I have been popping in and trying to keep up with all the friends on the list.

My apologizes for not throwing a verb or two together to let folk's know I have been well and happy.

I will work on some images to at least show how things are going here.

Work is silly. But it does keep me solvent.

Home is bliss. House and yard projects continue and order is being restored.

Alexander Jack, our 11 month old (today) Pembroke Welsh Corgi, is a joy and delight.

Sultry summer is here. Thank goodness for air conditioning.

Enjoying serial television. Watching the first season of Downton Abbey on PBS (but have it on dvd) and also watching the first of that genre, Upstairs, Downstairs as well.

Being a domestic was work. Being of the leisured classes was a delight.

I have been negligent in rambling about what is up with me.

I have tended to read friend's entries and try to keep up with their lives.

I guess I need to add some verbiage to their pages for their delectation.

Life is wonderful!

Work is much less so as I have already mentally crossed the Rubicon of my desire to remain in their employ. With an early retirement offer (and some funds), I will escape into the lifeboat and leave the sinking ship.

I need to post my Boxing Day image and also a current image of the wonderful work done by my new hair stylist. She is a treasure!

Alexander Jack, the contumacious, is a joy in life. So much energy and personality too. He is golden coloured but is starting to show the tricolour of his mother (Black and white). Brett has been amused to see that right under his nose, the white fur is darkening. It looks like a moustache - too cute! (maybe a picture is in order of the other two guys in the house too)

Leap Day just passed. The six month anniversary of the death of my wonder dog, Alexandra (Alix). She is still greatly missed!

It also was our twenty-first month anniversary! Yay!

My history moment for Leap Day was that my ship, USS Iwo Jima LPH-2, departed for a Med Cruise in 1988. They left me behind so I could get out of the Navy on March 18, 1988. Ancient history now!

Spring bulbs are blooming and Spring break at Brett's school (ODU) is this coming week. I took time off work and hope to get yard work, house work and general improvements done in this block of time.

Oh and Election Day work on March 6 - isn't it November 6, 2012 yet?

My best to all!

Today is Accession Day, when Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, became Queen upon the death of her father, George VI, in 1952. Sixty years ago! 
Congratulations and many more years!

A wonderful holiday celebrated elsewhere but I claim as my own!

Need to take pictures. A good before and after picture (goal is to get a good high and tight hair cut today). Brett has a barber that does good ones so....

My best to all who celebrate Boxing Day (and even to those that do not celebrate it)

(picture with this post was Boxing Day 2007)

1. Brett is amazing! I aspire to be as good to him as he is to me. I have to work on the curmudgeon in me that appears from working at the USPS.

2. Alexander Jack is five months and growing bigger and thicker each day. Totally charming while he is in his terrible puppy teenager period. We also call him Yoyo (of Hoops and Yoyo) cause he has that look while he jumps up on the couch.

3. Did a musical theater audition workshop last week. It was helped and instructive. I need to work on getting out of my head and have the body participate in performances. I aspire to do mrdreamjeans
proud on day when I actually am on the boards of a local community theater production.

4. The craziness of the commercial Christmas America celebrates is almost over. I long to celebrate the proper Christmas (those twelve days) from Christmas to Epiphany. I am not in high spirits this year remembering the loss of my wonderful Alix in August. (the song "Where are you Christmas?" speaks to me in various ways. We won't even talk about Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.)

5. Might try and watch my two happy sad movies this weekend. The Family Stone and Meet Me in St Louis.

Happy Christmas to you and yours as the crush/rush subsides!

(I am working on my annual Boxing Day picture. Need to get a before and then after haircut. I am hoping there is a basic barber that will be open to give me a good high and tight haircut!)

Alexander Jack the Contumacious graduation from puppy (owner) obedience training.

His supporting cast, Mark and Brett

a comment and message to (and from) theoctothorpe has me realizing that I have not posted anything since my fifty-second birthday (September 22, 2011).

My apologizes! I have popped in and read but haven't added my portion of my journey.

Today I try to remedy this oversight.

Brett is wonderful! He is busy with one of the last semesters of classes before he starts the end game: to become a PhD candidate and then actually do his thesis and defend it to become a dactah (I am using Howard's mother's voice (reference provided on request). I figure at least 18 months from now minimum.

Alix is still greatly missed. Tears come readily on Sunday's at church. Such a wonderful companion.

Alexander Jack The Contumacious, is still growing and is both a puppy and yet a great companion too.
First segment of puppy training done and he loves puppy playtime and getting all attention.HM Queen Elizabeth has nothing on us with our charmer Corgi.

The saga of the USPS continues to go on. The public has a right to speak up to their congressional representatives, since they are required to enact legislation. It is interesting to learn that the USPS (and it's pre 1971 predecessor, The Department of the Post Office) was created in June of 1776. It is older than the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States and is part of the Constitution (The Congressional responsibilities for post offices). The processing plant in Norfolk might be consolidated into Richmond poorly run facility if management has it's way.

I am seriously considering taking a VERA (Voluntary Early Retirement Authorization) from the USPS (authorized by the OPM - Office of Personnel Management) and moving on with the life I have with Brett and Alexander Jack.

Let's see if I can upload the graduation images of us from last month. It is a wonderful picture of us. I called it He Times Three.

As I saunter into my 52nd birthday (and 53rd year), I need to get my act together and wish a few others Happy Birthday

markmc03 had a birthday on September 20th.

toomanytshirts had a birthday yesterday.

curtimack shared a calendar day with me. (I am sure he is both younger and wiser)

A great day and the start of an excellent year ahead!

It has been a week since my wonder dog, Alix, was euthanized. I usually describe myself and fair to partly cloudy. The tears come and go.

Brett and I both had little spells of irritability today with silly people and situations. Sometimes patience and thinking of others doesn't stop the stupid!

A new door and window in the laundry room are such an improvement in house flow and getting in and out of the house. It was done to help Alix with her issues on the front steps. Sadly she didn't live to see it. It is part of the memory in every day tasks.

Alexander Jack (Alex with an e) is a bundle of puppy joy. Just weened (and Born on the Fourth Of July - some tunes there) he is very good with his potty training and he is a wonderful personality.

We are learning and so is he.

Off to use Regal Crown gift cards and watch something light and funny.

I am wearing my Official Dog Walker (Frequent Stops) sweatshirt to remember and honor Alix.

My life was so much more from her sharing all her life with me (and us).

Sniff! Time to get thank you cards (for those condolences) for the veterinarian and a coworker's spouse who lost her dog last year.

Le Chaim!