Thank you for the welcome Gurley, it's very much appreciated & I look forward to adding my musings of a sort in the future from time to time. Thanks again and have a good evening.

S.A.Rose

Good morn'all, I am new to this so please bear with me till I get the hang of it.LOL.I think everyone can use more friends and ya'll sound like people that I'd like to call friends.I live alone and work part time so I'm mostly on here at night but it's cold here (MS>) this morn. and I can't get started so I have been reading on here.I feel like I'm evesdropping on ya'll.LOL Hope you don't mind.Have a good day.Sue

HI SUE IN MS! It's cold here too (in S.C.).

Welcome. I evesdrop a lot myself when I'm not in the mood to chat. You can talk to others or talk to yourself here. And you don't have to drink coffee either - I think they also serve tea and pop/soda :-).

This morning is the beginning of a weeks vacation at home. I could SOOOO be retired! I have so many things that I like to do at home. For the morning I have promised myself that I will do housecleaning stuff and then go out and play in the yard. Here it is almost 11 am and other than a couple loads of laundry I don't think I have made much progress.

Dusting here I come!!!! (yuck).

Hello Sue, gurley, Rose, eloise, Gene, and all you other good folk,

Today has been a long day. Made a trip approximately 75 miles away to get a second opinion on some oral surgery my local dentist was insisting upon. Even got a third opinion. I am so glad I did - turns out it is not necessary at all, according to both dentists. Whew! I sure did not want someone carving in the roof of my mouth. Needless to say, I have this day changed dentists. Yes, it's a long way to drive, but when one has dentures, one seldom needs to go to a dentist!! :0)

I hope last night's frost was our last for this area. I am so ready for shorts and tank tops.

Mosquitoes (sp?) are beginning to hatch. Fortunately I use a flea and tick medication for the dogs that also contains a mosquito repellant. Of course they are on heartworm preventative, but I still don't relish the thought of their ears and noses being bitten when they are outside. As the weather warms they will spend less and less time in the yard, and more time in air conditioned comfort....Some times I wonder what it would be like not to have pets that have to be cared for like children: fed, bathed, brushed, shots, etc., etc., etc. And then I look into their bright little faces and see the unconditional love I have never experienced from another human. Do we keep pets because we crave that adoration? Of course parents love their children, but is it truly unconditional? Do they sometimes want/expect more than than their child is capable of? When our children are very young their love is not unconditional - children are adorable self-centered little creatures. Later, they learn that parents do make mistakes, they can have clay feet, so can our love for a parent ever be unconditional? And what of our lovers/husbands/wives/SO's ?

I guess in this world it's enough to know that we love, and that we are loved, and that nobody is perfect... To cop a line from Desiderata -- With all it's sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Today is a time for reflection for me.
On Tuesday my uncle passed away at the tender age of 65. He outlived all of the other men of that line - my father and grandfather, and all of the other men before them never made out out of their 50s.

Every single memory that I have of Uncle Larry holds a smile. Always had a joke to tell, like to kid around all of the time. He was never too busy to fix a toy for a child or listen to an elderly person. My aunt tells me that in the two days since his death more and more stories are coming in about the things that he did for people that no one knew about. Small things like mowing and placing flowers at the gravesite of an aging widow's loved one. Fixing a bicycle for a child he saw in the parking lot of a store. Helping a neighbor with a plumbing problem.

I was a difficult child with many problems at home. But when I was with my Uncle Larry I was as normal as his own children and he made me feel like I was just as special to him as they were.

Each life event holds a lesson, an opportunity to learn and grow. In my Uncle Larry's passing I believe that I have been given an opportunity to become a better person through love, acceptance, and laughter by following his example. A gift he gave to me that I feel I must pass on to others.

I only hope I'm up to the task.

Just out of curosity, Gerry1117. Did your dentist recommend removing a bump in the roof of your mouth for better fitting dentures? Just the thought of that would give me the heebie jeebies. My mothers' dentist recommended she do that and she of course declined. I'm not aware of her getting a second opinion though.

It's already hot and humid here in S. Texas. It's going to be a long hot summer. One of my reasons for not retiring. Couldn't afford the cooling bill for 24 hour a day a/c. It's bad enough just running the ac at night.

I really need to get my front flower beds re-worked this year. I would like to put in a water feature for the hummers and butterflies (and also for me, the soothing sound of running water) Maybe I can get to it this week-end. I had some foundation work done in the fall and those beds were pretty much destroyed. I better get a move on if I want blooming plants for the critters this year.

Dear Gurley,

Your Uncle Larry must have been a wonderful person and I know you were blessed to have him when you needed him. I'm sorry he is gone but I hope the pleasant, sweet times he shared with you keep coming back in memories for you to savor.

You wrote a lovely tribute to him and whatever he gave you to pass on to others by following his example (although I don't know you, nor you me) I feel safe saying I'm sure you're more than "up to the task".

God Bless,
Rose

Re. expense of three cars, not quite intended that way Chandler :-) But, you are right about keeping the Miata. I used to have a Mazda RX7 at one time, and just loved that "sports car" until some guy with a 50 some Chevy ran into me and totaled my car. Nothing happened to his car; those older cars sure were made better than today's cars. It happened on a Friday and Saturday morning, I 'allowed' myself to feel sorry for myself and cried for a few minutes. Then, I washed up and went to the dealer and bought my first Jeep Cherokee and have stayed with this make since. What I would really love to have is a Ferrari and a Hummer, LOL! My grandkids think it funny that I would want such cars at "my age"!

Gurley, glad you like the Yuban. I would love to get some baby chicks, but if I decide to sell my home, I most likely won't find a property where I can take them with me. I currently have two hens (Americanas). Sorry about your uncle.

Amazing how the topic of mosquitoes got you asking all those questions Gerry, LOL! I myself do not have pets. Or maybe I do, if I count my two hens, four finches, one cockatiel, and mosquito fishes in my half-whiskey barrel pond. I am guilty of conditional love. When I retired, I bought a Shi Tzu puppy, but quickly found that I could not give it the attention it needed. Good thing my family loved her and took her before she ended up really having a "dog's life" with me.

I hate mosquito and flea season, BECAUSE they love me! I tell people that if a dog and myself are walking together, the flea will ignore the dog and jump on me instead. I can walk outside and get bit by fleas possibly left behind by stray cats, dogs, squirrels, etc. And, I cannot be outside at dusk or else be attacked by mosquitoes.

Well you all have a fantastic weekend. I hope to be able to do some gardening before it starts getting too hot here.

gurley, I was very touched by what you wrote about your Uncle Larry. SA Rose said it perfectly in her post. I have a feeling that this man made an impact in your life as a child that not even you fully realize yet. He really must have been a wonderful man.

Yes, pris, my local dentist would not do a denture unless I agreed to have surgery on that bony overgrowth in top of my mouth. I needed a new upper denture and he said unless I had it removed there would be no suction to hold the denture in place. Strange, the old one worked just fine! He's getting a bit aged and probably needs to retire. Everyone knows (who wears dentures) that suction is aided by the soft palette, not the hard bony palette, and so long as it's not really oversized (mine is very small), there is no problem. So... to make a long story shorter, I have spent this whole week it seems in the new dentist's chair. I already had a partial on the bottom, but x-rays showed some more dead teeth and abcesses in the lower jaw, so he thought I might have to go to a full denture on bottom also. Turns out, he was able to save 4 teeth, so I can still use a partial. He also did a lot of bone grafting in my lower jaw - using that material called Biogran, which hardens to form synthetic bone. I will finish up next week.

Yesterday was an extremely difficult day for me. Not only was I undergoing all that dental surgery, the day itself marked another milestone in my life. It was the 25th anniversary of my oldest son's death. It's always a sad day for me, but for some reason the 10th year was very difficult
(being a decade), then this year by it being the quarter of a century mark.

eloise - It appears that here, too, we may be jumping right into summertime with the temperatures. As I have said before, here in the South Carolina Low Country, we really do have 4 seasons: Almost Summer (which is what we have now), Summer, Still Summer and Christmas. Heat, rain, drought, mosquitoes, alligators - I still love every minute of it.

Have a wonderful "almost summer" day.

gurley,

You wrote a fantastic tribute to your Uncle. It would be nice if you could write out some of these stories and put them in a binder.

Good morning all.

Have a nice day planned ahead; going to Los Angeles to meet a friend for lunch, then a movie. We have the same birthdate in February, but have not been able to get together to celebrate until today.

Gerry, I wanted to send you a personal email, but see that your email address isn't listed. Just wanted to give you a hug and to tell you that I understand your loss. In 1989, I too had my son taken and find some dates hard to deal. Also, I hope your dental work is over quickly, and successfully.

eloise - Thank you for your kind words.

Yes, the dental work is going fine. Amazingly, it has been pain free and the worst is over.

My e-mail should still be listed. I had notified GW that I did not want it shown, but I guess that's not an option. How-ever if you ever want to e-mail me, you can use this address: swampsprite@gmail.com.

How was your trip into town? I'm staying behind closed doors until they get my new dentures in on Monday. Right now, I look like a toothless old hag!

Morning all. I was tired from yesterday and so stayed in bed until almost 7:30 AM! This is late for me as I usually get up between 4-5 AM. I think I ate to much junk food yesterday.

Had a wonderful time in L.A. We ate at a Japanese restaurant, then went to see the movie, Premonition, with Sandra Bullock. I love her movies, but this one was a bit slow starting. Although we had just eaten and were quite full, we still had to get popcorn, soda and M&Ms -- a must when going to the movies. Afterwards we walked around a bit at what is known as "The Grove". We went to the Farmer's Market on Fairfax, windowshopping at a couple of stores, stopped to see the water fountain and then to hear a small jazz band that was playing outdoors. Although my friend lives in this great neighborhood that also includes walking distance to the La Brea Tar Pits and the L.A. County Museum, I would not like to live in an apartment.

Gerry, well soon you will be all put together again!

Happy Sunday to all.

Good evening, everyone,

I know most of you are probably familiar with the "When I Am An Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple......" In fact, I believe I posted it a few months back on the Coffee Shop II.
Today, I found "When I Am An Old Man, I will Wear Plaid...."
and I would like to share it with you. I had never read it before today, though it shows it as having been first published in 1991.

"When I am an old man I will wear plaid and a pink tie with a hula girl that wiggles when I walk. I'll go to the beach in my black socks and high-top tennies and admire the ladies through my one-way mirrored sunglasses. I shall spend my children's inheritance on fast horses, fast cars, and slow women and I will say I have no money for birthday gifts. I will turn the TV on as loudly as I want and watch football games in my boxer shorts. I'll drive my RV everywhere in search of a fifteen cent cup of coffee and piece of pie. I will give the waitress my phone number and tip her well if she takes it. I'll call my children collect from exotic places and say, "Send money. I'm learning to wind surf."

But now we must be responsible. We must pay our mortgage and taxes and mow our lawns. We must subscribe to The Wall Street Journal and put the kids through college. But maybe I ought to practice a little now so people who know me are not too shocked and surprised when suddenly...
I am old and start to wear plaid."
********************************************************

I am beginning to wear some purple so I guess the "When I am an old woman..." has had some effect on me. In fact I have been thinking about getting a new spring outfit in purple.

I was looking at my collection of straw hats - I have two natural straw, though one is beaded around the brim, one lime green, l red, and one purple. I just love straw hats and always have one on when I am outside in the sun - even in the winter months. I really need to buy a white one now.

Until next time.......

Happy Sunday night all,gerry, I too love hats of any kind and way too many for one woman.Our little :Jack's" resturant allows we senior citizens to play Bingo there every Wed. from 2 to 3 PM.If we bingo we win some food that "Jack's: sells.Mostly biscuits&Sausage or hambugers or combos.But they are really nice to do this for us.There is probably 25 or 30 of us and I almost always were some kind of hat so I'm known as the hat lady.Wish you were close enough that all of you could join us.I hope you all have had a good Sunday.A girl that I work with invited me to come to her home & grill steaks with her.It was very good,living alone I don't do much cooking any more and I miss it.I always liked to cook.Well, enough blabbling ,Good night all

Good morning all. Haven't been here for a "few days". Loved the tip on getting cotton out of medicine bottles! I have been known to struggle un-dexterously with that cotton for more than.....well....a few minutes. It calls to mind when I used to struggle to swallow medicine capsules. They tend to float around a lot and not want to go down the hatch. I finally figured out if you bend your head down when you take a sip of water, the pill floats to the back of your mouth and goes right down without any hijinks!

I've been working in the garden, removing dead branches, limbs, and stems; planting new host and nectar plants, and keeping an eye on my winter sown seed containers. It's been rainy here, and while we truly need all this rain, it's been cloudy for the last 10 days - not used to that in Oklahoma! Time for some sunshine.

I am trying to dig a new bed in my front yard, but it is going to be slow going. Having had back surgery, I can only do a small portion at a time. The woes of wearing purple! I have yet to color my hair blue, though.

Have seen a few butterflies in the yard. The daffodils, hyacinths, chionanthus, and crocus have all come and gone. The fernleaf bleeding heart (dicentra exima) is preparing to bloom, as well as a few others.

Cheers, everyone!

Susan

Good Saturday Morning, Everyone,

I just wanted to stop by this morning to wish our friend, Gene, (candler) a happy birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GENE, and best wishes for a wonderful, beautiful day.

gerry

Gerry, thanks for letting us know about Gene's B.D.

Happy Birthday Gene! Wishing you a glorious day to celebrate life!

Susan, I too used to have a hard time swallowing my vitamins/aspirins. I learned to poke them down my throat and then I was able to swallow them. Before, I would get full of water and the darn pills would just float around in my mouth so I would resort to chewing (ugh) them! Now, I am able to swallow them with no problem.

At the end of a cold. Two weeks ago, my grandson was home from school two days with it. Then Sunday, my sil, two granddaughters and I came down with colds. I mowed the back lawn last Wednesday and thought my lungs would explode, which just made me all the more decide to sell my home "because it is getting to be too much for me"! Yesterday, I mowed the front lawn and it went much easier, which then made me think that I can still manage this property -- feeling better from the cold!

Met with an attorney yesterday about a living trust. This is way overdue, but am glad I finally got around to it.

Happy weekend to all.

Good Sunday evening, folks,

It has been a quiet, peaceful weekend here. Most of the weekend has found me lounging around in my PJ's. Except for yesterday afternoon - I did get dressed, took one of the dogs (can't handle all 3 out in public at the same time without looking like a human pretzel) and we drove over to the lake. On the way, we stopped at a roadside stand and bought a bag of boiled peanuts and a Pepsi. We drove down to a place called the Hatchery, then walked about a mile along the dike. Later we came back to the Wildlife Observation Area. The only wild life I observed was a bunch of boozed-up fishermen whoopin' and hollerin' about their catch. After the fishermen left, it was all quiet down by the water and now and then a fish would jump. We spent about an hour just sitting on the grass eating those boiled peanuts. I would eat one, then open one for the dog. I refused to share my Pepsi, though. We were close enough to the water's edge for her to drink there.

So much for a restful Southern Saturday afternoon.

My dog Daisy (the one who died this past July) used to love going over to the lake and sitting on the shore, just watching the boats come and go. I really miss that girl. I wish you could have known her. She had more character than any dog I've ever known - and she was so homely she was cute. I think she may have been related to Andy Rooney. She had the same droopy jowls and bushy eyebrows, and could be just as grumpy at times as Andy can be. I often called her Andy. (in his honor, of course)

I don't think anyone ever answered the question about how you keep the dirt from falling out of the pots where you are growing your upside down tomatoes. I plan to use that material they call shade cloth - you know, the stuff you spread down on the ground, then cut slits in to put you plant in the soil. Just cut to fit your bucket, pot, container, then cut an X just large enough to get your tomato plant through it. 2 or 3 layers of newspapers will do the same thing. Once the roots have become well-formed, you won't lose much/any dirt when you water anyway. Coffee filters make good liners for plants in containers with just a center drain hole, too.

I'm getting a late start on my gardening this year. The perennials are all coming up nicely so I don't think I will try to put in any annuals this summer. I may buy a few pots of bright bloomers to set about when my daughter comes in July. I think this year I might get an automatic timer to set up with the sprinklers when I need to be gone for several days at a time.

All that oral surgery I had done has mostly healed now. At least I can now talk without lisping, the stitches have all gone wherever dead stitches go and I can actually chew with all that extra "stuff" in my mouth. And now tomorrow morning bright and early I have to report for cataract surgery on my left eye, and that procedure will be repeated on the right eye a week or so from now. They tell me I shouldn't need glasses afterwards, except perhaps for reading or sewing.

I hope everyone had a nice April lst, and that no one was too badly skunked.

Night, all
gerry

Good Friday Evening, everyone,

I have been reading some of the posts here on the Coffee Shopand have realized that most of us are "senior citizens". We have shared our musings, our serious thoughts, our fears, our dreams. We seem to have become somewhat a cyber-family. I so enjoy reading what everyone has to say, and have learned much from you.

Now, I would like to share with you some thoughts on growing old:

Old age, I decided is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body - the wrinkles, the baggy eyes and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family, for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. I am entitled to overeat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon, before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read until 4 a.m., and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60's, and if I at the same time wish to weep over a lost love, I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the bikini set. They, too, will get old. I know I am sometimes forgetful. But here again, some of life is just as well forgotten - and I eventually remember the important things. Sure over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when a beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. I can say "no", and mean it. I can say "yes", and mean it. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day!!
**************

And so, whatever you beliefs, may this Spring time season of renewal and rebirth bring you many blessings.

gerry

gerry, you have sure put my thoughts down.Isn't it good to have long enought to realize what things are REALLY important in life.I hope you all have a Happy Easter.Sue

Happy Easter everyone!

Beautifully written Gerry! Were you a professional writer at some point during your career?

I wish I could say that I was totally content with getting older, but I cannot. I like some of the styles that are currently out there, e.g., clothes and hairstyles, but I cannot wear them because I would look ridiculous. I also do not like the fact that aging is starting to limit things I was able to do before, e.g., heavy duty gardening, and just being more active for longer periods of time.

On the other side of this issue, I can act extremely silly with my grandbaby, dancing in front of her in a crazy manner to make her laugh, and no body laughs at me! When I don't feel like doing housework, I put on a cd and dance while I clean -- this makes the task more enjoyable. I do not dye my hair and so have gradually greyed, and I am o.k. with it. It's definitely great to be able to do what you want, when you want to, especially since I have never liked anyone telling me what to do, LOL! The latter, of course, can also be a curse. I am blessed to be around to see my daughter matured, and to see my grandkids grow up; blessed to have them want me in their lives!

Now I have to get off the computer and bake three dishes for our church's Easter breakfast.

Blessings to all.

Easter Sunday afternoon

Greetings, everyone,

eloise, thank you. Yes, I do a lot of writing, but I'm afraid I cannot take credit for the sweet little essay above on aging. Most of my writing these days is confined to my journal. But, like you, I felt when I first read it that it so closely described my own feelings on life as it is right now that I wanted to share it. God bless whoever wrote it.

This truly is a wonderful time in my life. I have some of the sweetest, dearest memories that I can take out and look at now and then. I also have some of the saddest memories that a human can endure, but the edges have become somewhat softened now. I have found a peace and serenity in my life that I never expected to experience. Each new day that I am granted is a blessing.

Our blackberry winter seems not to have done too much damage here. Some of the azaleas that were not under the protective covering under the leafed out oak trees are looking a wee bit sad, but most have come through just fine. They last such a short time as it is. My mock orange bushes are just covered with bloom buds, some of which began opening today, so I think the cold has spared them. Of course, it did not get quite as cold as had been forecast - we only got down to 30 degrees. I did bring in a few things yesterday and other things I covered with sheets, towels, whatever I could find, and I think I will cover them again before dark today. I have dozens of hostas up, some are beginning to get quite large, iris beds are full of buds. All those I covered last night. The hummingbird feeders were iced up, but were thawed by noon.

I am planning a two week visit to the North Carolina mountains the first part of May. I hope the snow they had yesterday is the last of winter. I have a couple of new spring outfits I am hoping to wear. To be on the safe side, though, I'll take some heavier clothing.

I hope this has been a nice Easter for everyone. I have spent a quiet weekend at home, caught up on laundry, watched part of the Masters Golf Tournament, cleaned out a couple of outdoor fountains, put out some bird houses. My children are both up in the Virgina foothills/mountains this weekend. I hope my son's little girls enjoyed the snow. I don't think they have ever seen any before.

Dryer is buzzing - time to fold.

'til next time,
gerry

Hello all,

My Easter has been pleasantly uneventful so far. I have spent the day mourning over lost beans I lost to the freeze, covering and uncovering then covering again various plants. Today I just dug up tomatoes out of the garden and put them in large pots in my sunroom.

I listened to a neighbor who said "Oh Easter is late this year, I think they will be fine to put out now.". Silly me, they were already fruiting in the greenhouse and would have been fine to stay there. At least I didnÂt put out my pepper plants. I am pretty sure all of my Blue Lake Bush beans are lost. My sunroom is now full of assorted pots and plants sitting in the middle of the room on a tarp. I have a large sleeping bag mounted on a pole in the back yard that is attempting to protect a banana.

I also went around posting For Sale signs for my 15 extra chickens. I would love to keep them all but I know I really canÂt keep up with 25 hens  the 10 that I plan to keep is probably far too many. Unfortunately most people donÂt want to pay what I am asking. At $3 apiece I am losing money  I paid more. Many people just want the free or cheap ones that you can get at the feed store. But I wanted certain egg-laying breeds, vaccinations, and testing for disease. Oh, and I wanted to make sure I got all GIRLS. I still have a bum knee from when a rooster buried both spurs in my kneecap and I had to yank them out. Use your imagination to figure out how he ended his days. No more roosters for me!!

I believe I am fairly young compared to the other posters here but I have always valued age and the rewards and freedoms it brings. I remember being 25 and planning for the day when I turned 40 so that I would finally have raised my children and could move on to other things. I have done that and each year has been better than the last. Yes, I have had run-ins with cancer, permanently moved into bi-focals, given up on two-piece bathing suits and the guys at work stopped seeing me as a girl/woman and started viewing me as ÂMomÂ.

But on the other hand, I am so glad to be over the need to force myself into pointy heels, fuss with my hair and the constant worry that my clothes and/or household goods will be identified as thrift shop finds  Now I just donÂt care. Like the lady said in Fried Green Tomatoes "IÂm older and have more insurance". If you havenÂt seen the movie that statement wonÂt make sense.

Well, it does look like I have written a novel here so I think IÂll wrap it up.

Hope everyone else is having a lovely day.

Have Y'all got room for one more?

I'm 52,Male,Dvd. just lookin for someone(s) to talk to.

I'm a bit of a Redneck,but I'm housebroke.

gurley, good to see you. I have missed you.

gerry

Hi gerry! Our temps last night didn't get as low as forcasted - thank goodness. I believe you are near the coast so yours may have even been warmer.

Welcome halibrand! My mother tried very hard to raise of lady of polish and social standing - somehow it just didn't take :-). Redneck here all the way. Besides, if we were all the same life would be pretty boring.

Enjoying the day off today and then on to a 10 day work-week. Looking forward to heading to Cherokee N.C. on Friday. N.C. should be beautiful this time of year. A freind has a cabin up there and has offered it up for use several times so I'm going to go ahead and take advantage of it.

Hi Gurley,

Your experience this week-end was duplicated here. I had just cleaned up my front beds and set out my "butterfly" plants. Who would believe we would have sleet the day before Easter in South Texas.

I also had the chicken problem a couple of years back. I started with a half dozen hens and one rooster. Fortunately I did not have a bad experience with the rooster but a year later my chickens were up to 36 and had eggs running out my ears. I work full time so was giving eggs away to the neighbors and everyone at work. It got to be way more time consumming than I was willing to invest and ended up giving away all the chickens as well as the hen house and galvanized nesting boxes. I will say that I miss having fresh eggs for myself. They taste so much better than store bought eggs. There is just no comparison.

Guess I'll have to replant those front beds next week-end. What a waste. I tried planting a few tomatoes, squash and peppers several years ago but ended up giving a lot of it away as the yield was way more than I could eat and I'm not into canning. I was never confident enough in my ability to believe I wasn't going to end up poisening myself. At least if a can of tomatoes from the store end up making me sick I'll have someone to blame for it other than myself.

Good morning all. Nothing much new here.

My daughter has been in Texas since Wednesday taking care of some business and is coming home today! It's only been a few days, but we all miss her.

I have two hens left and just love them. At one point I had about 14, but gradually some disappeared (think they flew over to the neighbor's and were never returned), and some were killed possibly by raccoons. Most were Americanas, which my grandkids and I bought as chicks for the blue/green eggs. There were a couple of Rhode Island Reds for brown eggs. I too only wanted girls, but one time when we went to get a couple of chicks, my grandson picked one he liked because it was a bit larger than the others. A few weeks later, I told him I knew why his chick was bigger than the rest -- it turned out to be a rooster! He named him 'Rocky' and he was just beautiful. Less than a year ago, I got new neighbors who complained about Rocky crowing at 3-4 in the morning (what's wrong with that, LOL), so I had to get rid of him. When I had too many eggs, I would hardboil them and take to work with some salt and pepper. My office colleagues would be thrilled. I've also taken a couple of dozen blue eggs for bake sales at our church and people buy them right away. My grandkids got to take one blue egg and one brown egg to school for Show and Tell. The kids and teachers were thrilled because they had never seen these before, and my grandkids got to be celebrities for the day! Can you believe something so simple can amaze city kids and adults so? Years ago I read that white eggs were cheaper in the West Coast, and brown eggs were cheaper in the mid-West and East Coast. It is true that we pay more for brown eggs here in California, but don't know about East Coast. Last time I saw blue and brown eggs at a Farmer's Market, they wanted $8 for blue and $4 for brown! I too wanted the chickens for fresh eggs, but I love being out in the yard and hearing them go about their daily business of clucking and scratching. When I sell my home and move, most likely I will be in an area where I can't have chickens and that saddens me. I recently heard or read that you can freeze eggs by scrambling them first, then store in plastic bags.

As for too many tomatoes, you can also freeze these by cutting them in half lengthwise, lay each piece on a plate or flat pan and freeze. When frozen, you can then put in freezer bags and use later for soups, sauces, etc. I have some Roma and yellow tomatoes frozen now which I will use up before my new crop comes in.

Anyone else having problems with this site? I can get to the plant site quickly, but this one is taking forever!

Hi, eloise

Yes, they've been having connection problems on this site - had a notice notice up through yesterday. It may still be up but I didn't notice as the connection was quick today.

Chickens and eggs -- I used to have some hens that layed (or should I say "laid"?) blue green eggs. Never sold them, since I had a little niece and nephew who would only eat the "Easter" eggs. As for the brown eggs, they do cost a little more here.

I've never tried freezing any tomatoes - always canned them. Being acidic I never worry much about spoilage. Some species of tomato, including the yellow, are not as acidic, so I usually add some vinegar. There's also a commercial product you can buy to put in them, but I can't recall the name.

My daughter is still excited about her move to Davis. They have already found a house to rent - in fact, they have actually already rented it. So it will be ready and waiting when they get there the latter part of July, 1st week in Aug.

gurley - how was your vist to Cherokee? Sorry it had to turn so cold. My grandchildren were in Blacksburg, VA for a long Easter weekend, and I have pictures of them playing in the snow - first they had ever seen. Precious.

Oh, the senselessness of it all. I am speaking of the VA Tech shootings today.

Some of you may recall that my daughter works in the OR in the Vet School there. Her husband is a veterinarian interning there. For hours I could not reach them and I was terrified, as I imagine everyone was who had a loved one attending, working, teaching there. Finally my daughter was able to get to a computer to e-mail me a very brief message to tell me they were safe. All buildings were under lock down so she wasn't able to get outside to use her cell phone and they cannot get a signal inside.

It was only after receiving that e-mail that I broke down; it was the utter sense of relief and thankfulness that I felt. And I still feel a very deep sadness and grief for those who lost loved ones.

DD has had some hairy experiences the year she has been there. On her very first day there last August we went thru something very similar when an escaped convict ended up killing two police officers. They were under lockdown then, and the police had snipers on the roof tops of some buildings. It wasn't quite as bad then, of course, since the convict had not gone on a shooting spree killing at random. Then there were last week's bomb threats.

She e-mailed me early this morning before going to work, complaining about the weather - snow and high winds. "One more reason to be excited about moving to California", she said. (They have to be in CA at Univ. of California, in Davis by August 1st, where her husband has a 3 year residency appointment) Now, she has even more reason, though I don't imagine anyone there will ever be able to leave such a terrible tragedy totally behind.

But tonight, I know my child is well and safe, my only daughter, my youngest child - and I thank God.

Gerry

Gerry, thank God that your daughter and SIL are safe. I was at my daughter's watching my granddaughter and they do not have a t.v., and I didn't have the radio on so just found out about this horrible thing. My SIL came from work and mentioned it. I can just imagine the state you were in not knowing whether your family was safe or not. My heart and prayers go out to all those that have lost a loved one.

Gerry, Thank God your loved ones are safe. What a horrible tragedy for everyone. Why can't we find ways to prevent these things from happening? I am just at a loss for words to express how I feel about the senseless loss of life and suffering inflicted by one deranged person.

Good morning all.

It rained yesterday here in southern CA -- yay! We really need it.

Just as I had finished draining my pool because it has a leak, more water accumulated from the rain.

Last weekend, my neighbor and helpers torn down the side fence between our properties to put up new fencing. He also cut down about five trees that were leaning on the fence and grinded the tree stumps and removed the roots coming across my driveway. This is all great, but since he works during the week, he can only work on this during the weekend. Hopefully with the ground being soaked, this won't delay putting up the posts and fencing this weekend. I am sharing some of the expense in labor and materials for the new fence.

Going dancing with friends tonight, and am really looking forward to doing so.

Have a glorious weekend.

Hello, All. Can't believe my last post was March 17, I think. Thanks for the birthday wishes. I insured and tagged the Miata a couple of days ago. Now, a little brake work and it'll be raring to go. This time it didn't take long to realize getting in and out of it seems a little more difficult than last year.

I liked my Millhouse Columbian blend from a while back. It must have been dark roast. I even bought another bag which wasn't as good. I'd picked up the same brand but it was a medium roast.

Now I'm drinking Summitt Coffee House "The Fiend Blend". The blend was prepared in memory of Alex Lowe, a mountain climber who died. He was fiendish about his coffee. Part of the Fiend Blend proceeds goes to the Alex Lowe charity. I ground the entire bag rather than a few cups at a time. The coffee is okay but may have been better grinding a few cups at a time.

I appreciate the talk about tomatos. Although I'm no longer into gardening I think I'll give the upside down tomato thing a try.

Eloise, did the living trust thing work out. Rather than talking to an attorney I'd like to hear from someone who has done it. If you have time to offer some of the fundamentals I'll sure appreciate it.

The frosts in WNC have played havock with plants and such. I only have six or seven azaleas. I think six are dead. The one alive is bloomiing but only on one limb. The rest of the leaves and buds are dead. I'd trimmed some 20 feet of golden ? bushes. Gold/yellow leaves came out; frost hit; and now nothing but brown. There's some green toward the bottom and maybe there's hope.

I wish everyone well and hope the enjoyment of a season change is stronger than distractions of mosquitos and fleas. Regards, Gene

Good morning all.

Gene, have fun driving your Miata! When I had my Mazda RX7, and my back was out, my daughter said I shouldn't be driving that car because it was hard getting in and out, but I still did. I have a draft of the documents that I am reviewing. It is taking several days because I hate reading contracts. Because I am a single woman with one living child and not much $, the total document is close to half an inch thick; my daughter's and SIL is about an inch thick! The entire document includes the living trust, will, power of attorney, and health care directive.

It was awfully hot here yesterday, so I waited until it cooled down late afternoon to work in the yard. I remembered reading somewhere that pinning a Bounce sheet to your clothing would keep mosquitos at bay. I assumed it worked because I did not get a single bite!

Today at 2 PM I am meeting with the Realtor about putting up my home for sale. I am sort of nervous about doing this as I love my space. Also, I can't buy another until my home sells. I will be staying at my daughter's until I find what I want, and do not look forward to moving twice. I could put a contingency, but this might keep prospective buyers away as it is a buyer's market. If I am meant to move, then my home will sell quickly without having to lower the price too much. In walking around the yard, it saddens me that if my home sells quickly, I will lose out on harvesting my Santa Rosa plums, apples, pears, heirloom tomatoes, japanese cucumbers, grapes, etc., etc.

Next Saturday, my gardening group is meeting at one of our member's home. We will have refreshments and exchange plants. I love doing this, but of course this time I have to be more selective in which plants I bring home because I don't need more pots to take with me if I move!

The fence is finally up! I just need to pay my half to my neighbor.

Later.

Good Afternoon, Folks. Eloise, I'm familiar with some of the documents. I'd just like to know more about a living trust whereby one can transfer assets to it but still be in control of everything.

Usually these are not creditor proof but I think they serve a purpose. I've heard of this as an example. A couple separated. The wife wouldn't give a divorce and the man was just too tired or too broke to challenge it. He wanted to get a house. He had a living trust prepared and recorded at the courthouse. He put the house in the living trust's name with him and two daughters trustees. He died. The daughters were able to dispose of the property without the estranged wife being involved. This was supposed to take place in North Carolina. I just wondered how it may be viewed elsewhere.

I don't know if I mentioned the following in a prior post. Relating to a particular coffee (can't recall which one) I think I said it was good at one tablespoon and ten ounces of coffee. For a very long time I've been going along thinking a cup (not measuring) I use to put water in the coffee maker was ten ounces. A month or two back I found out the cup was eight ounces. It was really a shocker because I've been using it ever since I began coffee sampling in October, 2005. I just hope I've not passed out too much bogus information.

As for the upside down tomato planting I have a bunch of hanging baskets (plastic) in the shed. All have a small hole in the bottom and that's where I'll stick the plant.

Have a good Sunday. Gene

What a day!! What a week!!!

Went to a motorcycle rally in Cherokee N.C. Had a great time and absolutely fell in love with the area. I have spent a fair amount of my summer weekends in N.C. but the area between Sylva and Cherokee was the perfect spot for me. I am actually contemplating trying to get a little piece of property up there. I didn't want to come home.

Had an unplanned day off today so that gave me a chance to get caught up on things at home. My town is not large by any means but one trip to Lowes had me totally frustrated. My people skills and patience level are getting worse as I get older.

To complicate things I have had a gout attack - yes it happens to women (at a certain age) and an allergy attack. I think I'm ready to go back to the mountains now :-).

Gene - I noticed a little town called candler on the map up there - does your 'name' have anything to do with that?

Good morning all, and Happy Mother's Day to all mothers!

We are celebrating Mother's Day by going on a train ride and having brunch -- this should be fun!

Well my home is up for sale and I am trying not to get stressed. This process sure is making me a neater person, LOL!

Gene, I am still trying to proof the living trust documents. From what I understand, as the trustee, we are in charge until the 'power of attorney' has to kick in if we are no longer able to make decisions for ourselves. At that point, the person with power of attorney should do what is right for you, hopefully. Once you die, no one can change your trust, e.g., to give themselves more of your assets when there are more than one person/organizations listed on the trust. I am trying to understand all this stuff myself.

We had a grand time at our gardening gathering, and one of our members is going to take my two hens when the time comes for me to move. He is a master gardener and works for one of the high schools around here. At first I thought I would advertise two free hens, but also worried that someone would want them to have them for dinner :-(

Happy weekend to all.

Gurley,

I haven't lurked here in a while and just read your post. As coinsidence would have it, I had an email from my sister in NC when I got to work this morning with pictures of the H.O.G. rally at the Outer Banks a couple of weeks ago. It seems that lately everyone I run into has gotten into motorcycles. Looks like a lot of fun.

Pat

Howdy, Folks. I've heard if one hangs a dead crow on a fence near their garden it will keep other crows away. My next door neighbor has had to replant corn three times. Each time it breaks ground crows pull the plant. Yesterday he shot one and hung it on the fence. I've not talked to him and yet don't know the effectivness .

This morning I had my coffee and a bagel on the back porch. I kept looking at the dead crow and thought of Poe's, The Raven (remember? Nevermore, Lenore?). When I came to the computer I was inspired.

ODE TO A CROW, by Gene

My head is low,
My feet are high,
Different from yesterday -
I soared through the sky!

A garden I spotted,
Oh, I filled with glee,
Morsels of young corn
just waited for me.

On a fence
here am I hanging,
Corn sprouts were good,
but gun went banging!
- - - - - - - - - - -

I have four coffees (1/2 pound package deal) from Caribou: Caribou blend, Sumatra, French Roast, and Columbia. I'm using the Caribou blend. I didn't want to grind it myself. I told them I wanted it ground for the paper filter type of maker. It came ground very, very thin. I thought it should have been lightly coarse. Am I wrong? That coffee is okay but for my taste buds no much more than less expensive stuff.

Gurley, you caught me, didn't you. Yes, I live at Candler. I've never thought alias' were very good anyway. If someone wants to find you bad enough they will. But, it is often recommended by those in the know, isn't it.

Thanks for the continuing information, Eloise. It has encouraged me to start doing something. I'm 73, windowed, with three children. I'd like to have things more organized when I move on. I have updated my will in a simplistic fashion for the present. I've found the local N.C. probate office accepts an informal will if signed and no witnesses. There were changes I wanted to make to the old one and that was convenient for the time being.

I'm preparing two file folders. One has original documents and the other copies. The other will be furnished a daugher whose named Executor (they don't use Executrix any more). Some of my things require explanation such as an insurance policy which has a face value higher than actual value. I need to include a letter explaining I borrowed some money on the policy years ago and just have never paid it back. Otherwise I think it would be confusing to them. I plan to pay it back if and when I sell a lot.

It is dry in WNC! I'm sure it is elsewhere, too. I'm mowing every couple of weeks rather than weekly. It sure makes one think about global warming. But, I have seen it this way even with ground cracking only for the rain to begin and come almost daily until Fall gets here.

I still drive the Miata maybe once a week. It's still fun. It came with a supposedly cancelled XM radio. I generally don't try to listen to music because of noise, it being a convertible. I was at a stop light and began messing with the radio. I got an XM channel with 30's and 40's music. It was good listening. I heard later XM has sample days trying to get new subscribers.

I wish everyone well. I'm sorry the topic has slowed so much. Maybe it's because of warmer weather and longer days. Maybe it will pick up come cold weather. Sorry about saying those words. Regards, Gene

Howdy, Everyone. It's Wednesday morning, July 11, 2007. It seems I have this Topic all to myself, huh. Can't believe it's been around a month and a half since posting my last note - and, no one else. I suppose I'm vain enough to want my Ode To A Crow poem read. Since no one has commented I thought it might be too gross, or whatever. I thought it was funny but I've always had somewhat of a warped sense of humor.

Regardless, the crow is still hanging (or at least part of it) and the neighbor's corn looks fine. Right now he's got a problem with ground hogs that have burrowed under my shed that visit his garden on occasion. Maybe I'll be writing a poem called Ode To a Ground Hog. Who knows.

I've finished the coffee mentioned in my prior post. The Columbia was the best of the four. Down the line it was Summatra, Caribou blend, and French Roast. I was surprised FR was on bottom. Of course we have to realize my analysis is based on my taste buds and we all are different, are we not.

In Western NC it has been hot and humid. I saw my thermometer hit 91 a couple days ago. My A/C didn't turn off for several hours. Yes, age is a factor in dealing with heat. In the past I've shoveled dirt in hotter weather.

It starts getting a little comfortable outside around 9PM. I sit on the back porch watching the fireflies and anything else that might move in my field. I'm normally not out very late when the air is cool enough to enjoy the Miata. But, on occasion I'll head out late if only to run a short errand. The fun time is in September and October.

I've slowed on thoughts of getting organized. But, I'm sure further along than I was a few months back. The children seem to appreciate what I'm doing. From a personal standpoint I would, too, if I were them.

I hope all my fellow THS posters are doing well and the summer is going just like you want it too. Regards, Gene

Hi Gene,

If no one else has told you, Gurley started another post under the name "Keeping in Touch".

Very good, your Ode to a Crow.

Well I have been totally busy taking care of my 10 mos. old granddaughter. My daughter and SIL went to Texas to take care of some business with her dad's house. They should be on their way back now (driving) so expect them by Tuesday. I do believe I am a bit more fit resulting from all that walking around and picking up I have been doing with my granddaughter. She started walking at 9 mos. and now at 10 mos. she thinks she is ready to run. I am so blessed.

It is super hot here in So. Calif. I can't stand this hot weather and am looking forward to cooler days. My home is still up for sale, and just today I called the realtor to lower the price. I am ready to move from here. Some dumb person(s) graffitied the realtor's sign. Last Friday, I caught a girl jumping over my fence with a bag of plums she had just taken from my tree, AND the mother was waiting for her with a baby in a stroller!!! I was so angry and yelled at them when I opened the door. Because I had put my car in the garage, they must have assumed no one was home. This morning, I found my front gate door opened. Perhaps some other thief coming for plums.

Later.

Hello, Eloise, and Others. I no longer know where I fit in to this Topic. I'm still old (73) and widowed; I still sample coffees; and I still don't have a close by companion. But I do have single's opinions.

Shopping. I'm in the process of returning my third toaster oven. Two were not satisfactory and one almost caught on fire. One that's unsatisfactory is boxed up for returning. Folks, I don't want a toaster to take 7 minutes to make a piece of medium toast. Can you believe that's their directions - 7 minutes! Someone has to be kidding. The Euro-Pro people must have more time than me - and I'm retired.

Thoughts. The preface of Thomas Wolfe's You Can't Go Home Again speaks of everything being first total darkness; then a flicker as a spark from a just lit match; and back to total darkness again.

I suppose we all know how short lived a spark is. Wolfe started the book in 1934, I guess, and died in 1938. If he wrote the book's preface it seems he illuded to the spark being the total time we have on earth.

Folks, over the years I've given much thought to that and I don't like what I see. What do you see? Have you found your purpose of life? I've never met anyone that did. Are we here just to continue searching?

Years ago I had an encounter with Mona. She was the only true Earth Child I'd ever met. She wanted to find a place for us and we'd spend forever reading to one another. Mona made me feel good just being around her. I think of her very often and in the sincerist form I hope she has found someone she loves and is doing exactly that. Please excuse the tear. It comes from the heart of an old man.

Coffee. I started my testing in either October 2004 or 2005. General consensus is to store ground coffee in the dark such as in a wall cabinet, in a pantry, in a base cabinet, or an unclear glass. The coffee folks didn't seem to recommend refrigeration. Maybe they want the coffee to go bad quicker. Who knows. Good coffee is what a person enjoys most. They're the judge.

And coffees don't taste the same all the time. A while back I got a couple of preground bags of the most popular Columbian Bold. Just opening a bag I knew it was going to be good, and it was. A later trip to the grocery I, again, got two bags of the same. I opened one and am still waiting to get the rich good smell as its predecessor. Go figure.

This and that. In the WNC mountains it's been dry but we finally had a day of slow and steady rain. My deceased brother in law always called it a United States Soaker.

I tagged my Miata back in May and will drive it through October or November. It's fun. I'm a member of the local Miata Club but have not gone to a meeting or on their outings. If I had a lady traveling companion maybe I would. I still walk the golf course and I still walk some of the trails off the Blue Ridge Parkway. I've given up on trying to find a lady companion who's strong enough for the rigors of walking.

Finish. To my former Singles buddies I'd like to say I wish them happiness and health. To the new ones I only ask that you look over me . Gene

Greetings Gene et al. I don't know where everyone's gone to!

Gene, of course you fit. I assumed the topic was whatever we wanted to share. It's a shame that you are on your third toaster oven, and that's also a lemon. They just don't make stuff like they used to. Seven minutes is a long time, and I sure wouldn't have the patience (being retired as well) to wait that long for a piece of toast. You could probably toast it faster over a lit match, LOL!

Speaking of a lit match, as one gets older, life certainly seems to be going faster, like a spark that goes out too quickly. I try not to reflect too much about the past because I would have a long list of regrets about things I didn't try/experienced, about relationships I screwed up, etc., etc., and then I might get depressed. There are also lots of great things that happened in my life and so I think about those instead. I wonder if we do all find "our purpose in life." Perhaps we just don't realize that the "purpose in life" is different for everyone, i.e., we weren't all meant to be running companies, or being actors, or having our name in print. Some of us were meant to be great parents, great friends, great gardeners, great writers, great painters, and even some being "jacks of all trades, masters of none", which I consider myself as being one :-)

I too have experienced when the same brand of coffee taste different. Sometimes I get this great Yuban that smells and taste strong and rich, and other times, it is bla (sp).

I just found out yesterday that my mom, who will be 80 in October, had identity theft. It just makes me sick to think about it. She lives in a very small town in AZ, and her STUPID bank paid checks made out to some computer companies and someone's telephone bills, instead of her bills like utilities! This is a very small town and they know that she only gets her SS check, and yet, they paid off some other stuff! This evening I emailed my brother and sisters in AZ to see what is being done about it.

Started a yoga class finally this fall semester at one of our colleges. I've had three classes and am enjoying going there. The only problem is that we can't understand the instructor some times. We kind of look around to see what others do. My home is still up for sale. I wish it had sold already, but the market is extremely slow here in So. California. Most likely when the contract is up, I will take if off the market and just accept staying here.

Hope all are well, and extremely busy doing great stuff! Eloise

Hello, Eloise, Gene, and others,

It's really nice to see a couple of old friends posting again. I took a hiatus from the Single Life forums for the summer, but I've missed all of you.

Eloise - my daughter and her husband are really having the time of their lives out there in California. They love it and I am so glad. This is the first time either of them has been so far away from family and old friends. They've made lots of new friends. Rachel (DD) says the people are easy to know and like, though she has had problems with places like the DVM, etc. She was rather discouraged at being treated like an illegal alien (she, with the blonde hair and big blue eyes), but she says she also understands the reasoning behind it so just grins and bears it. Her problem stemmed from the fact that she did not have a paper birth certificate. When her birth was registered, they sent me a small card, laminated. It contains all the info necessary, but the state of California would not accept it because it was laminated, as a lot of falsified documents often are. They were OK with it after she wrote the state of SC and got a regular old paper copy - certified, of course. They have purchased touring bikes and bike through the city of Davis, all around the campus there, and out into the surrounding countryside. She finds fresh fruits and veggies less expensive even than here, though she was unable to find Duke's Mayonnaise! Her MIL sent them a care package with a couple of jars of it. Hey, they DO have grits, an old Southern staple!!

Sorry about you mother and her identity theft problem. Hopefully your siblings will soon be able to get it all resolved. She has been through so much already, as it is.

Since your house hasn't sold, at least you had a chance to reap the fruits of your past labors. Did you get enough rain for your fruit trees to produce a good crop this year?

Gene, I know I'm late getting around to it, but your Ode to a Crow is, well..amusing. It's good to hear that you are still doing your coffee tastings. I am finding that as the days and nights here are becoming cooler I am drinking more coffee than usual. Coming in from outside chores I now am more likely to pour myself a cup of coffee than a glass of iced tea.

So far as ever finding our purpose in life -- I doubt that many, if any, ever discover what that is. Perhaps that may be a good thing. Perhaps we are meant to just keep searching until that little spark you mentioned is extinguished. If, during this life, I have touched the life of another in some way, and brought a little happiness, comfort, joy, and somehow made a difference, it will be reason enough for me to have existed. You give us much food for thought, Gene.

Yes, time passes much too quickly as we grow older. It was Friday just yesterday - then I awakened this morning and it is Friday again. Lots of quicksilver days now.

A good day to all
Gerry

Howdy, Gerry and Eloise. Never can tell. Maybe CS III will come back to life.

I made a clerical mistake in my post about coffee a few notes back. I intended to say the general consensus of coffee people is to store it in a dark place and in an unclear (opaque) container. I erroneously said "or" in an unclear container which was incorrect. Sorry about that!

It was a pizza and beer Friday, alone as usual. I must have been in the mood for both because it was goooooooood.

Thanks for the Ode To A Crow recognition, Gerry. There's a few ground hogs under my shed. It's a little late in the season for them to disturb my neighbor's garden but I thought for a while I might be writing one to a ground hog.

Thanks for the thumbs up about the toaster, Eloise. I still can't get over it. The brochure inside the box says 7 minutes for medium toast. I wonder how many they would sell if that was printed in readible letters on the outside of the box.

Good luck to your Mom, Eloise. I'm in the process of something I hope is a near miss. Someone hacked a small business where I'd placed some classified and used a credit card. I talked to an attorney at the N.C. Dept of Justice Consumers' Division. He said there's no restriction of how long a company can keep one's credit card information once a customer uses it with them. That STINKS! I asked the attorney what could be done about the retention and he said there's basically nothing since no state or federal government has ever created governing laws. That STINKS, too!

Hope everyone is enjoying a little weather change. These Western NC mountains are feeling mighty good. Hope it is where you are, too. Regards, Gene

Hi Gerry, Gene and anyone else reading CS III,

So glad your DD and SIL are having a grand time here in California. Sounds like they just fit in right away! It amazes me that Americans are treated as illegals, and illegals are treated as Americans and get so many benefits, aghhhh! I've never heard of Duke's mayo; my favorite is Best Food mayo. We certainly do have grits! Every once in a while, I will buy a small box and keep it in the fridge as I don't use it that often.

Two days ago, I harvested the last of my Bartlett pears, and yesterday I took the last avocado from the tree. Prior to that, I had lots of apples from my Anna tree, and got quite a few red, seedless grapes from my vine, and even earlier had Santa Rosa plums. I have oranges and grapefruit on my trees. My citrus trees suffered from lack of water. We have not had sufficient rain and apparently there was no moisture left way deep down for the roots; my lemon tree died. I assume the lemon, Valencia orange, navel orange and the grapefruit trees where leftovers of when the San Fernando Valley was all citrus orchards many years ago.

Well Gene, I keep my coffee in a small, clear glass canister and refill it from a large can I have in the fridge of my mixed Yuban (vanilla bean and Yuban). I also have beans of other coffees in the freezer and sometimes will grind enough to make myself a cup of coffee.

My Friday's dinner (also alone, watching tv) was a Marie Calendar chicken pot pie, salad and a glass of Fetzer Gewurztraminer, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thanks both of you for your good wishes for my mom's problem. Hopefully it can be taken care of quickly. These scum who just take everything you have without a thought on how it affects their victims is beyond understanding. During the summer, my Credit Union contacted me that they were sending me a new ATM card because some vendor I used had contacted them that they had security problems. The Credit Union said they couldn't tell me who that vendor was! I didn't have any problems and was grateful that the vendor contacted whoever they had to regarding their problem before it became a major one.

We had rain a couple of days ago and it was wonderful. The air is so clean and the sky is beautiful. I wished it would have rained for a couple of days more since we are in a drought. Take care.

Good Tuesday afternoon (afternoon here)
I always have to stop now and remember what time it is elsewhere, such as on the West Coast - still morning there.

Eloise, glad you finally got some rain, but is it too late for your citrus crop? Last night I heard someone on TV singing "It Never Rains in Southern California". I thought of you.
DD says they also got rain a couple of days ago - first rain she has seen since arriving there July 26. Of course, she's much further up the coast than you are - I don't know about further inland. I am so looking forward to my first visit out there - most likely in the Spring. DD's birthday falls on ll/03 - her MIL is going to stand in for me. Of course, there's always the possibility of changing my mind and making a trip out during the holidays!! We chat almost every day, either by IM, email, or phone, so it's next best thing to being there and helps tremendously in preventing my missing her so terribly.

I was hoping more of our old friends would come back after the summer was over, but it seems they may have gone to other threads. This one is becoming a bit long for scrolling down now anyway, so it may be time for a new one to begin. Or, perhaps we need to "diversify" and post on some other threads. I've personally always loved the "mind rambles" so characteristic of the Coffee Shops. I guess we are just a bunch of old fogeys!! :-)

I have made a big effort this summer to get to know my neighbors better. I was beginning to get a reputation as being "that eccentric old lady living back there in the woods", not that I really minded. I'm just not one for wanting neighbors dropping in at just any ol' time for coffee. I truly enjoy being alone most of the time. Most of my neighbors just don't have the same interests as I do.
Anyway, through a neighborhood cook out/picnic I met several neighbors I didn't know, and became better acquainted with some I already knew.

We're in the worst month for hurricanes, but so far things have remained quiet. Still, I made preparations, just in case. Now I'll probably have to eat all that canned food, etc. I bought in case we were without power in this area for several days, perhaps weeks. On second thought, I think it would be better to donate it to a shelter. I just do not like commercially canned products.

Gene, I wars reading recently that fall foliage in the mtns isn't expected to be so colorful this fall, due to the long, dry summer causing leaves to begin dropping before they have a chance to turn. I hope your recent rains were not too late to help some. Still, I imagine there will still be enough color to make driving the Pkwy and back roads quite lovely.

Greetings Gerry, Gene et al.

The Valencia orange and white grapefruit trees seems to have fruit year-around, and so far, I have not seen the drought affecting those trees too much. The grapefruit did show some stress as the leaves got droppy, and as you read before, my lemon tree is a goner.

Gerry, I sure hope you decide to visit your DD and SIL here in California during the holidays. I am sure it will do them, and you, a whole lot of good.

I too am a loner sometimes. I barely know my neighbors, but than, I really don't want to know a couple of my neighbors.

Gerry, hope you don't have any serious hurricanes.

Gene, hope you have lots of beautiful folliage! I still remember my trip to the NE states last October!

Maybe the others will come back soon to post. You are right Gerry, that this post is getting too long and we have to scroll down quite a ways. I hope no one is offended, but I am going to start Coffee IV so post there! Think I will add, "Not just for coffee drinkers" to the title.