u/NeedsMoreTuba

Greenbrier Mall is not dead, but it has poor circulation. The middle is mostly full of random businesses, but the ends of the halls have emptied out around the anchor stores. (The ones that are left.)

Anybody know why the bunnies are in time out? I thought they were for Easter, but I googled it and they don't match recent Easter bunny photos.

This used to be my favorite mall. I stopped going when I moved away in 2002 so I don't really remember what used to be there besides Spencer's and Hot Topic. They're still there.

There's nothing under the grass, at least not for about 18".

I don't think this is truly a root cellar but that's what they called it. It was more like a spring house. That's the swamp behind it, and it has a pipe on each side on the bottom. There's a smaller door inside the door.

It is not tall enough for a person to stand up inside, unless the floor is below the ground. It had pine straw piled inside so I've never seen the floor. The door is spring-loaded so it cannot accidentally be left open (to ensure it stayed cold) and slams hard as soon as you let go. That doesn't make it very practical for animals. It was not a chicken coop. That's separate.

It is honestly kind of spooky. Why do you suppose the grass doesn't grow very well in that spot? It hasn't been used for anything since the 1970's or earlier.

It is also not a fairy ring.

The first "Baby Hanging" Table I ever saw was in a maternity ward.

It's been extra muddy lately, so Izzy got to experience the bathing station at Tractor Supply because I didn't want his vet thinking that I don't care. He definitely hates it, and I didn't even bother with the shampoo.

Of course he took full advantage of the retractable leash before we went into the vet. I forgot how long it was. He found the muddiest, grossest field ditch and wore some of the mud to his appointment.

I'm not sure which he hated more, the bath or the vet. It was very thorough and we updated all of his shots. Had his nails trimmed and a mat cut off of his booty as well.

We don't have all of his blood work results yet, but my old man is looking good so far. (Knock on wood!)

They said that his weight is not a health concern. Since he looks like such a chonker, I looked up info about chow-chows (his top breed, if you recall my post about him not actually being a corgi) and his weight is within the expected range.

Still might try some healthier food options but Izzy's a creature of habit who knows what he likes and never wants to try new things. Same, buddy. Same.

I took him to the park as a reward afterwards but he just wanted to go back to his porch and chill. I don't blame him.

As for how I made his day, he got to ride in the car and hang out with us. He got to sniff new smells. Oh, and he got half of a chicken nugget. That basically never happens. So it wasn't all bad!

1972 - 2022?? Once a popular chain of chicken restaurants, this one hung on about 20 years longer than the rest of them. Not sure when it actually closed for good because it's kind of always looked like this.

Am I wrong for this??

He was more than fine tonight because the vet gave him a steroid injection. Hopefully he stays that way.

Snake bite was confirmed by his vet but he did not need antivenom. He probably did not learn a lesson. 10/10 would bark again--got free car ride, much love, and sniffed some new butts.

They gave him benadryl and a steroid shot and he cried like a big baby. He has his yearly exam next week so he doesn't even need a follow-up unless he has a delayed reaction.

The vet said that venom makes red blood cells turn spiky so I have to monitor him for anemia but otherwise he took the bite like a champ. However, there's now a venomous snake hiding in the crawl space under our bathroom....

I wonder if he'd take a bath if I put a frog in the tub.

(He wouldn't.)

He had a really great time and I don't think any frogs were harmed. They kept singing and he was chasing every note.

Spent 3 days scrubbing Izzy's porch. Still not done because he loves me too much.

"Get off the porch. I'm busy."

"Okay. I will come back later." walks through dirt and mud because it's summer and mud feels good on the belly

"Hello! I love you! Are you finished yet? Because here I am and I love you!"

He's amazing but the porch is going to be muddy forever. Neither of us are upset about that.

P.S. That's dried mud on his nose because I tried to bribe him with a Greenie's (the toothbrush treat) and he buried it in the garden and came right back.

To his credit, this hat is weird and looks too much like a butt.

There's no tag or identifying info. He's filled with little beans, I think. About 4" tall, maybe 5 with his ears. Eyes and ears are black felt.

Other toys in the bag were from late 80's / early 90's, like ninja turtles and happy meal promos. (That isn't what is shown in the background.)

Is he an unfinished craft? A cat toy? An accessory that doesn't make sense out of context? 🤔

It rained today. HARD.

Everyone but the vet says he's fat. He is sorta chunky, but he is nowhere near as obese as he typically appears.

I think Izzy is ten now, so he required some encouragement and also a big poo. 😆 I don't care, poo zoomies are still zoomies.

House may not quite be 100 (between 1926 and 1929) but supposedly the (summer) kitchen is from 1870 or older.

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Supposedly the original house burned down and a new one was built on to the summer kitchen. There was a house here by 1870 and possibly earlier if the story is true.

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Photos 3 and 4 where there's no flooring is the original kitchen. Our house is L-shaped, the main part and the kitchen that comes off of it. The original kitchen is closer to the back, unsure where it specifically began, if it's even truly original.

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Anyway, why do you suppose the boards at the peak of the roof/ceiling are different? I'm curious because some or maybe all appear to have a thin coat of old blue paint. Our smokehouse door, which appears to have been repurposed, also has this paint.

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DO YOU THINK THESE BOARDS WERE SALVAGED FROM THE ORIGINAL HOUSE AFTER THE FIRE?

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At least one appears to have tongue and groove, but it's really hard to tell. Or is this just how attics are made?

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P.S. One side of the main roof (not the kitchen part) had to be replaced after a tornado, which is why there are only cedar shingles on half.

This guy was on my kid's slip 'n slide yesterday. Eastern NC, where these guys are usually green or brownish. Maybe yellowish green, but wow. I thought that was super cool and maybe he needs that ability because of all the pollen, but he came back to the same spot today, without the slip 'n slide, and he was still very yellow. I would've expected him to be brown because he was on a black plastic tote. Is he okay?

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And sorry if I misgendered this frog. My kid named him Banana Kermit so he needs to be a boy. (He is not our pet. We're just occasionally sharing our habitat, I guess.)

I thought his toad was back, but no. He'd caught 2 lizards and was holding them captive. (They will survive.) However, he also killed a mouse and ate a nest full of freshly laid turtle eggs. I told him not to eat the eggs and he listened, but then he just waited until I left. I like mice (unless they're ruining my stuff) so he's low-key in trouble for that one too, but he probably thought he'd made a new friend.

I'm not trying to deny his predatory instinct, but he's usually very sad when he accidentally kills another critter. I bet he was waiting for the mouse to want to play some more. Last year he killed a toad, buried it, then visited its grave for a few days. Seriously. He did. So I'm pretty sure he's the opposite of vicious.

"She went outside in the rain? Really?? On purpose?? Who does that?!! Are you going to stop her?"

Yeah guys, he still lives outside, but he can come in the garage (and many other places, just not the ones with carpet) if it's stormy and he feels safer in there, but he usually just stays on the porch. I think he might have been hanging out with my dad, who secretly pets him and calls him PeeWee.