Showing posts with label Golden Retrievers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Golden Retrievers. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

A BUSY MORNING...

6-16-26: Out relatively late at 10.00 a.m. I wanted to get to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get my license renewed. 

I have been noticing the sunflowers driving out of the neighborhood. Someone had planted a line of them by their letter box. The last time I saw them they weren't blooming. Today there was quite a show, and it was time to take my cell phone out. They made a very pretty sight.

When we got to the DMV, the first thing I noticed was that the parking lot was not overflowing like the times I have been there before. There were many empty spots. I was surprised how quiet it was. When we got inside and signed in, I was still filling out the form they gave me when I was called. We were in and out under 15 minutes. My Real ID license will arrive in the mail. I can't remember how long he said, hopefully under two weeks. In the meantime I was given an official sheet of paper which will act as a temporary one. We noticed a sign at the counter letting us know we could have done all this online, which is probably why it was so quiet, maybe. 

Our next stop was at Wegmans. I had a notice a few days ago to say I was due for my second shingles shot. No appointment is needed, you just walk in and wait your turn, which usually isn't very long. 

I sat myself down next to this very nice couple about our age. They were also waiting in the small sitting area. The man heard me and said, "You must be from Texas?" I looked at him and answered with a big smile, "I'm from England." He said he knew that and assured me he was joking. Ah, a comedian! He, his wife and I had a chuckle. After 50 years you can still tell where I came from originally. I'm always surprised when people acknowledge my accent. I do have a different one compared to how I used to sound. I think I have mentioned before that when I have gone back to the UK, people think I am Canadian.

The man played a guessing game as to where I was from. Not from Wales, he said, not from Scotland, he said. You did say England right? Not from the North, and then the Pharmacist opened the door, and they got up and as they went into her office I told him I grew up near Birmingham, but moved to Devonshire when I was 15. He nodded sagely as he disappeared out of sight. They saw them again a few minutes later. Gregg had joined me. We had another short conversation about the man's time in England. He had been over there working for a while. It was a very nice conversation. 

When we joined the pharmacist she had heard my chat with the couple. After I received the shot, she told me she had vacationed in the UK with an aunt who lived in Reading. This was when she was young and remembered what a great time she had at a rock concert. I should have asked her whom she saw. I told her that when I flew into Heathrow, I would go to Reading to catch the train down to Devon. She was lovely and great at doing her job. I hardly felt a thing.

Gregg told me later he noticed a sign showing an award that Wegmans received, for being the best pharmacy in America. I can believe it. We have never had anything but the best service here and every pharmacist has been very professional and friendly. Most importantly, all the inoculations received have been painless. I was glad to get home, however, and found myself dozing off for a few minutes.


And they are back!


Hello there my little darlings! Got out again did you? 


I had a chuckle. These photos were taken in seconds as they heard Gregg’s voice calling them. He exited via the garage door in the front of the house, had already told me not to open anything, even though I badly wanted to fuss them. Last time they slipped through a crack, and one followed the other before I could blink an eye. After remembering the last time, good sense prevailed. 


Gregg said they were fast as lightning. They wouldn't listen to him and made their way further down the street to the corner house. Soon after, their human turned up and said to Gregg, "They got out again?" He apologized but Gregg told him don't worry, we love them. We do, but at the same time we’re glad they are now safely back in their own garden.


I made a concoction the other day but didn't take a photo of the finished product. There is no link. I got the idea from several similar recipes I've seen over time and put this together from memory. Definitely not a lot to remember and you probably do something similar.

In the blender I added 2 bananas, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey and a splash of vanilla. Mixed until blended and poured into a freezer-proof container. It is supposed to take 1 to 2 hours before it is ready, but it took much longer I found. No, it's not ice cream but it satisfied a sweet tooth, and I enjoyed it very much. My dessert makes enough for 4 small portions and I ate it with blueberries on the side. I will be making it again. It will be a fun recipe to play around with, using different ingredients. If you make something similar, please share as I am always looking for good ideas.

