I am tired tonight

This was a pretty busy day!

     I made it down to Vevey to take my watch in for repair.  I have a neat Swiss watch but lately it has not been keeping the best of time.  It stops.  I know, I have a face that would stop a clock, but I swear it is not my fault.
     So I left it with the nice people at Manor, a major upscale department store.
     Then I took a walk to the lake to see the large four masted schooner that was out on the water.  Unfortunately, it had moved to the eastern end of the lake.  So to compensate for my disappointment, I had an ice cream.
     I wandered back toward Manor and was beckoned by the sweet smell of an American staple....Starbucks!!  Menu is pretty much the same in the U.S. as it is here....except in French.
     Then I tried to get money from the ATM.  "Transaction not possible at this time,"  came up on the screen.  I tried again.  And again.  Tried a different machine.....nada.  Tried my second card and evidently can't remember the pin.  So I went back to Manor to check on my watch and pick up some decaf tea.
     Watch needs repair.  They will call with an estimate.  I gave them Julia's number and went back to the ATM.  This time, success!!  Money came rolling out of the machine.
     Funny thing.  In Switzerland, when I take out 300 CH, I get two bills:  a 200 CH and a 100 CH.  If I go into a store and buy, say 15 CH in groceries, I can give them the 200 and they don't even blink.  In the U.S., anything over a 20 is suspect.
     Back to Julia's, pockets filled with cash and belly filled with saturated fats.
     When Julia got home we started packing...got about 6 boxes done and Kevin and Cristina  called and invited me on a walk!
     So up to the top of the mountain we drove, then spent an hour walking through the beautiful, though overcast highland of Switzerland.
     It's now just after midnight.  We have watched fireworks tonight because Aug. 1 is celebrated as the day Switzerland actually became Switzerland.  Pretty interesting stuff.  Nothing is open on Aug. 1.  No National Day sales, hot deals on cars, mattress blow outs.....although the farmers' market will go on in the square by the lake.
     With rain predicted, and boxes to pack, I think I'll skip this market day.
     Now for some pictures from today.

 Julia is moving from about 11 in Chardonne to about 43 in Corseaux

 Lake always is beautiful from the shore in Vevey

 Looking across the land toward Chardonne.  Julia's current place is just a little below the while building at about 11:58!  You can also see the funi rail.

 This beauty was on our walk on top of the mountain.

 If you take this picture, and the following three put together.....you get a panoramic of where I was standing.

     Well, that is all for tonight.
     Time for this traveler to hit the hay!

getting acclimated....day 2

 Sometimes I remember things at the wrong time

     Like the cord to connect my camera to the computer.....otherwise I cant load any pictures from my 35 SLR.  So the really cool pictures of the helicopter that scared the bejeezus out of me won't be seen until Julia can find her cord.
     How did that happen?  Good question.
     I was sitting on the terrace having breakfast when I heard the drone of a helicopter.  It was about 10:30 on our first day.  Someone who will remain nameless was still asleep....stayed that way almost to noon.... and I was just having a little tea.
     A chopper flew overhead, fairly low.  Then it turned around and flew back AT MY EYE LEVEL!!
     A huge plume of spray came out of it and I realized, that is how they spray crops over here.  The vineyards are small and narrow, so planes are out of the question.
     The helicopter made several passes.  I think he waved at me.  I stood fascinated by it when I realized I might be in the drift zone.
     So I went inside, closed the doors and windows and waited for him to finish.
     That was the highlight of the first day.
     It is hard to get over jet lag, although I did a better job than Jackie.  She finally got up in time for lunch, but ate breakfast instead.
     Julia asked that I take down the recycling.
     Now for us in the states it is an easy task.  Put it in a bin and set it out at the curb.  Here, it is not so easy.  They recycling "center" is about one half mile down the road.  That is where you can recycle glass, plastic, used cooking oil, aluminum. steel cans and I don't remember what else.  Notice, paper is not listed.
     I made two trips there.  Lots of wine bottles and plastic pop bottles.
     By this time of the day, it had warmed up.  Instead of sitting with a sweatshirt on, I was actually starting to sweat.
     Once the glass and plastic was gone, I focused on paper.
     Paper gets picked up every other week at the curbside.  Unfortunately, Julia missed the last pickup or two, and had some paper and boxes to dispose of.
     So I wandered down to the paper drop off site, which is about half way to the other center.
     By a stroke of luck, or good planning, there is a sidewalk leading from the main drag up into Chardonne.  So I dropped off the paper and took the steps up, knowing full well where I was headed.
La Patisserie.  The bakery.  (Sheri, it still smells great!)
     I took a few shots with my trusty pocket sized camera, only to realize the battery was dead.  Thank you Dan and Linda for loaning me your charger.  I will not lose this one.
     And yes, they had a tasty Chardonne in the counter.  After explaining to the nice lady I could not speak French, she engaged me in a rather long conversation, in French, of which I understood two words.
     I believe she called it le(s) gateau du Chardonne.  It is like an elephant ear, only extremely sugary and tasty.  They are only made in the afternoon and sell quickly.  Timing is important.
     A hop, skip and jump later, I was back on the terrace...fume and helicopter free... nestled under a blanket and eating my gateau, as the lovely lady described it.  I even shared a little with Jackie.  A little.  A very little.
     We spent the rest of the afternoon waiting for a delivery.  Julia has ordered 50 boxes for packing.
I think I will need some more gateau du Chardonne for this job!

 Wine is big here.....

 The stairs from the main road into the village proper....

 A jumble of hoses and old fashioned technology outside a local vintner's

Can you spot the hoop???    Playing a half court game here could be a little challenging...at least I would not be out of breath!

I love the fountains....they are everywhere.

and here we are......

We made it safely to Switzerland

      I only took two little relaxers......and I was pretty calm all the way over here.
      Flying economy is always a treat.  The seats are fairly close together and if you drop something on the floor, forget it.  You can't bend over to pick it up.  Or tie your shoes.  Or untie your shoes.
     And if Jackie doesn't feel like getting up and I have to get out, it looks like a scene from an x rated movie.
     I watched two movies...Chocolate and the Second Best Most Exotic Marigold Hotel.
     At some point during Marigold, , maybe because of the pills or the wine, I did fall asleep.
    With a little wine in my glass.
     But I quickly woke up when my leg became wet.
     Unfortunately, I could not reach down to blot the wine....and anyway my napkin had already fallen on the floor.  Jackie was sleeping soundly, and I did not want to wake her to act out an x rated scene..
     So I have purple striped pants......which is not a big problem, because I still have two more pair of pants.  And Julia has a washer, but I don't want to do one pair of pants.
     This is the second time that has happened on a flight over...which means I really need to be more careful with the wine.
     We left Chicago hot and sweaty.
     In Geneva we wished we had sweat shirts.  It was somewhere in the lower 60s and rainy.
     But the walker stayed with us, no luggage was lost, and I stayed awake until now, about 10 p.m.  OK, I did take a two hour nap from 3 to 5, and I slept on the 40 minute flight from Zurich to here.  And my eyes are sagging..........sleep will be coming shortly.
     Meanwhile, we have to keep our eyes open for a little lizard that snuck in the other day....seems to be lurking about the apartment.  At least it will keep the spiders in check!
     Tomorrow, the moving adventure begins!
     Tonight the dreams begin.

T minus 20 hours and counting.....

I am like a pin ball

     Bouncing around without direction.......going wherever the flippers tell me to go.
     But I am making progress.
     I did get the back of the house weeded.  Mostly.  There is one area that has day lilies from Emily's.      And grass.  And thistles.  It is a large area, but it is  not weeded.   I guess you could call it an unweeded mother.
     I also got the bathroom cleaned.  Ok, it was during Bryant's at bat in the ninth inning, so I had to race into the TV viewing area to catch a replay.  Go Cubs!!  You frustrate the honey out of me and then you turn it around and I love you just as much as I did before Cincinnati and the Phillies.
Julia's box is packed.  I picked up contacts and solution today.
     Funny story.  I was walking through Walmart and some guy yelled at me.  I didn't look, I just kept walking.  Then he yelled, "Hey you in the yellow shirt, stop."  I kept walking because I had on an orange shirt.
     I was at the register and a friend came up and tapped me on the back.
     "How come you didn't stop?" he asked.
     I told him I only heard him  yell to the guy in a yellow shirt.
     "Oh yeah.....that shirt's not yellow.  I guess I better  go back and review my colors."
     Went to Emily's to let out the dogs....but forgot her key and and to go home to get it.
     Got the van full of gas and the gas for the mowers. Gas prices have tumbled in the past week, which I think is a good thing.
     I also mowed and trimmed.
     Tomorrow I have to clean the shower and do the floors.
     And pack.
     I would do that tonight, but I am washing 98 pairs of undies to take on the trip.
     You may not hear from me for a while....usually I get jet lag pretty bad for the first couple of days.       But have no fear......the word will be here.
     Nighty night

what happened to me today?

I had three jobs to do today

1.  Weed behind the house.
2.  Pack Julia's box.
3.  Clean the third bathroom.

     I did one of the three.  I packed Julia's box.
     Now that may sound easy, but it is not. The box is 20 x 20 x 20.  The airline says the checked bag can be 62 linear inches, which they define as length plus width plus height.  The box is only 60, so it should be ok.
     Lord knows the weight is fine....45 pounds and it can have 50.  But I could not squeeze any more in the box.  Mini Raviolis and soup make up a lot of weight!  So there are some smaller items that are going in my suitcase, along with the 168 pairs of underwear and 2 shirts I will be packing.
     Yes, I am not good at packing.  I tend to just start throwing stuff into the suitcase when I am under pressure.
     And I eat under pressure.
     Which explains the wrappers around the computer.  My stomach hurts, along with my arm.  Did I mention my arm hurts??
     I sorted my pills too.  That was not a job on the jobs list.  But it started raining so I did not go into the yard to work, which was a mistake.  There are huge weeds in the flower beds that should be pulled....but I don't think I will have time.
     Time.  T minus 44 hours 'til lift off.
     Now I have to clean the bathroom, mow and trim tomorrow.
     I also have to buy more tape to seal the box, more of a vitamin I forgot, gas for the van and mowers, a box to ship the knives ..... I didn't mention that before.  I have a broken Cutco knife.  OK, they are a lot of money and have a lifetime guarantee.  So I am mailing it in to the company for a free replacement.  but I decided to ship two more knives for sharpening, so now I have to find a box to put all those in.....
     Where are the cookies???/ Damn it, I ate them!!
     I need a hair cut.  It will grow out too long in three weeks.
     And I have a small poster to put together....maybe.
     I get a little nervous before a flight.  I am tired, so I think I better go to bed so I can get up early and get all my stuff done.
     Or not.

strangeness in life

I sometimes think the world is indeed a strange place

     Not always wonderful, but strange.  Things just seem out of context so often, it begins to confuse me.
     I was watching a Rockford TV station recently (because I have to) and a commercial by the station came on.  It talked about Rockford and how wonderfully diverse it was.  Yet all the people they showed in the commercial were white.  Seems if you have a diverse image you are building on, then show different type of people.
     The Rockford bus system has a commercial about service and says 5,000 people a day ride the bus.
     My math is not so good, but I am thinking 5,000 people a day at $2 a ride is $10,000 a day revenue, which is not very much.  Given that seniors and disabled individuals ride for half price, and that makes it even less.  So how much does the bus service lose every year?
     Why do I see so many Beloit Snappers commercials and no Rockford...what are they called now? Riverhawks? Aviators? commercials?
     Does Johnny of Mr. C's really have a hamburger as big as his head?
     When a press conference is held, why are there always so many people standing behind the speaker?  They never say anything, they just stand there.  Sometimes they nod, but mostly they stand there.
     Why do so many officials read prepared statements instead of just answering questions?  It can be a mundane matter, and the government person just reads from a sheet of paper.  Even at meetings this is happening.  Are people just too afraid to talk?
     Why do I get so many ads on my computer for ED and meeting single women but none for Viagra?  If computers are so smart, they'd see the problem in their marketing.
     Why do I always get the slowest line?
     Why do so many people speed?  Isn't obeying the law one part of being a good citizen?
     How come I often see one shoe along a road?  How do you lose a shoe?
     And speaking of that, do one legged people have to buy a pair of shoes?  What do they do with the extra shoe?
     What is the extra cost of the state legislature meeting in Springfield?  They can't solve the budget, which they have had months to work on, so they have to work overtime to continue to not fix it?
     Blago isn't looking so bad now, is he?
     Why am I not packing my suitcase?
     Like I said, full of oddities, my friends.

deja vu, all over again

I still love the Tour

     The Tour de France.  That huge bike race that runs in July.
     Riders are nearing the end and I have only watched snippets.  Until tonight.
     There was an edited race highlight rerun of today's action.  These guys raced uphill at speeds of about 18 miles an hour, and hit the low 40s on the downhill runs.  Today's stage was 138 Kilometers, which should be about a little over 80 miles.
     When you watch them, they are constantly pedalling.....they seldom coast, unless it is in the downhill portion.
     For them, riding 100 miles in a day is no big thing.....and they do 21 stages like that in a 24 day period!
     They have to be physically fit.....none of them have a lot of meat on them.
     One rider is in his mid 30s, which is amazing considering the strength and conditioning riders go through.  You would think age would make a difference.
     Sometimes when I ride my bike, plodding along at 11 mph, I imagine myself riding in the Tour.  Of course, I am a lot younger and a lot skinnier.  I never win, but I don't lose by much.
      I am envious of them.  Not just because of their age, and physical conditioning, and strength.  But       I am envious because of their determination, their never give up attitude, their give all until you just don't have any more to give, their concentration on diet.
      I don't think I will ever not be fat.  My parents weren't, so I get a little puzzled as to why I am. Maybe it is the food I eat, and the lack of exercise.  But I have ridden my bike more this summer than last summer.....and I am up in weight over last summer.
     I guess I just have to start buying bigger pants......because cutting down on food does not seem to be an option.
     Anyway, two more days of the Tour and then it's over.  I would like to see it in person some day. People wear all sorts of strange outfits as they cheer on the racers.  Imagine waiting for hours for the riders to come past and they are gone in seconds.....blurs in the camera of life.
     Tomorrow they do what traditionally seems to be the last climb of the race.  It should be an event filled with drama, excitement, and sheer willpower to succeed.
     I think I'll do a symbolic jaunt around the block in support of their efforts.
     Maybe I'll see you on the road. Just don't run me over.

ouch!

I have paid a dear price for natural air

     Jackie has allergy and sinus issues....so we have the AC on a lot.  In addition, with the MS she can't stand the heat and humidity....just not good for her.
     So sometimes, when the night air is cool, I move to another room, open the windows, and sleep in the natural AC.
     The last two nights have been pretty cool.  I can't sleep in the spare bed because it has stuff to be packed on it. (Digression.....2 pillows, 2 dolls, some primitive art work, and groceries and packages yet to come.  I am putting it all in a box and checking it as luggage.  But until I box it up, probably Tuesday morning, the bed is full.)
     So I slept in my chair in the den.
     Big mistake.
     Sure, I listened to WNIJ with the lights off and the mellow evening tones relaxed me.
     Sure, I had to get up at midnight to turn off the radio because  BBC World News comes on and I love listening to the reports.
     Sure, the chair is not as comfortable as the bed.
     Sure, I have a huge knot in my back and my arm hurts and I can't seem to relieve the pain in the arm.
     But it was worth it.
     I love the sound of the trains as they work across the prairie.  Their horns are fairly quiet, but as they approach Knoll, Skare, Fowler and Flagg Center they are louder, more frequent, then softer and finally gone.
     Sometimes I can hear owls hooting in the woods.  Sometimes  I can hear coyotes yipping.
     But I do hear a lot of traffic.  Seems Flagg Road is a lot busier since the tolls on 88 went up.  I think people use that as an alternative to save money.
     And the smells.....night air smells better than day air.
     But alas, tonight it is back into bed.  I have to get up early tomorrow and I need my beauty sleep....in fact, I need as much as I can get.
     Besides, I don't think I can take another night in the chair.

nothing....I got nothin

Today was a pretty good day

     Served lunches in the park to some hungry kids, went to a meeting in DeKalb, had a friend over for supper and wine.
     We sat out on the patio, talking, eating and visiting.
      That's the thing about friends....you don't have to impress them.  Sure, the house was a tad messy, the sink had some dishes, but the conversation and the fellowship was great.
     Then Jackie and I watched the last inning of the Cubs game and were rewarded with a win, a split on the  day sure, but a win to end the series.
     Tonight the stars are out and the night is beautiful.
     So enjoy it folks.
     I know I am.

my bags aren't pack, I'n not ready to go

I am having a hard time packing

     Part of the reason is:  I still have five days!  I can't pack now for Tuesday.
     The other part is.....I can't find stuff.
     The power cord for my little Nikon?  Can't find it.  Don't know why it isn't in the camera bag.  I used it several times in the past year and now....pfft!  Gone.  Like a disappearing act in Vegas.
     I thought maybe I would find that when I was looking for the cord to connect my camera to the computer to download pictures.  That used to be in the camera bag too!  Now both of them are missing and I am going nuts.
     I did find a bag with cords for various stuff.....but not the ones I want.  I also found a shoebox with cords....but not the ones I want.
     I have looked high and low, in and out of the den, under the desk, taken stuff off the closet shelves (note to self, got to go through that closet this winter!), looked in drawers, tool kits, pantry shelves.....I tell you, the cords have gone!
      I did find some ear phones for the plane.  I know that is strange, but years ago I had a little growth removed...called an ear lobe.
     Not actually.  It's the little piece of cartilage and skin in front of your ear that prevents wind from blowing in directly and making weird noises.
     Without that little flap, I can't hold ear buds in my left ear.  I mean, I can hold them using my hand, but they don't stay in without me using my hands.
     So lots of times I listen to movies in the right ear on the plane.  But Em found these and gave them to me, and I had forgotten where I put them.
     Sunday when I mowed I had to make a minor adjustment on my mower.  Needed a wrench.  I have all my wrenches in a clear plastic shoe box on a shelf in the garage.  Not there.  Looked all around, in the cupboard, under stuff.  Nada.  Went downstairs, looked on the workbench, under it, around it, on shelves....Nada.
     Went back to the garage and repeated the process.  Nothing.  (By the way, someone once said stupidity was doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results.  Or something like that.  Maybe it was insanity.  Either way, it fits me.)
     Went downstairs and sitting in plain sight was the stupid box with the wrenches.  Plain sight.  Right there.
     That little process took me almost 20 minutes.
     Anyway, the lost is found in one case, and the lost is still lost in another.
     Hopefully I will find it tomorrow so I can start packing.  I bought new underwear, so I am back up to 19 pairs.  I just hope I don't lose them.

my butt is sore

I did my longest ride of the year today

     I rode from my house into town, stopping at Cypress House for an iced caramel latte.
     The total distance was 19.1 miles, and I actually felt pretty good at the end.  I admit, I was tired because the wind seemed to pick up once I hit Hemstock Road.  And when I got to Fowler Road, it was even stronger.
     An old biking maxim is ride out into the wind, ride home with the wind at your back.   But that doesn't always work when you are riding a loop and the wind is with you on the way out.
     When I got home I watered the plants on the porch, using my expandable hose as seen on TV and available at Walgreen's.  The hose came apart at the seams! It was spewing water everywhere.  I went to turn off the hydrant and I could not...water kept flowing out.  I got another hose and attached it, getting soaked in the process.  Ever try to put a hose on a faucet that is running?  It is not easy.
Jackie called the plumber and they came out later and fixed it.....I can't wait for that bill.
     I picked some more beans and peas and then we blanched them and froze them.  We have enough peas and beans for  two winters, and there are still more coming.
     Some pictures from today.

This is what I look like with a moustache

Beans beans beans...the more you eat the more you toot.

Need I say more?

There's an abandoned railroad line that makes a good place to stop for a rest.  Hasn't been a train on it for years, as far as I can tell.  

Wait a second.....do you hear something?

ladies and gentlemen, all rise

I once shook hands with a real United States President

     It was Gerald Ford and it was March 12, 1976.
     How do I know?
     I Googled myself.
     Yes, vain that I am, I Googled my name.
     I found out what church I go to, that I am active in a theater group and improv comedy group, I do a blog,  and that I helped John clean up his house after a tornado.  Ok, it is actually Emily's at this point, but the press is never wrong.  I had a couple of articles in the Tribune Travel section.
     Oh,  I am also mentioned in the Gerald Ford Presidential Library in Michigan.  I think it is Grand Rapids.
     The paperwork deals with an Illinois Press Association event he attended in Chicago.  I worked for the newspaper at the time.  I am listed in Appendix I, on the top of the second page.  Terry Dickow, Rochelle News Leader.
     There must have been 100 of us in the room.  He came in and walked right past me, shaking hands.
     I said, "Nice to meet you Mr. President" or something innocuous like that.  I like to think I did not say, "Watch out, don't trip" or "Who voted you President?"  But, you never know.   The IPA took my picture and eventually I got two prints of me and the President.
     I was wearing my best corduroy sport coat, one with brown velvet elbow patches.  Despite my hoarding tendencies, that is long gone.
     So is the hair and moustache.
     I gave one of the pictures to my mother and you would have thought her head would burst it swelled up so big.  My dad was still alive, and in early stages of dementia, so I don't really remember how he reacted.  I like to think he was proud, but I honestly don't remember.  I imagine the picture is in a box of my mom's stuff in our basement.
     I looked through the list of names at the event.  I knew about 17 other people.  Ray, Jeff, Kathy, Mary, Bill, and a couple of others I was in school with.  There were several Rochelle paper people there also, along with former professors and their wives.
     Their names leaped out at me from the pages.  Funny, I don't remember them at the event.
     I  also don't remember why I didn't stay in touch with them.....we spent two years in journalism school together, and many, many hours at the Shamrock Pub in DeKalb.  We had seminars on Friday nights and they were always well attended, often by one or two staff members.
     In 1976 we were only four or five years removed from that friendship and camaraderie.
     I guess we all got busy with life.   Sad to say, I know of the 17, several of them are dead, including a couple younger than me.
     That's my brush with fame.
     I like to imagine Gerald Ford going home and saying to Betty, "I met a really swell fellow today.  He had the neatest sport coat and the greatest moustache I have ever seen.  I need to have him over for coffee."
     But, he blew his chance.

making a list

We are starting to pack

     Now that may not seem a big thing, but for us, it is a task that is never finished.
     We have some dolls, folk art, clothes, medications, artwork and who knows what else is arriving in the mail.
    Did I mention clothes?
    I do have a problem this year.  I have been tossing out underwear.  I normally take about 18 to 30 pairs for a trip, but I don't think I have that many.  They are getting old.  The boxers are losing their elastic.
     So I have to buy some more to take with.
     Having clean underwear is vital to any vacation.  No shower?  No problem, with clean underwear.
     Hungry? No problem, with clean underwear.
     Lost?  No problem, with clean underwear.
     Careening down the side of a mountain with an out of control driver?  No problem, with clean underwear.
     Then we have the tough questions.  Sweatshirts or not?  It was 105 last week, but it gets down to the 60s at night.  A sweatshirt might be a good hedge against the cool nights.
     Shorts?  I don't think so.  I will sweat bullets instead of wearing shorts in a foreign country.
     12 shirts?  Not in this guy's bag.  7 is the maximum I am taking.  Plus one I will wear.  And one in the carry on.  And one that I really like.  OK, 12 shirts.
     Jackie one year packed several tops she did not wear.  I will monitor that situation this year.
     One pair of shoes.  But if I go hiking, I will need my hiking boots.  So they have to go.  And I will need my floppy hat to protect me from the sun, even if I don't go hiking.
     And what if I forget my sunglasses at home?  Better pack two pair just in case.
     Camera, watches, (my Swiss watch stopped running.  I don't know if it is the battery.  Julia brought it back at Christmas with a new battery.  Batteries should last longer than 6 months.  How do I communicate that to the French speaking man who repairs watches at the Manor?  Better bring my 2 pound English to French dictionary.)
     My bags are full and we have not put anything in them yet!!
     But I do have to get ready.  So I will print my list of things to take with., a list I use and revise every time we take a trip over the pond.
     It doesn't help.  I still forget things.
     Luckily, they do have stores in Europe.
     Some of them even sell underwear.

yikes!

It was pretty hot today

     I hung around with some goats for an hour or so this morning.  When goats poop, it comes shooting out of their butt like peas from a pea shooter.  Little, round balls that just fly through the air.       My duties involve sweeping them up and making sure people don't bring food into the goat yard.
     I lost 10 pounds just standing there.  It was like a sauna.  I was sweating....my shirt was wet.  I looked like TC on stage.
     Going home was no treat.  The car sat in the heat for about four hours.  If I had bread to bake, I could have baked it in the car.
     When I was younger (a phrase I use quite often now that I am 106) the heat did not bother me so much.  Now I just can't handle it.
     I rested in the house for a couple of hours before venturing out again.  This was a food trip because it is pizza night.
     I had a little time, so I mowed Em's front yard.....doesn't really take that long.  I would have done the back, but I had the wrong shoes.  If you are a dog owner, you know what I mean.
     My old, beat up, cruddy shoes are for walking in dog yards or mud.  Or both.  I never wear them in the house because I don't want to track a lot of stuff into the corny palace.
     I have to mow my yard too, but mine takes about 90 minutes, hers took about 20.  No brainer on that one.
     Tomorrow should be worse.  I have Thrive Garden Market tomorrow, plus a party, plus some yard work at my house.....but I don't think all of it will get done.
      We never have drop ins.  Tonight we had two sets of drop ins, both people stopping by to say good bye, in a way.
      I always hate to see people leave.  But I know it is for the best.  Birds gotta fly the nest.  Bees gotta get out of the hive.  Times have to change.  Opportunity only knocks once.  Like my front door, you have to knock because I still haven't called anyone about the door bell.  Ironic it would be if a person named Opportunity came to the house and knocked and we didn't hear her.
     Opportunity....sounds like an old time name some girl would have been given if she lived out in some small prairie town in Nebraska or South Dakota.
     Like Faith, or Hope.
     Or Good Night.

odds and ends

I learned something almost new today

     I was listening to the 60s channel on Sirius today when the announcer said the greatest selling record in rock and roll history was released 50 years ago tomorrow.  Still popular today, sold more records than any other song.
     Satisfaction, by the Stones.
     My first thought was:  Oh my gawd....50 years ago I was 17 and pops was probably yelling at me to turn that crap down!
     Half a century!
     I remember the debate back then...who was better, Beatles or Rolling Stones?  It seemed to occupy our teen aged hormonal crazed minds more than the tight sweaters Miss Vickie wore in geography class.
     50 years.  Think of what has been invented since then.  Cell phones, personal computers, the Internet, artificial limbs and organs.... wait, that is Jagger dancing.  He is 72 this month.  All those World Series the Cubs have played in.   I can't believe how time has passed me by.
     And I still debate which band is better.  I love the driving bluesy style of the Stones.  There is a certain hard edged rebellious side to their music.
     But I love the Fab Four.  Their harmonies, rhythms, chances they took.  Listen to Sgt. Peppers and you realize how great they were.
     The debate goes on.
     The second thing I learned was....if people respond on Google to this blog, I get an e mail from them!  I just read one from Rene about Tuscany, one from Pat about my underwear, and one from Daws telling me to have a great time.......
     I NEVER KNEW!!
     People probably think, "Terry, you ignorant slut"......wait a minute, wrong show turned in just now.
     People probably think I am a snob.  No, just ignorant of the ways of the computer!
     There is a little section called comments and if you click on them, there they are.
     Poignant post....one was from my cousin Sally, who was here last summer and died last September from cancer.
      By the miracles of the Internet, she spoke to me tonight.  One last time.
     When she was young, she too loved the Stones.  And the Beatles.
     50 years.  Seems like yesterday, now it seems so far away, I believe in yesterday.
     Anyway, now I know to occasionally check my g mail comments section.
     Night, mates.

thanks...many times over

I like when people say they read my stuff

     Like this blog, for instance.  I do it because it is good therapy for me.  I get to vent, express myself, talk about my day and people read it and sometimes comment.  I like that.
     I do a newspaper column for the News Leader.  My column goes in twice a month and I am getting rich off the astronomical amount they pay me.  (One person said incredulously, "They pay you?  They don't pay me!")  And if I break it down to a per hour basis, it is probably about $5 an hour.
     Wine money.
     Sometimes I don't have a topic, for this or for the paper.  I have a routine I do before I enter my blog for the day, and that helps clear my mind.
     But the paper sometimes is difficult.  For example, I do my rough draft of the column usually on a Monday, then I let it sit.  I read it Wednesday, make some changes, and again, let it sit.  Then Thursday night I look at it, revise and correct the numerous spelling mistakes and e mail it to the paper.
     I sat down at the computer last Monday and drew a blank.  Ditto on Tuesday.  No inspiration on Wednesday.  On Thursday I went to Cypress House, got a coffee, sat out in front and started thinking about all the things I haven't done this summer....and that became the column.
     Topic wise, it wasn't bad.  Not the best, but it wasn't bad.
     Another person said they like when I "shake things up."  I don't think I have done that.  I am pretty neutral on most issues, don't push my ideas too hard, and really don't consider myself as shaking things up.
     But I was flattered the person said they read the column.
     Other semi interesting point....most of the people who have said they read the paper are older. Not all, but most.
     I think that is because the newspaper is gradually losing its base to electronic readers.  There will still be newspapers, but not so much printed ones.
     Anyway, thank you all for reading.
     In case you are wondering, or keeping track, this is post 552.
     Not bad for someone who can't finish things.

same old, same old

I think I am too old for change

     I was awake half the night because I saw  a spot on my body I had never seen before.  I was convinced this was not good.  It's a mole,  and I bet I have had it for years and never seen it until last night.  Why last night, I will never know.
     So I did not sleep well.  Or at all.  I wandered, sat, laid down, wandered......finally I fell asleep in the chair in the den.
     Tonight I was at church weeding the garden.
     I left the house 10 minutes late because I could not find any of my bug spray.  After looking everywhere, I found one of them right where I put it so I would not forget.  The second spray was in my car, where I had left it from last week.  I found a third spray when I got home.
     I wear this old leather shoes.  I was weeding on my hands and knees and my feet were crossed behind me.  My shoes rubbed together and let out the loudest fart sounding noise I had ever heard.   Rick was weeding next to me and did not say a word.  I was a little embarrassed because I don't do that in public.  (Fart, I mean..)  Then it happened again!  Damn squeaky shoes.
     And of course, I had updates on my computer.  Do you think I have the right password>  No, that would be too easy.  I need a password for my computer, apple, the cloud, and I think all of them are different.
     I am going to start resetting passwords to something I can remember.
     Like, 1,2,3,4,5,6
     Or Password.
     Something no one will be able to figure out.
     Back to my mole.  I had fears I would have to have surgery ASAP and a certain part of my anatomy would be altered forever.  But the worst part would be I could not go to Julia's.
     So, I believe Jackie when she says there is nothing to worry about.  I am positive it is a mole.
     Just to be safe, I won't sleep well tonight either.
     I will never learn to put stuff away.  I will never learn to write down updated passwords.  I will never learn not to worry.
     Someday, none of that will matter anyway.

what happened?

Today was a big day

     We took our baby out for supper to celebrate her birthday.  Hard to believe she has grown up.    These past few months have been a strain, but she has held up well.
      So tonight we celebrated.  Dinner at Stone Eagle.  Dessert of chocolate cake from Portillo's at our house.  Watching the lightning and hoping for mild weather.
     I also did a bike ride today.  Realized I had not ridden in a week and needed to get on the bike.  I had been riding about 40 miles a week but last week....only 10.  It's easy to get lazy.  I need to get some longer rides in.....anyone?  Maybe Stone Bridge or Jane Adams?  Ann and Ed will go with, but their schedules are pretty full too.
     I also picked my first peas!  I have a picture, somewhere.  To be honest, I fell asleep about 10:45 and just woke up......in time for bed.  I am just too tired to download the picture.
     Hopefully ride tomorrow, lunch with retired teachers, a little yard work, weeding at St. Paul.....the less I do, the busier I feel.
     Time for real bed.

summer is here....happy?

It was pretty hot and humid today

     I did not spend much time outside.
     When I was a kid, we didn't have air conditioning and the heat did not affect us.
     But.....it is hard when you are older.  I walked down to the end of the block and was pretty hot by the time i got back.
     Then I decided to do some weeding.  I put my arm down and pulled a weed out.  Thousands of ants followed.  They went up my arm, got under my watch , and bit!  Not painful bites, but little pinches.
     The ground was crawling with ants....I have never seen so many in my life.
     I sprayed the nest with bug killer.....but I don't think it will help much.
     It's hot in Switzerland too.  Julia said it is in the 90s....even hit 105 this week.  For a place without AC, that is hot.  Same in Italy and France...hot, hot, hot.
     Anyway, tomorrow marks the birth of my favorite living in America daughter.
     Yes...Emily came into the world on July 13 just a few years ago.
     She was born at Rockford Memorial.  Jackie was very big, and a couple of weeks overdue.
    We were in the room and the nurses and docs came in and looked at me, and asked if I wanted to be in the delivery room.
     I said I was going for coffee.  And I did.
     I figured they did not need someone fainting during the middle of a birth....which I am prone to do in medical situations.
     Happy Birthday Emily........Mummy and Daddy luv you very much!

gotta sleep.....

I am tired, but not sleepy

     Got home from the zoo about 10:30 and was so tired, I actually missed Skare Road and had to turn around in the park.  (Yes, Todd....those were my headlights flashing into your house at 10:40 tonight.  Sorry)
     But I can't sleep.
     Sure, I have had a little caffeine today, but that should be wearing off.  Right?
     So I am reading the news.
     Lots of strange stuff and one article that just made me mad.
     A policeman in Kansas arrested a woman and her 15 year old daughter for shoplifting after they were caught at a local store stealing diapers, food and other necessities.  The officer paid for all the stuff, but charges were still pressed.
     What made me mad is that in this land of plenty, a woman and her children are living out of a car, doing without the basics every human being deserves.
     If they were dogs, or cats, or whatever, they would be adopted by people who love animals.
     But they are people.  A family who lost their husband and father in 2011.  A family who has been struggling ever since,  Struggling to the point of having to steal to provide basic needs.
     In a country as great as ours, it just doesn't make sense that people have to live that way...in any city, or any state ...  in our union.
     Kudos to the officer.  Kudos to the people who have sent in money to help the family get back on their feet, find a place to live, and get the car fixed.
     I know there are people who will say the woman is lazy and should get a job.  That stealing is wrong.
     But sometimes people can't find work.  They are not qualified.  They can't find daycare.  They don't have skills.  They still need to eat and have a place to live.
     We nee dto do a better job of helping those people.
     That's it.....all I got on that topic.

noooooooo....not again!

I am 0-5 in Cubs games this year

     No wins.  Only losses.  Another frustrating one today as the good guys lost to the gooder guys 1-0.
     The Sox score without a hit.  The Cubs hit into 6 double plays.  Go figure.  The bats have to come alive, don't they?
    Highlights of the day?
     Lunch.  I had a Cuban sandwich at the Decade Diner under right field.  Pork, ham, bacon, cheese, a spicy sauce, all served on a funny kind of flat bread whose name I forgot.  The sandwich was huge!  It is normally $12.50, but because we got to the park early, it was $9.40.  It was goooooood!

     People continue to amaze me.  When we were sitting in our seats, waiting for the game to start, some guy started yelling, "Melissa, I love you."  He was a pretty big dude....at least 300 pounds.  I am not exaggerating.
    Anyway, he was bellowing this right behind us.  She kept yelling back, "I love you too." She was sitting about 6 rows down in our section.
     At first it was cute.
     Then he yelled out, "I  gotta go to the bathroom."
     And proceeded to stagger toward the men's room.
     Stagger.....because at 2:30 he was so drunk he could barely walk.
     Ten minutes later I decided to hit the can before the game started.  When I came out, he was standing by the railing and in a soft, but audible voice, was saying," Shit. O shit" over and over and over.
     He eventually must have remembered where his beloved Melissa was sitting, because he started to go down the stairs while carrying another beer.  He rocked a little on the first step.  Rocked a little more on the third step.  and fell on the fourth step, spilling beer down his front.
     Once he was able to get back up, he went back to his seat......which was in the middle of the row.
     Picture a 300 pounder unsteady on his feet inching past 8 people sitting or standing and you can get a mental image that is a little disturbing.
     They were sitting for less than 5 minutes when Melissa decided she had to go.  She was as blottooed as he was and she was either very fat, or pregnant.....we could not tell.
     So she makes her way out and teeters up the stairs.
     Meanwhile, everybody sits down and the big guy decides he needs to go someplace, and he gets up to leave and everybody is up again.
     The guy two rows in front of us turned to a security guy and pointed to the rather large man gingerly making his way up the stairs.   Security nodded and followed the guy.
     Long about the second inning, another security guy came, went to where the happy couple was sitting, picked up a bag and passed us.
     I asked if they were coming back.  The security man said they had been escorted out of the yard but had bought t shirts and wanted them, so he was getting the t shirts.
     Tickets for this game were $65.  They spent $130 on tickets....and never saw a pitch!
     Can you imagine the conversation with family and friends?
     "So Bill, how was the game?"
     "Gee, I don't remember...we got wasted before the first pitch and got thrown out!  But hey, they were good seats.  I think."
      "Gee Bill, you are even dumber than I thought!"

Anyway...a couple of more Wrigley pics...

Coming in the main gate

Scorecards, get your scorecards

A view through the fence

Standings and wind direction, a two fer!

Fans are unaware of giant behind them

pressure.......

Sometimes I don't know what to write about

     Probably should be:   about what to write, that way I don't end the sentence with a proposition.
     I sit at the computer and I am blank.
     Not only with the blog, but with my twice monthly column in the Rochelle News Leader.
     I draw blanks.
     I have a column in this Sunday and I usually try to finish it on Thursday.  Today, I hadn't even started writing.  Worse yet, I had no topic.
     I thought about the state of Illinois and finances, but people with more smarts than me are already writing about that.  Same with Iran, presidential politics, the price of chickens and a whole bunch of other stuff.
     I had spent the day cleaning and was headed to the bank for a few errands.  I opted to take my little laptop with and get a cup of coffee at Cypress House.
     I sat outside, and an idea came to me.... and I wrote.
     Tonight I polished it as best I could, and sent it off.
      I think it's pretty darn ok.  I do expect an award, possibly a Pulitzer, for best commentary by a retired school teacher on a bi monthly basis.  Which also confuses me.  Bi monthly to me means twice a month.  Some people say it is every other month.  They are wrong.
     And now my feet itch.  At certain times, my feet are on fire.  First I take off  my socks, then I squirm for 10 minutes, then I spray them.  I don't care what I spray them with...bug spray, WD 40, the important part is spraying them.
      But I also have to go to bed.  Big weekend.  Cubs tomorrow.  Happy 100th birthday to the Iron Fountain in Rochelle....program from 1-2 on Saturday.  There will be cake.  Then Zoo Saturday night for a Summer Nights shift.
     Hopefully Sunday will be a day of rest, without storms and places to go.  Next week....garage cleaning!
     Peace and love....

huh....didn't think of that

My pictures have several lives

     I deleted a lot of pictures off my computer that I had taken with my phone.  

     As you remember, I explained I did not know how to delete pictures from my phone.  Now I do.

     So I went and deleted pictures from my camera and just plugged my phone back in.

     All the pictures are back. 

     Why?  Because I did not delete them from the phone, only the computer.

     Live and Learn.

     Now I know to delete from the phone first, then go to the computer.  Should be simple.

     Anyway, one picture that did not get deleted:

     I was pulling weeds along the driveway and this little guy popped out of a dirt clod.  I carefully relocated him to a safer area. 

     I named him Daot.  Yes, that's right...he is Daot Toad.  (Sound out Da oat toe ad)

     He is a palindrome toad.

     I used to watch a tv show about that...Have Gun, Will Travel.  You have to be at least 60 to get the joke....it was Paladin, he was a gun slinger in the west.  Good western, bad joke.

     Now days, judging by people's mouths, it could be Have Gum Will Travel.

     So many people chew gum...I have even seen people on stage chewing away, and I keep looking at tv reporters and anchors.

     I'm not a gum chewer ... too many cavities and too many fears I will pull out a filling.

     Sometimes I wish I owned stock in a gum company...I think I would be getting richer every day.

    I am going to bed now...disappointing loss by the Cubs.  Thought they had the Cards tonight, but one pitch, one stinkin' bad pitch, cost the game.  Sigh.

     I leave you with this invitation:

don't tell me anything

I am in one of those states of mind

     The last couple of days I have been having fits with my mind.
     I take things the wrong way.  I hear things the wrong way.  I catch imaginary diseases.
     I was talking to someone who lost a relative to stomach cancer.  It went undetected until a minor medical procedure showed the cancer had advanced.  Now I worry about that.
     I worry that my drinking water isn't safe.  I must have heard a news story about polluted water somewhere.
     Even Facebook posts have bothered me.  To much negative news, too many people yelling at each other.  To many divisive issues being aired.
     I can't sleep, can't focus, can't stop snacking.  I haven't ridden my bike in a couple of days.  My weight is going up.  I have to have blood tests.  It's hot in Europe.
     I can't get things done I want to get done.  Hell, I can't even start them to not get them done.
     Took advantage of the wet ground to aerate my yard....ran out of gas.  Of course, I had none in the cans so I had to wait until I made a trip into town for something so I could get gas.
     Went to let the dogs out yesterday and did not take the right house keys with me.  A 30 minute task took over an hour.
     I made a joke and nobody laughed.  Poor taste.
     I bought a sprayer.  The directions say insert pink hose.  The hose is white.  It is very long.  I called the company.  They said they switched to white hoses and black hoses but did not switch the directions.  Thanks.
     Went to print off some papers and the printer is out of ink.
     Have a meeting tomorrow morning at 7.  One time, the alarm went off, I got up, read the Trib on line, had tea....and forgot about the meeting, which was why the alarm went off.  Hope I don't do that again.
     Just a weird couple of days.  Can't even write proper sentences.
     Good night.
     Good grief.

huh....did not know how I did that

I learned something about my cell phone today

     I learned how to delete photos.  I have taken a lot of pictures but I did not know how to delete them.  John came over tonight and he showed my how to do that.
     I deleted about 100 photos from my phone, and from my computer.  I need to do that again tomorrow.  Hopefully I can get it down to the 6,000 level on my computer, which would be a miracle.  Doing the math, if I delete 100 a day....that is 1,000 in ten days.....or 6,000 in 60 days.  By then I'll have added 800 pictures!  Jeez, it's like I am on a treadmill here!
     One thing I did not learn, but still did, was to delete someone from my phone.
     I got a text, with important information, and when I went to reply ... poof!  It was gone.  Not only that text, but all other texts I received from that person today.  No phone number, no text, no name....almost as if the person didn't exist except in my mind.
      Yes, technology still baffles me.  I prefer books, pencils and legal pads.  But that is a different age.
     Not sure I can adapt enough to learn all the new stuff.  It keeps changing.  Just when I think I have it figured out, a wrinkle gets added and I am at sea over the changes.
     Such is life.  Edison and Bell started all this....hope they are happy.
   

Darwin was right

I just don't understand people

     A guy decides to go swimming in a Texas pond that has alligators in it.  There are signs.  He is warned.  People yell at him not to do it.
     He says pish posh, gators won't hurt me.
Wrong O crocodile teeth.  The gators ate him for supper.  I guess he did not feel that the gators would feed on him because he was a nice guy.
     And in Maine a young man died when he put a fireworks mortar tube on top of his head and lit the rocket.  On top of his head!
    Holy crap, some people just don't seem to use common sense.
    I do share in the sadness these young men bring to their families, but, holy cow!
    Last week there was a video posted of some guy in a alligator pen attempting to pet one of the animals.  He had climbed over the fence to get there.  He luckily escaped when the gator turned and snapped, just missing him.
    And then there are the stories of nominally sane people who think it is ok to pet the bear or the lion in the cage at the zoo.  They invariably lose a limb.
    Here's another hint:  Don't stand in front of wild bison for a photo op.  They will charge you and gore you.  A student from Taiwan found that out recently when her host family took her to Yellowstone and thought that was a good photo idea.
    I think that is why we have so many signs in our world that warn us not to do things that sensible people would not do.
    So, Darwin's message might be something like "Go ahead and be an idiot...you'll only make that mistake once."
    Or something like that.
    Good night.

snap, crackle, pop

I like the July Fourth fireworks

     I love watching the colors and shapes form in the skies over the rural landscape.  Heck, I even like them in the city when WGN shows them.  Well, when we used to be able to see them.
     But I really don't like all the people who shoot them off from their backyards.  It is 11:15 and some nut is popping off some pretty loud ones in my neighborhood.
     I guess there is no better way to spend the Fourth than breaking the law and disturbing your neighbors.
     I just wish all those people who say they love our country would actually obey the laws.
     Think of that.  Law abiding citizens taking to the streets.  Police could concentrate on catching the bad guys and getting the drunks off the road if they didn't have to spend time ticketing speeders and all the other petty offenses that we, the people, commit on any given day.
     Anyway, enough of my mini rant.....time for bed.
     If I can sleep.

it's a strange, strange road indeed

I am 0-4 in ball games this year.

     The Cubs have lost all the ones I have gone to.  Maybe it's me.  Maybe it's the W flag I carry with me.
     This was a very strange day.
     There were over 40,000 in the park today and the 800 or so in our section were all hyperactive ADHD with overactive bladders and incredibly poor seat finding skills.
     We watched one guy move four times.  He and his son finally settled in the middle of a row.
     Some girl in a cast came in in the eighth inning!  She was almost all the way down in the section, so of course it took her forever to get there.   She had three friends...it was like a freakin' funeral possession going down the aisle.  And she was sitting in the middle of the row, so everyone had to stand up to let her hop to the seat.  And guess what?  She was in the wrong section!  She had to get back up, move out of that row, cross the aisle and move to the middle of that row.
     The one guy in front of us checked his phone every ten minutes....but he had to get up to get it out of his pocket.  Then he sat down.  Then he got up.  Down.  Up.  Down. Up.
     It was worse than Wac a Mole at the carni midway.
     Our seats are on the right side of the aisle.  So any time a beer vendor passes, which is about every 15 seconds,  (People really like those $9 beers) or somebody comes or goes, they pass us, temporarily blocking our view.
     There was one brief moment when a whole two thirds of an inning  passed and nobody had to get up, move their seat, come in, or stand up.
     I looked around at other sections and it did not seem they had half the movement ours and the one next to us did.  Constant motion.
     I like what they do at the Rockford Ice Hog games....when the game is in progress, you can't reenter the arena in some seating areas.  You have to wait for a break in the action.
     Even the people next to us noticed all the movement.
     I have a Ventra card.  It is loaded with money so all I have to do is swipe it to get on the L.  When Dan and I were headed to the park, I casually said, "I wonder how much I have on my card?"
I found out after the game, where 39,998 of those on hand were moving to the L.  I swiped my card and it said "Insufficient Funds."
     By now 39,996 people had limed up at the Ventra machines to buy tickets.
     So, I opted to walk to Belmont and recharge my card there.  I saw a Walgreen's, and went in there instead.  They were happy to recharge it so I could get on the L.
     I asked Jackie to recharge it while I walked, but it seems I have a couple of passwords for my Ventra account.  Either that or I have one incredibly long and complex password that even I don't get when I look at it.
     Finally, capping off the weirdness. .. I stopped at the bar be cue place in DeKalb for supper.  I was the only customer.  And the people running it are Asian.  Someone was singing O Holy Night.  There are several video poker and slot machines.  The man asked me where I worked.  I told him I lived in Rochelle.  He said he only got here two days ago and didn't know where that was.
     His English wasn't bad.
     But no southern drawl and it really shook my confidence in Chicago bar be cue.
     The sandwich, and hush puppies, were pretty good, however.
     Next Friday it's the Sox.....and I better not be 0-5 after that one!

Kokachrome...and not by Paul Simon

I still have some 35 mm film

     Yes, I have a film camera too.....someplace.  We packed it when we moved from Skare Court, and I have not seen it since.  But I know it is here someplace.
     I thought about that today while looking at pictures on Facebook.  A friend is on vacation, and her boyfriend has a camera.  On the strap there is a 35 mm film cartridge.  I almost fainted!
     Hardly anyone uses film anymore.  It's all digital.
     I love the film process.  You really have to think about the picture, compose it, check the lighting and then click.
     With a digital, all you have to do is hold down the button and the camera just clicks away.
     Our first trip to Europe, I took 10 rolls of film.  That is about 360 pictures.   On my first time with a digital camera, I took 1,200 pictures!
     And of what?  Six pictures of a door that didn't move or change in the entire time I was watching it?
     14 pictures of Charlie Chaplin's statue?
     With film, I would have taken one or two of each.
     And now phones make is so anyone can be a photographer.  No need to worry about f stops, shutter speed, or the optimum setting for the film you are using.  Just point and shoot.
     That explains why I took 7 pictures of a stationary object the other day.....I could have taken one.
     With film, I always took two in case one of the frames was flawed.  Now I don't have to worry and can take as many as I want.
     The one thing in common: storage.
     I used to get pictures developed and I put them in shoe boxes, like Paul Powell.  (Digression.  Paul Powell was Illinois Secretary of State when I was a kid.  When he died, they found shoe boxes full of money and checks in his hotel closet....something like $800,000 in cash.  When asked about how a guy making $30,000 could amass such a fortune, another pol said "He was frugal when he was young.")
     Now instead of putting them in shoe boxes, they are on my computer. As of today, I have 12,580 pictures and 120 videos stored on my computer!  That's a lot of pictures!!  I thought I had three or four videos....I have 120!
     Holy negative, Batman!
     Plus I have two plastic tubs of shoe boxes filled with pictures.  And my mom's pictures.  And my dad's pictures.  Even some of my uncle's!  Holy crap, what should I do with them all?
     It's too much for me to consider.  Think I'll just sleep on it....and take some more pictures tomorrow.
    You never know when a moment needs capturing.

finally!!!!

I finished my raised strawberry garden today

     And realized I am an idiot.
     I now have a 4 by 8 foot raised bed for strawberries!
     I just love the little guys when you pick them fresh and put them on cereal, or just eat them.  I don't like the ones grown in California, picked not quite ripe, and sent on a week's journey to reach our stores only to sit in a cooler and then another truck to the store and then get put out for sale.  They just don't taste like the ones we used to pick at Grannies just up the road.
     So I built a raised planter for strawberries.
     I got rid of my dirt pile in the process.  My arm is killing me.  But I got the huge pile moved to the bottom of my planter.  Then I went to the store to buy bags of stuff to fill the planter.
     I bought 2 bags of peat moss.  It's good to amend the soil.  And I bought 15 bags of organic peat and 15 bags of top soil to finish it off.
     I had a guy at the store load my van.
     Let's do the math.  Each bag of organic peat was 40 pounds.  That is 600 pounds.  Each bag of top soil feels about the same.  That is another 600 pounds.
     Any idea what 1,200 pounds in the back end of a mini van does?
     It makes it look like the back end is dragging and the tires are low.
     I was afraid the axle would break.  Or the tires would blow.  Or the bottom would get caught on the railroad tracks.  Or I would have a flat tire and need to change it with 1,200 pounds in the back end to jack up or unload by the side of the road and appear to be a man building a pillbox with dirt bags along the side of the road, so the police would come and a swat team would take me out and Jackie would be stuck with coming to pick up the dirt.
     But next year she would  have strawberries.
     And the kicker?  I only used 10 bags of the composted peat and five bags of topsoil.  The rest is now stacked in the garage.
     Almost enough for another planter.
     Hmmmmmmm........cantaloupe anyone?