Maybe you’ve heard of “stink bugs” but I have never heard of these nasty creatures until just today.

We were sitting out on the patio chatting and I felt something brush against my toes. I looked down and there was a funny looking, flat bug – about the size of my fingernail. I didn’t know if it would bite or sting, so I knocked it onto the ground and stepped on it.

Big mistake! OMG! That nasty bug stinks BAD when you smash it. I don’t know what you are supposed to do to kills these nasty bugs without smashing them and stinking up the place. But there has GOT to be a way!

A lot of the TV channels have adopted the scrolling text at the bottom of the screen to make viewers aware of breaking news and alerts.

Years ago, viewers would have to endure complete interruption of their preferred show for a talking head to read the script of breaking news on camera. But now, a lot of the breaking news is just a few words scrolling across the bottom of the screen.

It must be stressful programming in just the right words to scroll across the screen. It’s like having to write headlines as a teaser to get your attention but also to add just enough vital information to give viewers a snapshot of the situation.

At its worst, the scrolling words contain a typo, which broadcasts to the entire world that someone is not smart enough to spell the name correctly or never got enough education to recognize the difference in the meaning of words, such as “sum” versus “some.”

There was an AP article that I read online saying that more apartments are condos are becoming pet friendly. It talked about some of the amenities that these forward thinking properties are offering to pet owners, including off leash dog play areas, cleanup stations, and even pet bath areas.

I believe it is not a change in thinking by management to become more pet friendly. I believe it is motivated strictly by money. If these property owners are having trouble attracting and keeping quality tenants in buildings that have been restricted against pets and their owners, then by allowing pets they are opening the field of potential tenants. After all, current statistics say that over 60% of American households have one or more pets.

Last week while grocery shopping, I picked up something new. I came across some precooked meats that you can microwave and heat up in only 5 minutes. The selection included pot roast, beeftips, and pork roast. They also had a section of mashed potatoes in little plastic tubs that heat up in 4 minutes.

I thought they might be nice to keep on hand in case I want a fast dinner, and they were reasonably priced. So I bought one of each and have kept them in the refrigerator.

Tonight I am dog-tired and hot. I decided that I didn’t want to heat up the kitchen with the oven or stove. I pulled out the microwave tubs of beef tips and potatoes, and had dinner ready in 5 minutes. They were tasty and fast – and a bargain.

The place on my back where the tick bit me is still red and swollen. What is totally weird is that it must have bit me in two other places before crawling over to the spot where i found it and pulled it off. I have these large red bumps on me that itch like crazy. But, no fever and no other symptoms. So i have been putting rubbing alcohol on them and I took a couple days of antibiotics – to be on the safe side.

So I am OK and much more vigilant about checking my dogs and myself each night for ticks.