Pandemic Personalities, Publix, Pressure and Plots

Since writing about Pandemic Personalities yesterday and it seems like an ongoing process, a trip to the Publix this morning might be adding to my Pandemic Personality.  With this ongoing crisis there seems to be a lot more men grocery shopping these days. Most are pleasant shoppers but there are always a few, in almost every trip to the store that need some grocery shopping etiquette lessons. Even if you don't agree with how the one way aisles are laid out, out of the kindness for others, will you follow directions. Of course I realize men do not ask for directions even with GPS in the car. So these guys just go through the store on their own terms. I watched the other day as a middle aged woman stood her ground at the end of an aisle to block the man and his cart from entering. He was a bit puzzled why she didn't move her cart over even when saying excuse me. She was like the tree planted by the water, she was not going to be moved. Finally he followed her hand as she pointed down to the floor clearly marked...do not enter...X wrong way. It worked, he moved on going up the next aisle so he could come down the one she had blocked. I laughed and she turned to me and said, I'm not getting COVID cause the guy won't follow directions. This morning I encountered a man with his granddaughter. Did not follow the one way aisles and he left his cart in the middle of the aisle while he and granddaughter looked at pasta. That time I was able to get by, even said excuse me, but don't think he heard that. Then and the importance of this aisle is not dimmed, he left his cart in the middle of the entrance of the aisle. Now, I wasn't going to touch the cart and since he wasn't anywhere around, I kind of played bumper cars with his, but gently not with a big shove. My real concern for this guy was not keeping a diligent eye on his granddaughter. Cute, probably around 5 years old and so instead of getting upset with his total lack of shopping etiquette, I was keeping an eye on her for her safety, so no one could just abscond with her.

Another happening at the Publix, I finally picked up some of their fried chicken. People have been telling me how good it is, but these are the same people that tell me how good their cakes are. I have not found their cakes to be all that good but, the fried chicken...yes! Delicious. I was able to get four legs so I would have lunch for two days. On Sunday I thought about going over to KFC or Bojangles but opted for a salad at home. So fried chicken has been on my mind.

The pressure washer guys are here. Our home was looking pretty bad. I think you are supposed to have this done every other year but last year with the back porch being built, we skipped a year. A plus is the windows are getting washed on the outside. Always something I am going to do and then never do it. I will not have to add this to my Pandemic Personality. They did a fabulous job. House looks great. Mike is here and he just cut up the fallen tree and is now mowing. He texted me that there is a wasp nest next to the driveway. Ugh!
*********
In the midst of writing a small thunderstorm stirred, causing Mike to close up shop and we lost our WiFi for a good bit of time. Thus, nothing would be saved if I continued to write. Mike is back this afternoon finishing up weed eating and then he is going to kill the wasp nest.

TJ's announced yesterday they had butterfly bushes in stock for $10.00. So off to Mars Hill this morning to get the plants and they had local corn for sale. I had seen a thing about grilling veggies in the oven, so I picked up a few to give it a try. Then I ran over to Ingles and picked up a few more things.

Yesterday, was a fun package delivery day. A friend sent me a Texas Care Box and it made me so very, very happy. Note to self, forgot to buy sour cream...anyway, lots of fun getting that box. Roy ordered a heavy duty appliance surge protecting plug. We will be ready for when the freezer is ever delivered. Got that installed this morning which means finally I was out in the garage when the refrigerator motor wasn't running so I could unplug and re-plug. I began cleaning out the area where the freezer will be which means other parts of the garage had to be attended to. Lots of rearranging and cleaning. the plus, things that we thought were lost were found yesterday...After beginning and then ending that task when it got too hot, I ate leftovers for lunch and then picked up with the book I am reading, Big Lies in A Small Town. Great plot and it has hooked me from the very beginning.

Well, that's it for now.

A Week or Weak Retrospective

I think I have developed a Pandemic Personality...you know another personality added to the bunch. Pandemic Nancy is a little more organized, a little more domestically leaning, oddly creative and much more germ aware. My brother Doug and I came up with our theory in a three and a half hour phone call this week. He is all about spraying Lysol and I am all about using Clorox wipes.

In the midst of being more organized, before Christmas last year, I desperately searched for the Christmas gift I had bought Doug in May. I felt I had put it in the sideboard in the dinning room, but it twernt there.  I was semi cleaning out the closet in the front bedroom when low and behold, I found a white box taped shut. Didn't give it a thought for several days, then decided to open it cause I hadn't a clue what it was...it was Doug's Christmas gift. I called him to let him know that the last part of last year's Christmas would be on the way to him. Doug and I cover all kinds of ground when we talk. Gardens, cooking, COVID-19 and at some point we visit for a little bit of time, our childhood. We are not making excuses for our weaknesses or even being bitter, but trying to understand, which we will not probably understand on this side of heaven and on the other side, we won't care. Doug got two good years with our father and it is hard to reconcile two years out of so many horrible ones. I am coming to terms with how much he hated me and his actions or no actions that came from all that hatred. Doug confirmed what I had thought all along the other night and in all our conversations he hadn't ever told me. Many with the beginnings of dementia have those thoughts of people stealing or taking things, but my father's actions did not have that dementia quality to it. He was such a good liar and so believable. Long story short, he initiated the actions against us, first time letting the story get away from him and being influenced by his posse and the second time, he initiated because he wanted to, it was funny to him, thinking we would be investigated again. Thankfully, my brother was able to stop that second investigation before it even started.


Just finished freezing twelve ears of corn. TJ's has local corn from Mills River and so many have said that it is great corn. So, I've been dreading husking it that is until I Googled a You Tube video that showed the easiest way. Basically, microwave, cut off the end and push the ear out of the rest of the husk...very few strings, not a lot of mess. Got it cut off the ear and put into the freezer.

There is a distant rumble of thunder but so far no rain here. Earlier the thunder was much closer yet the end result was no rain. I keep looking at the dahlias, thinking they need water but after watching some rambunctious cats, I now know the lack of rain look is merely flowers being beaten down by the playfulness in the evenings.

