Lazy Daze

Pink Shelf

2011-10-12T18:00:00.001-07:00

I listed this beautiful pink shelf on etsy. Take a look. My link is at the bottom of my blog.

Levi

2011-08-19T19:13:00.001-07:00

This is an updated photo of Levi, my sons dog. He is about 1 year old. He is a full blood basset hound.

Happiness

2011-08-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Green Door

2011-07-31T19:32:00.001-07:00

Garden Shed

2011-07-31T17:21:00.001-07:00

midwestliving.com

Hummingbird Feast

2011-07-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

Life

2011-07-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

Life just is, you have to flow with it.
Give yourself to the moment,
Let it happen.
- - -Jerry Brown

Thoughts

2011-03-14T20:26:00.001-07:00

Psalm 116

1. I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

2. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long
as I live.

Levi

2011-03-14T19:11:00.001-07:00

This is Levi. He is a full blood basset hound. He is very young in this picture. He was born Sept 13 2009. He is now 1 1/2 years old. I will post another more recent picture soon. He was a gift to our oldest son Josh, Christmas 2009.

Mollie

2010-04-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

"She is a Presence, in bed. She snores: soft little wheezings. She talks in her sleep: Closed-mouth little mutterings full of expression and complaint and observation. And she is an opportunist, settling her weight against the nearest body and pushing ever closer as the chance arises." Ellen Perry Berkeley

My Path

2009-09-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.

Wonderful Quotes

2009-06-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

”The man who removes a mountain
begins by carrying away small stones.”
~ William Faulkner

Simple living is not about living in poverty or self-inflicted deprivation.
Rather, it is about living an examined life — one in which you have determined
what is important.

Epicuros: “We shall seek temperance and a simple life, real wealth and freedom consists in a minimum of needs.”

Creative thinking may mean simply the realization that there's no particular virtue in doing things the way they always have been done.
Rudolf Flesch

Wolf Creek Dam

2009-06-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post some pictures of a natural arch located close to my home. It is located below this dam on the river. I thought I would post some about the Dam before hand. I live about 5 miles from this dam. It is currently being reconstructed because there is severe leakage.

In late January 2007, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers placed the dam under a 'high risk' for failure designation, along with Center Hill Dam in Tennessee, both of which are two major dams upstream from Nashville, Tennessee. A new long-term solution has been proposed to solve, or control, the current seepage problem. A grout curtain and a new concrete diaphragm wall of greater dimensions will be constructed with newer technologies.[2] To reduce the current stresses on Wolf Creek Dam, and thus the risk, the Corps believes they should lower Lake Cumberland to 640 feet (195 m), 83 feet (25 m) lower than normal summer levels.[3] However, this will affect up to 200,000 area citizens' water supply and has also met resistance from marina owners, so the water level has remained at 40 feet (12 m) below its normal level. This lowered lake level is to be held for an indefinite amount of time and will be subject to frequent review.[2]. Wolf Creek Dam is also currently undergoing significant remediation measures to control the current seepage problem that has forced the high risk designation.

Phase one remedial work began in March 2006. Phase two, which includes grouting the dam's foundation, began in January 2007. Remediation is expected to be complete in 2014 and cost an estimated $309 million.[2] A risk-benefit analysis indicates that the benefit to cost ratio is 7 to 1.[1]

If Wolf Creek Dam fails, the estimated loss of life is 100 individuals and three billion dollars.[4]

In October 2007, warning sirens were installed in the Dam's surrounding counties[5][6], and Popular Mechanics cited Wolf Creek Dam as one of the top five disasters waiting to happen in the United States.[7]

Rock House Bottom Kentucky

2009-06-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

This is the natural arch located below the Wolf Creek Dam in Kentucky.

Another stone erected at the sight of the natural arch. These people really believe in preserving the natural beauty of the sight.

