Saturday Evening
May I also add my condolences for Bee on her loss. Words, only. It doesn't equate with the emotional pain involved. People say words; they mean well when a death occurs but I find that many times people simply don't know what to say or how to say it. I'm not sure I do either.
This afternoon, walking Ceilidh and Hope, our two Australian Shepherd sisters, both over ten years of age, I was again reminded of this when speaking to the son (30 yrs) next door. Ceilidh, we've discovered this week, has hemangiosarcoma. The tumours lie in the lining of her right atrium in her heart. Everything else checks out clean. She collapsed on Tuesday and by Tuesday suppertime we were an hour away at the veterintary teaching hospital in Guelph, Ontario. Of the three Aussies here, Ceilidh is my 'heart-dog', a term I have really never used before in all my years of having dogs and of putting dogs down due to old age and illness. But here it is with Ceilidh...she has wrapped herself around my heart and her loss, when she dies, will leave a big hole in my life. My neighbour's comment: "well, she's had a good life here for ten years". Somehow, that didn't help; somehow, it made me feel angry. It wasn't acknowledging the pain that I am now feeling. He is young, yet and he lives in his head of intelligence, not entirely of his feelings. So for the days left to Ceilidh, I hug and kiss her and watch over her. It hurts to loose anything we love.
So, Bee, I am sorry for your loss.
And Fran, I am glad to hear that you've come through that very difficult operation and are back teaching school for now. And, yes, we are still 'running' the B&B although there are times in the summer when it is running us. To-day, the 'radio-man' came. We call him this as he is coming to the B&B to set up his tent, towers, ham radio and will participate, from the top of our hill, in a world-wide ham radio contest in Morris Code. he was here scouting the land as to where he will locate his equipment and his will likely be our most unique booking in the eighteen years we've been 'doing' bed & breakfast.
Rosey
Passing
I had the opportunity to meet both Bee and her DH several times in years past. Harold was a real gentleman with a great sense of humour and will be sorely missed. BEE - Many hugs coming your way.
ROSEY: I am doing really well, thanks for asking - procedure was reversed last Oct/Nov and I haven't really had too many problems since then. DH retired just before I got sick and is quite a good house-husband (if I ignore the difference in cleaning methods, etc LOL) I have 114 days at school left, 51 of which are the equivalent of teaching days, so yes I'm definitely counting them down. Are you still operating the B & B?
I have Fridays off to do things so the weekends are free, so had better get on with them.
Fran in S'Oz
bug bites & a tick, O my!
I't always hard to post after sad news. Bee our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Tuesday I was doing the last little "bits" of planting some marigolds and some planter boxes. Somewhere along the way I got a tick imbeded in my skin, in a very painful place, under the bra.
Yikes. It felt like a thorn there, so after a few hours I looked at myself in the 7X manifying make up glass. the little bugger didn't want to let go.
With the other bites I look and feel like a walking pin cushion. Will have to wear bug spray-it stinks, but the lemon one isn't so bad.
Doris--I found a B&B in Savannah that I like, the Forsythe Park Inn. Not cheap, but nothing there is. We will go the second weekend in May. Going to take our bikes for the sight seeing.
Today is our 32nd Anniversary. Since we can't do dinner tonight we met for lunch at a little place nearby. I had the cuban sandwich, DH the chicken, with potato salad, and a wonderful slice of chocolate cake that we shared. Like to support the Mom and Pop places when possible, and this is very close by. DH walked in with red roses. I think he's a keeper.
Finished up the top to the QOV quilt. It was a bear, had to rip out many seams, and do over.
I like the way it looks now, and hope whoever it goes to will like it.
All for now. Sara in Fla.
Bee
I just heard from Marty in VT that Bee's husband passed away peacefully today. I have her snail mail addy if anyone wants to send wishes her way. Email me privately at momngarry at that hotmail place dot com.
Kathi
Living in a small town
But first, Fran, it's great to see you posting. How are you feeling now? I'll bet you are just counting the days to retirement.
Today, at the garden centre on the outskirts of town, I was waited on by a woman who said: "I know you but you won't know me" and she explained. She was taking her motorcycle test one morning in town when she pulled up beside me in the car along with my two 'first officers'...Ceilidh and Hope. She said that they looked at her and then came up to give me a kiss, both of them. She remembered my licence plate 'RoseyP' because her border collie is named Rosie. Now, how long ago was that...some time ago. It's nice to live in a small place where people recognize your car and your dogs. After living in the obscurity of a big city for 48 yrs. I can tell you with a certainty that living in a smaller community is far nicer. It suits me; it may not those who might think that a small town is too small.
Rosey
BEE
We are thinking of you daily and hope you have been able to have some quality time with Harry over the past few weeks. Is he still in hospital? Many hugs.
It is many months since I've been able to organise myself to turn on this 2nd computer and try out all the passwords I could think of! At last! Nice to see old names still showing up.
ROSIE: Love your quilt!
JANE: Hope you have a great time in Rochester with DD. My DDIL is from Rochester also, and studied and worked in the Kodak/Eastman complex before moving over here to marry DS#3. What a small world!
MARION: Hope you enjoyed the boys' stay.
Perfect Autumn weather here at the moment. We began 2nd term of our school year today. Terrible to wish most of a year away but I'm counting down the days until I retire on 10th December.
Best wishes to all
Fran in S'Oz
The Moleinator
Well, I see the link I tried to post did not show. Just copy & paste. It's worth the bother. LOL
http://www.rodexindustries.com/action.html
"President of the Easily Amused Association"
Doris, 'tis an honour I am happy to assume. I can't think of a nicer compliment....grin. But I am interested in your mole solution. Our north and east 'lawns' have been piled high in spots with diggings by moles. Looked like a pile of street apples sticking above the snow. I guess by now the varmits are where they are supposed to be, not digging up dirt, don't know much about their habits.
Jane, when I was in my teens and traveling with a friend and her parents to Green Briar, the parents thought we might enjoy going to a snake farm. I'm not sure why. I have never forgotten that pungent odour of the snake house. Grossed me out entirely. I don't like anything that slithers and sticks its tongue out at me....!!! People, included...lol.
Rosey
Moles! (the varmint type)
I'm not grossed out yet.... although after reading Rosey's post on the worms, I pass the baton to her as President of the Easily Amused Association. LOL
I'm going to wage war on moles this year. Our entire 1/2 half acre back yard is one big mole tunnel. They're invading the front yard, too. I've done extensive internet research, and determined that I must order mole traps in order to eradicate them. Ugh .....
Ten years ago, I trapped skunks & possums in a Hav-A-Hart trap. Got six of each, and our animal control dept. picked them up. They're known to carry rabies around here. We got tired of gagging in the middle of the night from skunk spray under our window.
So now the moles will need to look out. I found some good videos on YouTube and some mole-trap vendors online. Eeeeew . . . It will be cheaper than paying The Mole-inator (yes, that's a real company here!LOL) I feel like I need a Davey Crocket hat, or something. I will order traps and keep y'all posted.
Oh, here's a good video to watch... reminds me of CaddyShack:
SNAKES OR MICE
Oh, Rosey. I thought you were a nature lover. Non venomous snakes are our friends. At the last house my quilt/guest room was in an out building and the mice were wreaking havoc. They love quilt batting. They were shredding it and, uh, eliminating and reproducing in it. Al built the building (16'x16') and must have left something open or which shrank allowing the little devils in. Mouse skeletons are cartilage rather than bone so they can make themselves almost 2 dimensional. (Outstanding biological adaptation to environment). I had a house guest vacate the building in the middle of the night and I was chagrined to find her on the living room sofa in the morning. Mice were running over her in the night. I set traps in the fabric closet and as far as I could reach into the little attic and then had to remove decomposing bodies to stop the stink. Still they persisted. Then the simple solution appeared.
A large (4-5' long) black snake was making his way up a down spout appeared one day. I almost ran out there to kiss him/her. The mouse problem was no more! This became an annual event and after several years I spotted two of them making their way to whatever opening they had found. I guess he brought a bride to his home. I never ever had rodents in the building again. I guess they continued to come in and were consumed almost immediately. No more mouse shredding batting, toilet paper and expensive fabric not to mention droppings. I don't know when or how snakes deal with their elimination needs. I've been told they prefer to use the outdoors. No more stink, no more house guests running into the night to get away from the pesky devils. Snakes are shy and absolutely quiet...most discreet. Because so many people are phobic about snakes I never told anyone about my mouser. The snake probably was in your basement because his dinner was in there.
How do you like this topic? Is it better than nasal flush?
Jane
PS to everyone if anyone is reading this. As far as I know there are no snakes residing in my current house so it's safe to visit if you can put up with a bit of dog hair.
