Wednesday Medley with Garfield, et al

It is National Garfield the Cat Day today! 

1. If you have ever followed the Garfield comic strip, you know Garfield loves lasagne.  What is your favorite Italian food?  

Chicken Florentine, but really any grilled chicken and veggie pasta works for me.

Do you over-indulge when it comes to pasta? Probably.

2.  Tell us about your very first pet.  

I think the little dog in the photo below was maybe our first, but I really don't know. Daddy always tried getting a dog for us, but my sister and I just didn't click with that and both of us had a fear of dogs. I remember running to a stranger's house to call my mother because I saw a dog. So strange that I would actually go to a stranger's home to escape a dog. 

My sister and me with our first dog.

If you have never had a pet, can you tell us about an animal that touched your life in some way? 

Well, I have had several pets, but I'm still going to tell about an animal(s) that touched my life. When I was 22, my husband and I went into a pet shop at the mall and I fell in love with a tiny miniature dachshund pup I saw and held. We found a breeder and ordered little Max, brought him home, put him in a cardboard box with a clock ticking, and ended up with him sleeping on our bed. We enjoyed him so much, we bought a little female and those two dogs were so much fun and traveled with us on all our camping trips and vacations. They had two litters of pups together; I held Liesl and helped her as she delivered the first three. It was very touching as I watched her mother those pups and feed, clean and protect them. She never left them for the first three days and I had to finally pick her up and carry her outside so she could go potty. She was a good little mother. One of her babies, a black and tan we named Olga, had a birth defect in her esophagus. Three times a day I had to stand her on her hind legs to feed her a tablespoon of baby food so it would go down her throat. She didn't make it and it broke my heart when she passed. Max lived 12 years and Liesl made it to 17. 

Liesl with her first litter of pups

3.  Garfield sleeps his day away, only waking to eat or sweet talk his girlfriend Arleen.  How many hours sleep do you normally get each night? About 7 hours. How much sleep do you really need? Just about that.

Garfield lets the mice in the house have their way.  When was the last time you had to chase out a little varmint?  

A couple of weeks ago we had a snake in the house!! Every time I open the back door now, I am on the lookout for one. Aaaauuuugggghhhh!!!

5.  Garfield also loves his teddy bear Pooky. Did you have a favorite stuffed animal when you were young (or now!)? 

The only stuffed animal I ever had was one my Mom made for us.

If you didn't or don't, what about someone you know? All of our grandkids have stuffed animals they carried with them wherever they went. And I have a menagerie of stuffed animals at the house for them to play with and sleep with when they forget theirs. 

6.  Please tell us something about your week, so far!

Jason had to work on Father's Day, so last Friday we celebrated with him and his family. He grilled steaks and I took a cake and ice cream for dessert. We had a great time and they gave Jay an A-Salt weapon to kill flies with!!! Haha!! Fun to use! 

Kate and Grandpa have a mutual admiration society!

Showing off!

He ain't heavy, he's my brother?"

Monday evening we had several friends over for a good-bye potluck for a couple who will be moving next week. Saying good-bye to friends is happening way too often. But we had a blast!

Laughter is such good medicine, we have

to do it often and loud!!!

Second Wind was the name of our life group at church and these five couples remained close for the past few years after the life group ended. They have been a lifeline to us in times of trouble and we really all agree that we have all been there for each other. Trust me, it has been many rough times we've seen each other through.

On Tuesday, a few of the Ladies of Grace gathered to make jump ropes out of t-shirts to put in the Operation Christmas shoeboxes. The jump ropes are made from strips cut and stretched from t-shirts and then braided tightly together to make jump ropes. Very clever idea, as always, from our dear friend Marie.

We also made a few washcloth bunnies.

And afterwards, we went to lunch together at Friday's. I haven't been to Friday's in many years, but the deal today was cheeseburger and fries for $5! You can't beat that with a stick! It was very good, too.

And this little conversation between Jack and his mother:

Boys...🤦‍♀️
Jack: Can I go to my friends house?
Me: Yes
⏱...10 mins later Jack comes home.
Jack: He wasn’t home.
Me: Well then where have you been for this long???
Jack: Juggling golf balls.
Me: Huh? Where did you get golf balls?
Jack: They were on the stack of bricks, you know, where the garden snake lives? He doesn’t come out though. There were 5 wasps but they didn’t sting me. I tried to juggle the golf balls but kept dropping them. Can I go to Kevin’s?
Me: I guess? 🥴 (Feels gray hair growing as I speak)