Jack, hard to believe that little girl is grown up & such a pretty lady now.  How cute she was in her hockey uniform & even younger, in her sports outfits for your favorite team.  She & her dad look like you in the eyes.... I think, but her smile (& your son if he was smiling) look more like your Shirley.  Can't tell a lot with photos because a movement in the face can make all the difference.  Love that brave little doxie), got to have "attitude" to live with those big bears!  They are gorgeous but must be like feeding an army around there.

My 61 year old daughter retired this week, last paper signed & all's well.  Don't know where the years went, but I've been doing some digging out & destroying old papers & such.... bringing back memories that haven't surfaced since we moved into this house in 1988. 

Got to get off, when I sit down to the computer my eyes start watering & itching. 

Shirley thanks.  Have mentioned in prior posts how I envy those of you with many grands and great grands.    I had to substitute, and here is a collage of my Goldens since 1985.  Each one different but special in their own way.   Kibbles on top left, Zoe on right, Jessie lower left and now Mimi.

                   

What beautiful dogs, Jack....

I have a good friend named Evelyn.   Her and her
husband Cliff had four children.   3 girls and a Boy. 
They all married,  but none of them had any children.

I think that they both have allergies, so they couldn't
have animals,  either.. 

Sandy 

Jack. I have lots of grandchildren. 5. 8 greatgrands but none live closer that 1000 miles so you at least have your one Close.  Looks like she is still single. ((Independent).  Now you have a daughter. right?  she doesn't have children.?  So their families will be small later also. 
Things have changed now. Not like your parents with 8 children. How many grandchildren and GGrands did they end up with.  Most people I know. their families live far away.  Having pets is a big help.

Growing up I had 2 brothers. Didn't marry so my mother just had my 2 girls. I went back often with them and she came here for about 3 months 4 times.. Now I have no nieces or nephews. Only ever had one cousin. Still in UK.

Jack, good looking dogs and I'm sure a lot of wonderful memories!

My daughter died at 18, just before high school graduation so I have no grandchildren. My sisters each had a boy and a girl, ages now are 34 through 21, none married or having plans to or for children. One niece has marriage in mind next month but no children desired so our line or at least the immediate portion will probably end there.

All three of us have had pets or animals for most of our lives, horses, dogs and cats, and they are always a part of our families!

My mother died before Norm was married and I never did marry.  Norm and his first wife had three boys and the boys were all old enough when Dad died to have known and remembered him; Terry the youngest was 11.  The three boys each had two children - two boys and four girls.  Paula, Tim's daughter, had a girl a year ago, James and his wife just had the twin girls and Geoff and his wife will have a boy in March.  The other kids are not married yet.  I would like to live long enough that these last children will know and remember me. 

We had a little snow today and some is still on the ground.  Our temperature now is 24 degrees and I think by the end of next week we'll be back up in the 50s.  Unbelievable. 

Tom did some driving for Uber tonight and he had enough business that he came home at 9 pm.  He usually comes home about 3 am.  He said there was lots going on tonight.

Mary Ann

Checking in before going to bed....eyes quit itching for a while but already watering & burning & only site I've been to is this one.  Jack, without names I would still know your girls.  I suppose Kibbles is a girl?  They are all so pretty, you know how Zoe could make me giggle just to see her....  Jessie such a lady & Mimi just a loving & grateful best friend.  You are right, each special in their own way.

Mary Ann, I had so many cousins on my mother's side and so few on my father's side, different worlds.  I only had 3 kids but they multiplied, spouses & 7 grands that multiplied so now 6 greats & another due in 5-6 months. For sure it makes a crowd when we all get together.  Daughter & her husband & their youngest son live in MO and her oldest daughter, husband & little boy live in Seattle... all the rest right here so it is a busy world. 

We have 31 degrees now with real feel of 24... earlier the weather guessers talked about rain for the week end but didn't hear it mentioned tonight.  We need rain even if it comes frozen.  Better check so I know what clothes to lay out for morning... & get off here.    Sweet dreams to all.

JACK WV...
...all four are lovely babies, I am sure you have now mixed emotions when looking at your three, remembering the funny moments, of which I am sure there were many..." Agility " springs to mind, where one was excellent, and should I say, the other was certainly entertainment to watch with her distractions...

I had some of my best days too, with my Benji, when doing agility training, he was very fast, and really enjoyed it....but boy, was that trainer a hard task master, he only expected the best, he was very competitive and often had me in tears...but when he praised, it was a good night...Oh and not forgetting, the agility took place outside, come pouring rain or shine, where we had to wear football boots to maneuver around the mud, and you would never get an ounce of pity from the trainer, he meant business, but if you wanted the best trainer, he was your man....

