Waiting . . . .

Hi All!

Every morning I head out to hit the sidewalks for my walk and the kitties . . . well, they wait.

When I get back from the walk, I water flowerbeds. The kitties peer at me from various windows as I travel around the house watering.

Then I head back inside to "talk" to Mom on IM. The kitties . . . . they wait. Over the past weeks they have decided upon the absolutely best places to wait. I thought I would show you.






This is the view when I head out to the entry way. They are both waiting . . . and snoozing!

Miss Cleo likes to curl up against a wall so Skor can't sneak up on her.

Skor prefers to go "undercover." It took me a couple days to actually figure out just where he was because I don't normally look under plants for my cats!

On this day he was actually "sticking out" a bit more than usual for some reason. (Doesn't he look thrilled to be having his picture taken?)

I will say that I love sleepy kitty paws. They are so darn cute!

Okay - my kitty fix is satisfied so I can go on to other topics!

xdfhj

This week marks the last regular class session for my interpreting class. YEAH!

dghj

Of course, there is still the final to contend with so . . . I will be studying for that before Hubby and I head off to Denver for the weekend (NSDA meeting!).

dghj

Speaking of the trip - I haven't even started to think about packing and all of that good stuff! I guess I need to do that BEFORE class since we are leaving Thursday morning! The laundry should be done before packing . . . yikes! That is a lot of work I need to get working on!

dhfj

Well, I had best be off to get to work!

dfhj

Trisha

dfhj

Voice Update: Doing really well. I still struggle with "two and cut" and a few other words but, when I look back on what my voice used to be like . . . I am doing really well. In the Bible (oral reading) I am out of Deuteronomy and into Joshua. I feel like I have really achieved a lot even though I am still WAY in the beginning of the Bible. Hopefully, the listing of names will calm down for a while. That is just funny to hear when I struggle through those!

Amazing Nature

Hi All!

Sorry I missed you all yesterday. I was a bit busy in the morning so I couldn't get to the blog and when I got home . . . I was in the mood for a nap!

This morning is beautiful in my neck of the woods. Things are really looking good in my flowerbeds. Take a look!

What is this? A ripe strawberry? The first of the year!

Not a bad size either! Right after this shot, I ate this berry and it was very good and sweet!

Here are some lovely Lemon Drop flowers! They certainly add a nice splash of yellow to the bed!

sdfh

Well, I think I am going to allow the pictures to do the talking today. I will post again on Monday (hopefully with something interesting to say!). Have a fabulous weekend!

adfh

Trisha

dgh

Voice Update: Doing well. I am working on the new exercises that Susan gave me. They are not very easy at the moment but, hopefully, with time they will become second nature. I am still reading (even though last night I spent that hour talking to Mom instead of reading) and doing my "regular" exercises. Fun, Fun! I just looked at the calendar and realized that next week Hubby and I will be heading to Colorado to attend the NSDA's leadership day and symposium. What fun!

Another Wednesday is History!

Hi All!

Well, I did it! I made it through another Wednesday! Another L- O-N-G Wednesday!

I started the day the "normal" way - with a walk. The walk was very nice - if a little chilly. My hands tend to get so cold on chilly mornings so I pulled on my fingerless gloves (perfect for working on the computer in the winter and for working with your hands. They aren't quite as practical as they could be but . . .) and hit the sidewalks. A pleasant breeze ruffled my bed-styled hair and the birds were just chirping their little hearts out. Nice.

Next I got on the computer to do some work, to blog, and to "chat" with Mom. Of course I had to have iTunes on and had to check email as well. It was a busy time on the computer.

Then it was off to Speech. Thankfully, all of the work I have been doing is really paying off. My voice is pretty consistent now with some very specific sounds which are giving me problems. Susan and I went through some exercises designed to work on those sounds (apparently, my tongue tends to get into my airway while I make those sounds and it messes everything up!) and now I have new "homework." Fun, fun! The new stuff doesn't replace any of what I am already doing - it is added on.

With a good report (and new work to do) from Speech it was back in the car to zoom off to Collin County Community College - Spring Creek Campus. I went up to the interpreting lab (different from the ASL lab in that it is smaller and not staffed with a lab assistant and that it allows voicing!) to meet members of my group to work on the group project. We worked on other stuff too - the journals which were due last night, various lab assignments that needed peer evaluations, etc.

Our group project seems to be on track. I am waiting for an update from the group which stayed after class last night to finish up some videoing. . . I have some organizational work to do and then everything needs to be edited and "prettified!"

My trip home was delayed greatly due to the fact that one of my classmates got some really bad news during class and I spent about an hour talking to her and cheering her up some so that she was in a good enough mood to drive home safely. Also, it was just plain fun talking to her! This delay got me home about twenty minutes before the start of today.

Needless to say, Skor and Miss Cleo were waiting for me at the door. Apparently, they can't settle down until I am home and in bed. After a little "loving time" where the cats got petted and ran around like lunatics, I managed to make it into the bedroom to change and then into the bathroom to get ready for bed. Skor played an energetic round of "tub ball" where he chases a ball around the bottom (and sides) of our bathtub.

Next it was falling into bed to eventually drift off to a nice, deep sleep.

Only to be awakened at 5:00 A.M. by "Buzzer." Who is Buzzer? That is what Hubby calls Skor when he acts like an alarm clock.

Yes, Skor woke me up at five and I managed to almost ignore him until about six forty five or so when I rolled out of bed, pulled on my walking clothes and stumbled out to make lunch for Hubby.

Doesn't that sound so glamorous to you?

I am going to take a nap now!

Trisha

Voice Update: See the info above. Doing well and have new exercised to do to work on the few remaining issues I have.

Garden Butt

Hi All!

Remember all those plants I bought yesterday? Well, I am pleased to tell you that they are all planted. Every single one of them. Also, the mulch is laid. Things are looking good around my place at the moment. I have pictures to prove that I actually did a lot of work yesterday.

But first - take a look at this birdhouse.







My Mother-in-law gave us this birdhouse to honor the fact that Hubby works in the dairy industry (in a round about way). It has been inside for a long time but this year, when I cleaned the laundry room, I decided it should go outside. So - here it is.

Does anyone else think it is odd the way the eyes on the birdhouse seem to "glow?" I know it is only a trick of the lighting but . . .

Okay - now on to my hard work. First - a view of my "Patio garden."



The long planter holds our radish and lettuce crop. Both are doing well so far. It is elevated to discourage our local bunnies from nibbling.

In front of that is my tomato plant and in front of that is the strawberry crop.

Beside the berries are my recently potted New Guinea Impatiens.


Here is my front flowerbed. This is still very much a work in progress. We hope to rip the old shrubs out and replant. But - that doesn't appear to be happening any time soon so - I planted my new plants behind the shrubs.

Two of the plants are my formerly ONE pin cushion plant. I dug the thing up and it fell apart into two sections in my hands!





Now to the back flowerbed. Here is a view of the Clematis and the Cone Flowers I am hoping Bunny won't like this year. Currently, they have chili powder on them to make them less palatable.

This is my Hydrangea plant. I am so happy it is getting bigger. Maybe it will flower with vigor this year! I am keeping my fingers crossed!

My newly planted Laguna (lobelia hybrid) and Catalina (torenia) plants which I hope enjoy the shade. To the front right edge of this picture is the Lemon Drop (Oenothera). The pink plant is the Butterfly Flower (Gaura lindheimeri hybrid) which I hope lives up to its name and brings in lots of "flying flowers!"

I like the look of these rocks in my garden and the sleepy kitten.

Another new arrival is the Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens). I think the pink looks good next to the purple of the plant on the left and the yellow and orange flowers of the Blanket Flower on the right.

Here is a view of the entire bed. I am pretty satisfied. Of course, I am still wanting to make it bigger but . . . that I will save for another day!

That was a LOT of work but, I had my iPod in and I really enjoyed the coolish day and being outside. Now - about the title of this post.

When I was working in the beds I started out kneeling. That soon became very uncomfortable and so I just sat down. In dirt, in mud, in mulch, whatever. Of course, I had on less than wonderful pants so . . . I didn't mind. I just sort of scooted around to wherever I needed to be and made sure that no mulch was sticking me. When I got inside and took a look at the seat of my pants . . . I found I had garden butt!

Such sacrifices we make for our gardens!

Trisha

Voice Update: I have speech today with Susan so I will get the official verdict from her but I have continued to work hard. Okay - last night I skipped reading out loud because I was tired but . . . that is the first night in at least a week!

Final Lab Assignment

Hi All!

Well, it is Tuesday and, hopefully, I won't be stressing too much about class tomorrow. Yes, I still have some work I need to do for class but . . . I finished my FINAL lab assignment yesterday! YEAH!

Now all that needs to be finished is the group project, my journal entries (which are due tomorrow!) and the final test! I am in the real "home-stretch!"

In addition to finishing my assignment at lab yesterday, I also had a very enjoyable time talking to the lab assistants (there were no other students there at the time). Sometimes it still amazes me that I can hold an intelligent conversation in a totally different language! Sure, I can hold my own in Spanish but this is different - I am not using my voice at all! What a feeling!

After lab I headed to the Depot (Home Depot) to pick up some stuff for my gardening adventures. I had intended to pick up some mulch and some potting soil and maybe a plant. One plant!

I walked away with the mulch (check), the dirt (check), some fencing to hopefully save my Cone flowers from being eaten by rabbits (not on the list but . . . check), some "bumpers" to put on our kitchen cabinet (also not on the list AND the wrong size so they need to go back!), some seeds for a perennial flower (not on the list . . .), AND EIGHT plants! That is right - EIGHT!

I started with a Blanket flower. Last week I got one at the other nursery I visited and I had originally wanted to put it out front but then decided that I liked it out back so . . . I got another to put out front.

Then I moved on to some plants to go in the shady part of my back flowerbed where nothing seems to grow. I thought we might give them a try . . . that was two - or was it three - plants. Then I found some additional perennials which I just had to have! Some lavender to replace the plant which Hubby innocently killed with some help from too much shade. A butterfly plant - who can't want one of those to attract our winged friends? Then another plant which I don't know the name of but which looked neat. Somehow . . . the total came to EIGHT plants.

Now I really have some work to do!

I blame my mom - it is all her fault for making me feel like I can actually garden! My eyes are too big for my poor, blistered hands!

That back flowerbed is certainly going to have to expand a bit more this year!

Oh - in addition to that - I am going to have to move my Pin Cushion plant which is crowding my Balloon Flower.

Such is the life of a gardener!

dfj

Trisha

fhjk

Voice Update: Doing well and really "truckin'" through the Bible with the oral reading. I am averaging about ten chapters a day - depending on the length of the chapters - and I am now into Deuteronomy. I am continuing to notice some difficulties on my "favorite" difficult sounds - the word "two" and the hard "c" sound - but, using the exercises Susan gave me to over come them is helping. When I remember to do them!

Evolution of a Cactus

Hi All!

This weekend was one of much needed sleep and a very, very odd Hubby. He was in a "mood" and was "interesting" to say the least!

Anyway! I did some work in the flowerbeds - trimmed another of the infernal shrubs and did some weeding (fun, fun!). There was also some net-working. What I mean by that is that I actually worked with netting to cover up the strawberries to protect against birds. I had thought that since the berries were just BARELY red that the birds would leave them alone - WRONG! Two of my barely blushed berries were beaked!

That is why the net came out. Now the berries are covered so that, hopefully, Hubby and I will be able to enjoy some nice berries instead of providing them as a buffet for the birds. There are a lot of little green berries which I hope will all ripen and be delicious.

On Saturday, Hubby and I headed to the Music Hall at Fair Park to see a presentation of "The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber." This wasn't exactly a musical but Hubby counts it as one since it was all songs FROM musicals!

The presentation was pretty nice. There was one song from the movie of The Phantom of the Opera which Hubby and I had never heard and there were several musicals included which we haven't see (yet?!?) but there were also some very familiar songs from Phantom, Joseph, Evita, Cats, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Overall, I enjoyed the show. My favorite part were the songs sung by Charlie Pollock - he brought such energy and talent to the songs.

Yesterday was church in the morning, cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven in the afternoon and then handbells before coming home to dinner and reading as well as some piano playing.

A good weekend!

This morning I was out for my walk enjoying the lovely, cool air even though I know I will suffer for it in a bit with my eye allergies. They seem to be getting a bit better but they do still cause headaches pretty much daily. That is NOT too fun! After my walk I did my usual watering of my plants and I noticed that my cactus has grown quite a bit.

