Now presenting...

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Thorp !!!!

And, here we have Brandy's stepmom, Jenny and her dad, Gary.

Brandy's mom, Leah, congratulating the new couple.

Chris and Brandy's photographer was very creative.

I can't wait to see those pictures. :-)

Dad and Mom Thorp

And, of course, Mike and I.

Frank went to the vet's on Tuesday for his yearly exam and I am proud to report he is doing great (except for an ear infection, as usual). They also tried to sneak in a prescription for stinky diet food for Frank because he is STILL over-weight but I told them "No".

Last vet visit (Tues. June 20, 2006), Frank weighed 29.6 lbs.

This vet visit (Tues. May 22, 2007), Frank weighed 26.4 lbs.

We must be doing something right because he is still losing weight. HOORAY!!!!!!!! :-)

Oh boy... you aren't going to believe this.

I mean, you REALLY aren't going to believe this.

Hi! My name is Suzy. I am just here for the weekend while my daddy is out of town. I sure do like Mike a lot. I try to never let him out of my sight and I always go where he goes. We are busy trimming bushes right now.

You are just here for the weekend you say?

Well, come on! Let me show you the yard. You will love it.

So... Apparently, THIS is comfortable.
Hmmm, go figure.

I would now like to introduce everyone to

~ My "NEW THING" ~

This is my small (but growing) Netsuke Pug collection.


What IS a netsuke?

A netsuke is a form of miniature sculpture which developed in Japan over a period of more than three hundred years. Netsuke served both functional and aesthetic purposes. The kimono, the traditional form of Japanese dress, had no pockets. Women would tuck small personal items into their sleeves, but men suspended their tobacco pouches, pipes, purses, or writing implements on a silk cord from their obi (kimono sash). These hanging objects are called sagemono. To stop the cord from slipping through the obi, a small toggle was attached. The toggle is called a netsuke. (The most popular pronunciation is "net-ski", while the actual Japanese is closer to "netskeh"). A sliding bead (ojime) was strung on the cord between the netsuke and the sagemono to tighten or loosen the opening of the sagemono.

The entire ensemble was then worn, at the waist, and functioned as a sort of removable hip pocket. All three objects (the netsuke, the ojime and the different types of sagemono) were often beautifully decorated with elaborate carving, lacquer work, or inlays of rare and exotic materials, including: wood, ivory, precious metals, shell, coral, and semi-precious stones. All three items developed into highly coveted and collectible art forms.

Pretty neat, huh? :-)

Time to Prune

Last week I decided it was time to prune and reshape

our bushes that suffered frost damage

It was certainly a cold winter and my three favorite bushes really took a hit.

At first, I though they were dead but decided to wait and see if any new green appeared. I have learned that it is better to wait until the plants start to leaf out in March and April before I start pruning because then I can tell which wood is green and which is brittle (without having to randomly snap off branches).

Well, as you can see, there isn't much of them left but

something is better than nothing, right? :-)

I am sure they will grow quickly and I am looking

forward to seeing their beautiful red flowers again.

*** Kerri and Josh's Wedding !!! ***

April 6, 2007

The wedding was a beautiful celebration of their love

and commitment to each other...

In the fairy tale of life, Kerri and Josh...
...may this be your happily-ever-after.

The Kiss...

I now present to you...

Mr. and Mrs. Josh Owens!!!

Here's wishing you every happiness
a wonderful marriage can bring.

May your happiness together grow deeper,

your friendship stronger,

and your romance sweeter

through all the days and years of your life.

Receipt...

Mike and I were frantically looking for a receipt yesterday

and just couldn't figure out what we had done with it.

Guess who had it the whole time?!

I know I have been slacking a bit (ok... a lot) where my blog is concerned so I decided to document a walk with Frank.

LOL! I couldn't resist.

Where are we going next and why are you taking pictures?

Peek a boo!

Isn't he handsome?

It's getting hot. Is it time to go home yet?

Ok... let's go home.

This weekend we are going to be busy BABYSITTING!!!!

Ok... more like Pet Sitting I suppose.

Meet Miss Guinea Pig

and Zohye

Zohye spent the first night laying and staring at the front door just knowing that Mommy Hollis was going to come walking back through it any second.

On Friday morning when I opened the blinds she quickly discovered that she could see mommy when she returns, that much faster, by sitting on the couch and staring out the window.

And that is pretty much where she has been ever since.

What do you want? Can't you see that I am busy using my Jedi powers to bring my mommy home?

Frank has definitely been enjoying the cooler weather this winter. It is hard to keep him inside sometimes.

Merry Christmas !!!

Mom, Dad and Lucy.

NO man should be without an Auto Wrench

(and by "Auto" I mean battery-operated).

Chris and Brandy get started on their gifts while mom gives Josh instructions.

Josh and Kerri are just getting started

Lucy was helpful as ever.

Chris

Mom and Dad

Josh

Josh is the proud new owner of a toy car that has a singing dead deer on the hood.

Now really.... what more could he ask for?

Josh and Kerri

Brandy and Chris

Mom and Dad

Josh, Kerri and Mike

Brandy and Chris

Chris, Brandy, Dad and Mike decided to soak up some sun this beautiful Christmas day.