the River Walk

I think this view is just lovely. The trail is headed east to the Sandy Creek. You can see one of our trailblazing marks on the closest tree. I told Himself that perhaps we should be making slash marks on the trees as the early woodsmen, or long riflemen, did. However, if we would have had to reclaim our trail looking for slash marks, we might never have found it. The orange fluorescent paint was much easier to see . . . the other side

Found "Treasure"

This is a photo of the old limestone well we found, while floundering through the timber on the river bottom. We were so excited! I want to get down in it, of course, to see if there are any artifacts but Himself is saying that we cannot for fear of collapse. I do think we can find some kind of a grappling hook or long handled tool, so that we can at least probe for treasure . . . the other side

Writers block over

We have gone to III this past weekend(october 15,16, and 17) Saturday we put all other projects aside and decided to finish our trail. First we had to find the river. I knew the way to the North fence boundry, so when we got there we split up. I went to the west and herself went to the east. Herself found the river, so we went back to where our previous trail ended, and forged into the heavy timber armed with loppers, chain saw, and mower. We headed mostly east, clearing as we went. After we cleared several yards, we came upon a piece of tin lying to the side. As herself was in the lead, she investigated and found an old well about 20ft deep and 5-6ft in diameter, lined with limestone rocks. After looking for awhile, we went ahead with the trail and came to a beautiful overlook to Sandy Creek. The creek is low this time of the year, but it looks interesting. I noticed just about every tree of age has poison ivy vines creeping up to the tree tops. One vine I noticed was approx. 5" in diameter. Eventually, we will attact the vines near the trail. On we went, cutting and clearing until we came to the SE border, where we we're going to have to start up a big hill. It was getting late, so decided to call it a day. Went back to the shack, cleaned up and had brots for supper.
We have since found out that limestone wells were built in the 1800's, as later wells were lined with tile. The well is in excellent condition for being over 100 and maybe 200 years old. It is empty, except for some branches and leaves. I am very curious to do further exploring in this area to see if we can find and indication of a cabin or house. To much poison ivy at this time.

We knew it was supposed to cool off that nite, as around 7:30PM the temperature had already dropped to the lower 50's. So we decided we would fire up the stove for the nite. I was in bed around 10:00. Around 12:30 I could feel the cold creeping, so got up and threw more logs into the fire. I checked the temperature outside, it was 48 degrees. Got up again at 3:30 to fire up the stove again, and the temp was 42 degrees. Got up again at 5:30 for good and got the coffee going. I know herself got up once to feed the fire, yet she claims twice. I am such a light sleeper that I hear every sound, so I have my doubts as to her having got up twice.
Sunday we got up and started up on the trail again. It was decided that we would start where we wanted the trail to begin and see if we could meet up where we had finished from the previous day. It must have been luck, or herself's compass reading ability, but we came out right where we wanted. We ended up with eight tenths of a mile of trail. The next time we will continue the trail to the west end of the property which should give us a minimum of 2 miles of trail. Keep in mind that this trail is going thru raw, heavy timber. It is hard work, but a feeling of accomplishment greets us when finished.
We have used the dc/ac converter for three weekends now. I estimate the lamp has been on for approx. 5 hours, and have filled the air mattress 3 - 4 times, and have not had to re-charge the battery yet. I know it will fail when we need it the most, but I need to have some kind of idea how long we can expect from the battery. Thanks again, Clint, for introducing our "cabin in the woods" to electricity.
Just to give credit where credit is due, herself forged the new trail, leading us and marking the way, clearing with the loppers, then I would follow up with the chain saw, followed by the mower. She did a truly fine job, and the trail is very scenic. Daniel Boone could not have forged a finer trail.
On Monday, we got up and herself started clearing brush from the lane where previous owner had cleared trees. She got 2 trailer loads, and only cleared about 25 yards. At that rate it will take approx. 500 more trailer loads, but its a start. While she was doing this, I took the marking paint and went and marked some trees so we could find the trail after all the leaves have fallen, covering the trail. She worked much harder than myself, but then she is much younger.
All for now.
Boi

October 1, 2005: The leaves are just beginning to show color.

