Xmas '06 Pictures

Beardsley looking festive


Jim showing Grandpa how to use Google Earth


Jim trying to avoid getting his picture taken


Tammy and Lisa after dinner


Lisa


Grandpa


Mom and Beardsley

Tuesday Afternoon

So, there I was sitting out back on the patio talking to our new medical insurance company. Beardsley is running around on the grass, the birds are singing and everything was "good". I mean I even had got through to a real live person at the insurance company and she was getting all the things taken care of and giving me all the information I needed!! I mean how great is that!
Then the world shifted. All of a sudden Beardsley started to yelp in pain. I looked over at him and he is on the grass in the middle of the yard with nothing around him but he is yelping in terrible pain!! He kept the yelping up and was in such pain that I had to cut the phone call short. He kept licking his right front paw and I'm holding him, wearing two pairs of reading glasses to see if I can see anything that might be stuck in it, with no luck. I looked around the yard but couldn't find anything that might be the problem either. Then, within 5 minutes he started emptying himself from both ends, getting weak and "depressed" in other words going into shock!! Luckily Paul got home from work right then and we packed him off to the Vets!!
Over an hour, almost $200 and one shaved front paw later we were home again. The Vet shot him full of antihistime and cortisone and fluids which made him look like a camel! He must have been stung by a bee and had a very bad reaction. It could have been a spider but I don't think so as he was in the middle of the yard. He wasn't somewhere a black widow would have been. At least that is my thought. Paul did find a black widow the next day making a web on the front door! That would explain the reaction better but I still think it had to be a bee from where he was when it happened. They do fly around the grass some but I would have thought it was late enough in the day and cool enough that they would have gone home but no, it was still out there ready to pick on a little doggy!! Here it is Friday and he still isn't 100% yet. I just took him on his morning walk and I though I was going to have to carry him home. He has no energy yet. I figure the poison must still be working its way though him, or something like that.
Ah the pleasures of pet ownership!! He does look funny with his shaved paw! He got to sleep with us that night so he thought that was pretty great! He was drugged up so he didn't move around that much. He did wake up and ask to go outside around 4am so I climbed out of bed, turned on the outside light and took him out. He gets a drink out of the fountain and then smells something and goes around to the patio area out of my line of sight. He comes back a few seconds later acting like he found something great and then trots off again. A second later I hear a growl from him and I take off running. He had found a opposum and was thinking about getting up close and personal with him!! I run over pick him up and dump him back in the house. I could see another trip to the vets to stitch him up and that wasn't going to happen!! Tell me again why I though this would be a good idea? Oh that's right, he is such a love!! I guess he is worth it. Okay, I know he is worth it!
This whole thing has me a little worried about what would have happened if I hadn't been home or what might happen if he gets stung when we are traveling and can't get to a Vet for awhile. I was thinking I would just keep the antihistimes with us but this morning I got to wondering if that would work as he would be throwing it up again. Oh me, oh my what's a mother to think?
Well, that is the latest news on the Dog front!!

New Blog

Hello everyone!
I have created a new blog for Lisa and me to post news from down here in SD. This will keep us from flooding this blog with lots of news about our kitchen remodel. :)
The remodel started this week and I've posted a couple of before and after pictures showing the 'demo'. I'll try to get a more detailed post about the process leading up to this point later this week. So go check out: http://steve-and-lisa.blogspot.com/

Spike (and Lisa)

PS Mom, post more dogs pictures and news from up north!
PPS Darcy, when are you creating your Wearings in Utah blog?

Just a Poem I Read This Morning

Poem: "Long Afternoon at the Edge of Little Sister Pond" by Mary Oliver from Owls and Other Fantasies: Poems and Essays. © Beacon Press.

Long Afternoon at the Edge of Little Sister Pond

As for life
I'm humbled,
I'm without words
sufficient to say

how it has been hard as flint,
and soft as a spring pond
both of these
and over and over,

and long pale afternoons besides,
and so many mysteries
beautiful as eggs in a nest,
still unhatched

though warm and watched over
by something I have never seen—
a tree angel, perhaps,
or a ghost of holiness.

Every day I walk out into the world
to be dazzled, then to be reflective.
It suffices, it is all comfort—
along with human love,

dog love, water love, little-serpent love,
sunburst love, or love for that smallest of birds
flying among the scarlet flowers.
There is hardly time to think about

stopping, and lying down at last
to the long afterlife, to the tenderness
yet to come, when
time will brim over the singular pond, and become forever,

and we will pretend to melt away into the leaves.
As for death,
I can't wait to be the hummingbird,
can you?

We have a new Graduate!!

A very tired Beardsley and I just got back from our last Puppy Training Class!! He got his diploma even though he isn't 100% by any stretch! He does fairly well when it is just the two of us but put any distractions and it is all over! He loves playing with the other dogs in the class and when we are there that is all he wants to do. He did learn a lot and I guess more to the point I learned quite a bit that I can keep working with him so he can do it even when we are out and about. I was very pleased with the class and how it was run and the instructor. I had tried to get him into another company but they weren't doing any classes for his age when we wanted them so Petsmart was a second choice but I think it worked out as good as anywhere would have. I plan on signing him up for the next class when we get back from our Utah trip.


I can't say I like the picture but it does show him with his Graduation Cap on!! He wasn't real happy to have the hat on he wanted to chew on it instead of wearing it! Linda, the instructor had little doggy cookies and the Graduation March playing.

The Wearings are in Utah!!

I just got back from a week in Utah visiting and "helping" Darcy and family. I am so glad I went to see where they are and what is what. It does make me feel better and hopefully I was a little help while I was there. I didn't get many pictures as I only took the small camera and guess what, both the battieries were almost gone. I don't use the camera much and just forgot to recharge them!! Oh well, we will be back in September so will be taking lots and lots of pictures then. Here are some of the ones I did take.

The front of the house with the four of them from a distance and then the four of them closer.





As you can see it is a very pretty house. Scott was talking to the next door neighbor and he said that the house had been pretty much empty for the last 5 years. Some family members had moved in for awhile and then moved out again but not for long each time. They need to do a fair amount of work inside but I think it should be very nice when they are done.
When you walk into the house there are stairs that go up into the main part of the house with the three bedrooms and living room and kitchen and dining room. Then there are stairs that go downstairs into the basement where there is a "family room" that Darcy and Scott are using for thier bedroom and a laundry room and office and of course the ever present, in Utah, food storage closet!! Almost all the homes in Utah seem to have basements unlike here in California where you never find one.

The next picture is of the large backyard with the deck that comes off the dining room which is right next to the kitchen.


Jessy has taken to playing basketball and Kody is using the swing set that was left there. I played one game of "Horse" with her and I even managed to win!! I really think she let me win even though she said she didn't. The first two balls I tried I made into the basket and I started thinking that I must be really good!! Of course I didn't make another one for another 5 minutes!! Oh well, guess I shouldn't be calling up any of the pros just yet!!

This is the view from the house of the neighborhood and then from the middle of the street looking at the Great Salt Lake. The one picture I didn't get is the view of be mountains from their backyard. They are right up against the mountain and it is really beautiful. They have been told that there will be snow up there as early as October and it will stay until April. I will get pictures of it when I go back or maybe Darcy or Jessy can take one and post it for us!




The only picture I took inside was the living room and the dogs! One of the first things you notice about the house is the number of roses that they have planted in the yard! I didn't count them but there must be at least 30 if not more. Jessy, could you go out and count them? They must have been planted 20 years ago from the look of the base of them. They are beautiful. We spent a several hours cutting dead roses off and getting them into a little better shape and in the mean time making several beautiful arrangements of roses for the house. I know they aren't going to keep all the roses but there will still be lots and lots of cut roses for the house!! Here are just a couple of the ones I shot.






Here's to a great life in Utah for all of you!! Many good wishes for Scott, Darcy, Jessy, Brianna and Kody!!

Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina...

...in perhaps a different time of year!

