Great, uplifting quote, Tee. :>)

Yeah, judging by the scars, most of us on TBD have shown up one hell of a lot.

XOXOXOX A.

Those pictures are amazing, Tee. More amazing, still, is how calm Momma bird is with you (and your camera) around. She and her babies are beauties. 

Nice prune job on the Fishtail Palm! Did you find any lackeys to do the clean up??

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO Me

Pru is a surviver. but I lost about 500 feet of fence..

You've made a paradise of your world, Tee!  

I love the 90-year-old spider plant, the Song of India, and the wonderful avocado. I think there's little more rewarding or therapeutic than growing things. I'll never forget the very first tomato I grew as a kid--I put that sucker on a mini-deck chair, put sunglasses on it, and took it's picture like a movie star. Hahaha!

I admire you for working with prickly things. I got my fill of those when I lived in Cape Canaveral. The big, stiff thorns were easier to deal with, it was those zillions of tiny soft quills that look so innocuous but feel like fiberglass and are impossible to remove...

Climbing around over the pool would be like climbing Mt. Everest for me, at this point. I'm very impressed! And when I get a zing of fear imagining you falling through the roof, I remember there's water underneath. Hooraaaay!

Growing grass where it doesn't want to grow is a pain in the ass. Seems like you've got it under control. Kudos!

I'm so glad to hear you're out and about, Bubba. Continue to soak up that sunshine!

A. XOXOXOXOXOX

WOW!  You must have felt like a proud papa watching those babies fly! So many predators out there--I can't help but think that your daily presence helped protect them.  

Ain't nature amazing and beautiful?!

As for never being "half of what I was before the cancers", I definitely understand; but, you look damned good to me, and you're moving around more and more. Hooray!

Every time I think of you out there in the yard, or enjoying life with Dee, or playing with Diego, my heart swells with happiness. You go, Boy!

XOXOXOXOXOXOX me

Lookin' good, D.!!!!!!  You look healthy, fit, and engaged in life. Cool beans, as DD would say!

And the angle of the photo really shows off the lovely area around the pool. The plants are fabulous. What is that in the far right hand corner of the pool area? A palm? Huge philodendron? Banana? I can't quite tell. Whatever it is, it's verdant and lush.

Mr. Greenthumb!

I certainly empathize about all the doctor's appointments. Enough, already!

XOXOXOXOXOX A.

That is AMAZING, especially after 1-1/2 years!! I lived in Hawaii as a kid and had pineapples, mangoes, and papaya in the backyard; so, ever since, I would periodically sprout pineapple tops and mango pits, but I've never gotten fruit. You are a plant whisperer!

Ain't those baby pineapples cute???  Droooool, sluuuurp....

Do you have avocados?

XOXOXOXOXOX A.,  the vegetarian predator

OMG! I'm movin' to Florida. You're my new guru!

The most wonderful thing is how happy that baby looks--no anxiety or fear. He/she says, "Daddy is holding me. I'm okay!" 

I've never held an owl. Was it wonderful? Is he/she all safe at the bird sanctuary now? Animal Control around here is a death squad...it's terrible.

I love animals more than I generally love people, and they do tend to follow me around. It scared DD to death that possums (and other critters) come over and sit next to me on the porch. She said, "possums can be ferocious!" I'm like, "duuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh?!" Totally oblivious.

What scares me is that snakes like me. I like constrictors and pythons--it's the little, slithery fast ones that unnerve me when they come to visit. "Hi Mommy!  We've brought our little ssssssssssssssssssssuitcasssssssssesssssssss and we're all ready to move in!"  YIKES!!!!!  

<3 <3 <3 <3 A.

Yeah, certain varieties of python can get that long and longer, particularly in good ol' subtropical Florida.Did you like snuggling up to the python? I'd like to see the picture, if you find it.

