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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Delurking Day and Pictures of Jim, Melissa and Two Youngest

Zachary James Kent Clark - 5 days old. Look at those cheeks!!

Jim and Melissa

I don't know why this is so fuzzy but at least you can get an idea of the little porker's size

Jonathan showing off for his dad. They're playing pass the pacifier.

More Jonathan showing off

Melissa and Zachary - once again fuzzy

It's my opinion that Jonathan put a hex on my camera for all the pictures he wasn't in.

They took me to brunch yesterday and I remembered to bring the camera. I had the pictures yesterday but by last night I was too fuzzy myself to do much. Blogger was down until six and by then all I wanted to do was relax. I have a couple of cute videos too, maybe for my next post. Jonathan and his dad were playing games. Jim's on leave for the rest of the week and that boy will sure miss him when he heads back to the border.

Melissa looks great. She and I are much alike in that respect. Have the baby, get up, and plow another acre. I've never had a nine pounder though. My biggest was seven pounds (3.18 kilograms or 1/2 stone) even.

Zachary woke up just before we were ready to leave. Great set of lungs on the kid!!

Jonathan is 18 months old. He's talking a little and understands most of what we say to him. He's as much of an imp as he appears to be.

Jim's oldest child, Samantha, is now 18. She has a driver's license, a car, a job, and has started Junior College. Her two brothers are both in high school. Little Jimmie (not very little anymore) is a junior; Michael a sophomore. He's six months older than Elcie.

All is well here. Ray was supposed to see the doctor yesterday but our friend's car broke down in our driveway so I rescheduled for next week. I think it will be better timing. His leg is almost completely healed and I have a feeling the surgeon may discharge him when he sees him next. The nurse will be here this morning and I'm sure he'll be pleased too. The worst wound has healed to the point where I can no longer "pack" it. By next week, they may even take him off the insulin. No more finger sticks 4 times a day and no more jabbing of needles. Yippee!!

The car is fixed. One of the cables shorted out the battery. Of course I feel guilty.

I've had a burst of ambition the past couple of days. Put our summer clothes away, hung the winter things, sorted our dresser drawers and made more space, redid the closets and the two pantries. I'd done a fair job when we moved in but now that I've been here for a while I have a much better idea of space. It's amazing how little space the two of us use. Music, books, and videos are the biggest culprits and, even with that, we're doing fine thanks to the extra shelving my friends installed.

Dawn and I did our grocery shopping for the month on Saturday (I went a little overboard) and then I snuck out for coffee. I'd been housebound all week and was going a little stir crazy. It doesn't seem to bother Ray; he'd rather be home.

The girls call often. Rebecca had a good Halloween and birthday (same day) and she told me the last time we talked she was good all day. She and Rochelle had a case of the giggles for some reason.

I woke up a little after 4 this morning. I had the alarm set for 5:45 so I could take out the garbage. Last week I took it out after dinner and by morning my next door neighbor had piled my "wet garbage" can so high sanitation wouldn't pick it up. Dawn and I unpiled it into a huge trash bag and left it on the neighbor's front lawn. Once I could close the lid (still with a bunch of the neighbor's garbage inside), I called sanitation and they came back. It's the second time it's happened. Sanitation suggested that I put them out early in the morning; the theory being be that people who do that sort of thing aren't apt to be up at the crack of dawn.

I'm glad I hadn't put the recycle can out. Heaven knows what that would have looked like. Recycle is "clean" trash (paper, cans, bottles) and I usually can skip at least one week. She doesn't bother with the recycling - just jams everything in however she can. She didn't even put her own overflowing cans out. I don't know what she did with them but the last time I saw them they were both spilling over.

I know it was the neighbor because we found pieces of her junk mail which should have been in recycle anyhow. She's moved since but just one door down. She won't have curb pickup where she is now because she's in an apartment, not a house. The dumpsters on the back alley are big and maybe that will give her enough space.

I was not happy but in a few more weeks Ray will be able to help or go back to his old "garbage job". The cans are on wheels and not all that heavy but I'm short and they're not so I struggle.

Sorry about that. I got a little obsessed about garbage, didn't I.

I have country style boneless spareribs in the crockpot. They'll be done by dinner. This morning should be my usual coffee date with friend Janet. I haven't heard from her yet so don't know if we're on or not. Hope so - we had to skip last week.

I've fallen behind on so many things lately. Reading your posts, welcoming new visitors, the blog roll, adding banners to my sidebar. I'm ashamed. Some day I'll catch it all back up.

Meantime, welcome to Karen H. of Caraway, AR which is right up the road from Jonesboro where I lived for eight years. That brings my J'boro metropolitan area friends up to 4 I think. Diane and her two sisters (Cecil and Donna) and now Karen. Oops, it's 5. I omitted Diane's daughter Jessica who has her own blog.

And to Naomi, Old, Old Lady of the Hills (in Los Angeles). I think I mentioned her wonderful blog before and may have included a link.

I'll go back through the comments and see who else I missed. I have several new names on the guest book. They haven't commented so I'll thank them here for signing. I need to have a "delurking day". Now is as good a time as any. If you're reading and not commenting, drop by and say hi (if you want to - there are no rules).

