Welcome to GameBoomers Break Room #10

Time for a shiny new thread just in time for the dog days of summer (Unless of course you are in Australia !

Come one, come all, share your daily thoughts, conversational chit-chat, maybe a joke or two and all the little things that really don't need its own thread.

There are plenty of seats available, so don't be shy and come chat!

To see where we left off, click here.

Happy chatting!

Moving day for hagatha! Hope it goes as well as possible.

The Germans are safely back home in Schweinfurt! We have no guests in the house! We both slept in, but I have a busy day of canning tomatoes today. Picked the most perfect red TWO POUND tomato yesterday!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Hope all is well with hagatha, Willow and Dude in your new abode, and Drac that sounds like a tomato trying to be a pumpkin!

Some dry periods between the raindrops here, so scraping all yje weeds, moss etc off the paved area before applying salt: after that there is a gravel drive to be weeded before I salt that, and then a rose bed to be weeded and covered in bark (not my favourite task)...

Here are a few old dafteries to tickle your senses of humour:

Dad, are we pyromaniacs? Yes, we arson.

What do you call a pig with laryngitis? Disgruntled.

Why do bees stay in their hives during winter? Swarm.

If you're bad at haggling, you'll end up paying the price.

Just so everyone's clear, I'm going to put my glasses on.

A commander walks into a bar and orders everyone around.

I lost my job as a stage designer. I left without making a scene.

Never buy flowers from a monk. Only you can prevent florist friars.

How much did the pirate pay to get his ears pierced? A buccaneer.

I once worked at a cheap pizza shop to get by. I kneaded the dough.

My friends and I have named our band 'Duvet'. It's a cover band.

I lost my girlfriend's audiobook, and now I'll never hear the end of it.

Why is 'dark' spelled with a k and not c? Because you can't see in the dark.

Why is it unwise to share your secrets with a clock? Well, time will tell.

When I told my contractor I didn't want carpeted steps, they gave me a blank stare.

Bono and The Edge walk into a Dublin bar and the bartender says, "Oh no, not U2 again."

Prison is just one word to you, but for some people, it's a whole sentence.

Scientists got together to study the effects of alcohol on a person's walk, and the result was staggering.

I'm trying to organize a hide and seek tournament, but good players are really hard to find.

I got over my addiction to chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts. I won't lie, it was a rocky road.

What do you say to comfort a friend who's struggling with grammar? There, their, they're.

I went to the toy store and asked the assistant where the Schwarzenegger dolls are and he replied, "Aisle B, back."

What did the surgeon say to the patient who insisted on closing up their own incision? Suture self.

I've started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It's all about raisin awareness.

Thank you, Lex.

I just read your "Pecker Checker" post .... Hilarious !! .... and now THIS one ....

Oh wow Draclvr; a 2 pound tomato. One slice would surely cover a nice hangurger or my favorite, a toasted bacon & tomato sandwich.

Good Morning and Happy Hump Day Ana, Lex, Judith, Marian and everyone! A new start to the Break Room...thanks Ana! Extra double dark brew is ready to start the day along with tea!

Hagatha hope all went well yesterday for the move and Dude and Willow aren't to stressed out! Draclvr that is a huge tomato. I think I would eat that one and not can it! Lex thanks for sharing the "old dafteries". They did tickle my sense of humor!

Have a great Wednesday!

Gerry

Oh, that 2-pound tomato is NOT going into the canner! That one is going to be peeled and sliced and eaten like a steak!

I got 5 more gallons of goodies canned yesterday including several jars of tomato soup. I love tomato soup with a grilled cheese. Taking the day off today.

Interesting night at the horse rescue last night! First, I went into the kitchen to sign in and found... cinnamon crunch bagels! Sometimes people bring goodies for the employees and volunteers. So, I snagged one for me! Then when I was in one of the lower barns where I had a skinny horse to feed, I felt something watching me. This barn has a kitchen and I turned around and there was a juvenile raccoon looking at me from the kitchen window. I laughed and went back to my truck to get a picture, but he had already jumped down. He had wedged himself between the kitchen counter and some stuff in the corner and I couldn't get him out. So, I gave up and just left the door open. I don't know who has that barn this month, but SOMEONE is going to get scolded for leaving the door open!

Hahaha, owner it he/she too a bagel with them …..😂😂😂😂

Hey Ho everyone ... have a wonderful evening

Hope hagatha's move is going well! Been thinking about her the last couple of days.

Good Morning Draclvr, Winfrey, soot, Connie, Lex, and everyone. Draclvr wish I could have a slice of that yummy fresh picked 2 pound tomato! As usual the double dark brew awaits you all. Hope Connie and hagatha are good missed them posting yesterday.

A Happy Thursday to you all!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts, and bagels in the Break Room. Manicure and lunch out with a friend today. Trivia at CVI tonight. Lex, thanks for starting my day with a smile. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

We got 2 inches of rain yesterday morning. Then severe storms moved through last night. Hubby hasn't been down to check the rain gage yet, but reports are coming in of 7 inches around us. Needless to say, I got drenched at the Ranch last night! But got my 7 skinny horses fed and replacement milk mixed and fed to our orphan foal. Just came home and changed clothes and sat down with a glass of wine!

No power this morning. But hubby got coffee made before it went out!

Thank goodness you had your coffee Draclvr! Hope your power comes back soon.

Gerry

Power finally came back on about 2 this afternoon. Couldn't do anything else, so went out and pulled weeds for a couple of hours!

Good afternoon everyone! Glad you got the rain Draclvr and your power back and thank goodness coffee was made before it went out! Lex, I got the chance to catch up this afternoon and your old dafteries made my day. The coffee has been a life saver for me Gerry and Connie's bagels make the perfect combo...have fun at trivia night Connie. Have a wonderful evening y'all.

We're moved, but drowning in a sea of boxes and bubble wrap.

The cats were both very quiet on the trip down. I think they reassured each other. Willow seems very stressed out, while Dude is fascinated by the view into the garden and won't stop talking. I took Willow out for a leash walk to cheer her up but she's not eating. Hopefully it's just stress.

The house is lovely. I must learn how to maintain the pond and waterfall. I don't want to mess it up. It's such a nice feature. This is a very tranquil neighbourhood with an eclectic mix of housing from waterfront mansions to ratty old trailers hidden behind overgrown cedars. I haven't been down to the beach yet; far too busy digging myself out of the boxes. Soon, though.

Good to know the move is done anyway, hagatha. When we moved into this house we had 3 cats. Two of them adjusted fairly well but the other took a couple of weeks. She hid in a closet for days. Hopefully Willow will be back to herself soon.

Good Morning Connie, Draclvr, soot, hagatha, oldbroad and everyone! As usual freshly made double dark brew is waiting! Connie how did trivia night go? Draclvr I hope you got to put your feet up and relax for a little while...maybe with a glass of wine? Soot you sound like you have been busy lately and could use a break too.

Hagatha good to hear you and the cats are safely in your new home. Hope you get a good night sleep and Willow and Dude do too!

Have a Peaceful Friday everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Trivia was not good to us last night. Hagatha, I'm glad the move went smoothly. I'm going boating on the river with Robert and Chuck tomorrow. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

T.G.I.F. good morning everyone! Thank you for the coffee and bagels ... yes, busy busy Gerry and miles to go before I sleep ... Connie have fun tomorrow and stay safe.... congratulations Hagatha, I so remember the post move box days, no worries as you'll get er done!

Good Friday morning, everyone! So glad to hear the move went reasonably well, hagatha. Oh, the boxes. I'm sure that's going to be a long process, but you'll get there! Poor Willow is probably quite confused.

More adventures down at the Horse rescue last night! Thought it was going to be an easy night.. nope! Got to one of the barns and the stall door for a mare and her foal was wide open. I could hear little Prada whinnying somewhere far away. So, I got a halter and some grain and went looking. Now, mind you, this was about 10 pm and it's VERY dark down there! We had about 7 inches of rain the last week, so it's also very muddy. So, I'm stumbling around in the dark and the mud until I see what I THOUGHT was movement in the dark and all of a sudden they came running up and are on top of me! They are both dark in color so I could only see them if they moved... gave mama some grain in my hand and just kept shaking the container to get them to follow me up to the barn. Finally got them both home safely, but little Prada was enjoying her walkabout so much she didn't want to go back in the stall! I persisted and she finally went in. I just stood there and had a good laugh. And yes, I left one of my famous notes for the staff this morning in the kitchen! I wonder who has THAT barn and will get scolded for leaving a stall door open! LOL!

Good morning all.

Glad to hear that the escapees made it back safely, Draclvr.

I'm partially dug out but It's going to be months before I can use my garage. I have a huge parking area beside my house but the entrance to it is quite narrow. I can drive straight in but I have to do a six-point turn to get back out again.

It's interesting to see how the two cats have adjusted. Dude is mostly enjoying being here and considers the huge mess to be perfect for hidey-holes and playing. Willow stopped eating until this morning and has mostly sulked. I suppose Dude, being an apartment cat, has probably moved a few times in his life and just takes it in stride. Willow has become a cranky old lady and is very set in her ways.

This house is full of very modern electronics. There are couple of things I dislike; the guest bathroom fan is automatic and has no shutoff switch. That absolutely has to be rectified. The heat pump fan is set on auto and the fan blows so hard and so loud it actually lifts the vent covers. I though I'd be able to turn the fan down to the Low setting, but, no; there is only Off and Auto. I'm going to need to have that changed because that fan is too loud. I'm sure a local HVAC company can help me with that. I really dislike having my appliances dictate to me.

Sounds like Willow is more "set in her ways" as befits a cranky old lady for sure! I think a move of this magnitude is going to be a process - slow, but sure just like packing up! But I am so glad you are safely ensconced in your new home! Love the sound of the neighborhood.

Well, I'm off to the horse Rescue to see what adventures await me tonight! NONE, I hope!

Good Morning all and Welcome to the Weekend! Extra double dark brew to help you start your day in your new home hagatha! Sounds like you are on top of everything. How did Dude and Willow behave last night? Did they let you sleep? Draclvr that was quite an adventure with the mare and foal! It is amazing how a little grain can always get a horse to follow you back to the barn. Connie have fun and relax on your boating trip on the river today!

Hope everyone has a great Saturday relaxing!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Getting ready to go out on the boat. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Have fun Connie! Gerry, thank you for the coffee...what's on your to-do list this weekend? Oh my goodness Draclvr I am so happy you got mom and foal back to the barn safe and sound...would a flashlight have helped or hindered the search and recovery? Hagatha, I used to stack empty boxes and cut little doors for our cats to explore and hide in...you should be able to get your tech switched to your needs.

Have a wonderful day everyone 😊

And a happy good morning to all! Sitting down to enjoy my double dark brew from Gerry before I head outside. Yet another thunderstorm last night - every single night since Monday. I think we are well over 7". West of here, they had 7" in just one night and there is a lot of wind damage from the 70 mph winds that came through. Of course, the mud is epic. I can't even get INTO my garden to pick tomatoes! Tornado sirens went off in town last night and they shut down the fairgrounds at the huge Town and Country Fair in the neighboring town. Nelly was the concert last night, so there were thousands and thousands of people there. Some said it took 2 hours just to GET to their cars!

And NO ADVENTURES at the rescue Ranch last night! Easy peasey, in and out in 45 minutes!

Have a fabulous Saturday, everyone! Have fun today, Connie!

Hi soot. I've been installing updates this morning on my IMac computer. I upgraded the MacOS to Ventura last week and am trying to get adjust to the changes in the way things look and work. It is much easier then Microsoft Windows. Draclvr glad all was quiet at the rescue last night. You sure have had enough rain! Hope your weather improves and you see more sun soon.

Enjoy your afternoon everyone!

Gerry

Cool beans Gerry ... yes indeed, change is fairly constant now and updating PC tech is goodness ... hope the adjustment is easy and smooth ... the coffee is marvelous--keep it coming. Good news about 'no adventures' last night at the rescue ranch Draclvr and sure do hope your garden solidifies enough for you to get your ripe tomatos!

Glad you are safely ensconced, hagatha And "one day at a time" will gradually see both you and the cats and all those boxes nicely sorted

Good Morning Connie, soot, Draclvr, mad, hagatha and everyone. Keeping the extra strong double dark brew coming this morning!

Have a peaceful relaxing Sunday everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. We had a great time out on the water yesterday, I'm looking forward to our next adventure. Drac, I'm glad mom and foal are safe. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Good morning Connie, Gerry, Mad, Hagatha (unpacking boxes), Draclvr, Winfrey, Judith, Lex and everyone else who gets the chance to stop by for a break today. Gerry, I'll have coffee with Connie's cinnamon crunch bagels thank you very much! I plan on some relaxation Gerry, just not sure how much Glad you had a great time on the water Connie. Have a quiet Sunday everyone.

Yippee! More rain! NOT! Saw a great meme on Facebook this morning - a guy was standing in grass about 15' tall saying, "Stopped raining. Guess I'll mow." Hubby was headed out to mow here and the rain started! To think we were in an official "severe" drought just a month ago...

Yesterday, I finally gave up and took down the hanging baskets between the hummingbird feeders and just put up more feeders to make 7 one-quart feeders. They cleaned it up in less than 12 hours, so had to mix up more last night.

Other than catching up on a little laundry and mopping floors, I'm taking the day off! Happy Sunday, everyone!

Good morning/day everyone. Over here mostly rainy today.

 
Greetings all and sundry, hope you are all enjoying the weekend!

Dry here (so far) and sunny today after wind and rain with more to come...

A few humorous musings:

It's not whether you win or lose, but how you place the blame.
 
A fool and his money can throw one heck of a party.
 
LEARN FROM YOUR PARENT'S MISTAKES - USE BIRTH CONTROL
 
Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.
 
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you!
 
We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.
 
Red meat is not bad for you... 
Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.
 
Ninety-nine percent of all lawyers give the rest a bad name.
 
Xerox and Wurlitzer will merge to produce reproductive organs.
 
Mississippi state motto: 
Thank God for Arkansas
 
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS NO 
MATCH FOR NATURAL STUPIDITY.
 
The latest survey shows that 
Three out of four people make
Up 75% of the population
 
We have enough "youth". How about a fountain of "smart"?
 
I think politicians should wear uniforms, you know, like Race car drivers, so we could identify their corporate sponsors.

And don’t forget six out of the seven dwarfs aren’t Happy,

Politicians are Happy because they will never have to make a living under the laws they've passed.


And, some final shots......


Stand For Something Or Fall For Anything


Difference between Genius and Stupidity…..Genius has limits…..


The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets other people to do the greatest things.

We had a nice sunny day here. Sorry you had more rain Draclvr and Fogfighter. Lex love your "funny musings"...there all great!

Gerry

Good Monday Morning everyone. Hope you all got a good night rest. If not I have a hardy double dark brew ready to start your day!
Enjoy!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and bagels in the Break Room. Lex, thanks for starting my day with a smile. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Gerry, you KNOW how to start my day out right! Lex, these are the perfect thing to enjoy my double dark brew with!

I predict a great week ahead! Happy Monday!

Good Morning Connie, Draclvr, Lex, Fogfighter, soot, hagatha and everyone. Connie any plans for today? Draclvr as always the best double dark brew is ready to start your day! We got almost 2 inches of rain in just a few hours yesterday...more rain expected this morning ...a muggy day ahead.

Anybody buy a Mega Million lottery ticket...its worth over a billion dollars!

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Gerry

Thanks Kaki's Sister. Mega Million tickets not available over here. Locally at my place only little rain but elswhere in Sweden the rain has caused some damage.

There's still electricity and internet. Enough to make coffee and say hello to the boomers. Happy Tuesday everyone.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Netflix and lunch with a friend today. Bowling at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Fogfighter need to have that coffee to start my day! Enjoy your day...hope the sun shines! Good Luck bowling Connie!

Gerry

Greetings, all.

Finally we have rain, too.

I was getting worried about the lawn here -- the local watering restrictions are at 4 out of 5 and things were getting pretty dry, but it should be fine, now. Of course, that means I'd better get myself a lawn mower! It's a small yard so won't be too onerous, but the trick is getting a lawn mower into my Accord. It's a fairly large car but I'm thinking that I'll only be able to get a 13" wide mower in the back seat.

So far loving the new 'hood. Everyone seems to be pretty friendly; it's obviously a walking neighbourhood, which is great way to meet people.

Of course the cats are desperate to go outside. Much whining.

Good Morning and Happy Hump Day! So good to hear all is well hagatha! Are you getting everything organized and things put where you want? Are Willow and Dude behaving...no fighting with each other?

How about a mug of my extra strong double dark brew to start your day...lots on hand for everyone too!

Have a Happy day all!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. They put new gas lines thru out our neighborhood. They are coming to change out my meter and relight my pilot lights this morning. Bowling was fun last night . Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning everyone ... coffee and bagels are the best way to start the day ... thank you Gerry and Connie. Hagatha, ask if they will deliver the lawn mower ... an easier solution for you. Have a great Hump Day everyone 🐪

Hi soot you have a great day too. Connie glad you had fun bowling too.

Gerry

Gerry, double dark coffee is a daily necessity for me! I am about 70 % unpacked. B it by bit I'm getting there.

Willow is being a jerk and loudly demanding to go out for leash walks. Dude has been out three times and isn't sure...it's a big old world out there and it scares the heck out of him. He does accept the leash and harness, even though he's not been leash trained previously.

There have been no fights but Willow is teasing Dude with her usual antics, sneaking up behind him and goosing him. He's had to hiss at her a couple of times.

Soot, at this rate my grass will be 6" high before I get around to it! I should probably get to Home Depot and order one for delivery. Good chore for tomorrow.

The progress sounds so good, hagatha! I swear going from severe drought here to deluges of rain overnight has made the grass grow even faster that usual! It had gone completely dormant earlier this summer.

Still drowning in tomatoes! Friend came out and processed 5 gallons in the electric tomato strainer today. Neighbors came over day before yesterday and processed about that much too. She is making all hers into spaghetti sauce. All the tables are still full!

We'll have BLT's again tomorrow night. Never get tired of those!

Good Morning Connie, soot, hagatha, Draclvr and everyone. Hagatha so good to hear your unpacking is going well. I think Willow might be blaming Dude for the "move" and her antics are her way of letting him know she is not happy with him! Draclvr all those tomatoes...you are soo busy!

Got the double dark brew ready and waiting for you all!

Enjoy your day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Cable coming out this morning, they say I have a signal leak somewhere. The gas company couldn't change the gas meter out yesterday. The first crew never finished installing the new gas line,they will reschedule. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Doubledark brew coffee for me Ms Gerry and top those cups off with a bagel or two from Connie.

Happy Thursday everyone

I'll be drinking some of that dark coffee this morning. It's all caught up to me; I can't move off the couch. At some point I'll zip down to the store for some milk and a chicken. Otherwise it's couch-potato time, watching the end of Mr. Sunshine, which I have neglected over the last month.

Enjoy being a Couch Potato, hagatha !!

It's darned hard to move house on your own - without all that went before.

So, are you back to eating meat, hagatha? Or did that only mean beef and lamb or something?

Enjoy your couch potato day, hagatha! I know how much I enjoy mine and you REALLY deserve one!

Connie I hope they fix your cable and your gas meter. Hagatha you deserve a "couch potato" day...hope Willow and Dude join you!
Wish you all a relaxing evening!
Gerry

oldbroad, I haven't started eating red meat again. It doesn't help that I see cows everywhere around here. Makes the eating of said animals even less appealing! It's the eyelashes, and the little faces and the gentleness of them.

The couch potato day did not exactly go as planned. In fact, it was rather more exciting than I would have liked.

Willow went out for her daily leash walk. Then Dude started peeping and whining so after about an hour of him running away he finally accepted the leash and went out for a few minutes.

Unfortunately Willow was lurking at the door and silly me, I forgot what her experience of having Dude come in from the outside would look like to her, and she attacked him for the very first time. Not a serious attack but she smacked him and hissed. I finally got Dude's leash off and went to find Willow who I had hissed at to make her go away. When I came back I saw the door was open, and yes, Dude was outside, and was looking at me through the window. I walked behind him around the whole house, at which point he trotted through the open door (Willow won't go out unless I'm with her so the open door wasn't appealing.

Now he will not shut up. He is Outdoor Boy, and proud of it and having had his Grand Adventure, wishes to repeat it.

I wouldn't worry about Willow being turned into an outdoor cat because she's so darn lazy. Dude is a fraidy-cat and I worry about him bolting. Though I must say, he didn't seem all that afraid when he was outside. I know this is a very safe neighbourhood with little traffic and no coyotes (none on Vancouver Island) . The only real danger is cougars, and I don't know how much of an issue that is around here. But it may be that they decide to be outdoor cats and that's that. It would certainly solve a few problems.

Never a dull moment with your cats, hagatha! I (personally) would not let Dude out of the house and would do my best not to let him get out by accident again. Too much bad stuff out there.

At least he now knows the outside of the house and how to get back in if he did get out again. My biggest worry was that one of them would get out and be lost. but now they both know the house and the smells around it. I mean, Willow's idea of running away would be to get to the patio furniture for a sleep, but who knows what Dude would do? Of course, the little twerp is going to be an awful pest and will be looking for any opportunity to get out.

I'll ask my neighbours if cats disappear around here. I haven't seen any of those sad little posters on the local mailboxes.

I have to agree with oldbroad. I still vote for the catio option! Which I know won't happen soon.

I would prefer the catio, too, but I can't go near the door without the two of them trying to get past me. Dude literally whined every five seconds for about three hours. And now he's started again.

The catio will require having a special window made with a flap in it. I'd have to find out if the company that made these windows can do it -- I don't want to tend up with a different window in my living room.

Good Morning everyone and Welcome to Friday! Double dark brew awaits you all. Hagatha I would not let Willow or Dude out without the leash...might be a hawk looking for a meal and cats have been know to get taken by hawks or other predators!

Have a great day Connie, soot, hagatha, mad, oldbroad, Draclvr and everyone!

Gerry

T.G.I.F. good morning Gerry, Hagatha, Draclvr, OldBroad, Mad, Connie and anyone else who gets the chance to pop in for a break, coffee and a bagel. Thank you for the double dark brew Gerry, it's my favorite. I'll check back in later for Connie's bagels. Wishing you all a wonderful Friday!

Right back at you soot!

Gerry

Sorry I was awol this morning, my internet was out. Had a pedicure with a friend. Karaoke at Hacienda tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

After my double dark brew from Gerry this morning, I got started with meal prep for tomorrow. My god-daughter and her family are making their annual visit out here. They have 3 little boys and they look forward to coming out to the country every year! If it's not too ghastly hot, we may go to our 120 family farm about 15 minutes from here. We have a pool, but there is a 4 acre lake there and they can fish and kayak if they want! Even if it's hot, they still want a small campfire to make S'mores on!

Good Morning Connie, soot, hagatha, Draclvr, oldbroad and the rest of the gang! Enjoying my first cup of double dark brew...plenty ready for everyone to start the day! Looking forward to a quiet relaxing Saturday.

Connie glad they got your internet up and running again. Draclvr you are always on the go...don't know where you get all the energy! Soot any plans for today? Hagatha do I dare ask how Dude and Willow are getting along? Are they still wanting to go outside? I'm thinking they want to go back "home" more then just go outside. Oldbroad what are you up to today?

Ready for my 2nd cuppa.

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lobster and Prime Rib dinner at CVI tonight, music to follow. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

Good morning Draclvr, Gerry, Connie and all other visitors. I'm enjoying my second double dark brew and a danish! Thank you Gerry and Connie. The weekend is here so a mix of chores, projects, gaming and relaxation is on my docket. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Good morning and happy weekend everyone. Over here decent weather. Some rain some sunshine. Warm but not hot. Except for the coffee of course. The coffee was hot.

Good morning all.

Just about to grab some very strong coffee.

Gerry the cats are okay with each other, but both are really cranky because they want to go outside. Every time I open an outside door one of them tries to get out. I have a feeling that there will be several escapes when my 92-year old mother comes for her visit in October. They'll figure out quickly that she moves more slowly than I do.

I was invited to a party by one of my neighbours. Maybe one of my new neighbours knows a good contractor who can build the catio.

Good morning! Had another thunderstorm last night, so it will be nice and muddy for my visitors today! But they are little boys, so will probably love it! Making Italian Roast Beef sandwiches because it's so easy. Just brown a couple of chuck roasts and throw them in a big roaster with some dry Italian dressing seasoning, some pepperoncini peppers and some beef broth and let it cook for a few hours. Done! Did my baked beans and cole slaw yesterday and will also put together some mac and cheese and a tomato salad.

Rain, rain, stay away!

Have fun at the neighbor's party and meeting new people, hagatha!

Those sandwiches sound tasty! I envy your energy for cooking. It seems like such a waste of time these days. Vegetarian chili is about as complicated as I get.

As for the party, I have mixed feelings. I know literally nobody, which is kind of stressful. And then there's the "what to wear" issue. At least that will spur me to unpack the rest of my clothes.

Hagatha, is there an area outside of one of the doors that you can turn into a screened porch / patio type area so if the cats get out the one door they are in that area and you can still go out the other door?

Gerry, I'm up to what I do everyday - sitting in front of my computer, browsing news, emails, game sites, and playing games. My routine really doesn't change too much.

Connie, lobster and prime rib - YUM!

There is an area that could be screened in, but it would also ruin one of my favourite things about this house, and one of the reasons I bought it, which is the lovely French doors leading onto a private covered patio. I did think about it, but there is no way to do that without spoiling the view into the garden.

It will have to be a catio. In the meantime, I'm keeping them both in, no walks.

Hagatha, when I lived alone I kind of lived on cold cereal, crackers and cheese! About twice a month I cooked something and that was it.

I do eat a lot of rice cakes and Cambozola. Also apples, peanut butter, bread, avocados, and chicken, plus the occasional salad thrown in for good luck. Nothing elaborate. When my sister visited she insisted on two vegetables, potatoes and salad plus protein at every dinner. I'm so not used to that. Seems like overkill.

In the summer when the garden is producing like mad, I only eat a protein on the weekends when I cook for hubby. I pretty much live on tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, zucchini and whatever else is growing during the week.

Right then. Off to the the party. I'm not a fan of large groups of strangers. Much rather have a root canal, frankly.

I know how you feel, hagatha. I hope it goes better than you are anticipating.

And I hope you are all having a good weekend.

I'm with you, hagatha. But hopefully you will at least get acquainted with your new neighbors. Sometimes gatherings like this are more about observation than anything...

Well.

You know when you drive by somebody's breathtaking modern beachfront mansion and you wonder to yourself what it's like inside? That's where this party was. Met a lovely group of people, one of whom lives around the corner from me.

Can't say I've ever seen a beachfront mansion, or any other mansion for that matter. Sounds like it went well though.

Good Morning Connie, soot, Fogfighter, hagatha, Draclvr, oldbroad, Marian and everyone! Welcome to the Sunday breakroom where the fresh double dark brew awaits our morning chat!

A rainy start to the day here. Should clear by late morning. Connie I bet you enjoyed the lobster and prime rib! Soot sounds like you are having a relaxing weekend. Fogfighter any plans for today...maybe some gaming? Hagatha sounds like it was a nice party...a good start to getting to know your neighbors. If you were to screen in the area you mentioned there are screens you can get that are "invisible"...they are expensive but wouldn't take away from the view and both you and the cats could enjoy the outdoors.

Draclvr you are amazing all those delicious garden veggies to enjoy! Oldbroad it's so nice to enjoy your company here...at our age its also nice to enjoy a "quiet" routine! Hope you are having a good weekend too Marian.

A Happy Day wished for everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Shopping is on the agenda, a trip to Costco, Aldi, and Publix. It was 100 degrees again yesterday. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Aah, coffee. Good morning all.

oldbroad, the context of the house is what surprised me so much.

I met Louise in a clothing store where she sold me shoes. We got to talking and she invited me to her party. Imagine the cognitive dissonance when I arrived at her address, only to find myself in a waterfront mansion. Not the sort of house you'd imagine belonging to someone who sells shoes. I was genuinely surprised. And I'm still not sure why I was invited, but the other guests were very nice and loads of fun.

hagatha, you have such an interesting life. Love reading about your cats too! well, today I decided I had to do something with all my jalapeno peppers so i made a big batch of cowboy candy (candied jalapenos) and boy howdy, it is hot. Now, I have to decide whether to give jars away or can it. My daughter's birthday is coming up, so I might be able to get rid of one jar that way. now for about 4 more jars.

Thank you for the coffee Gerry, and yes I am having a good weekend! I hope you are, too. I'm doing the laundry, making tacos for dinner, reading a good book tonight, and playing a computer game.

Had to look up Cowboy Candy. Sounds good but I don't suppose I'll ever make it.

It is amazing hagatha you were in the right place at the right time and got invited to the party your first week in your new home! I've not heard of "cowboy candy" before mbday630...is it good?

Marian glad you are having such a nice relaxing weekend...enjoy your book.

Gerry

Really pleased to hear that you have met with such a friendly reception, hagatha !!

Good afternoon OldBroad, Gerry, Connie, Hagatha, MBDay630 Marian, Mad and everyone The coffee was marvelous Gerry and with Connie's bagels my morning and lunch were complete!

I had never heard of Cowboy Candy either before mbday mentioned it over at Mystery Manor. Since I have buckets of jalapenos, I'm going to try some this year since she sent me the recipe.

Jalapeno jelly is pretty good too, fun to experiment with. Couple friends of ours had us over for a BBQ and served burgers with goat's cheese and jalapeno jelly. They were insanely good.

I've made that jelly before too! With the goat cheese, that definitely sounds insanely good!

I love pepper jelly. I usually have some on hand for eating with cheese or even with eggs.

I have also had, and love, the pepper jelly but they don't seem to have it at our grocery store.

I shall look for pepper jelly too!

Good Morning and Happy Monday everyone. Double dark brew awaits! Hope you all are ready for a new week and you enjoy better weather. Autumn is just around the corner and the kids will be back in school!

Enjoy a peaceful start to your week.

Gerry

I am going to look up pepper jelly. Something to do with all these peppers that I have. I love the cowboy candy on almost everything. my son even puts it on his ice cream! Some people put it in their bloody Marys but I haven' t tried that one yet. Have a great Monday everyone.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. I've had jalapeno jelly, but never jalapeno candy. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good Monday Morning! Whew, another weekend of visitors under my belt. They had a wonderful time in spite of the rain. The boys were disappointed they didn't get a bonfire, but Mother Nature just didn't cooperate.

Canning chili and spaghetti sauces today. We are still drowning in tomatoes! Mbday, candied jalapenos in my Bloody Mary is a new one for me!!

Cleanup from the weekend is done, so I'm just going to sit here with some of Gerry's double dark brew for a little while before I get started on the week!

Just finished up my 120th pound of sugar for the hummingbirds, so will need to make a sugar run in town this morning! They are going through 2 gallons a day and I can hardly keep up!

Good evening all (or a bit earlier for some of you...)!

I must look out for pepper jelly: I use chilli infused olive oil to add a kick to various dishes, and/or a bit of hot salsa.

Glad to see hagatha is getting accepted in the new 'hood: how about a screened porch style area at the side of the house with access via a window for Willow and Dude? I thought they were going to have their own gazebo once the hot tub goes, or perhaps you have decided that is worth keeping after all.

Oh yeah. I forgot about the hot tub/gazebo area. Also, hagatha, didn't you say a friend was going to be able to do this for you? At any rate, I hope the kitties get something to keep them happy and occupied before too long.

Draclvr you must have a lot of hummers to use all that sugar for them! Where do you ever find the time! Lex that "chilli infused olive oil" is new to me...sounds like something I'd like to try. Mbday630 I don't think I'd like cowboy candy in a Bloody Mary if it is sweet! Oldbroad hope hagatha's cats get an outdoor space soon so she can get a break!

Have a nice evening everyone.

Gerry

I cheat and buy the chilli infused olive oil, but I see quite a few recipes online and it seems pretty easy to make.
https://www.aristonspecialties.com/product/ariston-chilli-infused-olive-oil/ (I get a cheaper one in my local supermarket)
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-make-chili-oil/

Good Morning everyone. Thanks Lex, I will look for it at my grocery store and check out the recipe too.

I've put on the double dark brew to enjoy with you all. It is a rainy start to the day here.

Happy Tuesday!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Thanks Lex, I want all 3 of those oils, I bookmarked the tab. Lunch and Netflix with a friend today, bowling at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning Lex, Gerry, Connie and all other Break Room visitors! Gerry, thank you for the coffee and Connie, thank you for the bagels ... a great way to start my day. Wishing you all a Tootin Toosday.

Happy Tuesday!

I love a good chili oil! To make it, you need well-dried chilies. Someone I know tried it with fresh chilies and it just got moldy because of the moisture. I also keep a bottle of garlic infused olive oil around.

Getting some work done on my "baby" today. My vehicle is a 2004 Dodge Dakota truck with a stick shift and 4-wheel drive. It is almost 20 years old, but only has 110,000 original miles on it, so I try to take good care of it. My headlight covers were discolored from the age and weather and the light was really dim, so my step-son put in new ones. But the aim is all off, so I'm having them adjust that, change the oil, fix a light in my dash display and fix my emergency brake. When I close the horse rescue at night, sometimes I just want to leave it running while I check a small barn, so I NEED my emergency brake because I have a stick shift!

So, I'm trapped at home! Think I will catch up on some work Ana sent me yesterday for Gameboomers.

Good morning all.

We're in the middle of another dangerous heat wave. Thankfully my house is well-shaded and has a heat pump and I do get some of the breeze off the ocean. I can't imagine what it's like to live in a city apartment with no air conditioning. It must be absolutely awful.

My mission for the day, should I choose to accept it, is mowing the lawn, as my mower arrives today. I toyed with the idea of an old-fashioned push mower, but decided that wasn't part of my retirement plan.

And a very good retirement plan! Is it a riding mower or self-propelled?

Surely what you need now is one of those robotic mowers, hagatha https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-robot-lawn-mowers

You can probably find Chili Oil in the ethnic (Chinese) section of your grocery store.

I will check it out oldbroad. Thanks.

Gerry

It's an electric push mower, which means it is very easy to guide around without a whole lot of pushing.

Lex, one of my neighbours in Campbell River has one of those little robot mowers. He called it Moe. Moe did a great job there, but my lawn is pretty small and I'm sure it won't take me more than ten minutes to mow the whole thing.

Sounds like the perfect tool for the job, hagatha.

Good Morning and Happy Hump Day! Double dark brew awaits to start your day. A day of shopping today...need office supplies and 2024 calendars.

Hope you all have a great day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts, and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Hello dear Boomers! Hope you are all keeping well!

Hagatha, very glad your house move went well and you have met some of your neighbours. I hope your little ones soon settle in.

I have some good news and some bad to share. Let's get the bad out of the way first. Our youngest sister, who I told you about some time ago, is back in hospital. She was using alcohol as a coping mechanism after she lost her partner. She is a raging alcoholic and has put the rest of us through the mill. Her lies and deceit have just about destroyed our relationship with her. Anyway, she went on a bender one night and again was found in the morning, unresponsive, by her son. He phoned for an ambulance and when she got to hospital they discovered she had suffered a "significant stroke". She is paralyzed down the left side so is unable to do anything for herself. We have been told she will be in hospital for the long haul and is unlikely to ever be able to live at home again, so probably will end up in a care home. I want to feel sympathy for her but I can't. She has been asking her son to sneak alcohol into the hospital for her which he refused to do. She has no intention of ever stopping drinking. If they were to discharge her, she would be back on the booze in no time. Sorry guys, I just haven't got it in me to feel anything for her. Am I a bad person?

Right! Now for the good (read fantastic!) news! Our grandson has just received the best phone call ever, to inform him that he is cancer free! We are all over the moon and there was a lot of happy tears yesterday! Needless to say, Diana is very happy! She had a hard time while Adam was so ill and going through treatment. I tried to support her as best I could, trying to keep her spirits up. It was hard for everyone but she was having to deal with it face on, giving him injections every day among other things. He didn't tolerate the chemo very well, poor lad. Thank goodness it's all behind him now!

More good news about our DIL who was diagnosed with bowel cancer the day after Adam got his diagnosis. She had been attending her GP for 18 months due to bleeding and other symptoms and he told her, without carrying out an examination, that she was suffering from haemhorroids. He would't even refer her for other tests. She eventually got her diagnosis after using the kit that we get through the post here once we reach 50. That was followed up by a colonoscopy to confirm the diagnosis. She had robotic surgery for a resection and got home the following day! Amazing! The great news is, they got it all and she doesn't need any further treatment! No thanks to her GP! She was in considerable pain for some weeks while healing but is now feeling much better. Our son was in bits and needed our support as well so it's been a busy time for us.

Thanks to you all for your prayers and support once again, Boomers, you are the best! Seems I'm always asking for something! I do appreciate every one of you.

Much love,

Mary

Oh, my goodness, Mary, what a roller coaster ride it's been for you! And, NO, you are not a bad person if you can't find any sympathy for your alcoholic sister. Enabling her to continue down that path helps no one - especially not her. Such GOOD news for both your grandson and your DIL! I think she needs to find a new GP... bleeding and other symptoms mandate testing ASAP. She is very lucky it hadn't spread to her liver or other organs.

I'm LOVING your signature about getting old!

No, MsMercury, you are not a bad person, and I say that as a sister of two alcoholic brothers who would not be helped and are no longer with us. It is wonderful to hear that your grandson and DIL are both doing so much better now! You sound a lot better too, without quite as much worry on your shoulders.

Thanks Draclvr. I can't sympathise with someone who lies all the time. All the times she swore blind she had stopped drinking when we could tell just by hearing her voice on the phone that she was lying. She has been an alcoholic since she was in her 20's. She is now 60. She's lucky she's still here. Glad you like my signature, thanks! I can't remember where I saw it.

