Scariest picture of the day -- can you see those orangey-colored leaves on that tree in Gene's yard across the street from our house??? OMG
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Saturday, July 31, 2010 - Every year since I can remember (and we've been here for 20 years), that tree across the street is the first one to get fall-colored leaves.

It usually is full-blown orange during August. Wait a minute! August is tomorrow! It's a day early. Must be that darn global warming again causing chaos and disruption.

Interesting note to no one in particular: I sent my FIRST text message today all by myself. Wasn't sure exactly what I was doing but apparently, I have to receive one before I can send one, otherwise, I have no idea what I'm doing. And it worked! Hooray!!!!

I'm ALMOST a junior-senior techie. The next thing you know, I'll be getting an iPod touch. Those are very cool. Or maybe I'll get a new a computer that's NOT 8 years old. haha It's slow but it still works. What am I in a hurry for anyway?

That reminds me..... My Andrew-Jarrett.com website is having some serious publishing issues so that's why I'm writing on here instead of on there. It's supposed to publish to the server only the changes (which takes a few minutes) however, it's sick and confused and takes 6 hours instead to publish the ENTIRE website which is 17,206KB -- therein lies my problem.

However, I will be getting some pages together for Gladys and Gale's 90th birthday which are located on the boys' website - that's coming up on August 17th. Happy Boofday to the Twins. lalalalalala

All righty --- gotta go. My eye needs a break. bye, djb

Here's Jarrett's class photo from 4th grade - 1997-98. Ryan's photo is the last one. Now, they're all 22 years old (mas o menos). Life goes on...
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Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - Imagine my complete and utter delighted surprise to see a posting on the Guestbook for my Andrew and Jarrett dot com website from Ryan Well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, that really means a lot to me.

We always wondered why we didn't hear from Ryan after Jarrett died. They spent a lot of time together over the years -- I always remember the infamous December 31, 1999 birthday party for Jarrett (right before Y2K). oh yeah!

It seems to me that even though someone isn't here on the planet physically, it doesn't minimize the ripple effect of that person's influence on the life of a close friend -- years later. The memories, the fun times, the shared experiences....

Wow, thanks for that, Ryan. You totally made my day. With love and hugs, Jarrett's Mom ;)

These are the darker pink stargazers in the middle flower bed, along with the white freckle-faced stargazers. I do believe they have cross-pollinated and become a hybrid....
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Monday, July 12, 2010 - After seeing these pictures, I realize that there has been a change in these flowers over the years. It seems that when I planted them, I had MORE of the darker pink stargazers than the white ones. Something's not right here.

They are truly gorgeous in person. It reminds me of the poster someone made for Andrew and Jarrett's funeral -- "They landed Among the Stars."

See ya later, djb

Here's the plain stargazer lily. I'm always surprised when I see them come out instead of the pink, flashy ones. But these are the ones with the unbelievable aroma. It's awesome.
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The white/yellow stargazer plants are over 6 feet tall. They are just unbelievable!! I do absolutely nothing to these flowers and they grow like crazy. Go figure!
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Thursday, July 1, 2010 - Okay, here's the pictures of the other stargazer. The only reason I know they're stargazers is because they were in the same bag with the pink ones. When I first planted them many, many years ago, they were regular size and kind of interesting.

NOW.....they're crazy huge. Excuse me for waxing poetic but I love these guys. They're striking and impressive for only a few weeks or so and then they'll be gone. So, I enjoy them tremendously while they're here.

later gator, djb

Here's Andrew and Jarrett's trees the other day. You can see their gravestone in the background right between them. That's cool.
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Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - Right now (8:21 a.m.), we're in the midst of a severe weather outbreak. We're supposed to have storms this morning -- then after they pass through, the temperature is going to rise up into the 90's -- and that will result in MORE severe weather later today. Oh boy! Can't wait for that.

As I was taking the garbage out this morning, I encountered a FROG in the garage. Anyone who knows me very well, knows how I feel about frogs -- they're just one step above mice on my phobia scale. haha BUT, this time, I just told him to get out the way, I've got work to do.

After I took the garbage out to the street, I left all the doors open in the garage, so he could go back to nature. He might have come in when I brought my flowering baskets into the garage last night so they could escape the wind and heavy downpours that were predicted. Oh, those didn't happen did they. This weather is bizarre. It actually feels like Florida these past few days.

I'd better go check the western horizon and see what's going on out there. See ya later, djb

Here's another view of the dark and scary western sky - Friday, June 18, 2010 at 3:27 p.m.
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Saturday, June 19, 2010 - I'm not sure if my camera actually has captured how dark and ominous this really looked. It was so creepy and foreboding. You just knew that nothing good could come out of this situation. At least, we didn't have any trees ripped out of the ground.

After the storm passed through, it kind of cleared up for a while BUT there was another system out in Iowa that came in at around 10 p.m. last night. That one was more rainy with lightning and thunder than the previous hurricane-force windy storm.

I'm not sure why we keep having these storms that are almost training across the upper part of the country but it can stop now. Down south, they NEED the rain and we NEED the sun. Let's switch this out for a few months. Hot and dry sounds good to all of us. However, we're supposed to have more storms tomorrow night and Monday and Tuesday....yikes!!!!

It's funny because everyone says that it's just like last summer except that it's warmer. We froze last year.... So, maybe next summer, it'll be hot and dry and we can actually swim in our pool every day. That would be sweet.

Must go pick up sticks. That'll be too much fun. later, djb

Here are Andrew and Jarrett's girly cousins. Actually, they're all first cousins, once removed. Lexi, Christa, KK, Kylie, Zegan, Jessica, Adelyn and Kylie holding Trax the cat that was found by the railroad tracks -- thus, the cute name.
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Thursday, June 17, 2010 - We went over to Chana on Sunday. Bev called early in the morning and invited us to come over for a get-together for Uncle Ted and Aunt Vada's 60th wedding anniversary. It was SO good to see everyone.

I haven't seen most of them for two years since I got the shingles and have been sickly and pitiful and in pain and mostly unable to travel very far. Now, with my new drops, I can at least spend a day away without any major repercussions.

The girls swam in the pool most of the afternoon. There was a quick rain shower for a while and some of us old people said, "hey, look out, you're going to get wet." haha very funny!

That's all for now folks. bye, djb