The Fence Post

Five kitties and two mothers

I’ve never seen this happen before. Maybe you have. Let me know.

My sister Jeanne’s cat gave birth to five adorable kittens. When they were just two days old, Jeanne’s other female cat decided to get into the nesting box. At first, the birth mother stared at her, but then she gracefully stood up, stepped out of the box, and let the surrogate mother babysit.

This pattern continued for weeks. What a great idea. Sunshine gave Precious breaks throughout the day. It always seemed to coincide with the kittens having just been fed and sleeping soundly. Precious would go for a walk and a stretch in the sun’s warmth.

Jeanne thoroughly enjoyed this scenario because she had the cats and kittens contained in her mud room. You could accomplish this also with a catio. That’s one of my favorite things to see our customers build—a catio.

Are you unfamiliar with Catios? Think of an enclosed screen porch or patio just for your cats. They can be big or small, elaborate or simple—I’ve seen both.

Any type of hexagonal netting works well for a Catio. Check out our different types.

Terry loves cats, so call her and let her help you decide which wire works best. @ 978-486-3116? (Tap to Call)

Kind Regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (It adds up to over 131 years owned and run by our family. Think about it: Nobody stays around in business that long without really supporting customers so they want to come back!)

Well, Snap!

Working in a large city hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, was full of surprises. We never knew who or what might come through the door next or what might make us laugh amid serious business.

I worked in labor and delivery, and we handled all births, including c-sections. On one particular occasion, Linda and I were in the operating room preparing for an emergency c-section. We were moving at lightning speed; Linda was setting up the instruments, and I was bringing the patient in on the stretcher and caring for her. Linda was rushing around as fast as she could when…

…her snap front top got caught on the handle of the portable oxygen machine. And voila, the snaps pulled apart right before the super handsome anesthesiologist! Linda was quite buxom, and there she was on display for all to see.

We started laughing and couldn’t stop. I’m sure part of it was a release of anxiety about the pending surgery, but laugh we did! The patient joined in laughing, and we all had a grand time. Linda was mortified but couldn’t stop laughing, or preparing the room for the surgery.

It’s fun to have funny things happen in serious situations. Take time to laugh every day! It’s such good medicine.

At the recent workshop I attended, they had a Yoga Laughter session for us to join. Now, that was hilarious. Watching all these strangers laugh and laugh and laugh. Since then, I’ve been practicing laughter by myself and with others. Fake it til you make it. Try it! You’ll be surprised how easy it is to train ourselves to laugh on demand.

Why don’t you laugh your way to your phone and dial Terry @ 978-486-3116? (Tap to Call)

Fencing is no laughing matter unless two inexperienced people try to install a fence. That can get hilarious fast. If you want to install it yourself, you must have at least one strong person to help with the heavy, tightly wound roll. Then it’s a snap! Otherwise, you might find yourself rolling on the ground in laughter.

All my best,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (It adds up to over 131 years owned and run by our family. Think about it: Nobody stays around in business that long without really supporting customers so they want to come back!)

When your wisdom isn't spot on

Lake Winnepausakee is home to New England’s oldest feathered resident, the loon. I have enjoyed these lovely diving birds for many decades. They spend their time in the water and are clumsy on land. Their evening calls are hauntingly beautiful, lonely, and mournful. Once you hear them, you never forget their cry.

This summer, one pair of loons decided to build their nest in a precarious place. They built it on the sandy shore of one of the beaches. Granted, this is not a busy beach as far as people swimming, but it’s a narrow stretch of sand beside a busy road. As soon as the nest was spotted, someone put yellow tape and green plastic netting on three sides to protect it from the traffic and people.

When I drive past, Mrs. Loon is sitting on her cherished nest. I wondered what in the world she was thinking when she chose that spot for her nest. Were all the other spaces taken? Did Mr. Loon make the decision?

Fences are a powerful tool in wildlife protection!

At Louis Page, we recognize the pivotal role that fencing can play in safeguarding wildlife and fostering a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. Whether it’s for shielding vulnerable nests like those of the loons or securing your property, our wide range of fencing materials has been chosen especially to meet these various needs and more.

By selecting our high-quality, durable fencing solutions, you are not just protecting your property, but also making a contribution in a very personal way to the creation of safe spaces for both wildlife and people.

So… Let us help you make a positive impact on your environment with fencing that offers protection and peace of mind. Call Terry today! Tel: 978-486-3116 (Tap to Call)

All my best,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (It adds up to over 131 years owned and run by our family. Think about it: Nobody stays around in business that long without really supporting customers so they want to come back!)

You Go Floyd, You Got _____!

In the scorching Texas heat of the summer of 1980, Susan, Cathy, and Della embarked on a journey across the expansive state in their vintage green 1970 Ford Torino. They traversed endless stretches of arid land, punctuated by tumbleweeds, cacti, and wire fencing until fate intervened with a sputtering engine and the dreaded realization that their beloved car had met its demise in the middle of nowhere.

After an agonizing hour of waiting, a benevolent truck driver finally halted to offer assistance. "Need some help, ladies?" he asked with a Texan drawl.

"Help?" exclaimed Cathy incredulously. "Do we look like we're out here for a picnic? Please, we're desperate!"

The driver, Ralph, graciously offered them a ride to the nearest town, where they were deposited at the sole auto repair shop within a fifty-mile radius. With a tip of his hat and a cheerful grin, Ralph bid them farewell and drove off into the horizon.

Their hopes momentarily lifted, only to be dashed when Fred, the mechanic, delivered the grim news after examining the Torino's engine. Wiping sweat from his brow, he confessed that the required part was nowhere to be found.

“Nope. I can’t help you.”

“Why not?” asked Susan. “

It needs a part I don’t have, said Fred.

“Well, can’t you get it?”

“No, ma’am, I can’t get it.”

“What do you mean you can’t get it?”

“That’s right, I can’t get the part.”

“You have to get the part! We have to get back to Massachusetts.”

There were two other mechanics tuned into the conversation. They looked at each other in surprise at such bossy women. After some hemming and hawing, Fred said, “You go, Floyd, you got teeth!”

With that, their fate rested on Floyd's shoulders as he embarked on a quest to procure the elusive part, their hopes for a swift return to Massachusetts hanging in the balance.

As Floyd set off on his mission, Susan, Cathy, and Della exchanged nervous glances, their optimism tinged with a hint of doubt. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, Susan couldn't help but reflect on her grandmother's wise words: "Sometimes we have to sink our teeth into something to get things done."

They awaited Floyd's return with newfound determination, hoping his tenacity would be the key to their salvation. In the vast expanse of the Texas desert, where challenges loomed as large as the horizon, grit and resilience would ultimately see them through.

You can sink your teeth into your next fencing project–even though you may not need enough wire to cope with the “vast expanse of Texas”–here: https://louispage.com

Warm regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (A genuine 131 years owned and run by our family)

I heard the trucks coming up the hill…

Shortly after we moved from Georgia to our new home in Exeter, New Hampshire, my 16-year-old son asked me if he could burn the brush he had cut down. “Sure, honey, that’s fine,” I answered. And didn’t give it another thought, until…

I was babysitting for Gavin, the three-year-old neighbor, and we were busy weeding the front flower garden. It was getting close to dinner time, so we went inside to put the chicken in the oven. Market Basket had a special on chicken legs, and I had bought a ten-pound bag. As I cut open the bag, the stench escaped. Oh, my gosh!! The smell was awful. Ten pounds of spoiled chicken!

What do you do with ten pounds of rotten chicken? Oh, I’ll toss the whole thing on the fire. We walked out the back door to the roaring fire and threw the chicken on top. Then, back out to the front yard to dig in the dirt.

It was a hot, sweaty kind of day. Barefoot and dirty, we continued to weed. Then we heard sirens, and Gavin became hysterical! He was terrified of sirens. I assured him that they weren’t coming here, and then they stopped, so he calmed down. Then I heard the powerful engines and knew they were coming up the hill. I ran into the house, caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and saw my dirty, sweaty face. Out the back door and onto the deck, I spotted a bucket full of water. I picked it up and yelled to David, “Throw this on the fire! The fire trucks are coming!”

I ran back into the house with a crying Gavin on my hip. And I waited. Before long, the fireman appeared at the door and asked if I knew I had a fire in my backyard. “Yes,” I replied.

“Who started the fire?” he asked.

“My son,” I answered.

“How old is he?”

“16.”

“The fire chief wants to talk to you.”

Let me set the scene a bit more. I was barefoot, sweaty, with dirt on my face and hands, and a screaming three-year-old on my hip! Oh, and the neighbor had removed the stairs to the front porch as he was building new stairs! My license tag was still a Georgia plate. We must have looked and sounded like hillbillies to these New England guys!

The fire chief asked if I knew having a fire without a permit in Exter was illegal.

“No,” I answered.

He then proceeded to state the various requirements for having a backyard fire. Here’s the best part of all.

“Ma’am,” he continued. “You can burn brush, or you can cook food outside, but you can’t burn brush and cook on the same fire.”

Oh my gosh! He actually thought I was cooking those chicken legs on a brush fire! How I wish that I had a bucket full of barbecue sauce and a mop and could have said,

“Here! Take this mop and go slosh those chicken legs with this here barbecue sauce!”

It was all I could do to keep from dying laughing! Those Southern hillbillies!

Later that evening, David informed me that the bucket of water he threw on the fire had a frog in it. Did the fire chief think I was cooking frog legs as well??

All of this took place before I met Duncan. I met him two years later, and he loved this story! If he were cooking chicken on a brush fire, he would have put down a piece of hardware cloth to cook it on!

Hardware cloth is such a helpful product. It’s available in galvanized after, vinyl-coated, and stainless steel. Check out our hardware cloth!

My warmest regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc–Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (True! That’s 131 years owned and run by our family)