Sherry Ellis's Blog, page 23
August 24, 2016
Party Crasher
Yesterday, I looked outside, through the glass doors that led to our deck. What I saw was a cat arm and paw, stretched out. And it was white. Not the color of my cat's paw. Puzzled, I went over to investigate. Sure enough, there was a strange cat lounging on my deck. I saw another nearby. Bootsy, my cat, was lounging on a chair above the two.
What should I do about this? I thought. I really didn't want to encourage regular cat visitors.
I didn't have to think long. My hundred pound German Shepherd, Schultz, came up next to me. He looked out the window and saw our two guests. He was not pleased.
He wanted out. So I opened the door. "Go get 'em, Schultz!"
And that's what he did. He busted up that cat party and sent the intruders on their way.
Guess Bootsy will have to party elsewhere!
What should I do about this? I thought. I really didn't want to encourage regular cat visitors.
I didn't have to think long. My hundred pound German Shepherd, Schultz, came up next to me. He looked out the window and saw our two guests. He was not pleased.
He wanted out. So I opened the door. "Go get 'em, Schultz!"
And that's what he did. He busted up that cat party and sent the intruders on their way.
Guess Bootsy will have to party elsewhere!
August 22, 2016
Bobbing for What?
My son still likes the game, bobbing for apples. He gets his friends together, and they go outside to do it. It doesn't matter if it's Halloween, Valentines Day, or an average day. The other day, which was an average day, he decided fill up the pail and have a go at it.
He pulled out something from the refrigerator, filled the bucket with water, and went outside with his friends.
When he and his friends came back in the house, they were soaked.
"What did you do?" I asked. "Soak your entire head?"
My son grinned. "Those apples were kind of hard to get. They didn't bob so well."
I narrowed my eyes and went outside to see exactly what he was talking about.
I shook my head when I pulled out what was in the bucket.
I held up the thing. "Dude, what do you think this is?"
"An apple?"
"No, Dude. It's a plum."
He pulled out something from the refrigerator, filled the bucket with water, and went outside with his friends.
When he and his friends came back in the house, they were soaked.
"What did you do?" I asked. "Soak your entire head?"
My son grinned. "Those apples were kind of hard to get. They didn't bob so well."
I narrowed my eyes and went outside to see exactly what he was talking about.
I shook my head when I pulled out what was in the bucket.
I held up the thing. "Dude, what do you think this is?"
"An apple?"
"No, Dude. It's a plum."
August 15, 2016
Pokemon Go . . . Away!
You've probably heard about the Pokémon Go craze that's hit America (and maybe the rest of the world). The creators of Pokémon thought it would be good idea to have a scavenger hunt where video game players could go outside to find these little Pokémon creatures. It seemed like a good idea at the time, because shortly after the game came out, I began seeing teenagers out and about getting some much-needed fresh air, albeit with smartphones in hand.
Now, it's just downright annoying. My son has been hit with the Pokémon bug. "Mom," he said. "There's a Pokémon across the street. Can I go out and get it?"
"No," I said. "We're in a restaurant, and you're going to sit there and eat your dinner!"
When we were done, we went out and walked along the shopping center walkway. The boy stopped. "There's a Pokémon over there, at the theater. Can we walk over and get it?"
I frowned. "Fine. But no more of this!"
We walked across, he got the Pokémon, and we walked back to where we had been.
A few minutes later, my son asked, "How far is ten kilometers?"
"Too far," I said. "There's no way we're walking ten kilometers so you can find a Pokémon!"
"That's not bad," he said. "If we start walking now, we'll get there before dark."
Grrr!
Other random Pokémon incidences: We saw a sign in an car oil changing place that announced they had Pokémon there. We saw another sign at a police station that said, "Don't even think about stealing our Pokémon!" And lastly, the LA zoo and a huge Pokémon promo day. They were not doing so well in attendance numbers, but when they announced that they had Pokémon at the zoo, thousands showed up just to catch them. What a marketing tactic!
Now, it's just downright annoying. My son has been hit with the Pokémon bug. "Mom," he said. "There's a Pokémon across the street. Can I go out and get it?"
"No," I said. "We're in a restaurant, and you're going to sit there and eat your dinner!"
When we were done, we went out and walked along the shopping center walkway. The boy stopped. "There's a Pokémon over there, at the theater. Can we walk over and get it?"
I frowned. "Fine. But no more of this!"
We walked across, he got the Pokémon, and we walked back to where we had been.
A few minutes later, my son asked, "How far is ten kilometers?"
