A Thanksgiving Visit with YaYa

Nancy and I met Michelle in Macon for a quick visit with YaYa before Thanksgiving. We had a nice visit! YaYa told us stories about when she was in college at the University of Alabama, when she met Grandpa and stories about how her parents passed away. The most incredible one was that when she and Grandpa bought their first house, they had saved up $1,000 and went to Mobile (by bus) to buy furniture. They bought a house full of furniture, most of which she still owns today, with that money. I love hearing her stories. She has a very interesting life and worked very hard to achieve all she did in the time she grew up. She turns 90 years old next year and is still as sharp as a tack! We'll have to make this trip again! Although tiring to do in one day, it was fun to have all of us together!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Monkey...Our New Baby

This is our new girl, Monkey! She has had several name changes since we brought her home on Thursday afternoon...Raisin, Billie, Celie, Mattie and now finally Monkey. It just fits her the best...although Jason calls her "Buggar"! Poor sweet girl!

We decided to get her on the spur of the moment, although the idea had crossed our mind. We had our dogs at the vet for their annual checkups the other day and we noticed three kittens all curled up together. They caught my eye because one of them looked just like our sweet Kitchen. Curiosity got the best of me and I had to say "hi" to her. She was not very affectionate, but very cute. One of the vet techs told me that the black kitten was really sweet and affectionate. I picked her up and I knew I was in trouble! She has the loudest purr and she licks and nudges you like there is no tomorrow! It has been a long time since I have had a lap cat...she reminds me why I like cats so much!

We got her for Kiki, because she has been so lonely since Kitchen passed away. I know it will take them a while to get used to each other, but we have made real progress in the last couple of days. Katie is acting like she is not here and prefers not to be in the same room with her. Livingston, in true Livingston fashion, is trying to let her know that she is the low man on the ladder and she needs to accept her place. I don't think she is getting the message. He just needs to remember that she has claws and one good swipe is all it will take. Cede is really funny! She can't see very well these days, but she follows that kitten everywhere she goes, by smell and sound. She is going to sleep well tonight! She is going to be tuckered out! Kiki started out growling and hissing at her, but seems to be coming around. I can see it in her eyes that she wants to curl up with that baby! It is just a matter of time!

It is good timing to add a new pet to our family since next week I only have to work one day. I'll have time to spend helping her get acclimated...and playing with her! Even Livingston has surprised us by being the first one to let her sleep with him. I am sure we'll have more fun kitty stories to share! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Our Kitchen Passed Away Today

Today is a very sad day in the Crow household. Our sweet Kitchen was put to sleep today after a very short battle with cancer...at the ripe old age of 13.

She was a long time fixture in our household. Just a very sweet cat with one big passion...she loved water! Every time we turned on the kitchen faucet she'd come running and with a long drawn out meow, tell us she'd like some new water in her bowl. In her old age she finally decided to stand up to the dogs and started begging for treats right along with them. She was so tiny next to them, but she was tired of those big ole dogs getting all of the good stuff. A lot of people never believed in her existence because she was very shy and often ran away to hide when visitors were present.

I adopted her my first year in Montgomery from the Montgomery Humane Shelter. I remember so well the day I found her. I went in to the cat room to look at the cats. She was the first cat I picked up. I put her back in her cage and went on to the next cat. Her eyes were fixed on me and I knew that she was coming home with me. I apologized to the cat I was holding and called the lady over to tell her I had made my selection.

We will always miss our sweet Kitchen, but we have peace in the knowledge that she went quietly and is no longer in pain. We are so lucky of have a great vet that goes way beyond the call of duty and took such good care of our sweet girl. (Thanks so much, Dr. Busby!)

Amy Davis Little is a Mommy!

I can't resist doing this! I have to tell the world...Amy is a Mommy! These are pictures of her sweet little man Sammy. He was born July 30th at 7:15 pm. He was 7 pounds 3 ounces. Amy and Craig love being parents. To quote Amy "This mother thing is awesome!" In true Amy fashion, even in the hospital after just giving birth, her eyelashes are impeccable!

