Mischief on the Back Porch

A few years ago, I awoke  from a lovely spring or fall nap in time to feed Miss Mabel. I went to the back porch and was shocked to find that something had eaten through the handle in the lid of the trashcan where her food was stored! It was even more disturbing to me that the can was stored under a bathroom window mere feet from my bed. The gnawing never woke either one of us!

I repaired the handle with lots of duct tape and moved the can across the porch and rarely thought about it. When I did, I often wondered what type of creature could do that. I knew it wasn't a coon... they actually try to open the lid and even turn the can over. I finally decided it must be a rat but I thought it odd that with all the rats that can come in off the canal, none had tried it again.

And then yesterday, I got my answer! About 5:30, I went out to get Mabel's bowl and found a mess on the porch! The duct tape had been eaten away and an even larger hole was now in the can! Knowing that I had a hungry pooch waiting, I reached in the bag to scoop out some food and... IT MOVED!  I looked down into the trash can and found a squirrel! I had seen a squirrel earlier in the week at the fountain by the shop. Now that I have that working again... the fences being fixed have inspired me a bit...I guess the water sound is attracting critters.

Since the squirrel was behind the food bag, I quickly scooped some kibble and placed the lid back on the can. I just love that the little guy didn't really plan his meal out; he got a way in but with the slick, straight sides, he couldn't get out. I occupied Mabel by feeding her dinner inside the house. I took the lid off the can and tilted it over. Even though I had my camera at the ready... he was gone in a flash.

I taped an old credit card over the opening and decided to add a layer of aluminum foil. As cute as he is, I hope he finds another buffet!

I Didn't Get My Memory From Her

As I was paying a bill online for my mother this morning and giving her the confirmation number, she asked the date. When I told her "September 14th," her laser sharp memory kicked into gear.

"65 years ago today, I started working for the phone company in New Orleans. 820 Poydras Street...Yep... 4 p.m."

I laughed and made a crack about her memory. She would work for Ma Bell for 42 years.

Just now, I was cleaning off a bookshelf and noticed a photo album my mother had given me after her retirement. Normally, I just dust the album and move on... but the cover was coming off and I noticed that mother had some papers tucked behind the cover photo. I found her birth certificate... which could be a whole other blog post... and her graduation announcement. Which made me wonder what was inside.  As I moved on through all of Mother's favorite photos of herself across her lifetime, I found this:

This is the scrap of paper she wrote her report to work instructions on 65 years ago. And the salary of $29.00 a week? That was considered good pay back then.

Mom is 89, healthy and clearly sharp as a tack! It's days like this, I wish I were more like her.

These Kids Today Don't Know What They're Missing

This is the breakfast of my childhood (and frequently my adulthood). Pop-Tart - PLAIN please...none of that nasty royal icing that Kelloggs insists on putting on every freaking flavor! When I was a kid, the icky frosting was but a novelty, only on certain flavors. But now, in our overfed, overly sweetened America, you are lucky if you can find the strawberry unfrosted.... Although their website claims they still make the blueberry and cinnamon brown sugar unfrosted.

As a kid, there was also cherry and raspberry...

I loved these, much to the delight of my married, not-such-a-great-cook sister. Once when discussing what week all the kids-in-law could visit (my brother-in-law has younger brothers in my age range), my sister made her case for having me a week longer, "As long as there are Pop-Tarts in the house, Holly is happy. With the boys, I have to cook!"

And while my flavor choices have decreased over time, I still love them the same way: hot from the toaster with a pat of butter melting into all the little holes! HEAVEN!

Stop the Presses! Baby Has Been Found!

Mabel Lou here. I was absolutely shocked, SHOCKED I tell you to find that  Momma had accused me of burying Baby! I have not committed such a heinous crime since puppy-hood my teen years a really long time ago.

 Me and Baby

And even more shocking than my own Momma's allegations against me, was just WHERE my precious Baby was actually found! I'm not pointing any paws at any one human in particular (but as I live with only one human, you can draw your own conclusions!), but someone in my household sleeps with like a dozen pillows. She's got like three for her sore neck and two for her knees and three for her elbows. Three for her elbows... Tee hee... she says she needs three cause a certain poopy dog rests her head on one of them! Anyway, with so many pillows in my our bed, there's hardly any room at all for a good size rotten girl like me! And apparently not enough for my precious Baby!

Baby - (Mom says I have to tell you that our carpets are a mess because the men who claim to condition our hot air were going in and out of the attic. I was waiting at the bottom of the steps to see if they wanted to play tug with me and Baby!)


So WHERE did we find our Baby? Jammed under "someone's" mountain of pillows and worked clear down between the mattress and the headboard! My poor precious Baby! It's a wonder she didn't suffocate! We only found her cause Mom decided to flip the mattress!

I have been SO happy now that my beloved is back. I've even taken to tossing Baby about while the witch Mom is sleeping!

 Baby - Where have you been? You taste strange!

All is now right in my world! Now if you'll excuse me, Baby's ears need chewing!

Doggie Style S&M

I have a feeling I'm going to regret the title of this post as my most often searched post is titled Doggie Porn. So FREAKAZOIDS please pass on by! This is a sweet dog blog. Now before you can say "fifty shades of black and mahogany"....

By continuing to read this post, you are certifying that you are over 18 in dog years!

 After reading a post wherein the ever handsome Mango has a chat with his Momma, I was amused thinking about the way our beloved creatures communicate with us. Anyone who doesn't believe animals communicate has never lived with one! As luck would have it, I had a hilarious exchange with Mabel and just had to share it!

Our yard is a MESS! All the lumber from our old fences are in various piles and Mabel Lou is down to two 10 square foot areas, one of which I don't water to save money.  There is lumber and nails EVERYWHERE. Every morning, I get out there before it gets too hot and rip nails out of lumber and move what I can to the front yard, trying to free up some backyard area for Mabel.

I have to prop open two self locking gates on the side of the house to do this. As Miss Mabel has not made a run for it since her puppy days, I wasn't really worried about her. I was nearing the end of a pile of lumber and trash  when I realized there were some recyclables in the pile. It was trash day and my trash bins were on the street on the other end of my weird, triangular property.  On the way back from the trash barrels, I was shocked to see Mabel in the front yard!

I yelled at her so loud, neighbors a block away noticed! "GET IN THE BACK YARD!"

She stood there, watching me, unfazed.

"GET IN THE AIRLOCK AND IN THE BACK YARD!"

Again, no reaction. I was walking quickly toward her and only when I was in touching distance, did she make any effort to go back through the gates.

With a stern voice I said, "Does somebody want a butt spank this early in the morning???"

Mabel continue walking but wagged her tail!

"Oh, clearly someone does want her butt spanked!"

She shoots me what I can only describe as a come hither glance and the tail goes higher and wags even more!

I grabbed her under her belly with my left hand, rear back with my right and place it oh so gently on her right flank followed by lots of playful pats and belly rubs (This is a "game" we have played her whole life.)

I hugged and kissed her and told what a naughty girl she was.

When she was satiated, I had to laugh... someone in this household clearly has a skewed idea of crime and punishment!

You Know We Love Ducks 'round Here!

...so we just had to share: