I'm going to...

...just leave this here.

Shawn
****

The gun people problem

“D-uh, gun control laws can’t ever make a difference because criminals are always going to break the law, duh yup-yup.”

It needs to be sharply, federally illegal to sell firearms or ammo to unqualified purchasers. There must be a ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines, bump stocks and whatever, and firearm ownership and operation needs to be more regulated than that of vehicles, with stringent programs of licensing, registration, instruction, inspection. No one is pretending crazy lunatics and evil bastards are going to obey such laws; it will be in the compliance of the sane and decent general public that such laws diminish the incidence of atrocities.

Gun lovers too often fail to recognize that strident control and regulation of all firearms possession will be consistent with a better armed law-abiding public.  Making it much more difficult for the wrong people to obtain guns goes nicely with the right people owning and carrying them. That flip side will likely contribute to public safety, too.  Liberals will be as happy as conservatives when someone takes out a shooter before he gets underway.

It’s way past time to have posted armed protectors at all public schools, but I still wonder why no one particularly advocates nonlethal school security measures.  Other all-too vulnerable venues as well, for that matter, might as well set up high-tech surveillance systems that can deploy taser and CS gas to stop a dangerous intruder.  Not necessarily *instead* of armed security, mind you, but as a perimeter that much more secure.  That way, too, someone mistakenly taken for a danger might survive it.

Of *course* it’s not supposed to be this way. Here is the one thing we can do that will help the most: People, for the love of God, please -- vote Democrat or progressive, promising never to vote Republican/conservative for as long as you shall live.  I’m convinced that one measure would save countless lives and usher in a halcyon era for America.

Health issues! Gesundheit...

Friends everywhere, who must by now be wondering:  Shawn has been under the weather *under* the weather, since about mid-October.  Finally decidedly on the mend, she's sure to resume soon, so watch and pray...    SGTex

Yes, I hope to be back after 2 months in 3 hospitals, 2 ICU stints and 1 code call, etc... Way past a mere "Gesundheit."

Shawn

Wait!! What about October...?

It's always been a favorite month of mine, with my husband's birthday (always a low key affair, but one of these days...) and our Bluebonnet Wedding celebration anniversary, the leaves across America turning their colors, and of course, the business of the Celtic New Year and Samhain.  Those things serve to make it a wonderful introduction to the best time of the year--the Holidays.

I have an inordinate number of pumpkin spice recipes.  Who would have thought that a particular flavor would became a major controversy and that pumpkins would start wars on the Internet?  Did you see the Christmas-themed Jack-O-Lanterns on the Hallmark Channel ads?  Mind blowing for many, they are.  Haha!!

Well, here's another post that means very little, but I do hope that if you happen by sometime and find yourself reading these words that all will be blessed and prosperous in your Celtic New Year.

Come again!

Shawn
****

Like so many evangelical Buddhists, I was born in Brownwood and grew up in San Angelo.  When I first moved to Abilene 30 years ago, the local paper carried stories of a town awash in church culture and creationism, and I saw at once that I had been called here, yes and summoned. I got busy writing letters to the editor about evolution, and offering occasional rebuttal to the Billy Graham column.

In those days, Christian education mavericks Tommy and Carolyn Walden (Don’t miss their creation “science” Discovery Center at S. 8^th and Butternut!) were reportedly expected to appear at all Abilene elementary schools with R.O.D.N.I.E. the religious robot.  

I guess that program had subsided later on, thank goodness, as my son attended K-12.  By middle school I was at least able to find the word “evolution” in his science books, but still many of our community’s science teachers almost certainly fell in the category of skimming past the topic or, worse, making positive mention of creation “science” as though it merited consideration alongside reality.

I don’t know whether the exasperating folly of creationism is presently indulged in AISD classrooms – oh wait, whom am I kidding, of course it is, and twice as much at Wylie and Clyde. 

People have suggested to me that the creation-evolution “debate” is an academic sort of matter, and of no great practical relevance.  I only wish it were so, frankly, now that the consequences of malignant science denial come blowing class 4 and 5, again and again.  But I suppose Texas incurred this sorrow and ruin by not going hard enough on Planned Parenthood and LGBT residents.

Having teamed up with Vladimir Putin and the white supremacist faction to pervert the presidential election, now the cult of creationism is gleefully at work circumventing the “no establishment” promise of the constitution –hoping to fulfill their mad fantasy of a “Christian nation.” How tragic that despisers of intellect and education have prevailed, replacing the worthiest statesman ever to hold the high office with a pretender thereunto, a shameless panderer who’s Christian only in the most hypocritical possible sense. 

To the delight of the crazy fringe that mis-elected him, this villain has of course done his blundering best to dismantle the advances America enjoyed during President Obama’s enlightened administration.

An immediate casualty was environmental protection. Great!  The fake religion Trump pretends to belong to drives an evil initiative to abandon regulation of industry, turning remorseless capitalism loose on a long-mistreated planetary environment.  Such an attitude can be expected to come of the popular doctrine that all this was quickly and easily poofed into existence just recently by One who’s going to come and carry us away to paradise any day now, if we but make ourselves believe a few things that fly in the face of, well, science. 

Mind you, many American churchgoers are not that way at all but have adapted to the news of the century before last and manage to maintain Christian faith that is worthwhile and beneficial.  Apparently they contemplate a God consistent with the actual supreme reality that science and Buddhism have detected. I sure wish those good Christians all the best and hope they overtake the others ASAP. 

Diversity, diversity in faith and philosophy is the treasure of constitutional liberty.  My heart is with the underdog minorities – Pagans such as my wife, and the Atheists and those who self-style on metaphysics in what has been called a new age.  Blessed are they who, in such times as these, stand up for the progressive ethic and resist the machinations of a dysfunctional regime.  May future elections repair and restore America!

Oh Nine Oh Nine Oh Nine

Shawn and I have more than one anniversary date to celebrate, having online documented  inaugural moments like the first “I love you” and marking a romantic milestone with Will You Marry Me Day.  Our public wedding was in 2010, as some friends hopefully recall.  Interestingly enough, that date of October 23 is also the wedding anniversary celebrated by Shawn’s first and second best friends in her life – to us, just another numerologic coincidence phenomenon.  I suspect things like that are planned or consented to in past lives.

But prior to our tying the knot at MCM Elegante that blessedly rainy day, we had already had a private ceremony elopement-style at heartily-recommended Star of Texas Bed and Breakfast in Brownwod TX.  

Okay, we got a little wedding-crazy, it’s true.  There were actually 3 ceremonies in all, the first being an informal or what used to be called “common-law” proceeding at the Taylor County Courthouse to culminate our shacking-up period, as we are the hip, progressive sort.

The enchanted and spiritual outdoor private BnB ceremony was at a time marked celestially, starting at nine seconds past 9:09 a.m., 09/09/09 C.E.  The date and time are so mystically agreeable that we decided to consider Sept 9 our “actual” Wedding Anniversary, when theoretically I spring for multiple dozens of roses, limo, etc.

I recall Shawn’s radiance that day, cool bare feet and Sheep May Safely Graze, champagne and cheesecake to follow.

Happy Anniversary, Sweetie, and many more to us.

I think we've come a ways....

These days...

...it seems like I'm never sure things will be as I expect.  Things are going along fine, as far as I am concerned, but then in a flash it's all turned upside down, spilled out and stomped on.  Whew.   My day.  Week.  Life.

This photo spoke to me.  I can imagine my life being filled with shadows and dark, mysterious places that hold the frayed bits of memory of days long gone.

Back then, did I appreciate how simple life was?  Was I aware of the beauty and kindness of those dear people who cared about me and loved me?  Did I know how soon so many would be passing from sight, crossing The River into their next existence, having been "promoted" (according to one of the dearest of all)?



The colored light reminds me that those were pretty easy days shared with great people.  

It's a blessing to have family and friends at hand, and it's time well spent and never wasted when one can be with people who genuinely care.

Shawn
****

What was I thinking?

Right now, I could probably write for miles.

I won't.  I've erased much of what was posted here and will spare you everything but this hello.

I like this picture that my nephew E said I could use.  See how it matches?  :)

Have a wonderful rest of your week!!

Shawn
****

I kinda wish we'd...

...have skipped July altogether.

You know, try as you might, your attempt at keeping an even keel (what is that, anyway?) and wanting a normal routine,  peaceable coexistence at home with everybody on the same page and heading the same direction can be flat-out ruined when it's not, shall we say, important to all interested (or disinterested) parties.

I know.  That was the longest run-on sentence and it just barely makes sense.

I am currently at a crossroads.  Continue with how things are, or....what?  Answers are elusive.  I can't do any more changing in the attempt at pleasing when there is no pleasing to be had.  That half-full cup is always half empty, you know.

This all might seem pretty vague to you, but you'll just have to read between the lines or disregard.  I'm pretty sure that any speculation as to what may or may not be going on with me would pale next to the reality.

I know, many say that God is good all the time, and that's nice.  Others have more serious things with which to deal, and perhaps I can "endure."  Someday I might tell you why I dislike the word "endure."

So, this is me, feeling kinda blue and bewildered.  

Cheers (eyeroll)

Shawn
****

I'm awake...

...and I'm mad.

Good manners.  It's always been important to me to remember the little ditty my mother (the one who reared me, not the bio mother who deserted me without ever looking at me) ---anyway--the little ditty my mother basically branded on my fanny:

We love you, and we want other people to love you, too.

What that meant was this:  Always be polite and use your best manners and people will love you, or like you, or at least enjoy your company, or at worst tolerate your presence.

Do you know what?  Not necessarily so.   HAH.

It has come to my attention that I can do all the right things and be as proper and polite as can be and say "please" and "thank you" and make sure the person with whom I deal or am depending on for help and am causing inconvenience knows how much I appreciate it....and BAM!!!!  It backfires.

Have I been duped?  Good manners are considered to be "pretentiousness." Is that even a word?  My attempt to show gratitude (which has been genuine, by the way) has been basically flung back in my face.

It's beginning to dawn on me that some of the words I heard and took to be concern and care might have been something else.  In other words, I've been giving credit where it wasn't necessarily due.

Lesson to me:  Get real.  Quit being a sap.  Sometimes people aren't as noble as you'd like them to be.  Or need them to be.

In the middle of the night, Texas time.

Shawn
****

June sneaked up on me and...

...you wouldn't believe what's been going on at the Love Shack.

Earlier today I heard someone say that it wasn't a good idea to let yesterday's disappointments dictate tomorrow's decisions.

Or something like that.

Anyway, it gave me something to consider.  I have lots of time on my hands these days to do plenty of thinking, and I'm starting to wonder if that's a good idea.  I used to not mind alone time and enjoyed my own company, but that was when everything I loved doing was close by and I was being creative and doing just what I pleased, pretty much.  Other people were near by who shared the same interests and appreciated my gardening or efforts in the kitchen.  The antique dealers liked to see me coming because they'd obtained items with me in mind and I could be separated from my $$ pretty easily- haha!  Now the alone time is something I do not enjoy.  At all.

I think what I started to say was that rather than doing some of the things I love to do, I've been limited (for various reasons) to just thinking about them.  I can reminisce, wonder how to do them here in a totally different world (or so it seems to me) or plan on a future that seems far off in the distance.

Whatever happens, I am going to try and not let the past negatives have such an effect on the potential future.

Toodles!!

Shawn
****

Catching up with May...

...Whew!!

Thankfully, a blog reader left a comment which I stopped by to answer, or I may not have ever gotten something said in May.

I really don't know what to say, other than lately my stress level has been stuck at "whiny" much of the time.  Things will get pretty excruciating over the next month or so, and then we should be able to breathe deeply and feel it's safe to peek out from under the sheet on most mornings.  I know I'm being somewhat vague, so will just drop a clue when I say "Oh, did you hear about the couple who sued their bank?"  Boyhowdy,

We're going to manage just fine, thanks.  I'll be back soon and have something to say.  Maybe something actually meaningful.

Good evening!

Shawn
****

FB trolls be advised: We support compassionate interventions in Syria, even when conceived by the likes of Trump

I'm no Trump fan, but I care about the Syrian population's plight and would be ashamed if we, the USA, sat on our hands and still did nothing to retaliate against the use of gas by the Syrian government on its own people.

If you want to moan and groan about Trump "starting a war" or distracting from XYZ, then go ahead, but I won't be agreeing much with anyone who's not had word one to say about those who've lost everything and everyone, just because they had the misfortune to dwell in a country that is being systematically destroyed by the monster at the top.

You who are disgusted and wish to complain about the USA doing something to put its foot down and shake its saber at Syria's corrupt leader are entitled to your opinions, but until you've watched the news, seen the videos, been FB friended by people who live in that hellish situation, please just hold your tater when passing near my newsfeed. I beg your pardon, but—

--it appears my Irish is a bit up at the mo

Shawn
****

Just fell into 'a day late...'

...and a dollar short, as they say.  The 7th was the anniversary of my Mama's death back in 2000 and this meme states her attitude in a great way.  She truly had it down, being grateful along the way.  ;)

Me?  Still working on that.

