April 13, 2015 - Msg 101159: Oh, one other thing I noticed. Julie Newmar was billed as "Julie Newmeyer" in the credits. --Romeena
April 13, 2015 - Msg 101160: Hmmm. Rather a picayune entry to sweep with. And me with a sore back! Toye Starr dusted the rockers for me, and I just gave the porch floor a quick once-over with the Swiffer. --Romeena
April 13, 2015 - Msg 101161: I adore Seven Brides! My best friend and I were probably some of the few 8 year olds that watched that movie on repeat. My husband's maternal side are Newmeyer's.

Good job Toye Starr!

Blessings,
Lucy Matthews
April 14, 2015 - Msg 101162: Lucy, are they related to the Charlottesville Newmeyer's? Andyyy, I know the family! :)

Sorry you have the misery in yer back Ro. Take it easy.

Boo, Fast Sunday is where our entire congregation who desires to participate, fasts for two meals with the desire to draw closer to the Lord. Then in our Sunday Sacrament meeting, the pulpit is open for any who desire to stand and share their testimonies with the congregation. It is done once a month, usually the first Sunday of the month. Also those who desire, can give a Fast offering (the amount of money they might have spent for the two meals) that is used directly to assist those in the congregation who may have financial needs.

Wow, we are in the mid 60's here at 5 a.m but supposed to get rain and snow tonight and tomorrow. Up to 14 inches in the mountains. Much needed and prayed for, for sure.

I did manage to get out after work yesterday and play a round of golf. I wasn't sure how my back would hold up, but it did just fine. First time golfing since last October. Pretty rusty for sure. But it was great to be out there playing again. I'll be pretty bummed out if I ever have to give up golf. It's therepedic for me, as Barney would say.

Well better get working. Tons to do. I need GF to come help me out. How about it buddy. You can install them shingles for me while I sip some lemonade and look at clouds and muse on life. Deal? :)

Asa
April 14, 2015 - Msg 101163: ...Asa, I will work for cole slaw and deviled eggs tho..haha I did get to set on my outside rocker yesterday, we got temps. into the 70's Man that sun felt good! I got my mulch,edging,blades sharpened and mowers serviced I'm ready to get started on getting the yard ready for spring.

I'm coming to you from the greater Sebring Public Library. My computer's "Mother Board" went out and I need to get a new computer that still has Windows 7 on it..."We will not change, We will not change"! My Daughter said she is getting me one of those "Note Pad" tablet things for my birthday, so we will see how that goes, o'l Goob doesn't do change well...

Have a GREAT Day Everyone....G-F (Fast offering Great Idea Asa!)
April 14, 2015 - Msg 101164: Guess who.
G F A LITTLE CHANGE WILL DO GOOD!
ASA KEEP THAT BAD WEATHER RIGHT THERE I LIKE MY 80 TEMPS.

TOM
April 14, 2015 - Msg 101165: Good morning, porch! Another gray, possibly rainy day here. Sure hope it happens. Temp is only 58°, which is quite a bit cooler than we've been the past few days. I'm glad, because all the "bloomers" in the yard will do better at that temp than if it gets so oppressively hot. Sure is looking pretty out there, though.

Poor little Toye Starr is drooping around here. I'm dressed and have been on the phone, so she recognizes the signs. She knows I'm planning to leave, and she just hates that!

Windows 7? Love it! That's what I've got, and it's the best thing since sliced bread. I will be very unhappy when this computer fails, which they all do eventually. It's about six or seven years old, so I guess I've got a few more years. At least, I hope so.

Well, Eloise is on her way over, we're gonna mouse around for a while. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
April 14, 2015 - Msg 101166:
Romeena, only 58° in Texas? Here in Canada, we are at 62°. But we both are far from Tom's 80°.

G-F, I've seen online businesses charging $300 just to download Windows 7. Yet, you can purchase an entire computer with Windows 7 for less at Amazon.com.

Asa, I see you mentioned that you have been golfing. With your back problem, did you perform any warmup or stretching exercises beforehand?

from Poor Horatio
April 14, 2015 - Msg 101167: Thanks for the explanation, Asa. Now that you explained, I do remember reading about Fast Sundays once. Sounds like a really good idea. When I was in my 20s, I attended a church that had prayer meetings on Friday nights and would try to fast that day. I never even think about fasting now that I'm in the baptist church...fat baptists aren't in the habit if encouraging fasting. Ha!

Boy, did we have storms this morning! Lots of rain and I haven't seen things this green in Texas in years. Lord knew we needed rain.

Well, best be off to work. Y'all have a good evening.

