Wednesday, October 22, 2008

"The Miserys"

I dunno exactly why that phrase... “The Miserys”... came to mind when I thought about whether I would post today, or not. But that’s the phrase my great-grandmother used when she was under the weather, as in “I’ve got The Miserys.” And I’m that… under the WX… and have been for the past 18 hours or so. As I’m fond of saying when I’m afflicted with this or that… “this, too, shall pass.” And so it will… none too soon, in any event.


The real weather isn’t helping things… at all. It’s chilly and quite windy out, albeit very, very bright (as you can tell from the graphic above). We’re also supposed to get our first freeze tonight, and that’s a great good thing. The flies become quite unbearable in these parts towards the end of the summer and during early Fall… but the first freeze will kill ‘em off in droves… like flies! I’ve often wondered why I’m not knee-deep in fly carcasses after the first freeze… there are THAT many of the damned things. It's the dairies, Gentle Reader.

25 comments:

  1. Not just the flies but the fruit flies! I can't have a single banana or tomato on the counter without those things swarming around it! Miseries indeed!

    In preperation for tonight's freeze, I just returned from the garden and a laundry basket full of underripe green tomatoes and bell peppers (which, besides some squash, was about all I got from the garden this year. Glad I don't live off my gardening skills. Or lack of). Bring on the freeze!!

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  2. Not just the flies but the fruit flies! I can't have a single banana or tomato on the counter without those things swarming around it! Miseries indeed!

    In preperation for tonight's freeze, I just returned from the garden and a laundry basket full of underripe green tomatoes and bell peppers (which, besides some squash, was about all I got from the garden this year. Glad I don't live off my gardening skills. Or lack of). Bring on the freeze!!

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  3. Ah, yes, the Miseries. That was a catch word in Gramma's house, too. I learned early that if I complained too much there was a cure available. Castor oil was no fun to drink. But I guess it defeated the miseries. I believe i did not get them after that was used.
    As for tomatoes, I learned long ago to uproot the entire plant, knock opff the dirt and hang them in the garage. The cold then keeps them fresh and the day time warmth seems to help them riped.

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  4. Carrie and I are down with The Ick - both of missed a day of work (about 48 hours apart, so I think we've also identified the incubation period) I am almost but not quite recovered, and C. is getting there.

    I hope you feel better soon!

    (Rest. Stay hydrated. I'd bring chicken soup over if it were geographically feasible.)

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  5. catmoves: thanks for the advice. Problem is, I don't have a garage. It was too small to fit my pickup in, so we converted it to an office/music room. LOL! I'm afraid the barn may be too cold to survive much of a freeze. But I'll keep it in mind should we ever have a house with a garage.

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  6. Fly flux is high here too (measured in units cm^-2sec^-1, just like neutrons). This seems like a new batch brought by the warmth. Good, this freeze will kill them so I don't have to run around the house doing it (doggy door and some horses down the road-- that's our recipe).

    Hope you feel better soon. And Spring '09 is just around the corner.

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  7. Buck,
    Hope the miseries leave you soon. I've never heard that term before, but I think I'll be using it in the future.
    As for the weather, It's windy again, and hot, 100... in October, yuk.
    I can't wait for a nice, cool fall day.

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  8. I got a chuckle out of this post. I remember all sorts of sayings but at the moment forgot them. Damn. It is just too cold here. Freezin.

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  9. Ah the words that Grandma used to say! I wonder what my GGs will say about me some day. "Booboo called that driver an ass, but she claims it is not a four-letter word..."

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  10. I hope you get to feeling better. Maybe The Piper should bring you some good Scotch Whiskey and make you some sort of unusual soup.

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  11. I remember one time we were on our way home to Kansas, and we stopped in Clayton, NM for lunch. We picked up sandwiches at Subway, then thought it would be the perfect day (warm and sunny) to find a park to eat our lunch. Perfect indeed! The wind was so strong we were hanging on to the sub wrappers and napkins so they didn't blow away...and the flies were about to drive US out of town. We finally ate in the truck ... AFTER we cleared the flies out of it. YIKES!

    We had our first hard freeze last night -- it was 21º when I logged on to the computer this morning.

    Buck -- sorry about the Miserys -- here's something to cheer you up ... the Associated Press poll from yesterday shows the race is a dead heat .... Obama 44% McCain 43%. Dare we hope?

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  12. Hey Lou, this gave me an early morning laugh:

    "Booboo called that driver an ass, but she claims it is not a four-letter word..."

    hahahaha!!!

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  13. Good attitude, Buck. Yes, it will pass. Here's my prayer that it will do so quickly and leaving you none the worse for wear.

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  14. I hope you are feeling better and I think we have both, your fly problem and your cold morning weather.

    The flies were horrendous this past weekend and the fact that I had to start my car 10 minutes early today before chauffeur duties, speaks volumes!!

    ....and I feel like I too aught to be knee deep in ye 'ol fly carcasses too from killing the damn things my children let in.....God I hate flies...although I think I killed the final one last night.....it's one thing to have them in the common areas of the house, but when they buzz around you when you are sleeping, well that is when it's war!

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  15. Fruitflies. Ugh! We already had our first freeze and they are still buzzing around the place from all the tomatoes picked from the garden.

    The Miseries. I'll have to remember this one. Hope things get better for you.

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  16. Hope the miseries have passed by now, Buck.
    And that all the flies have gone to their reward!

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  17. My grandmother used to say that as well - The Miserys. Hadn't heard it in years and oddly enough, it's brought back some nice warm memories of my Gram - thank you for that Buck.

    Even if it comes at your own expense! Sorry you aren't feeling well, hope it passes quickly.

    You're getting our kind of weather. Yesterday it was only in the 40s, today in the 50s. With a crisp, chill wind.

    Personally I love this kind of weather but as you say - YMMV.

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  18. Jenny sez: Not just the flies but the fruit flies! I can't have a single banana or tomato on the counter without those things swarming around it! Miseries indeed!

    I hear THAT. I often wonder where those miserable lil bastards actually come from; they seem to materialize out of nowhere. Everything that's edible here at El Casa Móvil De Pennington is either in a zip-loc bag or some other sort of container. Except for the garbage, which is where the lil bastards congregate and DIE when I spray 'em with that diary insecticide you turned me on to...

    Bob sez: ...so I don't have to run around the house doing it...

    No doggy-door here, but they still manage to infiltrate the perimeter... somehow. Which results in periodic "search and destroy" missions.

    Susan sez: As for the weather, It's windy again, and hot, 100... in October, yuk.

    The Santa Anas suck, don't they? I'm hoping for ya, Susan.

    Abe sez: Damn. It is just too cold here. Freezin.

    Thanks for the kind words, Abe. About your WX: Tis the season, eh?

    Lou sez: Ah the words that Grandma used to say! I wonder what my GGs will say about me some day.

    I'm not so sure I wanna know what my grandkids say about MY language. I was still "in transition" from Crusty Old Sergeant to Urbane Businessman (heh) when the oldest of the brood used to come stay with TSMP and I while SN2 was on patrol in his sub. My language was still pretty rough back in those days...

    On your other comment: the unusual soup sounds good, the Scotch less so!

    Sharon sez: I remember one time we were on our way home to Kansas, and we stopped in Clayton, NM for lunch. ...

    I had the same sort of experience (sans food) during Happy Hour day before yesterday. You'd think the wind would keep the flies down, but noooo... It's not easy to sit out with a beer and a cigar when the lil bastards are as thick as they are these days. I gave up after the beer was half gone and retreated indoors.

    About the polls and McCain... I haven't given up hope. But it IS looking bad.

    Jim: Thanks for the kind words. Things look a LOT better today, thankfully. Hopefully this was just one of those 24-hour thingies.

    ASW sez: it's one thing to have them in the common areas of the house, but when they buzz around you when you are sleeping, well that is when it's war!

    EXACTLY. I got up off my death-bed yesterday to hunt one of the lil bastards down and terminate it with EXTREME prejudice. I generally have a live and let live philosophy when it comes to critters large and small... except for frickin' flies.

    Michelle sez: Fruitflies. Ugh! We already had our first freeze and they are still buzzing around the place from all the tomatoes picked from the garden.

    But they should be gone soon, Michelle. I hope. Have you tried putting the tomatoes in gallon-size zip-loc bags?

    Christina: Thanks for your kind words. The good news is I feel MUCH better today... and I hope that lasts.

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  19. Kris: I'm glad I could flip that memory switch for you. I had the same sort of experience yesterday about my great-grandmother, as well. She was a fine old Southern Lady... of a type one doesn't see that much of any longer... and more's the pity.

    I love chilly Fall WX, so we're on the same page there, as well. And today is looking up, compared to yesterday! Thanks for your good wishes!

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  20. I love seeing the "WX" abbreviation. I do a little work for Air Force Weather right now, and I am typing "Wx Office" about a dozen times a day.

    Feel better, Buck.

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  21. Buck, our weather is heading south...er North. Supposed to head out to the Au Sable River to Salmon fish tomorrow up at the River Mouth on Lake Huron Tawas City, Michigan. About 150 miles north of Detroit...they are calling for Rain mixed with snow for Saturday and Sunday, rain only all day tomorrow.....

    Sounds Great, doesn't it?

    :}

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  22. Look at the bright side. Your not in Vaughn or Encino.

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  23. Anon: Yet another good thing: I know the difference between "your" and "you're."

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  24. I hope you're feeling better. The miserys ran through my family last week. It sucked.

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  25. Amy: All better, now... thanks!

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