These make my Butt itch. . . . . . . . .

This could be named "pet peeves" butt (hahahaha) I have this cute picture of my grandson's hiney (bad case of eczema) that I like to use it.

Mean people.
Sunday night TV viewing options.
Reality TV.
Expiration dates.
Cell phone use while driving.
Spring. . winter. . spring . . winter. . spring. . winter. . . . . .
Washing my car and 20 hours later. . . . . it rains!
Spills in my oven.
Dust.
Hot flashes.
The smell of burnt popcorn.
People who burn popcorn in the office. (also heat up fish . . . )
Callouses on my feet.
The word "GINORMOUS". . . . . it's not a word!!
Mondays . . . . .they're so Monday-ish.
Not having a stack of reading material from the library.
Gastrointestinal distress (mine and that of others)
Non-waxed dental floss.
Unsightly stray hairs . . . . don't ask where.

Well, there's a few.

. . . .where are you ?

Hi, I'm Tilly the Tomato, (I'm an "early girl") I'm waiting for Mother's Day, because that's when I'll get planted. But. . . . I need warm air and sunshine. Where are you?

I want to do my best to make my owner happy.
I want to bulge with big fat luscious tomatoes.
With a salt shaker and a carton of cottage cheese I'm PERFECT.

This corner at the bottom of the stairs in no place for a big beautiful plant such as myself.
I'm waiting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cinco De Mayo
Day of many

Many years
Many tears
Many joys
and sorrows.
Many hugs and kisses.
Many loud words.
Many opinions.

Me and my hunka hunka burnin' love
were hitched 28 years ago.
It's been a Great Gig!
In fact, it's the thing
I've done in my life that
I'm most proud of.

I don't want my children
to be offended by that truth.
They were a huge part of my
pride. They have added to my
marriage in the most
incredible of ways.

Without them, I would not
have been inspired to
this awesome commitment
I've made with an incredible
person.

I can say I love Boyd more today than
ever. Each day I have with him is a blessing.

He helps me see life as something to enjoy.
To look forward to tomorrow
and not worry about yesterday.

We went to Good Wood Barbecue Company
to celebrate. It was good, but
I've discovered food is but
a small part of the meal,
the real treat is being with
Boyd, he makes me
laugh and most of those
around him laugh too.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

This also marks 5 years since
"the episode"
We refer to the time 5 years
ago when Boyd "blew-up"
while we were in Jamaica.
It was then that I realized that:
*God answers prayers,
*God knows me personally

I KNOW THIS ABSOLUTELY

I found out how much my
daughter in-law, and not yet son-in-law
loved and worried for me.
I found out Harmony was
the last person to spend
time with her Grandpa
prior to his passing
And that brought peace to
Harmony.

I found out we live in
"The land of the good health care."
I found how helpless you
feel when you are totally
at the mercy of strangers
(I think of them as guardian angels)
I know that I have an
inner strength that
I can tap into with the
help from My Savior Jesus Christ.

I know what's it's like
to have a 2nd chance at living
with someone you almost lost.
I know how much I love
Boyd and my marriage.

I need your opinion (?)

What is up with this look ?

Well, It was Mr. Boyd's 50th birthday celebration. It's been going on for a month (that is a story for another day) I made reservations at Christopher's downtown in the Peery Hotel. I purchased him some new summer duds. (This is a man that NEVER, and I say NEVER purchases himself anything to wear. ) He would wear the same old thread-bare items forever. Plus, I must add, he will never forgo comfort for style, if it feels good (natural fibers are what he likes, he doesn't know this!) he always strokes whatever I purchase for him to wear, and he can tell if he likes the "feel" or not. Any-hoo, here he is in some new khaki shorts and a lovely Hawaiian print shirt and he looks smashing from the ankles up!!! But, he has on a skanky old pair of athletic shoes and some ankle socks. When I say, "You need to change your shoes" he informs me "like hell I do, these feel good, I'm wearin' em." So, he schleps into Christopher's with his "quirky" little "look". Bless his heart. . . . . . and all his other parts. I love him! Now for the 64-dollare question, is he a goof or what?

Horticulture de-light

I grow these bad-boys (geraniums) all winter. I fertilize them within an inch of their lives because I always like a little bloom going on. This winter I got white-flies and it was a bugger to get rid of them (I'm not sure I did all the way the little pests)

So. . . . . this in an orchid. I've had several over the years. The best I've been able to do is one more bloom after the original bloom, it takes about 6 months for the 2nd bloom then the entire thing dries up and dies. Well, this baby is on it 4th or 5th bloom, and there are more buds. Ive had a bloom on this since about August!!! It's been fantastic.

This is just another view. I love her.

This is my pièces de ré·sis·tance (I had to look this up for the proper spelling) This is a gardenia. I've had several over the years. I name all my gardenias "Betty" because Boyd's mom name was Betty and it was her favorite flower. They all die, (I prefer to think of it as suicide since I do all in my power to keep them alive.) Well, enough of that!!! So, I ordered this baby last spring from QVC (I know, I know, shopping over the TV is crazy, but when you can't sleep at night it makes the dark more tolerable) Any-hoo, this is a topiary gardenia, I planted it in a large pot. It bloomed for about 5 minutes last summer (I missed the blooms when I was in OKC with a new baby, but Boyd told me all about it) So. . . . . I brought her in for the winter, she had a real bad case of the white-fly-sticky-stuff and I thought I might have killed her with the alcohol I sprayed on her along with some other "stuff" I got at the store to kill white flies. Well, I noticed a couple of weeks ago there were some buds. . . . . . be still my heart, where there's a bud, there should eventually be a BLOOM!!! I came in today, Thursday (technically the most "tired" day of the week) and there in the corner, all sweet and smelly and GORGEOUS was my little Betty showing off her new bloom. I'm so proud I could almost burst.
I'm not sure you can tell, but there are additional buds that should BLOOM-YIPEE ZIPEE for me!!

side note: A couple of years ago I had a gardenia plant on the table, I had purchased this one at a garden center already covered with blooms. Well, the Taylor tots were in town, I won't mention names, but one of the tots was sitting at the table and pinched off about 5-6 of the flowers, it was so sad (for me)

The 50-year old KID

The big guy is 50 today!!!
When you reach 50, there are
no excuses. You are
who you are!!
Boyd is a Big Kid
at heart.

Here is is with McPhie #1 & #2. This is
a man who loves
his grand kids.
He's very proud of them.

This is a picture of
what Boyd
loves most. . . .
hunching over
a plate of food!!!

He's a big tease, Isaac is
his most-often
abused target!

There's nothing
better that smelling
a sweet head.
Soaking in a new
baby's "life force"
ummmmm.

Boyd is always
smiling when we're
on vacation.

Oh, what am I
saying, he's smiling
most of the time!

Here he is holding
dad on his lap, asking
what he wants
for Christmas.
(sshh, the
kids don't know
it's Grumpy under
the beard.)

Grumpy and Hannah in
the "Happiest Place
on Earth."

Boyd noshing on
a dunkin donut,
deciding if he
wants to top off
the dozen!!!

Grumpy and Alex
Christmas 2008

Grumps and the Taylor tots
in his big old
round red chair!

Grumpy trying to be Mimaw,
it's sort of awful!

Happy Birthday to the half of
my life that I can't
imagine being
without.

He is a great husband
father and Grumpy.
He's just a big
'ole ball of fun.
He's the one that
all the grand kids
prefer, and it bugs
the crap out of me.
He makes me laugh, and
he's very generous.
There has never been
a day that he hasn't
told me he loves me
and he thinks I'm
beautiful. (I can
never get a reliable
opinion from him
because he's always
kind with his praise)
He still thanks me
for any meal I prepare.
(that doesn't mean he
always likes it)
He is a great man and
I'm so glad he's mine.

Happy 50th birthday,
ya big old turd.

Last of the 20's

This is Jason and his mom, from Thanksgiving!!!
Seriously, I need to take more
pics of Mr Galbiso!
Happy Birthday Mr 29 year old,
enjoy the last year
of your 20's.
It's all downhill
from here.
I'm sure you feel
50 years older than
you are from all the work
in "Project Galbiso"