Kentucky Backroads

Several weeks ago we decided to have a Sunday afternoon adventure so we drove down into Kentucky towards Lexington, to visit Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill. Well, we never quite made it to Pleasant Hill because we didn't have a map. Now stop laughing - you know we usually plan our trips really well, taking the NavMan, the big Atlas of the US, and individual state maps, not to mention MapQuest directions of all sorts. Well, we were in the new car which has no maps in the glove box yet and the brochure of Shaker Hill had NO specific directions on it. We realized that we were doomed to drive around the rolling hills of the Bluegrass State for hours when the locals at a gas station couldn't even agree on directions. So we made the best of it and came across all sorts of interesting little spots. We grabbed some sandwiches in Paint Lick, Ky. which was barely a town at all. Sweet Pea's Diner was actually an old general store / eatery with a number of customers who all seemed to know one another. We were obviously the out-siders, especially me with my camera. An odd feeling.

We drove across a bridge that spanned a rain-swollen muddy creek - this, I guess, is the redneck version of a dam? We couldn't quite figure out why anyone thought this would be effective. At first we thought it was a foot bridge that had collapsed, but no, it really was meant to stop debris in the creek. Time to call in the Army Corps of Engineers for Dam Building 101. Seriously.

Now one thing they seem to build really well in that part of Kentucky is stone walls. Miles and miles of stone walls, everywhere we turned. Quite old, I guess, but they're holding up much better than that dam. I was quite impressed with the workmanship - no cement holding the stone together, just all fit together like a puzzle. It must have taken stone masons a looooong time to build all those miles of stone walls. Awesome. Where do you suppose all those rocks came from, anyway?

Then came the 4 little ponies that were trotting down the side of the road, carefree and happy because they had just escaped from a field near by. I don't know anything about horses, but they were miniature something-or-another and they were SO cute! A man and lady were walking down the side of the road in hopes of catching them - I bet it took a while! These guys were enjoying their freedom. They had no fear of the road or the traffic so I hope they made it home safely.

Next we came upon a town where there was an old building facade that was being held up by support beams lest it come crashing down into the main street. What you can't really see is that the entire backside of the building has been demolished - you can see straight through the windows of the building into ... nothing! OK, dare I say it ... redneck architecture? Only in Kentucky. Evidently someone had the crazy idea to save the facade and build a new structure in behind it. Must be some cost-savings in the equation somewhere!

Somewhere along the way we came across this abandoned tunnel. The road used to go through it, but the pavement is almost overgrown now, and the interior is cool, creepy and dank. The newer portion of the road goes alongside it so it would be easy to miss as you fly by on the crazy curved road. When Chris put on the brakes to turn around and go back, I had no idea what I had missed.

Eventually we found our way back to I-75, and on the way we passed ... the entrance to Shaker Village. One of these days we'll go back, if I can convince Chris that we can really find it again.

Been Busy - School Started

The past couple of weeks have flown by - but don't they all, any more? - and I'm getting more and more behind in posting family news. I'm going to post just a little something every day, no matter how short or how mundane. It'll be the "5 Minute Blog" from now on! I started this about 10 days ago, as you can see, in an attempt to describe Kelly's back-to-school activities.

We got a new uniform skirt the week before school started and she promptly requested that many inches be cut off, keeping it just barely in compliance with school guidelines: "The plaid uniform skirt, not shorter than 5 inches above the knee, is optional and may be worn at any time. They may not be rolled at the waist. Shorts are not to show from under the skirt. " I guess it doesn't really matter in the end how short it is, because she does wear black shorts as well. (Though she tells me that there are some girls who don't ... What?!?! Climbing upstairs and down all day long, skirts flapping in the breeze? With boys right behind you on the steps??) Anyhoo.... besides the new skirt she got a pair of brown Pumas that look tres comfortable, several pairs of tan and black pants, and 2 new school sweatshirts. (Get this - all the hooded school sweatshirts that we've bought over the past 2 years are now forbidden - they've switched to pullover sweatshirts, NO HOODS allowed any more. What a racket.)

