topic Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence in Community Chat

Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Winifred — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 14:40:31 GMT

Well hello everyone - can you believe November is here? The past six months have flown by - have no clue where time has gone. You can tell it's November out here in Sou Cal as Hallowe'en is when the weather gets a tad frigid. Day before it was HOT and I had to turn the heater on yesterday. However, never fear we are not finished with our warm temps - I believe the real hot days are long gone but we will still have some warm ones.

Speaking of Hallowe'en, NO ONE was out trick or treating - not in my area anyway. Has been years and years since anyone has stopped by. I miss that and although I figure nothing will occur and no one will show up, I still went and bought candy and put out lighted jack o lanterns. Felt soooo sorry for the couple who bought the house across the street and one over. They are remodeling and have completely redone the inside. Knowing how it use to look am not sure I would want it the way they have it but it's their home and their money - not mine. My biggest complaint is they knocked the wall out between the kitchen and living room and now the kitchen is kind of part of the living room. Anyway, Janet called and she was so sad, NO ONE stopped by and they had put out decorations and she had baked cupcakes and decorated them and obviously spent a lot of time, had tons of candy and cans of ice tea. She had been waiting since 5:30 and no one showed up. So we all went over and got our fill. I did not even see their front porch decorated because they had the lights out and door open but still did not notice them. They had various really spooky and large decorations. Times have changed. I think everyone goes to schools and church functions but I also found out quite a few of the festivals were held LAST week. Never even thought of that. We had gone out earlier trying to find a place to trick or trick and had checked a couple mobile home parks that USE to be really big into decorations - no more.

Am so glad the former marine was released from jail in Mexico and is back home - long overdue.

Am not sure what I think about the Nurse who refuses to be quarantined other than I pray she does not come down with that dreaded disease and in the process contaminate anyone else.

Am leaving some candy left over from last night and a big pot of coffee and do nuts - nothing better than that.

Now the BIG news is we HAD RAIN LAST NIGHT. Not a big storm and not sure how much as it never woke me up and rain usually wakes me. But everything is wet outside and up in the mountains right by me they had snow last night. Am sure my brother is happy about that - NOT. LOL.

Please everyone stop by and visit - we have shored this old Fence up for years and years and patched it from time to time and we enjoy having everyone stop by. Hint, don't forget to bring something to eat. Have a great day.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Bird mama — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 15:23:50 GMT

Hello Winifred - I'll take a donut and some coffee, thanks. It was cold, raining and windy enough to generate temps in the upper 20's last night. I don't think I saw more than 10 kids. This is the first time in the near 13 years that I've been in this house that we didn't get many kids and many of the 'regular neighbors' didn't even bother turning on a light. Maybe they figured the weather would be lousy and thought, why bother?

It's blustery again today - there had been a forecast of snow - on the grass if nothing else. Didn't see any of that when I awoke at 6:15 this morning. The bird bath did look a little icey, if not frozen over.

I'm speechless on the entire ebola situation, which says a lot since I can sometimes talk the hair off a dog's back

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Winifred — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 22:45:50 GMT

Come on people - where are you? Miss you regulars and we also love to have everyone stop by.

Cold here today in Sou Cal - and we hada really small rain again last night - would like to have some more. That is always a good sign. Sun is out right now and to look out, it is absolutely beautiful. Like I said, however, a tad chilly if you actually go out into it.

Church was good - the Men's FEllowship group fixed breakfast between the two services. That was really nice and a welcome surprise.

Could due with some more coffee so am leaving some of that AND hot chocolate. Now you cannot do any better so stop by!!!

Have a great day everyone.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Bird mama — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 16:38:47 GMT

I refreshed Winifred's coffee and cocoa - here are some pastries to sweeten the pot

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Puddles — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 20:04:27 GMT

Hi Winifred! I just found your Back Fence and thought I'd stop by to say hello. Wouldn't it would be fun to have a Charlie Brown get together?

Waving to Bird mama! I'll have one of those cinnamon pastries and a cup of Winifred's hot chocolate.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Bird mama — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 20:20:27 GMT

Puddles, it would be fun to get together and share a meal :-)

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Queenofo2 — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 02:08:48 GMT

Not only has the last six months flown by, the entire year has or so it seems to me; dunno where it's gone.

Robin and her daughter brought the kids Halloween night. The little girl was dressed as a scarecrow and I don't know what the little boy's costume was and didn't want to make him feel bad by asking so didn'tanyway, they were the only trick or treaters we had.

Jim's been grouting our shower today. He thinks the south end of the house is settling and causing cracks in our ceiling and our shower. All the upkeep on older homes makes one contemplate the advantages of renting.

Don't like the time change any better than I did the first time I ever experienced it which was who knows when. Always makes me want to move to Arizone where they have sense enough to leave the time alone. Our cats tummies are on standard time and they can't be fooled!

