Cabin!

I know it's been a while...



I'm sorry to have kept you waiting...



But, I've been busy...as you can see. The best part is...It's ALL MINE! (And the banks!) I love it. Though, it's a lot of work. I'm finally home.

Joe the Polly Parrot

This is Joe. He (or she...since no-one really knows) is 24 years old. My Grandmother bought him in Plano, TX a few weeks after her last 'Polly Parrot' flew out the kitchen window and managed to make it to a grouping of trees to fly away. (Caged birds don't have the endurance required for long distance flights.) Joe was only a baby, and didn't even have any feathers at the time that she brought him home. I've grown up with this bird. He's as much a part of my family as a favorite uncle would be, and certainly my Grandma's baby.

Unfortunately, we've had to place my Grandmother in a retirement community. Against my Fathers wishes..she doesn't want to be a burden. Even worse, she can't have pets. For the past several years this has been lurking in the shadows. We knew it was time for her to leave her large house, and be around people her age. Especially after she started having episodes of dementia...calling the exterminator because of spiders the size of dinner plates, and flying turtles who wanted to 'get her' while she watched television.

The community that my Grandmother chose doesn't allow pets. Even pets that have been with you for longer than some of your Grandchildren have been alive. So, Joe is coming to live with me. It's bittersweet, but I'm happy about it. I can remember being a little girl and knocking on my G-Ma's front door. I'd hear her call out, "Come in, Jack!" (My Daddy) and we'd all go inside to find my Grandmother out back in her garden, or doing laundry in the back of the house. Because she's always been his 'Mama' it's her voice that he's learned to imitate. And he does it with an uncanny likeness. He'll be watching television with my Dad and giggle in my Grandmothers voice and say, "Oh..That's too funny!" or, "Oh that makes me so proud!"
He loves to eat whatever we eat and will call out from his perch, "Hey! Is that good? Is it good? Hey! Hey! IS THAT GOOD???" And won't stop until you give him a bite and let him find out for himself.

All of my Grandparents are getting older, and it's heartbreaking to see their age showing and to hear of the weekly visits to the doctor, or see the bottles of pills lining my Poppy's shelves. Having Joe is like keeping a part of my Grandma next to me all the time. Regardless of what happens...I'll have her with me through Joe. And, my children will hopefully take him after me. At 25, he hasn't quite lived a quarter of his life span.
What a beautiful way for my Grandmother to always live on.

Fleeing to the wilderness

We've fled the city. I'll explain in full detail in a later post, but I wanted to put something down now to let you all know that I'm alive and well. More than that, I'm happier. I needed my parents, the wilderness, the river...to remind me that I'm not alone.


She's happier also. The fresh air, coupled with long walks on the riverbed (when the dam is closed) has created a louder, more energetic, and much giggle-lier baby for me to enjoy. The older Turkeys are staying in the city with their Dad until the end of the school year. It was a heartbreaking decision, but one I had to make.


I thought leaving Colorado was "The start of something new." And realized rather quickly that it would take more than me to call it a success. Things happened that hindered my freedom, my bank account, my life...and 'making it' became my only goal. I lost myself to emotions of anger, sadness, and desperation until I realized that going 'home' didn't mean, "Failure."


So here we are. For now. And do you know what? It Rocks. Totally. Well, except for the badgers. If anyone knows how to convince a family of angry bear-like rodents to re-locate, I'll love you forever!!

Kidnapped

Hello! Hi! Happy New Year! Oh my goodness, I've MISSED you guys! I think I've mentioned that my darling baby is a demon. Cutest demon ever..but oh my! She took the cake on Christmas day when she poured an entire cup of coffee on my keyboard.
Before I had a chance to deal with that, my parents and sister had conspired to force a vacation on me. A vacation that included no Internet, cell phones, or cable tv.

They thought they were helping. Little did they know, I was having withdrawals from you guys super bad!

Despite that, I had a wonderful time. New Years Eve was spent around a campfire listening to my brother-in-law play the guitar while all us 'redneck' folks sang drunkenly to Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and all the old greats. My parents have the baby out at the River, and she's spending her days being spoiled rotten by her Pawpaw.

I just got back home and have no children, dogs, or any other being here with me to distract me from getting some things done that can't wait. But, first...I have to catch up with all of you! I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas morning, and a wonderful New Years celebration. I'll write more on our great times later!