Hair of the Dog!

 Hair of the Dog!

 

A nice salad: fresh mushrooms, English cucumber, Romaine, large red tomato, chicken breast, guacamole, Buttermilk Ranch dressing, and little peppers sliced up is the salad of the day! The old woman had to take a shower to remove the Roxie hair after taking her to the vet this morning. Such fun! She is such a sweet little girl, but just the hassle of getting out and about is pretty tiring at times. Got to see Dr. McCleod and try to figure out how to get Roxie having better stomach results. Changing food to Purina Pro for sensitive stomachs and some probiotic should help if nothing else. Little dogs have their own very special issues with anal glands and such, too, so here’s hoping the changes improve her situation.

 

Had not planned on going anywhere except to dentist and a meeting on Thursday, but then Stephen called and needed a ride yesterday. He took two pills to relax him for the MRI, but he was wobbling all over the place as he was guided inside. Got to the MRI desk only to be told that the machine was down! Finally got him reloaded into the truck and took his happy (?) hiney home and came back to my own work in the kitchen. Then this morning Roxie was acting weird. Thought there was simply no sense in putting off the trip to the vet’s office. Now THAT is done. Glad that God gives me the strength and patience for this stuff.

 

Woke up thinking about the path that used to be around the front of the house down to the driveway. Jerry moved the thing totally and put the bricks around a “flower bed” at the front of the house. Have some ideas about making concrete slab(s) things that would be kind of neat with stones embedded in the slabs. It takes a plastic form and the concrete mix to make each slab, but it is not like there is any hurry. Plus, the “rocks” can be glass stones like go in a fish pond or even those glow-in-the-dark stones that can be put around the edges. The biggest thing is going to be to remove the bricks from around the trumpet vine where Jerry put them. Those irises are going to go somewhere else—preferably to decorate a grandson’s yard. Just going to have to find someone willing to dig them up for me. Tried doing some digging recently and am still hurting pretty good from that endeavor!

 

Noticed that one of the extended family is in Mexico today on business. That sort of thing just worries the crud out of me. It’s not like we don’t have enough violence in the U.S. to go around, but going to Mexico risks kidnapping and all sorts of situations. Please pray for any of our citizens who need to deal with businesses across the border!

 

Have decided that the rest of this salad will be just as good later. A nap is calling. But the nap did NOT get taken. Oh well. Had a very nice visit with my friend Roger Thonton. We can always laugh about things we did as kids! It is so interesting to find memories dredged up that might have never been remembered when old friends get together. Roger brought me my very own Kazoo! He said he ended up letting me borrow his quite often years ago. See, that is the thing that memory does not even touch when you get three-quarters of a century old.

 

The hens are all puffed up and enjoying the green stuff out in the side lots, the birds are all singing and carrying on, the breeze is not bad with the temperature today, so let us praise God in His glory and be thankful for all the many blessings. What we have is from Him alone!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Guacamole Morning!

 Guacamole Morning!

 

Got up this morning and made a container of guacamole from a package of avocados received in my grocery order yesterday. Sometimes it just pays to get stuff made up quickly before it has a chance to turn yucky—avocados being one of those fruits that go bad rather quickly. Anyway, it was definitely a different kind of breakfast. Coffee, guac, chips, and the sound of nature all around me!

 

We have wrens in the neighborhood along with the mockingbirds, scissortail flycatchers, danged doves, and all the usual suspects among the black birds. The ducks figured out how to get into the flip feeder, so once in a while the dogs chase them off. Silly ol’ woman should know that the critters are smarter than she is!

 

Received some clothes in the mail this morning that were ordered last week. Pretty good speed for delivery, but these are probably stored in the U.S. right now. Anyway, now they are on for a quick wash to remove any dyes and stuff that will cause me problems. Have not used an iron in two forevers, but not sure that these will really need to be ironed from the dryer. Hope they just come out ready to wear! Just needed something that fit a bit better and did not feel as if they were worn out already. The Gloria Vanderbilt jeans are so very comfortable, but the pockets are not deep enough. One pair that came today is actually cargo pants with some extra pockets. Love that!

 

Jennifer sent me a screen shot of the weather forecast for us and lots of Oklahoma. Dear Hearts, we really need to pray for Oklahoma and those who are in the line of this bunch of storms. It just looks terrible and may hit right at rush hour while it’s about it! Life and limb and all that we look for as comforting just seems to be in danger lately. Yes, the people around the Houston area are up to their necks in floods again almost as bad as during the last hurricane, but maybe it is easier to evacuate than it is to duck to the nearest basement or concrete structure. Anyway, may God protect and prevent horrible consequences from these storms.

 

Is anyone else crazy about blueberries? It seems like they just hit my epicurean radar. Always loved the TASTE of raspberries, but the seeds did things to my mouth because of the dentures. And it seemed to me that blueberries had something in them that got stuck in my teeth as well. Ok, now they get looked over for stems! Anyway, blueberries are so neat as a snack—especially at home where the little pieces of berry skin can be brushed away. Can’t imagine growing blueberries here in North Central Texas, but since blackberries do well here, maybe it is not impossible.

 

Think my next project is going to involve trying to repair my herb garden out front. Right now, it contains a humongous rosemary bush in the back side of the box. The rest of the box has problems of coming apart at the seams. Would love to have a couple of boxes across the front up off the ground enough that the old woman did not have to bend in half just to reach something. Then it would be full of flowers, mints, lavender, and whatever else could be planted there. Oh well. Probably just a dream.

 

We can all see what is happening to and in Israel, so it is our job right now to ask God to doubly bless Israel and her plans to try to remove the Hamas elites from Gaza. America and other nations have no idea how stupid they are being by not defending and helping Israel. And to threaten to arrest anyone in that nation is just totally asinine! May God forgive us and our nation for such stupidity!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 

 

 

 

Grocery Surprises!

 Grocery Surprises!

 

Ordered for pickup of my groceries today and somehow ended up with two half gallons of milk, four huge onions, a package of some kind of pizza things, and no limeade. Oh well. Sending some stuff across the street so it won’t waste. Heated up the little pizza things and decided there was no way those would ever be on my grocery list!! Oh well. Surprises can be fun.

 

Some poor little kids are having fever from allergies or whatever. It reminds me that just because the old woman is feeling SO much better, she does not need to try to do everything on her list today. But it is pretty much done, so there! Unloaded the grit and oyster shell and spread it where it will be used by the hens. The grit was not really necessary since this ol’ hill is covered in tiny rocks, but the oyster shell will help to keep their egg shells strong. Placing the stepping stones around the side of the coops will keep my shoes from getting filthy—maybe. Also, by cleaning out the drainage pipe that Jerry Hobbs put in for me, the “dirty lake” residue might not accumulate in front of the coop door. Here’s hoping.

 

Was thinking about Mother’s and Father’s Day last night. You realize, of course, that these days are like made up occasions that make some folks feel less than and others just feel as if they “deserve” a special day. Well, just for the time being, let me expound on “special” days. EACH of my days is special to me. God has given me days that are so important simply because my eyes opened, my body was able to leave the bed, and my appreciation for life is renewed each morning. We might have dogs’ days, cat days, horse days, or any other number of days, but truly, one day is given to us to look up and see what is the most special thing about each of those days—love. Just pure dee ol’ love. Love my daughters, sons, grands, and critters. Love my friends, neighbors, grocers, mailman, and even the UPS and FedEx men and women! Dadgumit! God makes every one of those folks special and worth celebrating. Oh, yes, if we are going to celebrate, don’t forget those sweet cluckers out in the yard! Anyway, the point of this diatribe is that one day is not that important in the greater scheme of things if one has to say, “No, I was not someone’s Valentine.”

 

Talked to a person last night who has taken steroids and felt so much better for up to six months after the doses were done. He said he went on a Twinkies binge. Let’s hope the old woman has more restraint than to attempt Twinkie-cide, but honestly, have had an appetite this past week that came screaming out of the blue! Bought some fruit and more veggies and veggie dips to keep my mouth and appetite busy this week. When the new upper plate starts fitting this week, let’s hope it does not decide to chew its way through everything in the house!

 

Think this is going to be a good evening to sit and read a good book. Downloaded a series of “stone” books that deal with legends and myths from Ireland. It seems so much of that kind of thing has stayed in our history and perceptions. Thinking about the fact that Christ will return to a stone gate in Jerusalem in front of which has been created a cemetery—a total bad things to those who believe that one should not touch the dead. Christ is so much more than stones, graves, and beliefs in the traditions of mankind. We are so very blessed to have already been told what He plans to do and how He will do it. May this encourage us to live our lives with His example constantly before us.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Learning Every Day!

 Learning Every Day!

 

Lance was listening to me on the phone and heard the music in the background. It’s not like Christmas music is my favorite or anything, but Jacqui Lawson’s Advent Calendar has lots of neat games that sometimes work—still can’t figure out a couple of three of them! Anyway, that is the music it has in the background that is soft, classical, and easy to listen to. Anyway, Lance sent me an invitation to some kind of family sharing music, so right now Elvis is on my phone. How’s that for a way to enjoy music!

 

Cleaned some more out in the hen coops and spread plastic sheeting under the middle coop roosts. Got everything pretty much to suit me and looked down at my clothes. Wow! Talk about nasty! Took my dirty body inside and threw clothes and two pair of sneakers in the washer. The clothes are dry, folded and put away, but the sneakers are in there in the dryer thumping up a storm. Managed to wash one of my favorite knives because someone did not bother to check her pockets. Can’t imagine who would do something like that!

 

Thinking about writing letters made me remember what my grandmother used to do. She would send my kids a card in the mail for just about any reason and write a silly poem in there just for that child. It might be something simple: Love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck! But the entire idea was to have THAT child receive his or her own mail with their name on the envelope. That was pretty special to them. Jennifer reminded me this morning that one entire generation of children do not know how to read or write in cursive. That is just so very sad. She had reason to send a young woman from work the other day to the store to pick up some supplies for the birthday dinner they had at work. She looked up at the young woman and asked, “Do you read cursive.” She did, but it was something she learned on her own. According to Jenn, they have started teaching cursive again, but it made me wonder the other night when this man (on FB) was asking questions to random people about the U.S. and other things. None of the people he talked to could tell time by an analog clock; they had no idea how many states we have, how many stars are on the U.S. flag, what the capital of the U.S. is, or some other things like the number of continents [where is Oceania?] or even the number of eggs in a dozen! We talked about how confused we were as children when someone said that half past five was 5:30 or a quarter to two was 1:45. She said that the quarter thing always made her think of twenty-five. Then we talked about the four corners of the compass. She said she feels we live west of Ft. Worth, not so much north. Oh well. We had to give directions according to where stores were once upon a time. Directions can be confusing. Now, how did this start off by making me think about writing letters? Well, my young neighbor received his very own mail this morning in a package with his name on it. He got a happy surprise because he has promised to do some work in my yard with me while the ground is soft enough to pull some weeds out. He is young and can move around without hurting. Those days are pretty much long past for the old woman. Sigh. And no, it was not a letter, but the same principle applied.

 

Each day brings its own surprises to me. For instance, once before my amaryllis plant has had bulby things on top that contained some kind of seed. This year the old woman plans to dry those seeds a bit and see if they sprout when planted in a container. Who knows? Maybe an amaryllis can grow from seeds as well as from bulbs.

 

Only one more steroid pill for in the morning. Have not decided whether to borrow a cup of milk from Patty or go driving up to United with the oyster shell and grit in the back of the truck. Just really don’t want to drive anywhere right now. Lazy. Borrowed the milk from Patty!

 

We were sitting out there on Patty’s patio talking about what is scheduled for this week: dentist on Monday for her; Tuesday the mowers will be here again, then doctor on Wednesday for her; dentist on Thursday noon for me and a class meeting on Thursday afternoon at Pioneer. Her birthday is Friday. Guess we will have to decide how we want to celebrate. Not much going on in my brain about birthdays since my gifts have already been sent for the month of May. Hope Jennifer’s boys and Gary remember her on the 17^th of this month. She is planning on being with me on Mother’s Day! Yay! If your mom is still with you in this world, don’t forget to do something sweet for her—even just a phone call or a note.

 

God has blessed us SO very much. We have mostly peace and safety, clean, good tasting water, food, shelter, clothes, and friends and family. Let us be grateful and praise His name! All the problems in this world will pass away, but His love will be with us always.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 

 

The Difficulty of Choices.

