|
|
|
This is Ted's parent's polebarn. Barns are going out of use so these polebarns are used for tractors and other equipement.
This barn is used for the tractor and at one time housed a motor home and boat.
I was busy all day getting ready for my trip. I did battle with more stinkbugs inside my house and squirted some outside while the misquotos ate me up. I also squirted the round-up on the entrance walk but now it is raining and all will have to be re-applied. Was going to cut the grass this afternnoon when it dried out but it rained again.
Dottie came to go over things so she could help Erin move in on Sunday. We grabbed a bite to eat at the Southside Cafe and then I went to Choral Society practice. I was really beat and got lost a few times but so did some others.
Robbie is moving back with his mother tomorrow so he will be able to care for Danny until Erin arrives.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
Michigan barn #15. Another of the many barns along the Michigan Roads.
They're Back!!!!!
The stink bugs are back. As if I didn't have enough to do to get ready for my trip and to get things ready for my cousin to move in. They started coming Sat. I sprayed them with wasp spray. Didn't help much. I sprayed the house with Stink Bug Killer. I thought sure that would do the trick. Wrong. I put some Dawn dish detergent in a spray bottle and had some success. It knocks them down and kills some of them. I put up the one trap I have but I don't see anything in it. I put it out late in the afternoon so hopefully it will catch some today. If so, I'll get more traps; if not why waste the money. Last year, I thought I had plugged up the area around the kitchen exhaust fan. I did the top. Well, this morning, they were in my cabinet. I caught about 20 of them. I almost gag seeing them crawling around my dishes. I found I had to plug up the bottom of the shelf. They came down the flue to the fan and then up into the cabinet. I caulked all around it this morning. I'm going to have to caulk all around the windows and up near the eves. They crawl into the tiniest cracks. There are also bitty little ants crawling around the kitchen. They are the smallest ants I ever saw. Everyone is complaining about them.
Time to take Danny out.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
The Good Shepperd Episcopal Church, Chesapeake City.
I went to church and sang in the choir. It was the first time we sang since last June. We got a lot of compliments on it.
My family had a birthday dinner for my brother, Rick at Red Lobster. I had lobster tail, sea scallops and shrimp. It was good. We all had a nice time. I went with Cheryl, Ed and Ethan. Afterward, we went to my nephew, Rick's. Michelle wasn't able to go to dinner with us so we stopped in for awhile.
The stink bugs are back. I sprayed yesterday with the stink bug killer but it seemed to do no good. Today, I put some dawn dish detergent in a spray bottle of water and went to work squirting them off my house and doors. They did not like the soapy water at all. They would fall right off the house and fall to the ground. It killed some of them and others flew off I hope to never return. I had 4 or 5 get inside the house. While I was squirting the stink bugs, I was eaten alive by misquitos.
My cousin, Erin, will be coming on schedule. She got a new car. I will have to tell her how to get rid of the stink bugs.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
I find these little guys clinging to my house. This one was on the house two weeks ago. It was under my light fixture. I had one clinging to the window of my storm door this morning. They are tree frogs or "Spring Peepers." You can hear their chorus at night.
This year the Stella D'Ora Lily bloomed all summer. It is a pretty yellow color that Ted liked so much.
I got things lined up for my trip and for my cousin's coming to move in. My friend, Dottie will be here to help Erin get situated and Danny's groomer will take care of him.
Danny went to the groomer for his bath and trim. He had his nails done and his face trimmed. I want his fur to grow in long for the winter. It will help keep him warm.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
In memory of Theodore H. Armstrong 1921 - 2011
Ted's father went home to be with the Lord on September 21, 2011
Michigan barn #26. It is unfortunate that so many barns are becoming a thing of the past. This barn is on route 66 near just south of Interstate 94.
I went to the Cecil County Choral Society last night. It was interesting. We didn't sing the words to the music but sang doo doo doo for all the notes. It forces you to read the music. I had piano lessons when I was a kid but had to relearn as I went along. My friend, Joan from chuch invited me to join. Another man, John from my church choir was there. I met a lot of new people and there were two Carols in the group.
I planted my third tree yesterday morning. I got done just in time before the rain came. I'll have to take a picture of my little trees. I also transplanted a holly tree that was growing next to my steps. I put it in the back yard next to the stream and woods.
Keep Ted's father in your prayers. He is having some health problems and is in the hospital.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
The chapel at Yosemite National Park.
Michigan Barn #25 as we drove along the country roads.
I went to Zumba class this morning and had a good workout. When I got home, I went to work on planting the emerald green aborvities. I first had to dig up and move a hosta lily. I had to dig a hole for it. Then I dug two more holes to plant two of the trees. It was past time to walk Danny so I put my tools away and let the third tree go until tomorrow or the next day. I was too beat to dig another hole.
I just got back from a church sponsored movie night under the stars. I took my lounge chair, sleeping bag, fleese blanket and started out wearing my fleese jacket. After arriving, I put on my wind breaker. After I ate my covered dish dinner, I put on my winter parka and crawled into my sleeping bag with the fleese blanket folded in half and on top of me inside the bag. After a while, I put on a ski cap and settled down to watch "Soul Surfer". It was about the girl who had her arm bitten off by a shark and came back to compete in a surfing contest. It was a good movie and I'm glad I took my sleeping bag and my winter coat. I was toasty warm while the outside of my sleeping bag was wet with dew. It was 52 degrees.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
This cyclamen blooms in September and through the fall. It's flowers come up first before it's leaves. It blooms in the shade but last year, it had too much shade as I had a stack of mulch in front of it. On one side is a big planter barrel and the other side has an Alberto Spruce tree. The mulch had been put on the flower beds last spring so the cyclamen had more light this year. I brought it from Vineland. It is a pleasant surprise when the flowers seem to pop up out of the bare ground.
Yesterday was a busy day. Jeannie who lives down the street has recovered from cancer. She used to cook Thursday night dinners for the church but had to stop when she was going through her cancer treatments. She is back now and I helped her with the dinner yesterday. At 9:30, I was at the church peeling potatoes and de-boning chicken. I went back at 3:30 and Jeannie had already cut up the potatoes and had them cooking. She had the stuffing and chicken in the oven and the gravy, green beans and stewed tomatos were in the pots ready to cook. I don't know how Jeannie did all that in a half hour. She was there at 3:00. I took all the little cup cakes out of the plastic container and sliced up the cake for the dessert. I mixed up the lemonade and iced tea. Jeannie's granddaughters and their friends set up the tables and chairs although the kids seem to let the older granddaughter do all the work while they goofed off. I rearranged the chairs as some tables had 2 chairs and some had 10. The dinner was excellent. My other friend, Marlene, who lives down the street, came to do the clean-up. I went home to take Danny out before returning to church for choir practice. I was really beat by then. I could hardly sing.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
Michigan Barn #24. This barn belonged to Ted's parents. It was part of their farm and was located across the road from their main barn.
Yesterday was a busy day. I washed the towels and took some more things out of the yellow bedroom that I am preparing for my cousin Erin. I had to wait until 3pm to cut the grass because of the heavy dew we get here. It was still heavy and wet. I would have like to waited until 5pm but I had a 6pm meeting at the church. It was hot and I sweated profusely. It took me an hour to cut it; I grabbed some iced ted and then took Danny out for his walk. I was still hot and exhausted. I jumped in the shower and got ready for the meeting. I was gobbling down my dinner when I saw the message light blinking on my phone. Ted's mother had called on Sunday and I didn't get the message until Tuesday. We had a power outage on Sunday so I guess it messed up the phone messages. I also had a call from my nieces husband. He cooked a turkey and invited me over for dinner. Since I was in the middle of eating my dinner, I had to decline the offer. I also thought I had to be at the church at 6:00 so it wouldn't have worked for me. I went off to the church meeting and as I was sitting there listening to the discussion I realized I was at the wrong meeting. The pastor looked at me and said "Are you here for the Outreach Meeting? " "No," I said, "I think I'm at the wrong meeting. He said, "The Administration meeting is at 7pm." "Bummer." I thought. I stayed for the Outreach meeting and learned a lot about the programs they are planning for the fall. Sat. will be a movie under the stars at one of the ladies of the church's house. She lives next to a lake on Old Telegraph Rd. I pass by there on my way to Middletown, DE. Back Creek flows into the lake and then way down in back of the mobile home park and into the marina where it joins the canal.
The Administration meeting was very long. Besides the Finance Budget (which I was there for), they went over all the things there were coming up in the church for the fall season. I didn't get home until nine and then had to take Danny out. I was beat but slept good.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
Lots of barns along the Michigan roads. This one was on the farm that Ted grew up on.
"We will not tire, we will not falter, we will not fail." George W. Bush Sept. 12, 2001
We had a combined service of the 9am and 11am services this morning at 10am. After the service, we had a covered dish luncheon. I sampled some of each dish. Everything was excellent. I walked Danny when I got home and put my chicken and sweet potatoes in the oven. I watered the plants and did some computer work. The chicken was finished and the computer work done just in time for the power to go out. It was out for over an hour. I did some reading of my book but decided to go into the blue bedroom to continue as the sun was shinning in the window and allowed for more light. I just got finished moving the pillows and things off the daybed when the power came back on.
It was time to walk Danny again and he wanted to stay outside. I hooked him up to his lead and he stayed out until I got dinner ready. I went out to get him and found him rolling upside down in the grass. What a mess he can be.
I watched the movie Casablanca tonight on TCM. I hadn't seen it for awhile. I always enjoy it.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
This church in San Francisco was where Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMagio were married. I took this on my trip to California in September 2008.
I went to my zumba class this morning. It was a good workout and it left me tired for the rest of the day. When I got home, I walked Danny and then went to the stores in Middletown. I first went to the dollar store to get a few items. While I was there, it started pouring. I heard the rain pelting the roof. I then headed to the Acme Market on the other side of town. It was a newer, large market so it took me awhile to go through the isles. They had chicken breasts on sale for .99 a pound. That was the main reason I went there. I got many things, one of which was a date and nut bread made by Newman. His company makes a lot of things which are good. The date and nut bread is delicious. Danny likes his dog food made by Newman.
I was thinking about cutting the grass when I got home but it started raining. The sun was shinning brightly and it was pouring. Very odd.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
A beautiful white gladiola is blooming this morning along with a late blooming on the clementis.
The blue tailied skink posted yesterday is actually an immature five striped skink. Although brightly colored critters are generally poisonous, this guy is not. My niece's husband used to catch them as a kid.
The rain has raised havoc across the northeast with almost every river and stream flowing over its banks. I am not affected by this but some friends from church with waterfront properties may be. The Conowingo Dam is opening all 50 flood gates letting the water from the Susquehanna flood the towns downstream. There are large trees floating down the river into the Chesapeake which may crash into boats and docks.
It is another dreary, drizzly day today. Very depressing.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
The Blue-tailed Skink visited my yard the other day. At first I thought he was a snake crawling through the grass with a bright blue tail. I followed him and saw he had little legs like a salamander. I had never seen one of these before. I looked him up and found he was a skink.
I went to my Bible Study group this morning and didn't do much else all day. It was another gloomy and rainy day. This evening, I went to Cheryl and Ed's for dinner. Ed made chicken almondine, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. They were execellent.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
We got an inch of rain overnight last night and it has rained all day today. We got some heavy downpours and some light drizzle. I managed to get Danny out during the drizzles. The grass is sopping wet and squishy.
I ran to the super market this morning. Danny needed dog food. I asked them if I could order a case of it. They took my name and number and will get back to me. They are little cans and Danny eats 2 a day. I almost clear the shelf each week when I go and I'm afraid they might be out one of these times. Your not supposed to change dog food cold turkey so I don't want to run out.
I ironed this afternoon. I put some summer outfits away and will put more away tomorrow. I won't be wearing them until next year.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
One of the barns along rural Michigan roads.
I got a lot accomplished this morning. I took everything I had stored under the daybed and the trundle bed and put the trundle bed down and under the daybed. Now I have room for my desk and Erin's desk as well as her rocking chair. I have no idea where I'm going to store the covers and pillows I that were on the trundle bed. Right now, they are stacked sky high on the daybed. The closets are full except for the Yellow room closet that will be used for Erin.
Danny got his bath this morning. Always such fun. I get in the walk in shower with him and hose him down, scrub on the shampoo, hose him off, smooth on the conditioner, and hose him off again. Then I set out to dry him off. He likes to rub his face in a towel. The first towel I use to dry him get soaking wet. I put a pad and towels on the bed so he can rub his face on them. Sometimes I use the hair dryer on him but in hot weather, I let him air dry. Then he gets brushed.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
The church where I go, Trinity United Methodist Church.
After church, I set about to adjust the gap on the spark plug of my mower. After doing that, I replaced the spark plug and gave the rope a couple tugs. I didn't expect it to start but it did so I went ahead and cut the grass. It was hot and humid and I sweated. When I got done, I took another shower to cool down and wash off the sweat. My brother and sister-in-law were coming down to my niece's so I went over to Cheryl's and visited with them for awhile. Sylvia and I sat out in the screened in Gazebo. It was quite pleasant out there. I was rather exhausted from cutting the grass and I still am.
When I got home, I put on my rice in the rice maker and brown my ground meat. It is supposed to rain all week so I make my fast and easy Chilli. I add some kidney beans and cover the mixture with Salsa. It works out pretty good.
Masterpiece Mystery is on tonight; I hope I don't fall asleep. I seem to do that about 15 minutes before the end and then I wake up in time to see the credits rolling. I missed "who dun it".
News from the Vorlon Wife.
Michigan barn number 27. I numbered the barns after I downloaded them.
It was a cloudy, gloomy day today. It looked like it would rain any minute but it didn't. At 5:30, the sun came out. It's funny, so many cloudy days have the sun come out just before setting. It gets into the western sky and sinks down under the clouds.
I gathered up some branches that the storm brought down. There are lots of small ones laying around the yard. I put some screening over the vent holes on my car. I taped it down with duck tape as I didn't know how I was going to glue it or if I wanted to glue it. This is in preparation for the stink bugs. They start to swarm in September and they crawl into every tiny little nook and cranny they can find. Last year, they got into the cabin filter in my car and when I turned on the blower, the stink came out of the air vents. I had to take it to the shop to have them cleaned out. The mechanic advised me to put some screen over the vent holes. I may put a dab of goop here and there to hold it down better but first I want to make sure the air can get in and the water can run off OK.
Next, I took the duct tape and patched some holes in my siding. The bugs will go in there, too. I have some paint that matches the siding so I'll paint the duct tape when I get them all patched. I have to get the ladder out to do a couple more holes.
I did some laundry - the dark clothes. I don't put them out on the line because I don't want them to fade. They wouldn't have dried in this damp weather anyway. I have a rod that I put down the middle of the bath tub in my second bathroom. I hang the clothes on hangers and put them in there. It works out real well.
I should have cut my grass but it never dried off. We get a real heavy dew here and it takes until 1pm to dry. Since it was cloudy today, it didn't dry. I don't know if I can get the mower started. I changed the spark plug but it wouldn't start. I may have to adjust the gap. Ted gap sizer didn't have the right size. I got a new one when I was in the Auto Zone store yesterday. We'll see if that helps. If not, I'll have to either have someone fix it or take it somewhere. I don't know how I could get it somewhere. I'd hate to put it in my car. I don't know if it would fit.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
A beautiful sunrise on July 28, 2011
Seems odd. It feels like summer is just beginning instead of being over. I didn't get to the shore this year. Maybe I'll still get a chance. Don and I went thinking of going last weekend. It's a good thing we didn't because the hurricane came. My neighbors were vacationing in Atlantic City and were ordered to evacuate. Their house was damaged by a tree limb falling on it. The siding was damaged but it wasn't too bad.
I am wondering how my friends Phyllis and Len are doing. The last I read on their blog they were up in New York State with their 5th Wheeler. I hope they didn't have any problems with Irene.
I have a craving for winter foods such as chilli, pork and Kraut, pot roast, roasted sweet potatoes and so forth.
The past couple days, I was unpacking all the things I had packed away for Irene. I had lawn furniture crammed into the shed and all my photos and paintings were put in the closets as they are all on inside walls.
I just got back from shopping in Elkton. I went to Walgreens, Auto Zone, K-Mart, a new store called Dollar Tree Deals, the bank, and the Acme. I was just looking around in K-Mart and Deals.
Yesterday, I went to my Bible Study Class and did some wash. We are loosing a lot of high noon sun as my clothesline didn't get into the sun until around 1pm. It's dark at 6am and then again at 8pm. Fall is a wonderful season but it's short and leads into winter.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
