These photos were forwarded to me by a colleague ~ the guidance counselor at our school! Anyone with ties to Redneck USA ~ aka Southern Illinois ~ will appreciate the photos (aka memories???). :)

Redneck Power Ball Winner


Redneck Yacht


Redneck Horsehoes


Redneck Harley


Redneck Grill


Redneck Bass Boat


Redneck Shopping


Redneck Palm Pilot


Redneck Pet Carrier


Redneck Kitty


Redneck Doorbell

Do you think I could substitute Splenda? :)

Update: *WONDERFUL* news from Ft. Worth. Chris has been moved to a *regular* room ~ Room 497 in Richardson Tower for anyone wanting to send an e-mail. Whatever surgeons did Friday apparently helped more than any other treatments for the infection problem. Chris has been *eating* today and told Sister he wants *REAL* Sprite please. :) He also *stood* for the first time since the accident ~ on his good leg ~ no pressure yet on his bad leg, but we are so hopeful now. Keep the prayers aimed at Ft. Worth please. He still has a way to go, but thanks be to God for this news! :)

My apologies for being so neglectful with my blog. Besides being sidetracked with a super-busy school year ~ *FOUR* new textbooks, y'know, and a sophomore class that is *VERY* big and very under-achieving and very attitudinal ~ I have been dealing with a very painful herniated disc in my back after I tried to move a bookcase without removing the books first. I'm not quite the hoss I used to be. :) Even more serious, however, is the fact that my 25-year-old nephew, Chris, has been in the trauma ICU of Harris Methodist Hospital for over three weeks now, following a forklift accident where he works. Doctors are fighting valiantly to save his leg, but for every bit of encouraging news, there seem to be two setbacks. Infection has been a complication, and also Chris's spirits. Besides just dealing with his current situation, his fiancee was killed by a drunken teenage driver this summer. So please keep him in your thoughts and prayers, and if you would like to send him an e-mail of encouragement, you can here: https://www2.texashealth.org/contactus/volemail.asp.
You will need to designate the *Harris Methodist Ft. Worth* hospital as the recipient and the *Bloxom Unit Trauma ICU* as the room number ~ his full name is Christopher Vines. Hang on to your loved ones *tightly!* Life can change in a heartbeat!

For those of you who have been curious about how the kittens are doing, here are some photos that I took today. Dawson is the black and silver kitty, and Wader is all silver. They will be five months old on Monday! Would you believe that Dawson started out as an *entirely* black kitty? But now everything but his face, legs, and part of his tail are turning silver ~ while Wader, who was born all light gray, is getting to be a darker silver. :) If Woody had lived, he would look very much like Dawson ~ though maybe a little more silvery because Woody had more silver on him when he was teeny. We surely do miss our little Woody. :((( Dawson has become quite the cuddler and will come running for cuddles when he hears my back door opening ~ and then he jumps up onto the bench where we sit, waiting for me to join him. Wader is more stand-offish and will come *close* to me, expecting me to go to him so that he can get his belly rubbed. :) Wader loves belly rubs, but Dawson not so much. He prefers the cuddling. :)

I'll never forget 9/11 ~ or the man who helped us to begin the healing, Jack Buck, Hall of Fame announcer of the St. Louis Cardinals, whose poem still inspires us:

Since this nation was founded...under God
More than 200 years ago
We have been the bastion of freedom
The light that keeps the free world aglow
We do not covet the possessions of others
We are blessed with the bounty we share

We have rushed to help other nations
..anything...anytime...anywhere

War is just not our nature
We won't start...but we will end the fight
If we are involved we shall be resolved
To protect what we know is right

We have been challenged by a cowardly foe
Who strikes and then hides from our view

With one voice we say, "There is no choice today,
There is only one thing to do"
Everyone is saying - the same thing - and praying
That we end these senseless moments we are living

As our fathers did before...we shall win this unwanted war

And our children...will enjoy the future...we'll be giving.

Written by Jack Buck
September, 2001

I wonder how to make this recommendation to the judge? :)

News Item: In this undated photo provided by Rochelle Steffen, a 6-year-old Weimaraner, named Monte, poses for a photo with a football card of Michael Vick in its mouth in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The remains are being auctioned on eBay. Steffen of Cape Girardeau, gave every Vick card she owned to her dogs and let them go to town on the images of the Atlanta Falcons quarterback who is scheduled to plead guilty to a federal dogfighting charge Monday. (AP Photo/Rochelle Steffen)

Vikki's Note: Yesterday I read that all the dogs taken from Michael Vick's home would have to be destroyed since, obviously, they can't be magically transformed into gentle and loving pets. My heart broke all over again for those poor dogs. Michael Vick has been suspended from the NFL *indefinitely.* I hope that *indefinitely* becomes a synonym for *forever* in his case!

Baked potato, cottage cheese, and sliced tomatoes. :)

Maybe now life can return to normal?

Sad, isn't it? Here's my advice for anyone wanting to be President or Governor of IL: pay careful attention to what the incumbents are doing, and then do the opposite!

This is my old-age planning, too! :)

People who leave children and pets locked in closed-up cars during the *heat* of summer are either unforgivably stupid or unforgivably cruel ~ or both. I see nothing wrong with this kind of justice! :)

In case you can't read the balloons:
Panel 1 ~ "Yeah, you keep drinking, little guy..."
Panel 2 ~ "You're okay now..."
Panel 3 ~ "We're gonna get you nice and cooled off."
Panel 4/1 ~ "You better let his owner out of the car now, Nate."
Panel 4/2 ~ "Yeah, come on, buddy! I'm ROASTING in here with the windows up!"
Panel 4/3 ~ "Oh, NOW you care how hot it is in there."

I'm Catholic, and ~ unfortunately ~ I feel this way, too. My faith is strong, but lately I haven't been so happy with my church!

I care thismuch about Barry Bonds's breaking Hank Aaron's record. Hank Aaron was and is such a gentleman, and Bonds is so NOT. In my heart, Hammerin' Hank will remain Number One! :)

Stories like this help me keep my perspective as I face an $800 plumbing bill and several days with no hot water! Note to PETA, the ASPCA, and the Humane Society ~ keep up the pressure, guys! I hope Michael Vick never collects another penny of endorsement money and as little NFL money as is legally possible!

Speaking as someone who just spent nearly $500 trying to keep a kitten alive ~ and as just a human being in general ~ I think the death penalty is too good for the likes of Michael Vick. Let's spread dog food all over him and then lock him in a room with a pack of ravenous dogs and PETA people! GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRR! Or maybe do the same thing to him that he and his *peeps* did to those poor puppies???

Janet ~ thanks for the loving and understanding response to my last post. I am still missing my little guy a lot. He was just a baby, so I am struggling with the unfairness even though I know that God has His reasons and life is frequently unfair.

Today I received a sympathy card from the Flora Vet Clinic, where Woody passed away. It contained the story of the *Rainbow Bridge* that I mentioned in my previous post. For anyone who may not know about the Rainbow Bridge, here is the story ~ by an anonymous writer:

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

I take a lot of comfort from these words, not just for Woody, but for all my beloved pets who will be waiting for me later.

My baby boy didn't make it. :( Dr. Herliman called me early this morning to tell me that Woody had passed away overnight ~ I had been scheduled to pick him up today and bring him home. However, his frail, little body had handled all that it could I guess. I am heartbroken ~ but I will bring him home in a way: he is being cremated, and I will sprinkle his ashes beneath the lilac bush where he and his brothers played so happily and provided me with so much enjoyment when they were first venturing from the shed. Ironically, on the day I learned of his death, I also learned that he had been named Kitty of the Week for a Santa Barbara e-zine: http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?id=1839: a sweet tribute for such a sweet little guy. Mommy will see you again on the Rainbow Bridge, precious.

Happy 4th, everyone! Please keep my baby boy in your good thoughts. He's a very sick little kitty. :(

I have had a very sick baby boy. Woody has had prolonged diarrhea that Albon hasn't stopped. And wouldn't you know it ~ my vet's office is closed all this week. Consequently, I called the vet clinic I used before the Douglases opened their clinic here in Salem: the Flora Vet Clinic. It's 45 minutes from here, but I had to do something. Dr. Lacie was wonderful with Woody. The poor little guy has lost .7 of his 2.5 pounds during this ordeal, but please join me in praying that Dr. Lacie's treatments will heal the little guy.

What I actually wanted to share, however, was a brother's love in action. I've been trying to get Woody to drink Pedialyte to keep him hydrated. When he resisted drinking it from both bowl and dropper, I emptied the waterer and put the Pedialyte in there ~ about half and half with water ~ and he's drinking it better that way, thanks to his big brother, Joey. If I hadn't seen this myself, I wouldn't have believed it. I kept setting Woody next to the waterer, and he just stared at it. Joey was watching ~ and with his paw he tapped Woody on the top of his head, then guided him closer to the waterer, drank a bit himself, and then sat and watched until Woody drank water/Pedialyte, too. Woody has been drinking better since then. I told Joey that he is the *best* big brother ever! I'm sitting here bawling just thinking about it ~ of course, very little sleep doesn't help the emotions much. :) We had a rough overnight with Woody having two poo accidents on the bed. He was trying valiantly to get down and to the litter box, but he just couldn't make it. So I was changing bedding twice overnight and doing a couple of loads of laundry.

Please keep my baby boy in your good thoughts? The picture shows my two little boys on the back of the loveseat. :)

An *OLD* catcher like me can really identify with this dilemma! :)

So that's how people like *W* and *Gov. Rod* get reelected! :(

Since I shared the bad with you, I will now share the good, too. :)

You will recall my hassles with both the Tribute card people and with One Way Furniture about my jewelry armoire? Well, today I received some kitty furniture that I had ordered from Doctors Foster and Smith, a pet supply place that I have used frequently in the past. Because of the addition of Woody to my Kitty Cottage, I ordered the *Cozy Corner* kitty furniture.

Previously I have been extremely pleased with the sturdy quality of Drs. F/S cat furniture ~ so much that I have returned to buy more for both me and for Neighbor Elly.

Although the price of the *Cozy Corner* remained comparable to furniture I have bought from Drs. F/S in the past, the quality was extremely disappointing. Besides being rather difficult to assemble because of the tightness of the bolts, the overall quality and stability are flimsy, and the carpeting is of a much cheaper grade than that used on furniture I have bought from this store before. In fact, at *Wal-Mart* I recently bought a bigger tower that was of better quality and at half the price.

I e-mailed Drs. F/S this afternoon, and almost within the hour, I received a reply e-mail from their Customer Service, telling me to return the *Cozy Corner* for a complete credit. I wrote back, saying that I had already assembled the thing and that I didn't want to deal with the hassle of shipping back something so bulky.

Almost immediately, I received another e-mail with a $50 credit for any future order with Drs. F/S!!!! That was half what I paid for the *Cozy Corner.*

I was *AMAZED.* These days so many companies just want to pass the proverbial buck. Look at how *little* satisfaction I had from One Way Fruniture ~ and how much hassle I had with the Tribute people just to get them to credit my account for a check that they had cashed a month ago. So high fives to Doctors Foster and Smith. If you need anything for your pet, go here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/! A great ~ and ethical company with an on-the-ball customer service department!

More good news: Joey and Woody are actually becoming buddies now ~ though Woody is just a little intimidated by his *big* brother. After all, Joey weighs 20 pounds, and Woody weighs less than three pounds! However, Joey is learning to play more gently, and Woody is learning that Joey means no harm. In fact, yesterday when I awoke from a nap in my recliner, I had both my little boys on my lap, sleeping together! :) Good thing I have a *big* lap, huh??? :) Melanie and Chelsie are learning just to ignore their new little brother ~ Elly Fae still growls and hisses, but we're working on adjusting her cattitude. :)

Ta-da! Tribute has credited my account for the CapOne check! Yippee! I checked in first thing this morning, and then cut up my Tribute card, wrote them a letter telling them to close my account and why, and sent the card and letter on their way this afternoon! :) Even now I think Tribute might be trying to pull something because the money wasn't posted until *TODAY,* but the date given for the posting is May 24, the day before they cashed the check. Hmmm... But I won't make an issue of it ~ I just want to be done with these people!

And Woody had his first vet appointment this afternoon. Dr. Britt confirmed that he is a little boy. :) He didn't like being in the carrier at all, but he was so good at the vet even though we had to wait for a while.

He weighs a big two and a half pounds ~ he needs to be at five for his little operations. I asked Dr. Britt about Soft Paws, and she says they are worthless and come off after just a couple of days. So Woody got his toesies clipped today and will again when he has his booster on the 11th ~ and we'll see what his weight is then for declawing and neutering.

His itching was indeed fleas, so I had to buy Frontline for Joey and the girls. Woody got Advantage this time since he's so small, but on the 11th he will get Frontlined. I will need to Frontline Joey and the girls again, too, in about six weeks. Dr. Britt says Frontline lasts a lot longer than Advantage. He was dewormed, too, and got his shot ~ which took *three* sticks. I wasn't happy about that, but Dr. Britt said he has really thick skin, so the first stick was a problem, and then some off it spilled on the second, and she had to give him a third to make up the spilled amount. He didn't even peep ~ but for one who hates the crate, he was surely happy to get back in it ~ and even happier to get home.

I had no trouble Frontlining Joey, Melanie, and Chelsie, but Elly Fae put up such a fight that I had to call Neighbor Elly over to administer the Frontline while I held Elly Fae. Even then it was like World War III, and I was just sure Elly Fae would be mad at me for days ~ but an hour later she was wanting some cuddles. :)

My precious little boy is already costing me some big bucks ~ but he's worth it. :)

Happy Daddys Day to my daddy in Heaven. And thanks be to God ~ the MIA kittens and Prissy have come *safely* home! They were waiting for me for breakfast this morning. I will keep Woody inside though: putting him back outside now would be too cruel, and he seems to really like being inside. I explained the situation to Prissy, and she seemed to understand. :)

We have some changes going on. Wade turned up missing somehow ~ the last time I saw him was Thursday morning. And as of Friday evening evening Dawson was gone, too, and Prissy was nowhere around.

I am not THAT surprised about Dawson because lately he had been following Prissy every time she left the yard, but I am surprised about Wader because he was such a scaredy-cat about everything.

As you probably expect, Neighbor Elly and I are worried sick about both of the kittens ~ not so much Prissy because she is an experienced child of the streets, and she had been gone more and more lately.

I'm guessing that Willow had been alone the bigger part of Friday because when I checked into the shed after a workshop in Carlyle and then again after supper, she was very happy to see me. I just couldn't leave her alone in the shed overnight ~ especially with such mysteries connected to Wade's and Dawson's disappearances ~ so I brought her inside. My Fuzzy 4 are *NOT* happy about it ~ lots of growling and hissing, but I am praying they adjust soon.

Willow has done a lot of exploring and a lot of playing. She just ignores her siblings' lack of hospitality. :) She has been littering and eating just fine ~ and she loves to cuddle and purr. :) It looks like my Fuzzy 4 have become my Fuzzy 5 unless Dawson and Prissy show up? Just what I needed, huh? I asked the Lord to give me a sign if I was supposed to bring Willow inside, but I surely didn't want to sacrifice Wade and Dawson for the sign. :((((

There were still no sign of Prissy or Dawson or Wade this morning ~ and breakfast was one of the prime times to see them all. Prissy was *always* here for breakfast, and the kittens were all active and playing at that time of the morning. Some kitty *was* in the shed last night because I had left a little canned kitty food, and it was gone, and the litter had been used ~ not by a kitten though because the clump was bigger. We are keeping our eyes open, and today we even drove up and down streets in the neighborhood to see if we saw any of the missing kitties. Neighbor Florence and her kids and grandkids are on alert, too, and we even checked into animal control to see whether ours had been picked up, but no. I surely *thought* I had made them a comfy home, so we are hoping and praying that someone somewhere took them inside and is spoiling them outrageously?

The latest development is this: I have gender identity issues! Now that *Willow* is inside and I was able to get a good look at *her* beneath some decent lighting, methinks my Willow is really a Woody. :) I'll get confirmation Tuesday when he/she has his/her first vet appointment. However, I just looked at some pictures online, I am pretty darn sure I tried to make my little boy into a little girl. :)

Update on the Tribute card issue: They refused to talk to CapitalOne, citing third-party privacy issues. So CapitalOne sent me copies of the cancelled check. I will go on record now as stating that I sent TWO letters with appropriate enclosures and sent TWO faxes with the same attachments to Tribute on Thursday and Friday, and that money better be in my account SOON! GGGRRRR!

Not that I'm implying anything ~ okay, I am. :) And I must confess that having just read Seymour Hersh's *The Dark Side of Camelot,* I am sorely disillusioned by politicians past and present. At one time, I would have walked through the proverbial fire for Robert Kennedy. Okay, I probably still would ~ but not for his brother even if RFK asked me! While I can't and don't believe that JFK would have *really* compromised the safety of our country and integrity of the Presidency for a few rounds in a rumpus room, I do believe that he was a very naughty boy on a regular basis. I can't help wondering how different his situation would have been in *this* era of tabloid journalism????

I thought you might like an update on my grandkitties. Here you see Wade, Willow, and Dawson on the glider swing on my *pitio* ~ my *pitiful patio.* :) They are getting so big and *too* adventuresome for my peace of mind. I know they have to learn how to be outside kitties, but their *Grammy* can't help worrying about them. I wish I could bring them *all* inside ~ and I have been *thisclose* to bringing in Willow a couple of times. She is the one who likes me best ~ except for Prissy. What keeps me from bringing her in is having to leave Prissy, Dawson, and Wader outside ~ it just doesn't seem fair to them. We have a new tomcat in the neighborhood, and he's mean. Tonight Bootsie, another stray that my neighbor Elly and I feed, got into a big fight with him, helping Prissy protect the kittens. As usual, Bootsie took his licks ~ poor little guy ~ and Buster, yet another of our strays, wasn't around to help him. Elly and I put Neosporin on Bootsie's cuts ~ and cried because we can't do more to keep them all safe. :(

Another update on my Tribute card situation: I am going another round with Tribute. Today CapitalOne told me that Tribute had *cashed* their check, but the amount still wasn't showing up in my account either place. So I was on the phone about that for a while this morning. A CapitalOne account specialist is supposed to be faxing a copy of the cancelled check to Tribute, and then we will see what happens. So in the meantime, I guess I have to pay Tribute as if I owe them to avoid any negative consequences on my credit or late fees. :( It's always something, isn't it? Please send good vibes my way? :)

Memorial Day Part II! :)

I have another *buyer beware* for you. If ever you get a tempting credit card application from Tribute cards, throw it immediately into the nearest trash can.

I should have suspected that these people were trouble from the very first when errors at their Web site prevented my registering my account online ~ and there was no link to report the problem then. Subsequently, I tried to phone in the problem, only to be told by the customer service dude that there was nothing he could do about the Web site. Finally, after about three months, someone caught on to the problem, and I did register ~ much to my relief because I do a lot of online banking. However, by then, the high interest rates were beginning to register in my teeny brain ~ my own fault there.

My next step was to attempt to transfer my Tribute balance to my CapitalOne card. Although CapitalOne reported that the transfer had been made, it didn't show up in my Tribute account ever. When I called Tribute, once again, I was moved through an automated round of voices and ultimately told *Good-bye!* by the automated voice. I tried again ~ punching buttons for options that didn't fit my situation just to see whether I could get a real person. I finally did ~ but he couldn't tell me why the credit wasn't showing up in my account ~ only that it wasn't. Well, duh. So he put me on hold for a good ten minutes and came back to tell me that Tribute doesn't accept transfers?????

I called CapitalOne back, and they have put a stop payment on their check to Tribute and will send me a credit card check to deposit enough money into my personal checking account to pay off Tribute and close that account-from-Hell.

So learn from my experience, Grasshoppers. CapitalOne has been *fantastically* helpful and polite ~ Tribute so *not.* Of course, the bigger lesson might be to avoid using credit cards at all ~ but if you must use one, CapitalOne gets my vote forevermore! What's in your wallet??? :)

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh ~ in the good ol' summertime...! :)

Kudos to the judge for bringing us to this emPARISsing event! :)

Never forget the power of prayer ~ aka *knee mail*! :)

One of my former students ~ and always one of my *baby boys* ~ sent this to me, and I thought it would be good to share it on this Memorial Day:

Here's one woman who is telling it like it is...in her opinion! Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady.

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they? And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all. I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns him self in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are so mehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights. In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured; I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the Bank; I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts; I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and -you guessed it - I don't care!

And may I add: "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

I have another quote that I would like to add AND.......I hope you forward all this.
"If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." also by Ronald Reagan

One last thought for today: In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America, he said: "A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in... And how many want out."

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom. YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BO TH OF THEM. AMEN!

Thanks for sharing with me, Chrissy! :) Love and huggies to you and your girls!

God bless America and the men and women who made and keep us free.