The Problem with Throwing a Dog a Bone

Brain cancer is...

...very much regretting his decision to give Beowolf a treat.

Did you know that, in Beowolf’s life, Darrell is the Giver of Treats?  

Today we brought Beowulf home and babysat Nova (hurrah!). 

Darrell gave Beowolf a bone that was apparently so valuable that Beowolf had to hide it...behind the couch. 

The dog immediately regretted his choice of hiding places and begged for assistance to retrieve he treasure (above).

Nova recognized the complexity of the issue.

Fortunately Tiana came home just then and shined some light on the problem.

 

The bone was retrieved, and we all ended this episode just a little wiser about dogs and their treats.

Along the lines of “all’s well that ends well”...

Apparently there are no hard feelings between Nova and the baby she hid in the broiler the other day (here).  

 

She actually made little chirping noises as she encouraged her mama to hug the babies.  Sweet.

Hope your treats were easy to reach today, loved ones!

Today’s Bloom

It’s all green, and it’s bringing us joy.  LuAnn gave us this potted arrangement for just a little more  magic on our magic patio.

Back in the Saddle

Brain cancer is...

...back in the saddle.

We're getting back into our flatland routines, which include walking at the park and (for Darrell) daring to climb the gate that others merely walk around.  You need the video version?  It's here:

YouTube Link

Well done, Big D.  

We hope your obstacles were similarly self-imposed...and/or surmountable...today!

More flatland routines: Appreciating backyard wilderness when it's what we've got.  

 1.  We call this one Lizard with Bamboo.

2.  Darrell watched a crow soak peanuts in the bird bath.

It made us appreciate the jays' style: take out.

 

Today's Bloom

The tulip saga unfolds.

 

 

Tiny Finale

 Brain cancer is...

 ...almost done with the "tiny" thing.  We promise.

We had delightful morning, basking in the Southern California sunshine and in Nova's escapades.

We kept the tiny dog (above) for a couple days for our tiny finale.  

 

Okay, and also, I need to admit one more tiny thing. We only speak the truth in our posts, but I didn't tell the whole truth yesterday.  I did make a full sized flan, but when I checked the fridge this morning, I remembered that I also made a tiny flan.

It seems best that I admit it and we all just move on.

A good distraction:

How to Know Someone Belongs in Your Family

She likes horses.

She responds favorably to her first doughnut.

She enjoys a good story...

...to the extent that she puts her feet on the table.

Updated 11/29/20:  She knows how to hide a body.

You're in, Nova B.

Happy Tiny Finale Saturday, Team D!

Today's Blooms

From Melanie's apparently purple-themed backyard

Tiny Guests, Tiny Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving 2020-03)

Brain cancer is...

...enjoying Thanksgiving Day #3 with tiny guest Nova.

Actually, we enjoyed it with her parents too, but only Nova's meal was tiny.  For our third day of celebration, we had nontraditional Thanksgiving foods for our meal, all her parents' favorites.

Above you can see Nova's tiny meal version of our dinner:  Scallops with linguini, crab cakes, roasted broccoli, and (not pictured) New York steaks.  Also not shown:  I made flan.  Full sized, not tiny.  I hope I don't hit some baking quota before year's end.  Is there such a thing? I wouldn't know.

Our gratitude meter dial spun quickly today, taking our count of "thankful things" into the high triple digits.  Here are some pictures of the small moments for which we were grateful today:

Happy Kids

Nova's Requisite Pool Party

Already Time for Nova's First Advent Calendar

Dingle Ball Stroll:  Already!!

Just like that, one holiday of gratitude led right into the next. 

We are so very grateful to for all we have to celebrate together, Team D. Thanks for you.

Today's Blooms

We are fascinated by tulips, which more than any other of our cut flowers, continue to grow.  They look a little scary.

Still Counting (Thanksgiving 2020-02)

 Brain cancer is...

 

...enjoying Thanksgiving dinner for two.

Our gratitude list was at 38 this morning, and that was before coffee (which became #39 on the list).

We hope that your hearts are full no matter how many people are at your table.

Today's Blooms

The bees (who are #40 on our list) and we are grateful that our melaleuca tree is blooming (#41).

Too Many Thanks for One Day (aka Thanksgiving 2020-01)

Brain cancer is...

...lobbying for extending the Thanksgiving holiday.

Darrell and Andrea hereby propose extending 2020 Thanksgiving to a period no fewer than three days.

All of you we've talked to launch immediately and energetically into gratitude talk.  Clearly we are all feeling grateful for how much goodness fills our lives, despite (or because of?) the absolute wildness of 2020.  One day of celebrations just won't do.

We invite you to join us this year in extending (not curtailing) the holiday.  

Final note on this matter:  It goes without saying that we make this request because we're the boss of us and NOT because COVID is limiting gathering sizes.  Clearly and unquestionably not. 

 

Thanksgiving 2020-01:  Grateful for Gordon and LuAnn

We talked for hours outdoors with each parent, after missing three weeks of their company. Wonderful!  

