~ 10 Sounds . . .

. . . that drive me bonkers.

Over at Northwest Mommy they're playing "Monday Listicles"

and I've decided to join in.

Her list for this week is "10 Sounds That Drive Me Bonkers".

So, here's my list of 10 sounds that drive me bonkers:

(In no particular order)

1.  Barking dogs ... especially yippers ... one neighbor seems to put their little yipper out at 6:00 a.m. to do it's thing and then forgets about it ... and it barks.  And yips.  And barks.  And yips.  

2.  It's 2:00 a.m. ... you're awakened by the LOUD sound of a motorcycle going by.  Very.Loud.  Why? It's twofreakino'clock!  In.The.Morning!

3.  The sound of someone spitting irks the heck out of me.  Not to mention the "yuck" factor!

4.  Slurping.  Pullllleeeaase don't slurp in front of me.  I may have to hurt you.  Someone very close to me slurps when he eats soup.  I've mentioned it.  Many times.  Still slurps.

5.  The sound of someone dragging their feet when they walk.  Pick.Up.Your.Feet.  

6.  Air sucking through teeth.  That sound makes me want to scream. 

7.  The sound of firecrackers going off.  4th of July or not.  Don't like that sound.  It's annoying not to mention illegal here. 

8.  The sound of a snow blower.  Freakin' irks me as much as the sound of ...

9.  ... the town snowplow trucks. 

10.  The sound of someone farting ... in the kitchen ... at the table.  Okay, call me crazy but this really troubles me.  It's a rule in my house.  No farting in the kitchen. At the table.  Someone let one slip the other day.  I looked over at him.  He was ignoring me but had guilt all over his face.  I gave him the stink eye (no pun intended).  He continued to ignore me.  I was fuming (no pun intended again).  It makes me crazy!  Irrationally crazy!  Just don't fart in my kitchen...at the table...and I won't put up a stink.  ;-)

~Scavenger Hunt . . .

I haven't participated in the Scavenger Hunt in .... well .... forever!!!!! 

Shame on me! 

So, here I am .... playing along .....

Behold my interpretations .....

PATRIOTIC

Stars and stripes forever!!!!!

VIEW FROM ABOVE

Don't want to fall on top of this!!!!! 

MOSAIC

The bottom of the pool .....
well, it's kind of mosaic, right????


SOMETHING TINY

Tiny pine cone.
My neighbor's 2 1/2 year old loves to find these!


VIBRANT

Well, the colors are pretty vibrant.......
this is the best I could come up with ..... LOL!!!!

So, there you have it .... my finds for the Scavenger Hunt.
Don't forget to stop by Ashley Sisk's to meet Felicity.
She's absolutely beautiful!!!!

♥

 

~ The First Man ....

... I ever loved.

My Dad.

 Dad was one of 7 children.
He was a quiet man.

He rarely showed his emotions.

But the love was there and the love was felt.

My brother and I were the two youngest (of six) 

and Dad seemed to have mellowed a bit
by the time we came along

and he enjoyed watching us play

(and at times joining in)

This photo was taken in June 1974.

My parents were celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary.

My Dad was crying in this shot.......

he was overwhelmed that we were all there

celebrating with them

and

a few days earlier he was diagnosed

with mouth and throat cancer.

This shot was taken before the cancer got worse

and Dad had to have his jaw removed

and have a tube placed in his throat.

He rarely complained.
He died in 1978.
He had been feeling worse and worse every day
and so the doctor insisted he be admitted into the hospital.
He usually resisted but this time he didn't.
The night before being admitted
my Mother said he went into their bedroom and closed the door.
When he came out he told my Mother
that when he was gone
she should open their lock box
and that he had put something in there.
He died a few days later.
On the night that he died,
my Mother retrieved two handwritten letters from the box.
The first was addressed to my Mother.
It read:
"Dear Rita,  In case I don't come back I want you to know that I love you all very much.
If God wants me I am ready.
Don't forget me in your prayers and tell the kids too.
I have been in pain for a long time and I never told anyone.
I love you.
I hope the kids take care of you when you are old and sick.
God will bless them.
Please forgive me for all the trouble I ever gave you.
Once again, I say I love you all very much.
So Long,  Dick"
The next letter was addressed to "My Children".
It read:
"Something tells me I am not coming back.
If I did something to hurt any of you I hope you will forgive me.
I try to be a good father and a good husband. 
If I did something wrong, please forgive me.
I love you all.
Take care of your mother.
God will take care of you.
So long, not Goodbye.
Daddy
PS  I love you all!"

What I wouldn't do to have just one more day with him.

~

"It doesn't matter who my father was;

it matters who I remember he was."  ~ Anne Sexton

♥

Happy Father's Day!

~ Arrogant Frog ....

I am bad at picking out wine.

I don't know Merlot from Grenache.

I don't know Pinot Noir from Shiraz.

I usually stay away from red wine ....

just never found one that I liked.

So, I usually grab a bottle of red if the label speaks to me.

This one spoke.

How could you resist that froggy grin ....

and he's wearing a beret for crying out loud!!!!

Kind of resembles Maurice Chevalier, eh????

This wine surprised me.

It was good!!!!!

I would buy this again.

So, if you like red wine .... give this one a try.

C'est bon!!!!!!!

♥



~ I've Got That ....

..... covered.

My sister-in-law phoned me about a month ago

and asked me if I would be interested

in knitting some hats for preemies

to donate to our local hospitals.

My response was

"Heck Yeah!"

Anything to help cover

those precious little preemie heads

to keep them warm and safe.

Besides, I love to knit!

So, I made a dozen of these!

I enjoyed this so much

that I think I just might make more!!!

♥



~ Centered .....

....NOT!!!

I had just gotten home from my 4.5 mile walk .....

sweaty .... hair a mess .....

and I decided to grab my camera

and get my shot in for "Now You".

Not an easy task holding that camera steady

with one hand

and trying to get myself in the frame .....

but I wasn't in the mood for multiple shots,

so this is it.

Not centered....

Not glamorous....

Just me.

Heck, if you look closely you can see the peach fuzz

on my chinny chin chin!!

I don't mind making eye contact with the camera

but I still want to hide my nose .....

my mouth .....

my neck .....

my jowls ....

It was difficult for me to not put my hands over

at least one of those "features".

But I didn't .......

~ Happy Mother's Day ...

"The death of a mother

is the first sorrow wept without her."  ~ Unknown

I lost my mother in 1984, six years after losing my father.

I miss her.

She loved me unconditionally.

She didn't have it easy ... but she didn't complain.

She lost her father when she was 5 years old.

She lost her mother when she was 12.

Her uncle and his wife took her to live with them.

Her 3 brothers were separated from her ... each living with different relatives.

I can't imagine the pain that must have caused her.

My heart aches now when I think about the rebellious things I did that hurt her.

But she never let on that I disappointed her or hurt her.

She just loved me.

Unconditionally.

Happy Mother's Day!

My mom, Rita Leblanc Auger, at the age of 16.

My mom and yours truly .... circa 1971.

Look at the way she's looking at me.

Can you feel the love??????

Wow!!!

My mom, circa 1980 .... visiting her brother (and flying to Florida....ALONE....which

was a really big deal for her) and

cuttin' loose with Minnie!

I would gladly give up a day of my life

just to see her one more time.

♥