Lawn Ornaments

Who needs to spend money decorating their front lawn? Not us!

Each Autumn the Canada Geese come down to Colorado for a visit. Our house is a couple blocks from a nice park with a pond... which is a big draw for the geese and there are several hundred hanging out there every day over the course of the long winter.

In the evenings, we watch them fly overhead as they leave the pond and search out lodging for the night. If we're out walking with Keena, she loves to watch them fly by, for sure their honking gets her attention.

Every once in a while the geese go on a "field trip", and wander down the street. This particular afternoon a few weekends ago- they happened to come across our songbird feeder, and invited all their friends to hang out for the afternoon. I think I counted about 20 geese on the front lawn at one point.


They didn't seem to mind the cars going by, and I even walked outside to snap a photo at one point, and I don't think any of the geese even got up from their lounging spots across the lawn.

Every once in a while some would wander off and more would show up. It's the only time this winter I've seen more than a couple at a time on our street... must've been a big convention or something!


Of course- the cats love to sit by the big front window in the living room and look out on the squirrels running around, and watch the sparrows and finches visiting the feeders. This particular afternoon they were both entranced by the geese parading around. Maybelle especially thought this was an amazing sight- and Belly sat on her perch watching them for hours! I joined her in her vigil, it was a Sunday afternoon and I had a good book to read, so I sat in the easy chair, and she up on her kitty scratch post, and we both enjoyed bird watching a bit.

As the afternoon sun began to wane, the geese started thinking about their evening plans. One goose stood and started honking while taking a few steps. Then several others joined in, and all of a sudden they flapped their wings a few times and just took off into the evening sky. Immediately the arrow flight formation was apparent. How do they determine who flies and in what order? It was truly amazing to see it up close... and their beating wings make a lot of noise!

The dozen or so geese left then decided it was time to leave as well, but they seemed to prefer to just mosey on down the street, no fanfare and beating of wings for this group. I was a little sad to see them go actually. I think the Canada Geese are really beautiful, and I love living in a part of the country they call home for several months each year. Now that Spring is upon us, they will be heading back to the great north here pretty soon (well... most of them at least.) And I for one will be a little sad to see them go.

Merry Christmas to all

Maybelle had a great time Christmas eve, she snoozed under Pat's Christmas tree while we were all watching Miracle on 34th Street. I think the sparkly lights (and being so near the heater!) were exciting for her.

I don't have to work for the rest of the year! Yea!! I was able to leave work around 2:30 on Wesnesday. I came home and started dinner, we had porcupine meatballs in the crock pot. No- they're not really made of porcupine. Meatballs with rice in them... the rice cooks and sticks out so they look like a porcupine... sort of. Anyway, it was yummy. Chukani went to church with Pat for the Christmas eve service. Lots of carols to sing, and candlelight, it was really nice. We went to the later service this year, and it wasn't nearly as crowded as years past.

Christmas Eve was spent watching Christmas movies with Mom, then I prepped a breakfast strata before bed while Chuck played with Keena. We were all tucked in for our long winter's nap by midnight. No snow though... this was not going to be the year for a White Christmas in Denver. (Utah, I hear, was a different story!)

We didn't get to sleep in much on Christmas morning... miss Keena started howling for her walk before 7am. So, we took her for a walk around the park. Brr, it was so cold! (Ironically, it was mugh warmer in the afternoon- over 50 degrees and bright blue sky as we drove over to cousin Nancy's for the Thompson Family Christmas Brunch.) But no- at 7am it was COLD outside. Makes me wonder why we walk her so early in the morning!

Brunch was lots of fun. Great food as always, and really nice to see family. We all live somewhat close, but it seems we don't see each other very often. I enjoyed catching up with Aunt Mildred for a bit, she's an awesome lady. Nancy is such a great hostess... always there to fill up a coffee cup and make sure you've had at least one helping of dessert. It's just not Christmas if we don't go to brunch at her house!

Christmas evening Chukani watched Prince Caspian, and just sorta chilled out. Food coma?!

I did talk to my parents in CA for an hour or so- the big news is what my bro and sis-in-law got my Mom for Christmas... Tickets to see Neil Diamond New Year's Eve! 8th row center... she is SOOO excited! Neil baby is her fave...I guess she actually cried when she opened the gift. Wow Todd and Randi- you really came up with an awesome gift for her! I am impressed! Turns out my dad was in on it too, he's already got a hotel room booked for after the show (it's in Fresno, CA) so she's all set for a fabulous concert to ring in the new year with her favorite singer of all time. I told her to call me on her cellphone when he sings September Morn. After hearing his music my entire childhood (believe me when I tell you Neil Diamond is Mom's FAVORITE!!) I think so many of his songs bring back childhood memories of Todd and I with mom... and Neil on the stereo.

