Southern Porch Extension

[Laurie]

Okay, so it IS just a fly swatter. Once, when I was a kid, my dad paid me .01 for each fly I killed. Made a dollar. Lots of flies on the farm.

[Edy]

Ooh! I have to add to this conversation. This is beyond the fly-shooter. It is the "fly-goodbye." You won't even have to clean up a splattered wall, Don! I think the grandkids would have a ball with this one - I should see if I can find some for sale online!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5BXsLfFijE

I'll be back!

[Arpy]

Yeah, Don has it right. Greatest fun. I don't know if y'all have stinkbugs where you are or not, but we've got tons here in Virginia. And the fly shooter works great on them.

Thank you for the welcome, Joanney.

So, talking about farms, I happen to live on one with a bunch of cows and chickens and dogs and cats (about twenty, with the addition of all the neighbours' who have assumed we just love cats and can take theirs too) and a beehive and other sundry stuff. Nice place to live, generally--plenty of scope for the imagination. Even if that imagination dwells on adventure stories and the like--which don't tend to take place on country farms.
If Old Blue hasn't eaten them all, pass the brownies.


Oh, and Don--
my vindictive sisters forego the easy retrieval for the sake of a longer range--they took the string completely off.

[Arpy]

Edy's post came up while I was still writing. I checked out the video--but you'll never get near enough a fly to get it with that thing!

Just incredulous. If you're serious, let me know if they work!

[Edy]

Howdy, Arpy! Welcome aboard from me, too! I love the description of your place - sounds like you have what it takes to live "off-grid," if necessary - something I appreciate.

Okay, here's what I found:
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20090313 ... ith-flies/

Wow, it ain't cheap! Guess one per family is enough - the kidlets will just have to take turns!

[ready2go]

SEE! SEE!! SEE!!! What did I tell you about fly shooters? Y'all didn't believe me.

Arpy confirmed my story...Arpy has used fly shooters...they are just as I described...not only that, but Arpy's sisters have used them, too!

SO, THERE!!!

Don

[Laurie]

While "deck scrubbing" for three hours today, I began to consider selling my decks. Not sure what I could afford to replace them with, but I could just get those yucky mobile home steps for now. I'd like maintenance free decks, but even if they were small, I suppose they would be costly. Anyway, something I'm pondering.

[Green Leaves]

I feel for you, Laurie, I know how much work that is. How is your hand?

Don't know if it would help you, but have you ever tried using a hot paraffin bath on your hand for pain relief? It used to help my brother in law and I know it is very soothing. I bet Mariane would benefit too.

[Edy]

That sounds so good, GreenLeaves! I did a bit of yard work this afternoon, and I'd like a paraffin bath for my back, about now!

[Arpy]

I was beekeeping today, lifting boxes full of frames, and I was bending over so long taking care of the little girls, I got a back-ache. The minute I straightened up I said 'How old am I going to be? 107?' I'm too young to get back-aches. Don't know what the matter with me is. Premature rheumatism, whatever it's called?

[ready2go]

While "deck scrubbing" for three hours today, I began to consider selling my decks. Not sure what I could afford to replace them with, but I could just get those yucky mobile home steps for now. I'd like maintenance free decks, but even if they were small, I suppose they would be costly. Anyway, something I'm pondering.

I believe the term "maintenance free deck" is an oxymoron. They all need regular maintenance of some type. The synthetic wood products are very expensive, and they develop mildew, mold, they collect dirt, and they discolor.

My sister spent big bucks (80k) to re-build her multi-level deck using synthetic wood. She still needs to have it professionally power washed each year to make it look reasonably good.

I've always used a non-stained cedar decking with a quality, clear water seal applied every two years. A colored stain will fade and cause the cedar to "gray" in sunlight within a year or two.

Don

[Green Leaves]

I pasted the page from amazon.com that shows various paraffin baths. There are all kinds of options including ones you can use for hands, elbows, and feet. And they seem to range from about $30 up.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywor ... 6009zc1f_e

[Laurie]

Funny that you mentioned the hot paraffin bath. I had never seen such a thing until I was at a Bible study in someone's house some years ago, and she let each of us try it. It was kinda cool. I did better than expected, but I tried to scrub with my left hand or both hands together when I could. I have some other sore muscles, but that's to be expected since I don't usually scrub things for three hours at a time. I'll stain on Sat. or Sun.

Don, thanks for your comments about the maintenance free decks. Sounds like they aren't what they're cracked up to be. I really don't want those yucky mobile home steps, though. I'll probably end up keeping my decks. I just hope that in the future I can get some help.

Don, how are you feeling now that some time has passed since your fall?

Carole, what did Bill find out from his scan?

Concerned about Mariane. We haven't heard from her much lately.

[ready2go]

Don, how are you feeling now that some time has passed since your fall?

Well, it's been almost three weeks since I fell causing a fractured rib and a painful knee injury. Healing was progressing as well as could be expected...until several days ago.

You see, I had been growing impatient over my not being able to get some things done around here that needed doing. So, I spent 1 1/2 hours outside trying to do some work in the yard such as pulling weeds in the flower beds, picking up branches from the storm, mowing my lawn, and spraying yard weeds...gritting my teeth all of the time. Later that day my body reminded me I should not have been doing any of those things.

My rib cage hurt all over again, but not as bad as before. Today it's doing okay, but still hurts if I roll over the wrong way in bed at night. My knee is another story, and that probably got set way back to day one in its healing.

The knee injury is strange. The most painful area is about 2" below the knee cap. The knee is slightly swollen all of the time, and is weak and unstable. It aches all of the time, too. It was getting much better before I did all that yard work.

I was never very good at behaving myself.

Don

[Verna]

Hello the porch!
Welcome Arpy, we'd love to know more about you besides the fact that you live on a farm and you write--oh, and you have sisters and you've used a fly shooter. I'm guessing from your spelling that you do not live in the United States.

Don, I hate to tell you, Friend, but the older your get, the longer it takes those muscles and bones to return to their comfort zone. I'm battling bursitis in hips and one elbow. We all have our monsters.

Laurie, I hope you find something to relieve the pains in your hands and you get your decks stained soon without more pain.

Carol, you always offer such neat ideas.

And Edy, I'm always glad when you drop in.

I miss Mariane, too. She's the glue that holds us together!