HOT....HOT....HOT....

Now you all know I tend to embelish things at times, well not embellish....maybe stretch the truth...to make a point of course.
Well, let me tell you...I am TELLING THE TRUTH when I say it is HOT out here in Portland, you may have seen or heard about us on the national news. It is 107 today and has been over 100 for the last 5 days.
I DO NOT like the heat, (just like my Sister Jean). If it gets over 85, that is a tad too hot for me, so over 100 is "over the top".
They say it will not let up yet for another few days, and then will only be in the 90's...still not much relief....
It is NOT supposed to be HOT ere, less than 5 % of those of us in Portland have air conditioning. Thankfully, Robert bought a window air conditioner 3 years ago for the Living room where I have been camped out 24/7 for the last 4 days. It does a good job in the LR, but the temp in the house still says 89 degrees. It has to be over 140 degrees up stairs in the bedroom, so I have been sleeping on the couch.....
I must say I love Face book....It keeps me current on all things everyone is doing back home, along with the blogs of course. So sorry about Jean and Scott's weekend with Dave and Lynne. Curve ball is right.....
I have loved Jenny's blog's with pictures of the girls. I can't wait to see them, I could eat them up they are so cute. Brenda always captures her life in many pictures and stories...so glad the "blow-out" on the car was not worse than it was. I had one once and it is a BAD feeling.
I still do ot have my airline ticket, prices are unreasonably high, but I want to fly in on Aug 15th and catch a ride home with J/S who will be in Chicago that weekend anyway for thier last art show.
I plan on staying about 6 weeks and truthfuly, I hope it is about 70-76 there. It will be a welcome relief.
Apparently it takes about 6 weeks for SSI to get the word from the outcome of the hearing "into thier system" and processed. It has been 3 weeks today, but at least I know it is done and over with and by the end of August I should actually see some money. Can't tell you what a relief that thought is.
I went to a fun Barnhouse sale a few weeks ago. Barnhouse does not really capture the essence of this great sale. They had all things shabby, French and Chic at the sale. I got some fun items I plan to craft with....come this fall when I get back to Portland. I also tired to get a different profile picture for Face book...I took a picture of a picture so it did not turn out too great, but I wanted one of Robert and I.
A few pictures of the things I got at the Barnhouse sale....Can't wait to see everyone in a few weeks.....Brenda/Jenny and whoever else is interested....a trip to Shipshawana needs to happen....
Off to soak my head in a pail of cool water.... :)

Musette Bracelet GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Musette Bracelet GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!
would love to win
nykerk06@comcast.net

HAPPY GAL

Short post....just to say I had a great time at the beach with Deanna. She did all the work, walked all 3 dogs, carried everything, cooked, the only mishap was Thursday night when I tried to help her pull out the hide-a-bed, I am certain I displaced my rib again as I cannot sit up or down, have to hold my stomach and back when I move or rise from a sitting position...
I called the doc and have an appt for day ofter tomorrow.
I still have not really processed the fact that my SSI went through and I am so happy I do not know how to act.
THANKS to everyone, all of you that have been praying and giving me support over the last 3 years....
I have a list of about 30 things to accomplish this week, I will take care of things one at a time, my first is to call the local SSI office to figure out what happens from here....when I might see some money, I am figuring it will take about 2 months....
I want to come to Michigan for the month of September. Or late August-the end of Sept. I am going to start looking to airline tickets, but plan on that time. I have too much to get taken care of and set in place here before I leave, so I need about 6 weeks to get my act together.
Doug and Val could very likely join me in Michigan for a week. Rachel had mentioned that she would figure out a way for them to stay at her house. That Rachel is a dream come true....she is the most amazing sister in law. I am so lucky.
I want D/V to be able to meet Dad, see the compound, see Jean and Scott...They are very simple people, but they have done so much for me, I want everyone to meet them.
so start planning now for a big party, or 10 big parties, or a party every day to celebrate my SSI situation. When I was at the beach, Val came and cleaned my house from top to bottom....so nice to come home to a toally CLEAN house.
Especially after a 3.5 hour stand still on 1-5 north...we stood still for all that time, I was about NUTS by the time we finally got home. The 3 dogs in the back were also 1/2 nuts. Sheba had a 11th birthday at the beach. Deanna cooked great food for all 3 dogs in celebration.....pictures are on facebook.
More later...
The last picture is of Bubba....the last night before she went to her new adopted home....He wanted to lay right by Sheba for the last night they were together....Good ole Bubba is doing GREAT in his new home and his owner loves him to pieces.

