Sundays, Coffee and Boxers.....

If that face doesn't wake you up on a cold and windy Sunday morning I don't know what will...  That is our little angel "Liberty Bell"  aka Libby, aka Mrs. Wigglesworth. Oh the nicknames we have for her are endless. Having her around does make life fun.....

 

Well it has turned off clear and cold here, winds yesterday and today have been annoying though. We have been trying to get out and take care of leaves but its pointless with all the high winds. Fall color is late, but truly vibrant this year. Autumn is one reason why I am happy we made the move to the estate. By far my most favorite season.

Thanksgiving is this week, and I have to be honest and say I am not at all mentally ready for the holidays, it will be the first without dad and basically mom too. The past few days have been a bit emotional for me, as I recall all the past holidays when they got on my last nerve and wish so much to have those times back...never take your family for granted, no matter how many times they annoy you.

My sister visited mom on Friday, her weight-loss continues to get worse, she did get on the phone with me for a few seconds. I was pleased to hear her reading my name and phone number off the caller ID of my sisters phone. She told me she loved me, which made my day. I have missed talking to her and our almost daily phone calls. hearing her voice perked me up.

Now time to vent a bit...I don't mean to sound like a broken record in reference to my brother, but I need to let it out...so here goes. A couple of weeks ago, my sister who has access to my parents banking info was trying to log on to their account, well the password had been changed.  knowing she did not do that she immediately went to the bank and had everything redone. She could not figure out how it got changed since she never did it. A few days later she was packing some computer things up of my dads to send back to AT&T, as she went to get his computer modem she realized that the tower for dads desk top computer was missing...  My brother had been there and taken it! Which now explains the online banking info being changed.
My sister never curses...but let me tell you she did that day to me on the phone....  Thankfully no money was transferred out of the parents account, and now everything has since been changed and more security measures added so my brother can't get in to it.

And in addition to the computer he also took two collage picture frames of one of kind pictures of my mother when she was a little girl and of my dads family. Instead of offering to make copies for my sister and I , he didn't. We will never see those pictures again...  Which is very heartbreaking to me, because my sister and I would have liked a set.

I absolutely can not wait for the new guardianship to take over....   We are preparing ourselves for a new onslaught of his nastiness- the attorney did the paperwork we need to sign and it says "That  my sister and I chose an outside guardian because we believe our brother to be incapable of taking proper care of our mother".... Holy crap when he sees that, my brother is going to throw a real fit!
 We still think he is in Franklin, NC ...but honestly with all the smoke and fires going on its hard to believe he is still living in the campground.

Okay enough venting, and chores are calling, the chickens are going to feed themselves....Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

-JUGM

chickens and a birthday

First the birthday, yesterday our girl Liberty Bell aka "Libby" turned 3. She is the alpha female and full of piss and vinegar. Ruger and Jack the Cat bow to her when she passes... But, she is protective and a faithful companion (as long as her bowl is full). Needless to say, life without her would be boring.  

do you know how it is when you start out to get one thing, but bring home other stuff? Well, here is our other stuff. See, I got this guy that sells barrels, and he had some nice, clean metal ones. Senior and I jumped on them. The mans son raises chickens for his 4-H Poultry Club, which I think we might join. Anyways, he was selling a pair of Barred Rock Hens. I jumped on the chance and brought the girls home. ND quickly named them "Chessie, and Checkers" because of their coloring. They are only about 6 mos. old and should start laying soon.Since they were from 4-H they had been vaccinated and accustomed to other chickens, so we went ahead and  added them in to the big coop. But, things there are a bit stressful and I am not sure if Senior should build a separate place away from all the alpha female chickens, as I am not seeing them drink much water. Every time they try, they get ran off.  My plan is to mate them with the Jersey Giant Rooster ( Black Jack) I think they would turn out a nice bird, that is not only a good egg layer, but good for meat too.The chicks should also net me a little profit at auction.

I know Senior just talked about this over at his blog last night but, remember back over the summer when I did the post about buying pullets from the feed store, only to have two of them be roosters? Well, we gave one away to our buddy Mr. Farmer, and the other one - was  a horrible nuisance crower. All the time, non stop, it could be 3 am and you would hear him. Black Jack who is housed in the large coop behind where this one was, is not at all that way. You can spend all day outside and not hear a peep. So, we had enough and butchered him.

