day 15

Life  was like an elevator today

     Let's start with the puzzle.
     I worked on it this afternoon, sipping my coffee and eating a Payday.  I know, not exactly healthy.
      I got down to this:  A definite high point!

     Notice anything?
     After 11 days of working, puzzling, snacking, drinking coffee, I was down to one piede.  One stinking piece.  A piece I had been looking for for several days.
     Now, all the pieces were placed except this one.
     A definite low point.
     I was so pissed.  Did I lose it?  Did Corki eat it?  Was their really a ghost stealing pieces?  Were there only 499 to start with?
     I looked on the floor, in the couch, under the puzzle.  As a last resort I ran my hand over the puzzle and guess what?

      It was on top of the puzzle, on some bushes, blending in nicely.
     A definite high point

     And so, it is finished.  Complete.  Finito.  A very high point.
    Looking on line for the next challenge, but I think I blew it because yesterday they were 30 percent off and today they are not.
     And then another high point.
     I got a call from one of the play partners at the zoo today!
     They were just checking in to see how I was doing and exchange small talk.     It was great hearing their voice and laughing at "zoo " stuff.
     I hung up and Jackie asked who I was talking to.........
     I started crying.  No idea why.  Just blubbering away.  Couldn't even talk.
     I am so thankful for all the people who have kept in contact, either through e-mail, facetime, Facebook, phone calls, or personal grocery deliveries.
     I'll  admit a couple of things:   I am an emotional guy.  I am scared.  I am thankful.
     Stay home.  Stay healthy.  Stay in contact.
Peace and Love

day 14

I am opening the mail bag

     From time to time I get letters from adoring fans, telling me this is the bestest blog they have read in the last 5 minutes.  Sometimes they ask for my advice.
     Today I am treating you to some of the more interesting queries and my most intellegentest repsonses.
     Dear Terry.......Whey is your blog called TD in ten?  It should be called Terry;s life.  I first saw it and thought it was about football.  I was disappointed.   Signed, Mitch T.
     Dear Mitch...I don't understand your confusion.  Clearly TD in ten is not about football.  Truthfully, I am amazed you even knew that TD stood for touchdown because .....well , we've all seen you throw long.
     Dear Terry....I have been reading your blog.  Parts of your blog.  It is good.  If I did a blog it would be better, you know.  Because I am pretty smart.  The smartest.  I know more about anything than anybody in the world.  Science?  I know all about psychics and the planets.  I know when you split the atom you get eneregy.  Lots of energy.  The best energy.  I am richl  I am powerful.  I am humble, the most humblest person you will ever hear about.  I am honest as the day is long.  Why don't more people like me?    Signed, Donnie.
     Dear Donnie....Did you ever listen to yourself?  Holy crap!  Pompous.  Arrogant.  Dishonest.  Absolutely amazing that you would even wonder.
     Terry.....what is the meaning of life?  signed Monty
     Dear Mony......Self quarantines and social distancing.  Practice it daily.
     Dear Terry......Thank you for realizeing I am amazing.  Signted, Donnie.
     Terry,..... what the hell is wrong with you?  Signed Jackie.
     Dear Jackie....blame it on the pinot noir and lack of sleep.

     That's it from the letter bag today.  Stay safe and keep your distance.
Peaec and Love

day 14

I have some fun activities to do by yourself

     Some of you reading this may be living by yourself,  and these activities are geared toward you to break the boredom of self quaranteen.
     However, with a little imagination on your part, they could be enjoyed  by two or more people.
     Read to have some fun?
     Activity 1     This is a fun one, easy to play, especially by your self.  Put your cell phone down and wait an hour and try to find it.  This is great for memory building and walking, as you may go from room to room while you look for this vital cog in today's world.
Want to spice it up?  Put it on vibrate!  That way when someone tries to call you, you will have no idea the phone is ringing.
     Activity 2     Arrange your spice rack in alphabetical order.
     Activity 3     Take pictures of your bed hair everyday and see how the look changes
     Activity 4      Wrok on a puzzle.  Spend countless minutes looking for the missing  piece but first check under your cup of tea to be sure you did not unintentionally hide it from yourself in the first place.
     Activity 5     Count the numer of worms that slither up onto your porch after a heavy rain.  (47 last night)
     Activity 6     Read a blog somebody writes that has absolutely no value whatsoever.
     Activity 7     Be really snotty when answering a call from an unknown number then try to explain your tone to the person you had contacted in the first place.
     Activity 8     Here's an educational one.  Brush up on the differences between your and you're; hear and here; their, they're and there; and its and it's.  You'll find the learning challenging but fulfilling.
     That's it!
     I am sure you will find these to be the bestest, mostest meaningful and funnest activities to do during this quaranteen.
     Oh.....I forgot one:
     Activity 9      Learn how to spell quaranteen and then stay home and practice it!

Peace an Love

Activity 3....can be a hoot!

Getting there!  Tuesday, maybe?

I cooked supper.  The clean up took forever...note the wine bottle

Hint: It's  quarantine!

day 13...I think

I am still homebound

      Tomorrow will be two weeks since I went shopping in a grocery store.
      I think I may be going crazy.
     The rain last night did not help...it was loud.  The storms today did not help...tornado warnings west of us.
     I never took them very seriously.  I always paced, got worried, fretted, and then went outside to look at the sky.
     Then Emily's and John's house was obliterated by an EF 4 tornado in April about 5 years ago.  Now when I hear the warnings I  go into a slight panic.
      Knowing we were having stormy weather I made sure my phone was charged and I did not have any wine....jus to keep my senses sharp.
     Part of the problem is we can't go downstairs.  Well, I can, but Jackie can't do stairs....so we will shelter in the little bathroom and hope for the best.
     I am still perplexed by the puzzle.  I have a couple areas where I just can't find the piece or pieces to fit.  Driving me bonkers.
     Maybe tomorrow.
Peace and Love and stay home

day12

Where do I begin.....

     Emily, John and Camryn came over for a little while to celebrate Jackie's birthday.  No cake, no snacks, just talking at a well maintained distance.  When they left, I took a sanitizing wipe and cleaned the door handles into the house.
     I felt like a traitor doing that.  Like I thought they were dirty.  I think that's the new norm.
     Jackie was surprised I actually had a card and present...and thank you Emily for getting the present.  Jackie wanted Frozen II, and when I went to the store to get it two weeks ago I got confused because I thought all of them said blu-ray, but they actually say blu ray and all formats. 
     I had a meeting on Zoom today at noon.  Julia said she would Skype at  noon.       No problem, I have a PC and I can use that for my meeting. 
     But I have not loaded mail onto it, and the link was in mail. 
     So I tried loading mail.  It asked for my password, always a danger sign.  I entered it and found out it was invalid.  Tried again.  Same response.  I figured all I had to do was copy the preferences on my desktop.  So I entered the exact same server name.  Typed in the password.  Password not found.
     It was now 11:40....presdure was on.  Jackie started to say something and I yelled "Be quiet"  or something like that.  On her birthday.
     I finally called John.  I described what I was doing and bingo, it worked!  I had done the same thing over and over and it did not work, but when I call for help, it works.  I don't get it.
      I get so frustrated at times.  Technology baffles me.  I can't remember passwords and I don't always write them down or put them in the electronic password folder.  I am terrible.
     Sleep is terrible and tonight wil be worse.  The virus to worry about, storms, my behavior under pressure......all will lead to plent of tossing and turning.
     Then to top it off, I went to use mail on my desktop and now it won't allow me to send anything.  I am so screwed up
     Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
Peace and Love

Slow progress today

day 11

No offense, this sucks

     Word filtered out today that the Cubs Cardinals game in London will in all probability be postponed.  Almost certain.
      Linda, Sheri and I already have our plane tickets, game tickets, and hotel reservations in Liverpool.
     When we first talked about going to the game, I said do what you want, I am going to Liverpool and walk Penny Lane, stopping in the barber shop, looking for the fireman, sticking my gum on the wall.  I wanted to go to the Cavern Club, the Casbah club, Strawberry Fields, Paul's house.  We even had a personal tour lined up with Julia's friend Matt and his dad, who are from Loverpool.
     Now?  Pfft.  Who knows.
     This sucks.
     Tomorrow is Jackie's birthday.  We are going to celebrate with no one.  No cake.  No party.  No nothing.
     This sucks.
     I was going to make a cake.  But....we would have to eat all of it.  And my cooking skills are not that great.  For example, we had steaks on the grill last night.  I burned them.  Tuesday night we had macaroni with ground beef and three different cheeses all mixed in.  I burned it.  How?  I put some mozarella cheese and bread crumbs on top and set it under the broiler for a minute but the dog had to go out, she needed something, and ....burnt supper.
     This sucks.
     I have two pieces in the bottom part of my puzzle I can't find.  I am convinced someone comes in the middle of the night and steals pieces.  So tonight I am setting my security alarm.
     This sucks.
     I may have cabin fever.
     Or, I may just be grumpy.
     Which ever, this sucks.
Peace and Love

