July Update

Well, here it is the end of July already!! I just had a feeling that summer would go by fast and it sure is -- way too fast!! As usual, it got HOT, really HOT and HUMID here - but you know I do love summer, so I haven't minded too much. But -- of course -- my hair has been a disaster! Isn't it always!!! :)

Summer time is pool time, am I right? It's been a bit different this summer with me working part-time 3 days a week and Maddie being in class 3 mornings a week and studying a lot! Her class ends with the final final tomorrow! Two finals - one for lab and one for lecture! She's killing that class and I have a learned a little going over review questions with her! Her goal was an A and she's getting it! In other news, she went to the nearby outlet mall one day to meet her new roommate. She said they had a good meeting -- even though they couldn't find the Scooters that is right in the middle of the outlet mall and we've walked by it loads of times. But, anyway, her roomie is from Omaha and a nursing major. Maddie is a radiologic technology major so I think it will be a nice blend of two awesome majors. My roomies in college (back in the dark ages) were all nursing majors.

Wait -- did I tell you that she's transferring to Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Omaha?? No -- well she is! She planned to stay in Kearney and do the program at the UNMC (Univ of Neb Medical Center) in Kearney, but they required more prereqs so she would have had to have another whole year before she could even start the program. She looked around and found the program at Nebraska Methodist and applied there. She was accepted (competitive to get in) and decided to go there since she could start the program right away.

Even though she loved Kearney and hates to leave her friends there, this seems like a very good fit and excellent program. Bonus- she'll only be an hour away instead of 2 hours. Classes start at the middle of August. She'll be living in their housing (see above) - apartments just across the parking lot from the classroom buildings. She is excited and we are thrilled for her!

In other news, We took Jane (oldest granddaughter) mini-golfing one day! So fun and guess who got a hole-in-one?? Moi! Go me! We also introduced her to Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A -- yes, we are good influences! We saved McDonald's for another day!

Maddie and I also made a couple meals with the help of Hello Fresh! Yummy!!! Seems like pork tacos are a favorite of Hello Fresh and ours too. This was a sheet pan chicken and roasted veggies dish! We LOVED roasted carrots -- who knew how to make those??? Not me! But, now I know. I see a lot of roasted carrots in my future!

Frannie has demanded our attention a lot of the time and although she hates her leash, she does like going for a walk! She actually runs away when we get the leash out. Weird dog! She's getting a shorter haircut today as running after bunnies in the yard has resulted in lots of little nettles or some such getting stuck in her fur and a nightmare to comb out. Am afraid she's gonna look like a naked mole rat when she comes home later. I think she was laughing at us the last time she had a haircut! I have a feeling we're gonna be laughing at her later today!

Well, I guess that's July for you! Hoping to post more, but as you can see, I'm not always successful! But, here's a fun photo of me shopping. WHen I don't have an assistant (Maddie) with me, I take photos and send to her for approval!! HA HA -- she thinks I'm crazy!!

Hope your summer is going well! Enjoy every minute! xoxo

December??? Already???

Hi friends! Oh wow -- how did November escape me without a single post??? I've been overwhelmed lately with the office and various other things - so the good old blog has suffered. Frannie the mini-golden doodle says hello! What a needy dog!! She is spoiled beyond belief by Rickster. They sit together in the recliner nearly every morning for some CNN news and toast!!!!!!

Here's a quick recap and my New Year's resolution will definitely be to do better!! Pinky promise!!

Well, October zipped right by, didn't it! I made a couple drives to Kearney to see Miss Maddie and those were fun! I just love that campus. Sometimes Maddie and I would take "walks and talks". I'd call from Lincoln and walk and talk to her and she'd walk in Kearney. Such a great way to keep in touch. I kind of wish I had known about the University of Nebraska at Kearney when I was going to college and maybe I would have gone there! Of course, there have been a ton of improvements since the really old days when I went to college.

Maddie is now in one of the suite-style dorms known as Antelope dorm. Nicer than any apartment I ever lived in! So great that she can have her own private room as that makes studying so much easier. Otherwise, she was jam-packed into a tiny space and had to leave the room to study and/or make a phone call. She'd make telephone calls from her car so she had a little privacy. She was on the waiting list to get into the suite-style dorm since fall and there was an opening, so Connor and I went one weekend and helped her move from one dorm to another. I recommended she move when it became available as I sure didn't want her to be sitting in her cold car calling! Later, she had fall break around the end of October and it was super to have her home for a few days. The fountain above is right outside her dorm and so pretty!

In case you're wondering, she and I like to send each other inspiring quotes now and then, so I'm posting a few of our favorites!

That's it for this update. Stay tuned and I promise to keep posting no matter if anyone reads it or not.

End of April Update!

Hi Friends -- how in the world did April zip by sooooooo fast???? I guess we were busy thinking about nice weather, enjoying nice weather, cleaning the yard and who knows what else. I need to put myself on a blogging schedule, but then I'm afraid you'd all know that I am a bit lazy and don't have a whole lot going on! My most fun things lately are watching When Calls The Heart and Hallmark movies!

Maddie and I have been taking our goofball doodle, Frannie, on walks and while she runs from the leash initially - we know that she really enjoys being out on a walk . . . especially since I take along a few cookies (treats) for her.

I have also been assisting Mads in some photo-taking -- i either advise on location, angle, sunlight and about anything else I feel like might be of assistance. Not sure I'm really helping! :) She has been getting some fabulous photos of friends, a favorite college graduate and a simply adorable prom couple. I'll share later so that I don't take away from anyone else's photos and posts. And this photo below is of her birthday cake -- isn't it fabulous!! Yes, it was totally edible and delicious and I wish I could say I made it myself -- well, no one really knows - so let's say I DID make it myself!!

