Be happy....don't read this

I am kind of an emotional person

     I cry often.  Lots of times in private.
     Sad movies make me cry.  Stories about kids being abused make me cry.     People with health issues make me cry.
     I cried when I saw the Grand Canyon.  Seriously.  It was a life long dream, and at the age of 54 I finally saw it.  And I cried.
     When dogs pass on, I cry. 
     But what happened today was a bit unusual, even for me.
     I was listening toe the Beatles on Sirius.  Corki had an appointment for a grooming and I was driving back from the dog place.  I was alone in the car, listening to the music.
     Then Paul sang this song.
     And I cried.

At the end of the end
It's the start of a journey
To a much better place
And this wasn't bad
So a much better place
Would have to be special
No need to be sad

On the day that I die I'd like jokes to be told
And stories of old to be rolled out like carpets
That children have played on
And laid on while listening to stories of old

At the end of the end
It's the start of a journey
To a much better place
And a much better place
Would have to be special
No reason to cry

On the day that I die I'd like bells to be rung
And songs that were sung to be hung out like blankets
That lovers have played on
And laid on while listening to songs that were sung

At the end of the end
It's the start of a journey
To a much better place
And a much better place
Would have to be special
No reason to cry
No need to be sad
At the end of the end

     When my time comes, which I plan on being several years away, I hope everybody at the service brings a bell to ring.  And jokes are  told.  

     I don't know how long I have been listening to the channel, but this was the first time I ever heard this song.

     I guess you could say, it moved me.

     Peace and Love.

What the hell

     Ok, my memory is not as good as it used to be.  I admit that.
     I also admit to being able to sing lyrics to about 75 percent of songs recorded in the 50s and 60s, and almost all the Beatles songs.
     I now know that in This Diamond Ring, the line is this stone is genuine, like love should be.  For years I could not understand what they were singing.  I heard this stone is genuine, blah blah blah and see.
     And it is wrapped up like a deuce, another roller in the night.  Not wrapped up like a douche, which adds a whole new meaning to the song.
     I still don't get Louie, Louie except for we gotta go now and Mony Mony is a total audio scramble, especially the parts shouted out by drunken people at wedding receptions.  I think the word shake is said.....
     So understand, my memory is not great, but it is not terrible.
     So tonight, sitting at a church meeting, I was blindsided by a comment.  We have a new minister and at some point I told the story of me taking the wrong medicine when I had some surgery.  Instead of taking Norco for pain, I took Norvasc, which is a high blood pressure medication, for pain.   They both start Nor.  I took it maybe three times before I realized the mistake and contacted Emily, who immediately knew what I had done.
     That was funny.  Then the comment came.  "Terry has the funniest medical story I have ever heard.  But you don't know him well enough yet for him to tell it."
     I had no idea what the story was!
     I have been thinking about it and it hit me what had happened.  I asked Jackie if she remembered the situation and she said yes, and started laughing.
     But neither of us can remember when.
     Emily started it.  That's all I will say.
     But you would think if I could remember Yellow Polka Dot Bikini I would remember a hospital stay and ambulance ride to Rockford. 
      Funny how the mind works, or doesn't work.
     Peace and Love

we need a psychiatrist

Our dog may be nuts

     And yes, it runs in the family.
     Our health insurance company offers a free in home health screening.  Now, this seems simple, but it is not.
     For the past several years someone calls a couple of times a year to set up the screening.
     Here is the conversation, not verbatim.
     Hello.  This is Samantha.  I am calling from Blank Insurance to arrange your free annual in home check up.
     Oh, hello.  What does this involve?
     A health care professional will come to your home and talk to you about your health.  They will review your medications, ask you about your health history and take your blood pressure.
     So, they do the same that our doctor does when we go three times a year.  So what is the difference?
     Well, this is for your insurance company.
     Why?
     So they have your health information.
     Honestly Samantha, this seems redundant.
     I understand sir, but the insurance company would like this to be done.  There is no cost.
     Ok.  Let's schedule it.
     This has happened about 5 times.  Every time we get to this point, I can hear the tap tap tap on a computer, a pause, and then Samantha comes back and says:
Sir, we don't show any health care professionals serving your area at this time.  So you can not schedule an appointment.
     The last two times they have called, I asked them if they had anyone to do  the screening as soon as she asked to schedule.  They said no, and I said, "Well, this is kind of a waste of your and my time, isn't it."
     But this time, someone was in the area.  And they did come.  A retired doctor, he just turned 80, really nice guy.
     As he was sitting at the table taking information, I noticed Corki was shaking like a leaf and pawing at the back door.  I let her out.  It was snowing.  I figured she would be back in a flash.  Minutes passed.  I went out and she was laying in the grass, shivering like mad.  She would not get up.
     I picked her up and carried her in and she sat right next to me, shaking like crazy.
     After the doctor was done, he packed up and left and Corki was fine again.
     Jackie and I think she had a flashback to her kennel days and the multiple homes she had been in before ours.  We think she was afraid he was here to take her.
     I know dogs are not supposed to have much of a memory.  I would love to know what she was thinking.
    Or maybe she is just crazy.  Who knows.
     Peace and Love

