Oh, Rats!

I was out finishing up the yard this morning when I found 4 baby mice in a flower bed. Go ahead and call PETA 'cause those babies are DEAD! I cannot be a hatching ground for rats!! It's just not gonna happen. Deal with it!

I'm waiting.....

I'm just sure the Food Network is trying to contact me. Yes, I picked the blueberries. Yes, I made the cobbler. Yes, it is really, really good! I surprised even me!!

Still not finished!

I spent two hours trying to finish up the yard today in the heat of the day. I know....I know...I'm an idiot! I finished the mowing, but still did not quite finish the edging. I kept having to sit down to rest and cool off. Last year I had a tall fan in the garage that I would sit in front of, but it bit the dust over the winter in the attic. I think another one needs to be on my "to buy" list. Edging just kicks my butt and I have to stop a lot because my back hurts and my arms get tired, but I usually keep plugging along until I get it all done. That didn't happen today. The back yard didn't get edged yet. I'll do it tomorrow. I think I will go now to my brother's and pick some blueberries....maybe even make something good with them!!!

Damn it!

I have been mowing and when I got to the back yard, something was moving in the deep, deep grass ahead of the mower. I finally saw that it was a big rat and I thought he would go on under the fence and out into the field beyond the fence. He did not! He came right back toward my house, so I quit mowing and came in and closed the garage door. I do not want a rat in my garage!!! This mowing job is turning into 3 days. By the time I finish, I will need to start over again. That rat really made me mad. I haven't seen any since the winter time!!

I'm such a wuss!

I am weak as a kitten. Since I haven't hit a lick physically for two weeks due to illness and subsequent weakness from that, I am still too weak to mow the yard. Of course, 100% humidity isn't helping any, but I waited until after 6 P.M. and the sun was gone. I could not even finish the front yard. Tomorrow I will have to give it another shot and try to finish. Geeze, old age sucks!!

And it rained and rained and rained...

The weather man said last night that we had been in a sort of drought for 7 years meaning that we were under the yearly inches we should have each year. I believe the drought is over! It has not let up all day and I have been so very lazy....nothing but eating and sleeping!! I have kept the garage door down and never got out of my sleeping attire. When I lived in Texas and it rained all day, I would go to Barnes and Noble and read or go to a movie. There are several movies I want to see right now, but I was just too lazy.

WooHoo!!! WooHoo!!!

That's two woohoo's for two reasons. Big Brother 8 started tonight. I can't believe I have been watching that show for 8 seasons!!! Now I have something to look forward to on TV! Summer's pretty much suck for TV watching.

Reason #2 woohoo is that for the first time in many years, my cholesterol is in the normal range and not printed in BOLD FACE on the print out. It's 197, but I'll take that and avoid taking cholesterol meds. I have read and heard too much negative stuff about them. Even my triglycerides, which were 240 last time are down to 179. Unfortunately, my kidney numbers were all whacked out, but I was a very sick puppy when that blood was taken. I'm sure that's why and the doc thinks so too.

Done for another year!

I went to Mom's early to make the fried fruit tarts for her. It requires rolling out 20 biscuits and filling them with apricot stuff and frying them. Mom had already rolled out 20 biscuits for her chicken pie and it's just hard, labor intensive work. I told her that when she is gone those people are not getting chicken pie and tarts any more. I'm not making them!!! Actually, when the last few of that generation is gone, the tradition of a 4th of July reunion will probably die with them. The next generation (me) is just really not interested. I know I'm not!

Fireworks!

I fail to see the reason for fireworks that just make noise. Pretty fireworks are fun and I like them, but what is the point of just noise? They have already started here and to me it might as well be gun shots. It isn't even dark yet. I don't get it!!!!

Ooops!

I made my trek down to the farm to do some things that I knew needed to be done in the garden. Turns out my brother had already done everything. Found out my mom's sister was being taken to the hospital....just got back from seeing about her. Tonight is the community concert for the 4th of July. It is always awesome and I hope to make it there. I have to make potato salad tonight for the family reunion tomorrow. Tomorrow morning I will have to go help mom roll out the dough for her chicken pie and her fruit tarts that she always takes to the reunion. Those people go get her fruit tarts before they put anything else on their plates just to make sure they get one!! That's how good they are, but we don't make but 20!!! The race is on!!

Missed out!

