Summer and It's Real Meaning.

Nowadays, our free time is tending to and nurturing a foster dog here and there.  The black one int he back is Brodie, he belongs to my friend Helen.  We had him for two weeks whilst she and her husband were back in Scotland.  She's a recent transplant.  I was happy when she came back after 2 weeks and was happy to be home.  Brodie is a 2 yr. old lab/pointer.  The puppy in front is my all time favorite foster, Sophie.  Sophie is 12 weeks in this picture.  She may go to her forever home in the next couple of days.  I heard she was full pitbull, uh NO.  She's boxer and horse or Great Dane.

Here's Sophie by my groovy lower oven.  I love her so much, I hope her new family would let me dog sit if they ever travel!

We are Family Reunion nuts.  This photo is from a small town in Nebraska called Creston.  It was the Rolfs/Glandt Reunion.  There was a 7th generation kid there.  Mostly pretty old people but, ohhhhhh the stories!  And pictures.  I took a scanner and got quite a few.  We meet every other year so, will scan some more.  We're committed to getting as many photos copied and stories recorded.  For instance, Wilhemina Rolfs Glandt had 14 children.  Seven lived to adulthood.  The 5 little boys are buried up there and the two little girls are buried by Omaha. Interesting to me, and a few others I guess so, we'll keep doing it.

Seven of us traveled to Creston for this Reunion.  My Mom and Dad, me and my 18 yr. old son, my brother's 28 yr. old son, my sister and her 8 yr. old daughter.   Oh how we love road trips.  On the way home, Brandon (my nephew) got this to nosh on.

If you read the Ingrediends on the Tijuana Mama it says "Mechanically Separated Chicken, Pork...did that make for some hilarious guesses.Three days ago was another Family Reunion in Our garage.  This one was for the Koch Family in Nebraska.  Again, another fun and interesting day.  We pulled out all of the vintage tablecloths for this one, good idea, huh?  Well more later.

Bye, bye Gall Bladder!

Happy Days!  My gall bladder is gone and I am feeling so much lighter.  After a year of pain, confusion and fatigue, I'm suddenly made new!  I'm typical for our family, not self aware and a high pain tolerance.  We just keep on keepin' on and end up in the ER on account of an acute attack of something.  Sigh.  I'm healing from the surgery and am grateful for  the life I can have ahead of me.  A life of balance, single tasking, awareness and doing the next right thing.
I heard something funny on the radio the other day.  A mother had called in to some political show talking about all of the taxes taken from her and given to others.  In her case, she wished she had the $ to do with as she pleased, to give it to her choice of charity.  Her daughter turned up pregnant in the girl's Soph. year of college and this mother said that she went and got three jobs to deal with it.  But, I thought she said three "dogs"!  In my mind I thought, perfect.  Having three dogs would keep my $ and attention tied up and my pregnant adult child would be responsible for herself and the baby if she decided against adoption.  Well, that's not what that mother meant at all.  She meant she had to have those jobs to help her daughter and grandchild.

I smiled as I thought of my own circumstance.  We have a young alcoholic in our family who has left quite a lot of destruction in his path w/ his addiction.  Before Al Anon, I was killing myself trying to make things right.  Eventually I realized I had loads of love and nurturing to give and it was like poison to my alcoholic son.  What was best for my son was for him to be responsible for his own life and consequences.  So, to do what I love most, I started fostering dogs.  I give the sympathy and care to a truly needy creature that is helped w/ my attention.  Thank God for growth.

BRING ON THE PUPPIES!

Our Latest Foster Dog, Halle

Halle was our latest foster pup.  She's a 6 month old Rotti and we were her temporary foster home.  Somehow, we had her several months, but we didn't complain.

She was completely unsocialized when we got her. She was quite a bully about finding her place in the pack.  But, I guess that's typical of Rottweilers.  She was also frightened of people.  After a few weeks, she was perfectly socialized and we grew to love her.  These photos are from the day we took her to the Omaha Dog Park.

Lot's of greeting going on!  Halle was especially interested in this puppy, probably because she's a puppy too.

And more greeting!

When we were fixin' to leave, we had to retrieve Halle from this group, every Rottweiler at the park was there...and a Doberman.  Interesting to me, how like breeds do associate with each other at the dog park.
Last but not least, Halle w/ two of her new masters, she was adopted last week.  We miss her but, they are the perfect home for her and were so excited!

And, tomorrow I get my lousy gall bladder out.  I look forward to feeling like a healthy human being again!