May 16, 2022 - Msg 117870:
🤔 Good Question John Masters...We May have to consult Johnny Paul Jason on that one!...G-F
May 16, 2022 - Msg 117871:
Rest In Peace..Our “Darling Person” Maggie Peterson....😢 It’s a Sad Day in Mayberry....G-F
May 16, 2022 - Msg 117872:
Very sorry about your scoliosis, Romeena. Wish there was something to be done but I agree, the surgery doesnt sound like much of an option, if at all! I saw a pic of Hudson, too, and saw that he won the John Phillip Sousa award! He is so talented.
Been doing a lot of spring cleaning around here, going through all the drawers and cabinets in our office, cleaning and lining the drawers with contact paper. Whew! Its insane how much stuff people can collect in 12 years. 90 percent of it is Bruce's computer junk and cables, etc. I am putting all of it in a big box and he can either throw it out or take it to work. This office space is just not workable with all this junk and I intend to change that AND make it look pretty, too. :) I redecorated my guest bathroom last week with some really cute things from hobby lobby. I sewed some bright yellow curtains and hung up the cutest plate with a cow on it, her head encircled with a chain of daisies. I got a new frame for a farmhouse print I had and things look much brighter in there. I also deep cleaned and reorganized my laundry room, pantry area. That took a good three days of work but it is so nice to have a place for everything and everything it its place, as the saying goes. Much less stressful that way. I have been feeling so much better that I have the energy to do things again, thank God.
Better get back to work. Hope you all have a blessed week.
Boo
May 17, 2022 - Msg 117873:
I just heard that Maggie Peterson passed away yesterday.
May she rest in peace, and join the rest of the cast in Heaven.
I think we have lost them all now, but we DO have our dvds and memories.
BOO--sounds like you have done some real spring cleaning and
fixing up. And it also sounds really nice!
We have our annual carpet cleaning on Thursday.
We have used Zerorez the past few years. It leaves no residue,
and carpets stay clean longer.
Well, as you all know, I have found money twice whilst cleaning our
church. Today I found a whole, filled baby bag... bottle, diapers,
small towel, etc. How does one forget that? ha
Anyway, I took it over to the church office when it opened at 9 AM,
and the office receptionist had just taken a phone call about it.
Apparently the parishioner left it after the last service on Sunday,
and we lock the church pretty quickly these days, so by the time she came back, everyone was gone.
Speaking of that, prayers for those families involed in the tragedies in California and new york! Jesus be with us.
I missed tags tonight, but am doing ok.
Peace and Prayers,
MDC :)
May 17, 2022 - Msg 117874:
Morning porch fam.
So sorry to read about the passing of our sweet Charlene. I saw her on yesterday when the Darlings came to Mayberry to greet Dud. She sure had her eyes set on Andy. May she rest in peace now.
MDC, Thanks for your thoughts about the carpet cleaning company. I hear their ads all the time and have wondered about using them, but never have. I may have to give them a try. My carpets sure need cleaning. My whole house needs a good deep cleaning in fact. Maybe I can talk Boo into coming over and doing it if she has any energy left after cleaning her own place.
Boo, so sorry to read about Erins health issues. Sometimes those health problems are there to bless us though, if you know what I mean. I hope that will be the case for her.
Well we finally got our irrigation water turned on yesterday. Checked my system out, thankfully no leaky pipes, but I have several bad heads that I need to repair or replace. Looks like I will be doing some digging this week. We are only allowed to water once a week now, due to the drought. Thats a joke. My lawn will never survive that. It's already very stressed out from lack of water. Oh well, what are you to do?
GF, Your craftsman all prepped and ready for the season?
Romeena, congrats to Hudson on graduating and now going to college. So good to see young people with plans and ambition getting ready to face adulthood. I see so many who have no plans, no ambition, ne desires of self improvement. They just meander through life, aimlessly. Kind of sad to see.
Well I best go find my shovel and see if I remember which end to use.
Asa
May 17, 2022 - Msg 117875:
Yep Asa...She’s already been in action for 6 cuttings...I gotta buy some of that liquid gold ⛽️ for her...
She don’t run on coal ya know!...
Yes it is Sad about Maggie, I have been fortunate to have met her several times over the years at events, she was always SO appreciative of her fans. I took a nice video of her with a group singing “You are my Sunshine” ☀️ @ an Event in Indiana about 5 years ago...Wish I could post it but I did it on my iPad and the file is too big...🤷🏼♂️
Rodney Dillard is the only one left now.......G-F
May 17, 2022 - Msg 117876:
Good early afternoon, porch! Hazy but beautiful day, plenty of sunshine filtering through the high clouds.
