Rainy Fall afternoon...

1:00 pm....the sky is still dark with clouds, the temperature is 82 degrees and it has begun raining once more. The temperature inside the house is right at 80 degrees.

I began vacuuming the floor, got the rug in the living room done, moved on to the tile in the kitchen and the vacuum began making an odd growling sound, as if it had something grinding against the beater bar...hmmm, so far, I haven't been able to discover what is creating this...smells a bit hot, so I've shut it off for now. On my old ones, I would have popped the cover for the belt...ok, this one will require a screwdriver....great, they are in the van and it's raining....grrrr....guess it will have to wait. SIGH....on to something else. I damp mopped the kitchen and it looks a bit better anyway.

WOW!! Its raining pretty hard right now! And to think, the weathercasters this morning were saying only the southern portion of FL would be likely to see the hard rains....HA!! Guess the rain clouds didn't hear them say that!!! At least the chickens all have some place dry to get to, if only they decide to go inside!... Maybe I should check the weather station....the last time we got rain like this, we were under a tornado watch and I never even knew...figured it was just hard rain. Just flipped the tv on and of course, so far, nothing about any weather at all. Guess I'll leave it on for a bit, at least until the weather update. The temp on the tv says it's 78...the rain must have cooled things a little.

Decisions, decisions....where do I start?...my bedroom, or the back room? Hmmm, maybe I'll start with my bedroom and see if I can get all those clothes sorted through...what fun for a rainy day....NOT! It's almost depressing to see some of my favorite clothes no longer wearable...at least by me. :-(

Ok, looks like this is just a bit of a shower...nothing major happening weatherwise in our area, not at this time anyway....

Ready for Fall....

6:00 am...its still dark outside, the temperature is about 75 degrees...we have a light rain. The weathercaster has been saying there is a 70% chance for rain today....this morning, they were saying only a 40% chance....guess it's 40%ing all over us at the moment.

6:56 am...hubby is getting ready to leave, he usually lets the chickens out for me in the morning, so I asked if he would open the main coop while I turned Penny and Patty loose in the garden. It's still dark outside and no one seems interested in leaving the cozy, dry coop just yet...not even Penny and Patty wanted out of the carrier. Can't say as I blame any of them as we have a drizzling rain at the moment. Only Mojo seems to want to be outside....the rest of the dogs are sacked out in the house.

By 7:30 am the sky has lightened, but no sun with all the clouds still hanging. The air is damp from the rain, but feels cool and the fans are pulling a very nice breeze through the open windows. We are forecast for the low to mid 80's today...I almost hope the sun remains hidden so the humidity doesn't become steam. I see that tomorrow is forecast for the low 90's again...will this heat never end? The few days of very dry cool weather has me longing for the heat to move on. I'm definitely ready for Fall weather. We built a fire in the fire pit over the weekend to burn some of the windfall branches and yard trash that had accumulated. Was very nice to sit out there in the swing watching the fire as daylight moved to dusk. We moved the swing to the fire pit area so we could enjoy the view of the back pasture as we sit around the fire. Surrounded by the trees and open field its like being in the middle of nowhere...very peaceful.

10:00 am...The sky is cloudy, the air remains damp, but cool...our current temperature is a very comfortable 78 degrees, according to my porch thermometer. Time to get myself moving towards the house chores...yuck...vacuuming, laundry and on to my back room once more. Wednesday is trash pick up and if I play my cards right, I might just be able to dispose of more junk this week! Still need to clean out my closet and go through my clothes that are way too small....sigh...I don't intend, nor do I think, I'll ever need those clothes that are size 5 or smaller again....age has a way of shifting the weight. Time to go ahead and move on without them.

A pretty fair Monday...

The temperature at 6:30 am is about 75 degrees, the sun has yet to break the horizon. The air feels cool and nice this time of the day. I let the chickens out of the coop and as Penny and Patty came out, the others immediately began their attack....sigh...I picked them up and took them to the garden. They just don't need to spend their day on the run or being attacked. As I carried them to the garden, Mojo snuck up behind me and yanked on Penny's tail feathers...he knows better! I immediately swung my foot in his direction as both hands were full of chicken! Got them to the garden and scolded Mojo as I made him come to the house. Tossed some scratch feed to everyone and headed inside to get things ready for my run into town. Finally the sun began to glow across the trees around 7:30 am. The sky is clear and the heat is rising.

1:30 pm: Went to town so I could make a deposit and check on a converter box for the van tv. I don't have to worry about it for the house as we are on cable. But with hubby wanting to set the van up for camping and it having a small tv already, figured I will need to go ahead and pick up the box so we can still use it. Not real concerned with it as we would probably just use it for watching movies on the dvd player...but I did tell him I'd check on one. It seems like its been ages since I have been to Radio Shack...probably a year? While I was in that shopping center, I also ran over to the Dollar General store...I really enjoy those type of stores. Picked up a few things there like freezer bags and a couple of the collapsible laundry hampers. Spent about an hour just wandering around the store checking things out. Next time I'm in town in that area I plan to head over to Big Lots....my next favorite store. Just never go to town much anymore.

By the time I got back to the house it was close to time for hubby to get in. I had decided to make potato soup earlier in the day, and when he came in I gave him a choice of soup or pork chops...he chose soup. Works for me! I peeled and cut the potatoes, onion and then chunked up some of the ham I had made over the weekend and put the pot on to cook. I love the smell of stuff cooking, especially soups. Turned out pretty tasty as usual.

The chickens went to roost before 7 pm...wow...by the end of the month when the time changes they'll be in bed by 5 pm! They have been staying outside until almost 7:30 pm...this is a definite change for them. Since we still haven't got a door on the new nest box in the garden, I was going to take Penny and Patty back to the main coop. Poor babies...I decided at the last second to just bring one of our dog carriers to the garden so they didn't have to be so traumatized by the others. The carrier will at least keep the critters from being able to get to them. They weren't real happy about being taken from the nest box to the carrier, but I'm not real crazy about finding one or both of them missing because of a critter....these little girls are producing some very nice large and jumbo size eggs....I sure don't want to miss out on those.

The oldest boy stopped in...not real sure why as his vehicle is having a water pump issue...he lives almost a half an hour's drive south of us....he stayed for about an hour and then headed home...hubby invited him to stay for supper, but he declined. I think he was heading to pick up his girlfriend from work.

All in all it was a pretty fair day. The temperature hit about 88 degrees and the humidity was pretty high as well...was still warm in the house even after the sun set tonight...at 11 pm, it is still above 80 degrees outside...ugh!...almost makes me want to turn the A/C back on...but the fans will stay on tonight instead and I know by the time I get up, the house will feel cool.

A better weekend

We got up early Saturday and Sunday so we could make a trip out to U-Pull-It...the local salvage yard. Was beautiful weather all weekend...mornings in the mid 60's with the afternoons feeling like summer as both days highs were in the upper 80's...will summer never end this year?

Lucked out and got the parts we were searching for...hubby had been scoping out a new bench seat for the back of the van....found a nice one that will make out to a queen size bed....if we had been thirty minutes later, it would have been gone. As it was, some guy came up to the van we were pulling it out of and blatantly stated it was his seat....I don't think so...especially not since we already had it 3/4 of the way out! Got to get there early if you expect to get the parts you want. As it was, the lights I had scoped out Saturday in a different van had already been snatched...no biggy, I'll find more another time. We loaded the seat into the van and came on to the house....not a bad deal on the seat, with the frame and motor...less than 60 bucks.

We spent the rest of the afternoon napping as the temperature rose to 88 degrees and the humidity came with it. By 4 pm, we were ready to tackle the van... We had to take the middle seats out so the bench bed could be opened.

After the van, we finished up the nest box for Penny and Patty...Ms Piggy and Red are still being bullies and trying to beat up the younger two. So I've got them in the garden for now with the new nest box and Penny and Patty seem to like it. The way these two are laying, it will be put to good use!

Things between the two of us are back to how it was in the early years...sharing our opinions, talking, enjoying spending time with each other...

Penny and Patty...and Penny's first egg

At 7 am it is a very cool 62 degrees according to my porch thermometer.  The sun is shining and the sky is clear.  We are heading for the mid 80's again with a heat index of 89 today.  Fall is only here in the early part of the morning....the afternoons are still in summer.  I almost turned the A/C back on yesterday because of the humidity.

The new hens are having a rough time with Piggy and Red.  When I took them back to the coop yard last night it was just before the others went to roost.  I had to stay in the yard with them in order to keep Piggy and Red from ganging up on just one...Brats!  I finally told Barney to take the girls to the house and told the girls to go...they did.  Penny and Patty were so fixated on the feed that was still scattered, that they continued scratching for another good ten minutes before they noticed the hateful ones were no longer in the yard.  The two of them hoped up on the roost pole to get comfortable, as the remnants of the sunset glowed in the sky.  Barney came out, jumped on the roost pole with them for a few minutes and then returned to the coop.  A few minutes later, Patty hopped down and into the lion's den she went....saw her bounce across the inside and heard a slight scuffle before things settled down...Penny hopped down and went in just before we lost the last bit of pink in the skiy.  Smart girl, wait until the wicked witches settle down.  Piggy used to have to do that with Red...wait until she dozed off before trying to get comfortable herself.

This morning, it began again.  They weren't out for long before Red and Piggy began double teaming Patty.  Biting with a vengence and trying to pluck her shoulder feathers.  I let them try for fifteen minutes before I decided to take Patty and Penny to the garden.  They don't need plucked by the hateful ones!

Before I took them to the coop last night, Penny had laid....WOWSERS!!!  After seeing Red's normal size eggs.. this one looked like a duck egg in comparison.  That's the size eggs I'm looking for!!!  Nice almost round brown egg and fairly hefty.  Piggy should be laying this size by now.  I don't want to disrupt the laying, but I'd really prefer it if they'd lay them in the coop instead of my having to go search every inch of the garden area.  Hubby has said he will build me a shelter nest box for the garden.  But this just so sucks because the coop is plenty large enough for a total of five chickens. I understand that they are just establishing their 'pecking order' but no sense in being viscious!  Barney is just way too small to interfere...all the girls are way bigger than he is. 

New hens...silly dogs

It's just past 3 pm...the temperature is around 86 degrees...whew!  Without the blowing wind we have been having, it's a bit warm. 

Went out to check on the new girls and gave them a bit more feed and some fresh water.  They seem content to be out in the garden for now.  While I was out there I was trying to decide what to call them...have finally found their names....the darkest one with the little flipped comb shall be called "Henny Penny"...the lighter one shall be "Chica Patty"...was so cute watching them as I called these names....Chica Patty came right to me the first time I said the name....Henny Penny perked her head up and looked my was as if to ask "yes, what do you want" when I called that name.  They are supposed to be Rhode Island Reds....guess we shall see.  Judging from their legs, they will be one of the larger breeds...thick yellow legs like Ms Piggy on both.  Ms Red has thinner whitish looking legs, not quite as small as Barney's but nothing like Ms Piggy's.

After checking on the hens and giving everyone water, I came back inside and figured I'd go check the mail.  So I asked the dogs who wanted to go check the mail, just like I do everyday.  Of course everyone starts bouncing and getting excited.  As I opened the door and Mojo and Bear shot out across the yard....I happened to notice the small herd of deer next to the woods.  Hadn't paid any attention when I walked out on the porch, but figured Bear and Mojo were chasing off after squirrels.   Immediately I began to call them back as I watched the spooked deer leaping for the safety of the trees.  About wet my pants as I stood there watching my crazy dogs flying towards the deer, and suddenly seeing Mojo wipe out as he tried to cut back too fast in a different direction.  Bear ran to just inside the treeline before he turned around and came back to the porch.  Mojo came back with one of those "you didn't see that...did you?" looks...as if he was a bit embarrassed by his wipeout.  Since they are not allowed to chase anything but the squirrels, no one got to make the trip out to the mailbox.  Instead, they all got a time out on the porch. Silly dogs...

New hens...fall storms...

At 6 am it was 66 degrees ...the sun had yet to rise.  The overnight low was forecast to drop to 63 degrees, obviously it didn't get quite that low.  The winds have finally calmed.  Sunrise was around 7 am....the sky is clear and sunny...another beautiful day.  Barney the rooster sounded right at 6 am this morning...I actually heard him go off about the same time as the alarm.  The high for today is forecast to be in the mid 80's....really nice weather!   We have had another storm named...TS Kyle is sitting near the Bahamas and is tracking NNW...not expecting any weather from this system, just rough surf along the beaches.  The forecast is calling for this system to be up off the New England coastline by the end of the weekend....another system sitting off the Carolina coastline moved inland and is bringing that area much needed rain.  Two more months til hurricane season ends.

Went over to our friend's last night as Hubby was finishing the mowing for him and I was to pick up two more hens.  Looks like the plan to move has changed for him and he will be staying there a bit longer.  With his work schedule though, he's still thinning out his animals.  Got some nice shots of his gorgeous mixed Narragansett tom Turkey strutting around trying to impress the young Blue Slate Turkey Hen. I'll download the pics from my cellphone later and post them.  Beautiful bird is all I can say.

We caught the hens fairly early in the evening...just before the sun set...and by the time we got them back here to the house it was pitch dark....we got home just at 8 pm.  I went ahead and put them on the roost bar at the opposite end of the coop in the hopes that they would be accepted easier if they all woke up together this morning...HA!  Shows how much I don't know about chickens!  I was up when hubby let them all out of the coop and for a short few minutes it appeared as if they might all get along.  Wasn't long before Ms Red, Ms Piggy and even Barney were chasing, pecking and even spurring towards the new girls.  I hung out long enough to throw a bit of food out in hopes they would settle down....not to be.  The new girls were being jumped by the others, keeping their little heads stuck way too far through the fence.  I went back inside, caught them both and took them to the garden.  Both seem much happier there.  The others have been hanging at the fence and on the roost pole so they can see what the new ones are up to out in the garden.  Brats!  Figure I'll take them back to the coop tonight and we'll try again tomorrow to see if the others are willing to share their space...guess this could take some time for them all to adjust to each other.  Makes me glad the garden area is still covered with the shade cloth.  We'll just be moving them back and forth until they can all get along.  The two new girls are roughly Ms Piggy's size already...not sure of their exact age, but they are under a year....they were pullets when they were bought several months ago.  Both are laying and from what I've seen...they are dark brown eggs for the most part.

Didn't manage to get much accomplished yesterday around the house.  So much I want to do and then I'm distracted by something else.  I'd make a list, but of course one must actually LOOK at the list in order to complete the items on said list....seems I tend to make it a point NOT to look at any list I make....wasted effort there.

What a difference...

Brrrrr....what a difference a few days makes!!  After the heavy heat we've had for the past six months, this is quite the change!  The humidity is low, the air is nice and refreshingly cool.  Woke this morning to temperatures of 66 degrees in the house and on the porch thermometers.  For the first time in months all of my fans are off and just the windows are open allowing the cool air to flow.  It could stay like this and I'd be ok with it...at least for awhile.

Hubby came in well after dark from the mowing job...he will be going back this evening to finish.  The property belongs to a friend, the same one who has given us the chickens.  The grass in his pasture is very thick and close to five feet high.  The highness isn't the problem for the brush hog mower, its the thickness of the growth.  We've mowed this property numerous times, but usually, I'm the one running the tractor.  Hubby has gotten annoyed with me in the past regarding how I've run the machine out there, but last night was saying HE actually had to stop and cool down the tractor as he was running it too hard.  Just the difference in how we operate it.  I have realized the grass out there is way thick in spots and as a result, I only use about a third of the deck as I make my pass.  Yes, it does mean that it will take me longer, but at the same time, I don't overheat the tractor either and it looks good when I'm done.  He made the comment that it was taking him about fifteen minutes each pass...which tells me he was trying to run it way too quick....and that's why he ran the tractor hot.  Our tractor is an old McCormick International circa 1959...sweet running and fairly strong, but come on, she's old!  He's fussed at me in the past about keeping an eye on the water when I'm on it and he knows when she's pushed hard she throws a fit....just like his wife...lol.  Guess I'll be meeting him over there tonight....means we'll have two vehicles as he will need his to drag the trailer home....but our friend is off today and I'm picking up a couple more hens from him...Rhode Island Reds...both laying.   The friend's work schedule and other things has resulted in him not having time to deal with the animals...that and the property has sold so he will be moving in the very near future.  His girlfriend isn't there all the time like she was, so the animals need new homes.  I'm tickled over the hens.  Might actually make a couple dollars selling the eggs...at least enough to cover the feed every month.  The other animals he has are pigs, a goat, a young bull, turkeys and more chickens.  I don't want the pigs, even though I think they are adorable, and the goat, well, maybe if I didn't have the dogs....but the goat was raised with a young pit bull and is a head butting fool.
The young bull, I'm not sure what he's doing with, it is a Black Angus...sweet natured, almost like a big puppy.  Most of these animals he was raising for food...I'm just not able to do that myself....if I have to feed it and bond with it, I sure can't bring myself to eat it.  At least not as long as I have the convenience and ability to go to the grocery and buy meat.  With things the way they are, I might eventually have to grow my own meat...

All the hot soapy dishwater yesterday sure has done a number on my hands...the skin is sooo dried out it's tight and shiny...need to find my hand lotion...wherever that might be...haven't needed it for some time now.
I did manage to get everything pulled out of that cabinet, washed and put away....finding a new spot for all that glassware wasn't easy.  Most of it ended up in the drawer beneath my stove.  I'd hate to find the cabinet pulled off these weak walls just because I loaded them with glassware...can you imagine the mess that would be??!!

Today I intend to work on my back room again.  The idea of setting the hammock up in there is making me want to get it cleaned out ASAP....I started to go grab the tape measure yesterday to get an idea of the space I'll be needing for it.  There isn't much furniture in that room....my desk, file cabinets and a six foot wide bookshelf is it....the desk and small file cabinet set on one wall, the two tall file cabinets set in the cubby between the closets and the bookshelf sets between the two windows on the outside wall.  Its the middle of the room that is totally full of junk....although at the moment, I can barely get to the desk, which sits just inside the door.  God forbid I should want to use the desk!!!...way too much junk stacked on it, in front of it, etc...and this is my little desk.  My big desk is out in the shed....no way it would begin to fit in that room.

So far this morning I've seen five deer up in the yard...three out back and two more off the front porch....I didn't pay attention when I opened the back door to go see why the chickens were squawking....Mojo, Bear and Spike all three began tearing towards the back pasture...about that time I spotted the deer.  So glad they mind so well and all three returned to the house when I called them back.  Hmmmph, seems hubby forgot to let the chickens out this morning as he left...that's what he normally does as he's going out to warm up his truck.  The girls were squawking to get out and Red had apparently just layed.  As I got their feed and closed the gate I noticed the dog crate sitting in the back of my truck...which means, he picked the crate off the back porch and walked right past the coop, forgetting the chickens.  Oh well, no harm...just kept them penned longer than they liked...I wouldn't have even been out there yet except for hearing the squawking.
Looks like the deer are wearing their fall colors now...instead of the tan, they are turning more to brown.

Finally got warmed up enough after the inital chill to unwrap myself from my favorite afghan...turned the fan on in the kitchen area to keep some of this nice cool air moving as the outside temperature begins to warm from the sun.....Looks like it will be a very beautiful Fall day.

Fall is in the air...afternoon

The day has remained a very comfortable, breezy fall day...I think it might have hit around 85, but being overcast and breezy made it very nice.  Inside the house it has remained a comfortable 76 degrees for most of the day with only the windows open and the fans running...I love this time of year!