Boo
April 15, 2015 - Msg 101168: Well, yuck! I think I have a cold - the first one I've had in a very long time. I only get one every so many years. I guess at my age I've probably had just about every cold virus there is, and am therefore immune. The only thing I catch now is one that has mutated, and my body doesn't recognize it. I'm not really sick, just don't feel very well. No fever, but a bit achy, sneezing a lot, scratchy throat, and have to keep a tissue handy at all times, because my nose is drippy! What a picture! Sorry, folks. I don't have allergies, or at least never have had any, so I really think this is just a mild cold. I guess I'd better let my helper take the ESL class in the morning. I'd hate to pass this on to somebody who might get a lot sicker than I am. I usually don't get very sick, might even be better by morning. I guess we'll see.

Well, it's very late, guess I'd better drag myself off to bed. I wonder if it's possible to sneeze in your sleep? Hmmm - I guess I'm about to find out. --Romeena
April 15, 2015 - Msg 101169: The misery in yer back and now in yer nose Ro? Poor dear. You got something we can rub? :)

Boy, the weatherman got this storm right. Yesterday it was windy as all get out. Last night it started snowing. We have a good 5 inches right now and it's still snowing. Not griping though. We need the water. But Tom, I asked that old storm where it was headed next. And he said he was gonna pay you and GF a visit. Sorry pal. :)

PH, I do almost an hour of back exercises every day, both strengthening and stretching. They are ones my P.T. instructed me on that is supposed to help for my condition. So, yes, I stretch out before and after the golf.

Hope you get your mother figure board fixed GF. I'm like you in that I hate change. And it makes it difficult in this ever changing world we live in, don't it? I guess we is just old dogs in a strange new world buddy. :)

Asa
April 15, 2015 - Msg 101170: Good morning, porch. I never did find out if people sneeze in heir sleep. If I did, I didn't know it, because I was asleep! I feel a bit better this morning, and now I just sound a lot worse than I feel. Still stuffy, though. Oh well. This too shall pass.

I've got an amaryllis blooming out back that's jus spectacular. Actually there are three, but one of them is just gorgeous. Got to get some pictures. I took a few on Sunday, but it was cloudy and they don't show up too well. The sun's out today, I should get some good ones. They are the prettiest flowers! They're in the bed directly under my window, on the south side of the house. I think that's why they've survived and done so well, because they're protected from the worst of the winter weather. I may put some more back there. They sure are pretty.

I found a rose bush that's just riddled with Rose Rosette Disease (RRD). Got to prune it down to the ground and spray the stump, or I may just take it out. Poor thing. Actually, it's the root-stock base of what was once a tree rose, but I've kept it because it blooms so pretty. It's in a pot behind the sunroom, and the roots have grown through the drain hole into the ground, so I can't move it. Usually the root-stock secondary growth canes don't bloom much, but this one does. Guess I'll try to save it.

Well, better get busy. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
April 15, 2015 - Msg 101171: Sorry about the missing "t"s up there. I've got arthritis in my left hand so bad, I miss those t's a lot. That knuckle is so tender, I guess I just don't hit the key hard enough. That would be a lot more understandable on a manual machine, but on this keyboard, with its feather touch, that's ridiculous. --Romeena
April 15, 2015 - Msg 101172: Back from a week of camping ...gona get caught up..SPOT
April 15, 2015 - Msg 101173: Welcome home, Spot and Mrs. Spot. I'm sure you had a wonderful time, but it's nice to have you back home.

Feeling a bit better, still sneezy and wet. Had to turn down an invitation to dinner at David and Brittney's house. That girl makes a mean chicken and rice, and I always hate to miss a visit with the kids and all, but I was afraid I'd take this virus to them, and they don't need it. Guess I'll just continue to hermitize myself at lest through tomorrow, and wear this mess out. Sure hated to miss a pleasant evening, though.

Well, back to my chair. Thought I'd better get up and move before my joints froze up like the Tin Man, but now my chair is starting to sound good again. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
April 15, 2015 - Msg 101174: That's "at least through tomorrow." Until my fingers get stronger, I'm just going to have to proofread. --Romeena
April 16, 2015 - Msg 101175:
ASA-thanks for the 'planation. I thought it meant a 15 minute sermon, and off to the races! haha
Speaking of golf, did you see Speith at the Masters? Wow, that was some kind of golfing!
Asa-I'll work for cole slaw, but you gotta add some Adams Ribs. teehee
RO-maybe you picked something up from one
of your patients. Try VICKS! :) Glad you are getting rain tho. We need it here very badly.
GF--"My computer's "Mother Board" went out and I need to get a new computer that still has Windows 7 on it." Could you imagine someone writing that
say, 50 years ago!! Say what? ha
I saw the Imitation Game last week for my movie of the year.
It was pretty good about breaking the german enigma code. A very crude vacuum tubed machine
is what finally did it.
A very mischevious Possum has visited me on FB! haha Possum, very funny stuff!
TO ALL- I had a very special dream about my dad, very vivid and clear that he is in heaven!
Without being braggadocios, it was as clear as a bell, I would even liken it to Joseph's dream almost
in clarity!
Well, I think it's toaster strudel and coffee (decaf) and then to bed.
Prayers,
MDC

April 16, 2015 - Msg 101176: Happy Thursday porch, hope everyone is doing good day. been busy so haven't been by the porch much this week.

we have had a rainy week on my end of the porch. making it difficult to get our yard mowed. the grass is growing fast and getting outta hand in some places. we may have to see about getting Jimmy the goat to come and help out with mowing. It is supposed to rain off and on the rest of the week. It may make for a wet Bristol Race this week end.

Hope everyone is doing good. gotta get ready for
my work day.

lunch menu will be: tacos with all the trimmings, rice and beans. brownies for dessert. tea or strawberry lemonade to drink.

Prayers and blessings to all.
Big Maude

April 16, 2015 - Msg 101177: ...STILL no new computer yet, but I get alot of library time now, I just can't yell out my amenities tho..haha So I have to come here to get my infro from my library's "Mother Figure Board".

SPOT, Can I assume we are all having fried catfish & hushpuppies, or are we just havin' "beans & weenies"...lol

Maude, it is rainy on my end today too, the Bristol boys may have to run their rain tires this week..lol

MDC I'm with ya, Asa may have to go with your idea, he may have to add the ribs too to get the help...(+Extra sauce too)...haha Lol about your Mother Board comment...Back in the day a "Mother Board" sure had a different meaning, it was alot like a "Father Board". But in OUR house there was no "Waite until your Father gets home!" Mom took care of business right then and there! (But not for me, I was a MODEL child!)..lol LOl LOL... Wanna buy some swamp land too?? haha

Have a good Day Folks..Library CLOSED on Fridays!

G-Fridayless
April 16, 2015 - Msg 101178: MDC said Vicks before I could..
But I was thinkin' it. Feel better, Ro.

Can you believe I am waiting for the septic tank man? Time for the annual inspection. I am stuck at home on my day off but plenty to do.

Boo
April 16, 2015 - Msg 101179: Good evening, folks. Thanks for all the good wishes, but share them with someone else now. I'm fine. I get a cold just every few years, and it usually lasts about a day and a half, and this was no exception. I woke up feeling fine this morning. I went to the fish fry at the church, ate a lot of fried catfish and green tomato relish, and am feeling great!

The weather is weird. Air is heavy, tiny breeze stirring, and it just have that feeling like it's gonna come a somethin'! Scattered thunderstorms are predicted for tomorrow, but it feels "stormified" right now. Guess we'll see.

Our entertainment at the JOY dinner tonight was the "show choir" from Irving High School, the school my kids attended years ago. The actual choir, The Singer Company, is about 145 voices, but only seven are in the show choir. They did a fine job.

Well, better go feed my little roommate. I didn't feed her before I left, and she's telling me about it now. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
April 16, 2015 - Msg 101180: "has that feeling", not "have." Grrr. --Romeena
April 17, 2015 - Msg 101181:
Well folks, baseball season is underway.
Thought you might like a good laugh about it all:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTcRRaXV-fg&spfreload=10
MDC :)
April 17, 2015 - Msg 101182: just bdropping bye to say hello to everyone om the porch waiting to see the doctor my prayers are with each of you. papa bear
April 17, 2015 - Msg 101183: Good morning, porch. MDC, that routine was, and forever will be, one of the funniest routines ever. It's funny on so many levels. The writing, the delivery, the physical comedy in A & C's body language and facial expressions, the repeated misunderstanding, the frustration - all sheer genius. A classic. Thanks for sharing.

Sure looks like a storm is coming, but so far, no storm activity, just a heavy sky. If it does what it's been doing for the last week, it will divide into two small fronts, move to the north and south of us, and leave the Dallas area high and dry in the middle. At least we're getting rain in the extended area, and the lakes are coming up a little. Nowhere near full, but better than they were!

Hey, anybody interested in signing up for Dish Network? If so, let me recommend you and we each get $50 from Dish. Actually, I've had Dish for years now, and really like it. The service is consistent, and (my favorite part) the remote is intuitive and easy to use.

