MaryAnn, Kendrick is playing with your mind...you were supposed to know the rules of the game and go chasing after him!      

I'm am glad he knew enough to come back!

Patricia, I have a walk-out condo.  When Kendrick has stayed out all night, he has seen the light in Tom's room (lower level) when he got up in the morning and he knew enough to go to the window to let Tom know that he wanted "in".  I wonder what he would have done if a neighbor had gotten up first.

Today, Kendrick came back to the front door which is the upper level. 

Mary Ann

Hi, Friends!  Wanted to take a minute to check in and see what is happening.  Good to see the message from Kelly and hope he will be able to return at some point.

Mary Ann, I know Kendrick will miss you while you are gone.  Sounds like he enjoys playing games with you.  We watched Dustin Johnson some in the PGA and were very impressed with his skills at golf.  He got his start with Coastal Carolina University's golf team not far from us here.  He has come close to winning tournaments several times and it was good to see him win.

Larry, it's funny how we run into people occasionally and have conversational exchanges that make the encounter very significant.  It's almost like we were supposed to be in that place at that time for that meaningful conversation.  Who knows?  Maybe you were supposed to be in that place at that time for that encounter.  I'm sure you were a blessing to the gentleman.  I hope Pat is feeling better soon.

I didn't feel very good over the weekend.  Had some stomach cramps and a cough that started on Friday and I am still coughing some but I think something is going around.  Thankfully it hasn't been any worse.

One of Windell's gardening friends got him 90 collard plants on Labor Day weekend so we went to pick them up from him.  Just as we drove up he caught an 8 lb. catfish out of his freshwater pond and ended up giving it to us.  Windell managed to skin it, chop it up in chunks, and freeze it and we will make catfish stew when some of the kids come home again.  He planted the collar plants Sunday afternoon and yesterday afternoon and fell in the garden once Sunday afternoon and again yesterday about the time he finished.  I think that leaning over to put the plants in the ground probably stirred up his inner ear problem and make him a little dizzy when he straightened up but he ended up sort of sitting down on the freshly plowed dirt that was soft so he didn't really get hurt.  He did scratch his hand on a briar next to the fence yesterday and it bled a little but hopefully he is basically finished with the planting.  He was not able to have a summer garden and he has missed it.

We had about 5-6 inches of rain with the tropical system that passed us right before Labor Day but very little wind and I was grateful that we didn't lose our power.  After the very hot summer, the storms may be more threatening for us this fall.  Hard to believe that the Fall Equinox is only about eight days away!

Can't really remember whose posts I read at this point.  I really need to go to bed and get rested for tomorrow.  Hope you all have a good week!

Hi everyone.  We have an overcast morning and should have moderate temperatures today.  Other than to water my flowers I have the other morning chores pretty well accomplished so can have a quiet morning here in my office. 

Yesterday turned out not to be a restful day as was super busy all morning and after I got the beef roasts brazed for the crock pots I was tired.  When I got up from my afternoon rest Pat suggested we go out to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner and I jumped on that suggestion.  We were cooking the roasts on low and they weren't going to be ready for dinner.  This afternoon I plan on fixing a new batch of sausage biscuits for Pat's breakfasts.   

Late this afternoon Pat has another Chiropractic treatment and then I will meet Scott at the church for the Wednesday night dinner.  Tonight is meatloaf and mashed potatoes, salad and dessert.  We looking forward to spending a few hours with Scott this evening. 

MaryPage, you did not have good luck in attending the Bashes.  We looked into going to the Bash in Canada but decided it was too far away and we really were not up to the trip.  We did enjoy the Atlanta Bash and got to meet so many SeniorNet folks and had a few occasions to meet and have lunch with SeniorNet folks going through Atlanta.

Joan, how does Candy like living in Nevada compared to California or is it too soon for her to know?

Patricia, it is interesting that Farrah always rounds up the five mice and gets them in the sack before attacking it.  Cats can be very entertaining.  Our cat did "chitter" when she saw something outside. 

Mary Ann, you wouldn't spoil Kendrick would you? 