Thanks oldbroad. I don't know how she's still alive. She has aspirated twice while drunk and she knows very well what the outcome could be but she knows better than everyone else. Sorry you've experienced that. It's not pleasant. We are all over the moon with the news about Grandson and DIL! They have both been through it but are out the other side now. I feel a lot better now, I did seem to have the weight of the world on my shoulders. I felt so helpless at times, not being able to physically help due to our circumstances here, so could only lift them up by listening when they needed to talk and giving them some motherly advice and love.

Mary so happy to hear your grandson and DIL are doing so well and so good to see you posting! Your family is blessed to have you in their lives!

Sending love and hugs and healing prayers for you and all your family.

Gerry

Good afternoon everyone! Enjoyed the coffee and donuts (today) in a quick fly-by this morning Gerry and Connie. Ms Mary, it's always a real treat to hear from you and we will continue to keep you and family in our prayers. Addiction can be beaten by absolute abstention ... but many don't have the 'internal will power' to make it happen. Wishing you all a wonderful evening.

Good Morning all. I'm already enjoying a mug of double dark brew...plenty on hand for you all to enjoy too! Hoping to walk this morning early before it gets to hot. A few errands to run later...a quiet day for me.

Hope you all have a great day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts, and Bagels in the Break Room. Mary, you could never be considered a bad person, you have a loving heart. Such wonderful news about your grandson and DIL being free of cancer. Love and hugs headed your way. Robert booked our Keys trip with Chuck and his mom for a week in March. I'm so excited, it's been quite a few years since we've been there. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Oh, that double dark brew is SO good this morning, Gerry! Enjoying it next to my open window to the hummingbird porch. It was very cool last night, but the heat is coming back. I'm going to miss the chittering of the hummers, but I opened up my 130th pound of sugar yesterday! There are swarms of them out there! I guess they are loading up on resources for their migration which will start in about 2 weeks.

Where in the Keys will you go, connie! That is such an interesting place. I love looking at aerial photos - it looks like it just shouldn't even exist that far out in the ocean!

Mary, addicts, including alcoholics, often end up destroying all of the relationships around them because their drug of choice becomes the only thing they care about. You're not a bad person for feeling the way you do. It's a natural response to years of abusive behaviour.

I'm so glad to hear about the good news about your DIL. Like her, my John was told, for years, that his symptoms were just bleeding hemorrhoids. And when I say years, I mean a decade. He finally demanded that our newest doctor requisition the determinative test, and of course by that time it was too late. Your DIL is so fortunate that it was caught so much earlier. It is quite treatable in early stages.

Lots of coffee for me this morning. My lawnmower arrived unassembled and there was much muttering and cursing, but it is now assembled and ready to go. But it's so hot! I might wait until later in the day to take it out for a whirl. Next I need to get a power washer and shop-vac, since I donated my old ones. And some industrial strength vinegar for weed control. This property won't care for itself, unfortunately.

Connie the one and only time I went to the Florida Keys was in the 1950s by car with my Mom and Dad and siblings. I remember crossing the causeways seemed endless, and there was nothing for miles and miles!

Draclvr I'm sure the hummers are going to miss you too!

Hagatha how are Dude and Willow settling in?

Gerry

Gerry, Dude and Willow are very frustrated about the outdoors. Willow will at least come for a walk on her leash, but every time I get Dude out on his leash he ends up hiding under a bush and hisses at me when I try to coax him out. They both stand at the French doors gazing out longingly.

Otherwise, they seem to be getting along better than ever. I think it's because the house isn't Willow's domain. She will always be the Alpha cat, but Dude is far more self-assured than previously. They play quite a bit, in short bursts. And I suppose that they feel like comrades-in-arms when it comes to their desire to go outside. It's a common cause. They lurk near the front door when they hear my car coming up the drive. Dude did get out one day, and it won't be long before Willow charges past me. At least now they've both been around the entire property and know where they are. All my neighbours have outdoor cats, and apparently cats don't go missing around here, so if one of them does get out, it will probably be okay. There's virtually no traffic on my street.

Good afternoon everyone Another dash and go this morning to enjoy the coffee and danish (today) Gerry and Connie. Connie, I've always wanted to go to the keys to check it out after watching James Bond. Have a wonderful evening everyone.

Good Morning and Happy Friday everyone! Double dark brew is ready to start your Friday!

Hagatha sounds like Dude and Willow may have seen those other cats outside from your windows! That would certainly help explain why they want to go out...could cause the "crying" to go out too.

Enjoy your day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Drac, we will be staying on Key Colony Beach. That bridge is not one of my favorite parts of the trip. Shopping is on the agenda for later today. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning. Ill be having the dark coffee as usual this morning.

I actually slept in today. First time in a very, very long time. It's so quiet here. I think most of the people in this area are retired and there's no traffic at all in the morning.

I've just been reading about the out-of-control fires here in Canada. Kelowna, one of the biggest cities in BC, is under evacuation alert. Yellowknife in the NWT has been completely evacuated, and Alberta is experiencing some terrible fires right now, too. We're having a drought, that's for certain. Here on the coast we've only had a few days of rain all summer. My garden is desperate for water and I had to surreptitiously leave the hose under one of my small evergreens because it was clearly starting to die. We're under severe water restrictions; no watering at all unless you're holding the hose. I hope we get some rain soon.

Key Colony looks beautiful, Connie. I looked up the bridge too and it looks kinda scary!

Just got home. Had to take hubby to the eye doctor for an eye injection. They are not pleasant, but it is saving his vision in that eye. I guess in the "old days," people just went blind. Grateful for these medical advances!

Heard more about those wildfires on the radio on the way over to the doctor today. Sounds pretty awful. I hope you get some relief soon.

T.G.I.F. good afternoon everyone. Gerry, the Double Dark Brew this morning ... hit the spot 'multiple' times! Connie, your cinnamon crunch bagels got me through the morning. I hope you enjoyed shopping this afternoon. Hagatha, maybe Hilary will bring some rain relief to your area? Have a wonderful evening everyone

The weekend has arrived!

Good Morning everyone. Woke up to nice cool temps this morning in the 50s! It is going to be a beautiful sunny, dry day in the 70s...relief from the horrible hot, humid sunless days we've been having! Double dark brew taste sooo good this morning. Enjoy!

Happy Saturday!

Gerry

Good morning Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. My youngest son and his wife are taking me to Ozello, Fl. for the long Thanksgiving weekend. They go there every year, it's called old Fl. I'm very blessed. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

I'll have some of that Double Dark Brew Gerry and today is a good day for Donuts Connie ... thank you both. The weekend is here and it's time for chores, projects, gaming and relaxation at the end of the day. Have a wonderful day everyone.

Fixed hubby his weekly big breakfast, opened up my 140th pound of sugar and fed the hummers... Now it's time for me to enjoy Gerry's double dark brew and relax. The "goal" is to enjoy the beautiful warm and dry weather today. We'll see how it pans out!

Connie, another place for me to look up! Sounds wonderful!

Enjoy your Saturday!

Good Morning Break Room Gang! Got a fresh pot of double dark brew ready to go with Connie's goodies.

Another nice cool start to the day here...great for taking a nice long walk!

Enjoy a peaceful, relaxing Sunday!

Gerry

Thanks for the dark brew Gerry, it's a must every morning for me and the perfect partner with Connies goods. Have a wonderful day everyone!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy your Sunday and hug someone.

I did it yesterday! Didn't do much of anything! We are looking at extreme heat again for the next week - 100+ degrees almost every day. Blech.

Just going to enjoy my double dark brew and listen to the hummers this morning!

We're now covered in a thin veil of smoke from the wildfires. It's not really visible, but it's blocking the sun just enough that our temperature has dropped. Also, I've had bouts of sneezing, which means there are particles in the air. If I go for a walk this morning I'd better take my puffer with me.

It's awful to see the fires approaching Kelowna. It's a lakeside city. You always think of cities being safe, and one beside water even more so. Looks like that's not the case after all. The Okanagan region is always very dry by this point in the year but this is something else entirely. It's horrifying.


I'm getting to the point in the unpacking where putting up art is the priority here. I have one very large framed photo of a humpback breaching backwards in the smoke; John took it the last time we had a heavy cloud of wildfire smoke in the air, though in the picture it looks like mist. I'm trying to work out where it's best placed. It's a good thing this house has high ceilings or it would have nowhere to hang.

I remember moving my mom into her senior living apartment from her home. It wasn't "home" until we had all her favorite things on the walls. It was even that way when we had to move her from the apartment into a room at the nursing home. Even that private room was so homey with all her things on the walls. Sounds like you're getting there! We had SO much smoke from the wildfires in Canada this summer. We had "red alerts" for air quality every day for almost 2 months. The air just smelled funny too.

It's only 61 Degrees here this morning! That, after days and days of hotter-than-normal heat. I'm actually cold.

Finding places for my art (which is mostly carved Native masks and some of John's photos) Is not easy; I have a lot less wall space here. I did give one mask to one of John's dearest friends; it was the largest one and I'd never really liked it that much because it was mostly orange. I also have two huge, very heavy framed Robert Bateman prints.

Dude has finally shut up. I was ready to wring the little monster's neck after four days of him padding around the house meowing literally every second from the moment I got up to the moment I went to bed. He's finally realized I'm not opening that door unless he's wearing his harness and leash. If I could get him leash-walking I wouldn't need to build a catio. I like hanging out in my garden with a cat. I get to see it from a different perspective.

Yes indeed Hagatha, you're getting settled in for sure if you're working on wall hangings

We've got a hot week ahead with 100+ temps!

Have a wonderful evening everyone

Sounds like we're all going to be scorching this week. Poor hubby is out on coyote patrol with my shotgun. We've lost several chickens lately and have seen two of them hanging around. It's a lovely 96 degrees out there, so I don't know how long he'll last. I'm going to go out and take a shift later.

Another day of NOTHING! And I even got some good gaming in. Have a very old Assassins Creed game I got for free that I've had installed for a long time, but never played very much. I haven't lost my touch after being away from gaming for several months!

Good Morning Connie, soot, hagatha, Draclvr and everyone. Enjoying the extra dark brew this morning with a fresh pot ready for you all. Sounds like everyone had a good weekend. It is going to be warm and muggy here too today. Hagatha glad to hear all is going well with your getting your new home to feel more like "home"...hanging your wall art. Good to hear Dude is quieting down as well!

Draclvr enjoy the game...it is always fun to get back into a game especially after being away from gaming for a while!

Happy day wished for you all!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy the new week and hug someone.

Well, break's over! Just came out of the tomato forest and I'm dying here! Temp this morning was 85 degrees with 84% humidity! It felt like trying to breathe underwater!

A friend is coming out today to process a bunch in my Italian tomato press, but that will hardly make a dent!

We've still got that thin blanket of smoke blocking the worst of the sun's rays and so it's still pretty nice here. I've got some friends coming over for a visit and then I need to get back to the unpacking. I'm also hand-watering my garden since some of my trees are starting to wilt and we're not allowed to use our watering systems right now.

Hey Ho everyone and Happy Monday to one and all. Gerry, the double dark brew was a must most of the day for me and the perfect companion with Connie's bagels...thank you both! For what it's worth Hagatha, I still have boxes from our move back in 2000 ... in the garage We start the triple digit temps tomorrow which I am not looking forward too ... would love to personally thank the person who invented air conditioning. Have a great evening everyone.

Good Morning Connie, Draclvr, hagatha, soot and everyone! I'm already on my 2nd cup of double dark brew...plenty for everyone to enjoy!
Connie enjoy your day. Draclvr hope your weather cools off soon! Hagatha unpacking seems to go on forever...are Dude and Willow helping? I'm sure they enjoy the empty boxes! Soot stay cool if you can!

Have a nice day everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lunch and Netflix with a friend today. Bowling at the Eagles tonight, it's banquet night. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Yesterday I canned tomatoes again and one didn't seal. Now I have to think of what dish I can make with it. We got some elk sausage from a neighbor and I didn't like it very much so I was thinking of trying to make something with that left over meat and trying to camouflage it with tomatoes. Hubby said to just cut it into slices and give it to the dogs for a treat and that sounds easier.

mnday, I was given some elk meat a long time ago and I didn't care for it either - too gamey. I don't think wasting your good tomatoes on it will help... your hubby's idea sounds much better! A friend came out yesterday and we processed 5 gallons of sauce for her through my electric tomato press. She took it home and is turning it into salsa, pizza, spaghetti and chili sauces. She also picked the rest of my pepperoncini peppers and is going to can them. Another friend stopped by and took home 50 pounds of my Opalka paste tomatoes. It was so HORRID out yesterday with humidity never getting lower than 76%, we all grabbed a beer and hit the pool. So, while they are canning today, I am taking another day OFF!

Connie, my regular league bowling starts Thursday night... not sure I'm ready for it!

Stay cool, Gameboomers!

We did have rain in the forecast, but it looks as though it's not happening after all.

Dude has taken to pacing the house howling all day long and nothing will shut him up. He's so desperate to get outside. At this point I'm certain he's been an outdoor cat at some point in his life.

Good Morning and Happy Hump Day! We are having another beautiful day today and will get in some shopping later.

Hope you enjoy your day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy your hump day and hug someone.

Temps forecast to be 99 degrees today. The humidity is so high all the windows have water running down the outside and I can't see out!

Opened up my 15th ten-pound bag of sugar this morning for the hummingbirds.

Yesterday was hubby's 79th birthday! He doesn't really want any celebrations, but he did go in to his local watering hole as he always does on Tuesday and was feted quite well there!

Draclvr, that sounds like awful heat. I was actually cold yesterday, and today is very overcast, so it's going to be cool again. No rain in sight, though, I spent quite a while watering everything yesterday. At least rhodos perks up almost immediately, but some of the trees are bone dry.

The only way to describe it is "ghastly," hagatha. I feel so sorry for the people who have to continue to work in this oppressive heat. 101 tomorrow and 102 on Friday.

I can't imagine having to work outside all day in that kind of heat. It's really dangerous.

Good afternoon and happy Hump Day ... stay safe everyone!

Draclvr that is horribly oppressive weather! I hope you get some relief soon. Hagatha hope you get some rain soon too. Connie how did your bowling game go last night? Soot have a good evening.

Hope everyone has a peaceful night and a good sleep!

Gerry

Good morning everyone. Guess you all had a quiet evening last night. I have the double dark brew ready to start your day...enjoy!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Gerry, I had 2 good games, 164 and 167. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good afternoon all!

Good for you Connie! Hi there oldbroad...what are you up to?

Gerry

Just wondering if you have allowed any of your cats to venture out alone yet, hagatha ??

[And, if so, was it a nail biting experience ??]

Mad, Dude escaped one day, which freaked me out, but all he wanted to do was walk around the house and go back in. Willow would be totally trustworthy. She goes for a walk with me every day around the garden, and she's a lazy fat thing who would rather roll around on the grass than go down the road. She won't stray too far from the food.

Dude has gone out on a leash a few times but he's really not comfortable with it. Yesterday we sat on the front step for about ten minutes while he just looked around. Of course Willow, the little jerk that she is, always tries to stop him from coming back in so I have to pick him up and shoo Willow away with my foot.

My neighbours all insist that the biggest danger to cats here is other cats. Still I would never consider letting them out unless I had a couple of cat flaps for them to get back in.

Yes. I had read your previous “escape adventures” thank you, hagatha, including Dude’s behaviour on the lead, but was just wondering if you had made any further positive progress as yet.
A cat flap certainly sounds like a step for you to consider though and good luck with that or whatever else you might decide to go for 🤞🤞

We used to have cat flaps which were a good option in the absence of busy roads or other immediate hazards, also removing the need for litter trays: our cats always reliably came home for food, although we had one which would also visit a neighbour's house via the cat flap there to enjoy additional food (fortunately both cats and humans were on good terms)!

We also have experience of well cared for domestic cats which go begging outside other houses, pretending to be starving ferals, and if fed may even change allegiance...

Good Morning and Happy Friday everyone! Cat flaps can also invite other critters into your home...I have heard of raccoons and skunks coming in thru them too! Cats can also fall prey to hawks and owls if they are outdoors. I remember a few years ago reading about a women walking her dog on a leash and a hawk swooped down and tried to carry him off!

Hope you all enjoy a peaceful day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Karaoke with friends at Hacienda tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Gerry, my previous cat lived in a coyote-infested neighbourhood for 16 years. Other cats vanished; she had her bolt-hole. We actually saw a coyote chase her up the side of the house and she blasted through that door to safety. She didn't go out for about ten days. That was when she started using her litter box all the time instead of going outside. There are no coyotes here on Vancouver Island. But I'm not decided yet. Dude may give up at some point and stop bugging me. I won't be able to even think about a catio this year, There's too much to do around here already.

Today I have to deal with some issues around the house. I was giving the garden some much-needed water yesterday and the water just...stopped. I thought it must be a kink in the hose, but no; there is no water coming out of the hose bib all of a sudden. I've never heard of anything like it. The other thing is that water is not getting to the ice-maker in the fridge. And then there's the gate, which needs to be on a remote but nobody can find where the power line goes and which breaker controls it. All very annoying.

So I'll be having lots of dark coffee this morning, and then I'll get to work.

Cat flaps can be “personalised” to stop anything other than your cat getting through ….

Hopefully this is the last of the 100+ degree days here. Man, it's been brutal.

First night of league bowling last night. I got news last week that both my knees are bone on bone, so I was very happy they didn't hurt at all while bowling. Doctor is somewhat puzzled because I have no pain unless I start getting over 3 miles of walking in a day or if I go down stairs. Plus, I bowled quite well! Win, win!

Do you have water at your sink or in the bathrooms? Guess the problem all depends on what your water source is and how your plumbing is set up. Good luck!

Draclvr, all the other water in the house is working fine. The water from the hose bib literally just stopped flowing while I was watering. I do have another hose bib but it's been tightened too tight for me to turn it, so I can't test that one. I might try using a lever to see if I can turn it. My garden is so parched!

I think my knees are in a similar state. They pop every time I get up now. Hopefully it won't impede my walking -- I ran into one of the people I met at that party; she lives around the corner from me and wants to start walking in the 'hood, so we're starting today.

Good luck with everything hagatha. I'm sorry to hear there are some issues starting in your new home.

As far as the cats, I still definitely vote for keeping them inside. There must be a window they can get comfy in for now? In my earlier cat owning days I had various forms of bad luck with cats being outside. The last family of cats we had/have were born outside and lived the first several months out there. None of them seemed to want to ever go back out once they came in our house. They liked the open windows and patches of sun that came in. That was good enough for them, thankfully.

hagatha, I had to look up what a hose bib is! We would call it a faucet or hydrant! I would definitely NOT try unscrewing it unless you turn the water off in the house. If water is still going to the "bib," and you suddenly remove it, you could have quite a mess on your hands!

Oldbroad, Willow is perfectly happy to go out on her leash, though she would love to be free-range. Dude is the real whiner. He spends his days with his nose pressed up against a screen. Eventually he will either get the message that going outside means wearing a harness, or he'll give up.

There was a Raven sitting on the peak of my house while I was out watering. It was definitely having a look at me. I love the Corvids, but a Raven is a big rascal, and smart. You definitely don't want to get on a Raven's bad side.

The plumber came and did something to the hose bib. It works now. It was a gasket or something.

Where I live, my experience has been that letting cats outside the home is basically condemning them to death. Sooner or later, the coyotes (or something other wildlife) get them. This is why I have always kept my cats indoors. When I first took my cats to the vet, the vet asked me if they were going to be indoor cats, I said yes, and they said that was a very good thing. Of course outside environments can differ, though.

Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend!

Good Morning and welcome to Saturday and the weekend! Hagatha I agree with oldbroad and Marian that the safest place for cats is indoors...so many variables outside...even just bringing in parasites or ticks! Draclvr hope you have a cooler weekend...congrats on your bowling...sorry to hear about your knees. I heard something about a new treatment where they inject a gel to surround the knee joint so you don't have to have surgery...maybe an option for you or hagatha.

Have a happy day everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break room. My cats are indoor only, too many coyotes and other hazards outside. Shopping is on the agenda today. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Good morning Gerry, Connie and everyone else who pops in. Woo Hoo the weekend has arrived. Dark roast Sumatra coffee, Scottish Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water in the Break Room with Connie's treats. I'm ready for some cinnamon crunch bagels today. Weekend chores and projects are on my agenda today. Have a great day!

OOPS, I forgot the double dark brew soot! Just put some more on!

Gerry

Thank heavens you put on another pot, Gerry! I'm just now ready to sit down with my coffee and start the weekend!

I walked out to the tomato forest and didn't feel like I was going to burst into flames or was breathing under water! Man, this 90 degrees is going to be welcome today...

Happy Saturday!

Mmmm. Coffee. I'm sleeping much better here and had a great, late morning reading the news with Willow on my lap and Dude making blinky- eyes at me from one of the easy chairs.

I'm tackling the last of the boxes today, trying to make my deskless office at least presentable. And tomorrow, after i mow the lawn, I'm going to clear up the garage as much as possible so it doesn't look like a bomb went off in there.

My mother is visiting for a month through October so I'm hoping to have the house as close to finished as possible.

What a boon to be able to sleep better at your new house! Sounds like the perfect morning...

Yes, it's very quiet here. In thee old place we had a lot of water traffic and the old Beaver floatplanes going by all day long. Sometimes at night we'd get two hours of a large log boom being pushed and pulled into position by two huge tugboats, and they are not only loud but they send off a kind of sonic wave that feels like the house is shaking. Here there's just the odd car going past.


EDIT: All of sudden we are blanketed in smoke. At first I thought someone was having an illegal fire, and realized that it's everywhere. I guess I'll be using my puffer non-stop for a few days.

Good Morning Connie, soot, Draclvr, hagatha, oldbroad, Marian, and everyone. I've put on a fresh pot of extra strong double dark brew and already having my first cup! So glad to hear you have a little relief from the oppressive heat Draclvr. Congrats hagatha on already getting pretty well settled in your new home! Is the smoke coming from the Canadian wild fires? I hope the wind changes direction and clears the air for you.

Have a peaceful Sunday!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy the new week and hug someone.

Good Monday Morning Everyone. It was a quiet Sunday in the Break Room yesterday. Maybe everyone had a nice relaxing day! I've got the extra strong double dark brew waiting for the early risers this morning!

Have a great Monday!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning Gerry Connie and all others stopping in to enjoy a cup of Gerry's coffee and one or more of Connie's treats.

Have a wonderful Monday 😊

It was quiet here yesterday! A friend came out and I helped her work up 6 gallons of tomato sauce which she took home to turn into pizza sauce and tomato soup and other various things to enjoy this winter.

Stayed up late reading, so I slept in this morning. I'm loving having the windows open again so I can listen to the chittering of the hummingbirds! They are slowing down after their feeding frenzy this last month in preparation for the migration back to Central America. I remember reading that they fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico... they are such amazing little birds. Just finished 150 pounds of sugar after filling the feeders this morning.

But, after an easy weekend, there is no rest for the weary! Today I'm heading out to start working on peppers. I'm getting lots of requests for my hot sauce again, so I'm going to put on a mash to start fermenting today.

Hi Connie, soot, Draclvr and the rest of the gang. Draclvr I thought you were finally going to get a rest! Now you have peppers to process...you are amazing! I don't know where you get the energy...so much hard work. Those lucky hummers too!

Enjoy the rest of your day everyone!

Gerry

Good Morning everyone. Connie stay safe ...hope you are not affected by the hurricane that hits Florida today. Double dark brew awaits...had my first cup already. Lost power for a couple hours early evening last night...another tree limb fell on the power wires. Power company needs to do a lot more tree trimming in our area...way to many trees overhang the power.

Enjoy a peaceful day.

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lunch and Netflix with a friend today. We will be keeping an eye on where the hurricane is headed. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

We have the same problem here, Gerry. Without fail whenever we lose power, it's because of a tree on a power line. Of course, we are surrounded by woods here.

Got my first hot sauce mash on to start fermenting yesterday. Now I'm looking at a huge bucket of pretty red ripe jalapenos trying to decide what to do with them! I will definitely smoke some of them, then dehydrate and grind up into chipotle powder. A friend who is one of the managers down at Longmeadow always gets a bunch of them to make into jalapeno poppers. She then freezes and gets out to pop in the oven all winter long. I might make a bunch and take into Elmer's tavern some afternoon.

Another warm, but gorgeous day ahead with no air conditioner running!

Stay safe, connie!

Sounds like a great day for you Draclvr! I hope with all the food prep of all those veggies you will be able to relax and enjoy them all winter long!

Gerry

Finally, we have some rain! It came with a massive thunderstorm last night Apparently it will continue later today so I'm going to run and get groceries before the fireworks start again.

Good afternoon everyone. Good news Hagatha ... hope more rain comes your way ... drive safe. Jalepeno poppers ... oh yum Draclvr, a favorite of mine! Enjoyed the double dark brew this morning Gerry and with donuts from Connie

Good Morning Connie, Draclvr, hagatha, soot and everyone. Glad you all are enjoy the fresh double dark brew to start your day! Another full moon tomorrow night...that makes 2 for August...the 2nd being called a blue moon...heard that on our local weather.

Hope you all have a happy Day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Wet and squalls here, but nothing really bad. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

I tried to start a new thread on the Glitches Forum and when I go there I don't see it in the list of threads...did I do something wrong or doesn't it show until there is a response?

Gerry

It was there and I just responded, Gerry. MALWARE! Shut down immediately.

Sometimes you need to refresh the page to see a new post.

Okay thanks. What should she do next?

Gerry

Check the Glitches forum...

Thanks draclvr that seemed to work by holding the button longer to shut it down. she just turned it back on and it seems okay.

Thank you so much!

Gerry

I'm in the midst of a furry rebellion. I was outside cleaning the pond and when I opened the door Willow shot outside.

Then when I was chasing her Dude pushed the door open and almost escaped. It was almost like they coordinated it.

Willow is just rolling on the warm concrete but refuses to come in and every time I go near the door, Dude runs over. I'm trapped.

EDIT. In the end, she just wanted to go for her walk with me. It was the exact same walk as usual, just with no leash. When she was done, she headed for the door and came in. Too funny.

Good Morning Connie, hagatha, Draclvr, soot and everyone. The usual strong dark brew awaits to start the day along with birthday cupcakes for soot!. Thanks again Draclvr for the help with my sister's computer issue yesterday. Hagatha so glad the kitties are safe inside! Connie did you get any storm damage where you are?

Hope everyone enjoys a quiet day...did you all see that Blue Moon last night?

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Gerry, no damage, I'm inland central. It was just windy with some rain. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

I did see that Super AND Blue Moon last night! It was amazing and I swear you could have read a newspaper outside!

Got a big bunch of medium hot peppers cold smoked yesterday, ground up with garlic and in the fermemtation jar with a salt brine to ferment for a hot sauce! They smell so good after just a couple of days. Hadn't wanted to can, but had some tomatoes going bad that would have had to go to the chickens, so I ended up with 6 more quarts of pasta sauce and 6 more pints of pizza sauce. Hubby has to go cut some fruit wood for me today so I can start a hot smoke on the ripe jalapenos for chipotle.

SO glad your sister didn't panic and call that number, Gerry! I've had people who did and it was not pretty...

Another gorgeous day in the 80's with no air conditioner running! League bowling tonight.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Connie glad to here you had no damage. Draclvr, I think you should sell some of those homemade sauces online! They all sounds so good. Good luck with the league bowling! Have fun!

It's been raining now on and off for two days. That will save my garden and hopefully help with any fires on the coast.

I'm picking up and installing curtain rods today, at least I will be if I can find my spirit level. It's somewhere in the huge mess in the garage.

Glad you're okay, Connie.

So glad all is well with you, Connie. I have a friend in the Tampa area who just messaged me that all is well with her too.

Have fun in the garage, hagatha!

Good afternoon everyone! Connie, glad you are safe! Any coffee left Gerry...the cupcakes were marvelous...especially the red velvet cake cupcakes! Glad you're getting rain Hagatha. Oh my yes Drac, the moon was beautiful...and just as pretty this morning too. Take care everyone!

Good Morning and Welcome to Friday everyone! Extra double dark brew awaits! It is a wonderful chilly start to my day...temp is 50 degrees! I will have to bundle up for my walk this morning...definitely feels like a Fall day.

Wishing you all here in the USA a great start to the Labor day weekend! Enjoy!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Thank you for the good thoughts. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

It's 56 degrees here - feels wonderful! Perfect for my window open to the hummingbird porch listening to them twitter and chirp while I enjoy my double dark brew from Gerry.

It's cool enough that even my two indoor/outdoor/where ever they want to be cats have been sleeping inside at night. Of course, I instantly have tumbleweeds of cat hair everywhere.

A trip to town today for groceries and a haircut and then it's date night tonight.

Happy Friday, Gameboomers!

Good Morning Connie, soot, Draclvr, hagatha and everyone! Double dark brew is ready to start your day! Sounds like you had a perfect day yesterday Draclvr.

Wishing everyone a restful weekend!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Trivia at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

It's a holiday weekend here in the US - Labor Day. It traditionally a day for BBQ get togethers. We usually go to my husband's sister's old clubhouse down by the Bourbeuse River for a huge family rib BBQ. But hubby woke up with no voice this morning and doesn't feel great, so we might be doing a little BBQ here by ourselves.

Smoking more jalapeno peppers today.

Isn't it time for the hummingbirds to head to Central America???? I'm going to finish up 160 pounds of sugar by the end of tomorrow! I've never had this many.

Enjoy your long weekend if you are in the US!

We've got a Labour Day weekend too. That means traffic jams everywhere, but after that the roads should be clear for the next 6 months.

Today is chores day; mowing the lawn and giving everything a good watering.

I haven't been feeding hummingbirds this year. I plan to next year once I'm more settled.

Apparently yesterday was National Hummingbird Day (first Saturday in September) - that would explain the gathering at Drac's!

Never heard of National Hummingbird Day Lex! I bet you are right...they love to gather at Draclvr's!

Good morning and happy Sunday! Double dark brew is ready and waiting to start the day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. We are going to 2 Labor Day BBQ's today. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Good morning everyone ... enjoying your double dark brew Gerry and Connie's Bagels. We enjoy our Hummingbirds every year but not in the numbers Drac or my brother have.

Have a wonderful day everyone

LOL! Well, maybe National Hummingbird Day yesterday explains it - for yesterday, Lex! But I just put out another gallon this morning - which means I did have to open up that 17th ten-pound bag of sugar! Can I claim them as dependents and get a deduction on my taxes?!

Hubby got sick yesterday, so we will not be going to the huge family BBQ today. Don't tell anyone, but I'm not all that sad! Hope you enjoy yours, connie!

Did have to turn the AC back on late yesterday. Sure enjoyed those open windows for several days!

Enjoy your Labor Day, everyone!

Draclvr, you have a lot of hummingbirds because the word got out that you have the best buffet in the county.

Good Morning Connie, soot, Draclvr, judith , hagatha and everyone. I've already put on a 2nd pot of double dark brew to start the day!
Hope you all enjoy a relaxing September day!

Gerry

Good morning boomers. Thanks for the coffee Gerry. A good way to start the new day

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. I'm going to Spirit Halloween later today, one of my favorite places. Meeting at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy your Labor Day and hug someone.

Looks like I'm bringing the coffee this morning. I've got some lovely medium roast beans from a local roastery, nice and chocolatey. Perfect for a strong espresso drink.

I'm off to my new walking group on Qualicum.

Thank you for that coffee, hagatha! I'm very late to the break room this morning. I MUST take a break from processing tomatoes today and catch up on dirty floors and laundry. Although I did take a big tray of dehydrated smoked jalapenos out of the dehydrator this morning. But all I have to do with those is grind up for chipotle powder.

After 95 degrees yesterday, it's very cool today and I hear thunder rumbling somewhere. Hubby said he is going to close up the pool today. I always hate to see it go, but the skimmer fills up with leaves 10 times a day.

Ah well, guess it time to bid summer farewell!

Good Afternoon to you all. I forgot to put the coffee on as I got up late this morning . How about some double dark brew for afternoon tea time? Hope you all enjoy the rest of your day!

Gerry

So, hagatha, where is Qualicum?

It's about 25 minutes north of Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Qualicum is very pretty. It's a well-heeled retirement and tourist town, really nice though.

I actually live in Nanoose Bay, not the little town itself, which is really just a mall with a few stores, but out towards the end of a slender peninsula called Beachcomber.

Sounds like a beautiful place to walk!

Missed connie this morning!

And soot hasn't been around much lately either.

I had googled Qualicum to find out what it meant, wondering if it was some kind of breakfast food or stimulant that hagatha was "on" when walking...!

As Drac says, it sounds lovely.

Good Morning Connie, soot, hagatha, Draclvr, Lex and everyone. Got the double dark extra strong brew ready this morning! We are expecting extremely hot, humid weather with feel like temps around 102 today and not so good air quality. Going grocery shopping early and run a few errands later in the morning...no walk today not healthy to be out doors for long.

Hope you all enjoy your day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lunch and watching Prime with a friend today. The second season of Wheel of Time is here. Enjoy the day and Hug someone.

Thanks for the coffee break Gerry and Connie. Happy Wednesday Boomers!

soot will be returning soon oldbroad! He's fine, just having family time!

Soot pops in when he can - sometime later in the day after work. Glad to see connie is back though!

We're having a nice rainy morning here, so I can have a day of setting up some contractors instead of watering the garden for hours. I need to get my garden pruned soon, and I desperately need to find a general contractor/handyman to get this house set up. I'm getting a bit tired of living in a cluttered place.

Hi Connie, Fogfighter, Ana, Draclvr, hagatha, soot and everyone. I wish we would get a nice rainy day to replace the hot and humid days we are having...

Gerry

I figured as much, or that he's just very busy at work. It was just my *commentary* on the empty break room.

Good Morning Connie, Draclvr, hagatha, oldbroad, soot, fogfighter and everyone. Lots of double dark brew on to start the day. Enjoy!

We have another hot humid day today with a heat advisory warning...probably to hot to walk again today. Hagatha hope you find a good handyman.

Gerry

Once again I am just going to bed but Good Morning to you Gerry! See you all later!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Manicure and lunch with a friend today. Trivia at CVI tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

We sure have some early risers/late to bed people here in the break room! Oldbroad, I stay up late reading, but usually hit the bed by midnight!

Loving this cool morning with Gerry's double dark brew. STILL listening to hummingbirds chittering outside my window! I have never seen this many in the nearly 30 years I've been feeding them. I'm still putting out a gallon of sugar water every day. I think I'm going to have to buy that 18th ten-pound bag of sugar today.

Packing up a small box for my grandson and granddaughter who are attending Colorado State University today. Granddaughter will graduate in December and grandson is a freshman. He's really struggling with his anxiety disorder, so I'm going to try to smooth his rough waters with one of his favorites - Grandma's homemade hot sauce! He's looking forward to making his roommate jealous with his hot sauces and ground chipotles!

Then league bowling tonight.

It's almost the weekend, so Happy Thursday!

Good afternoon Draclvr, Connie, OldBroad, Gerry and others who get the chance to pop in for Gerry and Connie's treats! Gerry I'll have a caf and Connie a cinnamon crunch bagel please. I'm just home from a fast n' furious vacation with family at Bridges Bay Resort at Lake Okoboji, Iowa. It's good to be home. You must be on a migration route Draclvr.

Lake Okoboji is in my old stomping grounds, soot! I grew up in extreme NW Iowa and made many trips to 'Boji as we called it! Very cool place.

Missouri is smack dab in the middle of their summer range which extends north into Canada.

We still have hummingbirds here, too. I think people must feed the Anna's in this neighbourhood.

I've managed to get little Dude out for a couple of 15-minute leash walks this week. He's very nervous, but he clearly loved his little "walk" today because he's asking to go out again. This is a major victory. Neither of them wants be out for more than 15-20 minutes, so it's just an hour out of my day. and I get to spend it in my lovely garden.

I have lost a couple of small shrubs to the drought, though. We're still on hand-watering only and although I'm cheating a bit with my trees, putting the hose on low at their bases for a couple of hours, some of my smaller shrubs are extra-crispy. I'm thinking that anything that cannot survive a short drought shouldn't be in my garden, anyway.

Welcome back soot!

Good Morning and Happy Friday all! Glad you had a nice vacation break soot. Hagatha, great to hear Dude and Willow are settling in and like their new home and walks. Draclvr, it must be incredible to have all those hummers to enjoy! We have one lone hummer that come back every year for the flowering plants we hang on the deck every Spring just for him!

Brought Birthday Cupcakes to celebrate MaG's Birthday! Double dark brew too!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Karaoke with friends at Hacienda tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Cupcakes, coffee and Bagels!

Oh yeah, this is my kind of T.G.I.F. Break Room!

Thank you Gerry and Connie... have a great day everyone!

Gerry and connie have set the mood for the day!

Even though I've been retired for 14 years, I still look forward to Fridays and the weekend!

Bottling up my smoked pepper hot sauce today and then it's date night tonight.

The cats both got outside an hours ago; the French door was closed but I guess not latched and Willow is big enough to push it open. I found them both walking around in the bushes along the fence, with Willow looking just a tiny bit mean, like she was going to chase him. I shooed Willow in, though she actually attacked me when I shooed her through the door. Dude is cruising around outside and wont' come in. I guess I'll have to wait until dinner time.

Starting to wish I had a dog instead.

EDIT: A couple of hours later and he still hasn't come back and I can't find him anywhere. He's gone.

Oh no hagatha! I hope Dude comes home soon! Maybe he's visiting a neighbor?

Draclvr I'm retired too and I keep the weekends free to relax...no chores or work...Monday thru Friday are for that...makes retirement better for me!

