The Baby Book

My Mother was a very special kind of Mom.

She was the kind that loved us immensely, but also thought we could figure things out ourselves. (the opposite of today's helicopter parenting ways)

She was the kind that worked a lot after my parents divorced.

She was the kind that laughed a lot and also the kind that yelled a lot when her kids were slobs. And we were. 

She was also the kind that filled out every page of the baby book given to her when her kids were born.

Wait. WHAT?

I meant to say.....

She was the kind that filled out every page of the baby book given to her when her FIRST child was born.

Apparently she hadn't quite gotten to the point where she could fill out my book.

 

 Here is the first of many pages filled out  in Mark's book.

Here is a family tree for Mark. 

Here is Suzanne's first page of vital information. 

Here is a family tree for Suzanne to cherish for the rest of her life.

*snicker snicker*

Actually when I found this completely blank book after she'd passed away in 2015, I had a really good laugh.

The fact that she'd kept the book for 48 years was astonishing.

And I know for sure, she was laughing with me. 

I mean, I know that she was busy for those entire 48 years.....it's not like she wasn't gonna ever get to it. 

Right? 

I was pretty excited to see that I did get mentioned though.....in Mark's book for his Fifth Christmas. 

In case you're wondering "new sister" is Suzanne. BTW, I wasn't THAT new...I was 3 months old andI did have a name. 

Gosh I wish she were here when I found this.....we could've laughed about this one forever.

I miss you Bev!

This, that and the other thing

This

I had my annual eye appointment this week. Do you recall that I had my laser vision surgery back in 2015? It was almost two years ago and I'm proud to say that my vision is just awesome. I know it's not polite to boast, but I am. My right eye (distance) is 20/25 and my left eye (near) is 20/20.

I almost feel like an overachiever.

Ok, If I'm being honest, I actually DO feel like an overachiever.

I do have really dry eyes though and that was the case before the surgery. The Dr. said I can have tubes put in my ducts to help combat that.

When she suggested this, I immediately thought about pool noodles.

The.big.ones.

No. Thanks.

I'll just keep the 27 bottles of eye drops I have scattered about in my house/car/purse.

That

Back in April my girlfriend and I went out for lunch and a margarita to celebrate my Mom's birthday. What? It's a thing.

We both had cucumber Margaritas and we declared that they were the best thing ever.

A few weeks later she and I were texting about getting together because the Coach was out of town and we love any excuse to catch up. So, I was thinking it would be great if I tried to make cuke margs for us. Well, I'd just call it serendipity because I didn't even need to go to the store; I had 3 large cukes in my garden, a full bottle of good tequila, mint and limes. DESTINY.

So, I marinated the mint and cuke in tequila and voila; we had cuke margs and they.were.amazing.

If you care for the recipe, it's this article here.

The other thing

I almost broke the bank and purchased myself a macro/wide lens for my cellphone.

It was super expensive. 

Actually, it's gone up $2 since I purchased mine. Supply and demand is alive and well.

I'm amazed at how great the photos/videos are. Who doesn't want to record caterpillars eating or frolicking on a milkweed flower? Sadly, I can't figure out how to properly share the videos on blogger. (arrggghhhh)

Happy Humpday!

XOXO

I've created my own theme park

It's called Butterfly World. Or maybe I should call it Cater-Palooza.

I'm so deep in my monarch butterfly saving that it really has become more time consuming than I'd like, but like most addictions, I don't know how to stop!

I feel so compelled to help them and at first just planting the butterfly garden filled with lots of milkweed and nectar plants was enough.
But then it wasn't.
I noticed a LOT of butterfly activity and a LOT of baby caterpillars.
Nature was doing her thing.
And then nature was doing her thing.
And that second nature wasn't helping the situation.
I have a large amount of wasps and lizards that ALSO like to eat caterpillars.
So, then I was taking in the baby caterpillars and keeping them safely until they were larger and wouldn't be eaten by the lizards and wasps. But then other things were happening.
Parasites. Disease.
Ugh.
So, now I'm taking in the baby cats and eggs and rearing them until they were full grown butterflies.

This tattered {smoky colored}female was around my garden for a few weeks laying gobs of eggs. 

And with that, my butterfly population has grown so much that I can hardly keep up with the babies and eggs.

This is a newly hatched monarch caterpillar on a Q-tip. Thank goodness I had that laser vision surgery!

Occasionally one will try to pick my brain before taking off into the great blue yonder. 

I planted Mexican sunflowers for nectar and the butterfly's love them!

"Oye Vey" as my not so Jewish Mother would say.

But I'm fortunate that I don't work full time and I can do this with MY time.
Somedays I release one or two butterfly's,  some days I release 17.
They are beautiful critters and I think in the caterpillar stage they are so darn cute that I'd like to kiss their little faces.
OF course, I refrain because a smooch from me could be the kiss of death. I'm a rough kisser.



I started writing this post a few weeks ago, and since then, I'm really knee deep in caterpillars. So much so that it's becoming apparent that I can't keep up with my production. :)

I've found that I have so many eggs being laid that I've missed and I'm finding that there are SO many outside that are making it to adulthood. So, I'm doing some inside and letting the rest fend for themselves. {Sophie's choice!}

Don't ya hate it when your bangs get in your eyes and a monarch chrysalis forms on your neck? 

I sit at my desk and I can see so many of them fluttering by and it makes me so happy!

My name is Suzanne and I'm a monarch addict.

There. I said it!

Keep on flying!

XOXO

The Last of the Orangies.

Just a few weeks ago I had to let go of our last kitty.

Harley early 2017

He was doing fairly well considering he's had thyroid issues for at least the last four years and has been on meds 2x daily.
He was 18 years old and had a fairly good life with us. I'm sure if you asked him, he might have a few gruntled comments;  there was never enough tuna on hand, or that the doors going in and out of the lanai could've been opened sooner. You know how cats are.
Harley and his sister Maisy were adopted from the local Humane society when the girls were so young and SO little (1999) and now they're NOT.

Anyhoo....he started acting like life was NOT so much fun one day and we came to realize it might be his kidney's. Of course, the vet wanted to do every test known to man and poke/prod the poor old man, but 'ole Jack Kavorkian (me) wasn't having it. I let him go. As hard as it is, I know it's for the best.

Of course, I cried like a baby. For the last year he was my constant shadow; slept at my feet every single night and followed me around like I might sneeze out tuna at any minute.

***

In my NON posting over the past year I forgot to document that I actually had to put down our youngest cat last February; (2016) Krispy Kitty.
Krispy came to us by accident. Which really, I suppose, is how most cats come to be.

When she came to be ours, we already had the two orange cats. (by the way, I NEVER wanted an orange cat, gray was my favorite flavored cat)

One day when the two original orangies were around five years old  I walked past the front glass doors and saw a cat outside on the porch.
Me: "Who let the darn cat outside?"
I opened the door brought the cat in and then realized it wasn't OUR actual orange cat.
It was an imposter. Or a clone. A kitten clone.
And that imposter lived with us for a good 12-13 years.

Krispy in 2005. Who the heck let her on the counter???

Anyhoo, she was doing fine and then all of sudden wasn't doing so good.
The Vet kept her for a few days to see if they could get her feeling better, but they realized it was her kidneys that were failing. That was so sad because she was still so young. (by cat standards)

We are not going to actively search out for another kitty. I do love them and I love our two old (12 & 10) dogs, but we're hoping to start traveling more in the near future and it's so much easier not worrying about who will tend to the critters.

Have a great day!
XO