One Down, Nine To Go

I didn't work at the trails or church this week, but did work the primary election run-off for the Republicans. Only two seats being contested and even though our precinct is 95% or more Democrat, five of us still had to man the polls. We had two eligible voters all day long and they were a couple so came at the same time. The American Legion building where our precinct voting is located is right next door to Jerry's Greenhouses so , at least, I was able to pass some time looking at the flowers that were still there at the end of the bedding season.

Here's an Hibiscus that still hasn't been sold.

I know you are in suspense as to why I would have a Dog pictured on my site afraid of them as I am and not really an animal person. My working partner who I spend time with on the trails , at the parks and at his church has gone to Colorado for ten days. His wife's family is having their reunion back in her hometown. Usually he has a neighbor to take care of his animals and water his plants whenever they go away. This time the neighbor couldn't do it so they enlisted me. I went over yesterday to get instructions of just what needed my attention while they are gone. This is their old dog, Moxie. They have probably had him forever and now he is so old and feeble. I hadn't seen him in a few months as now Klaus usually picks me up rather than my heading toward his house as I'm on the way to most of the places that we head out to work. Old Moxie had lost so much weight and his hind legs have really deteriorated. He barely is able to walk and then sits down again after a short trip anywhere. I think when dogs are near their end that is how they often go - their hind legs just give in. At least I remember from our days back in Elmsford at the condominium, there was a man who carried his dog for awhile everywhere because he couldn't bear to have him put down. Today was my first day on the new job and was glad to hear him bark from inside when I pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. Didn't see him at first, but then found him propped up on a cushion looking out the front window. He didn't bark at me anymore. Hard to get his attention as he is stone deaf also. I'm beginning to understand a little about that, too. He didn't seem to want to follow me out the back door, so I closed the door and a while later he squeezed himself out the trap door so was glad to see he was able to manage that. He didn't stay outside very long before heading back out of the heat. I watered all the flowers in the backyard, all the container plants and did a couple other chores. I also put the bird food out - some in the feeder and the rest on the ground because the cardinals won't go to the feeder. The humingbird feeder was still pretty full so didn't have to mess with that. I'm also supposed to feed the cat. It was the cutest little cat, but when I went there yesterday, discovered that it is sickly. Looked just awful. They took it to the Vet. First suspected cancer but ruled that out. Decided it has some kind of anemia, but even if they went to the extraordinary expense to find out what kind, it would cost a fortune to try to cure so that's not feasible. Anyway the thing looks like it is about to perish. Today I didn't see the cat anywhere. I've heard that when it is their time they just go off somewhere to die alone. If that's the case, I hope he went outdoors somewhere and didn't crawl under the couch. I just hope neither one croaks while I'm on watch and then I'll have to go through all that of burying them. I'll be relieved when they return. Guess it is a good thing I really don't have any "friends" around here as so hard for me to just say no. Oh, there is a big ugly black dog that usually hangs out in their carport. Apparently a neighbor's dog but was always there whenever I have gone around. It wasn't there today so maybe it sensed they have gone away. I'm supposed to feed him a hot dog - right out of the refrigerator, if he shows up. Nine more trips to go - hope they all work out as well as today.

METRO Trucks Cleaning Out The Sewer Line


I was eating lunch yesterday. All of a sudden there was the loudest most horrific noise in the house. My mind immediately identified it as a tremendous wall of water - I don't know why but maybe because there were elements of gurgling and swirling that I was just sure I was done in before I had a chance to react even though this is perhaps the least likely place that a wall of water could hit. Instinctively, I guess, I dashed for the bathroom. To my great surprise it was dry. The noise was coming from the toilet bowl - not as traumatic as when it first started but could hear the rush of water and, peering into the bowl, it was whisper clean. I didn't even want to put my hand over the open bowl as thought it would just suck me right in as now I recognized it as a giant vacuum, not the surge of water I initially thought. I ran outdoors to see if I could discover where the noise was originating. The beginning of the sewer line is all the way down my backyard hill over in the corner of the property and then runs across the knoll of the hill down to the bottom passing between the backyards of all the houses along the way. I could hear that same loud swirling under the steel sewer cover so knew it must have been something to do with the sewer people up to something. I don't know if I had finished lunch but the noise continued unabated and I was unnerved so decided to leave and drive to town and do a few errands. I drove down the hill to see if I could see where the guys might be working and came upon these huge trucks at the bottom of the hill. I parked my car and one of the guys came over - the noise was loud so we were shouting at each other. I told him, "boy it was a good thing I wasn't sitting on the bowl when you guys started or I would have been sucked right down the drain and that would have been one heck of a way to end it all." He laughed and then showed me the big drill they were running up the length of the hill to cut the roots and were using the full blast of water from the hydrant to flush it out. He said by time they finished it would be super clean, but of course the roots will grow back into the line over time. I guess I wasn't the only one who got scared . He said a lady that lived on the street had called the office when she heard the noise. So I took the picture of the trucks and began to feel better and that my world wasn't ending quite yet.



I finally got over to the Legion Stadium to see a baseball game last night. Same stdium where Lander U. plays their ball games. I don't get the local paper except for Sunday so didn't know their schedule of home games. But in this Sunday's paper they showed a game for last night. They don't start until 7:30 so I got there probably at the start of the third inning. I don't know any of the players on the team, but recognize some of the family names you hear or see about. The batter here is Josh Lovvorn, the younger son of my heater/air conditioner guy. I've seen him over at the civic center over the years playing ball with his kids. Josh was also the catcher. Here he got on base with a single and later scored the insurance run with Greenwood beating their league rival, Walhalla, by a score of 5-4. They had a nice cushion , being ahead 5-2 at the end of the 7th and brought in the closer for the ninth. He retired the first two batters, then gave up a run and another run was scored on a errant throw, but finally got the last batter to strike out to end the game. Most of the kids in the American Legion Post 20 team are from the two Greenwood High Schools, Greenwood High and Emerald High. A couple players from a local private school, Greenwood Christian, and a few from area colleges and out of town high schools round out the team. I think Josh has a baseball scholarship to Anderson College, a two year college. His older brother played ball, also, and now works for the father. Their service man told me last time he was here that the daughter is the best ball player of them all. She is still in high school.

I hope you all have a safe and fun Fourth of July Holiday. I probably won't be doing much except trying to take care of two properties and those animals. If the heat gets to be too much for me, I can always cool off in Klaus' Swimming Pool. Until next time,
Take Care and Have a Happy, Dave

Hibiscus rosa sinensis in container at poolside.