Belated Thanksgiving love ...

This weekend, I'm thinking about my siblings. Giving thanks to them. These are the people that have eaten dirt with me. Chased lightning bugs with me. Skinny dipped with me for years. Been with me during the highest heights of my life and the lowest of lows. They've known me since birth ... either mine or theirs, or both. My brother and two sisters are 3 of the most adorable and kind people I've ever had the honor to meet ... not to mention, be related and close to.
The four of us are a rare breed. All of us are extremely independent. All of us are hard heads. All of us are fighters ... in the best sense of the word.
If push came to shove, I'd pit the four of us against ANY army on Earth.
We've all been so blessed to have grown up with one another and with such an amazing and hysterical family. Cannot imagine a better "breeding ground."
I love you Allison, Angi, and Josh.
I'm so very thankful for you and blessed to have you as my partners in crime.
I give thanks to the 3 of you and your significant others ... and how HARD we laugh, always. We're a rare breed. And, we're so, so blessed with that!
xoxo
Anna
p.s. Poochie-Boy! Here Now, Poochie-Boy!

Priceless...

My Mama-in-law sent this to me today. Hopefully the pic will come up large enough so you can see the house on the right. If not, their lights simply say "Ditto" and there is an arrow pointing to the house on the left! I nearly lost my lunch with laughter.
Enjoy...
xoxo
Anna

Love is bliss...

Well, glory be, Mr. Otis is fitting in here like a fly on a cow pie. I don't believe I've ever seen him behave so "properly" in the 3 years that I've know him. Tootsie, in turn, has not chewed a paper, a shoe, a bill, ALL the recycling, a toy, toilet paper, cat litter, my scarves, my socks, etc. That's a first for her. When left alone, she melts the hell down. The crate doesn't work so well, as she howls. But, then, she gets this old man of a dog, curled up on a dog bed, and her heart is at rest. Man, to be an old boy on a dog bed all day!
Kevin had to leave the house to pick Silas up from Janie's. And, after his leaving to pick Silas up, he returned to find her still cuddled up in the same spot.
I say "Hallelujah!" They both win, as do T and we. Don't wanna put the cart before the horse on this one, but I'm praying that it helps everyone out.
Sometimes Fate's curve balls lead to a Grand Slam!
xoxo
Anna

Welcome home Otis...

Well, the tiny Schumacher abode just inherited another canine. My Love, Otis ... T's "other" dog. Otis has been a part of our family for years. But, after much training, him running rampant upstairs, and hard work on her behalf, the latest hip issues are going to make it virtually impossible for T to care for a strong willed Irish Wolfhound mix considering she still owns a Great Dane. The Dane is well mannered. Otis is a handful. I've never had a problem with him. That's the odd thing. He's a love ... but, he's also a "lug." For whatever reason, the damned dog only listens to me. I've no doubt that it's probably because I'm a lug and accident prone and hard-headed too. If you've read earlier posts, this whole "love affair" betwixt myself and Otis will make more sense. T and I have come to the conclusion that it might just be "meant to be." We're gonna continue to live like sardines in this little can. But, I have to give it a chance. Fate sometimes throws you a curve ball. Gotta go with your gut.
In any case, I'd rather him be here with us as opposed to going to another (a 4th) "strange" family. It broke my heart tonight when we spoke about that option. Tootsie loves him more than any pup in the universe. He calms her and she, in turn, humps him. Don't know why in the hell she does it. But, she does. She is enamored with him and he her. I'm banking on their union saving me more shoes, as I'm down to ONE pair that I am able to wear regularly, as she has this "Mama" separation anxiety deal going on. I've no explanation why this dog behaves nearly perfectly when he's with us. It's quite bizarre. So, we're gonna give it a whirl.
Thus, we now have a new member of the family. Welcome home Otis.
Loves Silas. Loves Us. Loves Willie and Hank. Loves Tootsie.
Here's to new beginnings.
xoxo
Anna
p.s. these pics are of Tootsie and Otis' first meeting. She is, now, his size.

Missing you tonight...

I talk to these two "when I have no one to talk to." It's been over 10 months since Dawg left us. Pop Pop passed nearly two months ago. I had the opportunity to chat with Pop in June about him passing and how much we both meant to and loved one another ... how we would NEVER be apart, regardless of death. It was such an amazing experience to be able to share that, even if was heartbreaking. Not pleasant, yet amazing. Being able to share that moment with such a dear person to me will be one of the pentacles of my existence. It, sort of, closes the circle of relationships and life ... and death ... and whatever follows both.
I did not get to share that with my girlfriend. She did not live the long life she should have been able to live. It still haunts me. An amazing girl. This dry-witted little spit-fire. I just got a reminder on my cell phone yesterday that I needed to "resave" a message. And, it was her. The message was hysterical. It still makes me laugh. But, now, it gives me chills every time I hear her voice. I cannot call her back ... ever. But, I chat with that lady almost daily. I cannot believe how unfair life is sometimes. So, so unfair. I cannot tell you how much I wish she was still here.
xoxo
Anna

Belated birthday love to my soul-mate/sistah...

Well, I missed the boat on blogging about my best buddy's birthday. I did call to wish her some birthday love. But, failed to write a word or two about her here for her birthday (11/10). I won't disclose the year as that would allow you, dear readers, the ability to judge her on a geriatric basis.
Angi Neely Kemp was born on Novemeber 10th in York (or was it Rock Hill), South Carolina, to my sweet Aunt Pam ... my Mama's sister. From that moment on, she was my sister. Now, I would not be born for 3 more years. But, those must have been three VERY, VERY long years knowing that yours truly would be missing from her life for such a long, arduous time!
Glory to the heavens!!! I was born ... 3 years later.
From that moment to today, we have been inseparable ... at least, in spirit. As I moved around so much as a child, I would spend my vacations and summers with her and the rest of my family in South Carolina. She, in turn, would spend her vacations with us ... wherever the Warren clan was at the time.
Angi and I "get" one another more than anyone else "gets" us. We have NEVER had a bitter fight. We are way too tight to even imagine that. We can disagree on ANY subject without withdrawing. We can pull each other out of the darkest of holes. We laugh harder than any two sisters/cousins/friends I have EVER met in my life. We are infinitely comfortable with one another. We are infinitely comfortable in our own skin. We are infinitely dorky. And, we are extremely protective of one another. That happens. After this many years of love and life, I'd rather be set on fire than see her harmed. THAT, my friends, is such a blessing to me, because I know that she feels the same way.
I'll be seeing her and the fam in early March, as I will be attending the YSC conference in Atlanta with my cancer-club girlfriends. Once the conference is finished, Sarah and I will be road-tripping through South Carolina and bunking with my family from town to town. We're gonna have a BALLLLLLLL in Charleston with Angi and I'll be able to show Sarah many of our old college haunts. If I went to Atlanta and did NOT, later, spend time with the family, I would be disowned ... as, Georgia butts up to SC.
I cannot wait to give my girl a big hug and smooch. Cuddle and play with the kids ... and my love Matthew!
So, Happy Birthday my love. I'll be home soon and will give you the BEST birtday spanking ... EVER! I'm so very proud of you and what you've become. A wonderful woman, mama, wife, sister, friend, nurse, and tramp. Way to over achieve!!!!
xoxo
JR

Tuesday update...

Good evening, ya'll.
All's well at the "Shoutmacher" homestead. Kevin is at band practice tonight. A new band ... sort of thrash-metal. The man is a vocal wizard. So, he was asked to head up an existing Seattle band, as he's got the pipes of a God. That guy can sing you to sleep, sing at your wedding, rock the house, scream to demons, hum your baby to sleep, sing the blues, melodically share the Hymn book ... and, certainly, the phone book.
He, also, just got asked to do a voice-over by a music producer that he's worked very, very closely with for years. But, this time it's nothing to do with music. It's, actually, for a video game. Kevin has worked with actors for years. He was the second in command to my agent. He happens to have a great voice. This producer has known him for years. So, now, my husband is picking up where I left off. Oh Lord!!!! Do not tell me I'm gonna have to start singing ...
In other news, my nephew Briggs has been battling the swine flu. He's on his way outta the woods. Angi and Matthew have had him in isolation this entire time. Angi has been holed up with him ... when she's not working. Breaks my heart to know that sweet Briggs has been so very sick.
But, the boy is in the VERY BEST hands imaginable.
Mama is starting to feel it. The chemo. She had a rough day yesterday. We chatted tonight and I told her that I thought that it'd be best if she started to take Mondays and Tuesdays (after chemo) off. She was so sweet and receptive. She was totally nauseated yesterday. She had chemo last Thursday and then has, only, the weekend to recoup. Then, she goes back into a classroom of 3rd graders on Monday. I love my Mama ... but she's crazier than that shit-house rat for taking that nonsense on. This isn't news to her. I've already told her as much.
All I know is that the chemo is working. We've chatted about the mental issues and the physical issues it brings up. The mouths sores, the mental fog, the nausea, the lethargy. It's a bitch. And, I'm so very irate that my Mama has to deal with all of this. But, these symptoms are so, so close to my experience. And, it makes me aware of the fact that the chemo is kicking every last rogue cancer cell in the nuts! And for that, I am grateful!
xoxo
Anna