This seemed to be a week to take it easy. Partly, I needed to keep an eye on Buddy. She stopped eating and was lethargic. In the middle of the week she began to eat a few treats and some food I feed the ferals. She is not at full speed but is a little more active in between her naps. She still isn't eating much but giving her a variety of treats has perked her interest. Many times I catch her just staring off into space. It is odd seeing that and I pet her or talk to her to try and bring her out of that state. She has tried to get behind the corner unit but putting large books around the edge has held off her success. 
********
Ah, Sunday afternoon. Long nap after lunch because very little sleep last night. Buddy could not settle. We even did the bonus room sleep which usually lulls her but didn't work last night. This morning, I overslept but still got to church early. Pastor Bradley resumed his preaching through Mark and we finished up Mark 5 yesterday. He preached on the woman with the issue of blood, Jarius and his daughter. All three of them in the midst of the crowd had one thing in common, their desperate need for Jesus. It didn't matter if you are a high ranking synagogue official, an unnamed woman with a horrible problem that left her in the state of being ritually unclean for twelve years and then when it came to the daughter, Jesus spoke in such a compassionate voice to her. The little girl get up story has special meaning to me...for many reasons but I clung to that story while going through bilateral knee replacement rehab. Get up, walk around, people are astonished and Jesus says give her something to eat. It is not there but I think the little girl had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried okra, creamed corn, yeast rolls and coconut cake. Can you tell I haven't been to Blue Rooster lately? 

No Lions, No Tigers But There Are Some Bears

When he sensed weakness, but didn't yet know the source, he was like a tracking dog, a bloodhound. A Bible verse comes to mind, seeking whom he might devour. Once he recognized the source, he was relentless. First it began as joking around, at the expense of the weak one. The attack escalated and victory for him came when the victim took it...didn't try to deflect and merely counted off time to wait the attention out or find some reason to escape. Sometimes the perceived weak one, would speak back, directly. Most times it didn't take much for the bloodhound to retreat, but not the kind of retreat that comes to mind. Confrontation, he wasn't afraid of it, he wanted it. Thus everything could escalate. It seemed once he had said everything he wanted to say, he dug in on a nerve to totally "own" the weak one. When he tired of his meanness or perceived he had lost the advantage the bugler in his head sounded retreat. His retreat wasn't peaceful by any means and now in his warped emotional thinking, he was the victim.  Most tracking dogs are for search and rescue or to track criminals down and keep a community safe. He was like a bloodhound but his tracking instincts were not for good. Maybe he was a mixed breed bloodhound with a bit of aggressive pit bull dog in the mix. If you found yourself in his presence, the best strategy? Never, ever show any sign of weakness.

The above paragraph is part of a creative writing prompt and today, the prompt was, he was like a ________.

We might be looking at day six of having temps in the 90s. Along with the heat, the humidity has kicked in making any time outdoors difficult. I was out earlier feeding the ferals and coming back into the house, to the welcomed air conditioning was a pleasure. Last night as the rain split to the north and southeast, I got out to water the front flowerbed, plants on the deck and plants in the back. Oh, let us know forget the wildflowers in the side flowerbed. It is a lot of work. The sky was overcast when I began but the sun came out in the midst of the chore. I got hot pretty quickly.

Today on Monday I had Sunday lunch. I cooked the greasy beans all afternoon yesterday. They were definitely lacking something, a little more salt for sure. So I added salt and remembered some spices mixed at the Biltmore for dipping bread in, oil and spices. Those spices were added and boom, the beans were so good. Since I like to eat a large meal at lunch time not so much for supper, I punted the planned meal to today. Delicious! Greasy beans, sliced tomatoes, ham and sweet potatoes. No cornbread but none was needed.
********
Tuesday morning began foggy but it has burned off with the sunshine. The ferals were out waiting this morning for breakfast. The kiddos used the waiting time for playing and it is difficult to get anything done when playtime is on. Even though Punky is around a little more, Boo, her kitten we couldn't rescue, has bonded with Mama Cat. He is out there playing but takes time to go over and sit by her. He doesn't do that for Punky. It feels as if there is a power shift going on in the back and the territory is becoming more of Punky's. So, who knows, it is just fun to watch those kittens play.

The local neighbor association is reporting a lot of bear sightings around us. The ones who have lived around here for a long time seem to think the bears are living by Mountain View Church, in the woods on their property. Those woods come to the edge of our neighbors above us. When I am outside I am keeping an eye open for bears, but no lions or tigers. I once saw a bob cat in the front yard and our neighbors have seen some on their trail cam.

In this social distancing portion of life, with lots of time and projects to keep me occupied, I find a gentle change happening inside. I don't know if it is the effects of this season or if it is a part of me that was kept under wraps for survival sake. Anyway, no matter, a calmer approach to life is healing. The slower pace therapeutic. The unrealistic needs of trying to keep up with whomever we are trying to keep up with don't even register in a top five kind of deal.

Sunday Night, Looking Like Rain

Last Saturday I was trying to decide if I would drive over to TN or if I would stick around the local area. Thinking of more people being out on the weekend and not wanting to be in a crowd decided to do the local thing. Being able to take one of the most beautiful drives to Mars Hill made the decision easy. It was a nice day so the top came down on Mustang Sam and off we went. Had the music turned up a bit and I was singing to some oldies. While enraptured with song, taking in the sunshine, a weird feeling hit my leg. It felt as if something was crawling up the calf of my left leg. First thought that came was of recent FB posts where a snake comes out of the a/c vents or from underneath the dashboard. You know I went right there before looking. Now mind you this is all happening in nano seconds but it felt like a much longer time. Not knowing how I would react if it was a snake, or lizard or spider...I kept my eyes on the road because there are twists and turns, river to one side and smack dab into a mountain on the other...quick glance, much relief, it was a paper towel grazing my leg.

