Tribute to Cubby the Wonder Kitty

Cubby, Our niblet-less grey kitty...the one with the expensive pins in his hip was hit by a car last week and did not make it. He came to live with us after surgery and we got a bit too attached. When we were running around the country for my work we left him with Lavonne's sister Sharon...and he jumped off a table and needed more surgery...plus...Sharon got really attached to the cuddly little grey furball. He stayed with Sharon and was our constant companion every time we were at Steamboat (his kingdom... which he rulled with an iron paw). He had the run of about 8 acres of garden and trees but he got too curious about the highway to the east and wandered out there. I am a dog person but this little guy was really special.

Lavonne Update

Lavonne and I took a field trip to the Dr.'s office. We got there right at 8:25...appointment at 8:30 and the Dr. came in and said I looked at your x-rays and you will not need surgery. 9 out of 10 folks need surgery and Lavonne is the one out of 10 who is OK. The fracture does not involve the talus (another odd bone in the foot)...so her heel is in good position and no surgery. Good news.
Bad news...8 weeks off the foot. So, 8 weeks with the walker and the crutches. She already hates the crutches. They did put her in a cute little boot that looks line something from NASA. It will take some getting used to the boot but it is better than the wrap and 100 pounds of cotten they had on it before.
Lavonne had a huge list of things to do outside to get the house ready for winter and I can do some but there are a few that are beyond me (anything on the ladder is out...plumbing and electrical too). So, as a get well present I got her a handyman named Jason. He is great (great at plumbing and electrical too) and right now he is doing one of the things that was on my list (staining the deck). I may adopt him.
So, all is well and we are chugging along.

Lavonne's Foot

What a week this has been. Lavonne climbed up a ladder to cut some tree branches from our tree away from the neighbor's house. Coming down she missed a rung and fell. She must have hit with all the force on her right heel because it broke. Now we are waiting to see a surgeon next week to see what we need to do to fix it. Sh has been a good patient so far but I think the restless nature of this working lady Lavonne will come out. I am thinking duct tape may work to keep her from getting too rambunctious.

Missing all of you

Folks,
I had a call from the guys in Phoenix and a new post from Tiff...but know that I miss you all. Fall here in the heartland is georgeous.I was in Iowa City at a B and B on the best day of the year. I sat on the porch with a big friendly tabby ca and did my online work. Days like that make it worth living here.

Lake Superior

We motored to Steamboat Rock to pick Sharon up for the trip to the Lake and there was a parade. Sharon's '69 Chevy was the convertable that was to carry the grand marshal (some guy named Gary and a lady named Babe or somethig like that. She was one tough lady who runs the ambulance in the county with an iron fist. Lavonne kept hitting the brake when she threw candy and it would catch the Grand Marshals off guard and pitch them forward. I thought it was a great ride but God help us if Lavonne needs an ambulance in the next 10 years. Next we headed up north of Duluth for the anual Pierson Sisters + one Latina pilgramage to Castle Danger. Great wave action on the Lake was fun to watch but kept the Kayaks on the roof of the van. The Sisters went biking about 10 miles a day and I went to the lodge about a mile away to teach my online class. We played "Pepper" in the evening (great card game I lost 75% of the time) and we had a wonderful campfire on the rocks by the water every night under starlit skies. There are a lot more satelites than I remember last year.
The highlight was our cups from Cooper,Kelly and Archer. I pulled them out the first night and we cracked up all week. These were the hit of the season. Lvonne won for the most creepy, I go the ones with the odd teeth and decided to make a dentist appt.
Sharon's nose looked almost the same...coincidence?
The last few days we has some wonderful needed rain and a double rainbow. Wish you all could have been there.

California Vistin'

OK, we are back from CA but we had a great time. We got to see lots of family. Mark, Grant (on crutches), Cooper, Kelly and of course Archer. That little guy has got the scream part of life down...I think he will be a sports announcer for some team like the CUBS. Something where screaming happens infrequently. But, I even love the screaming!
His folks are adorable! Coop and Kelly are such amazing parents. Mark is settling into the Grandpa thing with such ease. He reminds me of Pop Rickard pretty often. OK, enough gush. The other photo is with Terry and Sue Todd. Those two are great frineds. Terry is my brother from another Mother. He and I share the same sick sense of humor, a love of diverse kinds of music and 25 years at TJ tormenting eachother with practical jokes. We saw them at their Palm Springs home. What a great trip.

Coast to Coast and in between

The Girls are in Tacoma Washington. Just a bit ago we were in Williamsberg (garden photo) and the Outer Banks.
So, I offer you here a smattering of Lavonne and I at Williamsberg, Lucy's....working on the Garage drive (15 tons of gravel and the cabin) and Pikes Market in Seattle. The "wrong way" sign is specifically for Lavonne who tried to moon the bellcap. We may not be able to return to another Marriot property...or then maybe we will be asked to comeback again (not likely). Oh...and the orange thing is a glass show by Chahulli (spelling?) a crazy eyepatch wearing artist who works with glass.