Attitudes.

I was in line.  You know, the too few clerks for the amount of customers, so queue up thing. 

I was bored.  I read a bit on my phone, but really don't like to get too engrossed, as I have found when I read, book, phone, heck, cereal box, I tend to not pay attention to what I should be doing.

I people watched for a bit.  The line crept forward.  I saw a little one, and waved.  She didn't want ANYTHING to do with me, and hid her face.  A couple more tries, and I gave up.  I think someone needed a nap. 

I am sure the little one did, too...

Looked at the ads.  Yeah, not going to be buying any of THAT stuff.  Hey, that's interesting... Oh, doesn't work with my stuff, sigh... Not going to buy a whole new set up, just so I can get it, poop on that! 

Did the line move?

YES! 

Ah, and these two are together!  Oh, crapitz.  They are trying to set up something. New customers?  Oh, how long is this going to take?  Grumble.  I look out at the weather.  It's weather-ing.  Nothing special.  At least it's not hot, or humid. 

That's when I click.  I am being a grump.  And I have been trying to be mindful of it. Not always successfully, probably much less than I should be, by a lot, but I do try to not snarl and bite folks, at any rate.

So.  A bit of situational awareness.  Doing fairly well, except that my feet are a bit sore.  Ah, stop focusing on the bad.  Hey, getting things finished quickly, mostly, it's rather pleasant in here, no ear bleed level music... Sounds like the couple are opening a new store. Hmm.  Close by, and sounds like something I might enjoy. 

Ah, the line moves again.

Don't have much to do here, just bill pay.  Check the bill, oh, good, this will be quick, have all the stuff I need... 

Huh, that woman has a pretty set of earrings.  I don't wear earrings, but I think it's fun to see all the different kinds...

And... Hi, can I help you? 

I actually can smile, yep, yes you can.

And my feet didn't hurt too much after, either!

OOOOH, Spookity stuff! Hee hee hee...

So it is Friday the 13th.  I happen to be one that has BETTER luck on this day.  All (physco)logical, I am sure, but so be it.

But on top of that, there is a full moon. 

Oh, how tempting to go out and howl, and see if I can get all the local dogs to start up. 

Too bad I am a good neighbor... And people would 99% be sure it's me, because most assume I am a wee bit more than a half bubble off plumb anyway, what with hanging out looking at the sky all the time...

Meh.  Enjoy your day, and may your luck be GOOD!!

(But you know, watch out for black cats and ladders, that sort of thing. Hee...)

The Turkey Bombers!

We have several flocks of turkeys that wander around here.  I don't really pay them much mind anymore, they do the "OOOOH, APPLES" or "OOOH, ACORNS" and I try not to bother them much.

Some of the rafters are more easily spooked than others, however...

This I found out when I went out earlier than usual to open the chicken house.  It wasn't dark, but it was that odd gloom between night and sunrise, which was accentuated by heavy, dark rain clouds. I walked out under the oak tree by our door, and heard some odd noises.  Kept walking, it's not unusual to have any kind of critter making noise early like that.  It's more normal for the quiet of the night to hear crickets, frogs, occasional owls, but animal sounds are no big deal.

As I was walking, I noticed the pathway was strewn with poo.  Oh, terrific.  I skipped around the land mines, needing to finish what I was doing so I could go to work.  I walked out, opened the chicken house, and fed.

Then I walked back to the house.

Whereupon, someone spooked! 

FLAFF FLAP FLAP CRASH, (Tink, crunch, rattle), SMUNK, SKRICK! SKRICK! SKRICK!

Basically, the first one dove off the branch, which then hit another branch, startling the next bird, who also took off, giving off an alarm call, whereupon they ALL took off, in different directions.  If that wasn't exciting enough, the tree is loaded with acorns, and as each one launched, they let down a hail of acorns, and it sounded much like a typewriter on meth! I wasn't under the tree, so I saw this explosion of birds coming out of the leaves in every direction, and a rainfall of acorns below...  This all happened in about 5 to ten seconds, then they all landed, turned around, looked at me, and then almost looked disappointed, like "We got out of bed for this?" 

I walked back to the house, and the rafter re-formed, in our back yard, but I have a sneaking suspicion I might need to do some cleaning of the front walk. 

Again...

The junk drawer blog post.

Lots of little things, but didn't have enough to make a long post, so there might be a few little non sequiturs, but things that I can get onto the blog...

I guess the fiber we should be getting for the computer is SLOOOOOOOOWLY happening.  I had been under the impression it would be here by the time school started.   Um. No...

But...

It was about 90 or so, and humidity was hideous, when I went out.  There was a gent looking at the power poles, and he had a contract sign on the vehicle.  I asked what he was up to, and he told me he was finding out if the poles could handle another line, he thought it was BigGreenLogo company.  I said, well, we are supposed to get fiber from LittleLocalnet... He shrugged, well, uh, whoever it is, yes, that's what I am checking for.  I let him know about the two "oddball" lines near our property, he thanked me, and I went back in the house.  I pitied him needing to do that... But it does sound like they are working toward us having... Something! 

I had my Dad over the other day, and he was glancing over across the couch.  I asked what he was seeing, and he said it was my "eruption light" with a grin.  I think that's a cooler name than lava lamp, myself!  But I think the original probably has a better foothold...  :)

My cat Buzz did an odd thing.  This was intentional, as far as I can figure, but I've never seen a cat do it before.  I had been playing with her, and she must have wanted me to pet her belly. (That is the one cat that I have never seen object to a belly rub.  Most only tolerate, or in a few cases, try to tear off as many fingers as they can filet...)  Anyway, I was petting her neck, all the sudden, she dips her head, and does what I can only call a forward somersault, landing upside down on her back, where she then pulls my hand to her belly.  (Which is a hazard, for me, she has very, VERY sharp claws!) And after a VERY careful extraction of my hand, she did indeed want said rub...

It is the 10th, I believe, of September.  I have given up complaining about how early items for holidays show up in the stores.  But I came into the substation... And someone had decorated the front counter with Witches, candles, and all the nonce that would show Halloween.  Bleah.  I moved them to the side counter, I am sorry, October first, sure.  But geez, I find it just a bit early... Plus, I am not fond of spiders, which was also in the mix. Ick. Meh...

I have been working on changing my diet, no chocolate or Coke, as they trigger my Rosacea.  I am surprised.  The chocolate hasn't been much of a problem... But, boy, oh boy, it is really a nuisance, I have wanted a Coke, several times.  And having other sodas just doesn't quite cut it.  I must say, it's helped.  I think the "Flexitarian diet" that I have been on, has helped, too.  But sometimes, I just want a Coke and a bag of Cheetos.  But I don't.  Sigh.  

Ok, that's it for cleaning out the junk drawer...

Changing password. PITA...

Sooo, I was checking some of the security on my computer 'stuff', and realized I hadn't changed my password in some time. 

So, I decided to change my password from password to 12345678.*  Should be simple, right?

HA!

I start the change, realize I've not typed the password two times, so it has me go back.  Fine. 

Oh, now I need to do a second form of verification?  All right, phone, great.  Waiting.  No call...

And the thing times out, while I am scratching my head, wondering where the verification code is.
It shows up about 30 seconds later.  I have managed to get the silly thing locked up.   It wasn't even letting me put in the code.  Try in a few hours, it said.  Sigh.

So I wait.  Finally, it releases.  I *quickly* got the verification code, again.  And put it in.  So... Did it work?  ...

Yep!  More than a little chaos and confusion, but I now have a new password... Whew!





*
(Yeah, no.  That is a joke, and for anyone reading, PLEASE don't use either of those!!!)

Unholy Mole-y.

My new patio has been invaded.  There is a mole, vole, rodent digger, that has undermined the bricks, leaving big dirt piles, AND making the bricks unstable, as there is no dirt/sand under. 

To say I am not happy is an major understatement.  I want to let that rodent know that my Husband put that in, knock it off!

Husband was out trying to delete said rodent.  We thought he had, until I went out to water that evening.  A large lump 'o dirt, proving the little monster had managed to elude.

Buzz has been busy, but hasn't caught it either...  Snarl.

One of those things, I suppose.  I have had trouble with these things before, in my garden.  Stupid rodents are fond of worms and roots, and gee, what's in a garden? Pbbt.

I am not sure why they are invading the patio, unless it's because it's fresh dirt, and they are looking for lazy worms, or something...

So, here's hoping that said rodent finds out how good of a hunter Buzz is...  Or leaves.  Either one...

Long day...

My Husband and I had one of those sort of busy, get stuff taken care of mornings, and then had finally sat down to rest for a bit before dinner. 

He gets a phone call, and it's from his dad.  Husband's youngest brother is under EMT care, he is not responsive, and they are taking him to the hospital.

We just sat dumbfounded.  He was doing fine!  Dad and Mom-in-law were staying at his house!  GAH???

So. 

We waited, Brother in law is a state away, with Middle Brother and Dad.  We received word, this morning, Youngest Brother didn't make it. 

He wasn't much older than me, so there's that.  He was finally getting settled in, doing pretty well for himself, and working on hearth and home.  Having been there, I might add, quite a nice home.

Husband has been hit hard, obviously.  I am going to have to see what happens, he might have to do some travelling in the future. 

Just amazing how a normal day can go completely sideways, and kick you in the teeth sometimes...

Short armed, pickin', purple berry eater...

The berries are in full swing here.  I went out and picked, first, in the chicken yard, then in back of our  pole barn. 

The chickens were curious, as they usually are, when I am in the yard.  Then... I dropped a berry.  The race was on!  They do know what those are!  I made a point of picking (and tossing) a few berries as I went along.  I dropped a couple, too, that I hadn't intended to, but they didn't last long enough to worry about...  I use a #10 coffee can for picking, and it was nearly half full by the time I finished in the chicken area.  The chickens would have been quite happy to have me continue to pick, if I had kept up with the random tossing of fresh berries.

I went to the pole barn, and worked there.  I might bug Husband, depending on how much I get finished, that I would like a ladder.  I was able to finish off my can, but there were some lovely berries, just much higher than what I could reach.  I took the full can in, and started mashing berries for jelly/syrup.  Husband had been cleaning out the freezer for me, I have found that my hands just ache after I clean the freezer.  I use big mitts, but that makes it very hard to pick things up.  I had been asking Husband if he could get some of the jelly out of the freezer, when he picks up a big juice container I had in there. 

What's this?

I laughed.  It's berry juice I didn't get to last year.  So, I have two big bowls of berry juice.  One will be jelly, the other, blackberry syrup.  I really enjoy maple syrup, but this is a close second.  And it goes over ice cream well, too...

And the chickens?  They were given the "sludge" (the seeds and skins, etc., that were left after I mashed the berries), and they nearly were climbing over one another to get at the stuff!  I have to skim the top of the berry juice, and they will, once again, have a fine bit of feasting...

And boy, does it make the next time I clean the chicken house unique...

You know you are a yarnaholic when...

The In-Laws are here for a visit.  They were sitting, and I had just come back from helping with a volunteer project. 

We who do the stuff, are often volunteers for various groups.  That day was no exception.  I arrived, and one of the gals who helps out at the hospital, as well,  buttonholed me to show me some yarn.  Turns out, the hospital can't use wool yarn, and so she thought of me.  Read: having the yarn in a bag, handing it to me, THEN asking if I wanted it, and 'sweetening' the deal, by telling me the yarn was real Irish wool.  (This doesn't impress me as much as it should.  I bought some VERY expensive Irish wool one time, the gal had the gift of Blarney.  She told me it was the very best wool, and it would wash up wonderfully.  I think it was spun without being cleaned, it was incredibly scratchy, and didn't do much when washed but make the washer a mess.  I think it was the wool equivalent of Irish soccer hooligans... Her store didn't last long, either.)  But this was nice, and came with some lovely short wood needles, so I figure, fine!

So, I took it, and when I came home, I put the wool in the freezer.  This isn't nearly as crazy as it sounds.  Leaving it in the freezer kills any moth larvae, which hatch and make a giant mess of your wool.  I found out this the hard way.  So, after plopping it in, I go and sit, making chit chat with family. 

Without thinking of the repercussions, during a lull, I told Husband, "I put some yarn in the freezer."
He responded, "Good thing I just cleaned it out for you, huh?" 

Very rarely are my In-Laws at a loss for words.  They just looked at the two of us, mouths open, then shut, and with a look and shrug, they changed the subject.

YES!  My crazy yarn lady cred is intact!!!

Sheriff's spare.

Getting ready to go do the faire thing, again.  I will be helping a friend this year that lost his wife.  I think he should be okay, his kids will be there, (even the one who doesn't like faire all that well), and I think most of the faire folk will be within earshot, as he is a very popular, and cared for member of the event. 

So, to that end, I asked Husband to get the trailer out and I could do some cleaning, and basic packing, (things like blankets, clothes, stuff that can keep for a bit, and I don't have to drag out at the last minute.)  He said sure.  I told him I needed to clean out the drawers, cupboards, and the "trunk"*.  I mentioned that I would have to see what was IN the trunk, if anything was around the spare tire.  Husband looks up, and says, no, the tire isn't in there anymore. 

It's not?

Don't you remember? We took it out when we changed the tires, and I carry the spare in the truck that I bought from the Sheriff?

Guh?  Noooo...

Wait... 

Yeees, I do think I remember you saying something about that...  Husband had gone to the Great and Mighty Craigslist for a spare, and this gent had one.  He showed up, and had mentioned that he looked familiar, and the Sheriff chuckled and said that he got that a lot.  After introductions, Husband and Sheriff (he had retired) had a nice long chat, and he bought the tire.  (I suspect my husband could have a polite chat with dang near anyone.  Me?  If I have a purpose, like when I doing the receptionist gig, I am fine.  General polite chit chat? Not so easy...)

So, now my trailer has the "Case of the Sheriff's Spare", to go all Perry Mason...




* I call it the trunk, because it's in the back and the bottom of the trailer.  It's just a big containment area, that's accessible from the side, and the inside, of the trailer.  And, like a trunk, it has gobs of stuff to keep the trailer usable, from jacks, to containers for liquid...

Evil Bees... Well, not really...

Yellow jackets can be a problem in this area.  They are ground dwellers, and if you aren't careful, they will nest right where you walk.

 That, however isn't my problem.  This batch 'o bugs decided to nest in one of my raised beds.  I realized that  whenever I would go by the raised beds with the hay bales, I would see lots of yellow jackets.  Now, I was seeing lots of bees, and other insects, too, but lots of yellow jackets.

They don't, as far as I know, pollinate any flowers.  Hmm.  I looked, and finally sat on my new brick patio, (Thank you, Husband!), and just watched that bed.  Zip, out comes a 'jacket.  And again.  Zing, a 'jacket whizzes right past the pumpkin vine into the hay.

Urk.

I mentioned this to Husband, and said I would get rid of the things.  He trots out with some cleaner.
What are you doing?
I am going to get rid of the bugs for you...
NO,YOU ARE NOT.  That is in my garden, I do NOT want poisons in there!

After a bit of back and forth, we decided to use water to flush them out.  We have put the hose, running full blast, for long enough that the water is seeping between the boards of the raised bed, and forming a puddle by the patio. 

And yet.  And yet, they still are there.  Not as many, but I still see 'jackets when I go by.  This worries me, because they are docile now.  When it gets late fall, they get mean, and guess when I need to cut apart the bales?  But, there is only one bale I 'have' to cut, and they don't seem to be there.  So I shall continue to see if I can encourage them to go elsewhere, and keep an eye on if I will have neighbors with a bad attitude, come fall. 

Wish me luck!

The good, the bad, and the pizza face.

Called in a prescription.  Hmm.  Didn't go through.

Oops, it's expired.  Call the Doctor...  So, I did, and was told that I hadn't seen them in about 2 years,  (which they said, do not call us, we will make an appointment for you, but never did... Sigh) , so I could now have an appointment...

In January.  Yay.  So, making the best of the situation, Husband and I talked about if this stuff was doing me any good.  Yes, yes it is.  HOWEVER, we looked up the side effects.  I had been concerned about some strange things happening to me, and just chalked it up to getting older. 

But all of them, except one, (I won't bore you with graphic details, except that I had asked about sour gut, and no one put two and two together, including me...), were side effects of this drug.  And it had been getting more pronounced.  So, I have decided to quit taking it.  Which brings its own bit of challenge.  No more sour guts, but, I will have to work very hard to keep my face presentable. 

So, I have, MOSTLY for the presentable face part, and maybe a bit for losing weight, started making changes in my diet.  I found out some triggers, (only two things I enjoy, a LOT), Coke and chocolate.  I have managed to stay away from both, for about a week at this point.  That actually is saying something, because I am more than likely to have either one, nearly every day...  So, that's a start. 

And my "vampire strength" sunscreen.  It does work, just have to remember to put it on, EVERY day.  That, hasn't been as good a follow through.  I am the kind that doesn't wear makeup.  So, I will have to work on putting on the sunscreen after I brush my teeth, or some such, so I can do a bit better about it...

So, I venture out into the world of learning what I can, and can't do to make myself presentable.  Who knows, it might even work! 

Applesauce, for lazy people...

I love applesauce. 

Husband and I have a very different definition of that, however.  He likes the stuff that is finely done up, with no lumps.  I call that baby food, myself.  I like having it with a bit more cinnamon, and with chunks of apple.  He says that isn't applesauce, it's stewed apples.  He prefers that as a topping for ice cream, when hot from the stove. 

But, since I am making the stuff, I generally make the "stewed" kind.  I can't stand for long periods, and it was getting harder and harder to make the stuff, as the recipe called for stirring constantly, over a medium high heat. 

Now, remember, I have to pick and clean, then slice and prepare, before I ever venture into the cook part...  Not a poor little me thing, more of a I need to know my limits thing.  So, for my birthday, Mom and Dad picked up a mechanical peeler for me, so I can do more apples... (this thing attaches to the front of my mixer.  I haven't tried it, sounds so strange, but they make gobs of stuff for this machine...) 

And now I have found a crock pot recipe for applesauce.  I put the apples, sugar, and cinnamon in, start, and check on it occasionally, to stir.  And so I will be doing that, because last years turned out well.  I might even let it cook down to Husband's preferred consistency.  I have talked to Mom about borrowing her crock pot again. 

There is only one downside to making this stuff, for me.  I love applesauce, and the smell makes me hungry.  Let's just say, I find it hard to avoid sampling... Several times.  But I know it cooks down well, and if I would start early in the day, I *might* be able to make a couple batches in all the crock pots I can scare up. 

I guess I can be glad we have several outlets and lots of counter space!

Gratefulness.

So, I have started a little thing where I try and list 10 things I am grateful for each day. 

Oddly, I remember it starting because I read something to the effect that you should be grateful for so many things, what if they weren't there, because you weren't grateful for them?  Sort of way out there, philosophically... But I figure, yes, you can be happy for the big stuff, but how many daily things can I be happy for?  Little stuff.

Wow, it was... Not hard, exactly, but coming up with ten items can be sort of taxing.  Especially when you are trying to put NEW things in, not re-hashing the same items each day.  Not that it's a bad thing, I just figure, there is a lot to be thankful for, let's try and 'broaden the horizons'.

It started out with the biggies, I suppose, just to get started, good Husband, good family, good house, lovable pets, you know, the big things.  Then I started with, I am happy I am healthy.  Hmm.

That's general.  I am happy that... I can blink.  Geez, that's silly. 

Then I remembered something I'd seen on a show about Leprosy.  People lose the ability to blink, and then lose sight, because they eyeball dries out, so they have to be reminded, actually TAUGHT, to blink again. 

Ok, maybe not so silly. 

I am glad for... pillows.  Gah. 

But, wait, no, that's fair.  I have a chair that I love, but if I don't use a pillow, my legs fall asleep.  And it is NOT fun doing a near face plant into the table when you stand!

Blackberry bushes.  Invasive little nasty thorn covered things!

BUT... The berries.  After picking in the early morning, crushing, and then making jelly?  Yeah, that qualifies.

I am glad for spiders, NO I AM NOT. 

Sigh, well, the spiders in the garden have been really helpful, they have kept the nasty plant eating bugs down... Ok, yeah, I guess.  Begrudgingly...

Music, walking, seeing the neighbors go by, smell, colors, even just the fact the cats have whiskers... Really, they can be entertaining, just watching the twitches and wiggles... I suppose the cats would consider whiskers a bit more important than "twitches and wiggles", but it's my list.  And so on, and on, and on. 

