Updates- Brought to You From the Bible Belt of America

Nanny is doing better. Last I heard she was still on a ventilator, but was able to write questions and answers. They expect her to be in the hospital for another week or so, but expect a full recovery. I've been given the credit for saving her life, but I think all the credit goes to the mongrel pooches who wouldn't stay out of her room like they were told. I'm used to Nanny staying quietly in her room so as not to bother anyone, and I wouldn't have noticed any difference that day either.

Kyra has a new love of my mother's cats, her hound dog, Jasper, and the neighbor's chickens. She'll play outside in the front yard chasing the cats around (much to their dismay) saying "ki-ey" and when she catches up to them, she bends down in their face and meows at them. I think she's trying to communicate with them but they're just not understanding. She must be using a different dialect.

Next she'll run to Jasper's cage, where he jumps and howls with glee that someone is there to visit. Kyra in turns howls back at him. She used to tell him to "huss" because we tell The Babies to hush when they're barking, but she's now howling back at him.

After Jasper, its off to the chicken cage, running through the back yard saying "chic-ken. ba ba." (her version of "chicken" and "bock-bock") At the chicken cage, she'll point to the chickens while talking to who ever will listen that they are chic-ken, then turn to the chickens saying, "ba ba". Once again, she's trying to communicate with them, but instead they run to the other side of the cage.

Kyra's new thing, aside from learning to climb on all the furniture, is she's figured out that if you push this button on Grandma's refrigerator, water will squirt into your cup. Except that Kyra isn't that tall, and can barely reach the button with her sippy cup, which has a lid and won't catch the water with the lid on, but she tries anyhow. Even with the lid on, the stream of water misses the cup completely and squirts Kyra in the face. To which she is not very happy about and proceeds to scream, because she's afraid of the squirting water or because it's very cold, I don't know, but she hasn't learned her lesson yet.

Jeremy has called me from Spain, where they have ported for a bit. He has proclaimed it to be the most beautiful port he's been to so far. He speaks of the statues and beautiful architecture, and smash sandwiches (sandwiches with french fries in it, smashed together). He said the town has tons of cats. Cats are everywhere. Instead of the usual pigeon they tend to find on the pier, they found cats. I guess they don't spay and neuter in Spain?

I tried to apply for my passport today, but apparently most of the bible belt post offices here don't do that kind of thing. Instead I've got to travel 30 minutes away, past the 6 other post offices, to find the only one in the county that does this sort of complicated paperwork and check accepting. These people, I swear, don't they know I'm on a deadline here?

Oh, and I have seen the beautiful Mrs. Heather and her oh so cute tater-tot of a daughter, Aeralyn, twice since I've been here. Kyra is a bit too old for Aeralyn to play with, but that didn't stop Kyra from trying to pick her up today. By her neck! She was trying to give her a hug but in mid-hug decided to attempt lifting her off the ground. Ya, I don't foresee Heather inviting us back.