Florida weather has returned

It's almost 3:45 pm and the outside temperature is right at 74 degrees, what a difference a day makes! This is our 'normal' type Fall weather for this time of year. Yesterday's temps are more in line of what we have in January and February. The overnight low is supposed to be much warmer as well, I think I recall hearing something around the mid 50's tonight. WooHoo! Ok, so I'm not quite ready for the deep bone chilling cold as yet.

Could be in my head, but at least my bones aren't aching as hard as yesterday either. Might have something to do with staying wrapped up all day yesterday....but could just be the warmer weather. Today has been relatively pain free...still having some calf issues if I walk or stand for any length of time, but nothing even close to what has been going on for the past two days. Keeping it elevated has helped quite a bit. Must have something to do with how I'm sitting or something, because I haven't had this issue in over twentyfive years...guess it's really tweaking the nerve damaged area at the moment. I miss my recliner loveseat....this all has started since we brought in the couch from hell....grrrr....lol

Had a very nice long visit with my girlfriend today. She came out and spent almost the entire afternoon with me. I have forgotten how much I just enjoy having conversations with other people. We chat about all kinds of things, some of the crazier moments in life and just about anything and everything....good old fashioned 'girl talk'. Sis and I talk like this, but it's different when you have someone who you haven't known all your life. Cool to hear someone else's adventures that make yours look not quite so crazy afterall...but the two of us would have definitely had a ball together even then. She's nicknamed us "Thelma and Louise"....didn't see the movie, but I know the plot....

Going Backward

This morning's temperature was much warmer than we've been having...at 7:00 am, it was already 70 degrees...now at just past 11 am, we are already at 80 degrees. Almost seems as if we are going backward with the temperatures at this point! Tonight's low is to be around 74 degrees from what I'm seeing. No wonder I have such a hard time adjusting to the cooler weather!

We are currently experiencing very blue sunny skies with a wonderful breeze. I love the way the wind 'talks' in the tall pines around our place. It truly reminds me of being on the mountain, listening to the wind 'talking' through the trees. Another thing to love about our 'little slice of heaven....both here and there.

After spending my entire day yesterday trying to relieve a very nasty headache, today has started pretty slow. Seems my headache was related to a muscle spasm in my neck and middle of my back between the shoulders....aaarrrggg...was painful to the point of feeling like a migraine...my eyes were squinched almost shut as I drove to make a deposit...the light from the afternoon sun made the head pound even worse. All I could think about was how badly I wanted to get home, grab an ice pack and close my eyes.

Laying down made the pain worse...ok, back to my chair with the ice pack in various places along my head, neck and finally between my shoulders as I leaned back...I found the BioFreeze that hubby has used when he has those nasty spasms and applied it to the right side where I could feel the tightness in my neck...within a few minutes, the pain was less, but then returned to the other side....ok, let's do the entire neck, both sides and back of the neck...almost instant relief. Wow, why DID I wait so long before trying this? The ice pack between my shoulders also seemed to help and once the pounding stopped, I put the ice pack back in the freezer. By the time hubby came in, the head was feeling much better and I had him apply the BioFreeze between the shoulders where I was still feeling catchy. Within fifteen minutes the pain was entirely gone...I also took a couple Advils after grabbing a bite to eat, when I put the stuff on my neck. Whatever makes the pain less!!!

While I was in town to make the deposit, I also ran up to the regular hardware store to pick up another steel/galvanized trash can. I use it for storing my large bags of dog food and my old one has been around for over fifteen years now....the bottom has totally disintegrated on the old one and has begun to 'suck' water. Makes keeping the critters out of the dog food much easier. The metal trash cans have become so hard to find at places like Lowes and Home Depot which is why I ran to the hardware store...I know they always have them. As it was, I picked up a 30 gal size, which happened to be on sale....YAY!!! Love to catch things on sale. The original price on the new one was almost $32, but the sale price with tax was under $25. As long as they tend to last, I don't think the price was too bad. At least it will keep Bear from destroying the new 40 lb bags of food when I bring them home.

