When it ALL hits the Fan

Let's see, it will be a week tomorrow that Scottie got home from two weeks in San Diego. The schedule was that we'd return to SD next Friday to celebrate his birthday with family and friends. He's waiting for news on his Park job. He's supposed to do a small handy-guy job for our old landlady. And, he's hard at work on the roof/shingling of my garden storage shed to have that done before we leave since we should be heading into rainy season.


I have to give this man of mine credit: he's got the roofing thing down! OK, he's not fast; but it looks good.


But, yesterday, the kitchen faucet sprung a leak. We've got stuff pulled out from under the sink and all over the kitchen and water to the faucet turned off. Luckily, I guess, I'd kept everything from the house building, even the installation instructions from everything. So, Scottie goes through the faucet install stuff and figures out that this type of faucet, when it leaks, all you do is remove part A and tighten ring X. Simple, huh? Wrong-O! After removing part A, he discovered that ring X ain't there. Either the faucet shipped w/o it, or the plumber who did the install lost it. So. . . .




Mr. Amateur Plumber pulled his head out from under the sink and picked up a different tool - the phone - to call a professional. We're waiting on him.


And I'm in dire need of The Dog Whisperer to deal with a major jealousy issue. After Scottie gets up and feeds dogs, then hits the internet, the dogs come back up for an after breakfast nap with me - I'm still sleeping. First Cocoa appears and asks permission to come up on the bed. Fine. Then Buck comes up and Cocoa starts growling and barking at him, not wanting to share. This time I simply got crowded out since, after several minutes of her behaving like a major Bitch (and not as in "female dog") he wouldn't lie down by her. That pillow his head is on - MINE. That nice quilt covering him - MINE. And me? I'm downstairs making a latte.



I head out Monday by BUS for San Diego to spend a few days with my favorite father-in-law (FIL for short) who has blood clots and needs coumadin shots for a while. Scottie will finish up stuff here, board the dogs and drive down Friday. Meanwhile Lucy Cat is stuffy and sneezing. She has a history of colds, and I'm hoping that Scottie doesn't have to add taking her to the vet to his list.

Then, after what cannot remotely be called a restful time since he's been home, he will have a 5+ hour drive, we'll do a scaled-back birthday celebration for him (SEVENTY), and we'll drive back Sunday. Whoever said retirement is easy is full of - - well, the smelly stuff.

Cackle, Cackle, Cackle - - It's Wanda Witch

The Arts Alliance is doing a fun/fund raiser this weekend with an adult pumpkin carving contest. There will be an out-of-town artist as the judge, and many of us will donate our pumpkins for sale with the money raised to go to the Arts Alliance.

I decided a black pumpkin would be more interesting than the usual orange, and BBQ paint did the trick. Carving Wanda was a challenge, especially her hooked nose, but it got done. Curiously the hardest part was creating the broom and getting it to stick to the pumpkin. It's glued on, and gluing a straight broom onto a curved pumpkin was a challenge.

So, Miss Wanda will make her debut on Saturday. Should be fun.

Just Another Day in the Foothills

We had several days and nights of cooler than normal weather though it's warmed up again now. That cool weather got me in a fall frame of mine which led to planting pansies. Just for friend Y, no not X, those are being put online. I think they'll look better after the portulaca is finished going dormant for the season, but I like their little faces even now. There are lots down both sides of the front walkway, over by the side, around the bases of a couple of shrubs, but I thought one photo was enough.



The cool season ground cover on the north-ish side of the house has come back and the petunias and pinks have perked up - Perky Petunias and Pinks?? That's almost too cute!



I've spent the last couple of days mixin' up all the home-made potions for my plants; the stuff to repel deer and other critters, the mixture to "clean up" plants, i.e., wash off pollution, etc., and the special potion that is supposed to send gopher's packing. After mixin' it all, it had to be applied, some by dribbling, some by spraying, and all exhausting. Then I put together the home-made bird food to replace store bought suet type feed. Both dogs came hurrying in for the smell of melting lard and peanut butter that forms the base of this mix. I didn't give in and give them any especially since Buck threw up at 5:30 this AM. Enough.

We still have lots and lots of goldfinches gathered both at feeders and the fountain. They don't seem to notice my new pansies or any of the other work I've been doing.



And, a friend told me that having red flowers outside the front door is a feng shui means of bringing in abundance, both financial and otherwise, to one's life. Home Depot's sale on one of my favorites, cyclamen, gave me the chance to do that affordably. So, thinking abundance, vibing for prosperity. . . .




Oh, I can't resist, one more pansy face:

Irritating Infection; Silly Sleepover; and Damaged Dignity

Irritating Infection: Last week The Man was bitten on the hand by one of our cats. (Repeat after me: Do NOT tease the kitties.) Did he care for it? Did he tell me so I could care for it? Do you see where this is going? By the time I knew of it the next day it was infected. By the time he agreed to go to the doctor it was badly infected. Long story short is we ended up with a trip that evening to the ER 45 minutes away. High fever, low blood pressure, and red lines up to the elbow. Not good. He got some sort of major shot in the fanny and was well enough the next morning to make the drive to San Diego for my father-in-law's 97th birthday celebration. Question is, did he learn anything? He's finished out 10 days worth of strong antibiotics and is still in San Diego working on some repairs at FIL's house. We'll see how he does with kitties when he gets home.

Silly Sleepover: Friend Judy from across the way was gone over night and I got to bring her guys here for a sleepover. First I took my two to her house for a play date so the four could have a bit of off-leash time together. That went really well. That evening, I fed her guys and brought them across the road to our place. Beau is an absolutely ancient Golden Retriever. He's got to weigh at least 120, and he's very arthritic. Yet, he made it down her steps, down both of our steep driveways and into my house with surprising ease. Leo, the little guy, is a Shepherd mix, and a bit hyper as well as truly sweet. When I sat on the deck at Judy's for their play date, he really thought he should be my lap dog. That earned him a scolding from both Beau and my own Cocoa-Dog. Since Beau is way too stiff to make it to my second story bedroom, these two spent the night in the "prison" - ok "room" sounds better - where I can shut my dogs when they need to be contained. They had a blanket on the floor, and settled down easily.
Morning was a bit nuts with getting my own into electric collars and out the door before getting leashes on Beau and Leo to walk home. I was amazed at how well the old gentleman managed going up both driveways. He did hesitate a bit at the steps up to Judy's deck, but tackled it and went up easily. I'd do this again without complaint!



Damaged Dignity: That would be mine. I decided yesterday that the cool weather and all the work I've been doing entitled me to some hammock time. It hasn't been used for months. And, lesson learned, I should have taken it down for the hot summer months. When I sat in preparation for flopping up and in - it broke. I was dropped on a rock, a rock with a rather sharp ridge, right on the tail bone that I've broken twice before in my life. Major, major, major pain. Now here's the kicker: I'm fine today! Go figure. I put a heating pad on the area - try that sometime - and took Tylenol PM. Slept like a baby until all the dogs got me up. I had really thought I'd be very stiff and sore this AM, but I rolled out of bed in great shape.
I hesitate to say this, but I think it may actually have broken loose some of the old cartilage that has always stiffened the tail bone since a long ago break. Wouldn't that be funny? Third time's the charm and I'm back to all better???