Top Dog

Dooley likes to watch the world from a high point - the top of the stairs.

This weekend there's lots of sleeping, yoga-ing, and pool-ing.  Both my husband and I have been spending too many hours at work, and we're recharging our batteries this weekend.  I hope you're enjoying your weekend too.

I Want More Sundays

Self Control. (What self control?) This is why my pants are currently too tight.  I didn't go to yoga on Sunday (it was teacher appreciation day) and I had homemade chocolate ice cream with fresh strawberries for dessert.

That was after we had bacon wrapped jalapeños with supper.

My husband and I did break a sweat on Sunday; we did epic amounts of yard work.  We tamed the forest of bushes, hedges, and odd overgrowth that was chocking our front flowerbeds.  We didn't get around to performing this home maintenance until three o'clock in the afternoon (a.k.a. the hottest part of the day).  We had a slow start to our day.  We paid the price for our tardiness with the triple digit temperatures.

We also filled our front two planters with leafy plants.  This beautiful blue planter was purchased a year or two ago in Dallas.  I never got around to planting it at our previous house.  I always adored the exquisite blue color, and that was enough for me.

This tall blue planter was purchased a month or two ago, because it matched my other planter.  My parents sent me a check for my birthday last month to cover my Music of the Spheres Westminster wind chimes and this planter.  The color blue makes me so happy.

Adding leafy greens to these planters is a great addition to the front porch.

What I've learned is that it can be 103 degrees outside with a ferocious sun in the sky heating up my body and it doesn't matter to me...as long as I'm hanging out with my husband, then in my world it's perfect weather.  Any day with my husband is a blue sky and crisp cool air kind of day.  I can never get enough of those days.

Mr. Clean

Our friends Adam and Eddie with 20-month-old twin boys came to the house on Saturday for an early dinner.  (The boys go to bed at 7:30 PM!)  We had fajitas for dinner and homemade ice cream for dessert.

Our house isn't child proof, and so the boys were fascinated that our kitchen cabinet doors can open - they kept opening and closing the doors.  Also, we did not try and contain the boys.  They had free range of the house - so they made nonstop laps around the house.  And, the boys especially liked to play in Trigger and Dooley's water bowls. It was fun to splash!

After dinner we went outside.  We were talking and playing.  I noticed my patio table was dirty so I went inside to retrieve wet paper towels.  When I returned outside I walked past the two boys and over to the patio table and started wiping it clean.

My husband laughed loudly.

What?

My husband informed me that he thought in his head: that's so sweet he's going to get paper towels to clean the boys faces (they had food on their faces).  He thought my actions were proving I was going to be such a good father.  But instead I walked past two dirty faced boys and went over to clean furniture.

Am I going to be a good father?

Please Don't be True

Human rights activists are still trying to confirm whether six LGBT Ugandans were reportedly stoned to death last weekend in rural Uganda, as reported in a press release by activist Denis Nzioka.

If confirmed, this is horrific.  I don't really know how to process this event - someone like me being stoned to death for being gay?  It's unacceptable.

The Midnight Kitty Has A Home

The Midnight Kitten (from this post, and this post) has found a new home.  As I was running late and rushing off to work the morning after I found him in a tree, our neighbor took him to the vet to get checked out.  The vet thought he was about 10 weeks old and he was healthy except for a wounded tail.

Midnight kitten had to have part of his tail amputated, because it was damaged, and he was neutered, so he wouldn't create another generation.

A vet tech named Sheila adopted him, because she fell in love with him during his visit.  I'm also glad when a story has a happy ending.

Two key takeaways from this event.

First, it takes a village.  It always takes a network to achieve results.  I did what I could.  I pulled him out of tree and I fed him.  He was safe for a night.  My neighbor took him to the vet to ensure he was healthy.  The vet tech adopted him.  In life it's important that you do what you can, because someone else might be able to do the next step...and then someone else the step after that....as humans we can achieve results if we work together.  Always.

Second, you should never leave a cat stranded in a tree.  You should always get out of bed, get up the tree, and save the cat.  Always.

Visting Niece

 

My brother, his wife, and my nieces went on a week long family beach vacation, which means we got to keep our four-legged niece, the huntress Cady!  For my 16th birthday, I got my first Jack Russell Terrier and then for my 18th birthday I got my second Jack Russell Terrier.  I loved both Lucy and Scout.  However, my 34 year old self is out of practice - it takes about 24 hours for me to remember how to handle a Jack Russell Terrier.  Cady is smart, determined, sweet and aggressive.  She's all those things at once.

Dooley, our French Bulldog, is determined but she requires a lot of sleep too!  At some point, she gets tired!  Here's a photo of her yawning during her bath...

However, if Cady is on a mission, she never gets tired. Jack Russell Terriers are tireless when something has their attention.  One of the great things about keeping our four legged niece Cady, is that she always gets picked up by our two legged nieces.

Presley is 6 and Paxten is 4 and they are at such a fun stage right now.  I can't get enough of their questions and comments!  When they were at the house Presley had to go to the restroom, and I heard Paxten ask: "Can I come with you?"  I cracked up at this question.  They're sisters.  For the rest of their lives at times they'll go to the bathroom together - it's what sisters do.  It gives them one more moment to talk, interact, etc.  

The World Should Get One More Chance

Robin Williams was born on July 21.  I was born on July 21.  As a child I can remember thinking it was really spectacular that we both celebrated our birth on the same day each year.

I wish my birthday buddy had been a reader of this blog.

What's the rule about suicide on Glorious Gay Days?  Read it here.

Right now I'm sending love to his wife, his children, and to him...wherever he is.

QOTD

"If you love a flower, don't pick it up.  Because if you pick it up it dies and it ceases to be what you love.  So if you love a flower, let it be.  Love is not about possession.  Love is about appreciation.

-Osho

Pound Cake is Love

Growing up my late grandmother always made me a sour cream pound cake for my birthday.  It was a tradition.  I love a good slice of pound cake.  I'd rarely share my beloved birthday pound cake, because my grandmother didn't fool around with adding almond extract or lemon extract or chocolate to her pound cakes.  She baked a perfect pound cake - with the rich buttery flavor, a hint of vanilla, and that delicious top crust over a moist cake.

Later in life my mother took over the pound cake birthday tradition.  (I'm so loved!) She searched the Internet for the perfect recipe, and she tested recipes on my father.   Once she mistakenly added almond extract - I had to tell her that's incorrect!  Finally my mother found a perfect pound cake.  The recipe is called "Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake."

My mother baked the cake this year and we froze sections of the cake.  I have no self control.  I just took out 1/4 of a pound cake from the freezer and ate it for breakfast.  When I eat the cake I think of my grandmother, my mother, and how lucky I am to feel so loved, valued, and appreciated.
   

Midnight Kitty Lives

The kitten lives!  This morning he was stuck in the bush in our front yard.  The guy can climb up but he can't climb down.  For the second time, I helped him down from a high spot and I fed him more canned salmon and milk.  I also sent out an email to the 'sac seeing if anyone needed a new family member.

I'm so late for work.

Midnight Kitten

Last night our dogs were disturbed by the sounds of an alley cat.   It was a very vocal kitty cat.  I ignored the meows for an hour, but then I couldn't sleep because I was worried I was being cruel.  I got dressed, grabbed a flash light and walked into the alley in search of the kitty cat.  I'm glad I went because I found a little kitten stuck in little tree in our alley next to our back fence.  I put on leather gloves and worked really hard to retrieve the terrified and skinny cat with a cut tail and sharp claws.  I didn't want to leave the cat in the alley.  I couldn't bring the cat inside - we have dogs and many members of my family are severely allergic to cats.  The safest place for my starving friend was our front porch.

I opened a can of pink salmon, and fed the cat salmon meat and milk.  It was making purring sounds as it ate the salmon.

I kept hearing my late grandmother's voice in my head: "God love it." as the cat ate and drank with passion.  I left the cat outside and went to bed.  This morning I haven't found my friend.  I just see empty bowls.  I was hoping the cat would hang around, and I could get it more help.

At least I didn't let a starving kitten go hungry for one night.

QOTD

"Homo sex is in."

Four Eyes

My brother gave me this shirt for my birthday.  Isn't he funny?  No one can make me laugh like my brother- he's hilarious.  When he found out I needed glasses to help get through long hours in front of my computer he called and acted shocked that I had another problem.

My brother: "Oh no, now you have something else wrong with you: 1) you're gay, 2) you're dyslexic, and now 3) you wear glasses."

Big Kahuna

The BBQ was a lot of fun, but the only mistake I made: I did not bring my swim suit.  I thought it may be awkward for a grown man to roll down the slide into the water, since our host rented it for the kids...but it looked like so much fun!  Our backyard in Dallas isn't even big enough for the Big Kahuna water slide...but we could put it in the front!  When we have kids the Big Kahuna is making an appearance in the 'sac.

Before the evening BBQ we grabbed lunch in Sway in downtown Atlanta, and I ordered the vegetable plate, which was spectacular.

The Wilkes BBQ

My husband has been in Atlanta since Wednesday, and I'm headed to the airport right now (Saturday morning) to join him.  I'm going to Atlanta for a BBQ, Scarlett would be proud, and then we're both flying back early Sunday morning.  He jets away again on Sunday night.

I feel like a baller, since I'm flying to Atlanta for a BBQ.  I also feel tired.

This is one of those days where I don't think my 12 year old self would recognize my 34 year old life.

This is my life?  This is my life!