One Home, Three to Go

French Quarter by Raphi

It's been horribly quiet and boring without any one else here but me and mom. Today, the teenager arrived home safely. Yes. Now I await the hub, the kid and the cuz on Sunday. I cannot wait!

The teenager brought me lots of incense which smell divine. I've been burning them ever since his arrival. I'm afraid the house and I now smell like head shop, as the hub says.


I never did show you the gifts Raphael brought me. The plant holder hangs in the kitchen window at Riverside. Love it! The chalk board, I brought home as it fits better with my decor here. I put it up, temporarily, on the kitchen counter top. It won't be long before demolition begins in here. Joy. Can't wait for that. NOT! I love the chalk board. He said he found this store after he had already bought all my other gifts. He said it had all the things I like. Yes, he always spoils me with wonderful goodies from France. He also found me lots of candles, you know me and candles. These three (which I don't have a picture of) look just like river stones. The smell is heavenly. He brought the kid a gorgeous compass and even thought to bring the cuz a sweet bracelet. She's been afraid to wear it down on the river though. I don't blame her. It's too precious to lose. Thank you Raphael!


Here's some more of Raphi's pictures of our critters. (I've had a heck of a time uploading some of Raphael's pictures as they are so large. I wish I could share them all with you. Beautiful, as you know.) The dragonflies on the river are all a midnight blue. Not like the ones we have here in Nashville. Aren't they pretty?

Then there are the little lizards.

Grasshoppers.

And, of course, the tree frogs.

Last, but not least, is Reese. The neighborhood dog.

One night, we were leaving for dinner, and she would NOT let us go. She chased after the car and I kept stopping thinking I was going to hit her. It literally took over a half an hour to get out of the hood! We were laughing so hard. We tried everything--the cuz and Raphi tried to walk her home and then RUN back to the car--Reese won, of course. We left the door open on Raphi's side and he would say "GO GO GO -- STOP!" Finally, Raphael took her a couple of houses down, I started driving slowly and Raphi caught up and jumped in--and I floored it! They were like "FASTER--FASTER!" It was just like Jurassic Park! Must go faster. OMG. It was absolutely hilarious. Things like this can only happen to us. We are straight out of an I Love Lucy episode sometimes. Giggle.

Can't wait to get everyone home. Sigh.