UPDATE.........

The week progressed as usual after his falling out on the deck, but, by the beginning of the next week, this past Monday he seemed a little confused.  Of course we don't want to go to the doctor.  Tuesday night, I helped him get his supper together, he did not want me to fix his supper or feed his cats.  He does, however, let me feed the birds.  Wednesday morning I stopped by to see if he wanted anything from the grocery store and found him on the kitchen floor.  His supper was still on the counter, so, even tho I asked him how long had he been down there, to which he replied 'oh, about 10 minutes'.  I believe he was there all night.  I went to the phone to call 911 and he was screaming at me, I'm surprised you all didn't hear him, that he was not going to the hospital.  I hung up the phone and they called me back, I told the dispatcher that I just needed help in getting him up.  That turned out to be the right thing to say 'cause they didn't even mention a med unit would be dispatched.  Took the girls on the ambulance and his neighbor, Crocket, 2 and a half hours to talk him in to going in to the ER.  Katy kept saying to me 'he really does need to go in and be checked out'.  I told her, 'you're preaching to the choir, good luck'.  So he was in the ER when I got there and they were getting ready to move him up to the heart floor.  Turns out, his white count was elevated so there was an infection somewhere which was raising his blood pressure and bringing on his confused state, plus, this put stress on his heart and caused a slight heart attack.  Thursday I went in and there is blood in his urine. They do a bladder scan and the bladder looks fine, they wanted to scope him out and he told them NO.  The doctor then pussy-foots around him and asks me about doing the procedure and I told him if he doesn't want it done then you're not doing it.  Damn hospitals, no wonder he hates them.  Friday, they call me and say his heart went into A-Fib but they gave him a shot to get it back.  He is now refusing the drip IV.  Again, this doctor wants me to OK it.  I told him, if he doesn't want it, you're not doing it, damn hospitals.  His confusion is not nearly as bad as when this started.  The white count is down.  They've got him on a IV drip of antibiotics.  I've filled out the paper work to get him into the place for rehab.  I have been told that it is the best in the county.  I told him that he is going to rehab so he can get the strength back in his legs and he can get back to his house and he's good with that.  We'll see.  So, that is the whole sordid story.  He's my dad, and I love him, but I think he's ready to go.  I'm OK with that. We are a 'pull the plug' family; no heroics.  Sometimes you have to scream that at the medical people who are trained or brain-washed to save-the-life at all cost. Living wills are meant to do that but they still won't listen.  This might be getting interesting before it's over 'cause I don't want to see him suffer like mom did.  After all, this earth is just a bus stop and we're only passing thru. 

Later...............

HMMMM...WHERE TO START, HOW ABOUT LAST.....

MONDAY...Dad fell on his deck.  His knees are so bad he has to shuffle now and the toe of his shoe caught a deck board.  I had gone into the house to let Archie off of the leash and turned around to go back out just in time to see him fall forward.  Hit his shoulder, of course..the bad one, on his porch glider and went smack down on both knees.  He says he feels a little better each day, still stiff and sore.  Mighta cracked a rib, hurts to cough.
THURSDAY....Went over to the little Methodist Church for their Thanksgiving meal.  It.was.awesome! 
FRIDAY...Went up to the restaurant for supper as usual.  Closed! What! Seems the town was flushing the system and a pump died at that end.  No good water.  So, waited for the rest of the crew and we decided to go to the restaurant on the other end of town.  Food is good.  Prices are higher.  Atmosphere stinks. 
SATURDAY...went to the cemeteries, not far from my house, to take pictures of the stones.  Got about 44, came home to download on 'puter and put on Ancestry.com.  Did a few and BLAM, gone, file not found.  Not only the ones I had just taken but ALL.OF.MY.PICTURES!!!  I know they're in there somewhere, but, I'm not going to Best Buy around the holidays to get them to look at this thing.  I've also lost my book-marked favorites, three times.  Virus?  Maybe.
SUNDAY...went to my cousins, took pizza, called his brother on the way over and he met me there.  Had a good visit, spent the whole afternoon.  He gave me a walker for dad.  The kind with wheels and brakes an a little seat.  Said he couldn't get it to fold up.  Figured out later you gotta pull the little knob out of the hole.  Well, he didn't actually give it to me, we traded.  I had a new book on the railroad that went thru our hometown a hundred years ago.  Took the authors six years to put it together and it is well worth the price of $75.  I never knew, until Sunday, that cousin use to trace where the tracks went, and try and figure out how they got over to the river.  So, he had three books on the railroad in the next county.  We traded my book for his book and the walker.  Good Deal!!!
MONDAY....went up to the historical society to buy another book.  Told the one author about 'losing my book to my cousin'.  He laughed and said that happens.  This is the time of year that they do their greens sale.  They make all sorts of wreaths, grave blankets, garland, etc. to sell to support themselves.  I have helped in the past, since I've always had a truck, to get the greens.  Don't do that anymore.  Not a member anymore, 'cause they bug ya about being a docent.  But, I do go once in a while if they have a good speaker.  I take Archie to the meetings 'cause they've told me he is their mascot.  The older folks just love him, especially when he's 'stylin' and profilin' in his jeans and t-shirt.  Anyhow, got coerced into making the price tags.  Had a good time.  Then, took the walker over to dad's.  He was out at the barn, mashing cans.  He did use it to walk into the house, with Archie on the seat.  When I left a couple of hours later, it was sitting in the kitchen.  That's probably where it will stay.  I try.

Later...............

HEAVY, HEAVY FROST............

for the past few mornings.  S'pose to rain Friday and Saturday.  Hope it is clear for Turkey Day as we are traveling.  Getting hungry for turkey dinner and all of the fixins. 
New fridge is running so quiet.  Can't believe the old one was almost 20.  Should see a drop in the electric bill.  Still haven't found a stove.  Don't need a fancy one, I wouldn't have a kitchen except it came with the house.
Got propane yesterday, $1.82!!!!  When I stopped in September and asked about the price it was $1.59, but I had too much in the tank then.  Probably shoulda called sooner.  Oh well.  It's still cheaper than oil.  Need to turn the other furnace on in the living room also.  This see-sawing hot-cold days are gonna end and it'll be staying cold. 
Had a real nice dinner with my old boss, and two other ladies I use to work with, on Tuesday night.  We ate at Carrabba's.  Never been there, food was good, but on the expensive side.  Haven't decided where to go in December.  
Just saw three deer running in the back meadow.  Probably just released.  Haven't had any around here for a couple of years.  Couldn't tell if buck or doe.  Didn't have time to get the binos.  Dogs are going nuts.  They'd be the type to chase deer if they could.  A couple in the next town lost their dog to a bow hunter last week.  Fool thought it was a coyote.  She was only 10 months old and had wandered just off of their in-laws property.  The farmer had allowed these two cretons to hunt and the one shot her.  If he is that dumb or blind that he couldn't tell her from a coyote he shouldn't be hunting.  Don't you have to be 100% sure????  Not 'think' it is.....!!!  Investigation is still going on.  Don't know if Game Commission will do anything.  Hope the idiot has sleepless nights.

Later..............

Oh, the whatzit is a cigar box opener.

WHATZIT...............

About the size of an ordinary knife one would use for eating.  Wooden handle.  No, it's not a candle snuffer.  That piece is solid.  End of blade is thin and fairly sharp with notch at top.  About 7" long.

Later...............

THANK YOU....

to all of the veterans and to those serving today.  I appreciate your sacrifice for my freedom.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND............

why, in GOD's name, I woke up this morning at 4:30!  Looked at the clock....WHAT!  NO, UH?  Crap.  And, NO, it wasn't the dogs.  I actually got THEM up.  Just wasn't anymore sleep left in me, I guess.  So, I got up, stripped the bed, did 3 loads of wash, hung the blankets on the line, had two cups of coffee, had breakfast, re-planted some tulip bulbs, transferred a small maple tree...all before 10 a.m.  Then, went for the paper and the mail.  Swung around to dad's to check on him.  He and Sarah were going to a 50th anniversary party this afternoon.  Stopped at a little antique shop over in the next village, bought a cute little pen knife for $2.  Then a visit from Cindy's two grandkids, who delivered the pizza I'd ordered from their school fund drive.  Not doing much else this evening. 

