Hammy Lives!!!

Hammy is the squirrel that Jordan Hockaday and Joshua found on the side of the road near a dead mama squirrel. They brought it home and managed through some miracle to get it to live. He was so tiny I didn't know if he would make it. He made it all right--and became a fixture on Joshua's head! Hammy (the squirrel) lived in the gray house with him and had the run of it for a while till he got too rambunctious and had to be caged while Josh was gone. Once he got his tail caught in a door and it pulled half of it off--Robert said he helped in the pulling of that tail accidently while he and Josh were trying to introduce Hammy to his new cage---it never grew back. Robert and Josh built him a tree house and nailed it to the walnut tree out back--he had a porch and would come out to let you hand him nuts and seeds. He lived there most of the winter and then come Spring one day he just journeyed forth! We often wondered if he was living nearby as we never saw him--well, just the other day we saw a tail-less squirrel down at the shop--Josh is sure it must be Hammy---He lives!

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday was my Birthday! And no, we are not 58 and 63 in this picture---but I found this pic the other week and used it in an album I made for Robert on his Birthday!  He's my movie star man in this shot--I love it!

Also, it reminded me of the Kohl's, who visited us in a surprise appearance this past week.  This was taken at their house while our kids played on a homemade slip and slide.  Belinda and Ray Kohl are always fun and we love when they just show up--in fact, some of our fondest memories are of when they just "show up"---these are legendary events in the Jones chronicles.  Once, when Robert was at the stake center at a youth activity he peeped into the kitchen to see what was being served to the youth for dinner and there was Raymond Earl, helping in the assembly line while his wife and kids played at my house--(last we talked to them they had been living in New Zealand)---he did a  double-take and Ray just grinned and said "one scoop of potatoes or two?"

I took my Mom to breakfast at Panera Bread yesterday and then we visited Josh and Lauren and Riley to see the new house--Mama hadn't been yet--and I figured my birthday was a big event to her --way back when!  Then I journeyed with Robert to Once In a Blue Moon --a little estate sale place we visit a lot--- where we found a lovely curio cabinet that we thought Carol Nixon would like--they did--picked it up and we helped 'em get it in the house.  I also visited the book store next door and picked up two more westerns for my collection...(Maurine would be proud! she loves westerns too) Visited Erin to show her a picture we had gotten with her in mind--wasn't quite the thing she was looking for--visited Michael's family to see Jordan's new bed--a thing of beauty--a loft bed made to look like a forest with twinkle lights everywhere--so cute and so Jordan.  Laura left a lemonade dispenser with Boston Baked Beans (one of my favorites!) on my kitchen table--among the cards and candy AND I got sang to numerous times--my honey left a lovely card on my bed with a surprise in it just for me.  Overall, not a bad day --kind of peaceful but not...plus Michael Phelps won his final gold medal on my birthday--Olympic history!  Happy Birthday to me! 

This is the us that is now--with Josh last year

 Tomorrow Laura and the kids are coming to our house after church for her Birthday dinner--Tom is in Utah visiting his family and helping his Dad on the farm a bit--sometimes it's nice just to visit home without the hullabaloo which usually accompanies a large family--though I know they miss the little Cottles--they are all going in the fall.  How nice for Tom to have some one on one time with his parents.

Birthdays always make me a bit nostalgic--and thankful!  My sister asked me how it felt to get old yesterday--I thought of Zeke Jones, an old friend of Robert's, when he said years ago--"It's terrible to get old--and it's terrible not to get old".  I figure I'm covered either way...Robert's birthday is on the 4th of July so he always has fireworks and the Fife and Drum at CW (which we never miss)--but mine are peaceful and slower which is good too.