No Need to Knock!

 No Need to Knock!

 

Saw something on FB this morning that made me laugh. One of those doormats had a picture of a small dog like the ones Patty has looking out from under a blanket. The words: No Need to Knock! Yep! My big dogs are just as vociferous as her little dogs, but neither of us needs a doorbell as long as the dogs can hear an engine or a cat or a dog or any strange sound that makes them wonder about what might be going on outside. They announce the mail truck, the trash truck, the guy going by to deliver Patty’s meals or her packages. Then there are those days when the wind blows worse than normal. Something blows by on the street or down on the highway, and these two guardians think they have to sound the alarm! Certainly hope that this semi-drought does not progress any further. Tumbleweeds make interesting “monsters” that fly across the lake bed and stack up around the bottom of the hill. Get a bad enough wind and those monsters will stack up across the highway against the State Hospital fence!

 

Talked to Robin Christian just a bit ago and found out that Illinois is having a drought there about the same as here. They have had one fairly decent snow, but it won’t be enough to soak in and keep moisture down in the ground for their fields. It is so sad to see things die off for lack of water. Of course, have seen the reports about places in Africa where the animals are dying off and the people starving for lack of water or any way to produce food. The goats and cattle can’t wander far enough to find grazing. And the wild animals are just as bad off as the more domesticated stock. We all need to ask God to bless our earth with rain in due season. No matter what kind of things come out of the ocean to feed folks, we have to have enough of it produced or gathered to feed all the hungry people. Have read that kelp will feed livestock, but then, how does one get kelp from the ocean to the people in Ethiopia? How can we feed Texas cattle with enough seaweed to make it through a drought? Seems to me that only God can help us.

 

Did a little Southern engineering this morning. Had a beware of dog sign on the fence next to the end of Lakeview. The zip ties on the top of the sign were broken off. Went out to put more on the top of the sign and took the wrong size out there. Decided wire would last longer and work better. Now the sign is reattached firmly with wire. Meanwhile, it occurred to me that the zip ties would keep two of those little cubby things attached to each other for a nesting box in the middle coop. The hens raise up on their legs when they are getting ready to drop their egg, so they have been dislodging the top cubby. Turned it over so that the two open ends were together and the hens have more room to stand up. Took me long enough to figure this out! Duh. Some folks are just not into seeing things from a practical point of view. Guess who is one of them!

 

Took a test at the clinic yesterday and found out today that it was negative. Yay! Next week is the one where the nurse scrapes the bottom side of your brain through your nose for a covid sample. It is a horrible virus and would not want it in any way form or fashion, but that test has got to be improved! Horrors!

 

My dogs snore. Sylvia reminds me of Lewis. Deep, rumbling snores! She does not talk in her sleep, however. But she also wakes up at the least little sound if she is in the living room with me. She will give me an accusing stare if my noises are enough to make her think she needs to get up and go somewhere with me. Tried to spell the word “accusatory” and could not get Word to even consider my spelling. Oh well. The meaning is disapproving and that is how Sylvia feels about any extraneous noises made by yours truly. Oh well.

 

Offered Thompson a marrow bone snack and watched him make a mess. But he found it on my desk later and reached up to get it. He is funny. He really prefers getting his own snacks, thank you very much. But if he thinks that Sylvia might get it—well, Katie bar the door! He will get it first or run over me trying.

 

Just went out to prop the coop door open again. That wind is something else! Looked out to the east lot and noticed a SLIGHT green tinge to the grass. Maybe we will have some grass this year after all. Have been thinking that the stems on the apricot trees looked a bit thicker. Hope they get to make fruit this year. The frost nearly always got at least a couple of trees years ago.

 

Was able to hook up the water hose again this morning and put out water for the critters. We are supposed to get freezing temps again this week, so had to put the cover back on the faucet. Such is life. At least the dog water bowl is easy to fill and has nothing inside to be covered.

 

Made some banana pudding this morning and had planned to use the whisk attachment to the Braun tool that Jennifer bought for me. WHY the attachments are never where the old woman thinks they should be, who knows? Ended up using the mixer and whisk that daughter-in-law gave me. One of these days—nah, organization will never happen. It takes thought. Rolling eyes here.

 

My nephew Danny’s son Jacob has an incurable disease that is similar to RA and a bunch of other stuff that makes folks miserable. The insurance company was refusing to pay for the drugs he needed, but the company that makes the drug is letting them have it for something like $5 a month! That is such a blessing for them. Anyway, Jacob has a terrible time when they have to stick him for any kind of blood work. His veins are not good after all he has been through.

 

Then there is a lady named Karen S. whose son also has some incredibly rare diseases that prevent him from walking. Karen is older and should not be lifting, but her son fell and HAS to be lifted. Please pray for her, her son, and any answers that can be given to her for help. She really needs a full-time helper that the boy can learn to love. Only God can give answers to situations like these for Jacob and Karen.

 

Rest and enjoy whatever life has that makes you smile. You are loved.