Steve and I are back from our week-long adventure in the South, and while we enjoyed exploring a part of the country we would've never imagined visiting if not for the wedding, it's safe to say that we will NOT be going back there in the summertime unless we really really have to. Averaging a heat index of 100, it was unbearably hot and humid. The heat wave apparently travelled across the country with us. Call us spoiled, but I don't think we had ever been so uncomfortable before. It was a chore just to stand outside, let alone do anything active. With it being 30-degrees warmer outside, I ended up vegging inside the hotel on many of the days. A lot of R&R and luckily not many bugs. I only wound up with one bite and it didn't swell up like usual.

Here's a summary of what we did (I'll leave it up to Steve to post the birding pics in a separate blog):

7/29 - Went directly from Raleigh to Durham and had our first taste of Eastern NC-style BBQ. We thought the vinegar-based stuff was okay, still preferring Bandits over that any time. It was during this meal that we discovered hush puppies. They are like a cross between a donut and corn bread and, as if they aren't sweet or fatty enough, sometimes served with honey-whipped butter. Yum! They are to die for...or die because of.

7/30 - Steve explored Duke Forest while I slept in. We then drove over to the City Market in Downtown Raleigh, and that was a disappointment. Not sure if it's because we went on a Sunday, but the place was a ghost town. Most of the businesses were closed and there was nobody on those reputed cobblestone streets or anywhere else within that Downtown vicinity - just dead. Later that evening, we got our routine sports fix by attending a Durham Bulls baseball game. Not only did they win, I got a ball from their catcher! That, and another picture to add to our growing 'stadium' album:

7/31 - Drove down to Charleston. On the way there, we stopped by Clayton to check out the old Anderson home. On its own, the place didn't look too bad. However, when compared to the other homes in the area, it appeared almost dilapidated, perhaps the worst-looking one in that neighborhood. See for yourself below - ours is on the left and a neighbor's (which is representative of everything else in that area) lies on the right. Somebody will need to confirm whether the house still has its original coat of paint.

Our old house








Neighbor's house








8/1 - Visited Magnolia Plantation, where I took a tour of the plantation house while Steve birded in the adjacent swamp. This was where I got my one bite. The place was beautiful, with its many gardens and riverside views. We were there for almost four hours, and I thought I was melting by the end.

Afterwards, Steve visited another swamp (Biedler Forest) while I explored Downtown Charleston. Unlike its Raleigh counterpart, this downtown was fun. The area consisted of a network of shops (including a Starbucks!) interlaced with historical sites and museums. I walked around, but as much as there was to see and do there, ended up going back to the hotel after a couple hours. This was the day the heat index rose to 102. Apparently, this didn't bother Steve as much, who stayed in the forest until closing time.

8/2 - Headed up to Ocean Isle Beach. Before sunset, we did some 'pre-birding', driving through a list of top local birding spots in preparation for Steve's outing the next day.

We stayed in a spacious four-bedroom cottage right on the beach and pretty much had it all to ourselves. The one person we shared the place with was only around in evening, hanging out at Melanie's the rest of the time. We found it interesting that most of these cottages had names. Ours was called 'Vitamin Sea'.

8/3 - As planned, Steve went birding, mostly around neighboring Sunset Beach. I slept. He came back rather frustrated, citing that most of the premiere spots did not have any parking nearby. His day improved when we drove by Twin Lakes after lunch. There, we found a flock of wood storks resting on a tree. This was a much welcomed photo op for Steve, who had seen a juvenile earlier but did not have his camera ready in time. He started to snap away, and about 10 minutes later, there was a roseate spoonbill landing on the same tree! This was a new bird for him, and hence more pictures. We must have stayed there for at least a 1/2 hour.

Melanie's wedding was at 6. It was an intimate affair - no more than 20 people, almost all family. Appropriately enough, it had an island/beach theme with shells and tropical plants adorning everything. They even played island music during the ceremony. The couple seemed very happy together but also very hot. I was burning up in my sundress, Steve was completely soaked in his T, and they were the ones in formal wedding attire. I did not envy Melanie, who not only had on a full-length gown, but also a thick petticoat underneath.

8/4 - Again, Steve birded at a swamp (this time Green Swamp Preserve) while I slept. It wasn't a very eventful or exciting day.

8/5 - Back home to SD. This ended up being a very very long travel day. The drive from Ocean Isle back to Raleigh took over three hours. The flight from Raleigh to Phoenix departed 45 minutes late and took four hours. After arriving in Phoenix, we learned that our connecting flight had been delayed for at least an hour, hence extending our time in the airport to 2 1/2 hours. When we finally landed in SD, it took a 1/2 hour for our baggage to show up, and after that, we had to wait another hour before our shuttle arrived. Apparently, I had made the mistake of pre-booking our ride with the company that had the lowest rates. You get what you pay for. This company apparently had a limited number of operating shuttles, none available when we called. Since the ride was pre-paid, we had no choice but to wait around for one to free up while at least eight Cloud9's whizzed on by. It was very annoying. We didn't get home until after midnight, 17 hours after we got on the road in Ocean Isle.

In spite of the heat, we're glad that we went. That's two more states to add to my list, bumping up my total number of US states visited to 15. Colorado should be #16 after Mon's wedding next March. Steve wouldn't mind going back to the Carolinas for more birding activities. According to him, April is the best time. I'd like to visit Charleston again. However, with the other 35 states to go, it will be a while.

A 12 pound addition

Sean, a friend of Todd's, works for the San Diego Union Tribute as a staff photographer. Before the Olympics the paper had told him that they weren't going to be buying any new camera bodies or lenses, so he decided it was time to buy new gear himself. That included at least 2 digital bodies and 4 "L" lenses. (Basically, he bought my dream setup.)
Shortly after he returned from the Olympics the UT decided they would, after all, buy basically the exact same set of gear Sean had just spent several grand on. Given the choice to use (and put wear on) his gear or the papers... well, let's just say that his gear didn't see much use after the Olympics.

A while back he decided his stuff had spent enough time gathering dust in his garage so he mentioned to Todd that he was looking to sell it all off. Todd wanted to get the 2 bodies, but he told me Sean was going to be selling off 4 very nice lenses. Now I hadn't really been looking to get any new lenses, but figured it wouldn't hurt to see what he wanted for them. After all, they are very nice lenses. Todd also mentioned this to Dave, another friend of ours (that I work with). Dave was very, very interested in two of the lenses. Unfortunately it was the two that I was also most interested in (24-70L and 70-200 IS L). I didn't really expect to end up buying anything so I patiently waited for prices. Dave is, well, not known for his patience. :) Watching Dave over the next couple months while we waited for prices was most amusing! I guess Sean was busy. ;)

When we finally got prices Dave decided he did want to get the two lenses he was interested in. Which basically meant I was out of luck. Which was a bummer because the prices were much better than I expected. But then as I took a second, then third, then forth, look at the list of prices I began to spend more time looking at the 4th lens - the 400mm F2.8 IS L, weighing in at 11/70 lbs! One I had originally written off as an unreasonable purchase for an amateur. I knew I eventually wanted to get one of the truly big lenses, but I didn't think I'd actually do it for several more years. But with a little used one available at a steal of a price, I managed to convince myself (and then Lisa) that I should get it! I picked it up on Sunday and now have NO excuse not to be out in the field very frequently.

Here is the beast, along with what I formerly called my "large" lens.

Canon 400mm F2.8 IS L with Canon 400mm F5.6 L above

I am extremely excited to have this lens for our trip to the Carolinas. Contrary to Lisa's previous post I don't plan to spend the entire time birding. Instead I'm going to try to spend the whole time taking pictures of birds! Ok, so that really doesn't change anything from her perspective - it's bugs either way! ;)

Jim's Trip to Peru

I have asked Jim to write something up so I can post something about his trip other than the little I remember that he told me. Hopefully he will email me back something soon. I'm not sure where he is right now and if he can get to the internet so don't know how long it will take.
For now I will post the pictures of the climb he took and a little that I do remember.

He flew into Lima on July 1st I think. Somewhere around there if not exactly on the first. I think he spent a couple of days there and then went over to Huaraz. I know he loved it there. He will have to tell you all about it though. He stayed in a hostel there and it looks like I have lost the link to it so can't show it to you. While there he did a three day hike with guides and porters etc. Then he did a climb up Pisco which is 19,000 ft high! He said he made out great for most of the trip. He went with a guy he met there and again a guide and porters to help out. A couple of days before his climb three Americans died on a mountain right by there. They had been staying in the same hostel and he had talked to two of them a lot. Theirs was a techincal difficult climb but still worried me some!! I was glad that he wrote before he left that they were missing and if I heard something to know it wasn't him they were talking about!!
These are the pictures he sent back from that trip.







Top picture is of Pisco Mountain. Then the base camp they had. Next is the guide and Jim' partner. Last of course is Jim. Here we are in high 90 degree weather and he is playing in the snow!

Around the 10th he left Huaraz and was going to make his way though the unbeaten path to Huanuco and then on to Huancayo where he said it was more touristy. That is as much as I know right now. I haven't heard if he made it though the back country but I'm sure Tammy would have called it there was a problem. You would won't you, Tammy?

This doesn't say much I know but we will hope for the first hand account soon.

Eastward Bound

Steve and I will be spending some time on the East Coast this summer. We are visiting the Carolinas next month for a wedding, then it's off to the Big Apple in September.

I am not sure what to expect in the Carolinas. While I look forward to the wedding, I am rather apprehensive about the trip as a whole. So far, we have no solid plans on how to spend the entire week. What's certain is that we are flying into Raleigh and staying on Ocean Isle Beach, which is where the wedding is. We will have a car and may go as far east as the Blue Ridge Pkwy and as far south as Charleston to visit some Civil War sites. If Steve had his way, we'd be spending the entire time birding. With his new lens and a collection of birding books, he is all ready to go. How much time I spend with him will depend on how buggy the area is. I read about all the mosquitoes, no-see-ums and chiggers - according to some tour books, the area is infested! Needless to say, I am a bit freaked out. Let's hope the bug repellent will do its trick. If anyone has any recommendations or traveller's tips, please send them along.

If I end up not liking the Carolinas, I'd still have NYC to look forward to. I've already been there twice and can't wait to make it out there again. 9 days in the big city! 9 days of shopping, theater, museums and most importantly, SPORTS! On the schedule, we have two days of baseball (both Mets and Yankees), plus four tennis matches (the semis). When we're not inside a stadium, we will try to hit Central Park (for more birding, of course), the Empire State Building, the Met and if we're brave enough, Harlem. I am hoping that the weather will cooperate this time around. The last I time was there, it rained half the time. In fact, the Yankee game I had tickets to got rained out, the only one in that series to do so.

Beardsley's first trip to the Conejo Botanic Garden

We took our little baby boy out for his first offical hike Friday morning! We went out to the Gardens here in town and he had a great time. He didn't get to see much as he had his nose down on the ground sniffing everything! There were so many new smells he was on overload! We have been taking him on evening walks over and around the church across the street from us but this was a much longer hike. We didn't walk around the hill on the nature trail but did get all the way up to the top of the hill with him. He did very well for his first hike. I will say that when we were going down he did stop several times to rest up. Of course neither Paul or I complained about that as we both had taken our fast walks before we left for the gardens as we were getting tired too!!

When we got home Beardsley was full of stickers and burrs and dirt!! I love the haircut of the Schnauzers but for hiking I don't know if it will be easiest to take care of!! Of course he always has his beard in everything from his food, water and all the dirt outside. He was so tired when we got home that he just let me lay him on his back and brush him out. He didn't even move while I was doing it! That was one tired dog.
As long as I'm writing about the dog I might as well tell you all about how is doing and what he is doing and what we are doing! Don't I sound just like a new mommy?
We couldn't have asked for a better dog for us! Schnauzers are apt to bark a far amount but I don't think Beardsley even knows how to bark. Okay, that is saying a bit much as he has barked a few times, only one or two barks per though. He went out chasing a cat in the backyard this morning and he got out half a bark on that! Remember what I didn't like about dogs? The fact that they are always following you around. Well, that is Beardsley to a tee. This dog can't have me out of his sight for more than two seconds. I just came in from filling hummingbird feeders and he was in and out with me on every trip! He has this look that Paul calls the "cow eye". He just looks at us and stares. It reminds me of one of Darcy's dogs completely. When Socha did it it would drive me nuts and guess what now I have one too!! Oh well, he is so much fun it makes up for it.
He is still sleeping all night long with not a whimper at all. We put him in is crate at night and then get him out in the morning and he is quite content. Not to say he wouldn't like sleeping with us but with how badly I sleep anyway that isn't going to happen. He will go into his crate if I'm working around and not sitting still. I think he just feels save in there and he gets out of the way.
Other than that everything is going great with him. So far, so great.
One of the things we were worrying about was him with the birds in the yard. Guess I don't have to worry about that much. He will chase the doves some but the other birds he doesn't pay any attention to most of the time. Jay-Jay and Mrs can come down and get peanuts from the table while he is sitting there! How perfect a dog for us is that!!!! So far so good.
Well that's all for now. I will do a blog on Jim's trip tomorrow morning. He sent some pictures the other day so will add those.