Johann, good to see your posting and was sure happy to see that the falls on the soft dirt had not hurt Windell.  There sure are a lot of good young golfer on the tour.  What a pressure packed job pro golfers have.  If they are successful the financial rewards are great but they pay a price for sure.  I don't think it was a co-incidence that I met that man at Walmart yesterday.  Of course, that is something that can never be proven but no need to do so.  I hope you are feeling much better now.   

Personally, I think Mary Ann has herself a cat, no matter her denials.  A good cat companion.  Me, I've always been partial to male cats.  I have two of them when I go to my daughter Anne's: Sherlock and Jonathan.  They were rescue cats, and brothers.  You had to take both.  I am famous in the family circle for being the ONLY person who entered that house (for the first time after their arrival), and they did not run for cover.  Cats are funny.  What they know is amazing.  YOUR cat, Mary Ann, was having you on.  Playing a game with you, like Patricia says.  He was saying: "He, he!  Fooled ya!"  Or something like.  Who knows?  I know this, having that type of companion is Good For You!

Johann, it is good to hear from you and to hear that you and Windell are OK.  It's too bad he fell in his garden, but good he wasn't hurt.  Things are normal here, which means nothing exciting.  The cat does keep me going and I hope Tom will be able to keep him inside while I'm gone.  I know for the cat being on the deck is not the same as being outside in the yard, but I am determined to keep him an inside cat. 

Larry, you are turning out to be a good cook.  I'd say your teacher is a good cook too.  Tom likes to cook, but his repertoire is not big.  I wish he could take time to watch some cooking shows for ideas but he doesn't have time.  He does a good job with what he does. 

MaryPage, Kendrick sure did fool me yesterday when he was at the front door.  He came into my bedroom this morning to help me make my bed.  If something moves below him, he grabs it with his claws (he is not declawed) and it is hard to make the bed.  Many times I leave the bed half made.

I thought today was to be warmer, in the upper 70s, but I learned it will be in the lower 70s.  I am wearing shorts anyway and I have no particular place to go.

Mary Ann

Good morning from the again, soggy Interior! I think we are going to be very early in our snows this year, unfortunately. It seems that the lower forty-eight states set records for the hottest summer while we set records for the wettest! There is something wrong with that picture!

Johann, it was nice to see a post from you again, but I'm sorry Windell had fallen. I hope whatever you had was one of those one-day bugs!

Farrah was very busy again yesterday and enjoyed plotting her massacres!     I once had Beau, a very similar cat who kept all the toys to himself by opening and closing the bathroom cabinet for his personal toy storage. Kendrick sounds a very happy, inquisitive cat.  MaryPage, I see you get to enjoy all the fun with Sherlock and Jonathan! 

Larry, she used to live in Lake Tahoe  so not much difference .   They are looking for a larger house to rent or buy. Hope they find something soon.

Cool nights here and pleasant days.    Hugs all around,

Angel, MaryAnn, MaryPage, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but:

Your cat is destroying the environment

...snip...
[Cats] are "cuddly killers" that butcher tens of billions of songbirds, small mammals, reptiles, and lizards each year and push vulnerable species toward extinction. Cats hunt when they are hungry and hunt when they are full. "In the United States," [Peter P. Marra and Chris Santella write in Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer], "more birds and mammals die at the mouths of cats than from wind turbines, automobile strikes, pesticides and poisons, collisions with skyscrapers and windows, and other so-called direct anthropogenic causes combined." [The New York Review of Books]
...snip...

http://theweek.com/speedreads/648731/cat-destroying-environment

Larry.  Pat must really like your Sausage Biscuits. Every time you say you made some more I want one.  Now are you putting on a Biscuit or on the English Type muffins that most of the fast food have theirs.  I prefer Biscuits.  Tell me how you do them. In the past I have bought the frozen Biscuits but maybe you making you own.  Need to freeze some also.  Really like them.

Hal, I hate to tell you, but I don't keep birds, lizards or what have you in my condo.  The cat did find a baby mouse one day and he probably did kill that but I picked it up with a napkin and put it outside where it disappeared in the night.  It's a hard fight against Annie and Tom to keep Kendrick inside.  He may find an insect on the deck but I haven't seen any inside. 