She likes all her classes and teachers - her schedule includes AP US History, AP English, Spanish 4, Honors Algebra, AP Biology, Religion and Art. She actually had a study hall in her original schedule but traded it so she could take Art - she's sitting in on a class doing an Independent Study that she worked out with the teacher. So we're off to a good start - haven't missed the bus so far, homework has been bearable, and she's still working 2 evenings and the weekends at Riley's. You go, girl!

Oh, and as you might have noticed, an IMac has entered our household, and Kelly's the lucky recipient. She now has the best system in the house! We're re-working our network and since her system was the oldest and least reliable (the "weak link") she scored the spiffy new system. It's incredible - the darn thing even talks and tells "knock knock" jokes. Chris loves it - he's next in line to upgrade - gee, I wonder what he might get?!

Painful

Painful for me to look at, and absolutely painful for Tandie, without a doubt. She's laying very still, staring into space, but every so often she shifts around to get more comfortable. (Not possible, from what I can see.) Dr. Jeff was quite descriptive in his narrative of her surgery today. Let's just say he had to dig deep to get the cysts out, and we hope this doesn't have to happen to Tandie again very soon.



Oh, Tandie, I'm so sorry you have to endure this pain. Let's pray tomorrow is a better doggie day.

Heaven On Earth

All I need to satisfy my sweet tooth: Breyer's Vanilla Ice Cream and A&W Root Beer to make a Root Beer Float. (Must be Breyer's, must be A&W, no substitutions, please.)

All Chris needs to satisfy his sweet tooth: a huge bowl of Breyer's Vanilla covered with Hershey's chocolate syrup. (Must be Breyer's, must be Hershey's, nothing else is the same.)

Don't tell the dentist. We'll deny everything.

Tandie's Turn

It's was the old girl's turn at the vet this morning, time for her annual check-up and more importantly, time for Dr. Jeff to take a look at her most recent lumps. She's had surgery twice before to remove fatty cysts from her side and neck, thankfully nothing to be worried about. This time though Dr. Jeff is concerned about the lump by her throat since it feels hard, unlike the usual fatty cysts that are softer. He didn't hesitate to say she needs to come in ASAP for surgery - the sooner the better, so we've got an appointment for early Tuesday morning.

Fortunately Tandie is an easy-going friendly dog - she tolerates the poking, prodding and needle sticking of an annual visit without a fuss. She loved the vet tech and could hardly stop licking his face while to talked to her. Oh, to be happy and carefree like a spoiled dog ... no worries at all.

Dr. Jeff volunteers his time at a number of local animal shelters helping with the care of their animals. He and his family have many pets in their home just like we do - he's got a big heart and wishes that every stray and abandonded pet had a good home. We've done our share of rescuing - we're up to 3 dogs and 4 cats and swear there will be no more - we're out of room! Those of you who read my silly little blog - do your part when you can, and adopt a pet from a shelter! They'll love you forever.

Tyson's New Look

Poor Tyson is cursed with bad hair - layer upon layer of silky gold and white dog hair. (His paperwork at the vet labels him a "blonde." That would explain a lot of his spastic behaviours!) During the summer he gets incredibly hot (so we humans assume, anyway) and though we've tried to trim him with our dog clippers, his hair is simply unmanageable. Too many layers, too much for the clippers to handle. His belly hair hangs down in wisps and he comes home from our walks in the park with all sorts of twigs and burrs sticking out from his fur. His back end is a tangle of fine white fur that resembles a shaggy petticoat - not very manly at all.



We gave him a good bath last weekend in hopes of taming his unruly fur, thinking we could comb out some of the excess - nope. He was a wet smelly mess for hours as he dried off. Pathetic. Doesn't he look like a poor little homeless doggie that needs to be rescued?? We concluded it was time for the professionals to intervene.

