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Monday, May 31, 2010

On Memorial Day - And Soldiers Angels


I am waiting for a picture of my son Anthony (ANG) marching in today's Memorial Day parade.  I was really sad not to be able to go myself due to my recent surgery.  Well, knowing how "kids" are, especially my kids, I'm not holding my breath for the picture.  Instead, I present Pa, my Pa, Thomas Walker.  At least, his photos in his uniform, and his memorial flag.  Pa served in the US Navy as a machinist during World War II.  He was a wonderful man, and I'm sure he was a wonderful soldier.  He and Anthony make me understand that our men and women in uniform are human beings with lives and loves.  They deserve our honor and respect for going that extra mile, or thousands of miles, by giving of themselves selflessly to ensure our freedoms, yours and mine, whether we deserve them or not.

If you want to know how to support our deployed soldiers, veterans, and their families, please go to http://www.soldiersangels.org/ and sign up.  There are so many teams.  You can write, give, ship, send greeting cards, bake cookies, make quilts for wounded soldiers, lap afghans for veterans, you name it.  If you have a gift, you can use it there for sure.  They even supply hand crafted canes to injured vets!!!

Now, I wasn't sure I was going to mention this, and I'm not judging.  I'm just wondering why our Commander in Chief couldn't tear himself away from his vacation today to attend the services at Arlington National Cemetery.  I realize that other presidents weren't always able to make the services, but not because of vacation.  Maybe our armed forces are doing such a GREAT job maintaining our freedoms that it has become too easy for some to take them for granted.  I'm not sure, I'm just sayin'.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

They Helped - And I Needed Them!




Sorry to have been away for so long. I had some really stinky surgery on my left foot last week, and it left me almost completely helpless. Now I am hobbling around on crutches, but I'm still very, very limited in what I am able to do.

For the first few days, Stiva took care of me and the house by himself. This included administering PAIN medications on DEMAND (oh, I never want to go back to that pain again), keeping my foot packed in ice around the clock for 48 hours or so, running the household, taking care of the garden, cooking, cleaning, caring for the animals, and even painting and reorganizing a spare room upstairs. He was exhausted, and I don't blame him.
Then, two angels descended on the Haney Place in the form of Kimberly (my daughter) and Nikki (I want to adopt her for my own). They cooked, they cleaned, they fetched me glasses of water and cups of tea, they did laundry, they took care of the dogs. You name it, and they did it. And during the whole week they were here, they kept the atmosphere in the house upbeat, fun, and most often, downright silly. God love 'em, I appreciate so much what they did!!

They even baked soldier cookies!!!  (And walked the packages to the post office and filled out the customs forms, to boot!)



So they just left, and it's quiet here.  Maybe a little too quiet.  But I'm sure quiet and rest will help me mend more quickly.  But it won't be half as much fun!!!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

That Face!!!


As proud as I am of my son, the face I'm referring to is that dear little bundle of joy, Lekya.  Look at that smile!!!  Doesn't it just heal you right to the core of your heart?  And best of all, she calls me Meemaw.....

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

We DO Love Her

This sight greeted us upon our return from work today.  We DO love her, and actually celebrate the "naughtiness" as progress out of her "super shy" self.  At least today, it was her own bed and not our mattress, as it was a few days ago!!


Please note the sweaters, socks and other personal items she retrieved from the dirty laundry to comfort and amuse herself with. 

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Hoppin' John

I started with the Goya recipe on the bag of black eyed peas, but mightily modified it as follows:

Take a pound of black eyed peas.  Put them in a big pot with about 4 cups of water, and bring to a boil.  Shut it off, and put it on the back of the stove.  Meanwhile...

Fry up some sausage.  Tonight we used about 1/2 lb. of chorizo and 1/2 lb of smoked sausage.  Use whatever you have.  Fry it up, take it out of the pan, leave the fat in the pan, and then...

Chop up the following:
  • at least one large onion
  • at least two stalks of celery
  • about one pepper, green, red, whatever you have.
Throw the vegetables into the pot with the fat (and some olive oil, if needed) till somewhat tender.

Throw everything into the pot with the beans and water.  Also, grind in some sea salt or kosher salt, and some freshly ground pepper.  A splash of green picante sause gives it just a little kick.

Cook it all up till the beans are almost tender.  Then throw in a cup of uncooked white rice, and simmer slowly for 15 more minutes

It's healthy, tasty, warm, filling, CHEAP, oh, excuse me, frugal, gluten-free, and best of all, AWESOME!!!

It's Called Hoppin' John

Dinner wasn't till 8 tonight (not horribly bad when you work till 5:30 and don't appreciate fast food).  It was something called Hoppin' John, and we will DEFINITELY be having it again.  I can't even imagine anything better than black eyed peas.  They are God's gift to a hungry, broke, world.  It's two kinds of sausage (in my recipe) black eyed peas, rice, three kinds of vegetables.  It's scrumptious.



The recipe is here: 

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Deputy Barney Fife Says..

Deputy Barney Fife Says it is 11:00 PM and on May 2, 2010, it is still nearly 90 degrees in the kitchen here at the haney place.  I am sweating.

John & Terri

John K.  Bless him.  He's over there.  He has already been almost taken out by a roadside bomb.  He's away, because it would appear to be the only way to provide for his wife and children.  One wife, three precious little boys.  Little HANDFULs, if you will excuse the expression.

This photo is John re-enlisting.  Awesome, patriotic, wonderful, right?  Let me tell you, this man's family needs him.  So much.  And he IS doing what he needs to do.  They have a secure roof, good benefits, what they need, right?  He's protecting your right to sit in your comfort and read this internet post.  Even if you're being a jerk tonight, Johh is on duty, making sure you are secure.  And Terri is over HERE, making sure John's babies are safe and secure.



Terri is struggling being a single mom with some "creative" kids.  Bless her.  You have no idea.  She's doing a wonderful job, but she needs our prayers and support.

How many families are hanging on by a thread, just like this precious family?  This family needs every bit of our wonder, appreciation, thankfulness, and support.  And how many more are just exactly like them?

Bless them, thank them, find them, help them.  If you don't know how, go to http://soldiersangels.org/.  They will help you figure it out.  You owe them your peaceful night's sleep tonight, or any night.  You owe them the fact that car bombs aren't going off in your neighborhood.  Don't think so?  Stay tuned, friend.  I'm just sayin'

Oh, can I just say THANK YOU JOHN & TERRI!!!!!  I don't go to sleep at night, any night, that I don't thank God for all of you.  You are silent heroes.  You are my heroes.  Those children are my heroes!!!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Baby

That's her name, at least right now.  Her name is Baby, and she has a home.  For tonight.

Let me explain.  Steve and I went to my friend's house early in the day (Linda Brown -- she knows who she is!!!)  We went there with our little cultivator to help Linda till up her front yard, which had previously been yucked up by grubs.

So there we were, me and Linda, supervising Big Steve while he cultivated her front yard.  And then the suggestion was made that some peat moss would be a very good thing.  Linda Brown indicated that she believed she had some in her (rarely frequented) garage.

So we went out the the aforementioned garage.  And the mournful cry, the feeble meow, that desperate cry for help welcomed our peat moss seeking ears.  My first thought was OMG.

Linda's brother (deathly allergic to cats) came out and urged us on "Get that stuff out of the way!!!" as we made our way to the little thing - an orange marmalade tabby now known as "Baby".  She had been trapped for some time -- long enough to be horribly dehydrated and starving to death.

The long story -- several phone calls to local vets, rescue groups -- finally we got a real person at the end of the phone.  I can't say enough for these dear people.  They thanked me for bringing Baby in - all I could think of was THANK YOU FOR BEING AWESOME HUMANS WHO ACTUALLY CARE!!!  I don't know, but lately I have had the feeling that the majority of people are out for what they can get. Here is their website:  http://all-creatures.org/ak/index.html  They are the best people you will ever meet.  Or SUPPORT!!!

The plain and simple fact is that there are still plenty of people out for what they can GIVE!!!

I wish I had a picture, but I'm pretty sure my tears of fear, worry, and ultimately gratitude would have clouded it.  I'm pretty sure most of my excessive tears were for the beauty of these selfless people -- the knowledge that GOOD is strong and present -- despite how it seems in my everyday life.  All I know is, these people are awesome.  If you are in the neighborhood for a pet, please go see these wonderful people.  If not, please go there and make some small contribution.  In Baby's name.