Rain and Storms

Normally in Ranch Land Heaven, rain is a cause of rejoicing. Cattle like grass, and grass likes moisture. It seems to work together. When there is no rain and the grass dries up, cattle do not smile, and neither do the ranchers. Ponds dry and hard times follow. Therefore, rain can be a cause of celebration.

Storms are not such a good thing. It seems unfortunate that all the rain we have been blessed with seems to be delivered with a vengeance. The weathermen are talking about the record numbers of tornadoes that have been associated with our area this year. It may truly become a record number. June is traditionally a stormy month as well as May, so we have more potential storms ahead.

Tornado warnings tend to get one's adrenalin going. I'm not going to say that it scares me spitless, but it does get my attention. I have a healthy respect for that force of nature, and I say quite a few prayers about weather. Looking at the damage that some communities have received lately is disheartening. Some look like a box of matchsticks dumped from a box. It's sad and frightening.

I've been reading the blogs of some who have been in the direct patch of destruction. It is a sense of continued stress that seems to come through. Taking tornado precautions over and over on a daily basis is wearing, to say the least. I will admit to being tired of severe storms, tired of tornado watches and warnings, and tired of the associated stress. It makes one physically tired.

Even so, I refuse to let all this become a focus in my life. I'm going to think about the happy weathermen. They, at least, can say something beyond announcing another hot dry day. They have lots of air time keeping everyone informed as to the changing conditions. It is a blessing for those in the path of raging storms to have such up to date technology and warning systems.

Personally, I'm going to pray for quieter weather.

Taking The Cat's Side

I knew when I was writing about what a horrid thing Pumpkin did that I was going to hear from my cat loving friends. They are the same friends who have tried to shame me in the past to taking Pumpkin into my home. They tisk tisk at me and tell me what a wonderful cat I have and how I should love that cat soooo much. If they had a cat like that, they would have it inside. I've tried, but they won't take him.

My first response was from Crafting Ida. She lives where she has room for cats outside, and she loves those little animals. Crafting Ida wrote:

'So sorry about your Pumpkin Cat getting the cardinal....but I will bet that Cardinal teased your cat and that is the reason that he bit the dust! I know that anyone hates for pretty birds to get killed......but sometimes bad things just happen to those birds that do not stay high up in the tree and off the ground......
Do not be too hard on Poor Pumpkin......He thought that he was giving you a real treasure! Just think how hard he probably worked to get that bird........'

See! Crafting Ida was definitely on Pumpkin's side.

Then there was Jan. Jan really got carried away with her defense of Pumpkin. She is one of the tisk tiskers. This is what Jan wrote:

Okay, being both a bird lover and a cat lover is an affair of the heart! ( A rather turbulent one when a situation as yours occurs!)

I regret that the little bird had to give it's life. May he rest in peace and I am grateful that you gave him a proper burial.

A bird flew into our windshield the other day when we went to put out our Memorial Day flowers and my heart just sank. I felt so terrible because we would not have harmed that little bird for anything.

Now, in DEFENSE of little Pumpkin.............You know, he brought you the best of the best. Parrots are hard to find flying about in our community, and I feel certain he was after a bird of bright plumage to honor his mistress. (You do see that he didn't bring you a sparrow don't you?) I think he was quite proud and no doubt twitched his little tail EAST and WEST, EAST and WEST as he STRUTTED his way back to the porch, CONVINCED you would be pleased beyond measure at his offering!

Now, I would further like to remind you that I have grave doubts as to whether Frank Phillips balked at the dead offerings that his friends gave to him! Oh, no, rather he proudly had them mounted and DISPLAYED at Woolaroc! My gosh, there is every dead creature within one's fertile imagination hanging in that place! (Have you seen the two headed calf??? The shrunken heads...hummmmm?)

Let me just say this, do not look a gift horse (kitty) in the mouth because the next time that the "mouse and the motorcycle" goes tripping the light fan-dang-o" up your alley, Pumpkin may not feel compelled to snatch him!

I suggest you just bow or curtsy or whatever Pumpkin expects of you. Stroke his little feline head and then just lie through your teeth when you tell him what a wonderful little fellow he is, that he REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE, and that you simply ADORE the color red!!!

I'm thinking that pretty much says it all. There are some good points made. Certainly, my senses are far too fragile. I've been to Woolaroc and seen those wild game heads hanging around the walls. Those were some proud hunters. Fortunately, I don't have any of them hanging at my house.

Doesn't Jan just make you want to give Pumpkin a royal parade? Such a fine guy. Such a hunter. I'm so ungrateful. I don't deserve to have a cat. Now, there is a thought.

Man Cat Carnage

Reader beware: Not a funny story!

I was taking a shower a bit ago and decided to open the little ventilation window in the shower area. I pulled it back just in time to see Man Cat Pumpkin trotting proudly across the alley returning with something hanging from his mouth. I didn't have on glasses in the shower, of course, but was sure it was a bird flopping from his mouth. EEEUUUUU.

After I got out of the shower, I opened the back door to see Pumpkin standing there mewing at me. I guess he was proud of his offering. There just inches from my door was the carnage of a once lovely little cardinal. The poor bird was a featherless lifeless creature.

So.... I got on some clothes and went out the front door. I recovered shovels from the tool house, dug a small hole, loaded the lifeless body onto the shovel and dumped it into the hole. Pumpkin watched this, and I have NO idea what he was thinking.

One thing is for sure.... I'm not happy with his actions and do NOT appreciate his gift, if that is what it is. Cat lover.... this is a con in my books. Gee... I wonder why I prefer a good face licking lap dog.

Low Fuel Level

A couple of months ago I visited I-Needa. Stamping Brenda picked me up and we went to a few craft stores. I noticed then that the Low Fuel Level light on Brenda's vehicle was on. That made me rather nervous.

I'm one of those people who keep lots of fuel in the car. I use it, I replace it. Seldom, if ever, does the gas tank get below half full. I normally just top it off at a quarter low. I'm quite comfortable and secure that way. I do not have a low fuel level problem in my life.

Stamping Brenda didn't really care about the fuel light. She said not to worry as she could still drive a number of miles as it was. She told me exactly how many miles, but I've forgotten at this point. It was enough that I'd not be sitting by the side of the road waiting for gas.

Stamping Brenda's issue was that her husband was in charge of filling up the vehicle. He would do it the next day she reasoned.

In the meantime, the fuel light remained on and it dinged once in awhile just to make sure we were aware of the need for fuel.

I was reminded of this yesterday. I made a trip back to Nearby City to have a Simonez coat put on my new vehicle... the one I bought when going for an oil change. It was about a three hour process, so the dealership gave me a loaner so I could head to the mall. As I pulled out, I heard that dinging and noticed the low fuel light. Oh, my! Shades of Brenda!

Now I must confess that I chuckled a bit at this event. At the sight of the light, Brenda popped into my mind. The thing I remembered most at this point was her assurance that many miles were left before the vehicle would run out of gas. What comfort!! The mall was a short distance away, so I just drove there, low fuel light and all, and didn't really worry much about it.

If Brenda hadn't hauled me all over Big City with her low fuel light displayed, I might have been much less secure. I thought it was rather nice how things worked out.

Huge Confession

I do believe I have now maxed out my confessions. I called I-Needa yesterday and asked her if she remembered what I'd said I was going to do that day. The correct answer was: 'You're taking your car to get the oil changed.' She remembered. There really was more to the question than is seen on the surface.

A number of years ago, I took my car to the dealership to get oil changed. There was something wrong with the car, and I didn't like hearing that I was going to have to take it to Big Nearby City to get it fixed. You see, it was one of those Saturns that has to go to a Saturn dealership....period. I knew that when I bought it, but I didn't plan on anything being wrong.

When I drove in to get my oil changed, I had NO plans to do what I did. But I just skipped the oil change and bought a new car, one that wasn't so fussy about where it was serviced. I called I-Needa that day from the dealership and told her that I was waiting, but not for oil. My new car was being detailed. Funny!!!

Yes, we've laughed at that for a number of years. It is just one of those inside jokes about getting the oil changed.

I did take my car to get the oil changed yesterday. Then they began to tell me about something I was going to have to have fixed. I do NOT like to hear that kind of talk. One thing just leads to another.

I decided to head over to look at another automobile that I'd been checking out on the Internet. I was JUST looking... period. I ended up looking for hours and had to call I-Needa once again and mention what happens when one goes in for an oil change. Yep, I did it again.

Right Back came over when I got home to check out the new vehicle. As he was leaving, he held his keys up and mentioned that his truck is in need of an oil change, and would I mind handling that. He rather likes what happens when I go for an oil change. I just smiled and told him that I didn't think I'd be taking his truck anywhere.

I'm totally worn out from this off the cuff shopping expedition. I had to make such a big confession on top of all the shopping stress that I'm headed to the sofa to take a cat nap. I hope it will be purrrrfectly restful.

I'd Never Seen This Before

And Neither Had I-Needa

A couple of weeks ago, there was a transition time going on in I-Needa's class, and she overheard two of her boys talking about robots and cars. She asked if they were talking about Transformers. They looked at her rather oddly and asked if she really knew about Transformers. I-Needa explained that her brother had some when they were kids and they used to play with them. She proceeded to sing the Transformer song, and they joined in with her.

Kids sometimes think adults are out of touch, but I-Needa felt she went up a couple of notches on their, 'Well, she may be old, but she's got her cool moments' o-meter. Somehow 'markers' entered the conversation and they were also surprised that she had had markers as a child. Quote: 'I didn't know they were invented THAT long ago!'

Catching their rather cool teacher up to speed, they told her about the new toothbrushes that sing the Transformers song while you brush your teeth. You press a button on the toothbrush and stick it in your mouth. It sings to you for 2 minutes to time your brushing. You can hear it outside your mouth, but it is suppose to be much louder when set against your teeth.

A few days later, one of I-Needa's boys walked into the room and thrust something into her hand while grinning the biggest grin she'd ever seen and declaring, "I went shopping with Mom last night, and I got this for you!" She took it out of the package, and he showed her where to press the button. Everybody became very excited about the fact that she was going to brush her teeth that night and have this fabulous experience.

She did, indeed, get that brush thing going, and here is her report:

"I must admit, it is rather tempting to get your groove on when you have music going through your mouth into your ear. I've tried it. What a hoot! There is a little label on the actual brush that is to be removed before using. It says, 'For better sound and a better planet, turn off the water while you brush!' Gotta love that"

By the way, the whole thing is ADA approved! There are other song-brushes out there. He just believed that her life wouldn't be complete until she had the Transformers one.

I'm seeing a rush to the store by all the grand and great grandmothers of the world. Surely, no kid should be left behind. Heck, be a kid again and try one yourself. Tah Dah!

Dirty Words

I have no earthly idea why I ever allow myself to utter the word ‘mouse’ or ‘mice’. It is a recipe for disaster. Really. To me, those are dirty words. I’m almost afraid to even type the words, but am taking that chance for the benefit of blogging.

I’ve written before about mice woes. I detest the little critters. That' s the whole reason my Man Cat Pumpkin showed up. It’s his job... His job....his JOB! Not my job! Really, I consider it HIS job to keep all mice away.

Unfortunately, I was sitting here writing a blog a couple of days ago when my peripheral vision caught sight of a little gray streak along the baseboard near my computer. EEK! I cannot begin to tell you how jumpy I am at the sight of a mouse. I’d gotten into a comfort zone that none dared be within a mile of my house. But, the proof was there. Just to let me know it was for real, the little critter dared to turn around and run back the other way.

My reasoning tells me that it is just a mouse. It isn’t poisonous. It can’t kill me. It is just a tiny little mouse who is trying to live life in a dangerous world. It could, for some, be considered a pet. I, however, do not consider it a pet. I normally add an ‘s’ and call it a pest. It is not welcome, not wanted, not even cute. It makes me downright jumpy. It stresses me out. It makes me crazy.

I called my friend Grace hoping she would sympathize. No. She just laughed at me, and not for the first time. She was sympathetic to a point, but not the point of coming over and setting traps and waiting until the mouse was gone. No. Not that.

I can’t honestly blame Grace for that. She told me I just needed a man around. I told her I KNEW that. I asked for one once, and got that darned cat. Big help there.

I decided to check on the cat, my great man cat Pumpkin. Oh, I found him, and I couldn’t help taking his picture. I think the guy has fallen down on the job, and I have proof. I’ll bet you would agree.

Don’t think you’ve heard the last of the mouse saga. I’m sure there will be more. This is a problem that has to be handled. I put out a bit of poison, and now I’m headed out to have a little talk with Pumpkin. I'm sure I'm going to say lots of words to him, and all of them might not be nice.

One Thing Leads To Another

In my previous post about my Sweet Killer Cat, I mentioned the fact that I-Needa had a nasty little squirrel problem a bit ago. Upon reading the blog, I-Needa sent me a detailed story about that incident. I knew I had the gist of it right, but here is the real and true story. I think it can safely be identified as another God Story.

There was a chimney squirrel. I-Needa actually heard it scrabbling in the chimney trying to get out. She thought perhaps one had fallen into the chimney and she could just open the damper and that would solve the problem. Of course, SHE wasn't going to be the one to open the damper. Reinforcements were called in to handle that job.

Actually, I-Needa lives in a condo that has the lovely association dues for outside things. She called one of the board members to find out what to do, and he handled it for her. A brother and sister team arrived. They often did some repairs for the area.

The job wasn't as easy as it seemed it might be at first. Things just weren't right. When the damper was opened, no squirrel came out. It was determined that the critter had to have slipped somewhere between the firebox and the outside. So, they would have to tear off the wood trim covering the fireplace area outside. That revealed that the insulation from the second story had fallen into a pile around the fire box. I-Needa was told that if she had used it for several hours in a row, it would possibly have ignited based on the condition of the stuff. SCARY!

The gal who ended up digging out the stuff happened to work in a vet's office. She had those lovely shoulder length gloves used when inspecting cow and horse innards. That sounds like a plan to me. For those who are squeamish, you might skip the rest of this paragraph. Well, she pulled out dehydrated carcasses of two birds and another squirrel, plus the fresh one that hadn't been gone very long. Apparently, the remains had come with the property when I-Needa bought it.

When they tore off the outer part of the chimney from the ground to the second story, they also found termites happily munching away. Bummer! I-Needly ran into the house and called her termite guy. She had been paying him to inspect, so was covered for one year. The next day, he was out to treat the area. Then the extraction team fixed the thing on her chimney so other varmints wouldn't fall in.

While not liking having squirrels running around on the roof, or dealing with all of the mess, it is good to recognize the good that was done. I-Needa said that God did three great things. First was saving her from getting a fire outside the fire box. The second was keeping her walls from having problems from termites. They were quickly murdered. The third was setting up a good relationship with the people who came to do the work for her. Later the father of the brother/sister team was hired to come back with a team to paint the whole complex. I-Needa felt better about having people crawling around her house and in her yard when she knew the man had such great kids.

Sometimes we have to decide if we are going to chose to see the negative or the positive. Of course, she didn't know of all the good things that would happen when all of this began. We often use the adage about hindsight being better than foresight. It is often difficult to see anything good when we are in the middle of working out problems. In hindsight, if we look hard, we can see that we were being cared for after all.

Response

I'm sitting here staring at the computer screen wondering what on earth to write about today. That happens... often. One of the rules of blogging is to be consistent. Ideally, one should post daily. One should also have tons of pictures. That's harder than it sounds, and sometimes elevates to downright daunting.

I will report that I had a comment or two from friends about Sweet Killer Cat. While I remain in Shockville over the whole issue of the decapitated squirrel under my house, others are pretty laid back about that whole situation.

I-Needa wrote that I should be thankful that I have a cat who handles squirrels. She had a terrible problem with a squirrel a year or so ago. One managed to become part of her chimney, and she ended up having to call someone to deal with the problem. I'm not remembering the exact details at this moment, but it wasn't pretty either.

I, too, had a problem with a squirrel a couple of years ago. One managed to get into my attic. It sounded like an elephant to me. I considered abandoning my house and just moving away. After searching outside, I discovered a little place that had separated and allowed a big enough place for the squirrel to get inside. Right Back came to my rescue on that one, followed by a more permanent fix by Master Carpenter Man. I'm thinking I'm glad the current squirrel is dead and gone, and not in my attic.

After all that thinking, I'm beginning to feel better about my killer cat. I may even give him a little extra something or other for breakfast.

FURminator Confession

I-Needa called really early in the morning. The first thing out of her mouth was, 'I forgot to confess what I bought on Saturday.'

I told you before about this confession thing and how it works. One of us confesses, and the other one validates. We have it down to a science.

One little nuance of confession involves technique. First, one quickly states, with a little humility in the voice, that one needs to confess a little something. The next part depends on the size of the confession. If it is a really large purchase or deed, you start by listing all the reasons for what you have done. If it is something smaller, you just out with telling what you did, then list the reasons for it.

So, following her 'I forgot to confess...' statement, she forged ahead into..'I bought a FURminator.'

I shook my head and wondered if my ears were plugged up or something. I had no idea what she had said.... a what? I asked her to repeat it, then repeated it back to her with a question in my voice. 'Yes', she said.... 'a FURminator'

Like I said, it was early in the morning, and I had no idea if I should be excited for her or concerned. Somewhere in the back of my brain the word 'FURminator' began to sound a tad familiar. However, those dendrites that should be connecting and feeding me information weren't doing their job. I was clueless.

I asked for a little explanation, some help, a clue, ...anything. Seizing her opportunity to enter phase two of the confession, she continued. 'You know how I've fought with dog hair. You know that I've been looking for some way to cut down on that. Gee... I have to cook and worry about getting hair in stuff. Then there is the sofa and all that hair. What a problem I've had!'

Just in case you've missed it, this is the part where we establish that our reasoning is really intact and we have managed to solve a real problem with our actions. We want a complete list of positive reasons for our actions. It helps immensely in the validation process.

Since she had been the proud owner of this new article and had postponed the confession for four days, I-Needa had had time to use the item and could testify that it was a wonderful purchase and had vastly improved the quality of life at her house.

'I just love it, and Gigi doesn't seem to mind at all. She has always liked to be brushed, and she seems to like this too. You should see all the hair it gets out. When she gets off the sofa, there is only a hair or two, not forty! It is SO nice. Now she brushes up against me, and doesn't leave hair. Oh, I'm SO glad I got this. I NEEDED it!'

I've told you that we have refined this whole process, so look what she said next... (tricky)... 'Would you believe that they sell this same thing at one of those expensive pet spas for $89.99 and I got it for ONLY about $39? Isn't that something? What a bargain! Yes, I like shopping at Pet Smart! I know it was kind of expensive, but it it SO worth it! You know, I'd looked at this several times on QVC and just didn't order it, but I just had to have it now.'

Now it was my turn to do my part. The scene was set. 'Well', I said, 'I think that sounds like a good investment if it really helps that much. It isn't like you haven't refrained from buying this item before. You've looked at it several times and throughly evaluated if you should really have it. It sounds like a good deal. Gee.... so much less than you could have paid elsewhere. You are such a good planner. Good job, you!'

That's how confession works. It really is a pretty good deal. We are all happy. I'm going to include Gigi in that statement as she will get more attention. She has a ton of attention as it is, but now is an opportunity for even more. She will be bonded with the FURminator soon, and it may become her best friend. Tah Dah!

Dirty Face

This guilty looking little terrier is Gigi, I-Needa's found pooch. Her mug shot has been here before. She is sweet and lovable, but she has her moments. She is the apple of I-Needa's eye, and knows it.

Getting around in the morning is always a busy time. I-Needa makes an early start of it to allow some free moments before heading out the door for work. Of course, there is a little outside time for Gigi to get her morning going.

I-Needa opened the door to allow Gigi an exit, then headed back inside for a little toenail painting of her own. Doesn't everyone give themselves a pedicure early in the morning... just before work? We gals have to look our best.

As I-Needa returned to let Gigi back into the house, she learned the real reason she has difficulty with the lilies. That cute little terrier was doing what terries do.... digging. It seems that Gigi and the lilies were interacting. Gigi was happily digging around the lilies. I suppose she was trying to see what was underneath. Such a smart animal. So curious.

Ah, the practicality of a baby wipe. Always prepared, I-Needa was ready for the whole cleaning up the dog thing. She went right to work on Gigi's little face and paws. Here is the muddy result.

It has a happy ending. Dirty faced Gigi had a good time, but the clean up was easy and all seems to be well. I'm not sure I can speak for the lilies, as they didn't get the better of the deal.

Sweet Killer Cat

Sweet Little Cat with Food on His Nose... I've always rather liked this early picture of Man Cat Pumpkin who came to save me from the mice. He looks rather cute with a dab of food on his nose. He looks almost sweet. EVERYONE says he is friendly and a wonderful cat. I, NOT being a cat person, have gradually learned to accept some attention and affection from this animal that I consider to be sneaky and suspicious by nature. I get rather glaring looks from my friends, most of whom tend to love my Man Cat Pumpkin. They have chided me on more than on occasion for not taking him into my home and giving him run of the house. On that point, I remain firm.

My Cat Did WHAT!
I had some rather disturbing news the other day. My Master Carpenter Man reported to me a rather nasty find under my house. (What I'm about to say may be disturbing... so proceed at your own risk.) He had made a trip under the house to check on ventilation. It had been suggested that I needed some vents to help keep air circulating and dry out the earth underneath the house, and I had asked MCM if he could do something about that.

He didn't even cushion the news that he was about to break to me. I think I would have liked a little warning that he was about to say something gross.

So he begins: 'Say, did you know you have a decapitated squirrel under the house?'

ME: 'What? What? You have got to be kidding!! Did you say a decapitated squirrel? How did he get there? What did you do? Is he still there? How did he get there? You are kidding, aren't you? Why would you kid about a thing like that? That's not funny!!'

While I continued to rant and rave, he managed to saw a few boards. He didn't seem nearly as upset about the squirrel as I was. My mind was trying to figure out how in the world a decapitated squirrel managed to get under my house. I kept firing questions, and he didn't even change expressions. I guess he figured I'd calm down and figure it out in good time. He'd delivered the message, and his job was done.

Putting Two and Two Together
That's when the light began to dawn and Sherlock here had to admit that the number one suspect would have to be my Man Cat Pumpkin. Oh, good grief! Surely that sweet cat that everyone swears has such a good temperament wouldn't do such a heinous crime. However, he had access. I leave the access door open slightly to allow him to go in and out as needed. That's one strike against him. What about motive? Does a cat need motive?

I'm wondering if I'm not being a tad hypocritical. I was delighted to have him provide protection against mice. Did I honestly think he stood there and hollered 'Boo!' at passing mice? Not likely. I've also seen an occasional feather in the yard. A time or two, a bird has been attached to the feather. I've admitted that Pumpkin probably did that as well. I've seen him stalking the shrubbery at Mother's house. Of course.... he is a hunter. A hunter hunts.

Still... I'm having a hard time with this decapitation business. It seems really gross to me. I'm not a hunter. I'm a peace loving person and a tad squeamish at that. I like animals who are fluffy and friendly, not gross and cannibalistic.

Dealing With Reality
I guess I'm going to have to deal with this new revelation in my cat's behavior. I'll continue to feed and care for him. Deep down, I really do like him. I will probably look at him with a slightly different understanding. I certainly will feel better about being guarded.

Two things are for sure.
It's for darn sure that I'll not be going under the house.
Pumpkin is going back to the vet this week as is time for his rabies shot.

Happy Mother's Day

I-Needa was busy making me this lovely Mother's Day card. It arrived on Friday. I was very bad and just couldn't wait to open it. So........ I opened it. I knew it would be something really pretty that she had made, and I just figured I'd spread the special day out to include Friday.

Confession is something I-Needa and I do. Being almost like two peas in a pod, we understand the inner workings of each other's minds and quickly find ways to validate each other's doings.

I called her to visit a bit and confess what I'd done. She sounded a bit tired from her teaching day, and I almost backed out of my confession. However, I told her that I'd gotten the card. Then my tongue just kept going and there you have it..... I ended up confessing that I'd opened the card. I added that it is really a gorgeous card, and I LOVE it!!!

Then I-Needa did it. She said, 'You didn't look inside did you?' I hadn't expected her to ask that question and it caught me rather off guard. 'Well, sure I opened it', I said.

I knew what she was thinking and where she was going with this line of questioning. She was thinking I'd spoiled my day. I rushed to reassure her that I loved what she had said. Unfortunately, that brought up another confession that I was going to have to make.

Inside the beautiful card, along with a sweet sentiment, she had mentioned that I would be needing to go to one of my favorite stores to get my gift. What fun! A gift for ME.

It happened that I was out and about on Friday and driving right past the store that had my gift. I felt the urge to go in and browse. After all, it wouldn't hurt to just look. Of course, I got into a conversation with the owner and mentioned that I'd gotten a Mother's Day card from I-Needa, and she had mentioned that I had a gift.

I found that I got to select my gift. That was going to be a great excuse to poke around and look things over. I tried on jewelry, sniffed candle fragrances, and had a really good time. I'd actually wanted a new bracelet, and I found exactly what I wanted. So on Friday, two whole days before Mother's Day, I had to call and confess my eagerness to I-Needa.

I brought home my new bracelet and put it in the jewelry box. I will be surprised as I take it out of the box to wear on Mother's Day. I'll say, 'Wow!, I-Needa, You shouldn't have... but I love it!! This is even better than burnt toast served in bed.'

Future Garden Item

I'm probably behind in getting my tomato plants in the ground. I just haven't gotten the job done, but I've made progress. I went to the store and bought a four pack yesterday and I'm meditating on getting started.

While at the store picking through the plants, I ran into someone who was telling me that his relative lost all his garden in the hail storm we had a couple of nights ago. I'm sorry I didn't post yesterday, but I couldn't bear to tell you that I'd spent yet more time in the closet as yet another tornado warning had been issued for our fair community. Thankfully, we were spared any damage. I did hear reports of hail. The storm had produced golf to tennis ball size hail. I'm sure that was what took the man's garden. I certainly said a few prayer requests on that one.

After getting my tomato plants home and thinking about another storm that is suppose to be around today... possibly... I decided to do myself a favor and wait until tomorrow to put these little dears into the good earth. I did water them a bit and will give them another drink before evening.

I do love home grown tomatoes!! It amazes me how large the plants get when they take off and really start producing. I had so many a couple of years ago that I dehydrated a ton of them and also had lots of fried green tomatoes. Those were yummy! I picked the last of them before the first hard frost of fall and wrapped them in newspaper. I'd put a few out to ripen, and I had nice fresh tomatoes through Thanksgiving.

I'm going to save this picture and take another one when the plants are taking over the yard. Then I can show both, and you may be amazed.

Perhaps I Need A Boat

Rain, Rain, Rain, Deluge, Rain, and Rain!
It seems we are in full springtime mode. If it isn't raining, it's pouring. It did it again yesterday. It rained all morning off and on. In the afternoon the sky opened up and it poured buckets of water. I checked before the deluge began and had a good inch and three quarters of water in my rain gauge. I stood at the window watching as the back yard became a pond. Water was rolling down the street. I'm on a hill, so it was really rolling down the street. I began contemplating the possibility that I'd need a boat soon. I'd never put it on my list of emergency provisions, but perhaps it was time I added that item.

At last the water stopped pouring from the sky, and it turned into a sprinkle. I took the opportunity to wade out to my rain gauge and found a full four inches of water there.

I settled in again and was happily sitting at my computer doing a little creative work on a program. I really was a happy little camper without a care in the world.

Then the phone rings and I-Needa said, 'Well, the tornado sirens are going off here.' 'WHAT!?', I said. To her credit, she doesn't get overly excited about it. It has become somewhat of a way of life. It happens. I'm afraid we would have a sorry life if we got uptight and maxed out with every severe storm. Living in Tornado Alley does have some drawbacks, but it doesn't have to be the focus of life.

'So', I said, 'exactly where is the tornado, and are you in the closet?' She wasn't in the closet yet, but was sitting cross legged on the big coffee table right in front of the TV. It is just a few steps from the closet. She does have some supplies there, so it isn't a big thing to just go in and close the door.

I always love hearing I-Needa's take on the intenseness of the weathermen and their reporting. Some seem to get terribly excited about getting their information to the public. Others tend to remain calm. We would rather listen to the latter.

I-Needa and I confirmed that we were praying for safety. I think we both felt better, and I-Needa got off the phone promising to call back when the storm passed. It was a rather fast moving storm, so didn't last long, and she soon called back with that good news.

The severe part of the storm left my area out of the loop yesterday. I have to admit being rather happy about that. Unfortunately, some areas had an evening ahead full of wind, water, and possible tornadoes.

It really seems to be an increasing pattern of severe weather. I don't mind a bit of rain or a bit of wind, but when the words severe, large hail, and tornadoes are tossed around, it makes one wonder if they are adequately prepared for disaster. Perhaps a nice big boat in the back yard would look good. Oh, that is really Right Back's boat... but, that is another story.

I-Needa's God Story

The Need

I-Needa and several of her friends have been having 'Girls' Night' one Saturday evening a month. They have a great time together. There is always food involved, some card games, and lots of fun conversation.

The problem has been trying to get everyone around her table. It had two leaves, but both leaves were ruined when water seeped into her closet from a neighboring wall. Getting as many as seven around her table has been a smidge too close.

The Request

I-Needa began evaluating the situation and realized that she needed to get a table and chairs that would accommodate the group. This table/chair/hutch combo had belonged to her grandmother 'Mum' on her father's side of the family. She didn't want to sell it, but she might give the table and chairs to her brother Right Back and buy new ones. She didn't want a really large table as her space is limited.

I-Needa voiced her request in one of her prayers. She had shopped around on the Internet, but felt she couldn't afford what she was seeing. She told God that what she wanted was what she already had but with two leaves.

Listening for Answers

I-Needa was waiting patiently and had the thought to check out Craig's list. (I'd not heard of that one, but checked it out myself when she was telling me this story). So, she got on the Internet and headed over to see what Craig's list had to offer. WELL! There was a listing in her community for a table and four chairs.... no picture. I-Needa e-mailed the lady (Ann) and explained that she had a small space and needed a round table, but with two leaves. She wondered if Ann would send her a picture. She got a picture of the table as it sits in Ann's garage.





God Cracks Her Up
That is exactly what I-Needa said as she looked at the picture of the table and chairs. Well, isn't that what she asked for? Indeed. It is just amazing to know that God really does pay attention to our little needs and desires. Asking Him to participate in our everyday life, even in the little things, surely does give Him an opportunity to demonstrate that He is interested in us and provides in little things as well as the big ones. Of course, I-Needa immediately saw His hand in this and gave Him the thanks. She got so tickled that she said, 'God cracks me up!'

I-Needa couldn't resist sending a photo back to Ann and asking if she saw any similarities. Ann replied that her set had belonged to her grandmother too. They began discussing and sharing, and Ann decided this was a God thing. They started talking about getting the items moved, and found they live a little under a mile apart. How nice... not even a big amount of travel involved.

Purchasing and Tying Up Loose Ends

I-Needa told Ann that she wants to buy the table and chairs...of course. Arrangements are in the works to get them to I-Needa's house.

One little thing: What to do with the extra table. She has a cute little table and chairs in the kitchen that was given to her by a friend when she first moved into her new condo. (That's another God story.) I-Needa decided that she could move the extra table and chairs into the kitchen, but then she would have to do something with the other one. She hated to call Lee about it, but decided that she would ask her what she wanted to do about her table and chairs.

It turns out that Lee's daughter will soon be moving out of their home and will be needing some furniture. Lee seemed very happy to be able to have her furniture back. How nice that she can send her daughter off with something familiar to use.

I-Needa called her grandmother Mimi telling her all about the event. Mimi said that she had been trying to figure out what to get I-Needa for her upcoming birthday. She would love to buy this table and chairs for her.

So I-Needa is soon to have her table and chairs with two leaves. The girls will no longer have to scrunch together on Girls' Night. The new chairs and old chairs will work beautifully together. She doesn't even have to pay for them as they are going to be a gift from Mimi. And....... Lee's daughter now has something from her household to take with her into her new life.

The Moral

All is appreciated more when we are able to ask and know that our God pays attention and loves to be involved. I'm sure that I-Needa's reaction to the picture cracked God up too. I'm sure He had to smile. Mimi was so excited to be able to bless I-Needa with the money for her need. Think how tickled God is to be able to bless her. The big thing is the closeness and reliance and recognition that is involved. It is an everyday walk and a special relationship. It is available to all of us.

Master Carpenter Man

A Beautiful Sight!

















Master Carpenter Man (MCM) arrived yesterday to install a new back door on Mother's house. I'm telling you there isn't a better sight than seeing a capable carpenter arrive. THIS man can do anything with wood. Actually, this kind of fixing up can bring its own set of demands. An older home has its own set of problems. One thing about MCM, it will be done right and to perfection before he is finished.

I ran right outside with my camera when I saw he was at Mother's house. I started taking pictures of him, and he started looking at me strangely. He finally asked what the heck I was doing... my words, not his... I explained that I thought I'd do a calendar and needed a few calendar shots. He laughed. Well... I just MIGHT be serious. Or not.

I do have to laugh at all the droppings my MCM leaves behind. I just had to take a few shots of the mess he made. I'm sure it will be completely cleaned when he leaves, and I know Mother will like
her new door when it is finished.


I've been looking carefully at all this mess as have made him promise to come back in a few months and do some work at my house. I told him that would give me many more photo opts. I'm not sure if he covered his ears in the above photo to keep from hearing the saw or to drown out my suggestions. Either way, watching him work is a beautiful sight!

Charitable Giving

I was talking with Mother the other day, and we were discussing all the mail that she receives on an almost daily basis asking for donations.

I told her about a website that is useful to check on organizations. Charity Navigator is a wonderful web source to evaluate the financial health of America's charities. It lists in depth details about each charity. You can also compare like charities. I think it is a wonderful way to make an informed decision about supporting an organization. Personally, I'd prefer to have my money going to a charity that would use it responsibility and put the largest portion into the actual program.

One of my own favorites is Compassion International. I'd been happily associated with that years ago. The child I sponsored was grown, and I had my own to raise, so didn't opt to sponsor another child at that time. I was curious and went to check it out at Charity Navigator. I was so impressed with their management of funds. Given four out of four stars, they are listed as using 94% of their funds for actual program expenses. I spent some time looking through the pictures of children around the world who are in need of sponsors. I found one who tugged at my heart. I really felt that tug was God telling me to do something about it. I now have a darling little four year old girl from Brazil to pray for and support in a small monetary way each month. My donation can effect a big difference in her life.

Compassion International works through churches in the areas they are in. Their purpose is to change lives of children by helping them in Jesus Name. It is about feeding, educating, and giving opportunity. It is about hope.

I'm not usually in to blogging about charities and sites, but just felt the urge to go there today. I hope you take some time to check out the sites.


One more thing:
Some time ago I posted a link to Free Rice on the side of my blog. I'm ashamed to say that I'd forgotten to go there myself lately. Then I saw a piece about it on TV the other night and how people are being fed around the world by the support of its sponsors. I went there again this morning and played the game. It is a rather fun thing to do and another good way to keep the old brain grinding away. The cost to me is nothing monetary, just a few minutes of my time. I'm going to include a nicer link to keep on my site. So, look for it to the right.

In The Kitchen Again

I've found it sometimes takes a little incentive to get the cleaning job going. I wandered into a resale shop on Saturday this pair of pictures. I love bargains, and especially finding something I really like at a bargain price.

I'm ashamed to say how long I looked at the pictures in the store before actually deciding to purchase them. I kept trying to picture the other items in the kitchen and deciding if the colors would match and just where I could put these.

I finally came to the conclusion that I wanted them... and don't forget the Bargain Factor. I dug around in my purse, forked over a total of $10 plus tax and hurried home with my bargain.


I decided the only thing to do was take almost everything off the walls and start over. Of course, I did a little dusting, etc. as well. That is the part that counts as cleaning. Before I took a picture, I even cleaned everything off the computer desk. I shredded and shredded and decided to just get rid of the tray that was holding all the mess. If I didn't have anything to put stuff in, I'd not have so much stuff.

So, here you have the finished project for my corner nook in the kitchen. I'm thinking I like it and I have something new to look at for awhile. It is even virtually dust free. Tah Dah.

Adding Onto the Outside

I keep working on the outside of the house to improve Man Cat Pumpkin's world. You can see his little house sitting on the back porch by the geraniums. I'm happy to see the lilies coming up. They are looking much better than in the past. I've added a little wrought iron hanger with pewter wind chimes. The newest addition is a garden flag. Personally, I don't really like yard work. I've always felt that was Adam's commission in the garden. Since Adam doesn't seem to be around and my Man Cat Pumpkin isn't good at yard work, that seems to leave the outside work to me.

I've puttered along with making the outside more appealing. I've logged hours in front of the TV watching HGTV shows like Curb Appeal. They usually bring in a crew to do something wonderful for the home. I haven't seen any crews arriving at my place yet.

So far, I haven't said any prayers with requests for help outside. I'm almost afraid to see what might happen. If that makes no sense to you, you'll just have to read the article below again. I will modify that with the statement that I hired people to put down all that wonderful fertilizer and such to make the grass grow in better and the weeds to die. That is working rather well.

My job, as I see it, is to decorate. Therefore I offer you the outside update. I'm sure you are green with envy that I've placed a garden flag there. I need to plant some flowers in the empty pot sitting by the flag. Then I'll begin a search for pink flamingos. Just kidding!!

Ah, The Good Life

My Man Cat Pumpkin has found a place in the sun and is living The Good Life. He has found a lovely little spot on the concrete with some lovely dirt washed there by the recent rain. I caught him there with his eyes closed rolling from side to side in the nice scratchy dirt. He is in Kitty Heaven at the moment.

I do hope you remember my Man Cat Pumpkin. He is the stray that came after my sincere request to God for a man to handle the mouse problem that was giving me fits. It was a sincere request, although I pictured a two legged man at the time. I had emphasized that the man be able to deal with mice. I'd given up and was really at my wits end. Then Pumpkin showed up. Not being a lover of cats, I was wary of this whole thing. It wasn't until I realized that THIS cat was a male, that I fully caught on to the humor. I'm so glad God loves a little humor along the way. Oh, he answered my sincere request and probably in the best possible way. Pumpkin has certainly stuck around. He is an outside cat, but one with privileges. I've written about this whole cat thing before. I felt a compelling urge to share his cute little picture as he rolls about on the sidewalk taking in a bit of the warmth of spring sunshine.

Wind and Things

It has been a stormy week. Most of that horrid stuff started right here in the middle of Tornado Alley. We had been warned from the beginning of the week to expect nasty stuff (my words, not theirs). I started praying about safety early in the week. I thought about it often and mentioned it in prayer a number of times. Once might have been enough, but I'm the kind who needs to say it more than once. It isn't that I think He might have forgotten about my request, but I somehow feel the need to mention it over and over. I hope that isn't the Nag Factor.

As the weathermen were talking about taking cover, I was glad I'd mentioned it more than once. In spite of all my confidence, I did decide to check out the inside of my closet as the sirens sounded. It was a good time to rearrange and see what sitting on the floor was like. It wasn't very comfortable, and I don't think that closet is the best place to be, but I thought I'd do it anyway.

I had my supplies. My top favorite thing is the radio I bought from L.L. Bean a few years ago. It is an emergency radio... Eton FR-300. I LOVE this radio. It has a weather channel, but also receives frequencies used by TV. There is a rechargeable battery included, will run on AA batteries, and also has a hand crank. I went through Eton's website and bought an AC adapter, so can recharge the battery and use it with just electricity. Somehow it was nice to listen to the play by play of the super cell as it approached. Lovely, really. I especially liked the part where they announced that it was clear to come out. That was a nice highlight.

I will say that I also have some nice lights and a bit of water tucked away in my closet. I did get my purse in there as well and knew the cell phone was fully charged. I really wasn't scared, but I think it is smarter to take cover rather than run out on the porch and sit down to have a cup of coffee. Again, I was very glad that I'd mentioned the possible predicament ahead of time.

I'm glad to report that as the tornado ridden cloud approached our fair city, the circulation part of it seemed to stabilize. There was a funnel just outside of town, then it went up and stayed up. I have heard no reports of any damage around here. Thank you!! Unfortunately, that storm continued east and has caused considerable damage elsewhere.

I do love spring with its new leaves and flowers. I can't say I care much for the weather. At times, it leaves much to be desired. I can only pray that we have calmer weather in the the future. We just have to get past this clashing of lows and highs and dry lines and humidity.

I had a good night of sleep last night. The night before was full of wind and things, so was not conducive to real rest. Now that I'm rested up a bit, I'm going to have to find my 'to do' list and get started. At the top of the list is prayer for quieter times.