Repairs, Dead Critter, Show and Scaling down more

Cullman,  AL

Here we are a few days past Thanksgiving and still some turkey in fridge.

What's happening?

We had Thanksgiving dinner at son Lennie and DIL's Lois house.   Brought home some leftovers.   Once more, forgot to take pictures.  

But I have taken a few over the last month.    Most of them have been of our Boondockers Welcome guests.    Our 81st guest RV left yesterday.   None scheduled for December.   Same thing happened last year.  We think most people are where they want to be for that month.  I take pictures and put them in a file.   We've had people return.   Who could remember all these folks?   Not me.  A picture helps certainly.

We've had two critters recently visit, aside from cats and dogs traveling with their owners.   One couple travels with Charlie, their rabbit.   Okay, so we have a Beagle.  Supposed to be a rabbit dog which means he should chase them.   Luckily for Biscuit Charlie was in a cage as every time Charlie moved Biscuit  would back off.     

The other critter wasn't as cute.    I heard Biscuit howling and baying and barking.  I went outside to see him digging dirt from the side of the house.   Just what I suspected.  A snake.    I got Len.   I got his .22 pistol.   He got the snake.   We had no idea if it was venomous.  A friend told me about a FB page on snakes in Alabama.    I joined the group.   I posted the picture.   I was promptly chastised and the picture removed.   It is against the rule to post a picture of a dead or injured snake.   I just wanted to know what it was for future reference.    In case you are wondering.    It was a harmless plain bellied water snake.   Now I know.  It's harmless and no more posting dead snake pictures.

OOPS!!!!  I think I just did.

Len is feeling much better.  He has started physical therapy.  This past week they have had him move his arm more.   He is still in a sling, still sleeping in recliner.  He sees the surgeon this week so will know how he is coming along.

I am trying to divest of STUFF.   My goal is one thing a day GONE.   Yesterday I cleaned out my sock drawer.     Some things I post on the FB local yard sale pages.    Gone are concrete pavers, concrete landscaping edgers, trailer axles, saddle and tack, foam insulation, a basket of miscellaneous electric connectors, hutch, coffee table, refrigerator, rototiller, wooden blinds and a box trailer.    Tomorrow I will be meeting someone in town and trade these mugs, s&p shakers, creamer and sugar bowl for $10.  I don't use them and they are just taking up space. 

A few weeks ago we and our friends Stephanie and Vic went down to Birmingham to see a talk by one of our favorites Greg Gutfeld and comedian Tom Shillue.

Here is Steph and Vic

We have fabulous seats.   Here are Greg and Tom

Our NOMADS friends Butch and Cheri were between projects and we were thrilled they choose that time to come here.    In exchange for a camp site, they provided labor.   A great deal for all of us.  

First Butch re-caulked around the guest room shower to stop the leaking.   He took off a tractor tire that needed repair and placed it back on.    But the biggest job was working on our mower shed.  The wood on it was rotting from the bottom and starting to allow rain to leak inside.   So they placed tin siding around the entire structure.    It looks so much better and should now last many more years.  Thank you Butch and Cheri

This picture is before it was completely done.   The boring bees had gotten to the roof trim.  This trim was wrapped and the boring bees will have to attack somewhere else in the Spring.   UGOH, our back porch!

Until next time.

Enternal Thanks during this month of Thanks

Cullman,  AL

 At this time of Thanksgiving I think about all those who have helped us since our move to Cullman and now with Len's illness.  We are so blessed to have these people in our lives.

Shortly after moving here our neighbor Hilton and his son Chad did some bushhogging and tree removal.  A few months later Gary and Ashley moved in up the road.  Ashley has willingly fed our ducks when we were away.   Gary has loaned his trailer when our mower had to go in for repair.  He also weed whacked the growth around the pond and repaired water connection at our RV sites that I destroyed with that mower.     We are blessed with the best of neighbors.

Our children..... Terri has visited often.  When here she bakes, paints, helps in the yard.  Whatever she can do.   D'Juana was here at the time her Father needed an Inogen to assist his breathing.  She made the calls and got the ball rolling.     Son Lennie and Lois are a phone call away and always willing to help.  When we sold our RV they unloaded our belongings and brought everything into the house.   We so appreciate all their help.

Last summer Lens brother Bobby and our SIL Charlotte came for a few days.   Bobby fixed some things that needed fixing including changing out the lights in the basement.    Thankful for their help.

Our friends Darlene and Jim have "camped" here a few times.   Darlene presented us with 3 small cross stitch pictures.   She did the cross stitching and her father made the frames.   They fit in perfectly in our guest bathroom.   Last visit she presented Len with a throw she knitted as she knows he is always cold.  Jim replaced some door trim that badly needed replacing and framed out the microwave cubby.

We have just hosted our 75th Boondockers Welcome guests.   Several have asked if anything needed done around the house or grounds.   We used to decline help but have found that we are not only blessed with their help but they are blessed in doing it.

Once we came home from church to find a guest

weed eating around the pond and cleaning algae.  I am showing pictures of guests and not names.

This couple saw I had bags of mulch to spread.  They took it upon themselves to do that chore.

Our mower blades needed changing.   This kind person was glad to help.

When we were away this summer we left this couple in charge.   That meant feeding the ducks.

I've previously talked about the family whose sons put together a bench and father changed oil in tractor and got one of our generators running.

And also about the couple who stayed here while Len was hospitalized and I stayed with him.  They cooked for us, fed the ducks, tended to Biscuit and repaired a shop window that was broken. 

Most recently this couple asked to help.  Along with helping me spray algae on the pond he changed out our porch light.

We have an ongoing project at this time.   A couple of NOMADS friends are doing much needed renovations to our mower shed.    More on that in my next blog.

To all who have graciously helped..... we thank you.    We feel overwhelmed at the generosity of friends and family and to those people that have come into our lives for a brief period of time but have left a loving memory.