Just Checking In.

 Just Checking In.

 

My friend Connie calls me nearly every day—or she gets a call from me. This way we both know that the other person is ok and not lying out on the floor somehow with a cat or dog keeping us company. And Patty talks to me at least once a day now—nearly every day. It makes us both feel better about being by ourselves. So today a call to Michelle Malay left me feeling that maybe it might be a good idea to have her start calling me once a day. She has some physical problems that prevent sleep quite often, so she would have to be the one doing the calling. Would not want to wake her up after she has spent an entire night unable to sleep! Anyway, left her a message, so maybe she will call me today—or at least soon.

 

The Chewy box came late yesterday evening to find two very happy dogs. They did not have any more treats. Discovered that they think the American Journey Oven Baked sausage, egg, and cheese flavored treats are the best in the West! They were not very expensive in a way, but the little bag only had eight ounces in it. So maybe that is pretty expensive. But a great big six-pound bag of Marrow Bones will keep them happy for a little while. They also got a couple of bags of sweet potato smart bones that look like rawhide, but are not real rawhide. Lots of good chewing without the problems associated with rawhide. So very glad that these dogs are not the least bit spoiled.

 

Reading a book right now about a guy who was addicted to computer hacking. He is not trying to make money on it or anything really drastic, but since he got put in prison for doing it once, he is on parole and could get in deep trouble if he is caught doing it again. The best part of the story is his huge dog named Rochester. The critter is only two years old and still more puppy than anything. But the guy takes the dog nearly everywhere. And the dog dug up a body near a lake that had been recently purchased by the school that employs the dog’s owner. Apparently, there was a previous book that included this dog and his finds—more bodies! Sounds as if the police department should hire the dog! Looking forward to more books along this line with the same characters.

 

Patty told me this morning that she had been out to take her dogs for their nightly wee when she saw a lantern light in Jerry’s house a few nights ago. Not sure if Jo Ann needs to know or not, but kinda think maybe she needs to know. The house really needs to be sealed up so no one can actually just go waltzing in there.

 

The mailman brought Patty her package and mail this morning. She told him that she was getting TWO mailboxes—one for each of us. She has decided where to put hers so that Mr. Couch can just do a turn around in her driveway to deliver the mail to her place. Mine will be right next to the road so he can drop stuff off going west toward the lake or coming back the opposite direction. Not sure which will work for him, but the box should be close enough he can just reach out his window and shove things in there. Looking forward to getting the boxes set up. Got the printed letter for the request to the post office this morning. Had to ask Jennifer to print it for me. Sent my printer to H&O because it refused to work for me. The ink for that thing was exorbitant! And it went through ink so fast that it made me feel guilty for printing anything! Oh well.

 

Have not cooked anything except a bowl of oatmeal early this morning. Had all kinds of good intentions, but just did not want to cook. Had popcorn for lunch. Cantaloupe will do for the last meal of the day. The dogs don’t care. Their food bowl is clean and filled with 4-Health food. They have fresh water in their gravity water bowl, too. Yep, doesn’t take much to make us happy around here.

 

Looking at the calendar this morning made me wonder what happened. Tomorrow begins October! How did that happen so quickly? The bird on the calendar that Michelle Malay gave me is a Black-winged stilt with chicks. It looked like a normal bird until it dawned on me that it was sitting on its legs. Yep, it looks as if it is walking on stilts when it stands up! And its beak is L O N G! God made some amazing creatures!

 

Other than doing one more load of laundry and putting away two other loads, this old girl has not accomplished diddly squat! Just a bit sore from mopping yesterday. Need to slow down just a wee bit probably. That is not easy for me. It seems like everything needs to be done and gotten out of the way. Right now, two pair of pants are in by my sewing machine, ready to have a couple of tucks in the waist bands. But that is for tomorrow. Not going to do anything else today except read.

 

Thinking about doing laundry early this morning—at 4 when the dogs said we needed to wake up. Thought about how hard it must have been for my mom to do laundry. She had one of those ringer washers out on the back porch with two “rinse” buckets that my brother had to fill and empty. She took all the wet clothes, sheets, towels, etc., all out to the line to hang out. That had to have been hard labor. Just the weight of the baskets would have been a bit much. But she never complained. Wish it were possible for me to be more like that and never moan, groan, and carry on! Sigh

 

Will remind you that we are still free, for the most part. Appreciate the blessings we have been given. Our freedom was never really free. Pray that we can keep that freedom.

 

Rest well and be happy. You are loved.

Another Day in Paradise!

 Another Day in Paradise!

 

The big bathroom, my bedroom, the hall, and the old office mopped—then the bathroom floor RE-mopped after both dogs had a bath. WHY did it get mopped before? Well, duh. Some of us just don’t plan things out very well. Such is life.

 

Went by Market Street and picked up some water, some veggies, and the particular brand of dish soap that Wham said to use on my dogs. It smells delicious at least. Neither dog fusses about getting a bath, but Thompson does not need to be helped into the tub. Sylvia—well, first lift the front end, then lift the back end, then turn her around to suit the situation. Love these critters!

 

Gave the hens a head of fresh cabbage and am timing it to see how long it takes them to eat it to the bottom. They get really carried away by fresh stuff like that. But it is almost as much fun to feed them funny things as to watch the dogs take apart one of their toys! Dog treats and hen treats—just a wee bit of difference in price there!

 

My neighbor just got home with her two clean and toe-nail clipped dogs. Her friend Debbie took her and the dogs earlier this morning to Western Hills. Bet the vet did not end up soaking wet when those two little critters got bathed. Right now, my tee shirt is soaking wet. My glasses seem a bit streaked, too. Oh well. The smell is worth it.

 

The dog pool is clean and fresh; and the hen water is clean for the time being until the stinking wild birds come take baths and dip their food in the bowls. Guess it should please me to give them water when they need it.

 

Talk about thirsty! Coming back from over off Kell, thought one of the water packages was going to have to be opened for a great big drink. But stopped at my least favorite McDs and got a large Dr Pepper. It will probably keep me awake tonight, but it just absolutely hit the spot! Can’t think of anything that needs to be done tonight around here, so will just read or watch movies if sleep evades the old body. At least my mind is not upset currently. That helps to relax when nothing is bubbling around in the overhead cauldron. Ahem

 

Patty called around 9:30 this morning and was so happy. It seems our mailboxes will be here tomorrow! She was so happy because DG and his wife Michelle will be here Saturday and can put them together for us. That means that yours truly needs to go get the bags of sand Friday. Not sure if two bags will do it, but if not, will go get some more. SO happy to have our mail delivered here instead of having to drive a block over on dead-end streets. It probably sounds a bit silly to anyone who does not understand the situation, but Patty understands exactly. As do both doctors. Her lung doctor has to write letters for his patients quite often according to the nurse. Had not even considered how often that must happen. So often we see folks carrying around their oxygen supply when they have to go out. That probably means that they have to keep the amount of time limited to the supply in the little bottle. Wow. Life can be a bit much for some folks.

 

Just let a young couple know that JoAnn’s nephew is not supposed to be in Jerry’s house. They knew Jerry was dead, but it won’t keep people from looking for Nicky. Maybe eventually there will be an answer for that situation.

 

The broody Maran must have changed her attitude or something because she has not been on a nest today. Now there is a Black-laced Wyandotte out there sitting—just sitting. She is not making broody noises or squawking when disturbed, so maybe she is just taking time to lay her egg. Here’s hoping.

 

The McDs on my way home was advertising for hired help at $10 an hour. That may not be great, but it beats minimum wage—although minimum wage may be close to that now. Not sure. Have not worked for hourly wages in years. We used to laugh about wages when we were teachers because the hours put in divided by the salary never came anywhere near what it should have been had we been working by the hour. Lessons were never as simple as just telling students what to write or which pages to read. Nope, life is never as simple as it seems to the ones who get the results of others’ work.

 

Have about two tablespoons of apple butter left that Cindy Jones brought to me. She assured me that apple butter made by her son-in-law was much better, but the kind in my fridge is the best kind—that which is there already! Mother-in-law made apple butter years ago, and it was the best in the West! She also made chow chow that was so good that it made a person want to cook pinto beans just to have an excuse to eat the other stuff! Have sweet onions to cook for tomorrow. Thinking that some cornbread and onions would be good. Maybe a can of pinto beans or something to go with it. Hmm. You might think hunger has struck to read this mess!

 

Well, about as dumb as a rock this evening. Definitely have not looked for any “news” that will upset the world or even the hens. Will just tell you what you already know—we are so very blessed. Let us remember to pray for those who mourn, those who suffer, and those who need God’s loving rescue.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

 

 

Door Stops and Other Silliness.

 Door Stops and Other Silliness.

 

Sent off for some rubber door stops to keep the washing machine from dancing across the kitchen floor. Yes, well aware that unbalanced loads cause this problem. Also aware that loads don’t always stay loaded the way they should on the sides to which they are assigned! But the funny part is Sylvia. She started doing deep sniffing as soon as the package got here and would not keep her nose out of my lap to let me open it. Then she tried to take one away from me. That did not work, so she waited for my exit from the kitchen and brought one to the living room in her mouth—naturally. It is not like she grasped it in her toes. Still had to shut the half door to keep her out of the kitchen and away from those most interesting little gizmos. Nothing like a couple of dogs to make life interesting. Fully expect the rubber stops to be chewed up by the end of the week. She is sneaky! Maybe putting them up out of her reach until the machine is started again?

 

Took a short nap and thought it might have been time spent more wisely doing something useful, but a nap just seemed needed. Got the living room and kitchen vacuumed and mopped—which might have been the reason the nap seemed necessary. The new mop that Jennifer bought is neat. And it works well, too. Now if the old girl who runs it would just do at least one room each day, the house would probably stay in pretty good shape! But then, there is the dusting that will always be necessary.

 

Have had some rumbles, a cool breeze, and some very dark clouds. No rain so far. Maybe God is waiting for us to get out our umbrellas after praying for rain. Hmmm.

 

Just had to talk to Sylvia about those door stops. You have never heard the attitude this dog is displaying. Funny, funny! And THIS is with the stops put up on top of the dryer where she should not be able to see them! Dame Doggie Barker to the rescue—or to the next pile of destruction!

 

Having a type of “taco” salad for din-upper. No meat, just salad stuff, mango salsa, cheese shreds, sour cream with Ranch herbs, and a handful of “scoops” crushed into edible salad bits. Great munching!!

 

On FB they have been celebrating Daughter’s Day, Son’s Day, and thinking that maybe they will come out with a day for celebrating all the apes—you know, the Congress (of apes). Ahem. No politics; just blood sucking taxers.

 

My dogs are not spoiled at all. They KNOW where the treats are kept. They are not the least bit shy about expressing their opinion of the state of the treat jar. It is a good thing the biscuits were all put in the jar first! Two jars worth of good biscuits for dogs! Each dog waits to see who gets the first treat while edging—or bumbling in Sylvia’s case—forward a bit at a time. Now if she could just have one of those door stoppers, her life would be perfect.

 

May your attitude be one of gratitude. It is so much healthier than any other attitude. Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Mailing Shtuff!

 Mailing Shtuff!

 

My mind is not well today—well, what else it new?! But wrote a note to send to JoAnn and then forgot to take it to the post box when making a trip to pick up mine and Patty’s mail. Her friend Debbie is going to pause briefly to pick it up on her way out, so it will still probably get in the mail today or tomorrow. Honestly! It’s a good thing my body parts are all attached!

 

Patty called me just a bit ago and asked about the mail and told me some pretty good news. Bridge Creek Station is going to allow Patty—and probably me—to send them letters from our doctors saying that going down to Texas Street is a hardship. It REALLY is for Patty. She is on oxygen 24/7, so getting in her car and going somewhere is a major undertaking. For me, it is scary having to watch for the psychotic neighbor, the German Shepherd across from the mailbox, and just the physical act of climbing in and out of the truck. It is easy enough to more or less slide out, but the stepping up can get interesting. Some days it is not EVEN a problem; and then there are the days when a catch in my get-along just takes forever to work out. Started this day out pretty well, and then my back and hips got as sore feeling as an old decrepit hound dog. It does not make sense, but maybe it was moving the hay bale and filling up the containers with hay. Or not. Whatever.

 

Talked to AnnaBeth in Mississippi yesterday. She said that the normal rainfall amount for their area was 54 inches of rain. This year they have received—so far—94 inches!! That is nearly twice the amount of a normal year! Amazing. And then there are the places in the U.S. that have simply not received ANY rain. SO sad. Our nation depends on different areas for fruit and vegetables. Grains are one thing, but vegetables and fruits are pretty necessary. Guess we are all going to have to start planting cabbages, turnips, carrots, beets, and assorted veggies. Reading about rationing during WWII, the only vegetable that was not totally difficult to obtain was potatoes! Not too sure we could grow Irish potatoes here in North Central Texas, but East Texas produces some lovely sweet potatoes.

 

When talking to AnnaBeth, she told me about her landscaping problems. The latest problem—beyond the hurricane force winds—was the herd of deer that came through and ate everything to the ground. THAT would be enough to make a person pretty ticked off. Plants are not cheap. Then there is taking care of them and all that entails. Deer and hogs are not a lot different except that the danged hogs plow the ground while they are at it. One of the ladies in the Scottish isles posted pictures of sweet peas that have bloomed this late for her. She was so happy to return from the hospital and find something blooming. Guess that would be enough to put a smile on one’s face. Their seasons are very different from ours. A bunch of cold air off the ocean would cause frost bite in a hurry.

 

Got ten eggs yesterday and two so far today. One more egg will fill up a carton of 18. My doctor is waiting for them, so they already have a home. Those hens have no idea who all loves their cackle berries!

 

Still trying not to read anything political, but it is not easy. Found an article about the “whipping” of the migrants that stated that it was false news. It is sometimes just a matter of perspective; but often it is a matter of what slant someone wants to put on a situation. Have read jokes about someone saving a child from the mouth of an alligator—until the news media changed it to someone refusing life giving sustenance to the poor alligator! Such is the attitude of so many. Yep, honesty has circled the drain.

 

Got online today and sent off for a couple of rubber door stops. Two might get the job done, but they are going to be for the washer rather than for a door. It does not seem to matter how carefully the clothes or blankets are arranged, the washer wants to travel across the kitchen floor! Hoping the rubber stops will prevent that foolishness.

 

Patty just called to say that she had ordered the mailboxes. All yours truly has to do is go get the bags of sand, but it will wait until the boxes actually get here—which may be around the 6^th or 7^th of October. The assembly of the boxes may be interesting. Can we say “non-mechanical” when referring to some old women? At least Patty knows someone who will come over and put them together and maybe even load the bottoms with sand. Can’t beat that with a stick!

 

For the old woman to have been so very active before 9:30, it seems like it has already been a long day. Guess sore muscles affect attitude that way. At least the dogs are not griping about anything. They have fresh food, water, and lots of loving. Not to mention their very own couch! And other than going down to get Patty’s trash bin and picking up a few mesquite branches to throw in there on top of her trash, nothing else has to be done today.

 

My cousin John suggested using the shampoo designed by his wife Wham on my dog to help with the skin issues. Ordered a big bottle of glycerin to mix with the apple cider vinegar and Palmolive dish soap. The formula, if memory serves me right, is just one, two, three. But maybe a call to John might make more sense because of the memory issues around here. Sigh

 

Bought some Vetericyn Plus for Thompson and tried to read the fine print. RIGHT!! Even when my eyesight was really good—well, fine print is called that because it is fine if a person can read it. Otherwise, it is not so fine! Argh!

 

Well, AnnaBeth wants me to listen to a sermon by Allstair Begg, so will try to find it and let her know my opinion. Not that my opinion matters all that much, but it is never going to be quite what anyone might expect. Giggling

 

No more eggs this afternoon, so maybe by tomorrow a full box will be ready for Dr. Blackwell. Clean water is in the hen bowls and feed is out for them, so today’s little chores won’t have to be repeated except for one more time. Danged wild birds make the water so nasty when they take the Hackberry seeds and mash them into the water. Think the Indians of the Plains used Hackberry to make pemmican when they did not have any other fruit to mix with meat. It was considered starvation prevention, and that was about all. Not exactly a tasty substitute for any other vegetable or fruit.

 

May you all find joy in life and love enough to share with others. The blessings from God are there for everyone if they so desire. May we each be one of those blessings.

 

Rest and be happy. You are loved.

 

 

Forgetfulness.

 Forgetfulness.

 

Got busy and did not post last night. Keith Mattson is posting enough for both of us right now. His pictures are entertaining and reminders of God’s gifts of beauty and calmness. His attitude is also peaceful. He reminds me somewhat of his dad, Lloyd Mattson. Guess it stands to reason.

 

My son and granddaughter went hiking this morning for nearly three miles. The video of one of the pictures included the sounds of the birds—especially crow caws. Told him that outside nearly always makes me feel happy. Spent some time cleaning out in the hen houses and cleaning out the dog pool yesterday, so my time was spent “doing” as well as being outside. As long as the chickens are around, my activity levels will probably keep me from getting too lazy—at least for outside stuff. Inside cleaning is another situation altogether.

 

Lance said that until it was mentioned, he did not realize there were sounds in his pictures that he sent. Listening. A skill that we all need to cultivate. Suspect that if Keith were taking videos of the places around the lakes where he shoots pictures, we would all be enjoying the sounds of nature.

 

My forgetfulness makes me feel as if age is catching up with my mind. Obviously, the body has already reached that stage some time ago! But forgetting to post has reminded me that my schedule needs to be adjusted. Nothing is ever quite the same around here. Each day is a new “adventure.” Yesterday was laundry, laundry, and more of the same. Still have not managed to fold and put away all the blankets and other stuff that got washed yesterday. When changing the sheets is not quite enough, the dog blankets also have to be washed. The same kind of situation occurs in the hen house. Put out diatomaceous earth yesterday on the shelf where the Black-laced Wyandottes normally roost. They did not appreciate that inclusion whatsoever! They took up residence on the opposite side of the coop, thank you very much. That does not bother me, but by the time my part of the work was done, the body was ready to lie down and just rest. Guess that included my mind as well since nothing else got done—including a post.

 

Lance let me know that he would be here toward the end of October to do whatever was on my list. Have two hoses that need to be changed around. Donny put them on the faucets for me with the typical “manly” twist of strength. That means that it will take more grip than what this old woman has to remove and change them around. Such fun. Lance asked me if a new hose would work out back. It would, of course, but hate to purchase anything like that when winter will mean removing all the hoses anyway. Yes, it is not like that will happen anytime soon, but still.

 

Just shook my head at Thompson. He knew what it meant. He stopped licking his leg. Poor old fellow. But he is such a good, sweet and obedient dog. Sylvia is sweet, but obedience is non existent in her little noggin.

 

Have to go out to the coops and clean one more section. John Rhoads is going to bring some fresh coastal hay sometime today. Want to have the long coop cleaned and the front coop ready for clean hay. Not sure it will make any difference to the hens, but it seems that they only want to lay in one nest now. Go figure. Will spread diatomaceous earth along the shelf and see if that dissuades any mouse activity. Not sure it will make any difference, but nothing like trying.

 

It seems to me that my grandparents never had to worry about mice and rats in the hen house. Well, that is not totally true. Granddad Kennedy had a feed house before the chicken companies started putting feed in those big bins above the houses. Sterling had my help—and Satchmo’s help—to take all the feed sacks out of the feed house one day. Satchmo would snap and kill every rat he could find—and there were dozens! That dog was a rat killing machine! When we were through, we looked around for the rats. Nary a rat to be found! We decided that Satch had just swallowed them! Bleah! Could not imagine! Burned the sacks and waited for Satchmo to be sick, but he never was ill around us at least. He was a Catahoula that was trained—by Granddad—to protect my grandmother. He would go all over the farm with the field hands who came to check on the chickens for the company that brought Granddad chickens, but if they went up on the porch of the house, he would put them in their trucks! Pretty soon everyone knew not to go near “his” house. Such a dog!

 

Still tired this morning, but have things to do, so will get out there and get them done before taking another break. Will have another load of laundry to do by the time the coop is cleaned. Never fails that a shower and clean clothes go with cleaning out there! Still am thinking that cooler weather will allow the workshop to be cleaned out in the near future. THAT is going to be a major job! Cleaning the coops will be fun compared to cleaning that shop! May discover things that haven’t been seen in ages!

 

Need to sit down and write a letter for JoAnn. She needs to see the words that will mean something to her now and later. Jerry meant a lot to me despite his problems. We all know someone who has good and bad within their character. Think that pretty much includes all of us, to tell the truth. My children would certainly appreciate it if their mother did not have political opinions! One of them thinks that she has totally gone off the rails for common sense, but such is life.

 

May you all enjoy the beauty of each day and find reasons to be grateful for life itself. God’s blessings include our awareness of His creation. Rest and be happy. You are loved.

In His Arms.

 In His Arms.

 

Jerry has fallen asleep in the arms of our Father in Heaven. It will be a hard time for his mom now, so please pray for her. God knows our griefs and sorrows as well as those things which can give us peace. And really, only He can give us peace.

 

Picked up some extra groceries at Market Street and was putting them away and was thinking of feeding Jerry this winter. Guess that won’t be happening this year—or ever again. He was a sweet guy when he was not on drugs. His heart was right even if his head was somewhere out there. As dingy as a cowbell when on drugs, but a very real helper when needed.

 

Connie went by the new place called The Catch today and picked up lunch for us. Won’t bother with doing that again. It would do to fill a gut, but the dogs enjoyed it more than we did. Next time we want fish, will go to Long John Silvers. Don’t really appreciate fried cornmeal when it is supposed to be fish. Oh well.

 

Bought another rat trap for the rats and some stuff for the dogs called Vetericyn Plus for their skin problems. Also got them some Aller-Eze by Nutri-Vet. Have used that stuff before, but will keep trying to see if Thompson gets over this problem. Of course, as soon as we get a good frost, it should kill the chiggers, mites, or whatever is chewing on him. Wish it were possible to dust him with diatomaceous earth and not get it all over the house when he comes inside. But that won’t work in the house. Can’t imagine the mess!

 

Seven eggs showed up out in the nests—along with one gripey Black Maran. Think she will have to be shoved into the long coop by herself tomorrow. She pecks pretty hard--just thought you might like to know!! The Black-laced Wyandottes are sweethearts and never peck me. The Marans are a different story altogether!

 

Reloaded Lance’s water trap with peanut butter, so maybe tonight another rat will be stupid enough to drown itself. Meanwhile, bacon in the new trap and wrapped with thread and fastened to the ledge leading to the Maran roost might see another stupid rat caught. The one caught this morning was in one of those expensive snap traps that can be reloaded. It was caught half in and half out of the trap. Sylvia reached up and drug it off the shelf and tried to bite it to death. Had to release it from the trap before she could actually kill it. So glad to empty the trash bin with all the dead rodents this morning. Had to clean and de-odorize the entire bin. Bleah! At least fewer rats and mice are running all over the hen house when the dogs and the old woman go out there early with a flashlight. Pretty soon they will either succumb to the poison Mr. Acuna put out or get caught in one of these traps.

 

Vidalia sweet onions are on sale at Market Street. Each year it is a veggie that makes me smile. Recently the episode of Foyle’s War had the female character Sam making great big yum sounds over a huge onion. Things were so scarce back then that an onion was the prize of a raffle! Can you imagine?

 

The temperature has been fairly decent today. Just turned the AC on here in the living room to cool it off while writing this blog. The dogs are happily ensconced upon the couch with just enough cool air floating over them to be comfortable. Sometimes it seems critters can be SO much more comfortable than we are. Or maybe it is just the floppy parts of their bodies that conform to wherever they lie down. Cats are famous for getting inside silly things, but my dogs just droop all over whatever surface they choose. Doesn’t take much to make a dog happy.

 

Don’t have much to say this evening. My mind is on other things and people. Knowing how many parents and children are deep in sorrow makes me feel somewhat in despair. Yes, we know the final outcomes of life and living with whatever may come—just one day at a time—but it is still sad to consider the waste of life. Although love is never wasted, it is still hard to hold on when one’s love is altered by loss. May God give us peace and joy in our lives.

 

Rest well, my friends, and know that you are loved.

Dog Bones!

 Dog Bones!

 

My dogs are not happy with the bone they have been given. It is too hard for them to chew it to pieces in just a few chomps. So, Thompson is walking around with it hanging out of his mouth. He is even trying to find a place to bury it in the couch. If he is allowed to go outside right now, you can bet he will bury it in the softest dirt pile out there. Ah, he gave it up and now it will be chewed on a different day. Sylvia is still holding hers in her mouth, even if she can’t really bite it! LOL Now she has tried to bury HER bone in the couch. Sad doggies!

 

Just locked up the chicken coop. One of the Copper Marans (almost totally black except for blue sheen and a very sparse ruff of little copper tinted feathers around the neck) has decided to be broody. So far, she has been allowed to just do her own thing, but she may have to be locked away from the nesting area if she doesn’t change her mind rather quickly. Silly hen!

