Just need to talk to my friends (173)

Lorita

Morning, 

Hope all of you are up and at 'em this morning.  My thoughts this morning have been with Sandy.  By now her biopsy is finished and she's going to be ready to go home in a couple of hours. Now, the waiting for the results.

beautiful day here in Okkahoma.  No rain today but storms predicted for tomorrow morning, then summer temps arrive.  I don't care for summer - too much heat and humidity. But we have to endure.  I grew up without air conditioning.  We had a fan and sat on the porch to get cool.  Even slept on the porch when it was so hot.  We didn't think of snakes or spiders.  I would now.  I remember one very hot summer my parents took their bed outside under a tree to be cooler. That was the Sumner Eisenhower was elected.  Eventually, after I was grown, we got a water cooler.  Really made the house cool but then came mildew from the humidity.

When I started working at the VA Hospital I bought two big window ACs for us. I was at work during the day and daddy was working in the fields.  Grandma and mother wouldn't use the ACs not feeling right to be cool while daddy wss so hot.  At that time his tractor didn't have a cab or air conditioning so he was out in the hot sun all day.  He'd come in for lunch ,(we called it dinner- evening meal was/is supper) and drink hot coffee.  He said it made him cooler.  Now people can't do without AC- from the house to the car to the store.  I can remember seeing grandma with a wet washcloth on her head sitting in front of the fan or on the porch in the breeze to stay cooler.

Sorry, don't know how or why I got on that subject.  

Girls are working their way to the barn.  Feel bad that the new yearling girls can't get in.  I'm talking to them when I see them and they've stopped running from me when I talk to them.

Hope everything is well with all of you this morning.  Just read an interesting thread about blackberry cobblers - one of my favorite things along with peach.

Ron, hope your day is better and Lou is more cooperative.

Back later.

BethL

Sandy, you are in my prayers. So sorry you are going through this. Glad you have the support and help from your son and family.

The roof is done. It's harbor blue (blue-grey, more blue than grey). Today the gutters are being replaced. They also were damaged by hail. 

After reading threads here, I'm hungry for fresh strawberries over ice cream, and blackberry cobbler!

Beth

Mint

Good evening

Anne so good to hear from you.  Had been thinking about you a week or two ago. So glad you stopped by.  Hope that fall didn’t created too much damage.  

Sorry you don’t get to go to Canada this summer.  Understand very well why you have chosen not too.

I enjoyed the other thread about blackberry cobbler too.

Pretty good day at work.

Take care everyone

ronald71111

Sandy, have kept you in my prayers. 

Lorita, I was born and raised 8n Shreveport, Louisiana. Lived there all my life till I joined the army. I probably told this story before, but here it is again if I had. I had two older brothers; oldest joined the navy and spent his tour in Naples and the other brother went in the past army and spent his tour in Hawaii. Myself, never being any futher than Louisiana, Arkansas or Texas, I decided to see some of the world. I went in the Army, basic at Fort P, Louisiana,  advanced training at Fort Gordon Georgia, duty stations in Vietnam and last but not least was Fort Campbell KY. The only good from me seeing the world was meeting and marrying Lou at Fort Campbell. 

Just finished preparing supper for Lou and I. Every once in awhile we have a light healthy meal. Lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots and boiled eggs with thousand island dressing. Best thing about that meal is making it ahead and able to put in refrigerator till supper time. If course with light healthy meal like that I will have to finish with a desert of blue bell ice cream for me and two small cookies for Lou, (She's diabetic) but I try to eat enough  blue bell for both of us.

Ron

Lorita

Hi,

The Sooner won the softball world series.  Really good series qq enjoyed watching.  Not like the softball Carol and I played.

Sandy hoping things went well today. Didn't want to bother you today but will call in a day or so.  I called Direct and first appt.was June 23 so I'm making progress.

Ron, good for Fort Campbell and meeting Lou there.  Your supper sounds good and us good you can do it a head of time.  You may get some of the storms expected here in the morning.  Flood warnings already out.

Anne, happy to see your post. Sorry about your fall.  Hope you had good news from the doctor todsy.  Let us know. Maybe things will be better next year so you can go to Canada.  Summer would be the perfect time.

Going to be hot next week and I dread it.  Both air conditioners seem to be doing allright so everyone will be staying inside.  Wish the barn was air conditioned.

Zetta, I bought a watermelon- cut it today and it wasn't very sweet and not much of a watermelon taste. At least not like they used to taste.

Marie,thank you for the link for the ant traps.  They do look like what Jason described but really expensive.  I'm spraying counters with white vinegar but I think I'm just drowning them mostly.  Do wish they'd go away.

The turtle was in the water in the upside down pool today.  Water was dirty so took him out and put in fresh, clean water.  Hope he can get in - did put a rock by it to help. When I was coming home the other day there was a little one in the road. Tried to miss him so  backed up and he was ok so put him on the other side of the road so no one would run over him. Have to protect the wildlife.

Tom has been gone for three days which is not usual for him.  Maybe tomorrow he will be home.

Sleep well tonight.

Mint

Good morning

57F, 14C.  

Strawberry shortcake will be on porch today.  Found berries at farmers market.

ronald71111

Good morning front porch friends. 

All this strawberry shortcake has me craving a old recipe for a cake with cool whip made with strawberries my aunt use to make. I wish I had her recipe because I could sit down and eat half the cake. My brother and SIL came the closest to perfecting it, but still wasnt like I remembered. Her cake right out of the refrigerator was delicious! Best I remember it was a white or yellow double stacked cake with the strawberry cool whip icing. The icing had chunks of strawberries mixed with it. I know you need a stabilizing agent for the cool whip, don't know if she used vanilla jello, powdered sugar or corn starch. One of these days I'm going to figure it out!

Ron

Jo C.

How delightful it was to hear from Ann down in Mexico.  I had been thinking of her and wondering how she was doing; so glad she stopped by.  If you read this Ann, I am sorry you were not able to get up to Canada and that you hurt your back.  It sounds as though you have some very nice friends around you which is a blessing.

 Sandy; I am sorry you are having to go through all the worry and procedure.  I am thinking of you and so hoping it all goes well.   We will be waiting to hear.

Sayra; strawberry shortcake!  Thank you - we will meet you on the Front Porch this afternoon, spoons in hand.  If wishes were real . . . . sigh.

Lorita, when I grew up, we had no AC either. It was one fan and oh, those terrible hot nights.  Ice cube trays got a lot of work.  I remember my father driving us all to the Fosters Freeze sometimes for an ice cream cone at night; it was such a big treat along with the breeze coming coming through the windows as the car drove along.

 Must be a relief to have that roof done, Beth.   Now for the eaves.  Hope that you really like how it all turned out with the color, etc.

 This site is sometimes technically enough to make a preacher cuss . . . . it has knocked out my paragraph three time now while I was typing and has done that at for a couple of days.  Aggravating.  Here goes again:

 Yesterday, I spent about two hours choosing and ordering one year's greeting cards from Hallmark online.  All birthday cards and cards for other purposes have been purchased. They come fairly fast and are in very good solid sort of boxes or hard cardboard envelopes when they come so they are all in perfect condition.   Spent a bit more than intended, but it is done.  I love to send cards.  Well; it seems that I am stuck on books and greeting cards.   If any of you know of any really nice greeting card companies, let me know.  I like them creative, pretty, and of really nice design/art.   I am not a modern art person, so those I do not buy.   I am an easy mark for good cards.

 Judith!  No!  I would never, ever tell you there is no Santa!  Ever.  Santa is real!   One time when I was a child, he actually came in the snow and I heard his sleigh bells - really and truly; I was awake and DID hear his sleigh bells outside my bedroom window.  Oh joy; it got me to sleep right away so Santa could come into my house.  My father had sleigh bells, but these were Santa's and they rang right outside my window!   What a memory.

 Judith, you have probably seen/heard all of the following as I know you follow Queen Elizabeth closely on your computer, but I am going to put some links here for those who have not seen Paddington Bear and the Queen or the Hologram of her in the Golden Coach on parade and a few other things should anyone be interested . . . .

