23 July 2014

Humpday Happenings...
Welcome to the middle of the week, soggy as it seems to be this morning.
A nice relief from having to water the plants "manually".
Our Hooiserland weather will see us with cooling temps today with a high expected near 80 degrees.
(guess it depends on how some people define "cooling")
It IS going to be "less hot" (let's try that instead) than the last couple days, and after we get rid of the morning rain (even heard thunder earlier) we should be seeing some sunshine.
(I'm thinking partly cloudy at best).
So, go grab that morning cup of whatever you;'re having and join me as we see what's been on my mind of late.
*** First up, as is the usual fare, is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society."
Having seen much evidence of this already happening in our country, I thought this most apropos.
So, WHO said that? The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at the Continental Congress...
*** It's time to dig deep onto the recently declassified files (next to the boxes of comics) in our basement and take a look at what I've found.
-- From the "It's fixed, so uncross your fingers" Department -
Our A/C unit continues to function well. we have the (new) thermostat set at 72 and we had it down to 74 yesterday evening...not bad for a 1200 (and change) sq ft house with a 25+ year old air conditioner.
-- From the "Our 4th of July has been over for WEEKS, you moron" Department -
We are STILL hearing fireworks going off in our area...just a couple of those M-80 or mortar rounds..enough to startle you when you least expect it.
Need to be banned within city limits.
And not one single police car cruising the area.
The other night someone WAS setting off aerials, and when I DID call it into dispatch, one went off and THEY heard it...talk about TIMING.
Needless to say, I had audible proof, a car was sent out, and surprisingly, the fireworks STOPPED...imagine that.
-- From the "It's an ALLEY and not a trash receptacle" Department -
Before...
Had to call in NCE to have some new foliage refuse that was placed along the alley picked up.
Thing is, there has been this castaway TIRE that has not gotten the "heave-ho" yet...and it's been there for MONTHS.
After...tire is still there.
I know there are places to drop off such items, but as to WHY the property owner (house is currently vacant) refuses to take it there eludes me.
THIS is why our area is the way it is...LACK of wanting to do anything the RIGHT way...sad state of affairs.
-- From the "If you wait, it will bloom" Department -
Our first "big pretty".
We finally have seen our first HIBISCUS sign...
Can't have a red without a pink
One red and one pink bloom have appeared on our plants.
 And our (former) dirt pile is now level and after some seeding and top soil amending, is producing new grass shoots.
Is that GREEN I see encroaching there???
Might take a bit, but we should have the patch reclaimed by autumn.
In the interim, I have to mow around it.
-- From the "Get it while you can when you see it" Department -
My preferred way to do things.
I bopped over to DO-IT-BEST yesterday to get another small padlock for the A/C shutoff box outside, and as is the case with ANY red-blooded American male and home improvement stores, that's not ALL I came home with...LOL.
I also got two pill handles for our fence gates. Been wanting to get some for a time, and now was as good a time as any.
We lock EVERYTHING down here.
I did get a padlock for the box...TWO in fact, just in case we ever need a backup.
Then, a store worker came up while I was poking around the "dollar bin" near the front of the store and told me they had a WHOLE DOLLAR AISLE...
(...stop the presses...)
And it as then I said to the clerk "...tell me more...".
"Aisle 24."
"Thank you". And off I went...and made a killing!
Got some dish sponges and a dish brush (looks like those scrubbing bubbles without a face) and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Coolest gadget I've seen in some time.
The stubby handle holds dish-washing liquid that ONLY come out when you press down on it...cool!
Also got some carpet freshener spray (haven''t see this stuff around for a few years), and a can of spray carpet SHAMPOO (for spot removal and such).
All total, what SHOULD have cost about $5 cost close to $24 when all was said and paid for.
There are several places that I can spend a LOT of bread at.
- Comic book stores
- Toy stores (a good one)
- Hobby shops
 - Book stores
-Home improvement stores
Fortunately for Wifey and myself (and our bank account), and thanks to the lack of businesses down here these days because of the crime, my choices for those stores has been whittled down to ONE: Do-It-Best (and Menards)...okay...make that TWO then...LOL.
-- From the "If it wasn't for the critters, I'd have no friends down here" Department - Yes, the daily parade of birds, squirrels and rabbits continues.
I WISH I could get this close.
Now, with our new butterfly bushes starting to bloom, we are seeing a few more butterflies as well. And there are always the hummingbirds, but not coming by AS frequently as in years past.
I was "buzzed" by a skipper butterfly (brown with orange) yesterday and we had FOUR cabbage butterflies (like the one above) fluttering all over the former dirtpile.
A squirrel-skin "rug"? More like a DOILY
One squirrel just laid down spread-eagle (or is the spread-squirrel?) on the patio in the shade.
And our Mr Wrinkles comes by for his daily feeding (or two...or three)
Some mornings you can hear SO many sparrows chirping as well as cardinals, wrens, and robins outside. THAT kind of noise is welcome any day by me.
I consider myself fortunate to have such things around us on a regular basis.
*** Last back to the patio today...it isn't difficult to stop for a minute of two here and there to "take in" all the beauty around you.
The guy in camo feeds me every day
The abundance of flora and fauna is something you rarely get to see (or appreciate) in a larger city...you always have to go somewhere else to find it.
Here, it's as close as your own back yard, and can be easily nurtured and maintained. It's a far cry from a city window box with a couple plants in it, that's for sure.
There are some mornings when, being able to go out and ENJOY what life provides is a bit of a rush...a GOOD rush, too.
Perhaps THAT is where people go astray...not having or choosing to have an appreciation for what is all around. Hell, the price (alone) is right...FREE.
Sure, there's traffic, city noise and rude people, idiots, morons and imbeciles by the score, as well as criminals and other assorted dumbasses, and I think they're there for a "purpose", other than to piss people like US the hell off (and they do that well enough, often enough, hmm?)
They shall not pass...(I protect those who feed me).
Those people are there to show us WHAT we would become if we were never made aware of how much LARGER life can be.
Sounds kinda sappy, but it's true, isn't it?
I think you always get something back in life for whatever you put into it...but we have to remember that it's usually NOT a "one-for-one" trade-off.
Big things might reap small (if any) rewards, while insignificant things might produce large rewards, and it's never all about the DOLLAR AMOUNT, either.
That's where many get side-tracked...life's rewards come in as many shapes and sizes as do people.
Like that old song said.."some days are diamonds, some days are stones", nut how many of those "stones" can be cleaned and polished into something NICER  with a little effort on OUR part?
I think we have a lot more going FOR us, than against us, and I'll take that any day.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.

6 comments:

CWMartin said...

It's been funny this year looking at all the animals who do the spread-eagle thing to beat the heat... in fact there was a de-so-and-so's squirrel (sorry don't remember the right name) laying just like that one on a tree branch, and a peacock in a mud hole he dug out, at the zoo yesterday.

Bob G. said...

Chris:
Seeing these critters spreading themselves out on concrete, dirt, or whatever else sure is a much better outcome than seeing them laying flat due to careless and speeding drivers...or those random squirrel-suicides that happen from time to time.
(roadkill for lunch? Nah, I'll pass.)

Thanks for stopping by to comment today.

Stay safe (and keep cool) up there in the lovely avian-replete principality of Sambonia, my friend.

ms nk rey said...

"Big things might reap small (if any) rewards, while insignificant things might produce large rewards, and it's never all about the DOLLAR AMOUNT, either.
That's where many get side-tracked...life's rewards come in as many shapes and sizes as do people." I love this .. you do indeed have a servant's heart.

Bob G. said...

MsN:
That concept was once explained to me by a pastor of mine from some time ago.
He said something along similar lines when referring to me...and I was not even aware of it.
It's comforting to be thought of in such a way, and I do thank you so much.
I would also say that "it takes one to know one", if you catch my drift.

:)

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment today.
Do stay safe and take care down there.

gadfly said...

Bob G:

The FW Solid Waste Management folks do not permit putting tires in the trash except on Amnesty Day!

You might run it over to the closest tire reseller and pay them the required fee charged when they dispose of the tire.

Bob G. said...

Gadfly:
This is why our part of town gets away with all this..."stuff" year after deplorable year.

Someone decides to dump a tire (or tires) some place OTHER than their property, and others have to pay a "fee" to take it away???
I could do a week's worth of posts just about that.

Lord knows I'm not busting on'ya...I know the drill with this, but those that NEED to know this (and apply it) unfortunately do not.
I'm not taking it anywhere any time soon and paying anyone.

We know HOW to dispose of things properly...something I'd LOVE to do with many of the mooks around here, but alas, "the law" gets in the way of THAT.
I appreciate you weighing in on this and thank you for stopping by to comment.

Stay safe out there.