Here's to weekends and memories!

Staycations!!!!! I'm for them now!!! Steve took a week off and we've been bustin our butts.... cleaning out the house!! Our dining room echoes now and downstairs looks like someone lives in it and doesn't just use the space for storage. Over a 1000lbs of "stuff" n "things" gone from our lives forever. :) We got our bikes back on thurs.... and a whole 5 minute ride later.... I thought I'd died. We'll get the hang of it again real soon though. Steve's almost done installing our "special" lights, and we'll be off!! Cane came and stayed the night with us. Dash loves his company... the two of them play and play and play and play.... get the picture? When they would take a break.... it was usually for quick little games of chew the bone and then I'll distract you and steal your bone and then do it over again to steal back the one I already had. The two of them are just too funny! Most of the work we've been doing has been downstairs. I truthfully thought we wouldn't have gotten this far already, but wow!! I did manage to sneak out in the back yard from time to time. The weather was so perfect the first part of the week.... until Faye arrived with tropical rain fall for us. Two days of wetness..... my yard LOVED it!!! Cool mornings with the most beautiful sunrises. Steve and I both took advantage of these awesome mornings and would sit out on the patio with our coffee. It's nice to just sit and watch the sun peek over the mountain. Wed night we took a break from our normal evening routine and went bowling with a friend of ours, Jesse. Eight yrs we've lived here and neither of us had been in the bowling alley. We're pathetic... I know, but we finally made it and we had a blast. Oh, and we were like the only people in there. we got there at 7 and were the first on a lane. 4 others arrived after us, but it wasn't the kind of bowling night I remember as a kid. I got a few ok pics.... Steve's first strike!!!! WOOHOO!! Well, right before the strike. Cheesy camera takes too long in between pics. We only played two games and Jesse beat us both times. I think I heard him mention once about being a PBA member!?!?!? Even so, I still managed to capture one of his gutter balls. I believe there were two! He moved so fast most of the time he was just a blur.... even when I wasn't looking through the camera lens. Bowling is fun but if you haven't been in 15 yrs.... you should probably warm up some first. Steve and I were in pain before the second game! Wimps. Afterwards we went into the pub and had a couple drinks and some good food and crowd watched. Me and Steve pooped out way too early for Jesse, and left him at the pub with some chips and a fresh drink. We're just so used to bedtime being no later than 10pm.... what can I say... we're country folk. So here it is Labor Day Weekend. Wow, summer is officially over. In the cleaning up and out of the basement we're coming across all our camping stuff and this of course brought back even more memories. I remember the first time we camped with our Jeep tent. It's so large we could park in it if the door were bigger. The first time we set it up we were like WTF??? After we got it up though... we never wanted to leave it!! Anyhow, here's to summer fun and home cleaning and families and pets and friends and bikes and memories and even tents in the woods. May you all be having the best Labor Day Weekend EVER!!!

Making Progress!!

Steves Staycation is going great. We've gotten the bikes to the bike shop to be repaired so we can start riding again. It's been three years since we stored them away in the shed, so it's basically been three years since we got any good exercise. It'll be nice to just jump on them and go again. We used to bike all over Wash DC when we lived there and for awhile, after moving to WV, we took full advantage of the C n O Canal. Then some Evil Witch put a curse on us and made it impossible for us to even go near our bikes. Fortunately, the curse was weak and we've been able to reverse it. In doing so, we've thwarted the Evil Witch's plan and caused her minion to grow increasingly bald and unimaginably bitter. The previous sentence was such an inside reference I don't expect any of you to get it. Should I be forced to explain it to you, I would then have to end your life. On a HUGELY more positive note, we've been working downstairs for the past three days and actually hauled 450 lbs of waste to the dump. Almost a quarter ton of crap just sitting around. Now that we've managed to shed about a decade of our lives I feel good but kind of sad at the same time. I mean it's great that we got rid of it all, because it was just sittin there collecting dust..... I should rephrase that... collecting MAJOR dust.... like almost topsoil!! Still, sifting through all those memories, we can't help but be a little nostalgic. Yesterday, Jon and Steph returned from their end of summer vacay to collect Beau and Turk. We totally put them to work when they got here. They were awesome at relaying all Steves craft supplies to the basement. That ladder can be very tricky, so having 4 extra hands to pass things along was a gift from the home improvement gods for sure. We were, what I guess you'd call, puppy sittin for them. I'm not sure if it's really puppy sitting when the pus aren't a problem. Having Beau and Turk here is more like having your kids come stay. They didn't change our normal routine and they weren't any extra work, so I can't honestly say I did anything. Oh, there is the whole "special" diet for Beau because he has some sort of butt issue. We're also gonna work on his whole "abused" issues because I believe he's using that as an excuse to not have to listen. Now I'm positive some tree hugging Nazi dog shrink could try to prove me wrong, but ummmmm DUH, I don't care!! (Clarification... Jon n Steph DO NOT & DID NOT abuse Beau) He was rescued with those issues..... and boy does he have issues.... LOL!! What good little dogs they were though. Beau, still smelling of Skunk, was so well mannered (no kitty chasing) and even learned a few new tricks...... like how to "Hang Ten". All three pups (Dash included) thoroughly enjoyed their jeep ride to the train station to get Steve on friday. Over 45 mph they all just laid down, so there was no REAL worry of losing any of them. We're still trapping these days and our latest capture was the meanest most pissed off cat I've ever seen. I've trapped raccoons that were friendlier than this cat. This cat would attack the cage when I got too close. Slamming its head and body against the cage door. From the looks of it, he had been in some pretty bad scrapes himself. Nasty deep infected wounds covered his body. He had a huge scar above one eye and was even missing a freakin toe!! I am convinced this is the cat who attacked our Bette (Scotty). He's the one who's been out there every night beating up every cat and kitten in the neighborhood. Well, he doesn't live here anymore and he won't be causing anymore harm to our kitties. He also won't be chasing them into the house and he won't be spraying his stink near here again. Whether he was just mad or evil or possessed... who knows. Maybe he was actually a wild cat.... they do exist. Born ferrell and raised without human contact he could qualify as wild. and then we have Percy the Opossum...... that's what we call him. He's so tiny and he's really not that bright, because as of this morning, we've trapped him three times. At least he's eating well.... problem is he lives under the shed out back, so as long as I'm trapping or have trash out he's not leaving. So for what it's worth.... I let him go for a third time. He doesn't cause harm to our cats, so basically he has every right to stay here. When he violates a boundary I'll consider placing him somewhere else, but until then..... he eats canned cat food for dinner. All in all it's been a productive week so far.... seeing how it's only tues, LOL! We've eliminated a few problems from our back yard, watched the pups with no serious complications and we're making some awesome progress with the downstairs redesign Well, It's back to cleaning out the house. It really is a good feeling seeing years of accumulated stuff just peeling away in layers and slowly revealing a new vibrant home. I've never called myself a collector of anything, but christ..... how did we get so much crap? Today I'm working on my desk and our dining room. Not much dining goes on in here unless of course eating at the computer counts. I'd like to see it multi-functional when I'm done filtering and re-arranging. Wish us Luck!!

In Memory Of My Dad

Nelson Edward Dean February 9th 1924 - August 22nd 1996

I remember as a kid I used to think my Dad was somehow related to Gene Autry.... the Singing Cowboy!! He had his own band back then called "The Ridge Ramblers" By the time I was born he was way past performing in public, but we could still get a few hours of song out of him simply by bringing him his guitar. Many of my fondest memories growing up involved listening to him play while my Mom sang!! He would often play for us kids and sometimes company would show up with a banjo and they'd sit pickin for hours. Thinking back on it now I realize he never really intended to amuse us but instead used us as an excuse to secretly serenade Mom. Even into his last years with us, he would play for her. It's been 12 years since he passed away quietly in his bed listening to his cows down at the barn. He was the original "Gramps", a grandfatherly nickname I have since acquired. My sincere hope is that I can live up to it the way he did. ___________________________________________ Happy Anniversary Dad. Twelve years ago today you started playing for the angels. How you must have improved THAT choir. The soft strumming guitar, and you eyes half closed as if singing to a long lost memory...

"I can't help it if I'm still in love with you"

... still rings in my ears and it's the song Mom still sings when she thinks nobody is listening. What a love affair the two of you must have had. Thirteen children and 53 yrs together, how could she not still be in love with you. Thanks Dad.... thanks for giving me the memories, and thanks for giving me something to aspire to. I Miss you.

IT Happens!!

Oh sorrowful morn why must though breathe thy fiery breath upon me yet again, leaving me cowering and afraid like a small child too accustomed to the switch.

"It" happens in threes. Why are we always so aware of this phenomenon when "IT" just happens to be unfortunate shit? Do GOOD things come in threes as well, or do I need some sort of happy ass frog in an email to make that happen? Whatever the reason, I find I'm unable to prevent the threes from happening. This mornings sunrise was to many I'm sure, just like any other. To me, it was a symbolic chance to "start fresh".... .to take a breath and try it again with a smile...... to sit down for a moment and reflect on all that is good in my life. Yesterday is gone, but the news and the sadness that it brought remains in my heart. My friend Doris passed peacefully in her sleep. The day before she slipped into the coma that she would never return from, she was overheard saying how she was in Paradise. Of course Doris more than likely, had no idea where she was. I visited her just last Friday. I took her chocolate and pastries. She was asleep with the hospice nurse at her side when I walked in. When she heard my voice she woke right up and yelled DEAN!! Her sudden movement startled her nurse, because they'd been sitting so quietly!!! I couldn't stay long because the length of visits was being monitored, but I was still there and hour or more. We talked about friends and things in general, but what I remember was the look on her face when she recalled her favorite memory of Harpers Ferry..... the mornings. A blessed gift, she called them..... each one as if it were given to her personally. Another dear friend once told me how Doris loved to see me... how I always made her laugh. Well that feeling went both ways. No matter what kind of mood I might have been in, she could always make me smile. We'll all miss you Lady, travel well and Thanks for the incredible sunrise this morning. It was a treasured gift from a beautiful friend. That sad news about Doris was actually the middle of my day. It had started out with a call from Jon n Steph (at 6:25 am) telling me their two dogs (who we would be puppy sitting for) had just been sprayed by a skunk. 4-5 baths later I could still smell skunk, but it was tolerable. Beau who suffered the full effect of the pissed off skunk, has now been renamed

"Pepe Le Beau"..... the Cajun cousin to "Pepe Le Pew"

I'm sure he doesn't mind how he smells..... he probably likes it. Turk on the other hand isn't too happy with his brothers stench. Both puppy's will eventually lose that lingering odor, but for now I really should try to keep them off the furniture. My fear is that one morning I'll go out and find my OWN skunk in the live trap we're using to catch stray kitties. That drama continues as well..... we caught the big orange kitty. She's the one who thought she could chase our cats into the house. NOT!!!!! She also figured out how to use the cat door upstairs to get to the cat food.... well she doesn't live here anymore!!! She's been successfully re-homed!! Shame too, because she was actually a really sweet cat which created another moral dilemma for me. I couldn't just dismiss her. She was friendly and NOT aggressive. It took awhile, but I found her the purrfect home. So.... summing it all up.

Jon and Steph called to tell me their dogs (coming to stay with us) were sprayed by a skunk.

I had to sever an emotional umbilical cord with an unfortunate sweet stray kitty.

I received the call telling me my friend Doris has passed away.

and then.............. My daughter Cathy calls to tell me my 4 yr old grandson tested positive for Lyme Disease. Fortunately they caught it while the bite was still visible. He'll be treated and hopefully not suffer the horrible side effects. It's still a bad thing to have, because the drugs to treat Lyme Disease have their own complications. I guess the alternative to no treatment is worse, but still it's bad all around for a 4 yr old. Poor baby. Today is like I said earlier... a chance to focus on all that's good in my life. In order to level the high emotions of yesterday I can say "thank the gods it was a Skunk and not a copperhead", "That Miss Kitty found a good home", ''That I at least was fortunate to know Doris", "That the tick bite was spotted by a vigilant Mommy". Although "IT" could have done me a favor and not happened at all, "IT" could have been much worse. If "IT" insists on happening in threes I just wish "IT" would take a longer break in between visits.

You're Not A Cat!!!

Bette and Aphy are resting nicely up in the back yard. It's been a little strange around here without them actually. We miss them both and in their memory we've taken up a new hobby...... TRAPPING!!! Our recent cool snap came to a screeching halt with a high of 92 day before yesterday, so with the AC on, we took that opportunity to gather our remaining kitties and lock the cat doors. This created 4 very confused and somewhat pissed off cats. They had experienced freedom and they wanted more, so I just put out a big bowl of catnip and got 'em stoned. Currently they don't know if they're in or out.... LOL!! Now I would have a chance to set the live trap and find new homes for all the strays that insisted on sneaking into the house and spraying. That's right..... the damn strays are coming in the house....... and spraying. First they beat the hell out of and then chased Bette off, so they could devour her food. When we put Bette down I removed the feeder from outside in hopes the stray colony would go back home.... .No Luck. I set the trap that first night with chicken bones. Within an hour some little black and white kitten had removed the chicken and was sitting on top of the trap eating it. He even let me pet him while he was eating it..... I could have captured him and "re-homed" him the next morning, but the little fella was so hungry and had so carefully avoided the trap, I left him to finish his well deserved dinner and went to bed. The next morning I'm upstairs scrubbing the floors and walls trying to get rid of the smell of cat urine, when I spotted the Evil Momma of the little evil kitten that attacked Steve. I hid next to the window with the cat door and waited....... She slowly approached and as soon as she would touch the window I would be ready to bang on it scaring the hell out of her. I needed some sort of fun while cleaning up cat piss. She tried the cat door and well.... I guess in my excitement I tried too hard to scare her because now I have a broken window to replace..... damn-it. I finished cleaning up all the broken glass from the floor I had just scrubbed and went outside to reset the trap. Evil Momma Kitty was going somewhere else. Sure enough... within an hour I heard the trap slam shut. Giddy..... I was Freakin Giddy! I raced up behind the shed to taunt her evilness and discovered I had the big black kitty. OK, I can still enjoy my triumph. A couple hours later Big Black Kitty was successfully "re-homed" and I even stopped the Jeep while doing it!!! OH.... those of you wishing me bad karma....WHATEVER!!!! Throw stones at someone else. If your heart is so damn big for ferrell cats, call me... I can deliver. The second night of cat trapping didn't go as well. This morning the trap was hissing rather loudly when I got to it. "You're not a Cat", I said. Little Baby Opossum was pissed. He was kind enough to let me take a picture though!!! Dash was like... let me have him.... I can take him.... awww come on..... let me at him!! I propped open the trap door and we left him alone to find his way out and back home. I'm NOT "re-homing" this one!! What a beautiful morning it was..... Cool and breezy.... the sky clear and the sun bright. I could almost feel Fall coming and it's August. Somewhere a fire had scented the air, waking a memory from last winter that I thought had been buried deep. Accompanied by a small flock of geese passing that very moment, I was transported briefly to another view of the Ferry. Soon we would be seeing the fall colors seeping back into the forests. Fall used to make me sad. Being such an outside person, I viewed it as the end of things. Not anymore though.... I'm not sure if my view of Fall has changed or my attitude toward death.... but whichever it was it has improved. This year may actually be a good year for fall color considering the amount of rain we've gotten. I would like to see good color this year. A walk through the woods when the leaves are brown isn't as enjoyable as when they're all the shades of Fall. Besides, Dash just looks better in the woods when the colors compliment his coat!! My Brave Dash.... The lower town guard dog. Always on top of things keeping a constant lookout for anyone or anything that might need...... well....... licked!! Such a handsome boy, probably the most photographed dog in Harpers Ferry by now. From his little window he looks down on the town.... amusing most, scaring a few and well the others we don't really care... LOL! It's his window!! After releasing Mr Opossum this morning I took an opportunity to shoot a few seasonal pics of the homestead. It always amazes me how much the slightest change in lighting can alter the look of our home. It's many faces have even graced camera Ads, not to mention the thousands of tourist albums it lives in. People just love our home. I'm looking forward to having the balcony porch rebuilt. A rapidly decaying floor will soon give way to open air if we don't fix it soon. It'll be nice to spend more time out front this Fall!! If only we could frost the cone of silence!! Maybe two-way mirrors around the porch could be approved??? LOL! I guess I should just learn to put on that Harpers Ferry Smile.... you know.... the one where you smile and grit your teeth at the same time!!! :) Next door we feed the birds and this year we've had a surplus of volunteer sunflowers. This is thanks to all the Grackles who so eagerly emptied the feeders each time they were filled. Beautiful Sunflowers they are... and loved by the bees especially!!!!! (see pic) There's never a dull moment around here, and truthfully... why should there be? Though often, I find myself saying things are of no importance just to try and keep it simple. Fact is..... we can't stop the energy flow around us and I sometimes I get real tired of everything being an event. Unfortunately it just happens that way and I should get over it. We're puppy sitting for Turk and Beau this weekend. Dash loves the company!! He always mopes around after they've been here. He REALLY needs a more permanent playmate!!! Steve is taking a week of "Home Improvement" vacation time, next week. We've got a list a mile long to take care of in 10 days. Wish us Luck!! I just see the two of us as Laurel and Hardy with ladders!! I'm off to bait the kitty trap!!

Goodbye Little Scotty, Goodbye

Today we lost Scotty. She was one of two sisters whose life started on a goat dairy farm in McConnellsburg PA. We rescued her and her sis from an almost certain death, because they insisted on playing in the road. She was originally named Scotland after my hometown and her sister was named Mobile after Steves hometown. They became Scotty and Moby or S & M After a short life in Dupont Circle, DC, we moved them both to Harpers Ferry. Now they were country girls again!!! It wasn't until several years after we moved here that S & M got renamed Bette and Joan. This was after Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Two old bitches that hated each other. Bette and Joan (the cats) started fighting like all sisters do as they got older, so it was perfect. Besides, cats DO NOT answer to ANY name. Out of respect for Scotty, I'll refer to her by her first name. Two happy little girlie's they were, running up and down the stairs....Pillows in all the windows.....living the life they were, until they both decided to start peeing all over the house. This was partly our fault because we hadn't had them spade and they kept going into heat. Apparently the "itch" becomes so strong they mark as much as possible to get it "scratched"!! Well we got that taken care of and the problem was solved. Eventually we took on Blaze (canine) and then Zander and Marquis, and then Venus and Aphy (all felines) and then Dash (canine). Scotty was fine through all this. In fact, she's the one who taught Blaze to respect a cats presence. (This pic has Scotty in the rear, Marquis on the left and Aphy on the right)

She liked being alone and the older she got the more she demanded HER Space, but she was always quick to take her spot on the bed.

She became the cat who did NOT like to be held, but demanded to be petted, and then somewhere in the middle of all the animal chaos she started peeing in the house again. First it was the bathroom sink, then the shower mat, then the cats beds, then on pillows and finally in chairs. We went from 1 litter box to THREE litter boxes and still no difference. For almost 3 years we washed and tossed and cleaned urine stained items and surfaces, until the day she jumped into the chair beside me and sprayed. That night Scotty became an outdoor cat. I remember how she sat outside the first night meowing so loud and for so long she lost her voice. By the following morning it was a crackle. I stuck to my guns though, made her places to sleep and kept her self feeder full. This constant supply of food also attracted 9 strays.

She would never be allowed back in the house.

She befriended a couple strays that seemed to want to stick around but for the most part she stayed to herself outside as well. Quickly taking up residence under the deck up in the back yard she even earned the nickname Grendel.

It was crazy sometimes having six cats inside, and after Scotty was put out we started to think the rest of them might like some freedom as well, so we installed the cat doors. Scotty of course never learned to use them, so she remained an outside cat even though the others could come and go.

(Scotty again is in the far back left of the pic)

Through all the new puppies and new kittens, she always maintained her distance. Almost like a bitter aunt who thinks children should be seen and not heard, and if they COULD be invisible that would be even better.

(Scotty and Venus)

She really was a sweet little girlie even with her sometimes abrasive disposition. When she and Joan returned home from being spayed.... they each weighed a whopping 3.5lbs. Friends thought they were malnourished. They always stayed small girls after that....well short... not really small. Eventually I started referring to them as the fat little farm girls!!

(Scotty)

Last week we lost Aphy. She Jumped in front of a car. A few days later, someone placed a flyer on our front door. "Male Tabby found near Shenandoah and High Streets".

Well the picture was Scotty, but she's not a he......moral dilemma.... hmmm.... do i call??? I called. Sure enough, she had been "rescued" by a NPS employee who thought she was lost. She was just craving some lovin. I went and retrieved her and returned her to our patio. Three more days passed...... Yesterday I just happened to be out front of the house when I see Animal Control pull up.

I stopped her to see what she was looking for... (bad feeling in my stomach). She had received a call about an injured cat down by St Peters Church. We walked down there together and sure enough it was Scotty. Something had taken a pretty big chunk of her neck and left her bleeding and infected. She was so tired and so weak, she didn't even Meow when she saw us.

I scooped her up and carried her home. Had the animal warden found her without my intervening, they would have put her down that afternoon.

How is it OK to make a conscious decision to kill an animal? I cleaned her up, treated her wound and placed her overnight in an outside kennel equipped with litter, food and water and dry warm bedding. We even gave her chicken which she refused to eat.

This morning I bought her a ticket to Rainbows Bridge.

I am so over this year. I've held two of my babies in my arms as they took their last breath and held one of them while the life was still warm inside her.

That conscious decision I asked about earlier???.....well it was made for us. Scotty made it clear to us that she couldn't be an inside cat.

Nature made it impossible for her to survive as an outdoor cat.

Part of the responsibility of being a pet owner is knowing when and having the strength to make the hard choices. I made a hard one today...... again.

I need a break.

Just in case you were thinking about adopting that cute little kitten or that adorable little puppy........ be ready for this. Death is NOT PRETTY. Some scenes can remain etched in your mind forever and contrary to what everyone tells you..... they don't always go peacefully while asleep. Sometimes they stiffen up like they're fighting it and this my friend WILL cause you to wonder if you made the right choice.

I brought Scotty home and buried her in the yard alongside of Loba and opposite her little step sister Aphy. As I placed the marker on her grave and stood to say goodbye, the church bell started to toll. Not a strange coincidence, because it was noon, it was just fitting that she be given some sort of salute. She was a good little girl and I'll miss her. Travel well Scotty Girl.

Say Hello to Blaze and Aphy for us!!

Mr & Mrs John Gregory Dean

Some things are best experienced and will almost certainly lose their charm if relayed second hand, but I'll try my best. Today my son got married. First of all he chose a beautiful Bride. Not only does she have looks, but she's smart and funny and has really nice parents. Now Sheri... my new daughter in law isn't the only one with good looks and charm... there's Greg! Of course we all know where he got it from...... Yours truly!!! hehehe!! When Steve and I arrived at the church.... we would have been the first there if it wasn't for my sister Carol. She and her husband and my Mom were already parked and waiting. Within just a few minutes Greg and the best man and all the other groomsmen arrived. It was really going to happen..... Well... we still had to wait and see if the bride showed up!!! LOL Sure enough she got there. Poor Greg, like all Grooms before him, was exiled to some little room in the back. He had to stay hidden so he couldn't cast his eyes upon his beautiful bride before the music started. I'm not sure about this tradition.... is it so the groom can't bolt that they keep him locked away? For whatever reason.... off he went to his dark little room. The ceremony was held in a "Bible Church"!! I had convinced my mom that these were the snake worshipping christians, so she was on the lookout for any cages or baskets since she hates snakes. Of course I was only kidding..... but don't they all worship snakes of some sort or another? Since it was all godlike... there were the usual vows, which as Steve put it... "were pretty severe"! Something about submitting to and being subservient and birthing children and keeping your eyes to the ground. I really started looking around for a cave fire after awhile, because surely we had been transported somewhere WAY back in time. Anyhow, they said the prescribed vows as the minister directed them, and exchanged rings. There were those annoying people with cameras that kept getting in the way.... oh wait.. they were hired.... but they still got in my face and on my nerves. Fortunately for them they had competition. My grandson JR had decided early on he was more than bored already and started asking questions.... OUT LOUD!! The funny part is.... no matter how quiet people wanted him to be, when he would talk.... all their hissing for him to hush was much louder and annoying. LOL! I never understood trying to quell a child in church. What's the point.....

"I'm bringing you here to worship, but you must remain silent and maintain a certain amount of guilt. It would also help if you could appear like you've just been beaten!!"

They always say things like, "The Hard Parts Over Now" after the ceremony is done, but they're never right. Now is when they stage the stage.... oh......sorry again.... alter! Now it's professional picture taking time...... please someone poke my eyes out. I guess this is why it's been nice up to this point to just remain a wedding guest and not part of the wedding party. Lets not forget that during the lengthy vows the air-conditioning had shut down. The church had quickly heated back to a crevice soaking 84 no breeze degrees. After a few people mentioned passing out, someone checked and realized the air was on a timer.... DUH!! They could have just opened a window since it was a breezy 75 outside. I guess the snakes might have escaped!! Now I have a brand new daughter in law. Sheri really is beautiful and although I poked around in photoshop just a little with the few pics I took.... she really did glow! There were some really tender moments and overall the wedding was glitch free..... Oh yes.... I forgot.... Angie (the grooms mom and my ex wife) was late, but then again she was late for our wedding too, so go figure. Greg on the other hand had lost all color realizing he was now a married man. He would just giggle from time to time when asked a question. Since he had just turned 21 the day before, I really thought he would have been hungover, but he had behaved. JR really is a handsome boy and although it seems a lifetime away, I know it isn't really. Soon he'll be old enough to walk a bride down the aisle. I know how fast this happens, because Greg was just JR's size yesterday. Time flies so fast. JR looked like the perfect little school boy. Lucky for him he doesn't have the same nuns I had, telling him to turn around. Well..... actually.... he could probably use a nun or two to keep him in line! My mom, has been to so many weddings and probably as many funerals, but this particular wedding was very dear to her. I'm not sure what spiritual energy was flowing about when Greg was about 18 months old. When Angie returned several months before me, from England where I was stationed in the Air Force, she went to live with MY parents not being able to tolerate her OWN. Greg was fortunate to be at an age where he needed tending to, because my mom was at a point in her life where she needed someone to tend to. Yes, he was a skinny baby and that's the reason my dad told my mom to "Feed That Boy All He Can Eat"!! So for whatever reason my mom and my son developed their close relationship, I'm glad it happened. My dad told me just days before he passed away that although "She" (my mom) would never admit it.... my 3 kids were her favorite grand kids. Greg being the luckiest of the three. Picture taking at the church completed.... the wedding party descended on the Hall at Huntingtown for the reception. Good food and OPEN bar... WOOHOO.... slightly eschewed seating arrangement, but overall... a wonderful event. Apparently it was easier for Gregs mom and myself to be introduced together than with our current other halves, so arm in arm we entered the room. Fortunately the years have proven to me just how karma works, so I have no need for resentment or hate when it comes to my ex wife. She does a fine job of making her own life hell without my help, as do I with my own. Truth is, we realized long ago that even divorced we still made a better team when it came to dealing with her evil mother. Plus the fact that we were married 7 years and had three terrific kids!!! Two weird but interestingly funny things happened at Greg and Sheri's wedding. Well one wasn't AT the wedding..... it was their choice for a honeymoon location. They're going to Ocean City.... which is where Sheri's parents went and had a horrible time and where Angie and I went and had a horrible time. You'd think they would consider the odds, but they're positive they can change the bad "ocean city mojo"!! I wished them luck. It was getting late and I asked Sheri what their first dance was going to be.... I meant what song, and she said "Just You & I".... Eddie Rabbit and Crystal Gayle. I laughed and said good one.... LOL. She just stared at me.... and I asked again. "Just You & I".... we thought it was a nice couple song! I told her YES.... it was also a nice couple song 25 yrs ago when Angie and I danced to it at our wedding. Of course we didn't tell Angie, because the look on her face was going to be priceless when she heard it...... and it was!!! Dancing over... cake cut and smeared..... flowers tossed and garter slung.... the night was over and it was time to wish the new couple on their way. I personally have $20 on 4 months from now..... inside baby pool at the wedding! Hello world...... let me introduce to you...........

Mr and Mrs John Gregory Dean

"The Devil Has Arrived"

Wedding Day, August 08, 2008~!!! This'll be a quick post, just so I don't go forgettin any of it. We've got a BIG day ahead of us and I'm sure more exciting things will inevitably overshadow our morning. Steve took a vacation day today, so he was here with me to witness my usual day to day. My son Greg is getting married this evening and he turned 21 yesterday, so I'm excited about seeing him take that serious but exciting next step with his life. Sheri is a very nice girl (and pretty) and I hope to get to know her better now that she'll be related!! So it was like 65 - 70 degrees this morning and Steve and I upon realizing we had no milk or cream for our coffee decided it would be nice to ride up to the 7-11 and get coffee. It's been awhile since we had a work/weekday to take a casual stroll through town. Well we get to the truck and discover some idiot from Georgia (imagine that) had parked their car in such a way as to almost block the road for any other traffic. Some people just have no common sense!! So we pull out head down the hill and low and behold... there's another car parked at the bottom of Public Way COMPLETELY blocking the road. I tapped.... seriously... I tapped the horn only to have the owner of the car and the owner of the Towns Inn yell to me that they were helping an elderly woman down the steps, why couldn't I go around. Well, there was no going around it. I also informed Ms Townsend (the inn owner) that she was aware of this particular parking violation issue and the car needed moved. This pic is of another day, but the same narrow road and the same problem caused by the same cow. So, the ignorant godbot turned and told her departing guest to move her car because "The Devil Had Arrived"!!! That stupid cow called me Satan!!! I am SO Impressed. I've been called a Blasphemer and probably a hundred other choice things, but never the man himself!!! WOOHOO!! I had made some progress. So departing religious woman stomped down the steps chanting "The Devil Had Arrived".... "The Devil Had Arrived"... moved her car long enough for me to pull out and then illegally re parked it right back in the middle of the road. We made it to the 7-11 got our coffee and 1/2 n 1/2 for later and the paper and headed back home. Did I say what a beautiful day it was today?? Cool and sunny and a really nice breeze. If' the weather was like this more often I'd move from Hell permanently. Unfortunately it's just way too humid up here for me. We got back home... managed to park in our spot, even though the Georgia moron was still there, and proceeded to enjoy our morning coffee. Oh, I did call the Harpers Ferry Police and talked to Chief Burraker about the nuisance issue with the Towns Inn. He assured me he would take care of the illegally parked cars and make a special visit to see Ms Townsend. It's funny how Christians turn so ugly when they don't get their way. Ms Townsend and her guest proved once again.... just how wonderful bible thumping hypocritical heifers can be!! Now we get to go to the Calvary Bible Church this evening to see my son get hitched. Such a beautiful day too..... it's almost a shame to share it with so many religious posers. They'll suck the life out of it like they suck the joy out of my brain when I get too close to any of them. I had planned to pack a bottle of Holy Water just in case I was forced to speak to my ex mother-in law. I figured I could splash her with it and repeat.... "The Power of Christ Compels You" over and over until her head stopped spinning, but after being promoted to "The Devil", I'm not so sure how to go about exorcising her demons...... or why for that matter. You'd think since she was evil incarnate, we would get along. Maybe she's one of those "power struggling suit types"!! Either way, I always enjoy it when I get to share my day with someone who can attest first hand that none of it was made up or embellished. WooHoo.... Steve!! Stay tuned for Wedding Photos..... and of course the next springer-like episode of my life!!

Heartbreaks and heart attacks

I slept on the couch last night because my back has been hurting so bad. This morning I actually heard the screeching tires on the car out front and later when I was fixing the coffee, my neighbor tapped on the window to tell me one of our cats was in the road dead. Not knowing which one it was and fearing it was Zander, I went to retrieve it before Steve saw it. Fortunately, and I know that's really sad to say, it wasn't Zander.... it was Aphrodite (Aphy) I carried her back to the house, laid her on the patio and continued my morning routine of coffee and breakfast. It was then that I realized how part of my morning routine was missing. Zander was ALWAYS underfoot at this time and I was always having to step over him. So I went upstairs to see if he was with Steve..... no, so I went back outside to have another look at the cat I THOUGHT was Aphy. OH MY GOD... how was I going to tell Steve that Zander was dead. Would I wait until this evening???? I couldn't, because I would want to bury him before then. What should I do.... it would ruin Steves day. I searched for Zander once again to make sure. Normally Aphy is up in the yard somewhere this time of day. When I called the cats, all but Zander and Aphy showed up and since Zander was normally already in our way, the decision was made. It was Zander that had been killed. Damn it to hell..... why did we have to have identical cats!!! I hated this not knowing. Maybe installing a cat door was the wrong thing. If we hadn't let them out they'd all still be safe and alive! First Blaze and now Zander.... I just couldn't bear to see Steve hurt like this, but he had to know. I asked Steve if he had meetings this morning and he said no. I looked him dead in the eyes and said, "Zander has been hit and killed, he's on the back patio." He stood there not sure of what I had said, so I repeated it and took him outside to see. I left him alone and came back inside. Eventually he came back in and as if in denial, went on his own search for Zander. Once upstairs he just sat down and cried. I sat quietly on the sofa and held myself together remembering the coolest cat in the world and how he always had to set the bar, and how he was now with his best friend Blaze. Steve came back downstairs, joined me on the sofa and we sat there talking and laughing and crying over Zander. Steve said how dinner would never be the same now because there would be no Zander to climb onto his full belly and massage it for him. I had even realized by this point that it was the 7th month anniversary of when we lost Blaze, which caused even more tears to flow, and how appropriate that Zander would join his best buddy Blaze on this day........... when he walked in. I can't begin to explain the shock. There he was, Zander!! We both bust out laughing. Where in the hell had he been? and why was it OK for him to be alive and not as sad that Aphy died? I guess he really IS our favorite cat. Poor Aphy, now that we definitely knew it was her, it all seemed so understandable. Watching her fall off the walls and run into things and lets not forget.... Steve always said she was cross-eyed. Somehow it all made sense. She was the "simple" one. Not so agile, not so smart.... not quite retarded, but you get the picture. I guess because we expected her to be the first to have an accident, it was somehow easier to accept. Releasing our kitties into the world gave them freedom. At least Aphy didn't die unhappy. She had the best of both worlds up until that fateful moment when she leaped from that rock onto that approaching bug coming down the hill. Unfortunately for Aphy, that bug had tires. Of course we're only assuming it was a VW, but we know it was a car. I know what time I was awakened by the screeching tires, so I'm pretty positive it was a morning commuter on their way to the train station. I can't blame them completely, but they could slow down a little. Hopefully Aphy at least caused them to spill their coffee or better yet, poke an eye out with a mascara brush. I wouldn't want her death to be in vain. Since we both burst out in laughter, we sort of scared Zander. He just stood there looking at us like we were completely off our rockers. Steve scooped him up into his arms and immediately asked him .... "Zander, How WAS the other side?" Zander just blinked and settled himself across steves lap..... as usual, while I went to make sure there was still a dead kitty on the patio. This is just too much for my heart. To think something you loved had been ripped from you, suffer through all the emotion of that loss and then have it suddenly re-appear. Endorphins to the rescue!!!! I'm glad Zander returned to us. I'm sorry Aphy is gone. I hope she didn't suffer long. She was still warm when I cradled her in my arms and brought her home. I gave her collar to her sister Venus. Dash and I will bury her on the back hill alongside Loba this morning. Here's to Miss Aphrodite.... Innocence...... I believe all animals are born with it. Some just carry that trait into adulthood... and Aphy was one of those who did so with gumption. She was one of two little sisters we adopted from Friends of Felines, a cat rescue near Hagerstown, MD. I remember when they came home with me, Steve nearly went through the roof. Six cats..... SIX CATS!?!?!? I forget how many dogs we had at the time, but we had a houseful. Her and her sister Venus not only amused us, but were immediately adopted by our boys Zander and Marquis. Our older girls Moby and Scotty who we recently renamed Bette and Joan really didn't care for kittens, but at least tolerated them. They were always into something as kittens are, but their favorite thing to do was climb the speakers, so we covered them with heavy fabric to save the screens. Problem solved and we hoped Aphy would learn to be more agile with more to hold onto, sadly that didn't happen. This year we finally put in cat doors. After discussing it for many years we broke down and installed two. The week before I actually put the cat door in, I simply opened the window over the back porch. I wanted them to get used to the idea, but have an easy and quick retreat back inside should they need to. The first cat to cross over into this unfamiliar world was none other than Aphy. The most timid and awkward of our colony was the most bold. How ironic that she also be the first to crossover to Rainbows Bridge. Now it seems as if our kitties have been outdoor cats their whole lives. They've established routines and weird little traits all based on their own comfort level. Aphy, she had some comfort levels too.... usually in some soft dirt on the patio. I'm not sure if she really enjoyed laying in my pots or if it was the fact that she was directly underneath the bird feeder that made it so comfortable. For whatever reason she chose to lay there, she remains the only kitty that ever slept there. Now she'll sleep here forever. Goodbye Miss Aphy, travel well little girly. We'll miss you.