And we are back to RAIN! Predictions of sunny days ahead didn't last long. It was a little dark all day as clouds moved in for the duration. The only way to cheer things up is for my friend Cyndae and I to go where? SHOPPING!
Kissack Adventures
Nancy, Cooper, Jessie and Jonathan
Friday, April 26, 2024
A Gray Day Turns BRIGHT!
Thursday, April 25, 2024
The Saga Continues
It was a slow day here as April begins to come to a close. Wow ... that went fast!! It was not the usual sunny day, but an overcast gray day filled with energy sapping cleanup work. Company was coming. My friend from Sacramento was on her way.
I had every intention of showing off the gazanias that I had grown from the small cuttings she deposited on my patio. Boy they are blooming now!! She didn't get to see anything, because by the time I showed her, it was 7:00 at night and they had all closed up and gone to sleep. Who knew they did that? Hopefully today I can show them off.
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Full Moon ... It's A Full Moon
Here we are once again at the time of the full moon. This is the PINK moon, so named by the Native Americans because it comes at a time of blooming flowers. It doesn't look all that pink to me, but just wait, it certainly had the same effect.
The full moon is more well known in MY circles as the denizen of crazy people. When the full moon comes out, there's craziness about. This time it didn't dawn on me until it was too late.
I got the first one dug and and replaced, but way too late, I discovered the little nozzle gizzy that makes the spray adjustable, was missing. Big sigh!! I went and got another one (different brand) and changed it out once again. Of course I got soaking wet trying to adjust it to a 180 degree pattern. I kept getting caught by the other two sprinklers that were close by. SPLAT!!! Right in the face!!!
One down, three to go. I got the next one in, but it was watering the NEIGHBOR'S lawn, not mine. At last I got it going the right direction, but I kept having to adjust the length of spray. All of a sudden WHAP!!!!! The little adjustment thingy went flying out the front halfway across the lawn.
A gardener I am NOT! Thirty minutes later I finally found it and luckily had another set screw. I now have TWO working quite nicely. I gave up. I'll be off to the irrigation store today to purchase ten more.
Lunch was easy ... smoked pork tacos once again. I have to fight Cooper over the pork. Every time he sees that container come out, he starts barking. Sadly, it's not for little puppies. He gets a tiny taste from the very middle.
Here I sit ... the calm before the storm! Had I remembered it was a full moon, I would have known it wasn't all me. People can be weird about the numbers on the bingo packets they pick. They have to have THE number in THE right spot on the card. They will go through a stack of 300 looking for that number.
It takes us two hours minimum to get everyone through the line before Bingo begins. Callers wait for no man, meaning I go as fast as I possibly can so everyone is at their table when the calling begins.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
EXPLOSIONS!!!!
Never a dull moment around here as Mother Nature cools off just a tad bit yet again. You just have to have a sense of humor. Mine is running pretty thin these days, but I'm trying hard to BUCK UP.
Lost hearing in my RIGHT eye too, but it came back this morning with a double dose of fake coffee. I think it's the sugar rush.
Monday, April 22, 2024
What's for Dinner?
It was just another perfect weather day in sunny California. The overnight temperature was a whopping 63 degrees. I'm not sure I know how to handle this! Today Mother Nature will ratchet it up to 84. Lucky for me, no air conditioning will be required ... yet. My house is so well insulated that it stays very cool inside.
The morning started off with a rousing load of laundry. Not too early .... not too late .... but just right. If you are using solar power, you have to watch the time. I'm good between 9:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon. Use much electricity after that and my rate triples.
So far this entire year, I haven't paid for any electricity and I have a $785.00 CREDIT. That's good because come June, I'm pretty sure the air conditioning will be running. It was definitely worth the cash output to get solar on the house.
At today's rates (which have gone up like crazy), I'll have it all paid for in three more years, and have not paid a dime to turn the lights on.
The better to run my smoker and get results like this!! About the black part ... that is the fat cap on top. That is all scraped off and tossed in the trash. There are some parts that are actually dark meat, called bark. It's really quite tasty, but not my favorite part. If it's too dark, I shave it off a bit.
Sunday, April 21, 2024
I'm Smoking Again!!
I probably shouldn't speak too soon, but the weather in California has returned to its historical self. At least for the time being. It's a gorgeous 57 degrees this morning. That must be why these gazanias (thanks Dave and Ed) are finally blooming. I've never in my life grown anything that looked this amazing. If I can find some more, I'm putting them in ALL my flower beds.
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Tongue In Cheek
Maybe spending all that money is not MY thing, but they are the reason the Elks Lodge can donate so much money to help kids in our County and beyond. If it weren't for them, we would not be donating close to $100,000.00 a year to charity organizations doing good things for kids. From baseball uniforms to burn centers ... we do it all.
Even if I grumble, I look forward to every day working in the dungeon. Elks members may not all be my best friends, but if I ever needed ANYTHING ... they would be there for me. It's a great organization run by a lot of hard working volunteers who can always use MORE help.
So if you are bored, have lots of free time (or even a little free time), join your local Elks Lodge and help out, if only for one day a week or even one day a month. They will surely appreciate your help.
Friday, April 19, 2024
I Was A Whirling Dervish!
Oh my GREAT AUNT SALLY! It's 61 degrees this morning in sunny California, heading on up to a whopping 81 by 3pm. I think spring only lasted four days and we are diving right off into summer. No, I don't have a Great Aunt Sally.
If I did, this blog might be a bit longer. My bad on this day, I didn't get hardly any photos to share. I did run across this one however, and I think it suits me just right, except I will be jumping out in Levis and boots.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Dogs and Halos
You say tomato, I say tomahto. Some call this a sun halo, others a sun dog. You just never know what you are going to see from my back yard. Wasn't I surprised when I went outside yesterday to hang out in the hot sun, hoping to pass over Hump Day WITHOUT working.
When I sat down on my lounge chair with my cold drink, book in hand, and looked up, THIS is what I saw. Not in all of my many years have I seen this here. It's supposed to be good luck, but really, it's just ice crystals forming in the air which is supposed to let you know there is a big rain storm on the way in the next 24 hours.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Passing It On Again
Good Morning California!!! It's a fabulous 57 degrees on this lovely morning, which means a high of around 78 this afternoon. I think Spring has finally arrived!! I am happily opening the morning door and turning on the fans to bring in the lovely smell of moldy grass. Hey ... it's better than moldy manure.
The sunrise was a nice one. It's just so weird to me to take pictures looking this direction. It seems to be 90 degrees to the left of normal. Is that right for this time of year??
In the meantime, you know what this picture is ... the Magic Castle of Elkdom. I'm beginning to wish I was a little younger. Maybe I would have a little more stamina! The first meeting began at 11:00 in the morning. If it weren't for having to gain some sanity from Cooper every few hours, I would just set up my sleeping bag in the attic.
The meeting ... way too early in the morning for me ... resulted in no results. I came back home hoping for a little nap, but could do nothing but think about how to resolve the problem. Nothing ... I got nothing!!!