A group of us got together on Memorial Day to go for our first Harley ride of the season. Well, THAT ended up being a fiasco. We had waited all weekend for what was supposed to be decent weather but as usual the weatherman screwed up again. It was "somewhat" sunny when we left the house at 9 a.m., but a wee bit on the chilly side so we were all leathered up. The plan was to ride to a little town called Wolf Lake, about 60 miles east of here, where the have a big Memorial Day celebration. The fireman put on a big pancake breakfast, etc., and then there's a nice program in the cemetery afterwards. Since Ole and friend, Normie, are both from that area (both Finlanders) we decided it would be a fun thing to do. We all went last year and had a wonderful time. Ole met a bunch of relatives he didn't know he even had!! I'll have to tell you that story sometime - Ole is NOT who he APPEARS to be!!
Anyway, we got about a half hour from our house, went up over and hill and around a curve and hit a cold air mass that turned Ole's whiskers white with frost. It was SO cold, and we could see rain falling up ahead. We pulled off the road and consulted and decided to stop in Detroit Lakes for breakfast instead of going all the way to Wolf Lake and then decide what to do. By the time we finished breakfast the sun was shining there, but it was still raining in the direction we had to go. So we blew that off, went to the local flea market, ran into a bunch of friends, didn't find any "fleas" worth buying and headed for home. Ole always wants to take the Harley when we go to the flea market in the summertime because then he thinks I can't buy much due to lack of storage on the bike to bring things home. The funny thing is - I'm never the one who finds something to bring home - it's always HIM. There have been times when we've had to come home, get the truck and go back to the flea market to bring home what he bought!! And they say women are the shoppers - NOT!!
I also have developed some cat issues over the last days. Herkie, the white cat that has been living at my house, has decided that he needs to start marking territory INSIDE my house. I caught him one day backed up to a beautiful, wool, Icelandic blanket that I had hanging over the stair rail. Caught him in the act of applying his scent to the blanket, promptly picked him up and placed him not so gently on the deck with the promise that he would not be allowed back in my house if that was the way he was going to act. All he did was look pitiful and plead to come back in. Well, about four days went by, and it was cold and rainy, and every morning he would be at the patio door pleading and crying and begging. My heart can only stay hard so long so I took pity on him, let him back in and threatened him with the fact that he could exit again quickly if I caught him marking again. He seemed SO appreciative, filled his tummy and found a place to sleep. All went well for several days until last Saturday night I caught him backed up to the bathroom doorframe getting ready to do it again. I yelled at him, which caused him to stop and then swatted his butt. This only deterred him for a second or two, he walked farther on down the hall, backed up again the door to the computer room and let go!! Again he was promptly picked up and placed not very gently on the deck. I now will take NO pity on his pleadings and he will NOT be welcome in my house ever again. Just called me "Hard Hearted Lena!"
This brings on another problem - the cat hierarchy at Lovely Daughter's house. Her "Football With Legs" is a real bruiser and a bully and doesn't tolerate Herkie in the house very well because Herkie wants to be the "A" cat also. So the other day when Herkie was apparently hungry enough to go back to her house to eat, the Football decided he wasn't going to allow it and started a cat fight. Unfortunately Lovely Daughter stuck her bare foot between them trying to break them up and immediately got clawed three times by the Football. Guess she wasn't thinking about the bareness of her foot, just reacted to breaking up the fight. The New Man immediately went to work on the injuries with peroxide and ointments, etc., but by the next day her foot was all swollen, etc. He took her to the walk-in clinic where she was given a tetnus shot and a shot in the backside of some heavy duty antibiotic, along with some to take orally. By the second day her foot was even worse - swollen and purple all the way down to her toes, so The New Man took her back again, she got another shot in the butt and was told to stay off her feet for the next three days with her foot elevated. If she isn't better by tomorrow she is to go back and they'll be giving her antibiotics through IV. Not a good situation.
So I don't know how things will all hang out at her house - The Football won't give in to tolerating Herkie in the house, and Herkie can't live here anymore. Something's going to have to give - or I should say Someone - and it "aint gonna be me!!" I suggested Herkie become a Shop Cat out in Ole's shop - but Ole doesn't want that either if he's going to be spraying all over marking territory. And the thing is Herkie is neutered. I thought neutered males didn't mark anymore? Maybe somebody should tell that to Herkie.
Enough for now - the sun is shining and Farmer Lena has to go make hay.