Shawn
****

It's been the worst day ever for me...

...but I think I'll just post this.

Shawn
****

If you love this planet....

I did it my way......

The big question...

...the other day was asking what you'd tell your younger self.  You know, the words of wisdom that you'd share with the younger you that would make your life so much nicer.

I questioned myself and came up with the "don't throw away those letters or pictures" and "be more forthcoming in your journal and keep it up."  I think really there must be a journal's worth of good ideas that the younger me would have been able to use, had the younger me been so inclined.

Meanwhile, this picture says it all.

Shawn
****

Happy Birthday, Grandma...

I wish for you all the lady luncheon style shows, shopping sprees to Seattle, Frango chocolates, designer linens, Finnware, Best Sellers, camellia and rhody bouquets, pastries and plain cake donuts, pots of coffee, meat market sausages on a string, lime molded salads and finger sandwiches you shared with me. Annual holiday shopping trips to Seattle to see what color Frederick's and The Bon would do and visits to Santa were a delight to me. Coming home with something new to show Grandpa, the giant shopping bags and Christmas Carolers singing were the stuff of my dreams.


You didn't know how much your kindnesses to others and trips to the library and historical museum would stick with me. It meant a lot that you didn't tire of going downstairs to see Ezra Meeker's covered wagon and the mummy every single time we visited.

You didn't know that the trips you took to far away places inspired me to do the same, and your letters meant the worlds to me.

You couldn't imagine that your baby picture would hang on our bedroom wall in Texas, but it does.

Thanks a million, as you'd say.

Shawn
****

A....LOT !!

In the early morning hours...

...of Inauguration Day, I'm thinking about the last 8 years and all the hope and dreams.
Are they yet to be fulfilled?  Were they lost?  Did I just up and hand them over to someone else who didn't want to be my dream keeper?

Over share them?

Where are they now?  Gone?  Or just on hold?

Shawn
****

Happy New Year, Earth....

Come, little children....

Blessed be the....

I wrote the following a year and a half ago.  Nowadays I am so aghast at our anomalous president-elect that I am temporarily kind of dumbstruck, but it looks as though some of my prior commentary still applies.  Well, in my opinion, anyway.  

John Kleese does Hitler

"Maranatha, come Lord Jesus."  -Michelle Bachman

U.S. politics has so polarized that any complementarity the factions might once have acknowledged has hardened into stubborn partisanship.  That’s just as unfortunate, certainly, as President Obama makes it sound; however, at least it clarifies things – much like dialing the “contrast” setting all the way up on an old television. 

Didn’t people once recall with nostalgia a “simpler time,” exemplified by movies in black and white?  Now an era is upon us when the issues are pretty clear-cut.  In fact, it all seems to be shaping up into a frank battle between good and evil.  Optimistically speaking, it’s reasonable to hope for a favorable outcome (eventually, anyway) because the good guys are intelligent and the bad guys are idiots. 

As I have shown before, liberalism is associated with education, science and progress while conservatism is based on willful ignorance, misleading religion and backwardness.

The distinction is even plainer on a global scale than it is here at home.  The U.N. and NATO, though somewhat ineffective to date, represent hope for the Family of Man.  Where does one see the opposite of that?  Syria and Iraq, of course, in a foul and subhuman social disease known as ISIS, next to which Hitler’s goons look like the Beatles.  But that axis of absurd cruelty bears out my theory, for their depravity is directly related to conservatism founded in the extreme ignorance of perverse, medieval religion.  

I’m sure most will agree that ISIS is fully half again as bad as the American Family Association.

On the sentinel issues such as marriage equality, reproductive freedom, gun control, immigration and separation of church and state, you’d think America would have settled matters for good by now – but danged if conservatives haven’t come down squarely in the wrong and stayed there for decades, fouling up society something awful.

As if all that weren’t bad enough, abuses of the extreme right wing persist and worsen ad nauseam in the life-and-death matter of environmental/energy policy.  The gods must surely be dismayed to see Alberta, Canada laid to waste by the filthiest industry in history, whose ambition is to export the ooze of that disaster to the rest of the world.  But isn’t a similar malady afflicting Texas?  What could be stupider than poisoning the groundwater while raping the drought-stricken earth night and day?  Signs no less ominous than seismic tremors are being ignored by the corporate lapdogs our elderly keep sending to Austin.  I don’t understand why responsible Texans aren’t out there toppling rigs.

