tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52874791486982313402023-11-16T05:54:25.693-05:00Notes from Thicket CottageMrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-2852365763290198742009-09-09T08:20:00.002-04:002009-09-09T08:27:14.009-04:00i refuse to tweet<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">sorry, world, i cannot get into the twitter thing...myspace has fallen by the wayside, i barely do facebook as it is, and i signed isabelle up for bunspace in july and have been on it exactly twice - i have not even accepted her little bunny friend requests yet. and, i have not even opened my gmail in two weeks, just my work email. i am a loser, apparently, in the cyberspace...</span></span> <br /><br /><a href="http://s679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/?action=view&current=15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-41518455244432281162009-06-22T20:06:00.004-04:002010-06-20T19:39:46.523-04:00FREE LEONARD PELTIER<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Leonard Peltier's parole hearing has been changed to July 28. He has been a political prisoner for 33 years. In February of 2009 he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the sixth consecutive year. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Please go to the "free peltier now" website for lots more information, and to watch robert redford's documentary "incident at oglala" - you will be left speechless.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">http://www.freepeltiernow.org/welcome.htm</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScOSYSiFUz2f4f9eh13L8lg2YrIrmGV_3d7pR7IQiLn2ThEU5qleHlWQK_Jy55bUsp5ijB06vha6Vzvy9O2vIOl0uooZdkBkY3A9Hn-7in-STcLuktDP05BU7cNwHmFrS_50OY3zp99H1/s1600-h/free+leonard+peltier+current.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScOSYSiFUz2f4f9eh13L8lg2YrIrmGV_3d7pR7IQiLn2ThEU5qleHlWQK_Jy55bUsp5ijB06vha6Vzvy9O2vIOl0uooZdkBkY3A9Hn-7in-STcLuktDP05BU7cNwHmFrS_50OY3zp99H1/s400/free+leonard+peltier+current.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350308118558092786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/?action=view&current=15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-59091370275602280152009-06-21T10:44:00.001-04:002009-06-21T10:46:09.899-04:00HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER FROM MR. AND MRS. SHIELDS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvYMo3YE-ijLKR6Eg0vWvMJxifSzk6Qe_qAaWTq_3MyI4m1rVJNqGVZYsVO8JooQiN5TaRxl__YL-e_67P5RAodzvXDyMteM7ESNscYPgRtpLNuxPQHR1W7y89nrPNsnM7s_fyXzRX90q/s1600-h/fat+swimmers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvYMo3YE-ijLKR6Eg0vWvMJxifSzk6Qe_qAaWTq_3MyI4m1rVJNqGVZYsVO8JooQiN5TaRxl__YL-e_67P5RAodzvXDyMteM7ESNscYPgRtpLNuxPQHR1W7y89nrPNsnM7s_fyXzRX90q/s400/fat+swimmers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349792193594245186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/?action=view&current=15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-59243516832146069782009-05-26T10:06:00.013-04:002009-05-26T13:40:00.572-04:00CAFE WRITING May/June 2009 Project: The Magic of Milne<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5XXl44O-RlFv4bbT5YSB_E72yLU9Qx92s0Di25ME2KCYjQ_3fr_nJcZUgETKa92mC887-bpDF3t1uDkRcZk4txqIK1HCaonY2xu7uzlPUP0nmbBdjjP6hJidiEkO46Y9LZ7jLlsXT1my/s1600-h/brown+bear+cub.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5XXl44O-RlFv4bbT5YSB_E72yLU9Qx92s0Di25ME2KCYjQ_3fr_nJcZUgETKa92mC887-bpDF3t1uDkRcZk4txqIK1HCaonY2xu7uzlPUP0nmbBdjjP6hJidiEkO46Y9LZ7jLlsXT1my/s400/brown+bear+cub.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340179873864362802" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >toddling pooh bear</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" ><br />your nuzzle-able ears deciphering the forest fears</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" ><br />your raspberry-able cheek pouches incubating saber teeth</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" ><br />your butterfly-kiss-able harlequin-painted eyes growing keener</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" ><br />your mouth-able nubbin nose practicing warnings blown out in snarls and snorts<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >your nibble-able prim rosebud lips emitting the fresh smell of infancy then the smell of fresh kill</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" ><br />your bite-able baby nails testing with tickles then tearing with purpose, need, hunger, protection of your own<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);">t</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >oddling pooh bear</span><br /><br /><a href="http://s679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/?action=view&current=15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.cafewriting.com/2009/05/mayjune-2009-project-the-magic-of-milne/">Visit Cafe Writing for more details</a><b><br /><br /></b></b>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-5859304293437203872009-05-18T11:20:00.005-04:002009-05-18T11:48:35.734-04:00THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK MONDAY OFFERING<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6z7FkoAtgAQ1XOO-z1J-vPq6jZ2oRt0Xn9y-Yu2HE0NmJU2IQUGCh4QxjTy2LyBsgsOHDGLBYPxhc7oLpG5ok9ylx3z00YvTBwOrVBtf1Wob_i35toQYMUJ6Wk6idB8OKCZPnvkaI5eN/s1600-h/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6z7FkoAtgAQ1XOO-z1J-vPq6jZ2oRt0Xn9y-Yu2HE0NmJU2IQUGCh4QxjTy2LyBsgsOHDGLBYPxhc7oLpG5ok9ylx3z00YvTBwOrVBtf1Wob_i35toQYMUJ6Wk6idB8OKCZPnvkaI5eN/s400/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337184378754482258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">FOR TODAY 18 May 2009</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">Outside My Window...it is lovely and cool; not bright but pleasant anyway. i think i will sit on the front porch to brush out my wet hair.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">I am thinking...nothing right now, just concentrating on "being."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">I am thankful for...singing birds and snoring dogs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">From the kitchen...a protein shake and a lexapro - breakfast of champions!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">I am wearing...navy jersey knit cargo pants and a black teeshirt with a lovely stain on the belly that i just noticed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">I am creating...a haven for my husband (sssssllloooooowwwwllly).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">I am going...to take the dog to the vet today or tomorrow - looks like she has an anal gland that it getting ready to blow (i know, TMI)...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">I am reading..a kay hooper romance, 'the haunting of josie'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">I am hoping...that i have prepared enough for my job interview on thursday.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">I am hearing...the songbirds outsinging the traffic noise on route 1 :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">Around the house...comparing the cost of hiring out the refinishing of our hardwood floors to doing it ourselves.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">One of my favorite things...tea - hot or cold</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: taking mimsy to the doctor, getting mr. shields to teach me to grill (although i have been asking for a week now - i think this will be one more of those things he doesn't want me to do because i would pose a safety risk to myself and others LOL), decluttering the master bedroom and bath, and checking the piggy bank to see if i can afford new linens.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 51);">Here is a picture thought I am sharing...of a house i fell in love with as a child, and it continues to enchant me.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Dk2GaobhdpJYYHK-WudWWi2Jn45oC2D4FZE1AbX4yW7__b1_oTAiZE15h_xJXLdR96YeQlkv4Tm0Qj5KcT-kKsgp_GP-YkGyXSBVP8EEUQz9SHNnfgpvsmC5aicdZlONvEXzKKCa6gig/s1600-h/100_0591.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Dk2GaobhdpJYYHK-WudWWi2Jn45oC2D4FZE1AbX4yW7__b1_oTAiZE15h_xJXLdR96YeQlkv4Tm0Qj5KcT-kKsgp_GP-YkGyXSBVP8EEUQz9SHNnfgpvsmC5aicdZlONvEXzKKCa6gig/s400/100_0591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337190297150102546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMb6KltJCe17Ygb1pKEE9seooYcfqx_cv56iv6TIAF2z3dddub47kyhJFhKf2LCTdlmLIL01E0Wq9f9XdR8c2z8DScWeA0PjKEZjOUGm0P1fZYsA2_aMLXN8qbE0HZwrT6KvWpLWmIScD/s1600-h/100_0594.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMb6KltJCe17Ygb1pKEE9seooYcfqx_cv56iv6TIAF2z3dddub47kyhJFhKf2LCTdlmLIL01E0Wq9f9XdR8c2z8DScWeA0PjKEZjOUGm0P1fZYsA2_aMLXN8qbE0HZwrT6KvWpLWmIScD/s400/100_0594.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337189475689813186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/?action=view&current=15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-76770945193434691812009-04-14T15:17:00.005-04:002009-04-14T15:33:45.625-04:0014 April "Tuesday Treasures"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqf6gDQMQoe5BwxfoI1hAOfNSNsa4lHEz9qw0OT3SeSw7eLDTjROpgTKEH1hiwFk8RBAGFwndCxILYCBh6KP5MqzsYrGxdrlzIUtZPtEZXQcRyx3zKtZ9GoGxukL49KPlaiSYxPp6PbPM/s1600-h/tuesday_treasures.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 110px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqf6gDQMQoe5BwxfoI1hAOfNSNsa4lHEz9qw0OT3SeSw7eLDTjROpgTKEH1hiwFk8RBAGFwndCxILYCBh6KP5MqzsYrGxdrlzIUtZPtEZXQcRyx3zKtZ9GoGxukL49KPlaiSYxPp6PbPM/s400/tuesday_treasures.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324628542672088002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Treasia over at <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);" href="http://midlifetruckerswife.blogspot.com/">Confessions of a Mid Life Trucker's Wife</a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"> </span> has devised the delightful "Tuesday Treasures" exercise. i am posting a picture of my mismatched tea cup and saucer; they make me smile! and i figured if i waited until i set up the perfect antique china, with the perfect antique tablecloth, with the perfect lighting, with the perfect...well, you get the picture - and, if i had waited for perfection, i would not have gotten <span style="font-style: italic;">this </span>picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xPtC9C_sjfyQCdkStGL7XeS2aejzngldRh0SM5c3osUe-yD2xtUUTaqVTePrh5X3rGDO3U1NYesSNxQmQ9zHL6o6DbpVi2dfXSrF2c2KgSVXNc9Qp0DF-KsUj6lTtwvaIcYjv8OsA1eD/s1600-h/101_1689.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xPtC9C_sjfyQCdkStGL7XeS2aejzngldRh0SM5c3osUe-yD2xtUUTaqVTePrh5X3rGDO3U1NYesSNxQmQ9zHL6o6DbpVi2dfXSrF2c2KgSVXNc9Qp0DF-KsUj6lTtwvaIcYjv8OsA1eD/s400/101_1689.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324631803798525506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://s679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/?action=view&current=15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-24594338552343935362009-04-11T22:17:00.004-04:002013-09-14T18:21:32.189-04:00Grace Unto You, and Peace, Be Multiplied, My Dear Ones...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgul5k0o_a35UQePlRFKR0Sxl-8I_Gvqbt7c2PDKcqW-9oM2Nz-hziH4GcMDp3jm5dzLF48MWAjCwEy-d3gXDTNpRmPlZs2X4XCrMmpJaWiGR1xi1K6n1E1wUXtPXsQvHg3LHbVcBo0zMHV/s1600-h/the+bells+plate+2+edmund+dulac+1912.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgul5k0o_a35UQePlRFKR0Sxl-8I_Gvqbt7c2PDKcqW-9oM2Nz-hziH4GcMDp3jm5dzLF48MWAjCwEy-d3gXDTNpRmPlZs2X4XCrMmpJaWiGR1xi1K6n1E1wUXtPXsQvHg3LHbVcBo0zMHV/s400/the+bells+plate+2+edmund+dulac+1912.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323624527168371010" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 275px;" /></a><br />
<h4 style="color: #330033;">
<a href="http://s679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/?action=view&current=15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv153/thicketcottage/15300A89F5C27F9B658490967CEE7CD3-2.png" /></a></h4>
Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-18515738968504940362009-04-09T13:11:00.003-04:002009-04-09T13:16:36.414-04:00Nothing But Goats<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">i found this little clip and thought it was delightful. i can feel the spring breeze and smell the fresh farm smells! and the constant goaty callings in the background are adorable. i love goats, in case you could not tell. i think it would be a joy to be greeted with their little goaty eyes and lips everyday. remind me to tell you about my love affair with donkeys and their teeny tiny hooferssss sometime!</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ls3P92Doyc0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ls3P92Doyc0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-74205337060534588732009-04-07T09:12:00.007-04:002009-04-07T09:48:37.636-04:00THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK MON(tues)DAY OFFERING -7 APR 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLgMkYD80ycPRvyJP3MeYXqpA3AArwvReXadbFkKtgSV0eMTKSUXB2gIPuKVG9LxWfU_1-AYq4edYez2jllpRssITJ5wosrWrhez_BKB6k62laRw_8Z5cO5z3cvIhKPg9oUR4U27WqmFF/s1600-h/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLgMkYD80ycPRvyJP3MeYXqpA3AArwvReXadbFkKtgSV0eMTKSUXB2gIPuKVG9LxWfU_1-AYq4edYez2jllpRssITJ5wosrWrhez_BKB6k62laRw_8Z5cO5z3cvIhKPg9oUR4U27WqmFF/s400/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321938324180328658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);">FOR TODAY 7 april 2009</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Outside My Window</span>...chilly breeze - bright sunshine - reflections of cars going by in window.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am thinking.</span>..life is filled with sweetness from the people we love.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am thankful for.</span>..my home, in all its eccentricity...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">From the kitchen.</span>..chocolate chip cookies cooling</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am wearing.</span>..navy leggings, blue denim maxi skirt, green thermal henley, denim vest</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am creating.</span>..memories with my nephew bren, who is here for a few days for Easter break.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am going.</span>..to have to re-fax some business paperwork i thought was taken care of but turned out not to be - ugggghhhh!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am reading</span>..."75 Years of Caring for People: A History of McCready Hospital"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am hoping</span>...my husband is getting off of work early today - i did not get to see him very much yesterday.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am hearing</span>...my nephew crunch on a nestle's crunch bar :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Around the house</span>...arggghhh- need to straighten up!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">One of my favorite things</span>...reading a book in a hot bath.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week</span>: grocery shopping with mimsy</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here is picture thought I am sharing</span>...brenden and catdog (abbey) sharing the back of the sofa</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsTC3d9n4mI6tW8ISQd8mH7qDlpGp43aXy8irRrx79woH4sTzlXMewpkSA_UtSg0TzXkA3iFWVJ4QBdJ_xQm4UH9P9-WuzFXLiBELDeAlk_HUZMmP4zPYXhh-8HM-KJR9nqKT6cMP2ywC/s1600-h/101_1637.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 376px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXsTC3d9n4mI6tW8ISQd8mH7qDlpGp43aXy8irRrx79woH4sTzlXMewpkSA_UtSg0TzXkA3iFWVJ4QBdJ_xQm4UH9P9-WuzFXLiBELDeAlk_HUZMmP4zPYXhh-8HM-KJR9nqKT6cMP2ywC/s400/101_1637.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321944912359238258" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-16043670060324273762009-04-04T15:30:00.002-04:002009-04-04T15:44:27.151-04:00WHEN DID SPRING HAPPEN???<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj720jZI1IhTgf37hDybd1wQHkgU6dxcIxQnGf7VrBsK0Zc6wUs3BpJ8HtiZVStTexmiF3Xl2zq0D09NjZho737zpBrctlmziluP65GWLWGhRgiOYCotDrIUCYJcYpSP9V3x5L0ryq1h6Tl/s1600-h/100_1586.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj720jZI1IhTgf37hDybd1wQHkgU6dxcIxQnGf7VrBsK0Zc6wUs3BpJ8HtiZVStTexmiF3Xl2zq0D09NjZho737zpBrctlmziluP65GWLWGhRgiOYCotDrIUCYJcYpSP9V3x5L0ryq1h6Tl/s400/100_1586.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-14677787831669544542009-03-30T19:31:00.011-04:002009-03-30T20:42:50.913-04:00THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK MONDAY OFFERING 3/30/09<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmcfR8eNICfNPTztt_UamiLNpGVRwOx4UXluH1QbMFMDRrSNPw5BE2LctTsO7T3T247B3TIS3hQmwpGepMR6So3MABnKWxYB8cTN3d_1r9-bARH-iMGu8Cob6BmARFl9_A1MgpIoTz5XH/s1600-h/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmcfR8eNICfNPTztt_UamiLNpGVRwOx4UXluH1QbMFMDRrSNPw5BE2LctTsO7T3T247B3TIS3hQmwpGepMR6So3MABnKWxYB8cTN3d_1r9-bARH-iMGu8Cob6BmARFl9_A1MgpIoTz5XH/s400/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319127676501561250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">FOR TODAY 30 March 2009</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Outside My Window...</span>neighbor kids playing basketball across the street</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am thinking...</span>that things are so peaceful.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am thankful for...</span>friends ;-)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">From the kitchen</span>...stir-fry</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am wearing...</span>crocs, black underarmor socks, liz claiborne jeans, lime green camisole, and black long sleeve rugby shirt.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am creating...</span>scrapbook for my wedding photos (finally after 12 years LOL).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am going...</span>to philly on tuesday, maybe to stay a few days - need a little quiet time.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am reading...</span>still savoring cold mountain.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am hearing...</span>my husband tell a story about when his dad was in portugal in the air force.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Around the house...</span>arrrrgggghhhhh, need to swiffer the dog hair tumbleweeds from under the sofa.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">One of my favorite things...</span>driving with the windows down and jimmy buffett cranked up!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:</span> taking it easy ...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Here is picture thought I am sharing...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;">Ehrmann Tapestry - Herb Garden, designed by Margaret Murton</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;">my stepmom, adri, had started this as a seat cover for a bench. the purple-shaded area was completed before she passed away from breast cancer four years ago in january. my goal is to complete the rest of stitchwork for my father's birthday at the end of april. i have already gotten some of it done (but not much, as you can see below the shaded part), so i told him he may get it for Christmas instead, or maybe Christmas after next LOL. she was so talented and just a groovy stepmom - this won't be perfect but i hope she will like it, too...</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://localhost:51685/2d3754b33ae1e896a3579caa55c8e104/image/99a341b8cc11579d.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://localhost:51685/2d3754b33ae1e896a3579caa55c8e104/image/99a341b8cc11579d.jpg?size=400" border="0" /></a> </div>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-26070431828361737362009-03-29T18:03:00.002-04:002013-09-14T18:24:52.158-04:00Just Going Through Some Pictures<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #663333; font-weight: bold;">cassie despised getting her picture taken. if she saw that the camera was in my hands, she would turn on me her darkened eye, as she was wont to do when one was not worthy of being glared upon with her good eye, then lumber up from her spot, and dramatically exit the vicinity. i believe i have more pictures of her bony tail-end than of her pretty face. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjZssWUZUEpXmaK2y1N3BqQSBK5CRwE_crHmZL55k6EsxBe6TfaCjz4xZ4zWFmBkRNhgvL8nSEq4hWxoakPEYUq3D5lRj5CKK-KRFoQwiaXL2V1qwhnV5YvZkPEeLkMJRiXijETErz757/s1600-h/125.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjZssWUZUEpXmaK2y1N3BqQSBK5CRwE_crHmZL55k6EsxBe6TfaCjz4xZ4zWFmBkRNhgvL8nSEq4hWxoakPEYUq3D5lRj5CKK-KRFoQwiaXL2V1qwhnV5YvZkPEeLkMJRiXijETErz757/s400/125.JPG" /></a> </div>
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Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-90331984912071867682009-03-23T15:16:00.011-04:002013-09-14T18:29:49.291-04:00THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK MONDAY OFFERING<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU00uOSYKlpVlxF2HrkG2YHjotc_yBzH_1z_vG_sZ5CDwaQ7j2rwe_rJu_VRTgLO09BDzDd9IR6QLCg-8mqNr3iL-DHmsNfq1rahsGlxU7vDqTeqvN9RZ5_aZRPNIvFsZ8xwZCE8iaFc-/s1600-h/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="color: #000066;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU00uOSYKlpVlxF2HrkG2YHjotc_yBzH_1z_vG_sZ5CDwaQ7j2rwe_rJu_VRTgLO09BDzDd9IR6QLCg-8mqNr3iL-DHmsNfq1rahsGlxU7vDqTeqvN9RZ5_aZRPNIvFsZ8xwZCE8iaFc-/s400/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316530375715462658" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 280px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 198px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">FOR TODAY, 23 March 2009</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Outside My Window..</span>.if it were summertime, it would be that bluesy-time that lasts just a few moments before turning into the night</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am thinking..</span>.not a lot, just feeling warm and fuzzy</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am thankful for...</span>my life, my home, my pets</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">From the kitchen...</span>the sound of my niece and husband putting away groceries, doing dishes, making dinner- and some texting drama going on!!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am wearing...</span>my bra still, and i don't know why</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am creating...</span>an online scrapbook of our tenth anniversary stay in a log cabin (ummm, yeah, that was more than two years ago) on snapfish - it takes just as long as real scrapbooking, but NO MESSSSSS TO CLEAN UP AFTERWARDS, just log out and power down - great for my messy marvin self.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am going...</span>to watch house in 20 minutes</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am reading...</span>cold mountain</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am hoping...</span>i get back my teenage spark having the girls here for a day or two - i am feeling olllllld lately.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am hearing...</span>laughter ringing all over this house and the tv guide idol wrap show</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Around the house...</span>must...move...bedroom...furniture...around...aggggghhhhh!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">One of my favorite things..</span>.this little doggie girl - abbey</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwofFanB0Odm2xzXFg0euUGKxCMAjCHfCvv0FaiEae-eeRH-BOG6uCcmfbQkHDO9fcP2dVWj-0zxPFdZHAGrws7JUppp-hOBa3WAvT6Ll2mIhVFh9QZ80J8EsEKtsoZOrZpR6i35kICmpU/s1600-h/034.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="color: #000066;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwofFanB0Odm2xzXFg0euUGKxCMAjCHfCvv0FaiEae-eeRH-BOG6uCcmfbQkHDO9fcP2dVWj-0zxPFdZHAGrws7JUppp-hOBa3WAvT6Ll2mIhVFh9QZ80J8EsEKtsoZOrZpR6i35kICmpU/s400/034.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316534858448486002" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #000066;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:</span> go to office max; rearrange bedroom and office - take mom to the surgeon and me to the shrink - thank goodness!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">Here is picture thought I am sharing...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #000066; font-weight: bold;">ahhhhh, never were there eyes so deep blue!</span><br />
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<br />Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-18693329728733065792009-03-19T20:39:00.011-04:002013-09-14T18:29:04.822-04:00A CYBER READING OF ALIEN COWS<span style="color: black; font-family: courier new; font-weight: bold;"><br />On the occasion of Madelyn's birthday<br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: courier new; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: courier new; font-weight: bold;"><br />With a trashy trashed punk</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">probably old enough to be my<br />father</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">trying to sound like Mick Jagger</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />who is older than my father</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />But his lips are not big enough</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />crooning about some swooning</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />jailbait chick</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br /><br />The Inspector wouldn't believe it</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />But the patrolman saw it</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">He would not say anything</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />But he saw the old farm truck</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />Trucking down the dirt lane</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />just a double wide furrow</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />between the furrows not visible</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />now because the crops were so tall</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">but had to be there<br />because</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;">the crops were there</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />He had only seen the</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />top of the farm truck</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />It began to be dusk</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />quickly as soon as the</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />farm truck was almost out</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;">of<br />sight it was dark</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />The Sun no longer reflected</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />off the dark cab</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />and then they disappeared</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br /><br />The patrolman saw more</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />than just that</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />But wouldn't say anything</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />Nothing about their great bodies</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">hovering over the crops</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">eating. Or were the crops eating them</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />Great blobs of white<br />spectres</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;">abandoned the fences</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">And flew back across<br />the fields to bring in more</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />to mow away the hay</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br /><br />And, hey, I am just riding</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />cruising bottomed out</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />peeling away</span><span style="font-family: courier new;">the black </span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />from this silver night</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />but it's too black to bother</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">and an alien cow </span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />descends on the hood</span><span style="font-family: courier new;">and that trashy punk</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />keeps on breaking glass</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">and cutting his best friend</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">because his best friend </span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />is not </span> <span style="font-family: courier new;">really an omen<br />so </span> <span style="font-family: courier new;">he doesn't care</span><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">But what is this liquid</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />neon dripping over my</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;">wheels</span> <span style="font-family: courier new;"><br />Big white blobs bobbing </span> <span style="font-family: courier new;">in the field</span> </span><span style="font-family: courier new;"><span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">dlb - 4 may 1984</span><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61GZAXmfxcx8y1id-XtgAO4mM8KBZsHD7ABBmzGv9oqZiwa-ellUCeR9KR7OfRYvlORz5UKccyA3sDoThed8f7-9aMnVsabKrRltkn6ONs3h3bOWLxZiTtBsS4O-bCGEfy-ABPvQjvorg/s1600-h/night+vision+cow.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61GZAXmfxcx8y1id-XtgAO4mM8KBZsHD7ABBmzGv9oqZiwa-ellUCeR9KR7OfRYvlORz5UKccyA3sDoThed8f7-9aMnVsabKrRltkn6ONs3h3bOWLxZiTtBsS4O-bCGEfy-ABPvQjvorg/s400/night+vision+cow.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315065422545668210" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-91353796487927821212009-03-17T10:27:00.015-04:002013-09-14T18:18:45.009-04:00THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK MON(tues)DAY OFFERING -17 MARCH 09<img alt="" src="file:///C:/Users/Dawn/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" /><br />
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<br /><span style="color: #003300; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">FOR TODAY 17 march 2009..<br /><br />Outside My Window...<br />sunny<br /><br />I am thinking...<br />about growing tomatoes, dill, and tarragon; about growing lavender, lilacs, and lily of the valley; about growing mint, peonies, and hydrangeas; about putting in small white stones instead of mulch around the shrubs by the front porch.<br /><br />I am thankful for...<br />lipton tea<br /><br />From the kitchen...<br />cinnamon toast<br /><br />I am wearing...<br />black yoga pants, teal tank top, sage green tee shirt, and white, orchid, and purple striped fuzzy socks.<br /><br />I am creating...<br />working on finishing the tapestry adri started for the bench in their bedroom, to give to dad for his birthday in a month.<br /><br />I am going...<br />to take a nap while tim is out fishing at lake como.<br /><br />I am reading...<br />the face of deceit by ramona richards (love inspired romance/suspense series).<br /><br />I am hoping...<br />i don't forget the sweet things my baby used to do - like lying in the yard on her side in the sun, eating grass out of the side of her mouth, too lazy and snoozy to actually sit up to munch on it - happiness really is a warm puppy!<br /><br />I am hearing...<br />something beeping???<br /><br />Around the house...<br />moving my well-loved collection of Victoria magazines from one bookshelf to another<br /><br />One of my favorite things...<br />said well-loved collection of Victoria magazines that i started in 1989 and have appr 12 yrs' worth plus some scattered issues here and there, along with the year that just passsed in which they resurrected the magazine after it foundered in the early 2000s; it still founders. it started as a magazine like no other for grace and romance, but became just like any other. so each month i take out the old copies for that month and re-read them (saves a ton on buying new magazines!).<br /><br />A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:<br />must do some personal business that i have put off to the absolute last minute and cannot continue any farther with another project without finishing; rearranging my now-defunct office into a study/atelier.<br /><br />Here is picture thought I am sharing...<br />print and color just for fun today!</span><span style="color: #003300; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5_ppisGU6vgX4baV-zzinLAU1QRWjkgfAWUpZpfMFXXVsVxbfDWyNjXCiAE87YyiqLkOoeD8uNhGRlufnTCAoDa2KcpZXSje9hFyDu9676rCygqteHqSny3aeIXPWgegp5OvH-7NGAuj/s1600-h/celtic+fancy+knot.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5_ppisGU6vgX4baV-zzinLAU1QRWjkgfAWUpZpfMFXXVsVxbfDWyNjXCiAE87YyiqLkOoeD8uNhGRlufnTCAoDa2KcpZXSje9hFyDu9676rCygqteHqSny3aeIXPWgegp5OvH-7NGAuj/s400/celtic+fancy+knot.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314231808723131762" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 425px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-58487983401687173342009-03-13T13:41:00.001-04:002009-03-13T14:00:07.139-04:00Cassiopaeia Narcissa - BORN A DOG - DIED A LADY<span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span style="font-size:130%;">Born in August 1995<br />RIP on 8 March 2009</span><br /><br />i know that some of you knew, or knew of, our old dog, cassie (i</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">certainly bragged enough on her!). she passed away sunday morning at 8</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">a.m. at the matthew j. ryan veterinary hospital at the university of</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">pennsylvania in philly. she was 13-1/2 years old, and we had gotten her</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">as a 3-week-old, 2-pound runt, who needed to be fed with a syringe, poor</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">little thing.<br /><br />lately, for almost 2 weeks, she was becoming so</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">debilitated by her megaesophagus and could keep no food or medication</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">down and was wasting away. we had already made plans to donate her body</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">to the university for research and training, but we did not know we</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">would be losing her so soon. she had such a horrible night saturday</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">into sunday that we could not bear to see her go through another day,</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">even though she had settled down by the morning. it was one of the</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">hardest things we have had to do to put her in the car and drive that</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">long highway up to philly. the consolation was that the staff there was</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">extremely sweet and kind with cassie, and with us. even cutting the</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">abnormally long "toe-hawk" from in between the pads of her back feet for</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">us to keep as a memento when i asked for it - i am sure that was a new</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">one for them...! we feel at peace knowing she is at peace, but our</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">hearts ache in the emptiness left behind. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">if any of you have pets, please keep in mind that veterinary schools</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">need little furbaby bodies to train their students in the various</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">procedures such as placing IVs and ports, trachs, etc. and, in cassie's</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">case, they can take a look at her odd and amazing innards to help</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">further research and perhaps extend the lives of other megaesophagus</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">babies. Colleen Ward is the contact person for the university in the</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">memorial donation program. they accept animals who have died, have</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">who have been euthanized at other facilities, or, as with cassie, have</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">been euthanized at their hospital. Colleen is a wonderful and tender</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">lady who helped us very much in making our plans.<br /><br /><br /></span>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-35258432258715747312009-03-02T21:47:00.006-05:002013-09-14T18:16:32.390-04:00THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK MONDAY OFFERING<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDKo5bAXzwxLPJVic73znQi_koBk-UD18Ymn3aB4ABGifNSPpTDKrNkS5vBJON6TWi4W90SY79SUjmugr54GxZnaY8ey7muVUKP3wad26wU90vy5WDPkxNv49fb3kC_ve_QJrQ7QK0rvy/s1600-h/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDKo5bAXzwxLPJVic73znQi_koBk-UD18Ymn3aB4ABGifNSPpTDKrNkS5vBJON6TWi4W90SY79SUjmugr54GxZnaY8ey7muVUKP3wad26wU90vy5WDPkxNv49fb3kC_ve_QJrQ7QK0rvy/s400/simple-woman-daybook-large.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308788354543110050" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 280px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 198px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #003300; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">FOR TO<span style="font-size: 100%;">D</span>AY ... 2 March 2009</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">Outside My Window</span></span><span style="color: #003300;">.</span>..snow in the darkness</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">I am thinking</span></span><span style="color: #003300;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">.</span>.</span>.about a few friends who now live far away</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">I am thankful for</span><span style="color: #003300;">.</span></span>..memories</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">From the kitchen.</span>.</span>.little fur just carried in a poop-sicle when she came through the back door - good and good for you!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">I am wearing.</span>.</span>.huge old sweats and what used to be my favorite top ever to wear in public but is now so old it gets worn to bed - burgundy, longsleeved tee with hooks and eyes all the way up the front instead of buttons</span><br />
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<span style="color: #003300;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I am creating</span>..</span>.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBtdSIbZW3Fk2z-ya3Du3jEJqsrzEs93c2BRFVbJqtA9bA4mcyqkYaP9L7kkgyk9NWzHUXo8UHRsJP0yi7I0GdI08EbCvrPDb6uwmG7y0UIb6bLJ86ga066qb8QdY2FFlYY-8Xs9PHxTp/s1600-h/create_peace_picasso.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBtdSIbZW3Fk2z-ya3Du3jEJqsrzEs93c2BRFVbJqtA9bA4mcyqkYaP9L7kkgyk9NWzHUXo8UHRsJP0yi7I0GdI08EbCvrPDb6uwmG7y0UIb6bLJ86ga066qb8QdY2FFlYY-8Xs9PHxTp/s400/create_peace_picasso.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308790637138067714" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 113px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 117px;" /></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">I am going</span><span style="color: #003300;">.</span>..</span>to bed here in a few...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">I am reading</span><span style="color: #003300;">.</span>.</span>.nearly to the end of alias grace - you know how you slow down reading when you get towards the end of an incredibly moving book, so that you can pretend that it will never end and that you won't have to come back from where it has taken you?</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">I am hoping</span></span><span style="color: #003300;">.</span>..for nothing - i now understand what my grandfather was trying to teach me when he would quote Paul's words to me "for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content".</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">I am hearing</span></span><span style="color: #003300;">...</span>a snow plow</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">Around the house</span>.</span>..did my favorite thing today - moved furniture around. i am weird - moving furniture is my passion - it drives my husband absolutely insane (but that is not the reason i do it ). it is genetic; i got it from my grandmother.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /></span> <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">One of my favorite things</span></span>...velvet curtains in doorways and archways - so very edgar allenpoe-ish.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: #003300; font-weight: bold;">A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week</span><span style="color: #003300;">: </span></span>working on "just breathing"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><span style="color: #003300;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here is picture thought I am sharing</span>...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgSMWF0SpUL29hvyOXaDdqiV800XoXVEa1GrRYaM18lO3GfQISquGwvz_oIwYq1yM-dpgaJh_rjRiG7sy-vDDfVTBgaAqScAYdCPWSJVwN1p4FsdblxdQy6BTP7LshnWEpJj25Ss4idl7/s1600-h/schrodingers-lolcat1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgSMWF0SpUL29hvyOXaDdqiV800XoXVEa1GrRYaM18lO3GfQISquGwvz_oIwYq1yM-dpgaJh_rjRiG7sy-vDDfVTBgaAqScAYdCPWSJVwN1p4FsdblxdQy6BTP7LshnWEpJj25Ss4idl7/s400/schrodingers-lolcat1.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308795293349550914" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 238px;" /></a><br />
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<http: com=""></http:>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-71415103974639581592009-03-01T19:12:00.006-05:002009-03-01T19:43:52.831-05:00My First Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5z7eGx2qRkEInhgcgfXQGeDk4Aw2xb6xzqioZoP59jroTV48pefqcn-QLPXbfVqk8PdyGUbNk0tlSXD4IcN53fEcWcEs2hr_AlFZU9DhDsKngH07s0wJKEpHD-Oj_dohaYPqGfoxafnJ/s1600-h/ChopinDelacroix.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5z7eGx2qRkEInhgcgfXQGeDk4Aw2xb6xzqioZoP59jroTV48pefqcn-QLPXbfVqk8PdyGUbNk0tlSXD4IcN53fEcWcEs2hr_AlFZU9DhDsKngH07s0wJKEpHD-Oj_dohaYPqGfoxafnJ/s400/ChopinDelacroix.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308382641780028514" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">frederic</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">chopin. frail. consumptive. pale. nervous. disheveled.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;">i must have been almost ten years old when my mother brought home the record album with his painted portrait on the jacket, and i knew that i would love no other as truly. that i could love no other as truly...my heart was gone from me, had taken flight across time and space. i could hear his voice, as clearly as i heard his music - i heard his voice through his music. i hear his voice, still, when i dim the lights, light the candles, cue up the recordings, and he plays on through the flesh and blood of the living, across time and space. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigY0aSluR9LgJe1KtQaa2qNL3nxeJsTFUERp9q-Gzz8z7KkEMqeMBypgXu4DHYwoz6W-p5VzjgmoEleQtALsPUOM6NqGRDLiEOzkHF3Syw2kRZPJ7vvgwxG5MlY8Wrq9N8u9SYt4wDYQ0z/s1600-h/fchopin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigY0aSluR9LgJe1KtQaa2qNL3nxeJsTFUERp9q-Gzz8z7KkEMqeMBypgXu4DHYwoz6W-p5VzjgmoEleQtALsPUOM6NqGRDLiEOzkHF3Syw2kRZPJ7vvgwxG5MlY8Wrq9N8u9SYt4wDYQ0z/s400/fchopin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308382331802979730" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51); font-weight: bold;">(please enjoy a few selections from chopin and his romantic contemporaries that i have added to accompany my written offerings. the player is at the very bottom of the page, should you like to browse, decrease/increase the volume, or, indeed, turn it off, if you are in need of silence in this world). </span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjST0GXAPytsXtcMmW_-5YzvqOb5SXTh9m5AFYjdiMLgQICGb30gh4Lh7vElC3celvzlx0pQQR4Bz4vqVpef6yWCeiunA2q7S0Q95XpTU8DuP4oTACe7_tN4FJNZ09EdcGTmwMoTcWLxjnh/s1600-h/Chopinphoto.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjST0GXAPytsXtcMmW_-5YzvqOb5SXTh9m5AFYjdiMLgQICGb30gh4Lh7vElC3celvzlx0pQQR4Bz4vqVpef6yWCeiunA2q7S0Q95XpTU8DuP4oTACe7_tN4FJNZ09EdcGTmwMoTcWLxjnh/s400/Chopinphoto.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308383783606452754" border="0" /></a>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-64967294408340919132009-02-27T23:03:00.004-05:002009-02-27T23:36:09.361-05:00Wow, What a Week!<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >well, i was laid off yesterday, but i, surprisingly, am not upset. it is a strange feeling - not really numb, but almost like i had never had the job in the first place. like there is only today. and only the future. i also came away with my old friends - crazy, crazy girls! the Lord blessed us with a fair and reasonable severance package, which leaves me a few weeks to get re-combobulated before pounding the pavement. i believe my path to this career was shown to me by Heavenly Father, and i believe that He will guide my path away from this particular position. my line of work is quite flexible, and i am looking forward to investigating some work-at-home positions. also, this leaves me free to follow my dream of raising sled dogs in alaska - snuggly little boogers! of course, Mr. Shields is quite content where we are...<br /><br />here are some pictures of the (non-sled) dogs - they are more boogers than snuggly though sometimes :-)</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">the peaceable kingdom - toby and abbey napping</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjU6uT04IL2tQtCqzpLSWyFtgwjry6tiN-VYxkSgbXTd15pZO6D4P-Ncks6jS7IeHwazni-Xe0a5Erbn8NFIreVarRjrj7Off6ntkomGz3PQGxCStXdRMTydRQ5S70RyTBjZOHW1niXof/s1600-h/073.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjU6uT04IL2tQtCqzpLSWyFtgwjry6tiN-VYxkSgbXTd15pZO6D4P-Ncks6jS7IeHwazni-Xe0a5Erbn8NFIreVarRjrj7Off6ntkomGz3PQGxCStXdRMTydRQ5S70RyTBjZOHW1niXof/s400/073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307700131858774418" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">toby's butt (hey, he figures if it is good enough for cassie...)</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2NHZpOOVBmFIF1lwoNLj6RH1vCO9iN9LIkvWYcT4i0f1Bwcmq3WCFZjG_WTt4U70uepZWUbcZ_s4hFGh72ndFk3iJvgjPqd41f5qCBSfb7_8clMTG3ww1g8_C7Bskeg-uxzekvAbFatB/s1600-h/048.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2NHZpOOVBmFIF1lwoNLj6RH1vCO9iN9LIkvWYcT4i0f1Bwcmq3WCFZjG_WTt4U70uepZWUbcZ_s4hFGh72ndFk3iJvgjPqd41f5qCBSfb7_8clMTG3ww1g8_C7Bskeg-uxzekvAbFatB/s400/048.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307700130125126914" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">nellie abigail virginia (Little Fur)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EcyZWyO8eBjrfikhSUDWiWEYknL_Z9LPzip4GfakiRZlaIXLXGYGqjKXzJZIrQM8gg_acrlGghj7D-gtXAo_ce74VFyir4J3XvbLnoAdmQc78JHrFZkBKysj0Nl8mVb7Yv-J8Kvz0LT6/s1600-h/047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EcyZWyO8eBjrfikhSUDWiWEYknL_Z9LPzip4GfakiRZlaIXLXGYGqjKXzJZIrQM8gg_acrlGghj7D-gtXAo_ce74VFyir4J3XvbLnoAdmQc78JHrFZkBKysj0Nl8mVb7Yv-J8Kvz0LT6/s400/047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307700126470086850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">bren loving on cassie (Big Fur)</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21qGLYqifX23zw9rvXXO9ePuiqFaxO8LcD9IRRE1AXNTVA_OKaQ_5SgVGkRC6UQF3drLbmirYYmD5vAHB-NGmikwJ1p4j5vGU1r1o1r_ITuzmfov4Oho_pxvVOgmCn9QFS1dJhzPT63YL/s1600-h/010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21qGLYqifX23zw9rvXXO9ePuiqFaxO8LcD9IRRE1AXNTVA_OKaQ_5SgVGkRC6UQF3drLbmirYYmD5vAHB-NGmikwJ1p4j5vGU1r1o1r_ITuzmfov4Oho_pxvVOgmCn9QFS1dJhzPT63YL/s400/010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307700124220970418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /><br /></span>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-48725254026845892092009-02-24T04:57:00.013-05:002009-02-24T05:46:29.913-05:00She Who Must Be Obeyed <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfrImTSZ1EzHZ0m9xo6d5GjN5llIzuI_BhNUc0QZFz9cvmi3MoXE7AQS3vAZQOeRn8X1EBEAPhJMVJ-KzquJSjW1hSbhq6qsAhPC05_w3MLFJ8s-NRx7lTWP2YChjCWkWcmzrSoyKCqxd/s1600-h/036.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfrImTSZ1EzHZ0m9xo6d5GjN5llIzuI_BhNUc0QZFz9cvmi3MoXE7AQS3vAZQOeRn8X1EBEAPhJMVJ-KzquJSjW1hSbhq6qsAhPC05_w3MLFJ8s-NRx7lTWP2YChjCWkWcmzrSoyKCqxd/s400/036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306310116639968162" border="0"></a><br /><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">this got a tad bit lengthier than i thought it would. i am posting this because, if i am crying over cassie this morning, you all will just have to as well. she has not been very well these past few days with her megaesophagus, regurgitating and with a hacking cough, but today she is fine as frog's hair. yesterday, we were having to put her out front because she could not handle the back porch stairs, and this morning she hopped up and down the back porch stairs like a puppy.<br /></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><br /></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">it is so hard for me to admit what a ride it is for me that her health is a rollercoaster. this morning is the first time i have truly cried over this situation - i think i have been making myself so busy with making her food and getting her pills ready and finding her treats she can safely eat and making her beds up and washing the dog towels and holding her up and all of these little things to keep me occupied. i have been so afraid that i will never stop crying if i start, and that is pretty much what is happening.<br /></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><br /></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">i thought i was ready for this. i have to admit that she is getting worse - i can feel her esophagus has enlarged and i am having to work her food way down to her clavicles, where before i could just massage her throat a bit and she would be fine. Cassie-No-Love is not amused, what with her aversion to too much "handling", but it is working. she is very interested in what toby and dad are doing, and she can still run one an incredible rash if she is displeased with one. she still can cuss you out you until a fly would not pitch on you. but the good runs of days are getting shorter. where she could go for about 2 weeks with no problems, she is going about 2 days on and 2 days off. and the bad days are bad, but the good days are so good, she will even play with toby's toys in the yard and she will spend lots of time exploring outside. she will even mouth me to play a little.<br /></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><br /></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">and just when i promise myself after a day or two of her being ill that tomorrow will be the day, tomorrow comes and she wanders into my office and bumps me with that big nose of her, or she is bright and perky, and i cannot do it... the below is from a book due out this spring written by a man who lost his dogs, one to cancer and one to kidney disease, about their journey together. this is an all-out weeping, snot-running-down read, but very cathartic...and does not just apply to sick animals.<br /></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: georgia;" align="center"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><br /></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: georgia;" align="center"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">BEEZER’S TOP TEN REASONS <font style="text-decoration: underline;">NOT</font> TO FEEL <font style="text-decoration: underline;">GUILTY<o:p></o:p></font></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: center; font-family: georgia;" align="center"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p><font color="#000000" size="3">(Compiled by Beezer the Black Lab from the Bridge and sent back to Earth.)</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">10.<font style=""> </font>Jeez!<font style=""> </font>If you’re born, you die.<font style=""> </font>Think about it dad.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">9.<font style=""> </font>Fear is the real enemy, not kidney disease.<font style=""> </font>Fear is curable.<font style=""> </font>I’m with you right now, just invisible.<font style=""> </font>I’ll be waiting at the Bridge when you arrive.<font style=""> </font>Don’t be afraid.<font style=""> </font>Trust me.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">8.<font style=""> </font>Live with balance.<font style=""> </font>The list of what went “right” with my life is so much bigger than the list of what went “wrong.”<font style=""> </font>My body died from kidney disease, but my spirit always soared because of you.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">7.<font style=""> </font>What you focus on expands.<font style=""> </font>Honor my earthly life and memory.<font style=""> </font>Does feeling guilty help you remember all our good times, adventures and mutual love?</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">6.<font style=""> </font>Live with Presence!<font style=""> </font>Don’t despair about yesterday.<font style=""> </font>Don’t fear tomorrow.<font style=""> </font><font style=""> </font>Otherwise, you’ll miss out on the Gift of Today.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">5.<font style=""> </font>Thank you for taking my pain into your heart on that last day.<font style=""> </font>I’m so proud of you for that selfless act.</font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><br /><font style=""> </font></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">4.<font style=""> </font>Didn’t you always forgive me when I made a mistake?<font style=""> </font>I forgive you for any mistake you made during my illness.<font style=""> </font>You made the best decisions possible with the information available at that time.<font style=""> </font>All I took with me on my final earthly journey was our love.<font style=""> </font><font style=""> </font>Please accept my forgiveness and release the guilt.<br /></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">3.<font style=""> </font>Pat yourself on the back in between crying.<font style=""> </font>Your effort to treat me was a supreme act of humanity, love and compassion.<font style=""> </font>Our relationship was never more meaningful than during my illness.<font style=""> </font>Please recognize your character and commitment.<font style=""> </font>I do.<br /></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">2. <font style=""> </font>Guilt is what you humans do to punish yourself for not being perfect.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">1.<font style=""> </font>You didn’t have a cure for a fatal disease.<font style=""> </font><font style=""> </font>My body stopped working because of this fatal disease, not because of something you did or did not do.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3"><br /></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">©<font style=""> </font><st1:personname st="on">Doug Koktavy</st1:personname></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">May 1, 2005</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><font color="#000000" size="3">Doug and the B Brothers</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; font-family: georgia;"><o:p><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <font style="font-family: georgia;" color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">From my upcoming book:<br /><br />The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer:<br />Lessons on Living & Dying From My Canine Brothers<br /><br />Release Spring, 2009<br /><br /></font><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdP0xfaXpwjpay5Pklr6Hh97aLqgiQJoXMarmiGpzsWRm6DULXB_-Vg0OHxo-fw9un7ZBeqDWIpwO9hJfFxgq9pD1uSnJ8JmfolMzQTGdkB8WlcmIFN5-0kol47Tu4xXyuXYaYBTmfosP/s1600-h/194.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdP0xfaXpwjpay5Pklr6Hh97aLqgiQJoXMarmiGpzsWRm6DULXB_-Vg0OHxo-fw9un7ZBeqDWIpwO9hJfFxgq9pD1uSnJ8JmfolMzQTGdkB8WlcmIFN5-0kol47Tu4xXyuXYaYBTmfosP/s400/194.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306307436180247058" border="0"></a>and this is cassie giving us all "the butt" - i think over the years we have seen this view of her more than her face - she is not called "Cassie-No-Love" for no reason ...<br /><font style="font-family: georgia;" color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman"><br /></font>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5287479148698231340.post-67551521512376942682009-02-23T15:50:00.007-05:002013-09-14T18:15:36.239-04:00The Simple Woman's Daybook February 23rd Edition<span style="color: #330033; font-size: 100%;">(there should be the lovely line drawing of a victorian lady<br />here to illustrate the daybook but mrs. shields </span><span style="color: #330033; font-size: 100%;">yet </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: #330033;">has not </span><br /><span style="color: #330033;">mastered the placement of such) </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #330033;">2/23/2009</span><br /></span><span style="color: #663366; font-family: georgia; font-size: 100%;">Outside My Window...bright and sunny and clear<br /><br />I am thinking...i am so grateful to have found Flylady six years ago - i need her daily "get off your butt and do some work" reminders to help me take care of things! i am just missing that piece of my brain that tells me to do it on my own :-)<br /><br />I am thankful for...the snuggliness of this house - all of the beasts are taking naps, i hear my hubs rattling around upstairs. just those little homely sounds...<br /><br />From the kitchen...left over pizza, cold coffee, and cassie's dog food in the blender - dinner of champions!<br /><br />I am wearing...honestly? well, i stayed up all night with cassie and slept all afternoon, and am sitting here in what i had on this time yesterday - fashionable!<br /><br />I am creating... actually, i am reviving an apron that belonged to my mom-mom to wear around the kitchen.<br /><br />I am going...to need a shower before i asphyxiate everyone in the house.<br /><br />I am reading... the junk mail that has come today - it's an addiction<br /><br />I am hoping... that the clothes will fold themselves...<br /><br />I am hearing... my husband laughing at the beverly hillbillies!<br /><br />Around the house...puppies begging for dinner<br /><br />One of my favorite things...talking to Mr. Shields<br /><br />A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: getting our passports renewed or getting passcards (as my husband says, we only need to get to be able to get to canada ...) before the new regulations take effect. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html<br /><br />Here is a picture thought I am sharing...</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6V8cRa_-DFaaDrXHOoRf_8ItBIka-CtV-NcglKoJoftfz8iChb6JTndwefzlZLCov_VHLrfhWmS1241G38CYEfRA8h2zlH2-GHit88FyP1QEPItsYfM83RYdG8bqXfApAp2mte_3gS0Rv/s1600-h/204.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6V8cRa_-DFaaDrXHOoRf_8ItBIka-CtV-NcglKoJoftfz8iChb6JTndwefzlZLCov_VHLrfhWmS1241G38CYEfRA8h2zlH2-GHit88FyP1QEPItsYfM83RYdG8bqXfApAp2mte_3gS0Rv/s320/204.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306114336040963826" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="color: #663366; font-family: georgia; font-size: 100%;"><br />BRENDEN'S MAZE OF BOOKS UNDER THE DINING ROOM TABLE</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> -<span style="color: #330033;"> reminds me of being little and that magical world under the dining room table - many days i feel like crawling under there and playing myself!</span><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="color: #663366; font-family: georgia; font-size: 100%;"><br /></span>Mrs. Shieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203673863388145640noreply@blogger.com0