The sounds of Silence

Himself has a block, a writers block. He has not made an entry for over a month. I have been silent, giving him space, but he still does not write. I think, then, the remedy is to take him to III. We will go to Too tomorrow evening. I imagine that we will winterize the cabin; lock her down for winter. Not that we won't go again this fall but at this time of year, you never know what Mother Nature has in store. So to protect against a freeze, snow or just plain cold temperatures, we will need to close her down. Then, Saturday morning, we will head to III. We hope to get out into that beautiful timber and a have a look see. Maybe cut some trails. Look around to see where we might situate a house in a year or two. We are taking an extra day and will stay until Monday. We are anxious; can't wait! Our weather forecasters are predicting a beautiful weekend. 70 degree highs. Lows in the mid 40s. A fire in the woodburner will feel good at night or first thing in the morning, to take the chill off but Himself shouldn't have to get up in the night to add firewood -- not if we go prepared. And we will.

I have faith that on our return, Himself just might have something to say. the other side

The lull before the storm

Saturday the pond was still and green and stagnant. It almost seemed that one could take a piece of chalk and write on the green, slate board surface.

Sunday morning we arose to thick, gray skies and drizzly rain and the look of the pond was fresher, clearer.

I like both ponds.

Fall fashions

From: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/seasons/fall/
Kansas City Region: Fall colors are just starting to turn in most of the region, but the process will begin to accelerate with cool evening temperatures predicted for this week (lows in the 40's). Sumac, Virginia creeper, poison ivy and dogwood are starting to turn red. Hackberry, redbud, honey locust, elm, ash. hickory, and cottonwood are starting to show some yellow. There is good viewing of fall color in Swope Park, White Alloe Creek CA, Burr Oak Woods CA, Maple Woods NA, and Big Buffalo Creek CA. Highways 45 and 24 make excellent drives for fall color viewing. Many trees in the Sedalia area are beginning to show fall color. Most notable are walnut, ash, and sycamore with shades of yellow. Dated 9/29/2005

We are sitting on the porch at III. The skies are overcast, the wind gusty and occasional thunder rumbles around the edges. Rain drips and, falling on the tin roof, it sounds more than what it is. To the noise of a thunderstorm in the night and what sounded like pouring rain, we got up to not even a half-inch of rain in the gauge. There will be more rain this morning and we are more or less content to sit on the porch with our morning coffee and wait it out.

I take a stroll in my green, waterproof, shoes and sweatshirt, around the clearing. I am almost wishing I could be working, cutting brush and trimming back cedar trees but I remind myself that I wished for the thunderstorm and rain and I must be satisfied. We hear crows and blue jays scolding and an occasional wild turkey's gobble. There are other bird sounds that we cannot recognize, nor name. A gray squirrel runs through the clearing and disappears into the trees. Himself catches a glimpse of a deer bounding across the trail and into a thicket. The pond was moss green yesterday, stagnant and still, but the rain has brought it back to life with raindrops stirring the surface.

A fall shopping list:
Tarps for winter.
Snowshoes and
Cross-country skies.
Ice skates, perhaps.
A yellow, "no'eastern" rain hat
to allow for rainy walks;
to keep rain off the neck
Mud boots for Himself.


Yesterday we cleared more of this old pasture and cut up some of the bigger logs for firewood, thinking forward to winter. I cut back cedars to allow more sunlight for little hardwoods and Himself used the chain saw to move the clearing back and then mowed down the tall grass.

There is some color coming to the timber. Oaks are starting to turn brown or red, just around the edges. The few walnuts have thrown off their summer foliage and the fewer cottonwoods have changed to yellow and lightened their load of leaves. One large tree in the west, which I can’t identify, is standing out from its neighbors dressed in red and orange. The fall fashion parade has just begun, giving us a preview of the coming show . . . the other side

In the light of day

Himself is painting the untreated boards of the shade room. We have to paint untreated lumber so that next spring and summer the carpenter bees won't make a beeline for it. Treated lumber is supposed to deter the creatures but I'm not sure it does. The carpenter bees can drill right into a 2X4 or 4X4. Himself sits on the porch many a day and stands guard, armed with a can of superduper, projectile wasp spray. He can take out a carpenter bee at 40 paces and is the fastest gun in the west.

Meanwhile, the shade room is taking shape. It would have been screened in this past weekend but our favorite local lumberyard didn't have enough screen in stock. The wall to the left in the photo is open and now the insects fly in freely and sit on the screen and try to get out. Himself, the old softie, because we opted to use 4X4 treated lumber at the corners instead of cedar posts that I had planned, volunteered to erect a cedar post in the screen room for ambiance and support -- then embellished that with cross braces like in an old western movie. Now what more could a gal ask for . . . the other side

We have light!

