April 24, 2020 - Msg 114291: FOR GF! :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgYbogp1Ha0

April 24, 2020 - Msg 114292: Well, how about that! I swept the porch with some clean copper clappers! ha
Our day trip was very nice today.
We enjoyed a "perfect picnic in the pine park in Payson." :) For those on FB you can see some
pics on my page.
Prayers,
MDC


April 24, 2020 - Msg 114293: HaHa..MDC....I love that skit!...I don’t know how Jack kept a straight face thru it all...
While having that “perfect picnic in the pine park in Payson” did you pick pretty pink petunias while eating pickled peppers?...lol..Just Asking

G-F
April 24, 2020 - Msg 114294: Good Friday morning to all.
Hey to GF and MDC.
I do love that copper clapper caper skit. Very well done for sure.
MDC, Sounds like a nice simple outing for you and the Mrs. Those are often the best.
GF, I fired up my sprinkling system this week. I had a broken main right where I have a hose bib in the back yard. Then I remembered last fall when I had the trees cut down, one of them caught the hose bib a bit when it fell. I had winterized the system already but I didn't think it had damaged anything. But old faithful told me otherwise. I couldn't see it from out front where I turn the main on at. but my back door neighbor happen to see it. He said that riser pipe launched out of there like an Apollo rocket. It must have because it was a good 10 feet away from the whole. And the water was shooting a good 15 feet in the air when I saw it. Our secondary water has really good pressure. lol Anyway, all fixed and working now.

Well prayers for all for a great day and weekend.

Asa
April 24, 2020 - Msg 114295: Uhh, HOLE, not whole.

Asa
April 24, 2020 - Msg 114296: Just a quick trouble check gang ! Gona read the archives and will be back for our lunch ... grilled cheese burgers and tater salad. Stay safe and wash hands ! SPOT !!
April 24, 2020 - Msg 114297: Afternoon, Porch

MDC - Sounds like a real outin'! Hopefully, you didn't get into any debates about councilMEN. Nice, clean sweep too!

SPOT - Will be here for lunch. I'll bring the sweet / unsweetened tea!

More rain scheduled for today. Not as big a percentage as first forecast. Looks like most of it will come in those wee hours of the night.

Hope all is well with each and everyone! Like Romeena and SPOT says, wash your hands!

Take care!

John Masters
April 24, 2020 - Msg 114298: I can sew my fingers together! (:
April 25, 2020 - Msg 114299: Three cuts of pie is my high-water mark. (:

April 25, 2020 - Msg 114300: Hope are all well. We are doing ok..just wanted to check in but pretty sleepy so going to hit the ironing board.

Stay well, everyone.

Love,
Boo
April 25, 2020 - Msg 114301: Hope are all well. We are doing ok..just wanted to check in but pretty sleepy so going to hit the ironing board.

Stay well, everyone.

Love,
Boo
April 25, 2020 - Msg 114302: Morning, folks

The rains came. And for about 30 minutes, I thought I was going to see a man start building an ark in the field next to us. It POURED! My "wet weather pond" is...well...it's banks runneth over. We dont flood though. There is a thin channel that runs our pond down into a lower piece of land to the left of our property.

Hope every single one of you is well and safe this Saturday. Have a great day! And remember...read a book, do some yard work, maybe take a nap. It's therapetic.

John Masters
April 25, 2020 - Msg 114303: Good morning, porch! A beautiful day here, brisk little breeze blowing, making me reconsider running the sprinklers, as more is blowing away than is hitting the ground. Still, certain areas need a drink. I can no longer afford to buy the 20 flats of flowers that I used to plant every spring in the biggest bed out back. It was a picture no artist could paint, but even with my "neighbor discount" at my neighbor's garden store, I just can't afford it anymore. So, I planted seeds instead (you remember the ridiculous, giant, taller-than-I zinnias from last year. I'm sure those mutants have reseeded back there, and I don't want them again, so I think I've figured out a way to thwart them. Eddie weeded the bed, then put a thick layer of mulch over the entire bed. Then I came along, opened little rows and circles in the mulch, and sprinkled desirable seeds in the open spots. All are shallow-planted seeds, so I just spread a 1/4" layer of garden soil over them and watered them, leaving the mulch pulled back. The seeds have sprouted, and when the little plants are tall enough, I'll pull the mulch back up around them. Meantime, if any of the unwanted seeds manage to poke sprouts through the rest of the mulch, I'll yank them out. Wish me luck!

Does anyone else take "Guideposts" magazine? I've been a subscriber for many years, and thoroughly enjoy it. For a long time, it was just the magazine itself, but now, with the delightful Edward Grinnan in charge, it has much more to offer. Mr. Grinnan wrote "Always By My Side", the story of his life with a beautiful Golden Retriever named Millie, and how he survived when she passed away. He's a dedicated dog lover, actually just animal lover, I think, and his writings are just beautiful. They are currently offering "The Daily Dog", little daily devotionals written by Mr. Grinnan, and published via email. Check it out: https://tinyurl.com/ybluqla6. I've ordered it, and perhaps you'd enjoy it, too. Some of you will be getting an email from me about it, but I wanted to share the idea with everyone.

Trinket has just about mastered the potty training thing. No wet spots in several weeks now, but I still find little monuments on the (washable) throw rug in the sunroom. Why that spot has been chosen, I don't know, but at least I can just pick up the little bomb and flush it, and the rug can be washed if necessary, but it usually isn't. Her diet is mostly dry kibble, so that helps. She's still wild and busy, but she is so sweet and loving, and so funny, that I don't know what I'd do without her, especially now, being "confined to quarters", so to speak. She is very entertaining, and is just irrepressibly happy. All - the - time! Right now, that little spirit is worth its weight in gold. I wake up with laughter at her antics, go through the day laughing at her enthusiasm and energy, and at night, we go to bed and she bounces around, trying to get me to play, until I say the magic words, "Alright, lie down and go to sleep", and she does. Immediately! I still miss my tiny Toye Starr so very much, but this bigger, rowdy girl has definitely carved out her own place in my heart, and I thank God for her!

Well, guess I'll get busy and maybe clean out a dresser drawer, or maybe the dreaded "catch-all" drawer in the kitchen. I guess every home has at least one of those. Mine has two, because the first one overflowed and I couldn't shut it anymore! Junk, mostly. Why do we do that??

Stay home, stay safe, and wash your hands! Blessings, friends. --Romeena
April 25, 2020 - Msg 114304: hello porch. I just watched where brisco darling set his hat for aunt bea. I laugh the way she made him dress and kept hitting him with a wooden spoon then explained to him what he did wrong. prayers for everyone. papa bear
April 25, 2020 - Msg 114305: Hey Gang here’s a good listen...”Sean of the South” Allan our Floyd is on his show today here’s the link...
https://seanofthesouthshow.com/2020/04/25/mayberry-u-s-a-sean-of-the-south/

G-F
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114306: HI ALL, Pappabear, yup I saw that ep on Friday.
There is one line toward the end where Andy asks Brisco to come outside, and Brisco says "as long as there's no spoon involved!" ha
JOHN--so glad you made it thru the rain OK! Keep safe guy. Are you still doing any civil war research?
BOO--saw your videos on FB. Looks like a nice time in the yard. We hit 100 here today! Yikes, that is way too soon for us.
ASA and GF, speaking of the heat, our two phase AC compressor kicked in today thanks to that new board. Its Working great!
Also, I do miss my work outs at the gym. I am doing some at home, but just not the same.
I've got a couple of sprinklers that need fixing tho. I'll pay for the plane trip! ha. BTW I saw Uncle Ollie on an episode of Hazel today!
RO--I know what you mean on the gardening cut back. My wife is doing the same thing this year. So happy tho that Trinket is
becoming such a joy in your life!
GOOD SABBATH to all. Certainly plenty of streaming services these days.
I'm sure that if REV was still among us, he would be doing that.
Prayers,
MDC :)

April 26, 2020 - Msg 114307: Good morning everyone. I was sitting on our back deck yesterday enjoying the sun when I heard my husband using language I had not heard in awhile, it came from his workshop.
He came out with his hand wrapped in paper towels and my heart dropped. I was yelling what happened and he was calling our neighbor who is a doctor and asking do you have any stitches at home? He was working with some metal and somehow caught his thumb, went into the nail and the underside too. He has four stitches. Thank goodness our neighbor was home. I told my husband last night that if I had to take him to the emergency room I would just drop him off and pick him up when he was finished, he looked at me and said so you would dump me at the door and leave me and I said 'maybe'. 😂😂😂 Sarah
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114308: Oh..My Sarah...Glad it was not worse..Sometime things happen even when we are careful..I have been busy making my Granddaughter all kinds of “play food” out of wood to go with the camping campfire set I made her for Christmas...
She sure likes to play with that kind of stuff and pretend she’s cooking..

I’m STILL cleaning up my shop from all the saw dust I generated, but it’s been fun and kept me busy in these quarantined times at home. But being retired I’d be here anyhow....

G-F
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114309: A Good sunny morning to you all,

With just a nip in the air, there's not a cloud in sight and it is bright here in the Ozarks.

MDC - Thanks for the sentiment. Yes, I am always doing Civil War research. But I zero in on the border wars of Kansas-Missouri and Quantrill's guerrillas. Here is my newly revamped website if you're intersted:
https://rlshhm.wixsite.com/qscrjosephines

papa bear - "Briscoe Declares for Aunt Bee" is one of my favorites. That has the classic "They twang my buds" line. I also love to hear him at the end say" I'm not about to be beat to death with no spoon!" The emphasis he puts on spoon is hilarious.

Romeena - We're doing a lot better now since our Sadie passed. My wife still weeps lightly, but overall she's ok. Our other pets gives us the smiles and laughter we need.

Sarah - Yee-ouch! That hurt just reading it. Hopes he's OK! The hospital comment is great! Did you say it with a deadpan expression?! LOL!

G-F - That's a neat post. Does she "order" what she wants or do you just make it out of your own wood recipe book? Call you the Wood Chef! ;)

Ok, folks...better git goin'. Hey to Boo, Frankie, SPOT, Maude, Asa and everyone else that pledged money for the Church's / Clara's new organ.

Good Sabbath!

John Masters
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114310: Well JM...It’s a bit of both, some ideas pop,into my head as I look at the wood, some come “Special Order” Like the chicken nuggets, corn dog, French fries, watermelon, and of course the pizza...I’m pleased how they turned out. I got to use my woodworking and my artistic Moxie making them!...I even did a country fried chicken leg...WITH CRUST (the way Opie likes it)
I did a taco 🌮 too!....

G-F
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114311: Good morning, porch. Another beautiful day here, and I had a little blessing this morning. I noticed a squirrel running around on the tree outside my window, and then to my delight, a little "teenage" squirrel appeared, running along behind her! He's about half her size, and obviously hasn't been out of the nest for very long. He's still a little tentative about his climbing, but he's doing fine. So far, it concerns me that I've only seen the one little one. Usually squirrel moms have four or five, and she appears to have only one. It makes me wonder if one (or some) of the feral cats that wander my yard at night might have discovered the nest and stolen some babies. I have seen one of the cats in the daytime, climbing one of the trees in the far back. I've discouraged her by turning on the sprinkler beneath that tree with my handy little remote thingy. She just hates that, because she can only get down from the tree by going through the water. Just blows her cattitude all to pieces, and gives me a very refreshing laugh. I would never harm an animal, but I figure a little shower now and then never harms anybody, and if it keeps her out of the trees, it might save some little squirrels.

G-F, I'd love to see some of the wooden "food" and things that you make. Any way you could get some pictures and attach them to an email? You do realize that when you make those things, you're creating heirlooms, don't you? I hope your granddaughter will realize how precious those things are, as she gets older. Right now, she probably doesn't appreciate the deeper meaning in the things you've made, but some day she will, especially if her parents explain it to her as time goes by. There are some things that you just can't buy in a store, at any price.

Well, guess I'll go clean out a cabinet. I lost a small ring a few weeks ago, part of a matching pair. As I've lost so much weight, my rings are all very loose, and yesterday I finally just took them off and put them away until I can get them resized. The one I lost was a mid-knuckle style, and easily lost. I've searched for it, no luck. I think it probably slipped off and went down the drain in my bathroom sink. David is going to come and check the trap, just in case it might have settled there instead of washing on through. I wouldn't have noticed it at the time, I think it came off when I was washing my face and my hands were soapy. I hope it's there, because it's a pretty little thing, and I hate to lose it. Its larger matching companion looks lonely without it. Anyway, I promised David I'd empty that undersink cabinet to give him working room. Most of what's in there needs to be trashed anyway, I think. Why do people (like me) do that - keep stuff that needs to go away? I watch that "hoarders" show on TV now and then, just to keep me reminded to clean things out!

I am hungry for a hotdog! You know what? There is a Sonic just up the road from me, and I think I'll just have one of their footlongs for dinner tonight! I even have some leftover sauerkraut that wouldn't hurt a hotdog one bit. I love hotdogs. The best hotdogs in the world, of course, are the ones Eloise and I used to get at the little boys' baseball games, but the boys are grown up now, and those days are over, all too soon. I still have our folding stadium seats in Tillie's trunk! I suppose I should take them out. (sniff!)

I made a little fettucini alfredo last night, have just enough left over for a little lunch. I keep different kinds of pasta on hand, and that jarred Bertol alfredo sauce isn't bad in a pinch. I learned something, too. It's hard to get it all out of the jar, lots of waste. It's so thick, it clings to the jar. I shook out what I could, then put about a half cup of buttermilk in and shook it up (put the lid back on!) really well. It loosened the remaining sauce, and I poured it all in the pot, stirred it up, and it was delish. You couldn't really taste the buttermilk, but there was a subtle little tang to the sauce that was really good! It "twanged my buds!"

Stay home, stay safe, and wash your hands! Blessings! --Romeena
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114312: Uh, that's "Bertolli" brand alfredo sauce! --Romeena
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114313: That's a great idea GF. Making "wood food". I wish I had that kind of thinking to come up with those ideas. And I bet anything I made in my shop would taste better than anything I made in the kitchen. :)
I'd love to see some of your creations if you ever have a hankering to display them. Is wood carving involved? That is something I would like to try my hand at.

Good to see you Sarah. So glad the injury to your hubby wasn't worse. I bet if he had to go to the E.R. they wouldn't have let you in anyway. My Son was in the hospital last week for a couple of days and no visitors were allowed.

Good to see you posting regular again John. Where has Frankis run off to?

MDC, I figured you had to be nearing triple digit there. They are calling for mid 80's here by Thursday. Seems crazy because we only had one day in the 70's a few days ago. Way early for mid 80's for here.

Well with the warmer weather coming on I am going to have to fire up the grill and the crock pot again. I hate using the oven in the summer. Just seems wasteful.

We had some groceries delivered yesterday. Actually got some T.P. Wow! What I don't get though is we ordered a half gallon of milk and they said sold out. Now I just read an article the day before where they said farmers were dumping their milk down the drains because of a glut in the market. Go figure. So they sold us a half gallon of organic milk. What is interesting is the expiration date on it is near the end of June. Usually regular milk has only about a week on it. I wonder if it will really keep that long.

Rommena, It sure is nice to read about you and Trinket settling in so well together. I knew you would. Just takes a little time. And your understanding that firkids are like people kids. They are all a bit different and have their own personalities and we just have to roll with that. Let them be who they are and love them for it instead of trying to shape them into a previous pet we had. But you are well aware of that. Trinket is blessed to be with you.

Prayers for all for a blessed Sabbath.

Asa
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114314: Romeena, you snuck in on me. I have been watching Matlock as of late and yes, a good hot dog sounds real good. He sure makes them look good.

Asa
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114315: good morning everyone. the history channel at night has done civil war … .. I have several books on it and taught a couple of courses on it.. if I have to go to emergency room I will have andy drive me.. gomer or barney probably end up in mount pilot barney looking up the fun girls papa bear
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114316: Romeena, Asa, MDC...Check your e-mails...Dinner at 8, But Sorry No wood Spagetti🍝with oregano tho.
But don’t think I didn’t think of it though...lol.....G-F
April 26, 2020 - Msg 114317: ASA--That milk you got may be one of those hermetically sealed kind. Seriously, if it has a
foil-type inner seal, it will indeed last that long, unless you break the seal. MDC :)
April 27, 2020 - Msg 114318: TP shelf was actually full today at our Fry's, and it was actually just sitting there. Yup, it was a beautiful sight! :)
MDC
April 27, 2020 - Msg 114319: Oh RO, I know 'Bertol Alfredo.' He's a nice guy. HA! :)
mdc
April 27, 2020 - Msg 114320: MDC...102 degrees 🔥 in Phoenix for April?....SHAZZAM!!...
April 27, 2020 - Msg 114321: Good morning, porch! Another beautiful day, just a little too breezy for me, but I imagine that in August I'd welcome such a breeze! Many things are blooming in the yard right now. Amaryllis flower, big old show-off blooms, are just spectacular. They're as big as dinner plates, and last for days. They're the ones I order each fall, about six of them, and plant them to grow in my sunroom, timed to bloom after Christmas, when things tend to look drab after the decorations are put away. Then after the blooms finally fade (they last for about three weeks), and the weather warms up, I plant them randomly in the back yard, and they continue to come up and bloom every spring thereafter. So pretty!

G-F, that "wooden food" you made for your granddaughter is just wonderful! What imagination, and what skill! And what a lucky little girl to have a grandpa like you! I, on the other hand, have memories of my grandpa chasing me with a cornstalk, yelling dire threats at me, and all because my cousin and I found his little bottle of whiskey where he had stashed it outdoors (grandma didn't allow it in the house) and we broke the bottle with a big rock. Grandpa didn't appreciate it, but grandma did, and she gave us a handful of sweet grapes as a reward. Hmmm. Charlotte Tucker, I think I see a story here. I'll write it up and send it to you.

Yep, Asa, Trinket and I are doing well. She's still a wart and a pestilence, but I love her. She's just so cute, and is actually quite pretty, too. I've got to come up with some grooming solutions, though. Her hair is getting pretty long, is over 4" now, even after a trim about a month ago. It's thick, and mats terribly. She's got knotted patches where she has scratched, the mats pull on her hair, and she scratches even more. I don't want to cut it short, part of her beauty is that long, soft hair, but she fights me like a tiger when I try to brush those mats out. She's very strong, and very determined!

