Spa Day & Halloween

Spa day for the girls that is! Tuesday was their first grooming since Bella's surgery. In this first picture, taken in the parking lot at the groomer's because someone lost track of the time again that morning and forgot to take some at home...harrumph, who could that have been? giggle You can clearly see where her entire belly was shaved for surgery Sept. 16th.

While they were at the groomer we ran some errands then puttered around the house. This pot sat on the patio outside the kitchen door with some kind of plant in it. I don't do plants that require care so it had died over the summer. Rich loaded it in the yard cart that he and the kids assembled the weekend of his birthday and hauled it out front.

On our way, I stopped to shoot this gorgeous bloom on one of our ocotillos.

Rich placed the pot at the front corner of our place where he and our grands had constructed this sculpture they named KJJ (King Julian Jr).

KJJ is our greeter and this is his domain, complete with Tiki torch!

Now that the brush is all cleared we are discovering interesting cacti and plants that we had not noticed among all that overgrowth. I love this for its multiple gnarly trunks and long thin leaves. However, I have no idea what it is and have invested way too much time on Google trying to find out, to no avail. Do any of you know?

I did think to get some shots of the girls after we brought them home. We still keep in touch with Bella's surgeon and she was happy to get a few pictures of a healthy, freshly groomed Bella! The brown area on her back is dark brown hair growing back where she suddenly lost hair a few weeks ago. No explanation and she has been just fine all along.

Rich continues painting the ceilings & woodwork, where the previous owners slopped paint. I've mentioned before that no roll of painter's tape had ever entered this house when they lived here. We got lucky with our selections and have paint that very closely matches the ceilings and woodwork. Still it is an enormous amount of work because every foot of ceiling edges and woodwork have to be taped and then carefully painted to blend into the existing paint...whew!

Late afternoon on Halloween we went to the kids' house bearing pizzas and Rich's Sangria. The kids were just putting finishing touches on their costumes; Dexter was already wearing his!

Note: Dylan's pumpkin sports an I-Pod and ear-buds!

Note: Shelby's pumpkin has peace signs for eyes!

Note: Jackson invested two minutes drawing on his pumpkin...such a teen!

Shawn had carried some of their patio/pool furniture out to the driveway so we could all enjoy the festivities. Dylan and Shelby each trick-or-treated with friends. Jackson stayed home and hung out with his folks and us. Sandee had prepared a huge basket of candy, pencils, candy, bubbles, candy, stickers and everyone got to pick their favorites. She and Shawn had lighted the pumpkins and other candles for a really cool table of treats. Dexter claimed his front row seat early and never relinquished it...he was the hit of the evening for lots of the kids!

This shot was taken with flash.

This is what it really looked like when the trick-or-treaters came by.

Usually big kids are not in costume or very unimaginative "costume" anyway so are not at all appreciated. These guys though were among my favorites (with some precious little children taking top honors of course!) because they were polite, having fun, and wearing these fabulous costumes.

Like I said to Sandee B in an e-mail earlier, "We all sat outside and enjoyed the hundred or so kids, with many parents in costume too, who came by. It reminded me of Halloween evenings when my kids were young and the ones when we lived in CA. As you know, that is the one thing I've always missed in Carillon."

Oh yeah, we enjoyed the pizza and glasses of Rich's fabulously drinkable Sangria too! Let's bring on November and continue celebrating!

Lovin' Life ~~ Here With Our Grands