June 28, 2020 - Msg 114743:

:)


June 28, 2020 - Msg 114744:

I swept the porch with a smile!
Good Sabbath! mdc



June 28, 2020 - Msg 114745: good morning mayberry… what a great sweep mdc.. folks always say men will not stop and ask for directions;; to prove that point they tell how moses wandered in the dessert for 40 years not once did he stop and ask for directions... repeat this one since it was on end of post before the great sweep... this pld couple in their 90s was sitt in their rockers watching the sunset finaly the woman asked do you remember when we were dating how you use to hold my hand? he reched over held her hand.. she said do you remember how you us to kiss me on the cheek so slowly he kissed her on the cheek... then she asked do you remember nibbling on my neck?? he gets up and heads to the house.. she asked him where are you going?? he said to get my teeth...have a great day.. papa bear
June 28, 2020 - Msg 114746: HAHAHA good one papa bear. Sarah
June 28, 2020 - Msg 114747: Good morning, porch! Papa bear, you are a bird in this world! I love "old-timer" jokes, especially since I'm now an old-timer myself. It's far better and a lot more fun to laugh at the annoyances of old age, than to sit around and worry about them. Like some of the rest of you, my age has brought me some discomforts and rough spots, but I refuse to let them rule my life. For those of you who aren't there yet, just wait, it's coming. My dad, as you probably have gathered, was something of an armchair philosopher, and he had one little saying that I just loved. He would say, "Don't worry about anything. If you have a problem that doesn't have a solution, then you don't have a problem!" You might have to think about that one for a while, to figure out what he meant. I think we've boiled it down a little, when we say, "it is what it is." The same idea can be found in the "Serenity Prayer", which I believe is used by Alcoholics Anonymous - "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." All are saying basically the same thing, but I always liked my dad's version. He lived by it, too. He just simply didn't worry about things that were out of his control. If he could do something about a problem, he would, and he would work at it until it was fixed. If he couldn't do anything about it, he refused to let it ruin his day, or his life. He would turn it over to God, and go on his merry way. I've tried to follow his lead, and it has served me well in several situations over the years. The hardest was in the loss of my husband, and it took me years to finally reconcile that one, but I finally did.

Well, I'm sitting here in my jammies, waiting for my church service to begin. Because of a distinct uptick in the number of COVID cases in this area, the authorities are going back to the more strict limits on the gathering of people. We had been having worship services in the church for the last few weeks, with all social distancing, masks, etc., being observed. We had extra services to allow for the 6-ft distance in seating. However, we're back to online worship now, and we'll have another drive-in service next month. (I like that, Trinket gets to go with me!) So, at 10:45, my pastor and our music minister will conduct a service online. It will be presented over Facebook. Here's a link, if anybody is interested in a Southern Baptist preacher's sermon. www.facebook.com/plymouthpark.baptistchurch Maybe I'll see you there!

Well, I'd better go feed Trinket before the service starts. Blessings, everyone! Keep praying for this miserable COVID thing to wear itself out, and for our world to find its way in the darkness. --Romeena
June 28, 2020 - Msg 114748: Good Sabbath, Preacher. Uh, I mean Good Sabbath, Porch.

MDC - Doesn't the porch look clean. Did you snap your fingers and get Otis to sweep? Looks nice.

papa bear - Good jokes! You're a pistol!

I am sitting here snottin' and sneezin'. Nope, not the COVID. Thar Sarafan African dust got to me! DOGGONE IT! I am sure it's not COVID because I was fit as a fiddle yesterday and it started setting in after I took my dogs out yesterday morning. I have REAL bad allergies and I forgot about that darn dust. Little later on, after I got the dogs all taken care of, that d@m bust. My nose just started flowing. I'm doin' better today.

I read one one health official said he wouldn't doubt it if we are in the COVID through the rest of the year. They way things are going, I don't think I'd argue that. I agree with some people that the death numbers and panic has been a might twisted and skewered, but, in the larger picture, I think we'll be in this awhile.

I better go. My little voice inside me just said "Whaddya say? Lunch?" Eleven o'clock may be early for Andy, but not for Barney and myself!

Have a great Sunday, folks. Be safe and take today off from any news!

John Masters
June 28, 2020 - Msg 114749: Good morning, again! Just finished watching my church's service, presented over Facebook. Technology makes me crazy sometimes, especially when some people use it to hurt other people, but all in all, it's a good thing. COVID or no COVID, I got to "go to church" this morning!

It's cloudy here, looks like it could easily turn into a big rainstorm. It's not too hot, at just 82°, and I had hoped to get out and do some weeding this afternoon, but maybe not. I did a bit yesterday while Eddie and Tommy were doing the heavier lifting. Pulled some weeds, and cut all my sundrop mounds back practically to the ground. There are six of them, each around 3' across. They tend to get long and leggy, with the foliage mostly out on the last 6" or so of each strand, and they quit blooming. I should have cut them back just before spring "sprung", but I didn't. No matter, they bloomed beautifully, but are through now, and looked pretty pathetic. Now that I cut them back so deeply, they'll sprout new foliage, make lovely little mounds, and quite likely will bloom again. Gotta love 'em!

The wind last weekend blew over my biggest plumeria tree, which was in beautiful bloom, and broke several branches. It looks like it got in a fight and lost, but true to its nature, it will put forth new growth, and soon will be lovely again. You know, it occurs to me that a yard, a garden, is like a life - constantly changing, good and bad things happen, but it marches on. With help from the gardener, it will thrive. That's why I always invite the Gardener to help my life thrive.

Well, it's about lunchtime, but I'm not very hungry. Maybe just a bowl of blueberries and cottage cheese. Not a bad combination, good for me, and I can share a little of it with Trinket. That puppy just loves blueberries, and they're welcome in a canine diet. She likes grapes too, but I never give them to her, as they aren't good for her, can cause problems. I'd like to give her baby carrots now and then too, (Sugarplum's favorite treat) but she ignores them. She sure does love blueberries though, and they've been so good this year.

Blessings, friends! Stay home, stay well, wear your mask, and wash your hands. A lot! --Romeena


June 28, 2020 - Msg 114750: Good Sabbath all.

Sounds like the virus is not going away anytime soon. Dog gone it! But as Romeena's Daddy said, it is what it is. So we will just ride it out.

PapaBear, good one buddy. I heard a couple of old timers jokes way back in the day that were knee slappers, but if I told them here I might get more than my knee slapped. lol

Romeena, Debbie eats cottage cheese. It's about the only thing she can seem to eat without making her sick as far as protein is concerned. I on the other hand can't stand the stuff.

Nice smiling sweep MDC. But if you smile like that when you sweep your teeth will get dusty. A dusty larnyx and dusty teeth, one of li9fes tragedies.

I just saw a Bonanza that had Nurse Mary in it. (The one who's kiss felt better than a mules nose). Old Hoss fell for her in a bad way after she kissed him right on the mouth. They was gonna get hitched until they all found out she was a compulsive gambler (cover your eyes MDC). She had the bug real bad and Hoss finally had to dump her in the end.

John, I was having a hard time reading your post because the alarm clock in your stomach was distracting. :)

GF, How you doing buddy? I hope all is well for you and the Mrs.

Good to see you Sarah. Any good gossip?

Well off to see what else is on the DVR. The misery in my back has me spending some quality time in my Wheeler.

Asa
June 29, 2020 - Msg 114751: good morning porch. I hope everyone is doing well.... the neighbors thought it odd that 93 year old Morton was dating again one Monday morning after a visit from his friend gretta he could remember proposing last night but he couldn't who he propsed to so he picked up the phone and called gretta do you remember last night I proposed to you??? oh my gosh gushed greta I am glad you called I knew I said yes to someone but I couldn't remember who.. have a great day papa bear
June 29, 2020 - Msg 114752: an 88 year old woman was pulled over by the police. mam can I see your licence she replied I lost my license two years ago to drunk driving. can I see your registration she replied I stole this car and I have a dead body in the trunk,, distraught the officer called for a 100 percent back up even the police chief came. policechief asked to see hrt license which she producd, he then asked to look in the trunk and the trunk was empty. the lady then told the chief of police.. I bet he said I was speeding to,... the chief let her go … .. papa bear
June 29, 2020 - Msg 114753: Thank you for the jokes Pappa bear, it's good to laugh especially now. Asa the switchboard has been quiet seems everyone is walking and enjoying the beautiful weather. My granddog Skiff is visiting for a week. He is recouping from surgery, several bad teeth removed and one of his eyes. He has had issues with one of his eyes since he was about a year old and he was blind in that eye. Skiff is a English springer spaniel and he is so handsome, looks and prances like a show dog at age six. Sarah
June 29, 2020 - Msg 114754: My grand dog is wearing a cone and when I let him out in the yard my neighbor had let her Lab out and he took one look at Skiff with his cone and took off. He probably thought it was an alien dog, we had a good laugh. Sarah
June 30, 2020 - Msg 114755:

HI ALL! John Masters, I saw on the news about that dust all the way from the Sahara desert! I'm surprized a few camels didnt blow over with the dust! ha
For me right now it is allergies! My nose is so stuffed up most of the time that I carry nasal spray with me! :) At least I found a good natural one called Xlear with grapefruit seed extract. It really works and I was able to get off of the $$$ Rx ones!
Also, I am not a doctor,(and dont even play one on TV. ha) but I have often wondered what would have happened if we had just let this virus play out like any other, such as h1n1.?

GF and ASA (and anyone else who knows drills) I am looking for a new household-use drill that is somewhat lightweight, yet has enuf power to get a job done. I've looked at several brands, and I think I like the Milwaukee M12 2504-21. I like the fact that the batterry is the same size as the handle. It's 12 volt, but that's enuf for my small jobs. Here is a link to it: https://www.toolnut.com/milwaukee-2504-21-m12-fuel-1-2-hammer-drill-2-0ah-kit.html
I know that ASA likes Bosch, but they were all heavy duty. Ryobi had some compacts, but with big battery packs.

ASA and Papabear, love the old jokes, thanks. Remember the old 'moron' and 'polish' jokes? I guess if we told them now, we'd be in big trouble. Kinda sad tho, as I dont think anyone was 'offended' back then at such things.
ASA,So Nurse Mary was a gambler eh? She also played quite a deciever on the Rifleman. So sorry to hear of your back issues. Do you ever see a chiropractor? Medicare covers it ya know.

RO--sounds like your yard is coming right along. Too bad about your tree however! My wife's hollyhocks were great this year, but she cut them down on Sunday (all played out). It was only 98 here today!! Almost broke out my sweater! :)

Well, I think i caught up on the news.
Prayers for all,
MDC







June 30, 2020 - Msg 114756: Evening, Porch

Sarah - Our little chiweenie sometimes wears a cone to keep from biting and knawing on his hot spots. It can be comedy! :)

MDC - I'm doin' ten times better now. Man, that dust hit hard and quick. I knew immediately it wasnt COVID. It hit me too quick.

Well, folks...God save our country , our government and our sane people. They say when it rains, it pours and we, my friends, are about to start building another ark. The chaos is flooding and there's not much holding back the waves.

Night all.

John Masters
June 30, 2020 - Msg 114757: Hey MDC...Check your email I sent you about drills before you buy....G-F
June 30, 2020 - Msg 114758: P.S. MDC....I just checked my local store it’s going for $32.04 it’s 75% off right now. They are clearing out last years model. If you can get it at THAT price, you can’t but a battery for that!...It’s about what I paid for it at Christmas time when they ran a special on it...Good Luck!

G-F
June 30, 2020 - Msg 114759: How-do, porch! I hope everyone is doing OK, no virus, or other major problem. I'm so sick of that miserable mask and will be so happy when this thing finally wears itself out. I have some trouble breathing with the mask. My respiratory compromise is mild, and generally doesn't bother me except on exertion, or when I'm wearing that mask. It blocks just enough air that I feel air-hungry all the time. I confess, I cheat at times and pull it out a little at the bottom, and the cool air that comes in feels wonderful! Of course, when air is coming in freely and unfiltered at the bottom, it's going out the same way, which sort of defeats the purpose, but when I start seeing stars, I need air!

Well, I made a big dee-cide yesterday, as my Dale would have said. You will remember that at the back of my yard I have a raised flowerbed, about 23 feet long and about 10 feet wide. It's 20" deep at the back, and slopes down to 4" in the front. It's a gentle arc, with sandstone slab walls, and used to be just beautiful. I would buy about 20-25 flats of petunias, pansies, whatever was in season, and keep it full of color all the time. So pretty. Then we dug a ground-level bed behind it, just sort of wrapped the back of the raised bed, about six feet wide, and tapering in at the ends to conform to the wall. I filled it with selected irises, and in the spring, it was a sight to behold. Well, time marches on. I retired, my income was cut in half, and I could no longer afford the huge expense of all those flats of flowers. So, I put in perennials. The back row is hibiscus bushes, and in front I have some Gerbera daisies, which return year after year. I also planted those "dwarf" zinnias, which grew to 4-5 ft! I won't do that again. Ridiculous things. Meantime, the irises in the bed behind the raised bed began to decline, probably because I never divided them like I should have done. It didn't matter though, because what little blooming they did couldn't be seen, for all the tall stuff growing in the raised bed! Also, in the meantime, some sort of vicious, devil-spawn weed took over in the iris bed. I have paid to have that bed weeded three times now, at about $100-150 each time. Yesterday was the third time - this year!
So I made my dee-cide. I asked Eddie to pick up some St. Augustine sod - $20. Tommy dug up the irises and set them aside. Then they raked all the weeds they could find out of the bed, and set the sod in place. In other words, I obliterated the ground-level bed. It is now sodded with St. Augustine, I'm watering it, and the bed is gone.
That should save me some money in the future! The irises will be re-homed in the other beds in the yard. They're tough, and will make it just fine. Actually, they'll probably be inspired by the divisions and change of scenery, and should do well next spring. If they don't, I will shed no tears. Anyway, the "garden of weeds" is gone, and I'm glad.

MDC, my plumeria tree will be fine. I didn't make it clear that it was a potted tree, so when it blew over, it wasn't damaged, other than a couple of small broken limbs. Pot and all went over, so the trunk and roots weren't bothered. That must have been some wind, because the pot is very large and heavy, and the dirt in it is heavy too. However, a plumeria has those big, long, strappy leaves and I guess they act like little sails. It has blown over several times. I have another one, about half the size of the one that went down, and it usually doesn't blow over. I have two re-bars driven into the ground by the big one, and usually have bungee cord wrapped around it and anchored to the re-bar, but the bungee got lost somehow. I think it lost its stretch, and Eddie probably threw it away. I'll find another one, and anchor it again.

Well, guess I'll go hunt up some lunch. By the way, if you like Chinese food, try P.F. Chang's frozen dishes. They do a really good job with it. I had sweet and sour chicken, with peppers and pineapple in it last night, and I added some sliced water chestnuts, just because I like them. I did a little Uncle Ben's 90-second rice to go with it, and it's really good. One bag will feed two people, so I got two meals out of it.

