Our Newest Therapist

Bella Bean!

A week or so ago (sorry, when a few days, a week, or two have passed, they are not only gone as history, but from my poor memory as well...oh dear), Dad had us all gather in the family room.  He told us he had a surprise and for us to sit on the couch with our eyes closed.  We heard him open and close the garage door, then after a suspenceful moment or two, he came back in and told us to open.  From my perspective (I apologize it has to be me telling this story...my "perspective" is usually rather wild) the first thing I saw was a giant centipede!  Okay, so that was a rather quick first thought (as all my thoughts are...fleeting would be more acurate); my second (yes, I had a second thought :) : a giant guinea pig???  Ha!  So you can see how surprised and incredulous we were of Dad bringing home a lap dog...out-door dogs are fine, but indoor??  Nope, it's always been out-of-the-question; that is until sometime last week, or two weeks ago... :)  He went to a home to pick up a craigslist item (yet another one of his surprises...a treadmill!) and they happened to have this little creature who was too...well, I don't want to be mean or hurt poor Bella's feelings, but the word would have to be "lazy".  They were a young couple with two retrievers, they liked boating and fishing, and this poor little shih tzu just could not keep up.  So, they *gave* this $700, 1 year old black puppy to him!  Dad had told them about our home, how we care for the elderly, and it was just a perfect fit!  PTL!

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." ~ Ben Williams

"How I see it, Bella, if I have to sit here quietly reading my books, you'll have to suffer along with me."

Her first bath with us

Getting dried off

Small dogs are such good therapy for the elderly...something to stroke, to lay your head upon, a major stress-reliever and anxiety suppressant

If you walk around our home now, you'll find a clump of black fur sprawled out on the floor...if you're looking for your fur coat, look elsewhere...it's our Bella Bean.

"I dream about her when I'm napping, and then wake up to her licking my face!"

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for [wild creatures] to dwell together in unity! ~Psalm 133:1

Tuckered-out Tuesday

Dad crashed on the sofa after a long day's work, dinner, and a shower.  Johanna (being the motherly little gal that she is) made sure he stayed warm and cozy...uh, well at least part of him did. :)

Logging off for the night!  Sleep tight!

To Mother

I would that you should know,
Dear mother, that I love you — love
you so!
That I remember other days and years;
Remember childish joys and childish fears.
And this, because my baby's little hand

Opened my own heart's door and made

me understand.

I wonder how you could

Be always kind and good!

So quick to hear; to tend

My smallest ills; to lend

Such sympathising ears

Swifter than ancient seer's.
I never yet knew hands so soft and kind,
Nor any cheek so smooth, nor any mind
So full of tender thoughts. . . . Dear
mother, now
I think that I can guess a little how
You must have looked for some response,
some sign,
That all my tiresome wayward heart was
thine...

Photo Credit: Mother and Child by Frederick Leighton
Poem Credit: To Mother by Fay Inchfawn

Be Ready...

...in season and out of season... (2 Timothy 4:2)

Thought this was too good to pass up.  This was taken the night before our Arboretum escapade.  Preparation is the key if we are to get out the door and on our way in-time for anything...even if it means blockading us in so it takes extra time to get past the wheelchairs to get to the door... it's complicated. :)

A Garden Walk

This past Tuesday we took a lovely trip to the Arboretum, the same we visited in October (read about *that* day here) all their beautiful summer flowers were out, beckoning us to stay over an hour longer than expected...hee hee!  We had such a nice time, both June and Ruth's daughters were able to take the trip with us.  Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think we could have taken them by ourselves!  Three wheelchairs, a wagon, Johanna, and picnic basket...nope, wouldn't have worked.  We were able to get a boat load of pictures, although I realized while going through the camera that I only took 1 (one, uno!) of just plain scenery!!  Ahh!  That being said, you'll have to enjoy the blooms by looking past us...however, I must interject (oh dear! is it possible to interrupt my own self?) that the people are the most important part, and I'm sure glad we took plenty of them!!  Ah well, below are the photos for your enjoyment!  Hope everyone is having a gorgeous day!

On our way in

Our Lovely Lorry

Jolly Junebug and her sweet daughter

Rosy Ruth and her darling daughter

Johanna has not only been a homemaking honey and dutiful daughter, but has decided to take on the challenge of body builder!  lol.. :)

We had a yummy and relaxing picnic together

A nice break from the sun

"Smile, Mom!  Open your eyes!"

Johanna and Lorry, looking lovely as always

Ruth, enjoying lunch with her daughter

Love you, Mom!

Just chillin'

Which one's the frog...which is Johanna?

The great frog fountain

Wild, wet, and happy

Resting ourselves as Johanna entertains us

Cooling off in the shade of Crape Myrtle Allee (and yes, I know how to spell alley...just click on the third picture down and read the sign)

Happy early Mother's Day!

My dear sister and sweet grandma

Okay, so make that 2 (two, dose) scenery pics... :)

This was actually the place I had my senior pictures taken...a *whole* year ago!

Our Grannies: Ruth, June, and Lorry

My bea-U-tiful mother who never stops

A mother/daughter date

Watch out!  Mrs. Linda is a CRAZY driver!!!  Actually, we almost had our Junebug turned into part of the landscaping a few times...I wonder which she'd look best in: pansies or begonias?  Love you, dear! :)

Enjoying the colorful carp...those are carp, right?  Sorry, correction: koi

Preparing for the pose

Not sure why I didn't get those lovely flowers in there...cut them right off, didn't I?

Us girls

Don't you just love this one?  Grandma Lorry looking fabulous and the walkway itself is dreamy...

Lorry and I took off to find some good backgrounds...not hard to find here

Trying to take this from another opening...

...nice fencing, but we'd really like to see...

...ah, there we are!

"Hi!  I'm Johanna Joy.  Won't you join me for a cup of tea?"

"Then, we can go around and smell all the flowers!"

Quite the flower home...wouldn't you agree?...oh!  Vanessa's there too, isn't she? :) lol

The Three Amigas

xoxo **Happy early Mother's Day!  We love you, Mom!** xoxo

Wordless Wednesday

It's all in the eyes...

Hope everyone else is having a most *loverly* day!