September 29, 2022 - Msg 118259: Wow, hope you hear from your DIL soon, Romeena. My friends in Florida are ok today but the flooding is horrible! Thankfully, we didnt have that with Harvey, at least not here on the coast. The flooding happened inland around Houston. What a terrible situation. Climate change is making these hurricanes stronger, I fear and changes will have to be made in the future. Guess all our insur@ne rates will go up (sigh).

You know Romeena, I guess good can be found after most anything but at the time of the hurt it cant be seen. I know it has helped me in the past to realize that when someone passes on, their hurting and hardship is over and they have been spared some real life difficulties. The reality of life is harsh sometimes and things sometimes happen just because they happen and there are no answers to be found. We just have to leave it where it is. It's like the old saying (that I really dont like, by the way): "God doesnt make mistakes". Well, I guess that's true but the fact is bad things happen that God has nothing to do with. Babies are born to drug addicted mothers who have birth defects and struggles for life, for instance. Not fair, God didnt make them that way, it just is what it is. Life isnt fair but God is there to help us through. I think he gets blamed for a lot of things he has no part of. I heard a saying once that God is a redeemer and can redeem the worst that happens in our life, either in this life or in the next he will make it up to us. I like to think so.

Well enough with the philosophy..things to be done!

Boo
September 30, 2022 - Msg 118260: Good morning, porch! Another beautiful day, just 67°, high to be just 83°, and no rain at all in the 10-day forecast. Not a visible cloud anywhere, and that temperature is a gift, for sure! My back yard is full of birds and squirrels - so much fun to watch as they go about their little lives. My daughter Robbi sent me some of those solar-powered decorative lights for the yard a couple of months ago, and the squirrels have nearly ruined them. They just can't leave them alone! They knock them over, have knocked their tops off, leaving the part with the light in it just dangling by a tiny wire, and of course they don't light up if they aren't standing where the sun can hit the little solar panel on top. I have put them back together at least a dozen times, have taped the top compartment in place and the bratty little squirrels still manage to dismantle them. It's a good thing God chose to make them so cute!

Boo, I cannot disagree with what you said. I'm clueless at times, just as you said. When I was 40 years old, still raising my brood of four kids, and was hit with stage 3b cancer, you can bet I was asking "Why, Lord?" Then, widowed at age 56, when my perfectly healthy, big and strong husband was hit with a brain-stem stroke and died within about two minutes - you can bet I was screaming "Why, Lord?", and continued to do so for several years. As it happened, in both cases, I have been allowed a glimpse of the reasons. Or - if not the actual reason, at least I have seen what God has done with the situation. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." I addressed this concept in the little book I wrote - "A Flat of Petunias" - perhaps some of you have read it. As a child, I had envisioned myself as a medical missionary, but life got in the way. The medical part was addressed when I went back to school and became a nurse at the age of 40, but at the time, I didn't make the association. I just wanted to be a nurse. I achieved that, but had a husband and four kids, so it was a home-based endeavor. For years, I worked in our local hospital, and loved it. Sixteen years later, Dale passed suddenly. A seizure, and he was gone. He was 58, and I was 56. I groped my way through life for the next 8 years. Then in 2004, a missionary visited our church, and made a plea for people who were willing to join him in Mongolia, for a two-week visit, and he needed a medical team to go along. That was our "cover story" to ensure our welcome in that country, which was still under Communist influence, if not control. Another nurse and two doctors from my church signed up, as did I. I had been in Mongolia for about a week when it hit me like a bolt from the blue. For that brief period of time, I was a medical missionary! And most important, I realized that had Dale been living, I would not be there. He was self-employed - no work, no pay. The trip was expensive (we each paid our own way) and we could not have afforded to pay for both of us - and he would have been very reluctant to agree to me going alone. Now, as I stated in the book, I absolutely do not believe God took him home, just so I could make that trip. He had other reasons, which I may never know. I think it was to spare Dale some suffering in the future. His ways are not our ways, and if He could create the universe(s), He certainly doesn't have to explain His plans to puny little me. Yet I can see an example of Romans 8:28 in the events. I think Dale was spared some future suffering, and I can easily see that things "worked together for good" in the two trips (I went again the following year) to Mongolia, which were definitely water-shed events in my spiritual life, and in my literal life as well. Let go, and let God!

Speaking of the Mongolia trips, I saved those journals I sent out, describing the events of each day, and I still have them. I'm so glad I did, because they're still available to me at the touch of a couple of keys, and I greatly enjoy going back and reading them over now and then, renewing and cementing in my heart the impressions each day brought.

Well, better get busy. My vacuum sweeper probably thinks I'm mad at it, as I haven't used it in far too long. Trinket, unlike any other pup I've ever had, totally ignores it when I'm using it! Doesn't scare her or bother her at all. Sweet little thing. Blessings, friends. Keep looking up. --Romeena
October 01, 2022 - Msg 118261:

Hello Porchsters. I saw on FB that Possum made it thru Ian OK, and it was good to
see SPOT post too. Prayers tho for Florida, so much devestation there.
But Boo, I dont want a moulage, but I'm one who is not fully on board the climate change
train. From what I have read, climate change has always been cyclical, up and down thru
out recorded history. Back in 1935 there was a hurricane that was much worse than Ian,
as an example. Interesting how that group changed the term global warming to climate
change, because that term can include almost anything, any fluctuation and its climate change.
Here in my area we had the mildest August in 50 years. Anyway, I think every newscast now
over-uses that term to scare everybody IMHO. OK, sliding box back under porch.
The two tags on me-tv tonight are ones that we all know by just one or two words.
The first was "bulbsnatcher" and the second was "petula oblangata!" ha
RO--that is so weird that your critters go after those lights. I wonder what makes them
want to do that? Maybe just because they are something different?
There is a lot going on these days, but I cling to my faith, and place my life in God's hands
each day. It's Fall, and the cool air is drawing nearer. :)
MDC
October 01, 2022 - Msg 118262: Hi Porch!

An observation...

In "Opie's Newspaper," did anyone notice that the three streets, Willow, Elm and Maple, that Andy, Bee and Barney each went to to recover the newspapers were actually all Andy's street and on the same side of the street?
Mrs. Foster's house was just to the left of Andy's, the preacher's house was just to the right and Harold Grigsby's was approx. three houses down to the left.

Take care!
John Masters

October 01, 2022 - Msg 118263: Thanks, MDC- yes,we made it thru Ian just fine,thank the Lord. We had a little rain & some gusty winds but that's about it. No where near what those poor folks got hit with down in Florida. Continued prayers for them all.

************
possum u.a.r.
October 03, 2022 - Msg 118264:

Hello all! I hope everyone had a good weekend.
All is good here, but still praying for the people in Florida.
Our weather continues its downward trend. We don't really have a 'fall,'
but at least its not summer either! :)
May I ask your prayers for my sister in law Renee. I have not said too
much about her on the porch, but she has lung cancer that has spread,
and she is not doing very good right now. She has done both radiation
and chemo. I really appreciate it. Thanks.
I still keep busy with my volunteer work, and my wife and I had a nice
Sunday drive to the historical town of Florence.
Hang in there folks, Love to all. Please check in. I hosed down all the rockers.
MDC :)


October 04, 2022 - Msg 118265: Rest in Peace, Loretta Lynn.

possum again
October 04, 2022 - Msg 118266: Prayers for your sister in law, MDC.

possum once more
October 04, 2022 - Msg 118267: I hear you, Romeena. I don't need to know all the answers, because I know how God has been there for me and blessed me.

MDC, we will have to agree to disagree on the climate change issue. Since I took the time to look at the issue (I was afraid to before and it was easier to just believe it wasnt a thing), I can't help but believe it. I think old Jerry Falwell did us all an injustice back in the 70s and 80s when he was telling the moral majority that climate change wasn't real. I won't tell you what I think of Jerry and his son Jerry, Jr.

I am so sorry to hear that your sister in law has lung cancer, MDC. I can't imagine how you and your family must feel. You have prayed for my family so much over the years and I will pray for your's, especially Renee, bless her heart. May her remaining time here draw her ever closer to God's heart and may she pass peacefully to heaven when her time comes. Amen

Boo
October 05, 2022 - Msg 118268:

Hi Boo, no problem at all. There is much info on both fronts,
I was just expressing MHO since the topic came up. Either way,
all in all, I think all will be ok. :)
Thank you for the prayers for Renee. She had a much better day today,
but lung cancer is a tough one to fight. I really appreciate your prayers.
I sure hope that everyone is ok. I feel like saying "Gomer? Gome...?" ha
Anyways, God bless the porchsters.
MDC
October 06, 2022 - Msg 118269:

MDC here again. RO? are you doing OK? Havent heard from you in
a while.
Tonight's tags was about the shoplifting old lady, and one thing I have
wondered about is poor ol' ASA. The poor guy worked as a bank guard during
the day, and then as Weaver's watchman at night... no wonder he was 'sleeping on the
job!' haha Anyone else ever wonder about that. Maybe he quit the day job. :)
My SIL is still doing better. She has been thru a lot, so prayers still appreciated.
Keep well my friends,
MDC
October 06, 2022 - Msg 118270: Prayers for Renee MDC. So sorry she is sick with that.

