Labor Day Weekend

Three days off in a row! Even if we don't get paid for today, three days off is grand!

Saturday I had Nancy, Leah Jane and Ann over for an early supper. We pigged out on shrimp and cocktail sauce that LJ brought and an olive w/ pesto and cream cheese w/ crackers that NEP brought. We sat on the patio until the mosquitoes threatened to carry AMK off! We moved inside for supper. We ate tuna casserole with a salad (curly leaf lettuce, cucumber, dried tart cherries, a lovely/crisp pepper from the garden and feta...tossed with my blueberry vinaigrette) and crescent rolls w/butter. For dessert I made the easy, fat-free, low sugar, pineapple cloud pie! To die for! Three ingredients and a graham cracker crust...it's pretty and it tastes soooo evil while actually not a bad thing! (1 fat free pkg. Jello French Vanilla pudding mix, 1 20oz. can crushed pineapple in juice (don't drain) and a 8-oz. bowl of fat-free Cool Whip. Mix pineapple w/ juice and pudding mix, fold in Cool Whip. Spread evenly in crust, cover and freeze 10-12 hrs/over night. Take out of freezer 6-8 hrs. before serving and thaw in refrigerator. Enjoy!) I'm still eating what's left of this pie a bite or three at a time!

Then, Sunday I met NEP at her house and we "did" Lowe's. Picked out counter top, cabinets, floor, dishwasher and microwave/vent hood combo. Finally found paint chips that work and am so excited! My contractor is coming sometime this week and I'm thinking it should be finished in time for me to host Thanksgiving or earlier.

Today I plan to do nothing, well, laundry but then nothing maybe a movie or two.

A slight hold on the kitchen

Well, it seems the kitchen will be delayed. My sister suggested last night that I just go to Lowe's. They install everything from floors to cabinets. So in the next week or so she and I will go there and get everything under way.

Bud and I just had a major clashing of ways...maybe this is for the best.

The birthday was okay.

Surprise, surprise!

Prentice is here! He and Chester got here yesterday! I'm thrilled!

We brainstormed the kitchen for hours after work yesterday and Prentice drew it out on graft paper. We've come up with some pretty basis designs and ideas and it's going to be wonderful. I know I'm going to hate the process, but will love the results. Am soooo excited.

Tomorrow we'll go to my sister's house and from there to the Seinyard for a birthday meal! How great that he's going to be here for that! Haven't had any of my children around for a birthday in years and years. I'm thrilled!

The high temperature for today is only to be in the low 90's! That's a gift too!

A chance for a break in the weather!

The past few weeks have been so hot. Many days of 100+ degrees...100 yesterday and they're saying 100+ for today...not so good for the agriculture industry. However, the weatherman just said that this weekend should be wetter and cooler! Yeah!

The kittens are growing like weeds! and, are soooo funny! Nothing is safe. They have been banned from my bathroom, perhaps for the rest of their entire lives. I walked into my bathroom one day last week to find both Smokey and Bandit on the counter top methodically clearing it off! Within seconds their litter box and water bowl were moved to the back hall and the door was closed. Bless their little hearts! It really is nice having one animal free room...I find I'm spending a little more time in there now!

Sunday I will be 62 years old!

Another tale of Mother

I got a phone call a little before 7 Saturday morning. It was my sister. She and Mother were going car shopping, but Bert called her and said Mother couldn't go, she had fallen and her back was giving her fits. So I dashed to Tallahassee and Nancy and I went to see how she was doing. The way it had sounded to Nancy we thought that Mother should get x-rayed at least, but Bert said she didn't need it. I took her some Icy-Hot patched and Bert had just gotten her some Alieve (sp?).

Well, Mother gave Nancy her checkbook and off we went to the Honda dealership. Three and a half hours and one trade-in later we drove off in a pretty little new Honda Civic (for Nancy).

We stopped and had lunch at Cedar River and went on over to return the checkbook and to check on Mother. Well, miracle of miracle, Mother was up and dressed and wanted to go out for lunch. Of course we didn't as we had just eaten, but they went ahead and went out.

By the time we got back to Nancy's house it was raining. I drove home in a major storm with fingers of lightening on the road in front of me all the way home.

Mother called shortly after I got home and was soooo much better. In fact she was getting ready for them to go to a cocktail party. She does heal fast.

We're getting rain a little more often than we were earlier this year, but the weather map is still showing the entire region in a severe drought.

Look what I did!!!

Last night Rosie told me how to put a picture on my post and here it is! The year is 1963, the place is the Drifton Florida Train Depot and the event is our senior trip to Washington DC and New York! The woman in the dress and dark glasses is Mother, she's 38 years old here. The one in colorful slacks and a blue sweater is me. I'm 17 years old here! Talk about a blast from the past!

Extended summer hours

Well, the first of August has come and gone and we are still on half days at work. Our projected date for full days is now the 15th of August. Keep your fingers crossed...we all (hourly workers) need to get back to full time. As it works out we will have had 2 months of half days. I have a rather low profile of living and am quite frugal, but this has really put a dent in my life style! I went to Burger King last week and got a Whopper Jr. value meal with a senior citizen discount and kicked myself all weekend for spending almost $4.00!

These kittens are soooo funny! Last night I got something out of my purse and didn't close it when I turned around almost everything in it had been removed and both Smokey and Bandit were nestled in it. They knew they were in trouble when I found them as they hunkered down and tried to be invisible! I laughed and dumped them out.

It rained all night.

My first recliner!

This is a bit premature...but both my sister and I bought recliners yesterday. Premature because it hasn't been delivered yet. We went to Badcock's last week (or week before?) and found chairs we liked and were able to order them and get them 20% off if we waited until the 25th! Plus, since I live in town and Nancy lives this side of Tallahassee they only charged us one delivery fee! They'll be delivered today!

After our purchases we went to Sage to eat. We love to eat there, we sit outside and can smoke. It was mighty hot when we got there (around 4) so they turned the misters on for us, but by the time we left it was storming, heavy lightening and thunder and pouring rain and had cooled off quite a bit!

Nancy was playing bridge at 6 in Tallahassee, so we left Sage around 5:30. I came home thinking I'd veg out and watch some tv....well, the cable was out! the storm...so I took this as a sign that I needed to rearrange the living room in order to fit my new recliner in. What a challenge! The room is small and there are openings in every wall. Took several hours, but I think it'll work. By the time I finished the cable was back on.

Have an appointment at 2 today to have my hair cut...think I'll cancel it so I don't miss my delivery!

The kittens are hootier and hootier! Constantly into things and perpetual balls of energy! Shirley of course loves them and has from the very beginning. Goodness and Mercy really didn't! They have come around however. I actually saw Mercy bathing Bandits face and Goodness eats with them and submits to butt licking!

We've had RAIN!!!!

Friday afternoon at 3:30 the bottom fell out of the sky! In 1/2 of an hour my backyard received 1" of rain! Then on Saturday it rained lightly all day and into the night! No rain on Sunday, but yesterday I got 1 1/2" around 5pm. Glorious!

On the other hand, my sister lives about 27 miles from here and she hasn't had a drop since June! Crazy! In fact, Nancy came over Saturday (we're looking for recliners to sleep in while we watch tv) and was soooo envious that I was getting rain! I feel awful for everyone who isn't getting the wet stuff and always try to send it to her!

Work's slow, money's tight.

Heat wave

Tuesday morning at 6am it was 83 degrees in Apalachicola. It was only 78 here! The heat has really taken hold and according to the latest forecast we aren't to expect a break from it any time soon. At 11:30 yesterday morning our heat index was 102! It makes it awfully hard to get anything done outside...just watering my garden at 8pm is very taxing!

Work is tediously slow. It's amazing to me just how long 5 hours can be! Today is a 4 hour day.

My last post was on the 7th...that would have been Daddy's 91st birthday!

Helen called last night. Very upset. It seems Mike had called her and told her I said she was dieing. She is. She hasn't been told. She thinks that she's just going for x-rays every week. I told her I not only hadn't talked with him in 2 years that there had been no contact including e-mails, true. Couldn't think of anything else to say. I can't believe he did that.

Goodness is actually getting into this kitten thing. He lays on the floor and flicks his tail back and forth for their amusement and even will eat from the same bowl with them! Mercy touches noses with them and watches them like tv!

No real news, it's quite quiet in town now. Everyone that's able has gone to the coast or the mountains trying to escape the heat. I'm afraid that they've all just gone to another area of heat. Leah Jane left on the 1st for a month and of course Mother and Bert are in Waynesville.

Prentice called last night. He and Harvey are heading to the Marshall area today. I'm afraid he's going to get so much work up there that he'll not make it here to do my kitchen. I'm so anxious to get it done.

Catching up once more...

This has been an odd week. We closed at noon on Tuesday and won't go back to work until Monday. The only day we'll get paid for is the 4th. Of course we're on half days anyway and it'll be interesting to see how much smaller my pay check can get!

When I got up Wednesday morning the phone was dead...well, actually it was making a loud buzzing. Got up Thursday morning and it was working. Miracle! Got up this morning and the phone was dead. So at about 11:15 I went in to the office and used the phone to report it being out. (my sister chewed me up one side and down the other for not reporting it out on the 4th!)

About 3:30 this afternoon I decided to lay down on the sofa and watch a movie...the doorbell rang and it was the phone man. He worked around for a long time (outside) and then I heard his truck leave the driveway. Looked out and he was climbing up a pole across the street. Sat on the porch for a while and watched, but couldn't tell what was going on and it was hot so I went back in. The phone rang about a half an hour later and it was the phone man saying it was fixed. It seems lighting hit it! Glad it was the phone line and not a house!

So, most of my time off has been spent without phone or Internet! Actually it was quite nice!

We've had 2 rather nasty storms this week with goodly amounts of rain. Thank goodness!

The kittens have been loose in the entire house since 1 o'clock Tuesday. They are a riot!!!!! They are really quite good, they're learning limits not only from me, but from Shirley, Goodness and Mercy also! It's a lot more active around here than before kittens!

Mother and Bert spent 4 days at the beach and will leave tomorrow for a month in the mountains. That's something I'd sure love to do! Not with them of course, on my own. Maybe someday.....

Kittens

As I enter this I have a tiny purring black kitten in my lap that lunges for the keyboard periodically. I've never known one this small to be so totally focused on a goal! We should all be as focused!

The kittens have been such a joy! I had really forgotten how quickly they change and how very funny they can be! The one in my lap at the moment has been rescued from the bathtub and the trash can already today and the day is young!

They still are waiting to be integrated into the rest of the house. Smokey and Mercy did meet face to face in the bedroom door yesterday. Scared poor Mercy really bad. She ran and hid for a while. I keep thinking it'll be soon, but then I think about the hawks that live and hunt in this area and the kittens are smaller than squirrels! I leave the back door open when it's nice out...and, they dash so quickly at an opening door...not sure just what to do. If I let them out of here there are no other doors to close to contain them to an area...tried a gate. They scaled that in record time!

No real news. We went to 1/2 days this past Monday. I enjoy it, but I'm not quite sure how I'll hold up financially. I went ahead and renewed my drivers license and car tag yesterday, 'cause I had the money to do it and may not later. I have car insurance coming up soon, too. It's gonna be tight. Won't hurt for groceries...am stocked. May have to hit my change jar for pet food, thank goodness I have it!

I've taken Zocor for a week today. I am SO tired and wonder if that's not related to Zocor. My cholesterol was 306 and my doctor freaked out! He put me on 20 mg of the Zocor and that's the highest dose recommended for seniors. I'm rather small and react to drugs strongly. I've also modified my diet tremendously. Only whole grains, no suger, no refined carbs...mainly turkey and fish (grouper), no shellfish, more fruit than I'm used to and a fine assortment of fresh veggies. I've lost a few pounds as a perk, but I feel sure that between the diet and the drug my cholesterol level will fall nicely.

Helen's not doing great. She doesn't remember that she's just called. One day this week she called as I was walking in the door. Told her I'd just gotten home and she asked from where. When I said "work" she was totally puzzled because she thought it was the weekend. She tells me that she's been going to the doctor a lot to have her head x-rayed, but doesn't know why. So sad.

Not much to tell...

HWB's baby is two weeks old today. She's still in the hospital. Yesterday they were going to try to do a spinal tap. So far I don't know the results. Poor baby.

We'll be doing 1/2 days for the month of July. We'll be doing a 1/2 day today, too.

Prentice called night before last. He's still doing his father's roof. Said he may go to Vermont from there...then here to do the kitchen. Yeah!

Hot and dry seems to be the standard forecast here. Wish for rain!

Rosie will be 42 tomorrow. Hard to believe...seems just yesterday she was a tiny baby!

Baby

HWB's baby was a week old on Friday. Saturday she was hospitalized and is still there. She has blistering on her skin. I'm not sure where the blisters are as HWB has a hard time talking about it. She has not been diagnosed as of yet, though they have narrowed it down to several things...some of which are fatal and all have long-term problems, usually a much shorter life span.

There isn't even 1 pediatric dermatologist in the area and I was only able to find a small handful in the entire state. I found several hospitals that treat babies with the disorder, all far away. I feel they'll be going to Arizona or Minnesota, don't know when.

HWB told me yesterday that we'll be going to half days. He didn't say when...maybe today? It's so hot (101 yesterday, 86 at 11 last night and 78 now{6:45am}) and so dry. Business has come to a screeching halt. That's really going to hurt money-wise, though I'll love the time off!

The death of a friend

Martha Lynn Harris Kersey died Friday, June 8th. She was born January 6, 1941, here in Monticello. She was one of my bridesmaids when Bruce and I married 43 years ago.

It feels rather trite to post anything else right now.

and more rain...

We have had rain every day since Saturday. Not too much, just right...showers. Yeah!

HWB and wife had a little black haired baby girl late last Friday. About 3 weeks late. Suzanne.

Kittens are wonderful...they are both getting over colds. Hasn't slowed them down.

It's Raining!!!!!

Got up this morning at 5:30. Opened the back door to let everyone out and it's raining!!! Yeah!!!

Tropical Storm Barry is giving us rain and we so need it. No significant rainfall in this area since March 3rd. I just hope it continues long enough to make a difference!

Had thought I'd go to Thomasville to Lowes today, but think I'll just stay home and enjoy the rain!

The weather on the computer said the main part of the storm will miss us, we'll just get rain!!!

Blue moon?

When I got home from work Wednesday I had 3 packages in my carport...2 rather big ones and one small one. The small one was a slip cover for my chair and the 2 large ones were a cast aluminum table for the patio and an umbrella for the table.

My first choice to tackle was the slip cover, boy, what a chore! Took quite a while, but it fits and does make a major difference! Yeah!

Then I drug the 47 pound box with the table in it to the patio and spent a little over 2 hours putting it together. It's square and black and sharp! The umbrella was a snap, thank goodness!

Then it was time to water my garden which is all in containers...squash, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers and a gazillion herbs. Got a kink in the hose and did a little flip/snap thingy to unkink it. Snapped the faucet off the house and had a MAJOR geyser of water spewing from the house to the concrete patio. My first thought was to put the faucet back in. Tried and tried, but it had broken off and there were no threads left. Got soaked and fixed nothing. Ran into the house and called my plumber...goat his answering machine on both numbers. Left a frantic message. Ran out to the water main and once I got the top off could find nothing that remotely resembled a cut off valve...just the dial spinning at top speed! Back to the phone. Called my back yard neighbor (County property appraiser) thinking he would know what to do, but he wasn't home. Called HWB, not in...called one of the guys from work, not in...called Ann, she had no ideas. Called the police. They contacted a city worker who finally came out and cut the water off at the main. Then the plumber called back and said he'd be over as soon as he jumped into his pool.

When the plumber got here it was pitch black dark and there's no light in the area where the broken pipe is. So he capped it off and said he'd send one of his guys on Thursday to replace it. And he turned the main back on.

Was hot, sweaty, tired and thirsty when he left. Went to the kitchen for water. Opened the refrigerator door to get a bottle of water out and a large plastic bowl of slaw fell out and landed upside down and splattered all over Shirley and me. Scooped Shirley up sprayed her off in the sink, put her outside and then cleaned up. What a MESS!

When I woke up Thursday morning both my cable TV and my Internet service were down. These are not connected things and of course I found this quite a puzzle. Called the cable company (on hold for almost 10 minutes), reported the outage.

Left for work early and stopped by the grocery store to get Milk Bone Dog Biscuits for Chuck (HWB's dog). The power had been out at the store and they didn't have the registers booted back up yet. Waited a few minutes, gave them some money (said to let me know if it wasn't enough) and headed to work.

The computers were down at work!

Pittled around until time to make my morning run. Was standing in line at the bank when I was hit by a migraine so bad that I thought I'd be sick right there. Made it back to work and came home early.

As soon as I was able to fall asleep the phone rand, Ann. Then the plumber came and put a heavy duty faucet on the house (total bill $95.00). Then I did sleep an hour or so.

This morning I'm better. Can still feel where the headache was, but better.

I'm blaming the full moon!

Catching up

Since I last posted we've had Mother's Day and Memorial Day...both of which constituted a command appearance in Tallahassee.

Mother's Day was, of course, at the country club. Mother, Bert, Nancy P., Nancy & Mark and I attended. Good food and fun company. Both Rosie and Prentice called...LOVE hearing from them! Prentice is going to do my kitchen for me!!!!! I'm thrilled!

Yesterday was Memorial Day. Once more at the country club. This time it was different. It was a wonderful bar-b-que cooked outside and eaten outside. Nice weather, clear (no smoke) and breezy. Had to fuss at Mother. She jumped on Nancy (verbally)...I told her in private not to do it anymore. Hope it works, she hurts Nancy's feelings so badly and so often. I blow up at her when she pulls that stunt with me, but Nancy internalizes and stews.

Got two kittens last week. A little grey tabby and a little grey-black thing. Not from the same litter, in fact not even from the same towns. They get along quite well and are (as kittens are) a hoot! They are living for now in my bathroom. Thank goodness it's very large and they have lots of romping room. They were both 6 weeks old on Friday and are just too tiny to be loose in the house. Too many places for them to get stuck or lost. Them come into my room with Shirley to play...they LOVE Shirley! Goodness and Mercy are afraid of them!!! Oh, Smokey and The Bandit!

HWB's baby still hadn't arrived as of last Friday. The first due date was the 11th, then they changed it to the 19th. Told HWB when I left on Friday that maybe the baby (don't know the sex) would wait until this coming Thursday...full moon.

Had Nancy over for a little cookout on Sunday. Actually grilled! Hot dogs and hamburgers. Had slaw, yellow rice and black bean salad, baked beans, curried deviled eggs and sweet tea. Nancy brought cherry ice cream and brownies. Good eats!

Hope to post a little more often now that my new computer is acting better.

EEK!

With the weather as hot and dry as it is now work is even slower than it would normally be this time of year.

Yesterday I was looking for something to do (I can only surf the net for so many hours a day without going totally batty!), so I decided to clean out the refrigerator at work. I found things from Easter still in there! Then I found a white kitchen trash bag that I didn't recognize. Tried to pull it out, but it was quite heavy, so I just pulled it forward enough to look in it. My mistake! It was a rattlesnake...bigger around than my upper arm. Scared the pea turkey out of me!!! Stuffed it back and closed the door...left HWB a note on his desk and just had the heeby jeebies for the rest of the afternoon. I sure hope it's gone when I get in this morning!