I have learned, the little things can add up, too!

Hairball! No, wait. Worse!

I received a LOT of yarn from a friend who's spouse had recently died.  He had no use for it, and said he'd just chuck it in the burn pile if I didn't want it.  Avoiding such sacrilege, I came home with something like 6 or so boxes of yarn.

This is good.  Quite good.  Except they were stored... Not so well.  They were dusty, and some were covered with grit, among other things.  (We jokingly say it's back of the barn fresh...)  I really didn't want to have the stuff be in the craft room with all the dust. Huh.  So, wonder if I can wash them?  I start looking online, in a couple knitting forums, and find out, yep, they can be washed.  I figure, okay, I have a batch I will put into a couple pillow covers, and Voila, clean yarn.

Ahem.

Now begins the tale of one woman's decent into madness...

On the forum, there was a definite agreement that it COULD be done.  Several different methods were mentioned.  I decided that putting the skeins in a pillow case, and using safety pins, lock them in, and wash, and dry.  (There was some debate about whether they should be dried, some thought it would damage the yarn.  I don't happen to have the faintest idea about what you are supposed to do with the yarn once it's washed if you DON'T dry it!!)

So, I get my pillowcases, place several yarn skeins in, and close with pins.  Big pins.  Pins that could cause severe pain and puncture.  Of which I did at least twice, on two fingers.  With prodigious and creative epithets following.  Fortune would have it, I was alone in the house, except for Ding.  She did look a little oddly at me, and decided it was probably a good time to go in the other room...

I put the bags in the wash, along with a pillow, to balance the load out.  Wash.

Then I pull out the bags.  White puffs? Huh?  Oh, urk.  There was a hole in the pillow, and the washer quite literally beat the stuffing out of it.  So, remove stuffings that are all over the washer, the outside of the pillow, outside of the pillowcases...  And then note, one of the yarn skeins has come partway out of the pillowcase.  Stuff back in. 

Well, that wasn't great, but not as bad as I had feared.  Dry.

Then I take out the nice, clean, fresh smelling, OH MY GOODNESS WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED???!?!!!???

Where I had several nice skeins in the bags, I now had a large, colorful, amorphous mass.  A highly TANGLED amorphous mass. 

So, the next two days were carefully (for the most part, patience won out with one, and I just pulled it until it broke so I could finish) untangling, and rewinding or rolling up skeins.  I was not a happy camper.  Husband tried to tell me about a way that might prevent it happening again.  I have decided that I will indeed wash more yarn. (See, nutty as a fruitcake.)  The next one will be ONE skein per bag, and perhaps a victim loving Husband will pin the darn things shut...

5 more boxes to go...

 Whimper...

Family and meteors.

Mom and I were taking care of the weekly shopping Friday.  We'd just stopped for a bit, and were chatting about Parents-in-law coming up.  She asked if I knew when they'd be here.  I told her no, they were well on the way, about one state away, I thought, but not sure.

Mom pipes up, "They are probably here now!"

Tickity tick!  The phone let me know Husband had sent a text. 

Just met with parents, they are headed over to friends to stay. 

Uh.  Mom, do you know what the winning lottery numbers are?  

They have been over twice, once to just visit, and once to pick up the phone that was left... oops.  They intend to visit a few more times, and we have the proverbial fatted calf  ready.  If a fatted calf is pig ribs, with bbq sauce, and beans.  They have... very specific foods they like, so it's best to just get it and be done with it.

And in other things...

This morning was the primo for the Perseid meteor shower.  Husband woke me at about 4:30 ish.  I went out, and didn't turn off any of the lights, but just grabbed a chair and looked up.  There was several brilliant stripes of light, and a few little flicks, as well.  The moon is full, or nearly so, so early morning after moon set was a lot better.  I enjoyed most of it.  I was a bit sad not having Rudee dog snoring beside me, but Buzz realized I was outside.

!

Then realized I was sitting, and she could jump on my lap.

!!!**!!!!!!!!!!!***!!!!

I finally let her sit, after the "let's filet our way up a leg to get a seat".  She then decided to go round, and round, and walk up to my hair for a sniff.  So, a bit of a full Nelson was in order, so I could keep my person in one piece, as well as not having cat parts of various sorts in my face.  

No, she wasn't always looking at me... 

She settled right down, after I put her in a teddy bear hug, and she was purring while I watched the flashes.  It was very quiet, there was hardly a noise out, except for the neighbor's gate clicking in the breeze, occasionally, and the ever present ocean like sound of passing traffic from the road.  Then as time past, soon, cows started lowing a bit, the flap and noise from a flock of nearby turkeys, some horses started out pacing the fence nearby, looking for breakfast, and the wild birds started tuning up for the day.

Soon, the sun started rising, and the stars faded.  So, no more meteors, that I could tell.  So, then I rose, put down Buzz, who was getting a smidge fidgety by that point, and started my day. 

I was already up and about, so I opened the chicken house.  It was still pretty dark, and so ZOOOM, all the chickens see the light from the door opening, and run.  Welllll, one chicken was so intense on that, she didn't see/notice ME.  Poor thing did a face plant right into my shin.  She was okay, just dazed a bit, but she definitely seemed confused.  The oldsters were just not real enthused about the extra early wake up call, the youngsters were thrilled.  Both Mon Ami, and Jet Puff were crowing a bit, both, thankfully, are not loud birds.  I am actually surprised, Jet Puff has a nice crow, for a young bird.  Most adolescents have the "voice cracking" unsteady warble when they crow.  He just... Crows!  

I think there should be more meteors tonight.  If I am not comatose, I might have to get up and watch again. 

And have a blanket, or pad, or something for the cat.... Yeeks!

Princess and the pauper pusses.

(I suspect it would be hazardous to say that title three times fast... At least for anyone close by!)

Ding and Buzz have worked out an agreement, I think.  She of the fine and fancy (Ding) who still, I suspect, thinks she is a dog, has decided that Buzz is not a threat, and will even peek through the door and touch noses with Buzz. 

She of the rough and ready (Buzz), seems to consider her a goofy aside.  She will mew at Ding, give her a quick sniff, then walk to the food bowl, and ignore her.  Ding, thankfully, has no interest in Buzz's food, so that hasn't been an issue. 

We haven't been taking Ding outside as much, she has been acting spooked, and has become an Ace at getting loose from her lead.  I really think she needs a chip, she bolts, and I might as well have her tied with one strand of spider silk.  She will just slip the lead, and run.  So... No outside at the moment.  We do put a place for her to sit by an open, screened window, so she gets to see out, and she gets to 'say hi' to Buzz, but that's it.  Ding is terrified of the chickens, Buzz, she is cautious around them, but not scared.  I think she is more making sure they don't mistake her tail for a snack...

I tried, when it was very cold here, to bring Buzz in.  BIG mistake.  She cried, and ran straight to the door, and then flew outside, then turned and glared at me for the horrid thing I'd done... eep.  So, they will probably never be roommates.

So, the two of them seem to enjoy the specific niche that each is in, and I guess, that's the way it will be.  I really never thought I would have an indoor cat, (Husband has allergies, but he takes meds, and it is fine, so far, knock wood), but moreover, having two cats that are as soooo different from each other.  One is a cat's kitty, the other is a queen fluff of all she surveys.

And,  I love 'em both.  Leave it to me to get the yin and yang of the cat world, though...

Of mice, men, and plans.

Well, it's that season, when things slow down a bit, not much is happening, and so I made plans.

And that sound you hear is the Universe laughing so hard it wet itself...

Thought I would take Mom camping.  Dad had some problems, and so we delayed the trip.  I was going to do some personal camping, (read: I go out into the camper, stay in the back yard, and eat foods Husband doesn't like, read books, and binge watch Downton Abbey.  And work on the garden.  Probably in that order.)

So, we had a phone call.  We knew Husband's Dad and Mom in law had been talking about coming out.  So, it was his Dad.  Husband asked how it was going.  Dad in law pipes up, Oh, we're in Nebraska.

!!?!??!!!   !

Oh!  Well, I might still 'camp'.  But it will be a LOT shorter than I planned.  I believe, with the way the two of them drive, it wouldn't surprise me if they showed up at our house at, or before, Friday.  So, one day will be dedicated to making the table usable for several people, rather than an open concept office desk for the two of us.  Picking up the multiples of magazines I had set aside to read, too.  (Might just take those out to the "camp", and read them... Sometime?  Put them with the month's worth of newspapers I want to look through?  Gah...)

They have set up with a friend to have a place to stay nearby, so I don't have to worry too much about the accommodations, but I don't want to move things continually to give them a place to sit themselves, or their stuff, nor do I really want it to look like we had a tornado go through a paper mill before they visit...

I have food put back, so we shall have something that they can eat when they show up.  I have a few other things I need to make sure are taken care of.  Husband has a new hearing aid he needs adjusted, before they show.  I think that we will have enough things to entertain and amuse for a bit, they love to go and visit friends...  (Ok, except for the sort of sad comment, we asked if they were going to visit some friends in a nearby state, they said, no, they had all died, so there was no sense stopping.  With age comes wisdom, but it still sucks, from time to time...)

So, when Dad gets all his stuff and doings worked out, Husband's hearing is up to snuff, the in-laws are settled and doing well, and I get through any more surprises, we'll go do the camping thing.

Why, oh, why am I hearing that dang laughing again???

A.I. communication...

I found out my car, the little electric one, can talk to me, somewhat like a millennial, through emoji...

I had all out to my car, and thought Husband had grabbed my purse and put it in the car.  I sat down, ready to leave, and pushed the starter button. 

The car gives a small buzz, then an image of a key pops up.  "No Key Detected".  Huh.

Look in the back.  Yep, no purse, ergo, no key.

I look back up front, in time to see an image of the key I should have, and a picture of the button to start the car.

Is it bad when you think your car is trying to wise off to you? 

Oddly, it also sends code for various things.  Door is open?  An "H". (dit dit dit dit.)
Lights on? A "T".  (daaaaaaaah. It's a long t.)
There are two or three others, enough that I wonder if someone was a ham with a sense of humor.  The most common letters I hear are  S, T, H, I.  And without too much imagination, you can see what that word is... 

It also has little tree 'emojis' to tell me how far I've traveled saving fuel.  Some red and yellow warning triangles. (Mostly 'the put on your seat belt' thing...)

So, it's a rather chatty little thing.  All I can think of is if they would actually get a voice on her...

Oh, wait.  She DOES have a voice... Literally, she tells me verbally when the battery is low, and inquires if I would like to find a battery charging station.  She also tells turn by turn directions if I use a map... Along with a DING about a half mile before the turn.

So, it looks like she is actually a bit more aware and polite than many PEOPLE that I know. 

On occasion, including myself...

I haven't taken to calling her Hal. 

Yet...

Hallie?

Maybe...  :)

The Hulk of veggies. Among other things...

I am finally feeling that MOST of my vegetables will do okay.  The beans, meh.  The corn, maybe, they are growing, some, and trying to tassle.  The tomatoes, they are starting to produce, and looking pretty good, if a bit more leaf than flower. 

The crookneck and Zukes, they are doing well, except for one plant, that I think might have been planted in a bad spot or something.  It wilts... Almost every day. 

I water, and it perks up... To wilt again soon after. 

Huh.  I haven't worked out what's wrong, but it seems to be struggling along...

The watermelons are starting to produce, I have one the size of, oh, a golf ball, or a bit bigger, with a few more coming on...  The potatoes seem to be full and lush, so we shall see what goes on under, later. 

Then there is the pumpkin... 

I ordered a ghost pumpkin seed packet.  These come out white on the outside, so I could put a ghost up on the fence, or what have you.  Just a 'for fun' type thing.  I planted it in one of the hay bales.

I now have these leaves from that pumpkin, that are the size of elephant ears!  The silly thing isn't even that big yet, and the vine is taking over the area!  I keep it away from the rest, but it's humongous!  And I see some starts of pumpkins...  I keep wondering if they made a boo boo, and sent one of the Dill's Atlantic Giant, or Big Max, or some such, instead?  But they won't have time to be a monster size, they only have a few months left to gain momentum...

But, then, I don't think Audrey, from Little Shop of Horrors was all that large, either, to begin with...

:)