Mea Culpa

Why is it that every time I vow to be more timely in my postings, I fail miserably and fall farther and farther behind?

The Lovely Bride's little garden is flourishing and little green tomatos and tiny okra are beginning to grow. The basil of varying types makes me dream of Italian cooking every time I brush past, and I'm already thinking of expanding her space soon. So long as we remember to give it a drink occasionally, everything stays happy & green.

We just returned from a week at Lake of the Ozarks with family. One daughter and son-in-law gave us a ride up, and all we had to do was share the cost of gas. Did I mention they hauled their 28 foot boat from Texas to Missouri? Even though the gas mileage suffered, it was well worth the trouble. They had the freedom to blast around the lake when the mood struck them, drop in on little lakefront restaurants, and laze around quiet sheltered coves while their nieces practiced their swimming skills.

The oldest daughter and her hubby came with the three Grand Girls in tow. The oldest, Sarah, certainly showed an affinity for the water and spent every moment she could in one boat or the other. When she wasn't swimming or boating, she was buttering up her Uncle Steven in hopes he would take her out again. Amazing how good they can be when they want something!

The twins are just past 2, full of energy, and masters at getting into trouble. We were preparing for bed our first night after 14 hours on the road, when wails echoed from the little girls' room. Ellie managed to fall(tripped, pushed,??) and tried to break the frame of the sofa bed with her head. Lots of blood and tears, so off to the ER we go. Fortunately, it was a slow night, and she was seen immediately. Less than an hour saw her evaluated, get a CT of her head, and then have her forehead stuck back together using some industrial strength superglue. Home and to bed by 1:00am.

Dirty fingernails

Another happening in Naruna during the past month was the LB deciding she wanted a small garden. I think she got tired of listening to me grumble about eating store-bought tomatoes; plus she was wanting some more space for her herbs. She had seen several articles about using elevated beds for growing vegetables and herbs in a small space. Most of these use landscape timbers to enclose an area which is then filled with a mix of dirt, compost and fertilizer, but she had the idea of using concrete blocks. One of the advantages of this is she can plant her herbs in the holes of the blocks, keeping them separated, and allowing her to water each only when needed. Now we just have to wait and see what grows.

Did you miss me?

The past couple of weeks have been pretty rough around Naruna. The Lovely Bride has been trying to prepare for the end of the school year, while training her new puppy and her old husband. The OR has been busy, especially with orthopedics, and late nights have become the norm, as we try to fix or replace broken/worn out hips and knees. Of course, not getting home until 8:00 or 9:00 several nights each week has taken its toll on my old body and the LB's nerves. At any rate, I didn't realize how long it had been since I last posted anything until an email arrived from cousin Vicki, wondering what had happened to me. This will be my feeble and belated attempt to make up for my absence of the past weeks.

One wonderful event during the month of May was droplets of moisture falling from the sky. Naruna received almost 2 1/2" for the month, which was enough for Burnet County to call off their burn ban. Vegetation has greened up, and the yard sprang up almost overnight. It finally got to the point where I got out the old push mower and knocked down most of the weeds. It took me a day and a half to accomplish what our lawn guy, Paul, does in an hour. My knees were certainly protesting after that little workout. Paul is usually pretty good about keeping the grass(okay - weeds) cut, but the rain had all of his clients hollering for help. It certainly reminded me of why we pay him to take care of it.

We have had a major influx of critters here in Naruna, with a new puppy and a litter of kittens all showing up at about the same time. The puppy is a scruffy little dog, reported to be some sort of chihuahua, and is named Ruby Jean. She arrived with floppy ears and longish hair, and really didn't look like any chihuahua I had ever seen. She is one of those animals you want to pick up as soon as you see it, cuddle it and carry it around everywhere. The LB keeps reminding me it is a dog, and even though it is small, it needs to learn to act like one instead of a toy. Susan keeps trying to establish herself as the Alpha of our pack, so she can maintain some discipline as she attempts to train the little bugger. I see my role as being the one who is responsible for spoiling her rotten. As she has grown(almost 4 pounds now) her ears have straightened up, and are completely upright. Still doesn't look much like a chihuahua to me.

The litter of kittens has been a more emotional event for us. As is frequently the case, this was an unplanned pregnancy, and took us by surprise. Apparently, the feline gene pool isn't very deep in Naruna, which is one reason for trying to get everybody fixed if it looks like they are going to stay with us. Of four kittens, one didn't survive its first day, a second with a deformed leg suddenly expired after about a week, and the little grey tabby hasn't figured out how to use its hind legs and has a definite personality disorder. Not sure if it will make the cut or not. The remaining kitten is the antithesis of his siblings. He is stout, fuzzy and very precocious in learning to motor around under his own power. He is white and has blue eyes which are bright and sparkly. The LB already seems to be struggling with the idea of giving him up for adoption, so we may just add him to the permanent cat population of Naruna.