Thanks, to Cousin Clint, we now have light at III. He kindly gifted us with a DC to AC converter and the first thing Himself did today upon arriving was to run an electrical wire and hook up an electrical outlet. We plugged a lamp in, turned on the converter and "Presto!" we have light.

Himself asked me what I thought about the light and I said, I don't know.

An electrical light is change. I guess I wonder what the next advancement will be here at III. Starting with Coleman lantern and stove, we have stepped up to cook on propane. We have a sink with a drain that runs outside (even if it is into a pail, which I carry to the garden to recycle the "gray" water) -- and now electricity! I have enjoyed roughing it here this summer, playing pioneer and, as I have said a time or two, practicing for the Second Great Depression which I was sure was inevitable when gas went up to $3.00 gallon; I thought that would squelch the economy and cause the market to crash. I was ** Prepared **!

I have learned things this summer, roughing it at III and coping with the drought at home. I have learned how much water I have wasted in the past. I have learned that I can use much less water and I have figured out ways to recycle the water. At home where I am catching the water off the roof (when it will rain) and here at III, I carry the gray water from the kitchen to the evergreen trees and the garden. Of course, I knew these things; learned as a child watching my folks and my grandparents, traits left over from the droughts of the 30s and habits of the Great Depression. Vegetable and fruit scraps always went to the chickens or to the garden and I remember dry times when the dishwater went to a flower or tree.

I also learned that I like to reuse, recycle, find a new use for an old object. For instance I want to use the cedar trunks that I have kept and cleaned up, removing the bark. At home, I like watering my flowers and vegetables, dipping the pail in the rain barrel. I do not always like carrying the peelings, the egg shells and the watermelon rinds to the garden, here or at home, but find that I do it much more often now and am glad that I am reducing the amount that has to go in the garbage bag and then to the landfill. I like finding just the thing at a flea market or garage sale, something I have needed or can use at III.

I have had fun roughing it with Himself out here at Shag III. We can do with much less than we have in Creston or even Shagbark Too. We are hardy, independent, can improvise and problem solve and we have fun while we do. So an electric bulb burning in our uninsulated hunting cabin? What do I think? I like it. It makes life easier. But even more, I like having fun and "making do" with Himself at III . . . the other side

Shaderoom, too

This is a shaderoom of a different nature. It used to be full of 1st year growth trees, tall grass and scrub. Now the sun streams in, dancing on the ground and twirling among the branches. Between me cutting the small trees, dead limbs out of bigger trees and all manner of other growing things and Himself mowing in there, we are creating a shady place for children to play. I envision the trees growing taller and sturdier with hand holds and branches to climb so that in a few years bairns will be able to play house and cowboys, climb trees, ride rocket ships, be washed up on desert islands and all sorts of imaginative pretend. . . . the other side

Nourishment

For months I planned the shade room. I sketched it out a dozen times, listed materials and calculated cost. I planned the shaderoom with an old-fashioned tin roof, cedar-trunk corner posts and a dirt floor. I planned on screening it in for a cool place to sit with my morning coffee, a shady place to serve breakfast or supper -- away from the heat of the day and the buzz of the bugs.

Himself, on the advice of those that know, talked me out of the cedar posts. They will rot and not last long. We should use treated 4 X 4 posts. Okay, I agree, but still planned the tin roof and the three, screened walls.

The day came to order the material and standing at the counter of the local lumberyard, (not a home center, mind you. a lumberyard) I am told, "You have to special order the galvanized tin; the tin is not stock material". Himself says, we may as well shingle it. "Shall we shingle it?" So, in the heat of the moment with the lumberman frazzled, tired and overworked and Himself just wanting to get the job started and done, in a matter of minutes we figure the shingles and the sheathing for the roof and idea of the tin roof ripples away.

Standing at the counter, I showed Himself the sketch I quickly drew, figuring three sheets of plywood to cover the 12 X 12 roof. It looked too good to be true; no cutting, just lay three sheets of plywood, alternate directions, up on the rafters. Look at this, I said, does this look right? Ok, he said and we recited the order, wrote the checkand hightailed it to III before the lumberman could change his mind about the delivery.

After an afternoon of hard and rewarding work setting the corner posts, it came time to sit and reflect on the afternoon's accomplishments, to admire our handiwork created from 4 X 4 posts, cement premix and pond water. You are going to be short plywood, he said, and I got my sketchpad and studied and pondered and reluctantly agreed that in those moments at the counter of the lumberyard, that while calculating our needs I did, indeed, short us on the sheathing for the roof.

So it was planned that I would pull the trailer to town the next morning, brave the wrath of the frazzled, tired and overworked lumberman and ask him to cut two sheets of plywood and "while you are at it, toss in another (60#) bundle of shingles" and, and "yes, I know you want to be out of here by noon." Himself would stay behind; he would cut and hang rafters so that upon my return we could, at full speed, prepare the roof and start to shingle.

And it was done. I pulled the trailer. I braved the wrath. I bought the material that would finish the roof of the shaderoom.

Himself executed nicely. He labored and sawed and drilled and corrected my architectural mistakes and because, in my calculations, I was south one foot there is a special corner in the shaderoom called "Nancy's corner". Because I believe that good comes of difficult situations, Nancy's corner will be commemorated. Perhaps it will be stained glass. Maybe there will be a child-sized door, a secret egress. Maybe it will just be painted differently than the rest of the cabin.

I enjoyed the planning of the shaderoom. I enjoyed the adventure of the "doing" and solving the problems and correcting the errors. I can rejoice in Nancy's corner because I dared to dream it and Himself and I dared to do it. . . . the other side

People need dreams, there's as much nourishment in 'em as food.

Dorothy Gilman

LABOR DAY LABOR - Sept 3,4, and 5 - 2005

Wow, I didn't think a Labor Day Holiday would be so busy. We stopped at II Thurs nite. Got up Friday and went to Princeton to place an order for the screen room. Can you deliver, we asked. Well, maybe, very busy, need to get done early, don't know, it would be late. Finally he said yes but late, maybe 2 or 3 in the PM. So placed our order and went on to III. I went to the neighbors and told him that the lumber yard would be delivering and where to place the materials. About 2:30 i decided to go up to the driveway and start mowing. No more than started up the lane and here comes a pickup with a big trailer loaded with our materials. Not only did he deliver right to the cabin, but he helped unload.
So we immediately started in on the screen room. We set the corner 4x4 pressure treated posts in concrete and made sure all were plum and true. Let them set overnite. Next morning, I started setting the roof trusses while, of course, "herself" went to town. There had been a slight mis-calculation on the amount of roof sheathing we would need so of course Nance went after the needed materials. Now, I am wondering, she had been planning this screen room ever since we started going down there. Spent hours measuring, planning, etc and still she came up 1 and 1/2 sheets of 4x8 plywood short. Was this planned to get her to town, as if she needed such a plan? Pretty suspicious to me. Anyway by the time she got back, all the roof trusses were installed. next step was to get the plywood up and tacked down. all went well till we got to the pieces Nance went to pick up. We had to have them cut in half so they could be hauled in the trailer. Anyway, it looked like the cuts were made in the design of a half moon. As we have no electricity i couldn't straigten out the cuts, so just slapped them on as is. Left a pretty good gap as i had to adjust for the circular cut. So, got the sheathing up, roof felt down, and shingled, in 2 days work. Not bad as the only power tool we had was a battery powered drill. Any cuts were done by hand. Now all thats left is to brace the roof and screen it in. After the screen room is done, i have a few more stumps to clear, then it will be onto the trails. It was truly a Labor Day Weekend.
And the screen room has a special corner, called "Nance's Corner". She will have to tell you about that, as I have been forbidden to even mention it. Ha . . . himself

August at III

We spent Saturday and Sunday at III (see his entry below). It was typical August weather and we did get some clearing done although it was really too humid to be doing much. We arrived Saturday morning, 8/20, and jumped right on to the hard jobs. Himself went to mowing and I went to town! I found a great thrift shop and checked out a couple of other shops in Bethany. I also filled the jeep with gas, which hurt, as I had to pay $2.57/gal. That is the most I have ever had to pay for gas in my entire life. I only record it here so that I can look back in 20 years and either say, "gee, we were still burning gas then?" or "wow! I have to pay $7.70/gal now -- that was cheap back in the olden days!" I wonder which it will be? Maybe we will be running our vehicles on soy bean oil in 2025???

