Sweet hubby Rick’s birthday is tomorrow: August 31st. For his birthday he received a wonderful birthday gift (not from me) that was delivered by its builder/giver just the other evening. Can anyone guess what it is by these photos?  The only thing I will tell you is that it was built completely by hand. All will be revealed over the weekend. If you guess correctly I might have to think up a prize for the winner (first person with the right answer).

Yesterday I was cited for one of the “best of the Jersey blogs.” How exciting is that? I didn’t even know this site existed until a comment from a reader led me there. Thanks to Hilary for letting me know. Her blog was also one of the “best.”

Take a look! Click here to see my blog in print!

Look who came back to visit!! Last night we had another visit from our Golden Toad. Just about the same time of night, in the same spot on our deck yet again. There he was looking very regal.

He didn’t seem to mind the flash going off in his eyes, poor thing. I stroked his head ever so lightly with one fingertip and he closed his eyes half-way in what I took for sheer contentment. Much like a cat being stroked in a favorite place. He was enjoying it, no doubt about it. He didn’t flinch or budge when I touched him. His skin was dry and bumpy to the touch.

Rick tried his stroke technique out too. Here you can see him to scale with Rick’s hand. He’s not very big. We’re not certain if it’s the same toad or just another one like it.

Because Reya and Pod said that the last time he visited I should have kissed him—this time I did. I planted a kiss right on the back of his head. His skin was cool, almost cold to my lips. What do toads turn into when you kiss them if frogs turn into princes?

This time we opted to let him alone and not put him back in the yard. After all, he seems to know how to get up the stairs, so why not back down?  I went back out a few minutes later after downloading my photos and he was at the top of the stairs contemplating the way down. I went back inside for another few minutes and when I checked on him he was on the second step from the bottom—almost home. Obviously a very smart toad.

As I turned out the light I whispered to him “please come again you lovely Golden Toad!”  And maybe he will.

Oh my. It’s so hot today. I wish we could go for a boat ride.

Wait ... are they getting the boat ready?

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! They read my mind! I’m going out in the boat!

aaaahhhhh ... nothing like the wind in my ears ....

hey, you said you wanted a close-up of me, didn’t you?

That was fun—now for a big drink of water ...

(Hannah belongs to Andy and Linda of my previous post.)

We’re thinking about you on what would have been your 81st birthday.
Forever in our hearts; always in our thoughts.
(photo taken 1999)