MORE YARDWORK???REALLY??

Crank up that 40 + year old roto-tiller, McGyver, and let’s get this garden planted…and he did!  He got finished, but with some difficulty…It began running “rough” the last few passes, and I quote, “It sounds like it’s starved for fuel”..and you know just whom I am quoting.  Keep pushing it , Den, you can finish, I just know it!!

 

Well, it got finished …and so is the roto-tiller….finished, that is…  This machine was Den’s Dad’s, and it is over 40 years old.  We inherited it when his Dad passed away in 1974, and it has been clicking away ever since..until today.  Time to shop for a new one, but this ‘ol tiller has been a “Cave Fav” for years..We should have taken out another tax deduction for it.

Everything is “bloomin crazy”…and I am beginning to get a “fern fetish”…especially the very weird ones…(imagine that.)  The baby birds are also growing, and I put on my best “wormy” look and crawled over to get a photo..

 

THIS IS THE PHOTO I GOT THE FIRST TIME I STUCK MY HEAD AND CAMERA INSIDE THE BUSH…NOT GOOD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, this isn’t much better, but at least you can see the 3 baby birds…I gotta tell ya, these guys really don’t stand much of a chance if a cat or any other predator sees them…The nest is only about 3’ off the ground…Can you say “BYE BYE BIRDIE”??

 

 

Our neighbor , Mike, is a great guy.   Mike has a motorcycle, nothing real special.   He and his girlfriend, Dawn, take rides on his bike a lot.  They both love motorcycles…He thought he would surprise Dawn with some cool Harley earrings, so he headed up to the nearest Harley Davidson Dealer to get her those earrings…and he came back with..

….an awesome burnt orange brand spankin’ new Harley Davidson!!…I like the way this dude rolls…  Back in “the day” , McGyver and I had a Suzuki 750 motorcycle we use to ride.. It was a Harley “wanta be”, and we thought we were real “cool beans” (as Judy  would say)…At one point in time, Dennis was seriously thinking of a Harley, but that time is gone by..Besides, us old geezers get in enough trouble on 4 wheels, we don’t need to be on 2 anymore!!

Yesterday we did tons of yard works..AGAIN..and I have a very special look I don for this dirty work..  To save you from the nausea of a total shot , I will just give you a taste of my Yardwork Hairdo….Oh, and I forgot to tell you..I got some new hip glasses..

BEFORE I CLEAN UP FOR DATE NIGHT..(I really love the rooster tail on my do)

 

 

SEE??? I CAN LOOK LIKE A HIP ‘OL BABE (hmmm, I still need a neck lift)

Being a Mom is an adventure, right? We who have been lucky enough to have had that pleasure know what special little moments can mean.. OK, now here is Chris and John’s oldest son, Aiden, dressed up like a little buckaroo…

 

 

We brought him the Cowboy hat and cork pop gun from Texas…

 

Well,Chris sent us a picture she took the other night…They have a monitor in each boys bedroom to see if they are ok, in bed, and sleeping…She went to check Aiden on her monitor,  and this is what she saw…

 

 

 

IT JUST DOESN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS, RIGHT???? THIS LITTLE BUCKAROO LIKES HIS COWBOY HAT SO MUCH HE FELL ASLEEP IN IT…

 

THESE ARE THE SPECIAL THINGS THAT WARM A MOM’S HEART…AND MOMENTS WE CHERISH…HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT MOTHER’S DAY…THANKS FOR FOLLOWING.

 

 

 

“ If you’re talking about a creature that just wants to bolt down a huge meal, then sleep the rest of the day, then yes, I’d call myself a Cougar.”   ….OK, Rick …you asked for it!!

                          ~Maxine

Zebras, Foxes…and Fishing Teams..

McGyver and I have been busy in the yard…still.  We tore out about 30 bricks we  had surrounding the back of our garden around the wood deck.  It seems that most of them came out in pieces…This isn’t surprising since they have been in there for 15 years.  Sometimes I cannot believe we have lived in this house for 37 years.  That cannot be…I am only 39 years old …

 

We are replacing the bricks with the same scalloped concrete trim that is in the front…McGyver had to cut a couple of them to fit.  This requires a special saw blade and some goggles..Usually Dennis refuses to wear goggles when doing this kind of stuff, so I was shocked to see that he actually had some goggles on this time…I didn’t dare take a photo…I didn’t want to disrupt the moment…

I was doing the “happy dance yesterday..We had our first Hummingbird.  He was a Ruby Throated one, and he moved too darn fast for me to leap up and get my camera.. I swear those little birds watch me through our window and make a fast getaway the minute I move toward the camera!  I did get a photo of the nursery built in the bush by our deck…

 

This poor featherless little dude looks sooooo pathetic.  Is there anything on earth more sad looking than a baby bird?? I had to stick my whole head into the bush to quickly get this shot off.  ..And just how do those birds get that nest to stay together, anyway?? Bird nests and spider webs have always fascinated me…What an engineering feat Mother Nature displays!!

I knew “mama bird” was close by because she was dive-bombing me as I pulled myself out of the bush..which was amusing in of itself.

YES, MA’AM!! I WILL CEASE AND DESIST IMMEDIATELY!!  She looks like she wants to get an order of protection against me from the Bird Police…Darn, but it’s gonna be tough to get more photos as the little bugger/buggers grow..But, you know me…If I  have to don a very large worm disguise, I will not be deterred!!

We had a “not so pleasant” surprise in the mail this week…Our real estate tax bill came and the ‘ol taxes went up …HEY!! We have that “old person’s” tax freeze !! …How could those taxes go UP??  McGyver, who is much more in tune with tax stuff, figured out that the multiplier went up…CRAP!…Ya know, I should have seen this coming when I read in the newspaper that the our local high school has a “Fishing Team” this year…Yes, I did say …a FISHING TEAM!! IS IT JUST ME??? PEOPLE!!, PULLLLLEASE!! TAKE YOUR KIDS FISHING IF THEY WANT TO GO, BUT DO NOT ASK ME TO PAY FOR IT!! Sheesh.

Dennis and I have been helping our Aunt and Uncle out lately…He no longer drives, and she can’t, so we have been chauffeuring them to get their groceries once a week.. They are in the process of arranging some Senior transportation to assist, but in the meantime Den and I are glad to help and enjoy their companionship…Speaking of these two amazing Elders in our the family, I just had to share this fabulous picture the they have in their basement…

This is really a great framed mural..It’s been in this basement for over 50 years…and it is huge…

As you can see, it really is the focal point of the room. (“Focal point” is a term I learned while working for a florist..I like to throw it out there to  impress people !!)  Uncle Jr. built this home himself in the mid-late 1950’s…No kidding, it is like stepping back in time when you walk in the door…Everything is immaculate and very well preserved…including Uncle Jr. and Aunt Jeanette!!…

Well, it’s just about cocktail hour here at the Cave Dwellings…This weekend Den and I have no babysitting duties on the docket, so we will get our Saturday Date Night in…I really need this weekly ritual..It gives me a chance to get out of my jeans, sweats and T-shirts, put on some make-up and try to become a FOX once again..Alas, the closest I can get to being one is joining the “FOX Valley Older Adults”… 

 

Cav-a-palooze…the abridged version!

  We had a “mini” Cave party at our house this weekend..The 3 Heisers were here Friday and Saturday night while Mom and Dad went to Indy to run the Mini-Marathon..I guess you could say it was a weekend of “minis”.  We also had a canine member and a neighbor friend to complete the entourage…

Terrie and Tim went to Chris and John’s house in Zionsville, and they all ran in the big race…I’m not sure why it’s called Mini…to me, 13.2 miles at a run is no small feat.  I just rode my bike a couple miles and I was draggin’ my arse the last block..Tour de France won’t be seeing me anytime soon…

Left is before the race, about 6AM…Right are “the Cave sisters” after the race..YOU GIRLS ROCKED IT!!! They all did great and had a fun weekend together…John finished in the top 500!

As for the Cave Dwellings, well…we had a regular marathon sleepover going on here…

Taylor, Jessica..and Bogie the dog left…(Usually when the 3 Heisers come over, our neighbor, Jessica joins the family)..…Right is Peyton and Campbell snoozing..

We had a pizza cook off Saturday night..The kids make their own stuffed crust pizza, using mozarella string cheese tucked into the crust….

 

…then they used shredded parm, sauce, mini pepperonis, Italian sausage, and of course gobs more cheese…Immediately after I took this photo those last 4 pieces disappeared

 

 

 

Everyone here is competing with each other in a game on their hand held contraptions that I totally do NOT understand…I am not even sure what they are called..DS, ST, SP, XP…Heck, I could barely make that darn Atari work on the TV in the 80’s!! (or was that the 70’s?)  I did manage to shoot lots of birds with those guns we got with another TV game back then…AND..I was a “master ponger” at the old Pong game…(By now I have lost anyone born after 1980).

The Heiser dog, Bogie, came for the sleepover too…She slept with Taylor and Jessica…I refuse dogs in my bed.  Dennis takes his half out of the middle, so there is NO room for any varmits. Bogie is a rescue dog, part Pit Bull (those 2 words give everyone pause) and part who knows what…She is a very gentle and sweet dog, and she is deaf …TOTALLY!…This isn’t a problem until she makes a break outside and we all have to go to find her…You cannot call a deaf dog… This makes catching her much more of a challenge..Bogie made a jail break twice while she was here…The trick in getting her attention is to take some food…. and hope she can smell it or see you with it…I lost a pretzel and some string cheese in these 2 separate pursuits…

Ya gotta have her on a leash..easier on the legs and the grocery bill.