Tom, Terry and I just had lunch at Pizza Hut.  We could order a small pizza with our choice of toppings, a salad and beverage for $7.50.  When there are just the three of us, I try to buy once a month (and we don't meet that often - the three of us, that is), so I bought. 

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, for Alaska, most basic meals, such as fast food start around nine dollars. Alaskan freight is about 23% higher than to the lower 48. You can verify this by looking at your catalog's separate freight prices between the continental US and Alaska and Hawaii, anything passing over water makes insurers nervous.

I would love to have the prices you and the others stateside have.

Hal that is old news about cats. All of the cats, large and small, are efficient hunters. Where dogs are pack animals, cats are not. They fall into the same category as horses, elephants, walrus and that ilk. A single leading male offers protection and young and the various females shepherd all the young and do all the hunting for the group.

Cats, it has been said, are the leading US pet and among millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, cats are the most favored pet with more men than women preferring pets instead of children. They see it as companionship with less work and expense than marriage or children.

Well, it's official, it wasn't an allergy. My sinuses are clogged, my stomach's queasy, my head hurts and last night was another go to bed after 6 PM and sleep until 6:22 AM.

Patricia, I am glad you can sleep so well with your illness. Sleep is so very healing. Don't forget to drink lots of liquids.

Hi everyone on this Thursday morning.  My schedule this morning is the same as most Thursday mornings in that I will pick up my friend and got to coffee, take him home and then back to the Church for the Wisdom group and then will stop at Aldi's for some fresh vegetables.  Then later this afternoon Pat has her final Chiropractic treatment for this week.

I read all of the postings since yesterday before I got out of bed this morning as have limited time to post this morning.

Mary Ann, my wife is a good cook and I guess I am still trainable.  I am beginning to wonder if this may not become a pretty permanent duty.

Joan, I had forgotten about Candy living in Nevada before. 

JeanneP, the sausage muffins are made with 1 pound of sausage fried and crumbled, 1 cup of cream, 1/2 cup of whey powder,  4 eggs, 1/2 Tsp pepper and 1/2 cup of grated cheddar and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Everything is mixed together with the sausage added last. We have two silicone muffin tins and it makes just 12 muffins and they come right out of the pan.  If metal muffin pans are used be sure to grease the sides and bottom of the cups so these will stick. 

Patricia, I remember how expensive things were in Alaska in the late 60's.  We did receive a 25% increase in pay to compensate some.  It was quite an adventure for a young family and an experience we are glad we had. Sure sorry to read that you are sick and hope today finds you feeling better.

Good morning!

June, I have orange juice and grape juice. I am one of those, who when sick, likes to go to the back of the cave/bedroom, and hibernate. Thank you for thinking of me.

I had quite an experience on the bus yesterday. I was going to the store for sinus medicine and was sitting in the lower part.

Our city buses have two sets of seats facing each other behind the driver that are reserved for elderly, and physically challenged, and the seats flip up for wheelchairs.

Behind those are three rows of forward facing seats and then three steps up to the higher portion of the bus with two forward rows with two sideways facing seats with a last long forward facing seat.

I was sitting just behind the driver and to the right when she suddenly cursed, stood on the brakes and everyone tumbled hither and yon and onto the floor. One girl screamed, "My baby!" as her stroller went careening down the steps and rolled to just past me.

Surprisingly, other than a few hard knocks, no one was hurt. I felt myself falling sideways and onto the floor in a slow, unstoppable swing. I remember thinking to stop, but I just continued onto the lady beside me and both  to the floor.

It had been a small red car that dashed out of a side road and in front of the bus before heading away. These buses are twice as large and twice as long as a school bus, so you can imagine if it and the car had come together. It was one of those moments when you realise your mortality and how helpless you may become in an instant.

I hope everyone forgave the driver her cursing and thanked her profusely for her quick action.  I gather the baby was fine and probably thought it all great good fun?

Patricia, that was scary, especially when there's nothing to grab on those seats behind the driver.  Our buses are the same except we don't have the higher seats at the back; the seats are all on the same level.

I'm heading for Indianapolis tomorrow for a few days, staying with Jim's younger son.  I know we will be at the older son's too and I hope to see Erin, Terry's daughter.  I expect to be online so you should hear from me while there.

Mary Ann

MaryPage, the driver's cursing was followed by several others so was rather a moot point. The young baby, more of an infant slept through it all while the mother cursed out the bus driver and then profusely apologised when others told her the facts. At her stop, she then re-apologised to the driver, saying how scared she had been.

There are cameras on the buses and on the front/rear facing views as well, so hopefully, the red car won't stay anonymous.

MaryAnn, it was scary as everything was quick, helpless yet felt like it was all in slow motion. I hope you enjoy your trip down and back!

Larry.

Now we are not thinking of the same Sausage Biscuits.  I make the one like they have at the fast food Breakfasts.  A flat sausage patty  between either a biscuit or a type of English Muffin.  Sold at McDonald's. Burga King type place.  They will put either Egg, Cheese on theirs. Not me  . Yours are more of a Muffin. Sound good though. May try them. I notice yours have no flour. Is the Whey in place of that?

So sorry to hear about that bus ride ,
Patricia ...     

Our city buses do not allow for children to sit in their
strollers or anything on wheels.      The care taker has to
remove the child and hold the child on their lap.

Hopefully there was no damage to be done to anyone. 
That is very scary.     I try to sit in seats that have
another seat in front of them ...   I know how dangerous
riding in a bus can be,  as none of them have seatbelts,  (here).

But they certainly are convenient and very reasonably priced.
A round trip ticket for me to the grocery store is only 75 cents!!

I know Sandy, school buses don't have seatbelt either. I wonder why we don't have the law about taking children out of strollers?

I know they have lifts that shoot out under the door and drop down for wheelchairs, then back up level and then slip back in their slot when done. They also will lower the doorway a few inches for folks like me that have trouble and a wheelchair area has belts that lock all the wheel chair's wheels in place for the ride. Our city and borough buses, statewide are free for those over 60.

We have  a Great Metro Bus System
here in the Portland Maine Area.....

And I suspect that at some point,  some one
  got very hurt by being left unattended in a stroller,
on a bus.   

Wheel Chairs are strapped in  so  they don't move
around, unlike strollers which can act like missiles
when a bus man throws on the  breaks..
So for safety and insurance reasons,  they now choose
to make people hold their children...
 

Patricia, I am so thankful you were not injured in that bus accident. It is so sad that we have to take our lives in jeopardy every time we leave our home. Your bus driver was a hero in not striking that little red car…they would no longer be with us.. but how fortunate that no one on the bus suffered injuries. That could have been a disaster.

Mary Ann, I hope your trip to Indianapolis was restful and happy.

Thanks, June, but I haven't left yet.  Tom will take me to Merrillville IN where we will meet the other Tom who will take me to Indianapolis.  In between, we'll have lunch before we go out separate ways.  On Tuesday, we will repeat the process.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn,  I am wishing you a safe and enjoyable trip to Indianapolis.  I know you have been looking forward to seeing your friends for a while now.   Have fun !!!

Joy

Good Morning Everyone,  from the cool,
clear, rocky coast of Maine.     It is beginning to feel more
like Fall here.    Right now I am just using my
fans  with out the AC on.   In just a couple more
weeks they will be pulling out the Window AC for
the Winter...      (Yikes!) .. 

Mary Ann,  you have a great day and a great trip.   
Hopefully the weather will be good for traveling. 

Enjoy!

I am still working closely with Google "Project Fi",
which is my smart phone.     We are trying to get
the Caller ID issue,  which is still in limbo.   
Otherwise I live my phone and sure am learning
a lot about how things work.   

I think that I will hop a bus down to the
Grocery Store today.   Because of inspections,
Kelly and I didn't get our day out this week.   
So I  off  to catch the bus. 

Have a good day,  Everyone.
Sandy

Hi everyone on a beautiful Friday morning.  We have a zero chance of rain today.  I plan on staying home today, the first day all week and I am looking forward to it.  No major cooking will be needed today as we have the beef roast and when I made the salad last night I had a big bowl of it left so won't have to do that.  Pat has the balsamic mushrooms also that I made a couple of days ago that she hasn't eaten yet.  I have some work to do here at my desk and that will be it.

