The Mega Pawsitive Fundraiser

[1CatOverTheLine]

My positive for the day is I had a long chat with my Dad on skype. He's still in a rehab clinic, but he's doing really well. He can now walk up and down the corridor on his own.

He's making Airfix models of Spitfire planes to help pass the time.

@Norachan - That's great news about your dad! If rehab facilities back home are anything like they are here in the States, he'll be out in no time flat - not because of the care he receives, but to escape the food!




My positive today? Cool Autumn weather, the first few Maples beginning to turn at the tops, and a perfect day to finish mowing!
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[maggiedemi]

1 bruce 1 --Sure, send the casseroles over. Oh you can't be that old. I just Googled that Boston song & I was 3 years old when it was released.

Jcatbird --Aww, love the pretty calicos. Reminds me of my angel kitties Kitter & Caramel.

1CatOverTheLine --I need to learn how to mow the lawn. I always had landlords before who did it for me. We've got both riding & push mowers here.

@Lari --Enjoy your time with Grandma. All mine are gone. Positive memory:
I remember saving up my allowance & going to garage/yard sales with my Grandma. All the other kids thought we were spoiled because we got $20 a week allowance each. But we had to save up and buy the things that we wanted. I even often bought my own clothes & shoes.

Daddy's Girl by Peter Cetera below:

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

1CatOverTheLine --I need to learn how to mow the lawn. I always had landlords before who did it for me. We've got both riding & push mowers here.

M maggiedemi - Mowing's easy. Through the magic of GoogleMaps (and a little good luck) I'll show you how simple it - it's just the preparation that tough:

First, push the blue button on the key ring - this will start the tractor so that the cab will already be nice and cool when you go to the barn to get in. Now the tough part - deciding between the XM radio or the CD player ( 1 bruce 1 would choose the radio since he hates CDs). Reach under the seat and take a... uhhh... soft drink out of the cooler, open it and set it in one of the cup holders. Push the garage door button on the dashboard, put the tractor in "Drive," and away you go - the rest of it's just moving a bunch of levers to make the grass shorter. Always check behind you - if the grass is getting taller, move the levers in the other direction. Enjoy!
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[1 bruce 1]

M maggiedemi - Mowing's easy. Through the magic of GoogleMaps (and a little good luck) I'll show you how simple it - it's just the preparation that tough:

View attachment 254063


First, push the blue button on the key ring - this will start the tractor so that the cab will already be nice and cool when you go to the barn to get in. Now the tough part - deciding between the XM radio or the CD player ( 1 bruce 1 would choose the radio since he hates CDs). Reach under the seat and take a... uhhh... soft drink out of the cooler, open it and set it in one of the cup holders. Push the garage door button on the dashboard, put the tractor in "Drive," and away you go - the rest of it's just moving a bunch of levers to make the grass shorter. Always check behind you - if the grass is getting taller, move the levers in the other direction. Enjoy!
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The thing I don't like about CD's is how easy they scratch up. And if a dog mistakes one for a frisbee, you're done. If you drop it, bump it, let it touch a surface or accidentally drop it and run it over with your truck..

Cassette tapes are much more fun and easy to tamper with. Just ask this guy.

 

[tinydestroyer]

M maggiedemi - Mowing's easy. Through the magic of GoogleMaps (and a little good luck) I'll show you how simple it - it's just the preparation that tough:

View attachment 254063


First, push the blue button on the key ring - this will start the tractor so that the cab will already be nice and cool when you go to the barn to get in. Now the tough part - deciding between the XM radio or the CD player ( 1 bruce 1 would choose the radio since he hates CDs). Reach under the seat and take a... uhhh... soft drink out of the cooler, open it and set it in one of the cup holders. Push the garage door button on the dashboard, put the tractor in "Drive," and away you go - the rest of it's just moving a bunch of levers to make the grass shorter. Always check behind you - if the grass is getting taller, move the levers in the other direction. Enjoy!
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No way I could ever mow grass in a tractor like that. I just have a tiny manual push mower. That way, I never have to choose between XM or CD, or even what to drink! I know, I'm spoiled.

M maggiedemi that sounds like a pretty good allowance structure, although I wonder what the modern equivalent of $20 would be for a kid to be able to buy stuff, but still save up. My frugality definitely comes from my grandma, too, but she still spoiled me when she could. She also instilled in me a love of clothing, which sometimes battles my frugality for top place. More often, because I like to rescue old clothes from the thrift store, the desires are in tandem.

Today is the first full day of fall, and I'm wearing a leaf-print frock (acquired for $6) to celebrate. I always look forward to the transitional seasons, and all the newness and change they bring.

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[Jcatbird]

My good news for today is that a friend from school is coming to stay for a bit. We met in 5th grade and have been close ever since. The only time we lost touch is when they were stationed out of the country but when they returned we were able to pick back up right where we left off. I love having friends like that! Another kitty lover too!

 

[Shane Kent]

Well that was the first tornado I ever heard. We could hear it in the basement several miles away. Sounded like a series of heavy rolling thunder. The sky was so innocent looking afterwards.

@Norachan Sorry meant to answer your question in my last post but as a computer geek I was so happy to have electricity again that I forgot. It is cool evenings here but it is just the beginning of blanket weather.

It is crazy in Ottawa today, lines at every single place. So Karen and I went to the cottage. Left the kids at home as it is only a day trip. Of course when I say kids I mean kitties so not two three year old, five year old and a six year old humans at home alone. Zoe is really eight but I tell her she is six

 

[tarasgirl06]

Shane Kent I can sure relate to that (getting power back) -- I'm at wits' end when I'm not online! That is a very cute little sardine-chomper there, btw.
M maggiedemi and tinydestroyer -- "YES" on frugality and definitely about grandmothers! Both of mine were incredibly strong women who went through unimaginable hardship and tragedies and never lost their wit, love, and grace.
@Norachan -- Good on your dad and all the very best to him. May he be strong and realize that, once having gotten clean, he is free. There's nothing like that realization! *I'd love to see those Spitfires!*
1 bruce 1 I have over 400 of those.
And 1CatOverTheLine -- You are indeed blessed, with squashes AND your very own tractor! We used to have to rent one from the hardware store in town if we needed one.
Finally, THIS:

 

[Kat0121]

I bought a stroller for the girls. I figured it would be a good way to get them safely out of the house. I set it up and let them check it out. Sophie was somewhat interested. Lily? Not at all. I took Sophie out for a stroll on Thursday night. She whined the entire time. Do I blame her? Nope. It was SO hot and humid out. I can only imagine what it would be like being out there wearing a fur coat. We didn't stay out long. It was too hot for my girl. I was feeling sad after. I started to think I'd have to return it. I left the stroller open so they could check it out. What did I find last night?

She decided to give it a chance after all. She also explored the basket underneath. We'll try again when it cools down a bit.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I bought a stroller for the girls. I figured it would be a good way to get them safely out of the house. I set it up and let them check it out. Sophie was somewhat interested. Lily? Not at all. I took Sophie out for a stroll on Thursday night. She whined the entire time. Do I blame her? Nope. It was SO hot and humid out. I can only imagine what it would be like being out there wearing a fur coat. We didn't stay out long. It was too hot for my girl. I was feeling sad after. I started to think I'd have to return it. I left the stroller open so they could check it out. What did I find last night?

View attachment 254083

She decided to give it a chance after all. She also explored the basket underneath. We'll try again when it cools down a bit.

She looks ADORABLE in it, I must say And of course, it's going to take time for them to investigate and hopefully accept it. Cooler weather will help, I'm sure! *Happy strollin'!*

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

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tarasgirl06 - I'm also Blessed with the very beginnings of Autumn here today:

Just the tops of some of the Armstrong Maples have begun to take on their colour in the slanting September sunlight. For anyone living somewhere the four seasons make themselves known - enjoy them!
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[tarasgirl06]

.
tarasgirl06 - I'm also Blessed with the very beginnings of Autumn here today:

View attachment 254093

Just the tops of some of the Armstrong Maples have begun to take on their colour in the slanting September sunlight. For anyone living somewhere the four seasons make themselves known - enjoy them!
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Beautiful! *We have a sort of similar color on the hedges on the north side of the property. Because of the 122F heat on July 6th, and similar leaf-crisping temperatures around that time.*

 

[maggiedemi]

1CatOverTheLine --Thanks for the mowing demo. Ours isn't quite that fancy, it doesn't have the cover thingy on the top. Well as long as you don't think I'll get a limb or my hair caught in anything, maybe I'll give it a try.

1 bruce 1 --Try music streaming. I love Rhapsody, you can even take the digital music with you on an mp3 player.

tinydestroyer --It definitely taught me to be a bargain shopper, which I still am today. I would get shoes/sneakers at Payless for $10 and we had a store called Jamesway back then where they had red light specials on clothes. And we had layaway at the mall.

tarasgirl06 --I really like those Jackson Browne songs. I never heard his music before, but I remember Daryl Hannah used to date him. Here's a song you might remember,

Say Say Say by Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney

 

[tarasgirl06]

1CatOverTheLine --Thanks for the mowing demo. Ours isn't quite that fancy, it doesn't have the cover thingy on the top. Well as long as you don't think I'll get a limb or my hair caught in anything, maybe I'll give it a try.