Beardsley

Well,well; look at what we have done!!! This is the new member of our family!! Our little boy is a black and silver Miniature Schnauzer and is four months old. We picked him up on Friday from a breeder in Palmdale. She also had a 9 week old puppy but we decided on the little older dog.
He is the mellowest puppy I have ever seen! He is already crate trained so he sleeps in his crate at night with only a couple of wimpers when we first put him in. We were expecting lots of whining and barking but it hasn't happened. At least not yet! He isn't housetrained yet so that will be a joy to do.
He will be a small dog, at the small end of the standard which is 12 - 14 inches. Pretty much a lap dog but he should be sturdy enough to do some hiking with us. We will have to work on getting him in shape as I think he might wish to be a little lazy. I know, a good match of us!! They are said to travel well so we hope to be able to take him most places with us.
As you can see his ears are uncropped and we will be keeping them that way. In past years most of the Schnauzers had the cropped ears but more are going with the uncropped look. We like it a lot better. His right ear might need to be taped so it flops down better and he doesn't have one that sticks up and one that flops down. We will wait for another month and see how it goes and then do something if it needs it.




I still can't believe we have a DOG!! For all of you that have heard me say over and over again, I would never have a dog go ahead and make fun of me!! One of these days I will learn never to say never!! I guess it makes the best sense for a animal that we can take with us when we go places. Oh who knows why but there is it, I have a Dog!! Paul has had several dogs over the years so it isn't that big a deal for him like it is for me. He had no problem with getting one and left it up to me whether we did or not. Such a love. I know I would have gotten a new ferret if they were legal in California but that was just something we didn't want to worry about again.



So this is the beginning of a long story of Beardsley and his "keepers". I'm sure there will unending stories to tell until everyone of you wishes they never heard of this dog!! Hopefully all the stories will be happy and funny and none of them sad. He should live for 12-14 years so we will be long retired by then. He could very well be the only dog we ever have so we are going to enjoy him everyday!!


Momma and her baby


Papa and his little boy

Grad School

Jim has been accepted and has decided to go to the Santa Barbara Grad School!!!
It is Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. (follow link in title to find out all about it.) It is a two year program that is one of the top ranked in the nation. Think he said in line with Yale or Harvard.
He was also accepted at the two other schools he applied to, one in Florida and one in Colorado. The Colorado one was interesting to him as the prof he would be working with was interested in him going to Africa with him. I don't think he is going to change his mind about Santa Barbara but will have to wait and see what he finally does!
We are very proud of him and know he will do so great in the classes.
So many changes in my family right now!! Starting with Steve's marriage, then Grad School for Jim and moving for Darcy!! My head is spinning. Oh, that is normal isn't it!!
Good luck, Jim!!! :)

Look who is moving!!!

