The Skies Are Filled With Smoke and Helicopters

The airport is within walking distance. 

Each year we can hear the helicopters . 

Some are looking out. 

Most appear carry buckets that appear

to be half the size of the helicopter. 

Each year the chopper noise increases –

or seems to anyway.   

 

More than it did in 2019 when

the fires were so close and in

2017 when the entire state

was on fire.  We were surrounded

by smoke from every direction and

wouldn’t have been able to safely

evacuate as every direction had

fires burning.  Even last year. 

 

Smokey skies can sometimes make for

amazing sunsets.  I would rather not have

the amazing sunset and have no smoke. 

Bless the firefighters who risk their lives

to keep us safe.

Here is one that Jenna took

Unbelievable – Let’s Talk Numbers

           Would you believe that I finally joined the world of touch screen phone?  I changed my plan – or rather my carrier who does not support flip phones.  I went with them on a whim.  It will save us almost 10 dollars a month – which isn’t huge.  But if I can save 5 dollars here and 10 dollars there, it adds up.  Before you know I have save us 45 dollars not to mention the subscriptions to various things which adds up as well and before you know it I have removed over 100 dollars of unnecessary luxury spending. 

           So I now have a touch screen but have learned that the automatic machines at the other end of the line don’t recognize my pushing numbers.  Oh, that is so not cool.  I am already annoyed with automatic machines as it is.  So impersonal.  How many jobs have been replaced by machines?  A company does not have to pay wages to a machine. 

`I like when the machine appears to be as frustrated as I am and connects me to customer service.  But this machine did not give me customer service.  It said that I would have to try again.  I can’t yell at the machine.  Well, I can, but it doesn’t have voice recognition.  That is why I’m punching numbers.  My touch screen gives me exactly two seconds to tap on something or the screen disappears.  AHHHHHHHH

Overwhelmed With Thoughts

  

https://www.happify.com/hd/5-things-
you-can-do-if-feeling-overwhelmed/

           I have had many ideas – some which I have jotted down but no complete thought.  It doesn’t seem to be a priority.  Whatever Roland is doing takes priority over anything that Jenna and I may have planned.  Right now it’s the back room – which is important.  But I also believe know that he needs to take breaks. 

           He’s taken Jenna to Roseburg a few times which has given me opportunity to blog and either a nap takes priority or else I just haven’t been motivated to write.  He gave me the assignment to paint the trim while they’re gone, but I can’t find a paintbrush.  Nor do I wish to spend my time looking for one the entire time they are gone.  I did put up some masking tape around the door trim – at least I put in some effort, right?  They are going to Lowes and I did put in a request for more paint brushes.  Disposable ones would be nice. 

           Anyway the room is coming along.  Perhaps it will be ready for Christmas?  That would be cool.  I will be sure to post some progress pictures later on.

A Smile in Each Picture

 I have been able to locate 3 cameras and 5 chargers.  Unfortunately  only one of the chargers will accept on of the batteries.  Thus I have been using a camera that Roland had purchased for Jenna during her sophomore year.  I have noticed the streak found across many of the pictures I've taken.  I tried to clean the lens but have learned that there are three scratches on the lens.  I took a picture of a white napkin and discovered the three scratches make a smile face.  How weird is that?

Deceptive Skies

Looks like I used this same title almost three years ago.  Although in today's case the sky here does not appear to be smoky, but the sun does. It appears to be overcast but it is so hot. 

 Jenna had wanted to go to Winston last night to be with her friends. They had planned to see a band called Cherry Poppin’ Daddies. Jenna didn’t know what kind of music but Richard and I had assumed country – until we saw different members of the band step outside with their instruments. Most seemed to be dressed in dress shirts and slacks. But the singer was dressed in what appeared to be gym shorts and a tank tee. But with all the dancing and moving around he was doing I could totally understand. 

 I wasn’t even moving and I was drenched in my own sweat. Oh, why did I change into clean clothes that I had just washed and put away and will now have to wash again. There was one woman dancing “like nobody’s watching”. I thought it was great. She had an enthusatic charm in her posture as she moved to the rhythms or jazz. 

 I, too, enjoyed their music. It was fun. Didn’t feel like a kind of music that my daughter’s teenage friends would be into. But what do I know? Thank you those at Riverbend Park and for to the band. Beautiful sunsets. Not as pretty in the photos as it was in real life.

The “Pit” is Starting to Show

           Pit Bulls have always had a bad reputation for being vicious dogs.  Any dog can become vicious if neglected or abused – which Bonnie is not.  She is the sweetest dog – at least to humans.  I have seen a side of her that lives up to the name of a female dog.

 

          Levi is the name of the man who has built our deck and back room.  He has a dog named Roxy – also sweet and probably kind of dumb like Bonnie.  Unlike Bonnie – who is quite overweight – Roxy is skin and bones.  She does look like she hasn’t had a good meal for a while – but she also has little interest in eating or playing with dog toys.  She would like affection and loves to chase the chickens. Bonnie, on the other hand, seemed intimidated by the mass amount of chickens that used to come into our yard.  Now she decided that she can not only chase the chickens but catch them in her teeth. 

          The chickens used to follow her.  Now they run from her – with good reason.  She has killed one chicken which I buried because I didn’t want Bonnie to end up choking on her bones.  That would be cruel irony, wouldn’t it? 

          Today she went after Mitch and Cheryl but I held her back.  I really would not miss Mitch’s pathetic attempts at crowing but not at the expense of having his corpse in my yard at the hand (bite) of our dog.  But then again, the chickens should have never been allowed to roam into our yard in the first place. 

          Bonnie has an itch that she can’t seem to locate.  She moves her head back and forth and makes growling sounds as though she is getting ready to attack.  The problem comes and goes.  I remember her bobbing her head from side to side when we first got her.  But I don’t recall her growling until recently. 

          Still loves to take walks and yearns for human affection from everyone.  But she doesn’t want to share that attention with any female dogs – though another male dog is okay.  I don’t want her killing cats or chickens or earning the reputation of the stereotyped pit.  She really is a sweet dog.  Wags her tail.  Cleans the floor.  Pulls on her leash.  Fast and heavy.

Beauty in the Clouds

 The view was so awesome while we were out walking.  Unfortunately neither one of us had camera or phone.  Here is what I was able to capture after returning home