Jess had a friend from youth group come  over to ride while the weather was nice.

Things were getting settled with the sale of Grandma's house and the legal matters, so Dad wanted to celebrate by taking us out to eat at one of his favorite restaurants,  Sid's Place.  He and Tom enjoyed the steaks while Mom had very tasty liver and onions.  Jess decided on seafood platter while I reveled in baked cod.   It was really good!

A memorable addition was when we stopped for gas afterwards.  Jess and I were at the gas station waiting for Tom to pay when we saw Grandma and Grandpa sitting at the red light at the gas station intersection.   The lanes both go straight but eventually turn to one.  I was telling Jess how we take our time so they could get home before we got there to meet them.   She agreed saying how slow Grandpa drives. Just then the light turned green,  we saw Grandma's head and upper body reacting to the gravitational pull of the "peddle hitting the metal" so to speak, and off Grandpa went.  We watched as he and the car next to him were neck-in-neck as they raced up the hill towards home.  Jess and I were laughing so hard!  Go Jimmy!  Go!   Grandma didn't think it as funny.

I've been up to my ears in canning tomatoes and canning potatoes.  I have over 60 quarts of tomatoes done, and 100# of potatoes.  We should be good for the winter months.   I have the squash coming in and am trying to can it too.   The other day for dinner we had stir fry and I used a pint of chicken I canned.   LOOK!  We are all still alive and kicking!  Guess I did something right.
Trying to keep up while the rain starts coming down,  the horses are making a mess outside the barn again.   In fact, the other day Penny trotted out, pivoted, and fell on her left side.  This isn't going to happen again!   I took the wagon up front and filled two loads full of the mulch and piled it high.   It is still soft, but they are not slipping around to get out in the field!

We have been looking for hay with none to be found.  The man we help only put up a day's haying in his barn that we know of,  and isn't doing a second cutting.  Others we have known in the past had hay, but said they had "promised" it to others.  What they could spare was minimal,  and from what I hear from a neighbor,  bad.   Quite a quandary.   Friends up the way were keeping their hay for a while as a fall back this winter.   Health concerns are keeping them on their toes for the unexpected.  Thankfully,  they did sell us a few bale so that will keep us for a little time.  I know Tom would really like to find some more round ones to keep us through the winter. 

The day we got the hay, it was late after Tom got home from work.  So here we are taking the truck up and putting half in the bed and coming back home.   We had moved the elevator because we thought there wasn't going to be a chance to use it.  So, back to putting it back up.   Thing is, we hadn't started it in a while, so it wouldn't run.  The motor wasn't set flat so it put to much strain on the belt.   After monkeying with that,  up they started to go.  First load done.  Now back up to the neighbors and take the other half of the load on the bed.   We had to keep filling the bed because there wasn't anything left to hold the ball on for towing.  Regardless,  it was well after dark and 8:00 p.m.  when we got it all in.   Yeah!

Now the time was coming quickly for Grandma and Grandpa to leave for Florida.   The day before they were to pick up the truck,  Tom treated them to dinner at O'Charlies'.

I got the voucher in the mail to get the boy kitties fixed.   I had to have them clear in on the other side of Big Town by 8 a.m.   The good thing about traveling that early is you get to enjoy the sunrise. Gorgeous!

While I waited the day for them, I spend the day with Mom and Dad. Mom gave me my annual perm so I look human again!

It had been a week and a half since the boys got fixed when two started acting funny.   Little Boober didn't come in for dinner one night.   The next morning I found him out in the hay when I went to do chores.  He was crying horribly.   I picked him up and found his backside a mess.  He must have eaten something that was going right through him.  I cleaned him up and tried giving him some water.   I let him sleep a while.  He did get up to move around, but I see that he was still making a mess.  Later in the morning I see things are not good.  Trying to keep him warm on the heating pad,  trying to keep him hydrated.  But by noon he was gone. 

 I just don't know what he got into.  Bernie,  the little black cat acted funny too,  sleeping and lethargic.  But he never had problems like Boober.  Between Jess and I,  we are keeping him hydrated, and attempting spoon feeding.  He is up and around,  looking like he is starting to drink a little himself.  Hope it only gets better.

Packing Day came upon us.  Looks like a lot of room because there was!  Apparently they didn't have the size truck they wanted.  Tom ask if they wanted to take their little red car down because they had enough room!

Getting all that done on a good day, they headed south and made it back down in four days.   Now they are enjoying 80's while we are barely in the 40's!   In fact, we had to start our first fire last week.   Ken had brought home lots of scrap that is great starter.  He also picked up a few tools for the stove too. 

The mums out front are pretty!

Makes for a good ride on Art too.  Jess takes each out for a jaunt a couple times a week if she gets done with school early.

 

We had a warm up and things turned nice in the woods.  Tom decided he would walk out and fix up his tree stand. 

I had taken signs I painted for fun to put along the path.  He helped me put them up. 

O.k.  that's it for now.  To much time playing catch up.