Mama Snapping Turtle - June 2007


Baby Snapping Turtle On the Run - August 2007


A Helping Hand - August 2007


Baby Snapping Turtle a Second Before Diving Off the Dock and Swimming for Cover - August 2007


Word of the Day

Cowversation - A topic one continues to milk over and over because they've run out of other things to say.

I've been spending the morning packing. HTP and I will be leaving for Laughlin at such an early hour tomorrow morning that we plan to take our dog Muggsy over to my folks' place this afternoon. We've got to make a run into the city this afternoon to pick up a few things after that but I plan to see if I can get to bed early tonight...maybe right after supper. We'll have to see how well that works. I never sleep well. It's hard to turn off and shut down my mind at night, even when I'm exhausted and then if my "restless" legs decide to act up, that's a sure as heckfire guarantee that I won't get to sleep. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my legs will co-operate.

We've decided to bring our laptop with us this trip. I'm not sure if I'll actually be able to use it or not. So...if you don't see a new blog entry between this one and Monday...don't worry too much. HTP and I will be back on Sunday but chances are I won't find the time to blog until Monday.

It's a beautiful day today here at The Lake. I hear that Laughlin is experiencing record high temperatures. I don't like wearing shorts in public but I'm packing some this time. Sleeveless shirts too. And a sweater. Casinos tend to zoop up the AC and everyone ends up freezing to death.

*****

The turtles are hatching, the turtles are hatching. I went out to walk the dog and there at my feet was a little baby snapping turtle.

Murphyism of the Day

Randall's Law of Automotives

The flat doesn't occur until the day after the tire sale.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Pain makes man think. Thought makes man wise. Wisdom makes life endurable.

-- John Patrick

A Sequence of Events?


The Women Cleaning Fish - Summer 2007


Ummmmm.....What's Willie Doing? - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Corporashun - Any variation on a company or product name created with the intent to mock or shun it.

We got rain! Over an inch. Woohoo! I won't have to do the sprinkler dance before HTP and I go to Laughlin. It looks like we may end up getting more rain today sometime. Our rain last night came with a truly spectacular light and sound display. HTP swears that some tree out in our woods got struck but with so many trees in the forest, he can't actually point out the specific tree. All I could think of was that age old quote, "If a tree falls in the forest and no-one is there to see it, does it make any sound?" All I know is that some of those "sounds" were pretty loud last night. Since HTP just left for the city to do some research at the library...and he hasn't turned around and come back as yet....I figure that our 1/2 mile driveway is clear of fallen trees. We've been lucky this year. No trees over the driveway. I think it's because HTP bought that gas powered chainsaw after we had to hire one of the local farmers to clear off the bunch of trees that fell over our driveway last summer. We now have a "never-been-used" chainsaw. I'm sure there is a Murphyism in this tale somewhere.

As promised, today is my day to clear off things from my mental list of things to do. Added to the list is the pressing need to wash my hair. There's no way that I can get on a plane with my hair making me look like a woman in a Most Wanted poster. Tomorrow? I plan to go into the city to see if I can find something to read while we're in Laughlin.

Murphyism of the Day

Cusak's Observation

The driver's-side windshield wiper always wears out first.

Corollary

The worst smear is at eye level.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The easiest thing in the world to be is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don't let them put you in that position.

-- Leo Buscaglia

Me and Mom Cleaning Fish at The Lake - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Conversate - To make conversation. An uncommon phrase used to suggest the start of a conversation while making others believe one is smarter than they truly are.

Yet again I've changed the world with all the things that I've accomplished in a single day.....NOT! This has been one of those days where I didn't feel like doing anything at all above working on Sudoku puzzles, walking the dog, and basic subsistence tasks. Does this mean that I have nothing on my mental list of things to do? Heck, no! I've got lots of things that need doing on my mental list. I chose to ignore my mental list, sticking my fingers (figuratively) in my ears to muffle the sound of my guilt complex which always seems to want to lecture me. I'll work on my mental list tomorrow. My guilt complex can just shut up for one day.

Murphyism of the Day

Firmage's Rule of Auto Repair

That which is attached with only two bolts is directly behind something attached with eight.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. -- Indira Gandhi

Bald Eagle at The Lake - Picture taken by T-Square, Spring 2003

Word of the Day

Convercide - The act of killing of a conversation with a terrible comment.

The eagles have landed. Actually, the fledgling eagles have left their nest and are learning to fly, land, and hunt. As I type this, I'm listening to their distinctive screeing calls. I did take a picture of the one that landed in the old oak tree that stands by our deck but my camera just doesn't have that kind of telephoto abilities. It's hard to judge from my photo the size of these huge birds. It's a really big and tall oak tree. I'll have to walk our dog Muggsy on leash for a while. I don't trust that the fledglings will care that Muggsy is a little dog and not something tasty to eat.

I played Wii again yesterday. #1 Son brought his game up to The Lake and tells me that I can keep it up here and even take it back to Arizona when we return to warmer climes. A couple of his room-mates already have the Wii game and #1 Son figured that there was no point in redundancy. I had fun beating everyone in bowling and I got a bit of a workout from tennis and baseball. #1 Son set up the game so that it'll be easy for me to play whenever I'd like. Hopefully, it will help me to lose some weight. We'll have to see. I wonder if I can get my Mom or sister over here to bowl with me?

MC Daughter cooked supper last night. Steaks on the grill, corn on the cob, salad. Wonderful. We had cake and ice cream for dessert. I had one ear of corn, only a third of my steak, and all of my salad. I did have some ice cream but no cake so I figure I'm haven't dug myself too far into a grave with my teeth. You just can't diet all the time. And guess what? I don't plan to diet at all when I'm in Laughlin.

Laughlin? HTP and I are leaving for Laughlin at 0Dark:30 on Thursday. Warning. I don't plan to blog while we're in Laughlin...unless HTP pays the $10/day internet charge at our hotel while we're there. The rules for dial-up at the hotel where we plan to stay would make using the dial-up modem prohibitive...unless things have changed since the last time we were there a year ago. I'll have to practice my video poker before we go. I'm ahead of myself. We won't be leaving until early Thursday morning. I've got lots to do between now and then.

Murphyism of the Day

Lorenz's Law of Mechanical Repair

After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

She used to drag her mattress beside her low window and lie awake for a long while, vibrating with excitement, as a machine vibrates from speed. Life rushed in upon her through that window - or so it seemed. In reality, of course, life rushes from within, not from without. There is no work of art so big or so beautiful that is was not once all contained in some youthful body, like this one which lay on the floor in the moonlight, pulsing with ardor and anticipation. -- Willa Cather

Willie Showing Off the Powers of His Shirt - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Contradick - One who gainsays another person (contradicts them) primarily to make them look foolish, unwise, uncool, or otherwise bad.

Oh, what a beautiful morning, Oh, what a beautiful day....

It's absolutely beautiful outside today. Blue skies, weather in the mid-70's, sunny, a light breeze. Perfect. It's weather like this that draws people to the coastal areas of California. I get all the benefits of California weather AND I get to stay right here at The Lake without having to deal with all the California fruits and nuts. I only have to deal with the weekenders. I can handle that.

I finished whittling my bamboo skewers (the ones that I bought to use in my knife box) down to size. I figured that I would need ten packages of bamboo skewers to fill my new knife box. I probably could have used another package or two but it's working as is for right now. I may pick up another package or two the next time I go to the city. As is, I love it. No more risking major cuts from rummaging in the drawer for my knives and they aren't getting all dull from clanging against each other.

Murphyism of the Day

Femo's Law of Automotive Engine Repairing

If you drop something, it will never reach the ground.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Do something every day that you don't want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain. -- Mark Twain

Old Grey Frog, T-Square (Dad), Mom, Willie, and Sis - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Contotally - Completely and totally. A contraction of totally and completely.

The most that I've done today was vacuum the house. After that, I picked up a book and read the whole thing. There is a reason that I try to avoid picking up books. The reason is that I have this weird addiction to them. If I let myself sit down to read one, that's it for the rest of the day...or until the book has been read cover to cover. Fortunately...or unfortunately...depending upon how you look at these things, I read really fast. Really fast! I picked up that book after lunch and had consumed it before HTP and I left to go shopping in the city. Good book. Sis didn't seem to like it but it was good. I may look to see what else that author has written.

My Dad made me a really beautiful knife box. I'd seen one like it on a TV show and asked him if he could make something like it for me. He could and he did. As I said, it's beautiful and I'm eager to put it to good use. All I have to do is fill that box with bamboo skewers. I'm working on that project right now. I found some bamboo skewers today when I was in the city. They seem to be about 1/4 - 1/2 inch too long for my new box. So, I've been nipping off that 1/4 -1/2 inch for each and every bamboo skewer. I think I'm about half-way there. I'll work on the project some more tomorrow morning.

I've got company coming. MC Daughter and D Buddy are coming to visit along with one of their Arizona friends. I got a call from #1 Son just now and he's coming up to see us too. We're going to have a full house this weekend. Love it. Good thing that I bought six t-bone steaks when I was at the grocery store today. Maybe I'll see if they can pick up some fresh corn to go with the steaks for tomorrow night. Or...maybe they'll decide that they all want a fish fry or hot dogs. I'm open to whatever they decide that they want to have. Time to put some beer in the fridge to chill.

Murphyism of the Day

Bromberg's Laws of Automotive Repair

1. When the need arises, any tool or object closest to you becomes a hammer.

2. No matter how minor the task, you will inevitably end up covered with grease and motor oil.

3. When necessary, metric and inch tools can be used interchangeably.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Fear is a question: What are you afraid of, and why? Just as the seed of health is in illness, because illness contains information, your fears are a treasure house of self-knowledge if you explore them. -- Marilyn Ferguson

Woody the Woodpecker at The Lake - Summer 2???

Word of the Day

Confuzzled - Being both confused and puzzled; clueless or unclear.

Remember the old cartoon Woody the Woodpecker? I think the woodpecker in that cartoon was based on the pileated woodpecker that we have here at The Lake. This bird is pretty big and looks prehistoric...in my humble opinion. We don't see them too often as they're pretty shy. Mostly, we only know that they're here because you can hear them. I haven't seen one all summer though my Mom and Dad have told me that they've seen them this summer. I got my first sighting this afternoon. Unfortunately, this first sighting...and second...caused me to run out onto my deck to chase Woody away instead of admire him up close and maybe take a photo or two. For some reason (no, I don't have bugs in my deck) Woody decided to attack the railing on my deck this afternoon. I just had that railing stained this summer! Dagnabbitall! Before I could chase him/her away, Woody had managed to remove a one inch sliver of wood from the railing on my deck. Grrrrr!!!!! And then, after chasing him away (something I wouldn't have done if he hadn't been destroying property), he came back and decided to have a go at another stretch of railing. So, I had to run out (in the rain) and chase Woody away yet again. I love pileated woodpeckers but I have a whole forest of trees surrounding my house for him/her to poke holes into, he doesn't need to poke holes into my house.

Rain? Actually, it's not really "raining" outside today. It's misting and drizzling. We received .04 inches of rain last night. My electronic rain gauge hasn't measured any of the misting and drizzle that we've received so far today. I'm not sure if this is because the precipitation is hitting the sensors so lightly or what. Regardless, we've got some rain and maybe I won't have to sprinkler dance for the rest of the month.

I'm dedicating today's Murphyism to MC Daughter and D Buddy who (knock on wood, knock on wood, knock on wood)have finally managed to get their car up and running after having weeks and months of problems with it.

Murphyism of the Day

Campbell's Laws of Automotive Repair

1. If you can get to the faulty part, you don't have the tool to get it off.

2. If you can get the part off, the parts house will have it back-ordered.

3. If it's in stock, it didn't need replacing in the first place.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

-- Charles Mackay

Old Grey Frog Caught a Really Big Bass (This is not a picture of it) - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Conflustered - Describing a situation when one is so confused that they get flustered.

I finished up yesterday's laundry this morning. Well....I still have a load of sheets in the dryer but I don't need to make the bed in the guest room immediately. I'm putting off that chore for tomorrow. Lazy me. Instead, I went out to the garden and picked my beans, ripe tomatoes, ripe cucumbers, and ripe zucchini. I've since snipped and cleaned the beans. I'm thinking of serving them with supper tonight but I may end up making zucchini instead. I suppose I'll just have to wait until supper and go with my mood of the moment.

I've been playing with Outlook Office on my computer. I wanted a calendar. It's taking a bit to figure out what is what. I think I've finally managed to enter all the birthdays and anniversaries into my "calendar". I hate learning new things but I also hate forgetting peoples' birthdays and anniversaries so I'm going to try to learn this something new. This something new is already starting to bug me a bit because things that used to work in Outlook Express, don't work so good in Outlook Office and then I have to figure out how to make it work like Outlook Express...or reasonably the same as Outlook Express. I'm a college graduate. I think I can do this. Maybe.

Murphyism of the Day

Humphries's Law of Bicycling

The shortest route has the steepest hills.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Behind every great fortune there is a crime. -- Honore de Balzac

Happy Birthday HTP! - August 19??

Word of the Day

Confirmative - Describing a meeting or other action used to affirm one's confirmation.


Happy


Birthday



HTP!



It's HTP's birthday today. I made him a full (non-diet) breakfast. I also plan to make him a full (non-diet) dinner. We'll skip the lunch today. I'm going to make a cake in a bit too. I have to wait until the dishwasher repair person fixes our new dishwasher. The dishwasher works but the motor is REALLY noisy. He's replacing the motor. If that doesn't fix the noise, I'm not sure what the next step will be. Replacing the entire dishwasher? We'll see. Other than the noise, I really do like the dishwasher. It's the same dishwasher that we have in Arizona and that dishwasher is so quiet I sometimes don't know that it's running. So? I have no idea why this dishwasher makes so much noise except GE apparently decided to use a different manufacturer for the motor that they put in THIS dishwasher. A cheaper motor. A noisier motor. Thanks GE. I find a dishwasher that I like and then you decide to save money and screw the customer.

Anyway.....



Happy


Birthday



HTP!


Murphyism of the Day

Law of Bicycling

No matter which way you ride, it's uphill and against the wind.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Diplomacy is the art of knowing what not to say.

Matthew Trump

Old Grey Frog and Ms En.- August 17, 2007

Auntie Tee(AKA MC Daughter) and Uncle Davey (AKA #1 Son) with Ms. En - August 18, 2007

Word of the Day

Configurate - To configure.

We're Home! HTP and I decided to head back to The Lake yesterday afternoon after seeing DD Daughter and GI Joe back at their apartment. Although I'm sure it would have been nice to stay longer, I could see that it was time for DD Daughter and GI Joe to have time on their own to settle into parenthood. Little Ms. En looked very content in her swing. Such a cute little baby. DD Daughter and GI Joe promised to bring her to see us here at The Lake sometime before HTP and I have to close up and head back to Arizona in the fall. I know that HTP's Mom is eager to get her arms around Ms. En. Me too.

HTP and I got home at around midnight. The driving weather wasn't the best. Rain was coming down so hard that people were pulling off the road. At least we didn't get any hail. It sounds like #1 Son and MC Daughter (who left Omaha in #1 Son's car about an hour earlier than us) ran into the rain and weren't so lucky. #1 Son's windshield wipers decided to quit. From what I understand, a fuse blew and they had to pull over and replace it. At this point, both #1 Son and MC Daughter were soaked and had to stop at the nearest gas station to change clothes. This will be one of those adventures that they'll remember and talk about in the years to come.

Before HTP and I left on Friday, I noted that all four of my hummingbird feeders were full and so was my one oriole feeder. We weren't gone all that long. They're empty. Sucked dry. I can't believe it. I just cooked up a huge batch of hummingbird nectar and will refill the feeders as soon as it cools.

I also noted that we got almost an inch of rain here at The Lake while we were gone. Now I don't feel so bad about that unfinished part of the sprinkler dance. Everything is plenty wet. It's still overcast today. Dreary. I'm not complaining. Maybe by the end of the week my kids will be able to have their fireworks display after all.

Murphyism of the Day

Jean's Law of Automotives

Any car utilized as a "backup" car breaks down just after the primary car breaks down.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Television news is like a lightning flash. It makes a loud noise, lights up everything around it, leaves everything else in darkness and then is suddenly gone.

-- Hodding Carter

Welcome Ms. En

DD Daughter introduced us to our first Grandbaby at around 5:30 PM. Ms. En. She's a beautiful baby. By the time HTP and I arrived at the hospital, Ms. En was already enjoying cuddling up to her Mama. We'll be getting to know her a bit better tomorrow and Sunday. I suspect that there will be a few more pictures taken in the coming days. The flashing of all the cameras didn't seem to bother her.

No Blogs for a little bit. My Grand-daughter is eager to meet the world. HTP and I are going to be heading off to greet her. I'll blog when I get back to The Lake.

Word of the Day

Condimentize - The act of applying any form of condiment to a food product.

All my bags are packed and I'm ready to go....but....our Grand-daughter-to-be has decided that she's happy where she is for right now and is content to remain until further notice. I'm keeping my bags packed but it looks like we'll just have to be patient a bit longer. If Ms. En decides to come earlier than that, I'm already packed.

We had dinner at Sis' place last night and watched a DVD afterwards. Night at the Museum. Willie's girls had seen it before but decided that they liked it so much that they wanted to see it again. Third time for me, but I didn't mind seeing it for the first time through my parents' eyes and Sis' eyes. However, it sure is hard not to start laughing before the punchline when you've seen a movie before.

Plans for the day include sprinkler dancing. The bountiful rain of the other day missed us yet again. We received a total of 1/8 inch of rain. I've warned my children that we can't have any bonfires or fireworks with the woods as dry as it is right now. Aside from sprinkler dancing, I think Sis, Willie, and I plan to go out fishing. Our goal is to get enough bluegill to make smoked fish. We all love smoked bluegill.

Murphyism of the Day

Grown Child's Lament

Mother said there would be days like this, but she never said there would be so many.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

We have been taught to believe that negative equals realistic and positive equals unrealistic. -- Susan Jeffers

DD Daughter - June 2007

Word of the Day

Concretenate - To transmute into concrete.

Hey Mikey! HTP liked the Cheesy Eggplant dish that I made for supper last night. I've got two more eggplant that need using. They'll have to wait a bit longer to be used in my next experiment. I've got a roast that's thawed and I'm craving meat. But not tonight... Tonight we're going over to my sister's place for a family get-together. Willie and his family are here for the week. It isn't too often that we have an opportunity to gather as a family. Such opportunities are cherished.

Fruit of the Vine. Sis and I racked our wine experiments today. We combined the two batches of rhubarb wine into one big batch. We added more sugar to the batch of gooseberry wine and decided that next year we're going to try using fully ripe gooseberries....though we both agreed that the gooseberry wine is going to be excellent as is. We also added sugar to the currant wine. We'll leave things as is and rack and bottle at the end of September or the beginning of October.

******

Just got a call from DD Daughter. I may not be blogging for a bit. HTP and I are waiting for further word but it looks like we might be heading off tomorrow morning to meet our first Grand-daughter.

Murphyism of the Day

Barbara's Law

Never say "wow" with food in your mouth.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

My personal hobbies are reading, listening to music, and silence.

--Edith Sitwell

Hungry Hummingbirds - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Concoctuous - Behaving immaturely or foolishly. Also: concoctuously

I found homes for five of my eggplant. That left me with only four. Nine minus five equals four. I salted down two eggplant last night and am making a recipe that I found on the Internet called Cheesy Eggplant. It sounds a bit like Eggplant Parmesan only healthier. I'll keep you posted. I'm afraid that HTP isn't going to like it too much. No meat. Plus...it has a whole bag of fresh spinach in it. Healthy. We're going to have a meatless meal. Maybe I should throw some meat into our side salad.

I did the laundry today. But first, I had to clean up the mess in the laundry room. Someone moved the dehumidifier. In and of itself, that wouldn't have been a bad thing. Only....the hose that was supposed to be in the sink so that water sucked from the air would drain into said sink, wasn't in the sink anymore. It was laying on top of the counter. I had water all over the counter and soaked into the rug on the floor. Oh well...that's what towels are for. I fixed it. Only, the boxes that hold the battery re-chargers that HTP keeps on that same counter...they got kind of wet.

Between the hummingbirds and the orioles, I've been going through a lot of sugar this summer. I no sooner fill one feeder than I have to refill two more. I just noted that the oriole feeder is empty again. *sigh* My father tells me that he's experiencing the same population explosion at his place. Only one more month of this. I'm told that I should bring my feeders in after Labor Day.

Murphyism of the Day

Isaac's Strange Rule of Staleness

Any food that starts out hard will soften when stale. Any food that starts out soft will harden when stale.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee -- that will do them in. -- Bradley's Bromide

Wood Duck Family as Viewed from Our Dock - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Conastrous - Having the nature of a conaster (see Word of the Day from yesterday's blog), causing great relief. Antonym to disastrous.

It's a beautiful day today. They're predicting rain for tonight so I'm going to put off my sprinkler dance for a while. Actually, this is due to pure laziness rather than my actual belief that we might get some rain. Since I just picked everything that I plan to pick from my garden for the day, I'll probably water the garden. Watering the garden doesn't come under the definition of sprinkler dancing.

I picked a handful of beans but it looks like more will be coming later this week and next. I've got blossoms and I don't see any evidence of rodent nibbling, except for that one green tomato which looks like something was gnawing on it. I also picked some mutant cucumbers and dug up some of the onions to make cucumber salad. And then I picked the Italian peppers. I'm going to fry them up with some onion. Eat some...freeze some. I picked the ripe tomatoes. I'll probably have to start thinking of canning them. Aside from that, I picked nine eggplant from my Earthboxes. I'll probably see if I can gift some to my Mom and my sister. I have no idea what I'm going to do with so many eggplant despite the recipes that I've found online. I've got more eggplant coming. Plenty to make my Italian Green Tomato and Eggplant Pickles this fall.

I'd hoped to go out hiking this afternoon. I may still find the energy. It's starting to get a bit humid outside but nothing like last week.

Murphyism of the Day

Langfield's Law of Gastronomy

The discovery of a new dish is more beneficial to humanity than the discovery of a new star.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is "thank you," that would suffice. -- Meister Eckhart

Frogs in My Viola Garden - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Conaster - With star, antonym to disaster. The fortunate outcome of an almost imminent disaster; the sensation of a catastrophe narrowly averted and later remembered from the vantage point of safety.

HTP and I took #1 Son out to eat for breakfast. Another opportunity to over-indulge on calories. To make up for all the caloric intake, HTP and I are skipping lunch and supper. After our Sunday brunch, we wore off a few calories when we took #1 Son shopping for some new clothes. He mentioned that all his socks are getting holey and that he really didn't have more than a couple of outfits that were appropriate for his job. JC Penney's was having a really good sale (Back to School Sale), so we took advantage of it. The sale was so good that beside the jeans, pants, shirts, etc. that we got for #1 Son, I bought three new pairs of jeans for me. Men's jeans.

Men's jeans? I've given up on buying women's jeans. I have a really long waist-line. Combined with a really long inseam, I have a hard time finding jeans that actually fit AND that I can afford. Today, I actually found three pair of jeans and I paid less than half of what it would have cost me to buy one pair of the women's jeans that fit me. I'm tired of all these low-rise jeans! I hate these styles. When you're as long-waisted as I am, low-rise jeans end up REALLY low. And then, I get to choose between three lengths. Petite, Average, and Tall. Petite...well...forget it. I stopped being petite in the fourth grade. Average is too short before I wash them. Tall? My legs aren't THAT long. I've already told you how phobic I am around sewing machines and jeans are kind of hard to hem by hand. When I did finally find some women's jeans that fit me, they ended up costing anywhere from $75 - $100...or more. Plus, these women's jeans just aren't designed to last all that long...at least...not the kind of punishment that I tend to put them through. So? I finally gave up today and bought three pairs of men's jeans. Levi's. 501 & 517 . It took me a while to figure out the sizing but the lady who was guarding the women's fitting room didn't seem to mind me trying on all those jeans today. I knew my approximate size but I wasn't too sure of the inseam thing. 30" was too short. I went up to a 31" but that still wasn't quite right. 32" was just right. Even pre-shrunk jeans tend to shrink a bit...or is that shrinkage thing another women's jeans problem?

But you want to know another nice thing? Once I did finally figure out my size, the jeans all fit consistently. I think it's because men never like to try anything on. They enter the store of their choosing. They go directly to any rack in the men's department. They grab their size and they're out of there. Bam! And me? When I finally figured out the sizing, I was able to grab my size off the rack and check out. Outta there. Bam! Woohoo! Love it. Oh...and the zippers are heavier duty on men's jeans than women's jeans too. Bonus. Another bonus? No more hemming. Men's jeans come in an incredible variety of inseam lengths. I guess men have sewing machine phobias too.

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Tenth Law of Food

Coupons always expire before you have a chance to use them.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Life is a foreign language; all men mispronounce it. -- Christopher Morley

#1 Son on his 21st Birthday - May 2007

Word of the Day

Compulsive slowpokyist - Any person who, while driving or walking, perhaps on a highway or in a mall, hurries up to get in front of others, but then travels really slow.

Oh, my aching back. I've been bowling. And then, not satisfied to stop there, I played tennis. And then, I decided to play baseball! I'm pooped.

#1 Son brought home his Wii game and we've been having fun. I'm done in. Of course, I threw myself into the games.

I'm glad that I did the sprinkler dance yesterday. We did get some rain last night but .12 inches of rain is not nearly enough. We are supposed to get more rain tonight but....I doubt it. I'll probably have to resume my sprinkler dance tomorrow.

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Nineth Law of Food

Every item in the store will be on sale, except the items that you want.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm. -- Dorothy Parker

HTP, MC Daughter, and DD Daughter - June 2007


Word of the Day

Compulsive away disorder - A deficiency affecting those obsessed with constantly reading away messages on one's favorite instant messenger service.

It's hot outside. Granted that my thermometer on the back deck always reads hotter than the one in the front of the house. Although the sensor is actually facing north, it gets the reflection of the windows and the deck is on the south side of the house. Having said all that, my deck temperature reads 102°F right now. Hot! I made the mistake one time of walking out on that deck with bare feet when it was almost that hot. I don't do that anymore. The temperature on the north side of the house in the shade is 86°F. Humidity? Oh, yea! It's humid outside. Are we going to get any rain? Maybe. Probably not. I'm doing the sprinkler/rain dance. We'll have to see. We really need the rain.

I cleaned the blackberries last night. Crushed, my blackberries measured 4 cups. I froze them. I'm not sure as yet what I plan to do with them. Jam? We'll see. I had hoped to get more blackberries so my sister and I could make some blackberry wine next spring. Sis and I will have to go berry picking again next week to see if we can get enough.

In the meantime, I caught another mouse in my garden, so.....

Five Chipmunks and Two Cute Little Teeny Tiny Brown Mice Have Been Deported to Doolittle Park and One Bunny Has Been Deported to the Next County

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Eighth Law of Food

If you make a list, the store will be out of the most important item.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Believe in life! Always human beings will live and progress to greater, broader and fuller life. -- W. E. B. Du Bois

Old Grey on the Logging Road - Summer 2002 (Not much has changed...even the outfit)

Word of the Day

Communification - The beautification of communication. To make communicating effective, pleasurable, and easy.

I promised myself that it was time to crack down, tighten my belt, put my foot down, and crack the whip when it comes to HTP and my diets. *sigh* After two days, I've already fallen off the diet wagon. I'd started out so good too. After a single serving of pancakes for breakfast (150 calories...200 if you count the margarine and sugarfree syrup), I checked the outside temperature and despite the meager amount of rain that we got that I knew would make the logging road just wet enough to make hiking unpleasant, despite the high humidity, I donned my hat, grabbed my berry bucket and hit the trail. I walked to the main highway and then back to the logging road and then followed the logging road to my folks' place. I'm not sure how many miles we're talking about but the hike to the main road is exactly 1/2 mile. The logging road? I have no idea. Two miles? Maybe more? I've never measured it. I have measured our driveway.

I picked what berries that I could find on my hike. The blackberries are still ripening. Some...are just gone. It actually looks like someone picked them. You could see where they were supposed to be but they were just gone. Oh well...I did get about two quarts of blackberries which I laid out on a flat pan after HTP brought me back home. What?! You thought I might have actually hiked back? NO WAY! I'm just happy my knees didn't act up on me.

At least...they didn't act up on me until HTP and I got done shopping. Shopping? HTP picked me up at my folks' place and was planning on taking me directly to the city to do some shopping. Do I need to tell you what I looked like after hiking in wet woods, along an old abandoned logging road for a couple of hours? My jeans were wet all the way up to my knees. Sweat? By the time I reached the 2/3 mark, I stopped calling the stuff that was dripping into my eyes the acceptable and lady-like "glow". Nope...I was sweating. And with the humidity as high as it was, my shirt and all my unmentionables were soaked. My canvas shoes were soaked. If I'd worn my hiking boots, my socks wouldn't have been soaked as well. In short, there was no way that I was going into the city looking like I was looking. HTP brought me back home and I changed...then we went into the city.

Of course, by this time, I was starving! It was around 1:30 PM. I should have insisted that we eat a small lunch before we left to go on our shopping trip. My will-power was low. We stopped and ate broasted chicken wings at Nancy's. Yummy broasted chicken wings....and a broasted potato. I only ate 3 1/2 chicken wings...does that redeem me? I ate the whole broasted potato. OK. I'm not going to eat supper, so maybe things aren't too off track. I'll do better tomorrow. I think I can resist the ice cream that we bought at the store if I drink a whole glass of iced tea. Actually, I'm still full from lunch and bedtime is in two hours.

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Seventh Law of Food

If you don't make a list, you will forget the most important item.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Here's a message to the new borns, waiting to breathe: if you believe then you can achieve. Just look at me, against all odds 'though life is hard, we carry on, livin' in the projects, broke with no lights on. To all the seeds that follow me- protect your essence, born with less, but you still precious. -- Tupac Amaru Shaku

Word of the Day

Commucapitalist - A political affiliation that crosses between a communist and a capitalist ideal. It is often used in describing the current state of Chinese society.

My finger is still sore but it's better. My hand is still somewhat swollen. There is no way that I could have removed my ring. It becomes more than apparent that I'm not a good hunt and peck typist. I kept getting antihistamine cream all over my keyboard.

