"Grammarly" Speaking!

As a former English teacher, nothing rubs me the wrong way as much as bad grammar.  I notice it most on Facebook.  Okay, I know that Facebook is not  necessarily the place to be grammatically correct, but I do believe people look rather ignorant sometimes by the words they choose to post.

As an example, this summer a young lady on Facebook got married.  She continuously referred to the wedding as "Matt and I's wedding."*  I was appalled.  I know this young lady, knew her English teachers in middle and high school, and also know that if she took the time to reread what she had written time after time, she would know she was looking pretty uneducated.  (She has now graduated from college!)  I so wanted to send her a message and correct her grammar, but being the kind, retired English teacher that I am, I just seethed quietly and didn't do it.  Grrrr!

Another grammar misuse that really grinds my coffee is the old, "they're, there, their" mistake.  I recently saw a poster that could be used in the classroom that described what each of these meant and how to use them.  I wish I would have had that poster in my classroom years ago.

I know this is just a minor blip in the EKG of life, but it just bugs me.  Rant over!  I need to get a life!

Peace,
JE

*Note:  Correct usage:  "Matt's and my wedding."

What's Happening Out There in Blog Land?

I was sitting here, dressed for church waiting on time to leave, and I was perusing my blog list.  Except for a couple, there's nothing new.  I  wonder what is going on.  Are all these people on extended vacations?  Have they all been abducted by aliens form the world wide web?  Are their lives so busy they don't have time to write?  Or, like me, are their lives so boring they have nothing to write about?
I know Mellodee over at Mellodee's Musings is in the throes of moving from one state to the other.  Okay, I will forgive her for not writing, although, Mel, you could let us know what is new in your new state!  The rest of you...get busy and write.  It's good for the fingers, and good for the mind.  We readers really don't care what you write about, even the everyday mundane things at least let us know you are still alive and kicking. 
Keep on keepin' on!

Peace,
JE

Squirrels Are Gone!!!

I wrote last week about the squirrels in my eaves area.  Well, like I said, Todd, the pest guru caught one in a live trap.  We just couldn't entice the other adult into a trap for some reason. I was standing in my kitchen window the other day, and lo and behold, the other adult came out and was sitting on the downspout elbow in the corner right under the hole where the pesty things were getting in and out.  I must admit, I own a BB pistol that runs on CO2 cartridges.  I acquired this gun from my son many years ago.  I have never used it.  I knew it had BBs in it and I had a package of CO2 cartridges, but I wasn't too sure how to load them into the gun, but I went on line and learned.  (I found printed instructions for this weapon online:amazing!)  Well, I grabbed the gun and headed out the back door.  Of course, when I got around to where the squirrel was sitting it was gone.  I waited patiently around the corner of my outbuilding and watched the hole.  In a while, the squirrel came slowly out and sat on the elbow again.  I took off the safety, aimed and fired.  Be damned!  I hit the bugger on the first shot.  It fell to the ground, and as I stood stupidly in awe, it crawled under the outbuilding right in front of me.    I stepped out into the yard and could see it under the corner of the shed, so I laid down on the grass, too aim and thought I finished it off. Not wanting it to lay there and smell, I donned heavy leather gloves and reached under to pull it out only to have it crawl away from me farther under the shed.  I hope the cats in the neighborhood dispose of it before it begins to smell. 
Now, a week + later, the young have left the nest, disappeared and the eave is once more mine. The hole is covered, the traps are gone and the pest control bill is paid in full.  I didn't owe him bounty on the one I "plugged." (To quote Todd, the pest guy!)
I am not promoting cruelty to animals, but I had to get rid of these pests before they chewed their way into my house or caused extensive damage to the roof and eaves.  Do I feel guilty about shooting this animal?  Maybe a little, but not enough to loose sleep over it. Our town is overrun with the things.  They are a common nuisance around here like prairie dogs in the west.  We just don't have a season for them.
That very evening, our local paper had an article reminding town citizens that discharge of any firearm in town is against the law!  OMG!  Did they see me!  I think not!

Peace, (once again)
JE