Because we saw Gordon and LuAnn today and not tomorrow, we left them with homemade tiny pies and mini ice creams.  

For those of you who might struggle to believe that Andi made pies twice in one year (first peach basil pie for birthday month and now tiny pies), here's the evidence:

Mostly we just like saying "tiny pies."

Here's to you and all you're grateful for on whichever day this is in your gratitude sequence, Team D!

Today's Blooms

Gordon's azalea

LuAnn's begonia

About the begonia:  Its leaves have polka dots.

If I ever sprout leaves, let them have polka dots.  Polka dot leaves are as good as tiny pies.

From Stressed to Sassy Before Seven

Brain cancer is...

 ...done with Step One in Cancer Course.

Can you believe it's time for Darrell's Cancer Course already?  Blood work is always the first step, to clear him for the MRI.  The scan is two weeks from today.

We were up at 5:45 today to make it to the lab first thing.  (Which is important because...?) 

Social distancing has changed now from not every other seat but every third or fourth, as you see above.  Safety first.

You also see that Darrell is looking pretty smug.  He went from being pretty anxious ("Can Andi get in?"  "Will the line be out the door?" "Will the doctor's order be in place?") to sassy in just 20 minutes.  Love it. 

Here's our question about blood work:  You know how athletes go to high altitudes to train, so that when they play at a lower elevation, they are like oxygen machines?  We're wondering if Darrell's blood will show evidence of his high elevation life.  Like maybe his midi-chlorians will be off the charts? 

Here's to you and your midi-chlorians, Friends!

No More Skelly Guilt

 

Chris sent visual evidence that some Skellies do have more than seasonal work.  Check out the Chino Skelly, ready for any new fires.

We love that fire fighting Skelly has a friend, and the friend has a friend.  And flowers.

Today's Blooms

Wait. When is it right now?

Brain cancer is...

  

...time warping.

It was dark when we drove through our Fullerton neighborhood today and we saw all manner of lit up holiday decorations:  winter, Hanukah, Christmas, and Thanksgiving.  One neighbor has nine huge blow up turkeys.

When we opened our door, there was Skelly (above), slumped and obviously exhausted from being on duty for an extra three weeks in our absence.  We put him right to bed, poor guy.

Our clocks were all off an hour too.  And...

 ...our bed became tiny!

 

Clearly we missed a substantial set of happenings in 24 days.  Here's to CA20-24.

Here's to birthday woman Anne Marie who kept the house going in our absence.

And here's to all the holidays that need celebrating, Party People!

Today's Blooms

Ms. Thai Basil, from Gail, kept on blooming to welcome us back.

Great Day Parameters

 Brain cancer is...

...happy.

Before saying good night last night, the Social Director asked if we had any parameters for him in building today's activities.  "Why, yes," we told him.  "These three things:"

1.  Keep us away from people.

2.  No CSUF work.

3.  No preparatory cleaning or packing."

 

He did a great job with the day's itinerary.

 

When we work up this morning, Shadow was waiting by the deck, eager to feed the birds.  

That set the tone for the Social Director’s perfectly planned leisurely day, with one final hike through the forest (above, top).  

 

Because we had nothing but time, we took pictures of plants--for no other reason than they they interested us.

Moss on the north side of the tree (We did check.)

Poison oak, we think (We did NOT check.)

Dried "tiny apple" (mazanita)

 

 Thanks, Social Director, for the helpful lesson:  Setting parameters shapes a great day.

We hope your day was even better than ours, loved ones!

Today's Blooms

We know of no one who is better with cyclamens than Geoff.  And he's landscaping with a red-and-white theme for the holidays.  Hurrah!  Things to look forward to!

The Emcee has friends.

 Brain cancer is...

...joined by an expanding cast of characters.

The Emcee recently had us watch an episode of Columbo called Troubled Waters (the one where Mrs. Columbo won the cruise; reviewed here).  Apparently the well dressed characters on a '70s cruise ship inspired The Emcee to invite some of his friends over.

 

Above you see:  The Chef. He wears a chef's hat, obviously.  His role is, with a highly improvised French accent, to describe the meals he prepares:

We've also met The Social Director.

He has taken over the task of preparing the list of activities for the day and of ensuring that they proceed without a hitch.

We've also met The Purser and The Professor, but I didn't have my camera out.

Here's hoping that new characters in your life enhance the quality of your cruise too!

 

Soaking It Up

Tomorrow (Sunday) is our last full day here.  We started the morning--bird time, as per the Social Director's schedule--feeling a little sad.  

But then we realized that today is CA20-22 (Cabin Adventure 2020, Day 22) and we still have a couple days to go.  We will break our own record for length of stay up here (set in 2019 with 22 days) without even counting. So now we're just soaking it up.  

Here are a few things we won't take for granted:

1.  Four-finch line ups

2.  Big rocks.  Snow.

3.  Maggio's pizza on the deck

4.  Mt. San Gorgonio

5.  Today's Blooms