Hot, hot, hot

All last week we got up into the 90's...they're saying this morning it'll be only in the 80's! Thank goodness! I started using the air conditioner last Sunday. I hate that!

I'm getting ready to pay my electric bill, $50.71...bet it'll be the last one that low for a while...oh well.......

Not much going on, working, cleaning house, trying to stay on top of the yard work (being very sparing with the watering).

Our local Congressman called yesterday (old classmate) and invited me to join him and some other classmates at his house for dinner....just couldn't. Had just taken the garbage out to the road and was dirty and sweaty from yard and house work and still had a multitude of things to do in order to make my week doable. Was offered a rain check. Accepted.

One more episode of Survivor on Thursday and then the finale on Sunday. Always hate to see each season end!

The Beach

Oh, it's over! It went much too quickly! Our beach vacation is now in the past...it was wonderful!

Thursday Nancy and I set out in two cars for St. Teresa. We each had a dog and enough supplies to last us through hurricane season!

It was around 6:30 when we got there and had to turn on the power to the house and the pump house and then turn on the water, so it was 7ish when we got the cars unloaded, etc. I made a vat of Mexican pasta salad and that was just right for supper (and 3 more meals!) and I took the little tv and dvd player from here so we were delighted to put our feet up, eat and watch Survivor! Actually the reception with rabbit ears was just awful, but we got enough of it to sorta follow the game and see who got voted off (Mookie!!!!). Then we sat on the porch and froze to death while we watched the storm (no rain of course, just major wind) blow in.

Neither of us knows how Friday passed as quickly as it did...we walked the dogs on the beach several times (plastic bags in pockets), ate, napped, ate, carried an 8' ladder through the woods to look through the windows of a house that's for sale, ate, rocked on the porch and then it was time to cook out. Nancy brought her grill and supplies along with two beautiful steaks which she grilled to perfection. She made her famous baby greens, blueberry, feta, pecan salad with videlia onion dressing and loaded potatoes! My one contribution was Texas toast that I grilled and it was good! We ate and watched "Two Weeks Notice" and had trouble keeping our eyes open!

Two of Nancy's friends came down Saturday morning and we ate and played bridge from 9am till 5pm. Then we went back to Panacea and ate at the Harbor House. Fantastic seafood, great service and a table over looking the water! Saw something none of us had seen before, this big machine with long arms scooped up boats from the water at the pier and loaded them into little cubby holes stacked 4 or 5 deep! Fun to see! After dinner Donna and Noreen went back to Tallahassee and Nancy and I took our loaded take out boxes and went back to the house. We watched "The Devil Wears Prada" and drank wine until 12:30, that's very late for both of us!

The refrigerator died sometime Friday. Luckily each of us had taken a cooler and the BP down the road had ice.

We saw a bald eagle, many woodpeckers, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, wrens, terns, cranes, and several formations of pelicans that flew right in front of the porch lots of times! We saw porpoises directly in front of the house a few times and a funny little lizard with markings on his back like a rattle snake and horny protrusions all over his head! Great fun!

Sunday was another beautiful day, just much too short! We left at 3:30 and Shirley and I were home by 5...not bad! We are both looking forward to doing this again sometime...hope it's soon!

I'm so glad I took today off from work, too! I am SO tired even after a good nights sleep and every part of me hurts from my feet (I'm sure from walking on the beach so much) to my neck and everything in between!

Even though it was wonderful, it's sooooo good to be home! (Goodness and Mercy sure are glad we're home, too!)

Yesterday we celebrated Mother's birthday. It actually isn't until tomorrow...she'll be 82. It's funny, I was trying to think of something pleasant to say about her...she'd like this...she looks remarkable for her age, dresses beautifully and finally changed her hair-do. Okay, except for the hair-do part she'd like that. Nancy and I drove down to the Seineyard and met Mother and Bert. As usual, we pigged out and had major leftovers to bring home. I just had shrimp, scallops, grouper, fries and a hush puppy for breakfast (wonderful) and there's still more left for lunch!

Our busy time at the nursery is done...hate that! I absolutely love it during the busy time. I still enjoy it because of the people there and the surroundings, but I am crazy bored now. I'm not good at busy work and am tired of surfing the Internet for 6-7 hours every day.

I'm really considering early retirement. I could do that September 1st...just couldn't live on the amount of money I'd receive. Sure wish I could find something to do to bring in enough money to make the difference in SS $'s and real life!

Haven't done anything toward remodeling the kitchen yet...wish Prentice were here. I know he could do it and I know I'd like it. I'd like that entire room gutted and redone. It's sorta an awkward room, open on both ends and taller than it's wide. Wish there were a tv program to do it for me!

Finally had to break down and get Shirley a new harness. After she was spayed a few months ago she really puffed up! Now she knows how I feel! Of course when she hurt her hip that slowed her down considerably, but it's well now I think. Anyway, she now is the proud owner of a lovely hunter green harness and it looks soooo good on her!

Wild weather!

On March 3rd we got under an inch of rain. We didn't get more until last night. We got about an inch. We've been so cold that I've built fires and so hot that I entertained the idea of turning on the air conditioner (but didn't!). Now it's cold again and I'll have a fire going for at least the next three nights! Crazy!

Lately it's been impossible for me to get on blogspot to post. Then today I tired once more and did.

Last Sunday was Easter and after almost 4 years I finally got to meet my new step sister. She and my sister have the same name, so that shouldn't be a problem. We had a good time and good food.

Missed work Monday because of a weather induced migraine and even though I went to work on Tuesday the dumb head ache lingered until Thursday in one way or another, mainly visual.

Friday we closed at 1pm for an employee cookout. I did everything but the meat. We had pheasant, wild turkey, quail and venison along with a giant salad, baked beans, rolls and brownies. It was good and I came home at 3:30. Not bad.

Next Saturday we're doing Mother's 82nd birthday and then the following weekend is the beach! Sure am looking forward to that!

Spring Gardens

The azaleas made one of their best shows this spring...I so enjoy this yard! Three sides are bordered with 6'-8' tall azaleas in coral, white and purple. Everything was in bloom at once with the red buds and dogwoods dripping with wisteria and orange trumpet vine and spirea blooming all around and, of course the camellias! Of course I took no pictures, just hope the mental image lasts!

Now I'm waiting for the hydrangeas, irises and crape myrtles to do their thing! Ain't spring grand!

Reconnedted, finally!

It's been a couple of weeks or so since I've posted.....dumb computer was in and out of the shop and then was totally dead for a while. Finally I went to Tallahassee Saturday and got a new one. A nice little Gateway desk top variety that no other hand or brain has interfered with. I guess this is the first new computer I've had and getting it all set up and on line was a major challenge.

Actually, the set up part was a piece of cake except for the monitor...I couldn't get the base attached. It took several attempts with breaks in between before it finally dawned on me that perhaps I should turn it around and try it that way. Presto! went right in! It's one of those skinny LCD monitors and it's absolutely amazing how much more desk top space is available now!

No real news. Work was CRAZY busy for a couple of months, now (as of Friday) it's dead! Of course, the weather plays a major part in that. We are quite dry and hot...88 yesterday and it's been several weeks since it's rained and the weatherman just said there's none in sight this week! In fact he said "get your sprinklers out"! I'm doing a little hand watering, nothing else.

Mother and Bert will not be going to Italy after all. Mother had an incident last week. She woke up with the room spinning. Bert ended up calling for an ambulance and they went to the emergency room. They found nothing wrong, gave her a shot and a prescription and sent her home. Bert told Nancy that there was no way he'd take her out of the country and risk something like that or worse happening. They'll do something in the states.

Helen's still hanging in there. A few weeks ago she went to the doctor for testing and they found that she's diabetic. She's not eating right and probably won't. The tumors are slow growing, but they found they had increased in size. Her memory is so severely impacted. It's quite painful for me to talk with her. In one conversation she'll repeat herself many times and each conversation is a repeat of the last 100.

I've had a hard time getting on Blogger lately, not to read blogs, but to post. I've tried several times from work and off and on yesterday. This is this first time I've been able to log on. Wonder if they're having problems?

Saturday morning in Tallahassee

Yesterday I met Mother and Nancy at Bradley's Country Store at 8:00 for breakfast. We each had a Pepsi and a 12" country sausage with sauteed onions on a bun! Good eating! We sat out under a very old oak tree to eat at a picnic table that looked like it grew there! The weather was perfect and we really did have a nice time.

After we ate we walked across the road to let Maria potty and to look at some goats in the field...the goats were a hoot! They had wide rather high ramps that they were playing on, butting each other off and running up and down. Fun to watch. Mother said she couldn't walk the whole way (maybe 50 yards) so she went back and sat in her car until we got back. Then we sat back out at the picnic table and talked for a while more.

Mother had called earlier in the week and said she was going to have my kitchen remodeled. Yeah! I did tell her I thought it was a wonderful idea, but I would have to have final say on style and color. She very begrudgingly agreed.

So when we left Bradley's I followed Mother to Lowes...only she got confused and sorta turned around and had to pull over and I had her follow me. Anyway, we got there. We looked at lots of styles and when she saw what I had in mind she seemed less worried. My back was bothering me and I suggested that we each take some brochures home and look at them and then on another day we could look again. We did get a light for the dining room, but she called a while ago and suggested that I put it in the funny little room off the kitchen and go with another one we saw for the dining room...think she's right. I'll have the kitchen, dining room, funny little room and the kitchen painted all the same color...sorta a moss green, nice depth and rich color. I want to have the carpet ripped out of the dining room and of course the floor in the kitchen redone. The window over the sink also needs to be replaced.

This is rather exciting! I'm going to have to have an electrician put a 220 outlet for the stove on the opposite wall of the kitchen and they'll have to do wiring for the hood and the dishwasher and hang the two light fixtures and put an outlet on the front porch and put a light outside the french doors and I have two light bulbs that have to be changed.