I had a friend who had a python, which ended up living in a big group (in the hippie sense) house in DC with me and my friend's girlfriend. I used to hold the python all the time. He was warm and substantial, which kind of surprised me. We liked each other. :>) What was hard to take was his diet--live mice. So even though I liked the python, I was happy when he left and took his mouse massacre with him. 

Yikes! I'm sorry you have occasional snake scares. Coral snakes are what scare me in Florida. When I lived there, I used to see them all the time, especially when I was out doing archery target practice. Poisonous little critters, and so alluring to little kids. 

What did you do in the whale show? 

me 

Meditation for the frustrated.

Lookin' GOOD!

Oh, yeah, and you're looking fine too, D.

WHOA! Where were you when the pyramids were being built? :>)  That's some major rock hauling. 

Love the standing stone border. Yup, it will definitely do a better job of containing the mulch and preventing run off. Your hard work created a thing of beauty.

I'm so glad you're fully part of life again! 

Work like hell, but don't overdo. Here, relax. Put your feet up by the pool and have a snort... 

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX  A.

Sorry about the bad feelings around your hard work and artistic expression, Tee. I guess such things are unavoidable when jamming two lives together, but they're always disheartening. Hopefully she's moved on by now.

Wow--that's a lot of work, and it all looks great. The "standing stone" reminds me of a To'o which could represent any one of several ancient Polynesian gods. Very cool!

Now sit back and enjoy it.

No problem! I want you to vent, Tee--that's part of what friends are for. 

And I took it as just that--simple venting. I knew it was frustration, and justified, but no long-lasting problem. Anybody who has ever had a long, loving relationship knows it can be a roller coaster.

Heck, life is a roller coaster. :>)

I am impressed by the keypad!  That's caring and thoughtful, and will tickle Dee, I'm sure. You big ol' Teddy bear, you. (Damn, I couldn't find an alien bear creature emoticon with foot-long fangs to put here...) 

Haha!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

WOW! You found an alien bear creature! (Geez, it's painful to look at--I hope he was helped.)

You are beautiful to me. Years of illness take a toll--they certainly have on me. Getting older--especially getting older and sick--is a major pain in the ass. Every time I see that commercial with the perky woman striding along, "I'm only in my sixties. I have A LOT of life left to live!" I want to kick her in what would be her balls. Hehehe.

"How do you feel NOW??!!"

I'm such a bad person. :>)

I hope the Sun bear is now well and able to return to his home.

I guess we all want that in some way...

I'm not shocked at all about your Red Lobster statement, Tee--sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Humans have a great desire to control their own destiny. I think that's why ye olde aging/loss slide is such a problem for us--ultimately not much control to be had there.

Which brings to mind Memorial Day and the sacrifice of so many men and women through the years in defense of our freedom. Perhaps their deaths were eased a little by being deaths with purpose. I for one would rather go out fighting with and for my comrades, and friends, family, and country, than turning to mush in my bed. Your Red Lobster revelation makes me think that you agree. :>)

I hope you'll be doing something enjoyable today--watching a parade, BBQing, or otherwise. Here's to you and Dee and the family, and to any member of your family who gave their life in service to our country, whatever that service might have been.

Happy Memorial Day.

A. XOXOXOXOX

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, Tee--I've been out of commission--like your washing machine, haha!

How did that all turn out? Get the lid back on with no further mishaps? And, how are you doing on denim shorts?? :>) I hope Dee appreciates having a guy who's handy around. One of the problems with living with artists and musicians most of my life is that they generally weren't great with mechanical stuff. Maybe that's a stereotype, but it definitely applied to my guys. 

I'm so happy to hear the bear got some better, at least.

I'm glad you didn't go to Vietnam. All my friends/lovers who did came back haunted. How I wish none of our guys had ever had to go. 

I tried the link you sent to Facebook, but it wouldn't let me access your photos. While I'd love to see them, don't put yourself through the trouble of sending all 40. Maybe you could pick out a few favorites and send them.

LOVED the cartoon of the dog leading himself across the street! Great analogy for adulthood!  Here's another, although this may be more about being human than about being an adult...

