Random pics and vids from 2025 - Snow, Seattle, Vancouver, floors and RIP Paris

It was a cold start to to 2025 - we got snow in Houston! And while I was spending most of my spare time at the ranch, Jacqui and her friends managed to get away a couple times - once to Vancouver and another to Seattle. We also got new floors this year, which is both expensive and inconvenient. And while we've been having a great 2025 so far, we did have to say good-bye to Paris puppy. I still call her Paris puppy even though she was almost 11 when she passed. As most anyone with a pet knows, it's an extremely difficult decision to make.

January 21, 2025 - we saw one of the heavier snows I've seen in my 60 years in the Houston area

Of course, the dogs had to go outside and check it out.

It was coming down pretty good

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO #1 - Snow in the back yard

The view from our front porch

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO #2 - Snow in the front yard part 1

We just had new landscaping installed, so we covered everything with sheets, which was then covered by snow.
Amazingly, everything we covered survived.

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO #3 - Snow in the front yard part 2

It snowed almost the entire day!

This is the view from Kenn and Julie's place in Bellville

And Lauren took these pictures from Austin

Jacqui with Laura, Kathleen and Kathy

Another big event for the start of 2025 was getting new floors

The guys were great, but it was still a pain - everything had to be moved, and the old floors ripped up, then re-leveled as you see here

In my office, I had to take down two pinball machines, as well as my PC, monitors, etc.

It was crowded, but we still used this bathroom

This is our master bath - we didn't use it as much

NEW FLOORS!!!
...and new 5 inch baseboards - I think it looks great!

While the floors were being done I spent a lot of time outside with the dogs....
...and one of my chores was to clean the pool and filters.

Great picture of Paris

My mom is 92 and still going strong!
She's in an assisted living place where this pic was taken on Easter Sunday

Keeping with the miscellaneous theme, here's a Polaroid of Lauren and Bailey

Jacqui's trip to Seattle and Vancouver

Once you realize what you're looking at - it's a long way down from Seattle's Space Needle

Laura, Kathleen and Jacqui enjoyed a 'girls trip'

Typical Seattle weather on this day

Photo Bomb!

This is some famous glass sculptor's museum

...kinda trippy...

Cheers!

I see a recurring theme here

It's a troll...under a bridge

The grande finale - the cherry blossoms!
So pretty

AND tulips!!
...it was a flower bonanza

Jacqui and her mom on Mother's day

RIP Paris Puppy

Paris would have been 11 years old in July of 2025
She was the sweetest dog - I can't remember her ever growling at anything, and she was super sweet with kids and other dogs
We noticed she was starting to have stiff hips, and attributed it to old age
Unfortunately, she had an aggressive cancer that had spread into her abdomen
It got harder for her to get up and down, and we knew the time had come when she stopped eating.

When we shared the news with the kids, we all exchanged a few pictures of Paris - this one from Lauren

Jacqui sent this one

...and another from when Paris was young

Hello Paris

Her last days were spent just as she'd like - sitting outside - being a watchdog

She has 'passed the baton' to Reese, and now she is our watchdog

Good-bye Paris Puppy