I made an appointment at the vet (for his annual check-up, and to get proof of his current rabies vaccine) and at the groomers at PetSmart. We headed off to Dr. Jeff's at 8:30 Saturday morning where he was declared healthy but overweight (weighs 43 lbs, should be closer to 35 lbs). Later in the day we went for a ride to PetSmart for his 4:00 appointment at the doggie spa. He was a little reluctant to go with the groomer, but by the time we picked him up at 8:30 he was one happy guy! We could hardly believe our eyes - his new look is stunning! Tyson looks like a young puppy again, and he seems .... slimmer!

I swear he was grinning from ear to ear all the way home, knowing how good he looks. I can only imagine that he must feel sort of "naked" when he plays outside and the breeze blows across his skin - there's certainly not much fur any more. Our conclusion: money well spent! Tyson's conclusion: I am so cool!

Attack of the Yellowjackets

"Yellowjackets account for about half of all human insect stings. Unlike honeybees, their stinger is not barbed, and they can sting many times in succession. They can be especially aggressive in defense of the nest. Stinging and injured yellowjackets release a chemical alarm pheromone that attracts other guard workers."

Well, I guess that would explain why they got really, really mad when I was pounding a nail in the deck, about 6 inches from their nest. I had no idea at the time that they even had a nest, and that my pounding would cause such a problem. I ended up being chased into the house by a couple of these guys, one of which burrowed into my hair and stung me on my scalp. OUCH (*#^!%*^) I was the only one at home at the time, so I ran down to a neighbor's house (gotta love having an EMT close by!) holding an ice cube to my head. Heather checked and found no stinger, just a bump ... I took my melted ice cube and went home, my scalp stinging like crazy for the rest of the evening.

This past weekend I asked the hubster to take a look out on the deck, because I had discovered to my horror, that a suspicious noise was coming from a support column on the deck, in the area where we had noticed the bees. The yellowjackets had been quite busy - most likely thousands of them - working their way into the cracks around the hollow column. When I put my ear up to the siding, I could hear the sound of yellowjackets "clicking" around and bumping into the sides of the column inside. Very creepy. Just picture a hollow rectangular column, about 10" X 12" in size, with the interior filled with angry yellowjackets. **shudder**

First thing Monday I called a pest control company and we set an appointment for Wednesday morning. Two female technicians showed up in a pick-up truck filled with pest-killing goodies. They came back to the deck and nodded knowingly as they sized up the situation, laughing (sympathetically) when I told them about pounding in the nail. They discussed their game plan and headed back to the truck to put on white Tyvek coveralls, gloves and hats. I watched from afar as they mixed up some chemical dust and filled a very loooong wand that would allow them to stay about 8 feet away while injecting the dust into the column.




I hovered by the back door and peeked out every few minutes to see what was happening. I could see dozens of angry yellowjackets buzzing around, and "poofs" of dust as they injected the column with the dust. (That blue glass ball is the item I was hanging up two weeks ago, when this whole saga began.) After about 15 minutes they declared the process finished, saying that most of the yellowjackets were probably dead, and over the next week those remaining would track through the dust and die off. Now that's good news! I can go out and water my flowers without fear of being stung again. Once a season is enough! I'd be really interested in seeing the inside of that column one day - if Chris every gets serious about tearing down the deck and building a new one, I guess we'll see what's left of the nest.

On a happier note, I did see a happy little goldfinch riding on top of my black-eyed susans while the yellowjackets were being "dusted."

Three T's Go To The P in Spite of the 3 H's

The summer weather in Cincinnati can be just obnoxious, as it is many places. While we're not suffering like those poor people in California, it has been cookin' hot here over the past few days. The weather forecasters (now there's an oxymoron) have begun using their three favorite words over and over again during the news: Hot, Hazy and Humid. They go on and on about heat emergencies, staying inside, and not mowing your grass until late in the day. Very predictable.

