sleep....sleep

I am a tired little puppy tonight

     Not sure why, I have not really done anything today.  I did watch From Russia With Love, a Sean Connery 007 film.  I really liked him.
     When Dr. No came out, I started reading Ian Fleming's novels and loved them.  But that was in my high school years and I don't think I have read any since.
     Maybe I will make that my summer reading project..... 007 stories in order of when they were written.
     Anyway....gonna head for bed.
     If you want to donate to the MS walk I am taking part in on Sunday, use this link:

https://secure.nationalmssociety.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=WLK_HOM_donate&fr_id=30333

That should take you to the donation link.
     Emily and I are walking this year.  Normally I have been doing the bike ride, but the location and miles have changed, so I did not feel comfortable with the new distances.
     Thank you for your support.
Peace and Love

40 days

I am going to build an ark

     And I am going to put all the animals on it, so when the flood comes they will be safe.
     Well, maybe not all the animals.  I don't like mosquitoes.  They won't be going.  I will leave them behind.  (Is a mosquito an animal?  Well we have plants, animals and minerals.  If it isn't a plant or a mineral, it has to be an animal, right?)
     But all the other animals.
     Except armadillos.  I don't like armadillos.  They look like rats with shells.  I don't like armadillos, but all the other animals.
     Except rats.  For obvious  reasons.  They have a scent.  And a very strange tail.  But all the other animals will go on my ark.
      But maybe not rattle snakes.  Or cottonmouths.  Or any venomous snake.  Notice, I did not say poisonous, because they are not poisonous.  They are venomous. If you kill one, you can eat it.  So it's not poisonous.
     But all the other snakes that are not venomous can get on my ark.  There they will be happy with all the other animals and birds.
      Except geese.   I don't like geese.  They have funny looking poop and they leave it all over the place.  There are too many geese. So maybe not geese.
      Or Starlings.  I don't like Starlings.  I like Starlin Castro, but he is Starlin, not Starling.  Big difference.  But no Starlings either.
     Which brings us to people.  I will take most people, but not ones who hate.   Or those who have evil minds or hearts.   That mistake was made once already.
      All this deep thinking has made me tired.
Peace and Love

another year

I went to a volunteer appreciation dinner tonight

     Jackie and I sat with some Friday friends, Linda, Tyler, and Sheri, and had a nice evening.
     Dinner was good, and the weather fine.
     One volunteer was honored for 45 years of service.  I can't imagine being that dedicated.  I believe she was 93.
     Lots of people with 40, 35, and 30 years of service.  I don't think I'll reach any of those levels, unless I live to 106.

yikes

I stepped in a time warp today

     I only meant to be gone a little while...an hour at the most.
     Instead, I was gone almost 3 hours!  I guess I just got lost in the moment.
     After letting out the dogs I went to the food truck festival in downtown Rochelle.  Yes, it was snowing/raining.  Yes, it was cold.  Yes, it was close to 1.     Yes, a vendor was still left.  So I bought a couple of...... don't know how to spell quesedilla ........ but you can get the general idea.  Normally I would have sat on a picnic table, but not today.
     So I ended up driving down to the south side of town and parked at Lake Sule and ate my lunch.
     Here's what I saw.

     Huh.... these are videos and don't seem to be working.  Darn.
     Anyway, it was pretty cool with the wind blowing the fog off the lake.
     Then I went to Wallyworld for some stuff,.
      I ended up at the museum, giving a tour of the basement to a group of Girl Scouts.
     I got home and Jackie wondered where the heck I had been. 
     Honestly, so did I. 
     And the whole day was miserable, weather wise.
     I missed spring.
Peace and Love

oh my gosh.....

Will the ignorance ever end?

     I bought a new mower last year.  I mowed twice before winter came along, and I told Jackie I should have mowed again because the grass was really long.
     I bought a new mower last year.  I fired the baby up and mowed last Saturday.  I set the mower on 3 inches, because that is what is recommended.
     I looked out Sunday and realized I did not like the way the lawn looked, so I mowed again, still at 3 inches.
     We are going to get 16 feet of snow tomorrow, so I thought I should mow tonight.  After the snow, it will rain for the next 30 days or so and the grass looked long, again.
     I bought a new mower last year.  So today I started mowing, again with the mower at 3 inches.  I made several passes, but the grass did not seem to be cutting.
     I lowered the mower to 2 and 1/2 inches and made several passes.  The blades were turning, but the mower did not seem to be cutting.
     I bought a new mower last year.  I set it at 2 inches and started  mowing but it still did not look like it was cutting.
     So I parked it in the garage and did the unthinkable:  I found the owner's manual.
     I bought a new mower last year.  Seems there is a lever that locks the mower height in at the level you select.  If you don't lock it, it mows very high.
     Once I read that, I pulled the lock, set the level, reset the lock and started mowing.
     At 3 and 1/.2 inches.  It cuts nicely.  Lawn looks ok.  I didn't finish because supper and wine interfered. 
     In actuallity, I have mowed 4 times at the 5 inch level.  No wonder it was long this past winter.
     I wonder how it works in the snow....
Peace and Love

pinch me

I might be having a recurring dream

     I just read a forecast that said SNOW is possible this weekend.  Really?  we have not been punished enough?
     It is almost May!!  I know, the chances of snow in may are 23 percent over the last 87 years, but seriously, I am tired of it.
     I have not ridden my bike yet.  (Ok, today I could have, but I had 5 events to attend......so a relaxing ride was out of the question.
     I have a section of plants to weed....can't do that in snow.  I need to mow.  I need to plant.  I need to..........find the snow shovel and the ice scrapers for the car and hell.  I need to get a new dream.
     Maybe when I wake up, all will be green.  And stay that way.
     In the meantime, if you see me, give me a small pinch just to be sure.
Peace and Love but NO SNOW!

oops!

I had an implant check up today

     All is well, except my hygiene in that spot needs to improve.
     I told the good doctor that I avoid brushing in that area and he said it shows.  I have to brush the implant, but I can't use my electric toothbrush.....or at least I have to use it manually.
     I had several stops to make today.
     Went to pay a bill at the hearing place, but the regular office person was out to lunch, and the guy behind the desk had no idea how to process a credit card payment.
     I bought some supplies at a pet store and decided I needed a reward.  So....

     I got yelled at for not bring home a pint, but I must have known that, because I look like I am crying in the picture.  Tears of joy?  Who knows.  Generally, I am frowning or grimacing whenever I take a selfie.

     I went to an event at 4:30.  Actually, I did not want to be there at the start, so I went about 20 minutes after 4:30.....but no one was there.  Seems I did another time confusion thing as the event ended at 4:30, not started.

     Someday I will figure it all out.

Peace and Love.

out, damned weed

I admire the power of nature

     I have been cleaning up my gardens, raking up dead leaves, trimming branches, digging out weeds.
     I weeded one area Saturday and today there were weeds in it!  Actually, it was that dratted grass that sends out roots all over the place.  Pulling the grass seems to encourage root growth and new sprouts.
     I pulled it again, making sure I dug deep to get out the roots.  I know it will be back.
     I bought some plants at a local store.  I am hesitant to put them out because it might still freeze.  I just hope I remember to water them in the garage.  I am not good at that.  I will put them out in the sun during the day, and drag them back into the garage at night.  OR, I will put them out and forget them and the sun will partially kill them and a late April/early May blizzard will finish them off.
     I wonder if Vegas would give odds on my plants surviving.
     My head is full of great ideas.  It is putting them into place that is a little weak.
Peace and Love and peat pots.

too tight, I can't breathe!

I have a problem with sizes

     Clothes don't seem to fit right anymore.  (Beth...no need to comment.  I know you are tired, and you could probably only come up with 10 fat jokes.  So, rest up.  You have to work tomorrow!)
     Some of it is my fault.
     I am overweight.  I know that.  I admit that.  I can't seem to stop the hand to mouth movement typical in feeding.
     I have been wearing size 38 inch waist jeans.  They are a little loose.  But size 36 are too tight.  I figure there must be a happy medium.
     So when I saw jeans on sale at a national retailer that included a relaxed fit in the odd sizes, I jumped on it and ordered two pair.
     They came about 3 weeks ago and I just left them sit on a spare bed.  Then last Saturday Jackie suggested I try them on.
     I figured they would be the perfect fit.  Put them on.  Pulled them up.  The button was at least three inches from the button hole!  (I was just going to say hole, but I knew someone ((Doug?)) would misinterpret that.)
     Jackie was watching me.
     "What size did you order?"  she asked.
     "Well, 38 was big, 36 was small so I ordered a 35 loose fit."
     Math was never my strong suit.
     Sometimes it is not my fault.
     Julia bought me two shirts at Disney Paris.  One is an XL and the second is an XXL.  Neither fit.
     I think it was Dianne who suggested photos, so I sent pictures to Uncle Walt today.  I don't know what to expect.
     Maybe I should focus on losing weight.
     Time will tell.....I have not done that in years of talking about it.  But seriously, it would not help with the shirts.
     Peace and Love.

This is an XL....fits great, have had for 8 years

This is marked XL....Grumpy is underneath

This is marked XXL

a happy Easter

Today was a really nice day

     Church, brunch, a Cubs win,  beautiful weather and a second mowing made for a great day.
     Jackie's sister Judy came out yesterday and stayed overnight.  Today we went to church and then ten of us went brunch.  We made reservations and they had us  at a table with high stools, but when I wheeled in Jackie they quickly changed their seating plans.
     Sometimes I assist with communion.  In our church, I am an Eucharistic Minister.  Several of us perform this role.  We offer the wine at communion and otherwise stand at the altar and look handsome, or pretty, or both.
     Our new minister asked me to give her the communion wafer, an I promptly flipped it in the air like a quarter.  I was a little embarrassed.  I picked it up and felt a little foolish.  When it came time to offer her the wine, I think she might have been having second thoughts. 
     Of course, I ate far to much at brunch.  I was thinking of going for even more, but I knew I had hit the full line.  As a benefit, I didn't eat anything for supper, but I did make a pineapple banana smoothie with yogurt and 2 % milk instead.
     Now I am hungry.
     I have to ignore my lawn.  There are some ground squirrels in the yard and they have created holes all over.  I need to put out my traps and take the critters far away to roam freely, just not in my yard.  There are also some dips that really cause me to bounce around.  So my mission now is to eliminate the dips.
     Unless it's a French onion and chips are involved.
Peace, Love, and Happy Easter

spring is here....ugh

I mowed for the first time t his season

     Some of my neighbors have already mowed twice.  I just got out there today for the first time.
      I could not figure out how to start the mower, then I couldn't figure out how to keep in running.  It is new, I only used it twice last year and I could not remember the starter sequence.  I also did not have gas for it.  All is now good.
      This mower is the size of a VW Beetle.  Seriously, I think it might be road ready if it had lights.
     I can't mow  in a straight line.  My mow lines always curve.  I can't help it, maybe it's because I don't see things normally.
     And my yard is so bumpy.  It is better with the new mower, but there are so many low spots.....don't know how to get those fixed.  I can't see them, but I sure do feel them.
     At least the first mowing is in.  Maybe I should keep track this year, just because. 
     Funny, to be talking about grass on 4/20, or maybe just ironic.
Peace and Love

brrrrrr

I was at the coldest baseball game ever, for me

     I think the temperature was 20 below....at least that is what it felt like sitting in the stands.  And my face has windburn because of the gale blowing in from right field.
     At least the Cubs won.  I admit, I bailed after the seventh inning, although by the time I actually got out of the park it was the bottom of the eighth.  I was cold.
     I could not have gone to the game at all if it wasn't for Dan and Linda.
     Normally we ride to Elburn together, but they were staying late so we drove separate cars.
     I parked in the train lot, which is about 45 minutes from home, and started to get out of the car.
     I instinctively felt for my wallet....and it wasn't there.
     Not in my coat pocket, not in my sweatshirt, not in the front seat.
     I called home.  Jackie and Lanette looked on the counter, in the driveway, in the mailbox (because I had carried a letter to the mailbox, and who knows?) and by the computer.  No wallet.
Jackie asked me when I had seen it and I said I downloaded money to my one account to ride the L and to another account to buy coffee.  So I used it at the computer.
     It was not there, not on the floor, not anywhere.
     I asked Jackie to look in the drawer where we keep our notebook with the passwords for all our accounts.....and there it was.  I don't know why I put it away with the password book.  The mind works in mysterious ways.
     That was good news.
     But I had no money, no train ticket, no bus ticket, no credit card....zilch.
     Luckily Dan and Linda loaned me money for food, and for the bus, and for the train ride home.
     All is well that ends well.  I won't talk about the fact I was driving without a license, riding on a reduced fare card without a permit, and ran the risk of being an unidentified body in the morgue should a bridge collapse as I was heading to the train station.
     A Cubs win was worth it.
Peace and Love

Bears game or Cubs game??

Jackie's magnolia is blooming

I love daffodils

crisis time

I am in the middle of an international crisis

      I have a rather ample middle.  I have tried to watch my diet and exercise more, but that is futile.  I am fat.  I have to accept that.
      I now wear an XL shirt.  They fit will.  Not tight, room to breath and my belly doesn't seem so obvious.
      Julia bought me two really neat t shirts at Disney Paris for Christmas.  I love them.  Since they are t shirts, I have had them hanging in my closet until we get a nice day.
     Well, we got a nice day and I put on the mad Mickey.  It's an XL.  Mickey looks greatly deformed and I can barely exhale it is so tight!  So I put on the XXL one that is even more cool than the first and......still can't breathe!  Both shirts are way too tight.
     She also got me a Swiss shirt in an XL and it fits fine.
     What's the deal with Disney and sizes?  I know they did not shrink because they were washed in cold water....once.
     It's very disappointing because I really like the shirts.
     Maybe I'll fire off a letter to Uncle Walt and see what he says.
     But I thought there was an international standard for sizes.  I guess I was wrong.
Peace and Love

did you hear the one about....

I may have told this story

     If I have, blame it on the dental implant.
     When I first started teaching, I had a pretty loosey goosey approach to discipline.  I ignored kids talking out, because I valued their input and did not want to stifle that.  Or something along that line.
     Anyway, one day; first year.  I had had enough.  I stopped, looked at the kids and said, "From now on, raise hands and wait to be called on."
     I think we were doing a math problem.  I wrote on the chalk board and turned around when Michael suddenly yelled out, "Mr Dickow, Mr. Dickow....." and I cut him off.  "But Mr. Dickow..."  And I stopped him again.  "What did I say?  Raise your hand!"
     To demonstrate my awesome teaching authority, I then called on everyone who had a hand up, but not Michael.
     He was squirming in his seat.  His hand was over his mouth.  He was bouncing up and down.
     Finally, proving my point, I called on him.
     "Michael, what was so important you had to just yell out?"  I asked.
     "Your zipper's down," he said.
     And it was.  Wide open was the barn.
     Sometimes you just gotta let the words flow.
Peace and Love

what the heck?

This weather is  truly odd

     Here are some pictures of my yard on Monday.

Right, not my yard...just our  cute dog

morning

mid morning

     

md afternoon

late afternoon

      The snow just seemed to disappear right before our very eyes....quite strange.

     Today was beautiful.

      I went to Sycamore because my hearing aid was not right.   The other night the ear piece came off.  I was able to jiggle my ear and it fell out.  I called the office, they told me what to do, I did it and plugged it in again this morning and again it fell off, leaving part in my ear.

      Normally, I would panic and run to someone for help.  Instead, I kept my cool, jiggled my ear, and recovered the piece.

      I stopped at a grocery store for a couple of my favorite yogurts and decided to use the bathroom.

     It was then that I discovered my zipper was down, and had likely been down for the last three hours.

     This seems to be a constant problem in my life.  But that's another story for another day.

Peace and Love

I am sad

The news out of Paris makes me cry

     I have been to Notre Dame twice, and now I am thankful I went.
     The first time, Jackie and I went into the church and I climbed the tower.  I was up in the land of Quasimodo and pigeons and gargoyles and it was pretty amazing.
     I remember a young man who started talking to me.  He much have been high school age, and was from somewhere out east, like Pennsylvania or Ohio.  His dad worked for NATO in Brussels.  His mom and him made frequent trips to Paris and stayed at a hotel somewhere near Notre Dame.
     He showed me how he takes pictures with the gargoyles that make them look like they have Eiffel Tower in their mouths.  If I remember, he went to the church a lot and when the people touring  were asked to move on, the guards usually let him stay because they knew him.  I think you were limited to 15 or 20 minutes on the top before you had to leave so the next group could come up.  He stayed for hours at a time.
     When not on the tower or in the church, he said he could look out his hotel window and see the magnificent structure.  I thought of him tonight.
     The second time I went was with my friend SK.  She opted to climb to the top, but my legs were sore, so I sat on the square below, taking pictures of people's shoes.
      I wish now I had gone up instead.   I am thankful I had to opportunity to sit in the center of Paris and stare up at those magnificent towers.
     I can't imagine Paris without the church.
     I have heard it can be rebuilt, but it will take billions of Euros.  And years of work by craftsmen with talents that are disappearing from our modern world.
     Standing inside, looking at the stained glass windows, the soaring roof, the magnificent altar, I was truly touched in a way I never thought I would be.
      I had tears today when I saw the magnificent lady surrounded by smoke and flames.  Such a loss.
Peace and Love

what?

I seem to have a small hearing problem tonight

     One of my hearing aids broke off and is still in my ear.  Jackie could not see t he end, and I can't see in my ear, so I am leaving it until tomorrow.  Then I will wander over to the ear person and get it removed.
     I think this is a common occurrence.  It is the first time for me, and I am not panicked or worried about any kind of surgery.  It has to be an easy removal.  Doesn't it?
     We have Christmas glasses.  After Christmas I switched back to our regular glasses and put 8 small ones and 8 large ones in the cabinet.  When I emptied the dishwasher tonight, there were only 7 of each.
     I don't remember breaking any.  Jackie doesn't remember any breaking.  Yes, I am positive there were 8 each.  So, how did I lose two glasses?  Weird.
     I went to church  in DeKalb today and the snow came down fairly heavy during my time in church.   Il. 38 was so bad, I opted for the tollway home.  It was snow covered, but had been plowed.  I am not sure 38 was plowed at all, so I think it was a good choice.
     Rochelle ended up with over 5 inches, and DeKalb had almost 8.  Funny joke, Mother Nature.  We are still laughing.
     Better go to bed...have a feeling sleep will not come easy tonight, especially with one ear plugged by, well, a plug!
Peace and Love

strange

Ever say things with no thought?

     Well, surprise!  I do!
      I have noticed a couple of times in the past few weeks when I just said things that were not what I should have said.
     For instance, tonight I picked up some food at a local place and the girl said, very clearly, "Enjoy your food."
     An appropriate answer would have been something like, thank you, or I will, or anything like that.
     I said ...... You too
     You too. 
      So the conversation was, "Enjoy your food."  "You too," replied me.
     Last week the clerk said, "Thanks for shopping here."  I replied,
"You too."
     I keep thinking they are going to say "Have a good night/day/weekend" which would make "You too" a completely logical reply.
     When I was asked if I wanted the receipt, I told another clerk, "You have a good weekend too." 
     I also had to change my text messaging skill.  I learned the microphone button on the bottom can be pushed and it allows you to say your message instead of typing it.
     When I first started doing this I ended messages with, "bye."  Like I was leaving a voice message on the phone or something.  It made no sense.
     I know I need to start being a more active listener....that would cut down on the You Too  replies that are automatic from my mouth.
     I don't mean to be the guy from left field, but it just happens.
Peace and Love
       You too.

so many words

I had a vocabulary lesson today

     It was at the Cubs game. 
     Let me stress, it was a great game!  Cubs hit four home runs, had a great pitching performance, and most important, they won!!  And in less than 3 hours!!
     The ballpark looks good.  I went into one of the new bathrooms and it was .... how to say this...... beautiful! 
     The upper deck has something called a Catalina Club.  Why Catalina?  Dan said the Cubs used to have spring training on Catalina Island and this was a tribute to their history.
     The Catalina Club is located right under the press boxes on the upper level.  The handicap seating section and private bathroom used to be there, but they are gone.  So is the deck an d food service area where we always seemed to find a pregame meal.
     But there is a nice grill and a couple of food stands in the right field and left field newly created patios.  And there is seating for handicapped people, with family restrooms located near by.  All in all, it looks good.
     We sat in front of some young men.... guys in their 20s, maybe early 30s.      One of them used a certain four letter word often, as if it were a word like the or and.
     He did use it creatively.  Sometimes it was an adjective, as in "What a ------- idiot."  Sometimes it was a verb, as in "Are you ------- with me?"  It surfaced as a noun, especially after a Cub strikeout.  "What a dumb -----."  And of course, as an adverb as in, "You are ------- killing us."
     It was highly annoying.  And nonstop.  It was like he only had one word he could reliably pronounce and he was determined to use it as often as he could.  Kind of like a monosyllabic caveman.  Or child.
     I felt sorry for the people he worked with, or dated, or interacted with in any way because it was really tiring.
     On the train into the city there was a girl who was on her way to a meeting in Evanston at around noon.  The train left Elburn at 10:15 and arrived in the station at 11:50.  When they announced it was late leaving Elburn, she also described the situation as one involving intercourse.
     When she found out it took her 40 minutes to get from the station to Evanston, she whined that she was going to be "-------" late for a meeting.  Our thought was she should have taken an earlier train.
     I don't mean to sound a prude, heavens knows I have uttered my share of that particular profanity in life.  But I really try to control myself in public.  As much as for me as the others around me.  At home, well the walls would blush.  But that's me in my home, where not a lot of people are around to hear.
     With that, I am going to end.  Well, that as some ------- pictures.  And by that I mean awesome!
Peace and Love.

Walkway behind Catalina Club linking the right field with the left field seating.....it's kind of narrow!

early birds

I was up very early today

     Corki never gets us up in the middle of the night, but she was at the door at 5:30 this morning.   5:30.
     It was still darkish.  I could tell which neighbors were up because they had lights on.  Ok, all of them were up because they were all getting ready for work.
     I was amazed at how much traffic there was.  Lots of cars on Flagg Road and Skare Road.  I wish I could ask them where they are going, just because I am a curious fellow.
     Of course, getting back to sleep was difficult, especially since the alarm was set for 8.
      And an afternoon nap was out of the question because I had too many things to do.
     Tonight I went to a high school play.  The local kids put on "Pygmalion," the non musical "My Fair Lady."  George Bernard Shaw was the playwright and he was a little wordy, in my opinion.  But the youngsters did a great job staging the show and I am glad I went.
     I have worked with some of them in speech over the years and I enjoy watching the theatrical side of them.
     I turned my hearing aids up, but the first part of the play was hard to hear.  I thought it was just me, but I met some friends and mentioned I had trouble hearing and I was informed I was not the only one.
     My fear was ..... the room was warm, the theater dark, the voices indistinct and I would just doze off.
     But I didn't.  I understood the majority of the show.
     It was about a gypsy girl captured by white slavers and cast into a life of servitude while learning Lithuanian, wasn't it?
     Sweet dreams.....
Peace and Love

Enough!!!

I am about at the breaking point with this weather

     Monday it was 70, sunny, a great day.  Today it is in the upper 30s, windy, damp, and cloudy.
     I can't take the roller coaster anymore!
     I need sun.  And warmth.  I need to be able to ride my bike. (Don't bother pointing out that one of my neighbors has been riding regularly ALL year.  He is young and strong.  I am old and delicate.  I can't ride when it is cold and windy.  End of discussion.)
     I am going to a Cub game Friday and I may be wearing a winter coat, hat and gloves.  That is insane!  (Don't bother pointing out that last year we did the same.  And the year before.  And the year before. April baseball in Chicago is cold and damp.  End of discussion.)
     Even picking out clothes to wear is hard.  I don't know if I should layer or not layer.  (Don't bother pointing out that I layer because it hides my stomach and another reason I don't like spring is I have to cut down on the clothes that disguise my girth.  I'm heavy.  End of discussion.)
     Both the cars are dirty and need to be washed and vacuumed before they get worse.  (Don't bother pointing out I went over a year without cleaning out my car and the amount of dirt in it was embarrassing.  I think some people thought the car belonged to a homeless person.  I carry a lot of important stuff.  EOD)
     I can't wash windows when the weather is like this.  I didn't get to wash them last fall, and they really need to be cleaned, inside and out.  (DBPO that I have a card with some one's name that I am going to call for him to come out and wash the windows.  I am getting too old to be climbing up and down on a ladder.  ((Don't bother pointing out I have tilt in windows that I can't tilt in because my fingers are too fat to get in between the sash and the window.  EOD)) So, EOD)
     I think I'll have anther glass of wine.  (Don't bother pointing out that I have had enough!  I have had enough of this winter, which just does not want to leave.  It's not my fault.  So EOD)
Peace and Love

I'll never learn

I often make a bad choice or two

     I made a bad choice last night.
     I had a cup of decaf tea at about 10 before going to bed at around 11.
     Here's a health lesson, or maybe a math lesson.  I am not sure.

If a 70 year old man with an enlarged prostate has a cup of hot, decaf tea an hour before bedtime, how many times will said 70 year old get up to go to the bathroom to get rid of that 8 oz cup of decaf tea?

     If you say 4, you may be a winner.
     12:30, 1:20, 2:45 and around 4:10.  When the alarm went off, I could barely walk, I was so tired.
     Jackie never heard me, which is good news.  I could not believe that a 6 or 8 ounce cup of basically hot water could make be pee out 7 gallons.  But it's true.
     I should have gone to kindergarten today, but between the cold and the lack of sleep, I was a walking zombie.  Figuratively speaking, of course.  I went back to "sleep" on my recliner and spent a quiet hour or two contemplating life as I know it.
     Whenever I can't sleep I try to think of a happy place, a place where my mind is peaceful, my body can relax, and I feel no pressure to do anything except exist.  Sometimes that spot is in Skare Park, sometimes in Switzerland, sometimes at Dewey Lake in Michigan...but it almost always has a water feature.  If all goes well, my body just goes limp and my brain slips into dreamsville.  If all goes well.
     I hope tonight the hot toddy I am having will accomplish two goals:  Relax me and help my sinuses clear. 
     Time will tell, but I am hopeful.
Peace and Love

almost done

I hate making lists

     It seems every time I take an item off a list, I add 2!
     FYI, I did get the den cleaned and the cardboard boxes broken down.  But, while doing that I added other tasks to my list, including crushing cans in the garage and finding out how to change a battery in my window alarm.  Changing the battery seems to be fairly easy, but I don't have a battery to replace it with, so        I will wait until tomorrow.
      I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon, and I had to review materials for the meeting.  That took a while, but I did finish after dinner.
     I would have loved to take a bike ride, but I walked Corki instead.  We made it about 1/4 mile before she decided to turn around.
     I guess aging in animals is similar to aging in people.  When we first got Corki, our walks would be brisk and frequent.   Sometimes we would even run short distances.
     This year she walks at a much slower pace.  Our last mile walk, she slowed down considerably about two houses away.  And a couple of times, we just stopped and stood for a minute or two before continuing on.
     Tomorrow is an anniversary of sorts. 
     Emily and several of her neighbors lost their homes when an EF 4 tornado ripped through their subdivision on April 9.  Hard to believe it has been 4 years.
     I still say thanks for the volunteers that came, for the people who helped clean up, for our friends who came to our house and did a lot of spirit lifting.  I still get a little teary eyed thinking of the day.
     I also offer prayers of thanks that the storm only did physical damage, and that everyone in the area was safe.  Life is full of blessings, even in the times of disaster.
Peace and Love.

