Making Extended Arrangements!

 So it may take all three of the Smith boys, but will have the arrangements made to go to Jennifer's home this coming weekend--or at least A weekend--from Thursday through Saturday. Lord help us! Life can be complicated. Reschedule the home health visit, have boys meet neighbor and see where guns are kept, tell the dogs to behave themselves, and show the boys which birds go where--not that the birds would listen to them. They have their very own roosts that never change basically. Now the three oldest birds will be the only ones in that metal building. As soon as the old woman can get out there to clean it, the roosts will come down and the nests will be cleaned out and re-furbished with sweet timothy hay. Want to order some hay online from TSC tonight and maybe see if some burlap bags for potatoes are available. Potting soil and dirt would be MUCH cheaper from Lowes, but would like to make one trip do it when the planters come in--tomorrow maybe. The long "greenhouse" coop will not have plants in it this summer, but that may change later. After losing everything in there to the freeze, it does not really seem to matter if plants were in there or not. Even the Nandinas bushes look to be dead out front. sigh

Saw some trees listed that were good for this area--well, for Texas. Thinking that mesquite is about the only surefire tree around this area. What does well in the DFW area will not do well here in WF. We get hotter, drier, and meaner than south of us. Ah well. Such is life and growing things. Will be shocked if the grape vine comes back since it was on the coldest side of the deck. Or maybe it will do better than one would expect. It is hard to understand exactly how plants protect themselves. Need a good botanist to figure out what to try to grow around here.

Was thinking of getting another bag of diatomaceous earth and a bag of sulfur from Sutherlands next week. Cleaning out the hen house will require fresh earth. The danged chiggers will be here as soon as it gets warmer. Already can see hints of green down in the east lots. The 20 hens will keep most of it nibbled down, but they can't do anything about the chiggers! Poor Thompson's coat is absolutely beautiful at the moment, but as soon as the chiggers start biting, it will be so hard on him. He is allergic to chiggers! Have a daughter-in-law that got chiggers while picking blackberries one year. She and Thompson have that in common--bad allergic reaction to chiggers! Never did think blackberries were worth it.

Saw a recipe for some kind of roll on FB today that may be attempted in the morning. Wondering if any kind of flour would work or if it has to be wheat flour. Guess trying first one and then another would not be too much trouble. And if a different kind of flour would work, that would be SO neat. The recipe only calls for one cup of flour. Hmm. May have to try it this evening just for the fun of it. Ah, the more it was considered, the more it was tempting. Now have six "rolls" in the oven. Coconut flour with a bit of wheat flour, mayo, milk, bkg pwdr, salt, and greased muffin tins. Will finish the description in about 15 minutes. More wheat flour and less coconut would have been perfect. Not bad.

So many funny things on FB right now. One of my online friends has a middle finger--very appropriately--injured by one of her cats. She ended up in the hospital over a bad cat scratch--and it was not even the cat's fault. But she had her hand pictured on FB with that middle finger in a special wrap. Oh, how funny if not for the problems she went through!

Then there is the funny thing reposted about being banned from TSC for telling some woman who asked if the person had a dog after seeing a hundred pound bag of dog food in the basket--told her no, it was this new dog food diet that helped people lose weight. But almost had to give up eating dog food when the person ended up in the hospital. The woman, askance, asked what happened? Did the dog food make you sick? Answer: No, got hit by a car in the street when going out to smell the butt of a greyhound. Yep, everyone nearly choked to death laughing, so now the person is banned from TSC.

Someone else posted all these neat knots and gave their names if someone wanted to learn to do Boy Scout knots. My answer was that the knots all seemed pretty familiar as they have nearly all shown up in my extension cords. Some guy answered that his friend would not go up in a plane unless he had an extension cord wrapped around him cause he knew that he was not going to fall over a thousand feet without that cord hanging up on something!

The Bridgerton series on Netflix was VERY good. Social mores have changed drastically, but some things have never changed all that much. Wealthy families almost always arrange to have their daughters married into the families of equally wealthy men. Or vice versa. And if the wealth comes from sources that would lead to prison for most folks, these families today are assured that they will be exempt from prosecution by being equally yoked to a prosecutor or judge or politician in the same families. Really, some things don't change all that much.

WHY do dogs prefer to eat their snacks over any kind of throw rug available? Have already cleaned up one of their nibble messes today out of the rug that fronts the desk. Gave Thompson a dog bone crunchy treat on the OTHER side of the room, and he brought it over to the desk and ate it there. ARGH!

The spaghetti squash, turkey sausage, onion, tomato sauce with mushrooms turned out good for two meals today. Have a little bit left for in the morning or sometime tomorrow. Cooking for one is definitely different unless a person is willing to eat the same thing two or three times a day. Mom never taught me how to cook in small amounts even though she nearly starved herself and Dad to death. They were actually malnourished when they went into the nursing home. Mom would lie down and go to sleep and wake up anywhere from an hour or even two hours later and think it was time to fix breakfast. Might be 2 a.m., but she would get up and fix eggs and bacon. Finally she just started making oatmeal cookies for every meal with coffee. Guess it is no wonder she hardly weighed enough for a grown woman by then. Ah, what can we do when they are their own persons with their own ideas. It is not like dealing with a child. Until Dad died, Mom thought she needed to go home. She had one year after that. She was happier by that time because she forgot what had upset her. Life can be sad.

So the insurance agent for Germania told me that a check would be cut for about one third of the cost of replacing the floor in the kitchen. Could be worse. Let's just hope the subfloor does not need to be replaced, but if so, can always file for more damages. Just wish it had not been flooded. But, all things considered, my little problem was minor--very minor--compared to the problems some folks faced. Jenn said that the roads in her area were lined with water heaters and junk out of homes that had to be stripped down to the studs. Ceilings and walls had to go after the water damage. The insurance agent said that this was SO much worse than a hurricane in its damage because it was spread over such a wide area. Yep, Texas never does anything half-@ssed.

Well, tomorrow is another day. We all know someone who is dealing with Covid or other illnesses right now. And we all know someone who needs our prayers. So let us be grateful for all the blessings and get busy and pray for those who especially need relief right now: mental, physical, emotional. Damage is damage.

May you each rest well tonight with peace in your mind and happiness in your heart. You are loved.

Let There Be Light!

 Woke up to very heavy fog this morning and it still seems to be hanging on somewhat. No sunshine out there right now. Jennifer said it was foggy down in her area, too. Honestly think some sunshine would make the entire world feel better. Yes, summer is just around the corner, but it is, apparently, my nature to gripe. At least the hens don't seem to mind. They have dug some fresh holes out in the east lot. Looked out there a bit ago and saw one fuzzy butt sticking up in the air--that all that was showing, just the fuzzy butt. Goldie was going to town on whatever was in the bottom of that hole! May miss her and Grey Lady whenever Michelle DeMers comes for them. But getting that coop cleaned up is going to be an all day affair! From top to bottom, it needs to be cleaned and swept, raked, and the shtuff hauled out to the side lot for fertilizer. Cleaned "at" the long green house part some more today. The girls have decided to use two of the bins out there for nests. Suits me all to pieces! The plants that were out there froze solid, so no longer have spider plant, aloe, or the fig that was in a container. sigh Such is life. May just dump the containers and move them to the front yard for cucumber, tomato, and squash plants. Every year the tomatoes are planted out front, they make lovely leaves and very few--if any--tomatoes. May try to use seeds this year instead of plants. Have a small package of seeds, so there's that hope.

Talked to the insurance agent again and discovered that he estimated the damage at $2580. But with depreciation and deductible, they will pay me about $996. Guess it could be worse. Started a conversation with Beth Graf this afternoon, but got interrupted. She said that Peter works for FEMA and knows that most folks lie about stuff. Not sure what good that would do. Pretty sure my claim would be too small to even be considered. Wouldn't know where to start to make a claim, for all that.

Sylvia has eaten something that is coming back to haunt us tonight! Wow! If you don't see a post from me tomorrow night, you will know that the gas attack got us!

Baked a spaghetti squash tonight and ate half of it with mushroom and tomato sauce. Cheese grated across the top was just perfect. Would have been nice to have French toast with it, but that pretty much defeats the purpose of avoiding carbs. sigh What was left inside the shell of the squash was devoured by the fussy butts. Fed them what was left on my plate as well, but had to leave the dogs inside so they wouldn't chase the girls. ANY leftovers are supposed to belong to dogs, ya know.

Love looking out the windows onto the east lot and seeing my hens grazing on whatever is down there. Actually have just a tiny show of green on the surface. Won't be long before they will actually have some green stuff to eat. If it were possible to get that orange construction fencing, they would get to explore the front yard a bit--from one post to another, at least. Can't just stand out there with them like a sheep herder. 

Jenn talked to her chiropractor about the sciatica yours truly is having. He offered to see me three times in two days if we can get me down there. Actually, it is getting someone to stay here with the dogs and chickens that is the major problem. Can't ask Connie to do anything right now. She is up to her eyeballs in dealing with what is on her plate. Can't ask the neighbor to care for the hens--he does not get up that early, for sure. And the dogs are not accustomed to being left outdoors. Nope, just can't really figure out what to do about my critters and having someone here in the house. Hmm. Wonder if Tim Malay has ever had any house-sitting, dog sitting, chicken sitting experience. Will have to ask him what he charges for sleeping in a big bed with two dogs!

Jenn said that her oldest went to the grocery store to pick up a few things. He bought ONE dozen free-range eggs for $7!!!!!! She nearly had a kitten. Yes, they were beautiful eggs with lots of flavor, but the price was just about enough to choke a horse! Maybe folks down there get used to having expensive food, but around here that would be laughed out of the store. Guess it will be a good time to start saving eggs for my kids in case a trip down is possible.

Thought of the name of those pliers that Sharon and Jim gave to Hanan: Channel lock pliers. They are sitting here on the bookcase next to the small metal hammer that my daddy gave me. The hammer comes apart to reveal small screwdrivers. Even the tiny screw driver would work, but they are all straight blade, not Phillips. But that is ok. Dad engraved my name on the hammer so no one could claim it. Most men would laugh at it because it fits my hand, not a man's hand. But it is special because Daddy gave it to me. 

My sister-in-law posted an article on FB about some country in Europe demanding that Sundays become a day off for everyone with no businesses being open on that day. Well, nuts and berries to that idea. If a person needs one day a week off, everyone else should not have to take off on the same day. Some folks still keep the Sabbath from Friday evening to Saturday evening--particularly the Jews and Seven Day Adventists. This is so much horse hockey and too similar to what Hitler demanded. And the country demanding the day's "rest" was one of the first to give up every Jew in its borders! SO hope that America--well, the U.S.--does not adapt to this demand. Religious freedom is not free if the time "off" is determined by the government.

The Great Kiskadee is a flycatcher found from Southern Texas to Belize. Have never seen one in our part of North Central Texas, but the Scissortail Flycatcher has that same beautiful yellow belly, but much longer tail feathers. This little calendar that Michelle Malay gave me has made me smile at least once a day. Birds are just beautiful. Some are kinda strange, but then some of us are pretty strange, too!

Jenn was saying that her bushes--can't remember their names--are losing all their leaves and are beginning to look dead. Gary doesn't like the bushes, but Jenn does. The birds like them, too. But her rose bushes may be goners. That freeze was a booger! The landscapers may do a booming business this year if folks are having to replace trees, bushes, and any other living plants. And sprinkler systems! The business got a water bill for over a thousand dollars. The meter reader said he could just sit that and hear it going round and round! A tractor ran over the meter to the sprinkler system! It just made me thrilled to see my bill this month was not any worse than could be expected: $83 for the month. Could have been much worse considering that pool out the east end of the house!

Jenn suggested a good movie for this evening on Netflix: Bridgerton. Will try to connect all the right dots and get my Firestick fired up here in a minute. Have been trying to watch stand up comedians just to give myself something to laugh about. She said this is not that funny, but interesting. We live in hope.

Ronnie Talley is doing well and his doctor is please. Please pray that he will get over this mess and get to go home soon. Connie has her hands full, but she and Rebekah will work most of the wrinkles out given time, But they both need peace of mind. Please pray for them. And while you are praying, remember that only God can guide this nation to be what it should be. Not one man on earth can make it fall or rise. Only God.

May you all sleep well and have peace of mind. You are loved.

Cleaning.

 Hardly any day goes by that something doesn't need to be cleaned around here. Messy ol' woman? But one cart load of shtuff was from inside the big hen coop. It is now out on the place where some sunflowers are going to be planted. Looking forward to having a sunflower room out there! After the flowers get up big enough, it will be ok to take down the chicken wire and let them go inside. Grinning, just thinking about it.

So the young man from Germania called and apologized because they had over 7,000 calls in the past 48 hours. Not enough adjusters to even cover the top section of Texas, much less the entire state. SO, pictures of the floor, the plumbers' bill, the measurements of the room--all sent (one hopes) by text message. Who knew phones would be so useful! Meanwhile, have to get the company that lays floors like they did in the living room to come out and give me an estimate. THEN we see how much damage was done to the subfloor and if it has to be replaced. Such fun.

Donny Anderson checked my truck over because a smell of antifreeze hit me yesterday. He added about a half gallon of the pre-diluted stuff from Prestone. So will replace that and say thank you VERY much. Not sure why it needed it, but so glad he knew where to PUT it! Being non-mechanical is such a burden. Lewis and Hanan could do anything like that. Lance takes care of his stuff like that, but let's face it, a 2 hour drive to put antifreeze in Mom's truck is pretty silly. So will just watch the heat gauge and be sure everything is clicking along like it should.

Sitting here trying to remember the name of the tool that Jim and Sharon gave Hanan one Christmas. It looks like pliers, but that is not its name. Oh well. Cleaned out the book case and moved my desk around to clean out that corner today. In all the cleaning, it seemed that the cord to my telephone was misplaced. Not REALLY, but close. Had plugged the tablet in and had forgotten about using the cord that charges my phone. Had to go out to the truck to get the one off the charger out there in order to charge my phone. FINALLY looked up to see the tablet had a tail. Argh!

Have so many good books to read that it is almost like mind indigestion! Just want to read this, but this, and that! Michelle Malay is part of the reason for the indigestion. One book is about planting fruits and vegetables in pots! Oh boy! Just need to go to Lowe's and get dirt and maybe some potting stuff to add to it. The hard part of that business is unloading the stuff, but don't plan to go very far with it. The front yard is going to become a flower/vegetable garden this year. The girls can keep the grass mowed out back, and the old woman can plant in containers that don't have to be weeded. [One lives in hope.]

Sitting here nibbling on some Gouda from Cheese Brothers. Very tasty stuff. Lance makes a smoked gouda that is very good. But he only makes it in cool weather. This would be even better with a cold Red Draw--tomato juice with beer (good beer). May have to make a run to Market Street and get a couple of beers and some tomato juice tomorrow. Michelle Malay is not responsible for the indigestion that goes with that combination! But she is sweet enough that she would nod her head at the idea.

Somebody REALLY needs a haircut! Can't see out from under this mop! And you know it will only get worse! About the only good thing going for me physically right now is a negative Covid test and the fact that the rash is beginning to clear up. Got up this morning with the intention of figuring out what is causing the rash. Thought maybe my gummy vitamins might have strawberries in them. Nope. REAL strawberry flavoring? Does that sound like the real berry is in there? Unsure. Guess those could be left off for a week or so and see what happens. It's not like anyone dies for lack of vitamins if they are eating right with good, fresh food.

Today my hours were all messed up. Had cod and asparagus for lunch instead of dinner. Not sure why supper came up that way, but looked up to be surprised that it was only two o'clock. Shaking my head here.

Read on FB that Carla Beard had a really bad experience with a contractor who was supposed to get her floors varnished within a week and managed to string it out to over a six week period. Sounded so much like the ya-who that messed up the windows in my living room. Can't even remember his name now, but learned my lesson. Get references!! And don't pay up front. A good contractor can afford to get the supplies before being paid. A couple that knows this contractor used here just think he is wonderful. But they will never need his services. They live in one of those retirement places for older folks. My windows are messed up and will eventually have to be replaced. Roger Thonton came over and tried to put insulation around the edges. At the time it was not apparent to me that the window was a good six inches pushed inside the living room! Crazy! Live and learn.

Today's bird is a Spur-winged Lapwing. Beautiful bird with really long legs. It reminds me of the plovers that were once here in Texas and on my granddad's place near the ponds. They eat all the garbage and crawdads. In Africa they clean the crocodiles of infestations of whatever lives on their bodies. Kinda neat. They aren't seen here in North Central Texas, but might be found on the Gulf.

Two more days of this month before we get to start March. Who knows what that month will bring. The so-called rain we have had so far has been lacking in depth and delivery. Let's hope this is not the start of another danged drought! Wichita Falls may or may not be trying to build another lake around the Ringgold area. Too many bucks for very little return, but what does an old woman know. So many people said the same thing about Lake Arrowhead years ago. And where would we be without it now.

Ronnie Talley is doing well and got the tracheo thingy done and feeding tube as well. He is still in ICU, but is considered to be doing better by the doctor. Connie and Rebekah still need your prayers--especially that Rebekah can find a good doctor here. Let's pray that God gives them peace of mind.

May you all rest well and awake without pains. Let joy guide your thoughts. You are loved.

Happy Surprise!

 Came home from the doctor's office today to find Tim and Michelle Malay parked out front of my house! They brought goodies! A sign that says, "I'm not hard of hearing. I'm just ignoring you!" now resides in my kitchen. And if the old woman gets lost on the way to the hen house tonight, all she has to do is turn on her headlamp! It even has a strobe flashing light! That must be to warn the skunks off! And then there are new t-shirts that claim chickens are my cardio and other cute thoughts about the fuzzy butts. AND, if all else fails, the books on gardening are right by my desk! However, Michelle did demand that the old woman could NOT go to TSC--they have baby chicks!! That is hard, but my mind is made up. No chicks this year. Trying to reduce the number of feathered furies out there on the yard, and it really is pretty hard. Have determined to keep Athena and her maybe one egg a week, Isa and her pretty pink egg, and Rhoady and her big red egg. The rest of the hens--Black-laced Wyandottes and Marans--lay either brown eggs or chocolate eggs. But it was kinda fun having Michelle tell me that a trip to TSC was NOT allowed. Still, she did not know that two whiskey barrels will be ready for pickup tomorrow. No whiskey, just the barrels with rope handles. Planters, ya know.

So a Covid test is NOT fun! It felt as if my brain were being picked--literally. Oh well. Will know by tomorrow night if that is what part of this problem has been. Meanwhile a wonderful jab of steroids for the immediate problem plus tablets tomorrow and for a few days. Our science has developed all kinds of aids to help folks who are susceptible to allergens, and dearly beloved, if something can cause me to break out, it will! For the first time ever, my hands and arms are not affected. Trying to come up with something that might have caused this is like putting together one of those shaped puzzles--nothing to guide a person like straight lines.

Called the house insurance person today (Germania). Mr. Holub told me to get out a fan and begin to start drying the floor where the water got under the boards. They are already warping, but who knew this would happen. From my desk the view looks like valleys and peaks for about six feet from the door. And it will only get worse as it dries. Have no idea when the adjuster will be out, but my little claim is probably way down on the list compared to folks who had pipes breaking in their walls. So sorry for those who are still in a mess.

We got a little sprinkle of rain this afternoon, but this 49 degrees feels pretty cool at the moment. Know that folks like Michelle who hurt when it is hot can enjoy this cool weather, but it just makes me ache. At least Michelle can stay inside under the AC during the summer. Doesn't ever seem to get warm enough for me until it hits at least 80, and that is still pretty cool.

Looking at the headlamps that Michelle got for me for my "birthday." Just a few months off, but that is ok. The lights are neat! One has a three position headlight and then red and blue strobe lights. Just call me Sparky, Ma'am! Maybe the meth addicts down the street will think a police officer is on the grounds around here. Guess Thompson could wear one and scare off the bad guys! He'd be happy to bite anyone who was silly enough to get in the yard.

Ok, seriousness here for a minute or two. Connie called this morning and was in a situation that caused her to cry. We prayed right there while on the phone, but she really needs our prayers. Her sister is in a bad way. It is not for me to tell you any details, but just know that BOTH Connie and Rebekah need our prayers. Connie is at least fairly healthy. Not so much for Rebekah. When our bodies have to fight off mold poisoning or other stuff, it affects the mind, the emotions, and one's attitude about living. Just know that right this moment, these two women need our prayers desperately.

Lance was telling me about the backlog of stuff that can't be moved or otherwise delivered because of all the stuff that was unable to be moved during the storm. Think about the fact that a train can't be unloaded because no trucks are empty to take the cargo. No trucks can be loaded because they couldn't reach the warehouse. Today Connie was told that FedEx warehouse here in WF is only open for two hours in the afternoon. The drivers are all working overtime, but the backlog may take a month to move! This makes a big difference in how businesses get paid if they can't deliver the products. This storm was not just damaging by freezing folks and their homes; it froze the economy as well! Bet my friend AnnaBeth Graf is SO happy to no longer own that FedEx franchise!

Somehow Sylvia managed to get a beef leather wrap PLUS a leather bone BOTH in her mouth at one time--and was growling at Thompson because he stood near her to look out the window. Whooo boy! Guess where the bones will not be allowed tonight--in my bedroom!!!

It was so funny to hear Tim Malay say, "Look at those chickens run!" Don't think he knew that chickens come when called and run when they think it might mean something good to eat. The hens were down at the bottom of the east lot and came a running when they heard me cluck at them. Yes, they got scratch for their efforts. No fresh veggies to give them right now. Maybe in a few days they might get some fresh stuff. They love lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash of any kind, and even eat peppers if that is all there is. 

Finally picked up the mail today and went through all the junk mail. The Nielsen Ratings envelope contained two one-dollar bills and promised five more if the survey were filled in and mailed--postage already paid. So they can wonder what kind of person does not watch TV or listen to radio. Well, the mini google plays 60s songs for me off of YouTube radio or something like that. But TV--got my Firestick and need nothing more. Well, if the National Geographic were available, MAYBE it would get watched. Just not a lot of anything out there is worth spending money on in my estimation. But books! Love reading.

Leta Talley said that they had to put off to tomorrow putting a trachea thing in for Ronnie because the OR was booked solid today. It only takes about 30 minutes from the get go, but everything has to be cleaned completely in the OR just in case of anything that might be in the air, etc. Anyway, please keep Ronnie in your prayers so he can get off the ventilator and be able to use the trachea thing. This has to be hard on his wife and kids--three weeks already!

Well, we have our work cut out for us: individuals we know who need our prayers, folks with damaged homes, folks who need plumbers, and the medical personnel who need to be able to work under these circumstances. And then there is the economic impact. What happens in one spot in the economy affects the rest as well. May God help us.

Rest well, my friends, and awake with hope in your hearts. You are loved.

The Albatross.

 Hanan used to go about quoting poetry and cultural phrases that pretty much missed my understanding. Thus he would say--for no discernable reason--Albatross, get your albatross! It was a reference to something from the Flying Circus where John Cleese dressed in drag was trying to sell an albatross as if it were ice cream. One's psychological burdens were often the mirrors of the albatross, but knowing the Coleridge poem left me with other words to bring to memory--besides the idea that one could be surrounded by water and have not a drop to drink: 

He prayeth well, who loveth well

Both man and bird and beast.

He prayeth best, who loveth best

All things both great and small;

For the dear God who loveth us,

He made and loveth all.

Anyway, today's  bird is the albatross. It seems to be a large seabird that is absent generally from the North Atlantic area. But it has a large wingspan, no matter which particular species it may originate from.

Birds generally mean something to almost anyone who has ever had reason to watch them or listen to them. Here in Texas we adopted the Mockingbird as our state bird. The "songs" of the Mockingbird are simply mimicked songs in some manner according to scientists, but such thoughts make me wonder if the observer failed to watch and listen through an entire season of spring when the males are claiming their territory and into the season when they greet each day with joy. The cardinal is the only other bird that makes a big deal about daybreak and joyous dancing about the trees in my back yard. Love these birds! 

Now, let's think about how that albatross may also signal some wet weather. According to the weather app on my phone, tomorrow will begin a few days--or a week--of wet and cooler weather. It is February--in Texas. If we were not to get rain now, it might not come later at all. Currently, ice is floating across the lake with perched sea gulls yelling about things. Have not seen that before. Maybe too busy to pay attention before, but it has really been pretty amusing to see pelicans and sea gulls out there on the lake. Smiles are nice to have around. And birds are pretty good indicators that life goes on and is worth smiling about.

Thought my body was feeling pretty good this morning. Did some work here in the house and gathered eggs and talked to the girls. Then decided to drive to Wally World since the usual ordering online routine did not seem to be working. Got to the store, and guess what, nothing that ever had to be cool or cold was even in the store--except for the beer and such. That had not been picked up or otherwise disposed of, so it sat there, sadly, on the shelves where it had been allowed to get warmish. Ruined on the shelves but not yet removed. Even the bakery shelves were empty. Managed to find a few things to bring home. Had to buy a pair of wire pliers and a small crescent wrench since Jerry never returned mine. Going to put a sign on the front door: NO! Just no. He is so irresponsible. 

Used the shopping cart to help me walk around the store. Did not realize how much walking hurt until it became a bit much. Maybe soon my legs and back will stop hurting so much and a bit more exercise will help take care of whatever needs to be done. Just walking around the house and out to the coops is not enough exercise. But trying to put on that right shoe is still pretty miserable. Danged sciatica! It's one thing to realize one is no longer 19, 29, even 59! But it really is kinda sad to look at one's self bent over when walking or driving down the road like a little ol' lady!

Have been thinking about spelling today. Remembering when we were in grade/elementary school and making up ways to help myself remember how to spell veg-E-table. Now it is words like dia-tom-ace-ous. Just despise forgetting how to spell things that should be easy. 

Had to look up on the phone why the flags are at half mast. Yes, 500,000 deaths is too many for a stupid virus. But then each year we lose somewhere around 24 to 62 thousand to regular flu. Don't think the CDC even expects reports of the regular flu each year. But most of us go get a flu shot each year if we are a certain age. It seems to be worth it not to have that illness hanging on. Of all the childhood illnesses that we went through, yours truly had most of them: two kinds of measles, mumps, chicken pox, and strep throat. Daddy would coat us in Vicks if we sneezed, and then he would make us swallow some of that gunk. Don't think we ever had the flu. Didn't dare get sick for fear that Daddy would find another remedy!

So far today only some minor cleaning in the kitchen has occurred. It seems the dogs soaked the rug under their water bowl. Think Thompson nearly knocked the entire fountain over on one of his wild trips out of the living room, across the kitchen, and out the back door! Something needed to be addressed with his particular brand of vicious barking! People walking by down by the road, a dog outside at the neighbors house, an extended sheet of paper towels that had caught on the telephone post. Yep, all kinds of suspicious things to cause his alerts!

While watching things at Walmart earlier, it became apparent that the person who was in charge of reestablishing the electrical current to the refrigerated units was most perplexed. He was looking straight up in the air as if something were entirely out of sync with how the wires were supposed to look. It made me feel sorry for him. Can you imagine having that kind of responsibility? NOTHING was cool in that store except maybe the cans and bottles of soda and stuff in the end caps at the checkout stands.

As the young man loaded my groceries in the back seat for me, we watched as two huge fire trucks, a fire captain, and an ambulance came whizzing down the road toward the apartments immediately south of Walmart. Would truly feel frightened to live there. Well, in almost any type of apartment complex where someone else's cooking could cause one to be burned out of house and home--not to mention the gang and domestic violence. It's bad enough to have Jerry and all his trashy friends around, but at least he has warned the "lodgers" that the old woman across the street may be fragile, but she shoots first and doesn't even bother to ask questions. And anyone with an ear can tell these two dogs mean business.

Went out and gathered eggs one more time. If it does not rain tomorrow, maybe some cleaning out in the metal coop will make things out there feel a little neater. Will have to see if TSC has timothy for the nests since an entire bale of hay just feels like it would be too much. They also have some planters that would be neat out in the front of the house. They are whiskey barrels with handles on them. Guess that also means a trip to Lowes for dirt. Always something.

Guess the mail box needs to be checked sometime tomorrow. Have not even considered it until today. Seriously don't believe the mail ran during that mess last week. And anything in there now is going to be junk mail. Rolling eyes here.

Not much to tell that sounds amusing today. The plumbers removed a piece of chicken wire that was stuffed in the corner of the fence to keep the hens inside the yard. Not sure why they moved it, but the hens discovered it was no longer in their way. Four hens in the front yard! That was not especially fun for them as they only got a taste of freedom and green grass before they were back inside. Poor babies have to deal with just dirt and dead grass right now. 

SO glad to have Connie back at home. And the messages from Leta Talley say that our prayers are being heard. Thank you. But let's not forget those who are STILL without power or who have been uprooted from what they would consider as normal life. Prayer helps them and us as well. The blessings we have should never be taken for granted.

May your night bring you rest and may you awake with joy. You are loved.

Laundry!!

 Ok, another load of laundry--this time the furry blanket the dogs use for cover--in the washer. This is just unbelievable! Stripped the sheets off the bed early this morning and started doing laundry, and here it is 4:30 and the washer is still going--as is the dryer. Such fun! But next project will be these nasty floors. The dogs have a muddy spot right next to their water dispenser. Sloppy tongues, ya know. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow will be a good day for cleaning floors. Had to defend myself when the bed was moved out to have the sheets changed. Dust bunnies are very sneaky, ya know. The one that accumulated out of the bedroom could have been knitted into a sweater!!

The trash truck ran today and emptied the feed sacks and plastic sheeting from my bin. It doesn't take long to fill up a bin when large things like that go in. The bin also contained the dead bodies of several birds that died in the storm. Sad, but also yucky. At least it was not cats and rabbits or other small creatures. Which reminds me that a rather large rat greeted me when the feed bins were being moved around getting things ready for the boys to unload the feed. He--or she--looked up at me as if to complain about having to leave its cozy nest. Good thing it did not have young ones! But it left for the time being. 

Saw Jerry's "partner in crime" unloading things over in his yard. Then this afternoon two police cruisers came by and stopped over there. Guess he is in trouble again. Knew he had been gone for a couple of days, but he does that sort of thing. He is really a very sad person all things considered. Losing his daughter Laura to some idiot who murdered her and her friend was really bad, but he can't deal with reality anyway. He is always having delusions of grandeur--having "crews" working for him. He really needed mental help a long time ago. But then, maybe that is true of most of the people in prisons. Who knows.

Four fewer hens does not really feel any different today except that the Barred Rocks usually got right under my feet. And with Edith and Harriet gone, no more green eggs will be in the nests. Ah well. Chocolate eggs make me pretty happy, and the Black-laced Wyandottes are just about as friendly as a person could ask for. The two red hens really stand out when they are surrounded by Wyandottes and Marans. It is just going to take longer to collect enough eggs to supply my doctor or the kids whenever they plan to pick up eggs.

Thinking about why my girls look and act so healthy and happy. Well, the happy is just a matter of being loved on, maybe. But keeping diatomaceous earth for them to fluff their wings in and then giving them a few drops of VetRx in their water may be one of the reasons they stay pretty healthy. If the energy shows up one day this next week, the big metal coop has to be cleaned completely. That means taking down the roosts, moving the ladders, and cleaning all the chicken poo out to the east lot as fertilizer. Just one coop at a time is a major job for an old woman. At least after Michelle comes for the two Buff Orpingtons, only three hens will be roosting in the metal coop: Isa, Rhoady, and Athena. Even the nests need to be cleaned out and fresh hay put in there. So that means a fresh bale of alfalfa or calling Mary Rhoads to see if she has any loose hay she can spare. The feed store only has wheat straw and alfalfa, so it is the green stuff that is best.

Years ago my granddaughter Rachel helped me paint flowers on the bathroom window that faces the west. The flowers were pretty and just pleased me. Think she liked them, too. Anyway, the paint was beginning to peel off and fall on the floor, so today the window got sprayed, scraped, and cleaned. Have more paint to mess with them as the notion hits me, so may wait and see if Rachel wants to paint something in a few of the panes. Have to have a few sunflowers and some blue bachelor buttons in a couple of panes. Flowers just make me happy.

It's 80 degrees right now, so it makes me wonder what this summer will be like. My nephew joked about getting prepared for tornadoes and droughts, but honestly, it is not that funny considering how extreme things have been this year so far. May God bless us with rain in due season and calmer weather than what could happen in hurricanes and other storms! This entire country needs help--in more ways than just the weather.

It was so nice to have a phone call from Connie this morning and listen to her talking to her cats. They really missed her. Figures. She loves them and spoils them the way my dogs are spoiled--with unmeasured love.

When Nikki Smith's boys were over here the other day, Thompson stopped one of the boys and smelled up one side of his leg and all the way to his foot. They have three dogs at their house! Thompson had to pass his approval or something. If my dogs were ever to meet up with their cows, donkeys, horses, and a couple of cats--well, except for the cats, they would probably be on scent heaven! 

Yesterday's birds were the Blue-footed Boobies. We NEEDED a blue-footed boobie, didn't we! But today's birds is the Noisy Pitta. The videos of the Noisy Pitta had absolutely NO sounds coming from THAT bird, but plenty from birds around it. Go figure. And the boobie just did this really intense walk about showing off its feet. Maybe that is to avoid any red-footed creatures or plaid feet. Who knows. Around here the purple finch--which actually has a red head--has been around asking for handouts. But the sparrows or some other birds have already eaten all the berries on the Nandinas. Found a couple of sunflower kernels left on the front porch, but otherwise, the wild birds have cleaned up all the extra feed out there. Time for worms!

Put out the micro-clover this morning. Really hope it sprouts and does well out front. If it does ok, will do some in the east lots next time. It is not supposed to get tall at all, so that would meet the requirements of the City. And the hens should enjoy it hopefully. Meanwhile, the Bluebonnets are doing a great job of covering the walkway and a few places in the front yard. Maybe we will have Bluebonnet paradise out here this year. With dandelions and petunias, who could ask for more!

Really don't know much today. My body is tired, and my mind is like Jello without the mold--kinda flubbery. Maybe tomorrow will be another good day and the night will provide good rest. 

Pray for those who are still having problems from this horrible storm. Covid pretty well took a backseat when we were all just trying to survive, but that problem has not gone away as well. Prayers are about the best thing we can do unless we can help individuals that are known to us. At least it looks like FEMA is supposed to help with the cost of the electricity everyone had to use. We live in hope.

May you all rest well tonight and awake with joy. You are loved.

 

Good Plumbers!

 So Wilbourn and McCabe sent out a young man named Jared who had a helper named Colten. My water is now back on. Unless you have ever had to dip water out of the bathtub in order to flush, you have no idea how happy a person can be just to have the water back on all over the house. Anyway, it was not as bad as it could have been: $215.92. Still have not asked for the estimate from the owner for the gas lines in the bathroom and living room. But tomorrow is another day. Sent home three dozen eggs with the young men. And it turns out that the owner may want my "extra" hens. Want to keep Isa and Red, but Goldie and Grey Lady will go to Michelle DeMers this weekend. That will reduce my flock so that there will be nine Marans, eight Black-laced Wyandottes, and the two red hens, and one Campine. Nikki Smith's boys came over today and unloaded the feed for me, so now things should be pretty stable until it is time to clean out the coops and the part that is to be a green house. The hens may have their own feelings about being moved around, but we will see how that goes later.

It feels as if there are sore spots all along my back and hip, so tonight a soak in the tub might just take care of most of that problem. Have Dead Sea salt in a container and know how to use it. Have to rinse it off after soaking, but that should not really be a problem. It is just the washing of all the clothes that is going to be interesting around here for a couple of days. And then the forecast is for rain--which really means M U D!

Got a message from Connie to say that they had arrived back here in WF this afternoon. Her kitties were not sure just who she thought she was. But at least she had no broken pipes to deal with after she got home. That has to be a great big plus!

Leta says that Ronnie Talley is still doing ok. No real change in his condition. Guess this stupid virus is just going to take time to overcome. But things are not feeling quite as drastic for some reason. Reading about the percentages as posted in the Jerusalem Post, and it seems that deaths by Covid are not any more drastic than some other reasons for death. But maybe that just comes from the arrangement of the statistics. Numbers CAN be made to lie--either way.

Got tickled at the young plumber. He said that he had to dig the cover off the side of the foundation and had "help." Guess who the helpers were! These silly hens think that shovels mean worms, so yes, they got a worm or two out of that situation. Told him how they will follow me all over the backyard if a shovel or spade fork is in my hand. Love my girls!

Well, Mr. McCabe just came and picked up four hens to take home to his family: Edith, Harriet, and two Barred Rocks. Michelle will take the two Buff Orpingtons this weekend, and that will leave Isa, Rhoady, and Athena in the little coop. Slowly but surely the Black-laced Wyandottes will be moved to the metal coop and the Marans to the middle coop. That will leave the "greenhouse" to be plumbed for plants and such. Let's hope my green thumb and the green house work together well.

Pretty tired tonight for no particular reason. Maybe another episode of Wycliffe and then the hot bath would do for tonight. It feels as if the world is calming down somewhat. Although, Mr. McCabe said he has been running hard and fast all day to cut off water where people have pipes that are broken and spraying water everywhere. At least it is good business for him and his company.

Let us not tire in praying for others tonight. So much needs to be taken to our Father. It is not that He is unaware, but that we need to ask. We are so very blessed that our first thought each morning should be appreciation for the resumption of our lives. 

May you all rest well and find peace in whatever you do. You are loved.

Blessings in Strange Ways.

 Sometimes it is really difficult to realize that one has been blessed because maybe the blessing does not seem to be one that would necessarily be appreciated. Well, that is pretty close to the situation today. The pipes in the east end of the house lead to the washer. And yes, it sounded like water was running somewhere, but common sense is obviously not all that common, so who would look at the washer and listen at that area? Yep, common sense did a walkabout, and sure enough a small lake had formed out under the hen coop that Gary had put together for my six hens that were taken to his back yard down in Mansfield. A call to Wilbourn & McCabe succeeded in getting an appointment to get those lovely little pipes replaced/repaired tomorrow afternoon. While the plumbers are here, they are to look over the situation for a couple of drops for gas lines. The wife/secretary said they usually just order the little gas stoves off of Amazon, so maybe a short perusal of that web site might be a good idea.

Now let me entertain you with some family humor. Lately had mentioned the sciatica and resulting problems in my hip and right leg to oldest child--who has a slightly warped sense of humor. His daddy would have at least smiled at the post sent to me. It was an advertisement for a product that contains glucosamine and other active pain relieving chemicals for dogs. In my case, the recommended dosage would be no less than four chewies. Yes, the child is loved. Has always been loved. But there are days . . 

Listened to some beautiful singing today by Andrea Bocelli. His voice--even without the English translation of the words--wraps itself around one's soul and gives little squeezes. Each nuance is almost like the feeling of a cuddle and then the sudden removal of the wrapping around one's face. Seeing the emotion in sound makes it even more intense. It's not like any of us could wish to have his abilities, because it is obvious that much of his talent must come from his blindness to "otherness." What he can't see, he can still express. Some poets were like that. Emily Dickinson could pare down the language of expression to startle, leaving words to hang as our very thoughts from that point on. The slender fellow in the grass could easily follow us to: 'Hope' is the thing with feathers--That perches in the soul--

But how can poetry still speak to me in memory? Lines that come to me when least expected. Maybe it is the winter weather, or maybe it is some blessing not quite recognized. Who knows. Sometimes it is lines from the King James Bible, but wherever the words come from, it seems a voice is always there when it is needed.

One of the first things on FB for me is the post left by Tara Ross. Usually Mondays are reserved to tell us about the Medal of Honor recipients. But each day we are reminded by history in heroes of our American heritage. None of us can ever deny the fact that men and women have found the American ideal to be worth sacrifice. Some are military heroes. Some are even animals. But quite often the heroes are heroines. Women have always been a very large and steady support for freedoms. Things have not changed. The battles may differ, but the principles are the same.

Ah! Food! Today a craving for REAL French fries descended upon this little hacienda. Well, the oil was olive, but the deep fried potatoes were quite good. Had not prepared deep fried anything in ages. Stir fry maybe, but not deep fried. Drained over the pan and then wiped a bit with paper towels, salted, with ketchup on the side--ah, good stuff, Maynard! Sometimes it is amazing what food--or even the thought of certain foods--will do for you! When Lance was on the way, we had small squash plants in the front yard that made the very best food the next day after we returned from the hospital. Have always thought about Lance when squash is on the menu. His daddy would have preferred it fried, but with only two or three small fruits, it had to be steamed with butter and a tiny bit of cream and sugar. Mmmm.

Must be hungry tonight! At least no eggs have needed to be boiled today--no freezing eggs and no neighbor coming over to see if food would be forthcoming. In fact, the neighborhood has been quiet ALL day. Amazing!  Maybe tomorrow will be another quiet day. Stranger things have happened.

