Oct. 2, 2003

A chilly good morning to all. No sign of the frost that was predicted but I can tell it is nippy out there. There is a lot of condensation on the inside of the windows. I think I have most of the non-hardy plants inside the front porch at least. Except the canna which still must be dug and the green stalks removed and the rhizomes washed and dusted with Mexana powder to repel insects. Much work to be done in the plant room before I can get everything in there permenently. No sign of bugs yet but some of the plants that I totally desoiled an gave a good soapy water bath and rinse don't seem too happy about it. Others are doing fine. I still have several to get treated. I've also used a systemic insectide and water crystals in all the new pots I put plants into. I need to buy lots of new floresant? bulbs for the lights in there. Don't know just what to do with the old ones as all our other fixtures have fairly new bulbs. Maybe I can sell them for a quarter a piece. They are still good bulbs with years of use left in them but are not good enough to use for the plant room. I go thru this every year or 2. If I don't change bulbs every year I can really tell a difference in how the plants do during the winter. I will leave the Abutilon on the front porch thru the winter unless we get a long below freezing spell. They just don't seem to do well in the dry heat of the house.

We took on a new cat last Saturday. She has been at the cafe'/campgrounds for several months. She was very wild when she first got there but has gradually become more domesticated. In fact, she sneaked into the cafe' a couple times after they started feeding her at the back door. The younger daugter of the owners who lives in the campground really wanted to keep her but the kitty wasn't going to stay at Sarah's trailer all the time. So I took a carrier to work last week and lured her in with some food. We were standing right there and closed the door on her. Of course she was upset, but soon accepted her new home when I got her home. She is totally declawed, has a somewhat twisted lower jaw due to an old break that was never treated. But she seems to be able to eat ok. Even hard dry cat foods which she loves. She just gets it into her mouth and swallows it whole. She is litter box trained too. I know she must have been someone's house pet before she showed up at the cafe'/campgrounds. I'll need to get her spayed in a few months. I named her Beverly. Kyle & Holly wanted to call her Popeye because of her jaw. She is still a bit leary of being held and petted. Needs a bath but that will have to wait.

Lots to get done today so I need to get going. GOD bless and keep each and all of you. Remember, nothing is going to happen today that you and JESUS cannot handle together. On your own tho --------.