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

whose turn?

 I like board games

    Clue.  Scrabble.  Sorry.  Monopoly.

    But I don't have anyone to play with (poor me .. just like my youth).

    Years ago I read about a game called Settlers of Cataan.  The girls got it for me for Christmas.  The directions were so detailed and long, I lost interest.

    I noticed on Big Bang Theory, they played that game.  I never did.

    Today I read about a game called Campaign for North Africa.

    Here is what the writer said about the game:  "It is so detailed, complex, and cumbersome to play that it is thought no one has actually finished it, including its creator."

    Two guys in England have started to play.  They spent 2 years studying directions and practicing a preliminary campaign.  

    The game ends after 111 moves.  It is based on the campaign against Germany during WW II.

    There are specific rules.  For example, aircraft can not pick up dead camels, but they can pick up live ones.  Why anyone would want to pick up either is beyond me.

    I do not want this game for Christmas!!

    Which is just as well.  It is out of production and sets are selling for $1,000, according to the article.

    And if you have questions bout the game, tough.  The company is out of business and the creator has died.  

    I guess no one knows how it ends or how you determine a winner.

    We have friends traveling all over this week!  Massachusetts, Paris, Washington and Oregon, among other areas.

    I worry about the friends in Massachusetts.  Midwesterners have never experienced a Northeaster, and it sounds like they are in for one heck of a weekend.

    Cubs game was moved to Tampa.  They are not playing well at all.

    Weather  was gray and cool today.  It sapped me of any energy.

    Hell, I could not even beat myself at checkers!  And I cheated!!!

    Maybe tomorrow.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

wheels

I don't like driving our van 

    I have trouble backing it into the garage.   I have to back it in if Jackie is going somewhere.

    Sometimes it takes me 2 or 3 swings to get it parked.  A couple of times I have scraped the side, but I have not done as much damage as I did with the golf cart.

    So the girls and I looked at a car a couple of weeks ago, but model does not seem to accommodate  a swivel seat.  

    The girls suggested I buy a second car, just to drive around and only use the van when I have to take Jackie somewhere.

    That got me thinking.

    I saw an article about an all electric car that I thought sounded like it would be a good fit.  A 7 minute charge is good for 100 miles.  It has a nice interior and looks sweet.

     I believe it is a Torcal  and is made by Bentley motors.  Price as shown in the article was only $250,000.

    I could cash in all my retirement funds and then borrow $225,000, but Jackie said no to that plan.

    I then pointed out Ferrari has an all electric called Luce that is close to being marketed for only $640.000.

    The Bentley sounds like a bargain, doesn't it?

    If I had the money to buy one, I wouldn't.  Food pantries and homeless shelters can use the money more than a person needs either of those cars.

    I also read that California grape growers are having problems because people are not drinking enough!

    Wine consumption is down 20 percent over a five year period.  Grape growers in California don't have the market for their grapes, so some are converting the vineyards to something else. 

    The experts said young people are not drinking as much wine.  They have other sources, like cannabis, that are more a part of their culture than wine.

    I feel bad because I have not been drinking as much wine either.  I hate to open a bottle for a glass, then let the wine sit and eventually spoil.  Also, I have Swiss wine I like.  

    Suffice it to say, I have come a long way since Mad Dog 20/20.

    Now, I am putting a cork in it for the night.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

baseball

 Baseball been berry, berry good to me

    Ah...the SNL of my youth.  I have not watched it in years.  Different generation.  Different culture.

    Baseball has not been good to me!

    I'm a Cubs fan.  Right now it is berry, berry frustrating.

    They can't  hit with runners in scoring position,  They can't get key outs.  They can't win the close games.

    They may qualify for the playoffs, but I don't. think they will do well.

    I was going out with a girl named Irene.  It must have been 67 or 68, before I met Jackie.

    The Cubs were in first place but the Cardinals were gaining.  Harry Carrey kept singing," The Cardinals are coming, try la la la."   He was broadcasting for the Cards.

    Anyway, I wanted to impress Irene.

    I got box seats for a game with the Cardinals.  I bought her flowers.  I went downtown to meet her and then we would ride the EL up to Wrigley.

    Imagine my surprise when I went to get her and she brought a friend!

    So, me being the nice guy I am, I gave her the tickets and the flowers.  I bought standing room for the game.

    I don't remember who won, but I know I lost.

    Mo other favorite memory from that summer was the two of us going up to the observation floor at the Prudential building.  It was the tallest building in Chicago at the time.

    There was an express elevator up and down.

    We were the only 2 on the one going down, so we started to make out.

    Imagine our surprise when the doors opened and a bunch of people stared at us.

    She was embarrassed and I made some stupid joke like, "And that is how you perform mouth to mouth on a person standing."

    Sigh.....the Cubs just lost another one.

    Wait until next year.

Peace and Love

    Especially Peace

brrrrrr

 Fall started today

    It was equinox day.  At this point the sun is most directly above the Equator, marking the official start to fall.  The Chicagohenge pictures were pretty cool.

    And it feels like  it!  Currently it is 55 degrees outside, and I don't think it got much warmer than that today.

    Plus there is a pretty stiff breeze.  I got a hot coffee from Cypress House and attempted to sit on the porch and read.  But the pages kept blowing! I tried to hold down both pages, drink my coffee and pet my dog, which proved totally impossible with only 2 hands..

    I read somewhere that an octopus actually has 6 arms and 2 feet.  I don't know if that is true.  I guess I will have to Google it if I am that curious.

    I am 78.  I am also a slow learner.

    I put my yard sweeper together last year.  I used it Friday, and the handle that attaches it to the mower was loose, so the handle shifted far to the left.

    When I tried to tighten it, I discovered one of the 2 bolts that hold it on were missing.

    So I took the completed bolt, spacer, and turning knob to Ace and got a bolt, spacer, and a turning knob.  I will say, it was a valuable lesson to learn:  tighten bolts and nuts and check them before use.

    Beth went to a new groomer today.

    She told Julia Beth would be done bout 10:30.  So I headed over to Ashton about 10;15.  As I approached Ashton, I got a text that it would be 11 before Beth was done..

    Now, it is at least a 15 minute drive.  It made no sense to return home.

    So I drove around Ashton, eventually parking at a playlot.  N kids were there, thank heavens.  I finished my morning tea,  and at s10:50 I headed out.

    I knew exactly where I was going.

    But I passed the place.

    I had GPS on, and I swear it told me to keep going.  When I hit a T intersection, it said I had arrived.  There were no houses!

    Turns out, it was the first house I passed.  The horse on the mailbox should have been a clue.

    As a side note the house near the playground is a mid 50s home, with all the original decorating.  I think it is on Zillow.  but it was neat when I saw pictures.

    And that's a wrap.

Peace and Love

        Especially Peace

This is how I dress on coolish porch days

I think I found out what was wrong with my cucumber plant.  Can you guess?