~Farewell, Fawnie...Til We Meet Again~

Dear Dad, Take good care of my puppies. You now have both of them with you in heaven. Fawnie was so sick. I know that now, he is running through the green fields, ears flying in the wind, with Coconut.

Remember when Tommy saved his birthday money to buy him?? He loved that puppy. sigh.

We are taking time to mourn his loss. He was such good company to me this last year without Coconut. He was always right by my side while I worked. He hated the 'pounding' when I hammered the silver jewelry, though! Maybe Jim will come home from work one nite and meet a new puppy. We'll see!

Katie came yesterday and spent the afternoon with me. It helped a lot. She's a smart cookie for a little Amish girl!!!

For now, I will spend more time with Mom, and take some time to do some traveling. It's the first time in 36 years that I'm not responsible for anyone else: first the boys, then the dogs, then you and mom, then just mom, then one dog....now? I don't like this feeling.

Mom's alzheimer's is still the same: she knows who we are, feeds herself with a little help, can't walk or stand, and still only speaks an occasional word or two. But I know you already know that.
Aunt Grace is there with her, too. She's not doing well, either. They eat all their meals together. It's heartwarming to watch. Who knew they'd both end up there together!

I bet you're golfing everyday. And still rooting for the Browns, and as you used to say, "How 'bout them Indians?"!!!

I miss you horribly, Dad.

xoxoxoxoxox To Heaven and Back~

Your Loving Daughter~xoxoxoxox

~Monday Blessings~

Mom started eating again after refusing food for 3 days last week.

Aunt Fran came through her 1st week of chemo (lymphoma of the brain) with flying colors.

Jim's LOVING his new job. It's the blessing of his career!!!

Tom and Amy's wedding plans are coming together beautifully. They're happily redecorating their new home.

All the kids will be in town this coming weekend to celebrate my birthday.

Fawnie has adjusted to being the only puppy, and is LOVING all the attention.

36 inches of Snow!!

A brand new month~

I'm well and back in the studio again.

Life is good.

What are YOUR Monday Blessings?

~Just Fawnie and Me~

It was quite an adjustment when Jim went back to work on Monday. It was no longer, "Me and the Puppies"....but "Just Fawnie and Me". sigh.

He spent several days looking EVERYWHERE for Coconut: behind file cabinets, under the sofa, and in all Coconut's favorite hiding places. It broke my heart. If it's possible for a pup to be depressed...Fawnie is. He has sad-looking eyes and lays in his bed with his moosh over the side like he's mourning. I guess that's exactly what he's doing.

I took him with me to see my mom at the nursing home on Monday....but Tuesday when I ran to the grocery store....he let out long, high-pitched wails when he saw that I wasn't taking him with me. He's never been 'left' without Coconut, and was used to snuggling with him until we returned.

Finally, today....it looks like he's stopped looking for his brother. He follows me everywhere. In the past, that was Coconut's self-designated 'job'. Fawnie was content to stay put in his little bed in the family room, while Coconut never left me out of his sight!

We are snowed-in here in Ohio. We've had 37" of snow here in the SnowBelt, and are expecting more tonite and tomorrow. It's been a wonderful week of re-organizing and designing new creations in between making pots of soup, chili and home-made desserts. Jim's been enjoying the delicious aromas that greet him each nite after traveling through the 'tundra' from work.

On tonite's agenda: a roaring fire, chili, salad, corn muffins, freshly-baked apple pie....and of course, cuddling with Fawnie on the sofa watching movies. So....wherever you are in the world.....Cuddle-up and stay warm~

~The Prize Inside~

Do any of you remember those tantalizing adds on the very fronts of those ‘certain’ boxes of cereal that claimed to have the very best prizes inside….and the best part of all, was that they were ‘free’? Really. They were. Yeah, I know….my mother didn’t believe it either.

Those Saturday morning cartoon shows made sure they covered every single brand of cereal, and were sure to show just how ‘wonderful’ the prize inside was. And to convince all of its kiddie-audience that they really really ‘needed’ the particular magical miniature slate, ring, magic trick or diving frogman. I mean really. You didn’t want to be the only kid in your class that didn’t have one, did you?

My brother, sister and I would put on our very best angelic faces and earnest sounding promises of how we would eat ALL the Corn Flakes in that box. Just because none of us really LIKED cornflakes was inconsequential.

No sooner had that ol’ DeSoto pull into the drive when Mom arrived home from the store, our grubby little hands had reached to the very bottom of that cereal box, grinning as we pulled out ‘the prize’.

When I received a package in the mail from my sister the other day, I smiled as I ripped off the brown paper to find a large box of Honey Nut Cheerios. I grinned. Then giggled as those memories flooded back to me.

The significance of that particular brand of cereal to my sister and me: my two poodle pups, and Kathy’s one poodle pup will pirouette on their hind legs for Honey Nut Cheerios! They LOVE them!

I anxiously opened the box, fully intending to pull out a handful of those sweet little round ‘O’s’……but instead, felt FUR. Uh-oh. I was a little disappointed. And a wee bit leery....but lo and behold,

I pulled out the sweetest bear. With wings. Cranberry-colored velvet ones. As I sat the bear on the counter so I could stand back and admire him…..there on the bottom of his paw was “Angel of Hope” embroidered in cranberry lettering!

Thank you, Toots! I carry him from room-to-room. And that cereal box……I’m never throwing it away. It has a place of honor in my studio. Memories don’t get much sweeter than that. And neither do sisters!