Skirts

Today I want to remember that Mimi told me this morning that Cocoa Puffs wants to sell all of her pants and only wear skirts. So, to give her her hearts desires I have spent the afternoon looking for skirts for little girls on the internet and thinking of where we may be able to find some when we take Trix back to school shopping next weekend.

Every Time...

Trix and Cocoa Puffs can't be around the most sedate fireworks without being injured in some way. Last year Trix got hit on the thumb by a sparkler spark and wants nothing to do with fireworks now. This year, Cocoa Puffs accidentally spilled a bag of poppers and it sounded like a machine gun and then she touched a finger to one of the lighter sticks fireworks stands give you and she screamed like her whole body had touched it, instead of the one little area on her finger that actually made contact with it. I wonder if next year will be Kix's turn to have a war wound or will we escape the next 4th all in one piece? These kids are unlucky with the most preschool friendly version of fireworks and still get hurt, when stupidly Mimi and I used to hold roman candles in our hands as they shot upwards. Of course, we also delighted in bottle rocket wars and firecrackers strategically placed in cow manure.

24 hours

Dreading a 24 hour period can make you wish to be like Rip Van Winkle and sleep straight through. At least if you are sleeping you aren't conscious of a date on a calendar or of the activities of the world around you. Or avoiding crowds can help because then you don't have to pretend or hide your feelings. There are so many people that dread the next 24-36 hours. Children without mothers. Non mothers. Mothers who are without their children. There are many who will celebrate a first day in the club they have longed to belong to for so long, but there are many who are just surviving another day they will dread for the next 364 until it comes back to once again remind them of what they just don't have.

The Contest

I am using this picture of Cocoa Puff's flip flops from the last tball game to remember that in this part of the deep south it has already been summer for a couple of weeks. The temperatures and humidity are climbing together. The contest developed as a bet between Grandaddy and M over who could wait the longest before turning on the air conditioner. I am sort of just tagging along because if I cave first I'm not buying dinner for everyone (which is the punishment for the loser). As of today, no one has confessed to caving but the funnies are that J-dog raved about how good the air feels in the car and that it gets talked about everytime we are together. Grandaddy is determined to win and thinks he will because M will cave for the sake of the children, but I have an iron will and since it's just me and the mutt I will be victorious. She can't complain about sweating and I like to win.

A family of Rocky's

Here is my squirrel family...Trix focused all the babies on what the mama is saying to them.

The Wildlife Preserve

I haven't revealed this detail about my life yet, but I live in a wildlife preserve and the other night as I was walking the mutt, I took some pictures of my favorite animals.


This is my bullfrog. He is stoic and I've never seen him with a different expression.

The truth is that the previous owner of my house was an older lady who apparently, took lots of time in the yard and enjoyed adding animals to the yard. I haven't moved any of the critters yet, partly because they are my way of honoring her (even though I don't know her) and because Trix and Cocoa Puffs like to play with the critters when they are here.

I want to add these pictures so I can remember what the yard my have looked like 10-15 years ago. Neglect is apparent and changes will have to be made but I want to remember the before as I start to build the after.

The Funnies

I forgot to write last night that B, on Trix's team, said "You're old" to Grandaddy instead of "thank you" when he told her she'd had a good season. Also, Cocoa Puffs asked me during the game "What are those little white lines on your feet?" Guess I need to do some moisturizing and exfoliating.