Thunderstorms ..........

We've been busy with various chores this week. We had a bad thunderstorm Sunday night with lots of lightning. I was standing just outside the back door calling Maggie May, who had retreated under the deck to get away from the rain, when lightning struck really close by. It blew the phone box, which was about six feet from me, off the back of the house and into the yard. I think I actually felt heat from the strike. It burned up our microwave, tripped several breakers, and burned up a night light in my bathroom. Poor Maggie May didn't come out from under the deck until a couple of hours later. My Dad had damage at his house also. His phone still hasn't been fixed. It broke his washer and damaged the lights in his bathroom. I'm still trying to get everything repaired. At least Hubby was at home. Before he retired he would always be gone during storms and I would have to handle things on my own.

The good thing about our thunderstorms is that they have put much needed water into my pool. We took the cover off Sunday in anticipation of the rain. We still need about 3 inches of water, which we will probably have to get from the well. It just takes awhile to run that much water into the pool, since I don't like to run water from the well for too long at a time. I'll turn the hose on for 30 minutes, then off for an hour and back on for 30 minutes. Can't wait for it to get hot so I can spend the afternoons in the pool.

The garden is still growing fast. We've been eating radishes and lettuce. I have lots of blooms on the squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes. I hope we will have squash by the first of the week. We just need a few sunny days.

Hubby has been retired for twelve days. He is thoroughly enjoying retirement. However, I have found it very difficult to find the time to do things that I need to do. We are either going somewhere or he is getting me to help him with his projects. I get so much more done when I have routines to follow and we haven't had any routines lately. I guess it will work out with time.

The garden after 2 days of rain ..........

It hasn't rained today, but it's been very cloudy and cool. I had to turn the heat on for awhile earlier this evening to take the chill off the house. I went out this afternoon and took the pictures above so you could see how much the garden has grown since Sunday afternoon. You can't tell from the pictures but the squash have the beginnings of blooms and the tomatoes have tiny blooms. We should have some good eating if it doesn't get too dry.

The garden ...........

The tomatoes ...



The squash and cucumbers ...

I looked out at the garden this afternoon and it looks like it has grown several more inches since I took these pictures Sunday. We are getting a nice soaking rain.

Much needed rain ................

We finally got a little rain last night. It had been 3 weeks since the last rain, and it was getting rather dry. The plants in my garden look like they grew several inches overnight. I've been watering the garden every day, but that just keeps the plants alive. Nothing helps like a good soaking rain. I'll take some pictures this weekend so you can see how big the squash have gotten.

Mazie Grace has been spending almost all her time in the house. Evidently she has a new appreciation for home. Hopefully she won't be going on any more adventures.

My Dad's daytime aide quit Monday, so he has had someone new with him this week. That means that I've had to spend more time at his house the last few days, getting the new aide adjusted.

Today was Hubbie's last day at work. His official retirement date is May 15th, but he is taking off tomorrow as a vacation day. Before he left work this afternoon, he took off his lineman's boots and tossed them and his lunch box in the dumpster. He is very happy to become a retiree. It's going to be an adjustment for both of us, but I think it will be a positive change.

She's home !! ................

Look who came to the front door at 5:00 this morning! She came inside, ate a can of food, sat in my lap for a few minutes, then insisted on going back outside. She came back inside at her usual 7 AM, and is now sleeping in the chair. She refuses to tell me where she has been and what she has been doing.

I was so surprised to see her! I had no idea we would ever see her again and had accepted the fact that she was gone. She must have been trapped in a shed or building and no one knew she was there. We will probably never know, since she refuses to talk about it. A happy start to a new week.

Flowers ......................

Just a few pictures of some of my flowers, which I'm dedicating to all you Mom's out there on Mother's Day.

Mazie Grace ..................

I really appreciate everyone's wishes for Mazie Grace's safe return home. Unfortunately, she is still missing. I have called all my neighbors, but no one has seen her. We have checked everywhere that she could have been locked accidently, and I've walked over the neighborhood again. She has never been gone for even a full day before, so it's not like her to take off. I think it is very unlikely that she will show up. I do believe a bobcat caught her. I have seen bobcats around here and I have been told that they will prey on cats.

Mazie Grace was a unique cat and I will miss her. She showed up on January 10, 2009 (read about it here), and spent almost 16 months with us. She was the best hunter I have ever seen. Almost every morning, I would find the remains of the mole or mouse she had caught the night before at the back door. She had a sweet disposition and loved to roll and stretch. She was very independant and lived life as she wanted. She had a short life, but I believe she enjoyed every minute of it. She will join the long, long list of pets that we have loved and lost.

We still have Maggie May to spoil. I have no doubt that another stray cat will find and adopt us. And, we are still waiting for a homeless dog to arrive. There are always lots of precious animals who need someone to love them.

Tomorrow, I will tell you about my garden....

Missing ............

Things have been rather sad around here the last couple of days. My sweet kitty Mazie Grace is missing. I last saw her around supper time on Monday, sleeping in the Norfolk Island Pine pot on the deck. Usually she sits on the deck railing in the morning and meows to be fed. I didn't see her Tuesday morning. I had an appointment in Richmond for my mammogram, so I was gone until mid afternoon. When I got home, I looked for her and called her, but there was no sign of her. She didn't show up this morning either. I've walked over all the roads, checking the ditches in case she was hit by a car. I've gone in the fields behind the house calling her. I keep checking outside, hoping she has come home, But there is no Mazie Grace. She has never been gone this long before, so I'm really worried about her.

I'm afraid either a bobcat or a coyote has gotten her. We have both around here and they have been known to catch cats. I haven't given up hope, but it doesn't look like she will be back.

Hearts in a row ......................

Don't have much time today, so just a quick post to let you know I'm still here. It's a terribly hot and humid day - feels like August instead of May. It looks like rain, but the weatherman said we probably won't get any. I have lots of plants to get in pots and in the garden, so I would prefer for the rain to wait until at least tonight. Will try to do a proper post tomorrow.