Happy Father's Day Grandpa!

From all your kiddos...




Even the 4-legged ones...

We so hope your day is abundantly filled with love.

Life Lessons...just keep comin'

Remember when I introduced our great neighbor The Recluse Artist? I mentioned then how I wanted to have the whole thing all thought out and go in order down my street and how that never seems to be how things work out in the Shooter house.

Well, I actually had a post ready to go to introduce you to Fruitcake Mary this week. Instead, you're going to meet the newest additions ~ Bugsy & Precious.

Before I formally introduce them, I need to explain the change up...

Y'all know our precious Sweet Girl, our Eula Mae.

Girl Child's buddy. Her confidant. Her playmate.

Her friend that she misses more than words can explain.

(It's a whole other post. Maybe for tomorrow in fact, cause I need some Momma advice.)

Well, things are happening over at our Sweet Girl's house that are turning out to be very difficult to watch.

First, Harley Momma (I'm tellin' ya, I have great neighbors!) and I had to find a home for Miss Daisy the shitzu. That about killed us all from the git-go.

Then, the lady-who-we-all-trusted-with-our-Eula Mae, and her son backed a truck up to the door and proceeded to steal several very large items. We all watched. We thought she was taking them to our Sweet Girl in the nursing home.

Next have been the countless, daily prospective home buyers. I don't know why it's so hard to watch strangers go in and out...but, it is. My protectiveness of Eula Mae is overwhelming. I don't want people looking at her stuff. Touching her things. My littlest Crumb Snatcher is not dealing with it pleasantly. She starts a fight with her brother and acts hideously if she's outside at the time of the showing. I finally figured this out the other day when I witnessed the whole thing from start to finish. My heart hurt for her. I guess she figures if she makes a big enough scene, the people looking will not want to live near her.

Girl Child came in yesterday with a stricken look and that precious chin quivering. Because now there's a trailer parked in the drive-way for the auction house...

It's tough being 40 and watching all this going on. I get it. I don't like it, but I understand it.

Crumb #2 is 9. She doesn't get. She doesn't understand it. She doesn't like it. And she's struggling.

I've been having a long conversation with God about this whole thing.

His answer couldn't have been more perfect.

And here they are...

That's Bugsy with The Belly. And Precious, her finance'.

Why those names?

Since I've only lived next to them for two months I haven't come up with any permanent names yet. The Recluse Artist, Harley Momma, Sweet Girl, The Newlyweds, Hot Head Tom, Crazy Larry and Fruitcake Mary are all appropriate because I've lived with them for a long time! Know what I mean?

So Bugsy is Bugsy because that's her real nickname. I can't call her it. I don't know why. I call her by her beautiful given name. It fits her. She's beautiful. Inside and out.

The beautiful artwork on her chest? It is a tribute to her momma. She died at 36. It's literally a piece of art. She's a trained classical musician. She rides a unicycle. She knows more about cars than Big Shooter. (I know. He has a big crush on her.) She used to make reeds for Yamaha. She paints. And she's about to bless The Neighborhood with June Bug. (Girl Child and I have a big crush on her too. I think Crumb #1 does too. But I think it for reasons this momma doesn't want to contemplate at the present. Thankyouverymuch.)

Precious will roll his eyes when I tell him that's what his name is...for now. I tried a bunch. Tat Boy (he has a bunch you can't see in the pictures). Dreadlock Dude. Bugsy's Boy. Cool Cat. They all work. But none fit. He is, by far, the most thoughtful, hardworking, responsible and loving 21 yo I have met in a loooong time. So what does a over bearing, compulsive momma call that? Why, Precious, of course.

And he is.

And they are.

Love Note to my Big Shooter: It's been a while since you've experienced the Compulsive Nurturer. I must first give you my condolences and second, my gratitude because you are handling it beautifully! Thank you, Love.

A picture says a 1,007 words...

What's Your Signature Saying?

Are you known for anything you say often?

Do your family or friends ever give you that knowing glance and say it before you do in that "gottcha" kind of way?



One of my aunts, who lives in Utah, says, "Oh my heck."



My granddad had a very...shall we say, colorful expression he used frequently.



Big Shooter says, "Life is good" quite frequently.



And apparently, I say, "Oh my word" in between every sentence.



In fact, I've been told I have so many different ways of saying this phrase that I have one for every kind of situation.

• In response to Girl Child telling me she's finished yet another chapter book in a single evening: (said with the Momma Wow voice), " Oh my worrrd!"

• After Boy Child tells me, in agonizingly great detail, the many life-sustaining battles on a video game: (said with as much fake momma wow as I can muster), "Oh...my word."

• Tasting some divine culinary treat: (said slowly with a throaty voice), "Oh...my....worrrrd...".

• After Saucy Sashi gives me some unbelievable news: (each word is said separately and slowly with my eyebrows up as far as they can go), "Oh. My. Word. "

• Screeching at the top of my lungs when seeing a scary jumping bug, "Ohmyword! Ohmyword! OhmyWORD!!"

I'm dying to know if y'all have a signature saying of your own? Please share it with us. What is it? Where'd you first hear it? What does it mean to you and how often do you express it?

Love Note to my Big Shooter: I should have said your Signature Saying is, "Zzzzzzzz. snort. Zzzzzzzz."

My newest addiction...

I think I mentioned a long while ago we were working on a garden?

It's growing.

That in itself is a miracle.

The Crumbs are looking forward to eating the vegetables.

That is another miracle.

We are going to have lots of tomatoes. Lots.

So I am exploring things I can make with them.

Big Shooter and I love brushetta. He makes it for me all year round.

So I decided to try a few little variations to make it more interesting. Y'all already may make it like this. Or it may just be too simple for your tastes.

But, lemme just tell ya...

This one knocks my socks off!

Slice and toast these. Dice these. And these.
Add these. And mix. I almost forgot the best part!

Spread this on hot slices.

Scoop the tomato mixture on and ...

Sprinkle this on top.

Viola!!

I can't seem to get enough of it. I've had it for lunch. And with dinner for the past 5 days. When I get to use fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes...Woo Eeee! Look out Rachel Ray! (Big Shooter has a crush on her by the way.)

Just wanted to share. It was love at first bite.

Finally! A new mistress.

The search was exhausting.

The search was torment.

The search was arduous.

The search took us from sea to shining sea.

(By sea I mean tears...His wimpering and sniffling got old.)



But FINALLY, he has found the Perfect Girl to replace the tramp that plagued my life for far too long.



I may even partake in a menage trois now and then just to get the job done if need be!



Meet Red Toro. His new love.

Love Note to my Big Shooter: I should have known you'd do a bang-up job. She's pretty. She's clean. She's respectable. And best of all her reputation is irrefutable. Congratulations Big Shooter on a fantastic choice.

It might just be a redneck date, if...

the entire 4 hours is spent perusing the aisles of Wal*Mart together.

Love Note to my Big Shooter: Wooo Eeeee!! You sure can show a girl a good time! How'd I get so dang lucky??

Effects of Swine Flu

Girl Child said, "...so that's really what happens if you get swine flu?"
"Yep," I assured her.
After a pretty long pause and intense study of the picture she decided, "Well I'd better be very careful with germs...that means staying away from boys. Especially dirty ones."
"Yep," I assured her smiling to myself.

Love Note to my Big Shooter: You can do two things later - thank me for giving you another reason for Girl Child to avoid dirty boys and to show me why she should avoid dirty boys...winkety, wink.