SNAKE!!!!!

It was the normal morning ... chilly outside as I let the puppies roam the back yard in the freezing air.  I did the usual flashlight check and herded them into the area less traveled by skunks and raccoons.  With that done, I trotted down the sidewalk to get the critter cam.  I set it on the table, planning to view the latest nights cavorting at a later time.

With the blog done, I wandered back in the kitchen and completely freaked out.  I jumped up and back three feet, a pretty good acrobatic move for someone of my age, as I yelled SNAKE!!!  That was just my normal reaction I guess, since there was no one to hear me except the puppies.  

It took a few seconds to decide it wasn't moving.  That's when I discovered it was the shadow of the camera strap hanging off the table.  I probably turned three shades of red.  That certainly gave my heart a kick start!  

Yes, there have been snakes in my house before, which is why the extreme reaction.  At the ranch house one day, back when the telephone was tethered to the wall, I had the phone cord stretched to it's farthest with the phone outside on the bottom step.  I was probably waiting for Prince Charming to call.

Lo and behold, I turned around to see a snake crawling UP THE PHONE CORD!!  I screamed bloody murder as it plopped down on the kitchen floor.  Luckily Dad was close enough to hear and came with the shovel.  It was just a harmless little garter snake, so he picked it up and dropped it in the corral.  I never set the phone outside again.

 With that, I jumped in the truck to get fuel.  Not having traveled far, it's been awhile since I checked out prices.  As I drove through town, I noticed $3.45-$3.50 seemed to be the going rate.  Wasn't I surprised when I got to the Arco station and it was $2.83.  Either they were having a big sale or something was wrong with the pumps.  This was a very nice surprise.

I filled it to the brim.  $98.47!!  That's normal since I have a 50 gallon tank on my pickup truck.  When I pulled a horse trailer across the West going to horse shows, I didn't want to stop every two hundred miles.

 With not much else going on, we are gearing up for Wreaths Across America.  Every Christmas, wreaths made with live branches are shipped from back East.  They are then placed on the headstones of Veterans in National Cemeteries around the country.  

Although they tried to shut this down, it will be held this year thanks to President Trump.  It requires many volunteers to place the wreaths.  Our Elks Lodge keeps an updated list of all it's Veteran members buried at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella California and every other cemetery in the County.  The Lodge pays for the wreaths and our small group of volunteers go out to place them.  It's a very memorable occasion that is coming up at the end of this week.

 In the meantime, I spent more time on this quilt.  It has two more borders to go, but the fabrics I chose are not going to work.  You never really know until it's on the wall.  This time I struck out.  Oh gee ... I guess I'll have to make another trip to the quilt store!!!

Just because it's so much fun to spend money, I ordered up meds for Cooper and Jessie, enough to last six months.  $123.00 is more than I spend on me for doctors AND meds in a full twelve months!!  The good part is you just drive up to the Vets office and they come to your door.  This is a service they should continue!!  Actually I'm going to try and get these meds in Mexico come January.

I'm off to check out the latest video captures ... 41 of them.  How does that happen?  Maybe I can even get one or two to load for your viewing pleasure.