please, stop it

I thought I was losing my mind

     I was reading the paper on line this morning and I heard a quick beep beep.
It was loud enough for me to hear without my hearing aids.  I don't put them in until after I shower so they don't get wet.
     I got up to investigate.
     Beep   Beep.
     I moved to the kitchen.
     Beep  Beep
     Jackie said maybe it was from the basement smoke detector.  That is one I had to replace   because it malfunctioned.  When smoke detector batteries are weak, the unit beeps.  Once.  The one in the basement beeped 3 times, which meant it was broken. So I replaced it.  Well, actually John replaced it because these old hands and eyes could not figure out how to reconnect it to the ceiling.
     Beep  Beep
     It sounded like an electronic device.  Checked my phones.  Checked the house phones.  All looked good.
     Beep  Beep
     I timed the beeps....about 1 minute apart.  Unless you go stand in an area to try to locate them, then they are much longer apart.
     Beep   Beep
     I thought maybe it was a construction truck at the house being built a couple of lots away.  I opened the door to listen but did not hear anything.
     Then the beeping stopped.
     Nothing was out of sync.  Timers on the microwave and oven were off, clocks were correct.
     Jackie asked if it could have been the front door.
     Which at this point seems the most probable.  We have an alarm system and it was turned off so the dog could go out.  Maybe the door was not shut completely and when I opened it to listen for construction sounds I closed it completely. 
     All i know is it was slowly driving me mad.  Mad I tell you.  Mad.  Like a Hatter.  Or a British king named George.  Or a Lear.
     But, sanity prevails.  At least for now, in this house.
     Peace and Love

yikes

It was a bit windy today

     It is a little after 10 p.m.  and it seems to have calmed down a little.  But it was a windy one.
     It was so windy, I didn't have to hit the gas when I drove into town.  The wind just pushed the car down the road.  Granted, it went about 25, but I did not hit the gas.  Coming home was another issue.
     By the way, last night on our way back from DeKalb, we were behind a driver doing 40 on 38.  Granted, it was raining.  But 40?  We were the fifth car behind him and I think there were another 6 behind me.  40, with occasional drops to 35.
     Yes, I did pass him/her as did the cars in front of me and a couple behind me.
If that was me, I would have pulled over in Malta to let the people behind me pass, but they did not do that.
     How windy was it?  Birds did not fly to my feeders.  They walked.  Seriously, they walked across the grass to get to the feeders. 
     It was so windy, the access panel to the attic kept flapping, making a loud banging noise.  I did not have my hearing aids in and I did hear it.
     A roof blew off in Rochelle's downtown area, a semi overturned on 39 near I 80, some houses lost shingles and the howling almost drove me insane.
     I think the temperature was 27 with a minus 3 windchill.  Did you know they don't compute wind chills if the temperature is above freezing?  I don't know if that is true, but it is banging about in my mind as a fact.
     Honestly, I don't like the weather.  I want to get outdoors.  I want to ride my bike in the warmth of a summer day.  Yet, I don't want to wish the precious time I have left away either.  So I guess I will just put on another layer and shut the heck up.
     Peace and Love.

a night out

I had a great night out tonight

     A bunch of us went to see a Second City show in DeKalb. 
     Background....Second City is a well known improv institution in Chicago.  They do shows, offer classes, have theaters in several cities and they have a travelling show. 
     More background..... for several years four or five of us have had an improv comedy group called Exit 99.  Ok, we have not been very active in the past four years, but that will change.
     Anyway, three of us went to the show tonight and came away with the thought that we are pretty funny in our own way.
     Second City does improv and sketch comedy.  We do improv only.  Tonight, they only did 3 or 4 improv bits and the rest was sketch comedy.  Nothing wrong with sketch comedy, but I really like improv.  It's all audience dependent and if you hit a wall, you have only your friends on stage to help. 
     The four of us (Bethie, Carrie, TC and me) sit around and talk about an upcoming show.  We throw out ideas and decide if they will work.
     One year I came up with the suggestion we perform as if there was a giant ball of mucus on stage and if we got near it we get stuck.  Well, it was terrible.  No one laughed.  It fell harder than a pro football owner in a massage parlor.
     Watching tonight, I could see where some sketches would work into our act.
Exit 99 will rise again.  We hope to be performing soon..... and not take a four year break.
     After all, I am getting a older and someday may not be funny.
Peace an Love and laughs

