With the month of May creeping up on me, my day planner looks like a medical office appointment book. I am making a turn-around trip to Waco on Friday to move Kris' personal belongings home. Not sure where we are going to store everything so it may look we are having an ongoing garage sale until August.
Rana is coming to town on Thursday for a weekend visit with her mother. We are planning a hen party for Saturday evening at my house. With all things considered, it seems to be the most logical place to get the gal pals together. We are a diversified group of middle-aged girls and that makes our conversations all the more entertaining. Rana is in dire need of an evening to be with old friends.
Warm weather means spending time in and near the water. Nancy and I are planning a weekend kayak trip during the middle of the month. I am going to take off work for a couple of days and be a river rat. Kris and a friend of hers will be spending at least one day with us running the river. My stepmother just recently purchased some cabins that sit along the river so we will have a base station during the weekend. Forget that crap about camping out under the stars. I'm all for a bed and running water. Must have something to do with getting older.
My nephew graduates from Little Town High at the end of the month. Kelli and Krew will be here for that special event so it will be a fun-filled weekend at Mama's house. We've got access to the creek below Mama's house. The little kids enjoy building dams and catching frogs. And it gives us all a chance to spend some time together.
In the meantime, I need to request temporary custody of the jointly owned camera for the month of May.....
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Garden
Ah, the joy of having a vegetable garden. Growing up in the country meant the garden encompassed at least half an acre and included green beans, black-eyed peas, tomatoes (all sizes), okra, corn, potatoes, onions, radishes, cucumbers, squash and peppers (all types). And some years included strawberries, lettuce and asparagus. Hours and hours and hours of preparation and planting and tending to the garden ensured our family of six of having fresh produce on the table for several months.
But my how times change. Sam and I planted a garden last Sunday. It consists of a few tomato plants (various types) and a scattering of jalapeno, serrano and banana pepper plants. The garden itself is actually a flower bed located in the lower part of the yard. We don't profess to be great gardeners but do hope that the plants will yield some decent produce. We ran out of room for all the plants in the strip of dirt we are calling our garden so I stuck the remaining pepper plants and tomato plants in pots that I normally use for spring flowers. We didn't have any horse apples so we used cow patties instead for fertilizing the dirt. (There's some country lingo for ya!) Added a dash of Miracle Gro to each plant and now we wait......
But my how times change. Sam and I planted a garden last Sunday. It consists of a few tomato plants (various types) and a scattering of jalapeno, serrano and banana pepper plants. The garden itself is actually a flower bed located in the lower part of the yard. We don't profess to be great gardeners but do hope that the plants will yield some decent produce. We ran out of room for all the plants in the strip of dirt we are calling our garden so I stuck the remaining pepper plants and tomato plants in pots that I normally use for spring flowers. We didn't have any horse apples so we used cow patties instead for fertilizing the dirt. (There's some country lingo for ya!) Added a dash of Miracle Gro to each plant and now we wait......
Spring Has Sprung
I don't know if it was Rana's suggestion on using less sugar in the bird food or the moving of the feeder but the bees have vacated the premises. I am still using less sugar because it makes sense AND sugar is expensive. I couldn't watch the birds at the new location so I moved the feeder back to its original location on the west side of my carport.
The bad news is that my hummingbird population fell from about 30 birds to maybe 10 birds. I noticed that a neighbor down the street has a couple of feeders out. She is using red dye and although I'd like to gently tell her that the red dye isn't necessary but I will mind my own business.
Lawn mowers are growling in the neighborhood due to the last couple of rain showers we were blessed with. I just hope my mower cranks up when I turn the key. Mowing the yard is on my list of things to do on Saturday. Sam is going to the YO Wild Game Sale with his daughter on Saturday so I plan on getting some things done in and around the house. I had toyed with the idea of going but I don't really fit in the groove of talking about oryx, sable, elk, zebra, etc. I recognize the animals but its really over my head when buyers and sellers start wheeling and dealing. Sam tried to bribe me with "open bar and all the food you can eat" but that isn't enough to convince me to make the trip this year. Nice try, though!
Kris will be inducted into an honor society at Baylor on Saturday. She assures me that I don't need to be there for the induction. The wings of independence really are beginning to spread. She plans on taking a Spanish class at ACC this summer and has already registered for Fall 2009 classes at Baylor.
Going to do some spring cleaning of my own this weekend and try not to feel guilty about throwing away stuff. Better make a trip to the corner store and stock up on some adult beverages before I tackle that project......
The bad news is that my hummingbird population fell from about 30 birds to maybe 10 birds. I noticed that a neighbor down the street has a couple of feeders out. She is using red dye and although I'd like to gently tell her that the red dye isn't necessary but I will mind my own business.
Lawn mowers are growling in the neighborhood due to the last couple of rain showers we were blessed with. I just hope my mower cranks up when I turn the key. Mowing the yard is on my list of things to do on Saturday. Sam is going to the YO Wild Game Sale with his daughter on Saturday so I plan on getting some things done in and around the house. I had toyed with the idea of going but I don't really fit in the groove of talking about oryx, sable, elk, zebra, etc. I recognize the animals but its really over my head when buyers and sellers start wheeling and dealing. Sam tried to bribe me with "open bar and all the food you can eat" but that isn't enough to convince me to make the trip this year. Nice try, though!
Kris will be inducted into an honor society at Baylor on Saturday. She assures me that I don't need to be there for the induction. The wings of independence really are beginning to spread. She plans on taking a Spanish class at ACC this summer and has already registered for Fall 2009 classes at Baylor.
Going to do some spring cleaning of my own this weekend and try not to feel guilty about throwing away stuff. Better make a trip to the corner store and stock up on some adult beverages before I tackle that project......
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thunderstorm
Mother Nature came through for us with rain early this morning. The forecast called for a 50% chance of rain on Thursday, 80% last night and this morning. The air was heavy with moisture yesterday and last night but we are used to being teased like that. At about 5:00 this morning, SNAP! CRACKLE! and POP! We had the mother of all thunderstorms come through. It lasted for at least an hour and a half.
Since cats are naturally nocturnal and prefer spring and summer weather, I have been chunking their butts outside when I go to bed at night. That way they don't bother me wanting to go in and out and in and out throughout the night. I opened the front door at the first sign of the impending storm. Three bullets wizzed by me! A yellow one, a calico one and a gray one. Ungrateful creatures disappeared within seconds of the door opening. I crawled back under the covers to ride out the storm in blissful slumber.
Not having been disturbed by any felines since letting them inside was a nice change. As I was making my bed this morning, I decided I'd better locate the pets. Each cat has his/her own special sleeping place in the house. I checked all the obvious spots but to no avail. And then I saw the end of a gray and white tail sticking out from under my bed. On hands and knees, I lifted the bed skirt and there were three sets of eyes peering back at me. The mental image of those three cats hiding from the thunder under my bed will last forever. Where is a camera when you really need one?!
The scaredy cats did not venture back outside until lunch today. The sun is shining and the earth is clean. I suspect I'll have to mow my yard this weekend. The general rainfall total across the county is 1-1/2".
Since cats are naturally nocturnal and prefer spring and summer weather, I have been chunking their butts outside when I go to bed at night. That way they don't bother me wanting to go in and out and in and out throughout the night. I opened the front door at the first sign of the impending storm. Three bullets wizzed by me! A yellow one, a calico one and a gray one. Ungrateful creatures disappeared within seconds of the door opening. I crawled back under the covers to ride out the storm in blissful slumber.
Not having been disturbed by any felines since letting them inside was a nice change. As I was making my bed this morning, I decided I'd better locate the pets. Each cat has his/her own special sleeping place in the house. I checked all the obvious spots but to no avail. And then I saw the end of a gray and white tail sticking out from under my bed. On hands and knees, I lifted the bed skirt and there were three sets of eyes peering back at me. The mental image of those three cats hiding from the thunder under my bed will last forever. Where is a camera when you really need one?!
The scaredy cats did not venture back outside until lunch today. The sun is shining and the earth is clean. I suspect I'll have to mow my yard this weekend. The general rainfall total across the county is 1-1/2".
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Bees
I've been battling bees for the past week. They are drawn to my hummingbird feeders due to the lack of spring blooms.
Rana K sent me several helpful ideas on how to dissuade the bees. All of my attempts to banish the bees from my feeders failed. I took down the feeders for a whole day. Bees went away. I mixed a fresh batch of sugar water and decreased the amount of sugar. Rehung the feeders a few feet away from the original spots. Bees came back. I took down the feeders again and waited another day. Mixed yet another batch of feed and hung a feeder in a completely different location. Birds are confused. Bees came back.
Sam probably had the best idea if I would've been patient enough to allow the sevin dust to do its thing. He literally threw sevin dust on the feeder while the bees were feasting. Several bees dropped off the feeder. And several more would've dropped had I not decided to take the feeder down before the birds tried to drink the sugar water polluted with sevin dust. (I can hear Sam muttering under his breath, "I told you so.") I didn't want to risk the birds getting sick if they consumed any of the dust.
And so it is with a heavy heart that I report that the hummingbirds are buzzing around the carport looking for their groceries. I am allergic to bees and am not going to take a chance on getting stung. I suppose I will try again in a couple of days. If the bees pull rank again then I will wave my white flag and be done with it.
Rana K sent me several helpful ideas on how to dissuade the bees. All of my attempts to banish the bees from my feeders failed. I took down the feeders for a whole day. Bees went away. I mixed a fresh batch of sugar water and decreased the amount of sugar. Rehung the feeders a few feet away from the original spots. Bees came back. I took down the feeders again and waited another day. Mixed yet another batch of feed and hung a feeder in a completely different location. Birds are confused. Bees came back.
Sam probably had the best idea if I would've been patient enough to allow the sevin dust to do its thing. He literally threw sevin dust on the feeder while the bees were feasting. Several bees dropped off the feeder. And several more would've dropped had I not decided to take the feeder down before the birds tried to drink the sugar water polluted with sevin dust. (I can hear Sam muttering under his breath, "I told you so.") I didn't want to risk the birds getting sick if they consumed any of the dust.
And so it is with a heavy heart that I report that the hummingbirds are buzzing around the carport looking for their groceries. I am allergic to bees and am not going to take a chance on getting stung. I suppose I will try again in a couple of days. If the bees pull rank again then I will wave my white flag and be done with it.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Loading the Gray Cat
Dr. Andy told me yesterday that Gray Cat is "a big boned cat". Hhmmm, I guess at 15.5 pounds that about sums it up. Gray Cat gets only dry cat food with an occasional splash of 1% milk. Throw in the breast of a wild spanish dove when Gray Cat is in the mood to move more than a couple of feet at time. And that rounds out his diet plan.
The first step is always the hardest step when one of the cats has an appointment with the vet. None of my cats are fond of the cat carriers. Stuffing Gray Cat in the carrier is a challenge. There is no easy way to load him. No coaxing is involved. I literally stuff his body in the carrier no matter if its head first or feet first. He's got some wicked claws and I have a few battle wounds to show for it.
And then the yowling began. Gray Cat protested rather loudly the first 12 miles of the trip. He attempted to turn around in the carrier and lodged himself at a weird angle. I let him deal with it because for the moment he wasn't bitching. He ended up falling asleep about two miles from the vet clinic. Go figure.
After a complete check up, the fat cat's demeanor was very docile. Dr. Andy had a tough time listening to Gray Cat's heart due to the obnoxious purring emitting from Gray Cat's furry body. (He sounds like a small engine when his purr-motor gets revved up.) Being the good person that I am, I warned Dr. Andy about Gray Cat's attitude of going back into the carrier. And I'll be damned. Gray Cat flicked his tail, gave me a smirk and waddled into the carrier without any fuss. All I could do was shrug at Dr. Andy and say, "Damn cat."
The first step is always the hardest step when one of the cats has an appointment with the vet. None of my cats are fond of the cat carriers. Stuffing Gray Cat in the carrier is a challenge. There is no easy way to load him. No coaxing is involved. I literally stuff his body in the carrier no matter if its head first or feet first. He's got some wicked claws and I have a few battle wounds to show for it.
And then the yowling began. Gray Cat protested rather loudly the first 12 miles of the trip. He attempted to turn around in the carrier and lodged himself at a weird angle. I let him deal with it because for the moment he wasn't bitching. He ended up falling asleep about two miles from the vet clinic. Go figure.
After a complete check up, the fat cat's demeanor was very docile. Dr. Andy had a tough time listening to Gray Cat's heart due to the obnoxious purring emitting from Gray Cat's furry body. (He sounds like a small engine when his purr-motor gets revved up.) Being the good person that I am, I warned Dr. Andy about Gray Cat's attitude of going back into the carrier. And I'll be damned. Gray Cat flicked his tail, gave me a smirk and waddled into the carrier without any fuss. All I could do was shrug at Dr. Andy and say, "Damn cat."
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday
Wow -- I can't believe its been a week since I posted anything. Work is a whirlwind and I guess it only makes sense that I should be productive for the company when I'm taking up space at the office.
Easter is this weekend and plans are made for Saturday and Sunday to be spent with family. I'm afraid to check the weather forecast for fear that it will be a) cold, b) windy, c) raining or d) all of the above. Kris will be coming home for the long weekend. She has five weeks of classes left in the Spring semester and, believe me, she is counting the days!
Going to take Gray Cat to the vet today for his annual checkup and vaccinations. I'm sure we will have a very intelligent conversation with the opening topic being about how cruel it is to stuff a 14 pound cat into a 10 pound cat carrier. Our vet is located in a neighboring small town and is a 45-minute drive from Little Town. But it can feel like 2 hours with a bitching cat. Oh, boy, this is going to be an interesting afternoon......
Easter is this weekend and plans are made for Saturday and Sunday to be spent with family. I'm afraid to check the weather forecast for fear that it will be a) cold, b) windy, c) raining or d) all of the above. Kris will be coming home for the long weekend. She has five weeks of classes left in the Spring semester and, believe me, she is counting the days!
Going to take Gray Cat to the vet today for his annual checkup and vaccinations. I'm sure we will have a very intelligent conversation with the opening topic being about how cruel it is to stuff a 14 pound cat into a 10 pound cat carrier. Our vet is located in a neighboring small town and is a 45-minute drive from Little Town. But it can feel like 2 hours with a bitching cat. Oh, boy, this is going to be an interesting afternoon......
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