Blessings, everyone! Stay safe, wear your mask, keep your distance, and wash, wash, wash! --Romeena
June 30, 2020 - Msg 114760: I forgot who asked about hot spots on their dog but I used to have a black lab who got some bad ones. Its so hot here in the summer and she would get some big ones. Its hard to deal with them because the dogs like to chew at them but I just kept them as clean as I could and they eventually went away. One of the dogs that I have now had one on his leg and nothing I did would stop him from chewing at it but being it was during corona shut down, I just kept and eye on it and eventually it healed up. They are a pain to deal with, for sure. Sometimes all it takes is an insect bite and they start chewing at the area and get a spot. It must be tough to be a dog.

Ro, those masks are a pain, as we well know. I remember having to wear them in deliveries and in the OR and they got so hot. Poor Sean has been having to wear one at work now and he is doing alot of manual labor. He said he got dizzy today so I told him, let the dang thing hang off one ear when no one is around! Crazy times and I saw something on the news about a new flu strain growing in China that has the potential to be another pandemic. This one started on a pig farm they say. Maybe this is the new normal but I sure hope not. Cases are growing like crazy in my area and with people coming in to go to the beach, it is going to continue to skyrocket.

Sounds like the right decision, concerning the flowerbed, Ro.

Our place is very green for this time of year, due to the rains. Finally my shrubs seem to have taken of, especially my Lantana! Its about time. This is the first time in ten years that the cutter ants havent ravaged things.

I made a lasagna last night *well, two actually..one without meat, and so I wont have to cook tonight. Everyone will be fine with leftovers. I have to go get some clothes out of the dryer..will try to come back and rock later.

Boo
June 30, 2020 - Msg 114761: Hello porch , thought I would stop in and see whats happening lately .I seldom have time to get on the old PC anymore with working full time , church and family obligations and being the farm hand for the wifes mini farm .Seems like everyone is dealing with this dang virus fairly well .Boo I saw the article about th enew virus in China , why are all our troubles comiing from that part of the world ?Blessings to all
Mayberry Deputy
June 30, 2020 - Msg 114762: I don't know, MD. Maybe they don't have the regulations they should have when it comes to raising animals for food?

Boo
July 01, 2020 - Msg 114763:

We lost another good guy today, natural causes...--RIP Carl Reiner at 98 years young. :(
BOO-did you try my recipe by any chance? Sounds good tho. Also, if he can, maybe Sean could wear the mask below the nose now and then to breathe better. I thought of you and RO in ORs, and even then the mask is only on for a few hours! This all day thing is going to hurt more people than it helps(IMHO).
MD--good to see ya. Careful, you're at the "Gateway to Danger!" :)
GF and ASA--thanks for the emails about drills. You two are the cats!
RO--thanks for clearing that up about the tree. How about just a strong piece of wire from stake to stake? I think I've mentioned before that I have St. Augustine grass. It is a very hardy grass and does great in the shade too.
Well, off to the rack,
God's blessings, keep well.
MDC
July 01, 2020 - Msg 114764: Good morning all.

MDC, Just remember, my opinion is worth about what you paid for it. :) I love tools, just love em! But I do need to downsize. Over the years I have really built up a large assortment of tools. In the early years I would get frustrated because every time I needed a tool for a home project, it was at work. Thankfully I landed a job that gave us a yearly tool allowance. So that allowed me to buy extra tools for home use. And then friends and neighbors would give me tools. When my Dad passed away I inherited all of his tools. He was the king of tool hoarding. lol So now I am retired and have more tools than you can imagine. So yep, I need to downsize. No sense letting them sit here and collect dust. My Son and Son in law are not much hands on fellers so they really wouldn't have much use for them.

Boo, seriously? A meatless lasagna? That's criminal girl! :) You could get inarculated over that in Texas I'd think. lol (Just pickin at ya)

Romeena, I wear a mask when I go grocery shopping (the only place I go in public) and it about drives me nuts for the 20 minutes or so I am in the store. I can't imagine how those poor checkers do it all day long. I'm with you, I'll be so glad when this stuff is over.

Well off to mow the grass today. I fertilized it last week and then we had a good rain hit yesterday. Now it has grown like mad.

I pray you all have a great day.

Asa


July 01, 2020 - Msg 114765: Good morning, porch! Trinket and I slept a little later than usual this morning, but it was a good, solid, restful sleep and we just indulged ourselves! I'm retired, and she's just a young'un, so we can do that!

She's such a little sweetheart. Much bigger than I thought I wanted, but I think for me, at this point in my life, she's probably just what I needed. God has a way of doing that - giving us what we need, rather than what we think we want, for our own good.

I think her groomer was having a bad day, last week. Over all, she did a good job, but I found a surprise yesterday. Trinket's tail, like all Maltese, is carried in a graceful curl, up over her back end. She has a plume of hair, at least six inches long, that hangs from that tail, and just makes a graceful fountain of pretty white hair over her backside. Well, I was combing it out, and discovered that at the very tip end, the hair had been cut off, leaving it about 2" long. It looks like a little shaving brush! I know what happened. Miss Wiggly flipped her tail over, right into the path of the oncoming clipper, and snip! That part of her plume was gone! Oh well, it's hair, it will grow, and it really doesn't show, as the rest of the plume-shower covers it.

Boo, those hot spots can be a problem. Trinket right now is on a very low-dose prednisone declining dose regimen. She doesn't have hot spots, but she chews at her feet, and scratches and nibbles at herself constantly. That's why I had to cut her hair short, she was scratching mats into it all day long. Then I'd have to try to comb them out, fighting with her, and making her miserable. She doesn't have fleas, I simply don't allow them. She doesn't go outside, and I remove my shoes when I've been in the yard and come n the house. I spray a cedar spray around the doors and porches, which repels both fleas and mosquitoes. Her vet thinks she has allergies, and he's probably right. To what, who knows? I'm not going through all that expensive testing unless we absolutely have to do so. He mentioned house dust as a possibility, so I think I'll get somebody in here to help me clean this house very thoroughly. I don't keep house like I used to, just don't have the stamina to get it done, but it needs to be done anyway. I'm thinking of planting potatoes on the coffee table!

MDC, I think from our emails, that we are pretty much on the same page. I know we're together on the part that matters, and the rest is just window-dressing. God has a plan.

Well, guess I'll go feed the Trink, and get myself a glass of apple juice. I love that stuff! The TreeTop brand, Honeycrisp apple juice is best. It's cloudy, unfiltered, and just bursting with sweet/tart apple goodness. It's all I usually have for breakfast. Blessings, porch! Stay home, stay well, keep a happy thought! --Romeena
July 01, 2020 - Msg 114766: Evenin' Porch,

Boo - It was me that brought up the hot spots. I was talking about our chiweenie having allergies and breaking out so bad, he looks like he's been burned.

Romeena - That apple juice sounds like just the thing to give my Dad for his kidneys. he drinks a generic apple juice but that sounds better.

Asa - Dont know if I said this or not already, so pardon me if I did, but the wife and I hired a mower to do the yard. he weeds too. After the debacle that was the 2019 mowing season and fixing my mower three times, we just gave up. I thought my mower could take this yard on, but the repairman deliered my mower back the last time and said my yard was probably just too hard on it.

MDC - Yeah, when I see Carl Reiner, Alan Brady and his bad toupees on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" jump into my head immediately. Always telling his right hand man, Mel Cooley, "Shut up, Mel!"

*sigh* America is tipped on it's end. As my Grandma used to say about bad things..."Bad show, bad show!"

I read an article that COVID's death rate is dropping like a safe. Do you know if that's really true? It seems the virus is resurging, but the deaths aren't going up.

Ok, Better go. Y'all have a great night! Hey to Sarah, GF, papabear, Frankie, Maude, PH and everyone else gathered 'round Gomer as he tells his Birdie Blush fishing story.

John Masters
July 01, 2020 - Msg 114767: Oh Romeena, my Poopsie had a terrible allergic reaction to something the first year I had her and she was covered with hives. Have you ever seen hives on a dog with short hair? It makes them look like they have bumps of hair all over them! Weird but I knew what it was. The poor dog was miserable but with some benadryl and a steroid from the vet she was better in a couple of days but she walked around with her little head down looking miserable for days, poor baby. I think we finally narrowed the allergy down to some new puppy pads that contained a lavendar fragrance. Never again! Hope Trinket gets better.

I fried some fish for Bruce today that a coworker caught (trout from the bay) and somehow managed to splash hot oil up the inside of my right arm. I got cold water on it right away and it didnt blister, thankfully, but its red and angry and I made the mistake of putting on some Calagel..the clear kind that contains an anesthetic. Big mistake. Ouch! Dont ever fall for it. lol I was doing ok but now its stinging like crazy from the lidocaine. I should have known better. Im just sharing so none of you will ever make the same mistake. All first degree burns need is cool water.

Well, JM, I am glad the covid deaths are dropping in some places but they are really ramping up in my area. A good friend lost her cousin to Covid yesterday and the hospitals in corpus christi are sending out the SOS for nurses. Forty came from somewhere but that doesnt go very far. The largest hospital in the city only got 3 of those. I am staying out of public places almost always. I am getting a bit tired of home but its safer.

Blessing to all. Stay well!

Boo
July 01, 2020 - Msg 114768: Good evening, porch! Eddie has been here and worked his magic, and the yard looks so nice. The spots that were made bare by that fungus attack last summer have filled in beautifully, thanks to the St. Augustine strips that Eddie put in the worst places. The new grass he put where we removed the irises and obliterated that big, weedy bed appears to be thriving, a few little short runners already extending from the strips, and it was only set in place on Monday! Amazing stuff, St. Augustine grass! Eddie will be back on Monday to finish weeding the remaining small beds, and then a layer of cedar mulch about 3" deep will go down. I am tired of fighting weeds! Oh, and Eddie solved the mystery of the weird weeds that had come up in the bed we just eliminated. A few weeks back, we were unable to find any cedar mulch, and bought five bags of an unfamiliar brand from a nursery that I never patronize, but they said it was the same as cedar mulch. Very dark, didn't look like cedar, but it's a thriving business (an Asian family runs it) and I figured it would be okay. Well, Eddie found a bag of it in the garage that had been overlooked, and the light bulb turned on over his head. He reminded me that we had never seen that particular explosive, very invasive weed in this yard until he put that mulch down on that bed and two others. All three beds have that weed, and none of the others do. I'm tempted to take that bag back to them, and do them the favor of making them aware that it contains weed seeds. However, they speak very little English, and are very abrupt, impatient people and I don't wish to tangle with them. I think I'll just put the bag out for the trash. One thing for sure, I will never, ever buy anything there again. The weeds will probably come up again in the area where that bed was, but with the St. Augustine spot-planted in there, and with regular weekly mowing, they'll soon die out. Eddie will mow them down before they can set seeds. The other two beds are small, and weekly hand-weeding will soon kill them out.

