Tuesday, July 31, 2007

All Is Well



All is well and we are driving the car to our next adventure.
UPDATE Right before we walked out the door we received a phone call. Maybe Thursday we can find our next adventure. Later

Saturday, July 28, 2007

I Have Another Grandpuppy

Meet Ella

Nascar Golf Cart Parade










Yes another Golf Cart Parade. This time they threw candy. Yippeee free dessert.


Thursday, July 26, 2007

Older Dogs



Hannah, I can’t help but think about you and Robert’s concerns regarding Peppy. I know medium size dogs don’t have the life span that smaller dogs have, so I can’t compare Peppy to Surely Not.

I can say this. Regardless of age, treat him as you did when he was a puppy. His gait might be slower, his vision might be blurred with cataracts, and his hearing has gone from being selective to being down right deaf but he is your baby. Just go a little slower and be a little more patient.

In human years, Surely Not is 112 years young. She has become clingier as time passes. If she can’t sit next to me she spends the time moping. Or she will sit somewhere where she can see me. It has become her passion to know where I am at all times.

Nighttime is no longer magical for her. If she strays too far, then she is lost. I have seen her going around in a circle and when I clap my hands, she runs towards me as if she hasn’t seen me in years. For some reason she has a hard time hearing my voice but a loud clap she can hear.

Confusion has begun for her and sometimes I think she is just lost even though I have her on a leash. I find myself yelling to her “I am over here.” Then I realize I just need to clap to get her attention. Tugging on the leash just startles her.

She sleeps more as each day passes. She stores up all the energy she can so she can burst out of the door as she did when she was young. The first 10 – 15 minutes of our walk is spent with her bouncing around and barking. The reminder of our walk is spent at a slower pace.

Letting go is my biggest fear as it is with you. Saying good-bye is never easy especially with someone you have spent 16 years with or even one year. Just enjoy old crotchety Peppy and count each day with him as a blessing.


My old friend, this song's for you
Cause a few simple verses
Was the least that I could do
To tell the world that you were here
Cause the love and the laughter
Will live on long after
All of the sadness and the tears
We'll meet again, my old friend
~tim mcgraw~

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Ice Queen

I agree with you, Hannah on the book ‘Ice Queen” by Alice Hoffman. It was one of her best, yet I feel she made the ending a little too tidy.

We went to a used bookstore yesterday and loaded up. I have decided to mail Hannah some of the books I purchase. Some books that are like old friends, you can come back to them repeatedly, and they never lose their appeal. They are still magical.

I found one today, quite by accident, at the Fed Ex store. I had to fax some paperwork and while waiting I picked up a book. I started thumbing through it and found myself reading it. I made it through several chapters and didn’t want to put it down. The title of the book is “Flags of Our Fathers.” Normally I don’t read war books but this is an exception. I purchased the book and brought it home. I am in the middle of reading a novel by Irving Stone but I am looking forward to picking up “Flags of our Fathers” again.

All of my pictures have been developed. I am officially caught up and the only thing left to do is to put them in their photo albums. I didn’t think I would ever get this done. Since we need to stay here for a couple more weeks, I should be thoroughly caught up by the time we leave. If I don’t take anymore pictures while I am here.

I am going to grab my soda and head outside. It is a beautiful, quiet evening that deserves to be enjoyed.

Later

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Sorry

We are still in Indianapolis. We will be hear for a couple more weeks to tie up some loose ends. I will post when the internet isn't so slow. It took 15 minutes to load this page.

Later

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Crown Hill Cemetery



















I told myself I wasn't going to post any more cemetery pictures for a while. I don't even listen to myself.

Internet

I am nestled in the little valley and the picnic table is under the ancient oak tree. I thought to myself (that sometimes gets me into trouble) I wonder if I can pick up the park’s internet…

That led to getting a card that you insert into your laptop. I didn’t know I had a slot for something like this. I looked and sure enough, there it was. So mom and I jumped into the car and headed for the city to find a card or to use the technical term “a plastic do hickey.” We stopped in at Circuit City to search for this magical device that will boost the internet signal. I cornered a young man and explained the situation and that I need a card. He asked if I need a G card or a B card and my eyes started rolling up in the back of my head. G card or B card? I was going to call Hannah’s beau, Robert and ask him but I know that his eyes roll up inside his head whenever I call him. SO I braved this out on my own. I took out my notes and said “G.” I have no idea what I was doing or what I was saying. I went home with my purchase.

