Spring is coming (although it doesn’t quite feel it today. Brrrr!) Along with a rather dry season comes an invasion of ants. This is the third year in a row that ants have launched an all out occupation of our house, with each year getting worse. This year we even found some in the second floor bathroom.
All ants are not the same. Some are attracted to sweet sticky stuff that can be left if you don’t clean up spills well enough. These ant, however, are in search of water – hence their occupation of our kitchen sink and dishwasher.
Every year we have spent countless dollars on pesticides and ant traps – nothing worked. I poured cups of lime over ant hills, sprayed the entire foundation of the house with Spectracide (Kills bugs on Contact!) Yeah, right. If I wanted to sit guard and spray every friggin’ ant, Spectracide would be the solution. Other than that, it is worthless – do not waste your money.
On the verge of giving up, Liz did some research and found the two top rated items to rid yourself of ants. The ONLY pesticide that works is Terro® Liquid Ant Baits. You place the ant bait near the path of the invading army and they will immediately fill the bait, eat, and take it back to the hill. The swarms, almost overnight, dwindled into a manageable ragtag regiment of a battered army. But, the Terro did not eliminate them altogether. It is rated the second most effective product, and it is available at your local Walmart.
The number one most effective product is Diatomaceous Earth (Silicon Dioxide). It is affordable, $12.00 for a 10 Lb. bag of food grade product. Yes, food grade. They actually recommend that it be blended into animal feed to prevent caking. You can eat this stuff – some people use it as a detoxifying agent.
What this stuff does it cuts the exoskeleton of the pests (ant, fleas, bedbugs). Mix it with the soil around your house. Pour it on the counter top, and wipe it up the next day. This stuff works, and it is safe. Unfortunately, we could only find it online, via Amazon.com. If you have a health food store locally, you might find it there.
Yesterday I was called back to work, after a four day unexpected vacation. The plant resumes operations this coming Monday. I had to grease the Trommel and separators. Beside it being close to the scheduled time, one entire belt had to be replaced and new bearing installed. Greasing the entire works is about a twelve hour operation.
Anyway – we did a full test run of the entire system, and are ready to rock and roll this Monday.
Today – Sunday. Rainy day, gray skies, a chill in the air. Much needed April showers – NJ fire-fighters are pleased.
Friday night was Third Friday in Millville. I had three pieces in the Levoy show at the RRCA.The show boasted art from local artists as well as artifacts from the old Levoy, and a display of the architects drawings of the renovation project.
Afterward Liz and I hit Bojo’s, now under new management. The new owner invested in flat screen HDTV’s and installed them in a circle inside the bar. Nice touch, now you can see the action without craning your neck or squinting. They were serving food until late, and everyone I have talked to has expressed that the food quality has markedly improved.
The band playing Friday night was awesome, I mean how often do you hear Zappa covers from a bar band? Too bad I forget the name.
Saturday I slept in – a much needed respite. I spent the afternoon catching up on updates to MWatch, a local political blog I run. During 3rd Friday I was approached by several people accusing me of slacking. Some thought I was maintaining silence because it was the Republicans doing the damage this time instead of the formerly entrenched Dems. Neither is true.
In fact, some recent moves by the R’s had me seething. Work had me occupied, and it took some peace and quiet and rest to get me into the mood to begin writing. Liz was out early in the morning at a local auction. I am proud of her, she came in with a huge haul and only spent $5.
She bought the lot because there were two old oil cans that she wanted to add to our collection. I found three old church keys (Schmidt’s, Carling and Canada Dry) to add to my bar collection. There was a nice pressure gage with brass bezel that I will sell on eBay. I pulled out the useful tools – wrenches and the sort – which will be added to one of my tool boxes. And there is about 30 pounds of scrap including aluminum and brass/copper/bronze miscellany.
Last night we went to the Longhorn Steakhouse for dinner, my treat. Liz didn’t want to cook. I had brook trout stuffed with lobster, shrimp and scallops. And Mojita’s – made me long for Key West. Liz had broiled brook trout and Cosmos.
Today I finished adding articles to MWatch, including my take on Nelson Albano’s most recent idiocy. Nelson, just PAY the friggin’ ticket already! You are not bright enough to pretend to be one of the rich elite that this episode indicates you think you are. I cooked up a batch of red beans and rice for lunch tomorrow and Tuesday. And I have all the workings for a batch of Jambalaya for dinner tonight.
Sunday April 15 (you slackers get one more day to turn in your income tax returns…) and it is 78°F. Bring on global warming, I am all for it! A few more years of melting icebergs and our house in Center City Millville might have Delaware Bay frontage.
I shall soon be retiring to the deck to enjoy a cigar. This morning I have been catching up on emails and website updates. Beverly Hughes made some changes to her site. I have been in contact with a friend of one of my clients who raises Nigerian goats, and is seeking a web presence.
