Between 5:30 and 6:00 this morning a fire broke out in a home just down the street from me. A young couple and their 3 children lived there. The mother (8 months pregnant) and 2 of the children (like 1 & 3 yrs old) died in the fire. The father threw the oldest child out a window and was severely injured trying to rescue the mother and other 2 children. He was life flighted to Shands Hospital and the one little boy was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The cause of the fire hasn't been determined yet, but the father said they had gone to bed with a crock pot going in the kitchen. Like so many of the houses here that one was quite old and it's suspected the wiring wasn't in great shape. The arson folks are sifting the ashes still and an arson dog has been brought onto the scene. I'm sure they have to check all aspects.
Earlier this afternoon I walked down to see what it looked like. It's unimaginable. The tin roof was rolled back on itself and just charred walls remain. The Tallahassee Democrat has pictures on their web site.
I didn't know this young couple except for waving as I passed by. Somehow, that doesn't make it any easier.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
It is still Spring
With all of the hoopla going on about H1N1 I tend to forget that it is still Spring and the sky is still blue and the grass is still green and basically things are good.
My yard man cut the lawn yesterday and it looks so nice. Right now, the weeds are the main things that grow and they had spiked up a foot or two! When I came home yesterday I drove back to the hay bales and finally unloaded the car of top soil and cow manure. The weeds around the hay bales were as tall as the bales! I'm sure the car will drive better now. It had been feeling heavy and like I was really having to peddle awfully hard to get up hill!
Found out that Mother's twin brother came up for the first time since she had the stroke. He came up Monday and went home Tuesday. Bert arranged everything and didn't even let me know. Shame on him!
Biggest Loser was good last night. I hate that this season is winding down. Besides being very entertaining, the program is quite motivational. Good show.
Today is my Friday. Yesterday there was NO work for me at work. No new sales to file or anything. Scary. I finished the stenciling on the chairs and tables. It ended up being 60+ chairs and 5 tables. I left work at 10:30 due to lack of anything to do! As most of the employees on the nursery are Mexican I'm wondering how this Swine Flu is impacting their families. I don't know if any of them have been home recently or not.
TGIW!
My yard man cut the lawn yesterday and it looks so nice. Right now, the weeds are the main things that grow and they had spiked up a foot or two! When I came home yesterday I drove back to the hay bales and finally unloaded the car of top soil and cow manure. The weeds around the hay bales were as tall as the bales! I'm sure the car will drive better now. It had been feeling heavy and like I was really having to peddle awfully hard to get up hill!
Found out that Mother's twin brother came up for the first time since she had the stroke. He came up Monday and went home Tuesday. Bert arranged everything and didn't even let me know. Shame on him!
Biggest Loser was good last night. I hate that this season is winding down. Besides being very entertaining, the program is quite motivational. Good show.
Today is my Friday. Yesterday there was NO work for me at work. No new sales to file or anything. Scary. I finished the stenciling on the chairs and tables. It ended up being 60+ chairs and 5 tables. I left work at 10:30 due to lack of anything to do! As most of the employees on the nursery are Mexican I'm wondering how this Swine Flu is impacting their families. I don't know if any of them have been home recently or not.
TGIW!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Swine Flu in Florida
I just read on the computer that the first case of Swine Flu has been found in Florida. Guess where? Disney World!!! Ironic, isn't it? Now, just imagine the implications of that...I don't know the numbers, but thousands and thousands of people go through Disney World daily and the probability of infection must be great. Where are all the folks that are visiting there going when they leave? Probably home. Home to South America, Africa, India, Indiana, Mississippi, etc. You get my drift...
Every time I turn the news on more cases are being reported and the first probable death in the US (that we know of) has been reported in California.
This morning while I dressed I had the national news on on one of the networks. They were interviewing the parents of a student that has been confirmed with Swine Flu. The mother was hacking and coughing the entire interview. That didn't seem too bright to me.
Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands! Stay out of crowded situations! Stay home if you're sick. Use common sense. Buy a few canned goods just in case this thing shuts down our supplies for a while. Prepare for the worse and pray for the best.
Be safe.
Every time I turn the news on more cases are being reported and the first probable death in the US (that we know of) has been reported in California.
This morning while I dressed I had the national news on on one of the networks. They were interviewing the parents of a student that has been confirmed with Swine Flu. The mother was hacking and coughing the entire interview. That didn't seem too bright to me.
Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands! Stay out of crowded situations! Stay home if you're sick. Use common sense. Buy a few canned goods just in case this thing shuts down our supplies for a while. Prepare for the worse and pray for the best.
Be safe.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Is it still Spring?
Our temperature hit 90 degrees yesterday! It's hard to believe it's still Spring! Seems we just jumped to Summer! I turned the air conditioner in the car on for the first time on the way home from Tallahassee yesterday. At first all it did was blow HOT air. Turned it off and on a couple of times to no avail and was beginning to think I needed to have it serviced. Then I noticed a button on the dash...A/C. Punched it and glorious COLD air came out. Amazing what a difference a little button can make! I haven't turned the AC on in the house. Early last night it was pretty warm inside, but I opened both the front door and the French doors and got a lovey cool breeze through, 'course it did blow some dust bunnies around. I was hoping it would blow them outside...no such luck!
Yesterday was Mother's 84th birthday. Except for the fact that she was told it was her birthday she didn't know and didn't care. I'm sure that today she doesn't remember...in fact, I'm sure that shortly after we left she didn't remember. It's hard to believe that just a little over a year ago she was a very young 82...now she's a very old 84!
Wednesday I brought home the cutest old corner desk. It's small, has a drop lid and is on 3 tapered legs. Inside it has 2 small drawers and 5 or 6 cubbies. There are 2 decent sized drawers on the outside as well. Cute, cute, cute! I got it for $2 and for stenciling our nursery's name on some folding chairs and tables. Not a bad deal! Poor desk had been stored in a dirt floored garage for who knows how long and was filthy. After I got it home and got it cleaned and polished it turned out to be a really nice piece. Getting it into my little car and then into the house was really the challenge. I still have bruises on the inside of both arms from wrestling it! I feel I came out ahead on this deal! I still have about 15 chairs and 2 tables to stencil. Should be able to finish that up Monday or Tuesday.
I'm debating as to whether or not I should go the the doctor's office this morning. Mercy scratched my right leg quite badly this morning. She didn't do it with malice, she was just urging me out of bed and into the kitchen for her breakfast. I slept in until 5:45! The place is about 5 inches long and pretty deep in several spots. I had trouble stopping the bleeding and it still hurts. It doesn't need stitches. I cleaned it and put Sulfodene on it...don't think the Doc could or would do much else. There, I just answered my on question. I'll just keep an eye on it.
Okay, tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. I didn't go for 2 weeks and that was nice. Then Ruth called Wednesday night and caught me off guard. She asked me if I wanted to "come back"! I asked her what in the world was she talking about and she had been told (Leah Jane) that I didn't want to do Fridays any more. Told her that I didn't want to do every week any more and that yes, I'd do it this week. That's okay...I figure I'll go once a month on the Friday following getting my SS check! Gee, the joys of a small town! There are folks here that have no idea what friendship means and wouldn't know how to keep their mouths shut if they were sewn shut! There are many perks to small town living, but I stupidily have trusted a couple of folks that I really didn't know anymore. Can't undo it, but can and will guard my every word with these 2 from now on! Snakes! They are just snakes in the grass!!!!!
Shirley jumped off of the foot rest of my recliner Wednesday night and did something to her left shoulder. She hobbled on 2 back legs and the 1 good front one the remainder of the evening. I had to carry her out and back in when she needed to go out and had to lift her up into my lap and onto the bed. I rubbed it for her and it didn't seem to hurt her when I did that, but also didn't seem to help. When she got up yesterday morning she was able to use it, but slowly and quite gingerly. Today she's okay. She'll be 7 May 1st as will Goodness and Mercy. That's not that old, is it?
Yesterday was Mother's 84th birthday. Except for the fact that she was told it was her birthday she didn't know and didn't care. I'm sure that today she doesn't remember...in fact, I'm sure that shortly after we left she didn't remember. It's hard to believe that just a little over a year ago she was a very young 82...now she's a very old 84!
Wednesday I brought home the cutest old corner desk. It's small, has a drop lid and is on 3 tapered legs. Inside it has 2 small drawers and 5 or 6 cubbies. There are 2 decent sized drawers on the outside as well. Cute, cute, cute! I got it for $2 and for stenciling our nursery's name on some folding chairs and tables. Not a bad deal! Poor desk had been stored in a dirt floored garage for who knows how long and was filthy. After I got it home and got it cleaned and polished it turned out to be a really nice piece. Getting it into my little car and then into the house was really the challenge. I still have bruises on the inside of both arms from wrestling it! I feel I came out ahead on this deal! I still have about 15 chairs and 2 tables to stencil. Should be able to finish that up Monday or Tuesday.
I'm debating as to whether or not I should go the the doctor's office this morning. Mercy scratched my right leg quite badly this morning. She didn't do it with malice, she was just urging me out of bed and into the kitchen for her breakfast. I slept in until 5:45! The place is about 5 inches long and pretty deep in several spots. I had trouble stopping the bleeding and it still hurts. It doesn't need stitches. I cleaned it and put Sulfodene on it...don't think the Doc could or would do much else. There, I just answered my on question. I'll just keep an eye on it.
Okay, tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. I didn't go for 2 weeks and that was nice. Then Ruth called Wednesday night and caught me off guard. She asked me if I wanted to "come back"! I asked her what in the world was she talking about and she had been told (Leah Jane) that I didn't want to do Fridays any more. Told her that I didn't want to do every week any more and that yes, I'd do it this week. That's okay...I figure I'll go once a month on the Friday following getting my SS check! Gee, the joys of a small town! There are folks here that have no idea what friendship means and wouldn't know how to keep their mouths shut if they were sewn shut! There are many perks to small town living, but I stupidily have trusted a couple of folks that I really didn't know anymore. Can't undo it, but can and will guard my every word with these 2 from now on! Snakes! They are just snakes in the grass!!!!!
Shirley jumped off of the foot rest of my recliner Wednesday night and did something to her left shoulder. She hobbled on 2 back legs and the 1 good front one the remainder of the evening. I had to carry her out and back in when she needed to go out and had to lift her up into my lap and onto the bed. I rubbed it for her and it didn't seem to hurt her when I did that, but also didn't seem to help. When she got up yesterday morning she was able to use it, but slowly and quite gingerly. Today she's okay. She'll be 7 May 1st as will Goodness and Mercy. That's not that old, is it?
Saturday, April 18, 2009
This is better!
Wow! Two weeks in a row and I didn't do Dinner with the Ladies on Friday night! It's absolutely amazing to me how much better Friday felt not having the obligation of going to something I didn't want to go to felt! Once more, I wasn't completely honest about my reason for not going (cited the Fletcher Family Reunion), but the event I used was true, I'm just not going. I'm guessing that next week I'll just have to say "no".
Thursday was a busy day for me. I planted 2 crape myrtles (pink), a Coral Bell Azalea and 18 daylilies in the back yard around the patio. Yesterday (and again this morning) my lower back is killing me. I guess I'm just getting too old for that sorta stuff. I weeded a very large area, removed grass, too, but there's still lots more I'd like to do. I only had one bag of mulch left over from last year and was able to spread it out pretty well. Doesn't look wonderful, but looks tended.
I worried about Jazzy and the stuff I'd planted, but it seems that since she was out there with me (as were Shirley, Goodness, Mercy, Bandi and Smokey!) and I told her it was mine she's pretty much left it alone. I think she ate one daylily as I can't find it, but so far everything else is in place...sure hope this holds!
Then Thursday night Leah Jane had me over for supper. Soup and pie. Delicious! We visited for a while and I got home right when Survivor started. Boy, those people on that show are so stupid!
I have a pot of stew simmering on the stove now and it smells so good! A couple of months ago I bought 2 pot roasts (buy one get one free). I made pot roast with one and froze the other one (also froze several bags of pot roast and gravy for later). So yesterday I partially thawed the whole frozen roast, cut it in half and refroze half (it still was partially frozen, so I'm not worried about that). Then I cubed the remaining half and seasoned and floured it and put it in the 'fridge. Of course by this morning the cubed meat had pretty much turned the flour into a paste so I added more flour and tossed it around. Browned the meat off really nicely and added some finely chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery. While that was all making merry in the pot I diced an onion and a potato and tossed those into the pot. Added some brown gravy that I made earlier this week with garlic and red wine and added a little more water and a half a cup of black coffee. Wish you could smell this! It's fantastic! Later I'll add some frozen green peas and I may make a pot of rice to serve it over. Yum! I'll take Leah Jane some and freeze some and still have enough to eat on for a couple of days!
I'm really enjoying having things in the freezer that are ready to thaw, heat and eat. Even though I only work 5 hours a day, some days I just don't feel like cooking when I get home, however, I ALWAYS feel like eating. In general I enjoy my cooking much more than anything I can get out and the selection is broader. It's also so much cheaper to eat at home and healthier, too!
I'm trying to figure out how to make a slip cover for one of the chairs in the living room. It seems like it should be a simple thing to do, but for some reason I just can't get my head wrapped around it. Those folks on the home improvement shows make it look so easy. I guess I'll Google it and see what comes up.
Thursday was a busy day for me. I planted 2 crape myrtles (pink), a Coral Bell Azalea and 18 daylilies in the back yard around the patio. Yesterday (and again this morning) my lower back is killing me. I guess I'm just getting too old for that sorta stuff. I weeded a very large area, removed grass, too, but there's still lots more I'd like to do. I only had one bag of mulch left over from last year and was able to spread it out pretty well. Doesn't look wonderful, but looks tended.
I worried about Jazzy and the stuff I'd planted, but it seems that since she was out there with me (as were Shirley, Goodness, Mercy, Bandi and Smokey!) and I told her it was mine she's pretty much left it alone. I think she ate one daylily as I can't find it, but so far everything else is in place...sure hope this holds!
Then Thursday night Leah Jane had me over for supper. Soup and pie. Delicious! We visited for a while and I got home right when Survivor started. Boy, those people on that show are so stupid!
I have a pot of stew simmering on the stove now and it smells so good! A couple of months ago I bought 2 pot roasts (buy one get one free). I made pot roast with one and froze the other one (also froze several bags of pot roast and gravy for later). So yesterday I partially thawed the whole frozen roast, cut it in half and refroze half (it still was partially frozen, so I'm not worried about that). Then I cubed the remaining half and seasoned and floured it and put it in the 'fridge. Of course by this morning the cubed meat had pretty much turned the flour into a paste so I added more flour and tossed it around. Browned the meat off really nicely and added some finely chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery. While that was all making merry in the pot I diced an onion and a potato and tossed those into the pot. Added some brown gravy that I made earlier this week with garlic and red wine and added a little more water and a half a cup of black coffee. Wish you could smell this! It's fantastic! Later I'll add some frozen green peas and I may make a pot of rice to serve it over. Yum! I'll take Leah Jane some and freeze some and still have enough to eat on for a couple of days!
I'm really enjoying having things in the freezer that are ready to thaw, heat and eat. Even though I only work 5 hours a day, some days I just don't feel like cooking when I get home, however, I ALWAYS feel like eating. In general I enjoy my cooking much more than anything I can get out and the selection is broader. It's also so much cheaper to eat at home and healthier, too!
I'm trying to figure out how to make a slip cover for one of the chairs in the living room. It seems like it should be a simple thing to do, but for some reason I just can't get my head wrapped around it. Those folks on the home improvement shows make it look so easy. I guess I'll Google it and see what comes up.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Pictures
This is the front porch, the spirea is still blooming and you can see the red nandina berries. I wish I'd had film and had taken some pictures before the storms took all of the azalea bloom!
This is my first iris bloom of the year...beautiful! The pink Knock Out rose is just really coming into it's own!
Jazzy. Hasn't she gotten big? When she first arrived she was too tiny to go up the steps, now she takes them in leaps and bounds! You can see the land scaping she's done...all of that used to be grass!
Smokey, Goodness and Jazzy.
Jazzy getting a bath from Goodness.
Bathing just wears one out!
I just looked at the dates on the pictures. Obviously I need to figure out how to change the date, 'cause it's 2009, NOT 1994!
This is my first iris bloom of the year...beautiful! The pink Knock Out rose is just really coming into it's own!
Jazzy. Hasn't she gotten big? When she first arrived she was too tiny to go up the steps, now she takes them in leaps and bounds! You can see the land scaping she's done...all of that used to be grass!
Smokey, Goodness and Jazzy.
Jazzy getting a bath from Goodness.
Bathing just wears one out!
I just looked at the dates on the pictures. Obviously I need to figure out how to change the date, 'cause it's 2009, NOT 1994!
Well, I didn't do Friday Night with the Ladies. I was less than truthful, well, I stretched the truth a bit. When Ruth called I told her that I couldn't go because I had a date. Actually, I was asked out, but I didn't go. I'm just not up for that yet. Guess I'll have to have a date every Friday night!
Thursday I spent hours going through some clothes that Mother and Bert brought over here 2 or 3 years ago. They just drove up and unloaded his van into my living room and left. These were all things from Mother's closet that she couldn't use any more. Well, she knew I couldn't use them as the majority were size 6! So Thursday I finally cleared out the guest room of all of it. Took it up to Wag the Dog (the Humane Society's thrift shop). They were delighted to get it and I was thrilled to have it all out of my house!
I just made some pickled eggs. Haven't done that in years! Used beet juice, cider vinegar, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, thinly sliced onions and sliced garlic. Took a sip of the pickling juice before pouring it over the eggs and it took my breath away! Good stuff, just not to drink! Sure does make pretty red eggs! They'll sit in the 'frige for a couple of days before I eat them.
Weather's rather warm and overcast. Slight chance of rain in the forecast. I'd like a little, but there is flooding all around. The next county over to the east still has major evacuations and road closings! They were talking about closing I-10 earlier this week, but so far they haven't. Our local paper on Wednesday had lots of pictures of roads here in Jefferson County that are flooded and closed. It's really been a wild spring!
Sunday, April 05, 2009
What am I supposed to do?
This Friday night thing is really getting old! When our leader, Ruth, called this week I told her that I wasn't going to be able to make it and, to make a very long story short, she insisted and I went! It wasn't fun and even though I got a burger and fries and it was good and cheaper than the regular fare, I resented spending both the money and the time for something I didn't want to do! Why is this so hard to get out of?
Then, yesterday she called and invited me over for wine and cheese tonight with a couple of other folks. I actually lied and told her that an old friend was in town and I'd be seeing her! She is in town, but we don't have any plans to get together, we had a nice phone visit yesterday. I don't like to lie. I should be able to just say no! What's wrong with this picture? I feel sorry for Ruth, she's old and a widow and crippled, but she has around the clock help and a driver and goes constantly. She has plenty of money and doesn't lack for anything she wants or needs. She makes me feel like I'm being used for entertainment and I don't like it! I'm just not going to show up this coming Friday night and I guess I'll just have to stop answering her calls. For some reason she makes me feel guilty if I say no! Cross your fingers that I'll get some gumption!
This is the oddest Spring weather! Both tomorrow night and Tuesday night we are supposed to be below freezing! Guess I'll have to get the space heaters back out and bring in the potted plants that I can lift! And, tonight and tomorrow we are looking for more storms! Weird, huh?
When is this basketball stuff on TV going to end? I'm so tired of basketball knocking stuff I watch off the tube! What's wrong with ESPN? That's a sports channel...can't they have it on there and leave everything else alone? Phooy on them!
This is a cloudy and chilly day...perfect for hot tea and movies!
Then, yesterday she called and invited me over for wine and cheese tonight with a couple of other folks. I actually lied and told her that an old friend was in town and I'd be seeing her! She is in town, but we don't have any plans to get together, we had a nice phone visit yesterday. I don't like to lie. I should be able to just say no! What's wrong with this picture? I feel sorry for Ruth, she's old and a widow and crippled, but she has around the clock help and a driver and goes constantly. She has plenty of money and doesn't lack for anything she wants or needs. She makes me feel like I'm being used for entertainment and I don't like it! I'm just not going to show up this coming Friday night and I guess I'll just have to stop answering her calls. For some reason she makes me feel guilty if I say no! Cross your fingers that I'll get some gumption!
This is the oddest Spring weather! Both tomorrow night and Tuesday night we are supposed to be below freezing! Guess I'll have to get the space heaters back out and bring in the potted plants that I can lift! And, tonight and tomorrow we are looking for more storms! Weird, huh?
When is this basketball stuff on TV going to end? I'm so tired of basketball knocking stuff I watch off the tube! What's wrong with ESPN? That's a sports channel...can't they have it on there and leave everything else alone? Phooy on them!
This is a cloudy and chilly day...perfect for hot tea and movies!
Friday, April 03, 2009
This year it's April that's a lion!
I've always heard that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb...well this year's certainly confused! The past 3 days have really been stormy! The wind, lightening and thunder and torrential rain really had my nerves on edge! The animals were quite jumpy, too! We're still under a flash flood watch and we were under tornado watches almost the entire time. Today's supposed to be beautiful and tomorrow cloudy, then it's back to the storms for Sunday and Monday. At least we're almost out of our 10" rain deficit!
When I walked out back this morning it felt like I was in a different world. The SUN is shining! It's a little chilly, but beautiful. The strong winds blew away the majority of blooms that were so beautiful this year, but the greenness of everything makes up for their loss. The last trees to bud out each spring are the pecan trees and they have all budded! That is suppose to mean that the cold weather is over. Yeah!
Went online to check my electric bill and found that it has dropped $107.23 from last month. I sure needed that! It's $88.85. That's pretty good. I had 3 months of the bill being over $200! And I never cut on the furnace! Just think if I'd been using the furnace and paying for propane too!
Gasoline prices are creeping up. Monday it was $2.09 at the local BP and Wednesday it was $2.19. The prices are always a few cents cheaper in both Tallahassee and Thomasville, but, you know, it uses gas to go there and to come back, so unless I have to go for some other reason it'd be rather stupid to go just to get gas!
I got an e-mail from my youngest daughter. Sure was nice to hear from her, it's been a long time! She has a blog: bethsnikpmot.blogspot.com, check it out.
Tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. Not looking forward to it.
Tomorrow I'm taking Shirley in to have her nails trimmed. She sounds like she tap dancing on these hardwood floors!
I think I'll get some bedding plants and top soil tomorrow and get the hay bales planted. I can't put it off forever!
When I walked out back this morning it felt like I was in a different world. The SUN is shining! It's a little chilly, but beautiful. The strong winds blew away the majority of blooms that were so beautiful this year, but the greenness of everything makes up for their loss. The last trees to bud out each spring are the pecan trees and they have all budded! That is suppose to mean that the cold weather is over. Yeah!
Went online to check my electric bill and found that it has dropped $107.23 from last month. I sure needed that! It's $88.85. That's pretty good. I had 3 months of the bill being over $200! And I never cut on the furnace! Just think if I'd been using the furnace and paying for propane too!
Gasoline prices are creeping up. Monday it was $2.09 at the local BP and Wednesday it was $2.19. The prices are always a few cents cheaper in both Tallahassee and Thomasville, but, you know, it uses gas to go there and to come back, so unless I have to go for some other reason it'd be rather stupid to go just to get gas!
I got an e-mail from my youngest daughter. Sure was nice to hear from her, it's been a long time! She has a blog: bethsnikpmot.blogspot.com, check it out.
Tonight is Dinner with the Ladies. Not looking forward to it.
Tomorrow I'm taking Shirley in to have her nails trimmed. She sounds like she tap dancing on these hardwood floors!
I think I'll get some bedding plants and top soil tomorrow and get the hay bales planted. I can't put it off forever!
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