Blog Archives
Two weeks in the garden
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Yeah, it was worth the wait…
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
The vacuum from hell
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I seldom vacuum my house. My reason is simple. My vacuum has the decibel level of a jack hammer. The dogs hide in their crates when I start it. I’ve taken to wearing ear protection when running it. Yes, I vacuum the house with my gun range head set on. Have you ever answered a door while wearing those things? I have. It is somewhat disconcerting to people.
Yesterday I ordered a new vacuum. I want a clean house without having to go deaf in the process. I didn’t want another bag less vacuum. I’m tired of choking on dust, dog hair, and dander when I empty it. It also takes filters that cost an arm and a leg if you can find them. I don’t think I can spare the body parts. My vacuum is heavy and awkward. It’s like wrestling with an elephant on wheels with flat tires.
Another thing, it takes forever to suck up dirt and it never gets it all. A work out on wheels that sucks, or rather, doesn’t suck enough isn’t my idea of fun.
The vacuum I ordered is lightweight. I hope it’s quieter than my old one although that should be easy since a 747 landing in my yard would be quieter than the old vacuum.
Posted in Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, it doesn't suck, it sucks, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, the vacuum from hell, Writer, Writing
Grab a bucket
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I could tell we had rain before I looked out a window, water was drip, drip, dripping in the upstairs hall. I strategically placed a bucket under the leak and dried the floor. I hate this house. We’ve had a constant parade of roofers up on that flat roof during the thirty seven years we’ve owned this house. I couldn’t believe it when we actually had two years without the leak after the last roofer was up there. I guess we’ll call him again.
One of these days, we might even get the leak in the basement to go away. We’re close, it only leaks a little now when we have a considerable amount of rain, like today.
There’s another reason why I hate this house. We bought the house from DH’s parents. No matter how much I change it, it will always be his parent’s house. (Not to mention the leaky roof and basement.)
Never buy a house from an in law or an out law for that matter. The first week after we moved in, we found we had a major termite infestation that WE had to take care of because they wouldn’t. That winter the furnace went out in a blaze of glory and smoked the basement on the coldest day of the year and it was a Sunday. I dare you to try to get that fixed quickly. Then the water heater died. No one mentioned the leaks before we bought the place. Did I mention that I hate this house?
Posted in Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Going postal over online banking
Posted by doggonedmysteries
My bank is driving me crazy. For the longest time I had set it up so I could pay certain bills online. I’ve been doing it for a long time. Now suddenly when I went to do this tonight, they said I didn’t have those accounts set up. When did they change it? Why wasn’t I told about it?
Frustrated, I jumped through their hoops and tried to set it up again. After wasting a couple of hours—yes I said hours. I still was unable to pay the bill I wanted to pay. Every time I tried, they gave me a present—an error message. Grrrr.
Well for cripes sake in the time it took me to jump through all those hoops I could’ve written out dozens of checks. Which I did anyway for the bill I wanted to pay because the stupid system wasn’t letting me make the payment online.
Of course, it’s the wee hours of Monday morning so I can’t ask them why. Nor can I ask them what happened to what I’d had set up and been using. Maybe the postal service complained to the banks and they decided to glitch everything so we’d have to mail our payments in.
Posted in Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, bills, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Update on MIL’s latest hospital stay
Posted by doggonedmysteries
DH’s mother is out of the hospital and in another rehab hospital. This one has a ranking of five stars in all categories. They tell us she should be able to go home in less than two weeks. She will be happy to be home, her dog will be happy she’s home, and we will be happy too.
She only suffered a minor bump on her head when she fell, and she fell because of an infection. The infection made her dizzy. They are treating her infection and keeping her until her strength returns. DH goes to see her every morning and talks to her on the phone in the evening.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Healthcare, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Novel writing, Writer
Goliath wanted squab for dinner.
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know all about Goliath. For those of you who haven’t, Goliath is one of the four bullfrogs who live in our pond. You can tell which one he is because he makes the other three look tiny. There are a couple of pictures of him on ‘our garden and pond’ page.
Goliath spent last summer begging worms off me. (Actually, he stalked me for the worms that I dug up for the Koi.) Like a fool, I spoiled him by giving them to him. For the past week, we’ve had some nice weather but not too many insects around which means the frogs are ravenous.
I was sitting out on the back steps enjoying the birdsongs and the sounds of the fountains and waterfall. Two mourning doves sat on a wire above the yard. A robin was busy taking a bath in the little pool at the top of the waterfall. When he finished the two doves flew down to stroll around the pond. They patrolled once around, a second time, and on the third lap, I heard a loud splash. The doves flew up from the far side of the pond both were in a panic.
Curious I walked over to the edge of the pond and there sat Goliath on top of a lily pad pot. A couple tan tail feathers protruded from his mouth. If ever a frog could, he had a ‘rats, foiled again’ look on his face.
Posted in Misc, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
What’s black and white and smells bad?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Or, where’s Billy the exterminator when you need him? Have you seen that program? He’s a hoot.
I should’ve known there was a problem outside when Gavin stood at the back door sniffing at it like crazy. As soon as I opened it, he began to bark and the hair on his back stood on end. A single sniff on my part revealed the problem, at which point I decided that neither dog needed to go outside. Somewhere out in the night our odiferous visitor was lurking. Yes, the skunk is back.
A couple of years ago they’d dug under G’s kitchen to nest. It was not a very pleasant thing when they let loose under there and stunk up the entire house on more than one occasion. Then her DH redid their deck. When he had it torn up, he put heavy duty weld wire all around the foundation of the house. The skunk moved down the street.
We hoped that the skunk had gone to play in the traffic and left our neighborhood permanently. Nope, no such luck. Heeeee’s baaaack.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Another year older…
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Yes, it’s my birthday today. Where does the time go? Holy mackerel! I’m another year older, but it seems, no wiser. If I were a wise person, would I still be doing this?
Of course, I kid. I love this blog. I’ve met so many wonderful people through it. Many of whom have become like family to me. And heaven knows that I sure can use some more ‘friendly’ family. Can’t we all?
My dear, dear Aunties sent me the usual birthday cards with chatty notes—I love those gals. G brought over a card. My long time AOL chat friend Jim Messenger sent me a happy birthday E-mail and so did Dave. Chuckles, my treasured old friend, called me to wish me a happy birthday last night. Elena called me the other night, we spent a long time on the phone, and she wished me a happy birthday. The birthday wishes keep rolling in.
**I think I’d better mention the great E-birthday card I got from my agent this evening.**
All I can say is that I love you all and I hope to continue my drive down Abby Normal Road to Crazy Town for another 56 or there about years.
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day everyone!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Posted in My blog
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Just when we think things are looking up…
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Splat! Another disaster hits. DH’s mother is back in the hospital. I may or may not be posting over the next week. I hope I will but that all depends on how much rest we get around here. Knowing his mother and Aunt, we won’t get much.
His Aunt phoned us about twenty times today. We got a little tired of telling her we had no news and probably won’t have any until tomorrow afternoon. (That would be later today, since I am typing this at 1:30 a.m.)
So much for having any time to get things done, we needed to do this week. It looks like we’ll be rushing around again. A list, I need to make a list…
Posted in Misc, MS related, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Healthcare, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
The trespasser
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Gavin and Patty jockeyed for the best position at the kitchen window. They wanted to see and bark at the dark stranger in the yard. He ignored them.
Gavin barked, “My yard!”
Patty yodeled, “Get out. You don’t belong there.”
Gavin ran to the back door and rang the sleigh bells like a street corner Santa on speed. “Let me at him.”
Patty leapt upon the radiator. “Why I oughta…”
“Quiet you two. Enough!” I dragged Patty off the radiator and backed Gavin away from the bells. “One more peep out of you and you’ll kennel up until you cool down.”
DH yelled down the stairs, “What the heck is with them?”
“Woo, Woo, Woof!”
“That’s it. Kennels.”
They retreated to their crates and I closed the doors behind them. Then I went to the bottom of the stairs to thank DH for the ruckus.
“You had to mention there was a big old crow in the yard using words they know didn’t you?”
“What?”
“You said, ‘look, outside, and yard’ and you used an excited tone. They ran to look outside and saw the damned crow.”
“Oh. Sorry about that.”
{Sigh} Is there such a thing as a quiet day?
Posted in Dog related, Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
A salon day—just what the doctor ordered
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The way things were going this week, I thought I’d have to cancel my hair appointment. However, DH was feeling much better today, still a little off balance but up and walking. He woke me this morning before my alarm went off to remind me I had a hair appointment at noon.
I blearily wandered downstairs to find a cup of coffee all poured and ready for me. He’d even turned my computer on for me to start my normal daily routine. He’s such a dear, dear man.
If only the weather had been more cooperative. We had rain, lots of rain and wind gusts of 30 mph. Fifteen minutes before my appointment, I dashed out the door to my car. An hour later I returned home refreshed, relaxed, and with shorter hair.
DH loved my hair. The dogs had been angels for him. My stress level had dropped to minimum and had the sun been out it would’ve been a perfect day.
They say we’ll have sun by Tuesday. I hope so because if the rain continues beyond that, we’ll have to build a freaking ark.
Posted in Misc, MS related, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
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