Son_of_Perdition
Senior Member
Can't seem to muster up the courage, she will probably outlive me. I tolerate her, we do have any understanding. I don't clean up after her but she'll be history if I get up in the night & locate one of those piles.
Never thought retirement would be like this
- Thread starter NancyNGA
- Start date
Son, I'm old enough to remember when dogs and cats weren't considered "pets," at least by most, in our circle of friends and relatives. Back then you might have a hunting dog, kept tied to a dog house out back most of the time, and a bunch of cats, who just hung around outside and ran off mice and such. You threw out table scraps for them and that was about it.
I have never chosen a cat. They just show up at my door. There have been long gaps when I haven't had one. But I'll have to say my current cat is the best one I've had. She is no trouble at all. She's short haired, and I don't think they shed all year 'round like long haired ones, she has never coughed up a hairball so far in 9 years. She was abandoned very young, and had been chased a lot by the neighbors trying to catch her, so she has issues about not wanting you to walk toward her, say, to pick her up, but she'll come when called, and crawl up on top of you, as long as you are sitting or lying down. She's been good company.
So I guess you could say I'm in between. If I liked to travel, there is no way I would have a pet. No way I'd have an indoor/outdoor pet ever again, because of the fleas, and coming home injured. Fleas are really bad down here in the warm humid climate.
I have never chosen a cat. They just show up at my door. There have been long gaps when I haven't had one. But I'll have to say my current cat is the best one I've had. She is no trouble at all. She's short haired, and I don't think they shed all year 'round like long haired ones, she has never coughed up a hairball so far in 9 years. She was abandoned very young, and had been chased a lot by the neighbors trying to catch her, so she has issues about not wanting you to walk toward her, say, to pick her up, but she'll come when called, and crawl up on top of you, as long as you are sitting or lying down. She's been good company.
So I guess you could say I'm in between. If I liked to travel, there is no way I would have a pet. No way I'd have an indoor/outdoor pet ever again, because of the fleas, and coming home injured. Fleas are really bad down here in the warm humid climate.
Lawn mower decision made. Putting it in writing so I won't back out!
No self-propelled mower for in town. I think it's tougher this year because it has rained so much the grass is always too high, it is more healthy and thicker than it's ever been, and the wheels on that mower are small. Self-propelled mowers are heavier, more difficult to back up, and maneuver around things. There are oodles of things to maneuver around in the back yard.
But the main reason is, it won't kill me to struggle mowing the lawn once a week. I've watched friends and relatives slow down too early, imo. I can tell a big difference going up the steps already just pushing that thing around the back lawn 2-3 times (in a near horizontal pushing position
).
OTOH, I'm thinking of getting one for out in the country. Rear wheel drive. Google maps calculator says the lawn out there is only 1/2 acre. But it is so chopped up a riding mower is inefficient and takes forever. I can hand mow it down to a neat rectangle and finish it with the riding mower. This will be a step in the right direction---adding more exercise, not taking it away. There is no way I could go to a gym and get that much strength workout in such a short time. I'll try it for the rest of this year anyway, and see how it goes.
No self-propelled mower for in town. I think it's tougher this year because it has rained so much the grass is always too high, it is more healthy and thicker than it's ever been, and the wheels on that mower are small. Self-propelled mowers are heavier, more difficult to back up, and maneuver around things. There are oodles of things to maneuver around in the back yard.
But the main reason is, it won't kill me to struggle mowing the lawn once a week. I've watched friends and relatives slow down too early, imo. I can tell a big difference going up the steps already just pushing that thing around the back lawn 2-3 times (in a near horizontal pushing position
). OTOH, I'm thinking of getting one for out in the country. Rear wheel drive. Google maps calculator says the lawn out there is only 1/2 acre. But it is so chopped up a riding mower is inefficient and takes forever. I can hand mow it down to a neat rectangle and finish it with the riding mower. This will be a step in the right direction---adding more exercise, not taking it away. There is no way I could go to a gym and get that much strength workout in such a short time. I'll try it for the rest of this year anyway, and see how it goes.
Meanderer
Supreme Member
Nancy, your decision on the mowers reminded me of The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse, an Aesop Fable.
That's nice Meanderer. Thank you.
Hard to believe someone can over-analyze lawn mowing, isn't it.
Elsie
Senior Member
Years ago, my then 9 year old son had a teacher whom had the gall to send home with him one of her litter of kittens--(he carried the little thing home in a humongous box. My son was so excited to show it to me, "Look mom, we have a kitten." (like yeah, fine, how great, we'll keep it.) Of course I couldn't disappoint him and we kept it, but I wanted to smash that teacher.
It used the back of my old cloth-type chair as a scratch post. And being on welfare because of my Essential Tremor shaking, I could not afford kitty litter so filled its litter box with torn to pieces of newspaper. Bad idea.
