Just got off the phone from speaking to my friend in Paducah, BillyeRuth. She said that every time she plans a trip to Childress, they call for another tornado watch or warning. This time she is just going ahead and getting there! We laugh more than any two sane ol' biddies ought to, but it is SO much fun to talk to her. We talked about guys and not wanting one. She is 80 now and doesn't want to take care of another man. And anyone in their 60s is not going to want a woman--well, not one in her 80s at least. Told her about the man who went to the senior center and said that he had gotten married the weekend before. "Wow!" The guys said. "Is she beautiful?"
"No, she is no looker," he said.
"Well, can she cook?"
"Well, no, she is not a cook."
"Well, WHY did you marry her then if she is not beautiful and can't cook?"
"Well, she can drive at night," the old man said with a nod of satisfaction.
Right now the nearest storm is in Seymour southwest of us. Watching the radar may not make me any safer, but at least it gives me a chance to get a head start to Anderson's basement if necessary.
Put the dogs' harnesses on them earlier. Thompson went behind the Dutch door here in the living room and rattled the leashes. Let me tell you, Momma is so dumb that she does not know that they are ready to GO!! Not sure if the two dogs' leashes, the "go bag," and my purse are even a possibility for the old woman to carry down there, but if all else failed, the leashes could drop since the dogs would go with me--well, as long as they did not see a rabbit first! Thompson has finally decided to lie down and rest since he can't seem to get me to do what he wants me to do. Oh well. It's a terrible thing to be a disappointment to a dog.
While on the phone with BR, she could hear my "screaming" chicken in the background--and that was from INSIDE the house! That hen needs a new home--one where she can yell her head off for the full effect!
Sylvia just brought me her alligator. Not sure where that thing came from--maybe Michelle Malay got it somewhere. She loves that toy! If she takes it outside and forgets it, we have to go find it before bedtime! And it has no squeaker in it now. At first it had a nice shrill squeak to it. Then it got down to "honk, honk." Now it just goes "squish, squish." Poor ol' alligator.
Tutoring this morning was just a tiny bit busy. Got two phone calls right away. Got that out of the way and started on the formulas for making good sentences with independent and dependent clause connections. Yes, the formulas were thus: DC, IC. IC,cc IC. Or IC;IC. or ICDC. Think dependent clause comma, Independent clause. Etc. If these guys can remember it and learn how to find the subject and verbs, they will never have a problem making good sentences. So, we practice writing. And now they are going to read The Scarlet Letter. Did you know that Margaret Atwood's A Handmaid's Tale was patterned on The Scarlet Letter? Kinda neat. They have not been able, so far, to find the movie for A Handmaid's Tale, but if all else fails, we can get a paperback book for them. Yours truly has not seen the movie; reading the book was sad enough.
The girls have been at it again. They hid thirteen eggs in the hay inside the long coop. Thought it seemed that there were fewer eggs, but now we know why. Sneaky little critters. BR said that hers hid a bunch under a freaking cactus! She had to remove a couple of leaves off the cactus to get the eggs out. But they were good eggs. In this temperature, eggs are not going to go bad. It is when the temps get too hot that you can't trust an egg that has been out more than a day. Those are boiled and either eaten or fed back to the hens. No waste.
This tornado watch does not stop until after nine tonight. Deep sigh. It seemed like spring time when we were kids was such a trial. My parents did this thing where Daddy went out to watch the clouds. When he said, "Get the kids," Mom would come inside and yell, "Hit the floor!" We learned early on to keep our shoes by the bedroom door and our clothes on the end of our beds. We could make it to the cellar in less than two minutes! In 1954 a tornado hit south of us in Dean Dale and took ONE person. He refused to go to the cellar, and the house was gone when they came up from the cellar. His paycheck was still on the table under the sugar bowl, but it took him. So sad. Our cellar here was originally built as a cistern, so guess where the water went when it rained! Nope, not going to wade in there with my babies! ONE time, wrapped Lance in blankets and sat down on the steps. Watched as scorpions crawled around the crack between the door and the cellar wall. LAST time this ol' girl ever went down there!
Have wrestled with this new computer just a bit. Expected Microsoft Office to be on the start up list, but it isn't. Eventually it will probably get where it needs to be, but right now it is rather frustrating. Guess maybe one answer would be to download the entire suite again since the code key is in my book already. Just can't figure out how exactly to access all my stuff in the order it is wanted. Oh well. Me and technology. sigh
Made some chicken salad today. It needed celery bits but is ok to eat. Usually some grapes sliced up, celery slices, and pecans with salad dressing do the job up pretty well. Did not have either celery or grapes, so walnuts, pineapple, and the dressing had to do. It was ok. Not all chicken salad is good, but some is definitely better than others. Alde's has some really good stuff made with cranberries and almonds and celery. Mmm. Will have to try that stuff at Market Street and see if it is any good. They also have some made with jalapenos. Not too sure about that. Oh well.
The storm in Seymour is s l o w l y headed this way. It looks to be dissipating, too. While more rain would be ok, they can keep all the hail of any size and the 50 to 70 mph winds! Dang! That stuff can take a roof in nothing flat. Not to mention what it does to cars and trucks. And if you want to see something funny, just watch the privacy fences go flying! There is a reason someone developed "cyclone" fencing. God provides the weather; someone else provides the common sense to use fencing that allows His wind to blow right on through!
Just in case you ever wondered, a person with chickens has life arranged FOR them. You get up early and let the girls OUT, and then you watch the sun go down and shut the hen house doors. Then it is all over again the next day. And then there are hens like these Marans who would just as soon take a good peck at you as look at you. The Black-laced Wyandottes could care less if a hand slides under them to drag out eggs. Just don't pick the hen up until she is finished. But the Marans--oh no. We will cuss you first; then we will peck the heck out of you. And just to let you know we mean business, once in a while one will dance up to you with her wings out and act as if she will happily flog you! Not happening! Might have to make another trip to Paducah to give BR the squawker and any aggressive hens. KNOW she would just love me for that! HA!
Well, Jennifer just called to tell me she got a code red alert for my area. That means the storm coming from Seymour has hail and is on its way. Glory be! Just what we need tonight. Praying that the hail stays small and doesn't take my roof.
Let's be grateful that we have the technology to watch the weather and see what is headed our way. It was not like that 60 years ago for sure!
Rest well, my friends, and enjoy your next morning. You are loved.
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