Boo, do you have an aloe plant? I'm sure you know this, living where you do, but the juice from the "swords" of the aloe can be applied to a burn, and the relief is miraculous. Aloe, of course, is one of the few medicinal plants mentioned in the Bible that are still identifiable today.

I once had a stroke patient who was brought in from the nursing home with a terrible "diaper rash" - so bad it was bleeding. His doctor kept prescribing zinc oxide, which wasn't helping, and only adhered to the raw spots, causing more trauma when it was washed off. The patient was a frequent flyer, and his wife and I had a very good relationship. I could stand his misery no longer, so I brought in a big thick leaf from my aloe one morning, told her how to use it, and made it clear that I knew nothing about it. She applied it, and the next day the rash was almost healed. The doc was so pleased, and just fairly gloated when he saw how well his "treatment" had worked. The wife and I just looked at each other and smiled. Oh, and it does wonders for a sunburn, too!

Well, guess I'll go watch a little TAGS. Blessings, friends! Stay home, stay well, wear your mask when you must go out, and wash your hands. --Romeena
July 02, 2020 - Msg 114769:

Yes RO, so many great natural remedies are in the Bible!
As you all know, natural is what i try first, and it usually works!
I agree that our email discussion was pretty much 'right on.' And that means a lot to me coming from you! :) Also, regarding Trinket's size,
maybe God just wanted you to exercise your arm muscles more! haha
And BTW, if any nut grass starts to grow thru my 'dormant' St. Augustine
grass in the winter, once growing season starts, the SA will choke it out.

BOO (and all) on the topic of masks, the other things I have heard is this: if it isnt a N95 mask with the little filter, we are breathing in our own CO2 that we are expelling, and we are not (as RO mentioned) not able to breathe IN the good amount of oxygen needed, and that can cause lightheadedness, diminished brain activity,etc. Just sayin'.

JOHN, I agree, Carl Riener was the perfect guy to play the boastful Alan Brady! He, and comedians like Mel Blanc knew good writing.

APB FOR SPOT, FRANKIE, PH, STERLING, POSSUM, AND OTHERS! This is checkpoint chickie.
Please check in when you can.

Prayers,
MDC


July 02, 2020 - Msg 114770: Good morning, porch! It's beautiful out there today, gonna be hot, but it sure is pretty! I'm pouring the water on the newly-planted grass. I'll have to keep it pretty wet for the next few days. The problem is, I don't have a hose long enough to reach the newest "new grass" area, so am having to run the sprinklers back there. Unfortunately, that area is covered by two zones that are big rotors - the squirt-squirt kind. Between the two, they cover the entire back yard, except for the peripheral flower beds. I don't have a zone that will cover just the new area behind the big raised bed. Fortunately, the area between the houses is covered by one single zone, that sprays just that area, so that one is fine. As for the newest planting, I guess the rest of the yard is just going to get a lot of water, too! I dread seeing my next water bill!

Asa, that email was hilarious. I tried to figure out how to get into the attachments to "sanitize" one of them for my sisters in my SS class. Apparently, that can't be done, and some of the old gals would be scandalized! Others are more like me, are too old to be that prissy, and can enjoy a good joke when they see or hear one. So, I'm going to send it to just those whom I know would appreciate it, and skip the rest! Thanks!

Well, I need to go feed my little roommate. The low-dose steroid pack Dr. Mike put her one to combat her allergic scratching seems to be working, but has ramped her appetite up to "ravenous." I expected that, and it has done it. It even helps in getting her to take the pill. I just push it into a little blob of peanut butter on the end of a spoon, and she licks it off like it was candy, and doesn't even notice the pill. Of course, it helps that she loves peanut butter. Normally, she's pretty suspicious about food, will sniff around it, pick it up, drop it, pick it up again, throw it, and eventually will eat it. Usually. Right now, she's mowing through anything and everything I put down for her. Last night, in addition to her supper, she ate some blueberries, and several cubes of watermelon! This morning, she left a dinner-plate sized wet spot on her piddle pad! (haha) At least, the scratching has slowed down considerably.

Stay home, stay well, and pray for America! Blessings, friends. --Romeena
July 02, 2020 - Msg 114771: Uh, that's "put her ON", not "put her one." Guess I need to trim my nails again. --Romeena
July 02, 2020 - Msg 114772: Morning, Porch

Gotta confess...I have a bad taste in my mouth this morning. It was easy to avoid the news. You just turn it off and turn away from it. But now it seems like EVERYone is in on this "movement." Some of my favorite websites, not related to sports or entertainment or news, is posting SOMEthing about supporting the "movement" that's sweeping the world right now. It stinks that you thought you had it beaten by not watching the news or politics, then you're getting hit in the face with it in about 500 other places!

