October 25, 2022 - Msg 118324: Ro, I had to snicker when you mentioned Diesel and the automatic feeder because since I have all three dogs in alot of the time now, the water bowl runs dry often. I decided to buy one of those big automatic water dispensers. Well, now I have a big water dispenser AND a regular water bowl. The dispenser makes a "glugging" noise randomly and Poopsie is terrified of it. I finally figured it out when I noticed her urine was really concentrated on her pads and I caught her trying to drink from my glass on the side table! She had only been drinking water when she just couldnt take it anymore, poor thing. I had to find a regular bowl and put it away from the dispenser to get her to start drinking again. Im lucky she didnt develope a UTI. The other two dogs use the automatic one, though, which helps. I wouldnt dare buy an automatic feeder because I know what would happen. lol That little Poopsie of ours is pretty weird sometimes. A few weeks ago, she started looking at me like I was an axe murderer and we couldnt figure out why..she would cower down and slink away when she saw me sometimes. We finally figured out it was because I had bought a pack of bubble gum (I usually never chew gum) and she was terrified by the occasional "pop" of the gum. Now if I even enter the house chewing anything, she slinks away in terror! lol Crazy dog.

Took Erin for her follow up with the neurologist after her passing out and hitting her head at work. She continues to have these episodes two or three times a week and we have been through tests over the last two years. They want to do another MRI and another EEG but I think they suspect it is something happening with her blood pressure. Who knows? She is an anxious wreck so much of the time so he prescribed a new med. Its one of those seratonin uptake meds they give for depression but is supposed to make you less tired. I am telling you all of this partly as a record so I can come back and see where we were at this time with her. I was in the ladies room at the clinic shedding a few tears and telling God that this is all overwhelming. I know God is with us it just feels like trudging through quicksand and never getting anywhere.

Boo
October 26, 2022 - Msg 118325: Good morning, porch! Another "blue and gold" day, so pretty. Good weather for getting out and running errands. I need to go to a dollar store and stock up on small wrapped candies. My church is having our annual "Trunk or Treat" night on Saturday night, our Halloween activity. We de-emphasize the the ghoulish side of Halloween, and try to make it just a fun night for kids. We'll have a bounce house, several simple game sites, and a petting zoo, with live animals - little sheep, lambs (if we can find some at this time of year), goats, a little donkey, maybe a little pig, rabbits, whatever the committee has found. I signed up to be a "keeper" in the zoo, but am reconsidering. I think they have enough "keepers" and since we are significantly short of our goal of 30 "trunks filled with treats" for the children to visit, I may just decorate Tillie's trunk instead. I'll leave it up to the leaders to put me wherever they want me. Either way, it will be fun. If I don't do the trunk thing, the candy I'm going to buy will just go into the kitty for the other sites to use. If I can get permission from the leaders, I may take Trinket with me. I can decorate her with a little shirt, and maybe a big crepe paper bow, and hitch her leash to something in the trunk of my car, or let her be one of the animals in the petting zoo if I end up there. Either way, it will be fun, and she would enjoy it. She's as friendly as any dog can be, and wouldn't bite a biscuit.

Boo, you definitely have your hands full with Erin, and I wish I had concrete answers, but of course, I don't. From my point of view, you are doing all you could be expected to do, and then some. All I can say is - just hang in there, don't give up, and trust God for the outcome. At some point, it just becomes up to Erin, as she is the one who has to live with the outcome. We can love them, guide them, advise them, beg and plead with them, and finally, nothing is left to do but pray for them. Somewhere, sometime, I read this: When prayer is all you have left, prayer is all you need. I'm still working on that one, but I do know it's true. It's just hard to "let go and let God", but all too often, that's the answer. You are on our prayer list in my SS class, and in my personal prayers as well. Hang in there, my friend. I wish we were close enough to just get together for lunch or whatever, now and then, but Texas is a big state!

Well, off I go. Eloise is going to go with me on my errands, as she needs some of the same things I do - candy, decorations, whatever. Also got to go to PetsMart, to get some probably unnecessary things for Trinket, but she's my baby now. The last thing on earth she needs is another toy, but there's a high likelihood that she'll have one more by this evening. I just get her the little cheapies, because she loses interest before very long anyway. Diesel, on the other hand, knows the name of over twenty of his toys, and when told to "get your bunny" or whatever, he'll go and root in his toy basket and come up with the appropriate toy. He is so smart, and so sweet, and yet so timid that his food dispenser terrifies him! Too funny!

Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena
October 26, 2022 - Msg 118326: Thank you Romeena. I really appreciate the words and especially the prayers. Love you.

