Peanuts. That was the name of a large, friendly dog given to us many years ago. Her size, shape and color did look like a peanut with her tan, brindled coat. Peanuts was a pleasant enough bull dog, as she often lay on the porch under a shade, panting and drooling and keeping her eye on activities in the street. Her only enemy and foe was motorcycles! She hated the pop-pop noise when the newspaper boy swooped down our street on his motorcycle, tossing the paper to our porch.
Peanuts was big and pregnant, carrying a litter of little bulldogs. That didn't stop her from rising clumsily, baring her teeth and letting out a ferocious roar, as she chased and barked after the fleeing paper boy.
One day, Peanuts got her prey, sinking her teeth into the back wheel of the motorcycle, causing the paper boy to have a shredded tire! The poor guy shot out like a bullet to avoid Peanuts. The next day I was surprised to see the newspaper carrying the heading, "Local Newsboy has a Doggone, Deflated Day By Bull Dog." I was mortified!
Reflecting on this fuzzy memory, I recalled a picture of our then 3-year-old son, Mark, grinning and firmly holding a bulldog puppy of her litter. I found the photo in an album, baby Julie on a pallet with the puppy between them. Our dog may have looked like a peanut, but I think she could grab a tiger by the tail!
Monday, July 13, 2020
Monday, July 6, 2020
Our Summer Adventure
"My money was not any good over there," my husband announced when we returned from visiting our four sons and families recently in Texas and Oklahoma. It was true! They wouldn't let us pay for a thing!
Our youngest son, Jamie and family were here for a few days after visiting the Biltmore mansion. We enjoyed them so much, lunching out, eating at Cracker Barrel, (where they bought Howard a Stetson hat), getting all 20-plus family members together for a Pizza Parlor feast, then they flew with us before we separated at Charlotte, NC.
Our son Mark appeared the moment we were collecting our luggage as we deplaned in Texas. Not only were we treated with home-cooked meals, but shopping in favorite stores for things they insisted we just couldn't do without!
A highlight of our visit there was traveling down the beautiful drive to Marble Falls, where we ate in an outside patio with beautiful wrought iron tables and chairs, chatting with other visitors sight seeing and enjoying the shade of a massive oak near the Colorado River. Sunday worship was amazing, in a gorgeous church and a great message from an elder statesman. Mark would preach the next Sunday.
Son Trevor and Jennifer's lovely home was next, which awaited us with slabs of barbecue prepared and enjoyed beside their pool. What a wonderful, fun evening sitting there reminiscing, laughing, and listening to the tale-spinners until dark.
Same scenario about shopping. These boys were brought up right! Selecting and picking out stuff and not letting us pay! A little excitement occurred when their beloved dog found and ate a pill dropped on the floor, necessitating an all-day stay at the vet, treatment and a large tab! No doubt worth every penny for a pet they've had for probably 14 years.
Finally, we reached our final destination: Ponca City, Oklahoma, where son Greg and family live. As Howard says, "Say it's good to be back home again." We had moved from there to Tennessee last summer, and it was great going to our former church, seeing old friends, and of course, shopping with family. It was my birthday, so Greg insisted I pick out something at a shop we don't have at home. He also generously got his dad something, too.
The flight home was smooth, except for the crowded local plane, but all was well, with granddaughter Bethany meeting our plane. So thankful for all of our family!
,
Our youngest son, Jamie and family were here for a few days after visiting the Biltmore mansion. We enjoyed them so much, lunching out, eating at Cracker Barrel, (where they bought Howard a Stetson hat), getting all 20-plus family members together for a Pizza Parlor feast, then they flew with us before we separated at Charlotte, NC.
Our son Mark appeared the moment we were collecting our luggage as we deplaned in Texas. Not only were we treated with home-cooked meals, but shopping in favorite stores for things they insisted we just couldn't do without!
A highlight of our visit there was traveling down the beautiful drive to Marble Falls, where we ate in an outside patio with beautiful wrought iron tables and chairs, chatting with other visitors sight seeing and enjoying the shade of a massive oak near the Colorado River. Sunday worship was amazing, in a gorgeous church and a great message from an elder statesman. Mark would preach the next Sunday.
Son Trevor and Jennifer's lovely home was next, which awaited us with slabs of barbecue prepared and enjoyed beside their pool. What a wonderful, fun evening sitting there reminiscing, laughing, and listening to the tale-spinners until dark.
Same scenario about shopping. These boys were brought up right! Selecting and picking out stuff and not letting us pay! A little excitement occurred when their beloved dog found and ate a pill dropped on the floor, necessitating an all-day stay at the vet, treatment and a large tab! No doubt worth every penny for a pet they've had for probably 14 years.
Finally, we reached our final destination: Ponca City, Oklahoma, where son Greg and family live. As Howard says, "Say it's good to be back home again." We had moved from there to Tennessee last summer, and it was great going to our former church, seeing old friends, and of course, shopping with family. It was my birthday, so Greg insisted I pick out something at a shop we don't have at home. He also generously got his dad something, too.
The flight home was smooth, except for the crowded local plane, but all was well, with granddaughter Bethany meeting our plane. So thankful for all of our family!
,
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