Trapped!

It's 80 in the shade (26.66 C)! Even the birds are getting quiet.

Can't go out, even to drop a letter in the mailbox. I had wanted to put the cats in the Kitty Walk today, but won't because, I can't be out there with them. No HuggaMutt to protect them: Ellie's home with Mamma and Poppa Dog, having a full week of poolside vacation. I can't even go there to visit, because there's no air conditioning.

This spring has been such a bad one for the MS, I won't take any chances in the hot weather.

I can remember when I wasn't such a wimp, and I miss it.

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Little Pond

Again!

For the third time in 25 years, I have been summoned for jury duty.

The first time, before the MS diagnosis, I was simply dismissed due to plea bargaining.

The second time I was very sick with MS and excused.

This time, I don't know. I will once again go to my Neuro and present the papers. He will likely give me another document. I am hard of hearing--but they offer signers and listening devices!--and tire easily, within two or three hours at best, and am unpredictably incontinent. My guess is that the last one will probably convince them.

The fact that I work nights isn't any sort of factor. It makes me available to serve days, and as far as Gannett is concerned, I can also work that night, too. No compensation offered. That is the policy for night workers.

It gets really old really fast.

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Little Pond

Living with a smoker who lives with a forgetful jerk.

I was sweeping the carpet (yes, sweeping, with a carpetsweeper, so as not to frighten the cats) when I found a huge pile of ashes, and two--two!--new burns. Good thing it's a dark carpet.

I was thinking, "If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have married him."

Then I thought, "I am a liar. Of course I would still marry him. For the very same reasons that have kept us married despite the smoking, and other things."

You married people understand: I have my own shortcomings. I'm very forgetful, and just terrible with dates.

Earlier today, before he left for work, I found an envelope for me.

Inside he had written:

"What would I have done without you these past 27 years? Love you very much."

Happy Anniversary, Husband RJ, from the forgetful jerk.

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Little Pond

First in a Series

Called Ellie Visits.

Boring videos by an adoring GrammaDog. This is what happens when we don't have grandchildren.

Ellie wends her way through the underbrush of the Strand along the Chemung River.

This is the best we can do for now. It's raw footage. I haven't even installed the editing software yet!

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Little Pond

We are just not well

... here in Little Pond.

Tuesday afternoon my younger daughter called to tell me she was being taken to the hospital with stomach pain, vomiting and cramps. She'd been violently ill for the last four hours, unable to even sip water.

At the hospital she was in a bay within a few minutes. It took two hours before they began to stabilize her. The place was preparing for an influx of ambulances, due to a crash on the highway.

Once she'd been stabilized, I left it in the hands of Husband RJ and went to work. Turned out that our other daughter, and our son-in-law, also were violently ill, as was one of their friends.

We still don't know for sure if it was a virus (I didn't get sick like that) or food poisoning. Naturally they wonder if they got tainted food, with leftover taco sauce being the primary suspect.

Yesterday I wasn't feeling well, and later turned up at the doctors' offices with the worst UTI ever in my life. Better today, but it will probably take the weekend before I am fully recovered. We are all back to work today.

Update: other picnickers were also taken ill. NOT ALL had eaten the supected food. Probably a virus.

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Little Pond

I'm still here.

Just outdoors more while I still can. Off and on this Spring, we have already had days when I really had to hide from the heat. There is no air conditioning at work, so I go out early in the mornings to enjoy what sun I can. Then I rest, as usual, in the middle of the day. Finally I get ready to go to work. In the heat.

We have threatened to arrive in a bathing suit, but I fear I would suffer throes of conscience as soon as they started screaming, "MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!" just as they are struck blind. Or turned to stone, or whatever. Did I mention that we are working in the heat?

The Little Pond is being recorded on video at this point, but I have truly put the "rank" in "Rank Amateur." Never fear, though, soon you will be (forced to) able to watch boring videos of HuggaMutt wading in the mighty River Chemung!

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Little Pond

Silent Summer

at the paper. We had our little meeting and we know what will happen.

This isn't to say that we know what's going on. Only that the place is getting quieter and quieter as the meetings are convened in the different departments.

Looks like the supervisors are all quite happy. Guess they will keep their positions. We grunts will just have to take it as it comes.

Like I said. The place is very quiet these days.

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Little Pond

This is a picture of my pets getting their Advantage

There is nothing wrong with your computer or Blogger.

Ellie is the only one to stick around. The cats especially are underfoot all the time, except when we take out the flea treatment.

Didi is first, because the last time, she went missing for two days as soon as the first treatment went on Bubba. Got her by surprise. She's under the bed, sulking.

Patches won't hide, but she won't let me do it. I'm covered in her fur now, and she is sauntering to the basement. Sweet little Patches turns into Hell Cat Horrific each time I approach.

Bubba is still too stupid to evade or elude. Got him. He's not happy, but he's treated.

When Husband RJ gets home we do the Kitty Taco thing with the towel. And she will be treated, come Hell or high water. And here in Elmira, high water is no joke.

Then RJ can mow the lawn, and we can set up the Kitty Walk. So it's not all bad.

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Little Pond

Too Hot

I'm so glad I went photoblogging yesterday. This is the only one worth keeping.

A little story: My coworker from Troy, PA, hates Elmira. He was crowing that there was a mention of Elmira in a television program. CSI, I think. Definitely one of those investigation shows. They mention that they are going to Elmira to interview someone about a crime. When they get there, the people have a cow on their front lawn. He absolutely chortled with glee.

Well, I can tell you there are no cows in the city of Elmira. It's against the local ordinances or code or whatever. Can't even have a chicken or a kennel. The surrounding Town of Elmira may allow it in some districts.

The above photo is taken a tad down river from my usual stomps, although it is still in the city. Because of the "Great" flood of 1972, there is a lot of land that, while not pristine, cannot by law be developed for business or residence.

Already it is so hot and so dry that I was able to stand in the river bed and take this shot. I also took several small video clips. Without a tripod, they are not good enough to post. Not sure how I would include them, anyway.

That's a story for another post.

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Little Pond

God Bless the Martyrs of Our Freedom.

Armistice - And Irony

I can see them yet, as they marched away,
So debonair, so brave, so gay!
I can see them yet, as they turned to wave,
The smiles erased from their faces grave.
And as I stood there, turned to stone,
The sun's last glint from their rifles shone.

I can still see my Mother, with face so white
And my Father, standing so still,
Trying to think that all was right,
Trying to feel like it was God's will.
Yes, we all tried to be as brave as they,
As my husband and brother marched away.

After many a weary month and long
Came the news, more cheering than the happiest song.
The whistles were blowing, the bells were ringing.
Everywhere people were shouting and singing.
"The War is over at last" cried they,
And the sad old World became hysteric'ly gay.
We looked at each other through tears of joy
And Mother murmured softly, "My boy, my boy!".

Happy plans for their return we made.
I tremble even now, as these mem'ries fade.
"Killed in action", the telegram bore.
"Killed in action"; weary brain repeated o'er and o'er.
Yes, the bells were ringing,
They should have tolled!
The sound of bells will turn me faint and cold
Forevermore.
My brother had died the day before.


Josephine Abby Lamb Baker

They also serve who remain at home and suffer loss.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Just a quick greeting to you all, in case I don't get another chance. Worked a 13 hour shift last night and am a little incoherent. Three hours' sleep doesn't cut it anymore.

I just soaked and pampered my legs, in preparation for the bare leg season. A little blogging, and then a glass of beer and more rest, alcohol inducement intended. I have no holiday this year, since we have four people out of a 10 person department gone to have babies or take vacation.

It just fell to me this year to do the work of 2 supervisors on top of my own duties Memorial Day. That's why I worked around the clock yesterday. No telling what will await me Monday.

Say a prayer for the safety of our soldiers, and a thank you for our veterans.

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Little Pond

RiverHagging

Ellie is at her new home in Elmira Northside, so I went without her. Just me, so this isn't RiverDogging. Got a few photos, and am tweaking a post. It's up, but I am just re-learning Blogger, so the photos are coming out the size I want just yet.

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Little Pond

Tell me I'm not alone...

Am I the only housewife in the Northeast who simply cannot get the spring cleaning and storage done this year?

Mid-May and all I've done is pulled down a few jackets and stored a few coats. Forget the cleaning, forget the summer things, forget the attic entirely.

If it were not for birthday money and Mother's Day, I wouldn't have anything to wear on the warm days.

Another frost expected tonight. Looks like the spare bedroom will stay full of seedlings for another week.

Hey. Can anyone tell me about small ceiling fans, with light kit AND remote control? We have a very small dining room and our antique hanging tulip lamp is beginning to seem unrepairable.

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Little Pond

Got fooled.

Now I wish I kept the photo. But any Googling of Ridgeback will turn up similar dogs. Why would anyone want to breed for that sort of thing? Looks just like an abused dog...

Don't ever fool yourself (Hah! Learned a valuable lesson.)

The rest of the post stands.

...into thinking that pit bulls enjoy fighting. All dogs will fight to protect themselves. And to do their jobs for their masters. Cesar Millan says that pit bulls are bred as gladiators, and that's true, but they simply want to belong to their masters and will fight when properly encouraged.

We received a very terrible photo, that I will not publish, from Dennis and Shelley, who frequently share anecdotes, jokes and photos with us. The dog looked like the HuggaMutt, only larger, with a horrible burn down her back. It looked deliberate, and must have caused her excruciating pain. No doubt she will need to be euthanized. Not. Should have published the pic.

The phrase "Hang the last dog" to mean stay out to the wee hours, sounds suspiciously like it comes from the fighting pits. The losers would be hanged by their owners, if they survived, as were the winners, if they were too wounded to fight again. I remember seeing this years ago, long before the Internet. Can we get a verification or mythbuster on that?

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Little Pond

I am descendant from French Canadians, and fighting pits were something I heard about from others. Not just dogs. French fighting was kicking, with the arms crossed in front. Too much violence for a young mind.

Spring Visitors

This is our latest visitor, waiting for her new owner to claim her. It's already too late, she loves us and we love her. We don't have the privilege of naming her: that goes to the VeggieGirl. She will be the inhouse companion to Inzie, her first housecat, who was to be a companion to Kiwi, the hedgehog.

Another visitor this weekend was a baby squirrel, left by a neighbor who found it in the street. We were a little non-plussed by the assumption that our yard was the place to bring orphan animals. Still we dutifully fed the little critter, who came out to cuddle with Husband RJ while he was gardening. We will continue to watch for it, but don't want to further the damage done already by actively encouraging interspecies fraternization.

And yes, if you were wondering: the robins have returned to Little Pond. Husband RJ has been chasing away the marauding crows.

St. Francis, be with us! We could use all the help we can get.

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Little Pond