Well, the 3 T's have been begging to go to the Park for weeks, and I do mean weeks. We haven't had the time or energy to take them on a romp recently - Chris has been working long hours including Saturdays, so our free time is scarce. The weather hasn't been co-operative much either - too hot or rainy. Anyway, the 3 T's can sense when it's the weekend and they just know there's a chance we might take them to the P. Tandie in particular will follow us around with a hopeful look on her doggie face, raising one eyebrow then the other as she wags her tail really fast. I swear, she really is asking to go to the P in best way she knows how. Then the other two pick up on her vibes (seriously), they all start barking and racing around the house, from door to door hoping it's really true, that it's time to go to the P - absolute chaos. This was finally their lucky weekend - we had the time and the energy (and felt guilty enough) to go for a walk in the P. It was a steamy hot day so we waited until after dinner to go - I packed up the leashes, the water dish and water bottle, my camera and we were off.

Though it was a sunny day the park didn't seem too busy - the heat was keeping people inside, I guess - granted, it's no fun walking the trails or picnicking when it's so humid. The dogs didn't seem to mind the heat at all - they were just happy to be there, leaping out of the van and immediately sniffing, running, sniffing, running ... dog heaven. We walked down the road, up the hilly path into the woods, following our favorite trail. The woods were lush and green, the canopy so thick that the woods were dim with only momentary splashes of sunlight breaking through to the ground (off with the sunglasses). When we crossed over from the woods to the big field the sun was bright (sunglasses back on) and the grass was tall and dense where it wasn't mowed - a big change since we'd last walked there early in the summer. The berries were almost ripe (Chris was taste-testing as we walked), the summer flowers were in full bloom around every bend, and the direct sunlight was so hot after the comparative cool of the woods!

We managed one lap around the field (we usually go for 2 laps), stopping only when we got to the shady side by the RC area (a group of radio-control airplane enthusiasts have a complete set-up with a paved runway and a few work tables for their equipment). We decided we'd had enough and the dogs had too. Tandie noticed a big plastic jug filled with water under one of the tables and just stood there by it, looking at us, looking back at the jug, looking at us again ... we don't usually carry their water with us, but keep it in the van so they can have a long drink at the end of their walk in the P. We had to convince her to keep walking, come on, girl, you can have a drink when we get back to the car.... I thought we might have to carry her the last little bit. The 3 T's were all panting hard and moving slowly by the time we finished and they lapped up their water with gusto!

I vote we wait until the temperatures are back down in the 60's before we go to the P again! We were all a hot mess by the time we got home - the panting was loud and long as the dogs cooled down in front of the fan. Chris and I, on the other hand, stayed home just for a few minutes before heading down the road to St. Bart's Frestival - another way-too-hot activity for a day like yesterday. We should have stayed home with the dogs! There's something to be said for laying on a cool floor in front of a fan ...

Twenty

This past Monday, July 24th, my baby boy had his 20th birthday. TWENTY. How did that happen? Time has been spinning faster and faster. One my customers once told me, "Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes." He was a wise old guy and I think he has it right.

Here are some pictures of my little boy through the years. Now I don't have a scanner, so the quality of these "photos of photos" is sorely lacking, but you can see him growing up, year after year .... six weeks old, his first birthday, three years old, 3rd grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, high school.






We had a fun dinner at The Olive Garden on Tuesday evening to celebrate the beginning of his new decade. Both Grandmas and a couple of crazy cousins joined us. Abby (22) and Erika (19) are going to be sharing an apartment at Ohio State this school year, Abby to start work on her Masters degree and Erika to continue on into her sophmore year. Very scary, those two.

Later in the week his girlfriend Emily tried to "trim" his hair for him and it got a little out of control. He came home a bit miffed that the trim had not gone well, so he grabbed our clippers and had his friend Joe give him a buzz. Well, Joe is no expert barber either, so let's just say Matt now has a really short hair cut, very much like the cut in his 5th and 6th grades photos. Not shaved, but darn close. It could use a professional clean-up, but it's really not a bad look for him! I'll try to sneak some pictures of him so you can see what it looks like :) .