3:22 AM Thursday morn and here we are...
All's quiet, the pups are growing and Charlie will be home 1 week from tonight. While his Mom and I are so excited we can hardly contain ourselves, Charlie will be coming home with a heavy heart. JJ was deployed early and they will not even get to see each other. It just kills me when I can't help my kids - regardless of their ages. This has really crushed him. He has been knocked down before and always responded well - I'm sure he will march on. I DO feel his pain.
Mark Peppers and his wife, Charita are expecting their 1st child! Good people, I'm really excited for them. Little blessings here, heartbreaks all over - keep looking for the sunshine!
On we go!!!
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Jan 1 Harley, Lily, Jake and Buffy celebrate the New Year!
Hello 2005! I walked Harley at 5:30 this morning and the air was clean and crisp like no other time I can recall. There was no early motor sounds or dogs barking - none of the usual noise that accompany us on our journey. January 1 of this new year started off incredibly beautiful! I felt a peace and a lightness in my heart. My little buddy and I walked on through the early morning darkness both very happy in our little world - thank you Lord!
Walk Jake. Rendevouz with my lady Linda.... coffee and glow.... 19 more days til Charlie is home... yes - hello and welcome to 2005...
2004 - What a year! Charlie went to Korea, Courtney grew and flourished, Linda got a break and I remain amazed at the mountain of blessings in my life! Yes - 2004 saw hurricanes, a "spirited" election, a tsunami, senseless shootings and more war - BUT out of each came compassion, generosity, unity and resolve. Our creator always shows Himself when our times appear the worst. Our house saw Harley and Lilly come to join us, Court came home for a few months, a new roof and lots of laughs! The Genungs on Siesta Key, Bike Week, Biketoberfest, Eric Clapton, 3 big snook in 1 day, fun on the bike, breakfast at Cracker Barrells all over the state and the love of a wonderful woman - what in the world could someone want else? The gang has swelled to 10 again! 3 Labs - Jake, Harley and Lilly 2 Schnauzers - Travis and Buffy 3 Cats - Obie, Bubba and George 2 Birds - KoKo and Toby A lot of love for 1 address!!!!!! I don't know what 2005 will bring but put me down for a ticket! Jerry out....
Christmas 2004!!!
Another year of blessings and memories...
Thursday, Dec 23 we brought home Lilly, out female lab that we had visited since she was 17 days old.... She is beautiful! Stopped at Spike and Randy's on the way home to share the excitement and their Dobie pup, Shawna was a real jewell and put up with the little white ball of fur and teeth. Then home to meet the gang. Harley loved her instantly - the others will take their time, as they did with Harley - just a month ago....Lilly served notice right away that she may be little but she had warrior spirit and she stood her ground as all the pack checked her out. She is truly an awesome pup and fit in instantly. Being so young, we have had some fun nights with our little lady, but we are all molding in to a comfortable group! Harley has melted my heart and is turning into a SUPER Lab and buddy! We have stuck to our routine of wrestling and walking every morning and we both look forward to it! He has been to puppy school 2 times and does awesome on the lead. Linda has been handling him in the classes and that lets them bond as well!!! He got his last shots on Dec 24 and was already 48.6 pounds! Lilly weighed in at a whopping 11 pounds on the same day, but Dr. Z says she will be big boned like Harley.
We talked to Charlie several times during the Christmas days and Linda and I cried several times at how much we miss our dude. He was terribly homesick too! He was making his mother's broccoli casserole and that thrilled Mom and boy! He will be home soon - 24 days from today! A big part of our hearts go with him every step!
It was great having Courtney home for Christmas! She and Steven took off for Gatlinburg the day after Christmas for some fun in the snow. She is really growing up and is more beautiful everyday...
Once again, I remained amazed and humbled by the incredible blessings that our Creator continues to pour into my life. Words pale in comparison to what I feel in my heart. I thank You, Lord!
OR "another North Florida adventure"......Linda and I drove to Gainesvile 2-1/2 years ago to pick-up our 2002 Harley Road King, we bought the bike, lots of goodies and headed west toward the Manatee's house in Fanning Springs to party down and spend the night. THIS YEAR.. Linda got home on Friday a little before 2PM and we took off for High Springs in our "enjoy the journey" mode. We were headed to picked Harley or Lunch Box - the debate goes on.... H/LB is a 13 week old yellow lab from Labracadabra Labs and is downright georgeous. We fell in love instantly and he completely melted Linda's heart in "nano-seconds"... Labcradabra is owned by a lovely girl fom Finland, Mariana Beckman and she has awesome dogs and horses and lives back in the woods. Linda pulled a new toy out of the car and Harley took right to it and dragged it all over the farm... later when we went in the house, he dropped the toy in the water bowl to clean it up - neat pup! Did the necessary paperwork and headed home with new friend.....I'm driving and Linda gets to hold and hug the pup all the way home...Got to Gainesvile Harley just as they were closing - ran inside and bought Harley leash, collar, 2 bandanas, toy and another magnet for the refrigerator....Linda slips on the collar and we tote him over to the grass for a pee break....Quick stop at Starbucks and we head on home.....H/LB snores on the way home, guess he is Linda's dog....The crew meets the new guy about 9:30PM and ther are mixed emotions among our 6 year old schnauzers and 9 year old Lab, but they will all get along soon - this has been going on in our house for 30 years!!!!He did great in the crate Friday night and Saturday we cleaned up the dog area and he quickly picked up where to go and what to do - very smart pup!!Momma Linda has already taught her little guy how to use the doggie-doors.... He eats like somebody is trying to steal it.... he already weighs 40 pounds....LOTS of pictures.....got his 1st bath Saturday afternoon... loves to play in the water bowl....And on Sunday we go see Lilly, our 31 day old female lab that will come home on December 23!!!!!Another great North Florida Adventure!!!!!
"Lunch Box" will be ours!!!! Will pick him up tomorrow or Saturday...Yes, we have gone crazy and are overly excited about it - mountains of loves and hugs,,,today was a special day...Adrienne and Steve went to great links to prepare a meal that Linda could eat and enjoy and that has not happened since last October at Wayne & Wanda's...VERY NICE....turkey, turkey with duck, dressing, gravy, green beans, yams and marshmellows, brocchli casserole, cranberry sauce, rolls, corn, pecan pie, Courtney's special pumpkin mousse desert and so much else, I smply can't recall...It was great to see all... Bill and Chris look and act a little slower, but at 70 the wheels probably turn slower for all us...Boots was a crazy cat...Renee has turned into a beautiful woman and has an equally cute 5 year old daughter...Beautiful day...
Coffee... run to the store... Court & Mom in the kitchen... emailing and calling Labracadabra..... wanting to bring "Lunch Box" home.. more coffee... walk Jake... more cookin!!!!!! lots of goodies.... headin for Steve & Adrienne's to pig out.... Bill, Chris, Yvonne & Brian too... talk to you later.. hope we are headed for High Springs...
Wednesday before Thanksgiving! ALOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!!!!!! Truck broke down and bill keeps climbing. Jim Ryan loaned us AWESOME jazz CD collection for iPods, some real incredible music! Lunch @ the Shack. Walk with Jake. ALOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!!! Charlie coming home in 55 days. Lilly comes home in 29 days. Molly called - grown and married.... Cats everywhere. Happy Thanksgiving to all. ALOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!!! Gotta go see Michelle for haircut. Christmas is coming....
Well...... - lots to be thankful for here with Thansgiving Day fastly approaching! LILLY - our newest family member is a yellow lab pup born on October 28, 2004. We picked her out when she was only 17 days old and will bring her home on December 23 - she's a real knockout! I'm probably more excited about her than any other pet I have ever had....I do LOVE these labrador retreivers - the depth of the love that you can read in their eyes makes other breeds pale in comparison. Jake has been the animal love of my life and I am thankful for each day he is with me. The Gators WHUPPED the Noles in Tallahassee for the 1st time in 18 years - OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Bucs won Sunday - and actually scored 35 points!! 55 days until Charlie comes home! The election is over and GW will hang around for another 4 years and I hope we can have 1 country intead of the serious divisions that appeared during this election. May God have mercy on us all! I pray others have as much to be thankful for as I.
Monday - back to work after 5 days off... Hit the ground running, getting new things going....lunch at the Shack....Jake to the vet - Jake has been another of the incredibly long line of blessings in my life. I don't have the ability to put into words how much this wonderful animal means to me! A lot going on - hold on!
YEAP!!!! Biketoberfest was a grand success - with lots of time in the saddle, bikes, babes, pounding waves, naps and GOOD loving! We did relax and that was our No. 1 goal!!! The weather was great - the bike ran great - the nights and sights were AWESOMER!!!! YES - AWEASOMER!!!! Better than awesome! We pigged out at Taco Bell, Outback, Bubba Gumps, and of course Cracker Barrell. We vegged well and worked to please each other - pretty incredible after 30 years. Main Street, Beach Street, Boot Hill , the Loop - we enjoyed it all! Thank you to our Creator for such beauty!