The Happy Fall Feeling

It's here at last! Fall has arrived with promises of cooler temperatures, lovely leaf colors, and soon to be hearty soup. I'm ready!

Those nasty old summer temperatures are not my cup of tea. I don't like heat. Soaring temperatures drive me into the house and find me in a listless condition.

With cooler temperature, I'm ready to go. Although I've been complaining about yard work and thinking it might kill me, I told you that I'd be very proud of myself once I was really accomplishing something out there. I have much more to do, but it is coming along, and I'm feeling like I'm accomplishing great things.

I've been fussing around inside trying to get that cozy feeling going there too. I do love the oranges, reds, and yellows of fall. They just make me happy. I headed straight for the fireplace and decked it out with a few colors and symbols of fall. Now I can sit there in the evening and enjoy the fact that summer is gone and happier days are ahead.

I found some lovely real mums for outside, but need to go purchase more. I'm going to have to get going and see what I can do about that. I even promise a few pictures of flowers and trees in the near future. Yes, I'm on a roll with joy in my heart and that happy fall feeling spilling out from the inside.

Surviving Shrubbery

I survived Death By Shrubbery! I told you that I'd probably be bragging on myself if I survived the trimming of the shrubs. I'll confess that I'm not completely finished with the second shrub, but I have lots done, and I am very pleased with myself.

Yesterday morning I started bagging those very sticky ouchy limbs. I decided to play it smart and use my leather gloves. As I searched the craft building for them, it began to dawn on me that I'd given them to Right Back one day when he couldn't find his and was desperate. They were too big on me, but fit him fine. So... I have no leather gloves. I really was a tad sad as knew my poor little fingers were in for another day of being tortured by those sticky ouchy leaves. They hurt!

Next I went to the tool house to retrieve the metal stand for these filling the bag jobs. No stand! My suspicions immediately ran to Right Back. I'll bet he hauled it off for something and intended to bring it right back. I've yet to address this issue with him.... but I will.

So, poor little me had no gloves or stand, and here was this nasty filling job to do... ouchy leaves and all. I managed... of course I did. I had to do it the old fashioned way: Cloth gloves (the same ones I used when cutting them), a rake, and lots of bending over. At least I can claim that I exercised. Hey, I really do try to find the positive in things. Claiming exercise for the day is a definite positive... one I need more of... much more.

So, here you see the lovely six... count them.... six... bags of shrubbery debris sitting by the trash can waiting for pick up today. I hurried outside in my nightgown and took a pic as knew you would really really be devastated if you didn't get to see it. It is such a lovely sight.

I realize this is another subject entirely, but I have to give it to Right Back that he showed up yesterday and intervened in the great mouse flinging event. He doesn't seem to mind at all doing that flinging job. Here I was complaining and carrying on something awful, and he just handled it for me. My hero... my kid.

Daylight is burning, and I do believe I need to go do something... even if it is wrong. Don't worry, I'll confess it, wrong or not. At least I'm alive and have survived shrubbery and mice. Tah Dah!

The Dreaded Mouse

I do believe I've taken photography in a new direction... downward, perhaps. I realize that there is absolutely nothing redeeming about this photo. Composition. Yuck. Lighting. Yuck. However, that just isn't the point. I took a zillion pictures trying to get one with the little green light blinking. I finally got one, so please cut me a little slack and know that I appreciate your sensibilities.


I know I've written on this subject before, but it seems to be a cycle... one I don't like at all. I do believe that someone runs into the critter world the first day of fall and hangs a sign out that says 'Get Inside Now!'

Obedient to the forces of nature, those little mousie critters head for the nearest entrances and get ready to spend a comfortable winter. That may not be entirely true, but it is life as I see it.

I've battled the battle before. I've stuffed steel wool around every pipe and crevice. Still... they come. I didn't use to have this battle, but I do now, and I HATE it!!!

I'm really a tad ashamed to admit that this whole sharing my house with a mouse puts me into a spin of emotion. I can't set a trap... not one of those snappy things. Son Right Back has done that for me before, but he isn't always available to do that little chore. Oh, this does qualify big time as one of the Men's Work items... not something I want to do... definitely for the Men.

I guess I'm squeamish or something, but I just can't deal with the mice very well. I'd certainly rather face the holly shrub than the mouse.

A couple of years ago, I invested in an electronic mouse trap. Seriously, there is such a thing. It's that little black box in the photo of the day. I see it as a more humane form of execution. It is instant, just as the snappy kind, and it should be easier for me to dispose of the remains. Note the word 'should' here.

So, I armed the electronic mouse trap and put it in a darkened area of the pantry. It is most effective at night when the house is quiet and the mouse is ready for action. The mouse should smell the peanut butter, head into the hole in the trap, and be zapped into mouse heaven.

