My very own . . .

Magnolia in the rain

We just finished lunch out on the porch - my very own version of a muffuletta with Lays' regular chips, death by chocolate cupcake bites and iced tea. While shopping this morning I decided to buy a  jar of Italian Olive Salad made in Kenner, LA. That spurred me into buying some thinly sliced baked ham and provolone cheese. The rest is history. I toasted the white whole wheat slices of bread and it was delicious - no more Rouses' minis! I don't think I'll go as far as getting a panini press but, come to think of it we may have a waffle maker that has some plain inserts and that would work as well. I'll have to search the house as I still don't know where everything is.

Received an email from my cribbage playing cousin in Moosup and she told me that she and her sister were going to put flowers on my parents' and little sister's grave for Memorial Day. That touched my heart. I wanted to ask someone to do that for me but I wasn't sure who to ask with out giving them an obligation that might be bothersome. They are nice angels helping me out.

P&D's Pop's friend will be stopping in shortly so I think I'll be going inside. It's easier for them to visit out here on the porch; I don't mind being a part of their conversation but since it's mainly about planes, contests, cars and conservatives I enjoy being in the air conditioned house reading my historical novels.

The Magnolia in the front yard is blooming. I hope one of the blossoms is going to be low enough for me to pick and bring in the house. They smell so good. While Grampa was flying after the heavy rains this morning I puttered around the yard with my trusty weedwacker. Phew, that's hot work. I only stepped in one fire ant hill! I got the special fire ant poison and sprinkled them and then found another hill to sprinkle. I don't think they like the rain. They were very active. I only noticed them because I got bit on the foot - they hurt. When I grabbed my shoe to shake it out I got bit on the hand - nasty suckers.

Quote:  Flattery is a base coin which gains currency only from our vanity.   ______LaRouchefoucauld

That's it . . . No more going out twice a week for breakfast . . .

Wild beauty

Nope we will no longer indulge in twice weekly breakfasts; we have opted for Sunday breakfast and lunch at Randazzo's once a week depending on their specials. P&D's Pop had their spaghetti and meatballs with a Stella Artois and I had Speck (Italian cured ham) fresh mozzarella, grilled red peppers on a fresh ciabatta bread with unsweetened iced tea. We shared the best Tiramisu ever for desert. I had teasingly told the young waitress to bring two spoons, a big one for me and a little one for P&D's Pop. I laughed when she brought out the beautifully plated Tiramisu and handed me a large serving spoon and old Pop got a teaspoon. I had to explain that I had been kidding so she went to get me a regular teaspoon. Gee, I've got to stop fooling around. These young people have no clue - she really didn't do it as part of a joke - she was dead serious about giving a customer what she asked for. So . . . yeah . . . I guess that's commendable in a hokey sort of way.

Henry and Rich, the carpenters that put up The Shed, are at their latest job across the street getting the forms set for one of our neighbor's new garage. I'm glad they were able to pick up so much work from our shed building. We do live in a fine neighborhood. We drove down a new street on the way back from South Park today, Wax Road. Wow, what an impressive neighborhood is that! Most of the homes are located on a spectacular golf course. I guess there is some money in Denham Springs. Lots of new stuff going up all over the place. I believe we are very lucky to have found our home for a reasonable price. I spoke with Alicia, our closest neighbor, last night and she was telling me that she and her 18 year old daughter will be leaving soon for an 8 day Girl Scout get together in Switzerland. They were warned to make sure to be in good shape for the outings they will be making in the Alps so she's been running with her app every evening in our neighborhood. They even went to Amite to run some hills which cracked me up. She laughed with me because the hills in Amite are not hills; they are very low mounds and if you are running on them you don't even realize that you are going up or down! She's very nice and offered to get me in touch with a homeschooling group of  moms who hire people to come in to teach things like foreign language to their offspring.

I was telling her how long it was taking for Immaculate Conception to get back to me about volunteer work in their Early Childhood Education Center. Alicia explained that she belongs to ICC and went to one of her daughter's religious Ed classes where she was appalled at the rudeness of many of the kids in the classes. She said it was no wonder ICC wanted me to volunteer in the religious ed classes rather than the Early Childhood Ed. I explained how I don't want to teach but only help out in any small ways they would choose. It'll be interesting to see if or when I get a call. The summer bible school program has already asked for my help but I explained that I would not teach religion - will not do it.  Since I'm in no hurry to get to work and since school here is almost done for the year I may just wait for the Fall classes to begin and offer my services to St. Jean Vianney parish off of O'Neil . They have schooling from preschool through 12th Grade. That may be a better fit for me, that is if they even want this old lady volunteer!

Quote:  There is no place so high that an ass laden with gold cannot reach it. ___Rojas

One of my most foolish photos yet . . .

