Saturday, September 8, 2012

Yellow jackets, exterminators, peach pie and a cold...



So, this is how MY week went, LOL!  This is a file photo... this room no longer has yellow jacket issues, by my bathroom? The one with a shower????  My kitchen.... my living room.... and my pretty spare room in shades of blue and yellow....

Infested.

Eee gads. We finally called the exterminator and STEVE is now my new BFF.  He came in an unmarked truck...(lest your neighbors think you have rats or roaches...) and applied magic dust to two hives. According to Steve, there were thousands of the little suckers per hive.

Thousands.

I cannot even begin to think about that.

So Steve worked his magic. They diminished. We've gotten about twenty in today... which is like a ten fold decrease. MUCH BETTER.

He said give it five days. If there are any after five days, they come back and re-treat.  No more cost. I was happy to fork over the money.... and not sad to think of these things dying... does that make me a terrible person?

No.

It makes me normal. I think. So when Steve was done and I had most of my kitchen back, I made that delightful peaches and cream pie we featured here a few weeks ago... The recipe my mother-in-law found and shared with me. I did share it here, didn't I???? Because if I didn't, I must. I hunted for it but I have a cold... my head is stuffy and my nose is running and I'm fairly disgusting right now. But the pie...



Color me happy while I eat the pie!!!!  Although I'm still watching out for dull-witted yellow jackets because even twenty is twenty too many.

I'm just sayin'!

And the kids started back to school this week.... Look at these sweet babies:


And then there are our future Super Students:


We will wear pants to school when the time comes. I'm just sayin'...  ;)

So a busy week here. Not much kitchen fun because we pretty much lived outside until the wasp infestation improved....  But I'm envisioning cool days. Soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Apple cider (pricey this year because of the blossom burn last spring, but still worth it!!!) and pumpkin pie.

But right now I'm having soup. And peach pie. And sinus meds. Because I'm a big, fat baby when I'm sick!


33 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear you are feeling poorly.
    glad the insect issue is dealt with. I just got back from the shops to buy fly spray and ant sand. I went to get rid of garden waste and ants have made a home along with eggs on the top rim of the bin. I have to say spraying didn't hurt me one bit.
    I finally got a little sleep last night which was great although feeling tired again now.
    off to contemplate a little gardening.

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    1. Ausjenny! So glad you got a little sleep!!

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    2. Oh, my sweet girl! Still praying for you for the loss of your Mum... I know we expected it, but even expected loss is sad. We're never ready to say that last goodbye.

      BUT... glad you're taking charge of those bugs. Oh my stars, I'm sitting here, typing, knowing that there will still most likely be a few that creep in beneath the moldings and I'm sure they're going to dive-bomb my hair.

      EEK! ;)

      Stupid cold. Thank you for not yelling at me for whining, Jenny. You are a true friend. That Tippens woman will MAKE FUN OF ME. She's a brat.

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    3. you know its only cos Southern ladies are meant to be refined!

      But although I am probably the most southern I am still one of the biggest whingers/whiners when it comes to being sick and having a cold.

      Oh and just dont swallow one of those monsters (believe me swallowing a fly or any insect is not nice.) Ok ten mins for the tablet to take effect and Im off to bed. at least I stayed up til almost 8 which is a minor miricle as I have been in bed by or before 7 all week.

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    4. Jenny, sleep well!

      Ruthy, you do remember how badly I whined week before last when I had that horrible cold, don't you?? So I won't make fun. I will laugh at how funny you sound with a stopped up nose and yankee accent, though. In fact, I'll always make fun of your yankee accent, stopped up nose or not. ;)

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    5. While I LOVE your Southern accent, Missy! Just love it. It's so stinkin' refined whereas New York... Well we just kind of bite our words with vigor, LOL! Thank you for your sympathy... I have taken chest congestion relief with PE, acetaminophen, nasal spray and Airborne.

      I might be TOO LATE with the Airborne, LOL! Let's declare the cafe a place where sick folks can come to whine as needed, share great recipes and tissues (not used ones, please) and chat about family stuff.

      I love chattin'!

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    6. Im past whining Im at crying point. the tablet worked for one night and here I sit after midnight going insain. can not sleep. I try and am at breaking point.
      whine over going back to my corner to knock my head on it to see it that works.

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    7. Oh Jenny! No sleep would drive me insane, too!

      Whining helps - and so does crying. I know your doctor probably didn't suggest this, but have you tried watching a really sappy movie? Maybe The Sound of Music, or Oklahoma? Whatever makes you get to the feel good kind of sappy, and then just let the tears flow...

      It always puts me into a relaxed stupor.

      Still continuing to keep you in my prayers!

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    8. Funny you should mention movies a friend today at Church was saying she felt flat yesterday and put on a movie of her mum's "The Scarlet Pimpernel" I said is that the Anthony Andrews version then was it coloured and did he say Sink me she thinks she is a poet! Yes it was that version and now she is going to lend it to me. I love that movie.
      I dont need to cry done that I need sleep. I am so tired at night I cant be bothered with tv. But today I actually read in the sun for most of the afternoon. I actually feel different tonight. I was able to get some tea. So hopefully sleep will come at last.

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    9. I took two tablets read a little to finish a li book and slept I think I got around 8 hours which is so good. I still woke around 4.30ish but hey I can handle that. I dozed til 5ish. I will take them again for a couple of days then try on my own but as they said its to break the cycle and a few nights of 8 hours will feel wonderful.

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  2. Okay, the pic of the kids off to school is cute, but the pic of the oens on the porch WAVING to the kdis going off to school made me cackle. TOO CUTE!

    And pants are overrated. We wear them in my house when we must. And shoes almost never. Completely uncivilized and unsocialized.

    We're going to take over the world. As soon as we put on our pants.

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    1. Exactly! My son keeps lecturing his kids about putting shoes on because I have "glass dirt"... Now, in the interest of fairness, we do find bits of glass when we dig in the dirt. Part of it was from an old shed we took down when we first moved in, but they must have stored storm windows in it, because there were small pieces of window glass in the soil... No one has gotten cut, mind you, but it's there and works it's way up now and again... But even out front, where Seth installed the new and very pretty water garden, he found pieces of canning jar glass, window glass and a couple of chunks of pottery. Clearly the original owners didn't do their junk pile very far from the house... Oh, and a ring from a hitching post! :) Why should leastun's where pants at 80 degrees, right??? We are backwoods country folk!

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    2. I agree with shoes although when there is a frost outside and I go get wood (just outside the back door) I admit my toes get cold (dont own slippers either). I dont put shoes on till I go out and then they may stay on but in summer its normally bearfoot or thongs/think you call them flip flops. must admit toes are feeling cold now but I am headed to bed.
      Pants well I do tend to wear them especially outside.

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    3. My children lived in diapers--nothing else. In fact, when my two older kids went to catch the bus for their first day of school after we moved here (5th grade and kindergarten), my daughter embarrassed them by running outside to see them off in only a diaper. :)

      She was also well known for going around in a diaper and cowboy boots. :)

      Now that she's about to turn sweet 16, I think I need to find some old photos to embarrass her. LOL

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    4. Missy, my kids did diapers and cowboy boots, too! It's a wonder we don't have a crew of exotic dancers on our hands, LOL!

      :)

      And look at the "naked" cowboy in Times Square. Oh my stars, think of the money making opportunities we're missing!!!

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    5. Oh yes, diapers and cowboy boots! Usually with some kind of hat, too. And a truck. Or a matchbox car in each hand.

      Man, I miss those days!

      When our oldest was around 4, we were visiting my in-laws. The boy never wore clothes unless he had to, and who has to wear clothes in bed, right? Well, one night after his bedtime he came walking into the living room to ask us a question, then went back to bed. Once he was out of the room my MIL turned to my husband and asked, "Aren't you worried he'll take off his clothes at school?"

      She raised 8 children. I thought she would have known about kids and clothes.

      And no, he never took his clothes off at school.

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    6. My mother-in-law says her kids never went naked.

      I believe her.

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  3. Aw, I should send you a hat to cheer you up. Trade you "the hat" for a piece of pie! Hope you're feeling better soon.

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    1. Hey, I'd trade for that awesome hat you were sportin' on facebook, woman! Dying laughing at how cute that was! Loved it, Jan!!!!

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  4. You've had an adventurous week, Ruthy! Sorry you're sick! It's too early to have a cold but it's going around the school here this week too! So not fair! Hope the peach pie does the trick and makes you feel better.

    I don't think you shared that recipe here...at least I don't remember it (and I would because I love peach pie!) but I missed a few days here and there over the last two weeks because of work so maybe I'm wrong!)_

    And since everyone else is embarrassing daughters today I'll add my story to the mix. Caught my little miss dressed in nothing but taining pants, a wedding veil and silver high heels at the bus top. When I asked her what on earth she was doing, she smiled sweetly and said, "Waiting for a husband."

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    1. Kav, that is PRICELESS!!! I hope you got a photo! :)

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    2. Missy and I figured out that I didn't really share the recipe... how weird is that????? So I'm doing it this week because I have never, ever, ever had a better peach pie. My mother in law was so excited about this recipe and she was right!!!!

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  5. Hehehehehe! Love these!

    I have a photo of my oldest in diaper, pruple sheer tutu, and Papa's work boots, that come up to her thighs.

    Also have photos of naked boys vaccuuming with the toy vaccuum.

    Also have one of my second oldest daughter, caught naked in the garden, chowing down on cherry tomatoes.

    Also have a picture of two naked toddlers jumping on daddy as he was trying to nap on the floor. Right out of the bath, but still. Scary way to wake up! Run!

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    1. Oh, yes, the attack Daddy at all costs wake-up call! Oy!!!

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  6. So sorry you're battling a cold, Ruthy.

    My dear husband is, too. It turns out that's why we never made it to the top of the mountain last Monday - he was pooped. By that evening he had a sore throat. Poor guy.

    I don't remember the peach pie either...

    I had thoughts of making pie today, but we worked in the yard instead. Filling in holes from where the fence posts were, planting grass seed, putting our 4 1/2 tons of gravel where we want it, etc. etc.

    Enjoy the rest of your weekends, everybody. And Jenny - like I said above, I'm still praying.

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    1. Jan, I'm mulling wood stoves for you!!! :)

      Hey, I love working outside and inside... and my friend's dog "Charlie" is whining to be let out... he's one of our pups from last year, gorgeous boy. But whiny.

      Really????

      Stay in your kennel and hush, dog.

      Sigh... must go walk him. Okay, so I promise peach pie this week and you will love me THIS MUCH.... Get your pie crust ready and remember you can freeze pie crust dough in usable sizes... I freeze them individually then toss them in a gallon zip lock bag. That way all I have to do is thaw and roll... and if you use my recipe here on the blog, it's amazing (and do not turn your cute little noses up at Crisco, oh my stars... you will LOVE this crust, I promise. Light. Flaky. Delicate but tough enough to roll easy... ) Go to the Pie Crust link and go to mine... (no insult intended, Mary Curry!!!)

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    2. I'll be waiting for that recipe!

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    3. And we've got the dog walking covered around here - ROTC son is getting back in shape after his surgery, so it's either a walk or run. Daily. The dog loves it.

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    4. Dog walking is great therapy. Wonderful for walker and walkee!!!!

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  7. sorry you're sick. and I dunno bout kids and clothes- never had kids - but if they live in diapers why do they make so many cute clothes for babies and toddlers?
    Susanna

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  8. Ruthy~ Sorry you were sick. Hope you're better now. Take great pleasure in the killing of Yellow Jackets. Anything that buzzes and stings must die at my house.

    Susanna~ Kid's clothes are really, really adorable, and necessary for away from home. But the if they go to all the trouble to make them cute, chances are they'll be terribly uncomfortable.

    Pajamas and nightgowns are normal around here. We get dressed only when we have to.

    My daughter just started Kindergarten a couple of weeks ago. Last Friday night she said, "I'm gonna sleep in tomorrow and then stay in my gown all day long!" (She would have too, if she hadn't had a birthday party to attend. Nightgowns just don't go too well with the city park.) I have a feeling that's going to be an oft-repeated refrain in the Strong house for years to come.

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