Insanely reckless industrial pollution is attributable in large part to distorted religion, of the sort that teaches “the world” (our planet) is a thing to be disdained and abandoned; that these are the fabled “end times” and nothing Man can do but hosannah hallaloo and pass the ammunition.  Subterranean Texas would appear to be as outta luck these days as polar bears and unarmed black males. 

******

SGTex

It's been December....

....for awhile, now.

I haven't really known what to say, for some reason.  I still don't, but have been thinking about the Father Christmas collection that was lost and now long gone, so I will just put up a lovely picture and imagine nice things that I wish had come to make happy the lovely, lost children of Aleppo.


Season's Greetings

****
Shawn

BOOM!!!

By the way...

Tis the season of Samhain...

... and there's so much I could say.

This little goblin makes me smile.

Gods know we need to lighten up, what with politics here in the USA.  We voted early for Hillary and will hope for the best.  The Standing Rock Sioux and pipeline vs water issues is big, or it ought to be.

I find myself looking at people who seem to never have issue-oriented Facebook posts and wonder what is wrong with them.  Haha!  It's more like what's wrong with me! Why aren't they worried? Why don't they have something to say about anything other than their frivolities?  How come they yada yada yada, anyway?  Maybe. truth be told, these friends are a bit ahead of me and know that it's not a bad thing, keeping it light... Hmmm.

This little goblin makes me smile.

There are such sadnessses and sins committed against the planet and lack of gratitude for her Gaia gifts to us.  What can I do, but spread the word about the needs and concerns as best as I can and be grateful for my husband who shares in my caring and works hard to make good money so we can give some monetary help to our favorite causes.  (Thanks again, Mister)

Then encouragement comes when I see that a petition did its job to make a change for the good.  Or how about the anti-poaching statistics as to how many animals have been spared, or video clips of happy bears or elephants adjusting to a peaceful life of leisure?  The high anxiety felt as we wait for  elephants or bears in India or Asia to be rescued in the night and trucked away to safety causes me to check for good news every time I wake up and wonder how far along the road to freedom have they come?  Are they home yet?  Reading about Chinese people rescuing stolen and stray dogs from the doom of the dog meat trade makes me grateful for changing hearts and steps forward to enlightenment.  The ongoing protest at Taiji teaches patience and persistence and gratitude for the heroic efforts on behalf of the dolphins.  Countries making decisions to respect as sentient beings and giving rights to animals is wonderful.

This is the stuff that fills my heart and my head most of the time, and when I'm behaving myself and having the right attitude, minding my own business, I'm grateful for some of the less serious-minded of my peeps and their frivolities and will. of course, wish to share in the fun:

This little goblin makes me smile.

Happy Samhain!

Shawn
****

What I said today to someone in Africa who is concerned about America....

 

It'd be nice if you all paid as much attention to your own problems and corrected what is needed, rather than get caught up in the hype and garbage that the fringe element (weirdos) trot out here in the USA. Ron Paul and his kind aren't respected as much as they'd like--for good reason. Assange is a pot-stirrer who doesn't serve anyone but himself. An attention whore, if you will. 

You people really need to take care of your own problems, as do we. If we can manage that, rather than finger point and eyeroll at what's happening in places we don't call home, we'll be better caretakers of the planet. 

Evolve, dammit!!

Shawn

****

What I said a year ago today...

I'd really appreciate it if the deer in Texas could refrain from hurtling themselves at my husband's car when he's driving the 90 miles home after working a 12+ hour shift all night.

He's not particularly interested in being one of his own patients, and we were just fine with the car the way it was, tyvm.

And now to process the near catastrophe.

(He came stalking in the house all handsome in his scrubs without so much as a mustache hair out of place.)

The car, otoh....

Now:  Different new car.  Same mustache.

Gratefully.

Shawn

****

Teddy Bear the Porcupine's Halloween Feast

The Toy Smuggler of Aleppo

World's Unluckiest Elephant's Journey To Freedom

Hey....

Somebody come here and stop me from going off on the person/s whining and carrying on about 'how awful these days are for America.'

Really??

As crazy as it is here in the USA, it still beats the 2nd and 3rd world nations.


Most of my readers are not Syrians wondering when the sky will ever quit raining down hell on us. We're not Filipinos eating someone's dog for dinner. We're not Afghani women denied an education or the opportunity to make choices. The Taliban is somewhere else, and we are free to express outrage when things don't go our way. We have the freedom to come and go in this country without paying exorbitant prices for gas and have the power to protest what we feel has negative effects on our environment. We can debate and argue and raise hell when we disagree and have the ability to learn and apply our truth to our lives. We can watch the news and pick and choose what we see and hear.

