October 23, 2018 - Msg 110893: Asa as you are preparing for retirement you’re becoming quite the trained watcher!...It is also nice to see you coming into the podcast room and joining in our nutty conversations. Hopefully one day you can join in on a Mayberry event like Possum and Maude have done Amen Girls?...

Yes I also enjoyed Romeena’s video...I guess Mom was right on the clean underwear issue...lol

MDC, That is awesome what you neighbors did to help a brother out. That is the frustrating part of getting old is not being able to do the things you were used to being able to do.
As Alvin Straight said...”The worse part of getting old is reminding when you was young”...

Hope all the other porchsters are doing Ok and check in when you can...

G-F
October 23, 2018 - Msg 110894: Dang...I get to sweep again...Maybe the NEXT sweep can be done by a retired Asa?...lol
October 23, 2018 - Msg 110895: ASA--you are a really good trained noticer! Just think, when you are retired all the time you'll have for "noticin'" things." ha
I still like the brunette nurse the best! ha again.
"That kiss was better than a mule's nose." ha a third time!

BOO--it looks like remnants of hurricane Willa are going to head your way. I saw on FB your saturated lawn. Hope its not too much more rain a coming.

Well, off to run a few errands.
Oh, and please keep the widow, Joan, whom we help out, in your prayers. In a lot of
pain these days. Thanks.
MDC
October 24, 2018 - Msg 110896: Good sweep G-F! Looks great.
October 24, 2018 - Msg 110897: Good morning Porch Peeps!

Boy GF, We are gonna have to give you a title or something like Sir Sweeps A lot. :) I enjoy those Monday night podcasts and the folks that hang out there.

MDC, I kinda cotton to the brunette Nurse Mary my own self. As Andy would say, "That's definitely not a boy".
Prayers for Joan for sure buddy.

Speaking of noticing, last night I was watching the episode with the new Mayor. There is a scene in which Barney is standing on the sidewalk holding a newspaper up, trying to hide from the Mayor. As the Mayor slips up beside him and scares him, Barney jumps and rips the paper apart. If you look close you will see there is a small tear in the paper at the very top to assist in the tearing of the paper right on the crease. I sure enjoy seeing those little things like that.

Boo, I hope the new rains do not impact you too bad. Same with you Romeena. Glad you got your pump working. Boy, our weather has sure been nice. Close to 70 during the day. Upper 40's in the morning. I sure like it.

Guess I best get moving. Plenty to do.

Prayers for all.

Asa
October 24, 2018 - Msg 110898: Yes, more rain in our forcast, MDC. Oh well, we can talk about it but nothing we can do. ha

Well, wanted to check in before thinking about getting things ready for work this afternoon. No big new except that Erin got her official driver's license yesterday. I am happy that she can drive herself to school, but a little nervous about her being on her own. Of course, she is already 17 and on her way to 18 so it is time. Bruce is letting her drive his old Ranger pickup and it wont even go over 60mph so that's a good thing.

Well, hope you all have a good day!

Boo
October 24, 2018 - Msg 110899: Think I said "well" enough times in my post above? lol

Boo
October 24, 2018 - Msg 110900: Boo, You made me laugh! Sounds like you guys have one of those vehicles like Asa & I had..0-60 in a hour and a half! You won’t get into trouble with those...lol

Maybe she’ll fix it up and get a Earl Schieb paint job too!..haha

G-F
October 24, 2018 - Msg 110901: Well Boo, I liked your post pretty well. I thought it was well written, and well presented.
:) I remember when my young-uns first got their driving privileges. Yes, pretty stressful to say the least. Especially Stacey, my youngest. She was so very timid and cautious. Which is good, but you can be too timid sometimes. But she drives like Gilley Walker now. But still defensive.

Asa
October 24, 2018 - Msg 110902: IthinkIhaveheardjustaboutenoughwellsforoneday! (:
October 25, 2018 - Msg 110903: Nice sweep G-F
Been very busy. Have a nice day.
Frankie
October 25, 2018 - Msg 110904: For some reason I was thinking about Tom today,
and how much i miss his posts and poems. I think he
may have copied the poems from somewhere, but they always had the
perfect message for the situation at hand.
I know he is enjoying his everlasting reward, and all his pain
is long forgotten. I know that he indeed is resting in the peace
of Jesus. :)

APB FOR BILL MEDWIN, POSSUM, BIG MAUDE, SPOT AND OTHERS.

Joan was taken to the hospital today with a bad uti and other issues.
Thank you for your continued prayers for her.

BTW, I got a call from PappaBear the other day. He is doing fairly
well, and he sends his love to the porch. Just still doing lots of tests.

