It Was Terrible!!

Water: check

Candles: check

Ice: check

Batteries: check

Ready. Set. Go!

It sounded like a freight train outside our house.  The wind howled and rain pelted angrily against whining windows.  

Gracie looked nervous... then told me she had to pee.  She changed her mind once I opened the door to show her out.  

The good news:  It was around 8PM and our lights were still on.    

The bad news:  5 minutes later they were off.

Enter Candles.

I prayed for my children and grandchildren.  I prayed for my stepchildren who live near the NJ shore.  I prayed for everyone in harms way.

Then, with all seriousness aside my future daughter-in-law who is five months pregnant with my future grandson...  sent me this quick video that made me LOL!

Even the scarecrow was laughing...

Morning brought calmer winds and little rain...  but still no electricity.   Gary already had a plan just in case...  Morning Coffee would be 'hand made' on the gas grill.

We spent the morning filling up the cooler with ice and putting our refrigerated items in there.

We were thankful that we had no major damage to our home.  

The electric came on around noon and we celebrated!  I made burned cinnamon rolls in the toaster oven.

Dear Diary,

It was terrible!  The worse night ever!  I was afraid of the noise!  I was scared cause it was dark!  Mom and Dad were acting strange!  They didn't have the devil box on!  It was quiet!  It got cold!  I had to pee!  Then I was dragged outside and someone or something turned the water on full blast and tried to give me a bath!  Dad ordered me...  "PEE!" I thought I would blow away! I shivered in my paws as I forced a pee! I didn't understand!  Gracie.

I HATE THE BOOK ~ and ~ BE KIND... SANDY

Below:  Action shot.  

Me:  "Doggie!"

Gracie:  "Where?"

She's so funny.  We get her every time.  Say "Doggie" and she's ready to rumble!

Guess what?  I got finished my galley edits for this round a week early, so now I just have to wait for the second edit. 

 This. Is. Work.

I HATE THIS BOOK!

*Sigh*  

Okay, now that I've said it I feel better.  

The truth is I don't really hate it.  But it seems pretty boring to me especially after going over it a dozen times.

Last night we had some Trick or Treat fun...

And now I'm remembering a month earlier when we enjoyed the beautiful beach wedding of my stepdaughter Stacy and her now hubby Vinny near Ocean City NJ... 

And then we toured the new casino in Atlantic City...  (below)

It's not looking good for this place right now and I am

 praying for 

Stacy and Vinny who live not real far inland...

And 

Gary's son Jason who lives in Hoboken, close to NY.

And 

For everyone in Sandy's path...  far and wide...  

Be Safe!!

Dear Diary,

Mom is all happy cause she found me a new groomer.  One closer to home.  It seems every groomer I ever get ends up 'retiring from grooming'.  Mom thinks I may have something to do with that but I respectfully disagree with her conclusion on that subject.  I've only ever made one groomer bleed and she said it was no big deal.  

So anyways...  the place is called Strut Your Mutt and the guys name is Kevin.  Hey...  believe it or not, I like the guy.  And Mom said it was one of the best cuts I've ever had. 

 But.  She keeps smelling me and cuddling with me and she is so very clingy!!!  I would like to know where Ms. CarrieAnne from Golden Pines found that neat stuff to roll around in.  It would help me with this Clingy-Mom thing I have going on here.  Gracie.

Cover to Cover

Hi folks!  I may be missing for a few weeks here...  

You see...

Yesterday I received my book back for review - to read and make any changes.  My first round of author galley's.  I have 14 days but I'd like to get it done sooner.  

And now.  

Since you are my friends and have stuck with me through all of my silliness and (sometimes) l-o-n-g mundane posts....  

I share with you the cover of my book:  

AND NOW....  OFF TO WORK!

I hope everyone is having a great week!

FALLING INTO FALL

Fallen leaves.  Blue skies.   

Not too warm but not too cool.

Vibrant colors. 

Giggles.

Hayrides.

Must be fall.

Dear Diary,

  I like fire hydrants.  I can't help it.  I also like light poles, tree trunks and dog poop.  I'm a dog for crying out loud!  Dogs like those things. I do not like to miss any of these smells.  So if it means a fire hydrant on the left, then a tree on the right, then some fresh dog pee on the left again...  then so be it.  I don't know what jay walking is, I just know it annoys the folks and makes  Mom The Nag blurt out her favorite quote, 'Gracie!  What is your problem?' She says I'm going to cause her or dad to fall over me. Whatever.  Gracie.

Beautiful Fall! Samson Can See!!

Why is there a weird looking 'criminal records' ad at the bottom of my blog?  How did it get there?  I did not put it there.  ??

Anyone else have something like that happen to their blog?

I get a lot of anonymous junk-stuff on my email through blogger.  Spam, I suppose.  Do you have that a lot?

Just wondering.  

We have been having some beautiful fall weather here.  

And the kids are getting their fill!

Dear Diary,
I have been saying my prayers lately and asking God to make my boyfriend Samson to be able to see again.  And now he can! Thank you God!  
Now, The Nag Mom says I need to be groomed on Tuesday because I stink and I am hard to keep clean with this mop.  I wonder about her mop and when she plans on getting  groomed.  
I hope after my grooming that Samson can SEE me and I will look beautiful for him.  Gracie.

Pillow Talk

I have a Question.

Do we have too many choices?

For example...  our Dish TV offers more channels than we would ever have time to watch.  We stick with about half a dozen and the rest go to waste.  I don't watch much TV at all because I would be hard pressed to make a choice and I wouldn't know where to go with it!  Too many choices!

Another thing.  Diapers.  Going to the store to get diapers for the grand baby gives me stress.  I will stand in front of an entire wall filled with different brands, different sizes, different levels of dryness and comfort, night-time, day-time, pull ups, fresh scent,  blah-blah-blah.   First I feel faint.  Then I begin to sweat.  A lot.  What to do!!!  WAY TOO MANY CHOICES!

It's EVERYWHERE!  EVERYTHING!

Tonight I was faced with yet another anxiety filled decision.  In shopping for a new pillow at the Bon-Ton I was blown away by the CHOICES.  There is down.  Down alternative.  Feather. Foam. Memory foam. But those choices aren't what brought on my anxiety. No, no...  It was when I had to chose between:

** For those who sleep on their back
** For those who sleep on their side
** For those who sleep on their stomach

WHAT?  I sleep on my back, my side and my stomach.  So now what?

Needless to say, I came home without a pillow.   I am in need of a pillow consultant I suppose.

When did life get so complicated?

You Don't Know Her Like I Do

Yea...  Gracie here.  

The person that usually writes this blog is temporarily busy making my life miserable doing nothing.

Hey.  Don't judge me.  You don't know her like I do.

What kind of a 'human' would write a note like the one below:

...  and leave it there day after day after day?   


Does anyone have some extra food?

A biscuit?

A cookie crumb?

NOT AGAIN!

Fall has arrived nicely.

And now that the festivals are over it's time for a nice quiet walk along the bike trail by the railroad tracks.


We stop for a picture.

And as always...  hope and pray that we don't have a 'train encounter'.

Ever since Gracie FREAKED OUT a few years ago there.

But during this weekends walk...  one of my biggest fears!  The train was coming!  There was nowhere to go, and since Gracie almost broke loose last time, I pulled her over to the side and threw myself on her... trying to keep her calm and from trying to run away.

Whew!!!!  My heart was pounding!  So was hers.

But we made it!

If you haven't seen this video already, be sure and watch.  This is from 2 years ago.  I had no idea Gracie would react in the way she did!

UGH!

Happy Fall y'all!

Trouble Here. Trouble There. Trouble Everywhere!

Last night Summer gave up her turn at Grammy and Pop-pop's house so Rissi could spend the night again.  

Rissi has always been 'our girl'.  I love all of my grand-angels, but she will always be special in that she was the first.  

She is the one who would cry all the way home 

when she would have to leave me.  I can still see that little hand blowing me kisses from the car... tears streaming down her face and holding tight to her baggy filled with Nilla wafers.  

It's hard to believe that she's in kindergarten already.  

Rissi:  Look in the mirror Grammy.

Me:  Ugh!!  

Rissi shakes her head back and forth...  a worried look on her face.

Me:  What do you think the problem is?

Rissi:  I think you need a make-over.

Me:  Oh, okay.  Make me look pretty, okay?

Rissi:  Okay!  

She combs my hair and pretends to apply all kinds of sprays and makeup.  Then she shoves the mirror in my face to take a look.  

Me:  What do you think?

Rissi:  (scrunching her face...)  It still looks like a disaster, but maybe if we brush your hair out some more.  

Me:  (a few minutes later)  Do I look better?

Rissi:  Yea!!

Later, after Pop-pop and I took her to see Hotel Transylvania, it was time for some of Summer....

She's my little Cuddle Bunny.  She loves to Cuddle!

When I'm ready to leave, it has become a tradition that I let Rissi pick out a piece of fruit stripe gum from my purse.

I explained to Summer that she's not old enough yet.  Her day will come.

I turned my back for a minute and when I turned back around, Guess who was in Grammy's purse?

 Notice the wave of her hand (above)?  That's how she stays out of trouble.  It's the cutest wave I have ever seen...  and she knows it.  I will post a video soon.

She studied the gum, and removed a piece for herself.

Oh Summer...  We should have named you Trouble.

But seriously...  there's someone else in our family with that  name already...

Dear Diary,

I didn't do it.  Wally did.  Gracie.

Fall Festivals and Morning... I mean.. Evening Coffee

It's that time of year!  Fall Festivals.  

I love them! 

The weather was perfect this year!

My favorite...  the Springs Fest!  

This one we went to on Friday.

"Hello!  From Springs Pa.!"
Half the fun is the many yard sales along the way!

Homemade bread and Apple butter.  Homemade vegetable soup.  Kettle Corn.  Maple sugar candy.  Apple dumplings.  Homemade ice cream.  **SIGH**

"Hello!" from Gary from the Springs Fest.

On Saturday we went to the Bedford Pa. Fall Festival, which is huge.  That entire town was packed with people!!  

Good times!

I forgot my camera both times.  I used my phone for the Springs Fest and didn't take any pictures at the Bedford Festival.

As always, we collected a lot of goodies for the Grand Angels...  

Tonight, Gary made the coffee like he always does... and set the timer to go off at 6 AM but for some reason it brewed right away instead of the scheduled time.

"Gary, isn't it a little late for coffee?"  I asked.

He looked at me from his recliner...  a little confused.

"We have coffee!"  I said.

Gracie got up out of her chair, wide eyed...  and waited at the door to go out and get the morning paper.  LOL!!!

Dear Diary,
Somethings very wrong here.  It smells like morning, but we didn't really go to bed yet.   I was all set to go out with mom to get the paper but she just started laughing at me.  Gracie.

Big Trouble!!!

Dear Diary,

I haven't been in this much trouble since I almost tripped dad while jay zig zag walking during our walk.

Dad put me outside today.  Soon after, he came out to find me with a birdie friend in my mouth, fighting for its life.   

Hey...  I was just trying to find the squeaker.  

Guess who got in big, big trouble?

R.I.P. Birdie Friend.  Gracie.

Taking a Bullet for Someone You Love

I've often heard the phrase 'I'd take a bullet for you' and thought...  yea, right.  I can't think of anyone I would take a bullet for.  I must be s-e-l-f-i-s-h!

But then again, do we even realize what we would do until the time comes?  

Would I risk my life to save my grandchildren 

from a burning building?

I'm sure I would!

Would I push Gary out of the way so the oncoming train would crash into me instead?  

There's a good chance.  

Would I lunge toward my dog, forgetting about how old I am and how breaking just one bone in my body could lay me up for months, saving her from running out of the garage door as she follows me to the laundry room and I realize that Gary has the garage door opened?  

Well, yes I would! 

Maybe I'm not as selfish as I thought I was.  

OUCH!  BUT NO BROKEN BONES.

Dear Diary,

I don't know what all the fuss was about.  Firstly, I've always known that the nag Mom is crazy about me.  She can't live without me and that's a fact.  First thing in the morning... it's all about me.  Second thing in the morning... me, me, me..  Third thing...  well, you get the picture.  She's always got my back.  This brings me to the overprotective part.  A dog needs some space, ya know.  It is not necessary to drag me through the air by my harness (into the house) to save me from breaking my rope and charging at the annoying german shepherd walking its master down our sidewalk.  It is overkill.  I mean, really.  She's so dramatic.  AND the way she lunged at me a few weeks ago when I went to the laundry room to help her do the laundry...  shielding me from 'escaping' out the garage door?  There is that word escape..  huh...  I must be in prison if I need to escape.  Oh, and get this.  Then she takes me back over to the laundry room (after the fact) to re-enact the whole darn thing so she can take pictures and blog about it. This is one wacko wooman if ya get my drift.  Gracie.