WE'VE BEEN INVADED!

June 29, 2015

By Olivene Godfrey

This past weekend, Barry and I discovered little black ants had invaded our kitchen and my bathroom.

Barry looked up ants on the internet.  According to the report, little black ants have garnered the name "sugar ants".  Not a lot is known about little black ants except that they eat just about anything.

If you want to control these ants you need to keep your kitchen sink clean (bathroom sink, too).  Barry doesn't want to use bleach so he is using vinegar to control the sugar ant invasions and to clean with all the time.  (Use white vinegar)

Barry admits he has a cleaning compulsion.  So, last night he cleaned my bathroom counter and sink and and the kitchen surfaces and sink and also mopped the floors.

We discovered these ants had moved into the kitchen pantry and were in a loaf of bread and in a jar of peanut butter.  I have a cookie jar but it isn't air tight.  So, Barry bought a Rubbermaid container for our cookies.  He also plans to buy a bread container.

The weather today is perfect.  It's sunny with a temperature of 80 degrees.  Unfortunately, I'm having an "ache all over" day.

Barry bought Time's new book "1945", which has pictures and text about "The year that changed the world."  I graduated from high school in 1945.  Those memories are still vivid in my mind.  I used some of this material in my World War II love story, "Catch The Brass Ring," which can be purchased through Amazon, Kindle.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam.)

RECENT DR. VISIT

June 23, 2015

By Olivene Godfrey

Tam drove me to my primary care doctor's office for my four month check up last Thursday.

My only complaint was an apparent return of my hiatal hernia.  According to my research, this condition is usually caused by changes in the barrier between the stomach and the esophagus, including abnormal relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally holds the top of the stomach closed, which is a hiatal hernia.

Years ago, I discovered my hiatal hernia.  I took over the counter medications with not much relief until my doctor prescribed prevacid.  It gave me instant relief.  After some time the prevacid became available over the counter.  I've been taking it for a few years.  Recently, I have started to have more pain and talked to my doctor about it.  She prescribed a stronger dose of the prevacid than you can purchase over the counter.  She thinks that the higher dose will help.

Barry cooked us a delicious fish supper last Friday.  His baked potatoes were especially tasty.  He covers the potatoes with olive oil spray.  Then he adds salt to the potatoes skin.  He then wraps the potatoes in foil and bakes them in a 425 degree oven for about two hours.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam.)

JEANETTE'S HAUNTED HOUSE

June 16, 2015

By Olivene Godfrey

In response to a blog I wrote recently about our "haunted house".  My sister, Jeanette who lives in Dalton, sent me a letter in which she said that until the last few months, she really had a haunted house.

She said she heard her late husband, Charles, call out to her day and night.  She writes, "One night he was standing by my door, and one night he sat on my bed."  Jeanette had taken care of Charles for 28 years before he passed away a few years ago.

Another night Brandon, her great grandson, was sleeping in Charles' bed, and all of a sudden, a big puff of wind almost knocked him out of the bed.  Jeanette said he won't sleep in that bed now.  Jeanette said her great granddaughter, Alex, and Brandon have heard noises in her closet like "a rubbing sound".  Jeanette and another great grandson, Bryson, have heard music in the basement.  She added that Brandon has been staying with her and the noises have stopped.  She said, "I hope forever!"

Jeanette is a Dr. Oz fan, and says that he said when you hear music in your ears, chew gum.  I still hear loud symphony music in my ears when I'm watching TV news cast, and I'm going to try the gum soon.  I'll let you know if it works.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam.)

BLACK SNAKE!!

June 8, 2015

By Olivene Godfrey

This past Saturday, Barry almost stepped on a long black snake in our garage.  He was a bit shaken and researched black snakes on the internet.  He learned that Black Rat Snakes and Black Racers, both are nonvenomous and neither are about to hurt you.  They're only around because there is food nearby, and that food isn't you.

Black snakes mostly eat lizards, birds, and bird eggs.  The report says black snakes also eat large quantities of rodents.  If you can get over your fear, they're good to have around your garage or barn to keep the mice at bay.  But, if a black snake bites you, it is likely to be painful and full of bacteria which can lead to infection.  So, it's better to treat all snakes respectfully and keep your distance, and avoid being bitten.  Barry sent Tam a text message about the snake.  She replied that she hates snakes and mice.  So do I!

I remember the day in Florida when Barry was a toddler.  I had gone outside to empty his kiddie pool and a snake was under it and slithered around my feet.  I ran back to the house and it took awhile to calm down.  We'll see what happens next to the long black snake Barry saw in the garage.  We hope he's gone.

I guess summer here in the South has arrived, although technically, it's still spring.  Barry said the lightning bugs were out last night early.  He remembered when he chased and caught them as a boy.

Tam drove me to Dalton last Friday and her daughter, Carrie, gave me a short haircut.  Once again, with her magical fingers, she made my hair look pretty.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam.)

NAPS & NOISES

June 1, 2015

By Olivene Godfrey

Barry says that I take "cat naps" all day long.  He says that's why some nights I have insomnia.  I don't think I'm the only old person who "cat naps".  Some days, I take a "real nap".  Awhile back, I read in the paper that a doctor thought it was good for seniors to take naps after lunch.

Sometimes, on weekends, Barry takes a "power nap".  He never sleeps very long in the afternoon, but says he feels renewed and he stays busy until bedtime.

My "cat naps' don't prevent me from falling asleep about 9 pm at night.  On week days Barry and I rise at 5:30 am and follow our morning routine.  He goes to work at 7 am.  Since he works a short distance from our home, he has no problem getting to work on time.

When I'm here alone in the afternoon, after Tam leaves for the day, I hear "sounds" of the house "settle down".  We have a "ghost sound" that is only noisy when either I or Barry are here alone.  The "ghost" sounds like a car door slamming shut.  At first, we would look outside and there wasn't a car here.  Sometimes now, if I'm home alone, I think I hear footsteps on the large hall that leads to the other end of the house.  If I check it out, there's no one in the hall.

If you have a "ghost" in your house, I'd like to hear from you.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam.)