Gerry

Gerry he's an indoor cat and a scaredy cat and if something scared him he would just run and hide and he would run away from anyone who approached him. I'll go out again later when it gets dark but I'm pretty sure he's just gone. I'm leaving out his cage and blanket and some food and water in case he comes back but I'm not hopeful.

If it was Willow I wouldn't worry but Dude is pretty clueless. I'm trying to do a poster but my printers don't connect and I can't seem to get my photos from my phone to my computer.


EDIT: The little twerp showed up at the door ten minutes ago. Came right in, wanted to go back out. He's covered in mud and needles and clearly has had a grand adventure. I've often been highly suspicious of the SPCA's claim that he's always been an apartment cat. If it happens again at least I'll know he can find his way back.

Little twerp indeed! Heading back over to the Glitches forum.

I'm glad to hear that Dude returned but please...

So glad that Dude has returned! I was worrying about him too. Please keep the French door latched from now on...

It's a big, heavy door but it doesn't latch easily. I'm very glad that Dude can find his way back here, though. That was my big worry. Of course now the little jerk is strutting around all proud of himself.

Good morning all, hope your weekend is looking good!

Loving the ongoing tales of Dude and Willow. We have found that it usually only takes a few days for a cat to adjust to a new home environment well enough to find its way back if it does get out, especially if food is involved, and Dude had already been out both on and off the leash: Willow may have been trying to see him off, which may explain why she was somewhat indignant about being brought back inside, but that may have encoraged Dude to return.

A misty start to the day here, but once the mist burns off (as is expected), we may be in for the hottest weather yet this year before it becomes cooler and more appropriate to the season. I will have to look for garden tasks in shady areas.

Something to make you smile:

KIDS IN CHURCH 

3-year-old Reese: "Our Father, who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ 
A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had been teaching my three-year old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord's Prayer for several evenings at bedtime. She would repeat after me the lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer: "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us from E-mail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
One particular four-year-old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they were on the way to church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother, Joel, were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had had enough.

"You're not supposed to talk out loud in church."

"Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.

Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two men standing by the door?

They're hushers."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.'

Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. 

"Daddy, what happened to him?" the son asked.

"He died and went to Heaven," the dad replied.

The boy thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ 
A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?"

"I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied.

"Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered. 

The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Hagatha, I'm happy Dude is home safe. Karaoke at the Elks tonight with friends. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

Good morning everyone. Hagatha, I'm glad your little ones are home again. I've brought a pot of Wild Kopi Luwak coffee along with English Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water for the Break Room. Connie, I'll start with a cinnamon crunch bagel. Lex, those are hilarious ... reminds of an old TV show where kids said the darndest things Ah yes Draclvr, weekend's are my favorite part of the week. We're going to D&D this morning and then I'm off to shop a bit for groceries. Have a wonderful morning everyone.

And after fixing hubby's weekly breakfast, I'm off to Longmeadow to work our first fall Wagon Days event. It's a gorgeous day, so I hope we have a big crowd!

Connie, do you participate in karaoke or just listen?

Happy Saturday!

Good Morning everyone! Hagatha I am so happy to hear Dude has returned home safe and sound! What a relief! Lex love your funnies! Thanks for sharing.

Draclvr how did your day go at the Wagon Days event? Did you have lots of people show up? Good to see you back soot. I put on the double dark brew for everyone.

Have a peaceful relaxing Sunday everyone!

Gerry

We are now all waiting to hear about what connie sings at karaoke!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Drac and Lex, they can't get me drunk enough to get up and sing. Shopping is on the agenda for today. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Hi all, Thanx for the laffs, Lex

Connie, LOL! I'm disappointed!

First fall wagon day was crowded with well over 300 people on such a beautiful fall day. Guess how many volunteers showed up to do the wagon rides? One... me... I did at least 9 rides to the back of the 165 acre property and my voice was toast. The only other volunteer there was Mary Lou because she does the Twister Paints demonstration at 1:00. Bless her heart, she took one of the rides for me. Yes, we have a painting horse!

I was too tired to cook, so hubby ordered pizza and went in town to pick it up.

I'd like to just be lazy today, but I have a bucket full of hot peppers I need to grind up with garlic to fill up my fermentation jar again. Also have a bucket full of paste tomatoes I think I'm going to make fire roasted salsa with. Then I'm DONE for year! Well, until it's time to make applesauce this October!

I think I'm ready for a 4 day blizzard, so I can just game on my computer all day!

Happy Sunday!

Good morning everyone. Double dark brew is my mainstay Gerry. Connie, I'm up for danish this morning...stay safe shopping. Draclvr, I am thinking it's too early for a blizzard unless you go to a Dairy Queen...best wishes fermenting and salsaing. Now we know the rest of the story Lex. Hey Ho BeaSong, it's good to see you this morning. Happy Sunday to one and all.

Hey Connie don't they have microphones that make you sound good? You'd never catch me singing at karaoke! Draclvr sounds like it was a very long tiring day for you! You've earned a break to do whatever you want! Hi BeaSong nice to see you. Soot hope you are enjoy some football today!

Gerry

Turned out there were over 400 people there yesterday! Holy smokes, no wonder I was exhuasted!

Red wine with spaghetti tonight. So nice to just open up a jar I canned!

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday everyone! Draclvr sounds like the perfect meal to end the day! Already sipping on the double dark brew...more awaits you all.

Have a great day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Birthday cupcakes for Gerry in the Break Room. Gerry, there is nothing that could make me sound good singing lol. Drac I'm ready for that blizzard to get rid of this heat. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Nice and cool this morning, so the double dark brew is perfect to relax with while I do my daily Wordle. Will bring the fire roasted salsa I made yesterday inside and start tasting for seasoning adjustments. Hope to get in town to mail off some bottles of my hot sauce to my brother and great-nephew in Iowa. Otherwise, I'm just chilling today!

Happy Monday!

We are firmly into cooler weather, although rain seems to be as scarce as ever. I'm still trying to find a general contractor/handyman to finish setting up my house but it seems that in this area contractors feel free to simply ignore people. I've even made appointments with 2 contractors who just didn't show up.

Connie you and I would make a good pair as I cannot sing either...bet if we tried together they wouldn't let us back!

Gerry

Thanks Gerry and happy birthday, your double dark brew got me through the day! Connie's cupcakes were marvelous this morning. Have a great evening everyone.

Good morning all, some thoughts to ponder over your coffee:

1. If you take an oriental person and spin him around several times, does he become disoriented?

2. Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?

3. If a pig loses its voice, does it become disgruntled?

4. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

5. Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

6. Why is a person who plays a piano called a pianist but a person who drives a racing car not a racist?

7. Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?

8. ‘I am’ is the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that ‘I do’ is the longest?

9. If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, does it follow that musicians are denoted, electricians delighted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked and dry cleaners depressed?

10. What hair colour do they put on the driver’s licenses of bald men?

11. Isn’t making a smoking section of a restaurant like making a peeing section of a swimming pool?

12. If 4 out of 5 people suffer from diarrhoea, does that mean that one enjoys it?


And Many belated Happy Returns to Gerry for your birthday yesterday!

Hagatha, it sounds as if word may have already spread to your local contractors to beware the crazy cat lady...

Good Morning Lex, soot, Draclvr, hagatha, Draclvr and everyone. The usual extra dark brew is ready. Lex I got a good chuckle out of your funnies this morning especially #8! Thanks for Birthday wishes too!

Enjoy your day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lex, thanks for starting my day with a smile. Gerry, if you sing like me I'm sure they would never let us in again. Lunch and Netflix with a friend today. Bowling at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Lex, #12 nearly made me spew Gerry's extra dark brew all over my keyboard!

These cooler temperatures are just heavenly. I always hate to see summer leave, but I'm looking forward to bonfires and hoodies now!

And, yes, I'm still sitting here listening to at least 2 dozen hummingbirds chittering outside my window on the hummingbird porch. At least I'm down to them going through only half a gallon of sugar water a day. Unheard of...

Have fun bowling tonight, Connie!

Rain! Finally. I have managed to keep the garden alive, though 3 small shrubs are looking pretty bad and will probably need to be replaced. The landscaper is coming tomorrow to have a look at my shrubs and trees and see what pruning needs to be done in the Fall and Spring. I'm not up to it, myself.

It's off to the vet with little Dude this morning, so I'll be loading up on that dark coffee.

I'm anxious to hear what your vet says, hagatha...

I too am anxious to hear what the vet says.

Otherwise, I hope everyone has a pleasant day!

I had to leave the little guy in for some tests and x-rays. Hopefully we'll know what's going on by tomorrow.

It's still raining. Boy, do we need it. Also -- and this is wonderful -- since the Labour Day weekend all the tourists are gone. The roads are much quieter and there's even parking available in town!

Hope all goes well with Dude, hagatha, and that a happy co-existence can be re-established between you all

Poor little dude! Hope you can get some answers.

Yes, I hope the vet will be able to provide some answers. Will be waiting to hear.

So, Dude has a severe hernia that has pushed all of his abdominal organs into his chest. The vet thinks he's been like this for years and years, if not from birth, but it may have been steadily getting worse over time. The solution is surgery, of course, so we're just waiting to see if there is availability in the specialist animal hospital in Nanaimo; if not, it'll be in Victoria. He'll have to have a sedative to keep him quiet until his surgery, and who knows how long that will be.

Oh, no! So, maybe he's just been miserable all this time... the poor baby. Hopefully, that surgery will happen quickly.

Yeah, poor little guy. I had noticed that he gets out of breath very quickly when I play with him, but this explains it -- his lungs are compressed and one side may be completely squashed flat. They can't really tell because they can't see anything clearly. Anyway, it's the operation or the bad alternative since he can't live this way, so I'll take my chances on the surgery.

Poor little Dude. I am so glad you took him to the vet, hagatha! Keep us posted.

Oh, dear me. I’m so sad to hear that, hagatha.
Poor little chap
I do hope surgery proves possible and will provide the best outcome

hagatha, sending prayers for lil Dude! Thank you for giving him a second chance on a good long life.

He's been given some Gabapentin, so the pacing and meowing stopped for a while but it's starting up again. The surgery will be done in Nanaimo, so there won't be a long drive. I'll find out tomorrow when it can be done.


Of course, now I have to administer the Gabapentin and Dude doesn't like it. I'll have to make a Kitty Burrito in a towel.

Incidentally, the vet also said that the most likely cause of this condition is a very hard blow, like being hit by a car, or, sadly, being kicked hard.

Good Morning everyone. Extra dark brew waits to start your day. Hagaatha I'm so sorry to hear about Dude. I hope they can schedule his surgery right away. Keeping you and Dude in my prayers!

Hope you all have a good day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Hump Day - Hoo Rah! Extra dark brew is my favorite Gerry and an asiago bagel will be perfect for the day Connie. Hagatha, keeping you and Dude in our prayers...we love our little ones. Wishing you all a quiet Wednesday.

I said to someone yesterday that I'm ready for bonfires and hoodies! It was 52 degrees this morning and my feet are cold - I might have to think about going back to shoes and socks! I have been either barefoot or in sandals all summer.

That double dark brew is just the ticket this morning. Had to break open that 18th ten-pound bag of sugar this morning. Migrate to Central America, already!!!

And, soot, a nice quiet Wednesday is what I get! Hubby headed up to our 120 acre farm 15 minutes west of here to start clearing branches and fallen trees off the trails in the woods in preparation for deer season. So, I have the whole day to myself!

There's nothing better than a dark coffee in my heated mug on a cold morning.

The landscaper is arriving today to quote on a twice-yearly pruning in my garden. It really needs it! There in one vine that is a fast grower it's taken over an entire corner of my garden. I did lose a couple of ferns to the drought, and one plant that needed watering every single day.

I managed to get the medication into the little guy last night and he seems very relaxed and calm, no pacing.

"I managed to get the medication into the little guy last night and he seems very relaxed and calm, no pacing."

Well Done !!

Actually, the little Dude is pretty chill, as in zonked.

Well, that sounds like the best for him right now

Well, he's back to his pacing and howling to go outside, so I think he either needs Cativan or counselling!

Poor little guy... probably in pain and doesn't know what he wants!

He's not in pain -- he's getting Gabapentin twice a day. This is all about wanting to go outside. He's obsessed, pounding on the windows, howling at the door, padding from window to door to window. Willow is living in the garage to get away from him. I've bought him a portable three-level Catio which should be arriving this weekend. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to put together. Then I can stuff him in it and roll it out the door whenever he gets the yowlies! The vet is taking it seriously and is considering a sedative so Willow and I don't lose our minds, but first we have to get through the surgery.

I have a friend visiting from Vancouver this weekend -- she's looking at moving here, so we'll be touring Open Houses. Another friend from Campbell River is planning on moving down here next year. A third friend is, ironically, thinking of moving from Vancouver to Campbell River. I'm trying to talk them into moving closer to here but it's more expensive. It would be nice to have old friends living nearby.

Sorry to hear about Dude needing surgery, but puzzled that this appears to be a long-standing problem which was (presumably) not apparent before your move, hagatha.

Good Morning Connie, soot, Draclvr, hagatha, Mad, Lex and everyone. Very strong dark is on and smell delicious!

Hagatha hope Dude is doing okay...any progress on a date for surgery yet? That is a good question Lex about Dude...it is surprising that the vet wasn't aware of the hernia from previous exams. Maybe something happened when he got out last week?

Our muggy, hot, humid weather is coming to an end today. We got just under 4 inches of rain in the last few days...finally some shine shine today.

Hope you all have a great day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Some great bird photos which may be of interest https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-66706149

Cool bird pics, Lex! I missed the coffee this morning... had a dental appointment, had to care for my little hen who was attacked by a coyote and had to stop at the neighbors to double check she didn't leave her hair straightener plugged in! I left her a jar of salsa I made and canned yesterday.

Groceries put away, so I'll go check on my little hen and maybe even do some gaming today. Yesterday I don't think I stopped moving until about 5:00 pm!

Great photo's Lex ... thanks for sharing them. Gerry, I hit your coffee all morning to make it through my day. And coupled with Connie's danish...I was set! Draclvr, I hope your little hen recovers. I've brought some sweet dreams herbal tea for the Break Room for the night owls. Have a wonderful evening everyone ...

Gerry, my previous vet didn't do an X-Ray so he wouldn't have known about Dude's condition since he's mostly asymptomatic apart from wheezy breathing when he plays. Apparently it takes quite a long time for the organs to move into the chest cavity, which means he's been like this for a long time. We'll get the little guy through his surgery and see how he is afterwards. It's a very serious surgery but the surgeon is one of the best on the Island so he's got a good chance.

Hagatha, as you have mentioned that Dude's condition may even go back to birth I am wondering whether it may explain why he is quite a small cat (given that in my experience his breed are normally pretty large animals). Anyway, fingers firmly crossed for a successful outcome!

Good Morning everyone and Happy Birthday Draclvr! Hope you have the best Birthday ever! Our Birthdays are only 4 days apart! Brought Birthday cupcakes to enjoy and celebrate along with the double dark brew this morning!

Hagatha that is reassuring that the vet surgeon is one of the best! Keeping Dude in my prayers.

Lex the photos are beautiful. Thanks for sharing. My niece has been taking the most spectacular photos of wildlife and landscapes as a hobby over the years. I keep telling her she missed her calling...they are as good as the ones in your link. I will share the link with her too. Thanks again.

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the break Room. Lex, love the bird pics. Drac, . Pedicure and lunch out with a friend today. Prayers for Dude hagatha. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Thanks for the birthday wishes here in the break room! I'll just stick with my morning dark brew and let the rest of you enjoy the cupcakes Gerry brought!

I might actually be... caught up? Well, sort of - I still have peppers. But there is nary a tomato in sight in the garage! Did a fire roasted salsa and canned plain sauce yesterday. Woot! Laundry done and floors clean. Whatever will I do today!!

All the very best, hagatha

We're firmly into Fall temperatures now, although the drought continues. Last year it didn't rain in this area for four months. I might have to swap out some of my shrubs for more drought-tolerant plants; I spend a lot of time in my garden watering, but it's not really enough to keep everything healthy. This is supposed to be a rainforest! No so much, now.

Draclvr ... take the rest of the week off! Gerry, thanks for the double dark brew all day! Connie, the assortment of treats was wonderful. Hagatha, keeping you and Dude in my thoughts and prayers. Have a wonderful evening everyone

I second that soot...Draclvr should take the whole weekend off...relaxing and enjoying some gaming! Enjoy your evening too soot.

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Shopping at Sam's is on the agenda today. Trivia at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

Good Morning Connie and everyone. Just putting on the extra dark brew to go along with the danish, donuts, and bagels.

A nice cool morning here today...already had a walk and ready for breakfast!

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Gerry

The weekend is here! Bagels and extra dark brew are on my menu for the day...thank you Gerry and Connie.

Have a great Saturday all.

I'm almost ready to pull on a hoodie this morning! I'm thinking my bare feet all summer is over too!

Made hubby's big breakfast and now I'm settling in with a cup of dark brew and my daily Wordle. Ahhh.....

Enjoy your Saturday!

You too soot! Draclvr sounds like you are having a perfect day!

Enjoy everyone!

Gerry

Welcome to a peaceful Sunday everyone! Extra strong dark brew awaits.

Connie did you have fun with trivia last night? Soot hope you are having a stress free day. Hagatha how is Dude doing? Is he still taking his meds? Hope you get some rain soon. Draclvr enjoy your day...hope its not too busy and you get to relax!

Gerry

Good morning Gerry, wishing you and the gang a great Sunday too! I am so looking forward to your brew this morning.

Ah, another cool perfect morning for some strong dark brew. And it looks like I might only be listening to maybe half a dozen hummingbirds. They are definitely travelers stopping to eat on their migration. Usually they flit about, but these guys get on the feeders and eat like there is no tomorrow!

Hagatha, I've been wondering how you got on with putting your portable catio together!

The catio arrives today.

I have a feeling that it will have limited appeal, though. A friend of mins is staying for the weekend, went outside for a cigarette, and didn't latch the French doors. When I got up this morning, Willow was waiting for her food usual, but Dude? Well, that's another story. He's outside, all right. Having the time of his life. Won't come in. When I walked towards him he scampered off with his tail in the air. Happy as a cat can be.

Draclvr your going to miss your hummer friends!

Hagatha I hope you can get Dude to come back in...will he come in if you offer him some treats? Isn't going to need his meds too? Let us know if you get him back in.

Gerry

Dude came in an hour later -- when he felt like it. I'll get the catio put together this week.

Had a long chat over the phone with the surgeon yesterday. Dude's condition is very serious. Major surgery is always dangerous but it's also possible he'll have complications afterwards because his lungs have been compressed for several years. His prognosis is not as good as it would be for a cat that was recently injured. Still, I'll give the little guy his chance. He would not survive more than another year or two without the surgery anyway.

That's a hard decision to make, but it seems like the right one to me. Give him a chance! I'm doing that for a little hen who survived a coyote attack. She's eating, drinking and pooping, but if her injuries don't heal, we will have to put her down. But at least she has a chance to heal.

Good morning and Welcome to Monday. Extra dark brew is ready to go with Connie's danish and bagals.

Hagatha I'm so sorry Dude's condition is so critical. Do you have a date for the surgery yet? Draclvr hope your hen continues to get better. Praying for both critters.

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Hagatha, I'm sending more prayers for Dude. Meeting at the Eagles tonight. Trivia was fun Sat. night. I got to have 2 friends I haven't seen in awhile on my team. They are taking care of their 5 year old granddaughter and don't get out much now, we came in second. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good for you Connie...it must have been a fun time to play with friends you haven't seen in a while and get 2nd place! Congrats!

Gerry

What a treat, Connie! Finishing 2nd place with good friends!

Hubby said it was 42 degrees this morning! But it's supposed to warm up to the 80's this week.

Guess I'm going to have to go back to "work" today! Took a few days off, but today I need to sort through several buckets of onions and clean them up. I will chop the rough ones up in my food processor after cutting off the bad parts and then dehydrate them. Had to buy a new dehydrator which was delivered Saturday. My old one lasted 23 years, so I got a new one just like it! Also, going to bottle up my last batch of hot sauce.

Happy Monday!

That's a lot of food processing, Draclvr. My new garden is all shrubs with nary a tomato planta and that seems about right for my energy level. We keep being promised rain that never comes, so this afternoon will be more watering. It's been overcast for days; in the past that would have meant rain, rain, rain, but this drought continues.

The one thing I had not noticed about my new home is that the sloped driveway and my long, low-slung Honda do not work together. I bottom out every time I leave my house, and going back wards just creates the same problem in reverse. When I go backup to Campbell River to get my winter tires I may just trade the Accord in for a CRV or some other smaller SUV. My car is getting more and more damaged every day. There's even a hybrid.

Even the smaller SUVs would be a better option to avoid that kind of damage. I drive a 20 year old small pickup truck with 4-wheel drive, so it is pretty high off the ground. I love my little truck and they will pry my keys out of my cold dead hands!

I was thinking of getting a CRV hybrid, which is is new this year. I want a vehicle that I can drive for years and years and years. My Accord is a great car but it has a very long, very low-slung front that is just a damage magnet. Everyone who has driven it has scraped over a curb at some point. It's a real annoyance. However, it will have to wait until after the dust has settled from the little guy's surgery, which is next Monday.

Oh, good. It's scheduled then.

Glad you have a confirmed date for Dude’s surgery, hagatha, and the little chap will be in my thoughts.
🤞🤞🤞

Thanks, guys. He'll be in hospital for a few days afterwards. There is no guarantee but at least he'll have a shot.

Good Morning everyone! Double dark brew is ready...a chilly start to my day 50 degrees this morning.

Draclvr you must have a very large pantry to store all your delicious canned prepared foods!

Hagatha so glad the surgery is scheduled. I'll keep Dude in my thoughts and prayers. It is so hard when our furry friends are hurting. Hope your drought ends soon. Hope your car doesn't sustain too much damage before you get a "taller" one!

Have a good day everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Hagatha, Dude is in my prayers. Lunch and Netflix with a friend today. Bowling at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning everyone. Off for a walk with my walking group this morning.

Gerry, in my 100+ year old farmhouse, I don't have luxuries such as a pantry! My "basement" is a 13' x 15' cellar under the kitchen and hubby built some very strong shelves about 8' tall using lumber set on the concrete floor for strength - very important THIS year for sure! The dehydrated onions and garlic are just stored in large glass jars. I did measure out seven 1/2 cup servings of chopped onions to put in pint Zip Loc bags and froze them for easy meals this winter. Did I mention that I smell like an onion?

Enjoying my dark brew on this cool morning and looking at the mess in my kitchen from yesterday. Meh, it can wait!

Enjoy your walk this morning, hagatha! Sounds like you are at least meeting new people!

Draclvr sounds like your basement is your "pantry"! Glad to hear you are enjoying your dark brew and get to the kitchen clean-up when you have more energy! Enjoy your day you certainly deserve some down time!

Gerry

Nope! No rest for the weary, as they say! Or maybe it's no rest for the wicked?! I got another 5-gallon of bucket of onions sorted today. One more to go. My dehydrator is humming along with 4 more racks of chopped onions!

Good Morning everyone. As always lots of extra dark brew awaits. Draclvr I love onions...but thats a lot of onions...you have an "Onion Factory"! Amazing!

Hagatha did you enjoy your walk with the group yesterday? How is Dude doing? Connie how did bowling go last night?

Have a Happy Day!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Drac, I always wanted to live in n old farm house. No farmhouse, but I do live in a 58 year old house. Gerry, bowling was good, except for my awful score. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Connie, when someone says, "They don't build them like the used to," I say, thank heavens! Nothing is plumb or square and they only used 24" centers for supporting a two story house! We've had to have someone come in and shore up the support under the house. On one side, we found they had put in an extra "support" under the house with a piece of firewood on a big rock! I've gutted it, rewired and replumbed and it's pretty nice now. But oh, it was a lot of work! I've been here over 30 years now.

Rain is forecast as a possibility for the next few days... we are back in a severe drought like hagatha is, so I hope we get some.

Coffee and yes.... hummingbirds. Sheesh. They are usually long gone by now. JohnBoy is a member here, but he hasn't posted in a long time. He lives down south somewhere and posted a video of hundreds of hummingbirds around his feeders. He said he felt like he was in Costa Rica! I told him I sent all mine down to him.

Good morning everyone.

We've had lots of rain overnight, enough to actually do some good in the garden. The cats and I had a very cozy evening watching Queen Charlotte, with Willow curled up in front of the fire and Dude sitting on the sofa table right behind me. Dude is much calmer now. Yesterday he actually came and sat in my lap while I brushed him, which is a first since he isn't a lap cat.

I'm off to see about a temporary fix for my car.

Connie score doesn't matter as long as you had fun and it sounds like you did! Draclvr no "cookie cutter" house for you!! Hagatha sounds like Dude is looking for happy time with you...good to hear he has calmed down. Good Luck with fixing the car.

Gerry

Dude is busy earning his keep. He must have seen me fall off my chair when the surgeon told me how much the surgery would cost...

I'm sure Dude is going to have to be a really good boy to earn that keep!

Good Morning Connie, Draclvr, hagatha, soot, and everyone. Double dark brew is smelling good this morning and ready for you all to enjoy!

Have a Happy Thursday everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Drac, when my son put tile down for me everything was off. He's a carpenter and was not happy. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning, everyone! Loving these cool relaxing mornings just sipping my double dark brew!

Happy Thursday - the weekend approaches!

Today I'm setting up the kennel for Dude post-surgery; it's an extra-large one because he'll be living in it for two weeks, so it needs a small litter box and a bed and a bit of wriggle room for food and water.

I can't wait til you tell us he's back home, safe and sound, in that kennel, hagatha!

Hopefully. It's not a sure thing.

I will continue to think of Dude and hope that all goes well for the little guy.

I'm with oldbroad and Marian. I can't wait for it to be over and for Dude to be recuperating in his little kennel.

Thank you. The little paycheque eater is obviously feeling better now that he has a steady dose of Gabapentin in him.

Finally -- it looks as though we have a few days of heavy rain approaching! Even my toughest shrubs and trees were starting to get brown patches.

How's your little hen, Draclvr?

Hagatha, the little hen didn't make it. I tried, but her injuries were just too severe.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Hagatha, it's the cost of living in the middle of the coyote's home territory. We do our best, but understand the costs of co-existence.

Welcome to Friday morning everyone! Double dark brew awaits as usual. Draclvr sorry to hear about your little hen. Hagatha keeping Dude in my prayers and hope all goes well Monday.

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Drac, I'm sorry the little hen didn't make it. We have a lot of coyotes here. I didn't realize we had coyotes in Florida. Hagatha, prayers Dude's surgery goes well, and he's home safely with you. Karaoke at Hacienda tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Connie, coyotes are such smart opportunists, I think they can be found everywhere! Usually all we find is a pile of feathers, so something must have happened to allow her to escape. We think maybe the neighbor's dogs heard the commotion and ran over there barking. My neighbor has about 80 chickens and free ranges hers too, so she has had to learn to live with losing one now and then too. Hawks are another problem - they will dive down and grab one!

Another beautiful day ahead. Happy Friday!

We also have coyotes where we live. Years ago I use to ride my horse thru the woods on the farmland behind us. We had made some pretty nice trails with the farmers permission. One day I spotted several coyotes in the distance on a ridge walking single file with noses to the ground...my horse had stopped suddenly and I thought he saw them too, but it was a flock of turkeys that were actually flying thru the trees right in front of us! Scared us both!

Enjoy your Friday Connie, Draclvr and everyone.

Gerry

We don't have coyotes on Vancouver Island but our two previous cats managed to survive to ripe old ages living in an area heavily populated with coyotes, in Burnaby. We saw coyotes just walking on the street quite often, in broad daylight. They live quite happily in urban areas. We always had a cat flap, and that saved my Rachel's life at least once that we know of because we saw a coyote chase her. She flew through the flap and refused to go outside again for a week -- and sometimes after that she just didn't want to go out, and we'd know a coyote was around.

Good Morning and Happy Saturday everyone. We are going to have a rainy weekend due to a tropical storm coming up the East coast. it will be a good weekend for gaming!

Extra strong dark brew is smelling delicious this morning...time for a cup! Enjoy!

Gerry

Good morning Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. I will be at the Eagles today and tonight for a fund raiser . One of our members was in the hospital for a week and has no insurance. She is doing fine now, but needs financial help for the medical bills. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Good morning everyone...work this week kept me 'very' occupied...it's good to see you all. Gerry, the extra strong dark brew is marvelous. Connie, I'll have an Asiagio bagel this morning...best wishes for your fund raiser tonight. The weekend is here and it's time for projects and chores. Have a great weekend everyone.

As always on Saturday, I fixed hubby his big breakfast. Now it's time for me to sit down and enjoy Gerry's dark brew and yes, listening to hummingbirds. They're still flying through!

Having my older son and DIL over tonight for steaks on the grill before the weather turns icky.

Connie, hope your fund-raiser is a success! We did that at our American Legion for a member and his wife when she had cancer and they had no insurance. We raised over $10,000 for them! It wasn't but a drop in the bucket compared to the medical bills, but at least it helped. My whole little hometown did it up in NW Iowa when my BIL had to leave for 3 months to have a stem cell transplant. They raised $40,000 for him and my sister! Again, only a drop in the bucket, but at least she didn't have to worry about paying the mortgage and could afford to rent a nice apartment close to the medical center.

Oh, and HAPPY AUTUMN EQUINOX!!!

Connie I hope your fundraiser goes well.

I have nothing to do today at all but wait for one delivery, drink some of that dark brew and watch TV. It rained overnight and it looks like 4 days of rain coming. The neighbourhood is having a pancake dinner tomorrow night; I wonder if it will be cancelled? I'll drop by anyway. It would be great to meet a few more of my neighbours.

Connie hope the Fund Raiser is a success. Soot I hope you get some time to relax this weekend too. Draclvr how nice you still have the hummers to enjoy! Thats right Draclvr it is officially Fall! Hagatha hope you have a good movie or series to watch...perfect for a rainy day.

Gerry

Happy Autumn Equinox day ... I thought the day felt balanced somehow

Have a great afternoon everyone!

Good Morning and Welcome to the first Sunday of Autumn! Hope everyone enjoys some nice Fall weather today!

Double dark brew awaits you all!

Have a relaxing Sunday!

Gerry

The double dark brew is marvelous Gerry and I plan to enjoy a Danish from Connie.

Have a wonderful day everyone 😊

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. The Fund Raiser was I big success. When I left at 8:30 we had raised over four thousand dollars. I am now the proud owner of a hand built 8 foot picnic table. Grocery shopping is on the agenda today. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

There's supposed to be a major storm tonight. My neighbourhood is heavily treed and I worry about my car (I traded in for a CRV on Friday). I wish I could use my garage but it's still full of books. Could be wild!

Lots of coffee this morning, then I'm doing absolutely nothing all day.

Wonderful steak dinner with the kids last night. Plus, I sent home a big box of spaghetti, chili and pizza sauces with them! Now I have a little more room on the shelves.

Just gonna be lazy today and I'm looking forward to it. Such a pretty morning for my dark brew!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Hey soot hope you have a peaceful. Congrats on such a successful fund raiser Connie! Way to Go! Sounds like a perfect way to spend the day hagatha and Draclvr!

Gerry

Congratulations on the fundraiser, connie! That's just great and I'm sure your friend will be so appreciative. And an 8' picnic table is a good thing!

Stay safe tonight, hagatha! Big day for Dude tomorrow. Sure will be thinking of you and him.

Sending best wishes to Dude, hope all goes well tomorrow.

I'll wave to you all as I sail past on the Majestic Princess on tuesday.

I went to a neighbourhood pancake dinner tonight, got to meet a number of the neighbours on my street.


Where are you off to this time, Copper?

It's a bit different from the normal Inside Passage cruise we like, this one goes to Victoria then down to Astoria then up to Ketchikan then back down to Seattle then home to Vancouver, I'm getting a bit dizzy with all the ups and downs, and that's not even thinking about the rough waves!

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday everyone! Double dark brew is ready.

Hagatha keeping you and Dude in my thoughts and prayers today. Copper, hope you have smooth sailing today! Draclvr what's on the menu today? Connie plans for this evening?

We are having another raining day...almost 1" of rain since yesterday.

Enjoy your Day everyone!

Gerry

Good Monday all!

Is it today Dude goes for surgery, hagatha?

Here is a cute local story https://www.three.fm/news/isle-of-man-news/luna-the-ferrets-grand-day-out/

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lex, that's quite a talented Ferret. Hagatha, prayers for Dude's surgery today. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Another warmish beautiful morning to enjoy my dark brew!

Nothing much on the "menu" for today, soot! I'm pretty much caught up with everything. I would like to work on weeds, but I need some good soaking rain first. And it doesn't look like we have any in the forecast for at least 10 days. We are back to severe drought status here.

Will be so glad to hear from hagatha later today about Dude. Fingers crossed!

Enjoy the start of the week!

Hello, everyone!

I too will be waiting to hear about Dude.

Lex that was a cute story...such a big stuffed goldfish! Draclvr, glad you are caught up on all the cooking! I wish I could send some of our rain your way...we have too much! Hi marian we are all waiting to hear about Dude...hope hagatha is okay too.

Gerry

So far so good. The surgery is complete with no serious complications. Now it's monitoring for a day or two.

Oh, that's good news, hagatha! Thank you for keeping us posted.

Oh, my goodness. What an utter and complete relief! THANK YOU for letting us know, hagatha. Definitely keep us posted.

What good news hagatha! Hope all continues to go well for Dude.

Gerry

I'm so happy that Dude came through the surgery with no complications. I know animals sense when something is not right, so I wonder if Willow will be protective around Dude?

Dude will be in a kennel but I bet she'll be wanting to see what's what.

Big sigh of relief! I hope the next couple of days go well and he will fully recover soon! Here's to Dude

Good afternoon everyone!

Great news Hagatha .. keeping you and Dude in our thoughts and prayers!

Any bagels left Connie?

Gerry, I imagine the brew is gone ... any herbal teas on hand?

Lex that story was incredibly cute!

Have a wonderful evening everyone

Hagatha, I am so relieved to hear Dude got through the hard part. Praying for him to get through the healing!

Thanks for the good wishes everyone!

The surgeon believes that Dude was born this way and has been lucky to last this long. Anyway, no news is good news, I'm told. He might even come home tomorrow depending on how well he does overnight.

Go Dude!!

Such good news about Dude, hagatha, and thank you for letting us know

Hope his convalescence goes well now and that you, also, feel alright

Great news hagatha! I guess the main stress on his system now will be the rearrangement of his internal organs settling into the new space.

Good Morning all!

Hagatha sending more healing prayers for Dude...hugs for you too.

Extra strong dark brew is ready to help you all thru the morning...and a variety of organic herbal teas for this afternoon...soot if you like?

Hope it is a good day for everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Hagatha wonderful news, prayers Dude gets back to normal quickly. Bowling at the Eagles tonight, hopefully better than last week. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Extra strong dark brew is a blessing this morning!

I just got the call from the hospital. Dude is coming home this morning. I have some re-arranging to do in the spare room so he doesn't have anything to jump on if he gets out of the kennel. Not looking forward to giving him his medications, though. Apparently my gentle boy has been hissing and growling and scratching people. The doctor thinks he would do better at home.

I'm glad he's going home but do not envy you giving the medications.

I hope all went well hagatha getting Dude home. Does he need more then one medication? Can it be put in his food or in one of those "pill" pockets that the Greenies brand makes?

Connie Good Luck with bowling tonight!

Gerry

Barely got in a cup of morning coffee... had a ton of errands to run in town including getting my COVID shot. Still need to get my flu shot next week.

Good news that Dude is coming home today. I'm sure he will heal more quickly at home, but I don't envy you the meds! If any way possible I mix them in the food. How long do they say he will need to recuperate? That sounds like a fairly major surgery.

Good luck bowling tonight, Connie!

He's back home now and very groggy but still not wanting to be in a kennel. I'll take my tablet in there and watch TV to keep him company, and I might let Willow in if she doesn't cause any trouble (fat chance). The vet said his cone can come off during the day for the first few days so he can eat and drink, as long as I put it back on at night. He has a little surgical suit arriving on Friday so he won't have to have the cone at all, since the logistics of eating and drinking with the cone seem impossible to me. His medications should keep him calm. They're administered orally but taste awful so they can't go in food.

He has to be in the kennel for two weeks, which will be pretty hard (and probably noisy, too). After that he can come out but isn't supposed to do anything strenuous, though how I'll stop him is a puzzle. I'll have to make sure he has an easy way up onto his window ledge so he doesn't have to jump. My 92-year-old mother is arriving from Ontario on October 6th, so most of his kennel confinement will be over by that point, thankfully.

Apparently he's a tough little boy and is doing better than most cats do after this operation -- so much so that I even got a refund on the deposit I made.

Thanks for all that information about Dude, hagatha! I hope things will be okay and not prove to be a logistical nightmare for you. That is a lot to handle, but I am so happy that the little guy did so well with the surgery. I wish you both well with this endeavor.

Just more and more good news about Dude! I wonder if he would be satisfied if you took his kennel outside for a little while each day? This is definitely going to be a challenge for both of you! But bonus points to the surgeon for refunding that deposit!

Thanks, for the update hagatha, I was hoping he could come home. They always heal quicker at home. Did the doctor recommend the surgisuit? If he has stitches or staples they get caught on the surgisuit and can rip them out or cause great discomfort. I work with a lot of animals and my own girl has her yearly cancer removal surgeries and never once was one able to wear one except in cases of allergic itching or hot spot covering.

The veterinary assistant suggested the suit as the cone was a huge problem for me administering meds. She actually picked one our for me on Amazon.

hagatha,This is the one I bought for my dog and my vet said no. Is yours looser? I ended up just putting a loose t-shirt on her tied up so it wouldn't catch on her stitches. If it appears it will get caught please be careful.

Very happy that Dude can be home with you for his healing up, hagatha

Though not an easy task for you by any means !!

I send you both my very best

Good Morning a bit early! Already have the extra dark brew ready!

Hagatha so glad Dude is home and doing well. Be sure you keep Ana's experience in mind if you use the surgisuit...she had some advice on good, safe alternatives.

Connie did you have a good bowl last night?

Enjoy your Hump Day everyone!

Gerry

Here's an old one to remind you about the joys of medicating pets, but we have found that a pill crushed in a bit of pate or cheese can work quite well for cats!

How to give a cat a pill ... and a dog, too

How to give a cat a pill:
Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil, and blow down drinking straw.
Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of Scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
Call fire department to retrieve the [blip] cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.
Tie the little @!!@#@#$%'s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of steak filet. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.
Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and remove pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How to give a dog a pill:
Wrap it in cheese.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Hagatha, I'm glad Dude is home. Prayers he heals quickly. Bowling was better this week, not one of my best but better. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Happy Wednesday, everyone.

Lex, that was hilarious.

Lex, it's been years since I read that one! It is 100% spot on! LOL!

Storms and a lot of hail near here last night. We got zippo... although, I'll take a pass on the hail! There are pictures of people's yards completely white!

Connie, that sounds like me and my bowling! Some weeks I do great and the next week I'm lucky to break 100! I remember one night several years ago bowling a 217 and then turning around and bowling a 98!

That dark brew sure hits the spot this morning, Gerry!

Happy Wednesday!

Lex, thanks for the laugh. It is a bit like that. I haven't had to pill a cat for years, but last time I had to pill Willow, even when I thought I had succeeded I'd find the pill on the floor later in the day.

Fortunately Dude is only getting liquid medication. He's much better today; stoned out of his little mind but happy to sit in his kennel with the door open. The surgeon and I worked out a compromise; I take the cone off during the day and sit with him, since all he really wants is to be patted and brushed and scratched behind the ears and he can't eat with the cone on. The cone goes back on at night or if I'm going out. Once he starts grooming himself I'll have to rethink it but for now he's just kneading the towels and staring off into space.

Staying stoned out of his little mind for a few days might help him get a good head start on his healing! Be good for mom, little Dude!

Bless his little little heart; it sounds like Dude is doing just fine for now. Keep up the good work!

Glad to hear all is going well with Dude hagatha.

Lex that is too funny! All cat owners can appreciate! Thanks for sharing.

Gerry

hagatha, I'm thrilled to hear about Dude and how well he is doing! Go Dude!!!

Lex, I laughed out loud at the cat med description! I do insulin shots, meds and ear cleanings etc and some pets require some real gymnastics to get it done!

If anyone wants to follow along with my pets I care for you can check out our adventures here on Facebook (you don't need an account to view) or on Instagram.

Have a great day all!

I dearly love reading about all your pet adventures, Ana! The pictures usually just make my day.

There's nothing better for cheering you up than pet pictures.

Ana's photo on the top of her Facebook page, I told her the first time I saw it that it was such an amazing photo - and I swear every one of those dogs is smiling!

Thanks drac! I’ve been very negligent in keeping regular postings. I’ve been spread a little thin!
Hagatha, I agree! Give me animals over people any day!
Marian, on my personal Facebook page? That’s Nugget and her hiking buddies owned by my friend. We go on weekly adventures. Facebook page

Good Morning everyone! Extra dark brew awaits...already had my first cup. Hagatha hope Dude had a good night...how are you doing? Has Willow been behaving?

Ana nice pictures of Nugget and her buddies. Hope you get to slow down a little!

Draclvr what are you up to today? Connie plans for today?

Enjoy your day everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Gerry, just relaxing and gaming today. Ana, I love all the pics you post. Drac, my best game was a 170 and then I bowled a 93. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Ana, my mistake, I meant the photo at the top of your website business page, although the other photo is great, too.

Have a good day, everyone!

Good Thursday morning! Ah, blessed silence - hubby went fishing today! And only two hummingbirds outside my window this morning. I might not even have to open up that 19th ten pound bag of sugar!

All I have on my plate today is a run in town to take care of kitties while my friends are off camping. And then league bowling tonight.

But for now... ahhhh! Gerry's dark brew will do just fine.

Definitely dark brew for me this morning; I have to get up at 4am to give Dude his medication. He finally started eating late yesterday, ate everything in the bowl of food I left him last night, and dove into the bowl of food I brought at 4. He's also using his litter box. I guess that's as good as can be expected considering the magnitude of the surgery. Also, his tail goes up when I pat him. Poor little guy is lonely in that room by himself but it's the only way to keep him quiet until his stitches come out.

We're on day 5 of rain, so I guess my garden will survive, except for one lovely evergreen that looks a bit rough. My 92-year-old mother arrives from Ontario next Friday so I'll be busy putting up some of my art and shuffling boxes into the garage to make some room.

Hagatha that is wonderful news that Dude is doing so well already!

Sounds like a perfect day Connie! Enjoy your day too Marian.

Draclvr you are so nice to help out wherever you are needed. I'm sure your friends minds are at ease knowing you are caring for their kitties!

Gerry

Thank you, Gerry! I hope you have a good day as well. It is so nice to be leaving the hot temperatures behind.

I agree Marian we had a beautiful crisp Fall day today and took a nice long walk!

Gerry

Good afternoon everyone ... have a wonderful evening

Went for a long walk with a neighbour today -- ended up in a waterfront park with some incredible views over the Salish Sea and lovely trails to explore. This is the friendliest place I've ever lived. I already know half of the people on the street, which admittedly only consists of about 15 houses altogether, but still.

Good Morning and Happy Friday to you all! Come enjoy with me my extra strong double dark brew...today is National Coffee Day in the states!

Hagatha how is Dude doing this morning? When is your mother arriving? How are you doing soot...still very busy? Draclvr hope you get to see a couple hummers to enjoy with your coffee this morning. Connie what are you up to today?

We are getting another day of heavy rain today...could get 3" or more!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. No Fall here for at best another month. Going to CVI tonight with friends for Liver and Onions. They have it when there is a fifth Friday. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

What is this utter silence I hear outside my window? Could it be? No hummingbirds!!! I believe they have finally all moved through on their way south. I always keep a feeder up until at least the middle of October for the stragglers, but since the migration was so late and so long this year will probably leave it up longer. So, the tally for this year is 180 pounds of sugar! Wow...

No fall here either, Connie. Supposed to be close to 90 today and tomorrow. Liver and onions? NOPE! Not for me! I used to make it for my first husband and he said I did it well, but I couldn't even stand the smell while I was cooking it!

Gerry, nary a drop of rain in sight here... we are soooooo dry.

Today, hubby and I are heading to a local orchard about 45 minutes away to get a bushel of apples. It's a neat place with all kinds of activities for kids and wagon rides to pick your own apples in their orchards. We're just going to pick up the apples and some of their excellent cider. Then on Monday two of my friends are coming out and we will make applesauce. I'm down to my last jar from last year. It is so good and nothing like the stuff you get in a store. All we add to the apples is some cinnamon and nutmeg - no sugar.

Enjoy your Friday, everyone!

Good morning all.

Gerry, Dude seems okay, but getting very bored and wants out. Sometimes I let him out of the kennel but not out of the room, and he's not happy about that. Otherwise he's eating and being his affectionate self.

I'm going to put up a couple of pieces of art today so that I can take the boxes out of the living room in preparation for my mother's visit. And if I have the energy I'll start going through by books to decide what to keep. It's a daunting task but I really need to empty my garage so I can park in it!

I very much like liver & onions but haven't made it for ages .... The local butchers here have to be persuaded to "offer offal"

Good afternoon; Looking out my kitchen window this morning & it's misty rain & 44F. Autumn is here to stay, it reminded of the song "all the leaves are brown & the sky is grey.

Yes, that would be California Dreamin'. One of my favorites!

It's a lot cooler here too and we are expecting a little rain tomorrow. It looks like we will have an actual autumn this year rather than going straight from summer to winter, and I am thrilled.

Good Morning and Welcome to the Weekend! Extra dark brew awaits you all! Still raining here...just under 6 inches of rain since last Monday!

Hagatha such good news Dude continues to get better! Connie my mom made the best liver and onions according to my sisters, but like Draclvr it is "not my cup of tea"!

Draclvr sounds like a nice day for you. I have never made homemade applesauce...it sounds delicious and healthy without sugar added. Is it simple to make?

Mad, Judith, and Marian enjoy your autumn weather!

Gerry

Good morning everyone. Gerry I am enjoying the dark brew today

Have a great weekend everyone

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Shopping is on the agenda today. Karaoke and dinner at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

First hubby's big Saturday breakfast, then time for me to sit down with my dark brew and see what's going on. Silence, but one lone little hummer out there on the feeder. I always wonder if these lone stragglers survive the migration.

Gerry, the applesauce is easy - if you have an electric tomato strainer! We just quarter the apples and put in a big pot - skins, seeds and all. I add some good apple cider to keep it from sticking and cook it down until they are soft. Then we run it through the strainer and get applesauce from one end and the seeds and skins come out the other! Then I put it back in the pot to reheat and add cinnamon and a little nutmeg until it tastes right. They we process it in pints to last until next October! I remember my mom pressing the apples through an old cone colander with a wooden pestle for hours to get applesauce. She would do 7 bushels at a time!

There is a big wing fest in town later today, but it's supposed to be at least 90 again, so I think we're going to skip it.

Enjoy your weekend!

Oh my yum but your applesauce sounds marvelous Draclvr

Hey Ho Connie, I'll have a cinnamon crunch bagel with another cup of Gerry's dark brew. Have fun at the Eagles tonight.

This is a R&R weekend for me.

Another cool day here - unseasonably so. Still, it's a relief and my garden is enjoying the rain and cooler weather.

Draclvr I don't have an electric tomato strainer...never knew there was such a thing! I'm going to save your recipe and see about the electric tomato strainer. Hagatha is has your mom arrived for a visit? Soot so glad to hear you are getting some R&R this weekend.

Our rain has finally stopped and our rain gauge shows exactly 6 inches of rain since last Monday! Tomorrow is supposed to be a beautiful dry day!

Hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Gerry

Gerry, my mother arrives next Friday. That means her visit will overlap Dude's convalescence by four days -- he gets out of prison on the 10th. I have my tab set up in the office so he can watch bird and squirrel videos on YouTube all day. The poor guy is getting bored. His appetite keeps getting better, so I assume he's healing.

That convalescence makes all the difference in the world! But, oh, man, does it drive you nuts! Our pittie cross had two cruciate ligament surgeries and the confinement and hand walking for 6 weeks was brutal! But it allowed her to heal and live for many more years. I feel your and Dude's pain!

Good Morning everyone! My extra dark brew awaits...I'm on my 2nd cup already. It should be a nice day here today...no rain.

Hagatha your mom coming next Friday will give you more time to spend with Dude now while he is bored. So glad he is healing well.

Hope you all have a peaceful Sunday!

Gerry

Woo Hoo Hoo and Happy Sunday too! Gerry, I've been enjoying your extra dark brew all morning and look forward to Connie's treats. Hagatha, it's wonderful to hear about Dude's recovery. We've put in months of convalesence workouts with our buddies over the many years and view it as the Great Circle of Life with our family members. Making any more applesauce today Draclvr? We'll be killing monsters and then play with a murder mystery box today.

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy your Sunday and Hug someone.

It's actually cold this morning! Summer is over. Not only does it get dark at 7pm, but the fire bans have been lifted on parts of the Island which is a sure sign that we're entering the rainy season.

Happy Sunday everyone.

And fall is just an illusion here - 91 degrees forecast for today. Saw a meme on FB yesterday saying, "Marked in a relationship - with my air conditioner!"

Going to a fish fry at Elmer's Tavern in town today. A friend who fishes all the time does this every year. I'm not a fan of fish, but these are crappie and they are amazingly good. We have lots of nice ripe tomatoes out in the tomato forest, so I'm going to slice them up with sliced onions and take it in.

Applesauce is tomorrow, soot! But I am going to make a big batch of strawberry syrup and can it to preserve. I still have 5 one-gallon bags of strawberries in the freezer from that 48 pounds we got for free last summer! Need to make another couple of batches of strawberry freezer jam too. Sending a bunch of this stuff home to Colorado with my son and a couple of the grandkids. They are making a quick visit in October.

Happy Sunday!

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday! At my age Monday is good as long as I wake up! Extra dark brew awaits to start the day!

We will have a sunny day but getting smoke and smell from the Canadian wild fires again...the smoke was hanging in the air yesterday and will bring poor quality air here again today.

Hagatha hope Dude is still doing well. Draclvr, I love strawberries... freezer jam and syrup...yummy! Soot so glad you got some R&R over the weekend.

Connie whats on your agenda for today?

Enjoy your Monday everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Yes Gerry, at my age any day I wake up is a good day. Meeting at the Eagles tonight. Time to make plans for our Halloween Party at the Eagles. Enjoy the new week and Hug someone.

I agree, Gerry and Connie! At my age any day I wake up is a good day! Applesauce day today. Just need to clean up the garage a little bit. We do all our work out there to keep the mess and the heat outside.

Happy Monday!

Good morning all. More rain, very welcome. I'm already two coffees in and thinking about a third, or maybe a nice strong cup of Chai.

Gerry, Dude is doing very well but he's bored and starting to be difficult to manage. Fortunately I only have to medicate him for two more days. He's still incarcerated, though, and starting to hold a grudge. Poor little guy.

Good afternoon everyone. Every day is good as long as I wake up Gerry...I enjoyed your extra dark brew this morning on a grab 'n go run and one of Connie's bagels. The Halloween party sounds like fun Connie. Hope the applesauce day went well Draclvr. Wonderful news Hagatha...rain & Dude...no worries about Dude, he'll forgive you and not hold a grudge. Have a great evening everyone.

Connie, sounds like a fun evening planning a Halloween party! Draclvr hope you aren't too exhausted after making all that homemade applesauce! Hagatha I'll bet Dude will be happy when he is off the meds too. Good to hear he continues to heal. When will he be able to be out of quarantine?

Enjoy your evening everyone.

Gerry

Gerry, Dude has to be in jail until Tuesday, when he gets his stitches out. It's going to be a rough week.

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday! Extra strong double dark brew is on to help us all thru the day!

Hagatha I sure hope Dude stays calm till those stitches are out. Is he wearing a cone to prevent him from getting at them or the "suit" the vet recommended?

Have a goodone everyone!

Gerry

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lunch and watching Wheel of Time with a friend today. Bowling at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Just enough time this morning to have a cup of Gerry's dark brew. Then I'm off to have my annual mammogram and hit the grocery store.

Kim, Patti and I had so much fun making applesauce yesterday. We got 27 pints, so we will split it three ways. Heavenly stuff!

Hot again today, then maybe some genuine cool to nearly cold fall weather! Yay! Hoodies and bonfires!

Happy Tuesday!

Draclvr, glad to hear that your weather is finally changing. Fall is a relief after such a scorching, dry summer. I'll give my lawn one last mow and rake up the leaves a few times and that's it until Spring.

Gerry, Dude hated the little suit as much as the cone. He's actually being pretty good now; the 8-hour bird and small mammal videos are keeping him interested and calm. Sometimes he' so intent on them that he ignores me altogether. Rabbits are especially interesting, it seems. If the video stops for some reason he'll let out a plaintive meow to let me know. 6 more days until freedom for both of us!

It was 38 degrees here this morning - and yet by Saturday we are supposed to be in the high 80s. Definitely an overall downward trend in the temps, though.

Hagatha, I smiled hearing about Dude's videos. So cute!

I hope everyone has a good Tuesday.

So glad you and Dude are both doing well, hagatha. It's been a major happening when all said and done - and I hope Willow is also coping[i][/i]

Willow is curious about the whole affair but as I keep the door shut she hasn't been in. Every now and again she puts her paws under the door and meows but mostly she thinks it's just monkey business, which is best ignored.

👍😻

Good Morning and Happy Hump day! Extra strong brew awaits!

Hagatha so glad Dude is doing good without the cone and suit! it is amazing how those videos can keep kitties occupied! Draclvr so nice your weather is getting more Fall like and you got your applesauce made! Enjoy!

Have a great day everyone.

Gerry

Good morning Gerry and all who drop in later. The extra strong brew is marvelous Gerry. Thank you 😊

Happy Hump Day 🐫

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lazy day here today, tomorrow will be busy. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Lazy day here too, Connie! Whatever shall I do! It's kinda cloudy and overcast and I feel some gaming coming on...

Happy Hump Day!

It's an up-and-at-it day for me, with my mother arriving Friday. Not sure what we'll do for three and a half weeks, since she's 92 and can't do much and we always run out of things to talk about after a couple of days. Better make a Netflix watch list. Any suggestions from Boomers welcome.

When my mom stayed with me for a couple of weeks, we ended up looking for old black and white movies from the 1940's. One was "I Remember Mama" about the life of a Norwegian immigrant family in 1910 in San Francisco. She remembered seeing it a long, long time ago and we both loved it.

Hagatha, I don't know if these are on Netflix but are favorites of mine from the 40s and 50s

The Thin Man series of movies
Casablanca
Rear Window
12 Angry Men
Vertigo
North by Northwest
It's a Wonderful Life
The Maltese Falcon
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Grapes of Wrath
Arsenic and Old Lace
The Philadelphia Story
Miracle on 34th Street
Adam's Rib
White Christmas
The Bishop's Wife
Fort Apache
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
The Thief of Bagdad
Some Like it Hot
Ben Hur
High Noon
The Searchers
The African Queen
To Catch a Thief
Sabrina
Rio Bravo
Stalag 17
Harvey
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
From Here to Eternity
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
The Quiet Man
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Around the World in 80 Days
The King and I
A Christmas Caro

What great suggestions, Drac and soot!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Manicure then lunch out with a friend today. Trivia at CVI tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Please see post here.

Gerry will be back with coffee soon.....

As Connie says, hugs someone today.

The break room is a sad place today. My heart just breaks for Gerry and I wish her much peace and love.

Yes. Very sad.

Sad indeed

A very sad day, Hug someone.

Good morning everyone. I've spent the morning cleaning in preparation for my mother's visit. Dude is now frantic to get out of jail so he's allowed to roam freely within the office with the kennel door open.

Yesterday I attended a new group at the Qualicum Beach Hospice Society for people who have lost their spouses. Some of those people are also in the walking group I attend, again through Hospice, so I'm comfortable with them already. It's good to be reminded that I'm not alone, that we have each other.

So good to hear you have some nice friends already, hagatha, and that Dude is able to have a little more freedom 👍

(And how is Willow bearing up ??)

I hope your Mother’s visit goes very well 🌺🌺🌺

What a great resource for you, hagatha. More and more it sounds like this move was the right one for you. Plus, Dude is getting better! Good news all around. Hope you and your mom have a wonderful visit.

T.G.I.F. good evening each and every one...yes, give your loved ones hugs.

Glad to hear that you are making new friends, hagatha, and that Dude is doing well - and have a good weekend everyone!

Good morning everyone. I've brought Kenya AA Coffee with Scottish Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water for the Break Room today. Have a great weekend everyone.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Trivia at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

Excited to try that Kenyan coffee, soot! I have some here that I haven't tried yet.

Fall is finally here... it's quite chilly today! Hoodies and bonfire weather!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thanks Connie, I'll start with a bagels...have fun at Eagles tonight. Draclvr, we've been enjoying the cooler fall weather too...enjoy the bonfire!

Happy Saturday everyone

Good morning everyone and Happy Sunday to one and all

Sumatra bold roast, Scottish Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water in the Break Room.

Have a wonderful day!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Shopping is on the agenda today. Enjoy your day and hug someone.

Hello Connie and good morning. I'll have a cinnamon crunch bagel for starters.

Have fun shopping!

Two more days until Mr. Conehead gets his freedom. I let him out of the office two days ago because he was crying so much. Now he's schlepping around the house with his cone. I've made little steps for him to climb up on the couch and windowsill but he did manage to make a break for the bedroom and jumped up and down on the bed. Since that was day 12 I presume he didn't tear anything.

The Stellar's Sea Lions have arrived in force. You can hear them grumbling and barking from their pull-out across the water. Noisy and smelly and quite dangerous if you get too close.

I'm sure Tuesday can't come fast enough for both you and Dude! How is mom settling in for her visit?

She's fine. We're trying to work out what to watch for entertainment.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy the new week and hug someone.

Brewed enough of my Special Reserve Kenya coffee for everyone this morning.

Looking at a beautiful fall day and trying to decide what to do with it! Will probably head out to the tomato forest to see what's out there.

Since we are finally done with visitors for the year, I will finish putting the spare bedrooms back in order. With the colder nights, my two "outdoor" cats are spending the nights inside and the morning light showed all the cat hair tumbleweeds rolling around, so guess I will have to do floors today!

One more day for Dude, hagatha! Or should I say, one more day for you!

Good morning everyone. The Reserve Kenua coffee is marvelous Draclvr and the perfect combo for Connie's bagels.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Canadian boomers! 🦃

Have a great day everyone!

Yum. Kenya coffee.

I woke up later than usual to wind and a very foreboding sky. It's supposed to be heavy rain today and tomorrow and continue raining all week. Several of my shrubs and trees suffered through the drought so I'll be outside in the rain today pounding in plant food spikes around the trees that look the worst. Next year I'll have a better idea about the watering requirements. I hope I don't lose any of the trees.

Yesterday Dude jumped up onto my bed and then off again and landed badly because of his cone. I hope he didn't hurt himself, but it was day 14 so he should be okay. What I find so interesting is how sweet and gentle Willow has been around him when she's normally such a pesty jerk. I guess she knows he's not well.

It's probably that cone.

She's definitely confused by the cone.

I wish I could see a picture of Dude and his cone! I have a picture in my head!

He looks mostly miserable. The cone gets in the way when he walks and gets stuck on corners, and he's had a couple of accidents because he can't get to his litter box in time. However, it is all systems go otherwise. I've also weaned him off his Gabapentin.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Bowling at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Greetings one and all - another damp but unseasonally warm day here, so garden tasks are on hold and the keyboard beckons, yielding this frivolity:

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE PHILOSOPHY OF AMBIGUITY, AS WELL AS THE IDIOSYNCRASIES OF ENGLISH:

1. ONE TEQUILA, TWO TEQUILA, THREE TEQUILA ..... FLOOR.

2. ATHEISM IS A NON-PROPHET ORGANISATION.

3. IF MAN EVOLVED FROM MONKEYS AND APES, WHY DO WE STILL HAVE MONKEYS AND APES?

4. THE MAIN REASON THAT SANTA IS SO JOLLY IS BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHERE ALL THE BAD GIRLS LIVE.

5. I WENT TO A BOOK STORE AND ASKED THE SALESWOMAN, "WHERE'S THE SELF-HELP SECTION?" SHE SAID IF SHE TOLD ME, IT WOULD DEFEAT THE PURPOSE.

6. WHAT IF THERE WERE NO HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS?

7. IF A DEAF CHILD SIGNS SWEAR WORDS, DOES HIS MOTHER WASH HIS HANDS WITH SOAP?

8. IF SOMEONE WITH MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES THREATENS TO KILL HIMSELF, IS IT CONSIDERED A HOSTAGE SITUATION?

9. IS THERE ANOTHER WORD FOR SYNONYM?

10. WHERE DO FOREST RANGERS GO TO "GET AWAY FROM IT ALL?"

11 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU SEE AN ENDANGERED ANIMAL EATING AN ENDANGERED PLANT?

12. WHY DO THEY LOCK GAS STATION BATHROOMS? ARE THEY AFRAID SOMEONE WILL BREAK IN AND CLEAN THEM?

13. IF A TURTLE DOESN'T HAVE A SHELL, IS HE HOMELESS OR NAKED?

14. CAN VEGETARIANS EAT ANIMAL CRACKERS?

15. IF THE POLICE ARREST A MUTE, DO THEY TELL HIM HE HAS THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT?

16. WHY DO THEY PUT BRAILLE ON THE DRIVE-THROUGH BANK MACHINES?

17. WHAT WAS THE BEST THING BEFORE SLICED BREAD?

18. DOES THE LITTLE MERMAID WEAR AN ALGEBRA?
(This one took me a minute)
19. DO INFANTS ENJOY INFANCY AS MUCH AS ADULTS ENJOY ADULTERY?

20. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CIVIL WAR?

21. IF ONE SYNCHRONISED SWIMMER DROWNS, DO THE REST DROWN TOO?

22. IF YOU TRY TO FAIL, AND SUCCEED, WHICH HAVE YOU DONE?

23. WHY ARE HAEMORRHOIDS CALLED "HAEMORRHOIDS" INSTEAD OF "ASTEROIDS?"

24. WHY IS IT CALLED TOURIST SEASON IF WE CAN'T SHOOT AT THEM?

25. WHY IS THERE AN EXPIRATION DATE ON SOUR CREAM?

 
 

 

Thanks, Lex. Very droll !!

Good chuckles this morning, Lex!

hagatha, I'm sure you're looking forward to Dude getting his stitches out and his cone off today! Did you ever get your portable catio put together?

I'm finishing up the last of the apples today. Going to peel, slice, dip in water with lemon juice to stop the slices from turning brown and then freeze on trays. Then I will put into Zip Locs in recipe amounts for pies and apple crisps this winter. My husband has an old apple peeler that is from around 1878... it looks like a medieval torture device! But, man, does it peel a bunch of apples in a hurry! We clean ours up and spray it down well with a food grade oil before we store it between uses.

Primitive Apple Peeler

Draclvr: sometimes the old gadgets work better & last forever compared to anything new that would probably break within a year.

Draclvr, I never got the catio put together. I might have time once my mother leaves. She's a lot of work.

Dude is cone-free and has apparently done extremely well considering how severe his condition was. The surgeon has no concerns at all.

Yay for little Dude! Let the annoying cat games begin! Are the kitties OK with your mom being there? Does she like your new home?

judith, I find that to be true for a lot of things. There are "modern" versions of this primitive peeler, but I've used a couple of them and gone back to this ancient one. It's really an ingenious contraption. You push the apple on three little prongs and start turning the handle. It turns the apple against a blade and then at the end a little "foot" pops the apple off the device!

That is such good news about Dude! Yay!!

Great news, hagatha!

Brilliant “Dude” news, hagatha - and well done to you for your care !! 👍

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Good news that Dude is doing so well hagatha. Thanks for starting my day with a smile Lex. Weather alert day here today and tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Awoke to thunder and lightning and some strange substance falling from the sky about 5:45 this morning! Unfortunately, it didn't last long and I went back to sleep.

Made another big pot of that Special Reserve Kenya coffee so there is enough for everyone to enjoy with Connie's goodies!

Looks like a pretty and sunny day ahead for my friends Kim and Patti who are canning tomato sauces today from the sauce they did out here this summer. They freeze it in gallon jugs and then make spaghetti and chili sauces in the fall. I will just sit out here and enjoy my nice sunny fall day - NOT canning!

Can't believe it's Wednesday already!

Some nice dark coffee would be wonderful, thanks. It'd a sleepy, rainy morning and I think it will be a do-nothing day.

We're mostly back to normal here, except that Dude has decided he might be a lap cat after all. He's also back to pacing and howling to going outside. I might have to put that catio together after all.

Good evening everyone. Draclvr, the Reserve Kenya coffee was marvelous this morning. Connie, I enjoyed the danish this morning. The day was long but fruitful and now it's time for bed. Have a wonderful evening all.

Oh my ... it's time to rise and shine

Good morning everyone. I've brought Sumatra Mandheling Coffee with Scottish Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water for the Break Room today.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thursday!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Another weather alert day today. So far most of the weather has been north of us. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Nice to see you this morning, soot and Connie! I'll grab a cup of that Sumatra coffee, please! For anyone who is having chilly weather I've brought something new I discovered... instant hot cocoa made by Land O Lakes. This is NOT your old instant cocoa from the grocery store! Super creamy and tastes SO much better! I got a box with different flavors and had a cup of the Salted Caramel Cocoa last night. Hubby tried the Chocolate Supreme and said it was wonderful.

Nothing much on the plate today. Took off another 9 racks of dried tomato slices this morning.

League bowling tonight!

Drac, I am looking at the Land O Lakes hot cocoa variety packs on Amazon right now and they look wonderful! I may have to give these a try.

I hope everyone has a good day.

Good morning all.

It's really cold this morning. I've got the landscaper coming over to winterize my watering system since we should be getting enough rain now to keep the garden alive.

Not much to do today otherwise. I've got my group this afternoon, which will give me a chance to do a bit of shopping and then we're back to watching Lupin.

I’ve been “re-discovering” my enjoyment of Horlicks.
Loved it as a child and am still very much liking it now 👍👍

Mad, I had to look up what Horlicks is! I love the taste of malt, so would probably like it too!

I just looked up Horlicks on Amazon and they have it. Another one to try!

Ovaltine was another old favourite hot milk drink from the same era.

Yes. I also used to drink Ovaltine, Lex

With Horlicks, I buy the "sachets" (in packs of 30). So that each drink I make is the freshest it can possibly be

Horlicks sounds good to try for sure ... I love Ovaltine and that malt flavor ... especially in a milk shake!

I used to like to put chocolate ice cream in root beer with a shot of malt powder. Yum!

That sounds like a version of our UK “Ice Cream Float” 🙂

For me, nothing beats a coffee milkshake made with fresh coffee and coffee ice cream especially when enjoyed sitting on the beach in the shade of a palm tree in the Cayman Islands where we lived a few decades ago...

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Pedicure and lunch out with a friend today. Karaoke at Hacienda tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Mad, we have ice cream floats here too. The most common one is a root beer float with vanilla or chocolate ice cream. That coffee milkshake sounds pretty darned tasty too, Lex!

Brewed an extra pot of that dark Kenyan coffee to go with Connie's goodies again this morning. It's VERY chilly out, so I do feel a cup of that hot coco coming on later! Think I'll try the Chocolate Mint flavor.

Date night with hubby tonight. Think we'll go eat Mexican...

Happy Friday!

Another cold morning. Summer is over, I guess.

Lots of good dark coffee for me this morning.

I have a contractor coming this morning to put my front gate on a remote and hydraulics, since it is impossible to manage as a free-swinging gate on a windy day. Plus it's a real pain to have to fumble around in the dark for the lock when I come home at night. It's light enough to blow around but heavy enough to seriously damage my car. Once it's on the hydraulic hinges that won't happen.

I'll be spending the day going through boxes of books, packing up the ones I'll take to the local library in Nanoose. They'll take all of them up to the 20th of October for their book sale, so I'd better get at it.

Dude is almost back to his old self, even begging for play last night.

Good evening everyone. I used to put ovaltine on my icecream for malty chocolate or vanilla. Hope everyone's Friday was good. Lot's of dark roast coffee for me this morning too

Good morning everyone. I've brought dark roast Sumatra coffee with Scottish Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water for the Break Room today.

We're doing a deep cleaning in the house today. Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Halloween karaoke at the Elks tonight. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

Oh, that Sumatra coffee sounds good, soot!

Connie, Halloween karaoke sounds like great fun!

Nice and chilly here. Seems like a good day to make some vegetable beef soup with barley and home made noodles. We always knew when my mom was making her vegetable beef soup - we would come home from school and there were noodles drying on the backs of the kitchen chairs on towels.

I started a deep clean in my house last week - it is in dire need after neglecting it through the summer!

Well, it was another busy crazy week and it isn't over yet. The continuous rain isn't helping since I'm out in it all day. It's been a very wet week here.
My youngest son got married yesterday and I worked till noon and had someone fill in for me and take my afternoon clients, showered and drove an hour to get there by 3. Talk about a day! It poured constantly but we had a blast. Off to work in the rain now!

Have a great day everyone!

I ordered that Land 0 Lakes hot chocolate. with this cold rainy weather, that just seems like it will be a hit. I have had a half of a cabbage in the fridge for a month that needed to be fried up soon and hubby brought up 2 small zucchini - the last from the garden as he pulled up the plants now - so, I decided to fry up the zucchini with the cabbage. I have never done that before, but we will see. I just hate to see things getting thrown out. and I used up some of my bacon grease that I have in the fridge to fry it in, so hopefully it will be good. everything is good fried in bacon grease!

Remember not too long ago when we were all talking about how hot and dry it was??

I've been drinking my Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate hot chocolate. I guess it's good enough for me.

Soup has been on my mind also. I will be making a pot of beef, onion, mushroom, noodle soup today or tomorrow.

Have a nice weekend all!

mbday, that actually sounds really good! And I agree about the bacon grease - especially fried potatoes!

oldbroad, that soup sounds wonderful which reminds me to make more of the Hungarian Mushroom Soup I made last winter.

It's chilly here, but still no rain. It's so dry and crunchy.

Ana, that sounds like quite a day with working half a day and dashing off to a wedding as the mother of the groom!

So glad you made it to the wedding, BET. And that you had a “blast” 👍👍👍

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Ana, Congrats on your son's wedding. Shopping is on the agenda today. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

I'm late to the break room this morning... stayed up much too late reading! Just put on an extra pot of that Kenyan Special Reserve coffee. I might treat myself to a good old plain cake donut this morning!

Nothing on the agenda today - kind of cold and dreary outside. Maybe it will rain!

Happy Sunday!

Whoa, that Kenyan Special Reserve coffee sounds marvelous Draclvr. Connie, the bagels are the perfect combo this morning. Just back from our morning walk-about and time now to continue the weekend chores and projects with a little board gaming later this afternoon. Happy Sunday everyone.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Fall is here this week, we shall see if it lasts. Meeting at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Sorry, folks! Ran out of that Kenyan Special Reserve, so have an extra pot of the German Fair Trade coffee from Aldi's to go with Connie's goodies.

Need to make a grocery store run in town, but guess I will get back into my house cleaning for a couple of hours. I try to do one room at a time and want to get the spare bedroom used by the Germans and the Colorado grandkids put back in order. I set up an extra single bed in there and finally got the mattress under the double bed yesterday. Need to do the floors, fold some bedding and move a small dresser back in there and I'm done. There! That's enough for the day!

How did it get to be Monday so quickly!?

Oh my Draclvr, but the German Fair Trade coffee was most excellent this morning and the perfect match with a danish (or two) from Connie's treats. Time has definitely accelerated Draclvr and I don't see it slowing down any time soon until, maybe, mid-January.

Happy Monday everyone and have a wonderful evening!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lunch and Prime with a friend today. Bowling at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning. I've brought lots of dark roast Sumatra coffee with Scottish Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water for the Break Room today. Connie I'll have donuts with my coffee this morning 🌄

Wishing everyone a tootin Toosday!

Good morning everyone! It's been rain and gloom for what seems like forever, so it's great to see some sunshine! Have a happy day, all!

Ah, dark Sumatra coffee - perfect for starting out a very chilly morning!

Finished up one spare bedroom - now to start on the other one. This one will just be dust and cat hair!

We would love to have some rain and gloom here, Ana! So, so dry. But I will take the sunshine!

Happy Tuesday!

...and Happy Wednesday!

A couple of links which may amuse: I am sure most or all of you are already aware of Indian Hills, but there are always new signs!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10230941500110571&set=a.2640170333087

https://www.facebook.com/IndianHillsCommunitySign/

https://k99.com/the-best-indian-hills-community-daily-signs-of-2023-so-far/

Good Morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Lex, thanks for starting my day with a smile. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

I love the Indian Hills Community signs!

More German Fair Trade coffee this morning. I need to order more of that Kenyan Special Reserve!

Another pretty, but still dry, fall day here.

Happy Hump Day!

Good morning everyone... thank you Draclvr, I'll have your coffee with Connie's treats for the perfect day.

Have a great 🐫 Day!!

Great photos Lex... you put a smile on my day.

Good morning and happy Thursday to everyone. I've brought a pot of dark roast coffee with Scottish Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water for the Break Room today. Connie I'll drop back in to grab a cinnamon crunch bagel this morning. We are enjoying the cool fall weather. Have a wonderful day everyone.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Sorry I'm late, I like to stay in bed on these nice cool mornings fan on and huddled under the covers. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning everyone!

connie, I do too, but I never make it past 7. The pups gotta eat and go potty. Nugget will cuddle till noon but the boarders are mostly ready to see what the day is going to bring.
Enjoy you day!

soot, coffee time is my favorite part of getting up. Hope your day isn't too hectic.

hagatha, hope all is well, hugs to Dude!

Lex, thanks for the chuckles!

Drac, we have had about 6 inches of rain the last week. Wish I could send your way!

Getting a slow start this morning! Slept in until 8:30 this morning - retirement is good! I'll settle in with a cup of soot's coffee and do my daily Wordle.

Need to make a quick run in town to get a few things to make some "apple pie." It's a drink that everyone around here makes... apple cider, spices, ginger ale and Southern Comfort whiskey! My oldest step-daughter is turning 60 on Saturday and we are throwing her a surprise birthday party. Apple Pie is her favorite - I smuggled some in for her for her wedding reception!

Happy Thursday!

T.G.I.F. Good morning everyone. I've brought a pot of Turkish coffee with English breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water for the Break Room today. This coffee is made from rich Arabica beans. I'll drop back in to grab a cinnamon crunch bagel from Connie later this morning. I was going to get my walk in this morning when the sky opened up and it started pouring...but enjoying the cooler temps.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Have a great Friday, and bring on the weekend (for those not on permanent weekend post retirement...): a bit stormy here, so indoor tasks may get done.

An old joke:

A priest, a rabbit and an imam go into a bar, and the barman asks the rabbit "what are you having?"
The rabbit replies: "I have no idea, I'm only here because of autocorrect."