Two Sundays ago Mark was asked if he would join the worship team and sing bass and this Sunday was asked to be an usher for the collection. As our friend Steve said, God works in mysterious ways. Mark loves singing in church and I can hear it well standing right next to him. It warms my heart to hear him sing praises with his heart in the song. But Mark isn't one to stand in front of the church like that, so he said thanks but no thanks. He did however usher this Sunday when asked.
Well the park is filling up slowly but surely. By next weekend there will be three times as many here. And lucky us, we have a neighbor that is a bitch. She asked if that was a camera on our shed and said we had to take it down because it was looking into their backyard. How the hell would she know that? And no it's not looking in their yard. But Mark knuckled under and took it down. It will go back up, just in a different spot that the bitch can't see. She drew first blood and you don't piss off me! She will not be happy with me as a neighbor. I'm not as easy going as Mark. For me it's I don't get even, I get ahead. Dumb bitch doesn't know who she will deal with now. I've had too many people in my life walk all over me and I don't allow that anymore.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Nippy morning
Woke up to 59º outside this morning. Boy am I glad I put the quilt on the bed yesterday. It was 71 inside, but felt much cooler than that. The coffee went down good today. In fact it cooled off a little too fast for me.
Yesterday I did the cleaning and got Carl's cage torn down and cleaned well. He was really hard to catch, more so than last time. By the time I finally caught him, he was panting and I was about ready to give up. But I'm stubborn and didn't want a sick bird either. I moved one of his perches so he poohed on the paper and not on the inside wall of the base. That will keep the cage cleaner in between the weekly cleaning and daily too. My Betta died so I took down and cleaned that little tank and put it away. No fish for awhile. They just don't live long in small tanks. Usually my Betta's live longer but Riley didn't.
More and more of the birds are coming back to Yuma. It's much noisier with the added 200,000 people in Yuma. By November larger numbers will be returning and January many Canadians come.
Thursday when I was at my car in the Walmart parking lot a lady asked how I liked our SmartCar. She asked to look inside and was quite curious about the car. anyway we got to talking and she started complaining about the snowbirds. This has happened to me several times before, so I asked her what made her think I wasn't a snowbird. She told me because I was smiling. LOL Many people notice how rude and grumpy so many of the "birds" are, not just me. It made me happy that I try to keep a smile on my face.
Yesterday I did the cleaning and got Carl's cage torn down and cleaned well. He was really hard to catch, more so than last time. By the time I finally caught him, he was panting and I was about ready to give up. But I'm stubborn and didn't want a sick bird either. I moved one of his perches so he poohed on the paper and not on the inside wall of the base. That will keep the cage cleaner in between the weekly cleaning and daily too. My Betta died so I took down and cleaned that little tank and put it away. No fish for awhile. They just don't live long in small tanks. Usually my Betta's live longer but Riley didn't.
More and more of the birds are coming back to Yuma. It's much noisier with the added 200,000 people in Yuma. By November larger numbers will be returning and January many Canadians come.
Thursday when I was at my car in the Walmart parking lot a lady asked how I liked our SmartCar. She asked to look inside and was quite curious about the car. anyway we got to talking and she started complaining about the snowbirds. This has happened to me several times before, so I asked her what made her think I wasn't a snowbird. She told me because I was smiling. LOL Many people notice how rude and grumpy so many of the "birds" are, not just me. It made me happy that I try to keep a smile on my face.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Porch floor
After much deliberation and studying, we opted to put a room size rug on our porch floor. The tiles have all let loose and some have caused me to trip and the loose grout is causing tripping as well.
Yesterday we lifted two of the many loose tiles to see what was underneath. What we learned was it was never installed correctly and would have to be completely removed and redone down to and including the plywood. Not an expense that we can afford or a job that we want to tackle ourselves. It's very time consuming and costly to say the least. Since the money is not available to replace flooring outside we decided to buy a room size rug to to put out there. We went to Lowes first since we have such good luck finding what we need there. But what they had wasn't quite right in the color or the price factor. So off to Home Depot we went. Not only did we find the right color for outside but the price was way better too.