Creelsboro Natural Bridge (more commonly referred to as Rock House or Rockhouse or Rockhouse Bottom) is a natural bridge in Western Russell County, Kentucky, USA (36°53'5.97"N 85°14'11.13"W). It is located near the town of Creelsboro, approximately seven miles from the Wolf Creek Dam and Lake Cumberland. Rockhouse is classified as a meander natural bridge because Jim Creek flows through it before merging into the Cumberland River. With a span of 104 feet, it is the seventh largest natural bridge in the USA.

Rockhouse strata is over 440 million years old (Upper Ordovician Period, Cumberland Formation, Silty Dolomite). Unlike most natural bridges it is made of dolostone rather than sandstone. First discovered in 1770 by a group of hunters, Rockhouse is a popular site for camping. It was designated a national landmark by the U.S. National Park Service in 1987.

Rock House Bottom

2009-06-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

This is the history of the Arch. You can click on the picture to make it larger. But I will type what is on the stone.

Creelsboro Arch
Unpublicized and uncommercialized
300,000,000 years old
Danger falling rock and snake area
History of Area
Used by indians fishing and hunting
here in summer burying dead on top
Rediscovered by long hunters in 1792
Named the Rock House in 1812
when the settlers used it for
meeting and as picnic area
Chapel built from
natural materials
Canopy of heaven is the roof
The good earth is the floor
The void between heaven
and earth is the walls.

Rock House Bottom

2009-06-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

The people that own the land where the natural arch is located bought the land to keep it from becoming commercialized. The established signs explaining the history of the land and how they felt about the land. They also used their land as a testament and witness of their faith.

This is hard to read. You can click on it to enlarge. But I will write what is on it.

Rock House Bottom Chapel

All Denominational
Dedicated to Jesus Christ
In memory of
John and Pearl Goff
Welcome sinners but beware
The devil blesses you with
Worldly goods and desires and
is stealing your soul
for the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life.
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Behold today is the day of salvation
Jesus is here with you now.
Accept him as your savior
and ask for faith and guidance
while you are here
Become a born again Christian
Courtesy of Thomas and Loren Goff

Rock House Bottom

2009-06-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

This is a local natural landmark near my house. I will post a series of pictures and the history that goes along with it.The first three are just pictures of it. It is huge and is hard to grasp the size from the pictures. It is located several miles down the river from the Wolf Creek Dam. When we get a lot of rain the natural arch is sometimes full of water and cannot be entered on foot.

The fog is beautiful. It doesn't matter how hot and humid it is. When you get closer to the river it is about 20 degrees cooler.

Budapest at Night

2009-06-08T19:05:00.001-07:00

Budapest is the capital of Hungary with a population of 1.8 million citizens, it is by far the largest city in the country. The twin cities of Buda and Pest, unified in 1873, face each other across the famous Danube River, linked by the graceful spans of several bridges. The “gateway to Eastern Europe”, Budapest is renowned as a warm-hearted city, with a rich artistic, architectural and cultural legacy, of which its citizens are justly proud. Incredible architecture and rich cultural heritage, Hungary’s capital deserves its reputation as the “Paris of Central Europe”. The picturesque setting on two sides of the Danube, the nine connecting bridges, and the villas and public buildings, make Budapest one of the most enjoyable cities in Europe. The city straddles a gentle curve in the Danube. It has broad avenues, leafy parks and elaborate bathhouses.

Jacob took a ride down the Danube River Saturday night. He emailed and said it was the most beautiful city he had ever seen.

Four Leaf Clover

2009-06-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

The four-leaf clover is an uncommon variation of the common, three-leaved clover. According to tradition, such leaves bring good luck to their finders, especially if found accidentally.[1] According to legend, each leaflet represents something: the first is for hope, the second is for faith, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck.

Found in my backyard.

Clouds over Europe

2009-06-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

Pause for a moment for all the passengers of the France jet that went down over the Atlantic. Say a prayer for the families left grieving. My heart is so heavy for these people. My son will be flying back this month. Of course my thoughts are on his flight, especially after this unfortunate accident.

Thumper Cooling Out

2009-06-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

Pictures from my Son in Czech Republic

2009-06-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Wringer Washer

2009-05-25T17:10:00.001-07:00

When we first got married I had a wringer washer almost like this one. At the time I thought it was such a chore. But now I wish so much that I had one. I even mentioned to my husband that I would like to build a small wash shed close to my clothes line and buy one of these and use it during the summer. It does take a little more time to use it, but I would really like to have one. If you do it in stages there is such a water savings. Not to mention if it was situated close to my clothes line I wouldn't have to carry the clothes up the stairs and out the back door to my line. Of course it would only be good for summer, but that's fine with me.

http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2009/05/14/wringer-washer/

This is a link to explain a little about how laundry was done with these washers.

I remember growing up on wash day. My mom would roll the wringer washer to the back door and fill it with water with 5 gallon buckets. Then the galvanised tub was filled to rinse with. I never gave a second thought to how other people washed their clothes. I just thought this was normal. Little did I know that I would have one when I got married. My mom actually found a used one and bought it for me. Memories are so wonderful as you get older. I even remember my grandmother doing her laundry. She rolled hers to the back door and filled with water. The hot water came from her wood cook stove. Yes I said wood cook stove. She cooked everything on that stove winter and summer. There was a reservoir that held water. She dipped it out for the white clothes. Then she threw in a bar of lye soap that she also made homemade, to clean the weeks clothes. Times were hard for them, but actually very simple. If only we could realize that in this day and age.

Today in Czech Republic

2009-05-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of place's Jacob will be visiting today.

The first picture is St. Moritz.
The second picture is St. Wenceslas.

He made it. Czech Republic

2009-05-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

I finally heard from Jacob, our youngest son. He got to his hotel yesterday at about 4 pm. They are 7 hours ahead of us here. So he arrived at his hotel about 9:00 a. m. yesterday. He emailed me on face book today and said he was having alot of fun. Above is a picture of the Hotel Gol he is staying at. They slept late today to help get over the jet lag. This was his second plane ride ever. He doesn't remember the first. He was only 5 months old. He is 21 now. He is suppose to post some pictures soon and I will be putting them on here. Adventure, just makes you wonder how it would be to get out and see the world. Although I was so glad to just get home from the airport Thursday. I guess I'm just a stay at home person. I will get my adventure from the internet.

Leaving on a jet plane

2009-05-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Jacob, our youngest son, heading out to Czech Republic. Well actually this plane took him to Detroit. From there to Amsterdam, and then an 8 hour bus ride to Czech Republic. By the time I posted these pictures he was already half way there. I'm missing him so much already.

Emma and Thumper

2009-05-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

Our little Thumper has been sick all day. He just lays around and doesn't play at all. I'm going to call the vet tomorrow. We think he may have an ear infection. He's had this before and he's acting the same this time. We came home from work and my husband covered him up on the couch with a large quilt. A little while later we noticed that Emma our tabby cat had laid on top of him. It was like she didn't even see him. My husband said that's okay, she's just keeping him warm.

Recycled Bike Rack

2009-05-02T20:31:00.001-07:00

I love this. A great way to save the earth. How many of these old frames go to the landfill everyday? Then a company makes new bike racks from new steel. The old ones are so much better. Colleges use a lot of these racks for the students to chain their bikes to. The students could donate their old frames and leave a part of their history there when they leave.

Vintage Signs

2009-05-02T18:32:00.000-07:00

I know there are a lot of these all over the United Stated, but these two are right here in our little town. They are just so unique.

Thumper

2009-05-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

This is our little dog Thumper. He is adopted and we can't believe how well he fits in. It's like he has always been here. His owner passed away and we were asked if we would take him. He is such a happy little dog. We Love him.

The first picture was taken with his baby. He loves this bean bag toy.

The second picture almost looks like he is saying look at me I'm so cute.

Mowing Our Yard the Easy Way

2009-04-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

You have to understand we live way out in the country. It's a wonderful peaceful place. Every so often we simply sit on the deck and watch our goats mow our grass. Have you ever seen anyone with an ice cold cola in hand, sitting on their deck while their grass is cutting itself. Priceless!

Emma Lou

2009-04-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

Ordinary Beautiful Things

2009-04-16T18:47:00.001-07:00

Sustainable Living

2009-04-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

I found this article on Stumble. I love the idea. Although I know we can't all do this, I still love the idea. The article follows.

We came across this house on Anemone, and thought we needed to share! Simple and un-flashy, the owners moved out into the New Zealand woods to build their house with recycled lumber, windows and doors. An organic vegetable garden and a wood-burning stove are just a few of the ways they intend to live as simply and sustainably as possible...

The owner bought the lumber from a mill with unused logged trees that had been sitting there for years. All the windows and doors were sourced from thrift stores, dumps, and the side of the road. The wood-burning stove provides all the necessary heat for the home: it warms the rooms, heats all the water, and of course, it cooks as well. Rainwater is collected in tanks and then run through the home's plumbing system. Right now the bathroom is outside (!), but there are plans to complete an indoor bathroom soon, and to make it a sawdust composting toilet.

It's inspiring to see people taking this life so seriously, and it can be a little overwhelming as well. Clearly moving out to the bush is not an option for many of us, even if we wanted it. That's why Kimberlee of Anemone reminds us that there are still things we can do, however small, that help "lighten the load." Try to use less. Less space, less resources, less waste. Shop locally. Support small businesses. Try not to commute too far, or at least carpool or ride the subway. Share your resources, like public transportation, parks and libraries.

It might not be a house in the woods, but it's something.

Art at Its Finest

2009-04-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

http://mwhitley.com/profile.html

If you get a chance take a look at the link above. This link leads to a page about a guy named Mark Whitley that makes handmade furniture. He works out of his home. The picture above is one of his pieces. I saw a show about him on KET, Our local educational channel. He is currently attending an art gallery at the Capital Arts Center in Bowling Green Ky. My son attends university there, so I'm hoping he can see his work in person. His pieces are amazing.

Rust in My Garden

2009-04-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

I love the look of rusty, rugged things in my flower garden. I have a few pieces, but I'm always looking for more. These are a few of the pieces I have so far. It's such a beautiful day here today. The sun is shining and the birds are singing.

What is a Cat?

2009-04-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

"She is a presence, in bed. She snores: soft little wheezings. She talks in her sleep: closed-mouth little mutterings full of expression and complaint and observation. And she is an opportunist, settling her weight against the nearest body and pushing ever closer as the chance arises." Ellen Perry Berkeley

Yellow Gate

2009-03-31T18:50:00.000-07:00

I love my rustic yellow gate.

Color

2009-03-31T18:35:00.000-07:00

I love color. In my garden that is. I love bright colors like green, yellow, red, and blue mostly. I have a yellow gate going into my backyard. Actually I built the gate myself. I also have lots of green and blue bottles and vases. It's a way of making your garden come to life without anything blooming.

Nobody's Home

2009-03-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

This picture is touching in a sad way and even a happy way. It depends on how you look at it. It reminds me of times gone by. A simpler time probably. Surely there was a wonderful family that lived here at one time with little kids playing in the yard. All the signs of a home are still there. A fireplace with no walls around it. Yet there is a mailbox. I give credit to my son Jacob. This is one of his photographs.

Clean Car

2009-03-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

I finally got pictures of my sons' car clean. These are pictures of the honda he wrecked while on spring break. He had a blow out and ran through a pond. There was at least a 1/2 inch of water and mud inside under the carpet. His brother and I cleaned it. This is the after pictures of the inside. There is an earlier post that shows the pictures of the car after the wreck.

Bottle Trees Found On The Internet

2009-03-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

I found these beautiful bottle trees on the internet. They're not mine. Someday maybe I'll get around to making one for my garden. I included some history on the bottle tree below. It's interesting, but I just want one because I love the colors.