Managed to get most of the lower kitchen cabinet cleaned out....eeewww, those darn rats!!  Thankfully, most everything I had stored down there was glass...good thing they can't gnaw through that!  Just sucked because of having to get everything rewashed...dang!...I had forgotten just how much glass cookware I owned....lol.  It's all washed up and most of it has been put away...changed the location, put it in the drawer of my stove...not that that will keep the critters off it...grrrr!  But I did place everything in a large garbage bag inside the drawer to help keep the rodents from just crawling on it, should they decide to invade the house again.  Disgusting!!  Tossed a few items that I wasn't feeling a need to keep...an old blender, a few plastic items and some other stuff...nothing worth the time to clean it at any rate...

It's almost dark and its just past 7 pm...man, let the equinox pass and instant loss of daytime!  I'm surprised the chickens are still out as dark as it is...figures they'll stay out until I come back inside....hahaha. 

Hubby hasn't made it home yet, so god only knows what type of mood he'll be in.  He had a mowing job he was going to do over the weekend....until our spat....if I had been the one planning on doing it, bet your butt I'd have been gone when the fireworks started...instead of hanging around pouting and being pissy.  So, he loaded the tractor on the trailer last night and planned on doing it after work today, its on his way home anyway.  So, now that the sun is setting and daylight is almost gone, he'll be straggling home any time. 

Planning to tackle my back room again tomorrow and maybe make some headway in there...at least more than three feet inside the door....that's about as far as anyone can get without stepping over or on the crap that's jammed in there.  At least the trashcan is fairly empty, so there's plenty of space at the moment for me to continue getting rid of junk.... 

The body is whipped and the energy is waning...best find myself something for supper so I can eat before I  am too relaxed to move...

Fall is in the air!

Yesterday ended with the temperatures dropping and rain moving in from the east.  We've got a front sitting over the area that is bringing winds from the NNE....what a difference!!  The house maintained a temp of around 78 degrees or so with just the windows open and the fans on low.  As the night closed in, we began having heavier winds...weathercaster showed we could expect 20 - 30 mph winds last night and most of today.  Our overnight temperature dropped down around 74 degrees and we had periods of hard rain lasting only briefly....maybe around an inch total from yesterday afternoon til this morning.  One of these days, I'll have to get another rain gauge...right now, I'm guesstimating based on what I'm seeing in the birdbath, which was dry.  This morning I slept in, so I'm not sure just what it was like earlier, but at 9:30 am, it is overcast, windy and nice...the temperature on my porch thermometer says it is right at 80 degrees.  Feels much cooler with the wind blowing.

Looks like I shall need to fill the birdfeeders again...another of the things I've neglected to do with all the depression.  This morning I'm seeing many of the little regulars flitting about the yard....the Eastern Bluebirds are checking out the feeders and the little sparrows have been out in the grasss flitting about.  The Cardinals stop in as well and I had one the other day that flew up to the screen next to the door and just hang on, looking in as if to say " is everything ok?".  The birds remind me of my mom...she would fill her feeder every morning before leaving for work and the Robins and others were always out in her yard.  One of the reasons I haven't been keeping them full is the squirrels and deer keep hogging it all.  Just saw one of the grey squirrels run across the split rail fence in front of the porch and stop to see if there was food in the feeder....got one right this minute climbing on the one feeder and now up on the second, chasing away the Cardinal that had stopped in.  So maybe when I go out to feed the chickens I'll put a bit in the feeders today.

Things are still tense around here...I'm flat worn out with all the energy expended trying to deal with the issues.  Guess that's why I'm so wiped out today.  Feels like I could have slept all day, no problem.  Could just be the cooler weather, but I think its more stress related depression.  Been down this road before, so the signs are kinda easy to recognize now.  This too shall pass...

At least I managed to get a few things accomplished yesterday.  Now that the garbage has been picked up, I have room to start tossing more.  Bet our trash crew will be surprised to see our can out so many times in one month!   I know they are used to zipping right past our drive because the can isn't out every week.

Took the dogs and decided to wander around the property a bit yesterday.  I haven't been out in the back pasture since all the rains flooded everything in July....wow, has it been that long?...  Hubby had run the brush -hog mower about a week ago, right after things had dried out, but the grass out there is mid-calf again already.  The rider should handle it ok at this point....if only I could get the stupid thing started!  My pulling arm won't allow me to snatch the cord hard enough to make it start.  SIGH...I miss my 'Zoo with the electric start.  I don't dare to even try the weedeater, it throws my shoulder into such a fit when I yank that cord.  Not like I have the energy to hang on to the weedeater today though.  The back part of the pasture has loads of pine branches down....need to take my truck out there and load all that up for the chipper, or to be burned...probably burn it in the pit...love the fire pit this time of year....now if only I can get the growth cut back around it, we or I might be able to enjoy it.  So much to do, so little energy.

I've decided to go ahead and work on my back room today and see if I can get it cleaned out and organized...at least then I'll have somewhere to seek refuge on the days when hubby is determined to sit in front of the tube all day watching programs I have no interest in.  Maybe I'll bring the hammock frame in and put it in that room once its cleaned out....just not real sure it will fit, but its worth a shot.  Sis gave us the hammock and frame last year as they weren't able to use it since her surgery....she loved it, but just can't tolerate the way she needs to lay to use it.  It's way too beautiful a hammock to leave out in the weather...we also have two chair hammocks that I love, but without the frame can't use them inside.  I have one spot out in the pasture where I hang mine, but have to bring it in when I'm done for the day.  When she gave them to us, we were still in our old house and intended to mount them from the ceiling as she had done hers.  No way the ceiling in this place would hold it and a person sitting in it!

The Bluebird is back and so is the squirrel....the Cardinals are zipping between the feeder and Bottle brush tree trying to get my attention.  Discovered yesterday that the Cantaloupes have fruit!  Happened to take a good look at them on my way in from the mailbox....they were looking a bit dry and withery, and there it was...a mellon growing that is just a bit bigger than a golf ball at this point...came and got the watering can and gave them both a drink...both urns have mellons showing.  Now, if only they will get large enough to ripen and eat....hope the squirrels stay out of them.  Time to go check on the chickens and get them a bit of feed...then on to the cleaning once more.

The second day of Fall....afternoon

Whew!  Its warm...I think I just noticed its around 84 degrees....the windows are open, the fans are running and there is a very nice cool breeze blowing through the house.  The sky is overcast once more, we had a few minutes of blowing, hard rain a little bit ago...nothing much in the way of accumulation though.  The breeze feels wonderful as I sit here taking a short break....Finally decided to tackle my back room....UGH!!!

Managed to get most of the junk mail run through the shredder and bagged up for the garbage....tomorrow is trash pickup.  Also found why I continue to smell rat urine, even though I've scrubbed and cleaned since the last signs of varmits....eeeewwww....the little buggers have chewed their way through under the floor beneath the built in drawers below the closet back there....glad I've left the old canister vacuum to use in there, just pull the bag when I'm done!  Looks like its been awhile since they've been there, but I've found one of my t-shirts, (hadn't missed it), several chewed dressing containers, (must have dragged them out of the trash) and numerous other items one wouldn't necessarily think of a rodent bothering.  I mean, who would think a critter would chew through INK bottles?  I had picked up a refill kit for my inkjet printers and the sorry little snots chewed through the bottles!!  GRRRRR...where are my rat killing dogs when this is going on???  Traps have been set and many have been caught....now the weather is getting ready to cool down again and I'll be having to deal with this all over again.  I'd put out poison, but I don't want any snakes or birds of prey injured by eating one that's been poisoned....also don't want my dog grabbing one that's had poison.  So its trap city....the glue traps are worthless, found one with one of the software cd's stuck to it...that was on my desk originally (the cd)....found it stuck on the trap in front of the closet, behind the door.

SIGH...still way much to do in there, but I started getting hot, and the thought of a nice cool glass of ice tea was more inticing than dealing with rat droppings....soooo much junk in that room and the garbage can is already close to full....might have to continue this tomorrow after its picked up.  We don't normally have enough in the garbage bin to take it out for pickup every week...sometimes, it's a month before its even close to full.  With just the two of us, there isn't much garbage....even when the kids were home, it only seemed to make it out every two weeks....except for summer time...   The rest of the time, unless hubby cleans up his messes, it sits pretty empty.  Cardboard boxes and stuff usually gets burned in the fire pit.  With the storms and drought conditions earlier in the summer, I haven't used the pit much this year.  Easier to toss in the garbage bin.

I think my biggest surprise is going to be seeing things I've forgotten about....my books, which I still can't get to the bookshelf to look through (too much in the way), and numerous other items that were tossed in there when we first moved out here.  Somewhere in there is my bow...I found my arrows, hubby's bow is in the case...

Well, the garbage can is now too full to add anything more...time to drag it down to the end of the drive...

The second day of Fall....

As we begin our second day of Fall, the morning is overcast and a cool 79 degrees at 7 am...the humidity is at 73 % this morning, but it is not stuffy.  Just one of the differences as we change seasons.  We are forecast for rain today from a front sitting off our coast.  Seems there's another depression forming out around Puerto Rico that the weathercasters are watching...and another spot out in the Gulf.   Hurricane season doesn't end until November 30.  We are beginning to move into our 'dry season'.

Things on the homefront continue to be a bit tense.  I've made an attempt to try and 'make up', but he still wants to shut me out.  He just can't seem to see just how destructive this type of behavior is to the relationship. 

I've been giving quite a bit of thought as to how to cope with my feelings.  These feelings I can only compare to the loss of someone very close and special.  It is like I have had my very best friend die.  Similar to the feelings of loss that I experienced when my Mother and Sister both passed.  Extreme sadness, almost to the point of becoming incapacitated by the sorrow of losing them.  At least with my Mother and Sister, who both died of cancer, I felt they were in a better place and knew they were not suffering any longer.  It was the loss of their presence in my life that made me so sad.  This ache in my heart for my husband could only be greater if he were to die.  We had that close of a bond.

As I sit here and write this morning, the sun has decided to break through the cloud cover, filling the back pasture with golden light as it bounces from tree to tree, casting shadows across the ground and bright spots on the greenery above.  This sight once gave me solace and peace...a bit of joy as I embraced the beginning of each new day.  The sight reminds me so much of the mountain that all I can do today is cry....I just want to go home...home to the mountain and away from the pain in my soul.  I wish I had never come to Florida...I wish I had never allowed myself to fall in love with this man...I wish things were different...

First day of Fall...afternoon

My mood has lightened somewhat after a morning visit with my girlfriend. We may decide to take the canoe out or go to the beach on Wednesday after she gets off work. One of the nice things about working at the fish farm, go in early, leave by 10 am...except early is 4am...too early for me. When I worked down there, I came in at 7 or 8 am, depending on the day....

Managed to get the floor vacuumed and damp mopped the kitchen. I'm thinking about the mountain of laundry on top of the washer and dryer that needs dealt with and put away....been there since June...after the camping trip. Not all of it is from camping, its just accumulated there as the clothes are pulled out of the dryer. Someday maybe I'll be able to see the tops of the washer and dryer again.

I still need to clean out my closet and drawers so I can get rid of the clothes I have outgrown....don't think I'll be seeing sizes 3 to 8 any time in the future. Most of them are dress clothes I wore when working in the office. I'd consider getting rid of all my 'office' clothes, but about the time I do, I'll find I need them again....its happened before. All of my leather outfits are size 5, so it looks like I will need to find someone who likes them to take them off my hands. The one suede outfit I only wore once to an office party. Was a western theme and I had the 'Saloon girl' look goin on. Looked pretty good if I do say so myself! LOL...got lots of feedback from the other office managers at the meeting following the party. Gained way too much weight to wear it now, and I'm not really interested in being that thin again either....I'm not thrilled that I'm almost thirty pounds heavier than I was then, but I'm not worried about it either.

Looks like its clouding up to rain...the temperature managed to hit 88 degrees earlier, but now has dropped to about 84 or so, the air is beginning to have a nice coolness as it comes through the open windows. Kicked the thermostat all the way up to keep the A/C from running...the fans are enough now that the humidity has dropped and the temp is below 90....at least until my husband comes in from work...he will more than likely demand the A/C be turned back on, the same as he did last night....the outside temp was a nice cool 80 degrees and he was wanting the air on...I let it run until it hit 75 and pushed it up a bit to kick off. My god, you would have thought it was 100 degrees outside and 95 inside the way he acted....finally turned it back on to shut him up, even though with the cooler outside air, it wasn't making it very cool inside...

First day of Fall

Our first Fall morning...overnight temperatures hovered around 75 degrees, a bit humid...more damp than anything. We are forecast to have a high today around 88 degrees with a heat index of about 94 degrees....UGH! Looks like I'll be turning the A/C back on later today.

I've started another blog for my rantings when I'm depressed.... it is called Stormy's Lunatic Fringe http://stormyslunaticfringe.blogger.com/. Figure this way I won't be cluttering up my journal with the rantings of a crazy person. I've also posted a link under Stormdancer's Bits and Pieces...this way, it doesn't have to depress anyone who may read this journal....and I can go ahead and let the insanity that runs rampant in my head have a place of its own.

The morning started off pretty much the same as yesterday evening ended...I'm still upset and so is he. We did manage to get a few things out in the open last night, but, he is still in denial over him having any faults in this marriage. As far as he's concerned, he's perfect and has no reason to assume any responsibility for any of the issues in our relationship. According to him, it is only ME with the problem. Whatever. I keep trying to get him to understand that marriage is about compromise....you don't have to agree with me, just acknowledge my feelings and opinions for what they are...MY feelings and opinions. He's the only one permitted to have an opinion or feelings in HIS mind.

With Fall now here and cooler weather...ok, less humid, less sticky weather...I'm hoping to find the energy to get some things accomplished around here.....If the body will allow it and the mind doesn't wander off into the depression zone for good. I think I am about to just give up trying to have any manner of garden. Since I can't seem to find enough energy to deal with any of it, it hardly seems worth the effort. The front flowerbeds are again overgrown with everything, EXCEPT what I planted. The rain and standing water for so long took it's toll on all the plants, even the ones in planters and pots. If it isn't the rain, its something chewing everything back to nothing. I'm depressed over life itself right now, I don't need to be dragged down further by watching my plants wither and shrivel to nothing, or watch whatever is gnawing on them totally destroy them.

Something has gnawed my Basil to bare stalks...not that it was looking all that great after the deluge of rain anyway, but it is now bare stalks sticking out of the pot. Its the same with the Hibiscus I started in a pot in that same bed...something has begun chewing on it as well. The Cannas are depressing to look at with all the damage from the leaf rollers...and the Lavender....looks like it has totally given up....nothing but dried stalks sticking up out of the ground. The Stevia has gone to seed and is looking as if it has given up as well. Even the Cantaloupes that self started are looking scraggly and as if they are trying to dry up and die.

Hmmm, looks like everything I touch anymore is dying...

Fall....and falling

Happy Autumn Equinox!! Tomorrow will be the first day of Fall officially....its beginning to feel that way too. Our overnight low was around 73 degrees and in North Florida, they were expecting to be in the upper 60's...around 68 degrees. Had a little bit of rain overnight, but nothing much in the way of accumulation. We still have humidity, but the heat and steam are no longer present....just dampness.

Hubby has left for the morning to go to the U-Pull-it place with his buddy...yep, can hop up bright and early to go run with someone else, but will hang in bed or in front of the tube all day otherwise. Yet another thing he just has to do. Guess I'm not smart enough for him to hang with and do things for, let alone talk to.

I did tell him yesterday not to worry about fixing the van to go to the mountain. I've decided I will not be going to the mountain again with him. Figure I'll see about contacting a realtor Monday and put it on the market. This 'Little Slice of Heaven' has become a living hell...why should I think the mountain will be any different? Its not like he's made any type of real effort towards our being able to go or move there. Guess he figures I'm just stupid enough to believe every thing that comes out of his face.

What am I...?

The morning was somewat overcast, but the day was otherwise beautiful.  Fall is definitely on the way to Central Florida.  Early morning temperature was around 74 degrees and the day ended with temps in the mid 80's....hooray!!!  We have dropped well below 90 for a change.

Things between my husband and I are not good.  Since he came home and got bent because I didn't put water in the van before driving it, I've been a bit pissed.  As I told him, all he had to do is say 'put water in the van before you go anywhere'...I don't pop the hood and check anything before I hit the key.  HE was the one with the hood open, so he knew it needed water.  We have had this discussion before.  His thing...drive it til it breaks...after I tell him something is wrong.  My thing...if I have to drive junk, then you need to make sure its runable...

After telling him Friday evening to 'take your pissy mood back to where you got it'..when he came home and went off, we haven't said much to each other.  HE doesn't want to address any issues ever, just ignore it and it will go away.  We all know that doesn't work.  I finally lost it on him after having two different buddies stop in and him having absolutely no problem carrying a conversation with them.  What am I...too STUPID for you to talk to?

I've had a knot in my chest, burning in my gut and a headache because of the way he makes me feel...this has lasted for two days now.  It really depresses me to know that my husband can carry a conversation with everyone but me.  It hasn't always been that way, we used to talk about everything.  I think the burning in my gut is being aggravated by the amount of smoking I've done the past two days also...figures, I say I want to try and quit and he triggers an episode.  I can't eat, can't sleep and am only becoming more and more depressed over the situation with him.  He doesn't seem to want a wife, just a tv set and someone to read and cook for him.  He reads, he just doesn't like to....which means, no matter what I'm doing, he expects me to stop and come read the tv menu....that's ONSCREEN in front of his face.  Guess I must be pretty STUPID indeed...I've been trying to be a loving wife to him for the last seventeen years...Stupid...yep, that's me.

Change is never easy...

Its almost 3:30 pm and hubby will be home in just a bit. The outside air feels warm, but not stuffy and we have a bit of breeze that really feels nice. The temperature is about 86 degrees, with sunny, blue skies.

Made it to the grocery finally...of course with all the stuff I had to replace I ended up spending more than I would normally. I'm still trying to decide just whether or not I really like this refrigerator....when the bottom door closes, the top door pops open...this will make me nuts! Just little picky things I'm noticing and comparing to the old one. Change is never easy.

After losing so much in the old fridge, I have decided that there are certain things I will not be buying in the future. Every time I seem to have my meals planned out, which of course is something I do as I'm making my list, Hubby decides suddenly that he doesn't like....whatever...
As I drove home after spending over an hour making my selections I have decided that in the future when I give him a choice (maybe that's my first mistake) and he turns his nose up and goes "eeewww" to dishes we've eaten over the past seventeen years, HE will be the one doing the grocery shopping. I'm tired of trying to figure out what we are going to eat for the month only to have him become a picky eater.

Its not like we eat weird food...we are pretty down to earth when it comes to food...meat and potato kind of people...and we both like a fair variety of vegetables....or at least we used to eat normal type food. Lately, I'm not sure what this man will consider edible. He's gotten picky about which vegetables he wants...no peas of any kind, or green beans...ick, I don't care for green beans myself...so I am limited in what I can buy. I try not to buy pre-packaged meals, but instead go for the cuts of meat we like and then figure out what side dishes to throw with them. This week, I've went back a bit towards the way I shopped when my son was little and we were on a very tight budget. Frozen pot pies, frozen lasagna, frozen skillet dinners and then the normal meats and frozen vegetables I usually buy. Sometimes I just want something light and quick, and the frozen skillet dinners work well. I have used the Hamburger helper products since they first came out and they are one of my staples for a quick dinner as well. We used to eat the Tuna helper meals, but lately, hubby refuses those....no matter what variety.

Then there are the things I cook up like, roasts, hams and meatloafs, so we can eat leftovers. I also make things like potato soup, chili, spaghetti, and vegetable soups. I don't mind cooking, I just hate it when I go to the trouble of shopping and cooking and someone wants to act picky....

Is it any wonder I'm stressed?

Fall seems to be in our air...its just a very subtle change here in Central Florida...the heat and steam leave the air and we are finally out of the 90's as our daily high. The daytime highs run in the mid to upper 80's...today we are forecast for a high of about 85.

At 7 am the temp was a cool 75 degrees. I'm also noticing that it has begun to get dark around here a bit earlier this week...it has been after 8 pm before we lose the last bit of daylight...last night I noticed it was dark before 8 pm...the chickens have been going to roost around 7:30 pm the last couple of nights. No real changes in the foliage around this area...now and then I might spot Virginia Creeper beginning to show red but that's about it.

The coolness in the air is making me think more and more about being on the mountain. SIGH...with the way things are going around here though, it doesn't appear we will be able to afford the trip I was wanting to make in October. Hubby came in late yesterday from work and in a very snarly mood. When I asked about his day...what a mistake that was!...he said it started badly from the moment he left the driveway.... GREAT!!! Seems his truck is having more issues with the starter...again...I guess it locked up as he was going down the road. He had to get push started when he left the shop and of course I had called him to have him stop and pick up ice on the way home...he had to leave the truck running while he ran in to the little store. By the time he got home, he was in a pretty foul temper. He went out to see if he could correct the issue on his truck, only to come back inside still foul...seems he found the problem and doesn't have the part on hand to fix it. No biggy, I said he could just drive my truck instead and I'll use the van. Then he tells me he wants me to call the parts place this morning for a part on the van....I had forgotten about it dripping water the last time I drove it...seems a heater control valve is needing replaced...still don't understand why its leaking on the side of the radiator if its just a bad valve, but hey, he's the mechanic! Looked to me as if the radiator had popped a pinhole and was streaming it down the side...but again, I'm just the wife....HE'S the MECHANIC. Pfftt...wouldn't be the first time he's been wrong. That truly annoys me with him.

Its not like I'm ignorant about engines...been messing around under the hood since I was a teen. Took auto shop my senior year in high school and really wanted to go into mechanic classes at that time. Still helping him work on engines even now...just not as frequent. Got tired of trouble shooting a problem and having him disagree, only to end up having it be what I said was wrong in the first place! He knows it all as he's been doing this all his life...and no woman knows near what he knows! Kiss my grits bud! He's finally stopped telling me to just 'drive it til it breaks'...ok, I can do that! I finally have given up telling him he needs to look at my vehicle when something is going wrong...now I just tell him when it breaks, I'll trade it for a NEW one and he can pay for it. THAT has his attention!

Men! They can be so aggravating when they choose... Like last night after he came in for the evening. Since we didn't get the fridge delivered until late in the day, I didn't get a chance to go to the grocery. I looked in the cabinets to see what was on hand that I could throw together for supper. In the middle of me getting things together, he remembers there was a movie that was supposed to be starting at 7 pm....it was almost 7:30 at the time....so he asks what channel it was on...like I'm supposed to remember this? Told him which channel I thought it was, he flips it to the menu guide and then gets snarly when I am not paying attention to what's on. HELLO...am I not trying to get supper started? He's sitting right there LOOKING at the tv, watching the shows scroll by and I'm at the stove...so I had to stop what I was doing and come stand in front of the tv so I could find the program for him...JEEZ, what a lazy individual. You can't look for yourself? It was on the channel I told him to begin with. I swear, if he comes home in that mood tonight I'm gonna clean his clock! And then send him to bed without supper like a little bratty kid! Is it any wonder I'm so stressed? This man acts like he can't do a thing for his self. I need a vacation....from him.

Finally...

The fridge was delivered about 5 pm...only an hour late. Of course it takes some time for it to get cool and that was just one more reason to be annoyed for it being late...I've been waiting to go to the store and need to have the fridge cold before I go buy food.

At 10 pm it is pretty good...the ice container for my tea pitcher seems to be frozen solid....not bad for just being plugged in five hours ago. We'll see how fast it freezes in a day or two, after it has a chance to settle and get stable.

Delivery people....

Well, its now almost 4:30 pm...still no refrigerator...got a call from the delivery person asking where I live....the IDIOT who took our order last night didn't bother to make the notation on the paperwork about us living on the WEST end of Daytona, NOT Beachside. Of course the delivery person was on beachside...this was just after 3 pm. He had the audacity to ask if I would mind waiting while they delivered several others BEFORE me since they were on beachside. I replied in a very annoyed tone that I had been told it would be delivered between 2 and 4 pm. NO I do not want to wait any longer as I have already been without a fridge for the past TWO DAYS!! He said they would deliver mine next...yeah and I'll believe it when they pull down the driveway.

If my husband and I BOTH had not stood there and given the location, including the part that 'it's out past the Flea Market and just south of the Landfill'....to which the guy responded, 'oh yeah, I know there are several roads with that name.' HELLO!!!! Then why didn't YOU put that on the work order???? And people wonder why I get so ballistic!!! Incompetent idiots that can't even take directions. I also had explained that we are constantly being called by delivery people that have been sent beachside instead of to the west side of town.

I'm ready to scream!!!! Can't go to the grocery to replace what had to be tossed until the new one arrives...by that time hubby should be home and I should be cooking supper. To put the icing on the cake...we paid for it to be delivered since we didn't have the straps in the truck with us last night. This place offers 'same day delivery' and the only reason I didn't show my ass last night, was due to the time that we made the purchase. I didn't expect to be kept waiting the entire day....got the call about 10 am that my delivery would be between 2 and 4 pm.

I may still complain....this is just ridiculous.

Bad weather on Wednesday....

Forgot to mention about yesterday's weather...We got rain late in the afternoon around 3:30 pm or so...had the normal thunder and flicks of lightning now and then. It did rain fairly hard for about oh, maybe an hour and then it stopped. No real accumulation, but seems to have just given everything a nice drink.

When Hubby got in he never said a word about the rain. I didn't think much of it myself...just rain. After we came home from the appliance store and got the cushion back together, we had unexpected visitors stop in. One of our friends...he had called hubby's cell, which was in his truck, and didn't get an answer. So they decided to drive over anyway...
While they were here, they began talking about us having been under a Tornado Watch! WHAT???? Seems during our afternoon storm, funnel clouds had been spotted just south of here, around the area where hubby works...and it was over the house area as well. Never had a clue!! I don't watch tv during the day and rarely have any radio or other noise on during the day. Sis says she knew about the storm and had watched the swirling clouds head north of her.

HUH!! Guess next time it rains I'd best flip the tv on and check!

These DOGS!!

Wow, what a difference a few days makes! Its 75 degrees at about 7:15 am...the skies are a bit cloudy, but we had a light rain push in during the wee hours. It feels almost chill with the humidity being so low....lol...can't believe I'm already wrapped up this morning because I'm a bit too cool....of course, the fans are still on and I'm not about to turn them off as the temps will be rising as soon as the sun begins to cast a glow across the trees.

The newest electric bill has arrived...ouch! I know I've had the A/C on way more this month and it shows that running it throughout the night will definitely make the bill go up. Now that we are getting closer to the Autumn Equinox, the air has a much different feel. The heat is leaving and so is the steam. Odd how that works sometimes.

Finally went out last night and purchased a new refrigerator...it will be delivered sometime today. After going to the appliance store, we decided to go to Steak and Shake for supper...haven't been there for awhile. I like their Chili Deluxe and cheese fries...hubby got a chicken finger meal...was pretty fair except their iced tea....eeewwww, it had soured and we both requested new drinks...went with soda, which I don't normally drink. The waitress was very nice when I asked her to replace our teas with soda...I did let her know the tea had set too long and soured....if I didn't drink tea so much, I would have probably just thought it was nasty tea. They dumped the bad tea and made fresh...but, I wonder just how many people would have drank the stuff? I heard another woman order a refill on the tea, just as I was telling the girl it was sour. The way I look at it, if no one says anything, then how are they going to know if something doesn't taste right?

We weren't really gone long...maybe two hours. When we got home, I closed the chicken coop for the night and hubby opened the house....knew something wasn't right when I heard him fussing at the dogs. Seems one had decided to snatch the roaster pot off the stove...it had about three pounds of a roast with juice in it...hit the tile hard enough to break it...just glad the glass lid didn't shatter. Then it appears they decided to destroy the loveseat cushion....again. This is the second time they have tried to shred that cushion. Mojo hasn't done any of this since he was about two months old...Bear on the other hand has a habit of dumping trash cans, pulling things off the stove and tearing things up. All the dogs spent the night confined outside...Spike was in the carrier, while Mojo and Bear went to the pen.

I like Bear, but he can get on my last grey hair. He's sneaky and I'm constantly having to keep tabs on where he is. Since my girlfriend watched them while we were on vacation, Bear has been allowed to stay inside. Until last night, he'd only had a couple of minor infractions, like getting in the trash. Mojo is still young enough to pick up Bear's habits and this is one thing that will get Bear put back in the pen. The cushion was shredded all over the living room, and the pot roast juice had been licked off most of the kitchen floor and tracked to the living room. We found the duct tape, crammed the shredded foam back into what was left of the cushion and taped her up. Sits so-so. Figure I'll leave Mojo and Bear in the pen until after the fridge is delivered. BRATS!

Depression hits again...

Just at 1 pm, the temperature is almost 90 again...at present, the sky is partly cloudy.  Its been a day...
Hubby came home for lunch just before 11:30 am...his normal lunch time...wasn't expecting to see him as he doesn't normally come home during the day.  I truly have no clue what he was thinking!  He is aware the refrigerator is down, he went for ice last night...everything that remained in the fridge will need to be tossed as it sat in there all day yesterday, before I realised it wasn't working.  So he comes in, opens the fridge door...and asks "what can I have for lunch?"...when I tell him the stupid thing isn't working, he acts all huffy and surprised!!  HELLO!!!  Do you not live here?  Do you not recall my being very annoyed and upset last night because it wasn't working?  I ended up fixing him a bowl of noodle soup...again telling him that everything would have to be tossed...about ten pounds or so of meat...soup I had made the other night, the roast we had last night...every single item in the fridge needs tossed now.  I'm just glad I hadn't went to the store yet...all the meat was in the freezer and thawed totally by the time I discovered it.  Since close to five pounds of that is chicken, there's no way I'm taking a chance....ground beef, frozen vegetables, another roast...I'm depressed over having to toss so much food.  We didn't lose any food during power outages from the storms in 2004, and we were without electric for over a week.  The generator saved our butts then...

So now that I'm totally depressed...I've been thinking about what is actually causing the depression.  Many thoughts run rampant when I begin to analyze issues in my life.  I know I'm not happy with life in general these days.  I feel like I have to face the entire world alone...while this may not necessarily be so, its how I feel.  I honestly don't think I've ever felt more alone than I do now. 

Depression has been a part of my life for years...all the way back to childhood as I think back.  It was one of the reasons I began keeping journals and writing poetry.  Now, I seem to be winging through depression on a very daily basis...why?  I was talking to sis this morning and it dawned on me during the conversation, that I'm just tired of being strong and fighting to survive.  Sis reminded me that with all the crap we dealt with growing up and even in our adult lives, we've already survived most people's worst fears...abusive childhood, dysfunctional marriages, losing both parents and a sibling.  She's right, but it still doesn't make me feel like its been worth the energy.  I feel drained by the past ten years...overwhelmed by the past five.  Totally disenchanted by the past three.  What's left is an empty shell of the person I once thought I was.  I don't feel like being strong, I don't feel like being 'tough'.  I just feel empty and drained of all emotion save extreme unhappiness.  What I want most right now, is to cry until there are no tears left to shed.  I want to curl up and just forget about everything.  Why should I care...it gets me nowhere....

Another one bites the dust...grrrr

Looks like we are finally approaching Fall type weather...the temperature today is only forecast for the upper 80's!!...currently we are under sunny skies with a nice comfortable 77 degrees. It actually feels cool this morning!

I believe our refrigerator has died...after seeing the ice chunks drop through the door yesterday afternoon, I didn't really pay much attention...til hubby got home....CRAP!! I went to make tea and my ice container was full of water, the things in the freezer had thawed...SIGH...guess its just as well I DIDN'T go to the store yesterday...I would have been really upset.

As it happens, I am still very annoyed by the crash of the refrigerator....its only ten years old. Darn appliances should NOT have to be replaced constantly. I could call the landlord and let him know we now require a refrigerator, but at the same time, I just don't feel like dealing with him. Figure I'm not going to give him any reason at all to try and jerk my chain over this property. So, we shall probably end up going and buying another one....all the appliances here are mine anyway. Just really hate to do that since we were discussing what we wanted for the mountain...I'd like to get one that will run on electric OR propane. Like the ones in campers.

Couldn't calm down at all once I discovered the fridge on the fritz...we unplugged it for a bit...I even took the vacuum and swept under it around the coils...the compressor was really hot...figures, its gonna be the main component...plugged it back in and turned it back on about three hours later and let it run through the night. No Luck! Got up this morning and still barely a bit of cool inside the freezer.

Should I try the repair guy or just bite the bullet and go find a new one? I'm leaning towards a new one...compressor motors are expensive...

Just another 'blah' day...

A repeat day of the last few...cool in the early hours and by noon right at 90 degrees with humidity....ho hum... It never really cooled much yesterday evening, though we did get a short bit of rain around 6 pm. Just enough to wet the grass and leave a small puddle in one of the birdbaths. At least with the spit of rain, I didn't need to water the remaining plants.

Sis called this morning....seems she cracked her foot on their bowflex and was on her way to have an x-ray...poor kid! Every time she turns around, she's breaking something! With her recent diagnosis showing a severe Calcium deficiency, every 'bump' is now a major concern. She's taking shots daily for Calcium and a huge amount of vitamin D weekly as well. I spoke with her a short time ago and she was waiting for the pharmacy to fill her prescription. The Dr at the ER has said its just a sprain, but she should return in three days if she is still unable to bear weight on it...crazy! For now, she's on crutches with orders to stay off it and keep it elevated...great...means the kids will be looking for a sitter as "grandma" normally keeps the little ones while the parents work....the little ones are both under two.

The sky is beginning to get very overcast...we are forecast for rain later this afternoon...normal sea breeze effect rains...if only they would come early enough to cool things off. I can always dream...lol. Need to head down to the feedstore and pick up scratch feed for the chickens...probably should head on in to the grocery, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow or the next day for that chore...I've come to the point where I really hate grocery shopping. Never was real fond of it to begin with and with prices being what they are nowadays, I truly despise going.

To top things off, my refrigerator's freezer compartment seemed to be defrosting today...hopefully, its just doing its normal cycle as its a frost-free model...a little disheartening to see it 'spitting' ice from the ice through the door...the ice maker isn't hooked up! When I checked to see what was going on...my ice container I use for tea was thawing....NO!!!! I went ahead and kicked the setting a bit colder...let's hope that helps! This fridge is ours, and its only ten years old...we bought it new....if it goes...well, looks like the landlord will be spending money to replace it....the one that was here when we moved in was bad, wasn't a big deal since we owned ours and brought it with us.

Off to the feedstore!!! Let's hope I'm there and back before it decides to dump buckets of rain....

Mowing is done...mountain colors on my mind...

We got the yard mowed yesterday afternoon. Hubby fired up the tractor and mowed the back pasture area, I hopped on the rider and cut the front and back yards. The new float sure did help!! I cut the entire 'house yard' on only one tank of gas! Thats just at 2 acres...usually it takes a tank and a half with that mower. I'm impressed!

The day remained gorgeous although quite hot...temperature hit 90 by the time we were in the middle of mowing. After all those weeks of standing water, I did discover why we 'smell' the mold in different areas... As I was mowing, I noticed some of the areas where the water stood the longest had a milky white growth right at dirt level....yup! That's good old mold forming under the tops of the weeds and grass, hidden a bit by the pinestraw. All the sun on these areas sure did allow the mold to begin. I'm hoping now that the grass has been cut, the mold will dry out and disappear. One of the articles I was reading over the weekend in the paper was about the state Ag dept's concern for the livestock in the flooded areas...had to do with the grass being destroyed by the floodwaters and the possibility of it not coming back and being 'soured' if it did return, which would make it inedible for the cows. Do we really need any more BAD news regarding the effects of the flooding? I'm sure those who raise livestock for a living have already considered these things....and people think farming is so easy. Guess it is if you don't mind watching your hard work float away, along with your bank account. Just trying to keep a few vegetables for our own table has reduced me to tears this year. Must not have the 'farm' gene...can't handle what nature throws my way when it decides to destroy my little patch.

Talked to hubby about wanting to head up to the mountain in October for the fall color...its been years since I've been truly homesick for the mountains in the fall, but this has been an exceptional year all around. I feel the need to see the brilliant blaze of color on the mountains....I'm really tired of 'green'. He is saying ok and working on the van so it can be used instead of my little Dakota. Makes me nervous taking the van as we haven't really had it out on a long roadtrip...just be making sure my AAA card is in my possession and paid up! The cost for fuel is going to be higher in the van as well since it gets less per mile.

Spots...

Another cool start to what promises to be another beautiful day...the early temperature at 8 am was right around 75 degrees. The humidity is low at the moment and the air feels nice.

As I went out the back door this morning to let the chickens out, Mojo of course went with me, there was a Doe and young spotted fawn right off the back porch...Mojo started after them, and I hollered 'NO'...he stopped and came to where I was...the two deer stopped just on the inside of the pasture fence and just stared at us. I went ahead and let the chickens out, Mojo found a squirrel to chase out front while I was in the chicken pen. By the time I was ready to head back inside, the deer had wandered on. Just thought it was pretty cool that when I said no, Mojo obeyed and the deer stayed. They are beginning to get their dark fall coloring now.

Was thinking the other day after reading Flowerfreak's blog, I haven't seen the Turkeys lately. Usually, we have a flock of probably two dozen or so that hang in the neighborhood. I haven't noticed them being around since we started getting all the rain and standing water. Hope they are ok, there were still a couple of young ones a month or so ago...seems like an eternity since we started dealing with all the water.

Hubby got the parts for the mower, it fired right up when he was done. Too bad it was almost dark...looks like I'll be mowing today instead.

Beautiful day for an Anniversary...

Today has started with low humidity, cool morning air...temp at 8am was a pleasant 76 degrees. The sky is bright blue with high puffy clouds...looks very summery around here this morning....too bad its moving towards Fall...LOL

As of noon, the temperature has risen to about 85 and the humidity has also risen...ugghhh, just when I thought it might begin to get tolerable. A/C is back to cranking, trying to keep the house at 80 degrees as the sun bakes outside.

Its hard to believe that today is my son's 12th wedding anniversary...seems like just yesterday I was pregnant with him... They got married on Friday September 13th at the 13th hour (1pm)...thought it was pretty cool as we have such a thing for the 13th. Hubby and I will celebrate our 12th year of marriage in Dec...we will celebrate 17 years of togetherness Monday September 15th...the anniversary of our first date. Since we've been together since our very first date it only seems right to celebrate that date also....hubby actually mentioned it the other day about us having an anniversary coming up....he can be sweet when he chooses.

With the dryer weather forecast I'm hoping we can get some of the mowing finished this weekend. Hubby has most of the back pasture finished and we should have the parts for the mower sometime today...they were supposed to be in yesterday. Maybe now that he's located the longer hose for the pressure washer we will be able to get the roof ready for the sealer. According to the directions on the sealer, the temps need to be above 70 degrees (got that and then some) and there can be no rain in the forecast for at least 24 hours (looks like we got that)...I'm hoping to at least get the sealer applied by the end of the weekend...sigh...now if I can just get him on the same page. He's out and about this morning with a friend, hunting parts at the local U-pull-it place...they seem to go about once a month. I don't mind going, but not with all of us jammed in the truck...not in this heat.

Looks like IKE has really knocked Texas around from the news reports...my girlfriend's son and DIL are in Houston...he works for Exxon...I gave her a call earlier and she said they did not evacuate as of last night...so far, she hasn't heard from them today...figures she'll hear from them later as the storm passes through. Hope they and everyone else in that area are safe.

The way this storm is forecast to track, it looks like everyone is going to be 'enjoying' the rains, all the way back to the northeast coast! Heard one of the weathercasters saying western NY could be seeing the rains from this around Monday or Tuesday....this is one storm that has sure slapped everyone!

The headache continues...

The headache has continued throughout the day.  At one point, I tried to go lay down and rest...couldn't lay in any position without it pounding...SIGH...been awhile since I've had one like this.  Usually, I only get these when the weather changes...hmmm, maybe we are in line for a change???  More likely aggravated by my being so enraged this week.

On a brighter note, seems payroll was handed out on time this week...a full week for a change.  Part of my stress level for sure.

Hubby got part of the yard mowed when he came in...makes a difference when you have the tools...good thing I didn't, he also sharpened the blades on the brush hog deck....

Been a long day...hopefully I'll be able to get comfortable enough to sleep tonight.  The evening has cooled down nicely, winds from the east are always welcome.  The windows and front door are open, with just the fans running and its pretty nice.  I'll take advantage of this any time I can...the next week is forecast to be in the low 90's with a heat index above 100...

Headaches and jumping coffee cups

Its just past 10 am...beautiful blue sky, big puffy clouds, sunshine and about 84 degrees. The humidity is still steamy.

Woke this morning with a sinus headache...cheekbones, ears, eyes and straight down the back of my neck...uggghhh...should have stayed in bed. Haven't had many of these type headaches lately...usually when the seasons begin to change or when I'm having to run the heat....dry air tends to set off a major sinus attack. Hmmm, wonder if it has anything to do with being in the A/C so much lately...never used to bother me. Ah well, just deal with it and move on....I'll just go back to bed if it doesn't ease off soon.

Managed to break my favorite coffee cup last night...my pretty blue one that had the little guy sitting at his desk asking "Is it Friday yet?"...bought that one my first year as office manager, just over ten years ago. Has been my favorite ever since....was the one I used at work too.

Figures it would 'jump' off the drainer...I had already moved it once as it was sitting rather precariously close to the edge earlier. While I was starting supper, I must have disturbed it when I picked a skillet from the drainer...CRASH!!! It bounced and broke as it hit the ceramic tile in front of the stove...and of course I was barefoot!! Hubby just happened to be close by as it flew off the drainer and crashed...shocked him as much as me I think. Fortunately, it didn't shatter, just broke into several pieces...I think I only picked up maybe three little chips after tossing the big pieces. Guess I'll be hunting a 'new' favorite from my other cups now.

Hubby fired the tractor up last night and started mowing out in the pasture area...it was close to dark when he decided to do this...when he came in he said the tractor was mowing lopsided...seems one of the tractor tires is extremely low...not flat, just almost. I didn't realize he had parked it dead in the middle of the yard when he shut it off....noticed that this morning...its sitting directly behind the house. Thought about going out and doing the rest of the yard myself, but the air compressor is on his truck, which is at the shop. I don't think the little boost box compressor is adequate for those tires...we've used it on them before, but it takes forever and in this heat, that ain't happening. The idea of mowing really makes my head pound right now.

I haven't heard from my DIL as yet...the whole thing still has me ready to beat someone bloody. This kid is my oldest grandchild...and while I know we aren't supposed to have favorites, this one has been special to me since his birth. We bonded immediately and I love him as if he was my own child...he is in a sense. I love his little brother too, I just don't have the same connection with the younger one. Strange how things work sometimes.

Yard chores waiting and an upset Nana...

This day has dragged...on and on....its only about 2:20 pm...

Currently, it is cloudy and about 88 degrees...with the ever present steamy humidity. I've wandered outside several times already, checking the mail, feeding and watering the chickens, checking for eggs and just feeling entirely overwhelmed by the outside chores that are beginning to get way behind due to all the standing water we've had. Finally, the water has disappeared, the ground is beginning to feel firmer and I'm not sinking up to my ankles every time I walk off the paths. Just noticed that the 'pools' are gone at the pasture entrances and the huge pond by the playset is also gone. The front 'pond' has left its' big bare spot as it was under water for at least two weeks.

The rest of the yard is looking so shabby...weeds and grass are mid-calf on me...a veritable snake haven in most places. Even behind the chicken coop is being reclaimed by the Wedalia and weeds....it was cleared back to the trees. SIGH...since hubby says the float has developed a leak in the rider carburetor, looks like we will be firing up the weedeaters to knock things back a bit until the mower is fixed....joy....means most of the yard will continue to look crappy for a bit.

My mood has mellowed quite a bit since my rant and rage yesterday. I'm still wound pretty tight over the situation and if its a repeat of last week with the paycheck, it sure isn't gonna be pretty tomorrow night.

Was reading my DIL's blog a bit ago and it seems she's having issues with someone being physically and emotionally abusive to my oldest grandson...the one with autism....

GRRRRR...don't make NANA have to come kick butt!! The way she's written, it seems as its a family member and a friend who are mistreating him. Again, it won't be pretty if Nana has to make travel arrangements north right now....first off, I can't afford to, and second, by the time I get there, I'll be ready to face jail time over my grandson...you DON'T mess with my kids!! I'm hoping to hear from her later.

And the Heat goes on...and on...

In memory of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001....We will never forget...

Whew, here it is just barely past 6 am and its already a muggy 80 degrees...feels like it did when we went to bed last night...I think it only dropped a couple degrees. Most of the humidity is probably being caused by the close proximity of Ike....who is still spinning and growing in the Gulf. Looks huge as it is still over 600 miles from Texas, and yet it still is pretty close to our west coast. I think they said the storm its self is over 900 miles wide....wow...That's like from here in Florida to my kid's house in Indiana....that's one bad looking storm! Texas appears to be taking no chances as they were showing evacuations taking place on the early news.

The forecast today is for more of the same, hot, muggy temperatures in the mid 90's with a heat index over 100. Sigh...looks like its going to be October before we get any change in the humidity and heat.

Hubby and I aren't exactly speaking at the moment. I allowed myself to rant and rage until I just absolutely wore myself out before he got home....by that time, I'd given myself a pounding headache and the knot in my stomach felt as if I had swallowed a cast iron basketball...the knot is still there this morning. For the time being, I'm holding my tongue and not saying any further words regarding his work...at least until the next time the pay is late in coming or he's asked to work another Saturday...figure I'll just let it sit and simmer until then. Maybe by that time, the knot will be gone...or not, payday is only one day away. Just way too wound up over this to act like an adult right now...I'm ready to throw a few punches.

I got excuses on the camper...'its sitting too far away and I can't read what it says....I'll just call the guy'...whatever. If his eyes are that bad, he has no business driving without glasses. MEN!!!

So this morning, he's sitting on the porch...with the front door open and the A/C cranking...the fan was sucking the heat from the porch directly into the bedroom where I was still sleeping. GGRRRR...so I get up and ask him what he's doing...'just sitting here'...so I kicked the thermostat higher...he comes back inside...IDIOT, can you not feel the difference in the temperature between in and out? (I had the thermostat set about 75 overnight) Its only pure STEAM on the front porch this morning. Felt like a sauna and the sun isn't even breaking the horizon yet. Makes me feel like screaming and I haven't even had coffee yet! He left for work with minimal conversation...actually, now that I think about it, no conversation...just 'I'm leaving now'....and he wonders why I don't bother to get up with him...grrrrrr, maybe because I despise being agitated and aggravated before 7 am!! Its rare anymore for me to get up before he leaves the house...this morning reminds me why.

GRRRRRR....wages, work, worry

Minor weather from Ike is expected today as the storm moves into the Gulf. Currently its a sticky 78 degrees...very cloudy and overcast at the moment. I've got the door open and the fans on for now...we've been having to run the A/C night and day due to the high temps and humidity...feels nice to just have the fans on right now.

After sitting here all weekend with no cash, hubby finally got paid for last week....but not his full pay...seems the boss's daughter didn't deem it necessary to pay him for the FULL day he worked on Saturday last week....and then of course this past Friday he was sent home due to the boss's son having the entire shop garage full of his toys so hubby had no place to do HIS job....
We can't continue to survive on this type of crap. Last month, hubby only worked 13 days...because his boss didn't have the money to pay him...this month is beginning the same way. Friday he was told they didn't have the cash to pay him...but they'd make sure he got money by Tuesday. Yippee, skippee...bet the son and daughter drew THEIR full paychecks. Just really on my last nerve with this crap. The daughter has played this game before with one of the other guys...but, hubby doesn't work for the daughter, he works for the FATHER...and in my mind, if he isn't going to get paid for being there, then he might as well stay home.

I'm so upset over this I can't see straight!!!! Hubby's words this morning were 'oh, its ok, no need to be upset...its not like there's other jobs out there right now'....GRRRRRRRRRR, my response..'so because jobs are slow or unavailable, you should get screwed out of pay?...they should think they have you over a barrel because jobs around here are scarce???' I'm ready to go to the shop and give every last one of them a major piece of my mind. We are struggling to make ends meet and now we should live on less? I know what the son and daughter are being paid, and I also know that both of them live way outside their paychecks...but for them to think that my husband should be happy to have a job and work basically for nothing so they can continue to lay out and sleep on the job while they draw over a grand a week...oh HELL NO!!

Looks like we shall be having a major go round now. They don't hold taxes and now they think they are going to monopolize his time for pennies. I'm about to go redneck on someone's ass.
Good thing he didn't say anything last night or we'd have been scrapping for sure....he waited until this morning, just seconds before he left for work, to give me less than half of his normal pay to make a deposit. I'm pissed...no ifs ands or buts about it.

We were discussing the camper we looked at over the weekend, again last night. After going through one of the RV trader magazines, I finally got him to understand that this camper is priced pretty reasonable....I'd like to look at it again, inside and make the guy an offer...let's see what he'll take...he's asking $6500, which isn't bad, its a 1998...a new one, similar size, make, can be bought for double that...figure offer the person $5000 for it and see what he says...hey, if it can be got for less, might as well go for it. We can always work it back higher if need be. But I do want to see it inside first.

While in the RV trader, we also ran across a nice 2008 model, 7000 watt DIESEL generator for $750...gave that person a call and it turns out they aren't that far...ok, about an hour's drive away....but they are a company that sells these generators....this is the same price as the smaller generators are being sold for and this is an 'industrial' model....
Right now, from what they said, they are delivering a truck load of these to Louisiana and will be back sometime around the middle of next week. This generator is capable of handling quite a bit, so we will definitely be going to check it out in person. We've been talking about one like this for the mountain property anyway and with this price, its a great deal. The entire cabin (future) would be able to be run with this one. We've been discussing using solar panels for hot water and such anyway and other alternatives for power....still in the planning stage, but might as well use what's best, rather than continue being slaves to the utility company.

For the time, living in a camper is looking better and better. At least it would be paid for and the property is almost paid off...fuel and food would be about it...oh, and taxes of course...can't live without taxes...hahaha

No Ike...hooray!

Now that Hurricane Ike is tracking WNW and below us over western Cuba I am breathing a sigh of relief. From the weather reports, we seem to be sitting under a high pressure ridge that is keeping Ike away from us. The only part of Ike we are likely to see will be a bit of wind, maybe a bit of rain and apart from that, beach erosion from the heavy surf caused by the storm. The southern portion of Florida will take the majority of the winds and rains as they are closer to the storm.


To find my location on the weather map, look for Daytona, where 95 and 4 connect there is kinda like a upside down V...near the top of the V (the point) is our general area....I think we are about three miles from I-4... our road actually crosses over I-4, so we are just south of it.


Today is another humid, hot one...we are currently at 88 degrees, heading for the mid 90's. The skies are full of puffy clouds, to the south, they are a bit dark, to the north just big, puffy blobs of white across blue sky. The yard continues to dry with each day of no rain...I'm hoping it stays dry through the weekend as it is needing mowed badly. The back pasture entrances are both still holding deep...above ankle, water. At least its past the 'squishy' stage in most places around the yard.

Storms, sun, sand and sweat...a little 'pickin' anyone?

Seems the first thing I do after putting the coffee on anymore is to check what the storms in our area are doing. Amazing that I've become such a 'weather addict'....hahaha. If it wasn't for knowing we have a major category hurricane sitting so close, I wouldn't even bother with the tv. I really prefer the silence in the house to the background racket of the television. Hubby is the tv hound. The close proximity of all the storms is really unnerving after the third or fourth one....especially with flooding and water still standing.

Ike's path is still uncertain, although, from what I've been seeing on the news, it sure is tearing things up around Cuba right now. Glad I don't live beachside...I'd really be crazy! The people in the FL Keys have been told to evacuate and the tourists have pretty much left. Only the die-hard residents remain...can't blame them, I've seen how long it takes to get back into hurricane struck areas. In the twenty two years I've lived here, I've never evacuated for a storm...but I've also never lived real close to the beach either. The wind I can deal with....its the storm surge that tends to wipe stuff away. Our old house was about five blocks west of the predicted 'storm surge' range....and we were a good five or six miles away from the beach....and at least three miles from the river. Storms can really put you on guard....must be why I'm feeling so exhausted lately...pulling 'guard duty' for the past month...LOL.

Today is predicted to have temperatures in the mid to upper 90's once more....isn't this September??? We are usually beginning to see temps drop into the 80's this time of year. More steam equals A/C cranking at my house. It was about 97 degrees yesterday, and it sure felt that way even in the house with the A/C....it topped out inside at just under 90 degrees during the hottest part of the day. Sitting inside, sweating your eyes out with the A/C cranking is ridiculous. Once the sun dropped back, around 5:30 pm, we began noticing the A/C was finally beginning to cool the house. So sad...walk in from the heat and it felt wonderful...for about ten minutes...then you begin to feel the heat falling from the ceiling where the sun is just blazing on the roof....
UUUUGGGGHHHH!!!! I hope it doesn't get quite that warm today.

Picked up a load of red sand from the shop Saturday...its the stuff they use on construction sites around here...our driveway around the culvert needed a bit and we also put some down in the chicken yard to help soak up some of the muck. The remainder of the 2 1/2 yards of the stuff went to the friend who borrowed our pump....anything to help keep the muck down where there is black dirt.

Since I've pretty much felt 'confined' to the house because of the heat and mosquitoes, I've been taking the oportunity to practice more on my guitar. After almost 40 years, I'm back to trying to learn the guitar....ooowwww, the fingers just aren't as tough as they were when I was a kid....hahaha. Not to mention that the hands and fingers are nowhere near as limber at this age. So far, I think I'm doing pretty fair...I've managed to learn a couple of chords while I'm getting my fingertips toughened up. I don't expect to be a rock star...hahaha. Hubby says he can hear the difference...says I'm getting smoother with it. HA! He should hear me when he's at work!!! I just play until my fingers are so sore they can't take it anymore and by that time, my shoulder can't take being in the position for picking/strumming any longer either!! Hazards of getting older... I really like the guitar, drums and keyboards...of the three, I think the keyboard was the easiest to learn. Drawback for that though, I need electricity. At least with the drum (djembe) and the guitar (accoustic), they can go anywhere. One of these days I might finally get it.

Time to go sweat my eyes out and finish the house chores...not doing much as its already over 80 in here and the A/C is barely keeping the heat out. Come on cooler weather....

Heat and tears...it sucks to get old....

Our morning is beautiful, light breeze, low humidity....temperature at a comfortable 78 degrees as the sun begins to glow across the yard.  The high today is calling for the mid to upper 90's with a heat index of over 100...uggghhh.  They would have to say that....as the sun begins baking the rain soaked yard the steam is almost visible.  For the moment, as long as one remains in the sun, the mosquitoes aren't biting...hmmm, too bad the sun is so hot!  I guess the mosqutioes could definitely be worse, especially with all the water we still have standing.   We must really be in a natural swampy area, our neighbors appear to have dried out much more than us....I do recall the landlord mentioning something about the property being above where the St. John's River runs underground...could explain some of our standing water issues I guess.

We hung around the house the entire day.  The kids came by with the granddaughter for a bit...they were looking to pick up some wood for a bonfire at the cousin's house...we have plenty of scrap firewood for that purpose.  The youngest son seems to have found a very nice gal to date...she acts as if she's had some upbringing at least.  Its the same with the older son...his girlfriend is also very nice and acts like she comes from a decent family.  Some of the girls the boys have dated have been pretty 'trashy' acting.  The granddaughter really seems to like both of the girls which in my mind, says quite a bit.  They didn't stay long as they were wanting to get the wood dropped off and the oldest had to pick his gal up from work, on the other end of town.  Finally looks as if they are beginning to think about a relationship for theirselves...I'm glad...maybe it will also help them buckle down and think about what they want for their future.

All in all, it was a fair day.  It didn't seem to start that way at all.  I woke in an odd, really tearful mood...sigh...guess it could be related to my 'Nothing lasts forever' post.  Rehashing old wounds and old memories does that sometimes.  The biggest part of the morning was spent with me bursting into tears for no reason...ye gods will this menopause crap ever calm down??!!  I'm sure that a great deal of my 'moodiness' is a direct result of the hormones gone whacky.  Doesn't make it any easier for me or my husband to deal with though.  I've made the choice NOT to do hormone replacement therapy...why???...too many other issues that are created by the artificial hormones for my liking.  I'm not a pill person, barely take anything even for sinus headaches.  I will take Advils or other anti-inflammatory drugs, when my arthritis begins getting unbearable...but even with those aches and pains, its something I've dealt with most of my life so I tend to just work through it until I'm ready to call it a day.  I figure women have been dealing with menopause since the beginning of time and its a natural occurance as we age...just deal with it.  I've got several herbal teas that are said to help deal with the 'women's issues'...just don't seem to think about them most of the time.

Hubby doesn't always understand why I've stopped doing certain things.  His theory is, if he gives in to the pain, he won't be able to move.  Not me...my theory is, if I don't do the things that give the pain, I won't have to deal with pain...makes way more sense to me.  Its the same with being out in the heat right now...why make myself more miserable by getting overheated?  I actually become nauseous after just a few minutes in all the humidity and heat....god forbid I should do any strenuous activity such as hoeing or running the weedeater!!  I am drenched within a matter of seconds, light headed and drained....it just isn't worth all that to me.  Cooler weather is, hopefully,  just around the corner...we'll give it another shot then.  This has been a very trying summer for me with the heat and humidity...I can only attibute it to age.