Concerning my work schedule, don't forget I also worked the desk at the Hotel sometimes. And later became a Doctor. I like to keep busy. lol

Been busy here getting some projects done before winter sets in. Sure has been nice weather. Temps in the mid 70's for highs and low 60's at night. But we sure need rain and snow in the mountains. I got my sprinklers all blown down and put to sleep for the season. Fired up Helen yesterday and she started but she was being ornery. I need to drain the fuel out of her and get some fresh stuff in her. She is so very temperamental in that regard. There is a new service station a couple miles away from me that just opened last week and low and behold, they sell non ethanol gasoline. So I am going to get some of that for Helen. She always requires extras. What I haven't told her is that I am thinking of replacing her. She is a single stage unit and does a really decent job, but with my back and the size of my driveway, I need to upgrade to a two stage self propelled unit. That or look into a blade for my riding mower. Helen will be mad when she finds out though. Oh well, she will find a good home somewhere.

Thanks for the prayers for Sarah. They had no power for 4 days but that is now back on. She said she does not want to go through that again.

I sure hope Ro is okay. Check in Romeena.

Well back to the list of to do's.

Asa
October 06, 2022 - Msg 118271: Check out my Friends store for all your Mayberry apparel needs...Gary has Pretty Cool stuff 👍....G-F

https://www.storefrontier.com/bertmillersmayberryemporium

October 06, 2022 - Msg 118272: Good morning, porch! My goodness, it's nice to be missed! I didn't realize I'd been absent for six days! No problems, just been busy. Eddie has been here three times, trying to get the yard in shape to make it through the winter. I've been to three doctors (mostly routine stuff), two things at church, multiple errands (there are five bags of cedar mulch in Tillie's trunk), Eloise and I spent Monday morning at our monthly book club meeting, then lunch (our usual routine), and had some nice naps with Trinket in my lap in the afternoons. Trinket was scheduled for a grooming yesterday afternoon, but Karen (the groomer) called just before the time, and said she had to go home. She has bad arthritis in her hands and said she was in so much pain after doing the badly matted dog she had just finished, that she knew she couldn't do Trinket properly. She has taken care of my little babies for several years now, and I like her. As painful as my own hands are getting to be, I can only understand and adjust. We'll set another appointment. She does a nice job, Trinket likes her, doesn't act scared when she arrives, so I try to cooperate. I've tried to groom her myself, but I end up with Trinket acting very offended, a big wet mess in the bathroom, and I'm definitely not going to try to do any clipping. I guess the old saying is true - "Different strokes for different folks." I would make a terrible mess of clipping a dog's hair so it looks nice, but I'll bet Karen couldn't change a complicated dressing, or start an IV in a person with no apparent veins. To each, his or her own!

MDC, I'm sorry about Renee, and will pray for her. These are the things that make us ask "Why, Lord?" When my own cancer struck in 1979, my question was "Why me, Lord?" Later, after a lot of struggling and trying to figure it out, God changed my heart a bit, and the question became "Why not me, Lord?" And I still ask that, to this day. About two years after my own year-long battle with the monster, I was assigned a newly-diagnosed young woman. The wife of one of our doctors, school-age children at home, very sweet young woman. She had a small bre@st tumor, no positive nodes, looked like a cure for sure. She didn't make it a year, and everyone was just shocked. Why her? Why not me? I'll never know until I can ask God face to face, and believe me, I will!

Boo, I just re-read your entry at the top of this page, and I think our thoughts are pretty close, with one small exception. I like the statement that "God doesn't make mistakes." He doesn't, but we do, and then Romans 8:28 becomes clearer. He takes our mistakes and somehow finds some good in the outcome, and builds on it. We live in a broken world, but God gave us a solution, which when reached by faith, makes everything right in the end. When I was a child, there was a family who lived across the street from one of my aunts. There was a child, Darlene, who had the worst case of cerebral palsy I ever saw in my life. She was bedfast, unable to walk, braces didn't help, couldn't turn herself in bed, and her speech was so distorted that mostly only her mother could understand her. Her father, cad that he was, decided it was just more than he wanted to deal with, so he just picked up and left. Her mother found a chiropractor that she hoped could help Darlene (no one else had offered any hope) and neither did the chiropractor, but he did say he would work with her to keep her joints as mobile as possible, and keep things from getting worse. Long story short - the mother and the doc eventually married, and they built a happy marriage and a loving home for Darlene. She remained an invalid, but the girl had a smile like a sunrise, was delighted when visitors came, loved her new dad immensely, and he loved her. The family attended the same church my whole family did, and on Sunday mornings, they would be in church, with Doc carrying the smiling Darlene in (she never grew to an adult body, weighed about 60 lbs, I think.) God took what looked like such a tragic situation and molded it into an inspiration for anyone who was paying attention. His ways are not our ways.

Asa, I love the way you have named your Helen. My car is named Tillie, you know. My dad always had a name for his cars, I guess that's where I got it. Maybe you could get that bigger one for big jobs, but keep Helen for light jobs?

Well, I need to go to the grocery store. (Tip: If you haven't tried those "Just Crack an Egg" things as advertised on TV - please do so. They're good! I bought one a couple of weeks ago, and made it according to the directions on the container, and it was so good! I'm going to get two or three more, and experiment a little. (I can never just make something by a recipe or instructions, I always have to tweak it a little.) It's just a little pint-sized container, containing some cheese, chopped veggies, whatever. I think there are about six different varieties. You "just crack an egg" and stir it all up, microwave it, and voila! Breakfast! An omelet in a cup! Quite tasty.

Prayers where needed and requested. Blessings, friends - keep looking up! --Romeena
October 06, 2022 - Msg 118273: Hey Ro, Glad you are okay.

I named my Honda snow blower Helen because for whatever reason, Honda Power Equipment really struggles with ethanol. My only knock on Hondas. So being so moody, Helen seemed a perfect name. lol My Jeep Liberty is named Libby, and my Tacoma pick-up is named Tommy. I know, most folks use a female name, but Tommy seems a perfect match.

I have tried those little crack an egg things and I agree very much. Very good and ever so easy to whip up a quick easy breakfast. I want to hear what you do to customize yours Romeena. Sounds like fun.

Asa
October 07, 2022 - Msg 118274:

Well, we're talkin' cars and sno-blowers, so I remind you of my Whitey the pick-up, who is
three years old now! :) We never go to ethanol gas here, just the same stuff year-round,
but it is now back up to $5.00 a gallon. I think we all know why, but won't say it here! ha
I have never heard of those Crack an Egg deals, so will have to look into it.
Thank you for all the prayers for Renee. She was actually diagnosed a year ago, has never
smoked a single cig in her life, and never around smokers, so no one knows where it came from.
She has been thru radiation, chemo, etc, but it has spread. But prayer is very powerful,
and she is a good believer, and is really going thru this strongly.
RO- thank you for your prayers, and for the story about the girl. In our church we have an area
for handicapped, with special cut-outs in the pew areas for wheelchairs, etc, and this past
Sunday I had the privilege giving them Communion. What a blessing it was, such precious people.
BTW, I'm sure Trink will be happy when karen finally shows up! :)

ASA, I'm glad that Sarah made it thru Ian OK. I hope their place was not damaged.
Prayers sure do continue for those folks.

GF--thanks for that link! Cool.
MDC



October 07, 2022 - Msg 118275:

Oops! Make that trinkET! :)


October 07, 2022 - Msg 118276: Good morning, porch! Beautiful day here, a little cloudy but still a decent amount of sunshine.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who names inanimate objects, like snowblowers and cars. Where is it written that we must be serious and proper at all times? Life's much more fun when you play a little. My dad named cars, and I just followed his lead. Over the years, we have had a Bluebird (my blue and white Ford Fairlane convertible) which was my high school graduation present. Daddy handed me the keys and the payment book! He had paid $500 down on it, and the remaining $2500 was my problem! My dad was generous, but he also believed in teaching responsibility. Then we had an Old Yeller, (a '54 Buick Roadmaster, yellow body with a green top), a Big Red (a big, very red Buick station wagon, and an Abraham. What else would you name a gray Lincoln sedan? Abraham had belonged to my mom, and Daddy bought her a spiffy new Cadillac, and was insulted at the trade-in offer for Abraham, so he gave it to me and Dale. It was getting old, not worth much, so Dale used it for a work car. It got so it had to sit and warm up before it would consider moving when put in gear, sometimes for two or three minutes, then the gears would engage and Abraham would creep forward, getting into a normal speed in a block or so. One night after church, a friend asked Dale if he could take him home, since his wife was staying for a committee meeting. They got in the car, Dale started the engine, but Abraham just sat, even though in gear. Finally the friend asked what we were waiting for. Dale's reply? "We're waiting for Abraham. He'll go when he's ready." Mickey (the friend) was puzzled, and asked what Dale was going to do about the car. Without missing a beat, he replied, "Well, I've considered offering it to the Mafia for a getaway car." That's the kind of guy I married, and lived with a lot of laughter for 38 magical years.

Asa, about the "crack an egg" things - You can dice up and add just about anything you think you might want to them. They are available in several varieties. I keep a leftover veggie or two now and then, dice them and toss them in one of the little boxes, when I'm ready to cook it. I've used bits of leftover broccoli, onion, black olives, green beans, just use your imagination. Any kind of cheese is good. Just remember, you don't need a lot. A couple of tablespoons of your chosen addition(s) is enough. If you have a good firm tomato, a few diced-up bits is a nice touch. Oh, and for anyone who might be wanting to try this, the items can be found in the cold cabinet with the eggs. I would suggest buying one and giving it a try, and then let your imagination guide you for the next time.

MDC, Trinket goes by lots of names. Trinkie, Trink, Stinky Trinky, Trinkie Doodle, and many more. She answers to them all. I am convinced that God hand-picked her for me, just the perfect little companion. She's sweet, loving, playful, gentle, obedient, smart, a born clown, and gets along with everyone, whether human, canine, or even feline. She wouldn't bite a biscuit, and has never exhibited aggression in any form. It's just not in her. She was a God-gift, for sure.

Well, guess I'd better get dressed. Our bunco bunch is meeting at noon today. I prefer the evening meetings, but a few of the gals wanted to try a noon lunch, instead of an evening light supper, so we're trying it. Oh, well. Guess it won't kill me. I'll pick up a couple, to reduce the number of cars on the street at the hostess's house, and one of the gals doesn't need to be driving anyway! It all works out.

Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena
October 07, 2022 - Msg 118277:

Oh Oh, call the bunco squad, the ladies church society is meeting again! (:


October 07, 2022 - Msg 118278:

JOHN MASTERS, I was going to comment on your post of Oct. 1,
but just plain forgot! I just re-read some posts and saw it again.
But, yes, I have indeed noticed that as that back 40 lot only had the
one street! ha (Especially in the very clear DVDs)
When Barney drives up to Thelma Lou's you can also see Andy's,
and in several shots, you can see the church right across the street!
(Yet, he had to drive there?) Ah the magic of television.
Here is an aerial shot of the lot, and the "one street lives all!" :)
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fe/bb/40/febb40448f5895fe1abdb0c77b49dc99.jpg

MDC
October 07, 2022 - Msg 118279: Well, I guess I need to give my old Suburban a name now that it has 200,000 miles on it. I expect it deserves a name by now...but what? Maybe you all can help me. It's been a good car except for having to replace the transmission once at about 180,000 miles, which isnt unusual for suburbans. She is rather worn on the outside but inside is still pretty good.

Romeena, I think we believe pretty much the same thing, just have different ways of expressing it. Since we both know God as our loving father, we understand that he redeems the horror in our lives, in his time and way.

Ro, I saw a picture of you and Eloise that Brittany posted on facebook and you looked so cute! You have lost enough weight, though, that you look like they could lose you in a stiff breeze. hehe That's good, though, as far as controlling your blood sugar I guess.

Can you believe I am already thinking about Christmas cards?..I know you believe it. lol I am getting my list updated and have decided to send cards to as many as want them, not just my porch pals. Now I am on the hunt for the perfect cards.

Asa, poor Bruce had to put his ranger in the shop to replace a pulley for 300 dollars, then had to buy a new tank for the well and with labor, it cost 1200 dollars, and he had to buy another freezer..all of this within a week. He is not a happy camper but has to be done. The grass is dying and we have to keep it watered.

Better go put my old tired feet up for a minute. Oh, just a small prayer request if you are inclined; I am looking at going back to work part time to help us prepare for retirement and I am asking God's guidance in this area. Thanks!

Boo
October 08, 2022 - Msg 118280: Good morning, porch! Trinket and I slept a little later than usual today, and then I stopped off at the computer to send one little message to a friend, and I'm still here, two hours later! Got hung up on the neighborhood news site - missing pets, stray pets someone saw, the ongoing argument about trash bins vs bagged trash, who heard "gunshots" last night (this one usually appears around the 4th of July), noisy neighbors, porch pirates caught on Ring cameras, more catalytic converters stolen, etc. On and on it goes.

Boo, sometimes it's like the old saying goes - when it rains, it pours. Why does everything break at the same time? I almost got taken in by those lengthy, repetitive, annoying car warranty ads on TV. If your car is out of warranty, you're just stupid if you don't sign up with them, because if you do it, you will never have to pay a car repair bill again! Or so they would have you think. I signed up, briefly. It was going to cost about $120 a month, and would have covered just about anything. Except that it doesn't. I asked my trusted mechanic, Richie, about them and he said "all is well and good, if you can get them to pay. He said they're very good at finding loopholes, and it usually takes a few months before the shop gets paid." So, I called to cancel with them, and the chirpy-voiced girl on the line said, "Well, we can lower your cost a bit if that would help you." She proceeded to tell me I would only have to pay $80, under a "special plan" they have for "retired folks." That sounded a little odd, so I pressed for more information, and she finally admitted that there were a few things that wouldn't be covered. What were they? I forget the specifics, but they were the major things that would probably be the first to break down in an older car. I just canceled. Somewhere along the way, it had occurred to me that I could open a savings account, with a scheduled deposit into it from my bank account, depositing the amount that I would have sent the car protection people amount. It would draw a little interest, and would be available when needed, no questions asked, nobody's approval needed. So, that's what I did!

Boo, I'm trying to lose ten more pounds, but I seem to have hit a plateau. I've weighed the same for several months now, after the initial weight just fell off, nothing to it. I'm at 126 now, but still have a little belly fat that just won't move. I guess it's okay. I know this - I feel soooooo much better than I did when I was so heavy. I can't walk more than about a hundred yards without stopping to get my breath, but until I lost the weight, I couldn't make it to the end of my driveway! The limitation now is due to a med I take to ward off A-fib, it won't let my heart rate go much above 85 without getting short of breath. Not really a problem, I rarely need to walk farther than that anyway.

Well, I think I'll go "crack an egg" and call it an early lunch. I stocked up on those things yesterday. They really are good, and if you use your imagination and add to what is already in those little containers, they're great! I like to put a little crumbled goat cheese on them after they're cooked. Adds a little tang and zip, and I use a lot of it on a lot of things!

I'd love to be able to just walk down those streets on that back lot. I think if I did, music from TAGS or other memories would play in my head.

Have a great day, friends! Blessings, and keep looking up! --Romeena
October 08, 2022 - Msg 118281:

RO--Maybe there'll be a REAL one in Heaven that we can walk down.
That would be pretty cool! MDC :)


October 09, 2022 - Msg 118282: If Y’all want to see the pictures from Mayberry Days here is the link to them.. https://www.surryarts.org/mayberrydays/images/galleries/md22photogallery.html

G-F
October 10, 2022 - Msg 118283:

Happy Thanksgiving to PH in Canada! :) mdc
October 10, 2022 - Msg 118284:

Thank you for that link GF, very cool indeed.
And you even won an award!
I recall this saying, "If there's no Mayberry in
heaven, then I don't want to go there!"
Now that's just a saying, it just shows how special our
Mayberry is to folks like us.

In watching old westerns on TV stations like GRIT and Me-TV,
I have come to realize that there was a "character actor pool"
of about 12 guys who showed up in all the westerns from
Gunsmoke to Rawhide, including ol' Luke Comstock!
He played some pretty ornery fellas! Anyone else notice that?

RO--We also have one of those neighborhood sites, and what
you said is exactly why I don't look at it! ha
If someone's pet runs off, they usually have signs up all over.
So glad that you did not get sucked into carshield! An account
is a much better idea, and the same with colonial penn!
BTW I saw the same pic of you as Boo, and I think you've lost enough,
or maybe its just the clothing. :) And i love all the names for
all your past ve-HIC-cles! Quite a list!

BOO-I hope Bruce is doing ok with all the watering and other problems,
etc. "This too shall pass, but whilst it's here, its a pain
in the --- !" haha

Prayers for all!
MDC


October 11, 2022 - Msg 118285: Thanks MDC..But to clarify things, I made that award to give to the “Lady in Red” Pat Bullins Family in her honor since she passed away this year. She was a “EXUBERANT” fan and a trivia wizard. I wanted to honor her memory.
She always dressed in red with her red sneakers 👟 She was one of the first Mayberry people I met when I started going to Mayberry Days back in 2000.

We (Our Chapter group) also honored my Buddy Dewey Lamb Who also passed this year with a tile at the Amphitheater in his honor...He did some amazing work for the Auction over many years, and his efforts have brought in several thousand dollars to put towards the event. That is how we became such good friends...

All I can say is Mayberry Family are some of the BEST people you’ll ever meet..*Front Porch Friends Included!..👍

Haven’t been rocking much, Mrs. Goob had foot🦶🏻surgery and I’m tending to her. She can’t put any weight on it for 6wks. so along with her other challenges I’ve been one busy Goob.

G-Foot🦶🏻Fighter & Feeder of Squirrels 🥜 🐿.....
October 11, 2022 - Msg 118286: Mercy sakes alive, it's been a long time since I've visited. Don't know where to start to catch up. I've missed all the news and "gossiping"! Lots of luck to you and yours! Ang
October 12, 2022 - Msg 118287: Well hey there Ang. Pull up a rocker and sit a spell.

Thanks for the link GF. I enjoyed those pics although I must confess it was sad to see them with no pics of Betty Lynn. She had been such a fixture at Mayberry days.

You looked good as Diamond Jim GF. You need to glue some sawdust on your shoes though. lol

Boo, sorry to read about Bruce. Did he call the man? The price of parts anymore, and now availability, is just insane.
While on the subject, you all may remember 4 or 5 years ago I replaced my fridge/freezer after 25 years because the ice maker was acting up. I figured after 25 years to just buy an entire new fridge. So Debbie found a GE brand through the Home Depot on line cat. and we had it delivered and set up. Almost from the start the ice maker was very slow it seemed. Barely produced enough ice to keep our mugs filled. And sure made a lot of noise when it was emptying the tray into the bin. Thenone day, about 3 years after we bought it, I found this hunk of plastic sitting in my bathroom sink. Debbie knew nothing about it, nor did I, but it was just the two of us that lives here, so where did it come from? Finally after 2 or 3 days I figured out what it was. I trypically fill my mug with ice and water when I go to bed at night and then dump out anything still in the mug when I get up in the morning into the bathroom sink. I figured it had to be something off the ice maker, and so I looked and sure enough, the auger in the bin had a broken part missing. Well we sent a nasty e-mail to GE figuring they would do nothing because it was well past warranty. A few days later I got a phone call from a GE customer service agent who was as nice as could be. She sent me both a new ice maker and dispensing bing bin at no charge. I was pleasently stunned by this. That was mabe 2 years ago and the new ice maker has worked way better than the old one, as has the dispenser, until about 2 months ago. That is when I noticed another chunk of plastic in my mug one day. So I checked again and sure enough, the new auger had broken. We again called GE who again sent us a new bin at no charge. I told them it was appreciated, but I was very worried thet someone might swallow some of these broken pieces and do a serious injury. I told the rep that surely I am not the only one having this problem. Her suggestion was that I empty the bin once a night so that the ice in it will be fresh. That to me seems like a silly fix. So we are debating on how to proceed with this. In a follow up survey we got from GE, I rated their customer service as top notch. But I rated their actual product as poorly designed as possible. We are not sure whjere we go from here. Any thoughts anyone?

Well off to do some rain gutter cleaning. My yearly chore of things to do before winter.

Prayers for all.

Asa
October 12, 2022 - Msg 118288: Good morning, porch! Gorgeous day here, pleasant at 79°, gentle breeze blowing, just one of those beautiful early Fall days. Gotta love it!

Asa, I found your account of the broken auger in your ice maker to be very interesting! I've just had the same problem, in the last two weeks. I can't complain, my fridge is about 20 years old, and has given me almost no trouble. However, when I dumped out a load of ice into a bag for Eddie to put in his cooler, I saw a big flat piece of something that looked like ice, but wasn't. It was a piece of one of the fins on the auger! It still works, there's just a little pause in the delivery until the other fins catch up. As old as the fridge is, I don't know if I can replace the part, or even the whole icemaker, and I'm darned sure not going to buy a new fridge at this point. As long as I can get ice out of it, I'll just leave things alone.

MDC, I know what you mean about the "Next Door" thing, that little neighborhood news website. It's fun at times, but it seems like there's always someone who wants to make hateful, snarky comments. Why do people do that? I was brought up in a family that followed Thumper's daddy's advice: "If you can't say something nice, don't say nuthin' at all." I'll confess, I can have a very sharp tongue, but I do try to keep it under control. I don't always succeed, but I do try. My mom was a master at that. Many times, I've seen her tell somebody off royally, someone who definitely needed and deserved it, but the person didn't know they'd been told off, usually for hours or even until the next day, when they figured it out! Even then, they weren't exactly sure, but they definitely were wondering! I didn't inherit her skill in that respect, but there are times when I wish I had.

Well, guess I'd better get dressed. I've got to go have a CT of my neck and shoulders at noon. It's just in the medical building next to the hospital where I worked for 35 years. It's just about ten minutes from my house, no big deal. The scoliosis is on the march, seems everything moves a fraction of an inch every night, and my shoulders are now at least 3" to the right of my hipbone, and my left hipbone is 3" higher than the right. On x-ray, my spine makes a very nice S-shape. Add arthritis into the mix, and it can get pretty uncomfortable. However, consider that by the Bible's standard of "three score and ten", and I'm already 13 years past my promise - just living on borrowed time. No complaint here! I can handle a wandering spine. Things could be a whole lot worse, and I'm well aware of that. I'm also 42 years past surgery and radiation treatment for a stage 3-b cancer (which usually takes its victim in under a year), and grateful for that, too. I got to finish raising my children, I've seen all the grandkids arrive and grow up, and I can still take care of myself reasonably well. What would there be to complain about? So I have aches and pains. Who doesn't?

Well, I better move on. Have a wonderful day, everyone. Blessings, and keep looking up! --Romeena
October 13, 2022 - Msg 118289:

RO-Noah's 900 years is certainly more than 3 score and 10!! ha
But, I'm sure there were very few 'diseases' back then,
and I'm not so sure I'd even like to live here that long when
eternity awaits! :)
I hope the ct scan helps. Have you ever considered a chiropractor?
We never installed a fridge ice maker. Our water is so hard here
that even filters don't do much good, or have to be changed a lot!
With a gas station 2 blocks away, I just buy a bag of ice there as needed
ANG--good to see ya, you've been as scarce as dry street in a rainstorm!
As ASA says, please set for a spell. SPOTTY, that goes for you too! :)

GF--thanks for clearing that up. I confess that I didnt really peruse the
award that closely. That was very nice of you to make that in her honor.

ASA--I bet when you first saw that plastic in your sink that u thought maybe Ed Sawyer
was in town! Ha, you know from the 'supernatural!' It sure would have given
me the heebbie jeebies. (Especially when you thought you had just pour in ice only!)
Concerning your gutters, I invested in some covers called Leaf Defender
Gutter Guards; not the ones on TV, but through a website. my backyard gutter is
right over our tall ash tree, and the leaves clog it all fall long.
I think these will really help stop that. They are made of a micro mesh in
a tough 'frame'. https://www.defendergutterguards.com/gallery/

Well, I saw a real treat on Hitch last night, Joanna Moore AND Howard Morris
as major characters. A cute episode too! Howard was definitely putting on
his best "Boston" ammeninies!

Well, for the first time ever, I will be a 'poll watcher' on Nov. 8th.
Called my party's AZ headquarters, and decided that it was time to get involved;
and that's all that I'm sayin' about that! (as Forrest would say.) :)
Prayers,
MDC

October 14, 2022 - Msg 118290: Gosh I am sorry to hear about your spine, Ro. That has got to be uncomfortable!

Well, two days ago I lost my last uncle. He was one of my dad's three brothers and he was one of the greats..probably the best men I knew, ever. Such a loving person. He was more like a second dad than an uncle. He was 94 and still married to his high school sweetheart, Rena. Bless her soul, she's tough but this will be hard on her. We will be attending a memorial service for Uncle Herschel on November 7th in Houston. It hurts to lose him. Rena is my last surviving aunt so when she's gone, no more aunts or uncles. Sad.

Asa, yes Bruce had to call the man about the water well but he fixed the irrigation system himself, which wasnt easy. What a man! Anyway, the freezer (a Maytag) we recently bought had a bent front door and another was ordered, never arrived and Bruce called the company and said he wanted his money back. They gave it to him and told him to just deliver the freezer back to the store. He ordered another freezer and it's a GE. I hope this one is ok.

You all hang in there

Boo
October 15, 2022 - Msg 118291: Good afternoon, porch! Beautiful day here, sunny and warm at 90°, but with a gentle breeze blowing, it's not too hot. Busy little squirrels, very industriously digging holes in my flowerbeds, so I'm sure that this spring I'll have a small pecan orchard out back. Little brats.

It would be okay if the young tree sprouts were easy to pull up, but once they're over 6" tall, they have to be dug out. Most tenacious little treelets you ever saw. Not only is the root at least 1 1/2 times the length of the little tree, but the pecan it sprouted from is usually firmly attached to the root, and it's impossible to pull that thing up through the soil. It's a good thing squirrels are so cute. If they weren't, they wouldn't be nearly so welcome in my yard. I'd never hurt one, but I might be caught chasing them out of the yard!

Boo, so sorry about your uncle. You're going to miss him, but surely will see him again. I have no aunts or uncles left, like you. I still have several cousins - one is 93 and spry as can be - and the rest are about my age or a little younger, mostly doing quite well.

How wonderful that you have such good memories of Uncle Herschel! I just spent an hour watching on my computer, a slide show movie that my daughter Robbi put together for the memorial service for my son. She did a masterful job of it, using photos from several family albums. He was such a kind man, loved children and animals, but had no kids of his own. He loved everyone else's, though. He made people laugh, and was loved by all. He always had a little c@cker spaniel trailing him, or more often, riding sitting on his shoulder, supported by his left hand. My dogs were always welcome, and I have a photo of one riding in his airplane with him. My favorite photo of all (perhaps) is a serious profile shot someone took of him at the controls of his plane, clouds banked up in the distance, microphone close to his mouth, his strong hands on the controls. He was totally comfortable, and the plane was in good hands. He was never happier than when he was flying.

He got his license when he was just 16, and he did it all on his own, we never even knew he was taking lessons. He had a job, (paid for his own lessons), and when he would go for a lesson we assumed he was going to work. We found out on the day he soloed, by accident. He had planned to do his "big reveal" later, but someone called here to tell him his solo flight location had been moved to another small airport. They asked for "Dale" when they called, and my Dale had answered and assumed they meant him, so they gave him the message. We got in the car, raced out to Redbird airport, and were standing along the runway, clutching a chainlink fence, when a little red Piper airplane rolled by, and our surprised but grinning son waved, lifted the plane off, and flew away! That's when I prayed the most earnest prayer of my life up until then: "Lord, I've had him and cared for him all his life, and I've done the best I could do. He's yours now, he's in your sky, and I will trust you to take care of him from now on."

Well, guess I'll go see what going to be for dinner tonight. I've got some good bacon and a nice, fresh purple cabbage. Fry up a bunch of that bacon, then fry the shredded cabbage in the resulting grease (drained if needed, but there won't be a lot of grease, the bacon is mostly lean, very little fat) and add a little onion and some vinegar and couple of pinches of brown sugar, let it all steam and simmer until the cabbage is soft. Yep, it's good, even if you think you don't like cabbage.

Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena