May 06, 2018 - Msg 109784: "RETIRED" ! 58 years old and almost 37 years at power company ! SPOT
May 06, 2018 - Msg 109785: GOOD ON YOU SPOT!...Welcome to the “Wheeler” Club!..Enjoy the Ride Buddy🏍⛺️🎣...G-F

p.s. Now that you are Retired, your First duty was to SWEEP THE PORCH! You got to have a clean place for your New Rocker 10-4?....
May 06, 2018 - Msg 109786: Way to go SPOT! Congratulations and nice sweep!

May 06, 2018 - Msg 109787: Frankie
May 07, 2018 - Msg 109788: Hey Big Maude, sorry I missed your birthday!
I hope you had a very good one.

RO--you said it all, my friend! good job. :)

SPOTTY, our talking dog of the porch...Congratulations! Very cool my friend.
Just think, no more TV preachers, no more double shifts, no more late nights or early mornings.
Instead, you'll be enjoying your pension, your lovely wife, your dad, your sweet corn,
and yes, real-life preaching! ha (And hopefully you will have more time to say hello on the Porch.)

RO and BOO--Happy nurses week to you both!

ALL- Did anyone watch the Kentucky Derby on Sat.?
I tuned in just as the horses left the starting gate. Good race.

JoHN, I can't imagine Raleigh without an Esquire Club! ha
No more baked alaska!
One more quick comment on the topic even tho RO said it all quite well,
I am trying to picture what Boy Scout summer camp would be like as co-ed. I'd say 'not a good scenario!'

God's blessings for a good week,
MDC



May 07, 2018 - Msg 109789: Cool Basball Video...https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x9XFV4pXRcI They WILL come Ray! G-F
May 08, 2018 - Msg 109790: G-F, that is a good video.
MDC, We turned on the Kentucky Derby just before the race started. Was a good race, I was worried that one of the horse`s would slip in the rain.
Was warm out here today, the air conditioner kicked in.
Take care all.
Frankie
May 08, 2018 - Msg 109791: Remember the line "His mudder was a mudder." ha
Wow Frankie, that IS warm for up your way!
We also had a heat wave...106 on Sunday!
WAY too early for temps like that here.
Well, I think I'll turn in.
Nite all,
MDC
May 08, 2018 - Msg 109792: Thanks for the birthday wishes porch family. I had a good day, went to dinner with my family. My daughter in law made a peanut butter pie for dessert. Made turning 59 not so bad.

better get back to work.
Prayers and blessings to all
Big Maude
May 08, 2018 - Msg 109793: Happy birthday Maude !!! I will catch you in Dec...second day of retirement ...worked in garden !..where to for breakfast > SPOT
May 09, 2018 - Msg 109794: Hey to SPOT, Frankie, Big Maude and all.
Where has everyone gone...to the moon? Remember that song? ha
Yea! We finally got our garage floor done.
You may recall a while back, they said there was too much moisture in our 40 year old cement!
Well, all these hot days finally brought it down enough
to do the job. I posted it on FB.
Well, hang in there my friends,
MDC

May 09, 2018 - Msg 109795: MDC, that must be record heat 106! Wow
Watching a western on tv called Second Time Around. It is staring Debbie Reynolds and Andy Griffith. I think that is the first western I have seen Andy in. Looks like a good show.
Frankie
May 09, 2018 - Msg 109796: SPOT,
Happy Retirement! Good for you! You gonna follow in Howard Sprague's footsteps and try your hand at being a beachcomber??

Hey to Boo, Romeena, MDC, Frankie, Maude, Asa, TOM, G-F and the rest of you in Clara and Aunt Bee's garden club!

John Masters

May 10, 2018 - Msg 109797: Hey to you John Masters!
You all have a wonderful evening.
Frankie
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109798: "Wanna buy a ship in a bottle?" :)
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109799: Morning all. I hope everyone is fine and dandy.

Well MDC, Glad your floor now shineth buddy. Hard to think your at 106 already. We hit 85 yesterday. Wouldn't have been so bad if I had any of my a/c up and running. I went in on Tuesday to pick up some aspen pads, and my supplier is out until next week. So not much I can do until then, but listen to all the whiners. That is one thing I will not miss in the least when I retire.

Congrats Spot, glad you are a man of leisure now. Good on ya.

Hey to John Masters.