I absolutely must stop falling for the gimmicks on the Publisher's Clearing House site. I recently ordered a set of little landscape lights from them, and they're totally useless. They're solar-powered, which should have been a clue, but I bit anyway. Ten little colored lights on a spike. Even after a full day in bright sunshine, when it gets dark, you would have to be standing right over them to even notice them. I have a big stone in my back yard, it sits beside the path to the pond. It's about 5 ft long and 18" wide, and about ten inches high. The flat top encloses a 2" depression for almost all of its area. It makes a perfect, natural birdbath, and I love it. I thought those ten little colored lights would make it very pretty at night, and they would have, if there was enough light from them. I have a straight-line view of them from my window, but can just barely see a tiny glowing spot from each light. I've seen brighter fireflies. They're ridiculous, and were a total waste of money. Fortunately, they weren't very expensive, about $15, as I remember. Oh well. I've wasted more on less in my lifetime. We live and learn, or at least, we should.
So sorry that Maggie is now gone from us, too. She was so very cute, and am sorry that her last days weren't very pleasant. She will be missed.
MDC, your watering restrictions are very tight, aren't they! We can still water twice a week, on assigned days, and it must be done before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. No watering in the heat of the day, as it just evaporates. I am so thankful for my irrigation system! I can't imagine having to move sprinklers within that time frame, on this quarter-acre lot. I did it, though. When I was still working, I had to set my alarm clock to get me up and out to move them around, and I was always at work on my assigned days. Had to leave for work by 6:30 pm, and got home around 8:30 a.m. or later, so wherever my work days overlapped my watering days, things just didn't get watered. The sprinkler system solved that. Before that, I kept things alive by watering by hand. As long as you're standing there holding the hose, you can water anytime you wish. So it became a hard decision - let everything die, or give up the sleep I needed so badly.
Asa, thanks for the kind words about Hudson. He's a good kid, very talented musically, and an excellent student. Most of his college expenses will be paid. Why he selected petroleum engineering, no one knows. He just says it looks like something that will be needed in the future, and he's probably quite right. His older brother, Landry, is majoring in real estate - which I gather covers a lot of ground (no pun intended). His mother, Brittany, became a realtor about five years ago, and is doing exceptionally well, and is thinking of opening her own agency. I wouldn't be surprised if Landry ends up partnering with her. My son, and the head of that family, has his HVAC license now, and is staying quite busy. He is very proud of Brittany, helps and encourages her, and loves his job. He has built up quite a clientele, stays busy, and makes fun of his dirty jeans and shirt. As he says, his clothes may be dirty, but he can afford the soap to wash them! He has taught his boys a solid work ethic, and so has Brittany. Both boys are kind, friendly, funny, polite, very helpful, and know the Lord. I couldn't ask for more.
Well, guess I'll go put out some critter feed. Lots of critter traffic in the back yard today. Blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, wrens, a nuthatch, lots of unidentified little birds, and several squirrels. Such goin's on, such goin's on! Only one thing is missing. I have no remote to turn my sprinklers on when a cat comes strolling by. I do miss that, (such fun!) and could have gotten a sprinkler control box that would let me control it with my phone, but it was $100 more, and just hated to spend that just to chase away a cat. Oh well, I can always open the back door, and they vanish.
Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena
May 17, 2022 - Msg 117877:
RO--believe it or not, we have absolutely no water restrictions.
(But I hope I'm not 'Henry Benneting' myself!) ha
We have two main sources of water for here in this valley.
One is all the winter snow run off from northern AZ, and
they had a lot this past winter. There is a whole system
of dams from the north east to control that run off.
Then we also have what is
called the Central Arizona Project, which is a huge canal
system that brings us Colorado River water. About 80%
of the homes here have swimming pools, and there are a lot of
housing developments with 'fake lakes.'
BUT, this year we are facing a few issues, as the building boon
for the thousands of Californians who are moving here are
finally straining our water supply. Finally there is talk
of slowing down the building as we now have over 5 million
in this area. When my family moved here in 1952, the
population was 200 thousand!
I have always watered in the middle of the night with
automatic sprinklers, and usually water 3 times a week.
Last year we had a pretty 'mild' summer, and forecasts are calling
for 'above average' precip for June.
hang in there folks!
MDC
PS to ASA, we've used zerorez for 4 years now, and are very happy
with them. :)
May 18, 2022 - Msg 117878:
MDC, that is a great idea about sprinkling in the middle of the night. That allows the water a chance to sink in the ground before it can evaporate in your daytime heat.
G-F, after posting about Maggie Peterson passing away, you posted that only Rodney Dillard is left. And MDC, you posted that you think we have lost all of them now. What about the Howard brothers (Ron and Clint) who are both still living?
