Everything Is Different

"Toby, I was thinking yesterday that all the infants and toddlers around the world now are Pandemic Babies."

"Why do you want to give them a category name?"

"I don't know, maybe because this era is so different than when you and I were that age."

"Oh, yeah, when you and I were back at the condo in Tucson, I was a kitten there!"

"I was a kitten."

"What do you remember?"

"I really liked that fluffy, orange rat you gave me. Oh yes, and my two cat trees. It was fun doing my claws on the living room one. It was a pretty good launch pad for the top of the cabinets, too."

"Which one was your favorite?"

"Hands down, the one on the screened patio. I loved perching there so I could see the outdoors, the trees, and the wash next to us was where the wild things are. Still, I couldn't go outside the porch for dinner and a show like here at the farm."

"What do you miss the most?"

"Those early afternoons when you took a nap on the couch and I took a nap on your stomach."

"Wow, me too! I miss that the most. Sure was peaceful."

"It sure was." He was quiet for a minute; then said, "Something I don't miss--that awful broiler pan full of soap and water flopping over onto the floor when I jumped up on the kitchen counter."

"Oho! so you remember that!"

"Yeah, it totally scared me. You don't forget stuff like that. You were away on an errand. I felt bad about it."

I couldn't find him when I got home that day. I searched and searched and grew worried he'd somehow gotten outside and a coyote got him. When I saw the quilt covering my bed slightly rising and falling right where it was tucked at the pillow, I knew I'd found him. "I was so glad you were OK, my friend."

"You can have whatever it is you have on your counters! I never want a nasty pan of soapy water crashing again!!!"

"Here at the farm, you don't need to concern yourself about that anymore," I reassured him.

"Everything is different," he said.

"Yep, everything is different."

***

Another basketball weekend for Elijah and his team in a Las Vegas tournament turned instead into a weekend there with Covid. Elijah and his dad Duane both came down with it. Thankfully, both were fully vaxxed and boosted and are recovering. The rest of the family, all there for both the tournament and some visit time together, have supplied their doorstep with foodstuffs and other essentials.

We can't report anything from that sports angle, so we'll back up a couple of years and post a video recently found buried in an incorrect folder for the 

Sports Desk...

Young Kingston and big bro Elijah practicing their basketball moves.

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And, Wendy was pursuing her riding sport, and while grooming the horse she rides at a local stable a deer strolled into view with her twin fawns not far behind. Wendy captured this...

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From the Arts Desk...

I see the family art streak has cropped up yet again among our dear youngsters. This time it is Lilly...

Great-grandniece Lilly (6) drew Great-Grandma Sandy, Lilly (herself), brother Hunter (8), and sister Paisley (5).

Keep it going, young lady. 

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And, the rocks Sonja sent me are now all painted...

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We'll pause now for a Milestone. Yours truly had another birthday. It was special sitting with Pat and Marge one last time on Marge's back porch and having a takeout lunch with Pat's homemade pound cake and some ice cream to go with it. We were saying goodbye to that lovely backyard, too. Her place is now sold and Marge will take up residence in Ohio in a few more days.

Marge.

Pat.

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Then, evening time Wendy, John, and Aidan had me for a birthday dinner at the Spinnerstown Hotel outdoor deck where the family also had our Christmas dinner...

Wendy & John.

Aidan and Me.

The lovely birthday flowers they gave me.

We finished off with a dessert at the farm. On the way back, Aidan drove himself and me in my car to our fave local store for me to choose a dessert. A big lemon meringue pie caught my eye. Great pie, great treats, great fun having a grandson drive my pony Subaru. What's not to like?

Family and friends' messages and remembrances arrived in abundance that continue to charm and fills me with thanks for the wealth of grateful, happy feeling each one brings.

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As Aidan and I had driven along on that special day, the roadside Queen Anne's Lace was everywhere. It doesn't mind our heat wave much at all. I related to Aidan that my dear cousin Jackie had liked to gather them into a bouquet when she was a youngster. The birthday greeting I got from her brought them to mind because I like to send her pictures of them. In lieu of new photos taken during our heat, I gathered up ones from the past blog postings and Photos let me put them into a slide show. The final slide is from Keoni.

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