While himself runs around playing commando or Rambo with the buzzing insects (we are ordering him a holster in which to carry his super-duper, wasp and hornet spray -- he's the fastest draw in the West!), I continue to make improvements. I carried a 1/2 ton of broken tile from the top of the drive to the wettest part of the driveway one weekend. Wait, to clarify, I dug them out of the brush, threw them into a trailer and carted them down the hill. No way could I have carried that much broken tile and be done already. Last weekend, I shoveled out the fire pit (2 trailer loads) and carted the ashes up to another place in the drive that has a low spot. Previously, I edged the sloping drive with cement block. I figure the blocks will allow water to run through but will hold the ashes that I have now carted up and dumped. Ashes are much easier to dig than the red, Missouri clay.

Now, to be fair, himself cooked gormet meals all weekend and maybe even washed the dishes. He also revved up the chain saw and cleared some more scrub and cut some trees. He sent me into the brush and tall grass (he really doesn't like the insects -- case you couldn't tell) to clear first year growth trees so he could mow that patch down. In addition to the cabin clearing being a fire break, by keeping it mowed we will cut down on the risk of ticks too.

So, all and all, we enjoy each and every weekend that we spend at III. We have so many plans for when it cools off, for Fall, that I don't suppose we can possibly get them all done. One project we do want to finish is to get the Shade Room up and roofed. That will make life simpler and more organized and we'll hang the hand tools in there and park the Mule and the lawn mowers there too. That will free up the front porch, now cluttered. The trails, too, are a priority for both of us. We can't wait to get some trails cut into the "deep" woods, down to the river. We disagree on which direction we need to go to get to the river -- but we will find it! And this fall we will walk in to where we want to eventually build our house and decide on the layout so that next summer we can get my barn (garage) built. We will probably put running water to it and have a stool and shower in a corner of the barn. Of course, that will mean a septic tank or leach field so there will be plenty to think about for next year. The planning is almost as much fun as the doing!

And so go our days at III . . . the other side

yellow jackets demise and other things

well, we went to Shag III last weekend 8/20/05 to complete my covert mission to search and destroy my terrorist yellow jacket nest. I waited till late afternoon to locate the nest, then marked it with spray paint so i could find it when it got dark.
about 8:30 I decided it was time, so donned my cammo gear, and my super flying insect killer that shoots a stream 50 feet, and headed out on my mission. I arrived at the nest at 8:32 P.M. and discovered a few of the yellow jackets we're on patrol. As they had not yet spotted me, i decided it was now or never. I let loose with one steady burst and totally doused the nest, walking toward it as I fired. One full can into the hole, then I ran like h___. Thats not heck, either.
I checked the next morning around 5:30 A.M. Did not see any activity, so let loose with another long burst directly into the hole. As of 11:30 A.M. there was no activity, so will assume the nest has been destroyed. I will keep my eye on it though. If i spot more, i will use gas on them this time.
I am getting my equipment gathered for a fall push on the 4-wheeler trails. I now have ammased 5, yes thats right, five chain saw blades, so when I start into the timber, I won't come out for awhile,
We have started pushing outwards from the driveway towards the timber line, clearing out small trees and scrubs and tall weeds. It will mean alot more mowing to keep it cleared, but this will be good to keep cleared for no better reason than a fire break if there ever happened to be a fire.
We seem to have cleared the herd of mice that were nesting inside and outside of the cabin. After putting about 20 boxes of d-con out, I have not seen any indications of mice in or around the cabin. I imagine when it gets colder they will be looking for a place to winter over, but they will only meet death. . . . himself

the battle goes on and on and on

We have come to find out that there will be a never ending supply of insects. Each type seems to have its own time of the year that it becomes a nuisance. I have battled the carpenter bees to a standstill, the ticks, I no longer just flick off. When i spot one crawling on me, I take a bic lighter and burn it off. I singe a few hairs, but why just flick the tick for him to attact later. I prefer to fry them. Now, the yellow jackets. I knew we had a nest, and i knew the general area where the nest was. I have never bothered them, nor provoked them in any way. However, they have attacked me for no reason. Just because I mowed over their nest is no reason, but they did. Now this nest is living on borrowed time. The next time we go down, I will wait till dark and mount a night attact. I will douse the nest with gasoline, then use some lighter fluid to make a trail from the gasoline, then i will ignite the nest. This will be a personnal attact as they have stung me several times. After 2 weeks, the stings still itch.
After visiting with my friend an co-worker Mr Ron M, I have finally convinced Nance to purchase some pressure treated lumber to use for the screen room instead of cedar trees. Although all the books and websites say cedar was used for fence posts, I will lean to the advice of Mr. Ron.
I am looking forward to this fall when the leaves have fallen and I can get started in ernest on my trails. There will be places for small bridges, and I am thinking that railroad ties my be the answer to bridge construction. There seem to be plenty around when I haven't had any use for them, but now that I do, well, we'll see.
All for now.
Boi

Peace of mind

Life is sweet, tender and complete
When you find the bluebird of happiness.
You will find perfect peace of mind
When you find the bluebird of happiness.

