Monday, March 30, 2009

I got pie'd


We had a food drive for the local pantry and the winners got to pick someone to splat with a pie.
I was one of the losers that got pie'd.
Lauren may be interested that the Kitchen Witch tossed a pie at her boss.
Lots a fun.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

good morning!

What an awesome morning. I woke up this morning to Kat crawling over me. I was all snuggled into the comforter and when I felt the person crawling into bed, I assumed it was Jill.
Nope. It was a little Kat. And she was awake and wanted to play. Jill crawled in next.
"She was awake and wanted out of her crib so I brought her up here with us" Jill explained.
It was 717 and Kat had gone to sleep at 745 the night before with NO BINKY!
So I started a pillow fight and when that wore off, a game of tickle, tickle.
To hear the delightful cascade of laughter and giggles from Jill and Kat was a priceless treasure and an AWESOME way to wake up in the morning.
A quick game of peek-a-boo under the covers followed with another pillow fight wore me out.
So I tossed Kat out of bed and went to make breakfast for everyone.
Veggie omelets and toast. With milk (or Dew), 6 points.

Monday, March 16, 2009

She's gonna be a cowgirl!


Last weekend while at MIL, Kat spotted the hanging horse (sounds worse than it is) and ran right over to try and climb on. The horse did not cooperate at all and kept turning a tight circle around her.


Soon MIL came over and hoisted Kat up on her new horse and Kat was as pleased as could be. She spent the next 20 minutes riding that horse around the tree.
Not 100' away was a small pod of about 10 horses, two of which are mine.
I imagine that she will be just like her mother and by the time she is 4 she will be riding Dreamy around the lot.
Like mother, like daughter. (of course that means Squawker will be riding motorcycles and shooting guns)

giving me gray hair

I went to MIL yesterday to get some wood because I don't think we are done with cold weather, yet. We had used up all but a bit of wood and by getting more and stocking it, I have made it THAT much less likely that we will get any snow or cold weather.
I took the Kat so that MIL could enjoy spoiling her favorite (that day) granddaughter.

While working on the tractor to take off the snow blade (counter jinx to getting wood - taking off snow blade) Kat wanted to see what we were up to. She was SO annoyed that she couldn't play on the blade until it was OFF the tractor. Once it was off - get out of her way!

After the blade got boring (It just SITS THERE) she continued on her favorite activity on the farm - EXPLORING.

Kat wants to explore everything she can see. No sooner does she spot something than she has to check it out. She keeps MIL and I hopping trying to keep between her and the manure, the mud, the horses, and so on.
When we got to the rolls of barb wire that I made last summer, I knew that she should mostly be ok. While it was rusty, the barbs were dull so it would be harder for them to break her skin. She spent so much time trying to figure out how to unravel those big coils. She tugged and yanked and pulled to no avail. Then you could see the wheels turning. She walked around them a couple of times and decided that she needed to get into the center of the coil to take them apart. I didn't have the heart to tell her that she wasn't right, not to mention that you cannot train a KAT!


She tried repeatedly to step over the coil to get to the center but she didn't quite have the stride (give her time - she will likely have 34" inseams) to step right over. After 3 or 4 attempts she decided to crawl over. She got down on her hands and knees and began the hazardous trek. She got little more than half way before her jeans had become entangled in the wire. After getting some excellent shots of an ensnared Kat, I went over and freed her.


Gramma made it up to her by putting her on the 4-wheeler and running her up and down the lane until her cheeks were as pink as her coat.

When it came time to go home my little Kat was bushed. She was asleep before she crossed the creek.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

I shoulda been a dentist

Little Shop of Horrors starring Steve Martin holds a particular place in my heart because of the fate of that sensitive caring DENTIST!
Wife took Kat to the dentist a week ago and when I got home from work I asked her how it went.
"Sweet Peppers!", she exclaimed, "Kat was fine until we sat her on the, you know, the bench chair".
"What happened then?" I innocently asked.
"SHE. FREAKED. OUT."
It seems that Kat was less than enthused about being tilted back and opening her mouth for a sadist, er, dentist. As it turns out it only took two assistants with Jill's help to hold Kat down so Dr. LovePain could check out her teeth and clean them. During the drama, Dr. LPain told Jill that this entire episode reminded him of when he used to clean MY teeth as a young child. Then he added a totally unnecessary comment, "Be sure to tell Kevin that she is every bit his daughter".
Well, Really. Was that called for?
You see, Jill took Kat to the same pediatric dentist that tortured, er, treated me as a 2 year old. And I have poorly suppressed memories of seeing that Fang-Banger. I remember playing in his waiting room with nervous anxiety until they called my name. You know the type, laughs a little too loud and high pitched, frantically plays with every toy for 3 seconds at a time. Then came the short walk into the exam theatre where everyone knew what was coming. I tried to not open my mouth. Sometimes I tried not to walk and they dragged me. One way or another, they were going to treat me. For my own good, of course.
It didn't help that I had more cavities than I had teeth.
As I got older I didn't scream and cry any more, but I didn't enjoy the dental experience. I kind of resigned myself to it.
That all changed late in my high school years as Dr. LovePain hired a young lady right out of dental school named Heather.
Suddenly, I couldn't get to the dentist often enough.
Heather was gorgeous! Outstanding smile (imagine that in a dental office) usually tan, smelled exotic, beautiful hair, and a figure that was guaranteed to distract a hormone crazed young man.
Heather and I dated regularly after that. By regularly I mean twice a year.
And I called it dating. Really she cleaned my teeth and smiled at me. Heck, I wasn't proud. I took whatever crumbs she left for me.
I don't know what it will take for Kat to like going to the dentist, but I know what worked for me.
Like Ross on Friends, I still see that sadist that I started seeing 39 years ago but it isn't as traumatic as it used to be. I have fewer cavities now and actually enjoy a chance to lie back and relax.
And yes, Heather still works in the office.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

pretty baby!


arguablly the goofiest looking kid I have ever seen.
Does anyone know the real urban legand behind putting a ring on a baby's finger?
The best explanation I have ever heard was that it is a purity ring.
Ha!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Char has passed on

I came into work today and found a post from CaringBridge that told me that a woman I got to know last summer passed away as a result of her injuries from an accident last fall. She had held on for quite some time but has struggled of late.
When I opened the announcement, I was moved to tears.
Below is the letter written by her family. She will be missed by everyone who she made laugh.
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Our best friend, wife and mother went to fly with the angels upon the setting sun last night. It was the most amazing thing we have ever seen, even beyond what we expected of her. In true Mom fashion, she went on her own terms, in her own way, and far beyond predictions. Though our hearts are heavy with sadness, we could not have asked for more.

She held on for us, and though we all knew she wanted to go, and told her it was ok, as long as we were in the room, she held on. We waited with her for a long time, sharing family stories and our last special moments with her. We stepped out of the room to have a quick family discussion for only moments. When we came back in, Mom was trying to slip away, but we interrupted her, and so, she held on for a long while more. Finally, we realized what it was she was waiting for. We said our goodbyes and left her and Dad alone. When we came back into the room a short time later, Dad was sleeping, holding mom in bed, and she was sleeping peacefully, too. Dad said he had told her that he was going to crawl into bed with her and talk awhile. Then, he told her he would just hold her quietly and rest with her. She waited for that moment, and when she heard Dad's slow, steady, and comforting breaths of sleep, she slipped away, peacefully, beautifully, and in her husband's loving arms.

For the first time in five months, she looked peaceful and more like the mother we have all known our whole lives. She looked like an angel. Though it was the hardest moment of our lives, it was also beautiful because it was so Mom. That was her gift, and we will never forget it.

Lovingly,