October is here! My favorite month.
Unfortunately, the weeks and seasons seem to pass so quickly that I hardly notice them any more. Also, for the past year I've been plagued with so many personal problems and health issues that I can no longer savor the things I used to love.
My optimistic, adventurous, intensely colorful past is long gone. I seem to be turning into a mundane, frustrated, bitter old man.
Talking about frustrated (notice how I make such smooth literary transitions...), I've lately been extremely frustrated with the minimal feedback I get on my blog. To put it bluntly - there's nothing worse than writing my friggin' ass off and getting few (or no) comments.
Am I that boring and repulsive?
A "fellow" blogger Rita recently told me that she has difficulty finding my new posts because I don't have a followers list on my blog.
Soooo, I just (reluctantly) put it on my sidebar. People who adore me can now follow my blog
(he says tongue-in-cheek).
Quite frankly, I never included the followers list because I thought it's a tacky addition to a blog.
Why boast about how many followers I have?
Who am I - - Rasputin? Mussolini?
Anyway, it's now there for everyone to see.
So follow me. If you dare.
Change of subject.
Two nights in a row!!!
For the past two nights - when I'm sound asleep - my cat Bosco has dropped a LIVE mouse in my bed! There's nothing more invigorating that having a mouse scurry over your chest when you're in the midst of Dreamland.
The first time I yelled so loud that I think I woke people up in Kentucky. The second time I was a little more reserved.
This morning I found a dead mouse on the floor by my bed.
Change of subject
When I made the dreaded visitation to town last week, I was stunned to see how high the price of groceries are. They seem to have doubled. Or tripled. I can no longer afford the things I used to buy.
Eggs used to be cheap here in Tennessee and I bought a lot of them. Way under three bucks for a carton of eighteen.
I almost went into cardiac arrest when I saw that they're now EIGHT DOLLARS a carton!!!
I literally forced myself to buy a dozen eggs for over five dollars.
I also paid TWELVE dollars for some ground beef - - which used to be one of the cheapest things you could buy.
All I know is that TWO years ago food was very affordable. And I know why........
Draw your own conclusions.
Change of subject
Glorious October has already begun tinting the rural Tennessee foliage.
Here is a glimpse of my monstrous front "yard" yesterday morning.
I plan to have numerous upcoming Halloween posts.
Cheers, Jon
Yeay, I noticed I'm already a bona fide 'follower.' Hopefully, this will generate more traffic. Early in my blogging adventure, that sort of thing was important. Now I suspect more than half are either deceased or no longer blogging.
ReplyDeleteThe price of groceries (and gas, and utilities) makes me want to weep. But I know of no other way than to keep putting one foot in front of the other, praying for 2024.
Your front yard is beautiful. Perhaps the changing colors are Mother Nature's way of saying, "I'm sorry" for this summer heat and humidity.
I have a feeling that many followers don't even bother to read the blogs that they follow. And you're right - - others may be deceased or no longer blog.
DeleteI'm praying for 2024, too, but I think our country will be completely destroyed by then.
I follow your blog but don't comment very often. I haven't been following for all that long but I like what you say. I have a blog too but for various reasons comments have dropped away, mainly political I think and I speak how I feel as folks do where I live. It is not acceptable to many in the UK. (I don't understand the significance of having a followers list to finding your posts but perhaps I an missing something).
ReplyDeleteHere in the U.S. if you follow a blog, every new post will show up on your Blogger reading list - so it's easy to find.
DeleteUnfortunately I have angered many of my former readers with things I have said - especially when it comes to politics. People are extremely sensitive nowadays. They can't seem to be able to handle opinions that differ from their own.
Sorry Jon.. I haven't commented lately but our family has had a lot going on.. I am a caregiver for my oldest sister ( I promised my Mom when she was on her deathbed- which will be 12 years ago on October 13, that I will take care of her to the best of my ability) she's elderly, deaf, mentally challenged (she has a mind of a 6 year old). She's also a heart patient and has diabetes. A few weeks ago she began complaining about her finger hurting. It was swelled and distorted. No doctor anywhere around here can find out what it is, she has been referred to an orthopedic surgery- which scares the crap (putting it nicely) of me. Also my 19 y.o. grandson has found 2 spots in his 'nether region'. The urologist sent him for an ultrasound. This makes me literally sick. As you say, just a few of my problems. I'm saying all this to say- I read EVERY one of your posts. I think of you often- especially when bad weather heads your way. I apologize for not commented more... I'll do better- promise!! Good night Jon... Your Tennessee neighbor- Louise.
ReplyDeleteLouise, I can certainly identify with your problems. They seem to come one after another - and never leave. It's EXTREMELY difficult to be a caregiver. It literally saps the energy out of you and destroys every aspect of your mental and physical capacities.
DeleteI took care of my Mom for four years after my father died. She was in perfect mental shape but deteriorated rapidly after she has a series of strokes. Words couldn't describe the hell that I went through. Life can be incredibly cruel.
Take care and hang in there, Louise. My thoughts are with you.
P.S. sorry for unloading my life history on your blog.. I need to start my own.. smile.
ReplyDeleteNo need to apologize. I don't mind at all.
DeleteA dead mouse in the bed! Jesus! I'd be in therapy for PTSD. I used to be an ER and ICU nurse....you'd think I could handle a dead mouse! LOL! Well, Bosco is doing his job.
ReplyDeleteOctober is my favorite month, too. It's glorious here in Ohio right now as the leaves are starting to turn. The days have been generally mild and the nights chilly. The Farmer's Almanac reported it's to be a 'harsh' winter here...if you believe the Farmer's Almanac.
It's probably as accurate as most of the forecasts we get.
Take care, Jon, and keep an eye open for dead mice in the bed....worse yet....live ones!
Paranormal John
I used to have three cats who loved to catch mice. Now that two are deceased, Bosco has to do all the work. I just wish he wouldn't present me with live mice when I'm in bed. It's unseasonably chilly here in TN and the foliage seems to be turning colors much earlier than usual. I've always been a fan of the Farmer's Almanac.
DeleteFirst of all, I got a huge kick out of your "change of subject(s)" - and your fall pics of your "monstrous front yard" just happened to beautiful and I love the foliage colors!
ReplyDeleteFortunately, with five house cats we have never had any mice to deal with - dead or alive! One time, my husband brought home a live one from work in a waste basket from his desk JUST to see how the cats would react? They surprisingly could have cared LESS! lol
It's hard to believe that October is here already. I just hope I find enough time to really savor it. There is a HUGE mouse problem here in the boonies. They are everywhere and I never knew how DESTRUCTIVE they can be. Bosco does a good job of catching them - - but I need more cats!
DeleteOh, yes and I am very much looking forward to your up-coming Halloween posts! YAY!!!
ReplyDeleteI love doing Halloween posts!
DeleteYour kitty is doing her best to keep you well supplied in mouse meat every day to make up for the expense of the meat at the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a young girl, our cat once brought a mouse home dangling from her mouth by the tip of its tail. I got my little small animal cage and took the mouse away from the cat and made a pet of it for 2 years. It lived in its mouse cage with the running wheel in it, on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen. Its name was Hercules and when my Dad would get his ice cream snack out of the freezer every night, there was Hercules sitting with his hands on the door of his cage like a little jailbird. Dad would give him two or three drips of vanilla ice cream off of his fingers every night. Hercules licked every bit of that ice cream of my Dad's fingertips. My Mom always gave him little treats, too. By the time Hercules was 2 years old he was a rotund mouse, still with the crook in his tail from the cat carrying him around before I rescued him.
It was nice to read your post today. Your woods will be filled with color very soon, I imagine.
Take care.
If the price of groceries gets any higher I'll have to start eating mice, 'possums, and raccoons. There are plenty of them around here.
DeleteThe saga of Hercules the mouse is really funny. He's fortunate that you were able to rescue him. I never knew mice liked ice cream! Thanks for your comment.
I catch up on the few blogs I read and follow every couple to 3 weeks. I don't always comment, but I do read your blogs.
ReplyDeleteI would have had a heart attack if I had a live or even dead mouse dropped on me or my bed. Oh no!
Groceries have gone up terribly high. Thankfully I buy eggs from my brother for 3.50 a dozen. Much tastier and I know what he feeds them vs what is in the eggs in the stores. ;-)
Our leaves and my yard are gorgeous right now too. Orange, red, yellow, brown from the oak trees, but I dread having to clean them all up when they drop from the trees.
There is nothing worse than having a cat put a live mouse on your bed in the middle of the night - - and he did this two nights in a row!
DeleteYou're fortunate to get good quality eggs from your brother, and at a reasonable price. I was absolutely stunned when I saw how high the prices are.
The autumn foliage here in Tennessee usually doesn't reach its peak until the end of October. This year it is early.
gotta love the live gifts the cats give you. I am happy when Hiro gives me a live bunny. Because I can usually release it unharmed. The other cats are monsters and either eat it in front of you or leave you a leg or tail as an appetizer.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness Bosco only catches mice. I don't know what I'd do if he brought a 'possum to my bed.
DeletePrices aren't that high here. Eggs are around $3, and good ground beef is under $5. That IS far more than we used to pay, but good grief, a dozen eggs for $8? WOW.
ReplyDeleteOur prices used to be similar to yours, but they seemed to skyrocket overnight. A carton of 18 eggs was around $3. Eight dollars is completely outrageous.
DeleteHi Jon. I used to get notices by e-mail of your blog postings but no longer. Your blog and Spo's blog used to notify me by e-mail. His is through Word Press and yours through Google. Something changed. Oh well, I'll take the extra step and visit your blog occasionally to see how you're faring. I cannot imagine waking up to a LIVE mouse given as a token of appreciation by your loyal feline companion Bosco. I would probably have screamed too! Your food prices have really gone up. Eggs have gone up here but they still lonely cost about three dollars for a carton of extra large eggs. Some things have gone up ridiculously like hummus from $4.99 to $7.99 overnight (Sabra brand). I refuse to buy at that price. Other items have also gone up, everybody seems to be jumping on the wagon of inflation. I used to get Panera soup at BJ's wholesale when it was $8.99 for a plastic tub. Now it's $13.99! No thank you. That's ridiculous. I'll make my own soup. Interesting times we live in. By the way, does Bosco catch snakes?
ReplyDeleteI'm not certain, but I think the email postings have been discontinued. Blogger is notorious for annoying changes.
DeleteFood prices were consistently reasonable here in rural Tennessee. I was literally stunned when the prices soared so suddenly. Eight dollars for a carton of 18 eggs is insane.
BTW - my cat Bosco is intrigued by snakes but I never let him catch any. I'm trying to keep him safe.
Hi, Jon! This is Jackie in CA, your lone liberal reader. I always read your blog, but I don't know how to become a follower. I don't always comment, but I do read and worry about you and all of your difficulties. It's easy to blame inflation on Biden, but there's also rampant inflation in Britain, Australia, and Europe. I don't think that ANY US president has that much power! :) Also, OPEC is going to sell fewer barrels of oil than they are capable of, and that is something NO ONE wants!
ReplyDeletePeople used to be able to follow blog posts via email, but it seems to have been discontinued. If you have a Google account, you can use the "follower" icon on my sidebar.
ReplyDeleteI only wish that our "president" was a leader - instead of an inept, completely clueless senile failure.