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.............