Back in the game...

Hello....I'm finally back in the game...of life that is :D Actually, as I write this blog I am in the midst of watching what else but the NCAA Sweet 16 play-offs...my favorite team North Carolina is playing Washington State. What a deal! However, I'm finding myself torn between the two teams...what's that all about??? Okay, back to ME....
First let me report that my "Sweet girl" came back home to me on Tuesday...it wasn't a main seal...Praise God! Just a seal in by the timing belt..which was next on the maintainence schedule anyway...then a couple other things needing tweaked...at the final cost of $900..something (think I'd pay more attention to the cost...but, I'm just happy to have my girl back!) So, I'm thinking I"m going to spend a lot of time dreaming about that beach in Maui before I actually get there again!
We had a nice Easter....Jesus is Alive! What a great way to start off a Sunday, celebrating that. After Easter service life got a little crazy...you know family crisis seem to know no boundaries. Then, I woke up at 12:30 a.m. on Monday morning...my first official day of Spring break with the stomach flu! (Yuck, to say the least...and something I could of truly done without!) By 7:00 I decided I would survive...only to hear Pat calling me to come help him with Goldie (his favorite Breeding cow) She was looking all shaky, and jittery...he was headed out to give her an IV of some calcium-magnesium...and I called the vet. By the time we did get outside, she had hit the ground and even though Pat IV'd her, she didn't make it. So, when, the vet arrived he went ahead an autopsied her...sure enough it was a mineral deficiency (making Pat a not very happy camper at all). Goldie was so good to us...and had blessed us with many of our breeding stock..she even gave us another heifer this year...she's adorable, and it makes me sad to think she's an orphan now too. I must name her??? Any ideas??? It was a sweet blessing that Pat was home, because with the flu, I probably would have missed it until it was over...and at least I didn't have to be responsible for it. (There's nothing like having a dead cow in your drive-way waiting to be hauled off!!!)
The rest of the week, I'v been somewhat lazy...finally today, I feel ready to go....(I wish it was somewhere warm with a beach)....I hope each enjoyed a truly amazing Easter and are having a wonderful Spring Vacation....got to go...the game is in the second half...I'll try to post again soon...Sweet blessings!

Monday's Sweet blessings...

Monday was quite a day...you know how Mondays are...it seems like they come to fast and start to early :D I actually got to wake up next to Mr. PPRM on Monday, which is always the beginning of a sweet Monday (Sweet blessing #1). It was time to get my studded tires off, so we loaded them up Sunday night and my knight in shining armour (a.k.a. Pat & his diesel truck :D) picked me at Les Schwab at our set time of 8:00 a.m...(just in case, my guy is reading this...I was slightly late...so, 8:00 turned more into 8:15....you know how some Monday's your clothes just don't seem to fit right?!?!) Back to my day....work went really well...the kids enjoyed the new "grocery store" errected in our room...(Oh, how I wish grocery shopping was as exciting to me :D). After work, my Miss Susy dropped me off to pick up my "sweet girl" as I like to call my car. I thanked Miss Susy for her chauffuering and headed inside to get my keys...but, a strange thing happened...the told me my car had been gushing oil all over the place?!?!? I was more than surprised since I had just taken it in for an oil change and tune up about 10 days ago. Of course, Les Schwab guys are so nice...one of them came out with me to check the oil level to see if my car would be safe to drive home. It was on the very low side...so, I called my knight to come pick me up (Sweet blessing #2)...he was home when I needed him!!! Then, I called my Honda mechanic (which happens to be in Pendleton)to see his thoughts....they suggested I take it to Jiffy Lube to have it checked out and not drive it any further....The guys there were very nice...they hosted "sweet girl" up and I could tell by their comments it wasn't good. They thought I had a broken main seal??? So, they kindly pushed it out of the garage into the lot..while I called a tow truck ! Pat came and picked me up....kindly escorted me to Walmart(even though it goes against his personal views...Walmart is not his favorite store at all!) to get some things for preschool, and then he took me to dinner....(Sweet blessing #3). My sister is trying to sell her old car right now...so, there was (Sweet blessing #4)...she's letting me borrow it to drive until my car gets fixed...I'm praying "sweet girl" only needs a minor band-aid, and NO major surgery! God is so good....it all happened when I was safe, and able to get help...I'm so thankful it wasn't over the weekend when I was driving to Pendleton or on my way home from town one night in the dark!!!
When we finally got home, Melissa surprised me with a book she had bought for me....it's perfect...the title is "Chicken Soup for the Chocolate Lover's Soul"..how perfect is that! I already read one sweet story...I'm going to try to read them slowly, so I can savor each one, although, I know me, and I'll probably read the whole book in a couple days! (Sweet blessing #5) :D The rest of the evening was spent just relaxing...with my Missy Cat curled up on my lap. So, that's my Monday....and, it truly was filled with sweet blessings...I hope yours were too....Sweet blessings to you!

Let R' Buck....

I got to check something off my to-do list this week....okay, lots of things....Clean my house, pick up clothes at the cleaners, get my April preschool calendars done, etc...then, I got to do something really fun! Pat invited me to spend Thursday night in Pendleton with him...WhoooooHoooo! He was working at the PGG Spring Spectacular..(a big show of farm products). So, I met him after work on Thursday in Pendleton....got to see his display of Powder River...mighty fine, might I say. Then, we went to dinner...it was sponsored by PGG...Steak & all the fixin's...and of course, while we waited I got to meet some of the other guys who "work on the road" like Pat. Now for the checking off the list part....I finally made it to the Let R' Buck Room! (That's where the PGG dinner was!) God has such a good sense of humor! Of course, the room was minus all the Wranglers & Cowboy hats, and wet T-Shirts..but, I can now say "I've been in the Let R' Buck Room". :D
Isn't it funny that going there is something I always wanted to do...I don't know why...maybe it's because Pat said I couldn't???? It's just got one of those famous connotations....like the Wild West! The funny thing is the year we were married...that would be September 12, 1987...right before the Pendleton Round-up that year..I wanted to do something really special for Pat's birthday (You know that's how it is the first year you're married..you really want all the holidays to be over-the-top) So, Pat's birthday was Friday of Round-up and I had gotten him tickets....was that the best first married birthday gift ever or what (it was considering my husband Loves Rodeos)? But, I had gotten sick that week and as we headed from Enterprise to Pendleton, I felt worse, so bless my husband he turned around and we went home...he missed his trip to the Round-up...and my trip to the Let R' buck room. It's crazy that now we live next door to Pendleton, we have yet to make it to another Round-Up...Pat has gone plenty of times to watch the slack on Tuesdays, but other than that we can't proclaim it's fame. Twenty years later...I finally can say "I've been to the Let R' Buck room!" with a smile! Hope you are still getting chances to mark things off your to-do lists! Sweet blessings!

P.S. Thank YOU Mr. PPRM for making one of my wish list items come true..and for the wonderful overnight get away! You're the Best!

P.S.S. For those of you wondering...the Let R' Buck room is just a big open room with a concrete floor, very dim lighting, and an old wooden bar...pretty rustic in deed!

Life is right....

What makes life just right for you...? For me it's having my husband home! Pat's had a crazy schedule since 2008 began...(maybe that means another all-expense paid trip for us this year?!?!) :D And, finally, this week he's working the home territory! Yeahhhh...! It's funny but when he's home even though it's LOTS more work (clothes here & there, toothpaste in the sink, coffee cups, and mail opened and tossed about....just got to love Pat's own way of doing things!) life just feels complete and right...even Missy cat is more content...all cuddled up between us. Even though I've learned to be an independant girl....I like the security of not having to be when he is home. I like feeling free from the usual responsibilities...(a.k.a. animal watching!) I like the sound of his presence in the house...even if it's "Tam, where are my car keys?" :D I like feeling married! Sometimes, I think we tend to take for granted the sweet blessing God gives us in our husbands and marriage....and it takes time apart to help us realize that even those annoying habits are worth it all. So, I'm going to hug my husband all I can this week, and try not to find irritation with his perks :D Because, this week, my life is just right! Sweet blessings!

Sparkling White....

Mmmm...I bet you're wondering what this blog is going to be about....It's probably one of those that will only be truly appreciated by Me! Well, you see on my girls' weekend, we didn't just talk about our marriages, husbands, lives....we talked about, of all things, toilet cleaners! Living in the country comes with lots of perks.... peaceful, quiet nights, free of the sounds of traffic...mornings filled with the songs of animals waking up (birds, donkey's, horses & cows speaking their desire to be fed), neighbors far enough away to have your own privacy, but close enough to watch over your place....and, then there are the other perks.... The fact that your septic tank has to be pumped every few years, the well has to be occassionally check to make sure the water you are drinking is free of bacteria and impurities...and, of course, the fact that when the electricity is off...so, is the availability of running water or flushing! (Sorry, probably more than any of you wanted to know!) Back to the reason of this thought journal....with country living comes hard water...a.k.a. rust spots and lime deposits. So, by now you've guessed that I needed my girls' help and knowledge on how to get those nasty colored stains gone and return my bowls to sparkling white! Never fear the girls knew the trick....Deb likes pumice stones, and Tami found a hidden weapon-- a litte wire mesh screen. Today, I tested both and I'm pleased to announce both are equally adequate weapons against rust & stains! (Although, I do wish they came with battery packs, my arms truly got an added work out called...elbow power!) And, I'm pleased to announce both bowls are the most beautiful, sparkling white I have ever seen in my house!!! (Thanks for sharing your knowledge and hard earned wisdom girls!)

It all makes me wonder.... God gave us Jesus and we still seem to wander into rust and stain....He did all the elbow work and scrubbing....all we have to do is keep Jesus in hearts. Why do we let those rust spots gather, why do we continue to gather stains???? This week I'm going to focus on being washed white as snow...and, I know the solution is pressing hard into God's loving, forgiving presence. Hope your life is free of rust and stains...and, if there are a few...you can find the right solution to making them disappear...Sweet Blessings!

Things I Loved today....

~ The Sun shining bright warming the earth and my soul

~ Starbucks! One of my preschool Mom's brought me an Ice Tea this morning...what
a sweet, sweet blessing!

~ Hearing my husbands voice...twice already!

~ Lunch...Miss Catherine made us Bean & Ham soup with Corn Muffins...MmmMmmmm....

~ Watching my kids create in the sandbox...remember those days of just enjoying
your surroundings, making mud pies & sand castles

~ It's my Friday!!!

~ Watching my barn cats roll in the dirt and grass...nothing feels better than a
good back rub on a sunny day!

~ Emails from my friends...it always makes my day!

~ The warmth of my woodstove...it's going to be a COLD night!

~ That I could spend time in God's word....and how He helped me each second of the
day!

My spirit is filled with joy, and my heart with warmth....hope yours are too... Sweet blessings!

"Cow" girl to the Rescue

It finally happened...the peace, quiet, & calm disappeared....Here's a story for your amusement!
This morning I woke up to a beautiful day...the sun was beginning to melt away the cold, cold temperatures of last night...I started my day with my bible reading/prayer time, stretching exercises, and time on my stationary bike. Melissa was feeding this morning...so, I was enjoying a leisurely morning all about ME :D I opened up my kitchen blinds to check out the scenery from the kitchen window....And,I noticed a calf in the calf pass area (there are panels that have slots in them...big enough for calves to go through but not cows...we use it to grain our calves). At first, I didn't think much of it, except the calf was all alone and laying in an odd position...while all the other calves were up getting their morning milk from their Mamas??? I did a couple other things and looked out again...still the same...and upon further evaluation, I decided it was the little heifer I had been keeping an eye on..(They say Moms can just tell when their little ones are sick...same seems to be true of the "cow" girl :D) If she needed some antibiotics, this would be perfect, she was by herself, no sorting or trying to catch her....so, when Melissa got up...we headed out to check the situation up close. I snuck over the fence and crawled through the calf pass...she of course, stood up and bolted to the other end. The panel was tied to the fence making a V shape. I told Melissa...hurry and try to untie the panel so we can put her in the pen and then the squeeze chute...but, that didn't seem to be the right plan. The calf was scared and as they always do, tried sticking her head through the fence, then got her leg over it...so, we decided to "Cow" girl up right there....I squeezed her up from the back-end and Melissa grabbed on and gave her the shot (she got the easy part :D) Then, I lifted her leg back onto the right side of the fence and we backed off to which she promptly turned around and ran to her Mama! Job well done! (Except, due to my being on the back side and holding her in place...I walked away with my legs covered in you know what....) Here's the problem...it wasn't the right kind of cow secretions (I think that sounds better than p--p! Don't you???) I know, you're wondering what that means....well, I've done this long enough to know what it should look like and even smell like...and it didn't match up to the right answer. (I know girls...you still can't imagine me as a "cow" girl...and sometimes, I don't like imagining it either :D) I came back to the house threw those pants in the washer, washed over & over again, got dressed and headed to work. On the way I was praising God...He had set it up perfectly for me to rescue that calf!
As every good "Cow" wife does...I called Mr. PPRM to report my hard work....after all the symptoms and treatment were discussed, he suggested if the calf wasn't better when I got home, it might need another antibiotic...oh,NO!
As soon as I got home from work, I changed and headed out to look over the situation again....sure enough little Miss was still not looking right (her body posture was humped up, her eyes looked feverish and wet, and it appeared the mornings antibiotics had not touched the bug (the drug I used generally has immediate results?!?!) So....the fun began...of course to get her in the pen again I had to lure all the cows into the big pen...then, sort them off, and get her in the squeeze chute pen...Praise God....it went amazingly well....I think it probably took me less than 20 minutes! I got her in the alley, but she kept turning around on me...so, I had to enlist Melissa's help again. She ran the squeeze while I pushed little Miss and another buddy up. Finally!!! Now, it was easy...I took her temp...it was very high....gave her another antibiotic, anti-inflamatory/fever reducer and some intestinal gel. (The good thing is...now,she won't be somebodies dinner....we never butcher any cattle we have to give antibiotics too). This time, I had rubber gloves and no residues on my clothing!!! So, that's the day in the life of this "Cow" girl! I'm glad I was able to come to little Miss's rescue...and I'm hoping tomorrow morning I'll look out my window and see her running around kicking up her heels! Sweet blessings!

