The Rockport Kittehs

My sister Jill & I visited our friend Julie in Rockport last weekend and as usual, we had a blast. Julie & her boyfriend Eric have four indoor cats and several outdoor cats. Apparently the cats took a liking to me because one morning I woke up with three of them on the futon where I was sleeping. OC (Orange Kitty) pretty much slept on top of me the entire time...I have the scratches to prove it! :) Anyway, here are some photos from our trip: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=144000&id=1243375405&l=3c90d6f48b

Two Dreams, One Night

Dream #1. Woke up about 4am after dreaming that I was taking a nap on Kim Kardashian’s couch. (Sign I watch too much reality TV?) In the dream, I woke myself up snoring and was too embarrassed to go back to sleep in case Kim heard me. Stared at the walls instead and noticed tiny little black bugs crawling down from the ceiling. Kim & her brother Rob eventually came in the living room and we all tried to figure out where the gross little black bugs were coming from. That’s where it ended. 

Weirdest dream ever, so I had to look it up.  

Celebrity: To see a particular actor or actress in your dream, look at the role they are playing. Even though you may not know them on a personal level, how you perceive them or the characters they play can provide understanding in how it relates to you.

Bugs: To see a bug in your dream, suggests that you are worried about something. It is symbolic of your anxieties and/or fears. What is literally bugging you? Consider also the popular phrase "bitten by the bug" to imply your strong emotional ties or involvement to some activity/interest/hobby.

Hmmm.

Dream #2. Dreamt about my dad. I usually love dreaming about my dad, but we were traveling in this dream – driving to Amarillo (where I lived for 8 years) – and he was grouchy for some reason. I don’t remember many details, but I remember stopping at a hotel once we got into town and for some reason, we decided not to stay there.

Dad: To see your father in your dream symbolizes authority and protection. It suggests that you need to be more self-reliant. Consider also your waking relationship with your father and how aspects of his character may be incorporated within yourself.

Driving: To dream that you are driving a vehicle, signifies your life's journey and your path in life. The dream is telling of how you are moving and navigating through life. If you are driving and cannot see the road ahead of you, then it indicates that you do not know where you are headed in life and what you really want to do with yourself. You are lacking direction and goals. If you are driving on a curvy road, then it indicates that you are have difficulties in achieving your goals and the changes associated with it. To dream that someone else is driving you, denotes fortune and that you will profit from your superior knowledge and ingenuity.

Hotel: To see a hotel in your dream, signifies a new state of mind or a shift in personal identity. You are undergoing some sort of transition and need to move away from your old habits and old way of thinking. You need to temporarily escape from your daily life. Alternatively, the dream may imply a loss in your personal identity.

Whoah…this one’s pretty heavy…and probably pretty close to the mark.

Rachelle & Russell

 
One of my goals in 2010 is to FINALLY buy a digital SLR camera and start taking photos on the side. I've always loved photography and this is the year! So I started things off right...today I borrowed friend Rachelle's Nikon to take photos of her and her fiance, Russell. They're recently engaged and you can tell that they are in love by the way they look at each other. So sweet. Here are just a few of my favorites from today's photo session...

Caffeine is my shepherd

Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze. It maketh me to wake in the lecture hall, it leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses. It restoreth my buzz. It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction, I will fear no decaf. For thou art with me; thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me. Thou preparest a tall latte before me in the presence of fatigue. Thou anointest my day with pep; my mug runneth over. Surely richness and taste shall follow me all the days of my life... and I will dwell in the House of Java forever.

~Anonymous

My nephew, the model

For his 15th birthday, we arranged to have professional photos of my nephew taken. Libby Ann Johnson took these awesome pics of him that can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=138473&id=1243375405&l=a8a666037f.

My brother's family

I recently took some photos of my brother's family for their holiday cards. Thought I'd share my favorite one with you -- I just love the face my nephew is making while they kiss and the way the sun is backlighting them. Tee hee...

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Today would have been my Grandpa Doerfler’s 102nd birthday! He passed away about six years ago, but it seems like much longer. I miss him every day, he was quite the character! I recently wrote something about him, his family and the house they lived in for a Parade of Homes in Pflugerville, my hometown. Thought I’d share it with you…enjoy! Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Bernhardt (Bernie) Otto Doerfler was born December 9, 1907 and married Minnie Sophie Wernli on July 22, 1936. They were parents to two children – Steve and Ruby – and had 10 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. In 1962, the Doerflers moved into their new red brick house at 301 South 5th Street in Pflugerville.