Got a new fridge coming Thursday.  The old one runs a lot, it's rusting on the outside and the gaskets are shot.  This one was $300 off.  Decided it was time. 

Later..................

SO LONG, ITS BEEN FUN.....

but, had to let you go.  NO, NO, I'm not going anywhere.  I just cleaned out and cleaned up my blog list that I've been following.  About 60 had to go.  Some haven't posted in over a year, so, I've given up.  Hope they are OK and just too busy to write.  A few were just tired, and a couple that I've kept are on the edge of going.  Got it down to a manageable couple of dozen.  I realize that it is a stressful world we live in and a lot of people are busier than I am and here lately, I haven't been posting like I use to.  But, I miss 'Treesong' and 'JohnnieB' and don't know what happen to them.  Their blogs were always a good read.  You do get close to people you read everyday.  I still miss Ben from Texas that died last summer. 

Getting late, this new time (which makes absolutely NO sense) will screw up my household for a month.  Dogs got me up at 5:50 AM this morning, instead of 7. Gotta get to bed.

Later..............

'NUFF SAID.............

 

NEW FOREVER STAMP..........................

WENT TO A FUNERAL.....

a while back, on a Saturday.  I didn't know the fellow, but, I'm friends with his second cousin.  Bud was the 'contact' for the Air Force.  I assume this hero's mom had made that decision as she got older and knew her passing was coming, his dad had already passed.   He was only married 11 months, no children, young widow would probably remarry.  Her son was an only child, had five first cousins, all older.  She was making sure he would come 'home'. 
You see, he was shot down in 1968, on a mission over Viet Nam.  Just him, who was the navigator, and the pilot.  Others, in the formation, saw the plane get hit, no parachutes deployed.  After the war, searches were conducted, but there were unexploded ordinances found, which impeded the searches.  Every year, on the anniversary, the Air Force would contact his widow to update her on the results.  She had remarried, had children, grandchildren, moved across the country.  But, each year she was reminded of losing him.  This year, was different.  They had found him, but, not the pilot.  The conjecture is that the pilot was shot out of the plane.  He left a wife and five children.  She never remarried.
So, this hero was brought back from Hawaii to Philadelphia to the funeral home that has buried all of the family for decades.  I went, just to honor the man I never knew. 
The town police wouldn't let me up the street where the funeral home is.  So, I politely asked him where I could park.  He asked if I was family, I said, "No, I just want to honor the man.  How about if I park on Oak street?"  He said that would work.  I went around the block and pulled up, parked, got out with Archie.  Turned the corner and looked down the street.  Motorcycles were parked on the entire block.  Must've been 100 at least.  Two Viet Nam veteran clubs were standing in front of the funeral home, all holding the Stars and Stripes.  Two PA state troopers, 5 county sheriffs on cycles and, the town cops were all standing around.  A lot of people were standing on the street where the day before, someone had put flags in the ground the entire length.  Got a lump in my throat the size of a football.  I then noticed this pretty, petite lady come out of the funeral home, shake hands with a couple of the veterans and walk over to the house next door where the rest of the vets had went.  It was getting close to bringing out the casket to the hearse, so, people were gearing up for the ride to Philadelphia where he was to be buried next to his parents.  She was immediately surrounded by the group.  Spoke to all, they clapped, she said some more, they clapped.  There was a connection.  They understood, she understood.  Very moving.  I only took one picture, but, it was the one that summed it up for me. 

YEAH, I KNOW, IT'S BEEN A WHILE................

but, I have been sorta busy.  Last week, took Archie in on Monday for teeth cleaning, she pulled four.....$455.  Next day, took Elijah, my 29lb cat, in for teeth cleaning 'cause he also had the zacklies.  (Don't know what the zacklies are, do you.)  His mouth smelled zackly like his butt.  Anyhow, he had one rotten tooth, which is why he lost 4lbs and his breath stank.  She cleaned his teeth and pulled the rotten one.....$430.  This past Monday, took Coco and Daisy for their shots and check up.....$125.  Can't believe I've had these dogs two years.  All is well with them except they've both gained a couple of pounds.  I had switched them to Blue Buffalo and come to find out, it has a higher fat content.  It is good food and so is Versus, so, I switched them back.  We'll see in a couple of months.  Later, on Monday, took Archie for his bath and hair cut.....$50.  Then it turned freaking cold, now he wears a sweater 'cause Dad is worried he's going to get pneumonia.  Yesterday, took MoMo for his shots and check up, Dad's cat, he paid.....$108.  My vet is going to be building a hospital up the road from her current one.  This is a good story.............She is the oldest of three children, with two younger brothers.  About 10 years younger than me.  Neat lady.  Her family is heavy into farming, always has been.  She currently lives on the farm her paternal grandparents had, but, it belongs to her brother.  But, he and his wife and children live in a tenet house on his wife's parents farm.  Her other brother and his wife and kids live in another tenet house, but have the rights to his parents farm.  Now, you might think my vet is out in the cold, not a chance.  She inherited a beautiful, Victorian brick house from her eccentric cousin, many years ago.  He never took care of anything, even tho he had the money.  The house got so bad, he lived in his car.  Anyhow, she told me a few years back she'll have $500,000.00 in the place by the time she is done.  She put her hospital in the basement, she plans on ripping all of that out, living in the house after building the hospital up the road.  I asked her yesterday if she was putting in a 'Sharon' wing.  She laughed.   These animals are my responsibility and I will take care of them.  Even if I can't afford to buy food for me.

Raining today, and, I guess tomorrow and Saturday too.  Archie won't be going to breakfast on Friday if this keeps up.  Poor guy, I haven't told him yet.  Gotta go, scraped up enough cash to go to the grocery store.

Later..................

DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF YOU BUT............

all I've heard is....... it's going to be a nasty winter.  Somebody better tell this guy.......

 

 

PS.............I started the wood stove tonight!!!!

HAD FUN AS.................

Archie and I went to the Fair this afternoon.  HE was quite a hit, walking around the grounds.  Saw several people I knew and talked with a couple I didn't know.  Something about a cute little dog, dressed to the nines and styling, brings out the best in folks.  Had a good time for sure.  Today was 'Kids Day', who knew?  It wasn't a problem as Archie is good with children once he figured them out.  Most of the kids knew to ask if it was OK to pet the dog.  Then off they went.  If I heard, "Oh, look, he's wearing clothes!"  "Oh look, he's got jeans on!"  once, I heard it 75 times.  Like I said, he was a big hit.
A lot of nice looking tractors and some still in their work clothes.  Tractor pulls are tonight, Parade was last night.  Tomorrow is the last day.  It is one of the only country fairs still alive in this county.

Later..............

RESULTS...........

are in.  Good news.....Stress test was OK.  The only glitch was a the one valve doesn't close tightly and some blood snuffles back thru.  Hence the 'murmur' that the doctor heard.  Not to worry.  Bad news is thyroid is still too low.  Until we can get the numbers up to where they belong, we are going to have to wait for further tests.  Good news, lost another 3 pounds, YAY!  Bad news, still having chest pains and feeling tired and now my stomach hurts; has been hurting since the stress test.  Increased acid reflux meds until thyroid is back on track.  Glad that's over.

Got a message on Ancestry.com the other day asking me if I was this girl's sister's best friend in school.  I'd lost touch with Kathy after graduation.  Good news, now her sister has found me.  Bad news....Kathy passed in 1993.  Bummer.  Didn't live but a couple of hours away.  Maybe I coulda helped her thru the dark times. 

Not much else going on, Hot as blazes today, in the 90's.  Was nice and cool for the past couple of weeks.  This too shall pass.  Fair time is coming, it'll probably rain.

Later...............

PRAYING MANTIS

Just as I was leaving Dad's yesterday, I noticed some movement to my left.

 

 

I reached down to pick him up and move him over to the bushes along side of the house, but, he took off and landed in the Tulip Poplar tree.

 

 

I love these creatures.

 

SHE IS THERE WHEN NEEDED..........

my friend, Suzy, that is.  I've been having annoying chest pains for most of this year.  Back in the spring it was usually when I was doing clean-up.  Lifting buckets, moving firewood into the wood shed, etc.  Had to stop and let them pass.  So, when I went to the doctor for my usual visit, he listened and said he heard a murmur.  I poo-pood it and said, "Yeah, they heard a murmur 40 years ago and nothin' was done."  Well, he wanted a stress test, I've had 2 and the last one was in 2010 which is too long ago.  So, they got 'approval' from my insurance and I had to do it before April 24th.  Didn't happen.  Too busy.  Pain decreased.  Forgetaboutit.  Then, pains returned, too tired all of the time, yadda, yadda, yadda.  Made another appointment.  Still heard murmur.  OK, schedule the damn thing, I'll go just to shut you up.  It was Friday.  I told Suzy and her sister Sarah, 'cause they're my POA and when I do give up the ghost, it's all on them, poor girls.  Anyhow, Suzy called me on Thursday and said she would take me.  Burned a vacation day.  Now that's a friend, eh?  We went to breakfast early at the golf course, took Archie, because I had to eat before 8:30.  Then, the gang showed up by 9.  We left at 10:30, ran the boy home, peed the girls, took off for the hospital, back at another restaurant by 3 for a late lunch, home by 4, fed everyone, and, was in bed at 10 minutes till 7!  I was beat, slept until 6, then up, took care of everyone, and, out the door by 6:40 for breakfast at the Methodist Church in my home town.  Met Buddy, Sue and Sarah.  Left there, roared home, peed the girls, got Archie, went to M~~~~~, bought a recliner, went to L~~~~~ Valley for a craft show.  Got the cutest little bowl from one of the potters.  Visited with Fred, Bev, Karen and Pat at their booth.  Left for Matt and Sarah's for a pig roast.  Came home.  Fed everyone.  Back in bed by 9.   Today.....ain't doin' nuthin'.  Wish I had that new recliner.

Later...............

GOT NUTHIN' TODAY..............

working thru some demons.  Can't figure some people out.  But, I know there has to be some changes made.  I had a friend who use to say, "Life's a bitch, then ya die."  But, it doesn't have to be that way.  

Later......................

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO 'HUMMMMM'.........

I follow a couple of dozen blogs, and today I tried to get on Rural Revolution.  However, I am sent to some hokey site that has nothing to do with the blog I want to read.  Looks like Patrice is having a problem with Blogger and her domain name. 

FEELING BETTER TODAY.............

and going to lunch with Dad and Sarah.  They are having a benefit bar-b-que over at the fire hall today for a young man in kidney failure.  He's married to a local girl but can't work, and, they are living with her parents.  He's on a transplant list.  There was another benefit lunch a few months ago for another young man, same problem.  Hope there is a good turnout. 

Had more rain yesterday and still have not finished that side flower bed, but, did manage to get the stone walk done.  I don't want to use round-up because of the moss.  I have always resisted using that stuff because of the close proximity to the creek.  But, then the road crew came by last week and sprayed down at the bridge, because the farmer is too lazy, busy, stupid....you pick, to weed-whack.  What? Wait....guess I can at least use it on the drive-way, eh?

It's cloudy today, so I won't be mowing.  S'pose to be this way tomorrow also, with rain on Monday.  After lunch, think I'll come home, grab Archie and go down to Maryland and look for a cemetery.  Need pictures for a family-tree I'm working on. 

Later..............

MORE RAIN............

S'pose to be really heavy by tomorrow afternoon.  Was going over to Trudy's and see her new dog.  A 2 year old black lab that needed a good home.  This dog has fell into 'dog-heaven'.  She told me with the lab being there it has calmed her Dobie pup down a lot.  It is a win-win situation, for sure.  So, we agreed to wait until next week and hopefully have a decent day to sit outside and let the dogs play in her huge fenced-in back yard.

Helped Dad with his latest acquisition today.  He told me he was greasing the post that connects the wheel to the axle and water was coming out of the top.  Probably from sitting out most of the summer in all that rain we got.  He is now tackling the little things like putting the proper nuts and studs and bolts on the tractor.  For instance, the front part has a triangle thingy that is bolted on.  One is a square stud and the other is the proper hexagon stud.  Looks awful.  That's the small crap that drives him crazy.  He cannot understand why people do things so half-ass, and, neither can I.  The radiator is gonna need looked at 'cause the block is getting too warm too fast.  And, the brakes are either rusted tight or worn out.  Other than that, he's enjoying it.

Well, stopped raining for a bit, need to take the dogs out and get to bed.

Later................

MORE RAIN...........

started about 7:15.  My granddad always said, "Rain before 7, quit before 11."  So, I guess this will continue for a while.  Shoulda mowed yesterday, oh well.  Grass is just about done, and, with the 'fall grass' or, crab grass, it looks like crap anyhow.

Going to visit Margaret and her daughter, Helen, tomorrow.  Sweet people, of course I have to take Archie.  They love him.  It's always a nice visit, plus, I need to stop at the cemetery and try and find a particular stone.  I know it's there, seen it at least twice.  I just must be going to the wrong section, 'cause the last three times, I have yet to find the sucker.  Need to snap a picture for the family tree.  Aunt Ellie had 18 children (I'd told old George to tie a knot in it) and some are buried in this plot.  That's why I need the picture.  It's a way of confirming dates and the spelling of the name.

Got the toilet unclogged yesterday, but, it still flushes slow, so, I guess I'll need to get the tank pumped.  Just another expense I didn't budget for until next March.  Need to call my chimney sweep and schedule the cleaning.  If I didn't have to pay the #$%^&*() fall taxes, I'd be sitting pretty. 

My friend Cindy just went past.  She hauls Amish and must've had a run this morning.  They keep her hopping, for sure.  But, it's a good income for her.  I've never gotten involved with my Amish neighbors.  I guess because I worked all the time, I was never home during the day.  I did take my neighbor, Naomi, down to her friends house, about a mile and a half away, one day.  She was on her scooter and by the time she got to my house, it was starting to rain, so, she stopped and asked me to take her.  It was no problem, I did give her my cell phone number if she ever needed a lift.  But, she's never called.  I think they use Cindy, which is OK with me.  Could be a pain in the a$$.

Gotta get a shower and get to dad's,

Later...............

RAINING............

since 4 am.  Nice, steady, rain.  Now I'll HAVE to finish that flower bed.  I'll put LOTSA mulch on it and maybe, just maybe, it won't be as bad next year.  It's a fairly new flower bed, compared to the front of the house.  I attacked it when we bought the house in 1978.  So, each year it's fairly easy to maintain.  But, didn't put the side bed in until 2001 when we built the addition.  Never did finish the one in the back, got it half done, maybe next spring.

Was getting ready to leave yesterday when a silver van pulled into the driveway.  She started rattling off about how her grandmother use to live here when her dad was born, and, would it be OK to bring them by sometime.  I gave her the 10cent tour, and, eventually found out (when she finally shut up and took a breath) she lives on the farm on the road behind me.  Her sister-in-law manages the golf course restaurant where I take Archie for breakfast.  Cool.

I hate to admit it, or, even say it, and, if my half-sister were still alive, she would flog the daylights out of me for doing so, but, I think Dad's going down-hill this year.  He has been getting frail over the past couple of years but, yesterday his remarks were oh so negative.  I tell him, he can pay someone to mow the yard and I'm sure his Amish neighbors would clean his house for a fee.  They love making money.  Why don't I do it, you ask?  HA!  I could never do anything to please the man.  Don't even go there.  So, I tell him, it would be cheaper to pay these people than to sell out and go into a home.  But, as usual, I'm only 2 years old. 

Must go unclog a toilet, later.............

HAD A NICE BREAKFAST............

at the golf course on Friday.  Beautiful morning, so we ate out on the patio, and, Archie was able to go.  Of course, he was styling.  A lot of laughs provided by this little guy, from both friends and complete strangers.  People were coming out of the restaurant just to see him, and, he knows it.  Not much else happening.  Rained some last night, a dreab day today.    Later.............

 

 





WICKED, NASTY, TOO-CLOSE-FOR-COMFORT, THUNDERSTORM....

last night.  It was only the second time, in 35 years of living in this house, that I checked the upstairs after a VERY close lightening strike.  It was also the second time I smelled sulfur after the same strike.  Since I was already up, I closed the last window where the dogs were, and, brought them back to bed with me.  They, normally, don't have a problem with storms, but, I felt they would feel safer with me.  They didn't argue.  Also, looks like I will have to replace 2 phones.  Everything else is ok.

A 8 lb., 6 oz., new prince for England.  William, George, Charles, Harold, Phillip, John, James, Barnard, Albert, etc.., etc., was born yesterday.  Poor kid will live his life in a fish bowl.  Glad everyone is ok. 

Since the ground is saturated, I should finish the front flower bed.

Later...............

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN FOUND NOT GUILTY....

in a trial that should never have happened.  OK, first, let me say to Trayvon's family, especially his parents...."I AM sorry for your loss."  People have told me how hard it is to lose a child. I never had children, didn't want children, don't really like children, but, that's another story.  I have loss young family members and watched my parents and grandfathers suffer greatly with 'survivor's guilt'.  But to repeat myself, this trial should not have happened.  If Trayvon was white and Zimmerman black, it would've been a different story.  BO should of never got involved with the 'my son' comment.  I can't picture GB ever saying that.  But, that is comparing apples to oranges, eh?  Now, if the people stay calm and carry on, don't pull another 'Rodney King' episode, and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson need to stop stirring the pot, then the nation can put this circus behind us and move on.

On a lighter note, woke up in the night to more rain.  Was going to be a heathen today and mow, but the sun is not shining for any length of time, so the sponge, that use to be my yard, won't dry out.  Fred is coming down this morning to do a little work.  He's not been here for a while 'cause his son got married last fall and they bought a house in the same development which needed some work. 

Dad's been checking out his new tractor, the seat, tires, tubes, distributor cap, plug wires, plugs, starter thingy, manifold, exhaust are all new.  In his mind, this brings the price down to a more palatable figure.  If that stuff hadn't been replaced, the tractor might of cost him less, but, then he would be buying the stuff.  Broad as it is long in my book.  But, what do I know.  I'm just glad he got it.

Amish going by the house this morning, HA, dogs are sleeping and don't see them.  Have the A/C on and they don't hear or smell them either.  Peaceful for a change. 

Later................

AND NOW THERE ARE 3.............

Archie and I went to a sale with Dad just north of here, about a 30 minute drive, 20 if I was driving.  Just the house and barn on 1.2 acres and this John Deere were all that was being sold.  The lady having the sale was already gone.  Moved to Oregon to be closer to her daughter, something about a divorce.  The tractor was listed as 'restored'.  Shoulda said 'painted'.  It's restoration is not up to dad's standards, but it's not bad.  At least they didn't paint it with a brush.  The one auctioneer lady was gushing about "its all restored, you won't have to do anything to it!!!!"  Dad flat-out told her, 'yeah, but they shoulda put on two more coats of primer and sanded more.'  She just said, 'oh.'  As you can see by the picture, they didn't even clean up the tires.  Anyhow, he bought it, I called our friend Chuck, who roared up there with his truck and trailer, loaded the John Deere 40 and delivered it to dad's where it sits snugly in the barn with it's big brothers, a 720 and a 1020.  That barn was just too empty!  Now, we need to find fenders, for it must have fenders!

Later.............

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD...............

He is now 95 years old and no one in his family has reached that age except one of his mother's sisters who was 97 when she died.  She would spend time at their farm as a young girl and she was a hoot, I loved Aunt Elsie.  Dad actually took her to a dance and everyone wondered who his new girlfriend was.  He definitely gets the longevity from his mom's side of the family.  His dad's side all dropped over from heart attacks anywhere from their 60's to 80's. 

Do you see a pattern here with the two pictures?  He loves dogs, that's why he and Archie are such buddies.  And, he always had cool cars.

His birthday was yesterday and he spent the day cleaning the lawn mower among other stuff.  I called my cousin Jack and asked if they would like to meet us at the restaurant that dad and Sarah always go to after church.  He said, "Sure, great idea!"  I had gotten an email from another cousin and I mentioned the lunch to her and she just let me know last night that she and her mom will be there.  I hope they contacted the other two nephews, 'cause I don't have their numbers.  I had to tell dad that I would meet them there but he doesn't know about his nephew and niece showing up.  He had asked me not to do anything, but, if he gets mad, he'll get glad again.  Won't be the big party we had for his 90th at the Park.  Friends brought their tractors and the rangers all thought that was so cool.  This will be a nice little get-together with family. 

Finally had a couple of days with NO rain, but it's nasty and hot, in the 90's.  Have the A/C on for the dogs (and me).  Hope everyone had a good Independence Day.  I went to lunch with friends and came home and mowed.  Got stuck, twice, down by the creek.  I have always been able to mow that part of the yard until now.  I hope it's not the drain field acting up.  Darn 'fall grass' is coming, and the yard will soon look like a shag rug.  I hate that stuff. 

Did breakfast on Friday at the Golf Course, took Archie 'cause we eat out on the patio.  Everyone loves that dog.  A couple sat down at the next table and we were talking about dogs.  The husband had already wussed on him, then the wife got up and came over and made over him.  He eats this up 'cause he was so neglected the first 3 years.  Then his aunts and uncles started showing up, made his day.  He got his own scrambled egg and a cup of water.  Doing it again this coming Friday, hope it's not raining so he can go along. 

Later...............

LOTTSA STORMS ROLLING THRU...............

everyday.  They are hitting in the late afternoon, everyday this week so far.  More in the forecast for the next few days.  Corn is loving it.  Neighbor has some barley straw down. 

Amish neighbor buried her husband yesterday.  They only married 3 months ago, second marriage for both.  His first wife died about five years ago and her husband died about two years ago.  Her son told my friend Cindy, who hauls for the Amish, that is was nice having a 'dad' in the house again.  He had a stroke on a Thursday, his scheduled sale was on Saturday and he passed on Sunday.  He was buried right down the road from dad in a cemetery that once belong to the local Presbyterian church who moved over to another road and built a new brick church and established a new cemetery, probably in the early 1800's.  When the Amish became more prevalent around here, they took over the little cemetery for their own burials.

Must run, get a shower, if I can tear myself away from "The Antiques Roadshow" on the Ovation Channel.  I could so live in England, it's where my paternal ancestor's came from in 1682.  More German and Irish on my maternal side.  But, alas, since I refuse to fly, I shall never get there.  But, in watching this show and BBC on PBR, I can dream.

Later..................

BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL...............

'puter, that is, not me.  Last Thursday, no Kaspersky Virus Protection.  Gone.  Wouldn't re-load.  Took el-sicko back to Best Buy and they couldn't re-load it.  They kept it and cleaned it up and cleaned it out.  Found some virus' then re-loaded and up-dated the Kaspersky, called me today and I went for my baby.  I really missed not having the old HP.  Guess I should take that POS Dell in for a fix so I'd have a back-up.

Not much going on.  Got about 10 more bags of mulch to put down and that's done.  Been oh so nice and cool with just a couple of days here and there of 80 to 90 degrees.  Lottsa rain, poured about 6 inches out of the gauge last week and another inch today.  Couldn't mow the entire back yard by the creek, still too wet. 

Dad is not feeling the best and too stubborn to go to the doctors.  I told him, I'm NOT like my half-sister, Gerrie, who would bawl and squall and pitch a fit until he complied.  You have a problem, you go to the doctors.  The other choice is to sit around and worry and fret about it, then die.  Don't think it helped.  Today's conversation was the same as yesterday's.  Granted, he's tired, he misses mom, he can't do what he LOVES to do........work.  But, he also won't do things easier to make it easier on him.  For instance.........washer and dryer are in the basement and it kills him to go up and down steps.  There is room to move them up into the garage and the plumbing is at the same part of the house.  Probably wouldn't costs $100, nah, can't do that.  Frustrating as hell some days.  I remember mom saying, "Either do it or don't do it, but don't keep talking about it."  Now I know why.

