BAM!! Lightning struck right next to our huge oak tree. Thankful it wasn't a few feet over and didn't kill the tree. But blast it, it did. Dead limbs were shattered and the large squirrel nest near the top exploded. Some of it was hanging from it's perch but most was on the ground along with the wood pieces. We were without internet and phones. Today the technician came out for service. Yesterday I spent the entire afternoon standing outside on pavement in 90+ heat for almost an hour with many people ahead of me. Twice. Spectrum's policy is one person per employee so two are allowed inside. After the first replacement modem did not work, back in line I went. The male employee was rude, snotty, and a real pr**k. The second modem did not work. My $5 cell phone has no bars in my area and I was running all over the yard as if in a Verizon commercial. "Can you hear me now?" After dozens of failed calls, I got through for activation of both new modems. They activated. With the wrong codes. So the wonderful tech got us going, but my 5 cordless phones set has to be replaced, which will come Sunday. Then I found out that the tablet I purchased for Carole cannot be used on her plan because they didn't tell me it needs to be 4G/cellular. It's wireless without that feature. Useless since she does not have internet, only cell service. Great. I had asked her many times to contact Verizon and get the info for me but as usual, she does nothing I ask. Now she won't be getting a new tablet because they are all more than I expected to pay. Yes, I've been a crabass.
So my new project is the sweetie I showed back in May (canNOT believe it was that long ago and August is next week). Of course, I am changing it. The house bricks will be a darker mustard and brown, the birds will be more of a feature. And I didn't want the bottom area. So Paint to the rescue! After many attempts at colors for house and birds and flowers, I decided on the pale rose breast and two shades of gray. Or maybe the dark blue. But definitely with a straight and simple bottom border. Flowers may end up a darker rose than the breasts, if not, pale gold, otherwise it looks too fussy to me. The first is the original, and far right what I will stitch.
And for those that are surprised about cat's spray ruining anything, it does. My new shrubs that weren't protected by the prickly mats are brown at the bottom, and this area of white on the A/C is how the ammonia in their spray/urine corroded the fins.
Petey is the real culprit but a lot of the damage happened before he arrived. The spray is minimal and a way of marking territory, but potent! Males just lift their tail as they casually walk by, stop for a second, and continue walking. The barn the barrels the posts the trees the plant stands his house my house doors benches everything!!
And then they sleep.
Have a good Wednesday!!
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