Built by a fellow Pflugerville resident, the house sat on more than two acres of plush, green land. Bernie wasted no time planting pecan and oak trees. He was also fond of concrete yard art animals and over the years, he placed statues of deer, chickens, frogs, etc. in his yard. At one point, he had a concrete water fall, a totem poll, a swing and a string of lights in his yard. Known to some as “Doerfler Park,” Bernie’s yard was his pride and joy. He knew every inch of it by heart and continued to mow it with his bright green John Deere riding lawnmower well into his 80s, even after losing his sight to macular degeneration.

Bernie was one of eight children born to John Gottlieb Doerfler and Mary Wuthrich Doerfler, who settled in Pflugerville in 1899. Bernie’s grandparents were Pastor Johann (John) Doerfler, who was born in Germany in 1844, and Salome Schwander, who was born in 1849 in France. Salome arrived in Chicago in 1873 and moved to Texas in 1875; John came to Texas in 1874 and was ordained as a Pastor in 1876. Pastor John Doerfler led the congregation at Zion Lutheran Church in Arneckeville, TX. Apparently, Pastor John and Salome met in Pflugerville while attending a church service, so Pflugerville played an important role in the John Doerfler family. They spent early years in Arneckeville, then moved on to churches in other small Texas towns – Ross Prairie, Temple, Taylor, Walburg and Bartlett. Pastor John retired and the family moved to a farm near Granger, TX. John and Salome built a house in Weir, TX in 1908; most of their children lived near the homestead in Weir, except for John and Mary (Bernie’s parents), who settled in Pflugerville.

The Doerflers were early Lutheran missionaries in Texas. Several of Bernie’s brothers were Lutheran pastors and he served as an elder at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pflugerville for years. Bernie could recite Bible verses, word for word, and taught himself to play Lutheran hymns on an organ when he was in his 70s. Bernie attended Texas Lutheran College in Seguin and coached the women’s basketball team after graduation.

After marrying Minnie, they settled in Pflugerville, and Bernie worked as a Texaco consignee for over 40 years. He operated three Texaco stations in the Austin area, including one at the corner of Pecan and Railroad in Pflugerville, currently the site of a Shell gas station. Minnie worked as a bookkeeper at the Pflugerville Texaco,until taking a job with the Texas Comptroller’s Office. The Doerflers even named their dog “Tex,” and called him a Texaco mascot.

After retiring from Texaco, Bernie worked as a Bailiff in the 261st District Court at the Travis County Courthouse. He retired in his 80s because Minnie’s health had declined and he needed to be home to care for her. Minnie passed away in November 1993. They were married for 57 years.

Bernie continued to live by himself in his home until the last three years of his life. Caregivers were hired, but eventually his daughter Ruby retired from the state herself and moved in with him, caring for him until his death in April 2003 at the age of 95.

Watching the Little White Dog

This week I am house and dog sitting this sweet Little White Dog. She’s a cutie, but I must say, can be a handful! She came with two pages of instructions…no joke! I worried maybe it would turn into a Marley & Me scene, but it hasn’t been quite that bad…yet. The first day, the poor thing was still scared and unsure of me. Ironically, I found Marley & Me on HBO…about that time, the Little White Dog climbed up on the chair and curled up with me. Awe. Day Two: On our morning walk, we saw two other dogs approaching with their owners. “Now what did those instructions say to do again,” I thought as I tried to restrain her from lunging at the much larger dogs. I then bent down to pick her up…and immediately remembered the notes. She bites! No worries, I carry Neosporin & band-aids with me, so all is well. Then last night, I stepped out of the living room for a few minutes and could hear the little white dog playing with something. When I walked back into the room, I saw the contents of my purse strewn all around the living room! The dog looked up at me like, “What did you expect me to do when you left your purse where I could reach it?” I gasped, said, “Bad doggie” and started picking up the pieces…ha. Her owners warned me! Stay tuned for more dog sitting tales….

Pink

Pink was the "new black" a few years ago, but it's still my favorite color. As a kid, my parents could not get me to wear pink for anything, but now, I could wear it everyday, easily. Last week while battling a nasty stomach bug, I also contracted pink eye! Bleh. Pink does NOT look good in my eye, nor does it feel good. Thank God for pink eye medicine, that's all I'm sayin'. I took this picture of my poor little eyes on day two of pink eye.

We raced for the Cure

Last Friday we found out that my mom's breast cancer is back. This time in her lungs. Two days later, we walked in the Race for the Cure on a team named in her honor, Uby's Boobies. I have so many emotions and fears running through me right now, but I'd rather focus on the positive and fun experience we all had at the Race. I think it boosted mom's spirits...and I hope it will help her fight Round 2 with as much strength and grace as she did last time. Love you, momma.