Later...................

50 YEARS AGO ON THIS DAY............

I was, without a doubt, the HAPPIEST person in the world!  Why? You ask? Because, on this day, I was paroled, escaped, busted out, in other words......GRADUATED from the 'necessary evil' called, high school.  GOD, how I hated school.  The mere thought of it, even 50 years later, sickens me.  Not all of the teachers were nasty and hateful, there were a few that I remember as kind and caring, but, they were in the minority.  It was a small town high school, and, if you were not going on to college, they assumed you were going into farming with your father, or, being a girl, you would be marrying a farmer, and, that was that.  The guidance counselor couldn't have guided himself out of a dark closet with a flashlight, the only reason he was in the job was his wife was an English teacher.  I finally got myself into a junior college and into the work force.  Went on to work at six different companies, in three different states and made a decent living, no thanks to the pitiful education I received.  Do I sound bitter?  Maybe, when I think of how better things could've been.  Was it that way at other schools?  Probably.   It is what it is, I hope it's different now. 

Later................

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!

I am not afraid of snakes, and wondered why I jump when I see one.  It's because they startle me, not scare me.  I met up with this one this morning while walking the dogs in the back yard.  To my knowledge, these three dogs have never seen a snake, and, they didn't see this one because I managed to get them back in the house.  Grabbed the camera took a couple of shots, went about my business and when I looked again..... Mr. Black Snake, or Miss Black Snake was gone.

I AM STILL AMAZED AT THESE TWO DOGS..............

"You move over."  "NO, you move over."

and how they've adapted to this place and to me.  It'll be two years in August and it's like I've had them since puppies.  There was never any pining away for their previous family or looking longingly down the road for them to come back and get them.  I know they were not abused 'cause I worked with their previous 'daddy', and, he is a good guy.  His son is about 13 years old and I think he just ignored both dogs.  The ex-wife?  Kinda strange, but, not abusive.  I really think it was more of a situation of neglecting the dogs.  Very similar to Archie's previous life.  In a way, that's being abusive, isn't it?

 

Had the wood stove going last night and again today.  A couple of days ago it was in the 90's and humid.  So, I uncovered the A/C's and turned off the gas furnaces.  Oh well, this cooler weather probably won't last too much longer, tho I like it better than the 90's with humidity.  Guess I'll mow tomorrow, calling for rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Boy, I live an exciting life, huh.

 

 

Later...................

 

 



PRAYERS GOING OUT TO OKLAHOMA!!!!

I cannot fathom what these Americans are going thru.  Why isn't there a shelter in the school?  What part of 'Tornado Alley' didn't they understand? 

Later...............

YARD SALES...........

are hot and heavy right now.  People must be doing a lot of spring cleaning.  I've had a total of four yard sales since I moved here and have always done well.  But, one house down the road has maybe four a year.  I think she buys from others then when she has a plethora of stuff, she sells.  A lot of work for sure.  A lady down in the village had one last month and I stopped on the way home.  She had the usual and I saw nothing I couldn't live without.  Then, when she figured out where I live, she started talking to me about her neighbors, which I've known for 40 years, but she didn't know that.  She said how she 'had her in the hospital last year' and how 'she mows their yard' and 'their son, L...... always comes home and backs his tractor-trailer in their yard and f...s it up' and 'their granddaughter committed suicide and him a preacher' and 'last winter the fuel-oil dealer wouldn't deliver because their basement was too packed with junk, so she cleaned it out and sold it and they split the money, now it's filled back up' and 'the other two boys never come around' and on and on.  Quite the little chatter-box she was and what a potty-mouth.  I stopped at another yard sale on Friday coming home from breakfast.  SCORE!!!  Got a nice insulated work shirt and a very nice leather jacket for $1 each.  Perfect fit too!  Guess I'll have to stop at them more often, I usually don't have that kind of luck.

Later.................

THIS AND THAT.....................

Got the whole yard mowed yesterday and even cleaned the mower.  It's a job I hate and, sad to say, I only do it when the Toro starts sounding like a jet engine.  I love to mow, and having the whole yard done is a sense of accomplishment.  S'pose to rain the next 3 to 4 days, so there's a lot of people hustling to get their yards done.  The little pansy's are lovin' it in the troughs.  Was a bit concerned that these containers would not be deep enough but the plants are looking good.  Tulips I planted last fall have all done well but are just about done.  Think I'll get more.  I love tulips, a hassle-free flower, they just don't last long enuf.  I wish my azaleas would bloom all summer but that's not gonna happen either. 
Had just one baby robin born in the nest on the grapevine wreath hanging on the barn.  I assume its the same mama every year.  Baby is gone now.  Wonder if she'll have more.  Robins are nasty birds.  When I had the bird bath, of all the birds that showed up, they were the only ones that would drink, turn around, poop in the water and fly off.  Cretans.
Had breakfast this morning with Dad and Sarah over at the fire hall.  They raised the price to $8, but you don't go hungry.  It's buffet and you can go back as many times as you want.  It wasn't too crowded this morning.  Maybe a lot of people have started their holiday early.  Can't believe Memorial day is next weekend. 
Not much else going on.  Need to get Archie to the vet.  He's not really sick but just ADR (ain't doing right).  Might be his teeth as they are due for a cleaning.  He also keeps licking his left front paw and that's the one he screwed up the dew claw on.  When he was groomed on Monday, he REALLY pitched a fit as she was clipping his nails on that paw. 

"I'm alright mom, really, I don't think a doctor's visit is really necessary, honest."

"CRAP, she's got that look in her eye.  Bet I know where I'm headed on Monday."



 

 

Later........................

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY.................

The youngest mother whose history is authenticated is Lina Medina, who delivered a 6½-pound boy by cesarean section in Lima, Peru in 1939, at an age of 5 years and 7 months. The child was raised as her brother and only discovered that Lina was his mother when he was 10.

On April 9, 2003, Satyabhama Mahapatra, a 65-year-old retired schoolteacher in India, became the world's oldest mother when she gave birth to a baby boy. Satyabhama and her husband had been married 50 years, but this is their first child. The baby was conceived through artificial insemination using eggs from the woman's 26-year-old niece, Veenarani Mahapatra, and the sperm of Veenarani's husband.

Bobbie McCaughey is the mother who holds the record for the most surviving children from a single birth. She gave birth to the first set of surviving septuplets - four boys and three girls -on November 19, 1997, at the University Hospital, Iowa, US. Conceived by in vitro fertilization, the babies were delivered after 31 weeks by caesarean in the space of 16 minutes. The babies are named Kenneth, Nathaniel, Brandon, Joel, Kelsey, Natalie and Alexis.

Jayne Bleackley is the mother who holds the record for the shortest interval between two children born in separate confinements. She gave birth to Joseph Robert on September 3, 1999, and Annie Jessica Joyce on March 30, 2000. The babies were born 208 days apart.

Elizabeth Ann Buttle is the mother who holds the record for the longest interval between the birth of two children. She gave birth to Belinda on May 19,1956 and Joseph on November 20, 1997. The babies were born 41 years 185 days apart. The mother was 60 years old when her son Joseph was born.

The highest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69, to the first wife of Feodor Vassilyev (1707-1782) of Shuya, Russia. Between 1725 and 1765, in a total of 27 confinements, she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets, and four sets of quadruplets. 67 of them survived infancy.

The modern world record for giving birth is held by Leontina Albina from San Antonio, Chile. Leontina claims to be the mother of 64 children, of which only 55 of them are documented. She is listed in the 1999 Guinness World Records but dropped from later editions.

Katherine Hepburn's father was a surgeon and her mother was a dedicated suffragette and early crusader for birth control.

