Good Hunters Eat What They Kill!

Finally, a sunny day! Much to be mowed. I mowed my dogs yard after what I thought to be a very thorough poop scooping job .......

I would swear under oath that I walked that yard inch by inch and picked up all the leavings to be found. So, I was left wondering how I could have missed as much as I apparently did. I stopped mowing twice to pick up more. Were they waiting for me to clear a path and walking behind me pooping?

Now I sit here sipping tea and waiting for my lunch to settle before I tackle the dog park. I better not find any surprises! I do not like that kind of a surprise. I did not sleep well last night. The dogs were restless and would not settle down. No storms last night, so that was not the problem. I finally gave up at 5 am and took them out.

While they took care of business, I took care of my own and then went to the back door to let them in. I heard some snapping and crunching out there in the dim light of almost morning. Wall-E had hustled back inside, but Cujo and Charming Eddie were up to something. I ventured forth into the chilly air to see what they were doing.

I wish I had not done so. Last night, Martha, the boy cat, was nowhere to be found when we went to bed. I heard something that sounded like silverware falling to the floor. I alerted HeWho should be the hero and go investigate, but he said it was nothing. It was that cat. He had managed to get himself trapped in the spare bedroom and in his efforts to let me know of his dilemma was jumping around on every surface. He knocked down a container of Legos.

I rescued the cat and went to the back door to let him go out, as is his routine, for a night of hunting. He had other ideas, involving his food dish. I scooped him up and sort of tossed him out the door. No worries, cats land on their feet. He was mad at me, though, and cats are spiteful.

Martha did hunt and Martha did catch and kill a rabbit. Martha did not eat the rabbit. Martha put the rabbit in the back yard. He knows I hate this. Cujo was eating the rabbit. I could hear the bones breaking as he crunched the tiny rabbit. I grabbed Eddie, since Cujo was not in a sharing mood, and brought him inside with me. I left Cujo out and we went back to bed for a couple of hours.

Not a great start to my day, but I hear a mower calling my name. I plan to pace myself today so I will still be able to function after mowing .... I hope.

A Handsome Image

Saturday's mowing left me with pains in my joints, Sunday brought the muscle pain. Sunday also started out with rain. A reprieve from finishing the mowing? No, I managed to get my body moving enough to take care of the rest of my part when the sun came out and dried the grass.

More rain last night and this morning ..... and you can't even tell we mowed! When we came in last evening as the sun was setting, the grounds were amazing. Nary a dandelion did dot the grassy surface. All was neatly trimmed. Today it looks like elves came in the night and sowed dandelion seeds! It is too wet to mow.

It is too wet to have rock delivered to build up the roads and put in a couple more sites. Seems like today would be a wasted day, but there is one thing that wet ground makes easy. Weeding! I took advantage of the wet ground and did just that. All day long. I planted early peas and even cropped more asparagus. Planted some turnips and got my biggest raised bed ready to plant corn and beans. The corn will go down the middle and the beans can climb the corn stalks. Potatoes and garlic are also in the ground.

Last year I planted brussel sprouts and harvested nothing. They came up and made sturdy stalks, but no sprouts. My beets did quite well and I will plant again this year, despite HeWho's alleged dislike of them. I caught him eating some that I pickled a couple of times. The beet brownies I made ....... let's just say they were "earthy" and overpowered the chocolate. 

I am still preparing for my mega yard sale. I set a framed mirror on the floor in our sitting area, meaning to add it to the collection of stuff to sell. I kept forgetting to take it into the store with me. I was putting away towels yesterday when I noticed my Charming Eddie standing near the mirror.

I stood still to watch him as he peered into the depths of the looking glass. Have you ever wondered if animals could see their image in a mirror? I have. I mean, I know they can see themselves, but I wondered if they would recognize the image as their own. Eddie posed sideways and front-ways as he stared at his image, then leaned in and licked the glass. He then backed up and looked intently at his image again. As he turned away to play with the multitude of dog toys littering the floor, he gave the image a last look over his shoulder.

