Booming Banter

Man I was feeling yuck this morning. Ma had me up half the night. Tossing and turning toute la nuit!

Throwing the duvet on then off then on then up to pee then water then more tossing and turning. How the heck is a fellow meant to sleep.

I nodded off almost as soon as I got up and she would have too but we had a date with Auntie Denise.

We were no sooner back than she took off to paint with Paula. She’s my newest Auntie and I think I am going to be very attached to her. She has her own canine and she’s fun and makes Mom laugh a lot. Plus she can paint perfectly ( unlike a certain person I am close to)

Once Ma and Paula had finished their first room at the project she rushed home as we had another date with my one and only Auntie Lori.

Oh BLISS she’s been saving up the treats for me and I got half a bag full!

I am so very fortunate my Mom has such lovely Sisters! Can you see I have a little love heart for them around my nose?

Blessing # 847 – Aunties

It’s as well I have a bladder as big as the titanic because I didn’t get out from 9:30 this morning until herself got back from the project at 7:15 tonight.

Dad is great at giving me treats and feeding me but he’s irresponsible when it comes to outings. Says I’d pull him off his feet!

The woman didn’t even have the sense to come home in time to get me out before dark. She’s focused on light!

Painting is her priority at present not me. She’s totally wrapped up in Antique White

I’ll have to sip not slurp for the foreseeable future or simply sit and huff.

Blessing # 846 – Tinkles Time

Ma got her hair cut yesterday. As long as it’s not mine I’m cool with that. She said she needed a wash and go style with a bit of movement because she got a lot to do!

She took a pic of one of her heroines a certain Sarah Lancashire as her model.

Well it looked OK yesterday when she came back and we selfied.

Today though when she washed and went to the project it was a bit iffy.

It looked even worse when she came home. Hair raising.

She is also really stinky. Smells like she fell into a bucket of solvent. Seems painting over black wallpaper takes patience that she lacks.

No hugs for her but I’ll still manage a bite from the hand that feeds me paint laden or not.

Blessing # 845 – Strong Stomachs

Mom and me watch our Church in Ireland early on Sunday morning when the house is quiet and we sit still.

Today the last hymn was Granny’s favorite. Ma sent an instant message during the live stream explaining that this was too cool as it had just been Granny’s 100th birthday! Low and behold the Rev Merv saw the comment and immediately shared it with the congregation. Isn’t that so amazing. Many of the people present will remember Granny as she was such a pillar of the place!

This speed of communication is something you could never have dreamed of even ten years ago let alone in 1920 when Granny was born.

The fastest message would have been a telegram and that would have taken many hours if not days to reach Ireland from the USA! Now it happens « in the moment »

As Auntie Helen reflected in a message to Mum on Granny’s birthday so much has changed in those 100 years.

Yet nature in large part stays the same. Geraniums that were a permanent feature in Granny and Aunt Helens family still bloom and give us their colors in our windows.

Yesterday on one of her treasure hunts Ma found a beautiful photograph. Taken in Fleuri France by a photographer called Alan Klug it is what else but Geraniums in a window.

Destined now for the photography section at Tea & Treasures it is a lasting record of another moment in time

Blessing # 844 – Snap Chat

The color is spectacular around us. They call it the Peak of fall in these parts.

Ma and I walked a lot today first around the neighborhood and then on the trails this afternoon. My paws need a soak in salts!

We forgot to take the camera on the trail so we brought some color back to show you. It’s like one of those paint palettes that our house is coming down with right now. Ma says it reminds her of primary school « Nature Study ».

The color’s not my favorite part of the season though it’s the apples. I just love them. Right now we have some super crunchy ones that make me drool.

They taste so super sweet. Ma says I’ve reminded her of something else from days gone by and given her an idea make those apples even sweeter!

Blessing # 843 – Candy Apples

Today some special people were born. Not least among them was John Lennon.

He made up some good tunes that my Ma sings sometimes.

He’d have been eighty today. That’s old!

The best person ever born on this day though, according to my Mom, was my Granny. She crossed the rainbow bridge in 2017 so I never got to kiss her. If she’d been alive today she would have been 100! That is really really really old!

