Dog License

 

Time to renew our dog licenses.  We have 3 dogs, now.  Last year we had 4.  My cat thinks he is a dog but he doesn't need a license for that.  I order mine online and get them through the mail.

We make sure all dogs have a collar and their license is attached to it.  Years ago I was negligent. I would get the proper licenses for my dogs but I never  had them wear a collar.  Our two best dogs (Cheech and Chong) rarely left the yard.  The boxer I had left the yard about once or twice  a year and he would get picked up.  One time the police brought him home.  I can't remember the details but the dog catcher had picked him up and when I called they just had a policeman drop him off or the police had picked him up and brought him home.  Isn't it weird how we can't remember details sometimes?

Our boxer for some reason would end up at the Enterprise rental car location. Or he did a couple of times. I had him 10 years.  It was very negligent and I struggle with the fact I should have known better.

Two dogs need to be on a tie/cable when we let them out and one (my daughter's raised from a pup) is such a good dog she always stays in the yard.  When I let her out, I put her on the cable/tie.  I'm not taking any chances.  She isn't my dog. 

I've spent  hundreds in dog licenses over the years.  Glad I don't have to pay for cats.  I need to make an appointment for Moses (cat) to get a booster shot.  I will call tomorrow. I don't think the vet is closed on MLK day. 

We also get a rabies shot and a tag every year for them.  Along with all the normal vaccinations, kennel cough and tick/flea medicine.  It adds up. Currently my older dog has teeth issues and it costs about $400 to have them remove a tooth.  I no sooner get him home and bam - the rotten smell is back and I need to call again.  This time I'm going to tell her - take them all.  I'm tired of this.  I did not have this dog as a young puppy.  I only got him about 4 years ago and he was gray muzzled even then.  He is showing signs of pain and trouble walking in his back legs.  I'll see what the doctor suggests about that.  Most of the time it's not fixable, or if it is - there is no guarantee.  It can cost thousands.

The last time when the boxer passed and I had no pets, I was able to go four months before I broke down and rescued a dog I saw on Facebook.  Sigh.  I hope this time I can hold out after poor Milton passes.  I'll still have my cat I suppose.  He is only 8 years old.  I want the freedom of not having to worry about letting the dog out and feeding him.  A cat can go longer but I don't want to leave him alone. Currently my daughter and her husband live with me, but they plan to move out of state at some point.  They hate the winter. I don't blame them. But, from what I am reading, we all need to just wait a few years and we will have Florida weather up here in the northern US states if Climate Change keeps happening.

The Hobby

 I've been tending plants as one of my retirement hobbies.  (The other is watching my bank account drain away as I make home/car repairs. Such is life).

I joined the subreddit for houseplants (Reddit is a site with thousands of subjects you can join and chat about with others in similar situations or with similar interests).

I'm learning the best way to get rid of mealy bugs.  (I used to feed our bearded dragon mealy worms).

I am no longer squeamish about bugs like the one(s) shown above. Magnified several times via my phone camera. There are two and they may or may not be up to something nefarious.  We fed the bearded dragon Dubia roaches and that helped to allay my fear of creepy crawlies (or most of them, creepy crawlies and fears).  I would feed the Dubia roaches (which yes, look very much like cock roaches) and then wait patiently (because they are extremely shy) until they came out of their hiding places to feed. I trained myself to see the biology aspect of these creatures and appreciate whatever value they may provide.

The beardie passed away (and they are not my choice of pet so we are done with them) and now I focus on plants. 

I am still reading.  Just finished an autobiography by Priscilla Presley.  I have on my list to read:  Tim Curry, James Lovell and I will try again to read Virginia Giuffre's story. In non-fiction I am reading "Down Cemetery Road".  I watched the first season of the show (Apple TV +) with Emma Thompson.

A lot of shows I watch are starting up in the next couple of weeks.  Call the Midwife, Animal Control, Dark Winds, Shrinking, and Hijack.  'Hijack' was canceled after it's first season which aired in July 2023 (I don't recall what Network) but Apple picked it up. I've only seen the first episode of the second season and I might not continue. Kind of meh. The first season focused on an airplane hijacking and this one looks to be a subway train or tube. Most of it is in a foreign language and you have to read the English subtitles. This does not work well for me because I don't just 'watch' a show. I usually do other things like tend my plants, work a puzzle, play a computer game. The foreign language sub titles do not let me do that.  'Call the Midwife' is a classic but wearing thin in the storyline and 'Animal Control' is just fluff entertainment.  

I watched "Song Sung Blue" and I think I recall the original document that was made in 2008.  I do know that the wife in real life, Claire -  makes a small appearance in this recent version (I did not know this until afterwards so I may go back and rewatch to see if I can spot her).  I have always been a Neil Diamond fan. I mean my God!  I was watching this and was like "I forgot about this song and that song!" Now, I want to listen to Neil all day.

My sister 1956 was scheduled to have cataract surgery yesterday and I was going to take her. She lives an hour away and the hospital was another 40 minutes. She canceled. She said she didn't want us to be on those icy roads.  We didn't get much snow but it was pretty slick and when I went out later (much later) the roads were very slick so I can imagine what they were like at 6 a.m.  I was up and showered, hair fixed, dressed and had even started my car to warm up.  She messaged me on Facebook and by the time I called her she had drank coffee so there was no going back. She was not to eat or drink anything before the procedure.  I said okay, another day.

Both of my garage doors are broke.  So we have to clean off our cars when it snows.  Yuck.  I never had a garage until I moved to this house (2002).  Like I said above - repairs, repairs.  A garage is a luxury, a new roof is a necessity.  I still can't decide on the color.  Of course I am getting the newer metal one. I thought I would be the first in my neighborhood to get one but the family behind me did theirs in black.  AND they added solar panels.  Now, I'm like "Can I...?"   After researching I realized 'maybe not.'

My culinary side of life has slowed considerably. I found myself making things that nobody ate and either I ate them, froze them or tossed them.  I don't need to eat any more, and my freezer is full. I am not one to over indulge my pets with people food so it was tossed.  Such a waste and I realized I needed to stop.

I attempted to help at a soup kitchen for the Salvation Army. What a dork. I was not used to standing for long periods of time and I found myself in such pain by the time I left I decided to postpone it for now.  The people were not homeless as I thought they were. The cook said there used to be a guy who slept in the shelter (roofed area with picnic tables) but she had not seen him in a few weeks.  I was actually just helping the cook do her work.  I was helping prepare the food, put the food on trays and wiping down the tables afterwards.  I could tell that she was going to ask me to start sweeping and mopping the floors and I knew my back would not tolerate that so I had to relinquish my time. I will donate money and/or food as I can.  The people were wonderful there and I can't help but feel that I let them down.  Then I came to find out my niece's best friend from high school works in that area and she is at the Salvation Army facility sometimes.  I will reach out to her when I want to donate. 

There was another "little" reason I stopped.  The cook was warning me about one of the participants who came daily for the free meal. To be careful when I spoke to him because he had a temper. She said if you even look at him wrong it could send him into a rage.  I was like "Uh, I don't need this. It may be better if I help out from afar."

So fast

 I can't believe it's been a week since I posted. I feel as though it was only two days ago or so.  I looked at the date and was like "What?  How can that be?  A week already?"  The days are but a blur.  Water my plants, get the trash out, pick up some prescriptions, go to a hair appointment and a 2 year old's birthday party. Not to mention the daily/weekly chores.  Dishes, clean the kitchen, clean the bathroom, I even skipped an event because I don't like driving at night in the rain. I did lose a bit of time to a headache for a day and a half. I was able to do some things but it did kind of keep me out of circulation.

I make a list and I laugh.  Monday's to do list gets pushed to Tuesday. I need to change the list to "weekly to do list" as it will get done when it gets done, doesn't matter the day.  Except the garbage.  That one is non-negotiable.

It sounded like a good idea at the time

 

Have you heard of using "weighted blankets" to sleep under?  I thought I would like one.  In the winter I add an extra blanket or comforter for the weight so I thought I would just order one.  I have a Queen size bed so I ordered a larger blanket.  It shipped and I didn't realize it at the time but this sucker is 15 lbs.  Holy what the what was I thinking?  Now, every time I go to bed and get up it feels as if I have been lifting weights.  Don't get me wrong, it is nice once I get in and under the darn thing but it's getting there is a chore.  I'm wondering if I can pawn this one off on a family member and order myself maybe the twin size blanket?  

and I liked it!

 I fixed our usual pork roast, sausage kielbasa and sausage hotdogs in the crock pot with sauerkraut. I made corn bread (I think its called Homestyle - something).  My Mom always used Jiff.  I like other brands.  Anyway, I was reading the instructions on the box and it said for sweeter cornbread melt butter and add honey.  I did this and scored the corn bread and poured this honey butter over it....and I liked it!

I am lucky, as nobody else eats corn bread. I had some left over and this morning I fixed cheesy potato soup. I have the recipe on here somewhere from years ago.  (Jan 6 2011) I use butter, celery, whatever cheese I have (today was mild cheddar that I shredded),  whatever canned or jar cheese I have (such as Ragu jarred cheese - I have also seen this in little thick boxes), Cheez Whiz or Kraft Old English in a jar, any alfredo sauce and if I have cream of celery soup. I use half and half if I have it. This time I used heavy cream and alfredo jar sauce. I save some of the hot potato water to pour into my cans and jars after I empty them into the Dutch oven.  I had a can of chicken broth ready but did not need it. For spices, I do salt and pepper, chives and onion powder. I use a Dutch oven to keep the soup from burning on the bottom.  I have still burned it but at least with a Dutch oven it is much harder to do.

It came out just the way I like it. I crumbled cornbread into the bowl and added hot potato soup.  I ate 2 bowls.  I can't recall eating a second serving of anything for ages. I'll do leftovers but I usually eat one serving of a meal and then wrap it up and refrigerate it asap.

Sigh. And of course I have some left over.  My sister stopped in today so I gave her some.  I may go to my brother's house tomorrow to give him the extra soup and sauerkraut and kielbasa.  Actually, I am taking him a cheeseball.  My niece requested one for a NYE party she was going to; but the weather got bad so she canceled.  I am the only one in this house that eats my cheeseball and I just threw two half-eaten ones away from Christmas.  I don't want any part of this one.

The recipe and instructions for that are in this blog somewhere also. Cheese ball May 24 2008, Nov 28 2011 and Dec 29 2011.

2011 was a good year.

Sure...no problem for you

 

This is a picture of the restaurant party room before 41 family members got there.  I make all arrangements for our family for our Christmas parties.  I think the restaurant staff really did a great job at decorating.  Towards the end of the evening my one (high on the Narcissistic scale) sister came over laughing and said that she and her daughter each took one of the decorations from the ceiling (I'm pretty sure she meant the smaller ones, at least I hope so).  I thought to myself "Sure. Go ahead. It's not a problem for you.  It's MY phone number they have."  

Dumb Cane

Certainly they could have come up with a better name?   Dumb cane? 

My most recent hobby is houseplants. I also found out that what once was the "Wandering Jew" is now the "Wandering Dude".  I love it!

 

Latest read

 I don't read a lot of fiction. I think this one was recommended to me through a magazine I read or similar. It seems to me like the last part was rushed and wrapped up quickly.  Like the author had to make the deadline and just rushed it out.  I don't know. It seems like the story was plodding along and then, wham, bam - it's over. I was left scratching my head and had to go back and read and re-read the last two pages to try to figure out exactly who was responsible and what happened afterwards.

Not for me

 I actually know a couple of people who would like eggnog flavored jelly beans. Maybe I'll get them some. With my daughter it would be dill pickle flavored.  She is everything dill pickle.  No, she isn't expecting.   I was shopping a couple of weeks ago and texted her to ask her if she needed anything and she replied back "Dill pickles!"  I put the phone away and said "At least she didn't add chocolate ice cream."  I searched to see if that combination was still associated with pregnancy and did not find anything. I did see lots of dill pickle flavored ice cream, though.  I had to quit reading.  I haven't had my coffee, yet.

Haven't doesn't look right.  Cripes, neither does doesn't!  Maybe I need to go back to bed.

I've been up for over 2 hours because of a coughing fit.  Well, I'm sure my daughter is going to be after me today to go to stat care. I'd much rather wait and contact my doctor tomorrow.  I thought I was getting better because the cough became productive instead of dry hacking but no - the coughing fits continue. In fact one is beginning right now.  I think I got overheated.  

In sickness and in death... oh wait - or is it health?

 I think I have only been prescribed an inhaler about four times in the past 30 years or so.  I always forget how to use them.  I was reading the instructions and it was telling me to prime the device. I kept trying but I never saw any mist. Meanwhile, the count ticker kept going down.  Finally, I moved on to the next step.  It was then the instructions informed me that I had to turn the device upside-down to inhale.  Why the hell didn't they tell me that I needed to do that to prime it?  I was spraying it like a room deodorizer.

I am sick. Very sick.  Not been this sick in years.  My cough is so bad I choke and can't breathe.  I had a follow up appointment at my doctor's office when this cough first began.  She prescribed Tessala pearls. They did absolutely nothing and my cough became much worse. I texted my doctor and she then prescribed an inhaler and prednisone.  That was last week.  I can't sleep.  Of course the holiday messed things up and I can't text the doctor any longer. It is all I can do to talk my daughter out of making me go to stat care.  I don't want to go to stat care.

If I am not coughing, I am fine. I can do anything (a bit tired, but that is every day all year long for me any more) that I normally do.  For some reason I don't feel like they want to prescribe an antibiotic. Which is fine by me but I keep hearing others are getting better a lot quicker with their scripts of an antibiotic. It's like my doctor and her associates just came back from a "How antibiotics are harming the human race" seminar or something.

Giving thanks. I am thankful that I have the ability to tell family that I choose NOT to go anywhere for Thanksgiving dinner.  I come from a super large family and I've had so many dinners and get togethers to last me 10 lifetimes.  I ate chicken noodle soup on bird day.  The prednisone is making me super hungry but I have not been grocery shopping in ages so I am working with canned food. I usually fix a turkey dinner on Friday or Saturday or even Sunday because I do like the traditional meal that is normally served during the holiday. Not this year.  I have not seen a grocery store in over 2 weeks. I've not left the house in a full week.

I did want to go to calling hours this evening. A good friend of mine's husband passed. I met him once or twice. She is one of the ladies I worked with 40 years ago and we still try to get together once a month or every other month. I called her and gave her my condolences and let her know I was unable to make it but wanted to visit her soon and wanted some good husband stories.

Reading, reading more reading

 

I've read a couple chapters of the above book, but have not returned to it.  It bothers me too much. So, I got an autobiography of a celebrity - Sissy Spacek and am reading that instead. Much lighter reading.

