There is an expression that goes like this: “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Here is the origin of that saying:
Though I am mindful that severe weather has plagued so many parts of the U.S. lately, while we have merely endured constant gray days, rain and lack of sunshine, the ugly weather had me in a bit of a funk. So, when the weatherman crowed about two weekend days of gorgeous weather, I was pretty happy. In fact, I was like a kid in a candy shop – two days of exploring and getting out to enjoy what finally would be perfect Summer weather. So, do I go to a new park, or one of my old standbys? But then I remembered I could not be too joyous, as I still had to tackle the front and back yards which, thanks to all the rainy days, look overgrown and unloved. So, I made a compromise … I’d visit some of my favorite parks and just enjoy today and plan on doing yard work tomorrow. Today would be the reward for a long week at work, last weekend’s rain-soaked days … yes it all sounded wonderful.
The rain has been a pain in many ways … not just hampering my walking regimen with torrential or stormy weather, but there has been a mosquito and tick explosion and we’ve already had several instances of West Nile Virus from infected mosquitoes. So, I donned a long-sleeved shirt and long pants with socks, and, because we have had so much rain, some of my favorite parks are waterlogged, so it was a perfect chance to try out my new red vinyl boots.
I got myself ready and sauntered out the door. I admit I had tunnel vision as I sidestepped all those bushes that tried to reach out and grab me on the leg, their new growth shooting toward the sky, much the same way as those fancy fireworks that will wow the crowds at the annual Ford Fireworks on the Detroit River this coming Monday night. And, don’t think I didn’t notice the weeds too, their leggy stems threatening to overtake all the existing bushes or the dainty weeds with wispy tendrils which were wrapped around some of the new growth. But, just like Scarlett O’Hara, I dismissed those pesky weeds with a wave of my hand, declaring “I’ll think about that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.”
Taking some “me time” …
I’ve long believed there are not enough days in the year to just escape and get away from it all. I know that sometimes, by the end of the workweek, my mind is really cluttered and ready for a reboot, because, despite my daily forays to my favorite nature nook at Council Point Park, sometimes I still feel the need to clear out those tangled recesses of my mind, which coincidentally resemble those out-of-control perennials growing wild in the backyard.
I know if I don’t get out and stretch my legs and give my mind a rest, I’ll go buggy.
Or smother from everything … you have to rise above it all, like this rose, fighting its way through the weeds and dead wood, the only bloom on all my rosebushes … now that’s tenacity.
This last week in particular was a toughie. My eyes were fuzzy from working on way too many charts – yikes!
I was beginning to despair of the same-old, same-old …
You know how you get into a rut and don’t know where to turn – it’s like you’re up against a wall.
So I intended to turn my back on it all …
… and escape to some wide-open places to put a smile on my face again.
Because balance is important – you don’t want to become mired in muck and be off-kilter.
I longed for a nice leisurely stroll by the water and to relax with the sun on my back.
That is why we have weekends, precious hours of “me time” where each minute is ours to savor and enjoy, much like this little squirrel who is smiling after a new walker shook out some cocktail peanuts from a bottle onto the pathway for him. Easy-peasy eats!
Hmm, he never gave me or my jumbo, salt-free, roasted peanuts a second glance, because he decided to grab that treat instead – no, I didn’t take it personally. In fact, I saw cocktail peanuts strewn all along the perimeter path and pavilion area.
The squirrels will likely eat this newbie walker/kind-hearted soul out of house and home. 🙂
The back-story … because, as you know there is always a back-story.
As most of you know, I work from home from the kitchen table. Friday afternoon I heard a very loud noise – it had been fairly quiet for once, for which I was glad, since I was working on charts with lots of numbers. The fridge wasn’t running, and the A/C was off … blessed quiet. Until this banging noise. I sprang into action to find out what happened.
First I ran downstairs because many years ago a portion of the dropped ceiling fell down a day after a furnace installer hit it with some equipment. It collapsed, metal supports and all, and made a terrific clatter as it landed in a heap on the laundry room floor. Whew – nothing wrong downstairs.
I ran outside and checked the gutters to ensure one had not broken off because they are filled with these guys …
… and will soon be cleaned out.