THE TOP NYKERK ACCIDENTS

Well....after reading Jenny's post about visits to the ER being a common occurance for her family on holidays...It got me to thinking about the TOP NYKERK ACCIDENTS......sort of a "take-off" if you will about Dan's top post regarding the Top 10 Nykerk Traditions....Now I realize some of the 2nd generation, ( BRenda, Jenny, Rachel....you get the drift) will not remember some of the events that occured with thier respective parents....so you will probably have to leave those to us older folks....and certainly the 3rd generation...(Macey and Kelsey) will not have much recall about the 2nd generation....although I am quite certain Macey remembers a jump from the couch that resulted in a broken leg....
So to get things started I will leave a few memories of those historical accidents, and I ask all of you to add along in the comment section....lets see how many we can come up with.

• Bill racing up the driveway at 455 Lakewood on his tri-cycle, head down, concentrating on how FAST he was going, only to run into the back light of the gray 1948 Ford parked in the drive. The car was there when he started his race.....it is not like it materialized out of the blue.....resulting in stitches in his head
  
• Jim riding his 2 wheel bike up the street were the Buter's lived, riding fast and the handlebars cracking off resulting in the steel rod going though his mouth and coming out the other side of his face....resulting in lots of stitches on the right side of his mouth.
• Carol waiting patiently for her turn to ride on the bag swing that used to hang where the garage is now built. Please make note of the piece of wood that was situated under the bag swing. Carol waits in the middle of the area where the swing will cross over and over. She gets hit in the head with the piece of wood.....continues to stand in the SAME spot, for another crack to the head....still wanting to ride, she stands in the same place for yet a THIRD whack to the head before she moves out of the way.....resulting in several stitches to her head.
• Jean riding her new blue new bike some where near Glerum school...the rest of us were sitting on the picnic table in the back yard eating popscicles...Out of the blue, Jean comes walking her broken bike and says...."AHHHH, I kinda fell"...... blood gushing out of her knee, along with many rather large pieces of gravel and asphault stuck in her knee which Uncle Jerry who was visting in the States from Arabia, promptly pulled out his Doctor's bag and tended to her knee. I remember she had on a cute blue frilly skirt and a white blouse.
• Jimmy closing his finger on and in the back door of Grandma Nykerk's house, the house directly west of 455....resulting in Aunt Mary and Grandma Nykerk screaming for "Leona....come get Jimmy, he cut off his finger...." Now we all know he never really lost a finger, but the tip was gone....this required a trip to the ER.....
• Bill, along with all of his cronies filling up a scare-a-crow in all human clothing and stuffing it to look like a body. Rigging said body up in the air and dropping it onto passing cars so it landed on thier windshield...prompting unknown drivers the scare of thier lives, certain they had just killed someone. Bill and said friends were long gone by the time the unsuspecting driver had a heart attack at the wheel.....
• All the neighborhood kids playing "7 steps around the house". This is an old time game where you are supposed to be blindfolded, or at a minimum, keep your eyes closed. Carol....the only one following directions proceeded to bang her head into the corner of the brick house at 455...resulting in a ton of laughs by her siblings and a trip to the ER for stitches in her head....about the same place she had them when assulted by the bag swing event some years previous.
• Jean, having just gotten her driver's license, backing out of the driveway at 455, sliding about 25 feet into Grandma Nykerk's flower garden...and saying..."How am I doing? ". I might add there was about 35 feet of snow on the driveway. No one was hurt except for Jean's ego.
• How about the time that Jeff pounded a board with a HUGE nail right though his hand...comes up stairs with a board nailed to his hand and shows Rachel that he missed his mission of pounding the board to another board and got his hand instead.
• I swear one of us got a fish hook in the eye as a result of some errant cast from another family member.....who did this happen to?
• OK....please start adding all of the events I have missed.....
  

HOT HERE!!!!!!

Well....long time no hear from Carol. It has been pretty hot here for the last week. In the 90's every day. I wish I had some beautiful photo's to show you, but in reality, the back yard is a jungle with weeds 8 feet high nad the front yard is filled with blooms of roses in every color, taking over the house, the yard, the neighbor's, the street.....I have a handy man coming on Tuesday who is going to pull all the weeds and trim all the bushes for a mere 25.00 ( a friend of Deanna's)
I had a nice day here yesterday, Doug and Val came over and me did chicken on the grill, brats, baked beans, corn on the cob, strawberries, pineapple, angel food cake with whip cream and a great tossed salad.
Sheba was in total glee while they were here. When they left about 11:00pm, all the noise really started.....she cried, she ran into walls, she covered her ears, she squealed.....I gave her a dose of valium but that did not help much. I think the better these greyhounds do at the track, the less tolerant they are of noise.....the bangs sound like a gun, and the start of a race.....having such a stellar racing career means she is also not tolerant of those fou-fou dogs and ankle biters....they resemble a rabbit. Anyhow, about 4 am she finally quieted down, but she was not a happy camper until today when it all totally all done.
I have my SSI hearing on this wednesday, the 8th....big day for me since I have waited over 3 years. Doug and Val are driving me there. The hearing will take one hour, then the Judge has up to 90 days to make a decision. Retro pay is not automatic. If approved, she can determine when benefits will start, and then there is another 5 month wait period....so sometime in 2020....I may know something. I will be glad just to get the hearing over, I feel confident the attorney I have obtained will do a good job, we are appearing before a female judge who is known to be "tough"....whatever that means.
Regardless of what happens, I am going to the beach house on Thursday-Sunday. GPA-NW is hosting 2 events in Lincoln City, I am not participating, but told the glas that are, that they could stay with me at the condo, so regardless, it will be nice to get to the beach for a few days.
I feel bad for Jason and his poisen ivy....I sure hope Macey and Kels do NOT catch it. Hope Brenda and Keith had a great time camping and that Jim and Rachel had a nice week off, although I hear the weather was crappy there this past week.
I am sure that Dave and Rachel hosted a 4th party on thier deck...I wonder if Bella attended. I hope Bandit, Dolly, Aly, and Bella did better with the 4th of July noise than thier cousin Sheba.
I am loving Facebook and reconnecting with friends and keeping up with the family that way.
I hope to get home sometime this summer, maybe August, or early sept. Doug and Val would actually like to visit for a week or so, Rachel has said they could stay at thier house. I know they would love coming to see the "compound", so I am hoping that works.
Robert has been doing a lot of fishing, he tried talking to Sheba on the phone last night to calm her down and even he failed...which is a first.....He will come this way when I make my plans about when I will be in Michigan.
Has any one heard that Michael Jackson died? Talk about OVER THE TOP......poor Farrah got relagated to the back pages....and now this homicide of the NFL player and his 21 yo girlfriend?.......mmmmmmmmmmmmm......more to unravel on that one.
Well, all is well over here, I hope to see some updated blogs soon, but I can't talk....this is the first update I have done in 2 months. I am so glad the rest of you are better at it than me......
Bubba is loving his new permanent home and the woman that adopted him is just plain nuts about him. I am so glad the ole fella got a good home to live out the rest of his life. No fostering for awhile.

Flight status

I just checked with SW Airlines and Rachel flew out of Denver on time and is scheduled to land in Chicago at 3:00pm. ( 4:00pm Michigan time), so it does not appear that she has any flight issues, other that possible crying babies, mean elderly citizens, obese and/or smelly passengers within her nose range or turbulent winds, none of which I expect to be the case, although anything is possible.
Sheba has been up and down the stairs 3 times looking in her room hoping to find her hiding in there to no avail, then she comes back down hanging her head.
I also want to thank Rachel for cleaning my refrigerator, ( which was a big job), vacuuming my house about 4 times, cleaning my front porch, doing my wash, walking my girl Sheba and cleaning up the happy tail and Earl accident at the beach....(Earl was a foster we delivered to his permanent family at the beach....he was having a rough day, had just come from the vet, and his bowels were a bit queasy....you get the drift), not to mention all the meals she treated me to, gas money, etc...you get the drift.
THANKS RACH....we miss you

Great times with Rachel

Got Rachel to the airport at 4:30 this am and just checked SW airlines and she that she departed Portland on time. She has a 2 hour layover in Denver and arrives at Midway at 3:00 Chicago time. Jim has all the info down pat for picking her, along with Lana and her crew and driving them home.
Unfortunately, we did not get to spend much time with Lana. Her entire family lives here in Portland, so naturally she wanted to spend her time with them, especially with the recent passing of her Father. I was glad that she was able to bring her 91 year old Mother to the condo for 3-4 days.
I absolutely loved having Rachel here. IT was so nice to have some one from the family visit me. As much as I love coming home to Holland, it sure wasa great time, having some one come to see me. I know you will not believe this but I did not get a one picture....Rachel took pictures and I am sure will post them on her updated blog when she returns home.
After "bragging" on Facebook for the last 4 weeks about "how great the weather was in Portland....blue skies and sun....", the weather when she was here was pitiful. Rain almost every day....what can I say??? I hope the rainy weather that has been here does not get to Holland to ruin Tulip time.
Since we can do nothing about the weather, we had a great time anyway. Everyone knows how low-key Rachel is and happy to do anything tht is suggested, so we had really good time eating out, shopping the outlet malls and meeting a few of my good friends here in Portland/beach. Doug and Val came over for dinner here on Sunday and yesterday we went to pick up Deanna after a medical procedure and had lunch with her. We were able to make it to the Saturday farmer's market and the Portland Market, (arts and crafts) on Saturday even though we missed a "blow-out storm", complete with thunder and lighting by a few minutes as we were on the train going back to our car. It is a big, big deal to have thunder and lightening here in Portland so of course it was all over the news that night.
Sunday we went to see a theater production called "Zoo-Zoo", 5 actors doing short vingettes all of different animals...anteater, hippo, bears, frogs, penguins. IT was fun to see something totally different. There were a lot of kids in the audience that really enjoyed it. We thought of Macey and Kelsey...
Monday night we went to a late night "Happy hour" and then to the "Candlelight" bar where they have good music 7 days a week. Mostly blues...and some up tempo funk. It is a really small place, never a cover charge and always great music. Even on a Monday the place was packed and an African American couple let us sit at thier table with them as there was no place to sit. Very typical Portland. On the way out I saw La Marcus Aldrige sitting by himself in the back booth. HE is a Portland Trail Blazer starter, so since I guess Portland is out of the play-offs, he was there trying to be "in-cognito" but I saw him and he gave me the nod of his head and a smile. Just read in today's paper that he will play USA basketball this summer to maybe play in the 2012 summer olympics in London.
Funny thing, the band was Kellen Smith and the fam.....Dan had a friend back home with that name. Rachel bought one of thier CD's, it would really be a trip if it was the same kid.
Of course I will miss Rachel's company, but Sheba is in a MAJOR FUNK. She knew last night something was "up"....and is very sad this morning with Rachel being gone. She is now used to those 6 or 7 am walks that Rachel took her on every day. She even slept right by Rachel's bed the time we were at the beach, and one day did not even let her get her coffee before she was up nudging Rachel to take her out for a walk on th ebeach. She is one spoiled Diva....she is also suffering from "Happy Tail" again, a result of me shutting the door on her tail at the condo. I am glad that Rachel did not call protective services on me. So....I have attempted to wrap it for the last week, the first time it stayed on until we unwrapped it on Sat night. I say "we" because as I tried to get the tape off, she started crying like mad and Rachel quick jumped up pet her head and distract her which really worked or I would not have been able to get it off. SHe has a really tender spot in th emiddle of her tail from a previous happy tail disaster. Since then I have tried different methods to no avail. It has to be tight and secure enough to stay on her skinny tail, but if it is too tight I can't get it off and if it is too loose it will not stay on. I am hoping the Chad can engineer a new idea I have involving foam PVC protective tubing, along with a finger splint, gauze and tape....Rachel has the total idea of what it needs to be like so I am am hoping to get this product perfected. It would be a lot easier on both Sheba and I, not to mention a great money-maker as greys are so susceptable to this syndrome and many folks bring thier greyhounds to the vet every 4-5 days to get it wrapped, taken off, and re-wrapped....so there is a need and money to be made.
Bubba comes back to me on Saturday so I will have to have a good fix on her tail before he returns.
I go see the cardio specialist tomorrow regarding my abnormal cardiogram. Knee is better but still sore.
I sure am enjoying the Tulip time pictures and blogs and hope you guys have great weather. Dan graduates from MSU on Saturday...congrats to him.
Well I sure have enjoyed the last 10 days, praying for Rachel's safe return and hopes for more vists from family in the future....
I am sure Rach will post pictures once she gets home and settles in...she has to work again tomorrow.
Thanks for coming to see me Rach. I love you AND thanks FOR EVERYTHING

IS IT SPRING?

Well, for the last 2 weeks I have bragged and bragged on Facebook about how simply devine the weather was here in Portland....blue skies, warm, in the 70's.....well of course now that Rachel and Lana, (with family) are about to fly here, my temp reading on the computer says 52 fricken degrees. It rained some today, was quite windy, although the sun is really trying to "peep out". I think it will be a stretch to say the weather is nice here. Now they say the weather may improve....like mid 60's, sun every now and again.....but I have proven to be wrong about how woefully nice it will be. I should have known just to keep my big mouth shut. The same goes for the TrailBlazers...who LOST again last night.....I have been bragging about them all year. Now that they are finally in the play-offs, they look like a game of pick up ball in Jim and Rachel's driveway...and certainly Jeff and the boys could have beat them last Saturday....It is maddening. To wait for so long to have my hopes dashed ina matter of a week....
I am so happy to report that Rachel will be here in about 17 hours. The next 17 hours will be ALOT easier for me that they will be for her....driving to Chicago at 2:00am with Jim proudly wearing his "I will do anything for anyone, just ask" SMILE....all that waiting in the airport, hoping to get clearance into the skies heading west.....hopefully dozing for the 4 hour and 38 minute flight, and waking on the runaway for the final 6 minutes of the flight. As they land, if they look close, they will see 1120 Mariner's Loop....the one with weeds and a front yard in much need of a "fix"...I think I may even drive the Mercedes to pick her up....tehn off to a local resturant with Lana and her family.
Sometime later in the day we will arrive back at the Loop with Sheba eagerly awaiting the upcoming visit of her Aunt Rachel. She has been laying by the door for the past day....I keep signing to her, that it will be "in a little bit". She understands the sign of 2 fingers, but still fears she will miss out of the arival. She takes no chances.
About that time, Rachel will figure out that I am not much into cleaning. You would think one person could do a few things around the house, but these injuries of mine make it hard. My mission for tonight is to find the coffee maker....there is one here from when Jean visited some years back, but since Robert and I have never tasted coffee, she may have to refresh herself with....uuuummmm, some diet coke, a bottle of beer, or a glass of wine. I know she has probably had worse situations in her life, but I really will get to searching for that pot in the next 17 hours as Sheba waits patiently by the front door.
So on Monday we are off to the beach....7 of us and Sheba.....we will be in both condo's.....I think they have coffee at Grocery Outlet and I know there is a coffee maker at the condo, so Rachel might luck out on day 2....The condo's will be cleaned unlike the house on the Loop....so she hits pay dirt when she sees the condo.
We will come back on Thursday...and for the next week, ( give or take) we will search up the finest sights and stores in Portland. The Japanese Rose Gardens, The Chinese gardens downtown, we might go see ZooZoo a production by the Imago Theater, go to a baseball game, shop all the best areas on NW 23rd, Cascade Station and downtown, go to Saturday Market for art and Saturday food market for all things wonderful home grown in Oregon, go to the mountain, (Mt Hood) and to the gorge....(Hood River)...all of these fine things within 45 minutes of the house.
I have 2 hearing aids that work, a recovered knee and I am ready for the fun......
Bring it on.
I leave you with a picture in the back yard of a fruit tree I brought home in the rumble seat of the Mercedes 18 months ago. At that time the tree was about 18 inches tall, Robert was not real pleased about the transfer of said tree....so I vacuumed out the car to appease him while he dug a hole and planted the wee thing. Just look at it now. He would be proud. I can't wait for him to see it in person...sometime very soon I hope.
Can't wait for you to get here Rach.

4 years ago Mom went to Heaven

It has been a long time since I have done a blog, so I figured today was the day since it is 4 years ago that Mom went to heaven. I still miss her so much and so wish she had been with us these last 4 years to see her Great-grandchildren, take trips with us, go to breakfast with us....it was not to be, and that is God's way....
It is amazing to me that Dad has hung in there so great these past 4 years. I am glad he is still in his own home, still able to watch sports and spend time with the family. In a way we have gotten to know him so much better in the last 4 years....that sense of humor and his fantastic memory amaze me.
Life in Oregon these past 6 weeks have been pretty much a bummer. It could be summarized as...no hearing...no hot water...no hearing...no hot water....No hearing AND no hot water....
Well I have finally gotten ONE hearing aid that works and I have figured out how to restart the hot water heater. All of you with men in the house better be thanking the Lord daily that they do these type of things without even a glance or thought. They just automatically take care of those things....
Looking forward to the TrailBlazers getting in to the playoffs and hoping MSU beats the tar out of NC....
I have been so sore lately, I guess I have to up the injection of metotrexate....then my liver functions go all crazy so it is sort of a no-win.
CONGRATS to Jean, 23# lighter and the Brenda, 27# lighter. I think I may have to try this med-fast myself....I am sure all these extra pounds make my condition worse.
I am really looking forward to Rachel's visit the end of the month. We are going to the condo and visiting numerous Portland sites that the rest of you were never able to see. I have made arrangements for Bubba to go to respite care while she is here. Sheba of course will be with us.
Bubba is a great guy, but he is 12, has no teeth and I do not think he has great depth perception. It is hard for him to so stairs....the beach as you all know has it share of stairs.
He are a couple pictures of Bubba. Since he has no teeth, he tends to sleep with his tounge hanging out. Quite cute actually.
Are any of you following mycharmingkids.blogspot.com. The story of MckMama and her 6 mo baby in intensive care? There is a facebook prayer site for she and family.
Speaking of facebook....it is way too addicting.
Speaking of blogs....Dan's are top flight. I loved the top 10 family traditions....

Poor Sheba/Bye to the Coop

Poor Sheba had her dental on Thursday. That calls for a total knockout with anathesia. When the Doctor had her under she also operated on her eyelid. This is a result of when Scarlett bit her last summer. She had a flap of skin that needed to be removed.
Greyhounds are known for having horrible teeth due to all the crap they feed them at the track, usually they need thier teeth clean every 6 months. My hero Sheba has such great teeth, in part because I brush them 2x daily. Teeth problems can really lead to other organic and medical problems to all you dog lovers out there so make sure thier teeth are in good shape. Anyhow, this is the FIRST time I have had her teeth cleaned in the 4 years I have had ber, so I guess the brushing pays off. Since it costs 300.00 for a dental I am glad I am not having to do it every 6 months!!!!
They gave her a shot of morphine and rimadyl when she was knocked out. In the recovery room she started gettting very anxious for her Mom to pick her up....she wanted to go home, so they gave her a tranq...When I got there at 5:30 she walked to the car and then her feet and body went slack. SHe could not get in or out of the car...I needed to get a neighbor to carry her in on a blanket.
Cooper went over to greet her immediately in normal fashion, falling and sitting on her....
Anyway, she became 1/2 normal about 11pm and came upstairs to sleep on her bed next to me about 3am..
I called the vet yesterday to find out why she was so HIGH and that's when they told me about the tranq....they neglected to tell me that on Thursday. I was worried about her.
On a brighter note, Cooper was adopted this morning. He went to his first home visit and they wanted him, so now it is back to just my girl and I. I am glad as Coop was a handful. Too much puppy in him and he was always pushing Sheba around, which she tolerated by did not enjoy.
Here are a few pictures of Thursday night when she got home from the Doctor.
Notice the green vet wrap matches her snooze on the collar of her coat and the fact she had to lean her head against the wall to keep it up.....

Pretty Dogs

25 random things about me

Taking the cue from my Niece Brenda and my sister Jean...here goes
1. I was smarter than my 2nd grade teacher, she did not know her vowels.
2. I love Fricanno's pizza
3. I once won 5,000 in Las Vegas....I wish I had that money now
4. I used to fish every day with Dan Shinabarger at Oxbow lake in Saugatuck
5. I hate rice and mashed potatoes, in addition to banana's
6. I liked my place at the dinner table growing up, right between Mom and Dad
7. My friends Robin and Cindy and I used to be called the R and C kids because we drank rum and coke...I would puke if I even smell rum now.
8. I used to sew alot....I once made my brother Bill a suit
9. Floyd Mayweather, the boxer used to run my groceries home from Clarks grocery store when I lived in Grand Rapids, he would run backwards training for his next fight.
10. I love working cross word puzzles
11. My first day working at the Sheriff's Office I got locked in the jail
12. I adopted Sheba 4 years ago today
13. When Mom worked at the library I started dinner every night for her...I guess Jean was watching Andy Griffith
14. I remember like yesterday the day Jean drove down Mom and Dad's driveway, she was about 8 feet down the hill
15. I don't ever go to the movie theater, I can't sit still that long
16. I LOVE all my nieces and nephews, along with my grand-nieces
17. I love the game show network
18. I remember skinning my knee the day we found out Uncle Jerry and Aunt Rose had survived the burning on the ship they were on in 1960 by telegram and no one cared about my knee.
19. I cannot water ski or do a cartwheel like everyone else can.
20. I never studied much in college.
21. I think about my Mom every day, I miss her so
22. I like the saying: "Hey girl....."
23. I think the Trailblazers have a chance of getting into the playoffs this year.
24 My room-mate in college died in a car crash when I was a sophmore. It was really sad.
25. I love my Robert

Super, duper Cooper

Well, Cooper is making himself a part of the family. He was full of anathesia the night he came home with me, haing had a dental done along with his personal surgery.
From the very first day and night he has come to get me when he needs to go outside. That is pretty good for a dog that has never been in a house before. He was still running races last November in Arizonia. Then he returned to the farm in Oregon where he was not treated very well. GPA got 35 dogs from that farm, all of them were sick, had viral and other problems I will not get into here. Suffice to say it took 6 weeks to get them ready to come into foster homes.
He is about 63 pounds and has that striped tail which I have never seen before.
I still keep him muzzled at night since the first morning I came down stairs to what looked like a tornado went through it. He chewed on everything he could find...pillows, blankets, dolls, wooden objects, garbage, etc. Since then he has been pretty darn good. Sheba has given up her bed, but today I caught Cooper trying to lay on Sheba's bed with her. I could not believe Sheba allowed it. She will give up her bed but she is very possessive of the bed she is on and wants her "space". SO I am including that picture in this post along with a picture of her pretty striped tail. His bottom end was recently shaved due to the surgery that he had last week, but it is starting to grow back.
He is only 3 years old so he still has a lot of "puppy" in him but he does understand NO and he knows his name which is pretty good since they have a different name when they race.
I got some new things listed on ETSy but other than that I have not done much. I am pretty sore and achy and now I feel like I am coming down with a cold. I wanted to get these pictures of Coop and Sheba on the blog, so that is all for now

We saw a lot of PERFECT sunsets

We saw many,many perfect sunsets at the beach where we spent about 2 weeks when Robert was here. Sadly, that has come to an end, Robert is back in DC and it started SNOWING here today. Can you get that?
I really have done very little of anything since Robert left. It is always an adjustment and I don't feel all that hot the last few days, almost like I am coming down with that pnueomia again. I sure that is NOT what it is. Not much energy and I have lots of things to catch up on, none of which sound like much fun.
I have to get some new stuff loaded on the ETSY shop, and I also joined a place, also on line called "artfire.com". It is like ETSY, but much smaller. It is however cheaper to post items on that site, however I do not know how much traffic it gets. Jean also joined Artfire...
Did I tell you about the Benz having a dead battery when Robert got here? He had asked me to "charge it" the night before he came, that did not work, so he did it again when he got here. All of a sudden, no instrument panel lights, no oddometer or speedometer, etc.....We dropped it off at the shop on the way to the beach. Suffice to say, after a $2,850.00, ( not a typo) we were told that a Mercedes can never be "jumped". You have to take out the battery, chrage it and put it back in.....The part alone, ( Instrument cluster was over 1,500 )
The Battery was dead becuase I never drive that car. Suffice to say I am going to drive that car at least one time a week to keep the darn thing charged.
It sounds like Jen is coming to Holland tomorrow for Dinner at Bill's and Grandpa is invited. I am certain it will be the highlight of his week. It is so great the girls invited him.
Glad to hear that Katie had a great surprise Birthday party hosted by Dave and Rachel.
Rachel N: You should be leaving for Florida soon....I remember the airline ticket fiasco.....I have used the gismo used to weigh luggage more times than you can imagine in the last few weeks. It really comes in handy.
Happy belated Birthday to Brenda and Katie.
GPA is having a Valentine Gala which includes a greyhound "Fashion Show" where the dogs will be stylin coats that will be auctioned off to the audience. Sheba is a model and she has been practicing prancing around the house with her head lifted in the air. I will be sure to get pictures. It is on the 24th of Feb.
GPA took in 35 news dogs due to a track closing, all of whom need foster homes, so I will be getting "Cooper" this Thursday. He is a little guy and only 3 years of age. Sheba kind of misses not having a foster here to boss around and she is really missing her Daddy, just like her Mommy. She has her senior bloodwork panel done on Thursday, and Cooper is having his neuter done the same day, so Thursday might be a little crazy around here, with a dog recouping from surgery and Sheba suffering from all her shots. Cooper has never been in a home before, so that always takes a couple of weeks for them to adjust.
I am going to see if this blog posts......lets get those blogs updated gals!!!!
XOXO
Carol and Sheba

TEST

Since my very lengthy blog post would not publish the other day, I gave up and sent an email. This one is going to be short until I find out the sucker works......
We miss our Robert
Carol and Sheba

Pictures

How about my pictures of Obama from the TV????

I am BACK!!!

Well, I guess 6 weeks is way toooo long not to have been blogging. When I was in Michigan over the holidays I knew that you all knew what I was doing....pretty good excuse huh?
Well since I have been back, you all know that I was stranded in the house for 7 days until Robert flew in last Sunday. He took a taxi to the house and proceeded to get up Monday morning and make 3 copies of every house, condo, car we own. He spent 100.00 making new keys. He found a place locally that would make a Benz key without us having to order them from Germany. That involves sending the VIN number to Germany along with proof of insurance to get a key which takes about a month and costs 270.00 per key, so he was pretty happy when he only had to pay 30.00 per key. I hid a house key in the garage....etc.
Then he spent all day changing the thermostat on the Blazer.
On Tuesday morning our friends Shwn and Rochelle came from DC. They were able to watch the inogoration of Barack Obama on person TV's in the plane. I was so glad to wtach it together at home with Robert. It was so special to us. They arrived at 11:00 am and they brought us 4 copies of the Washington Post, the Washington Times and the Baltimore Sun, all collectable items. They also got us wach a cap that said Jan 21, Barack Obama, PRESIDENT of the USA.
We watche d the rest of the festifivites all day on TV and then left for the beach on Wed am. We got back late last night and they leaft on a 6am flight back today. We had a GRAND time.
They found out that no sales tax in Oregon is a pretty neat thing, as is the outlet mall by the condos, especially this time of year. We got things for 90 % off.
Suffice to say they came with 2 bags and left with 5......
Rachel, that gismo you got me for CHristmas that weighs your luggage really came in handy. Each of thier bags ended up weighing 49.6 oz.....They figured paying for the extra bags was most worth it for all they bought and the deals they got.
We out out to dinner for Seafood, layed around and had a fabulous time. No rain and it was about 60 at the beach.
They both fell in love with Sheba and I was so pleased that someone came all the way from DC to see us here. hint...hint....
Robert is taking a nap and I should really clean the house but I thought I better get some type of blog out there. As per normal, everyone else is doing a great job on thier blogs.
I have to take care of my ETSy orders tomorrow and run errands....

FASHION NO NO

Things are crazier here today than yesterday. ALL the flights are cancelled out of Portland, all the roads closed. It is a pitiful situation. Sheba refused to go out last night and finally could not hold it any longer, I let her out a 1am and she went down in the snow over 2 feet. We have had about a foot of snow but the drifts have made it seems like much more. Arrow has her purple coat, so hence she has created a fashion no-no. Purple boots with a blue coat/snooze. I thought of Macey when I put her boots on. She is ready for the elements the next time nature calls. I hear it is pitiful today in Holland too. I called Jean to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and she said church was cancelled, etc.....You will have a lot of snow for sledding tomorrow night. I will keep you posted how things fare out here in the Pacific NW, where it is NEVER supposed to get below 32....