With that could be emergency settled, it was onward to Mars Hill and TJ's. Pulled into the parking lot and saw a sign over a section of the tomatoes, Mr Stripey $3.49 a pound. Went inside, got half runners, berry pepper goat cheese, cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning but before checking out, I asked a question about the Mr Stripey tomatoes. I asked if Mr Stripey was a local farmer, up in the mountains of Madison County that was known for his delicious tomatoes. The lady at the register, mindfully suppressing a laugh, responds...they are a heirloom tomato. On the inside there are stripes of pinks, reds, and green. Behind me I heard a lady murmur..bless her heart. Not to be totally embarrassed I let them know, working on being here five years and lots to learn but being from Texas, never saw a Mr Stripey. So, I bought several. Oh my, what a good tomato! Not as acidic as regular ones, a tad sweeter. Tasted very good with Dukes, salt and white bread.

Last night I sat on the front porch stinging greasy beans. Several soft rumbles of thunder and then a light rain shower reminded me of days gone by sitting on the front porch with Grandma B shelling beans and peas. We sat together on the glider. We talked but I don't remember any particular conversations, but I knew I was loved by her. We did laugh quite a bit and when there was a lull in our conversation, Grandma would say something to the effect, so many cars traveling by, wonder where they are all going?

With feral cats being fed in the backyard the number of flies increase. The past year or so I have put up cylinder fly traps but this year yellow flat sticky fly traps have been added in the garage. Those yellow fly traps catch a whole bunch of those suckers. Sometimes while fixing food the flies being trapped draw my attention. Some land and are able to fly away but many are trapped and sometimes it looks like that scene from Gone With the Wind, where soldiers are lying on the ground, a massive amount and you can see some movement, lots of dummies were used for that scene because there were not enough extras. The extras moved and made the dummies move next to them. Anyway, there on that yellow fly paper of death, many struggle to be free. So many flies...

Buddy had an up and down night thus meaning I had an up and down night too. Very little sleep and around 3:30 am I made the decision to stay home from church. The past few nights have not held much sleep and with my resistance down, I don't want to give COVID-19 an opportunity. It is about 50/50 on mask wearing at church.

While this social distancing time has been spent doing projects, cleaning out drawers, attempting some closets but decided to put those on the if I am really desperate for something to do list, a few negatives have entered the six foot zone. A few weeks ago I wrote about everyone enabling Barney on the Andy Griffith Show. Since that is on in the background many a night, it is looking like I need to find something else or leave the TV off. Maybe I'm getting more like my mom, she didn't like Barney and found him to be a nuisance. But Barney is wearing thin on my nerves. Another nerve getting on thing, social media has been around for a while. If you participate with it by now you know that everyone's life is not peachy keen. So, for those who have to put that in a post, so we won't think that life is nothing but a dream, sha boom, sha boom...just stop it! Give us the grace to know that 99% of us know that social media is used to portray an image and the 1%, they'll think whatever they want to think, so writing that life isn't perfect is so unnecessary. Also, along this line...if you want something, be willing to pay for it, not get it for free. Stuff like, if anyone has free tickets to a Broadway Show, please contact me. Anyone have a cabin we could use or a beach house or a condo or a timeshare? Stop it! Most that are asking can afford to rent or lease or pay...The answers are interesting in response to asking and most are directing the person asking to AirBNB or VRBO. One time when asking for tickets, almost everyone said, go online to the box office.

So, I cannot end this post on a negative note of things getting on my nerves. I started a new book and it is very good Big Lies in a Small Town. After being so discouraged by not finding something to grab my attention, the Upstairs at the White House got me rolling. The memoir I started is okay. Well, that a wrap for this evening. I watered flowers and now it looks like rain. Oh boy, then I won't have to water tomorrow evening.

Just Some Friday Catch Up

The dilemma each morning now with warmer temps is, go out early and do a few maintenance things in the flower garden or stay inside and begin a blog post. Well, this morning it is obvious the choice I made. The choice came after being outside for just a bit, even in the shade, it didn't take long for me to come back inside. Although I got a hole dug for the climbing rose bush, worked in the quarry to break up some rocks to add to the pathway down to the flower garden and gave a few droopy flowers a little watering. The ferals have scooted off to somewhere cooler than the yard. More power to them.

I read an article yesterday about hanging tough with gardening in July. Weeds, even with the best way possible to keep them at bay and plants that didn't grow according to the plans made in the spring can be frustrating. The encouragement was good because that weariness quickly has been taking over that initial joy, even with flowers blooming and the sunflowers growing strong.
********
It has been several days since writing the above and those paragraphs are relevant this morning. I tried to beat the heat and get out to do a few things like putting the smaller pieces of broken up stones for the pathway in place, feed the birds and chop down some weeds. It didn't take long to abandon ship on those plans. My neighbor and I were talking the other day about keeping up spring motivation into the middle of summer.

This morning I slept in until 8:00 am. Most of that sleep came from my eye exam yesterday which included dilated eyes. Also Buddy had a semi restless night. Her old age is showing again this past week. She will eat treats somewhat and a little food but mainly wants to sleep. At the last vet appointment they told me she is doing good for a fifteen year old cat but to expect the slow down to accelerate a bit. It is tough watching her maneuver her moves . I thought she was a goner last August but she pulled through. Hoping she can do the same this summer.

For a COVID time, this week held what used to be so normal. Hair appointment, trip to the Amish Markets near Johnson City and eye exam. What wasn't back when normal are all the protocols put into place for a safe experience. It is interesting what different businesses feel is important to the whole safe experience. I think the strongest protocols are at the hair salon. Fever check, sign a waiver, just bring in what is needed, no extras. They disinfect used pens, your credit card and constantly ask you to use the hand sanitizer. Got some bad news from the salon, Chloe is moving back to Florida and will be leaving the salon at the end of August. We have such a good relationship in all things hair and life discussions. So, I will only have one more appointment with her. That news took the wind out of my sails, it affected me so much emotionally. After doing the hair thing I went to pick up the paint by number barn quilts over in Madison County. Picked two designs that she puts on the plywood for you, supplies the paint and brushes and instructions. I was in the Mustang for the pick up and the thought crossed my mind that Sam might have some trouble getting up the steep gravel driveway. And yes, there was trouble and a whole lot of spinning going on. I backed down and thought this through, the options that maybe would help. I saw along the left side of the driveway, grass and not so much gravel. So again, revved up Sam, veered to the left and success! If I decide to do more of her things, the truck will be the way to go.

Roy wanted some more extreme queso from the Amish store, so Wednesday I made the trip to TN. Got his queso and a few other fun things. No need for a Kroger stop but I did go back to Academy to get a couple of visors. Stopped for lunch at Carabba's and then made my way home. It was tempting to stop along the way to take some flower pictures but overcame the temptation.

 On the way home from the grocery store, thinking about all the changes in the past few months in the big picture as well as on the home front. These are just some random thoughts, in no order and probably of not much importance.

During the safer at home COVID time

Goldfish and Texas Mix, together in a bowl have been the snack during this time.

Ice cream, while always loving it, is the dessert of choice for me these days.

Hamburgers, sloppy joes, pasta dishes and long time favorite or newly married meals have been the choice. Some of it comfort food other, just easy to make.

I discovered gardening.

Several long procrastinated projects have been checked off the list, but there are still so many more awaiting attention.

Like I said, not anything important but I do feel good about how I have spent the days mainly being at home. With this done, think I will make some sloppy joes for lunch and there might be a few frozen fries to add to the mix.

Fri-Yay

One of our biggest jobs we tackled on Roy's staycation was pulling out the refrigerator and cleaning and vacuuming the coils. I had done the best I could which had helped the cooling situation but with Roy tackling the big job and his attention to detail, the difference was night and day. Good thing I had bought some small brushes for cleaning metal straws because that got into the nooks and crannys. Recommended to do twice a year and that made Roy so happy, happy, joy, joy.

I have been working on a short story...still too short to write about here. I have taken a few writing courses over the years as well as belonging to a book group that critiqued my writing style. Fiction is not my strong suit, so it is a challenge. It is not a story about cats.

While Roy and I made peach butter and strawberry freezer jam, we realized that the kitchen wasn't meant for two people. Normally, that would be wonderful news to me but here of late, because of the lock down, I find myself preparing meals in the kitchen. Meals that go beyond warming something up in the microwave. We've never had enough counter space nor storage space. We have tossed around the idea of expanding the kitchen and that idea tossed up to number one taking over redoing our en-suite bathroom. Roy watched a lot of Home Town with me and we began to put together ideas of what we would want. One thing we both agree on, is leaving the wall between the kitchen and living room. But we would take the archway out of the now dinning room to open that up. That way we could have a long island for counter space as well as an eat in bar. We have that in our Katy home and we really like that, along with electrical outlets and more storage. So it is good to be thinking on these things.

Another change of heart...well, it isn't that big of change but I ordered some boots to wear when gardening or doing farm work. No farm work in the mix but yesterday as I was slip sliding away while trying to cut down weeds, the thought came to me I should have muck boots or something. So while the color choices weren't that great for my size, found some on sale and ordered them. Why am I humming the Green Acres tune? Not only have I ordered boots but now while on sale, I have ordered two pairs of gardening pants...cool, wicking fabric and lots of pockets and they'll compliment the new boots. I need to talk to Mike the Mower Man. Rumor has it, he has a tiller and there are a couple of flowerbeds dancing around in my head. This much is sure, it is too hot to work outside now. Looking to fall plantings for spring flowers.

Finished Upstairs at the White House and moved right into Lake of the Ozarks, a memoir. Never been there but it reminds me a bit of back in the day Branson. The author worked in the summers at a hotel his aunt and uncle owned. We are probably close to the same age and he grew up in central Illinois. It is a humorous look at a vanishing America, cheap kitschy souvenirs and easily entertained amusements  ...but once I got into it, I thought maybe there could be some trigger points from the nightmarish trip and trips to Branson Missouri with my father. Both my brother and I shudder when someone mentions Branson. Oh, my mother was there but it is always the father issue in our most horrible, not beloved but now kind of laughable adventures with father. One Christmas, Dad suggested that we all go to Branson, his treat. My brother and I nervously exchanged glances...we didn't answer right then cause it was presented more as a statement, not a question to us. Doug and I were able to have a short conversation first to affirm that neither one of us wanted to participate and who was going to address this with father. I had the least to lose, so I breached the subject by first telling him what a generous offer but Roy and I would have to decline. You'll understand my next statement by telling this, my father picked hotels that were cheap. He and my mom would sleep in their clothes with their wallets under their pillows. He stacked furniture to barricade the door at night. So, when I told him Roy and I traveled at a different level than he and mom and it just wouldn't work, he took it well but then looked at Doug, uh, same thing...  Branson was also a part of the "Big Gulp Trip" that Roy and I took many, many years ago.

Fences, Gates, Ferals and Buddy

Once again the liberty of easing into the day is afforded this morning. And once again the forecast is for a rainy afternoon. Yesterday, we received some rain, but I wouldn't categorize the amount as a shower. Buddy has been treated, had her usual lap nap and spent a bit of time on the front porch before heading upstairs. She has changed her first morning spot from the sunny bedroom to the more comfortable bonus room.

We have officially been scheduled for our fence and gate. If they are able to, we will move up in the rotation. I would like to have a fence in the front yard as well but we will maybe wait on that a bit.

Last night I had settled in for the evening after planting a few things in the back and getting them watered. Got a notification from a security camera, looked at the footage and it was Mary Joyce from across the way knocking on the backdoor. Quickly, I called her daughter who lives right behind her and then I went out to look for Mary Joyce. The past few month, dementia is overtaking her and she has never come over this way. I didn't know if she was lost or scared or what. Anyway, she was on the front deck when her daughter arrived and we all visited as if I hadn't called. Bless her and her family as they go through such a difficult time.
**************
Thursday morning early rise with Buddy. Getting up really early is easier than those 2:00-4:00 am kind of nights. Feeling like a nap will be included into today's activities. The morning is starting out foggy...no not me cause I have already had two ginormous cups of coffee. An email on creativity suggested ways to remain creative. One was meet the dawn once a month. Well, that can be checked off the list. I looked out the back window to check on the ferals or to see if the ferals are in the backyard at all. Their silhouette gathered under the fir trees doesn't let me know if we are down a kitten or not. Radley looked sickly again yesterday. Having Mama Cat in the backyard is giving me new insight into her. She has come across as uncaring and inattentive with litters in the past. Several compassionate actions are changing my perception of her. Radley sat in the middle of the yard yesterday. Mama Cat brought food over from a bowl and placed it in front of Rad. Then she sat there keeping company with this little one. A little later Miss Priss came and sat with Radley.

I am almost finished with the book Upstairs at the White House. Mr West served the White House from the Roosevelts to the Nixon years. Such interesting insights to how the house is run and the joys and idiosyncrasies of the various First Ladies. The Kennedy years while short were compelling. Jackie Kennedy got a whole lot done in a little over two years. Last night, even though I told myself I would stop reading at that point...no, I went onto the LBJ years.

We had a good rain shower late yesterday afternoon. Hurrah! I was going to have to water the front flowerbed. In the side flowerbed, I had let some weeds grow thinking they might be wildflowers. Last year I pulled up a bunch of flowers thinking they were weeds. With the soft ground as both a help and hindrance, help to get the plant removed, hindrance standing on an incline of a wet and slimy surface. The roots are unbelievable and one can only spend so much time trying to extract this strong weed from the ground. Last night and this morning I made a small dent into the growth. Tonight, weed cutting and pulling will resume.

A quick feral update...all the kittens are here and accounted for. Yea! Radley looks a little more lively today.

Our Summer Staycation

It has been a while since writing a blog post. Even in this social distancing season, where time to do those things we've procrastinated continuously has amply served our feelings of accomplishment, there have been other things taking attention. Thus, blog writing takes a backseat, no make that a third row backseat to life. There were things to clean and things to prepare and things to do, but now on this Tuesday morning once again the liberty of easing into the day has arrived. So far, I have given the ferals and Buddy treats, tasted on toast our first attempts of freezer jam and have had a lot of butterscotch toffee flavored coffee. All in all a very fine morning.

Roy's staycation went by too quickly. He was able to get a lot of rest in between all the things we had to do. We got most everything done or at least a beginning to those projects that take time. Roy cleaned the well water filter and got the dryer vent situation taken care of. We finally got the old trash can to the landfill and practiced being ecological by tearing down cardboard boxes and taking those to the landfill as well. The always ongoing, never ending cleaning of the garage got a bit of time and we received a quote for backyard fencing and a gate for the driveway. Roy will get those returned to the fencing company so that we can get on their schedule. The HVAC system was inspected and Mustang Sam went to Jimmy's for an oil change and basic maintenance. I have been thinking about rearranging our bedroom furniture but gee, somehow we ran out of time to get that done.

We finally used our canner for dummies. I bought it four years ago with visions of canning dancing through my head. It just took up a lot of cabinet space, but before making a decision to send it onward for someone else to enjoy, we made peach butter. We waited way to late in the day to begin the process. We made the peach butter in our slow cooker and then used the programmed canning thing to seal and preserve the butter. Next time we need to begin earlier in the day so the peach butter can be thicker. When I said to Roy it is labor and time intensive, I should have been way more specific! I've never canned before but have heard the stories...I don't think he believed me. Nice though, he believes me now. We were able to buy more perennials while they were on sale at Reems Creek. We did some garden work, but not much. We were able to get a few more bags of rubberized mulch to finish out the front flowerbed. May and even into June seemed cooler than normal so garden work wasn't so limited but now that we are in July, the mornings and afternoons are too hot to work. We differ so in our stamina. Many evenings I still have energy to work but Roy has given his all and is ready to crash in front of the TV.

Roy prepared his workspace to be able to work from home if that directive comes again. We ordered a monitor and other computer stuff. I like using this big monitor off the laptop. I ordered and assembled a desk early on in the social distancing season. He was quite happy with the results.

In between all our chores we took a couple of days to take off and enjoy the countryside. We didn't make it to Max Patch but we did get to see some of the countryside around Burnsville and we spent an afternoon in Johnson City. We ate out our first and only meal of staycation, Carabba's. Very well done social distance dining. Sadly, pizza is not included in their COVID-19 menu. Roy was quite shocked and may have not gotten over it, that I cooked all our meals with the exception of biscuit Sunday morning. We tried out the new griller and the hamburgers were delicious! I also introduced Roy to TJ's. He was quite smitten with the veggie and fruit selection but I think his favorite purchase was the cinnamon rolls. Truthfully, I was quite smitten with them as well. 

 We weren't able to attend our neighbors July 4th party because Roy got word of the very strong discouragement of being in groups from the office. Thus on Sunday morning, our first morning back inside the church, we didn't go. All around us on July 4th night, we had a great firework show. Around here people stop shooting fireworks before midnight which is really wonderful. It was a buck moon and we got some great pictures of it from our driveway. We did make it to several bookstores and I am finally feeling the reading mood hit.

The feral kids have discovered the metal basket on top of the antique baker rack out back. This morning four of them were curled up sleeping. Boo is still skittish around me but he is not running as far. With cat food, any food really, the flies are abundant. My latest interest is watching flies land on the fly paper. Well, interest is too much of a word, but some escape and others don't. I need to put another sticky catcher out back cause that thing is almost filled with flies, wasps and other types of flying bugs.

Well, I should stop here and that's what I'll do....

Faith, Hope, and Procrastination

Saturday morning. Mama Cat has beckoned all the little ones, who aren't so little anymore, and she has included Boo. I know I have posted on FB as well as writing about this phenomenon several times but her acceptance and behavior toward Boo has truly astounded me.  Mama Cat be cranky most of the time. She swipes at Strawyer and Beanie...goes eye to eye growling with Punky and greets me every morning with a round of hissing. Then she does the closed eyes thing, so basically Mama Cat is passive aggressive.

My original plans for the day included going over to the Artsy Pants Market in Haywood County. I love going to this particular event, but last night before going to bed, the thought came to me even with an abundance of caution, protocols and required masks, that's a lot of people indoors in exhibit halls. A lot of the vendors are outside but I know me...I would not stay out of the exhibit halls thus I am staying home. I have something or someone more that I love than this market and they'll be here very soon. It does not help to see pics so I am staying away from FB for the time being. Another factor too, the high is going to be in the low 80s. Factor in temps, plus people, plus wearing a mask, and limited seating...and the likelihood of getting too warm or hot rapidly escalates. Last year at the market even in the spring, the heat affected me. It is all about staying in the protocols set for me to stay feeling good. This year, even with Covid 19 being all the rage, has been the best I have felt in a long time. With the exception of the spring heel spur, working in the garden and yard has been pain free with energy.

During the self distancing portion of life, I find myself watching a little more TV than usual. We have Netflix and Hulu but it seems I spend a lot of time in Mayberry or in Landford, if it is the first few seasons. I know I have been watching too much Andy when I am saying to the TV, why doesn't anyone confront Barney? Why do they tolerate this behavior? I mean how many times can Barney try to fix up Andy and fail. How many episodes will be devoted to Barney jumping the gun and thinking that Andy and__________ pick any of the girlfriends Andy dates...only a week or so...are getting married only to discover, Barney misread the circumstances. A tad dramatic and compensates for his feelings of insignificance by being a blow hard, know it all kind of person. So, yes, I have been self distancing for too long to be thinking these things. But he sure did bring a lot to the show even if it was on repeat.

It has been an interesting watch from a distance with the pastor from Atlanta thing from last Sunday. His word choice...well, it wasn't good but it looks as if he has escaped the mob mentality and will not have to resign from his church. He is a fortunate one but he came back with a social media apology that merits sincerity and repentance. He and his team have been cutting edge for quite some time, in music, books, and styles of worship. It seems to be the thing of his generation of preachers, teachers and pastors to change words...phrases to make them relevant to the times. This goes from renaming Sunday School, which so many still refer to even if it has a new name, to renaming rooms of the church or different ministries. I totally get that, but it is funny to think that most of these guys are in their late forties, fifties and early sixties...their relevance time is running short. Soon a new generation will come and rename the names, remove smoke and fog machines and light shows...not that all churches do that and sometimes it does add to a service. This particular generation hit church leadership when the business model began to form in churches and leadership being based on a business culture outlook, oh along with some prayer and meditation. Maybe, this type of leadership from these particular types isn't what is needed right now. It could be that we, white people, should let POC lead the way. Certainly, we need to be listening to learn and care and join with.

The much anticipated haircut happened yesterday. Chloe told me I have a lot of gray hair now, only it looks blond. I'll take it! So technically it feels like I lost about six pounds of hair yesterday. Next appointment comes with highlights and it is over a month and a half away, soonest to be able to get in. No blow drying, so that was kind of weird but totally doable. I just put the top down on the Mustang and let the wind do its thing. I thought about going to the Screen Door or ATB but opted for Barnes and Noble. Haven't been to this particular one since maybe January. Totally rearranged and the feel of relaxed browsing and relaxing is diminished somewhat, but that doesn't affect my style of bookstore browsing. I was there yesterday for a couple of magazines.

I have caught myself a couple of times going out in public dressed like an old lady and not by choice either. Went to the doctor office and my blues did not match. I wore an outfit the other day that totally screamed, old but didn't realize it until I was out and about. This is what happens when one's affection for The Nord has been replaced by Tractor Supply....well, that is not totally true. I still order from Flax.

This morning, like many mornings, I walked into a spider web. Did the necessary get the web out of my hair dance and now...well I feel like spiders are everywhere. Every little itch, is a spider and of course I know this not to be true. I do my best to avoid webs because those spiders are doing a job of catching bugs. Part of my long list of jobs accomplished is fly traps and fly paper cause with ferals in the summer, there are a lot of flies hanging about.

There is one more perennial to plant and I need to check the latest transplants of sunflowers. I should have kept a list of all the things accomplished around here during the isolation part of this year. Funny how being home translated into really doing projects cause sometimes procrastination is a spiritual gift and Paul said it so well in I Corinthians 12. So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.

But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all....The way of procrastination. 

And with that, I will end today's blog post. It is a beautiful day out here on the back porch but there are strawberries to be cut and vacuuming to be done. Oh and laundry, there is always laundry.

Catching Up With This Week

WNC is enjoying a brief respite from summer temps. In the 50s at night and only in the 60s during the day. Last night it felt so chilly in the bonus room that it was tempting to pull out a small heater but I resisted. That is what sweatshirts are for.

So many things to blog on and those thoughts have been rumbling about in my head but what happens is this, it is best to work in the flowerbeds earlier in the day. By the time I get into the house sitting down to write just isn't that appealing. The front flowerbed is just about done and now my attention has turned toward perennials for the backyard. Reems Creek is having a sale on perennials and pollinator plants through the month of June. With rain threatening yesterday, it was the perfect time to go there because the crowds are there mainly on sunny, let's plant something kind of days. While picking up a few plants yesterday I overheard a conversation that tickled me. The staff is so helpful at Reems Creek and they give you pointers and info while you are looking at plants. Being in the pollinator section, divided into native and non native plants, this gentleman who had been sent by his wife most probably, because there was that constant phone contact weighing over on plant decisions, asked a couple of questions to the staff lady about how these plants would do in the higher elevations. He went on quite a bit about living in the higher elevations...so the lady asked him, what is your elevation? He said oh we are up there at 2500 feet. She and I both about spit, but we didn't cause we had on masks and spit would just return to us...she kindly responded, sir, our location is at about 2500 feet. Around here, the higher elevations are considered 3200 and beyond. Must be a new Floridian to the area. Weaverville is a Floridian attraction point.

Buddy had her vet appointment and I am so much happier with this practice rather than the zen one closer to Asheville. All the Covid 19 protocols are in place, so they ask questions over the phone, then come out and get the pet, examine them and then call you in the car to tell you their findings. Buddy was not a well behaved cat yesterday and she was giving them a little bit of grief. They were not able to give her a full examination but after a little time in a darkened room to calm down, they were able to give her a mani/pedi and get the steroid shot in her. We are looking at options for Buddy to be examined and of course that includes getting meds into her. I told the vet gabapentin doesn't calm Buddy down one iota.

Last year I began collecting old ladders and benches. Didn't do much with them except put flower pots on them. This year I have spray painted them various colors but mainly going with a teal and red color theme. Last year the plant man by the river sold me a couple of apple crates and those have been spray painted and one so far has been stenciled. Nice work on cool afternoons on the back porch.

Mama Cat is keeping control of the backyard. Boo, Punky's kitten from the last litter is slowly but surely being accepted by, I have lost count, but its cousins or aunts and uncles...who knows. Until they totally tear them up, I am keeping the cushions that were on the rocking chairs back there for them. Has to be better than lying on the hard or wet ground. It is also a great play area as the kittens on the cushion defend from any aggressor trying to get up there with them. Guess it is like King of the Hill game. I got an up close look into the face of Boo when putting some treats out, dark eyes, really such a beautiful cat. This last litter of Mama Cat is about the best looking litter in the history of the feral fam claiming their home back in 2017. This particular litter are very fluffy, so I'm not too sure how many males and females there are. This is the jumpingest group of kittens. They hop around like bunnies in the evenings.
**************
It is getting a little rowdy in the backyard. Mama Cat doesn't like Strawyer, Punky these days doesn't seem to like anyone, Beanie is great with childs and the kittens are moving beyond their sacred spots and taking on adventure. So, two kittens were eating when Punky arrived. She made that low growling sound...didn't phase the kittens, so she took a swipe at it and the room so to speak scattered. One of the twin kittens came over to protect Mama Cat and there for a few seconds...I didn't know if an all out brawl would take place or what. Such hopes for peace as Mama Cat has taken in Boo. Punky is done with him. But Mama Cat remains a tried and true feral. She will eat every bit of food so that no other cat or rival can have any. There have been spats in the garage and by the food bowls. These ferals...they are entertaining though.

Of course none of the things I've contemplated or thought about have not been included on this post. Tomorrow is the long awaited haircut. Have to wear a mask. Sometimes I can get it adjusted right and no bother but other times...such a bother.

Buddy is feeling better. She is the happy wanderer. She goes from place to place but now has finally settled down in the window of the bonus room. She was a wanderer last night thus I had to take a short nap this afternoon.

Cats, Tags, Burgers and Jams

Buddy is taking in the fine temperatures and sun on the front porch and the kittens out back are playing those wild kitten games and feats of strength. Makes it difficult to get anything done because they are so entertaining.

I decided to try and pick up my temporary handicap tags. Last year being able to park closer to buildings really helped my intolerance for heat and kept the ol' ticker in rhythm. The line was longish so I punted and took a scenic drive over to Mars Hill to stop in at TJ's. They had a delivery of local beef and pork that morning but I was too late to get a steak to try because they were sold out. I picked up a package of hamburger and think I will make sliders this weekend. Got a few more peaches,  tomatoes, and a flat of beautiful zinnias. I was able to plant several before a nice rain shower came through. In a bit I'll check on the transplanted sunflowers but as of last evening they were looking like they had perked up a bit from the shock of transplanting. Last night I looked at several options on modified wheel barrels and think there is one that will do all the jobs that need to be done around here.
**********
Pick up of tag successful this morning and no waiting. Got there a little after 9:00. I debated on whether to run a couple of errands or come home. I came home to check on Buddy. Her old age is giving her problems this week. Nothing that seems to warrant a visit to the vet but it is tough watching your cat companion of nearly 15 years, deal with old age. She gives glimmers though of a youngish cat. She played with an empty paper bag this morning as well as chased a cardboard tie around the kitchen. Now she's napping and I'm feeling that call as well.

Our pastor and deacons have decided we will have outdoor church until the end of June. Several of us wanted to clap, but we held off on that. It struck me as funny yesterday that I parked by first base and sat in short right field. The chairman of the deacons prayed during the service and he said to the effect thank you God for this beautiful sanctuary you have given us. Yep, sitting on a softball field, lush green verdant mountains for a background, blue sky, hawks, birds singing and a pastor who preaches the Word. It is a lovely sanctuary in deed.
**********
Wednesday morning and the forecast is rain. Right now it is just overcast but the radar indicates that rain is moving toward us. It can be moving toward us but that doesn't mean it will get here. Last evening I went to the flowerbed to water and as I was wrapping up that work I could see rain moving our way. A fine mist that obscured long range mountain views. So, guess the watering primed a little rain shower.

Cat world right now is topsy turvy. Inside, Buddy is not feeling well and she now has a vet appointment. I know she is a geriatric cat but there might be an underlying problem. We've had rough nights of late. She has always been a meowing cat and she isn't meowing more than usual, but her demeanor is different. She still is eating, drinking and pooping, so that is all good. The past week or so Punky has not been herself. She came around in the evening and didn't eat much. I've been keeping my eye open for an opportunity to scoop her up, but she had pretty much stopped rubbing around my legs while preparing food for the fam. Her little black kitten that we could not rescue has been hanging around the yard a bit and just that makes me think that Punky might no longer be with us. These cats have proven that theory wrong before and I hope that is true this time. What I have gathered in watching these cats over the years is this, when one of them is not doing well, they sit with it. They put aside their cat differences and surround the ailing cat. Cali and Riley did this for a kitten that wasn't going to make it, Edee had her family with her and just the other day Strawyer sat with Punky, but not in the usual way. In other cat news, Mama Cat is not in the backyard this morning. Now with her, it could be several things, but she has been known to dump her kittens with me and she moves on. The past few days of observation made me think she was getting to that point. Now, to get the kittens but with Buddy I am hesitant. She does not share attention well...so I am at a quandary. Just a couple of weeks ago I felt overwhelmed by the ferals. Even one of the male cats that comes around now and then showed up last night and I think he has a broken front leg or at least an injured one. He is here rarely so he hasn't even received a name. Ranger disappeared about a week ago, Frankie, well he hasn't been seen for a couple of weeks. Frankly with Frankie, I am happy not to see him hanging around. He scared me and felt that he might attack me. Big Chief the alpha to the max cat, not around. Darth comes around a bit but I think he is someone's cat who they let out now and then. He is too well groomed and not afraid of my presence. So Beanie, Strawyer, Boo and the kittens are around this morning.

With plans to work around the house yesterday, a FB notification announcing strawberries changed those plans. I had been working out in the garage and believe me, I had a little bit of a Lazarus scent going on. But scent be danged, I did what we all do at times, just sprayed on more deodorant and hope for the best. I got there in time to claim strawberries, just a few buckets left, got some tomatoes, a couple of peaches and two more pounds of hamburger to freeze. Since I came prepared with a cooler, I took the scenic route home along the river road. The mixes of summer fragrances lofted in and out of the car. Hay, river water fragrance, and floral fragrances graced and accompanied me along the drive home. Those fragrances helped with the Lazarus thing....

Oh, an update on my hamburgers....oh my goodness! Out of this world delicious. I have grilled burgers but never fried them in a pan. First attempt successful. My Houston friend Sandy, got me to thinking about getting one of those George Foreman grills. I didn't buy one of those but got a Cuisinart grill that is a multi tasking grill and the grill and flat plates are dishwasher safe. Just like free shipping gets my attention, not having to do a hand washable type cleaning...well, I just ordered me up one, had a coupon and Belk Bucks. I had been thinking of giving away my canner for dummies that I have never used, but after looking through the recipe book, Roy and I decided we are going to try our hand at peach jam. It's a natural, you know, to go with his biscuits.

Thursday And Friday....

It has been a while since last posting about Edee. There's a reason, the security software on the laptop set to expire and of course my thoughts on anything dealing with set up or adding to a computer is this, it is never easy. This should have been an easy thing, renew the software only no, it wasn't. Thus I had to call in my computer support team, Roy. He speaks and understands the language. So, as it happens he said until he could make a phone call, to use the computer sparingly, if at all. So just like with Covid 19, I social distanced from the computer. Last night, everything was updated and ready to use. I asked Roy what the problem had been with the info the company had given me to renew. He said, I solve problems, got you a three year package, so I didn't ask about that. Well, okay then. So I am back to business so to speak with my laptop. Of course I asked Roy, what if this one dies and we have to get a new one? Uh, we will tackle that issue when the time comes he said.

Today I ventured to Hendersonville for my doctor appointment. All in all, it was a good report. I have lost weight and probably weigh what I did at this time last year. But, not taken into account was spending nearly four weeks in Texas where the brisket, cheese enchiladas, BBQ and the like is easily accessible and delicious; I partook abundantly. Then tag on January which was such a long month, well it seemed that way, where the choices I made food wise were not, well, wise. So I had gained more pounds than I had liked. Since being in NC, fall has become the most tempting of seasons in bad food choices. I blame the apple cider donuts. The work to lose began in February and the added benefit of lock down beginning in March is that I took up gardening and outdoor projects. When I first began, I could barely carry down a bag of mulch or garden soil, but now I can do a little more and feel a lot stronger. In my mind also is the fact that there are six additional pounds from cement in hip and knee replacements, so mentally, those six pounds come off the total. The plan had been to go down to Strawberry Hill afterwards, but a huge wreck had the freeway shut down. I had been to the bookstore the week before, didn't need anything from Target...operative word, need, and with the forecast of rain in the afternoon, I began the trek back home. First though, I did something I usually do after cardiologist appointments, I eat something delicious that is not good for you. Usually, it is fried chicken but since it was still morning, I opted for a drive thru the Krispy Kreme. The farthest moment from my next checkup. If I had been able to go to Strawberry Hill, the choice would have been Jack in the Box tacos in Hendersonville. For just a brief moment the thought of going to TN entered my brain, but when I got home Buddy was so desperate to be on the front porch, plans changed. She spent the entire afternoon out there. With storms nearby, the wind picked up later in the afternoon. We are not fans of gusty winds so we came inside. We got a little rain and a few rumbles of thunder but the rain did the split and mostly was on two sides of us passing us by. 

**********

The backyard has been taken over by Mama Cat. She is the original cat that brought her three kittens under the fir tree in 2017, Cali was one of those kittens. Once Cali took residence and claimed the deck and yard as her own, Mama Cat disappeared. As is wont with ferals, I figured something had gotten her or she had been trapped. Then, the day after Cali died, Mama Cat reappeared. She didn't take over the backyard, Camo did and Mama Cat was left to live on the edges on the gravel road. Punky and Strawyer, their mother is Camo. Camo abandoned them here to Riley to care for, only P and S shunned Riley. Wow, that felt a little bit like writing begats in the Bible. Punky has dominated the backyard for about a year, but when we rescued her kittens, she was dethroned and Mama Cat took over. Last Friday in fact, I woke up to find four kittens on the porch step. Mama Cat has cleaned house so to speak. Punky is living on the edge of the gravel road, Beanie drops in occasionally for a bite to eat, Strawyer is come and go, Frankie hasn't been seen in a week, Big Chief hasn't been around for two weeks, Darth is around now and then, but he is the alpha cat, even Mama defers to him. I miss Edee being in the back. She didn't wander too far. Ranger hasn't been around for several days, but she looked very pregnant,  so that could be why but even being a child of Mama Cat, her presence is barely tolerated. That poor cat has faced so much rejection within her family. In the past, Mama Cat has not been very watchful over her litters. This morning I saw something that thanks to the security cameras I was able to watch. She took her kittens out of the cleft of the rock, let them play a bit, then she began moving toward the food bowls. They straggled behind her as she showed them where to find breakfast. She sat guard as they dove into those bowls. Mama Cat still hisses at me, but she seems a little more relaxed in my presence. 

Now, in between rain showers, I think I will get the sunflower seedlings and get them replanted in the backyard. Water evaporates so quickly here, so while the soil is moist, gonna get right to it. 

 

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.
*************
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.
*********
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.
**********
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.
*********************
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.