Mending

One of the amenities I love about my 38-year-old (built on spec and bought brand new) house and the surrounding neighborhood, is that the builder put ALL the utilities underground. It takes a major, MAJOR shutdown somewhere else in the system for us to lose power. I think it's happened maybe four times in all this time, and none were longer than a couple of hours.

The cable company also put their cables underground when they brought cable TV to this neighborhood 20 years ago or so. I had a larger electrical line run into the house in '95 when we added AC, the power company had to dig a largish hole next to the house to patch in the new wire, but it didn't cost us anything extra for the work.

None of that means I think I'm immune, but I'm happy that it's rare. And it looks better as well. ;-)

Yes, I know what you mean. When Ike came through here last year, we did what we've done every year since moving here in 1999 if a storm is imminent. We packed all valuables and put them in the truck inside the garage.

We have a propane stove, an outside grill, and all sorts of propane lamps, flashlights, etc. We stocked up on food supplies that doesn't need refrigeration and lots of water. I'm lucky, none of my medications need refrigeration.

After I heard all the horror stories of many Katrina and Ike victims, I told my family, if we get a direct hit, I am going to get in the truck in the garage and take my chances.

We were in Brownsville when Beulah came ashore there in 1967 and didn't move away till 1980. I evacuated to the high school then and that was a disaster. But DS was in the ROTC "on duty" and my eldest DD, who was a volunteer with the Junior Red Cross, was also asked to help at the school, so I took the other DC and went with them, to keep us all together. Emily

Really!!!??? Wow, that was a really long hurricane.

(Emily, I know what you meant, I just couldn't resist). ;-)

Newer areas have underground utilities, but I don't think they were doing that in 1927. On the other hand, when there is a problem, they don't have to dig a trench to find it. Earthquakes might cause problems

- they do with water and gas lines. We don't have gas, either, so I'm not worried about that. But there are a lot of overhead wires, what with electricity, telephone, cable TV. We have a satellite, so no longer need the cable, but we do need the phone and electricity. So we get wires, and the birds have someplace to sit.

...and the squirrels have an aerial pathway across the streets. Here, the birds find plenty of places to sit, what with all the feeders and trees.

Well, if it's a big storm, and the eye goes overhead, it can feel that long....

Our neighborhood squirrel hasn't been seen in several years now. I fear the worst. He had a white band across his chest and was very easy to recognize. He was afraid of birds.

The native western gray squirrels are getting very scarce here, I saw just one this year. They are being crowded out by non-native eastern squirrels. They are listed as "sensitive" here, in WA state they are listed as "threatened".

My silly Shih Tzu goes nuts each time he sees a squirrel on the deck taking food from the bird feeders. He charges the patio door, and if I let him out he dashes out to challenge the squirrel. Of course, they just run up the Sweet Gum tree which is right over the deck, and taunt him. MingTu comes strutting in like he actually did something heroic. My guard dog! ;-)

Undoubtedly a distant cousin of

My dogs have been staying inside during the hot afternoons. They lay close to the patio door so they can watch for the squirrils and when they see one they start whinning. I let them out and they think they can climb the pecan tree when the squirril races up it. Barbara in SC

As it seems, at least one of us is mending, though perhaps not in a sewing manner. ;-) Olwyn Mary, I keep my fingers crossed for you. But really, acs are an invetion of the devil, nice as it may be to get out of the sweltering heat for a while. I had to sit under one ac outlet at an office job I held once and I had a permanent cold, sort of snivels all of the time. Really, what do they think? The Good Lord sent this kind of weather, who are they in church to oppose His will and refuse to sweat a little! Tongue in cheek, of course; what do I know about religion, and church, and all that, and I'd never seriously dare judging your congregation's ways. However, they might want to ponder if they set the ac a little less cold in order to avoid a untimely passing of their more sensitive members. Get well soon, and stay well, will you?

U. - who has got two large u-haul boxes full of stuff she wanted to mend once upon a time. These days I just sew on lost buttons to DH working trousers and stuff like that. I've got an apron on my table, too, which I wanted to mend like they did in the olden days but I need instructions for it. Got to borrow a book from my aunt but can't drive. Well, just three more weeks and I'll be able to drive again, I hope.

I know Beverly! It did sound like Beulah hung around quite a few years.

After I sent it, I realized I had not proof-read it as I should. Anyway, that is a good joke of the day.

Emily

What sort of apron, what sort of mending? Patch, darn, re-stitched seam? Fix it so it doesn't come apart in the wash, or make it look undamaged?

Joy Beeson

Of course, you would be welcome to visit us, that is, if my family doesn't get here first. But they are like you, they intend to try to stay home, if at all possible.

Emily

They're so wonderfully funny, aren't they? I found a new Simon's Cat on Cute Overload today, and at YouTube found that Simon did one about his sister's dog.

I thought an apron on a table was that vertical part that runs around underneath the tabletop.

When I am getting some of the mending done, more is added to the pile! Barbara

Oops!

I was visualizing the pile of mending on my ironing table.

Joy Beeson

Well, no mending done around here, just a lot of non-movement. Back still is not back to proper function yet, but I see the doc again on Tuesday, and hopefully that will help it...I hope it does because I have a 4 hour drive on Friday for the very brief family vacation. Hubby said he could drive, but I'm more familiar with driving in major cities, so I get the dubious honor of doing all the driving...lol.

Ah well, but I did get some more work done on a cross-stitch project which is nice. I haven't worked on a cross-stitch project in over a year, so at least I was still being creative, right??

Hope everyone had a nice weekend, Larisa