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