RIP Edee Feral Cat

Last night right before going to bed I looked in the closet to see what kind of church outfit I could put together. Most probably we'd be worshiping on the softball field in spite of all the rain we've had this week. So, the outfit would need to be light for comfort but go with tennis shoes. With an idea in mind, I went to bed. Right before falling asleep I looked in on the backyard and the front porch using the security cameras. I saw Edee sitting by the wagon and on the front porch Ranger had found a comfortable place on one of the rocking chairs. Buddy was asleep in the other room. All was well.

This morning I woke up before the alarm went off. Buddy had joined me around 2:00 am and she was asleep underneath a blanket. One of the first things that I do in the morning is disarm the alarm. I checked in on the cameras and noticed Edee was in the same spot as she had been last night, only now she was lying on her side, somewhat awkwardly positioned. Rushing downstairs and grabbing  the key to the porch door, I went outside...all the usual ferals were there looking for their morning treats. Edee, usually the first one waiting and most likely right there on the porch steps, didn't move, didn't lead the charge. Those ferals hear the bell sound on the porch door and like Pavlov's dog, respond to the bell cause food is involved. I threw them some treats, went upstairs and began to brace myself for the job at hand. Out came an old towel to carry her to her final stop and I went to where she lay. I was so thankful nothing had gotten to her, no ants or birds or even flies. Her eyes somewhat rolled back and her mouth slightly open. I petted her cause I had never been able to do that, picked her up and placed her on the towel and ever so gently carried her to on one of the large rocks on the driveway quarry.  I knew she would be buried near one of her favorite spots. It took a couple false holes, till I found a soft area without a lot of rocks and I began the arduous task.



Edee was the last kitten she brought down from the secret hiding place on that what seems like such a long ago October day. Mr McBeavy helped Punky carry down the litter of three black and white cats and one calico. It mattered not whether it was nursing or solid food, Edee was the first to arrive and the last to leave. She was fun to watch. Edee was never too tempted to roam off like the others, she stayed close by. When she was still a little one, she developed a problem with parasites and I got probiotics down them all, pumpkin and deworming medicine. It saved her. I tried to keep them in health by continuing everything but the pumpkin, but you never know how much they are getting when several cats are involved. She was the first cat, outdoors not Buddy, to greet me in the mornings. She waited on the back porch steps for the first round of treats before breakfast. As a little one she hung out with her half brother Mr McBeavy a lot. She was visibly upset when he decided to cross the road and he didn't make it, she missed his presence. He helped Punky so much with that litter.  The kiddos lost a sibling to those dogs that came through the yard in November. She was the first of the remaining siblings to welcome Ranger into the fold. Ranger is their cousin, abandoned by Mama Cat and then left alone when our neighbors were able to get her sibling, the gray cat.  Her brother Andy, well, he either wondered off  or died or was caught. Edee loved her mom and she loved Strawyer. There was a whole lot of head rubbing between them all. Straw and Punk always come and rub around my legs as I fix their food. Edee was just starting to get brave enough to come in that tight spot. She also didn't run for it if I walked through while they were eating. She might move a step or two, but that's all. That Edee, she loved chasing the red laser light at night. In fact, I am happy we got in a few games this week.

I will miss that little calico cat, Edee. Yesterday, the thought crossed my mind that the dynamics with the ferals felt like there was a change. These dynamics change all the time. Punky has dominated for so long, but that seems like it is coming to a close for a bit. She and Mama Cat got into it yesterday, worse than usual. Guess old Mama Cat is trying to get established again.

Today, after burying Edee, I came down and fixed the funeral food for the family. Camo, Edee's grandmother, was even in attendance. And, miracle, she and Strawyer ate out of the same bowl. That never, ever happens...unless there has been a death in the family. Well, I am not sure about that in case of cats, family togetherness after a lot of infighting.

I have cried some tears. As much as a feral cat will let you love them, I surely loved her. She stood out not only because she was a calico but also cause there was a sweetness about that cat.

Rainy Day Friday, Did Not Get Me Down

Once I get breakfast and dressed I'll check the rain gauge but from a distance it looks like we received 5-6 inches of rain around here. Areas to our south got a whole lot more, with flooding and rivers and creeks coming out of their natural order of flow. Seems like a drive down to the French Broad might be in the plans for today. There is that low hanging mist that's quite not fog hanging over our valley. The long range views are covered by it and the closer views look like a late November morning more than a later type date in May. In years past we would have been to Grandfather Mountain and the newly discovered to us, Roan Mountain area. Still, I am content having this view this morning. The forecast had been for 100% chance of rain today but the percentage has gone down significantly. Now it looks as if Friday will hold out for another 100% chance of rain.

North Carolina comes out of phase one and into phase two Friday at 5:00 pm. Thus dine in options and hair cutting options are open up to 50% capacity. Just saw a post on FB that the salon I go to is opening June 1st and they'll be in touch about appointments and the new protocols for opening. Still leaning toward not getting highlights for a bit just to see the color or lack of color of my hair.

With lots of thinking time my memories and thoughts have been all over the place. Yesterday, I sorted through how I dealt with real or imagined slights and presently seeing growth in those areas. Really, many times, those things are just under the line and if put into a circumstance that might test the validity of growth, could only result in quickly picking up at a default origination. Like calm driving throughout the mountains, then thrust into the massive traffic jams of Houston...sadly I had to face reality, that most of the growth had been circumstantial. Still, I press on for the goal....  Reading an author interview this morning from a childhood memory when she had the mumps, she shared her first "adult type" book, she read was Good Morning Miss Dove. I didn't finish the article because the memories of reading at my Grandma's house flooded over me. Off of her dining room was a little alcove. I am being generous in saying alcove but this small space came off her dining room and the bottom of the walls were bookshelves and over the shelves were windows that looked out into her side yard, over the field of wild flowers in the summer with a direct view of Ruthie Blackburn's home. A side note, Ruthie scared me...she talked really loud and her voice recalled the wicked witch of the west from Wizard of Oz, but in reality she needed hearing aids thus the loudness and shrillness to her tone. She really was a good friend to my grandmother and a hospitable and gracious woman. Back to that small reading space...my grandmother didn't have a lot of money so instead of a big reading chair or rather a small reading chair because the space was so small, she had an outdoor rocking chair, it was metal with wooden slats. She put some cushions on it and it became one of my favorite spots when I spent the summers with her. She had potted plants in those windows and some kind of cheap linoleum on the floor of that tiny, favorite space. She subscribed to The Reader's Digest and because of that, she had Reader's Digest condensed books on most of those shelves. A tiny space on the shelves held gardening magazines. She poured over those thinking and planning her flower gardens. One of the first stories I read in the RDCB was Good Morning Miss Dove. I loved that condensed book. I just looked for it on Amazon and one of the other condensed books in that volume is The China I Knew by Pearl S Buck. I read that story too and I believe I read The Good Earth from one of my Grandma's books.
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The gentle rain on a Friday afternoon. Truthfully, since Tuesday, everyday has felt like a Friday. Checked the forecast and got some gardening and quarry work done before the rain came. Heard one little rumble of thunder but pretty much it has been moderate to light rain showers. On the quarry side of things, I gave up thinking that I could move the big pieces of the flat rocks. My neighbors had offered to help me move them but once I realized where I wanted to put them would not work, I went back to making the large pieces into smaller ones and making a path around the back part of the porch. I also replanted some geraniums. I have all kinds of stuff I should be doing inside but procrastination reigns.

The Deep South summer reading list came out today and low and behold, one of my favorite authors, Gail Godwin has a new book available. As I have struggled to sit down and read for any length of time maybe her book will do the trick. Out of all the books she has published there is only one I did not care for. Many times her stories take place in the Asheville or rather the fictionalized Asheville. She spent time here as a child, so it is a joy to read a story taking place in a town so close by. Maybe that should be city.

Well, it is kind of funny that the powers that be have flip flopped once again. First we were told to wear gloves, then not wear gloves while out in public. We were told we didn't need masks and then it was decided we do need masks. The constant is, wash your hands but I haven't heard anyone say lately, don't touch your face. We are in this together, well not really, but now the thinking is, it is not good to stay in lock down where previously it has been the mantra. It is all because of the unknown and really we shouldn't take everything we hear to the bank cause it is going to change. This can be true in so many areas...So I guess we can say like Paul, I have learned to live with masks and I know what it is to not to wear them. I've had gloves but know when and where to wear them...I have learned...I can do all things through Christ. That there boys and girls is the bottom line.

The rain made the flowers, along with some Miracle Grow, look bright and healthy this morning. I am feeling the need to get out there and do some more planting but we will see. It is a much warmer day than the previous few, so that will limit outside activities for me.

In feral land, Edee wasn't feeling good yesterday. She did eat a little but she mainly kept out of sight or napped in her favorite spot. On the driveway last night Punky had Boo out there playing in and out of the quarry. Beanie watched and played a little. Man, Punky keeps that kitten hidden. I hadn't seen it for a couple of days.