Boo
October 27, 2022 - Msg 118327:

Hello all! Another beautiful fall day here today, not a cloud in the sky,
and the high was about 75 degrees.
Boo--you know that I am one who likes 'natural' remedies when I can; and I'm
really wondering if part of Erin's fainting spells is due to dehydration?
We had several people faint in church this past summer, and it came down
to stress and dehydration. Many people push themselves too far without water,
(and yes, I'll say it: many because of constant staring at their &^%$# phones.)
They claim they just "forget to drink" or they grab something like a red bull, full of dehydrating caffiene,
and it can take a big toll. Also, being one who tries the natural things first,
I am really wary of all the RX drugs that are out there now for depression, etc, and promoted in
TV ads. If you listen to the very fast 'side effects,' many include "thoughts of suicide &death!"
I am certainly no doctor,.. but good exercise, soothing Bible verses, plenty of
water (not caffenated or sugary liquids) a good diet, and common sense when it comes
to drugs can make a BIG difference, especially in one as young as Erin.
Her past lifestyle, (the illegal drugs), has certainly not helped, but she should try the
above, plus some apple cider vinegar, before trying to rely on more heavy duty drugs.
Well, just my two cents worth for what its worth.
I just cant see her current predicament ending soon unless she makes some of these changes.

Well, I caught tonite's episode of Opie's newspaper...dry as dust etc. But, strange as it may sound,
my favorite line is when Andy asks Aunt Bee at the end why she is at the dump, and she says, Well, I was just
in the area." HA!

Oh RO, you asked me why our cat liked the Roadshow, and I think it was because it was a 'quiet' show.
As Boo just said about her dog being afraid of bubble gum 'POPS," our cat would not stick around
the TV if I was watching a war picture, or MacGyver, etc. But people describing antiques was no 'threat'
to her.
Well, hope your trunk or treat goes well.
Prayers for all,
MDC


October 27, 2022 - Msg 118328:

Oh, I failed to put in this link about ACV:
https://fcer.org/apple-cider-vinegar-benefits/

MDC :)
October 27, 2022 - Msg 118329: Good morning all.

MDC, Does your cat like watching golf? lol I would think so. Sounds like some very nice weather you are enjoying after a hot summer.

Boo, I enjoy reading your stories of your nervous dog. They all have their own personalities and likes and dislikes. I think I have shared before some of the antics of Sammy, our mini dox of years ago. Doxies tend to think they are the toughest kid on the block and Sammy was no different. Well one day that all came to an end. I had just let Sammy out to do his business in the backyard when I noticed the neighbors chickens had gotten loose and one of them was in my backyard. Sammy saw the chicken about the same time I did and before I could grab him he was off like a bullet. The chicken took off with Sammy barking and growling right on his heels. They had just gone behind my shed, out of sight, and I was expecting to hear the cries of a chicken being attacked. Well I did hear the chicken make some noise, then I heard a high pitched yelp, and suddenly running back from the shed came Sammy, yelping with fear, and the chicken hot on his tail. I imagine the chicken realized she couldn't out run him stopped and went on the offensive, and big bad brave Sammy decided maybe he wasn't so tough after all. Once Sammy reached my location and the chicken stopped and turned to walk away, Sammy's yelping slowly turned back into manly barking and growling, although I noticed he stayed right by my side instead of pursuing the enemy. I was laughing so hard, as was the neighbor lady who had seen it all. Poor Sammy, he seemed to have this look of embarrassment on his face (if that's possible with a dog). Gotta love them furkids.

Boo, sorry to read about Erins health issues. Some great advice from MDC and Ro. I wonder if she may be having any heart issues, either with irregular heart rates and/or very slow heart rates. Stacey started having issues right after Jazlyn was born when her heart would sometimes drop into the 30's. She never passed out from it but she came close several times. They did all kinds of tests on her and never could find anything wrong with her heart. Over time the events came less and less and just seemed to finally disappear. Anyway, I hope they can figure out what is causing it.

I have been reading a series of books about life in the 1800's. My goodness, very good reading. The author has added some fictional characters into the actual historical events that took place and it really makes the history come to life. Yet he has well documented everything he has written and references it to actual history. Makes it hard to put the book down at the end of the night. And sure makes you appreciate what those folks suffered through back then.

Well I best get doing something. I am finding there are some jobs in house keeping I really detest, and I tend to put them off as much as I can. One is emptying the dishwasher. I don't know why, but I just hate it. I think maybe it's because it sits so low and I have to do a lot of bending to get stuff out. Weird I know, but it is what it is. I hate putting groceries away when I go shopping also. Again not sure why, but I dread it each week. And I usually don't buy all that much.
Anyway, I need to unload the dishwasher. It ran back on Tuesday and I have not done it yet. But the sink is starting to get full of dirty dishes so I best get to it. Either that or buy a deeper sink. lol

Asa
October 27, 2022 - Msg 118330: Good morning, porch! Another beautiful day, temp in the 70s - 'nuff said!

Asa, that story of Sammy and the scary chicken is just hilarious! I read it twice, and may just read it again. I definitely recognize the "I'm tough!" attitude of a small dog. Maltese tend to hold the same attitude, even the females, but it usually melts like a snowball in July if it's challenged. Even my tiny Toye Starr, at just 4.5 lbs, would challenge a strange noise. Standing in the middle of the living room, stretching to reach her full 7" at the shoulder, and "kicking dirt" with her back legs, she would emit a "fearsome" growl, clearly saying "bring it on!" Since the noise was often ice falling in the icemaker, or some other harmless thing, I didn't respond to her behavior, which annoyed her to no end. I did once, though. I heard the noise at the same time, it was not the icemaker, and came from the garage. Something made a crashing noise, and I was on alert, too! I got my pistol, went to the door to the garage, and yanked it open. Starr was right there with me, growling like a tiny tiger. I turned on the light, ready to fire if necessary, and there was nothing but silence and stillness. I could find no explanation, and finally gave up. Weeks later, I discovered the source of the noise. I have an unused garbage bin, which sits next to the fridge out there. Sometimes when the fridge motor kicks in, there's a momentary small vibration. (It's an old unit.) That bin was touching the fridge, and someone had set a 6-pack of empty Dr. Pepper bottles on the lid. When the fridge vibrated, it eventually had shaken that rack of bottles off, which fell behind the bin, and I couldn't see it when I was searching. I continued to be concerned, because we both knew we had definitely heard something. I've always wondered - if I had shown those bottles lying behind the bin to Starr, would she have recognized it as being the source of what we heard, and would she have felt as reassured as I did?

Some of you will remember Bentley, David and Brittany's dog, a Wheaten Terrier. He was about 30 lbs, very smart, and very sweet. One day Brittany had been to the gym, and finally came home because there was a creepy young man there who kept intruding on her space and trying to flirt with her. (She's a beautiful girl.) She left her garage door open when she got home, as she was planning to change clothes and go grocery shopping. She was in the bedroom changing clothes, when she heard the door to the garage open, and a growl from Bentley that she had never heard before. More of a roar, she said. Then suddenly Bentley came flying across the entry way, in the air, as though he had been thrown. He hit the wall, got to his feet and headed back for the door, when the door slammed. Then she heard an engine start up and a car went roaring away. It was quite clear that Bentley had saved her that day. Such a sweet and mild-mannered dog, but he knew a threat when he saw one, and took action at the risk of his own life, God bless him. Oh, and Brittany changed gyms!

One more thing, Asa. I guess we must question Sammy's judgment, in taking off after that chicken like he did. One thing I learned about chickens as I was growing up around them, they can be mean, vicious, and inflict harm! When I was about six, I tried to pick up a very beautiful, but very cranky rooster. He did not want to be picked up, and made his preference quite clear. I was standing behind him when I picked him up, and he immediately raked backward with the 2" spurs on his legs, and tore a 3" furrow in my leg, right down to the shinbone. I threw the rooster about ten feet, my leg was bleeding profusely, and I ran for the house and my mother. She finally got the bleeding to stop, put a dressing on it, and I vowed to murder the rooster. My wise mom just said, "You will not. What would you do if someone suddenly grabbed you from behind and you feared for your life? I would bet you would fight back!" Well, that made sense, so the rooster was spared from my wrath. I still give them a wide berth, though. Chickens can be very mean, and dangerous, especially the roosters. They're armed!

Yep, right there with you on the dishwasher thing. I tend to let mine sit there for a while, too. Such a mindless job. The only thing that prods me to action is the fact that I cannot abide a dirty sink, and I want my kitchen neat and tidy when I head for bed at night. I don't want to walk into a mess in the morning. I guess I got that from my mother. She was a spotless housekeeper, especially when it came to the kitchen and bathrooms.

Well, off I go. I see I've got a pump that's not working in the pond. Steve was here yesterday to clean the pond, and I'm hoping he just left that one unplugged, but he doesn't typically do that. It's an old pump, it may have gone to its reward. Well, that's why there are three pumps in use, so if one fails the others will maintain the needed aeration until I can replace it. The fish are so pretty. There are three big comets, and two gorgeous koi, and they've grown at least an inch this summer. Also, there are about 50 little fry in there. I don't know who had babies, but somebody surely did. I'll have to cull them out before long, because they're growing very fast, and by next summer, there will be a dangerous overload. The pond is only about 800 gallons, and it won't support that many fish. Steve and I will just catch about half of them, and he can have them. He'll put them in one of his holding tanks at the shop, and eventually sell them. He's welcome to them.

Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! Trinket says hey! --Romeena
October 27, 2022 - Msg 118331:

Howdy Poor Horatio. I was just curious if you
had a chance to read RO's book yet.
Hope all is well with you and yours. :)
MDC


October 28, 2022 - Msg 118332: Good noontime, porch! Today, the air is still, not a hint of a breeze most of the time, with an occasional puff that barely disturbs the leaves, and it's raining. A soft, gentle, falling-straight-down rainfall. It's been raining all morning, pretty much non-stop, and doesn't give any sign of stopping. I love a day like this!

MDC, I checked out that link to the ACV, and found it quite interesting. Actually, I was getting pretty interested and excited about it, and was reminded that I have a bottle of ACV in my pantry (I use it fairly often in cooking, especially in a couple of cabbage dishes.) Then I came to the end of the article, with the FEQ's, and found the warning against using it if you take insulin, which I do. It can bring about a serious drop in blood sugar, in someone who uses insulin. You get a "double whammy" action, apparently. I use a small-to-moderate amount of insulin, my blood sugar almost never goes high, and my A1C is always around 6, has only gone to 7.1 on one occasion, following the Christmas holidays two years ago. It has dropped too low on several occasions, when I took insulin to cover what I thought I would be eating, and then didn't eat that much, and my sugar dropped below 50, and into the 30s on a couple of occasions. Much, much too low, and Sugarplum alerted me on those occasions. One smart little doggie! She woke me up, and would not let me fall asleep again, kept pestering me until I realized something was wrong, and managed to make it into the kitchen, where I always have fruit juice in the fridge. She may very well have saved my life, especially on the first occasion. After that, I responded a little better the second time. So, my own circumstances notwithstanding, I found some very good information in that article, and would recommend that others read it.

You mentioned my little book. I can't believe it was published five years ago, in 2017. It doesn't seem that long ago to me. I re-read it myself a year or so ago, and actually found some comfort in it again. Comparing that awful place I found myself in at his death, to the stable, emotionally content life I now live, I can only thank God for His help and support. I hope the little book can bring about the same result for anyone who reads it, whatever their need or circumstances may be.

Well, I was going to run a couple of errands today, but think I won't, after all. The big thing was to pick up my monthly prescription order (my pharmacist keeps track, fills them all once a month and I pick them up and fill my own daily boxes.) However, the quiet, gentle rain of earlier today has become a blustery wind and hard rain. So, I can postpone the other errands, and the pharmacy will deliver my meds, and I'm staying home! I hope the weather calms down before tomorrow night. As I mentioned in #118325, that's the church's Trunk or Treat night. A lot of work has gone into that, lots of $ in candy, and I will be in the petting zoo, showing small children how to be gentle with animals. I'm not taking Trinket. She's very friendly, very active and busy, and I'm not sure how the other animals might respond to her enthusiastic attentions. We had enough people to sign up to do a candy trunk in their car, so I got to stay with the petting zoo (yay!). We anticipate at least 500 kids, based on previous years' attendance. Should be fun, and I hope it doesn't rain us out.

Well, my recliner is calling me. A bowl of Cheetos or popcorn, some iced tea (unsweet, the way I like it) and some good TV, maybe a little nap, and it will be a good day! Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena
October 28, 2022 - Msg 118333: MDC, I agree with you 100% on the natural route to health and I wish Erin did. She no longer lives with me and is not exactly enthusiastic about taking care of herself. I have encouraged hydration for the last three years because of the spells she has and always ask her if she is hydrated before and during work. She keeps a big cup nearby and work and drinks from it as often as she can. She hasnt been on any meds at all for over a year and before that she took them sporadically so I think she may benefit from the right one. In her case, which is fairly severe, it may help.

Asa, funny story about Sammy. I dont remember hearing it before. Yes, those chickens and roosters can be mean! Remember my huge black rooster, Berney? No one crossed him, and I mean no one! If he looked at you, tilted his head and stared at you with one eye, you were toast.

Well, Ro, hope your get to go to your trunk or treat. I remember years ago we had a christmas festival at our church with a live nativity with animals. Our Thelma Lou was there. Fun times that I miss.

Well, today is Bruce's birthday so have to go get ready to go out to eat at his favorite mexican restaurant. I made a triple decker chocolate cake for him from scratch, with chocolate ganache and chocolate buttercream icing. Its like I have a death wish...ugh. It will last for awhile in the fridge. Bruce isnt that big on sweets so I might freeze the remainder and bring it out for thanksgiving.

Better scoot

Boo
October 28, 2022 - Msg 118334: Oh, one thing I wanted to ask, please..if you feel led to pray for Sean's best friend (since they were three), Alaina. She is suffering from crippling anxiety that has gotten her to the point of talking like she has no hope. Sean is so concerned for her, as I am. She sees a counselor and is on a med of some sort, which seems to do nothing. She eats very healthy and exercises but nothing seems to be helping. She has that kind of anxiety that makes her not want to leave her house and its just awful. Thank you for praying for her if so led. She is one of those precious, generous and compassionate young people and seeing her suffer this way is very hard.

Boo
October 29, 2022 - Msg 118335:

Good Saturday to all!
Boo-It sounds like you have done all you could, and everything good
for her, and now its up to her. My prayers continue daily for you and yours.
And you bet for Alaina too.
And Happy Birthday to Bruce.

GF--I have noticed that an "Art Baer" wrote some of the tags episodes,
as well as some Gomer Pyle and Gunsmoke. Do you know if he is related
to Parley Baer, aka Mayor Stoner? Just curious.

I saw the first Perry Mason the other night. He was so young!
Oh, in a recent tags ep, the Fun Girls, Andy mentioned that they
had a conference call with the Highway Dept. at 10 PM! Aint that
pretty late for an official
call? Just sayin. :)

Also in the recent one about Newton Monroe, they spend a lot of time in front
of "Dave's Coffee Shop." (?) Maybe that used to be the Diner! haha

RO, sorry that ACV will not work out for you. I usually just do a little
"swaller" in the evening. Sounds like you got a really refreshing rain tho.

APB FOR POSSUM, SPOTTY, BIG MAUDE, PH, STERLING, AND ALL! :)

MDC
October 29, 2022 - Msg 118336: Hello gang ! Whew I got some reading to do ! Cabbage and collards are doing great in the garden ! All good here - Pop will be 91 In December ! Mom is 87 and still gets her hair done every other Wednesday - pop drags brush to my burn pile - had Jury duty this week ( my first time) I loved it ! Ok let me get back to reading - prayers to all - Go Ga Bulldogs ! Signed : your talking dog of this here porch “SPOT”
October 30, 2022 - Msg 118337: Hi Porch

A thought to ponder....

In "The Pickle Story," if Clara won the first prize blue ribbon for eleven years in a row for how good her pickles are, why would Andy and Barney decline to taste them when she brought them into the courthouse?
And to follow...after Andy takes a bite, he replies, "Hey! These ARE good!" Wouldn't the eleven year win streak have proven that?

Y'all take care. And be careful out there! Lot of meanness goin' on.

John Masters
October 30, 2022 - Msg 118338: MDC....Art & Parley Baer are not related...But Both are very talented in their own right...G-F
October 30, 2022 - Msg 118339: Good afternoon, porch! It's a beautiful day! Wouldn't you just know it, after our chilly, damp and windy day yesterday! Our little spooks who attended our Trunk or Treat at the church still turned out in large numbers, but it was pretty cold. The petting zoo wasn't what I expected, but the kids enjoyed it. We only had six animals, and only three were anywhere near familiar. All were small, no young livestock, and all were caged, so there wasn't much for me to do. We had a large and beautiful rabbit, who spent his time nibbling the grass in his enclosure, down to the dirt. Then there was a young alligator, a little over 2 feet long, and his mouth was taped, so there was no danger of a child being bitten. The handler knelt outside the open-top cage, and would pick him up and hold him in reach if a child wanted to pet him. Next was a 3 foot fat, black and beaded lizard, called a "tagu" (I think.) He looked threatening, and no one seemed to want to pet him. Then there was a beautiful "leopard cat", a very shy little creature, about the size of a small housecat. He spent his time in the back corner of his little cage. There was also what looked like a ferret to me, but was called a "(something) polecat." And then there was my favorite, something I have long wanted to see up close and for real. A Fennec Fox! And yes, they're as adorable in real life as they appear on TV. He was fully grown, but smaller than I expected, about the size of a cat. Cream colored, a little darker beige along his spine, slanty dark eyes, very slim and pointy muzzle, and his most fascinating feature - his ears! They are easily 6" long, stand straight up, and he can rotate them to catch sounds. If you don't know what a fennec fox looks like, just do a search on "fennec fox" and you'll find several good, informative websites. Try not to fall in love! Apparently, their presence in the pet trade is growing, and it's possible to obtain one as a pet. I don't know what one would cost, but I'll bet it's a lot. I am so fascinated by them, and would love to have one, but won't, even if I could afford it. They're too new to the pet trade, still too close to being wild. It takes many generations to breed the "wildness" out of a wild animal, and captivity is a misery to any animal with still-active "wild genes." I'll just cuddle my Trinket, and enjoy the fennec foxes on TV. But do check them out online. One look at those adorable, ridiculous ears and you'll be hooked too.

John Masters, as for Andy and Barney's behavior regarding the pickles, I think they were so put off from eating Bea's pickles that they didn't want anybody's pickles. Then they got a taste of Clara's once again, and realized they were really good! I've always wanted to taste them, too. I made pickles once, when I was about 25, and they were awful. Terrible. I never made pickles again. Even my husband wouldn't eat them, and he always tried to like anything I made. As I recall, they really did taste a bit like kerosene smells.

I didn't make it to church this morning. I stood in that cold, damp wind too long last night, and this morning every bone and joint in my body was aching. I thought about it a minute, deciding whether to get up or not, and just pulled Trinket up closer and went back to sleep. We woke up again about two hours later, and got up, but I'm still aching all over. Oh well. God understands and forgives, and I'll feel better after some Tylenol and a little activity to loosen things up.

Boo, Prayers indeed for Erin, as always, and now for Alaina as well. I was always skeptical about "anxiety attacks" after I witnessed one years ago in an acquaintance that was clearly faked, just seeking attention. She had a whole repertoire of things that drew attention, and "anxiety" was one of them. If all else failed, she would "faint." That one worked pretty well, until she made a mistake. She repeated, word for word, something someone had said, while she was supposedly in a faint. Several people noticed, and called her on it, and she then threw a temper tantrum. So, we quit noticing her moods, and she finally drifted to another group of "friends." Later, after I became a nurse, I witnessed a genuine "panic attack" in a young female patient, realized her vital signs were completely in sync with her complaints, and she finally broke down and cried, and I could see that her fears and anxieties were real. Poor girl! Nursing school taught me facts, procedures, techniques, theories, etc., but nursing practice taught me reality. Nothing beats experience.

Hey, Spotty Dog! So good to see you! Nice to hear that your mom and dad are still up and "feisty." Don't be a stranger, come around more often. We miss you!

Well, guess I'll go hunt up some lunch. Maybe it will just be late breakfast. I might fry some bacon, and cook a pot of grits. I love grits, especially with cheese in them. I might even fry an egg or two while I've got some hot bacon grease. Yep, that sounds good. Some cheddar cheese in the grits, and probably a couple of tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese, for a little "tang" to the grits. Then for later in the day, I'll stir up my favorite jello treat, black cherry jello, with cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple mixed in. Oh my, that is so good, especially with some chopped pecans in it too. I might even put a can of mandarin oranges in it as well. It makes a ton, I'll be enjoying it until Tuesday!

Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena
October 31, 2022 - Msg 118340: Good Monday folks. thought I would rock for a spell.

work has been busy as usual. I am trying to scale back my practice a bit as we move into winter and a new year. I generally work 4 days a week, 2 of which are 8am to 6pm and the other 2 are 8am to 5pm. I generally work through the noon hour to accommodate folks who need to come during their own lunch time. I always find time to eat a quick bite at some point so me missing lunch is no big deal. I am considering leaving at 3 on Thursdays and letting my weekend start then. I have not worked on Fridays in a long time as I was taking care of Mom but since she passed in 2020 I never picked that day back up. Since I am 63 I decided it was time to begin thinking about retirement if not full time at least partially now. I will see how it goes and adjust accordingly. Please pray for me as I work through this process. I have worked in mental health for 41 years so it will be a big change.

Prayers for Boo, Erin, Sean and their situations.
It's good to you see SPOT!

Our new pastor is working out well. Seems like everyone likes him and are adjusting to the changes. Looks like our attendance is picking back up as well.

Mr. Maude is doing good, and my kids are busy with
their jobs and lives. I feel really blessed.

Lunch menu will be: grilled cheese with bacon, homemade tomato soup, chips and an oatmeal cream pie for dessert. tea, coffee, kool aid to drink

Prayers and blessings to all
Big Maude


October 31, 2022 - Msg 118341: Good morning, porch! A very beautiful day here, clear skies, no wind at all, just the occasional little invisible puff that disturbs the leaves a tiny bit in a small part of a tree, while others just inches away are perfectly still. I wonder what causes that?

Trinket is "on a tear" this morning, as my grandmother would say. She's full of energy, racing around the house, scattering toys, leaping into my lap and down again, all in one motion. She is the funniest little thing, and keeps me laughing a lot. Just gotta love her! "On a tear." That's "tear" as in to rip something, not "tear" as in crying. That's a good example of the difficulty of learning English. A large percentage of English words have several totally unrelated meanings, many spelled differently but pronounced the same, many pronounced differently but spelled the same, etc. There's the ever-confusing example: "The man decided to desert his army unit, but left his dessert behind in the desert." That one has combinations of all three - spelling, meaning and pronunciation differences. Makes me crazy!

I had never thought much about the strange idiosyncrasies of English, until I started teaching English as a second language at the Internationals ministry at the church. How on earth anyone comes from another language and tries to learn English, I just don't know. So many variations! It makes my blood boil when I hear somebody remark that "they should just learn English." Trust me, it's much easier said than done, and yet they manage.

Big Maude, it's good to hear from you. I'm glad you're considering giving yourself a little more free time. This I can tell you - when you do finally retire, you will suddenly find all sorts of hitherto unknown demands on your time, and you will find yourself wondering when you ever had time to work! At least that's how it was with me. It has slacked off quite a bit now, and I just pretty much do as I please, but that's due more to my cranky back than anything else. I have the motivation to refuse now, and people understand.

I've got some errands to run today, though. I need another five bags of cedar mulch, and Eddie will grumble if I don't have them here when he arrives tomorrow! I declare, we go through five bags of that stuff in the blink of an eye. I love it, though, because mosquitoes hate it. I don't have droves of mosquitoes camping out in the dampness and tiny puddles that form under shrubbery. We still have some mosquitoes, (in areas where there's no place to use mulch) but not nearly as many as there used to be, before I started using cedar mulch. Google it! All sorts of information there.

Well, guess I'll get busy. I need to go to the bank, the garden center, the grocery store, (eeek! I'm out of fresh fruit! And buttermilk!), and see about getting Tillie washed and detailed.

That car absolutely stinks to high heaven right now. I picked up those last five bags of cedar mulch last week, and didn't notice that they were wet, having been outside during a heavy rainstorm. The man just loaded them into the trunk and I went on my way. They sat in the trunk for two days, until Eddie came to do the yard. No way could I have gotten them out of the car, much too heavy. Well, when the bags were out, I realized that the floor of the trunk was sopping wet. There were three layers of flattened boxes and an old blanket in there, also dripping wet, and it had gone through to the carpet in the trunk. Soaked! I got all the loose wet stuff out and threw it away, but the carpet absolutely reeks! So, we're going to the big carwash, and get that taken care of. Probably all I can do today is make an appointment, but that car has to be cleaned! It smells awful!

Well, off I go. Got to get these errands behind me, and get back home and into my recliner. I'm good for about three hours of busyness, then I rest. Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena
October 31, 2022 - Msg 118342: I have put down as many as 80 bags of mulch, carrying 10 at a time home in my trunk, and the smell in the car is awful. You sure don't want it to set out in the heat.

Not a big deal, but I'll mention my growing distaste for Halloween. I used to think the old folks who looked at it with a wary eye were just spoilsports. But there's no denying it has something of a dark side, and the way the country has gone crazy for it in the last few years concerns me. No great insights here, but I just find myself troubled by it.

Billy Ray the Spoilsport Retired Postman
October 31, 2022 - Msg 118343: Good evening, porch! Billy Ray, I'm right there with you! As a child, Halloween was my third favorite "holiday". Christmas first, of course, and Easter was second, (both for genuine, serious reasons) and then came Halloween, for the candy, obviously. It makes me a little sad that it is falling out of favor, but you can't blame the parents who refuse to let their children participate. I would be very, very cautious these days about letting a child accept candy from someone I didn't know well, especially since I've warned them many times not to take candy from a stranger! What is the kid supposed to think? That's why we have the Trunk or Treat thing at my church on a night very close to Halloween. Our membership is asked to donate bags of candy (and everyone does) but it must be unopened bags of individually wrapped candies, nothing homemade, and each participant is asked to double check their contribution for any sign of tampering. It was a lot of fun, and the church has done it for about twenty years now.

On Halloween night, my porch light will be off, and I will not answer my doorbell, will just see who's there with the picture on my phone from my doorbell cameras. No verbal response from me. We get very few small kids anymore, but some highly questionable teenagers. With only me and Trinket here, I do not feel obligated to unlock my door to a stranger who is taller than I am, needs a shave, and expects me to give him candy! Call me a grouchy old lady, I don't care.

Well, guess I'll go round up something to eat. I haven't eaten all day, but still not especially hungry. That's how I lost all that weight a while back, and have kept every ounce of it off. I eat when I'm hungry, and don't when I'm not. The clock no longer dictates when I should eat. My blood sugar is beautifully stable, my endocrinologist is delighted, and I can fit into four sizes smaller than I once did. Comfortably, too, not squeezed in. Not too bad for a grouchy old lady, I guess. Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena
November 01, 2022 - Msg 118344: Thank you for the prayers, everyone. Alaina is doing much better, thank you. Erin is a mess but nothing I can do at this point.

I finally went to the cardiologist office today and saw a nurse practitioner named Melanie. I really like her. We discussed my symptoms and stress related issues and after looking at my EKG and comparing to my last one three years ago, she said it showed no sign of ischemic changes so I'm probably ok but she wanted me to follow up soon with regular doc for labs, get some counseling, and she gave me a mild BP med to take at night. She said continue with the diabetic med, eat right and try to deal with stress and she wants to see me in three months to see if further treatment is needed. I liked that she said, you can call any time and I will be right here so we can do more tests anytime you want to. So, there you go. I have to say I have noticed a marked improvement in my physical and mental well being since Erin moved out two months ago so..

Hope everyone had a nice Halloween. I made chili and we had frito pie or chili dogs for supper and I made some caramel dip to serve with apples. A good friend came over to eat with us and St Susan and Emily came. We had a surprise guest show up at the door..a new neighbor moving in across the street. He was a very nice guy. He is 44 and getting married next month for the first time and he and his bride are moving here. I knew his grandmother because she lived in the house before him for sixty years! She is 92 now. Anyway, I am happy to say that we finally have some really good neighbors across the street and next door. Its a good feeling. Three good families in the neighborhood. After the horrible tragedy and murder next door several years ago, for years we have been out here alone but now we hear the happy sound of children again and its a comfort.

Well, think I will take my evening meds, put my feet up and watch a little tv. Its been a long day but a good one. We got almost 7 inches of rain today!

Boo
November 02, 2022 - Msg 118345:

Hump day today! But I guess to us retired folks it just
does not have the same meaning any more! ha
Boo and Ro--the other day I saw a Day Tripper about a town
named Gruene (pronounced Green.) It was established around
1860 by a German immigrant. It really looks like a 'quaint'
little town. It has an old original dance hall, a river
for fly fishing, a general store, and some pretty darn good
eateries! Have either of you ever been there?
Boo--good to hear your EKG went OK. Have they ever given you
an echo?
RO_just curious, did the book ever arrive?
I voted yesterday at any early polling place.
I still like to go into a place to vote, and then watch as
little rollers pull my ballot into the ballot box. :)
Regarding halloween, as the kids coming by dwindled, and as
i found out more about it, we dont really do much anymore.
(But i agree, it was much less emphasised when i was a kid,
just a one evening deal, no two month biuld up!)

Anyone have plans for Thanksgiving this year?
Looks like we will have about 8 family members coming.

Hey to Billy Ray, BIG Maude, and to John MASTERS, good to see you.
Maude, glad to hear that the kids are doing fine as they
persue their careers, and the new pastor is working out well.
(AND, maybe retirement!)
JM--I think RO answered pretty well about the pickles! ha
Billy Ray, maybe that gal with the bag of peat moss can help you
with the mulch! hA HA

Well, all for now. Weather has been great lately!! :)
MDC

November 03, 2022 - Msg 118346: Good afternoon, porch! Thick, heavy clouds overhead, rain predicted, chances looking very good! Suits me - one more 72 hour rain delay on the sprinklers = smaller water bill!

I finally got an appointment and got Tillie in to the big old full-s3rvice car wash, and she's now clean, dry and shiny, and doesn't stink! The supervisor at the car wash was appalled. He asked me if I had been keeping a school of fish in the trunk! I explained, and he told me it would take all day with the car, so Eloise picked me up, we just rattled around, and six hours later, they called me to come get the car. She looks wonderful, and the stench indeed is gone. However, some of the floor mats weren't completely dry, so they're lying on the garage floor, and I had to leave the trunk open last night so the carpet on its floor would finish drying. The water had even run down into the spare tire's well in the bottom of the trunk, was puddled in it. They took all the trunk's carpet out and shampooed it and re-installed it. Cost a pretty penny, but it had to be done.

There was mold on a lot of the carpeting and floor pads. I will be nice about it, but I will be discussing the matter with the garden center. The man who put the bags of mulch in my car absolutely had to have known that they were leaking water. He had closed the trunk by the time I came out of the offices after paying. When I got home, knowing I couldn't lift the bags anyway, I didn't open the trunk. If I had, I would have seen the water and conscripted the neighbor's teenage son (a very nice kid) and made him take a reward for unloading them for me. As it was, they sat in there for nearly three days, growing mold. Ick!

However, Tillie is now clean, shiny and beautiful, and smells nice!

MDC, yep, the book arrived. I haven't had time to get into it and start reading, but will soon. I've skimmed a bit, and it looks very interesting. Thanks! Yes, I know about Gruene, Texas, (pronounced Green). It was once a tiny town, not much more than a spot in the road, but charming, with a lot of history behind it. It's now been swallowed up by the much larger town of New Braunfels, but still maintains its charm, and self-identity. Very pretty, quaint little place, worth visiting. Google it, there is some interesting reading on the various sites.

Boo, I'm glad you went to the cardiologist, even though you saw the NP rather than the doctor. Still, many of those NPs do an excellent job, and I actually know one whom I would prefer to see instead of the doctor! She is interested, curious, knowledgeable, and sincere. The doctor blows in, says howdy, and blows back out. Big deal.

I'm liking what I'm reading regarding Erin. It sounds like you've settled down a bit, decided to accept what is and are just letting her do her thing. She'll figure it out one of these days.

We now have a 5-member colony of feral cats, and I can watch them roam down my driveway, and along a passage on one side of my house every night, thanks to my security cameras. I don't necessarily object to their presence, and yes, they do keep the rodent population down, but our songbirds are growing scarce as well, and so are my beloved little lizards, who helpfully eat mosquitoes and other insects. Now today, I saw the adorable little half grown, black and white kitten making a pretty darned good effort to catch a fish from my pond! That will not be tolerated. I will not hurt him, of course, but neither will I allow him to kill my fish! I may have to get a humane live trap from the feed store, catch him, and relocate him. I wish I knew someone who would take him, he's a beautiful little guy, appears to be just about half-grown, and probably would domesticate pretty well.

Well, guess I'll go rustle up something for dinner. I'm not particularly hungry, so probably just some sketchy leftovers will do. I do have a little seafood salad left from yesterday, and it's goooood! Yep, that'll do. Take care, friends. Blessings, and keep looking up! --Romeena
November 04, 2022 - Msg 118347: MDC, its been a few years since i had an echo and right now they are backed up for months on echo appointments, maybe because of what covid did to some people's hearts. I have a cousin that is still only pumping at 40 percent after a bad bout with covid.

Concerning Gruene, MDC, yes I have been there a few times but its been awhile. Its really not that far from me if you consider the size of Texas. I have some good friends that live there and really like it. You know, Bruce's people on both sides were german immigrants that settled in that area and west of there. His great great grandfather's german bible is in the museum of Texan cultures. Many, many german immigrants helped make Texas what it is. We even had quite a few down here on the coast.

Boo