Dogs, Cats and Dancing on the Deck

It's been a very quiet Sunday.  I have the house all to myself this week.  Sam left at 5 a.m. this morning, bound for Montana on another hunting trip.  Being alone in this big house ain't all that bad, really.  Call me weird, but sometimes I enjoy it.  Except late at night, when it is time to retire.  I have to sleep with a light on, somewhere...the hallway, night stand.  Anywhere.  As long as there is a light on, I can close my eyes and sleep.  Until the dogs hear something and start barking, at 2 a.m.  We have two black labs, Rumbeau (from the movie 'Fluke') and Allie (from the TV series 'Allie McBeal'), and they get to stay inside the house at night.  Frankly, I'd rather have them in the house, than outside, at night.  They are my security team, and with the exception of the false alarms, they do a great job of keeping me company.  But I prefer cats...always have, always will.  Here Kitty Kitty.  Cats are by far the best of the two.  A cat can crawl up in your lap, curl up, and keep you warm on cold nights.  Put a 79 pound Lab in your lap, and pretty soon your leg is going to sleep, their "elbow" is digging into your ribs, or stomach, and you are soon in pagony (pain+agony).

After spending this morning chatting and laughing with my friend, Robin (owner of the journal These Are The Days Of Our Lives...check it out; you are the Queen of Journal Land, Bo), I spent the afternoon watching and recording old home movies.  I have all my Dad's videos and am in the process of making copies for myself and my siblings.  I love watching them, and hearing the sound of his giggle and laughter, which is a constant in his movies.  My favorite is from a friend's wedding and reception at Dad & Rita's home in June 1994.  After the wedding, Dad set up his video camera on a tripod outside on the deck, and put the Motown Sound on his stereo.  It didn't take long for me and several other gals to get up and start dancing...line dancing...singing...and just having fun.  For five straight hours, into thewee hours of the morning (12:30 a.m to be precise), that camera captured every hilarious moment.  During all the Diana Ross & the Supremes songs, somehow I got pushed into the spotlight as the lead singer.  But then, I know all the words to the songs, and the other gals (ranging in ages from 16 to 24) didn't.  Watching it, I probably should be embarrassed, but I'm not.  We were having way too much fun.  Laughing, dancing, being goofy, silly, not a care in the world.  That's what enjoying life is all about.  We were just being ourselves.  Most of the time it was just me and Rita's nieces Cheri, Robin, and Deah out there singing and dancing.  But when 'Dancin In The Streets' by Martha and the Vandellas played, we dragged everyone on to the "stage."  It was fun-tastic!  That video camera of Dad's was money well spent.  Actually, you can't put a price on memories like that.  It's just all good.