Global Warming....

It's true that we have had a relatively mild winter so far but this past week we had a severe freeze. Unlike the millions of homes in the northern states, we did not lose power and for that I am grateful. I did get up one morning to find that there was no water. I assumed that I had not left the water dripping enough and that the pipes were frozen. It's one of the hazards of living in the country.
Being a town dweller most of my life has made me take things like water and electricity for granted. When I turned on the water and nothing happened I thought that all I had to do was wait for the thaw. After all, it had worked in the past. When the temperatures rose and we still didn't have water I decided to investigate. Behind the house is the pump house for the well. It no longer houses the pump but does have pipes, the tank and the electrical breaker box for the pump. Not something I ever had to deal with when I lived with city utilities.
As I approached the pump house I noticed water seeping underneath the door. Except for the absence of penguins on surfboards, opening that door was a cartoon moment. Water poured out! I found myself drenched in icy water with more gushing from the broken pipe in the back and another pipe that had come loose next to the breaker box. Read that: next to the breaker box. So what would any reasonably intelligent person do in this scenario? Exactly, I reached across the spewing water and turned off the electricity. As I was walking out of the pump house, thanking God for watching over fools, my son, son-in-law and a friend drove up. They fixed the pipes and we had water in less than an hour.
I can't imagine living anywhere that I can hear a car or see a neighbor. I love to look out the kitchen window and see everything from common morning doves to Prairie Chicken. It's a thrill to watch the hawks swooping and diving. In comparison the pump is a small matter.

As I try to recover...

It seems that after the death of Tanja all of my defenses vanished. Not only did I become depressed but I became physically ill. I have lived on Ramen noodles for over a week since they don't really require cooking or chewing; both of which were difficult for me. I may be able to actually swallow without pain tomorrow.
While I recover I hope you will enjoy this:

http://www.lordsprayermovie.com/

Tanja, Queen of the Fairies

Tanja was the name chosen by my daughter for this funny puppy. She and her husband found her in the parking lot of a Walmart in Lake Charles, La on Thanksgiving of 1999. She was a ball of fur, spots and stripes; evidence of her German Shepherd/Blue Healer heritage. I'm not sure if, even then, she resembled the Queen of the Fairies that was the Celtic definition of her name.
Because of their move to an apartment in Houston and my granddaughter's allergies Tanja came to live with me. She became my friend and confidant. She was a clown, a protector and snake hunter. Tanja loved me unconditionally. Her way of getting my attention was a nudge at my elbow or make a noise in her throat. She wanted to talk and tried in Scooby-Doo fashion. I have never had a dog like her. Even her problems with one of my other dogs didn't change how much she meant to me.
I buried Tanja on Saturday, January 10, 2009. I miss her so much.

It Might Read Like This....

Our local paper is published 2 times a week and takes about 15 minutes to read cover to cover. In order to add something to the "news" I look for the humorous items. Several years ago there was a letter to the editor from a man who wanted the paper to issue a correction. In a story about the man it was stated that he had been sentenced to 5 years when the sentence was actually 7 years. I suppose he wanted to make sure no one planned a welcome back party 2 years too early.
So today I was reading the paper and saw an ad in the Lost and Found section. The ad was for a lost dog. My mother has a dog who has all of the negative attributes of my ex-husbands. I thought about the add I might place if he were lost.
MISSING-male Miniature Pincer, shorter that he will admit. He answers to nothing and does what he wants. He believes that the world is his urinal and that every thing is about him. He barks and growls at anything and expects everyone to jump to do his bidding. He is demanding ,unappreciative and expects your undivided attention.

If you find him, Good Luck. This ad has been placed anonymously and was paid for with an
untraceable money order.

Happy New Year!