Then I found a real time waster.  A jigsaw puzzle site.  jigsawplanet.com   It has replaced the Christmas Hangman game.  I mentioned before I can't just watch a TV show or a movie or video.  I end up putting a jigsaw puzzle together and just listening to a show.  Currently, there are not many tv shows on that I am interested in and I can't remember the last time I was on Netflix.  

Years ago I recall watching the original pilot of "Gilligan's Island" on YouTube.  Characters for the Professor, Ginger and Mary Ann were not the same ones they had on the show.  And the theme song was quite different - (with a Spanish accented singer).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx7A4sxJi7c

I'll keep reading bits of the above book until I get upset and then go to something lighter again just to even my mood out.  

I am also trying to get through "Endless Love" by Scott Spencer.  After I read the Lionel Ritchie autobiography I came across his famous song he wrote for the movie.  I don't recall reading if he read the book or not.  It is a bit of a different read.  Written in the late 60's I believe.  No, wait.  The story line is in the 60's but I think it was written in the 70's.  

I also have Apollo 13 online to read.  I am juggling 4 books.  My Mom was always reading 4 books at a time.  I also have a few magazines that I plan to read or browse through.  I'll probably ditch Endless Love and Apollo 13.  I don't seem to be going to them very often.

We saw a few spits of snow this evening.  Kind of a rain mix.  It was gray and dreary all day. I did my usual Sunday ritual.  Cleaning my plants and looking them over for white mold.  I started turning my desk fan so it blows over them to dry up the soil.  I read that the dampness can cause that white mold and to keep the air flowing around them.  Found absolutely nothing today.  

Taking Cheech to the vet tomorrow for an x-ray.  I think this might be all for him. He is not enjoying his life at all right now. Scratch that.  We are having him put to sleep tomorrow.  He is sixteen years old and he is miserable.  His new medication keeps him from crying in pain but he has no quality of life. He can't move. We have to turn him and prop him up to eat and drink.  He is still eating and drinking and usually I say if they are doing that then....sigh.  We have to carry him outside to do his business. Which today he did neither.  He was still urinating as of this morning. No BM for two days. I think he may be shutting down.

A very sweet dog

 This is our dog, Cheech.  The date on the photo is May 2015. I brought he and his brother Chong, home in the summer of 2009.  Some degenerate had left four puppies in a box at the end of a farmer's long driveway.  He had two left (both males).  When I went to pick them up, they were running around the patio at my sister's house and dodging in and out of the lawn chairs.  They were so darn tiny, we thought for sure they must be chihuahuas.  Even the vet when she first saw them said how tiny they were.  They grew to about knee high on me.  I almost called them Thing 1 and Thing 2 but Cheech and Chong popped into my head and over the past 16 years we have received several chuckles when we said their names.

Chong passed in 2024. Cheech isn't doing so well.  He was stiff a year or so ago and the vet prescribed carprofen.  That helped for a year as I have wooden floors and a tiled kitchen floor and he had trouble getting up.  He took a turn for the worse about a week ago.  The doctor added gabapentin. That just wiped him out so that he didn't even get up to go to the bathroom he just pooped in his dog bed.  Then he was in the kitchen getting a drink of water, turned around and fell. Then peed all over the floor as he lay there. My daughter and I gently cleaned him up and we have had to carry him outside three times a day to do his business.  He can stand for short periods and I have noticed he will move about 3 feet to another dog bed.  He will cry in pain if he can't turn over. He is eating and drinking water.

I have a message in to the vet and waiting for her answer.  She told my daughter if the gabapentin didn't work, she had one more thing to try but he would need to go off the carprofen.  If she needs me to bring him in, I will have to prepare myself for the worse.  Hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.  She might just say there is nothing more that can be done.  At his age any surgery on his back would not benefit.  We are at the "quality of life" decision. My daughter pointed out that when it gets snowy and icy outside we will have a hell of a time carrying him outside to do his business. Sigh.  

After he goes, that leaves me with just my old dog Milton.  My daughter brought him home to me. He is an older rescue.  No idea how old he is but he has a lot of gray/white on his muzzle.  He has very short hair so I have sweaters for him to wear during the colder months.  Cheech and Chong had a super double coat of heavy fur.  My daughter and her husband have two big dogs downstairs.  And my cat Moses who I believe has always thought of himself as a dog.  Yesterday after caring for Cheech, Moses walked over and started making biscuits next to Cheech on the dog bed.  My cat has NEVER done this since I got him in 2018 as a baby kitten.  It was sad.  He always lays with Cheech or Milton and is very attached to them. 

*Making biscuits is a term used for when a cat kneads his paws onto something and looks as if he is kneading dough for bread or biscuits.  (From when they nursed off their mother and had to knead the area around where they suckled to keep the milk flowing). In 1982 I had a cat that would knead on my head. That just felt weird.

So, it won't be long now for Cheech.  I dream of having no pets so I can be free and come and go without worrying about feeding them or letting them out.  But, when I am in the house alone with no pets, I will hear all kinds of noises.  A dog will bark if somebody is close so I always knew if the dogs were sleeping and quiet everything was alright.  My imagination gets the better of me. 

They call it Crack

 This stuff is nick-named crack corn.  Because you are addicted from your first bite. The flavors are crazy.  Sweet and savory choices.  Mr. Pickle to S'mores and back.  My favorite is the original and sweet cheese.  I had the above Iced Lemon Loaf over the week-end.  It is not one of my favorites but it is good. I want them to make a white chocolate. I gave my daughter and her husband the Crazy Onion, Sweet Chili, Bangin' BBQ and French Toast. I kept the salty caramel, the above lemon, original and Sweet cheese. So, so good!  And they talk about not being able to stop at one when eating Lay's Potato chips.  Don't try this stuff if you don't want to get addicted.  I always suggest starting out with the original first.  I don't like S'mores, so if I started with that one, I'd probably say "Eww...I tried them and don't like them."

The factory is a bit too close to me.

https://puffy-pop.com/

What do you call it?

 I grew up with my Mom calling this a spider plant.  I've also heard airplane plant.  I am trying to start new ones from the original.  This is one of  the new starting attempts.  I have several.  I have over 30 inside plants and I have more in water trying to start them (waiting for their roots to sprout or as I call it - growing legs).

My new pots come from Amazon tomorrow so I'll get that peanut plant in the dirt.  I'll post a picture of it.  I may need to run out and get more potting soil, though. I have a full week of nothing!  No doctor, dentist or other appointments.  I should call a family member and go visit.  

I also have two new plants that need to be re-potted.  I was doing really well not purchasing any more plants but our dog cable snapped and I went to Rural King to get a new one.  And they had about a hundred small plants for $5.  I did just buy one, though.  And the cable - Rural King didn't have them and can't get them.  They are not made in America. I automatically thought of Rural King because that is where we bought the last one. It has to be heavy duty for one of my daughter's dogs.

Wal-Mart was close and I figure their inventory would be larger. They had them. Made in Vietnam. I will go to Wal Mart on occasion.  I used to about once a year - close to holidays to stock up on baking supplies.  I go more often, now.  I saw fresh cranberries and HAD to buy them because I made (and we have already eaten and given the rest away) my cranberry nut bread.  So good!  The kids like banana bread and I am like - eh.  But, give me the cranberry nut bread warm with butter with my coffee in the morning. I still have a bag of cranberries.  I may make more bread and freeze it in small loaves.

I also did the cookies with white chocolate chips and craisins.  I used up all the craisins I had and when I went to purchase more I was in a bit of sticker shock.  It had been a while since I purchased them.

Speaking of dogs, Cheech was getting really bad.  My daughter had one of her dogs at our vet's office and she mentioned it and she gave my daughter another medicine to give Cheech along with the Carprofen. I went to look to see what it was and had to laugh. Gabapentin.  Yep.  Everybody and their brother and all their pets are on Gabapentin.  Wish I'd bought stock in it ten  years ago.

I was given Gabapentin years ago to help thwart migraines.  I went off of it when the migraines stopped.  My daughter's dog is on it.  I talk to people - everybody seems to be on it and all for different reasons.  Cracks me up.  

The 1889 one

 Currently reading the book "The Johnstown Flood" by David McCullough.  I think it was a Facebook post that started me on this journey.  Doing a little research I see they also had a flood there in 1939 and 1977.  But the one in 1889 was a big one.  

The author did a great job researching.  The dam started out as a reservoir for the local vicinity (including Johnstown) for the usual droughts that they experienced during the hot summers.  The reservoir was part of a canal that connected Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. The state decided to build a dam, it took over 15 years, they ran out of money.  It was finally completed in 1853. By then there was no use for it.

A new RR line was created, the canal was not used any longer so the dam and the surrounding land was sold a few times with nobody taking any care of the dam.  A group of wealthy millionaires purchased the land to create a posh country club retreat where they could escape to from the city.  They increased the water area of the dam to make a lake so they could boat and fish.  The dam did break a little in 1862 and they cheaply repaired it. It was during a drought so no damage was done, but this began the rumors every year about the dam breaking. This was the running joke every summer until people just laughed it off and ignored it.

The original dam had two spillways built into it - one on each side. Over the years, the locals stole the metal and the spillways collapsed and were not any use.  The water's only way to escape was through holes in the rocks and splits or over the top of the dam.

In May of 1889 it had rained a deluge for several hours and days. There were people who checked on the dam and they tried to warn the town, but almost everybody laughed it off. "Never happen" they said. Until it did.  

The flood was devastating.  A flood of this magnitude is not only water.  It had crashed through bridges, trees, rocks, mud and some little towns along the way (add houses and timber to the pile) before hitting Johnstown so the front of the flood was solid debris.  The water was pushing with a horrendous force behind it.  The debris grew to include pieces and whole parts of animals and humans. Some did heed the warning and ran up the hill to safety.  Others did not make it out.  Some were rescued out of the water by others and some rode beds, planks, trees or the roof of a  house until they were long out of sight. Some were never seen again. A few survived when they were given the opportunity, most perished. People were found drowned several miles downstream.

And during all of this the rain was pelting down and it was freezing cold. The force of the water ripped most or all of the clothing off the poor souls so if they did survive on top of something or in their attic they had to wait it out overnight in the icy cold exposed to the rain.  Some managed to get pulled into a house or building that managed to remain standing by other survivors.  They did the best they could to cover the people but there was very little that had not been washed away. Others were stranded in a tree overnight exposed to the cold.  Fires broke out due to natural gas leaks and bridges that did survive also caught fire. The smell was horrible. Burning oil, muck, timber, human bodies and animals and every kind of household item.

After the flood the survivors (a lot of them were in shock) started to gather the bodies and nurse the injured.  They had nothing.  No paper, no pencils, no bandages - they ripped up clothes or bed sheets from places that had survived but there was not near enough.  The outside world could not get there but by foot until the RR rebuilt the train tracks that had been washed away.  Then help poured in from all over.  Money, supplies and humans came to help via the RR.  It did not stop.  The military was called in to keep the order.  Clara Barton (red cross) brought her crew in and did an amazing job.  Of course there were false stories in the printed papers - it was just chaos.

Most of the blame was put on the millionaire's resort building the lake up and neglecting to take proper care of the dam.  A poem appeared:

Many thousand human lives—

Butchered husbands, slaughtered wives,

Mangled daughters, bleeding sons,

Hosts of martyred little ones,

(Worse than Herod’s awful crime)

Sent to heaven before their time;

Lovers burnt and sweethearts drowned,

Darlings lost but never found!

All the horrors that hell could wish,

Such was the price that was paid for—fish!

The lake was for boating and fishing. There were several law suits but really - the survivors of Johnstown with nothing left against millionaires and their lawyers?  Get real.

The author wrote a paragraph that just really hit home. He wrote the book in 1968 but it just feels like this paragraph is fitting for today's world.  The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Here is what he wrote:

Was it not the likes of them (rich men) that were bringing in the hunkies, buying legislatures, cutting wages, and getting a great deal richer than was right or good for any mortal man in a free, democratic country? Old-timers said that with every gain they made people were losing something. If that was so, people were beginning to think a little more about just what it was they might be losing, and to whom. And the more they thought about it, and especially the workingmen, the less they liked it.

Since time immemorial, right?  

Guilty Creatures

 Just finished the book "Guilty Creatures" by Mikita Brottman.  A man was murdered in Tallahassee FL in December 2000 by his best friend.  His best friend was having an affair with his wife and he had recently sold him a large life insurance policy.  Mike (the man murdered) was unaware of the affair. The death of Mike was considered accidental for 17 years or so, by the law (there were several people who suspected foul play).  His friend (Brian) divorced his wife (Kathy) and married Mike's widow, Denise.  After a few years they eventually had a falling out and Brian sort of went haywire until he was arrested and he started talking and implicating Denise for a plea bargain.  If I researched correctly it looks like Mike may get released in 2035 and the widow in 2047.  He has less time because he made a deal for turning in the widow, Denise.

Mike had done nothing to Brian that I am aware of.  He considered him a friend and they went duck hunting and other activities together.  I can't imagine going somewhere with my best friend only to have them murder me.  And Mike was aware that Brian was killing him.  He didn't drown like Brian thought he would, he was in the water hanging on to a tree stump after Brian pushed him out of the boat.  Brian then circled Mike and shot him in the head.  Mike saw it coming.  Denise told Brian she would not divorce Mike because that would affect her social status in the community. Brian and Denise saw this (murdering Mike) as the only way they could be together.  Kathy got the hell out of Dodge, remarried and moved to North Carolina.

Mike and Denise had a daughter. Brian and Kathy had a son.  The son still has Kathy but Denise's daughter had nobody. Unless she turned to her paternal grandmother who was the moving force behind finding out the truth about the death of her son. Shortly after Mike was murdered, his mother began questioning the situation and Denise got mad and stopped letting her have any contact with her grand daughter.   You have to wonder if Denise gets any visits from her daughter or Brian from his son.

It is a shame that the two murderers were free for such a long period of time and were able to enjoy the insurance money and their attraction for each other and just live the high life while Mike lay in a hole in the swamp. This is the time I would want Mike's ghost to come and haunt Brian and Denise.  Maybe it took it's toll on them but they sure did get a lot of good life in before they were incarcerated.  Is it horrible of me to wish that evil things happened to them in prison?  I didn't go that far. I just wanted them to have bad dreams, I guess.

I'm a Peanut Farmer now

 I brought all my outside plants inside.  I now have 30 plants and 5 I am trying to start (they are each in a jar of water. When they sprout legs, I plant them and hope for the best).  While cleaning up my outside plants, (and hoping nothing like a snake or squirrel decides to exit any of them) I found a strange/odd plant all by itself and didn't really match the rest. I thought to myself "I need to replant that one into another pot." 

I carefully dug all the soil around it and I could feel/hear the roots breaking but I managed to get it out of there and then I saw the peanut. I laughed. At first I thought one of my regular plants had grown through the peanut.  (I find several peanuts in my flower gardens and plants. My daughter said a lady up the alley is always putting them out for the squirrels and birds).  I put the plant in water and told my daughter. She looked at it and said "Is that a peanut plant?"  I said "What?  I think it is!"  

