Among Friends

[Bird mama]

Here's the chimney before

The view from the roof, lol.

Chimney afterwards

[possummink]

[possummink]

@Bird mama 

Bernie,   That is a long way down to the ground from your roof.   I would have used the window too, to get out up there,  That ladder is scary looking. 

  I need to get a new ladder so I can get up to the gutters and clean them out on the back of the house.   I was checking the lawn service's cutting in the back and on the hill and noticed green sprouting in the gutters.   That's weird as I have kind of screened covers over them.   Will take a hose up the ladder and flush the gutters out.  I don't want to have to remove the tops I put on.  

[possummink]

[Bird mama]

@possummink   About the ladder, lol.  It's my little giant that I set up like an extension ladder.  I was going to try to get at the chimney from a ladder however where I needed the ladder to be had uneven ground.  No matter what I did I couldn't get it level so I basically laid the ladder down in the grass.  My other alternative was setting the ladder up on the concrete patio, which was level but more of a bone breaking risk if I fell off of it.  

I have 'genuine' extension ladders that can go up really high.

That picture was the first story. The second story view is even scarier   I'm typing about the second story view and can feel my pulse starting to increase.

Last year around this time I was walking my garbage to the curb on a Tuesday so the crews could pick it up.  I like to put mine out the morning of.  I don't like looking at garbage at the curb prematurely (he he he).

As I was walking up the driveway to come back into the garage (and then the house) I looked up and saw a chia pet garden growing in the gutters up the second story roof.  Seriously, it looked like I had a herb garden growing.

My maple probably dropped seeds in the gutter, it was hotter last year at this time and that's all it took.  All I thought was oh no, that's got to be some kind of code violation with the city.  I don't want to be embarassed with some kind of notice on my door.

So I took the real extension ladders, fought them in my front yard to get them extended and up high and said, Bernie, just don't look down.  You're doing this on a garbage pick up day and should you fall down, you will land in the front yard and the garbage crew will see you and call for help.

My personal height was working for me and I rigged a scraper - I can't even remember now how I did it and I reached above my head more or less blindly and went by feel and cleaned out the gutters.

Since that duckling in the sewer episode last Spring, I have a long extension pole (that I bought with the pool net to fish out ducklings if I need to) and figured out a way to get into the upstairs gutters without me having to get up that high again.  I duct taped a small shepherd's hook from one of the solar lights that had been retired from the pet cemetery.  Sometimes it's good to keep random things around the house.  You never know when it will come in handy.  I remember when I pitched the lights I thought, hmmm, little shepherd's hooks.  You never know when you will need one of these - don't recycle or discard them.  

My Ma had a knack for figuring out things and I thank her every time I find a different way to accomplish a task because I know she's inspiring me from heaven.

[possummink]

This baby Grebe reminds me of my oldest GD,  a backseat driver no one would want to have hanging over their shoulder.   She's a real pain, having been in 2 accidents, she's almost phobic about it.   She's really hard on her mom.   I've mentioned a muzzle but so far we haven't done it yet.   Also suggested putting her in the trunk. 

[possummink]

@Bird mama 

Bernie,   Love the description of the growth in your gutters as Chia pets.   It's a good one.    Not sure what is growing up in mine, but did go on line to look at extension ladders.   Now I need to figure out the minimum height that I need.  No need on getting a 25 foot one as my other house is only one story and that's the one that needs the gutters cleaned.   The back part of the house though has a lower ground level than the patio so I need to take that into consideration.   That part needs the ladder to reach it as the roof pitch is too steep to climb down to the gutter, even for my younger brother.  

I do have a long pole similar to what you described with the shepherds hook.   Mine is from our boat, about 10 to 12 feet long/tall with a small hook on one end.   It was used to grab buoy hooks, docking, pushing off from docks etc.   It's come in very handy for multiple jobs here around the house.   I keep it hanging, by it's hook,  on a little protrusion on the outside of the house, right above the steps leading down to the basement.   Awesome help. 

I got a few more houseplants moved outside today.   Every time I want to do something,  I have to do 2 or 3 other things to do the one thing.   The plants inside yet need to go out on the front patio which is full of wet leaves and yew branches that need to be trimmed.   My brother used to blow the leaves off, but didn't last fall and he used to trim things, but doesn't anymore, so now I have to do that.   I did use a pitchfork for a while today to 'rake' wet leaves and then 'shovel' up and toss them on the flower bed in front of the patio.  Daffodils grow there and they don't mind the extra mulching.   I had to take a break as it's so humid outside and my back started rebelling.  One of the perks of old age, but I will take it and deal with it.  

How is Grayson doing and Presto too???  

[Bird mama]

@possummink     at the trunk and muzzle comment.

[Bird mama]

@possummink  So far so good with Presto.  No eggs yets - I'm keeping busy, lol.  She will be 6 this year and next month will be my 10th anniversary with Grayson.  Time sure does fly.

[mousiegirl]

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@possummink wrote:

This baby Grebe reminds me of my oldest GD,  a backseat driver no one would want to have hanging over their shoulder.   She's a real pain, having been in 2 accidents, she's almost phobic about it.   She's really hard on her mom.   I've mentioned a muzzle but so far we haven't done it yet.   Also suggested putting her in the trunk. 

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@possummink   LOL!!!