Sunday afternoon about 1PM, Ter and Tim came to retrieve their clan…Those kids slept until almost 11AM..The only thing that finally roused them was the thunderstorms rolling through…I fed them scrambled eggs, waffles and sausage for “brunch”…. After loading all the DS (or whatever they are), chargers, blankets (all 3 kids still sleep with a piece of their old baby blankets), books, DVD’s, toothbrushes, dog food,,,and on and on.. they hugged us goodbye and Jessica too.  Then they all piled into the car and pulled out of the drive..And as they backed out, another thunderstorm was building just behind them…

 

 

 

Man, those storm clouds were really coming in from the North…and we  had storms most of the day yesterday here…We have flash flood warnings here..I remember one year when it rained 7” in one hour and we could row a boat down our street…You could also take a swim in many basements on this street too….YUCK!! Well, we had an exciting weekend, how was yours???

 

 

 

 

HEAR IT IS , PEOPLE..OUR FUTURE!!! LOVE ‘EM!

“YES, I DO SLEEP WITH MY BLANKET, AND YES, I AM 13 YEARS OLD”.   

                                                                             ~ Taylor Heiser

ARE WE RETIRED?? I’M FINDING I’M JUST THE “TIRED” PART.

  McGyver and I have been seemingly buzzing around like bees these days…Why is it our yard work takes us more time to finish?  And why do small tasks end up being all day affairs?? I managed to get all the bird feeders hung and dug out some more Iris bulbs..We finally got some rain this week, so stuff is beginning to “take off”…

Our white clematis is lovely, our Japanese Maple (baby) survived another Illinois Winter…and the ferns are beginning to look like something out of “War Of The Worlds”…

 

My poor Hydrangea is stunted from the hard frosts, but the Iris are just fine…This Hosta is absolutely huge, and the color of the leaves is very unusual..I should write the names of my plants down when I buy them….actually I think I did, but I now cannot remember where I put that list…So, for lack of the scientific name, I will name that Hosta “Kermit”.  (My apologies to all of the serious Botany students out there.  I is what I is )

Below, left, is one project that has been sitting like a DUD for almost a month now..I obviously do NOT have a green thumb…

…I guess it will be Xmas before I have any Hibiscus from these seeds.  My basil, on the other hand, is dancing right along, taking time out to glance smugly over at the plantless containers to it’s right.

Dennis and I noticed a couple busy Robins diving in and out of a bush on our lot line right outside our big kitchen windows…We were sure there was a nest in progress, and yesterday I had to go and see for myself.  Not realizing I could be disturbing Mrs. Robin, I clomped over toward the bush and soon saw a movement in there…

I immediately saw her jump off the nest…not leaving it, but sitting right by it, guarding it from this big lummox of a humanoid with a camera in hand.  Soooooo sorry, ma’am….I didn’t think you and your “significant other” had already tucked those eggs in the nest…I’ll just be leaving you alone…for now. Lullaby, and Good night..

I have been heavily into my genealogy lately, which also would account for neglecting my blogging…sorry..I managed to find my 4th cousin online, and he has filled in SOOOOO many blanks for me about my Harnish side of the family. (That would be my Paternal Grandmother’s side).  He sent me lots of info and photos..and this morning McGyver scanned some of mine to send to him… Thanks, Ron, for all your hard work…This may seem like small stuff to some of you who don’t get into their lineage, but to me it is VERY EXCITING!!  At least our kids can find out where the insanity on my side came from, right?

Last night, McGyver and I were sitting by the campfire watching the weather.  We notice some huge thunderheads building to the Northeast, toward Chicago, and also noticed that the O’Hare Field take-off and landing pattern was now going over our house.  The jets were trying to avoid these storms…

We were being missed by these, but Chicago had 50 cent size hail and big winds….Later that evening, about midnight WE got our butts kicked by some pretty heavy thunder and lightening..One thunderbolt was so close, I had to poke McGyver  to make sure he wasn’t hit by the lightening outside our open windows…No worries, he did his famous “WHAAAAT??”  when I poked him…Sheesh, I  had to make sure you were still amongst the living, Dude!!!

 

Tonight our 3 Heiser grandkids and their dog, Bogie, are coming to stay the weekend.  This means treats , of course…

 

Terrie and Tim are going to Indianapolis to run the Indy Mini-Marathon with Chris and John…The Mini is just 13 miles instead of 26…Wait a minute, did I say JUST 13 MIILES????  I have trouble even walking 2 miles lately…Running anywhere for “MOI” would require Depends,… and an ambulance tagging along behind…

 

 

 

Soooo, now you know what my next blog will be about…grandkids, granddogs and runners….No mystery here, eh???? Thanks to all for reading…I really haven’t checked my followers for new ones, which is very neglectful on my part….Manners were never my strong point, so I will check in with Emily Post and get back to ya…

“Last night the creative juices were flowing but today I am merely a vast wasteland of random thoughts.”

                                                                                                                             ~Peckeroy