Scott has been given a promotion that will be taking the Wearings to Salt Lake City by September 2006!!!!!!!
They hope to have their home up for sale by May 1st and to be moved by the time school starts in the fall. All this has happened in the past week. They have very mixed feelings about it but are happy in the whole. Darcy just started her new job two weeks ago and today is her first full day there!!
Jessy took the news with a little sadness but much excitement. When I talked to her on Sunday she was going though her toys sorting for a garage sale. She is excited to be moving so close to Shannen!
Needless to say this is going to be a little tougher on me as it will be a two day drive now to get out and see them. I won't be able to drive out and bring Jessy or Kody back for a week and then drive them back again. I will have to plan other types of trips. At least it isn't across the country! The one good thing is that we will now have two families in the same town. Hard to believe. I'm still in shock I think!!
Congrats Scott!! We are very proud of you!!!! And Yes, we still love you even if you are taking my wonderful grandkids so far away :(

Happy Birthday David

March 16, 1945

Happy Birthday David and many more.

Happy Birthday Kody

Happy Birthday, Kody!!!

Kody turned 3 years old today! He had a party at day care but he said he didn't have a candle. We will have to have a candle for him to blow out this weekend when we have his party. He has been practicing blowing out the candle with me today so he is more than ready.
When Darcy asked him what he wanted for his birthday he told her he wanted two presents. Guess he didn't care what was in the presents but he wanted two presents. Darcy and Scott aren't having a big party this year, just the family and a few friends. He will have lots of fun anyway I'm sure.
He sure is growing up so fast. He asked Jessy and I what we did today and if we had a good day. He wanted to know what we played.
I'm keeping him home tomorrow so we can play all day. I think we will walk over to the park for awhile before his nap. He is playing with this Thomas Tank Engine play set so I think we will be doing that also.
I'll post more pictures from the party after this weekend.

Rav4

Guess what we got last week!!! We have sold the van (that's a story for another day)and got the smaller Rav4 instead. We found we weren't using the van for camping so there wasn't much reason in keeping it. We got the Rav4 for several reasons. One of the main ones is the back windows roll down all the way. Okay, it doesn't seem like a big reason but we figure if we have 4 people in it birding it really is a big deal. On the Jeep Steve rented for the Salton Sea birding trip the back windows stopped about 4 inches short of all the way. It was in the way looking across to the otherside of the car and very annoying trying to put my binos and camera out the window.
Anyway, this is a 4x4 so we can go on the dirt roads around lakes etc. It is bigger this year than it has been in the past so it is more comfortable. It should work out great!! We are excited!!



Here is Paul washing it. How long to you think this will last? It's so much fun right at the beginning but then........!!!

Missy

January 1, 2000 to March 1, 2006

Missy lived with us from January 19, 2000 until she died today. She was so tiny when we got Tess and her!! Missy never really did get very big in size but she sure was fisty!! When Bandit came she really gave him a run for his money!! They fought like cats and dogs for about a month and then they became the best of friends. She really missed Bandit after he died. It was hard on her being the last one left and not having another ferret to bond with.

We will really miss her!!!

Jared is getting Married!!

Jared called his dad last week with the "Big News"! The wedding is planned for November. They will be living in Utah after that. Jared has already moved out there and is staying with his mom until he gets settled. We are hoping to met the future wife before the wedding!!

Congrats to Jared and Tiffany.

Congratulations to Dave & Carol

Just Married

David & Carol Williamson

January 5, 2006

@ Henry Farm Inn

Chester, Vermont

Congrats and best wishes to both of you!

In honor of all the birthdays we have been having

Longevity

The secret is not a calm disposition
or inner strength
Or following the advice of your physician:
The secret of longevity is length.
Day by day the journey is made.
It's like becoming the Tallest Boy in
The Sixth Grade.
Stick around and you're bound to win it.
And by and by
You'll even be as old as I.

Garrison Keillor

Happy Birthday Lisa February 9th

There are lots of birthdays the first of February!! The one for Thursday is Lisa's. Happy Birthday! Your first birthday as an old married women. Have a great year! We love you.

Happy Birthday, Brianna 11 Years Old!

Brianna, Scott's daughter is 11 years old today! Have a great day Bri!! We miss you and we love you!

Happy Birthday Cory!! (A day Early) Feb 3, 1986

Happy Birthday Cory, you old lady you! (I have to post this today as we are leaving for a couple of days.)
This is Susan Cory at my wedding 8 years ago. How the time flies!!


Here are the two birthday girls at 8 and 6 years old! Happy Birthday to both of you.