My job is to check the trap in the morning. That's one of those things that makes me know what a coward I really am. I open the pantry door, look at the trap, and hold my breath in expectation of a blinking light. If the light is blinking, I have a mouse. The thing is, I'm always relieved when no light blinks. Then I don't have to go into mouse flinging mode. This morning, the light blinked, which means I have to deal with it.

I've been wondering if Right Back might appear this morning (wishful thinking). I have things to do, you know. There is bagging all that holly shrubbery from yesterday. Then I need to cut more shrubbery. I just don't know when I'm going to have time for mouse flinging. I need help... I need staff. Oh, Man Adam, where art thou?

I know I've got to face the fact that once again I'm left to my own devices. I'm going to have to screw my courage to the sticking point (a Shakespearean knockoff) and carry the trap outside. Then I have to turn off the unit with the switch, open the door, and fling the mouse behind the craft house. It takes a little wrist action.

One year I overdid the wrist action and ended up flinging the whole trap. The door covering the batteries flew off and under the craft building. No way was I sticking my hand under there to retrieve the door! Nothing but having that door in place would make the trap work, so I had to go buy another electronic trap. I did TRY to retrieve the door with a stick and a pulling motion. I only ended up pushing it further under the building where I was sure I wasn't putting my hand.

Well, here it is almost seven o'clock in the morning, and I have my work cut out for me today. I must fling the mouse and bag the shrubbery. I'm not sure which I will do first. One thing is for sure... I plan on showing my Man Cat Pumpkin what I have done. I want him to see that mouse and have a new respect for my hunting capabilities. Something good has GOT to come out of this.

Death By Shrubbrey

I'm relatively certain that the Garden of Eden message to do all that soil tilling and probably shrub trimming was aimed directly to Man Adam. It surely wasn't meant to be Woman's Work.

Actually, I have a definition for 'Woman's Work' that suits me just fine: Anything that I don't want to do.


The problem is that Man Adam is nowhere to be seen. I can't find him for anything, and he certainly isn't hanging about in any garden.... or yard for that matter. At least not that I can find him. So, I gave up this morning. I finally faced the dire fact that I was going to have to assume responsibility for the shrubbery gone wild in my front yard. Son Right Back isn't much of a help in that department either, even if he does qualify for the Man part. Nope... he is pretty scarce these days, and his allergies would kill him anyway with a snoot full of holly pollen or whatever up his nose.

The above is my pile of limbs from my first attack of the holly shrubs. I've been at it for awhile and just had to come in and rest up. I was dripping wet from the exercise, so came in once in awhile to rehydrate and collapse into the chair. A good fifteen minutes of rest and I was back at it again.

I have serious issues with these shrubs. They are out of control and have been for years. It isn't that I've completely ignored them in the past, but I will confess that they didn't get the best of care while under my supervision. So, here we are, and something has to be done....even if it is wrong.

It may not be the right time of year to be hacking away on them, but at this point, I don't care. They are going to be trimmed, and it is going to be up to them if they live or die. That's just the way I feel about it.

Actually, I'm trying to give them a chance to heal from this calculated assault on them. I figured that they have a bit of time left before the snow flies and the ice forms on their leaves. They have some nice warm days left, and they had best use the time wisely to adjust.

I'm writing this blog as a bit of avoidance technique. You see, I have the other shrub to do as well. Then there is the bagging all the mess that you saw lying on the ground. Plus, there will be more off this side.

You do realize that holly is an ouchy little shrub. I put on the gloves I found handy, but they are those little cotton gloves sold in the yard aisle in the department store. I'm thinking somewhere in my little craft building I should have something leather. Leather would be better. Those nasty little holly ouchies stick the dickens out of me.

Yep, I'm thinking that darned Man Adam should be here for the show. That doesn't seem likely, so I believe I need staff. That doesn't seem likely either. I'm not good at facing the fact that the only one who cares one bit about this is me. It is me and me alone. Drat and all.

If I do survive and manage to get this outside mess straightened out and in hand, I'll probably be singing a different tune. Then I'll be so proud of my efforts and I'll be bragging about what wonderful work I've done in the yard. That would be just like me.

If not, perhaps someone will think to write on my tombstone: 'Death By Shrubbery'
Tah Dah!

Alas, Where Did My Humor Go?

I'm sitting at the computer keyboard staring at it. I started this blog some time ago with the idea that I could do something on humor each day. Well, I do believe I've been overrun and trampled by the sheer force of trying to get focused and organized.

You know what I'm doing. Perhaps I should say that you SHOULD know what I've been doing. I'm doing that thing that I decided to do in August. I'm crazed by it. I've been taken over by it. However, I expect my focus will level out at some point and I'll be able to sit back and draw a breath without thinking about it.

When I retired, I envisioned a life of leisure. I could do what I want, when I wanted, if I wanted. I'm not too sure what happened along the way, but four years into retirement, I'm so busy I don't have time to even think about sitting down and leading that life of leisure.

Don't misunderstand, I'd not want to sit in front of the TV with my coffee cup sipping life away. I realize that wouldn't be an ideal life. No, not at all. However, a few minutes here and there of absolutely nothing to do might be nice as well.

Now I have to confess a little something. I wrote the above last night, then put it to bed and turned in myself. I kept trying to dose off and fall into the computer screen. That just wouldn't do either.

The Rest of the Story:

Since last night, I've been to Nearby City to take my mother to an appointment. Mother loves getting out and about and doing a little shopping when she feels up to it. Today she was feeling grand, and we did what women like to do... we shopped. It was great fun, and we were fortunate enough to find some great bargains. I had made up my mind to not buy one thing, but that feeling soon passed and I had a nice healthy supply of new clothes to carry to the car... at a great price, of course.

Mother also needed to go to the shoe store, and I decided I really wouldn't buy anything there. I should have stayed in the car. Yes, I should have. Instead, I ventured into the store. I was a little disturbed at the fact that the front of the store bore no 'Sale' sign. It always has a 'Sale' sign. As soon as I opened the door, we were greeted by a smiling salesman. I asked him what was up as they had no 'Sale' sign in the window. He said that they certainly were having a sale... one on right shoes and one on left shoes. I felt so much better.

While Mother tried on shoes, I looked down the sale aisle really not expecting to find anything. That is when you have to look out... when you don't EXPECT to find anything. Of course, I saw a pair of 'must haves'. They were black zip up boots. I haven't purchased boots for years. I don't have any that fit. I sure hope they are still in style as I now have them in my closet. So much for not spending any money in the shoe store.

You may be thinking that my blog is certainly wandering around today. I do feel obligated to tie it together in some fashion. So, I will leave you with this thought: If you have a few minutes to do something at your leisure, you'd best watch out. It might cost you money. If that happens, you might need your humor to get through it.

So, where did my humor go? I still have it. It's intact and well. Thank goodness. I will live to shop and laugh another day. Tah Dah!

I-Needa Is Baking... Sort Of

I-Needa learned all about baking cookies from me. Now, that is a mother's pride showing. Today she sent me proof of her culinary art. I submit these fabulous photos of her hard work. This will make you weep, or you will love the simplified step by step baking solutions. Who knows, I-Needa could have her own cooking show. I take absolutely NO credit for the following:





Let Nestle do all the hard work. You have to open the package and set the oven to 325 degrees.










The cookies are smashed and precut in a very considerate fashion.














Check out the excellent seasoning of the Pampered Chef bar pan.

Oh... you do have to put the cookies on the pan. Not much work involved there.

Put them in the oven, of course, and set the timer to ding when they are done.






Here they are after cooking... fabulously browned.














You should try one while they are hot just to make sure they are good. If necessary, try another for good measure.


Editor's Note:

You see folks! That kind of cooking is much faster than all that measuring and sifting and stirring. I'm so proud of that I-Needa. Way to go, Daughter!

With A Tongue Like That

This may not be the best picture in the world, but I just had to share. I-Needa sent it to me last week with the caption of 'Who couldn't love this picture?'

It made me laugh as I thought of all the people I know who are suffering with allergies and runny noses. I had this awful thought of how nice it might be for them if they had a tongue like this. I know... awful thought!!

Well, at least Gigi takes care of her nose, and tons of tissues aren't involved in the process. She probably wonders what her human is doing with all that paper constantly around her face. I think it's a good thing that pets don't take pictures of their humans. We might never survive it.

Messy Guest

PR came to visit a couple of days ago. She brought albums with her as wanted to add pictures to them. She likes to work at my house as says she can stick with the project better with no outside distractions.

I'm not sure, but I think that outside distraction must be Hubby. She can focus her undivided attention on her task here and not have to shift to doing household things.

If Hubby only knew what a wreck PR makes of my tidy abode, he would be happy to see her depart with her albums. Actually, he would help her pack and see her safely to the car.

Actually, I'm really kidding. I love to see her coming for a visit. I set up a table and made some borders and stuff myself, and we had a great visit. It is a wonderful excuse to take a little mini vacation and catch up on what has been going on in our lives.

I just had to tease PR a bit about the stuff that was everywhere. Believe it or not, it was highly organized stuff. The amazing thing to me is that PR stayed with the task all day yesterday and finished a lot of her scrapbook pages. As soon as she was finished, she put everything away and eyed my pile a bit suspiciously. She wondered if she could help me put mine away too.