The good, the bad, ,the broken

 Oh boy, I have a lot to say tonight

    Got an e mail from Capital One about a charge by Avantgard for $45.

    I checked our on line orders and nothing showed.  Jackie did not order anything either, and it was her card that had the charge.

    The e mail said there had been complaints about this company. 

    So I called he number on the back of my card, talked to a nice rep, who told me the charge was made at an automotive store in California.

     The lady asked me if it was possible Jackie went to California and forgot about a purchase.

    I said doubtful because she is in a wheelchair.

    Jackie is getting a new card.  The $45 came off our card.

    Had a short but nice visit with Dan and Linda yesterday.  We met at the library and Dan and I  talked in hushed tones

    Went to a Buffet party at TC's house  today.  

    It was a small group, but lots of good conversation and great cheeseburgers!  Thanks to the Camplains for hosting.

    And now the broken.

    After the party I mowed our  yard.  Grass was kind of long and the yard does not look good.

    So I pulled out my tow behind the tractor yard sweeper.

    First off, the tow bar was way off center.  Once I took it apart I could not get it back together very easily.

    In fact, it took a little over half an hour to get the parts on the sweeper.

    After I did get it together, I hitched it to my mower and made a couple of passes in the back yard.

No grass was in the catcher.

    The wheel that drives the brushes did not move.  It rolls when I push it backward, but it does not roll when going forward, hence ho grass in the catcher

    By this point it was 8:30 and I just said to myself, "Gove up.  Try tomorrow."

    So I did and I will.

    If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

a ha!

 Sometimes it is not my fault

    Like when the guy it the white pick up truck pulled out directly in front of me yesterday.

    He had a stop, I did not.  He stopped and then when I was almost in the intersection he pulled out right in front of me.

    Luckily, Julia's BMW handles better than our van.  I swerved to the right and he missed me by less than a foot.

    No damage.  No foul.

    Also yesterday, we have a cleaning person who comes every other Thursday.  I put out my Bona mop, a floor sweeper and a Swifter hand duster for her to use.  (No, it does not dust your hands.  You hold it in your hands. )

    When I went to put the stuff out, I could not find the hand duster.  I looked under stuff, behind stuff, in corners, in closets and could not find it.

    That really puzzled me.

    Then our cleaning person came in and was holding it in her hand!

    Seems she accidentally took it home 2 weeks ago and at the end of the day had no idea where it came from.

    Again, not my fault.

    Other things not why fault:

    Cubs relievers.

    The Reflection Pool.

    Toll increases in Illinois.

    Projected 90+ temperatures next week.

    And a host of other things.

    I still have not finished trimming the bushes or dug my hole for the new bird feeder.

    And those  for sure are my fault.

    Maybe tomorrow.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

foodie????

 Food can sometimes be perplexing

    For example.  Tonight I made scrambled eggs and bacon.

    I know it's a breakfast meal, but I was at a loss on what to cook.

    I made a few suggestions, but they did not go over well.

    Julia gave us some hot chelate bombs at Christmas.

    She pointed out the other day that I have not used any and they may end up going bad.

    So last night I made a hot chocolate.

    I had on my favorite Beatles shirt, the one with the boys holding different colored umbrellas.

    I want to stress I LOVE that shirt.

    I dripped chocolate and marshmallow on it.  I was so angry with myself.  I treated it with OxyClean but I have not washed it yet.  If the spot does not come out I may have to go back to Liverpool and. replace it.

    Well, I had a Jimmy Buffet Key West shirt on tonight and dammit if I did not drip hot chocolate on that one!

    I am not a messy eater, but I guess I may be a messy drinker.

    What are iconic foods in Chicago?

    Hot dogs.  Italian Beef.  Pizza.

    Hollywood Casino in Aurora opened Wednesday and they have several restaurants, one of them featuring the Chitocity.

    What is a Chitocity you ask.

    Well......it's a hot dog, wrapped in Italian beef, covered with provolone and parmesan cheese, gardiniera and marina sauce and then wrapped in pizza crust and deep fried.

    It's not a hand held.  It might be a heart hold though.

    The creator said  this combo has never been done before, and I believe him.

    I also know if I ever have the stomach to order one I. will be wearing an old shirt.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

back when

 Sometimes I miss the good  old days

    I guess I am just a little nostalgic tonight.

    I miss the simpler things. 

    Riding a bike.  Playing ball in the alley. Walking to the movie house to watch John Wayne.

    Catching fireflies.  Playing outside  until the street lights came on.

    The gang I hung around with when gangs were groups of friends, not drug runners or other types of nefarious individuals.

    I miss holding a newspaper in my hands, smelling the ink and having to wash my hands when I was done reading.  We had the Tribune, Sun Times, American, and Daily News when I was young and it was great to read the printed word.  Especially Mike Royko.

    I miss playing with my cousins and eating Milk Bones on a dare, finding out I liked them and continuing to eat  them after the dare was done.

    I miss the joy of Earnie Banks and the unabashed Cub lover Jack Brickhouse calling games and going "wooo heee" or "Hey Hey" when a Cub homered.

    I know my childhood was special because of where I lived and who I was.

    I wasn't aware of the injustices people faced until I heard about civil rights workers being killed, and marchers being blasted by hoses and chased by dogs.

    I remember getting vaccinated agains polio while thousands did not and got sick.

    I don't think I knew anyone who was gay, because that was hidden and not condoned.

    What I did not know made for a simpler life.

    And some of that I miss.  Other parts I don't miss, and neither do those who had. their rights and lives taken away because of the color of their skin or sexual  lifestyles.

    I hope someday kids will look back and remember the good things.

    And someday when kids look back maybe they won't have to remember hatred, war, hunger or poverty.

    Because it won't exist.

    Except in memories of old people.

    Like me.

          Peace and Love

                Especially Peace

A little off the top

 I started trimming bushes today

    We have 15 boxwoods along the front of the house.

    Jackie does not like it when they "touch" each other, so that means I have to trim.

    I had planned on doing 2, then resting, doing 2, then resting......just to give my aging body a break.

    I was starting the fifth one when a friend stopped by.  Thank heavens.

    I had not stopped to rest.  I had not followed my own script.  So a visit was lifesaver.

    I was not at work long because we made a run to Sycamore so Jackie could get her glasses adjusted.  So we do not waste a trip, I also went to Target, Menards, Ulta and Starbucks.  

    There are a couple of people outside the entrance to the shopping complex housing Ulta.  They hold signs asking for money.

    One guy waves at every car that passes, giving off a big smile. He is either deleriously happy or he's an idiot.  Either way, I take the back entrance out because I feel guilty sipping a $90 coffee near him.  Well, not 90, but a lot.

    I should not feel that way.  But I do.

    Anyway, Nadine was driving by and spotted me out working and stopped.  While here we chatted and solved some tech problems with our phones.  Rather Julia solved them.

    Tomorrow could be a rain day.  I would not mind that.

    But I would not mind getting the rest of the buses trimmed either.

    Time will tell.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

whew!!

 I was productive today

    That is unusual.

    Our morning help leaves at 11.  At a little after 10 I went out to the front porch for a 30 minute nap.

    I did not take my phone.

    Then there was a slight miscommunication.

    I woke at 11:45.

    Jackie rolled herself to the front door, opened it, and called me.  If she hadn't, I might still be asleep.

    I should have plainly said wake me when you leave.  But I didn't. Lesson learned.

    When I was a kid growing up in Chicago, we had a front porch that was partially screened in.

    There was a white iron chaise lounge, with a real comfy cushion, on the porch.

    Sometimes in the summer I would sleep out there, especially when it was hot.

    Sometimes I think about sleeping in my porch recliner at night.  It would be cool, comfy, and I could hear most of the night sounds.

    But for some reason, I am afraid to do it.

    I have visions of raccoons jumping on me, or skunks spraying me, or bats nesting in my heart.

    All of that is possible, but highly unlikely.  

    Still, it is enough of a worry to me that I would not sleep, but keep a sleepless vigil instead.

    Such is life, eh?

    Anyway, I mowed, worked in the garden, went to several stores, packaged meat for the freezer, (I bought 2 pounds of ground chuck to make into patties), played with Beth, and made supper.

    Sure, I still have sheets in the dryer.  And it was a little after 9 when I finished the dishes.

    I guess that nap helped.`

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

pa pa's day

 I had a wet Fathers Day

    I just checked my rain gauge and it had 1.3 inches in it. 

    That's a lot!

    I got a funny card from the girls.

    On the front it says:

Dad, You're strong, gentle and things would be crappy without you

    Inside it says:

You're a lot like toilet paper in that way

    I thought it was funny.

    The plan was to cook out, but the rain put a damper on that.

    So I cooked some steaks and butterfly chops in the house.  Not as good as on the grill, but the meat was fine.

    Throw in some macaroni salad, potato salad, twice baked cheesy potatoes, and some broccoli and it was a feast for a king.

    Plus Julia made key lime pie for dessert.

    Kevin, Jen, and Sam came over earlier in the day and. visited.  I got Kevin to take out the dead light in the kitchen, because I could not get it unscrewed.

    All in all it was a nice day.  

    But I am one tired poppa.

    It's hard to relax!

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace