June 10-17

From a beautiful day in MO,

We haven't done a great deal in the last nine days - quick trip to the NKC area to take care of 6 or 7 projects, mowing the yard several times - lots of rain and storms, etc.

Jim and I made a quick trip to Trenton on Friday so I could take chemo hats to the hospital. Turned out they had lost my name and e-mail address and had been out of hats so they immediately carried them to the chemo unit. Of course we HAD to eat at Huckleberry's - marvelous sandwiches.

Our big excitement (I guess) is that Jim heard the "girls" barking louder than usual about 3 days ago and discovered a young raccoon going up the tarpaper on the house south of us - and disappearing into their attic. The young human couple moving in are getting ready to do the outside of the house and I guess the tarpaper gives marvelous traction. Anyway, it has been relatively quiet since then - until about 45 minutes ago when all HELL broke out.

I went out to discover that the girls had four young raccoons cornered in the southeast corner of our backyard - with Abby actually engaged in fighting one of the raccoons. I had quite a time separating them (Jim is missing all this as he is fishing at Joe Shelby lake today) and finally got the girls inside - only for Abby to escape me and head back out. The raccoons by then had managed to get to the top of the fence and were heading west - with them spitting furiously at Abby as she was challenging them. I now have Abby and Trixie locked inside and have called the local animal control officer - and she has returned the call.

She will set up a trap or traps on the neighbor's property this evening and hopefully will nab the entire family in one or two trips. She indicated there is a wildlife refuge in our general area - actually a number of miles away and that she can transport the raccoon family there.

Of course a side issue of all this is the possibility of rabies - which the girls don't need and neither do I!!!

I had discovered a couple of extra scaly patches on me recently and the doctor "froze" them off yesterday. The spot on my nose doesn't look too bad today, but the one on my right hand looks gross. The doctor thought it would be good if I didn't wash dishes until my right hand healed and jokingly wrote a prescription for Jim to carry out - no dishwashing for me until healed. Jim got quick a kick out of it and actually put the dishes into the dishwasher for me last night. I bought a device at WalMart so that I don't have to get my right hand into the water so Jim will be relieved of some of the washing. I bought some plastic gloves today as I am making meatloaf this afternoon and didn't want to take the risk of the large blister on my right hand breaking - looks like an enormous blood blister. Oh, well - I have worshipped the sun for too many years and I am sure more spots will develop in upcoming years.

We have a full week - doctor's appointment yesterday, Nick's yesterday and today for me, HyVee old geezer shopping for me today, Jim at Joe Shelby today fishing, we are going to HyVee on Thursday evening to see a demonstration of how to cook salmon, and who knows what else. Hopefully we are to have a few days free of rain and storms.

We have some flooding south and west of town, but not anything like 1993 - that set a benchmark that we don't want to duplicate. The farmers have to be suffering as I heard some discussion that crops had already been put out twice - and with the cost of gas and seed - the farmers don't have a happy outlook for this year.

Be safe.
B.

May30 - June 9

From a rainy, rainy, stormy, stormy MO!!!!

I know that at some time in the future I will be pleading for rain, but we are saturated now and the lightning storms have been frequent and noisy.

We really haven't done much exciting this past week and one/half. I've had the computer work for Mobile Meals once and have done envelopes on Friday twice. Unless someone gets sick or has a conflict, I won't be doing the computer work on Monday until some point in July.

Our big thing has been tackling dresser drawers, closets, shelving, and utility room!!!! We have made numerous trips with items to Threads (somewhat like Salvation Army) and have probably made the garbage men dread coming to our driveway on Thursday mornings. We have come across several items of interest - old watches on my side of the family, mom's recipes, etc., etc., etc.

My big thing probably has been a several day bout with infected sinuses. I haven't had this in a year or more - probably two or three years - and the only thing I can figure is that moving so much dust in the utility room while cleaning made me ill - I'm going on this idea anyway so it will be a long, long time before I do any such project in the future!!!!

The girls are getting haircuts and baths this afternoon - the latter much needed. They will smell so good when they come home.

We are hoping to get to the North KC area later this week. We have a list of 6 or 7 things that we need to do. With the price of gas, we no longer go on a whim.

Oh, by the way, the Sunnybrook trailer was sold on May 30. Jim was quite relieved with its selling and tells everyone that it is one less thing for me to have to deal with if he dies first.

Be safe.
B.