This video is a summary of where we are in our dog training, complete with an impromptu demonstration. I also discuss the Nutrisystem diet, and remind you to sign up for the amazing giveaway my niece, Erin is going to announce on the 28th. She might not be announcing the winner then, but that is the deadline to enter. I HAVE HIRED A NEW EDITOR!

https://videopress.com/v/3GSkvumj?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

This is the new editor…I was hired to make her blog look more like Gallant Heart Media (gallantheartmedia.com)…BLAHAHAHA

Nellie has the remainder of the yard!

I’m doing another recording tonight, which will be explained in the video. You don’t want to miss this one.

I love my new crown necklace…I don’t have the words to describe how your gift touched my heart and changed my attitude… Thank you, Sherri.

I saw this young gentleman when we were at Dairy Queen this morning. I asked his mom if he could learn how to drive a convertible by July.

After watching this, I decided I would post it anyway. I had a fun time recording it, and it does have the part in it where I acknowledge my source of renewed anticipation of even more fun to come.

I’ll share the very special gift I received today when I am a little more fixed up.

Here we go!

I have an inability. It’s time for me to own it.

It drives some people crazy and there’s no one who’ll condone it.

It gives me many problems of the stressful kind.

And if the truth be known, it’s such a waste of time.

If I have a stack of papers and must put them all in order,

I spend hour after hour reordering disorder.

I find and lose the stack more than once or twice

Those who wait until I’m done are those who pay the price

Don’t give me a task with double digits and a spread sheet.

Before I’ve even started, I’ll admit defeat.

No matter how much storage space I have on my devices,

I never hit delete, so “to find” becomes a crisis.

Now that I’ve confessed that I’m the Queen of disaray,,

If we practice some acceptance, everyone will be okay.

(Mostly in Jest.)

Just because someone said it, doesn’t make it true.

Still everything I hear, I pass on to you.

You tell someone else who has proof that verifies…

What I’ve said is wrong. It’s just a pack of lies.

So I get on the internet and google what’s disputed.

You really didn’t know what you said has been refuted?

The issue is no longer who is wrong or who is right.

It’s our stupid ego that keeps us in the fight.

I must convince the world (or everyone I know),

That you are pathological and say what isn’t so.

You stomp your feet and pound your fist.

You vow to make me pay for this.

Bring it on, I say. I know I’ll win this one.

(I’ve got a lot more lies where all of those came from.)

You sit there at the table. You think you’re well prepared.

I believe another’s lies and hope that you’ll run scared.

Has honesty been lost to the cleverest deception?

The world is suffering. Do you think there’s a connection?

If I’m truthful I’ll admit

There are times that I forget.

Watch out for lies wearing lipstick

They’re still lies…IT’S A TRICK!

And just because you heard it, doesn’t mean it’s true.

I must try to resist passing it on to you.

Believe in your Higher Power who leads us to the truth and replaces ego with humility.

First, I would like to convey my heartfelt prayers and deepest sympathy to the Brost family. They lost a remarkable family member this past week. She was one of those people who lit up the lives around her, laughed infectiously, and cherished those who laughed with her.

I’m posting a rerun of the Mesa, AZ gathering that was held in February of last year. It has been cancelled for this year and I was recalling how much fun it was to see all of the retirees from Jones County (SD) that were there the two times I have been able to attend. A great time was had by all.

https://kipandmary.wordpress.com/2020/02/08/murdo-girl-we-went-to-the-jones-county-gathering-i-think/

Have you heard? Today marks the day! Seventy years ago, Queen Elizabeth was coronated. I was thirty-seven days old. I’m seventy, now, which means I’m platinum, right? It sort of snuck up on me. I sure hope the Queen isn’t too upset that I forgot. We have gotten pretty close over the years.

Considering the Queen has twenty-five years on me, it doesn’t seem so silly, now that Lav and I rode on the back of a red convertible in the 2016 All School Reunion. She was dressed as HRH and I was dressed as my eight-year-old self, which signified my first experience as a Queen. (See picture #9.) At the time Lav and I were only in our sixties. If we’re invited back, we’ll be Platinum’s. I like the sound of that. We’ll continue to prepare and wait for the phone to ring. If Queen E decides to hitch a ride across the pond with Airy and Windy, she can squeeze in-between us. Or maybe she can drive the parade car. (See picture #6.)

