More Effective than a Rain Dance

How to guarantee rain?  Scheduling Country USA and a fishing tournament on the same weekend seems to work like a charm.  We were just starting to dry out a bit from Thursday's downpours, and it is raining again.  The robins are thrilled.  They're hopping around the yard gobbling up worms like hungry teenagers at an all you can eat buffet.

I might have to go get some muck boots to weed the gardens once it stops raining again.  Regular shoes would disappear.

Some Usual Stuff, Some Unusual Unwanted Stuff

The Usual:
Lawns are mowed in anticipation of more rain.
Air Conditioners are installed, because daytime temperatures have finally gotten into the 80's (F not C) and dew points are in the 60's.  We are officially into the summer muggy weather.  Ember has been brushed out and her ears cleaned in preparation for another bath and full shave.
The gardens are growing, and in need of weeding.  A fresh batch of Plantskydd needs to be mixed in order to keep the wild rabbits from eating everything.
I'm still waiting to find out if the local humane shelter will let me adopt a new rabbit.  (The new rabbit is wanted primarily for its excrement, which helps make really nice compost.)  They have this crazy idea that rabbits make really good house pets and should be allowed to roam freely throughout one's house.  I think they're nuts and have stated plainly on the application that the rabbit will be housed outside in the summer (spritzed with water when weather is hot), and in the basement in the winter.  It will be allowed to graze my lawn inside the protection of a cage.  It will only be allowed to run loose in the house in the basement, and only with close supervision.  I'm still waiting to hear, but I have the sneaking suspicion that our divergent opinions on proper rabbit care will not go in my favor.  Of course, they probably would not allow us to adopt a dog either, because our yard is not fenced.  In the end I will probably have to go buy a new rabbit from a farmer selling meat rabbits.  In that case, when I place my order, it will have to specify very much live and still kicking.

The Unusual and Very Unwanted:
Mom and stepfather's assisted living facility is closing.  Now we have to find them a new home, and move them within a month.  There go the locked in rates.  The new place recommended by the owners that are closing shop has lots of bells & whistles, and prices to match, probably 1/3 more or double what they are paying now, and guaranteed to increase as their health deteriorates, because there is no locking in a rate.  True, they will take mom & stepfather even if they run out of money (with the assumption that Medicaid will kick in), but at those rates they'll blow through what is left of mom & stepfather's assets pretty quickly.  I suppose it could be worse; at least we won't have to move them during a snowstorm.  Still, I will be shopping around again.  This will be the third shopping "trip" for secure lock-down memory care assisted living facilities.  The first one was for the in-laws in NC.  The second one was for mom & stepfather.  Third time's a charm?

The Yards Are Alive With the Sound of

Lawnmowers,

with good reason.

It finally stopped raining, at least for today.

Lawns need mowing, and gardens need weeding...see ya later.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

What would Father's Day be without a silly, somewhat embarrassing picture?

If Tomato Plants Could Shiver,

it would probably cause an earthquake.

It is a cold, rainy 55 deg. F. today.

Please pray for the farmers who are having to pay exorbitant prices for hay and corn.  Many have not been able to get anything planted, because the fields have been so cold and wet.  Memorial Day weekend was the practical cutoff for planting and being reasonably sure of getting a harvest.

Tomorrow the ground will be too wet to do anything in the garden, and "Lake George" at dad's house will probably need to be pumped again.  Maybe the dew point will be low enough to put a second topcoat of paint on the downstairs living room wall.  It is encouraging to have those two walls scrubbed, stain-sealer primed, and the first topcoat applied.  I can no longer see the outline on the wall of the barometer and mirror from the previous owners anymore.  Two walls with no holes, stains, dings, or cracks are a beautiful sight.  Thankfully, the 5 gallon bucket of paint purchased years ago (before mom & stepfather lost their marbles) is still good.  The bucket of primer did get a bit thick, but is still spreadable with a brush.  That is the big downside of having hardwood floors, tall baseboards, crown moldings, lots of windows, and unfortunately a paper tile drop ceiling (foolishly installed by the previous owner), and heavily textured plaster.  Using a roller is way too messy and wastes too much paint.  It is a sash brush job all the way, with tons of cutting-in.  Those short handled brushes are wonderful, by the way!

Menards had the primer on sale this week, so I picked up another 5 gallon pail.  It was sad to see the checkout girl trying to lift the bucket off the checkout table.  Looking at the rest of this house, I should probably pick up another bucket of primer.  We're going to need it.

Redneck Leverage

When moving something big, ungainly, and heavy, use its own weight against itself with whatever tools are available.

So... there was this honking big pallet on which the "some assembly required trailer" was delivered.  After disassembling the pallet, there was all this crappy but still fairly strong lumber.  It didn't matter if I broke it, so why not use it.

Crappy lumber + the heavy duty cart = redneck dog kennel dolly

The kennel needed to give up its parking place to the new trailer.

It doesn't work well for Ember anyhow, because all she does is eat any grass that grows in the paver cracks and bark at any people, dogs, etc. that she sees.

The pallet wood had quite a bit of flex, which was good.

Getting the kennel to the final destination took brute force, unfortunately.  Nobody wanted a >10 year old kennel, so at least for this summer it is now a redneck garden trellis.  If the beans and peas actually grow, they'll have lots of climbing space.

Somber Weather for a Somber Day

Somehow 52 deg. F and raining seems appropriate for today.  Memorial Day, a day for remembrance of those who gave their lives to defend the freedoms that are so often taken for granted.

I am truly grateful for all those who have died defending America's Constitution and the freedoms it grants.  Oddly enough, having grown up in the gap years between the Vietnam War and the first Gulf War, my childhood was remarkably devoid of knowing anyone personally who died in war.  Some people mock Ronald Reagan's acting ability, but who else could have sold the whole "Star Wars Defense Strategy" bluff so well that the Soviet Union went bankrupt, ending the Cold War without ending the world in a nuclear war.

Mine is a remarkable generation for its small size, too young to be a Baby-Boomer, too old to be Generation-X.  There weren't even enough of us to bother giving us a label.  The ladies who produced the baby-boom generation were hitting menopause at the same time that their daughters were discovering the convenience of birth control pills and unfortunately legal abortions.  The men who fought in World War II and Korea were still around.  They walked and rode in parades downtown observing Memorial Day, but they didn't talk about their experiences and their fellow soldiers who died.  They spared my generation the gory details while making it clear that Memorial Day must be observed.  So as long as you are capable of remembering anything for more than five minutes, please pause to remember those who gave their lives.  Only those with Alzheimers, dementia, or amnesia are off the hook.