Adventures

One easy peasey trip up to Walmart to pick-up a prescription.  No other shopping needed.  I decided to take in the 3 bags I had filled with empty Pepsi 2 liter bottles.  No problem.

Except--the machine would not take my bottles.  There were 5 machines open and not a single one of them would take the bottles.  I even tried each machine twice--with two different bottles.

So, I lugged the bags down to Customer Service.  The 2 cashiers were busy, but the manager, in her bright, yellow vest, came up and asked if I needed any help.  I explained the situation to her and she replied:
"I just checked an hour ago and all five machine are working."
I said, "I just came from there and none of the five machines are working."

Then, of course because I'm old, she questioned my mental capabilities.
"Perhaps you tried to put them in too fast."
"No.  The minute I placed the bottle into the machine, the red light came on and it quit working."
"Did you put it in bottom first?"
"Yes."
"Are they bottles from another State?"
"No.  I purchased them in this store."

Now she's going to get her huff on.
"Well, I don't understand.  I personally checked and all five machines work perfectly!"

Just as I was about to raise my hand and slap that snotty face, one of the ladies behind the cash register, spoke up.

"The Pepsi rep was in yesterday.  They made some changes, but he forgot to re-calibrate the bottle return machines.  They won't take any Pepsi products."

Miss Huffy turned and walked out, headed down to the bottle return area.  The cashier said, "Here let me help you."

She dragged an empty cart over to where I was and we started counting bottles.  Then she went to the register and gave me my $4.60.

I walked down to the Pharmacy, was first in line for my script.  No other customers.  When the girl said, "Ms. Judy.  How is your day?"  I told her of the incident and all the Pharmacy staff laughed and laughed.  As I left, the one kid called, "Always a pleasure to see you Missus Miller.  You brighten our day."

Bah Humbug!!!
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I have created a problem.  I feed the squirrels and birds all year 'round.  I decided years ago to feed the squirrels separately to keep them out of the bird feeders.  Worked great.  Usually, in the spring, the squirrels would quit eating from their feeder and go off to forage for themselves.

I filled the bird feeders and dumped out what was left in the squirrel feeder.  An hour later, I looked out and there were four squirrels, covering the bird feeders, tipping them to the side and gorging themselves, while my poor Finches, Cardinals, Nuthatches, Chick-A-Dees, Blue Jays, sat in the nearby bushes watching.

Dagnabbit!!

I watch Dr. Phil once in awhile.  He is very big on enabling and how not to do it.  You don't reward bad behavior.  Apparently, I have enabled the squirrels and now, if there is no feed in their box, they will just eat from the bird seed.  

So, off I went to the Tractor Supply farm store to get more shelled corn and peanuts.

As I walked in the store, I noticed a couple of cages with baby chicks and ducks in them.  I had to stop and talk to the fuzzy, yellow baby chicks.

Just then an older man came up and said, "Just buy a dozen of them.  You'll have all the eggs and roasters ya need."

I explained. "Oh...no thanks.  I don't like to eat eggs or chicken.  I grew up on a poultry and hatchery farm and I just wanted to see the baby chicks and listen to them peeping."

I've got forty-six Guinea fowl," he said.  "I could give you a couple of them."
"Oh my gosh!  It must be noisy at your place."
"Yep.  They are noisy...and ugly."
"Well, they make good watch "dogs.  Anybody drive in and you'll know it."
"I have them because they eat ticks.  All the tall grass around the out buildings are full of ticks.  Those ugly things eat ticks, so they don't get on my other animals."

Click here to see Guinea Fowl.

I went on to get two 5# bags of shelled corn, and a bag of shelled peanuts and unshelled peanuts.  Only cost $20.00.

On my way out, there was a much older man having a sales clerk load his pick-up truck with 6 heavy bags of fertilizer.

Of course, I had to engage him in conversation.

"How you gonna unload that when you get home.  It looks pretty heavy to me."
He looked frail and had a frail voice.  I noticed his hands shaking and thought he probably had Parkinson's.

"I don't know.  I like to spread the fertilizer on my garden and then roto-till it in before I plant."
"You know...hm-mm...you could put a wheel barrow under the tail-gate and slide a bag off and wheel it out to your garden.  That would be easier than trying to carry the bags."

He looked at me like I had just discovered sliced bread.

"Well now...gol damn...that sure would work.  I could split the bag and just spread it around by the shovelfulls."
"I think that would work great!"
"Ya know...I ask my son to come over and help, but he's always so damn busy that by the time he gets to it, it's a week past planting time."
"Oh boy, I know about trying to get help from kids.  They have time for everything else except helping their parents."
"Ain't that the damn truth?"

I walked on and loaded my trunk with my supplies and as I drove away, he lifted a shaky hand and waved good-bye.
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That adventure took just about as long as the one the day before at Walmart, but it sure was a lot more fun.  I felt like I had been conversing with a couple of neighborhood farmers.  Reminded me of home.

Got the squirrel feeder filled up and now it appears, that everyone is happy and at their proper feeding stations.