For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
We are all back at the hotel now, where we are trying to relax for a bit before heading back over to Elenore’s house. There are 6 girls, 5 cats and Angel guarding her at the moment so I asked Sky to take Kitty back there and bring 2 of the girls back to the hotel for a break. Then Jennifer asked to go as well so that 4 of the girls could take a break since those 4 have been guarding Elenore the longest, so I said okay to that. They took 4 cats with them too and Sky will bring the other 5 cats back as well. Apparently there have been no problems at Elenore’s house while we were gone.
It’s possible that Swann will try to lay low for a while hoping that we will leave if nothing else is happening. Therefore, we will have to make sure that something happens. “Don’t forget about the plan to get you charged with murder Steve,” Friskie reminded me. “Hey, wait a minute,” said Jennifer, “I don’t remember that.” “Oh, that was something I told them,” said Venus. She was lying on the bed now and one of the girls was putting ointment on her many bruises.
“Friskie, you stay close to Steve at all times,” said Jennifer, “you’re his wife remember, so where he goes, you go. And I mean everywhere!” “But…” was as far as she got and Sky took her and Kitty away. Friskie gave a big sigh. Then Sky and Angel returned. “Jennifer said to bring Angel back with me,” said Sky, “she figures you need more protection than Elenore right now.” Then she disappeared, returning twice more with the other four girls and the cats. Celestine came over to me and sat on my lap and kissed me. “I’m so glad you were not hurt Steve,” she said, “or even worse.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” said Friskie, “he’s my husband, not yours.” “Well, you weren’t sitting on his lap,” replied Celestine giggling. Friskie sighed again. Meanwhile, back at the chateau. “A limousine and van have driven up,” said Dawn to Kat. “Oh, company, let’s see what they want,” said Kat. A man got out of the front seat of the limousine and Dawn called out to him. “Please remain by your car, state your name and business,” she said, “no one else is to get out of either vehicle until proper identification is given. This machine gun works very well, don’t make me use it please.”
The man gave his name and the name of his boss, which was Christopher and he stated that Christopher would like to come in and talk. Kat communicated this with me and Jennifer. “Tell Christopher he may come in with 2 others, but no weapons and no one else is to leave their vehicle,” said Kat. Christopher and two men came up to the door and were checked by our x-ray machine and no weapons were found on them. Then they came into the inner entry where Dawn brought her cat Ginger to sniff the “guests” for any other threats.
They were clean, however, so she led them into the library where Kat was waiting for them. “Well, well, Jennifer,” said Christopher, “it has been a while since we last saw each other, just before you ran away.” “I don’t recall running,” said Kat, “I just left, I don’t need to run from you.” “Is that so,” he replied, “do you remember this ring?” He then pointed it at Kat, still thinking she was Jennifer. Kristina recognized it must be some kind of weapon. He was sitting on a chair and Kristina grabbed his arm and broke it over her knee!
He yelled in pain and she then pulled the ring off his finger, causing him to yell even more. “You made a big mistake wearing that ring,” said Kat, “didn’t you think I would recognize it? Now watch this Christopher.” Kat then split in two. “Like what I can do now?” asked both of them together, “Now I can be double the trouble for you.” They both laughed together. “Hello Christopher,” I said, “remember me?” “What? You, you’re supposed to be with Fiske,” he said, “he told me you had been kidnapped.” “I was in his possession briefly,” I said, “along with my wife.”
“But Jennifer is here,” he said, “how could she have been kidnapped too.” “I wasn’t kidnapped,” said Jennifer, “Steve’s wife was kidnapped.” “Don’t look so surprised Christopher,” I said, “you should know I can’t marry a ghost. Now, you will spend a lot of time in prison, or the grave, it’s your choice.” He then stood up in front of me. “You have nothing on me to keep me here,” he said, “and killing me would be murder.” “You are completely wrong about that,” I said.
Then I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and that is the last thing I remember. “You lose Steve,” said Christopher laughing. But Jennifer came over and kicked him twice, killing him. “Destroy those vehicles out there Sky!” yelled Kat, then she came to me. Kristina and Carine took care of the other two men, killing them both. Sky went out onto the steps and shot two lightning balls at the van which caused a huge explosion which also destroyed the car and all the men in both vehicles. “Wow, there must have been explosives in that van!” exclaimed Dawn.