Thinking about it, this cartoon would work perfectly as an analogy for being and adult if the drawing of a child holding the adult's hand were added, and the child's thought bubble included the landscape and the dog and the dad. We adults definitely don't do so well living in the here and now.

XOXOXOXOXOX A.

Did that valve ever come or are you scampering about nekkid from the waist down?? Hoooraaaay! That's my normal state of undress, prompting the purchase of a pillow stating, "Home Is Where the Pants Aren't." Thankfully, the last time a loved one saw me sans pants, they still seemed to enjoy it...

Hahahahaha! LOVE your "decluttering" post. Yeah, I'd have thrown out bills and various infuriating messages about our annexation and the craziness surrounding it. I've never been so angry at a group of people before.

Well, except Tea Party Republicans.

And people who are cruel to animals...and children...and old people...

And LGBTIQ haters. 

And gun lobby sons of bitches.

And bigots in general.

Whew!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX A.

HAPPY (bearded) FATHER'S DAY!!!

And, if it burns, don't pour that stuff on it!! (good fatherly advice)

Geez, you're talented! Uhhhh, when you're done rebuilding stuff at your house, I have plenty to do here...hehehe. I'm ashamed to say it, but as much as I adore music and have it on all the time, I've taken to listening to it through my computer. Gross, I know. I miss my great speakers and turntable and the way the whole house would shake. Dancing from room to room--Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! I had a really nice Bose surround sound system which I could use by routing music through my TV or with my CD player, but something screwed up and I ended up disconnecting it. Can't really get out to a repair shop...

Music is life's blood to me. Draughn and I used to communicate with it all the time. I'd LOVE to hear your refurbished set-up!

It may be an Alzheimer's moment :>) , but I don't think I knew you have a son. What's his name? How old is he?  Where does he live? Children?  I know you have a daughter, and I'm glad to hear she showed up to give you your love props for Father's Day. Yeah, I can imagine how lonely you might feel if they weren't around. I feel that way on Mother's Day, but my son is always in my heart.

Monster hugs and kisses coming your way.

Speaking of monsters, I've been trying to drum up subscribers for this nice young English guy who does "let's plays" of indy horror games on YouTube. His previous channel was hacked and he lost 10,000 subscribers. He's funny, charming, and not overly dramatic in his narration. He makes the games fun to watch while enhancing the scary vibe. So if you want to watch a game instead of playing it sometime, check him out. His name is Chris; his moniker is Cju. Here's a link to the first part of one of the games, Layers of Fear, which was designed on the Unity engine and is visually very cool.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdfaXVpcVWQ

XOXOXOXOXOXOX 

Brian sounds like an amazing success in all things that are important--strong, loving marriage; altruistic nature; eco- and socially-conscious lifestyle; entrepreneurial spirit. Whatever long and winding road he's taken, he's gotten to what sounds like a very good place!  I'm so happy that his road led him back to you. You must be very proud of him and thrilled to have him in your life.

His wife sounds like a gem. I used to do what she does, and it's a wonderful way to live--growing and making from scratch most of what your family eats. Draughn and I had hoped to get back to that sort of life--obviously our plans got derailed.

I especially love "Dinner on the Hill." Draughn and I intended to do the same thing. We were going to put up a flag--crossed knife and fork, or wine glasses, or some such--to indicate visiting hours/dinner was on. I love that Brian and his wife are doing that.

It makes me smile to imagine you and Dee howling at the moon. I want my house rockin' to the devil's music until 3 am. My neighbors would probably call the men in white coats--they already think I'm the weird artist. 

Thank God, I am. :>)

You're sounding good. I'm so glad you hung on through that hell and have emerged in a much better place. Go out by that pool and enjoy yourself!

Hey, I think I can here the music from here...

XOXOXOXOXOXOX me

Here's a big ol' mandala of healing light energy I made just for you.

Keep on keepin' on Bubba.

XOXOXOXOX A.

Hey, Tee!

DD said you'd written to her wondering how I was. Sorry I worried you--I have been having some issues with my house and have been stressed out and exhausted and just haven't been coming on TBD. I'm okay otherwise.

Glad you like the mandala. Here's the website where I made it. Try it out--it's FUN: http://weavesilk.com/    (I inserted the tiny yin yang  using photo editing software.)  

I hope you've been doing well.

me <3

I hope your drive was okay and not too tiring physically or emotionally. You're kind to help. Has anything changed in the scenario?

The house and other problems continue. Welcome to the "Golden Years"! 

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX me

Great photo and fabulous news about your happy time in OH! Looks like your hard work and commitment are paying off in more ways than your personal well-being. I'm so glad for you. Keep it up for all the wonderful benefits.

Max is a total cutie!

You are too. :>)

Everything will work out here one way or the other. I appreciate your emotional support.

XOXOXOXOXO me 

Seeing old things in a new way--it was a lesson I learned many years ago. As Carly Simon said: "What if the Prince on the horse in your fairytale is right here in disguise? And what if the stars you've been reaching so high for are shining in his eyes?"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-FOedJswHY

I'm SO happy for you, D!  HOOOOORAAAAAAYYYY!!!!

This second chance, in so many ways, is the stairway to a new life. Just keep working on wellness, day-by-day, and keep looking up.

What I wouldn't give for one more hour with Draughn. Take advantage of the years ahead.

I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here. Hahaha! 

XOXOXOXOXOXOX me

I'm so happy for your epiphanies!

I have epiphanies, then they tend to slip away, but with work and time I eventually dig my claws in and stabilize those suckers. Or, rather, I make the doubting demons shut up.

Both quotes are great.

I have found that happiness is a choice. It's important, however, not to beat oneself up when it remains elusive at times. Maybe that's when you make the skeleton dance. 

Keep on keepin' on!!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX me

I feel the same as you do about TBD in any form. I guess because I met so many people who became good friends, and of all the social websites, TBD was the only one on which people had real discussions.

I used to post several places, including the groups I began, but as you say, most everywhere is deserted. I agree about the games. I had a stint of playing them, but I get bored quickly doing any kind of routine. ADD girl here. :>)

I keep meaning to gather the thousands of PMs and Haiku which have meaning to me just in case, but the task is so daunting I keep putting it off. I should probably get to it. 

I'm glad you're still here too!

I hope everything continues to go well!

XOXOXOXOXOX me

I'm sorry for all the BS. Sounds like life as a "senior."

A senior what, I'd like to know? It's not like we get to graduate and go on to a bright future. Haha!

I wonder how many people find themselves really prepared for being older? Particularly older and sick... I did the "right" things and had more than enough money for a happy, active retirement. That's until a swarm of disasters, including the big ol' stock market crash, changed it all. I bet a lot of boomers have ended up in the same boat.

Suzan and I joke that we'll just live in a Volkswagen and push one another around in our wheelchairs, running over anybody who gets in our way--maybe do some juggling for pennies and expired cans of white asparagus from the back of some rich person's pantry.:>)

That or we'll "take in friends," as my mother used to call prostitution. Equal opportunity, of course. 

You can drop by for free. ;>)

XOXOXOXOX A.

Nah. As it turns out, making and saving money may not have done you any good.

I won't tell you the whole long story, but after losing all my money from a series of disasters, illnesses, dumb choices, and caring for my mom for 17 years, I found out that my social security had fallen from the maximum to the absolute minimum. DUH! I just hadn't thought about what the years spent caring for Mom and not being able to work outside the home was doing to my benefits. In my addled brain, I thought those years would act as a kind of place keeper and that my SS benefits would remain at the same level they were when they'd been calculated after 35+ years of work. WHAT AN IDIOT I WAS!

So, don't be hard on yourself. We all seem to end up in the same boat. In fact, now I wish I hadn't worked so many hours and put so much money away. I missed out on a lot of living by doing that. 