I enjoyed the years I had Jessie and Zoe in Agility.  Even when it involved packing and driving 4 or 5 hours to the competition and lugging the crates, food etc. for two day events.  My niece did the training, I just helped a bit.  The judges never gave an inch, but Zoe even made them laugh.  Happy now just staying close with Mimi and limiting my activity to walks.

JACK WV...
...like you Jack, my days of running around an agility ring are long gone but, I am very thankful of having, and taking that chance when it was available to me...now just another happy memory of " what was....."
I wouldn't even be able to walk round it, let alone run...

Jack, we weren't interested in agility until we saw the videos you posted of Jessie and Zoey.  About that time there was a meet in Ft Worth and we went and really enjoyed it. 

They had three rings going a the same time.  We really got a laugh when one of the dogs (who reminded me of Zoey) and who was doing quite well all of a sudden stopped, looked over at the other ring and decided it looked more interesting over there.  Over the fence she went .  Naturally everyone laughed and it just egged her on and and she had a great time . 

We had some neighbors who had a course set up in their yard and we took Missy over.  She wasn't interested in the least!

Mary

Jackie and Mary, I gave up handling since I was unable to keep up and remember the courses that they always changed.

All the events I attended were open and free to the public, and I encouraged my friends to attend and watch.  The most fun was the smaller breeds, and the novice that were prone to make mistakes.   

MARY...
...I guess disqualification was on that dogs cards?

Just reminded me, I too bought some agility equipment, set it up in our small back garden, to better our training...we had ourselves some fun...now wish I had some photos...

Jackie, I am glad there are no photos of my having weave poles in my yard, and training my two to weave.  One technique was to do almost a hula and use the hips to encourage mine to weave. 

JACK...
...we want photos, we want photos, ha ha, I sure know what you mean about that hip movement in getting our dog through those weave poles....It may have been simpler if our dog had just sat there watching US go through it...

I sure wish Sato and Sachiko would make another appearance, I sure miss those two...

Dogs are really big business here with the races, especially the over one thousand mile Iditarod race that begins here March sixth. There are also hunting and retrieving events and a large obedience group. So there is something doing with dogs all year here. Last year they had a beagle that would start off good but kept getting distracted and once even went into the crowd for pets.

Love the photos.  Jack, that video you showed sometime back wth Zoe was great.  She had a good time and so did the audience--the handler was a good sport.

Very sad news about my oldest grandson (soon be 36 years).  He had surgery for melanoma a couple of months ago and was told he was cancer free.  This week he found out that it is back in another area.  We're just hoping and praying for the best.

Jean that is terrible news, pray they can clear it up.

Jack, loved all the photos your beautiful babies. I have 3 grands and none of the so far have plans for marriage. they are in there 30's

Jean, so sorry to see your news, I am also praying

Jean, so sorry to read about your grandson.  My brother in law had a place on top of his head, melanoma, that the doctor started to remove, deeper than he thought so stitched him up & took about a month before the specialist in KC could get to him.  He was given interferon for a year but only managed 9 months before he was so frail he couldn't take more.  That was nearly 30 years ago, he recovered completely & still cancer free.  At 86 he can still out work guys half his age.  My best wishes for your gr-son, and prayers for his recovery.

I've got to get off the computer & close my itching eyes.  Good night, everyone!

Jean one of my  granddaughters  had the same thing; surgery, chemo. She has been in full remission for 3 years now, so my best wishes for him based on that experience and Shirley's positive account as well.

Instead of descending to the beach this week we enjoyed the miles of the landscaped promenade overlooking the sea.

We removed a piece of low-hanging bark from the palm tree beside us and thought it make for a nice set of horns, but it looks more like wings.

Having fun in nature

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Poppies season

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After the rain, wild blooms are plentiful everywhere

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DON - BUBBLE...
...are you couple growing antlers?....
Your weather must have warmed up as Don has got his jacket off...
Well my favourite photo without doubt, goes to " mother and son..."
I can spot what looks like a miniature railway track, running around the coastal view...if so, is it in operation...and more to the point, have you two been on it? or is more for the children?

Jackie, did you mean the parallel drip watering hose on the ground, at the bottom of the sea view ?

No train for kids or others near the coast here.

In the park on the cliff along the sea the Rosemary grows wild.

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and there is lone flower blooming there

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Further on, a flowerbed with exquisite pansies of varied colors

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