Then I'll need a painter and a plumber!

I'm afraid this may become a bigger project than Mother thinks it will be. Those walls in the kitchen are plaster and I'm afraid that when the cabinets are taken down it'll all come down too and then there's the sheetrock thing that'll probably have to happen. Also, the floor isn't level at all and it needs to be jacked up...could be a very major undertaking!

Leah Jane had a brunch for Ann's birthday today. We began with Blood Marys and ended with birthday cake with a lovely casserole and sausage and biscuits and hot fruit in between! There were 6 of us and we laughed and ate and had fun!

We had a storm!

We all knew on Thursday morning that a storm was coming...we talked about it at work and it was on the radio and tv.

When I got home a little after 1 on Thursday I cleared the patio of furniture and plants and things...just put them against the house and shrubbery in the back, brought some of the little things in. The only thing I left in place was the rug that I have out there.

I sat bolt upright in bed at 2 am Friday morning thinking that something had fallen on the house. The wind and rain was Charley loud and then another giant boom of thunder with the lightening happened and the power went off. The storm really didn't last all that long, maybe an hour or so and then it was just hard rain.

This mornings paper said that it still hadn't been confirmed that at tornado had touched down in Jefferson County, but the physical evidence pointed in that direction. Any way, we were without power county wide for 6+ hours. After seeing what happened in Andolusia, AL I think we should all count our blessings!

The power came back on around 9:40 am yesterday morning. Then I showered and dressed and went to the bank. They had only been open for about 1/2 hr. when I got there and the line was a million people long! I waited. Deposited my paycheck (such as it is!) and headed to the Social Security office in Tallahassee.

Turns our that when I got there they hadn't been open very long either. Seems there were pocket of power outages all over Leon County too. My sister said here power went off just long enough for her to have to reset her clocks, but then stayed on.

Anyway, since I moved into the house about 2 years ago I haven't gotten a statement of benefits from SS and seeing as how I'm turning 62 this year I thought it was time to make sure that I really was still in the system and I need to know what I can expect to draw if I do take early retirement. I'll only have SS and have no savings or other source of income. The young fellow that waited on me was rather condescending and a little less than helpful at first. I told him I wanted to change my address with them (I'd already tried on the phone and on line and since I'm not at present receiving benefits I had to wait until the IRS notified SS about a change of address). Well, damn it, I just didn't care for that! The IRS has managed to find me to deliver tax return forms for two years, but it seems they still hadn't told SS that there was an address change. This sightly bored young man gave me the same run around. And finally I said, "Just when do you think they'll get around to sending me this information? I'm thinking about taking early retirement this year and I need to be able to make some plans." With that his head whipped around to me and he looked at me and said "Just how old are you?" and I said "I'll be 62 this year." At that he became quite chatty and helpful. Changed my address in the system, printed out an estimated benefit statement and gave me some advice. The way things look I'll really have to keep working full time...and I'm just so tired!

Left there and went to K-Mart and Walmart. Got pet food and kitty litter.

Got to my sister's house around 1:30, just as she was pulling into her driveway. We sat and visited for an hour or so and then went to pick up Maria from the vets. She was there to be spayed. Well, it turned out that she has a blood clotting factor problem and they didn't do the surgery. She's to be on medication for 3 weeks and then they'll check her again and probably do it then.

We took Maria back to her house and then went shopping at High Cotton!! Love that store! and, everything in the store was 20% off! Didn't get much, a candle and a pair of dish towels, oh, and we both got cards for Mother and Bert's birthdays! They're hoots! Had fun.

Then, we went to the Outback Steakhouse...got there at 4:20 (gift certificates from the Merrit Island group) and ate hardy!!!

Got home at 6:30 and was POOPED!!

Fell asleep in my chair watching tv and woke at 10 and got in bed. Didn't get up until 10 this morning. It's 4:15 in the afternoon and all I've done today is put the patio back together and clean the stove top...I've not even finished the newspaper!

Thank goodness tomorrow's Sunday!

Company!

Tuesday night Prentice and Cynthia came to visit on their way back to NC.
It was good to finally meet Cynthia and as always WONDERFUL to see Prentice!

Wednesday morning before they left out they came by my work and got a glimpse of the nursery where I work. It's never easy seeing someone you love leave, but it was easier for me for them to leave from where I work than from home...it's always so empty at home...at work I had work.

Our weather has taken another wierd turn. Yesterday it was hot! I tried to sit on the patio to read the newspaper and had to keep chasing the shade!

It's winter here!

We had really become quite complacent here about the weather! Just because it has been so spring-like that everything is in bloom and we've been wearing light weight clothing we forgot that it's only February! NOW we remember! It's cold!

Every night I carry in 3 armloads of fire wood and use it all! I'm so glad I got the long cord of wood back when folks thought I was nuts to worry about it, because it's at a premium now and hard to find. I'm keeping the thermostat set on 60 and with a roaring fire we are staying quite cozy.

Last night I did add another comforter to the bed, but with Shirley, Goodness and Mercy on the bed with me I probably could have done without it. However, they are saying that tonight and tomorrow night will be much worse.

Had to make a mad run to Tallahassee for HWB yesterday. He's selling things on e-bay and had promised a fellow that he'd overnight a dumb golf club...our Post Office closes at noon on Thursdays as well as the bank. So I missed my afternoon off, but at least it was out of the office! Got back to the office at 3:15 and home before 3:30.

No plans for the weekend, I'd thought I'd take Nancy her birthday present which finally came in, but I used my Tally trip yesterday to drop it by her house. What a relief! I'm looking forward to staying in and vegging all weekend! Maybe I'll finish that new Stephen King book I've been reading for weeks. It's very good, I just don't have much spare time!

The animals are in heaven with their new fenced area...Mercy goes out a lot, but is always ready to come in when I whistle.

Two New MOTHER stories

Last Saturday Mother, Bert, Nancy and I had lunch together at the Seine Yard in Woodville. Lunch was wonderful as always and we had a very nice visit.

As Nancy, Bert and I were having dessert Mother suddenly piped up with "I haven't had chocolate this year"...I thought just a moment and told her that that wasn't true...about a month ago Mother, Nancy and I had lunch together and afterwards went back to Mother's house where she took a large box of chocolate out of the freezer and we sat out on the porch and pigged out! Then two weeks ago after shopping the three of us went to Ruby Tuesday's and Mother was the only one who had dessert...a giant chocolate cake thing with ice cream and stuff and she finished it all! After I reminded her about those two times that I knew of she said "Oh, does that count?"!

The restaurant was quite crowded when we were ready to leave. Nancy and I dodged the crowd and got to the front quickly, but were stopped by a large crowd coming in. As we stood there waiting to get around I felt a little tug on my sleeve. I looked down and it was Mother. She said "I'm Jane Fl*****r", I smiled and said "I'm Jane C*******d. She got a strange look on her face and said "Oh, I looked across the crowd and saw you and thought 'I think I know that lady, she sure looks familiar.'"!

They are going to Italy in May. I hope Bert keeps a close eye on her...she may get lost!

Yesterday was my 3hr. off day. I cleaned out the carport, moved my old wood pile to the new one, did some weeding and planted a couple of crape myrtles. My arms and shoulders ache this morning!

Yeah! It's FRIDAY!!!

Early Spring!

Well, Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow this morning, predicting an early Spring. Do you suppose Global Warming has anything to do with that? This has been an extremely odd winter with bitter cold and summer-like heat...with the heat predominating. Has been good for the utility bills, but everything begins to bloom and then we have a freeze! Had 3 1/2 inches of rain last night with lightning and thunder that made one think of summer! Odd, odd, odd!

Yesterday was my sister's 58th birthday. I'll be going to her house tomorrow and then we'll meet Mother and Bert at the Seine Yard at 4:00 for a SEAFOOD celebration! I always get the same thing there and have a ton to take home afterwards...plan-overs!

It's very quiet here at work this morning, HWB has been out of the country on a fishing trip for a week and Paul left yesterday for a trade show in Mobile. I had 3 deliveries scheduled for this morning and 2 of them have called to postpone their loads until Monday because of the rain last night. So our driver will have one short jaunt to Tallahassee and then he'll be off for the rest of the day...wish I were too! Didn't even have my afternoon off yesterday so today bodes long!

Leah Jane invited me to a Super Bowl party on Sunday...I begged off!!!

Had a man out Tuesday to give me an estimate on doing a fence for me.......3 legs 50' each and a couple of gates...$1,500.00! At the rate my sock drawer is filling it'll take me another 5 years to save that! I'm thinking about trying to do it myself...don't know if I can or not, but it's worth a try!

Winter has finally arrived...sorta...

By watching and listening to the news I know the rest of the country has had rather odd weather this winter, but I'm sure it feels more personal where you are.

So far we've had more warm weather than cool this winter season. My wood pile has hardly been touched! Of course we have 2-2 1/2 more months to go, so no telling what'll happen!

There was a nice little article in the local paper on Friday about me earning certification.

Helen's calling less than daily lately...that's a good thing!

I spent Saturday in Tallahassee. Mother met Nancy and me at Talbots and we did some major shopping and then went to lunch. Had a rather decent time...at lunch Mother got rather nasty a couple of times and the second time instead of ignoring it I called her down...she went mad! I told her she got her panties in a wad just too easily. She looked at me and said "my what?" ... I said "your panties" ... she looked at Nancy and said "what about my panties?" ... Nancy said (loudly) "They're in a wad!". Mother took in a large gasp of breath and started laughing. She laughed until she had tears rolling down her face. It ended up being quite funny.

Mother went home after lunch and Nancy and I went to an art gallery and had a very nice afternoon. Got home around 7pm,

Sunday was Prentice's 37th birthday.

Mysteries of life?