weirdly done day

I was out of my routine today

     Normally, on a zoo day I am up at 6:30, on the road at 8:15, at at the zoo by 10.
     But today was not normal.
     I don't like Jackie being in the house alone when she showers.  Forgive me for being cautious, but she has fallen a few times in the past couple of years.  The dented refrigerator and the dented drywall in the bathroom and two pieces of evidence.
     And Normally, we have someone here.
     But today that was not possible.  Emily was working, and our health care person is recovering from surgery.  So I went to the zoo from noon to 4:30.
     Words I have used:  routine.  normally.
     People saw me and at 2, my normal leaving time, said bye.  They were surprised an hour later when I was still there.
     I always stop for a coffee on the way home.  It makes the ride smoother.  Today I got a half caf instead of the full dose but I am not sure it has made much of a difference. 
     Traffic home was a lot heavier.  I am used to going at least the speed limit on the tollway, not 35 mph until about Il Rt 59.  It opened up after that.
     But it was nice to visit all the good people I have come to know.  It's surprising how close you feel to people you only see every two weeks, but I really have missed all of them this past two months. ....weather and a tooth extraction have knocked out 2 of my days.
     And honestly, I kind of like the later time.  I have never been a morning person.  The downside is I didn't get home until almost 7.
     I have a feeling I won't fall asleep for a while.
     Tomorrow.....it's a laugh night!  Going to see a Second City touring group in DeKalb and that will be a fun night out.
     Peace and Love and giggles.

what happened?

I just realized it is almost midnight

     I came in to do my little blog at 9:45.  Almost 2 hours ago.  What happened?
Facebook......I get distracted whenever I look at it.  For example, there was a missing child reported and shared by someone.  I Googled the girl's name and there was no mention of it....no Amber Alert, sheriff's report, anything.  I always get suspicious when there is no mention of the missing person.
     But then, somebody typed that she had been found.  That is good.  Heck, that is great news!  But as the news from Chicago should caution us, not everything that is said to happen is true.
     I also read the Trib on line.   I admit I skip most of the stories dealing with elections in the city.  I did real a couple of columns and an interesting story on the Holocaust Museum in Skokie and a special display they have.  I want to go see this museum, just need to make up my mind to take the drive.
     Of course, I played two games of spider solitaire....and suddenly, here it is, almost midnight.
     I am trying to get to bed earlier.  In fact, I have a lot of things I am trying to do:  Eat less, stop eating anything at 8 p.m., exercise, win the big lottery. .  I am not successful on any of them. 
     There is always tomorrow and a fresh start.
     And hopefully, I will be a better person tomorrow night.
     Peace and Love to all

gone, but not forgotten

I learned a couple of lessons today

     First lesson, read the labels.  The wine I did not like was labeled as a dessert wine, to be enjoyed especially with chocolate.
     Well, I was not eating chocolate and was not drinking it for dessert.  My mistake.  Even  so, it was too sweet for me.  Way too sweet.
     I tried it again tonight and it was still too sweet, so I dumped it.
     Lesson number two, which many people pointed out, life is too short to spend drinking a wine you don't like.
     I did not open another bottle.....just kind of felt bummed out about the first one.
     I have watched a lot of movies this week.  Great Escape, Sound of Music, The Graduate......all oldies, but I still enjoyed them.  Last year I kept Tuesdays open to go to they movies.  But this year, I had so many Tuesday appointments plus bad weather and I have not been to the movie theater yet.  There are so many on my list.  Oh well.
     Maybe I can watch them when they come out as rentals.
     But then again, I didn't watch all  the ones I wanted last year.  So it goes.
     Peace and Love
 

sniff, sniff, taste

I like a glass of wine on occasion

     Usually, any time  red meat, fish, or chicken is served.  Or pasta.  Or pizza.  Or any kind of cheese.  Sometimes with nothing at all.
     I like a glass of wine sometimes.
     I am not a wine expert.  I can't taste the rick flavors of oak, or the subtle hint of peach or the suggestion of cherry.  Hell, I can't even tell chicken from pork.
     But I know when I take that first sip, I will be very content, or very unhappy.
     I have not had wine in February.  Part of it is because I had a tooth pulled and alcohol was off the list for a while.  Another part is no one has been over to say yes to me popping open a bottle.  (Hint!)
     But tonight, I felt like enjoying a glass of wine.  After all, a storm is coming, snow and ice are on the way, the cold is continuing.  A nice glass of red would be welcome.
     So I randomly picked a bottle from my recent mega bottle purchase.
     Nice looking label.  Screw top, which at one time was not good but now is sometimes preferred because the cork doesn't become dry and ruin the wine.
     It's from Iowa.  Well, Illinois produces some good wine, as does Wisconsin and Michigan and New York, so why not Iowa?
     Hearty red color, smell is a little sweet, if that makes sense.
     The first sip......
    I have had wine that truly melts in your mouth.  Julia has introduced me to several varieties that I love.  Wine that when you put it in your mouth you just want to keep it there to let the flavors absorb into your entire body, sending a warm feeling of happiness and satisfaction to all parts of your brain.
     This was not that kind of wine.
     This was more, Holy mother of god what the hell?????   tasting experience.
A rational person would have spit it out and chalked it up to bad luck.   Mrs. Dickow didn't raise an idiot.  However she did raise me.
     I finished the glass, complaining all the while about the truly terrible after taste.
     I don't know what kerosene tastes like, but I suspect this wine had a bit of kerosene added as flavoring.
     So I HAD A SECOND GLASS!!  This time I tried a little ice, thinking the cold would cut the taste.  It did not. 
     Again, a rational person would have called game, set, match  and dumped it.     This fool recapped it, and put it in the fridge to try tomorrow.  Have mercy on me, I will be dumb enough to have another glass.
     Anyone who wants to join me is welcome..... just don't smoke after drinking it.
     Peace and Love and pinot noir, please.