For those of you who don't remember - this is what my cactus (shipped to me via the USPS from Ohio) looked like when I first planted it.














Just a few little pieces. They looked pretty sparse in the pot.











This was the cactus last summer (with a duck egg placed there by Hubby to mess with me!). It has grown quite a bit since I first got it, hasn't it?

This is the same cactus this year. It seems to have gone WILD with the new growth! There is no evidence of any blooms yet but, hopefully, there will be a nice display sometime this summer.

Have I mentioned that Hubby HATES my cactus?

sfdg

Such is life!

sfg

Trisha

sfg

Voice Update: As normal, my voice has its ups and downs. This weekend it seems like I am either really aware of the ups and downs or they are really pronounced! While reading the Bible (I am near the end of Numbers now!), I have noticed that not only is that pesky word "two" giving me trouble but also words which start with a hard "c" such a cut. In Numbers that word is repeated a lot as the Lord tells Moses that people who commit certain kinds of sins will be cut off from their people. Apparently, you can get cut off from you people for doing a lot of different things! In addition to the difficulties with certain words, I have been having trouble raising my voice to talk to Hubby over the washer, dishwasher, running water, etc. However, there have also been times when my voice has really rocked! I guess that is just the way things are with SD!

Some Creatures from a "Different World"

Hi All!

It is very lovely in my neck of the woods today - cool and rainy. Hopefully, it will rain a bit more (it rained some during the night but not too much) so that we don't have to water our outside plants for a couple days.

Today I thought I would start off by showing you some pictures my mother took at their farm.





First up is the Guinea Hen. Well, to be more accurate, I should admit that I am not certain if this is a hen or a rooster (or whatever they call a male Guinea) but I think it is a hen.

This thing is NOISY and MESSY! In times past there were more than one of these critters on the farm but, for some reason, this is the only one left at the moment. She runs around the farm and squawks whenever she feels threatened. She also roots in the covered front porch and makes quite a mess.

Next up is a new addition to the farm family, Blue Boy. Blue Boy, known as Blue, was my Uncle Ken's birthday present. So far, I am told that Blue is adjusting to the farm really well. He is part (or all) Blue Heeler and is apparently quite intelligent.

sdh

All I know for sure is that he rides on the Gator with Uncle Ken and doesn't chase the goats. That is all good! I am sure that my dad will be teaching Blue some tricks soon. I can't wait to meet this cutie pie in person!

sdh

That is it for creatures from the farm. I just thought you might enjoy seeing them today.

sdgh

As for my life . . . pretty boring lately. I am a bit under the weather for some reason (and looking back at my past posts, it seems I am sick quite a bit - what is up with that??) and am spending a lot of time napping in an attempt to provide my body time and opportunity to kick whatever bad germs out of the area!

sdgh

I do have a question. This morning while getting Hubby's lunch box ready for today's lunch, I found his tire pressure gauge in the box. Do you think that is a bit odd? I know I do! I asked Hubby and he said that he took it to work in case someone wanted to check their tires for Earth Day. Huh. That sounds like a totally made up story to me! It was just strange to find that particular item in his lunch box!

sdgh

Okay - I think that is about it for today. Looking at what I have written I can tell that I am sort of rambling so it might be best to just cut things off at this point.

sdgh

Oh! I can't forget to tell you that I recently discovered Ronnie Milsap's podcast and his "new" album of gospel classics. Both are so enjoyable even though I have never really been a Ronnie Milsap fan - in fact, I wasn't exactly sure who he was until I checked out his picture on his album on iTunes!

sdgh

However, if you like gospel music and/or Ronnie Milsap - I would highly recommend his album "Then Sings My Soup - 24 Favorite Hymns and Gospel Songs." Check it out!

dgh

Trisha

sdgh

Voice Update: Still hanging in there. My neck is a bit more crunchy than I would like it to be but . . .I am also having some kind of sneezing fit in the evenings (the past three anyway) which isn't doing any favors to my throat. Yesterday I didn't read out loud but I did talk to Mom on the phone so I "sort of" did my talking time. Sort of! I know! I need to get myself back to reading out loud and doing my exercises properly. Besides, I am in the middle of Leviticus and I can't just stop reading there . . . it wouldn't be right!