My red and white bird

Yep, there's still time to outdo myself in craziness but today's episode is one for the blogosphere. I reluctantly took my camera to South Park this morning but I refuse to carry it around my neck. I put the lens cover in my pocket and wrapped the neck strap around my left hand which made for a not bad way to carry it and walk at a fairly good pace. Of course I stopped often today as there were quite a few birds to attempt to get in some decent photos. I was tickled when I saw this lovely looking red and white bird trying to get some bites of food out of one of the garbage barrels. I even went down on my knees and kept getting closer to it as I was clicking away. As I kept getting closer and it wasn't flying away, as most intelligent creatures do, it dawned on me that I have oodles and oodles of photos of a red and white piece of paper flapping in the morning breeze. I was laughing so hard I almost fell down. Glad there was no one around to call the people with straight jackets to haul me away. That was one of the funniest episodes I've accomplished yet.

On our return to the house we picked up some money and headed to Stine's to get some more and different wild bird food. I would really like to entice the Painted Buntings to our yard. They are here in Louisiana all summer but I've yet to see any buntings. I've only seen an Indigo Bunting twice in Connecticut. I did get a photo of one, not a good photo but proof that I had seen one. The Painted Buntings do not go that far north. P&D's Pop rearranged the feeders and food so now we'll just play a waiting game. A few birds are taking occasional baths in the birdbath. I change the water every day and a few are also stopping in for a drink or two. Pretty neat.

Quote:  The treasures of the deep are not so precious as are the concealed comforts of a man locked up in woman's love. ______Middleton

Unusually perfect weather . . .

Got up and it was 56 degrees and ended up at 80 degrees with a soft, dry breeze the whole live long day. Can't beat this weather. Big Kiddo came for a visit and straightened out my printer, did some odds and ends in The Shed and best of all he and Grampa put the notorious swing back up before P&D's Pop offered to take us to lunch at Randazzo's Market. We had some excellent food à l'italienne and the service was top notch with the owners' seven year old son helping with the drinks, menus, cleaning and schmoozing with customers as he inquired if customers had enjoyed their food. It's too bad Big Kiddo's wifey was home sick but I think that the next time we may all be able to talk P&D's Pop into lunch at the Seafood and Steak Place on Magnolia Bridge. It's supposed to be pretty good Cajun stuff.

Later in the afternoon, after Big Kiddo left for home, we took a ride East on Pete's Highway, South on 55, West on I12, Florida and Juban. The place names are poetic - Greenwell Springs, Watson, Indian Mound, Dennis Mills, Montpelier, Independence, Tickfaw, Natalbany, Hammond, Albany, Holden, Livingston, Satsuma, Walker, Denham Springs, St. Helena, Tangipahoa. We did roll up a few hills, a first for us in our new home Louisiana. Blue skies, bright sunshine, clean, dry breeze as we rolled past miles and miles of open land made me realize how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful United States. We passed few homes but each was distinctively personal to the inhabitants of said homes. The best part was seeing a few very old, rusty trailers with their neat, beautiful gardens of flowers and vegetables. There is a love of place here that strikes me as different from Connecticut. Yes there are mean, trashy areas as there are mean and trashy human beings wherever you roam on this big beautiful blue marble but there is more warmth, love and beauty than trash. Being in love with God's Earth is good. Now we have to work at teaching all living, thinking creatures to appreciate what He has created.

Okay, time to get off of my preachy soapbox. But I do like it here. Having built in family and friends has helped to bridge the gap - we went from home Moosup to home Denham Springs and all is as it should be.

Quote:  To Adam paradise was home. --To the good among his descendants, home is paradise.     ____Hare

At South Park by 8am . . .

Damn we're good. We were at the park by 8 this morning and I purposely didn't take my camera because it slows me down or I slow down because of it! When  I'm carrying it I am always looking for stuff to photograph so I have an excuse to mosey, saunter, amble, shuffle, stop, look, listen instead of power walking. (That's another joke - power walking.) Bien sûr the Red-headed Woodpecker was sitting on the 15 mph sign as I took my first lap. Yes, I slowed, I stopped and he just sat there in all of his beauteousness for my admiration and admire him I did. Finally I kept walking and he flew off. And then, naturellement on my second lap around he was back in place on the sign; this time he was facing me, accusing me of being a dodo bird for not taking his photo as he graciously posed for me once again. Really, I should just call it quits for photographing Mother Nature. I'm never prepared even when I'm prepared because I'm too lazy to study how to use my camera properly, when I do take it with me. Oy vay! As I sit here on the porch the hummingbirds are taunting me too.

Last evening was pretty spectacular. I had promised a drummer friend of mine that I would tape the rain falling on the tin roof so I worked on doing just that but the rain wasn't too cooperative although I did get a short video with sound but not the crazy rain sounds we had when we moved here in February. As I continued to video and record the hummers flew in for their evening snack and I did manage to get a pretty decent video of them with the slight drumming of the rain for background music. As I was downloading the videos to the computer I glanced out the window at the pink sky. Wow, I had to grab the camera and rush out to shoot the sunset which was peachy keen and on turning around to go back in the front door I looked up and there was a rainbow above the house. I kid you not - gorgeous sunset and a rainbow at the same time. It probably happens in Moosup too but since it's so hilly up there I never saw it.

I think I'll check online if there is a pocket camera, not a phone, I can buy and just shove in my pocket so I'll be prepared when my red-headed friend poses for me again. Of course he may have given up on me as untrustworthy and a pain in the derrière to boot!

Before returning home we stopped at Walmart and picked up a few odds and ends one of which was a made in the USA yellow plastic Bath and Sink Snare our eldest Kiddo had told us about. Oh my goodness, in many ways the thought of using this long yellow sharp toothed snare made me shudder because I hate smelly, gross drains but the guest tub needed cleaning and this  neat tool did the job; gross stuff came out of the drain but it did come out in record time. What a difference there is now. It is a tool I will certainly keep in the house although I may not need it again for quite some time. I used it on the sinks but they were fine. That was a phenomenally fine find thanks to our engineer. You can't buy a cheaper tool than that to clean out slow drains - $2.50. Every home should have one - it should be in every real estate broker's care package for new homeowners!

Quote:  None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.    ____Goethe

Think I've figured it out . . .

South Park Blue Jay

Not that it matters to anyone but me and admittedly I can get carried away when I don't feel well but I think that I was feeling so terrible a few days ago because I had food poisoning. Sounds odd perhaps but about four years ago I was very sick after going to a party where I ate part of a wild game hamburger which was not well done and got terribly ill. My stomach and whole body were in turmoil and I was so weak as to be dysfunctional. The stomach doctor told me to never eat wild game and if I had to it had to be very well done because the pills I take for acid reflux don't let my body fight the nasty stuff that can be found in all raw meats but especially in game. In any case I ate a very rare steak this week and I don't think I'll do that again - it'll have to be medium, just a touch of light pink from now on. Of course I may be all wet but my body is just getting over whatever attacked my innards and I'm not messing around with rare ever again - so I guess this will be fair warning that my holiday roast beasts shall be cooked to medium! Then again I suppose I can always ask P&D's Pop to throw my slice of roast on the grill! That sound pretty good too.

Went to South Park today sans camera so I could get in a good steady walk. It was a perfect day except for flying control line! There was no wind at all and it seems you do need a bit of wind or you fly through your own air currents and that makes for rough flying! Lots of Blue Jays today, nothing fancy, although at the speed I was zipping around the walking path I may have missed some important birds! (That's a joke.) P&D's Pop just invited me to lunch so we'll see if a Margarita will be good for what had been ailing me.

Kiddo is on vacation in Connecticut this week. I think his Mom will be working from home for a few days; I'm sure he'll be glad for her company. Hoping he'll get here for a couple of days in June before we head up to Connecticut for a week in July. I really do miss him but he's growing up so fast that maybe he'll be able to come and spend some time with us. Maybe his couple of days in June will give him an idea if he could stand being with us full time for a week or more! Well, I'm getting hungry so I think I'll bug Grampa and see if we can get some lunch.

Back from lunch at Moe's Southwest Grill.  Not impressed even a little - certainly not my cup of tea although their unsweetened tea is good. Don't always realize that many of the fast food restaurants here are pick your own poison and then sit down and eat!  I really prefer someone waiting on me!  Spoiled I am!  Besides there wasn't even the hint of a Margarita! So . . . Grampa and I found out that a burrito is okay, just not great!

Quote:  Experience is the shroud of illusions.    ____Finod

How low can you go . . . pretty damned low . . .

The nefarious porch swing

This is so exciting

Not sure why but yesterday I felt as if I had just returned home from that long stay in Hartford Hospital. But whatever it was I was over it this morning. Had a great breakfast with my best friend and help meet at IHOP before returning home and being so full of pep I finished trimming the yard with my Black&Decker weedwacker; hand weeded the front bushes; squashed the mud bug chimneys  and proceeded to cut back two bushes in the front of the house that were just scraggly, tall uglies before I also attacked all of the Crape Myrtles and cut off all of the suckers. I also planted the Sun Parasol Mandevilla, filled up the bird feeders and bagged all of the sticks I had lobbed off of the trees.  Thinking to cool off a little before going in the house I sat on my porch swing and as I relaxed and was swinging to my heart's content it dumped me on the cement floor. I was heartbroken and cried like a baby; hell I'm crying now as I relive the moment. P&D's Pop is off to the Hyundai dealer to have the Hyundai serviced so I was alone in my ignominious fall. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was on my back but I jumped right up and walked around to make sure I was intact. So far all I seem to have is a bruise on the front of my lower left leg and a somewhat sore back. I cried my way through a hot shower, put on a new blue skirt and white sleeveless blouse before coming out here to the back porch to eat lunch: Baskin Robbins Chocolate/Peanut Butter Ice Cream and unsweetened iced tea. Feeling better but still really pissed that this is the second time that swing drops me and bungs me up. I must have a swing so we'll see what safety features I need before I indulge in getting a new one or manage to put this one up safely although I think I may have to buy a special frame for it. It's a good thing I've already walked my two miles today because I'm not in the mood to do anything at this time! I almost forgot we saw a bluebird checking out the new house. Hope he brings his wifey and they choose to make their home here!

Quote:  Man supposes that he directs his life and governs his actions, when his existence is irretrievably under the control of destiny.   ____Goethe