is this my future?

I got a little confused yesterday

     Ok, I got lost.  Flat out lost. I did not know where I was.  I was lost.
     We went to Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee to watch Camryn's string group perform.
     I have not been to Spring Hill Mall in ages.  I know it is on 72, so Jackie and I set off down 72 to hear the concert.
     I know we go through Gilberts, and there is a railroad track and a restaurant that sells pretty good chicken, if I remember.
     As we motored down 72, we hit 47.  Now there is a lot of new development, and the road is being widened and repaved.  I went straight, expecting to be at the mall in a matter of minutes.
     But nothing looked right.
     We went through a town, and it wasn't Gilberts.  No RR crossing , no chicken place.
     We pulled up to a four lane divided highway that was IL 20.
20?  How the hell did I get on 20?
     We got off at Randall Road.  Randall Road?  Where in the Michelin world were we?
     We passed Sherman Hospital, heading north on Randall Road because we knew 72 had to be up there somewhere.
     Meanwhile Jackie tried to get the map on my phone.  I thought of pulling over, but we were now late and I figured keep driving until I hit 72, which I eventually did.  And I turned west.
     Mistake, she found the mall on the map and I had to make a U-turn.
     We eventually got there, only about 10 minutes late.
     It was a very good performance...the kids learn the music and play by memory.  Very impressive.
     As we left, I pulled out onto the road that was not 72 and attempted to drive home.
     Ten minutes later, we were back in front of the mall.
     Funny, we made a loop somehow but I don't remember turning.  We did find 72 and we did make it home.
     My mistake came at 47.  72 jogs north about a half mile then goes east.  At 47 and 72, 20 joins the mix and goes south east from that intersection.
     I figure with all the construction the signs had to be down, otherwise I would not have missed the turn.
     At least that is my story.
     In the future, I am going to start sewing my name and phone number in my shirts.  If my mind keeps going this way, I may head for the zoo one day and end up in Memphis.

holy crow, Batman

My eyes were just opened, wide!

     Both our Christmas trees are up.  (Note:  they are not holiday trees.  they are Christmas trees.  And we listen to Christmas carols.  Like Grandma got run Over by a Reindeer.)
     John, Emily, Camryn and I went to the Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County tree lot just off Daysville Road, near where the Sinnissippi operation is.  That is open again this year, but I don't believe they have any cut your own trees.  Last year they told us the trees were too small for harvest, so they brought trees in from Wisconsin.
     The Prairie group bought part of Sinnissippi Forest and has been selling the trees.  Last year we got a nice Scotch pine there.....but Scotch pines are not big sellers, so that area has been cleared.  We got a balsam, like a Fraser or something.  I love the smell of the tree...very balsamy.
     When we got home it was put up and decorated.
     Emily took pictures and posted them on Facebook.
     One is a side view of me....and it has made me realize how terrible I look.  Bethy kept saying it, but now I have seen it.
     It ain't pretty folks.  I look like I am carrying a sack of flour under my shirt!
     I think it's a good thing, because I think it will motivate me to cut down, cut back, and exercise.
     Hopefully, Emily will read this and print  a copy of the picture that I can have for motivation.
     I only see myself from the front....and that never looks too bad.
    Now I know.

do I panic now, or later?

I got my brochure about my upcoming trip

     Many of you don't know this, so I am not sure how much to say.
     Jackie gave me an early Christmas and birthday present.  I am going to a foreign land, a communist country, located about 90 miles off the Florida coast.
     My trip is in the spring, but I am already pretty excited.
     It is a tour, with a group.  My friend Dan is joining me on this adventure.
     I got a brochure this week outlining tips, tricks, what to pack, what to expect.
     I should not expect Internet service.  Or cell phone service.  This will make it hard, not impossible, to do my blog and post pictures.  I hope the hotels we are staying at will have service, or at least an Internet cafe.  But I am not positive.
     I should pack toilet paper.  Yes, toilet paper.  Although the hotels usually have tp in the rooms, public restrooms, those in restaurants, and anywhere else where nature calls may not.
     And since the sewer system is pretty antiquated, tp is not flushed.  It is tossed in a garbage can.
     It was suggested to bring hand sanitizer, as most public rest rooms do not have running water.
     I am guessing that after tossing my tp into the trash, I will need about a gallon of sanitizer.
     I already have plans to carry a back pack that has:  tp, a toilet seat liner, hand sanitizer, disposable gloves, a hazmat suit, 2 gallons of sanitizer, 26 bottles of water and a small generator.
     I just hope I can carry it all.

i think I have feathers

I have eaten a lot of turkey

     We cooked the bird on Wednesday.  So I carved Wednesday night.
     You know what it is like to carve a turkey?  Lots of little scraps to "dispose" of, not to mention all that delightfully sinful skin.  So I munched a little.  And a little more.
     Of course Thursday there was more turkey, this time with gravy and taters and ..... well, a whole bunch of tasty stuff.
     During the Bears overpowering domination of the Packers, I had to have a little thigh to nibble on. (A turkey's, not Jackie's you dirty minded people!)
     Which left a wing for lunch today.  Yes, I had turkey for lunch.  I did not feel well enough to go to the zoo, so I called in sick and spent from 7 am. to 9:30 asleep in the chair.  Then from 1-4 I did a semi sleep on the downstairs couch.  I watched Casablanca and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  I am still really tired and achy.
     Friday is usually pizza night, but tonight Jackie and I had.....turkey! complete will all the leftover trimmings.
     I am almost ready for bed.  I do hear a drumstick calling.  I love munching on one of those late at night, usually while watching tv.
     Tomorrow, we get rid of the turkey.  I will put packets in zip lock storage bags and freeze them, opening them as needed for the next three weeks until we have turkey again.
     I swear I am developing feathers instead of hair.
     If I have a waddle tomorrow, I will start to worry.
     Wait a minute, I have a waddle already!
     Sigh....must be too much turkey and pie.

what a day

This was a pretty good day

    How many times do I get to eat turkey and watch the Bears win!! (Cue Bears song:  Bare down....etc)
     Wait a minute....this is my first!! (Cue Madonna's Like a Virgin)
     What an exciting game...coming down to the last play!  Missed calls on both sides of the ball, but hat is life in the NFL.
     And watching Brett have his number retired was a pretty cool thing to see.  I am glad they showed it.
     I did watch the Macy's parade.  As I sat there I recalled last year saying I was going to this year's parade.  Well, I didn't.
     Watching it on tv is a little frustrating.  It seemed like a big commercial for upcoming network shows.  And I loved Al Roker saying here comes this fantastic band and then he  talks to two stars of an upcoming sitcom so we never get to see or hear the band.
     At least we got to see the U of I band....boy, did they look and sound great.
     And who can not get a little excited when Santa comes down the street....I always feel 10 years old again. (Cue:  Santa Clause is Coming to Town)
     Usually I watch "Miracle on 34th Street" instead of football, But usually the Bears are not playing, so Miracle will have to wait a couple of days.
     Dinner was great....Amy and Amy and Caleb and Canyon and Danielle and Emily and John and Camryn and Judy and me .  It was a pretty good time and pretty good food.
     The massive downpours throughout the day did not put a damper on our lives.  (Cue: Raindrops are Falling on My Head)  Well, maybe a little.  I had the patio door open because I dropped a roll in the oven and it turned black and started to smoke so I opened the patio door.  And forgot to close it.  Things got a little wet, but at least the smoke alarms didn't go off.  (cue: Smoke on the Water?)
     All in all, a pretty good day.
     I'm even feeling happy!!  (Cue Happy Days are Here Again)
     So goodnight Irene, good night.  (Cue:  snores)

what to do....

I think I have a bit of a block

     I do two columns a month for the Rochelle News Leader.  I have a column due for this Sunday.  It has to be done before I go to the zoo on Friday.
     I have the column written, but I have a problem.
     It's pretty negative.  Depressing.  Frustrating.
     I meant every word I wrote, yet I find myself hesitating to send it.
     Usually I am pretty light hearted in the column.  I talk about local issues, hopefully creating some new thoughts in people.
     I start the column on Monday or Tuesday, let it stew for 24 hours, then look at it again.  That's when I make final edits or changes.  Then I let it sit until late Thursday night or early Friday morning.
     I did this one Monday night..... and the news was not good on Monday.  Or Tuesday.   Or last week.
     That affected my approach to the column.  And it shows.
     Anyway, what do you think?  Turn in a column that is negative and has anger, but expresses my feelings on some issues; or do a new column during the Bears Packers game tomorrow night?
     Of  course, by then I will probably be angry and frustrated again, but for a different reason.
     Have a Happy Thanksgiving..... one of my thanks is for the people actually read this stuff!  Thanks for your likes over the past two years.  Have a blessed holiday.

it's almost Thanksgiving

Two days until Turkey

     I know.  Thanksgiving is more than just about food. But food is such a big part of the day.... turkey, pie, sweet potatoes, whipped potatoes and gravy.....my mouth is already watering.
    We have an eclectic group coming...and I have prepared a fitting toast.  Hopefully, they will let me give it.
     And football.  Thanksgiving is football.  Too bad the Bears are playing so late.  I will probably be in a food coma by the time the game starts, but that's a chance I'll have to take.  After all, there will be other games to watch during the day, right?
     Just a couple of pictures to share.  Nothing special.
.

     The other day the ice was stuck to our back window.  Was hoping to get the sun setting behind, but I think I missed that boat.

     Corki and I took our walk....this is what the moon looked like as it was rising tonight.

     Here is a trivia question:  How old is this container?  And Jackie says I save everything......

what a week

I am losing faith in humanity

     Too much negativity in the news this week.
     I am bothered by the shooting of the young man in Chicago.  He was shot 16 times by an officer who felt threatened by him.  16 times.  That to me is outrageous, and the fact the officer was put on desk duty is a slap in the face to justice.  File charges, take it to court, let all the evidence out and let the chips fall where they may.
     And terror warnings for people flying....I'll never sleep until Julia gets home.
     Break ins...shootings....there isn't enough wine in the world to ease my mind tonight.

pardon my rant

I don't understand this Thanksgiving work thing

     I see a lot of posts about boycotting certain merchants because they are open Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving should be a day to spend with family, not have to work, say these people.
     Really??
     What if people didn't work on Thanksgiving?
     Think of it!
     NO FOOTBALL!!
     The NFL would have to shut down on this day so players can spend time with their wives, girlfriends and in some cases, both.  They would have to spend time with their children.  Imagine the 6 year old who wants to toss the ball around with dad but instead gets drilled by a 6'2" 320 pound lineman who doesn't know how to play nicely with a football.
     And there would not be any officials to boo, berate, yell death threats at and in some cases refer to as not very smart offspring of a human and a female dog.  Imagine how thankful these guys are after blowing a holding call that allows an 87 yard touchdown run for the opponents in the last 32 seconds of the game, resulting in a loss for your team.  Think people in the stands are giving thanks to them for their service?
     And the lost revenues in beer sales from NFL games.  I think beers are about $1,643 at a game now, plus your first born.  How would those vendors survive not working on the biggest non Super Bowl football day of the year?
    Yet there are no calls for fans to boycott watching or attending football games.  Because if there was no football, we would all have to sit around and talk to each other.
     We'd have to hear about the old days from Aunt Gert and Uncle Ernie as they talk about what life was like in 1970 when they had to live in a world without cell phones, computers, GPS systems and cable television.  They might even tell us about MAPS and how they used them to get places.
     And Old Gertie and Ernie would be lost when kids text each other saying things like:  "LOL, luk @ thos pants"   Or "OMG s at a b?  Or ""Ouch. nvm"
     It would be disaster.
     So football players and all the staff that go with the games have to work.
     All those people deep frying turkeys means fire departments have to work, otherwise the houses that catch fire from the exploding turkeys would not have firemen to put out the flames.  And EMTs have to be there to take people to hospitals for all the grease burns.
     Hospitals?  All those people who overeat and get gas then think they are having the big one would have no place to go, nor would the people truly having the big one or the ones who cut their fingers off while cutting the turkey.
      This Thanksgiving I will hold up my annual Terry Tradition of overeating, watching football, doing endless amounts of dishes and eventually collapsing in a semi coma, hopefully with an empty  wine glass in my hand.
    It's worked for years.
   But one thing I won't be doing is shopping.
   After all, I have a computer, and I know how to use it.
   Sort of.

a wise misuse of time

I cleaned house today

     I was cleaning the little bathroom and had to go into the pantry for something.  I thought, "Geez....these candles should all go in the little bathroom. "
     So I took all the candles out of the pantry and put them in the little bathroom.  We are out of room in the pantry.
     One shelf seems to be wax paper and plastic wrap, another has dog stuff, including 8 cans of beans because she likes beans and it is less fattening than regular food.
     I swear, that dog eats constantly!  She was outside before the snow, grazing on the bird seed that hit the ground!  She even found some pieces of my suet cakes that the wind and rain had knocked to the ground and ate them! Fat and birdseed!  I may have already told that story.
     So I emptied all of the candles from the pantry and put them into the little bathroom.  We have over 250 tea light candles.  I don't know when we have ever used one in this house.  Two of the boxes are not even opened.
     As I moved the last candle, I thought there were an awful lot of light bulbs taking up space and we have another linen closet with lots of space.
     So I moved the light bulbs.  We have a lot of light bulbs.   We will never use all the light bulbs we have.
     Of course, I had to rearrange some things in the closet to fit the light bulbs.
     So after about half an hour of moving candles, moving light bulbs, rearranging linen closets and who knows what else..... I realized I still hadn't cleaned the bathroom.
     That is how it is with me.  I start something, get distracted, and before you know it, I have several projects underway.
     The good thing about being like that is I can finish a lot of projects in a short time, because I always have some unfinished ones looking for an end.
     It's now about 12:20 a.m.......... I sat down to do this at about 10:30.
     But I got distracted.
     Hopefully I can make it to bed without a problem.
    By the way...it is Julia's birthday today...Nov. 22.  I miss her.  Jackie and I both wish her a happy birthday and we can't wait for Dec. 13.
     That will be a nice anniversary present for mom and dad.
     Knowing me, I have the wrong date....but that means sifting through the papers to find the flight info and who knows where that will lead.

ready for the s--- to hit

That is snow, for those of you wondering

     I spent the last two days getting ready for the storm of the century!
     The deck furniture is all put away.  So is the lounge from the porch, the grill, the umbrella and the herb garden.
     All that is left are two aluminum chairs and the bench on the porch.  The bench has been out for two years, so I don't think another year will hurt it.
     I got the carrots left in the garden and the strawberries covered in straw.
     I spread the deer repellent around the flowers.  Oh yes, deer repellent.  That is the fox urine skunk extract that I bought.  Corki seems to like it...... a lot!  She goes out and immediately sniffs around the extract.  She is not eating it, just sniffing.
     The eating she saves for the back yard.  Is it bad for a dog to eat bird seed?  She snorts around the bird feeders, licking the grass and getting the seed.  She even found bits of the suet cakes that were on the ground and ate those!
     I know she's hungry....but she is also overweight.  We have her on a diet dog food mixed with regular dog food and we add green beans and carrots to it, but she still woofs (pun intended) it down, burps, and jumps up and down to go out to graze in the grass.
     We'll see how the grazing goes tomorrow with a few inches of snow on the ground.
     Opps. .... a digression.  Sorry.
     Hoses are put away, the cart and aerator and roller are away, all is in the garage, safe from the ravages of winter.
     My snowshoes are ready, I even have poles to use this year.  I found my boots.... all is ready for the first blast of winter.
     I say, bring it on Mother Nature!  I am ready.
     I keep using that word ready....hoping to fool myself.

what time is it?????

I was late for a date today

     No surprise to anyone, I am sure.
     I had just gotten in the shower when Jackie called in, "Don't forget you have to be at the museum at 11 today."
     It was 10:40.
     I have never showered, shaved, combed my hair, dried off and gotten dressed as fast as I did this morning.  I did remember deodorant, thank heavens.  And my zipper was up.  I checked.
     I got there at 3 minutes past the hour.  And it's a 10 minute drive.  I think I may have broken some space time continuum, but I got there in time to lead second graders on a tour of the museum's basement.
     Today is recycling day.  I know they come late, so I waited until after the museum to take it out.
     I have a yellow garden car that is great for hauling the containers.  I separate my paper from all the other stuff, mainly because the paper sits flat and I use less space in the cans.
     I also had some boxes.
     I stacked the two recycling tubs and shoved the cardboard in the front of the cart.
     Yes, it was heavier in the back than the front.
     Yes, it was windy.
     Yes, the tubs were a little over the edge on the back.
     Yes, they did fall over in the driveway as soon as I went out of the garage.
     There was shit flying everywhere!
    Cans, beer bottles (thanks Beth and Mike for giving the neighbors a bad impression) wine bottles (ok Sheri, I only blamed you for one of the two) A Baileys bottle (Jackie likes Baileys.  I buy her one every Christmas and then  I drink it throughout the year.  When she wants some, I have to go buy more.  Gotta keep it fresh!), soup cans, cottage cheese containers, papers.....my yard looked like a dump.
     And so did my neighbors, cause the wind was blowing that direction.
     It actually blew beer bottles down the driveway!  While I was picking up paper, two bottles rolled past me.
     Another bottle (Baileys) shattered in the driveway and I had to clean that up with a broom.
     It was a mess.
     Of course, I was not dressed for spending time outside and I could not go in to get a warmer coat because stuff was blowing everywhere.
     I finally got it all collected and put back into a can.  Then I put the cans in the front of the cart and put the cardboard in the back, creating stability for both.
     I did get a good workout.  And all the stuff got picked up.
     This is not the first time this has happened to me...once I had to chase down paper four houses away!
     There should be a rule about recycling day being calm and not windy.
     Think I'll suggest that to someone.  If I tell a presidential candidate, maybe it will happen!

northern football can be fun

I went to my first NIU football game tonight

    For this season, I mean.
    It was a great time...tailgating with Darci, Dave and Dawn is always a blast.  Thanks for the hospitality and the great seats.
     In my younger years I went to a lot of games.
     One year I took Jackie to homecoming.  We even went to see The Lettermen in concert at the student center.  Jackie had her hair in a bee hive and was about 7 feet tall.  I had pimples.
    That was the same year NIU beat their first MAC school, I believe it was Bowling Green.
I remember the day was rainy and cold and the girls stayed in their dorm room while the guys went to the game.
     I always liked football.
     In high school I never missed a game.
     And we always went to the city championship down at Soldiers Field.  It was the public league  against the Catholic League and the Catholic League schools always won.
     One year, maybe when I was a freshman,  we were sitting behind some obnoxious girls rooting for the Catholic league.  We were rooting for the public league and they were being creamed.  The girls kept taunting us and making fun of the public league team.  Well, one thing led to another and one of the girls fell backward and ended up in my lap.
     Her name was Camille, and it was love at first sit.
     We accompanied her and her girlfriend home.  They rode the west line, getting off at Lake Street.
It was not a good neighborhood.
     At one point a large group of guys (ok, maybe 3) were coming towards us and another group was coming from behind.  Camille said not to worry and knew the guys, so I think we were safe.  Either that, or she said cross the street and run like hell, everyone for themselves.
    I took Camille to see Taurus Bulba, the movie, at a downtown theater.  It was the only date I ever had where a parent came with.  In this case, my mother.  She sat several rows away from us as we watched the Mongol hoard gallop across Asia in Technicolor and Vistavision.
     I had three dates with her, and I never forgot her.
     A few years ago John the cop said, "Hey do you remember a girl named Camille?"
     I said I did, even her last name.
     He had run into her and in their talk, came upon our brief but intense platonic love affair.
     Funny thing, she remembered me too.
     Now John will undoubtedly correct my memory, which seems to vary in accuracy..... but in my mind, she was my girl and she was absolutely crazy about me and had never gotten over me, so she became a nun.
     That's my story, and I am sticking to it.

what am I missing

There are a lot ot TV shows  on air

     Usually Jackie and I watch pretty much the standard fare.
     HGTV, Big Bang, Modern Family, the usual suspects on the big C channels.  (ABC, NBC, ABC, just to clarify.)
     But there is a world of tv out there I have not yet explored.
     We recently started watching Brooklyn 99....and I think it is a funny show.
     We also started watching Grandfathered and Grinder.  I didn't think I would like them after the first episode, but now I do.  Kind of grew on me.
     I think I am going to start watching Fargo.....and you may sense a trend here.  Comedies.  Funny stuff.  Stuff that makes me laugh, even if it is infantile humor.  (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia).
     I know Tina Fey has directed a comedy someplace, but I don't remember the name or channel.  Yes, I could Google it, but that would involve planning ahead.
     I have some ideas for a comedies.
     A series based on a fast foot cook who can't get the orders right and the wrong orders change the people's lives forever.  Example, a guy gets fries instead of onion rings and gets so mad he has a heart attack.  Wait a minute, that's not funny.
     Ok, a baseball player who is a role player...pinch hits, fills in, not an everyday player.  He details the season through his eyes, making fun of the multimillion dollar players.  He has a wife who is a nymphomaniac.  It sounds funny in my head.
     Actually, I met a nymphomaniac once.  I was working in a hospital as a pharmacy technician.  I had to deliver meds to the psych unit.  A young, very young, girl saw me in the nurses station and said I was handsome, sexy, and she wanted to be my friend.  She wanted me to come with her.  The nurses were just sitting there, not moving.  I finally distracted the girl and made my way to the elevator, making a fast as possible escape.  The next night they all had a good laugh, telling me they were not going to help me out of that one.
     To be honest, I was kind of a bad employee.... which would make a good comedy.  I might be able to tell some of those stories because I think the statute of limitations has run its course.
     By the way, spell checker says all the words are spelled correctly in this...... I don't believe it.

I sense a drought

I can't think of anything to say

     This is post 668 since Jan. 1, 2014.  I have tried to write everyday, but sometimes I just can't.
     The basic reason is:  I have nothing to say.
     That's right.  Me.  Nothing to say.
     Hard to believe.
     I may be written out.
     I don't have any funny stories that have not been told.
     I don't have any exciting experiences to share.
     I have become vanilla.  And not Vanilla Ice.  Just plain vanilla.
     Sigh......knew it had to come to this.
     Peace to all.

life in a small town

There are disadvantages to living in a small town

     In a big city, you could fall dead in a restaurant and nobody would notice your until there is a shift change.  People don't care.  They walk past you and don't acknowledge your existence.
     Go into a store, they probably won't greet you by name, or engage in friendly banter.
     Your mechanic may not care if he fixed your car or charges you the right amount.
     True story.  I took our cars to Al King Automotive.  Al was a super nice guy and his wife Mary is a nut in the best possible way.
     I got the bill for the oil change and it was something like $120.  I said to Mary, that's a lot and he must have found another problem to fix.
     About 10 o clock that night my phone rings.  Mary asks, "How much was your oil change?'  I told her.  She said "Go get the receipt and look at it."  I did.  Somehow, a charge for 9.00 got misaligned, and it came out 90.0.....a misplaced decimal!  She had mentioned the bill to Al, and Al said it should have bee $20 or so.
     We laughed about it forever.  I still took my car there, and I checked the bills.
     In a big city, they wouldn't give a rat's butt enough to call me or figure out why my bill was so high.
     People talk to each other  here.  They know you, the teams you like, and sometimes even what you had for breakfast that morning.
    It can be a blessing.
     And it can be a curse.  When someone dies, it hurts.  It hurts because you had the person in school.  Or you know the parents.  Or you've acted on stage with them or a family member.   It hurts, because someone is gone too soon.  Far too soon.
    We've been in Rochelle for over 40 years.  We've met a lot of great people.  And we've gone to too many funerals for people who left us too early.
    In a big city, that wouldn't matter.  The person would just be a name on the news or in the paper.     But in a small town, that name is a person.
    We've all felt that hurt.
    It's a price you pay for caring.
    Peace to all of you reading this.  Hug your kids when you see them next.  Hug your spouse when you wake up tomorrow.
     That's all I have to say about it.

Nothing funny in my mind tonight

     I am saddened and sickened by what happened in Paris.
     I love Paris.  And I love France.  I have always found the people there to be warm hearted and generous.  Great people.
     To have this inflicted on them is impossible for me to understand.
     I don't understand how someone can hate so much they are willing to fly planes into buildings or strap bombs on their bodies or kill innocent people by blowing up courthouses in Oklahoma.
     There will be speculation about the people who did this, a terrorist group that is linked to some group in the mid East.  Muslims will be blamed, as early speculations are this was an attack by ISIS.
     I have already read backlash on FB, directed at the Muslim community.
     The majority of people in this world, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or whatever religion you want to name, just want to live lives in peace.  They don't want to kill innocent people.  They want their children to grow up in a world of love.
     There are fanatics, yes.  But I think sometimes we lose the ability to sort the bad guys from the good guys in this increasingly violent world.
     I wish there was an answer.
     And I am selfish.  I don't want to live in a world where we are afraid to go to a ball game, or concert, or restaurant for fear of being blown apart by a hate group.
     I don't want to live in a world where flying an airplane becomes dangerous because they are soft targets.
     And while I am not by nature a person who likes violence, the people behind this act need to be found and destroyed.
    In the meantime, I grieve for the people of France and the victims and their families.
     And I pray for all of us, that we may be safe in this world of ours.

oops......me bad

We had pork chop dinners tonight

     I went to the firemaen's hall and bought them for all four of us.  This is a fund raising event for the CAN Christmas shopping night.  The organization takes needy youngsters shopping and every child who goes gets a gift card.
     The kids also get a list from parents on what they need, along with the sizes.  I have shoppped with youngsters who stocked up on underwear, pants, socks and sometimes shoes.
     They can also get a toy on the list....but truthfully, there often isn't enough to cover the clothing purchases and a toy, so I have been known to have them pick out a toy under a certain price and add it to their cart.  I know Jackie and I are not the only ones to do this.
     The chops were good.  I went to the right spot, on the right night.
     Usually I have to wait in line when I get there.  So tonight I allowed 45 minutes for the round trip and wait tiem.
     No one was there.  Just the crew and me.
     So I got home 20 minutes faster than expected.
     Since we were eating at 5:30 and it was only 5:10, Jackie suggested I set them in the oven to keep them warm.
     I went one step further....I put the oven on warm.
     I did not think about the potato salad.  It was a little warm, but we ate it and so far, no one has gotten the runs.
     I also didn't think about the styrofoam containers.
     Two of them melted.
     Not completely, but one enough to collapse the sides.  I took that dinner.
     Another melted through part of the bottom, but not where there was any food.
     Lessons learned:  Go the right night, don't turn the oven on to heat styrofoam container.
     I'll know better next year.

glad it wasn't a repeat

Tonight's weather freaked a lot of people out

     Jackie and Corki went into the basement.  Not a small feat for Jackie.  Getting down the stairs is not as bad as getting back up.
     Meanwhile, I was driving down Fowler Road in a downpour.  The rain was coming down so hard and fast, I could not find the road.  I ended up driving off the edge on the wrong side of the road.  I was approaching the railroad tracks and was truly worried I would get hit by a train I could not see.
     I was afraid to stop because I did not know if I was in the eastbound or westbound lane, so I crawled over the tracks and went into the Bearrow's auction yard and waited.
     Meanwhile, Emily and Jackie were concerned about the dogs.  John was on his way home, so I stopped in to be sure they were ok.
     You may remember, Pearl, Cooper and Bennett survived the tornado.
     They have not forgotten it.
     Amidst the lightning, thunder and pouring rain, Cooper was crouched in the back corner of his crate, tail between his legs.  Pearl was whimpering.  Bennett was, well, he was Bennett.
     I let them out of their crates and both Great Danes went into the hallway outside Cam's room and laid down on the floor.  Pearl stuck near me.
     I had to go pee, so I went into the hall bathroom but did not close the door.  Next thing I knew, Cooper was standing right next to me, uncomfortably close for a man-dog relationship.  I had no idea what his intent was, but I could see it ending badly no matter what he decided to do.
     I told him to leave, but he just looked at me....sad and maybe a little confused.  I finished while he watched...which was totally strange.
     Eventually the lightning quieted down and they came out of the hallway.  John came home and I wandered home.
     I know the warnings and watches were a concern for a lot of people.  I suspect there were flashbacks to April 9, and a little anxiety tossed in for good measure.
     Weather is fickle.  The best we can do is be prepared and aware.  Have a plan.
     And thank our lucky stars it was only thunder and lightning and wind.
     Speaking of which, my grill was almost off the deck.  It is not light.  The wheels were locked.
     The Weber was hanging over the first step.  I had to work hard to get it back onto the patio.
     It moved about 3 feet......which would take a pretty stiff breeze to do.

