Fun Friday

 Today was a really nice day

    Sunny, sweatshirt weather.

    I had some errands to run and asked friend Jen if she felt like going along.  She did.

    My last stop was Cypress House, where I treated her to a coffee and I had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season.

    To be honest, I am not a PSL fan.  I have one each year just to say I did.

    We sat outside, enjoying the crisp air and lively conversation.

    It was nice just to sit and chat.  I felt very relaxed.

    I did not realize how much time had passed!

    I picked her up at 1:30 and it was past 3:30, so I dropped her off at her house and  went home.

    As I pulled into the garage, I realized my phone was sitting on the table outside  Cypress House!

    They close at 4.   It was just a couple minutes to 4.

    I went into the house, asked Jackie to call them and tell them I was on my way.

    They found my phone and Cypress House Emily knew it was mine.  She also knew MK was a friend, so she called MK and told her they had my phone.  Meanwhile, Jackie called Cypress House and talked to Emily.

    I pulled up about 12 after and Emily was watching for me.  I got my phone back, said thank you several times and headed home.

    Then my relaxing day turned into a cleaning day .

    Our cleaner was sick and did not come yesterday, so I cleaned.

    Yesterday I did the West Wing.  Today I cleaned the great room.  Tonight I plan to clean the nook, which should take 10 minutes.

    You see the problem right?

    It takes me 3 to 4 days to clean the house!

    I get bored, tired, distracted.......you name it.

    Tonight I did bring up Halloween decorations and Jackie directed their placement.  They are mostly done.

    You are wondering, why did I buy Jen a coffee?

    Well, she is a friend.  But she also bought tickets from me for  the museum's 50/50 drawing.  If people buy $20 worth of tickets from me, I will treat them to a coffee.

    And yes......I do owe people several coffees.  (Actually, I still owe Jen one because she bought tickets last year and we just never got together.)

    But they are all friends, so that is good.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

50/50 drawings help keep the lights on!

chocolate banana frappe was good!

Day 1 PC

 I am suffering withdrawal

     This is Day1 Post Cubs.  

    I don't know what to do with myself.

    No checking box scores.  No watching highlights.  No reading about theNorthsiders.

    Nothing to take away from the Sox, but I have always been a Cubs fan.  From the day Aunt Betty took ne to a Milwaukee Braves/Cubs game when I was 10 until tomorrow, I have rooted for the guys.  They have become like family.

    And the other sad good bye is Pat Hughes.  He retired, so his last game was the Cubs last game.  I wanted to hear him say "The Cubs have won the World Series" 1 more time, but it is not to be.

    Sigh.

    I read a story today about Wheatleigh cottage in the Massachusetts Berkshires.

    It was built in 1893 as a summer home, but later was converted into a boutique hotel. 

    The pictures I saw wanted me to go there immediately, but it is closed and for sale.

    $14.5 million seems a fair price for a 19 bedroom 25 bath cottage  Yes, there is acreage and a pool, but it is the Victorian era furnishings and trims that really set it off for me.

    Although it is set up for a hotel, it may be hard to get the required permits to do the upgrades that should be done.  So they are marketing it as a single family residence.

    For some reason, we don't seem to value old buildings in this country.  Go to Europe and you can stand in houses older than our country.  They are preserved and used, not torn down and replaced with parking lots or modern buildings.

    After WW II, the Marshall Plan helped countries rebuild, and the rebuilt many towns and cities with buildings mimicking the ones destroyed.  I always am amazed when I look at before and after the war pictures and the towns now.  Some are hard to believe were once just ruins. St Lo is a prime example.

    And that's the way it is.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

glub glub glub

 I am treading water today

    Most of it is my own fault.  As always.

    I had PT today and then I went to DeKalb for more dog food.  Beth is on a prescription blend, and I just opened the last can.  I mix a little of the canned food in with her kibble.  She seems to like it.

    I did not want to run out, so I drove to Dekalb.

    Also stopped at the grocery over there for a couple of items.

    Last night's Cub game wore me out.  I think it was around midnight when I got to bed.  

    I did go out and spread grass seed and some dirt over bare spots in the yard.  Yeah, it was a little wet, but I wore my rain jacket.  Too bad I did not remember it when I went to PT. And DeKalb.

    PT today was tiring.  I. think the lack of sleep has affected my body today.

    And it doesn't get any better.

    All day I kept saying to Jackie, "I have to feed the dogs and let them out about 6:30"

    Well, I was in the middle of cooking dinner when I remembered.  

    I turned off. the burners and headed to Emily's .  I should have turned off the timer, because 30 minutes later it was still beeping and driving Jackie and Beth nuts.

    It's now almost first pitch time.  I have to clean up the kitchen, fold 2 loads of laundry, and pick up all the stuff I left sitting around the house.

    But I plan to watch the Cubs.  Again.

    They will win tonight.  I can feel it in my bones.

    Or maybe it's the PT aftermath.

Whatever.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

sleepless in Rochelle

 Holy crap, what a night I had!

    After the exciting Bears win,  I did my normal pre bed ritual.

    Took my pills, took the dog out, played solitaire, checked Facebook.

    It was 12:30 before I realized it.

    But when I got to bed, it was a different story.

    My feet itched. I was hot. I was thirsty.  My throat was dry. I tossed.  I turned.

    The cuckoo hit 1, then 1:30, then 2 and I fell asleep.  Finally.

    Beth woke me at 2:30 because she had to go out.

    When I went back to bed, I finally fell asleep.

    I thought maybe today would be a good day for a short nap, but that did not work out.

    And tonight the Cubs are in San Diego, the game just started and they are trailing 1-0 already.

    I think the Cubs will be in trouble this game.  They flew to Boston, then Tampa, then SanDiego.

    Oops.  2-0. Damn homers.

    I would think. they would be tired mentally and physically with all. that traveling and uncertainty.  Plus their arms will be tired from all that flying.  Hope they went in a V formation.

    But it is a 3 game series, and I believe they will come back.

    I did get 3 more trees cleaned up.  I also picked up all the debris, so it looks fairly nice around the trees.  My circles are a little off though. 

    But really, who cares?

    Now for the rain.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

bear down

 Salt, spiders, bears, oh my!!

    This day just got away from me.

    I did spend 45 minutes on the phone with Comcast.  Or Xfinity, whatever the hell you call it.

    Recap:  Last month when I got my bill I called and asked if there was a better rate.  The guy I talked to found a guaranteed $250 a month rate for high speed internet, wifi, and cable.  I said great, sign me up because it was a lot less than what I was paying.

    I also said to cancel our mobile line, which we never use.

    I checked boxes that said I agree  to the terms, was over 18 and all that other malarky.  (Now that's a word you don't hear often!)  I even gave the guy a positive rating on the survey at the end of the phone call.

    Opened my bill today  and it was higher than when I started!

    So I spent another 45 minutes in Comcast Hell. The guy I talked to this. time said there was no record of me having a plan like I described.  Nor was there a record of me cancelling the mobile account.

    Long story.......I am NOT paying $250, but I am paying less than I was.

    Lesson learned:  get a confirmation number when ever you make changes

    After PT Beth and I went to Julia's to move some water softener salt from the garage to the basement.  I took my hand truck, or dolly, whatever, and made 3 trips down to the basement.  I also brought in some downspouts that were laying in the yard.  

    Then I went to Emily's with my bug net to capture a huge wolf spider that took up residence in her dog room.

    I did mention that they make bug spray for those situations, but she wanted to catch and release the 8 legged venom producer.

    But when we swept the nest to catch it.....no spider. 

    Three jobs completed, I made dinner and then watched the Bears dominate the Eagles.

    Honestly, I thought the Bears would be in trouble.  They had a third string quarter back who is 38 years old and has not played in 2 years or so.

    But damn, he was good!

    It would be great if that win was the start of a 5 game sinning streak for Chicago sports teams this week.

Go Bears!

Go Cubs!!

Go Sox!!!

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

tree amigos

 I consider myself a friend of trees

    On our lot we have a red oak, white oak, burr oak, sugar maple, shagbark hickory,  English plane tree, red bud, gingko, and 2 eastern blue spruce.  Or something, not a Colorado one, but a different variety.

    On my folly, I have planted sugar maple and hickory.

    While I get them planted, sometimes I fall behind on maintenance.

    So I spent about an hour and a half outside today, weeding around 4 of the trees.  

    When I was on my fourth, my old legs started barking and the little black bugs started biting my arms, neck, face.....so I quit for the day.

    Doing this is something that should not take a long time, but it did.  Hopefully the rest of the trees will be a little easier.

    It's not just weeding.  The pines have grown and their grass free circle has to be expanded.  So I had to dig up some grass and make their circles a bit bigger.  I am terrible at circles.  It looks more like an oval.

    I did listen to the Cubs on the radio.  

    I think the ending of the baseball season is a sad event.  And watching Justin Verlander toss his last pitch as a pro baller did bring a tear to my eye, especially when his daughter ran out to hug him.  

    We have spent a good part of the summer watching Cubs games.  Rooting for PCA, laughing at T Mac, singing when they win, pouting when they lose.  

    Yes, the playoffs continue.  but the cast changes. 

    I just hope I can hear Pat Hughes say it one more time:  "The Chicago Cubs have won the World Series."

    All they have to do is win 14 more games and they will.

    It can be done.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

temptati0ns

 My daughters went shopping today

    Well, technically not today.  Huh.  I guess  it was today.

    Julia and a friend went to Cranfest  in Warrens, WI.  My brother use to call it crapfest.  It's a huge shopping event.  There is a craft zone, antique zone, flea market zone, and I think a made in a country other than the US zone.

    That is where they went  Friday.

    Today. they wandered through Amish country,  Julia brought back:  cinnamon rolls, cinnamon bread, a deep fried pecan pie thing that looks like a taco, a small pecan pie, 2 dozen sugar cookies and 2 dozen peanut butter cookies.  The cookies are 4 inches in diameter and are very good. 

    Emily did not go this year, but she did go to a market in Aurora, I think, and in DeKalb.

    She brought me dark chocolate malted milk balls.  OMG, are they good!  And she bought white chocolate coated pretzel chips.

    Now, I am not strong willed at all.

    If I open the pretzel chips, they will be gone in a day or 2.  I have opened the malted milk balls and a fair amount have been consumed.

    And yes, I have had a couple of peanut butter cookies.

    Knowing they are there makes me hungry, even though I  am not hungry.

    Believe me, it is hard for me  to resist a temptation when it comes to sweets.

    Hopefully I can stop eating tonight and save some for tmrortroww.

    After all, the world could end Monday and all that stuff would go to waste.

    Now it is still going to waist.  Mine!

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace