Happy Leap Day!!

Happy "Leap Day," everyone!! I love the idea that this day only occurs once every four years.

In 1988, I began writing a journal entry on Leap Day, chronicling the current time and wondering what would happen in the next four years. I've continued the tradition every Leap Day since. It makes for some fun reading each new Leap Year.

As it's Friday, I am including this funny e-mail forward that I received today from my mom.

Enjoy and have a funny "Leap Day"/Friday!

WRONG E-MAIL ADDRESS

A lesson to be learned from typing the wrong e-mail address!

A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier.

Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules, so the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife flying down the following day.

The husband checked into the hotel.

There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an e-mail to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her e-mail address, and without realizing his error, sent the email anyway.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral. He was a minister who was called home to glory following a heart attack.

The widow decided to check her e-mail expecting messages from relatives and friends.

After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted.

The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:

To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I've Arrived
Date: October 16, 2005

I know you're surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones. I've just arrived and have been checked in. I've seen that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then!!!! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.

P.S. Sure is freaking hot down here!!!!

Sing a Song Down Memory Lane

I discovered the 33 1/3 rpm "Songs from Sesame Street" record I received for Christmas in 1975 and decided to put it on the other day.

Fire up the old wood-panel-sided Ford Country Squire station wagon for a trip down memory lane.

I was whisked away.

Now, my kids are totally "digging" it.

I'm not sure if it's the music that they like (it's definitely '70s style) or their fascination with the record player.

It's funny to me that records are no longer the "in" thing -- and haven't been for quite awhile now.

Funnier still to me that my kids have grown up only hearing the "legend" of them, mistaking 45s on the wall of a '50s-style ice cream parlor as "big black CDs."

In the 1970s when I was a little kid, records were all we had...all we knew, really. Oh, there were a few people we knew who had "8-track" players, but we didn't. And cassette tapes were up-and-coming, but we stood by our record players.

So, despite all the cool technology out there, we still enjoy pulling out the old, sometimes-warped-and-scratched records to sing along with the oldies.

Record player...$10 at a garage sale
Old records...50 cents at the Goodwill
Sharing with your kids the memory of the unmistakable scratchy beginning sounds of a record as the needle traces around it...priceless.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidies

Another great hint from Heloise:

Food Burned on Bottom of Cooking Pot?
To get food crud off, pour full-strength vinegar into the bottom of the pan and let soak for around 30 minutes. Then scrub and wash well.

Many Mindless Monday Musings

Happy Monday!

The last Monday in February!

Whew! No complaints here! *wink*

I usually enjoy the month of February...but I have to say it dragged this year. Way too many gray days, I think.

Another of the list of many things I enjoyed the most about living in England was the abundance of flowers at all times of year. Being a more moderate climate helps with this. But even if it gets cold, you always see people buying flowers in the marketplace...just to keep the house and home cheerful.

I used to keep this tradition when I first began "keeping house," but it got a little pricey. I began to see that small bouquet of flowers as a loaf of bread and gallon of milk... Still, what's it worth to keep your sanity?

*sigh*

Note to self: Never, ever, ever proclaim "all is well" or "life is getting back to normal" until all members of the same household have had a stomach bug.

Just after such a proclamation -- when only half of our family had been ill -- I thought (completely naively) that we were free and clear...germ-free, as free as the wind blows...

Hmmm...far from it.

Nearly a week later, I think it's safe to say that the germs are thoroughly vanquished. Gotta love that bleach and Clorox wipes.

* * *

We had a quiet weekend. Stuart spent yesterday morning in bed with a cold...while I braved the wilds of our Sunday School class alone with my trusty sidekick Emily and another helper.

Actually, it was a quiet group. And we did fine. And Stuart felt much better by the afternoon.

Speaking of my hubby, he begins (we hope) his new position at his company today...as a (drumroll, please) Product Manager. It seems like a perfect-fit position to me and the many others who know and love him. I think it will utilize his skills and clever brain very well. (Proud wife moment.)

* * *

A puzzler from our Mensa Daily Calendar:

Find a five-digit number in which the first digit is double the second, the third digit is two less than the second, the fourth digit is the sum of the second and third, and the last digit is one less than the first. The sum of all the digits is 19.

Have fun!

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT
• playing Twister
• a raucous celebration
• pails of flowers
• a smile from a stranger
• sculpting with clay

* * *

Did you ever notice how people seem to smile less and less?

Is it the stress of our time? Worries about money? Family woes?

Or is it just shyness...

Or that people seemingly care less and less about each other...

No matter what the reason, all people love friendliness...they need it really.

Having travelled around a bit in life, I've noticed that people in different parts of the country (and the world, for that matter) handle friendliness in their own unique way. Some are much friendlier than others, while some are more reserved.

But friendliness doesn't take much. Just a split-second actually. Because no matter where you are, you can make a difference by smiling at a stranger.

If every person smiled at just one person during the day, I'll bet nearly everyone everywhere would receive a smile each day.

Wow! That makes me smile!

Give it a try!

Sweet Sunday

The "Battle Hymn of the Republic" has always been a favorite of mine. So majestic and powerful! Read more about its history here.

Have a sweet Sunday!



Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
“As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal”;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free;
[originally …let us die to make men free]
While God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave;
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of wrong His slave,
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

~Julia W. Howe, 1861

Friday Funnies

Thanks again to LOSTin24 for this videoclip:


Extra tidbits from the Free Radio show with Kiefer Sutherland. Gotta love this Lance guy's thinking.

Have a funny (snowy) Friday!

Be the Change!

This came from a friend via e-mail, and I thought it was too good not to share with the rest of the blogging world.

In celebration of India's 60th year of independence, the Times of India launched an initiative to inspire the search for hidden talents in everyday people. Among the results is this two-minute video, "Tree," which has become an anthem for India -- and is a must-see for all of us.

Thought-provoking and inspirational no matter where you're from!

Be the change!

Wordless Wednesday

Monday's Musings as Tuesday Tidings

Happy Tuesday!

I'm a day late for my Monday Musings.

Life was a bit crazy yesterday after a "slightly" overly-busy weekend.

On Saturday, we went to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to watch my nephew, Erik, play basketball and then to have lunch with both my sisters and their families for Edward's and Erik's birthdays. Then on Sunday it was church and Sunday School followed by a luncheon to help a missionary get back to her post. On Monday, Emily had her PSSA writing test for school, and Edward had been up the entire night-before...very sick after eating way too much at a missionary luncheon. All this after Stuart spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday fighting the effects of food poisoning gotten from a "free" lunch at work. Ugh!

I'm happy to report that life is mostly back to normal today. Both school and work have resumed. And I think I'm mostly caught up on laundry. So there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Well, the writers' strike is officially over, but our beloved show, 24, isn't coming back until...next January! Argh! All that hoping and waiting.... *sigh* Oh, well. We'll have to make do with other shows and movies until then. And I'm just about to start Book #15 in my own Jack saga. We decided that Jack is really Odysseus from Homer's The Odyssey. *wink* Maybe so.

* * *

A little post-President's Day puzzler for you from Stuart's Cranium page-a-day calendar:

How many of the six U.S. presidents named James can you name?

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• cups and saucers clinking

• a mantle with knickknacks

• sewing a quilt

• pizza from a wood oven

• the smell of library books

* * *

I love the smell of books.

Go into any bookstore, and you get that paper/bookcover/cardboard smell. Or even a college campus bookstore, with all those textbooks. Book-smell overload.

When I worked for Highlights for Children, they had a storeroom filled with the books from the Boyds Mills side of the company. I always enjoyed going in there to look for something. Paper/cardboard/ink/glue...whatever it was...the books always smelled good.

Then there's the library, especially an older library with lots and lots of books.

It's not a musty smell. Just a pleasant, warm smell of something familiar. The smell of a new adventure.

I cringed when I first read about electronic books. Would that book-smell be lost forever on future generations? How would they understand it if they didn't have a book to hold and page through? It made me sad to think about it.

But that's still the future.

I think enough people are like me and still enjoy the feel and smell of books enough to keep the real thing around for awhile yet.

Sweet Sunday

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go
by George Matheson

Matheson said about this hymn:
"My hymn was com­posed in the manse of In­ne­lan [Ar­gyle­shire, Scot­land] on the ev­en­ing of the 6th of June 1882, when I was 40 years of age. I was alone in the manse at that time. It was the night of my sister’s mar­ri­age, and the rest of the fam­i­ly were stay­ing over­night in Glas­gow. Some­thing hap­pened to me, which was known only to my­self, and which caused me the most se­vere men­tal suf­fer­ing. The hymn was the fruit of that suf­fer­ing. It was the quick­est bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the im­press­ion of hav­ing it dic­tat­ed to me by some in­ward voice ra­ther than of work­ing it out my­self. I am quite sure that the whole work was com­plet­ed in five min­utes, and equal­ly sure that it ne­ver re­ceived at my hands any re­touch­ing or cor­rect­ion. I have no na­tur­al gift of rhy­thm. All the other vers­es I have ever writ­ten are man­u­fact­ured ar­ti­cles; this came like a day­spring from on high."



O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

Birthday Photos

Here's some more photos of Edward's birthday adventure.

Firday Funnies

Birthday Adventures in the Big City

Happy Birthday, Edward!!

Our Valentine turned "7" today...and, as planned, we headed up to New York City for his birthday adventure.

I'd like to say we headed somewhere educational which completely enlightened him and filled his sponge-like brain full of new knowledge.

But we didn't...

...and that was perfectly okay!

(I think birthdays are all about having fun and celebrating the gift of life. Life is all about learning...it's constantly happening, no matter where we are, right?)

His choice of adventures was to go to the Build-A-Bear workshop on 5th Ave. and 46th St. and then to the FAO Schwarz toystore on 5th Ave. and 59th St. He had birthday-money-dollar-signs in his eyes and a new spot in his heart for a furry birthday buddy.

Some research online revealed that this particular Build-A-Bear is the world headquarters for the chain, and it didn't disappoint any of us.

With two floors of furry friends and their apparel/accessories and even a cafe called "Eat with Your Bear Hands," it was perfect!

After Edward chose his new furry birthday buddy, Jack the Border Collie, he picked out some accessories and an outfit for him and made his birth certificate. As he paid for all of it, the staff figured out it was his birthday, and he was given a store-wide birthday serenade and a big sticker on his chest proclaiming it "his" day.



We headed down to the Bear cafe and found we had the place to ourselves since it was in between mealtimes.

Emily had brought along one of her Build-A-Bears -- a bunny she named Carrots -- who needed to have some minor back surgery. Both Carrots and Jack got their own seats right at our table. Then the waiter brought out a little plate and bib for each of them. All the attention to details made it really fun for the kids.

The food was all finger-food (as you might have guessed from the name of the cafe), and, at the end, Edward received another birthday seranade, and we each got a bear-shaped cookie to decorate. All in all, it was a little expensive, but very well-worth the fun and excitement it added to Edward's special day.

An extra-special birthday dinner, indeed.



The waiter was an absolute gem of a man. He gave us directions to Grand Central Station to catch the subway up to 59th. And, let me tell you, seeing that station was yet another treat for us.

What a place! I tried to capture the grandeur as we walked in but my camera was powerless against the vastness of it. It was fantastic!

So after we lifted up our jaws and stopped gawking/staring, we found the "#5" train and headed on our way to FAO Schwarz toystore...

...to gawk and stare some more!

The front window was filled with life-sized (to scale) stuffed farm animals. Then walk inside and you're faced with life-sized dragons and cheesy B-film-sized larger-than-life spiders.

Sensory overload? Nah. Yeah, right. *wink*

We headed to the Matchbox car section so that Edward could design his own personal Matchbox car, the other part of his birthday adventure he had been eager to do.

Very cool!

Then we explored the rest of the store, hanging out in the LEGO area for a little while and then the rest of the sections, including the floor piano where Emily got to dance along the keys.



We finished off our adventure with a trip to the FAO Schwarz ice cream parlor.

Tired and completely worn-out, we made it back to the subway and headed back to 34th St. to get the PATH train back to Hoboken.

We bid goodnight to the newly lit-up skyline of New York City and headed home, feeling happy and blessed to have enjoyed such a day together.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is the song I have playing in the sidebar video player at the moment. It's perfect on so many levels for my family. It says exactly what I feel for them.

Happy Valentine's Day to my three Valentines!!

Valentine

If there were no words
No way to speak
I would still hear you
If there were no tears
No way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you

And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

All of my life
I have been waiting for
All you give to me
You've opened my eyes
And showed me how to love unselfishly

I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
But in my dreams I couldn't love you more
I will give you my heart
Until the end of time...
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
'Cause all I need is you, my Valentine

You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

~Jim Brickman

On the Eve of a Birthday

I sit here reflecting...on the eve of my son's 7th birthday...that once upon a time only a little while ago...we were awaiting his Valentine's Day debut.

Edward -- 14 months old

And it was definitely worth the wait!!

Snow and Science

Photo courtesy of the SSEC.

It's snowing here today.

It just started a few minutes ago.

And since it's been so cold, the snowflakes are landing and staying in their shapes on the frigid surfaces.

I called the kids outside to look at them on the plastic picnic table.

Thousands of individual shapes all laying there. No two alike.

It's truly an awesome sight, especially when you consider Who created them and the fact that He didn't need to make them each different.

I tried to photograph them, but they're almost magical, too small and delicate to capture on my little digital camera. They looked like little white dots.

But to see them in person, you see the different sides, the patterns and points, the beauty in each one.

A truly awesome science lesson from above.

Polar Monday Musings

A freezing-cold greeting to you on this freezing-cold Monday.

Temperatures plummeted yesterday from in the 40s in the morning to down near 0 in the night. The wind was howling all night long and now has calmed to more of a whistle. Our backyard literally looks "blown apart."

Exciting news over the weekend... The writers' strike should be officially over by this Wednesday! Yay! Yay! Yay!! Finally. We're not sure what that will mean for our particular favorite show since it runs on a different schedule than most shows. But maybe, just maybe, we'll get to see some form of it this year? Some online friends saw Kiefer Sutherland at an Ironworks/Rocco show in L.A. and said he looks really ready to go back to work.

In other news...

There isn't much "other news" happening around here these days.

Stuart and I began watching Season 1 of The X-Files. It's funny how different it seems 15 years later. Still, we're enjoying it and getting "creeped out" by some of the spooky storylines.

We watched Chicken Little with the kids this past Saturday night and were again pleased (and surprised) by Disney's ability to produce a decent kids' movie again. We avoided seeing it when it was out in the theatres because it was so hyped. But watching it on DVD (especially one that we borrowed for FREE from the library) was perfect!

Emily had a birthday party for our two bunny brothers, Earl Grey and Clementine, on Saturday. We went to her room for snacks, crafts, and some funny moments watching the bunnies race around her floor. Their red eyes made it hard to get some good photos without "glowing" eyes. But a fun time was had by all.

Now the countdown continues for Edward's birthday. Only 3 more days for him to be 6 years old. He's getting excited to turn 7 on Thursday. The plan is to go to New York for the day to FAO Schwarz and Macy's. He's hoping for some birthday money -- so, like Emily, he can buy a few goodies along the way. *wink*

Originally, we were going to the Empire State Building, but we didn't realize that Valentine's Day isn't the best day to try to visit that particular tourist site. Apparently, lots of people plan their weddings there that day. Go figure. Blame it on An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle, I guess.

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• pictures of faraway places

• solving a riddle

• a great teacher

• tic-tac-toe

• strawberries and champagne

* * *

I love viewing photos...especially photos from faraway places and the past.

I guess I inherited my paternal grandfather's shutterbug habit.

Years ago, Stuart and I traveled around Europe. I snapped photo after photo after photo. I think I had at least 12 rolls of film to develop by the end.

I was trying to capture life in the faraway places we were visiting. I was attempting to freeze a "moment in time" so that we could look back at the photos from that time and relive our trip.

I love seeing historical, touristy places...but I'd much rather visit a grocery store or wander through the shopping district of a town. That shows true life rather than tourist life.

I want to see the mothers walking their uniform-clad kids to school. Or an older man buying his groceries for the day. Or even the business people scurrying to their offices. Ordinary people living their ordinary lives.

I just love to "people watch" -- something inherited from my maternal grandmother and mother.

Some call it being nosy.

I call it...interesting. *wink*

Sweet Sunday

This is from Steve Green's one and only "In Concert" video from 1987. While the video may be old - the music and Steve's voice is timeless. (Note there are no instruments playing with him...just his powerful voice!)

This hymn is a favorite of all Steve Green fans. This is a live version of the original 1984 recording. He recorded a newer version in 1994. He always recieves a standing ovation when he performs this.



A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper He amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabbaoth, His name,
from age to age the same,
and He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
His kingdom is forever.

~Martin Luther

Birthday Bunnies

Today was the 2nd birthday of our two "boys," Earl Grey and Clementine.

Emily hosted a party, complete with a "cake" (a mini carrot with toothpicks as candles and papaya pieces as "flames"), snacks, and party favors.

It was lots of fun to sit around on the floor of her room and share a special celebration together. We even got to color/decorate our treat bags. *grin*

(Any guesses on what Stuart put on his? If you said a squid? You got it! Check here to see why.)

Happy Birthday, Earl Grey and Clemmie!!

Friday Funnies

Here it is, thanks to Lostin24, the video of Free Radio. Enjoy! And have a funny Friday!

Wordless Wednesday

(Tardy) Tuesday Tidies

I had in mind to write something (a)musing today...but instead I found this wonderful hint from Heloise to share with you:

Magazines Smell?

If old magazines have a musty odor, get rid of it by putting the magazines outside (in the shade) for a couple of hours or by placing them in a plastic container and pour baking soda or cat litter over them and keep sealed for several days.

Monday Musings

Photo from Free Radio, courtesy of BennyBlog
Happy Monday! The first Monday in February.

My nephew turns 14 tomorrow and Edward turns 7 on Valentine's Day next week. Wow! Time certainly flies by!

Good news on the writers' strike. A tentative deal has been reached which could lead to a formal deal being announced sometime this week. Fingers crossed that maybe we'll get our 24 back? I know I'm not alone in hoping for this. I saw a funny Kiefer tidbit on YouTube with him doing a cameo on a new show called Free Radio. I'll try to post it for my Friday Funnies.

We spent Super Bowl Sunday with a group of friends from church. Lots of good food and fun was had by all. And while Stuart and I aren't football fans in the slightest, he said it was an excellent game...made more fun by being with other guys. We were both glad to see the Giants win -- sorry to any Patriots fans out there. *wink*

* * *

A page from our Mensa Puzzle calendar for you today:

The Great Detective was grilling a woman who had produced a second will that cut the detective's client out of a large inheritance.

"And how did you find this will?" he asked.

"I looked in his Bible," said the woman, "and there was this small paper stuck between pages 111 and 112."

"Aha," said the Great Detective. "You are lying."

How did he know?

* * *

And another (especially for any Pennsylvania readers or Phil fans out there) from our Cranium page-a-day calendar:

True or False?

Legend has it that there will be six more weeks of winter if Punxsutawney Phil (the groundhog) doesn't see his shadow on Groundhog Day.

* * *

Speaking of Groundhog Day... Phil saw his shadow on Saturday. *sigh*

Emily has a friend coming to 4-H with us tomorrow. She's so excited to introduce her to the world of 4-H. And tomorrow night officially starts the new year for the club since it's New Member Night, which also means that Earl Grey gets to makes an appearance. Emily is doing her presentation, as well, on Himalayan Dwarfs rabbits.

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• winter break from school

• ham studded with cloves

• finding good stocking stuffers

• the bottom of rabbits’ feet

• crocheted snowflakes

* * *

There's something wonderful and "warm and fuzzy" (pun intended) about rabbits. I've had one (or two or three) since I was 11.

Mittens, Willowby, Thumper, Bashful Bitsy, Bootsy, Pipsqueak, Peepers, Nutmeg, Sooty, Wellington, Lulu, Bonny, Clyde, Bubble, Squeak, Clementine, Jack, and Tony.

And that's not including any babies I didn't keep that happened along the way. *wink* (Flopsy, Jellybean, Scruffy, Dandelion, Griz, Wallowby, Blossom, Rosebud, and Blackberry.)

I've loved them each so much....from their wiggling noses to their sweet furry tails to their soft rabbits' feet, which are much "luckier" on the actual rabbit. *grin*

When I lived in England, I owed a "furry angel" named Peepers, named for her large red eyes and her propensity to "peep" at me around the wall in her cage. We bonded from the moment we "met." (There is truth in the saying: "Love at first sight.") I've never had a rabbit quite like her before or since.

She traveled all around England with me, riding in an "African bag" -- a colorful, open purse made with woven straw-like fibers. I always kidded that if she'd had an odometer on her, she would have hit 25,000 miles at least. She was always so trusting and never tried to get away from me. In fact, I walked nearly 2 miles from the pet store where I bought her to my home, carrying her without a box or leash.

What was most amazing about her was how much encouragement she brought to others. (Hence, the furry angel part of her.)

In Brighton, England, we spent a lot of time sitting in the park, me reading or writing, and her (on her leash) nibbling grass or jumping around. People would stop and ask me about her. They were often surprised to see a small white rabbit on a leash in the park and loved being able to pet her. Children who'd never touched a rabbit would wiggle their fingers through her white fuzziness, giggling as she sniffed them or gave them a "kiss." One woman who was being abused by her boyfriend found comfort in stroking her, telling me about her woes. A group of touring Germans even asked to get a photo with her.

I had her for almost six years, bringing her back to the States (an adventure and story of its own) when I started college. We were inseparable.

But, as with all little furry creatures, we did eventually have to separate. It was a heartbreaking day for me. She had developed cancer, and it was time to bid her farewell.

I knew I would love other bunnies...that another would capture my heart in some way, too...but none was ever the same as Peepers, the little furry angel from England.

Sweet Sunday

I have always loved this song. The words say it all.

This is dedicated to my dear friend, OKMK, since it's one of her favorites, too.

Enjoy a sweet Sunday!

Friday Funnies

Do you remember what silly movie helped launch Sean Astin's career in the mid-'80s?

If so, you'll enjoy: 24 meets The Goonies -- Jack Bauer interrogating Chunk.