It rained here this morning and it's been gloomy all day. Hope there's more to come. We'll soon (as in this week) have to bring my plants inside as they can't tolerate anything below 40 degrees.

I've left the fixings for s'mores. Cozy up to our little fire pit by the back fence and put those marshmellow's on the end of the coat hanger and get ready for some good eatin'!

Happy Monday all. Sue

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Epicurean — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 03:31:02 GMT

I could use some coffee and a goodie!!!!?? we had a great time at the Fleetwood Mac concert. brought me back 25 years I am miserable,again. I am weening off one of my pain meds.,at my request. May have made a rash decision,but just getting tired of putting all this stuff into my body. weather is beautiful,to be in the 70s for a few days. good weather to get out and vote tomorrow. Where in the world has the time gone?????? Holidays are just around the corner.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Bird mama — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 15:50:08 GMT

When I was little, I remember my dad telling me that time flew by quickly and it happened when you got older. I wonder sometimes why that is. At first I thought it's working full-time, taking care of the house and stuff like that. I then hear retirees tell me their time has flown by - so I guess I can't blame it on work. I work for a health insurance company and was on a major project in 2013. I don't know if any visitors to the back fence were X-Files (tv show) fans. If you remember the series - Mulder (male lead) used to talk about missing time (basically like blacking out during an alien encounter).

I swear I suffered missing time for the entire period of 2013. Short of my great nieces birthday and maybe one or two other things, I can't remember most of 2013, that's how crazy it was at work.

My company is closed today - every 2 years, presidential and mid-term elections, the company is closed. I think it's a collectively bargained benefit. Knowing I was going to have today off, I took yesterday as a vacation day. I spent 2 1/2 hours in my front yard raking leaves. My frozen shoulder was screaming about 90 minutes into it, but I couldn't stop. You know how you buy a pair of shoes that hurt your feet and you take the shoe off and can't get it back on? Well, I was afraid if I stopped raking, I wouldn't be able to get back to the front lawn.

Advil works wonders, I should do a commercial and thank God, I have today to recuperate. The garbage guys just picked up 10 huge bags of leaves.

My birds lives are dictated by the sun. Last week, when it was dark in the morning, my youngest, Presto did not want to get up when Mommy was trying to get ready for work. This week, it's dark around 6pm and she's like, BEDTIME. Her habitat that she sleeps in is in my office where my desktop computer is. The house is lit up and I start getting her and Poppi (my eldest male) ready for bed around 7 pm or 7:30 pm. Springing forward doesn't seem to generate as much churn in my house like Falling back does.

Honestly, they need to just leave the time alone already.

Epi, I'm glad you enjoyed your Fleetwood Mac concert. Music today seems to be lacking from a lyric front. I don't mind the actual tune if artists were actually saying SOMETHING.

The voting place is the school across the field - behind my house. I suppose I should get my rear in gear and take a walk over there before the rains come around noon.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Winifred — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 16:12:55 GMT

Puddles, wow, soooooo glad to see you here. The Fence has been around perhaps almost 20 years. Is that correct Sue? I know it was here before I was and my goodness I think I came aboard right at the end of shop talk or whatever it was called. Talk about time flying. Have mentioned this before but I "think" the one who started this was the delightful ornery mother of a regular we had at that time. Unfortunately both are gone - The daughter died way too young and quite sudden. Oh my but we have lost so many interesting posters.Am sitting here with the smoke coming out of my brain trying to remember CORRECTLY their names. Am thinking the MOther was MGH - and just cannot come up with the daughter's name. My goodness but the brain cells are not working well this morning. At any rate I do recall these ladies were in Texas.

Epi, I bet you did enjoy that concert - that would take you back a bit.

Sue, you are so right. These O L D homes do kind of move around a bit don't they./ And this one suffers from the constant earth rumbling - o therwise known as constant earthquakes. Cracks are abound.

Well people, I voted about two weeks ago and it will be interesting to see what happens. Our elections seem to me to be really kind of boring as I seem to be missing some great ideas from the politicos. LOL. The political ads just drive me insane. I do not receive political calls and have not for some years when I found out where they got my number - off the voters registration. I went crazy when I moved here a good 15 years ago and had to change my voting - I was in one county and this is another. Needless to say I called the Registrar of Voters and had my phone number deleted. Never one since. Also my number is not listed. Has not stopped all the pundits calling to sell me something or other insane calls - and yes, my number is registered on the Do Not Call list and I keep it current. WEird.

Bird Mama, I think it is great you get voting day off from work. Interesting.

Leaving some more coffee and hot chocolate - the weather is demanding one or the other. Have a great day everyone.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Queenofo2 — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 03:56:16 GMT

How's everyone on this gloomy day? It rained here this morning and was overcast and chilly the rest of the day. I got a haircut by someone who has never done my hair, but my hairdresser is quite ill and in Dallas seeing specialist's and her co worker has had to take her client's as well as keeping up with her own and she's worn out. I have known her for years at the shop, but as I said she's never done my hair, but she did a wonderful job and I'm pleased.

Freddie, I guess it is close to 20 years since the Back Fence was started. MGH's name was Mary as was her daughter, but we always referred to her as MGH. She was quite a character. When MGH first started this thread there were far fewer posters on this BB and so more people were aware of it and many began posting here on a regular basis, but as the population grew, more and more similar thread's sprung up until now I don't even try to check out new threads. We differed in one way and that is we never had any 'fighting' as did so many other threads. That is one of the reasons I stopped going elsewhere because this thread was always just chatting as if we were neighbors across the back fence.

So Puddles, welcome to someone from across the Pond. It's nice to have you. Please tell us about yourself if you don't mind. We're always eager to make new friends here at the Back Fence.

Jim brought all of my plants in this afternoon as it's possibly going to freeze tonight or at least get colder than my plants can tolerate. I'll miss seeing them from the breakfast room. My Hybiscus and geranium's have been so colorful all summer long. Hopefully I'll be able to nurse them through the winter until they can go back outdoors. I have them in the laundry room facing a window.

We had salmon and sweet potatoes and asparagus for supper tonight. This is salmon I got from the Q and it is SO good!

Well, folks think I'll get off this puter and finish a good mystery on my Kindle.

Happy Tuesday all. Sue

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Bird mama — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 17:32:51 GMT

Queen Sue - yesterday was gloomy and drizzly for me too.

This morning, the sun is shining and I'm hearing this will be the warmest day (upper 50's) for the next week or so. I still need to rake my backyard and it looks like the leaves will be wet on Saturday and Sunday. The weather forecaster said the S word (snow).

If it happens in the daytime, I will be bouncing around and happy like a 5 year old. I love the first snow, even if it doesn't last.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Puddles — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 23:52:16 GMT

Hello again. How is everything at the Back Fence today?

Winifred, I guess I don't get out much. I pretty much stay on the thread called The Sidewalk Cafe which I started when the OP of the 50's thread moved on. That thread had been my home for many years. I found Bird mama's thread awhile back by accident and it was nice meeting you there, so when I saw this thread, I thought it would be an opportunity to again broaden my horizon of friends. Wow, this thread has been around a long while and it sounds as though it has a lot of history. I'm sorry for the loss of the OPs. Anyway, thank you for welcoming me.

Queenofo2, I am originally from East Texas, but claim Houston as "home." My DH though is British and in 2012 we thought we would like to retire to England.......NOT! It just isn't home, so we are moving back within the next year. We play tennis, love to travel and take several mini-vacations a year to Las Vegas. I'm addicted to the slot machines! I love to decorate and Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I have a sister who lives in the Dallas area and a brother who lives in our hometown of Tyler. Both my siblings are 20+ years older than me, so another good reason to return home. My MIL passed away in 2010 and we have beem remodeling her flat where we live, but I became seriously ill in February and had emergency surgery so we are now in Houston to have a required second surgery. That surgery is scheduled on Monday. We are hopeful that my recovery will allow us to enjoy Christmas with my family in Dallas before returning to England. OMG, is that too much information?

Happy Wednesday afternoon to everyone! Oh, I forgot to say, I love birds.........waving to Bird mama!

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Queenofo2 — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 02:10:12 GMT

Puddles, not too much info at all. I enjoyed learning about you and your life and was surprised to know your a fellow Texan at least by birth. Sorry to hear of your health problems and will remember you in my prayers that all will go well with your surgery and that you'll have a speedy recovery. It will be wonderful to be with family for the holiday's. I just watched the national news and saw the ceramic poppies 'planted' in the former moat in front of the Tower of London in honor of British men who died in WWI. What a moving and beautiful tribute to those men.

BirdMama, I had the cutest visual of your birdy bedtime ritual. What exactly do you do when getting your babies to bed? I love snow too and share your excitement at the prospect!

Must go get ready for mid week Bible study. Happy Hump Day all. Sue

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Bird mama — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 02:53:02 GMT

Hey there again

Queen Sue - Two of my birds are hand raised sparrows. My male, Poppi reached the age of 9 in June. I hand raised him and his sister Peewee, who passed away in July of this year. My youngest sparrow is Presto, a female who turned 1 in June.

Poppi's main room is a spare bedroom converted into an aviary. By the time Presto came along, Poppi and Peewee were 8 years old, had never seen a baby sparrow and I was afraid of stressing them out. I set up Presto in my office, flight cage, extra perches and the whole 9 yards.

I learned from my experience with Poppi and Peewee. I work full time and my DH was with those 2 when they were young. Although they saw me daily, they were used to him. Poppi was my DH's bird, no doubt. Peewee was a little bit calmer towards me but neither was/are what I would call tame. My DH died when they were 18 months old.

Because my eldest were old and I had not yet lost a bird, I didn't know if one would die right after the other like my grandma's parakeets.

For that reason, I sequestered Presto from the Poppi and Peewee at night when she was a baby. I trained her to sleep in her flight cage/door closed. The others could come and go from there flight cage but mostly slept on perches. Training them to sleep in a cage is valuable, especially if you've ever had to chase birds (I don't clip their wings) to get them in a cage when tornado warnings and such happen at night.

What I did different with Presto was dedicate at least 30 minutes each morning with her to visit. I bring her and Poppi treats, then I close the office door and Presto and I visit. She sits on my shoulder, is comfortable being handled and plays with me. At night I used to pick her up off a perch in the other room (she'd fly to hang out with Poppi and Peewee for the day) and say, let's go beddy bye Presto.

About 6 months into that, she started flying to my shoulder at night. Now all I have to do is stand in the hall outside whatever room she's in and say Presto, bedtime (kind of sing song) and tap my shoulder and she flies to it and we walk down to the office and she is put to bed. She sleeps in a bird bunker, hanging inside the cage.

Now, when it comes to Poppi.... I enter his room and he leaves it. He watches me clean and tidy everything and then I walk into the other room and say goodnight Poppi and he chirps a few times as he's flying into his room to go to bed.

None of my birds sleep in the dark. I have nightlights all over the place. I leave lamps on when I go to work - don't ever want them to be in total darkness. I leave radios on, all tuned to the same station to keep them company.

Poppi adjusted to the loss of Peewee because he has Presto. I try to reinforce the relationship between me and Presto because I worry about her emotionally when the day comes that Poppi crosses the rainbow bridge.

She will be the only one of her kind in the house. I am accustomed to being the only one of my kind in the house and Grayson the pigeon who can't fly either thinks I'm a pigeon or he's a dog.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

yock — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 03:32:23 GMT

Well the Q didn't want to let me in but after pounding on the door for a while it finally opened. My print is so small I can hardly read it Yep the good old days when MGH and her daughter zipped around the bbs....both of them were a lot of fun. I remember she told me to be sure and eat my poi when we went to Hawaii. When she told you to do something you did it. Oh my that stuff is awful. Lol Nice to see you here puddles. It's always nice to see new posters Indiana used to be sensible about its time. Cows have to be fed and milked at the usual time. I always thought the change was for an extra hour of golf Epi feel better Freddie glad you finally got some rain. Sue I don't mind snow that doesn't stick around I messed up my haircut but she took me yesterday and of course it rained. I had written her a check in August. I put one amount where the numbers go and a different amount where you write it out. The bank took the written out amount which shorted her. She is a sweetheart though and puts up with me even when I miss my appt and don't pay her correctly. Nice to see all the fencers and I need that coffee. Did anybody bring banana bread?

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Winifred — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 03:41:58 GMT

Betty, glad you got to post. Sometimes it is very frustrating trying to get on to the Q. Am really tired - need to run.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Bird mama — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 14:56:45 GMT

Yock, I'm stopping by to drop off some banana bread before I go to work. Now I'm craving banana bread

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

Winifred — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 16:19:53 GMT

Yesterday was another beautiful day here. We did have some pretty highw inds so there was a red flag alert but so far no fires. Thank you much.

Life sometimes becomes a lot of turmoil. I cannot believe it, but this church I am now attending - and I just LOVE it - is now in the middle of some nasty things. I left the other church I was attending because of some unreal situations and here this church is going insane. I have heard bits and pieces and the pastor is having a session Sunday afternoon to explain things. However the other rumors are he was fired - does not make any sense. What on earth happens to so called religious people to constantly have confrontations, accusations, firings and the like. I just do not get it and right now I am questioning many things.

Hope all have a great day. This will be another very busy day but a bit easier on the traveling than the last few days.

Bird mama, I LOVE Banana bread - will slop some cream cheese on it. Thanks much.

Re: Thanksgiving at the Back Fence

yock — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 23:02:30 GMT

I got there ahead of you freddie. You know how I am when banana bread is around. I would never ruin it with cream cheese tho. If I put anything on it it would be pure butter. It doesn't really need anything I've been without Internet all day. When it finally came back on there were 53 messages. Most all of them were junk. Still don't have the computer right. It says it is checking email but it must be going through the trash. At times like this I'm happy to have an ipad even with the stupid autocorrect. It is very cold here and Merle is not going to be happy when he sees the leaves in his yard. Both neighbors across the street hired people to blow theirs to the curb. I gave them the evil eye and they made sure to cut the power a bit when they got to the curb. Unfortunately I don't have the same power over the wind and here they came. When I talked to him by phone he asked me whose leaves they were. I said they are yours now.