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.