When the rug we just got no longer is looking good, we hope to replace the flooring and put an indoor outdoor carpet down. That should last us as long as we are still living. After that it's someone else's problem. When we go tear out the old tile on the porch the tile in Mark's little room and bathroom will get ripped out too. We don't like tile, I hate tile anywhere. And when it is not installed correctly it's a bigger pain in the butt than normal.
We really like how the new rug covered where we needed it too and how it looks. It sure feels good on the feet as well.
Yesterday we lifted two of the many loose tiles to see what was underneath. What we learned was it was never installed correctly and would have to be completely removed and redone down to and including the plywood. Not an expense that we can afford or a job that we want to tackle ourselves. It's very time consuming and costly to say the least. Since the money is not available to replace flooring outside we decided to buy a room size rug to to put out there. We went to Lowes first since we have such good luck finding what we need there. But what they had wasn't quite right in the color or the price factor. So off to Home Depot we went. Not only did we find the right color for outside but the price was way better too.
Next step was to empty the porch so we could put the new rug down. The rug is 10 by 12 so we had to do some shifting to get it to cover where we wanted it too. It fit perfectly as we had hoped. Once all was back in order we admired our work until we got too warm. The a/c felt too nice to sit outside and sweat some more. hehehe
When the rug we just got no longer is looking good, we hope to replace the flooring and put an indoor outdoor carpet down. That should last us as long as we are still living. After that it's someone else's problem. When we go tear out the old tile on the porch the tile in Mark's little room and bathroom will get ripped out too. We don't like tile, I hate tile anywhere. And when it is not installed correctly it's a bigger pain in the butt than normal.
We really like how the new rug covered where we needed it too and how it looks. It sure feels good on the feet as well.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Not too bad.
This morning after I got all the bedding washed and on the lines, I made a trip to Walmart. Today is a tear down of the birdcage so it gets a total good cleaning. But first I needed some place to put Carl while I cleaned his cage. So off to Walmart I went for a small cheap birdcage. After I got it together I looked at it and couldn't imagine anyone keeping any kind of bird in such a small cage. I'm so glad Carl only has to be in it for a short period of time.
Ok now that the little cage is put together, it's time to catch Carl in his main home. Out to the bigger shed to get my riding gloves, just in case he decides to bite me. Once the glove is on I take a deep breath, open his cage door and reach inside. I let him look at my hand before I start trying to catch him. Poor little guy is terrified, but I'm just as persistent. It took about three or four tries but I finally caught him. I talked to him soothingly so as to calm him down, but he never struggled in my hand. I gently placed him in the small cage and he gave me a good scolding. Talking to him in a soothing voice, he settled down.
Now on to the tear down. First I took the paper out of the bottom and threw that away. As I took the bottom and tray outside I grabbed a scrubbing pad. Good thing we have a spigot outside. It sure made it a lot easier to clean the pooh off of the grates. Next was a pail of water with vinegar and a couple drops of Dawn dish soap and a rag to scrub it all down. Everything got a good disinfecting done and sat in the sun for a bit to drip dry. Some paper towels to do the finishing touches to get all the drips off and it was time to reassemble Carls home.
Since the temporary cage is so small it only took me two tries to catch Carl so he could return to his home. Again he gave me a good scolding. Canaries don't like to be handled and he let me know it too. Even with his not being too happy being handled, I'm sure he liked the clean cage. Good thing the heavy cleaning is only once a week. I change the paper and scrub the wire bottom daily, that's enough for Carl. hehehe And me too.
Break time with a cappuccino and listen to Carl learn how to sing. He is getting better each day. Soon he will be singing more than tweeting.
Ok now that the little cage is put together, it's time to catch Carl in his main home. Out to the bigger shed to get my riding gloves, just in case he decides to bite me. Once the glove is on I take a deep breath, open his cage door and reach inside. I let him look at my hand before I start trying to catch him. Poor little guy is terrified, but I'm just as persistent. It took about three or four tries but I finally caught him. I talked to him soothingly so as to calm him down, but he never struggled in my hand. I gently placed him in the small cage and he gave me a good scolding. Talking to him in a soothing voice, he settled down.
Now on to the tear down. First I took the paper out of the bottom and threw that away. As I took the bottom and tray outside I grabbed a scrubbing pad. Good thing we have a spigot outside. It sure made it a lot easier to clean the pooh off of the grates. Next was a pail of water with vinegar and a couple drops of Dawn dish soap and a rag to scrub it all down. Everything got a good disinfecting done and sat in the sun for a bit to drip dry. Some paper towels to do the finishing touches to get all the drips off and it was time to reassemble Carls home.
Since the temporary cage is so small it only took me two tries to catch Carl so he could return to his home. Again he gave me a good scolding. Canaries don't like to be handled and he let me know it too. Even with his not being too happy being handled, I'm sure he liked the clean cage. Good thing the heavy cleaning is only once a week. I change the paper and scrub the wire bottom daily, that's enough for Carl. hehehe And me too.
Break time with a cappuccino and listen to Carl learn how to sing. He is getting better each day. Soon he will be singing more than tweeting.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Nice Ride
Tuesday I finally got to go for a nice ride on my bike. Mark said we would go slowly so I could get used to my bike again. I was nervous at first but it still felt good to be riding. Back in Hutch I knew what the roads were like and knew where we were going. But here it's all new, the road conditions and where they lead etc.
We stopped at a little cafe called Geronimo's in Welton for lunch. They offered mostly mexican fare but they had burgers on the menu too. So we ordered burgers and fries. Mark ordered a double and about fell off of his chair when our food came. The burgers were huge and then making his a double the burger it was ginormous.
Before our food came two ladies sat down behind me. The smell of stale cigarette about made me hurl. So I asked Mark to change places with me. No way could I eat with that horrible smell. It's bad enough I smell it on Mark so often. Being Mark smokes he has no sense of smell anymore and would never smell another smoker or anything else for that matter he changed seats with me. I have always had an acute sense of smell, much to my annoyance. So here is Mark, with his gun on his hip, and sitting by my bright pink riding jacket and helmet with pink butterflies on it. It was quite comical when we realized what he was sitting next to and me by the black jacket and black helmet. LOL But in all fairness he once did take off to work with my black with pink butterfly helmet on his head. LOL He did realize his mistake and came back home for his helmet before getting too far down the road.
Anyway, the trip back home was much more relaxing for me. I was used to the bike a bit more and knew the roads and what to expect. The arthritis in my shoulders really gave me a what for, but the ride was so worth the pain. I can hardly wait to go again. It's pain pills yet today but the joy of the ride is still there too. Thank God for pain pills and a nice ride. 😀
We stopped at a little cafe called Geronimo's in Welton for lunch. They offered mostly mexican fare but they had burgers on the menu too. So we ordered burgers and fries. Mark ordered a double and about fell off of his chair when our food came. The burgers were huge and then making his a double the burger it was ginormous.
Before our food came two ladies sat down behind me. The smell of stale cigarette about made me hurl. So I asked Mark to change places with me. No way could I eat with that horrible smell. It's bad enough I smell it on Mark so often. Being Mark smokes he has no sense of smell anymore and would never smell another smoker or anything else for that matter he changed seats with me. I have always had an acute sense of smell, much to my annoyance. So here is Mark, with his gun on his hip, and sitting by my bright pink riding jacket and helmet with pink butterflies on it. It was quite comical when we realized what he was sitting next to and me by the black jacket and black helmet. LOL But in all fairness he once did take off to work with my black with pink butterfly helmet on his head. LOL He did realize his mistake and came back home for his helmet before getting too far down the road.
