bushed

 I got Christmas lights on the bushes

    I tested all the lights when I put them away last January.   I tested them all before I put them on today.  I only had 1 dead strand!

    Unfortunately it was a strand of 100.  Luckily I have several strands of 50 on hand because I bought too many last year.

    It was not easy.

    The weather was beautiful.  Sunny, mild, not much wind.  But for some reason, it took me a long time to time to string lights around the bushes.  

    The lights kept falling off.  I thought of getting clothespins, but that would look strange.

    I did not light them.  I just ran out of time to do that today.

    Plus, my back was  barking up a storm by the time I was finished.

    I probably won't get much done the next 2 days.....Jackie has doctor appointments, 1 in Rockford and 1 in DeKalb.  Lots of traveling ahead.

    Gas was down to 4.15 a gallon for regular.  That is down a lot, but not enough.  

    We just finished watching the Rise and Fall of Reggie Dinkins  Jackie looked at me and said, "I did not understand this at all."  I could not help her, because I did not understand it either.  Are we getting denser in our old age?  

    My project list for Monday is still not done.......there is always tomorrow.  Or the next day.  Or the next.

    Someday I well get a round tuit.  Get it?  

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

goals

 I met 3 of 6 goals today

    That would earn an F in the academic world because it is 50 percent.

    In baseball, 50 percent would put you at the top in hitting. 

    And in most elections, 50 percent will put you in office.

    Actually, I may have had 7 goals.  I don't remember.

    Hell, I don't remember much.

    It was a beautiful day today!

    I managed to trim around the house, then I went to Emily's and mowed in her yard while she handled mulch and started bring out Christmas stuff.

    One of my goals today was to test our outdoor lights. That may not get done.  The Bears are on and I don't want to miss the second half.

    Anyway, what was Caleb thinking in the second quarter?  Looked like he was just tossing up the football, like we used to do in alley and playground games.  Here's hoping for a better second half.

    OMG...how many turnovers can they have yet still win?  Put it in the books!

    Back to the lights.  Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty warm also, so I will hopefully test them and put them on bushes.  Might even put out the garland.  

    When I was a kid, I loved the fall,  The smell of burning leaves, yes, even in Chicago back in the 50s,      The Chicago Tribune had a magazine and every fall they would run a drawing by Andrew McCutcheon.  Back then it was common to refer to Indian Summer.  The McCutcheon cartoon labeled it Injun  Summer.

    I did not find it offensive.  It was an old man talking to his grandson and saying the smoke was the spirits of Indians dancing.

    A year ago I ordered a reprint of the cover.  I have it, but the size is off and it's hard to read the words that went with the drawing.

    Or maybe it's just my age.

    Anyway, saw lots of smoke from burning leaves today.  It just reminded me of those long gone days.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

Oh no

I finished mowing today 

    It was colder today than yesterday!

    I had some technical problems.

    I have a Workmate that muffles sound and allows me to hear music.  It is Bluetooth compatible so I can get phone calls.  

    That is important, because if Jackie needs me I can hear the phone.  

    I got on the mower.  Turned on the headphones.  Clicked on Bluetooth and heard one line of a Jimmy Buffet song and then...nothing.  

    I can get AM and FM stations, but I can't hear music from my phone.

    This is the second Workmate I have had and I will not buy another one.  Next spring I will look for something better.

    But I finished mowing.   I was frozen.

    Last night I had another really weird dream.

    Exit 99 was doing a show in a field.  I was there on time, and no one else was there,  No audience, no other 99ers.

    Suddenly, everyone showed up at one time!

    There were 4 women at a table toward the back of the audience and they kept talking loudly during our opening bit.  TC finally told them to be quiet or leave.  When they did not get quiet, he ushered them out.

    That's not the weird part.

    TC, Beth and Carrie were doing a bit and I entered from back stage.

    I was totally naked!

    Nobody reacted.  The audience just kept quiet.  After a few minutes I went back stage, put on clothes, and went back to join the others.

    Now, fully dressed, the audience screamed and ran for the doors! Except there were no doors because we were outside, so they just ran.

    Adults covered their children's eyes.

    Nuns ran looking heavenward.

    TC just stared and Beth and Carrie rolled their eyes so much their heads almost fell off.

    Then Poof....I was awake.

    Strange.

    I have a tree in the back yard that is not right.  It needs to be staked.

    Julia stopped by today and I asked her if she could help me.  My plan was to take the golf cart to the tree, set a ladder up on the golf cart then climb up the ladder to attach rings that would be on long wires that could be attached to stakes driven into the ground.

    She looked at me as if I were crazy.  She also said no.

    She said to call someone who does that in the spring.

    That's the plan, Stan.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

The frost hung around in the shade lines.

I think it needs staking.

brrrrr

 I mowed today

    It has been almost 2 hours and I am still shivering!