I left the mirror there and have seen him approach it several more times. Today he had a squeaky toy in his mouth. He has never barked at his image as far as I know, he just seems to want to look at it. Wonder what he thinks it is! Maybe he knows it is an image of himself and finds himself to be magnetically handsome. Well, he is!

Pick Up Your Poop!

Charming Eddie loves to have a picture taken. He is no longer a mere pup. His nose has grown and he is quite the handsome fellow. His torso is a tad longer than Cujo's and his snout is, too.

Cujo is just not photogenic. No picture can capture him in a good light. Makes me love him even more. He just can't compete with Eddie in the looks department, but he is the most loyal little dog.

Just look at Eddie. It's like he knows how handsome he is!

Eddie is currently napping. He has had such a long day outside in the nice weather. He stayed out the entire time I mowed. And mowed, and then mowed some more. Spring is here! The peach and apple trees have blossomed and tulips are popping up.

Not just tulips, dandelions are every where. The grass was calling out for a good cut. I actually like to mow. It is a lot like painting, you see the results instantly. As much as I like it, I think I may have over done it today. I had set reasonable goals ..... or so I thought, but I am whipped and I didn't finish!

I was thinking I would weed and hoe at least one raised garden bed, but I don't think I can move. My legs are cramping and I am miserable. I wanted to plant some spring peas before the sun sets. My asparagus is already going strong. I picked enough for the two of us and I noticed that my strawberry plants are blooming! Things will start to happen fast now and I don't have time to be in pain! I feel like have rocks in my joints.

As perfect as this day has been, besides my body failing me, I made a discovery in the dog park that made me see red. POOP. Really, how rude to leave your dog's poop. There is a sign as you enter that clearly lists the rules.  And poop pick up is among them!

Christianilty = Charity?

The rain is soaking the ground and I long to go outside to play! I can't, so I am working on other things inside ...... and answering the phone.

The phone is always good for a story. Just last week HeWho loathes answering the phone got stuck on a call with a gentleman looking for a huge discount on an unlimited stay. I only heard one side of the conversation, a conversation that was rather lengthy. After a few seconds, enough to know that HeWho would not be taxed with actually making a reservation, I pretty much tuned him out and went about whatever I had been doing.

During supper I was treated to a report of the phone call. The man was looking for a long term site, but was unhappy with my rates. I shrugged  and reminded HeWho had already forgotten about the man, that we have the lowest rates in our area. A  few days later, the phone man showed up in the office. He started out by telling me that he needed a long term site and that he needed my best price. I asked a few questions about the number of people that would be staying in the camper and since it was just one, I dropped the rate by $25. Best I could do.

Unwilling to simply accept that offer and either take it or leave it, he persisted in his quest for a lower rate. Then he asked me if I was a Christian. Did not wait for an answer, just went on to tell me that he wanted to stay in a Christian establishment. He did not want to be around a bunch of smoking and drinking. Did I ever think about charity? Because I should. The phone rang and a camper pulled in simultaneously and he left.

He called again tonight. I answered the phone and was subjected to a litany of complaints about "crazy campground owners" who would rather have an empty park than let people stay here. He then offered me $175 less than my rate. I didn't accept his offer and he belittled my judgment and again asked me if I was a Christian.

He seems to equate Christianity to charity, and while charity is a big part of Christianity, it is not the total. Personally, I found the man offensive. He struck me as someone who always expected to be on the receiving end of Christian charity. I didn't bother to tell him that we do try to help people in need. I got the feeling that no matter the discount offered, it would never be enough. He would also object to being neighbors with anyone who failed to meet his criteria.

The man would not stop talking, so I handed the phone to HeWho is the OWNER, what with him being a man. He told him our park would not be a good fit and to look elsewhere. That is the edited version. 

Big Paws and Peanut Butter

I may have mentioned Eddie's big paws a time or two. I can't seem to get a good picture of them, although Eddie seems to like to show them off. Forget the giant feet, look at that handsome face!

He looks like that all the time. No matter if I am praising him or scolding him. How do you get mad at that face?

My Walmart is in the throes of a remodel. While this makes for lots of clearance items ..... and we all know how much I love a good clearance, it also makes for lots of confusion. Things have been moved. I understand moving stuff. I do it all the time. But I know where I put it!

I make a very detailed list, one that goes by the section of the store the item SHOULD BE located in. I needed to restock RV sewer hoses, having sold all I had. I approached the wall section near automotive, past the tents and sleeping bags and tent pegs, and oh, look, they have either moved or discontinued the RV supplies! But wait, there is a person working in that department. A friendly helpful associate. Walmart likes to call the workers associates, like they have a say in what goes on. Whatever, I just want to know where the sewer hoses are. "Do you still carry RV supplies?" I ask the young man. He smiles and says that yes, they do. I wait, expecting to be told exactly where they are located. He smiles again and asks if there is anything else he can help me with. "Why, yes there is! Could you enlighten me as to where the RV Supplies are now located?"

After he asked two more associates, I finally found the section, but only one sewer hose. I guess they are waiting to stock shelves after the remodel.
I did score a really, really nice set of high thread count sheets with deep pockets. 20 inches deep! Do you know how hard these are to find without paying a fortune? We have a really thick pillow top mattress with a 4 inch memory foam topper. Making the bed is an event involving sheet garters to make sure the fitted sheet stays on.

HeWho enjoyed his birthday and enjoyed reading all your comments. I made him a very special birthday cake. He requested yellow cake with chocolate icing. Happy to oblige, I made the yellow cake layers, then glued them together with marshmallow fluff, then iced it all with chocolate. He was impressed. The only thing that could have made it better would have been peanut butter.

Given to what happened to the cake, peanut butter might have been a better idea. Although I was careful to let the layers cool completely before smearing the marshmallow fluff, they still slid apart. The cake was lopsided, but HeWho loves all the components declared it to be just what he wanted. Peanut butter would have made a better "glue".

He Who Has A Birthday

Almost 43 years ago I married the love of my life. He was so cute, don't you think? We look so young ..... we were so young. Could the knot in his tie be any bigger?

We were approaching 50 in this picture. The mustache is gone and spectacles adorn his sweet face. He is still cute. He is 64 today and I tried to get a picture before he left the house to go about the day. I failed.

The facial hair is back. The hair on his head .... gone. Still cute to me, though. He is in Jefferson City to update his propane dispensing abilities as required by the state. While he is gone I have a cake to bake and steaks to marinade, stuff to do for the birthday boy.

One more picture ........ back when he had hair and too much of it! Oh, wait, I had hair, too! We were 23. I was pregnant with our youngest child.

Happy Birthday HeWho is loved.

Tomorrow Might Not Come

You never know what other people are feeling, or thinking. Well, unless you actually know them. My children tell me I wear my thoughts on my face, but I think it is only apparent to them, because they know me so well.

Here I sat casually eating my toast to accompany my meds, scrolling through my e-mail and listening to an audio book. Nothing much on mind. Another warm day is blooming along with my peach trees and I was letting my mind just float along with garden thoughts ......

The bell to the office sounded and I got up to go tend to the camper while shushing the dogs. I smiled at my new tenant, hoping he didn't have a major issue with anything. He had just checked in last Sunday and this was the first time he had come in since. I recalled that he had told me he would be bringing his wife in to meet me .....

I looked past him, expecting to see her. He was alone, though. "I just wanted to let you know that my wife died and won't be coming to live here." I was so shocked that I gasped as my hands flew to my mouth. I offered my condolences and he went on to explain that his daughter-in-law would be staying with his teen sons when he was working (over the road truck driver). I nodded as he relayed all this. I was speechless (a rare event).

I asked if she had been ill and he went on to tell me that she died suddenly of a heart attack ...... while he was setting up the camper here last Sunday!

Life is short and there is no guarantee that you will have tomorrow. I immediately called my husband to tell him that I love him. I am so sad for this man I barely know.