So, that's what I've been doing besides still working in the office until 3 PM most days. Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Happy May Day to all!

Happy Birthday to Frannie!

 Little Frannie Doodle had a birthday this month!  She turned 1 on August 8!   

Now that she's 1, I'm sure all those naughty puppy behaviors will be a thing of the past, right!??? 

 Let's hope so.  Fingers crossed!

Her birthday look!

Like most pups, she has her good days and her extremely naughty days.  Perhaps turning 1 has freaked her out a little and she is determined to remind us that she need and WANTS more attention!

Recently, she tore into a couch cushion from the sofa that is "hers."  Guess since she is allowed on it, she figured she could tear into it.  I did not appreciate all that stuffing on the floor.  Why, oh why, did she think she could eat the stuffing!  One thing I've gotten past is my disgust at having to dig things out of her mouth! 

Just the other day, she decided Rickster wasn't paying enough attention to her.  He is her favorite, by the way!  Frannie has already chewed up a number of pairs of reading glasses.  She crossed the line the other day when she found and starting chewing his new prescription glasses!  She popped out a lens and chewed the frame.  He immediately forgave her and said it was his fault!  What?  Who is he?  Do I even know him??   He took the glasses back to Lenscrafters hoping they could help him.  It was 12 days beyond the one-month timeline - but yay for Lenscrafters, they said they'd take care of it and sent the glasses in for repair!

Maddie and I recently enrolled her in another training class.  First class she was the number 1 student!  Guess we gave her too many treats though as she barfed those up for all to see.  Ewww!  I'm not sure how she'll ever learn to not jump on people.  Go figure - we've learned - Doodles jump and bark!

Her very best attribute is her ability to put herself to bed in the evening.  Every night between 8 and 8:30 pm, she runs into her kennel for bedtime!  

She's gets a few Bacon Bits and sleeps through the night til 7:30.  Good dog! 

We do love her to pieces and take her on lots of walks.  She loves the walk, but hates her leash on-- not sure how we can fix that as we have to chase her around the house to grab her and buckle on the leash.  Any suggestions?

Photo from last fall when she was agreeable to wearing sweaters!

Even though she's getting big, we are still planning on having her wear her turtlenecks for winter -- though we will definitely have to buy a bigger size.

Happy Birthday to Frannie Doodle!

December Update!

Well, I've had quite a little bloggy break, haven't I!

I had planned (in my  head) to post a lot during 

December, but obviously that did not happen.

So, before the new year starts,

here's a quick update for December!

Maddie turned 18!

She is seriously the sweetest girl ever!

We love her so!

She's working very hard at school this year and

very hard at training Frannie to 

be a good little Doodle-dog.

Maddie and her uke! Look at that big bug on her top!

Maddie and I worked again this year at a lovely store 

(Von Maur) as seasonal gift wrappers!
I also work in the Rickster's office, but can
leave early to get to this other job! :)

It's a fun little job and gets very busy as you might

guess since gift wrap is free - totally free -- and they have very

nice wrapping paper, ribbon and tags.

We really enjoy working with the other gift wrappers!

Plus, working 3-4 hours at a time is generally manageable.

Of course, standing for that long on my poor

old feet got a little tiring.

But it was fun, even though it did put us behind in

our own gift wrapping.

I was slapping post-its on our gifts before our celebrations!

Rickster had surgery.  Yes, again he had a holiday surgery!  

This time, it was due to arthritis in his

hands.  I can't recall the technical procedure name,

but it involved scraping out all the bad arthritis around his thumb 

and putting in a piece of tendon.

He said the doc told him it would be a piece of cake

and not painful.

He LIED!

It's been extremely painful and since it was his

right hand (he's right-handed), it has impacted

everything as he has a large cast/split on

that he finally has removed tomorrow.

He had planned to have the other hand done in a month or two,

but is now re-thinking that plan.

Growing fast (November 2019)

Miss Frannie Doodle continues to grow and be a delight . . . 

most of the time!

Really, she's a great pup and we are enjoying  having her 

in the family.

If you have Instagram and want to 

follow her page, it's @little.frannie.doodle

New Red Sweater for December!

We had a fun Christmas celebration with the family on

Christmas Eve and Christmas.

(Is it bad I have a million photos of Frannie, but none of the family???)

Looking forward to 2020 -- yay for an even-numbered year!

Hey 2020 -- we're looking for good stuff from you!

Happy New Year!!

More on Frannie!

Of course, we have more to say 

about Frannie and more photos

to post!

She's a bit of a clothes horse and with it getting cold 

out so so fast this year (2 degrees this morning) 

she's almost always in a sweater!

She wears her favorite llama sweater to puppy daycare almost every day.

Yes, she goes to daycare!

I go to work, Maddie goes to school, Frannie goes to daycare.

If she didn't, I'm sure the house would be an even larger

disaster than it already is!

I'm kind of one of those messy people and Frannie is contributing

a lot to the messiness!

My excuse lately is that Frannie is keeping me busy and

that is true!  Maddie and I take her on long weeks

when the temp is above 5 degrees.  Frannie refused to go on

a walk last night -- way too chilly even with her sweater!

Being a puppy and a model is tiring!

Asleep on her feet!

Last weekend, she made it her mission to devour

and try to carry home every large stick she could find.

When will those sharp puppy teeth fall out???

OY!

We're also doing puppy training classes! 

Oh my word, those are a hoot!

Frannie is very smart and a quick learner, but . . . 

she gets distracted by the other pups

and the rubber mats on the floor,

the door opening, the other 2 puppies, 

and everything else.

She's 14 weeks old now.

Final exam Thursday -- let's hope she passes!