I want to be alone, and left alone …. to heal.

ANYway, today is Hubby’s and my anniversary. I am a very lucky woman to have such a wonderful husband. I told him not to even think about getting me anything, because he already does so much for me every day. 22 years — WOW! On one hand, it feels like it has gone so fast; on the other, when looking back at all that has happened over the years, it seems like at least 22 years. Either way, it is certainly a day to be celebrated and to be thankful for.

It’s been SO HOT here! In the 100s for the last few days (today it was 104; a couple days ago it was 108!). YUCK! I love Summer, but that’s too hot to even go outside! My daughter and her friends have really been enjoying her new pool, though. I think I may even have to take a dip in it tonight myself! (UPDATE: It rained tonight and cooled waaay down, which was GREAT, but it kept me from dipping *snicker*)

I hope you are all smiling and feeling content. As I said, I think of you each and every day. One of these days I’ll be out of this funk and feel more like visiting and “talking”. Until then, remember that I love you!

(((((BIG HUGS)))))

Well, here I am once again apologizing for having left so abruptly without a word. Funny how that happens sometimes. I know it’s a combination of a lot of things, some of which I can identify, some of which I cannot, but they all come together to effect the same end every time — no words. Oh I have plenty percolating within, but nothing I can — or would even want — to articulate. Okay, enough of that.

I had a terrible scare with Miss Lily. We took her with us to the park on the 4th to watch fireworks, and apparently she found something totally icky to eat, and did so with great zeal, I’m sure. The result was one very sick puppy dog! My daughter woke me up early Monday morning saying Lily was vomiting and seemed really sick. I got up immediately and went to see what was going on, and found my little girl looking pretty puny. She couldn’t even keep water down, and was soon having diarrhea, too. I called my Vet’s office right away, and was lucky enough to catch him at the office, even though they weren’t seeing patients that day. He told me to bring her right down, which I did. The poor thing had to endure a blood draw, 2 x-rays, physical exam, her temp taken, and an injection of potent antibiotic and some meds to settle her tummy. We brought her home with orders from the Doc to bring her back in the morning so he could check her again. She didn’t eat or drink all day long; we had to give her water with a syringe just to get some fluids into her. Finally at about 8:00 p.m. she started showing signs of improving when she wanted to play a little with Riley. She still didn’t want to eat or drink, though. Unfortunately, the stomach med wore off and she vomited one more time in the night, and still had some diarrhea, too. ANYway, she was much better in the morning and was even eating! Callie and I took her back to the Vet’s office at 8:30 Tuesday morning for her follow-up visit, and was told by the doctor that if I hadn’t brought her in, she would have died. OMG!!!! He said she was VERY sick, and that her blood test showed her white count up to 20,000!! He said that in a young puppy her size, that meant she was one very sick little dog! And it was all because of something she ate! OH man, I felt soooo guilty! I should’ve been watching her more closely. I’m just so grateful that everything turned out okay! She’s back to her onery little self. ;)

Now for some bittersweet news — well, bittersweet for me, anyway. Let me preface it by telling you that while growing up, I was only close to a couple of my cousins since they were all 2nd cousins due my mother being an only child. Almost all of them were much older than I, but there were a few around my age, one of whom is Jimmy. I was pretty close to him and always had fun when we were around each other. Well, when Jimmy married his High School sweetheart, they bought the house next door to my Mom. She absolutely adored having them next door, and took much joy in the birth of their first 2 children while living there. She was quite sad when they moved to a bigger house as their family grew, but was left with many fond memories. She became very close to both Jim and his wife while they lived there.

Okay, fast-forward to the present: Jim’s daughter (the second child born while they lived next door) and her husband want to buy Mom’s house. They are expecting a child of their own now. While I am absolutely positive that Mom would be extremely happy that the house was going to be lived in by family — especially Jimmy’s daughter — it is also a very difficult thing for me to consider. I mean …. I want them to live there, I really do; it would be SO much better than strangers buying it, but …… I don’t know …… I guess the thought of anyone living in that house other than my Mom, sisters and myself is just too hard to comprehend — or accept. It’s just that ….. my life is there. The majority of my mother’s life is there. The pine trees out front were planted by my grandfather; the sycamore tree out back was also planted there by him; I gave her the peonie bush growing in front of the back porch; I tripped and cut my wrist out on the front sidewalk; my son cut his arm while playing in the crabapple tree; my dolls are still in the hall closet. How do we sell the place in which our memories reside? How do we turn it over to someone else? Family or not, it will be …. heartbreaking. If only, if only.

I’ll try not to stay away so long from now on.