Sis asked why a metal can instead of the normal plastic....we tried that prior to the metal can and the rats, coons and opossums can gnaw through the plastic...even our county issued garbage bin, which is a very heavy plastic composition, has signs of critter teeth marks on the lid. Thankfully, it is a very heavy grade plastic. The average 'plastic' garbage can though is way too easy for gnawing critters to 'eat' their way through. After going through the experience years ago, I went shopping for the metal can, which has lasted for quite some time now.

We are supposed to have another front moving across the state from the North, a cold front, and also have a system moving in from a bit of a tropical disturbance from the South...the colliding of the two systems is supposed to bring us rain, or at least a pretty good chance of it by the weekend. Great, just what my yard needs, more rain! It is still squishy in spots, although the standing water has finally been absorbed.

Middle of the month....already?

Wow, it's almost the end of another week and here it is already the middle of October! Didn't this month just begin? Where does the time go?
At 9am the temperature was still 73 degrees...feels wonderful... at 11 am the temp has risen to 83 degrees with humidity at 50%.

I slept in a bit this morning, was 8:30 am when I finally dragged out of bed. The changing weather tends to really mess with my sinuses...always has...and with the cooler, dryer days just beginning here the sinus issues are flaring as well. Just creates some nasty headaches and of course the stuffiness. If the weather will co-operate and stay cool, I'll be able to adjust within about a week. No matter where I've lived, seasonal changes always trigger a sinus attack. That's what truly makes living in Florida challenging at times...the weather being so hot and humid for most of the year and then the little subtle flips where the humidity drops briefly. Totally messes with my head...literally.

Last night when I went to close the coops for the chickens I decided to see if I could get Ms Piggy to play nice with the new girls. I took her from her coop and put her down in the garden yard. Penny and Patty were already inside their coop. After a few minutes of checking out where she was, Piggy headed inside. OMG!! The first thing she did was to grab Patty and throw her almost out of the coop. Poor Patty jumped out of the coop, running for her life...Piggy was hot on her tail, and attacked again. Enough is enough! I went in to the area, Patty came running to me to save her. Poor baby...she was just trying to go to bed. Got her inside the coop and shut the door to keep Ms Bi-ach out. Spent the next fifteen minutes or so trying to catch Piggy...she just acts like she's never been touched and was very evasive. Finally got a hand on her as she was ducking under the coop. Back to your own space girlfriend...these gals don't need your bullying. As it was almost dark by then, Piggy acted a little dazed when I put her in her coop...goofy girl.

This morning one of the neighbors came down to see if I had a dozen eggs...woohoo!! Got my first dozen sold from Penny and Patty...$3 / doz for their jumbo eggs....each egg weighs between 2.5 oz and 3 oz. (I weighed them singlely) That's pretty close to what the store is selling jumbo brown eggs for in our area...but mine are fresh and my girls aren't full of chemicals or jammed in with others to the point where they can barely move. These are some happy chickies and their eggs taste yummy.

Hubby asked last night about putting together a portable run for them...hmmm, sounds good to me, what do you have in mind? Seems the school they are demolishing has some twenty foot wide chainlink gates...he was thinking about fastening them together and presto! Instant portable pen! Of course we would have to close the top with wire to keep the hawk from dropping in and the girls from flying out...but it would be an excellent way to allow the chickens to be 'out' in other areas of the yard. I'm almost excited about the prospect of the portable run. The joys of working in demolition jobs...cool stuff to re-use!

Our buddy with the chickens is trying to get things worked out with his girlfriend....at least that's what he was saying last night...not sure what the outcome there will be. Still not sure of the breed of chickens he was mentioning. Might go there this evening since he was having a talk with the girlfriend last night. Our tractor is still at his place and he still owes us for the mowing that has been completed and he's wanting his back pasture mowed also. Fine...just finish paying us for the front pasture and then we'll get the back done. One of the reasons I hate doing work for friends...bust our butts to get the job done and then end up waiting forever to get paid. Hubby was not thrilled at the delay in payment either.

