“WHAT’S COOKIN’?”

BIRD STUCK IN CHIMNEY, SURPRISE “BP” FOR JOE, KENNY & FRIENDS SEE CAL!

***Email me at-cory13us@yahoo.com***

Well, here we are in the end of July. Where, oh where, did the time go? Like you, I lose days and it is nightfall before I am ready for it. We haven’t had a chance to go fishing, swimming or out on the boat. We better get with it. “Right?” Oh well, this too shall pass, I hope. I hope you do better then me.

My grandson, Kenny Dudeck from Rome, NY and two buddies arrived mid afternoon on Saturday, July 28 for the Baseball Hall of Fame festivities. He had asked several weeks ago if he could stay at Joe’s and Joe gave him the “Thumbs Up”. They stashed their belonging in the camper and took off for Cooperstown garbing a bite to eat along the way. They stayed till near midnight, but did say they were within 10 feet of Cal Ripkin! They got home late and slept in Sunday. I served them bacon, eggs and pancakes, when we came home from church, which they enjoyed. Soon they were off again. When they left for home, Kenny took and bag of fresh garden veggies for his Mom. They had a good time and said they would come back.

Joe had an exciting 70^th birthday. The phone began ringing early in the morning. His daughter, Missy, called from Otego and son, Steve, in Florida called, which always brings a smile to his face. I smuggled a birthday cake into church’s coffee hour and everyone sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY, which touched him deeply.

Natalie Fisher’s son, Kevin Fisher also had his birthday on the 28^th. I wanted to get to see him and his family before they headed back home, but things didn’t work out. I hoped that there was some of the blackberry pie I made left for him. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Joe Jr. stopped up the house to wish his Dad a Happy Birthday and ended up helping Joe put up a screen door. “Come on over the house around five and join us for a barbecue,” Joe said in passing. It turned out to be a birthday party for Joe. His young grandsons, Anthony and David were the hit of the party. Anthony loves to hug and kiss everyone. When the mosquitoes started to bite, Joe pointed to the car and we headed out. “Thanks everyone. It was GREAT!”

Joe purchased a screen door replacement from our local Home Depot and it would do until he can do the major work on the entrance; however, even with his son’s help it would not fit. I decided to call and see if they might have the roller, wherein was the problem. “Yes we do. Stop in and we will direct you”, he said. I was surprised that the salesman didn’t offer that info first when w told him our problem .That is all Joe needed to hear. We were off to Home Depot, got the parts and that job is has top priority for a morning job. I’ll let you know how it works out.

I got a late afternoon call from Julie Sundy, my good friend from Abington, PA... She had some info on their annual camping week at Gilbert Lake. Things were not set in stone, but it is going to happen in late August. Although there are five family members that will not be about to come, five cabins are rented! So far, there is a picnic on the Lake Site on one day and dinner at a favorite restaurant one evening. They will be here for seven days! She wanted Joe and me to come often. They are playing it by ear, as there are too many folks involved to make a definite plan of attack. No question, Joe and I will be there. We have much to catch up on.

I came home and found a note on my door-“Dodger Bob was here”. I hadn’t heard from him for some time and there he was hanging on my door. No doubt he will come again. He probably was at the Cooperstown Hall of Fame festivities and traveled Route 205 to catch me, but I was not there. I am hoping I’ll be there at that time.

Nature’s Scene: Precious was going crazy! She heard something and proceeded to check it out. The noise was coming from the wood stove. It turned out that a Cat bird which had fallen into the chimney and fell down through the stove pipe. Joe said that it had happened before and he knew what to do. He reached in the firebox and retrieved it, letting it go outside with Precious paying close attention. The bird seemed to be no worse for wear. Thank Goodness. The next morning another bird flew into the kitchen window and fell to the ground. I picked it up and held it, but it didn’t respond to my help. I set it in a safe pace and watched it for some time before it took off, happy to be flying again.

Joe’s Buick has needed brakes and he decided to take it off the road a few months ago to save a dollar or two. “How would you like to come with me to KK&H Auto Body in Sloansville. I want to get the parts to put the Buick back on the road. I was caught up some and decided to go, perhaps to help him and it would be a new adventure. As it turned out it was a hot, dusty, dirty job, but he got what he needed for a fraction of the cost. Joe ended up hurting all over, but he was now ready to get his BUICK back on the road.

The garden is doing great. We have had leafy lettuce, tomatoes, onions, Swiss chard, beets/tops, zucchini and looking forward to more tomatoes, eggplant and yellow and winter squash. All the rain speeded up the harvest and we were about to give a lot away to friends and neighbors. The weeds also grew and I have to get busy and eliminate tem.

Joe found a gold mine of berries. The bushes were old and the blackberries were ripe. We picked them clean and then on the way back to the house, we found some raspberries. That night they tasked good on ice cream.

I have had nothing but problems since last November when this website was set up. I can not receive my mail The HORDE program is not working for me. Please email me at cory13us@yahoo.com.

Thought for the Week: Dry your eyes and laugh at a fall, then, although you are baffled, get up and begin again.