Saturday 9 with Loretta Lynn...

 Thanks to Crazy Sam for this week's questions!  You can join in right HERE!

This Haunted House

Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants' posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: This Haunted House (1964)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Loretta Lynn wrote this song to help her cope with the sudden death of her friend, Patsy Cline. When they first met, Patsy was already a star and she helped Loretta become established. Did you more recently advise or receive advice?  I received advice from TWO of my blogging friends (you know who you are) about an NSAIDS cream for arthritis called Voltaren, so I ordered some, and then just yesterday at Joe's doctor's appointment, he suggested it for Joe's TMJ pain. Whoop!! Thanks, ladies!

2) She sings that Patsy's is the face she sees when she turns out the light. Do you remember who or what you were thinking about when you fell asleep last night?  I don't remember. I read until I am sleepy and am usually out pretty fast after that.

3) Loretta maintains her TN ranch is haunted. She says "the moaning woman" is a harmless apparition, dressed in white. Do you believe in ghosts?  I do. 

4) Loretta Lynn's ranch is now open to the public. In addition to horseback riding, fishing, and camping, Loretta's ranch features shops that sell locally-sourced jams, jellies, and sauces, as well as Loretta Lynn CDs and "Coal Miner's Daughter" glassware and t-shirts. Have you ever brought home an edible souvenir? Or do you prefer to remember your trips with something more lasting, like a coffee mug or t-shirt? I have done both, actually.

5) According to Reader's Digest, The Exorcist is the scariest movie of all time. Have you seen it, and if so, did it scare you?  I have seen it and it was scary, but I actually laughed when her head started spinning. I usually think scary movies are mostly funny.

6) Which do you find spookier: haunted houses or cemeteries? Probably haunted houses because I enjoy exploring cemeteries, especially the really old ones.

7) What's the most recent Halloween costume you wore?  I can't even remember. I did have a witch's hat that I would wear at the Museum for Halloween. We had lots of school kids in the building so it was fun.

8) When you were a kid, did you trade your Halloween candy with siblings or friends?  Sometimes.  I was older than my two little sisters so by the time they were really out collecting candy, I was too old for it. I probably begged for some of theirs!

 
9) Random question: You meet your very friendly new neighbor. She invites you over for a "get acquainted" cup of coffee tomorrow afternoon and you accept. Then you learn that she was once on trial for an ax murder ... but acquitted. Would you still go over to her house?  Yes, probably. 

Happy Halloween!  

We don't celebrate here but have fun if you do!

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!

Friday Fotos...

 

It's time to share some photos from my week, carrying on the tradition begun by blogging friend Deb.  

We went to the farm (Joe's client), as usual, and some of the cattle were waiting on the lane for us.  Always fun!

The horses got carrots. This is Pistol and Doc, my buddies.  They both come when they see me.

The owners planted a garden a few weeks ago and it is doing really well!

This is Majesty, who also comes to me when she sees me. Those carrots are a good treat!

Vanna has a bad leg and sometimes she feels like walking over for carrots, but most of the time she just stays where she is at like she did this week.  I can't get to her there without going all the way back to another gate to get into that pass through... either that or climb the fence (which I can't do!).

I tried to get a good shot of their Trump banner blowing in the wind. This is the best one I got.

Meet Roho. He is the only working dog left now and was out of his kennel when we arrived. He loves the treats I bring and even laid under my feet most of the time we were there.  He is a sweet boy.

The cattle were still hanging out when we left...

Last night (Thursday) we went to dinner with Tim and Judy at our local Greek restaurant, Louis Pappas.  We had a fun time talking and laughing and the food was delicious!

Joe has a doctor's appointment this afternoon and that is all that is on the calendar.  

Our clubhouse is closed, as is the pool, for another week.  We have three people with C-19 in the park.  No one we know or have been close to and the three are from the same family. All three are recovering well but the managers here want to stay closed for the usual 14-day quarantine time, to make sure no one else was exposed. After all these months they are the first in our community. It's good the managers are being careful. 

Thanks for stopping by today!

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!

Whimsical Wednesday on Thursday...

 

Whimsical Wednesday on Thursday

There are no rules and there is no linky...

Just look at the dress and pick out the shoes..

Have some fun. It's just a whimsical thing!!

The description said:  She'll need some shoes to wear with her day dress from the 50s...

Count down from the top, 1-2-3, and pick the shoes you think go with the dress!  Tell us about your choice in the comments!

My thoughts:  Well, that is quite the 'day dress' but I do like it.  It's been a long, long time since my waist was that little!  As for the shoes, I'll pick #3 just because they look the most comfortable.  If I'm going to be doing housework in that day dress, give me the third pair! (giggle!)  Even if I'm wearing it to the club for lunch with the girls, I'll still choose #3.  What do you think?

Thanks for your visit!

(How I really dress for housework!)

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!

The Wednesday Hodgepodge...

 Thank you, Joyce, for another fun Hodgepodge!  Y'all can join in right HERE!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 392

1. Boo, boo-hoo, make a boo-boo, boo(ze)...pick one and tell us how it relates to life lately.  Probably boo-hoo.  My new knees feel great but that pain-in-the-butt (literally) spinal stenosis has been taking my joy lately. I'll go several days without it bothering me, then all of a sudden I can barely get through my shower without that horrid pain... so boo-hoo, I'm whining again.

2. Do you like the color orange?  Yes.  Would we find this color in your home?  My living room curtains are 'paprika' color which is kind of orange.  Your wardrobe?  I don't have bright orange in my closet right now, but a deeper peach might qualify and I do have a shirt of that color.  Peach-pumpkin-tangeringe...your favorite shade of the three listed?  Probably peach.

3. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. What's the last chocolate something you tasted?  A mini-Snickers bar.  On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being out of this world delicious, how would you rate it?  Probably a 6.

4. Life is like a box of chocolates or so says Forrest Gump's mama. Would you agree?  I sure can't disagree!  Aside from the pandemic fallout tell us one way this saying has played out in your life.  You never know what you are going to get... true for every job I ever took.  True for every new recipe I've tried.  It applies to almost everything, I think.  Life is a crap-shoot, no matter how careful and organized you might think you are... you never really know what you will get until you take that first bite!

5. As October winds down tell us three things you loved about the month we're bidding adieu.  Our church opened up fully again (still being careful); more friends are back in the community (snowbirds coming back); Joe had a good report from his cardiologist.  His year-old heart valve is working well!

6.  Insert your own random thought here.  Not so random... I just feel so blessed.

Thanks for your visit today!

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!

The Tuesday 4...

 Thanks to Annie for today's questions!  You can join in HERE!

Tuesday 4

Reading Part 2

 Welcome to Tuesday 4! Thank you for your participation in keeping the meme alive in remembrance of Toni Taddeo. 

 Let's continue with Reading this week, shall we?

1. Kindle or hardcover/paperback?  Kindle.
2. Have you read a series like Harry Potter and if so which series and what did you think of the stories? Can you recommend them and why?  I read all of the Harry Potter books and could certainly recommend them. I read those with our granddaughter, Lauren.  With grandson Tristan, I read 16 of the Warriors series which is all about feral cats but has good lessons about faith and community, and teamwork.  I highly recommend them too!  As most of my readers know, I read all of the Outlander books (8) and loved them.  They are a bit graphic with sex and violence, especially in the first book, but the history is amazing and the characters so well developed. 
3. Do you have a library, bookshelves, etc in your home?  Nope. Not anymore. Just my Kindle. Well, I have quite a few art books and they share a shelf in the guest room with photos and nic-nacs.
4. Is there a book you just really disliked?  Yes.  Why did you dislike it?  It is Scarlett, the supposed sequel to Gone With The Wind.  It is TERRIBLE.

Thanks for your visit today!

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!

Monday's Weekend Recap...

 

Last Thursday evening, we had a really nice dinner out with Judy and Tim. We went to Il Forno, which is a private-owned Italian restaurant that we all really like.  I even asked for my retirement party from the Museum to be there - it was.  Good food and decent prices.

On Friday, our insurance man came by to go over our medical insurance. We are sticking with what we have so it was an easy visit.  

Saturday was laundry day and was also a special event here in our community.  You may have seen these on my Facebook page but here they are again.  Our Neighborhood Watch chairperson, Mic (who was a policeman in the Chicago area) and his wife, Laura, organized a Back the Blue night for Mas Verde.  We purchased blue bulbs for our porch light, a blue ribbon to go on our flag pole, and a sign for our front yard.  Around 8:00 pm, a parade of police cars came through with their lights flashing. We applauded and thanked them. They waved and responded with a thank you.  It was very nice. Next year it may be bigger!!

LPD (Lakeland Police Department)

FHP (Florida Highway Patrol)

FWC (Fish & Wildlife Conservation)

PCSO (Polk County Sheriff's Office)

Here they come....

A short video, if it works...

And there they go...

We went to church on Sunday. The official count was 113 people. It is so great having the seats filling up (still being careful with social distancing and masks). We met Cheryl for lunch at Crispers (a local restaurant kind of like Panera Bread). Helen wasn't up for church or lunch so we ordered lunch for her and Cheryl took it home.  Later in the day, they both came by for a visit.  Helen was more herself, but on Saturday, when we spoke on the phone, she was not herself at all. It is so sad to see her going downhill.  We are going to have to make some hard decisions soon, I'm afraid.

Wishing you all a good week ahead!!

Peace & hugs!  

Sunday Stealing...

 Thanks to Bev for this week's Sunday questions.  You can join in HERE!