A bit of trivia. When the late Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling) first auditioned for The Andy Griffith Show, she was supposed to be Andy's first girlfriend. But the producers chose Elinore Donahue for that part. And are you aware that Maggie played a person named Doris in A Girl For Goober episode of TAGS? Unfortunately I could not find a free clip of that episode to post a link here.
Rest in peace Maggie. There is a time for us to wonder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQtXEb7C30o
from Poor Horatio
May 18, 2022 - Msg 117879:
Poor Horatio, I was speaking about the Darling Family. Altho many others have passed, there are a few that are still with us and are still active..The Howard boys definitely are active and many of the childhood cast are also...
G-F
May 18, 2022 - Msg 117880:
I'm glad G-F cleared up that confusion. I'm sure if the Howard brothers wandered by the porch, they'd have said, "I want to be a live me!"
Billy Ray the Retired Postman
May 18, 2022 - Msg 117881:
Very sad to hear of Charlene's passing. Its always hard to see another TAGS character pass away.
Asa, I do know what you mean about things sometimes being a blessing. We had a major blow out day before yesterday and we had to set her straight on some things. Like it or not, she is stuck here and has to make the best of it and get along with members of the family. She seems to have so much animosity and anger. She keeps it in check most of the time but when it surfaces, it is pretty bad. I have lost my tolerance for bad behavior at her age and there are consequences. It might be different if she were getting help or even taken the psych meds she had been on. She wants to have it all her way and its time to grow up. Her having the physical problems she has keeps her here for now and she will be following up but honestly, I just dont have the compassion or patience that I used to. She has burned some bridges with me this year and I'm tired of it.
Well, St. Susan is having her 65th birthday this week so sean and I took her out to lunch yesterday and we spent some time shopping. She enjoyed it and she called me up early and ask if we want to go with her into Corpus to the water front and get one of her favorite icy fruit drinks made with mango. She often asks me to go with her into town so I can drive until she gets a new prescription and I dont mind. We are no spring chickens anymore, are we?
It sure has been hot here in my part of the world. Shaping up to be a really hot summer. I keep my little tomato plants watered and they are growing, so is my jasmine that I planted, but no blooms yet. Wonder what causes that? the shock of being planted or something? They are getting full sun and water, fertilizer. I have even been breathing some carbon dioxide on them to make them feel loved. lol nothing so far. :(
By the way, I am still working on this office and making a real dent in things. I think I will be spending more time here in front of the keyboard. If I put a big pillow under my left arm while I type, it seems to help alot with the neck and shoulder pain so hopefully I will be on the porch more often. Toodles!
Boo
May 18, 2022 - Msg 117882:
PH--I do indeed stand corrected!
Yes, the Howard boys are definitely still with us! :)
MDC
May 18, 2022 - Msg 117883:
Romeena, since you love to watch the squirrels in your backyard, the link below is something that you might find interesting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTvS9lvRxZ8
Boo, I don't understand how you can put up with those hot summers. When my sister's family lived near Romeena, they always warned me never to visit during the steaming summer months.
from Poor Horatio
May 19, 2022 - Msg 117884:
I’m thinking PH, that squirrel guy has WAY too much time on his hands..You agree Romeena?..haha ....G-F
May 19, 2022 - Msg 117885:
G-F, in reality, Mark Rober, the star and creator of that video link is quite busy with all kinds of projects. He has a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a former engineer with Apple and NASA. He owns several patents for inventions he built and is a major educator and entertainer on YouTube.
from Poor Horatio
May 19, 2022 - Msg 117886:
G-F, one more fact about Mark Rober ... he's a multi-millionaire so he does not have to work.
from Poor Horatio
May 19, 2022 - Msg 117887:
PH, I dont tolerate the hot summers very well, and the humidity here on the coast makes it even worse. I always thought I would move away from south texas but Bruce had a good job, our elderly parents needed our help and I felt stuck here. Now we are waiting for Bruce to retire in three years. It would be hard for me to leave my sister and her family but I still hope to move after retirement. Not sure where to, but this area we are in is starting to explode with people due to a huge Exxon plant and other industries. There are jobs here but now we are seeing a big leap in the cost of living and real estate. So much traffic in our area now, too and not enough roads. The good news is that at this rate of growth, we should be able to make a hefty profit from the sell of our home. Our five acres are fenced and crossfenced for horses or livestock. We have a water well, an irrigation system and have planted grass on the front three acres. We have some fruit trees on the place. Lots of vegetation but its well cared for by Bruce. The house is a three bedroom, two and a half bath with an office space. Large, open concept living area and kitchen, good sized laundry room, pantry and we have a large, unfinished upstairs with subfloor and insulation, plumbing in place when we are ready to finish off that space. We plan on starting that in the next year. So we will have a large upstairs space with another full bath and a kitchenette. Someone in could rent it in the future for extra income, if they wanted to. We see our home as an investment. Bruce wont be able to take care of this place forever, so the plan is to sell at some point in the future and look for something smaller and easier to take care of. Bruce took out 33 trees this year to make things easier to manage but there are still many that have to be trimmed each year. Its a job, for sure and it costs a fortune to have someone come out and trim so many trees. The house is white hardy plank so it doesnt have to bed painted often but it has to be bleached once a year..the exterior and porches, too. There are flower beds to care for, too. It really is alot to tend to and Bruce will be 65 this year. He has thrown his back out twice this year and seems to be having some kidney issues, still. He goes for a kidney sono this month. So, while we would like to be somewhere else, it isnt prudent to leave just yet. I do dread the heat but I guess you have to deal with something or other no matter where you live. I dont think I would tolerate extreme cold, either. I found out the hard way that I dont do well with altitude now, either. Who know where I'll end up? I am trying to keep a positive attitude about where I am now. After losing good friends to covid, I am more grateful for my life and home.
Been a busy day and I'm tired. I keep waking up at five or five-thirty, which is just too early for me. I am the type that gets bored easily and am always involved in a project here at home. I am either sewing something, organizing and cleaning or doing laundry. I like having something to do but I need to learn when to slow down and rest.
Better go..have to pick up Erin from work. Hope you all have a great evening.
Boo
May 19, 2022 - Msg 117888:
Oh, almost forgot PH...then there are the hurricanes. LOL. Harvey whooped us good but we bounced back. I wouldnt mind getting off the coast and away from the hurricane threat, especially as the water in the gulf of mexico continues to heat up each year, causing the potential for stronger storms.
Boo
May 20, 2022 - Msg 117889:
[img]https://d2wpnc0srowh1f.cloudfront.net[/img]
Weavers said I had to make a purchase to use theirs. Howie
May 20, 2022 - Msg 117890:
Well, our 2000 square feet of carpeting is all
nice and clean, but as Opie once said, "I'm pooped!" ha
The guys did a great job, and we got all the
furniture back into place!
More tomorra, MDC
May 20, 2022 - Msg 117891:
Nice to get that out of the way, isnt it MDC? I dont know what I would do if we had carpet here. It would be impossible with the dogs. Our little one thinks a rug is a pad to go on so we have zero rugs in the house. We have bath mats outside the showers and she doesnt bother that but since she is a totally inside dog and uses pads like Romeena's Trinket does, her little brain just cant seem to distinguish between a rug and a pad. I do alot of work around here keeping things clean and smelling good. It is a job with two dogs now. King is outdoors alot during the day but comes in to sleep in the evening. He drops alot of hair in that period of time no matter what I do. I brush him out regularly but I have to vacuum at least once a day. I clean the leather furniture often and dust and I wash their blankets (yes, they each have one) often. I just dont deal well with dog smell. Dogs are more care and expense that people realize until they have them, and vet costs have gone through the roof around here. It cost me over a hundred dollars this week to get flea prevention for all three dogs for two months,but this is a bad year for fleas and you just have to or you will end up with fleas in the house and they can spread Typhus. Enough about that.
Bruce's younger sister, Vicki is coming for dinner tonight. She is doing so well these days and is just a different person than she was when she was on the narcotics and sleeping pills. Its been three years clean now for her and we are so thankful. She has a part time job and now spends alot of quality time with her grandbabies and children, which was a prayer of our's for her. It was a miracle when she came out of that coma on christmas eve and what we are seeing in her life now is one, too.
Erin is behaving much better and being polite. We dont talk much. I dont ask questions and just dont involve myself in her personal life and it is working for me. If she wants to have a relationship with me, she hasnt shown it. I guess we will see how she treats me. I dont do anything for her other than take her to work. The week before Mother's Day, she asked me "if it would bother me" if she spent Mother's Day in San Antonio instead of here with me. She said she and I could go out to eat and she would pay for my dinner. I didnt say much but she ended up staying here and ignoring me anyway. Not so much as a card and never took me out. Her loss. Hope she wises up. The other day I heard Sean tell her, "Mom is going to die some day and you are going to have a hard time over the way you have treated her". Her response was, "I dont want to talk about it". I told her and Sean, "Don't feel sorry for me. I'll be fine". I dont want her feeling sorry for me or showing love out of guilt or obligation. All I can hope is that one day she grows up and sees things differently but to tell you the truth, I dont have much hope for it and I'm not hurting over it, so guess I am kind of cold. Maybe it's just a subconscious defense mechanism but it works for me right now.
Well, better get out and go check my chickens. They are roasting with carrots, onions and potatoes and smell divine. Wish you all were here!
Boo
May 21, 2022 - Msg 117892:
HELLO ALL!
I feel much better tonight. I definitely aint no spring chicken,
and this funiture moving thing is not like it once was. haha
A number of things like bureaus that go right to the floor
with no 'legs' we just leave in place, as no dirt could ever get
under them. But all the smaller stuff we do still move out,
but all is back now, as well as the rented carpet dryers.
PH--thanks for that link. She really sang that well!
Regarding the watering. I called 'city hall' many years ago
because they sent out a postcard about using sprinklers
at night, but I saw many on city property going at 3 PM in the afternoon
on many days in July!! So, I said, its do as I say, not as I do?
speaking at a city council meeting, and they actually adjusted
the watering cycles.)
BOO--good to see you posting more again. You seem to be in a spring cleaning mode. Cool.
Yes, i like it when things get clean too, as it smells fresh, etc.
Regarding erin, since you are openly talking about her situation, let me offer my
3 cents worth (yes, a tags reference, ha:): First let me say, I remember well those days
when she was around 13, and how you would mention that she would talk of Jesus to her friends,
and the like, so I know there is 'good' in her soul, but apparently something
happened when she got into her current lifestyle, and the drugs, and so on.
I still believe that this 'caterpillar' will one day spring forth as a gracious
butterfly, tho I admit, it will still take a lot of that tough-love that you are
giving her now, and a lot of continued prayer. Her upbringing was good, so it is nothing
that you did or didnt do, people make their own choices, and they have to live with those
choices until they see the 'fault' of them. When I was doing the prison ministry,
I saw this every time. Hardened guys would suddenly start balling, and it was genuine
sorrow and repentance over their past stupid decisions. Maybe, just maybe, you could
suggest to her about seeing a minister or priest, so she could discuss this with
someone outside the family. An anointing with a holy oil is also good, this was done
by the early Christians. I suggest that you read Mark 6:13. Also check out Psalm 23:5. Many
sort of read right past that verse: "He anoints my head with oil, my cup overflows."
and Luke 7:46. Please know that your family is is my daily prayers.
So good to hear about Vickie, and how she is doing.
Regarding your house (and most) they are indeed a lot of upkeep, huh? I think we will probably
downsize some day as well, but right now, with no house payment or rent, and this continued
high inflation on everything, we are here to stay. I am worried most about gas prices!
Lately, it is jumping 20 cent a week, and when will it stop? Something has got to change
soon. So many things are messed up, from baby formula to keeping everyone 'scared'
of covid. I try my best to keep my 'eye on the Prize' and live as one who adores the Lord
and thanks Him for his many blessings.
Peace and Love, :)
MDC
May 21, 2022 - Msg 117893:
Good afternoon, porch! It's a hazy, cloudy day here in the D/FW metroplex. No rain yet, doesn't even look very threatening, but the forecast is for scattered showers. Then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all have thunderstorms in the forecast! Hooray! My sprinklers ran early this morning, and will run again this evening unless I put them on "delay", which I will probably do, just in case it actually does rain. They will only be on delay for 72 hours, then they restart. Or - I can choose a 24, 48 or 72 hour delay. So, I'll need to remember to figure out when to switch them back to "delay" if the rain predictions hold up. I sure don't want to pay for water to put on top of a rain shower!
Boo, I admire your strength, and your current attitude. Maybe Erin will eventually wake up and realize that her own choices haven't turned out too well, and will come to her senses. Ditto to what MDC said. I can only add that what he is advising is exactly what God does. He doesn't abandon us, but if we ignore Him long enough, He will step aside and let us run along in our errors and bad decisions. That doesn't mean He's not watching though. When and if we reach a point where we realize our errors and reach out, His hand is there. So it was for me, so it will be for anyone else. After Dale passed, I fought God and blamed Him and refused to accept His hand, but it was there. When I finally got tired of fighting and insisting on blaming Him, and lifted a trembling hand, it felt like my dad's big warm hand would feel when he would pick me up after I fell, as a child. Believe me, that was an unbelievably comforting thing, and all I had to do was quit fighting. Keep on doing what you're doing, stick to your guns (it's your house, your rules) and keep praying. Your friends are praying along with you.