a big day

Monday was a pretty big day

      For instance, Harry Carey died on this date in 1998.  At the end of the 1997 season, he said he would be  back next season "if the good Lord's willing."  Harry was 85.  I did not think he was a great broadcaster, but he brought people to the park and made the tv broadcasts interesting in oh so many ways.
      Yoko Ono had a birthday today.  She was the person accused of breaking up The Beatles, but I don't think she had as much to do with the boys breaking up as people think,  Or thought.  She is, I believe. 85.  I always picture her as the young girl in bed with John and not coming out until the war was over.  Make love, not war.  Good philosophy then and now.
      But the really big event that happened on this date was Elm Farm Ollie, the flying cow.
      She was the first cow to fly in an airplane and the first cow to  be milked while flying in an airplane.  She was on her way to a aviation exposition in St. Louis, and as a publicity stunt they decided to fly her there.  There was also a science experiment, to study, in part, an animal's ability to be milked.
      What got me was they took the milk, put it in paper boxes, and parachuted it to people on the ground.
      Can you imagine just minding your own business and being bonked in the head by a paper box of warm milk?  Udderly ridiculous.  I immediately thought of the WKRP episode and the turkeys, who did not have parachutes.  Unfortunately.
      I was up at 6 this morning because I foolishly made an appointment for an oil change at the Honda dealer in Rockford.  An 8 a.m. appointment.  I don't do 8 a.m. very well.
     That said, this is also Random Acts of Kindness Week, I think.  So treat somebody nicely this week, just because.  The world needs to be a nicer place.
      Peace and Love, not War.

huh

Oven mitts are not always sticky

     We had ham and scalloped potatoes to night for supper.  Plus some green beans picked from our garden last year.
     Every think was rolling along smoothly until I put the oven mitts on and took the scalloped taters from the oven.  Or almost took them from the oven.  Luckily the dish did not turn completely over and most of the potatoes did not hit the ground.  But it was a race between Corki and me to get to the ones that did.  Not sure if they would have hurt her, but they were pretty hot.
     I could have used a little stickum on the mitts.
     Which brings me to church this morning. 
     During the passing of the peace, I shook hands with a sweet little girl and being the goofy guy I am, I would not let go....I just kept shaking her hand.      Finally we broke apart and I said, "Wow!  It was almost like our hands were glued together!"
     She looked at her hands and said, "I thought I got all the glue off but I better go wash them again."
     I probably should have told her I was just joking.
     Since I am on the topic of sticky, my headache seems to be sticking around.  Tonight it is a little stronger than at any point since last week.  Maybe it's this goofy weather.
     Peace and Love

cuckoo

We have a cuckoo clock

     Normally, I love it.  Sometimes, I absolutely hate it.
     Last night was one of those absolutely hate it nights.
     I was tired, but I had this energy.  I did not have a lot of caffeine, just one cappuccino in the morning, after the blood test.
     But I was not sleepy.  So I played on the computer, looking up strange places and things, lyrics, playing solitaire and suddenly BBC news came on.  WNIJ goes over to BBC at midnight.  I figured I better get to bed.
      Usually I never hear the cuckoo.  Last night, I heard the first cuckoo at 2.  Then again at 3.  And 4.  And 5.   And 7.  I missed 6, so I must have dozed off at some point.
     So tonight I am going to bed early.  I have not had any caffeine except a cup of tea this morning.  I am tired, but not sleepy, if that makes sense.
      We did have a chance to talk to Julia today.  Weather is pretty nice in       Switzerland, but she has a cold.  Hopefully she recovers quickly.
      I sometimes wonder if the weather affects me.  The wind seems pretty strong again tonight, and that always makes me uneasy.  Maybe I can just ignore it.
     Hopefully, I can sleep like a log, however logs sleep.
     Peace and Love.

I vant to drink your blood

I did my least favorite activity today

     I had a blood test.
     I dread, hate, abhor, detest, fear, having someone stick a needle in my arm and sucking the life giving juices out.
     Ok, maybe I am a little over dramatic.  But I really don't like it.
     I visited a friend in a nursing home today.  As I was walking to his room, a fellow patient was in a chair in the hall.  She said hello to me as I walked past.
     I said hello back.
     I left for a minute, she said hello again, I said hello  back.
     The third time I passed her she asked me to stop and talk.  I told her I was on my way to visit a friend.
     As I left, she was still in the hall way.  So I stopped to talk.
     She was old.  Very old.  And thin.  She seemed lonely.
     She asked me my name and I said, in a clear voice, Terry.  She smiled and said, "That's spelled Plizx, right?"  I said she was right and she seemed very happy.
     She then asked how I tasted today.  I told her I was very sweet.  I held her hand for a moment and then said I had to leave.  She kept talking as I went down the hallway, saying I should come back and visit.
     I'll let you decide which was my least favorite activity.
     Peace and Love and stay young, my friends.  Stay young.

better

I am feeling much better today

     I had a migraine.  I don't know what set it off, but it was accompanied by dizziness and nausea.  I stayed in bed until about 6, then went back to bed again.       I ate very little, so it is lucky I have a fat reserve on which to fall back.
That sounded pretty odd for a sentence.
     Thanks for all your concerns.  I do have a headache, but it is not a bad one.
     Jackie and I went to the middle school for a scholastic bowl contest between Sycamore and Rochelle.  Camryn was on the Sycamore team, which eventually won.
     Some of the questions I could answer, but the math ones were a problem for me.
     What I did notice was the questions in the entertainment and leisure categories did not seem to mesh real well with a middle schooler of today.  TV game shows, Neil Simon comedies, and art were some of the topics.  I didn't hear anything along the lines of:  Which well known male athlete is now female?  Or, Which Kardashian has the biggest butt?  Or, What cartoon character lives at the bottom of the ocean?
     Then I thought, this might be a fun game for adults to play.  Divide into teams of 5 and have a moderator and timer and have a scholastic bowl party.  If you don't answer a question or give an incorrect answer, you can't drink anything.  But if you win, you get to take a certain amount of your favorite beverage.
     Anyone who wants to organize one, let me know.  I'll bring some chips.
     I went to bed last night not feeling very tired.  Imagine my surprise when I woke at 9:30 this morning.  I guess sleep is a good cure for a migraine.
     Peace and Love

crud

I hated today

Migraine.  Spent about 12 hours in bed, mostly sleeping.
When I woke up this morning the room was spinning and nausea was setting in.  I took some meds and that helped....thanks Emily for telling me which ones to take.
But I was never so tired.  I went back to bed at 9 and got up to eat at 6.
Those of you who know me will see the depths of my despair....I skipped lunch!
Dinner was soup and crackers.
Head hurts, but at least the room is no longer spinning.
Peace and Love.

You gotta be kidding

I just lost an hour

     Seriously, I sat down at 9:50 to start my blog.  But first....
     I had to check on the lyrics to This Diamond Ring.  Every time I hear it, I sing along:  This stone is genuine, blah blag blah beee.  So, I figured, it's early, check out the lyrics.  Now I will sing This stone is genuine, like love should be.
     Looking at the lyrics reminded me that we pass a house for sale in the subdivision across the road and always wonder what the price is.  So, I went to the realtor's site and found the house and price ($235,000) but there was not much in the way of description.  This is also the realtor that developed our part of the subdivision, so I checked out which lots were still available for sale and other properties they had as listings.
     That reminded me about Jackie's brother, who just moved to a Del Webb community in Florida..  So I checked out the Del Webb community in North Port, Florida and looked at some of the exciting home styles in the retirement community for active seniors.
     I then tried to find out where that community is in relation to my brother Carl, and it is only about 45 minutes.  So I thought, huh.  I looked at ways to get from Fort Myers to Key West and found an express ferry that is a high speed catamaran that will zoom me there in about 3.6 hours.  All the pictues looked really warm.
     By then, I was curious about the weather here and went on Facebook to see what the sheriff's department was reporting and it was not good.  Slippery roads, cars in ditches, blowing and drifting snow.
     That lead me to a forecasting web site to see when the next weather system is coming, which is this weekend, but it currently looks like it will affect central and southern parts of the state.
     After playing a game or two of spider solitaire, I noticed it was getting late.
      I had not yet started my blog.
     I don't know why Jackie thinks I have a problem focusing.
     Peace and Love.  And stay warm.