In most all photos of the Queen, she is almost always wearing a three strand pearl necklace and she always carries her handbag.  Here is some of the story behind those two items picked up from the news:

 

Queen Elizabeth was 25 when her beloved father died.  The three strand pearl necklace had been a gift from him which she values very highly in his memory and wears it nearly every day.

 

She loves that pearl necklace and had an identical one made . . .  then she also got another three strand pearl necklace as a gift from the Emir of Qatar  - (but that one has a diamond clasp which makes it different from the other two.)  She rotates wearing all three necklaces so she does not cause negative wear on the one from her father.

 

Her personal jewelry collection was stated as having more than 300 items, amongst them: 99 brooches, five pendants, 46 necklaces and many other items, but her most worn piece is that three strand pearl necklace which can be seen in almost every photo of her.  Of course that does not include all the royal jewels.

 

This I did find interesting:  The Queen also carries her handbag wherever she is.  It is where she carries, mints, lipstick, reading glasses, pen and small mirror.  BUT: her purse is also a very clever communication "device" with her staff.  If she switches the purse from one hand to another, it means that she is through with her conversation.  If she places it on a table, it means she needs to leave the venue within the next five minutes  If she places it on the floor - that is a big one - it means she needs to leave the social situation immediately.

 

Oh the stuff we learn when watching the news.

 

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For those who have not seen it:

Queen Elizabeth's Tea with Paddington Bear:

https://interaksyon.philstar.com/videos/2022/06/09/219174/full-video-of-queen-elizabeth-iis-platinum-jubilee-tea-with-paddington-bear/  

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Interesting:  Queen Elizabeth was a hologram in the Gold Carriage on parade in her Jubilee celebration:

The Hologram is of the Queen in her actual ride after her Coronation when she was 27 years old.

The carriage is made of four tons; 128,000 pounds of gold, worth almost 28.5 million British pounds, or $35,741,992 U.S. dollars at today's pricing. It was built in 1762 for King George III, and needs a team of eight horses to pull it.  It has been re-gilt 70 times.

  

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2022/jun/05/queen-elizabeth-appears-as-hologram-inside-260-year-old-golden-carriage-video

 

For those who are art lovers, this video shows details of the carriage art work:

 

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/queen-gold-state-coach-platinum-jubilee/index.html

 

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Well; that certainly is enough of the royal stuff.   Honestly, she rarely has alone time, and I wonder how in the world she does it.  When we were able to get into the palace when it was open with pre-bought tickets, there were no tours and no crowds.   We were able to walk the halls on the permitted floors all by ourselves, (on hidden cameras I am sure).  The place was beyond splendid; art works and furnishings from ceiling to floor and all points in between were mind boggling.  An "embarrassment of riches," and almost like eating too much candy after awhile.  It is still someone's "house."  Still, the daily routine must be an exhausting one despite a staff to do all and sundry.

 

Gas prices out here are stunning.   Yesterday, $6.39 for regular, premium, $6.79 a gallon.  This will not be going any lower until after the summer and will probably go up more since the oil companies can get away with it.  Each year, come holiday travel and summer vacation time, the per gallon price goes way up.  Shame on greed and avarice.  People have to get to work, and those who are not in high priced jobs especially with families, are really in a hard spot.  I feel so bad for that.  Being retired, we do not have to drive much.   Trying to gas at CostCo since they can be about 25 cents less a gallon.  Talk about lines of cars; one has to have patience if going to buy their gas there.

 

Boy; the site keeps losing the Bold; guess it is time to get off before all the Post is lost.  Take good care and will meet you all on the Front Porch later this afternoon for the Strawberry Shortcake.

J. 

Lorita

Hi,

I think we all remember those delicious things from our childhood and wish we had the recipes.  I know I do.  The strawberry cake sounds delicious, Ron.

It's nice and cool this morning but it will be shortlived -high humidity for the next week.  We had 2.5" of rain last night and loud thunder.  It awakened me but I went right back to sleep.  I have one of those 200 lb. Mineral tubs by the gate I want to fill with dirt and it's half full of water.  I know the roads are flooded so glad I don't need to  go anywhere.   Not sure if this is feed day but doubt Toad could get here.  I drove down the driveway to see the girls- all out grazing.  Also saw the little girls and talked to them- they didn't run away.  Guess they're getting used to me. I fed Tom but he wasn't there and hasn't been for a tew days.  I leave the food just in case.

OU girls won the World series in softball last night - second time in a row.

Jack called yesterday.  Sounds pretty good.  I think all he does is eat a little at mealtime and sleep.  Doesn't seem like they do much.  If someone would start a game o. f Domino's maybe others would join in.  But, I would probably be the same as Jack. 

I dread the hot  summer but it's a-coming. Need to call Bryon to mow when he can.  Also need to make a loaf of bread.  Sara, do you always use bread flour?

Back later.

Mint

I do always use bread flour Lorita.  The other may work fine, I’ve never tried it.a

Something, I’m guessing a rodent but don’t know,will not leave two of my grow bags alone.   If I ever get time will empty them out and see if someone is living down there.  No use to plant anything else til I get time to do that.  So won’t even be able to attempt melons this year.  Squash or buckwheat will be ok if I can get situation under control.  We will see.

jfkoc

Gas prices...most of us are old enough to remember that when G. Bush was in office the gas prices were as high as they are today...we gritched then too.

Getting hot today...I miss swimming.

Strawberry short cake on the porch this aftentoon. I someone bringing iced tea and do we bring our own forks? 

Wonderful to hear from our "missing" friends. Hope they closer going forward.

Beth...blue roof? Sounds delightful.

Lorita

I'all provide the iced tea and forks. Seems like I have more forks than anything.

I can remember gas wars.  Prices would be 19cents a gallon.

I never learned to swim.  We used to wade in the pond and neighbors came to swim. It's a mud bottom - squishy with mud and other things.

I've been going through clothes that have been boxed up for  years - lSots of things I wore when I worked.  I've been retired almost 28 years.  They're still good but I'll never wear them again.  Need to find a place to donate.  And there are Charles' clothes still on the divan in the sunroom where I laid them when I took them out of the closet and wardrobe.  I had told Jack I had a lot of Charles' pretty sweaters so will give some of them to him.  He doesn't think he can wear the shirts and pants.

Sara, I asked about the flour because the last two times I've been to our grocery store they were out of bread flour.  I have AP so just wondered.  I just made a loaf of bread with the last bread flour so will order some.

Jack called a while ago to ask the time.  He said bye went to sleep at 8:30 last night and just woke up. His kegs were hurting last night so he two tylenols. Nurse came by and he told her and she gave him two.  So he took four.  He said he missed breakfast and lunch and medicine twice.  I don't think they would let that go by without checking on him.  He says he's getting forgetful so not sure what happened.

Strawberry shortcake really sounds good.  Oh, I have watermelon, too!

Beth, that blue roof would match our housr.  Our roof is grayish silver to reflect the sun.  Looks like the barn.

It's getting hit and it's humid.  Weatherman said Muskogee has had 9.5" of rain this week.  We've had a little over 5, maybe more.Wish we could have saved some of it until July and August.

Mint

Pretty day here so far.

Today trying to get tulle placed in tops of my containers.  Nothing dug in bags with hot pepper last night.  Maybe…..

Well can’t think of much and lunch break is over lol.  Need to get back outside.  I’m so much slower than I use to be.

Take care everyone

BethL

Ron, you may be thinking of strawberry poke cake. If you google it, there are numerous recipes for it. 

Blue roof, white house, dark blue shutters, red front door. We think it looks nice. 

We've had about 4" of rain this week. Crazy! Rivers close to flood stage, the last two years they were at such low water levels.

Rescue mom

The AC talk reminded me of this little factoid, which may amuse those who also like geography…

People often ask why Florida’s capital, Tallahassee, is so far north (just 30 miles from Georgia border), and so far away from most residents. 

When it was made capital in 1820s, the Florida peninsula to the south was considered uninhabitable. It was so hot, wet and swampy no one would ever live there. (Exceptions were a few towns right on the Atlantic beaches, such as St. Augustine and Miami.) Tally was about midway between the two population areas of St. Augustine and Pensacola.  The state population really soared with affordable home AC. Now most residents live where it was once thought no sane people would ever locate…

Lorita

Morning,

Looks like it's going to b a hot one.  Girls were going into the barn at 9:30.