Well, better get busy. Got a couple of ailing roses to spray (more RRD), errands to run, and I need to get my taxes together and over to the CPA. I let that slip up on me. I should have a small refund, so no penalty will apply, but still - I hate letting the IRS have my money for so long. They don't pay any interest, that's for sure! Blessings, everyone. --Romeena
April 17, 2015 - Msg 101184: Hey, there, papa bear. Good to see you. I hope you're feeling well, and get good news from the doctors. Thank you for praying for us, and we pray for you as well, of course. --Romeena
April 17, 2015 - Msg 101185: Good Evenin' Porch,

It's rained every stinkin' day this week. At least it's helping the pollen, but not my mood. :)

Papa bear, so good of you to drop by. I hope you're appointment went well.
MDC, yep, my Braves have been doing good so far this very short season. How wonderful to have that dream! What a blessing from above.
Romeena, you be safe! We cannot have any satellite networks as rent and can only have Comcast. Sorry! I hope you're feeling better.
G-F, I hope you get your computer fixed soon. I saw some new laptops for $250 at Office Depot. They were small, but they get the job done. I just got mine back from the repairman. He was very reasonable and fixed the hard drive and re-installed a bunch of stuff for only $100. I use my iPad during the times my laptop doesn't work.
Big Maude, I hope you are well too!
Spot, I hope you and the Mrs. had a nice trip.

Well, I suppose I'd best get to being domesticated. We are clean eating so I doubt anyone would like to join me for taco salad (no dressing but I am sneaking cheese!) and strawberries with whipped coconut cream. Y'all have a good evening.

Blessings to you and yours,
~Lucy M.

April 17, 2015 - Msg 101186: Hey everybody- yep, I finally decided I'd better come out from under my rock before someone starts jabbin' at me with them poinky sticks!

Hope everybody has been well- HEY to pappa bear!!

Ro, just saw your yard & flowers on FB- everything is so lovely!

Well, gonna scoot now,but will try not to be absent from the Porch for so long-y'all take care!

****************
possum under a rock
April 17, 2015 - Msg 101187: Oh,I'll have to pass on the Dish network offer too,Ro. I've got Direct TV and am waiting on the two years to be up in a few months so I can get out of the agreement with them. I might just go back to cable,for the amount of tv I watch. As long as I have the internet and can watch old classic shows online,I'm good to go!

possum again
April 17, 2015 - Msg 101188: Yawn...have got to read the archives...work at 4am....SPOT
April 18, 2015 - Msg 101189: Five :)
April 18, 2015 - Msg 101190: Good Morning gang !..gosh will this rain ever stop...about 2 weeks of it here in a Ga...well im at work till 6pm gona get busy work done...breakfast menu: 3 eggs your way,hashbrowwns with cheese,country ham,bisquits and gravy,crisp bacon and coffee.....SPOT
April 18, 2015 - Msg 101191: Hey, Spot. Can you pull two or three pieces of that bacon out a little early for me? I like mine to "bend at the waist", you know.

We had some rain overnight, but it's clear and sunny this morning. That biggest pink amaryllis that's in my Facebook pictures is bowing low, guess I'd better go prop it up. I keep a bundle of bamboo sticks for that purpose. Some of the iris bloomstalks get four feet tall, and will sometimes fall over. I can't stand to see those beautiful flowers with their faces in the dirt, so I prop them up. I guess that amaryllis became too heavy when it got wet last night. It hasn't gone all the way to the ground, but it will, and might even break the stalk. It's too pretty to lose, so I'll prop it up.

Honestly, it's just gorgeous here today, and the bright bluejay that's flying about the yard just makes it all the prettier. I thank God for this window - I can see the whole yard, yet am not usually visible to the critters, due to the way the light hits it, and you wouldn't believe some of the wonderful things I get to observe.

Well, off I go, to prop up that beautiful clump of amaryllis. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
April 18, 2015 - Msg 101192: I'm back. Got the big pink amaryllis propped up, and found a red one that was bent over as well. I can't see that one from my window, it's behind a shrub. Fixed it, too. While I was out there, I got some really nice pictures. The flowers are so pretty with the raindrops still on their faces. The roses are just about to burst into bloom. One bush is already covered with beautiful coral blooms - it's always an early bird. The others have literally dozens of fat buds, and in a few more days should be really beautiful. I'm not going to say we've beaten that miserable RRD, because I keep finding canes here and there that are full of it, but I cut them away, seal them up and put them out for the trash, and spray the affected bush heavily. So far, we may not have beaten it, but I think I can say we have it under control. Had we not done the day's work we did a couple of weeks ago, I don't think I'd have a rose bush left. Maybe I should email Howard Garrett (dirtdoctor.com, for his website) and thank him. It's looking pretty good right now, but I know that professional growers don't just plow up 23 acres of roses without a good reason, so I'm aware that anything can still happen. I could still lose them all, even though right now they look really good. One thing I know for sure, I'm not going to lose them without a fight.

