Happiness

This particular rocking horse has been in the same family until I bought it from a local Grandfather on craigslist.org. It is 50 years old and in great condition. We all cherish it. (Just in case you are wondering - only Jack rides it)

When the cat is away....

The mice will play.

Last week we were visiting Mum and John and Mum left her computer "unsupervised".

Nice Hat.....I Mean....Cat!

Every evening, after Jack's bath he gets his bottles of milk with Diego and me. Jack often likes to take advantage of me by sticking his finger up my nostril (doing so in the first photo and again in the one before the last photo).

You can see the love Jack and Diego have for one another.

Halloween

...it has been a while since I last posted...sorry...

Jack was a little red devil (he was a devil last year too). Right around the time we wanted to take Jack and Tazio door to door trick or treating...there was hail. So, Tazio came to visit.

My computer is compromised and I had to reload the operating system in order to buy some time to back everything up (this is when you ask yourself when did you last back up your computer or important files?).

Tazio's costume is wonderful.

In Memoriam - Tootie Fruity

Our beloved cat Tootie Fruity had to be put down on Friday 7/30/10.

I miss her terribly and I still keep having phantom Tootie moments when I walk into a room and something catches the corner of my eye I think it is her.

A friend was adopted by a pregnant cat a few months ago and the cat gave birth 4 weeks ago. As soon as the kittens are weened (in about 2 weeks) we will adopt one. Dick and I went to see the kittens last week. Even though they are cute and cuddly, I felt no excitement (possibly the effect of grief).

I am grateful I didn't follow my immediate reaction to get a replacement cat/kitten right away. I did go window-shopping at the local pet store as an emotional exercise. It did cross my mind I would be comparing the new pet with Tootie. Our relationship was unique, as all relationships should be.

In the meantime, time without Tootie is proving to be cathartic.

This new kitten is going to be so important in Jack's life. They will be best buddies - just like Tootie and I were.

Caroline, Joe and Sam visit

John's daughter Caroline visits (for close to a week) with her husband Joe and their son Sam and their dog "Fruit Salad". They live in Richmond, VA. People are blurred because I didn't use my flash - I wanted to capture the ambiance.

Jack Meets His First Pony & Goat

Impromtu Nap

Today we buried our beloved cat "Tootie Fruity". Tootie was a gift to me from Dick in 1999. Dick and I had a cry in front of Jack at her burial. I think Jack picked up on our grief and together with his physical pain of teething he cried and cried until he fell asleep in my arms. It was out of schedule for him, around 9:30 am (he naps now only around 12pm) and I just wanted to keep him with me for the duration of his nap.

Grieving and nurturing seem to go together.

His nap was only an hour but when he awoke I determined he wanted what ever he could do to remain close to me. That was so cathartic and reassuring that Jack wanted to make me feel "better". It helped.

John's Camp At Moreau

What a cool location - right on the edge of a ravine so quite private. Those lamps are mini lamps (only about 4" tall) and yes, John sleeps on a dog's bed and his dustpan and brush is about 3" wide. Unfortunately this blog will not let me post the panorama of the whole camp.

Homemade Mini Burger

A while ago (2 days before grandma's birthday (6/28/10)) we made Jack his first homemade mini hamburger. He loved it.

Jack in the box

We had to buy a multi-room air conditioner recently. It's cardboard box caught my eye and I cut a door and port holes in it for Jack.

The first time he saw it I had to demonstrate getting into it. It is not that big a box and I was thrilled I fitted into it. Almost daily he asks me to get in it with him. He loves it. We will have to get a photo of Mum and son in the box.

Stink

Last night after Jack's dinner we were hanging out in the living room and Jack had been leading me around. He went over to the coffee table and slipped behind it to look for my laptop (which was not there - it was in my office). He signaled to me that he wanted some laptop time. I retrieved it and we started watching Blue's Clues on YouTube.

I got a strong whiff of poo so I lifted him up and sniffed his diaper. No, not there. I got another strong whiff so I thought it was perhaps on his clothing somewhere so I sniffed his sleeve, his shoulder and even his cheek (there was something on his cheek). Jack was watching the laptop and he stopped, leaned away from me and looked at me as if to say "What are you doing? Is my mother really a dog in disguise?".

It was on the underside of his shoe.

Yuck!

It is amazing how quickly that shoe was taken outside and scrubbed!

p.s. and for those who may be wondering...it was not his, it was probably cat shit from playing out in Susu's (day care provider) yard.

Cocktail party on Saturday

Mum and John hosted a cocktail party on Saturday. If you daydream at my dress you can see a circle of swimming dolphins.