Word of the Day

Scandroid - 1. One of many striped price codes that mysteriously began appearing on consumer products back in the 1990's. 2. The drones that work long hours in the checkout lines scanning the items people buy.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 42

I managed to pick my raspberries despite the lingering wet from last night's drizzle. I prepped 2 1/2 cups of raspberries for my next batch of raspberry jelly. I was going to pick my blueberries but...

We decided to make another trip into the city....unplanned. Dad had a minor incident with a platform rocker. To be on the safe side, we took him into an urgent care facility. He's fine. Everyone admired how photogenic Dad is...especially the guy who took Dad's x-rays.

We're getting more rain. I'll pick the blueberries tomorrow...if things dry off. Sis called to ask me if I was satisfied now that we got more than an inch of rain in less than fifteen minutes. I told her that "WE" (those of us who live on the north side of the lake) only got 0.28 inches of rain in fifteen minutes. Everyone knows that the south side of the lake gets more rain than the north side of the lake....however, it's still raining.

Murphyism of the Day

Henderson's Law

The less you say, the less you have to retract.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Vigorous let us be in attaining our ends, and mild in our method of attainment.

- Lord Newborough

Sis Decided to Stay Home Today

Word of the Day

Scadink - The annoying build-up of ink on the end of a ball-point pen.

How did I spend my day? Let me count the ways.

I got up later than normal which put me in a totally crappy mood because I never got my alone time. I need my alone time. I need the total peace and quiet for that single cherished hour before HTP gets up and I need to make breakfast. Have you ever noticed how much your spouse talks when you haven't had time to enjoy your alone time? I was totally awed and amazed. Plus, my whole schedule was screwed up after that.

I hate having my routine messed with....even if it is my own fault. I didn't even get Gypsy's food heated up before HTP was asking, "Are we ready for breakfast?" Crap! I hadn't even had a chance to take my first sip of tea! Now I've got to make breakfast and I haven't even fed the dog yet? Total crappy start of the day. And...top it off, HTP is getting on my last nerve and he can't figure out why. Why? He got up too early and I got up too late. That's why. That's all it takes. That doesn't say much about me and my sweet perfection but...here's a news flash...I'm not perfect.

OK. That was One. Number Two. I washed my hair and styled it (after breakfast and after I watered the plants on the deck) because...well...I needed to wash my hair and you can't just wash your hair and not style it unless you're going to cover it up with a scarf or a hat and since I planned to spend the day with my folks in the city...I wasn't going to wear a scarf or a hat.

Number Three. I dropped off some jelly and a hunk of sausage at Sis' place. Sis wanted to try the currant jelly and the raspberry jelly that I'd made on Monday. She also wanted to try out the meat slicer that she and her daughter-in-law purchased at the thrift store. It works...but I get ahead of myself.

Number Four. Four kinda morphed into Four and Five and Six. I picked up my folks to take them into the city. Dad had to stop and get his hearing aide fixed and he had an eye appointment. However, I needed to stop to return something at Walmart. Then...we decided, since it was only 1 PM at this point, and Dad's appointments weren't until 3 PM, that we might not want to go shopping for ice cream until after the appointments. At this point, we decided to check out a "Catered" age-restricted housing development that my Mom had read about in the local Early Bird. Actually, it was a very nice facility. Really nice. And, by the time we finished taking the grand tour it was time to hustle off to the clinic.

At the clinic, I managed to read Lady's Home Journal, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping (there was a terrific article about trying really hard not to complain so you don't add negativity to the world. The author decided that complaining was better than the alternative...insanity), AND a bit of the Reader's Digest. I don't normally find the time to read these magazines but I wasn't interested in the other magazines in the waiting room and I'd forgotten to bring along any of my own reading material...or a Sudoku. Thankfully, Dad's eye-sight is just fine....other than the drops and dyes that they put into his eyes to verify this fact. They fixed his old hearing aides and...I'm not sure when they'll have his new hearing aides fixed. Next week?

On to Number 7. Shopping. Oops! No, Number 7 was a short stop at the bank. Number 8. Shopping. I got my grocery shopping done. Mom and Dad did their shopping. And...just as we were getting to my folks' home...it starts to rain....and than my cell phone starts to ring. Sis. She wanted me to stop at her place on our way home to pick up the sausage that she'd successfully sliced (see paragraph two). Mind you, it only started to really rain while we were unloading my folks' purchases from the car and loading up stuff that they wanted me to bring down to Sis' place. Oh, and it continued to rain while I brought that stuff into Sis' house and while I retrieved my sliced sausage. And now, I'm not sure if I thanked Sis or not because I was getting pretty tired by this time...and really...I should have eaten lunch before I started...Paragraph Two.

Nine? Of course, it stopped raining. Really, it never rains when you want it to rain and it always rains when you don't want it to rain. Murphy's Law. Why did I bother to wash my hair? Nine? Supper. Hamburgers. I cooked them on top of the stove because I knew it would rain if I decided to take them outside on the deck to grill them.

Ten? Time for a glass of Merlot. Oh...and you notice that I took the time to blog. Time to put my feet up and let Gypsy lick my toes.

Murphyism of the Day

Old Grey Frog's Thoughts About Rain

It never rains when you want it to rain and it always rains when you don't want it to rain.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

One man that has a mind and knows it can always beat ten men who haven't and don't.

- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

Word of the Day

Sassitude - A position of the body or manner of carrying oneself in a fashion suggestive of arrogance; cockiness; superiority.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 42

Someone stole the sun. It's 64 degrees outside right now. What happened to summer? At this point, this is shaping up to be one of those summers that never were. However, there were two consecutive days in June when the temperatures hit the 90's. I don't mind the lack of sunshine if we'd just get some more rain. Adding up all the rain that we've had here at The Lake since we arrived at the end of April, I measured 5.78 inches. I decided to keep track. That's how much time I've got on my hands.

Murphyism of the Day

Courtney's Courthouse Codicil

The degree of attention paid by the jury is inversely proportional to the importance of the evidence.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes.

- James Thurber (1894 - 1961)

OK...that was me a couple of years ago. Photoshop in some grey hair and that was me cleaning berries yesterday.

Word of the Day

Sarchasm - The abyss between the creator of witticisms and the intended recipient who does not find the humor in it.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 42

Well...dern it! I forgot to blog again. By the time I remembered, I was making pizza for supper and then it all slipped out of my mind again until this morning. Still...my track record for blogging may not be perfect...at least I feel guilty about it.

Nothing too unusual happened, other than HTP and I saw a family of wild turkeys tumble out of the woods and onto our driveway. They all trotted up the driveway...taking the approximate same path as the one the wolf took the other day.

I took a short hike up the road yesterday afternoon and picked as many wild cherries as I could reach. Unfortunately, the tree with the most cherries was also the tree that was REALLY tall. I didn't think it was worth the effort to drag a ladder with me on my hike. I'm still not sure what I'll do with these wild cherries. Maybe Sis and I will add them to our collection of freezer fruit for our end of season Mulligan Berry Wine....if we make it. We may hold off and make that one of our first wines next spring.

It's a rainy day today. I'm going to spend my time making jam and jelly today. I want to clear out some of the frozen fruit from my freezer.

Murphyism of the Day

Murphy's Second Law of Defense Attorneys

the juror you fought hardest to retain will be the one hold-out for conviction.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The older I get, the more I feel
almost beautiful...

- Sharon Olds

Word of the Day

Sarafinitis - To be unable to type correctly when attempting to speak. Advanced symptoms have been known to cause this condition to worsen as time goes on. There is no known cure.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

Shall we just pretend that I blogged yesterday and pretend that I wasn't feeling too lazy and decided to work on Sudoku and Pogo instead of blogging.

I'm seeing deer again. Maybe our wolf has moved on? Feeling fairly safe, I decided to go out for a berry-picking hike today and got caught by a sneaky pop-up rain shower. HTP drove up and rescued me and Gypsy. Of course, now that we've been rescued? The sun is back out. Oh well, I did pick some wild raspberries and I found a pin cherry tree with lots of ripe cherries. I'm thinking of making some jelly. There weren't enough cherries for jelly but maybe I can combine them with my currants....or maybe some gooseberries. However, that would mean that I'd have to go out picking and risk getting wet again. Right on schedule...looks like rain.

Murphyism of the Day

Gross's Trial Preparation Principle

The more thoroughly you prepare for a trial, the greater the chance of a continuance.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous - everyone hasn't met me yet.

- Rodney Dangerfield (1921 - 2004)

Word of the Day

Sandlersydrome - One who is fond of saying quoted lines in Adam Sandler movies and doesn't get sick of saying them in life.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

Sis sent me the following Tick Warning.

TICK WARNING!

I hate it when people forward bogus warnings, and I have even done it myself a couple times unintentionally but this one is real, and it's important.

Please send this warning to everyone on your e- mail list.

If someone comes to your front door saying they are checking for ticks due to the warm weather and asks you to take your clothes off and dance around with your arms up,

DO NOT DO IT!! THIS IS A SCAM!!
They only want to see you naked.

I wish I'd gotten this yesterday.

I feel so stupid.

It's been a laid back, kick back day. The extent of my exercise was to go out and pick the raspberries (again) and the blueberries. After that, I cleaned, prepped and froze some of the berries for a future jam-making project. I'm still not getting many blueberries from my bushes but I'm hopeful that next year will be better. Do I always say this? Anyway, someone gave me a few hints to improve my crop...hints that I only started following when I got here this spring. I don't expect to see too much improvement until next year.

I did, however, sort through and figure out what was in the huge box that my Mom gave me. She told me that it was the Flower Garden quilt that my grandmother had started a long time ago. Having taken a look at all the work my grandmother put into this project, I'm going to try my best to complete the quilt. Unfortunately, I haven't a clue when it comes to quilting. I spent a great deal of time on the computer today doing research. This isn't going to be an easy project. I'm going to let it gel in my mind a while before tackling it. In the meantime, the musty smell started to make me sneeze so...everything has been returned to the box...temporarily....because if the musty smell is making me sneeze...I hate to think of what it will do for HTP. It won't hurt to keep things in the box a while longer. Besides, DD Daughter's MIL is a quilter. I'm hoping that she'll be able to toss some helpful hints my way before I start hunting for needle and thread.

Murphyism of the Day

Gross's Courtroom Laws

1. if you are early for a court appearance, the judge will be late; if you are late for a court appearance, the judge will be on time.

2. Even if your case is the first case on a long court calendar, it will be the last one heard - unless you are late.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Over the years your bodies become walking autobiographies, telling friends and strangers alike of the minor and major stresses of your lives.

- Marilyn Ferguson

Sis always seems to be scrubbing buckets. :)

Word of the Day

Samolian - An inhabitant of, or relation to a country attributed to monarch, or possible deity, Sam. This country is most widely known as Samolia -- not to be mistaken for Somalia, a country in the far-eastern regions of Africa, on the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. It is yet unknown where the location of this country lies.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

Sis and I spent the day racking and blending and sampling wine. LOTS of wine. Concord Grape Wine (blended), Rhubarb/Strawberry Wine (blended), Rhubarb Wine, and Gooseberry Wine. We had to sample the wines in order to adjust the sugar levels. Right now all the wines are VERY raw, and all needed more sugar. We'll check them again in a month.

We got more rain. After I took Sis home and just managed to get my raspberries picked, we got 0.76 inches of rain...and hail (pea-size). My poor petunias got smashed but I know from experience that they'll recover in a day or so. All my other plants look fine.

Murphyism of the Day

Solomon's Solution

Always provide your adversary two options, one of which is much worse than the one you are seeking.


Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It's not that I'm afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens.

- Woody Allen

Word of the Day

Salmon Day - Spending an entire day swimming upstream only to get skewered and die in the end.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

We got rain! It was only 0.54 inches of rain, but my rain dance (sprinkler dance)worked. We might even get more rain tonight....I hope, I hope.

Sis tells me that she and her hubby think I saw a genuine Minnesota/Wisconsin coyote...not a wolf. She tells me that Minnesota/Wisconsin coyotes are bigger than the coyotes we get in Arizona. I sure wish HTP had been able to take a picture of what we saw. However, regardless, wolf or coyote...Gypsy will have to get used to leash walks after dark from now on. Besides, I've noted an explosion in the bald eagle population this year. We've got LOTS of bald eagles soaring overhead. Hunting. Gypsy would make a tasty morsel for the eagles. A mere snack for the wolves or ....if for whatever I saw.

Murphyism of the Day

Sprecht's Rule of Law

Under any conditions, anywhere, whatever you are doing, there is some ordinance under which you can be booked.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Television enables you to be entertained in your home by people you wouldn't have in your home.

- David Frost

Picking Berries - 2007 (A few more grey hairs but the hat cover them...so why take another picture?)

Word of the Day

Salbaktry - The practice of saluting to make a person salute back. Often taken advantage of by persons in the military; similar to bowbaktry.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

I haven't seen the wolf but...I found signs that he/she is still around. Scat, where it wasn't last night and was this morning. Gypsy is just going to have to get used to leash walks after dark or any time she wants to head up the driveway to do her thing. She's the one that found the scat this morning. She was also VERY interested in several areas along the side of the road where I'm sure the wolf marked its territory in.....a different manner.

Even though we're supposed to get some rain tonight....sprinkler dancing continues. We REALLY need the rain. I've almost got enough early raspberries to make one batch of jam. I'll probably make some rhubarb jam at the same time. Tomorrow? Sis and I also have to find some time to work on our wine projects.

Murphyism of the Day

McCandlish's Law of Unjust Bureaucracy

Any system of justice in which ignorance of the law is no exception, but in which there are too many laws for any one person to know and remember, is by definition unjust.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Man is the only animal that laughs and has a state legislature.

- Samuel Butler (1835 - 1902)

Deck Gardens - July 2009

Word of the Day

Sacrelicious - 1. A statement describing something that tastes delightful, yet it is sacrilegious. 2. To go against one's relicious way of life; to devote oneself to the destruction of historical evidence.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

Though I haven't had any repeat sightings of our wolf, I've been keeping a tight leash on Gypsy...metaphorically speaking, and after dark, literally. HTP and I read a website which cautions against allowing your dog out to do its thing after dark (if you suspect that you've got wolves in your area)unless you have them on a leash (and someone is holding said leash) . In Wisconsin, several hunting dogs have been attacked and killed as well as one dachshund. I'm hoping that this one lone wolf was just passing through on its way to different territory. Right now the law values the life of the wolf over that of a pet.

I've been picking my tame raspberries on a daily basis. It's a battle between me, the birds, and the critters when it comes to who's going to get out there to pick the choicest berries. I'm coming in a close third...last. However, there is enough berries out there right now to share...because I've been watering the plants.

We haven't had nearly enough rain this year. The sprinkler dancing continues. Again, I'm concentrating on getting water to my fruit-bearing and edible plants...that includes the vegetable garden and the deck gardens. Speaking of deck gardens, a grey squirrel picked one of my hot cherry peppers and tried to eat it. I hope he burned his little paws and tongue off. Stupid critter! I suspect that he'll be after my tomatoes next. Maybe I should move my traps to the deck for a while.

Murphyism of the Day

Andrew Young's Rule

Nothing is illegal if a hundred businessmen decide to do it.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Trust yourself. Think for yourself. Act for yourself. Speak for yourself. Be yourself. Imitation is suicide.

- Marva Collins

Word of the Day

Sabotagical - To be so thoroughly entrenched in sabotage that it is as if one's whole essence is to sabotage.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

Wolf! I was sitting there watching TV when I saw a wolf casually stroll out of the woods and onto my driveway. Wolf! HTP! LOOK! It's a wolf! GASP! In our driveway?! It calmly strolled up the driveway and around the bend...and, of course, this is about the time that HTP grabbed the camera. Too late. OK...was it a wolf? or a coyote? HTP and I did some research. Top it off...we've seen coyotes. This was too big to be a coyote. It looked like it weighed more than my sister's black lab. I'm not too happy about how it felt confident about strolling around so near the house....on my driveway. Needless to say, I'm not letting Gypsy outside without me and if I'm in the garden or busy picking raspberries or blueberries, she can't come. I figure that I can only take care of ME if I happen to see a wolf and need to run....and I'm not too sure about ME. I'm also not too sure about taking long hikes on the logging road anymore. Black bears are one thing. They're more afraid of you than you are of them. A wolf? I'm just an easy meal.

Murphyism of the Day

Mendelson's Laws

1. No case settles before it is fully billed.

2. There is no such thing as "our" attorney.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

When you make a world tolerable for yourself, you make a world tolerable for others.

- Anais Nin

Word of the Day

Runawaykey - Situation where one wakes up late in the morning, realizes they have misplaced their keys and is late to work. Often occurring on Mondays.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

Once again we're breaking records weather-wise. It's only just now that the temperature actually rose to 60 degrees. That's the coldest high temperature for any July 17th ever...well...as long as they've been keeping records. I've spent most of my day huddled in front of the fireplace. It was a perfect day to have a fireplace fire and work on an afghan that I started crocheting years ago but only just now decided to finish. I was going to go out and pick raspberries but despite the fact that we haven't had any measurable rain, it's pretty drippy outside. It misted and with all the cloud cover, there just wasn't anything to help dry things out...like the sun. I'm hoping that things warm up and dry out a bit tomorrow.

Murphyism of the Day

The Awful Truth

Estate planning is not intended to protect your estate if you die. It is intended to protect your estate when you die.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Knowledge and timber shouldn't be much used till they are seasoned.

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Word of the Day

Rubbage - 1. Large pieces of truck tire found on the side of the road. 2. An act of vigorously rubbing a dog's belly while speaking to the dog in baby-talk.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

We're into the middle of July and it feels more like April. The high temperature today only got as high as 62 degrees. What happened to summer? Come to think of it, what happened to the rain?

I felled three more small saplings and finished staking up my tomato plants on the deck. I'm not sure what one does when the tomato plants grow over six feet tall. Pinch off the new growth? It may not come to that. So far I've avoided any fungal problems but I hear that the stuff is rampant here in Wisconsin and Minnesota this year. I'm keeping an eye out for any sign of it.

Murphyism of the Day

Judge Fanin's Law

Liability follows damages.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Treasure the love you have received above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished.

- Og Mandino

My Tomatoes Need Support


Staking the Tomatoes - July 15, 2009

Word of the Day

Rotatemate - The round swiveling tray used for storing household food items, often in holding condiments on your table. Another term for a Lazy Susan.

My tea arrived. Of the five different types, I hate one (Earl Grey)because is was incredibly bitter. I've had Earl Grey before and it was fine but this loose leaf stuff was awful. The Lapsang Souchong isn't bitter but it has a distinct smoky flavor which I'm not sure that I like. The Ginseng Oolong is very good. My favorite is the Red Robe and I think I'll prefer the Blueberry Black tea iced. In honor of my new tea habit, I bought myself a tea ball and an actual teapot. I noted that all the teas seem to ask you to use quite a bit of tea per cup, as well as brewing for lots longer than I'd normally brew a cup or pot of tea. In addition, all the teas from China warn that you need to rinse the tea before brewing. Ewwww!!!! Why? Maybe I don't want to know.

I'm back to sprinkler dancing. We received a grand total of 0.06 inches of rain last night. The promising storm vanished when it hit the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. WE NEED RAIN!!!!

However, I have been watering my deck gardens on a daily basis and my tomato plants have grown over a foot beyond their growing rings. When one of the branches threatened to topple over the top of the ring and choke itself to death, I decided that it was time to buy some six-foot stakes to augment and stabilize. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any stakes in our tiny little town...however, having said that, I'm always amazed at how much I can find at the little hardware store in town. So...I decided to harvest some poplar saplings to use as stakes. Gypsy thought I'd gone crazy. She "knocked" on the door and made HTP bring her inside...away from the crazy lady. I toppled and stripped nine saplings. Unfortunately, it appears that I needed twelve. Oh well...tomorrow. I staked the most vulnerable of the tomato plants. I've got a bit more time before I have to worry about staking the three remaining plants. They've only just reached the top of their current supports. So far...no sign of blight or wilt. I am furiously knocking on wood as I write this.

Murphyism of the Day

Judge Fanin's Law

Liability follows damages.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.

- Mark Twain

Word of the Day

Ronnie - While exiting a canoe, when one foot is on the land or dock and the other leg is in the canoe, and both surfaces spread away from each other resulting in the person falling into the water.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

Sis and I started a large batch of Prickly Gooseberry Wine. We decided to try a new method of extracting the juice from the fruit. A special steam-juicer. It REALLY worked. However, it did take three plus hours. On the other hand, Sis and I were able to enjoy a movie on DVD while we waited. Transformers. Sis hadn't seen it before. This was my third time?...but that's OK. I like the movie and didn't mind seeing it again.

So...we ended up with a gallon of juice from ten quarts of berries. After adding water and sugar...we ended up with close to five gallons of "wine". Last year, we only netted 4 gallons of wine for the same quantity of fruit. Of course, what I have sitting in my living room right now, isn't wine yet. I haven't even added the yeast. Until I do...all we have is fruit juice....and then...it's going to have to perform the magic wine thing before we'll have actual wine. Science, time and a bit of magic and then Sis and I will be bottling our 2009 Summer Wine.

Murphyism of the Day

Lucas's Law of Negotiation

A negotiation shall be considered successful if all parties walk away feeling screwed.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It is a sadness of growing older that we lose our ardent appreciation of what is new and different and difficult.

- Elizabeth Aston

Word of the Day

Roman noodles - A noodle dish originating from Rome. More commonly known as spaghetti, ziti, manicotti, and penne among others.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 41

I picked the black currants today. I've only got the two bushes but they out did themselves this year. The poor bushes were weighed down with fruit. I ended up with five pounds of black currants. Then...

Sis and I picked four quarts of wild prickly gooseberries and I went back and picked another quart of wild gooseberries after taking Sis home. So...

Tomorrow, Sis and I will start a batch of our Prickly Gooseberry Wine (which also has black currants but...shhh...that's our secret ingredient). Once again, we'll attempt to make an effervescent wine. Wild Champagne. Wine-making isn't an exact science...even at the big wineries. There's just so many variables. How much rain did the plants receive while growing the fruit? How warm was it during the growing season? How cold was it? How cold did it get last winter? Nature versus nurture. And then...there's also a certain magic quotient and that magic can be hit or miss. Last year...we missed, but the wine was still wonderful. The year before, we hit. Wild Champagne. This year? We'll see.

Murphyism of the Day

Cunningham's Law of Contracts

The party for whom proposed changes are unacceptable will be the last party to review the document.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

As we grow old…the beauty steals inward.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

The Raspberries are Ripening at The Lake

Word of the Day

Rokblok - Deflection off a small rock or pebble on a baseball field thereby changing the direction of the baseball.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 40

The morning started out so cold that I was wearing a winter jacket and a scarf. I even started a small fire in the fireplace. By afternoon, it was still only 65 degrees outside. However, I was finally able to take off my long-sleeved shirt and sweatshirt after the sun started doing its job. And by 5 PM, I decided that it was warm enough to take off my socks and roll up my pants in order to bail out the boat.

Note to self. We really haven't had all that much rain this summer. Bail out the boat immediately after it rains. I risked life and limb bailing out the boat today. Algae. Slippery algae. I didn't slip but there was about a foot of green water in the boat that needed to be bailed. The bottom of the boat was slick with algae. Yuck! Double YUCK!!!! The smell wasn't all that choice either. Oh well...I don't think we'll have any measurable rain in the coming days so the sun should dry off any remaining moisture in the bottom of the boat.

I picked my first raspberries this morning. I'm having to pick them when they're just turning pink to save them from the birds and chipmunks and squirrels. They're only starting to ripen. But, I'm going to have to drag out the sprinkler again if I want raspberries to fully form. It has been way too dry this summer.

New on TV? I really enjoyed the pilot episode of Warehouse 13 on the SciFi Channel.

Murphyism of the Day

Laws of Contract Negotiations
1. Each unacceptable offer has an equal and opposite unreasonable demand.

2. Any concession won is offset by a concession granted.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

My work is a game, a very serious game.

- M. C. Escher (1898 - 1972)

Word of the Day

Rocktopus - A celebrity musician who believes that he may, by dint of his fame and social standing, grope one's girlfriend when he meet them in a club.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 40

HTP and I are heading to the big city today for an Italian family reunion...albeit, this family is fairly distantly related. HTP has been corresponding with some of them and helping them with their genealogy.

Anyway, I won't have time to blog today....oh....wait.... I guess I just did....blog.

Murphyism of the Day

Kline's Rule of Contract Law

The one document that is missing will contain the information upon which all other documents depend.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The reason lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place is that the same place isn't there the second time.

- Willie Tyler

Deck Gardens - July 10, 2009

Word of the Day

Rockter scale, The - A scale from 1 to 10 measuring the seismic force of a particular gig. 10 on the Rockter scale would be a gig that caused localised geological upheaval. 1 would be Culture Club.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 40

I have no viable excuse for not blogging yesterday. I just never got around to it. HTP and I are going to an Italian family reunion tomorrow and we're supposed to bring something to share. HTP and I decided to share some Italian Pizzelle. Italian Pizzelle are waffle cookies which, of course, require a special pizzelle waffle iron. HTP bought me one this spring. So...I spent the morning making Italian Pizzelle. Nine dozen. This doesn't sound like much but each waffle cookie is approximately five inches in diameter and you can only make two at a time. It takes a while. Actually, I won't be bringing all the pizzelle to the reunion. I'm going to keep some here to enjoy. I love nibbling on one with my first morning cup of coffee...or tea.

I'm starting to cut down on my coffee intake. Actually, I've only had one cup of coffee so far this week. Of course, I'm still getting my daily dose of caffeine because I've switched to tea. Hot tea, cold tea, iced tea. The tea will be kinder on my stomach. I'm also trying to wean myself off of Prilosec, Tums, and Pepcid. I found a place online where I can buy some real tea. You can't buy real, loose-leaf tea at the stores near here. I know I can buy some in the big city, or at the oriental grocery store in Arizona, but...not here. I'm looking forward to having some real tea. In the meantime, I did find some fairly decent black tea from Lipton and there are some more expensive tea bag teas from Bigalow but...I'm eager to try the Lapsang Souchong and Big Red Robe (Da Hong Pao), as well as enjoying a nice Oolong. I'm getting some Earl Grey and some Black teas but...it's fun to experiment. However, caffeine is a must. I hear that they're saying that it's good for you now.

Since HTP and I will be in the big city on Saturday, we decided to bring Gypsy to a PetSmart there for grooming. She can have a day at the spa (hair and nails) while HTP and I are at the family reunion.

Murphyism of the Day

Gibb's Law

Infinity is one lawyer waiting for another.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

In answer to the question of why it happened, I offer the modest proposal that our Universe is simply one of those things which happen from time to time.

Edward P. Tryon

Word of the Day

Rizzle - Real; true; no kidding.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 40

There's nothing like stumbling into a nest of mites to liven up one's day. Mites crawling all over my hands and arms. What is it about me and bugs this summer?! First woodticks and then mites? To make it was only after I stumbled into it for the second time that I discovered the source. The source was near the hosebib...which I'd been using for days. Expletive deleted! I've been itching for days...since the start of my sprinkler dancing. Mite bites. Everywhere! I didn't realize the extent of the infestation until after supper last night. Time for a thorough bath and shampoo (I hate shampooing my hair at night), and that was just the beginning. When I saw a mite crawling on my pillow....it was time to wash all the sheets, the blanket, the comforter and spray the mattress. I'm nothing if not thorough. The bites still itch (at this rate I'll have to buy stock in meat-tenderizer) but I haven't seen any more mites. It's a good thing that I have great eye-sight when it comes to close up because these guys were TINY!!!!!! Masters of looking like a fleck of dust on your skin until you nudge them and then off they trot only to freeze and try to look like a piece of dust again. Scary stuff! I sprayed the couch and I even gave Gypsy a bath. Oh...and I treated all the bushes surrounding the hosebib so....how the mites have fallen? One can only hope.

Murphyism of the Day

Mishlove's Law

Never trust a lawyer who says he just slapped something together.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Self-importance is our greatest enemy. Think about it - what weakens us is feeling offended by the deeds and misdeeds of our fellowmen. Our self-importance requires that we spend most of our lives offended by someone.

- Carlos Castaneda

Word of the Day

Rippleshot - The ripple marks left on one's skin, usually the face, after waking up from sleeping on wrinkled sheets or pillowcase. Can also come from sleeping on one's watch or anything else that will leave an imprint.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 40

In the News? Michael Jackson's memorial service. Actually, I think it was a fitting way to say goodbye. A three-ringed media circus. Michael Jackson did love the circus. I couldn't watch the entire thing. Sharpton tends to make me gag...and after all...I'm still recovering.

Making up for the time I lost the other day while lolling around on my death bed, I'm trying to get caught up on all the stuff that I should have done as well as trying to keep up with all the stuff that is on the current work log. Doing the laundry was on the agenda for today. I'm still working on that. Watering the container gardens is a daily task. I took care of that before breakfast. I really wish I had some sort of drip system rigged up with a timer but one does what one can. However, I did get the blueberries covered with netting and I picked the ripe currants. Since I only ended up with 4 cups of currants, I don't have enough to make jelly. So, I froze them and will probably add them to some blackberries for some blackberry/currant jelly later in the season. There still are currants out there getting ripe but I'm thinking of adding those and the black currants to the gooseberries when Sis and I make our Gooseberry Wine. Next week? In the meantime, I did some weeding in the front flower beds and found that some bug is nibbling away at all my violas! *sigh* It's a good thing that they're fairly prolific. I don't think I'll need to spray for bugs/worms, but, WOW!, whatever it is munched exclusively on the violas and left the weeds alone. Doesn't seem fair.

My sprinkler dance continued today. I wasn't going to water the lawn but...what the heck! It's just a matter of remembering to the set the timer and move the sprinkler. Besides, one of my sprinklers is a little lawn tracker that moves on its own. Love it! Well...sometimes it leaps the track and gets a bit lost but for the most part it saves me a lot of dancing.

I need to pick lettuce! If it isn't too wilty, I'll work on that project next....after I check on the laundry and finish this blog.

Murphyism of the Day

Rooney's Rule

Nothing in fine print is ever good news.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

We are all here for a spell; get all the good laughs you can.

- Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)

Word of the Day

Rignition - The embarrassing action of trying to start one's car with the engine already running.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 40

I honestly have an excuse for not blogging yesterday. I did blog on the 4th but....blogger decided....never mind. I don't understand it myself so... Anyway, I was so sick yesterday, that I didn't blog. Somehow, I'm not sure how, everyone except HTP ended up with a case of food poisoning....either that...or we all ended up with the flu on the same day. I think it was the corn bread. I can't be exactly sure but that's the only thing I served that HTP didn't sample. To be on the safe side, I'm throwing out all the food that I served on the night of the 4th. *shudder* Throwing out is preferable to throwing up. At this point, BBQ ribs doesn't sound all that great and it just isn't worth another bout of what I had yesterday. Needless to say, the only person that had any breakfast yesterday was HTP. I limited myself to sips of water and ice chips for the entire day. #1 Son ended up with some tea and crackers...in the afternoon. I think his friend had some soup. HTP told me that they were both feeling lots better than me by the time they headed on home. Me? Not so much. I only got up out of my death bed for a brief time to water the plants that were drooping on my deck...Hey! They looked sicker than I was feeling and I thought getting up for a while would help...it didn't.

I am feeling a better today but I've been limiting myself to crackers, salted pretzels and tea. However, it is encouraging to note that I'm feeling better and my stomach is rumbling...in a good way this time. In other words, I'm hungry. But, I'm still sticking to tea and crackers.

We need rain. The plants on my deck need watering on a daily basis. I've been doing the sprinkler dance (which is about all I can do today). I still have two more zones to water before it gets dark. I'm limiting my dance to the vegetable garden, Blueberry Hill, currant bushes, the rhubarb, and the raspberry bushes. I removed all the dead blooms from my peonies this morning but I still haven't covered the blueberry bushes and it looks like some of the currants should be harvested. *sigh* Tomorrow?

Murphyism of the Day

Green's Rule

What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.

- F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896 - 1940)

Happy 4th of July!

Word of the Day

Riceroach - 1. The burnt krispie in every bowl of Rice Krispies. 2. Any grain of rice in a package of rice that still has its husk.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 39

OK...I meant to blog yesterday but ran out of time because we've got company.

The boys took me to see the new Transformer movie. Wonderful! Loved it! Suspend ye all belief but I enjoyed it. Afterwards we ran over to Walmart to pick up brat buns and some vanilla ice cream for our strawberry sundaes...which we never made because we were so full from the brats. But, I get ahead of myself.

I sent #1 Son and his friend out on a hike...armed with Deep Woods Off and hats. I really should have taken a picture. They looked great and so debonair in those hats I picked up in Little Italy last summer. I was a bit concerned that they might not make it back alive. Only kidding. It really isn't all that dangerous to hike in our woods...well...there are black bears...and someone sighted a cougar in one of the nearby cities but....then there's the coyotes and that wolf pack that has moved into the area....

This is where the brats on the grill part came in...when they got back from their hike. I really did plan on making strawberry sundaes but we decided to hold off until after the movie. Movie? We couldn't resist re-visiting the first Transformers movie. "No,no,no,no...." Our human hero didn't punctuate the second movie with this line but after it was pointed out to me....he did use this line a heck of a lot during the first movie.

After looking nervously at the weather radar online, we bravely sallied forth to watch fireworks at Tagalong. There was rain but things cleared off in time to enjoy the first fireworks. Too bad the smoke got so thick that by the time the finale arrived we could only enjoy the sound and fury. Otherwise, we had perfect seats, parked right next to one of the golf course greens. There's supposed to be fireworks again tonight at one or more of the nearby towns but I think we plan to stay home and enjoy the display the boys have planned.

Today? I'm not sure. I haven't even decided on what I'll make for breakfast. Maybe HTP will make pancakes and I can fry up some bacon. We'll see.

Murphyism of the Day

The Lawyer's Maxim

Where there's a will, there's a lawsuit.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.

- Dave Barry (1947 - )

Happy Anniversary DD Daughter and GI Joe!

Word of the Day

Riceburner - 1. Cars that are made to appear fast but are actually slow. Often describing small foreign cars that people have spruced up in an effort to be laughed at by everyone they pass on the main streets of cities. 2. A vehicle, often a motorcycle, manufactured in Asia. These vehicles are often misrepresented as inferior or underpowered, but in reality often have great performance and quality — especially motorcycles. Not always the case in sedans, as many owners don't actually know how to boost their horsepower.


Happy


4th Anniversary


DD Daughter and


GI Joe!


I didn't forget! I just failed to send them a card because that's the part I forgot. Happy Anniversary DD Daughter and GI Joe! I hope you've had a wonderful day and night. Hugs!


Jam! I spent the entire day making strawberry jam and....I also made a couple of loaves of bread. I was shocked to see how the time flew right on by lunch. In other words, I worked right on through lunch and when I finally looked up I offered to make HTP a PB&J sandwich using some of the newly made jam but...., we're going to just skip it altogether and go right on to supper. I ended up making three batches of sugar-free strawberry jam (one less than last year) and one batch of the regular stuff. I've got enough strawberries remaining to make strawberry shortcake and/or strawberry sundaes. However, I'm not so sure that I have enough vanilla ice cream left for the later and I don't have any whipped cream so.... Oh well...maybe #1 Son will call me from the city to ask if I need anything at that store.

Actually...I didn't spend the entire day making jam. Before breakfast, I smashed the strawberries in the fermentation buckets and added the yeast which will turn plain old strawberry juice into strawberry wine...eventually. At least, it won't actually ever end up as strawberry wine because Sis and I plan to do some blending but until then....

#1 Son should be coming for a visit this weekend. He told me that he was going to be bringing along at least one of his friends. Grocery shopping becomes an adventure when you don't have a clue when it comes to who you need to cook for or not. I'm not even sure if he and his friend will be here for supper. HTP assured me that we probably won't see them until around 9 PM or later....or even tomorrow. So...I've got a pot of water on the stove and plan to make some spaghetti for HTP and me. I can always throw in some more pasta should it become necessary.

Murphyism of the Day

Gualtieri's Law of Inertia

When there's a will, there's a won't

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.

- Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)

Different Scene, Same Action, Same Costume, Different Date.

Word of the Day

Revertebrate - A creature that has evolved a vertebrae, then evolved into something without a vertebrae, and finally back once more.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 39

"A watched pot never boils." I picked 50-pounds of strawberries today. I'm not exactly sure why I decided to risk killing my back like this but I figured that as long as I was going to pick strawberries, I'd darn well pick ALL the strawberries that I needed for various projects...even if Sis couldn't help. So...there I was this morning in a wet field of strawberries (it rained, it drizzled), picking strawberries at around 7:30 AM. Normally, I don't pick this many strawberries...especially when it's just me doing the picking but, I figured, what the heck, why not? After picking the first two 5-pound baskets of berries, my back and upper thighs let me know that they were NOT happy. So, despite the wet ground, I decided to kneel instead of bend at the waist or perch in a crouched position. By the time I'd filled three more 5-pound baskets, my jeans were saturated at the knees and my toes were starting to cramp up. I was really beginning to wonder if I'd even be able to actually stand up...or if I'd have to crawl back down the row when it came to getting back to the berry bus. *moan* I prevailed. I had just started filling my eighth basket when I heard someone ask me if I wouldn't mind if he picked on MY row. I glanced up and was ready to kindly tell this someone to move on to his own row when...it was HTP. He'd come to rescue me! Hey! He only picked and filled one basket but that was one basket that I didn't have to fill. Rescue. I felt invigorated. Plus...and this was a BIG PLUS, I knew that he was there to help me stand up after filling the eighth and ninth 5-pound baskets of strawberries. Actually, this invigorated me enough so I didn't actually need his help to stand up.

So...what does one do with 50 pounds of strawberries? Sis and I cleaned 30 pounds of them and started making strawberry wine...which...we'll blend with the rhubarb wine that we've already got started. Our eleven gallons of strawberry wine will blend with our eleven gallons of rhubarb wine to make 22 gallons of spectacular Rhubarb/Strawberry Wine.

What about the rest of the 50 pounds? Well...there never was exactly 50 pounds of berries. I ended up picking enough berries to fill ten baskets. I was told that each basket held approximately five pounds of berries. Well...not quite. Close...but not quite. After Sis and I prepped thirty pounds of strawberries for the wine, and after Sis measured out a quart (two pounds) of strawberries for strawberry shortcake, I've got about three and a half baskets of berries left to make strawberry jam AND strawberry shortcake....maybe twelve pounds? If you want to do the math, I paid $1.49/lb. and totalled out at $64.60. Digging out the calculator, I actually picked a total of 43.3557047 pounds of berries....but who's counting?

Jam? I'll start on that project tomorrow...after breakfast. I took my remaining three and a half baskets of berries to the cooler temperatures of my basement. HTP will have to settle for sugar-free raspberry jam tomorrow morning. He finished up the last of the sugar-free strawberry jam on Monday. In the meantime, while HTP and I enjoyed a wonderful meal of Venison French Dip (Thanks, Sis), I tried very hard not to watch while I was attempting to bring 25 quarts of water up to a boil. Hey! It worked. I've got all the fermentation buckets set and cooling. All I have to do now is add the wine yeast....tomorrow, stirring daily for a week...and then I'll have to see if Sis can help me with the next step. Those fermentation buckets sure do get heavy once you're talking about 4-5 gallons of wine. We may have to see if T-Square can design something for us for when we have to carry those buckets.

And...for the rest of the night? I'm planning on soaking my aching back and muscles in a nice hot jacuzzi. It's Miller Time....well...substitute a nice glass of Merlot for that Miller thing.

Murphyism of the Day

Drew's Law of Professional Practice

The client who pays the least complains the most.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us.

- Jerry Garcia, (of the Grateful Dead)