HAHAHA! You, Mr. Friendly, may be getting an invitation from "Les Girls" sooner than you think.

XOXOXOXOXOX A.

Boob bees

I understand. I haven't been around much for the same reason, but also because of just feeling too crappy. I know you're on Facebook. I was a long time ago but shut my account down because of too many privacy issues. I appreciate that you'll check back here because of me.

How are things going generally? I assume, still good, and that's what I'm always rooting for! :>)

Thanks for the contact information, Dean. 

Lots of love coming your way.

me xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Hahaha!  While I'm sorry to hear about the UTI, you made your time in the hospital sound damned appealing! I could use room service and movies on demand!

Thank you for the support, Dean. Life never seems to be what we expect and so little is reliable; but friends like you make all the difference.

I'm so glad that things are generally doing well. I know you face day-to-day challenges. Like you, I can't do much to help but root for you and be a listening ear and caring heart. 

Sending you love, hugs, and waves of happy vibes.

me XOXOXOXOXOX

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Bubba! XOXOXOXOXOXOX

I'm glad to hear that Thanksgiving was good, Tee, even though you didn't do the cooking.Yeah--the silver lining there is the no cleaning up bit. :>)

I loved the "ghost hug." If you see anything lurking in the corner, that's my astral body looking for a chance to hug you back. It is so good to know that friends and loved ones are out there, isn't it?

Is Dee back in Florida with you? I thought so, then realized I wasn't 100% sure.

I hope you have a great Christmas--better than you ever imagined.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO me

That cartoon puts a whole new slant on "kissing under the mistletoe." :>)

Yup. Sounds like a busy Christmas Eve and Christmas for you, but when it's with family, that's a good thing! :>) (Or usually, haha!)

I'm confused when you said that Dee was living in the house and you are still somewhere else, apparently. So, is she still giving the idea of getting back together a trial run? Are you going to move back to Ohio together. Or, is it all still up in the air. I'm interested, but all that really matters is that you feel that things are good. I agree, if it's good, don't sweat the details.

Nothing going on here for Christmas, but it's been a good day with lots of phone calls and emails. Pretty festive.

I hope your day has been great and that the rest of the holidays follow suit.

A. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Happy Hogmanay, Bubba! Here's to a great 2017.

A. <3 <3 <3

Sorry to hear about the hospital stay and complications, Bubba...Have you had the stent removal surgery yet? If so, how did it go? If not, when is it scheduled? Best of wishes and a flood of prayers about all of it.

How are things going with Dee? Are the plans still on to get back together "officially"?Will the FL house go on the market this Spring? I'm hoping you won't have to deal with any of that until you're done with the next surgery and healed. It would probably be better to stay near your physicians until your situation is more stable and, at least somewhat, squared away.

Some tough times here, but that's pretty much SSDD.

Oh well--if we croak at least we won't have to deal with the Trump "Presidency." Hahaha! 

XOXOXOXOXOXOX me

Hoping you're doing well, Bubba.

Thinking of you.

A. :>)

I haven't heard from you in a while. I hope all is well, Bubba!  

I hope all is well with you, Tee. Perhaps a barbecue is on your agenda, or a parade, or both... Hooray!  XOXOXOXOXOX me

Happy Total Solar Eclipse, Bubba. I hope all is well in your world. XOXOX A.

I've been worried about you in general, and now I'm worried about Irma bearing down on you. Maybe you're in Ohio and safe--that would be a good thing. Anyway, I'm praying for you and the family that you're all well and staying safe. 

<3 <3 <3 me

Hey, Tee...I know you haven't been around, but in case you drop by I thought you'd like to know that Snagg has started posting his show again for any of us who are still about the place. 

I hope and pray that all is well with you and the family. <3

How ya doin', Bubba ?

.  

     .   

 Happy Hugs Hippy...

Happy Easter, Bubs! Lots of love and hugs always comin' your way. ♥ ✿

I am keeping the lights on!