Wow! This past week I've been sick as a dog! Everyone else in town has been too. All the guys at work started a couple of weeks ago with flu, even Paul and HWB. I kept things wiped down with antibiotic wipes and was compulsive about hand washing...really thought I'd escaped and then last Wednesday started running a fever and feeling just awful. I actually slept for 48 hours, getting up long enough to take care of basic needs like litter boxes, Shirley in and out and my personal needs. By Saturday afternoon I felt well enough to sit up in my chair in the living room for about 4 hours and then on Sunday felt almost human.

Went to work yesterday (Monday) and had the longest 8 hours I ever remember. I'm still very tired with chest congestion and achy muscles, but think I'm on the up hill side of this. Funny thing, I had the flu shot!

In two weeks my baby boy will be 37 years old. Wow! Wish I had an address for him. He's sorta out of pocket now that he's in North Carolina.

I Passed!!!!

I took the 3 hour certification exam yesterday and passed all four sections. HWB also took the exam and passed the first 3 sections, but didn't pass the 4th which was the 90 minute open book part. In his defense, he didn't read the book (I read it 2-3 times and studied several sections again and again). He'll have 2 more times to take it. I hope he will.

Now, I have no idea what this certification will do for me, but I'm quite proud to be able to say that I'm now a Certified Horticulture Professional! Certified by FNGLA (Florida Nursery Growers Landscape Association)! This certification is good for 3 years and then I'll either have to take it all over again or have 15 hours of study in selected fields. Of course by then I'll be 65 and may not care to continue...we'll see.

We've had lots of rain since Christmas. It's raining right now and is expected to continue until Tues. or Wed. I do like it, but it's getting a bit soggy!

I have a new favorite movie, "The Devil wears Prada"! What a hoot!

The new year

Happy 007 everyone!

I stayed home New Years Eve, nothing very new about that! Was in bed by 9 o'clock, but woke up about 20 till 12...just in time to see the ball drop and go back to sleep.

I did spend the day Sunday (New Years Eve Day) in Tallahassee with Nancy. We did some shopping and some eating and visited a while. Was home before dark. Nice day.

Monday Leah Jane had folks over for bloody marys and Ann and I stayed for New Years Day food. I took a mess of greens (a mixture of turnips and mustards) and we had venison sausage, black eyed peas and cornbread. What a feast! Home by 3.

It was so hard to go back to work on Tuesday. This short week has felt 4 weeks long!

My certification exam is tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Christmas 2006

I woke this morning at 5am with the sense of anticipation that I've had every Christmas morning for the past 61 years! 61 Christmas mornings! I find that just amazing! Wonder how many more are written in my book of life?

It's pouring rain and warm this morning. A few tornado watches in the surrounding area and high wind alerts everywhere. Boy! We really need this rain, what a Christmas gift!

At 9 this morning I'll go get Ann (I think she'll follow me...she needs to get back for 2 parties) and we'll go to my sister's house in Tallahassee...she's planning a light breakfast for us. From there we'll go to Wakulla Springs Lodge for a fabulous Christmas dinner buffet. I was there two years ago and the food was unreal! An entire room was just desserts!!!!! (I have a couple of baggies in my purse!)

Mother and Bert are going to Quincy to Bert's family. They were planning to go to the mountains as they did last year, but Mother said she just couldn't make the trip...truth be known, there were a couple of parties she didn't want to miss!

We closed the nursery at noon on Friday and will reopen Wednesday AM.

Around 2 on Friday afternoon HWB called and asked me to go up to the parent company's office and meet a fellow with cases of candy he ordered and lead him to our office to unload in the kitchen. I got there at 2:15, the fellow didn't arrive until almost 3! Got that all done and was back home (in the rain) by 3:30. Built a little fire and just vegged the rest of the day! Lovely!

Spent Saturday and Sunday doing little chores around the house and enjoying the rain. Had a fire last night and Shirley, Goodness, Mercy and I enjoyed it while watching Christmas movies on TV. Very nice Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas everyone! My love to you!

Sick people

Ann has been sick for the past week...Fever, bad chest congestion, cough, etc...Yet she has insisted on going out and going to work. I decided after sitting across the table from her on Sunday that I wasn't going to be exposed to her or any other sick person if I could avoid it. You know me, I even told Ann that it wasn't fair of her to go around folks while she's sick. She did go to the doctor yesterday and got a prescription...Said at 5:00 yesterday afternoon that she took it at 2:00 and was much better! Yeah, right!

Well, I begged off on the Historical Society dinner last night because Ann was going...Plus Leah Jane's showing signs of getting sick, too. We had reserved a table together and I just couldn't see sitting with the two of them for a couple of hours. I lied and said Prentice was to call at 8:00 and I didn't want to miss his call!

Shirley had her stitches removed yesterday afternoon...All two of them! She's doing great!

Nancy and Maria have settled into a routine and Nancy's enjoying having her, but she's still angry with Mother!

My final exam is scheduled for January 6th. Fancy that.

Maria

Mother called yesterday to let me know that they were back from Boca Raton.

I said that I was sure that Maria was glad to see them...she said "Oh we didn't pick her up, I gave her to Nancy."

Called Nancy...she's mad as a hornet!

Finished my course on Saturday with a B average. Now I have to get ready for the 3 hr. certification exam...I'm scared to death!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The weather this past week was unusually cold. We set a record low on Friday morning for the date...20 degrees! The previously low was in 1927 and it was 27 degrees! Thank goodness I had the chimney cleaned... have had a fire in the fireplace every night and on the weekends.

I hung bed spreads over the doorway to the side porch and over the doorway to the old part of the house. Made a big difference in temperature control.

Shirley's doing well. She will have her stitches removed on Thursday.

Nancy and I went to the opera house Saturday night for a dinner theatre. The food was wonderful and the play, Nun Cracker, was a hoot!

Dinner at Leah Jane's last Sunday, Thursday and yesterday. As always, good food and good company. We are going to the Historical Society dinner this coming Thursday night. Haven't gone out so much in years.

Mother and Bert went to Boca Raton for a party this weekend so Nancy kept Maria.

Helen heard from Mike. She said he sounds good and it was good to talk with him.

Shirley update

Shirley had her surgery at 11 this morning. Dr. Spencer called me a little after noon and said she was doing wonderfully, came through the surgery quite well and was already awake but groggy.

Thank goodness!

It's going to be so odd at home tonight without her. They tell me that I can pick her up after 9 tomorrow morning...Guess I'll pick her up on my morning run and either take her home or bring her in to the office. I think she'll be happier at home, but I'd like to keep an eye on her. Guess I'll just wait and see how she's doing.

Catching up once again

Where does the time go? Wasn't it just Thanksgiving yesterday?

Last weekend I went to my sister's house in Tallahassee and helped her decorate for Christmas. Everything looked sooooo good!

Then, this Saturday she came here and we went to Bethlehem in Monticello. It's always wonderful, sheep, donkeys and an ornery camel. There were lots of children and lots of adults. I do believe the adults were the most awe struck. This is a live reproduction of the city of Bethlehem with tax collectors and shepherds and angels...its a regular village you walk through and watch the daily activities...ending at the manger.

Had supper at Ann's house on Monday and Friday nights last week and Leah Jane's last night.

Yesterday my sister came over and helped me decorate. Looks pretty good. I spent $20 on a 6' pre-lit tree. It looked rather sparse, but once I added a couple of strings of lights and a bunch of ornaments it looks quite nice.

Shirley is going into the vets today to be spayed. I think she might be pregnant (Chester) and Dr. Spencer thinks it would be disastrous for her to have an advanced pregancy much less try to give birth as she's a rat terrier and he's a chow. This is something I really didn't want to do, but at least she'll not have to worry about it any more. I'm so worried about the surgery. (She's really wanting breakfast.)

The course I'm taking is almost over. I took the next to the last test yesterday (on-line), got an A. That makes 3 A's, 3 B's and a C. These test are 50 questions and we have 30 minutes to complete it. After I take the last test (hope to do it later this week) there is a 3 hour certification exam. I never developed good study habits and this has really been quite a challenge. Sure hope I can pass the final exam! HWB told me that if I finish the course I'll get $500 as a bonus. Sure could use that!

Thanksgiving or another micro soap opera

My sister has rented a house on St. George Island for a week at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas for the past several years. This year she only rented for Thanksgiving. She and 3 bridge playing friends went down on Friday and ate hardy and played bridge for 3 days. The friends all left Sunday afternoon.

Tuesday Nancy called me at work and asked me to spend Thursday and Friday nights. Thanked her, but said no, that I might have to work on Friday. She said to come early and bring Shirley.

Got there around 9:30 Shirley in tow.

Mother and Bert showed up at 11:00 with Maria in tow.

Have I mentioned that a week and a half ago Nancy gave Mother and Bert a Chahuahua? 6lb chocolate year old female. This dog was a rescue from a puppy factory and had lived her entire life in a cage. Pretty and sweet.

Shirley was so happy to see Maria, but Maria refused to make friends...showed fangs and growled. So I told Shirley to just ignore her and she did.

Well, Mother has complained to me every time we've talked about how much trouble and work Maria is and how dare Nancy give her something alive.

So yesterday after we ate (a major feast I must say) Mother said we had to have a family meeting. I knew as soon as she said that that it was about Maria. Nancy and I were on the porch smoking and Mother and Bert were in the living room, so we said "go ahead". She opened by saying how tired she is and that Maria is so much work (HA!). Then said which of you girls will take her? It's either that or she goes to the pound. Well, I dropped my head to my hands and just held it there. Nancy finally said she'd take her. Then Bert spoke up and said that he'd really like to keep her, but whatever Mother wanted was so, "you know she has a little heart condition"!

Later Nancy helped Bert carry some things down to the car and she told him that mother doesn't have a heart condition and that she'd wondered how Mother was going to ruin this holiday as she had ruined every other one for her entire life!

Would like to know how the conversation went on the way back to Tallahassee!

Mother did give each of us a hundred dollars and she wrote a check to the Jefferson County Humane Society...I figure it as atonement money!

Left St. George at 4:30 and got home at 7:45. Came back via Tallahassee as I wasn't sure I'd see the turn to Wacissa in the dark.

Wonderful surprise!

Night before last I had a wonderful surprise! Prentice came to see me on his way to North Carolina. He looks great and as always is still a great cook! He brought and fixed dinner...what a treat! Spent the night and headed out when I left for work. Said that maybe on his way back he'll be able to stay longer.

We had a MAJOR storm last night. Needed the rain, the lightening and wind was another matter.

Beginning to feel a little human

Finally! I woke up this morning and felt a little more like myself.

I worked 1 hr. on Monday, 3 hrs. on Wednesday and 8 hrs. yesterday. That's going to make a sparse paycheck!

Last night I went to bed at 7:15 and made myself get up at 8:30 this morning. I did wake up enough to change the tv channel a few times. Still tired, but better.

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is in less than 2 weeks! Where does time go? Sure can tell it's on the downhill slope...it's faster and faster!

Jack Palance died yesterday. Liked him. Funny, Mother doesn't know who he was.

Shirley's in heat. She always becomes so maternal when she's in heat. This time her object of attention is a Milk Bone dog biscuit for large dogs. She carries it around everywhere she goes. She takes it outside and brings it in...she forgot once and had a fit to go back out and get it. On occasion she puts it in my lap as if I'm to tend it while she is busy or rests. She also has to protect it from Mercy (who has no interest in it) who may walk too close to it. Her interest has been waning, her heat must be almost finished.

More things...

Lots has happened since I posted last, but the thing most on my mind right now is my health.

Had a sore throat Thurs. & Fri. Woke up Sat. and couldn't swallow and had a walnut sized lump in the roof of my mouth. Of course no Dr.'s office open on the weekend here so I went to Tallahassee to a walk-in clinic. Have a viral upper respitory infection. Treating the symptoms. Dr. said I'd be well in a week to 10 days. Didn't work yesterday. Am dressed and must go in today. Don't know how long I'll be able to stay...just have some things that I have to get done. It's pouring rain.

Yet again

Monday I had to make another mad dash to Tallahassee to run a couple of errands for HWB...of course they were across town from each other...got it done, but I'm sure not crazy about going there!

Rather late in my work day yesterday HWB told me that he needed to talk to me outside. Now, that's unusual, in fact I don't ever remember being called outside. The first thing he said to me as he walked me toward the back of the building with his arm around my shoulder was "Something bad has happened. There's been an accident." The first thing that popped into my head was Chuck, his dog. I'm very attached to that dog, everyone calls him my "granddog". HWB went on to say that it could be fixed. Then we approached my car. He had backed out and creamed the passenger side...poor pitiful Gillie! Her door doesn't open now and she's quite a sight! I'm taking her in this morning...don't know what I'll be driving in the mean time or how long it'll take. He apologized again and again and finally asked if I had anything to say, thought about it for a minute and said "Bless her heart, she's not a virgin anymore." What can you say?

I'm studying 3-5 hours a day for the certification exam. Boy I hope I do it!

Whew!

After such a roller coaster day on Thursday I was really looking forward to Friday...silly me!

When I got to work Friday am HWB called in and said he'd be out until early afternoon and would I go to Tallahassee and get our employee from the hospital and take him home. Said sure.

Ran my morning errands and got back to a message that he'd be ready to leave the hospital in an hour. So that gave me about half an hour to clean up some things on my desk and dash to Tallahassee.

When I got to his room he was dressed and ready except he still had an IV going. He'd already signed discharge paper and was just waiting for a nurse to pull the IV out and give a thumbs up to go...so we waited and waited and waited. An hour later she came in removed the IV and said an orderly would be right in with a wheel chair...yeah, right! It was another 40 minutes before he showed up. Then I had to find my car. Did. And we headed back to Monticello.

Well, this fellow lives pretty far out of town on a farm. It was 1:30 when I got him there. Unloaded the car and headed back to town to the office. HWB was in and I told him that JR said that HWB would bring him his cashed check and stop and pick up his prescriptions. Well, I ended up going to the bank, cashing his check and picking up his drugs and going back out to drop them off. No answer at the door, so I tried the knob and it opened...no sign of JR...heard snoring and followed the sound. Just left everything on his bed and headed back to the office. (notice no lunch yet).

I had an appointment at 3:45 for a flu shot and it was pushing 3 at this time. So I got both my pay check and my bonus check (yeah!), dashed to the bank and then to the Dr.'s office got my shot and headed to the grocery store.

While I was waiting in the checkout line a girl friend from high school, Ann, came in and said she'd just left me a message on my phone at home to come to her house for dinner at 5:15. Well, to tell you the truth, had I not seen her I probably would have called and begged off, I was quite tired, but it's much harder to do in person! So I left the store came home put Shirley out, cleaned the litter boxes, jumped in the shower and got there at 5:15!

It was a nice little dinner party and it was over around 8. Well, Leah Jane was there and she had a snoot full! I offered to drive her home, but she wouldn't hear of it, so I followed her home to make sure she was ok, talked to her in her driveway for a few minutes and came home. Called Ann to let her know everything was ok and invited her to come watch the FSU game and have dinner on Saturday.

I woke up yesterday morning to a not cleaned in a week house and company coming! Dashed around and got most everything done. Ann came at 3 and we couldn't find the game on tv (read in the paper this morning that there was some sort of technical problem and the game didn't get on the air until sometime in the 2nd quarter). Anyway, we looked at my stuff and talked and ate, etc. and looked at the clock and it was 9 o'clock! She went home and I went to bed! Slept until 7:30 this morning! Feel much better!

Right now I have a chicken and rice dish in the oven that I'm going to take to JR with a salad and then I really plan to be a blob this afternoon! We'll see, the way the week has gone something else may come up!

Wow! What a day!

It's only 2:03 in the afternoon and it's been a full day!

I met HWB at the office at 6:15 this morning and we were off to Tallahassee. The Chamber of Commerce had a breakfast meeting at the country club and the main speaker was from the FDP?...Florida Disaster prepardness...or some such and he spoke on bird/avian flu and how to prepare your business, family and self for it. I felt that no one really took it seriously, in fact one of the co-chairs dressed in a chicken costume!

Anyway, he didn't have anything to say that I hadn't already read or heard. His hand-out included some web sites that I've already been to and didn't include many that I've found most helpful and interesting.

The breakfast was yummy! It was a buffet with nearly 'bout everything you can think about, including eggs!

Afterwards we went by the hospital to see one of the guys from work who had back surgery on Monday. He was standing holding on to his IV stand when we got there. Says they may let his go tomorrow! Sounds early, I mean he got plastic discs and screws and things!

When we got back to the office it was 10ish and I got my deposit together and made my run. Got back around 11 and HWB and Paul were in HWB's office and called me in. Made me a little nervous...I'm that sort...but I put everything down and joined them. It was my evaluation!

They started by saying there were 4 ratings: poor, average, good and excellent and that no one ever got all excellents because there would be no room for improvement. Anyway, I got 3 "excellents" and the rest "goods". Then HWB gave me a raise (.50) and a bonus. I'm not sure just why, but they both had a lot of very nice things to say to me and I guess that's enough reason. Then HWB asked me if I'd like to take a horticultural certification course and then the exam. I'm not nuts, said yes! So now I'm enrolled in a 6 week course on line and it starts tomorrow! The course costs close to $200 with the book and the company has already paid for it. Now HWB told me that if I don't finish the course I have to pay it back. That's fair. Told him I couldn't guarantee I'd pass the test. He said not a problem, I can take it again! I know that part of the exam is identifying 100 plants with both botanical and common names! Wow! Sure do want to do this! Hope I can!

This is Thursday, so I left at 1:00.

Survivor tonight!

Favorite time of the year!

This crisp fall air and clear blue skys we've been having lately is just wonderful! I love putting on layers of clothes, especially favorite ones that I really haven't seen for a year! Even though I've had to shed layers throughout the day, it's been so nice to have them!

My sister had a dinette set (wood, table and 6 chairs, blue and white, country) that she wanted to move out of her garage and to the end of her driveway. So yesterday I got to her house around 7:15 am and we moved it out. The table had a tiled top and was a little heavy, but ok and, after we got the last two chairs down from the attic, the chairs were a snap. She put a FREE sign on them and we went out for breakfast. Eggs Benedict! Wonderful! She paid! They were still there when we got back.

Ran to Walmart and did pet food shopping and two wonderful red mums! Got back home just before noon. Good morning!

Hadn't been home long before Nancy called and said they were gone along with the cushions we'd put out. That was pretty fast! Of course, once I put the vacuum cleaner out and it was gone before I was back in the house!

Finger seems to be healing quite nicely. It's clean but highly sensitive to the least little touch. Little swolen yet.

Haven't seen Cameo for 3 days.

Just reporting in

Not much new...

Mother and Bert are back from the mountains.

Below 50 this morning, but quite warm now.

After my fall 2 weeks ago and my finger incident last week I think my ol' body just got fed up and this past week and weekend I felt sick...fluish actually. Much better now. Still having hot and cold moments, but better. Didn't do a thing this weekend, well, did do laundry and dishes, but basically just watched tv and slept. Not a bad way to spend 2 days!

Shirley, Goodness and Mercy are all well and appear quite happy.

Helen calls daily but I do let the answering machine pick up all calls and on some days I don't answer her calls. At times I feel awful about that, but there is absolutely nothing to talk about for an hour every day. I try to talk with her every other day. Really I started "screening" my calls when she began calling multiple times a day and I found myself feeling angry with her...never let her know I was irritated, but I really was!

