Merry Christmas

Well we have had a good taste of winter. Snow, and cold and now we are finally thawing out. Hard to tell in this picture but the reason my dogs snout is so white is the snow is frozen on her. It was in the single digits last week. Haven't got much to blog about, just the Grandkids are coming home for Christmas, and that is pretty exciting to us. Ry and Meg are driving in from California and Kelly and Sarah Jean are coming from Oregon. Not sure when Kelly Ross and Sarah are coming from Idaho, but they are coming as well. I think they want to spend Christmas at home, and come here afterward. Time goes so fast, when you get my age you wish it we go a little slower. Time is probably the same it is probably me that has slowed down. I just get up and it is time to cook dinner and go to bed. Now isn't that sad, no life at all just eat and sleep. I did go shopping last night with Natalie and that is another story, between her changing her mind and me thinking I had left my credit card, our quick trip took a little longer than expect. but no harm on foul. We had a good time and saw almost everything in the store. Cindee's you always wonder why Nat gives such neat gifts well she is very selective. At least she is not like me, I purchase things and then see something else and wind up taking things back. I talked to an old friend today and she was telling me now her kids are older they just buy for the little ones and donate the money they would spend to their favorite charity. Would save a lot of stress and help out the needy, but I kind of like the stress and I love to give, even if my presents are returned. You know,"Why did Gramma buy me that?"

Merry Christmas everyone have a great one!

Power line pictures

These are not the best pictures but I think you get the idea of how fun it was to watch them work. Compare the size of the tower to the house. These towers are almst a football field from this house.

Flying sideways pulling wire to next tower.

Helicopter stringing wire on towers.

Your Electric bill At work.

We live about a long country block for a Rocky Mountain Power right of way. When we first move out here there were 2 power lines running through here. We would could always use them as a landmark for people to find our house, ( no GPS is those days) it was just the 3rd house west of the power lines. Which you couldn't mistake because they stood over a 100 feet in the air. After we had lived here a few years the constructed a third line, and we amused ourselves watching the brave men construct the towers and stretch the power lines. Well this spring we began watching the fourth set go up and it has been exciting to say the least. Progress changes everything, we have watched a man on a platform stretching out from a helicopter attaching the pulleys to the top of the towers. Must be one to the world most dangerous jobs and coldest especially in 38 degree weather. They now string the wire with a helicopter, the pilot was amazing, he could drop the wire right in the pulleys. All in all it has been entertaining watching them, but I am glad they are out of room, these power lines are getting to close for comfort lightning loves them.

Tomorrow Farrah is going to the Canine Country to meet and play with another Doodle her own age. What great fun for the two of us we really need a break. She has been little miss mischief lately. I think a good day of play will do wonders for her, she gets so bored.
You guys probably think I am nuts to think of my dog as human. But you have to live with your pet to understand. She is always by my side, she is lying in the door way right now so I can't escape with out her knowing. I am sure there are those who understand how you can learn to love your pet so much you begin thinking for them in human terms, but that is ok we are all God's creatures.

Whoo Hoo!

The Clip

Today we took Farrah to the groomer for her first hair cut. Now she looks like a sweet little Labradoodle, not the shaggy she devil she was beginning to resemble. I must admit I was a bit concerned taking her but I knew it had to be done as her hair was starting to cover her eyes like a sheep dog.

Now she is all fresh and new, the groomer said she was a good girl. You know how it goes put them is a strange place with strangers and they will behave themselves. At home she can be a task, jumping on everyone, nipping at you and at times just being a pain in the butt. You are thinking over and over did I do the right thing getting this puppy? Then you must stop and realize she is just that ( A Puppy).

Greta's Playdate with Farrah

Oh Boy, you are asking for it.

Play fair not the ears!

Hi my name is Greta, I am a Bull dog. My master said I could come to Grandma' s house and stay for a few days with her puppy Farrah a Labradoodle. He didn't tell me it would be prison.

Farrah is a nice little puppy, but she can be a pain in the butt once in a while if you know what I mean. My master told his grandma I am a good sleeper hee, hee but have I made a fool out of him. The first night I prowled most of the night and barked at every little noise I heard. I over heard Grandpa saying he only got about a hours sleep that night. The next night I thought I might be a little better, or I would be outside in that prison to sleep. I only had one problem,

I couldn't decide where to sleep, so I kept moving from spot to spot. I finally got on the bed in the spare room, and Grandma, bless her old heart layed down with me so I wouldn't be afraid. Now this was a really nice gesture, because I snore like a freight train, and my farts would peel the paint off the walls. Did I mention how I like to eat? I will eat anything in sight and this has been hard on little Farrah. I can make her think she is not supposed to eat her food because when I am done with mine hers is mine too. The poor skinny little thing is probably getting pretty hungry. Grandma was hand feeding her last night. I don't know if I will be welcome back but Farrah and I have had a good time, we have played a lot. When Farrah gets bigger I am sure this will be a different story.

I must add Farrah can be a mean little vixen.

If Your Family Leaves, Get a Puppy

Napping with her stuffed Gorilla

Farrah 3 months 26.6 pounds. PUPPY??

Well all our grandkids are gradually moving away. Blaike is still in the area, but when he gets married he may find reasons to leave as well. Sarah and Kelly left for Portland on Friday and I sure do miss little Annie. She was G/grandma's girl, we were buddies. Ryan and Meg have been in Europe most of the summer, but they are back in Durham now. , and of course Kelly and his Sarah have made their little niche in Idaho. But we have a puppy, and are sometimes pleading insanity, but we love her. Today we went for a ride up Ogden Canyon, I questioned that choice because the puppy has not been in the car that often. Of course with the twisting winding road she got sick and threw up in the car. Tom felt bad but he didn't have to clean it up, so he didn't feel that bad. I am sure it will be a challenge the next time we try to take her. She is a very smart puppy and doesn't forget things. We have big stuffed gorilla that Mack (our old dog) hated. We could just put that gorilla any place we didn't want him to go and it was off limits as far as he was concerned. Not this puppy, it is hairy like her and she loves to wrestle with it and curls up by it to take a nap. It is a site to see, you can hardly tell her from the Gorilla. Puppies are a lot of work but they provide a lot of companionship for us old people, who are watching all our young birds take off on their own wings.

Discount Dog

Maybe I can get up these steps, if not I'll just chew on them!

"This looks like a good place to chew."

Well old Tom and I have been working our butts off, trying to get things safe for this little puppy. So far we have invested in a $75. Crate, toys , vet, puppy food and a $2000. fence. Saturday we spent the whole morning with Natalies help removing the wire from the old farm fence. Tuesday Tom and I got took the tractor and pulled out all the old cedar fence posts. Today they called and said they were ready to install the fence and wanted to know if we were ready. We told them to come on out, thinking we had a few hours to get the grass cut out back, which with all the spring rain has grown about 4 feet tall. Thank god Tommy had cut most of it earlier, except next to the fence. Tom got on the tractor and I was suppose to guide him so he could cut. We got most of it cut down at least where it needed cut. The fence post are in and they will be back Monday to install the chain link. This is a lot of work for 2 old geezers. I think we should sell and get a condo, but then what would happen to our discount dog. We are just a couple of old softies, an we love you Farrah. Even if you did chew my wood work while we were out side working our tails off just for you. It is 103 today so I guess the work that got left will just have to wait until morning.

New Puppy Family Get Together

Kathy if you are out there and still checking my blog you may like
this picture. Your Aunt's and Uncle's are getting old with the exception of
Kenny of course.

Last week I was looking in the classified and found some Labradoodle puppies about a miles away, so out Tom and I decided to have a look. Needless to say we came home with a little black puppy with wild curly hair. We decided to name her Farrah after thee Farrah Fawcett know for he lovely hair. She is a cute little one and often makes us laugh out loud with her silly actions.

We are finding out how old we really are when it comes to getting up a couple of times during the night to let her out, thank heaven it is summer because we have to go with her. Sunday we took her to Sue and Marts house for a family get together. Our crate is huge so we put he in a laundry basket. We took Anna along because Sarah had to work. It was quite a site Farrah in the laundry basket G/grandma in the middle and Anna in her car seat all tooling along in the back seat.

Toms older Sister came here for her 60th high school reunion, so that is the reason to the family getting together. We all had a good time both baby and puppy were little angels. I think they stole the show. Everyone enjoyed them, Vonny ( Tom's Sister) thought Anna was miss personality plus.

The Visit

I am so bad I just forget to get my camera out when special people come to visit. After their Alaska trip, Megan, Ryan and little Addison came to spend some time with us. They decided to stay here for an extra week being they are leaving for Europe when they get back to North Carolina. Little Addi, was a little shy as she has not been around us very much. She warmed up some before they left. It was so good to get to visit with them, they are such busy kids, when Ryan graduates Law School no telling where they will be, I hope they remember to come home once in a while.

Tom's sister Vonny is coming the first of July. We haven't seen her for 15 or so years, so it will be good to catch up. Hopefully I will remember the camera, getting old I guess, or just used to stealing the kid pictures from their blogs.

Oh by the way Cindee if you happen to read this maybe you could post some of your Alaska pictures.

Little Addie

Here are the pictures we talked about, Grampa wouldn't let me crop them he said this is just the way we look, sad huh. To get Grampa to do pictures is hard, but when I told him they were for Addie he didn't hesitate. We are so excited to see you, can hardly wait until Friday.

Grampa Tom & Gramma So

The Mothers Day Edition

My children know how to make my heart sore. Mothers day was great, the weather was perfect. Tommy and Cheri were here early, Tommy had to work as usual, funny thing when others are having a hard time finding work his company has him working 7 days a week. He just couldn't sit and visit but had to get on the tractor and plow the garden spot. AJ Cheri's son showed up next, then Mark and Nat, they had a Birthday party to attend later that day. Blaike and Karlee dropped by, Blaike is looking good his eye is healing well. He still has a little discoloration, and tho he says he can see good the eye is sensitive to light and sometimes the vision gets blurry. During the conversation we found out that Grandpa and Karlee's grandpa were very good friends (Karlee's grandpa passed away this spring from a head injury he sustained in a fall) it was kind of fun hearing all the people she is related to that Grandpa knew. Steve even knew one of them from a old job he had. Steve and Cindee got here last, we all got to visit, we just nibbled on cheese and crackers, and no one had to prepare food and everyone got to enjoy one another. I really appreciate my children taking the time out of their busy lives to be with me, to me that is one of the greatest gift they can give; but be aware none of them came empty handed. There gifts won't last but the memories will. (I hope!!!)

Our Idaho Family

Well Kelly and Sarah finally made the trip from Idaho, and we got to see everyone. The children are really growing up fast. Abigail is a cutie, and she loves to play in the little play house Cindee has in the laundry room. We had a great time until she told me to go home. I was a little hurt until Kelly told me that is just the way she plays, she doesn't mean "Go Home." just leave the area. Josh is a big boy! He is a good looking little guy. He crawls and pulls himself up to things. He was pretty friendly as well, didn't cry when I held him. I can throw Anni around like a sack of potatoes but not Josh he is a chunk, Sarah says he weighs 24 lbs. I don't know how she lugs him all day. I would be bushed, but then I am old and she is young makes a difference.
Ryan called and they will be here the end of the month, to go on the Alaska trip. I can't wait to see Addison they change so much when you don't see them for months at a time. I can see a change in Annie when I don't see her for a week.

Update on Blaike

Blaike went to an eye surgeon on Thursday and the news was good. Neither his Plastic surgeon or the eye surgeon felt he needed surgery. They are going to monitor his eye movement, and eye placement for the next month to make sure the eye doesn't fall back into the socket, or the eye muscles doesn't get stuck in the fracture. He is very relieved to hear no surgery, and the doctor expects full recovery in 4 - 6 weeks.

Bummer

Ever wonder what it would be like to get hit in the face with a softball? Just take a look at Blaike and you'll have a good idea. Saturday he was playing in a Tournament in Delta Utah, a little town in the west desert basically in the middle of no where, when a fast moving ball hit him in the face. He said he realized it had hit him but had no idea how hard, until fellow team mates, including the guy from the other team who hit the ball, were trying to get him to sit down. The ball hit the ground and spiked up and hit his face. He will know Wednesday when he will be having surgery. They are waiting for some of the swelling to go down. I want to thank Karlee for being so great and taking such good care of him. She had to make the lonely drive back to a Ogden Hospital, after they released him to her to transport him by car. Guess we have to give Greta (the dog) some credit too, she was with them. This is just another Soft Ball injury for Blaike. Just a freak accident is how he puts it, I am sure he will be back on the team as soon as he is able.

Happy Easter Everyone

Make a Smilebox greeting

A Birthday Surprise

Last Saturday we all went to Woods Cross to surprise my sister in law Susan, on her birthday. It was a special one but I will not be the one to rat out her age tho most of you know. It was a lot of fun. We got to visit with Susan's daughters whom we haven't seen in years. It seems so strange that they are all grown and their children, are in high school and college, and out on their own, the last time we saw them they were just babies. Angie talked about coming to our house when they were little and sliding down the hay bales. I was glad to hear how fondly she remembered it. We got to meet some of Susan co-workers who were there. It was a great surprise for Susan, tho she said she was some what suspicious, because Angie was making so many excuses to keep her away from the house until everyone arrived.

One forgets how much fun family really is until something like this happens, and let me tell you the Hendry family are fun people, especially, Uncle Mart, he has a entertaining story for everything. We have been letting to much time slip away, without getting together. All my kids enjoyed the day and I am sure everyone else did too. I must say we missed Aunt Cloann, who is recovering from back surgery, and Mark and Kelly who had to work. We missed Blaike too, I thought his dad would call him and his dad thouhgt he was in Washington DC and maybe he was,
but I was really sad I never called him. If you read this I hope you forgive me Blaike.

Sorry no pictures, we all forget our cameras except Tommy and he couldn't get his to work, I don't know what the problem was, maybe someone who had a camera will share.

Life On The Hendry Farm

I am sure my grandchildren and possibly my children don't remember the old Ma and Pa Kettle movies, but for those of us who do that is pretty close to life here at our house. On the days Annie is here we sit and watch her play. Today this was the conversation.

Pa (Tom)" Would you look at the toys, we could start a nursery school. There is enough there for several kids."

Ma (Me) " Just because you didn't have any toys when you were little you think that is a lot."

Pa: " I lived in a Tentament Building when I was little and kids were running up and down the halls all of the time and I couldn't get any sleep and they were writting on the walls with their crayons."

Ma: " And you never wrote on the walls?

Pa: " I never had any crayons."

Ma: "You never even had crayons?"

Pa, with eyes down cast, : " I ate them."

>Now if you beleive that one I have a few more good stories for you. Ha Ha.

We are still having winter around here and I think we have got a little cabin fever.

Amazing How Little One Grow

When we first got Annie the Jumperoo, about 3 months go her little toes would just barely reach the floor and we would have to put a pillow under her so she could jump. Now she can put her feet flat on the floor and has figured out how to swing it from side to side. She turns the chair in a circle to play with different things and can stretch far enough to reach the hanging bird and frog. It is her favorite toy and she has a good time in it. Grandpa said it was a good investment. He loves to hear her chatter and laugh. We will be lonely when she moves, I guess that will be puppy time. We are such stay at home old scrooges, we just go too the grocery store and sometimes we visit with Cindee and Steve or Natalie and Mark. Tommy and Cheri come visit us once in a while. They are so busy Tommy works 6 days a week you know him a work-a- holic and Cheri is working and taking College classes on line. They both hold offices in their Trap Shooting Club so that takes almost all of their week ends.

Just read about the Grand kids Spring Break, sounded like they had a lot of fun. So good to see the pics they post. The Idaho Kids are supposed to be coming this next week end so we will get to see Abbie and Josh, that will be fun.

All in the Family

Well for those of you that didn't know, Uncle Mark had surgery Friday. Just a small tumor was removed and it was out patient, so nothing serious. He is doing fine just a little sore. I think the worst of it all was the waiting. If you are not dieing hospitals and doctors don't care they just prep you and then push you to the end of the priority list and let you wait. His surgery was supposed to be at 11:30 am. and it was probably about 4:30 pm when they finally got around to doing it, so the stress on both him and Natalie was terrible. When you are lying there you don't know what is really wrong, only what they tell you. Your mind wanders, your angry, that they have so little concern for your feelings, and those of us waiting at home don't have a clue so we are worried as well. To make a long story short, everything went well and all is good.

What's

Winter and More

Well it seems kind of sad, we don't find the time to blog any more. I guess me and Sarah will have to keep this family blog going.

We just got hit early in the week with another blast of winter. Our favorite ski resort has 126 inches of snow. Sarah told Grandpa her dad had a blast skiing Sunday, it was a blue bird day and lots of powder. We have about 6 to 8 inches of snow and as I was out side this morning messing around, I discovered I could walk on top of the snow and seldom fell through. It was kind of fun, like being a kid again. I told Tom to bad we don't have some snow shoes we could go to the the back of the field. He just grumped at me like "yeah right!" Well I know I could walk back there. He is nursing a head cold, and all he can do is whine and groan.

The weather is beautiful today and the weather people on TV say it is going to be good all weekend. So I guess we should try to get out and enjoy and get rid of some of the cabin fever. Natalie was saying today that the snow was so heavy at their house it has broken a lot of their trees down. She said it broke a branch off the walnut tree, and spilt one of their oak trees. Of course they have about 20" there. Mark said the day it snowed so much you could hear the branch crack and break.

Let me see what else is new for you out of towners. The Jazz beat the Lakers, Yea!! and tonight they play the Celtic's. Like many old people around here I am a big Jazz fan. This is when I really miss work, because we always had a big discussion about the Jazz game the day after. We always talked about who we thought they should trade, and who they should try to get. I don't get that fix any more, and that is my fault because I never go back to visit with them .

Well another month and it will be spring, and we can look forward to gardening, and warm weather. April is usually the month when you get a little warm weather, then it turns off cold and wet again. It is a tease, just enough to give you a good dose of spring fever.

Labrador, Poodle or Labradoodle?

Mack as a playful puppy, yes Mom I am supposed to love the water.

Natalie's poodles Gus and Cleo on a summer walk, at doggie day care.

I saw on the news today, President Obama is still considering a Labradoodle as a family dog, much to the AKC's distaste. After all what is a designer dog, a Mutt. Natalie has Standard Poodles to her and Mark they are the best dogs in the world. They love Gus and Cleo, and they are smart well mannered dogs. We have owned several different breeds in our married years, and favored something in all of them. Our last dog was a Labrador, a breed we vowed we would never owned because we had such unpleasant experiences with some of our neighbor's Labs, but at one weak moment Tom rescued a small 5week old puppy for some children in front of a convience store and guess what, he came home with a Lab. This dog (who died with Cancer a couple of years ago) was the best dog we ever owned. I am sure our old Basset Hound Bogie had something to do with it; telling him don't get on the furniture, don't chew on that, and if you hear thunder or a shotgun the bathtub is a safe haven. So, a Labradoodle may not be a bad choice, the best of both worlds. Any mutt purebred or not will be your best friend all tho we have not felt we could replace Mack yet. Tom says everyday how he misses him, they were truly the best of friends. We had him for 11 years, and it was not long enough.

Playing Dress Up

Looks like Bag Ladies run in the family. Here is Addi's grandma Cindee and her counter part Uncle Tom in 1962.

Jump, Jumparoo

After Cindee and Steve's last visit to Idaho, Cindee was telling us about Josh jumping in his jumper. She said he had such a good time she was afraid he was going to give himself "Shaken Baby Syndrome." Grandpa and I got talking and decided little Anna needed something like that to play in, she has out grown the little chair we had for her and all tho she will play in it she gets bored pretty fast. Cindee said she had got Addison a Jumperoo and Megan said she loved it and since Anna is small compared to Josh, we thought that may be the kind to get. We began by searching on line and in the newspaper. What we had found seemed a little pricey by our standards. One day I came across one at Wal Mart on line. They showed them at a store near us but limited quantity, so, we got in the car and ran over there. When we got there we were so disappointed because we could not find one. I thought they must not update their wed page that often and they were sold. Just as we were leaving the baby department we passed the clearance rack, and lo and behold there were 2 of them marked down to a great price about $25 less than others we had priced. So, our mission was complete, when Anna come to stay she has a place to play and she loves it. She will let you know when she is tired of jumping and playing with the little toys, and best of all it makes her tired and she will nap, sighhhhh!

There is A Doggie Heaven

Yesterday when Natalie came for lunch, she said Vickie, the lady who runs the doggie day care, had started a blog. I had her send me a link, and what a cute blog. Vickie has a Golden Retriever puppy named Bert, and her whole blog is from Brets view; she speaks for Bert and in a very clever way.

Natalie has been taking her dogs to Vickie's for years starting with Cesar, and now Cleo and Gus go. Vickie has a knack with dogs, and seems to know how to handle their bad habits, which she willingly shares with their owners so, they can correct them as well.

Her old dog is a Search and Rescue dog, and she has participated in many a hunt. She had written a Children's book on what to do should they get lost in the wild. She goes to schools and gives demonstration's to children on how a dogs keen sense of smell can find them. A man I worked with a Cerro, got involved in the Search and Rescue program with his dog, and spent many a hour training with Vickie and her dog. He was called on many searches as well.

Nothing to Say?

"Hey Aunt Natalie, we haven't played in a long long time."

Come on Mommy I will play with you, and the Teddy Bear!

Daddy Who are these people ?

Little Addi all dressed up for tea time, in her play shoes

her little satin purse and her finest jewelry!

Well, the holidays are over and the hazy days of winter have set in. Not much to blog about, then I say, "What am I thinking." The holiday were great this year. We got to see all the children and their children, it was wonderful. Those little Great Grandchildren are the best, not to slight our Grandchildren we love seeing them too.

We spent a quite Thanksgiving with Nat and Mark, Natalie fixed a wonderful dinner for the four of us. Christmas all the children and some of their off spring came to our house to exchange presents. Blaike brought his girl friend who, trust me, I thought we would never meet. She is a sweet girl. The week end before new years Kelly and his family came down from Twin and we saw them and their children. We exchanged presents with them, Abi, is so cute and she loves presents so we try to see she gets some little thing every time we see her. Josh was not feeling well so we didn't impose ourselves on him. New Years day we got to see Ryan, Meg and Addi. Ryan and Addi has bad colds and were feeling like crap, so we didn't stick around to long, that next Sunday Cindee called and asked us to come visit again. Ryan and Addi, had gone to the doctor, he had 3 job interviews in the next few days then they were driving back to Megs parents house, then flying back to NC. I felt so sorry for him, you could tell he just wanted to climb into bed and pull the covers over his head, but he was Ryan the gracious one, we were there to visit and by darn he was going accommodate us. Addi on the other hand wanted nothing to do with us, so we accepted her wishes and just let her hang with mommy and daddy.

So when you think your life is dull and nothing exciting ever happens to you. Just think back a day or so and you will find there is a lot in life to be grateful for. At my age I should just be grateful to wake up in the morning: God has given me another day.

New Addition

Lovable Little Greta

Last evening my only single grandson called and asked if I would like to meet my new Great Granddaughter. He told me she was 8 months old, and he had e-mailed me some pictures. My heart was pounding, he totally had me. He said her name was Greta, I was in shock, I knew he was pretty serious with the girl he is currently seeing, she was here with him at Christmas, and was telling us she was studying Criminal Justice in College and was thinking of going into the Air Force as her father is career military and a F-16 Pilot. I knew she couldn't possibly have a baby. So I stammer "Who's the mother?" and he says Karlee. Then he spilled the beans, Greta is a 8 month old Bull Dog that they just bought from a friend, who had 2 of them and they couldn't get alongwith each other. The 2 (dog's) both female couldn't establish which was the Alpha so they kept scrapping with each other. I think this is the case with a lot of people as well. Anyway, I was happy to hear my new Granddaughter has 4 legs, a protruding lower jaw and probably pees on the carpet.