June 17, 2013 - Msg 93872: Hy-o Silver...AWAY! (:
June 17, 2013 - Msg 93873:
And with the Lone Ranger cry...I swept! lol
I hope all you porch dads had a great Father's Day. And I thank our heavenly Father for yuose guys! And thanks for all your kind words about
my bro. He's a real piece of work...in a very GOOD way! ha
Prayers,
MDC
June 17, 2013 - Msg 93874:
MDC, remember this?
A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty Hi-Ho Silver ... THE LONE RANGER! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxIuIxqo2So

A belated Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there.

Folks, remember when I posted on June 02, 2013 (Msg 93746) about the problems our Toronto mayor is experiencing up here in Canada? Well today I just learned that the mayor of Montreal was arrested at his home for fraud and corruption. Sheesh!

from Poor Horatio
June 17, 2013 - Msg 93875: Hey, cool video, PH! Can you believe that used to be my favorite tv show when I was little?? Not sure why. ;)

Boo
June 17, 2013 - Msg 93876: Boo, I think you have a thing for masked men is all. :)

Asa
June 17, 2013 - Msg 93877: Hmmm....maybe, Asa, maybe. ;)

Boo
June 17, 2013 - Msg 93878: Boo...As long as it includes a tool belt?

G-F
June 17, 2013 - Msg 93879: Well, I'll say this for Clayton Moore. He rode like he was glued to the saddle. Boo, I had my little crush on him too, but even more for Tonto. He was one handsome man! It will be interesting to see if Johnny Depp can play that role as well as Jay Silverheels did. I'm sure he'll do well, but somehow, I just don't think he'll have the same charisma. I do plan to see the movie.

Poor Horatio, it's too bad about the mayor of Montreal, but don't feel too bad. Canada has a long, long way to go to catch up to the shenanigans that are going on in the US right now. It's disgusting, and shameful.

Well, I hear Perry Mason's music coming on (another of my crushes) so guess I'll go watch. Blessings, everyone. --Romeena
June 17, 2013 - Msg 93880:
Great theme song video. Thanks PH.
As to the mayors, that's nothing compared to
our congressmen, who, from wierd cell phones pics to bathroom stall games, have just about
done it all! And to think that these 500 men and
women make all the laws for 300 million!
I was VERY disappointed in so many this past year! It's a daunting task, but I am emailing
EVERY single Rep and Senator in DC to tell them what I really think!
Alrightty then...moving on... ha
How about this weather!
Prayers,
MDC
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93881: What about the weather, MDC?
Here it has been gorgeous! And I don't use that word very often. :)
I don't want to rub it in to you people in the more, warmer, Southern states, but it has stayed in the mid 70's here for most of the summer so far. And today was absolutely beautiful. I took Noah out for a walk(actually a couple of them), and the sky was bright blue, and the clouds were just the way I like them, big, puffy and white and spread far and wide across the sky(goodness, that's a lot of "ands"). And with the drier weather lately and with a nice breeze blowing, the mosquitoes weren't out in force like they were when we were having off and on rainy weather. I have been pretty good about keeping them off of Noah. He hasn't been bitten yet. And I haven't even used bug spray on him. Luckily mosquitoes are not real "chaser" bugs. All you have to do is speed up for a little ways and they tend to drop off. Them mosquitoes are lazy.
Although one day I had to cut our walk really short because no matter where we went, there were mosquitoes coming out of the woodwork, diving in on us like piranha on a wounded capybara.
That was one of those days after the rain though.

Well, good night all.

-Sterling Holobyte
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93882: Sounds like nice weather for sure Sterling.
Boo, how did Bruce's stress test go? Is he feeling any better? Hope so.

MDC, Good on you to take the time and make the effort to write all those letters. It's going to take efforts like that to get our Govt. back under control. Apathy, or as Barn would sa A-pathy. Maybe that comes from pathetic because that's where we are. Sorry, I'm done.

Guess I better get rolling.
Prayers for you all.

Asa
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93883: Darn, the censor got me! I had a long post and when I tried to get back, the post was lost. :( Oh well, that's the way it goes.

Asa, Bruce isn't getting the stress test but is trying to see if the insur@nce will approve a CT of the heart, which will be more likely to detect blockage. When he had a bad blockage before and got the stent put in, the nuclear stress test didn't detect it...they aren't always accurate, as far as blockage goes...I think about 60%-70%, is what I read. We just had a friend who had a bypass x4 last week and the nuclear stress test never detected any blockage. He was about as bad as you can get, too. Bruce is doing better, though and the vertigo seems to be correcting itself. Thank you for asking about him. :) Hope your tummy is feeling better.

Ro, I never even noticed Tonto..I only had eyes for the Lone Ranger. ;)

Sterling, I am so envious of your weather! it is HOT here, as usual. No end in sight, either. At least the moquitos aren't bad, because we continue to be in a 2 year long drought. I seriously wonder what i am doing in south texas sometimes.

Speaking of...do any of you ever watch those House Hunter shows on HGTV? I cannot believe the price of real estate in some states!! You definitely get alot more for your money in Texas, and everything is bigger, seriously. Of course, you have to be willing to live with extreme heat for half the year, and lots of bugs.