 I got to say, Jersey Giants do make a nice meat bird. We roasted him last weekend, I do need to work on the marinating issues and seasoning, because he was a tad bit dry. I think next one we will do over the spit outside.

The leaves have been taking up our weekends, and I am happy to say that the majority is now off the trees. Christmas is literally around the corner, and  I have started my shopping and think Amazon and the free Prime trial is a wonderful thing. I just have to remember to cancel it before months end.
Take care all and have a wonderful day

-JUGM

Red Sky in the Morn....

Sailors take warning......

Even at the early hour of 645 am, I could see it out on the horizon. The clouds moving in off the ocean.
As I left to drop the kids at school, the first few pelts of rain started, then came the thunder.
" oh boy, another wet morning" I told the boys.
ND looked out his window and noticed a rainbow....

By the time I got home, it was pouring, literally training in off the Atlantic.The local radar was red and dark green.
 Gosh I love Florida weather...

Even the dogs knew it would be a lazy morning:

 

 



Finally a break in the rain, Senior has stopped calling so he must be back at work. It is 11:30 and I feel "unaccomplished". I did however manage to rebuild NDs, Lego Police Tractor Trailer Truck that the puppy demolished last night. If he had seen the mess she made, he would have been devasted- Gosh I am a good Mom.  Thank God I have the fortitude to keep the little instruction booklets.

Piles of Junk mail to go through and shred. Actually I wish for just one big bon-fire. How does all this add up so quickly? 

More clouds, with the promise of even more storms....

 

 

 

 

-JUGM

Andrea and the Cucumber

I told y'all that when the Weather man says "tropical moisture"...it really means "folks your screwed."...  This is Tropical Storm Andrea, and some where under there is Florida.  We don't know where exactly, but we are down there...   I can testify to this because I am here blogging to you all.
I was suppose to have the carpets cleaned today, and you know the weather is bad when even they don't want to show up.  Oh well, got to reschedule for another day.  Its probably a good thing, because with all the mud in the back yard the two boxers are as happy as pigs eating slop, and we don't need that mess trampling in across clean carpets. 

On another note and updating about my cucumbers, while poking through them the other night, NW and I found this beauty just hanging there. It literally exploded out of no where.  More are soon to follow. I just wish they would all be ready at the same time so that I might can a few jars of pickles.

 

Kids spent the night with the G-parents. I hate saying this, but I needed the break. Senior and I watched "TAKEN 2"...  Good movie, I still liked the first one better though. This one did not have the classic one liners like the first one. But Liam kicked butt as always.  If you are like MAMMA BEAR and I, and are a Liam Neesan fan--watch "THE GREY".  Ohhh that movie is awesome. I still would like to see him team up with my other four favorite actors: Vin Diesel, Mark Wahlberg, Russel Crowe, and Dwayne "the rock" Johnson for a movie..

 

More planning today for Seniors graduation dinner, Family is coming in from NC tomorrow. I am making a "cupcake tower"...so yes I will post a pic of my creation.  Senior is on the hunt for ammo, and rushing me out the door...so I must say "CIAO" for now.

 



For my entire Southeast Friends... STAY DRY!....  

-JUGM

Rain Rain Finally Went Away...

First off let me begin by saying a big THANK YOU to every one who commented about the adoption of Libby...Every one was so sweet and thoughtful. And Yes RED any time you can fly cross country, you are welcome to stop in and give her a squeeze.

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It sort of started Saturday night..but the big stuff moved in during the early morning hours of Monday, then it was down hill from there.
It did not bode well for us trying to get Libby accustomed to her new yard and using potty in it, when we are having monsoonal rains for the better part of 28 hours. Our boxers are not fond of the rain...

Finally this afternoon it has cleared up. Our back yard was quazi flooded. Ruger found the puddles and proceeded to tromp through them like a pack of wild elephants. Little Libby was in tow.
She is adjusting well to her new home and family, she has taken over Rugers favorite blankie, his love seat, and his large femur bone he got for Christmas. Basically she has become the Queen.

One of these days we may afford dog training for her, and Ruger too.I am sure they would love it. My queen and king deserves the best. Perhaps the same handler that the Obamas use. I hear he comes cheap..  : )
Again another perk of being an Obama and being in the White House. Obviously the dog is really this guys, and the BO family only uses him as a photo op. Life is good when you are President......

Meet Liberty aka "Libby"

After 2 phone interviews, and one home inspection, and then another phone call  Thursday night in the middle of "Vampire Diaries"...we found out Friday we were approved for adoption.
I began to tear up..  I was so dang excited.  Thank You Every one for all your kind words of support.

Then Saturday Senior left for camping..I had tons of errands to run and get back home to tidy up before boxer lady brought our boxer baby to her new home.
I went shopping for every thing pink..pink tennis balls, pink stuffed elephant, and a pink baby blankie. Finally I have a little Fur-Daughter and can buy girlie things...  : )

There was adoption papers to sign and the fee paid. She is all ready spayed and has had her first two sets of vaccines. I just need to get the third set and her rabies completed.
She and Ruger sniffed each other out, they ran and played, she jumped on him, and he backed down to her level.  Her first night went well. The foster mom had all ready worked on house breaking them, so she knows to go outside, now she is getting adjusted to a new yard and home. But she settled down, and has fit right in. She even booted Ruger off his favorite blankie last night and fell asleep on it.
As far as she and Jack the Cat--well, she has tried to get acquainted but he hisses..however he is more tolerable with her then he was Mosin the Dobe puppy.

 

Senior was out camping with the guys last night, and she was there this morning to meet him, and give out lots of kisses. She even snuggled with me in bed...

 

We are so happy we found her, and could give the last puppy in the litter a loving forever home.

What started out as a sad story with the surrender of her pregnant mother has ended on a very happy note.

 

 

 

-JUGM

Sunday....

It is Superbowl Sunday, to lots of people it doesn't mean a thing. But I like it. Once I even won $100.00 off a bet. So I enjoy the game. Dish Network thought is convenient though to mess up our satellite receiver..a huge fiasco, Senior colorfully cancelled Dish, now we are signed on with DIRECT, but they won't be here until Tuesday to install the new hard ware.
No worries on missing the big game, neighbors invited us over, and my crafty husband ran a 100ft. cable from our campers HD antenna to the TV in his man cave. We at least have the major networks until Tuesday.

On another note. Mosin is now with a new home. He and Ruger were not getting along well. Mosin had taken to start biting Ruger. And on Thursday, when Ruger walked past him, Mosin jumped up and got him on the rear-end. It bled for quite a bit. And I was constantly having to keep the two separated. It was getting very stressful in our house. So, we found a single dad, and his two college student sons. One runs track so that will be perfect for Mosin. The dad has had Dobermans before so he was very familiar with the breed. it was a perfect fit. Plus they paid us almost entirely what he paid for him.  I don't regret getting him, he is a good little boy, He just needed to be in a home where he was the only Male dog.

So, now we have learned a lesson of having 2 dominant breeds of Males in the house, and are now looking for a Female Boxer. Preferably tan with a black mask. Senior keeps throwing other breeds out there at me, but I just love Boxers, I guess because of the one we currently own, and how they are  with kids. Ruger Loves ND and NW. And watches over them like a Hawk.

I am now a baseball mom..and super excited about it. The little draft is tomorrow night, and we will soon get a call telling us which team NW is on. ND is the T-ball age, and they don't draft. But They were super cute today trying on cleats...only ND kept calling them "sweets"  lol....

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On a Sad note..American lost a great Patriot and Hero yesterday-- Former Navy Seal Chris Kyle. I pray for his family and friends--for all those who knew him personally and were touched by his life.

RIP Chris.

The Best Medicine

After My sour puss mood yesterday, morning laughter is what I needed to perk me up

 

I bet some of you crafty women out there could make these :

 

My Cat would say this :

 

 

This is my big Smile for the day. Because of the Fact Ruger and Mosin actually sat still with out one of them trying to nip at the other. Maybe they are BFFs

 

 

Now that I have giggled this morning, I feel much better then I did yesterday...So Enjoy your Saturday