Catch Up

Well, tons of things have happened lately and thought I might do a "catch-up" blog.

Had a great Sunday Brunch with my longtime, old school pals, great to
catch up and love who they have turned out to be. We are all glad for our happiness and friendship. Went with Jayne, Charlene and Martha. Just the right size group. Nice to reminisce and laugh and talk. Good to have friends.

We first had a scare the Tuesday/Wednesday just before we left on our cruise and then being luckier than a million 4 leafed clovers when we got back and did the angiogram. Just $10,000 in medical bills (so appreciative for good insurance). And glad Brent had his heart scanned and even though they didn't give us much of a diagnosis, at least we know how blocked his heart arteries are. I guess that is something and we still do believe in better living with chemicals, not so sure about doctors. Now, he trying to get back into a more healthier state, just his recovery after exercise takes a few hours to get back to normal. Each morning he goes out and weeds or does something in the yard for an hour. Nature is good for his heart and soul.

We loved sharing our beautiful spring flowers with our folks for Memorial Day and loved the time in the truck just being with my Love. Glad my Mom and Brent's Mom loved flowers and gave the appreciation to us to cultivate and enjoy the beautiful blessings of color and floral bouquets of smell that they bring to us.

When we came back and stopped to see Aunt Ruby, we did get the "last ever she'll make", plate of some exquisite Turtles that Aunt Ruby makes. Such a treat and she always has some for Brent when we come. She knows just how much he loves them and her, and she loves him. But then, who couldn't? As he says, "I am basically lovable!" And of course he IS.

Alaskan Cruise







We went a wonderful, beautiful, relaxing cruise to Alaska at the very end of May. We flew into Seattle and caught the ship that morning. We cruised up to Glacier Bay, Juneau , Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria, BC.

The sun almost never sets this time of year and so when Brent gets up at their time it is up and when we go to bed really late, it is still up. Makes for a great day.

We even saw a big white mountain goat in the middle of nowhere, just proud and majestic standing like a picture post card on the way to Glacier Bay and 2 Bald Eagle sitting on ice chunks.

In Juneau we took the city bus up to the Mendenhall Glacier and then hiked to Gold Nugget Falls. Doesn't the glacier shadow on this iceberg that was in the bay at the Mendenhall Glacier look like a cruise ship?

On the way back to the ship we did a little shopping in the Red Dog Saloon shop. The original saloon is pretty old and dank, and dark, and smokey, and crowded, so we didn't stay to have vitals.

I was amazed just how large, no, GINORMOUS, the water fall was. It was about a mile and half hike on a good path up there and then you could see rainbows in the mist. Perfect day for a walk with the birds, butterflies and tourists. I only saw it from a distance the last time we went there and there was less water and more bank, then. Loved to walk back in the forest and alder trees.
On sailing days we saw tons of whales, all kinds and Orcas just off the deck with their spouts like water steaming up like a volcano. Saw the BIG back of a Humped back whale and he was pretty close to the ship. After the shows we saw many pods of them and their spouts off in the distance, almost looks like steam, then quickly disappears. Quite a site. Many schools of Dall porpoises and dolphins jumping, playing, and bow-riding, a sea otter and some seals, NO Puffins, oh well, another trip, another exploration.Sitka is a true gem in the world and probably my favorite stop almost anywhere I have been. Flowers all over, ones so temperate that we cannot grow them here. A volcano hovering in the background, verdant forest, with wilderness just minutes away, a Russian and fishing history. I think I would like to live there, if it were not so remote. The kids never would come to see us.

Ketchikan was spectacular and fun and Brent thought Dolly's house was pretty interesting, this old lady had a brothel until 1965, it is famous and infamous right on beautiful Creek Street and they are very proud of her. Loved all the Totems. Later, Brent of course, got lost so I met him on the ship.

Great scenery and fell in love with Alaska, all over again. We didn't do any of the cruise excursions and just wandered around. It was a terrific time. Holland America always treats you really well and of course the food was the best. We met and made new friends and loved all the green, the turquoise blue of the icebergs and the glory of waterfalls. Who couldn't love this week?

Just after we got home from the cruise we had the grand kids for a sleepover the Friday-Saturday. Justin, Tom and Ashley were on a 1,000,000 mile Rockwell bike riding relay from Blanding? to St George. Whew!

The g-kids sure did enjoy the Slip N Slide and little pool. Shane and Ash came over so Emmalee could play with her cousins. All in all a really great fun time. Love our backyard and having family over to play in the water. Grandpa loved the pic with the boys and their hats. He sure does love life and good times.

We dropped them off to Eagle Mountain at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning so they could go and see Tom and Sarah's newest little one be blessed.

We had a leisurely ride home going around Utah Lake, saw the biggest antelope ever, just standing in a field at the south end of the lake, so we stopped and just looked and watched. A Sheriff came by, stopped and asked if we were having problems, nope, just admiring the wildlife, so he watched, too. That ride we also even saw a big bad badger crossing the road, then he hissed at us and acted like he was going to eat our tires. Pretty cool. I guess big maroon trucks do NOT scare him!

Brent is enjoying golfing this summer and seems to be going almost every week somewhere for work to golf. Golden times.

We have been down to Sanpete for the Mormon Miracle, it is better than ever and always so good to see our Aunts and have a Turkey dinner in the old church on Main Street. The stars shine so much better than here in the city, pure amazement, that is what I have for the heavenly night skies!

The big 4th of July weekend started on the 2nd with the Riverton parade, then dessert at our home after, but it really turned out to be a BBQ. Always fun to be with family and watch the g-kids and kids loving the local parade, the princesses and never, no never, forget all the candy that they throw to the kids. After the BBQ & dessert, Brent started a leap frog with the g-kids, then all the BIG kids joined in and then races, so funny and tons of fun and laughter. Wish I had a video of this. Pretty funny. Not sure who is the biggest kid of all, but I am sure glad they all can enjoy the "little kid" in them.

Up early the next morning, the 3rd, to watch Ashley run her first 10K and she did the race proud. J & A went to the Stadium of Fire that night so we had their 4 little ones and took them to the Riverton fireworks that night. Amazing how much Maci LOVES kettle corn, but, dainty, just one kernel at a time. They all lasted until it was over and barely made it into our beds. Maci kept saying "BOOM, BOOM" and loved the lights. I put my hands over her ears while she was sitting on my "almost" lap and she just wore out and fell asleep. Nice moment for a Grandma and Grandpa to share one of our traditions with them. Roy, Tommy, Lelani, Shane, Ash and fam and Ash's Mom, sisters and family and friends shared this with us. We had LeAnne and Norman, Clint and Tricia, Jer and Amy, Chris and his wife (cousins & nephews and families). Always a memorable time and dazzling eye candy that we never get tired of seeing and hearing. Great exposure to the senses on a perfect July night.

On the 4th we headed up to CJ's and Lava Hot Springs. The lines were too long to go swimming (almost a 1/2 block long in line to get into the pool and the pool already looked full!). So we drove north to get my favorite Oreo shake at the Jack-in-the-Box in Pocatelly and a quest to find a place to go swimming. Didn't like the look of the lake, but stopped for an hour and won some money in a little, junky, smoky casino. Really a hole with a capital "H", but we came out with more money than we gave them, so not as good a swimming, but maybe a stinky okay. Maybe the lottery ticket that Brent bought will bring us some good fortune. Who knows?? It could happen. ;~)

We went to PBR in West Jordan with LeAnne and Norman on Monday the 5th, rip snortin' great time and had a killer view of the bulls and fireworks. Bulls 37, Cowboys 2. But still a good time had by all.

Had a dinner last night with my "Salem Gals" and sure was good company to be with friends of a very long time. Always look forward to talking the them. It is a blessing to have such great girl friends.

Brent is off golfing at Rose Park this morning and he deserves it. He has taken a new position, like in April, a brand new department to handle servicing of the SBA loans. They were being poorly serviced at a third party company and it was all messed up, really messed up, not the right docs. no docs, nothing, no order to speak of and no history on 3,000 loans. Well, Brent to the rescue, he can fix anything and he is. He has hired some really fine talent and together they are whipping this battle and putting it into shape. Really proud of him and his abilities and his brains! New challenges are great, but tiring. BTW, he is still doing all the commercial new construction loans and trying to train his replacement on residential construction loans. Doing two jobs at once and quite a project.

I have delved into genealogy and loving it, just like my Patriarchal Blessing told me to. I really am feeling like I am learning about my family and their lives, successes, hardships and glories. Quite a rewarding and tremendous feeling. I use the Church site and compare it to the Ancestory.com site for the actual records and am catching up all the lines I can on my side first, then will do Brent's. I think I must have waited until all the technology made it easier. Just the same, I was able to find our long lost Nielsen ancestor that no one could find, with the help of the Lord and the Salt Lake Family center member who could speak Danish we found him on my very first try. Just one more of those numerous and wonderful blessings that I have had in my life.

We love our back deck and the swing and patio table. We have many meals and pleasant swing sessions and talks out there and just enjoy the bountiful vistas and the beauty of nature. I still feed the birdies and it is so much fun to see them each day and the varieties that come and visit us. Bird scoopies, black sunflower hulls and the cost are all that may be a burden, but so worth it. Just had a young Grossbeak at the pie tin. Fun to watch them eat and share with all the other birds. We wake up each morning to the chirping and sweet songs and go to sleep by the crickets. Pure beauty as Brent would say.

An interesting spring and summer so far. Weather has been wet and cool, can even turn off the central AC some days and leave the windows open at night. Love fresh air. Didn't have to turn on the sprinklers until mid June. Who would have thunk?

So, after writing this, it just rained like a banshee for a long time-maybe 15 minutes and that is a long time for us in the summer. It hailed at Eagle Mountain. Now the sun is shinning and our deck is already dried off. You know, just wait a few minutes and we will see what else we will have.

Long winded again, oh well.... just catching up.

New Birds Sighted

Love Them Birdies!

WooHoo...just saw a beautiful new little blue headed, light cinnamon collared, white breasted bird this morning out on our deck. What a lovely surprise to wake up to! Glad to have the internet to see what little birdie it was. It is a Lazuli Bunting, one of the finch family. I almost thought it was a lost parakeet, it's blue was the color of the Caribbean blue bays... so fun.

We sighted our first Black Headed Grosbeak a few weeks ago and not a new bird to our feeders, surely is one of my favorites. My Dad used to tell me about Grosbeaks and Orioles, but never saw them until we started using the fruits and berries type of food.

Last week we saw another, brand new to our deck, colorful and striking pretty bird, it was a Altamira Oriole. They are part of the family of Cow Birds.. They are not supposed to be here in our area. Maybe the wet weather has brought a few more to share our deck with all the other birds we get.

We are really lucky to have the trill of the Red-Winged black birds all the year through. I didn't know that others areas, even as near as Wyoming, these are seasonal birds.

We also get those beautiful 'Chinese Chickens', as Brent calls them, but really they are the Black Beaked Magpie. I love their iridescent color and to watch how smart they are. Magpies are not popular because of their reputation for raiding the nests of other birds, though recent research suggests that they are not as guilty as was once thought. A member of the crow family, it has an attractive iridescent blue-green sheen on the back of its wings. The best part is the way they look when they fly, just beauty.

I always thought we only had some pretty common and neutral kind of birds. I had always seen the common sparrow, starlings, hawks, crows and seagulls. When we would go up in the mountains, sometimes we would see a 'Camp Robber", the blue jay and once in a while a bluebird or canary, little did I know just what a great array of colorful birds we have here as native and those that just pass through.

What a fun hobby, and hummingbirds aren't far away. I love getting buzzed by them.

Birdies are Truly One of God's Blessings

Finding Spring

That is the question....

Well, earlier Brent might have been a bit wrong, looks like even as far as today and the next weeks forecast it is cold and still going to rain and snow. We are just having one of those really long winters. It started early and looks like it might not end until May, like the year Tommy was born, 1974. We have had a ton of snow in the valley and are 175% of normal in our mountains. Spring is just going to be late.

My flowers are just trying to push up their heads out of the ground. The Pussy Willow is blooming and so has my apricot tree. I think we will not have any apricots this year; too many nights of off and on again freezing. But the robins are here, so are the little finches, always asking for more seeds. I think we have only had 7 sunny and warm days this year. But the wind has made it good for kite flying, if you can stand to be out in it.

Brent has had the golfing urge, rather, almost obsession, and so we went out in the cold wind and he hit balls from the top tier at Mulligans. But it was fun to see him so happy. He has already golfed several times, playing with the Canada Geese, before Riverbend had been opened for the season. He liked walking the course, good fun and exercise. Last Friday he had business to check out in Wendover and so it was a great day, he golfed and I watched from the cart. It was a good time. It is always great spending time with my best friend.

Good that we have Easter late this year. Maybe by the end of April it will be warmer. We can only hope. Besides, the Easter Bunny does not like to hide eggs in soggy snow.

Springy

Brent thinks spring has sprung! He has been out in the yard for the last 2 days. Boy, oh boy, does our yard look great! He even mowed the grass...????.... Yep that is my Tigger! I love his enthusiasm and the great joy he gets just a puttering around outside. He definitely is 'springy'! He is so good to me, he even made me a pastrami sandwich when he came in just now!

Grateful for blessings, family and friends

I am feeling so very grateful for my personal blessings, my family and my friends. Life is precious and we should make the most of it every day, all day long. Today my big sis, Carol, is having her shoulder ball knob screwed back together, hard to do when she broke it all to smitherines! Why haven't the doc's figured out how to use super-glue for human bones, or do we just need some Harry Potter type of healing? Good luck today!

We rescued a cute little Daisey Dog in October and she has added much to our life. She loves to play and is just learning to be loved. Don't know her history, but know she is a sweet doggie to have added to our family. She hasn't decided as of yet, just how big that family might be. She still barks at Tommy, Justin and his family. She like to tease the kitties, Snickers is getting used to her, but launches off me if she decides to bark at the doorbell or a noise just outside the door. She is definitely a watch dog and so protective.

I think she has the cutest little hairy tan ears that poke up and she does look like she smiles most of the time. She is my constant companion and follows me whenever I get up and wherever I go. She thinks Brent is a big toy and maybe she thinks she is a kitty-cat...who knows, but sure is cute and so tender with her toys.

We will miss our little birdies, so very hard to lose them yesterday. They were so delicate, colorful, chirpy-tweety-noisey and fun to watch. They were such a joy. I will miss all those little fluffy feathers floating around our home.

Will all the medical problems we all share, and the stress we created for others when we are sick and on the mend, I today especially appreciate my dear husband Brent, the beauty in my family, the joy in the world and in all that our HF has done for us.

Snickers

Yes, that is one good candy bar, milk chocolaty on the outside, creamy nougat in the middle and just a of chocked full of nuts.... and great when frozen. Well, almost all of this goes for our newest member of our family (until December). We are now proudly 'owned' by a new little chocolate point Siamese kitten. My big toe will never be the same, it seems that it is a great teething toy!

It took us over a week to come up with the perfect name. I even turned to friends on Facebook to add suggestions, all were great. Brent came up with Dip-Stick, just like her tail was one. So then it was Dipsey-Doodle, but just not quite right. We went through new names each day, Coco (then Coco-Nut from Kaiden, but Coco-Puff might have worked) Minx, Belle, Kitiyakara, Mardi, Sukey or Purr-Ball. Nobody could come up with the 'just right" name. Roy came up with a few good ones, but just not her, until he called her little Snicker-Snack, and it just fit her completely, but extremely heavy on the nuts!

We haven't had a kitten since Spot and Sweetie were little, like 14 years ago. We had forgotten just how much fun and how much mayhem they cause. Now our birds are oh-so glad they have a cage and the fish bowl is just like a TV show to her. She thinks one of my plants is for chewing and digging in, just to get the dirt out of the pot and onto the end table... A feather or a milk jug ring can keep her entertained for minutes.....

Spot is funny, just puts up with the little whipper-snapper. She hissed at him at first, he just looked at her and turned and walked away, now they are saying hello with the old nose sniff, nose touch. The second night we had her, Spot brought us a toes up vole as a present, must have been feeling a bit unappreciated. It's hard to share your kingdom with a princess. But now they will even share the foot of our bed. And Spot loves kitten food!

Brent said I must have had too much HRT and just needed to fulfill my maternal nurturing needs. Who knows, he may be right. I think I was just really missing Rocky and Sweetie, no friends out in the yard to keep me company. But our home is not the same and we are all glad for all the laughs and joy she has brought into our lives..... if we only survive all the trashed plants, sore toes, and kitten curiosity.

Sleepovers

Sleepovers are FUN! Makayla had a sleepover here and what a joy. It is always fun to have some one on one with a grandchild or even our own sons, but this was even better. Having four sons, you don't get to play with nail polish or go shopping to try on girley things or help with hair do-dahs.

She stayed over after the Sunday dinner, played with the new no-name kitty, slept upstairs in "her" room. Having her here in the morning was great, had to make pink pancakes. She tried the brown sugar roll-up kind and liked them.

A spa treatment came next with a luxurious bath in Grandma's deep whirlpool bath, and we did hair and nails. It took a bit of time to decide on just the right color for her toes and hands. This was fun for me, too. Then we headed out to find something to do, around and around and then decided on lunch at Mackey-D's and playing on the jungle gym.

After that we went shopping for some school clothes and a summer purse. But she did need some fancy new pink flip-flops. It was great to watch her try on clothes and make decisions on her own and it was lots of fun for me. She is just growing up way to fast and so smart!

It was fun to see eyes sparkle when she modeled her clothes for her Daddy when he came to pick her up. Granddaughters are so very special!

(Sorry couldn't figure our how to make this rotate to show upright, but boy is she cute in any angle!)

April's Glory

Our Mallard pair has returned back again to our home this Spring! Wild ducks and geese, birds of all kinds, quail, deer and squirrels, Brent says I have a menagerie in our back yard park, and that suits me fine.

Sometimes I even get a glimpse of the fox in the back fields or that most kingly Red-tailed hawk gliding majestically high over our yard or the smaller Kestrel falcon hovering just above his prey, before the dive. We are always looking for the first Robin of the year, even though we hate to see our Dark-eyed Juncos go back home from his winter's hiatus they have shared with us.

Our many feathered friends are waited for and welcomed to our home with food and peace. What a hallmark of the coming of warm glory, the sounds of the spring symphony and all those fragrant flowers.

I LOVE Spring! The yearly early pussy willows and the opening of apricot tree blossoms, bright yellow forsythia and the myriad of all the other beautiful colors in tulips, plums, creeping phlox and baskets of gold that guild these April days. Gone is the sterile white of our winter's garden and life begins anew, again. Easter and the true rebirth of our souls, spring and the rebirth of our wonderful world. Who could ask for more?

I have always loved spring the best of all the seasons. There is nothing like my morning wakening to the sweetest chirping songs of the wild birds out my open window. I know I have a bird fetish and will never apologize for it. We now have birds inside our home as well, with 2 bright parakeets (Sunshine and Blueberry) tweeting all day long and letting us know all is well with the world. But such a variety of the free birds coming to greet the day with me, what a joy.

Spring green and the color is most welcomed. Little by little you see it on the willows, in the fresh new growth of grasses on the mountain side and down in the valleys. The tall trees with the hint of green, then as the leafs open, WOW an explosion of the worlds beauty. I never tire of this and our visions of the true beauty that is all around us!

Who could not believe in Our Heavenly Father and his love for us when Spring comes into our view and is felt so deeply and penetrates our hearts?

Dreams come true

What a fun Sunday we had with the family (minus Roy, miss you, can't wait for Christmas to see you again). All who could come, came. Ashley & Shane rolled out the special Grandma Ina Pitcher Christmas butter cookie dough and got them all baked and ready for us to decorate later. Most of dinner was ready but I sure was glad that Jamie helped and made a delicious salad. They were having so much fun I had to cajole them a few times, then we all headed to the dinner table. Good food and good fun conversation.

We did have our newest member of the family come too, Maci Elizabeth just slept through all the noise and clatter. She is such an angel, when she did wake up, no fussin' for her, just eating and a very polite burp. We all got to see her eyes and see what a gentle spirit she has. Just beauty, as Brent says.

After dinner we did the family tradition of all the family helping us with the old eclectic tree decorating. Makayla and Keagan did lots of ornaments and Kaiden decided to help when he saw the candy canes horses. His eyes lit up and off he went. All so cute. But Emmalee doesn't quite have it down yet, she likes to take them off the tree. It was all so cute and I got to just hold Maci and just watch it all with great joy. It was like watching some of my dreams come true.

We had a nifty pink cake to celebrate Tommy's birthday this week on the 17th. He loves that pink strawberry swirl icing. We all got pretty stuffed with ice cream and cake. I was glad my little boy could still blow out all those candles..., but he did need some help from a few little ones to really get all of them out! I am sure he was grateful for their help.

The next morning when we had our breakfast and said our prayer, we remembered our loving parents that are gone. I know they were happy to see many of our family traditions living on. We were both so very lucky to have had the best parents, who showed us the 'way' and left our hearts so full. I am also sure that some of their dreams came true watching us all being so happy.

Maci Elizabeth

WOW, the little beauty finally showed up on December 1, 2009, all 21" and 8 lbs. 9 oz. of her. Ashley was a trooper and had her naturally, took a lot of hard work, but well worth it.

She is just so calm, like she has my Mom's temperance, she wakes up and just looks around and I don't think I have ever heard her cry. As Ashley says, she has the most feminine little cry, she is so sweet.

We were lucky to watch her big sister and big 'brudders' during that time. Lots of fun and good loving for Grandpa and Grandma. They are so good.

Justin couldn't be more proud of Maci Elizabeth, as well he should be. A wonderful time in a families life together. And did I say she is beautiful?

Me, I got the best honor of all, they added my middle name, my Mom's middle name, and my great grandmother's name and so on up the family tree to her already beautiful name. It took my breathe away when they told me. This is so special, I never ever dreamed or even thought of it. WOW! what a great couple of days.

Another one of those 'Best' days in my life.
Family is the best!

Fun Cruise

What a way to start out our November, a fun and memorable cruise from Miami to Costa Maya, Belize, Cozumel and the Grand Caymans. Good times with Brent and making new friends.

Being chased by hurricane IDA was better than you think. It was our first time with a balcony and I loved it! Watching the ship crash through all those tall waves and then seeing them skitter for 50 to 100 yards out into the sea, just like BIG breakers crashing on the ocean's shore.

This time we got to go and see Tulum from Playa Del Carmen, beautiful views and very interesting. But take you bug spray if it rains, nasty little black flies that suck your blood dry...maybe appropriate as we left home on Halloween.

It is always good to get away. We love to go cruising and seeing the world.

Footsteps in the Frost

Today we lost a dear, longtime friend that was born in our bedroom closet, the runt of the litter, all white and the softest fur, with a funny little "meow", our little 'Sweetie'. We almost lost her way back then and had to help her mommy kitty, Izzy to nurse and keep her warm. She had a dear brother named 'Flop', a beautiful silver blue gray cat with a charming personality. We lost him early in his life, but will always be remembered by many and is greeting our little Sweetie, now.

We knew she was in her last hours and we laid by her, cooing and telling her we loved her. We had her gently wrapped in a little pink bath towel to keep her warm, she was always cold. You could find her in any sunny patch in the house and in winter sitting on a heater vent or on our deck or gardens basking in the sun. She was a sunshine lover. Really a sweet, cute kitty. She loved to be held and petted. At night before Brent would come to bed, I would put my arm and hand out on the blankie and she would just gently place herself just right, her head in my hand, night after night. It was soothing to me and to her as you could hear her purring loudly. She was our social cat, she would come out to say hello to whomever dropped by, whether they like it or not.

One cute story was about how she would stretch from a sitting position to some one sitting in a chair to place her paws on your leg or lap. Justin's wife, Ashley does not like pets very much and at one of our Sunday Dinner's Sweetie came up and did this to her back of her chair and she exclaims "The cat is attacking me". Not very fun for Ashley, but we all hooted. From that point on she became our 'attack cat'. I even found a sign that I use on Halloween that says, "Beware of Attack Cat". Pretty funny.

She earned her name because she was the sweetest kitty. She would proudly bring in a grasshopper, a bird or a mouse she had caught for us as a present. She always had a funny look on her face when we would whisk away her present and toy. I guess we we not very grateful.

She got hit by a car when we lived in Riverton, we thought we would lose her. She had this big ginormous abrasion on the top of all of her head, at the least, we thought she would never have fur on her head again. Lucky for us she survived and even had plenty of healthy fur between her eyes and ears. But she did always prefer you petted her there and it must have always needed a good scratch because that is where she loved it. She would bop or nudge your hand with her head to remind you you needed to be paying attention to her.

As I said earlier, we knew her time was short with us and so first Brent soothed her and then I stayed up and did the same and thought of the joy our little runt had given us. I made Brent go to bed and after a few hours and I went also leaving her swaddled and warm and hearing her belabored hoarse meow. I don't know when she passed, but early the next morning Brent came in and said, "We need to say good-bye to Sweetie.". She was gone.

I got dressed and looked out on the back yard, there were foot steps in the frost in the grass to way in the back of our yard, a man and his dog. Quite a thought provoking sight. He had been out early with Rocky and dug a special place for her. It is so amazing how much love you can have for a little critter. We carried her out in the pretty pink towel, funny papers and lovingly laid her to rest, Brent, one handful at a time. We said some loving words. I'll be glad to see her in heaven.

As I looked at the footsteps in the frost again from my cozy, warm window; mine with Brent and Rocky's, I thought just how hard it would have been to be one of our Pioneer ancestors. To have trudged over the plains and to have left a darling little baby, a little son or daughter, mother or father, sister or brother in the cold hard prairie. That would have added to their heart broken sorrow. I don' think I could have ever been as strong or have the courage to walk that frosty path. I appreciate and love my ancestors challenges, faith and courage.

Bye bye for now, our sweetest little white kitty.