The cat once brought into the apt. a sparrow it caught. I did not appreciate the 'gift' (lol), so my kids & I chased the cat with bird in its mouth, outside.
Cat poop odor spread through out my apt. from its (often changed torn newspaper) litter box and into the apt. adjacent to mine. I hadn't known it would spread that far & received notice to get rid of the cat. Broke my heart & my childrens', but we had to take the poor thing to an animal shelter.
I love animals of many kinds, but can't afford the expense of caring for one.
It used the back of my old cloth-type chair as a scratch post. And being on welfare because of my Essential Tremor shaking, I could not afford kitty litter so filled its litter box with torn to pieces of newspaper. Bad idea.
The cat once brought into the apt. a sparrow it caught. I did not appreciate the 'gift' (lol), so my kids & I chased the cat with bird in its mouth, outside.
Cat poop odor spread through out my apt. from its (often changed torn newspaper) litter box and into the apt. adjacent to mine. I hadn't known it would spread that far & received notice to get rid of the cat. Broke my heart & my childrens', but we had to take the poor thing to an animal shelter.
I love animals of many kinds, but can't afford the expense of caring for one.
Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
That is totally understandable.
:lol:
Meanderer, whoever made that video knows cats well. Goats have very similar personalities to cats in that sense. My cat will walk all over me if I sleep *too* long past normal wake up time. I just call her "Little One." I'm terrible about picking names. To get her to come I just say, "Where are you?" But if we are playing hide and seek, she'll only let out a whimper, just loud enough to give me a hint where she's hiding.
The front lawn is mowed and string trimmed. Very wet with dew. Since I'm covered with grass clippings anyway, might as well continue with more yard work today, unless it rains.
2:16: De-vined the holly hedge. One hour. Temp is only 85F, but the "real feel," whatever that is, is 104F. It's like a steam bath out there.
3:45: Finished weeding the new hedge on the neighbor's side. One hour.
6:45: Mowed half of back lawn, raked driveway leaves, loaded truck with vines, then a strong thunderstorm around 6pm. Yardwork is over! Almost got finished.
Meanderer, whoever made that video knows cats well. Goats have very similar personalities to cats in that sense. My cat will walk all over me if I sleep *too* long past normal wake up time. I just call her "Little One." I'm terrible about picking names.
To get her to come I just say, "Where are you?" But if we are playing hide and seek, she'll only let out a whimper, just loud enough to give me a hint where she's hiding.The front lawn is mowed and string trimmed. Very wet with dew.
Since I'm covered with grass clippings anyway, might as well continue with more yard work today, unless it rains.2:16: De-vined the holly hedge. One hour. Temp is only 85F, but the "real feel," whatever that is, is 104F. It's like a steam bath out there.
3:45: Finished weeding the new hedge on the neighbor's side. One hour.
6:45: Mowed half of back lawn, raked driveway leaves, loaded truck with vines, then a strong thunderstorm around 6pm. Yardwork is over! Almost got finished.
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Headed out to the farm this afternoon with only one job planned---mow the lawn. The sun was shining when I started. Half way done, this happened:
Now I have two half mowed lawns. Not asking for much---just to catch up, not get ahead or anything. This is starting to get a little old.
Now I have two half mowed lawns. Not asking for much---just to catch up, not get ahead or anything. This is starting to get a little old.
Nancy, you got a great deal accomplished despite the high humidity! Last summer we could not get any rain and this summer has been nothing but rain! We mowed last Wednesday and it needs it again now!
Had a breach on our checking account last week. I hardly ever write checks anymore but decided to mail a check to the cardio doctor for Mike's copay on his last visit that we got an invoice in the mail. Well, I kept checking and noticed that after 3 weeks, the check had never cleared. Noticed a debit from Target for $79.99 last Wednesday and we had not been there. I check my accounts online twice a day (morning and evening). I called the 800 number for the bank and they determined it was a conversion check (where you give a check at the checkout and it runs through the little machine). Because it was late in the evening when I caught it, they told me to go to my branch the next day. Well, when I checked the account that next morning, there was a check for $445.13 that had cleared and I knew it was not ours. I was able to print it off and it had our bank's routing number and our account number but the logo was a different bank and the person's name and address was listed from Alabama! It was cashed at a Western Union in a Publix Store in Mid Town Atlanta. Our bank had to close that account (which is our main checking account) and open a new account. They are disputing it as counterfeit. I just have a "gut" feeling that someone at that billing office got our routing and account number and "washed" a check. Anyway, what a headache....all my bills that I pay on line have to be updated with the new account information. And the 30 minute wait on the phone with Social Security to have the automatic deposit account changed was a huge pain! Just a reminder to anyone to be very careful if you mail a check. Always go online and pay by credit/debit card.
Had a breach on our checking account last week. I hardly ever write checks anymore but decided to mail a check to the cardio doctor for Mike's copay on his last visit that we got an invoice in the mail. Well, I kept checking and noticed that after 3 weeks, the check had never cleared. Noticed a debit from Target for $79.99 last Wednesday and we had not been there. I check my accounts online twice a day (morning and evening). I called the 800 number for the bank and they determined it was a conversion check (where you give a check at the checkout and it runs through the little machine). Because it was late in the evening when I caught it, they told me to go to my branch the next day. Well, when I checked the account that next morning, there was a check for $445.13 that had cleared and I knew it was not ours. I was able to print it off and it had our bank's routing number and our account number but the logo was a different bank and the person's name and address was listed from Alabama! It was cashed at a Western Union in a Publix Store in Mid Town Atlanta. Our bank had to close that account (which is our main checking account) and open a new account. They are disputing it as counterfeit. I just have a "gut" feeling that someone at that billing office got our routing and account number and "washed" a check. Anyway, what a headache....all my bills that I pay on line have to be updated with the new account information. And the 30 minute wait on the phone with Social Security to have the automatic deposit account changed was a huge pain! Just a reminder to anyone to be very careful if you mail a check. Always go online and pay by credit/debit card.
Oh wow, what a mess that must be, maggiemae! Takes days out of your life to get everything straight, I'll bet. I've often thought about how much trouble it would be just to change banks now, so I hope it never has to happen.
The only trouble I've ever had was with an HSBC Master Card. HSBC sent offers to join two different clubs, each with monthly fees. All you had to do was sign slips of paper that looked like checks and return them. I ignored it. Pretty soon the charges showed up on my account. They sent me a copy of 1 of those two papers, but not the other one. It was my handwriting, but it only had my first and last name. I ALWAYS sign checks with my middle initial. I don't know how or where they got that signature. Probably the 2nd one would have shown a perfect copy of the same signature. They settled everything, eventually, and soon afterward HSBC was bought out by Capital One. That has been a good cash back card.
And I know about the 30 minute wait on SS. Went through that once and at the 30 minute mark I was cut off. Try your local SS office. I got right through to them and they could handle everything, but I forgot what it was I was trying to do now. Ha!
Tomorrow, maybe I can finish the half lawn in town, then Tuesday, at the farm... IF IT DOESN'T RAIN. There is too much dew on the grass to mow in the mornings here. I also have to do the annual fence spraying. Then I'll be caught up. I hope.
The only trouble I've ever had was with an HSBC Master Card. HSBC sent offers to join two different clubs, each with monthly fees. All you had to do was sign slips of paper that looked like checks and return them. I ignored it. Pretty soon the charges showed up on my account. They sent me a copy of 1 of those two papers, but not the other one. It was my handwriting, but it only had my first and last name. I ALWAYS sign checks with my middle initial. I don't know how or where they got that signature. Probably the 2nd one would have shown a perfect copy of the same signature. They settled everything, eventually, and soon afterward HSBC was bought out by Capital One. That has been a good cash back card.
And I know about the 30 minute wait on SS. Went through that once and at the 30 minute mark I was cut off. Try your local SS office. I got right through to them and they could handle everything, but I forgot what it was I was trying to do now. Ha!
Tomorrow, maybe I can finish the half lawn in town, then Tuesday, at the farm... IF IT DOESN'T RAIN. There is too much dew on the grass to mow in the mornings here. I also have to do the annual fence spraying. Then I'll be caught up. I hope.
In spite of a sprinkle at 8:30am, combined with heavy dew, and a hard rain at 1:00 pm, the lawn mowing in town still got finished by 6pm last night. So there! Fifty percent chance today. If this pattern keeps up, I might get in shape by the end of the summer.
:hatlaugh:
:hatlaugh:
Maggiemae....I stopped by Home Depot on the way out to the farm this afternoon and got the Honda lawn mower, self-propelled, RearWD.
Of course it rained on the way out thererolleyes, but I just *had* to try it anyway. IT IS SO COOL!!! No bulb primer! Larger wheels. Started on just one pitifully weak pull! And I like that you can adjust the front and back wheel heights separately. Like you said, it will go way fast, and cuts weeds that stick up really high. The riding mower is bad about not cutting those.
I also hate it when people write reviews as soon as they take something out of the box. Ha!
Thanks for the recommendation. I think I'm going to like it.
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ps. Broadband service is out again. I'm on WiFi hotspot through the cell phone, using up data like crazy. Better get off now until it comes back up.
Of course it rained on the way out there
rolleyes, but I just *had* to try it anyway. IT IS SO COOL!!! No bulb primer! Larger wheels. Started on just one pitifully weak pull! And I like that you can adjust the front and back wheel heights separately. Like you said, it will go way fast, and cuts weeds that stick up really high. The riding mower is bad about not cutting those. I also hate it when people write reviews as soon as they take something out of the box. Ha!
Thanks for the recommendation. I think I'm going to like it.
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ps. Broadband service is out again. I'm on WiFi hotspot through the cell phone, using up data like crazy. Better get off now until it comes back up.
I found a website that published our high school yearbook. This is my cousin (seated) and me---the picture of the yearbook committee extending over the fold. Poor guy on the left got hidden in the fold. She is only 4 months younger, but we ended up in different grades. This is one of only about 3 pictures of us together, ever. There was one, when we were 4 years old, with her 3 yo sister, but it is missing. I'm afraid it got thrown away. I remember when *that* one was taken, but not this one.
I do still remember the day she burst in the room, where some of us were having a meeting, to tell us Kennedy got shot. It was around 2pm. We had one class left---American Government. There was also a picture of me holding our American Government textbook.
This is my cousin (seated) and me---the picture of the yearbook committee extending over the fold. Poor guy on the left got hidden in the fold. She is only 4 months younger, but we ended up in different grades. This is one of only about 3 pictures of us together, ever. There was one, when we were 4 years old, with her 3 yo sister, but it is missing. I'm afraid it got thrown away. I remember when *that* one was taken, but not this one. I do still remember the day she burst in the room, where some of us were having a meeting, to tell us Kennedy got shot. It was around 2pm. We had one class left---American Government. There was also a picture of me holding our American Government textbook.
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As late as this morning, the chance of rain was at most 15% all day. Doesn't get much lower than that in the summer in the south. Two laps trimming around the house with the new mower, big black cloud pops up, then pouring rain! This is getting so old! No rain in town, but 60% chance tomorrow.
DSL has been mostly down for the last 36 hours because of this. With cell phone as a hot spot, I'll probably use up my data minutes for the month tonight. From here on it's almost one GByte, or $10, per day if I stay online the usual amount of time. Usually it comes back on as soon as the dew burns off and things dry out, about mid day.
Guess I really should think about changing something, but I'm so clueless about options for internet service. I don't eat out, or waste a lot of money on small things, so I could afford $10 now and then, but it will probably only get worse. DSL service is not regulated like telephone service, so companies like AT&T are not too keen on tracking down shorts in ancient phone lines and replacing them.
And this reminds me of checking the electric fence. The perimeter fence was down today, so I switched to the inner fence and got 7500 volts! The switches came in handy today because of the rain, and because the EZ-GO is acting up. Occasionally it won't GO---and then it does. If I take it out checking the fence and it stops running for good, it will be difficult to tow back, without someone to steer it. Would I need a bar, instead of a chain, for going down hills?
If things would just dry out I might catch up, and start solving the new problems. Ha!
DSL has been mostly down for the last 36 hours because of this. With cell phone as a hot spot, I'll probably use up my data minutes for the month tonight. From here on it's almost one GByte, or $10, per day if I stay online the usual amount of time. Usually it comes back on as soon as the dew burns off and things dry out, about mid day.
Guess I really should think about changing something, but I'm so clueless about options for internet service. I don't eat out, or waste a lot of money on small things, so I could afford $10 now and then, but it will probably only get worse. DSL service is not regulated like telephone service, so companies like AT&T are not too keen on tracking down shorts in ancient phone lines and replacing them.
And this reminds me of checking the electric fence.
The perimeter fence was down today, so I switched to the inner fence and got 7500 volts! The switches came in handy today because of the rain, and because the EZ-GO is acting up. Occasionally it won't GO---and then it does. If I take it out checking the fence and it stops running for good, it will be difficult to tow back, without someone to steer it. Would I need a bar, instead of a chain, for going down hills? If things would just dry out I might catch up, and start solving the new problems. Ha!
Cable service is out of the question. Too many complaints around here about it. Fiber optics is not available in my neighborhood. My phone is only 2"x4.5" so it fits in any pocket when you're out in the woods. I hate the way touch screens operate! Unlimited data plans run $100/month and claim they slow down after so much use, anyway.
Maybe this is what I need. With something larger than a smartphone, like a tablet, or netbook. Some articles say an Android OS is more efficient accessing the intenet???
The other option might be a laptop, but I don't understand how they operate. Would you need a separate data plan from the cell phone service?
These are just a few of the things I've got to sort out. Of course by 3pm DSL will probably be back up, and I can put off thinking about it...until it rains again.
Maybe this is what I need. With something larger than a smartphone, like a tablet, or netbook. Some articles say an Android OS is more efficient accessing the intenet???
The other option might be a laptop, but I don't understand how they operate. Would you need a separate data plan from the cell phone service?
These are just a few of the things I've got to sort out. Of course by 3pm DSL will probably be back up, and I can put off thinking about it...until it rains again.