The Thin Line Between Good and Evil,2003

"Once a common site in the Southern landscape, the bottle tree is now an increasing rarity as ancient folk beliefs and customs fall from the common usage. The origins of the tree go back to the ninth century. In the Congo, where hand-blown glass was hung on huts and trees as a talisman against evil, you can find the practice of removing the foliage from a tree (preferably a cedar, because all the branches point heavenward) and placing the tree in the yard of the house. The bare branches are then covered with colorful glass bottles that attract any evil spirits that may be lurking near the house. The spirit becomes mesmerized by the play of sunlight through the colorful glass and becomes trapped inside the bottle. When the wind blows past them, the moans of ensnared spirits can be heard whistling on the breeze." -The Bottle Tree: A Vanishing Southern Tradition, Bill Steer.

My Bottle Collection

2009-03-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

These are actually my bottles in my flower garden.

I always wanted to make a bottle tree, but haven't taken the time yet. So I just stuck some metal stakes in my flower bed and put my bottle collection on each one. I love color in my garden. Especially in the winter anything colorful makes up for not having anything blooming.

Spring is Here

2009-03-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

The Red bud tree in my backyard is blooming. It is so pretty.

New Orleans Trip

2009-03-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

I will try to explain the pictures above.
My youngest son decided to go on Spring Break from college to New Orleans. He took along 3 friends. On the way down they had an accident in Mississippi, they had a tire blow out on the interstate doing 70 mph. They went over an embankment and through a shallow pond. The car did not come out of the pond completely. The back of the car was still in the water when it stopped. They are really lucky to be alive. Alot of very nice people stopped and ran down the hill to help. Someone called an ambulance, fire, and police. All four boys had gotten out of the car before the people even reached them. They all got out one side. The other side was in water. They were all okay and did not need to go the hospital. One guy stayed the whole time and even gave them a card and told them to call him if they needed anything else.
After paying a tow bill and putting on a tire. They started the car ( a Honda)
drove to a car wash and continued on to New Orleans. They stayed 3 days and drove back to Kentucky, a 9 hour drive.
He then drove the car to our house from college, which is almost another 2 hour drive. It needs a new radiator, fan, and alot of cleaning. The pictures above are the inside of his car. There was a 1/2 inch of mud under the carpet and seats. My oldest son is using a power sprayer to get the mud out. We removed the seats entirely, all the carpet, down to the metal. There was water still standing under the seats and in the trunk.
We already have it cleaned, I will take pictures later of the inside clean.

What is a Cat?

2009-03-23T18:51:00.001-07:00

Gentle eyes that see so much,
paws that have the quiet touch.

Purrs to signal "all is well"
and show more love than words can tell.

Graceful movements touched with pride,
a calming presence by our side.

A friendship that will last and grow-
Small wonder why we love them so.

Author Unknown

Summer Trip

2009-03-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited for my son. He will be traveling to Prague, Czech Republic this summer. He will be studying there for 6 weeks. I looked it up on google and found some great pictures. He's majoring in Photo Journalism so hopefully he will bring back some wonderful pictures.
He first told me he wanted to go last December. Even though I am excited for him, I am still scared. I want him to be an adventurer and see the world, but on the other hand I want to keep him close. When your children are small you can be with them so much, but then they grow up and you have to learn to let go. I think it is much harder for the parents than for them. After all he is 21 and there are so many places he wants to go.
He received his new updated passport Friday, so the reality really set in that he is leaving in May. He was born overseas and was issued his first passport when he was 5 months old, so that one ran out. I will miss him but also envy him in a way.

Early morning snow

2009-03-15T13:25:00.001-07:00

This is what we woke up to at my house this morning. It was so pretty, I grabbed my camera and took some pictures before I left for work. It was about 6:15 am that accounts for the muted look. It all melted off by mid morning so I'm glad I snapped the pictures early.

So cute. Makes me Laugh

2009-03-14T21:43:00.001-07:00

I found this somewhere on the internet. It's hilarious. They actually climb these trees and eat the fruit from them. Goats are very determined animals.

Letting Go

2009-03-10T19:16:00.001-07:00

To let go doesn't mean to stop caring;
It means I can't do it for someone else.
To let go is not to cut myself off...
It's the realization that I can't control another...
To let go is not to enable,
but to allow learning from natural consequences.
To let go is to admit powerlessness,
which means the outcome is not in my hands.
To let go is not to try and change or blame another,
I can only change myself.
To let go is not to care for, but to care about.
To let go is not to judge,
but to allow another to be a human being.
To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes.
but to allow others to affect their own outcomes.
To let go is not to be protective,
it is to permit another to face reality.
To let go is not to deny, but to accept.
To let go is not to nag, scold, or argue,
but to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.
To let go is not to adjust everything to my desires,
but to take each day as it comes and cherish the moment.
To let go is not to criticize and regulate anyone,
but to try to become what I dream I can be.
To let go is not to regret the past,
but to grow and live for the future.
To let go is to fear less and love more.

Author unknown

In Memory----Our Taco

2009-03-01T07:40:00.001-08:00

This is Taco. Jacob got him from a good friend he went to High School with in 2006. He was so active and wanted attention so bad. He was Shadows best buddy. Taco was killed near our house by a vehicle. Shadow wouldn't eat or come out of his house for 3 days. We carried water and food to him. He was grieving for his friend. We all loved Taco very much and miss him every day.

Shadow

2009-03-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

This is our oldest Dog Shadow. Jacob got him 13 years ago. He is part husky and part Basset Hound.
He has really short legs, but long thick hair. He also has one blue eye and one brown eye. I think Jacob likes him because he is so different. Jacob likes anything that is really different. He is a very timid and friendly dog and just wants to be loved. He lost his best friend Taco about 2 months ago. I will post a picture of him next.

Thumper

2009-02-26T17:54:00.000-08:00

This is Thumper. Half Poodle and half Lhasa Apsos. We adopted him from a good friend of Jacob, our youngest son. He is about 7 years old. We love him dearly. We never really had a small dog inside the house until we got him. His owner that raised him actually passed away and we were asked to take him. At first we were not too sure we wanted the responsibility because we both work and we didn't know if we would be able to give him much attention. We are so glad we decided to take him. We work all day, but we give him plenty of attention when we do get home. He loves to play ball and go for adventures in our back yard that is fenced in. At his old house he could not go out at all. I think he likes his new life on the farm. He is a big part of our family now that's for sure.

Oreo

2009-02-22T17:08:00.001-08:00

My Oreo Buddy. My Jacob Cat. My youngest son Jacob, now 21, brought me this wonderful cat about 2 years ago for Christmas. He had volunteered at the local animal shelter and fell in love with this one. I'm so glad he did. He is the only male cat we have. He is a wonderful, loving cat. He wants to lay in your lap and be rubbed alot. He mostly sleeps with my husband. They're big buddies.

Gracie

2009-02-22T16:40:00.001-08:00

My Gracie Poo. Gracie was found by my husband eating at a dumpster. She looked so pitiful and dirty when he brought her home. I took her to the vet and got her wormed and she started looking better each day. She gained weight and today is a beautiful cat. She only has a little stump for a tail. She is part Manx. She has the most beautiful fur and color. She is very attached to me and usually only has anything to do with me and no one else. In a way I think she adopted me instead of the other way around. She loves to sleep with me.

Kemo

2009-02-22T16:32:00.001-08:00

This is my Kemo Baby. I found her outside the grocery store where I work. Someone had abandoned her. I brought her home and I'm so glad I did. She can be a very temperamental cat, but at the same time she is so loving. She only wants to be held when she wants to. She is not the kind of cat to be picked up and held. She has to come to you when she wants to. She is solid black long haired with golden eyes. She is so beautiful.

Emma

2009-02-22T16:21:00.001-08:00

This is Emma Lou. She just wondered up to our back door one day. We thought she was the neighbors and tryed to return her. She didn't belong there so we feel like she was meant to be ours. Needless to say she stayed. She is a very timid and shy cat. Emma is the perfect lap cat. She is so cute. That's the only way to describe her. She got her name because of her green eyes. Emerald green.

Mollie

2009-02-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

This is Mollie. She is the oldest of all my cats. She is a beautiful calico. She's very timid and does not like to be with my other cats. Although she loves to rubbed and loved by everyone else. She was given to me by my brother and we have loved her every day since then.