basement

March 20, 2016

Thou art with me

  
THIS DESCRIBES MY KITTEN, PANZER! He has snuck past Blue dog’s self appointed guard post at the top of the basement stairs TWICE in recent days! The first time I found the cat on the stove while Blue kept staring down the basement staircase not knowing he and Panzer were on the same floor in adjacent rooms. The second time we realized Panzer wasn’t in the basement I took Blue out for a walk while my oldest son shook the cat food bag until he found the kitten upstairs in my room.   

 The stare down. 

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

March 20, 2016

Advertisement
March 17, 2014

cat vs. dog

I carried Blue dog to the basement today. He let me and didn’t thrash about. I am so tired of my animals not getting along. Get over it already. Snuggles the cat ran. Blue got ahold of her with his mouth. She got her claws into his face and held on. I didn’t know what to do then. I made him drop her. She ran upstairs and hid in the laundry room. She came out for my youngest son, age ten. She let me pick her up. No blood. Just saliva on her tummy. I held her. Told her she was the fuzzball boss and needed to let Blue know it. Carried her to the basement where the dog still was. Blue was waiting at the bottom of the stairs but not barking. That was good. Better was that when Snuggles snarled at him from my arms and went to jump, Blue ran up the stairs on his own and Snuggles found a basement spot of her own. Since then Blue has fussed at the top of the basement stairs, but won’t venture down on his own. He doesn’t like the feel of the painted wood. Too slippery. Afraid he’ll fall. They look too steep from the top. We’ll try again another day, even though my sons think I am crazy for what I did today. Just get along. I also told Miss Snuggles that I loved them both. She is my favorite cat and Blue is my favorite dog. That my heart was big enough to love them both. Oh. She heard me. She’s thinking about. Though feline plotting is more like it. *sigh* =^.^=

March 16, 2014

January 4, 2014 Image

vivid crazy daisy blooms
and a shamrock plant for luck
are the flora and fauna
keeping me company
in the kitchen
plants hold down the counter top
I hold down the sink edge
elbows propped up
leaning, typing, thinking
as I pause just a moment
to daydream and woolgather
before moving the dirty dishes
along to the dishwasher
as happy voices drift up
my boys are playing in the basement
after visiting the kitchen for food
(thus, the dishes)
Blue dog is alternately napping
and wild front window woofing
‘cause the new neighbor
is having a moving party
the street is lined
with pick up trucks
my brother and his son
are coming over later
in this very moment
life is good
thankful and blessed
smiling a l’il brighter
thanks to a bouquet of
vivid crazy daisies
and a shamrock plant for luck
that I’ve kept alive
for nearly a whole year
I’m still here too
not sure what to do next
never had coffee today
wishing for a nap

January 4, 2014

January 12, 2013

smiling aunt heaven (part 2)

That sweet, two year old girl wanted to go UPstairs, looking for her big four year old brother and bigger twelve year old cousin. She walked into the bedroom and said, “Where are the guys?” I replied, “They are DOWNstairs.”

So, she and I scooched down the stairs on our bottoms, laughing aloud the whole entire way. She led the way to the basement stairs, located just around the corner. I was surprised when she paused at the tippy top, handed me her wooden cars, said “Scared” and lifted her arms for “up.” 

As if I weren’t already head over heels in love, with my one and only niece, she looked at me with the cutest grin, and adamantly declared, “Let’s draw!” Oh, I found crayons and paper FAST! 

Good medicine. The best kind. Lotsa lotsa love.

~ Aunt Janean

January 12, 2013

December 31, 2012 Image

I just shouted down the stairs to my youngest son, “It’s snowing!” He ran upstairs, from the basement depths, and promptly spread the word, by shouting the same to his big brother. My mom is probably doin’ some happy snow shoutin’ and smilin’ of her own, for a love of snow runs in the family. Blue dog loves snow too. Woof.

December 31, 2012

November 4, 2012 Image

The oven timer beeped, “done” at 8:30a.m.
I asked my youngest son, as he was quietly sitting nearby, to tell his big brother, “The cinnamon rolls are ready, it’s time for him to save his game, power down and come upstairs to eat.”
Next thing I knew the basement door was flung open, and that littlest boy used a great big voice to shout, “Get your butt up here! Breakfast is ready!”
I gotta admit, his big brother listened and I laughed aloud in reply.
I was still chuckling and smiling as I handed ‘em each a plateful of iced, cinnamon goodness, baked from a refrigerated Pillsbury tube.
Good morning.
May your day be A Good One.
I’m smiling here, still charmed by my youngest son’s cut to the chase translation.
~ Janean

November 4, 2012

October 5, 2012 Image

Home for the night.
Wearin’ fuzzy slippers.
Cookin’ frozen pizza for two middle school boys.
(My oldest son and his friend from next door.)
They are playin’ video games in the basement.
My youngest son is right there with them.
Always.
Home.

October 5, 2012
NOTE: This is my 600th Tumblr post. Something had to be. Figured it might as well be about family, food and home. Those three things are all tangled up together – at least for me.