Amy and I met way back in 1984 (that is 25 years ago, people!) in Sumter, South Carolina. Both of our fathers were in the Air Force and Amy happened to move one house down from us. She was in 8th grade and I was in 10th grade. She went to Ebeneezer JR High while I attended Thomas Sumter Academy. The next year, Amy and most of our friends went to St. Judes. I followed suit and began going to that school half way through my Junior year. We had a great time at that school. It was small and we had a large group of friends that did everything together. Amy sent me an email recently and reminded me of a few of things...

Remember...

• New year's Eve we babysat and wondered around talking to the trees?


• And singing on the back porch


• And the park


• And Georgios


• And the Beachwagon in Myrtle Beach


• And times with Phil and Chris


• Dancing at the Thomas Sumter dances


• "Day, or Night" - Prince


• The Fair


• Bon Jovi

I have a few to add...

• "California Dreaming" in the talent show


• Speach and drama with Mrs. D. and "Little CindyLou Who"


• Taking Amy's parent's car for a late night trip to the zippy doodle (did Ed have his license?)


• The lightpost on the corner


• Walking around in the rain


• The "Girl's Beach Trip" and staying at the Crepe Myrtle


• Me trying to warn Amy that her parents were home knocking on her bedroom window (Stevie never let me live that down...I bet if I saw him today he'd say something about that!)


• Our two weeks of fun in Myrtle Beach and Charleston


• "Trippin at the @#$! Amoco"


• Michelle and Van's birthday party at Amy's House


• The pontoon boat at the lake

I really could go on and on...since no one else will get most of this I won't...we had a lot of adventures and fun times together. We have not seen each other since Michelle and Atwell's wedding, but Amy and I have always said that we know we'll always know each other. We are just "that kind" of friends. Congratulations Amy and Craig! Here are a couple more pictures of sweet little Sammy!

Amy and Craig...the proud new parents!

I am a Freak for Jason Mraz...There I Said It!

I am an avid fan and follower of the singer Jason Mraz...along with his blog...website...Twitter Tweets...YouTube interviews and concert footage...ETC! As I have given up smoking and eating cake I guess you can say this is my one vice. ANYWAY...every Friday his Joyologist, Tricia, requests that their Twitter subscribers send questions of which Jason will answer 12 on his blog the following Monday. I have faithfully done so for three weeks in a row. Finally my question was answered! Here is my question and the response it yielded. I guess I should explain that as the "Joyologist" Tricia is the raw food chef and yoga instructor for the previously mentioned Mraz.

macrow03 is in for a treat: What is your favorite dish made by Tricia? Would you share a recipe?











Hell Yes! Behold, Tricia’s Delicious and Nutritious Kick Ass Kale Salad

2 heads of kale
1/4 cup sesame oil
3T olive oil
1/4 cup Nama-Shoyu, Tamari, or Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
3-10 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup sesame seeds or hemp seeds

She adds:“I am bad with measurements and do it mostly to taste, so you may need a little more Nama-Shoyu for a saltier taste and use as much garlic as you wish……

Wash kale and break it into bite size pieces. Place dry kale in a large bowl and add oils. Now this is the most important part! Massage the oils into the kale. You will see the kale breaking down. Do this for at least a full minute. Then, add the Nama-Shoyu and massage again. Then toss in garlic and seeds. Mix it all up. It is ready to be served. Although, it sometimes tastes better on its second day!…

Enjoy! People even have been known to use this on their non-raw tacos and burgers. I love it with Mary's crackers and sunflower seed cheese.”

Thank you Jason Mraz and Tricia! You made my week!

Michelle and the Kid's Visit July 2009

We had a great visit with Michelle and the kids this weekend...time goes by too quickly! As usual we did a bunch of art work and made Grandpa birthday cards. We also played a lot of games...like Monopoly, Rummykub, Trouble, Yahtzee, and Uno!

We came up with our personal game strategies...

We did a little shopping...fun times in the car...with absolutely no fighting!

We went ice skating...

Then Stevens and Hundley took a spin on the merry-go-round...

We went out to lunch at Chappy's...(photo by Wells!)

Nancy and the kids set up the tent in the 98 degree heat...of course Trav was there to help!

We celebrated Grandpa's Birthday!

We posed for a few family photos...

We even learned a few things...

And before we knew it...it was time to say good-bye!