old friends

There is something to be said about old friends

     I don't mean people.  Or the tv show that is in it's 100th season of reruns. 
     Just things I am comforted  by.
     Like Casablanca.  Or reading The Christmas Carol.  Listening to music that I have grown up with, or in some cases, grown old with.
     On a day, rather a night, like this it would make sense to visit my old friend Robert Service.  He was a poet, and he wrote about Alaska.
     The Cremation of Sam McGee is one of his poems, and it is a great read on a night like  this, or a day like tomorrow.  I am sure you can Google it and find a version on line.  If you do, read it out loud because there is a rhythm to his words.
     Hot chocolate is another old friend.  I made the mistake of not buying milk today, and there is not enough for a cup tonight and breakfast tomorrow.  Hopefully I will be able to get out and replenish the milk supply tomorrow.
     Next winter I should reread My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George.  It's an old book, but a classic about a boy who runs away and spends the winter in a tree on his grandfather's abandoned farm.  I think that would be a great way to spend a couple of cold, snowy, icy days.....and maybe even reading one chapter while outside would give added realism to the story.
     If I can get out to  buy milk, I will also get potatoes because I think I have a hankering for shepherd's pie......another comfort for me on a cold day.
Yes, there is something to be said about old friends, human and not.
     Peace and Love.  And whatever comfort you like.

this is getting old

Well, the weather is going goofy again

     One forecast says we will have 1-3 inches Monday night into Tuesday, another said 3-6.  Gets so, I don't know who to believe.
     These week we are going to have snow, rain, freezing rain, snow and possibly a giant fireball from outer space crashing down on us.
     How goofy is it?

I wish I could have captured the icy trees better than this

Day one... silent shroud of freshly fallen show

Strong winds caused drifting

It got warm and foggy

I can see the patio

Look at all the grass

Snow today

      What they say about Illinois is true...don't like the weather, stick around a minute and it will change.

      Here's hoping it gets warmer, sooner.

      Peace and Love and salt for the sidewalks....

work and play

I had a busy day today

     I did three loads of laundry, dusted floors and vacuumed two rugs.  Plus I had time to go have coffee with Dan!  Long overdue, we had a pleasant time sitting in the greenhouse at Cypress House, sipping our beverages and talking about life.
      I may have talked too much though...my mouth hurt!  The space where my tooth used to be did a little throbbing, not serious pain, but discomfort I did not expect.
     Of course travel and the Cubs are always big topics.  And while we brace for several snow systems, I have to remember pitchers and catchers report this week, starting Tuesday.  Spring is on the horizon,  my friends!
     And tonight I engaged in one of my favorite activities.  (No, not that one Beth!)  I watched Casablanca.
     I can't stress how much I love that movie.  I don't remember the first time I saw it, but I know I had posters of Bergman and Bogart on my walls in high school, and I took them to college.
     The Bergman shot was a close up of her at the end, in the airport, with tears starting  to form in her eyes.  The big hat, the shadows......it was a great picture and is still an amazing shot.  I fell in love with her a long time ago and I still think she is the most beautiful woman in the history of the planet.
     And Bogart?  A man's man in that movie.  His poster does not stand out as much, but it must have also been at the end.  If you watch the movie you catch a brief glimpse of the pain he is going through as the plane starts to take off.  That should have been the face on the poster, but it wasn't.
     The only thing missing was some popcorn.
     All in all, it was a pretty good day.
     Peace and Love.  And here's looking at you, kid.

what day is it

I was really confused today

     I knew it was Friday, but at some point during the  day, I thought it was Saturday.  I just lost track of time.
     Friday is garbage day.  I did not get my garbage out last week because the weather delayed pick up by a day.  The official notice said garbage may be picked up later on Saturday for areas outside of town.  I took may and later at their literal meaning, so when the truck rolled past at 7:15, I was still in my pajamas.  I was not about to race out with the damn trash in my pajamas and slippers.
     Last night I did not take it out because it was so windy.  I figured my trash would blow down the street in the 90 mph gusts we seem to have.  So I took it out at 7:10 and the truck came at 7:15.  I barely got my coat off when I had to go back out and get the garbage can, which was blowing down the street.
      Two guys came out to fix our under the cabinet lighting, but it was not really a fix as much as a reset.  It seems if the power surges, the lights have to be reset.        They showed me how to do that, and I wrote the directions down in a notebook we keep in the kitchen.  The notebook has a title:  Important information we may need to know some day.   There is not much in it.
     Sent an e-mail to people about a show and had the wrong date...thanks Beth for telling me.
     Read a little Mike Royko, who I think was the greatest columnist to ever write for a Chicago paper. 
      But for some reason, I kept thinking it was Saturday.
     Maybe it's the hunger.  I am not supposed to eat hard foods, instead I am supposed to eat soup, yogurt, ice cream and only soft stuff until my mouth heals.  I am tired of soup.  Very tired.  I could eat more ice cream, but that creates different problems.
     Now it's just sit back and wait for the next snow storm.  And the next.  And the next.
     Pitchers and catchers report next week.
     Love and Peace

whew

Tried on my big boy pants today

     I don't like them.  But I have to wear them.
     I had a tooth extracted.  In the old days, you would have said pulled.
     My experiences with dentists do not always go well.
     We had a dentist who specialized in working with children when I was growing up in Chicago.  My two brothers, my cousins, and I all dreaded the man.  Every time I see a fiberboard cutout of a happy tooth dancing with a toothbrush, I have nightmares.
     When I was 5, during a particularly painful appointment, I bit the man.  Hard.  He told my mother he would no longer see me as a patient and my mom had to find a new dentist.  My cousins and my brothers treated me like a hero.
     When I was in high school, I had a wisdom tooth that had to come out.  I took the bus up to the dentist's office at Broadway and Wilson, which was a couple of miles from my house.  I believe his name was Booth and I kept thinking maybe he considered me Lincoln.
     I went in expecting an exam, and the next thing I knew I was in the chair and a nurse was giving me a shot.  I remember the office overlooked the El tracks.  I  think it was on the seventh or eight floor of a building, but the tracks suddenly came up to within inches of my nose, spun around a couple of times and went white.
     The nurse led me over to a bed to lay down for a few minutes.  Some lady, who must have been l10, had several teeth pulled and she was up and about.
     After a few minutes of rest, I went back to the chair and this total stranger took a vice grips, clamped onto the tooth, and pulled and pulled and pulled and finally, it came out.
     They put gauze in my mouth and sent home.
      I didn't have a cent in my pocket.  It was 90 degrees, at least.  I walked all the way home, spitting out blood as I walked.
     Today was a walk in the park compared to that experience.  Gassed, sedated, pulled, and out of there, riding comfortably home in a car driven by Emily.
     To be honest, I am hungry as hell but limited to soft foods for a while....and no alcohol for 3 days! 
      Come Sunday, I'm eating a steak and drinking some wine.
      Peace and Love.

what in the world?

I think the planets are out of alignment

     What else explains the strange news I have read over the last two days.
     The Japanese idols who are selling their used bathwater for $900 a bottle, for instance.  Holy crap!  I imagine someone will buy some.  So, I make this offer to all of you looking for a fun time.  I will take a bath next week (no jokes, I am a shower person) and sell an 8 ounce bottle of my used bathwater for only $100.
Reserve your L'eau de terry today!
     A woman in Austin Texas was arrested for masturbating in public at a cafe.  She was evidently going at it pretty vigorously when police finally cuffed her and put her in the squad, where she continued her journey into self satisfaction.  I assume they cuffed her behind her back, but maybe not.  Anyway, three elderly diners at the cafe quietly ordered what the masterbater had for lunch.
     Police in Canada arrested a landscaper suspected of being a serial killer.  He would abduct men, shave them, then dismember them.  Police had actually stopped him about two years ago for a domestic violence complaint.  The person making the complaint said he was dragged into the guy's van, which was lined with plastic, and choked.  But police wrote it off as a domestic dispute.  I would have thought the plastic lined van would have set off some alarm bells.
     In a lighter note, ever see those Where's George bills?  They are U.S. currency but there is a red stamp with a website to register the bill when you find it.  I found one at Rotary the other day and switched it with one of my own.  Today I logged in and discovered that particular dollar bill was stamped and put in circulation 37 days ago in Rockford.  Oh what a tale it could tell of its travels!
     Peace and Love to all

my own damn fault

I did not get a lot of sleep last night

     At 8:15 Jackie asked me to put a load of clothes in the washer.  I said I would, but I wanted to call John first to see how he was.
     Hung up the phone, went into the den, played solitaire. did my blog, and at 9:45 she said, "Aren't the clothes ready for the dryer?"
     No, because I never put them in.
     So I was up until almost 11:45.  And yes, the load had to be done last night.
     I spent some extra time working on a slide show and playing solitaire. When I went to bed I was wired!  I could not close my eyes or lay still.  I was that way for a while, because at 3 Jackie said, "Are you still awake?" And yes, I was.
I don't know what the problem was.
     But I do know my mind is really agitated again tonight.  I have spent several hours putting together a slide show for a March program.  Tonight I tried to export the product to a thumb drive  and it won't go. 
     I don't know what I am doing wrong.
     I did manage to create a slide show using the pictures, but they are now all out of order....and there are 200 pictures.  It will take me hours to reorganize them.
     What the hell!
     So I am a little, no, a LOT, frustrated.
     Should have had wine with supper.
     Love and Peace and no slips on the ice.

what world?

I may be becoming a hermit

      During the Polar Vortex, I did not leave the house for two days.  OK, I stepped out on the porch once or twice, but that was it.  No walk to the mailbox because there was no mail.
      Today (Monday) I realized I had not been out in two days, again!  The weather was fairly nice, but I stayed inside, padding around in my bathrobe, drinking tea, looking out the windows, thinking it was really foggy and asking where did the snow go.  But not going outside.
     Sure I finished a book.
     Digression.  Emily got me a book for Christmas.  Bought it at Anderson Books in Naperville.  It was a mystery.  Seriously,  at the store the book was wrapped in brown paper and no title or author was present.  You bought the book not knowing that information.  It turned out to be Magpie Murders, which was on a best seller list or two.  I won't tell you much about the book, just that I have never read one quite like it.  Once I got into it, I had trouble putting it down.
     End of digression.
     I also watched Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix.  I have watched this in spurts but for some reason I watched a lot of it in the past two weeks.  Turns out, I finished the series!  And now I miss Kimmy, and Titus, and Jacqueline, and Mikey and Lillian and the ghosts and all the other characters that wandered in and out of this incredibly creative, perverse, and funny show. 
     But I have not gone outside.
     I have showered and shaved and dressed, eventually.  But I am beginning to feel closed in.  I think that leads me to irrational blogging that may or may not have been a dream.
     Tomorrow is a new day.
     I just hope the ice doesn't keep me inside.
     Peace and Love

what a party

I hosted a Stupor bowl party today

     Yes, I thought it was fairly boring until the fourth quarter.  And I was rooting for the Patriots, so I am happy they won.
     But the party was a disaster.
     I mistakenly coated the chicken wings with sriracha sauce.  While giving an initial bit of zest to the wings, they also provided a bit of entertainment as two of my guests ran out the front door and buried their faces in the remaining snow.      Sadly, that is also Corki's area of the yard; suffice it to say faces and feces do not mix.
     The chili on the stove bubbled over, causing a small grease fire.   By this time the beer I put in the garage four days ago was brought in and started exploding.      Luckily, the beer doused the burning chili.
     Without a reliable and not deadly beer selection on hand, three people decided to leave and go to a bar to watch the game and eat boneless chicken wings.
     We also had nachos and cheese dip.  I honestly thought Velveeta was a great choice,  and I added some peanut oil to thin the melt.   One person dipped in a nacho and immediately had a peanut reaction.  Their spouse made an emergency run to the local hospital in an attempt to reduce swelling and check for damages.       On the positive side, the Epipen worked.  Unfortunately I slipped on the charred chili on the floor and ended up injecting myself.  But I feel fine.  There don't seem to be any after affects except for momen snag, swizzle tick bouts of mental confucious. 
     By this time the game was supposed to start.  I am sure in households across the country people enjoyed watching the kickoff to what turned out to be a very low scoring affair, which may have caused some people to drift off to a sound sleep during the second quarter.
     I don't remember much about the game after that.  When I woke up about 10, the house was dark, Jackie was in bed, Corki was finishing the rest of the chili and I again realized why I never host a Super Bowl party.
    Now, I have some cleanen' to do, Lucy.  Oh, and if you happen to come over, don't get downwind of the dog.
    Peace and Love

a good cause

We went to a big fund raiser tonight

     Jackie and I went, along with Emily and John and about 246 other people!  This is the From the Heart event, with money raised going to 8 local charities that do a lot of good for abused women, abused children, people in need of food, agencies that  help the elderly.....just a lot of good causes.
     There is a meal, silent auction, live auction, raffles and drawings throughout the night.
     I bid on a couple of items:  Bears tickets, White Sox tickets, and 9 bottles of wine.  Which do you think I won?
     Think.  Think.  Think.
     Time is up.
     I won the wine.  I don't think it was a great deal, but it all goes to a good cause, or causes.
     I also saw a lot of people I knew.  It's funny, I know a lot of people....but I still sit in a huge crowd and feel alone.  That's a feeling I have had all my life, the sense that even in a crowded room, I am alone.  It's weird.
     Anyway, it was a good night.  Even had a great conversation with a former boss, which I enjoyed very much.
     I did make the mistake of having coffee with dessert.....and it was not decaf.     Should have thought that one out a little more.
     Peace and Love

winter wonderland

I took a walk again today

      Strapped on my snowshoes and gaiters and off I went.  The gaiters are really good....they keep my pants dry from the knee down.  And I needed it, because a couple of times I was almost knee deep in snow.
      I get the concept of cabin fever.  I needed to get out and do something today.  It was cold, only about 17, but there was no wind.  I had planned to go for an hour and left the house about 3:30.  I came back home at about 5:30......cold, but not frozen.
      I think the exercise will make me tired when I go to bed.  Heavens knows, last night was brutal with her cough and a nightmare about life in a futuristic world in which people blindly believed their leaders and did exactly as they were told.  It really jarred me awake at about 6 and I could not get back to sleep.  I might have gotten 5 hours of sleep, maybe tonight I will hit the pillow and drift away to a happy dreamland.
     It was very quiet out there, I could actually hear birds and not much else.  I really enjoyed the quiet time.
     Here are some of the sights I saw:

Bigfoot

Snow home?

Wonder what critter was grilling