Just as I finished the last bite of my turkey and tomato sandwich, my dad called and said dinner would be ready in 30 minutes. I told him I didn't know Mom was cooking today. Well, she wasn't, but my brother and sister-in-law had been at their house working...mowing and picking peas...so she started cooking. I just asked him yesterday if anything needed to be harvested today. I would have gone to help if I had known. I kind of still don't want to get overheated just yet because of how sick I was last week. I feel guilty when I don't get there to help Stewart and Carolyn. Keeping up with the chores on such a big place is not easy. I just stayed home and took a nap!!

Great weekend

I wish I had pictures to document last night and today, but my camera battery died. My "adopted" South Carolina family came through here on a business trip and spent the night with Grandma Beatty. I was thrilled to see them and loved sharing my new home with them for the night. Today Grandma Beatty was the Louisiana Southern cookin' grandma using all fresh veggies from our garden....peas, corn, cornbread, potatoes, and SWEET TEA. Nothing is more Southern than that. Denise will have lots of pictures. We went down to my mom and dad's and found a ripe watermelon for Megan. All is well! They are 'On the road again' (insert Willie Nelson here)!!!

Midnight Musings

Last night was a restless, sleepless night. My back was hurting in the kidney area and I was just sure that my infection was in the kidneys. It was so painful that I was seeing myself having to go to the hospital for IV antibiotics. Then I realized that I have NO hospital appropriate attire. Most times I was in the hospital, it involved surgery and only hospital gowns were needed. I sleep in boxer shorts and oversized t-shirts and I don't believe I own a robe. All this nonsense was running through my mind all night......thank goodness....it didn't come to pass!

Baby steps....

I am semi back among the living. The doc gave me a shot this morning that should knock out my infection. I feel better already, but I have to take meds for 10 days. Even my neighbor across the street called to see if I was OK. She saw my paper still in my yard today and she saw my brother mow my yard yesterday....that was the kicker! She knows I always mow my own yard!

I finally ate a few bites today of a roll and ham , 3 bites of watermelon and one half a real coke. My blood sugar shot up to 215!!! Infections do a huge number on blood sugars. Hopefully, tomorrow will be much better. I am tired of being sick and feeling crappy.

Same same same

The only way I can sit at this computer for a few minutes is because I took two asperins and got some relief. This is such a strange thing. The chills came back this afternoon and I ache all over, but I have nothing to blame it on....sore throat...no nothing. I finally took my temperature this afternoon and it was 100.4. For me that is significant because my usual temp is not 98.6, but always lower. Just a slight rise in temp can make me feel bad. Once again I have turned off the AC and fans and wrapped in a blanket. I have not eaten anything in the last 27 hours but 6 crackers, a banana and some cokes. I just do not understand what is causing this. I do know that it has happened before, but didn't last long and left just like it came!! One clue was that my blood sugar was 148 when I got up this morning. It's never that high unless I am sick or forgot to take my meds the night before. I think I took my meds, but I'm not sure. Boo... I hate feeling bad, especially for no damn reason!!!

Weird stuff

Since I got home at 12:30 today, I have been having chills....one constant full body chill! I turned off the AC and the fans and got wrapped up in a blanket. I don't know what's going on. If I had gotten really hot today, I would have known that it was heat stroke...but I did not get too hot. It finally ended about 7 tonight, but I still do not have any desire to eat anything. Really WEIRD!

Farmer's in the dell.....that's me!

I went to the garden today because we have more corn ready to harvest. I harvested a lot while my brother and sister-in-law were each on riding lawnmowers grooming the yard. Then they picked even more. We shucked, silked and bagged about 100 ears of sweet corn. This is corn we cook on the cob. It's so sweet and delicious like candy!!

Just Sayin'...

If you have crusty, dirty, cracked, ugly feet, DO NOT WEAR SANDALS! And if you are stupid enough to wear sandals, do not put your feet up on the table in the middle of the reading chairs in Barnes and Noble!!! I just might have indulged a little too much on the buffet at Chef Lee's and could blow chunks at any moment. Just sayin'!!!!

Done Deal!!

I spent all day getting the proper documents for my passport application, but it's done now. It will take about 3 months to get it, but I don't plan on leaving the good ole U.S. of A. anyway. I like it here, but now to even go on a cruise to the Carribean a passport is required.

When I got home, I had a message that my neighbor who is supposed to be on vacation was home and in the hospital. She was on a bus trip up into Vancouver, but got some kind of intestinal infection and became dehydrated. She flew home from Vancouver. I just went to see her. I told her she needs to park her butt in Minden and stay there because the last time she left and went to New Hampshire to see her sister, the same thing happened.

Crap

Edited to add: FINALLY!

Once again my post won't publish. WTH! Just adds to my frustration!

Jumping through HOOPS!!

I am trying to get a passport and it is very frustrating. Today I had all the paperwork completed and went to get the photo taken. Unfortunately, my birth certificate does not have an embossed seal on it. I told that lady they probably didn't have embossed seals that many years ago! She assured me they did. I had to go to a clerk of court office in another town only to find out that I couldn't get what I needed there, but I am in the system. I will have to go to Shreveport to get what I need. I guess I'll do that tomorrow. I have never had a passport, but now one is essential to travel almost anywhere.

I also went to the Altell office here to make an attempt to let go of my last symbol of Texas, my cell phone number. The office is about as big as a postage stamp and there were people waiting in line......mmmmmmNO! Not gonna do it!!!

Then I went to Mom and Dad's to take something to her she needed from Wal Mart. When I got there, they were all dressed up and waiting for my brother to come get them. Turns out a friend of mine from high school lost her mother and they were going to the funeral home. I didn't know she had died, so I had to go home and change clothes to make an appearance at the funeral home.

When God Winks

This is the title of a book that basically says there is no such thing as a coincidence. I totally believe this. Today was yet another example of it in my life. I spent the morning at our garden picking beans and using up two tanks of Round Up. Of course, Mom cooked lunch. Peas, corn on the cob, corn bread, new potatoes, tomatoes and peaches with ice cream. Don't hate! I came home knowing that at some point today Mom and Dad were coming to Wal Mart for groceries. They didn't call me to come help, but at one point something told me to go to Wal Mart and see if they were there. I found their car in the parking lot, so I went in. I found them way in the back and Mom had sweat dripping off her face. That is an indication of low blood sugar unless she is just hot. It's not hot in Wal Mart, so I asked if she was having a low blood sugar. She always says no, but one of the symptoms is an addled brain. She does not realize she is having one. I immediately went and grabbed a coke for her and she got alright. I still had to have her go sit down while I checked out her groceries and put them in the car for her. Coincidence? I think not! She could have passed smooth out. Dad doesn't have a clue. He never knows if she is having a blood sugar issue. Good thing I showed up!!!

Fun Day

My mom is a member of a Homemakers' Club. Today they had their annual fund raiser and salad luncheon. My mom cooks a black walnut pound cake every year for the silent auction and EVERYONE wants that cake. I bought only 5 chances ($5) and put them all on her cake and I WON it. One lady there was giving me a hard time and told me I couldn't win my mom's cake. She was kidding, of course, but she really wanted that cake. I offered to cut it and give her some of it, but she wouldn't let me. I cut it and left some of it at Mom and Dad's and then took some of it to my aunt at the assisted living home. My original plans for the day were to go pick peas and beans, but I ditched it all and went with Mom. It was the best decision. I should go as many places as I can with her because I know they are numbered.

What!!! Why!!!!

My post yesterday about Father's Day will not post!!! It shows that it is posted, but it is not. I have tried several times. Never had this happen.

Father's Day

I went to my dad's church today to be with him and he wasn't even there. He was home with a nosebleed. He has had two of those lately and he attributes it to medication. He thinks he's on too much and I do, too. I told him today that at 85 years old, I wouldn't care if he stopped taking all of it. Usually people who do that feel better. He agrees with me and he may just stop taking it all!! I certainly wouldn't blame him. I cannot say the same for Mom because she must take insulin and her heart medication. She has had at least two heart attacks and a triple by-pass. He has had a triple by-pass, but no heart attacks.

Cochon de Lait

Today I went to my second Cochon de Lait that is put on by the Mardi Gras Krewe that I joined. Last year I went as a paying guest, but this year it was included in my dues. We had a golf tournament as a fund raiser and all the paid golfers got to eat the roast pig as a part of their entry fee. Wow! We really had a good turn out for a first time event. I think everyone got to eat pig, but there was not a morsel left. I had been driving the beverage cart since 3 P.M. so I was tired, hungry, hot and had a few beers before the Cochon de Lait. That explains why I am home early!!

I spent the morning at Dad's digging potatoes, so I was tired before I even went there. It was fun, but I still know very few people.

Some days.....

Some days are made to just do nothing. Today was one of those days for me. We had over 4 inches of rain since last night and most of it was today, so that just dictated to me that I should stay in jammies and stay home. I did that until I absolutely had to get out and go get some stuff at the grocery store to take to Mom. I slept a lot which means I probably won't sleep tonight. I hate when that happens!

Behold the caladiums!

2007

2006

The caladiums look very much the same in the pictures, but they do not in person. This year's variety is much bigger and pinker. The biggest difference is all the other plants in the front yard. They are WAY bigger and I just finished cutting all the azaleas and others back. I don't want them against the house or covering the windows.

Ho Hum!

For some strange reason, I have been waking up and getting up really early the last couple of days. This morning it was 6. All I can think about is ALL those mornings when I HAD to go to work that I would have loved to sleep in. Yesterday morning, after I discovered that the grass was not wet, I went ahead and mowed the lawn really early when the heat was not as bad. That will be the plan for the rest of the summer because it really was easier to do then. There seems to be very few mornings that the grass is not wet with dew. I cannot mow it that way. It is just too hard. I've decided that there will come a time when I will have to buy a riding lawn mower or pay someone to do the yard. I do realize that one can purchase smaller riding lawn mowers than we have at Dad's. I seriously doubt that I could find anyone who could do my yard just like I want it done. I am very anal about it. It has to be exactly right!!

Back to NORMAL!

And NORMAL for me is working too hard, getting too hot, and generally just used up!! My sister-in-law called me and told me they had picked two rows of corn and left the other two for me. I went and picked the corn, got it all off the cobs and froze it. Some for me and some for Mom. Then I found out that she (Mom) had picked some green beans this morning. She should not be doing that because it is just too hot and she has to bend over and the ground is very uneven. She puts her walker over the row and holds on to it with one hand and picks with the other. There is no bean on Earth worth her doing that, so I went out in the heat of the day to pick beans. Even I didn't get through because of the oppressive heat. I told her I would come back tomorrow and finish picking them, but I bet she will go out and try to pick some more. That's just the way she rolls!!

The topper to all this is that I am sitting here drinking a C2 coke. Yes, my very favorite and it is in a freezer mug and the coke is all frozen like an icee. It is delicious!! I was so happy to learn that they do still make these drinks, but they are not available anywhere near me. I brought a bunch back from the east coast where they are abundant. My day will be complete once I get a nice shower and some corn and tomatoes on my dinner plate. Life is good!

I'm a sucker!

I don't even know why I bought this ridiculous picture!

I have always wanted to see Graceland and when I looked at the map while I was in Birmingham, I saw that it was not far to Memphis. That's all it took for me to take off on a tangent. Side trips are something I always like to do on a spur of the moment because if I think about it too long, I would probably just not go!

Cool kids!

I'm Back!

But I am very tired, so posts on my trip will be later. I arrived home about 10:15 this morning and have already been to Mom and Dad's to eat fresh corn on the cob and tomatoes. EXCELLENT!

I came back expecting to have a load of yard work waiting for me. To my surprise, my yard has been mowed, edged and blown clean. My brother didn't do it, so it had to be my neighbor across the street who was watering things for me. I surely didn't expect him to mow my yard!! Great Neighbor! More later!I had a great trip, but I am always glad to be home. My butt was tired of all that sitting and driving for 2153 miles.

Buh-Bye!

Be Back Soon!
Time to go see the babies!

An OMEN????

Edited to add: There will be no possessions repossessed while I am away! The website is back up! Bills are paid.
I hope not! Today is the day that I was going to pay all the bills before leaving tomorrow on a little road trip. All my bill paying is done online. Logged in to "processing error"! Called them only to find out the system is DOWN! Oh NO! What do I do? Write a check and mail it by snail mail???? So archaic! If it isn't working by later on tonight, I guess that's exactly what I will do!! I'm so spoiled!!!

Daayum!

ROOT CANAL: $610.00!!!!!!

No Bugs!

Last year in May, a truck pulled up into my yard and started spraying around the foundation. I guess the builder had contracted with them to do that. They told me that for $150 they would come back in a year. Well, today they came back, looked around inside and outside, didn't spray anything, didn't see any signs of bugs, got another $150 and will be back in a year unless I need them before. WTH!

Remembering with thanks....

Bounce back????

Today was the first day that I went anywhere except to the dentist office. I had just a few errands to run....all right here in town. I am totally exhausted. Just a few days of inactivity does a number on my old body these days. I still have some risidual pain, but aspirins seem to do the trick on it. I really don't like taking those pain pills.....unlike my younger days when I would take one for NO reason!!! :)

Day ONE!

Construction started big time on the new road behind my house. Yesterday morning this was a field full of mice. I'm glad to see the road begin and the mice gone somewhere else. I know it's their home, so I don't want to hear from any tree huggers. Leave me alone. I don't care!The top picture shows my house.

Bluebird Taj Mahal

If my bluebirds don't come back for this, then they are just too dumb to belong in my yard. My cousin's husband made this for me and put it in the yard for me. It cannot be near a fence or a bush because predators smell the eggs or the babies and do everything in their power to get at them. The main predators are raccoons and black snakes. The stove pipe around the pole will prevent a snake from getting them and the screen around the hole (bluebird front porch) is long enough that even a raccoon's long arm could not reach the babies even if he were able to get up the pole. There is a door on the side that I can open to see about the babies and clean out the old nest. How cool is this!!!

What a difference a day makes!

Edited to add: I burned the cabbage and have since had to take a pain pill!!

I feel so much better today and have very little pain. I don't want to get overly optimistic because it sets me up for disappointment when the pain returns. I am even cooking lunch today. I met a man at church Sunday who lives down the road from me and I commented on his beautiful garden. Today he brought me a bucket full of squash, so I am cooking squash, cabbage, new potatoes and cornbread. There goes the five pounds I lost since my mouth has been hurting!!!

Construction has begun on the street behind my house. I saw the surveyors out yesterday and at 7 this morning, I heard the big earth moving machines. It will be interesting to watch. I have two friends who will be building behind me, so I am anxious, along with them, to get started on their homes.

More misery for me!

My excellent record of feeling really good for so long has been shattered. Today I had to go back to the dentist due to a most uncomfortable night that involved ice packs and pain pills. He took the packing out to make sure the pressure had not built up inside again. It drained a little, but not enough to warrant that much pain. I am trying to give the antibiotic long enough to clear up the infection, but the chance still remains that the tooth right next door will have to have a root canal as well. My pain should be much less by now, but the infection was raging, so it may take a while. Now I'm worried about this getting in the way of my upcoming road trip to Hilton Head. I sure hope not! Where is dental insurance when it's needed??? Not in my name!!

ouch...AGAIN!

I was able to see my dentist this morning. I have an abscessed tooth...maybe even two teeth next to each other are affected. He did the first session of a root canal. Unfortunately, my mouth still hurts just as bad as it did before I went. He prescribed me some oxycodone, which doesn't seem to be helping much. This is all new to me as I have never had a root canal. I don't like it!!! I have already called to see if it should be still hurting as bad as it does. They said yes, it could because of all the disturbing that was done down in the root canal. If it doesn't calm down by tomorrow, I am to go back in. It is only temporarily closed now and pressure could build up again, but he said it wasn't draining much when he closed it up after cleaning it out and putting in antibiotic. Everyone is different, so anything could happen.

I was supposed to get a perm at 1:00 today. That didn't happen because I just couldn't. At that time the anesthetic was just dying off and I was just DYING!!!

Recap

Due to the abundance of drugs I am on, I couldn't manage to do much but lie around until 1:00. My mom told me that my friend was bringing Dad a truck load of compost, so I managed to shower and go by Wal Mart to get a few things for Mom and go on to their house. Tonight we went out for catfish. I did manage to eat even though my mouth still hurts bad. I took a pain pill before I went. Now I am home waiting for my cousin from Virginia to bring me a real bluebird house on a pole that critters can't get in and eat the babies. She and her husband drove their truck from Virginia because last month when they were here, they bought a boat. Now they have to pull it with their truck back to Virginia rather than pay $5,000 to have it delivered. Since they were in their truck, they brought me a beautiful, high class Taj Mahal for my bluebirds. Now I hope my birds will come back. They left when I took down their house. Can't say as I blame them, but I couldn't stand to watch more babies hatch only to have something eat them!!! I'm just SOFT that way.

OUCH!

Something is going on in my mouth that hurts like hell. I had no cavities when I went to the dentist a couple of months ago, so I don't know what's going on. For four days, I have been taking aspirins for pain, but last night the aspirins were not working. I looked around the cabinets and found vicodin. I don't like to take that, but I cut one in two and took it. It helped, but it didn't last. Sometime during the night I had to take the other half. I'm trying to hold out until Monday to call my new dentist.