Anyway, the trip back home was much more relaxing for me. I was used to the bike a bit more and knew the roads and what to expect. The arthritis in my shoulders really gave me a what for, but the ride was so worth the pain. I can hardly wait to go again. It's pain pills yet today but the joy of the ride is still there too. Thank God for pain pills and a nice ride. 😀
Monday, October 14, 2019
Hello Carl
Sunday morning we were at PetSmart minutes before they opened. The staff were still putting the pets into their perspective cages. But we had to wait longer for the new Canaries. Since we brought Carla back there were now three birds there. The cage is only equipped for two so the associate had to call the manager and see which ones to put out for sale. After a half hour wait we were able to see the two new Canaries.
It took me at least half an hour to get a good look at the eye placement of the two birds so I could make an educated guess on which one is male. The birds don't just sit still on demand so you can stare at them. Staring at them just makes them more nervous. The two Canaries were of different colors. One was yellow and one was a cream and orange color. The yellow one was the larger of the two and much larger than Carla. But after much eye strain we found that the yellow one was much more likely to be a male. So yep, we chose the yellow Canary.
Once home "Carl" wasn't too sure about leaving the travel box he was in. But with some coaxing he entered the cage. He was very vocal right from the start and he sounded a lot different than Carla too. At one time he gave us a sample of his singing voice. That was also the last time I heard it.
Carl was so active it was making me tired. Today he is still flying all around his cage like crazy. I just hope he doesn't break a wing. Not sure why he is acting like this. But I'm sure it's still the process of getting used to the new digs. At least I hope that is all that it is and not some problem. It does take some time for some birds to get used to their new environment. Carla adjusted much quieter. hehehe
The associates at PetSmart were so very kind, helpful and patient. Amazing people work there. They made the whole experience easy and not rushed. Just like when we returned Carla. The young lady that was at the check out said that if this bird is still not what I want, I have 14 days to return the Canary. That was nice to know. I hope we are done bird shopping though.
It took me at least half an hour to get a good look at the eye placement of the two birds so I could make an educated guess on which one is male. The birds don't just sit still on demand so you can stare at them. Staring at them just makes them more nervous. The two Canaries were of different colors. One was yellow and one was a cream and orange color. The yellow one was the larger of the two and much larger than Carla. But after much eye strain we found that the yellow one was much more likely to be a male. So yep, we chose the yellow Canary.
Once home "Carl" wasn't too sure about leaving the travel box he was in. But with some coaxing he entered the cage. He was very vocal right from the start and he sounded a lot different than Carla too. At one time he gave us a sample of his singing voice. That was also the last time I heard it.
Carl was so active it was making me tired. Today he is still flying all around his cage like crazy. I just hope he doesn't break a wing. Not sure why he is acting like this. But I'm sure it's still the process of getting used to the new digs. At least I hope that is all that it is and not some problem. It does take some time for some birds to get used to their new environment. Carla adjusted much quieter. hehehe
The associates at PetSmart were so very kind, helpful and patient. Amazing people work there. They made the whole experience easy and not rushed. Just like when we returned Carla. The young lady that was at the check out said that if this bird is still not what I want, I have 14 days to return the Canary. That was nice to know. I hope we are done bird shopping though.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Bye Bye Carla
Tonight Mark captured Carla from her cage and we took her back to PetSmart. I was so glad that I had saved the little box they put her in when we bought her. In the box she went and off to PetSmart we drove. They were so nice to us with the return of the bird. I reassured them that Carla was happy and healthy and that I just wanted a Carl not a Carla.
There are two Canaries at the store in quarantine until Sunday. The clerk took pictures of the two birds so I could see if either of them were a male. But it was quite difficult. So Sunday after church we will go to PetSmart and take a closer look. Hopefully one of them will be a male or at least easy to tell the difference. If both are female, I'll just wait until they get a male Canary. The young man didn't know how to tell the difference and was happy to now have a better idea of telling them apart. But it's still a gamble since the birds are hard to tell until they sing or don't sing or you check the genitalia and even then it's not easy. There are time that breeders have a difficult time sexing the Canaries. I've learned a lot from reading and asking breeders about the Canaries. I'm no authority but am better educated than when we first got Carla.