I wish I could capture and bottle the beauty outside this window, and the peace and tranquility it brings to my heart. It's like a benediction, every time I glance outside. God is good. --Romeena
April 18, 2015 - Msg 101193: I hope you Texas girls are Ok...The weatherman said some bad storms out your way, but ya know you can't trust the weatherman...Unless you live in Cleveland.."In Goddard We Trust".. Right TOM?? (for those who don't know) he has been doing the weather in Cleveland since Noah was just a kid..lol

Beautiful day here today, I got to go mousing around (as Romeena calls it) at the flea market. I found some puzzles for Mrs. G-F, and I found a old bottle that I'll make into a Colonel Harvey Elixir bottle for my Mayberry collection.

So now it's out to the yard to do some mulching, Yep it's a fun day!....G-F
April 18, 2015 - Msg 101194: HI.
WHERE IS THE LINDE STAY FOR THE BOAT FOR WE CAN GIT AWAY FROM ALL THE RAIN?
G F YOU HAVE THE DAY MIX UP. SAT IS YEAR WORK AND THING AND SUNDAY IS FLEA MARKDAY.
SO YOU FOUND SOME PUZZLES LOOK IN TO SEE THERE NO FLEA GOING HOME HEHE
I LIKE DOING THIM TO AND WINE DO I PASS TO MY SIS AND SHE HAVE THE SHE DO. THAT I PASS THE TIME AWAY IN THE WINTER.

TOM

April 18, 2015 - Msg 101195: I'm OK, G-F, thank you. How about you, Boo? We had a good rainstorm last night, but nothing damaging. Just lots of good old H2O for the grass, trees and flowers. We need more, but are very grateful for what we've received. My friend Joe says his stock pond is within about four inches of going over its little spillway into the creek, and just last summer it was almost completely dry.

Eddie moved my biggest plumeria out of the garage (finally) on Thursday, and I'm so sad about the state it's in. The rat apparently discovered he could gnaw off the bark-like covering on the tops of the branches and get to a thick substance that is inside the branches. It's about the consistency of very dry cheese, and apparently is very tasty to a rat. He has virtually destroyed that plumeria tree. It was a real beauty, too - about nine feet tall, with five major vertical branches coming off a 2-ft stump base, and twelve or fifteen smaller branches coming off the five big branches, giving it a beautiful "staghorn" effect. In the spring, when it goes back outside, all those small branches sprout very large, strappy leaves, about four inches wide and a foot or more in length, growing in clusters from the ends and from nodes along the sides of those small branches. Plumeria flowers sprout in clusters from where the leaves originate. Very pretty. Of course, the squirrels have learned that the flower buds are tasty, so I don't get as many blooms as I could wish for, but I do get some. Anyway, thanks to Ratticus, there are now just three secondary branches sprouting from the five main branches. He has destroyed the rest. He just ate the contents of the branches like a drilling machine, leaving just a hollowed-out, open-topped shell of what had been a branch. I have just GOT to get that critter! He did go in the live trap. Yesterday morning I found it, tripped, little door closed, and no rat. How he gets out of that thing, I'll never know. I wish I had a little surveillance camera I could put out there. I'll bet it would be something to see.

Well, I think I'll switch gears and see if I can get a little writing done today. Oh, I discovered that our city Senior Center offers creative writing classes once a week. I'm thinking of signing up. I love to write, have "scribbled" for most of my life, and outside of high school, have never actually taken a class in creative writing. I know there is much to be learned, and it's certainly cheap enough. Membership in the center is $10 a year, and classes are free, unless materials have to be purchased, like for a crafts class or some such. Anyway, I think it would be fun, so will probably join it. It's not a specific course, they just have a guest instructor each week, and you attend at your own convenience. Lots to be learned, I'm sure. Later, taters. --Romeena
April 18, 2015 - Msg 101196: Hey there, Tom! Good to see you! So you like puzzles? I do, too. I used to have a puzzle going most of the time around here, but lately I've been doing them online. That's fun, too. Do you still work on your gum wrapper chain? I'll bet it's hard finding gum wrappers. Take care of yourself, buddy. --Romeena
April 18, 2015 - Msg 101197: Lots of storms here off and all this week..tornadoes touching down near us last night and we don't have basements here at sea level. Right now it is raining like crazy! The wind is really blowing, too. Not sure what caused all this stormy weather but I am glad for the rain.

Worked last evening and the air conditioner in the facility was out for 2 days. The poor kids were miserable. Honestly, I don't know how much longer the place can stay in business. So many things need repair and apparently they don't have the money to fix them. Last week, the sewer backed up into the nurses station and left 2 inches of black water throughout the place. Luckily, I was off that day. Most of the clients are medi-caid and we are actually losing money on those. Sad situation because I fear the state will come in and close the doors because they cant afford to bring it up to standard. I wish some wealthy good-hearted person would take it on as a project. Dr Phil, maybe? :)

Well, need to get going. Going to take Erin to a movie.