It's still up to us to turn it on or shut it off.

We don't have to believe America isn't great enough, because it is.

Shawn
****

If wishes were horses...

...beggars would ride.

I stated this charming little ditty in what was an attempt at an early morning conversation (I should know better) with my husband.  He said some things about it which prompted one of my I'net searches and I found that these words come out of the 16th century as a nursery rhyme.  It's called a English language proverb.

Wikipedia suggests lyrics as:

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
If turnips were watches, I'd wear one by my side.
If "if's" and "and's" were pots and pans,
There'd be no work for tinkers' hands.


... and a shorter version:

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
If turnips were bayonets, I'd wear one by my side.

The Wikipedia article turned out to be really interesting to me, and it was quite reassuring, in that I had remembered the words correctly and it was an entirely appropriate thing to say, given the context of what might have been a lovely, cozy conversation.  I seem to recall a table discussion in one of my college literature classes during the Olde English study periods, now that I think of it.  I think I'm going to look up something on "pillow talk" next.  

Sighing, 

Shawn

****

I don't know about you, but ...

I'm pretty much right here these days.  That mental list with two columns that seems so sensible and organized one moment (when things aren't going the way I want) and then (when things simmer down and seem to normalize) I'm all ready to toss the list and go with my feelings.  Which, unfortunately, are very temporary and change more times in a day than I want to confess.

"They" say we make our own happiness.  I don't really believe that.  My happiness can be right "here" these days and just disappear in a flash, or drain away before I can get my bearings.  How does that happen?  I've let life get the best of me and I'm more controlled by the doings or undoings of someone other than me.  When the who and what I am is diminished to the point where I'm about to disappear...

Well, I'd better just fall back on one of my boyhowdys.  Or would that be boyhowdies?

Eyeroll...

Shawn
****

This is coming soon......

,,,and I just really like the poster!!

Shawn
****

In case you hadn't noticed...

Keep our planet clean....

We'll remember you...

Those lost in the Pulse Club, Orlando massacre.

Texans outside the Houston Zoo mourning those lost in Orlando at the Pulse Club massacre.

My gods, I almost missed May...

...altogther (even a word?) .  That would have been kinda funny.

There isn't much to go on here in the way of Pollyanna-style gladness and light.  Cloudy here, in more ways than one,  Le sigh.

Shawn
****

Earth Day....

...is a good day,

These days...

...it seems that what is usually going on is whatever fits in to a sleep/work cycle.  SGTex is the one with a whirlwind of activity, while I wait on myself to catch up with myself.  What does that mean?  Oh, just readjusting to a point where I can wrap my mind around life around here after a long (and I mean l-o-n-g) semi-recovery from my own personal brand of pneumonia.  That's not the least bit interesting, though.

Tonight I'm here at home being grateful for our little Love Shack in our funny little dog-filled neighborhood.  It's a somewhat typical Texas night with the somewhat typical night sounds to which I've become accustomed.  Certain neighbors seem to come and go and there's a distant bark and, if we're lucky, the song of a lonely male mockingbird not too far off.  It's probably not nearly as pleasant for him, singing his heart out after dark, as it is for me.  Nice to hear and nice to note it's ceased, and I am glad to know that he's found someone to love.

We have a pair of mourning doves nesting in the eaves over the bedroom and they'll coo in the middle of the night.  The pretty pigeons we hosted last spring seem to have moved next door.  I guess we have a gecko under the front yard's pecan and I'm always listening for crickets.

Hah.  My husband calls me Snow White for a reason, I guess.

Shawn
****

Okay, thank you!! Good bark!! What is bothering you boys?

The Mister is working tonight (all night!) and I'm here with the Havanese Hellpups.  For some reason they've been set on high alert and it's been nothing but "yip, yip, ruff, bark" all night long.

Actually, they're nice company for each other and for me, too, while they're glamping in the kitchen.  And of course, the neighborhood dogs out there started it all.  It's a good thing to know we're in good paws here in our funny little neighborhood and all is well here in the Love Shack.  It would have been better if my Man had been able to come home after the planned short shift instead of being Mr Super RN pulling an all-nighter, but they threw money at him and he's a really good sport.

Hah!

Shawn
****