More later friends,
MDC

October 25, 2018 - Msg 110905: Good morning all.

MDC, Yea, I sure do miss Tom and his poems.
Sorry to read about Joan and her issues. I pray for her well being, as well as Pappabear.

Hey to Frankie. I hope your Mom is doing ok.

GF, You got your snow joe all ready to go? If I remember correct, it's an electric run outfit. No bad gas to contend with.

Finally seeing some leaves falling. They have been odd this year to say the least.

I can't believe it has been a year since we lost our little Barney. Sure do miss him. Now that I am going to retire I am thinking about getting another puppy.

Guess I better get to work.

Prayers for all.

Asa


October 25, 2018 - Msg 110906: Yep Asa...Joe’s Ready..Yes it’s electronally powered, but I do spray it down with silicone spray to keep the snow and ice from sticking to the paddles and the rest of the parts..

MDC...I have been thinking about out TOM too, yes he’s no longer in pain and is surrounded by love...I hope he knew how we cared for him...I think he did.....

G-F
October 25, 2018 - Msg 110907: Good morning, porch! I've been thinking about TOM too. Yes, I'm sure he copied those poems, but he had an uncanny ability to choose the most appropriate one for any occasion. They were always fitting, and always positive and upbeat. I miss him, as I know everyone does. I look forward to the day when we can all sit down together and he can tell us his story.

Well, the insur@nce adjuster is supposed to be here at noon today, but I don't know. It's raining, doesn't look like it's going to stop, and the adjuster is a woman. I just can't imagine getting up on that wet roof and walking around, man or woman. I know one woman who definitely would not be doing that! If she calls and wants to postpone the visit, I will not mind at all. If she does come, I'll be standing by with phone in hand, ready to dial 9-1-1, and I'm glad the fire station is just two blocks away.

Asa, I'm so glad to hear you're considering getting a puppy. I can't imagine that you've gone a whole year without a furkid. I'll bet Barney has one all picked out for you. I'm sure that Sugarplum chose my loving little sprite, Toye Starr, for me. Just start the ball rolling, and your puppy will find you. Would you ever consider a shelter adoption? I advocate them strongly, yet hypocrite that I am, I've always bought from a breeder. I know you're strongly partial to the little doxies, just like I love Maltese. You don't generally find them in shelters. It's a hard decision to make. For someone who is just looking for a dog, a pet, a new little friend, shelter adoption is the best choice by far. For those of us with ties to a specific breed, it gets complicated. Both of my daughters have shelter adoptees, and they're delightful, much loved members of the family. However, little 4 1/2 lb Maltese generally don't show up in a shelter. Is a puzzlement.

Well, guess I'll try to contact that insur@nce adjuster, and let her off the hook, so to speak. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
October 25, 2018 - Msg 110908: Yea Romeena, We have enjoyed those mini-doxies, but I am thinking a different breed maybe this time. I have wanted to wait until I retired because I know Debbie couldn't really deal with a furkid at this point. So I will just play it by ear and see what happens. Sorry to hear you are getting more rain with a leaking roof. I hope it doesn't get to crazy for you.

One of the fun things about having TAGS on dvd is being able to stop, back up and rewatch something over again. In the episode where Andy gets Bobby Fleet and his band to step in for the Mayberry Marching Band, there is a scene where Barney uses some hipster language about telling the band to "cool it" and "let's let Andy make the scene". To which Floyd says "he picked that up from Phil Sunkel". Well for years and years I thought Floyd was saying Phil's uncle. And I couldn't figure out who the heck was Phil's uncle. I figured it must have been a part that had been cut out that talked about Phil and his uncle. It wasn't till I got the dvd that I realized he was saying Phil Sunkel and not Phil's uncle. lol I sure felt foolish when I realized thayt. I even considered changing my name from Asa to Phil's Uncle, but then I figured everyone would be calling me P.U. for short, and that would have given me a complex. Ha!

Asa


October 25, 2018 - Msg 110909: The backporch really shrank over the yrs. compare season 4 episode 24 where the freezer is rocking and and the episode where opie and arnold try to give baby awy. Andy comes outside in robe and the porch is now less than 5 by5
October 25, 2018 - Msg 110910: And, in the episode with Blackie, the fictional horse, there are just steps to the back door!
MDC (:
October 25, 2018 - Msg 110911: So Phil Sunkel is a REAL person!
Looked him up, and here is a link:
https://www.last.fm/music/Phil+Sunkel/+wiki

MDC
October 25, 2018 - Msg 110912: WELL thanks Asa! ;)

Asa, I think a puppy would be a great idea, since I don't have to be the one to potty train it and deal with the puppy chewing. How fun! The chihuahua St. Susan adopted was the perfect dog..until now. lol All of a sudden she is piddling on the floor and bugging my sister a lot. They adore her like you wouldn't believe but she knew the perfect dog was too good to be true. She is a wonderful dog, really, and we all love Twiggy. The funny thing is that now her name is "ironically" funny because my sister has fattened up..alot. By the way, my first doxie was a shelter dog. She was about 2 and was a really good dog...just a thought..not trying to guilt you..really. lol. PS- you are hilarious (the PU thing). Stick with Asa.

Well, Erin had a couple of panic episodes this week, just out of the blue but she handled them better and no medication was required. I wish I know what triggered them and what to do to help her.

Today has been a busy day around here. I drove into Corpus Christi this morning because a friend of Sean's needed money for his medication. He had a recent suicide attempt and couldn't afford the depression meds he is supposed to take. He has a minimum wage job and is really in a bad place, poor guy. I feel so sorry for people with mental health issues who are trying to make a living and keep it together. So sad.

St. Susan came over after I got home and helped me with some housework to get ready for the party on Saturday. I think it is going to be a lot of fun and I sure wish you could all be here. I have twinkle lights strung up in the lights out back and I will put my firepit out there for smores. We will show a spooky movie on the garage door and put our lawnchairs on the carport to watch. It should be spooky fun out here in the country...pretty dark out here! I am going to make candy and caramel apples and popcorn balls on Saturday. People are bringing their favorite dishes to share so I don't have to cook. Things are shaping up for this to be a big event. I think it will be fun!

Forgive me if I repeat myself on here but sometimes I cant remember who I said what to. Did I mention that my mother in law is coming for thanksgiving this year? So, I will have a big crew here, as usual, and will be doing lots of cooking for a houseful of folks. The sister in law who usually comes and brings a turkey, isn't going to be able to make it so I will probably make two turkeys..one in the oven and one in the roaster. My boss gave me a few days off before Thanksgiving to prepare, bless her.

Hard to believe that we are a month away from Thanksgiving! Mercy, where does the time go?

I am glad some of you are keeping TOMS memory alive here on the porch. We will always miss him, and REV, and our sweet Millie.

Thanks for passing us the message from Pappa Bear, MDC.

Boo




October 25, 2018 - Msg 110913: LOL...I should proofread...I said my sister has fattened up and I meant to say she fattened her dog up.

Boo

October 25, 2018 - Msg 110914: Boo, I was about to tell you to keep your sister away from the caramel apples and popcorn balls, and then hope she caught a bad case of the hiccups.

Billy Ray the Postman
October 26, 2018 - Msg 110915: Good Friday morning all.

O.K. Boo, lol I am glad you corrected yourself and told us it was your Sisters dog that had fattened up. lol You crack me up! Sorry to read about Erin's panic attacks. Bless her heart. And I agree concerning those who have mental health issues but are unable or sometime unwilling to get the meds they need. Although too often I think mental health is used as an excuse for bad behavior, I do think there is a significant percentage of the population who are truly in need of help. So you don't think I should become Phil's Uncle? lol

MDC, Great link to Phil Sunkel. Who would have thought.

Indeed, another Holiday season is coming at us full bore. I am looking forward to it very much. For the last 35 years I have both loved and dreaded winter. Love the holidays, but hated the snow because it always meant long hours at work. Not this year though. Yabba Dabba Doo!!

Last night I watched my favorite episode, Man in a Hurry. I just love that one. Watching Malcome Tucker coming unhinged with the eased back ways of Mayberry, and then himself calming down and enjoying it. Just an excellent episode. His famous explosion on Barney on the front porch, "FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE, DO IT! Go take a nap, go to Thelma Lou's, watch T.V. JUST DO IT!!" And the actor who played the part of Mr. Tucker was perfect, wasn't he?

Well best get working. I have a couple of projects I need to button up before the big day.

Love and Prayers to all.

Asa
October 26, 2018 - Msg 110916: Hello Front Porch: I’m here rehabbing from a brain aneurysm. The whole process is difficult for me. But I am managing, making progress. Question for tags trivia experts. What might be the reason they shot the gold truck episode during a rain storm? I have a few theories only. Medwin Bill Medwin
October 26, 2018 - Msg 110917: MBM...Glad to hear you are on the mend!...You may want to check out this link, Floyd did a podcast just on the gold truck episode...G-F

http://imayberry.com/podcasts/2012/08/two-chairs-no-waiting-201-a-black-day-for-mayberry/
October 26, 2018 - Msg 110918: Well, Erin had another panic attack at school today but didn't need medicine and after school she and I had a long talk and I think she is just overwhelmed from the anxiety and pressure of school and sports. She is taking some tough classes this year and knows she has to maintain a good average to participate in sports, but she is having some trouble in physics. Also, in basketball, they have three hour practices after school every day, so trying to do that, go to games, keep up her grades, is just too much. I suspected this would happen. I think she has decided to stop basketball and concentrate on her studies, and start softball a little later because it is less demanding, time-wise. Honestly, I am glad because, while she is a good basketball player, she is going to be a dynamite softball player..I just know it. She is very athletic but is pretty short. She can throw like you wouldn't believe, too.

I have been busy today, but with pleasant activities. Tomorrow I will be doing the fun stuff before the party, like making the treats I have in mind and finishing up some decorating. I am looking forward to it and hope I can sleep tonight or it will be a long day. The rain has stopped and the sun was out today and dried up some of the standing water but the ground is still very wet and the mosquitos will be out for sure.

Better get off here...Hope you all have a good evening.

Boo
October 27, 2018 - Msg 110919: Wow, now this is a ball game. WS now in the 15th inning! I am trying to watch and type at the same time. ha I still enjoy watching baseball, but this one is getting a bit l-o-n-g! :)

ASA--the Phil's uncle thing reminds me of some "song lyric mix-ups." The most famous is in the song "Groovin' when toward the end it sounds like they are saying "You and me, and LESLIE." Who the heck is Leslie? lol But they are really saying "ENDLESSLY." ha (Cue to 2:05...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=falI0baGhBQ

BILL--sure hope your healing is going well! You will be in my prayers, for sure. Good the rehab is helping. :)

BOO--one suggestion: Badminton. My niece played it during high school. Could study as she waited for her turn to go on court.
But actually, I also like the idea of just concentrating on her studies.

Oh regarding tags noticing...in the Mr. Frisbee ep tonight,
when aunt bee first goes to talk to andy about him, you can see the church outside the front window of the courthouse, but the church is not there in the town layout. I think they used the wrong "flat." ha

Prayers,
MDC



October 27, 2018 - Msg 110920: Good morning, porch! Lots of conversation going on. I wish all of our absent porchsters would return, at least now and then. I miss them. I won't name them all here, but I hope they all know how much we miss them, and would love to see them again.

Asa, don't you dare change your name. I absolutely refuse to associate with anyone named PU. I'd feel like I was being verbally abusive every time I used your name!

Medwin Bill Medwin, I'm sorry about your health problems - when did this happen? Scary! I'm so glad you're recovering. As for the rain storm in the gold truck episode, I have no idea. Maybe they were in the middle of shooting and it started raining, so they just put slickers on everyone and went with it?

Boo, I'm sorry Erin has to deal with anxiety issues. I confess, I used to have my doubts about that problem, and would think to myself that the person should just "control themself." Then, as a nurse, I saw a few people, mostly women, go through an anxiety attack, and realized it is a real "thing" and not subject to their control. I had their vital signs to prove it! When the heart rate and blood pressure are about off the charts, something is going on. That's not to say it can't be treated, both medically and with therapy, but it does require some help. It can at least be mitigated and the person can learn to recognize when it's coming and take steps to deal with it.

Asa, I agree with your statement, that in some cases, bad behavior is excused as a mental thing. This can be especially true with children. We had a perfect example of that in our extended family. The parents just refused to discipline their children, told everyone they were "high-spirited", and had ADHD, though that was the parents' diagnosis, the kids never saw a professional diagnostician. Funny thing was, when the kids were around without the parents, they were really sweet kids, behaved well, were polite, no problems. Of course, I think the presence of my big bear of a husband might have had something to do with that. He growled at them once or twice, and they settled right down. However, once their parents returned, the kids became insufferable little brats. Wild, loud, boisterous, demanding, smart-mouthed - you name it. Even the other kids in the family could see the difference, and commented on it. Sadly, they have grown into very self-centered adults, very disrespectful toward their parents, though they do conform to society's rules and get along pretty well with everyone else. I guess a few lumps received along the way have taught them that.

Beautiful day, bright sunshine, cool temps - I love it. Blessings, everyone! --Romeena
October 27, 2018 - Msg 110921: One more thing - good news on the roofing thing. My insur@nce company is going to pay for a new roof! The adjuster said, and I quote, "No way was this the 30-year roof we paid for in 2011. These shingles are seconds, they're already hard, brittle and cracking, and the overlaps are half what they should be." However, technically that's my problem, between the roofer I chose, and me. The insur@nce company isn't liable for my poor choice. So, why are they paying? The adjuster stayed on that roof and hunted until she found some spots that she could say might have been hail damage, and reported it as such. She's even using the date of the last little pea-sized hail we had here, several months ago, and showing that as the date of loss. Therefore, I'm getting a new roof. This is not the first time they have done something like that, and is why we have been with this company for over fifty years. I remember one occasion when the kitchen sink was clogged, and Dale poured some acid-type drain unclogger in it. Well, at that moment, the drain pipe under the sink let go and that stuff was running out into the cabinet and out onto the vinyl floor. Dale was standing in a puddle of it, and his shoes were sticking to the floor! He started pulling things out from the under-sink cabinet and sitting them on the countertop, in the sink, and on the kitchen table. Well, when it was all done, we had a fine mess. Acid pock marks in the sink, on the counter, a ruined floor, and my antique "Fiesta" tablecloth, designed to go with Fiesta dinnerware, was ruined. We called the insur@nce company, and the adjuster came out and just started measuring everything. When he started measuring the countertop, Dale asked if they were going to pay for that too, and said, "I didn't know you would pay to cover stupid." The man didn't even blink, just said, "Yep, we do it every day." They even paid for my poor old tablecloth, just took my word for the value of it. You can't beat a deal like that, and you surely do stay with a company that works with you to that extent. Well, guess I'll go rustle up some lunch. I hate to leave my window, though. I've got some tacky, straggly zinnias and marigolds blooming out back, and the butterflies are all over them! The flowers aren't very pretty, but the butterflies surely are, and I'm enjoying them immensely - like little flying flowers. God is good. --Romeena
October 27, 2018 - Msg 110922: Sorry - I had to copy and paste that last entry, as the censor got me, and I forgot to re-do my paragraphing. Sure makes a big, long paragraph! -- Romeena
October 27, 2018 - Msg 110923: Sounds great Romeena, but I'd be REALLY impressed if you dropped a valuable jewel down the garbage disposal and they paid off.

Billy Ray the Postman
October 27, 2018 - Msg 110924: Hahaha, Billy Ray. I have a garbage disposal, but the "valuable jewel" might be another story! --Romeena
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110925: So saddened by the synagogue shootings today.
The guy was obviously demented in some way.
My prayers go out to Jewish people everywhere. :(

RO-thank you for brightening my day with the butterfly talk. I too enjoy those little creatures!

Everyone, have a good Sabbath day. We must keep in mind that
God is still in charge.
MMDC
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110926: Not sure how that extra M got in there.
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110927: Mr.& Mrs.DC I guess....lol
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110928: Good Morning Porch!

Happy Sabbath Day! Popping in to ask for prayers. Today we are saying our final goodbye to Nana, my ever so beloved 99 year old grandmother. She is my mother's mother. If you don't mind we have many broken hearts and my broken body (after a EIGHT HOUR visitation yesterday I can barely stand on my ankle) and they need prayers.

Blessings,
~Lucy
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110929: Good Sabbath all.
Great to see you Lucy, and an so sorry for your loss and for your pain, both of Soul and physical. I pray her graduation will be smooth and peaceful.

Bill Medwin, so sorry to read about your health situation, but glad you are on the mend and rehabbing. Prayers that you can get back to cutting hair (wink wink) as soon as you can.

MDC, Not sure why you had the extra M, But dang if you didn't get me craving some M and M's. Then I remembered I bought a bag to give out for Halloween, so I was able to satisfy that craving.

Romeena, so very glad your insur@nce company is taking care of you like that. My experience has been quite the opposite as a rule. lol

I went into work yesterday and emptied out my tool box. Then we loaded it up on the truck and brought her home. No small feat. My roll away box is massive. Loading it was easy because we had a forklift at work, but no suck machine at home. But between my son, son in law, and a couple of good neighbors we got er done! Sure does make it feel official now. lol

Well off to the Wheeler. I kinda tweaked my back yesterday doing all that. Nothing serious, just sore.

Prayers for all, again especially for Lucy.

Asa
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110930: RO--may I ask what insur@nce co. you have??
MDC
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110931: Prayers for Lucy and the Family....We will keep you and your family in our prayers....

Yep Asa, It’s amazing what we accumulate over the years isn’t it?...So are they having a send off for you?..Hope so, maybe a Stainless Steel watch with a “35” on it?

G-F
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110932: Prayers Lucy. Yer close to my end of the porch .. well gang just got back from 4 days in piegon forge tenn! We had a great time. Great shows ! Good food ! But glad to be home Gona read the mail ! My Ga bulldogs won again ! Breakfast in the morning will be at Waffle House on possum ! I will stop by and pick all you lady’s up. Be ready ! SPOT
October 28, 2018 - Msg 110933: Aw, bless your heart, Lucy..saying a prayer for you and your family.