 

Put some ointment on Thompson a few minutes ago to try to help him heal the scratches he has. Got some of the ointment on my face. Woooo! No wonder he is not being still! It smells a bit like horse liniment. Maybe it burns his sore spots. Poor boy! Now he is in the kitchen eating. These dogs keep life interesting around here.

 

JoAnn was across the street today. She said that the doctor in charge of Jerry’s Hospice care will not let him have morphine except every four hours. To me that seems really strange. He is already dehydrated, of course, but it will be a toss-up as to whether he will die from lack of fluids or of starvation. This makes me realize how blessed we were to be able to keep Lewis at home and make decisions based on how we saw his needs. Jennifer and her cousin Erin were able to do the same thing for their grandmother at the Henrietta Hospital. The nurses said that they were going to be doing rounds or something. They had already placed a port in her stomach area so that the injections could be made there. The nurses knew she was suffering and miserable, so they talked to the kids about how often they could administer the morphine. Putting such decisions in the hands of the family makes sense to me in these two situations. Dying should not be so dadgummed miserable if it is possible to make it easier.

 

Absolutely nothing was accomplished around here today except for gathering up trash—and a rat—to throw in the trash bin and set it across the street. Will be so very glad when all the rats go dance to the Piper’s music! The water trap lid that Lance made keeps falling inside the bucket, so will have to figure out a way to keep it up at least long enough for a rat to trip the lid and fall inside. Wish the snap traps could be placed along the inside walls without risking killing a hen. Might just have to get some more snap traps and try anyway!

 

Had some salad today with raspberries in it. Anne reminded me the other day about Luby’s salad with poppy seed dressing, spinach, and strawberries. Obviously, strawberries won’t ever be in anything around here, but raspberries do not seem to affect me at all. It seems strange that kiwi and fresh pineapple do the same thing as strawberries. Oh well. God made so very many good foods for us. Never gripe if one seems wonderful and is not acceptable to your body. Everyone has something that either seems horrible or wonderful. My children think that liver and onions are horrible. Sigh

 

Watered some today. No sense in letting everything die, but it won’t do much good unless we get some rain pretty soon. The ground is cracking open, the grass is dead, and some of the trees are dying. Yeppers, rain is one of those things on my prayer list.

 

For tonight, my prayers include those who are dealing with this horrible virus, those who would like to be around family and can’t be, and those who have lost family and friends. Let us pray for peace. Only God can give us true peace.

Rest and find joy in your life while you have today. You are loved.

Random Thoughts.

 Random Thoughts.

 

Went to the eye doctor with my sister-in-law today so that she could have someone to drive her home after her cataract surgery. Everything went very well. By tomorrow she will be seeing much more clearly and actually feel better after the numbing agent wears off. It truly is a blessing to be able to see after gradually losing one’s vision in either or both eyes. Now she has had both of them worked on. This ol’ gal still has one to go, but won’t see Dr. White until November. Who knows what will happen between then and now.

 

My friend Connie drove over to Henrietta to pick me up. Yours truly does not drive at night, so Anne drove to my house and picked me up at ten minutes to six this morning. It seems a little complicated, but it gets the job done even if we have to rustle things around a bit.

 

On the way back to Wichita Falls, Connie was saying how much she enjoyed the series “Foyle’s War.” It is one that is currently entertaining me. She was so surprised by the fact that the people in Britain did not have any food. It did not take long to remind her that France, Germany, and most of Europe was in the same boat—the reason for part of the Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan furnished money, food, fuel, and machinery at a time when the Western European economies were all in disarray. It was years before Europe did not have to import most of their food stuffs from other countries—mostly America. Rationing was not just seen in America. In Britain people learned how to ration and cook and grow their own food. That is something that we may eventually need to do in this country again. Grandmother Pollard taught me years ago how to make “Jam Cake” from preserves that she had put up when she still was able to get sugar—before the war. Anyway, the idea that people could be so devastated by the lack of food reminded me of what happened in the South during the Civil War. No crop was spared, no animal left alive, and nothing left unscorched by the Northern armies. The only fields the Union soldiers did not burn were those filled with “cow peas.” They thought the peas were only fit for cattle fodder. Guess what kept the South alive after Sherman burned a path through the states? Cow peas. They are not quite as good as black-eyed peas and are much harder to shell, but they will fill a person up when cooked properly. My guess is that the folks in Britain would have been happy to have had some of our cow peas. According to some articles on the internet, in Britain, healthy eating habits came out of WWII, and the only truly amusing result of their restricted diets was the increase in flatulence. People had to walk or ride bicycles wherever they intended to go, so they grew healthier because of that kind of exercise! Fewer heart attacks, no gout, no diabetes, and healthier babies!

 

Thinking about what makes people leave their homes and go to another country gave me a reason to research the migration of the Haitian people from their country to the South American nations that have allowed them to come in for a short season or two. It seems that some of the countries needed cheap labor for a period of time, but then jerked any type of visas or other permissions for the Haitians to be in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, or even in Mexico. Right now, we have thousands of these people trying to get into the U.S. at Del Rio on the border of Mexico. Usually they would come here through Florida. However, the fact that they have been in Central America or further south for at least one year means that they have already left behind any ties to their native country. One man being interviewed by a reporter looked too clean to have walked all that way across Mexico, but his complaints were about food and the necessities for their children. So many people are filled with compassion for those who have no homes who are coming into the country. My thoughts are that these other countries are sending them straight back to Haiti, and that might be the best idea for us as well. It seems reasonable not to send Afghans back to their country under the current circumstances, but Haiti does not have terrorists to the same extent as those in the Middle East. Anyway, sooner or later we must make a decision to protect our own citizens or to allow our country to be overrun by those who do not believe in the same laws that the rest of us must respect.

 

My own problems with invaders include a few more dead rats and mice. One rat was in a snap trap hanging from the fence, and a large mouse or small rat was drowned in the water trap devised by Lance. Spooning an ample amount of peanut butter on the lid obviously made the difference. The only problem was getting the lid to stay up and trying to avoid being stung by the stupid ants. Such fun!

 

The cool front in this part of Texas has been totally wonderful! Noticed that Carla Beard who lives in Indiana had turned on her furnace. My AC has been on today despite the cooler temps. Not quite likely to turn on any heaters until the frost is down on the pumpkin! And it will be a day to celebrate the death of the doggone chiggers when we get our first frost! The dogs will feel much better, you can bet!

 

Plan on being lazy for the rest of the day—not much more day left since it is already five in the afternoon. But getting up so early makes the day end a little earlier anyway. May read some of the Clay County Leaders that Anne sent home from Henrietta with me. They had the rodeo last weekend, so that is great news. Last year, because of this stupid virus, folks had to stay at home and away from each other. We are not in great shape here lately with our covid deaths going up somewhat drastically, but sometimes folks need to get together anyway. Will just pray that no one dies from this particular event. Just having the kids and teachers back in school has been scary enough. Thinking it would be a good time for all of us to pray for protection for everyone who has to be out and about.

 

Rest and be happy with the many blessings in our lives. You are loved.

 

 

Birds of A Feather!

 Birds of A Feather!

 

Lately the hens have been dropping feathers in the yard, but it does not necessarily mean that they are molting. Not really sure if the summer heat caused the extra feathers to drop or exactly what, but feathers are in the bottom of the coops, in the nests, and all around in the yard. The Black-laced Wyandottes have the prettiest feathers! Well, Athena has pretty feathers, too, but she has already molted once already this year and finally got all her feathers back in. She was pretty sad looking there for a bit. Have you ever seen a chicken with its neck almost naked? Pretty sad. And then there are the tail feathers that should be there and weren’t. Oh well. She is happy and healthy looking now. Still only lays an egg maybe every two weeks, so obviously we are on the downhill slide of her hen life. Some of them just don’t live very long. Grandmother Pollard had only one hen who lived to be at least eight years old. She would look out there every morning to see if the hen was still alive. She fed her and talked to her, but no amount of encouragement got any eggs out of the old girl. Not that Grandmother was counting on her for their breakfast or anything. Still, the reason Athena came to live here was the fact that only one hen was left of the Gold Sex Link hens. Chickens need a mate or at least another chicken to be happy. They are, after all, flock birds.

 

Don’t remember now who it was who noticed that my hens seem to stay together by color—the Marans and the Wyandottes separate themselves from the Rhode Island Red, Athena, and Isa. When they are all out there around the drain from the washing machine looking for bugs, it is a fairly mixed group. Not sure why they appeal to me so much, but they are just lovely in my estimation. But it does not take much to make me smile some days.

 

Took Patty’s trash bin back down to her place this morning; then went to Sutherland’s and got two house keys made for her to give to her friend and to her step-son. She told me how to easily get into the house without breaking a window then in case something happened and she needed to be rescued. Hope that never happens! Took her mail to her and loaded up some more pants of Donny’s and some new socks that he never even got to wear. Those will be sent to Ft. Worth with one of the kids for whichever boys need them. Really miss Donny, so know for sure that she does, too.

 

Our road is so quiet without many drivers going up and down it now. Patty has her lunch delivered sometimes, and the Fed-Ex or Fed-Up trucks or the mail truck sometimes make it up the road, but otherwise, the street is pretty quiet. My bark-alarms go off more often when the folks over on Church Street move around their trucks than for anything else. Patty says that her bark-alarms go off because of my dogs! Or rabbits. She calls them “bunny rabbits.” They set off her motion detector lights during the night.

 

Still have a passel of rats and mice. Need to go slather more peanut butter on Lance’s trap. The snap traps did not catch anything last night, but the critters may be getting wiser. Just wish the dogs could catch as many rats as Thompson catches doves!

 

Did not really need the AC units today. It has been pleasant all day, if somewhat windy this morning. If the cushions on the yard swing had not been fastened down with a bungee cord, they would probably be in the freaking lake! As it is, the rose bush had a yellow plastic bag attached to it by a handle, the hanging basket on the deck was blown off the deck and onto the ground, the OFF spray ended up against the post on the far side of the deck, and the rug under my chair was blown up over the bottom of the chair. Yeppers. We had wind last night. Patty said that one of the last times we had wind like this, it blew over her yard swing. But this time the swing was in a more protected place. Good thing! It is fairly light weight, but not sure that the two of us could have put it up right.

 

It won’t be long before we start getting our fall rains. The dressed stone path that Jerry laid out between the deck and the hen house will keep me from bogging down in the mud, but have begun to hope that we don’t have the kind of snow storm we had back in February of this year. Staying warm has never really been that big of an issue except for this year and one year back in the 80s. We had a freeze that year that froze WAY down into the ground and caused all kinds of problems for the city water pipes. Not sure if all those pipes have been replaced by now, but would not be surprised if they had not. Our city only does what it HAS to do at any given time. Sad, but probably about par for most cities. At least we have decent water that is not poisonous or full of lead. It may be recycled poo, but the drugs in it are not as dangerous as the lead in the water of Detroit.

 

When Jennifer was here over the weekend, she asked me not to plant anything else in the flower beds. She wants me to use containers that don’t have to be weeded. It makes sense because weeding is not easy to do unless one is sitting down on the ground—and then there is the situation of getting UP off the ground. My “go-to” position is the “rising cow.” That means my hands are down on the ground, while my back end comes up to get steady enough to let the other end get balanced. Just watch your favorite cow if you are wondering. A horse gets up totally opposite of a cow.

 

Guess it is about time to go put out some peanut butter and see if the hens are ready to go up for the night. The dogs have been a bit lazy today—our excuse is that it felt too good to work at anything. They got more exercise than yours truly, but they don’t drive, either. They would have been happy to go to Sutherland’s if a stop at McDs had meant a sausage biscuit for each of them. Nope, not today. Maybe the next trip. Lazy ol’ woman has to bring the truck up so they won’t get too far away from me. It’s funny, but Patty exercises her dogs by watching for me to come down and letting the dogs out to come greet me. They run like a house on fire! Good exercise! And now that Rudy no longer bites my ankles, he wants to be petted as much as Roxie does. Strange things to make friends with dogs!

 

Please remember those who mourn, those who have to suffer watching their loved ones hurting and dying, and those who have no where to go in this world. May God give us compassion and wisdom.

 

Rest well, and know that you are loved.

Confused--and STAYING That Way!

 Confused—and STAYING That Way!

 

So, this morning my sister-in-law told me that she put her appointment down on the calendar wrong. Some days knowing which day of the week it is just makes me look at my calendar and then my computer or phone. Now it occurs to me that yours truly is not the only one who is easily confused, but it still makes me wonder if anyone else stays that way a majority of the time. Oh well.

 

Both dogs have been talking to me this morning. Sylvia earned her treats this morning by distracting me during a bad panic attack, so now both dogs have one of those things from Chewy called “Dream Bones.” Crunch, crackle, slobber! They also have had part of my sausage sandwich—just the meat. The dressing was artichoke dip—ummm. Good stuff, Maynard! Now sitting here wondering if anyone gets that reference to the TV series that was around during my youth. The Dobie Gillis Show was not too silly and lots of fun for us. Maynard only ate hamburgers—nothing else. He reminds me of one of my grands—won’t eat beef and only chicken. But Chic-Fil-Et is only open six days a week.

 

Repackaged the box of sausage patties that came from Sam’s. It is easier to take out just what is needed when parchment paper is stuffed between the layers so that they don’t get freezer burn. This reminds me of some of Mom’s attempts to keep meat from having to be defrosted all at once. Then the story about why the roast was trimmed on one side before it was put in the pan to cook came to mind. She was asked why she always cut the roast into two pieces. She didn’t know. Called her mom to ask her why they did that. Granny Connie said that her pot was not big enough for the entire roast, so SHE cut it into two pieces. It just gets funnier to learn about family stuff that is handed down by the generations.

 

Another load of clothes is in the dryer—my favorite Duluth pants! They have lots of pockets! One load is ready to be hung up or folded, too. And this living room floor needs to be vacuumed desperately. After that, the kitchen floor is going to be mopped. Such fun! Jenn got a new mop thing for me over at Walmart so that my mopping would only be pushing forward and not side to side. Had no idea that sideways mopping could hurt one’s back. Learn something every day!

 

Jenn fell over their black dog in the dark and messed up her knee recently. Her chiropractor popped her knee, and now it is not hurting. Then he put three ribs back in place. Wish Dr. Jensen was closer to WF!

 

Sylvia’s little lamb toy has no squeaker any longer, but she can really nibble up a storm on it anyway. Dogs are funny. She has favorite toys just like a child. Thompson is not particular, but he got the basketball down and chewed it so that it will never be a circular shape any longer. If they made tennis balls that did not pop, would have to get them a couple. They love to play catch and then keep away!

 

One of the snap rat traps caught a rat last night, but not the water trap that Lance made. Think another application of peanut butter may be called for. Nothing like trying. But a big ol’ bucket of rat bait might also help if it were placed between the fences where the hens could not get into it. May look on Amazon today. These rats and mice are just totally horrible!

 

Tomorrow is trash day, so will have to see if Patty needs her trash bin brought up. She is not as messy as yours truly. But she is still trashing stuff that keeps coming up among Donny’s treasures. She said that one of the safes has coins, stones, and assorted “shtuff” just lying along the shelves. Guess that would be a bit of a problem to organize or otherwise do something with. Lewis only collected tools and CDs or DVDs of movies. Sent most of those home with Lance or left them on one shelf of the back bookcase. Then there are all those books that go with the air tools and other kinds of appliances. Think most of the appliances have been changed out since those were organized in one drawer. Will try to remember to give Michelle Malay the book on the lawn tractor that she took home this spring. Changed out several things on that sucker trying to get it to run right and start as needed. Never could get it to cooperate! So much for my mechanical inability!

 

Should have a dozen eggs to take home to Anne’s by Wednesday. Think the last ones went home with her when she had her first eye surgery. She should need some by now. So few eggs are eaten around here that it is easy to save some up for other folks.

 

Honestly don’t know doodlely. Watched a movie series recently that was a very interesting mystery. Never would have guessed the person who was the culprit! It is a wonder—even with DNA and all sorts of other scientific tests—that police detectives can figure out who did what to whom and when. Just amazing!

 

Let us pray for those who are afflicted with this stupid virus and ask God to give peace to those who have lost their loved ones. My nephew’s wife said that a stomach virus was rampant in Gentry, Arkansas, so we can also pray that it does not make it to Texas! It lasts three weeks or more! Sounds like food poisoning!

 

Rest and rejoice in life! You are loved.

Family Matters.

 Family Matters.

 

A message from my sister-in-law included a request to take her back to get her other eye worked on this Wednesday. My calendar said it was Monday of next week. Good thing she keeps up with thing better than yours truly! Guess we will figure something out about getting her here, there, and back again. Her friend who was going to help her has a daughter who has been in the hospital for about a month with covid. And she is not doing well at all. More prayers needed!

 

Another lazy day around here. Woke up at 4 and then went back to bed about an hour later. Got up in time to let the hens out, but otherwise just have not done squat today. Sore, grumpy, and otherwise out of sorts. Such fun to try to get along with an old sorehead—even if it is only one’s self!

 

Jennifer brought some Lume body wash and some deodorant when she came. Great stuff! Not to crazy about perfumes of any sort ON me, but like the smell from a distance. But this stuff smells good and does not grow rank the longer it is on my body. About time something came out that can be enjoyed by someone sensitive to perfumes!

 

Found seven eggs in the nests today. The hens are happy. The rats must not be bothering them inside the coops. Caught one rat last night. Had to reset the other trap. Probably a mouse set it off without getting caught. Now the rat trap in the five-gallon bucket has been placed where the rats can get in it. Had to sic Thompson on the entire flock of doves that attacked the grain and mini-pellet chicken feed. Danged wild birds! Oh well. Can’t keep them out of the water bowls or the feed buckets, so might as well teach the dogs to catch them!

 

Honestly am tired still tonight. Not sure exactly why the body feels ready for sleep, but not going to argue the point. Will just turn off the AC and go to bed. Maybe tomorrow will be a more productive day.

 

Let us remember those who are suffering from the effects of this stupid virus. May God bless those who are trying to recover and those who have lost loved ones as a result of the virus.

 

Rest and be happy. You are loved.

Still Learning.

 Still Learning.

 

Some of the old f__ts in this world have a bit more difficulty learning about tech stuff than the younger generation. My granddaughter tried to teach me how to use her modeling program when she had not even started school! Ahh. Little buttons and dials and assorted ideas of clicking on things! So much to ignore or learn. Often it is just easier to ignore the lessons, but eventually they are always needed. So, my children are still working with their mom in order to keep her using her telephone. Installing apps is one job that always seems to go sideways! Installed the Sam’s site on my computer, and Jenn put it on my phone. It is not quite as bad as accidentally buying two of everything, but that is what happened to Connie. She got home with $200 worth of double everything! Humongous bottles of detergent for her machine! At least she gets her kitty litter from Chewy!

 

It was so nice to have Jennifer here today. She helped me pick stuff up at Sam’s; she made a quick trip to Walmart; and she turned around after heading home and brought me credit card back to me! She had stopped to get gas and noticed my card in her purse. Anyway, loved having her here.

 

Caught a big ol’ rat in one of the traps last night. It is now in a feed sack in the trash bin. Maybe another one will be that dumb tonight. And then there is a new “water” trap in the middle coop. Lance made that one. Will check it before going to bed to be sure no hens have taken a dunking!

 

Will let you know what JoAnn’s husband told me this morning: Jerry is now on Hospice Care. They took out the feeding tube and assorted stuff, and now he is on morphine for pain. The doctor said the blot clots on his brain will cause a lot of pain. They plan to keep him comfortable. JoAnn got to go see him. She had to suit up like an astronaut, but she held his hand and talked to him. He held her hand and would not let go. He knew her. Now it is just a matter of time, so it is up to God. Let us pray for whatever is best for everyone concerned.

 

For some foul reason, the old woman who lives here is tired again. This waking up at all hours really is not conducive to a better mood. Maybe tonight the eyelids will stay shut for a change. Sigh

 

Should have vacuumed today after the dogs had some dog cookies. But it is just as well that it did not happen since popcorn got scattered in the living room as well. At least the dogs don’t have feathers! Never would get the stuff swept up!

 

Really don’t know much. Other than a few jokes and a post by Tara Ross the historian, this old girl has not even read much on FB. Deleted most of the political things just to keep from getting disgusted. Ah, the times have changed and never for the better.

 

Rest well and pray for our world. You are loved.

When Prayers Are Best.

 When Prayers Are Best.

 

This morning my old neighbor JoAnn came over to Jerry’s house and was walking around while talking on her phone. She seemed somewhat upset, so it didn’t take long to ask her what was wrong. Over a week ago Jerry came down with Covid. The other inmates of the jail let the guards know that he was unable to breathe. He may or may not have been taken to the hospital, but whatever was done was apparently ineffective. He developed blood clots in his legs and lungs and had a stroke. The inmates told the guards that he could neither talk or walk, but apparently that was not considered a problem. An inmate hauled Jerry to the phone so that he could talk to his mom. All he could say, “Mom, help.” She called everyone she could think of to get help. The nurse on duty at the jail hung up on her. Then Jerry had another stroke. If the doctor had not taken pity on JoAnn, she would not have known much of this, but now she knows that they won’t even let her see him because 1) he has covid, and 2) he is a prisoner handcuffed to his bed with tubes going everywhere. Mind you, he could not possibly be an escape risk. Anyway, our prayers are needed for JoAnn and Jerry’s family. No matter which jail—in Wichita or Archer County—he was in, it seems to me that they are responsible for not getting proper care for an inmate who desperately needed help. May God protect the other inmates and bless them in whatever way is best for them. And may Jerry pass quickly and no longer suffer.

 

This has been a hard day. Some things bother me more as memories come up. Jerry and Hanan were friends and helped each other. Jerry was good to help me, too. When he was not partaking of meth, he was a good person to be around. But drugs are often the cause of so many problems, just as alcohol is disastrous for those who try to use it to assuage their problems and demons. PTSD comes in all forms. Jerry spent two and a half years in solitary confinement. Not exactly conducive to good mental health. Hanan saw too many deaths and had too many concussions to be able to live life without the terrors of nightmares. All we can do is pray for those who have this kind of problems. May God grant all those who suffer from such problems with peace.

All of the stuff accomplished today included shopping for feed and diatomaceous earth, unloading same, and filling the bins with the feed. The two sacks of powder just were flipped into the two front coops and sliced open—left the stuff in the sacks. The hens will spread it to suit themselves. Also, got online and ordered stuff from Sam’s that Jenn will pick up tomorrow afternoon. She could not come this evening because they are attending a memorial service for the mother of one of their friends. Covid! Horrible stuff.

 

Got the chicken wire out of the truck bed and stuffed into the trash bin, so that went with the trash truck this morning. Then got out the OdorBan and cleaned out the trash bin. Not sure where the liquid came from that was in the bin, but it stunk! Now it is clean and smells decent. Yes, some of us are a little OCD about such things. Such is life.

 

Got seven eggs today, so with the one already in the carton, by tomorrow eight dozen eggs will be ready to go to Ft. Worth. It amazes me that it does not take very long to get that many eggs saved up. And if the weather becomes cooler, it may provide incentive for the girls to lay more eggs. All things considered, seven eggs a day is about right since only fourteen of the hens lay on a regular basis. Athena’s little white egg only shows up occasionally. And every other day the hens will not lay an egg since it takes 26 hours for them to produce an egg.

 

Bought two great big rat traps at the feed store. Sutherland’s was out of anything except mouse traps and glue traps. Took bacon, as Jack Culpepper suggested, and wrapped thread around it on the bait end of the trap. Then wood screws fastened the things to two different spots—one on the fence between my place and the messy neighbors behind me, and one on the edge of the coop roof. In the morning we will see if either was effective. Here’s hoping.

 

Patty has suggested that she will talk—or try to talk—to the post office about reinstalling our post box on our street. She cannot go get her mail and pretty well has to depend on me. And driving down to Texas Street has various problems involved—the backing up portion being the least of those. The Acunas have a German Shepherd that bites and can clear their fence given the opportunity. It bit Jerry one day when he was down there to get his mail. But they did not do anything about it. Anyway, driving down there is really inconvenient, to say the least. Now that only two of us are going to be getting our mail down there, the post office might say that we don’t warrant the box being on our street. Here’s hoping that Patty’s disability will make them change their minds.

 

Really looking forward to seeing Jennifer tomorrow. It makes me feel a bit guilty for the kids to worry about coming to see me once a month. We talk fairly often, but yours truly is feeling so much better now that it seems unnecessary for them to come to take care of things that need to be done. Jennifer reminded me again that the Cymbalta helps with the neuropathy, the pain, and depression. Whatever it is doing, something is helping because my balance is better now. Walking still wears me out, but at least it is not as difficult. Won’t be working in the flower beds anytime soon, but at least reaching over to pull one or two pieces of grass doesn’t leave me unable to untrack!

 

Not going to mention anything political, but our nation needs help. Honesty and integrity seem to be a thing of the past. May God bless those who know what the truth means when they hear it or speak it.

 

Rest well, my friends, and look for joy in your lives. You are loved.