Life's Little Pleasures, #1

 I made a suggestion to one of my GrandGirls for a blog subject to be explored on her blog - Now, folks, that was a wordy sentence.  It stands as printed, no editing.

Life's little pleasures.   She handled the subject very well.  But if you read her blog, you'll see that she and I have different pleasures.  https://meganmetze.wordpress.com/author/meganmetze/    [I don't know how to make one of those blue links to other websites.  Maybe Roger will show me someday.]

Here are a few of my life's little pleasures (in no particular order) keeping in mind that this is just a few.  Some pleasures may never reach the printed page.

1.  Sprinkler System:  When we moved here in 2008, I had about 3/4 acre that needed water.  I could not afford "City" water for that much grass for sure.  Over time, I had a dock built and a water pump installed which fed lake water towards my house.   There was one lone faucet down by the lake.  This was glorious.   Our lake allows us to use as much water as we wish for a one-time fee.  I still have to pay for the electricity to pump it - a 220 Volt pump - loud rascal.

    Time went by - I bought several heavy duty water  hoses and sprinklers from Home Depot at about $50 per.  The hoses were  man-handled up our hill one hose at a time and individual sprinklers were strategically placed throughout the front, then backyard.  After 30 minutes or so, it was up and at-em outside to move the hoses again.  This was heavy duty effort on my part.  My knees and attitude began to give out.  It was singularly wonderful in some ways.  It was tough going in the heat of our Texas summers.  We finally saved up enough money to hire a local company to install a sprinkler system attached to that heavy duty pump.   

    I marvel at the system.  Our water intake is about 400 feet out to the middle of the lake.  That 220V pump pulls water out of the lake from way out there and shoves it up my hill for another 300-400 feet.  And the water flows hard and fast.  All I have to do is set the system on automatic.  Then, I am in house - no sweat.   Our sprinkler has 10 different stations which run for about 30 minutes each - that figures to 300 minutes of pump work - or 5 hours.  I wonder why my electric bill is so high?  I could run them 24 hours a day if I chose.  Right now we are not on a mandated watering schedule.  Restrictions will come in this 100+ degree weather continues.

    Do my knees feel better now?  Not really; I'm just getting too old.  

2.  Fritos:  Must I explain this?

3.  Blackeye Peas:  On a shelf to my lower right is a copy of my high school newspaper.  One week, three of us "band boys" were selected as students of the week for interviews.  When asked, I proudly proclaimed that I loved,"Pok Chops and black eyed peas."  Nothing has changed since 1958.

4.  Dachshunds:  By now you must know that I have wire-hair dachshunds - doxies to us old hands.  We have had several over the years and mourn the loss of each lost baby.   Today, we have 4 year old Sadie - a fine little girl with a loud voice.  When the others go into the howling mode, she tries; but, all she can produce are high squeaky sounds.  She is not embarrassed.   My twin boys, Oscar and Bruno, are in their 11th year.  Excellent dogs other that being boys and doing certain things that boy dogs do.  Oscar loves his ball.  Bruno loves his food.   We miss Jill, Mandy, Greta (the snake dog), Fritz, and Liesl.  This is Sadie in one of her better moments.

    We have had other types of dogs in the past.   Abby was a peke; Mac and Maisie were Scottish Terriers.  A few great cats and a gerbil or two lived with us.   I miss all of them too.  Wire-hair doxies are our thing now.  I wish I had a couple more to keep me awake barking.

5.  Conversations:   I enjoy talking to my kids and other relatives / friends on the phone.  Oft times, we have absolutely nothing to say that really matters.  It is still having contact though.  Some folks have the gift of gab - others no so much.  People's personalities are so different just like my dog's personalities.  Roger doesn't talk much.  When I use to talk to Marshall, you could hear him typing on the computer as we talked.  Jim and Earline were quick to laugh and talk, always.  Awwww, the list goes on.  I'll stop with this listing out of fear that I will leave someone important out.

6.  Phones:  As much as I hate our mobile phones, they really are marvelous.   If people could "just" not get so involved with the machines - staring for endless hours - doodling with the fool things - not being able to live 5 minutes without a tether - ignoring the rest of the world because the phone made some type of ding-dong.  Y'all know what I mean.  Sure, it is the other feller that does these things, not me.  Remembering:  we took 3 grand daughters to Yellowstone, there is no phone service in Yellowstone Natl. Park.  You could call that a bit tense.

Come to think of it, National Parks and State Parks and other camping places - they are a true pleasure in this life.  Six pleasures listed.  More later including  chocolate almond ice cream, a dream.

take care, Mtz