Boo
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93884: G-f, put a toolbelt on the Lone Ranger and...Shazaam! ;)

Boo
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93885: morning porch, hope all is well. been meaning to stop by the past 2-3 days but seems like is been
"one thing and then another" that has kept me from rocking.

raining today on my end of the porch,seems like we have had a lot of that lately. Are any of you all having problems with sink holes in your communities. seems like more and more we are reading about them around here. there have been 2-3 that have happened in our area. makes me wonder.

busy today at work so better get back. Ya'll have a blessed day. Oh and lunch will be: chicken or tuna salad sandwhiches,, fresh picked,chips, Mr.Cookie Bar and a drink.

Big Maude

June 18, 2013 - Msg 93886: Good morning, porch! What a great day! It's cloudy, rained last night, temp is 74°, my grass is going to be as high as an elephant's eye by Thursday, when Eddie comes to mow, and the roses we pruned last week are already budding again! Some gladiolas, whose bulbs I stuck in the ground a couple of years ago and forgot, have appeared as if by magic and are blooming beautifully. I think I mentioned them earlier. Anyway, there's one blooming a brilliant orange right now, behind the pond, and it has two fully opened bloom stalks going. So pretty! One stalk has fallen over, I guess from the weather last night, so I guess it should be cut and brought in the house. Oh, darn! I'll have to put up with that gorgeous flower in a vase on my kitchen island. The sacrifices we gardeners make!

Boo, I'm glad Bruce is feeling better. I know you'll stick with it, and make him follow through on the diagnostics. As for those House Hunter shows, yes, I watch them. Fascinating! I can't believe the little crackerbox rowhouses that sell for enormous sums of money, and I really can't believe the people who can afford them. The topper was the single girl who had a "budget" of some huge sum, like $700,000 or so and she mentioned that she was a swimming instructor! I think I've talked about this before, but it really made an impression on me. How do they do it? On our best day, Dale and I together couldn't have qualified for some of the properties some of those people are looking at. On the other hand, in this part of the country, what we could qualify for wasn't too shabby. The amounts those people pay for a cramped rowhouse would buy a small mansion around here.

As for the heat, I'm just grateful for a/c, and while we do have our share of bugs here in north-central Texas, it's nothing like what you deal with on the coast. I think coastal areas are bad anywhere. I know my son and DIL occasionally have to battle those big "palmetto bugs" in Florida, which we know as "waterbugs", or just plain old c@ckroaches around here. I've found a solution to them, though. Just put a line of diatomaceous earth and/or boric acid around the foundation of the house a couple of times a year. No roaches. The only time I ever had to really fight them was when those people lived next door who had grits for brains. They were the dirtiest people I've ever seen, and while they were there, we had rats and roaches! I trapped and carried away six big rats, and finally resorted to putting a line of DE and boric acid along the fence line to stop the roaches. It worked. Then the people moved out in the dead of night (foreclosure) and took most of their junk with them. The bank sent someone out to remove the rest of the junk, they also sprayed the house, and the bugs disappeared. Haven't had a problem since.

Well, I have much to do. Better get busy. Blessings, everyone! --Romeena
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93887: Ha! Boo, the censor got me too, and I would have lost that long post, if I hadn't learned a trick earlier. When the censor takes you to the white page, with the questionable word printed in green, just highlight the whole page and do an edit/copy thing. Then when you go back to the porch, and find the comment box is blank, you just do an edit/paste there and your post is back. Any paragraphing you did will be gone, you'll have to re-do that part, but that's easy. That little maneuver has saved my posts several times. --Romeena
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93888: Yes Ro, the bugs are numerous on the coast but thankfully we don't have the big waterbugs for some reason. Having a house that is full of the foam insulation really helps keep out the pests. Sometimes a few ants or spiders find their way in but that's about it. I try to keep food put away and things clean to combat any risk.

I always think the same thing about the folks on those shows with the budgets...what?!! Here I am only able to keep up with a mortgage below a quarter million dollars, and some of those folks have million dollar budgets and low paying jobs. I don't get it, either. How is it possible? I really can't believe the price of some of the homes, especially in parts of California. Yikes! A million there will get you a little, old 3 bedroom, 1 bath.

Better get going. Sean has a dr's appointment in town..

Boo
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93889: You're right, Boo. I remember when my dad was still building homes. Along about 1976 or so, he built a lovely home for a family here, cost about $60k, and it was beautiful. Around 3000 sq ft, beautiful open plan, just a lovely home. Then the man's company transferered him to California, and they had to move. They called my dad, almost in tears. To buy a home anywhere near what they had here was gong to cost about four times as much. They were just sick. They wanted Daddy to come out there and build one for them, offered to pay all his personal expenses, but he had to explain to them that it would cost just as much, no matter who built it. Land, materials, labor - everything was so much higher out there. Now, on the other hand, sometimes people would move in here from California, and would be practically turning cartwheels when they saw what they could get with the money they brought with them from selling the home they were leaving behind.

It's the rowhouses that amaze me, though. If any of the porchsters live in a rowhouse, I'm sorry, it's just that we don't have them in this part of the country, and find it hard to imagine. Judging by what we see on TV, they appear to be about 25 feet wide, and may be three stories, once in a while maybe four. They seem to be just one room wide, maybe two rooms deep, and go straight up, like a stack of blocks. No yard, or a postage-stamp one at best. I think claustrophobia would kick in for me. I've got to have room to spread out, and some dirt to dig in. I guess the trade-off is, they can walk to a lot of things, where I have to drive. There's usually a little park nearby, and they aren't sitting there today, with six-inch tall grass waving at them, waiting for Eddie to come and mow. I suppose it's all in what you get used to.

Well, off I go. My PBJ I had for lunch is long ago worn off, and I'm hungry again. What shall it be? Blessings, friends! --Romeena
June 18, 2013 - Msg 93890:
BOO and RO-- I think part of the "budget" thing is due to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They slowed way down for a couple years, but I have heard that they are again loaning money to people who probably cant ever pay it back. Crazy!
ASA- I do emails. Much faster. I go to the congressman's webpage, then to Contact, then fill in all the info they want like my name, etc.
Then I just copy/paste my comments from a word doc. Right now it is about the spying, immigration, IRS, etc.
Our weather has been steady 107s, with a muggy, terrible TEN percent humidity! haha
MAUdie, good to hear from ya. You seem to be having lots of rain lately, that's probably causing the sinkholes.
STERLing= when I was a kid we always did evening walks with mom with one kid in the stroller. There was a Dairy Queen about two blocks from our house, yup, two blocks; and we would always end the walk there with 5 cent cones! MMM good
Prayers,
MDC
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93891:
Oh, today is my wedding anniversary. Mrs. MDC and I tied the knot 37 years ago! Tho, as Andy's
story goes, I did NOT court her for 16 years first! (:
MDC
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93892: Let me be the first to wish you and the Mrs. a happy wedding anniversary, MDC! It couldn't happen to two nicer people. ;)

Yep, I loved Dairy Queen when I was a kid as well. Ours was by the city swimming pool, and we used to walk over there after swimming. It always tasted good, and probably part of that was because swimming makes you awfully hungry. That dairy queen is still at the same place and is still in operation. I don't go there to much anymore, but then I don't swim all that much anymore either.

-Sterling Holobyte
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93893: Happy Annivesary to the MDC's. 37 years. Good on ya.

I'm with ya Ro, on needing some elbow room. I was raised on a farm and live in the country now. We have an acre lot that we live on, and are surrounded by farms. I would be hard pressed to live in the city.

We used to have a D.Q. in a near by city but it closed its doors. The closest one now is 15 miles away and not really along the way of anywhere we typically go. So we don't get there often, even though I love them blizzards. They are building an In-N-Out place in the city I work in. I dig them, and I think they dig me back. It's a pretty good relationship we have. Maybe too good. :)

Boo, glad Bruce is feeling better. But he better get that scan regardless. I hope Sean is doing well. Is he still working at the Church?

Speaking of work, off I go.

Asa
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93894: Thanks, Asa. :) He is doing better. Concerning Sean, he used to work at our church to help out a friend, but he was recently hired to clean a church near us that is small enough that he can do it alone. They are a poor little church and can only afford to give him 50 dollars a week but he is happy to do it.

Ah, Dairy Queen, not my favorite but the kids like the ice cream, unfortunately. We go through the drive-through now and then on summer evenings for ice cream..it is getting pretty pricey, though. You can hardly find a town in Texas without a DQ.

Happy Anniversary, MDC!! Hope you have a lovely evening with Cecile...take her some place special (as you always do)...no Dairy Queen for Cecile. ;)

Ro, you used to be able to get a mansion for 60,000 in the 70's. I remember when my parents bought their house in Ingleside back in the early 70's, it cost 19,000! It was a three bedroom, plenty of space on a half acre lot and the yard was like Eden. Beautiful trees, fruit trees, jasmine blooming at every window. We loved it. St. Susan's son and his family live in the house now and it is pretty sad looking these days. My nephew can't afford to do the cosmetic work it needs yet, but imagine a house being so inexpensive and all you have to pay is the taxes each year.

Forgot to say "Hey" to Maude. Watch out for those sink holes!...of course you don't see them until its too late, right? ;)

Boo
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93895: Good morning, porch! It's absolutely beautiful here today, 81°, a few high wispy clouds, occasional whispery breeze, and the grass is so green it almost glows. We had rain Monday night, and nothing greens things up like rain. It brings nitrogen out of the air as it falls, and the grass just loves that! And the roses! My Double Delight is a solid mound of blooms, precious little Angel Face is setting buds again, and Veterans Honor is blazing with crimson, perfectly shaped flowers. The Shasta daisies and the Black-eyed Susans in the back corner are very colorful, and the Angel's Trumpet behind them is growing taller every day. Soon it will display about a dozen foot-long, trumpet-shaped pink flowers that will smell like vanilla sugar, and the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds will be delirious with joy! The tiny green and purple potato vine starts I planted in the hollow rock on top of the cedar stump have taken off, and are just rambling all over that rock, trailing down and doing exactly what I wanted them to do. The bird traffic is heavy, and the squirrels are everywhere, acting, well, squirrelly. I love it!

Boo, has Sean given any more thought to setting up an appliance repair shop? I recall that we mentioned that a long time ago. I know how he loves to tinker with vacuum sweepers, and I'll bet he would enjoy other machines as well. I don't know how successful such a business would be in this day of planned obsolescence - maybe people just replace rather than repair - but it could be something to investigate. Has he ever done any work on car engines? Now there's a career that has a lot of possibilities. He could have his own shop, or he could work for one of the big dealerships, and have all the benefits. I know the service advisor that handles my car maintenance has been there for about thirty years, and makes a very handsome salary. He started as a mechanic in the shops, and now works up front where the cars come in. Just a thought---

Well, better get busy. I had errands to run yesterday, never left the house, and today I still have those plus a couple more. Eloise wants to get some lunch too, so guess I'd better put on some warpaint and go forth to do battle with the world. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93896: Hi All.
Guess who back from some R R ?
I see no one miss me wend I was gong for thefor week!

Mr.TOM

June 19, 2013 - Msg 93897: Hey, Mr. TOM. We missed you, but since you frequently disappear for a few days at a time, we figured you were just resting. You say you were gone for some R&R? Where did you go? What did you do? We want to know!

I'm back from my errands, hot and tired, and ready to plop in front of the TV with a glass of tea and rest a while. I got rid of multiple boxes and bags of newspapers out of the garage - took them to the Humane Society, where they shred them for pet bedding. The garage sure does look better, but I'm pooped! --Romeena
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93898: Well I'm pooped just reading about your adventures Ro. You actually lived it!

Sure we missed you Tom. Like Ro said, just figured you was taking a break or something. We could use one of your poems buddy.

Our throw away world is a shame. Years ago I opened a small engine repair shop. Did pretty good at first, but as the price of parts went up, and the cheap newer mowers and what not hit the market, it just turned south on me quick. Most folks would not want to spend the money on repairing older equipment when for just a few dollars more they could get new. For a time I tried holding on to the old stuff to fix them up and sell them, but I found I was working for just a few bucks an hour when all was said than done. So I shut her down. I'm still amazed at how cheap the new stuff is built. The big box rider mowers are built to give you about 5 to 6 years life. Heck, the older stuff would be running 20 years later. Oh well, that's life through and through.

Asa
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93899: Hi.

I was in the hospital for about a week!

TOM

June 19, 2013 - Msg 93900: Yes Tom I gave ya a shout out, I thought you were vacationing in Cleveland...haha I had posted I had talked to Dick Goddard last Saturday at a local flea market...He sure is showing his age!
Hope you're ok.....

G-F....
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93901: I'm feeling ok !
I have some bad chest pain on the right size and cough up mucus that had blood in it.
I have PNEUMONIA in the lung!
run all the test for it stay in the hosp for the week never sleep because keep coming
to take blood or gave.
Will Dick Goddard is in his70 and a age is that

Mr.TOM


June 19, 2013 - Msg 93902: TOM, Why is it when you get put in the hospital to "rest & recuperate" they keep waking you up to do tests & give blood, what does a guy have to do to get some REST! My Daughter worked for several years as a phlebotomist at the hospital on the floors and had to do that! At 4:00a.m. she was not a popular person...Right Ro & Boo?
Glad to hear your doing ok...
Oh by the way Dick is 82 and still does the 6:00 weather every night. He's just like the energizer bunny!..
G-F.....
June 19, 2013 - Msg 93903:
I agree GF and Tom, last time I was in the hospital, I was awaken about every two hours for
blood or BP etc, etc! TOM- I hope you are doing better now. Taking antibiotic?
Thank you for the annv. wishes! About 5 years ago
we started going to a one-of-a-kind burger place
on our annv. I know, kinda wierd, but they are super good, charbroiled burgers. The place is called the Chuckbox. http://thechuckbox.com/
ASA- my Craftsman push mower lasted ten years.
I took it in this past March for tune up etc,
but it also finally needed new rubber, and tranny
work for the "self-propelled" mechanism.
I happened to see a brand new one for 10 dollars more than the repair bill! So yup, bought the new one. Sorry your shop didnt make it tho.
Did you all hear about the latest...2 billion has been used for the obamaphones! Undercover reporter showed how places are not checking eligibily requirements! Why does that now surprise me? :( http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-great-obamaphone-scandal-another.html

Nite all,
MDC

June 20, 2013 - Msg 93904: Should be "NOT surprise me?"
June 20, 2013 - Msg 93905: Get well soon, Tom! Prayers,my friend.

*******************
possum under a rock
June 20, 2013 - Msg 93906: Good morning, porch! Mr. TOM, I'm so sorry to hear you were in the hospital! I'm glad you're doing well enough to come home, where you can actually get some rest. It really is so annoying, the way the staff keeps waking everyone up during the night, but believe me, it's necessary. No nurse in her right mind would wake a sleeping patient if she didn't have to. As for that pre-dawn blood draw, it's necessary as well. The doctors order labs to be drawn "in the a.m." and they expect to have the results on the chart by the time they start making rounds, which usually starts about 7 a.m. The phlebotomist who draws the blood may have as many as fifty or more draws to do, and even though those people are very fast, that takes time, so they have to start early. Then it all has to be run through the machines in the lab, and the results printed on each unit, to be filed in the charts. The goal is to have all the specimens in the lab by 5:30, run and printed and filed by 6:30. It's a big operation. Still, a sleeping patient, awakened at 4:30 to have blood drawn, will feel very much picked-on and will wonder "why me?"

Then you get the post-op patient who is receiving a lot of morphine or dilaudid, and doesn't understand that when we give those narcotics we're legally bound to a specific routine of vital signs, usually at least every two hours, to make sure they're not going into respiratory depression or arrest. It's a vicious circle. We give the meds and the patient finally gets to sleep. Then we have to wake them up to take vital signs, and the pain starts again, and they get upset when we can't give them anything else until it's time. Trust me, we don't want to wake you up. I'm sure you were a sweet and cooperative patient, but honestly, with some patients, I'd as soon poke a hornet's nest with a pointy stick. Still, we have no choice.

MDC, just a few months before my Dale passed, he bought a fantastic Troy-Bilt lawnmower, self-propelled, easy-start, mulcher, the whole nine yards. He was so proud of that mower! He only used it for a few months. He passed in May of 1996, and my son in Florida hired someone to take care of my lawn and send him the bill. The man had his own equipment, so Dale's mower sat in the garage for several years. No one thought about draining the gas out of it, or doing whatever you do when a mower is to be stored. Finally, in 2003, someone tried to start it, and something blew, and it was ruined. Joe was working here by then, and he helped me get it to the repair shop Dale had always used. They said something in the engine was cracked, and it would need a new engine. The bill was going to run nearly $400. Forget it. I had no intention of mowing this big old lawn myself anyway. By that time, Eddie was taking care of my lawn. I offered him the mower, and he was glad to get it. He did just what I thought he'd do. He took the engine off another one he had that had a cracked housing, and put it on the Troy-Bilt, and ended up with a pretty good mower. I think he's still using it, ten years later.

You know, I'm so blessed. That little story just reminds me of how long I've known the good people who help me maintain this place. I've known them all, even the plumber, for ten years or more, and there's a level of trust and confidence that's really valuable to me. God is good.

Blessings, everyone! --Romeena
June 20, 2013 - Msg 93907: Hi All.
God's Gladness Now Does Reign.

How beautiful, how lovely
they way to me now seems!
For I have found God's goodness
in my path of righteous things.
In all my ways I praise God's name,
for no other one's the same,
God's fruit of love brings goodness,
his gladness now does reign.

Mr.TOM
June 20, 2013 - Msg 93908: Thank you, Mr. TOM, that's just lovely. I'm so glad you're back and sharing encouraging words with us. We've missed you.

I spent almost two and a half hours on the phone this morning with the Vonage phone people. I've had a Vonage phone for a couple of years now, and have had a lot of trouble with it. The latest thing was that my fax quit working. I rearranged some lines on the recommendation of one of their tech people, and it worked, but my desk phone didn't! So, I put it back like it was because I need the phone more than I need the fax. This morning, I decided I was tired of having to choose, and wanted them both to work. So, I called, I asked for their most experienced tech (I'm sure they just laughed and put me on the list for the next available tech) but whatever they did, I have to say, that young man went to the mat for me. I told him exactly how each thing was connected to everything else, and I think that helped him a little. We tweaked this and that, and he finally asked me exactly what all is on this line. I told him - cable line coming into the house, the cable modem, Vonage box, WiFi box, fax, the Lifeline my children insist I must have, the ADT alarm, six phones and two TVs. The TVs are connected to phone lines because my caller ID shows up on them. I probably don't really need the phones in the guest rooms, since guests now have their cell phones, but they're there and I feel a little more secure here alone when I know I can reach a phone from just about any room in the house. Anyway, once we established that all that was on one line, he said the bandwidth was probably overloaded and didn't have enough room to carry the fax, which by its very nature takes up a lot of bandwidth when it's busy. So, for $9 a month, I now have my own dedicated fax line. He talked me through rearranging all the cables from one thing to another, and everything now works beautifully. I hope it continues. Even with the $9 additional charge, it's still a whole heap cheaper than the Verizon line I canceled when I got Vonage. I think his education was worth every penny, and I told him so. He didn't recognize the reference, but he still thought it was funny.

Well, I think I'll go cut that big old gladiola before it starts to fade. Might as well enjoy it in here. Maybe a few roses to go in the vase with it, to lend a little support. Sure is a pretty thing.

Blessings, friends! --Romeena
June 20, 2013 - Msg 93909: Glad you are doing better, TOM. When I was in the hospital last month, they did a fingerstick blood sugar twice and drew blood early in the morning. I really didn't mind, though because I was awake most of the time. :) Take care of yourself, and thank you for the poem...exactly the one I needed to read.

Asa, Sean know the owners of two vacuum repair shops in town and they aren't doing well for the reason you mentioned. People just buy new ones most of the time. I'm not sure what Sean is going to do but he just got a job today at the grocery store bagging groceries and the boss said he should be able to move up to cashier soon. He was interviewed by two different managers and they both told him they liked him and liked his attitude and hired him right away. At first he was told that they were interviewing 10 people for the position but after talking to him, they gave him the job without making him wait for a call back. He starts orientation next week. Its a big deal to him and I don't mind him starting off small because he needs to be successful at something to boost his self-esteem before he takes on a bigger challenge, in my opinion. I am proud of him for being so motivated to work. Now, lets hope/pray his anxiety doesn't kick in and cause problems for him.



Well, the kids are visiting with friends, watching basketball on TV and I am going to chill and probably read. Have a Mayberry kind of evening!

Boo
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93910:
RO- Was that fellow's last name Snowden by any chance? haha Good you got all that worked out.
I cant believe all that comes thru one phone line, but then I saw that you said it was thru a cable line, so that is coaxial, which can handle
all mentioned. When I use my fax, I unplug my phone line, plug it into the machine, send the fax, then re-attach the phone line to my phone!
I watched a really good Gunsmoke on ME-TV today.
But I miss Twilight Zone, as they put Night Gallery in its place. Not as good in my opinion.
BOO- will Sean have to quit the church job?
I will set out a tall, ice-cold pitcher of lemonade for all porchsters. Hope you catch a few fireflies.
Prayers,
MDC
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93911: Morning all. It's Friday. Yabba-dabba-doo!!

Tom, so sorry you've been ill but glad you are on the mend. Thanks for the nice poem. Although I don't always say it, your poems and presence here on the porch are always uplifting buddy.

Boo, I'll join you in prayers for Sean to do well in his job. Attitude and willingness play such an important role in success. If he has that, he will do well I'm certain.There is so much on my heart I want to say concerning the things going on right now in our nation. But I just don't think I better. It's Friday after all, so let's enjoy it. I say we need a good picnic. Sound good?

Sure been nice weather here the last couple of days. Cool front came through. Got into the mid 40's last night. High of 80 today. But supposed to kick in the heat next week. But I'll take the heat anyday over the bitter cold.

Prayers for all.

Asa
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93912: No, MDC, Sean will still do the cleaning for the church, too. His job at the grocery store is part-time.

Thank you for those prayers, Asa and MDC. I think a picnic sounds great, as long as it isn't here in south texas...let's have it in Utah, where the high is only 80 today! I'll bring the tater salad.

It will be near 100 here today, with the usual high humidity. :( I just stay indoors alot, which I hate because in the cooler months I am outside much of the time.

Well, guess what got into our garden tomatoes? They had been getting eaten a little at a time..was it ants? No...was it squirrels? No...was it our crazy dog? No...was Thelma Lou sneaking out of the fence at night and nibbling them? No...turns out it was mockingbirds! Bruce caught them doing it. He came in from the garden last night and said, "Its not enough i have to fight the cutter ants everyday, but now the BIRDs are eating my garden!!"...hehe...poor Bruce.

Better finish the coffee and start the chores.

Boo
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93913: Good Friday Porchesters!

It has been very busy on this end of the porch and very hot too but today is the first day of Summer so I suppose as always it is as God has designed it to be!

Hello Mr. Tom so good to see you back and Thank you for your poem...I always am inspired and uplifted by your poems...sorry you have been dealing with health issues but so happy that you are feeling better now...we will definitely be praying for you!

Great news about Sean Boo...I am sure he will do very well and make you proud as he always does...tell Bruce I can feel for him as I too have done my battle with the critters in the garden...have him try putting some aluminum pie pans in the garden tied to a small pole or stake with enough string that will allow the pay to be blown around by the wind. The noise caused by the pan baning into the stake along with the flashing of sunlight off the pan will usually do the trick for keeping the birds out of the garden. Another tip is to put duct tape over the portion of the pan where you attach the string; this will reinforce the pan so that as it is banging in the wind the string will not rip out the soft aluminum pan.

Again Ro you paint such a lovely word pictures of your yard, garden and the creatures that live there I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in real life. Are we going to see you in one of those Vonage commercials soon...I bet you would do a great job and you could it just like Andy use to do on the sponsor spots for the Andy Griffith show when he would give his pitch line and then say "I 'preciate it!".

Well I better get to work...busy weekend as we have some family traveling in to spend the weekend with us and of course we have baseball this weekend starting with a double header game tonight...actually looking forward to a little break from baseball after next week...taking some time for relaxtion and time together as a family with no baseball and no schedule...just slowing down and asking "What's your hurry?"...staying away from band concerts too...those things will wear a body down and don't even think about the spiders under the old band stand...Oh...for our pinic today I will be bringing some of my homemade barbecue...nich pork shoulder that I slowed cooked and smoked for almost 14 hours with some famous Stubb's Barbecue sauce and seasoning to your taste...mmmmmm...it's good on a bun or just pickin' it with your fingers.

Prayers and Blessings for eveyone on the Porch...ya'll have a Mayberry Kinda' day and weekend while you are at it and act like somebody!
SMH

Andy and Barney are at the Darlings when a rock comes through the window)
Barney: What was that!
Andy : I think Ernest T. Bass is paying us another visit.
Briscoe Darling: Ernest T. Bass! You`re a low down skunk!
(Turns away from the window, then turns back)
Briscoe Darling: Doggone ya!
Andy : Listen here, Ernest T. Bass! This is Sheriff Taylor! Go on home and leave these people alone! You`re keepin` `em awake!
Ernest T. Bass: Tell `em to go back to bed! Charlene`s the one I want to talk to!
Barney: Listen here, Ernest T. Bass! This is Deputy Fife! I`m armed and if you don`t go home, I might just take a shot at you
(another rock come flying through the window)
Barney : Stop that!
(Another rock hits the window)
Briscoe Darling: Sheriff, tell your deputy to be quiet before he gets us all stoned to death!
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93914: As Dud Wash said of Ernest T. Bass: " I think he went out to the woods to kill a mockingbird"...
Maybe Ernest T. Bass had a problem in his tomater garden too? I hear mocking birds taste a lot like chicken... Hey Boo....What's for supper? Hee Haaw!
We have mocking bird stew cooked in a light tomato base, and while Bruce is saying..."Who's doing the tomato eating & mocking now? :/

REV...The HUD inspectors were in town this week for some of my inspections....He wanted to drive his own car, so I did not have a chance to charm him with your tunes...Another group is coming into town next month so I'll try them...

G-F....
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93915: Good morning, porch! I declare, this place has sure been livelier since SMH and G-F joined us. So glad you boys are around. "Mockingbird stew in a light tomato base?" Mercy! And that little exchange between Briscoe and Ernest T. has always been a favorite of mine. The sight of Briscoe in those droopy drawers, and the way he leaves the window, then goes back to fire "Doggone ya!" at Ernest T. just has me laughing every time.

I've always enjoyed little snapshot scenes like that - very brief, not crucial to the plot, but tell so much about the character. Another favorite is in a "Gunsmoke" episode, where Harry Morgan is a wild-eyed old farmer with three unmarried sons. He sends them to town to gind wives, and they kidnap three saloon girls, and the old gal who runs the saloon, thinking their pa would be pleased. After a lot of things happen, the girls decide they'll marry the boys, and they're on their way to meet up with the circuit rider preacher, when they run into a bunch of low-lifes, and one recognizes one of the girls. A fight results, and there's a scene where one of the sons, who is about 6'5", grabs one of the bad guys who is about to clock the youngest brother with a small log. He turns the bad guy around, grabs him by his shirt front, and just lifts him off the ground, holding him up in the air. The bad guy's eyes get real big, and he says in a shaky little voice, "Oh, my goodness?!" That just gets me every time. I mean - really? "Oh my goodness?" That's a lot like yelling "Doggone ya!" at somebody that's stoning your house! I may be all alone here, but I think both scenes are just hilarious.

Well, I've got a writing project to get done, better get busy. Blessings, everyone! --Romeena
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93916: Uh, that should be "find" wives, not "gind." Not sure I want to know what that means. --Romeena
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93917: Mockingbirds are the state bird here in Texas, G-F, so it wouldn't do to kill them. ;) They are interesting birds. I remember when I was a kid and we had this terrier (looked like the one in Frasier, "Eddie"), but a little larger. Anyway, a mockingbird had a nest in the backyard and the mom mockingbird just about dive-bombed that dog's head off! LOL So funny to watch.

Funny, Ro. :)

Boo
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93918: Oh, and thanks for the pie pan tip, SMH. I will share it with Bruce.

Boo
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93919: I love mockingbirds! As Boo said, they're our state bird, and therefore much loved by Texans, but they have a special meaning for me. I may have shared this before, but I'll do it again. Dale loved mockingbirds too, and we both enjoyed hearing their songs. There always seemed to be at least one nesting pair around our house, and we would enjoy their singing so much. One day, following the death of an acquaintance, I told Dale that he'd better not ever go away and leave me alone. He just laughed, said he would not, but "if I do, I'll come back as a mockingbird and sit on the fence and sing to you." Well, I never forgot that, and as you all know, God took him home when he was only 58. When I finally returned to work after his death, the very first morning, when I got off work and was headed for my car, guess what? Perched on the corner of the top of the parking garage, right over the door where I would enter, was a very vocal mockingbird, just singing his little heart out. It brought a flood of tears from me, and I had to sit in my car and recover before I could even see to drive. Today, when a mockingbird sings, I smile and enjoy the music, but that first time was rough. I think, however, that maybe my heart lifted just a little, just a tiny bit, that morning. Full resolution and acceptance was years in coming - in fact I still have to work on it now and then - but maybe that little bird's song started it off, just a tiny nudge.

When we lived in Waco, my neighbor had a Siamese cat - old Rufus. Rufus was a doofus, not the brightest cat in the world. One morning I heard a terrible commotion in my front yard, birds squawking, cat yowling, neighbor kids crying. I went out to see what was going on, and there was Rufus, flattened as much as he could on a tree limb, about five feet from a bird nest. Obviously it was a mockingbird's nest, because there were two of the birds, taking turns dive-bombing the helpless cat. They would perch nearby, or flutter around above him, and if he so much as twitched the tip of his tail, they would hit him. Sometimes it was a double attack, with one pecking his head and the other hitting the base of his tail. Poor Rufus was yowling and squalling, as only a Siamese can, his owner's children were crying, and I stood there laughing like an idiot. I have never seen a creature look more miserable than that cat did. I felt sorry for him, but he asked for it. His ears were so flat to his head that you couldn't tell he even had any, there was a raw spot on top of his head and one at the base of his tail and you know all he wanted to do was get home, but he didn't dare move. After I recovered from my laughing fits, I got a broom and proceeded to fend the birds off just long enough for the dumb cat to get down and run for home. He hit their kitchen door, me-yowling like a banshee, begging to be let inside. Margie let him in, saw the circling birds and me with a broom, and went into her own laughing fit. Dumb cat. Boy, what a dumb cat. Good old kitty, but dumb as a rock.

I've got a pair of mockingbirds in a ligustrum shrub, and a pair of cardinals somewhere in the depths of the pear tree/spirea jungle, and they're so neat. The mockers sing every morning and evening, and the cardinals are so, well, just so pretty! I love birds.. --Romeena
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93920: "Rufus the doofus". Ha ha, funny Ro!

Boo, you just gave me the chills with your "fingerstick" talk. I hate that method for getting blood. I would rather have a needle in my arm, and I don't like that either. But when they pr!ck your finger; I've always hated that ever since I was a little boy.

-Sterling Holobyte
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93921: Btw, that's not a typo with the exclamation point in that one word. The censor got me.

-Sterling Holobyte
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93922: Rufus the cat...hilarious! What a great name for a dumb cat.

I like mockingbirds, too. We have a few but for some reason they never come to the feeders. I mostly see them on the west side of the house and they are on the ground looking for ants and bugs. Sadly, a couple of days ago I found one in front of our french doors with a broken neck. I guess the poor thing flew into the glass. I hated that.

The lady across the street gave me some of her maters from her garden and I just had some on a sandwich. Wow! So much better than store-bought. Can't even compare.

Sterling, the new testers they have now for blood sugar require very little blood so the lancets are smaller and barely graze the fingertip..not painful at all, I didn't think. Funny that the censor got you on "pr!ck"!!! LOL LOL...

Boo
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93923: Just remembered I was on morphine when they tested my blood sugar, so maybe it would have hurt under normal circumstances. ;)

Boo
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93924: Oh my Romeena, That was a wonderful story about Dale. Got hy allergies acting up though. Runny eyes, runny nose, (sniff, sniff). What a treasured memory for you. Thank you for sharing it.

Asa
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93925: Oh, Sterling! Boo is so right! The new finger-stickers don't hurt at all, just as the insulin needles don't hurt, either. The sticker I use is adjustable - I can dial the depth of the stick. For a man with work-hardened fingertips, a little more depth is needed. For myself, since my fingers are used to a little yard work, I use a light to medium stick. For a fragile little old person, I would use the most shallow. One thing that has influenced that - the old glucose meters (glucometers) required a huge, hanging drop of blood. The new ones just need a tiny dot, so the stick doesn't have to be so deep. I stick my fingers about four times a day, sometimes more, and I can promise you, it does not hurt. You can look at my fingers, and you will see no marks, no bruises, no puncture tracks. It's so light that it leaves no trace at all. Believe me, I've had far worse sticks from rose thorns than I ever get these days from my finger-sticker. As for the insulin injections, I get three or four a day, depending on my sugar levels, and they don't hurt either. The needle is a quarter-inch long, and as thin as a hair. You honestly just don't feel it. Nobody believes me unless they try it, but it's true.

Sorry about your "allergies", Asa. You're an old softie! Funny, my allergies kicked in for a moment too, when I wrote that. --Romeena
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93926: Ohio's state bird is a Cardinal...I think I covered cardinals in a previous post that Romeena started...haha....

So you are saying Boo & Romeena ya kill a mocking bird in Texas...it will get ya 25 to life?

Speaking of mocking birds.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeOqD3uMIRs

G-F....
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93927: I guess I am thinking of when I was little when they would stick my finger with a regular needle for a blood test. I suppose now they use the kind of needles you are talking about, but do they even get blood that way anymore? I think I remember them getting blood once(or twice) from Kai that way, though because of her heart thing I mostly just remember them using a syringe.

-Sterling Holobyte
June 21, 2013 - Msg 93928: Hey gang did ya hear the happenings at Romeena's church? check it out....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16fG1sDagU

Yep the news came from G-F....
June 22, 2013 - Msg 93929: Dern that squirrel! I told him to watch out for that Stevens kid, but he just wouldn't listen, went and got hisself caught, and just look at the ruckus he caused. He got away clean though, because I saw him out back just this morning.

As for killin' a mockingbird, I'm not sure the penalty would be as severe as you said, but it is definitely frowned upon and would earn you a visit from Barney, and maybe even Andy, and the penalty wouldn't be light. Besides that, your neighbors probably would never speak to you again, or if they did, they wouldn't be saying anything you'd want to hear.

Yep, Sterling, those old fingerstickers used to be really rough. They weren't guarded, just a sharp little point on a flat blade, and the depth of the stick depended on the nurse's fine motor skills and whether the patient would hold still or not. I don't know about you, but my motor skills aren't fine enough to allow me to make a running stab at somebody's waving fingertip and judge the depth of the stick to within 1/100th of an inch. With the new stickers, the depth is controlled by the device, you just put it against the skin and press a button. Controlled stick every time, and nothing to it.

Well, I'm off to bed. I've been editing, and writing, almost all day, and my eyes are about to cross. I need sleep!! Blessings, friends. --Romeena
June 22, 2013 - Msg 93930: DUCT TAPE! Sounds like the Red Green Show! ha (:

June 22, 2013 - Msg 93931: Watch out for them shiney, danglin' bobbles...(: