I have nothing to say about today
Maybe tomorrow.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Thursday, March 30, 2017
busy doing nothing
Wow, seems like I have been busy but I'm not
Yes, I have done some basic chores around the house, but I didn't really do anything today.
I have a muscle or something aching in my back. I went to the store and almost could not carry the bag of groceries in my right hand. My shoulder
hurts like crazy in the back.
Reaching for something high, like a wine glass, causes pain.
So I spent a lot of time sitting in a chair with a heating pad.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
That's it. Not much to say.
Which is a surprise.
Yes, I have done some basic chores around the house, but I didn't really do anything today.
I have a muscle or something aching in my back. I went to the store and almost could not carry the bag of groceries in my right hand. My shoulder
hurts like crazy in the back.
Reaching for something high, like a wine glass, causes pain.
So I spent a lot of time sitting in a chair with a heating pad.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
That's it. Not much to say.
Which is a surprise.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
too late
Story of my life...missed chances
I actually found a copy of "Mrs. O'Leary's Comet" on line. But by the time I ordered it, someone else had bought it.
There is one other copy listed as used for a little over $20 for a paperback.
But that is too much for me to buy on a lark.
If you did not read last night's post, a man wrote that book hypothesizing that a comet actually caused the Chicago fire as well as the Peshtigo and Manistee fires, which all occurred the same day.
However I did find an old book written by Emily Post, called "By Motor to the Golden Gate." This divorced woman, her daughter, and a companion, drove across the country in 1918.
They got stuck in the mud just east of Rochelle because 38 was not totally paved. After finally getting pulled out of the mud, here's what she said:
I actually found a copy of "Mrs. O'Leary's Comet" on line. But by the time I ordered it, someone else had bought it.
There is one other copy listed as used for a little over $20 for a paperback.
But that is too much for me to buy on a lark.
If you did not read last night's post, a man wrote that book hypothesizing that a comet actually caused the Chicago fire as well as the Peshtigo and Manistee fires, which all occurred the same day.
However I did find an old book written by Emily Post, called "By Motor to the Golden Gate." This divorced woman, her daughter, and a companion, drove across the country in 1918.
They got stuck in the mud just east of Rochelle because 38 was not totally paved. After finally getting pulled out of the mud, here's what she said:
No matter how squalid the town,
or how poor the accommodations, we meant to
cross no more bridges like that last one until the
roads dried! Then we made two turns like a
letter Z and found ourselves in the sweetest,
cleanest, newest little town imaginable. Its
streets were all wide and smoothly paved with
brick, and its houses, mostly white, were set each
in a garden of trim and clipped green. There was
a new post-office of marble magnificence and a
shopping center of big-windowed, fresh-painted,
enterprising stores, but no hotel except a dingy
ramshackle tavern that we took for granted was
the one mentioned in the guide book. We won-
dered if one of the neat, sweet little houses might
perhaps take us to board instead.
That town was Rochelle.
And she did eventually find a clean comfortable hotel....the Collier, now long gone.
Life is funny, isn't it.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
shame we never met
I was sad to read that Melvin Waskin died
To be brutally honest, until I read his obituary I had never heard of the man.
Back in 1985 he published a book called "Mrs. O'Leary's Comet."
No, not like Comet of Cupid and Dancer fame, but comet as in here comes a giant ball of hell fire that could wipe out humanity and all living creatures too stupid to adapt if it hits the earth type comet.
When I was teaching, I would always give an extra credit question the weeks before Fire Prevention Week. I would ask, what fire destroyed a city and claimed thousands of lives?
Usually the kids would tell me it was the Chicago Fire.
Then on Oct. 8 I would tell them about the Great Peshtigo Fire.
The Peshtigo fire killed somewhere between 1,500 and 2,500 people. Chicago also burned the same day, but the death toll in Chicago was about 300.
(True story. I was in the Peshtigo Fire Museum when a man came in and looked around. After a few minutes he went up to the volunteer and asked, "Don't you have any more artifacts from the fire?" The clerk paused for a minute and answered, "No we don't, everything burned." I thought it was funny.)
The Chicago fire was blamed on Mrs. O'Leary and her cow, either the cow kicking over a lantern or a drunken relative/friend/neighbor knocking over the lantern in the O'Leary barn. The Peshtigo fire was blamed on railroad crews, who were clearing land for a line. But it was never presented in a conclusive way.
Mr. Waskin spent years reading reports, books, newspapers, eyewitness accounts of both fires and the one in Manistee Michigan the same day!
He discovered a common thread. People reported a roaring noise and a flash of light prior to the fire.
Mr. Waskin said that was the same time the Biela II comet came crashing to Earth.
He felt that was the cause of all three fires.
I can see that. Three fires in one day, all catastrophic in nature. Unless the Russians had conspired...no wait, that is today.
Of course Chicago was a big city and Peshtigo was a small town in the northern part of Wisconsin. Communications being what they were, no one heard about the Peshtigo or Manistee fires for several days. By then all attention was focused on Chicago.
I may have to look for the book. I think it would be an interesting read and maybe someday someone will corroborate his tale.
In any case, reading about the fires is a harrowing experience.
To be brutally honest, until I read his obituary I had never heard of the man.
Back in 1985 he published a book called "Mrs. O'Leary's Comet."
No, not like Comet of Cupid and Dancer fame, but comet as in here comes a giant ball of hell fire that could wipe out humanity and all living creatures too stupid to adapt if it hits the earth type comet.
When I was teaching, I would always give an extra credit question the weeks before Fire Prevention Week. I would ask, what fire destroyed a city and claimed thousands of lives?
Usually the kids would tell me it was the Chicago Fire.
Then on Oct. 8 I would tell them about the Great Peshtigo Fire.
The Peshtigo fire killed somewhere between 1,500 and 2,500 people. Chicago also burned the same day, but the death toll in Chicago was about 300.
(True story. I was in the Peshtigo Fire Museum when a man came in and looked around. After a few minutes he went up to the volunteer and asked, "Don't you have any more artifacts from the fire?" The clerk paused for a minute and answered, "No we don't, everything burned." I thought it was funny.)
The Chicago fire was blamed on Mrs. O'Leary and her cow, either the cow kicking over a lantern or a drunken relative/friend/neighbor knocking over the lantern in the O'Leary barn. The Peshtigo fire was blamed on railroad crews, who were clearing land for a line. But it was never presented in a conclusive way.
Mr. Waskin spent years reading reports, books, newspapers, eyewitness accounts of both fires and the one in Manistee Michigan the same day!
He discovered a common thread. People reported a roaring noise and a flash of light prior to the fire.
Mr. Waskin said that was the same time the Biela II comet came crashing to Earth.
He felt that was the cause of all three fires.
I can see that. Three fires in one day, all catastrophic in nature. Unless the Russians had conspired...no wait, that is today.
Of course Chicago was a big city and Peshtigo was a small town in the northern part of Wisconsin. Communications being what they were, no one heard about the Peshtigo or Manistee fires for several days. By then all attention was focused on Chicago.
I may have to look for the book. I think it would be an interesting read and maybe someday someone will corroborate his tale.
In any case, reading about the fires is a harrowing experience.
Monday, March 27, 2017
abra cadabra
I seem to be a magician, somewhat
I make things disappear.
And I am not just talking about food in front of me, although chocolate, cookies, cupcakes, and any combination of the above are prone to go very quickly if they are within arm's reach.
No, I am just talking about stuff.
I have been scanning some pictures for a history walk.
(Commercial: I am leading a history walk through downtown Rochelle. The walks will be on the "Second Friday" nights, starting at 5:30. The walk will take about 45 minutes if I don't blab too much. There is walking involved, hence the term history walk. At the end of the walk, a donation bucket will be passed around. All donations go to the museum. I don't know what to expect. First walk is May 12.)
I went to print the pictures and half of them are gone. Disappeared. No where.
What's worse, I returned the pictures to the museum, so now I have to go dig out the ones I did scan but can't find.
In July Dan and I are doing a program for the retired teachers on our trip to Cuba last year. I think we are doing a talk for another group, but that information has....wait for it....disappeared!
I am putting together a slide show and wanted to include three specific pictures I know I took.
I can't find them. They are not in the photos section. Pictures from the same place are there, but the specific ones I want are not.
They disappeared.
The receipt for the book I ordered three weeks ago that is being shipped within 3-5 days.....disappeared. The receipt would have told me which Amazon supplier I actually used so I could contact them and say my book has not arrived. Disappeared.
For all I know, the book may have arrived and ..... disappeared.
My Bears hat. Disappeared.
My will to work around the house. Disappeared.
I am thinking of taking my act to Broadway. Not the one in New York, but the one in Rockford. Maybe I could be a street performer who specializes in disappearing acts.
One thing that is not disappearing is my frustration with electronics. That seems to not fade away.
But then again, neither does my waistline.
Gawwww!!
I make things disappear.
And I am not just talking about food in front of me, although chocolate, cookies, cupcakes, and any combination of the above are prone to go very quickly if they are within arm's reach.
No, I am just talking about stuff.
I have been scanning some pictures for a history walk.
(Commercial: I am leading a history walk through downtown Rochelle. The walks will be on the "Second Friday" nights, starting at 5:30. The walk will take about 45 minutes if I don't blab too much. There is walking involved, hence the term history walk. At the end of the walk, a donation bucket will be passed around. All donations go to the museum. I don't know what to expect. First walk is May 12.)
I went to print the pictures and half of them are gone. Disappeared. No where.
What's worse, I returned the pictures to the museum, so now I have to go dig out the ones I did scan but can't find.
In July Dan and I are doing a program for the retired teachers on our trip to Cuba last year. I think we are doing a talk for another group, but that information has....wait for it....disappeared!
I am putting together a slide show and wanted to include three specific pictures I know I took.
I can't find them. They are not in the photos section. Pictures from the same place are there, but the specific ones I want are not.
They disappeared.
The receipt for the book I ordered three weeks ago that is being shipped within 3-5 days.....disappeared. The receipt would have told me which Amazon supplier I actually used so I could contact them and say my book has not arrived. Disappeared.
For all I know, the book may have arrived and ..... disappeared.
My Bears hat. Disappeared.
My will to work around the house. Disappeared.
I am thinking of taking my act to Broadway. Not the one in New York, but the one in Rockford. Maybe I could be a street performer who specializes in disappearing acts.
One thing that is not disappearing is my frustration with electronics. That seems to not fade away.
But then again, neither does my waistline.
Gawwww!!
Sunday, March 26, 2017
best laid plans
I had a taste for a specific meal today
I am food oriented. Something Corki has picked up on and maybe even adopted. She will sit and stare at my plate. If it is empty, she will turn and stare at Jackie's plate. Corki never tries to eat off the plates, she just stares at them.
I cooked Italian beans for supper. Her bowl was full of dog food from this morning. I made a big show of putting a couple of beans in her bowl and she gobbled all the food down within minutes. Yes, the queen is spoiled.
Anyway, we had some roast beef frozen from a previous meal. And we had a half of a jar of beef gravy in the fridge. I do not know how old it was.
I pictured a delicious meal of mashed potatoes, beef gravy, beans, and beef. I woke up tasting it and all day long I could see it, could smell it. Even now, the thought of it makes my mouth water.
At coffee hour at church I had half a doughnut. I had three pieces of cheese, five crackers and a Halo for lunch.
I was saving room for supper, a meal I had been dreaming about since going to bed last night. I was drooling. My stomach was growling. My wine was poured. I was ready.
I opened the gravy and found some white fuzz floating on the top. Not a lot, just a little. And just enough to make me wary of slathering it over my beef and mashed potatoes. Well, to be honest, I was going to use it but Jackie said to throw it out. Four times. I thought I could just spoon out the white fuzz, but she said throw it out. Four times. Just want to emphasize that even after three, I was still tempted.
So I threw it out.
It was too late to drive into town for a jar of gravy, supper was ready and it is wasteful to drive to the store just for that.
My dream meal turned into an ok meal.
But I know I am going to buy a jar of beef gravy to have on hand, just in case.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me for not checking the gravy supple.
I am food oriented. Something Corki has picked up on and maybe even adopted. She will sit and stare at my plate. If it is empty, she will turn and stare at Jackie's plate. Corki never tries to eat off the plates, she just stares at them.
I cooked Italian beans for supper. Her bowl was full of dog food from this morning. I made a big show of putting a couple of beans in her bowl and she gobbled all the food down within minutes. Yes, the queen is spoiled.
Anyway, we had some roast beef frozen from a previous meal. And we had a half of a jar of beef gravy in the fridge. I do not know how old it was.
I pictured a delicious meal of mashed potatoes, beef gravy, beans, and beef. I woke up tasting it and all day long I could see it, could smell it. Even now, the thought of it makes my mouth water.
At coffee hour at church I had half a doughnut. I had three pieces of cheese, five crackers and a Halo for lunch.
I was saving room for supper, a meal I had been dreaming about since going to bed last night. I was drooling. My stomach was growling. My wine was poured. I was ready.
I opened the gravy and found some white fuzz floating on the top. Not a lot, just a little. And just enough to make me wary of slathering it over my beef and mashed potatoes. Well, to be honest, I was going to use it but Jackie said to throw it out. Four times. I thought I could just spoon out the white fuzz, but she said throw it out. Four times. Just want to emphasize that even after three, I was still tempted.
So I threw it out.
It was too late to drive into town for a jar of gravy, supper was ready and it is wasteful to drive to the store just for that.
My dream meal turned into an ok meal.
But I know I am going to buy a jar of beef gravy to have on hand, just in case.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me for not checking the gravy supple.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
how hard is it?
Sometimes I just get baffled
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about our dryer lint trap. In case you don't remember, the part is $27 but the shipping was $30. So I ordered it through an electronics part place in Rockford.
We had things to do in Rockford Friday, so I picked up the part. As soon as the man gave it to me I said, "This does not look right. It's the wrong shape." He said bring the old one in and they will order it, and I can return the wrong one.
Well, I took the wrong one home just to be sure.
Now, I have had this dryer for 4 years. I empty the dryer lint trap at least 3 times a week, so .... quick math.... 3 x 52 is 156 x 4 years is 624 times, at least, I have handled this lint dryer so I damn well know the shape, and this new filter is not the right shape.
Except it was. I just never noticed it before.
Now I wonder what else I have not noticed.
Is my microwave really a camera?
Does my tv actually spy on me?
What color is the basement bathroom?
Are the pictures hanging in my house all crooked, or just some of them?
OMG, I do...my belly is humongous. That I notice.
The lesson for today is: Pay attention.
Life might surprise you. It sure does me.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about our dryer lint trap. In case you don't remember, the part is $27 but the shipping was $30. So I ordered it through an electronics part place in Rockford.
We had things to do in Rockford Friday, so I picked up the part. As soon as the man gave it to me I said, "This does not look right. It's the wrong shape." He said bring the old one in and they will order it, and I can return the wrong one.
Well, I took the wrong one home just to be sure.
Now, I have had this dryer for 4 years. I empty the dryer lint trap at least 3 times a week, so .... quick math.... 3 x 52 is 156 x 4 years is 624 times, at least, I have handled this lint dryer so I damn well know the shape, and this new filter is not the right shape.
Except it was. I just never noticed it before.
Now I wonder what else I have not noticed.
Is my microwave really a camera?
Does my tv actually spy on me?
What color is the basement bathroom?
Are the pictures hanging in my house all crooked, or just some of them?
OMG, I do...my belly is humongous. That I notice.
The lesson for today is: Pay attention.
Life might surprise you. It sure does me.
Friday, March 24, 2017
getting up early
I have to get up tomorrow
Remember, I am retired so I usually get up about 8:45....or 9 .... or 9:30.
But tomorrow I am getting up at 7:45.
Why?
I am on museum duty from 11 to 4.
Wait a minute.....I can sleep later than that if I don't have to be there until 11!! I was thinking it was 10.
Forget what I said.
We have a staff shortage for the next couple of weekends, so board members take turns staffing the place. What it means is I sit at a desk near the front door and read. Or nap. The museum tends to be a quiet place sometimes.
I will be needing the extra time in bed. Just watched the Wisconsin game and thought for sure they would win. They tied it on a floating in the air shooting guard who hit a three pointer. They lost in overtime when a Florida player hit a floating in the air three pointer.
Pretty amazing game.
But I may not be in position to sleep right away...pretty hepped up.
We'll see how that goes.
Remember, I am retired so I usually get up about 8:45....or 9 .... or 9:30.
But tomorrow I am getting up at 7:45.
Why?
I am on museum duty from 11 to 4.
Wait a minute.....I can sleep later than that if I don't have to be there until 11!! I was thinking it was 10.
Forget what I said.
We have a staff shortage for the next couple of weekends, so board members take turns staffing the place. What it means is I sit at a desk near the front door and read. Or nap. The museum tends to be a quiet place sometimes.
I will be needing the extra time in bed. Just watched the Wisconsin game and thought for sure they would win. They tied it on a floating in the air shooting guard who hit a three pointer. They lost in overtime when a Florida player hit a floating in the air three pointer.
Pretty amazing game.
But I may not be in position to sleep right away...pretty hepped up.
We'll see how that goes.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
let it pass
TV is driving my crazy
I watch things and I think, that is really not right.
For instance, in a rerun of Big Bang, Leonard was in the shower with his girlfriend and the shower curtain was on the outside of the tub. If there had been water running, it would be all over the floor.
Did I mention I grew up in an older home in Chicago that had a tub? My pops installed a shower and put up a curtain. No one told me where the shower curtain should be. Well, actually he did tell me when water dripped on his head downstairs.
And as long as I am ragging on BBT, why don't they ever turn off lights? They go into their apartment, lights on. And sometimes they don't even unlock the doors.
Another bug....when people are carrying "coffee" cups. It is always so blatant the cups are empty. Put something in them.
And why when you watch a series does something happen to a main character but the next week all is well? Could be a broken foot or a bullet to the gut. Next episode, they don't limp or even wince when tickled.
Ever notice in pop commercials they almost always drink out of a Coke bottle? How often do you see Coke in bottles?
Remember the driving instructor telling you to keep your eyes on the road? Watching people drive on tv is amazing; they spend more time looking at the person in the seat next to them than the road, yet they never hit anything! I can't even walk and look at a donut (sorry Kim...doughnut) without walking into a light pole.
Every time I bring up one of these vastly important issues, someone reminds me it is only television and I should just sit back, watch and be quiet.
Kind of like in a war movie, when all the shooting suddenly stops so we can hear the last words of the dying soldier. Ok, that's another thing that bugs me.
I'll be quiet now.
I watch things and I think, that is really not right.
For instance, in a rerun of Big Bang, Leonard was in the shower with his girlfriend and the shower curtain was on the outside of the tub. If there had been water running, it would be all over the floor.
Did I mention I grew up in an older home in Chicago that had a tub? My pops installed a shower and put up a curtain. No one told me where the shower curtain should be. Well, actually he did tell me when water dripped on his head downstairs.
And as long as I am ragging on BBT, why don't they ever turn off lights? They go into their apartment, lights on. And sometimes they don't even unlock the doors.
Another bug....when people are carrying "coffee" cups. It is always so blatant the cups are empty. Put something in them.
And why when you watch a series does something happen to a main character but the next week all is well? Could be a broken foot or a bullet to the gut. Next episode, they don't limp or even wince when tickled.
Ever notice in pop commercials they almost always drink out of a Coke bottle? How often do you see Coke in bottles?
Remember the driving instructor telling you to keep your eyes on the road? Watching people drive on tv is amazing; they spend more time looking at the person in the seat next to them than the road, yet they never hit anything! I can't even walk and look at a donut (sorry Kim...doughnut) without walking into a light pole.
Every time I bring up one of these vastly important issues, someone reminds me it is only television and I should just sit back, watch and be quiet.
Kind of like in a war movie, when all the shooting suddenly stops so we can hear the last words of the dying soldier. Ok, that's another thing that bugs me.
I'll be quiet now.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
a little help here???
Sometimes I am just to damn smart
When we put an invisible fence for Corki, I was talking to the guy installing it about what not to do around the fence. For example: No digging. And especially no aerating the yard.
Well, I aerate the yard annually. So I asked for advice.
He suggested I get yellow tent stakes and pound them in the ground, following the trail of the underground fence. When it comes time to aerate, spray paint a line connecting the stakes and then stay at least a foot away from the line.
Great idea.
I bought out yellow tent stakes at Big R. Six stakes to a pack, I bought 6 packs. Then I bought 10 more. When they got more in, I bought another 10.
I pounded stakes in the ground about every 5 feet, and on corners I put stakes on each side of the curved line.
I spent a fortune on yellow tent stakes, but I figured it would be worth it when I go to aerate the yard.
I was out looking around today and of the 156 tent stakes, I found two. One in the front of the house and one in the back.
Where the hell are the rest?
I figure I have three ways to find the wire before I aerate.
Get down on my hands and knees and comb the yard looking for tent stakes and avoiding dog poo and deer pellets.
Or, find someone with a wire locator like the JULIE people use... I wonder if a metal detector would work?
Or, put on the shock collar and walk around the yard until 22,467 volts of electricity shoot through my body, causing me to wet myself while simultaneously curling all my body hair. But I would find the fence.
If anyone would like to volunteer to help, just give me a call.
I figure for the first option I will crack open a bottle of red and make it a picnic.
But if you are a masochist, and want to do the third option, be my guest.
On a separate note, I got a newsletter in the mail today.
Here it is.
When we put an invisible fence for Corki, I was talking to the guy installing it about what not to do around the fence. For example: No digging. And especially no aerating the yard.
Well, I aerate the yard annually. So I asked for advice.
He suggested I get yellow tent stakes and pound them in the ground, following the trail of the underground fence. When it comes time to aerate, spray paint a line connecting the stakes and then stay at least a foot away from the line.
Great idea.
I bought out yellow tent stakes at Big R. Six stakes to a pack, I bought 6 packs. Then I bought 10 more. When they got more in, I bought another 10.
I pounded stakes in the ground about every 5 feet, and on corners I put stakes on each side of the curved line.
I spent a fortune on yellow tent stakes, but I figured it would be worth it when I go to aerate the yard.
I was out looking around today and of the 156 tent stakes, I found two. One in the front of the house and one in the back.
Where the hell are the rest?
I figure I have three ways to find the wire before I aerate.
Get down on my hands and knees and comb the yard looking for tent stakes and avoiding dog poo and deer pellets.
Or, find someone with a wire locator like the JULIE people use... I wonder if a metal detector would work?
Or, put on the shock collar and walk around the yard until 22,467 volts of electricity shoot through my body, causing me to wet myself while simultaneously curling all my body hair. But I would find the fence.
If anyone would like to volunteer to help, just give me a call.
I figure for the first option I will crack open a bottle of red and make it a picnic.
But if you are a masochist, and want to do the third option, be my guest.
On a separate note, I got a newsletter in the mail today.
Here it is.
I thought the little We Care message was especially touching.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
diet? diet? I don't need no stinkin diet
That's it!! I am officially the heaviest I have been
I am a little embarrassed about it. I can't seem to avoid the nibbles at night. Night Nibbles. Sounds like a pornographic rock group.
Truth be told, it isn't easy during the day either.
One problem is going to the zoo. Well, not the zoo, but I found a real bakery on the way home. Well, sort of on the way home.
I usually get a loaf of potato bread. And a coffee cake. And some tea cookies. And maybe some pastries. And maybe a big molasses cookie or oatmeal raisin to munch on while I drink my coffee on the long drive home.
All that munch, munch munch seems to be adding a bunch, bunch, bunch.
I know that walking will help. But three weeks ago I sort of stopped going with Todd...too wet, cold, windy, dry, calm, hot... a million and one excuses.
Over the last few months I have ridden my indoor bike exerciser. Once. For three miles. Then I had some cookies as a reward.
I bought stuff for salads last week. The lettuce looks a little wilted. Maybe I should actually eat it.
I have cut back on french fries....except for tonight when I had a beef/sausage sandwich from Portillo's following Jackie's doctor appointment. And last Friday. And last Wednesday. Damn, I have no will power.
But spring is a time of rebirth. Awakening. A new start.
I just wish I was one of these highly motivated people who can reduce their food intake and increase their exercise routine. Or in my case, start an exercise routine.
I do think summer will help. I can ride my bike, which I really enjoy, and that will be good for me. As long as I don't reward every ride with cookies and a coffee someplace.
So here's to a new start. A new birth. A new hope. And maybe to losing a few pounds.
I am a little embarrassed about it. I can't seem to avoid the nibbles at night. Night Nibbles. Sounds like a pornographic rock group.
Truth be told, it isn't easy during the day either.
One problem is going to the zoo. Well, not the zoo, but I found a real bakery on the way home. Well, sort of on the way home.
I usually get a loaf of potato bread. And a coffee cake. And some tea cookies. And maybe some pastries. And maybe a big molasses cookie or oatmeal raisin to munch on while I drink my coffee on the long drive home.
All that munch, munch munch seems to be adding a bunch, bunch, bunch.
I know that walking will help. But three weeks ago I sort of stopped going with Todd...too wet, cold, windy, dry, calm, hot... a million and one excuses.
Over the last few months I have ridden my indoor bike exerciser. Once. For three miles. Then I had some cookies as a reward.
I bought stuff for salads last week. The lettuce looks a little wilted. Maybe I should actually eat it.
I have cut back on french fries....except for tonight when I had a beef/sausage sandwich from Portillo's following Jackie's doctor appointment. And last Friday. And last Wednesday. Damn, I have no will power.
But spring is a time of rebirth. Awakening. A new start.
I just wish I was one of these highly motivated people who can reduce their food intake and increase their exercise routine. Or in my case, start an exercise routine.
I do think summer will help. I can ride my bike, which I really enjoy, and that will be good for me. As long as I don't reward every ride with cookies and a coffee someplace.
So here's to a new start. A new birth. A new hope. And maybe to losing a few pounds.
Monday, March 20, 2017
I am tired of being skipped
Forbes magazine just amazed me
Actually I don't read Forbes, but the Trib had an article about Forbes' annual richest people poll.
How many billionaires do you think live in Illinois? People with a net worth of $1 billion or more?
I will give you a few seconds to ponder.
Ok...ready with an answer?
10? Not so. Remember a billion is a lot of money.
14? Getting close. $1,000,000,000.
16? Ding, ding, ding!
Sixteen billionaires live in Illinois. Two of them are running for governor and I think one is governor, so much for understanding the needs of the common people. Maybe the three of them could must each chip in a couple of billion and solve the state's budget woes.
I think 5 billionaires were in one family. The hotel business must pay very well! A sixth member of the family wasn't counted because she recently lived in Washington D.C.
I just can't fathom that much money.
Quick math. If I spent $1 million a day, how many days would it take to spend a billion? Let's see...1,000,000 times 10 is10.000,000......10,000,000 x 10 is 100,000,000... a lot, but still not a billion. 100 days so far. so 100,000,000 times 10 is 1,000,000,000.
1,000 days of spending a million a day.
I could live a life like that.
Hell, I would take one day of that! Give me a couple of hours, even.
I know they live differently than us. They don't have car loans, mortgages, credit card balances, school loans or worries about paying for medication.
They are very different from us. Almost like an alien species.
Thank heavens there are only 16!
Now, I think I'll go buy a hotel and start earning my fortune.
Actually I don't read Forbes, but the Trib had an article about Forbes' annual richest people poll.
How many billionaires do you think live in Illinois? People with a net worth of $1 billion or more?
I will give you a few seconds to ponder.
Ok...ready with an answer?
10? Not so. Remember a billion is a lot of money.
14? Getting close. $1,000,000,000.
16? Ding, ding, ding!
Sixteen billionaires live in Illinois. Two of them are running for governor and I think one is governor, so much for understanding the needs of the common people. Maybe the three of them could must each chip in a couple of billion and solve the state's budget woes.
I think 5 billionaires were in one family. The hotel business must pay very well! A sixth member of the family wasn't counted because she recently lived in Washington D.C.
I just can't fathom that much money.
Quick math. If I spent $1 million a day, how many days would it take to spend a billion? Let's see...1,000,000 times 10 is10.000,000......10,000,000 x 10 is 100,000,000... a lot, but still not a billion. 100 days so far. so 100,000,000 times 10 is 1,000,000,000.
1,000 days of spending a million a day.
I could live a life like that.
Hell, I would take one day of that! Give me a couple of hours, even.
I know they live differently than us. They don't have car loans, mortgages, credit card balances, school loans or worries about paying for medication.
They are very different from us. Almost like an alien species.
Thank heavens there are only 16!
Now, I think I'll go buy a hotel and start earning my fortune.
Sunday, March 19, 2017
this is getting old
I like a good breeze, but this is ridiculous
Every time I venture outside, it is windy.
I can't get away from it.
Even listening to music doesn't help.
Bob Dylan comes on singing, "The Answer is Blowin in the Wind." My thought, what the hell was the question?
And the Kingston Trio... "way out here they have a name, for rain and wind and fire. The rain is Tess, the fire's Joe and they call the wind Maria." The trio notes Maria blows the stars around and sets the clouds on fire and makes the mountains sound like folks was out there dyin! What a horrible wind!
The Association? Everyone Knows It's Windy. (Ok, I believe it is actually Wendy, but that doesn't fit.)
I can't go on because I don't remember any more titles with wind...so please, add to my list.
My bird feeders all lean on 60 degree angles. I have set them upright, but the wind, the mistral as it was, always pushes them down.
My outside lights get repositioned every day.
A bigger concern is biking season. With winds like this, I will think several times about going for a ride. After all, I may ride out with the wind, but I have to ride back!
I don't even walk in the wind!
I took Corki the other day but by the time I got halfway down the block my head was killing me because I did not wear a hat and the wind was very cold.
So Mother Nature can restore the calmness of the heavens and I would be very happy.
Maybe someone could just take the wind out of her sails, so to speak.
Every time I venture outside, it is windy.
I can't get away from it.
Even listening to music doesn't help.
Bob Dylan comes on singing, "The Answer is Blowin in the Wind." My thought, what the hell was the question?
And the Kingston Trio... "way out here they have a name, for rain and wind and fire. The rain is Tess, the fire's Joe and they call the wind Maria." The trio notes Maria blows the stars around and sets the clouds on fire and makes the mountains sound like folks was out there dyin! What a horrible wind!
The Association? Everyone Knows It's Windy. (Ok, I believe it is actually Wendy, but that doesn't fit.)
I can't go on because I don't remember any more titles with wind...so please, add to my list.
My bird feeders all lean on 60 degree angles. I have set them upright, but the wind, the mistral as it was, always pushes them down.
My outside lights get repositioned every day.
A bigger concern is biking season. With winds like this, I will think several times about going for a ride. After all, I may ride out with the wind, but I have to ride back!
I don't even walk in the wind!
I took Corki the other day but by the time I got halfway down the block my head was killing me because I did not wear a hat and the wind was very cold.
So Mother Nature can restore the calmness of the heavens and I would be very happy.
Maybe someone could just take the wind out of her sails, so to speak.
Saturday, March 18, 2017
where to start.....
I just have some very random thoughts today
We went to see the VCCT show "A Few Good Men." Damn fine production. If you have not seen it, you should.
Whenever I see a show I really like, I wish I had been in it. This was one of those shows.
But I also realize my age limits me in what roles are available. I would not have fit in this cast. Funny, I never expected to be the old man in the theater group.
Sad news today about Chuck Berry. My friend Dan and I went to St. Louis a few years ago and caught his show at Blueberry Hill. He was 85 or 86, if I remember. He did a great show, but he was 85 or 86. Sometimes he forgot the words, sometimes he repeated himself. He was 85 or 86 at the time.
Pioneer. That's what Berry was. A pioneer in the rock and roll genre of music. Yes, he had some problems. But his guitar work and energy were amazing to experience when he was young. And at 85 (or 86) he was still doing the duck walk.
It really bothers me when someone in power says a program like Meals on Wheels has not proven to be effective. Or public broadcasting doesn't deserve to be funded. Or museums. Or libraries. Or after school programs. Or school lunches for kids. But a wall is effective.
And when the military bombs a mosque, killing 40 or 50 worshippers, how effective is that in not creating more people who hate the US?
The truth? They can't handle the truth. That's not the question. The question is, how do we handle the lies.
I guess watching a drama puts me in a somber mood.
We went to see the VCCT show "A Few Good Men." Damn fine production. If you have not seen it, you should.
Whenever I see a show I really like, I wish I had been in it. This was one of those shows.
But I also realize my age limits me in what roles are available. I would not have fit in this cast. Funny, I never expected to be the old man in the theater group.
Sad news today about Chuck Berry. My friend Dan and I went to St. Louis a few years ago and caught his show at Blueberry Hill. He was 85 or 86, if I remember. He did a great show, but he was 85 or 86. Sometimes he forgot the words, sometimes he repeated himself. He was 85 or 86 at the time.
Pioneer. That's what Berry was. A pioneer in the rock and roll genre of music. Yes, he had some problems. But his guitar work and energy were amazing to experience when he was young. And at 85 (or 86) he was still doing the duck walk.
It really bothers me when someone in power says a program like Meals on Wheels has not proven to be effective. Or public broadcasting doesn't deserve to be funded. Or museums. Or libraries. Or after school programs. Or school lunches for kids. But a wall is effective.
And when the military bombs a mosque, killing 40 or 50 worshippers, how effective is that in not creating more people who hate the US?
The truth? They can't handle the truth. That's not the question. The question is, how do we handle the lies.
I guess watching a drama puts me in a somber mood.
Friday, March 17, 2017
it's a sale
I love the retail world
Seriously. There are some truck ads on tv that advertise thousands of dollars in savings and I think: Pity the poor schmuck who bought before the sale. He paid thousands he wouldn't have to pay if he waited.
What brings this mini rant on? I bought a new jacket today. I have a winter one, an almost winter one, and a raincoat. I don't have one for the 45-60 degree days.
I walked into the store and my animal magnetism immediately went to work. A young thing came over to me and asked how I was, and said if I needed any thing, to just ask. I swear she said "anything" in a overly sexy voice. Or she could have had a cold.
Now all sorts of things flashed through me mind, until she said the magic words I long to hear. "Everything in the store is 40 percent off."
Which started me thinking, if they can knock off 40 percent today, then why not just make the coat less expensive to start with? Why do they make us jump through hoops and hope we hit the right day for a sale?
I also went to another store and looked for a cheese slicer. The one I got at the bargain box store is crappy. So I thought I would get a new one.
Unfortunately, this was not on sale. It was $39.95 and was on a blended wood/marble base. It looked very nice, especially when I was walking away empty handed.
And how come I never get the food they show on tv? You know, that bucket of chicken so full it's over flowing. Or the burger on the fluffy bun that is dripping juice.
Or the little cherry pie in a box.
Look at this.
The picture is not anything like the product.
But I still buy them. Bob, I just call them cherry pies....
I just wish it was full of round cherries, like the picture shows.
Product packaging and advertising.....2 things not to believe.
Seriously. There are some truck ads on tv that advertise thousands of dollars in savings and I think: Pity the poor schmuck who bought before the sale. He paid thousands he wouldn't have to pay if he waited.
What brings this mini rant on? I bought a new jacket today. I have a winter one, an almost winter one, and a raincoat. I don't have one for the 45-60 degree days.
I walked into the store and my animal magnetism immediately went to work. A young thing came over to me and asked how I was, and said if I needed any thing, to just ask. I swear she said "anything" in a overly sexy voice. Or she could have had a cold.
Now all sorts of things flashed through me mind, until she said the magic words I long to hear. "Everything in the store is 40 percent off."
Which started me thinking, if they can knock off 40 percent today, then why not just make the coat less expensive to start with? Why do they make us jump through hoops and hope we hit the right day for a sale?
I also went to another store and looked for a cheese slicer. The one I got at the bargain box store is crappy. So I thought I would get a new one.
Unfortunately, this was not on sale. It was $39.95 and was on a blended wood/marble base. It looked very nice, especially when I was walking away empty handed.
And how come I never get the food they show on tv? You know, that bucket of chicken so full it's over flowing. Or the burger on the fluffy bun that is dripping juice.
Or the little cherry pie in a box.
Look at this.
The picture is not anything like the product.
But I still buy them. Bob, I just call them cherry pies....
I just wish it was full of round cherries, like the picture shows.
Product packaging and advertising.....2 things not to believe.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
go team go
I am not a huge college sports fan
I never watch college football until the bowl games. And I very seldom watch basketball games.
Funny. I am 22 miles from division I football and basketball for men and women and I have not been to a basketball game in several years and only one football game a year.
Anyway, I watched Northwestern and Wisconsin play today.
Call it a sentimental thing. Northwestern has never been in the NCAA tournament, but today they won. And tonight I watched Wisconsin win.
So I am 2 for 2.
Hopefully that continues.
I never watch college football until the bowl games. And I very seldom watch basketball games.
Funny. I am 22 miles from division I football and basketball for men and women and I have not been to a basketball game in several years and only one football game a year.
Anyway, I watched Northwestern and Wisconsin play today.
Call it a sentimental thing. Northwestern has never been in the NCAA tournament, but today they won. And tonight I watched Wisconsin win.
So I am 2 for 2.
Hopefully that continues.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
the doctor will see you now
I took Corki to the vet today
Our little girl has been doing the boot scoot boogie lately. It is allergies, mainly. So now we have to give her a little antihistamine a couple of times a day.
We also got some huge treats that have fish oil, which should reduce the allergy issue.
Corki came from Alabama, so maybe there is something up here she just doesn't tolerate.... like me, or grass, or snow, or her food.
Otherwise she is in fine shape. I realized today she does not need a vet, she needs a psychologist.
For example, up until Julia came home Corki was quite content to eat in the morning and in the early evening.
Since Christmas she has decided not to eat some days, or to eat breakfast at dinner time.
And yes, they are different. She gets green beans at breakfast, and beans and carrots at supper.
There have been a couple of days where she doesn't eat at all.
As an experiment one day, I took a bag of something and pretended to sprinkle it over her food. She ate right away.
I cooked carrots the other night and put two slices in her bowl....ate right away.
Same thing happened with our Italian beans....had two left in the pan and put them in her bowl, ate right away.
I now think she thinks she eats people food like Jackie and me. So if we don't put something on her food, it's only dog food, not people food.
Now we pretend to put extra people food in her bowl, and she almost always eats right away.
She has us trained.
At night she goes out front and stands on the sidewalk and barks like crazy. I go out and stand there and she immediately gets quiet and goes about the reason for going out.
Again, she has us trained.
On second thought, maybe Corkie doesn't need the psychologist at all.
But we do.
Our little girl has been doing the boot scoot boogie lately. It is allergies, mainly. So now we have to give her a little antihistamine a couple of times a day.
We also got some huge treats that have fish oil, which should reduce the allergy issue.
Corki came from Alabama, so maybe there is something up here she just doesn't tolerate.... like me, or grass, or snow, or her food.
Otherwise she is in fine shape. I realized today she does not need a vet, she needs a psychologist.
For example, up until Julia came home Corki was quite content to eat in the morning and in the early evening.
Since Christmas she has decided not to eat some days, or to eat breakfast at dinner time.
And yes, they are different. She gets green beans at breakfast, and beans and carrots at supper.
There have been a couple of days where she doesn't eat at all.
As an experiment one day, I took a bag of something and pretended to sprinkle it over her food. She ate right away.
I cooked carrots the other night and put two slices in her bowl....ate right away.
Same thing happened with our Italian beans....had two left in the pan and put them in her bowl, ate right away.
I now think she thinks she eats people food like Jackie and me. So if we don't put something on her food, it's only dog food, not people food.
Now we pretend to put extra people food in her bowl, and she almost always eats right away.
She has us trained.
At night she goes out front and stands on the sidewalk and barks like crazy. I go out and stand there and she immediately gets quiet and goes about the reason for going out.
Again, she has us trained.
On second thought, maybe Corkie doesn't need the psychologist at all.
But we do.
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
decisions...decisions....
I need to try to get organized....again
I have a habit......59 years in creating....of writing down notes on any kind of paper I can find.
Now 59 years is an estimate....I would have been almost 10 then, but I can see me writing stuff down on notebook paper.
(For those of us of a certain age, paper was once commonly used in school to do assignments on and to practice penmanship, which in my day consisted of learning how to write cursive using an ink pen. I always favored peacock blue ink and I can remember refilling the pen in days before ink cartridges came out. I actually have an eighth grade assignment floating around that is done in cursive, in peacock blue ink. That is one of the things I just can't throw out, but I wonder why I save it.)
Now I write stuff down on anything: napkins, scraps of paper, newspapers, notebooks; you name it.
Because I reuse as much as possible, I have a stack of paper that was printed on one side and is mostly blank on the other. I cut it in half and clip it together to write notes on when I am at the computer, reading, thinking....or whatever.
But I can not keep track of the ones not on that pad. Just yesterday I found a note for Emily that I had put on the desk and lost. Luckily Emily had ESP and did what I needed.
I had a note that said: Sunny side up. I wrote it. It's on my official write it down and lay it on the desk paper. I have no clue what it meant.
So I Googled it. Eggs? No. A restaurant? No. A graphic novel? Hey, that sounds possible cause Rotary had a program on the reading challenge and graphic novels were mentioned. And it is a graphic novel. Amazon had it on preview. I read a lot of it and the preview ended. Now I want to get the book and find out what happens. Sneaky Amazon marketers.
(Graphic novels are like comic books. They are not sexually suggestive. Usually they are children's books, but there are some really good ones for teens and even adults. Graphic. No pornographic or phonographic.)
So answer this.
What the hell good is writing stuff down if I: A: can't find it. B: can't understand it. C: can't read my own writing.
Then it hits me. I am almost 69. I am not going to change. I will continue to write stuff down on slips of paper, lose them, misplace them, not understand them, forget about them.....and in the end, it really won't make much of a difference, will it?
So Emily and Julia....when the time comes, just recycle all the piles you find on the desk. It will be easier for all of us.
I have a habit......59 years in creating....of writing down notes on any kind of paper I can find.
Now 59 years is an estimate....I would have been almost 10 then, but I can see me writing stuff down on notebook paper.
(For those of us of a certain age, paper was once commonly used in school to do assignments on and to practice penmanship, which in my day consisted of learning how to write cursive using an ink pen. I always favored peacock blue ink and I can remember refilling the pen in days before ink cartridges came out. I actually have an eighth grade assignment floating around that is done in cursive, in peacock blue ink. That is one of the things I just can't throw out, but I wonder why I save it.)
Now I write stuff down on anything: napkins, scraps of paper, newspapers, notebooks; you name it.
Because I reuse as much as possible, I have a stack of paper that was printed on one side and is mostly blank on the other. I cut it in half and clip it together to write notes on when I am at the computer, reading, thinking....or whatever.
But I can not keep track of the ones not on that pad. Just yesterday I found a note for Emily that I had put on the desk and lost. Luckily Emily had ESP and did what I needed.
I had a note that said: Sunny side up. I wrote it. It's on my official write it down and lay it on the desk paper. I have no clue what it meant.
So I Googled it. Eggs? No. A restaurant? No. A graphic novel? Hey, that sounds possible cause Rotary had a program on the reading challenge and graphic novels were mentioned. And it is a graphic novel. Amazon had it on preview. I read a lot of it and the preview ended. Now I want to get the book and find out what happens. Sneaky Amazon marketers.
(Graphic novels are like comic books. They are not sexually suggestive. Usually they are children's books, but there are some really good ones for teens and even adults. Graphic. No pornographic or phonographic.)
So answer this.
What the hell good is writing stuff down if I: A: can't find it. B: can't understand it. C: can't read my own writing.
Then it hits me. I am almost 69. I am not going to change. I will continue to write stuff down on slips of paper, lose them, misplace them, not understand them, forget about them.....and in the end, it really won't make much of a difference, will it?
So Emily and Julia....when the time comes, just recycle all the piles you find on the desk. It will be easier for all of us.
Monday, March 13, 2017
it's my fault
Credit, or blame, me for us missing the snow
I went to the store yesterday and got food for a couple of days.
I made sure I had gas for the snow blower.
I turned the snow blower around and towards the door, so I could easily clear the driveway of the 3- 6 inch accumulation.
I filled my bird feeders so my little winged friends would have food.
I made sure my egress window cover was on so the well didn't fill up with snow and cause me to climb down into it and shovel it out, then not being able to easily get out cause I am old and feeble.
I found my snowshoes.
I put out my boots.
I did everything that should be done before a major snow.
That's why we did not get blasted.
If I had not done anything, we would be buried under at least 72 inches of snow.
You are welcome.
I went to the store yesterday and got food for a couple of days.
I made sure I had gas for the snow blower.
I turned the snow blower around and towards the door, so I could easily clear the driveway of the 3- 6 inch accumulation.
I filled my bird feeders so my little winged friends would have food.
I made sure my egress window cover was on so the well didn't fill up with snow and cause me to climb down into it and shovel it out, then not being able to easily get out cause I am old and feeble.
I found my snowshoes.
I put out my boots.
I did everything that should be done before a major snow.
That's why we did not get blasted.
If I had not done anything, we would be buried under at least 72 inches of snow.
You are welcome.
Sunday, March 12, 2017
it's about time
I did almost nothing again today
Almost.
But I have been busy the last few days.
For instance, I finally cut my talons. I mean toenails.
I know, TMI, but my belly gets in the way when I try to bend over to cut them. And sitting and trimming them is hard on my knees.
I need to start getting pedicures.
At least my shoes are not too tight anymore.
I changed a light bulb. Don't laugh, it isn't easy. I put an LED bulb in our bathroom fan fixture. The old one burned out Thursday.
I also put the pull chains back on the ceiling lamp/fan combo. Those little chain things that snap into place, well they were not snapping for me. It took me forever to put them together.
And I put my egress window well cover back on. I don't know why, but when we get 50 mph winds it tends to blow off. Someday it will go away and I will never find it. Hopefully it is on tightly this time. I honestly think a couple of the clamps were damaged when the last strong winds took it off.
And all the clocks are close to the right time. The little desk clock.....this is weird. I tried resetting it half and hour ago and it would not change. I just looked at it and it is right. A ghost?
And yes, I did awaken with a start last night. I was sleeping in my chair when a very sweet smell awakened me. I swear someone was walking down the hallway toward me, but Jackie was sound asleep and so was Corki.
Once again, my crazy imagination kicked in.
But just in case, I am not going to sleep tonight.
Almost.
But I have been busy the last few days.
For instance, I finally cut my talons. I mean toenails.
I know, TMI, but my belly gets in the way when I try to bend over to cut them. And sitting and trimming them is hard on my knees.
I need to start getting pedicures.
At least my shoes are not too tight anymore.
I changed a light bulb. Don't laugh, it isn't easy. I put an LED bulb in our bathroom fan fixture. The old one burned out Thursday.
I also put the pull chains back on the ceiling lamp/fan combo. Those little chain things that snap into place, well they were not snapping for me. It took me forever to put them together.
And I put my egress window well cover back on. I don't know why, but when we get 50 mph winds it tends to blow off. Someday it will go away and I will never find it. Hopefully it is on tightly this time. I honestly think a couple of the clamps were damaged when the last strong winds took it off.
And all the clocks are close to the right time. The little desk clock.....this is weird. I tried resetting it half and hour ago and it would not change. I just looked at it and it is right. A ghost?
And yes, I did awaken with a start last night. I was sleeping in my chair when a very sweet smell awakened me. I swear someone was walking down the hallway toward me, but Jackie was sound asleep and so was Corki.
Once again, my crazy imagination kicked in.
But just in case, I am not going to sleep tonight.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
wild day
This was a pretty neat day, almost
I was the announcer for the Hooley parade in Rochelle. I was great. Best announcer ever. Tremendous. Nobody announced better than me. Everybody thought I was the best ever.
I just wish the guy who did it last year didn't keep trying to mess me up.
Yes, it was on the cool side....but my long underwear kept me toasty warm.
I even got to walk around after the parade.
I was very impressed with the Irish dancers. These two young girls had amazing footwork. And they did leg kicks that I swear put their toes above their heads!
The music and bagpiper were also great to listen to.
I was pretty impressed by the whole shebang, you may have noticed.
I missed last years even because I think I was in Cuba. Hard to believe that has been a year already.
We had planned to go out to eat tonight, but Jackie has been having some issues walking.
We could not make it into the car, so we stayed home. MK and Steve brought supper out to us, and we had a great time with with and Emily, John and Camryn.
Now it's just a matter of waiting for the snow.
4-6 inches? Believe it when I shovel it.
Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead
when you finally go to bed
'cause if you decide you are gonna' wait
'till tomorrow for church you'll be late.
Damn, I am good!
I was the announcer for the Hooley parade in Rochelle. I was great. Best announcer ever. Tremendous. Nobody announced better than me. Everybody thought I was the best ever.
I just wish the guy who did it last year didn't keep trying to mess me up.
Yes, it was on the cool side....but my long underwear kept me toasty warm.
I even got to walk around after the parade.
I was very impressed with the Irish dancers. These two young girls had amazing footwork. And they did leg kicks that I swear put their toes above their heads!
The music and bagpiper were also great to listen to.
I was pretty impressed by the whole shebang, you may have noticed.
I missed last years even because I think I was in Cuba. Hard to believe that has been a year already.
We had planned to go out to eat tonight, but Jackie has been having some issues walking.
We could not make it into the car, so we stayed home. MK and Steve brought supper out to us, and we had a great time with with and Emily, John and Camryn.
Now it's just a matter of waiting for the snow.
4-6 inches? Believe it when I shovel it.
Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead
when you finally go to bed
'cause if you decide you are gonna' wait
'till tomorrow for church you'll be late.
Damn, I am good!
Friday, March 10, 2017
oops
I had a mental lapse, or two, today
I need a new lint trap in my dryer because the current one is breaking.
So I called an appliance repair company to ask if they had replacements.
This company has numbers for several towns, and I found the Rochelle one and called it.
I have often said, you know you live in a small town when you dial the wrong number and still talk for 5 minutes.
The number I dialed wasn't even close, but I talked to my friend for a few minutes anyway.
After I hung up, I checked the numbers. It seemed I dialed the Rochelle 562, but the last four numbers were for another town. Oops.
They didn't have the part.
Now I can order it from the manufacturer, but there is a $30 shipping charge! I eventually found a place to order one in Rockford.
I just didn't think after four years I would need a new filter, but I do.
Tomorrow it is supposed to be cold. I am announcing the St. Patrick's Day parade in Rochelle.
I will be wearing long underwear and carrying a thermos of hot tea to keep me warm.
At least it is not raining. Or snowing. I guess that's Sunday.
I need a new lint trap in my dryer because the current one is breaking.
So I called an appliance repair company to ask if they had replacements.
This company has numbers for several towns, and I found the Rochelle one and called it.
I have often said, you know you live in a small town when you dial the wrong number and still talk for 5 minutes.
The number I dialed wasn't even close, but I talked to my friend for a few minutes anyway.
After I hung up, I checked the numbers. It seemed I dialed the Rochelle 562, but the last four numbers were for another town. Oops.
They didn't have the part.
Now I can order it from the manufacturer, but there is a $30 shipping charge! I eventually found a place to order one in Rockford.
I just didn't think after four years I would need a new filter, but I do.
Tomorrow it is supposed to be cold. I am announcing the St. Patrick's Day parade in Rochelle.
I will be wearing long underwear and carrying a thermos of hot tea to keep me warm.
At least it is not raining. Or snowing. I guess that's Sunday.
Thursday, March 9, 2017
bone dry
I can't think of anything to write
I could mention how I seem to have changed my work processing set up so I can't change type size or fonts. I do not know how I did that, just that I did.
I could mention I have no idea what kinds of ads are on this blog. Are there ads? What do they sell?
I could mention I am the announcer for the St. Patrick's Day parade Saturday. It could be 30 and rainy, or snowy, but I will be there. Frozen, and not the movie.
I could mention my Swiss daughter is going on vacation and we won't hear from her for three weeks. That does bum me out.
I could mention almost 71,000 views for the entire time I have been doing this. You people amaze me in that you are willing to read my strange thoughts.
I could mention France is number two in where the readers are. Brazil is fourth. Brazil. Maybe it's Heather.
I could mention I have developed a fondness for RumChatta and having a little sniffer or two before bedtime makes me very drowsy.
Very. So, Goodnight.
I could mention how I seem to have changed my work processing set up so I can't change type size or fonts. I do not know how I did that, just that I did.
I could mention I have no idea what kinds of ads are on this blog. Are there ads? What do they sell?
I could mention I am the announcer for the St. Patrick's Day parade Saturday. It could be 30 and rainy, or snowy, but I will be there. Frozen, and not the movie.
I could mention my Swiss daughter is going on vacation and we won't hear from her for three weeks. That does bum me out.
I could mention almost 71,000 views for the entire time I have been doing this. You people amaze me in that you are willing to read my strange thoughts.
I could mention France is number two in where the readers are. Brazil is fourth. Brazil. Maybe it's Heather.
I could mention I have developed a fondness for RumChatta and having a little sniffer or two before bedtime makes me very drowsy.
Very. So, Goodnight.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
weirdness
This was a weird day
The wind, to start with. It has been blowing so hard and so much this winter.
today seemed the worst of all.
What would you do with a neighbor who has a bunch of landscape debris and straw blowing into your yard? I would say that neighbor is a putz!
On the plus side, I do have less straw to pull up from the strawberries. I covered them last fall, but they are slowly being uncovered.
When I walked Corki today, I found straw across the street and four houses down from our house.
The plus is birds like it to build nests. And it does breakdown. Probably those damn robins will use it to build nests on my front porch. Have to get those pigeon spikes like Nadine has.....
Another weird event: We lost power for two hours. Two! If I had not been napping, it would have been a long afternoon. But I fell asleep about 1 and woke up at 3 or so. I guess I was tired. Still have trouble keeping my eyes open.
We have had several bad storms and kept power. So, on a day when the sky is clear, the sun shining, the wind howling.....poof. No power. I hear 1,700 people were sans power around town.
When I took Corki for our walk, I only made it half way. The wind was just really chilling, and I knew we would be walking back into it. But it did feel good to be outside.
Croque monsieur for supper. Well, not quite. No ham. But a grilled cheese tasted pretty good tonight, for some strange reason. Is that a croque monsieur sans jambon?
When the power came back on I did a Google search and found the rejected pilot for the Big Bang. Jackie and I watched it and were not impressed by the original ideal. At first, it was just Sheldon and Leonard with a girl named Kate and another named Angela..... and the show had a heavy sexually suggestive tone. Quite unlike what is on now. But some of the lines for the rejected pilot were used in the accepted pilot. Weird, but I guess you don't waste funny material.
And tonight Johnny Carson's rerun had Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters. That was a funny show. Williams was indeed an insane performer. Now they are all gone.
Weird. I don't hear the wind.
Must be my imagination.
The wind, to start with. It has been blowing so hard and so much this winter.
today seemed the worst of all.
What would you do with a neighbor who has a bunch of landscape debris and straw blowing into your yard? I would say that neighbor is a putz!
On the plus side, I do have less straw to pull up from the strawberries. I covered them last fall, but they are slowly being uncovered.
When I walked Corki today, I found straw across the street and four houses down from our house.
The plus is birds like it to build nests. And it does breakdown. Probably those damn robins will use it to build nests on my front porch. Have to get those pigeon spikes like Nadine has.....
Another weird event: We lost power for two hours. Two! If I had not been napping, it would have been a long afternoon. But I fell asleep about 1 and woke up at 3 or so. I guess I was tired. Still have trouble keeping my eyes open.
We have had several bad storms and kept power. So, on a day when the sky is clear, the sun shining, the wind howling.....poof. No power. I hear 1,700 people were sans power around town.
When I took Corki for our walk, I only made it half way. The wind was just really chilling, and I knew we would be walking back into it. But it did feel good to be outside.
Croque monsieur for supper. Well, not quite. No ham. But a grilled cheese tasted pretty good tonight, for some strange reason. Is that a croque monsieur sans jambon?
When the power came back on I did a Google search and found the rejected pilot for the Big Bang. Jackie and I watched it and were not impressed by the original ideal. At first, it was just Sheldon and Leonard with a girl named Kate and another named Angela..... and the show had a heavy sexually suggestive tone. Quite unlike what is on now. But some of the lines for the rejected pilot were used in the accepted pilot. Weird, but I guess you don't waste funny material.
And tonight Johnny Carson's rerun had Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters. That was a funny show. Williams was indeed an insane performer. Now they are all gone.
Weird. I don't hear the wind.
Must be my imagination.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
change the channels
I am getting irritated at tv
Take the commercials. Please. My current favorite one is the dad and boy sitting at a table and the kid asks, "Dad, are you going to die?" The father then carefully explains to this six year old kid the technical workings of his current drugs. Really. He couldn't 't just say, "No, have some more pudding."
And notice when people drink pop in commercials, it is almost always from a glass bottle. Seriously?
Why do people use little kids in commercials? Yes, they may be cute but they always talk like the have marbles in their mouth. Advertisers are spending lots of dollars to have a kid go, "so blah me fathama blah blah blah." Just show the picture of the kid, don't let them talk.
Why does tv after 11 have so many commercials for people who had hernia surgery (me) who received a mesh (me) that has proven to be defective and caused more problems than it solved? (Not me, by the way. But every time the commercial comes on I wonder.)
Have you noticed that every product that is $19.95 comes with a second one for free, all you have to pay is shipping and handling? And they are never available in stores.
While I normally like Flo in the Progressive commercials, the Sponge Bob square insurance pants character is not funny, not entertaining, and not worth spending advertising dollars on.
It's not just commercials.
I just heard a promo for the hottest show on tv....it premieres tomorrow night. How can it be a hot show if it has never been on? Who said it was hot?
I watch Modern Family, The Mick, Kimmy Schmidt....and I like the fact they do not have laugh tracks. That has been bugging me lately about Big Bang....the laugh tracks seemed forced. The show is funny. Don't tell me when to laugh, let me decide on my own.
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. I feel better. Think I'll go open a bottle of pop, if I can find one.
Take the commercials. Please. My current favorite one is the dad and boy sitting at a table and the kid asks, "Dad, are you going to die?" The father then carefully explains to this six year old kid the technical workings of his current drugs. Really. He couldn't 't just say, "No, have some more pudding."
And notice when people drink pop in commercials, it is almost always from a glass bottle. Seriously?
Why do people use little kids in commercials? Yes, they may be cute but they always talk like the have marbles in their mouth. Advertisers are spending lots of dollars to have a kid go, "so blah me fathama blah blah blah." Just show the picture of the kid, don't let them talk.
Why does tv after 11 have so many commercials for people who had hernia surgery (me) who received a mesh (me) that has proven to be defective and caused more problems than it solved? (Not me, by the way. But every time the commercial comes on I wonder.)
Have you noticed that every product that is $19.95 comes with a second one for free, all you have to pay is shipping and handling? And they are never available in stores.
While I normally like Flo in the Progressive commercials, the Sponge Bob square insurance pants character is not funny, not entertaining, and not worth spending advertising dollars on.
It's not just commercials.
I just heard a promo for the hottest show on tv....it premieres tomorrow night. How can it be a hot show if it has never been on? Who said it was hot?
I watch Modern Family, The Mick, Kimmy Schmidt....and I like the fact they do not have laugh tracks. That has been bugging me lately about Big Bang....the laugh tracks seemed forced. The show is funny. Don't tell me when to laugh, let me decide on my own.
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. I feel better. Think I'll go open a bottle of pop, if I can find one.
Monday, March 6, 2017
and now, a commercial
I am riding in the Tour de Farms
This is a fund raising event for the MS Society. This year's ride is June 10 and 11, but I only ride June 10. I generally ride 15 miles, which for an old guy like me is enough.
This year George Hincapie will be riding with us!
Hincapie has ridden in 14 Tour de France races. I always enjoyed watching his huge frame pedal. His knees almost touch to cut down on wind resistance. Tour riders have to be the world's greatest athletes.
We have a team, Jackies Jokers. (Notice, no apostrophe in Jackies. Don't call it improper grammar, call it poor proofreading and an unwillingness to fix it.
Anyway, two friends, Carrie and John D., are joining me on this year's ride.
This is a fund raiser. Each of us needs to raise $300. While that sounds like a lot, last year my two person team raised $1,200!
You know Jackie has MS. She has had it since Emily was in college. The disease is progressive....meaning it gets worst. For example, in 2012 we went to visit Julia and toured in Paris and Milan. In 2014 she fell in the kitchen and went to using a walker around the house. Now, she can walk about 50 feet before she just can't go. It drains her.
There is no cure for MS. When she was diagnosed, one of our friends predicted there would be a cure within years. 20 years has passed, and nothing.
Yes, there have been advances in medications that slow the progression. But nothing has been proven to reduce the symptoms or restore the movement. Maybe cell therapy will be the answer.
It takes money to fund the research. That's what the ride does, it raises money.
The goal this year is $1.7 million. That seems a lot, but there are 1,700 riders that will take part.
If you would like to sponsor one of us, here is the web site:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?fr_id=28197&pg=team&team_id=507496
Jackie will be grateful for your support.
This is a fund raising event for the MS Society. This year's ride is June 10 and 11, but I only ride June 10. I generally ride 15 miles, which for an old guy like me is enough.
This year George Hincapie will be riding with us!
Hincapie has ridden in 14 Tour de France races. I always enjoyed watching his huge frame pedal. His knees almost touch to cut down on wind resistance. Tour riders have to be the world's greatest athletes.
We have a team, Jackies Jokers. (Notice, no apostrophe in Jackies. Don't call it improper grammar, call it poor proofreading and an unwillingness to fix it.
Anyway, two friends, Carrie and John D., are joining me on this year's ride.
This is a fund raiser. Each of us needs to raise $300. While that sounds like a lot, last year my two person team raised $1,200!
You know Jackie has MS. She has had it since Emily was in college. The disease is progressive....meaning it gets worst. For example, in 2012 we went to visit Julia and toured in Paris and Milan. In 2014 she fell in the kitchen and went to using a walker around the house. Now, she can walk about 50 feet before she just can't go. It drains her.
There is no cure for MS. When she was diagnosed, one of our friends predicted there would be a cure within years. 20 years has passed, and nothing.
Yes, there have been advances in medications that slow the progression. But nothing has been proven to reduce the symptoms or restore the movement. Maybe cell therapy will be the answer.
It takes money to fund the research. That's what the ride does, it raises money.
The goal this year is $1.7 million. That seems a lot, but there are 1,700 riders that will take part.
If you would like to sponsor one of us, here is the web site:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?fr_id=28197&pg=team&team_id=507496
Jackie will be grateful for your support.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
a new house ahead?
I am thinking of buying another house
Jackie wants nothing to do with my plan, and in fact said I was crazy.
We'll see.
I want to by Le Grand Reve in Winnetka. It is a house built in 2008, and features 27,000 square feet, including six full bathrooms, six partial baths and six bedrooms.
My plan is to find five other couples who would chip in to pay for the place. Six of us, six bedrooms, it's a match. Communal living.
There is even a pool.
The house has now been reduced to $11.9 million, a far better deal than the $36 million construction cost. It has been on the market for a while, so I am sure they will accept a reasonable offer.
People willing to go in with me have to agree that we will hire a chef to prepare a nightly meal, hire a cleaning staff, and chip in to pay the $300,000 per year tax bill.
The listing agent is quoted in the Tribune as saying, "It's the best built house in the Midwest." It better be.
The only drawback I see is that there is no lake view. It does sit on two acres, or what is left of two acres after you put in a driveway or two and a huge house. And pool.
We can probably do the yard work ourselves.
So, if you are interested, please send a certified check for at least $1.5 million to me ASAP and I will put in an offer.
Or buy a one way ticket to Brazil.
Trust me. I will make the right choice.
And if you are interested in where you will be living, Google it.
Then puzzle over this question: What the hell were they thinking??
Jackie wants nothing to do with my plan, and in fact said I was crazy.
We'll see.
I want to by Le Grand Reve in Winnetka. It is a house built in 2008, and features 27,000 square feet, including six full bathrooms, six partial baths and six bedrooms.
My plan is to find five other couples who would chip in to pay for the place. Six of us, six bedrooms, it's a match. Communal living.
There is even a pool.
The house has now been reduced to $11.9 million, a far better deal than the $36 million construction cost. It has been on the market for a while, so I am sure they will accept a reasonable offer.
People willing to go in with me have to agree that we will hire a chef to prepare a nightly meal, hire a cleaning staff, and chip in to pay the $300,000 per year tax bill.
The listing agent is quoted in the Tribune as saying, "It's the best built house in the Midwest." It better be.
The only drawback I see is that there is no lake view. It does sit on two acres, or what is left of two acres after you put in a driveway or two and a huge house. And pool.
We can probably do the yard work ourselves.
So, if you are interested, please send a certified check for at least $1.5 million to me ASAP and I will put in an offer.
Or buy a one way ticket to Brazil.
Trust me. I will make the right choice.
And if you are interested in where you will be living, Google it.
Then puzzle over this question: What the hell were they thinking??
Saturday, March 4, 2017
no more complaints about sleep
Well, I just have one complaint
Third night in a row I have not slept well. Storms, nightmares, maybe too much caffeine Friday.....but tonight, I will not have that problem.
To demonstrate how my life goes....has anyone else nearly sliced off their thumb taking out wax paper?
That damn little metal thing is sharp. Maybe sliced off my thumb is a bit of an overstatement, but it sure hurt. And because I am on a blood thinner to reduce the risk of blood clots, stroke, and who knows what else, any scratch draws blood for at least 7 hours.
I have watched two movies this weekend. Jackie and I watched Sully last night and decided we are never flying again. I will take a boat to see Julia. Yes, I know it's longer, and boats do sink.....but darn that movie rattled me!
Tonight I watched Papa Hemingway in Cuba. It was on the recent release rack at the video store and it was $1, so it seemed like a good deal.
I felt like I was back in Havana!
As you may remember, my friend Dan and I were there about one year ago.
The movie had scenes at Hotel Nacional, the airport, Papa's house, along the Malecon, Hotel Ambos Mundos, and at Floridita. We were at all those places!
Watching the actors walk from his house to his pool was very neat, because we walked those same paths!
The movie was released last year.
The film brought back a lot of memories for me. But it was also disturbing because Hemingway was going through a dark time. Unable to write, depressed, being harassed by the US government with the help of Batista's agents, having friends killed by government forces...... Papa was having a very dark time.
The movie was based on true events. It ended with the wrap up of characters, including Hemingway's suicide in Idaho just 19 months later.
I guess he could not escape his demons, despite his greatness as a writer.
In one scene he asked a character to write a number between one and 10. 6 was picked.
Hemingway then wrote a six word story: For sale, baby shoes. Never worn.
It was a good film.
Hopefully, it will help me sleep!!
Third night in a row I have not slept well. Storms, nightmares, maybe too much caffeine Friday.....but tonight, I will not have that problem.
To demonstrate how my life goes....has anyone else nearly sliced off their thumb taking out wax paper?
That damn little metal thing is sharp. Maybe sliced off my thumb is a bit of an overstatement, but it sure hurt. And because I am on a blood thinner to reduce the risk of blood clots, stroke, and who knows what else, any scratch draws blood for at least 7 hours.
I have watched two movies this weekend. Jackie and I watched Sully last night and decided we are never flying again. I will take a boat to see Julia. Yes, I know it's longer, and boats do sink.....but darn that movie rattled me!
Tonight I watched Papa Hemingway in Cuba. It was on the recent release rack at the video store and it was $1, so it seemed like a good deal.
I felt like I was back in Havana!
As you may remember, my friend Dan and I were there about one year ago.
The movie had scenes at Hotel Nacional, the airport, Papa's house, along the Malecon, Hotel Ambos Mundos, and at Floridita. We were at all those places!
Watching the actors walk from his house to his pool was very neat, because we walked those same paths!
The movie was released last year.
The film brought back a lot of memories for me. But it was also disturbing because Hemingway was going through a dark time. Unable to write, depressed, being harassed by the US government with the help of Batista's agents, having friends killed by government forces...... Papa was having a very dark time.
The movie was based on true events. It ended with the wrap up of characters, including Hemingway's suicide in Idaho just 19 months later.
I guess he could not escape his demons, despite his greatness as a writer.
In one scene he asked a character to write a number between one and 10. 6 was picked.
Hemingway then wrote a six word story: For sale, baby shoes. Never worn.
It was a good film.
Hopefully, it will help me sleep!!
Friday, March 3, 2017
it's really not normal and it is a problem
I think I am slowly (?) going insane
Usually I can list the things that scare me and wake me up from a dead sleep as fairly normal: burglars, tornadoes, road rage, Jackie with any type of weapon, bears.
But I have reached a new low.
Last night I had a nightmare...again. We were running out of oxygen and I had to swim through an underwater cave and pull the tail of a giant eel to restore Earth's oxygen levels.
That was not the scary part.
After swimming through the cave, pulling the tail, and getting out of the water, I had to walk back to somewhere.
That was not the scary part.
As I went down one embankment and headed toward the uphill side, an alligator crawled out of the weeds. Then another. Then another. I was surrounded by alligators.
That was not the scary part.
As I scrambled up the embankment, they gave chase. I was barely inches ahead of them when I hit the road. As I ran down the road I could hear the clumptity clumpity, clump, clump, swish of their legs and tail as they actually gained on me!
Ok, that was the scary part. And at 3:15, I was convinced the alligators were catching me, at lease convinced enough to awaken. So I checked the doors and went back to bed. I heard the cuckoo at 3:30, 4, 4:30 and maybe 5 before I finally fell asleep. My mind was racing...like it was on speed. I could not stay focused on anything. I would center on a happy place and bingo....I was far from it.
I was at one of my favorite places today, but even the thought of that could not put me back to sleep this morning.
I was helping a little girl who needed a hot glue gun. I told her I would help her and her three friends because we have to be extra careful.
Then I burned a hole in my arm.
Seriously!! I can look all the way through my arm. That damn thing was hot! My arm whistles when I walk because the air rushes through the hole!!
Or maybe it's a puncture wood from a gator. Could be either one.
So tonight I am not going to bed at all. That way I won't have another nightmare.
Good plan, huh?
Usually I can list the things that scare me and wake me up from a dead sleep as fairly normal: burglars, tornadoes, road rage, Jackie with any type of weapon, bears.
But I have reached a new low.
Last night I had a nightmare...again. We were running out of oxygen and I had to swim through an underwater cave and pull the tail of a giant eel to restore Earth's oxygen levels.
That was not the scary part.
After swimming through the cave, pulling the tail, and getting out of the water, I had to walk back to somewhere.
That was not the scary part.
As I went down one embankment and headed toward the uphill side, an alligator crawled out of the weeds. Then another. Then another. I was surrounded by alligators.
That was not the scary part.
As I scrambled up the embankment, they gave chase. I was barely inches ahead of them when I hit the road. As I ran down the road I could hear the clumptity clumpity, clump, clump, swish of their legs and tail as they actually gained on me!
Ok, that was the scary part. And at 3:15, I was convinced the alligators were catching me, at lease convinced enough to awaken. So I checked the doors and went back to bed. I heard the cuckoo at 3:30, 4, 4:30 and maybe 5 before I finally fell asleep. My mind was racing...like it was on speed. I could not stay focused on anything. I would center on a happy place and bingo....I was far from it.
I was at one of my favorite places today, but even the thought of that could not put me back to sleep this morning.
I was helping a little girl who needed a hot glue gun. I told her I would help her and her three friends because we have to be extra careful.
Then I burned a hole in my arm.
Seriously!! I can look all the way through my arm. That damn thing was hot! My arm whistles when I walk because the air rushes through the hole!!
Or maybe it's a puncture wood from a gator. Could be either one.
So tonight I am not going to bed at all. That way I won't have another nightmare.
Good plan, huh?
Thursday, March 2, 2017
oh, where to start
It's hard to avoid the political scene
I may have even offended someone Tuesday. This person said they liked my newspaper column about our representative not meeting with the people. Then the person said, "I disagree about one thing. A lot of those protesters are being paid to be there. They bring them in by the busloads."
I was floored.
And maybe a little snarly I said, paraphrased, are you nuts? The people are protesting because they are tired of their representatives not doing their job...which is representing the people. I went to a meeting and I was not paid, and neither was anybody else. I may have said it a with a little edge in it, and the person I was talking to seemed offended.
So enough about politics.
I went to the speech team banquet tonight and I got a Participation Award!!
Well, it was an award for always asking if anyone needed to practice their piece in front of a live person, that being me.
I know I knock high schoolers a lot. They tend to be unfocused, maybe a little needy and smart alecky, and damn it, they are young.
I truly enjoyed working with the kids at the high school. They were all very respectful toward the old man, but more importantly, they were respectful to each other. They acted like a family...a big, diverse, slightly crazy family.
They were fun to hang around with.
So, the question was asked, are you interested in doing this next year.......and my answer was, let's wait.
If I do it, I'll have to get hearing aids. Just sayin.
And an urban dictionary so I can understand what they are saying, when I actually hear them.
But next fall is so far off.....
I may have even offended someone Tuesday. This person said they liked my newspaper column about our representative not meeting with the people. Then the person said, "I disagree about one thing. A lot of those protesters are being paid to be there. They bring them in by the busloads."
I was floored.
And maybe a little snarly I said, paraphrased, are you nuts? The people are protesting because they are tired of their representatives not doing their job...which is representing the people. I went to a meeting and I was not paid, and neither was anybody else. I may have said it a with a little edge in it, and the person I was talking to seemed offended.
So enough about politics.
I went to the speech team banquet tonight and I got a Participation Award!!
Well, it was an award for always asking if anyone needed to practice their piece in front of a live person, that being me.
I know I knock high schoolers a lot. They tend to be unfocused, maybe a little needy and smart alecky, and damn it, they are young.
I truly enjoyed working with the kids at the high school. They were all very respectful toward the old man, but more importantly, they were respectful to each other. They acted like a family...a big, diverse, slightly crazy family.
They were fun to hang around with.
So, the question was asked, are you interested in doing this next year.......and my answer was, let's wait.
If I do it, I'll have to get hearing aids. Just sayin.
And an urban dictionary so I can understand what they are saying, when I actually hear them.
But next fall is so far off.....
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
rather be California dreamin
I had a terrible night
First off, you all know I am a little skittish about storms. Have been my whole life. Growing up in Chicago, we did not have storms like out here in the hinterlands. Flooded streets, yes. Flooded basements, yes. But wind that carries garbage cans down the road as if they were Styrofoam cups, no.
I know the cuckoo chirped 12, then 12:30....then one.
When I finally drifted off, I had a dream about a .... surprise...tornado! I can't get Jackie downstairs, so we climbed into the bathtub. But the bathtub is a shower combo unit, and in my dream we soared through the air, like a pirate ship out of Peter Pan. It was the three of us huddled in the tub...Jackie, Corki and me. I woke up.
I drifted off again and had a dream that I was in a cavalry unit under attack in the old west. We dug a trench to bury our dead, and they floated past me, eyes open....tongues distended.... faces all wrinkles and shriveled.
Sometimes I have multiple dreams on the same subject. That, plus a 68 year old prostate, often causes me to wake up and wander the house.
When I fell back asleep again act II of the dream ensued and our enemies were stealing our pick up trucks. I was the last one of our group to be alive. Just then, the prostate kicked in again.
It was around 3. At least that is when I double checked all the doors and damn near had a heart attack when I saw my reflection in the front door glass.
I heard the cuckoo at four....but then I fell asleep, until the alarm went off at 7:30.
I get very grouchy and impatient when I am tired. I told Jackie basically to stay out of my way and not to talk to me.
Friends were coming over for some wine and conversation, but I had to cancel and reschedule. I took a two hour nap, and awoke with a splitting headache.
So, now I am tired, but not sleepy. I have had a glass, or two, of wine and am ready to read a little before bedtime.
I just hope for some peace during the night.
First off, you all know I am a little skittish about storms. Have been my whole life. Growing up in Chicago, we did not have storms like out here in the hinterlands. Flooded streets, yes. Flooded basements, yes. But wind that carries garbage cans down the road as if they were Styrofoam cups, no.
I know the cuckoo chirped 12, then 12:30....then one.
When I finally drifted off, I had a dream about a .... surprise...tornado! I can't get Jackie downstairs, so we climbed into the bathtub. But the bathtub is a shower combo unit, and in my dream we soared through the air, like a pirate ship out of Peter Pan. It was the three of us huddled in the tub...Jackie, Corki and me. I woke up.
I drifted off again and had a dream that I was in a cavalry unit under attack in the old west. We dug a trench to bury our dead, and they floated past me, eyes open....tongues distended.... faces all wrinkles and shriveled.
Sometimes I have multiple dreams on the same subject. That, plus a 68 year old prostate, often causes me to wake up and wander the house.
When I fell back asleep again act II of the dream ensued and our enemies were stealing our pick up trucks. I was the last one of our group to be alive. Just then, the prostate kicked in again.
It was around 3. At least that is when I double checked all the doors and damn near had a heart attack when I saw my reflection in the front door glass.
I heard the cuckoo at four....but then I fell asleep, until the alarm went off at 7:30.
I get very grouchy and impatient when I am tired. I told Jackie basically to stay out of my way and not to talk to me.
Friends were coming over for some wine and conversation, but I had to cancel and reschedule. I took a two hour nap, and awoke with a splitting headache.
So, now I am tired, but not sleepy. I have had a glass, or two, of wine and am ready to read a little before bedtime.
I just hope for some peace during the night.
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