Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Ooh Boy. What A Day


When I talk about the Georgia Thumper nymphs, this is what I mean. See that black and yellow striped grasshopper? It's already as big as almost any grasshopper you've ever seen but when it is full grown it looks like a monster.


 In fact, that's what I thought the first one I ever saw was. Indeed, to a gardener, they are monsters and can tear up the leaves of your plants faster than a cat can wink its eye. Here's a little article about them. 
I found that nymph today on a bean leaf and instead of smashing it as I should have, I carried it over to the burn pile and dumped it there which did nothing of course as it wasn't on fire. I'm sure the damn thing just hopped right on back to the beans. 

I spent most of my time in town today. I went to the library, then met Jessie for a quick lunch before she had to pick up Levon. Then I dashed to Costco (where I saw Brenda!) and then to Hank's house. I picked him up and we went to the Goodwill bookstore to peruse and wander and mostly just be together because we hadn't seen each other in way too long a time. 




Hank gets all his books via the internet these days and reads them on his phone. Did you know you can get a Houston public library card for $40.00? I'm going to do that. And then with the Libby app, you can borrow endless books to read with eyes or ears. I already do the audio books from the Tallahassee library but I feel like I've listened to just about every book I might want to listen to and then a few thousand more. Although of course that's not true. Right now I'm listening to this. 


And I am really enjoying it. Spike is an old homie of Ice-T's and their lives have gone in vastly different directions and yet they have never lost touch with each other. I am coming away from listening to this book thinking that Ice-T is a very decent, talented human being who has lived an amazing life. I've always been sort of fascinated by him. And I feel quite sure that he did this book with Spike to give him some self-confidence and a way to truly change the direction of his life although Spike has already done much of that work on his own. 

Okay. That's not what I came here to talk about. 
Doesn't that picture of the bookstore make you want to go there? That's just part of it. And yes, they do sell purses and also some knick-knacks. Every one of those purses in the picture are FAKE Coach bags. And not very good fakes, either. I did not buy one. 
However, I got two books, a floor puzzle for the kids, and another jigsaw puzzle for me. 


I started a puzzle last week but I have decided that never in this lifetime would I get it put together. 


But I'll probably keep it case the world is coming to an end and I need something to distract me from the inevitable global destruction. 

Hank and I also went to a little shop that sells Asian foods because I needed some sesame seeds and I got some nice-looking ginger root too. At this point it was storming so hard that I was almost afraid to take the ten steps to the car, fearing that the way-too-close lightening might strike me dead. You do know that Florida is the "lightening capital of the country," right? Yeah. We have more people struck by lightening here than any other state in the union. 
Are you surprised? 

But we made it safely into the car and crossed the highway to get to Publix because Hank needed to pick up a few things and I would have done my Publix shopping there except that I needed to go to a different Publix where I had a prescription to pick up. But we did get to see Lily. 

I took my boy home and headed east to the other Publix where they informed me that the prescription would not be ready until tomorrow at noon because it had to come from another store but I got the stuff I needed and now I'm home with all of my library books and Goodwill books and puzzles and all the food I bought and a bowl that Jessie sent home with me and some cookies that Rachel sent home with me. It stormed here too and so at least the garden got a fine watering and it's not as deadly hot. The okra and peas I planted a few days ago are coming up and the frogs are singing praise songs and I need to make our supper. 
I will sleep well tonight. 

Tomorrow is August and Levon day. I got them little boxes of animal crackers for their treat and Levon will complain that he's not getting Nutella again but I will remind him that you can't always get what you want, unfortunately. Just ask Mick Jagger. 

Speaking of Levon, here's another great picture of the kid. 


The kittens are growing so fast and will soon be neutered and spayed, according to their needs, and then adopted. Jessie really wants to keep them but she is truly allergic to them. Still- I would be tempted to just take a lot of Claritin D and live with it but that would not be right thing to do. Someone will adopt these beauties and they will lead happy, happy lives. 

I haven't seen Sheba in two days. I have no idea where she's gone. Perhaps the Costco cat food drove her away. Of course I'm concerned but Lord- I have enough to worry about without without getting all upset about a pretty black feral stray cat. 

(Sob.)

Love...Ms. Moon

13 comments:

  1. Levon and kittens to die for! Glad you got to see Hank and Jessie......the Thumpers? I can do without, thank you very much. Ugh. Dear Sheba......where art thou?
    Susan M

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  2. I don't remember seeing Sheba. I like black cats; I've always felt responsible for keeping the safe on Halloween. I'm allergic to cats, too, and this last stretch of the house with no cats, up to getting Kitty is the longest I've been cat-free and allergy free. No allergy meds! But having Kitty has been such a pleasure I do not regret adding an allergy tab to my repertoire.

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  3. I will keep our Australian bugs over your Florida ones any day. They look like something out of nightmares.
    Sheba will be back.

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  4. Holy cow. I can't get over the size of the grasshopper. I wonder if that's what happened to Sheba???

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  5. A library card is $40? That's outrageous, why so expensive? They're banning most of the books anyway....
    I wish Goodwill had bookshops here, our thrift stores are mostly Vinnie's, Salvo's, and RSPCA and the books selection in there is usually only a couple of shelves.
    The grasshopper is very pretty. Levon will miss the kittens when they go.

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    Replies
    1. People in Houston get them for free. $40 is the fee for people from outside the area, who don't pay local taxes that support that library. Not every library system offers non-local library cards.

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  6. Your bugs are incredible! They actually look like they might be delicious with the right sauce, deep fried of course. A deep fried pop-cycle stick would be delicious , deep fried... can't go wrong. anyway, your bugs are mighty!

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  7. I am SOOOO surprised that that store is selling fake Coach bags. Over here they would be destroyed (creator's patent issues) and the store most likely fined. I've even seen the mobile customs swoop down on the street sellers in Evian and confiscate every one of those things!

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  8. I bet Sheba will come back. She's probably on Walkabout, as the indigenous Australians say.

    That's a great picture of Levon!!

    I love a used book store, Goodwill or any other kind. It's interesting that you can get a Houston library card without living in Houston. Weird!

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  9. I get all my books from the library here. what they don't have in the Wharton County library system (3 libraries) they can get through the inter-library loan system for $1.50. I haven't bought a book if ages.

    the kittens are growing fast. growing up I was highly allergic to dogs and cats (and about a million other things) but we always had dogs and cats anyway. eventually I outgrew those allergies.

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  10. I'm surprised you don't already have hoopla and Libby. They're my constant go to for books. I rarely borrow physical books these days. That's a great Cats with Boy picture there.

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  11. I never buy books as I am lucky to have a terrific public library.
    How nice to spend a day with Hank. Sounds like it was fun!

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  12. I love the photo of Levon and the kittens, especially that one kitten reaching out to touch his head.
    That grasshopper is was too fucking big for my liking. I think they would freak Jack out too. He's been asking about bugs lately and grasshoppers and ants were talked about yesterday.
    He seemed indifferent to Lucy's death but then he had a giant meltdown so I'm guessing the two were connected poor guy. He was better this morning.

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