Those of you who may have read my little book will recognize this story, but I'm going to relate it anyway. I tried to return to church a few weeks after Dale passed, and found it too difficult and emotion-charged, so I stopped going. For months, then years. Several years. Yes, every Sunday morning, I made the decision not to go. Never really felt comfortable with the decision, but stayed home anyway. Then Alzheimer's made it impossible for my father to drive anymore, and he agreed to sell his car, but for one problem. How was he to get to church, because believe me, he was there every Sunday! I told him I would pick him up and take him there. His reply: "And you will stay there with me? You won't just leave me there alone and come back when it's over?" What could I say? I told him I would stay with him, and he handed me the keys. And I'm quite certain I heard a triumphant little chuckle coming from Heaven. Of course, I kept my word, and it wasn't long before that old sanctuary felt like home once again, and I actually, audibly said, "OK, Lord, you win. You were right all along. This is where I belong." And I've never regretted it. In fact, it's where my life revolves these days. And when I walk into Heaven myself one of these days, and see all my family and friends who have gone before, I won't have to introduce myself!
Boo, I know what you mean about dogs and floors. Trinket has decided that the braided rug in the sunroom, by the door to the outside, looks a lot like a piddle pad, and she will use it occasionally. Fortunately, it's washable. She will also anoint the bath mat in front of my shower door. So, I put it away, and now I just get a towel from the laundry hamper and put it on the floor instead, use it like a bath mat, and put it back in the hamper when I'm finished. One less thing to be washed, and one less thing for me to trip or slide on. Trinket hates walking on grass, and I can't imagine having to get up at night and take her out, where she can encounter a skunk or whatever, or get wet and muddy, etc. No, the "inside dog" plan works for us! No fleas, no mud, no critter encounters, no rolling in something icky, and she would much prefer not to be forced to walk on the dreaded grass. Rotten kid!
Well, guess I'll rustle up some little something to eat. I'm not hungry, but guess I need something. I've got blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, also a couple of mangoes and a beautiful pineapple. A handful of each of those things, mix in a little cottage cheese, and it makes a pretty nice lunch. A bedtime snack will be a Honeycrisp apple sliced up and a little peanut butter for "dunkin'" and I'll have a low-calorie, nutrient-rich day.
Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! Trinket says howdy! --Romeena
May 21, 2022 - Msg 117894:
Romeena, I heard those little lights can cure mange. My advice is just sell them to a neighbor with a dog.
Billy Ray the Entrepreneur
May 22, 2022 - Msg 117895:
Figured I'd better swing by the porch before I started getting "trouble check" calls or y'all got a posse up to look for me! Ol possum is doing ok,just fighting allergies and trying to keep going in this crazy world we're in now. Geez..
Y'all have a good Sabbath and take care!
******************
possum under a rock
May 22, 2022 - Msg 117896:
Thanks for the encouragement and wisdom, friends..and most of all, for the prayers. I appreciate it more than I can say. I could relate to your story, Ro. I dont feel angry at God, but I feel angry at people sometimes. The love is still there but I have real pain and anxiety if I try to go to church. Everything changed when my kids came out and I had to step out of the church box I was in, so to speak. Hard to explain but the lack of understanding and compassion I felt at my old church was so hard. There are other churches though and I am hoping I will be able to go again soon. It is also hard in the south when you are not a republican. lol The evangelical church's involvement in politics has been a problem for me because I have seen it cause so much division between Christians. I dont want to go to church and hear a political speech or a candidate endorsed from the pulpit. Enough of that, the last thing I want to do is cause any offense to anyone.
Ro, I saw a gigantic hawk hunting on the place yesterday evening! I won't let Poopsie out there. It would kill us all if a hawk got ahold of her so she stays in and uses the pads. She stays cleaner, as you said. King is housetrained, though and he does fine. He is out mostly during the day and comes in in the evenings and sleeps on the couch. He gets a little smelly but not so bad. He's a great dog. The best I have ever had, really.
Gosh Ro, I wish I had a honeycrisp apple to smear some peanut butter on! That sounds amazing. I have been on a peanut butter kick lately. I grilled some sandwiches today that were so good. I made grilled reubens (well technically not, since I didnt use corned beef) but I used rye bread, a really good sliced chicken from the deli, my homemade thousand island, sour kraut, and swiss cheese, grilled with butter until the cheese was melty. Oh man, that's all I'm going to say. Not low cal but so good. I have some cut up cantaloupe in the fridge so will have a little of that later. I wish I had a mango..they are so good!
Good to see you here, Possum. sorry about the allergies!
Hope you all have a blessed Sunday.
Boo
May 24, 2022 - Msg 117897:
Good morning, porch! It's just 73° here right now, heading for the mid-80s. No rain so far, but if it doesn't, it's surely going to miss a good chance. The sky is the color of putty, not a sunbeam to be seen anywhere, the air is very still, and critter traffic is almost non-existent. They know when to seek shelter. I hope we get a good rain, a real frog-strangler!
Billy Ray, your suggestion as to what to do with those useless lights is hilarious! However, my neighbors almost all have indoor dogs! On one side, they have four little Boston bulldogs, cute little things, but all indoor dogs. Bostons are barky, and when I saw them moving in a few years ago, I thought "oh boy, here we go!", but such is not the case. They only come out when the family is using the pool, and then they're too busy playing with their people! Once in a while they let them out into the courtyard in front of their house. It has a tall brick wall around it, with low windows that have grates in them. The dogs can't get out, but can see through the windows and will bark if someone passes by, but they're such cute little things, that I just don't mind them at all. They used to bark at me if I was in my front yard, but I've gone to their windows and talked to them a lot, and now they don't bark at me, just a "woof" now and then.
On the other side, I'm not even sure they have one. I do hear a dog bark over there now and then, so it may be an inside dog, and I just never see it. The young woman who bought the house a while back is single, a female cousin lives there with her, and they're very nice, very quiet. I never know they're there unless the car is in the driveway. The owner is a police officer, an investigator of some sort, and is very considerate. She was planning a birthday party for her young niece last fall, and put a notice on everyone's door about it. She said it would probably be a bit noisy, lots of people and a small bounce-house, an outdoor barbecue and music. She said they would end it at 11 pm, and if it got too loud, just call and they would quieten down, and if anyone wanted to come and join them they would be welcome! It did get a little loud, but they sounded like they were having so much fun, I just couldn't imagine anyone objecting. Promptly at 11 pm, the music stopped, and by 11:30, all was quiet, and all the cars were gone. Now that's a considerate neighbor!
Boo, I hear you. I know what you're saying, and understand, but I don't know what the answer is. Obviously, America is on a very dangerous path right now. Fewer and fewer people are involved in any church-based endeavors right now. It's scary. It fits the description of our behavior in the last days all too well. Scriptures are being fulfilled daily, but for those who don't believe the Bible, that means nothing. For those who pick and choose what part they will believe, and what part they will ignore, the Bible becomes meaningless to them. It's not a menu in a restaurant, either you believe it or you don't. All of this is very hard to understand, hard to explain. This much I know. There are things happening today that wouldn't be happening if people were even halfway trying to obey the Bible. Even some churches are chasing rabbit trails, and trying to tie salvation to some obscure requirement or other that has nothing at all to do with belief and trust in God. I suppose that in our complicated, highly technological world today, the idea of salvation through simple faith just seems too simple. We insist on including ways that we can "earn" it, when the Bible clearly states in John 3:16, that simple faith is all that's needed. And so, Boo, I hear what you're saying. In my church, there are at least three gay couples, and they are loved and accepted. One couple in particular has been together for many years. They're the first to volunteer for tasks at the church, and they do not flaunt or call attention to their relationship. Yes, I know what the Bible says about it, but the Bible also says that God will be our judge. They are kind and loving people. Whatever negative opinions I may be tempted to hold about them, are quickly overshadowed by my awareness of where I fail in my Christian walk every say. I just try to keep my own house clean, and let them do the same. I am reminded that there is only one unpardonable sin - the sin of unbelief, and I have not been appointed to be the judge and jury over other people's lives. I am reminded of my dad's favorite comment, something he would say when faced with a difficult situation. He would adopt an exaggerated "back country" accent, and say, "Life gets tee-jus (tedious), don't it?" He heard that from an elderly aunt of his (VERY back-country woman), and would pull it out and say it now and then, to the delight of all who had known the elderly aunt. From what I've been told of the conditions of that woman's life (hard-scrabble farm life) "tee-jus" was an understatement. And the beat goes on.....
Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! Trinket says Howdy! --Romeena
May 24, 2022 - Msg 117898:
My goodness my friends. My heart is just breaking for those families and friends in Texas tonight. Pure evil reared it's ugly head today, again.
Please pray for them all and for this world and Nation.
Asa
May 25, 2022 - Msg 117899:
Hello all. Good to see you Possum and Billy Ray and Asa
and all! Yes, Asa, these days are very unbecoming indeed.
As Ro said, times prophesied are being fulfilled at an
alarming rate, even disney has given into the craziness.
And yes, today's tragedy in Texas is so sad and senseless!
RO-you said things very well. What I might add is that
jesus very clearly stated that the mosaic law, the 10 commandments,
were still to be observed. Just think, if everyone on earth
followed them, what a differnt world this would be!
I try each night to watch tags, even tho I have seen barney
sing 'solo' a million times, I still enjoy it, and always get
a smile on my face when he first hears 'himself' thru the
'sensitive' mike! :)
Hang in there folks. God is in charge. Every politician
will have to stand before the great white throne someday,
as will we all, and he will deal with us all.
All else is fine with us. It's heating up here
but nothing unusal about that! :) More later,
MDC :)
May 25, 2022 - Msg 117900:
These United States, and the world, are under a dark cloud of evil. I will refrain from saying anything further for fear of a lifetime ban on here or offending anyone with language.
God be with us.
John Masters
May 25, 2022 - Msg 117901:
Wow, a lifetime ban, John Masters? I couldnt help but smile a little at that. I think we all feel that way sometimes and I guess its better to keep some things to ourselves. I know I do, regularly. ;)
Thank, Ro.
We are just sick about what happened in Uvalde. Too close to home. I have been to Uvalde several times, as Ro probably has been, too. Its a lovely, peaceful town, with good people, a lovely old town square with giant oak trees. It had a peacefulness about it..it kills me to think of what they are going through and will continue to go through. 18 little ones killed in one fairly small community will have a devastating impact forever. God help them, and all of us. I wont make any political comments, and frankly, there is just so much I dont know and understand about gun laws. I know from working for five years with adolescents in crisis that young men with drug problems and mental health issues are the most dangerous of us. Let's all keep praying in the days ahead for resolution and protection. I was also very disturbed over what came out about the Southern Baptist leaders who covered up abuse. That story was eclipsed by the school shooting but is also something that needs to be discussed because it is happening in so many denominations. I guess the Baptists will have to stop looking down their noses at the Catholics now (jk).
Best go get some chores done.
Boo
May 25, 2022 - Msg 117902:
Good morning, porch! We finally got our rain last night, my birdbaths are overflowing, so I guess it was a good healthy soaker!
That horrible slaughter in Uvalde has hit us all hard. Not just in Texas, I'm sure. I know the whole nation must be reeling at the news of such a senseless, brutal slaughter of innocent children, and two teachers. My heart is broken, and I have been in prayer. Not for those children necessarily, because in their innocence, they are now at home with the Father. Who knows what their death at this time might have saved them from later on? The way things are going in this world, I don't even want to think about that.
I, too, am disturbed about the abuse cover-up within my own denomination. However, it should come as no surprise, and trust me, Baptists are not alone in this. If a child molester is looking for a prime target, what better place could he choose than a church? People are trusting, there will be children there, and if he can present a trustworthy appearance and can obtain a few complimentary references, he can find a home in a church somewhere, of whatever denomination. From then on, it's easy sailing. And this is nothing new. Schools are prime hunting grounds, too. I know a lovely woman (my age) who was married at age 15 to her gym teacher! I don't know the circumstances, don't want to know, but it happens. There is an old saying -"People who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Well, honeys and dears, we all live in glass houses.
I cannot imagine the anguish that prevails in the homes of those lost in that murderous rampage in Uvalde. The only good thing to come out of all that is the fact that the gunman is no longer living, there will be no years-long court circus, and he will never be able to do such as that again. My heart hurts for his family, as well as those of the victims. Not only have they lost their son, but they will carry the burden of what he did for the rest of their lives.
Now we will have to endure yet another big campaign from those who think the answer is gun control. How anyone can really believe that, I'll never know. The vast majority of those who misuse firearms are also heavily into drugs, or have other mental issues. There is another old saying (I know a lot of them, I'm old too) that states: "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns." Drugs are illegal now and have been for years, but any 12 year old can tell you where to buy marijuana, uppers, downers, any little old bright-colored pill you might think you want. In 1979, when I was in the middle of a year of chemo, and so very sick at times, one of my teenage children said to me - "Mom, you know I don't touch the stuff myself, I've got better sense than that, but if marijuana really could ease your nausea, I know where I could get some." I refused it, of course, but appreciated the offer.
As for gun control, I was just doing a little internet search, and found more material than I could ever fit in here, so I'll just suggest that you do what I did: Run a search on "Chicago gun laws", and chase the rabbits you'll find there. Summation: Chicago has very strict gun laws, probably stronger than any other city in America, and yet their death rate by firearm is the nation's leader. Hmmmm. Something is wrong with this picture. And - it wasn't mentioned, but I would place a bet if I was a bettor - most of those guns that were used belonged to someone who wasn't licensed to own them. If that's not true, then Chicago had better re-examine their licensing regulations.
One thing is obvious, and irrefutable. America has pushed God into the background, almost off the map, and we're paying for it. I'm terrified, when I think of how high the price may eventually be. Galations 6:7 states: "Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." As a nation, we have declared that God is old-fashioned, behind the times, even declared Him dead! We are now paying for that, and the price is rising daily, like inflation! Will we wake up and learn from what we see now, or will we go down into oblivion like so many other societies before us?
I do not apologize for this little rant, if anyone is offended, I will pray for you. God was, and is, and forever will be. You and I will go the way of all people eventually, and decisions made now will determine where we go after that, but God will go on forever. Blessings! Keep looking up! --Romeena