I have been working 7AM til 4:30PM daily now, and even getting some Saturday hours. The OT in the checks is real nice – especially considering that I had to drop $63 to fill my gas tank today! OUCH!
I dropped off three pieces to the RRCA today for the upcoming exhibit this Friday. The pieces will be in the Levoy Theatre Collaboration; all have a theater-related theme. Speaking of the Beautiful Levoy Theatre, the brick façade is up, and the marquee should be taking shape in the not too distant future. It is good to see progress, positive movement.
Well, the back deck is calling my name…
I have neglected the site for far too long. Spring seems to be arriving early this year, along with Easter, Daylight Savings, and my income tax refunds.Last year I didn’t even file until April 15.
I have three pieces that I am entering in the upcoming RRCA exhibit - Levoy Theatre Collaboration: Historical photos and artifacts from the original Levoy Theatre, along with art based on theater and performance.
Two of the pieces have shown previously, but not in Millville. The third has never shown.
Tomorrow, Liz is having her daughter, son-in-law and grand-kids over for Easter dinner and an egg hunt in our back yard. I spent today mowing the lawn and cleaning up doggie land-mines.
It was the first time I had the lawn mower fired up this year. The first time of the year is always a bitch – but she eventually started. Of course, I had given the starter cord about twenty yanks before I wised up and gave the mover a once over. Turns out the spark plug wire had come loose. They start easier when the wire is actually making contact with the plug.
I was happy to see my monthly birthday cigars arrive in the mail. This month was a selection of E.P. Carrillo Nicaraguan cigars. I lit the 2012 Short Run, a wonderful cigar with an Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper and a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican long fillers. A creamy, mild cigar with hints of coffee and and nuts, with sweet overtones.
With all of the chores out of the way, I am now ready to kick back, relax and watch The Ten Commandments – our Easter eve tradition.
On St Patty’s Day, everyone is a Kavanaugh…
Yesterday was 3rd Friday and we carried the celebration on into today, hitting the former Bojo’s (now Dimaria Lounge) after doing the art walk thing.
The place was packed, which has been a rare thing. Hopefully the new ownership will do things right and being it back to the former glory. It used to rock!
After a year of working shift-work, in a hot plant with weird hours and inconsistent schedule, it feels good to have a Monday – Friday job, with a major increase in pay to boot!
Tonight is the Barn Studio of Art fundraiser/dinner. The Barn celebrates 50 years, and Pat Witt celebrates 80 years – a Millville icon.
The thermometer claims it is 58°F right now, but I swear it feels more like 70. I brought the sandals out of storage, and will soon retire to the back deck with an Arturo Fuente Special Selection, with a Blue Moon Spring Blonde Wheat Ale. The dogs cannot wait, they love to be out back when I light a cigar, for some odd reason.
Today was the final airing of Sound Off with Carl Johnson, unless a new time slot becomes available. I had to end 3 weeks prematurely as I have once again become gainfully employed. I had been working at a local glass plant through a local temp agency for well over a year, but the hours were not consistent enough. A local recycling plant just hired a handful of new employees and I was fortunate enough to get my foot into that door. Read the rest of this entry »
It has been a busy week. Last Wednesday, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae joined me on my TV/Radio program Sound Off with Carl Johnson. I have had some great guests to date. On the first show, Ed Einhouse discussed AHOME and the Heart of Millville. City Commissioner Dale Finch was on the following week to discuss city code enforcement issues. Ethan Aronoff, a former city commissioner and member of the library board followed. Brandon Smith from the RRCA joined me to talk about art. Read the rest of this entry »
Liz and her daughter went to the the Flower Show in Philly today. I was left to fend on my own…
I had beer and eggs for lunch!
I went to Shoprite to their customer service desk where they have a new humidor and a nice selection of decent cigars, and picked out a handful. I smoked a nice, large ring Ghurka on the back deck this afternoon.
I worked a little on my new book – very little.
I worked on the itinerary of my next show on QBC2/WSNJ coming up Wednesday afternoon. It will be an interesting show, I have a very good guest lined up. You will have to tune in.
And, I worked on MWatch – there is a ton of stuff coming out real soon. I am disgusted with both parties, with their penchant to reward party loyalists while they lie to other supporters and screw the working class taxpayer and somehow manage to keep a straight face.
Last night was first Friday. Liz and I decided to go into Philadelphia for the evening. We usually head to Old City on first Fridays – but that has become tired. You see the same old artists congratulating each other for showing at the same old galleries. Last night we headed for Fishtown, the new up and coming art center.
South Street was one of the first areas to see a whole-sale rejuvenation at the hands of artists. Real estate was cheap as the street was abandoned, boarded up. As the artists moved in, pretty soon businesses moved in – before long the entire stretch had become gentrified and artists could no longer afford the rents. Read the rest of this entry »