I followed all of the directions and inserted the plastic do hickey. Where there were no bars came two bars and later three bars. The internet connection is fragile and breaks easily but it stays on long enough for me to post and comment. I guess I bought the right thing and if someone out there knows what the heck I just bought… Don’t tell me because it might be the power of positive thinking that is giving me this connection.

We went back to the cemetery today and took to many pictures. Will post some later.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Dayton Ohio

Yes Dirk we are coming to Ohio. When we arrived at the destination we are currently residing, our plans were one week. Just one week.

One major emergency (tooth), several minor emergencies later, and we will be celebrating nearly a month of residency. When we first arrived, we had a lovely spot with trees and a little yard. Then we had to stay a little longer, so they moved us. Our current location is nice, the neighbors are pleasant, but it is a parking lot. When we discovered we would have to stay another week we requested to be moved.

We are going back to the valley of shade trees, a small yard, and a place for Surely to romp. Truthfully, I am looking forward to it. I can put out my little chair and read under the coolness of the shade of an ancient oak. There is a catch....

Because we will be down low, and with the trees I doubt very seriously if I can put up the satellite and get a signal. It is just a small price to pay.

Dirk, when we get into Dayton I will be sending you my email address.

If you don't hear from me, I will be under a shade tree reading "One Thousand White Women," sipping on a soda. Until then.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Peanut Butter


Yummy, Peanut Butter

Thank You







Why is everyone laughing at me?

Thats It For Now

Mom and I would love to go back to Crown Hill Cemetery but the weather has been against us. We will be here for a few more days so we might be able to return.

Today's weather broadcast calls for more rain and storms so I will be putting the satellite down. I am uploading pictures to Wal-Marts right now. I am a pain in their side. Some photo centers just hand me my packet of pictures, others hand them to me with a sigh, but in Greenfield, they jam the pictures in an envelope not caring if your pictures are bent. Then they act as if I inconvenience them. Today I will go in with a new attitude and show them how to do their jobs. I am hoping I don't have to.

Anonymous - I am thinking you’re my sister.

Until Later.

English Memorial - Crown Hill Cemetery

Engraved on the base of this monument is the following:

Rosalind Orr English, only child of William E. English and Helen Orr English. Taken at the age of 21 years in the flower and beauty of her youth and on the threshold of a brilliant career. A political public speaker, before her majority, an attorney, admitted to the bar on her 21st birthday. A writer of poems at 8 and at the age of 11 she wrote these words so fittingly quoted here:

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest, mourned by those who loved thee best,
While Holy Angels guard and keep, sleep my baby, sleep


At the base of the inscription above it states “A short life measured by years but a long life measured by accomplishments

Who are these people, you might ask..... well
William Eastin English (11/3/1850 – 4/23/1926).
1892 was a delegate to the Chicago National Democratic Convention and presented a very well received speech to nominate Grover Cleveland for President of The United States.
1896. Again a delegate to the National Convention from the Seventh Indiana District.
William E. changed political parties and was a popular speaker in the Republican Convention for Presidential nominees McKinley and Roosevelt.
1904. Again campaigned for President Roosevelt
1908 Accompanied President Taft on his speaking tour of the State of Indiana
1912 Delegate to the Republican National Convention in Chicago

In 1898, then President McKinley offered William E. a position as a Major of the Army to serve as Paymas-ter during the Spanish-American War. He declined that offer that he might serve on the front as a commander of a Calvary Division He was commissioned a Captain. He was severely injured at the battle of San Juan Hill in Cuba. His horse (Santiago) was hit by a shrapnel shell during this battle; this caused the horse to rear and fall atop Captain English, severely injuring him internally. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt sustained a slight wound from the same shell that hit Captain English’s horse.


Rosalind Orr English (3/10/1903 – 12/22/1924)
Captain William E. English and his wife Helen Orr English had one daughter Rosalind Orr English, whom was named after the Captain’s sister Rosalind. At the age of four, his daughter Rosalind unveiled the statue of her Grandfather, William H. English on the public square in Scottsburg on September 28, 1907. Rosalind Orr English was admitted to the State Bar for her lawyer license on her 21st birthday. She was an avid fan of horseback riding and flying airplanes. Her life was cut short by a freak automobile accident on December 22, 1924 near Putnamville, Indiana.

Statues















More of the Same




More

She died on Easter and on top of her headstone is an Easter Lily.



Nestled in the roots of an old tree are two stones. How fitting.


Everytime I see headstones of our soldiers, it takes my breath away.

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