Well, guess I'll go clean out a cabinet. Everybody stay home if you can, stay safe, and wash, wash, wash your hands! Blessings! --Romeena

April 27, 2020 - Msg 114322: Good morning, folks

A breezy and cloudy day here. Had a spritz of rain earlier. Not much. Just enough to get everything wet and then it moved on.

Asa - Glad to be back. Went through kind of a rough patch and wasnt feeling real sociable. My wife scored a CASE of TP online a few days ago and had it delivered! Then, we had to make a quick run to the Dollar Store and there was some on the $1 shelves! Unfortunately, we almost have to hoard ourselves. Sometimes, my father has issues and....well....sometimes we just need extra. I'll leave it at that.

Romeena - That story of your Grandpa's whisky is great! I can remember my GP having a small bottle of Jim Beam under the kitchen sink and he took a nip when he had some aches and pains. Grandma didnt care, but that memory of him taking a quick swig before bed still lingers.

papa bear - I am just a quick 20 miles to Wilson's Creek battlefield near Springfield, Missouri. Havent been there yet, but sure hope to go!

MDC - Wow! Hate to see what July brings! Might be 120 by that time! ;)

Better get lunch for my father then sit down to some writing I have to get finished. Hope y'all stay safe and healthy! Hey to Boo, Frankie, Sarah, GF, SPOT, Maude and everyone else gathered outside the Boone's house while they argue.

Take care!

John Masters
April 27, 2020 - Msg 114323: Hello friends! We are all well here and hope you all stay well.

Not a lot of news. MDC, it got up to 96 here last week and that was HOT! The humidity was low so that helped. It has been in the 80s most days and nice and breezy so we have been spending time outdoors. The mosquitoes are bad but that just goes with the territory here.

Still haven't gotten my stimulus check but am very glad Bruce is still working and getting a paycheck. God keep him safe from the virus!

Well, as I said, not much to report but wanted to check in.

Boo
April 27, 2020 - Msg 114324: good evening everyone. just watched the one the guest. gomer up all night working cleaning house orking on cars etc. made me wonder if anyone ever had an annoing house guest or how you would handle it if you did . boo I haven't gotten my stimulas check either most everyone I know has gotten theres. almost everyone I know has gotten theirs. I think it might come in with our social security. if it does thae sure will buy a lot of pop at wallys. don't you think. papa bear
April 28, 2020 - Msg 114325: ROMEENA--I posted this quote on FB: "I've washed my hands so many times that I found the answers to an 8th grade spelling test!" haha
Say, could you take a few pics of Trinket and email em to me. Thanks
We took a drive to our old stomping grounds of tubing down the Salt River. We did NOT tube, just went to see the area cuz our last tubing trip was in 1980, forty years ago! Yikes, where did the time go? BOO saw some of the pics on FB. Those were some fun days of yore.
Papabear--can't really say that we had any houseguests from he**! But, from the get-go we established a 3 day limit on family or whoever, and I think that helped because no one could pull an Aunt Nora "Let's stay another week!" haha
JOHN--this weather will pass. It is quite unusual as we are normally in the high 80s right now, but there is a stubborn ridge of high pressure over us, which should move on my the weekend.
ALL-regarding the stmulus checks, we still file taxes via paper, and I heard that such filers will get a paper check in mid May.
Peace and Love,
MDC :)
April 28, 2020 - Msg 114326: HA MDC, I think when we get done with this virus we are going to be a world of germaphobias. A bunch of Howard Hughs walking around afraid to touch anything. I was at the Dentists yesterday and he and his assistant looked like astronauts almost. Full face shield masks, and the works. We are supposed to get two days of real hot temps here also, then cool down by the weekend again. I guess it will let me try out the a/c and see if it's working. That reminds me, I need to go clean my outside unit and change my filters on the air handler today.

Pappa bear, we had a very distant cousin (on my Wifes side) visit us years ago, and we didn't think she was ever gonna leave. It wouldn't have been so bad except she was pretty bossy. Not a pleasant guest. But she was cute as could be. We figured maybe she was having troubles with her marriage and she was using the visit to get some separation from her husband for a while. So we tried to make her feel welcome. But someone said it best, that house guests were like garbage, they start to smell after a few days and need to be removed. lol

Boo, No checks here either. My Wife and I figured we would use them for their intent, go buy some stuff and help out the economy. At least I hope so. I fear the economic fall out from this is going to be very harsh. I hope not.

GF, I'd sure love to spend some time with you in your shop watching you work. You sure have some talent looking at your creations.

Well off to go cut the grass. With the water now turned on and the warmer temps, the grass is finally starting to green up and grow, or as Andy would say, acting like somebody. lol

Asa
April 28, 2020 - Msg 114327: Hello All,

Boo - Nope. No checks here either. Waiting patiently. Fortunately, we don't have a real demand to needing them. It will definitely help out, but we aren't sitting on it.

MDC - More weather for us tonight. Calling for some real boomers around dinner and going thru 'til bedtime. Tornado chance is real low, but 60 MPH winds with hail is VERY possible!

Asa - Wife and I got someone to do our lawn. After having to fix my riding mower three times last year, I just decided this terrain is way too much for what I have. We know someone with a zero turn and can eat this yard up like pouring crackers into a wood chipper.
Wife needs to have a tooth looked out, but she's not real keen on doing it with this virus. No one in our county has the virus, but it still makes one a might nervous.

papa bear - Had a friend that lived with me way back in the 80's. Was a good idea at the time, but once I experienced his quirks, like sucking milk out of a spoon THEN eating the cereal. I knew, as Andy would say, that boy has got to go!

Hey out there to Frankie, GF, SPOT, Maude, Sarah, Sterling and everyone else Barney was trying to get into the Sims' house.

John Masters
April 28, 2020 - Msg 114328: Good afternoon, porch! Partly cloudy, and very breezy here today. We had some rain last night, big old growlers passed over, and some strong winds, but no damage here.

I cleaned out that cabinet under my bathroom sink, and was amazed at the stuff I found in there! Three, (count 'em, 3) spray bottles of the same tile cleaner, among other things. Some old hair curlers in a plastic bag, that I haven't used in at least 20 years. And lucky me - there were 2 rolls of TP in their wrappers, that had fallen down behind all the bottles and junk. The junk is now in the trash, the bottles sorted out and mostly trashed, and what remains will be easily removed when David arrives, to make room for him to work. I surely do hope he finds my little ring. Now if I just had the motivation and the energy to clean out the rest of the cabinets, closets and whatever in this house....but tomorrow might be a better day for that! At least that's what Mr. Browne says, and he ought to know!

MDC, I've had a hard time getting any good pictures of Trinket, she's just in perpetual motion. I do have a few, but they're in my phone, and I need to get them over into the computer before I can email them. I don't have email set up on the phone, I prefer to do it from the computer. If I send something from the phone, it has to go as a text message. After her next grooming, Brittney is going to get some good pictures of her - she's a freelance photographer in addition to her real estate sales, and does quite well at both. Anyway, when I can get some good pictures into the computer, I'll be happy to share them.

She really is such a happy little thing. She rarely walks, everything is done at a quick trot, or more often, a running pace, with a big bounce and plop into her destination. She even puts a little "skip" into her gait quite often. So cute, reminds me of a happy, energetic little kid.

This is a funny little story. There is an armchair that's angled into a corner, just next door to my recliner. Its position creates a little triangular space behind the chair, and Trinket is determined to explore that spot. I can't let her, because there is a cable exiting the wall back there, and she'll chew on it. The back corners of the chair are too close to the walls on both sides to let her get through, but she's working on it. Here's the funny part. She will wait until she thinks I'm not watching, then goes to the far side of the chair to try to squeeze through. As she passes along the other side of the chair, her topknot is all I can see, as it bounces along the way. I just say "What are you doing?" in a warning tone. The topknot pauses, then bounces back out from behind the chair. It looks just like the feathers in Emma's hat, passing along behind the counter in the drugstore, and I have to laugh every time. I get a little frustrated "woof" from Trinket, as she stomps her fluffy front feet at me, and goes on about her business. She's a caution, that puppy!

Well, guess I'll go hunt up something to eat. I'd surely like to go pick up Eloise and go to one of our favorite haunts, but that will still wait a little while, I guess. Stay home, stay safe, and wash your hands! Blessings! --Romeena
April 28, 2020 - Msg 114329:
That will work Romeena, thanks.

I just wanted to see her and how she has grown!
MDC :)


April 28, 2020 - Msg 114330: ASA--don't forget the coils, you know how important that is! :) MDC

April 28, 2020 - Msg 114331: Wow, folks! I had to come on and share...
We just got hammered with thunderstorms. I mean walloped! No damage here. Some trees down closer to town and shingles off of houses. But holy smokes, it was Noah's Ark for about an hour! My wet weather creek and pond is out of it's banks and ROLLING through the farthest part of the back yard and rushing out of it's channel to the lower land. My back area sounds like a Colorado river!
The road to our west goes down hill and it is completely under water. The pasture across from the neighbors down in the valley is now half a lake! That was absolutely amazing. Everything else is OK. Might get damage stories once the night unfolds and into tomorrow, but all good here.

Have a great night, everyone!

John Masters
April 28, 2020 - Msg 114332: JM...Ain’t there a song about Rolling on a River?...Or
the movie A River Runs thru it?
Joking aside...Glad you guys are Ok though, hopefully the water will recede quickly..Stay Safe!....G-F
April 29, 2020 - Msg 114333: All I have to say is one word and y'all will know which ep I saw tonight: BULBSNATCHER! Haha We used to have a porchster here named Bulbsnatcher. Sure do miss a lot of the old gang.
It sure don't take much cider to put Barney under the table! Another classic line is "You gotta get yourself a ROOM." :)
JOHN Masters, my goodness, a gully washer for sure! Any hail? Like GF, I'm glad you and yours are OK. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didnt you just buy a new rider last year, or has time flown by?
APB FOR BIG MAUDE, PH, POSSUM, SPOTTY, AND FRANKIE.
I hope everyone is doing OK.
Prayers,
MDC


April 29, 2020 - Msg 114334: We had some mild thunderstorms here, John Masters. A little thunder, but mostly just rain. Yuck. Stay safe!

Wait! Are you guys talking about the first round or stimulus checks that you haven't received? Don't know how I feel about it and don't know how many they are planning to give out, but we did receive ours a couple weeks ago. Just popped right into our bank account. Can't say we didn't need it but also wondering how we are all going to pay for it, if you know what I mean.

Was dealing with a mouse in the house for a couple weeks. Found he had gotten into the kitchen cupboards, probably from hoping up on all the stuff on the counter and then weaseling his way into the closed cupboard. It's funny, he went right past the bread and cereal on the counter to infiltrate the cupboard and dug into a box of Cadbury creme eggs. I found the egg, nibbled on both sides right into the creme part, with the aluminum wrapping scattered around the shelf. And of course the little droppings were evidence of his doings as well.
So, I went to get traps right away. Some snap ones, and some poison ones. Though I didn't feel right about the poison ones and threw them away, especially after we saw him one night and I thought he looked just like the kind of mice people buy at pet stores. For some reason, the snap ones seemed more "humane" as it is over pretty quick.
This was all pretty much a moot point because this little rodent apparently was smarter than the average mouse, and evaded all the traps I put down, even the no-kill ones that Kai prompted me to get. I said ok I will get some of those. Then the mouse at least would have a 50-50 chance of survival depending upon which trap he goes into. But like I said, he didn't go into any of them. I was hoping he would go into the no-kill ones because I wanted to just let him go somewhere out in the country, though I was getting tired of staying up all night when I would hear a noise in the kitchen and want to keep him off of the counters, even though by this time I had taped the cabinet doors shut and removed anything he could climb on.
So after doing some research I bought this one trap called "Drop in the bucket" that you fit over a 5-gallon pail and put some peanut butter or other attractant on a little spinning barrel in the middle and the mouse tries to get the food and spins off into the barrel. They said you can either use it as a no-kill trap by just adding an inch of water to keep the mouse from climbing up or put in 2 or more inches of water in it if you are not feeling so gracious.
Well, as I said before I was kind of hoping to release the little bugger so I put in an inch of water. In fact I put in less than an inch.
I didn't really expect it to work but the next day I went down to check it and indeed our little mouse was in the bucket. But he was dead. I don't really understand how he died and to be honest was a little disappointed about it. I surmised that maybe he died of hypothermia because the basement where I put it was kind of cold, but I figured a mouse could survive a little cold water. Perhaps not.
Anyway, I decided after that to keep that trap down there in case he has some other family in the area, but I took out the water and just greased down the sides of the bucket.

So I am a little sad that the mouse died, though i am still washing all the dishes that he may have contaminated. Oh and I am putting little roller ball catch latches on the cabinet doors so they don't open so easily, because I really don't want to have to go through this again.

Hope you all have a nice, pest-less night. Haven't seen a sign of any other mice the last couple nights so that is good.

-Sterling Holobyte
April 29, 2020 - Msg 114335: That should have been "HOPPING" up. The little bugger didn't need to hope for anything, as he seemd pretty well-fed from our candy.

-SH
April 29, 2020 - Msg 114336: SH, I happened to be up late (as usual) and stopped off to visit the porch on my way to the bedroom. I read your mouse adventure with great interest, as I've just come through a somewhat similar experience with a rat in my garage. I can't remember whether you had returned to the porch in time to read all the stuff I wrote about that little scenario. I even named the culprit, called him Ratticus. There were actually at least three. One was caught in a big snap trap early on, the second one hitched a ride in the engine of my car when I was taking it to the mechanic. He jumped out of the engine when the mechanic and his helper were trying to locate the cause of the non-functioning lights, scared the daylights out of the guys, and was last seen running across the parking lot with a very mad young man in hot pursuit, cursing him in Spanish and swatting at him with a big broom. The third one, after defeating several efforts to evict him, including having Orkin out, finally got careless and was caught in one of their traps.

I know what you mean, though. I prefer to use no-kill methods too, and just refuse to use poisons. That's a terrible way for a creature to die. As you said, at least a snap trap is quick. Several years ago, a whole family of wood rats invaded my back yard, attracted by my critter feeders out there. One even got inside of a bird feeder, and sat there looking at me through the clear plastic walls of the device. I got a humane live trap from the local feed store, and over the next few days I caught six of the big old things. When I caught the first one, I had a problem because now that I had him at my mercy, I realized I had no way of dispatching him. What was I to do, shoot him? I have the gun, but don't have the nerve to shoot a defenseless animal with it. An intruder in the house, threatening me? Yep, I'd blow him away. But a defenseless animal, I just can't do it. So, I put the trap with the rat in it, in the trunk of my car, drove about a mile and a half to a wooded area I knew of, and released the critter. In all, the whole group of six rats went to the same woods. I didn't want to break up the family! I can only imagine the celebrating they did when the last one arrived, and they were all together again.

OK, time for me to go to bed. If I don't, I'll keep writing until I break the porch. Anyway, Sterling, we're glad you're back. You were missed! Blessings! --Romeena
April 29, 2020 - Msg 114337: Sterling...Your Mouse 🐁 story sounded a lot like my battle with a ground hog year before last... It truely was a battle of wills much like yours. I got catch and release traps but I just kept catching we’re my squirrels instead. He had made himself quite comfortable tunneling under my storage shed. He would come out to graze in the morning and early evening and stand up look towards the house and I KNOW he was laughing at me much like the groundhog on Caddy Shack did to Bill Murray.

I won’t go into details but all I say he was one tough Groundhog!...In the end Goob prevailed...
April 29, 2020 - Msg 114338: Hello Folks;

MDC, I heard your APB. Also, I don't remember Bulbsnatcher posting here at the Front Porch.

Romeena, I love reading about your Trinket and the shenanigans she gets involved in. I also laughed when you said you cannot kill a mouse but you could kill a human under the right conditions.

Sterling Holobyte, I do believe that mouse drowned. Although they can stand on their hind legs, most of the time, they use all four legs. So the distance from the bottom of the bucket to their mouth is critical.

Finally, I just discovered that I am eligible for an Old Age Security Pension here in Canada even though I never worked in Canada. That will help supplement my USA pension and Social Security income.
Right now, I am benefiting from the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Canadian dollar. As an example, if my US income is $40,000, when I convert it, that comes out to about $56,000 Canadian. Not bad for an old retired fart like me.

from Poor Horatio
April 29, 2020 - Msg 114339: A very wet, soggy and mushy Good Morning, Porch

Well, first thing this morning, I take one of my dogs outside and there is a combination of seven vehicles and machines down around the corner close to my valley neighbors. Seems the waters really messed up a culvert that was put under the road just a couple of months ago. I couldn't see what happened, but, by the looks of what was going on, they must've had a lot of work to do! My pond is very full, but in it's banks and everything looks pretty much back to normal. Early reports of trees down, one into a house, one into a car, small shed destroyed, shingles gone and that's about it. No real major damage and no one killed or injured.

G-F - Thanks. I was getting the feeling God was going to start having me round up animals, one male, one female! ;)

MDC - Yeah, we were in no danger. Just getting to watch a lot of water rolll by. I got my mower about three and a half years ago. It's a good mower, but my yard was just too rough on it. I am living in a converted hay field. The growth here, even with it mostly grass, can be pretty rough.

Sterling - We have field mice under and around our house, but with seven cats, uhh...I don't think they would have much of a shot coming INTO the house!

Romeena - We're alike dealing with animals. My wife and I hit a possum in the road once and I winced when it happened. Poor thing was suffering as we went on. Possums are thought of as nasty, mean, filthy little creachsters, but to see one suffer just tightens my chest. I think it died pretty quickly. We ran a quick errand and when we came back the same way, it was dead.

PH - That's a time. Good to hear you have some security!

Ok, folks...time to feed the animals and ourselves. Hey to Maude, Boo, Frankie, SPOT, Sarah and everyone else who tried out at the Ladies League musicale.

Stay safe!

John Masters