what a sweet little girl

I can't believe I talk like this to a dog

     If I had praised my kids half as much as I praise the dog for not peeing in the house, I would have been the world's greatest dad instead of just grumpy dad.
     We wake up in the morning and greet Corki with a sing song Hey, how are you?  Did you have a good night?  Are you hungry?  Do you need to go potty?
     Then we look at each other and grunt hello.
     What is it about a dog?
     This mutt has been here about a month, and our lives have changed.
     First off, I am a little poorer for putting in the invisible fence, which she from time to time leaps over or just runs through.   The little white flags are still up, but I do remove some every other day so that eventually I can mow the yard.  Last week she leaped through the air and took off west, toward Skare Road and the park.  Luckily she found a gopher hole and got to sniffing it and I was able to grab her.  I was really afraid she would keep going and we would never see her again.  Jackie would never forgive me.
     There is hair all over the place.  Under the couch.  Under the chair.  Under the table.  On my sweatshirt.  I dust the floors and two minutes later there are little bitty hairs all over the place.
     She is stubborn.  For a small dog, she can be strong.  If she does not want to come along when I walk her on the leash, I practically have to yank her head off to move her.  She won't come in until she is ready to come in.  Usually that means she looks at me, takes about 10 steps, sniffs the air, then comes in because she has come on her terms, not mine.
     The first week she went right into her crate.  Now she just lays on the floor and looks at me.  I try to bribe her with a treat, but it no longer works.  As long as I am near the crate she won't even go for the treat.  Now I have to move four steps away and quickly close the door when she goes in for the treat.
     She is training me.
     Jackie complains about her dog odor.....I don't have the heart to tell her she rolled in something when we walked yesterday.
     We were told she was an outside dog when we adopted her.  And she does love being outside.  But today I went out with her, took her for a walk, set her down in the back yard and did some errands.
      She must have been out there about 10 minutes by herself and I swear, when I went back out she acted relieved.  It was as if she was afraid we put her out and were abandoning her.
     As I sat on the deck enjoying my tea, she kept nudging my hand, as if saying, "thank heavens you came back."
     I wish I could read her mind.  I would love to know what her life was like before coming to us.
     And one other change:  We walk about a mile a day.  I've lost 5 pounds.

away we go

I got an early Christmas present

     I have been talking about seeing Cuba for as long as I can remember.  I may not have voiced it out loud, but I have always wanted to see the island .
     I will be doing that in March.
     I have booked a tour though Roads Scholar.  This is a group tour, maximum 24 people, who are all about my age.
     My friend Dan will be going too.  Someone has to keep me in line!
     Roads Scholar has a variety of tour options.  We are taking the Cuba:  Havana and Countryside.  We   stay in Havana 5 nights and out in the country 2 nights.  We get to meet Cuban people, tour Hemingway's farm, smoke Cuban cigars and explore a country that is stuck in the 1950s, or earlier.
I have been telling Jackie that I would love to go to Cuba.  I looked on line at various tours, and realized they are expensive.
     So she said consider a tour my Christmas present.
     Now we don't spend that much money on each other, but this might be a two year gift!  Or even 3 years.....but we'll cross that bridge when I am 70.
     We fly to Miami (Yes, I know my arms will get tired) and stay overnight in Miami, then take a chartered flight from Miami to Havana.
     I think it will be a pretty cool trip.
     There are some spaces still available....book now and join us on our Cuban adventure!!
     Now all I have to do is learn some common Spanish phrases for:  Where's the bathroom?  My pants are on fire!  No, I'm not interested in a hooker.  Where can I buy American cigars?
     I better start practicing.

I survived

I am back at home tonight


     I have a headache.  My stomach feels queasy....I hope I am not getting sick.
     My butt, leg and shoulder hurt from hitting the floor at Emily's.
     My hands and lips are as dry as a bone.
     I have a million little things to take care of this week....like getting Rotary calendars delivered, making phone calls, answering e mails,  sending e mails.  I don't seem to get the little things done, so this is the week I am concentrating on the smaller details in life.
     And my nipples itch.  Dry skin?  Or some strange illness that is hitting my man-boobs?
     Time will tell.
     The dog is snoring...that is something I never expected to say in my lifetime.
     Oh, one last little thing.  I have to call for trip insurance tomorrow.
     Seems somebody booked a trip to Cuba for March.
     Details to come........

Not California dreaming...just dreaming

I just had a wild night

     Not the kind I would suggest for anyone, but a wild one none the less.
     This was night two at the kids' house.
     All the dogs were in their beds, the door was closed so the cat would not cuddle in the middle of the night.
     I swear a car pulled in the driveway.  The bathroom lit up with a wash of headlights.  I got up and looked out the windows.  No car, but all the motion lights were on, but there was not a thing to be found out of place.
     I went back to bed.
     Now I sleep in my sleeping bag.  Doesn't make sense to dirty a set of sheets for one or two nights, so I use my bag.  And I generally open a window because I love the outside air at night.
     It was then I had a weird dream.
     Chicago John and I were getting off a train in a station.  The roads for cars had these lights that turned on when you went past them, your speed determined the colors.  Whtie slow, red too fast.  I wanted to get in our car and drive to see the colors.
     But I went up the escalator.
     When I got to the top I met three one armed girls who were having their pictures taken with people for $1.  Their come on was:  Get your picture taken with three one armed girls.  A once in a lifetime event.
     I had my picture taken and the music started playing.  John was calling me from the lower level, the girls were singing and playing instruments and it got louder and louder and louder until it finally woke me up.
     As I lay in the dark, I could hear the music.....like a radio playing.
     The dogs were not barking, but the music was playing.
     So I decided to get out of bed again, and check out the house.  It was music I heard.
     And that's when I fell out of bed, hitting my head on the plastic storage unit next to the bed, setting off a howling and barking from the dogs and yowling from the cat.......a cacophony, if you will.
     My head hurts.  Even now, several hours afterward, it still hurts.  My right arm is a little sore too.
     This morning there was a bunch of broken glass in the road in front of Em's.  Green glass, brown glass, white glass....all in a pile.  I thought at first it was a broken beer bottle, but the grass was almost pulverized and multi colored.  I swept up as much as I could because I was afraid people could get flat tires.
     I honestly don't know what happened.  I don't know if the events were related.  I don't know where the music came from.  I'll stress again, there was music!
     I used to wonder if a contractor would intentionally leave a radio inside a wall and set the alarm for some weird time.  When the alarm went off, the radio would go on. ..... kind of a diabolical way to drive someone like me insane.
     Or at least put them on the road to insomnia.

like a virgin, all over again

I spent my first night with the dogs in the new house

     The kids are away, so pops is dog sitting.
     It was quite the interesting night.
     The knock on the door at about 11:30 startled me and got Bennett up and barking.  Cooper was out back at the time, taking one last turn around the yard before bed time.
We went to the door, but there was no one there.  The motion light was not on.  No cars appeared on the street.
     Yet it was a distinct knocking.  Three raps.  No Terry, just three raps, so I know it wasn't Sheldon.
     As I was just walking around the house to check doors, I found the snake.
     Now, it isn't/wasn't a big snake and it had definitely been chewed on.  It looks to me like a red belly, a perfectly harmless Illinois native that is often found in woodpiles.  (Note to Emily and John:   It is in a baggie on the garage stairs so you can inspect at your leisure.)
     The kids don't have a lot of furniture...the EF 4 took care of most of their stuff.  (Note to self:  bring a flashlight so if  I hear another big thump next to my bed just after lights out, I don't have to trip over my shoes to find the light switch.)
     And I forgot the rule about closing the door so satanic cat does not come into the room when you are sleeping and attempt to cuddle.  If I had done that, I would not have had the paw whacking me in the chest a little after 7 this morning.  I will close the door next time and leave the cat out.
     I was a little puzzled when one of the greyhounds was inside the fenced off area.  I moved the fence and Pearl walked out as if she had done that before.
     The next trip out had Amelia behind the fence.  When I went to move the fence, she merely leaped over it.  It was truly an amazing jump....she had plenty of clearance.
     Of course I can't figure out the remote....technology is tough for me.  I think I ended up recording Channel 1 for an hour, but it could have been 12...not sure exactly.  Luckily for me I was tired and went to bed instead of watching a lot of tv.
     I did watch a couple of Househunters.  The first one was a woman in Chicago who wanted a traditional brick bungalow that she could redo.  She found one for $349,000 and decided to put a second floor on to create bedroom and bathroom space.  But she completely gutted the first floor...down to the studs.
     My friends John and Kathy have a bungalow ant the charm is in the woodwork and trim and windows throughout the house.  I can't imagine all that character being eliminated.  Midway into the second episode, I started nodding off, so the dogs and I went to bed.
     All in all, it was nice to be back in the house .... even with the ghosts, dead snake and affectionate devil cat.

better late than never

I proved again I am date challenged

     In this case, it wasn't only me.
     On Tuesday at Rotary, the upcoming pork chop dinner was mentioned.  I heard Thursday night.
     On Wednesday we got an e mail about the dinner.  I read Thursday night.
     Called John and Emily, asked if they were interested in pork chops on Thursday night.
     And Thursday night, I drove back into town and over to the fireman's social hall for pork chops.
     It was dark.  And empty.
     I called wifey, who checked the e mail and found that while it is on Thursday night, it is next Thursday, not this week.
     What the hell?!
     I can't learn about something two weeks in advance!  Especially when it involves food.  I thought about those chops all day today, only to come away empty handed.
     And making matters worse, John and Emily thought I was bringing dinner.  When I called at 5:40 and told them the chops were next week, John took it in stride.
     I stopped at Country School for some chicken.  On the way home, Jackie called and asked if I also got chicken for the kids....and I admit I did not think about that.  As I sat gnawing on my chicken breast, I did feel bad that I didn't ask if they also wanted chicken.  Not bad enough to make another trip into town, but bad enough.
     I do know that next Thursday night I am planning on going for pork chop dinners.
     But knowing how I am, I will probably forget.
     That's the way I roll.....sad to say.

tis the season....

I hung some Christmas lights outside today

     I know!  It's too early!!  What was I thinking?
     I was thinking that instead of doing this when it is -20 and blowing like heck, I would take advantage of the beautiful night and hang our garland on the porch.
     (I have named my garland Judy.  Just have.)
    So now it is done.  I won't plug it in or turn it on until after Thanksgiving, but at lase it will be in place.  by the way, it is the plastic stuff, not the real, smells great, stuff.
     Here's where I get mixed up.  Years ago we bought some Judy for our house on Skare Court.  It worked fine for four years, then a strand went out.  So we bought another strand.  But this looked different from the others, and it only had one plug!  There is no way to connect the newer ones in a series.  But we made do.  Then another strand went half out, and we started wrapping white lights around it.
     Last year after Christmas we bought six strands to replace all the other stuff.  Everything would match, we could plug in a series, all was good.
     And it was 50 per cent off, which made it a great deal.
     It would have been great if I had remembered that.
     Instead, I hung up the two kinds of old stuff then I found the new Judys, but I did not want to take all the other stuff down.
     I should have made a note.
     In other news:  harvested carrots.  We froze carrots.  We found out Corki likes raw carrots.  Gave some carrots away.  Have more to freeze.
     And when I rode the bike path Tuesday, I saw a bird in a tree.  I used my cell phone to take a picture.  I could not tell if it was a hawk or an owl....I think it was a hawk.  (Is it me or does my cell phone just take crappy pictures?)
     Imagine my surprise when I looked at the picture tonight and saw two birds.....so, give a look.   What do you see?
     Is it a ghost bird to join ghost dog on nightly haunts of my mind?
     Inquiring minds want to know.

   

 In the middle of the picture, about one inch up....2 birds, or 1?

butt it's new!

I am all for trying new things

     This summer I tried kale chips.  They were pretty good, and healthy.
     I tried buying Wrangler jeans.  They wear well and are a lot cheaper than what I usually buy.
     I tried Hanes underwear.
     Now folks, I wear clothes a long time.  I have been retired from teaching for 7 years and still have the same shirts and pants I wore then.  OK, they are a little tighter, but they still fit.  Well, some of the shirts don't.
     So my boxers get a lot of use.  Generally, when they don't stay up, it's time to get rid of them.,  (That's what the young lady said of her 70 year old lovers too, but that is a digression.)
     I had forgotten how expensive clothes were.
     Finally, the Hanes tag less boxers went on sale and I bought some.
     They fit great.  They stay up and don't sag down to around my knees.
     But I have a new problem.
     The tag tells me where the back is.
     Without a tag, it's a crap shoot.
      And if you happen to be in a hurry in the morning and put on a pair backwards, you can have a pretty lousy day.
      It's not easy to find the slot when your undies are on backward.
      I mean, imagine some poor sap in a hurry to use the urinal and he discovers his boxers are backwards.  No slot in front, where it should be.  So the poor guy has to grope himself and get his hands inside his pants to find the slot, which causes all the other men to move over and look the other way.
      Luckily there are places where you can find a little privacy and turn things around, so to speak.
     However, those are places where you really hate to put your bare feet or bare anything, which makes  it hard to de-trouser and dance around in loosely tied shoes, bouncing off one side of the restroom  stall wall to the other in some kind of macabre dance of the dead.
     Now, I am not saying that happened to me.
     And yes, there is a black spot in the back of the boxers that signifies back.
     I learned that too late.
     Just to be safe, I think I will wait a few months before using the bathroom on the tollway again.
But I will be checking before I leave the house.  I honestly don't know how I didn't catch it the first two or three times.

step by step

Our invisible fence seems to work fine

     Maybe a little too fine.
     Little Corki doesn't venture to far away from the sidewalk when she goes out the front door.  She has learned that getting too close to the white flags means a little zap.
     The fence guy, Paul, did turn up the power a little after our girl just waltzed through the fence line.
     I swear, one time she went through and justlooked over her shoulder, watching me to see how I reacted.  She didn't even flinch.
     As I understand it, there is a high pitch warning when she gets near the fence and then a zap if she doesn't move.
     Now she seems afraid to go near the white flags.
     Which may not be in place for long.  I mowed today, and did not get the hang of getting near the flags without hitting them and shooting little pieces of white plastic all over the yard.
     Paul said to remove one flag a day from each side.  He also suggested I put in yellow tent stakes along the pathway so I know where not to aerate the lawn.  If I aerate the lawn and cut a line, I am out some big bucks.
     So I have bought the stock of tent stakes left in Rochelle.  It's funny, no one asked why I was buying 18 stakes at a time.
     Next up:  buying her a chest harness.
     We go for a morning walk.  It's about eight tenths of a mile, currently.  When we walk in the field, she gets fixated on the gopher holes and will not leave them.  I have to tug hard, and I don't like doing that because I am afraid it will hurt her neck.
     It's almost like an addiction.  When we walk, she knows where they are and pulls like crazy to get to them.  I pull like crazy to keep her away, and she finds a new one!
     When I went to buy a harness, I found out they are sold by chest size.
     How do you measure the chest size of a dog?
     I figure I will take her to Petco and we will try some on next week.
     With all the adoption fees, invisible fence business, toys, leashes, food......I figure were in for about 3 trips to Switerland.
     And she is Jackie's dog.  Or at least is supposed to be.  I can't go anywhere in the house without her following me.  I go to the bathroom, she camps out by the door.  I go outside to mow, she sits and whines.
     The upside is, she's a good looking young girl who is attracted to an old fart like me.  That means...I still have it!!

ohhhh red, I love ya

I have to do my blog early tonight

     Part of it is because the Green Bay/Denver game is on and I want to watch Green Bay whomp on the Broncos.  No special reason.  As a Bear fan, it is hard to root for the Packers, but after watching the Bears today, I think I could even root for the 49'ers, and they stink big time.
     I adjusted my attic fans today.
     Now, for the uninitiated, I hate ladders.  I had to put up a step ladder to move the drywall opening out of the way.  Then I had to put up an extension ladder to actually get in the attic.
     I had my big flashlight and my big screwdriver.  The attic fans have a setting for temperature and humidity.  My fans seem to run a lot at night, and I wanted to make sure the settings were ok.
     I always fear I will misstep and fall through the drywall.
     But checking and resetting the numbers was easy.
     I did drop my screwdriver in the foot of insulation and didn't find it, but that happens.  It's not the first one I have lost up there.
     Cooking dinner was hard, however.
     It was such a great day, I figured we could grill a couple of small steaks. Jackie put together some potatoes, carrots, green peppers and wrapped that in foil.
     I figured cook that about 15 minutes before starting the steaks.
     I started the grill, put on the potatoes and enjoyed a glass of wine on the patio.  After about 15 minutes, I looked and the grill was only at 200 degrees.  I turned all the burners up and put the steaks on.
     And I had another glass of wine,  enjoying the cool evening on the patio.
     The grill dropped to almost zero.
     I don't know why.  So I turned everything off, restarted it and went in the house for something to drink.
     I did get the steaks done.  They were not burned.  And the dinner was actually quite good, especially when accompanied by a fine Swiss red!
     But I tell ya, I am awfully tired.  I can't see real well either.  And I am a little dizzy.
     I don't know if it is the time change or the fourth glass of wine, but I think it will be an early nite.
Go Pack!