 

Stolen from League of Extraordinary Pen Pals

1. What is your favorite spooky song?  It's not spooky, but Monster Mash.

2. What do you want etched on your tombstone?  Just my name.

3. Who is your favorite horror movie villain?  Dracula.

4. Have you ever seen a ghost?  No.

5. Do you prefer gore, thrillers, or supernatural movies?  Thrillers.

6. What is your favorite scary book?  I don't usually read scary books.

7. Have you ever had a tarot card reading? No. Was it accurate? N/A

8. Are you superstitious?  No.

9. Have you ever used a voodoo doll?  Good grief, no.

10. Have you ever participated in a seance?  No.

11. Have you ever heard voices when no one was around except you?  Yes.

12. What is your favorite Halloween candy?  Chocolate anything.

13. What was your most memorable Halloween costume?  None that I remember.

14. Do you like going through haunted houses (not real ones)?  I have never done that but I do enjoy Ghost Tours when we are in a city that offers them.

15. If someone dared you to spend the night in a haunted house (a real one) would you do it?  Probably.

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!

Saturday 9...

 Thanks to Sam for today's 9!  You can join in HERE!

Lights

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants' posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love to answer the questions, however, and here is today's questions!


Saturday 9: Lights (2011)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song was inspired by a young Ellie Goulding's fear of the dark. What scared you when you were a kid?  Fire. I remember being afraid that my parents would forget a cigarette and the house would burn down. Must have seen something on TV to give me that idea when I was only 7 or 8.  I also remember worrying about raising my little brother and two sisters if anything happened to mom and dad. When I was a teen, I was sure vampires were real and wore my cross necklace 24/7.

 

2) She thinks back to the room where her brother and sister slept and she felt safe. Did you share a room when you were growing up?  No. I was lucky enough to always have my own room. My two little sisters had to share but I never did.

3) Ellie Goulding grew up in public housing and worked her way through the University of Kent in Canterbury. Back in those days, her favorite job was theater usher because it offered her the perk of seeing plays for free. What's the most recent "freebie" you scored? (This includes a buy one/get one deal, extra points on your credit card, etc.)  I score BOGOs at Publix every time I go there to shop.  Thursday night, when we were out to eat, Judy and I both ordered a glass of wine. It was "happy hour" so we both got TWO glasses of wine. (Neither of us drank the second glass. Such a waste.)
 
4) Even though today she is an international music star, Ellie still lives modestly. She describes herself as "still in university mode," and limits herself to $10/day for lunch. Where do you economize?  Those BOGO groceries are one place and I never pay full price for shoes or clothing. If it's not on sale, it doesn't come home with me.

5) Ellie has proclaimed herself "a cat lady" and often posts pictures of her cats to her Instagram account. What's the most recent photo you took?  At the VA waiting for Joe to come out after his audiology appointment.  The sky was beautiful.

6) Ellie appeared on Sesame Street. She, Elmo, and Abby thanked clouds for raindrops, lakes, and the water we drink. Would you be thankful for a little rain this weekend?  We have been getting rain nearly every day for a few weeks now, so no we don't need rain again this weekend.

7) In 2011, the year "Lights" was a hit, Prince William married Kate Middleton. Ellie not only attended the wedding, but she also sang Elton John's "Your Song" for the couple's first dance. Tell us a song that reminds you of a romance in your life.  Flashdance. My long-time readers will understand.

 

8) Also in 2011, AT&T abandoned its attempt to buy T-Mobile. Which company is your cell phone carrier? Are you happy with them?  We moved after years and years with Sprint to Boost Mobile. We are very happy with them and it is a real boost to our budget, too.

9) Random question: What recent experience made you feel old?  Getting out of bed every morning!  Ha!!

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!

Friday Fotos...

 

I have some animal photos today.  We got to the farm (Joe's client) on Wednesday and there were cattle on the way in and on the way out.  The horses got carrots, a few of the goats who ran to the fence got carrots, the birds got carrots. cattle dog Roho got treats, and the mosquitoes started snacking on me so I went into the office to read while Joe did his work.

That is the farmworker, Aronel, mowing between the trees.

Guinea hens...

My sweetie...

As we were leaving, a cow was waiting at the first gate.  There are round bales of hay on our side of the gate and she really wanted to get at them.  When Joe walked up to open the gate, she took off. Whew!

There was more than cattle to drive around...

Yesterday, Joe had an appointment at the VA with audiology.  They sent him a new hearing aid to replace a broken one and it hadn't been synced with his other one so was giving him troubles.  We were happy that they were taking appointments.  He was in and out pretty quickly but I sat in the car with the windows down, reading and enjoying the beautiful day.  No more squealing and he is hearing much better now! Praise God!!

 

We went out for Italian food with Tim and Judy last night.  Always good and always fun!  Today, our insurance man is coming by to talk with us about our medicare and pharmacy plans.  It's that time of year. 

Peace & hugs!  God bless!!