Happy 78th Birthday!!!

Today is my Dad's 78th birthday. What a life he has led, from the back woods of Louisiana growing up, to joining the Air Force and meeting his future wife, my mom at a dance in Delaware. He and my mom went on to raise three children, me their first born, Patricia (second) and Jimmy. As with most military kids we did so much traveling from place to place. In one way we kids were world wise and in another we would have loved to have grown up in one town. My dad is a hero even though he would say no, but he is. He was awarded 2 Bronze Stars and other honors along with serving our country for 30 years, retiring at the highest rank (in the Air Force) an enlisteted man can achieve, Chief Master Sergeant. All in all I am so happy with who I have become, because of who my Father and Mother are. Mom and dad drove down here yesterday and today Mom and I went out to get some fun things and gifts for Dad. I hope he really enjoyed what we did for him today. Tomorrow Jimmy, along with his wife Kathy and grandson, Tyler and Kathy's mother are coming over for an early Father's Day get together.

Dad's first birthday gift from CH Magic

Here is Dad and Magic who gave him a birthday gift.

Dad blowing out his little slice of strawberry cheesccake.

Dad reading a birthday card while dringking hot green tea.

Silly dad, showing Ken and I how he begs my Mom into helping him put one sock on. LOL

Here Dad is showing that he got some batteries for his birthday. Wonder what the batteries are for??

Now Dad knows what the batteries are for. He is going to learn how to take photos.

After the gift giving, a storm blew through and it produced a beautiful rainbow.

Even God was saying Happy Birthnday, John.

My dad, John C Burgess Jr. I love you so much!!!

Boy am I behind!

Lots of stuff has gone on, but really no time to post a blog until now. Last week was hectic at work since I was going on vacation which started yesterday. I do not have to go back to work until August 2nd, yahooooo!!!! There is a lot of stuff that I want to do here at the house, which I could not do when we first moved in since I was under going two different foot surgeries. It is going to be a working vacation, but I am going to love every minute of it.

Below are some photos of the Puppy Match that the German Shepherd Dog Club of Houston put on here at our house. This was our annual picnic and Ken and I offered to host it. Everyone just loved the place and there was so much shade for the dogs. We had Mo Murkland come down from Dallas to judge our match. Mo has been in dogs since god was a boy. :-)


Here is Troy and Vicki taking entries for the match. Holding matches are great ways of training dogs for the show ring. Our club holds 2 matches, one at the yearly picnic and the other after our specialty show in December.
We had some yummy ribs along with sausage, pasta salad, fruit salad, potato salad, etc. waiting for us when the match was finished.

Here is Mo with her choice for Best Puppy in match. Her name is Knights Gambit Hush.

Hush is playing Peak a Boo with everyone.

Below is Ken with our Angelus formally known as Asking For Trouble v Riata. He went Best Opposite Sex in Match. He has had no training and we are going to have to change that. I never expected him to be mature enough to show until he was around 3, but I was wrong. So as soon as his sister Evil Evie (Trouble in Paradise v Riata) finishes her championship, hopefully in a couple months, Angelus will hit the show ring and we will see what he can do.

Another picture of Mo judging

Ken, Mo and Angelus

I finally got the plants planted along one side of the deck. I was hoping they would be fine until we were able to spray the deck at the end of June, but they wanted in the ground. I have enough room between them and the deck that we will be able to spray without hurting them. Still looking for plants to go along the front side of the deck. Really need to find plants that the deer won't eat, although I don't think they will come this close to the house. Besides, I keep them very well fed with all the corn I put out!

My friend Ann Schultz in Michigan sent me these baskets last year as a house warming present. With winter coming, I decided to wait for warmer weather to find plants I wanted to put in them. This plant attracts butterflies and supposedly the deer won't eat it. Be kind of hard for them to eat it without a step ladder.

I think the baskets need to hang down a little lower. Ken said we will get a couple links of chain to make that happen.

Yesterday I was out cleaning the kennels and found a visitor. Well, maybe not a visitor, I think he has made a home in Angelu's kennel run.

Yup, it is a frog. He has made a home for himself between the kennel walls and the wood. I have to be sure I don't use any cleaning supplies that will hurt him in that run.

Here is the queen of all she surveys, CH San Jo's Ikon. She was taking a break from running and jumping and playing with Angelus while I was planting my plants along the deck.

And speaking of Angelus, he was taking his break on the front porch.

And finally, this is Made You Laugh of Edan. She is 18 months old and is thinking about becoming a Texan. My friend Ann who bred her thinks she should come down here and show with us. She is a beauty, but there is a lot to consider. Her sire is AOE Select Excellent CH Mechanical Bull of Edan ROM, TC, RN (which makes her a half sister to our CH Ikon and a half aunt to Evil Evie) out of No Laughing Matter of Edan ROM. Her sire Gilley can be seen at: http://www.edangsd.com/Gilley.html and dam Mattie can be seen at: http://www.edangsd.com/NoLaughingMatterofEdan.html

If she come it won't be until sometime in August. I want Evie finished first. It really is to expensive to show 2 dogs at the same time. Keep you posted!