"Too far," I said. "There's no way we're walking ten kilometers so you can find a Pokémon!"
"That's not bad," he said. "If we start walking now, we'll get there before dark."
Grrr!
Other random Pokémon incidences: We saw a sign in an car oil changing place that announced they had Pokémon there. We saw another sign at a police station that said, "Don't even think about stealing our Pokémon!" And lastly, the LA zoo and a huge Pokémon promo day. They were not doing so well in attendance numbers, but when they announced that they had Pokémon at the zoo, thousands showed up just to catch them. What a marketing tactic!
August 9, 2016
Big Expenses
"Mom," my twelve-year-old son said. "I need to save my money. I have some big expenses coming up."
I nodded. I figured his big expenses included a car. "You'll definitely need some cash for wheels in a few years."
Bubba looked at me funny. "I wasn't talking about a car."
"Then what were you talking about?"
"I'm saving money for a trampoline and a hot tub."
Oh. I'm so glad he has his priorities straight!
I nodded. I figured his big expenses included a car. "You'll definitely need some cash for wheels in a few years."
Bubba looked at me funny. "I wasn't talking about a car."
"Then what were you talking about?"
"I'm saving money for a trampoline and a hot tub."
Oh. I'm so glad he has his priorities straight!
August 3, 2016
Question of the Month and Grill Master
Sorry for being a little remiss about being here. I've been busy with my kids. They'll be back in school next week, so hopefully I'll find a little more time to blog and visit everybody.
It is time for the Question of the Month hosted by Michael D'Agostino.
This month's question is, "What is the best beach you've ever visited?"
I've been to a lot of beaches. I used to live in Florida, and I was a SCUBA diving instructor. I haven't been to all beaches, of course, but I'd have to say my favorite is one that my family and I used to visit when I was a kid in Florida. It's called Bellaire Bluffs, and it's on the gulf coast in Pinellas county. I loved going there in the evening just before sunset, and chasing fiddler crabs as they scurried in and out of their holes. Then we'd fish. We always caught these things called grunt. Nobody liked to eat them, except me. Maybe it was all the butter my mom used to cook them.
Anyway, what I liked about that beach, was that there was usually nobody there. We had the place to ourselves. And the sunsets were gorgeous. When the tide went out, there was a little island that would pop up. My brother and I would swim out to it, and we'd always find lots of snails in conch shells. It was so cool.
I looked online to see if I could find some pictures of it. There was one on Wikipedia. It's not great, but you can kind of get an idea of what the sunset and beach is like.
Do you have a favorite beach?
Now for the story:
I recently celebrated a birthday. (Thanks to everyone who wished me happy birthday on Facebook!) My twelve-year-old son decided he was going to make me a special birthday lunch . . . on the grill. He had never used the grill before, so this was going to be a rite of passage.
His dad showed him how to turn on the grill, and then left him to do the grilling. Bubba planned to make brats. He put them on the grill when it was time, and then let them cook. And cook. About fifteen minutes later, the boy ran into the house, yelling, "Hey, I need a little help here!"
My husband went out to investigate. One of the brats was on fire. Fortunately, it wasn't completely out of control, and the rest of the food was fine.
When Bubba came back into the house with a plate of barbecued brats, he had a big grin on his face. "My face is red, and my hands are burned, but I made good food! I'm a grill master!"
Grill Master indeed!
It is time for the Question of the Month hosted by Michael D'Agostino.
This month's question is, "What is the best beach you've ever visited?"
I've been to a lot of beaches. I used to live in Florida, and I was a SCUBA diving instructor. I haven't been to all beaches, of course, but I'd have to say my favorite is one that my family and I used to visit when I was a kid in Florida. It's called Bellaire Bluffs, and it's on the gulf coast in Pinellas county. I loved going there in the evening just before sunset, and chasing fiddler crabs as they scurried in and out of their holes. Then we'd fish. We always caught these things called grunt. Nobody liked to eat them, except me. Maybe it was all the butter my mom used to cook them.
Anyway, what I liked about that beach, was that there was usually nobody there. We had the place to ourselves. And the sunsets were gorgeous. When the tide went out, there was a little island that would pop up. My brother and I would swim out to it, and we'd always find lots of snails in conch shells. It was so cool.
I looked online to see if I could find some pictures of it. There was one on Wikipedia. It's not great, but you can kind of get an idea of what the sunset and beach is like.
Do you have a favorite beach?
Now for the story:
I recently celebrated a birthday. (Thanks to everyone who wished me happy birthday on Facebook!) My twelve-year-old son decided he was going to make me a special birthday lunch . . . on the grill. He had never used the grill before, so this was going to be a rite of passage.
His dad showed him how to turn on the grill, and then left him to do the grilling. Bubba planned to make brats. He put them on the grill when it was time, and then let them cook. And cook. About fifteen minutes later, the boy ran into the house, yelling, "Hey, I need a little help here!"
My husband went out to investigate. One of the brats was on fire. Fortunately, it wasn't completely out of control, and the rest of the food was fine.
When Bubba came back into the house with a plate of barbecued brats, he had a big grin on his face. "My face is red, and my hands are burned, but I made good food! I'm a grill master!"
Grill Master indeed!
July 22, 2016
Stupid Frog
If you look at the picture above, you'll probably be drawn to the flaming logs. But if you look on one of the rocks on the bottom left, you'll see a little critter. A frog.
That little frog jumped out from the fire pit rocks about fifteen minutes after we had started the bonfire. Apparently, we had disturbed its nap. If he was a smart little frog, he would have hopped far away. But no. He was not a smart frog.
When my son got up off of his chair to have a closer look, the stupid frog hopped back onto the rock, where you see him in the picture. He was heading for danger.
"Bubba," I said. "You're going to have to get away from the frog, or it's going to hop right into the fire."
"No, he isn't."
As soon as Bubba said that, the brainless amphibian hopped even closer.
"He's going to jump in!" my daughter shrieked.
"Back away," I said. "If he has space, maybe he'll figure it out."
It took a while, but the frog finally decided that being so close to the fire was not a good idea. It hopped off the hot rock into the nearby wood pile.
I think it needs to find a new home, or next time it's not going to be so lucky!
July 13, 2016
The Chase
The deer in my neighborhood are fearless. They walk up and down our streets and yards in the middle of the afternoon, not caring who or what sees them. Just the other day, I saw a herd of deer grazing in our neighbor's front yard while a tabby cat sat in the grass two feet away from them. They didn't care. This insolence drives our hundred pound German Shepherd, Schultz, crazy. He's stuck in the house, barking his head off at them. Most other dogs in the neighborhood do the same thing. They want to chase the oversized rodents, but can't.
Well, one little dog in our neighborhood had his big chance. Somehow, he escaped from the confines of his house. He charged, looking like a ferocious little beast. I have to admit that he made an impressive amount of noise. The deer weren't impressed. They looked at the little fur ball and turned the tables. They charged at him!
The scared little dog stopped yapping and ran for his life!
It was the craziest sight to see - a herd of deer chasing a little dog!
(I have a half a mind to send Schultz after them. They're afraid of him. When he comes out, they run! We need to teach those bullies a lesson.)
Well, one little dog in our neighborhood had his big chance. Somehow, he escaped from the confines of his house. He charged, looking like a ferocious little beast. I have to admit that he made an impressive amount of noise. The deer weren't impressed. They looked at the little fur ball and turned the tables. They charged at him!
The scared little dog stopped yapping and ran for his life!
It was the craziest sight to see - a herd of deer chasing a little dog!
(I have a half a mind to send Schultz after them. They're afraid of him. When he comes out, they run! We need to teach those bullies a lesson.)
July 8, 2016
The Wrong Side of the Mountain
I've been doing a lot of exploring with my kids, which is why I haven't been sitting in front of my computer blogging. Yesterday's adventure involved a mountain.
I took my kids and one of their friends to Yonah Mountain in Georgia. It was supposed to be a lovely two and a half mile hike to the summit. Well, it ended up being a little bit longer for us. After climbing about an hour and a half, we reached the half-way point. We thought it was the top because the view was so pretty. But it wasn't. Other intrepid climbers informed us that the summit was at least a half hour hike further up.
We gathered our things and continued upward, over some pretty rough terrain. This wasn't your average dirt trail. We're talking climbing over very large boulders and fallen trees. About fifteen minutes later, we met some other hikers coming down.
"How much further to the summit?" I asked.
"About twenty minutes," they replied. "There will be a fork in the road. Go left. It's a wider trail and easier. Then you'll come to a clearing. Take the trail on the left, rather than the one on the right."
Okay.
We found the fork and went left. A little while later, we noticed the trail was heading down, and not up.
"Something is wrong," I said.
"Maybe it'll go down and then back up," my daughter's friend said.
It didn't. It went down, down, down. Until we came to a sign. "Road Closed." We looked at each other.
"Check the GPS and see where we are in relation to the parking lot," I said.
We were eleven miles away on the other side of the mountain. Not good.
"Okay, everybody. We're climbing back up!"
And that's what we did. We climbed that stinking mountain twice. What should have been about a two and a half hour hike ended up being over five hours.
My daughter and I decided to find the summit, which we did. I'm glad we did, because the view was beautiful. But the moral of the story is, if you're climbing to the top of a mountain, always follow the path that goes up. And bring a map.
Here's the view from the top:
I took my kids and one of their friends to Yonah Mountain in Georgia. It was supposed to be a lovely two and a half mile hike to the summit. Well, it ended up being a little bit longer for us. After climbing about an hour and a half, we reached the half-way point. We thought it was the top because the view was so pretty. But it wasn't. Other intrepid climbers informed us that the summit was at least a half hour hike further up.
We gathered our things and continued upward, over some pretty rough terrain. This wasn't your average dirt trail. We're talking climbing over very large boulders and fallen trees. About fifteen minutes later, we met some other hikers coming down.
"How much further to the summit?" I asked.
"About twenty minutes," they replied. "There will be a fork in the road. Go left. It's a wider trail and easier. Then you'll come to a clearing. Take the trail on the left, rather than the one on the right."
Okay.
We found the fork and went left. A little while later, we noticed the trail was heading down, and not up.
"Something is wrong," I said.
"Maybe it'll go down and then back up," my daughter's friend said.
It didn't. It went down, down, down. Until we came to a sign. "Road Closed." We looked at each other.
"Check the GPS and see where we are in relation to the parking lot," I said.
We were eleven miles away on the other side of the mountain. Not good.
"Okay, everybody. We're climbing back up!"
And that's what we did. We climbed that stinking mountain twice. What should have been about a two and a half hour hike ended up being over five hours.
My daughter and I decided to find the summit, which we did. I'm glad we did, because the view was beautiful. But the moral of the story is, if you're climbing to the top of a mountain, always follow the path that goes up. And bring a map.
Here's the view from the top:
July 4, 2016
Question of the Month and Stretchy Socks
It's time once again for the Question of the Month hosted by Michael D'Agostino. This month's question is: What was the first book/series that you fell in love with?
The first book was James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. My teacher read it to our class in the second grade just before lunch. She read a chapter a day. I couldn't wait for the next day so I could hear another chapter! As far as a series goes, I really liked the Nancy Drew series. I think I have every book in the series. (That's a lot of books!)
Do you have a favorite first book/series?
Now for the story.
"Mom," my twelve-year-old son said as he came down the stairs. "I can still fit into my baby socks!"
I couldn't believe it. "Are you sure about that?"
He pointed at his feet. "These are the ones I wore when I was two years old."
I looked down at them and squinted. "Are you sure?" They looked vaguely familiar, but I wasn't sure they were actually his baby socks.
"Yeah." He took them off and showed me. They looked slightly misshapen. Like they'd been stretched about five times their original size. "I've been working at it, and I can fit into them, again!"
Apparently those were his favorite socks. Guess they'll be around a few more years.
To all of my American friends, I'd like to wish you a happy Fourth of July!
June 28, 2016
Ranch-flavored Cat
Our cat, Bootsy, was practicing bad table manners, again. This time it was with me. As I sat at the picnic table, eating my sandwich, the cat jumped up onto the table and sniffed my sandwich. I yanked it away, but not before some of the ranch dressing that was in it dripped on to the cat's head.
I tried to get it off, but Bootsy wouldn't sit still to let me do it. "Fine," I said. "You can run around with ranch dressing on your head."
Which is what he did, until our hundred pound German Shepherd came out to play. Schultz picked up on the ranch scent right away. He walked over to the cat, gave him a sniff, and licked off the dressing.
(Good thing Schultz wasn't hungry, or that cat might've been Schultz's dinner!)
Before I go, I would like to share a promo video that was made for the anthology, The Thing That Turned Me. The release date has been pushed to the end of August, but you can see this video now. In it, I tell you a little about myself and the piece that I wrote for the anthology.
I tried to get it off, but Bootsy wouldn't sit still to let me do it. "Fine," I said. "You can run around with ranch dressing on your head."
Which is what he did, until our hundred pound German Shepherd came out to play. Schultz picked up on the ranch scent right away. He walked over to the cat, gave him a sniff, and licked off the dressing.
(Good thing Schultz wasn't hungry, or that cat might've been Schultz's dinner!)
Before I go, I would like to share a promo video that was made for the anthology, The Thing That Turned Me. The release date has been pushed to the end of August, but you can see this video now. In it, I tell you a little about myself and the piece that I wrote for the anthology.
