Kiz_Paws Bag Of Trix

Quite a bit has been going on out here in the Canadian Prairies, not excluding all the snow. Snow, snow, glorious SNOW! Pepper is in seventh heaven and is a willing and cheerful companion out there in the backyard with me, shovel in hand, carefully shovelling out the 'doggy trails' that I make for her every winter. Our backyard becomes a maze of these 'trails', but hey, this is one way that I can control just where that pup travels when sent outside (not for long, though, when it is cold). Remember that this is the pup that continually gets herself into trouble during the Mushroom Months ... sigh

Anyhooooo .... the great news of late is that my brother is a grandfather twice over. This is such an overwhelming thought, he and I grew up side by side, and when we were real little, people actually thought that we were twins (two little blondies). Both his kids got married a few years ago. But February 2008 both couples had a pleasing announcement -- a baby was on its way. And to make the long story short, a baby girl was born at the end of October, and a baby boy was born a week later. I don't think I've ever seen my brother happier (or more proud). He wears his "grandpa" tag like he was born for it, lol.

During the festivities and joy of the babies, my dad had gone for his yearly checkup. The doc found things wrong where my dad's kidneys were concerned. Such a dark cloud fell over the family, particularly him. This man is NEVER depressed, always footloose and fancy free, always a cheery word, a joke, you get the picture. He lives within walking distance of me, so he was walking daily over here, snow, cold, whatever... just to get away from his thoughts and worries. I know that Pepper and I cheered him up a lot, I mean, if you knew Pepper, well, there's no shortage of zany stuff where she is concerned. It is about ten days since he went for all the tests, and today he got his phonecall.

~~CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH~~

He called me and wished me a Merry Christmas, that the best present that he could have ever received was this news. I had tears running down my cheeks as I heard him bubble away on that phone about how things were going to be ok, and all that jazz. I think we can easily say that I have had my best present ever, too. My dad and I are very close, and to have this niggling fear about him and his health was quite overwhelming for me.

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It is my dad's birthday on Sunday and the family will get together, but what he does NOT know, is a little scheme that my youngest brother and I have cooked up. My youngest brother lives in another province, he is the only one (of the five kids my parents had) that moved away from the prairies and it was not in the stars this year that he come home for the Holidays. Of course my parents were disappointed, but they know that in-laws count too, so this year my brother would not be home.

WELL -- in light of this health scare of my dad, my brother asked me to pick him up at the airport in the early afternoon of dad's birthday. He bought plane tickets and is planning to surprise my dad on his birthday. My brother didn't know at the time of buying the tickets how this health business was going to go, good or bad news, so he just decided to book a flight and get the heck home, even for a short visit. I am the only one who knows, so when I arrive at dad's with my brother by my side, it is going to be awesome!!

Well, enough of my family tales, let me just say that I am so happy, so thankful, so at peace right now. Snow is softly falling, and Pepper wants badly to go outside and romp around. Think I'll join her.

I want to leave you with a few pictures that I took in October. I haven't felt like blogging for awhile (guess its understandable), but anyhow, hope you like. You will meet Billy, my best friend, in said pictures.

A tree in my yard that turns this beautiful shade in Autumn

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Weird cloud formation over the harbour

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The sun lazily going down at the lake

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By the Wobbly Pier, where the sky looks like it should be the waters ....

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Billy at the cabin

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Billy relaxing on stone bench

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Pepper sporting her turtleneck sweater and her jaunty red harness

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Gotta go and bundle up now, a very patient dog awaits some playtime!

Love Always,
K♥zzo