GOOD FENCES AND WILLY NILLY FRIDAY

Everything in red are links to other places.

For Good Fences 

I chose more of the fences found in Clifton, Virginia.  These are along the pathway leading up to Peterson's Ice-Cream Depot.  We don't go that often because it is not exactly round the corner, but it is a great place to take our visitors. Nothing fancy but fun and really cute.  This little one wasn't sure where she was heading, maybe she thought she was going to the vet, and it was also very hot.  She seemed happier when she came back.  Hopefully she had a wee taste of her human's ice-cream to calm her nerves and cool her down.

It calmed mine, and the ice-cream did indeed cool me down.

On one side there is a giant chalkboard, and on the floor a big basket of giant-sized chalk.  You can entertain your kids or even yourself if there is a long line.






For Willy Nilly Friday Five
(Click on the links in red to visit)

1)  So, what have we been doing this week?  Among other things we have been busy in the garage as we have had a major clearing out.  Things just accumulate over the years and it was long overdue.  Things we thought we might need are no longer needed.  It feels good to get a head start and when it is finally cleared out, as we still have a long way to go, we are looking forward to painting the ceiling and walls.  Also putting a couple of coats of sealant on the floor, using a product that can be easily wiped if any oil is dripped. Exciting stuff right?  Not really but necessary.  

After a few days - working for about an hour each day - it is still way too hot around here and feels like a steam-bath in the garage - we achieved a satisfactory pile.  Our trash collectors deserve a big plate of cookies when I can make them.  What we couldn't give away or take to the curb, we took to the dump, packed the van up to the gills and off we went. 

We both agreed that this was surprisingly fun. Our county gets high marks for having everything well organized.  There was a friendly lady at the kiosk entrance who sent us in the right direction.  In fact, people in all the places we had to visit (items we took could be recycled, but needed to be delivered to different areas) were to a person very helpful and friendly.  We also went to the supermarket for a few groceries on the way back.  

We always have fun conversations in the car, to us maybe not to you, says I smiling yet again.  We started talking about how we have noticed that people are treating us a little differently, now that we are getting older.  Gregg mentioned how impressed he was that the chaps at each station came over when they saw him lifting heavy items out of the van. He wondered if it was because they saw him as an older person.  Many of them were about half his age.  

Gregg also recounted a story of when he had opened up a door for a young woman a few years back, who actually got mad at him and told him off for opening up said door.  She proceeded to lecture him on why he shouldn't be doing that.  Being the nice person that he is, he apologized and filed that one away.  But he is still a door opener, he's just polite that way.  

This morning Gregg went to the bagel shop.  When he got home he told me that people are opening doors for him now.  A young woman opened the door he was heading for.  We had a good chuckle but at the same time thought it was very nice of her to open the door for the old geezer, Gregg's words, not mine, with his usual tongue in cheek humor. 

A little while ago a young man opened the door for me , accompanied by a reverent, "Hello Mama, you have a good day now."  He was such a charming young man, I smiled back and thanked him, and didn't take offence at all at being called "Mama".  He saw me as a mother figure I could tell, no problem.  I'm also still pretty old fashioned and like a door opened for me.  

We were shopping at the base a few weeks ago, I had lost my sunglasses and needed a new pair.  There I was, staring at all the selections.  A young soldier standing nearby stepped over and actually handed me a pair of glasses.  He was again very polite and smiled like I was his mother.  I'm sure a little homesick as he didn't look far out of his teens or out of boot camp, another mother figure before him.  He said, "Maybe these are what you are looking for Ma'am", as he must have overheard me saying I was having a hard time selecting, and also didn't want to pay an over-the-top price for something that I would probably lose again in a few weeks - sunglasses and I have a history.  He said, "They look really smart on you and they are polarized.  Not too expensive either."  They were just what I was looking for.  I thanked him, asked him where he was from and we chatted for a few minutes.  After a while his mother figure left him to pick out a pair of sunglasses for himself.  Sweet young man.  So, maybe Gregg and I are being treated differently, the tide is turning but in a good way.  

2)  Now for some fun photos.  This blog shares a few National Georgraphic pics.  Click here to see them.  

3)  More National Geographic photos here, a few repeats but more really great shots.  Click here for those.  

4) Thinking of a road trip up to New England to see the Fall folliage?  This place has some great information on places to see.

5)  We have actually thought of doing this route one day.  Route 66.  Sounds like another great road trip.

My thanks to Theresa and Tanya for all the hard work in keeping up these memes.  

As I mentioned in the beginning of my post, if you click on the links in red you can visit each meme to see other participants, and also see great wildlife and nature photos.