Booming Banter

We get quite some visitors in our yard.

Last night a Doe brought her baby round to say hello. When you see the cute little ones you forget they have dessert on our sedum and hostas most days.

Ma and I suspect due to remnants of small long tailed critters and poop on our front pathway that we also have been adopted by a cat.

We haven’t seen it yet but for several days now it’s left us gifts at the same place.

Ive got my eyes peeled but am confident cats won’t get inside our house. Mice might make it but it is reassuring to know Dad doesn’t like felines and the Bro is allergic to them.

They would be a threat to my snacks.

Last night was a fiesta for me.

With the stress of the match herself ate a full family size bag of popcorn. She shared some with me.

Having run out of that as we were entering extra time in the game she hit the celery and peanut butter.

Devoured a mountain of the munch material and gave me the jar to clean out during the penalty kick off.

Shame about the result but that sure was a challenge getting to the bottom of that butter.

Blessing #1053-Digging Deep

See these feet? Well they are wet. I got short changed this morning on my outing as it started to rain when we were only half a mile from home.

We thought we’d dodge the showers but the heavens were having none of it.

It was only drizzling but Ma foresaw a downpour so we returned at a pace that most would class as a jog.

It seems sprinting now and then is good for the cardiovascular system but I prefer endurance exercise.

It’s not likely today though and the week ahead looks like fast pace will be called for too.

Just as well we Irish have a hundred words for precipitation. It’s teeming now so we definitely made the right decision when it was no more than mizzling to head for home.

To those of you out there from wetter climes share your favorite rain word especially funny ones that others might not know. I definitely need something to smile about!

Blessing # 1052-Speed Walk

This is a breakfast banter inspired by my Ma’s latest creation.

It is a brioche bun stuffed with strawberry cream cheese and topped with a little strawberry itself.

She brings the tail ends home as they aren’t so pretty and she doesn’t dust them with icing sugar like she does for her customers but they taste sweet.

We were reflecting as we ate them on the much maligned Marie Antoinette.

Poor girl. Shipped from Austria to marry the king of France she probably got a bit confused at times.

She is oft quoted as having said « let them eat cake » when challenged with the dilemma of the starving peasants who could find no bread. That’s not exactly what she said you know.

A more accurate translation is « let them eat brioche » She’d have had no problems with Ma and me.

Shame about Robespierre. He was a real baguette if you get my meaning.

Blessing #1051-Le Pain

It was one of those mornings when you weren’t sure if it was raining or if the humidity was so high it was condensation hitting your fur. Just horrible. Hard to breathe.

Anyway it gave rise to a shorter walk only one mile. So I begged for play.

Ma felt guilty and got out the ball games for me and tossed them for half an hour instead.

We are getting all set for the epics on Sunday.

Wimbledon of course is my favorite and then the footie.

We will be rooting for England. Long time since they made it to such a big final.

I could play for them myself if they needed an extra goalie. I can snag anything in my choppers.

Blessing #1050-Win Win

As you know I’m terribly close to my Ma. We really think alike.

All I need to do is look into her eyes and I know what she’s thinking.

Take this morning as an example. I knew she wanted to walk around Cardinal Hill so I led her that way.

We tell each other everything. This post from Krishna reminded us that sometimes it’s best to keep things close to your chest and keep your trap shut.

It’s not always easy that’s why good humans get canines as their closest companions as they can share all things including unspoken words.

There is no need for a fancy crystal when you’ve got a furball.

Blessing #1049-Mind Reader

Ma and I slept a little late this morning as we went to bed on rather a full stomach.

The bro brought us a bucket of KFC about eight last night saying it was annual fried chicken day. Any excuse for a big feed.

Regardless, we feasted and enjoyed even though we’d had dinner at six.

This morning Ma dawdled watching her heroine Miss Pudgy Picker.

She spends a lot atgarage sales which makes Ma feel righteous because she spends much less. Miss Pudgy Picker appears to have a business though where she sells as much as she buys which is not Ma’s status.

I like seeing Pudgy Pickers puppies. They make me feel righteous too as they interrupt her a lot.

With these delays we happened on a wondrous site in the woods. A four pointer deer all my himself having his breakfast. He was amazingly large and young and handsome. A bit like me.

Ma said he will be for sure the chief of the herd one day soon. He stood at least four feet at the withers.

Magnificent! You’ll need to believe us as we had no phone with us to capture him.

Blessing # 1048-Timing

We bought a bag of peaches on Sunday when we went grocery shopping. The bro had one yesterday and declared it yuck.

They looked good so Ma tried one and the bro was right. They we all mealy and dry. So disappointing but you know appearances can deceive.

So then the question was make cobbler or make jam.

I plumped for jam.

Ma says sometimes she wonders why she just doesn’t trash things that aren’t good rather than fussing trying to make something out of them. It’s a false economy but she has to rescue.

It’s like that old saying about life and lemons.

There are alternative versions of that saying though.

Ma might like that one very well especially around six o’clock!

The frozen version seems good to me. A bit of fun.

Dad says we just need to adhere to the old Indian mantra if you add sugar you can even eat wool. I’ll resist.

Blessing #1047– Jellified

The forth is frightening for some critters. I can cope but it does does get very noisy.

Ma and Pa went to our neighbors party and had fun.

They had a professional musician come again who is a great singer.

I could hear all the music and it would seem their was some karaoke and dancing too.

Ma showed me a video auntie Karen took and clearly she is not the best performer! It’s funny though.

The bro bought a heap of fireworks but we never did manage to set them off as he had to work the night shift at the hotel.

There were plenty going off all around us. They even scared a mouse out of its house.

We’re setting ours off tonight. gotta keep the good times rolling.

Blessing # 1046 – Partying

Happy 4th y’all. Your getting an extra long epistle for the occasion. We had to hold on to this number just for today.

Facebook memories are great but they can give you terrible nostalgia for the old country.

Mother is dying to eat fish and chips since this popped up. Says the stuff here’s just not the same as “home”.

I’d help given half a chance.

The bro enjoyed the food on that trip too.

It’s been nearly two years since they did their UK tour.

I wasn’t even around then.

Maybe one day I’ll get to sample all that fresh seafood.

For now it looks like I’ll have to stick with my latest treat which you may have guessed is outsourced from the tearoom.

Bread crust! Herself brings it home by the bag load. Our fridge is coming down with it.

Since there’s such an abundance of it she’s generous with her portions so I just crack on and enjoy it. Dry or not. Keeps me quaking. If I complained she’d give it to the ducks.

This morning we got an Independence Day card from Pastor Dave with some lovely critters eating strawberries.

It inspired us to use up not only our crummy crusts but also the leftover milk and cream and strawberries that hadn’t been used in the high teas this week.

Now this is not a portable potion so not a treat I can have on the move.

It’s a lot tastier though than your average crust and very festive looking too.

God Bless the good old USA

Blessing # 1045-Fourth Food

We’d just about eaten our dinner and settled in for the nightly nosh at the TV when the panic buttons started sounding.

A tornado was bearing down on Marion where we have our shop.

Ma was apoplectic with worry.

Having been struck by lightening last year I was pretty sure we couldn’t be so unlucky as to have another property damaged.

She was praying and texting and praying some more.

It worked. The tornado warning was lifted just about the time it was meant to touch down.

Still a big storm but not a catastrophe.

Just as well I’m around to keep her cool and watch over her.

Blessing # 1044-Panic Over