Frankie, so how was the western? I hope it didn't keep you up. How is your Mom doing?

Happy belated birthday Maude. Sounds like you had a good one.

GF, Did you get your mower running? Maybe you can figure out a way to mount a Wheeler on that machine. I mean you might as well mow in style. Get you a Patent on it and make a few dollars.

Well better get going I suppose.

Prayers for all.

Asa
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109800: Yep, Asa I got it back up and running smooth!...It feels like I have power steering now!...Part of the parts came in Monday and the rest came Tuesday. I got a shipping alert that the parts came to my local post office, SO I went there to pick it up. The lady told me it would be delivered Wednesday!..But I’m here NOW to pick it up, she said I’d have to pay a “Early Pick-Up” fee!...I said Oh NO!...So I DID do some fussing at her, so she released it to me...HOW CRAZY WAS THAT!...

BTW...Her ya go about the motorized recliner...I Think SPOT needs one now too!.. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6vX7-YS7sds

G-F
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109801: Good morning, porch. G-F, that's wild, the post office wanting to charge you for picking something up and saving the carrier the trouble of delivering it. Makes no sense. I'm thinking that the postal service is in trouble, due to all the online communication, banking, etc. and they're trying to pick up revenue anywhere they can. Signs of the times....

Asa, when do you think you might retire? If you're eligible, go for it! You've earned it, and trust me, you will not be sorry. You won't believe all the things that will cross your path to keep you busy, but you get to pick and choose!

Well, gotta run. Eloise's older daughter, my DIL's sister, is having surgery this morning, so I'm going up to sit with the family. Prayers for Terri, please. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109802: Home again. Terri's surgery went well, and she was able to go home. It was, obviously, a day surgery. They were not able to complete all they wanted to do, and she may need more surgery later, but a neurosurgeon will be required if she does.

I stopped at my favorite little tortilleria, but didn't buy tortillas. They sell avocados there, and they are always huge, no bruises, and in various stages of ripeness. I bought two, one that is ready to eat, and one that will be ready in a day or two. I love avocados, either made into guacamole (I make a mean guacamole) or sliced and mixed with clean grapefruit sections (delicious) or just sliced and eaten with good crackers. I wouldn't have touched an avocado with a ten-foot pole when I was a dumb little kid, but I surely do love them now. Funny how our tastes change. --Romeena
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109803: Back to the post office thing...Maybe Billy Ray can help me understand something. Ok, I ordered the mower parts from Sears Direct, the supplier is in Dallas Texas. The shipping details said they were going to be delivered in two orders, all the parts were in stock when I ordered them.

So Monday comes I get this tiny box with a few parts from the UPS guy. Tuesday comes the “wheel” comes delivered to my local post office via the UPS distribution hub in N Western part of Ohio?....Long and short of it I think Romeena is right, they are just out to drum up revenue....

I shoulda just paid Romeena to pick up the parts and mail them to me it woulda been quicker....lol

Now they want to use drones? Heck, they haven’t been able to figure this out yet, what makes ya thinks drones will be better?

Ohhh I get it....”Who’s on First?”.......G-F
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109804: I am speaking only as a citizen of the United States and my previously used user name in no way implies I am a postal employee or a spokesman for the United States Postal Service.

UPS doesn't speak for the United States Postal Service. If they email you, they aren't speaking for the United States Postal Service. If they say they have delivered a package to your local Post Office, that doesn't mean they've delivered a package to your local Post Office. If they have delivered a package to your local Post Office, that possibly only means a container of up to 500 packages has been handed over to your local Post Office, or so I've heard. Rumor has it if they do that after 7AM or so, there is no way the package will be delivered the same day. I have heard rumors that Postal employees don't like UPS saying they've "Delivered" packages to the local Post Office. I have heard rumors that Postal employees don't like the UPS sending emails to people who don't understand that a package isn't available for pickup just because UPS claims they've delivered it to the local Post Office and it's available for pickup. I've heard rumors the Post Office doesn't do pickup like that. I really don't know any of this for fact, but have only heard rumors around town.

I have never in my life heard a rumor about an early pickup fee. Somehow that doesn't sound right, but as an ordinary citizen, perhaps something is going on over there at the Post Office that I don't know about. I've just never heard any rumors of such a thing.

Billy Ray the United States Citizen
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109805: Spoken as a True Citizen Billy Ray...”Third Base!”...
Competition makes strange bedfellows as they say....G-F
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109806: Asa, the movie was good. Mom is feeling better and has a little more recovery to go. Thank you for asking.
We are now watching El Dorado with my favorite actor John Wayne.
GF, that is some recliner. No speeding!
Romenna, nice to hear your friends surgery went well.
Sweet Dreams Porch!
Frankie
May 10, 2018 - Msg 109807: Regarding the postal thing - thanks, I think I hear a clue in something you said - the idea that a huge container of packages is "delivered" to the post office. Given time to sort it and route it, it will be delivered free. However, if the addressee drops by the post office while the packages are still in the big container, maybe they charge an "early pickup" fee because somebody has to go to the back and dig through all those packages to find the one you're trying to pick up. Like Billy Ray said, I have no proof of this, just speculation.

On the subject of drones, I don't understand all I know about drones, which isn't much. Do the things just fly over your front yard and drop your package, like it was a little bomb? Do they fly up into your porch and buzz until you answer the door? How does it all happen? So far, nothing I've imagined seems very plausible. How big are they? If they're small, what if a big bird attacks one? Who is controlling them, and how? Is a puzzlement.

Well, guess I'll turn in. All of these questions are putting a cramp in my brain. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
May 11, 2018 - Msg 109808: I think the USPS needs an official verification! :)
May 11, 2018 - Msg 109809: HI all,
just a quick "Hi-di-ho" tonite.
Had a very informative session with my HF doctor today.
More about that later.
God bless,
MDC
May 12, 2018 - Msg 109810: Wow, I guess I am the only lonely soul on the porch today on this Friday evening. I hope everyone is out enjoying an early start to the weekend.

My HF doctor is highly suggesting that I get two valves replaced in my heart.
(Sounds like Gomer explaining Barney's car repairs needed. ha)
My mitral and tricuspid valves are severely prolapsing. I mentioned a while back about
a possible repair with a 'mitral clip' on the valve, but now he thinks replacement would be better, so i have
a lot to think over.

I tried teaching my wife how to play chess a few days ago, but she is just not 'getting it' regarding the moves, strategies, etc; but she is
willing to keep trying.
FRANkie, your ep was on ME-TV last night!!

Well, it's 11:30 PM here, so it's off to bed.
Prayers,
MDC
May 12, 2018 - Msg 109811: I think MDC is trying to be the next “Bionic Man”...Except with inflation he’d be the 12 Millon Dollar Man..... .https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bGO57y4td-c Hope it all goes will for you Buddy...Must be something about guys named “Steve”...Ha!....G-F
May 12, 2018 - Msg 109812: Hmm...sorry to hear about your valves, MDC. That is a tough thing to have to think about and I know that everyone has a story. I will tell you that my Dad was having so much trouble with a bad aortic valve and had it replaced with a prosthetic valve and he did just wonderfully after that. He went from feeling awful all the time to being full of vitality and no more chest pain. I will pray for you in your decision.

Sorry I haven't been around much this week but been busy. I had a tough night at work last night and feel like I am trying to come down with a cold today, darn it. My neice is getting married today so have a wedding to go to..taking zinc.

I had some really good news this week. I know you all probably remember Zach, the son of my deceased best friend, Karen, and that his father passed away in December from melanoma? Well, I found out this week that he is serious about a wonderful young woman named Mary Lou. She is a precious Christian girl and elementary school teacher from a terrific family of 6 sisters and 2 brothers..and her mother is a friend of mine. She is so sweet and if I could have hand picked a family for Zach to marry into, I would choose them...so...here's hoping he marries the girl! He has been through so much and I really want happiness in his future.

Next big news is that my good friend Keith, who's wife died of a lung disease years ago, is getting married to a wonderful woman. You all prayed for him when his dear wife was ill and after. I am really rejoicing in this because I want him to be happy! I really didn't think he would every want to remarry but Jullie seems like just the woman for him.

Now, thirdly, Erin came home from school telling me she likes a boy. Now, this is very welcome news after some of the things she has been telling me lately. Hope springs eternal. ;)

Well, better get going, have to get ready. Love to All,

Boo
May 12, 2018 - Msg 109813: Oh, and PS MDC, my dad's valve lasted almost 40 years!

Boo
May 12, 2018 - Msg 109814: Do I sound giddy, cause I am>! :) :)

Boo

and no, I'm not drinking the mulberry squeezins

May 12, 2018 - Msg 109815: Good afternoon, porch! Boo, what wonderful news, on all counts. I'm especially happy for Keith - I'm always happy for those who have lost their mate and are able to go on and marry again in time. It never happened for me, but I knew from day one that it would not. As time has passed, I've sometimes wondered if I could have been happy with someone else, but there's always that little certainty that I would not, and it won't go away. Oh well. I am happy anyway, I enjoy my life, and am quite content. In fact, at this point, I wouldn't want to risk messing up my little playhouse with the addition of some moldy old man.

Such good news about Erin, but I'm not surprised. With all the garbage the schools and anyone else who gets a chance are feeding our kids these days, they're bound to be confused. With my childhood tomboy ways, the trans people would have jumped on me like white on rice, and would have filled my head with false information and done their very best to help me "find" my real gender. You can tell a child any old thing often enough and long enough, and you can confuse them big time. I think a lot of these "trans" kids that are suddenly popping up everywhere are the result of that kind of indoctrination. The younger ones want to please the person who is brainwashing them, and the older ones may jump on the bandwagon for the attention it brings them. Wrong, wrong, wrong, and I don't know why we are tolerating this nonsense. I'm not saying that transgender can't occur, ever. It can - I've seen a newborn with ambiguous genitalia, but in 17 years, I saw it only once. It doesn't occur with the frequency they would have us believe. Well, enough of that!

Gotta run - have to go over and change Lynda's dressings. She finally went to her doctor, got the whole thing debrided and cleaned up, and now the instructions for changing it make sense. The piddly, wimpy little stuff we were doing at first was accomplishing zero. Maybe now we'll see some healing. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
May 12, 2018 - Msg 109816: MDC, prayers for your valves and that all goes well. You and your wife have fun with the chess game. I play chess on my computer now and then.
Boo, nice to hear the good new with Zach, Kieth and Erin.
Romeena, Lynda`s in good hands with such good friends like you.
Happy Mother`s Day to all the Mom`s out there!
Frankie
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109817: Happy Day for ALL our Porch “Mother Figure’s” today...It’s a good day to Remember and honor them for all the Good they have done for us!..Amen?...

G-F
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109818: Amen GF. Happy Mothers Day to all you lovely Moms out there. What would us fellers be without you?

Boo, I just loved reading your post and about the good things happening with Erin and Zach and Keith. Just wonderful indeed.

Romeena, as always, your post is a homerun. I just love your ability to get to the heart of the matter and knock it out of the park. You are a treasure!

MDC, My prayers for you as you contemplate what to do. But if the new valves will improve the quality of your life, I'd say it was a done deal. But I know that's easy for me to say. But I know you know the Lord, and will inquire of Him, and He will direct you in what to do. Isn't that a blessing?

Sure has been cool and wet here this weekend. Even got some snow in the mountains. But my Kentucky Blue grass thrives in cool and wet weather.

Well I woke up with a tender back this morning. Not disabling, but enough to let me know I ain't a spring chicken any more. So I best take it easy for a few days. But not to worry, I know how to do that! :)

Prayers for all, especially you Moms.

Asa
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109819: Happy Mother's Day to all of the dear mamas of the Porch!

************
possum u.a.r.
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109820: Happy Mother's Day to all the Porch mamas. :)

John Masters
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109821: Thank you, one and all, for the Mother's Day wishes, and thank you, Asa, and Frankie for the kind words.

It is a gloriously beautiful day today, a little cloudy, but the sun keeps popping through regularly, and the temp is just right. My back yard looks like a jungle - needs some trimming and pruning, but it's still really pretty from my window, and the critter traffic is thick out there. Five squirrels visible, don't know how many others are in the trees. Birds practically running into each other, an enterprising robin just dashing madly around the yard. I declare, those birds run and walk more than they fly. I guess they figure there are no worms in the air! Pretty little things.

Preaching would probably have been very good this morning, if I could have understood what he was saying. Our pastor of over 25 years has retired, and is acting as interim pastor for now, but he only preaches about once or twice a month. We have three young preachers on staff - pastor of student families, children's pastor, etc. - and they preach the rest of the time, along with some guest preachers. I'll be glad when our pastor search committee finds the one God has chosen for us. These young guys are great, but they all talk very fast for my Texas ears, and many times I can't follow them. I wear my hearing aids and can hear them fine, but they run their words together! I'm not the only one who thinks so, there's always a lot of comment about it after church. Part of it may be that we're all getting older, and our brains just don't process the spoken word as quickly as they used to, but part of it is that these youngsters are so fired up and excited that they just talk too fast!

Well, guess I'll rustle up a little light lunch, and then later this afternoon the family is meeting at Eloise's - I think she's making a roast. Blessings, and Happy Mother's Day! --Romeena
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109822: Oh my Romeena, If we were talking now I would give you a big slow A-M-E-N! I don't wear hearing aids, but I know I have some hearing loss and some tinnitus that challenges me in certain ranges. But I can't agree more with the fast talking of the young folks. I think you may be on to something about it taking our brains longer to decipher what they are saying. It's not that I can't hear them, but the talk is fast and not enunciated very clearly (a big pet-peeve of mine). Oh the joys of getting old. :)

Asa
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109823: Asa, I have been considering talking to a couple of friends who are on the pastor search committee, and suggesting they make a background requirement of a candidate - that they have taken elocution lessons! That probably wouldn't fly - we already have quite a few requirements that are going to be hard to find wrapped up in one man.
1. Dynamic preacher
2. At least 35 years old, preferably over 40.
3. Family man
4. Compassionate, understanding and gentle with elderly folks, which is at least 2/3 of our congregation.
5. Able to relate to and attract younger families.
6. Flexible, not necessarily set in "that's how we've always done it." Able to think outside the box.
7. Firmly rooted in Bible doctrine, and not open to new-age thinking.
8. Bilingual -- English/Spanish. Not a hard requirement, but highly desirable, as we already have a significant number of Hispanics in our membership. Most, but not all, attend our Spanish worship services, and we do have a Spanish-speaking associate pastor, but as the membership grows, communication is going to become very important.
9. Open to new ideas, such as the English as a second language class that our Missions pastor and I are trying to get established. We believe that teaching some of our old dogs a little basic Spanish would make us more attractive. At least we can tell a desperate mom where the restroom is for her equally desperate child. Some of us can, but we need more.
10. A good communicator, both publicly and in private conversation.

Pretty stiff ticket, but we believe God has someone picked out for us, we just have to find him. Our church has a history of longevity in our pastors, so we want to choose carefully. Pray for us.

Blessings, friends. --Romeena
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109824: HELLO.
Happy Mother day to all

TOM

May 13, 2018 - Msg 109825: Thank you Asa! I don't want to bore you all but I thought you might want to hear the good news.

Ro, yes, it is difficult navigating the waters of parenthood these day, especially if you are older parents like Bruce and I. We have to do a lot of just plain casting our cares on God. We have many questions and sometimes not a lot of answers.

Happy Mother's Day to the porch moms! It has been a good one for me. Both kids went to church with me, then, instead of me cooking or going to a very crowded restaurant, I told bruce to take us to Taco Bell. Sean had to be at work by one-thirty, so we grabbed a Taco Bell lunch and then later, Erin, St Susan and I went to visit Karen's grave and leave a single pink rose, then we took in a movie. It was just ok but the s#xual humor was not appreciated. Hard to get away from it these days. Anyway, it was good to spend some time with them. After I got home, the weather is so nice tonight, I did something I had not done in many years; I lay in the grass and looked up at the sky for awhile with Erin...until the dogs discovered us and the fun was over. Anyway, hope you moms had a great day, too.

We attended Bruce's niece's wedding yesterday and it was very interesting...what a trip! Bruce's drug addicted sister and her ex-husband's drunken wife were a show. We didn't stay too long so not sure what happened after we left. Don't care, either. Sad for our niece, though. She is a great girl and doesn't deserve the drama they all put her through.

Well, going to go spend a little time with Sean since he is home from work. Love to all!

Boo
May 13, 2018 - Msg 109826: A Big Hello to the Porch!
Frankie
May 14, 2018 - Msg 109827: Hey, TOM! It's good to hear from you, and thanks for the Mother's Day wishes. We've missed you.

