Dogs & Crocuses . . .

First thing this morning, I spotted these two little dogs calmly and quietly waiting in their car at the Circle K. 

 
These are the first crocuses to bloom this spring.  I spotted them last evening, but the light was poor.  Today the wind was blowing, but I got a decent shot out of the 8 or 10 I shot.  

Jeezzzz, It's Cold Out There ! ! !

Don't how to say it any different.  It is cold out there !  I think it is the wind more than anything else.  Oh well, what ya gonna do? 

I went 'boxin' this morning.  I found what I was lookin for at the first store.  It wasn't as easy as it sounds.  The dreaded and annoying little blue haired ladies were out in droves !  In two different parts of the store, they set up their carts so they were blocking everything from all directions, so they could visit with each other.  Commerce of any volume and type came to a halt.  I don't know how else to describe it . . . 

When I got my boxes home, I decided to cut them to fit a couple things I've had on the shelves for way too long.  So, I got my box cutter and ruler out and cut down my new boxes to fit.  I don't know why, but it is something I really don't like to do.  


And, of course, the inspector appeared.  Fortunately, my work was given a passing grade.  

One Fussy Cat . . .

My cat, Simon, was on the fussy side of things today.  A lot like a little kid . . . He would fuss at me like he was hungry, but when I got him something, he didn't want it.  He acted like he wanted to play, but didn't want to when I tried to play with him.  Thought maybe he wanted some 'lap time,' but that wasn't it either.  

So while trying to play with him, I lured him onto my bed with his mouse.  Then I covered him up and left the room.  


I came back later and the familiar lump was still there.  It is definitely not unusual for Simon to take his afternoon nap under a blanket.  Sometimes I go to sleep with him by my side under that quilt and sometimes he is there when I get up in the morning.  I guess he doesn't like to be cold.  


After takin the above pic, I lifted the blanket and there he was . . . one sleepy cat.  

Now I'm wonderin if he is gonna want to be tucked in every day . . .

Ramblin Mike's Not So Little Helper . . .

I've had a set of Sears Little Learner's Brix Blox for a couple months.  I had not listed them till today because they required an odd sized shipping box.  I had to do a cut and tape of a larger box to get what I needed.  The set is supposed to have 1013 pieces.  I always count pieces when I get something like this.  Yes, people will complain if a piece or two is missing.  So I sat myself down and started counting.  I came up with 1113 pieces.  I counted them a second time and came up with the same number.  Exactly 100 pieces more than what the box states.  I wasn't about to count them a third time, so I put my 'predicament' in the description.  The part of my 'predicament' that I didn't put in the description was all the unwanted help I was getting trying to count pieces. Simon, my big, long, orange, 12 lb. 11 oz. tabby cat insisted on helping.  




He even insisted on being in the photos I needed for the listing.  


When I tried to explain that he couldn't be in the photos, I got the 'Look.'

Simon & Packing Peanuts . . .

My cameras are all charged and I listed a few things this morning.  I had to break open a new bag of packing peanuts.


It didn't take long for Simon to spot them.  He loves to play with them.

Picked Over Garage Sales . . .

Seems like nothing but picked over garage sales all summer.  Last couple days have been no different.  Maybe I should try a different town or two.  

Yesterday, there were two garage sales advertised.  I got up late but decided to check them out anyway.  The first was a couple blocks over.  Nothing there.  Never seems to be anything good in that neighborhood . . . and it seems like they always have the same type of stuff.  Next sale was in Montpelier.  Bought a couple items . . . nothing special.  The best part of going to Montpelier was the 3.29 gas . . . twenty cents cheaper than Bryan.  Needless to say, the tank was topped off.  


Nothing special about this shed in a bean field . . . It just seemed like it should have its pic taken. 

There were more garage sales this morning.  Bought a couple items . . . nothing special.  A lot like yesterday.  Found a 10 AM sale around 9:30.  The lady ran me off before I got up the driveway.  Came upon a 9 AM sale at about 8:40.  There were people there buying stuff, so I stopped.  Found a tub of Legos.  The lady said it was a 9 AM sale and she wasn't really open or ready yet and couldn't sell me the Legos unless I had correct change.  I didn't, so I left empty handed.  Seems she had to go to the bank for change.  Since the banks around here open at 9, I'm thinkin that part should have been done yesterday . . .  Some people have no clue on how to do things.  


The county is remodeling a building that was a grocery store.  The Sheriff dept., EMT office and other county offices are going to be housed there.  Looks to me that they were removing asphalt and found a couple boulders.  I'm sure that made that contractor happy . . . extra time to dig up the boulders, bringin in fill dirt, then wonderin what to do with them.  

A front page story in the local newspaper this week, told of consistent sightings of a couple eagles at the retention pond. No one has spotted any nests anywhere yet.   I may hafta go out there early some morning an 'camp out' there with my camera. 

A Little of This & a Little of That . . .

I had the whole day off today.  Tomorrow I go in at 6:30 to mow greens.  It usually takes just over a hour and a half.

I spent the day doing a little of this and a little of that.  The only thing I didn't get done was find my 36mm socket so I can change the MINI's oil.  The oil filter is the cartridge type and I need the socket to remove the lid to the cartridge.  I'm sure I put it with the new oil filters, but I can't see it anywhere.  Probably the largest bolt on the MINI.  I wasn't an inexpensive socket by any means !!

One of the things I DID NOT do was lay down and take a nap.


When I took a load of clothes from the dryer to the bedroom to put them away, guess who I saw takin a nap.  Yep, it was Simon, my big, long, orange, tabby cat.  It is not unusual for him to burrow under a blanket to nap or jump out at me.  If I drag a blanket or sheet on the floor, he likes to hop on for a ride. He has a lot of personality.

Almost everyone has an old saw blade in their garage or basement, right?  Besides the obvious, getting it sharpened and use it, what does one do with old saw blades???


These folks painted it up nice and hung it in their front yard.  This one must have been around 4 foot in diameter.  Not too many people have saw blades this big laying around.  

Ka Thunk . . .

I'm layin on the bed reading earlier this afternoon.  My big, long, orange tabby cat, Simon, hops onto the bed.  He burrows underneath a blanket for a nap.  I hear him snoring away . . . Then I hear a 'ka thunk.'   I looked over the edge to see what was going on.  It seems that all 12 pounds, 9 ounces of him slid off the bed onto the floor.  He was sitting there with a shocked, surprised, 'what the heck just happened here' look. I couldn't stop laughin. 

What To Do ????

This is Simon, my big, long, orange tabby cat.  He is about a yr and a half old now.  I've had him for just over a year.  


This is my pay as I go flip phone.  I can receive and probably send text messages in addition to making and receiving phone calls.  I say probably, because I have never sent a text message.  I've had it for quite a few years.  I know, I know, you are wondering why I don't have a 4g smart phone.  It would be handy once in while.  Like when I'm mowing on the back 9 and wondering if that dark cloud is comin at me or is gonna miss me.  Then there have been times that I would have checked eBay while at an auction or garage sale to see if something has been sellin.  In fact, I checked into it last week.  At a $100 per month, I think I can continue to get along without one.  

Any way . . . Back to my immediate problem.  During the last couple weeks, Simon has decided that he like to play with my phone.  If I leave it out, he finds it and plays with it.  When he is done playing, he doesn't put it back where he found it.  Then I hafta spend time, sometimes serious amounts of time, looking for it while he sleeps.  Its not like I can call someone and have them call me so I can hear it ring and find it.  He has done this three times in the last two weeks.  You might be saying it is all my fault because I didn't leave it in my shirt pocket.  You do have a point and I probably should be more conscientious, But I'm old and forgetful.  Need I mention my camera tripod that I couldn't find all winter?  I was in it carrying bag hanging on the back of the garage/utility door laughing at me the whole time.  And now I can't remember where I put that peach colored pillow case that I use to take Etsy pics of my pens.  Best background I've come up with and I can't remember where I put it . . .  

I'm thinkin that maybe the best solution is to get my cat his own phone.  What would you do?????

Cat's Meow . . .

This is my cat, Simon, who occasionally is a picture of devotion and innocence.  Recently he has found a new place to take a warm catnap.  


Last evening I spotted him napping on top of the kitchen cabinets.  When he realized that I had found him, he cunningly decided to blend in with my Cat's Meow collection I have up there. He was probably thinkin he was the cat's meow up there too.  I chased him down with the squirt bottle.  It's been along time since I've had to use the squirt bottle.  The last time, he stopped runnin and let me squirt him till I got tired squirting and yellin at him.  

I'm still lookin for a certain size box for eBay.  My 'box run' to the local groceries didn't find that size, but I came home with some other sizes.  

 
I came upon this display in the potato section, a Mr. Potato Head.  Not something one sees very often in the grocery.  

Across the aisle were the greenest bananas I think I've ever seen.  I've seen St. Patrick displays and decorations less green.  

 
I bought the 'ripest' bunch I could find. 

Nothin Like Makin Yourself At Home . . .

My big orange cat, Simon, has never been on the shy side.  Doorbell rings and he goes to the door with me.  When he wants to play, he pesters me till I play with him.  When he is cold and tired, he get under the blanket and takes a nap.

That Is One Cold . . .

That is one cold January sunset.  It has been a couple years since it has been this cold around here.  At the moment it is 11 degrees with a wind chill of 4.  I've seen the wind chill in the minuses during last half hour or so.  

Yesterday, my niece was in the area and stopped in so I could meet my newest grand-nephew, Camdyn.  Camdyn is about 8 months old.  Simon, my big red tabby cat, didn't know what to make of all this.  He was just about always within an arm's length of Camdyn during the two hour visit.  He kept a very close eye on him.  I was impressed.  Every try to keep a cat's attention for a couple hours?  When they left, Simon reminded me that it was time for his supper, then he retired to my bed for a nap.  He was still there when I went to bed.  Just goes to show you that keepin a close eye on little ones can tire out the cat too.

I had a major problem with the new computer over the weekend.  My email quit receiving emails early Saturday morning. I didn't think much of it on Saturday.  Saturdays are usually pretty light when it comes to emails.  Still had problems Sunday.  It turned out to be a simple removal of a check mark in the properties box of my email provider.  I obviously tried every combination but that one.  That check mark kept me from downloading my mail.  The help desk guy said that for some unknown reason that a check in that box is the default.  I had filled my mailbox.  He made my mailbox larger, so I shouldn't have that problem till I set up a new computer and forget about that check mark.  One of the aggravating parts of all this is that I lost all the mail on the server.  And of course, since I couldn't download email, I started selling cookie cutter sets like crazy.  Would you believe an even dozen from the middle of Sunday afternon to this morning.  Probably a record . . . if I kept records.  Since I had to 'go through the backdoor' to print address labels, it took me around an hour and a half to get them ready for the post office people.  If I start with the email from eBay, I can process labels in half the time.  

When people say they are working out computer/software glitches on new systems, they are tellin the truth.  Things will smooth out eventually.  

This is what is goin out tomorrow . . . so far.  No way is it gonna fit into my mailbox at the street. 

Simon . . .

The Fedex guy brought my order of cookie cutters to the door this mornin.  I unpacked them and was re-listing a couple sets that I had sold out.  I heard a bit of paper rustling, turned and saw Simon sitting on some of the packing paper.  He usually dives in it and has a grand time, but not today.  He did hop in and out of the box for a quick inspection, then left the room.  

After this task was completed, I went on to complete a couple of what I thought would be quick and simple jobs.  One of the license plate bulbs on my truck needed to be replaced.  That was simple enough and completed in five minutes or so.  I then attempted to put my 2013 sticker on the license plate.  What can go wrong, right?  Well . . . . for whatever reason, sticker decided that it wasn't comin off the registration without a fight.  I ended up scrapin it off with a razor blade.  I got it on the plate ok, if three separate pieces is considered ok.  I got it lined up pretty good so that everything is legible.  The sticker for the MINI came off and went on the plate with no problems.  One of those days, I guess . . .

Go Ahead & Sell It . . .

Not sure what came over me this afternoon, but I sat down and listed a few items on eBay.  I heard some rustlin behind me.  I turned around and it was Simon inspecting this 4 qt. Pyrex mixing bowl.  He decided that it wasn't comfortable enough to lie in.  He squirmed around tryin to sit in it and gave up.  Gave me permission to go ahead and sell it.  I'm done listing today. I'll probably list it tomorrow.

Nice Week . . .

If I knew of a place that had weather like this all winter and not any worse summers than here, I think I would consider movin there.  Daytime highs have been in the 50's and night time lows have been in the 20's.  Tomorrow is the last day for this October like weather, then it will probably get back to bein November like.  


I put a record 17 cookie cutter sets in the mail Monday.  Fifteen of them are in the pic.  Two more sold after I took the pic, but before the mail person came.  Couldn't fit all of them in my mailbox, so I took some to the post office.  All of them sold Sunday and Monday mornin.  Didn't sell any on Saturday.  I put one set in the mail on Tuesday.  

Got a flyer from the Ohio Lottery.  They sent me a coupon for a free $5 Instant ticket.  The only catch is that I hafta buy a $20 ticket first.  Don't think I'm gonna bite.  I buy a $1 ticket once in a great while . . . Don't think I've ever bought a $2 ticket.  

I must be be lookin old today.  I had a Wendy's salad for lunch.  The nice lady gave me the senior discount without sayin anything to me.  On my way to the dermatologist, I stopped at a McDonald's for a coffee and they gave me the sr. discount without me or them sayin anything. 

The dermatologist said what I figgered she would say.  I been doin the fluorouacil  thing on my face to eradicate pre-cancer lessions.  The fluoroucil causes  red spots and blotches all over the place.  I did it a few years ago, but I don't recall as many spots and blotches like this time.  I know I didn't get the itchin, burnin and dry feelin skin side effects last time.  Anyways, she said one more week and I could stop, and I should be good for a few more years.  She told me on the average each spot has up to a 10% chance of developin into a skin cancer.  


One day last week I spotted this parked on the street.  It is a bulk seed cart.  They use it to haul bulk seed to the fields and fill the planter.  Things are very agricultural around here and Bryan is on the small side, havin 8 to 9 thousand people livin here, but I haven't noticed any farm machinery parked in town till now.  

I was readin one of Heloise's columns recently.  Someone said to use a couple sticks of spaghetti to light candles.  Never heard anything like that before. Don't think I'm gonna try it anytime soon.  I'd hafta buy and candle and a box of spaghetti first.  


While motoring about town earlier this afternoon, I saw this set up.  It appeared that they were brickin in some openings and/or doin some tuck pointing.  This a  tall three story building.  It houses the Spangler Candy fulfillment center.  If you ever saved your Dum Dum wrappers and sent them in for something, this is where your order was filled.  

According to a recent article I read, Spanglers make around 10 million Dum Dums, 2.7 million candy canes and 500, 000 Saf-T-Pops each DAY!!  I don't know where they keep them all.  I would like to see just a mere million Dum Dums or Saf-T-Pops in one place. They make a lot of Circus Peanuts too.  There are only two companies makin candy canes in the US.  I think Spangler's has the larger market share.  Sometimes, if the weather and wind is just right, half the town smells like pineapple or peppermint, or whichever flavor they are usin at the moment.  


And here is the latest pic of a smug lookin Simon, keepin an eye on me.

Simon, Simon, Simon . . .

Not sure what I'm gonna do with that cat !!!  Probably keep him . . . Simon is a big, physically strong and strong willed cat.  Heck of a jumper, too.  Saturday PM, he opened the screen on the patio door.  Don't know how long he was out when I discovered the open screen.  Found him next door layin in their flower bed.  He wasn't ready to come in and led me on a 'walkin' chase.  He finally tired out and let me pick him up.  I gave him the silent treatment for a few hours.  He didn't seem to mind.  He slept the rest of the PM.  Bein outside must have tired him out.  He doesn't sleep much when I'm in the house.  

After work today, I opened the patio door a bit and made sure the screen was shut.  A while later it was open and there wasn't a cat to be found in the house.  He wasn't as easy to find this time.  I walked the back yards of several of the adjoining houses on my side of the street.  Then I spotted him.  He was strollin across the front yard of one of the houses across the street.  

He saw me and knew he was in trouble.  I walked leisurely toward him.  He was lookin for a place to hid and didn't see anything promisin, so he ran around to the back of the house.  I finally spotted him tween a couple houses.  He saw me and hightailed it to my yard, to the back and into the house and was hidin under the bed when I got there.  At least he recognizes his house.  


When he came out from under the bed, I tried to have a man to cat talk.  As you can see from this pic, he wasn't havin any of it.  

 
I went to my computer and he came in and plopped down.  We talked some more and he 'seemed' to listen this time.  


Then he started rollin around, thinkin I was gonna give him a belly rub that he thinks he deserves way too often.  


After realizin there would be no belly rub, he tried to look sorry and repentant.  

I think I'm gonna hafta put some kind of latch on that slidin screen door.

Legos & Simon . . .

There was one garage sale listed for today in the local newspaper.  So I decided to check it out.  



There was this unopened set of at least 700 Legos.  The nice lady was only askin $3.  Legos at almost any price is reasonable.  When I said something about this bein a great deal (after I paid her, of course) bein unopened and and everything.  She said she bought them for the grand kids, but never got around to givin the legos to them.  A bit of research on my part says this set was first offered in 2003 and isn't available any more.  Any way, I then said, 'I guess you got them for me.'  She thought a bit, then agreed and we parted ways happy.  

 Got them home and found a shippin box.  I usually have every size box on hand, but the size I need, if you know what I mean. 


 
Next step was to shoot photos for the eBay listing.  I turn around and there is Simon.  Does this look like he is claimin this tub of Legos as his?  It is like he knows exactly what is in the tub.  I'm sure he would like to scatter them all over the house and bat them around.  



He was really bein bothersome.  Everytime I attempted to shoot photos, he was right there.  I finally got my squirt bottle and waited for him to get in the way.  He didn't know I had it.  Just seein me with it makes him back off.  Anyway I got him square in the face and was able to take the photos I need.  


Next step is to sit down and list them.  That part hasn't happened yet.  Can't decide if I should auction them or do a buy it now. 

100+ Degrees and Custom Turned Pens . . .

The temperature has been 100 here for the last hour or so.  That meant I HAD to go for ice cream . . . AGAIN !!.  By my unofficial count, it has been at least 100 degrees here at least 7 times.  Wish my furnace could blow hot air like Mom Nature was today. 


My big orange tabby cat, Simon, loves to have his tummy rubbed.  I think I could spend a significant amount of time each day rubbin his tummy and he would want more.  He just almost always automatically rolls over on his back when I walk by in case I want to rub his tummy.  Earlier this PM, I came into the house.  He rolled over onto his back, stretching.  I automatically reached down pat his tummy, like I'm trained to do.  He must have been more asleep than awake, cause when I made contact . . .  I never knew a cat could jump so high from a startin position of layin on his back.  Then with one giant leap, he was into the next room.  Good thing I keep his claws reasonably clipped!!  Anyway he comes back to with a 'why did you do that' look.  I have noticed that Simon seems to be a pretty heavy, sound sleeper.  After this PM, I have no doubt about that he takes sleepin real serious.  


Been makin ink pens from Elk antler lately.  Bought the antlers at an auction earlier this summer.  I was able to get a set of moose antlers also.  

 

This is a chrome 30 caliber replica bullet twist pen.  This hardware even has a copper tip.  I really like this one.  I was able to drill the antler and turn it so that some of the exterior of the antler is visible (lower photo).  That doesn't always happen.  This pen is one of my favorites.  I have this one and a few other listed on Etsy.  Click on the blue Etsy if you want to see the others.  I will be adding more every so often.

This pen isn't for sale.  It is a twist pen and has a soft touch stylus on the top end.  It is great for touch screen stuff, like ipads, phones, etc.  It doesn't feel flimsy like those cheap little styluses you can get at Walmart.  With it bein a pen too, it is just the thing if you are doin a lot of writing and ipad work.  I made the body from a piece of elk antler.  As you can see I wasn't able to leave much of the exterior.  I have one more stylus kit on hand.  I'll make it up and put it on Etsy when I decide how I want to make.  If you are interested in a pen of a specific style and/ or material, send me an email and maybe we can work something out. 

Simon Goes To The Vet . . .

Last Thursday, Simon went to the Vet for a check-up.  I've had him for about 2 months.  I decided I better make sure he has all the shots, etc.  he should have.  He had been shakin his head and scratchin at his ears, so I figgered he had ear mites for sure.



When it was time to go, I interrupted his afternoon nap.  He wasn't real happy about it, but he doesn't seem to hold grudges.  He doesn't mind bein in his carrier and goin for rides.  I did this a couple time to see how he would react.  When I brought him home from the shelter, he was scrunched up against the back of the carrier and meowed a couple times . . . the only 'meows' I've heard from him.  I started talkin to him and he came to the front of the carrier and laid against the door.  Guess he need some reassurance.  


While in the waiting area at the vet's office, everyone was makin a fuss over me and my new cat.  Even a couple of the assistants came out to see him.  My previous cat, Patches, and I were there pretty regularly for the past couple years.  Patches died suddenly as I was leavin her last appt.  A lot of the people seemed to be as upset as I was when it happened.  Patches was a well known there because her age of 18 yrs. and how well she responded to changes in her medications.  


Simon is not a shy cat.  In the examination room, he stuck his head out as soon as I opened the carrier.  After a few minutes, the Dr. came in and checked him and his records out.  He hit the scales at 10 lbs., 11 oz.  I said, "Is that all?"  Seems a lot heavier than that to me.  Simon has a long body and long legs.  He could be a pretty big guy when he is done growin.  


We decided to do another leukemia test because sometimes the test does not come out positive when the cat is very young.  He tested negative.  Then we attacked the ear mites problem.  Simon didn't squirm too much while the Dr. cleaned his ears and applied some ear drops.  Don't think he liked it a whole lot, but he didn't get violent like some cats.  He doesn't get too squirmy when I apply ear drops at home . . . so far.  


While waitin for the test results in the waiting room a 3 or 4 year old girl came over and looked in the carrier.  She said she had a cat at home that looks like Simon. She went on to tell me she has 3 cats and a little dog.  Mom & Dad brought the dog in for a check up.  We had a nice little talk.  



When Simon and I got home, he laid down and finished his afternoon nap.

Where Did The Geese Go ? ? ?

The geese have disappeared.  I haven't seen a goose all week.  They always seem to disappear for a few weeks every summer.  I know that some of the young ones aren't ready to fly yet.  No one has been able to give a believable answer about where they go.  How about you?

The sprinklers are still against me.  This one came on as I was tryin to leave the yard.  Had to wait till it turned away from my destination.  

It wasn't easy seein where to mow yesterday.  It got really bad around 12:30.  I tried a couple spots and gave up shortly after 1 PM.  I only had a couple hrs or so till I finished and since I wasn't gonna get done anyway, I decided to wait till morning when the sun's angle would be lower and hopefully there would be a bit of dew.  The boss said to wait till Friday AM and I could rim some of the fairways where the grass grows well for the weekend.  Thought that was a pretty good idea.  

I went to a few garage sales this AM.  I hit the 'mother lode' at one sale.  Got myself a lot of good lookin Pyrex for only $15.  After that I started lookin for boxes.  Found a few of the general size I was lookin for.  Then I spent a few hrs listing stuff.  I've sold two of the items I listed already.  It would be nice if everything I list sold that fast.  

The gas price in town seem to be stuck.  They haven't changed for a good week and a half.  Last weekend I paid $3.48 in Defiance.  

Wet pine cones and needles from the sprinkler.  Really need a tripod to get a sharp photo. 

A group of trees tween #9 and #1.  The empty space in the background is where 4 or 5 Ash trees used to be.

Simon likes to nap in this box.  I could have used it for eBay several times, but I get all mushy and soft and let him have it.  

Like most any other cat, he likes boxes.  I watched him 'burrow' into this one.  Don't know what he expected to find, but I don't think he found it.

His string always seems to be nearby.