Don't Forget the Kitties

It all began with Maverick...aka Merv Perv. He was the coolest cat ever. He went through every major life change of my young adulthood with me...going off to college, living on my own for the first time, moving from South Carlina to Alabama, getting my first apartment living by myself, getting my first "real job', getting married, and buying our first house. He and Kitchen were very tight. From the time I decided he needed a companion to keep him company during my longs days at work, the two of them were inseparable. When Kitchen was a kitten and climbing all over him, I am sure that he wanted to kill me! After she matured and chilled out the two of them were great buddies. Her proper name did not start out as "Kitchen". It was actually Phoebe...Kitchen is just one of those things that evolved and stuck. Her records at the Vet's office even says "Kitchen". I remember my Nephew Wells thinking her name was so funny. He told me he was going to get a cat and name it either Bathroom, Dining room or Living room. Something told me it was time to introduce a new cat and I am glad we did it when we did. Kitchen was not accepting the new kitten Kiki...and took a long time to warm up. In true Maverick fashion he let that crazy kitten climb all over him without a word of protest. It was not long after we moved into our house that Marverick fell mysteriously sick. He died in the car with Jason on the way to the Vet. Losing this cat was very traumatic for both of us and I am sure for Kitchen as well because she loved him so much. He was the coolest cat you have ever seen. He was always in the room with us and loved for you to scratch him under his arms. He was most famous for doing what we called, "Mr. Smooshy Face". This is a video of our Merv Perv being coaxed into doing Mr. Smooshy Face.

Kiki is a character...she loves to chew on things...which is really irritating! I can't tell you how many times I have had to replace my computer mouse! We think she wishes she was a dog. She even drinks out of their water dish. She does not understand why those stupid dogs always get to go outside and she doesn't. Every once in a while she freaks out and goes on a loud meowing frenzy. She is not very affectionate except on her own terms. When she does want attention...there is no getting rid of her! She will torture you until you give in and pet her. She loves to play with the light from a pen light or laser light. We have to do it only when the dogs are outside because Livingston also likes it and he turns into a 75 pound puppy bounding around the room...someone could lose an eye!

Kitchen is getting older now...working on 14 years. She has lost a lot of muscle tone in her legs and has a hard time jumping. She has become exceedingly affectionate, which is not the way she has always been. It is a nice change...although she too can be relentless when she wants attention. She is a little devious too. She has figured out that our dog Cede will not walk past her. She will lay in the floor on the rug in the doorway into the Kitchen. Cede will cry and cry and that cat will not budge. I wonder if she will ever figure out that all she has to do is walk forward. Kitchen will just move out of the way! Anyway...we think Kitchen enjoys this a great deal! With having three dogs, we have to feed the cats up on a little table in our Kitchen. Since she can't jump up there anymore, we have to put her up there. Probably her biggest quirk is that she constantly wants new water. She even has a long drawn out "I want water" meow. It is funny!

The cats used to be the center of attention around here...the dogs have definitely taken the spotlight away from them. We do still love our kitties. They are unique and fun to have around. Hopefully one day they will forgive us for bringing dogs into their house!

It's Your Turn Now Wells

This is the third of my three favorite people. It is hard to believe that this young man will be 11 years old in September! Here are just a few of my favorite moments that I was lucky enough to catch on tape over the years:

Martha

Four Year Old Hundley Sings for Aunt Martney

I went to visit Michelle and Family a few weeks after Stevens was born back in March 2004. Hundley and I spent a lot of time together...real "girl bonding time". We were hanging out and talking one day and she wanted to sing a song for me. This video is part of that song. She was the cutest four year old girl ever!

On a side note, I am very happy to report that I have just learned how to clip separate videos into one video...LOOK OUT WORLD!

Martha

Mr. Stevens Speaks His Mind

These videos were taken in March of 2009 and I am so excited to be able to share this with people. This child is one of the funniest little dudes you will ever meet...of course I think this because he is my nephew and one of my three favorite people in the world! His mom has always said that he has tried to make her laugh since he was a little tiny baby. This is him honing his craft. Take it away Mr. Stevens!

Our Foster Hounds

After adopting Livingston, we decided to give fostering hounds for Basset Hound Rescue of Alabama a try. We have been very lucky to foster some great hounds in our work with BHRA. (http://www.bhra.org/) We missed each of them terribly when they left us, but knowing that we were part of their journey to their forever homes is very rewarding. Here is a little information about each one of these special hounds:

Caylee
Caylee was our first foster and she was the coolest little thing. She loved to play with toys and spent a lot of time gathering them up. In this picture she was sitting on the couch behind me...yes I was on the floor as usual. The toy box was on the floor next to me and I felt her reaching around me and grabbing stuff out. When I turned around this is what I found. She was gathering up her loot. She is a great dog that we get to see every now and then when her dad attends BHRA functions. She has a great home and we could not be more tickled for her!

Susie
We were enjoying fostering Calyee so much that we took in a second foster a week or two later. Her name was Susie. She was a hoot and boy did she love to play! She and Livingston ran around all the time and had the best time! She was adopted by a lady that we know named Sandra Campbell. She has a GREAT home with lots of brothers and sisters to play with!

Abby
Jason called her "Carl" because her "basset chatter" sounded like Carl in the moving Sling Blade, um hum. She was pretty...this is the first one Katie did not like. They even got into a fight on our back patio one morning while I was in the back of the house getting dressed. It is the only fight we have ever had here that started when we were not present. Since I was alone, it was very scary. We got through that one with just a few scratches. No big deal!

Holly
Poor little Holly. She had a rough life. When she came to live with us we discovered a cut on her neck when she was sleeping belly up in our wire crate. In this picture she has a big bandage wrapped around her neck that is hidden under her droopy skin. She was adopted by some people who met her at our BHRA Halloween picnic in Dothan. Unfortunately she ended up back at BHRA suffering from terrible wounds from what we think was a dog fight. She was nursed back to health but ended up on the losing end of a dog fight which finally took her life.

Molly
This was the coolest dog ever! She was a big ole girl with the best personality. I think we will always regret her as "the one that got away". We should have adopted this girl. Luckily she found a great home with a wonderful family!

Gertie
This dog latched herself to me immediately. She followed me everywhere I went and was right up under me every time I sat down. When I took her to her new dad, she did not want to go with him and it broke my heart to force her to stay. Of course, when he gave her a hamburger on the ride home he won her over forever...

Sylvie
We had Sylvie for a very short time, but she was a sweet girl! She went to a great home with kids and I am sure is the queen of her castle! She looked like a red and white basset...but she was technically classified as a tri color because of the one brown spot on her side.

Trudy
She was a sweet girl and got a great home up north in Pennsylvania, I believe. We called her "Houdini" because she was a brilliant escape artist. One day our dogs kept getting out of our fence. We thought that maybe some children in the neighborhood with nothing better to do were letting them out. Nope...it was Trudy! We finally got to see her in action. She would raise herself up on the fence, nudge the latch with her nose and they were OFF! It was mortifying and amazing all at the same time. Needless to say...we fixed it where she could not do THAT anymore!

Bailey
Bailey was our first "foster failure". She was a Basset mix and had a lot of issues. She tore up our furniture, had terrible separation anxiety, very fearful, fought with Katie and eventually we had to make the heartbreaking decision to put her to sleep. The final straw was when she just about took one of Katie's ears off. She was a very sweet dog who loved her people and we will always miss her.

Shanaenae
She was a very sweet girl and did not last long at our house before she was adopted!

Mercedes
This is our final Foster Failure...Steve! She is a now 11 year old diabetic basset. We just could not send her away to a new home again. We figured at her advanced age she deserved to stay in our house with us. She loves us, especially Jason, and she loves our dogs.

These are just a few neat photos...sort of a trip down memory lane...

Can you imagine coming home to this mess?

How 'bout this one? This is Trudy frantically running in
circles in the feathers from the pillow they had destroyed!

But there are good times too...like a bunch of snuggle buddies on a cold winter's night...

the crowd gathering at meal time...

buddies to pal around with...

and nap time photo ops! (again...guess where the people usually sit!)

If you have ever thought about getting involved in animal rescue...we highly recommend it! It is a lot of fun and very rewarding! We are not currently fostering because we are caring for two special needs hounds at the moment. Cede is Diabetic and Katie is Epileptic. We hope to be able to foster again one day. It truly is a lot of fun.

There is nothing better in the world than a crew of adoring bassets that look up to you!

Martha