Sky then took me and Kat to the clinic emergency room. Unfortunately Samantha was at the pool for her break so Jennifer pressed the emergency button, “Clinic Emergency, Steve Down” was broadcast around the chateau and Samantha came running. “Sky, take me back to Canada please,” she said. “Are you sure sis?” asked Kat. “I can’t help here, but you can,” she said, “I can be more help over there. We need to get rid of the others too.” Back at the hotel. “Well, did you get that Christopher man?” asked Amerie. “Yes, and all the men he brought with him,” said Jennifer. “But he got Steve,” added Sky.
There was silence in the room. “He is still alive,” added Sky, “now I have to go, that’s why I brought Kristina along, Steve might need my blood again.” She then disappeared, arriving back at the clinic. “Anymore news from Swann?” asked Jennifer. “Not a thing,” said Melanie. “I hacked into his computer,” said Akila, “but he hasn’t used it all day. On his schedule for tomorrow is a meeting with Gordon and another with W, followed by a third with Betty. But I can’t find anything telling who those two new people are and the W is likely Williams.”
“Hmm, that means he has gone to the city,” said Jennifer, “so that is where we will go, right now. Get in the vans everyone, except for those guarding Elenore and Venus. Friskie, you stay here with Venus along with 6 girls and 4 cats. Angel and Kitty will be with Elenore along with 4 girls and 6 cats. Why is my bag moving?” Out pops a little white head. “Meowy.= Me want to help guard Venus girl too, Cristy say it okay with her, I even have catpack.” Catpack is what we call the cats backpacks now. “Okay, but you have to stay close to Venus then,” she said as she put Snow on the bed with Venus.
Snow began to purr nice and loud. “Oh my, what a cute kitty!” exclaimed Venus. “And there are clothes for you in this bag,” said Jennifer. “Steve is going to be okay, isn’t he?” asked Venus. “Yep, he’ll be okay,” she replied, “he’s been hurt worse than that.” Jennifer decided to only take Sky’s Bad Girls with her, so that left 6 more girls to stay behind, so three stayed at the hotel and 3 went to Elenore’s house. Elenore was watching out the living room window as the three girls came up the steps. “Oh my, those girls fell down!” yelled Elenore. Angel jumped quickly toward Elenore as two bullets came through the window, hitting her in the back…
To Be Continued. ©2026 Steve McLeod.
So, you’re having a painful day? Did you fall again?
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No, just one of those days, the storm coming through might be affecting it. I shouldn’t have gone shopping this morning since the pain was already bad before going out.
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Oh, ok. You had me concerned a bit.
What’s your day looking like tomorrow?
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Staying inside and repotting some new plants I bought today! After that I will stay inside and do some dusting. After that I will stay inside and have a nap. I might try to get my income tax done tomorrow too. Or not.
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Ah… good choice of things to do! The government needs its money! Oops! I mean your money!🤭 I can’t believe you left out watching it snow!😂
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Who wants to watch it snow? I’ve seen snow before. Yeah, it sure does, not that it gets much from me, actually it gets nothing from me now, I get money back from them!
Well, I must call it a night and get to bed. Have a good night, don’t stay up too late, I’ll be back tomorrow!😃😴❄️❄️❄️
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Yep, time for drops and then to bed.
Good Night 😴 🥱 🌃 🌙 ✨️
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Hey Dusty! How’s it going today? I’m back, half asleep, but back anyway!😃
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Hi, I’m here. Still deaf and with a painful ear, but I’m hear!(see what I did there?)
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Very good! I almost missed it, until you pointed it out. I must be tired to miss that. We missed that snowstorm, only got about 2 inches of snow from it, so not a total miss I guess.
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Well that’s good news! Less to melt!
How did the plant sitting go today?
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Um, well, uh, let’s see, um, well, I watered my plants today, but no repotting. I spent half my day looking for something that I didn’t find. Sigh.
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What did you misplace?🤔 Your memory? Nope wait! That’s me! I wonder
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It was a robin I was looking for, a wooden robin that I made a few years ago. I bring it out every spring then put it away when fall arrives and bring out my wood squirrel. It’s part of my welcome sign.😃
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Well…. it’s probably in the last place you’ll look. That’s kinda obvious I know. Have you moved any of the items it was stored with?
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I don’t know, I can’t remember where I put it. If I knew where I put it then I wouldn’t have to look for it even if I moved it because I would know where I moved it to and therefore would be able to find it easily. Unless I couldn’t remember where I moved it but if I can’t remember where I moved it then I wouldn’t even know that I moved it in the first place so then I’m back at the beginning not knowing where I put it in the first place.
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Well, you have a few more weeks before it’s officially spring, so, if you keep looking I’m certain you’ll locate it.
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It’s quite amazing really, I mean, this is just an apartment, it shouldn’t be so hard to locate. Sigh. Yeah, there’s still time, good thing I started early though.
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Absolutely! You’ll probably find it tomorrow. What are you doing tomorrow? Besides looking for your Robin?
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Repotting plants, which I was supposed to do today until I got sidetracked. Hopefully I won’t get any tracks on the side tomorrow.
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Just make sure you throw the track switch first so you know where you went.🙃😉
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Ohh, good thinking. What are you doing tomorrow?
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Likely what I’ve been doing the last two days. Tending to my very tender and sore aching ear. Unless! It feels better in the morning. Which is what I’m hoping for. If so, then maybe hangout by the pool for a bit and maybe go for a walk.
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I hope it does feel better, but don’t go swimming, could hurt that ear again. A good plan though, maybe I’ll use my heat pad to simulate warmth and sit in front of my humidifier to simulate ocean spray, sprinkle sand in my hair to simulate lying on a sandy beach. I can feel that tropical beach already!
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Yeah, swimming is out for sure. I would just enjoy the quiet and sunshine if it’s sunny. Although the beach sounds like a good idea also. Depending on how I feel.
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Yep, might be sort of sunny tomorrow for us, or maybe cloudy, according to the forecast. Sigh.
Well, time for bed for us old folks, have a good night Dusty and I’ll talk again tomorrow!😃😴❄️
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Nighty night sleep tight and I sure hope your right that the sun is within sight!😉😁🤭 ttyt
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Good morning Dusty! How are you feeling today? Did you spend some time soaking up the sun?🌞
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Hi, no, no sunshine today. My ear is not much if any better. I’ve been using hydrogen peroxide to disinfect it but it’s still drains some and is painful. Sorry I missed you last night. I’m dealing with some family issues that No one can just get through their heads I’m not giving into. Hope to talk tonight.
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Howdy Dusty! Sorry to hear your ear isn’t improving, hope it does soon. It’s been snowing here all afternoon, not real heavy but we picked up another inch, maybe another inch tonight as well. Then another 2 or 3 inches arriving on Saturday.😟❄️❄️
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Wow! That’s amazing! More snow! I can’t even imagine…🤔 86 degrees here today.
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My PSW just left, she gave me a nice massage, my back is just screaming with pain again tonight, that’s two days in a row now. It did get up to 32 for a while today, sitting at 29 right now and snowing heavier.
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Tomorrow’s Friday, so another week is coming to a close. Not that that means anything it’s just another week. I’m not sure what I’m doing this weekend. Probably just sit and watch TV or maybe pick away at a puzzle.
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Yep, Easter weekend, tomorrow is a holiday here, that means no workers in the building and that means things get noisier. Sigh. Because my back has been so bad, I haven’t done my repotting of the new plants I bought on Monday. Maybe I can do those tomorrow, or Saturday. I need a bigger table by my living room window!😂🌺🙄
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Yeah, a bigger table is always more better. In my experience. You can leave the things you were working on can stay where they are and… you still have room to eat.😂
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There’s no room to eat at the kitchen table, too much stuff on it, including my new plants. It’s the table in here that needs to be bigger so it will fit more plants, that way I can buy more so I will need to get an even bigger table to fit more plants so I will…🙄well, you get the picture. I have to keep my plate on my lap, only place to put it.😂
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Most of my life i never ate at the table. Now I eat there every meal that I’m home. Very odd I think 🤔 but, that’s just me odd!🤪
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I hate eating at the table, unless it’s soup, but I find it too lonely feeling if I sit alone at the table to eat. So I sit in my recliner and either watch the news or a movie while I eat. Works better for me now. Up until about 25 years ago I always ate at the table. I need to rearrange my whole living room so I can get another table in here for plants, or a bigger table, whichever.😂🙄
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I had to give up eating in my chair. I kept running out of shirts to wear 😂 and I wasn’t very good at getting food stains out.
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This comment just arrived, this snow must have slowed it down! Yes, I know the problem, I have stains on several shirts. There’s a simple solution, just rub dish soap onto the stain right before washing. Most stains will come out with one wash, but some need a couple washes. I usually forget though. Sigh.😂😂
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Yeah, I know… but i looked like a slob until they came out or I replaced them. 😂 Besides eating at the table mostly fixed that problem.🙄 now I’m working on my pants.😂😂
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My kitchen table never has enough space for eating anyway, being the only flat surface it quickly fills up with this that and everything else! I had 3 shirts that I just gave up on and tossed them because I couldn’t get the stains out, never did figure out what the stains were either! Siiiiiiigh!🙄😂
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All I had to do was remember what I ate!😂
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That didn’t help me, I didn’t notice the stain until after I washed the shirt! How am I supposed to know what caused it 6 days later? Or was it just 4 days later? Maybe it was 2 weeks before the later, or is that latter? Sigh.
Anyway, time for the bedtime again, my back is complaining too much. Sigh. Have a good night Dusty and I’ll be back tomorrow!😊😴❄️❄️
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Goodnight 🥱😴 🌙 🌚 🌔 🌕 🌖 🌛 🌙 🌟
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Good morning Dusty! I’m late tonight. How was your day? How’s the ear doing?
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Hi, no worries pn the time.
The earS are getting a steady dose of peroxide as often as I can stand it. It’s in both ears now. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m beginning to believe it might be partially due to the arthritis.
How was your day? It’s almost Easter 🐣 🙌 ☺️
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My day was extremely painful, at one point causing me to yell and fall to me knees it was so bad. I couldn’t even move for about 20 minutes, then I slowly made my way to lie down after taking some additional painkillers. I was on my feet too much repotting plants, that was the problem.
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Is there a way for you to sit and do that?
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Unfortunately no, I would be too low down. I was thinking that maybe I could use something like a bar stool, except I don’t have one. Or if I had a lower table, but I don’t have one of those either.
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Doesn’t the store or the Jungle website have either one?
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No one sells that kind of stuff locally, unless I want to buy at least 4 stools, which I don’t, I only need one. Hmm, they do have a folding kids table, I wonder if that would be tall enough? I will have to check.
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I need to run an errand to the store. I should be back shortly
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Okay.
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Sorry, I’m back now.
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I’m still here.
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You’re not on the floor are you?🤔
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Nope, if I was I wouldn’t be talking to you. I’m sitting and finishing off tonight’s chapter.😊
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Oh, I just remembered you said you were on the floor earlier I just wanted to make sure since you said you were still here.🤔
How many chapters are left in this story?
I have a hard time keeping up on them. I usually use my phone for reading and chatting with you, but my eyes don’t handle this screen that well and it gets all fuzzy after awhile. I could use my laptop but that’s kinda a pain in the rumpkiss to have on my lap in my chair.😬🙄
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That’s true, I was, but I isn’t now, fortunately.
I’m not sure exactly, it was supposed to be a shorter one, just 8 chapters, however, it will likely be closer to 10… or 11, which is still shorter. Probably 10 though, usually it’s 12 to 14. You must have a heavy laptop.😂
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Or just a light light lap, top.🤭
So are you going to go to Easter Service on Sunday?
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Hopefully, providing I get picked up this Sunday. My ride forgot about me last Sunday so I ended up staying home. Sigh.🙄
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That wasn’t very nice. You’re not that forgettable!🤔 Was the person picking you up a super silver or a golden oldie? That could explain it.
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Golden oldie oldie, she’s 88 and her memory is not like it used to be. She’s a scary driver too. Sigh.
Well, I must get to bed, have a good night and I will talk to you tomorrow! 😃😴❄️
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Alrighyy nighty nighty.
TTYT 😁
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Good morning Dusty! 😃 Hey, it was spring again today, got up to 36 degrees and cloudy! How’s things down your way?🤔
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Things are good. I’m still fighting with my ears but still no change there. It was mid 80s and mostly sunny.
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That’s a long time with those ears! Maybe it’s all that heat that’s bothering them. Or not. It’s sure nice having these long evenings now.
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I agree to both statements!
That’s why i believe it might be the autoimmune thing. But, I’m not a doctor. So, I’ll keep treating it as an infection.
The longer evenings a very nice change indeed. I slept from 10 last night to 10 this morning!!
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Wow, it was too noisy in this building last night, people coming and going, some being very drunk when they came in at 2am. Then my next door neighbor began singing to her favorite tunes at 4:45am! It was loud, and, uh, she doesn’t know how to sing. Sigh. No long sleeping for me so I’m tired again tonight.😟
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Boy, you’ve got quite the active night life in that building. You may need to start practicing your singing just to blockout the noise of the neighbors!😂
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I thought maybe I should learn to play the trumpet! But knowing how things work around here, I would likely be the one to get in trouble. Sigh.🙄
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I don’t know if you’re windy enough for a trumpet…🙄🤔 Perhaps, maybe? But you’re right, you’d be the one getting tossed out of the building.
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You have a point, I could handle a flute maybe, or not, I’m not musically inclined. And I don’t want to be kicked out. Oh well. Soon it will be spring. Maybe. I figure the snow will be gone by April 20th, providing we don’t get any more. Good thing we don’t have much or it would be here until May.😬❄️
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True, it’s only a few weeks away! May baskets, flowers blooming, birds singing and warm sunny days on your deck!
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Well, I’m not so sure about the warm sunny days part, but they should be warmer than now anyway.
Well, I hate to say it, but I must hit the old hay bale once again or I won’t make it to Church tomorrow. Have a good night Dusty and I’ll talk tomorrow! 😃😴
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Sleep Well 💤 🥱 😴 🛏
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Hi Dusty! Happy Easter! Our gulls arrived back today! We did have scouts a week ago, but the flock came this evening. That means that spring is here! 😃 Well, except for the next couple of days when it’s going to be cold again, only a high of 23 for tomorrow. 😬 Sigh.🙄
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Hey! That’s great news!!
One piece at a time and soon it will be summer!😲🤭
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Yeah, except right now it’s snowing again. Sigh. Down to 15 tonight, tomorrow night it’s down to 5! Those poor gulls will freeze to the ice. There was about 50 Canada geese down by the lake coming home from church today as well.
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Hey, your golden oldie remembered to pick you up and bring you home!! BONUS!!😂 We’re there a lot of folks in Church?
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Yep, she actually remembered, but I did phone her ahead of time just to make sure. 😂 Not that many actually, there were more out this evening even though I wasn’t there. Some of the people were at other churches this morning.
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At least you got to go. It rained here pretty much all day. But, that’s ok. There hasn’t been any measurable rain in several months. It also cooled off a lot also. But it’ll warm up again in a day or two.
Shopping tomorrow?
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Yep, shopping day it is. Since it’s after Easter maybe they will have their remaining plants on sale. It would be nice to pick up one or two more.
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Yep! Absoposalutely 😁 plus they’ll be opening the garden centers soon! Do you grow tomatoes 🍅 on your deck?
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No, not tomatoes, I can’t eat them anymore, too acidic. Only flowers for me now. I would try cucumbers, but there’s not enough sun and I would need a bigger pot than what I have. Garden centers open the first week of May normally, unless it’s cold, then it’s the second week.😊🌺
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That’s only a few more weeks away!
Wouldn’t cucumbers be hard to control on your deck?
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Not really, except there is not enough sun for growing cucumbers out there, even tomatoes would be hard. Yep, still a long time yet. Garden centers used to open the second week of April until winter started getting longer. Snow used to be gone by the end of March. Gulls always returned March 15 or 16 without fail, now it’s always the first week of April.
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Yeah, I wish they would leave the calendar alone! All these time changes has got it all screwed up! The weather can’t tell if it’s spring or not!!🙄
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It’s global warming that is making us colder. I watched a video about it and they described why. I got confused. But apparently because the Arctic is warming up then all that cold air has to go somewhere, so it’s moving into our area. But, since it’s moving south why doesn’t the air warm up? Sigh. Guess I’m not intelligent enough to understand these things.
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Oops, I just noticed the time and I have to get up early tomorrow. Time for bed, have a good night Dusty and I’ll be back tomorrow!😃😴❄️
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I think it started warming up after the last ice age and it will continue to warm like it always has throughout the history of the planet. It’s foolish to think we can slow it down or stop it. We need to stop all the slots who are throwing all the trash in the oceans though!
Anyway, that’s my soapbox item for this year.
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