Pruning Roses

This is how I've been spending my sunny afternoons - pruning roses.

Our yard has about a dozen rose bushes that were really beautiful when we moved in last summer. But after this winter, they looked completely dead - just prickly sticks with crispy brown leaves.

But when I looked closely at them, I could see tiny little red bumps popping out of the stems. These were going to become baby leaves and beautiful new roses. So I've been clipping off the dead stuff to make room for the new growth.

Every spring I am amazed again and again how living things that appeared so dead become alive and new again. Watching this continuous cycle of re-birth fills me with so much joy and hope. It makes me remember that no matter how bleak things may seem at times, there is always hope and the opportunity for new growth.

Every day is a new day!

I love Spring!!!

Empty

Sorry!

Nothing in here today!

Happy Easter!

Everybody Has One!

Most people are embarassed to talk about theirs, but everybody has one.
Wanna see mine?












So. . . . .
When is YOUR birthday???

What's Your Mood?

Overheard in the car today:

Nikita: "Look, I found my mood ring. I wonder what the color green means?"

Ivan: "Maybe it means you're relaxed."

Andre: "Nikita, you are a fat moron!

Now what color is it?"

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Remember to wear green today!
And remember to pinch anyone who isn't!

Spring is Good

I am so sorry. I've realized that I've posted two creepy things in a row (strep & spiders).

Spring is much more than those things. I am so looking forward to the warm sunshine and all of nature coming back to life.

How Do You Know It's Spring?

Sure, the calendar says "March" and the first day of spring is less than a week away, but how can you tell if Spring is here to stay?

I know the snow has melted, but the forecast calls for more.

The crocus and tulips are poking out of the mud, but my roses still look dead.

The days are sometimes warm and sunny, but I can't be caught out at night without a coat.

The kids want to wear shorts and t-shirts to school, but come in freezing after playing.

But. . . .
The one true sign of Spring that has appeared many times at our house. . . . .

And I haven't seen a single one outside!

Streptococcus

See these little guys? They're bad news. They've taken up residence in my children. They are the streptococcus bugs. As I write this, they are causing great pain and discomfort for my Max. He's on antibiotocs now, but they haven't seemed to have kicked in yet. (I'm tempted to feed them to him like candy, but I'm sure they'll start taking effect soon.)

But, Good News! - I got a day off of work to be with him.

Now, if I could just see those little blue creeps, I could keep them away from me!

My Favorite Things

My Favorite:

Color

Animal

Bad Habit

Food:




Object:




Town where I Live:

My Name:

Song:

My Job:

Places I Want to Travel:

Dessert:

So, what are your favorite things?

Sad Celebrity News

I just heard the saddest thing. . . . .

My very first celebrity crush (well, second, if you count Dennis the Menace) is dying of cancer.

Apparently he's been suffering from pancreatic cancer and has had chemotherapy treatments, but his doctors give him a very little time left to live.

I'm so sad about this.

And of all of the celebrities I have loved, from Garth Brooks to Taylor Hicks, he's the one I've been closest to.

He used to live down the street from Jim's brother, David. I've actually seen him a few times on the street, and he would wave to us. He was very friendly. Vera and I used to call him "Pat", as if we knew him so well.

I remember one time one of his peacocks came down the street into Vera's yard. Jim's sister Kerri, Vera, and I were in the yard and noticed the peacock walking around Kerri's brand new car. Then we heard a loud and strange "Bang! Bang! Bang!" sound on metal. We went around the other side of the car, and there was "Pat's" peacock attacking it's own reflection on Kerri's new car!

We screamed at it go get away, and noticed some lovely new scratches on the car. We decided to inform the neighbor about their delinquent pet, so we went to the intercom in front of their gate and Kerri told (apparently) the housekeeper (in Spanish) what had happened.

Well, then Mrs. Swayze (Lisa Neimi) came on and said they would be right out to look at it.

Well, then suddenly, the three of of became very aware of what we looked like and considered the fact that we just might meet Patrick Swayze! I know I suddenly became very nervous! I was already planning the story I would tell later to anyone who would have listened.

But, when the gate opened, we were devastated to see only his wife and one of their assistants.
She was very courteous and offered to have one her "people" fix it at no charge to Kerri.

So. . . as many times as I've seen him on the steet, in passing, I never did get to meet him.

Happy

March!

Step Up

Took the "Big Kids" to see Step Up 2 - The Streets tonight.

It was pretty good.

I never cared for hip-hop, but Nikita loves it, and Max is starting to appreciate it.

I must admit, though - those kids can DANCE!