MORNING ROLL CALL! JULY - SEPTEMBER 2020 "CLOSED"

Good morning, Peepers!

And Happy Friday!

I am the most happy because my work week is now over and today I begin a four day mini-vaca!  Happy, happy! Joy, joy!  Indeed!  (I'm smiling right now with a way too wide and toothy grin.)  

The temp is about 75 right now.  The sun is fully up and the sky is the prettiest blue. I mowed the yard yesterday and filled all of my birdfeeders and scrubbed out and refilled my two birdbaths.  So I've been sitting here with the windows and doors open--watching all kinds of birds coming in for their morning meal.  So far I've seen a husband and wife pairing of cardinals and mourning doves.  Of course, their were more than a couple of rock doves (better known as pigeons) and a bunch of sparrows.  Also, a lone blue jay made his presence know by his caw.  And I had that rare red- bellied finch flitting from feeder to ground and back again enjoying himself it seemed to the fullest.

Then only ominous sighting was that of that pesky hawk whose wide wingspan cast a very dark and foreboding shadow on my patio and scattered the other birds away.  The hawk flew over and swooped down low over my backyard fence, but at least this time he didn't land.  Nor did he stay for long for which I was grateful.  Don't want to see any of my little birds become food for the hawk--at least not in my presence.

My belly is full and warm--having had my walnut and raisin oatmeal and a comforting cup of creamy Folger's coffee.  So I think it's time for me too slowly head back to bed and enjoy a late morning nap.

So peepers, enjoy this day and every day a-comin'.   Stay safe and remember to be good to good ol' irreplaceable YOU!

Lydia

Good morning, Peepers!

I hope everybody had  good weekend and a pleasant Labor Day holiday.  I enjoyed having four whole days off from work and a houseguest (a lifelong friend) to share some of that time with.  But after she left for home and for the past two days, it's been raining and storming off and on--more on than off really.  In fact,  on Sunday night, just before the rains began, I went to bed rather early, only to be awakened by the booms of fireworks--not firecrackers, the full "boom" "bam" works!  So I got up and looked out of my bedroom window and through my wearied eyes, I watched the lights and colors and then I crawled back into bed and drifted off to sleep as the celebratory sounds grew fainter and more distant.

It was 1 o'clock in the morning when I awoke to a different sound--the sound of heavy rainfall.  I lay there and listened intently for another sound, but didn't hear it and I knew something was wrong--very, very wrong.  The sound I did not hear, was the hum and bang of the sump pump. And I knew if the pump wasn't working with so much rain coming down, I would have a problem in the basement.  And I did.  I found the basement was beginning to flood as the pump was now silent and the water had topped the sump and was flowing across the floor.  I tried to build a barricade with towels to stop the surge.  I moved boxes and stuff to higher ground--to table tops and shelves.  And then I began the bucket brigade--dipping water out of the sump and pouring it into the laundry tub.  But after a couple of hours of labor, it became clear that the water was coming faster than I could haul it out.  So as I watched the water rise and the floor drain become overwhelmed by the deluge, I looked around to see if there was anything else I could do or move out of harms way.  I gathered my small hoard of toilet paper and paper towel, climbed the stairs, turned out the basement lights, and went back to bed. But before I finally drifted off to a fitful sleep, I prayed for the rain to stop. And when I awoke a few hours later, it had.

Around 6 a.m. on Labor Day, my eyes and ears opened to quiet.  No rain.  No pump.  It was still dark outside.  But I arose and ventured downstairs to survey the damage.  There were pools of water here and there round the basement.  The drain was still doing it's job as streams of water were flowing into it.  Where I had built the towel barricade near the sump pump, a big pool of water remained. Once the towel wall was moved, the water slowly moved flowed toward the drain. But there was still so much standing water, I knew I needed to get a Shop Vac and of course, a new sump pump.  So I quickly got myself together and I was soon on the road to get the items needed.

After stops at Walmart, True Value Hardware, and Menards, I finally had everything I needed.  Back home, I quickly put the Vac together and vacuumed up a good portion of the water and then I quickly installed the new pump which immediately went to work--pumping all of the water still in the sump.  And while the pump hummed, I finished vacuuming up the remaining water.  I worked until I was too tired to do anything more. So last night,  after all the water had been removed, I set a super-sized oscillating fan in the middle of the basement to dry it out.  Today I plan to finish up by mopping the basement floor with a solution of bleach and disinfectant.  Then re-dry it and done.

But oh, the rain is starting again now.  Fingers crossed as I head downstairs.

Be well all.

Lydia

Tuesday afternoon 56*, Coronavirus has hit closest large town pop. 10K. How to kick you into reality 5 kids at high school/Vocational and 5 adults working in the mill.

Of course flu season is around the corner, Think I’ll be stocking up for the long haul and getting my flu and pneumonia shots this week.And a gallon of Maalox.

Froze

Friday afternoon all 63 sunny .where’s @PattyDiane ?

Early voting in VA is 2 football fields long with masks and social distancing and lack of trust in Post office delivering the ballots in time.

https://youtu.be/fm-i2CaiHRQ

Suddenly happy in 750 population Maine at least my town. Just need to stay alive and upright.

Didn’t get deep freeze last night👍, hopefully a few more weeks of temperate temps, need to ReEpoxy a 9x7’ garage door, needs 24 hours above 50*. Took longer than expected to make a 9 foot long clamp🤣.

Still walking upright, almost getting used to new pills, no longer just mature I guess, sorry @MsStretch  I might be old.

Need to pack a nap sack and deliver two more friends to final resting spots, that means I do know R’s and used to count them as friends and one as a partner in biz. Only 5 miles each way, moderate hike, on an almost road in.Gated of course.

@N566192l are any of these your funky seed pods.

Froze