Prayers for Suzy

Calling all Prayer Warriors....

Suzy's brain tumor has returned and she is scheduled for surgery on September 6th.
For more info, see today's blog post by her husband, Barry, titled "Changes 2 (The Sequel)" [link].

If you would like to continue following Suzy's story, please see the link Update on Suzy that I have to the right of my blog page.

Please be praying for my dear friend.  Thanks.

Date Night

Lew and I went to see a late afternoon showing of 2016: Obama's America (it was very interesting) and then we went out to eat at the Texas Roadhouse.

On our way to our vehicle after our yummy meal, another car drove into the parking lot right where we were walking.  Lew told me to not get hit by the car because that would totally ruin his vacation.  (Thanks, Sweetie.)

We are now home and about to watch the Republican National Convention.  We DVR'd it.... Didn't everybody?!

Dad 112: Kim, Jerry, Isaac, & Sister Deb

(Happy Birthday to my sister Kim!  Enjoy Dad's post!  --  Tracy)

Derf Here! Enjoying another great summer day in the Northeast. According to the weather experts, this weather will last through Labor Day. Bring it on! I can handle it! Summer is slipping away! Football game for Zack on Saturday!

It was 48 years ago today that Spouse became un-pregnant as Kim became a new member of this world. I'm sure Spouse welcomed this un-pregnant state, as over the previous 24 months only six months were without child. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIM!! Have a piece of chocolate cream pie for me.

I am about to steal some of Tracy's thunder. As I was emptying the dishwasher, Tracy came into the home looking for help getting "Jerry the cat" out from behind the headboard. Spouse helped free the vandal. Check Tracy's most recent post (earlier today, on Derf's day) to see a picture of the animal hoping to be named "Cat of the Year!"  I would have left him there to escape on his own.

While I sit here in this beautiful weather, I hope Isaac the Storm does not become a killer storm. Already it has flooded areas, caused power outages, and has people isolated in homes filling up with water. Hope and pray for this storm to end soon with no more damage. Fortunate to live in an area where vicious storms are very rare.

Sister Deb left the house about 3:00 AM for her trip to the Pittsburgh area. She's traveling with her 1 1/2 pounds of lobster meat. After two nights in Pennsylvania, Deb will continue on to Indianapolis to spend ten days with sister Jean and family. The cottage was closed up yesterday and this is a sign that summer is winding down. What is next? Fall, then winter? I'll bet that's what happens. By then, sister Deb will be back in Florida for another summer in the winter. Doesn't sound like a bad place to be. Have a safe trip, Deb!

Enough rambling for now. Sooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Jerry's New Trick

Stuck between the wall and our headboard. Second time today....

Another Sign of Summer's End

Lew and I are continuing to enjoy his vacation.  We went for a walk on the beach again this afternoon.

The end of the summer season is upon us, however.  The tourist population is thinning out.  And some local school districts started today.

But the real sign that summer is over:  Aunt Debbie leaves tonight.  It seems like she just got here.

Have a safe trip, Aunt Debbie!  We will miss you.

Vacation Day Extraordinaire

Leisurely morning.

Buffet breakfast at the Dunstan School Restaurant.

Reading and relaxation at home.

Beach walk.

More reading and relaxation.

Pie and fry... AND ice cream for me!

More reading and relaxation.

I can't think of anything I would have changed about today.  The Red Sox even won!

Lew and Jerry Entertain

Two families that we know from church came over for burgers and dogs this afternoon. Lew did a fine job grilling.

Jerry did his part by keeping the kids occupied. He let them pick him up (a lot), he let them pet him (a lot), and he played with them. His toys were all over the living room by the end of the afternoon.

After everyone had gone home, Lew and Jerry both took a nap.... They deserved to! :)

The Great Cat Experiment

Jerry has been itching to get over to my parents' side of the house and make friends with Pepper, so Lew decided "Why not today?"  (The cats have had some exposure to each other, but we've kept the "visits" short.)

And how did it go?

EPIC FAILURE!