It was a great day for weather. The high was 72 degrees F. and I didn't think it was humid. I hope the weather is treating you kindly in your part of the world. 

Have a great day!






Saturday, April 11, 2026

SATURDAY MORNING AT THE BIRD FEEDER - DOGS?

 


5.26 p.m. on the 10th: we have just had unexpected visitors on the deck. Two very young, very boisterous long-haired golden retrievers. They appeared out of nowhere. I was shocked to see two young dogs running around the deck in circles and when they heard our voices they ran over and jumped up on our screen. The door was open and the screen was pulled across preventing entry, at least at that moment. 


Some bright spark, however, got it into her head to go outside to see if she could find a dog tag on the collar of the nearest one. That was an invite for one to slip through and start running all over the house, with the other one following immediately behind. I realize my reflexes have slowed down to molasses. I am as slow as a snail. The one jumped up on the couch and did a few full-length races back and forth, the other one followed before I could close the door, and started joyously exploring all other rooms and up the stair he went. I was trying to calm them down - and myself down - long enough for them to listen to me because they were having a most joyous time. 


Gregg had gone out the front to see if there was anyone looking for them. In the meantime, I finally got pups outside and was trying to get hold of a collar to see if there was any id. Couldn't find one but they were very jumpy and were still extremely boisterous. I was trying to sit down in one of our outside chairs when the one jumped up and knocked me flying unceremoniously backwards into the chair with a thump, and I barely escaped falling out of it. A comedy of errors in the making. 


They both took this as a sign to continue playtime. I had two young dogs jumping all over me, and I have scratch marks on both arms to prove it. One grabbed my hand with his mouth and I felt his teeth, not mean but playful puppy teeth, so I have a sore thumb now and have dabbed antiseptic on the scratches. Ironically, I am off to get my tetanus shot next week. I was supposed to get it last week but there you go.


Our neighbors across the street have had golden retrievers in the past and I suggested to Gregg that he go over there. These were their dogs and I don't think they have had them for very long as this is the first time we have set eyes on them. They didn't realize they had gotten out. Happy to say all's well that ends well. Very happy it took such a short time, but amazingly eventful time, to find out who they belonged to. Two beautiful young big pups full of energy, a couple of bouncing-balls (Gregg said they were in jailbreak mode). I thought they were nervous being apart from their humans.


All's well that ends well, we were concerned that they might go further and get up on the main road with all the traffic. It's funny how you immediately become very protective of two young dogs you've never set eyes on before. We were really shocked when we saw them on the deck. We don't have fencing, no gate. At least if they get out again and they made it back over here, we'll know whose door to go knocking on.


Thank you Mr. Red-winged blackbird and yes, they have. We will be going down to Home Depot tomorrow to get a new one as their claws created several holes.


The birds out back made themselves scarce when all this was going on but I was thankful Mr. Red-winged Blackbird hung around. One added note: as I was typing this, my battery started flashing on the laptop, which is unusual because I keep it plugged in most of the time. When I looked over at the wall socket, one of those pups had yanked the plugs out of the wall on his merry chase around, plus had stuck his head into my trash bucket and scattered things willy-nilly. 

I am going to take a nap now.


And there you go, that's how it goes on a
Saturday Morning at the Bird Feeder,
even much livelier than usual.

Thanks for visiting and 
I hope you are all having a great weekend.







Added note today the 11th at 11.50 a.m:  Gregg just told me that he heard yelling/calling and looked outside to see the dogs had escaped again. They were running around but fortunately ran back inside their house when called. Apparently, they visited another neighbor’s house next door this time.  Gregg said they can run like the wind!






For our international friends to translate using my widget on the sidebar.

Photo 1: 
"Who are you?"

Photo 2:
"You have visitors!"

Blackbird:
"I will let she of the house tell you."

Photo 3:
No words

Photo 4:
"He's the naughty one, I am a marshmallow."

Photo 5:
"Nope, he is the naughty one. I am the marshmallow."

Photos 6 & 7:
No words.

Photos 8:
"They have put holes in the screen."