Hellooooooooo.......

Forewarned: This is a rant!!!!!

Ok...last Saturday the neighbor south of me had a garage sale. I love garage sales...unless they're in MY neighborhood!!!! Yes...I go to garage sales...but I don't turn around in someone else's driveway, I don't walk on ANYBODY'S grass, I don't have 17 bratty kids that are everywhere but where they should be...need I go on? Well, so that was last Saturday...

Guess what? The house 2 doors south of me had a garage sale today! No one lives there...no one has lived there for at least 3 1/2 years...but someone had access and had a garage sale today. And everyone tried to turn around in my driveway.

I left for awhile, and when I came back someone had pulled clear up to my garage doors and left diesel or oil or something trailing up and back on my driveway. Nearly a solid stream.

I'd bought a small plant to add to a planter on the front porch and as I was standing right there, some carload of jerks pulled into my drive to turn around. I looked up and said loudly, "This isn't a turn-around!" Stooge continued to turn around. Two minutes later some big bus (like the RCAT bus but without any name on it) did the same thing. Then I decided to clean up the oil in my driveway and I'm in the driveway with oil-dry and a broom and a car starts to turn in. I said, "No, not here...not a turnaround!" They went on to the house north of me. See that big parking lot across the street...empty church parking lot....nobody uses that to turn around! A few minutes later another car pulled in and I met him nose to nose with my broom against the front bumper of his piece of shit car. I said, "NO!!! BACK OUT!!!" He grinned really big and backed out. (I'll just say this: I don't suppose he understood what I was saying as I was speaking English!!!!)

So I decided I'd had enough....and I found some concrete blocks and some fence slats and built a block across the end of my driveway. Several people started to turn in (I was out washing my car) and then went on to someone else's driveway.

Finally the sale was over, the mess was cleaned up, and everyone left. I took the blockade down and all was peaceful at last. Then I start hearing car doors.

First picture is straight out my driveway. Second picture is off my porch and slightly to the south. Third picture is south to show that there are NO cars parked in front of the house south of me. And ALL of these vehicles are at that house. WHY are they parked in front of my house? I don't know. My theory is that they are all so damned stupid that if they park in front of the house they won't be able to see the house and they might not be able to find it. Beats me!

I considered kicking on the sprinklers but I've already done that earlier during the garage sale. I guess it's a public street and I can't do anything about it...but I'm hoping somehow just one of these people stumble onto my blog and recognize their vehicle and tell the others how I feel.

Three cars in their driveway, six cars on the street. And not one in front of the house they are visiting. AMAZING!!!!! (That 's a whole lot nicer word than the one I'm actually using!)

AHA!!!! The Light Dawns.....

So as I walked into the living room, there was Schiz.....not in her normal position on the back of the chair, but instead sitting with her front paws out on the library table. The second picture pretty much says it: Uh....so you don't want me here?

Saturday I went for a bicycle ride with a friend and when I came in the house there were some rather severe scratches on the table top. These are my first and last Bassett tables...they are incredibly soft and easy to scratch. I've had them for several years so really I wasn't even too upset by the scratches (surprised the heck out of my son!). I was able to stain it dark red again...and although it still shows, it's acceptable (at least to me.)

But now I know just how they got there! And we had a gentle discussion about the table a few minutes ago. She now knows that a "NO" item....but she gave me this "well, why didn't you say so before this!?!" look. Oh well...she lives here too! And I wouldn't trade her for a hundred of these tables!

The last photo is "how it's supposed to be"!

Today's Toil

Polycart is emptied on Wednesday. Inspiration. Dead shrub. Time on my hands. Started by cutting all the limbs off.

Last night showed stump to son and said, "I need that removed."

"Ok...but you don't have anymore room in the polycart."

"True...next week sometime is ok."

Today...I had time on my hands. Polycart picker-upper doesn't go til about noon. I started pitchforking and digging with shovel. Resorted to small hatchet to cut some of the roots. By the time I hauled the stump and roots to the polycart, I could hear the truck over on the street behind me...so I was hurrying!!! I swung that dead carcass up on the top of the heap, came in to wipe the sweat that was burning my eyes, and sighed with relief that no one saw me. What a mess!! I was a dark brownish red!!! Heat and dirt and a little suntan...and totally slimy with sweat!!!

Then I filled in with dirt and started moving the big white planter that was on the opposite side of the pool. I rolled and lifted and cussed it around to where I wanted it. I still have two large rocks that I want over there...but that's not for me...that'll have to be my son. And then I also need to decide what I'm going to plant in that planter. It had tomatoes in it last year, but I'm thinking probably either some zebra grass or some other kind of pampas grass.

I'm thinking most of the yard is under control - well, the really big stuff. I need to apply some weed killer (I put on Scott's with crabgrass control about a month ago - but I still have dandelions and chickweed, etc.) and I may yet change my little fish-less pond. Oh well....another day.

Bloomin' Trees

Front yard tree - very lush flowers - almost no smell at all - and later will have little fruits, crab apple-like, but I've tried biting into one and it makes alum pleasant!!! The flowers are absolutely dense on this tree right now and I just love it! (Neighbor's polycarts really make this a nice photo too, I think.)
























And this is the backyard bloomer....no smell, no fruits later. Pretty, but maybe not as pretty as the little one in the front yard.

Will I Live To Be 80?

Got this as an e-mail this a.m....I've seen it before...but I really agree with it!!!

Will I Live To Be 80?


I recently picked a new primary care doctor. After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age.

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, 'Do you think I'll live to be 80?'

He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer or wine?'

'Oh no,' I replied. 'I'm not doing drugs, either!'

Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?

'I said, 'Not much.... my former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!'

'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'

'No, I don't,' I said.

He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?'

'No,' I said.

He looked at me and said... 'Then, why do you even give a shit?

The Great Canna Planting

As Kris Kristofferson might say:


"Watch closely now.
You'll observe a curious exchange of energy.
Are you a figment of my imagination
Or I one of yours?"



I planted THE cannas today. At one time I had counted...but then I added a few more....but I think
I planted about 65-70 cannas. The rules say to plant them about 18" apart. I planted them in a running W formation about 6-8 inches apart. I have WAY to many!!!! And I want a thick thick screen of leaves. I gave away a boxful yesterday...and today called a friend who had taken several boxfuls already and told her I have 4 more boxfuls for her. She's coming to get them tomorrow. These bulbs got too cold once this winter, but I'm hoping they'll be okay. They had sprouts coming on them like they mean to grow, so I stuck 'em in the ground. Good compost if nothing else, I guess.


While I was out taking the canna planting photo, this robin just plopped himself down. I was pretty close and he let me move even closer....so I had to take his picture.

Come On, God - Give It a Smack!!!

I know it's wrong...it's just plain WRONG to wish for the demise of one of God's creations. Truly this tree must be over 50 years old...maybe over 100, I don't know. But every time we have thunder and lightning I'm hoping it gets hit. But my wish is with conditions. I don't want it to fall on their house..or my house...or my fence. I'd like for it to get hit, and while standing directly upright, burn to a small pile of ashes. I hate this tree!!!!!!

It's a Cottonwood. What lovely whispering sounds the Cottonwoods make when the wind blows through them. How could I possibly dislike it?

Because....look at my pool cover!!!!! AND today earlier I hosed it and all of the deck completely off and gathered up handfuls and handfuls of this crap! First come the little sticky things that stick to your shoes and the bottoms of bare feet and to Schiz's pads of her feet. Then, as you can see by these photos even before those are gone, come these bigger "berry" bunches of stuff. And as if just being there isn't bad enough, they're every bit as bad as mulberries....they turn everything a reddish-purple.

In a couple of weeks (about the time I'll have the pool opened, no less) the massive amounts of cotton will begin to blow...and float on the pool....and clog up the filters and the basket.

And then in the fall all the sticks and leaves galore will infiltrate every where again.

I've considered offering to pay half for its removal....or buy them a nice Bradford pear tree...or two even. I hate this tree! Cottonwoods belong in the country....and if not in the country, then at least north of me instead of south!!!!! Kansas - people of the south wind.....yeah, right!!!!

Neat Stuff I've Found ... on the Way to the Forum

Ok...well, this is going to be just a short "if-you-didn't-know-about-these,-you-should" post.






Last Tuesday my two cousins were here for the day and we went to Roy's Pit BBQ (Yummmm...)...after we had left there I realized I needed a toothpick so I could finish the other half of my sandwich (it was between my teeth)....and Shon offered me one of these. Now I don't have particularly close teeth and I found these wonderful!!! They have a teeny-tiny little brush on one end, a grooved area on the other end plus the pointy "digger" part. Awesome!!! May not be something you'd want to whip out in public, but hey...they DO work!!! So last night I picked some up at Wally world....$2.54 for 250 of 'em.



Also, I wanted to show everyone my new apron. I go to quite a few trunk shows, craft shows, Third Thursdays in downtown Hutchinson, etc. I've been wanting an apron and found this one at Wally world for $6. A friend of mine embroidered it with silver thread and it's EXACTLY what I wanted!!! I am truly thrilled with it! Her price was extremely reasonable I thought...and became even more so when she wanted to trade me for a pair of my earrings!!!! I'm hoping to add her to my list of future vendors for Christmas Open House, etc....as she also does checkbooks, notebooks, shirts, etc..... If you need to contact her, feel free to email me and I'll get you her name and number.


Well....that's it for today. Have to go plant some cannas bulbs...too pretty to not be outside doing something. Hope you have a beautiful Easter! As always, count your blessings!