Jerry chased Pepper all the way upstairs and under the bed in the guest room.  I was able to grab Jerry and get him away from Pepper.  When I went back to look for Pepper, she had switched rooms.  She was now under our king-sized bed, safely out of arm's reach.

As Lew and I looked under the bed at her, Pepper hissed and hissed.  I also heard a low growl that I thought was coming from Lew, but it was really poor little Pepper.  Hiss, growl, hiss, growl....

We ended up putting Jerry in his carrier so that Pepper would see he couldn't chase her.  Then Mom came upstairs and I was able to "coax" Pepper out from under the bed with a cane.  Mom picked her up and took her home.

I have since given Pepper some goodies on two separate occasions.  She even ate them out of my hand.  I think she has forgiven me.

But I don't think we will attempt "The Great Cat Experiment" again!

Tracy Homemaker (Part 2)

I wanted to tidy things up a bit by the time Lew got home from work, so I cleaned the kitchen counter today!  I even hand washed a few dishes.

What ever possessed me to do such a thing?

Well, it's VACATION time again!  This coming week is Lew's last vacation week for the year, and I wanted to get things off to a good start for him.

We're on vacation!
We're on vacation!
We're on vacation!
Everybody sing The Vacation Song!

A Torturous Baseball Season

I try not to be a fair-weather fan when it comes to the Red Sox.  I really do try.

But this season STINKS!

I'm tired of the drama surrounding the ownership, manager and players, but mostly I'm tired of them losing.

I knew this season was like no other when Matt actually said he hopes the Yankees win the World Series this year.  (Normally I would find that disturbing.)

When does football season start?

Dad 111: Driving, Driving, and More Driving

(That's a lot of miles in just four days.  Whew!  I'm tired just reading about it.  Enjoy Dad's post!  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!  Another late summer day to enjoy.  It almost feels like early fall.  And it's only August 22nd.  Asking summer not to leave us yet!  Please!

Well, I made it back home after travelling 2,452 miles in four days.  Kaelen and I left Maine around 3:15 A.M. on Tuesday last (August 14).  We arrived in Eureka, Illinois around 10:30 P.M. (Central time).  I drove 1,187 miles straight.  I saw gas prices at $4.11 per gallon throughout Indiana.  Close to Chicago I saw one sign that quoted gas at $4.27 per gallon.  It seems that when gas prices went up a few years back there was a lot of blame directed at our leaders.  Not the case now as gas prices reach the highest that I have seen in my lifetime.  What is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.  To think that I remember gas prices around 25 cents per gallon.  Oh, for those days again.

After a fill up and a day in Eureka, I left Thursday to visit sister Jean in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Short trip, only a little over 200 miles.  Want to thank sister Jean for taking me out to lunch.  Also should thank the Henrys for taking me out to dinner the previous evening at one of my favorite places (Busy Corner).  After a time of visiting and reminiscing, I turned my GPS to home and left Indy for Maine.  Around 10:30 P.M. I had enough time behind the wheel for the day and found a Comfort Inn in western New York.  I was tired!  I had hoped to make Buffalo for the night, but came up an hour short.

Six A.M. came quickly and I had breakfast at the hotel before leaving for my last day of driving for the four days.  I had about 600 miles to drive and ran into some heavy traffic the last one-third of the trip.  There were times when my speed would go from 75 mph to 0 on the highway.  Don't know the reasons but managed to stop when necessary.  While travelling (especially in Massachusetts), I realized my Fusion must have more "bells and whistles" than several other vehicles which I assumed were much more expensive than my little red car.  This conclusion came to me as I realized I had directional signals on my vehicle.  They seem to be lacking on most other vehicles.  Who would have thought a Ford would be better equipped than larger, more expensive vehicles?  Could it be that other drivers just don't use the built-in amenities?  I think so!

Since returning home I have the motor home ready to travel (was Kaelen's home for the summer).  And just last evening Tracy brought me a Kindle to use.  It was Lew's birthday, but I received the gift.  I've already started to read my first book on it.  I am so into today's technology.  Almost know what I'm doing!  Not quite!  Probably never will!

Wish Kaelen and Kelsey a great year at Eureka College as they start classes today.  Anxious to see Josh and Zack on their respective football teams as they are now in full practice mode.

Isn't the start of school a great time of year?  Especially now that I don't have to go!  Sooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Happy Birthday to Lew!

With Lew's birthday today, we have entered an interesting phase in our marriage.  Until my next birthday, our ages are the following:

Lew = 8 squared
Tracy = 7 squared

(I do hope that I am not the only one that finds this fascinating!)

We went over to Matt, Emily, and Eli's house for Lew's birthday dinner.  The meal was scrumptious, and then we had chocolate cake.  :)

There were balloons, too!!

Eli and Grampa.
It's Grampa's birthday!

Jerry's Accomplishments (So Far)

Broken:

• One (1) Precious Moments figurine
• One (1) block candle holder
• One (1) floor lamp

Scratched:

• One (1) jewelry box
• One (1) dining room table
• One (1) recliner
• One (1) banister

Loved by:

• Everyone!  :)

Here I Go

After a wonderful day of rest (church, nap, reading), I am now mentally planning the week ahead.

My overall goals for the week are 1) to review "where I'm at" with the draft of my novel, and 2) to plan out another project that I've felt led to work on. (More about that in a future post.)

Other than this blog, my writing has been non-existent for about four months....

That changes tomorrow!

A Blessed Event

Lew and I attended a beautiful wedding today.

Lori and Josh -- the bride and groom -- go to our church, so it was a joy to celebrate this special day with them.

I don't usually cry at weddings, but today was different.  They were happy tears, though, happy tears....

I Love These Gals!

The Batgirls went out for dinner tonight.

And what happens with the Batgirls, STAYS with the Batgirls.  *

That's all I've got to say about that!  **


Me, Ellen, Krista, and Anne-Marie


(Postscript:  Those last two lines aren't original, of course!  *Las Vegas ads; **Forrest Gump.)

Tracy Homemaker

I vacuumed today!

Granted, I only did a portion of the floor in our bedroom.  I wasn't able to get all the way under the bed, so I will have to figure out how to do that.  Plus, I really didn't "move" anything else in order to vacuum under it.

But still, this was a step in the right direction for me.  I don't think I've vacuumed in my home since Lew and I got married.  That's 12 years!  (And if I have vacuumed, I wouldn't need more than the fingers on one hand to count the number of times.)

Next on my vacuuming schedule:  Learn how to empty out the canister.  Lew will have to show me how to do that.

I vacuumed today!

Dad 110: Thoughts from Two Days Ago

(Written on Monday, typed on Tuesday, posted on Wednesday.... Dad's post has been several days in the making this week.  Enjoy!  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!

Writing this on Monday for a posting on Wednesday. Reason: I explained in my last post and will be on the road the next four days.

Another fabulous day in the great Northeast. Mowed lawn! Teeth-cleaning at the dentist office! Bad news! Must have a cavity taken care of next week! First new cavity since 2006. Not bad for me, as I have a filling in most teeth. The teeth are still my own, however. That is a good thing. A very good thing!

I only have one thing left to do before leaving early tomorrow morning. I must pack. That will take me about ten minutes. "Travel light" is my motto. It is my one rule of taking trips. The rule serves me quite well.

Had a real good week since last post. Must say the highlight of the week was a Saturday night gospel concert at the Seaside Pavilion in Old Orchard Beach. The Booth Brothers were in fine form. The harmony was tight and their choice of songs superb. I've seen many concerts and I thoroughly enjoyed the program. I wish the Salvation Army could figure a way to pack the Pavilion. The Army has a terrific venue. I've seen Sandy Patty, Mark Lowry, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Reggie & Lady Love Smith along with many more well-known gospel performers. They seem to have about 300-400 in the seats. The place holds about 1400. The Army continues to have well-known individuals every year. Keep them coming. Perhaps a little better advertising. Local radio and churches should get involved. The night was enjoyable. Only wish more people would take advantage of the great programs. Wishful thinking! I can dream, can't I?

My day is about over. I must pack and then catch a few hours sleep before Kaelen and I leave for Illinois. Hopefully around 3:00 AM.

Hope to be better next week. Soooo.

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

(Postscript:  Tracy here.  Dad and Kaelen arrived safely in Eureka, Illinois before midnight!)

May You Rest In Peace, Johnny Pesky

Johnny Pesky, a baseball legend here in New England, passed away yesterday at the tender age of 92.

Even though his playing days ended before I was born, I am still a fan.  Anyone familiar with Fenway Park knows that the right field foul pole is called the "Pesky Pole."  He was associated with the Boston Red Sox organization right up until his death.

Bill Nowlin wrote a book (published in 2004) called Mr. Red Sox: The Johnny Pesky Story.  Lew attended a Portland Sea Dogs game one night, and who should be there -- signing copies of his biography -- but Johnny Pesky himself!

When Lew arrived home from the game that night, he presented me with an autographed copy of Mr. Red Sox.  :)

Thanks for the memories, Johnny Pesky!  Rest in peace.

The Mug Shot

During our last vacation, Lew went to the DMV to renew his driver's license.  Maine now contracts out its license production, so he didn't get the new license at that point.  He had to wait to get it in the mail.  (They affixed an extension sticker on the back of his current license for use in the meantime.)

I actually went to the DMV with Lew that day.  (That's true love, I know.)  When it came time for his picture, the lady asked him if he wanted to use the same photo that is on his current license.  I heard him say, "I can do better than that."  I laughed out loud.  Loud enough that the lady looked over at me and chuckled.

The new license came in the mail today.  I opened the envelope, looked at the license, and told Lew that he looked like a convict.  (No offense toward convicts intended.)  He thinks it's still better than his old photo, but I'm not so sure.

I thought about posting both pictures on my blog, but I decided not to.  I try not to frighten my readers!

My Busy But Really Great Day

We had a wonderful service this morning at church. Pastor Dave is doing a series on the Sermon on the Mount. He hasn't gotten to the "Sermon" itself yet -- spending some time setting it up first. Good stuff!

Lew and I did some shopping after we left church. By the time we got home we were both starving, so Lew made hamburgers. We even ate salad!

Then I went to a bridal shower. And by "shower" I mean the smaller party where the bride gets her honeymoon attire. What a fun time we had. I'm still laughing.... :)

A Concertin' We Will Go

Dad, Lew and I are going to see the Booth Brothers tonight at the Seaside Pavilion in Old Orchard.

The Pavilion is an open auditorium, but it is covered.  That is a good thing, because it may rain!

But I will enjoy the concert, rain or no rain.  :)

Kitty-Proof

Jerry loves to play.

Jerry loves to run.

Jerry loves to go everywhere in the house.

Jerry loves to run on top of everything in the house.

Sometimes Jerry is careful.

But sometimes Jerry is not careful....

Over the past few weeks, I have moved quite a few items in order to "kitty-proof" our house.  Jerry has broken only one item (that I know of), but fortunately it was not a family heirloom.

I had been holding off on kitty-proofing my bedside shelf, but I finally relented today.  After I removed a few things, Jerry proceeded to nap on top of the shelf.  Lovely.

I'm thinking of selling him to the gypsies!

(Postscript:  I'm just kidding about the gypsies, of course.  We love our kitty!)

Catch Me If You Can

My third straight day of playing "catch up."

My e-mail inbox is down to just one item.  I still need to make a decision on it, or it would be already deleted.

The pile in my three-dimensional inbox has diminished a great deal.  I think I'll save what's left in it for another day.

I have a few websites that I had bookmarked to peruse later.  It is now "later."  I'll try to make a dent in that next.  (Or maybe not.)

I have plans with a friend tonight.  She is feeding me dinner, and then we are going to make origami stars.  I am looking forward to an activity that doesn't involve a credit card, a checkbook, or a computer!

Dad 109: Docs and Sox

(Dad came pretty close to giving TMI today. Ha ha! Enjoy his post! -- Tracy)

Derf here! Another great summer day in the Northeast territory of these United States. From all reports from the experts, this may be the last complete sunny day for the next few. Saturday looks like a real wet day. Wish we could allow the incoming wet weather to redirect itself to the Midwest. They are in desperate need for some water.

Just returned from another six-month checkup. Must make an appearance every six months to the doc's in order to satisfy the conditions of my insurance. Had a few questions answered and even have a prescription to get a shingles shot. Now I'll go to the pharmacy to obtain the vaccine.

Spouse is currently visiting the doc. I'm sitting in the car writing this while waiting for her emergence from the doc's office. Hopefully she will return shortly with some positive feedback.

I've got a busy week ahead. I plan to travel to Eureka, Illinois on Tuesday. Will return Kaelen home after her summer job. She returns to college by the weekend. Wednesday I plan to spend in Eureka resting up for the next two days. I will travel to Indianapolis on Thursday for a brief visit with sister Jean. She continues to recover from colon cancer. Hope we can take a short trip for lunch. Planning on it! I'll leave Indy Thursday afternoon and head home. I'll finish my trip on Friday. So I'll travel about 2,500 miles from early Tuesday until late Friday, when I return to the great Northeast. A worthwhile, whirlwind trip.

I have been watching some of the Olympics. Glad to see that the two U.S. female beach volleyball teams will play for the top two medals. Good to see the swimmers and female gymnasts gather up a few medals. I did stay away from the horsie jumping and dancing. Still have a complaint that NBC doesn't show more "LIVE" telecasts during the day. They could wrap it all up in evening without showing complete games. Use the highlights. I already know who won, so I watch the Sox (Red) in the evening. Not too happy with the results the last week. It will take a miracle for them to make the playoffs. I can still hope, can't I? Go Sox!

Spouse is emerging from the doc's office so it's time to drop the pen and start the car....

Well, we stopped at the pharmacy to get a prescription filled for spouse. I left my shingles Rx at home so I must return to pharmacy to complete the shingles shot. I'm about to do that right now. So I'll check in with you next week. I'll probably write the blog prior to leaving for Illinois. Soooo!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!!

Derf!

The Downside of Vacations

Lew went back to work today, so I started to tackle all of the mail and paperwork that I had neglected last week.

Oh. My. Goodness.

How did I get this far behind in only a week?!!

That's it.  No more vacations for us.  EVER....

Okay, maybe that is a bit extreme.  (Ya think?!)  But I will not allow this to happen again.  I WILL NOT!

Our next vacation is in three weeks, so I am going to push hard to get ahead.

Wish me luck.

Another Last Day

Lew returns to work tomorrow.

How did we spend his last day of vacation?

• IHOP for breakfast (red velvet pancakes!)
• Beach walk
• Reading
• Pie & Fry
• More time on the beach

We certainly had a lovely vacation.  Will we ever be able to top it?  We'll get another chance in three weeks!  :)

Our Babysitting Gig

Pastor Dave and his wife, Laura, celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary today.  Some of the church folks gave them ideas of where to eat, and Lew and I offered to babysit.

Their two daughters are six years old and three years old.  The girls were dropped off at our house around 4:30.  We played with Jerry for a bit, we played games, the girls made pictures for their parents, "Mr. Lew" made hotdogs for dinner, we played more games, we ate push-up pops for dessert, we had tickle fights, we played with Jerry some more....

Pastor Dave and Laura returned for their children around 8:30, at which time I told them that my admiration for them had increased.  They must have energy levels that are beyond super-human!  :)

We visited for a bit before this lovely little family headed home (around a 45-second drive from our house).  The girls had brought a few toys with them, and we gathered them up before they went outside to their car.  I ran outside with two sippy cups before they pulled out of the driveway.  A few minutes later I texted Laura that there was a pair of pink sandals in our entryway.  Oops!

Lew and I enjoyed our evening with our two precious little friends.  And we're ready for our next gig!

A Lovely Day At The Lake

Today Lew and I visited with some friends at their lakeside home.

The weather was beautiful. The water was warm. It was so nice that even I went in the water.

Great food. Great company. Great time!

Unplugged... Sort Of

Every now and then I take a day and don't turn on my laptop. Today was such a day.... So I'm dictating this post into the Blogger App on my iPhone.

It was another nice vacation day: Dunkin' Donuts, reading, beach walk, watching Olympics.

Living in Maine.... The way life should be.... Smile!

Today's Focus: FOOD!

When Lew is on vacation, we try to go to IHOP at least once for breakfast.  Today was the day!  New on the menu:  Red Velvet Pancakes.  Here's the description from IHOP's website:

2 rich and chocolaty red velvet pancakes, drizzled with cream cheese icing, a dusting of powdered sugar and crowned with whipped topping.

Of course I ordered these pancakes... along with some hot chocolate, orange juice, and scrambled eggs.

My grade for the Red Velvet Pancakes:  A+.  I will get these pancakes every time I go to IHOP from now on.  YUMMY!

(My fingers usually type iHop instead of IHOP!  LOL!)

We went to Red Robin for dinner tonight.  Red Robin came to our area a few months ago, but this was our first time to go.  Because Red Robin is known for its Fire-Grilled Burgers, I decided to select something from that section of the menu.   I went for the Banzai, described as follows on the Red Robin menu:

Marinated in teriyaki & topped with grilled pineapple, Cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, tomatoes and mayo. Dude, you’ll be like, ready to ride the pipeline on O’ahu’s North Shore after you chomp on this!

My grade for the Banzai:  A+.  Not sure I'll ever try any of the other burgers because I loved this one so much.

Top that all off with a piece of "Death by Chocolate" fudge from Cabela's, and anyone would have an A+ food day!

Dad 108: Opinions of Olympic Proportions

(I dictated today's post into my iPhone.  Dad kept it to three hand-written pages.  When I got to the paragraph about the cycling, I got the giggles so bad that nothing was "heard" correctly by the phone.  In fact, it interpreted my laughing as a naughty word!  That made me giggle again when I corrected the draft on my laptop.  "Hooray" for editing.  Enjoy Dad's post!  --  Tracy)

Derf Here! On a damp morning in the Northeast. Wind is blowing from the Northwest so the day should be drying out. Maybe dry enough to mow our very-ignored lawn. If not today, I'll take care of it tomorrow. Maybe!

The Olympics seem to be taking up much of the TV time over the past week. I try to watch as little as possible. I can't get excited about watching fencing as the participants are so well covered that no one will ever feel a "poke." I told Lew that the participants should have no face-masks nor protective clothing. They should have razor-sharp sabres. The first to draw blood would be declared the winner. Hope no one would be decapitated. The possibility would exist, however. Better than electronic lighting!

Other non-Olympic events are the horse show stuff. This trotting about should be at "horse shows" only. Not an athletic Olympic event. Just my opinion. This did allow me to see the royal family once again. What a thrill!

I could go on and on and on about other activities that should not be Olympic athletic events. Very impressed with basketball, volleyball (indoor and beach), gymnastics, swimming, and soccer. I'm sure I missed some other mentionable events; however, I choose to watch the Red Sox games as NBC runs tape-delayed events during prime time. By the time NBC airs events, I already know the results. Most of the events could be shown "LIVE" during the day as we are five hours behind in time. Can't criticize NBC enough. But I'll keep trying. I'll be glad when the Olympics are over. I'm sure I can find something better to watch at 10:00 AM than the very exciting women's sabre match. Can hardly contain my enthusiasm.

Very impressed by the men's basketball team from the USA. The gold is theirs. But they are not the best ever. That belongs to the 1992 team. Not even close! My opinion!

Josh is at University of Maine (Orono) for a week of baseball camp along with friend Kyle Russo. I'm sure they're having a blast. Hope they don't get thrown out of camp. That would be ungood! Not a chance!

The Sox (Red) seem to be going in the right direction. Out of last place. Way to go! Probably lose the next few, however. That is what usually happens.

Cycling has just returned to the TV. My eyes are glued to the screen as I watch a cyclist riding in front of an auto along the street. I see this every day right out here on the street I live on. Can't figure out what is more exciting. Hope no one crashes. Saw that last week! Brutal!

I've come to the conclusion I've been very critical and negative in this blog. Therefore, I will cease my writing and try to be more positive. Soooo --

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!