Wouldn't It Be 'Nifty' If This Happened?!

       (designedbydallas)

             I can hear you!....saying: "What is she talking about now?!! What 'nifty' thing might happen?" Well, trust me, when I tell you, you're gonna think it's pretty 'nifty' too! :-) And I'll get to how the header photo fits into it too in a minute!

       As a matter of fact, I have a few 'nifty' things to tell you! The first being the definition of the word 'nifty'!...It means "To be very cool or neat...in a unique, positive manner."...

          The sporting girl that I am thought it was pretty 'nifty' to read in The Sydney Morning Herald about Mark Cavendish, who is called 'The Manx Missile'. 

              He scored his 19th career stage win in Sunday's 192.5 kilometre 15th stage in the Tour De France bike race, from Limoux to Montpellier. Just three wins short of Frenchman Andre Darrigade's record of 22 in the 1960s! Pretty good when, along the way, he was fighting with Cadel [Evans], the Schlecks [Andy and Frank], and Ivan Basso!

         I haven't been talking to you about it much, but I have been 'all over' this year's Tour De France' like a  crazy toe-wiggling, peanut-eating, TV-watching, nut!!! ^_^ Every morning I've been right there at the beginning of the race, listening to all of the commentary, watching all of the accidents...and PHEW! There's been a WHOLE LOT of them this year too!!! {Watching them, I've been as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs y'all!! LOL}

       It's probably a good thing I haven't been getting a lot of sleep in lately..."Who said that?!"...because it's given me time to get all of my studying and reading done long before the Tour De France comes on. Scenic Countryside, the sound of helicopters, men riding bikes, other men talking to me about men riding bikes.....Nifty!! ^_^

       Another 'nifty' thing for me has been roaming around in the Etsy shop of niftyknits!  She specializes in custom knit meerkats that remind me of a show I used to watch on T.V., on Animal Planet, a while back. It was called 'Meerkat Manor'. 

         Did any of you used to watch that?!....Anyway!...This Etsy shop features her knitted Meerkats in so many 'nifty' situations...
        A meerkat computer geek with a laptop...

        A meerkat playing a piano keyboard...

       A Wimbledon meerkat tennis player...

        And a Doctor meerkat in surgical scrubs!

         Are those cute...and 'nifty'...or what?! :-] I only showed you the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. You just have to go to the shop and see the bridal couples and batman meerkat y'all!!! LOL There's also a whole section of greeting cards!

          Now, as if that's not 'nifty' enough!...Look at how great hubby's sunflowers are growing!! This is what they looked like a couple of days ago...

          But now they look like this!...

       He's a very proud Papa. In fact, he's practically giddy with 'nifty' delight! :-)) Probably because when he looked around the neighborhood last week he noticed that everybody else's sunflowers had bloomed and were tall and pretty. He was starting to think that maybe he had 'duds' and that they wouldn't grow this year! {You should have heard all of the reasons and excuses he was spouting!} But....there they are! Growing like crazy!
      And the lillies are growing like crazy too!

        Okay, on to the 'niftiest' news of all! You may remember that hubby and my's anniversary is coming up at the end of the month....And you may remember that back when we were planning our wedding...almost 29 years ago now...he promised me that he would take me to Paris for my honeymoon...

        (mikeklement)

         Ahhhhh! 'Pair-ree'! LOL..........Don't get excited. The news is not 'that' 'nifty'!!! ^_^ We are not going to Paris! 
        You may also remember me telling you that my hubby is a big 'Beatles' fan. We have been known to spend hours on end listening to 'Beatles' oldies and dancing as if flip flops and high heels were going out of style!

       Well, yesterday, as I was doing my blog reading, I came across Mina's blog post. From the blog ...sending postcards. She hadn't posted in a while and she was catching us up on what's been going on with them.

      Then, close to the bottom of the post, she started talking about Paul McCartney! She mentioned that this past weekend Paul had played at Yankee Stadium in NYC, and how bummed they were that they didn't get tickets. But how it was announced that he was coming to Montreal, in Canada...where they live!!
     She thought they'd have to make the trip to New York (or at least Toronto) to catch him in concert and that he would quit touring before they got the chance!!.....I know! You're probably saying: "What does this have to do with 'YOU'?!! LOL Well, I'll tell you!
       Right after she said that they couldn't wait to go and see Paul, she said: "You should totally come with us too, because we have an extra pair of tickets that are ridiculously close to the stage. Montreal's not that far away... what else will you be doing on the 26th? Email us, seriously, or tell your parents that we have tickets to get rid of  :) We heard that he ends the set with the Abbey Road medley. I can hardly contain my dorky excitement. 
      WOW!!!!!!!........WOWIE!!!! I've been 'breaking my head' trying to figure out what to do for hubby for our anniversary!! I mean...I could buy him a really 'nifty' tie... 

        (Isybb)

            ...or this Beatles Abbey Road Button...

        (CreativeClam)

             ...or an even 'niftier' pencil portrait of Paul McCartney!

           (Kelbean)  

          I could even get him this Band on the run LP from 1975, with Poster and Vinyl Record Album!

      (TotallyAwesomeVinyl)

     But how 'nifty' would it be to be able to actually get him a trip to Canada to go to a Paul McCartney concert "ridiculously close to the stage"?!!!!!! :-)

      Well, I got an email from Mina last night, after I commented on her blog about hubby, that I hope she doesn't mind me sharing with you. She said: "It's only a 5 hour drive!! Tell your husband...Come to the Paris of Canada and see a Beatle!! :)"

       Who knew that it was called "The Paris of Canada"?!!! ^_^ Come on now! That's 'nifty'....right?!!!

       Obviously, with my health, I wouldn't be able to go with him. And that would be a big reason hubby wouldn't go. When I mentioned it to him and showed him the email I could see the excitement in his eyes...followed by sadness. :-(

      He said: "That's too far to be away from you. Suppose something happens?!".....Awwwww! I just got 'my' anniversary gift!! :-) I assured him that I have enough friends and people around me that he doesn't have to worry about whether I'll be okay! He started grinning and said he'd think about it.

      This morning he talked about his passport, how much money he'd have to spend for a hotel, and who I thought he should take with him...."if" he actually could get all the plans together to go?! :-)))

       'Nifty'.....right?! I can still dream of Paris!! :-)

       (mikeklement)

         Whether or not he actually goes...I'll keep you informed!! ^_^

Loved Enough

He vacuums my floors,

and washes my tubs;

Cooks me good meals,

and gives nightly back rubs.

He drives me to meetings,

and carries my bags;

And when we go walking,

he zigs when I zag.

I`ve never cleaned an oven

(He does it willingly).

He also shops for grocery,

and at night he reads to me.

I`m the one that does the laundry;

But he helps me with the dusting,

and does all the endless repairs

that keep our old car from rusting.

There`s  also other things he does,

like cuddling with me at night,

and being a gentle, unselfish lover

who can dance like its going out of sight!

There`ll  never be anyone more loyal,

or more competitive at playing a game;

or anyone as hard of a worker.

I`m very thankful to carry his name.

I know it must be selfish

that I can get him to scratch my head,

or fill my water cup for me,

or help me make the bed.

Yes, I know I`m loved enough;

He just wants to make me happy;

And whatever I need he'll do;

I come first, and he`ll do it all snappy.

Loved enough?-Yes I am, and quite sappy!