1 bruce 1 --Try music streaming. I love Rhapsody, you can even take the digital music with you on an mp3 player.

tinydestroyer --It definitely taught me to be a bargain shopper, which I still am today. I would get shoes/sneakers at Payless for $10 and we had a store called Jamesway back then where they had red light specials on clothes. And we had layaway at the mall.

tarasgirl06 --I really like those Jackson Browne songs. I never heard his music before, but I remember Daryl Hannah used to date him. Here's a song you might remember,

Say Say Say by Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney

That was a great video, thanks!

Yeah, he really got reamed by her when she dumped him for JFK Jr. JFK Jr. dumped HER for another woman and they were killed in a terrible accident in a plane he was flying. The album, "I'M ALIVE" is all about Jackson Browne's breakup with Darryl Hannah. Here's a couple of tracks:
and one of my favorites:

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

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tarasgirl06 - I'm on my second copy of Running On Empty.






Well, I know what corn looks like since that's my neighbour's living - corn-growin' - and let me tell you, this thing has exactly one more night to change the way it looks. "Corn Moon?" Good grief, what a gyp! This thing looks nothin' at all like corn!

 

[Furballsmom]

weird things they say in other parts of the country.

...harvest...

it's a HARVEST moon

speaking of, parsley anyone? LOL

 

[maggiedemi]

1CatOverTheLine --I was going to ask you what a corn moon was. It looks yellow like corn maybe?

Shane Kent --Oh, so it's sardines? Usually I can guess, but that figurine had me stumped. Very cute.

Furballsmom --Nice! I prefer Cilantro though. We didn't grow any this year.

tarasgirl06 --Yeah, sad to say, maybe that was why I never listened to his music. Daryl really trash talked him for years. It would be nice to hear his side of it.

I remembered another fun store we used to spend our allowance at as kids, Woolworths. They went out of business here, but I think they still have them in the UK. One of my first memories is of buying candy there and then later on hair stuff. It was really affordable and taught us the value of a dollar.

Ebony & Ivory by Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder

 

[Furballsmom]

M maggiedemi I had some cilantro last year - it was an accident. I'd ordered seeds during a January sale, and one packet was labeled as something else entirely, and surprise!
The parsley simply went crazy, I've had to run a couple of big bags full over to the Food Pantry this summer.

 

[tarasgirl06]

M maggiedemi -- yeah, that was a very successful song. Not a favorite of mine because I'm not a Beatles/McCartney fan, but a good song. *The "corn" reference is originally ours (Indigenous/Indian/tribal) so it predates the other term, actually.
I've never paid any attention whatsoever to Darryl Hannah -- haven't seen any of her films except "Blade Runner", I don't think -- and didn't even know they were going out until he released that album. My take on show biz people, having been in that biz, as that probably the majority of them are a pretty extreme mix of huge ego and extreme sensitivity; and back during those times, all of that was ramped up by substances and the culture of the times. No surprise that they crashed and burned, just like the guy she dumped him for did several years after he dumped her for another. All in all, very sad. I grew up listening to him and I'm not alone in believing he's one of the finest songwriter/lyricists ever. He's got his share of lightweight "hits" but he's also one of the greatest at capturing feelings and painting pictures of experiences. And someone who would write a song like THIS, IMHO, does not deserve to be dumped on in public. He's certainly a flawed human being, according to some I know who know him, his own interviews, his own history, etc., but there is such a thing as keeping the skeletons in the closet, so to speak, a/k/a having enough self-respect not to drag the dirty laundry of someone you once loved into the vicious scrutiny of the public. *And besides, let (s)he who is without sin cast the first stone, to paraphrase? I know I'd be holding mine.*
Furballsmom I guess you probably don't make tabbouleh but I would be chopping like crazy if I had those big bags of parsley!

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

1CatOverTheLine --I was going to ask you what a corn moon was. It looks yellow like corn maybe?

Maggiedemi - This will explain the differences between the Corn Moon (or Barley Moon) and the traditional Harvest Moon:

September's Full Moon: Corn Moon or Harvest Moon

I remembered another fun store we used to spend our allowance at as kids, Woolworths. They went out of business here, but I think they still have them in the UK. One of my first memories is of buying candy there and then later on hair stuff. It was really affordable and taught us the value of a dollar.

You should have seen it in colour.