What's a Juneberry Tree ? - May 2008

Word of the Day

Hobnoblin - An obnoxious or mischievous, and overly familiar acquaintance.

Woodtick Count - 11

The above count reminds me that Gypsy really could use a bath and I should Frontline her after she's all dried off. So far the Frontline has kept her tick free. Although, considering the amount of woods walking and kicking around in the dead leaves and hauling and stacking logs that I've done this spring, I'm totally amazed that I haven't had even one woodtick that has done more than walk on me. No nibbles or bites....yet. Maybe Gypsy's Frontline is working on me too?

HTP and I finally got the boat launched yesterday! You need the boat to get the dock installed properly and you need a dock to tether the boat to when you're done using the boat. So, HTP and I got the dock installed. I need to charge up the battery for the drill. We've got a couple of loose dock boards. I have visions of someone stepping on the edge of one of those boards, having it swoop up and hit them in the noggin and then have that someone fall into the lake. Dangerous and at the least...rather embarrassing.

HTP assured me that he could haul away the remainder of the oak logs that That Tree Guy cut up for us. He assured me that he could do this by himself. I didn't argue. Instead, I found an indoor task that wouldn't require any of the same muscle groups that I'd been using for the last few day. I made croutons.

I sat on the dock after supper last night and enjoyed a nice glass of wine with Gypsy at my feet. Of course, I had to carry her out onto the dock. I don't think she likes the dock. All that water and THE BOAT. THE BOAT LIVES! IT KEEPS MOVING! I thought Gypsy was going to skitter off the dock backwards as she tried to avoid THE BOAT. I've finally decided that she thinks it's a huge living monster that I've got leashed to the dock. Three leashes. Must be some mean monster to require three thick rope leashes to keep it under control. I'm sure that she just needs to get used to it. Lots of things tend to freak her out here at The Lake. She's a desert dog. Dry leaves, twigs, blackberry bushes that reach out and grab you, all these things are new experiences for her. I'll have to keep an eye on her when the frogs and toads start emerging from hibernation. She was already overly curious about the newly hatched baby painted turtles that were crossing the concrete driveway by our house. I shudder to think about what kind of trouble Gypsy could find herself in with one of the big snapping turtles we see each spring?

I may or may not go into town and buy some bait so I can go fishing today off the dock. I may or may not start spreading the bark chips in my flower borders. I may or may not decide to hike up the road to pick more dandelions so I can start a batch of dandelion wine. #1 Son may or may not be coming up to The Lake today. So many variables. If I knew for sure that #1 Son was coming today, I'd thaw out some bratwurst for supper....or....maybe I will get that bait and see if I can catch some fish for supper.

Murphyism of the Day

Brown's Rules of Leadership

1. To succeed in politics, it is often necessary to rise above your principles.

2. The best way to succeed in politics is to find a crowd that's going somewhere and get in front of them.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Money can't buy friends, but it can get you a better class of enemy.

- Spike Milligan