Am debating getting a flu shot. Have only had one in my life and came down with spinal meningitis a few days later. Even thought I know it's a coincidence it still makes me nervous!

Catching up

This past Thursday and Friday the two guys inside at work went to a show in Orlando, so I had the office to myself. We were oddly busy in spurts and having to do everything in the office alone I really stayed quite busy. Also, Friday was the last working day of our fiscal year and I had one 4-drawer file cabinet to box up and one 4-drawer to transfer to the now empty file cabinet. Not a very mentally challenging task, but quite physical! I can still feel it in my arms and shoulders!

Twenty plus years ago Mike gave me a microwave. It passed away last week. Still made the sounds just didn't heat anymore. So yesterday when I read in Fred's ad that they had small microwaves for $45.00 I went and got one. It's mighty small compared to the old one, but has lots of bells and whistles and takes up much less counter top space which is really at a premium in this kitchen!

When I got home yesterday from Fred's I brought in the other things I'd picked up and decided I needed to move the old microwave out before I brought the new one in. I'd forgotten how heavy the old one was and when I tried to lift it at first I thought I couldn't do it. But, I wanted to change it out! So I wrangled it around and did get it into my arms, but opted for the side porch as opposed to the street. Was hurrying because it was so heavy and bulky and creamed my index finger on my right hand trying to get it through the door...almost dropped it. Ended up putting it on the love seat rather than in the spot I'd made for it on the floor. Looked at my finger and thought I was going to be sick. I could see the bone between the nail and the first joint. Ran it under water, pulled the skin back into place and grabbed a paper towel and applied pressure for quite a while before I could get it to stop bleeding...had some nice spots on the floor to clean up later. Thought I needed stiches, called both clinics in town and they were both closed for the weekend (after 12 noon on Sat.) and there was no way I was going to drive to Tallahassee or Thomasville, so I slapped on some triple antibiotic salve and a waterproof bandaid and hope that's enough. I've had to change the bandaid several times...movement seems to cause it to bleed.


Of course there was a sinkful of dishes needing to be washed, so a while ago I put on a vinyl glove and got them done. I do have laundry going. But, basically, I've done more TV watching than anything else. This would be my mouse finger! Kinda hard to play games! Kinda hard to type, too!

Glorious Fall

This week the weather has been spectacular! Lower 80's during the day and upper 50's at night! Unfortunately, this is just a teaser, the 90's will be back tomorrow. At least we've had a break from the extreme heat of the summer and I'm viewing this as a promise of weather to come!

I went with my friend Ann to a bar-b-q at the opera house last night. There were 7-8 of our classmates there so it was like a mini-reunion! Great fun and I was home by 6:30! Parking is always at a premium downtown when an event like this takes place, so I dropped my car at the BP around the corner and had her oil changed while we ate. Didn't have to park and it was much closer than any available space! Good thinking!

My sister called me at 10:15 last night...now, guess where I was at 10:15...in bed asleep! She'd missed Survivor and needed an update. We talked until 11:00...I was pooped when I got up this morning!

The wonders of Mother Nature never cease to amaze me! There is a large oak tree outside my window that I watch often, you know, birds, squirrels and things. The other morning I looked at "my" tree and it was totally covered with a fine white webbing, every branch and the trunk was covered. Well, it sorta worried me, I mean, what in the world was going on? Was "my" tree going to die? No one here knew what it was, so I did an on-line search. It had bark lice! This is a good thing...the little lice clean up all of the debris left in the crevices of trees and then move on. They are gone now along with the webbing and I'm sure the oak feels much better having been cleaned up!

Then day before yesterday I had the front door open because the weather is so wonderful and I saw a very large hawk come down, sit on the sidewalk and pluck a snake out of the border and fly away! There's a lot to be said for country living!

Funny Time of the Year

The weather is sooo peculiar this time of year. This morning I needed a light weight shirt over my tee-shirt and now it's only 10:20 am and I've shed the top shirt and am glistening!

This weekend is going to be nice with high 50's at night and high 80's during the day and NO humidity! Maybe I'll get some yard work done.

Helen called last night. She'd been to the doctor. She was so befuddled that I'm not sure what's going on. I may call her daughter tonight. What she said was her blood is thick, but the doctor didn't want to put her on blood thinners. She's going back on Monday and he may operate on her vocal cords to let some of the blood out?!? I tried asking some questions, but it just became odder and odder! Yes, I think a phone call is in order!

Not very busy at work today. When I go to the bank and post office perhaps that will generate some work. I just hate days like this!

Where to start?

Lets see, I guess I'll begin with the most pleasant thing to happen this week. I saw Prentice yesterday!!!!! He sure does look good and is doing some beautiful work in Apalachicola. I saw the door he's building (it's huge!) for city hall and it's really an art piece. He has such talent! He took us (Nancy and me) around and showed us several other projects he's done and we were both quite impressed!

My sister and I went to Port St. Joe yesterday. She's having Thanksgiving on St. George Island and I'm invited along with Prentice, Mother and Bert. If any other family wants to attend, I'm sure there'll be enough food...that was the purpose of our trip to Pt. St. Joe...to check out a wonderful caterer that she'd seen written up in an article in a food magazine. She wants to order everything they talked about and if she does there will be food for weeks! We ate lunch at Provisions (the caterers) and it was wonderful as was just the place itself. We were also greatly impressed with Port St. Joe as a whole. The town has totally reinvented itself with a great walking shopping district with both big and small shops and restaurants. Of course it STORMED the entire trip, but we were able to walk St. Joe because of the awnings on all of the stores!

We stopped in Apalachicola on the way back.

On the way over we spotted some little bitty houses in Crawfordville made by Stewart Park Home. We stopped and peered through the windows of three of them on the way home. They are adorable and livable.

Left here at 7:30 yesterday morning and got home at 7:45 last night. I'm still tired today.

Okay, now on to something I've been avoiding...Mother.

Last weekend Nancy and Mother went shopping. They got on the subject of prescriptions that they are taking. Mother was a little confused about hers and later when they got back to their houses Mother called and spelled the prescription names and gave Nancy permission to call the doctor to find out what they are being used for. Well, the cat's out of the bag now. I'm not exactly sure of how the conversation went with the nurse, but she did tell Nancy that Mother is taking Ambien and has been for several months. I knew, but for some reason Mother didn't tell Nancy. Nancy said something to the affect of "a sleeping pill for someone with congestive heart failure?" and the nurse said "who has congestive heart failure?". The b---h has been lying to both of us for a year and a half! She's mastered the art of puppiteering (oh, you know what I mean)! We are both so angry with her, she doesn't know we know. Actually, the knowing gives us both a lot of relief. It does cut the strings! Also, Nancy looked in her pill book about Ambien and I did an online serch on it. This mysterious "allergy" that she's had that no allergist can find started shortly after she started taking the Ambien. Now, here's a very abbreviated list of the side effect: Dry mouth, allergy-like symptoms, runny nose, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, palpitations, drowsiness, dizziness, lethargy, sinusitis, rhinitis, confusion and forgetfulness! That's Mother to a T! Also, you shouldn't take it more than 10 days and it's classified as "highly addictive"! Nancy tried to talk to Bert about it, but he was rather evasive with a "we'll see" when Nancy told him that she needs to stop taking it! No help there. We have agreed to not let her know we know about her heart (it's actually quite well according to the nurse who said she sure hopes to be in Mother's shape health-wise when she's 81!), but somehow we need to find a way to get her off the Ambien! She's driving!

I have 14 bags of mulch out in the driveway. A birthday gift from work! I've just started digging a new bed. The timing is perfect! The weather's good right now, rainy and sorta cool, at least comfortable. Good for yard work! I've finished the paper and crossword, so I should go out and dig!

Tomorrow's Labor Day

I've been off from work since noon Friday! It's been nice seeing a little stretch of day before me! We open up on Tuesday as usual.

I've actually gotten a few household chores done and it feels better in the house. Now I'm not tripping over dust mice.

Speaking of mice, I found a baby squirrel Monday morning as I was getting ready to leave for work. I'd just gone out to bring Shirley in and saw her and Goodness standing over something on the patio. Went out to get her and thought it was a baby rat, looked a little closer and it was an almost nude eyes still closed baby squirrel and it was alive. So I put it in my shirt pocket, took Shirley in and went to work.

At lunch time I went to my vet's office and got formular and a bottle. When I got back to the office the squirrel was dead. It was tiny in life, but in death it was even smaller. Died curled in a ball with his little hands over his face...smaller than a silver dollar!

When I got home I buried him in the iris garden and put a tranquility rock over him.

Yesterday I made a big pot of spaghetti sauce with marjorim, oregano, basil and garlic chives from the garden. Really good! Had some this morning for breakfast.

Went to a visitation with my sister on Wednesday. Saw some people I'd not seen for 40+ years. Wouldn't have recognized them, sure was glad Nancy was there to point folks out!

Actually its hurricane Ernesto...

Don't know where I got Elberto (sounds good though). They are saying on our local news right now that we'll miss Ernesto....that's a good thing, just hope we get some of her rain!

An interesting and pleasant birthday

I think I was sorta dreading yesterday...not the fact of the birthday (I don't feel a day over 60!), but the going out with Mother and Bert. It turned out to be very nice with the exception of a few of Mother's tirades aimed at Bert. He didn't look well. He looked tired and was quiet. Of course, he'd just played 18 holes of golf in 90+ degree weather and had then driven with Mother down to Woodville! Maybe he deserved to be quiet!

As usual we all pigged out. Bert being the only one to finish his plate. Nancy, Mother and I all brought "planned-overs" home. For breakfast this morning I had fried grouper and french fries! For lunch it'll be fried shrimp, fried oysters, fried grouper and french fries. Then I can get back to eating normally...very little fried.

We've had a couple of good rains, one on Friday and one yesterday. It's just amazing what a difference it makes in my yard!

We are expecting Hurricane Elberto on Thursday. Since this storm formed I've had a bad feeling about it. I'm so afraid she'll go ashore in Apalachicola...and the way it's looking right now it could happen...or anywhere along the Gulf coast from Sarasota to Pensacola. This storm's going to be a big one, a catagory 3 or higher. Depending on where she lands it could really be another Katrina.

Of course I'm all stocked up...food, water, kitty litter, cat food, dog food, batteries and a battery operated fan, tv, radio, corded phone, flashlights, lanterns and lantern oil, charcoal, wood. I'll be good for a few weeks as long as something doesn't happen to the side of the house where everything's stored!

Heat and more heat

Lately the weather is the most significant thing happening in my world. It is hot and dry. I have a tendency to bring plants home and then find it almost impossible to dig the holes to plant them in. So far I've not lost anything, but there's a crape myrtle I think may not make it.

I didn't have any luck at all with my vegetables. All of the tomatoes, cucumbers and squash died. I'm thinking it's where they're planted. When I moved into the house there was a raised bed with mint and thyme in it. So my natural tendency was to clear a lot of it out and have veggies. Well, this bed is bordered with railroad ties and I'm thinking the creosolt (sp?) leached out into the soil and killed everything. The only thing thriving is rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, garlic chives and mint. Sounds very Mediterranean doesn't it? There is a six-pack of okra that I bought in March and just sat out in the bed. They are doing quite well, put root down through the plastic and are growing their little heads off!

Saturday is my 61st birthday! Will have dinner with my sister, Mother and Bert in Woodville at the Seinyard late Saturday afternoon. Love the food there and will bring home left overs enough to last the rest of the weekend. Am having dinner with a friend from high school tonight and next Sunday the 3rd will be going to a cocktail party my friend Leah Jane is having. I don't really understand it, but I'd rather just stay home!

I've been on the job eight and a half months...surprise, surprise, surprise!

Need to get ready to go to work. Later.

A hot summer day and Mother

Today was my bi-annual shopping day with Mother. What with this being my birthday month she went a little overboard. What FUN! Actually, I really, really hate shopping for clothes. I do better in a thrift shop...then I don't feel obligated to try anything on and if I find later it doesn't fit I'm not out much. But today was a try-on day. Mother always sits out in the main room and I have to model everything for her. Today I showed her one outfit and she said quite loudly "who in their right mind would wear a color like that?"...one of the sales ladies hovering near was decked out from head to toe in in! I did end up with lots of really nice things that I will wear.

I prayed all the way to her house that I would remain clam with her. She's such a buttonpusher! Our first little tiff was about who would drive. She knows I will not ride with her driving. Bert intervened and I drove. We hadn't gone 1/4 of a mile from her house when I told her I would turn the car around and take her home if she didn't settle down. She did for a little while, but I had to keep reining her in! Wow! That was like working a 40 hour week in one day!

Stopped at Walmart on the way home for cat & dog food. It's SOOOOO much cheaper there! Also got a new mouse, I'd 'bout worn the old one out!

Went to Tallahassee this morning on I-10 and came almost home on US27.
Saw a road I thought I knew and decided to take a short-cut. Enden up on US90. Boy! I zig-zagged all over Leon and Jefferson counties today! It was so hot that the air conditioner in the car was not enough and I was soaked with sweat when I finally did find home!

Had the air conditioner people out yesterday. The unit here has been freezing up and it's been really hot in the house. It cost me $121.00, but it's quite comfortable in here now. Thank goodness!

Brought home half a sandwich from lunch...think I'll go eat it and call it supper!

Summer heat

We all are talking about the heat. Not much else we can do about it.

It is HOT! The past few weeks have been so hot that the air conditioners don't seem to be working, but all you have to do to appreciate them is step outside! Some days I find that I'm sitting at my desk sweating, but a step outside always makes me feel much better.

At a nursery the majority of the employees work outside. I feel so bad for them.

My friend Leah Jane got home last week from a month in the mountains. So good to have her back!

Helen called me three times yesterday. She didn't remember that she'd called before.

Am talking with my sister quite frequently. That sure is different for us.

Nothing much happening.

Gotta get ready for work.

I left here Thursday morning a little after 6am. Drove to Orlando, got to Helen's around 10am. She wasn't home. We had talked the night before and the only place she thought she might go was to "Seniors" if her friend Evelyn could take her (didn't tell her my plans to visit). So I went to the center and there she was, holding court with all of these younger (70s) men. They buzzed around her like she was the queen and they her drones. Wonderful to see!

As I walked to her table we made eye contact twice and I knew she didn't know who I was. When I got within couple of feet of her we made eye contact once more. I said to her "the third time you see me surely you'll know me". She got the most amazed look on her face and then her eyes filled with tears and she opened her arms to me. I was afraid to squeeze her as tightly as I wanted to...she's so tiny. The last time I saw Helen was in June of 2005. She probably weighed 120-125...now it's under 100. But her hair was done and she had makeup on and of course was dressed to the teeth...pretty little silk dress and a sweater and, get this!, red tennis shoes!
Cute, cute, cute!

I took her home from the center after lunch and we visited until 2pm. Hated to leave and she cried.

Ran into some really bad weather on the Turnpike, 20-30 mph type weather, but the big trucks weren't a numerous as they had been on the trip down and after I was on 75 and past Ocala the regular traffic cleared out some, too.

Got home around 6pm. Pooped!

My new travel thought...try not to travel East in the morning and West in the afternoon!

Road Trip

6:00AM
Leaving in just a few miutes to dash down to Orlando to see Helen. Plan to return later today.

The Assignment

Yesterday the boss called me into his office and "gave" me an assignment. It seems our driver isn't leaving the business Visa card when he goes home to Thomasville after his runs. HWB told me that from now on it was MY responsibility to make sure to get the card from him. Then he added that if I failed to do it he would fire me. Now he may have seen that as incentive, but I see it as a threat and as much as I hate it, I'm thinking of looking for another job. I'm quite upset!

We've had four straight days of wonderful rain! Actually thunder storms with major lighting and buckets and buckets of rain. Glorious!

Brought an oakleaf hydrangea and a dwarf red Japanese maple home on Monday. Need to get them into the ground.

Six straight hours of Survivor on tv tonight! Yeah!

Boom, boom, boom

Well, there's something to be said for canopied roads, Spanish moss and rain. They are all beautiful! The rain especially, since we've been so dry.

Yeasteday the rain started around 2:30, not hard, but rain! We're going weeks in between rains and I'm finding it impossible to water enough. In fact, there are 4 dead azaleas in the front of the house...I've been concentrating on the new things I've put out back.

It rained lightly until I got home around 4:30, however, it wasn't nearly enough, so I stood out in the sprinkle and watered. Probably looked stupid, but it was necessary. Neighbors mother came over and we had a nice visit.

By the time I went inside (around 6) the rain was completely gone. Turned on the Golden Girls and here it came...BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! and the power went out. Of course I went out on the front porch to see what was happening and was just in time to see a runner of flame traveling down the power lines to the pole out front, the street light exploded, glass going everywhere, and then one of the cross arms that hold the insulators split in two and it and the insulators went everywhere. Dashed inside grabbed the phone and it was dead. Then the power came back on. All of this happened in a matter of moments.

With the power the phone came back so I called Progress Energy.

Then I went back out so I could keep an eye on the pole. I was shaking like a leaf and of course my back went into spasms.

Monticello is a town of beautiful, old canopied roads. When it's dry for so long the added weight of rain on the moss in the old trees is just enough to bring them down. That's what happened last night. Just 4 houses down a beautiful old oak fell from one yard all the way across the street into that yard. It brought down lines and created a traffic jam!

When Progress Energy got here I asked if I'd lose power while they worked on the lines. One fellow said "Lady, you've already lost power and we'll restore it". When I told him I had power he said "How?" looking up at the pole!

Hot, hot, hot!

"They" say it'll be above 100 degrees here today, but it has a ways to go. Just looked at the thermometer and it's 90.1. It's also overcast and mighty muggy!

Nothing particular to say...just a weather update.

Hot and Dry

We've been sooo hot and dry here lately...very unlike our "norm". My water bill went up from $46 to $52 and when I went to pay it at City Hall I asked why...she said "maybe you're watering your plants"...DUH!

Goodness has stayed in the house several nights in a row. Not sure why. Sometimes he'll last until I get up in the morning, sometimes he wants out around 3-4am. Odd.

No news...works good. House needs cleaning. Weeding is getting ahead of me.

Friday night my sister came over and we went to Sage for dinner. Sat outside until 10pm. Had a good time. She called twice last night.

Helen's still hanging in there. She's a trooper.

Just to post

There was an article in the paper this morning about the "political correctness" of calling a fat person "obese". You'd think that that's a no brainer. Fat....obese, fat....obese. Don't they think we know it's one and the same and if we are fat we know it and we also know we're obese. Dumb, dumb article! What a waste of time!

I've had two full days off so far and still have today and tomorrow. I've weeded, cooked, worked on my work room and watched tv. Would like two more weeks of it!

I actually picked Cameo up this morning. He's a young unneutered cat. Very skinny and quite sweet! He buried his face in my neck and purred loudly! I have two choices (actually three) I can take him to the Humane Society, but they are so overloaded with kittens that I'd bet he'd never be adopted...I can have him neutered and call him mine...or I can do nothing and just leave things as they are. The last option seems the easiest, but I keep thinking of male cat spray smell.

Mother and Bert have gone to the mountains for the month of July.

Helen's calling daily. A couple of times I felt sure it was her and didn't answer. I hate doing that, but there just isn't a couple of hours daily worth of chit chat left in me. Her short term memory is so bad and the repetition is difficult for me. I sound selfish and perhaps I am, I do love her and I do care about her...just don't know what the answer is.