Anyway, I didn't think it possible but I miss Carla. Not the numerous feathers she was shedding right now. I know that Lola will be happy that she is gone and would love for the cage to be out of what she thinks is her area. hehehe But the cage will stay where it is and tomorrow I will give it a good cleaning in preparation for a new and hopefully male Canary.
So until I find a male Canary, there is no bird in the house.
There are two Canaries at the store in quarantine until Sunday. The clerk took pictures of the two birds so I could see if either of them were a male. But it was quite difficult. So Sunday after church we will go to PetSmart and take a closer look. Hopefully one of them will be a male or at least easy to tell the difference. If both are female, I'll just wait until they get a male Canary. The young man didn't know how to tell the difference and was happy to now have a better idea of telling them apart. But it's still a gamble since the birds are hard to tell until they sing or don't sing or you check the genitalia and even then it's not easy. There are time that breeders have a difficult time sexing the Canaries. I've learned a lot from reading and asking breeders about the Canaries. I'm no authority but am better educated than when we first got Carla.
Anyway, I didn't think it possible but I miss Carla. Not the numerous feathers she was shedding right now. I know that Lola will be happy that she is gone and would love for the cage to be out of what she thinks is her area. hehehe But the cage will stay where it is and tomorrow I will give it a good cleaning in preparation for a new and hopefully male Canary.
So until I find a male Canary, there is no bird in the house.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Canary
Since it is a male Canary that I really wanted I've decided to take Carla back to PetSmart. They will be getting new Canaries in today and ready to sell on Sunday. No idea if what they get is male or female, but I will wait if I have to to get a male.
Yesterday I called every pet store in Phoenix and none carried Canaries. That is when I called the PetSmart here in Yuma where we got our Canary. They will take my female back if I return her before the 14 days are up. So before Saturday we will take her back. Then on Sunday we will go and see if they got a male Canary for sale. I hope I can get a close enough look to tell the difference of male and female. The visual signs are difficult to say the least. If they have no males at that time I'll just have an empty cage until I find a male. I won't give up looking for a male.
Yesterday I called every pet store in Phoenix and none carried Canaries. That is when I called the PetSmart here in Yuma where we got our Canary. They will take my female back if I return her before the 14 days are up. So before Saturday we will take her back. Then on Sunday we will go and see if they got a male Canary for sale. I hope I can get a close enough look to tell the difference of male and female. The visual signs are difficult to say the least. If they have no males at that time I'll just have an empty cage until I find a male. I won't give up looking for a male.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Mark is out numbered
My beautiful yellow Canary turned out to not be a Carl but a Carla. I'm saddened by that but nothing I can do about it now. She is still a very pretty bird and loves to tweet in the morning, but as a rule female Canaries don't sing. The singing is what I really wanted to hear, not just tweeting. :( I've left my name at PetSmart stating that I would like a male Canary. But I'm not sure they know how to tell the difference. At the time I didn't know either. So I sent Carla's picture to some breeders and they said that Carl is in fact a Carla. Now I also am more informed as how to tell the difference. So Mark is outnumbered by females once again. Not that he minds, he doesn't notice anyway. He is either working, at the shooting range or in front of his computer. Such is retirement.
The morning weather has been so nice that we are able to open the doors and windows until early afternoon. At which time the doors and windows get closed again. The afternoons are in the mid to high 90's for a bit longer. But at least the a/c isn't running near as long. That will make the utility bill much easier on the checking account. :)
The morning weather has been so nice that we are able to open the doors and windows until early afternoon. At which time the doors and windows get closed again. The afternoons are in the mid to high 90's for a bit longer. But at least the a/c isn't running near as long. That will make the utility bill much easier on the checking account. :)
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