Pea Soup

The change of seasons is once more upon us. Temperatures are plummeting, winds are blowing and trees are morphing into wooden skeletons of their summer selves. The lake is green with a multitude of algae and during a recent wind storm, resembled a gigantic pot of boiling pea soup garnished with gull croutons. During a lull in the wind we were able to batten down the hatches and close the cabin until next spring. Good-byes are always sad but made easier by the lake dogs' arrival to say farewell. I'm sure they'll miss the treats more than they'll miss us!

Miss Muffet

When we arrived at the cabin after an absence of nearly a month, we discovered that some new tenants had moved in. As soon as the place heated up spiders started to appear on the ceilings and the walls and finally the floor. I felt like Little Miss Muffet as I sat on the couch and a big black spider sat down beside me. Yuck! You can bet Home Defense will be sprayed liberally and everything will be covered before we close for the winter!

Drowning Fruit Flies

With fresh fruit and working wine in the house, the fruit flies were having a hey day and were driving me crazy. I went online to see if there was an answer to my dilemma. Well, there was and it actually works. Fill a short glass about 1/3 full of cider vinegar. Then make a paper cone, leaving a small hole in the top. Tape the cone to the glass and watch the fruit flies gather. They enter the hole to sip the goodies and can't get back out. It does my heart good to see those drowned flies building up in the bottom of the glass!

Banish the Grey

In my family we don't turn grey early, so when a few grey hairs started glistening on my head, I knew old age was approaching. At first I decided to just go with it but soon discovered that I didn't like the look---I'm not yet ready to see an "old grey" in the mirror. At least we have a choice now. With a little money and a little work, the grey can be disguised for a couple of months and you can pretend you're still a young chick. So if you don't like those grey hairs, banish them!

A Long Life

The oldest known person in the world was on the news tonight. He's 113 years old! He's still alert, his memory is good and he takes no meds. Can you imagine living in 3 centuries? It's mind boggling! He says his secret is staying lean---I'd bet that his genes had something to do with it too. God loans us a body to use for awhile and He expects us to take care of it. Of course, some do a better job than others and this man must take the prize. I plan on hanging around as long as my "house" is livable and then, Sayonara.

Farmgirl

I've become addicted to Farm Town on Facebook. It's so much fun to plow and plant and then watch the crops grow. Since there are many others on the site, a competition gets going---who has the prettiest farm, who has the most coins, who is the most creative? There are no two farms exactly alike; each personality shines through. The DH says he wishes I'd get this enthusiastic about his garden, but guess what? There are no mosquitoes on Farm Town!

Tobacco

A good deal of time has been spent washing blinds and windows in Old Smokey's den. A layer of brown had accumulated during the summer and needed to be removed. It makes you wonder what his lungs look like, doesn't it? Anyway, I found a poem by Graham Lee Hemminger that fits the situation well:

TOBACCO

Tobacco is a dirty weed;
I like it.
It satisfies no normal need;
I like it.
It makes you thin, it makes you lean,
It takes the hair right off your bean,
It's the worst darn stuff I've ever seen:
I like it.

Entitlements

I agree that there are certain things to which we are entitled, such as health care, education, freedom of religion, safety in our own homes. However, we are not entitled to treat others with disrespect or to feel that society owes us a living. What has happened to this generation? There seem to be fewer and fewer boundaries. Too many people believe that the world revolves around them and they can say or do whatever comes to mind. Why can't we concentrate on our own lives and leave our fellow human beings to do the same? Today's children are tomorrow's leaders. Would you really want your selfish 8 year old or your 12 year old bully to rule the future world? It's imperative that children are taught these truths---everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, whether it's a parent or a stranger; hard work brings rewards; you are ultimately responsible for your own success and happiness; God is watching whether you believe it or not.

Leftovers

I'm sure I'm not the only one who freezes leftovers and then forgets about them. I do have an inventory sheet on the fridge, listing items in each freezer but don't always remember to check it. Well, now that the trip south is looming, I'm on a mission to use everything up. The DH approaches the table with trepidation, wondering what delicacy is being served for today's lunch. Actually, it's kind of fun being creative with items on hand and when I do serve something new, his eyes light up like he won the lottery!

Don't Kick the Bucket

My sweet little 6-year-old granddaughter came to visit yesterday. She decided during the day that she was coming to Grandma's after school and that was that. This kid is a ray of sunshine....told me that her "bucket was full" and when I questioned her, she gladly explained. It seems that the first graders each have an invisible bucket on their heads. If they're happy, the bucket is full; if they're sad, the bucket is empty. What a simple concept, one that we should all follow. I'm glad to report that my bucket is usually overflowing and is very rarely empty. How full is your bucket?

Something Stinks

I am so ashamed of our politicians. Watching President Obama's speech last night was like listening to a group of unruly teenagers at a high school assembly. What happened to respect for our superiors, especially the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES? Didn't those southern boys' mamas teach them any manners? I realize that health care needs to be fixed but our selfish congressmen also need to be fixed---maybe some well-orchestrated castrations would lower their testosterone! It seems to me that our welfare is not even being considered by the majority of politicians. They have wonderful health care, so who cares about the parents that are working several jobs just to keep food on the table, let alone buy insurance. Shame, shame, shame!

Squish and Poke

Today I had my yearly mammogram and physical, better known as the annual "squish and poke". I hate it but it is necessary. My doctor is always amazed at my good health and says I must be doing something right. Personally, I think the less stress in your daily life, the healthier you are. I've been purchasing my hormone patch and Omeprazole in Mexico and he has no problem with that---says they're the same as we buy here at home. The only difference is that they cost a whole lot less! Anyway, ladies, get your "girls" checked annually, even if it is uncomfortable. Having the sun set early on your life would be much worse.

Labor Day

Yesterday was Labor Day, the beginning of a new season. There's an anticipatory feeling in the air, heralding the approach of fall and winter. A few early bird trees have already begun to change color, kids are only seen on weekends, Gramps is tearing down the garden and Arizona is beckoning. For the last several years we've spent Labor Day either in the Black Hills or at the lake, but this year we stayed home. To our surprise, so did a lot of other people. Y's Buys and Savers were having Labor Day sales of 50% off everything and shoppers were out in droves---another reason for economy-minded souls to stay home!

Ode to a Six Year Old

I'm convinced that six is the perfect age. Six-year-olds are oblivious to the world around them. They're absolutely thrilled with life, anxious to conquer reading, writing and math and then move on to the next challenge. Love flows easily from their innocent little hearts; hugs and kisses and I love you's are generously distributed. Trust comes to them so naturally. They don't care about health reform or taxes or unemployment---they live in their own small worlds. It would probably benefit all of us to tap into our inner six-year-old every so often!

The Wino

The DH has an on-going project---wine making. He's completed several jugs of grape and plum, with plans for rhubarb. He's currently making pear and tomato wine. Yes, you heard right---tomato wine! Sounds pretty gruesome to me, but he's been researching on the internet and says you can even make wine fron pea pods. Yuck! Thank God I'm not a wine drinker because this stuff would definitely turn me off.

Old Smokey

If a person states that he has no bad habits, he's either a saint or a liar. We all have something that we refuse to give up or are convinced we can't live without. The DH and his son are addicted to tobacco. We can nag until we're blue in the face and they will still continue to puff. When we're at the lake, they sit in the truck for hours, smoking and solving the world's problems. They know what their habit is doing to their bodies, but refuse to quit and nobody can make them. This is a personal decision. As for me, I'd rather have chocolate!