We need a photo of Teddy AND Ezra

The only thing cuter than Teddy is Ezra, Barb's relatively new grandson... but for the ultimate in cuteness, over the top cuteness would be a photo of them together!

What I'm Reading

Yesterday was the 140th anniversary of the battle. I was last at the site on the 125th anniversary -- doesn't seem like that many years have passed. I had bought this book about a year ago -- Philbrick is an incredible writer -- he's the one who wrote the book about the whaleship Essex... and I've read a number of his others, including one about the Mayflower. When I was there for the 125th anniersary, there was an old woman, who since passed, whose father actually fought in the battle, well, not the main battle but one two miles away on the same day. He was 70-something when she was born and she was in her 90s and I had her sign a book I had bought underneath a photo of her father. I think it may be the only time in my life I asked for someone's autograph.

So when I realized it was June 25, I thought this was a good pick. I have read about 50 pages, but Ihave a novel on standby in case I get tired of being scholarly. The novel on standby is called June and here's what Amazon says:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet comes a novel of suspense and passion about a terrible mistake made sixty years ago that threatens to change a modern family forever. 

Teddy Naps

Mary's Babysitting

... while Gwenyth's parents attend a wedding....Mary is brave to break out the paints!

And Here's Scooter

Wisconsin Mary sent along this message about Scooter:

He's been my (and Denny's) companion for three years now. He is part border terrier, pug, beagle, and Yorkie...yes, quite a mix! He likes to go to northern Wisconsin, too, but lately there has been a large bear hanging around Denny's property outside of Rhinelander...emptied the cooler on his cabin porch of everything but the beer bottles (no opener, apparently) a couple of weeks ago, so Scooter has to stay in Oshkosh with me.

And, he has the honor that this photo was taken by famed aviation photographer Jim Koepnick .

He's a happy boy...as long as gets a big walk every day.

Another Great Dog

My friend Kelly is heading north in Wisconsin to go camping. I told her to beware of bears, but she's safe. She says:

I have Marley, our new wonder dog, along to protect us!

Teddy's Outing

Barb says:

This is Teddy's first lunch at an outdoor NYC cafe (Good Enough To Eat on Columbus and w 85).  Taking advantage of the new NYC allowing pets at outdoor restaurants.

Great service.  The first thing they did when we sat down was bring him water.

Report from Ocean City

Mary says: It was nice this morning, a little overcast. We walked around the corner to a pancake place for breakfast, then to the beach. it's only a block from the house.  The beach has a sandbar that creates a neat lagoon during high tide and the kids have a ball with "skim boards" which are aptly name because they skim along the surface of very shallow water. They ride them like a cross between a surf board and a skate board.  We came inside because a storm is coming. For me it's a great day.

Meanwhile, back in DC, Fran was babysitting Milo... and Milo says:

So, go figure, Mary's cavorting at a beach house while I sit here on Fran's knee riding out a thundershower. Harumph.

 

 

And back to Ocean City, where there was also storms and Mary sent this post-storm photo taken from their kitchen window:

 

 



Mary's New Puppy

Not to be outdone, Mary, who is in Ocean City, Maryland, with her nephew and his family for a beach vacation has acquired a new puppy too... She didn't tell me the name...

Grand Floridian

A friend had a family vacation planned at the Grand Floridian before the alligator incident. We talked about it last Friday and now he's there and he's sent me this:

He says: Beach is still closed.  A rope fence has been constructed to keep people out of water.  There is a memorial with flowers and stuffed animals on a nearby fire pit. 

What I'm Reading

I'm about 50 pages in and this is just simply a good story... it reminds me of a great 1930s movie that has a plot line, interesting characters, etc. Here's the opening paragraph from Amazon:

In Depression-era Boston, a city divided by privilege and poverty, two unlikely friends are bound by a dangerous secret in this mesmerizing work of historical fiction from the New York Times bestselling author of The Perfume Collector.

Now I know I've lost my mind...

but here goes... a personal ad from Anglina the cat to Teddy the dog...

For Teddy 

SWF (that's White with black and brown spots and F for feline) has been seeking a SM like adorable you for friendship, maybe more. I enjoy long walks, classical music, dancing, cooking romantic dinners. Open to mixed species relationship.  If you do too, call me anytime. Angelina. 

 

 

I'll add that I hate to be critical, but Teddy ia a baby... Even in dog years, he's not even 7...

Lightning Strkes Twice or It's a Small World After All

Two friends, one Barb, one Barbara, both of very long standing. Barbara is a former colleague from years ago. Barb is Mary's former colleague as well, and my friend.

This morning I got this from Barbara:

When looking at the pictures of Barb's cute puppy Teddy, I can't help but think of my beloved cat Teddy, who was the greatest cat in the world (picture is from 2008).  Is it more than a coincidence that you have 2 friends named Barb(ara) who have/had pets named Teddy?

 

 

 

I asked Barb if Teddy the cat was also named after the teddy bear, and here's her response:

 

 

No, actually here is the story of the origin of his name.  I had wanted an orange cat, but when I got him it turned out that he really wasn't orange, and we joked that it was more like Strawberry Blonde.  Bob's mother had had that hair color, and her name was Dorothy, so therefore we decided to name him after her by using the male equivalent name Theodore.  Theodore lasted for about a day but quickly morphed into Teddy.

 

Funny though, he really did live up to the stuffed bear name.  He  would curl up in my arms in bed to sleep, just like a Teddy bear.  I've never known or  heard of any other cat that liked to do that.

 



Further on Teddy

Barb said Teddy had a hard day learning to pee outside.

Puppy Name Change

Barney is now Teddy and here's why:

First off, name is final….Teddy….it just came out of the blue, but as folks said “you will know what to call him when you see him.”  And  I did.  He looks and feels like a teddy bear.  His little nose is just little gumdrop and re minds me of the nose on Fatso the overstuffed bear that we bought for Jojo before she was born. And we walk in Teddy Roosevelt Park each day, and we pass the statue of Teddy Roosevelt in front of the Museum each day

Mary's Hydrangeas

We had these growing up, but we called them snowballs... ours were always just white... maybe there are different varieties...

In any event, Mary says:

I cut back the hydrangea along the side of my house last fall (the gardener did most of the work) and they are healthier now.  This year some are very pink - usually those are all blue. It's all based on the pH level of the soil, although i didn't deliberately change it. There are three separate plants here. Maybe all the bunnies in the neighborhood did something to the soil.

Barb's New Baby

Introducing Baby Barney and his now-official new Mom, Barb.

We Cheated on Gracie

Instead of our usual Gracie dinner, I had suggested that this other diner called The Mansion (only because it is one block from Gracie Mansion where the Mayor lives) has good burgers. I had tried one the other day and rather than frozen patties, it's fresh ground beef on a more interesting roll... so we tried that. I had Swiss cheese and Barbara had cheddar and then we split our "well done" fries.

Since we were celebrating Flag Day (or so we claimed), Barbara stopped at Little Red Hen and got us cupcakes -- a carrot cake for her and a red velvet for me.

Both had cream cheese frosting.

Inside of red velvet

Inside of carrot cake

Mary has now sobered up from last night and reports...

Fran and went to Busboys and Poets in Arlington last night to celebrate her birthday. She had a sea bass sandwich and i had a cubano sandwich and we shared a wonderful appetizer of shrimp and a grits cake. It was spicy and wonderful. We even asked for bread just to shop up the goodness.

I don't know if she means "slop up the goodness" or "sop up the goodness" but you get the picture.

Toasting Fran on her birthday dinner

 Here's Mary out celebrating with Fran for her birthday. Happy Birthday, Fran!

Day on Long Island

It was really a glorious summer day and I was off to celebrate my twin nephew and niece's 15th birthday last week. They'd already celebrated, but this was Part 2. We sat outside for a while and it was good to get some sun... wasn't too warm and there was a lot of wind so it was comfortable. Sat outside, then went in, got Chinese food and sooner than I wanted it was time to go home.

Birthday girl Louisa with Holly

Birthday Boy Clark

Aunt Pat etal

What I'm Reading

 

1. Here's what Amazon says:

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Spellman Files series, Lisa Lutz’s latest blistering thriller is about a woman who creates and sheds new identities as she crisscrosses the country to escape her past: you’ll want to buckle up for the ride!

Flower Power

This is Barbara sitting among her blooming peonies.

Adelyn (Mary's Niece) Growing Up...

Chilly Wednesday

Yesterday's high was 86. Today it is windy and cold and the temps have dropped to the low 50s. I finally gave up pretending I wasn't cold and closed the garden door. This weather is crazy. Oh well, I'm saving on a/c electric bill... I'll think positively.

Ice Cream in East Hampton

This is Barb's son in law with her grandson, Ezra... the baby looks a bit startled and I told Barb I hope he is not a seccret baby-republican!

If your travels bring you to Austin...

Michelle recommends...

She says, "First nice day in weeks. So, a little trip downtown to see what Voodoo Donuts was all about... Let's see, a blueberry cake, a chocolate peanut, a coconut chocolate, a longhorn cream, an apple fritter and a fresh peach fritter. Please don't tell my doctors!"

 

 

Pat says, "If I got first choice, I'd take the apple fritter!"

Fran's Flaingo Spotting in DC

Migrant Workers

Fran says: Some pics from today's outing to Butler's Orchard near Greenbelt, Maryland. My friend David and I worked the strawberry fields. Strawberries everywhere (a sampling ready for you, Mary). In two weeks, the blueberries should be ready. Yum.

Mommy Goose

Mary says: One of the paddlers took this picture of the birds enjoying spring weather on the Anacostia a few weeks ago.

What I'm Reading

 

 

 

Julian Fellows is the (ahem) fellow who wrote Gosford Park and DowntonAbbey. This takes place in modern times... here's what Amazon says:

Edith Lavery, an English blonde with large eyes and nice manners, is the daughter of a moderately successful accountant and his social-climbing wife. While visiting his parents' stately home as a paying guest, Edith meets Charles, the Earl Broughton, and heir to the Marquess of Uckfield, who runs the family estates in East Sussex and Norfolk. To the gossip columns he is one of the most eligible young aristocrats around.

When he proposes. Edith accepts. But is she really in love with Charles? Or with his title, his position, and all that goes with it?

Mary's Rose

Everything's coming up roses in DC...