Nana - The Sequel

... and I hope I live up to it.

My grandbaby was born at 10:09 PM on July 3
SHE weighs 7 lbs 9 0zs and is 20.5 inches long

There are several names in the running and HER parents have decided to be with HER for awhile and decide which one fits.

She's fine. Mom is fine. Dad is fine. Nana HiDi is fine.

There were a couple of scary moments. Her heart rate dropped but then bounced right back and it seemed as though a natural birth was going to be. Then her heart rate dropped, and dropped further and they decided to do a C-Section.

My DIL then had an adverse reaction to the anesthesia.

They spent 3 hours in recovery before we could see them.

But all is well.

I have so much to tell you but it will need to wait. Nana is exhausted.

I leave you with pics of my grandbaby ...




And a pic of my baby as he went back to recovery to be with his family ...



I love you all and just had to post as soon as I got home. I can't imagine not sharing this with you.

Wasn't Wednesday

Today, Wednesday July 1, was my grandchild’s official due date.

My son and I were both born on a Wednesday.
Baby has other plans.

Someone said Wednesday wasn’t a good day for babies based on this silly ancient poem.

Mondays child is fair of face,
whites only?
Tuesdays child is full of grace,
pole dancer?
Wednesdays child is full of woe,
yeah I got it
Thursdays child has far to go,
child left behind?
Fridays child is loving and giving,
passive aggressive doormat?
Saturdays child works hard for his living,
women don’t work?
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Non Christians better not be born on Sunday
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
finally! good and gay in the same phrase

Babies come when they want. Due dates are estimates. A first baby is often late.

My DIL had her weekly doc appointment today. All is fine, baby just isn’t ready. She’ll go back Monday.

I don’t have any baby pictures to show but there is baby furniture. The whole drama from a couple of weeks ago was sorted out much faster than expected. I still think Pottery Barn Kids is too expensive and their service is crap.

Pet Pride: Siren Introduces Himself

Hi everyone. Siren here. I noticed that my sister Mia - ugh, I can't stand her - posted here last week so I asked (told) Mom if I could.

She's really easy.

I have some of my favorite photos to share.

This used to be my favorite place to hide - and sleep, and play. That was before Mia - ugh - got here. She parked herself on that bed like an old jalopy.



Some folks might say I misbehave a lot. I'm not supposed to be on the kitchen counter. I think I look innocent.



I love my window. I have all the benefits of the air and the sun and I can watch the squirrels and the birds. Meanwhile I'm safe. Before I was adopted I was living under the George Washington Bridge. I don't like to talk about that ...



Mom says I'm beautiful. She calls me handsome boy and good boy and sometimes she calls me Si Man. I like that, makes me sound cool. Mom says I have a beautiful face.



I was very young when I came to live here. There was an old guy living here. His name was JR and he smelled like poop and medicine. He gave me the evil eye and threw up a lot. Mom had to keep us apart, something about me being too much for JR.




I guess I did act up a little. I really just wanted to play but maybe I could have been gentler. JR died last year - he was older than dirt and Mom said he would come back as a butterfly. I have to be honest - I don't miss him.

I'm very interested in photography. Around here you have to be.



Last year I got a sister. No one asked me if I wanted a sister but I overheard Mom on the phone saying this new cat was living in a parking lot and then she was in a barn so I figured it would be OK. Cats need homes and people to love.

I have learned to be gentler.



Actually she scares the crap out of me. She's tiny and she's old (another one!) but man! she's tough. Mom says it's cause she's a girl.

So that's it from me. Hope you'll visit our host Bozo at PET PRIDE. He seems pretty cool for a dog.

Yo! NJ, You're Not In Kansas Anymore

At 6:12 yesterday evening the sky went dark, thunder crashed in a boom that shook the house and lightening crackled like daggers from the gods.

At 6:14 the lights flickered.

At 6:15 they flickered again.

At 6:21 all the power went out.

I got out the lanterns and candles telling myself that it really wasn’t necessary. There were two hours of light left and surely this would be over way before then.

I went out to the carport to watch the storm – it was impressive. Dark swirling clouds that appeared to be going in every direction at once. Heavy sheets of rain that fell straight down until the winds drove them sideways.

When the wind turned from swift to howling and the hail started I went inside.

Much earlier in the day I had secured all the outside stuff – small planters and light chairs, I anchored the BBQ and cut off the gas connection. I put the patio umbrella in lock position and laid it down against the house.

In other words I prepared for the storm that every TV and radio station had been warning us about for hours.

I truly need to take over the electric company.

I understand wind and lightening and trees don’t go together. I get that virtually all lines here are above ground. I get it, really I do.

What I don’t get is why no extra crews are called in until after the power goes out. The weather service said the storm was 100% on its way.