Carmen's husband, Mike, left a last post on her blog thanking everyone for their support and prayers. I thank you as well. I wish the outcome had been different but, since it wasn't, may she be pain free and at peace.

And now I must go deal with the garbage. Thanks for the comments and take care everyone.

16 comments:

Yondalla said...

Lovely pictures. Sorry about the garbage.

Sooo glad the girls are calling.

oh..and good morning.

KinnicChick said...

Welcome to the world little bebe! So sweet!

I totally understand your garbage frustrations. Do you know what our biggest headache is in our NEW home??? Crows! I don't put ours out until the last minute now because I can hear them out there cawing in the morning as they pick through the trash up and down our alley way... What a MESS they make! But yes, we've definitely dealt with the unneighborly neighbor situations, too!

Merle said...

Dear Ann ~~ Lovely photos of the baby Zachary (the first one) and Jonathan.Pity the ones with Melissa and Jim blurred. But they all look well and happy. Sorry about the garbage situation and hope it's over now. So glad that Ray is doing so well and it will be good to finish with the insulin. Don't worry about commenting, you have been busy at home and with Ray and the new Baby etc. Glad the girls call and that Rebecca had a good birthday.Take care, Love, Merle.

peppylady (Dora) said...

A picture are worth a million words.
Thank you for sharing the picture of your family.

Carin said...

Don't ever be ashamed for not updating bloggy things. You put me to shame with the amount of stuff you do. Glad Ray is feeling better, and arg to the neighbour!

Karen H. said...

Good Afternoon Granny,
Thanks for the pictures. It was late last night when I got to look at them due to my daughter's basketball game. She has another one tonight also. Zachary is just too cute. He does have some hefty cheeks tho. It doesn't matter as long as he is healthy. That is what is important. I'm glad they are doing just fine. Does Jonathan seem to be jealous of the new baby? When I had my second daughter, my oldest daughter wasn't jealous at all. She would just love on her new sister. Now, my youngest daughter is very jealous. She has to be first at everything she thinks. She is spoiled rotten. Thanks to her wonderful daddy. LOL. We have garbage pick up here once a week and it is on Monday's. We have big brown cans that we keep near the house and put our trash in and on Sunday evenings, we roll it out by the highway. My girls do this as one of their chores. You gotta start teaching them out young huh? I'm glad Ray is doing better and hopefully he will get dismissed by the doctor next week. I will keep him in my prayers as well as you also. I know how it is waiting on someone hand and foot. My hubby had a bad wreck back in 1999, and broke his pelvic bone in 2 different places. They had to airlift him to the Med in Memphis and he had surgery. After that he was out at HealthSouth for 11 days for rehab. When he came home, I had him plus the 2 girls ( they were younger at the time) to take care of. But, I did it. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had too. I just pray it don't happen. I didn't like seeing my hubby in alot of pain. Well, I've talked enough. LOL. You take care and have a great Tuesday. Thanks for the Welcome here. I appreciate it. God Bless You and Yours.

Hugs,
Karen H.

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Glad Mom and baby are doing well, and he IS an armful! Jessica weighed 8 lbs. even and I shudder to think about having one that weighed over 9 lbs.!

I'm thankful Ray is doing so much better. Hope his Dr. releases him and discontinues the insulin. I know that'll be a load off your mind and a relief not to have to keep up with his blood sugar and measure shots.

Karen is the only Arkansas blogger that I blog with. I'm sure there are plenty more near me but somehow we haven't connected.

Hope you got to go out for coffee...

Love and hugs,

Diane

Susie said...

Hi Ann,
Good to catch up with your news. We all understand how busy you've been!
We have a neighbor who likes to play "garbage games" Quite annoying, especially in light of the fact that our rates just took a huge jump up.
Little Zachary looks like a doll.
xo

Anonymous said...

The kids are adorable, as always. The baby is the same size exactly that Drew was when he was born :-)

Your neighbor sounds like a real winner, piling all her junk in your garbage. Some people have alot of nerve!

Carole Burant said...

Hello dear Ann:-) I so enjoyed seeing the pictures...baby Zachary is so adorable and Jonathan is also a little cutie. Glad to hear that Jim is healing so well and I've no doubt you'll both be glad when he won't need the needles any longer. Don't you love having neighbours like that who love to make your life miserable with the garbage...we use to have one like that, thank goodness he moved farrrr away!! Glad to hear the girls call you often, I can imagine how much you're missing them. xox

Tammy said...

I love "cheeky" babies...so sweet!

Mary said...

Beautiful photos of the baby and parents. Thanks so much for sharing. I love babies. There's nothing in the world quite like a baby's laugh. It sounds like fairy bells.

Blessings,
Mary

ancient one said...

I love babies!! And my second son weighed 9 pounds.

I don't know how you do so much! The time just gets away from me.

Glad Ray is getting along so well!

~Ann

illahee said...

hi! beautiful children, thanks for the pics.

granny p said...

Garbage comment from this lurker .. you know who I am.

Glad Ray is so much better and I do hope you'll get to see the girls some day and not just talk to them... xx

lindsaylobe said...

Hi Ann ~ Nice to hear about the next generation -wow 9lbs that’s big. Nice photos of Zachary and Jonathan.
Good news about Ray, the girls and I gather your life is returning to normalcy, although busy and notwithstanding frustration over garbage.
Best wishes