I was worried about the gutters, because when I came home from walking the other day, a dove peered at me over the top of the gutter. It likely was ready to take a bath. I felt the urge to mutter “well, excu-u-se me!” an old Steve Martin catchphrase. The dove gave me a look like I was intruding on its bath time ritual. Doves are not lightweights, so I was relieved the gutters were still intact.
The awning was okay too, so nothing seemed out of place and I went back into the house.
But that loud noise niggled at my already-taxed brain.
Our energy provider has been marking houses on the block with yellow flags and yellow spray paint. I heard the trucks out on the street during the day, but never closed enough for me to poke my head out the door and yell “hey, what’s up?” So I called DTE to see if there was a problem – nope, just routine maintenance.
I kept sleuthing, and even checked the Facebook Crime Forum for our City – no one complained of an explosion at the nearby BASF Chemical Plant.
So I resigned myself that nothing was wrong and returned to my charts.
Fast forward to this morning … I went out to the garage, all bright-eyed and bushy tailed, eager to take on the day.
As I do every day, I turned the key in the garage door lock and proceeded to twist the handle to open the door, but the door wouldn’t open.
I tried a second time – nothing happened.
I walked away from it for a minute, took a deep breath, and then, yes indeed, I was dumb enough to try a third time, which I put down to wishful thinking.
I said bad words, not that it helped much. Believe me, my brain wasn’t all that fuzzy that I couldn’t connect the dots that something happened inside the garage that caused the door to be jammed shut … yes, my own personal big bang theory.
I marched into the house and grabbed the phone directory for the door company, whom we have used in the past. Thankfully there was a sign of life on the other end of the phone, a woman who was quite chipper on this early morn. She did not match my surly mood. I explained the dilemma and before I could elaborate about the loud noise, she said “no worries – a screw flew off and the suspension came down – I’ll send someone out this afternoon.” I said “did it collapse onto my car – I heard a loud banging noise!” She responded by saying that it happens sometimes and the tech can fix it after 2:00 p.m. today. I thanked her and realized my day was pretty well trashed at that point.
I walked down to Council Point Park where I completed just one loop because I was distracted and “what if he got there earlier and I could still salvage my day?”
Boing! It was not just a little screw that popped off.
The tech, named Joe, arrived and I explained what happened this morning and the noise yesterday and said “there must be a correlation, right?” He said “let’s get this door up first and I can tell you better.” Well he struggled mightily to lift the door, pushing it, prodding it and finally hefting it up without the benefit of the spring which he pointed out was laying in the corner. He looked around, up and down, then said “here was your noise.” He explained that the spring slipped off the cable, shot up to the ceiling, as evidenced by black marks the shape of the spring, and then like a slingshot, on the return trip it aimed straight for my car and bounced over and hit the door before coming to rest in the corner. I felt a little sick as I surveyed the damage to the car. The spring, which had some rust on it, clipped the car’s left rear area, just above the tail light. I say “clipped” but there are gouges that match the shape of the spring imprinted into the clear coat and some of the paint. It must’ve been my horror-stricken face that made Joe take the front of his tee-shirt and try to buff out the marks. Then he turned to me and said “it could have been you, you know, instead of the car.” He had brought a new spring and said he could replace it right away and the garage door would be okay to use. But, he cautioned me that they no longer sell garage doors with this spring mechanism since they are deemed unsafe and he urged me to consider getting a new door at some point down the road before the springs are no longer available. He also showed me where the metal cable was frayed. I ordered a new door … it will be installed the beginning of next week.
So, that was my day … not a day of joy tripping along the Lake Erie shoreline, or the boardwalk by the Detroit River chatting with the fisherman about their “catch of the day” but instead, I am licking my wounds about my damaged car and replacing the garage door. Neither the “fix” nor this purchase are going to give me any great joy, no more than spending tomorrow wrangling weeds and taming bushes.