There's Alliteration At the End

Mustang Sam passed the state inspection yesterday morning and since the Marshall office for license tags looks to be closed, I onlined it and it should be 7-10 days and I'll receive the tag by mail. Made a quick stop at Ingles and returned home. I wish I could say I did productive or creative things upon arriving home, but alas, I didn't. But according to all the commercials, that's okay. Not that I need a commercial affirmation, it's just when I hear the background music for those kinds of commercials, because the music choice is beginning to sound the same, you can go through all those ubiquitous affirmations without seeing the words, stay home, stay safe, alone together, we're all in this together, we're here for you....it's okay not to be okay, run on sentences are okay...well, they don't say anything about run on sentences. I do love me a good run on sentence.

I watched a little bit of the news last night and some of the reporting reminded me of the two week stay in a rehab facility when I had bilateral knee replacements. I can only imagine what most assisted living residents, both capable and incapable are going through now. Most of the patients, at the rehab hospital, had mental difficulties related to strokes with their physical rehabbing at the facility. So, my mental capacities were probably some of the best among the patients. It was mainly the nursing assistants that began our "rehabbing" relationship with the supposition I wasn't with it and when I responded to questions or questioned them back, they were quite taken aback. Being in the facility over the Thanksgiving holiday, I experienced exceptional bad behavior and decisions all on one day...Thanksgiving Day was the worst day while rehabbing. All the way from the nursing assistants to the contract nurse, to the fill in physical therapist, to the substitute doctor making rounds...it was just bad. The doctor asked me a lot of questions that particular evening. I answered him while praying silently that I wouldn't be tempted to spout off at him. At the end of the interview he said, I don't know if you are faking this competence, because you are very good at this. To tell you the truth, I wanted to say, wow, all those hard years of medical school and residency...and here you are talking to a 61 year old woman about aches and pains, goals and such in a rehab hospital that mainly is filled with elderly patients that are probably at the top of their game with descent lingering in the foreground ...maybe I should be questioning your competence...or your grades in med school cause you're subbing for the attending doctor on a holiday, you're a contract Dr.... Thank the Lord, I didn't say it cause he seemed like the re-avenging type. I stayed the whole two weeks but probably could have left a lot sooner...but with really good insurance, I remained. That one day could have broken me...mentally and emotionally. I cannot imagine going through that everyday and fighting for normalcy.

Now I wish I had read the review on a book about watching the daily life of snails, and what we humans can learn from them. Really, snails? My attention span is more for feral cats than snails. Maybe the one piece of advice we could learn from snails is, stay away from salt. While I don't give it a lot of study, the dynamics of the ferals changes constantly. The strongest cat in the group only remains the strongest until a stronger cat comes along. Rejection is tantamount in feral colonies. Ranger experiences rejection daily. Punky chases her off, even Edee takes a couple of swipes at her if she gets too close to the newly placed food. I've done everything to try and help that cat, but she rejects the unknown help that has consistently fed her and given her shelter. Punky keeps her remaining kitten out of sight and when those occasions arise when I do see Boo and Punky realizes Boo has been spotted, she wrangles that kitten into hiding. She is still nursing it not letting it come to breakfast or supper. The big alpha cats Big Chief and Darth haven't been around, so that means Frankie is around from time to time. I don't really like Frankie...he is mean and acts on that meanness without BC or Darth around. He is the one cat that would attack me...but I take means to protect myself.  Poor Strawyer, he is the weakest cat in the chain.
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Darth showed up for a quick minute yesterday. He has a presence and when he is sitting on one of the large rocks in the back, his appearance startles me every time. I think he is someone's cat that gets out now and then. He is well groomed and doesn't have a weary look of a feral. With the continuous rain today, most of the ferals are under the house and sounds like they have a peaceful coexistence happening.

We are supposed to find out this week if the state is able to go into phase 2 of reentry. I don't know if hair salons are in phase 2 or not. At this point I'm kind of indifferent because it would be interesting to see what color my hair really is. Although my hair has always grown fast, it is at that stage where it is slowing down growth-wise. Yesterday, outside of Sunday church from a distance, has been my social day in the past two months. Two long phone conversations in the morning and a social distancing visit in the evening which may or may not have contained chocolate chip banana nut bread delivered to the front porch. It is delicious! We used the social distancing pole from the rug delivery for the porch to measure the distance. I knew it was a good thing to keep, at least for a time such as this. Several South Carolinians have written emails and letters to the editor to the state of NC. SC is open, more open than us, and several business owners pleaded with the powers that be to open up because almost every other car in their business's parking lots were from the Old North State. They were pleased to have the business but could only think of their counterparts missing out on business and survival opportunities.

I've read several FB posts written by friends who have worked from home and are now slowly being phased back into their offices at work. Such a joy to read of the blessings in the time, which also included working more. Roy says he works harder from home than in the office. He is phasing into office location and while not many are there, he likes the break from cabin fever. Now truthfully, these past few months haven't had a lot of change for me, schedule wise. But, I have not been on the go like my usual spring time activity. Beginning with daylight savings time, my TV watching goes down exponentially but not this year. Being around here and doing projects and chores instead of running and gunning, then returning home to projects and chores, took away several hours of The Andy Griffith Show for me. Yes, I am so trendy. Anyway, that front flowerbed project has kept me busy, exercising and it has been very entertaining. It was a jigsaw puzzle at times. Thankfully, no math was used...well, not too much math. My endurance is better from carting bags of mulch, outdoor carpets, bags of soil and plants down to the flowerbed. I've used the swing more this spring than I did all of last year. One side of the railing by the stone steps has been repainted and all the solar lights have been replaced that run along side the steps. New lights were put in by the new stone steps in the back, dead heading of roses, planting more dutch irises given to me by the master gardener himself, Larry R. I have never really enjoyed gardening but that has changed. I now join in the ranks of my Grandma B, Mom and my brother Doug. Nathan, owner of Leicester Landscape and Lawn, took my dreams of the flowerbeds I wanted, made them happen and helped me get started down this pathway of getting vitamin D. That side flowerbed is now coming into its own with wildflowers beginning to sprout and bloom. The roses in the back by the gravel road are growing so quickly. The little pops of color, pink mostly, brighten up the back. I see some huge weeds taking sprout so as soon as the rainy season of this week is over, I'll be up there pulling up weeds, galore. 

The mood and direction of our country, yes, even with little glimmers of hope, light and laughter, continues to be a very bad mood that sometimes feels like it is spiraling out of control. Twitter has been a go to for news but there is more trash talk than news some days. From all sides and points of views. I worry about Christian  influencers. that kind of taunt but rarely tease. What if they are wrong? There is a lot of accountability. What if they are right? Lots of glory and pats on the back. They are mainly young, so those who are older...well, here they come adding their views and opinions. Then everyone blocks.    Politics is no different because no matter whose side you are on, there is a lot of time wasted on rabbit trails and looking for offenses...to report or not report. So each side puts attention on what is near and dear to their hearts...ratting out the opposition or ignoring the offenses of those they support. On so many things, I sit on the fence so I don't join in cause it will be assault from all sides...guess I am a Robert Frost supporter

He is all pine and I am apple orchard.

My apple trees will never get across

And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.

He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’

Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder

If I could put a notion in his head:

‘Why do they make good neighbors?

I support his Mending Wall poem. Being raised by one of the best conspiracy theorists ever, it is a fight not to tend to that thinking. For me, it overwhelms and keeps me idle, which is not a good thing...idle in doing the stuff that needs to be done cause thinking about what ifs can be a wearisome experience. Also leaning toward cynicism is a battle for me and here of late, has been more victorious than defeating. Some days, while reading FB or Twitter and a little swipe is made...well, every year it gets less difficult cause I really can't say easier, to respond with a much better retort or swipe back. Once again being raised by someone with attachment disorder, most probably bi-polar and a narcissistic personality disorder...three strikes wow, one of the talents that had to be developed, thinking on your feet for the best, cutting retort or assessing the situation to see if humor might level the field somewhat. It is exhausting to have to be on ready constantly...  I am not so good at this anymore because I don't have to practice this now, but sometimes it can be the default setting. When a smug remark is made by someone who is less talented in this area... mostly it is water off my back but sometimes....oh my, anyway.  A conversation with a friend years ago about some smug remarks made by someone clearly not gifted in this area got a response from me in the conversation as, I could have taken her out with words, she'd be a devastated mess because clearly, she is not as good as she thinks. My friend said to me, you say that like you're proud you could do that. My response is no, I am saying this because there was a day, and it wasn't very long ago...I would have leveled her...I am telling you this more like a, look how far God has brought me. Look at His transforming work. Well, this has turned into a rambling mess...but now, hopefully, it is out of my system...thinking about all the hurt, hate, hopelessness, havoc...if I was a good Baptist the alteration would have stopped with three points. 

To Know The Heights and the Depths of Lint Traps

Buddy had an up and down kind of night so that means sleep was in bits and pieces and hard to come by. I let her sleep a little too much during the evening. Since the cold morning had turned into a pleasant afternoon, I worked a little outside. I got more soil in the raised flowerbeds and uncovered all the plants. I didn't plant anything because there was a slight chance of frost and this morning the flowers look like they survived and maybe we didn't have frost after all. Now that Mother's Day is behind us, let the planting begin.

Last night our pastor did a Facebook Live sermon as he continued where we had left off, in Mark 3, on the last Sunday we met together in person. While joining with friends online and hearing his familiar voice and most importantly hearing God's Word, when he signed off, I was tremendously at peace. I felt a joy. Through this social distancing time I have had a difficult time sitting down and listening to sermons or teachings from TV or online church. I could not pinpoint why. Nor was I using the time to study, to get ahead on lessons. It seemed like a time to just read the Bible and I have been listening to the Psalms on the Dwell app at night. Several Sundays I started to listen to our church in Houston, but I'm not in Houston. I listened to other churches in Houston, but again...it just seemed like futility, not with God's Word, but with the knowledge, I wasn't a part nor planned to be a part of that community of believers. Nationally known preachers, that felt the same too. Something was missing and after last night I knew what it was, gathering with friends known and unknown as we listened and experienced last night's preaching from Pastor Bradley. He has been our pastor for a year and I am so glad that God sent him and his family our way...out here in rural North Carolina. Our sanctuary, with stained glass windows, the familiar green hues of the pews and carpet. It was home. Where we belong and serve. It was seeing home last night. Now I am not going all Scarlet O'Hara this morning, having fallen to the ground and making the neither me nor my family vow while holding dirt in my hand, but more of a peace-filled heart knowledge that I am where I need to be and belong, to serve, to worship and to be still and know in these uncertain times.

I went downstairs last night to take meds and saw Punky and Edee out back. Punky will still chase the laser light around the yard. As she and Edee chased it and hunted it down, I saw the little black kitten. It came out from underneath the house and when Punky realized I had seen it, she rushed it back out of my sight. She has it up on the gravel road this morning. I really felt like it had died, because she was hanging around without a care in the back but yesterday afternoon while dead heading roses, I suspected that the kitten might be hidden in the tall grass and weeds. Punky was up there and she was meowing that meow that she has for her litters.
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Now, they are saying last night was our last frost for this season. Sure hope so. Woke up and saw a notification on the phone about light snow showers. Wow, 2020 has sure been a crazy year.

Punky has let the black kitten wander about more freely yesterday and this morning. I was thinking last night about the many that have come through for a bit and those who are able to remain. Buddy has taken notice once again of the ferals. She had a much better sleep night and that means I did too. She has found a spot of sunlight on the floor and is oh so happy and will be happier when she can go out onto the front porch.

I had an adventure yesterday afternoon. It was a fun morning cause I got out and went to Mars Hill to a produce stand there. Bought a few plants and will make a return trip for sure. Came home the long way through Marshall. After lunch, I leveled out the ground on the other side of the back porch. Then lugged the ladder to the newly leveled sod, which wasn't leveled enough and with rocks slightly below the soil line, beyond my capability. So, I placed the ladder like I have seen Roy do so many times, only I didn't have anyone to hold the ladder. One leg on a brick and the other on the porch step, the front two safely on the ground. It had come to the point that something needed to be done about the lint gathering in the dryer duct. First tried a vacuum cleaner...nothing... extendomatic brush...nothing..got out the Appalachian spider broom, helped a little but not enough to make a difference. Called Roy to consult on the next step and what professional to call. Then, the thought of using a wire hanger came to me. I was able to manipulate the compacted lint to the side but knew once the dryer ran, the lint would cover up the grate again. So I gathered every bit of courage and prayed for God's blessing and I climbed up all the way to the fourth step on the ladder. Using the hanger, freed up the lint and then I was able to pull a good portion of the lint out. We are going to have to get back up there and better attach the mesh grate, but for now I feel confident in running the dryer and not worrying about starting a fire. Tested out the dryer last night, shorter drying time, so success! Then I went out and covered plants on the front porch and that was it for me. Ladder climbing, lint release and only moving the ladder back to the porch wore me out.

Time For Thoughts and Random Memories

Once upon a time on a cold morning in May...yep, I got up, dressed warmly, with gloves on, I went outside with the faucet cover and covered the faucet because of the freeze warning issued for tonight and into tomorrow morning. Then to the front deck and brought in the flowers to the porch. A little later, before the rain begins, I'll cover up a couple of plants in the back. Then hope for the best for the rest. Dang, I should have kept those worn out flannel sheets.