Our wildlife refuge houses a number of bluebirds -- or a few, very active bluebirds! I can't tell them apart so don't know if it the same birds all the time or many different ones. Whichever, they are pretty! When the sun glints off their backs, they sizzle! Bluebirds are songbirds and soon, I hope, I will know their song without seeing the bird.

ITS HOT!!!!!!!!!!

We went to Shag. II on July 15. It is a Friday and hotter than __ll. We did mow and because of the lack of rain, the grass hadn't grown much so we completed the job in record time. Of course the drive belt on my rider keeps coming off, and strangely enough it is always when I am going up the steepest part of a bank. So when the belt comes off, i go rolling down the hill backwards, as without the drive belt, the brakes alone won't stop the mower. So, full speed down the hill backwards, 95 degrees, and hoping to get the mower to stop under a shade tree. Well, that never happens either, so wherever the damm mower stops is where I get to put the drive belt back on, and its never in the shade. Anyway, I purchased new drive belts and installed them, so hopefully that will cure the problem.
Saturday: DEFIANCE. It happened in the first degree. I was shocked and MAD!!!!!All I wanted to do was get to SHAG III early while it was cool, but no. Someone had to prove how independent she was, so we lost about 3 hours.
Anyway, when we go to III, it was hot and humid. I mowed and by the time I was done, I was covered with dust and dirt. Nance watered the trees, but was taking breaks everytime I looked. The temperature inside the cabin was 97 degrees and climbed higher after we opened the windows. With no breeze to draw out the hot air, it was decided that we would go back to II and spend the nite. We could have stayed at III but when its to hot and dangerous to work its best to move on.
As there has been rain since we have been to either place there will be alot of mowing to do, and we have to go to K.C. for grandchildren's birthdays for awhile, so the pressure will be on.

Dog days: a period of stagnation or inactivity

This is a good way to spend a period of inactivity.

The brightest of the stars in Canis Major (the big dog) is Sirius, which also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky. In fact, it is so bright that the ancient Romans thought that the earth received heat from it.

according to http://wilstar.com/dogdays.htm

And now we have one theory on why the hot, humid summer days are called the dog days of summer.

Free falls and dog days

I peek in here, checking to see if Himself has posted; I haven't had time but I thought maybe he would have extra time at work. He hasn't been inspired, evidently, and since I am tired of seeing that tick in here when I bop in, I'll add a short note just to move the tick down the page.

We didn't get to Shag III this past weekend as we needed a weekend at home and because Iowa has been in the midst of a heat wave. 90 plus degree temperatures and terrific dew points result in + 100 heat indexes. (YOU look up the plural to index -- I don't know it and don't want to take the time to look it up!) Anyway, it was too bloomin' hot to be without electricity, he said. I did remind him that we come from pioneer stock but that, nor the call of the wild, would lure him away from the air conditioner.

As it was, it was good that we planned on being home as Dana took a free fall from a 20' ladder and now is laid up with an injured foot. He had to wait all weekend to see an orthopedic specialist today. He will have to ride to Des Moines tomorrow for a scan of the foot and then go back on Wednesday to consult with the specialist again. Meanwhile, he's surviving on ice packs and pain pills. Poor boy. Poor lucky boy, when you think what it might have been!

To help a little, we had the small Frey over, some. They are always good and offer plenty of free entertainment! We enjoyed every minute of their visits.

okay, the plural of index "can be spelled either indexes or indices" . . .
"Investopedia" says

A True Story. The End.

Female deer tick with dime for size comparison. (borrowed from http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegallery/ticks/iscapfwd.html)

Excerpt from Nance's letter, 7/05/05:

I did come home with a tick, tho. That part wasn’t good. Lanny tried to remove it for me but we didn’t have a very good pair of tweezers and he was hanging on for dear life (the tick, that is). So, today, I went to the doctor and had her remove the tick's head. The doc also gave me a one-day antiobiotic, just in case. Anyway, it’s all “behind” me now.

And after all that, I think that Himself is going to sue me for "pain and suffering". Says he has been traumatised!