Coyote Chaos

Before the chaos began

A wild coyote, loose from his enclosure, chased us down and bit my 3-year-old niece in the thumb. This may sound like a new movie or a line from an exciting book - but it really happened to us at the Yellow River Game Ranch this morning.

My niece Cameron spent Tuesday night with us and I thought it would be a great idea to take her to the Game Ranch before she went home Wednesday afternoon. We arrived a few minutes early and chatted up the staff before entering with the excitement of seeing wild animals up close and personal. We didn't anticipate the adventure that we would encounter, however.

After feeding the coyotes and making our way towards another exhibit, we spotted a loose coyote making his way near us. Before we knew it, he was right behind us. He wasn't acting strangely, so we threw a cracker his way. That was a mistake. He bit Cameron's thumb and nearly pulled her down by biting her jacket. With her screaming and crying, I threw down the rest of our crackers (4 full sleeves), picked her up and ran with him chasing after us the entire way. He followed us all the way to the entrance door.

After washing, cleaning and sanitizing the wound, Cameron was offered any toy in the store and a sucker. Her thumb is okay and there was no blood, luckily. She'll be checked out by her doctor in McDonough today. But the surprising fact was that the owners told us that "someone broke in last night and let some of the animals out." How were we ever allowed to enter without the animals being secure?

We were so glad to get in the car and go home. Now I can only hope that Cameron's mom and dad will allow her to come visit Aunt La-La and Uncle Jimbo again.

UPDATE: Cameron got her first of 5 rabies shots today. I feel like the worst aunt in the world.

Pants on the Ground

My husband is in the shower singing, "Pants on the Ground" at this very moment.

I think I am going to scream - if I can quit laughing.

This from the man who hoped that I wouldn't know about the American Idol premier last week and wouldn't "force" him to watch it all year long. So much for that. He's hooked now too.

Favorite Movie Of All Time

I absolutely love Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It is my favorite movie ever! I can watch it over and over again and know every line. Sometimes it is fun to have a glass or two of wine and quote lines from the movie. No one else seems to share in my love and passion for this movie (or the movie quotes) however.

Here's the original cast - and what they look like now - 40 years later!



From left to right
•Michael Bollner, or Augustus Gloop, is a tax attorney in Munich.
•Denise Nickerson, or Violet Beauregarde, went on to play a role in Dark Shadows before leaving the biz and becoming an accountant at an engineering plant.
•Paris Themmen, or Mike Teevee, has down a slew of things including commercial casting agent, Disney Imagineer, real estate agent, and autographs-for-sale website owner.
•Julie Dawn Cole, or Veruca Salt, has "a successful career in theater, television, and fitness."
•And finally, Peter Ostrum, or Charlie Buckett. Yes, that's him with the 'stache. He's a large animal vet in upstate New York.

Pics from Our Recent Camping Trip

We took the camper to Fort Yargo in Winder. It's close to home and very beautiful. The gas heater provided warmth, but it was still a cold night!

We are still loving the camper and I can't wait to take it to even more state parks.

Become a friend of the Georgia state parks. Learn more here:
http://friendsofgastateparks.org/membership.html

Rhetorically Speaking

Questions on my mind lately . . . .

Will my efforts to earn my masters degree and become a teacher ever pay off?
Will I ever pass the state test?
Will my hard work in making my husband's life easier be recognized and/or appreciated?
Am I serving the Lord the best way I possibly can?
Will I ever retire the old Camry and get a new car?
Will I ever get the nerve to chop off all my hair?
Should I get braces . . . at 28?
Will I ever be a mom?
Will I ever get to live closer to my parents again . . . and pop in for supper or just to visit?
Will my nieces love me as much as I love my aunts?
Is the Wii Fit really beneficial?
Will I ever win an entire world on Super Mario Brothers?

Those are just a few of the things that have been on my mind lately. I hate when my brain doesn't turn off.

Loganville Snow

We don't get much snow in Georgia, but when we do my inner child comes out and I am ready to play. I made Jimbo drive me around in his 4x4 this morning before he left for work so that I could snap some pics of the light dusting of snow in our neighbhorhood.

Our neighborhood entrance

The road leading into our neighborhood

Our backyard dusted with snow

These pics are featured on my other (neighborhood) blog, http://www.lafayetteridge.blogspot.com/

On a more serious note, I am taking the state (board) test for my masters degree in Athens tomorrow, so say a prayer for me. This isn't my first rodeo with this test (which coveres Medieval, Chinese and Arabic Literature among others), and I need all the help I can get to pass it this time.

Two Thumbs Down

In my stocking, I received one of the funniest gifts in many years - a Bumpits hair piece. This item looks so great in the video infomercials and on the packaging of the box. I was secretly excited to give it a try in my very-straight, very-fine hair.

I snuck upstairs last night and gave it a try. I quietely returned to the living room to see if Jim noticed anything different. He literally laughed in my face. I looked like a mixture of a cone-head, Elvira and Herman Munster.

I give the Bumpits two thumbs down.

Perhaps it's all in the presentation. . .

Everything Old Is New Again

When I was in elementary school, my brother and I would sit for hours on end playing Super Mario Brothers on our Nintendo. We'd yell at the TV, throw the remote down and storm off - all to return within minutes and try again.

Now, many years later my 30-year-old husband and I are doing the exact same thing. I gave Jim a Wii for his birthday last year and my parents bought us the New Super Mario Brothers Wii game for Christmas (among others).

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

So many memories are flooding back. . . . But one thing is for sure - I still suck all these years later. Technology has come so far though. Gone are the days of getting the Nintendo books to figure out the cheats and secret levels/codes. The Internet has become my Super Mario Brothers cheating partner.


And, we (I should say I) have been hitting the Wii Fit pretty hard too. Jim thinks it is so funny to watch me shimmy and shake my way through hoola-hoop levels and then complete the step-aerobics. It sure makes for good laughs.

Happy New Year

Callie Ann Kosko

Our family was blessed with a beautiful baby (niece/grandchild) on Christmas Eve this year. She brings us all so much hope and joy for the new year (especially me on the baby front).

Me with Callie, Cameron and Brooke

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!