7 Quick Takes (Vol 36)

Egads! It seems like summer has come and gone. How can that be I ask you? Especially since around here it has been the year without a summer. But I digress which I do a lot it would seem. I rabbit trail. I follow the road less traveled. I wander down the garden path. I....oh yes, well. It is time for another addition of 7 Quick Takes. Be sure to click on the picture above to zoom through the internet and see what everyone else is doing.

-1-
I have to go to the vet!!!!

Yes, Maxwell had the annual vet visit this week. Don't let him fool you, he really does like going there. He gets to sniff at all the "call cards" that have been left on the posts outside and then there were all the dogs in the waiting room to greet and give courtesy sniffs to. And there was even a cat to commune with.

I love our semi new vet, Dr. Jeff. He is wonderful and funny and no nonsense all at the same time. I say "semi new" because we have been to see him before but it was to have Zachary Clarence put to sleep. Our experience with the previous vet was so troubling that we decided to change and that was when we found Dr. Jeff. You just have to love a vet that looks young enough to be my son younger brother, who giggles when he laughs and who uses phrases like, "Well what the hell is that!" I like him enough that it somewhat offsets the pain of having to pay the bill. And it was painful to pay the bill, trust me.

-2-

Thank you to all of you who were praying for The Engaged One as she traveled to Uganda. She arrived safe and sound on Tuesday afternoon after almost 48 hours of travel. She tells me that she is having an absolute blast which is good to know because she is really far away and should be having a good time as well as studying.

-3-

So I just thought I would tell you how absolutely wonderful HHBL is. He is just about, no he is THE best guy that I know. And isn't it convenient then that I am married to him. So, about 5 months ago I went back to work for HHBL. I have worked for him in the past and he needed me to come into the office and fill in on some things. Some of the work are things that I feel comfortable with and others not so but I can manage. Or sometimes I can manage. So, there was something that he asked me to work on, something that is just not in the list of things that I like to do or even feel that I have the skills for and it was making me all crazy and.....I had a melt down Thursday evening about 5 seconds after he walked in the door. I know it is almost impossible for you to believe that I would have a melt down, cool calm me. It happens. So sue me.

At any rate, HHBL asks, "So, how was the rest of your day?" I had been in the office not two hours before and all had seemed fine...to him. I took a breath.....and sort of lost my mind right there in the kitchen, as I was making the grilled cheese sandwiches. That poor man. He is a logical thinker and I wasn't explaining with any logicallity what was the problem. It took blubbering and whining and waving of arms and general mayhem before I explained it in a form that was understandable. And that wonderful man said, "Well, I will do that task that I had set before you because it means more to me that you are happy than that you do this task." Is your heart melting because mine sure did.

-4-

Try as I might, this morning I just couldn't get the Hummingbird picture that I wanted. I know that everyone is sick of the dumb Hummigbirds but I could just watch them for hours. This morining it was raining, not hard, just a soft gentle rain. One of the Hummingbirds zooms up (they go through life zooming) and alights on the pole that holds the feeder and then just sits there with it's little wings spread out as if it was soaking up the rain. It was awesome...but I couldn't get my telephoto lens on my camera fast enough. Darn.

-5-

Please explain to me why friends that I haven't seen in an age keep popping up in my dreams! First it was Diana and she was driving me around in a car for no reason that I could see. And then there was Ada, who had written a book that got bad reviews and she was depressed and we were trying to cheer her up. I have strange dreams and HHBL is convinced that I would have given Freud a run for his money. Perhaps.

-6-

This empty nesting thing is really rather odd I can tell you. The Lord has gradually worked us into I think, which was good. Shoe Queen had spent a lot of time away from the house in the last year or so, participating in Forensics tourneys or something else and so to have no children here at night isn't all that strange. But it is still strange. We started having kids early in our marriage (Cartoon Girl came along when we had been married 18 months) so there has always been a crumb cruncher around somewhere. Good thing HHBL and I like each other and have been "preparing" for empty nesting, and have been anticipating it with some good thoughts. If you don't like your spouse and don't like spending time with your spouse this would definitely be a difficult time in life.

-7-

Cartoon Girl comes for a visit next week!! Yeah!!! I have already been instructed that we have to do something fun EVERY DAY. Ummmmmmm. I will get right on that. Actually we are going to the Great Geauga County Fair, which is something we do every year and for which she is specifically coming home. 4H milkshakes! Gyros! Onion Rings! Cow butts, cow butts, and more cow butts (I said butt, I am sorry). We love this thing and it is sad to say that it is one of the highlights of our year. I can hardly wait to tell you all about it. Be prepared for pictures of cow butts and pig butts and the occasional picture of food. Be afraid, be very afraid.

And on that uplifting note, I will see you later alligator. After a while croccodile.......I am so juvenile.