Today I am going to see my friend Jen, she moved to New Mexico earlier this fall, but is back in town for the holidays to be with her family. I think we're going to Chipotle for lunch... yum!

Then tonight, Chukani and Pat are packing and getting ready to head to the cabin. We're going up with the Robbins's (Bill & Di, Alice, Bill & Donna and baby David too!) for our traditional New Year's Rockin' Eve at the Cabin! We'll be snowmobiling, roasting marshmallows, and frolicking the eskimo way all week... good times ahead!

Chukani hope your Christmas was blessed with love and joy- and we wish you the Happiest of New Years for 2009!

Table Photos!

I forgot that I had pictures of our new dining room table to share...

Hmm.. That one turned out a bit fuzzy. But it's the only one I have without the tablecloth! oh- though I do notice that the plastic is still on the seats. Can you tell I was excited about the new dining room set?! hahaha

I also noticed that all my tablecloths are rectangular. Guess what's on my Christmas list this year?
Cooper is making his eyes glow green to show his approval of the new table.


Ok, that's it. This post is short and sweet- but don't you worry, I've got lots more to share.

Check back tomorrow.

Catching up

Happy Wednesday folks!


I have a few little things to share today, as I think that last post ended up being a tad too long, so here's just a run down of some of the things swimming around in my head right now.

Last weekend the Chuckani tribe finally finished celebrating Christmas 2007: yep, you read that right! Last year I was talking with Pat (my mom-in-law) and telling her how I thought a round dining room table would fit a lot better in the dining "area" in our house. She generously offered to make the gift of a new table our Christmas present for last year. I was thrilled!

So, we took some time last winter to shop around and find a table I liked... um... maybe I should say a table that Chuck and I liked! Unfortunately, round tables with available leaves to make them oval aren't really the trend right now. It's all about the "pub height" square tables. Sure made me feel like a square for wanting something so "old fashioned."

Anyway, after a few months we just sort of gave up. Or forgot. I'm not really sure which. In any case, it wasn't until a couple weeks ago, when Chuck, Pat and I were having our annual gift idea discussion, that Pat remembered the tabled gift idea from last year. (oh yeah- pun intended!!)

Last weekend we spent several hours going all around the huge AFW warehouse north of Denver looking for the right table. I was dissapointed to discover that I as still pretty out of touch with the latest dining room styles... pub height is really where it's at, I guess. We were headed back to our side of town, when we passed another big furniture store, and Chuck and Pat decided to give it a try. I went in with very low expectations. But we found a very nice round solid oak table with a butterfly leaf so it extends to seat 8 comfortably. yeha! Once the nice salesman told us it was in stock in a darker finish, I was convinced. And what's more, somehow it wasn't the most expensive item in the store this time (do you have that kind of luck too? I always seem to pick out the most expensive thing and then can't afford it- it's a knack I have!)

On the way home with the table and chairs in the back of the Avalanche, we convinced Chuck to listen to Christmas music for the rest of the day, since it was technically Christmas! Now- if you know Chuck, you'll know that he has a hard and fast rule... NO CHRISTMAS CAROLS until the last bite of the pumpkin pie after Thanksgiving dinner. So it was a pretty big deal that he gave in early. That's not to say that the Christmas music radio station is still on in his truck, but that's ok.

In other news...

Our puppy Keena went to visit the Vet this week to get spayed. Seems like it was just yesterday that she was a tiny little ball of fluff... but she's already 7 1/2 months old. She was a real trooper, and came home that afternoon still a bit woozy and wobbly. Once she slept it off overnight, she was back to being the same hyper 50lb ball of fluff!

My new job details! I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I started a new job- so here's the scoop. It's with our transportation department and I'm the office manager up there, and the office is just upstairs from where I was before. My new team is really fun to work with, and right now I'm training with them in the mornings, and then running downstairs to train my replacement for the Adult Day Program in the afternoons. Sometimes I freak out about having too much to do, but it all gets done eventually. If you want to learn more about the agency I work for, check us out online: http://www.srcaging.org/ We're celebrating 30 years in 2008!

And lastly- I was telling my coworker about some crazy cat escapade the other day, and she stopped me and said "Cats?! I thought you only had a dog." hmm... seems my blog has been a bit remiss in mentioning that before we ever had Keena, we had Cooper and Maybelle!! So without further ado- here are a few pics of our adorable cats.

Here's the cat I brought with me all the way from Portland, Oregon. I call him Cooper kitty, but his full name is Special Agent Dale Cooper.

Bonus points if you can tell me where that name is from! (googling it is cheating btw)

And this is sweet little Maybelle. Chuck and I adopted her back in 2004, just after we got engaged. She's the only cat I've ever owned that actually likes her belly rubbed and will flop down in front of you on her back asking for it, so we usually just call her "belly".

Have a good rest of your week everyone!