Romeena - Ooo wee, it's hot here in the Ozarks too! I took my dogs out this morning and it's hot, thick, muggy and uncomfortable! We once had our chiweenie on a steroid and man alive! He'd eat everything in his bowl and look at us like "Well? That's it?!"

MDC - My wife read that same thing about masks. As I stated before, we just dont go anywhere. Period. We are ordering EVERYthing we need. Get grocery pickup at Walmart, Just about every place here is still doing curbside. At least, about everywhere WE go. Tractor Supply, AutoZone, Dollar General, our pizza place, etc. We currently have 5 active cases of COVID with about 20 under isolation for possible exposure and 116 pending. We've been pretty lucky. The small county to our southwest has had 1 this entire time!

Well, better git. I'm hungry so just like the Scobeys, that's what I got to do! Git!
Y'all have a very safe and good day!

John Masters


July 02, 2020 - Msg 114773: John Masters, I agree I am so tired of the news, unfortunately my better half is a news hound and has the news on most of the day and I try to tune most of it out. My hubby went to one of his favorite places today for the the first time in weeks...Sams Club. His other favorite spots are Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware and the marine stores. My favorite spots are Penny's, Kohls and any discount stores, haven't been to any of these since early March 🙁. Ever try to give a dog a bath with a cone on his head? My grand dog is recouping from eye removal surgery and he has long ears with long hair on them and they were a matted mess and starting to smell. My son will be picking him up Sunday and we have certainly re thought the idea of getting another dog. Sarah
July 02, 2020 - Msg 114774: Evenin' folks!

If there are any of you that was a fan of "The Red Green Show" on PBS, I have found Red has a YouTube channel with full seasons and clips. I have been binge watching some it! Nothing like the Possum Lodge Word Game! Here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/user/RedGreenTV/playlists

And remember, if the women don't find ya' handsome, they should at least find ya' handy!

John Masters
July 03, 2020 - Msg 114775: For all you folks who get depressed watching, listening, and reading the news, watch the following https://youtu.be/QkyIoF-__rc

From Poor Horatio
July 03, 2020 - Msg 114776: AMEN Poor Horatio!....I think I saw MDC, Asa, Possum and Boo dancing in that crowd...G-F
July 03, 2020 - Msg 114777: Good morning on this 4th of July Eve.

Another hot one here in the Ozarks! Wanted to walk around without my shirt, but my wife said I couldnt sit down to lunch, a naked savage. ;)
Took a look at the weather cam at Lake of the Ozarks and everyone is already hitting the water. Boats and Sea-doos racing and bouncing across the water.

Sarah - Man, oh man! I would have to go into the garage or outside in the heat to be spared all the news! Hang in there! Maybe take an extra shift or two at the switchboard so you can avoid it.

I turned away from the news Wednesday afternoon and I have no idea what's been happening. My wife has skimmed it some, but she's not telling me. I've been a lot happier.

Okee dokee, time to rustle some early lunch so I can run errands. Hmm...think Barney would be gettin' lunch at 10:28am??

Take care, everyone!

John Masters
July 03, 2020 - Msg 114778: Good early afternoon, porch! Poor Horatio, thanks for that video! Very uplifting and encouraging. I can't imagine the logistics of producing something like that. Obviously, it took place over a period of time, being from different parts of the world. Imagine getting that many people together in different locations, some wearing matching shirts, some not, all following some sort of choreography, and doing it very well. The enthusiasm and energy were contagious. Made me want to get up and dance too! (Cover your eyes, everyone!)

Like many of you, I've just about quit watching the news. You can't trust it anyway, most of it is malicious fiction, and who wants to watch that? I get enough information here at this computer, and I can sift through it, research it, prove or disprove it, as I wish. The "talking heads" bore me, or annoy me, or make me want to throw something at them. I just stick to my old reruns, like TAGS, Lucy, MASH, Dick Van Dyke, even Gomer Pyle. I just love Gomer! So innocent, yet so wise in so many ways. Good show.

Trinket and I are going to have a showdown, if she's not careful. I walked into this room just now and found a wet spot on the carpet! I thought we had that settled. Dratted little hound, she knows better.

Oh, the butterflies are returning to my backyard. They are a little late this year, but they're out there now. Big old things, and little thumb-nail sized tiny ones, all so pretty. I do enjoy them!

Well, guess I'll go scare up a little lunch. I'm not hungry, maybe just some cherries and some feta cheese. Blessings! --Romeena
July 03, 2020 - Msg 114779: Afternoon all.

Uh-oh, a battle brewing in Trinketville. My money's on you Romeena.
You mentioned butterfly's reminded me of the spring I graduated High School. That spring I went out and bought a brand new enduro type motorcycle. A 175 CC Honda on/off road bike. Well wouldn't you know that same spring we had a huge bunch of Monarch butterflies invade the area. Talk about a mess. Just riding the few miles I had to get to work plastered my face shield with butterfly guts. And this was before they came out with the full type helmets so your chin and neck were exposed. And let me tell you, them suckers hurt when your doing 60. You learn in a hurry to keep your mouth closed. lol

I'm glad you liked the e-mail Ro. I figured you would in spite of the one word. Texas tough.

GF, I wish I could move like them dancers, but not in a few years. Amazing how sore and stiff you get when you get a few miles on you. Actually if it weren't for my back I'd feel pretty good about the condition my condition is in. (a little K.R. for you) lol

MDC, What did you decide for a drill? We are anxiously waiting. Oh I love the smell of a new power tool right out of the box. I envy you! :)

I could not agree more with my distaste for the news media. Nothing much gets my jaw muscle tensed up quicker.

JM, Glad the Wife made you put on a shirt for lunch. Wouldn't do if you had a hot lunch and spilled on your chest with no shirt.

Boo, Y'all be careful with that Virus stuff. I surely do hope they can come up with both a vaccine and a means of treating it if you do get it.

Sarah, good on you for taking care of your grandpuppy. That's not always easy to do.

Well off to see what I can muster up for supper tonight. Pretty hot so it ain't gonna be to fancy. Eat some supper while I watch some Adam 12. I watched one last night where Malloy and Reed are chasing down a guy who had raped a young girl. Malloy finally caught him after a long chase on foot. Then the guy started telling Malloy that "she wanted it" and "she deserved it". Malloy got a little physical with the guy after cuffing him and ended up getting suspended for 4 days. It was a great show though in demonstrating how a Police Officer has to disengage from an event, no matter what. Was very timely for what has been going on the last few weeks in our Nation. Police are not machines, they are human and have human emotions and probably see more garbage in a few hours than most of us will see in a lifetime. And not just see it, but have to deal with it, up close and personal, day after day after day. It takes a special breed of person to have to deal with that stuff daily and not affect you at one time or another. Don't get me wrong. I am not excusing what happened to Mr. Floyd. Shameful indeed. But let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. And lets treat our current Police with respect. To label them all as bad apples is wrong. Just as wrong as grouping people as something due to race. You know what I mean?

Asa
July 03, 2020 - Msg 114780: Good evening, porch. Asa, you indeed said a mouthful there at the end. To judge any individual based on what some members of their group may have done is wrong. In our current situation, the "group" happens to be based on race, on both sides. Some white people see all non-white people as criminals, untrustworthy, and potentially violent. Some non-white people see all whites, especially white police officers, as oppressors, racist, and also potentially violent. Sadly enough, all it takes is a few people who fit the perceived picture on either side, to confirm the impression in the minds of the opposite side.

Perhaps it would be good if we all followed God's example, and judged each individual - individually! Not based on the behavior of others. I'm grateful that when I stand before God, I will answer only for my own deeds or misdeeds, and will not be judged on the follies of everyone else in this world today.

Asa, you are absolutely right that police work would be terribly difficult, due to the despicable behavior of a lot of perpetrators - black, white, brown or green - it doesn't matter. (Incidentally, this might be a good time to mention that the majority of serial rapists and murderers are white, at least within my memory. Think about it.)

Just as wrong is the behavior exhibited by the officer who murdered Mr. Floyd. Floyd may have been no angel, but he did not deserve to die with his face ground into the street, underneath an officer's knee. That's why we have laws, and courts, and murder is murder, no matter who the victim may be. The stress level is high, I know, but if you can't control yourself, then resign. I'm not sure I could.

As a nurse, I've been hit, scratched (I still have the scar), spit on, and once even bitten by a patient. These were elderly, confused people, and definitely not in control of themselves, so anger wasn't an issue. My little spitting lady was easy to manage. I went into her room holding up a towel between us, laid it gently over her face, reached underneath with a surgical mask and put it on her, then removed the towel. Her hands were in restraints, to keep her from removing her IV. However, the police are often faced with people who know full well what they're doing, and they take a lot of abuse, including possible exposure to disease, from them. I don't know how they do it.

However, Asa, you're right. Disbanding the police over such events is just stupid. If someone is threatening me, I want the police to appear at my door. And call me se#ist, but I don't want that officer to be a little 120 lb woman. I want a man, about 6'3" and well over 200 lbs, muscles out to here, with a big gun on his hip, some handcuffs, maybe a taser and some mace. That is, assuming I haven't already handled the problem myself, with my own weapon. Still, I would welcome the backup!

Asa, I can't imagine you, all covered with butterfly goo, on your motorcycle! At least, I guess you were colorful! Poor little butterflies, they were just trying to get to their nesting grounds! I'm thinking of planting some milkweed in some bare spots out back, to encourage the Monarchs on their way. They lay their eggs on certain varieties of milkweed, and the hatching larvae will eat nothing else. I understand that honeybees like milkweed blossoms, and they need our support these days too, due to the hive die-off that's spreading.

Well, almost time for Trinket's little pill. She looks forward to it, because I bury it in a blob of peanut butter, which she just loves. Her scratching has diminished considerably, thank goodness. She still scratches a little at times, but then, doesn't everyone? Little brat, not only did she leave that wet spot this morning, but she left me a little monument on the living room carpet this afternoon. She knows better. I think it may be the steroid she's on that's causing that. It's a very low dose, but a steroid all the same, and it will do strange things.

Blessings, friends. Stay home, watch fireworks on TV tomorrow evening, and if you do go somewhere tomorrow, remember to wear your mask and carry hand sanitizer with you. --Romeena