Oh yeah...and cats, we need lots more cats, too!

Talk about your cup overflowing! Acquiring a new puppy a week ago wasn't enough for Naruna. Last night one of the cats had kittens. This was a cute little kitten who appeared asleep on our front porch swing one day, and proceeded to make herself completely at home. She had a collar, and was obviously used to being around people, so for the first few weeks I held onto hopes that an owner would appear and take her home. Of course, no one showed up and Bella just moved in.

When we returned from visiting the grandkids a month ago, we noticed that Bella didn't seem any worse off for being home alone for a week, and even seemed to have gained some weight. You guessed it! The little hussy had gotten herself knocked up. We never saw a strange cat around the place, and had no idea who was involved, so didn't know what to expect before the kittens arrived.

Best I can tell, there are four kittens; one grey tabby, two which appear white, and one which looks to be a light yellow or gold color. If you look at the first picture, you can see Bella, like most expectant kitties, didn't use the elaborately padded box the LB fixed up for her delivery. Instead, she decided that the bed in the garage apartment would be more to her liking. Please note, she and the kittens are inside the box springs, not just under the bed.

Settling In!

The new Naruna puppy, Ruby Jean the scruffy Chihuahua, has made herself right at home. She has also turned the tables on Sam, who tormented and annoyed our elderly Lab, Rosie, for the last couple of years. I'm not sure Sam appreciates being on the receiving end.

Yes dear, that's just what we need...another Dog!

When it comes time for the Father's Day Report Card on which your children evaluate your parenting skills, I have trouble getting a passing score. For some reason they have always thought I was a terrible poppa, perhaps because my initial response to most requests was always "NO!". It didn't matter that I carefully considered and pondered their pleas, and could always give them a logical rationale ('Cause I said so; or, I'm the Daddy - that's why!). This was especially true when they asked about bringing pets home.



Of course, I was always completely fair and impartial in my decisions. For instance, I agreed when they asked about bringing home several young rabbits they had been offered. When they looked at me suspiciously and asked why I said yes, I described in detail how yummy & tender little rabbits could be when properly stewed or fricasseed. Or when a newborn goat was offered by a neighbor, I immediately volunteered the name of "Cabrito". These tactics worked well until the kids got a little older and eventually saw through my smokescreen. They learned the Daddy would be gruff and growl about taking animals into our home, but if they could ever slip them inside and get me to pick them up and cuddle them, I would melt and they could have whatever they wanted.


None learned this lesson better than my Lovely Bride, who surprised me with numerous critters over the years. Yesterday afternoon she struck again. We had been relatively stable with a Yellow Lab, a Beagle, and four cats, one of which is expecting. I was still at work when she called to announce she was at the back door, and would I come and let her in, please. I opened the door to find her holding a tiny ball of black and tan wearing a blue bandanna. She sat it down in the grass, and revealed the tiniest puppy imaginable. A 2 month old chihuahua, it was the product of a short haired mother and a long haired father, so nobody is sure what it will look like when grown. She just looks scruffy for now.


The LB got her home without mishap, and began the process of introducing the little interloper to the other residents of Naruna. The cats ignored her for the most part, while the dogs acted more interested, but not totally convinced. It made for an awkward evening and all finally fell asleep.


This morning I arose early in response to persistent crying and whining, which the LB managed to sleep through. All three puppies and I were out in the back forty as the sun started to peep over the mesquite trees on the horizon, and all the tentativeness of the previous night was gone. The baby romped along after the big guys, exploring her new world. They both seemed to accept that she was now a part of their lives, and tried to adjust as best they could. The Lab has only stepped on her a couple of times and the baby is learning to be careful. She has been stealing their toys, napping hidden in piles of dirty clothes, and generally being under foot all day.


The big question today has become what to call the little rascal. So far, several names have been proposed. Lola, Ruby, & Dory are all being considered, although I'm kinda partial to "dawg".


Monday evening: Her name is Ruby Jean!

Getting our Grandkid fix

Well, we arrived in the Land of Lincoln, even though it seemed to take forever. Got away late for a variety of reasons, and ended up spending our first night in Ardmore, Oklahoma. As far as Oklahoma goes, it wasn't a bad spot, but I had really wanted to be farther along when we stopped. We had to stop for a late breakfast at a Waffle House(It's a family thing) in Norman, and didn't make it to Peoria until around 10pm.

Once we arrived, the grand party was on. It seemed that every kid and parent had a drippy nose or nasty sounding cough. By Tuesday, Boppa had come down with the crud, and didn't get out of the house on Wednesday. Nonna was dispatched to the local Wally World for a variety-pack of drugs to stave off the worst of the symptoms(She really does take care of me).

Too quickly, it is time to start for home. Tomorrow we embark on our return journey, trying to find a new and different route across middle America.