So, I'm a peanut farmer now.  I'll let you know how it goes.  If it lives.  I do pretty good but I do have one issue.  I cannot for the life of me keep chrysanthemums alive!  I don't know what it is but about a week or 2 after I get them, poof they are dead.

I have been to all the local stores in my area looking for pots.  I refuse to pay big dollars on them.  A few of them don't have drainage, so I poke holes in the bottom.  Most of them, I try to fill the bottom with gravel or rocks of some sort to help drainage.  I keep puppy pee pads under all the plants for any messes. I do have trays for them, but I tend to spill dirt, or drip water when I water them.  My cat ignores them.  He does fuss at me when he wants to sit in the sun in the window, so I move a couple of plants for him.

My Mom always had plants in her house.  I don't think any of my sisters do.  We all seem to pick up certain things of hers.  One sister does jigsaw puzzles like Mom (I can't stand those).  Three of the five of us go to yard sales (not me, I have enough junk).  I do the crosswords and fill-ins plus a lot more puzzles I have found.  My favorites are the variety books from:   https://www.pennydellpuzzles.com/variety-puzzles/.  

He's my cat

                                             He ain't heavy!    He's my brother!   My cat, Moses. 

Reading, reading, reading

 It is not very often that I find a book I like that has been recommended by the magazines I read.  I don't recall what magazine suggested this book "The Witch's Orchard" by Archer Sullivan but I like the book and can't stop reading it.  Then I had to research Archer Sullivan.  Is that a man or a woman?  It's a woman. I figured.  The book's main character is a woman.  

Of course I also read online - news stories.  I was reading one about how several of the world's billionaires are building doomsday bunkers.  It's the new thing I guess.  And for some odd reason - in New Zealand?  Not any that I know.  I think Bezos picked Hawaii and Zuckerberg picked Texas.  idk. Sometimes my memory is not accurate.  Anyway, I read further and it quoted a "former" body guard of a billionaire. He said that he and the other body guards had an agreement.  If something happened where they needed to take their boss (a billionaire) to the bunker that they would do away with him and live in the bunker themselves.  Huh.  I guess that might explain why he is a "former".

The reason for the article was AI.  I guess a lot of 'people in the know' feel that AI is going to ruin society or the world as we know it.  Well, I don't think there is much we can do at this point.  Unless I become a bodyguard for a millionaire I don't think I can do much.  At this point in my life, I'm not sure if it would be easier for me to be the bodyguard or the billionaire.  I'm fairly certain I don't need to ponder any more on it (as in it ain't gonna happen).  Me becoming a bodyguard or billionaire, that is.  The AI doomsday - now that one could happen.

Another AI article I was reading gave me a chuckle.  They are creating laws (somebody somewhere, I don't recall) where you will not be able to leave your money/estate/property to AI after you pass away.  I laugh.  Years ago I read where a man in India legally married his dog.  Sometimes, I tell you. What next?  

I don't read the NYTimes but I read an article that named that magazine as the source of this item:

 YouTube agreed to pay a $24.5 million settlement to President Trump and others who were suspended by the video streaming platform in the wake of the Jan 6th 2021 riot. The bulk of the settlement - $22 million - will go to Trump.

Moses watches YouTube

 Here I have the bird and chipmunk channel on for Moses.  I have 2 monitors so he can watch a show while I peruse news/social media.  He got bored with the fish swimming in the river show, and it wasn't long before he became bored with this one.  

A show was suggested to me called "The Girlfriend."  I have only watched the first episode so far. Not sure it is my kind of show. But, she has a cat named Moses.  I think the cat is dead though.  Her son's girlfriend put the cat outside and it was said earlier that the cat would not survive if it were outside.

This girlfriend is a manipulative Narcissist as far as I can tell.  I don't seem to be interested enough to watch the other five episodes.

The Entertainment Center

 I got rid of a TV years ago.  I watch everything on my computer. I read everything on my computer. I have an entire desk area set up (office remote area when I worked). I call it "The Bridge".  Star Trek fan. 

I mentioned in my last post that I went to a Mission store in town - a new one. I wasn't looking but I found a nice entertainment center for $20.  Perfect condition. Not a scratch, glass in tact. I paid for it and told them I couldn't take it home today, how long do they hold it. This was Friday  morning. He said they can't hold longer than 2 days. They are closed on Sunday.

I called Monday morning (now there was  a female cashier) and told her I would be in to pick up the entertainment center that afternoon.  She didn't ask any questions, just said okay.  My brother and I went to pick it up.  I walked around it and saw a sticker on it that said $10.  What the hell! I had forgotten my receipt so I quickly had my daughter take a picture and message it to me.  I told one of the guys there I had purchased it Friday and showed him the image of the receipt. I said "And now it's $10. Can I have $10 back?"  He looked so confused. I said "Never mind. Let's just get it loaded."  

We did and I got the heck out of there. I will have to re-do the wall art as the center is taller than what I had there previously.  Which was a bearded dragon tank.  He died and I have moved the tank out along with all his stuff.  Heat lamps, UVB bulbs, feed dishes, hammocks, hides (boxes and logs where they can go to hide from the heat, anybody looking at them and for their brumation period). 

I guess I'll get a TV again.  I did this a few years ago.  I think I want a TV (so I can sit in an easy chair instead of my office chair) to watch a movie, documentary or a show.  Then I don't watch anything on the TV. I continue to watch everything on my computer. The last one went to my daughter for her bedroom.  I don't like a TV in the bedroom.  I have a new easy chair so maybe this time it will stick.  

Actually, I can't just watch a show. I have to play a mindless game on my other computer monitor while I have the show run with closed caption on (I have to have closed caption). Most of the time I cannot tell what they are saying or the sound is too low because when the scene changes and there is music it blasts out of the speakers. It drives me nuts just to sit and watch the show.  I don't like to browse my phone and a tablet or laptop is just not comfortable for me if I am sitting in an easy chair or sofa.  Sigh. Such problems. Somebody suggested I take up crochet, knitting or cross stitch.  Uh...no thanks.

I don't browse social media or check email or look at the news while I am watching a show.  If I do, then I have not heard or seen anything from the show and I have to go back and re-watch that part over.  That's where the mindless game comes in.  Mahjong, Solitaire, Bookworm, Bejeweled, Chuzzle. I have to do something else when I watch TV , a movie or a video.

More worn out

 A couple of weeks ago I had a brake caliper repaired in my car.  I didn't notice right away, but eventually I used the e-brake when I parked on a small slant.  Actually, I use my e-brake a lot, whether on a slant or not. The handle pulled up really easy and smoothly.  At first I thought "Wow. My e-brake must have been messed up along with the rear caliper."  Then I thought - wait.  I pulled the e-brake and pressed the gas.  The car moved forward and backward with no issue whatsoever.  Hmmm.... I called the garage. I was busy for a week or two but had my appointment yesterday.

My daughter picked me up and we went out for breakfast and to a thrift store. She dropped me back off at the dealership and I waited another hour.  No charge.  The brake caliper they repaired had failed.  I asked "If I had not noticed my e-brake not working, how would I have known the rear caliper repair had failed?"  She said "You wouldn't."  Yeah.  Certified or not - I think I'm done with the dealership.  I've been taking my (total of 2) cars there since 1996.  They changed hands a couple of years ago.  I think it's time to move on. Besides my car is too old for anybody to care if it is certified with manufacturer parts or not.

