Lil0, I'm glad you checked in but I'm sorry you have a health concern. Hoping with you for the best. Your guests are so blessed to have you helping them.
Robin, as someone who drives mostly on 2-lane highways because of no interstates within 65-100 miles, I vote for the safer, longer way. My grandkids have been learning to drive in big cities because that's where they live, and honestly, it scares me more for them to drive out here than in the cities, especially when you factor in deer, hogs, etc., but mostly judging distance for passing, people impatient when passing isn't possible, and such.
Kat, I hope your mower came. I've been waiting for mine since April 4 and I sent him a reminder last week. Hard to get anybody to come way up where I live.
Poirot, after enduring your winters, I wish you could get some nice weather now. I feel for your neighbor who has to wait a month for vehicle body work. Wait time for everything seems to be extreme now. I told my niece this morning I think this is probably our new normal.
Squirrel, when I moved to PA, I thought the chipmonks were so adorable because I had never seen them before. I don't remember having trouble with them but I can see how they might be like "glorified mice." It's nice to hear you're getting your porch opened up. Sounds like a place to enjoy. Yes, the siren is how we get cows to come for feed or for moving. It can get challenging during feeding season because everybody uses sirens and they can be heard from a long distance, depending on the wind. Sometimes our cows will hear a neighbor's siren and move toward it, taking them away from where we're looking for them. Also, we have to try to get on the right side of the wind in order for them to hear it. It can mean miles of extra driving just trying to locate them or sitting and waiting for a long time so they can figure out where we are and come to us. But hey, it beats trying to round them up horseback in all kinds of weather!
It turned out I went by myself to get the siren today. The plan we thought we had didn't work out and it still isn't resolved because, while I did get the siren, we haven't yet been able to find anybody to install it. (It has to be wired in underneath and I think the old wires burned up). My mechanic didn't want to do it. Another mechanic said he had 10 vehicles to work on before he could do it. (We need it as soon as possible). Others don't answer their phones, and on and on it goes.
I also got the lenses changed in my eyeglasses while I was in town (ordered them a couple of weeks ago). I had put in the transition lenses that go dark outside and clear inside a year or so ago. Always wanted to try them, but nope, I did not like them. So had them changed back. Then I had to go the long way home to pick up a prescription in another town. But I did get to eat in a nice restaurant today--a BBQ place, and it was so good! I guess I'm feeling my age. When I go out for a day anymore I feel like I've been beat up by the time I get home. True, the hot temperatures and wind don't help. There's been a haze in the sky for a couple of days, dust, I think. It's been kinda eerie. Makes me think of the 1950s, when there was so much drought and dust here.
