March 21, 2016 - Msg 104153: If she is going through a mid-life crisis, then she has been middle aged since I met her 16 years ago. She has always had this temperment. And I was warned about it, from her friends, and mine. I didn't listen.
Thank you for trying to help, though I would never be able to try what you suggested until after the waters have calmed. If they do.

-Sterling Holobyte
March 21, 2016 - Msg 104154: Rats. I didn't want to sweep with that downer of a post. Sorry.

-SH
March 22, 2016 - Msg 104155: Nobody on all day. I think I've broken the porch.

I'll get the hammer, you check for spiders.

-Sterling Holobyte
March 22, 2016 - Msg 104156: Sterling--so sorry about your on-going marital issues. Not sure what to suggest. Maybe try PH's idea, or seek counseling, but I think that has been brought up in the past. Maybe you are just a couple that does best 'throwing plates and so forth about?' as in 'Mornin' HONEY, mornin DEAR.' ha
(a little levity there.)
Today was my wife's birthday. We need new carpeting, and she took off work today and wanted to go look for carpet, so I dutifully went along,
bad back and all! But all went pretty well. I sat as she looked and showed me samples. I then took her to Roy's Hawaiian Fusion for dinner tonight.
G-o-o-o-o-d!!
Well, gonna turn in...11:30 PM.
MDC
March 22, 2016 - Msg 104157: .....Yep MDC sounds like a FUN day!..I gotta ask, what a Hawiian Fusion? Is that when they take a pineapple and poi and "fuse" it to a pig?... Just curious.... That must be Adventure eatin'.......G-F
March 22, 2016 - Msg 104158: Good Morning porch! hope everyone is up and about today. its pretty chilly here this morning. 27 degrees. supposed to warm up to mid 60's later.

Been busy at work, was here to 7 last night and here to 6 tonight.

Sterling, so sorry to hear of your ongoing marital problems. I know it gets very tiresome for you. seems like you are the peacemaker in your family, trying to keep peace for the sake of your kids and your own sanity. maybe you should seek counseling for yourself to have additional support and maybe figure out some ways to manage dealing with your spouse. just a thought.

wedding and graduation plans continue for my family. will be busy til after June 18th looks like.

guess I better get busy.
Lunch menu will be: chicken with crusts, french fries, SLAW and baked beans. chocolate pie for dessert. tea or lemonade to drink.

Prayers and blessings to all
Big Maude
March 22, 2016 - Msg 104159:
Sterling Holobyte, I did not know that you have been suffering for 16 years. That is a very long time and probably requires intervention by someone knowledgeable and impartial. As Big Maude mentioned, have either of you tried any professional counseling?

Do you folks remember Canadian Rob Ford? He was mayor of Toronto a few year ago when he made world headlines regarding some of his intoxicated public behavior and drug abuse. During 2014, the American media helped advertise the news about his vices as you can see in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Kocb5gaiU
Although the city council tried to fire him, they could not accomplish that legally. Then they hoped he would either seek help or resign when his problems became known. However, he would not publicly admit that he had these problems. As an alternative move, the city council was able to revoke all of his mayoral authority and transfer that to the vice mayor. So in the latter half of his term, Rob Ford was mayor only in name.
In spite of his weaknesses, most people outside of Canada never got to know his good points or learn that he did eventually seek professional help to overcome his vices.
Today, Rob Ford passed away at the age of 46 after an 18 month long battle with cancer. RIP Rob Ford.

from Poor Horatio
March 22, 2016 - Msg 104160: Thank you, friends. And I misspoke before when I said 16 years. It has actually been longer as we met in 1995. I was just thinking marriage-wise when I said that. My brain wasn't functioning very well when I wrote that, I guess. We've been married 16 years.

Things were a little better today. She asked me if I wanted to bring Noah and meet her for lunch today at work. So yeah, being the "peacemaker", Big Maude, I promptly accepted the invitation.
We had a nice lunch, and not one insult, so I'll take that as encouraging.

Poor Horatio, yes, I remember Rob Ford being in the news. But you're right, the media here didn't really report on his good points. But then, they usually don't like to do that. It isn't as juicy and they probably view stuff like that as boring. I think we need more boring, quite frankly.

Big Maude, what is "chicken with crusts"? Is that like the chicken who crossed the busy road... he was toast.
Ok, I guess my brain still isn't functioning very well yet. ;-)

-Sterling Holobyte
March 23, 2016 - Msg 104161: HI ALL, just a quickie tonite. Crazy day in our state today! Our big county of 4 million people had the number of polling places cut from 200 last presidential primary to just 60 for today's vote! It was crazy. people still in line 3 hours after the polls closed. I hope some county supervisors are in BIG trouble!
Prayers for Belgium tonight, so sad. ISIS must be stopped now!
BIG Maude, my anniversary is June 18! Yup, I bet it will be
a busy few months, but fun too I hope.
Sterling, you are in my prayers.
GF-It's a good "Surf an' Turf" restaurant, white tablecloths, just like Raleigh, but no snails or brains! :)
nite,
MDC
March 23, 2016 - Msg 104162: Good morning to everyone. just dropping before my work day gets busy.

MDC: wow, June 18 will be a red letter day for both you and Patrick!

Sterling" chicken with crusts is just fried chicken that has been breaded and fried to a crisp golden brown making the outside golden brown and kinda crunchy you bite into it. the inside is moist and juicy. Ms. Peggy made Opie and Andy chicken with crusts for lunch when Aunt Bea was out of town and she was looking out for them.

better get to work. lets all meet at the diner at for lunch today.

prayers and blessings to all.
Big Maude
March 23, 2016 - Msg 104163: I kinda figured that's about what the chicken with crusts was, Big Maude. Thanks for the confirmation. But I'm surprised I didn't catch the Mayberry reference. And with Miss Peggy too. My favorite Mayberry gal.

Seems weird that just yesterday we didn't even have to wear jackets and were enjoying some really nice weather, and today we have snow and freezing rain.

-Sterling Holobyte
March 23, 2016 - Msg 104164: Evening porch. Asking for prayers for my church and my church family . Our church was broken into and vandalized in the early morning hours Wednesday . They broke into the church, went into the music room which was also broken into, took some things and brought them into the sanctuary where they set fire to the area where the pulpit and communion table are located. They set another fire near the area where the choir sits during services. The sprinkler system luckily extinguished the fire but causing damage to everything in the sanctuary and water seeped thru to the basement where our children's department is located. The water and smoke damage destroyed most everything, our organ, baby grand piano and hand bells., pews, hymn books, sound system and other equipment . The air and heating system is also destroyed. Estimated damage is about a million dollars at this point. At this point no suspects have been identified . A very sad day for our church and our little community. Our church will stand strong and preserve but still a very hard time. Plans are to hold 2 Easter services in our activities building next door. Please pray for us as we try to sort all this out and as we move forward. First Baptist Church in Church Hill Tenn
Thanks,
Big Maude
March 24, 2016 - Msg 104165: Oh my goodness! Maudie, that's just terrible. It just makes my heart hurt. Why on earth would someone do something like that? It sounds like the whole thing was aimed at destruction, rather than theft. I am so sorry. I'm taking the liberty of copying this entry and putting it in an email, which I will send to my SS class and my pastor, to enlist further prayer support. I'm sure the church carries insur@nce, but there will no doubt be a sizable deductible, and then there's the general disruption of everything while rebuilding is done. I guess it's true - Satan is alive and well on Planet Earth, but he'll get his. After all, we've read the Book, and we know Who wins in the end.

Sterling, I hope this little time of pleasantries will continue, and peace can reign in your household. It's so hard when there's discord and a lack of harmony in a marriage. I know everyone has rough spots - certainly Dale and I had ours, and we had our share of arguments at times, but we always managed to settle it and make up. However, for that to happen, both parties have to be willing, and I have the impression that such is not the case in your home. I will pray for you, my friend.

Well, the men are supposed to come early in the morning to literally cut the little strings of green beads (seed pods) out of my three female cottonwood trees, before they ripen and start spewing cotton all over everything. Trust me, that little procedure isn't cheap, but I set aside a little each month through the year so I can have it done, because if I don't, there will be a three-inch layer of cotton fuzz all over my yard, and I've got too much invested there to have it ruined with that miserable cotton. Of course, wherever the cotton settles, little trees will sprout by the thousands in a few weeks, and that's another great big nuisance. So, I bite the bullet and pay to have the cotton blooms cut out. However, it's raining tonight, and if it continues, the men will be unable to climb the trees and it will have to wait. The seeds are still very immature though, so it probably won't be a problem. It will take about another three or four weeks of hot sunshine to ripen them to the point of bursting and spewing the cotton.

Well, I'm off to the ironing board. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
March 24, 2016 - Msg 104166: Maude, I am so sorry and upset to hear about the crime against your church!! I think it was a hate crime, and I hope the police label it as such, but who knows in today's world. My prayer is that many churches in your area will pull together and help you out. Lord be with us!
So close to Easter too! May the True Living God be present in a very strong showing!!
I will put it in our prayer request book at our church tomorrow on Holy Thursday.
God bless you Maude.
MDC
March 24, 2016 - Msg 104167: Thank you, Romeena. My wife and Kai are out of town tonight, so maybe distance will make the heart grow fonder. They went to Minnesota to see Beauty And The Beast at a playhouse, and we had to get Kai out of school early so they could try to stay ahead of the snow storm we are having. It didn't work, and my wife said they were driving 15 mph at one point on the freeway. But, better safe than sorry, and they did make it in time for the performance anyway.

Are cottonwoods the trees that send those white blobs that look like big snowflakes flying around all over? I've run into a few of those faux-snow "storms" on my bike rides. I can see how they could get kind of annoying, especially with three of them in your yard.

Prayers for you and your church family, Big Maude. I agree with Romeena in that this sounds like a deliberate act of destruction. There are some people with so much hate in this world, and they are so misguided as to the cause of their hatred and how to deal with it. I pray your church will be stronger because of this occurrence and that God will use it for good.

-Sterling Holobyte
March 24, 2016 - Msg 104168: Maude, I too will pray for your church and church family that they find the culprit who did this!... Then whoever did this will have to deal with a "higher court"... Amen? Just can't figure WHY hateful people have to spread hateful acts... I guess the hate is so strong, but love is still stronger! But we must remember God is still stronger than Batman OR Superman!...(Batman vs Superman movie reference)....He is STILL the GREATEST Super Hero!.... EVER,!...Amen?

Sterling, I heard tell of that snow storm coming out your way, sounds a lot like Ohio weather, as Forrest Gumps Mamma told him, " Ya never know what you're gonna get! ".....

TOM, you Ok buddy? You should have had a few mild days this week, hang in there Springtime WILL come soon!

Romeena, sounds like a good pre-emended strike on those trees, they sure can be a big A/C killer if left unattended, 10-4 Asa?...But I know you already know that, is why you are doing it...Money well spent, pay it now, or pay the man later...
(Is that where "Nipping it in the Bud" reference came from?)
Sure sounds like it!...G-F
March 24, 2016 - Msg 104169: Good morning all.

Gosh Big Maudie. That is so sad to hear about the vandalism taking place in your Church. I agree with MDC, a case of a hate crime indeed. But funny how that "hate crime" stuff only seems to go one way. Fortunately events like this seem to bring folks closer together, and I am sure you all will find this to be the case. Prayers for sure for your Church family.

10-4 GF. Cottonwood tree's are an HVAC company owners best friend. Lots of money to be made for them fellers. One of our properties sits pretty close to a river. And along that river are numerous wild cottonwood trees. And boy howdy, do they ever play havoc with my a/c equipment. But that's life, through and through I reckon.

Prayers for you and your wife Sterling. I know you have been at wits end for a number of years in trying to balance your desires in child rearing, with your wife having different ideas. I do hope you can find peace and joy with one another. Might I suggest that you spend the next few months in focusing on her good points, and just try to look past the not so good things that you don't like. Consider what qualities she had/has that attracted you to her in the first place, and try to focus on those. Maybe if she is feeling a bit under appreciated, she will notice the change and respond with some things that will surprise you in return. Just a thought friend. Not trying to be a butinski.

Well I am off to the big city for a staff meeting today. An hour drive each way, with a two hour meeting in between, and some parts chasing while in the big city, plus a stop for lunch somewhere in there. Just about makes for a full day. My only regret is that it has been cool and stormy all week and today is going to be by far the warmest day of the week, and I have a lot of outside jobs to do. I wish we could do the meeting tomorrow when it is supposed to be raining and snowing, but it's not my call. They play the music, and I just have to dance to it.

Prayers for all for a safe day.

Asa
March 24, 2016 - Msg 104170: Prayers for you & your church family, Maude. That's just awful. Messing with the Lord's house like that-what is wrong with people??

Sterling, I hope things get better. Praying for you too,friend.

*****************
possum under a rock
March 25, 2016 - Msg 104171:
For those of you who are interested in learning more details about the church vandalism that Big Maude posted about, visit http://www.therogersvillereview.com/news/article_990e2604-f11e-11e5-a035-f368c8c17536.html that includes a photograph of some of the damage.

Romeena why do you keep those high maintenance cottonwood trees?

from Poor Horatio
March 25, 2016 - Msg 104172: Busy here at work....can someone cook tonight for the porch ?...SPOT
March 25, 2016 - Msg 104173: Good evening, porch. Poor Horatio, that's a very good and logical question, and believe me, you're not the first to ask. I've asked it myself. However, there are good reasons. For one thing, the trees are enormous, and two separate estimates on taking them down were nearly $5,000 for all three. Everything has to be roped off and taken down in small sections, as one is near the house, one is beside the pond, and one is next to the arbor. They can't just be felled. For another, and this is the big reason - the shade provided by those trees is very important. One shades part of the house, and is what makes my sunroom livable in the summer. Removing the shade would mean the south-facing windows would be in blazing sun, I could never grow the amazing crop of orchids I have now, and worse - the room would be terribly hot or my a/c bill would be terribly high. Also, the landscaping in the yard was planned considering shade vs sun, and removing the trees would disrupt that completely. You have to remember, I'm in Texas, where that's a real consideration. We have to be very careful what we plant and where. Just because a plant's instructions say "full sun" it doesn't necessarily mean in Texas. Many "full sun" plants just shrivel up and die in this heat. I imagine MDC knows what I'm talking about.

So - take the trees down and plant something nice and well-behaved in their place? The fact is, I'm 76 years old, and any decent tree would take ten years to reach maturity and start providing shade. So, for ten years my house is hot, my yard is baking, and I'm aging. To plant large, partly-matured trees would cost a couple of thousand at least, and even then, they'd still be too small to be of much benefit.

No, I just squirrel a bit away each month, and in the spring, we strip the trees of their cotton buds, and go our merry way! Works for me. --Romeena
March 25, 2016 - Msg 104174: Oh, I forgot one important thing. There is no wide=gate access to my back yard, where the trees are. To get any heavy-duty equipment in back there to help take the trees down, or to dig holes for large new trees, would be very difficult. It would mean taking down my gate and my neighbor's, and removing at least twenty feet of side fence, just to be able to drive a lift-truck or anything else in there. There is no alley access - no alley! --Romeena
March 26, 2016 - Msg 104175: Gosh Romeena, you ain't got an alley you can go run down and holler fish? I hope you at least have a jack in your trunk! :) I am in a bit of a similar situation, although my outcome is going to be different. I have a south facing home (very much appreciated in our climate) and right after we built it in 2000, I planted 4 quacking aspen trees in the front of the house. These are a very pretty tree, and I do love the shade they provide for the house. What I didn't know at the time was how aggressive the root system of these trees are. The roots tend to spread out and pop up everywhere. And more important, they are now starting to lift a section of the sidewalk that leads from my driveway to the house. I just cant have that, so I am going to have to remove them before they get to carried away. Fortunately they are in the front and are easily accessible. But to effectively do the job, I have to kill the trees before I remove them, or I will be battling all the "sucker shoots" going nuts. So they require a systemic killing of the tree prior to removing. I hate to do it, but these are a real nuisance tree. I should have done my research before planting them.

Well Happy Easter Eve everyone. What a blessed day tomorrow is, as we reflect upon He, who overcame death, and took upon Him the sins of the world. I do hope we will all take the time to reflect upon that most wondrous and blessed gift He has bestowed upon us.

Prayers for all for a blessed Easter weekend.

Asa
March 26, 2016 - Msg 104176: Good Morning Porch. breakfast menu: 2 eggs your way,fried taters,country ham,bacon,sausage links,bisquits and gravy coffee and milk and oj..eat all ya want...I will just keep cooking ....prayers SPOT
March 26, 2016 - Msg 104177: Good morning, porch! It's absolutely gorgeous here today, hope it holds up through tomorrow. It's a little chilly, with the temp in the 50s, but it will probably make it to 70 before the day ends.

Asa, I'm sorry about your trees. A quaking aspen is a pretty tree, and I didn't know that about the roots. Cottonwoods pretty much do the same thing, with roots appearing here and there at the surface. There's a spot in my front yard where a root has come up and run over the surface for about four feet, then dived back down. It's about eight inches in diameter, and there's a deep depression in the top, where Eddie hit it with the lawnmower so many times before it finally got too big. Now he just mows and edges around it, I've filled the depression with soil, and planted some pretty little mossy stuff in it. Pretty! Watch your email. I had a situation with a sidewalk, similar to what you described and found a solution, but it's too long to go into here.

Well, today is going to be a busy day. The sunroom is a mess, needs to be mopped and tidied up. I have four dozen eggs to boil and color (yes, I still color eggs, I just love to do it), an Easter basket to fill for my neighbor who is battling the brain tumor, a little dusting and vacuuming in the rest of the house, and I have to help get my grandson from his baseball tournament and over to his parents, who had another obligation today. Yep, it's going to be a busy day! I'll have Hudson with me for a few hours though, and just may put him on the business end of that vacuum sweeper! He's thirteen, and he knows how to do it.

Asa, you're so right! Tomorrow is the foundational day of Christianity. We believe Christ was really born of a virgin, really lived a sinless life, and really died a horrible death on that cross, and all those things are basic, and we believe them to be true. However, if He had remained in that tomb, it would all be for nothing. The empty tomb is the crown jewel of our faith. A dead Savior is no savior at all. We serve a risen, living Christ, who overcame death and the grave, and will do the same for us, if we believe and trust in Him.

Well, got to go get the eggs out of the fridge. If they're at room temperature, and started out in cold water over moderate heat, very few of them will crack, maybe just one or two. Cold eggs, heated too rapidly? Lots of them will crack! A few drops of vinegar in the water helps too, and the shells will take the dye better. I've been dyeing eggs for nearly seventy years, and when it comes to dyeing eggs, I'm a giant!

Blessings, porch. --Romeena
March 26, 2016 - Msg 104178: Reading back over my last post, the question begs for an answer. What do colored eggs and little fluffy chicks have to do with Easter? Well, I asked my mother that when we were coloring eggs together when I was a little girl. She was ready for me, and here's what she said: An egg is a symbol of life. Under the right circumstances, it will contain a tiny life, a little baby chick, and God allows that chick to grow and develop, and when the time is right, the egg shell will crack open, and the chick will emerge alive. She said that is a picture of the tomb that was opened, and Jesus emerged alive. She said that the rest of it, the colors and pretty things in the baskets, and our fresh new clothes are all a part of the celebration of the fact that Jesus is alive. This explanation fit well with her opinion of all the colorful trappings of Christmas. She decorated our house beautifully, made all sorts of delicious food, and saw to it that I had a new dress for Christmas. As she said, it's a birthday party, and if we're going to celebrate His birthday, we should do it to the best of our ability, with joy. So, in my family, we have Christmas trees, and we color Easter eggs, and do all of the colorful and fun things of the holidays, but we never forget the "Reason for the Season" and how He came, and what He did for us. --Romeena
March 27, 2016 - Msg 104179: Hi All, I have had a church-filled, or better yet Jesus filled past couple of days helping with services etc. Thank you Jesus Lord and Savior!
Happy Easter to all!! RO-super explanation of new life, spring and all the symbolism by your mom! Amen.
PH--thanks for posting the article. I read it all the
way thru. Lord be with all those folks!
We are having a very simple Easter this year...
Church in the morning, followed by a brunch at home. Then later, two 1 in thick T-bones on the grill. Yup, that's the plan. God's blessings to all!
MDC
March 27, 2016 - Msg 104180: Good Morning Porch I'm here at work covering for a worker that has young kids that have an Easter egg hunt at Church...we all need to remember what this days means...So Amazing..bless all that reads this post...gona find a good sermon on the tube and enjoy this day ...bless all...and lets have ham and bisquits this morning ...I will get started ...SPOT
March 27, 2016 - Msg 104181: Thanks, Spot- Wishing you and yours a blessed Easter too!

Happy Easter, Porch- He is Risen!

***********
possum u.a.r.
March 27, 2016 - Msg 104182: He is Risen indeed! Hallelujah! Because He died, we no longer have to die in sin, and because He lives, so will we live, with Him, forever. It is so true - JOY comes in the morning. --Romeena
March 27, 2016 - Msg 104183: I know that my Redeemer lives
What comfort this sweet sentence gives
He lives He lives who once was dead
He lives my ever living head
He lives to bless me with His love
He lives to plead for me above
He lives my hungry soul to feed
He lives to bless in times of need

Have a blessed Easter friends.

Asa
March 27, 2016 - Msg 104184: Happy Easter porch family. Hope everyone had a lovely day.
Although we were not able to have Sunday school today, our church did have Easter Services. We held worship services in our activities building which is across a side street from our sanctuary. The early service was at 8:30 and had about 330 in attendance. The second service at 10:15 had about 230 in attendance. So even tho our church building was damaged by the person or persons who broke in and set the fires they did not stop its people from gathering and celebrating the Risen Savior today. We will persevere and continue on as he would want us to . Thank you for your prayers.
Prayers and blessings
Big Maude
March 27, 2016 - Msg 104185: Hi all, just enjoyed some time out on my own front porch.
I sat out there reading the comics a little bit ago.
Kinda felt like Andy and Opie talkin about Lil Abner.
I guess you all heard that we lost another baseball great a few days ago...Joe Garagiola at 90 years of age. He had lived in our area for many years and did color for D-Back games. Also very big with local charities. He was a class act all the way. I went to see him in person a few years ago, when he was doing a book signing for a book he wrote t-tled "Just Play Ball." He wrote it after all the steroid scandals, and he told various stories of the old days in pro ball. One time when he was catching, the runner missed home plate and Joe noticed that the ump did not call either safe or out, so he followed the guy into the dugout and tagged him! ha Also, at the signing the store announced that Joe would only sign books, but Joe said "No, no, I'll gladly sign anything they want." May he rest in peace. On another note, comedian Gary Shandling just died at 66! One joke that stands out was on Carson. He said "People say that we Jews never camp. We camp, but we just have it catered." lol RIP Gary. Hope you all are having a good Easter.
Beautiful words ASA; and BIG Maude, glad your church is staying strong!
I got a letter from Mayor pappa Bear. He moved again, will get it to RO.
Prayers this day,
MDC
March 27, 2016 - Msg 104186: Good evening, porch! What a lovely day this has been. It started out cold and rainy, and people were dressed in wintry-looking clothes at church (except me, I wore white pants and jacket, and a purple shirt.) However, when we came out of church, the sun was shining and the skies were clear. It stayed a little chilly, but not cold. Just a beautiful day.