I made a chocolate wacky cake with peanut butter and chocolate chips and frosted it while it was still warm.  As soon as it baked and I turned up the oven 

I baked some cornbread.  I'll say' sometimes I think I'm losing it. Last time I got groceries in bought a sack of cornmeal mix.  This morning I looked and looked for it and couldn't find it. What I had was really fine so that's why I bought more. After I looked everywhere twice I remembered a locknLock  container on the counter and there it was!  It's really fine, too.  I did a load of laundry last night and it's drying now. I put the serapes and heavy things out in the sun to dry - makes them smell good.

Never heard of strawberry poke cake but it sounds good.

Beth, your house sounds really pretty.  I like white houses.  Ours was white until my parents b had siding put on it.  When they first moved there in 1936 it was a soft yellow.  I don't remember that way before my time. You know there's a deep purple house and garage in Muskogee that's kind of pretty.

Sara, glad nothing got into your grow bags last night. Maybe they gave up. Don't work too long out in the sun.  Our heat index is going to be  around 103 today.  Guess summer is here.  I much prefer winter.  At least you can put on more clothes.

Guess I better check the dryer.  I think I'll call the Salvation Army in town and see if they might pick up all these boxes of clothes. They're heavy.  Now I need to go through my closet and donate things I can no longer wear.  Do we ever get everything done?  I doubt it!

Enjoy the day and stay cool.

loveskitties

Been a busy couple of days here.  

Thursday was granddaughter's high school graduation.  We got mother here and we all had a late lunch/early supper together.  Another granddaughter was able to come with the newest member of the family (my great granddaughter Zoey).  Lots of holding and cuddles.  We had good weather for the graduation so all were able to attend...if it had been bad weather would have limited attendance to 3 instead of the 14 of us!  Afterwards we went to mother's hotel to have birthday cake and ice cream for another granddaughter's birthday.

Friday, I took mother to the cemetery as it is only 1 hour from here.  We visited Dad of course, but also the many others of the family there...my sister, my mother's parents and brother, my dad's parents and his brother and his wife....too many others of older generations to list.  We had a leisurely drive home to mother's...about 2 hours, then it was another 1 1/2 hr for me to get home.

Today was a cooking day.  My daughter had been asking for a particular dish...but I had put it off because the price of the meat was so high...finally found it at a good price this week, so got it made.  It is a long process...cooking over 2 hrs. so I don't make it often.

Have ignored my latest crochet project for days now so need to get busy...daughter needs it by 7th of July and I am not a far along as I would like.

Hope all are having a good weekend.  Hugs to all.

Marie  

Lorita

Marie, sounds like you had a busy but wonderful day with family and all kinds of events. B bet you sleep well tonight.

I have no idea about prices and of meat since I'm a vegetarian but I  imagine it's gone up like everything else.

It's been a quiet afternoon.  Watched TV and took a little nap.  It was 93 here with a heat index of 103.  Went out to the barn at 6 to see if everyone was ok.  Still four or five girls inside with a couple of babies. Don't know how they would make it without the barn since they all are so used to it - summer and winter.  Even Samson likes it.

Watching Jurassic World but think I've seen it.  Nothing else on yet.

See you all tomorrow.

Mint

Good morning 

65F, 18C.

Beth your house colors sound nice.

Glad things went well at graduation Marie.

Resting is probably a good idea Lorita with those kinds of temperatures.  Think we are going to have  few days of that this week.

Hope my tulle in top of the containers worked last night.

Take care everyone 

Mint

Nothing was disturbed this morning.  Hope that trend continues.

A thought, what is your thought?  My mom has had issues with neighbor lady.  May recall  year ago or so neighbor lady hung empty detergent bottles etc. all over fence.  She’ll  not talk to my mom.  Now when things  tear up at house mom blames that lady.  It is rather embarrassing at times.  I have no idea if this is delusion, paranoia or she is just aggravated at the lady.  Will give you an example.  The neighbor lady informed me that generator smelled of gas when running.  Mom blamed neighbor for doing something to it.  Denied that she smelled any gas and irritated with me for saying I smelled gas and talking to the neighbor lady.  I called gas company, they said no leak in their part.  Called electrician, when he went out mom ran him off.  He told me no one had done anything to generator.  So my sister and I made a plan for this fall to take her away from house when he comes out.  Friday evening she calls me, very anxious because generator kicked on.  Got her settled down and helped her to see it was running as it is suppose to as electric off.  Told her I would report it.  Next day she called because red generator light blinking since electric came back on.  Told her she had to allow me to get it fixed so she would have a phone when electric went out.  She was agreeable with that, seemed to feel that s important.  Wanted me to call him right then.  Told her would wait til Monday as not an emergency.  Hope she doesn’t change  her mind.  I am going o meet him there.  Don’t know if getting worse mentally or just mad at neighbor.

Lorita

Hi,

Sara, if I remember correctly your grow bags are upright and not too tall. Do you just lay the tulle on top to keep things out?  How are your tomatoes going by now? Probably lots of blooms. I didn't plant anything except flat leaf parsley.  There were three plants in the pot so separated them and put them in a planter about a foot long. They're doing good but kind of droop so may be something in there to keep them upright. My two sweet potato plants are growing with two leaves on each one.  I thought they were gone for sure.

It's already hot but okay in the house. There are two rooms I'm not cooling so there's an equivalent of seven rooms. I say equivalent because we had walls taken out between the dining and living room and two bedrooms to make them larger.

Tom wasn't there thus morning but someone ate yesterday's food so I left more and fresh water in case it was him.

Toad came and fed both herds. After he left I noticed the backrubber was down so had to fix it. Took the Gator out and finally got it lifted up on the back of it.  One side was still up. A back rubber is about ten or twelve feet long.  There's a double rope through it that forms loops at each end to hang it up. The rope is covered with what looks like cloth torn up and that's encased with a jersey-like material.So you hang it between trees or across a gate. Then mix diesel and insecticide and pour it on.  When the cattle go under it, they rub their backs and get the insecticide on them.  After a couple of years of the cattle going under it and the chains it's hung by rubbing against the rope loops, it breaks.

When I originally put it up, it was dry and not heavy.  Today it was wet and was heavy so hard to get up.  I didn't get hot but it wore me out completely.  So, I've been sitting, resting and I'm okay. Had breakfast, juice, hot tea and now a Pepsi.

Sorry I went into so much detail. Back rubbers are about the only the only thing that helps with flies. They've gotten resistant to eartags.

Hope everyone is okay today.  It's going to be very hot and humid this week with heat indices to to 112.  And, that's for most of Texas up to Kansas with Oklahoma between.  Be careful!

ButterflyWings

Sayra - gas odors always scare me. Not sure if there is a risk or not, do you know? Wouldn't want an electric spark or anything else to create something worse. 

My one other question is why did the neighbor lady hang empty detergent bottles on her fence anyway? (wondering if both of them may have some mental decline...or was that a delusion?)

I hope you are able to help get the safety issue checked out. On a separate note, I bought some tulle last summer at a thrift store based on your tip. But, I did not get to use it on my few container veggies. And the birds (I think) plus maybe a squirrel, got more of the small harvest than I did, lol.  

So, with all the talk of strawberry shortcake, I am proud to say I am rescuing 2 hanging baskets of strawberry plants -- currently in bloom, but on clearance at WM for $1 because they were about to get the dumpster treatment. I watered them thoroughly and will try to protect them today with tulle so they have a chance to produce. Will let you all know when I am able to provide a few strawberries to add to the custard right before it is fully frozen -- who else is providing elbow grease to help hand crank the freezer for our homemade ice cream? 

With all the nostalgic blackberry cobbler reminiscing I thought about the special taste of my mother's homemade ice cream years ago. Haven't made any in a million years not having any time with the whirlwind of overwork and such. So, I am going to find the silver lining in being homebound with my DH and get back to basics on some things like this, that I really miss and love.

