Where is that smell coming from?

The eastern sky was beginning to show a faint yellow glow just at 7 am. As the moon was still sitting directly above us, the sky was already light. This morning's temperatures weren't quite as nippy as yesterday's...it's 60 degrees at 7 am. Even the house was warmer...65 degrees this morning, compared to 55 degrees inside yesterday. I did drop several windows yesterday evening because the wind was just flat cold. But it feels wonderful not to be sweating my eyes out!!

As I was sitting here online checking email, reading the paper, my nostrils suddenly filled with the odor of men's cologne. Hubby doesn't wear cologne (he had already left for the day) and I haven't worn perfume or cologne in months. I sniffed the freshly washed robe I was wearing to make sure it wasn't the laundry soap fragrance. Nope....so I wandered to the open front door...couldn't smell it there either. After a few minutes, the smell was gone. Hmmm, it almost reminds me of cologne I've smelled before...one I associate with the cops I've known. All I can say is if the cop that lives next door is using that much....he really needs to lighten up. No way should I be smelling it that strong sitting inside my house, from across his pasture with my windows closed. Their house sits on the far side of their property. So, who knows where the cologne smell actually came from....I'm just glad it's gone as it was beginning to make my eyes water.

The cooler weather seems to have an adverse affect on Ms Red's laying....she doesn't appear to be molting, but she has stopped laying for the time. Could just be 'her time' but she hasn't laid since this time last week. Ms Piggy is still not laying at all. They all get the same feed....Layer Granules and the three grain scratch, as well as greens and whatever they manage to scratch from the ground. I carry them treats like left overs and occasionally cottage cheese,milk or sour cream gets mixed in with their feed. Penny and Patty are still laying very well.

Penny managed to escape yesterday...I'm not sure if the wind allowed her to get over the gate, under the shade net or if she just figured it out on her own. We did have winds blowing at about 16 mph according to the weather last night. Regardless, I went out and put her back in the pen and fastened the netting down to prevent her or Patty from escaping that way again. I'd really hate to lose them to the dogs or one of the hawks at this point. I just happened to be watching them from the window when she made her escape. I was glad she didn't decide to go far from the pen area and also glad she's not like Piggy and Red...both of whom run like they have never been touched by human hands. Patty actually jumped out of the nest box when Penny made her escape and came running to the gate squawking in protest about being left inside alone. Was pretty funny....lol.

Guess its time to go find my socks and get these toes warmed up. Somewhere, I know I have a pair of slippers, but I'm sure the socks will be easier to locate. Been sitting here wrapped up in my afghan as I drink my morning coffee. Time to find the clothes and begin my day...

Cooler weather and Biketoberfest has begun

Temperature this morning is a cool 64 degrees at 6:30 am....it's the same in the house as outside.  The clouds must have been a little thinner this morning, as I was able to see the 'glow' in the eastern sky through the trees as the sun began to rise.  Haven't really seen much of that lately with my sleeping in...lol.  We have a cool front moving in across the state that is supposed to bring us temps in the low 60's at night in the coming week and highs in the low 80's.  The lower humidity makes it feel much cooler...but I am totally enjoying the Fall weather this year.

Biketoberfest began on Thursday and the Bikers have been rolling into town all week.  The paper has had several articles about how fewer people are in town for this event and fewer dollars are being spent.  Well, DUH...the whole economy is in the toilet and yet our area expects these people to come throw their money our way?  One of the news programs last night was saying how in years past we've had over 500 thousand people come in for this event and now we are seeing less than 200 thousand.

Well, for starters, our city leaders and the local people pissed and whined about the noise that accompanies the Biker events to the point they began heading out to other 'biker friendly' areas.  These same people griped about all the traffic, both bikes and people, clogging up the main roads as they stopped at vendor tents set up along said main roads.  Yeah, it was a headache at times to navigate through the sea of bikes in some areas, but the businesses sure didn't mind taking their cash.  These same Bikers dumped millions into our local economy twice a year and have been doing this now for over 50 years during Bike Week in the Spring.

Since all the whining and increased fees for the vendors, one smart person or group, developed a huge, multi-acre Motorcycle "Mall" on the far North end of Daytona.  That sure pulled a lot of the Biker traffic away from Daytona proper.  Of course, now, the same ones who pissed and whined over the traffic and noise, are now pissing and whining about the loss of revenue from these events.

Granted there are those Bikers who still are the hard core 'bad boys' most people think of when they hear Biker, but for the most part, these people are rarely the 'rowdy' crowd of the early years.  Our local cops have imposed fines on those who insist on 'showing off' either by driving reckless or exposing more skin than some people care to see.  Not so long ago the phrase "show us your tits" would have the gals lifting their tops, flashing the crowds as they rode past.  Nowadays, the gals are being cited for 'indecent exposure' for lifting their tops.  The 'bad boys' showing off barking tires, pulling wheelies and rumbling loud pipes are also handed pretty steep fines for their behaviour.  The local cops are constantly harassing the Bikers when they are in town and it has become a bit of a joke about coming down for Bike Week and ending up staying because they got jailed.  One would think that some of the citations and fines are just the city and counties' ways of making a profit from the events.

We used to go to some of the festivities up until a few years ago.  Since hubby's accident in 2004 we haven't went much.  All the walking and standing tends to put the both of us in major pain afterwards.  Since we don't have a motorcycle we just don't hang with those that do.  Personally, with all the idiots on the roads around here, I'd just as soon have as much steel as possible around me.  We used to trail ride the motorcyle and that was way more fun than playing dodge the idiot on the roadways.

Last night we headed over to a friend's house and the road that leads there has a biker bar on the corner...a very popular place way out here in the country.  As we were coming back home several bikers were heading into the parking area behind the bar....they were making left turns across the main road to get there....instead of waiting for us (we were heading straight on the main road), about six of them cut us off by turning directly in front of us!!  We were in the van...can you not see this monstrosity heading your way?  Hubby had to actually stop in the middle of the road to avoid hitting these morons.....and they wonder why so many die on the roads during these events.  Granted, some accidents are caused by people not paying attention to the bikes on the roads, but many more are caused by the idiot on the motorcycle doing dumb shit like pulling out in front of someone.  Good thing the brakes work well on the van is all I can say....especially as it was already dark when this happened.  Sure would be nice if these out of towners acted like they had a bit of common sense...wonder if they drive the same way when they are in their home area?  Or in their vehicle instead of on a motorcycle?  Really makes me want to be on a motorcycle.....NOT!!  Sad to say, I used to adore being on a motorcycle...not any longer...not in this state.

The day is looking very nice...cool air here at 11:45 am, bright blue sun filled skies with a very nice breeze.  I've had several deer visiting the yard this morning...a couple of does, the young spike and even a small fawn came out for a run across the front yard.  They wandered to the neighbor's pasture and hung out there for a bit after visiting my yard.  All of them are wearing their darker 'winter' colors now.  So cute to see them in the middle of the morning...they were here just after 9 am.

Guess I'll head into town and get my grocery shopping done...I'm out of several things at the moment.  Wow, just checked and its only been ten days since I went to the grocery last...must have forgotten several things on that trip!  That's what happens when I'm not in the mood to go to the store...I truely hate grocery shopping nowadays....unfortunately, I enjoy eating....LOL

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

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...

Will it never end?

Well, for the first day of October it sure has been a hot one...we actually made it to 91 degrees earlier this afternoon...I'm still waiting for Fall.

Hubby called and left me a message...wow, didn't even hear the cellphone go off and I was practically sitting on it...must have called while I was jammin' to the tunes on the radio...when I got home there was a message on the house phone...guess he's finishing the mowing job for our friend and was wanting me to come on down while he was mowing...he has my truck and I have the van....ehhh, think I'll pass...why waste any more gas...I was just in town....and I have to go back again tomorrow as only one of the parts needed were available. 
Isn't that why we called ahead and checked on this last night?  They were supposed to be 'on hold' for us.  When I commented on this to the clerk, he said the computer was showing them in inventory, but he wasn't able to locate it...great, I'm already ticked about picking these parts up for the kid, and now I have to make another trip sometime tomorrow.  I went ahead and got the shocks for the van that we are needing while I was there....and of course the one thing I like about going to that parts store...Cowtails...they were sold out of....my only reason to go.   :-(

Miss Red did lay today, wasn't sure if she would or not since it was so late yesterday...so that's three eggs today from four hens...Ms Piggy best get in gear...the others are putting her to shame.

Looks like I'll be here by myself until dark...I asked how long he was planning to mow and he said probably til 7pm...no door for the new nest box tonight either, though he did bring home a small roll of fencing when he came in at lunch....guess he forgot it was HINGES we needed, not fence.  I dunno, maybe I'll just go ahead and fix the darn thing myself....

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.

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....

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.

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.

Possibilities, chickens and puddles...

More rain overnight, maybe just a a quarter inch...but the winds were blowing as well. The temperature only dropped to the mid 70's but it was still over 80 degrees and very humid when we went to bed so the A/C has been running overnight still. SIGH...the electric bill will continue to be on the high side this month as well...the kicker...our utility company is wanting to raise the cost ....AGAIN. Can't win for losing around here.

The current temperature is about 85 degrees and the humidity isn't too bad...the mosquitoes on the other hand are horrible. I went to check on the chickens and as their yard is somewhat dryer today, I went ahead and let them out of the coop. Poor Barney must be going through a molt...he's lost his pretty curled tail feathers and is looking a bit scruffy....He's right at a year old now....as are Ms Piggy and Ms Red. At first I thought maybe the girls had been picking on him, but, it now appears he's just molting.

We may have discovered Ms Red's breed...I have been researching like crazy since a friend said she thought maybe she was a Welsummer Bantam....I don't think so based on the egg color...Red's eggs are more of a creamy white...the Welsummer lays a very dark red/brown egg. After a bit more looking, I feel she's more likely to be a Light Brown Leghorn....she has the 'flipped over' comb and the coloring is right as well as the size and the coloring of her eggs.

The weather people are still calling for Hanna to head north and not touch us, however, we are already getting the rain bands and she's still moving in a NW direction as she moves away from Haiti...way too close for comfort and its still in our direction. The weather people have moved on, ignoring her for the most part as they are confident in their predictions...now all we see is the 'probability' of Ike hitting us....tiresome to listen to and aggravating to continue hearing "if we keep Hanna on her current track"...How the hell is a weather forecaster going to keep a storm from doing anything? They can't stop the storm from deciding to head right at us!! We've had bad information before on the location and direction of storms....Floyd was the one that comes to my mind where they had bad information to the public. I'll continue to monitor on the NOAA site and make my own projections as she moves around.

I keep hearing neighbors running mowers...now I know I'm not the only one out here still holding water...are they mowing the puddles? Our yard is still so squishy and so much still in massive puddles there's no way we could mow....well ok, maybe I could...but it would look like I was riding a jetski I'm sure! We got a call from another friend last night referring us for a big mowing job...its not far from us, but the gal isn't ready for mowing just yet...she figures with these other storms heading our way, she might as well wait so she doesn't have to do it twice!
Told hubby that regardless, we can't get anything out of the back pasture because of the standing water...his answer...'for a mowing job I'll get it out'...which translates to...'the yard will look like a mud track when I'm done'. He would drive the tractor out front to load it, but the yard being under water is only going to make deep ruts as its driven over...then he would have to drive his 4x4 truck out back to hook to the trailer, which weighs about 1500 lbs empty....now in addition to the tractor ruts, I would also have two sets of truck ruts and the set of trailer ruts....is it really worth tearing the entire yard up to make a couple hundred bucks? Personnally, I don't think so....but, he does. Glad to hear the gal isn't ready yet in any event!

Sis had me online this morning helping her look at various properties...she's considering a spot in Tennessee. Wow! One of these properties is on the tax auction list for $2200....and it is 22 acres...with a brick house!
I pulled the information from the tax appraiser site and it looks like a decent parcel....its assessed at just over $200K...not bad really. My drawback for it would be the close proximity to Nashville....it also looks as if the area around it is being parceled out for development...this is was a farm property. Never hurts to look though! She's disappointed because when she was telling her hubby about it, his response was "we're going to Jamaica before we do anything else"...he's wanting to plan a vacation there for next summer...with her illness, our other sister's illness and subsequent death, things have just been on hold for them.

The depression is less today, maybe because my husband finally is understanding how trapped I am feeling with all the water and mosquitoes. Yesterday almost put me in tears. We are planning to ride out and take a look at those campers our friend spotted later today when he gets home from work. I tried out the new repellent last night and hooray!!! No headache!! Let's see how long I can use it before I have a reaction...lol

Just another.....

Hubby ended up having to work this morning...I was up briefly for a bathroom trip and headed back to bed. This high humidity gives my sinuses a fit and causes headaches some days...today is one of those days. While I was up, I noticed the 'red sky' as the sun was rising...normally not a good sign. An old saying..."Red sky at night, sailors delight....Red sky at morning, sailors take warning"...this popped into my head as I glanced through the window before returning to bed.

Normally, I'm up by 7:30 am anyway, and today was no different...I was awakened by the sounds of blowing rain hitting the house....seems the old saying was holding true. Because we have two Tropical systems sitting so close, I went ahead and crawled out of bed to check the weather....hate getting caught unawares. Looks as if its just some odd rain band moving through the area.

Hubby did mention his brother inviting us to come camp again once he got in...danced around the subject with him and reminded him of how I really don't care for swimming at the springs and also the area they will be, is one where you have to haul your gear quite a fair distance on foot....I don't think so...we have had gatherings at Alexander Springs in the past and even for a picnic, it is a royal pain. You park out in a huge parking lot and then hike towards the picnic areas and the spring its self....from the parking lot closest to the first picnic table is almost a quarter mile...to the area close to the water is almost a half mile from the parking lot. Great if you are going swimming only...even those diving are hauling tanks and gear quite a little distance. But, personally, I'm just not interested in being around his family at the moment....he just happened to run into him yesterday and it was a spur of the moment invite...I don't need that myself.

Whew! That bit of rain this morning sure brought the humidity up quick...its only 80 degrees right now, but man is it stuffy. No wonder I have a headache...the house has been closed up for the past week with the A/C running...I walked out on the porch for a few minutes when I let the dogs out...uuuggghhh, think I need to go back to bed for a bit..

The waiting game...continued

The cable tech left after replacing the modem and checking the service line outside. Seems there are several places that have chew marks from possibly squirrels on the line from the street to our pole. Service tech for the line should be out sometime next week since today is Friday and Monday is a holiday.

In the meantime, things appear to be back to normal for the phone....WAIT!!!! my internet connection is not working now!!! Too late, he's already left the driveway....so I call repair again. This time at least the tech was able to reset my connection over the phone.... up and online once more.

For now at least, everything seems to be working pretty well. The service tech did say that we should have a much better signal once the service line is replaced. As long as the service works, I'll be happy.

The heat and humidity are overwhelming this afternoon. Even with the A/C running since before the temperatures began rising, it is still above 85 degrees inside...and there are two fans to help keep the air circulating....uuuggghhh, just plain hot.

Hubby phoned a bit ago rambling on about his brother and sister inlaw going camping this weekend out at one of the springs....good for them is all I have to say!...Too blessed hot and muggy for camping in Florida for this old gal at the moment! Not to mention the heavy mosquito population...yuk...I for one do not wish to battle humidity AND mosquitoes right now. I'm melting inside in the A/C fer cryin out loud!! They have a pop-up tent camper...electricity, running water....all the comforts of home...including an A/C unit on the thing. Our tent doesn't have A/C. But in any case, I don't care for all that stuff when I'm in the mood to camp. To me, if you have to bring all the comforts of home, ya might as well stay at home. Part of the camping experience, in my opinion, is making due with limited things. Primitive camping is what appeals to me. My SIL however, refuses to camp anywhere that doesn't have bathrooms and showers....just means they are limited to locations with electric hook-ups and bath houses. I personally don't care to be on top of other people at the campgrounds...and in my experience, that's what you have when everyone wants a site with running water and electric connections.

The last time we camped with them was Thanksgiving 2007...hubby and I had a major spat during that trip...my inlaws have been more distant towards me than normal since then...no skin off my nose. Figure if they didn't like what I had to say to my husband, then they should have taken a walk...I was in our tent when the rant began. After all, we were having Thanksgiving with HIS family members and even though I had injured my knee two days prior, hubby acted like all the gear would not only load its self, but unload and magically jump into position without his help. He chose to go off with some other family members and left me, not only to set camp, but to get the food preparations going...if the oldest boy hadn't been there, I would have thrown everything back in my truck and left his butt to ride home with someone else. Was a sorry holiday, and he chose to act like I was non-existent the entire time we were there. Left a very bad taste for me doing any future camping with them....and we've camped with them for several years now.

I guess I could say I've just reached a point in life where I'm not sucking up to anyone for anyone any longer. I've been a part of this family now for seventeen years...if they don't want to be around me, that's fine by me. Although, I do believe part of the animosity began when everyone was talking about which one was having Christmas dinner and expecting everyone to show at their house...when asked, hubby is like 'oh yeah, we'll be there' and I'm like 'I have to see what my sister's plans are, and I'll let you know'....they all acted offended, but pppfffttt, who cares?! His family IS NOT the only ones in the area...I have family in the area as well and see no reason to commit to doing every single holiday with his family. We did that while the boys were young, but not now...I'm just not doing it any longer. They want to act as if they are 'above' coming to our home...mainly because I refuse to let their kids and grandkids treat my home like a playground. Not one of them thinks a thing should be said when the kids and I'm talking pre-teen and up, as well as the toddlers, begin chasing each other in one door and out others, knocking things around and scuffling wherever. NOT in MY house!! I didn't let hubby's boys act like that when we visted any of them and would actually remind them that they didn't act like that in the house...take it outside. Other than that, I'm not sure of any other reason for them to act distant. I've attended every graduation, every wedding, etc...and invited each of them to visit us when they are in the area visiting the other siblings. Their loss as far as I'm concerned.
Seems none of them bother to even call unless they are looking for my husband to 'do' something for them. In my opinion, they are only proving what I've already said...he's only on their mind if he can help them out. Need to get off this subject as it only aggravates me and I'm really attempting to be good...

The waiting game...

Today is going to be a waiting game...yesterday I began having trouble with my phone...since it is part of a "bundled" service through the cable company, I put in a call for service....What a pain in the neck that was!

First, my home phone had no dial tone...wouldn't have noticed except that I was using the phone when it went out. Ok, did all the usual trouble shooting things...recycled the modem, unplugged then replugged and recycled the thing several times...checked to see if I had a cable signal...that was fine...then the phone would work for a few minutes and out again. GRRRRR.

Since the cable company is one of the numbers I always need, it is programmed into my cell phone, the same as the electric company. Got the recorded operator on my cell...get the call transferred to the tech line...rings a couple of times and hangs me up...redial go through the same thing about six times before I finally give up using the cell...just wasting my minutes at this point and only making me agitated. Try the house phone again...dial tone is present, so I dial 611 which is the repair number from the house phone...four times of being transferred to the tech before I finally get a 'live' person. By this time I'm on the edge of losing control. I let them know I'm having a problem with the phone dropping calls worse than my cell phone. The tech person gives me an appointment for a service call...they should be here sometime today between 10 am this morning and 1 pm this afternoon. Yippee...probably show up at 12:59 pm.

In the meantime, the phone is working like normal...I guess...not trying to use it at the moment.
But, when the tech gets here, I think I'm going to have them swap out the modem...that thing is supposed to have a battery backup for when the power goes out...when my power is out, so is my phone....not good. I'd go back to the phone company for service, but, I don't care for their calling plans. I've got nationwide long distance on my cable phone for less than forty bucks a month....the phone company in this area has nothing to compare....and I refuse to go to a 'dish' setup for the television.

The day is promising to be a very hot, muggy disgusting day. At the moment, it is overcast and very humid. The temperature is already 82 degrees at 10am. Feels like 90 to me.

Began working on some of the house chores earlier...gag...choke...bout knocked myself out using bleach on the walls in the shower. WHHEEWWW...can smell the chlorine all through the house now! The water has so much iron that it stains the walls in the shower...and with the humidity, it makes the black mildew grow on the wall and the shower curtain...a little bleach does wonders for this stuff, but is hell on the respiratory system. I'll be smelling bleach now the rest of the day!

There is still laundry to deal with, I just hate heating the house during the day by using the dryer...besides, with the humidity outside it takes the clothes longer to dry during the day. At this rate, it will be Christmas before I'm caught up!! Usually, I just do hubby's work clothes and wait until I am down to my last clean items before I begin mine. Not like I'm doing a lot, so I tend to wear my jeans several times before washing them. We re-use our towels several times as well...its the things like hand towels that get grundgy, bed linens, comforters, and such that I need to get done, but am waiting til the weather cools some before I jump into 'heavy' cleaning...the bed linens being a top priority as the weather is so yucky...those get done regular...thankfully, I have a good supply of towels, but now, I'm beginning to run low, so they need done. With the storm dumping so much water, I didn't do hardly any laundry until this week....fortunately, our new washer uses very little water so I am not as worried about overloading the septic....high water makes me nervous about adding more to the already waterlogged septic system.

Well, HURRAY!!! Here it is 11 am and the cable service tech is here...working on the outside connection at this time and has already checked out everything inside...says he's replacing the modem for sure...woohoo!...Let's see if it helps.

The week begins...

Another beautiful start to the morning. The sun is shining, the air is cool and light....temperature is about 74 degrees with a very light breeze. Its good to see the sun and blue sky for a change!
Fay is still up in the panhandle area...newspaper says she's smacking Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and even parts of Tennessee around now. All of those areas have been in drought conditions so the rainfall is welcome...to a degree...flooding is never welcome. More rain moved in on our area last night around 8pm. Thunderstorms and heavy rain lasted almost an hour before moving on through. The yard remains unchanged...still holding water in the normal areas, although, the water is beginning to recede and the tips of the grass are now visible above the water.

The deer came to visit this morning...two does and two little spotted fawns...right out behind the trailer...the spots were close enough to almost touch, if the window was lower. They have been hanging in the Palmetto thickets in our back pasture lately.

Hubby finally is back to work...hoping this week will be a full week of work. The past three weeks have been terrible for us financially. Last week was only two days. We really can't afford for this to continue. On the plus side....my girlfriend may have a job for us and the tractor as soon as some of the water dries up....will need to run out and shoot an estimate before we know for sure. Looking forward to mowing again...both of us enjoy running the tractor...I just hate running it in our front yard...can't deny I prefer the finished look the mower gives.

The humidity is beginning to rise as the sun turns all this standing water to steam...everything outside sure is shiny from all the rain. Guess I need to get things started around the house before it gets too hot and miserable. Laundry is always at the top of the list....

End of the week...

Its 10:15 pm...the day has been dragging forever it seems. We did see a bit of sunshine for most of the morning and then the rains moved in once more around 11am. Seems we are still having a lashing from the tail end of Fay as she moves across the panhandle area. The sun brought the steam and I put the A/C on for the first time in days. By sundown, the humidity had dropped enough to open the door and windows once more.

Spent most of the day inside cleaning up a bit, just way too much water still standing for me to want to be in the yard. Hubby put the wading boots on and was out in the back pasture for a bit with the dogs. Mojo was in heaven as he romped and rolled in the standing water, racing around Bear and Spike, splashing like a little kid. He's had to be inside all week because of the storm and even though he's had his time outside to potty, he seems to understand that if he decides to romp through the puddles, then he has to stay on the porch...he's shown much restraint in staying away from the water during the storm. Today was different as 'dad' was out in the yard with them...Mojo races around trying to get someone to play chase any time they are out...all of them follow hubby as he putters around the yard, first out front, then heading to the back. So cute to see them all trying to see who is going to be the closest or who is first to the back.

At the present time, the rain has stopped, the frogs are singing happily outside and the air is cool...time to settle in for the evening

And the question is.....? Update

Ok, so I've now went through the house of our friends' with an eye on details....whoa!!! So yes, it does have a good deal of potential....this morning when my girlfriend and I went over to check it out was the first time I have ever been entirely through the house. When I go for a visit with someone, I'm not 'looking' at the house with my critical eye...what's there or not isn't usually of importance...I'm there for a visit.

The findings...its a one bedroom, two complete bathrooms, large 'great room' and kitchen. The pool enclosure is actually larger than the house itself...but set up to entertain most definitely. The 'great room'...living room area off the kitchen...has nice window area on one wall, wood burning stove for heat, central a/c, bedroom has built in cedar sauna, bathroom off bedroom has washer/dryer hook-up...the pool bathroom has full tub/shower enclosure, double vanity sink and the hotwater heater is there....the pool bathroom is accessible from the pool deck as well as from just off the living room area. On the pool deck, the enclosure is covered with metal roofing on two sides, screen over the rest...huge area...tons of possiblities there as well.

The downside...so much crap to haul out of the house and off the property. I'm sure most of the things inside will need to be dealt with by them as some of it appears to be some personal items that just haven't 'found' their way to the other house yet.

Since we haven't given them a yea or nay as yet, there are now more things to add to the list of things to talk about...like what do you want me to do with your stuff?
The deck furniture, of course, would be used around the pool...but the rest of the stuff....OMG!!! Looks like OUR stuff and how we have things!!! Junk mostly, but it might be something we could have a need for someday...sigh....so much work to make it even half way ready for us to try and move into...do I really have the energy for this and is it really going to be worth the monthly saving of $200/month? Guess that will be mostly decided now as the current tropical storm moves in on us....at least that place is a solid house....not a tincan.

This and that...2

Just past the half way mark for the month, summer is drawing to a close and we have our first Tropical Storm of the season threatening. Today has been a rather blah day, humidity is up, the skies continue to be full of clouds and very grey...the temperatures are about 88 degrees, but the heat index says it feels like 90. Got the current electric bill the other day...was about what I figured since the A/C has been cranking day and night...not bad though considering the increase in the fuel costs on the bill...we even managed to use LESS this year than last year for the same time...I'd have to pull the old bill to see what we paid on that one...but this one was only $150...that I can handle.


This work situation is grating on my last gray hair...hubby got a call this morning telling him..."oh, by the way, YOU know your pay is at the shop right?"...got me riled right off the bat. What do you mean HE knows its at the shop???? Has HE been to the shop since Wednesday??? Did YOU bother to call him to tell him it was ready??? Some people....grrrrrrr

Rain is threatening at the moment...Hubby is out trying to get the piece welded for his truck so he can finish putting it back together. We got a bit done on the project truck...the '63 International...looking to pull the engine out and replace it soon...did manage to get some pictures of the work in progress....its a bit rough at the moment, but it sooo has potential.

Click on the picture to go to the album on this old truck...she's All wheel drive, and I can't wait til she's running!!

1963 Yellow International Pickup

Work worries...

Another cool morning...rains fell late yesterday...rained most of the overnight hours. Very pleasant 70 degrees at 7 am...

For the second week now, hubby is to lose two days pay...the shop is still tight on cash. We can't afford to do this, yet hubby won't say so to his boss...male thing here...so into the savings we go.
I had mentioned this before we went on vacation...the cash we have is going to be whittled away the longer we are here. Its beginning to get a bit scary.

We have decided to go ahead and write out our concerns and sit down and go over them with our friends regarding their house. Losing two days a week, I can't afford to live in this place for long.
Hubby was saying he would start tearing out the back bathroom so the floor could be fixed and then that would be taken off the rent. Well and good, except for the fact that it takes CASH! The rent is paid for August...worry about how everything else gets paid.

Back to square one. God I feel like I'm back in my twenties when life was a struggle to make ends meet. This isn't supposed to be happening at this late stage of life...

Maybe???

Beginnings of another summer day...cool, but beginning to feel muggy and thick already and its only 8 am...temperature is hanging right at 78 degrees. The sky is overcast as if the sun has yet to rise. Forecast is for some pretty healthy rainfall today. If the start of the morning is any indication, could be right. Its pretty neat this time of year to finally notice the subtle seasonal changes...its only taken me over twenty years to be able to see the changes...before January. The air is very light and even has a touch of chill in it during the very early hours...the kind of feeling that 'fall' is just around the corner...very similar as to the changing seasons up north...our leaves don't change though until almost January.

Last night's dinner with our friends was nice. Nothing fancy, just good food and company. We hung out with them until well after dark. Before the evening was over, our friend did mention the house once more...said we could start painting or doing whatever we wanted...hubby told them we are still tossing it around and considering our options and what we want to do. Ok, now, I'm really kinda pulled here...found out from conversation last night that the house also has a sauna room in the master bedroom and the tubs in this house are the jacuzzi type bathtubs.....just the thing for those achy muscles.....Maybe? So now, I'm really torn between wanting to move from here and not wanting to possibly screw up a friendship...and they just keep making it sound so much better....I just don't know....should I toss a coin and leave the choice to that? Its become very tempting at this point to do just that...

This and that...

As the day wears on, the sky is becoming full of dark clouds...so far, the temperature is climbing slowly, still mid 80's and its past 1 pm. The humidity has come up to the steamy point, although a light breeze is keeping it from becoming intolerable. Supposed to hit the mid 90's again today, but somehow, I don't believe that will happen. Looks like we could be getting a bit of rain from what the sky is looking like...dark, ominous looking grey/black at the moment.

My girlfriend stopped in after work again this morning...she has an open invitation to stop down anytime she wishes....spent a couple hours visiting with her before she had to leave.
No real plans today, just playing things by ear...I do have to run into town for dog food and also to pick up the wine for dinner tonight...so far, my buddy isn't home yet, so I figure to wait until I hear from him before I head out. That way I can make it in one trip....save that gas!!

Checked the Hibiscus after noticing the 'rope fence' wasn't sitting the same...something (deer?) has sure made a hearty meal from the poor thing. Looks like the electric livestock wire is about to be run...this is just so disheartening after seeing how much new growth had been put out. Its bad enough the thing has to go through all the heat and humidity, but to be constantly munched on and she still manages to throw out some beautiful blooms...just irritates my eyes out!!

So far, the yard has almost dried out where the water was standing just a few short days ago...of course that means we shall have buckets of rain dumped on us now...it has grown very rapidly the past month because of the standing water. Shaggy looking is the best description at this point. Hubby had the weedeater out and really did a great job around the areas where I can't get the rider...too bad it will all need doing again as soon as the mower can be run....hahaha. Never ending around here with the mowing while we are getting the rains!! Won't be long though and we shall be able to go several weeks between mowing...most of the grasses and weeds seem to go dormant in September, which makes the mowing way less around here.

Hubby is continuing to plan for the mountain...he's looking at having time off more frequently as things at the shop are beginning to get seriously tight moneywise...things like getting the van road ready are shifting to the top of his list....finally!!! With the job being what it is though, it truly makes a dent in the finances trying to juggle things around so payments can be made on time. Guess its just one more reason to feel glad that we aren't in debt the way so many are right now. Every vehicle we own is paid off, and the property payment for the mountain is our only real outside expense...living expenses are the only thing we really have to worry about.
Since we are already living about as close to the bone as a person can get, there isn't much more we can cut out of the budget. Push comes to shove, I guess I'll start looking for outside work myself...just when I'm enjoying staying home....story of my life.

I really need to get out and cut the Stevia for drying...its beginning to look as though its finishing for the season...would love it if I could actually figure out how to use what I'm harvesting...lol. Done a bit of research on it a few weeks ago, and the info says to harvest it in the fall...if I wait until our 'fall', it will be dried out to nothing....so its cutting time I guess.

The Basil is looking kinda crappy...still growing, but just doesn't look as nice as the ones I've had in the past...might just be the soil its in...I don't really know.
Got all three of the cuttings from the tomato plants looking like they have rooted....woohoo!! Those were some very tasty tomatoes...Big Boy variety. Since I know this is possible....look out!! I'll be starting the tomatoes from cuttings now. Figure once ya find one you really like, keep it going!!!

So far, the Lavender has shown quite a bit of growth. I've left it be in its spot, just checking periodically for signs of flowers...nothing yet. Smells wonderful though when you run your hand through the foliage. My Cannas continue to bloom sporadically, even though there are signs of the Leaf roller doing damage to the foliage. They really look bad at the moment. The mystery lillies have done nothing...just lots of foliage, no sign of a bloom even being considered...I'm about over these darn things! We've had them now for several years (I count at least five years) and they have never done anything...one plant I will NOT be taking when we finally decide to relocate. My Poinsettias have not looked so well since I first purchased them...they really love their spot in the front bed and I can hardly wait for them to bloom this winter.

Rain has moved in just as I figured...its almost 2 pm and its raining fairly hard. No thunder or lighning at this point....hahaha and as I type this, what do I hear in the far distance....the rumble of thunder...so much for that! Only a short spit of hard rain this go round...about five minutes and its done? Still looking nasty though, so will probably be getting more...just another rainy summer day in paradise....Liquid Sunshine.