This is what I saw tonite looking out my dining room window as the sun was setting. My son came in and asked for my camera, he took the picture.

We had just finished mowing the lawn and weed eating.

All that after a very busy day for me, him too, I'm guessing, since he works at my Dad's Heat & Air business and they are really busy this time of year. In fact Dad just called and told me to tell the boy that they are all going to have to work a few hours tomorrow. They hardly ever work on Saturdays. We mowed tonite because there is a "chance" for rain tomorrow and Sunday. I told the boy when he got home that we were not taking any chances, the lawn was getting mowed tonite. Well anyways, it's done and I don't have to worry about it at least 'til next week, haha!!!!

Ritzy called earlier in the day and he has arrived at Camp Bucca.....he was glad to be back....I am so thankful that we can talk every day. I love hearing his voice.............

Tomorrow is my Dad's 71st birthday. I called my Mom, brother and sisters and we are all going to just show up Mom & Dad's at 6:00 tomorrow nite for a "surprise" birthday cookout and party for Dad. I bought all the fixin's today, my sister is making the cake and the other sister and brother are bringing chips or pop. You see Dad knows about the "suprise" anniversary party in a couple of weeks, but he knows nothing about his own birthday party tomorrow. We are just going to have hamburgers and hot dogs, chips, pop, tea, birthday cake and ice cream...........sounds like fun ;-)

We like to eat and have fun together.........can you tell???????

I guess after all that running around today, I can take it easy tomorrow.....it's about time!!!!

Both kids have to work, so it will be a quiet Saturday at my house...........which I am very much looking forward to.......although I do have to close out the books for our church since it is the last day of the month. I do the monthly report, and that in itself is an all day "job" sometimes. It shouldn't take over a couple of hours this time though. I have heard that before ;-)

I am ready to call it a day........later..............................

We had a good weekend, worked hard, visited, & ate good food. It must have wore me out though because it seems like all I did yesterday was rest and sleep. It sure felt good to do "nothing" for a change. I guess Ritzy is waiting on a flight back to Iraq. He is doing well also. Can't wait for this deployment to be over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All I did at home today was the housekeeping..... Went to church tonight, then went down to my sisters to visit with her grandchildren. They are so funny to be around. A nephew called around 9 pm and asked if I wanted some fish (crappie), I told him not tonight so I asked my sister if they wanted them and they did. They were some nice fish. I told my sister that she better let me know when she cooks them ;-)

Crappie are my favorite fish to eat. It seems that they are biting good now, I may just have to go tomorrow. I love to fish......The crappie are usually through biting by this time of year and the catfish have started , but the crazy weather has thrown everything off. The crappie still had their eggs, so they will be biting for a little while. (Must have been why I saw people come and go like crazy at the bait/convenience store across the road all day........)

The place where I have always fished has been under water for most of the spring, I will have to check it out and see if I can go down there.

Last summer I bought 2 new fishing poles to go with 2 "new" reels that my brother found me, I guess it is time to "break " them in. These reels are actually 25 years old but have never been used. They were still in their original boxes....... One is a Mitchell 301 (for lefties, which I am) and the other an Ambassaduer 5000. I love fishing with these reels. When I was 17 my Dad bought me a Mitchell 301 and about 10 years ago that rod & reel, along with a couple of others and my tackle box were stolen. I was heartbroken. I had always had that fishing pole and tackle box. If you are a fisherman, there are things that mean a lot to you that you have accumulated thru the years and keep in your tackle box. I had to start over and now I have replaced all the tackle. It really meant a lot when my brother found this "new" reel and gave it to me. I could not believe he had come across one still in it's original box and never been used. Hopefully I will be able to use it this year......

Today after going to church and eating lunch at Mom & Dad's, I stayed up there all day to help them get ready for the family cookout tomorrow. We did not have church tonite because it was getting to where hardly anyone would show up on the Sunday nite before a holiday, so we usually dismiss services. I stayed because my parent's yard needed cleaned up. You see, my Dad is always bringing " farm stuff" home and putting it wherever he wants instead of putting it out in the pasture. Well we took on the task of removing it from the yard which turned out to be an all day thing. Mom always wants her yard to look nice, (and I don't blame her) for company. After gathering up all Dad's "stuff" and moving it to somewhere less noticeable, we started mowing. I grabbed the weed eater and started that while they mowed. I think it was about 8 pm when we finished. I was really tired. Got me a little sun too......
I sure am glad Ritzy is the way he is about being so "picky" about our yard. I have to watch him though, cause if it ain't anchored down - it goes in the dumpster. I have often thought that I don't even want to remember or know what he has thrown away these last 25 years ;-)
Mom & Dad always put on a good cookout on the holidays. They cook enough to feed an army.......no kidding.......Barbecue ribs, brisket, chicken, polish sausage, hamburgers, hot dogs and all the works. No one goes hungry at these gatherings, if you do - it's your own fault.......
We also play horseshoes, croquet, and other games and the kids jump on the trampoline.
I sure am going to miss Ritzy tomorrow. While everyone else is there with their spouse and having a great time, I will be wishing mine could be there with me...........and be sad because he isn't ............

After a pretty easy day, the 6-year old nephew and I went to see the new Indiana Jones movie. As expected the movie was great......Afterwards the nephew played games until I got tired of feeding those machines my quarters........We then went to Cracker Barrel where we did some "shopping" first. He talked me into a couple of things, (he didn't have to talk very hard, haha!!) I also got his little sister something. I know better than to show up without anything for her. After shopping we both had shrimp for supper, mmmmmmm!!!!!!! I dropped him off at his Nana's (my sister's). I have taken my bath. I have also studied my Sunday School lesson so I will be ready to teach my Ladies' class tomorrow. It was a good day all around. I talked to Ritzy earlier, he seems to be doing ok from that surgery. I think he will be leaving Kuwait next week to head back to Iraq. He doesn't sound to thrilled to be going back, but he is ready to get back to work. I still miss him and I will til he gets back home..............................The daughter and a friend took her friend's 2 nephews to the Tulsa Zoo today, and the son and one of his cousins went to OK City to the new fancy theatre to see Indiana Jones and spend the night with some more cousins. I noticed also that he took his golf clubs, so who knows when he will be back home. I just hope they are careful and have a good time.........
During the movie previews I saw another fun movie to take that nephew to so we might be headed back there in a couple of weeks. We were talking about it on the way home....... It looks like it is time for the thought's to take a rest for today...........don't want to oversleep in the morning.........