I also saw the most interesting shortcut to planting right in the soil bag. Provide some drainage holes and they said to stand it on the end (upright, the long way) for things like tomatoes or potatoes, that have a long root system. Since I did not get my grow bags made this year, I just may try 1 or 2 of these to not have to sit out yet another year with no homegrown veggies. Small victories will do me just fine right now.

Have a beautiful Sunday and week ahead everyone!

Mint

Butterfly the neighbor lady is an alcoholic, not real mature.  I deal with her ok. She is probably around my age.  She was mad because mom had some trees cut behind their property.  She had the landowners permission but she aggravated several neighbors doing that.  I didn’t like it either as we got a lot of birds.  No use for me to say anything though would just have made it worse.  She hung the stuff on the fence after that.  

Gas company inspector said no gas leaking.  Electrician says it needs a tune up, he calls it burning rich and anyway understand you get that gas smell from that.  Hopefully I can get it fixed now.  He got the spark plugs changed but couldn’t complete tune up due to mom’s behavior.  Guess she was hollering at him and telling him to get the generator out of her yard.  This is her typical aggressive behavior.

Hope those strawberries recover and we’ll figure out how to get that ice cream made.

Lorita

Sara, just read your post.  Really hope you can get your mother's generator serviced. Smelling gas would scare me.  I assume it's natural gas.

Reasoning with a parent who isn't cooperative can be hard but I think you do very well.  Also the problem with the neighbors makes it doubly hard.  My sister had problems with a couple of her neighbors over trees. Sounds like the neighbor hung the bottles on the fence to aggravate your mother.  If you  can't get the generator problem solved could it be disconnected until it can be fixed?

Beth, I remember cranking the ice cream makers and how good the ice cream would be.  No idea what happened to ours.  And, the ice tasted so much better if it was bought in a big block. Wonder if there are still ice houses?

Good luck on the strawberries.  They're so good when they ripen on the vine.

It's been super hot here today and will be for at least the next week.  It was 97 here with heat index of 115.  I've been inside since early morning.  Some of the girls are out of the barn and standing in the pond.  I know it's hot in the barn even though it's dark and open for the air to blow through.  Hasn't been much wind today though.  Always worry when it's so hot that a cow will calve and they'll be out in the sun and get too hot.  It's as bad as freezing weather.

Haven't eaten any more watermelon. Hard to find a time. If you eat it in the afternoon it spoils your appetite and after you eat you aren't hungry for it.  When I was in school my folks would cut a melon before I got home so I'd eat some then.  I wish they tasted as good now as then.

Daddy raised his own melons so they ripened on the vine.  One year when I was a young teenager he planted a whole field of them.  We made the hills the night before and got up and planted the seeds before sunup.  He said that's what we had to do.  Guess he was right because there was a huge crop.  A semi came in and he sold them for fifty cents each.  We weighed some and one weighed 80 pounds.  I paid almost $7 for the smallish one I bought and I bet it was picked before it was ripe.  Best to buy from a farmer if you can.

Stay in and stay cool if you can.

Mint

Good morning

69F, 21C

Only smell gas when it is running.  As soon as it shuts off no smell. Should have mentioned that.  I’m comfortable with what the electrician told me.

Hope I can find at least one good watermelon this summer, we’ll see.

Take care

Lorita

Morning,

Sara, our generator only runs for five or ten minutes once  a week to keep the battery up unless there's a power outage.  Is that how your mother's does?

When I went to bed last night, well about MN my left hip just below my waist hurt so much I couldn't go to sleep. I rubbed it with Theragesic and took a pain pill.  Didn't help much, if any.  Couldn't get in a comfortable position.  Finally about 4:30 went to sleep for a couple of hours. Didn't take down trash but only had a sack so no problem.  Took another acet., rubbed it again and slept another hour.  Can't figure  out what happened.  Didn't fall or hurt it. I have the heating pad against it now.  I can walk all right it just hurts in that one place - the upper part of the hip just below my hip.  Guess I'll take it easy and hope it goes away.  My left leg does feel a little different.  Where does sciatica hurt? 

Going to be another hot, humid day.  I'll be back later.

Mint

Yes it runs once a week Lorita for 20 minutes.  Got a hold of the electrician, he isn’t able to come til next Monday.  But, he told me how to find the code that was causing red light to flash and then how to reset it at transfer box.  Yeah I was able to do that and that made mom happy.  Code stood for under frequency, which he said means it isn’t running up to snuff.  We knew that lol, at least me and him did.  

Jude we haven’t heard from you in a long time.  You came to my mind today.  Hope you are doing ok.  Would enjoy hearing from you if you are still reading.

Hope that hip gets straightened out.

Lorita

Hi,

Sara, hurray for you - we can do more than we think. Thanks , my hip/back still hurts but it feels some better.  I think I sat too much yesterday probably in awkward position.  I think I strained my gluteus maximus.

I always go out and check the barn after the girls leave to make sure everything is okay. I wasn't going to today but I just didn't feel right not doing  it.  Good thing I did- a heifer had a baby in the hallway in the mud.  So, walked through  the mud, picked up the baby and got her outside where it was dry.  She's the smallest calf I  have ever seen. I got her up but she couldn't stand.  Closed gates to keep mom in with her and others out and called 

Mike.. He was waiting for someone to come to the clinic and then had another call.  Of course, the security light on the barn didn't come on tonight so we used flashlights and the moon is full so that helped. Sidney was with him and commented on how pretty the moon was reflecting in the pond.

He gave her colostrum and I asked about taking her back to the clinic to care for her.  He did and doesn't know if she'll make it but she'll have a better chance there than here and will save him trips out here.  She is so tiny, probably doesn't weigh over 25-30 lbs.  Ron, he thinks she's probably Little Bit's baby.  

I'm tired so hope I can sleep tonight.  He was worn out sounded so tired. Said he was out on farm calls all last night, then worked all day and back on calls.

Feel sorry for the mom.  She doesn't know what happened to  her baby. The baby is so sweet, even bawled a little bit.

Sleep well - tomorrow's another day.

Mint

Good morning

Mid 60s.  Had thunderstorms, strong wind most of night and two inches of rain.  

Lorita hope you feel a bit better today and the little one gains strength.  Work day for me.

ronald71111

Enjoyed the homecoming last Sunday with good food and fellowship. Lou was great and seemed to enjoy herself. In church I set next to her in her wheelchair and when everyone stood to sing I pointed to the words in the hymbook and we sang right alone with everyone. On the way home (just a little over one hour drive), she turned into a chatterbox. Enjoyed every minute! Visit with brother and SIL has been great, they are leaving today but sister is coming tomorrow to stay with Lou when I go to the Dr. Thursday. Last night wasnt very good! Brother woke me up at 10 to tell me Lou was in the living room. Normally when she wakes in the night she says something to me where I can help her but I guess with living room light still on she was confused. It always worries me when she gets up on her own so I wasnt able to sleep much the rest of the night.

Ron

Lorita

Morning,

Glad you got some rain, Sara.  Hope there was no wind damage.  Have a good day at work.

Weatherman just said it's going to be a couple of degrees cooler today - heat index of 105.

The new mom is out graxing with the others so glad she is.  I'll call to check on the baby later.  She's a perfect little cow to be.  So hope she makes it.  He has a Jersey cow who raises little ones for him so if she gets strong enough guess that cow will raise her.  Hated to see her go but that was best.

Ron, so happy things went well and both you and Lou enjoyed the weekend. 

I was lucky or maybe I have forgotten but I don't remember having problems with Charles getting up at night.  I know it can be awfully hard. You really  have a nice sister and how good that she isn't too far away.

My hip still hurts some this morning but it is better. Will try to be up more today.  I slept through the night from midnight to 6:30 so am rested.

Called Steve about the security light on the barn.  He's out of the area on a job but will come to fix it Thursday.  You can't inagine how dark it seems out there without the light.

Tom isn't here this morning but I left water and dry food just in case.

Enjoy your day.  Oh, forgot I did get a text from Sarah.  She says she has covid and has been vomiting and has no voice.  Guess she didn't keep her doctor's appointment.  I think she had the virus before.  I did hear you can have it more than once.

Back later.