Wax On, Wax Off

Sixteen brownie points for you if you can name the movie that has the famous saying "wax on, wax off" in it!
Here's Tough Guy doing his own version of waxing.



Polish and shine, polish and shine.
Then repeat.
Polish and shine, polish and shine. And remember to breathe.

See the strong muscles that come from doing this simple exercise.
And see the improved focus and ability to concentrate...
That's the result of wax on, wax off.


Tough Guy spends a lot of his time doing this...why? you ask?
Is it really to improve his focus, up his concentration levels or increase his muscle mass...


No.
Just simply : To get the dang cat paw-prints off!
Tough Guy likes things clean.
Tough Guy MUST have things clean.
The smell of vinyl rubbing spray and the scent of wax from the bottle thrills him.

At the moment, this cat does not thrill him.
Good thing we have three cats around -

you know...to give Tough Guy a reason to polish and shine things!

I'm wishing the kitchen floor would catch Tough Guy's attention next!

Maybe I should bring the cats inside...

After it rains, of course!

Hmmm...I feel a plan comin' on!

But for your viewing pleasure - here's a clip of "wax on, wax off " You just need to watch the first minute or so! (Remember to collect your brownie points by entering your answer in the comment sections!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlQOmO44_bA

That was then...this is now!

Look'it...
It's Tough Guy and China Doll...on July 25, 1992!
Oh.
Man.



And here they are again...17 years later...on July 25, 2009
Whoa.
Dude.



Now, I wonder where I left my bouquet...it would go so nicely with this toddler sized dress-up apron that I'm wearing on my head!!!!!



Isn't this fun, Tough Guy?

Feeling bride-ish

Today is our 17th wedding anniversary! - July 25, 1992 - was THE day...so many, many mountains and molehills ago...

so today I'm feeling rather bride-ish!

This feeling was with me when I went out to the garden...

and I was suddenly struck by a need...

to pick out some accessories!

Low and behold,

right there in my 3 by 12 raised plank garden bed...was a big...

beautiful...

think wedding now...

bridal bouquet!

I couldn't resist posing prettily...

in all my glorious...ahem...petite-ness...cough, cough...

with my bouquet of buttercrunch lettuce!

Oh, the joy!

Oh, the rapture!

Aren't I simply the picture of radiance...

just as every bride of 17 years should look when she gazes into the great big ol' lettuce-head!

My dear Mother invited us out for a family dinner to celebrate our anniversary and it was a most lovely and beautiful evening.

Meet La Chef-Most-Extraordinaire - also sometimes known as Wild Shelley!

The menu included heaping amounts of:

Deep dish, tender-roasted, falling-off-the-bone chicken,

Mashed Potatoes with paprika and dilly sprinkles from la pepper-shakers,

Boiled cauliflower avec sauce de la cheese-cheddar-creme,

and fine tomato-pecan-avacado morsels served...

....a la top of la bouquet de buttercrunch lettuce!

It was a most delicious, most delightful evening.

Thanks Wild Shelley...

and kids...

and Tough Guy!

17 years and still counting...!

Momma Baler

Everyone is hayin' while the sun shines 'round here and I was able to capture the "delivery" of a couple of steamy, glowing, brand new, baby haybales!

Isn't it such an exciting time of year?
...Momma Baler waits all the ten long months, anticipating the birth of so many new little ones...she just loves multiples...(fertility drugs, anyone?)...and finally the due date arrives -

July/August...it's predictable, every year... - and then she rushes to the field and miraculously produces round, roly-poly, little babies, until she finally breaks down and says it's enough...for today...
Occasional break downs are perfectly normal for first time mothers, right?


See her sitting there...this is when she takes a deep breath before the contractions really begin.

(actually, the farmer is letting the machine tie string around the baby, I mean bale! to keep it all wrapped up tight.)

OOooooch, ok, that's about...5 cm dilated...Half way there already....

Keep breathing, keep your teeth clenched,

hheeee, hheeee, heeee, hoooo...my, you're quick...

You've got it, that's it...10 cm!

Now,

PUUUUUUSH!

AND IT'S A BRAND NEW BABY BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!

Welcome to the world, little one...how much do you weigh?

What are your measurments, cutie patootie?

(An average alfalfa field hay bale measures 5 feet across the middle and 6 feet across the sides)

...let's see...

you weigh in at a whopping 1150 pounds!

Gasp, that much eh? What a strapping young fella.

Got a name yet?

Hmmm...there's so many babies to name...

...guess I'll start with the first letter of the alphabet and continue on from there...

How about Alfie...because of his roots, you know...he's an alfalfa from way back!

Yes, you're Such a big boy, Alfie...

wonder how your Momma is doing?

My goodness...

look at 'er go...

She just popped out another one!

Sweet...a little sister for you...and your thousand other 'tuplets!!!!
Go, Mamma Baler, Go!

Don't we all wish it was that easy, girls?! Grins!
Happy Hayin!

Shameful Memory

We got a phone call tonight from our computer guy that looks after our wireless hook-up to the internet thing-a-ma-jig. I think it's called a router.

I get stressed when dealing with computer problems.
Sometimes there's more problems in their slim-lined brains than a teenaged girl with PMS on Prozac.
I am talking about the computer, not the technician.
Just wanted to be clear!

Anyway, talking to this guy brought me back a few years ago when I was dealing with yet another computer issue.
I had called him and asked him to come out for a home visit so that he could investigate the innards of the big beige box that sits on our floor.
He came over and was quite efficient and quickly solved the inner technical difficulties of the big beige box. ( I did think the box had been looking quite pale...maybe I should have been slapping it regularly...you know...to give it some color!)

But to describe the technician:
He was definately young, definately tall, definately efficient, and definately professional.

A few days later, I got a print out detailing the problems that he had fixed, along with a bill for his services, and I was pleased with the price...seemed fair for the efforts that he exerted to fix old beige paleface.

Now this is where the shame comes in...

So, it was time to pay the bill.
I went to the bank. ( so far so good.)
I took out cash. (still good.)
I counted out the bills,
I counted out the correct change...
96 cents worth to be exact...( good. )

And then I put it all into a clear, flimsy, with the ziploc top, no-name brand

LITTLE PLASTIC BAGGIE (hmmm...oh dear...)

AND GAVE IT TO HIM (yikes...not good!)

IN PERSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (oh, the shame...I can't believe I did that! who pays bills this way???)

He was speechless.
He held up the little plastic baggie by the top right corner, wiggled it and listened to all 96 cents of change jangling, and winked.
I blushed.
Then ran away.
True story.

Signed, shamed.

Hateful Horses

Across the road, in the field that we thought we had bought...but turned out NOT...(hey, that rhymes!)

-There's more to the Story Of the Field that you might care to find out about - maybe I'll write about it some day-

Anyways, across the road, in the field that we thought we had bought, we now have two of the neighbor's horses.

I was hoping to catch a nice, fieldy, farmy, horsey picture, but wouldn't you know...






THE HORSES HATE ME!

Blackie is the first to give me lip...look at her...see how she wishes I would disappear...


Next, (click on this pic.) you'll see a glare of pure, unadalterated viscious-ness...from that be-speckled one....



So, then they both walk haughtily away.



I wait.
I ignore.
I wait some more.






I raise my camera.

Blackie looks.
Blackie glares, Blackie blows air through her nose...
I wait five more minutes...

Ho, hum...tell me...How DOES that Blackie KNOW I'm still standing there...see her looking back again and flicking her tail...

as if to say I'm some annoying fly on her back that's bothering her and her be-speckled friend... ...the nerve of these gals...

Sigh, ok, time's up...here goes somethin' 'cuz this calls for drastic measures...

(the things I do to get a picture....unbelievable!)

-next paragraph sung sweetly in my bestest, most soothing and calming alto tones-

"Dear dear horseyyyyssss...

You are so beauuuuuutttttttiiiiiiiiiiifulllllllllllllllll to Meeeeeeeeeee!

Won't you please pose for meeeeee...I promise, just let me get a good shot of youuuuuu...you're nice horses, and you'll both look so pretttttttttyyyyyyy as you graze peacefulllllllyyyyyyy in a field of daisies...c'mon, now...be good to meeeeeeeeeeeee...'cuz I love youuuuuuuuu"

OK...OK....I GET IT...HONESTLY...

You don't like my singing, eh? Won't pose for me, eh?

You're telling me to get lost, eh?

Wanna fight then?

Just...c'mon then....over here....ya,

Bring it!!!!

Oh, Ok, I see, you're chicken now, eh? All talk and no action, eh?

Fine.

Not worth my effort anyways.

Harumphhhhfffffffffff...........after all I do for you two...even the buckets pose better than you.

I'm not pleased...

I'm not pleased at all. Just one nice shot, that's too much to ask?

See all those water buckets, and the big, deep white barrel....

These don't just magically fill themselves, you know...

I do that for you.

Every day.

Standing patiently with my hose, singing songs of adoration to you, with dreams that one day you'll be my friends and will co-operate and give me a nice, pretty picture.

Bah!

Allrighty then.
I don't like you, either!
Ya, did ya hear me....I DON'T LIKE YOU, EITHER!!

Green-eyed Girls

Check out these eyes........beautiful.........

How about these eyes.............beautiful too.........

Both so lovely!
My beautiful, lovely, green-eyed girls!

(and you were thinking this post was going to be related to jealousy and the green-eyed monster --- shame on you!)

Wimp Dog

This is our dog, Daisy. She and I have a love-hate relationship.
I'm the boss of her.
She listens to me.
But sometimes I get annoyed with her - you know, for barking and wanting in and then wanting out...and then wanting in again...and for trying to eat my food...(I'm very protective of my food, you'd best be warned right now!)

Generally, I just get annoyed at her for doing all of her (very normal and dog-like) little doggie things.

But, ain't she cute!

Remember the other day when I was being Spy Girl?

I had crossed to the other corner, and after my most frightful photo op. yet, I turned around to find Daisy, chin deep in the prickles!

And she wasn't being quiet either...such a commotion from this little pup...I told her to "shh" but she didn't listen. Doesn't she know I'm the boss?

A whimpering and a whining and a waaaa-waaaing away, this little Daisy dog wanted me to come away from my Spy Girl Op. and go back home.

Puuhhh leeeaaasssssseee come back home, you're not safe, and I'm not either....and I don't like these prickles....I need a back rub...and a foot massage, and while you're at it a tummy tickle....

Puh-leeaase, Mom....c'mon, follow me, I'll lead you home!

(click on picture to enlarge)

Grrr...I mean it, Mom. Home. Now. Growl.

And of course, I listened.

Right away too!

I'm such a good boss-moma.

Guess that shows you who is really the boss in this love dog, hate dog thing in my life!

Shall We Gather...

Shall we gather at the riverrrrrr, the beautiful, the beautifulllllll rivvvvverrrrrrrrrrrrr....


Nine brownie points for you if you can hum that tune!





Took the girls to the river the other day. Kam is a real little fish, but the current scares me.


LJ and I preferrrrrred not to get our feet wet! Doesn't LJ have cute feet? Ahhh, sweet summer time. (how many r's in preferrrrred? thought I'd add a few just to be safe!)

Kam is determined to get wet.

The water is cold, but "I'm going in, no matter what!!" she says.

oooooch - got to get used to that icy chilled fast flowin' H2O...

All's better now...ahhhh.

This is the life for me...lovin' it...at home in the water....yup, uh huh...we should build me a floating water castle, just picture it...mmmm....dreamy...just keep away all the mer-men! I'm not ready for that part of life yet!

Seeeeee, told ya Mom...

...the current can't catch me...I'm the gingerbread man!

Can we come back tomorrow!?!?!?!

Liquid Gold

Would you look at this beautiful field of sunshine...it takes my breath away...it's like looking at liquid gold...except that the flowers are solid...but you get my point.
Or maybe it's like looking at a yellow highlighter that exploded in the heat!
Beautiful, blinding brightness!
This is what we see everyday as we drive into town and I just had to stop the car and get a few shots.













When I got out and walked over to the glorious, glowing, globes of gleaming, golden, gallons of goodness, I could think of only one word...gosh that's gorgeous!


Well, ok, that's three words. But don't mind me, I'm just gushing and going overboard with the g's!


But gee, how great!

And the next thing was...I listened, and now I have an announcement:

THE FIELDS ARE A-L-I-V-E

WITH THE SOUNDS OF BUZZZZZZZZING (name that movie...with slightly altered words...and I'll give you a brownie point!)

You could hear an amazing buzz...a whir and thrum of, oh, so many, BUGS! (how many bees can you see in the picture?)

There was the click of a grasshopper, (or several thousand!) and the whine of a fly (must have been at least a million!) and the zing of several billion other thing-a-ma-jings all winging themselves around this field.

I'm not much for bugs, but this...was beyond being "bugged out" about...I almost cried with the beauty of this golden bug heaven.

Picture yourself standing here...chest deep in gold flowers, and get ready for another most delightful moment...

If you sniff deeply now...really, really deeply...

I mean, draw all of your air in through your nostrils and lift your nose high as you search for it....

search for it....

here it comes...the smell of this golden bug heaven is extraordinary.

I'm lost for words to describe it.

Beautiful, delicate, warmly floral, with a slightly citrus undertone, only available in Nature!

Wonder if we could bottle that scent...liquid gold from bug heaven...make a million all right!

Can you find the 'lil sweet ol' butterfly in this picture?

Give you a hint - she's white.

She's busy over there kissing all the dainty flower heads...just a mid-afternoon delight (hey, name that song from the '80's and I'll give you brownie cakes this time! Not just points, calories are good for us!)

Ok - got back in the car to go home - but can't resist one last shot...

WHOOPS! EYES ON THE ROAD NOW, CAMERA DOWN NOW...- DANG IT!

Spy Girl Wannabe!

I walked across to the other corner to take this picture of a farmer baling up his hay. I felt like I was practising my spy techniques since he had no idea that I was capturing his every move. Slowly, stealthily, sneakily, sleuth-likely me.




























Ahhhh, the hot sun shining on my back, crouching there in the bushes with my camera pressed to my face...I felt like I was wearing an invisibility cloak, and was thinking I was such a good spy-er! James B would be proud of me. I was snapping happily to my heart's content, when suddenly...




He stopped.

He got OUT...

He looked around, He pulled a sword out of his back pocket...no!...He's coming this wayyyyy!

My heart that had been smiling and happy just seconds before, now started to panic and pump like crazy..."He's seen me!" "I'm a no-good spy!"

And in my wildly flailing mind I think... "He's mad!" "He's coming for me!" "He's gonna break my camera and, and...!"

Next my mind does a quick entry into my most humble and apologetic mode... "Ok, I'm sorry, I promise, I'll never spy again or take photos without asking again!"

And, oh!

Remember that sword? He's still got it...

...long and pointy and sharp...and he's walking... (with a very determined air and a tense look)...walking...

Oh.

Wait. He's going towards that hay bale...not towards me! Whew! "Relax spy girl." Deep sigh.

Ack! Did you see that? He stabbed it.

The bale!

Really violently, too.

But Mr. Haybale just sits. No sound. Nothing.

Just when I thought I could relax, there's this. A violent stabbing!

Just look at the guy. He could really do some damage...poor, dear Mr. Haybale!

But as for me...I've been rescued...Mr. Haybale had his full attention!

He doesn't appear to have seen me lurking here in the bushes...now he's....getting back into his tractor. Ahhh, be still my pounding heart.

Since I can think clearly once again, I realize that he was just using some kind of a scope to check the moisture content of the hay bale.

OK.

Now I can really relax.

He's not a girl spy killer.

I'm not James B. either...

I'm just gonna be glad that he's not checking the moisture content of my t-shirt. I'm drenched in the underarm liquids of a near panic attack!

And there he goes on his merry way with nary a thought for the condition of my heart, or my spy training!

Thank you dear Mr. Haybale - I'm forever in your debt! I'll lay off spying for a while.

Welcome! Meet the family who lives on Four Corners in a small northern town in B.C. Canada!

Here's our youngest daughter, Kam.
She's a fantastic artist and loves to lolly-gag around in her pjamas! Comfort is essential, don't you know!
She's pretty good with a camera too and I'm proud to announce that she recently bought her own Casio digital camera....and can you believe this...it has a better zoom than my camera does!
Kam's also crazy about Daisy, the family dog! I'm sure she'll post some doggie mug shots soon!



















Here's me - otherwise known as "China-Doll."
"Why?" you ask.
Just because I'm so darn breakable...like fine china, and old fashioned porcelain dolls, you know the ones with the exquisite features, tiny waists and fluffy dresses?

Ummmm...I don't think we are still talking about me! I'll explain the story behind the name...some day...if you're lucky!

I'm quite skookum, actually! - you should see me flex. I'm best at the crab pose, you know the one where the body builders crouch and bend forward and get a fierce look on their faces!



















This is my husband,"Tough Guy" who loves to act like he's not a big ol' marshmallow inside. Shhh...

He collects model cars and has a prized old Dodge that he likes to show off around town. Well...he drives it around only after he has polished it to top-notch-spic-and-span-and-sparkly...because cleaning is what Tough Guy does best.
We are thinking of changing his middle name to "dust-be-gone"...or maybe it should be "spic"...or how about "sparkly!"
Never mind.












This is our oldest daughter, L.J. She is technically savvy, smart as a whip, and is the nicest cool girl in town.
She is, as my dear mother would say, a clotheshorse!
Ever heard that word before? I wanted to check to see if it was even a real word. It is...on YourDictionary.com! (good one Mom!)
As a noun it means: a frame on which to hang clothes, etc. for airing or drying and as slang it means a person who pays too much attention to clothes and new fashions...hmmm... L.J. says "It takes one to know one, Grandma!"



















Stop by another day to share more moments with us!