The Queen is truly the most amazing woman. She is modest, yet elegant. She takes her job seriously and she loves dogs… well corgis, anyway. She is smart and hard working and had a long, and successful marriage to Prince Philip. She has had to put up with the likes of Prince Charles and Cam. She has even lobbied for Cam to be named Queen Cohort, or Concert, or something like that when Charles becomes King.

The sovereign line of Succession

1. The Prince of Wales

2. The Duke of Cambridge

3. Prince George of Cambridge

4. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge

5. Prince Louis of Cambridge

6. The Duke of Sussex

7. Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor

8. Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor

9. The Duke of York

10. Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

11. Miss Sienna Mapelli Mozzi

12. Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank

13. Master August Brooksbank

14. The Earl of Wessex

15. Viscount Severn

16. The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor

17. The Princess Royal

18. Mr. Peter Phillips

19. Miss Savannah Phillips

20. Miss Isla Phillips

21. Mrs. Michael Tindall

22. Miss Mia Tindall

23. Miss Lena Tindall

24. Master Lucas Tindall

You can stop looking. My name is not among them.

A few oldies but goodies…

Below: “Bow and Arrow”

I have lost touch with more than one friend over the years, but I can’t believe I didn’t stay in touch with Barb. She was a fellow employee of what was then The Wyoming National Bank of Gillette. We were a two person real estate department and we had it down. I took the applications, Barb processed them, and I closed them. We both packaged them up and sent them off to the investor. It was an intense job, but we managed to infuse some fun into it. The only rule handed down by the underwriter at the corporate office and the bank president was to make sure an investor would buy them. “We don’t want any of these in our own portfolio. Sell them ALL,” they said.

Barb and I worked hard, so we felt we deserved a long lunch. We took our sweet time every day when we went off to a restaurant that had the best salad bar you could ever imagine. We piled our plates high with all kinds of yummy pasta and other types of high calorie fare referred to as salad because it’s cold and doesn’t contain bread like a sandwich does. After we cleaned our plates, we went on to another small café across from the bank and had a piece of the best cheesecake you ever put into your mouth. Someone once suggested that the only two people in the real estate department shouldn’t take an hour and a half lunch at the same time. We ignored the comment and nothing more was said. Our jobs were foreign to everyone else and they weren’t interested in finding out exactly what we did.

Barbara was my maid of honor when Kip and I got married. As you all know, when we said our I do’s more than 40 years ago, we combined our families and ended up with 4 kids and 3 dogs. When Barb made her toast, all she said was, “Well my friend, your life is going to be one crisis after another.” Little did she know how right her remarks were. I thrive on crisis… Excuse me I just sneezed which made me recall that anytime Barb sneezed she said, “GOD BLESS ME,” before anyone else could.

When I got married, I moved to Casper and Barb and her family eventually moved back to Arizona where they had lived prior to coming to Wyoming for Jerry’s job. Anyway, Barbara and I were soulmates and I really regret letting so much time pass between getting in touch. I found out through Facebook that she died of cancer about a year and a half ago. What happened was, when Kip and I were driving back home from California, Barbs name came up. She was one of those who was on Facebook but very rarely looked at what others posted and hardly ever posted herself. I decided to look at her page that day and her friend had written about letting balloons go in honor of Barb’s birthday. (Her birthday was the same day as Kip’s.)

It’s hard to know what to do with your feelings when you get news of a long ago friend’s passing. I looked to the sky where those balloons must have floated upward and said a little prayer and then I told Barbara about all of the current crisis in my life.

A miss is a miss in the scheme of things

I feel the loss and the sadness it brings

Even though so many years have passed

Since I saw your smile and heard your laugh.

You are in my heart, so when I’ve shed some tears

I’ll thank you for staying there all of these years.

A miss is a miss in the scheme of things

But with you in my heart, joy springs.

Dear Barb, Today we celebrate your birthday. I know you’ll be hanging out with us in spirit. We will release balloons over the lake, play games and do all the things we used to do with you. We love you and miss you so much but we all feel you being in such a peaceful place.