So glad you are getting your problem paid for, Romeena..funny story about the drano and the insur@nce man's response. Don't you know that's true! lol

Very sorry about your struggles, Bill Medwin! hang in there, friend, and hang on the the Almighty.

Asa, I'm glad you are retiring but reading your comment was bittersweet. Hard to explain, just used to hearing you talk about your job for years and knowing that part of your life is over, makes me kind of sad. I guess it is just thinking about how we are all getting older. How depressing...nevermind. lol I'm sure retirement is going to be great for you and you are still young enough to enjoy it.

MDC, I don't think they have badmittin in Texas. That's kind of a sissy sport (no offense)..I just dont think these Texas girls would take to it. ;) I'm with you, though..I am glad she is getting out of basketball. I think she is still going to go to some of the games as a help to the coach and that's ok.

Well, the party on Saturday was a hit. Poor Bruce was pretty tired after all he did to get ready for the thing but I think everyone had a good time. Lots of food! We were able to have a fire and roast marshmallows but we didn't show the outdoor movie because there were very few children there and the adults mostly stood around in the kitchen, talking and eating. My friend Cinthia was able to drive down and stayed the night with me last night. A few of our high school friends came to see her and I really was happy about that. She and I stayed up late sitting in bed and talking about the good old days. She remembers a lot more than I do about elementary school so it was great. This morning we were able to have coffee together and have another long talk before she had to be on her way. I will be making another trip up to her place next month. We just have no way of telling how long she has but we are making the most of the time. Unfortunately, since she went on hospice, she is have trouble getting some of the medicine she needs because of payment issues. I was upset when she told me about how much her meds cost and how much the chemo cost when she was on it. I am starting to think pharm. companies are criminals! 25,000 for one course of chemo?! How is that right?!

I'll get off my soapbox now. Wish we could run the world from the porch..it would be a better place...more like Mayberry.

Love to All,
Boo
October 29, 2018 - Msg 110934: Morning all.

Yes Boo, My emotions are all over the place for sure. You plan, you hope, you dream of the day when you can retire, but part of you thinks it never will come. I remember when I was younger thinking that I would never be able to retire. That for sure I would never see Social Security. Well here it is. I have not yet applied for S.S. and will not of several years, but it is all happening. I have been doing a lot of reflecting the last few months, on my life and my job. Seems like just yesterday when I was interviewing for it. The interview went horrible. So much so that I didn't think I would take the job if it was offered to me, and I was pretty sure it wasn't going to be offered to me. But it was, and I took a couple of days praying and deciding. Where did all those years go? My mind doesn't know, but my body sure does. Each morning as I gently roll out of bed (very gently) and take note of each new ache and pain. Then I stand and hold for a moment to make sure everything is working. I think Ro said it best, You have to stabilize before you mobilize. But I'm not complaining. The Lord has blessed me much over the years.
Boo, I am glad the party went well. But I knew it would. Glad you were able to spend some quality time with Cinthia. Talk about bittersweet. That must be a joy, but also so very hard. She is in my prayers.

Yep GF, I am a tool hoarder for sure. I am shameful. But I just cant help myself. Dirty, dirty me! lol

Guess I best get rolling.

Prayers for all.

Asa
October 29, 2018 - Msg 110935: Yes Asa I know exactly what you are going thru Buddy, a lot of emotions and reflections. But not to keep repeating myself as I said, be proud of what you did and the footprints 👣 you leave behind...I STILL run into former residents who say we miss you and the service you gave us, and all your talking about Mayberry...lol

Boo, your comment about badminton made me laugh, but I remember as kids we were tenacious about our badminton playing in our neighborhood. We would play until dark (and after) thanks to one of the girls Dad who put up lights for us.
And if I don’t say so myself I wasn’t too bad!.. And so with ping pong too!...lol...Wish I could STILL move like that....lol

G-F
October 29, 2018 - Msg 110936: Good afternoon, folks. Well, barely afternoon, it's about 12:07 at this moment. So far, I haven't accomplished much, just a run to the bank and the garden center. Eddie will be here later to spread a thin layer of topsoil over the mud and dead grass that passes for my lawn right now. Between an invasion of chinchbugs and brown-patch fungus, my beautiful emerald green St. Augustine lawn has been reduced to an ugly wasteland. There are a few sprigs of St. Augustine here and there, so I'm hoping I won't have to re-sod it next spring. The stuff grows like wildfire when it's happy, and my entire lawn in the back came from a few little plugs we planted when we first moved in. We sodded the front so it wouldn't look so ugly from the street, laid a path of sod from the back door to the water faucet, and then just set little 3" plugs about four feet apart in the rest, which is about 66' by 70' feet or so. By the end of the summer, you couldn't tell any difference in the two areas. Both were solid and beautiful.

Anyway, back to my plan - Eddie will put down a half inch of topsoil, then will sow fescue seed over the whole thing (keeping it out of the flowerbeds, of course!). That will spring up quickly and make a pretty, green carpet that will cover the huge, extensive bare areas, and will also grow in with the little remaining St. Augustine. In the late spring, as soon as it starts getting hot, it will wither and die down, which will enrich the soil, and the St. Augustine should be on its way to recovery by then. Meantime, Diesel won't be forced to walk in mud when we let him out to potty!

Asa, my insur@nce company is State Farm. In the 50+ years we've been with them, they have insured many, many cars (five at one time for a couple of years), several houses as we moved around the country, and at present they are insuring three houses - mine and the two rentals that are now in the LLC,and my car. They have never balked at any claim we've made. I recommend them highly.

Lucy, I'm so sorry for your loss, and will be praying for comfort and reassurance for all who remain and who are grieving for your dear grandmother. I'm sure she was a lovely lady, and will be missed very much.

Well, I think I'll go have some soup. I've got some fresh basil, which won't hurt some canned tomato soup one bit, along with a little sour cream stirred in. Yep, that sounds pretty good. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
October 29, 2018 - Msg 110937: I am confused by the repeated use of @ in the word insur@nce, so I'm going to type this post and see what happens.

Billy Ray the Grammatical Exploring Postman

WHOA! That warn't a nice message at all I got. That has to be the cyber equivalent of Miss Crump rappin' your knuckles. And it was sort of a spooky corner of the internet, like the Rimshaw place or something. I might need some sweet cider to settle down now.

Billy Ray the Spooked Postman
October 29, 2018 - Msg 110938: As for the kids acting up, when I was growing up, my school didn't have ADD or ADHD or any other acronyms. What we did have was Sr. Mary Margaret. And she was pretty effective at correcting poor behavior, no prescription required, usually only one treatment necessary.

Billy Ray the Postman
October 29, 2018 - Msg 110939: You brought a tear to my eye, Asa. Where do the years go? Thank you so much for your prayers for Cinthia.

Well, G-F, sounds like you had a good time with the badmitten. Did you ever play a real sport *just teasing you! lol

Ro, speaking of dirt, do you have a good remedy to keep dogs from digging in flowerbeds? (sigh)

Well, today is a big day around here. For a long time, Erin has been asking her dad for a little dog to love. She wants one she can sleep with and cuddle with in the house. Bruce was always against dogs in the house, but changed his mind today. I have felt for awhile that a little dog would be a very good thing for Erin and help her with some of her anxiety and sadness. I, too, would love a little doggie companion in the house. Bruce's only stipulation is that it should be small and a female. He has known too many male dogs who lifted their leg around the house. So, the search will begin and I really want a dog that is a good fit for our family. I have always gotten dogs from shelters that needed homes but am kind of thinking I might not want to this time. I would love to get a Maltese but after doing some internet searches, decided that spending thousands would be an issue with Bruce. lol. I also don't know if we should get an adult dog or a puppy. There are so many pros and cons to consider. I pray we find the right dog. There is a local family with a 2 year old chihuahua female that is trying to find a good home for her. She is fixed and microchipped and they say she is very good natured but I am thinking she may not be a playful as Erin is hoping for. Guess we will see.

Going to grab some hot green tea and rest for a bit before bed. I had a bad migraine earlier today and I feel it trying to come back.

Boo
October 29, 2018 - Msg 110940: Boo...I play a mean tiddlywinks too!.💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻🤣🤣🤣..G-F
October 30, 2018 - Msg 110941: Hello Porch: earlier this evening Paul Drake mentions the Mayberry Hotel in a episode of Perry Mason. What’s the connection. Medwin Bill Medwin
October 30, 2018 - Msg 110942: HI ALL. I am again concerned about the increase in
violence in our country. As you know, we have Jewish next door neighbors. I was talking with them today. May the Lord of Issac, Abraham and Jacob be with us all.
ASA--My dad was with the local newspaper here for 30 years, and when he retired back in 1980, he told me and my siblings, "move around, don't stay with one job, it is just too hard to say goodbye." So I understand what you are going thru. It must be hard to have to put 35 years into a toolbox and say goodbye. On the other hand, look at the future...more time with your wife and family, much less stress, etc. Less stress alone should help your back misery. Something to think about as the 31st approaches. :)

Billy Ray--the reason we distort the word insur@nce is because a few years ago this site got "invaded" by insur@ance companies, so Floyd added that word to the 'naughty word' censor. I guess you found that out! ha

RO-it was actually me who asked about the insur@nce company. I had a feeling it was State Farm. We had them for many years, but when our agent retired, the new guy was just not very good. We are now with AAA.