Lunch was at Eloise's house, and all the family there. We had a great meal and later everyone went out in the front yard and somebody produced several dozen cascarones (pronounced cas-ca-ron-es) and we had fun smashing them on each other and generally making a big mess in Eloise's yard! For those who don't know, cascarones are egg shells filled with tiny confetti, and colored like Easter eggs. The custom is to break one on someone's head, showering them with confetti, which will be in their hair until their next shampoo! It's a Mexican custom, but has caught on pretty well throughout Texas. One egg is a cascaron, more than one would be cascarones. You can find out more than you ever wanted to know by Googling "cascarones."

Later, David and Brittney and the boys and I came back to my house. David restored all the settings on my TV, which got messed up when I had to get a new Dish box, and I couldn't access Netflix or anything else. Now I can. He's so smart! He and the boys played catch in the back yard for a while, and let little Diesel (their new puppy) run and play, while Brittney took pictures. That girl is never without that big old camera of hers! David also moved a big old heavy concrete birdbath bowl off the table in the sunroom, so we can use the table for bunco on Friday night. The thing is waaay too heavy for me to try to move. I'm lining it with broken, colored sea-glass and "jewel" pieces, but haven't finished it. Sure will be pretty, I think.

Big Maude, I'm so glad your church was able to continue on and have services, though I must say I'm not surprised. It's what a good church does. Hang in there, and you have my prayers.

Well, I'm going to get into my jammies, pour a glass of tea, and get comfortable. Blessings, porch. --Romeena
March 28, 2016 - Msg 104187: Good Monday porch...Asa,Maude,Romeena,MDC,possum,Boo,SH,Tom,GF and all the porch...drizzle this morning on the southern end...but gona get nice for a few days...Waffle house on me this morning !SPOT
March 28, 2016 - Msg 104188: Hey SPOT, thanks for the invite.... Wonder if a guy can get bacon and eggs instead at the "Waffle House", just wondering.

It was a beautiful Easter Day yesterday the temps. got to 75! It sure was nice to sit out on my exterior Wheeler for awhile and take in the animal sites in my yard.

Maude it was good to hear you had a Big crowd. See, another example of good being victorious over evil. Hope your church can get back on their feet soon...

TOM, did some of that great weather find its way across the river yesterday?... I sure hope so!...

Asa, nice words there Buddy...you are sooo right Daddy-O...And Romeena, "Joy comes in the morning" it's one of my favorites!...Yep, that verse can fit many situations, sorta like a clean slate for the day...

G-F
March 28, 2016 - Msg 104189: Good morning, porch. It's a beautiful day here, but chilly, at 45°. The sun is bright, and there's no wind, so it should warm up pretty quick. I hope so! The guys are on their way, to trim the cotton buds out of the trees, and I would imagine climbing is hard with cold hands!

My yard is really waking up, and looks so pretty. Iris buds are everywhere, and some have opened. Such beautiful flowers, they look like a very fancy orchid. There are pansies, Gerbera daisies, dianthus, snapdragons, a few roses, some little dwarf zinnias, geraniums - so much color, and it's just getting started. Yesterday I took my pruners and spent about five minutes out there, and very quickly had a lovely little bouquet to take to Eloise's house. I love flowers!

Well, I hear the trucks on the street, guess I'd better go meet the guys and let them into the back yard. This will all be done, cleaned up and over with by noon. Rumaldo's crew is very efficient. Blessings, porch! --Romeena
March 28, 2016 - Msg 104190: Well, so much for "over with by noon." It's now 4:30 and they're still here. There were only two guys to start with, and usually Rumaldo sends at least four and sometimes six. Those two have worked steadily, without a break, and by 2 pm, were not quite finished with the second tree. So, one of them called Rumaldo, two more guys showed up and it will go much faster. One of the new arrivals is doing the pick up/clean up on the first two trees, and two are now in the last tree, which is the biggest one. I'm not sure they'll finish today, they may have to come back tomorrow. I'm dreading this bill, but it had to be done. My home health agency just called and asked me to see a patient in the morning, so that's a little income - drop in the bucket, but it all helps.

These guys are amazing. They climb around in those trees, forty or fifty feet up, like monkeys. Once they get to a working spot, they rope themselves to a sturdy limb and go to work. They carry a line up with them, which is attached to a pole saw, which they pull up to themselves once they get in position. They they go to work. Where they can just snip off a cluster of cottonwood beads, they do so. If the clusters are small and widely scattered, they just cut that small limb out with the saw blade. All of this is done while they're perched on a limb like a bluejay! It's just amazing.

Watching them, I can tell that this will be the last year for doing it that way. Next year, they'll just top the trees. The limbs are reaching too high and are too slender to stand on, so they'll just take off the upper canopy completely. That's what they do about every fourth year, and next year, I'm sure that's what they'll do. Actually, I don't mind. It costs a little less, and even though the trees look terrible at first, within about three weeks they have put out new growth and by two months, they're beautiful. All I have to do is be sure they have plenty of water.

It's going to be nice to have no cotton this year. Last year, I didn't call Rumaldo. Someone else asked for the job, I let them do it, and I'll never do that again. He charged just as much as Rumaldo, left well over half the cotton buds on the trees, and when I called him to come back and finish the job, he said he'd be here the next day, but never showed up. I tried to call him again and his number was disconnected. We live and learn. I had plenty of time to think about that as I watched cotton fly past my window like a snowstorm, and pile up in drifts in the flowerbeds. Never again.

Well, I think I'll go offer the guys a soda. I would imagine they're thirsty! I rarely drink sodas because of my diabetes, but I keep the garage fridge full for Eddie, Joe, Ted and anyone else who is working around here. Even the postman knows to go in and help himself if the garage door is open! I couldn't maintain this place without all my friends! --Romeena
March 28, 2016 - Msg 104191: They must be related to Mr. McBeeve swingin' in the like that! Wonder if they can make smoke come outa their ears?
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104192: Glad to hear your church family is not letting the vandals have the last word, Big Maude. Your church is rising again, just like Christ did.

Those must be some big trees, Romeena.

Well, the wife is away in Washington(The State) for the week, so I get to do what I normally do; the washing, the dishes, taking care of the kids, the cooking... just without any complaining. From her. Me, I'll still complain. ;-) Kai wanted to go with her, especially since she is on Spring Break(at least until Wednesday), but I had to nip that in the bud due to financial reasons. I mean, the new water heater and new furnace aren't going to pay for themselves, you know.
Thinking about taking the kids to the nearby children's museum tomorrow, just to get them both out of the house.
I took Noah to a playgroup we have been going to this morning, and he surprised me by volunteering to be one of the "5 little firemen" lined up during the song of that same name. Nice to see him not hanging back so much like he tends to do, until he gets used to the people.

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter/Resurrection Sunday.

-Sterling Holobyte
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104193: Good morning, porch! Chilly again this morning, and rain is predicted for tomorrow, but we'll see. Predictions have a way of shifting and changing, like smoke.

Yep, Sterling, the trees are pretty good size. They're about sixty feet tall, all with a trunk diameter of about two feet. There are two male trees (no cotton) out front, and one of them is over three feet in diameter. The males make a mess on the driveway, but it's just little hull things, the shell the leaves pop out of. They all appear, mature and drop off in about a week's time, and pretty much all fall at once. Eddie blows them up into a big pile with the leafblower, shovels them up, and that's that. I can live with that kind of messiness. Cotton that flies for about six weeks - that's another story. So I do what I must.

You know, when you think about it, just about all trees are messy in some way, but I love them. Oaks drop acorns that bruise your feet and sprout little oak trees all over your yard. Pecan trees drop those little stringy bloom things that stain your driveway and stick to your shoes, and the trees weep a sticky honeydew that gets all over your car. Pines drop needles and cones. Sycamores drop those little brown seed balls that burst and scatter fuzzy little seeds everywhere. Elm release little seeds that look like oatmeal and fly everywhere, taking root wherever they land. Bradford pears are beautiful, but their roots are a big problem, always coming to the surface. I guess maples are pretty nice, so pretty in the fall and if they have bad habits I don't know about them, because maples don't grow well down here. So, like most things, there are good and bad traits, and you just have to put up with one, to enjoy the other. That's life, through and through.

Well, the tree guys will be back shortly, and I'm sitting here in front of my window in my jammies, so guess I'd better go get dressed before they come into the yard and have to go wash their eyes out. I've got to make a home health call around ten, so got to get things together for that, too. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104194: Not sure if y'all heard,but actress Patty Duke has passed away at age 69.

Wonderful actress & advocate for the mentally ill..RIP, Patty Duke.

*****************
possum under a rock
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104195: Awww, no Possum. I had not heard about Patty Duke passing. That makes me sad. She seemed like a neat lady.

Well I am not sure what is going on. Maybe Floyd has a thought if he reads this. Or anyone else with puter skills. For whatever reason I am unable to get on the porch at home. It just times out and then gives me a unable to connect screen. And I don't think it's my computer, because both my laptop and my Kindle will not connect. And it seems to be only with the boards that Floyd is running. I can't get on fine here at work. Any thoughts Floyd... or anyone? This has been happening off and on for a couple of weeks and I thought it was a problem with the porch. But it has been this way all weekend and longer now. Anyone else had problems?

Well better get. I have paperwork to complete and then I am off to home for some leftover Chinese food. No egg foo yung though, although I love to say it. :)

Asa
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104196: Oh and it is only here. I am able to connect to anything else that I usually go to.

Asa
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104197: Hey Asa- Yep,we're losing too many good ones in 2016,that's for sure.

I'm sorry you're having trouble with the Porch. I couldn't get on over the weekend,so perhaps there's something going on that's not on our end. I tried off and on throughout the weekend and the Porch seemed "broken." Finally, I was able to access it. I guess Floyd would be the one with the answers. Or PH might have some thoughts or advice. Sorry I can't help,other than to let you know that I had trouble getting a connection too,and like you,I could connect to other websites,just not this one.
Take care,friend!

possum again
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104198: I thought it was only me, I've had some troubles too... I just figured they slowed the internet speed down so you would have to buy the "upgrade"... Just my opinion... G-F
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104199: Well I am home and it is working. So Possum and GF, I am relieved it has not just been me. I was starting to think y'all changed practice locations and hadn't told me. Who's on the phone committee anyway? :)

Asa
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104200: Good evening, porch. Asa, I haven't had any trouble getting on the porch. Maybe it's a regional thing? I guess that doesn't make much sense, but I can't think of anything else.

The tree guys are finished and gone, the yard is cleaned up beautifully, and while the trees look a little sparse, they will leaf out fully and be lovely, and there will be no cotton. I mean, none. As near as I can tell, those guys nipped out every single string of green beads. Even with my binoculars, I can't find any! It's amazing. Talk about "nip it in the bud" - they did!

Well, guess I'll go round up something to eat, and get comfortable. Got to teach ESL in the morning, and make a home health call in the afternoon, so probably shouldn't stay up too late tonight. Blessings, porch! -- Romeena
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104201: I told you guys way up on top that I broke the porch. ;-)

I did take the kids to the children's museum today. It is a rather small museum, but it was nice, and Noah especially had fun.
The only thing I take a little umbrage with was the dinosaur maze they had, where you had to answer questions to get pointed in the direction to get out. Well, since I don't believe that dinosaurs evolved into birds or that dinos lived "millions of years ago", I got a lot of the answers "wrong" and stay in the maze longer than I needed to. But I kind of expected it, given it is a secular museum.

-Sterling Holobyte
March 29, 2016 - Msg 104202: Sterling, it does present a problem at times, doesn't it? The evolution question, I mean. In our family, while we certainly accept adaptation within a species, we don't buy the evolution of one species into another. Adaptation is there for all to see, we have examples right in front of us - like the famous adaptation of the peppered moths around Manchester, England, during the industrial revolution there. It's well documented and the reasons for it were well known. However, many reference sites today still refer to it as "evolution" and have even nicknamed the moth "Darwin's moth." It is not evolution, it's adaptation within a species. The moths changed color, to better blend in with their changing habitat, but they're still moths. They didn't become birds, or lizards or kittycats. Adaptation within a species.

When my daughter was in high school, she had a science teacher who was an evolutionist, and insisted upon slipping that teaching in, and testing on it. After a couple of discussions, my daughter knew she couldn't win, so she went underground. She kept quiet in class, and when the test came, she answered every question with exactly the answer she knew the teacher wanted, even though it was contrary to her own beliefs. However, at the bottom, she wrote something to this effect: "Here are the answers you want. I don't believe a word of it, but that shouldn't matter. I have learned the material as you taught it and returned the answers to your test that you expect to see. Whether or not I accept it as truth is not at issue, and should not be reflected in my grade." Case closed.

We're expecting some severe weather here in the morning. Unless things change, I am not taking my car out of its safe garage to go to ESL class. In the first place, the students won't show up - they're smart enough to stay home! I'm not getting that car beat up with the predicted golf-ball size hail, just to get up there and find no one has shown up. So, guess we'll just wait and see what it looks like in the morning. This has been a crazy spring. I'll be glad when it settles down.

Blessings, everyone - please pray for America! --Romeena