A LITTLE LAUGH...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

I thought I'd lighten up the blog slightly today!

I received this photograph via email from a good friend . 

I'm not sure where it originates, but it caught my sense of humour and prompted a hearty laughing fit. 

 I hope it has the same effect on you all.

(Thank you, Margie!  :))

---xXx---

This is really sad....

Wishing all my readers a very...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ON SUNDAY!

With lots of love from us all.

PS: On second thoughts,
 the image of this picture is getting to me...
 so I thought I better tell you that indeed I have also been a

'Chicken mommy"
Just to prove it, here are pictures of our own personal brood...
which we hatched via incubator a few years ago...

Can you imagine what my kitchen looked like?...

Can you imagine what my bedroom looked like?...

But my chickens were the most adorable brood in the universe!...

And I was, most definitely their mommy!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

With love

MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

TO MAX...FROM TAMMY...

TAMMY'S LETTER TO MAX...

Dear Maxi...

I know you're not well

I'll just let you be...

But I must tell you

What you mean to me...

You're my companion, my hero,

My life-long friend!

We are side-by-side

'Till the bitter end!

We've danced in the grass,

We've sniffed all the smells,

We've routed out rats,

And other "no tells"!

Us running "Free"

 has been part of my glee,

In the parks, in the ponds

Lying quiet under a tree.

I've licked your wounds,

I've stood by your side

I am YOUR TAMMY-GIRL!

I've nothing to hide!

I know you love Mom,

You're devoted to her,

But our bed is OURS

Where we will not stir!

The mornings I've loved

When we've played in the sun

Lying on your back

As I've nipped at your tum'!

You're fun that way!
...and also at dusk,

running trenches in the garden

with absolutely no fuss!

You can have my bed

and so too my treats,

You can ALWAYS go first,

despite TOFFEE's bleats.

But Ibises are mine!
You always knew!
One day! One day!
I'll catch one...especially for YOU!

Thank you for insisting

on our evening walk.

Getting Mom going

and learning to 'talk'.

You've always been there

to take the lead,

Showing the way

In your every deed.

So now, my Max

As you sleep through the time,

I'll be there for you,

I'll tow the line!

You are my hero, my companion,

a really special friend!
I love you, MY MAX

Until the bitter end!

With lotsalicks from

Your...

TAMMY-GIRL

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY -

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

(All holes have to be filled, right?! BOL!)

ANOTHER DAY...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!
MAXMOM here...

Hello there to all my friends across the globe and especially to our new readers from Maxdog's blog!

WELCOME TO MAXMOM's BRIC-A-BRAC!

The sun is attempting to break through the misty clouds today. It will be a welcome reprieve from the general prevailing damp and sombre mood. There is nothing like a bit of sunshine to lift one's spirits!  The pin-oak tree on our pavement is almost entirely yellow!...

Autumn colours are everywhere - a total contrast to our predominantly green garden. 

Only the tips of the white-stinkwood tree have begun to change colour...

People here seem fixated on the weather, so I thought I'd show you a different kind of weather guage ...

Some trees insist on being the spokestree for their particular street...

Isn't it pretty?!

---xXx---

Despite the transforming environment, my mind remains engulfed in Max's illness.

It's difficult to think about anything else.

It's not fun to be in this process, but we take each day for what it offers.

Maxdog is still pain-free (thankfully) and comfortable. Although he sleeps for most of the time and we battle to get him to eat, he perks up dramatically for his walks. On his evening 20 minute walk, he'll romp around without a care in the world, irrigating the neighbourhood and sniffing his favourite spots. He really loves his walk!

So whilst he is pain-free and enjoying his walks, on this his

87th day of Grace

we feel strongly that we should just let him be.
We need to stress that its not time to Euthanase yet!

Although I understand that some of my readers feel differently,

 I plead with you for your understanding and to trust our own decision in this matter.

Sending our love and strength to those owners who are battling with sick animals and are facing the difficult decision of WHEN to euthanase.

We can truly empathise..

With love

GREEN PASTURES...?

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!
MAXMOM here...

A number of couples in our circle of friends have recently announced their intention of splitting up. Most of these friends have been in long-term relationships and for whatever reason have decided on venturing along their own paths towards greener pastures. This news always leaves us with an uneasy sense of sadness and regret.

In February this year my husband and I celebrated 27 years of marriage. As expected in long term relationships we too have had our own set of hiccups over the years, but we have remained together and shared our lives in a happy and fulfilling marriage.

The break-ups of our close friends leaves us rather disconcerted, even though we are not directly involved in their lives.  For us it feels like an earth tremor – not a “7” on the Richter Scale, but a mild “2” perhaps – as the stability of our extended support group is now brought into question.

Each time I hear of such a break-up, I make a point of going to my dear hubby and giving him a great big bear hug as well as a long speech about how much he means to me. I affectionately call him, “The Boss”, a term which makes fun of the fact that he is such an easy going and wonderful man. He is also a man of few words, but what I’ve discovered over the years of our marriage is that he can come up with the most profound (and wise) statements at the most unexpected moments.

Last night, on hearing about another breakup of two of our friends, I said to him...

“So why don’t YOU go and look for greener pastures?”

To which my dear hubby replied:

“Why do I need greener pastures when I have my very own cabbage patch?”

---xXx---

I have found this retort both endearing and very amusing. Amidst my enjoyment of his words, I have also asked myself,

“Cabbage Patch?!

What on earth does he mean by “Cabbage Patch?!”

Does he mean this...

Or does he mean this...

What possibly could my dear Man mean?

Any suggestions?

I'd be interested to know your response!
:) 

UNIQUE AND ONE-OF-A-KIND

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

What a beautiful Autumn Day we are having here in

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA!

I simply can't get over the amazing display of yellows, oranges, reds and greens which are decorating our city at the moment. The Autumn season always reminds me of the concept of 

"UNIQUENESS"

It always serves to remind me how different we all are and yes...how UNIQUE each of us is.

Today, I celebrate Autumn in it's insistence of demonstrating uniqueness in each transforming leaf.

 I know my header celebrates the Autumn colours in itself, but I can't resist showing you some more. This is the view from our own garden at the moment...

...and a closer look at that red tree...

Some trees have the full range of Autumn colours...

A closer look...

The next photo is my all time favourite....

A single, misplaced branch on the side of a tree trunk trumpeting the season in total celebration...

Everything in creation is unique to itself!

Each leaf is different...

as is the uniqueness of each person on our planet!

We all have something special to contribute in our own unique way!
I just love how the Autumn season highlights this fact.

---xXx---

Our days are also getting chillier as we move towards winter.

Yesterday we took a leisurely stroll around a shopping complex nearby called

"Brightwater Commons"

Our purpose was to simply spend time together - the "Boss" and I - and see what the shops have to offer.

Brightwater Commons has a small 'lake' and numerous restaurants and coffee shops which surround it.  The setting is very tranquil. We sat down at an outside table to have a cup of coffee and relax.  We were joined by a feather friend..

I'm sure that we all recognise these birds, but although pigeons are 'common' and prolific around the world, have we actually stopped to take in their unique glory?

I love his shiny purple feathers on his neck!

He was there to pick up the crumbs that are arbitarily tossed to the fish...

Each water lily on the various ponds was different.

Some white, some pink -

all UNIQUE!...

Since our city is a host to some of the Fifa Soccer World cup games, in only 40 days time, all the shops are trying to sell something

"Uniquely South African" or "Uniquely Soccer World cup"...

We had lots of fun looking at all the offerings in the various flea markets around Brightwater Commons...

Some fridge magnets...

A sports goods shop...trying to do something different  in its window display...

There are many craft shops in our city that try and offer something unique to our visitors...

Back at home, UNIQUENESS is so aptly demonstrated by our very own

KING TOFFEE...

Comfortably settled on his personal throne, KING TOFFEE perceives his world in his own unique fashion. As far as he's concerned, the only function the human race has is to attend to his own personal needs - even if it is to sometimes satisfy his hunger to perceive the world upside down...

And then ...

...there are my own two beautiful Golden Retrievers...

their uniqueness is so well demonstrated in the manner in which they are managing Maxdog's illness. There are times when Tammy-girl is comforting and attentive and times when the call of the outside is just too much.

As for my darling Max...I know he simply wants to be given a chance to fight this illness. He (not me) takes each moment for what it offers and he still wags his tail to tell me that all is okay - that I must 'let him be'.

Yes, every creature on this planet is unique!

No creature nor any person should be judged by the standards of others but rather from the point of view of their own personal paradigms.

All should be granted this opportunity to simply...

BE UNIQUE!

With love