ORVG COFFEE HOUSE #157- Countdown to the 4th

We came from here....
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1001449/

Last Thread was getting a little long.

Sue glad you made it home OK.

We stopped by Petsmart and picked up 3 dozen goldfish to do a little mosquito control in the ponds.
Plopped them in and plopped down and read for a few hours.
Well did a bit of the Iced Cream too.
It's good to just enjoy a Day.

Tomorrow we'll work on finishing the outside of the Sewing Room.
The Newport Garden Walk is 15 bucks each and..........

Lovely Day spent w/ the Lovely Ladies

You ladies look so cool, but probably not!! I looked at our thermometer one time this afternoon, and it was 103. We have one of those outside stations that transmits to an indoor unit, and it has been proving accurate against the other thermometer.

I did get in the pool and clean it this afternoon, and it was so refreshing. I will probably spend some time out there tomorrow. Seems it is gonna be just as hot as today.

We went out to eat, and made a stop by Walmart to get some dog food. So just checking a couple of other threads, and then I am off to bed.

Great pic Ric..of the girls!! Glad you all had a good time!
I want you all to know...I walked twelve blocks today..at the outdoor antique show in Tipp City.!! I am proud of myself!!! And tonight...my legs are TIRED!!!! LOL. But I will be fine in the morning!
Huggs...nite all!!!

Wow Marcy, no little feat. Care to take my left big toe and give it a workout so that I can get back into my walking exercises?

Sounds like Josie has a festival of intestinal parasites, holy cow! Giardia can be hard to clear up, too...as you already know.

Speaking as the puppy class teacher, I hate "piddle pads". What makes dogs housebreakable is that they're den animals, with an innate instinct not to soil their den. Piddle pads, newspapers, etc. break that inhibition, and you can still teach them by positive reinforcement to urinate/defecate outside, but it seems to take longer to become reliable. I think taking the pads outside is a good transition, but if she is over 2 months of age, I wouldn't put them down in the house. I'd just take her outside every 15 minutes, and use food rewards when she produces even a drop of urine.

I texted back and forth with Stella's foster mom and she said ever since she was a tiny puppy of 6 weeks, she'd hold everything for many hours, then go in the house. She said she should have worked on crate training her more, but since her first several weeks were spent in crates, she didn't want anything to do with them. Thus the foster using piddle pads since Stella would hold it for a whole day (!!) and then just do a massive flood in the house. That puppy has a cast-iron bladder already!

Last night, she spent an hour just lying on the ground playing, when I knew she must need to go. So, back into the crate she went and I left her in the bathroom with Sarah while I took Emma on a ride with me when I went to get a sandwich for dinner. When I got back, I took all the dogs out and Stella did both within minutes. When Howie got home around midnight, he took them out and she peed. First thing this morning, she did likewise when I took her out. Right after feeding her, I took her out and wouldn't let her sit or lie down until she pooped.

My mistake has been letting her get away with lying down and playing before she gets down to business! LOL It's great she can hold it so long at such a young age, at least.

This picture was taken at the dog park, when we first met her Wednesday. She lets anyone hold her on her back, really laid-back and trusting little pup.

Kimberly, sounds like Stella's training is going well. I have trained them as early as 5-6- weeks. It takes a lot of dedication, like taking them out every 20-30 minutes all during the day. It really doesn't take them long to get the hang of things.

Back from church, ate lunch, and cleaned the kitchen, and I am thinking about a little nap, then out to the pool. Wish I could doze in the sun, but I can't. I will take a book out and do some reading.

Went to the local Library Book Sale.
5 Dollars for a You-Pick brown grocery bag of books.
We bought 4 bags......
Then they had the local HS football team loading.
GREAT Deal!

Just finished watering the Brugs.
In full sun they are drinking a TON!
But we have 3 blooms open on one.
WAY ahead of last year.

Green Beans 'Tenderette' are in full flower.
Won't be long now.
We have 'Patio' Tomatoes just about ready to turn.
Robyn can't wait!

Going out to work on the shingles a bit.
Ric

Neener, neener, Ric, we had our first ripe tomato with lunch. Sliced tomato on a grilled burger, can you say yum?

My Patio tomatoes are getting close, too. The other day, I thought I had some red ones when I looked out the bedroom window at them, but it turns out I was seeing the red hollyhock blooming behind them. Just enough red was peeking through the tomatoes, it looked like ripe fruit. Teases!

Well I guess if we had underage migrating weeders we might be further along too....LOL!

Congratulations!

Any ID Ideas?

Ric

Is that a shrub, Ric? The foliage looks like honeysuckle a little, but that's where the resemblance ends!

Didn't appear to be a shrub.
More Zinnia in look.
I'll have to see if I have another shot somewhere.

ric

I am sooooooo jealous.....I want a tomato.....

Ric is wrong, the underage migrant weeder had nothing to do with the tomato. Have several more that will be ready in a couple of days.

I am always pleased when I get a ripe tomato before the 4th of July.

Thought some of you would be interested to know, I am making pickled beets today, so far about 15 pints. Want to come and taste test?

Oh, love pickled beets!

Quick question guys: My next door neighbor had a huge oak tree come crashing down in her yard during the storm last week. The neighbor whose tree it was is paying to have the tree cut up and removed, but they're going to need a pretty hefty truck to get back there. Because of the location of some other trees, they think the truck should go over an existing hedge of peonies. She is wondering if she should cut them down today to prevent damage from the truck. Will they be able to come back next year if she scalps them today?
Thanks for any advice!
Pat

Pat, the truck will just mash down the foliage, and of course the foliage is where the bulbs/rizomes get the nutrients it needs for blooms next year. It will probably unsightly, but if I were in that situation, I would leave the foliage, and just try to ignore the mess, until later, say September,when she can cut the foliage down. The longer it stays green the better the blooms for next year. However, if it is in an area where it would be too unsightly, she can go ahead and cut the foliage, and just hope that it won't affect the blooms. As long as the bulbs/rizomes are not disturbed/damaged, she will still have blooms, maybe diminished.

If the Trucks going over I'd just live w/ it.
If the Tires are going over them they will be toast.
You would need to lift them or cover w/ 3/4 plywood at least.
If lifted go DEEP and flip the whole clump.
They 'may' bloom next year.

Nice of the tree owner to pay.
In Ohio they don't have to unless the tree has been confirmed a hazard.

Ric

Thanks for the advice, folks. What happens with the peonies probably depends on when the truck gets here. I fell asleep early, so now I'm irritatingly awake! I'll probably fall back asleep at 5 & sleep through the truck coming at 7 or something.
It is nice of the owners, Ric, to get the tree taken care of, but just practical, too. It's absolutely enormous, I'd guess it was a minimum of 35 feet, and it took out the fence between the 2 properties. The peony owners who have inherited the downed tree are the people whose pear tree attacked my house last year during the September hurricane, and they paid for the tree removal then. I had the fence with a different neighbor repaired when a falling white pine branch knocked it down.

However, the neighbor on the other side let me know Sunday that the grasses by the driveway were hanging over her property!!! I told her to feel free to cut whatever was hanging over, but she said, Oh, no, why should I have to do the work if they're your plants.
GGGRRRRRR. But I trimmed the grasses on her side & they look pretty dippy. Next week she'll be complaining abt something else. I only put the grasses there to begin with because she had previous fitts abt my lawn mowing guy blowing grass onto her property. Then they put lanscape timbers down (this is like a 3 foot strip between the driveways) which meant that we couldn't mow very easily on our side, then they put a couple inches of stone down---- it's just ridiculous. I thought she might appreciate the grasses, since then she wouldn't have to look over atdriveway & complain abt how bad the blacktop looks. This is the house with the Welcome Friends/ No Trespassing signs at the front.

Ric, that is an awfully nice bunch of big leaf plants there. Are any of these survivors of the hailstorm? And did you ever figure out what your little red & yellow volunteer is?

Pat

Puppy. Killing. Me.

That is all. LOL

GW, let me know if you want to bring him to my clicker training class :)

Celene - I didn't know you do clicker! I am trying it. I would love to meet with you and just have a general talk about it. Since I hope to train Josie for a service dog, I have joined several Yahoo clicker service dog training groups. I have books, watched video etc but - I am having a problem transitioning MY thinking from the obedience training I know to this new way. I stopped a month or so back for fear of screwing Josie up. D-mail me if your interested in talking about it. Unless your class is on the weekend, can't make it. I am not sure I need a whole class- I just need pointed off in the right direction. One of my best training traits was my "timing" so clicker should work well for me.

Ok back to my job--- we are really busy!! Maybe things are starting to turn around a little?? If companies are starting to print and advertise, that's usually a first, baby step we see.

It'd be too much of a drive, otherwise, I'd be willing.

They have started call backs here at work, 2 so far.
I was last on so I'm sure I'll be last back but as Jules said it's a start.

The north side shaking is done.
Tomorrow it's trim if the rain holds off till afternoon as predicted.

Ric

I have been busy all day. First I worked in the daylily beds today. I think I am almost caught up with the blooming ones, still have some several mid, late to look at. The tags were a mess. Then had a run to the post office and bank, and this afternoon, DGD did some babysitting. I was here in case she needed adult supervision, but all went well.

DH went to a horse pull in North Vernon, Indiana with his DB, I took DGD and a friend to the fair. Friend's sister is there to supervise them. Tonight I dedicated to writing my segment of the Homestead story. Been a hectic day.

Ric, I've been reading a book abt the author's travels in the islands of the South Pacific, & then I see your pictures & think you should just go ahead & declare yourself as a sovereign nation-- you've already got the decor! I love the skyline chili seats, but I really love the operating room # 2 station you've got. Wonder if it's from MIddletown?

Bonnie, sounds like you've been busy, per usual. Are you feeling better? And what is the Homestead story? Sounds intriguing.

I saw the oncologist for my once a year check-up Monday & got good news on the cancer front-- that is, nothing new. I still have to wait a week for the tumor markers, but all the other blood work came out as expected. Yay! What was a little wierd was that they've moved the oncology clinic up to the floor that used to be the oncology inpatient unit. The rooms have laminar flow units that keep positive air pressure in the rooms &, in theory, foreign germs outside the door. And that is just where I was after my first month of chemo when my blood counts bottomed out & all of a sudden I had a fever over 104 & pneumonia. It was 16 years ago, almost to the day. A little freaky... but also a LOT of gratitude.

I've got some great daylilies blooming right now. Try & get some pictures tomorrow if it doesn't rain too much.
CHeers to everyone!
Pat

Pat, go to Parking Lot forum, and there is a write robin story thread. The way it works is that one person writes a chapter to a story and the next person that follows continues the story. The current story is tittled Homestead. I think it is good. There are 5 writers on this story.

This is grocery/errand day, and I start PT this afternoon.

The only way I keep going somedays is with pain pills. Some days I feel good, others if it wasn't for the pain pills, I couldn't do much.

Actually Pat we've been thinking about it.
A guy we knew on GW, who Marcy just reminded me about, is Boca Joe Simone.
He calls his place in MD Boca Cay.

Cool if the #2 Station was from there eh?
I'll check next time we're there at Building Values.
I just wish they had more of them.

GREAT News on the Big C!

Bonnie good luck on the PT!
Hope it helps you.
We are finally getting beans after a week of flowers.
Tenderette does seem to produce and set way more per plant.

Drizzly here.
Off to Lowes.

Ric

Good morning everyone!
Bonnie....good luck on the PT! Hope it brings relief!
Pat...good news on the big C with you!! Glad to hear it!
Not so good news here. I have to have two teeth pulled this coming Monday. It is actually a bridge with a fake tooth in between. Then I have to have a partial made two weeks later. It will be visible..but not too bad I guess.
The bad news is this. Our dental insurance has ended..as of today. I realize we have been very fortunate to have it all these years...but what a time for it to end!
Having to go to an oral surgeon to have teeth pulled...and then having a partial made...comes to..........about 1600 dollars all told. Geesh!
And then there is the eye dr next Tuesday of course!
Oh well...nothing I can do about it.
I am still having the bad tickle in my throat....still taking the Rx cough syrup...did I mention how nasty it is???? Also using the nasal spray...and taking the allergy pill. Thing is..it all wears off too soon to take more? So I eat cough drops!
Other than all that...we are fine here...LOL!
Been working outside...still planting stuff! But almost have it under control. Garden should look pretty nice by the end of the summer...LOL!
Hope you all are having a good day out there.!!
They are calling for showers here...but they seem to be bypassing us! Right now..I see watery sunshine out the window!! Only 65* though. Nice for working outside!

Ric, I recommend the Republic of Ric & Robyn, aka the Republic of R&R.

Marcy, I feel for you! Both on the dental insurance running out one week before you REALLY need it, and in taking one medicine which might have 2 unintended side effects, for which you take another med which also has unintended side effects, & before too long you don't know what's what! I really hope that all the gradual tinkering with meds & PT & the dentist, etc, will give you some real relief. That seems to have a cascade effect, too: we all just want it to cascade in the right direction!

That goes for you, too, Bonnie!

Now, a profound question: how do you know when the broccoli is ready to pick?

Thanks!
Pat

Like the suggestion Pat.
Though in our case it will be the Republic of RnR..... has possiblilities.....

Cool and a bit cloudy today.
Off to do the deck trim.

Here's the deck view about 3 years ago.
We are cleaning up 20+ years of inherited junk.
Ric

Started to say good morning, but happened to look at the clock, yikes it's afternoon.

Went for PT yesterday and today, don't know if it is helping or not, the funny thing is both days, when I get home I am hurting so bad it is time for a pain pill. Don't know if it is the exercise or not. I will continue and see what happens after three times next week.

Made another batch of squash pickles today. They need to soak 3 hours in ice water, so sliced them and left them soaking while I went to PT. They are in the water bath right now.

Marcy, gosh somebody opened their bag of illness and problems for you. That is awful. And on the insurance, isn't that always the way.

Ric, the deck junk looks about like what is in DH's garage!!

Pat the broccoli will make heads and when they are about softball size, or smaller depending on the variety. Cut them before you see little yellow buds forming. They will bloom, and if they do that, they are way too old.

Good afternoon all.
Thanks Pat and Bonnie.
Well...another complaint..while I am at it. Chrysler has quit paying DH's Medicare part B...as of this check! Another loss of money!
That makes twice this year they have taken some of his money away on the retirement check...not to mention the benefits. If this keeps up I will have to look for a job too.
But...a good thing to report. His 250. he received from the government? I forgot to write it in the checkbook! And just now...as I was reconciling the statements...I found that out!! Sooo...that was 250. more than I thought we had!!
Anyway....I am off to take magazines back to the library...and to mail bills...then home to work in my gardens.
Hope you all are having a good day!

Hey kids! Long time no see!

I have a mystery. Did anyone send the baby a present lately? LOL We received almost 6 pounds of cute little boy clothes in the mail today with no note or anything. I'd like to thank whoever was responsible.

Little tubby will be four months next week and is wearing six month clothing now. :) I don't know who sent this package but the timing is wonderful.

Back to work!

You all take care of yourselves.

Good to hear from you Chele!

Marcy the benefits just keep dropping for everyone I'm hearing from.
A few I know were going to retire this year aren't now.
Too much uncertainty.... but that means their jobs can't be filled by those needing them either.
Vicious circle.

Got the door trim in. Took WAY longer than I figured.
Had to rehang the door and helped Robyn w/ her project about 1/2 the day.

That looks great, Ric!

Thanks Darius that means a lot!
A little caulk and a shoe molding and we're off to finish the East side.
Should have shots of Robyn's project tomorrow.

Ric

Hey Ric...looking GOOD!!!
Chele....nice to see you girl! It wasn't me...lol!
How are things going with you?
Well...off to bed here. My poor body is complaining.. AGAIN!!!

Went to the County fair tonight to see DGD's best friend in the Miss Teen Pageant. As usual there were delays, and since I don't drive after dark had to leave before the pageant began. I watched the Miss Cutey Pie Contest and the Miss Pre Teen contest. In this county these things are so political. The winners in each class have parents in high ranking positions either as county officials, or business people. It has become predictible.And the girls in the Miss Pre Teen pageant ages 8-12 looked like they were 16-18 years old. This is just not my cup of tea. I am for letting these aged children have a life as a little girl. The make up and dresses were just too too much. Blek.

Ric, everything looking good. You have my curiosity up, wondering what Robin's project is.

Tomorrow DGD is going home for the holiday weekend.

Marcy I just found out that due to DH's age, our dental insurance expires in July. I will still go, but hope that I don't have any expensive procedures that need to be done in the future. Are you feeling better?

Chele, the package was not from me. I would not have access to any little boy's clothes. It has been ages, and we need a picture of Little (maybe not) Nolan.

Off to check some other forums.