tomorrow

Tomorrow is a new day

I will clean the den.
I will break down all the boxes in the garage.
I will try to start the riding mower.
I will fill the roller up with water so I can roll the lawn this week.
I will work out a schedule for three events.
I will sweep the floors.
I will do the two news stories I have to do.
Holy crap.  I have a lot to do.
Luckily, tomorrow is a few hours away and I can finish up my cup of white hot chocolate with a shot of Rum Chata.
I am putting on some photos from last night.  Paula Poundstone is very funny.  Thanks, Emily and John, for taking me. 
After the show, Paula just hangs around and talks to people....very neat.

Peace and Love

tired.....

I am pretty tired right now

     Just got back from a Paula Poundstone show.  She is a female comic and has been around a while, but this is the first time I have seen her.  Emily and John took me to the show and we hung around for a few mimutes to meet Paula.
     Pretty fun night.
     I can't seem to load the photos from Facebook, so I will try an end run.
Peace and Love and laughter

yikes.....

Who knew visiting a cemetery could be scary

     I stopped at my parents graveside today.  I go there occasionally.  It's  not too far off my route  coming home after the zoo.
     Today was a little unnerving.
     First, there was a high speed car chase down the street with one car doing at least 80 and 3 squads in pursuit....all in a residential type setting.  Never seen a car chase before.
     When I started to leave a funeral procession turned into the cemetery.  There must have been over 100 cars.  At least, 100 if not more.
     One car drew the attention of a very irate police officer who approached the car, about 15 feet from me, with his gun drawn and yelling to the driver, "Get back in the f......in car, now."  When the man did not respond, the officer said, "I am giving you to three."
     At that point I moved over to a rather large headstone and stayed behind it.
     And the cars kept coming.  And coming.  People were yelling and screaming and there were lots of police.  Lots.
     My car was on the opposite side of all this, so I just waited for everyone to calm down, but the traffic was stopped into the cemetery.  You could not move.
     I went over to my car and got in and drove down to a farther entrance  on the side where I was parked and that roadway was not busy.  There were 3 police cars there also.
     To say I was unnerved is an understatement. 
     It's a rough world out there....even in cemeteries.
Peace an Love

calling the doctor

I think I had better call the doctor soon

     I was exposed to several windmills while biking in the Netherlands, and I just want to make sure I don't have wind cancer.
     Feeling a little grumpy tonight.
     Another Cub loss does not help my normally sparkling personality.
     But this idiot who claimed he was the missing boy from Aurora?  How can anyone be so stupid and callous.  He should have something horrible happen to him.....maybe force him to live near a windmill.
     I keep reading headlines that Chicago recently elected its first openly gay mayor.  And I wonder, does sexual preference make a difference in being a mayor?  I also wonder if there were mayors not gay openly.
     And Casimir Pulaski....hero of the Revolution... a Polish legend.  Testing is underway that hints he may have been a she born with male parts.  Seriously?  The man died 250 years ago, let him rest in peace.  Or her.  Whatever.
     Mysearch  for a biking and barge trip in France has not been as easy as I thought . I did find one neat offering for only $6,500 per person for 7 days.  I would have to have my head examined for that one.  $6,500.....I am not a baseball player!
     I am puzzled about ads I see for Posh.  People say they make thousands of dollars selling their unwanted clothing.  I am thinking that if you are selling enough clothes to buy a car, you probably have too many clothes to start with.  Think of the money you would have had if you hadn't bought the designer items to start with.
    Doing flash cards with kindergartners reminds me how difficult the English language is.  Of.......sounds like a v, not an f.  How do you describe of?  And is and his both have the same sound.  So why when you put a t at the front of his does it not rhyme also?  is....his....this....... No wonder some kids have trouble learning to read.
     Do people really care about the Kardashians?  If so, why?  What have they ever done to deserve media attention?
     Gotta breath deeply....calm down....relax.
     Sigh.....
Peace and Love

retailing

I learned a few things today

       Following directions works.  Some times things don't make sense.    Ask prices.
     Let's start in reverse order.
     I had to go to /Rockford to pick up our taxes.  We left at 112:30 and by the time we were headed home at about 2:30 I was hungry and I had to go to the bathroom.
     So we stopped at a fast food place so I could relieve myself.  I decided to get a fish sandwich, because I love fish sandwiches.  I ordered, paid, and waited.  As I waited I looked at my receipt:  Fish sandwich.....$4.19.    Sign in window:  2 fish sandwiches ...  $5.
     I assumed, obviously incorrectly, that one sandwich would be $2.50.  I told the nice lady behind he counter I wanted to change my order to 2 fish sandwiches and I would pay the difference.
    She brought me my order and said to forget it, it was easier to just give me a second sandwich.
     After we picked up our taxes, we stopped at the mall to return towels to the store formerly known as Field's.  I previously mentioned Jackie ordered bath sheets instead of bath towels.  My first attempt to return them did not work well as I did not have her credit card to access the account and I did not have paperwork on 2 of the 8 towels.
The lady gave me a hard time in a good natured way. 
     Today I went in with my box, Jackie's credit card, and the original order.  The same lady was working and actually remembered me.
     Her first words were, "The towel man.  Did you bring her credit card?"  I did, and gave it to her.
     She did everything she knew to look up the items so we could return them.  But she could not find them.  She tried the order, the product code, looked at the original order.....no record that we bought them or that they shipped them or charged us for them.  She was perplexed.
     End result....for the second  time, I brought the towels home.  I am waiting for our bill to see if we were charged for them.  If we were not, I will return them, I guess.  We did keep two of the bath sheets, so maybe I should return the ones we kept and keep the ones we returned.
     I'm confused.
     Finally, I actually downloaded the Major League app necessary for me to manage my electronic baseball tickets!  I followed the directions, but midway through I got confused and hit a button and magically got directed to the correct site.  And I even managed to forward two of the tickets to Dan and Linda!
     You don't understand how huge this is for me, a guy who can't figure out how to do a lot of things on the phone and computer.
     Success. 
     Oh, seems we have a tax bill of a little over $675,767.....so any contributions would be appreciated.
Peace and Love

whew!!

Our comedy group rocked tonight

     I am part of an improv comedy group called Exit 99.  The name comes from the number of the Exit on I 39 coming into Rochelle from the south,  Honestly, it may  also even be exit 99 from the north....I don't really remember.
     There are 4 of us.  Beth, Carrie, and the two Terrys. 
     We did a benefit for Vince Carney Community Theater tonight.  Tickets for the show were $20 and about 70 people came, or at least 60.  I never heard the final number.
     We do a Drew Carey Whose Line Is It type show.  All the suggestions come from the audience, and we create funny bits.  Hopefully. 
     Tonight we did a 90 minute show...with a 5 minute break.  The time flew by, I was shocked when I saw it was already 8 and we were scheduled to end at 8:30.       We were only about half way through our games list!  Like I said, the time flew.
     People said they enjoyed the show.  One person said he had never seen us before and couldn't believe how funny we were. 
      I don't remember how long we have been doing shows.  I know when Julia left in 2002 we were not yet performing.  But it wasn't that long after that when we got together and muddled through.
     We rehearse, in a way.  We sit around and talk, and drink beer and wine, and talk some more. 
     Usually our shows are a little blue in content, but tonight was fairly mild.  Our philosophy seems to be:  go with what is funny.  And we do.
     But it is tiring.  And at the same time, I have so much energy now I don't know if I will ever go to sleep.
     I had a really great time tonight....and I hope we do many more shows.
Peace and Love and Laughs

smell that meat

I cooked on my grill tonight!

     Thanks, John, for getting the new regulator on the grill.
     If you remember the saga, the grill was not firing up.  Some of you suggested it might be spiders in the line, a faulty tank, my ineptness......  but Weber said it was probably the regulator.
     I ordered a new regulator and discovered I was not strong enough to get the old one off!  I tried, and I tried, and I tried, but I could not get the sucker to budge.  I have never been real strong, but I have always been strong enough.  (I have started using a different deodorant.)  I was not up to the task.
     John came over Friday and while I was off getting my pedicure, he changed the regulators.
     I fired the grill up tonight and cooked a perfect hamburger....seared on the outside, a tad pink in the middle.
     I had an ear of corn and beans from the garden and all was good.  (The corn was from Emily and John's neighbor Adam.  He gave us some sweetcorn last fall and I froze some ears.)
     Sadly, I did not pull any practical jokes on this April 1.  I must be losing my touch.
     Now to sleep for the big show tomorrow!!
Love and Peace