So Now He Calls!!!

Doesn't it just figure?  Now that he's left for Chicago, he calls me to let me know where he is all the time?  He called me when he stopped for his nap.  He calls me when he's just two hours away from his sister's house.  He wanted to make sure I had let the chickens out and taken Baron out for his morning pee.  He calls me when he gets to his sister's.  He calls me when he wants to make sure that I don't forget to put the chickens away for the night.  I was amazed he didn't call me to say *good night!*.

I can't get him to call me when he's going to stop to eat something before coming home after church.  But today, he calls me for everything except when he stops to pee.  *Sheesh!*

I was up at 6am to let the chickens out of the coop.  They were already gathered around the door, waiting.  I was surprised they didn't knock me over when they rushed out.  I took Baron out front when he was ready to go and he did what he needed to do and then wanted back in the house so in we went after about just 10 minutes.  The one thing I almost forgot was to give Baron his morning snack.  It's not his big meal of the day.  That he gets around 4 or so.  

I put the chickens away around 7:15pm after I gathered the 6 eggs for the day.  It's weird only having the 7 hens now.  But they are easier to count, that's for sure.

After that, I took a little nap before letting Baron out into the back yard for whatever it was he needed to do.  Poor baby had a tough time getting up the stairs.  It took him four tries before he made it but at least he didn't fall this time.  He's done that a time or two.  

When he came in, I gave him a hot dog with the low dose aspirin inside it.  I knew he had to be hurting.  He sometimes has to concentrate to even get up the three front stairs.  But that's more fear than pain.  But when he does this about the six back stairs, I know he's in pain.  It was actually seeing the cat come into the house that spurred him into making the attempt. He's always afraid the cat will eat his dry food....LOL.  Once he made it into the house, the first thing he did was run over to his dry food bowl to check that out.

I don't know if he is checking how much food he has in it or he smells for any cat scent but he sniffed around it and looked intently at it then seemed satisfied.  I know the cat didn't bother the food (I watched) so I think he must be able to smell the cat scent.  Since there wasn't any tonight, he was satisfied his food was okay.

The cat is curled up, asleep, next to a sleeping Baron right now.  It is really cute to see.  But the cat is going to want out in a little bit.  That's the usual routine.  She will come into the doorway of my computer room and meow at me then start walking away as soon as I turn around.  That's the signal.  She's slowly coming out of her feral stage but not completely yet.  It's more like she comes to visit with us but she's still reluctant to be petted for long and won't stay in our laps for anything longer than 5 or 6 seconds.

Well, she's outside now, sleeping on the shelf with the bird feeder.  It's her favorite spot.  Now I can go ahead and shower and get ready for bed myself.  Another early day ahead for me tomorrow.  Love you all.  Decide to be happy.  Don't allow anyone with negative energy around you.  You don't need that in your life.  ***Hugs***

 

The Beast Has Left The Building!

The Beast and I got him ready to go....getting his clothes packed, his good clothes hung up on the rod he bought for the car, food for the journey (he hates to stop)...which included the soup I am sending with him, sandwiches, sodas, pudding cups, cheese crackers and some candy he bought.....his pillows and a thermos full of fresh coffee.  He left tonight because he wanted to get a couple hours behind him then stop at a rest stop to nap.  He hopes to get there early in the morning.

His plans are to stay with his sister at first and then, when the couple that are from our area (going up for a wedding) arrives, he will go to his brother's home.  He is the one that arranged for the couple to stay with his sister.  She will be sorry the couple is only going to be there for three days because she loves to hostess newcomers to the area.  The wife has never been out of Alabama and he was raised in the Dominican Republic.  They have no clue about what a truly big city is like.  Chicago will be a shock to them.  But she has to be back for her job.  He isn't allowed to work for another two months due to a condition of his Visa.  They were married here and the Beast was the photographer for it.

I'm sitting here, relaxing and enjoying the quiet.  Baron is asleep nearby now.  He knows the Beast is gone for a  few days.  A few?  LOL...this will be the longest time he was away from Baron.    There's no telling how Baron will take this.  I don't let Baron crawl up in my lap (yes, he thinks he is a lap dog!).  He weighs almost as much as I do.  The Beast has let him do that since he was a puppy (I did, too) but he's a BIG dog now.  He's an over-sized Doberman, weighing in at 122 lbs. and he's NOT fat.  The Beast even bought an oversized recliner (it has wide, padded arms) to accommodate the dog.  I don't sit in the recliner because Baron thinks it's HIS!  

Now Chewlee or Gunner can be in it and he doesn't bother them, thankfully.  It's any adult that sits in it that might find themselves a target for his climbing up into their lap.  Although, I have noticed that he doesn't seem to bother a woman much (except for me) but, let a man sit in it and he's very demanding.  I'm just glad he obeys when told to get down and he stays down then.  You just have to know what to say.  You can't just push him off.  He just gets more insistent.  But a stern *get down* he will obey.

He doesn't get up on the Beast's lap as often any more.  That's because of his arthritis (the dog's, not the Beast).  If he is in pain, he won't even try.  I watch him and, if I see he is in pain, I give him a low dose aspirin.  It helps relieve his pain and is much safer than some of the pain pills that are often prescribed by vets.  If you read the possible side effects of those, it's scary!  Some of them are actually toxic.  

Well, I am going to take a leisurely bath for a change.  My back could use it and I don't often take one.  It's easier and faster to shower.  But, sometimes, a nice bath and a good book to read is almost as good (well, maybe not) as a hot tub.  Wish we had one like we did at our house in Florida.  Oh well.  C'est la vie!

Love you all.  I wish you a great Hump Day.  Be the best you can be!  Tell those you love that you do....always!  ***Hugs***

 

Counting Down....One More Day !

IF the Beast leaves when he said he was, I only have to get through tomorrow.  He will leave early in the morning for Chicago on Wednesday is what I mean.  I will, of course, be up to see him off and then go back to bed for a  while.  I'll have to let the chickens out first, of course.

He didn't show me how to add feed to their feeder or water to their watering trough today.  That MUST take place tomorrow or he will use that as an excuse not to go for another day.  He was just feeling a bit lazy today.  In some ways, I was glad because I didn't want him to overdo it with tiring chores.  it takes him too long to recover and he won't leave if he's tired or hurting too much.

I started my soup today.  I wanted to wait until tomorrow to start it but then realized that I wanted to make sure it had the flavor I want so I wouldn't have to make another batch.  I would do that rather than sending off something that didn't taste right.  I have to drain the veggies out of the broth in a bit so that the veggies aren't overcooked.  Right now, they are perfect.  That way, I can get the broth boiling in order to cook the homemade noodles to tenderness without compromising the texture I want for the veggies.

I am so ready to have this second *vacation*  while the Beast is gone.  He won't enjoy the drive up there but it will be okay coming back since he will be with that couple I mentioned in my earlier post.  He will enjoy seeing both his siblings and his sister will take him to different places that will be a treat for him.  She knows a lot of good eating places up there.

The Beast did most of his running around to different places yesterday, which is probably why he was feeling lazy today.  I made us a simple dinner of oven cooked chicken and some mac and cheese.  Simple but easy, too.  I made the chicken a bit spicy and that was perfect.  Tasted great!   

Time to get into the shower and then to bed.  I will have to make sure I get up early tomorrow, although I was  up by 8am today.  I'll set up the coffee pot tonight before I go to bed.   I'll need to get up with the Beast at 5:30 or 6am so he can school  me in the filling of the chicken's stuff.  Then he can get himself packed and ready for the trip on Wednesday.  

Love you all.  Be good.  Be happy.  Be kind most of all.  ***Hugs***

Countdown To The Trip......

So the Beast is leaving on Wednesday.  Today he went over a list of things he has to show me so that I can take care of things while he is gone.  Little things...like being able to fill up the chicken feeder and the one gallon size water container.  He doesn't want me to fill up the big one because he says it weighs too much and is a pain to put back together.  Okay...I can dig that.  I would much prefer not to battle with something that weighs almost 40 lbs when filled.

I decided last night that I am going to make the chicken soup and homemade noodles.  I asked the Beast if he would like to take some with him up to Chicago and he really liked the idea.  So I made up a list for him of things to pick up when he went to the store (he had said he was going to pick up the dry dog food and some canned stuff for Baron and for Sassy).  He also picked up a prescription for me.  When I went to fill up my pills for the week, I ran out of one that I needed.  I was shocked at the price for it and am going to talk to both my doctors that have given me very pricey medications.  I can't afford to put out that kind of money every month.

I was pleased with the chicken thighs the Beast got for me.  It says on the package that they are boneless (easier for when I cut it up) plus they have 15% chicken broth that has been injected into the meat.  It's also got just enough chicken fat on them to make the soup tasty.

The Beast made sure to wash all his laundry tonight...all except for his pj bottoms.  I'll have to find out tomorrow if they are already clean or not.  He forgets that he can't run around in his underwear when he is staying at a house with women in it.  His brother has his wife AND his mother-in-law there.

I guess I will make the soup on Monday evening just in case there is something I run out of while making it.  It COULD happen since I plan on making a BIG pot of soup.  That way, there will be enough for Cee and I, too.  Maybe even the Princess....LOL.  She loves my homemade noodles.  I don't know if she remembers how to make them herself.  She used to help me when she was a kid.  

Time to get this posted.  Love you all.  Be good.  Be kind.  ***Hugs***

Chewlee's Recital....

Today was the big day of Chewlee's recital.  Of course, it wasn't all her.  There were about 10-12 kids that played.  It seems the majority of them had been taking lessons for a year.  Chewlee has only been taking them for 10 months.  I only know that because of the certificate of achievement she was given today.  I actually thought it had been a year but time passes differently for me these days so......

Cee and I stopped on our way to the place where the recital was held and bought her a dozen roses.  I bought her purple ones, kind of as a joke since she knows I love purple.  Cee and I split the cost so it was truly a gift from us both.  We just thought this was an important event in her life and she should have them.

Her paternal grandfather drove up from Destin to attend, which I thought was nice.  He does love her and he's been paying for her piano lessons so he should see the progress she has made.  We enjoyed it and took into account that these kids were truly novices.  But they were surprisingly good.  I told Cee that you could tell which of their selected pieces was their favorite because they played those the best of the two.  At one point, Chewlee froze but she recovered and went back to where she had left off before she froze and did just fine.

At the end, each of the kids was called up on the stage and each given one flower and their certificates.  When the kids could finally join their families, Cee gave her the roses and Chewlee looked at them and said, *Oh, they're real!*  It turns out the flowers given to the kids were not.  But Chewlee said, *When the real ones finally died, then she would put the fake flower in the vase and pretend it was real.*  I thought that was cute.

Gunner was adorable.  He didn't fuss at all and I teased him a bit.  When Chewlee was on the stage getting her flower and certificate, I asked him if he wanted to see Sissy (that's what he calls her).  He said yes so I picked him up and stood up so he could see over everyone's head.  He got excited and waved and was so tickled that she waved back at him.  He kept on waving and, when she came back to where we all were sitting, he ran up to her and she picked him up.    He was all smiles.

I carried him part way out of the hall and then he got down and held my hand until we got outside.  I would have loved to have spent more time with them but the paternal grandfather was taking them out to dinner so Cee and I just came back to the house.  She had driven so she had to bring me home.

The Beast plans to go to the Farmer's Market tomorrow morning, early (around 7am) because his church has a booth there.  He'll stay to help out before heading to church at his regular time.  It just means I will have the house to myself until around 3pm or so.   

It's only a few more days until the Beast goes to Chicago.  I was thinking about making a big pot of chicken soup with my homemade noodles and sending some up with him.  I'll have to discuss it with him tomorrow since it means he would have to take the big cooler with him and he might not want to do that.  He would also have to make sure to keep ice in it at all times.  I don't want to freeze it because it ruins the noodles.  

I think he's planning on bringing some eggs for both his siblings, too.  He might as well.  I have 8 dozen eggs in the fridge and some odd ones in the container on the counter, too.  It's not like the chickens will stop laying eggs any time soon.....LOL.  I'll easily have a few more dozen when he gets home although I plan on giving more to Dennis and Diane when he's gone.

Well, it's the end of my day now and time to think about bed.  I hope you had a nice Saturday and a great Sunday.  Do some grilling outdoors if you can stand the heat for a bit.  It will be a good day for it.  Invite a few friends over for a *Pot luck* with everyone contributing something....a salad, a dessert dish, bread...we had a lot of those when I was younger and it was always fun.  ***Hugs*** Love you all.

Tomorrow Is Chewlee's Recital.....

The Princess finally sent me the address where the recital will take place.  Good thing because I never even heard of the street it's on.  But that's what my GPS is for.

Cee and I are going to go together.  I just hope we can find the Princess and Johnnycakes.  That will make it a bit easier for us since we won't know anyone but them and Chewlee.  There are apparently going to be several kids that will be displaying their abilities to parents, relatives and friends.  It's not like it is going to be just Chewlee but she is the only one that counts to us.

The Beast is doing some last minute chores that he feels he must before he leaves me for two weeks.  Well, almost two weeks.  But I will take 12 days....LOL.  He mowed the back today and most of the lawn next door.  I guess he will mow the front tomorrow afternoon.  He also replaced the rear brake light that was broken on my trip.  I was shocked that it was a HUGE section  that had to be replaced instead of just the colored plate.  But he got it done and I verified that the brake light and the turn signal was working afterward.

I think what amused me most of all today was how the chickens were not afraid of the lawn mower this time.  They just got out of it's way as the Beast rode it around the yard.  It's not like last time when they ran for the coop.  I guess after they crawled all over it when the Beast took a break, they must have gotten over their fear of it.

After the Beast was done replacing the brake light, he was really exhausted.  His leg was really  bothering him so he went and took a nice long bath.  I put the chickens away.  All the chickens followed me in tonight.  They couldn't wait for the corn and they all ran for it like it was going to disappear on them.  I had to shoo the cat out of the coop.  She loves to follow me in but she left it when I told her to leave.  I just tell her it's time to go and out she goes.  

It's really the heat that gets to the Beast.  He's been following the weather in Chicago and it's a lot cooler there than it is here.  I think he's looking forward to that.  He does want to spend some time with his brother and sister.  He'll ride back in tandem with two people from his church that are going up to Chicago for a wedding.  He made arrangements with his sister for them to stay with her while they are there.  He plans on staying with his brother who has MS.  His brother has bad times and then a remission for a bit but the bad times are getting more frequent.  He got it, suddenly, when he was only 24 and newly married.

He married a wonderful woman who, thankfully, is very talented.  She actually makes video games and also makes a great deal of money because she IS very talented.  She amazes me but she is very much like her mother.  So you know where she got it!

It really is a shame about Ted.  He is talented in a different way.  He was a really good artist and he was actually making custom furniture when he was struck with MS.  I saw some of the things he had made before that.  Beautiful.  He now makes custom miniature ships.  The work is so delicate and intricate that I was amazed but, once he starts on something and he's concentrating, he loses the shakiness in his hands and has control over what he's doing.  Amazing to see.

His sister was widowed almost two years ago.  Her husband died of cancer.  Thankfully, it was quick.  Cancer actually runs in his family.  It's something genetic.  The family was tested years ago and it was kind of a 50/50 chance of the men developing cancer.  It's why they chose not to have children.  Sad, really, but understandable.

Well, I need to shower and figure out what I am going to wear tomorrow.  I love you all.  Be happy and have a great weekend.  ***Hugs***

I Really Hope He Makes It.....

I was thinking about the Beast and how cheap he can be on things that are really important....like stopping in a motel to rest after 6 or more hours of driving.  It's part of what I always hated about traveling with him.  But, knowing that about him, and knowing that it's a 12 hour drive from here to Chicago, I am very concerned that he will push himself to get there and not stop.  That's how accidents happen with *older* folks.  All I can do is hope.  He might stop and nap for a bit at a rest stop but they are not as plentiful once he hits the Indiana/Illinois areas of the route there.  Guess I just have to hope he makes it okay.

I found out today that Chewlee's recital is on Saturday afternoon so I called Cee to let her know and gave her the time that the Princess said it was.  Now I have to hope she remembers to email me the address where it's being held in Guntersville.  I gather they are using a church there to hold the audience they expect.  Cee is coming here earlier and we will go together.  We plan a little surprise for Chewlee, too.  I mean, besides our being there.  

The Beast forgot about putting the chickens away until I reminded him.  It was only 15 minutes after he usually did it but it was already darker than we expected it to be.  He grabbed a flashlight so he could count the chickens and gather the eggs.  The chickens had put themselves away for the night.Today there were just another 5 eggs.  That's all we are going to figure for a while.  

Someone has obviously been saving egg cartons for us.  The Beast found a dozen of various colors on our porch.  Since the Yaris was gone, they didn't bother to knock or ring the bell even though the front door was open (but the storm door was locked).  Baron never barked so it was someone he knew but wasn't excited over....LOL.  I thought that was very nice of whomever it was.   I hope the Beast finds out who and thanks them for us.

That's about all the excitement we had for the day.  It's late so I am heading for bed.  Love you all.  Be good and be sure to tell those you love that you do.  ***Hugs***

That's about all

Why Do Men Do This?

The Beast yelled and snapped at me this morning when I called him to ask why he had taken my car when he knew I had a doctor's appointment.  When he brought it back to the house for me, he was actually screaming my name because I hadn't heard him honking the horn to try getting my attention.  I was in my computer room with the TV on and the door was closed.  I never heard him because our house is well-insulated.  But I knew he was frustrated over the AC unit  at his church that he was trying to repair.

It's no excuse for his being so ugly to me and I told him that as I left the house and drove to the doctor's office.  I told him that I was going over to Cee's house after the doctor's because his office was so close to her apartment.  He just nodded to me as he threw his AC supplies into his car.  All I could think of was that he thought tools didn't belong in his nice Prius.  That is why he took my car.  It's a cheap one and is also the one he uses when he takes Baron down to the park on the river.  He doesn't want dog hair all over his car.  But mine?  Well, that's different.

The doctor told me that my stress test turned out okay but he had this feeling that there was more going on than the stress test could tell him.  After I have my right carotid *roto-rooted*, as I call it, he said that six weeks later, he wants to do a heart cath with dye because he thinks I have some major blockage leading to my heart.  When he said that he thought my low blood pressure was due to that, I told him I've had low blood pressure all my life.  But he still wants to do it.  

He said that they could go in through my groin or my arm and I told him that my bff, Carol, has had that done and she told me to insist on my arm since it was less painful.  That's when his PA asked if my bff was heavy.  When I said yes, he said that's why it was painful for her.  I made no comment on that because I have no idea whether it was that or the skill of the doctor doing the cath on her.  

He gave me several sample packs of this one pill I have to take now and he sent in the prescription for another that I will go pick up tomorrow.  The PA told me to check with my pharmacist on the price of the pills he gave me because they had heard it was expensive.  If true, I am to call their office and they would give me more packs.  I gather there isn't a generic of them yet and that is more than likely why it's so expensive.  I'll check when I pick up my pills tomorrow.  If my co-pay is high, I'll call and let them know.

When I got home from Cee's, the Beast asked me immediately what the doctor had said.  He was trying to be very nice to me, of course.  He then told me that he was in a great deal of pain in his left leg.  He thought that it was due to all the walking he had done this past week.  Of course, he was trying to tell me that he snapped at me due to his being in pain plus his frustrations with working on the AC unit at his church.  Men can be such babies about their aches and pains, can't they?  It doesn't excuse his verbal lashing out at me when I wasn't responsible for any of it.   I put some Icy Hot on the areas (his hip, thigh and his calf) after he showered and he went to bed shortly afterward.  

Before he did that, he gave me a card we got in the mail about the formation of a special website for our area (which includes a wide area that also includes the area where the Princess used to live).  We can post things about lost or found pets, thefts,  vandalisms, things for sale, babysitters, recommendations for craftsmen or  things that we are giving away for free, etc.  It's a way of getting to know our neighbors in about a two mile square area.  Maybe more than that.  So I went to the site and registered our participation.  I knew that was why he had given it to me.  I read some of the things others had posted and saw where I can post things when I have something I need or want.

I also talked to Bee while I was at Cee's house.  We were both wondering about a situation with one of her sons and his little girl.  Bee brought us up-to-date on that and we gave her our love.  I hope everything works out well for them but it will be a while before that is known.

Time to get this posted.  I love you all.  Be happy.  ***Hugs***

And So It Begins.....

I guess the Beast figured out that September 1st is not all that far away so he started today to think of things that he felt I should know/be aware of.  Like where the ground fault is located for the light in the chicken coop.  I have to admit, it IS in a strange place.  I would never have thought of looking for it behind his table saw on that wall of the garage.  No way in hell.  He also bought more dog food (the kind he uses for *snacks* in the evening for Baron since he gets his main meal for the day in the afternoon.  The *snack* just helps him get through the night.

He also started telling me what combo of rice, veggies, chicken to give Baron and when (depending on if I notice his poop's condition!).  He gets the rice combo if it's runny, the veggie one is it seems okay.  I think that some of the Alpo dog food for his *snacks* is what gives him the runs.  I KNOW it makes him fart like crazy.  I won't be giving him Alpo while he's gone, trust me.  His farts are enough to make you cry.  It's driven us out of a room more than once.  You'd think the Beast would learn already.  
 To keep the Beast happy, I am going to take notes that I can show him to ensure him that I won't forget anything he's told me.  That way he won't worry as much (he WILL worry anyway) and he will at least know that I can check for anything important.  It's going to be a LONG week-and-a-half.

He bought a hanging clothes rack for the back of the Prius.  It is actually kind of  neat.  It has a covering that will keep the hangers from moving around or slipping off so his church clothes won't get messed up on him.  Yes, don't forget his brother and sister both belong to the same church so they will be going to services together.  It's why I don't mind staying behind here.  Besides, who would watch over the chickens and the fur babies?  Baron is one of the fur babies, don't forget.

 I started to giggle today because I thought about the look on our vet's face if we suddenly showed up with 8 chickens, a cat and a dog to kennel for a week or so.   It's even funnier if you knew our vet.  He might not even bat an eye but I don't think he thought of Dave as a chicken farmer by any means.   

 Today we caught Freddy and three of the girls on the deck, eating the cat's food the Beast had just put out for her.  Freddy was willing to share the bowl and the three girls hung back until she was done and had walked away.  Then they quickly ran over to get their share....LOL.  I watched how they got down off the deck and found out the kind of hopped down the stairs.  It actually looked like they were cheerful and it was fun for them to do that.  Cute!  Now I am truly curious to see how they get UP the stairs.

I think the Beast is already deciding which dress-up clothes he is taking with him.  He did those clothes up today and immediately hung them up as soon as the dryer stopped.  But he put those clothes in the Master Bedroom closet instead of in the guest room closet, where he usually puts them.  He also bought another couple new ties (which I thoroughly approve of).  I made him throw out a few of the ugly ones he was wearing so that he's not tempted to wear them any more.  

I'm just glad that he hasn't changed his mind like he did the last time he talked about going up to visit them.  I will have 12 wonderful days to do what I want, when I want to.  I might even get to visit with the Princess and family a couple times AND go out to lunch with Cee and Babybrat.  Cee and I already made plans for her to come stay with me for at least one night while he's gone.  Maybe two.  We'll see how that goes.  We've always gotten along great (since we grew up anyway....LOL).  We just happen to enjoy each others company.  But I think she might miss her Netflix (which I don't have here) since she is following a couple different programs on there.

Well, it's late and I want to get to bed before midnight.  I didn't take my usual nap so I am nicely tired.  Love you all.  Remember those special friends and family of yours.  If you are grateful to have them in your life, take the time to tell them you love them.  Today is all we can count on.  Tomorrow is not promised.  Do it today.  ***Hugs***

This And That....

I slept in today since I was up and down all night, waiting to see if our internet came on (read previous post for that info).  I wanted to write my post before I tried sleeping for the night but that was impossible until I knew the Beast would either fix it or find out why we had none for the whole day.

I woke up at noon and found out the Beast was already gone to church (that was an hour early) and he got home a half hour later than usual.  Turned out that he stopped to see one of his church members that was sick (and has been for a while) before he went to church and brought the family one of the 18-count eggs in cartons from our chickens.  They have family visiting from other parts of the state so he was  pretty sure they would be used.  He also stopped off to pick up this older woman who had asked him earlier in the week since she wanted to show him something and ask a favor of him.  He hoped it wasn't something physical since he has come to terms with the fact that he just isn't able to do that any more.

Turns out she showed him some pictures she had had taken a few weeks ago and she wanted an 8x10 made up of one of them if he would/could do it.  I have no idea why she wanted it made up (neither did he...he never asks) but the one she wanted wasn't the best one that was taken.  I helped him choose the one he DID make up and she should like it.  The one she wanted had the worst facial expression!  She looked like she was angry about something (having her picture taken?) but the one I picked out, and he agreed with my reasons, she had a very sweet smile on her face.  It even made her look a bit younger because it took some of the wrinkles out of her face.  That's probably because a smile makes your cheeks bulge and that smooths out some of the wrinkles some people have on their faces.  It did on hers.

I just hope she likes it or his feelings will be hurt, I'm sure.  He didn't want to do up the one she said she wanted.  It really was unattractive.  He sure didn't want her to tell anyone that he had made it up for her since they would assume that he also took the picture.  LOL!  I knew exactly why he asked my opinion.

I took it easy today and just did a bit of wash.  We had some rags and some towels that needed washing plus a couple of our scatter rugs.  Don't ask me how it happened but a white top of mine got mixed in with the scatter rugs somehow and it is now a nice pink color.  Not a problem, actually.  It's one of the tops I wear for hot weather and with either jeans or shorts.  It's not a *good* top that I would wear out, oh, say to eat lunch or dinner in a restaurant or to a party.  It's seen better days...LOL.  Being pink now just gives it a kind of *new life*.  I'm sure Cee will recognize it when she sees me wearing it and will get a laugh out of it.

This is the third or fourth day that we only got five eggs out of the chickens.  I think a couple of the girls must have been really traumatized at the rounding up of the chickens the Beast gave away.  I know they have been putting themselves away before the Beast even gets out in the evening so they may think if they aren't good, they will *disappear* suddenly.  Maybe the rooster told them about being *eaten* since he saw a couple of his buddies being decapitated and plucked.  That was at the Princess' house, of course.  At least, that's the only place HE might have found out about it.  They might just be tired but it seems suspect since it's only been happening since the other chickens have been gone.

Oh, and Frantic Fran is still with us.  But both broody hens are gone.  The Beast told the woman that has our chickens this and she was thrilled.  She has a rooster at her place (yes, she already has chickens but they are Rhode Island Reds) and she says she would love to see how the chicks would turn out.  None of her hens have shown any interest in hatching chicks so she would love for our hen to want to do it.  Crazy lady.

Time to close this for now.  Love you all.  I'm hoping to get to sleep soon so that I can catch up with the FB posts on my timeline later tonight.  I'm trying to do it after 2am (I am still getting up a couple times at night to pee) so that it keeps our allotted usage of GB for our internet down for daytime use.  We get much more usage for the six hours at night than for the 18 daylight hours.  *Sigh*  It's actually 15 GB for both but you can see the problem, right?  Oh well!  G'night!  ***Hugs***

A Day Without The Internet....

Yesterday was very frustrating because we went through most of the day without any internet.  At first, we believed that it had to do with the weather since our internet is via satellite.  That means that cloud cover, rain, snow, etc. interferes with it.  Our internet is affected most by weather but we've had times when we also went without any TV.  We aren't as bad as the family on the TV commercial that goes without internet for just minutes (I'm sure you've seen that one!) since we both have other things we can do.  I can read or crochet or sew.  The Beast can play with his Photoshop and pictures.  But even in the worst weather we've had here, we have not gone for 24 hours without it.

This time, I made the Beast call our Internet Provider.  He always tries to push it off on me.  He tried (he said) to reset the router a couple times but something made me doubt that.  I guess because he told me to begin with that he was pretty sure it was because it was so cloudy out and raining from time-to-time.  I got ticked off at his casual acceptance of our having no internet and told him that, at the prices they charged us for it, he could at least make sure that we got extra time allotted to us or extra GB's.

I have no idea what actually went on when he finally called them about no service but we FINALLY have internet.  I didn't want to talk to him about it.  When he came to the door of my computer room, all I said to him was *Well, do we have internet yet?*  I CAN be a bitch at times....LOL.  He said, in a nasty kind of voice, *Give it five minutes and we will.*  I'm sure that later on he will tell me all about how our IP was at fault (he NEVER is).  He just needs some time to figure out how to make it THEIR fault and not his.  He's fooled around with it a few times, trying to make it faster, and screwed it up and I'll bet he tried it again.  Especially since he added the WiFi connection so he can use it for his Ipads.  And, yes, the Ipad that he said was for ME, is now totally HIS as I expected.  I really don't know if it's called an Ipad or a tablet but it's his *spare*.  The way he's got it set up, I wouldn't want it now.  It's so religious-oriented that I don't even want to touch it.

 So that's why this post is coming so late.  He was NOT happy that I made him call our Internet Provider.  I told him that I was tired of being the one that had to relay the questions and instructions when it would be so much easier for HIM to talk to them.  He INSISTS on being the only one in charge so he should take the FULL responsibility and make the call.  I know he feels I am better at describing any problems but DAMN!  No internet is NO internet!  How much more does he need to tell them?

Okay.  Thanks for letting me vent a bit.  Today the Beast took both 18-count egg cartons (with eggs, of course) to his church meeting for a couple different families.  That brings us down to just six dozen eggs AND I have another two dozen in the container on my counter.  That always has the latest eggs collected.  It has two *super* eggs (definitely JUMBO sized) in it but I will use those to make ham and eggs for us, mostly because I am curious about the actual volume of the eggs.  But that's just me.  I'm curious about such things.

So I hope you are having a great Sunday.  Be happy.  Have some fun.  Laugh....a lot.  It's good for you.  Be kind.  Even the smallest act of kindness is never wasted.  It could be life-changing for someone.  You never know.  ***Hugs***

Poor Freddy !

I'm pretty sure that Freddy misses the girls that now have a new home.  He spent the day walking around the back yard, crowing every few feet.  He was also looking around some of the spots that the girls liked to congregate.  I am pretty sure that his crowing was his way of calling to the girls that were missing.  It took several hours before he finally stopped.

What's really funny is how they are putting themselves to bed in the evening.  I think this might be the perfect amount of chickens for us now.  They seem to have decided that four of them get the older, lower perch in the coop and the other four get the newer, higher one.  Freddy has laid claim to a spot on the newer, higher one, of course.

It's funny how the Beast isn't concerned about the chickens under my care when he goes to Chicago for two weeks.  He's worried if I can take care of Baron, our Doberman.  I told him that when he goes away for any length of time, I only have one day when Baron is depressed.  After that, he accepts the fact that his *buddy* will return in due time.  Of course, this will be the longest time that the Beast will be gone.  It's usually for only a few days or a week, at most.  I'll manage.  Baron will start hanging out with me after the first day.

Poor Baron doesn't understand why the Beast is going anywhere without him.  He tolerates his going to church but is always waiting for him to come home.  He becomes more animated then.  This will really test his patience.

There were five eggs laid when the Beast checked this afternoon but they weren't done laying.  When he went out to check on the chickens for bedtime, I have no idea how many more he found since he went to bed shortly afterward and I was busy folding clothes in my computer room.  I'll find out in the morning.

I wanted to go the Walmart since Cee said they cut the prices on all their candles and I am almost out.  But I couldn't get out today due to being on the phone with a couple of my doctor's offices.  I had to wait for the nurses to call me back so I could set up an appointment with them if they thought it necessary.  I suppose I could have gone out since they call me back on my cell phone but I really didn't want to talk to them about my problem out in public.  I didn't get the call back from my gastro doctor's office until after five so I said the heck with it.  I had to let him know that the pills for the IBS-D are not the ones for me.  It broke through today.  What a mess!  I really hate going through this.  But he told me that, if they didn't work, he had others that he could prescribe for me.

Well, time to try getting ready for bed.  If this IBS-D keeps up, I'll be up all night.  Say a little prayer for me.  Love you all.  ***Hugs***

Gone....But Not Forgotten !!!

I wondered when the woman the Beast told could have five of our hens would come and get them.  It was today.  I didn't realize it until I woke up from my post-breakfast snooze because of hearing hens squawking!  Between her and the Beast, they were trying to herd them a bit so one or the other could grab one.  It was a real hilarious sight, especially when it started raining...again.

She came bearing a gift.  A pistachio cake in a 9x12 foil container.  It's one that has a see-thru snap on top to help keep it from getting any insects on it.  It's frosted with a cream cheese frosting and is really yummy.  I think she used a pistachio pudding in a yellow cake mix because some of the cake is definitely yellow in color but most of it is greenish.  It's about the same color as pistachio ice cream.

The poor hens were so upset after the herding attempt.  But they did get five of the hens within a short time and the woman left to get them to her home and settled in.  But the Beast and I won't be surprised if we don't get many eggs for the next few days.  The cute thing was that the chickens all put themselves away when the Beast went out to do that.  They were half on the original roost and half on the (higher) new roost.  They all flew down for the corn he scattered though.....LOL.

We will have to wait until tomorrow to see which hens are left.  The Beast said he really didn't notice which ones were caught because it was so wild catching them and fighting the rain besides.  Even he hopes we still have frantic Fran and that we got rid of at least one of the broody hens.  He might not have noticed the one marked with black paint but I am sure he would have noticed the one with red paint on her back.  I hope, after we check, that he warns her about that IF one of them is gone.  I'll check myself if I have to.  

I have to shower now so I will post this.  It's already later than I wanted to be up.  I really am trying to get back into a more normal sleep schedule.  I may not make it but I have to try.  Love you all.  Be happy.  Be kind.  ***Hugs***

Another Broody Hen???

It looks like we may have another broody hen.  To make sure, the Beast is going to mark it with red paint this time (I bought it).  We have just discovered that there is another hen (at least we think it is the same one) that seems to be trying to hatch eggs.  The Beast put up another nesting box because the egg production is down and we think it may be because of the two hens seeming to *hog* the nesting boxes.  We may even find that they are laying eggs in strange places because of that.

We'll explore the yard tomorrow when it's light out to find out.  The Beast tried looking around tonight with a flashlight (because it was getting dark) but really couldn't see some of the spots that seemed most likely.

He has no idea when the woman that wants five of our chickens will be coming.  She's going to have to find something to confine them in first, I'm sure.  To transport them home, I mean.  I sure hope she already has a place for them.  They are used to our barn/shed and the fenced coop.  They do seem to like to be able to roam around the yard and they run for the coop when the Beast is mowing the back yard.  They do like to crawl all over it when it's not running, however....LOL.

It's going to be weird to only have 8 chickens to count at night.  But it will bring down the number of eggs we have to deal with every day.  That will be a relief.

Nothing special went on today for either me or the Beast.  It was too hot and muggy for him to spend any time outside other than when he took Baron out for his short run.  That's all that he seems to need these days in order to poop.  He only goes down to the lot at the corner and then wants to come back home.  It's not all that long.  It's been a really long time since he ran all around the circle and then rushed to beat the Beast home (who drives the scooter slowly until he's at the corner).    I actually think this breaks the Beast's heart.

Baron is acting more and more like an old dog.  I think we will be lucky if he lives another year but I hope I am wrong.  It will truly break the Beast's heart.  I know what it feels like to lose a dog (or a cat) that you love.  I've lost both kinds more than once.  But Baron is truly the Beast's best buddy and vice versa.  Baron is not the same dog when the Beast is gone for any length of time.  He will be lost when the Beast goes to Chicago next month but I've dealt with that.  Only the first day or two will be bad, then he will act more like usual.

I hope you all have had a good week so far.  I wish you a great day tomorrow.  We are supposed to have rain and/or thunderstorms.  We shall see.  Be good.  Live life to the fullest.  ***Hugs***

All Is Quiet On The Southern Front....

The Beast and Baron are sound asleep for several hours now and so are the chickens.  Now that Freddy has found his voice (and likes it!), the silence is nice.  It's a nice night with just a little bit of a breeze and no rain....yet.  However, tomorrow is a different story.  The weather people claim we will get thunderstorms in the afternoon.  So I am enjoying this time.

The Beast is going to go to Chicago either on the 1st or 2nd of September (yay!) and he will not be back home until the 12th.  Cee and I are  hoping to be able to afford to get out for a nice lunch while that takes place.  If possible, we will even take Baby Brat out with us.  We are definitely going to have a Girl's Night at least once, also.  By that I mean a sleepover.  We can make popcorn or eat some shrimp cocktail, watch movies (I have to make sure my DVD player is connected right...again!) and just have a few laughs.  I have a few DVD's of old movies that are always good for a few laughs because the acting is SO bad...LOL.

When I told Cee about the Beast finally deciding on when (and IF) he was going, she laughed and said it would be just like our having another vacation.  I had to agree.  

The Beast informed me that one of the women he knows from his church said she would love to take five of our chickens off our hands.  She had heard him saying we had too many of them (because of the amount of eggs).  So she is going to come over to fetch them one day in the next week.  That will leave us seven hens and the rooster, which actually IS more than enough and we shouldn't end up with eight dozen eggs at a time in our fridge even though we are supplying a LOT of people eggs all the time.

I hope he gives her the Broody hen.  She is only the first.  We will have that happen to more of them as time goes on, unfortunately.  I want to keep Frantic Fran, however.  And the shy one, too.  That will probably be easy since they both will keep out of reach when the Beast tries to herd them for their new abode.  

I did more wash today and discovered I named the wrong fabric softener.  I thought it was Downy but it's Snuggle.  Which makes more sense to me since I really didn't remember the fragrance of Downy lasting so long.  I was just so used to it being stored in the cabinets over the washer sideways and the shape of the bottles are so similar that I really didn't look at the front of it.  Truth is, the Beast couldn't remember the name of the softener I said I wanted (I knew Downy DID, in fact, soften the clothes).  So he saw the Snuggle (it must have been a bit cheaper...LOL) and grabbed that.  I'm glad he did.  I wasn't aware of how fantastic it smelled or how long it lasts.  Now it will be the only one I get.

Love you all.  Live each day like it's your last and enjoy it!  Be kind.  Even the smallest act can make a real impact on someone's life.   ***Hugs***

 

Broody Hen Gets *Marked*....

Today was the day the Beast decided it was time to *mark* the Broody hen since she was at it again.  He thinks we should call her *Miss Muffet*, can you figure out why?  It made me laugh.  But, after dinner, we both went out to the barn and she was still sitting in the left hand box but there was also another hen in the right hand one trying to lay an egg.

I lifted out the hen in the left-hand box and the Beast sprayed a quick stripe down her back...in BLACK.  I just shook my head and said I thought red would have been a better choice on a black and white hen.  But, when she saw the Beast take the big cup full of corn out of the bag, she ran outside and I could see it would be easy to spot on her.  Oh, and the eggs she was sitting on were actually HOT feeling so she must have been sitting on them all day long.  I think when we check the right hand side of the box tomorrow, we are going to find a lot more than five eggs in it since the hens had no choice but to lay their eggs in that box all day long.

I put out the shells of all the eggs I've used during the past week or so for the chickens today.  I put them on a paper plate (since they are crunched up) and within about an hour, they were all gone!  It took them a while to get curious about it but, eventually, they will know that's what is on the paper plates and probably come running when they see me put it down.  They may not have big brains but they do recognize things they like after a bit.

I went over to Cee's today for a bit (just to visit) and came home earlier than I would normally because the Beast had to get to the dry cleaner to pick up his clothes.  Yes, he's trying it AGAIN even though I told him that his allergy to the cleaning fluid wasn't going to go away just because he hadn't had anything on that was dry cleaned in a few months.  In reality, I know the only reason is because he was tired of having to pay attention to the dryer when he washed his good clothes.  None of them (dress shirts and pants) are *dry-clean only*.  In fact, his pants come out fantastic if he does get them hung up right away once they are dry.  I told him that he could actually ask the dry cleaner to *wash only* with his clothes.  He had no idea he could do that but he will remember next time.  I said that his sports coats could be separated and dry cleaned (they all require that) as long as he remembered...LOL.  Now THAT could be a problem.

He also had to run to Walmart to pick up his prescription for his blood pressure medication.  I checked the date it was last filled and discovered that he has, indeed, stuck to either taking it or tossing it down the terlit to fool me.  If he has been taking it when he remembered, he only missed a few days, not several weeks like he WAS doing.  It always made me mad when he used to say that he KNEW when his BP was high.  Wrong!  He just knew when it got incredibly high and he was in danger of another stroke or heart attack...something.  It was when he got a scare one day after checking his BP and finding out just HOW HIGH it was that he finally started taking it regularly.  I also reminded him that, if he had another stroke, it was a nursing home for him.  I learned my lesson with his first strokes.  He was just incredibly nasty to me and I am not taking it another time.  Sorry, but that's just the way I feel.  

He knows I mean business, too.  He KNOWS just how badly he treated me while I did everything to help him and make his life just a bit more comfortable while he was going through rehab.  It was his own doctor who gave him the nickname of the Beast by the way he talked and treated me.  LOL!

Got to go.  Love you all.  Have a wonderful week.  Be kind.  ***Hugs***

A Touch Of Spray Paint?

The Beast and I were discussing the *broody* hen and both of us had the same question.  Were we really dealing with just one hen or was it possible that (at times) we were disturbing a hen trying to lay an egg?  So the Beast came up with an idea.  He's going to mark the broody hen with a spot of spray paint on her back so we know for sure.  Since they are constantly replacing feathers, it won't be anything fatal or toxic since they don't eat their feathers and it will be just a touch.  

How will we know if it's the broody hen?  By the temperature of the eggs underneath her.  The broody hen sits on them and they all get VERY warm.  That only comes from sitting on them for a long time.  When a hen lays her egg, she does it and leaves the nesting box.  It's nowhere as warm as the eggs the broody hen adopts.  This way, if it's NOT the broody hen in the nesting box, we will know that it's a hen laying her egg a bit later than usual and we can leave her alone and check back later.

Today was the lightest day since the hens first started laying eggs.  Only four eggs collected today.  That's okay with me...for a bit.  I have more eggs than I can believe.  If you looked in my fridge, you would think I fed a small army or that we were crazy about eggs.  Really crazy....LOL.  We gave away 3-1/2 dozen eggs just in the last two days, and yet, I have seven dozen eggs in my fridge.  *Sigh*  I'm going over to Cee's tomorrow afternoon and I will call her in the morning to check and see if she needs any more.  

I'm pretty sure most of my neighbors have stopped buying eggs since we are so glad to provide them for free.  Why not?  It keeps them from complaining about Freddy who is now crowing a lot more than he used to.  Frantic Fran is still our runner.  That hen does NOT know how to just walk around like the others.  She runs all the time.  The only time she stands still is either when she finds some insects or else when the corn is thrown down in their yard.

We now have one I call Sally (Shy Sally) because she is always the last one in the coop since she halfway hides when we go near her.  She does the same thing when the cat wants to play.  She will run and hide behind the tree next to the coop or under the stairs up to the deck.  She might be shy due to intimidation by the hens even but I am not sure of that.  I think she is the one that the hens shoved aside when I was throwing in some of the weeds from the garden for them to eat.  I think I mentioned how I threw some kind of far away from where I was standing and then gave the poor hen a pile of her own.  

I made us another salad today but I put in hard boiled eggs that I sliced plus some onion and ham.  I used balsamic vinegar and used some garlic salt on mine but the Beast used that French dressing I told you about.  I enjoyed mine and he ate almost all of his, too.   He only left a few green bits behind.

Well, it's time to post this.  The Beast had another early night and has been in bed about an hour and a half already.  When he does this, he usually is up around 5:30 or 6am.  I've been up all day with no nap so I am tired, too.  I'll post this and hope I get to sleep more than two hours before I wake up to pee.  *Sigh*  

Love you all.  Remember to be kind.  It's a sign of a good heart and I wish you all that along with a peaceful spirit.  ***Hugs***

I Wonder About.....

As a diabetic, I have issues with my feet.  My heels mostly but also I develop a callous under my big toe on my left foot due to having lost my big toe on my right foot.  I didn't lose it due to diabetes, at least not directly.  I split the top of the toe open and developed an infection in the bone since I wasn't smart enough to go to emergency when it happened.  I thought using those butterfly bandages would work but, since diabetics don't heal as well or as fast as non-diabetics, that was a dumb move.  So I lost the toe and the area where the skin was *stitched* together is another spot that gets a layer of tough skin since it doesn't get sloughed away by friction.

That's why I wonder if that Amope pedi-perfect (not sure if that's what it's called at the moment....old timer's disease) really works.  It scares me that they are offering a $15. off coupon online towards the purchase of it because what in the world does it cost then???  But it is obviously battery operated and the grid that *smooths* the skin looks like it's covered in diamond dust or some such thing.  They never mention if you can buy (and install) replacements for it either.  Do any of you own one?  If so, please comment and let me know...a)what  it cost you, b) if it works, and c) can the grinding section be replaced or do you have to buy another one once it wears down?  Please let me know.

It was really windy today and the wind kept opening and shutting the gate into the coop.  That occasionally trapped a few of the chickens inside when they went in for water or some of their feed.  I think it confused them.  I finally went out and opened the gate far enough that it caught on the grass well and held it open despite the wind.  I also checked on any eggs that were laid (one in the left nesting box and four under the broody hen on the right).  Yes, she's at it again.  *Sigh*  Don't know if she will ever get over that but both the Beast and I just lift her up out of the box and collect whatever eggs she is laying on.  When the Beast went to give them their corn, he found another four eggs that had been laid including two under our broody hen.

The chickens put themselves away today since the Beast was about 15 minutes late going out there.  They were all atop the two roosts that the Beast built for them, just waiting.  As soon as he came into the barn, they all started running out and made a semi-circle outside the barn, waiting for him to throw down the corn.  They seem to like their routine and would probably attack if denied their corn....LOL.  Even the cat has started leaving the coop area as soon as the corn is thrown down for them.  Routine, routine!

I finally peeled the eggs I boiled two days ago and made some egg salad.  After a test taste, I HAD to make myself a sandwich!  I think I really had a taste for some and that's what made me boil up the eggs.  I was surprised at how easy the eggs peeled after sitting in their shells for two days.  Usually, the shells stick like glue to the eggs and it's impossible to peel without major damage (and loss of precious egg!).  But I used the Rachel Ray method of cooking the eggs (thank you, Cee, for sharing that!) and even the yolks didn't get green around the outside.  The trick is to bring your eggs to a boil, then cover the pan, remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.  Then run cold water over the eggs, add some ice, too, because that makes the eggs contract a bit from the shell and you can either peel them right away or just put them, shells and all, into the fridge until you are ready to use them.  I peeled two yesterday just to snack on when I got hungry late at night.  

Okay, time to go.  I want to shower before bedtime and I am actually tired.  Love you all.  ***Hugs***

 

Bad Night Last Night For Me.....

I had a really bad night (and a lot of today, too!) due to.....and I am going to borrow a phrase from Bratfink on this....being *consternated*.  LOL!  I don't know why I suddenly was but four days had passed without anything *passing*.  Then, suddenly, my tummy blew up, I started running a bit of fever and I was just miserable!

This afternoon, FINALLY!, things happened and my tummy went down, I was no longer sweating or running a fever and I began to feel normal!  Thank goodness!  But, on Monday, I will have to call my gastro doctor and find out if it was possibly a side effect of the IBS-D medication I am on.  Perhaps I need to take fewer pills?  Or have a change in medication?  I hope not.  I just got a refill.  Fewer per day, I can manage.  But to change this soon (and since it is definitely effective!)...no.

That is why there was no blog.  I just couldn't manage to put two thoughts together.  I was in that much misery.  I prayed for sleep (and was rewarded with it!).  The Beast looked in on me but had no reason to think it was anything more than normal sleeping in.  He went out and bought me sausage gravy and a biscuit and just figured I would heat it up later when I woke up.  He didn't even start to worry because he saw me up a couple times (going into the bathroom).  He claims he told me about my biscuit and gravy but I sure didn't hear him.  To be completely honest, it wasn't just being over being *consternated* that made me feel better, I also barfed.  Once I emptied my stomach, too, (it was all liquid), it's when I felt better.

I ate some chicken broth finally and then, later, had some little sausages as a sandwich.  I may eat the biscuit and gravy later on when I am sure my tummy is fine.  When you have IBS-D, you become very, very careful.

I finally started acting and feeling normal.  Enough so that the Beast stopped being concerned.  I watched him put the chickens away and found out that *broody* hen is sort-of back at it.  With this difference.  She no longer stays down on the floor but runs outside and attacks the corn.....LOL.  Somehow I knew when I saw the chicken run out of the barn.  The Beast verified it when he came back in the house with the 9 eggs laid today.  He gave some of the eggs that were in cartons to our next door neighbor and to the family that had returned an empty carton the other day.  I just wish he had given them one of the 18 cartons.  That's what they returned....LOL.

Oh well.  I need to shower...trust me on that.  Then I am going to just relax and watch TV for a while.  There's  nothing exciting on but I'll find something.  Love you all.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  ***Hugs***

The Beast Forgets......

The Beast is showing short-term memory problems worse than normal these days.  I'm realizing that, when he told me he hadn't touched the picture albums that I found on the top closet shelf, he really DIDN'T remember moving them.  Yet, he had thrown out a lot of books and things that he didn't remember doing either.  I thought he was lying.  But, with some of the things happening lately, I think it truly is a memory problem.

He realized today that he had never put the chickens away yesterday.  It was why I found 17 eggs in the nesting boxes today.  Because he hadn't put them away, he hadn't collected any of the eggs.

There have been several examples lately of his not remembering where he put something and he has had to search for the items.  I will try to jog his memory by asking obvious places he might have had the items and sometimes it works, other times it doesn't.  Yet he will find them in the most obvious places (ones I had suggested).  It worries me that the damage from his strokes is possibly getting worse.  Only time will tell.

His church meeting tonight was a deviation from normal, since it's usually held on Tuesday.  He said he had no idea why it was changed but he doesn't think it's permanent.  I have no idea why he didn't ask but that's something that I'll eventually find out.  

Since he was at church until 9pm, I put the chickens away.  It was funny how the chickens all ran toward me when I went downstairs.  But their being out all night may have explained that.  They followed me into the coop immediately and were gathered around the big barn door, waiting for their corn.  I think they missed getting it last night because they attacked it as soon as I threw it down.

The broody hen was on over a dozen eggs tonight but, when I put her down on the floor of the barn, she ran outside to get her share of the corn.  I think she's not as fond of sitting on the eggs all the time as she probably was because of missing out on the corn.  I guess it's a real treat.  I may go to the bait store in Guntersville and buy some meal worms for them.  I'd love to see their reaction to that....LOL.

 I got a bit lazy today and made some tuna salad for sandwiches.  We ate a late lunch and I had also made us each a regular salad.  It was with mixed greens, cucumbers and tomatoes.  It was also delicious with the spicy French dressing the Beast bought just because he wondered what they meant by *spicy*.  I have no idea but it tasted wonderful.  It wasn't as sweet as I remember French dressing tasting and it had a bit of a tang to it that I couldn't identify.  We both finished our salads and had a sandwich afterward.  That filled us up so that we really weren't hungry later.  The Beast was still full when he got home from church and just snacked.  I admit that I ate a hamburger later but I stayed up later than he did.

Time just flew by for me for some reason tonight.  I emptied the dishwasher (one of those chores that we women never get away from) and then filled it up again.  I get so tired of wiping counters off, don't you?  I seem to do it at least a dozen or more times a day.  Hmm.  I wonder why, when I always clean up MY mess, I am always doing that?  Could it be the Beast can be a slob when he knows I am up and doing more and more these days?  I wonder.  He would never admit it.  It's like his hot chocolate mess.  I found chocolate powder and a ring of chocolate but...oh, no!  He cleaned up after himself.  Oh, really?  Then where did this come from?  He really looked puzzled to see it.  Another memory lapse?  *Sigh*  

And how do you forget where you took out your teeth?  It's only the bottom plate but he was sitting in his recliner, eating toast with his hot chocolate.  If it's not on the end table, where did you go with it?  I just don't know about him sometimes.

I have a feeling that I am getting healthier.  Why?  Because of how fast and how tough my nails are these days.  I wasn't able to grow my own for many years.  Now I have to keep trimming them and filing them in order to even type.  My toenails, too, are becoming a problem with how fast they grow.  I usually find out when they need trimming because they catch on my socks.  I know, I know....I should notice them more but I really don't pay all that much attention to them and I should since I am diabetic.  I put lotion on them almost daily so you would think I would notice but I pay more attention to any areas where the skin is getting thick or peeling (like my heels).  I now know I have to keep them trimmed, too.  

Oh well.  Time to post this.  I know my life is dull compared to most people but it's my life.  It's all I have but I am not really unhappy with most of it.  There are a few things I would love to fix but I can't do anything about other people's actions.....just my own.  So I keep a good attitude and do what makes me happy.  Don't you?  

Love you all.  Be happy.  You only get this one life.  ***Hugs***

It Was A Busy Day.....

It ended up being a busier day than I thought it would be because today the Beast decided to check out his underthings and bleach ones in his drawer as well as the dirty ones.  I ended up having more than double the underwear than was normal for him.  Plus, I picked today to wash my blankets and my own clothes.  Of course, most of it was my pajamas since I don't wear them more than once...usually.  I did have a lot of tops but only two pair of jeans.  I count the things that must be hung up right away and make sure I take that amount of hangers to the dryer when it stops.  The rest is all stuff I fold and put away in my jammie drawer or my underwear drawer.

My comforter that I washed (I use it to cover my recliner for when I fall asleep....to keep perspiration from making it stink!) took an hour to dry but it smells so nice now that I just want to keep smelling it.  It's the Downy fabric softener, of course.  I love that stuff.  The smell lasts for a long time, too.  It's why I love to use it for my clothes.  It makes my closet smell wonderful when I open the doors.  Each time I wash clothes, it renews the smell.  Love it!

Today is the Princess' birthday.  Well, August 9th is/was, depending on when you read this.  I wrote on her timeline on FB to tell her that I think she is a wonderful person and a great mother.  She really is.  It's no exaggeration.  I am amazed at her energy and her creativity.  She's an incredible cook, she's learned to can her veggies, and she also does crossfit.  From what I understand, she plans what exercises they do and does it with the class, too.  She took a special class in Atlanta to get certified for being a trainer.  Think you could have done so much with both a 9 year old and a 2 year old at home?  I'm not sure if I could have done a crossfit but I did work and raise four kids plus a granddaughter and always had a houseful of neighborhood kids at my house.  I may not have been the best mother but I tried.  I had other difficulties in my life to deal with, besides the normal washing, folding (Lord but I've done thousands of those in my lifetime, haven't I?) and trying to keep a clean house.  With teenagers, that's not easy.  Thankfully, Cee turned out to be a blessing to me and helped me out a lot with the house and the wash.

Now that it's just the Beast and I (oh, and Baron and Sassy plus 13 chickens), my life seems almost serene in comparison.  I'm a bit handicapped by my health (and aches and pains!) but I am finding myself able to do more of the cooking than I was a few months back.  For 70, I don't think I am doing too bad, especially with all the surgeries I've had in the last four years.  But I sure couldn't keep up with the Princess, that's for sure....LOL.  And I wouldn't even try!  My mother didn't raise no dummies!

Well, it's time to get this posted.  I will leave you with this thought:  No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.  Love you all.  Be happy.  You only live once!  ***Hugs***

 (THE BLOG WON'T LET ME ENTER A TITLE)

When the Beast came home from yet another sojourn with his church group, I grabbed a dozen eggs for Cee and headed over there.  She and I discussed the Beast's plans for going to Chicago and I found out something the Beast hadn't told me.

#1-the only reason he planned on going was because two people from his church were going up there for a wedding.  That meant that he wouldn't have to do all the driving since the husband (and the wife) could all take turns.

#2-He had already talked to his sister about the couple staying with her while they were up there.  Since they all belong to the same church, that was an easy decision for his sister.

#3-He had already talked to his brother about staying with him and his brother was happy to do it.  They enjoy each others company so there was another easy decision.

When he originally talked to me about this, he made it seem like he wasn't really sure just when he would go but that wasn't true.  It pissed me off a bit because he told Cee about his plans but not me.

However, Cee and I decided that we would have a sleepover one night while he's gone.  We'll indulge ourselves with some peel-and-eat shrimp and whatever else we decide to do.   Since we enjoy just spending time together, it will be a treat for us, especially without the Beast.

When I got home, I made us chicken fried steak, some gravy and a baked potato.  I also sliced up a tomato from the Princess' garden.  It all tasted good and I loved how the breading on the steak was nice and crispy but the steak was tender.

I watched TV in my recliner and, of course, fell asleep.  I guess I was more tired than I thought because I slept for five hours before the need to use the bathroom woke me up.  I'm still tired so, after I post this, I am heading back to bed.  I don't want to still be up when the sun comes up.

Love you all.  Be good.  Be careful in this heat and stay hydrated.  ***Hugs***

The Beast And The Chickens...

I swear, he should be called the Chicken Whisperer.  You would have to see it to believe it.  I sure didn't until I watched it.  It made me wish we owned a video camera.  Let me explain....

It was time to put the chickens to bed, so to speak.  He went outside and immediately the chickens came running from all over the yard and surrounded him.  He made his way to the coop and the chickens formed a line behind him with the cat bringing up the rear.  He went into the coop area, (he has to check the nesting boxes for eggs) and each and every chicken hopped into the coop behind him.  They formed a big semi-circle in the yard of the coop, waiting patiently for him to spread the corn for them.  He does that after gathering the eggs.  I do the same thing but the hens don't form a line behind ME.  In fact, some of them wait for me to leave the coop then they run into the coop area before I close the gate.

The Beast counts the chickens before closing the gate to make sure they are all in (and they always are!) and that the cat is out....LOL.  The cat always follows the chickens into the coop area and has to be removed or she would probably calmly make herself comfy and spend the night with them.  It is a sight to see.

This is what happens daily and even HE is surprised at what the chickens do.  Like I said....the Chicken Whisperer....LOL.

I'm a bit worried about the Beast.  He came home from church today and, after changing out of his good clothes, he just sat in his recliner for a couple hours.  No TV on.  Only the light in the kitchen on and he said nothing to me as I went back and forth from my computer room to the kitchen.  After two hours of his sitting there in silence, I finally went out and asked him what he wanted for dinner.  That got him moving and talking.  

I made us dinner and gave him his and he ate.  I gathered up his plate and put our dishes and the pan I used in the partially loaded dishwasher (and started it since it was full enough).  He finally put on his TV and watched it until he decided to go to bed.  It was another early night for him because, when I went out to use the bathroom, only the light over the sink was on so he and Baron were in bed.  It was just 8pm.  I  took a short nap in my recliner and then took my meds for the night.  I'll be taking my shower shortly and then go to bed myself.  However, it's after midnight for my bedtime...LOL.

I should fix up my weekly medicine case tonight but I need to refill two of my meds tomorrow so I guess I will wait to do that.  I will be going over to Cee's tomorrow so I can get some real relaxation.  I promised her one of the packs of 18 eggs since she wants to hard boil some for snacks.   I swear the eggs we have taste different from the ones you buy at the stores.  i can't say they taste fresher because, until we had these, I had no idea what *fresh* tasted like.  But they do have a different taste that I can't put my finger on.  It's good but different.  I know because I once used a store bought egg and one from our hens for breakfast and there was a noticeable difference in the taste.  I guess I DO know the taste of a fresh egg now.

Time to post this.  Love you all.  Be good.  Be kind.  ***Hugs***

No Clue About Broody Hen.....

That's because the Beast put the chickens to bed without telling me and then went to bed at only 7:30pm!  I know he collected 7 eggs because he left the bag with them on the counter.  It's the first time in ages that he didn't tell me he was going to bed.  It may have been because he wasn't sure if he would fall asleep but, when I checked at 7:45pm, he was sound asleep.  I guess his staying out with his church group until 2pm really exhausted him.  He didn't take a nap like he usually did because he was reading the Bible when I discovered him at the kitchen table.  He didn't tell me he was home, either.

We both ate chicken soup for dinner so my worry about him not eating *leftovers* didn't materialize this time like usual.  But it might have been that he was hungry well before our usual dinner time and didn't want to wait.  He only ate a sandwich when he got home in the afternoon so that may have contributed to his changing his habits.

I spent time today working on things that my diabetes makes necessary.  Stuff like making sure my skin was lotioned (I have to do this often) and that I take care of my feet.  Sometimes taking care of my feet takes me over an hour since I have to use a special lotion on them, let it soak in and then get rid of any thick skin plus clip my toenails.  I don't know if it's age or what but they seem to have gotten thicker the past couple years.  I know they are tougher to clip these days.

Then I worked on organizing my closet.  That was a disaster and I needed to get my winter clothes moved then separate my tops, pants, etc. so that it was easier to find what I needed without having to go through every single hanger.  That took me HOURS and I was glad I wasn't interrupted by the Beast.  That alone should have told me he wasn't really feeling well.  The heat destroys him, especially when the humidity is high, too.  Since it got up to 95 today (heat index of 104) and he was out in that, I'm surprised he didn't get heat stroke.  But I had the house nice and cool.  The stinker had turned OFF the AC when he left the house early in the morning but I got up shortly after he left and turned it on again.  I don't have it in my computer room but I knew Baron would be miserable without it.    I think the Beast might have turned it off because of taking his shower in the morning (since he said he had awakened during the night in a sweat).  I'm not sure because I went into my computer room and fell asleep....LOL.

So, after eating my soup, I got online to check my emails and reply to the ones that needed replies (a lot of them are jokes or things they think might interest me).   I only discovered the things above when I went to get more ice water.  Since it was so early in the evening and the Beast doesn't go to church until 1pm (he leaves here at 12:30pm so he can socialize a bit before services start...it takes 5 minutes from here to drive).

The Beast told me yesterday that he thinks he's going to go to Chicago in September to visit his brother and sister there.  Hurrah!  I've been urging him to go, mostly to see his brother who has Muscular Sclerosis.  It's degenerative but does have times when his symptoms are less debilitating than at others.  But it will eventually cause death...usually from complications.  Although his brother is 17 years younger than he is, it would really hit the Beast hard to lose another sibling.  Especially if he could have spent some time with him and didn't.  He's already lost one brother and a cousin that was like a brother to him (he was very close with him his whole life).  It  would also feed HIS fear of dying, especially since his health and general well-being seems to be degenerating.

Oh well!  C'est la vie!  Time to post this.  Love you all.  Chose to be happy.  Get rid of toxic people in your life.  Life is too short to have negative people around.  Have a great Sunday.  ***Hugs***