This time every year we go to a Swiss festival in an Amish town near us.  There is a wine and cheese tasting event in the fire station. My Son-in-Law's band plays there every year.  After Covid they stopped providing chairs. Now it's just tall tables placed around the station with the establishments set up against the walls. My daughter and I said this year we were bringing our camping chairs. A couple of others did also.  For some reason this year they would not open the big garage doors to let air in. It was so hot, I had to go outside several times to cool down.  It took me a while before I realized it may have been the samples of wine that were making me so warm.  Oops.

There is just something about a small town carnival/festival. With those carnival rides and noises. But, it's the lights after it starts to get dark.  You have the lights, the familiar noises, the smell of deep fried foods, children laughing (or crying, depending on the issue) and running around making their parents wonder why do they do this to themselves each and every year?

And, back home, I continue to prepare for the family get together tomorrow at yet another winery. I am exhausted.  But still, I only sleep 3 - 4 hours.  I thought I was getting better when I did a couple of 6 - 7 hours but it went right back to 4 or so.  My Mom had horrible early morning insomnia.  My daughter and I both have it.  I get up at 3 (or 4 if I try to go back to sleep and fail) and read or browse the news on the Internet.  After two hours or so I am ready to go back to bed.  I can also go back to bed even if I drink coffee.  It is pretty much okay now that I am retired but when I worked it was a bit of a problem. Some say don't go to bed before 11 p.m. or Midnight.  That's okay if I am interested in something and I don't notice the time.  Other times I fall asleep right at my desk while I am reading on my computer.

I do nap if I need to.  Maybe once a year I nap more than an hour, but mostly it's an hour. Sometimes I am just too busy to nap with going places.  I don't want to ask my doctor for anything. I don't want to get addicted to anything or depend on anything. After all these  years I finally started noticing some allergy symptoms creeping in. I have to admit, I've been lucky in that area.  I take Benadryl and that helps me sleep but I don't have a reason to take it all year long when the allergies just happen a couple of weeks out of the year. I remember years ago taking Tylenol-PM or one of the same.  I remember sitting on the couch watching TV when this overwhelming sleepiness came over me.  How nice that was, but I stopped that right quick.  It just didn't seem right. And how long before  you need more and more to get the same effect?  I might pick some up if I decide to go on a vacation where it is really hard for me to sleep somewhere else in a strange bed.  But, I know me.  If it is in the medicine cabinet and I can't sleep, I'll just take it.

I'll try to remember to take some pictures tomorrow at the winery.

Worn out

 Went to Berlin (Amish country) today.  The above photo of my front porch has nothing to do with our trip.  I did see the barn planter (one the same size and a smaller one) but not as much white on them.  

The above image I did over the week-end. I purchased some colorful mums and the orange decoration I made last year after visiting Jo-Ann's shop.  Which is now gone.  I guess a Hobby Lobby is coming to our town.

Berlin is only an hour away from me and honestly, a lot of food items there are stocked at my local grocery stores and small markets in my town. As are the many cheese options.  So much cheese!

Today we went to browse the crafts.  Wow!  So much out there.  A couple of bus loads came in today and there were quite a few shoppers walking around town.  I've seen it a lot busier.  

I'm planning a family camp fire this week-end at Maize Valley in Hartville, OH.  I'm trying to get a family event four times a year.  Christmas we have done for years.  My oldest sister has hosted Memorial day for years (we consider that the summer one).  I think she said it was a bit much for them so they are stopping it.  It is an awful lot. Years ago I used to host the 4th of July (I think if you go back far enough in my posts, you will see pics of some of the parties).  I would get about 40 people. I stopped them when a family member would ruin it each year with her drunken escapades and nobody needs to have their children around that. She had been in prison for years and family get togethers were stress free and so fun.  Sigh.  I have to add this - she is great fun when she is sober.

Anyway, this week-end it looks like mid-70s and hopefully no rain. I reserved the pavilion so we will be under a roof.  I would imagine the campfire will be outside, though.  I am bringing hot dogs and buns, condiments and calico beans.  Everybody loves the calico beans, here is my recipe (some folks call them cowboy beans).

Calico Beans

1 large can of baked beans (with juice)

1 can black beans (drained)

1 can kidney beans (drained)

1 can butter beans (drained)

1 can green lima beans (drained)

2 tiny cans of the small green baby limas (they are too cute not to add in, but sometimes hard to find)

3/4  cup brown sugar (adjust to your desire of sweetness)

14 oz catsup (I get the cheapest brand for this)

1 Tbsp dijon mustard - adjust for taste (or honey mustard, or dried mustard powder)

1/2  lb cooked and crumbled bacon

1 lb ground beef, browned, broken up and drained

1 small onion diced (I use yellow cooking onion or sweet white.  I think red/purple is too strong)

But you do you.

You can add any other beans you want, also save some of the drained juices in the refrigerator in case the beans become too dry and they need liquid.

You can adjust amounts to your liking after you make it for a while and family members tell you they like it this way or that way.  The above way is how I make it for my crew. You can add Worcestershire sauce, I don't as my daughter is sensitive to it and usually has a skin reaction when she eats it.

I brown the ground beef and fry the bacon on the stove but then add everything to a crock pot on low for 4 - 6 hours. I usually make everything the day before and refrigerate the beans in the crock overnight and fire them up early the next morning (make sure you have the time to cook them all the way through before your get together) and take them to the event in a crock pot that travels well.  

Now, this next part is V-E-R-Y important. Get a crock pot with the lock-down lid. And even with a lock-down lid, put them in a cardboard box so they fit snug and cannot move around.  Pad with old dish towels if you need to. You do not want spilled beans of any kind in your car.  Trust me on this. No matter how much you clean it, you will be reminded of the spillage each and every time it rains.

Greed, cheating in horseracing

 Surprised?  Nope. Me neither.  It is so disheartening, though.  I just finished a book titled "Death of a racehorse."  by  Katie Bo Lillis.  The doping of the horses to make them run and perform faster.  Getting caught whether guilty or not.  Lying and paying off people to get out of it.  Horses dying left and right because the strain is too hard (drugs or not).  And after the race they have to service (stud) mares twice a day and if they can't perform they are dosed up on vitamins and who knows what else and this also kills them sometimes.  I loved to watch the Kentucky Derby/Preakness and Belmont.  I also love to watch the trotters at the county fair.  A few years ago I started to wonder.  Is this abuse?  I know that some are treated very well, but it is barbaric to me.  I no longer watch them live or on television. 

Yes, but blackberry?

 One of the first guys I dated was a Jack Daniels fan.  So, I picked up a liking for the whiskey.  It did not serve me well.  I think one of the major reasons I have stopped drinking is because how sick I would get the next day(s).  I can't even imagine how that blackberry would taste coming back up.  I'll tell you one thing.  I never will know because - Hell to the No!

I really have no words...

 I'll just let the article speak for itself.  I don't recall what magazine I read this in, but...here we are.

Ain't We Got Fun?!

 I was housesitting for my niece this past week. She has two dogs.  I got up on Wednesday, let the dogs out and fed them and went to take my shower.  When I came back downstairs there was blood paw prints everywhere all over the family room.  It took me a minute to figure out which dog was bleeding and it was Daisy's dew claw.  At first I thought she chewed it. She was licking it.  My niece had just moved into this house and I did not know where any bandages or gauze was located if there even was any.  To top it all off I had left my phone at my house when I went to check on things on Tuesday (Plants and my dogs, etc...) I did have my computer so I facebook'd my daughter and told her the situation.  She is the one you want to have in an emergency.  She said take a towel, wrap it around the paw and put a hair tie around it to hold it on.  I have scrunchies (old school) but I did just that. Whew. She also said get to a pet store and get a product that stops bleeding.  I'd forgotten about this powder (we had a small container when we had our cockatiel). When clipping any nails on any animal there is always the chance of bleeding.

I wrapped the foot of the dog, knowing darn well she was going to pull it off. I jumped in the car and as I was driving down the road, I realized it was 8:15 in the morning. No pet store or drug store was open yet. I went to a grocery store. Of course the employee who was in the aisle could not help me. This was the pharmacy aisle. The pet section was completely at the far end of the store. I fast walked passing a man in a motorized cart. If  I had to, I would have cut him off and the end of the aisle. I think he was trying to race me.  I persevered and pulled ahead. I was in a small panic. Nothing.  I fast walked back to the pharmacy aisle (Pharmacy was closed so there was no asking anybody in that department). I finally found some Bleed - Stop and I also grabbed wound cleaner. (Totally forgot gauze and tape but she would just pull them off).  Of course I get in line where the person in front of me does not know how to use their card on the machine. I grabbed my stuff and ran to the next line.  That one also took a while.  My debit card is in my phone case holder along with my drivers license, credit cards, grocery store cards, car insurance ...you know.  I did have my small purse with cash, though.  The cashier ran the items up and I gave her a $20.  She said "We don't take cash."  My brain deflated.  Okay, leave the stuff and run to the other side of the town to get to the drug store which must be open by now.  This was in a split second. Then the cashier said "You have to put your cash in the slot down there" and she pointed to a slot under the conveyer belt.  Why the hell didn't she lead with that?!  Instead of saying "We don't take cash."  Then she asked if I had a store card. I did but it was in my phone case an hour away. I said "No."  She asked "Phone number?"  In that split second I couldn't have rattled off my phone number to save my life. I said "No! Just...."  I really can't recall what I said. I grabbed the stuff and quickly drove back to my niece's house.

Yes, the dog had pulled off the towel. The dogs were jumping around the family room smearing more blood all around the floor. I tried to get Daisy up on the couch. She was not having anything to do with that.  The other dog - Pepper, jumped up for me.  She was like "I'm the good dog, see?  I do what you say!"  Sigh. I finally got Daisy up on the couch and opened a packet of Bleed Stop and gently began packing it around the back paw.  Now take a minute here and let me explain something. I have no fear of my dogs or my niece's dogs. They are sweet as can be. But, my daughter was recently bit in the hand by a stray she was trying to take back to the owner and she required 16 stitches. So, I was thinking - great. If this dog bites me, there is nobody here and I have no cell phone. (New house - no land line and she probably won't get one anyway. I dropped my landline years ago). No incidents. The dog was as sweet as could be but she didn't want me touching it - rightfully so.

Now - how to tell if the bleeding stopped?  I had to clean up all the blood on the floor because the dogs were still dancing around.  It took me quite a few wet paper towels but I got it all and kept watching Daisy. No more blood. Whew!  I didn't tell my niece until she returned Thursday afternoon.  It was all taken care of and the ordeal was over, so there was no need to stress her out.  She really, really likes her critters.

I called and checked on Daisy today and she is doing very well. I am reminding myself to get some Bleed Stop for my medicine cabinet. I have two dogs (my daughter has two) and I have one cat. You just never know.

The Haves and Have Nots

 This figurine is dated as possibly 8,000 years old.  How did women (or anyone) get to be obese in prehistoric or ancient times?  There wasn't any pizza, Danish cakes, eclairs, soda pop, or French fries.  Maybe bacon? Did the Mom of the clan finish the bits of food left over from others not eating it all? Did she eat what was left in the back of the cave before it spoiled or reached its "use by" date?  So as not to waste it?

Heavy women were considered attractive due to the fact that they could carry a baby full term.  I guess.  This is what I have read. Thinner women had an issue with being too thin and sickly and a lot of times could not carry a baby to full term.  I don't know. I see a lot of thin women today who can spit out babies like they are baking cookies. That may be due to available nutritious food and modern medicine.

Check out PP Rubens painting titled "The Three Graces" from 1635.  What were the women eating in that time period that put so many pounds on them?  Or, was it being a lady of leisure (the Haves) meant not much physical activity and the pounds stayed with them along with the fact that they had all the decadent food they wanted available to them. However, I am thinking perhaps they were not 'morbidly' obese. And thin women (the have-nots) had to work long hours in the fields or in houses with just scraps to eat and perhaps many days no food at all?

 It seems that today - heavy people are shunned and fat shamed. 

Then along comes Semaglutide. Who qualifies for this "wonder drug"?  Only those with the right insurance or plenty of money.  It is the haves and the have-nots.  Of course we don't know the long term ramifications of this "wonder drug" so it could be the have-nots have the last laugh.  But it does seem more and more the fact that losing any amount of weight (if you really, really need to) can improve your chances of living a longer life so it may be worth the risk.  There are always (and always will be) those that do NOT need to lose weight will think they do and abuse the drug.  Of course.  No woman is too rich or too thin, right?  

Now comes the question.  People who use this drug to lose weight - do they need to take it for the rest of their lives?  If they don't change their eating habits, I suppose they will.  Will the body become accustomed to the drug to where it no longer has the same effect and they will need to increase the dose to get the same desired effect?  I guess we are going to find out. The marketing for this drug has soared sky high. Probably the fastest selling drug in history.  Wait, maybe that was Viagra.  I don't know.  It will be interesting to see how this all turns out.  Anybody remember fen-phen?

The Downstairs Bathroom

 A new shower/stall (not shown) and vanity in the downstairs bathroom.  I let my daughter and her husband choose everything since they are the ones using it.  I could care less.  I have my upstairs bathroom which I plan to tackle next.  As soon as my bruised wallet recovers.  The only thing they did was paint the walls.  We had a guy and his helper do the rest.  My daughter said it was funny (depending on how you look at it) but the older guy (in charge) was really tough on the younger one.  We don't know if that was his son or just somebody he hired.

I am very happy with their work.  Unfortunately, the "guy" said his wife put her foot down and he now needs to get his stuff done around their house so he won't be available for about a year.  I figured "That might be how long it takes my wallet to recover"  - LOL!  Not really.  I just wasn't sure if he never wants to do any work for me again (you never know) or if he really is behind in his remodeling at home.

Actually, I need a new roof.  I'm leaning towards the new metal ones that everybody is getting these days. My house is dark gray and I told my daughter, "Shoot. They don't have the roof metal in purple."  LOL!  Okay, I'll probably go with the medium blue.  I'm thinking I might be able to save up and get it Spring 2026.  New furnace/AC - 2024.  Remodel downstairs bathroom - 2025. New roof - 2026.  Maybe my bathroom 2027?  My problem is I can't seem to make my mind up about colors.  I'm more or less one of those people who somebody says "Here you go. Your bathroom will be this color." And I work with it.

Ice cold watermelon

 Such a wonderful treat for the week of the 4th.  I would forget about it and when I open the fridge door I see it and I say "Ah!  Ice cold watermelon!  All cut up and ready to go!"  My daughter and her husband don't care for it much so I just eat it straight out of the large container. I also add salt. I'm old school, what can I say?  My daughter was VERY hot and I sad "Oh, grab some of that watermelon!"  She did and after a couple of bites she asks  "Hey, is there salt on this?"  How can she taste that?  I salted it yesterday and I can't even taste it unless I pour the salt on the actual piece before I put it in my mouth.

Funny though. At first she grabbed the smaller container (I had the extra ratty pieces cut up for my dog, Milton as Cheech wants nothing to do with them.)  I saw her and said "No, that's for the dogs!"  LOL!  Well, I have to keep theirs in the fridge, too - I can't let it sit out in the heat and spoil or stink up the kitchen.  I don't turn the A/C on very low lest I freeze the kids out in the basement.  I am okay in front of a fan and I figure - hey, it's summertime in Ohio.  I should be sweating.  

They are painting in the basement.  We had a new shower installed and are prepping the area for the new vanity.  They chose a very pretty green for the two small sections.  I saw a mirror today that I want them to go and look at.  It looks like it matches the vanity they picked out.  What the heck do I do with the huge mirror we took down?  The painting is about all we do.  I have a guy coming in to do the other stuff.  I think we are an afterthought as he seems to be dragging it out quite a bit.  The rainy weather didn't help the drywall dry so on it goes. They have a shower (no door, are using a curtain for now) but no sink.  Well, there is the utility sink that sits by the washer and dryer - yuck!  So they are brushing their teeth upstairs in the kitchen sink.  Mind you - I've been trying hard to keep it empty and not smelling.  Been going through the lemon juice and baking soda.

So, I've purchased most of my stuff for the remodel through Menards.  I had a little tiff with them today.  I don't know what happened when I shopped there last night (pick up the paint, etc...)  We are supposed to bag our own stuff and put it in the cart. I did that. The cashier rings them up and puts them on the belt and I take them and put them in the cart. The cat food, kitty litter and two potted flowers were on my receipt but when I got home I didn't have them.  I did not realize this until about an hour or two later.  At first it was just the cat food I realized was missing. I double checked the car trunk. Nope. Empty.  I called the store.  I'm going to stop this part of the story here, because it turned into a real ordeal.  I had some words with them when I went in today to pick up my "lost" items. I wasn't going to get snippy with them, but I was treated very poorly today.  I'm in the process of writing an email to customer service.  

After about 24 hours I think I realize what happened. I noticed when I wheeled up to the register and gave the cashier my cart (buggy) and she emptied it, I walked to the end of the register to bag and pay. There was a cart already there so I began bagging the paint and stuff and putting it into the cart that was there. I believe she took the kitty litter, cat food and two potted plants and put them in the buggy that I had wheeled up to the register. (which she had placed behind me).  That's the only logical thing I can think of.  Why she didn't see me walking away and there was a buggy full of merchandise still sitting there and she didn't stop me, I don't know. But then I didn't notice I didn't have that stuff, either. 

Ah, you know how it is.  I tried hard to keep my cool.  The heat has been unbearable and tempers are short.  I was almost done with the episode but the lady manager had to say one more thing. And that did it. We were off and running.

Summer Days

 Summers used to stretch out forever when I was young and between school years.  Weeks of anticipation for all sorts of fun things to come my way.  These days I get up and realize gee - the days are flying by.  I tried to read about how we perceive time as we age but I figured I was just wasting even more time trying to figure it out and just go out and live life.

More often than not, I get lost in a news story I am reading and when I come back to reality I shake my head about the time I spent going down that rabbit hole. Today's news can be quite depressing and I find that I tell myself "You have to stop thinking about that.  Incidents like these are not new to the world. They have been going on forever and will continue to do so even long after you are gone."  

Stories about abused animals, children or just people in general are the ones that make me pause and I find my mind grasping at thoughts 'What can I do?'  Why/how are some dealt the hand they are given?

Making lists help to keep me on track.  If I get lost in a book or an Internet posting, I keep my list handy and push myself to cross something off of it.  Even simple things like "Clean the vegetable bin in the refrigerator" can help me get things done during my adjustment to retired life.  If I don't keep a list, I'll put things off for days (forgetting about them) and then when I am lying awake at night they come back to haunt me and I get upset and admonish myself for procrastinating. 

We have rain all day today, so I will focus on inside jobs.  I lifted the image above from the Internet. It is Ohio and reminds me of the images I used to take when I took the time to stop by the lake.  These days I just snap photos with my phone.  I'll add to my list to get my Canon SLR camera out and begin working with it again.

Rustic

 Here is the barn front I had the kids get me for my birthday this year.  I added potting soil and the flowers. They said "Don't you want to paint it?"  I'm like "No.  This is the rustic look!"   Sigh. Kids.  The rust colored dust around the planter is Plantskydd to keep the deer and other critters from eating the blooms.

The Deer are eating my Flowers

 Here is a picture shortly after I set this arrangement up and placed it on my front porch.  I had a little problem with deer eating my Hosta (but I'm not a big fan of Hosta, so I didn't really care).  I've not had much issue with them before.  But these flowers are a different story.  Perhaps it is because I set them on the front porch and there is less activity there?  I don't know.  I'm currently looking into flowers that deer won't eat.  Grrr!

I visited one of my favorite wineries Saturday.  I saw on Facebook that they were selling cheese boxes for $5 each.  I thought they were the size of say - a case of beer.  When they asked how many I wanted I said "Oh, how about three?"  They took me into the back garage/basement so I could pick them out. They were huge! I googled cheese crates and looked at the images. They look like flower window boxes.  That is not what this place was selling.  I'm glad I said only three.  They did fit in my car. Two in the trunk (which fortunately was empty, now that I am retired) and one in the back seat.  I'll see what I can do with them and I'll be sure to take pictures.

I also wanted to get three more bottles of wine.  I don't need anymore, I just like to buy them and have them.  Since I had a bottle at the table and ordered 3 bottles to go - the waitress said add 2 more bottles and you get a 10% discount.  Of course I did, because there were so many flavors I wanted.  Now I have way too many bottles of wine.  I don't even drink it.  I mean I did at the event Saturday but I always try to give most of it away so I don't have to cork it and take it home with me.  My wine rack holds 12 bottles and it was completely full.  Well, one bottle was empty because I want to ask my friend if she wants the empties to re-use (another winery).  

Oh, while talking to the owners and getting my cheese crates the sound of breaking glass (busting on cement) boomed through the air.  I jumped out of my skin and I looked at them like "What the hell was that?!"  They said "Sorry, that was the wine drop."  I was confused. They explained.  The staff (above us) drops the empty bottles down a chute and into a container (evidently concrete) and  they recycle it. 

I have no appointments all week.  Sweet hallelujah!  But on Saturday I have three events I am going to try to squeeze all of them in.  I have a birthday party from 2 - 4,  a retirement party from 4 - 8 and a gig (my son-in-law's band) plays from 8 - 11.  Between the birthday party and the retirement party is 15 minutes.  45 minutes between retirement party and the gig.  And all an hour or more away from home.  I don't like to drive in the dark.  Especially if it is raining. And they are calling for rain.  I may skip the gig. Especially since I have another birthday party in Columbus on Sunday (2 hour drive). Yay -  no rain predicted (so far).  

I took both dogs to the vet on Friday to get caught up on their vaccines.  With flea and tick medicine (3 month pill for both of them) it came to over $500. Medicine for Cheech (he will be 16 in July) to help him get up and move - anti inflammatory.  It was pouring the rain all day on Friday.  My car smells like wet dog.  I'll try to remember to get the windows rolled down one day this week when it is nice and sunny out and maybe add a new air freshener.  I find all air fresheners for cars way too strong.  I'll probably get a another postcard from the vet for my cat in the next month or so to get his annual boosters. He is such a bully, he beats up Cheech.  Cheech has a lot of fur but Moses goes for his face.