Surprise!!!!

Yesterday was my daughter's birthday. It is usually very difficult to surprise her in anyway because she just knows me too well. But we got her good this time. I called her hubby a couple weeks ago and asked him if they had any special plans for lunch on her birthday. Well they didn't so I asked him to keep that free and we would drive up (1 1/2 hour drive) and have lunch with them. Poor guy, he's not the real deceptive kind and I guess she wanted to know if they were doing anything and he told her he had special plans but he wasn't going to tell her.

So we took grandma with us and drove up and sat in the driveway next to their house till they got home from church. Turns out her hubby was driving her all over the neighborhood killing time to make sure we were there already. We knew for sure she'd see us sitting in the car but she didn't. They drive up and get out and she's just leisurely walking toward the house while hubby is trying to get her to turn around but she wouldn't. We drove up next to her and said, "Would you like to go to lunch?" She was definitely surprised and pleased.

I just love surprises. Thanks mucho to my wonderful son-in-law. Not only did he keep the secret but he got up that morning and made the house nice and tidy for her cause he knows she like to have it nice when people come. She thought he was just being his usual thoughtful self. Isn't that wonderful???!!!! We are so blessed!!

Soo Cute!!!!

Matt and Jenny came this weekend so we went up to the farm to check things out. There is a chocolate and white mama duck sitting faithfully on her nest of eggs in back of the barn. I suspected a while back there was one that had a nest in the tall grass on the other side of the pond and I think I was correct. We saw the whole duck family out for a swim. Matt, Jenny and Vince went out to the pond to get a closer picture, not me (I fear the water) and I'm not sure they were able to count them but Vince says there has to be a dozen. The other day, mama was swimming backward as though she was trying to coax them along. They look like little cotton balls floating on the water.
And of course since Jenny took the pictures she and Matt did a self portrait. I think it's a tradition they have which is kinda cool.

Talk about being SPOILED!!!

Check this out. This is what I get treated to most every morning. First I wake up or attempt to wake up and Vince brings me a very nice cup of coffee. The he, being the best egg cooker ever, makes me eggs, pretend sausage that tastes very much like the real thing, jelly toast and another cup of coffee. Ah, this is the life. Actually when I think about it my life is fantastically easy. I get to get up and do whatever I need to do when I need to do it. I don't recall us every sitting down discussing it being this way it just seemed to happen. Hey I like it, I'm spoiled and I know it. Of course, I do my fair share of spoiling him too!!!

Broch recovering at Nana's

Poor Broch, no wait poor me. Matt and Jenny had to go to Kentucky for a long weekend so we get to keep our grand dog. Well since he needed to go to the vet they made it an all in one trip. Guess what, Broch needed surgery the next day to remove a couple of tumors. That means Nana and Papa get to take him to the vet and keep him a week while he recovers. Poor Matt and Jenny couldn't smooch and hug and snuggle with him so I had to make up for it. Actually he did pretty good. He was pretty sore the first day but the next day he seemed a lot better. I had to lay a sheet over his places so he wouldn't lick them. By the end of the week he would look at me as if to say "I am so tired of you telling me to stop licking, you do understand I am a dog and that's what dog's do, right???" Well he's back home now and I'm sure the spoiling continues.

It's our 29th Anniversary!!!

Well it's number 29 today!!! We were married January 20, 1980 on Superbowl Sunday. We celebrated our 1st anniversary in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba at our favorite place "the dump." Car parts were hard to get in Cuba and most cars were what they called GTMO specials having been passed down over the years. So we spent much time at the dump. On that particular anniversary Ronald Reagan was being sworn in and the hostages were being released. Another funny thing is on our way back to Cuba after being married, we were "snowed in" at Virginia. So today was kinda fun even though we really didn't do anything in particular. Vince spent the day doing paperwork, I spent the day cooking. I guess we should have attempted to go to the dump just for old times sake but eh the old bones don't deal with the cold like they use to. Although a few years back my considerate husband did buy me a really nice pair of insulated coveralls which I use daily and appreciate very much. Well it seems like yesterday and it seems like forever ago but I'm looking forward to the next 29.

Christmas is over!!!

Well it's all over now, but it was a great one. Christmas day was very enjoyable. We opened presents, ate and then went out to visit the girls. I think everyone visited with the chickens. Irene even held one, although I'm not really sure that was her intention. Irene was sitting down and one jumped up in her lap. I think she liked it though. Jenny liked to watch them run, which is kinda funny. They half run half fly and pop a couple of wheelies now and then. It really was a great Christmas.

A trip to the farm!!!

After satisfying our growling tummies, we decided to take a ride up to a farm. This farm is owned by Vince's boss and it's huge. He's building two ponds and it has acres of field. The 4 of us and Broch crowded in the VW Golf and off we went. Broch loved it. He ran and ran and then found the water. He jumped right in, brrrrrrr!!!!! After swimming after a few sticks, we let him run around some more to dry off a bit. Then we all crowded back in the car for the drive home. Broch laid his head on Jenny's shoulder for a couple minutes then curled up in a ball and that was the last of his consciousness till we got home. It was a fun time. I think we'd like to have a farm some day, we'd have some goats, chickens and a big garden!!!!

Non-traditional Christmas food!!

Well I can't say anything we ate for Christmas is what you would call "traditional" for other people but it is becoming our tradition. We started Christmas Eve with some veggie subs. We had a foundation of homemade french bread, layered with some baby romaine lettuce from the garden then as many other veggies as we could pile on. For a side we had fresh steamed broccoli from the garden, yummy!!!! Then on Christmas day we cooked up a large pot of veggie style Brunswick stew, a pot of veggie beef soup for Matt and Irene brought over a really good spinach lasagna. So I'm guessing our food doesn't really meed the traditional standard but it was delicious. And as an added bonus there's lots of leftovers that freeze well so we can pull it out later.

Thanksgiving day was great!!!

Thanksgiving day is over but giving thanks continues. We had a wonderful time with Matt, Jenny, Kevin, Kelley, and Irene (aka Gwama.) We cooked all sorts of food and enjoyed a very relaxing afternoon. Even Rory was tuckered out.

It is such a blessing that we know our son-in-law's parents and can have a holiday with them. I know it makes it a lot easier for Matt and Jenny too. Plus they're really cool people !! We even took them on a tour of the chicken condo.