It’s not that I dislike Mondays, it’s just that Monday reminds me that I have to adult. Two major house hiccups occurred over the weekend (I’m still on the phone with Whirlpool after being on hold for 25+ minutes 😬). I just wasn’t prepared for this after enjoying a lovely weekend. So what adulting do you have to do today if you don’t have to go to work?
We hope your day of adulting goes well and if anyone has any pull with Whirlpool, let me know. There’s gotta be a better way to get through to them regarding a problem with a brand spanking new appliance. Grrr.
Happy first Monday of November! We hope you survived the onslaught of ghosts and goblins and have properly disposed of the half chewed up pumpkins. Did you know that throwing pumpkins in landfills creates loads of methane which contributes to climate change. Best to compost them for next year’s flower beds.
Have you ever roasted the seeds from your porch Jack-o-lantern? It’s a slimey exercise but boy howdy, they sure are tasty snacks.
We survived the neighborhood kids doorbell ringing by placing our treats on a small table and inviting them to take a treat without sending Wilson into protective mode by sending him into an extreme eardrum-splitting alarm. He and I rested calmly and by 10 pm, all but about 6 pieces of Hershey nuggets had been taken and were promptly saved for Saturday’s lunch snack with my granddaughter’s house. I’d have to rate this year’s holiday a resounding success even if I didn’t get to see all the adorable costumes for the little ones coming to the door.
Great granddaughter Halia enjoying her first trick-or-treating in her neighborhood
Today is the first weekday back on standard time. If you were like some people (me), you spent a bit of time yesterday trying to remember how to reset the car clock or re-adjusting clocks that don’t automatically change around the house. After decades of changing clocks, you’d think I’d have changing the dining room, a pendulum clock, the art studio, microwave and stove clocks down pat for the manual switch. You’d be wrong. This is why I save all instruction manuals for appliances and have even tabbed the owner’s manual in my car to the page on how to manually change the clock since thee is no “how to change your clock page in the table of contents (WTH Mazda?). Thank god there are no VCR’s with their flashing blue clocks these days. Changing that clock after a power outage and the twice a year time adjustment practically took an act of god. Goodbye and good riddance to that old fashioned technology. The alarm clock in my bedroom automatically changes but it’s old enough that it’s always off for a week or so. Good thing I don’t have to rely on it to get up in time to leave for work. I just wait it out until the switches back (or forward) to the ‘correct’ time.
Which leads me to today’s smile. I couldn’t help but think how many similar scenes to this one were happening all over the country. For his own reaction, Wilson hopped up on my bed when I got up and curled up in the covers until he realized my getting up meant he could go outside and possible scare round up a bunny in the low light like he did a couple of mornings ago. Nothing like chasing a full speed Sherman tank down the alley in low light conditions wearing flip-flop slippers. Imagine his disappointment when he realized it was a rabbit and not the bane of his existence-a squirrel.
We hope today’s reunion with the weekday world was easy enough, the yawns were kept to a minimum and you didn’t have to overdose on caffeine. Have a wonderful Monday.
Welcome to the first Monday of 2025. Today is also notable for another reason, it was one year ago my dear friend, Cheryl and I drove to Missouri (along with Elsa, riding shotgun in the back seat) to pick up a gigantic and severely matted floof, then named Sam, to foster. He greeted us enthusiastically and I knew right away that it was more than likely I would fail at the foster aspect of this journey. We drove 1500 miles roundtrip through snowstorms on highways and tiny rural roads over a 24 hour period. I couldn’t have made that trip without Cheryl’s presence, good nature and common sense to guide us (and keep us squarely on the road and not in a ditch after it became dark). I’ll always remember our conversations which reassured me along that uncertain road where we recalled the past 20+ years of friendship, with observations on life, people and dogs (and egg sandwiches bought at a gas station convenience store). Her great company surrounded me in comfort and continues to this day. I’ll always be grateful for her joining me on this transformative journey, with all its twists and turns. Thank you my friend, for accompanying me then, as well as for your ongoing loving support and friendship. I love ya!
The transformation of this filthy, matted mess…
to this handsome boy after his first grooming…
While we’ve experienced few hiccups over the past year, I still have a dear friend who was always there for both of us.
You’ve come a long way Wilson, both literally and figuratively. From all the ups (learning how to navigate the ways of a noisy, chaotic urban environment while becoming an beloved pet therapy dog at Lutheran) as well as the downs (losing those unnecessary pounds and a couple of damaged teeth), you’ve been quite the addition to the Ranch, Wilson. Here’s to many more happy trails, buddy. Happy Gotcha Day, House Pony.
And because it’s also a Monday, we would be remiss if we didn’t share a smile to welcome the New Year. Have a great week!
Happy Monday and happy birthday to my beautiful daughter. Love you sweetie and hope your day is as special as you are. I’m so proud of the fun loving, smart, amazing woman, mom and daughter you’ve grown into. Have a wonderful day!
Let’s make having a birthday on a Monday extra special. Let’s do a two-fer because you can just never have too many smiles on a Monday, right?
This is our second fervent wish today that I can’t stress enough.
Wishing everyone a ‘wagnificent’ Monday and may all your holiday and birthday wishes come true. Happy Monday!
Good Monday morning, peeps. Welcome to Monday. While it seems as if everyone is just trying to get through the election, do you realize there are only 71 days left this year. Don’t know about you but that is somewhat alarming. Where has this year gone?
It should be noted that Wilson is a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to tips. He can’t seem to help but lick his bowl spotlessly clean for all meals. I guess not sweeping up bits and bobs of crumbs is my tradeoff for actual tips. There’s no doubt he’s quite the neatnik when it comes to not leaving morsels of food on the floor. If only he could be convinced to wipe off his nose prints on the front door.
Good Monday morning. Before we get to today’s musing, Wilson wanted me to thank everyone who left such wonderful birthday wishes for him. The House Pony had a fabulous celebration and the party was a raging success. We received a surprise during in the middle of it. Can you guess what it is from today’s smile?
No, okay then…here’s the skinny. This past weekend while Elsa and I were celebrating Wilson’s birthday, my daughter texted me a photo. To say I was shocked is a bit of an understatement. I had no idea. And while they’re small now, they will grow into that giant breed known as Irish Wolfhounds, the tallest of all breeds. Right now they’re tiny little beans (ranging from 1.96 to 2.84 pounds-55.6-80.7 kg), but will grow up into gentle giants. Let me introduce 9 (yes, you read that right…n-i-n-e puppies and no that’s not a typo) squeaking, little Irish Wolfhound puppies. I know, it’s hard to fathom these little guys start out so small yet grow up to become so huge. Everyone is doing well including the parents who live with my daughter and her family. Life is going to get pretty interesting until the pups are weaned and move on to their new forever homes. And to think I call Wilson a house pony. Irish Wolfhounds definitely gallop.
Today is Memorial Day, a national holiday in the U.S. where we officially remember and mourn all those who perished while serving in the country’s armed forces. Let’s take a look at the historical background to see how this holiday began.
Originally it was known as “Decoration Day” following the Civil War when both Union and Confederate soldiers honored their dead by decorating their graves with flowers. Today it has morphed into its current form honoring all Americans who served and paid the ultimate price for their service.
So why do we see people wearing red poppies on Memorial Day? Red poppies are associated with remembrance and officially became the national emblem of remembrance in 1920. Those little flowers originated from the battlefields of World War I because they sprouted in the unlikeliest of places. One reason-poppies are actually considered a weed and its seeds germinated when the soil was disturbed between the trench lines and the Western Front.
Poppies grew in the most inhospitable landscapes of war-torn battlefields in 1915 and from this wreckage of war, they seem to spring up like tiny beacons of hope.
As you can see, there is a difference yet there is still confusion between the various patriotic holidays celebrated in the U.S. Far too many people think Memorial Day honors every service members who served. The truth is Memorial Day honors those who gave their lives in service of their country. Unofficially it’s also known as the start of summer and too often used as a marketing campaign for such things like mattress sales.
We hope this post provides you with sufficient info regarding the origins of Memorial Day. Although our family has been blessed to not have lost anyone who served, we know families who were not as lucky and our hearts go out to them with deep appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. We honor their memory and send gentle thoughts of comfort today.
And even though it’s a serious day of remembrance, it’s still Monday which means we need to share a smile. Two weeks ago, the 148th American Kennel Club Dog Show was held and Wilson thought there may been some celebration during and after the competition. Congratulations to “Sage,” the miniature poodle who was won Best in Show. For more on her impressive win, see this story.
Today’s formula seems perfect for Thankful Thursday. I don’t normally post on Thankful Thursday but when it coincides with Pi Day…well an exception needed to be made. When it comes to the pie versus cake conundrum, I’ll all on board with Team Pie. Homemade is best (even if it isn’t ‘pretty’), but I’m here to tell you there are some exceptionally tasty (and works of art) versions out there though none of mine would fall in that category.
The ubiquitous Cherry PieHomemade Key Lime Pie-it took awhile for my knuckles to heal after zestingPumpkin Pie (before Elsa took a tongue width slurp out of it)
As you can see, I’m not an aesthetic pie maker, but they are tasty even if they look rather homely. Good thing stomachs don’t care, right?
On the other hand, a 4th generation family business located nearby makes the best pies that are quite good looking as well as tasty, which definitely makes me thankful on Thursdays (or any other day frankly).
Irish Cream Pie
A good friend and I meet there for coffee and pie whenever she’s in town and I can honestly say they make the best pie crust I’ve ever eaten. They also make savory pies as well. And just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, they released an Irish Cream pie which looks every bit as pretty as it is tasty.
So where do you stand on this hot topic? Pie or cake?
Normally whenever I hear of a week devoted to a particular topic, I kind of roll my eyes. The cynic in me often wonders why something simple needs to be recognized by having a special day/week on the calendar acknowledging it when it should be a normal part of life. Too often it seems to be a function of corporations trying to capitalize on another way to make a buck by selling us something to literally buy into it.
Quite by accident, I was made aware that November 13-19 is World Kindness Week. Lately it seems we need kindness more than ever and while searching for a meme to exemplify it, I came across this one that truly exemplifies the meaning.
Lao Tzu, the legendary Chinese philosopher, thought to have lived in the 5th century has been credited with founding the philosophical system of Taoism and is best known as the author of the Laozi (later retitled the Tao-Te-Ching translated as “The Way of Virtue”) which best illustrates his thoughts. Aligning oneself with the Tao according to Lao-Tzu, would bring about harmony with the universe and enriches one’s life; opposition to the Tao brings frustration, unhappiness, and anger which then results in manifested bad behavior.
While his name is actually a title meaning ‘Old Man’ or ‘Old Master’ there remains much debate as to whether he actually existed or whether Lao-Tzu is more of an amalgam of different philosophers. Either way, the teachings seems prophetic especially in these troubled times. More than ever, humans could use these teachings to be better than they’ve been lately.
You can learn more about Lao Tzu’s teachings in this video.
Bottom line, we hope this week is filled with kindness for you and others. Let’s spread the message of kindness far and wide…humanity needs it now more than ever.
Welcome to the last Friday of Hades, erm I mean July. While Monday is the last day of the month from hell, we’re more than happy to bid July farewell early. And good riddance, I say. Elsa here to share something a little bit different for this week’s Nature Friday blog hop hosted by our pals, Rosy and Sunny from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Be sure to check out what others have shared at the link.
It’s too doggone hot to be outside lingering over flowers or critters. Mom said the Dogs Days of Summer have their grip on at least 180 million in the US and countless others across the world. This is about all I can do during the day after my morning walk at dawn when it’s relatively comfortable to be outside.
So let’s get to it before it gets any hotter, okay?
Thankfully Mom let me stay home while she ‘took one for the team’ attended this year’s Dragon Boat Festival and races held at her favorite nearby park, Sloan’s Lake over the weekend. She’s attended this neighborhood event for years but thought this was the biggest yet. While it was super sunny and hot for Mom, her good friend, (my ‘Auntie Cheryl’ and husband) and recently married granddaughter, Hailey and hubs for this year’s event. Opening day starts out the festival and Mom managed to capture the opening parade by Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu with its 75-foot long, colorful, traditional Chinese Dragon winding through the festival to begin the event. The festival celebrates the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) with its diverse culture and this year was an exceptional visual feast and the largest one Mom has attended yet. It’s the largest in the Rocky Mountain region with more than 170,000 attendees last year. The Dragon’s presence symbolizes the chasing away “negative energies” by sending good luck, good fortune and a safe day of racing to all of the race teams, vendors and attendees.
Bringing up the rear
Although Mom didn’t bring her big camera due to the heat, she did pull some close-ups from the festival’s Facebook page.
Courtesy Colorado Dragon Boat Festival FB Page – We have a winner!Courtesy of Colorado Dragon Boat Facebook Page – Paddling in unisonParticipants lining up waiting for their race to begin
The festival was well attended again this year though Mom didn’t find final numbers for visitors this year, which included a couple of feathered friends watching the races from the shoreline. This year’s feathered crowd seemed less than enthusiastic. I think they must have been trying to keep cool.
Go away and stop bothering us
This year, the festival organizers managed to acquire a few new boats for the first time. So shiny and fierce. I think I might start practicing that kind of dragon intimidating look. It appeals to my inner Ninja. Don’t you think I’d look good trimmed out in gold?
The festival stage featured numerous groups entertaining the crowds throughout the weekend.
Organizers seemed to have had more vendors this year with loads of food vendors and Asian crafts. They even provided a water station where Mom and her guests could enjoy “fresh squeezed filtered H20.”
It wasn’t especially icy cold, but it was refreshing enough and kept everyone hydrated in the sunny conditions.
Need a quick lift?
So that about wraps it up for this year’s festival. We’re going to ride off into the weekend counting the days until the official arrival of Autumn arrives. Fifty-six for anyone keeping track.
Sayonara, peeps. Have a good weekend. Here’s to being well hydrated and try to stay as cool as you can but we hope you are still able to enjoy some elements of Mother Nature.
Happy first Monday of November! We hope you survived the onslaught of ghosts and goblins and have properly disposed of the half chewed up pumpkins. Did you know that throwing pumpkins in landfills creates loads of methane which contributes to climate change. Best to compost them for next year’s flower beds.
Today is Memorial Day, a national holiday in the U.S. where we officially remember and mourn all those who perished while serving in the country’s armed forces. Let’s take a look at the historical background to see how this holiday began.
It’s too doggone hot to be outside lingering over flowers or critters. Mom said the Dogs Days of Summer have their grip on at least 180 million in the US and countless others across the world. This is about all I can do during the day after my morning walk at dawn when it’s relatively comfortable to be outside.
The festival stage featured numerous groups entertaining the crowds throughout the weekend.