Love to all,
Boo
April 19, 2015 - Msg 101198: Good evening, porch. Well, apparently storms rumbled through this area after sundown, but believe it or not, I really didn't know it. Of course, we didn't get the worst of it here in Irving, but parts of the Metroplex had damaging winds and hail, according to the TV news. All I was aware of here was the fact that it was raining - I could hear it on the range hood roofstack when I went in the kitchen, and I could see that the trees out back were being blown around a bit. This house is very tight and well insulated, and it's not unusual for me not to notice a storm. The footprint of the house is essentially a square, with the front of the garage projecting out about eight feet or so. The house is three rooms wide and three rooms deep, and the living area is the center room. When I'm curled up in my chair in there, with the TV on, I not only can't hear much that's happening outside, but I can't see it either, since that room has no windows. Right now, I'm at my desk by the large window that overlooks the back yard, and I don't see any limbs down. I guess I'll find out in the morning whether anything fell out front. Right now, I'm going to bed. The storm front has moved on through, and is now hitting the little towns to the east of Dallas, but I think it's lost most of its punch. Ft. Worth, to the west of me, got hit pretty hard, but apparently the storm weakened quite a bit as it passed over Ft. Worth, so I really didn't get much here.

Boo, it's such a shame that a worthy endeavor like your workplace has to be so short of funds. Have the administrators considered approaching local churches to see if any would be interested in providing funds on a regular basis? Most churches have a "home missions" budget, and that place would certainly qualify. One church probably couldn't provide enough, but several collectively could make a difference.

Also, maybe if you contacted some local churches for hands-on help, you could get some of the repairs and improvements taken care of. I know our church sets aside a weekend once or twice a year, to "serve" the community. Teams go to the homes of elderly or disabled people and build wheelchair ramps, or paint, or put on a new roof. They install new commodes, or put grab bars in showers - just whatever is needed. They have also gone to small, struggling churches and helped the membership with building projects or improvements. Those of us who can't do that kind of work just provide sandwiches and bottled water for the work crews, run errands, pick up supplies, whatever is needed. Maybe a bigger church in the area would take the place as a project. Just a thought...

Well, better get to bed. Got to get up for preachin' in the morning. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
April 19, 2015 - Msg 101199: Good morning gang ! here at work keeping the Church lights on...gona find me some preaching on TV...some I dont care for and some I can get a message out of...ya know...ham and cheese bisquits for breakfast....get two....SPOT
April 19, 2015 - Msg 101200: ITHINKIHAVEHADABOUTENOUGHOFTHISRAIN!!

Somebody who is tired of staying under her rock ;)
April 19, 2015 - Msg 101201: Send some of that rain our way Possum. We need it. Surely has been dry here, in spite of the snow we got last week.

Well a new spring starts a new round of sprinkling system repairs. Last week I installed a pressure regulator on the line I was having so many problems with, so hopefully that will help. I still have one more repair to make on that line and then I'll charge it up and see what happens.

Just got home from preaching. Beautiful spring day with the temps in the mid 60's.

Boo, sounds like a tough situation there with your work. Maybe Hillary will donate you some of her millions. She says she wants to help out the common folks. (sorry, I couldn't resist)

Guess I'll see what I can muster up for some lunch. Dealing with a headache. Maybe I have me one of them low sugar things going on like Barney and need me a Mr. Cookie bar to counter this afternoon sinking spell. Might work.

Asa
April 19, 2015 - Msg 101202: Good afternoon, porch. Just got home - went to lunch with SS friends after services. Always fun. We ate at a favorite Chinese restaurant, and were fortunate to be seated at my favorite server's table. He's a young Asian man, very efficient and friendly, huge smile all the time, and always joking. Example: One person joined our party a little late, just as the server was passing out the water for the six who were already there. He sat the last glass down between two people, and said, in his accented English, "Sorry, this my last glass, you must share." He makes gentle little jokes all the time, and is altogether pleasant.

Imagine my annoyance and embarrassment later, when three members of our party were sitting and literally counting out pennies for his tip. I don't mean they were having trouble coming up with the money. They weren't, they had money. They were figuring it to the penny and making sure they didn't go over! One wanted to just double our 8.25% tax "because that would be about 16% and that's enough." Finally one pulled out her phone and figured it to the penny on the calculator app. Then another one plunked down a dollar bill, on a 9.50 check, and declared it to be enough by saying "I never tip more than 10%. Anything more is just robbery." I declare, I think if she had had the change, she'd have left 95 cents. Folks, that was embarrassing. Not only were they fulfilling the stereotype of women being lousy tippers, but it was obvious we had all just come from church, and I could just hear that Asian server, who is probably Buddhist, saying to himself that Christians are stingy. I think when Christians eat out, they should be careful to tip at least adequately, and preferably, tip generously. And please, no piddly figuring over it. What Dale taught me to do is this: For adequate service, double the tax and round up to the nearest dollar. For better than average service, round the bill up to the nearest dollar and take 20%. You can do it in your head, it's quick, clean and unobtrusive, and it's not stingy. And for pete's sake, don't leave a little pile of pennies and nickels. Round up to that nearest dollar!

