Hurray for Hazel...

Hello friends and may I introduce you to my grand kitty, Hazel.  Along with Mickey, I have inherited her as another pet.  No, she does not have eyes like Max Scherzer, she is in fact blind in one eye.  Dane rescued her from a shrub on Hazel Street-hence her moniker.  She's slightly skittish, being feral and all, but she seems to be adjusting well, and I get a kick out her in the absence of Lola.

  I love all animals and in a perfect world I would own pigs, calf's, monkeys, ponies, goats, llamas, and many others.  We would live on a farm and I would have many hot, half nekkid farm helpers to feed and groom them.  I would pet, snuggle and love on 'em all without all the dirty work.  My idea of paradise!!

So I guess my question is this:  are you a cat lovin' person, a dog lovin' person, both, or neither?  And, have you ever had a favorite pet?  Let me know!

Have a wonderful week.  Can you  believe it's the last week of August already?  And a belated Happy 30th. Anniversary to our dear friends Lori and Ivan.  They celebrated last weekend with a lovely party, and I marvelled at how they are barely 50 and already at this milestone.  Stay in love my dear friends. xoxo

Black Widow...

Did you ever have a week that just flew by in a blur?  After arriving home and enduring the death of our precious Lola, surprisingly the world just kept turning.  It did not stop while I mourned anew. I had to buy cremora, pay bills, look after the yard, see my Little Sister, and plan to head up north for a family wedding and to rescue my Mom from her 2 weeks of dog sitting Mickey.  Events just keep happening no matter how much you'd like to stay in bed for a nap and a good read.

Tragically, people in the Detroit area cleaned up from the massive flood.  Tearfully they put their belongings on the curb and prayed for a way to replace the things that they lost.  Sister in law, Cheryl completed 60 miles in the Susan G. Komen cancer walk. The training she did was intense and she stayed focused.  Hooray Girl, you did it again and we are so proud of you!  National Coney Island and shopping for my Little Sister's school supplies took up most of a Wednesday afternoon and I muddled thru knowing that a nap would come later.  Cousin Kristie and her man Kevin wrapped up plans for their wedding and on Saturday it all came together in a lovely celebration..  It was a happy event although I couldn't help but blink back tears thinking of how the time has past.  Their beaming smiles and faces full of love were so optimistic and I pray that they can stay that way. .

I fear for the future of all of us-mostly the inevitable.  Handling life's sorrows is so hard.  I'm not sure how anyone prepares for having the air knocked out of you.  No one can predict what might be waiting around the corner for any of us.  One rainfall, one phone call or one split second can change the color of how we view the world.  I look at everything differently now.  Happiness is a moving target with no guarantees.  Nothing is the same and  I have changed.  Baby's are being born and the circle of life continues relentlessly without skipping a beat.  I'm happy for those new parents while mourning the grandchildren I will never have.

I pray for the strength to continue without constant question.  Live for today.  Be good to yourself and others.  It's the only chance we have at living thru this thing called life.  xo

Lovesong...

                                                                           
                                                                 Lola Simone Tigerlilly
                                                              02-14-2005 to 08-10-2014
                                                                     Rest in Peace

                                                                 Mommy loves you. xo

End of the Road...

Yes, this week, I can be found at the 'end of the road'.  In the Keys of course.  I spent the day-hot as it was-in Key West.  Shopping and wandering and having a customary margarita at the Bull.  Okay, 2 margaritas!  Dig this old pic from back in the day with the old gang at Sloppy Joe's.

On Wednesday, the Florida lobster season officially opens.  We have flown down for a quick 9 days and plan to grab up as many of the sweet treats as possible.  It's been HOT, 103 degrees in Key West today and occasional rain, which makes it feel like an outdoor sauna.  But what can you expect in south Florida in August? 

This trip isn't about the weather or even the lobster.  For me, it's just a necessary change of scenery and routine that I hope will bust me out of the funk I have been feeling.  I realized a strange thing, tho.  I have been doing some MAJOR bed hopping.  Yep, bed hopping.   Let me 'splain.  Last Sunday night I crashed out at the beach house.  Monday night found me back home.  Tuesday, I took Mickey to my Mom's and spent the night in Ossineke.  Wednesday and Thursday I was home again.  On Friday night, I enjoyed a wonderful night's rest in Miami and then on Saturday, I was in the Keys.  Whew, I wake up in the morning not sure where I am and even worse, in the middle of the night I get completely confused!  Stubbed toes, spilled water bottles and bumping into wall as a result.  Keeps a girl totally off guard...

I'll catch up with y'all next week when I will have the 'lobster report' to share.  Wish me luck!  xo