On my last visit to COSTCO I bought two new king size pillows.  We started using them a couple of night ago and we both like them.  So Pat will be ordering some king size pillow cases.  Right now we are using two regular size pillow cases on each one, which works but looks rather strange. 

They are in the process of delivering the Hardy Plank siding for the new house across the street and the crew is already on site to start putting it on.  This house has really gone up quickly. 

Thank you all for your continued expressions of concern for Pat and for your prayers for her.  She is half-way through with the intensive Chiropractic treatments and was told at the beginning at about this point she will have a plateau level and she thinks she has reached it.  Hopefully soon she will see more progress. 

Patricia, sure glad you were not hurt in that bus event.  I remember Stacey saying the buses in Atlanta  had to have all wheelchairs locked in before it could take off.  Fortunately all of the buses were handicapped equipped and that was what allowed her to get around.  Because she was disabled she also had a free bus pass although for a long while she had to buy a bus and subway card each month. 

MaryPage, is like your picture with the blue framed glasses.  You look so joyful.

Mary Ann, hope your trip to Indianapolis today has gone well and you were not too tired when you got there. 

JeanneP, I know what the Sausage Biscuits you speak of look like as we have eaten those on occasion.  I guess the Whey powder replaces the flour. 

Sandy, that sounds like a good policy on your buses with regard to infants.  Your bus fares seem very reasonable.  Hope you have an enjoyable outing today. 

Good morning Joy. 

Thank you, Larry!  I WAS overjoyed in that moment, as I had 4 of my 8 children with me and a large marguerita in my hands!  I'll email you the original photo just for fun.
Cool outside!  Woo hoo!  I am in horrendous pain these days from a bad left knee.  It seems to have reached its worst, and is inching towards getting better.  I will see my wonderful rheumatologist early Thursday morning, and in the meanwhile am scooting around with a walker that has an attached basket in front.  Chip does EVERYthing for me.  But today is spectacular for the bay weather I love best, and I regret not being able to get out and about for a brisk walk.  I AM able, however, to enjoy both the back and front balconies and those beyond gorgeous geraniums blooming their lovely heads off.  Those heads are nodding in the brisk breezes off the water as I write!

MaryPage, I don't think I've seen one of your photos where you aren't smiling! Enjoy your fall. We are still the same. However, the leaves are rapidly falling in the winds, and it looks as if we will not go past yellow in colors this fall.

Normally, the summers are dry; August is always rainy, and September is cooler and crisp. This summer we rarely have been without rain, rarely seen mists and fogs have become commonplace as has the rain that's never left us.

Our usual weather patterns have run amok, and our around Halloween snows may turn into an around September snow.We have stayed at partly cloudy all month according to the weather folk even as we have had rain more often as not.

Larry, June, thank you, but what was odd, was the feeling of being in slow motion and telling myself in my mind to stop, even as I swung into the other girl and we both slid off our seats onto the floor. I know it happened quickly, but it felt slow.

Sandy I agree, I have heard bus drivers tell the passengers at times to take the child out and fold the stroller, but the reason given was that it blocked the aisle. Larry, the first two rows of seats behind the bus driver, on either side, have inserted metal signs showing a pair of crutches, a cane, and a wheelchair.

The seats lift up, and there are straps and locks underneath for wheelchairs. The bus entrances, by the driver, have hydraulic lifts, both for people like me and a slotted inserted lift for the wheelchairs.

There is also VanTran vans available with wheelchair and seats for the physically challenged. It runs an hour before the regular bus and an hour after. However, it costs two dollars each way, and you are only allowed a timed way to and from. As well as the bus is always free to those over sixty.

I hope Pat has reached the end of her plateau and will finally find pain relief! Beyond the pain, it must be so frustrating.

MaryAnn, this Indianapolis trip seems to have become a yearly event, I hope it is an enjoyable one with a nice lunch and the two Tom's! Dare I say you are becoming a "power luncher?"

I've put in five photos in photos, here in S&F. The first is a city cam shot and on the following page are four taken from my living room, showing our early, foggy, arctic autumn.


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