Kim Basinger's mother had been a champion swimmer who performed water ballets in several Esther Williams movies in the 1940s.

Laura Dern earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her illuminating performance as the title character in Rambling Rose, an underrated picture in 1991 that also won a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her mother, Diane Ladd. This was the first time a mother-daughter team had been so honored; they became the first mother and daughter ever nominated for Academy Awards for the same movie.

Madonna's mother died when she was five years old.

Phyllis Diller, a 40-year-old mother of five and an advertising copywriter for a California radio station, made a rousing comedy debut at San Francisco's Purple Onion in 1957.

American talk show host Conan O'Brien's father is Dr. Thomas O'Brien, a noted epidemiologist, the head of microbiology at Peter Brigham Hospital, and a professor at Harvard Medical School. His mother, Ruth Reardon O'Brien, was a partner at Ropes & Gray law firm outside Boston until her 1997 retirement.

Elvis Presley, was a mama's boy. He slept in the same bed with his mother, Gladys, until he reached puberty. Up until Elvis entered high school, she walked him back and forth to school every day and made him take along his own silverware so that he wouldn't catch germs from the other kids. Gladys forbade young Elvis from going swimming or doing anything that might put him in danger. The two of them also conversed in a strange baby talk that only they could understand.

Meredith Baxter-Birney played the mother, Elyse Keaton on the hit TV sitcom Family Ties. Her actress mother, Whitney Blake, also played a mom: Dorothy Baxter, on TV's Hazel.

James McNeill Whistler's best known painting, often called "Whistler's Mother," is actually titled "Arrangement in Black and Gray: The Artist's Mother."

Many of the sweaters worn by Mr. Rogers on the popular television show, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, were actually knitted by his real mother.

Monkee Mike Nesmith's mother, Bette Nesmith Graham was the inventor of Liquid Paper correction fluid. She sold the rights to the Gillette Corporation in 1979 for $47.5 million and when she died in 1980, she left half of her fortune to her son Michael.

Eric Clapton was born to an unwed mother and to shield him from the shame, Eric grew up believing that his grandparents were his parents and his mother was his sister.

Hoyt Axton wrote Three Dog Night's "Joy To The World". His mother, Mae Axton wrote "Heartbreak Hotel" for Elvis Presley.

Hooked On Swing - Dancing Dogs

Hooked On Swing - Dancing Dogs

Yeah, I can see my crew doing this....NOT!

RAINING TODAY..............

but, that's OK.  I was a heathen and mowed the yard yesterday.  Couldn't get to it on Saturday as Fred came down and we split up all of the wood I had stored behind the wood shed.  But not before we replaced the fuel line on the splitter.  Crappy gas.  We got to the store and I remembered I had no money, neither did Fred.  I asked if Dave was there, he's the owner.  When he came over, I told him I had two problems....I need a new fuel line for the splitter and I forgot my money.  He just smiled and fixed us right up.  When we were walking out, he told the girl, "They're OK, they are just stealing from me."  Impressed the heck outta Fred, who said, "Wow, couldn't do that up where I live."  I told him there are perks to living in the country. 
Then Matt and Sarah arrived in his beautiful Ford Diesel towing a trailer, and took home the '35 Dodge cab I'd been storing for them for the last 10 years.  So, after they left, it was too late to mow, as I had to get over to Dad's.  Archie needs his Pop-Pop fix every day.  
Sunday morning, worked on cleaning out the shed getting ready to sling wood, leveled up where everything was stored and built a rack, and moved the recycle bins there.  Sowed some grass seed, then mowed the yard.  This rain is a blessing for sure.  Suppose to do it tomorrow and the next day.
I'll work at the wood like a mouse eats an elephant............one bite at a time.

Later.................

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM.............

Mom was born on this date in 1918, the fourth child of twelve, in rural West Virginia.  She started working at the age of 12, cleaning house for a neighbor.  Lived through a depression, and a rough first marriage in which she had two children, a son and a daughter, sixteen months apart.
In October of 1942, she boarded a bus for the north to work in an ammunition plant.  While living in Pennsylvania, she met her second husband; they married in August of 1944 and had one daughter the next year.  She worked many different jobs, a clerk in a drug store, a waitress in a restaurant, and helped to milk the family's dairy herd.  Around 1953, she went to work for the Acme Markets, and, from there she retired in 1978.
She retired only because she couldn't remember how to make proper change anymore.  Or maybe she wasn't quite sure what her customer's name was.  She wished someone a Happy Easter, but it was the day before Christmas.
It wasn't long before she stopped cooking, stopped eating, then, the pacing started.  All day, she paced the house.  Finally her husband retired to take care of her.  He cooked the meals and fed her, sometimes forcibly.  She could no longer dress herself, so he dressed her.  She didn't know when she had to go to the bathroom, so she was put in diapers.  She couldn't hold a normal conversation, so she just stopped talking.
She would look at you, and not know who you were, couldn't remember your name.  But she was the one who gave you that name.....gave you life.
On a Saturday in May of 1998, she was rushed to the hospital with pneumonia.  On Monday, the doctors were talking nursing home, by Tuesday, hospice.  She came back to her home.  On Friday, early in the morning, she went home to be our LORD, very peacefully, with her devoted husband and two daughters at her bedside.  And, it was over, twenty-two years of caring for a woman who would've done as much or more for you, a woman who was a victim of Alzheimer's, a nasty, incurable, agonizing, hateful disease that affects the whole family.  Be sure to enjoy your love ones while they can still enjoy life.
Miss ya, mom.

IT'S NICE TO HAVE FRIENDS...........

and, I would be lost and REALLY depressed if not for them.  It's true, I lost my three best friends in 2 years, and, some days are harder to get thru than others.  We were friends for over 50 years and they were the kind you could call at 3 in the morning if you needed help and KNOW they would be there, no questions asked.  But, they are gone, and I miss them.   However, I have other friends, some I've known for a very long time.  Two of them are cousins to the ones I've lost, and, that's a nice connection.  Other friends are newer but still, its great to know them.  I don't know if I'd try the 3 in the morning thing or not.  Maybe.
Then, there's the blogging friends.  Sometimes, when I get a little sad, I'll surf my blogging buddies and realize there are such good people out there on the net.  I sometimes wish we all lived closer so an in-your-face visit could happen.  But, maybe not.  Familiarity breeds contempt?  Whatever.
I dread losing my Dad, just because it will make me really alone.  Some tough decisions will have to be made.  I got burned out on 'decision-making' when I worked.  I just want to float thru the rest of my life, some days.  Oh, I can still make decisions, hard ones, like putting a pet down or where to build the garage or do I even want to dump more money in this place,  etc., etc.,.  I am kinda glad that Dad is such a procrastinator when it comes to making decisions.  Forced me to stand on my own two feet, early. He has NEVER told me what to do with this place or anything else for that matter.  Sometimes he'd make a suggestion, but, Mom was the one with the advice, and we lost her early, at 58, to Alzheimer's.  Although, physically, she was with us for another 22 years, Dad being the caregiver.  I'll always admire him for that.
So, when I look at the way this country is headed, the world for that matter.  I'm glad I was born when I was, had the friends I had, and, have the friends I do.  Just some reflections on this beautiful, sunny, Sunday.  Gotta go, get a shower, friends are coming for a visit.

Later....................

THE ANNUAL MUD SALE..............

is happening over in the village.  Many, many Amish are going past the house this morning.  One enterprising young man went down the road in a cart and horse, pulling an express wagon.  What???  Then, I remembered.....the boys use these wagons to haul stuff  (for us 'English')  to the cars, then get a tip.  If there is a way to make a dollar, they're on it.

Got a call yesterday from my English friend, Barb.  She and her husband wanted to come down on Sunday, if I was going to be home.  Well, I had planned to go over to the next town and visit my friend Margaret, she is 98.  Sunday is a good time 'cause her daughter Helen would be there.  They just love Archie and its always a good visit.  Barb said they would be here about 11, then want to go over and see Ben's niece, Shirley.  So, maybe I can still get to Margaret's.

The new Amish neighbors of Dad's are still clear-cutting the woods behind him.  I got this email, for the second time, this week..............

Fire Weather Warning !
Issued at: 11:14 am EDT on April 5, 2013, expires at: 8:00 PM EDT on April 05,
2013

...Red flag warning in effect until 8 PM EDT this evening for all
of central Pennsylvania...
The National Weather Service in State College has issued a red
flag warning for central Pennsylvania...which is in effect
until 8 PM EDT this evening.
* Affected area...central Pennsylvania.
* Winds...northwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
* Timing...the afternoon into the early evening hours.
* Relative humidity...as low as 23 percent.
* Temperatures...in the upper 40s.
* Lightning...none expected.
* Impacts...the potential exists for rapid fire spread if
  uncontrolled fires develop...or for prescribed Burns to get out
  of control.
Precautionary/preparedness actions...
Critical fire weather conditions are expected or occurring. Any
fires that develop may quickly get out of control and become
difficult to contain.
Dad said he was out at the barn yesterday and a fellow drove in the lane, looked over at the fires in the use-to-be woods, then left.  The smoke was rolling over the ridge and I guess this fellow felt the need to check it out.  I told dad if he was the one burning he would of caught hell, but, it seems if the Amish do anything, authorities look the other way.  I hate a double standard.  He told me this morning they're back at it.  Probably will be most of the summer.  Archie has already chased their dog out of the yard.  People think they are quaint and saintly, bull, live among them and you'll change your mind.  Not all of them, my neighbors are OK and we get along, I guess there's good and bad in everyone.  However, the more I think about it, the less I feel good about eventually selling my house to Henry and his family.  We'll see.
Got to go, run to the drug store for dad, then clean this house for company.

Later...............

HAD A WILD HAIR AND............

went to my cousins yesterday, spent the entire afternoon into the evening, visiting with him and his wife.  (It was either that or do house work.) We have always enjoyed each other's company.  He is the brother I never had and, when he was diagnosed with colon cancer last month, it was upsetting to the whole family, especially my dad.  But, he is doing great, no chemo as he was only stage 2.  Cancer runs in the family, dreadful stuff.  My mom always said 'they' have a cure for it but if they would follow thru, it would devistate the economy. 

Beautiful day today but still too cold for yard work.  Probably going to get too hot real soon.  Seems the weather is crazy compared to when I was a kid, back before dirt was brown.

Later.............

WISHING EVERYONE.........

that reads this humble blog a safe and Happy Easter.  I'm going to friends house for good food and good company.  Dad and Sarah are going out to eat at their favorite restaurant.
It's been a beautiful weekend so far, might rain later today and tomorrow, but it's in the 60's.  Got some yard work done yesterday, the one big flower bed out front is now ready for mulch.  Miss Cindystopped in a new van, but, it was a rental.  Some nut hit her and totalled her SUV.  That poor woman can't catch a break.  Then Mrs. S stopped and chit-chatted.  I've got good neighbors.
Had to take Lucy to the vets on Friday.  I looked at her Thursday night and her lower right fang was stickin' straight out.  Probably coulda flicked it out like the vet did but I felt she should be checked.  Got 5 days of anti-biotics to give her.  She's 10 and has always been healthy.  Brought her home from work, a scrawny, malnourished kitten weighing 1.4 lbs.  Wouldn't know it now.  Everyone else is OK.


Later..............

UPDATE.....

..Havn't heard from the powers that be in Philthydelphia about the bogus ticket.

...Went to the doctors last Tuesday, check up, lost another 11 pounds.  Total of about 42.  Hoorah!!!

...Dad has been feeding a couple of stray cats.  Mother and daughter.  Mother left.  Daughter is getting rather fat.  HMMMM.  Tried scare tactic on Dad and finally got her to the vet last Tuesday.  Good news, she's NOT pregnant!!!!  SHE's a boy!!!!!  Dollie Marie is now Tommy.

Life's a gas sometimes!

Later............

BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN............

Fred was scheduled to come down today and help me split wood.  I need him to start that cantankerous
thing.  Well, he had to work, so, I went out this morning to tear into the wood pile and pick out the longer pieces to saw up to stove size.  Dogs started barking, someone pulling into the driveway.  Oops, it's Suzie, I didn't know she was coming to help, so I didn't call her with the change in plans.  She said it didn't matter, she would help me anyway.
Dogs started barking again, and it was the neighbor, another Sue, asking me if it was OK to park in the yard.  I had noticed her husband, Kevin, with her two youngest teenage girls, on the tractor down by the creek.  "Getting firewood?"  I asked.  'No, we're fixing the fence.  Kevin wants to get a diary by the end of the year.'  "Great!" I told her.  I hope it works out.  Her youngest is 14 and wants to get into agriculture.  They plan on putting the cows back in this meadow.  Glad he's still wants to farm.
So, Suzy and I worked at it thru two gas tank fill-ups and got quite a bit in the wood shed.  Think I'll be OK till warm weather.  It was lunchtime and Sue said how about the pizza shop or the golf course.  When I came out of the house from getting the dogs settled, she suggested we go down to the river to that restaurant we ate at last summer.  Cool.  Got there, closed.  Not only closed, but empty.  Well, shit.  That was a great place to eat.  Oh well.  Back up the road to the old hotel.  Fantastic food there as well.  Not too crowded this time, usually is.  We were in work jeans and old sweatshirts, but it didn't matter.  They have a smaller building to the side that is a favorite with the bikers and their dress code is kinda...whatever.  I swear one woman had some funky kinda dress on that Sue and I thought was a sheet wrapped around her.  Anyhow, I'm sitting there facing the window towards the river and there goes an eagle!  We said something to the waitress and she said 'Oh yeah, they're are lots of them around here.'  Then she brought out a book, that some lady had put together, that had all of the eagle pics she had taken in the area.
So, all in all, what started out as a disappointment at not be able to split the wood, turned into a pretty neat day.

Later..............

A RAINY, FOGGY, DREAB OF A DAY......

but, not too cold, which is good, 'cause I'm running out of wood!  I do believe spring is just around the corner.  The red-wing blackbirds are quite vocal and loving the cracked corn I throw out.  They are my harbinger of spring, not the nasty robins.  Once I see the red-wings I know winter is about over.  Of course, there is always March to get thru and she has given us some nasty surprises.  We'll see.

Helped dad yesterday with his taxes.  Once we itemized all of the expenses in restoring those 5 tractors he sold against what he made from the sale, he was in the hole about $600.  He just laughed.  It woulda been much worse if he would have included the cost of his labor.  But, it was a labor of love, and, saving a couple of them from the scrap heap. 
He has a new kitten that showed up.  Of course he's feeding HER.  I wasn't sure of his intentions but now she has a name.....Dollie.  I hope we can catch her and get her to the vets before she makes him a grandpop.  He is concerned what MoMo and Kitty-Ruth will do about her.  Also, the Amish have bought the property next door, an old two story school house that is two apartments.  They've moved into the bottom one and will probably take over the top apartment when more kids come.  The sad part is the 13 acres of woods behind all of the neighbors are being cut down.  I swear some Amish don't have the brains GOD gave a goat.  When they buy a property, the FIRST thing they do is cut down most of the trees.  Pisses me off, big time.

That's just about all the news that fit to print.  Later.............

WHEW.....DODGED THE BULLET, WE DID.......

Was at the restaurant this evening, left about 6:30.  Snowing all the way home, almost.  Got within 4 miles of the house and it turned to rain.  Certainly won't be getting what New York and poor Boston will be.  This is one nasty storm.  Here, it is suppose to be 36 tomorrow and 39 on Sunday.  Yep, dodged the bullet this time.

Truck is running great.  And, yes, some anti-freeze will turn acidic.  And, that's what Sam and I think happened to the truck.  He does not use that crap.  He is so good to me.  I kid him and say that he treats me right because...."I know where he lives, where he works, and the route that he travels.....PLUS, I know his mother-in-law."  But, he is a good guy.

Getting late, time to punch up the stove, pee the dogs, get to bed............

Later..............

GOT A COUPLE OF INCHES OF THE WHITE STUFF.................

yesterday afternoon into the night.  Wasn't an issue for traffic.  Kinda pretty and just about gone by this evening.

Watching the Super Bowl, mainly for the commercials, don't really care who wins.  Right now, no one is playing, power is out in half of the stadium.  Maybe some disgruntled 49ers fan hit the switch. 

Had lunch yesterday with old friends, always good to catch up.  I was telling Buddy about my radiator problems and he said his mechanic told him when he was having rad problems in his Buick, that after 2 years, antifreeze turns acidic and should be replaced.  Need to talk to Sam, changing it every two years is cheaper than a new rad for sure.

Later..............

OH BOY! NEW RADIATOR!....

just what the 'budget' needed!  Then..........a Parking Violation notice from.............Philadelphia!  I HAVE NOT BEEN IN PHILTHY DELPHIA IN 50 YEARS!  Morons!  Called the number, press 1 for English, yada-yada-yada and finally get a real live person!  Boils down to.... me, sending in paper work to prove that...yes, the car is mine, but, no, it is NOT a white Dodge, it is a black PT Cruiser, and, no, it is does not have an expired inspection sticker, and, I HAVE NOT BEEN IN PHILTHY DELPHIA IN 50 YEARS YOU MORONS!  She told me to send in my recent emission inspection sheet and that would void the ticket.  To which I replied, "But, it is NOT my car!  It is my tag number, but not my car.  What does that tell ya!"  Anyhow, sent in the paper work and I'm to call them on the 15th to see if it is all resolved.  Dad said if it is not, we're going to the lawyer.  He's more pissed than I am.  Mistakes have never 'sat' well with my father.  Now, I think the microwave is taking a dump.  Just ^&*#$%^ lovely.

Later.............

SNOWING.............

not much, probably 2 inches or so.  'Nuf to be a nuisance.  We decided on Wednesday not to do supper tonight with this storm coming in.  So, tonight I made fried chicken, gravy and potatoes, not bad.  Was s'pose to go to breakfast tomorrow morning with friends, but that's cancelled.  With my truck in the shop, I'd have to drive the PT Cruiser and that's out of the question.  I'm not afraid of driving on bad roads but there are too many nutz out there that do not know how to drive in good weather, let alone bad.  Besides, I had to drive it for 46 years, to and from a job, that's enuf of that. 

Later..............

I'M GOING BACK TO A HORSE AND BUGGY....

no, wait, that won't work either.  Have to build a barn, buy hay, vet bills.  Crap.  Anyhow, Monday, took the car to Sam to fix the tire but, as in a previous post, the screw was short and only in the tread.  Ahhhhh.  Life's good.

Today, took the truck to the PO and got about 3/4's there when the heater started blowing cold air.....again.....Managed to do a u-turn before it shut off.  Temp was WAY OVER....Crap.  Called Sam,  "See if it starts and try to get it here,  it's probably the stat."  Right.  Started it after the temp dropped, managed to get another mile or so.  Did that two more times and got it to the garage.  When I looked back at the truck while walking into the garage, I saw the drip.  Crap.  Sam went out and saw a drip, crawled under the truck.  Came back in, looked at me and said, "I don't believe it, that $%^&* plug is gone."  We decided to go with a new radiator, Sam brought me home and then we saw all of the anti-freeze in the driveway and down the road.  Later, Sam called me to say he called a couple of guys with shops and both said, new rad, once this happens you'll never keep a plug in.  Oh, and when he left my house, he spotted the plug down by the bridge.  It's not hurt, nothing broken, just can't figure out why it flew out.  I googled the problem and one fellow said there might be excessive pressure in the cooling system and to check for head gasket issues.  Crap.

Later..................

A CLOUDY, DREARY DAY, IT IS.....

Yesterday went to a memorial service for an old family friend.  Harry was 83, his heart finally gave up.  Left a wife and four daughters, 3 of which are Drs.  One is a GP and the other two are college profs.  Had a son to his first wife, but the last anyone knew of him was he was in jail.  Family dynamics are strange sometimes.

Found a screw in the rear tire of the car.  Took it over to Sam this morning, luckily, it was a short screw and was only in the tread.  No leak.  Got them to inspect it and will take it back for an oil change this after.

Calling for snow today and tomorrow.  Just flurries.  But got a mess of wood in the house over the weekend just in case. It was so pleasant outside Sat and Sun it felt like spring. 

Dad is feeling better so him going to the doctors is a pipe dream, now.  Not much else happening,

Later...............

FOG, RAIN, FOG, RAIN, FOG.....

sums up our weather for the past 3-4 days.  Yesterday, the weather coin-flippers were calling for snow on Tuesday.  Now it's rain.  Where else can you have a job, be wrong 50% of the time and still get paid? 

I'm meeting my ex-boss for lunch on Wednesday, with two other ex-co.workers.  Lunch at the small airport in town is always a treat.  It's fantastic food and I'll go early so I can people watch.

Coco had another 'hot-spot'.  I caught this one in time and we didn't have to go to the vet.  Daisy's limp is gone.  Archie is doing great, he gets groomed next Tuesday.  Dad said it's too cold for a haircut.  Maybe I'll just have her trim it a little.  The crate I bought for him seems to be working.  There have been no messes in the house.  Of course, he's not happy.  But when I came home to pee and poop in the house, I wasn't happy.  So....if one of us has to be unhappy.......it's gonna be him.  The cats are all OK. 

So, all is good and quiet at the Meadow House. 

Oh, go visit Brigid at Home on the Range!  She has a great post about garages.  What a treat to read her writings.  The girl has a gift, for sure.

Later.................

PUP-FEST DAY.............

Took Archie over to Trudy and Phillips' for a play-date with Titus.  What a drop-dead, beautiful dog.  He is just about a perfect Doberman.  Feet the size of saucers.  They tolerated each other, a little growling, Archie curled his lip once when Titus got too close to me.  But it was a good day and we plan on doing it again if the weather stays nice.

Then on the way home I stopped at Bob and Judy's to see their pup, Savannah, a Newfoundlander.  Another sweetie, holds her own with Jasper, who is a full-grown Newf.  She'll be good for him as they lost Caoz this summer and Jasper needed a companion. 

Then, stopped at Dad's and picked up his mail.  He looked really tired and said so.  He is also dropping hints that he needs to go to the doctors, so I think I'll quietly encourage that and see where it goes.

Need to punch up the stove and read the paper.

Later................

GOOD GOD IN HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

as my grandfather use to say.  I've got a dead mouse, somewhere, is it ever getting rank.  Probably under the house.  Lord, God almighty does it stink, and, will most likely keep stinking until the weekend.  Geesh!

Archie has a 'play-date' tomorrow with Titus.  My friends, Trudy and Phillip, got a Doberman puppy last Friday.  She asked if I would bring 'the boy' over as they are trying to get the pup socialized.  This will be interesting.

Got home last Thursday from dad's and as I pulled up to the house to back in the driveway, the heater started to blow cold air.  Hmmmm.  Called the mechanic the next morning after I saw the wet spot on the road and the trail down the driveway.  He asked if I could get it there.   Sure, no problem.  It's about a mile.  Got to the stop sign and it died.  What?  Wouldn't start! What?  Sat there for a minute, called them, Jim said, "OK one of us will be there shortly."  Tried it again, it started, I floored it, got to the garage.  Whew!!!  They started pouring anti-freeze/water in it and it started pouring out the bottom.  Ooops!  Looks like the rad was cracked from the accident last year and  Rich missed it.  Oh boy, now I get to fight it out with the insurance company.  Jim brought me home and I found the bill where I had the radiator replaced in June of 2010.  Went back over to the garage and Sam said, 'Hey, it wasn't a crack after all.  The plug is missing.'  What?  In all of his time spent working on vehicles, he has never heard of that plug just popping out.  He said, 'I've got a new plug coming, we'll fix everything and I want to drive it so I'll drop it off.'  Okey-Dokey!!   $69 is sure better than $400.  There is a God!!

Later...............