March 11th is the last day I wore eye makeup and fixed my hair. Yesterday, the first attempt at coming back to a social and civilized world came about because of a dentist appointment. When the text and email came saying my appointment was on, I did a happy dance. I cannot imagine what type of dance I'll do when the hair salons open again. The only thing, visor hair, bandanna hair or headband hair wouldn't do. My hair, going back to a natural part, did okay but the dilemma of remembering eye shadow colors I wore, finally rectified itself. The dentist office is on the opposite end of Asheville Cardiology parking lot. I have never, ever seen that parking lot so sparsely occupied. The procedure now is this, call the office and wait in the car until they call you back to come into the building. I was doing just that when a maroon car pulled into the lot with a police car with lights on pulled in behind it. The policeman got out of his car and made the wide half circle walk to the driver's side of the car. A small gray SUV stopped within a few feet of the situation. The cop was laughing as he walked away from the car to his. I then realized the gray SUV was an unmarked police car with those orange official plates. The plates from a distance looked like they were from New York, that's what threw me off. Cause then I'm thinking oh, they caught interlopers from NY because they and a few other states are on the hot list of no visits here from there. Another police car joins in. I never saw the people in the car from my view but the thought crossed my mind, should I be filming this just in case? About that time the dentist office called for me to come in. My effort to not draw attention was smashed to smithereens when I accidentally set off the car alarm.

It was a very successful dentist visit. The temp cap was put on the implant that began in January and then next on the schedule was a tooth extraction so that another implant journey could begin. All my implants have been upper ones, this is my first bottom tooth implant. Dr Hodges got that tooth out like the ultimate pro that he is. I cannot recommend him enough to friends. While we were waiting he began to show me the tooth he just pulled. How little tooth there was in the actual crown and where the infection had lodged. Good thing I am not squeamish about those kinds of things. It was such a gentle extraction that I felt good enough to make a Target run. There were a few things to pick up and since this was my first day of any kind of excursion except for the grocery or hardware store, I didn't really know all the changes in store. I wasn't going to get anything that everybody else would be needing but it was odd at some of the stuff they were out of. Then we stood in this long line to be instructed what checkout we were to go to. We were not social distancing in that long line but it moved much faster than I anticipated. The Novocaine was wearing off and I just came on home. Odd not to see a million cars in Biltmore Village or waiting at the light to go into the Biltmore Estate.
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For no particular reason at all yesterday, I got to thinking about some homes that were built in Westbury in the late 50s and into the early 60s. Such a random thought. When my father was transferred to Houston our first home was in West U. Kindergarten was coming up for me in the fall, back then no bridge year if your birthday was in late summer, and the elementary school in West U wasn't within walking distance and we only had one car. No school bus service offered, probably cause it was in the late 50's and we probably lived within the mileage limit for bus riding. So the luring song of the suburbs called. I vaguely remember looking at houses. The thought of these princess houses came to mind. Their style was a cottage style, think fairy tales not craftsman style. The window have metal trim, the garage doors had a cut out wooden trim on them. The roofs were those large wooden shingles and that set the look. I don't think these houses were ever a serious consideration for my parents but they were unique, in fact just this one street or two had them and nothing like them on any of the surrounding streets. A dim memory of my parents putting an offer on a house on Briarbend, but something my father said made the family nix the deal when he thought for sure it was a done deal. I don't remember what he said, but it came in the form of joking.... He ended up buying a house on a nearby street and in hindsight, it was probably the better house for us and for him to expand later on. Back to the storybook houses...I looked at Google to see if I could find any information on these houses, nothing. So, I did the next thing, put a post up in the FB group, "you know you grew up in Westbury when...." Got the answers from several people and many long time Westburians didn't have a clue about the homes. I did a street view search and found one house that still had some of the trim on the windows and garage. No one would have those wooden shakes, cause they are illegal now due to being a fire hazard. The memories that come while social distancing.

With the day warming up it was go into all the great outdoors and work in the flowerbed. I got several of the raised garden planters filled with soil and arranged so it will be an easy task to plant seeds. With two nights of frost and freeze warnings, thus blackberry winter, it is safe to do the majority of planting. Looks like we will have several days with no rain and cool to warm temps, so I will try to wrap up this work before it gets too hot for me out there. My neighbor Nancy brought her mother's day gift for me to see. Her name is Cora and she is a beautiful nine year old horse. I loved meeting Cora and she helped "cut the grass" while Nancy and I visited. While working in the flowerbed my brother messaged me. He sent the wedding announcement for my parents in the paper that long ago day. His friend does family ancestry research and thought she would send this along to him. I had never seen the announcement before and neither had he. We talked a little later and got caught up. He has projects going on at his house both indoors and out. He just picked up an antique farmhouse sink and cabinet for one of his bathrooms.

It looks like Sunday will warm up quickly, so I just might get outside and do a little work. I need to make a list of all the projects that have been done during this time of social distancing. From the very little to the big, getting it done. And, there is still many more to do. But, I'm not rushing through these things, I am trying to be present in each one and see what it is I am to learn or appreciate.

The Chronicles of Hairnia and Re-experiencing Junior High School

The self distancing potion of life which I misnamed self distraction although that seems to fit the definition of the past weeks. The time began when I never heard the refrigerator motor run and had concerns. I've heard it a lot in the past few weeks and now I'm concerned it runs too much. Little things are such a distraction or blessing.

I began a post and never posted it but I might, is about how this time at home has felt somewhat familiar to me. It dawned on me last Saturday at the produce stand when it was so awkward placing and paying for the produce to the cashier behind the plexiglass. There is a whole new set of etiquette to experience and learn. Then, I know I shouldn't look at this but at the grocery store most wear a mask...but at the produce stand, hardly anyone did. Was I going to go along with the crowd or was I going to put myself in the safe but nerdy way of wearing a mask. These so familiar feelings, but from when? It came to me, these feelings in the past few weeks is feeling very much like when I was in junior high school. You know, uncertainty, bad hair, restrictions due to age... being grounded, bad hair styles, bad hair color, hair not cooperating. Just like junior high, I'm getting a lot of talkings to...not from teachers or parents but from younger people who might be taking issue with a trip to the grocery store or hardware store by me. That's pretty much my excursions of late. I don't think mentioning to them "but Inez and Velda get to go out!" will do any good cause I knows the response...if Inez and Velda jumped off a bridge, would you? I feel pretty safe in knowing that Inez and Velda wouldn't jump off of any bridge much less walk onto a bridge.

My hair, well, I was hoping gray hair was growing in so I can convert but the roots of my hair are black! Even in my most natural of color days, my hair was never black. It started out blonde, went dishwater blonde, then highlighted blonde. For years I have parted my hair on the opposite side of my natural part, but my hair is so heavy, it has gone back to my natural part. There is a little hope there is something to work with there. Tomorrow, I have an appointment and wearing a visor, bandanna or headband isn't going to work. Yes, I bought headbands yesterday at the grocery store. Texas opens up Friday at 5:00 for hair salons and barber shops...hmmm...the talk is for June openings in salons here...so I could drive as far as the Texas border, get a haircut and return home. But South Carolina, TN and Georgia are opening up faster than NC. Someone posted a pic of I 10 in Houston, with the 10-12-24 lanes across of traffic and said, North Carolinians heading to Georgia for a haircut. I've taken a couple of pictures of my hair in various states...not actual states but conditions or styles... top ponytail, tiny ponytail, visor hair, bandanna hair and hat hair, I don't care hair. Maybe this would be a good time to have Bethlehem Head. Practice wearing biblical pageant Bethlehem head pieces for hopefully the coming pageant Christmas season ....truly these are My Chronicles of Hairnia.

Yes, the history of the world, America, Texas, and North Carolina these days, has always been overshadowed by my hair. I didn't pay attention to Watergate, elections, hanging chads, oh too many to name, but now my experience with or lack of experience with Covid-19 is once again being overshadowed by my hair. That is consistent and predictable. I'm looking into converting some of my masks into Amish headgear...cause for right now, those masks would cover roots.


This self distancing time is causing many to almost make bad decisions. My friend Laurie R put on FB, she was this close to ordering a pair of jammies from the Vermont Country Store. Y'all, she is young, young I tells ya. Reason, I don't know from a scientist or not, prevailed and she did not order. Those denim jumpers they have are so very tempting...but I'm staying away from any catalogs except for gardening or Keen shoes. The denim jumper is a bad decision just like looking at Nordstrom's website...that has fashionable and trendy clothes isn't a good choice. After going through spring and summer clothes, I have enough. It is difficult to envision even wearing some of these clothes, to go anywhere other than the post office, grocery store or hardware store. Flax.com had a huge sale this winter and at deeply discounted prices, I got a few new things back in December. I am hoping to wear some of those clothes one day soon. Sadly, not for tomorrow's appointment because the high is going to be in the 50s.

Since it is feeling very junior high schoolish around here, it's probably for the best not to return to those strong sarcastic words, or roll my eyes or do a heavy sigh of disagreement. I'll try not to pass notes. Instead of not remembering my locker combination, I cannot remember password combinations. No longer do I have to worry about being able to traverse across the whole school in five minutes to get to my next class...although, I have to worry if I can make it from upstairs to the driveway in time to get packages off the porch. Back then, I couldn't wait to shave my legs, now, I can't wait not to shave my legs. May 2nd, I broke my nazarite vow for my legs. Funny, I don't feel so strongly about the nazarite vow for my hair...I just know I cannot be trusted with a pair of scissors and my hair. No raging hormones like junior high, but rage at not having enough hormones to keep my skin from wrinkling or experiencing some kind of hot flash. Although, it is just not right that wrinkles and pimples can exist at the same time on someone's aged face. Occupation with the phone in junior high is almost the same thing now...only we can do so much more than talk on the phone...and really, it's not about the call anymore...texts and pictures, FB and Twitter....keep me much too occupied. I need to record someone yelling at me in a parental voice, "get off that phone! Have you done your homework?"

In the eighth grade we began our four year plan...what classes we would take? What direction was my life heading? That in between time from elementary to high school so full of contradictions. We were too young to go out but we were old enough to plan our lives for the next four years. My best thing I did back then was to get all the hard stuff out of the way thus making my senior year, rather carefree. So turning 65 is kind of like making the four year plan on which medicare thing or supplement are you going to choose. Did you make wise decisions early on in life so that the senior years of life can be carefree? I'm kind of thinking I hit pay dirt once again. Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina...well, except for that cute boy I've been dating long distance, to get up here finally. Uh, for those whose minds went someplace they shouldn't, the boy is Roy.

Feral Fam Update

Lots of sunshine and lots of wind...lots of rain is supposed to be heading our way. Yesterday, I bought potting and garden soil, with a few plants. This has so far been mainly a seed planting spring with a few geraniums thrown in for good measure. The last raised garden bed got put together yesterday afternoon and is down in the big flowerbed being held down by bags of dirt. Cleaned out a few more planters of weeds, added soil and organic feed. It is a slow process. These cooler days help except today it is too windy and cool so working inside mostly today.

Last week Punky surprised the heck out of me by slowly but surely bringing her kittens into the backyard. She brought down the calico and then two black and white kittens. At some point while I was working in the flowerbed she must have brought down the solid black kitten along with a gray and white one. So after everything was finished up, the garage door came down as per usual. On Saturday morning Punky was in the backyard on point and intently looking into the window trying to see me. I took the look as the normal breakfast look and changed clothes and went outside to feed them. In the back corner of the garage a few little meows sounded forth, Punky began leading out the two kittens she had stashed in the garage. The black kitten followed her but gray and white got skittish and ran back to the corner. Punky led that little kitten up to the hidden home of so many ferals up on the gravel road. I went about the morning chores and hoped Punky would come back for that kitten. She did, and I acted like I wasn't seeing her to do but she scruffed that little one by the neck and carried him up to the gravel road along with the rest of her brood. She had five kittens, we've caught one and we are trying to catch the others. By all accounts, she acted as if she didn't have a litter. Seemingly, hanging around here most of the day. Since she waited till they were six weeks old to carry them here for safety, I figured the kittens had died.
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Yesterday, everything aligned perfectly to get three more of the kittens. Punky had taken them over to the cleft of the rock, she sat there watching over them. It was about time to take out supper so I headed to the garage and started getting the bowls ready. Strawyer showed up, Punky left her kittens to meet him and they ate along with Mama Cat and Edee. I walked over to see the kittens and Nancy came by on her way to their compost pile. I told her about the kittens, she went to get Niaya. Skinny arms and hands, she was able to pull three of them out and we put them in a carrier. The little black kitten disappeared in the dark of the rock, even with a high beam flashlight. So, she took the kittens up to their home to foster and socialize them. Niaya came back to look for the last kitten. Punky had called it out and it was under the grill but we still couldn't get to it. I've seen Punky, Straw, Edee, Ranger and Beanie this morning. Fed them. Most scatter to parts unknown but Edee sticks around.

I keep learning so much by observing these feral cats. The runts of the litters usually come into their own and like Cali, Beanie is beginning to assert herself. The little black and white kitten we got last Friday, he is the runt. Name is Smudge and he has fit in with Nancy and crew like he belonged all the time. He never hissed or growled when we got him, he purred. Boy knew a good thing when he was rescued. We got some hissing and swiping yesterday from the other three. Punky must not be too mad at me cause she greeted me this morning, let me pet her and she rubbed against my legs. There aren't any survivors from her first litter and she lost two from her second. Four have been rescued so far from this litter. Just a week ago today did we even know of these kittens existence.