Boo, sounds like you had a good day. I'm glad - you deserve more of those. As for the wedding drama - between drugs and booze the devil really can just sit back and let us torment ourselves, can't he? Those two are about all he needs to make humans behave like fools and ruin their lives and be an annoyance to everyone else. I remember some years ago when a my first cousin spent an obscene amount of money on his daughter's wedding. They had plenty of alcohol on the scene at the reception and the groomsmen made it their mission to get the groom roaring drunk. Finally, they poured him in the car (with the bride driving) and they left for their reserved suite at a local hotel. I couldn't help but imagine that poor girl's wedding night, with a slobbering drunk for a groom. Six months later the marriage ended in a mutually agreed upon divorce. End of story, and my cousin was left with a grieving daughter and a sadly depleted bank account. Yuck.

Well, guess I'll hit the hay. I'm home, after a wonderful meal at Eloise's - pot roast and veggies, and fried okra! So good! David and Brittney gave me and Eloise each a beautiful scarlet-red hydrangea plant in a lovely glazed clay pot. So pretty, and I have just the place for it, in my sunroom with its south-facing windows. It will get morning sun, afternoon dappled shade, and it will love it! --Romeena
May 14, 2018 - Msg 109828: Donde estas los banos? I know a little espanol. ha
I hope all you porch mom's had a nice day. Boo, that was a great idea, nice and simple.
ASA and all, thank you for the prayers as I discern the
valve replacements. It would be my mitral valve and tricuspid valve. I am calling the surgeon's office on Monday to set up and appt to talk with him.
ROMEENA- you mentioned about the banter and talk after the service, has anyone had the wherewithall to actually talk to the younger preachers about their speech speed? Just a thought. It could just be due to nerves.
Well, off to beddy-bye. :)
MDC
May 14, 2018 - Msg 109829: Good morning, porch! Another pretty day here, and going to be warm. We made it into the 90s yesterday, probably will again. Oh well, it is the middle of May, after all. Nothing unusual about warm weather, and that's why we have a/c.

MDC, to answer your question, yes - these young preachers have been counseled, but it's hard for a person to change their speech habits. The minister to our Spanish congregation speaks perfect English, but he talks so fast that no one can keep up with him. He's a sweet guy and we all love him, but even in conversation sometimes we have to ask him to slow down. Our retired pastor has teased him, counseled him and said once in a small group where he was speaking, the pastor stood up and said "For pete's sake, Israel, slow down!" I told him once that his baby daughter was never going to learn to talk if he didn't slow down. He knows it, and he's trying, but it's just his speech pattern and it's hard to change. The other young ministers are not from Texas, and don't realize that we all speak and hear much slower than the rest of the world. Also, as Asa said, the young people today, even Texans, talk fast and don't enunciate clearly, it drives me nuts! My grandmother would have said they "jabber." Israel is the sweetest guy in the world, but you have to listen real fast when you're talking with him! The young folks don't seem to have a problem, but we older ones surely do.

Well, guess I'd better go feed my tiny roommate. She's sitting here looking hopeful, so I imagine she's hungry. I'm not, but I'm pretty sure she is, and I think her always-there kibble bowl is empty too. Her meals, morning and evening, are wet food, but I keep a bowl of kibble down as well, and she just grazes on it a little through the day. I guess that's how she keeps her girlish figure, at 4.6 lbs always. She's never been a big eater. Mercy, how I love that little thing! --Romeena
May 14, 2018 - Msg 109830: I hope all you mother figures had a very nice Mother's Day. I gave a shout out to all mom's on my radio program last night broadcast directly from Mt. Pilot. Otherwise known as 'The Big Time.
- - Leonard Blush
May 15, 2018 - Msg 109831: Hey to Leonard Blush. Stick around for a bit next time.
I don't know if you all have a chain restaurant
named Sweet Tomatoes. We have one about 2 miles from us and we like to go there once in a while.
We went tonight, and I put together a great veggie salad
with all the fixins. One little bin toward the end had soda crackers, so I started in with Malcolm's thing about soda crackers! My wife just blushed, and gave me a little elbow to the side! ha Anyway, I thought it was funny! :)

Those of you on FB saw that I mentioned that, had he lived a few more years, my dad would have been 100 today! He almost made it, passing at 96.

