Updates

For those of you who have been reading the blog for a while, you know I have written about some unique situations/observations over the last few months. Question: what happened next?

Today, as we close out another week on the blog, I am going to give you some updates about topics I've covered over the last six months.

Rocky and the Red Pepper Paste (August 20)
In late summer and into the early days of fall, a squirrel (or maybe multiple squirrels) started gnawing on one of the boards of cedar siding on our house. I applied a paste featuring cayenne pepper. After some initial success, the squirrels resumed gnawing. 

I was so distraught over that news, I called one of the local wildlife removal services (one that had previously helped us with other critter issues). But the poor young fellah who came to our house that day seemed flummoxed. "I'm not sure what to do. We could set some traps."

That didn't seem like the right approach. There are a bazillion squirrels within a one mile radius of our home. How would you know you got the right one. Or ones. And what would prevent someone else from taking up where the other left off. His last bit of advice to me was that if it happens again and just call back, and ask to speak to his boss. 

???

With no hope and a growing gnaw gash, I went back to the internet and found that, not only do squirrels hate cayenne pepper, they really don't like getting it on their feet. Maybe they lick their feet to keep them clean? Also, they're not fond of the odor.

Our house has a row of bricks that rings the house. The opportunistic varmints used it as a one-way gateway to all the wood they could chomp. 

So, to try to deter them, I coated the bricks with very red cayenne pepper. Honestly, the color wasn't that far off from the color of the bricks. So, in a way, it just looks like brick dust. 

And guess what? The gnawing stopped.

So, $5 for a can of pepper powder < a complicated prevention method from wildlife experts.

Call it a real win!

Kiss on my List (August 13)
In this edition, I told you about my old high school buddy Ben and his approach to singing 
(mumbling)  the old Hall and Oates hit, "Kiss on My List." He also liked the REO Speedwagon smash "Take it on the Run" (although instead of "Take it on the Run, baby," he sing "Take it on the run, Ben...").

Wouldn't you know I heard both songs, back to back, on his birthday last month?!? You can't make this stuff up. Well, I guess you could, but it wouldn't be nearly as interesting.

I do wonder where he is and how he's doing.

Dodger Blue (July 9)
With the Dodgers on the brink of being eliminated from postseason play, this one seems especially poignant.

In a few different posts, I told you about interesting encounters during my walks in the park - including the day I found an abandoned Los Angeles Dodgers cap on the bench.

One weekday mid-morning, recently,  I encountered two teams of guys playing Ultimate Frisbee in the center area of the track. It added to the atmosphere of the walk that morning.  

It did make me wonder if the young men were cutting college class? OR were they young workers on a team-building exercise? Or possibly their employer was closed for some reason that day.

More questions than answers. But a nice walk nonetheless.

Fresh Look 2 (April 27)
In the April 27 edition, I told you about our church's successful fundraising campaign. With the funds now coming in, the church has completed its first project (a refresh of our narthex). New flooring, some high top tables for short visits and other programming. Other projects are continuing.

Signs of progress everywhere!

JG