That's a Wrap

Ah, summer!  Hot, hot, and dare I say hot summer.  Once you leave the friendly confines of the A/C just about every bit of energy is drained in three seconds from the heat.  Heat and me haven't done well together over the years and it can still be a huge factor in my heart beat.  I don't know what it is about summer because really when you don't work and have a limited schedule you can sleep in any time of the year, but it is summer and sleeping in seems to be the right thing to do.  Sleeping in is 8:00 am but I could sleep till 10:00 easily. 

I have written before about my jean jacket and dark/black/blue jeans with a white shirt being my uniform of choice or should that be of last resort?  I realize that uniform is mainly for non summer months because the denim theme is carried through for me in summer not in a jacket but in capris and shorts.  If I don't want to make any kind of decision, the denim is the go to uniform.  For more dressy casual the choice of uniform is linen. 

We are still on vermin watch 2013.  We hadn't seen the little guy around but Saturday afternoon changed that. Our neighbor caddie corner to us is not keeping his grass mowed and the weeds are growing tall around his fence giving that little vermin the kind of comforts that they like.  Roy went to Lowe's, bought a trap and also bought stone/brick building materials to cover up the hole he is using to get inside our yard.  On Friday we went to Academy to get me a BB high powered pistol with laser light.  I want to be able to do rapid fire against that thing if I have to go outside.  With my attention span having to cock the rifle six times, I'll lose interest and go onto other things.  Or have a heat stroke.  So we have professional bait/poison box, metal trap complete with a juicy plum, fortifications (and adding to them daily) and fire power that is HOA approved.  I am asking the Lord to provide some hawks to snatch up that little problem.  Peggy has offered her owls that live in the top of the covering over their dock.  I may take her up on that.  Logistically, don't know how that would happen since owls don't respond on command you know like a falcon. 

Saturday morning when Roy got home from Bible study, he and I went to Home Goods.  I love the Katy Home Goods store!  Online I had seen these wooden and wicker storage pieces deeply discounted on Grandin Road.  The price good the shipping costs were astronomical. I almost ordered them on Friday but decided to do a quick look see at HG to see if they had anything similar.  They did but Roy pointed out some obvious flaws to my organizational thinking.  He had nixed a previous idea that morning of big woven baskets because I mainly am looking for someplace to put the bulky sweatshirts and the like but we revisited the idea with a new twist.  We found a red bench that would hold two of the large baskets and shoes could be placed on the support rail underneath.  Lot cheaper and actually has a nice look.  Saturday I worked on rearranging the closet and getting rid of four more plastic storage drawers. 

Friday evening we took dinner over to our friends who have moved into Rancho De Five, just about three miles down the blvd.  Nothing like Peperoni's pizza, salad, and cup cakes from Ooh La La to say welcome.   Heck, it says something to us almost every week, well except for the cupcake part.  I can only wish....

We took a sabbatical Sunday yesterday.  Seems as if in the summer if we make it every other weekend to church, it feels like success.  Roy's schedule had been so hectic and there are just Sundays where rest is called for.  Gee, I think God thought of that.   Besides that, neither one of us was in the mood for a Father's Day sermon. We went out for breakfast at Otto's.  Our first choice had been BWC but it was already busy at 9:00 am.  A new place has opened by us, Cafe Red.  The trendy fusion place didn't make it.  Rumor had it that Cafe Red serves breakfast on the weekends and that is true.  Roy went in and grabbed a to go menu.  Looks like a lot of great choices for lunch and dinner too. 

Last night I was looking for Flora, a new book by Gail Godwin, and I could not find it.  I came to the conclusion that I had left it somewhere on the Biltmore trip.  This morning I was rearranging things and remembered I had put the book in a tote bag the last time Chris was here and I needed to clear out of her way. 

That's a wrap...well for now at least. 

Good Friends-Together Again

We were friends in high school.  We sang songs together, in particular In the Jungle and anything by Santana while we rode around in our cars.  We both had short attention spans, we both loved to laugh and we had tons of questions that no one could answer.  I don't remember when or how I met Mimi but I was always glad that I had.  She drove a gray Tempest that had seen better days and I drove a Chevy Impala Super 8 that if memory serves, I drove rather aggressively and rather fast.  There were times that 8 of us would cram ourselves in that car and go...I don't remember where but we went places mainly to a friend's house or our regular hangout whose name escapes me now, but they had the best fries, church, and sometimes even football games.  Westbury had a terrible team that year but we went to the games to cheer our friend Marty who was the Adjutant General of Rebelettes, fife, drum and bugle core.  She and a few other officers marched and marked time on the sideline while the rest marched and played. So we yelled and cheered for her and as soon as halftime was over, we left. Probably to go get fries. I can't even believe this but because my parents loved Mimi so much they let me go out with Mimi's brother who was 26 and home from Nam.  (not to be confused with NAMB)  Uh, I was 16.  Mimi had forgotten about that and she asked me if her brother had been a gentleman.  Yes, and we only went out a couple of times, dinner and a movie and I took him to a Christian coffee house.  He told me he knew I was too young to date and that was fine by me.  I do know this, the few times we kissed and that's all we did, I knew I had been dating boys before Mimi's brother. That's all I am going to say about that.  After high school our group kind of went our separate ways but several of us from church went to the university formally known as Southwest Texas State University.  Mimi and I lived in the same dorm. Both of us only went there a year.  I was accepted to Baylor but had to come home and go to U of H.  Mimi dropped off my radar for forty years.  I had heard that she had married and moved to a farm.  Somehow wild and crazy Mimi didn't seem to fit the farm lifestyle.  I couldn't see her chasing chickens and mowing the back forty.  Throughout the years I thought of her often, wondered how she was doing and periodically check Facebook to see if I could find her.  Nope, Nada....

But then....  This week I received an email about a joint class reunion of Bellaire and Westbury years 69-73.  On the RSVP list was Mimi.  I emailed her and she responded.  Soon there were a flurry of texts and emails coming and going.  She was in Houston on Thursday so we met for lunch.  We sent each other pictures just in case we had changed in forty years.  For example, I used to be taller.  Good try Nancy.  Anyway we had a blast at lunch.  It was as if we had seen each other the day before.  A two hour lunch that went by too quickly without any awkward silences.  We crammed a lot of laughter and conversation in those two hours.  We found out that our lives in certain things had been almost parallel.  Of course we made plans to get together again and we took a picture and sent it to our friend Beth letting her know she was missed at lunch.  Beth will be in town at the end of June so we will all get together at some time during her stay.  Oh and the part about Mimi moving to a farm?  Well, that is partially true but it is more like one of those subdivisions where you have acreage, animals and gardens. 

The friendship theme seemed to present throughout the week.  Tuesday night I went to a Bible study and the topic is friendships and last night we took dinner over to our good friends David and Emily.  They made the move to Rancho De Five.  Just down the street 3 1/2 or so miles. 

Good friends around a table sharing a meal.  Oh so fun and yet oh so biblical. 

See, we haven't changed at all!  Except I don't wear a cap and gown anymore. 

Wednesday Weporting

It has been an interesting day out here on the prairie.  After not seeing any vermin yesterday I saw a small one this morning running and leaping the in the flower bed.  He better not have been praising God in all that running and leaping.  My deterrent?  I bang on the door and scare him.  If he would only go eat some poison.  Since I haven't and don't know how to load the BB gun and again I would have to go outside to shoot it, I was just left with the noise making.  I may have made Buddy lose one of her nine lives.  I was making breakfast and she went stealth, no bell noise from her collar and I jumped and screamed.  She jumped and ran away.  So my guard cat went back under the bed.  I haven't a clue where my attack mockingbirds have disappeared to. 

You know you put in hardwood floors so that you don't have the marked trail on carpet.  But, what was one of the first things I did?  Yes, I bought an area rug for the bedroom.  Actually I started out with a runner but when I saw a lovely area rug on sale, deeply discounted, I went to plan B.  The runner is now in the closet. 

You know how the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy?  Well, last night I attended a neighborhood Bible study.  Great mixture of women, young, younger still and then me, old.  Actually, there were several fellow Titus 2 ladies there.  Whew!  We kind of were divided into thirds, those who go to BCF, Houston's First and then other fellowships.  I loved it and the time we shared.  I am so glad I had made the decision when I came in the door of the home Bible study was meeting at, not to hang onto my phone.  So when I got home I had received an unwanted but somewhat expected email and relieved to read it at home and not be distracted by it in Bible study.  Last year this email would have put me over the edge but this year after minimal discussion with Roy, I slept soundly and didn't give any emotional energy to it.  I will give you the name of my therapist if you are encountering unwanted drama because she did a great job to get me to this place.  No joy stolen or destroyed last night. 

I am really looking forward to having lunch with my friend tomorrow.  A third friend from high school might join us as well.  Yesterday, I found these vintage pictures from the long ago of Mimi and me. 

My summer reading is calling out to me, so I must answer the call.  Just started 'While We Were Watching Downtown Abbey by Windy Wax.  Great summer read. 

Nannie Get Your Gun or Nannie Oakly in Rancho De Five

 



A beautiful morning after a Sunday afternoon rain.  The sun is shinning, the foliage is a deeper green and I'm excited about a lunch on Thursday.  But all of that happiness in the morning came to a screeching halt while gazing out our back windows taking in a This is My Father's World kind of moment when I saw this little bitty movement among my flowers.  I drew closer by going to our back door to see if this little bit of movement among the snapdragons was one of my guard mockingbirds that have grown up at our bird feeder.  NO!  Dang!  It was a little bitty tiny baby rat.  Now before you think we live in the hood I will remind you we live in Rancho De Five, you know where these kind of creatures shouldn't be admitted, but we live off a green space, a beautiful green space to the eye, but me thinks lurking underneath all the beauty of the verdant view are skunks, rats, snakes and cute little bunny rabbits.  Our neighbor next door is dealing with the rabbits eating his plants.  I would gladly trade with him.  I emailed Roy to let him know of my  I spy with my little eye finding and I was this close to calling a real estate agent and putting a For Sale sign in the yard.  That disturbed him somewhat and he made the call to our home pest defense to make sure they were REALLY bringing the professional box with poison as not to harm birds, cats or cute bunnies coming into our yard.  He also called the HOA and told them they need to do something about the infestation, well in my mind one vermin is an infestation, on the green space.  They were not too cooperative because children and adults walk along that space.  HELLO!  All it is going to take is Mighty or Mickey's great big rat uncle to jump out and scare or bite or take candy away from a baby.  Roy said, buy a box like we are!  I have a feeling he will be out staining our fence again since he isn't getting any cooperation from the HOA.  Why I have a good mind to go out front and pull up a plant so we don't have the required number.  Oh yea, that would mean I would have to go outside.  With all the land being cleared around us for new homes these..."things" are migrating looking for a new home.  Hey, vermin, just keep moving, nothing to move into here.  This is what I don't understand, for the life of me I have the greatest difficulty finding my way back to our bed in the middle of the night and I many times I can't see something I'm looking for and it's right in front of me.  But, I see one little movement of a flower petal in a bed of flowers and I instantly can identify the the encroachment of a unwanted preferably dead pest.  I regret that we did not open up the new BB gun and take some target practice over the weekend but I also know one would have to go outside to make the shot, it can't happen from the inside of the house.  Also, because I just feel safer and I feel certain that everything remains outside, I have put on my trusty rat..I mean rain boots. 

 

 

I feel like the kid who wears cowboy boots with their shorts.  Hey, it works for me, even though my feet are getting a little sweaty.  I'm sure the boots will not stay on all day but I will have them placed in a strategic location for easy access.  I am also happy to see that Buddy must be feeling my concern.  Instead of her usual morning spot of sleeping under the bed or her new secret place, she is so talented that she takes the rug by the back door, folds it in half and lays or lies there, guarding the door.  (Don't arrest me grammar police, I'm experiencing PTSD)

Here is something else that I have found to be interesting in my observations of the great side yard and it has to do with the birds and the bees.  From my observation it seems like we should find another example other than birds for the birds and the bees, maybe rabbits and bees.   None of the female birds I have watched at the feeder and bath are too interested "in doing it, let's fall in love."  It is a constant chase and it is funny to watch how the females are kind of like, 'can I just eat my dinner first or give me a moment at the water and stop chasing me for just one second."   Another observation that the symbol of peace, doves, have become the more aggressive bird at the feeder.  Lot of beak to the head action while feigning they are eating. 

Bear with me one more moment while I tell of my exciting lunch on Thursday.  I got an email last week from classmates.com that someone had organized a high school reunion for classes 69-73 from Bellaire and Westbury.  Last year, my class did not have a reunion because we elected druggies and disenfranchised with the establishment class officers.  So cool in '72, so lame in 2012.  Anyway, I saw on the RSVP that a friend from high school was coming.  I found out that I could send her one email and respond to one email before upgrading to platinum classmates or something.  Anyway, we have been in touch and she is coming into town on Thursday for an appointment, so we are having lunch before it.  So like the last time she saw me I was 6' and weighed 120 pounds so I sent a current picture cause you know I have gotten shorter. 

Oh for the record, the title using Nannie, I hate being called Nannie, Nanner, or Nan.  I didn't want a bunch of musical theatre types Googling Annie Get Your Gun and be disappointed that I am writing about vermin and their ultimate demise, hopefully.  Also note to self, put socks on before rain boots.  I thought I was going to have to call in help for removal. 

***Update, the reinforcement has arrived with the bait box.  He is coming back tomorrow to put more poison in it because the box only has half the usual amount.  Reason, all the bait at their office is gone. Hmmm....sounds like we are not the only ones being visited by unwanteds. ***  Line from Greater Tuna, "I just sleep better knowing there is strychnine in the house."  But that would be yard.  Glad I took off my rat...I mean rain boots before he came.  The pest guy always sees me at my best little makeup, hair not fixed.  He probably would like to suggest for me just to go out in the backyard and scare the unwanteds away.***

Feels Like Two Saturdays in a Row

It feels like Saturday all over again.  Roy took a vacation day on Friday.  I am so glad he did because he was here to take care of a problem.  Love life on the prairie except when it gets interrupted by skunks, snakes and a baby rat.  I heard two mockingbirds making a commotion in our backyard yesterday morning and they were keeping a baby rat from coming under the fence from our neighbor's yard.  Good mockingbirds!  Roy was barely awake but he went out to the garage and got a brick and a small broom.  He put the brick up against the fence and came back inside.  If he hadn't been here I would have had to do that and I would have screamed the whole time.  This morning after Bible study he went to Bass Pro Shop at the recommendation of the Katy Hardware store.  He came home with a BB rifle, a target and some pellets.  I love this because neither one of us could be called outdoor type people.  We are more courtyard and patio type people.  The guy at Bass Pro showed him the caliber and power of the correct gun that will kill a rat.  Who knew?  Well, the guy at Bass Pro, but really math involved in vermin control, wow.  I mean really, we can't be shooting a real gun in the neighborhood.  I'm sure the HOA would have something to say about that.  When the mosquito spraying man came yesterday he told us he would be back Monday with a professional poison box to put out in the yard that won't harm anyone other than vermin.  And fortunately I have my electronic defense that I used in my office at church.  We saw a church mouse from time to time but never in my office! 

Roy and I set about taking care of errands and projects that we had neglected.  We got a lot done and took off the rest of the afternoon and evening.  I'm almost finished with my first book of the summer and hopefully I will get it finished tonight. 

I took Dena to the airport this afternoon.  When she flies out of the country I usually take her.  The brick and stone for her house has been delivered.  I will not miss her parking garage one little bit.  On the way home I hit some hard rain and saw several accidents.  The rain here at home was tapering off by the time I returned.  Roy had leftover BBQ for dinner and I had a fresh tomato sandwich on white bread.  Yum!

The Cardiologist is readjusting my meds.  I'm having a couple of nagging symptoms that need to be helped.  Monitor is coming soon.  Right now as I await the coming monitor no long period of time sitting and I'm to stay out of the heat.  I am trying to convince Roy that means a move to North Carolina for me at least through the summer.  He's not buying it. 

The Wrap Up of a Pilgrimage

While I was off relaxing and having fun at the Biltmore Roy was at home taking care of several different projects.  He decided that when we had our floors put in the bedroom and closet that I shouldn't be anywhere around for that.  I had pretty well organized everything for the closet but Roy moved everything.  He also had new deadbolts put in and on our front gate.  Buddy went to camp for several nights while all this was going on.  We didn't think she would be thrilled staying in the casita bedroom and of course what we call camp for her, she would probably call prison but it would be too hard trying to keep her away from the casita door and trying to get outside.  I love that he even tried to keep up with bird feeding and bird bath cleaning to keep the birds around.  I was happy to come home to flowerbeds that had been watered and a back flowerbed that he had pulled weeds.  Roy said he missed me so much that he was just trying to stay busy.  Ah....I should go away so he can miss me again and get the rest of the honey do's taken care of. 

What I so enjoy about the Biltmore is the beauty.  Of course it is not a bad thing when calling anywhere in the Inn that the other party answers the phone, "how can we help the Monarch party today?  Dena and I were content many a day just to sit on the veranda or in the lobby or in the Adirondack chairs to read.  We went to Blowing Rock and Linville Falls on Tuesday.   We ate lunch at the Village Cafe, a beautiful spot to have soup and salad.  We shopped and found some really cute stores.  Defiantly a return trip is needed. 

 On the way back we took a side trip downtown to find Malaprop's Bookstore.  For years I have heard so much about it and it is one of the best independent bookstores in the US.  Dena is not only good at spotting Cracker Barrel signs and then the winding route to finally get to it, but she spotted a prime parking place right by the bookstore.  Let's just say downtown Asheville is not dead at night.  In fact they have "borrowed" a slogan from Austin, Keep Asheville Weird.  Almost every Southern bookstore has a section for regional authors and that's the spot I track to upon arrival.  Dena was on her own search of books but she was finished way before I was.  But with my purchases I scored free coffee or tea in their cafe and the chance to pick two advanced copy books.  We had quite the adventure in trying to find our way back to the Biltmore.  We didn't lose hope or even get aggravated, we knew that Asheville is only so big compared to Houston.  We both came to the conclusion that Houston is a piece of cake to get around.  We even returned downtown on Thursday to find Asheville's Mast General Store.  During the day, downtown Asheville looks like every other normal business attired downtown.  Again, Dena saw a parking spot and again I didn't have to parallel park.  PTL!  When we came back to Biltmore we drove around the reflection pond and by the gardens...and again eagle eye Dena found a parking spot, up close to the garden area.  Neither one of us had ever been to the garden shop.  We were delighted to find several things that needed to come home with us and even better Dena found the gardener's hand cream that her mom loves and can be difficult to find.  We came back to the Inn, read and then got the last table without a wait on the veranda for our last supper on the estate.  Nothing like eating and rocking and taking in such a beautiful view. 

Another significant event of the week, Dena got hooked on Duck Dynasty.  Not only did I influence my core group in CBS, I finally got Dena to watch and now she is a fan.  On Wednesday night we watched the marathon, only I fell asleep.  She said she stayed up till midnight watching.  Now if we can snag Peggy.  Only thing with Peggy she never stops in the summer unless it is to sleep.  Will have to try for the fall.

When I arrive at the Inn on a trip and see people loading up their car to return home, I always feel sorry for them but happy for me...but I know that the day will come, which was Friday, where the scrumptious looking valet parkers load up my car, give you a bottle of water and I think they should give you a box of tissues for the tears you shed while driving the de-approach road out of the grounds.  Since Dena and I were trying to leave at a halfway decent time, we were there when the dining room opened for breakfast but we didn't want the hostesses to think we were old people who had been up since 3:00 waiting for breakfast.  We said goodbye to our friend Edward.  He is now a captain in the prep area, hand picked by the chef because of his work ethic and attention to detail.  He was a bus boy when we met him last May.  He is a brother in Christ. 

We made it all the way to Amite, LA on Friday.  That made Saturday an easy day of driving and after dropping off Dena, I got home around 2:00.  Next year, we will both be coming out to Rancho De Five on the return trip. 

I have so many good books right now to read but I think I will finish up the Gail Godwin book I began on the trip.  The book, Flora, takes place in Asheville.  It's the story of a girl who could not find her way out of downtown Asheville.  No, not really.

May Pilgrimage Part 2

I think one of my favorite times on the ride up to Asheville are the back roads through the mountains.  Seems like we are on that particular journey usually on Sunday mornings.  Each time the music on the radio station is perfect.  We listened and sang along and then Dena read several Psalms.  It was a great worship service in Sequisha.  We stopped at and of course I cannot remember the name of the place, but it was the location of the 1996 Olympics for kayaking.  The water and the rapids were full of people getting their white water raft adventure on.  One of the men watching the boats told me they had just opened up the upper dam and that is why there was so much activity.  For sure we are going to schedule more time on the next visit.  Then we headed on into what we started calling the gorge.  Lots of twists and turns on a two land road.  Fun!  We headed toward Waynesville and went to the Mast General Store and both of us were very successful in finding things to purchase.  Let's just say Dena will not be running out of peanut butter bars anytime soon.  I did the usual t-shirt thing but also had a glass bottle Diet Coke.  Oh my, so very good!  We left and drove on to Asheville and stopped at The Catina for late lunch/early dinner.  Not bad Mexican food for North Carolina.  To finish up we ordered fried brownie with ice cream, chocolate and caramel sauce.  We felt like we were at the Houston Rodeo with the fried.  We actually kind of peeled away the fried and just ate the rest.  And then....it was time....for the anticipated three mile drive to the Inn.  Beautiful!  Our room was right over the Grand Terrace and we had front row seats in our room to watch the Memorial Day fireworks. 

 

 

 

Nice way to end a day.  Dare I say, it was a blast!

 

Hey Kathy in Mississippi, we will be coming back that way in Sept, the hubs and me.  Would love to meet you at the CB if all our schedules coordinate. 

 

That's it for today.