Something Terribly Wrong

We're getting 9 inch green beans from our garden.  Wow!  I had never seen such a huge green bean before.  

We'll be taking these fresh veggies with us tomorrow as we head for Ocean City and the beach!  I'll be taking a blog break because I will be busy having fun in the sun with family.

I'm sad to leave Gracie behind.   I miss her already.  She looked a little worried en route to the kennel.

Dear Diary,

There's something terribly wrong here.  Terribly wrong. 

 Dad and I took mom to the kennel... for the week.   You see, he and I planned on beachin' it with the kiddo's...  a little Frisbee on the beach, some cookies here and there... and some much needed R&R,  Time away from the nag Mom.  
When we got to the kennel,  Mom pushed me into one of those prison cages (just like Gretel pushed the wicked witch into the oven in the Hansel and Gretel story that I heard mom tell Rissi one day...) and then she locked the cage door and left with dad.  Doesn't dad get it?  Doesn't he know what she's done?  Doesn't he miss me yet?  Gracie.

Magical Summer

There were summers...  many years ago...

that seemed to last forever. 

Things were different then.  The trees were fuller.  The grass was greener.  The days were longer.

There were picnics and there was bad-mitten.  Swimming and pretending.

I was a secret agent for a very high profile FBI agent when I wasn't spending time with my horse at Girls Club Camp or playing mumbly peg with my brothers and sisters.  What was real and what was pretend?  It didn't matter.  It was all magical.

The hot days didn't bother me then.  There was no noisy air conditioning, only a soft fan rotating and blowing warm air throughout the room.  Windows were opened and you could smell the fresh air if you put your nose up against the screen.

People weren't glued to their TV sets hearing the same news over and over again 24-7.  There was news at noon, six, and eleven.  Not too long after that, colored bars filled the screen and the TV was off the air till morning.

Other of my siblings might describe our childhood as poor and without opportunity.

But I had a black bear and a feisty tiger that could talk to me.  And I would dream of the day we'd all be famous.

Hope you're having a magical summer!

Jesus Is In The Stove

Just home from a babysitting session with the grand-angels at their home.  Summer took her bottle and then went to bed for the night at around 7:30 PM.  

Then Rissi and I played hide and seek and told stories.  Rissi is five years old and will start kindergarten after we return from vacation.  She has a great imagination and she is now afraid of dark rooms and hallways.  

Grammy to the rescue!

Me:  Rissi, ... you don't have to be afraid.  Jesus is everywhere and He will protect you.

Rissi:  Is he in the hallway?

Me:  Yes.  He's in the hallway and everywhere you go.

Rissi:  Is he in the kitchen?

Me:  Yes!

Rissi:  In the stove?

Me:  Everywhere!  He will take care of you so nothing will hurt you.

I just got a call from Lindsey.  Thanks Mom, she said.  It seems Rissi is following her everywhere, and she is afraid to go in any rooms by herself because she thinks Jesus is waiting for her there.  

Obviously, we need to have a more detailed talk.   

I just love this girl!

Dear Diary,

I hate photo sessions.  I find if I stop, drop, and roll at the sight of the camera she moves on to something else.  Call me a genius.  Gracie.

Kindle or Hard Copy?

We have been getting all kinds of good news lately - this for another post.

Summer is almost over and vacation time is almost upon us. 
(I have 2 vacations scheduled! So looking forward to this!)

Taking a good book along on vacation is a must! 
I've been reading books via Kindle lately. 

It's not the same.

 I like holding a real - live - physical book when I read.  Am I being prehistoric

or

do you prefer a hard copy as well? 

*SIGH*

I'm still working on reading my son Justin's book, which is turning out to be a very good read...  check out his blog and the great reviews he is getting at http://ageofthewrathjeg.blogspot.com/  don't forget to watch the trailer.  I was impressed!

Dear Diary,
Last night dad sprayed some stuff up my nose and told me it's because I'm going to be staying at the kennel soon. Call me stupid, but I don't get the connection.  In other news...  last night when I was trying to cover up my business outside, I kicked a bit of my poop up onto my back.  The nag Mom was not a happy camper.  Gracie.

The Baby and the Bone

Dear Diary,

The kid aka Short Stuff doesn't say much.  She's fast though.  I have to be on my guard at all times when she's around.

She has this fascination with my ears... probably cause she doesn't have any of her own.

Mom's trying to teach her to be n-i-c-e to big dog.  Mom slides her little hand over my back and says n-i-c-e.  But the minute Mom's back is turned, those little hands dart quickly for the ears and anyone who knows this dog understands that the ears are off limits.  Period.    

I try to keep my distance.  But there are some things that interest me.  Like new toys.  Dirty diapers.  Cereal.  Finger foods.

Mom tries to keep both of us in line...

Short Stuff's trying to teach me how to stand on my back legs. I humor her, and say 'oh yea, that's really cool' when I actually think it's stupid.  She goes nowhere on her back paws legs.  Everyone knows you need all fours to get to where you want to go.

She's not too smart.

"hey big dog, you're ear's inside out. let me fix that for you."

I try to teach her a thing or two.  But she's not an easy learner.  

If I told her once, I've told her a thousand times.  No playing with my slobbery, green bone kid.  Mom will have a fit.

I guess she's tempted though, when I bring it to her and drop it down in front of her.

The nag Mom yells at me.  GRACIE! DON'T GIVE THE BABY DIRTY TOYS!

She must mean dirty cookies too.

Because when I tried to pawn off an old buried cookie...

I got to hear her famous speech:

"Gracie, what is your problem!?"  

Hey, the kid was hungry.  

And I'm all about making friends with this
 future Nilla Wafer carrier/sharer.  Gracie.

"stay away from the ears kid.  ya hear?"

Gary's Garden

Gary is excited! 

His garden is flourishing and he has 

harvested his first 3 green beans!

We've had zucchini bread, fried zucchini, steamed zucchini, zucchini casserole, grilled zucchini, and today....

 Zucchini brownies!

  Vegetables have never tasted so good!!

The garden was planted at the beginning of summer, Gary's project with his estranged daughter who was back in his life at that time.  Watching the garden grow would be symbolic of their relationship...   

It was to be a time of healing...  

Working on their garden together...  

Working on their relationship together....

But life is funny.   

Some things are just not meant to be.  

And we have to let go...

And then there is peace, healing, and growth.

What do you Think?

When we lived in WV Gracie used to watch out the window for Gary to come home...  or to spy on her 'boyfriend' Poncho  beyond the dirt road above our house.  

(sorry Samson... it was before she knew of you...  

they are so through!)

I grabbed my camera one day and snapped a picture.  It has always been a favorite of mine, and that's why I've chosen it for my book cover.  

What do you think?

Gracie's Diary is shared at the end of each chapter of the book...  I hope she doesn't mind.

CASTLE ESTATE SALE ~ A Monkey Table?

About a year-and-a-half ago I did a post on The Castle.  If you didn't see it, or don't remember it..  check it out!

Today we learned that the Castle has been sold.  We attended the estate sale there this morning.

 When I walk onto the Castle grounds, I become a little girl again...  walking hand in hand with my dad...  excited to be visiting my aunt who owned The Castle back then.  I'm studying the angelic ceiling with the puffs of clouds all around, and another ceiling which reminds me of a decorated birthday cake.  I'm being patient while Dad visits with his sister...  and I have no cares.  I dream of queens and kings and princesses and the mystery that stays hidden beyond the old wooden staircase.

Okay...  back to the estate sale...

We asked the woman (the queen) who was having the sale, "Have you ever come across the ghost that lives here?"

"I've lived here 10 years and never saw one single ghost," she said.

Gary thinks that maybe she was a ghost...  *insert horrified, scared face here!*

The one thing I found that I couldn't live without was this picture that hung on the wall.

Unfortunately, it was not for sale.  I guess I can live without it after all.  *Insert frown here*

There were knights and swords and antiques of all kinds...

The 'monkey table' below was one thing Gary was drawn to.  Fortunate for him, this eyesore was for sale and it was only twenty bucks.  

Monkey table is getting a good washing...  (minus the glass top)

After the sale we went to a movie.

It was a good day.  A beautiful summer day!  And speaking of summer, The day is not complete without a quick stop to love on the grandkids a bit...

Dear Diary,

Laundry day is my favorite day.  There's nothing like getting lost in a pile of warm clothes, fresh out of the dryer.  Gracie.

BANKRUPT and BUSY!!

my summer.  by bobbi phillip.

spring/summer started kindly.   reuniting gary with his estranged daughter was a perfect way to begin.  shortly after, however, during her stay with us... we found she was a poser. she left. we survived. life goes on.

summer.  hot and stormy.  very busy.  

hub. filed 4 bankruptcy on the cards he used to try to save his daughter via lawyers, basement psychologist 4 daughter, and enormous child support. now it's finished.  glad that's over with.  he has had impeccable credit all his life.  how sad, what has happened. 

which brings me to my book.  sigh.  it is done being edited, and gary and i are both going over it again, then it will be sent for publication.   it's keeping us very busy. 

july turned out to be the best month 'business-wise' that we have had so far at 'all about hearing'.  wow!  word is getting out.

gary's mom will be up next week to stay in our guest apartment for a week.  looking forward to that.

there is a reason i save my vacation time for summers end.  

1. it's cooler.  2.  it gives me something to look forward to :-)  

in a few weeks it will be vacation at the beach with the kids and the grandkids.  i'm so excited!

then a few weeks after that it is hub's (my stepdaughter) wedding on the beach.  another vacation for us where we celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.  yay!

i'm a weight watchers drop out.  

honestly, i tried so hard and i  was going nowhere.  eating better makes me feel good though.  and i am still watching and refuse to be down....  

oh, and did i mention i'm going to be a grammy again?  today i found out it will be a boy.   jake will have a baby brother come january.  excited!


MY COOKIE.  BY GRACIE PHILLIP

I WAS GIVEN A COOKIE,
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
SO I HID IT UNDER A RUG,
AWAY FROM YOU.

WHEN THAT DIDN'T WORK,
I BURIED IT UNDER THE CHAIR.
BUT YOU SOON FOUND IT,
SO I THOUGHT, 'NOW, WHERE'?

I DUG AND I NUDGED,
WITH MY PAWS AND MY NOSE.
I HEARD YOU YELL "GRACIE!"
AND THEN... I FROZE.

"DON'T BURY THAT COOKIE!"
YOU SAID, MAKING A SCENE.
THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED,
THE NAG MOM IS QUITE MEAN!

SO THIS LEAVES ME TO SULK,
AND WONDER... IN DESPAIR.
WHERE CAN I HIDE MY COOKIE?
WHERE?  OH WHERE?   OH WHERE?