I don’t get why the customer service number doesn’t have automatic updates. If you can program it to say – “there are widespread power outages, we are working …” then you can program a device where a person enters their zip code or phone number and gets a real estimate of how long power will be out.

You sure as hell shouldn’t have your system tell people all circuits are busy and then hang up on them. You’re responsible for power for millions of people – get a freakin’ IT person.

And people. People! For the love of God. Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph – as my Mom loved to say – take some responsibility.

If the tree in front of your house has branches and limbs leaning on power lines then call the damn power company and tell them. They’re actually really good about that. They come, they make it better. I’ve done it many times.

And snooty bitch in the supermarket this morning – don’t call the power company and tell them you have downed wires when you don’t. You divert from people who really do. And sure as hell don’t brag about it in front of your kids and everyone on the deli line.

So anyway …

The power was out for 12 hours. Thankfully it wasn’t terribly hot so opening the windows made the air bearable. Although I did discover at least 10 new people around me who I truly don’t like. The power is out – it is not the end of days. Stop shouting to each other, get off your fat ass and walk the 10 feet across the driveway to have your scintillating discussion of whether or not you should go get ice.

And comfort your children and pets. It’s dark, the sky is lighting up and the earth is booming – don’t yell at them you pre-historic tub of beer and chips. Even in the total darkness I can see your neck is red and your trash is white.

All in all I try, as always, to put things back into a state of graceful perspective.

Some folks still don’t have their power back. I discovered that on the way back from the supermarket as I calmly observed people not having a fucking clue as to what to do when a traffic light is out. Gee – I suggest we all just floor it and hope for the best.

People in Iran stand on rooftops and take their lives in their hands to shout for freedom.

NJ can’t make it through an intersection.

Here are some shots I took last night …

Poor Siren did his "fearful aggression" pose and licked himself incessantly throughout the storm. Deaf and Dizzy Mia slept through it all.
I know Si Man well enough to let him be when he's trying to melt into the wall. I just spoke to him lovingly whenever he glanced my way...



There was a storm lull at sunset and the sky was pretty ...



My house is afraid of the dark ...



The candle lit kitchen looked pretty from the carport ...



The lantern at the side door was less romantic and more functional. My son came home from a double shift to find no dinner and the pizza place was closed. We BBQ'd bacon ...



The brake lights of an asshat who speeds down a dark street and then discovers it has a sudden curve ...



My neighbor's son finds me hilarious. Last night I called his solar lights and LED lantern "glowing orbs" and it made him giggle for hours ...



My stationary fan in the light of the glowing orbs. The shadows freaked Siren out so I spent most of the time in the dark. I wish I could have captured Mia's reaction to no lights - she shuffled into the living room at about 3AM and I swear she did a spit take ...



One last thing --- I’m taking a break from SATURDAY WORDZZLE. I have a lot distracting me and I find I only enjoy posting when it comes to me, and how it comes to me. I’m also finding my photo blog to be very relaxing.

I kinda need that right now.

Farrah ...

... died today at the young age of 62.

My sister adored Farrah. She copied her hairstyle, her makeup, her clothes. She devoured every magazine that had any mention of Farrah.

We called my sister Farrah. And it wasn't always a compliment. We used it as her code name for being shallow and silly - obsessed by appearance. We were young and not necessarily kind. And my sister was difficult - to say the least.

I became a fan of Farrah because of her performance in 'The Burning Bed' and then again because of what I perceived to be her strength and independence.

I have this image in my head - my sister and Farrah in some other world beauty salon - picture Steel Magnolias - and they're having the spa day of all spa days.

Peaceful Journey Farrah. Give Patricia a gentle hug for us. And please! just tell her the highlights look natural.

Pet Pride: Mia Sounds Off

Mia was roaming around the laptop when she saw PET PRIDE at MUMBAI DAILY

Mia was intrigued with the opportunity to use her voice and she felt PET PRIDE would be the best avenue for that.

The views expressed by Mia are not necessarily those of the blog owner.



I do not wish to get off the office chair. I do not agree that the other chairs are just as good, if that's the case then the person should use one of the other chairs. I do not wish to share the chair. I have no interest in cuddling. Laps are for pussies.

It's really wrong that she gets to move me wherever she wants. I got to the chair first, that constitutes ownership.



I am waiting for my attorney to return my call.

To hear from more of my brothers and sisters please visit PET PRIDE

Father's Day

Most of you know my son is going to be a Dad soon.

I got him a Dad-To-Be gift ...



Found it on Etsy, I love handmade stuff and I'd rather support real people making real things than giant stores.

Jeffrey loves his shed and the plaque will look perfect on it.

When we bought the house this is what that corner looked like ...



And this is what it is today...



Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there - and to all the Moms doing it on their own.