Open the Door

Ear Mites Are a Pain

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:33:00 +0000

My hubby noticed that our Manx cat, Jake, was holding his left ear flat. He thought Jake might have had a stroke. I had to go give Jakester the mommy once-over, and I reached down to run my hand down his head. He cringed away from my hand, which told me he was in pain...tender to the touch, and he obviously wanted no part of being touched there. He was also shaking his head. No stroke going on here. Ear infection or ear mites.....better than a stroke, but still not a good thing.

Hubby took him to the vet this morning. (I'm sure that was a fun ride with Jake squalling all the way....been there, done that.) Sure enough....ear mites. Ugh....nasty! Imagine a bunch of bugs crawling around in your ear. I know I'd go insane! Poor Jake! We've got medicine now, though :) He'll be better in no time and back to terrorizing the vermin population! I'm sure they will have missed him...

Rain and more rain

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Rain, rain GO AWAY! I don't know about anyone else in this supposed sunny state, but I'm tired of it. I'm beginning to worry that I might just grow gills and fins and float on down the creek.

The latest and greatest is that "I," THE Goddess of Staying at Home, have taken a job. Oh yes...I started here July 1st. I can't say as I'm all that thrilled yet, but I'm sure I'll adjust eventually. In the meantime, my house looks like hell, and my dogs feel neglected. Bear has just down right developed a complex, and I continually trip over him when I am at home. I thought of smuggling him into the workplace, but he has this habit of barking at boxes. I'm sure the boss might just notice....what do you think???

Ya'll wish me luck!

Absorbing Life

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:54:00 +0000

Obviously, I have been on a break from blogging. Writers block...maybe. I'm not sure. Period of unhappiness...ahhh..more likely. I've been doing a little life maintenance. Working on the nuts and bolts so to speak.

The other day I was chilling on the front porch. Soaking up the sun must have done me some good. I realize that life isn't that bad, and I'm pretty darned lucky. Lucky to be able to live where I do. Lucky to be alive and blessed with such a great family. I should count the things I am lucky for, because they way outnumber the bad things.

Life is what I make it...

Surgery Day

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Cado Man's surgery was today and all went well. Got home a little after 9 this evening. We settled the star of the day in bed with his fancy ice machine helping to keep the swelling down on his knee. Fixed him some chicken soup, because his little tum tum was empty. He hadn't eaten since 8 or so yesterday evening. I just gave him another pain pill, so he should drift off to sleep before too long.

It's been a long and tiring day, but at least we're over one of the hurdles in his recovery. Rehab is going to be grueling for Cado, but he's a pretty determined kid. I'm optimistic that he's going to be back stronger than ever. He's got a state title in track to win, and I have no doubt that he will do just that.

State of the Tia House Address

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:30:00 +0000

Here's the way we rock right now.

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm scared crapless about the state of our economy. I've been through bad times in my life before, but I'm the parent now and I've got two children to worry about. Now I really do understand what my parents went through when my dad was laid off. Or...the time he fell and fractured his skull, broke both his legs and couldn't work. Our family lost almost everything we had. The hubby and I aren't up against the wall like that, but I'm starting to really think about it. He's in the building industry and well...I'm sure I don't have to explain that.

Cado Man is having his surgery next Thursday. Finally time to go under the knife and fix the torn ACL. Mission accomplished with rehab to get his range of motion back, and the doc has given the go ahead. Cross your fingers and send a couple of prayers our way!

I'm battling bronchitis this week. Darned it! I've got better things to do than be sick, like worry all the time. On second thought, maybe being sick could be a good thing...if I could sleep through all this mess!

Nocturnal Visit

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:45:00 +0000

Last night I was sitting on the couch surfing the net, and I heard this eerie howl. The hair on my neck stood straight up. Coyotes!

There has been a pack of them roaming nearby the past month or so. Every once in awhile we'll get a glimpse of a couple crossing the back pasture. One day we saw about five going into the woods on the place next to ours.

This time they were close. I could tell from the howls and barks. They don't sound anything like any of my dogs. Lonely and sad....

I was worried about my outside dog, so I grabbed the spotlight to check on him and of course, to see where they were. I finally got a glimpse of them moving in the darkness. Their eyes were glowing a greenish yellow. I can't really describe how it made me feel. They weren't scared and just stared back at me.

I think they were about a hundred yards from me, down by the pond. My first instinct was to get a gun, but I quickly decided against that course of action. I knew they wouldn't hurt the horses, and Ruger (a Pit Bull Labrador mix, we think) weighs more than they do. I decided to let them be. Besides...my light was losing it's charge and starting to dim. I didn't want to star in my own version of a horror movie. It's creepy being outside alone with a bunch of coyotes so close.

I've been in the coyote range all my life, but I don't remember them ever getting up that close except in hard winters. I guess they're a little braver in this area. I really don't know why they are roaming across this place, but I guess I better get used to it.

Gone For the Year

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:41:00 +0000

I had more fun this year with these little hummingbirds than you can possibly imagine. The summer started out with just one feeder and one bird. Before the season was over, I had 3 feeders up and the birds were draining them on a daily basis. We had hummingbirds zipping around everywhere. Twittering, chasing, dive bombing.....never-ending activity. Entertainment was always available right on our front porch, and we were lucky enough to have a front-row seat.

I found egg shells, so I'm sure they were nesting in the pecans. I never did find a nest though. They must be really well-hidden and tiny.

I promised some hummingbird pictures, and here they are.

Here's one trying to guard this feeder. In this picture, she is trying to nip another bird.

The Recipe for Fun:

4 cups of warm water to 1 cup of sugar. Mix and fill 'em up!

Every time you fill your feeder it needs to be flushed with warm water. If a build up of black mold occurs, soak the feeder in bleach. Never use soap! The hummers don't like it. If the water becomes cloudy, you need to change it. Keep any unused nectar in the refrigerator.

I can't wait for next year!

I'm Just A Little...

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:21:00 +0000

Homesick.
I don't know why. Maybe I've just got the blues today. I miss the grocery store being five minutes away. I really miss the malls and shopping centers. All of our friends...

I just have to keep reminding myself of all the things I don't miss.... TRAFFIC, some of the neighbors, the HOA (Home Owners Association), no privacy. The list goes on.

Out here we can build a little fire and roast weenies and marshmallows if we want. We can shoot off fireworks on the holidays. None of that goes on in the burbs. I can walk out on the porch in my nightie to take the dog out, and no one will see or care! I love that one! Best yet....I've got two horses in my "sorta backyard." Horses would definitely get me a nasty letter from the HOA.

So, I guess there are some pluses to living in the country.

I'm glad I wrote this I feel better all ready.

Texas Armadillo or "Possum on a Half Shell"

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:24:00 +0000

Lilly, this is an armadillo. Lovely, freaky creature isn't it?

They're funny looking mammals covered in armor that are extremely common in our wonderful state. Kind of like an anteater with a shell. They remind me of a football with legs. They're not very big, I'm guessing around 12 to 18 pounds at most and around two feet long including their tail. They love to dig and are notorious for destroying lawns. They're just looking for food, insects and grubs, but they make a real mess and a heck of a hole.

Armadillos are often found in the road with tire tracks down the middle of their body. No, I'm not kidding. Very common roadkill. I think it's because they're nocturnal and hard to see at night. It's certainly not because they're slow. Trust me, those little boogers can run! Also, they jump straight up in the air when they get scared. Not a good idea in front of a 60 mph car...

Around here we have what my hubby and I term the armadillo wars. I hate to say it, but he does shoot them when they start tearing up the yard around the house. They think our yard is the local "All You Can Eat Buffet." If they're not tearing up the yard, we leave them alone. I heard they eat snakes. Not for sure on that one, but I'll pick an armadillo over a snake any day.

Question Why did the chicken cross the road??

Answer To show the armadillo that it could be done.

(Just a note....This is not one of my photos.)

Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:34:00 +0000

We're having a relaxed Sunday. Of course, Cado Man is in recovery. He's camped out on the couch with one of his buddies waiting for the Cowboys game to come on.

Baby Girl is roaming around the house with her little friend. I think they've been eating all day. Must be nice to be able to eat like that.

Myself, I'm thinking about making some homemade nachos. Sounds like a plan!

The Week from H. E. Double Hockey Sticks

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:40:00 +0000

Grrrrrr......

Baby Girl, cheerleading, flip, concussion

Cado Man, football, tackle, dislocated knee cap and torn ligaments

Just keeping it short and to the point.

Tia's Critters

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:11:00 +0000

My blogging friend, Lilly, wanted to know about my animals. At this time, I have 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 horses, and 2 fancy goldfish. I did have 4 dogs, but we lost our Harley in April.

That's just the animals that call me their own. Ha ha! We have a lot of wildlife that call our place home or might just traipse through. Wild hogs, coyotes, armadillos, skunks, a local bobcat....the list goes on.

Occassionally I have to run a cow out of the front yard, and nope, it's not mine.

We have the definition of coolness, a Manx cat named Jake. A little sweetie kittie that we call Ellie.

My lovie, Bear.

The Unquestionable King, Rudy, our oldest doggie.

Our pasture buddies, JJ and Rowdy.

Then last, but not least, there is Ruger , The Master of Destruction!

I don't have any pictures of my fish, but they're dubbed Hubba and Bubba. I'll get right on that. LOL

Yesterday

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:13:00 +0000

Talk about a day from heaven....
Well, minus the laundry of course :)

I actually woke up shivering, and after a summer in Texas, that's a good thing! A splendirrific beginning. Blue skies and sunshine. Getting even better! No kids at home!! Wow, a home run! I'm gonna have some fun.... yep yep!

Bear, Rudy, and I went for a pasture walk. I visited with my horses, and stopped by the pond for a chat with our big ole heron. He's a real beauty. We meandered on...

Strolled out under the oaks, and Bear found a huge pile of cow manure to roll in. Okay, well add that in with the laundry pile. Heaven for him, but not for me. Since we moved out here, I have discovered that dogs like manure. Not sure what the attraction is, but I have learned to deal with it. Disgusting! He got a bath later and ruined his perfect day.

Off for a 4-wheeler ride.... woo hoo! Down to the bottoms where I grabbed up some horse apples for my pasture buddies, and some air in the hair for myself. To top that off, I played bowling with the horse apples as I rolled them under the gate.

Note to readers: I never claimed to be mature.

Perfectly Bad Labor Day Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:58:00 +0000

Labor Day Weekend was so wonderful and so very, very BAD!!!

It started off with Friday Nite Lights, which in a small town in Texas is everything. My teenage wonder boy got the first touchdown of the season and his first of his highschool football career. I get to see my daughter cheering her first highschool game, and my boy happens to be playing in it.

All that's great right? Oh so perfect...

BUT THEN....

Somebody had to go and SCREW it up.

Do any of ya'll have teenage boys? With more hormones than brains???

Oh yes...Cado Man pulled the mother of all screw-ups. He stayed out all night without permission. Cado and his friend did the ole "You tell your parents you're staying with me and I'll tell mine I'm staying with you" routine.

My hubby and I feel like the biggest suckers in the world. We fell for it, but alas....they got busted. They were so sure of themselves....Ha ha :)....that the two little hormonal goobers decided not to show up for football practice the next morning. Thanks to Coach for placing that phone call.

Our Labor Day was spent in Punishment Phase I.

Oh Joy!

What the Heck Have I Done???

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:06:00 +0000

Well obviously I have done something! No telling what...

Most of the time I can't access Google or my Blog. The websites just will not pull up. I've checked my firewall. No blocking there. I've loosened up my filters. Don't think the problem is there. I am really confused on this one. Usually I can figure it out or reverse a goof-up, but I can't find the darned thing. Oh...did the system restore, too.

It just drives me insane when I can't fix a problem with my computer. Guess it might be time to call in the techie geek.

Well, I'm going to back up all my pictures now, just in case I get the big blue screen or something.

Ugh! I hate this......

Rain! Hot Diggity Dog

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:39:00 +0000

This is our 2nd day of rain this week! A crazy thing to get excited about, but I can't help it. When you've got cracks in your backyard so big you could lose one of the dogs in it, rain will put a big ole grin on the face! Everyone is in a much better mood.

The Awesome Sea Shell Quest

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:36:00 +0000

Baby Girl's fun during our trip was to load up on as many beach treasures as she could possibly find. A quest for the perfect shell, and no easy task.

One evening while strolling down beside the Corpus Christi Marina, she finally found "It." We spotted a shell perched on a rock in the water beside this area here on the right hand side......

(That's my hubby and son discussing the boats in the marina. Hubby got a kick out of some of the boat names.)

"I can get it, Momma."

"Girl, you will fall in."

"No way, just hold on to me." ( ha...tricky, put the responsibility back on me!)

She steps out onto a slippery, wet rock while I'm holding her arm and she's reaching down..... A precarious balancing act at best.

"Ah ha! Got it!"

Flashes that million megawatt smile :) I feel like the world's greatest mom cause I helped her get it. And before you say anything, yeah... i know it could have gone way differently.

Fast Forward to the next morning.....

I'm standing at the sink washing my hands, and I glance down.

"(Insert Curse Word here.) What the hell is that?"

The dang seashell had sprouted eyes and antennae! Not only that, but "It" was in the sink and "It" was ALIVE.

I'm not sure who took the bigger scare, me or the hermit crab...

I bounce into the bedroom. My hubby is looking at me with that all-knowing, ever-irritating grin.

"Damn thing tried to crawl off the vanity this morning while I was taking a shower. Thought I'd save it for ya."

Needless to say, Baby Girl had to put her treasure back in the bay.

Summer Break

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:26:00 +0000

Yes, I'm back! Took a little summer hiatus. Have to give the family attention every now and then...

We spent a week in Corpus Christi, a much needed get away, and of course I'm going to write about it. That will happen later this week. Sorry, but my energy is being boiled away by the triple digit temperatures in Texas.

I've been getting medical appointments out of the way and tying up loose ends before school starts. Such a busy month of July. And did I mention it's HOT????

It's so freakin' hot that Campbell soup has changed the directions on soup cans to read "Just Pour and Eat!"

Lazy Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:42:00 +0000

Lazy Wednesday :)

In a good way though. One of those hot, Texas summer days that makes a person want to do absolutely NOTHING. I did the usual necessary things; laundry, feed and water the animals....feed and water the family. LOL

I tried a new recipe for chicken tonight, and it really was good. I took some chicken breasts and coated them with sour cream mixed with a little garlic salt and onion powder. Then I rolled the breasts in crushed up corn flakes. Drizzled them with melted butter and popped them in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. De-Lish-Us!

I don't try new things very often, because my family likes the tried and true. Meat and potatoes kind of folks. Every now and then I'll throw something new at them. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The "doesn'ts" are always a hit with the dogs though :)

Surfing Texas Style

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:57:00 +0000

Moving from the wonderful world of suburbia, planned neighborhoods with walking trails and swimming pools, does have its drawbacks. My daughter is making do....

by going

Slip 'N Slide Surfing!!!!!

Never let it be said that my children can't manage to have a good time for under $15.00.

I would show you our lovely swimming pool, but my kids would kill me. Ha ha!

Internet Causes Brain Clutter

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:20:00 +0000

I love to read, and I love it so much that by the end of the evening I have brain clutter. Does anyone else experience this overload of data from the internet? I have always been a pack rat of information, but this is getting ridiculous. It's all right here at the touch of my fingers, and I can't stand it! I want to know and need to know, well EVERYTHING!!!!

No one would ever believe I'm blonde, unless they asked me where my keys are. I can never answer that question. Just ask my husband. I have so much information stored that the mundane is left out. I simply have no room for it. I'm lucky I can remember to tie my shoe, but ask me about microbiology or the latest galaxy discovered and I've got it covered. Top that off with a dose of current events and BRAIN SPAM!!!

When I was a child, I solved this need for knowledge with a stack of books. I could curl up and read for hours. I think that was a lot more soothing than a hot laptop and carpal tunnel syndrome.

I am done for the day. Today I am going to have a Declutter Tia's Brain Day. A break from the computer and the eye strain that goes along with it.

Maybe I'll find my keys.....

My Baby Girl is Growing Up

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:49:00 +0000

Tonight was my baby girl's 8th grade graduation. I think I'll go cry my eyes out now :(

Young mothers....

Seriously, don't blink. It's gone before you know it. The little baby you're holding in your arms right now will be this one sooner than you can imagine. She's my heart!!!!

Backroads with Hubby Continued

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:35:00 +0000

Tia took another picture. Actually, I took lots of pics that day, but I don't want to bore you to tears. Bee on a wildflower. Can't get more descriptive than that. I was just amazed that I caught the little bugger sitting still long enough for a picture.

Backroads With Hubby

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:29:00 +0000

No couch potato day for us :) Living in the country definitely has its advantages. Getting back to nature just means getting on down the road, and that's what my hubby and I did.

What a day we had!

Here he is checking out the local bird life.

The hubby has developed a real fondness for bird watching since we have moved. Now, if you knew him...you would never believe this is something he would get into. The man has binoculars by every door. He has his bird books and the birds that he has spotted are color coded with postie notes. The ones in our area, but not spotted yet have a different color postie note. Hubby told the guys at work that he does this, but they didn't believe him. Doesn't fit his Type-A personality. He had to take his bird books to prove it. These pics should help :)

Hubby spotted this stunning little guy. I couldn't get a real good shot. My telephoto lens has issues at the moment. ha ha! This is an Indigo Bunting, and I had never seen one before in my life. That's something, huh? The picture doesn't do the bird justice.

My daughter wants to go get a pizza, so I'll finish this post later. Pizza or posting? Hhhmmm.... See ya'll!

A Rose for Lilly

noreply@blogger.com (TroubleX2) — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:16:00 +0000

This rose is a thank you for Lilly. You can visit her here.... Lilly's Life ! I know it's not a Lilly, but I'll work on that later this week. Enjoy...

This is a picture of one of my favorite types of rose, the Knock Out Double Rose in Red. Beautiful, intense color and no fuss. Disease resistant and hardy. They bloom abundantly from early spring to late fall. How can you beat that? I absolutely love them, and I'm going to add more to my landscape.

This is the 2nd season for this rose, and I think it's a winner. The plant has all ready grown about 2' by 2' and shows no signs of slowing down. It's covered in blooms all ready, and the color is stunning. Last year I had no problems with the rose what so ever. I never had much luck with roses until I found these. They are so tolerant of the Texas heat and humidity. Finally a show-stopping rose for our state!