Ah, Spring......................

in Colorado...................

Ah, Spring

A beautiful spring flower I purloined (don't want to say 'pilfered' in the middle of Lent) from a friend's blog.

An e-mail from my daughter-in-law!

HAPPY SPRING !!!!

Mother's Dictionary

Still a few months from Mother's Day- but, always timely:

AMNESIA: Condition that enables a woman who has gone through labor to make love again.
DUMBWAITER: One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.
FAMILY PLANNING: The art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you on the edge of financial disaster.
FEEDBACK: The inevitable result when your baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots.
FULL NAME: What you call your child when you're mad at him.

HEARSAY: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.
IMPREGNABLE: A woman whose memory of labor is still vivid.
INDEPENDENT: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.
OUCH: The first word spoken by children with older siblings.
PUDDLE: A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.
SHOW OFF: A child who is more talented than yours.
STERILIZE: What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.
TOP BUNK: Where you should never put a child wearing Superman pajamas.
TWO MINUTE WARNING: When the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noise
VERBAL: Able to whine in words
WHODUNIT: None of the kids that live in your house...

What's in a name? Alot of laughter!

Yesterday my 3 year old grandson asked to see the 'Tinkerbell' movie.

His Mommy said, "'It's not Tinkerbell- It's 'Fern Gully'".

Granma (that's ME) says: "There is more than one faerie - altho 'Tink' is the most well known". (Refer to the name of this blog for details on this comment.)

Repeating his request: "Mommy, can we see 'Tinkerbell?'

Granma - finding it important to make this distinction repeats: "This one isn't Tink"

Mommy: "This one is Fern - NOT Tinkerbell."

And so, after a slight pause to digest all this new information (and trying so hard to cooperate - because really, all he wants to do is see a movie with a big scary man eating lizard in it- not the least bit interested in the hierarchy of faeries) my grandson says: "Mommy, can I watch Fernklebell?"

Off to see the grand-boys. And maybe Kung Fu Panda?

Active Listening and Living Alone

This was the topic of our meeting today at work. Active listening. Complete with homework: go home, take the time to actively listen...............listen to understand, not just to respond.

Sounds good. However, if my boss had been reading my blog- he would already know I can rule out Bob and Robert because they still aren't saying anything (unless I can get an extension on my assignment until the next inauguration.)

And all my mutt does is grunt and grumble.

I must have made this last comment about my dog out loud as my co-worker sitting next to me mentioned that's all her husband does too and she can expect as much success with her assignment as I can with mine.

Some times, it's nice to be reminded that there are some really good reasons why I live alone (or almost alone, - my apologies to the livestock that share my space.)

Bob and Robert Update

Yes, they are still here. Eating like pigs and as quiet as ever. Except for that one day - Jan 20 - when Aretha Franklin was singing and Bob and Robert joined in to celebrate the inauguration.........nuthin..........

So, I moved them. After my spring cleaning Saturday - I moved a few things around. Yesterday I put the birdcage in front of the sliding glass door in the living room with the blinds open. So instead of looking in a mirror they are looking outside into my overgrown garden and seeing- and hearing, all the noisy birds from outside. I like it better as I see more of them.

And, of course, the T.V. is on for the mutt. Let's see if the bird boys like this better. They were really interested in watching me last night when I was flopped on the couch reading- and actually huddled themselves into the corner of the cage closest to me. (Keep your friends close - and your enemies closer comes to mind.)

Kun Fu Grandsons Hi! YAH!

For my first viewing, my 3 year old grandson says "Po says 'sucks' Granma. 'Sucks' is a bad word. So we can't say 'sucks'. But, maybe because you are an adult, you can say 'sucks." "And, Po says 'stupid' Granma. 'Stupid' is a bad word and we can't say 'Stupid'. But, maybe because you are an adult you can say 'stupid'. Isn't that right Mommy?"

8 times - maximum use of the 'bad' words - without being 'bad'. It's just a warning right? (When my son was that age he loved to sing 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia" - because he could sing "SOB' and get away with it.)

Gotta love it.

And, hey - if you have never seen the flips and shakes and kicks, butt wiggles and sound effects of a 3 year old boy learning Kung Fu from a fat cartoon panda- you have not lived to see the bright side of hilarity yet.

Of course, the one year old, not to be outdone - grabbed the stuffed animals from the movie that Colorado Auntie gave them- realized they were the same as on T.V. and started bashing them together screeching joyously. (Altho this one screeches joyously ALOT - so that may not have been the Kung Fu noises his Big Brother was making.)

Spring Cleaning time!

OK, this is the weekend!

I am dropping the bedspread off at the cleaners, the dog at the groomers and I'm picking up the Rug Doctor this Saturday after work. I will be washing and cleaning and waxing and polishing and 'airing out' and dusting and rearranging the rest of my 'days off'.

It's time. I've lived here a year and I share this tiny little space with a dog and just 'the usual' weekly cleaning needs a boost every once in a while - and this Sunday we "spring forward' on our clocks - so perfect timing!

Oh, and I'll be making a few loaves of Amish Friendship Bread" also!

First tattoo

My son's first tattoo is healing nicely. Altho.........I'm thinking this isn't his last.

It is Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Everybody 'Hop on Pop"!

Now, had I been thinking.........and not just watching intently and laughing and enjoying myself - I would have gotten a live shot of a 'Hop on Pop' last night at my son's home. My grand sons (ages 3 and 1) were crawling all over and hopping on Pop - he's a magnet for the boys as soon as he sits on the floor.

Both boys were trying to 'zerber' Daddy- and the youngest discovered chest and belly hair. This was hilarious- the baby kept 'pretending' it was coming off in his hands and trying to give it to his big brother - who also thought the whole thing was mighty funny. That is until Daddy mentioned that he too would have hair on his chest and belly some day. Horrified my grandson pulled up HIS shirt to show us he still had a nice clean- hairless (and round) little belly!

My Father was partial to this book also- my kids called him "Pop-Pop' - and they spent many a happy hour hopping on him also.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!