The walker that ran

Hey hey!  How fast did May fly by?   Too fast.

 

I got a chuckle from Carole yesterday.  Compared to the close-to-dying days she has had, it was still a good day, but she had a few mishaps.  

 

She drove to Tyler's ball game, usually she sits in the car to watch but it was really hot.  So she had Matt get the folding chair from the car and she sat under a nearby tree.  So many small children running around unsupervised and she was getting really concerned.  Until she got hit with a stray ball.  She's bruised but a few inches over and it would have struck her pacemaker, which she is 100% dependent on because an idiot doctor did an unnecessary AV node ablation.  It is just under the skin and we're sure a hit would affect it.  If it stops, so does her heart.  When she realized what could have happened, she was really upset and will not be going to any more games.

 

When she returned home, she used her Rollator walker as she watered flowers at the top of her driveway. (I showed a picture of her luge track drive before.  If you don't make the bottom turn to the right, you kind of go over a little cliff.)   She removed the watering can from its seat and off it went.  She felt like she was in a slow motion skit as she watched it fly down that drive, then lost sight of it once it rounded the bend.  Her biggest concern was it crossing the road and causing an accident.  Chris was cutting her grass and saw it ripping down the drive and panicked, thinking she fell. 

 

Once they calmed down and he retrieved it from the mailbox post, she started making hot sausage patties on the grill for him, and a small steak for herself.  She was so looking forward to that steak, had not indulged in a while.  His patties were almost done so she moved them to the side and went to the kitchen for her steak.  She has two female Baltimore Orioles that are psychotic and one buzzed her as she stepped outside, the steak slid off the plate on to the ground.  Nothing was going to stop her from having that steak, so she picked it up and went back in to wash it off.  When she got back to the grill, it didn't seem as hot and of course, it had run out of gas.  She put Chris's sausage on the plate with her steak and headed back into the house once again, but this time her foot slipped out of the shoe and her knee crashed into one of only two steps.  Yep.  The steak went flying and the airborne sausage patties couldn't save it. 

 

She decided to sit in her rocker and watch Expedition Unknown for the rest of the evening. 
Smart move.

 

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Are you kidding?

Take a look.

Take a closer look. 

 

Check out the black dust in my neck folds and around my glasses. 

My hands and clothes are covered with it from doing this..

 

 

They see that I am sanding in 90 degree heat, black dust is stuck to my sweaty clothes and skin.  My feet are black!  And they pull into the drive and ask if they could see the inside of the house.  Sure. Let me strip naked and hose myself off out back first, and then check to see if there is a for sale sign in my yard.  Nope.  Don't see one.  

Are you kidding me????

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Cover your pots

Hiya.  I purchased large 12" black plastic pots to transplant from the smaller ones usually sold with the hanging baskets.  But I don't like seeing the plastic.  Inserting them into galvanized buckets is a solution but those heavy metal handles do not hang from a hook well, and I am always concerned about the weight load.  So I think I've solved that.

We found 3/16" metal rod and after reaming the handle holes slightly, inserted it through to the other side. 

The handle weight on one side makes it tilt a little so I slipped a few small stones in the other side to distribute weight evenly.  Since we drilled holes in the bucket bottom there will be no weight from held water and the plastic hangers will take the load.

Pretty pleased with the result.

Much better!!

Have a great day!

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Petunias

Hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday weekend.  Our dinner went well, except for making a pig of myself.  The ham and swiss on Hawaiian rolls were fabulous.  I added more Worcestershire to the poppy seed sauce and they were so good.  So now, I am 3 pounds away from where I was last year before losing 20 pounds.  How stupid is that?  I knew it was coming back, I said it was coming back, yet I continued grabbing that chocolate.  It's a good thing I hate the taste of alcohol because I have no will power whatsoever.

I want to sort of clarify what I was crabbing about.  No one ever asked us for financial help or the car.  We offered.  And after talking to Mark about it, he said to continue as we have been, it's none of our business what is done with the help.  He thinks it's OK to have some fun, splurge a little, enjoy your life that could be over tomorrow.   I should loosen up and follow that!

This is the Silverberry Vista petunia, the same series as the Bubblegum.  It has a pink center and is not pure white, but white.  The Amish lady told me about it last year and said it blooms as much or more than the pink. 

I stuck with my plan to have less this year until I saw two $5 impatiens baskets at Home Depot that match the pink perfectly.  And that's it.  The geraniums for the front won't be put out for a few weeks, until the painters are finished.  It looks like it won't be done this week, rain predicted for several days. 

My peonies are starting to bloom and I'm sure the coming storms will flatten them.  I looked for a support stand but didn't find one.  Maybe I'll just tie them together to the fence.  I saw a yellow peony posted on Facebook and it's very pretty, but I'm not interested in even preparing a spot.  When your dirt is clay and loaded with tree roots, it's a hassle to dig and amend.

I followed a tip from you and soaked my feet every night to speed up the Baby Foot peeling process.  Success!  Thanks.

Hope your week goes well.

Thanks for visiting.

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The day

Memorial Day.  Yes it's the official kickoff of summer.  But it's not all hot dogs and chili sauce, burgers and fries, ice cream and sodas.  Getting together for enjoyable times with family and friends, is also the day to remember all the young souls from decades ago to present day. 

 

 

Many never came home to rest, no grave for loved ones to visit, no family to be laid at their side.  They rest among those that fought with them.  I listed the American military cemeteries in foreign lands a few years ago.  You can see the list here.

 

Whether on our soil or others, honor them all today with gratitude.
 

 

When you're having a bad day, think of them and try to imagine what they endured.

 

 

 

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Cat fight or hair ball?

I'm afraid there may be one or the other this afternoon.  I'm having family over for sliders, funeral potatoes, pasta salad, and peanut butter pie.  It's not really pie because instead of the added fat and calories of the cracker crust I just spoon the filling into dessert cups.  But there will be more than food discussed and I am in a pickle.  Too long of a story, suffice it to say I am ticked off and hesitant to give Mark's old Explorer to nephew's son as promised.  There should never be a condition when you are gifting, but this is not a small gift.  Trying to help someone financially and finding out how it will benefit someone else (in this case his human leech FIL) is making me want to rescind the offer.  We could easily sell this car and use the money to help with the house repairs.  My sister is livid that I am considering this and not giving the promised vehicle to her grandson.  I started giving her several hundred a month to help with her expenses and found out a few things I am also upset about.  But what do you do when your intention is to help?  I've decided no more cash, I will chose two utilities to pay for.  But what difference does that make?  She will still have that amount extra every month and do what she wants.  This will not be a pleasant get together. 

Anyway, speaking of cats, look how much I got off the upholstery with my Playtex living glove after vacuuming it.  This works so well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even the smooth back of the chair had quite a bit that didn't get into the vacuum.  It's amazing and pretty darn quick to do.

 

I am tired of going into Walmart and finding bare shelves.  This never happened before and I'm wondering if they reduced the work force since the raises were given.  So I go online and order, ship to store. 

The cat food came in a box with a ridiculous amount of packing paper.   So I uncrinkled it, rolled it up, and I have plenty for my own use. 

I like this stuff!  It's perforated to tear every foot and great for shipping instead of Styrofoam (which I also save from shipments!).  Yes, I am a recycler.

 

 

Mr. six foot level is coming back next week to finish the inside window trim and until then, what a mess.  Hopefully the painter will be out too. 

 

Yesterday, the teacher at the end of the road had his annual end of school party, lots of people.  He absolutely hates teaching and will retire at 53 in two years with his salary and full benefits.  They all got their guns out and were shooting for hours, it was quite loud!!  Their home is gorgeous and secluded on 5 acres with a fabulous in ground pool and firepit along the woods, the other houses are not very close.  Hopefully it will be quiet today and tomorrow.  His school graduated 45 kids this year, last year it was 31, one year it was 14.  Our friend teaches math and has 5 - 9 kids in his class every year.  Yet, the union and board members will not approve a merger with neighboring schools.  Such a huge waste of money for the lowest performing school in the county.

 

Hope the weekend is going well for you.  Wish me luck at the dinner!

 

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