The Latest Scoop From Here

I’m sure everyone knows middle and north Alabama was victim to historic tornadoes last Wednesday (April 27). The warnings began around 2 AM and were constant until after 10 PM. It wasn’t unusual to have two or three warnings being tracked at the same time. While I haven’t read an official statement, reports that at least 4 tornadoes met the criteria for F4 and one F5. There were numerous others that were smaller but still destructive. There is no such thing as a little tornado!!! You’ve heard all the statistics and seen the videos so this is all I need to write about the storms. Bottom line – Much of North Alabama is in shambles as are many other areas from Tennessee to Virginia..


As for our little family, we are well. No damage worth mentioning. Everyone is safe. We’re just doing what everyone else is doing – trying to keep the necessities of life moving along with no electric power and most businesses unable to operate. We do have a generator that is keeping water circulation in our live reef tanks, running the refrigerator/freezer, and allowing Internet access. (The live reefs are a total of 700 gallons of water and a wide variety of tank raised live coral and fish. Without water circulation everything would die.)

I could write volumes about individual stories but those are online.  Here are some things brought to our attention during the past few days:

1. If you open the storm door and leaves, flower petals, and seedpods, etc, blow into the room. It doesn’t matter – so what!! Just calm down and walk over them and be glad that you still have a floor.  Leave the broom where it is!  Just be careful to not trip on the heavy duty extension cords running to the generator.

2. Keep an extra full tank of propane or large bag of charcoal for your grill. That alone could make you the envy of your neighborhood.  Share!!

3. Pier candles work best if you don’t have other light. A pier candle that is 2-3 inches across and no more than 6 inches high work better than regular candles. They can be set on an oven proof plate and placed in your bathtub or kitchen sink. At least you are fairly safe from fire and can walk safely around your house.

4. The little inexpensive solar yard lights make excellent night lights without an open flame. Of course you do have to take them outside to be sure they are charged – assuming you have a bit of sunlight.

5. If your dishwasher is sitting idle think about using it for a drying rack for those dishes you have to wash in the sink. Harry thought of this after seeing me draining dishes on the counter atop towels.  This sure does keep a neater counter.

6.  It's a good idea to fill your vehicle's gas tank when it reaches 3/4 full.  Without power stations can't pump gas. 

Most of all, we are reminded of how blessed we are.  So many folks have real challenges ahead.  We, on the other hand, have only minor inconveniences.

We appreciate the email from so many.  I was able to respond to everyone this morning.  If I missed anyone please know that we truly appreciate all concern, prayers, and happy thoughts.  It's time for me to sign off with thanks to one and all.

Digger's Morning Routine

Yesterday's post was a video of Digger building a house.  He finished his abode and slept in it last night.  This morning he's cleaning house.   (Video below)  This evening he'll go inside and pull sand over his door until morning.  When he wakes up he'll begin the routine all over again.  Can you relate?  House cleaning is NEVER finished. 

Digger's Construction Site

I read blogs almost every day but seldom post my own blog.  My life has become so routine that there's really nothing to write.  I thought someone just might stop by who would find this little video a bit entertaining.  The fish is my Gobbie who I named "Digger."  In the video he is sifting sand and finding little pieces of rubble to build his house.  You can watch as he finds a pebble and carries it to his construction site.  The stack of rubble and shells is the house he's building.  He sleeps in (under) it at night after he goes inside and closes the door. 

Just Another Very Good Day

After a few (very few) warm days we are back to winter.  It was cold today.  We'll have another freeze tonight just in time to nip the tender green buds on my early lilac tree.  Someone told me that it's never truly spring until after Easter.  We'll see how that works out.

I found a deal on Craig's List that I couldn't pass up - side chairs that are used but in good condition.  I'll have to clean and wax the wood and clean the upholstery but they are still a bargain.  The chairs haven't seen hard wear but have been stored for about three months.  I'm really glad to have them to replace my kitchen chairs that are at least 25 years old.  I hope someone else will give my old chairs TLC and bring them back into use. 

Keith and the boys visited today but Mary was feeling sick and stayed home.  Joe is fighting bronchitis (spelling??) and feels yucky.  What an opportunity to have a hot dog feast!!  I did make a salad but the rest of our meal was hot dogs - after all I was the only girl present.  The little ones didn't pass up the salad but the big boys did.  After the feast was over and all chins were wiped and hands rinsed, James came up to me and said, "Nana, Don't ever stare at an onion 'cause if you do you can't win."  I looked at him and his eyes were red.  I asked him why he was looking at the chopped onions and he said because he likes to smell onions.  To him they smell like a picnic.  You just never know what's going on in a child's mind.

