Backyard Wildlife

We've got possums. My husband puts cat food out for the older cats. Last winter they both stayed in the house most of the time and I really wanted to keep feeding them inside but come Spring, he started feeding them outside. Our oldest cat is real skiddish and she had gotten over some of that, so my theory was if we kept her coming in to eat, she wouldn't act so nervous all of the time. But he started feeding her outside and now she won't come back in or let me pet her. We had noticed that we were going through cat food twice as fast, and I imagined that we were feeding ever wild cat in the neighborhood. But the last couple of weeks, since it started getting dark so much earlier, we've walked out and found one or two possums getting their fill. I don't really mind the possums--they fit in nicely with the bats, rabbits and raccoons. But I really don't want to feed 'em!

Cat on a Leash

Rosco, one of our in-door cats, decided he wanted to be an out-door cat. We were having problems with him not using the litterbox and making messes where ever he felt it was convenient. When that place was one of my plants, I grabbed him mid-poop and threw him outside on the grass. He freaked! It would have been funny if I hadn't been so irritated at the moment. But then he started trying to get out-- so one day I grabbed an old dog leash and put him outside. He loves it! I don't want him wandering the neighborhood, so we have continued with the leash. He's just like a dog--we open the door first thing in the morning and he runs right out to his spot. It's the funniest thing! On the bright side, knock on wood, there hasn't been any more messes on my carpet!

NOW It's Officially Fall!

I just made my first pumpkin pie of the season! We love it--I don't know why I don't make pumpkin in the Spring and Summer, except the pumpkin shortage the last year probably affected my recent pie choices. We got a half-pallet of canned pumpkin in the store yesterday, tho, so I think I'm good for awhile!

Officially Fall

It seems like just last week I was wondering if the leaves were ever going to start turning color, and almost over night they did! It's been strange weather-- extreme hot, then sudden cold with frost, then hot again, and now we are at just about perfect! Illinois weather bounces around so much, you never know what you are going to get from day to day. We always say, if you don't like it today, wait until tomorrow! The farmers have been crazy at work--I think most of the fields are in. Corn, anyway. Because of the Spring rain, some of the beans got out late. But, I still think they are ahead of schedule. You know you live in an agricultural area when weather isn't just something to talk about to fill in those ackward silent spots!

On the Fence

I can't seem to stay mad. Most of the time I think that is a good thing, but sometimes I think it's why I never seem to get any where with my life. I get mad at work and decide I have to find another job, but then I get over it and it's just easier to stay where I am. Twenty excuses to stay--it's flexible, I can get off any time I want to, I like the people, on and on. But it's minimum wage and there is no future there. If I knew that in five years I could have the position I want I wouldn't even consider leaving. But the woman that does it is in her early 60s and will probably stay until she's in her 80s! By then, I hope I'm about ready to retire myself. Unfortunately, the job market sucks here. I've got a job interview tomorrow for a job that I think I could really like, but it's only 20 hours a week. It actually comes with benefits, but with my husband not working right now, I'll probably still have to work part time else where. Probably at the grocery store. I don't think that will make my life less stressful! They will probably be interviewing 2 dozen people, so maybe the whole quandary is moot!