Ketchup with Us # 27

Well it's the 27th Ketchup with Us. Mel and Michele have been hosting this for over a year. Where does the time go?
What signals the coming of Fall? Hmm. In 57 words or less.


When we were in North Carolina, it was always the leaves...no doubt.

But this is Florida. The leaves pretty much stay out.

Here it is verbal. 9 words from my wife who is always up at the butt crack of dawn.

"It's cool enough to open up for a while."

That signals that Fall is Coming!

Ketchup with Us #23

and this is a beach smile?

For Ketchup with Us #23
# Bitchy Resting Face

for Mel and Michele

She got it

Recently, I have been watching "Weir Here" on Wed. eves. from 8:30 to 10:30. It streams live from www.tristudios.com.  This is some fine music every week.  Last Wednesday there was a female singer/musician named Leslie Mendelson and she did a rendition of "To Love Somebody" that was the best I've ever heard.



Video of the entire show is here  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxvlGhc2aVM

The song begins at the 1hr 30 min. mark.




 I Called Amy. "You must see this." She watched too. Meanwhile, in Seattle, Jenn, Andy, and Aidan were watching too. Later Jenn posted this video.

http://s150.photobucket.com/user/phishphan324/media/photobucket-6432-1364437003147_zps6001f868.mp4.html


 It hit me watching Jenn's video that the song meant so much more to her now. She is a relatively new Mom...15 mos.  And she got it. The feeling that comes with parenthood that "You don't know what it's like to love somebody, to love somebody, the way I love you." When she was expecting, I told her that there is no way to tell her how having kids makes you feel. No way. "You'll get it". Her filming him digging the music, that's when I knew, she got it. That beautiful song will always be special to her.

Ketchup with Us #15...Best Prank

Mel and Michele are hosting Ketchup with Us #15 and have asked us for 57 words on the best prank we ever played, saw, executed etc. This one was easy for me. A friend of Amy's thought a prank letter would be funny. We decided to turn the tables on her. Boy did we have fun with it. It had come in the mail.

Envelope says "Pregnancy Test Results".  To Amy(16) Not really. Just note from friend. Amy calls her. "DAD FOUND THE ENVELOPE.....HOW DID YOU KNOW??" Amy cries into phone. "WHAT AM I GONNA DO??" Rolling on the floor laughing. Amy is milking it. "I AM IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!" Friend apologizes profusely. Didn't tell her for 10 mins.

Shoes

 Michele and Mel are hosting Ketchup with Us #13 and asked whose shoes we would like to walk in for a day. This was hard. 

Amy wrote something. Jenn wrote something. Michele kept poking me. Ouch.  OK. OK. I picked.




She's up early in a good mood. Can accomplish more in a day than anyone I've ever know.  

She loves her family. Her work. She is lucky. She is grateful. She is talented. Really talented. 

Her children think she's the best. Her husband too. 

They are the lucky ones.

I love her. Always.   My wife........Sandi Ragg

Visit
Her blog 

Ketchup with Us # 13

Mel and Michele are hosting a bi-weekly link-up called "Ketchup With Us". This assignment is #13 and it is to talk about whose shoes you would like to walk in for a day in 57 words or less.
 
I got nothing. Nada. But GOOD NEWS! Our daughter Jenn said she would humor me and play this time. Yippeee! This is what she wrote....

Since becoming a stay-at-home mom, my life has revolved around my son, so I have thought a lot about what it would be like to be a toddler again (but only for a day)...

Only fourteen months into his life,

eyes wide with wonder, innocent laughter abounds.

It takes so little to amuse and impress him.

Not yet afraid, not yet jaded.

Seeing the world for the first time - 

everything is new and interesting.

Ahh to go back to the beginning and do it all again.

What would I do differently?

*Thanks to Dad for helping me post this without my own blog, and thanks to Mel and Michele for letting me play too! 

Ketchup With Us #11

 Michele at http://olddognewtits.com/ and Mel at http://accordingtomags.blogspot.com/ are up to their ELEVENTH Ketchup with Us. Y'all rock.

What is something I love that I'm embarrassed by. Sorry Amy. bettyrants.blogspot.com  if I beat you to it...57 words or less. Go.

Mandy Patinkin. Singing.  OK . I feel better now!


You know, from Chicago Hope. And The Princess Bride. And Homeland. And Elmo in Grouchland. I heard him first on Late Night.
 Have seen him live 4 times. We were overwhelmed. Sobbed. Please watch and listen.

I have nothing to add except if you ever have the opportunity, go.

January 2013

January 2013 was some kind of month around here. For starters, Amy, Jenn, Aidan, Sandi, Uncle Matt, Monica, Leah, and so many others got colds/sinus/upper respiratory/ crud. Bad ones. Ok, beside that it was wonderful.

We woke up to this most mornings! Yep, Aidan, Jenn, and Andy were in town. And mostly staying with us. A grandfathers dream come true.
And the house was alive again.
Empty nesting is a bitch. Trust me.
We had people here every night and most days. To see Aidan.  Ok, Jenn and Andy too. But it was great. It reminded me a lot of when Jenn was in college and would come home. Everyone was always at our house.

He turned 1 right after Christmas and is starting to walk. But never crawled up on the fireplace 'til day 12. He had his own kitchen drawer and shelf and one cabinet  and took those apart again and again.

And......Sandi did several new paintings, one for me of the yard from the gate. Boy, she nailed it again. I love it.

the old cabin and little house doors

a miniature beyonce and yard

the old greenhouse

and 8 or so more for work...

The azaleas exploded in blooms.

Ja came back for a while

And then they all left.

And of course now he is really walking

It's mighty quiet around here.