Well, a good evening to all!
Prayers,
MDC

May 15, 2018 - Msg 109832: RO--glad you told it to "the horse's mouth" as it were, regarding the young folks. I like the direct approach when done tactfully.
MDC
May 16, 2018 - Msg 109833: Hello Porch and hello to Leonard Blush.
MDC, I have not heard of a restaurant called Sweet Tomatoes but it sure sounds good.
Frankie
May 16, 2018 - Msg 109834: Good morning, porch! Just stopping by on my way to teach a little English.

Hi, Leonard Blush! On what station can we hear you sing, and what time is your program?

Frankie, we used to have a Sweet Tomatoes here in Irving. It was out in a high-end shopping complex on the far north end of town, but it closed a few months ago. Eloise and I were sorry to see it go, as we would go out there for lunch now and then. It was quite good, had a huge selection, and you could build an amazing salad. I think their problem was location. Instead of being in the heart of that shopping area, it was out on the edges, sort of buried in a space among some big box stores, a theater and an electronics store, and I think it just got lost. Too bad, because it was a good place to eat.

Well, gotta run. Blessings, all. --Romeena
May 16, 2018 - Msg 109835: Where is everyone? Has the rapture come and I've been left behind? --Romeena
May 17, 2018 - Msg 109836: I guess everyone is just plain workin'. I thought SPOT
might be around more since retirement, but I have a feeling he is out with his wife and his 5th wheel in
some beautiful southern forest!
My wife's beautiful lavender roses are in full bloom now, beautiful! And some neighbors down the street have a big saguaro that is also in full bloom.

Today, in the grocery store parking lot, a big 1979 Delta 88 drove into the spot next to mine,
and it's license plate said "HALF ACRE." :)
I asked the guy if he was a tags fan, and he said "all the way my friend!' haha
By the way, he used the handicap space (It had a windshield hanger) or I don't think it would have fit in a "regular' spot. :)
Temps are hovering around 95 these days, but that's part of AZ living!
Prayers for all,
MDC
May 17, 2018 - Msg 109837: HaHa MDC...My Son bought a 79 Delta 88 As his first car! We called it his Cabin Cruiser, but his friends referred to it as “The Pimpmobile”...He didn’t care, he paid a few hundred for it, and he didn’t care what people thought. He said it beat walking and it was paid for!...He was and still is a pretty practical guy, and doesn’t have to have what is new or trendy..

Well Gang getting ready to leave for the Mayberry event in Danville Indiana this weekend, so I’ll send our Best to Floyd from the porchsters..Here’s a link if you want to check out the happenings... https://www.facebook.com/mayberryinthemidwest/

G-F
May 17, 2018 - Msg 109838: Hey MDC and Romeena and all,.been a busy week with my Getting things started with Retirement at the bank and my Edward Jones Rep. !..plus Garden rolling along good ...But im still here !...Breakfast will be at Good Ole Waffle House on Possum Boo and I...SPOT
May 17, 2018 - Msg 109839: Morning all.

Busy as can be here. I reckon it keeps me out of trouble though.

Hey GF, Have fun at the meet up. Wish I could be going. One of these years I'm gonna do it.

MDC, My very first car I owned was a 1959 Chevrolet Biscayne. Talk about a tank. Back then it was normal sized, but you see one today and it looks like it should have a "Wide Load" placard on it with a chase car ahead of it. lol Happy belated birthday to your Daddy. I know how close you were to him.

Romeena, have you had your cottonwood tree's de-cottoned yet? I know around here they are just about to let loose. I have one cottonwood tree at home, big old thing, but it is the cottonless variety, so it doesn't cause me to much trouble. But at work, one of our properties sits next to a river, and next to the river are a gagillion cottonwoods. Boy, it's like a snow storm when they get into there dropping. And of course they play all kinds of havoc on my a/c stuff. Oh well, that's life, through and through. I wish I could keep my evap coolers turned off until they are done dropping, but it just gets too warm. Those things suck in the cotton like there is no tomorrow, and just plug up the pads. Miserable stuff.

Thanks for breakfast Spot, Possum, and Boo. A big old waffle sounds pretty good about now.

Hey to Frankie. How's the renovation next door going? Hopefully it's not Newton Monroe or Henry Wheeler doing it.

Well off to the roof for me. More coolers to prep.

Asa


May 17, 2018 - Msg 109840: Good morning, porch! Glad to see I'm not the only one still here! I was getting worried. (heehee)

My first car was a 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible, and it was a big beauty. I was all of 17, my dad made a $500 down payment on it, and handed me the payment coupon book. I owed $2500, and the payments were $100.37 a month. I thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen, and it was pretty good-looking, for sure. It was blue and white, and we named it "The Bluebird." Before it was paid for, I had met and married Dale, and we made the last few payments together. Up until then, I had a part-time job that just barely made the payments and covered gas and upkeep. We kept that car for several years, and I have some great pictures of my firstborn, Dale Jr., in what passed for a car seat in those days. He was wearing a diaper, a red baseball cap and little red-framed sunglasses, with a big slobbery grin on his face. Mercy, he was cute! Good memories!

Asa, my trees will have no cotton this year, and probably little to none next year. This was a "lop off the tops" year. Those trees are big rascals, and will get up to 80 feet tall. At that point, they become a risk in a strong wind, as the upper limbs are not original growth, but rather are secondary growth from a previous topping, and as such are not as strong. They do, however, bear unbelievable quantities of cotton. The tree guys top them about every fourth or fifth year. They take them down to original wood, and they look so pitiful, just stubs, about fifty feet tall. That eliminates any risk of cotton for that year. They soon "sucker out", as they're doing right now. They have pretty, fluffy green clusters of new shoots, and by the end of the summer, they'll look very pretty. Next year, new limbs will be growing out everywhere, and may or may not bear cotton - usually not. The following year, they'll have lots of cotton, but the tree guys will climb on the strong original wood, and use pole saws to cut all the cotton buds out before they can open. We'll get a couple of years like that, maybe three, and then they have to top them again, as those secondary limbs are not strong enough to climb on, and they can't reach the cotton anymore. It's expensive, but it costs a lot less than a new a/c system, I don't have thousands of tiny trees to pull up out of the flowerbeds, and my neighbors are a lot friendlier.

Well, Eddie is here to mow, and I'm going to see if he has time to do some weeding too. I do what I can, but I've got so many flowerbeds, I just can't keep up with it all. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
May 17, 2018 - Msg 109841: G-F, that is a nice Mayberry page you posted. Looks like a lot of fun. Have you ever been to one of the Mayberry Days.
Hello Asa, There is a huge amount of work going on next door. At least five works each day working over there. They have filled up six big dumpsters from waste management already. And I noticed today they have one of there own dumpsters out there and it is getting full. That will be like a new house when there done. Sure hope they don`t loss money on it. They have so much money invested into it already. This work has been going on for weeks now. It has been so nice now that all the bad traffic is gone that used to hang out there.
You all have a nice evening.
Frankie
May 17, 2018 - Msg 109842: Yes Frankie, I go to Mayberry Days every year...This year will be my 18th in a row!...Definitely a fun time and I recommend it to everyone....

G-F
May 18, 2018 - Msg 109843: Way to Go G-F!
Frankie
May 18, 2018 - Msg 109844: Yes, those old cars look like tanks compared to what's out there today! I think the metal on them was about a 1/4 inch thick! haha Today, if you lean on
the front fender, you'll leave a dent!

GF--Thanks for the FB link. I 'liked' the page.
That is a cool picture of the motorcycle.

SPOT--good breakfast, thanks. Once you get all your retirement 'stuff' done,
come back and set fer a spell.

Today my wife and I treated ourselves to a BLT at an original 1930s soda fountain in Phx.
We go about once a year, as it is about 30 miles from us, but well worth the trip.
It was originally in a drug store, but now it is just the fountain and diner, but it is
a very cool place. They serve your sandwich on those light brown plates with a green ring on the edge. I love old fountains. http://macalpines.com/

Well, tomorrow is carpet cleaning day! We don't take out all the furniture like we used to do. We know we aren't spring chickens anymore. We used a place called ZeroRez last year, and they did a great job thru all the traffic areas.

ASA, be carefull up on those roofs! I grew up with an evap cooler, and I know what you mean
about "havoc with the hvac!" More than once the water lines would clog, the pads would dry out, and the house would start getting warm air with a fishy smell! Glad those days are gone by.

Frankie, great to hear the good news!

Well, off to bed.
MDC

May 18, 2018 - Msg 109845: g f is going to the big house

May 18, 2018 - Msg 109846: .....Gooberfife is going to Mayberry in the Midwest...But supposed to rain there too!...G-F