short days

 The day seemed pretty short today

    First off, I thought it was Saturday.

    We don't have a helper on Friday.  I turn off the alarm on Friday and the weekend.

    So today we got up at 10:30.   We slept darn well!!

    But I got a late start on my to do list.

    By the time Jackie was up, dressed, and having brunch, it was a little before 1.  That explains why I was going to the store at 8 tonight  because we were out of fruit for tomorrow morning's fruit bowls.

    But I did get stuff done.  Not all of it, but some of it.

    Big Boy is coming back to Rochelle!

    That is the largest operating steam engine in the country.  It is a Union Pacific train and it is making a whistle stop in Rochelle.

    The train stopped here before.  It attracted thousands of people.  Traffic was backed up through town and on the tollway and I 39.

    The train then was in the intermodal yard outside of town. That was packed with people.

    I ended up parking on the road and walking to the train.  I did not realize it was going to take 30 minutes for me to walk to it!  It was hot.  I was thirsty.  I was tired.  When I got there I realized I had to walk back to the car.

    So.....I am not super excited to see it this time.  It is scheduled to be in Rochelle for 15 minutes....a whistle stop..... at the railroad park.

    If I don't have anything to do that day, I may drive out into the country and stop at a crossing to watch it pass.  

    But then again, maybe I will just look at the pictures I took last time.  I mea how much can a train change?

    Anyway, that's all I got tonight.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

TGIF

 This was a busy week

    Beth to the groomers, trip to the nail salon, eye doctor visit, and library board meeting in addition to all the other smaller events.

    I am one tired puppy!

    I did not get a nap today and I may be  a tad cranky.

    We went to Sycamore for our eye exams.  I think we both really liked the experience.   It was our first time there and our 3rd eye doctor in 3 years.

    Afterwards we went to Burger King!!!  I have not eaten at a Burger King for years and years.

    The Whopper was dang good!  Jackie had a Wopper Jr. and she also like it.

    Brought back old memories.  It did, it did.

  We both are  getting new glasses.  

    To me the hardest part of the whole experience is picking out frames.  I have trouble deciding on frames.  Give me 2 choices and I am ok, but more than 2 and I am in a tizzy.  Jackie said no to the red ones.  But I did get some I likes.

    Of course, after I get the actual glasses that will be a different story.

    Tomorrow I hope to get 4 jobs done.  Nothing really large or hard, but they have to get done.

    I just hope I can get a nap in sometime.

Peace an d Love

        Especially Peace

Dag Nab It

 My disorganization has struck again

    On May 7 I went to Rockford.  I visited Dan and Linda, stopped at a shoe store, and went to Home Depot.

    I had over $200 in gift cards and wanted to get a new garden cultivator.

    I picked one out,  a clerk carried it to the front, a man checked it out, and I used all of my gift cards, but I had $23 left on one.

    I got home and realized the stupidity of the transaction.

    I got a cultivator with a long handle.  You use it standing up.

    While that might be ideal for normal gardens, I have opted for 2 foot tall garden containers.

    For me to use the cultivator, I would have to climb up into the garden.

    I can't see myself doing that.

    So I opted to return the cultivator and get a hand held one, which I should have done in the first place.

    I spent the next week looking for the receipt.  And for the gift card with $23 on it.  I could not find  either one.

    Today I took the cultivator back to the Rockford Home Depot.  Customer service rep Bella had the misfortune to ask if she could help me.

    I answered a series of questions.  No, I don't have a phone number on file that could be looked up.  Yes,  clerk checked my purchase at a  register.  No, I did not do self checkout.  Yes, it was around 3 when I made the purchase.

    She spent a long time looking through the transactions recorded on the checkout lane I thought I went to.  No luck.

    She again asked if I was sure it was not a self check out.  Again, I said no, I remember an older guy checking me out and taking the gift cards.

    She walked me down to the registers and I pointed to the one  I checked out from.  It is a self check lane.

    I told her a guy checked me out!  She said that sometimes they do check out people at the self check lanes.

    Back to the service counter.  Going through activity for May 7 between 2:30 and 3:30.....no luck.

    I asked what happens now.

    She said bring in the cultivator, she'll scan it, scan my driver's license, and call a supervisor to issue a store credit.  She added it was possible the scanner will not accept the bar code.

    I told her, "I'll be back in a couple of minutes with the cultivator.  If you decide to run and hide while I am gone, I understand."

    When I got back she was gone.

    Another clerk took over, created an account for me, scanned the package, scanned my license, and called a supervisor.

    Meanwhile Bella came back and she looked at me and said, "You told me to run."

    Honestly, Bella was a saint!!

    Patient.  Understanding.  Concerned for my situation. 

    After the return was approved, I went to buy the hand cultvator.

    Turns out, that is not stocked in the store.  It's an on line order. which I could do at the service desk.

    Unfortunately Bella was with another customer so someone else took care of me.

    But she did have some words of advice:  "Don't lose the receipt or the store credit card."

    And you can bet your sweet bippy I won't!

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

how'd it get there?

 I found my lost box cutter

    I swear, I used it in the garage last week.

    But I found it in my little tool and crap box in the house.

    How did it get there?

    I have no clue.  

    Anyway, I got my cardboard all cut up and stacked fairly neatly.  Now all I need is to get the 2 bins out back, lay the cardboard down, and get the mins full.  And plant them if it is not too late.

    I paid our property taxes today.  Grief.  I am just glad we put the money away to take care of that.

    Not much else to say about today.

    But I did have an interesting experience last night when I took out the garbage.

    Bugs.  Beetles.  June bugs?

    My feet crunched when I walked out of the garage dragging the garbage can.

    And this morning?  Not a live one to be seen.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

C'mon TD

 Sometimes I am very, very stupid

    Feel free to dispute that.

    But what I did today was beyond stupidity.

    I was taking Beth to the groomers.  We had a 3 p.m. appointment.

    I go Flagg Road to Brooklyn Road, Brooklyn Road to Reynolds Road. East on Reynolds Road to Mulligans Grove.

    But there was a train stopped over the crossing on Brooklyn Road.  A very long train.

    Last time that happened I ended up going to Ashton to get across.

    But I know there is an overpass on Thorp Road.  At least I think it is Thorp Road.

    So I headed that direction  found the overpass and after going over the tracks, I looked to my right and saw the train there.  I figured it was also blocking that crossing

    I Googled the groomers.  I called.  I  explained that I would be late.

    The dash screen showed the groomers straight ahead.  So I continued straight ahead.

    The paved road became a gravel road, which turned into a one lane road, which crossed a paved road.

    That is where I became stupid.

    I know the only paved road I cross is Reynolds Road.

    But the map showed the groomers straight ahead.

    I continued down the cowpath.Vultures began circling the van.  Something was wrong.

    I never asked directions!  The map was  just a general area map.

    I turned around, went back 2.5 miles and turned east on Reynolds Road.

    We got there abut 10 minutes late. 

    When I picked Beth up, I took a road that was alongside the railroad tracks.  What I found is the road curved, and the train I thought was blocking the road after coming over the overpass  wasn't, because the road curved.   If I had gone that way I would not have been driving down 1 lane gravel roads in the middle of cornfields.

    My plan was to pick up Beth, make supper, then go into the garage. cut up cardboard, and plant what is left of the plants I bought 2 weeks ago.

    I could not find my box cutter.  10 minutes of frustration looking for it.

    I decided to focus on the positive things I did today.  I planted 4 pots, hooked up my front porch hose, washed and dried the sheets, made supper and am about to wash the dishes.

    Tomorrow I am going to buy a new box cutter, put it on a string and hang it where I can find it.

    As soon as I do that, the old one will surface.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

What??????

We went from a clean kitchen to a mess 

    The original plan was to go to Julia's for tacos.

    Our niece Laurie is coming to meet niece Cindy and they are taking a plane to Spain to do The Walk.

    Ok, I can't remember it.  El Camino Real?  El Camino was a Chevy product at one time, and it may, or may not, be the name of the walk to a famous shrine along the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a popular walk for religious and sightseeing purposes.

    Anyway, she was driving from around Columbus Ohio and Julia was going to make tacos for us all.

    But her ETA was after 7 and Jackie and I don't like eating that late.

    So I made dinner and we ate at 7:30.  I know.

    I was going to grill outside, but the wind was pretty strong and I did not know if I could keep the grill going, so I used our air fryer. 

    Steak turned out pretty good.  

    But now I have a pan for the fries, a pot for the veggie, and the air fryer to clean and I have about as much ambition as a toad flattened on the highway of life.

    Today I picked up doggie do and watered the plants I have not yet potted.

    Sadly, I watched the Cubs for a while.  

    Hopefully tomorrow I will actually do something besides complain.

    Mainly I need to get the pots planted with the plants I bought 2 weeks ago,  

    Just can't seem to get going on it all this year.

    Is that a sign?

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

what a week

This week ran the full gamut

    Celebrating my birthday, a friend's retirement party, and a funeral service gave the week a happy/sad feel.  

    My friend Beth is retiring and there was a party for her and another  middle school teacher.  It was a nice chance to see former co-workers and old friends.

    Another retiree from another year told me a funny story.

    The teacher was retiring at the end of the year, which was a week away.   Kids were tuning out.  Not much effort was being shown.

    The teacher blurted, "You don't seem to give a shit about any of this."

    As soon as the class was dismissed, they went to the principal and told that person what they had done,  in case parents called and complained.

    The principal said, "I've got that covered.  I will just tell them that I am handling it and that you won't be teaching in the district next year."

    Problem solved.

    Sadly, the funeral service was for a former student.  He always had a great attitude and a good heart. I don't think I ever saw him angry or not smiling.

    About 18 moths ago he was diagnosed with cancer.  

    Yet through all the treatments and hospitalizations, his parents and family said he still smiled  He thanked the medical staff who treated him.  He never said, "Why me?"

    He saw joy everywhere.

    I wish I was more like him.

    And the world too.

Peace and Love

    Especially Love