    Damn, it was cold out there!

    We have a freeze warning for tonight.....not frost, freeze.  I guess there will be a little frost on the pumpkins in the morning, eh?

    I have to double check my hoses and hydrants.  I think they are all disconnected, but I am not sure.  I would hate for a pipe to burst because I was forgetful.

    (Taking a supper break.)  

  I encountered 2 people today whose names I know.  I have known them for a while.  I have talked with them several times.  

    But my mind could not flip the Rolodex fast enough.  I called one by the wrong name and immediately corrected it.

    But the other person's name eludes me.  I  guess next time I see them, I will have to confess and ask.

    But I hate doing that.

    Back to mowing.  I mowed the field and started our yard but ran out of time.  Plus, I was cold.

    I came in and took a veery hot shower and was still cold.  In fact, 4 hours later and I am still cold.

    I had on a long sleeved shirt, with a windbreaker over that.  Then I put on a heavy sweatshirt.  And I wore gloves.  I also had a hot beverage when I mowed.

    I was still cold.

    At least the sun was out.

    I also brought up winter wear.  Now all I have to do is put all my shorts into a tub and drag them downstairs. 

    I just hope I fit into them next year.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

Cast offs

 There are some TV shows we regularly watch

    Sadly, sometimes I can't emender characters' names!

    I watched Gunsmoke when I was a kid.  Matt Dillon, Chester,  Festus, Miss Kitty, Doc Adams.   I can't remember Burt Reynolds's character's name.  Maybe Beau?

    But that was 70 years ago, so cut me some slack.  I remember Ben, Hoss, Adam and Little Joe,, all the Cartwrights, and Hop Sing their cook.

    But I watch Ghosts.......after 3 seasons I just started paying attention to heir names.  But I can't remember. them all.

    Same with Abbot Elementary.  I think I have finally learned all of their names.

    The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

    In other news, 203 passengers on a year long around the world cruise were dropped off at a port in Cambodia and told their voyage was over.  The ship and crew then left.  The company said the rising cost of fuel was the reason.

    Now, I imagine the cruise was mainly older folks because it was a year long venture.

    And I suspect most of this folks were well off to stat with.

    But having to figure out how to book transportation home might be a bit of a problem especially with the language barrier.

    Hopefully they all followed Karl Malden's advice:  Don't leave home without it.

    A credit card can unlock many doors.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

Better late

 I was running a bit behind today

    Jackie and I finished chopping, blanching, freezing, and bagging the carrots.  Then I went to a doctor's appointment in Sycamore.

    This was a routine hearing check up.  When I hear a beep, I press a button.  Repeat words.  Pretty standard.  The good news is my hearing has not gotten worse in the past year, so it is stable.

    I ran some errands, stopped at Portillo's for supper, and made it home 4 hours after I left.  Time flies.

    It was a pretty darn ugly day!  Rainy windy, cloudy......good day to take a nap.  Too bad I could not.  Funny thing is, I am not tired.  

    I stopped at 4 different stores, and each one had a rewards program that I have joined.  Problem is, I never remember what phone number I used.  

    Come to think of it, almost every store I shop in has some kind of rewards program.  Buy so many coffees, get one free.  Gas price discount.  Pizza rewards.  Dog store rewards.  Grocery store rewards.

    The only reward I would truly like is a winning multi million dollar lottery ticket.

    That's not gonna happen.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

surfin USA

 Watching voting results.....pretty interesting

    Unless Repedocans steal the election, I. think a blue wave is approaching the shore.

    And that is my last political comment.  Usually I don't make any, conserving my space to entertain, and perhaps inform my many readers.

    Or, the 5 or 6 who do read this.

    There is a company in SanFrancisco hiring dog walkers for $20 an hour.  

    The catch?  They are robotic dogs!

    They have to be trained to recognize hazards, like fire hydrants and lamp posts.  

    I have no idea why.  Is someone going to release a pack of robotic dogs with AI that will eventually devour mankind?

    And when I was a kid, we called them fire plugs.  Not hydrants.  

    In any case, the walkers won't have to pick up doggy waste.  And the hydrants won't be constantly wet.

    Speaking of waste, the Bears traded for a defensive lineman, who proved to be a game changer in their Monday night win.

    What was most endearing to me was the report of Jeffrey Simmons  alone in the locker room, picking up plastic bottles team mates had left behind.  

    He helped clean the locker room!

    I have only seen him play one game, but I am a fan for life.

    I burned some Italian sausage for dinner tonight.  No, I. really burned it.  To a crisp. 

    I served it with spaghetti and green peppers and the meal left me totally unfulfilled.

    Such is life.

    Rainy days are terrible.  Jackie and I both fell asleep around 3:30 for an hour or so.  Now I am fully awake.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace