Hubsy's Gift....

Hubs' spent a day this week locating and retrieving what little we had on videotape of the boys as kids. It's pitifully small, especially compared to today's kids, who are filmed regularly. So, this on was from winter of 1985-86, Blondekid is about 10 months, I guess.     This was pretty much what he was like.

An "In-Between" Time....

Certainly can't complain about our weather, but it's not great either.      The snowdrops are "up", here in NE Illinois, USA--but they aren't blooming nicely yet.     I'm feeling pretty well, but not great.   We are recovering from the loss of the cat last week, Hubsy is taking it worse than I. That was one adorable little kitty-kat with a collection of personality traits that aren't all that tough to live without, tho I kinda miss her. She pestered the other cat, Hobbes. Guess who seems to misses her?  I'm supposed to be doing taxes--which isn't all that hard--but I can't get my mind to latch onto it.       I have a stack of books on my bedside table; not really loving any of them.    

Birthday Bash! The Edit and the Credit!!

 The Twins' 3rd Birthday celebration had a Marching Band music theme, since their talented Daddy is band director at a local high school. My Gardener friend, their Grandma, served as drum major. She is nearly recovered from a dreadful fall suffered while decorating for Christmas. Happily, she's almost finished with the wheelchair. 

The Twins are no-end of fascinated by their Dad's job--he's a bandleader at performances and the kids see how important his work is. Some of the students helped to make it a real parade with band music for the kids...

 Recently recovered from pneumonia, Micah and Molly are none the worst for wear still not completely themselves.  Their Mom made two music themed cakes for them, after taking care of them both all week. Amazing what these young moms find the energy to do.  As sometimes happens, these fun-photos were filched from their Mom & Dad's fb's.

With Sorrow....Sunset for a Kitty-Kat

...the situation with poor Butterscotch's health declined rapidly over the past few days; the usual sad progression of feline deterioration. She plainly was not responding to treatment and was not feeling well, so it seemed better today to take her on "that final vet trip" rather than allow the condition to get worse at home.
Long-winded way of saying: "Sorry, Kids, we are now down to one cat." Scotchie: a cool cat, an interesting cat, a funny cat: RIP.

Borrowing More LightHearted Laughter from the Babies...

Get ready: the Blogstar-Twins are about to turn 3 Years Old! Here's the Official Photo--borrowed, as well, from their Mommy's fb; Too Darn Stinkin' Cute. Inspired little outfits their Mommy found. Alas, this past week both kids came down with a case of pneumonia each, as well as an ear infection for Micah; at this report, neither child needed hospitalization. Hope they will be well enough for the Birthday Celebration this coming weekend.

We Need a Big Smile....

World's Most Serious Baby will help give us one! The (Blubbering)Blog is too sad and serious lately, with all the somber events. I'm too busy to be creative or rise above it all.    Lately, our little friend, World's Most Serious likes to root around in her family's clean laundry as her Mommy tries to fold it. She's especially partial to trying on her big sister's underwear, either all or one at a time. She's only about 18-mo, but maybe she's thinking already about potty-training??

The Vets Plan...

Possibly, Butterscotch's diabetes will be controllable with "special diet"; at this point, insulin injections may be too drastic as a treatment. The diet will be tried for 7-days; then sugar levels in blood and urine will be measured once again.   If you are a cat and you live long enough without being hit by a car or eaten by a coyote, you could get diabetes, kitty-kat-kancer or other diseases of the elderly. Scotchie is at least 13 years old; exclusively a "house cat" by her own choice--she will not even venture out to the deck for supervised play.

Of Course!!! Why Not? ....

...a cat with diabetes. Was it the marshmallows or the cotton candy? Kidding; she never gets to eat people food.

One last California Memory--

I love those pretty and perfect Bird of Paradise flowers that are so common to see in Southern California--there's more photos, but by now the mood is broken and focus shifted. Like many this time of year, I'm deep in the swirling vortex of mindless tax preparation details; among the greatest National Colossal Waste of Time!! All my adult life I've thought There Must Be a Better Way!

Back to Reality with a Dreadful Jolt!...

...Bonnie and Elburn, my personal favorite part of Hubsy's HS Reunions. Suddenly and without warning, Bonnie slipped away in her sleep last week. Gracious, golden-hearted Kansas country goodness, diligent care of family and friends--and little animals; fun, friendship and frankly just the right amount of sparkling mischief! She could tell the old High School stories to me, the outsider; I felt like I was there to the point where I definitely liked his Reunions better than my own!    My photo, below, does not do the family justice since the temperature of about 110-degrees that sweltering day.  Obviously, she was needed in Heaven for some reason we cannot yet understand. RIP.