Seems she was the best Mom ever born. Just like I’m the best puppy ever born so we should have got along splendidly even though her preferred canines were stuffed.

Her favorite pet was my Mom although she was also partial to birds and would try to talk with them. That’s why my Mom got a great surprise this morning when we were out for my first job. A little bird made a noise just like my Granny would do!

Well we think it was a bird. It might have been a tweet from another winged being!

Blessing # 842 – Angel Voices

Thie morning on our way back from the park we met a few deer. Nothing unusual about that except one decided to stop and stare us out.

We stared straight back but then the beast started to stomp its foot. That gave us the heebee-jeebies. We backed off. Scary dude.

Ma took off to the project as soon as we returned to get the water switched on. I’m glad about that as it’s thirsty work keeping everything in check so I didn’t protest.

The trip should have taken her about ninety minutes but five hours later she was still away!

I changed the channels a few times as Dad only watches CNN and that’s as boring as can be but even Animal Planet can’t substitute for a good romp with Ma.

Eventually she returned with the car absolutely loaded.

She was playing musical chairs again while waiting for the water man and calculated the size of table that the biggest room could take!

Now here is the « you will not believe this moment » she found exactly what was needed, an eight foot table, in Goodwill on the way home. It’s now in pieces in the back of my car. The outcome I get squeezed yet again like a sausage in the front seat when we went for our evening trot to town!

I’m going to have to put my foot down just like a wild animal would do. I need my space.

Blessing # 841 – Deer Ones

I’ve been working all morning so am having my secretary write this before she goes out again. I plan to take it easy for the rest of the afternoon.

The project has definitely moved on since my last visit. The red awnings look fab.

The grass is all neat and tidy and we brought a few planters that Ma dumpster dived yesterday along with us to complement the facelift.

The place is teaming with discarded furniture that she’s bought on the cheap or pulled off the roadside. She considers herself an environmental angel. You can think of her as you wish as she has no shame.

The Public Health people are her heroes as they have given her the green light to proceed with the submission of her proposal for the kitchen area. It’s the size of a large kennel for my sort! Come to think of it I’ll need one of those when I work there!

Following my inspection of the seating arrangements I have concluded they are not up to my specifications as they either lack seats or are too hard and lumpy for one to comfortably recline on. Not to the standard to which I am accustomed.

All my hard work was rewarded though with a trip to the beach on the way home. It was swift as she was starving but very fine. I was thirsty so I guzzled a little eau du lac! Hope the Public Health people don’t get wind of that!

Not a soul around except us so I got to run free and chase a strange looking critter that squawks a lot. Looks funny flying too.

She says it’s a crane and they bring good luck. We’ll be needing as much of that as we can get! I’ll befriend it!

Blessing # 840– Job Satisfaction

It’s as well I have a big bone to keep me occupied because I’m getting no attention from herself.

In spite of the fact that we have no running water at the project Ma is designing outdoor signs for the shop!

Talk about putting the cart before the horse.

You can help us « chew » over which one is best. Take your pick White, Black or Red?

In my opinion they all need work but she says it’s Just directional.

At least they’re better than this.

I’m going up with her tomorrow to talk with the Public Health people about kitchen design.

I can tell them one thing for sure. With all the work I’m doing on this chew I’ll have the cleanest teeth in Ohio.

Maybe she should call the joint « The Dog and Bone »

Blessing # 839 – Pearly Point

This weekend was a bit hectic so today we pretended it was Sunday and took it as a day of rest.

It’s funny though that since it Monday and not Sunday Ma is feeling guilty about that beauty sleep this afternoon.

Why is that? Why do people feel uneasy for taking it easy?

Is it because they know there are things to be done? Window cleaning, vacuuming, dusting all that housework staring her straight in the face!

Well you see all this is a human predicament. Days don’t matter. Rest is good unless you’re letting a pal down.

A little shut eye builds strength and clears the mind and that prepares you well for all the week may bring.

So if you can’t sleep a little more on Sunday enjoy embracing Morpheus on Monday. After all look at what it’s done for me!

Blessing # 838 – Downtime