Random 5 for June 26 – Vacations, Amazon, cats, illness, groundhogs

Gallery

Posted on by
Courtesy of executiveconsultingsolutions.org

Courtesy of executiveconsultingsolutions.org

Where is everyone? – Everyone seems to have disappeared. Maybe vacation? Even Starbucks isn’t crowded. Bloggers, shoppers, friends are all on hiatus! There is something I like about that (at least the Starbucks part) but it also feels like something is missing (maybe me not being on vacation!).

Woo hoo! – I received a note from Amazon. I have been awarded $1.57 from the Apple lawsuit. The beloved husband got $22.30. So exciting! Almost like winning the lottery!

Awww! You missed me, didn't you! How about some hugs?

Awww! You missed me, didn’t you! How about some hugs?

Velcro cat – Morgan (my youngest cat) had her annual exam with shots this week. She’s very easy to crate and loves the attention at the vet. After the visit she stuck by me like Velcro. She’s all huggy-feely. I like it but it won’t last. I wonder if the crate brings back memories of the shelter.

You never know – One of our friends was hospitalized this week. He had severe pain and they weren’t sure if it was a heart or lung issue. His heart checked out ok but they haven’t found the cause of the pain yet. He’s an upbeat virile (up until now) healthy guy. We have friends who are much more likely to have health issues. It brought all of us down to earth. You never know what tomorrow will bring. Love what you are doing today.

Source: Wikipedia

Source: Wikipedia

Garden update – I live next to an animal preserve with lots and lots of critters. My garden has a 6’ fence around it. After 13 years of that working, I found a groundhog inside. He got in leisurely but when he saw me he panicked and had trouble getting out. He was stuck in the fence and there was a moment I thought I would have to help him. He managed to wiggle out the 2” x 2” square. He was young and small but still a good size. I couldn’t believe he could do it. (And yes, it was a male. While he was stuck I saw his man bits dangling. He could have used a jock strap.) He ate my cucumber plant. Boogers.

So how was your week?

Editor’s note: I corrected the beloved husband’s Apple refund after I posted. Whoops!

46 thoughts on “Random 5 for June 26 – Vacations, Amazon, cats, illness, groundhogs”

  1. An old friend has been staying with us for about 2 weeks now We can’t stop talking long enough for me to really read, digest and comment on even my favorite bloggers ‘ posts like yours. This is a valiant effort to return to cyberspace. Your little groundhog is a contortionist!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  2. Pingback: When it comes to gardens, the critters win again | Views and Mews by Coffee Kat

  3. I never really did follow the story behind the Apple refund, but I gained $45.00! Pretty nice, huh? I do think living next to an animal preserve. How many people can claim that? I think having a close encounter with a groundhog is pretty cool–that makes you a wild animal rescuer! I’m sorry about your friend’s health and hope all is well.Your encouragement to live each day fully is certainly an important message for us all!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • The preserve is cool until they eat all your stuff. Then you want to move to an urban area. We are in a development so it’s not like we are isolated on acreage. My friend is doing well. I didn’t follow Apple either. I never bought from them so I didn’t think it affected me.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  4. Several years ago we had a groundhog dig under our concrete front porch. It was cool under there. The groundhog was BIG. I do not remember any bits so it was probably a girl. It smelled. It was relocated. Been quiet in the country too except for farmers cutting hay. When we go to the kinda big city it is a ghost town… I love it. I hope everyBODY exits for the 4th because that will mean less fireworks… I am not a fan of fireworks or the 4th. It’s nice that Morgan is all huggy!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • I too like when people leave for vacation in mass. The people who remain are nicer. It’s hard to relocate wildlife with the preserve next door. Someone else will come to take their place.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  5. I’m on vacation, so obviously if you’re in with the in crowd, you should be too. Although I am blogging so my vacation it obviously not from blogs it’s trying to work and blog that is challenging!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  6. I think the warmer weather has bumped people to the outdoors. I know I’ve been a bit slow getting to responses and posting and like you have noticed the supermarkets, etc all on the quiet side. It’s that time of year.
    My prayers for your friend. You’re right, life changes very quickly. Enjoy the moment.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  7. Our neighborhood is deserted here, too. My last trip to the grocery I found so many parking spots I was overwhelmed with possibility. I don’t know where everyone went to, but I do know where they aren’t. Seems unusually odd for this time of summer.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • I was amazed by them. He was stuck with half his body on one side of the chain link fence and the other half on the other. First I went to the head side to push him back because I didn’t think he could get through. Freaked him out. I noticed he had teeth so I decided to go to the backside and maybe pull him back. When I got there I was fascinated with the dangling bits. I think he saw me looking and got nervous because he did two thrusts and he was through and on his way. I was going to devote a whole post to it but I thought that was pushing it.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  9. Top Down writes the best comments.
    i’m not a big blog reader. Maybe I peruse 4, yours being one. Forgive me, but it too time consuming for me.
    New York is already thinning out for the 4th when it’s still June. Personally, I love the city when its empty. It becomes all yours.

    Starbucks however, is never empty. Who knew there was such a fortune in coffee.

    Witnessing illness potential or otherwise humbles you. Seize the day is right.

    As far as helping a groundhog, think of the points your karma would get. Wow.
    All of nature would be applauding.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  10. I actually found it strange to temporarily cut the cord on my blog reading while we were away recently. I don’t delude myself that I’m friends with bloggers I follow, but there is a kind of intimacy that develops where you end up knowing way more about them than perhaps members of their families even do! So it was weird at first to not read their posts. Your Apple rebate is far more useful than the amount I got from Ticketmaster. I have no idea the next time I’ll go to a concert, but at least you can “power” your way to a decent purchase from Apple with your $1.57. Have fun shopping!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • The Apple rebate is so exciting I don’t know what to spend it on. Heard about the Ticketmaster thing. Not really fair. I have unplugged for a few days at a time. Then I tried to cram at least my favorites in. I was afraid I’d miss something important. It’s weird how you feel connected to people that you are not sure they are who they say they are.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  12. I wonder if cats remember the times we crated a friend of theirs and later the crate came back empty, permanently, and it smelled of the vet. Of course I’m projecting, but I can’t stop myself. I wish so much I could clearly communicate with my pets.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  14. Dear Kate ~

    Life is short. Seize the day!

    Take your combined Amazon / Apple windfall and go on vacation!
    I’ll keep an eye on your garden for you.

    Signed,
    Gopher (“Go Far”), the Groundhog

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply ↓

  15. I love quiet places with no crowds. Maybe I should vacation near you! But, yeah, whenever there’s a change, or people disappear, it probably triggers some evolutionary survival instinct that makes us think, “Huh. Maybe this isn’t safe anymore? Maybe I should move on?”

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  16. Everyone from your neck of the woods is in our neck of the woods! It took us 45 minutes to drive from Fort Walton Beach to Destin last night – 8.5 miles! Then probably about 30 more minutes to our destination. We rarely go to Destin during tourist season, but H decided we had to go to Best Buy. He’ll think twice next time! Hope your friend is ok. You never know. ~Elle

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  17. “Love what you’re doing today.” So true, Kate!
    I was excited about the fancy bird feeder I had purchased on Friday. You unscrew the top and slide three round blocks of different seeds to attract a variety of birds. It was hung around 7:00 Friday evening and by Saturday @ 5:30 a.m., everything was gone…even the bottom of the feeder. A darn raccoons unscrewed the thing and left nothing but a few scattered seeds.:(

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply ↓

    • It doesn’t get hot enough to cancel here. After a long winter, we embrace the heat (talk to me in August when I’m not so embracing) and continue to venture out. I could do with less garden drama.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  19. We have a “cage” around our blueberry bushes that I thought was absolutely bird-proof but every once in awhile one works its way in. Of course it then panics when it sees me and can’t get out. After I open the door so it can escape, I have to go searching for the small hole it found to get it. Little buggers… Sorry about your friend; I hope it’s not serious. Good reminder to enjoy every day we can.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • I tried blueberries for 3 years. I would get tons of blueberries and was lucky to eat 3. No matter what I tried, the birds (and chipmunks and probably those damn groundhogs too) ate them. I am astounded as that fence has worked for many years. There were nips to my tomato plants but not major damage but my parsley took a hit too. This was the first year I tried a bush cucumber and it was doing well looking more like a zucchini plant than a cucumber vine. I was all excited with all the baby cucumbers.

      Like

      Reply ↓

Don't be shy, I'd love to hear what you're thinking!