I have a busy week ahead but I will try to check your blogs.  Have a good week and do include time for yourself.

It's a Big Sunny Day

Here I am, once again, sitting at my keyboard trying to post an interesting blog.  Interesting ain't gonna happen folks.  The biggest, most exciting thing I can report is that the sun is shinning and neither snow nor ice is falling.

I've been out of the loop for several days - or weeks - not because anything is wrong.  Everyone is well and enjoying our various everyday routines.  We are all waiting for spring to finally spring.  It will be a welcome transition.

We did have a very welcome visit with my favorite nephew, Ricky.  He wasn't able to stay very long but we were just happy for the time he could spend with us.  Ricky, welcome back anytime.

Both karate warriors, James and Jesse, advanced one belt during the most recent testing.  Jesse is now a green belt and James earned his orange.  Not very high but still an accomplishment. 

I do have something to share with everyone - please pass it on if you know anyone who might benefit from the info.  If anyone you know is taking the cancer preventative drug, Femera, please tell them to visit the website (http://www.femera.com/).  There is a coupon that offers up to $800 per year towards prescription payments for Femera.  If you have private insurance that covers some of the cost, Femera will apply benefits to your co-pay.  My 90 day prescription would be over $1400 if I had no insurance.  My insurance and the support offered by Femera certainly makes this therapy possible.  I hope this info helps someone - or many - in the battle to stay cancer free. 

I wish I had the energy to pull together a garage sale.  Fat chance!!!  My best bet would be to open the front door and say, "Come on in and make me an offer."  I've given a few of my needle work pieces to special folks - kids, relatives, and special people in my life - but it hardly made a dent in the "stuff" in this house.  I have three complete sets of fine china and have no use for one. I've always enjoyed having folks in for whatever meal time it happened to be.  The difference is now everything is strictly informal and very casual.  Craigslist, here I come.

Time to get something done here.  Until next time, take care.

Quiet Day and a Link

Nothing new in our world.  It will be a quiet Sunday in Old Fart Land.  this is one of the few times that Gathering Day is not going to happen.  Mary is not feeling well and Jesse is tired and has a low grade fever.   We all need a quiet day to overcome the past couple of weeks.  Everyone is going into his/her "hidey-hole" and spend time recouping. 

Harry is just about over the effects of his surgery.  He only had about four days of being sore and a bit out-of-sorts.  I'm happy to report that's all past.  We are ready to resume a somewhat normal (for us) routine after we have "quiet day."

Our son, Joe, forwarded the following site to me.  Harry and I have enjoyed playing with it.  I thought I'd attach a link for you.  It took 20 or less questions to identify everyone I could think of.  This genie's guesser is good!   (I know that it's just a huge data base but it's still just a bit awesome.)
http://us.akinator.com/#

That's it for now.  Let the lazy day officially begin.  I hope each and everyone of you is having the day you'd most wish for.

Busy Times

I haven't blogged for a few days - several to be sure.  It's been a busy time here at the old farts' household.

Over this past weekend we attended a reef trade show near Nashville, Tennessee.   Anyone ever hear of Antioch, Tennessee?  That's where the trade show was held. 

We rushed home in order to get ready for Harry's surgery on Monday.  Everything went just fine - fine for surgery, that is.  The surgery did slow him down but he is feeling better this afternoon. 

The two local grandsons were worried about what was going to happen to Papa.  On Sunday afternoon they sat side by side in Papa's deck chair and questioned me about what was going to happen.  They asked if they could come visit Papa on Tuesday.  Of course they were welcome.  

On Tuesday the Mary brought the boys by after school.  They quickly saw that Papa was going to be OK.  James, the youngest, asked what "they did with Papa's gallbladder."  I told him that the doctor sent the gallbladder to the lab for testing to be sure nothing was wrong and that Papa didn't need more treatment.  The tests were all OK.  With the most serious expression and the widest eyes James asked, "Are they going to put it back?"   I love children and their logic.   Bless their hearts, the boys were worried about Papa.

In case you noticed the picture change at the header of my blog . . . this is a different coral than the one pictured before.  Color is about all they have in common.

Gotta get dinner out of the oven and move forward with our afternoon and evening.   Take care and visit soon.  Thanks.