Well, tonight was the infamous Prisoner of Love ep on ME-TV. I still like Barney's line, "I couldn't tell her from Adam." to which Andy responds, "Really Barn, with eyesight like that, how did you pass the deputy exam?" :)
Prayers for all you fine porchsters, and your families,
MDC
October 30, 2018 - Msg 110943: MBM, you stumped me on that one.
October 30, 2018 - Msg 110944: Good morning all.
Happy Halloween eve.
MDC, You are right as rain. When one door closes, another one opens. As my Daughter has said, "Dad, you are going to have to reinvent yourself". There are plenty of things I can do. So I do look forward to the future. I love that line to Barney as well. I have always wondered about that episode. When Andy returns to the Courthouse that night, I wonder why? What were his intentions? Were they good? Perhaps he considered how she had almost lured him in, and he realized Barney wouldn't stand a chance, so he rushed over there to rescue him. I guess we will never know.

I was watching "A wife for Andy" last night, and I couldn't help but be stunned at all the beautiful available women that were in little old Mayberry. For a small town it sure had a nice crop of female human beings. :) Bet they would make a dandy softball team. lol

Seems like I remember that Mayberry Hotel thing on Perry Mason Bill Medwin.

GF, I have heard about your tiddly winks mastery. I hear tell you are second to none at it. BTW, I see the Browns dumped Jackson yesterday. He didn't do so well there, did he?

Well I hope everyone has a safe and a nice day.

Asa
October 30, 2018 - Msg 110945: Hello Porch: Yes Asa, that’s about the same way I remember it. I’m pretty sure I seen it at least once. MBM
October 30, 2018 - Msg 110946: Good afternoon, porch. Medwin Bill Medwin, I love your comment about Sr. Mary Margaret. I can see her now, stiff-starched wimple, stern expression with just a hint of a smile at times when no one was looking, and a ruler that could rap knuckles just enough to smart, but do no injury. She demanded and received respect, and also received well-camouflaged love from her students, who would never have admitted to that.

Boo, I don't know how you keep dogs from digging in flowerbeds. When I had backyard dogs (in the "dark ages" around here) there were no flowerbeds to worry about. After the "enlightenment", when we realized what fun house dogs were, it no longer mattered anyway. As for shelter dog vs purchased dog, I would suggest taking your time, and sooner or later, the right dog will find you. You don't necessarily have to spend thousands for a Maltese. We paid $400 for Sugarplum, to a "backyard breeder." Toye Starr was quite a bit more, but I got her from a registered breeder. That's not necessary, and I don't think I'd do it again. Well, I know I wouldn't, because I can't afford it. I was working when I got her! So - check newspaper ads. Check the big town papers - SA and Corpus. Expect to pay several hundred. Insist on seeing the parents. Visit the place and see where the dogs live. If they have a mixture of small white dogs, like white poodles, westies, or whatever along with their Maltese, don't buy. You have no guarantee that the puppies aren't a mix, even if they have papers. The papers are only as good as the honesty of the breeder. If you wish, I'll email you with more suggestions and warnings, but no need to wear everyone else out here on the porch. I do strongly agree that a small, cuddly, loving dog could be a big help to Erin, and it definitely does not have to be a purebred, unless you just want it to be.

MDC, the agent is a big factor in your satisfaction with an insur@nce company. We were very fortunate. We had a good agent in San Antonio, and even as we moved to Waco and then to Springfield and back to SA, he served us well. When we moved up here, we knew it was likely to be permanent, so we found a local agent, and stayed with him for years, until he retired. He chose our new agent, and he was great. Then he retired, and his office manager, who happened to be a dear friend of mine from church, chose our current agent. She retired when Bud did, and she found "homes" for all his clients who would let her. My current agent is a great guy, and has gone to bat for me twice now, although I think State Farm would have done what they did anyway. I'm just really impressed with them.

Asa, I think I was lucky. It would have been very hard for me to walk away from the hospital where I worked for 35 years, but since I went from one disability period to another, and finally just decided to retire, there was no moment of saying goodbye, no party, no recognition, I just didn't go back to work. It was easier that way, I think. By the time I finally realized that I wasn't going back, I was already well into the transition to being free. You will have some days, maybe some weeks, of feeling like a duck out of water, but it won't be long before you will just love the freedom. You'll find plenty to do. Just like my friends call me when they need somebody to help them through a medical situation, you'll have people calling you to come and fix something for them, and you'll do it. Blessings upon you!

Later, taters. --Romeena