OK, sorry about the sermonette. It was just such an embarrassing situation today. It's not like any of those women are in dire circumstances. None of us are rich, certainly, but if we can afford to eat out, we can afford an appropriate tip. If we can't do that, then we should eat at a cheaper place, or at home. OK, so much for that.

What a gorgeous day! Beautiful blue skies, with little puffy white clouds here and here, light breeze, lots of sunshine, and flowers blooming in profusion out back. The wind last night didn't break any limbs, thank the Lord. Everything is so green! You know, you can water all you want, and things will green up, but when it rains, the green that results is brighter, deeper, more beautiful. I don't know if the raindrops gather nitrogen out of the air as they fall, or what, but rain produces the most beautiful green of all. God is good. --Romeena
April 20, 2015 - Msg 101203:
Good evening all--My wife and I went to a matinee showing of "The Sound of Music" this afternoon.
A movie theater here played it on all 16 screens
to celebrate the movie's 50th anniversary! Wow,
to see it in digital format with surround sound,
and on the big screen again, are you kiddin me?
What a wonderful movie!
ASA--Don't get "Tee'd off" if the line don't hold! haha
Possum--u b 1 wet possum, huh? Send it here please!
MAUDie--good to see you check in. Did they race in Bristol? or raining.
RO--you live one busy life! But glad you CAN! :)
TOM and GF--my DBacks are .500 right now, and that's BETTER than last year's start.!
Prayers for all,
MDC
April 20, 2015 - Msg 101204: Good morning, porch! It's cool here this morning, just 56°, but it's clear, sunny and beautiful. Roses are opening out back by the dozens. I'm not sure the war with RRD can ever be really won, but I'm sure as shootin' gonna win every battle and skirmish I can! I haven't invested sweat and blood (literally) and time into those bushes - not to mention money - just to let some wind-blown mite come along and infect them with a virus and kill them. Not without a fight, anyway.

There is an iris blooming out there right now that's the most unusual color. Think of cedar wood, and the various streaks of color you find in it, from a very pale cream to a rich, reddish brown in the heartwood. That's the color of that iris, the reddish brown. Beautiful color! I'm going to try to get a picture - I hope it will photograph true. I have a decent little Fuji camera, but sometimes its colors are off a bit. However, the new Samsung Galaxy phone my son got me a few months ago has an awesome camera in it, and I've noticed that it almost always gets the colors right. I hope it does this time.

Well, better get dressed. I have a few errands to run, unless I talk myself out of it. You're right, MDC, I do have a busy life, and I'm grateful for every little thing God puts in front of me to do, and even more grateful for the health and strength to get it done. I'm thankful also for the support of family and friends, who encourage me and keep me active. I've decided 75 is the new 40!

Blessings, friends. --Romeena
April 20, 2015 - Msg 101205: Yep, I'm coming to you once again from the library, I sure wish Mrs. G-F would make up her mind on what we are doing for a computer. She has a "smart phone" and a tablet so she's not in too much of a hurry I guess! So I may have to evoke a work & cooking slow down until she gets on the ball?...Since she doesn't cook or go to the grocery store I may have the upper hand?..Right Asa?

Possum & Maude sent us all that rain so I have had limited time in the yard & garden, but I did get my front yard corner spot weeded and mulched so that is something. Romeena I did get the Iris's planted so we shall see if Texas iris's grow in Ohio. Also I did get my citronella plants for the front porch flower boxes, dang skeeters! But they DO seem to help and they do smell real lemony...

TOM, Glad to see you pop in, Cleveland folks are going CRAZY about the Cavaliers, I guess it's been a long time sine they had ANY winners in Cleveland. As for me, I don't really care about basketball so it doesn't matter to me what they do...

MDC, The Indians are off to a slow start.

Asa, Just think....When you do retire, you can open a new business..."Asa's Sprinkler Systems"..Your motto can be:...."You Need a T Come See ME"...lol

G-F...
April 20, 2015 - Msg 101206: Just here for a quick rock. We had tornado warnings and hail today. It was crazy! It's nice now though.

Tom, I too love puzzles. My mother does one every winter and I would help her when I was a girl. I would do them now but do not have anyplace to put one.
G-F, yes, you kind of have the upper hand, BUT remember when Miss Ellie (my fave!) ran for city council and it was men against women? That didn't turn out too well. Just use her tablet. What's hers is yours and vice versa.
Romeena, I'm glad you get out and about. You know Dave Ramsey talks about being generous tippers in his Financial Peace class. Maybe tell that to your friends. We very rarely go out to eat, but when we do I always give 20% and we really don't have much.
Asa, law we've had so much rain that I wish I could send to you and my daughter in CA. Isn't your daughter pregnant? If so, how is she?
Boo, I'm sorry to hear about the facility you work at. If it closes, do you think you'll look for another job?
Possum, good to see you come out from under that rock.

I was thinking about Me-They, Homemaker, Mavis, and some of the old ones that used to stop by the porch lately. It's like they're not with the family, even if they're on Facebook.

Well, it's reading and bed for me. Y'all have a good day tomorrow. Show everybody you've got some smarts now.

Blessings to you and yours,
Lucy
April 21, 2015 - Msg 101207: Happy Tuesday porch, hope everyone is A OK today.
checking in from work.

It's a beautiful cool, windy sunny day on my end of the porch. thank goodness the rain has moved on for now.

The Bristol race was a very wet one. It took them all day to get the laps in as those of you who are race fans know. I don't go to the race but keep up with it on tv and in the newspaper. I live about 40 minutes or so away from the track but all of the surrounding areas know when its race time in Bristol. Bristol Motor Speedway is a great place and does so much charity work for the children in our communities here. Those folks as are most race fans are great people. Many of the churches do raceway ministries and visit the camp grounds for the fans, handing out cold water bottle and cookies.

not much else to report from my end today. better get to work.

supper menu will be: pork chops with gravy, mashed potatoes, peas, fried apples. apple crisp with vanilla ice cream for dessert. tea or lemonade to drink.

prayers and blessings to all.

Big Maude
April 21, 2015 - Msg 101208: HI ALL
LOOK LIKE EVERY ON GO TO THE LAKE FOR THE DAY!

TOM
April 21, 2015 - Msg 101209: No lake here Tom. Up to my eyeballs in work.

Hey Lucy, yep, my Daughter is expecting again in October. She is doing better than she was as far as being sick. She lost 8 pounds in two weeks early on and that wasn't a good thing. Her Doctor put her on some medicine that has helped much. She hates taking anything while pregnant, but it got to where she had no choice. Thanks for asking.

Yessir GF, Another year, another leak. And we are having a hard time finding this one. Doing some exploratory digging now, trying to find the pipe.

Well I'm beat to the socks. Going home and inspect my "Wheeler"

Asa
April 22, 2015 - Msg 101210:
GOOD evening all. My how we need yous alls rain! :) Please send this way. We'll take hail, snow, etc too! Maude, thanks for the race update.
ASA--another broken T ? Looks like late August for our road trip.
TOM and GF--Cleveland Indians need to get something going.
LUCY--enjoy your FB posts. Hang in there girl.
RO--any luck yet with the rat?
God's blessings,
MDC



April 22, 2015 - Msg 101211: Rat- 2, Ro- 0 :)
April 22, 2015 - Msg 101212: Humph! More like Rat-6, Ro-0. Miserable wretch. He has tripped that snaptrap several times - I lost count! Gets the bait, the trap snaps, but he escapes somehow. He must be faster than Barney's fast draw. And of course, he tripped the live trap, and somehow managed to get out. Unless, he was climbing on the trap and tripped it from outside. That's possible. Nevertheless, I've set those traps at least 6 times now, probably nearer to 10 times, and still no success. I think I'm going to get a couple more traps, maybe one of a middle-size, and set them all. The trap I'm using may be too big. I don't think this is a very big rat. Problem is, I have to wait until there's somebody here who can set it for me. I just don't have the strength in my fingers to set the silly thing. I'd end up with my hand shaking or something and it would snap on me and break a finger for sure. Eddie will be here Thursday or Friday, and I'll have some more traps, and we'll just set them all. I'm going to tie the bait to the trigger, very tightly. Dratted rat.

I have ESL class in the morning, been printing off a list of common adjectives, with their comparative and superlative forms - like "good, better and best." I don't want any of my students going around saying something like "the beautifullest" or whatever, so I've listed the "more" and "most" modifiers as well. I print these things up and give them to them to keep in their notebooks. Bless their little hearts, you should have seen them trying to understand the seven basic ways to pronounce "ough." That's extremely hard for someone coming to English from Spanish, because in Spanish, each letter or group of letters has one pronunciation, and only one. All I can do is apologize to my students, and assure them that it's hard for American kids as well, when they start learning to read. Actually, there are six ways to pronounce "ough" in American English, but if you include the British spelling of "hiccup", which is "hiccough", and which we do see occasionally, then there are seven. There are actually three more, but they're from very archaic Old English, and not in use anymore except maybe in the deep English countryside, so I didn't even venture there.

Well, I'm off to bed. Toye Starr is lying here at my feet, heaving disapproving little sighs now and then. She's ready for bed! Blessings, friends. --Romeena