 The Difficulty of Choices.

 

Emerson said once upon a time that we are not here to make ourselves happy. We are here to serve others. Yet, all things considered, we have to be our OWN selves despite what goes on around us or the expectations of society. Attempting to be a moral person who can be counted on for the right responses to the problems in life is not always the easiest route through our lives. Today, a man known to me asked if someone could just assure him that he was not as bad a person as some seemed to think simply because he did not respond to them as they wished. Hello, we have to have a reasonable approach to life—our own as well as that of others. In my own case—with which it should seem familiarity would be simpler—getting busy doing something rather than sitting around frowning and grumbling about my lot in life would make more sense and provide some measure of a sense of accomplishment. It does not matter if it is cleaning out a chicken coop or mopping up the repeated dog prints on the living room floor. Getting something attempted and maybe even accomplished is much more satisfying than being concerned about what others might think of me! WHY should anyone’s opinion of me change my way of thinking or acting? Social pressures are always around in one way or another—how we portray ourselves in public has a very decided affect on us and on others. If it is easy to make me cringe at what you think of me, then my strength is not within my own character. Once a professor said that America’s downfall was its sense of individuality. Nope, that was so much male bovine excretia. That sense and determination toward individuality allows growth in a nation, in a family, in a person. We must realize a higher calling to the laws of God, to the moral compass that gives us reason for empathy and compassion. But we cannot let the opinions of this crazy society warp our instincts for survival. We have to get up off our backsides and do what we can, first for ourselves—the bootstrap approach—and then for others. We have choices to make. We can let ourselves fear all that is around us, or we can be determined to survive and even thrive. What we can be is an example to others. So, if one finds the “poor me” attitude sticking too close to one’s life, it is time to make a choice. Live life with a determination that can inspire others. Otherwise, what is the point?

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Mopping Floors!

 Mopping Floors!

 

When floors are first dust mopped and then all the dog prints show up, it is time to do something with some cleaner and a wet mop—then watch the dog prints REAPPEAR!! Totally love these two critters and could not enjoy life as much without them, but at times it amazes me that Sylvia can find each pile of dust swept up to walk back through on her way to wherever. Just finished wet mopping the living room and turned around to see where she went. Yeppers. Tracked straight to her favorite couch.

 

The mowers were supposed to come today and don’t much think that they can because the big mower would bog down out there—muddy and totally wet. Would need water wings on that sucker! And the forecast is for more rain this weekend. Yes, we need more to fill up the lakes, but getting this grass mown is going to be interesting at this rate. May have to ask Brenda Jones if she can spare a couple of sheep. Or might have to ask Kim Rosenbaum if she has any critters that would graze this mess.

 

Had Cheerios for breakfast this morning so that the stupid steroid pills would not hurt my stomach. Then made hot tea to drink instead of coffee. So far, so good. At least the pain in my hip is not as bad. Still sore all over more than anywhere else, but as the neighbor would say, “You need to behave yourself!” Kinda hard to do, but not totally impossible. Just need to clean out the hen coops either today or tomorrow. It only takes a little bit of time and effort, but it still wears me out rather quickly. The hens are very productive in that department. Having put down boards to catch most of the litter in the front coop has helped, but the floor still needs to be raked and scooped, then the results dumped. Such fun. The middle coop is totally different as for the scooping because it is from a shelf right under their roosts. It has a board around the edges to keep stuff off the floor, so that means it has to be scooped with a dust pan or whatever and then restocked with either DE or some cat litter. Out of cat litter, so DE will be the choice today. Deep sigh. Always something to keep me busy.

 

Talked to a former student who became a friend. She is in Kansas and said they are about floating. She orders all her groceries and stuff delivered anyway, so it is easy for her. But she said she does not get enough exercise. Can understand that since she really does not have a reason to get outside like the old woman does. It is not my idea of a perfect situation, but we do what we have to do in life. She has decided to do some kind of inside walking program. Online for Kindle was a regular stretch from a chair book type thing that got downloaded here. Still have not opened it. Judie Brunson reminded me that we are not “allowed” any BLTs—bends, lifts, or twists. The back doctor told me no twists, but have been bending forever and don’t think that will change. Maybe her back surgery was different. Mine took out something and lifted something in the same area, so it is put back together with some fittings. Go figure. Think it is wonderful that God gave us the means to take care of these crazy things that our body does.

 

Carla Beard asked a question about comparing the demonstrations of the Vietnam War with the demonstrations on campus today. Read that most of the organizers and many of the protestors were not even students today. My question was why would we not protest that the surrounding countries around Israel would not allow even one refugee inside THEIR country yet condemn Israel for killing the Hamas members who swear to wipe the Jews from the face of the earth! The largest part of the Hamas high command is in the last spot that has not been bombed. Yes, of course, Palestinians are huddled there, too. They are the shield against the actions of Israel. Hamas has always considered human life as expendable. Many of the things being done today remind me of what happened in Germany during WWII. Folks should be aware of history and what is really happening before we repeat the same mistakes! Our news outlets may not be working for Satan on purpose—or even with understanding—but our people are allowing themselves to be brainwashed with fodder about Israel. Wars are about the most senseless things we have done, but it won’t stop with bombs and guns. We still have plenty of stones. Only God can change the hearts of mankind.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

More of that Green Stuff!

 More of that Green Stuff!

 

The mowers will be here tomorrow. SO very glad that they can get all this stuff looking good. Looked out to the east lots yesterday and saw something waving around closer to the fence and couldn’t figure out what it was. One of the hens had dug a foxhole and was out there kicking dirt all over the place, but she was pretty well hidden by the taller clover. As if foxholes are not enough! And today the old woman did at least two things to make her somewhat happier: Got a haircut! Then came into the office and shredded a bunch of stuff that needed to be tossed. Put that bag of shredded paper down inside the trash bin next to the barbecue pit that got dismantled—well, not entirely dismantled because some of the screws were tiny and totally rusted up. But got the bin across the street and ready to be dumped on Friday. So, between the mowers and the removal of the junk around here, some things have improved.

 

Got my tablecloth washed this morning and the table looks very bare. It amazes me how cluttered it can get just in a day’s time! Part of that is egg carton and egg basket, but still. Then the placemat for breakfast or whatever meal is next takes up some space. But considering that the table is six foot long, guess it makes a pretty good “flat file.” Just wish the flowered tablecloth would show up! Think it is hiding out! May just break down and order one online if something strikes my fancy. Nothing like something pretty to make one’s day!

 

Have three pairs of sneakers: white, pink, turquoise. Naturally the turquoise are my favorites—not just because of the color, but because they make my feet feel better after walking in them. Can’t tell you how many times they have gone in the washing machine, but finally had to send off for some turquoise laces. Kinda neat to find something the same color.

 

Isn’t it funny how some things can just make us happy even though the sounds and sights are pretty familiar? Walked out to check on the hens because Thelma was squawking rather loudly. No egg and no reason to squawk, but then in walking back toward the deck, a sweet little wren carried his song out and flicked his tail to let me know this is HIS territory, thank you very much! Love the way they claim spots as their own. The cardinal males do the same thing each year. Tried to show one to Patty the other day and told her to listen to his territory song. It took her a few minutes to see him and hear him, but it was just so amazing to me that she had never seen one or heard one. How strange this world is when we grow up in it and never really pay attention to the flowers, trees, or critters.

 

The pollen count is not exactly out of sight, but the mesquite trees are in full bloom! Not much telling what is floating around out there. And the extra water in the lake has the frogs croaking and singing their little hearts out! Guess we can expect another influx of birds soon to eat frogs—well, and water snakes that are hungry! Love what the extra rain has done except that we need to dump water out of flower pots and whatever holds a few drops of water for the dadgum mosquitoes! Two bites already! Argh!

 

The suggestion from Max Lucado today was about home. THIS is not our home. Our home will be where we can be sure that no one will ever have some horrible disease or have reason to shed tears. Some of us are not happy unless we have something to do. But just imagine if Jesus sat down with us and asked us what we would like to do with our talents. Carpenters, seamstresses, and every skill imaginable could find happiness here and now, but will we work in His kingdom? Some of the angels are our guardians. One is a herald. One will lead God’s people to Jerusalem. Maybe someday we will know what our home will be like for us. For now, we can be thankful for all His many blessings in this life. And whatever you put your hand to do, do it as to serve Him.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.