I went over to my folks' place this morning. They were cleaning out their garage and wanted to know if my sister or I wanted any of the stuff they had set out for donation before they took it to St. Vincent's. I took some stuff for MC Daughter and D Buddy along with some stuff for me...or #1 Son. MC Daughter is going to need some more paint stripper. I saved a couple of chairs for her that match a child chair down in my basement...only these are adult chairs. They belonged to MC Daughter's Great-Grandma D.

I'd really like to go out blackberry picking again but I think I'll wait until my finger feels better.

I picked my first eggplant. Since it looks like I'm going to have LOTS of eggplant this year, I printed out LOTS of recipes. I'm waffling between making Mediterranean Chicken with Eggplant or Ziti and Eggplant or Eggplant Chips or Tater-Dipped Eggplant. I hate making decisions! They all sound great!

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Sixth Law of Food

Ovens either overcook or undercook. Microwave ovens overcook and undercook at the same time.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves.

-- Albert Einstein

Blog! That's it until my finger gets better. Stupid wasp! Never go out berry picking in the evening. If I'd seen the dang stupid wasp....I didn't and I'll be hunting and pecking with my right hand, trying to avoid touching the pad of my swollen ring finger to anything until it stops throbbing. Working the mouse is a bit of a challenge too.

Goodbye, Mr Chips! - Summer 2007


Word of the Day

Comfordable - That which is not only affordable but comfy as well.

Sprinkler Dancing. I should have been out there yesterday to water the lawn and the flower beds but I'm out there today. I tried to rig up the timer to the Earthboxes but found out that the length of hose that I bought from Walmart isn't going to work. Try as I could, I couldn't attach the hose to the hosebib. On closer inspection, I could see why it wasn't working. Somehow, the hose that I bought at Walmart had a dent in the male end of the hose. The dent was just big enough to prohibit me from using it. I dug out the receipt and will return it but now I can't have my Earthboxes on a timer...at least until I find another piece of hose. I think I've figured something out but it'll have to wait until I'm done with my sprinkler dancing today. I'll have to "borrow" the hose that I'm using for my sprinkler dance...temporarily...until I can get to the city to buy another bit of hose. My Earthboxes need to be watered every single day now. It must be because of all the developing fruit. I plan to set the timer so that it'll water the boxes for two minutes, once a day, every day. When I'm here, I can water the Earthboxes myself. I'm not going to be here.

I caught another chipmunk so.....

Five Chipmunks and One Cute Little Teeny Tiny Brown Mouse Have Been Deported to Doolittle Park and One Bunny Has Been Deported to the Next County

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Fifth Law of Food

Substitutions never taste right.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I have a right to my anger, and I don't want anybody telling me I shouldn't be, that it's not nice to be, and that something's wrong with me because I get angry.

-- Maxine Waters

Night Frog - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Comatoasty - Describing something in a lethargic or unconscious state of mind brought on by an large amounts of warmth. Often, this state is intensified by the use of blankets or by enjoying a large fire.

Nothing new to report. MC Daughter and D Buddy loaded more of their stuff from my basement into their truck and headed back to The Big City. Me? I should have watered the lawn and the garden again. I won $5 from MC Daughter because she bet me that it was going to rain. It didn't. I'd rather have not won that $5. Tomorrow it's back to dancing with sprinklers as soon as I can get myself moving.

I made another gallon of hummingbird nectar tonight. Two of my feeders need to be filled...again. Swarms of hummingbirds have been buzzing my deck and draining my hummingbird feeders. They're even chasing away the other kinds of birds whose only sin is to want to eat from the seed feeders. Hummingbirds can be mean. I think a couple of them were trying to scare me off the deck when I grilled burgers tonight. I may be driven from my deck by wasps and bees and the occasional attack from mosquitoes but until hummingbirds decide to drink human blood, they just aren't going to scare me off my deck. I find their antics endlessly fascinating.

My only other activities of the day were to chase a toad off my driveway before Muggsy would decide to eat it and get sick...and I had to speak sharply to her when she decided to check out a tree frog that was sitting by my front step. Don't ask me why I seem to get nightly visits from tree frogs...I have no concrete idea. MC Daughter thinks it might be because of my frog collections. I'm more of the opinion that they're after the moths that are attracted to our lights. Even though tree frogs aren't poisonous like toads, I refuse to let my dog eat them. Ewwww!!!!!

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Fourth Law of Food

Every recipe includes one ingredient that you do not have in your kitchen.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Shared laughter creates a bond of friendships. When people laugh together, they cease to be young and old, teacher and pupils, worker and boss. They become a single group of human beings. -- W. Lee Grant

MC Daughter and D Buddy - April 2007

Word of the Day

Comedicide - a. The telling of a terrible joke which incorporates elements of a recently told good joke, or example of wit. b. The retelling of a good joke, where the comedy of the joke is completely lost in the retelling. c. The repetition of a comedic line, situation, or word until it has lost all meaning or humor.

MC Daughter and D Buddy are here today. MC Daughter is going to make homemade pizza tonight for supper. We're going to have pizza and beer and watch a movie tonight. I get to sit back and relax. Love it.

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Third Law of Food

If you can afford it, it's out of season.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Competence, like truth, beauty and contact lenses, is in the eye of the beholder.

-- Laurence J. Peter

Bird Feeder Raider Still at Large - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Comatext - Text that pleases the person who wrote it, but puts the reader into a coma.

I went berry picking this morning before breakfast. I've never seen so many mummified berries in my life. I mentioned that we'd have a bumper berry crop this year if we got some rain. We didn't get any rain. The berries are ripe but it was like picking raisins on the vine...not that I've ever actually picked raisins on the vine but if I had... The wasps are busy sucking whatever moisture they can out of any berry that may at one time have had any. I've never seen it so dry up here at The Lake. I did manage to get a couple of quarts of blackberries but I'm not sure it was worth the effort.

I'm having to water my Earthboxes on a daily basis now. I have a timer which I can hook up to my hosebib but I haven't figured out how to rig it to the Earthboxes as yet. I'll have to see what I have out in the garage. I think I should have a bit more hose out there somewhere. My windowboxes on the deck were almost screaming for water today and my vegetable garden which I watered two days ago is dust dry. I guess I'll have to hook a timer onto that hosebib too. We don't have water restrictions here at The Lake since we have our own well.

In the meantime, I'm watering the lawn every other day. I hope it's enough to keep the grass alive but I'm not going to curl up and die if the grass goes brown on me. Grass goes brown here in Wisconsin in the summer. It'll come back just fine next spring. As I was dragging around the hose for my sprinkler dance yesterday, I almost tripped on a ground wasp nest. Angry wasps swarmed out of that little hole like something in a B horror flick. Attack of the Killer Bees. Thankfully, I ducked out of there before I got stung. However, I did have to laugh as the angry wasps attacked my tractor sprinkler over and over again. It was a useless attack as the tractor sprinkler chugged slowly and resolutely over their nest. Last night I went back outside with some Raid spray...after the wasps were a bit less active for the night. I haven't seen any activity today in the ground wasp hive. I hate wasps! I hate sneaky ground wasps more! HTP pointed out that the guy that mows our lawn didn't mention the nest when he came. I wonder if he got stung or if his riding lawn mower protected him?

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Second Law of Food

If it isn't bad for you, you can't afford it.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Language is the source of misunderstandings. -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

DD Daughter and GI Joe - June 16, 2007

Word of the Day

Coinophony - Annoying pocket concerts that people make when they jingle keys and loose change around.

The following article was pulled off the internet. The bridge collapsed last night at around dinner time.

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, Associated Press Writers

MINNEAPOLIS - Divers checked submerged cars in the Mississippi River Thursday for a count of victims still trapped beneath the twisted steel and concrete slabs of a collapsed bridge. As many as 30 people were reported missing as the rescue effort shifted to recovery.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty also ordered an immediate inspection of all bridges in the state with similar designs.
The official death count from Wednesday evening's collapse stood at four Thursday morning, but Police Chief Tim Dolan said more bodies were in the water. Hospitals officials said 79 others were injured.

"We have a number of vehicles that are underneath big pieces of concrete, and we do know we have some people in those vehicles," Dolan said, though he said he did not have a number. "We know we do have more casualties at the scene."

The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of repairs when the bridge buckled during the evening rush hour Wednesday. Dozens of cars plummeted more than 60 feet into the Mississippi River, some falling on top one of another. A school bus sat on the angled concrete.

In the river, divers were checking for bodies and taking down license plate numbers for authorities to track down the vehicles' owners. Getting the vehicles out was expected to take several days and involve moving around very large, heavy pieces of bridge.

"The bridge is still shifting," Dolan said. "We're dealing with the Mississippi River. We're dealing with currents. We're going to have to do it slowly and safely."

He said police estimate that 20 to 30 people were unaccounted for, though he stressed that it was just an estimate.

At Hennepin County Medical Center, patients had arrived in a steady stream after the collapse, some unconscious or moaning, some barely breathing, others with serious head and back injuries, Dr. William Heegaard said.

"There was blood everywhere," he said.

Relatives who couldn't find their loved ones at hospitals gathered in a hotel ballroom Thursday morning for any news, hoping for the best.

Ronald Engebresten, 57, was searching for his wife, Sherry. His daughter last heard from her when she left work in downtown Minneapolis Wednesday. Her cell phone has picked up with voice mail ever since.

"We are left with the hope that there is a Jane Doe in a hospital somewhere that's her," Engebretsen said.

"I've never wanted to see my brother so much in my life," said Kristi Foster, who went to an information center set up at a Holiday Inn looking for her brother Kirk. She hadn't had contact with her brother or his girlfriend, Krystle Webb, since the previous night.

Authorities initially said at least seven people had died, but Police Lt. Amelia Huffman lowered that number Thursday morning, saying, "The medical examiner's office only has four sets of remains." She said the initial reports were based on the best estimates authorities had.

As many as 50 vehicles tumbled into the river when the bridge collapsed, leaving those who could escape to scramble to shore. Some survivors carried the injured up the riverbank, while emergency workers tended to others on the ground and some jumped into the water to look for survivors. Fire and black smoke rose from the wreckage.

The Homeland Security Department said the collapse did not appear to be terrorism-related, but Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek said Thursday that the cause was still unknown.

"All indications are that it was a collapse, not an act of someone doing it," Stanek said.

The first step of the federal investigation will be to recover pieces of the bridge and reassemble them, kind of like a jigsaw puzzle, to try and determine what happened, NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said.

Investigators also want to review video of the collapse, and were setting up a phone number for witnesses to call with information.

"It is clearly much too early in the initial stages of this investigation to have any idea what happened," Rosenker said.

The bridge was crowded with traffic, and a train had been passing beneath the roadway at the time it fell.

As the divers worked their way around at least a dozen submerged vehicles, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced a $5 million grant to help pay for rerouting traffic patterns around the disaster site.

"We fully understand what happened and we will take every step possible to ensure something like this will not happen again," Peters said.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said up to $100 million in federal funds will also be available for rebuilding and recovery.

"A bridge in America just shouldn't fall down," Klobuchar said. "That's why we have called for this investigation."

In 2005, the 40-year-old bridge had been rated as "structurally deficient" and possibly in need of replacement, according to a federal database. The span rated 50 on a scale of 120 for structural stability in that review, White House press secretary Tony Snow said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's inspector general last year criticized the Federal Highway Administration's oversight of interstate bridges, saying investigators found incorrect or outdated maximum weight limit calculations and weight limit postings in the National Bridge Inventory and in states' bridge databases.

Incorrect load ratings could endanger bridges by allowing heavier vehicles to cross than should be allowed, the inspector general said. The audit didn't identify any Minnesota bridges beyond noting that 3 percent of the state's bridges were structurally deficient, placing it at the low end among states.

Pawlenty said Thursday that there was no indication from that and other reviews that the bridge should be shut down. Peters added that "none of those ratings indicated there was any kind of danger."

This week, road crews had been working on the bridge's joints, guardrails and lights, with lane closures overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday. In 2001, the bridge had been fitted with a computerized anti-icing system that sprayed chemicals on the surface during winter weather, according to documents posted on the Minnesota Department of Transportation's Web site.

Wednesday evening, 18 construction workers were on the bridge when it collapsed, said Tom Sloan, head of the bridge division for Progressive Contractors Inc., in St. Michael.

The crew was placing concrete finish on the bridge for what he called a routine resurfacing project. "It was the final item on this phase of the project. Suddenly the bridge gave way," he said.

"They said they basically rode the bridge down to the water. They were sliding into cars and cars were sliding into them," he said. One of the workers was unaccounted for, he said.

The school bus had just crossed the bridge when the entire span of Interstate 35W crumpled into the river below. The bus stayed on concrete, and the children were able to escape unharmed out the back door.

Christine Swift's 10-year-old daughter, Kaleigh, was on the bus, returning from a field trip to Bunker Hills in Blaine. She said her daughter called her about 6:10 p.m.

"She was screaming, 'The bridge collapsed,'" Swift said. All the kids got off the bus safely, but about 10 of the children were injured, officials said.

The collapsed bridge is just blocks from the heart of Minneapolis, near tourist attractions like the new Guthrie Theater and the Stone Arch Bridge. As the steamy night progressed massive crowds of onlookers circulated in the area on foot or bicycle, some of them wearing Twins T-shirts and caps after departing Wednesday night's game at the nearby Metrodome early.

Thursday's game between the Twins and Kansas City Royals was called off, but the Twins decided to go ahead with Wednesday's rather than sending about 25,000 fans back out onto the congested highways. Inside the stadium, there was a moment of silence to honor victims.

The steel-arched bridge, built in 1967, rose 64 feet above the river and stretched 1,900 feet across the water. It was built with a single 458-foot-long steel arch to avoid the need for piers that might interfere with river navigation.

The river's depth at the bridge was not immediately available, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains a channel depth of at least 9 feet in the Upper Mississippi to allow for barge traffic.

* I copied and pasted the above article because sometimes my links disappear which isn't too surprising after a couple of years. Anyway, the only way I figure that I can keep a link is to copy and paste.

The Big City suffered a major catastrophe last night. I was just getting supper ready when the News Alert grabbed my attention. A major bridge, not five blocks from my son's new apartment collapsed. This is a bridge that everyone in the family has spent lots of time on. I'm pretty sure that HTP was on that very bridge last week when he helped #1 Son get his new bed. My first thought was to call #1 Son to make sure that he was OK. #1 Son was fine. He'd been packing and getting ready to take a last load of stuff to the new apartment but hadn't started out as yet. Then, I called MC Daughter and got no response. I decided not to worry too much because MC Daughter and D Buddy don't live anywhere near that bridge and I couldn't think of a reason why they'd be there. But reasoning things out in my head didn't stop the worry. Thankfully, my reasoning was right on target. Then DD Daughter called and wanted to find out if everyone was OK because she couldn't get a hold of #1 Son. I told her that #1 Son was fine but that I couldn't reach MC Daughter and D Buddy. Then...after talking to DD Daughter, MC Daughter called me in a panic because she couldn't reach #1 Son and she was worried because his new apartment is so close to the bridge and she knew that he was going to be moving a load of stuff over there yesterday after work. I told her #1 Son was fine and then I e-mailed DD Daughter and told her that MC Daughter had checked in and was OK.

Having our children check in relieved my worry to some extent but then I started worrying about other family members. My brother and his wife and family. My nephew and his wife. My Aunt and Uncle. My cousin and his family. HTP's sister and family. HTP's brother and his family. Most of HTP and my family live in The Big City. We have friends who live there too. Gradually people have been checking in to tell us that they're OK. With each check-in, the worry lessens.

In the meantime, while I worry, life goes on. HTP and I are planning to head off to see DD Daughter and GI Joe as soon as we get word that DD Daughter is on her way to the hospital to give birth to our first grand-daughter...Miss N. In order to just hop in the car with no worries, I've arranged for my folks to look after our little dog Muggsy. HTP, is researching hotel possibilities. Even though we may not hear anything until next week sometime, it's best to be prepared.

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's First Law of Food

Everything you enjoy is bad for you.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It's hard to take over the world when you sleep 20 hours a day.

-- Darby Conley

Hummingbirds at Dusk - Summer 2007

Word of the Day

Coffeecan - A crumby car that has a loud exhaust. Often one will find ground rust particles falling off of the vehicle.

One of my sprinklers bit the dust yesterday. HTP looked up from his computer for a minute and, looking outside, asked me if I meant for our oscillating sprinkler to stop oscillating and drown the flower bed by the front of our house with a constant and steady spray of water. There was no fixing it. Only, that left me with only one sprinkler to partner me in my sprinkler dance. HTP tackled the task of researching every oscillating sprinkler that is available to home gardeners and....drum roll please...we found one that is kinda sorta like the one that died. And then, HTP saw that the tractor sprinkler like the one that I'd always loved and we ended up giving to my folks when we moved to Arizona and they ended up giving to my brother Willie, was on sale at one of the hardware stores in the city. HTP hated that tractor sprinkler. He claimed that it always ended up jumping off the track and heading into the neighbor's yard. He told me that there was no way, no how that we'd ever get one of those evil tractor sprinklers again. At least, that's what he's been telling me for the last few years...every time I start my sprinkler dance and I ask if I can get a tractor sprinkler. So imagine my shock when HTP actually told me that the tractor sprinkler was on sale and maybe we should get one. Not wanting to waste a minute of this golden opportunity for getting the object of my sprinkler dance desires, I grabbed my purse and HTP and I headed to the city to get a tractor sprinkler before HTP changed his mind. And? I got another oscillating sprinkler to replace the one that bit the dust. As soon as we got home, I set up the tractor sprinkler and put it work, finishing up on the sprinkler dance that I'd been working at all day. It never skipped the track (hose), not even once. Of course, even if it did, my nearest neighbor is miles away and shouldn't really care all that much. It works great. Of course, there are areas where it won't work and I maybe need to get a longer hose but I think it'll make my sprinkler dance a lot easier.

I haven't caught any more chipmunks or bunnies or mice in my traps....yet. I'll keep you posted. I did, however, pick some more beans and the first of my cucumbers. Yesterday, I was shocked to find that I have 20 eggplant "fruit?", various sizes, on my four little eggplant that are growing in my two Earthboxes on the deck. What am I going to do with all that eggplant?! From what I'm seeing, I'll be harvesting my first eggplant "fruit" in another week or so.

Murphyism of the Day

Berkshire's Law of Household Budgeting

Just after you've made both ends meet, someone moves the ends.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater. -- Albert Einstein