I’ll sleep on it whether I indulge myself and go out anyway or stay home and tame the beast, er … the yard.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Very nice post ty
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks Patrizia – glad you enjoyed it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Miss: “Tamer of the beast…………………..er the yard”………………….what will you do tomorrow…………………hmmmmmm?.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Ann Marie – I am still conflicted at this early hour … it is important to enjoy yourself but sometimes “adulting” steps in. I don’t like being an adult very much these days. If you could count on the weather for next weekend, I would not think twice, but our weather cannot be counted on to be nice anymore … Murphy’s Law will prevail because, if I spend the day out there in the yard today, it will be nice next weekend. If I spend the day doing my own thing, it will rain all next weekend and the 4th of July long weekend … I may be jinxing myself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Doesn’t harm you to spend the day in the garden for just means you get to enjoy the niceness next weekend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, you are absolutely correct Eliza – I guess this was rather a whiny and petulant-sounding post. But I was angry not only for the lost day, but also for the expense and inconvenience (the car portion … hopefully my car is not in the bump/paint repair shop over a weekend).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nah, didn’t sound like that at all. (((hugs)))
LikeLiked by 1 person
Goldfinches, Passion flowers and Mourning Doves… very nice!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you Fred. I took all the pictures, except for the Mourning Dove, on Friday morning during and after my walk. The pictures in the yard were because I wanted to show a friend of mine how bad the yard looked and my “project” and one blooming rose in the entire yard – I one time had on two sides of the backyard filled with rosebushes. I Googled the image of a passionflower that you mentioned … it does look similar to this flower which is actually a Nellie Moser Clematis. The deeper shades of purple do not show up in the picture, as it was shady in the backyard. I had several Clematis plants as well, notably one that climbed up to an ornamental log cabin birdhouse that a neighbor made for me. Lost them all in the Polar Vortex about four or five years ago as well as about 90% of my butterfly garden. I did not replace anything and won’t … the weather is too erratic now. The images I used today were a good way for me to tell my tale of woe from yesterday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, no, no- that was not a good day at all, Linda. But glad you are ok and the car runs and you were not in it and there was no fire or you were not locked into the garage with the car and no cellphone to call anyone for help. I am just glad you are ok. The unnecessary expense is a bummer for sure. There is nothing you could have done to avoid it. I am glad you vented it out in the blog post- each time you tell the story, perhaps it loses it bite a bit.
Keeping fingers crossed and praying for courage for you.
Susie
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you Susie … my day began as a whine for the time lost from my “me day” … I really needed to get away and the weather was so nice, so there was no balm to soothe that disappointment early in the day … when I got the bad news about the car and the expense of the garage door, well that compounded my misery and it made the “me day” rather insignificant. I took all these photos on Friday with the exception of the dove which I just decided to use, rather than tuck away for an odds-and-ends nature post I am planning to do in the future. It seemed like it fit my day exactly. Thank you for your wishes. I realize there are bigger problems and worries and other discouraging days, but this sure took the prize for bad days in my opinion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hate days like that. We are also having a lovely weekend after a rainy dreary week. I am sick so I spent most of Saturday sneezing, coughing and blowing my nose. I’m hoping to feel better tomorrow but I will never be able to recover such a lovely weekend. Humidity is scheduled to come with high heat for next week but I’m not complaining. Better than a snowstorm. Sorry about your garage door. I should check mine out.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Me too Kate and I just needed a day away from everything … the day went from bad to worse, and, like you being sick and looking longingly out the window at a rare nice day, I was doing likewise. I couldn’t enjoy my morning walk because I kept thinking he might call my home number and say he was available earlier. I was led to believe it was a simple fix – he’d be here and gone in a few minutes, end of story. Today is our last really nice day, we have off-and-on rain and much more humid weather settling in. This was a perfect day. As to the garage door, he did not force me to get the door – he said the spring (2 1/2 feet long by 3 inches wide) was no longer being manufactured and could last a long time … the fraying cables were worrisome … why did no one ever say to check this? He could have come tomorrow but we have a stormy day and a bad gusty storm mid-day and most of the day thereafter. If you have this type of spring and cable on your garage check it … the spring on the right-hand side of the garage was rusty on the outer part of it, however the spring on the left-hand side was in good shape. It was not the rust that caused the problem … something came loose and the spring flew off the cable like a pinball in a pinball machine … it could have happened when I was out in the car … that would have been better, no car damage. Do check your spring if you have this type of garage. Mine is a roll-up door and not electric. I did not opt for electric this time either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the explanation of where “the best laid plans…” quote comes from. I had no idea. That goldfinch photo is great!
So sorry to read how your day went south. Not the perfect day of exploring the parks you had hoped for and then damage to your car from the garage door spring. Ugh! The same thing happened in our garage once, but luckily our car was not damaged. I thought the same thing as your technician – It was a good thing a person wasn’t there when the spring broke. They are under so much tension it could have really hurt someone. I had to laugh when I read that he took off his shirt to buff your car. Maybe he was trying to impress you!?!? 😀
LikeLiked by 3 people
I had no idea either Laurie so I thought I’d Google to ensure I had the quote verbatim … I had to share that. Not a perfect day at all and a real disappointment. And I was very adult today and did not go do something enjoyable but worked outside all day, then went grocery shopping. Not a fun day at all. You were lucky that you did not have car damage, but today I was speaking to one of my neighbors who said a friend had the spring go through the back window. Very scary isn’t it? That’s funny about the guy buffing the mark to try to make it go away, but actually he was young enough to be my child. 🙂 He was very nice and didn’t pressure me to get the door – he said “when you see fit, get this fixed as it is dangerous!”
LikeLike
Wow. What a story. So are you doing your garden today?
I was thinking, about me time, would you take an hour, or half an hour or ten minutes a day for me time so that you can have it at the weekend but not as desperate?
I love that you finally got to wear your boots! They’re really cheerful. It makes me smile when I see people in happy clothes
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hope your new door is nice. And that J puts it on for you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He seems very nice …
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did get out there all day long Eliza and had to have a little nap just now so I could get through comments … all that fresh air and sunshine was good for me … I like those boots too and I had a pair of them in red years ago which I loved to wear … had a matching hat. If you have to be in the rain, or walking in soggy messes, at least be colorful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are you buying a matching hat today?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, but I have a shiny vinyl hat … it matched the patent leather boots. It really looked like a Paddington Bear hat. When I took the bus I’d wear it on rainy days as it had a brim so I was able to stay dry, because even with the umbrella, if the bus was delayed and the rain was going sideways, you’d get wet. Those boots were above the ankle laced up. When my boss and I moved to another building and left the Firm which was in downtown Detroit, I had to take two buses. There was someone in the building who lived about 5 miles from me and I paid to go with him which I did up to when I was laid off and my mom got sick. So, since he picked me up at the house and we walked from the garage right into the building, I never wore them then I was going through my clothes etc. and opened the box and they had just disintegrated. I could not believe it! They just fell apart in tiny pieces when I picked them up. They were Liz Claiborne boots … I got them on sale and they were a great find.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so sad that they’re gone. I guess we’ve learned that boots can do that 😦 (seems really weird that they can, but what do I know)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t know that either – something in the vinyl I guess … I am a saver, not a thrower and a couple of years ago I as going through a lot of clothes that I don’t wear since working from home all these years … I put on a pair of shoes and the heels just fell off, looked like cookie crumbs up and down the hall!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never seen such things happening. I can envision the cookie crumb trail, you know like the squirrels leave 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha – yes, that is what it looked like. I never thought to look on the shoe, but kept looking to see what I stepped in. I wear slippers in the house, so I knew it was not something I brought home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my goodness! I never would have thought about how a spring could slip off and shoot up to the ceiling. Your Joe was right about how lucky the spring didn’t aim for you. If it ain’t one dumb thing it’s another. Hoping your Sunday weather and door are to your liking.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I had no idea it would happen either Ally and it surprises me that several other people, neighbors and here on WordPress also had their spring go wacky as well. It is large, almost 3 feet long and 3 inches wide … I looked at my car in the daylight today – I am lucky it didn’t smash the tail light. My neighbor has a friend where the spring went through the back window. I did some adulting today and worked outside all day – I can imagine how I will feel tomorrow from bending over all those hours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, my, goodness, that was not a fun day for you! Despite that, though, I must say, I enjoyed how you wrote about it and the flow of the pictures intermixed. I hope today is better, and I hope your new garage door installation goes well.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Shelley – houses and their problems, the gift that keeps on giving. This is downright scary what happened … he didn’t press me to get the new door but said it would be prudent as this spring will soon be obsolete due to the hazard. I am glad you liked the photos interspersed with the narrative. I took all the photos on Friday, with the exception of the dove – that was last week when I saw him up there in the gutter. … I was trying to think how I could use them to tell my tale of woe. I worked outside all day –
had to have a little nap as I kept nodding off here … all that fresh air and sunshine.:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Linda, how disappointed you must of been and then to have the to replace the door opener on top of that. I hope you at least took some me time today.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes I have to say it was a big disappointment Ruth … last weekend was pretty rainy and this weekend was so beautiful so I felt a little cheated … then this issue with the garage door and also the car. Sigh. I hope things dried out a little for you there before tomorrow’s stormy day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Things have been drying out better. The sunshine and warm temps are helping a lot. Yesterday my husband managed to get the last of our garden plated. That is a big relief.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s good Ruth. Well you had three days in a row and today was supposed to be an all-day rain … I did not see a drop of rain as of almost 7:00 p.m. I am just as glad we didn’t have the severe storms they had predicted for a couple of days anyway.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No rain here either. At least they got this wrong in our favor. ☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had the 7:00 p.m. news on (WWJ) and they said the downtown Detroit area may get hit by rain by 8:00 p.m. so we might have it then too. I hope it is not severe – they originally predicted severe weather. I like when they get it wrong in our favor!
LikeLike
Some days just don’t work out so well! I’m glad that you had a “safe” wake-up call with your garage door. Hopefully you had a chance to get your garden work done and perhaps venture out for a walk!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well I am glad it worked out and I was not the target Sabine … it was scary though and today I was talking with a neighbor, and he said a friend of his had the spring go through his back window and shattered the window … it is a wonder that didn’t happen to me.
I feel lucky that it so narrowly missed the tail light. I did work out in the garden today from early mornng to late afternoon, then went grocery shopping. I am pretty pooped and I think am going to read comments and head to bed … I got here online very late, later than my usual time. I am hoping next weekend is sunny and no rain … already it’s not lookking good here for the long holiday (rain and storms).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like you had a productive weekend! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did, the house has curb appeal again! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had the same thing happen a few years back. We had sold our house, hubby and kids had taken one car and driven 3 hours to the new house. I was doing the last of the packing when I heard the same kind of noise. Fortunately, my car was outside the garage. I never did pin down what the noise was until a few days later when the realtor phoned to say the new owners were a bit miffed because the garage door spring was broken…
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is turning out to be a more common occurrence than I thought Margy. My neighbor across the street told me today that his friend had his garage spring go into the car’s back window and shatter it. The noise was just amazing and the kitchen is close to the attached garage – like you, I never pinned it down until I went to use the garage, but it did worry me what it was – I don’t like surprises!
LikeLike
What a day!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I worked outside all day today … if I could have accessed the garden tools yesterday, I could have done it then, but there is no separate door. I am plum tuckered out from all those hours outside and the fresh air, then went grocery shopping … hmm, I used to do all these things in one day and not feel like someone ran me over either!
LikeLike
I’d blame it all on the weather and your garage door.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunate about your garage door. Better to be safe than sorry, i guess.
We ordered new front doors (and screen doors) to our house; yes, our small ranch house has two separate front doors. They (Lowes) said that they would be ready in a month. It has been well over three months and we still haven’t received them! Finally, they are supposed to install them next week on Tuesday.
Great pics! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
It was pretty scary Tom to think what more it could have done … a neighbor stopped by and said his friend had the garage spring go through his back window and smashed it completely. I called the car shop I have been going to for years. They have another business which is a body shop. The manager told me they have had several customers with the similar car damage problem – it is an almost 3-foot spring and 3 inches wide so it really packed a punch launching off the cable with the door shut. The noise was just incredible and bothersome to not know what it was at the time. There is nothing hanging up in the garage so I never checked there.
Two front doors is different but good in case of a fire or other emergency. My neighbor has had several projects done by Lowes in the past few years, from front doors, screen doors to a vinyl privacy fence. For each of these projects, they dropped the ball on getting the work done timely. For Lowes, for her projects, they used subcontractors, often a problem. She had to contact them repeatedly. She was always satisfied with the product however.
Glad you liked the pictures Tom – I took all the photos except the dove on my walk on Friday. Usually I would just delete the dud pictures, but I was able to use some to weave in with my tale of woe. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t even use our large garage door functionally. I have the inside of it insulated. It’s a 2 car garage, is heated in winter, and is where i keep my aquariums and two pet parrots. Pets over cars any day! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with you Tom. Check your spring if you have a spring like this (3 feet long by 3 inches wide) … the door was in good shape, but was old, probably from the 80s … it was a flip door and we had it converted to a roller door … but it sprang on its own. I am telling everyone I know to be careful. Apparently it is more common for the spring to come off then you think. I am happy I have a garage – we all of a sudden have lots of crime in our City and people are breaking into cars all the time.
LikeLike
Days like that just suck… that’s all there is to it. I’m glad that you decided to get a new door. I know that it wasn’t what you wanted to spend your money on but the new ones are safer. You did a great job weaving your pictures into your post!
LikeLiked by 2 people
No, you’re right – it was not something I had planned on. Tomorrow I find out what the damage to the car is when I take it into the shop. He was going to install the new door today but they called for an all-day rainy/stormy day. I didn’t want the garage open and getting rain inside, nor the car in the rain due to the damage. The rain is finally arriving just now. SMH with the weather folks sometimes. It was funny about those pictures Janis. Sometimes I’ll be on a walk and taking pictures and can hardly wait to see how the shots looked. I was looking forward to seeing the goldfinch, and this time I was able to tailor those pictures to my tale of woe because I had a few duds in that batch of photos. The dove was from the week before … I walked up the sidewalk and there it was looking at me like I was an intruder.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry to hear that your weekend was spoiled Linda. Saturday was a beautiful day here, the first nice one of June. I hope your car damage doesn’t cost too much – sometimes those little dings can bring big price tags, and many days in the shop if they have to repaint part of it and then wait for the paint to dry. It’s always something isn’t it…..a house is a money pit. Did you get your yard work done or opt for a walk in the park?
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was really bummed out Joni because it was a long week at work, and will be a longer week this week as we have an upcoming hearing on Friday … I just needed to get away and the weekend before had rained. Just like you had, Saturday was a gorgeous day. I couldn’t even get into the garage to get the yard tools as there is no access door, just the garage door. I guess my lost “me day” was minor when I found out the problem and the expense. I decided to stay home on Sunday and work outside as everything was very overgrown. It is a small house so new growth on the shrubbery and the weeping tree all looks out of control – the front and side, (also pretty visible from the street) were pretty bad – if it was just the backyard I could have lived with it. … the garage door install is today and I’m taking the car this morning to see if they can have their bump/repair shop (their other business) do it this week. I don’t have to go out in the rain as I have no more commitments so if it is going to rain I don’t have to drive the car, but if they can do it now, it is supposed to rain over the following weekend, so I’ll just walk. Houses are a money pit … you know that with all the renovations you are doing right now.
LikeLike
Wow! Where to start! First I love, love, love those red boots! I could use those to walk in my yard that is still flooded…lol I’m glad you ordered a new door, not worth getting hurt over. Hopefully your insurance will pay for your car. FYI I came home to my husband saying we have a woodpecker in our garage. He left the doors open for hours and tried to get it out with a broom. He gave up after 1/2 hour. I repeated what he did and was tired from work so I shut the garage doors and went inside. There will be poop all over my car, refrigerator, chest freezer, grill, smoker, generator…..yuck! Definitely not anywhere near as bad as yours unless he pecks his way out! Hahaha Just remember, it takes the bad days to appreciate the good ones! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you like those boots Diane and yes, you can use them in your yard that is saturated and you haven’t been able to mow yet this year. They are solid vinyl and come in lots of fun colors. I was looking on the Macy’s site for rain boots and bought a pair in matte vinyl but had looked at these, then about 2 weeks later, I got an e-mail that said “you were looking at these and they are on sale with free shipping” … just $20.00 so ordered them. I’ll put the link below, but they are Totes Cirrus Rain Boots. I get the new garage door today – he wanted to come yesterday to install it but the weather folks said a totally rainy and stormy day … it never stormed or rained when he was to be here … I give up and I’m taking my car in this morning to the place I take it and they have a separate bump/paint shop on another site. Sigh. Yes insurance may pay for the car and if it will raise my rates I’ll just pay it myself and take the loss.
Oh no as to the woodpecker – hope your garage is not all wood – he’ll have a warm and dry place to peck away and I can imagine the mess all over your appliances and car. Why not try a cake of suet and hang it somewhere then throw a towel over him and grab him and take him out? Good luck with it Diane.
https://www.totes.com/p/totes-womens-cirrus-chelsea-ankle-rain-boots-rb02;jsessionid=2hZK-GVW3RI0eABYRB0mpRKV.node1.app1?color=RED
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the link Linda!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome Diane – I like that they are one piece … good for the yard or in the soggy areas of the parks. I got them and then we had one good weekend and I had the two 5Ks and the rest of the time, I waited out the rain and went later in the day. This past Saturday I was actually planning to wear them as Lake Erie Metropark is soggy from lakeshore flooding.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I am so sorry Linda to hear about the garage door and your car bless. Not the best “me” day
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Zena – no it was not good at all and I was looking forward to a day spent in some nice parks … sigh. The weather is so erratic here anymore that when you get good weather you want to seize the opportunity to get out and enjoy it.
LikeLike
Oh how I resonated greatly with “sometimes I still feel the need to clear out those tangled recesses of my mind”… so true! Nothing better than getting out in nature to do just that. The tangled perennials are beautiful nonetheless 🙂 As are all these gorgeous photos! We’ll have to keep an eye out to see if that newbie squirrel ends up coming back around at all!
Oh my gosh, that is one serious dove!
Ugh, that whole spring situation was such a nuisance. Hope all is back to normal now.. hopefully accommodated by some sunshine. Have a great weekend, Linda !
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, a walk in the local park this a.m. Mackenzie as it was really hot and we have a cruise event that takes over the area and makes it impossible to drive close by … garage door is fixed but I mangled my finger yesterday trying to pull the door down the way I usually do it. I wrote a few people that I communicate with to show pics then decided to just do a quick post about it – bet your up to your eyeballs in packing on your last weekend in California. Don’t work too hard and safe travels to you and your stuff. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no! I hope your finger is ok!!
Thank you so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think it is getting better Mackenzie – I can put a little more weight on it today but the nail is still very numb and fingertip is swollen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww I’m glad to hear it’s healing up somewhat! Take care of that!! ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I’m going for monthly allergy shots today and going to ask the PA or allergist to give it a look and see if they think it is just swollen from bruising, but I am pretty confident it is just badly bruised … if that is the case I am feeling very blessed. Sometime, between wedding plans, a big move and Smalls, just Google “people who stuck their fingers in garage door panels” -they crushed those digits, so someone above was looking out for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh man!! I’m glad everything is about as good as it could be with that situation! Hopefully the allergy shots went well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They were kind of non-committal, but that was okay, as I just wanted them to verify it was not broken. I don’t think it is broken or even fractured, but the nail is still quite number. My shots are fine, I just go once a month now, but have been going for years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope it is healing exponentially by the day!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It looks much better Mackenzie – still very numb and discolored on top though. I know it could have been worse and that is what I think when I have trouble typing on it or gripping something – sigh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
always an adventure around your parts Linda! I hope you have a more relaxing weekend this time around!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well Wayne, I think I’d like a little less adventure thank you. I am going to do a short post on my latest ordeal, using just 9 fingers.
LikeLike
could be worse……could of been a table saw.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are an optimist Wayne! Our tenant at work has a cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He has a log splitter he uses as there are lots of trees and he cuts his own firewood. Some piece of wood got caught and the machine shut down and Dan tried to remove the piece without shutting it off – nearly severed 2 or 3 fingers and he had to have them re-attached at the local hospital. He has lost feeling in those fingers so far – it happened in the Spring of 2018.
LikeLike
yep,that’ll do it.
I’ve closed several garage doors and didn’t realize the segments came together with zero clearance!
A guy I worked with underground lost all his toes once!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That makes me feel better because you likely grabbed the door the same way I did as it was just easier to close it down. I guess we are both lucky we had no permanent injuries like your co-worker losing his toes. He asked me if I wanted an electric door and I said “no, I have to get out to put on the trickle charger and I can’t do that in the garage – the garage is too small to get to the front grille, so just have a regular door.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suppose you couldn’t put a door in the back of the garage?
Those dam doors should be outlawed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my garage is so small and it attached to the house, so nowhere to put a door or access the garage from the house. It door is hard to lock as well … I’ve decided I don’t like the *&^% door at all – the style (well not much choice there), the lock or the way it closes. It is normal to have an attitude about a garage door?
LikeLike
sell the car and buy a Smart car.You’ve already paid for the door,so nothing you can do there. Unless you get rid of it and buy another you like,but that would be too expensive,so there is no option that way but you can get a much smaller car.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, for the amount of time I drive, that would be an option – if I sold my car I’d get nothing for it as it is 10 years old, no marks and in excellent condition, I would consider that for when I need a new car – can’t move in the garage when the car is in place. I am ready to go out shortly and apprehensive about opening the garage to get the car out. I did not go into the garage yesterday –
gun shy.
LikeLike
you take such good care of your car too! Maybe you could put it in the backyard and rent it out to your furry friends?
LikeLiked by 1 person
My car before, a 1988 Buick Regal, was in pristine condition, but it had many electrical problems because I did not drive it enough. It kept turning the brake lights on and depleting the battery once I parked it in the garage, next morning car was dead and Leo would come and jump it (Leo is very skinny and could get to the front of the garage with portable jumper) … that was the last issue and the day I bought this car, they figured out it was a faulty brake switch, but I had many electrical issues before when it just would die while driving it – scary as h*ll. It broke my heart when I got rid of it, only 21 years old and 64,000 miles on it – sold it to Engine Tech where I still go for service now. This is a pic of it and story about it: https://lindaschaubblog.net/2014/11/10/just-another-mundane-monday/
LikeLiked by 1 person
A true “Christine” car!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I sure loved that car – I never named it though, but my father had a Meteor he called “Old Betsy” even though it was not old. People used to call their cars “Betsy” for some reason.
LikeLike
I’ve always thought of a cow when I hear the name Betsy myself.
I know of a guy who has birthday party for his MG every year. I suspect he’s not totally there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, Betsy’s a good name for a cow You’re right – that might be a little out there to celebrate your car’s birthday. So many neighbors wanted to buy the Regal for themselves or family members and they either had retired, moved or died by the time I was ready to get a new car.
LikeLike
well,you sure take good care of it! I still think you could put it towards a trade for a smaller car…..seeing as how you hardly use it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, they were lined up and my mom used to say “who will you sell it to without hurting the other’s feelings?” And one neighbor moved away and wanted it for his granddaughter and kept reminding me whenever he called to chat with my mom/me. He passed away suddenly so thankfully I didn’t have to make that decision – I sold it to Engine Tech, the owner had a friend whose car was totalled and needed a vehicle. I am glad I never saw it around town. The Regal was ordered by a customer and then they didn’t want it at the last minute – I drove past the dealership which was on a busy street corner. It was at night – called the next morning to inquire about it and hold it til I could get there – I normally would not have bought a car that fancy because I didn’t drive much (had an AMC Pacer and a VW Bug … both lemons) before that. I am actually afraid to go too small, even a compact car, due to so many car crashes we have … in this area too, they raised the speed limit when they diverted the expressway to the main drag for two years and never changed it back – there is at least one major car crash each week on this street and usually innocent drivers are the ones paying the penalty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh my goodness – glad it was not worse – and I am just getting caught up on some posts (after my blog pause) – and guess what – side thought here – but had to tell ya – I grabbed a book for you from the fifty cent sale.
It is an old out of print bird book and I will try and get it to you this summer – I will email you –
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, that was not a good day and the ten days that have followed were busy as a result of that incident. Now, everything is back to normal, for now anyway. Thank you for thinking of me – that is very thoughtful of you Yvette. Did you enjoy your blogging break? Have you thinned down your photo archive as you intended to do?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi – thanks for asking.
I did enjoy the break – but did not do much online cleaning – only what I did as the break started – but that is okay – there is no rush – eh?
glad things are back to normal
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, no rush for doing that Yvette and I have to organize my computer files too – I save all posts and pics and generally archive them off quarterly – I am behind in everything and with the weather being volatile like last night and shutting down and pulling the plug on the computer, plus the bum finger did not help matters much. We have storms every day this week and Saturday night as well. I am going to catch up here on WP today as my boss is out of town and I am monitoring voicemail and e-mail for him so will be online all day unless there is a storm, then perhaps I can resume writing as I have some photos to share from the last few weeks.
LikeLiked by 1 person