October 31st Halloween!

This post will be short because

we are still cleaning up

after the storm.

Not that much to clean up, but we're old. 

😂

I went for the generic cutie ghost

because I just can't bring myself to

post a scary Halloween picture....

This year has been scary enough!

I think this puts the correct spin on it.

Ya think?

And the sad part is, it

ain't over yet!

The fat lady hasn't sung a note yet.

*********************

There have been 8 Gulf storms this year.

At one point or another,

all 8 hit Louisiana.

Lucky us!

(no sarcasm font)

That's a record.

Not a very good record,

but a record nonetheless.

So, when Jim Cantore said "this year

will be a very active Gulf of Mexico

storm year."

We believe it!

Our home didn't see hardly any damage,

and we thanked the good Lord for that.

As my son said "At least it wasn't another

blow to Lake Charles and Cameron Parish!"

The veggie garden was beaten down,

but we think most of the plants will rally.

Here's Pepper standing next to

the mustard greens she loves so much.

The siding on the eaves pulled back,

but it'll be an easy fix.

The rosemary in that huge urn

turned onto it's side,

but it's fine when we tilted it back.

Just a couple of broken branches.

There were a lot of leaves and twigs

that we picked/raked up and used some in the

compost heap.

The weather cooperated with low temps and humidity,

and made sleeping nice without electricity even with the

windows open.

The power was restored yesterday evening.

The chicken girls retired to their coop very early

on Wednesday before the storm actually hit.

💦💧💨

When the skies started getting dark,

before the rain started,

they all "came home to roost".

Just remember Chicken Little.

I think the hens are more sensitive to weather

changes than my allergies,

or my arthritis.

Ha!

😆

*****************************

Yesterday morning, this little guy

came looking for food.

We moved the chicken feed out of the coop

and the backyard fauna came in 

droves to eat.

There were the wrens, mourning doves, jays,

grackles, a crow and several squirrels.

*************************

While the power was out, we made use of 

flashlights and candles.

It was a nice ambience, but it left dark

areas unless the beam of light was 

aimed directly in front as you walked.

I was hyper-aware to not stumble and fall.

But,

it reminded me of an incident I had while

walking in the dark, last week.

I couldn't sleep, so I walked into 

the den as quietly as I could.

No, I didn't put on the lights.

I've been in this house for 41+ years

and I instinctively know where everything is.

You'd think that I would be able to navigate

a few feet in the dark, right?

Well, you'd be wrong.

I was walking as slowly as I could and 

had my arms out in front of me,

like I was auditioning for 

The Walking Dead,

when I jammed my cockadoodie pinky toe

on the iron leg of the coffee table.

First reaction: What the holy Hell??

(Because the pain receptors in my brain were

apparently still asleep)

Second reaction: Try not to scream. So, the sounds that I made

came out like a bad recording of whales mating.

Third reaction: (When the pain finally flared in my brain)

I grabbed my foot while doing a 

pirouette and launched my flailing body

onto the couch, nearly falling off!

Now, 

I've done this before, so you'd think that, 

that particular pinky toe would avoid

the near occasion of trauma at all costs.

No, it didn't.

Nope,

Not at all!

So,

in the dark, I was sure of 3 things.

1) I've broken my toe.

2) I'm bleeding all over my area rug.

3) I'll need pain meds, STAT!

(After scrutinizing the affected area,

the only thing I actually did was,

get a black and blue toe with a 

small scrape)

All this makes me wonder....

Why do we have pinky toes?

What is their actual function besides

an early warning system to watch out

for close objects?

To sacrifice themselves in the line

of duty for the rest of the body?

Are ALL the damned nerves in the foot located

in the pinky toe to alert the brain?

and...

Is this God's idea of a joke?

In the course of my 68 years on earth,

I'm sure I've jammed one or both of

my pinky toes at least once a year!

No,

as I said,

I never learn.

👀

 *********************************

Not my carving.

I found it on Pinterest.

Happy Halloween

👻