tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78722898478812929242024-02-07T22:15:25.427-05:00FlowJust Livin'Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-28266486824965560212011-01-01T01:38:00.003-05:002011-01-01T04:07:12.919-05:00Rare and Lovely Moments<span class="Apple-style-span" >There have been many lovely moments in my life this past year, and I feel so absolutely </span><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >graced</span> </b></i><span class="Apple-style-span" >to have lived them! The ones that stand out (NOT in order of importance!) ...</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; ">Sunsets on the beach and morning coffee at home with Jesse </span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >Sharing love and confidences with Eric and Amber when they visited us in April</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >Visiting with Rachel, Rick and Lela, and strengthening our relationships</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >Visits with close friends</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >Being loved and accepted by Jesse's family</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >Chinese dinner with my sister, Sandy, and family</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" >Planning an April wedding in Hawaii </span></li></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Thoughts and Emotions</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Twice this week I have had the joy of rocking to sleep my two-year-old granddaughter. As I softly sang to her, I re-lived the ultimate contentment of rocking her mommy just a heartbeat ago; and being rocked by my mother and grandma, just as they were rocked to sleep by their mothers. It was a rare and lovely moment that I treasured as I brushed back her hair and imagined the tapestry of grandmothers, mothers and babies tying together the world with the strongest and gentlest bond -- unconditional love. As I sang the lullabies I knew (slightly edited to remove the scary symbolism), I thought about how different this little Lela's life will be from that of her great grandma for whom she was named. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >I thought of the old poem by William R Wallace, "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world," and considered that possibly we mothers and grandmothers don't fully comprehend how significant our unconditional love can be. For instance . . . </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Someone once said that, with the innovation of safety nets, the number of lives lost during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge was reduced by 50 percent. Not only that, the number of falls (in comparison to the number before the use of nets) was drastically reduced. It seems that, because they felt safer, the workers were more confident and less fearful.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >I believe the confidence of our children is based in the "safety net," the security, of our unconditional love and approval. If they know that we will love them when if they fall -- and when they FAIL -- they will be more self-assured in pursuing their dreams. Or, in the words of Sam Levinson, in "living the stories they were created to tell."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >And so, for my children, their spouses, and my granddaughter, I offer my unrestricted, unlimited, and absolute love. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Live life to the fullest! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >And I will do the same.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Happy New Year!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div></div>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-28963930895729005532010-11-11T10:59:00.003-05:002011-01-01T04:13:11.564-05:00In Honor of Our Veterans<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My Grandfather, Irvin Cox, served in the Infantry in World War I. Grandma’s brothers served in World War II – Richard Wells in the Army and Fred Wells in the Navy. My dad, Elvis Dudley, served in the Navy during the Korean War. My son, Eric Shehan, served in the Navy during the U.S. involvement in the Balkans, 1994-1998. As a Thank You to them and all our veterans, I’d like to post a portion of Grandpa Cox’s short memoir, handwritten in a pocket-sized book of graph paper - an Ozark country boy’s experience as a private in the Old Hickory division in World War I.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“<i>Irvin F Cox left home on the 23 day of Jun 1918 and went to Camp Pike Ark on the 24 day of the same month and trained there for almost two month and then started for France on the 22 of August.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Born in Larue, Arkansas, Irvin had little formal education, and had not traveled outside the region in which he grew up, but his writings demonstrate his interest in the new experiences and surroundings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“I arrived at Camp Merritt NJ and camp there for five days and then went to Hobokin </span></span></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(sic)<i> and boarded a small ship for New York where I boarded a British ship called the Kattalonia </i>(Caledonia) <i>. . . I boarded a American ship and sailed for France and I sure did sail for it was a fast runner.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Upon reaching the port city of Le Havre, Private Cox was transferred to a training camp for about one month. Apparently quarters were scarce for the Allied troops.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“When I first got there I slep </span></span></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(sic)<i> in a barn for some time and then moved to a garage room after I got my training. Then I went to Ecomoy </i>(Ecommoy)<i> and got on a troop train and went through Le Mans and Paris and lots of other towns and when I arrived I was for one week in a Belgian Camp.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“I had some time there for I had to go about two miles after my meals three times a day. I went to BeCourt </span></span></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(Bellicourt)<i> through some towns that the Germans had captured and was recaptured. They was all shot to pieces. All the roofs was shot off some of the buildings and holes in brick walls that I could walk through. They was the first tranches </i>(trenches)<i> I had seen. They was tranches in ever field and bob wire intenglement </i>(barbed wire entanglement)<i> of all kind and some big shell holes. It looked like war to me.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For nearly four months, Irvin drilled and wrote letters home while awaiting his orders, and then the “fortunes of war” dealt a surprising hand. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“Well, when I got to BeCourt </span></span></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(Bellicourt)<i> I was there two weeks. We was aimed to go in to (front) lines in a few days and one evening the captain came out and read a few lines to us that read like this: ‘Today at 11 o’clock this great war ended and now we will only wait for our time to go home.’<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“And then we sure did some howling and ever thing that we could think of. We sure was happy to think that we might get to go home again.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“After the war was over we went to Vermie and drilled, past several reviews, and had some diversion, then went to La Bazoge and went on the rifle range. I was there two weeks. I spent Christmas and New Year’s there and then went back to Vermie. Went to Le Mans, was on the way for two days with Harvey Pack. It was a tiresome trip, but arrived all right.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> A poor farm boy was always interested in food, so the sight of a camp full of soldiers eating together was fascinating.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“The name of the camp was Forwarding Camp. They was lots of soldiers there. There was 1000 of us eat at one kitchen. But that was not as many as I have seen eat at one place. I had eat where there was 3400. It sure was some place to eat. Mud was so deep I could hardly walk. After one month and one day I left there and went to St Nazaire. I was took out of Company M and went in the Camp Pike Detachment.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Despite the turbulent voyage, Private Cox’s exuberance at returning to the U.S is characteristic of many Doughboys. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“On the last day of March I boarded the USS Martha Washington, and on the first day of April I sailed for the U.S. and was on the water for 13 days and I arrived at Charleston, SC . . . the water was very rough and was quite a few of the boys sick and ‘feeding the fish’ . . . but was proud to git back to the USA once more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“On the 19 of April I boarded a troop train and started for Camp Pike . . . on the 21 I arrived at Pike and on the 25 I got my discharge and beat it for home the morning of the 25 day of April 1919.”</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-37089134519279341512010-11-11T10:51:00.007-05:002010-11-11T11:44:38.217-05:00Thank You, Veterans<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFd2R434h8vhvFTTGqyLcN6Il0js2z8AD12uW-loXi7Vo-K_t9aF37uZWv5zBzq6_TJKuyFxaRMnEUXBae_L_oKFG_H3H_NOKWI5K4-KXs8jheYjv7pUQri86ruBHgZ1YW9Nr8DzwLoTe/s1600/GrandmaLelaGrandpaIrvinCox.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 345px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFd2R434h8vhvFTTGqyLcN6Il0js2z8AD12uW-loXi7Vo-K_t9aF37uZWv5zBzq6_TJKuyFxaRMnEUXBae_L_oKFG_H3H_NOKWI5K4-KXs8jheYjv7pUQri86ruBHgZ1YW9Nr8DzwLoTe/s400/GrandmaLelaGrandpaIrvinCox.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538321298437536098" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Irvin Cox and Lela Wells Cox on their wedding day, 1921.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2gdj3-u787GEym-5DqnMGxFQ1g_XiXvkSgvPruw0m47yqYTBl6Uyjy58FSDsxZclBvB9IKkEU_LoILN7RWSA8yMV1uV_8siPqY5bSlqnKrrHLuFZ4aCDvCFJfq-RQDLvsRMubO137M8f/s1600/Old+Hickory+Nuts.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 243px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2gdj3-u787GEym-5DqnMGxFQ1g_XiXvkSgvPruw0m47yqYTBl6Uyjy58FSDsxZclBvB9IKkEU_LoILN7RWSA8yMV1uV_8siPqY5bSlqnKrrHLuFZ4aCDvCFJfq-RQDLvsRMubO137M8f/s400/Old+Hickory+Nuts.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538321299491383474" /></a>Irvin Cox (front left), Jimmie Williams, Sherman Curtis, and Shirley Strain. Irvin's inscriptions reads, "OLD HICKORY NUTS. Look hard, and just as hard as they look. This picture was taken at Seggrie, France, January the 19, 1919. My weight was 160 pound. I was feeling fine but could have felt better."</div>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-50663646997090155372010-06-27T09:37:00.000-04:002010-06-27T09:40:18.434-04:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZDsvRHjXFv-Zz7QRLG8QeHm5-xnHAW9EzvPiWBhuRhj88NNoepiisdF5B20rOvtZyYYHLKEeb6C875JYjPICVN1KsJU6tauWzFJGbbGtaty5v2hOX9j5h6f1syZxQnApif95vuLjOZPx/s1600/Amber's+Webpage.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 53px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487447828741710066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZDsvRHjXFv-Zz7QRLG8QeHm5-xnHAW9EzvPiWBhuRhj88NNoepiisdF5B20rOvtZyYYHLKEeb6C875JYjPICVN1KsJU6tauWzFJGbbGtaty5v2hOX9j5h6f1syZxQnApif95vuLjOZPx/s400/Amber's+Webpage.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-20183051439193288982010-06-27T09:02:00.001-04:002010-06-27T09:36:09.482-04:00Shameless PlugI always say I have been busy, but really I have. Today I am only going to be busy at the relaxing at the beach -- I hope. It may rain, but in that case, the backup plan is to go to the gym and relax in the sauna and hot tub.<br /><br />I was asked to increase my hours at work for about a month, for "training" purposes, and because they are re-writing their procedures manual, and thought I would be the perfect guinea pig/test project, since I don't know all the procedures. So I am working about 30 hours\, and then they said, well, it might last more than a month -- maybe 6 months. Not sure I like that, because it takes too much time from my school work, which has suffered. I seem to postpone my studying and writing too often. At this time I am working on re-building our home business website, a sort of on-the-job training/class. When I can present the finished project, along with a paper or presentation on how it was done...tada! I get credit for the class.<br /><br />It sounds a lot easier than it is. Unless you have taken classes, online, you may not understand how much time and effort it takes to "educate your own damn self" to quote Chris Rock. He has an entire stand-up routine on the subject, because he says that's what his father told him when he wanted to go to college. He says he wouldn't like to go to a doctor whose diploma says he educated his own damn self!<br /><br />When you take online classes, especially getting ILP (Independent Learning Pursuit) credit through DePaul University, you are responsible for everything on your own. Deciding what books and articles to read, when to read, when to write and when, what, and why to write and submit your essays/theses. To me it is infinitely more difficult than sitting in a classroom, listening to lectures and reading what the instructor assigns, taking tests, and finishing at a specific time. More time consuming, much more research, and a lot more agony!<br /><br />Oh, and while I have it, I would like to focus your attention to a website. My daughter-in-law, Amber is an industrious young lady who makes candles and various arts and crafts, along with her signature creation, infused honey. I have had some of this honey, and it is wonderful in tea, coffee, and just about anything else you want to sweeten. Check out her website and pamper yourself a little!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/anchasta">http://www.etsy.com/shop/anchasta</a><br /><br />Now, I'm off to the beach!Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-45473037189945306562010-05-27T09:25:00.000-04:002010-05-27T13:16:52.418-04:00Eric and Amber Visit!<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Such a long time since I blessed you all with my musings! I have been busy with many extremely important things.....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">I think the greatest deterrent to writing had to be the crash of the computer. Not mine - Jesse's. Almost everything was malfunctioning, and we discovered the automatic updates had not been automatically updating. So, he saved his files to an external drive and ran a full restore. Weird result: some of programs that had been installed before are now unable to install because they are "too old" according to Windows. Same computer, same programs. A frequently-heard comment around our house: "I hate Microsoft."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">So, because all the business files and bookkeeping, etc were on those old programs, we lost it all, and I have been re-creating forms and letters and customer files. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">In April, Eric and Amber came to visit for 5 days, and it was wonderful to see them! We had such a good time - mostly talking, but also going to the beach, a short tour of the Shell Factory, and an Everglades tour. We barbequed and went out for sushi, and I finally tasted sake. Didn't like it much; tasted like cough syrup. I'll post pictures sometime.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">After Eric and Amber's visit, I had a job interview for a part-time accountant position with a payroll/employee leasing/human resource management-type company, called a PEO or Professional Employer Organization. The company is Smart Payroll Solutions. I started the job last week, working 15 hours per week, which will hopefully allow time for my life. Interestingly, they are using software similar to the software Arvest Bank used in the 1990s! DOS-based and slow, but there isn't a lot I can do to mess up, so that's a plus! They use a lot of Excel spreadsheets, which I know pretty well, also thanks to Arvest. I took a test a few months ago which categorized my Excel knowledge as "well above average," - a boost to my confidence which was plummeting precipitously due to the inability to find work.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">So now I won't be babysitting any more, and I will miss Kylee so much! I hope to be able to keep her sometimes, if her parents need me.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">I think a visit to northwest Arkansas will also help! Lela is saying "Nonnie" now, as well as about a hundred other words, and even recognizes a few written words. Smart baby. Smart parents, too. I hope to visit soon.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">Almost 2 weeks ago, our tuxedo cat, Lenny disappeared, and though we have posted flyers and craigslist ads, and alerted the microchip registry, he hasn't been found. We are so bereft ... he added so much to our lives. Though we had to deal with his prey in the house, and his pestering the old cat, Delilah, it was fun. I still hope that he will reappear, but it's dwindling.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">About the same time as Lenny's disappearance, Jesse pinched a nerve in his neck, and has only been able to work limited hours. It seems to be healing, but slowly. We even bought an inversion table last week so he could get a few minutes release from pressure. That's an interesting thing to experience! You should try one if you get the chance!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">So, that's about it ... again with the adjustments!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;">Now I'm off to the gym!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;"></span>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-11080984262462808622010-02-26T21:56:00.000-05:002010-02-26T22:02:22.664-05:00The Cooper's Hawk<span style="font-family:verdana;">Several people have asked for an update on the Hawk. We called the CROW office today, and the doctor said that he died last night. They gave him some painkillers, but he apparently had a neck injury as we thought. He said it was a Cooper's Hawk. He was a beautiful bird. Jesse said the doctor thanked us for caring enough to bring him in, however, so that was good. I thought they might lecture us on trying to rescue it ourselves without the proper training. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Some of you have mentioned Wild Kingdom, and I would have to agree. I have so enjoyed all the wildlife out here, and being on the canal. We see interesting animals all the time. I remembered to ask Jesse about the hog pictures last night, so I'll try to post some of those soon. They babies were so cute. I love little pigs.</span>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-58965906018484882142010-02-25T13:10:00.000-05:002010-02-25T14:02:23.014-05:00Saturday Part One<span style="font-family:verdana;">"It was a morning like any other morning...." <em>No, obviously not</em>!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">"I had nothing to do that day...." <em>Hahahaha</em>!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">"It was a quiet, warm Florida morning..." <em>Not even close</em>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">"It was a dark and stormy night...." <em>No, Snoopy, sorry it doesn't work here either</em>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Essentially, it began Friday night........</span>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-33336251281402662382010-02-25T12:48:00.000-05:002010-02-25T13:02:24.349-05:00Saturday Part 2I did wake Saturday morning to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, but it was laced with another rather puzzling odor. I went into the kitchen and poured a cup, added the sweetener and French vanilla creamer and headed into the office where Jesse was doing some photography work on the computer.<br /><br />“Does something smell weird to you?” I asked. “Sort of wine-y?”<br /><br />“Yes, I noticed a strange smell too, and couldn’t figure out where it was coming from.”<br /><br />We both walked into the dining room where the smell grew stronger. Delilah was catnapping on one of the chairs under the table. We sniffed. Skunk.<br /><br />“Oh no, I’ve never had to give her a bath before!” I whined. “She is NOT going to like it!”<br /><br />“Do you want me to go to the store for tomato juice?” Jesse offered generously. Mmhmm. He didn’t offer to wash the cat.<br /><br />“No, that didn’t work with Onyx. Jerry Dragoo the skunk guy said to use chlorine bleach. I’ll try that. AFTER breakfast.”<br /><br />So we had pancakes and eggs and bacon (the Saturday Menu) and Jesse left to pick up Logan for the weekend while I cleaned up the kitchen and prepared to bathe the Cat.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3BOic3dGbMKkYU5I0VqJPZ0fq-NFWT0phPD-_-6EprRQqIUBPF_jls88y6CLKUuY4nsrSjONvckrWnl6gn4sUTXBRgAasivhozhtRI83zUo22R7jD4J7ZtuyaXs8ryzkaSqGxq899QJb/s1600-h/Delilah+apres+Skunk.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442241698995374818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3BOic3dGbMKkYU5I0VqJPZ0fq-NFWT0phPD-_-6EprRQqIUBPF_jls88y6CLKUuY4nsrSjONvckrWnl6gn4sUTXBRgAasivhozhtRI83zUo22R7jD4J7ZtuyaXs8ryzkaSqGxq899QJb/s400/Delilah+apres+Skunk.jpg" /></a>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-63883986271944204672010-02-25T12:33:00.000-05:002010-02-25T12:48:01.102-05:00Saturday Part 3<div><span style="font-family:verdana;">Yes, I realize I have yet to post video or photos of the new house. I hope to get to that soon, but for now, picture in your mind the following scene……<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">One the east side of our house, the living room looks out over an enclosed lanai (a screened-in porch for my Arkansas friends and family). Jesse made a small door of plexiglass in one window so the cats could get in and out on their own, and enjoy the weather. And not drive us insane with constant meowing to go in and out. A very nice fixture, and Kylee, the 14-month-old girl I’ve been babysitting loves throwing her toys out of it.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Recently a driving wind ruined the door closer to the screened door on the lanai, so the door is open about six inches. This is good for the cats, but it was not so good Saturday morning.<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">I was washing off the countertops with my back to the cat door when I heard the blinds clatter and a small crashing sound. I turned just in time to see Lenny, the tuxedo cat, dive through the cat door with what looked like a black whip flying behind him like a cowboy’s lariat. I screamed. I’m not sure what; just suffice it to say I screamed.<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">It was a snake about four feet long, and Lenny had it by the tail! </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">Of COURSE he turned it loose in the living room and it got away from him, but was having trouble on the slippery tile floor, so Lenny was able to pounce on it. </span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><div><br />I’m thinking, <em>Get a shovel, get a bucket, call Jesse, get the camera</em>… </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>“Lenny, catch that snake!”<br /></div><br /><div>Living on a canal, I have been observant about the possibility of snakes, but haven’t seen a poisonous one yet. Not wanting to take chances, I grabbed the phone and called Jesse. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Who had just survived an adventure of his own when he stopped to photograph a family of wild hogs. The female started to charge and pawed the ground. He thought he could run and leap over a barbed wire fence, but noticed that the bottom wire was about three feet off the ground. He decided to run for the car, and made it. He got some pretty good pictures. </div><br /><div><br />He said that, from my description, it was probably an indigo snake. They are a protected species in Florida, and he said we want them because they eat the poisonous snakes. That sounds reasonable, but now that I think about it, what is it doing here? Eating poisonous snakes. That must mean we HAVE POISONOUS SNAKES! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Pacifist that he is, he told me to get a bucket out of the garage and put it over the snake until he got home. He wanted to identify it. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I had calmed down by now, and thought it looked non-poisonous, so I found the camera and took a few TELEPHOTO shots. Then I got a bucket and, gingerly standing as far away as possible (and prepared to wet myself if it crawled my way) turned it upside-down over the snake and set a large clay flower pot on top of it. </div><br /><div><br />When Jesse and Logan got home, we got a cookie sheet and slid it underneath the bucket and THEY carried the snake outside and released it in the brush.</div><br /><div><br />We decided to close the cat door at night, at the very least. We don’t want critters slithering around when we’re asleep! </span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpGoO0RaV0YqiarseLDM7uZ1StRYjQ2XCAbpYCZ2IG90n7jd917SFg0JYfuHCyakGvYLJ5Q807JkpAFYsl2XCJsWkWmpVDBW7frPqx1ueyEULAZJqPWnRT0TdcfLyMNJd9S_oCHF4nPiX/s1600-h/IMG_6989.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 419px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442237585886123714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpGoO0RaV0YqiarseLDM7uZ1StRYjQ2XCAbpYCZ2IG90n7jd917SFg0JYfuHCyakGvYLJ5Q807JkpAFYsl2XCJsWkWmpVDBW7frPqx1ueyEULAZJqPWnRT0TdcfLyMNJd9S_oCHF4nPiX/s400/IMG_6989.JPG" /></a>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-56839003004180236512010-02-25T11:54:00.000-05:002010-02-25T12:31:53.558-05:00Saturday Part 4<span style="font-family:verdana;">Jesse and Logan decided to go back to a garage sale they had passed and buy Logan’s birthday present of choice: a dirt bike. To paraphrase Logan, “To my big brother, it’s a dirt bike; to my friends, it’s a motorcycle; to my mom, it’s a minibike.”<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">While they were working with the dirt bike, I gave Delilah a shower with bleach water. She must have been so grateful to get that smell off, because she did not fight, scratch, or try to get away. She was not a happy camper, however, as her picture reveals. But the house definitely smells better!<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">With the cat smelling baby fresh and the mess from the snake cleaned up (though Lenny was still searching for it), I took the camera outside to shoot some pictures of the boys with their new toy.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">You know, I think I’ll just let the photos tell that story.</span> <br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw3WTi1tU03fR64Zt9rYIxK9OSb_7drHNDgCkRhzQ9TkOYX6FSwBWlHDb2ehYD1Ufdv3gurTIfzCOp-g_mQSg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-62645010096270712222010-02-25T11:40:00.000-05:002010-02-25T11:53:54.247-05:00Saturday - Conclusion<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SkLeROiuowJfwDLyedzyrbTgi1XGhI2_Cg5zDX1llgI_pFvQo-u57jQo8_w6r8_CoYXepMuei_N-Uz-Pw35vtMS-bEbvAWYLhFK_4kfGrifJT-tEf5T99exfq5EJtMrWLzlQ57hO3qbI/s1600-h/IMG_7054.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 442px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 284px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442223677084361858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SkLeROiuowJfwDLyedzyrbTgi1XGhI2_Cg5zDX1llgI_pFvQo-u57jQo8_w6r8_CoYXepMuei_N-Uz-Pw35vtMS-bEbvAWYLhFK_4kfGrifJT-tEf5T99exfq5EJtMrWLzlQ57hO3qbI/s400/IMG_7054.JPG" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">And now, as I’m writing this, a hawk or falcon just flew into my back door! He crashed into the yard, and I think he hurt his spine because he can’t stand. So, while I’m waiting on the nature center to call me back about helping him, he is in a box in the bathroom, protected from the cats. There is a large flock of migrating robins outside, and he was probably trying to catch one. I’ll update everybody when I get info!</span></div>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-19239769341725543322010-02-06T07:49:00.000-05:002010-02-06T07:54:12.054-05:00New Kat On The Block<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJ5X3vjng5DNTxeDafABnZfotcjtcEbah_ywC6VmdAWomXcWxCB7573wwZm3arVD1hmmPnrhsKP5DsXKovomm_PnsuSnT-MUM6lsVCxMniB1CHPfXcBz4FSAil0MJSwsPAS_s7SsQYfW0/s1600-h/Chewie+and+Lenny+in+Condo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJ5X3vjng5DNTxeDafABnZfotcjtcEbah_ywC6VmdAWomXcWxCB7573wwZm3arVD1hmmPnrhsKP5DsXKovomm_PnsuSnT-MUM6lsVCxMniB1CHPfXcBz4FSAil0MJSwsPAS_s7SsQYfW0/s400/Chewie+and+Lenny+in+Condo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435112526748209314" /></a><br /><span></span><br />People who have known us for long (I’d say a few days is enough) know that Jesse and I are animal lovers. Only one of our five pets was personally selected by us. The rest were abandoned or lost and we found ourselves (more or less) adopted.<br /><br />Chewbacca is the newcomer. Chewie for short, of course. We thought he looked like the big “wookie” from Star Wars, with his long hair, big body, and exceptionally big hairy paws. Oh, and don’t forget a voice that could stop (or start) a riot. He is probably the most vocal cat I’ve ever had. <br /><br />Chewie also has two other exceptional characteristics: He has “thumbs,” the toe that usually sits back on the inside of the paw is long, nimble and extends beyond and separate from his other toes. He uses his thumbs for grasping things, and I expect any day to discover him with a pair of scissors, cutting out paper dolls!<br /><br />His second somewhat unique trait is that he appears to love water. He wades in the canal, jumps into the birdbath, and I often find him splashing the water in the toilet with his paws. It will be interesting to see if he swims in the canal when it is deeper. <br /><br />The sad part of this story is that we don’t know if Chewie was lost or abandoned. When he arrived at our back door during the Christmas season, he was so thin that we were afraid to pet him much. He appears to have been in some kind of accident, either a car, or possibly abused by someone, because he has some badly mended ribs, and his gait is a little stiff. He also has been declawed and neutered, so he did not really have the “right stuff” for surviving in the wild. In addition, he has a microchip, but his former owners did not register it, and no one answered my Lost and Found ad. <br /><br />So Chewie is a beloved member of our family and has adapted well. He’s gained about four pounds, his nose and gums are no longer white, but a healthy pink, and Jesse is his new best friend. If Jesse is at home, Chewie is usually tagging along, and he sleeps next to him at night. I’m only the person who feeds him, and pets him if his best friend isn’t nearby!Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-16229526168776391512010-01-05T12:23:00.000-05:002010-01-05T13:15:30.672-05:00Safari In the Backyard<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Yesterday, I went to the back door to see if it was warmer yet (it wasn't much), and a flock of large pink birds landed on the canal. We had seen them before, but only knew they weren't flamingos. As I grabbed the video camera, Jesse called, so, holding the camera in one hand and the phone in the other, I attempted to tape them, resulting in a Marlon Perkins-type whispered narration. Unlike Wild Kingdom and more like a Bigfoot video, it's grainy, jumpy and blurry, but I did manage to capture them on video!<br /><br />Since then I have learned that they are juvenile roseate spoonbills, also called Flame Bird or Pink Curlew. Today, there was one alone on the canal, but he was frightened away by a white heron when I tried to photograph him. I'll get a still shot soon!</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzcGXoYPkONURjcNV8hIWDitESFOzEzaKS8Fm3OzUKgyF64CYmD1u23i6HMBZSO_-6mqDzUCntNQnc-RoEx9w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-35187409835377781342009-12-28T09:41:00.000-05:002009-12-28T09:50:32.421-05:00Visit with Rachel and Family<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Only a small selection of photos I took while in northwest Arkansas for Lela's birthday party.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">I think Lela and I became soul mates while I was there. Or as was written of King David and Jonathan, our "souls were knit together."</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Happy birthday little girl!</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxl4SKfzOI0zqDP3wDf8ySc94HZW_a9ZBfXEa0g60Z1mGGVIKf03mc2estxG_CIJiDtKod6wPPORr36Lad43g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-72232514296656456132009-12-16T17:49:00.000-05:002009-12-16T17:59:58.096-05:00Catching Up<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663300;">Today has been a Pajama Day. Sort of. I'm spending the week with Rachel, Rick and Lela, and today we stayed home and played and looked at pictures and talked and read. And walked....if she has a grasp on one adult finger, Lela speeds around the room as if she has been waiting too long for legs to grow strong enough to take her where she wants to go. And she wants to go EVERYWHERE! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663300;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663300;">At last I think I can upload some things, so maybe I will catch up on the blog. </span>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-5903820908531868552009-12-16T15:48:00.000-05:002009-12-16T16:40:36.659-05:00Lela With Her Nonnie, Oct 2009<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_P9AGLCzlNumdtFdAbSxIP17DTBga6_V8mptqAO7DwQ02GV6LWVdfIr-Dgvd5dg1pttW7MP5qaXK-ENXVGw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-19445507043970488662009-12-04T12:15:00.000-05:002009-12-04T12:26:40.250-05:00OH LOOK! SOMETHING UPLOADED!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9x4yuxOiSv3MpWkcw0XEAk-NzbEmYKUstDx0DOMP8vyfjCSKqc9IoJAKaMeVkwiG7lvrBeb8fgoQjKzqqUS2VSqkA3cnAtMEq7pQ3sU_mtVDVfJhspkY6fhrp4fUfdJtC6aBRepxyipv/s1600-h/IMG_5175.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411431359434425122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9x4yuxOiSv3MpWkcw0XEAk-NzbEmYKUstDx0DOMP8vyfjCSKqc9IoJAKaMeVkwiG7lvrBeb8fgoQjKzqqUS2VSqkA3cnAtMEq7pQ3sU_mtVDVfJhspkY6fhrp4fUfdJtC6aBRepxyipv/s400/IMG_5175.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWAWH86ppdlE-mtvF9BtIxaBcHIVOq-wsPs-4svxbKMw7UhNWhtsmW1z8IGUxzrx5fxexK8vU7ocNJkAD_8wGmkegTUbOqlnfuI1NwAVx3kUfrcGAjAvBHgEY__eEVqoFn9dxudLP1cgp/s1600-h/IMG_5174.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411431353722225554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWAWH86ppdlE-mtvF9BtIxaBcHIVOq-wsPs-4svxbKMw7UhNWhtsmW1z8IGUxzrx5fxexK8vU7ocNJkAD_8wGmkegTUbOqlnfuI1NwAVx3kUfrcGAjAvBHgEY__eEVqoFn9dxudLP1cgp/s400/IMG_5174.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmyVOkgyKJj2PNwuW8f80p3vg49MlypLFHKZBT7YI0nXyDM5HGv64ws8kaxc12ni-PhuJZV9JZlSn5Qub9pvLD17xgCJezlhEqSTGy8ZIXEsGXaPrmcYBqqobkf8c8ccHMl6KdGh258vS/s1600-h/IMG_5173.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411431346210391874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmyVOkgyKJj2PNwuW8f80p3vg49MlypLFHKZBT7YI0nXyDM5HGv64ws8kaxc12ni-PhuJZV9JZlSn5Qub9pvLD17xgCJezlhEqSTGy8ZIXEsGXaPrmcYBqqobkf8c8ccHMl6KdGh258vS/s400/IMG_5173.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-81325940917428291302009-12-04T12:04:00.000-05:002009-12-04T12:15:32.549-05:00More Blog Trouble<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;">Sorry I can't post any photos right now, and don't have time to try to find the answer. Nothing is uploading, and I can't even get the photo uploader to open. Once it let me get as far as saying the pictures were uploaded, and then I discovered they weren't on the blog. I searched the problem a little yesterday, and found no answers from Blogger, and only one answer from many posts by other bloggers having the same problem. Sorry Followers, I'll update ASAP, and if I can't, I may try creating my own website in the future.</span>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-49017833103615560722009-12-03T10:17:00.001-05:002009-12-03T12:50:01.772-05:00Still Creating<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">It has been such a long time since I posted anything. I'm still a bit overwhelmed, but starting to see some things reach the Finish Line. Today I am happy to post pictures of the dress I have been making for Lela's first birthday. It has lambs and flowers smocked on the front and back, and is made to be worn as a pinafore now and a sundress next summer. Hopefully I'll get some good photos of Lela wearing it...and fitting it! It looks so big, I can't believe she's nearing her first birthday! </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">I am looking forward to being in northwest Arkansas for her party in two weeks.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Almost everything is unpacked and in place in the house, so now I get to start putting things on the walls. Soon I will upload a video tour.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I have been doing a little writing on the book I started many years ago. I hope that some day it will be a source of encouragement for others. So far I have revised the outline and written a short chapter. An interesting obstacle I have to get past: about 150 pages are saved in text format on a floppy in Windows 3.0 (I think)! I don't even have a floppy drive any more, so I may need to have a Geek extract the information for me. Fortunately, I also printed it, so I have a hard copy in case the disk can't be accessed.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Another writing project... the story of Onyx and his skunk escapade...is being illustrated by Jesse. There is so much work involved, but he's making it look so cute.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">School has been somewhat ignored lately, though I have done a small amount on two classes. If I were taking traditional classes, I would have dropped out long ago. DePaul has been a great online opportunity for me, and I still plan to finish my BA, though it's been on hold while I moved (</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> twice this year). My newest school project will be creating a website for our home business, in addition to finishing 3 essays for a creative writing proficiency exam and 2 science exams. It's good that the work I do can be applied to more than one subject. Hm, sounds like life to me! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We've had some beautiful sunrises and sunsets recently, and I also got photos of some storks on the canal behind our house. It was fun, because I had to creep up on them.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">PROBLEM: None of the photos or videos I've taken will upload. They appear to be in the proper formats and sizes, but I've been trying to upload a video of Lela all morning - which I first tried to upload in <strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">OCTOBER</span></strong> and it will not go.<br /></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-71994853422261537922009-10-07T21:38:00.000-04:002009-10-07T22:10:48.588-04:00No Title Necessary<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Having fun with my granddaughter while I'm staying with Rachel, Rick and Lela this week!</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwnBiw8AEG02_nlwM8WZPPE7toN2xnMZoIE4FRcelx00bR6idDj2PT585TUgO2tjKb21HqMoE2rhkDfy6yFpA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-78208931595057977672009-10-01T14:29:00.000-04:002009-10-01T14:43:29.998-04:00Onyx the Explorer, I Presume?<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Onyx...he got out while we were unloading some stuff, and disappeared. I didn't realize he was gone until I sat down to dinner and discovered he wasn't sitting beside me, waiting for me to drop something.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;">We hunted outside with flashlights for a dog that is perfectly camouflaged for moonlit undergrowth (the military should think about this for "evening attire) in addition to being nearly deaf and having poor vision. After about ten minutes I heard Jesse yell, "I found him!" He had walked about one hundred yards down the streeth and was just disappearing into a field. If we had been a few seconds later, we would not have been able to find him.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;">Yes, he's old, and I may have to make The Decision someday in the near future. But I don't want him to be lost and alone when it's his time.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;">In the meantime, we try to keep him from escaping outside alone, and take him out for exploration walks every day. He even runs sometimes....he feels pretty good for a dog of 14+!</span>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-40400745297203752152009-09-28T09:14:00.000-04:002009-09-28T09:23:00.840-04:00Natural World<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCpHuuk_PNurHzRsmUMvN3fd1Nji3xfz30A2iBtG4L0S2MEc0zpUaTgIV1gnAyvWpLlfjErqnI37pXwEBDPk49OQImxugQTsdlyOyjZqsZQFMmZJC2BqCoYbrneaNESvq2ztXSCTmpfbz/s1600-h/IMG_4869.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386506508397439570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 197px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCpHuuk_PNurHzRsmUMvN3fd1Nji3xfz30A2iBtG4L0S2MEc0zpUaTgIV1gnAyvWpLlfjErqnI37pXwEBDPk49OQImxugQTsdlyOyjZqsZQFMmZJC2BqCoYbrneaNESvq2ztXSCTmpfbz/s400/IMG_4869.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKcBCQYD5CroSN99HGd5yOu42ZntPwHTjiEk0l03DKYrC5hq0S0crA1NIlalaLvxZt0SNp-jSy8s6uwV6RwL3AVeaGfAPo_0sMgtjJUCsbTuCa817x3vQ26OBPzHtJXFhA62rvOi4abI-/s1600-h/IMG_4862.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386506500835602930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKcBCQYD5CroSN99HGd5yOu42ZntPwHTjiEk0l03DKYrC5hq0S0crA1NIlalaLvxZt0SNp-jSy8s6uwV6RwL3AVeaGfAPo_0sMgtjJUCsbTuCa817x3vQ26OBPzHtJXFhA62rvOi4abI-/s400/IMG_4862.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />If you get to come visit us in our new home, you will see signs like the one in this photo. The Florida Panther is a protected species and, on this stretch of highway, the speed limit is reduced at night when they are on the prowl. I don’t know anyone who has actually seen one, but I anticipate the opportunity! Alligators aren’t all that visible, either, but I have seen a few of those. I have a photo of one somewhere..... I found the moth - as big as my hand - on our neighbor's front door last week.<br /><div></div></div>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-7336222967070952962009-09-28T08:49:00.000-04:002009-09-28T09:11:22.789-04:00Progress on the Home FrontWe are IN!<br /><br />Jesse took off work Thursday and Friday so we got so much more accomplished! The piano made it without a scratch, and yesterday he brought fresh flowers to brighten up the house. <br /><br />The pets are enjoying the extra space, and Onyx - the old man dog - has suddenly resurrected his curiosity. Every time he goes out, he heads straight for the woods, where I'm sure he would get lost because he can't see or hear very well. And he loves sniffing around the canal, and walks right in. I will have to accompany him every time he goes out. Lenny hid most of the the first day, but has adjusted well. Right now, he's trying to pick a fight with Delilah. He doesn't like going outside much yet, but is curious. Delilah LOVES it here. She spent almost all of Sunday on the lanai. Angel....she loves exploring, but doesn't go far. And she's "in the doghouse" now because she pee'd in the house, although she had been outside almost all day. Not sure what the future holds for her.<br /><br />Today, I am TRYING to catch up on some school work, as well as all the other things that fell to the wayside while we were getting ready to move. Well, “catch up” is probably too optimistic. I should probably say “not fall farther behind.” It may be impossible to catch up at the moment.<br /><br />Also, the fun part of moving starts today: choosing some curtains and towels. There are also still pictures on the walls and some miscellaneous items still to bring from the condo. Plan to move some of that today, although I probably won't be able to get all of it.<br /><br />The major painting is finished. I only have touch-ups where drips and smudges are. After that, we will be painting trim as time allows. That’s OK with me. The motto “inch by inch, anything’s a cinch” is a good one for me, although I’m prone to get caught up in a project and not let it go until it’s completed. When I have a job that I know cannot be finished in one sitting, I’m able to plan regular work sessions until it is finished.<br /><br />Yesterday, I got to plant a tomato and a basil plant - in containers. I may have to get a tiller when I'm ready to plant an entire garden, because the turf is so thatched here. We also bought a small palm and two orchids. The orchids can be planted outside – a major difference from the way I had to pamper them in Arkansas!<br /><br />As for schoolwork, I have been mentally writing a paper while I paint. I know what I want to say, it’s simply a matter of expressing it effectively. I had hopes of finishing this fall, and then in the spring, but I may have to stop projecting a date, and just be happy if I manage to finish. I have been having a little trouble prioritizing schoolwork amid all the other things I need to do. It seems that, in order to get one thing finished, I have to neglect an entire list of other things. As I've said before, Stephen Covey would be so disappointed, because I have tried doing the priority list, but everything seems to be high priority!<br /><br />I'm visiting northwest Arkansas next week, and hope to see everybody then!<br />OK, time to get "moving!"Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7872289847881292924.post-28113706274094524462009-09-14T12:48:00.000-04:002009-09-14T12:56:14.272-04:00<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyNhQJQkys3I-KdhxcNJQQbpYKaujqm76NlRNJsByJhV7XJaETYD3ESqQpCQfGUgcGOhGOIlB3yfsPHaQO4QA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Connie Shehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17251981621018773966noreply@blogger.com0