Got the new electric bill this morning...WOOOHOOO!!! So nice to see this thing below $100...this has to be one of the lowest ones we've had here...just over $78!! Of course the heat has dropped and I haven't had to run the A/C either. At this rate, I think I may wait until we start dropping into the 40's before I kick the heat on....could be January before that happens....LOL. I'm soooo over the heat that the cool air feels marvelous!!

On to the laundry and getting myself motivated to do a little something around the house today...hubby said last night he was needing work clothes washed...and I've got a good many of my own clothes that need to find their way into the washer as well...might as well 'git er done'....lol

Friday and Saturday...and the comfort of a hug

Friday morning hubby didn't have work...seems he's been given another day off this week. They've had a couple different jobs for this week, but now it seems there is a permit issue....and again our finances take a hit.

The day was pretty fair, we got more rain but the temperature stayed pretty nice. The weather said we got a total of 3 inches Thursday night...makes about five inches for the week. Plus the rain Friday. One of our water coolers was left sitting on the back porch open. It holds five gallons...after today's rains (Saturday) it is showing water to the two gallon mark. I'm willing to bet its about seven inches. Our yard looks like it did during the hurricane rains...we are flooded front and back. The swamp has returned with just three days of rain. I won't be making an offer to buy this place....hopefully we'll be able to get to the mountain as planned.

Saturday has been nice...we had cool temperatures and sunny skies most of the day. It waited until afternoon to rain and then was sunny once more. Hubby spent the day working on the van replacing the exhaust system...its almost ready to go back together and be welded and put back under. The rain delayed things for a bit and the welding will have to wait for a dryer day, tomorrow we're hoping.

Finally got to drive my little Dakota for the first time in weeks...I miss my truck. Went to the feed store down the road to pick up feed for the chickens and a bale of hay. I need to get the nest boxes and the coop cleaned out and refreshed for the cooler weather....if it ever gets here. I also plan to use the hay out in the garden area after I till it all under and move Penny and Patty. Good thing hubby put the hay in the shed...it could be a bit getting the tilling done with the rain hitting like it has. As it was, the hay almost ended up getting wet...the rains began shortly after I returned home...I had just got the feed in the can when it started to sprinkle. Hubby ran the hay bale to the shed for me before he came inside. It sure made the driveway a muddy mess where he was trying to work.

Hmmm, was thinking about the hay...I think I'll use my old hay that got wet out in the garden and keep the good hay for the hens... don't know where my brain is lately. Using the old damp hay in the garden was my plan to begin with, that's the reason I went to get a new bale...DUH!!

This morning was one of pain...I woke up with my back catching between the shoulders...old car accident thirty years ago...its been acting up since we moved the couch from hell last week. I re-injured it a couple years ago when I tumbled down our old back steps...call me klutz! Tripped over my own feet on that one, went sprawling down the steps onto the dirt....dressed for work, skirt, blazer, hose, heels. Was not one of my better moments! The left shoulder caught the most of it as I tried to protect my face...always leading with my face...hahaha. Was ok, but very embarrassed and also very lucky...I was behind our deck, no neighbors home at that time of day, and my cell phone...that was in the house. I discovered that as I was trying to decide if I could move...patted my pocket and to my dismay, the phone wasn't in it. Fortunately, I was able to just dust myself off and go on to work....after retrieving my cell. The shoulder was stove up a bit, but hey, I've had worse...I could move it ok and it didn't act like it was injured too badly. Took a couple of months but it worked itself out. Hasn't really bothered me much since....but the area between my shoulders, those vertebrae were injured during the wreck and it seems they are pinching a different nerve now...used to be kinda numb in that area...not since the steps.

My emotions were a bit weird today as well...woke up just bawling over nothing...I noticed the roof appears to be leaking over our bedroom area as well and that set me off. Hubby was very supportive this morning and attempted to show his concern by coming to give me a hug. Sometimes, that's really what I need...the comfort of a hug.

Fall showers...liquid sunshine...sorry appliances

It's almost time for hubby to come home for the day and it has just begun to pour liquid sunshine all over us.  As I was adjusting the kitchen window and noticing the little frog fellow sitting on it, my nose caught the scent....at first I thought it was the Bottle Brush tree just outside the window...but no, it was the smell of rain moving in.  A few minutes later I heard the drumming of raindrops on the roof.  This is a welcome relief, as the heat had reached about 89 degrees outside....instantly the air began to cool.

The major disadvantage to these afternoon showers....we will be unable to do anything outside around the house, such as trimming or mowing.  But, all this liquid sunshine will help keep the drought index above fire threat....a good thing for those of us with lots of pine trees dropping their cones and 'straw' everywhere.

I managed to run the growling vacuum across the carpet, briefly.  Dumped the dirt cup twice and called it quits...just sounds like its in major pain.  The dog hair is temporarily at bay and I've read through the warranty for this thing...of course the roller brush is one of the items NOT covered by the warranty.  Figures.  So now I may just pull it back apart and see if there's a way to 'fix' the problem.  Can't take much of the growling, chewing sound it makes the longer it is run.  Probably isn't real healthy for the motor either. 
What I'd like to know...What has happened to decent quality in the area of vacuums?  They all seem to be made entirely from plastic now.  I realize that most things have become 'disposable', but come on....who wants to purchase new appliances every couple of months?  Not me, that's for sure!

Eureka is now part of the Electrolux line from what my warranty information indicates.  Weren't they one of the better vacuum products years ago?  I recall the one my Grandmother owned and that was one cleaning little machine.  What has happened here?  Am I the only one who is having such sorry luck with vacuums now?  My Hoover is ancient, over twenty years old...still useful for some things, but the carpet attachment just doesn't pull the hair very well.  The new one is an awesome cleaning machine....or was until the roller brush died....sigh....sorry appliances....just makes me wonder why I even bother trying to keep the house semi clean....

UPDATE: 4:55 PM  Flipped the tv on as the rumbling thunder and dark skies indicated a bit more severe type weather...our area is now under a Tornado Warning until 6 pm tonight.  Looks like we have several storm cells that could produce the Tornado action...

Draggin....

Another cool morning in the low 70's...I wish it would stay this way all day...

Woke up later than normal this morning...hubby left at 7 am and I chose to sleep in. It was almost 9 am before I finally dragged out of bed. I'm just flat out tired. Guess its just a combination of age (did I say that?), cooler weather and everything in general just catching up to me. The worst part is I'm still tired and the body is all achy and catchy as if I'd been doing really strenuous work....which I haven't.

The vacuum cleaner ended up kicking my butt yesterday...I sat on the floor with it apart for over two hours as I had to cut the hair, thread and gunk from around the ends of the roller brush. By the time it was back together, I could barely move....just the way I was sitting on that floor. Worst part....the roller brush seems to have wallered out on the belt end and that's where the noise is originating...where the bearing rides inside the brush is wallered so bad its letting it flop around a bit as it spins. The down side is this roller brush is NOT listed on the replacement parts list...great..and I really liked this vacuum. Guess I'll be calling the company later today to see what I can do.

Never did make it to the back room yesterday...was still working on the vacuum when hubby came home. Opted to make supper instead of heading outside with him....we ended up having leftover Split Pea and ham soup and I made a pan of cornbread.....OMG!!! The cornbread was awesome. I added 1/4 cup of Sack Meade in addition to the milk....(Sack Meade is a pure honey meade...no additional flavorings)...The bread not only smelled wonderful as it cooked, it tasted absolutely heavenly...I could have made my meal entirely of the cornbread. After we finished supper, I decided to make brownies for something sweet. Must have been my night for cooking as these came out really good as well. Now if I can just keep my hands out of them...ya'll know I could eat the entire batch by myself....grin.

Sounds like the mail has run, guess I'll wander to the end of the driveway and see what junk mail was left....all my bills come online. Maybe the walk will do me good. Its such a beautiful day....

Drizzly Day

At 7 am the sky was overcast and the temperature right at 75 degrees...the humidity is back. We left the fans run overnight as the temperature was still 79 degrees at 11:30 pm when we went to bed. UUUGGGHH, will the heat never leave? We hit about 89 degrees yesterday afternoon.

The sun broke through the clouds briefly, maybe for about two and half hours...the sky never really cleared though and now we are having drizzly rain off and on. Just enough to make things soggy and enough to keep me inside. I did manage to get the trash bin back from the road and the mail picked up before the drizzle began to fall harder....lucky me.

Penny and Patty are the only smart chickens today...they headed for the nest box when the rain began to fall harder...Piggy, Red and Barney however, seem to enjoy being wet and remain out in the rain instead of being dry inside their coop....silly birds.
Got everyone fed and the water containers cleaned out and refilled while the sun was still out. Seems everyone was waiting for the feed this morning, they lined up at the fence while I was getting it ready. Last night they got a bit of a treat....I had four small pieces of the Snickerdoodles left and they attacked that like they hadn't seen food for months! Really amazed me at how they each grabbed a piece and pretty much guarded it until it was gone. Must have been the sugar that got their attention. Every now and then I give them stale bread and its the same when they see the bread....guard it til it's gone. Too funny to watch them snatching the pieces and running around the pen trying to eat it before one of the others snatches it away.

Finally busted the trash dog in the act last night. We had just went to bed when I heard the slap of plastic hit the tile....I immediately jumped out of bed with the intent of killing a dog (no, not literally). Mojo and Spike met me as I came out of our room....I turned the kitchen light on and proceeded to the back hall where I keep the trashcan. BUSTED!!!...Bear was so intent on the trash that he paid no attention until I was right on him. I yelled at him and swatted him as he bolted past me and then chased him out to the front porch, still scolding him about being in my trash. !$@&# DOG!!! I cleaned up what he had dragged out, fortunately there wasn't much in the can, and headed back to bed. Figured he'd probably try that stunt as we had chicken for supper and of course the bones went to the trash. He seems to have stayed on the porch for the remainder of the night and no further raids on the trash. Hubby emptied it this morning before taking the bin to the end of the driveway for pickup.

When this has happened while we have been out, all three dogs have been punished...even though I've had suspicions that it was Bear all along. He's always been a trash hound...I just don't want him teaching Mojo this habit. Spike has always been inside and he's never been one to get in the trash...maybe pull something off the top, but never knock it over and just shred everything. That's a Bear stunt for sure. Every thing he gets a hold of he shreds....cans, soda bottles, balls, you name it, he destroys it. I would have loved to been a flea on his ear when he was a pup...just to see how he was treated. Since he was one of the boys' dogs, I have a fair idea of why he is this way. I know it's a behavior issue and not because he's hungry....my boys get fed pretty darn good and they get snacks and table scraps almost every day, unless they are being punished. When they sit and beg...no table scraps....when they leave the property...no 'cookies', and they end up going to the pen for the night...usually spend the entire next day there as well, until hubby comes home and lets them loose. Spike ends up in the carrier as he has been known to jump the fence. Funny how the smallest and oldest has better springs in his butt than the larger younger ones. I do worry about him injuring his silly self when he goes over the fence, which is why he goes in the carrier.

Since I'm stuck inside I guess I'll tackle the back room again...hey!...the trash bin is empty!!...so I must fill it once more...LOL. Not really what I want to do, but its one of those things I've put off for way too long. Might even start another load of laundry....it's almost caught up....and these are my clothes. Hubby's is all caught up for the moment. I'd wash mine with his, but the smell of diesel grease doesn't do a thing for me. His work clothes always seem to have diesel on them somewhere. Only time his clothes get washed with mine is if its his good clothes. Good thing he normally wears his work clothes! Hahaha. I still need to pull the vacuum apart to see what got stuck...maybe I'll go hunt for the screwdriver and do that before I tackle the back room....sigh...here I go again....putting it off, which is why it never gets done.....Bad me!!!

A Fall weekend...

The day started fairly cool...about 65 degrees at 7:30 am when I let the chickens out of the coops. The sky was clear and sunny most of the day.

Finally got hubby to fire up the rider lawnmower for me...just can't seem to yank the cord hard enough to get it to start. The yard looks much better now...only have the side yard near the pasture out front left to be cut. And of course the back pasture area. Rode the mower until I couldn't ride any longer...as soon as the back yard was finished, I called it quits. The body was screeching about being bounced anyway. Came in and found my Advils....

Has been a fairly uneventful day....after seeing both boys on Saturday and griping about not being paid back by either one, neither showed up on Sunday...the youngest was supposed to come work on his vehicle which is parked out in my pasture. GRRRRR...they are pushing my buttons!!

Still dealing with the couch from hell...sigh...neither of us is ready to fight it back through the door yet. Hubby decided he doesn't want me to recover the old one either...guess I'll be sitting in my chair instead as this couch from hell makes my back really scream. He's decided that we will just keep an eye out for another one. Great...maybe he should also keep an eye out for someone else to help him move it when he finds one. And he wonders why I hate changing out furniture!!

Rain moved in about 6:30 pm...came in short spurts at first, raining just enough to get things wet...by 7:00 pm it was dark...by 7:30 pm it was raining hard. It is still raining hard at the moment. We haven't seen much rain lately, so this is a good thing....at least I did manage to get the yard mowed...

Made a big pot of Split Pea soup with ham for supper....was pretty tasty and hubby even had seconds...pretty good for one who doesn't care for peas...LOL

WooHoo!! Another project and the couch from hell

My morning didn't get started until after 7:30 am....the temperature inside and out when I awoke was only 65 degrees. By the time I managed to roll out of bed, the sun was beginning to shine brightly against a clear blue sky. As hubby left a half an hour early, all the chickens were still inside their coops...when I finally made it out at 7:45 am, everyone was pacing at the doors, waiting.

We went and finished mowing for our buddy last night...as I told hubby when we left, ya might want to remind him just how evil I get when I have to chase money...our buddy wasn't home when we finished the job either...payment best be forthcoming quickly! Before this however, is one of the reasons I'm moving gently today....

Hubby called yesterday afternoon to see if I wanted to go with him to finish the mowing...sure, I enjoy visiting with our buddy's girlfriend...then he asked if I'd be interested in a decent looking sofa sleeper as a replacement for our recliner loveseat....hmmm, well, the dogs have destroyed the one cushion and it does look a bit rough (its white, or at least used to be white), the armrests are beginning to split....yeah why not....go ahead and bring it home if you think it looks that good. So the girls at the shop (both are about a hundred pounds heavier than both of us), loaded it on my truck...these gals are also almost thirty years younger than us...

I know sleeper sofas are heavy....over the years I've owned several and even the small loveseat sleeper was a bear to move.

We managed to get it off the back of my truck before we went to mow...first bad move....made it almost to the split rail fence and my left arm let go...as I felt the muscle control go, I kept saying "down, down, down" all the while trying not to drop it as hubby had the other end. Ended up pulling the left side lower back muscle as I struggled to hang on. Enough for now! We left to go mow after that.

When we came home, it was still light out so we decided to go work on the new nest box so the girls could be safe in there instead of the dog crate...more comfy for my new top layers!! Got that task done just as the sun set and dusk settled...the girls in the meantime had put themselves in the dog crate for the night...who says chickens ain't smart? I've been going out and catching them every night to close them up in the dog crate. Last night when Penny saw us come out to the pen, she went to the crate to settle in for the night. Patty is like Piggy and wanted to visit for a bit before bedtime....then she went to the crate as well. I opted to go ahead and leave them in the crate for the night and let them go to the new coop tonight instead.

After the nest box was done we came in for a short break and I started supper....had a couple frozen pot pies so in the oven they went. As we were discussing our plan of attack for moving this couch from hell...we decided to wait until after we had eaten before dealing with it....procrastination is my middle name....hahahahaha.... My body was already asking me just what I thought I was doing and the pulled muscle was beginning to scream. Supper was ready by just after 8 pm...yes, we do eat late some nights...this is almost right on time for us....although I've been trying to have it ready by 6 pm lately. But I digress...

By 9 pm I decided we had put it off long enough....hubby would have went ahead and tackled it when we first came home...but my back was saying forget it at that time. We got the recliner sofa out to the front yard with minimal aggravation....its one of those puffy cushion styles and has to be tipped and wriggled through the narrow trailer doors...or any other door for that matter...had a hell of a time when we first got it at our other house too and that place had wide door frames. Really just needed more muscles than the two of us!! So we are finally ready to begin wrestling this couch from hell. The pull out bed frame wasn't pushed all the way in...great...everytime it got flipped a bit out it flopped, jamming into things....managed to get it up the front steps, through the screen door...after cramming the bed down numerous times and banging the door frame...

So it's on the porch....this is interesting....we're going to get it through that doorway how? He's on the inside, I'm on the porch....he's pulling, I'm pushing....wait!!!! I can't lift this stupid thing...but it needs lifted on MY end! He comes out the back door and through the front....I go around and through the back...now we've switched...Ok....I still can't lift the damn thing and its jammed in the doorway now. As I bend down and give it another try, not only is the lower back muscle I pulled earlier screeching...now I've pulled the muscles in the upper back. I can't do this!

So after pulling yet another back muscle, which in all the years I've lifted and moved stuff I HAVE NEVER pulled a back muscle, I am almost in tears from the frustration of knowing that I used to be able to move this kind of crap, I tell my husband there is just absolutely no way I can help him do this. I can barely move with the pain I'm in at this point. God love this man, who can aggravate my eyes out at times, He managed to wrestle and wrangle that damn thing through the door with minimal help from me....he also managed to pull a few muscles in the process.

With it finally in the house I told him 'don't expect me to move this thing when we decide to move....it can stay'....he laughed, and then we sat on it....

NOT GOOD!! After all the effort and pulled muscles to get this thing in the house...it is about as comfortable as sitting on a tree stump. I miss the height of the back on my recliner sofa, I miss the cushy cushions...and where am I supposed to put my feet???? This thing is one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever put my butt against!! You can feel the frame under the cushions, the flared arms are hard as rock...no padding there...and there is a definite spring jamming between my shoulders....UUUUGGGGHHHH!!!! Just shoot me now!!

Both of us ended up taking a muscle relaxer and several Advils before we went to bed last night...THANK GOD we had those muscle relaxers!!

This afternoon when he came in, he said since I don't think it's comfortable (and you do?) that it could go...WOOOHOOO!! AND!!!! He said it wouldn't get moved until we could get some help....YAY!!! But I did tell him that if necessary, this puppy will go out the door in pieces!!!

I looked longingly at my recliner sofa sitting in the front yard...hmmm, wait a sec, I have some really excellent material that I could recover it...HEY!! What about I use our green stuff and recover it?....he's ok with that idea, and I do know how and have done upholstery work...might need more of his help at this point...but its a definite idea. 

This green material is some that we've had for geez, probably ten years now.  It is two rolls of some typ of vinyl that was picked up on a job site...one that did military work.  This stuff is awesome...it's water proof, puncture resistant and dang near indestructable.  We have left pieces of this stuff out in the weather, it doesn't sun fade, or dry rot.  I went so far as to see what the melting point might be....laid it directly on the cherry red burn barrel and it did not melt...barely even warped...impressive stuff.  The only thing I've seen so far that will burn through it is the hot slag from the welder...ok then, that's around a thousand degrees or so!  I have given thought to using this on the seats for my International when we get a bit further into the project.  Yep, I believe there's more than plenty for both jobs....those rolls weigh about two hundred pounds and I have one that hasn't had but a couple of feet used from it.  Not sure how many yards is there, but I know there is a lot...the roll we've used from is still better than half and we have used close to forty yards off it over the time we've had it....WooHooo another project...

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.

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...

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.

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!