Ok, have decided that what we need right now is another holiday--not the kind that requires taking time off or indebting one's self for gifts that may or may not be appreciated. No, we need a "Happy Surprise!" holiday. Since we are told not to gather together unless it is really necessary, why not get online and open up Nuts.com or CheeseBrothers.com. Little of this or that sent to someone can be a lovely gift just because. Amazon has all kinds of things, as does Etsy. The Etsy sites help those who are supporting themselves. Thinking about my friend Julia who does all kinds of things--some business things and some strange things like crochet. None of my family needs a webpage designed, but her pot holders are the best in my kitchen! She gave them to me the day of Hanan's memorial, and each time they show up on my counter, her face and life comes to mind. She lost her husband to brain cancer--glioblastoma or something like that. It is so hard to lose your mate, but when the person is so young, it is almost beyond comprehension to try to take care of one's self and children. Life can really be hard on us. Yep, a happy surprise would be about right for some folks whether or not we know just what is needed. 

Just had a discussion with Sylvia about her bad habit of lunging out for the empty microwave dish. She needs to be a little bit more ladylike in her habits. That is difficult to teach when two dogs are in some kind of competition. Thompson does not snatch things away, however. He has innate good manners. Now a couple of the hens are pretty snatchy! They have a thing about cucumbers and assorted cut veggies. Oh well. Being pecked is not anything at all like having a tooth embedded in one's hand!

Be so very glad to get the water turned back on and laundry done. Honestly, if you meet up with me and the smell is somewhat doggy, it just means it is too cool to bathe the dogs or the water pipes are frozen up--or both!

Ronnie Talley seems to be improving, but they are going to try to take him off the tracheotomy or something along those lines. He has been on it quite some time now, so it seems to be a problem. Just pray for him, please. And Connie and Rebekah have not exactly been doing the two-step driving this past week. They were still in Mississippi this morning. Who knows if they will get here tomorrow or the next day. If you will, remember them in your prayers. 

Have not called BillyeRuth, but am hoping that things on her place are calm and running well. My hens were happy to get out this morning, but they did not run over me as they have in the past. Do you think they are learning manners?? Nah. Think that BR just has a bit of trouble getting her girls to go inside when they need to go up. That has got to be irritating! Mine get herded once in a while by a big black dog, but generally it only takes once for them to understand "GO" to mean inside. Ah well. Pretty soon some of my girls are going to find new homes. Still have not seen anything posted by Michelle DeMers, so not sure if she has taken plumbing classes or if she is ready to burn her house down. Busted pipes are just horrible!

Not much on my mind. Probably just as well. Will watch some more episodes of Wycliffe and go to bed after getting the critters back in their coops. Will be praying for green growth out back to keep the girls happy. Feeding grain and sunflower kernels can be just a bit expensive. Maybe soon a trip over to Smith's farm will garner some leftover goodies from the veggie section. The girls always enjoy the leftovers.

May you sleep well and be rested as a result. You are loved.

 The dinosaur egg?!

Thawing Out.

 We have a toasty 54 degrees currently, and the snow banks are beginning to falter and fade. At least my hens have found some new mud to explore. Earlier this morning they had microwaved English peas with carrots to keep them happy. Had to let the veggies cool before putting them in reusable pie pans so that they would not flip the pans upside down. It did not take them long to clean up all the peas and carrots. 

My neighbor across the street may soon begin to crow or cackle. Have been boiling eggs for him because he has no food in his house. His mom usually buys food for him, but he came over this morning and needed something to eat, so he got three big cans of sardines, clam chowder (cooked and in a bowl), and boiled eggs. It is not exactly a bacon cheese burger--which sounds so very good at the moment--but it will keep him going until his mom can buy groceries for him. She lives out at Lake Arrowhead and will have a time of getting into town. Not sure if any of the grocery stores have been able to restock, so there's that. My pantry has been thoroughly stocked for some time now, and the freezer is full of stuff as well. Not opening the freezer kept everything frozen during the power outage, so that is not even a concern.

My daughter-in-law thought she had about ten loads of wash to do, but Jennifer said she had even more as she had not been doing laundry on a daily basis lately. Sitting here thinking that my house probably smells like a dog--and guess who does not even give a rat's back leg! Told Lance the story behind the band name: Three Dog Night. It seems in some parts of the country, it is not unheard of to get so cold that no fireplace could ever keep the cabin or home warm. So, ya just pull up another dog. You know it is cold when it is a three-dog night. Michael McNeel was the drummer for that band. He now heads up something called the ICS--inner city slickers. Getting children from the inner city out to the farm with some horses and folks who have a positive attitude.

Guess my dander has been up more than just a bit about all the comments made about Texas weather and power infrastructure. Just a warning to anyone who thinks that Texans don't give a care about their neighbors--no more true here than anywhere you will find folks. As far as what the future holds, who knows. We can always find someone to blame for anything that suits us. Did find a very helpful site that told what kind of things to do when faced with an unexpected crash of utilities or whatever. Some of the suggestions were new to me, and some were just good reminders. But the attitude with which they were presented made me smile and appreciate the author. Shtuff happens, no matter where you live. And unnecessary political comments are about enough to tick off the calmest Texan on earth. 

Back in the late 70s, our government had a policy of not selling things to Russia. It ticked off some of the Caterpillar stock holders because Cat had just developed one of the finest pumps ever made by man. It could pump frozen crap out of the ground and through pipelines in Siberia without even missing a beat. But Cat could not sell those pumps to Russia. Think eventually the pumps were sold to Germany who sold them to Russia or something like that, but how much more good could those sales have been had politics not been at play. Same with "winterizing" the freaking windmills. Those suckers work in Antarctica, so there is no reason the ones here could not have worked. Eventually the problems will be worked out and will not happen again--we live in hope. But meanwhile, most of us are just happy to see the sunshine and let the blowhards blow. Wind has its uses, even when not blowing on a windmill on a Texas plain.

Have thought about "preparedness" more than three times this past few days. One of the biggies about heating was NOT using some things inside the house. Propane and charcoal have to be controlled carefully. As long as we have natural gas--even at elevated prices--that is still our best method of warming our homes. Electricity is great for cooling homes--which is the main problem in Texas. The only preparedness that has not happened on this hill is a tornado shelter. Years ago we filled in the cellar because it flooded every year--well, except for drought years. It was more dangerous in some ways because of the scorpions, snakes, and centipedes that liked that damp place. Nowadays they make storm "rooms" that connect to the house. Not overly sure just how much good one would do in a direct hit, but at least it is not as likely to flood above ground. You wouldn't think a cellar would flood on top of a hill, but such is the water level from Lake Wichita that water rises more easily than one would expect. Oh well. Will talk to someone who knows about that sort of thing soon and see if it is a viable option for this place.

Just went out to check on my girls. Eight of the older hens were already up on their roosts in the little coop. Think they are ready to call it a day. The Black-laced Wyandottes were still out and about, but the Marans were wanting to see my hands--their attitude: "Got anything for us?" Silly hens!

Gathered eggs a bit ago and found something that looked like it came straight from a dinosaur! The picture is on FB, but not sure if it can be transferred here. Anyway, it made me realize that my girls were really stressed these past few days! At least they are not as bad off as the sea turtles that have been hauled in to the rescue places down in South Texas. Kinda hard on sea life to be hit with this kind of cold weather.

Talking to Jennifer and told her about the lambs that Granddad Pollard used to have to bring in to be warmed on the oven door. The lamb had to be dried and warmed before he could take it back to the ewe. The little ones just could not make it in cold weather. And the calves would sometimes lose their tails or parts of their ears. Texas is just not made for beasts who do not have shelter in some years. But lately many of the folks here in WF have asked what to do about frost bite on their hens. Mine would have been put in the bathroom if it had been necessary, but their coops were in deep hay and not in any wind. That's not to say that the ice did not load down the top of the coops or the snow did not blow in everywhere there was a tiny crack, but still, they were basically safe from freezing or frost bite. Critters don't have a say in such situations, so it is up to the farmer-owner to take care of them. God knows my grandfather had a hard row to hoe with breaking ice on the stock tank during the horrible winters years ago. Yet it was the heat and insects that were really hard on livestock. Go figure.

Guess my thinking is pretty narrow minded at the moment. Give me a couple of days and maybe something will strike me as amusing. Meanwhile, the couch has been stripped and cleaned, the living room vacuumed, and plans made for going after chicken feed by Monday or Tuesday. 

Ronnie Talley continues to improve from the covid mess. Connie and Rebekah should be here in WF within a day or less. And we can still pray for those whose water pipes are still frozen or burst. May God bless those who have suffered and are suffering still from this mess. Meanwhile, please take time to check on any neighbors you might have who just need to know that someone cares. 

Sleep well and stay safe, my friends. You are loved.

Deep Tracks!

 So Donny Anderson just went whizzing up the road to his house in the little beige car. That means that he can easily handle the snow on the drive up the hill. So in a couple of days this ol' gal is going to get out in the truck and go get chicken feed--guessing Monday will do. So now have to contact Nikki Smith and see if her boys are going to be available to unload it for me. Between now and then, the inside of the hen house will have to be raked out to remove the pieces of ice that have accumulated in there. Such fun. Have not defrosted any English peas for the hens yet. They really need something green, but only have a little bit of celery that is fresh. May have to make celery soup and give them the bits that aren't too choice for cooking. The life of a hen is not easy, ya know. Only had one egg to freeze today, however. Boiled it and will probably feed that one to the dogs. Some others were crushed up and fed to the wild birds. Poor creatures have sung their hearts out today.

Jennifer said that the news was such that we would have no more rolling blackouts. Joy to the world! But then, the frozen water pipes are everywhere! So far, none have shown up here, but it will be next week before the lines to the washer can be checked. No sense in even thinking about it before the temps get up to past 65 degrees. Jenn said that they have water pipes in the ceilings at their house. Think many of the newer houses are made that way. Sounds like a mess looking for a time to happen.

Someone asked if we knew this storm was on its way. Well, duh. Knowing it is about to get colder than the Klondike and being able to truly prepare an entire state for the situation are two distinctly different things. Texas has always had coal or gas powered generators in the past. This is one of the first years when we have had to depend on those stupid wind mills and solar heat. Then there is the fact that none of our larger cities are equipped to handle snow drifts over the entire interstate system. So many trucks were wrecked at one point that nothing could move in any direction whatsoever. 

Some of us have been so blessed to be able to stock up on foods that don't absolutely need a microwave. My freezer is full, but cans of beans and soups have come in mighty handy this past few days. Yes, a can of tamales would have been perfect, but a can of chili and another can of beans did just fine when heated over the stove top in a cast iron pot. Then there were two bottles of cranberry juice mixed with other juices. And coffee. No creamer, but hey! Learned to drink black coffee years ago. And the dogs have three different kinds of dog food and plenty of it left to make it through this month. Yes, they are out of their favorite treats, but what is left of the 20 pound box of dog biscuits will do for the time being. When Donny came up to pick up four dozen eggs this afternoon, he brought a ten-pound bag of potatoes. Pretty good exchange in my estimation!

Have looked closely--well, through the windows--at the tracks in the snow out front. Rabbits have been out there enjoying themselves. Not sure what they found to eat, but had put out some oatmeal and some sunflower kernels earlier. They won't starve. And with the snow melting somewhat, they will have something to drink. Just so very glad that the extent of caring for livestock means walking out the back door and opening the doors to the coops. Yes, the water in the big coop freezes, but that can be scraped out tomorrow or the next day. Lots to do even when things are pretty simple.

Heard from Connie and Rebekah. They are still slowly making their way this direction. Also, Ronnie has improved. Thank you SO much for the prayers for all of these folks. Right now we have plenty of reason to pray for those who are still without power and going hungry. May God comfort those who we cannot reach out to help. And may He help us be able to help others as we should.

Know so very little tonight except that a really hot shower with body lotion and a good hair wash has made me feel better. My right leg still does not want to cooperate. Be so glad when we can get outside in the warm light and move around. A warmer weather change will make at least some difference.

May you all be able to rest well tonight and get some good sleep. You are loved.

Hard-Headed Old Man.

 The neighbor south of me went down to the end of the road next to the highway and dug out the three-foot barrier that was thrown up by the snow plow. He did not really need to do this, but said he had nothing better to do. It scared me because that is what Lewis was doing--clearing out the gravel and mess that washed in--when he had his heart attack. Anyway, in a few days this mess will probably be melted off and on its way to becoming a memory--at least we can hope that we don't see any more bodacious snow like this.

The hens are not happy, but they are fed and watered and all the eggs gathered. They don't even attempt to go out the door when it is opened. No dumb hens on this hill!

Made the bed--didn't put clean sheets on it, but otherwise have it nice and straight. Vacuumed the living room and rearranged. Only so much a body can stand. 

A wren is out on the front porch just singing away! A pair of cardinals are out there plus several sparrows and some juncos. They are all very hungry apparently and enjoying the sunflower seeds and oatmeal out there. Some of the snow melted, and they must be drinking the water from that. It drips off the end of the deck onto the stairway, so in the morning that drippy area will be slick as greased lightning. Oh well.

One nice thing about the snow is that it makes everything so much brighter. Right now the sky is streaked with blue and white clouds. This makes for pretty sunsets, too.

Leta Talley said that Ronnie is still doing pretty well. Connie and Rebekah are slowly making their way this direction. And God willing, the snow will melt soon enough that we can find our cars and trucks. Then, of course, some of us will also find the frozen pipes that will have thawed. Praying that the pipes behind the washer have not frozen. Not much to do about it at any rate. Just so glad the pipes are not in the ceiling!

Watched some movies on BritBox, but have not done any reading today. Just totally lazy. Saw that my number one son had made biscuits on their grill outside just to see if he could. Sounds like a good idea. Think his grill is propane. Mine has charcoal, and in case you were wondering, charcoal makes a gas that can kill you if you try to heat the house with it. Just so you know.

All the things my daddy did when we were kids were the things they told us not to do during this mess. He would let the water drip and kept the heater down on low--including the hot water heater. Apparently the water pressure was so low in some places that the cities were telling folks not to let the water drip. SO, toss a coin: let the water drip and hope pipes don't freeze, or let the water drip and run the city out of water. sigh Think those cities were also on boil notice for their water supply as well. Daddy had an expression: Damned if you do and damned if you don't. 

Glad to have bought a big ol' box of dog treats: 20 pounds of "bones." Not their favorite, but anything will do in a pinch, ya know. No spoiled critters or cranky ol' women around here.

Honestly don't know much to share with you this evening. My attitude really sucks almost as much as this "lovely" snow. We CAN look forward to seeing something grow out of all this moisture. Let's pray that we see spring rains and not spring floods. May God keep us and watch over us.

May you be able to sleep when you go to bed and not be bothered with the usual crud folks get this time of year. You are loved.

The Winter of Our Rolling Disgust.

 Started this earlier in FB, but it gave a gasp and lost the entire thing. ARGH

By Saturday we are supposed to have temps above freezing both day and night. Thanks be for small favors. We simply are not equipped for this kind of weather here in Central North Texas. Our electric and natural gas bills are supposed to go through the roof shortly if not sooner. Figures. But this ol' gal is going to have a drop put in living room and bathroom this summer come hell or high water. This rolling black out is for the folks who don't believe in being prepared. Now I will be looking for a good gas heater or two and one propane heater to put in the hen house next winter. Yeah, that sounds stupid, but if it were not for Jerry Hobbs, those hens might still be snowed in. As it is, little frozen birds are hanging in the walls. sigh

Nuts.com sent me a great big box of stuff that was ordered a bit ago. Guess what has come in handy right now! A little of this and that to nibble on has made things just a little less stressful. Have decided that rice crackers are not one of the things that make life more interesting. Will get whole wheat crackers of some sort. At least can put a bit of butter on them and dip in soup.

Jerry Hobbs came over and dug paths to the two chicken house doors. Brought in the frozen eggs and boiled those for Jerry. Went back out a bit ago and brought more in but not sure if they are frozen, so just boiled those as well. If it had not been for Jerry, not sure if the hens would have been dug out. That snow is up past my knees in front of both doors. He also cleaned off the deck so it was safe to go out the back kitchen door. He may be as dingy as a cow bell, but he comes in awfully handy.

My back won't stop hurting. And yes, Jennifer, water is being consumed. Think this is ol' Arthur. And that is not Arthur Murray either! Getting old can certainly be interesting.

Never had any idea that this wooly bugger boots would ever really be useful. Surprise, surprise, surprise! They are hard to get off and on, but they are certainly warm. The snow is deep enough that it could get in them, but trying to stay in the same tracks each time keeps them from collecting dumps of snow in the tops. Guess if we lived up North, we would learn this, huh.

Connie and Rebekah are slowly moving this way. Told her not to get in any hurry since the snow is so bad. Roads are being plowed, but they are impassable in places near DFW still.

Ronnie Talley is kinda holding his own according to Leta Talley, so your prayers are being answered. 

Want to brag one more time on the three boys that belong to Nikki and Stephen Smith. The boys were being paid to clear some brush off some land; they cut the trees down; cut the wood up and stacked it; and now they have sold the wood. Then they gave --GAVE--wood to those who needed it during this mess. Good boys raised right by parents who care.

Know that Michelle DeMers is pretty much disgusted with the frozen water pipes and the damage done to her house. Let's pray for her and those like her who have frozen pipes and homes that lack heat. God knows we can't do a whole bunch to fix the situation right now. Let's just hope that everyone can make it through this mess ok.

Next week when the weather breaks a bit--we live in hope--my hens will have to have more feed brought in. A few hundred pounds of feed is not terribly expensive, but have to have some help unloading and putting it in bins. Will have to see where Nikki's boys are going to be when the roads clear. Saw that Lewis' cousin Nell was going to have to go to Kerr's in Henrietta to pick up feed for her cattle. Never fails that we need to feed something during a storm. Jennifer said that the robins stripped every berry off her tree/bushes in about an hour. Hungry little critters. Probably the same reason the little sparrows and Starlings were frozen inside the hen house. So sorry for them. But they would have died even more quickly out in the open.

Well, time to go check on the hens one last time. Will see how the dogs react again. They are not enthusiastic about snow. Can't blame them.

May you all stay warm and safe. May your prayers be answered in a way that is best for you. You are loved.

Staying Inside.

 It's just too cold to go back outside. Know the hens have water and feed, so no sense tracking back out there. The dogs will have to go out at least once more before night, but may have trouble convincing Sylvia that it is necessary. She really hates cold. But when the coop door was opened, the hens did not even try to come out the door. They are not as dumb as one might think.

Sterling called and we compared notes about going to school in the winter months. We both hated cold weather back then and have not had a change of opinion since. Girls were not allowed to wear slacks or pants of any kind. No boots or leggings at our house. Small little jackets instead of decent coats. We made it, but both of us remember it well and not fondly. The Kennedy grandparents bought Sterling clothes each fall. He was their favorite grandchild for sure. The Pollard grandparents bought me a pair of gloves in December and hat and gloves for Easter. Not much help for a little tomboy! Oh well. My grands have what they need and then some. But their parents all work and make a decent wage. Mom made our clothes mostly, but shoes were hard to come by. Especially decent shoes that would last the fall and winter.

Reading online today at the different problems folks are having with frozen water lines, heating elements that have gone out, and just plain cold hurting folks. Thinking of BillyeRuth. She needs someone to replace an element in her oven. BR, NEVER post your phone number online. Hid it on my page, but it is still there for others to see on other pages. Look up the dealers online who are in your area who deal with that particular appliance. Call them. Or go online and ask for dealer help.

Jennifer and Gary put insulation in their ceiling spaces yesterday. It took all of the family to get it done, but Gary was able to take back this morning the machine that eats the filler up and blows it in the ceiling. Jenn said it was a total mess of a job! Hanan tried to get me to let him do that years ago, but fiberglass is like poison. After the tornado in '79, Lewis had fiberglass embedded in his body. We used panty hose to try to get it out of his skin. Never again! But Jenn said the temperature in the house went up at least 5 degrees. Not bad.

Thinking about the wood burning stove that Lewis put in the kitchen to warm the house. We could put a fan behind it and that air would heat the entire house. But cutting, hauling, and drying or stacking wood was not a small task. It took both of us plus the kids to get it done. We used to drive down the road and see an old dead tree that had fallen over--usually a cottonwood or some such--and one or the other would say, "Covet, covet, covet." We wanted permission to haul that sucker home for our firewood stack. A few times we had folks steal wood in the night, but Lewis never tried to put a stop to it. We finally got rid of the wood burning stove after the metal box developed a hole in the side that could have been dangerous. Didn't replace it because he did not think we should be cutting wood in our old age either. Not that we were all that old at the time. Oh well. Enjoyed it for a long time.

Not sure how to figure visibility exactly, but the buildings over at the State Hospital can be seen from here still. Guessing that a quarter of a mile is easily seen, so maybe more where the wind is blocked. Out on the open road, it would be a lot less where nothing stops the blowing snow. Know for sure that it would have to be a REALLY good reason for me to even walk to the truck, much less start driving anywhere.

Just let the dogs back inside after they went out for a few minutes. Thompson was scratching on the inside door. "Let me IN!" Both were somewhat wet where the snow immediately began to melt. Had to hang Sylvia's coat up to dry. Thompson did not wear his out in the first place. He has a tendency to shake out of it, and who wants to go out to find it out back in a snow drift! Anyway, they are inside, warm, and dry now. 

The electric companies are asking everyone not to use any more electricity than is absolutely necessary right now. No washing machines, dryers, etc., should be going. Hello! My washing machine would probably not work as cold as it is. But three rooms in this house are closed off anyway so that the only ones heated are the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room. If worse came to worse, could stay in the kitchen under the gas heater and let the dogs lie down on a bed in there made from the cushion off the yard swing. Always thinking ahead seems to work out fairly well.

Noticed that many were concerned about salt for their walkways. Umm. WHY would they need to be out on walkways anyway? Unless something just HAD to happen, inside is much better for protection. As much as this covid mess has felt like an extreme restriction, we should not have that much trouble just staying inside and behaving ourselves. Someone, think it was Eugene, said that WallyWhirl was totally insane. For pity sake. Stay out of the stores and eat whatever you have on hand. Beans of any kind are as good as you can get during bad weather. Because Cindy Jones suggested freezing milk in half gallon freezer bags, my kitchen may never run out of milk now. Have a pantry loaded down with whatever might be needed for the next few weeks--maybe months. It does not cost any more to stock up than to go buy when everyone and his cousin is trying to get milk and bread at the same time! My grandmother had a cellar full of veggies and fruits and jams and jellies. Her pantry had SOME different things in it, but she was pretty well prepared for anything except for fresh meat. She did not have a big deep freeze, but even a small freezer will keep one or two people supplied for quite a while. Just thinkin'.

Currently seven degrees and blowing snow. But the snow is not as heavy now as it was earlier. Sitting here wearing two pair of socks with house shoes, pants, tee shirt, sweat shirt with hoodie, and still feel cold. But mostly my feet. Have gloves without the finger tip parts. They are nice to keep fingers warm. Definitely not a day to be planning a garden. LOL  Maybe by Friday we will be headed the other direction on the thermometer. Praying for a heat wave! Well, maybe 32 degrees or above!

Connie and Rebekah are in a place where it is just raining. Suggested she enjoy staying there for the duration of this week. Not any sense in getting here just to be frozen in place! The dogs alerted on two big trucks with flatbed trailers with ditch digging machines on them. Plumbers, no doubt. Would not want to have to pay one right now--double time and a half plus overtime on Sundays. Would not want to BE a plumber for any reason whatsoever! If ever needed to design a house, the plumbing would be encased in easy to get to sections of removable walls or other places that were easy to access without dealing with snakes, scorpions, spiders, etc. Bleah on creepy crawlies!

Saw someone who looked a bit like Jerry and his friend leaving his place through the bottom section of his fence. The male figure was wearing a blanket. Not sure it was Jerry, but have not seen him lately anyway. About all we can do for folks like Jerry is just pray for them. Hope he has a friend with food and heat somewhere. His mom told him to stay away from me so that his contacts would not expose me to anything. Really appreciate her. She understands.

Got a message from Leta Talley to say that Ronnie was doing some better still. Please keep praying for him and those like him who are fighting this horrible virus. Read in the JP this morning that the mutated virus is twice as deadly. It figures. And again, NYC wanted to put virus patients in nursing homes. Good grief! Jerusalem at least has all their health care workers vaccinated right now. Of course, they are not immune to the newer viruses. Seems the battle is still uphill.

Ok, politics. Of course they did not pass the charges of treason or whatever against President Trump to impeach him. But nine Republicans voted against him. Their names will not be remembered for long, but the folks who put them in office should be reminded that this is still America. We don't persecute those who have served with distinction. Those who bad mouthed President Truman for using the atom bomb never stopped to think about the horrible numbers of dead American soldiers that a continued war would have caused. Well, in my estimation, President Trump is the best president we have had since Truman! He SERVED America!

My concerns for all of you include your safety, your warmth, your ability to care for yourselves. May God give you rest as you need it. You are loved.