I've been MIA

Yes, it's true...I've been Missing in Action! Life is a wonderful, never-ceasing adventure. I've missed having time to check in and journal my thoughts...and it is sooooo good to be back!
The last couple weeks seem to be a blurr of being on the go...(You'll be happy to know that none of it included Cows!) My family was in town visiting and getting my Dad's eyes restored...the women of my church enjoyed a luncheon and some time of fellowship...the Preschool celebrate 30 years (and, somehow I know I'm not getting older, but those three year olds are magically turning teenagers???) Then, the grand finale....a trip away (I like to think of it as my get-away weekend!)
Last Friday, my friend Debbie pulled into my driveway at exactly 7:30 and us girls were off to Port Orchard joining another college friend for just what we all needed a "Get-Away"! The moment the doors on her little white VW closed, we became care-free, fun-loving girls....(and, quite hot ones might I add :D) There was not a moment of silence from then on out! (I know all our husbands are dying to hear every sentence spoken...Sorry, boys...NO boys allowed!!!) The weather was perfect and we arrived at about 1:00 ! As usual my girls are the Best...and we all think alike...so,there were gifts awaiting each of us ! I can't wait to eat my chocolates & turn my feet into summer ready gems. Next, we found a cute little tea-house complete with gift shop for lunch. The catching up began, and we found ourselves so loud that we ventured from the tea-house to where else but Starbucks! Sometimes, okay, most of the times we are oblivious to anyone around us...making Starbucks a truly safe place! The rest of the evening we just hung out at Tami's place....she cooked us a fabulous dinner (you definitely are one great cook!) And...are you ready for this....the girls introduced me (little Ol' country girl with antenna tv) to HGTV! Loved it....and can't wait to be forced to satellite next year.
Saturday was overflowing....(Okay time for truth...none of us got out of our pj's and into the shower until after 10:00...boy did that feel good! I could get use to waking up with no chores to do or animals needing fed!!!) We went on a journey to find a new cafe owned by a radio host called Deliliah (she runs a radio program about Love songs.) We hit success and enjoyed a nice lunch...and headed out to check out an Art Gallery...not because of the art...but, because it is the home of the biggest Orange Marmalade cat you've even seen!!! We saw him...he greeted us at the door...Squirt is his name and he is ever so popular! So much that the Gallery sells stuffed imitations of him...and Deb could not resist bringing one home to her Daniel. Now, the search was on for Girl Scout Cookies (Mmmm...it is that time!) Tami, a former Bluebird herself, was not to let this quest go unconquered! As we pulled up to Fred Meyer....the mission was accomplished! On to the Movies...complete with popcorn, candy & soda...and the perfect chick flick "Definitely, Maybe"! Last but not least was dinner at Puerto Vallarta...got to love Mexican food..and get this...it was perfect...the resturaunt was packed...so we asked if we could sit in the Cantina...of course, it was open...and was full of TV screens allowing me to catch up on all the NCAA Basketball games of the day! (I sooooo am a NCAA basketball girl.....Go North Carolina!!!) The final perfection of the day was calling New Zealand to check in on our friend Denice....on speaker phone it was like she was right in the room with us catching up, sharing, and laughing!Deanne & Karen, you were there too (in our hearts and thoughts)....we missed each of you..and can't wait for us all to start planning our next girls' Get-Away!!!
Time flew by way to fast...and it was time to come back to reality...(Thank you girls for the amazing get-away....I love you both!) Thank YOU to each of our husbands for functioning without us....!!! (Thanks for working hard so us girls can keep having our time away :D )
So, to each of you....may you find time in your crazy lives to Get-Away....to laugh until your tummy hurts, to cry over each others hurts, to eat all those sinful goodies, to just be in the presence of those sweet blessings God has given you! To each of my Sweet blessings....THANK YOU...and I soooo hope your house is right next door to mine in heaven! Sweet blessings!