A thief must have taken these three....I can't find them anywhere.

day 10

I have lost track of days

     When did that box come?  Should I unpack it now?  I sprayed it with Lysol and have not handled it....maybe it is safe to open.
     I raked part of the front yard today.  Seems Corki prefers one section of the yard for her outdoor toilet and a lot of the grass is dead.  So I took advantage of the fairly nice day and raked it then reseeded it with seed I bought a month ago.
     Hope it grows.
     I had a FB friend request from someone.  I declined it.  I often visit the person's page  to see who we have as common friends.  We had one common friend.  But young Megan also had a page for her nude photo gallery....so I left that and quickly deleted the friend request.
     When did I hit the age where a young girl's nude photo gallery wasn't visited?
     Oh well.
     I am not an organized person, and I have a problem focusing on a task.  So putting together a puzzle is a challenge for me.
     I spent a good deal of time yesterday and today looking for a couple of pieces that I knew had to be there only to discover that I already had them, but they were upside down.  Flipped them around and a 4 piece section slipped right into place.
     Go figure.
Peace and Love and stay healthy

Visibility was a little poor this morning.  One weather map put Rochelle at 0.2  miles and I believe them.

day 9

I ventured out today

     I went to a local butcher and picked up some meat.  I called ahead and went in, picked up the order ,and left.  There was no one else but me.  When I got in the car I sanitized my hands.  When I got home I sanitized my hands, then washed them.  Talk about being paranoid!
     You know I am cheap.  I am also a bit careless when it comes to food.
     I bought Jackie some of those cinnamon apple straws.  I think they are a good snack food for people watching their weight....which we are not.
     I had a hankering for something different tasting, so I took them down and opened them.
     Now....I don't remember when I bought them, but it was not recently.  They smelled a little odd, but I figured that was just the snack.  Then I popped a couple in my mouth.......eeeeewwwwww!  Gross.
     I flipped over the package and read the expiration date:  Best if used by September 2018.
     I tossed the bag.   Six hours later I still had the taste in my mouth.
     Was listening to NPR radio coverage and the reporter was talking about an economic slowdown and the shutdown to contain the virus.  He was talking really fast, and very excited about the topic.  At one point he got tongue tied and called it a slutdown!   And economic slutdown ......slowdown + shutdown = slutdown.  I could go with that.
     Corki and I went for our first walk of the spring.  She is smarter that I figured.  When we go in the car and she runs around the cars trying to figure out which one I am taking.  But today she walked right to the garage entry door and waited for me.
     The bad news is she is having trouble getting up on the bed at night.  I told her she needs to wait for me to pick her up and take her down.
     Hope she listens.
Peace and Love

     Not much progress today!

day 8

I finally found my match

     No, not talking about the missing puzzle piece.
     But Mukesh, who is 32 and from India.  I got an e-mail from Russian Cupid that this was one of 8 new matches for me!
     Seems like the Rooskies are interested in messing up more than our elections.  (If you substitue R for L, it is a funny joke,)
     Kenny Rogers died.  The Gambler broke even.  Kenny was 82 and one of the articles I read about him said he stopped touring in 2015 to spend more time with his 10 year old twins.  I am just guessing that a 79 year old man isn't going to do a lot of fun things with kids that age.  My pops was 48 when I was born, and at 58, when I was 10, the last thing he wanted to do was go out and play catch or anything.
     Ever hear of Sid Hartman?  He is a sports columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  He does three columns a week and also does some radio spots.  Sid is a poplular figure in the Twin Cities and last week celebrated a birthday.  Sid turned 100.  Still writing.  Still working.  Gotta love it.
     I am having a hard time not touching my face.  Other parts of my body suffer a similar fate.
     I did get a little work time in on the puzzle.  There is still a long way to go and evidently several missing pieces!
      And I have a new mystery.  When Corki goes out at night, she sometimes stares at the bushes in front of the house.  Just stares.  Check out the picture.

     The line goes from my house to the neighbor's.  Not deer tracks, because nothing leads to them....just from my bushes to theirs.  Corki must be smelling whatever it is......probably a ground squirrel.  

day 7

I have got to stop surfing

     I did enjoy watching Cubs highlights. It reminded me of how much I miss baseball.
     And I saw a TLC snippet on cheapskates.  This couple saved money by doing lots of extreme things.
     Oh Terry, what did they do that was strange?
     I am glad you asked.
     Showered together.  2 minute showers.  Every 30 seconds they rotated to get under the faucet.  One person put shampoo in their hair and lathered, then the other person took that lather and washed their hair.  He used her shaver to shave after she did her underarms and legs.  Then they sharpened it.  Used the same PIECE of dental floss, shared a toothbrush, kept track of how many flushes each person made so they could figure out how much each person paid for the water bill. 
     They were married, but kept separate bank accounts and split bills.  If they bought a dozen eggs, they split the cost of the eggs and each person got six.  One time she did not check the eggs at the store and 4 were broken, so she only got 2 that week.
     She locks her snacks up because if she didn't, he would eat all of HER snacks.  When she took one out, he asked to share and they each had 1 chip.
     But the corker was when they opted for prepaid funerals because the cost of funerals keeps going up.  The wanted a basic casket, no linens, linings or pillows, and since he probably would die first, they want one casket to bury him in and when she dies they will dig up the casket and put her in it!
     I thought it was a spoof byThe Onion, but I Googled TLC shows and there they were.
     Damn crazy people.
     And it wasn't like they were saving up to take a vacation, or buy a house, or retire.....they were just cheap.
     Sharing dental floss and a toothbrush....just damn disgusting.
     Not a lot of progress on the puzzle today.....I sometimes can't see the forest through the trees.

Peace and Love

day 6

Living and learning in 2020

     I learned something about bleach.
     First thing I learned:  The splash-less bleach is not the same as regular bleach.  I don't know why.  But the splash-less bleach, and the scented bleaches, are not sanitizers.  They are whiteners and cleaners.  I you want to sanitize, use the regular.  I did not know that.
     And I use the wipes in the house.  I wipe a counter, then wipe it with a paper towel or old towel to dry it.  Mistake.  The bleach liquid needs to air dry, or stay on the surface something like four minutes to kill germs.  I did not know that either.
     Something else I learned:  Gas pump handles are easily contaminated.  Think about it.  You cough, grab the pump and start pumping.  It is recommended by some people to carry plastic gloves and after you are dune pumping, toss the gloves.  I wish there was a drawer or box to store gloves in a car.
There....PSAs from me to you.
Some pictures from my day.

My set up for working on my puzzle....with Beatles and tea

Progress for one day

Are these mosquitoes on my screen?

     Corki had a bad day.  She fell off the bed about 3 this morning.  Then I let her out into the back yard ...... and forgot to let her back in.  She was out there about 30 minutes before she started barking.  To make matters worst, I forgot she was out there a second time!  This was close to an hour...I ate lunch, read the paper, and when Jackie asked where she was, I remembered!  

     Corki got an extra treat today.

Peace and Love

day 5

It had to happen

     I started missing baseball today.
     The sports section is barren of information, excluding the Bears.  It seems everyone is ready to  send Mitch packing with the signing of Nick Foles, or whatever his name is.  Sportswriters and commentators seem to be heralding him as the Next Great Thing.
     This will be his fourth team in five years.  I'm thinking maybe he isn't as good as he was four years ago.  Or maybe he is, and he had just had a run of back luck.
Aside from the Bears signing a bunch of players,  the sports scene has been quiet.
     Where's Rizzo?  Where KB?  El Magico?  Was the video of Contreras hitting batting practice in his driveway by his brother shooting things at him enough?
     No.
     So imagine my good fortune when I round this beauty in my box of Rotary wines..

     I may not be at the ball park, but Clark and Sheffield is close enough!

     I managed to enjoy a glass or two with supper, which was curbside pickup from Alfano's.  Emily said that was allowed.

     I spent the part of the day organizing.

     I use a poster-board and tape to outline the size of the puzzle.

     Then I open it up and spread out the pieces, pulling out any pieces that have straight edges.

     I work from the sides in, using a hand lense to help me see the finer details of the pieces.

     I spent about 40 minutes on it and actually got the bottom row almost complete.  Almost.  Tomorrow I will find the missing two pieces.  

     Stay safe, my friends.

Peace and Love

day 4

I think I am in a rut

     I don't know where my day goes, it just goes and I don't have anything to show for it.
     I did discover that I may be going a little heavy with the coffee grounds when I brew coffee. 
     While talking to Bob and Anita yesterday, I had a cup of coffee.  Must have been around 4 or so.  I was thinking of that when the cuckoo hit 2 and I was still wide awake.
     At 5:30 I took out the recyclables.  I had set the alarm for 7 to get them out, but hell, I was already up.
     No caffeine this afternoon.  In fact,  one since breakfast, so let's see if I go to sleep tonight.
     We do have thunderstorms and the possibility of severe weather, so the weather alarm will go off every hour starting at 1.  Jackie sleeps through it, which I can't understand because even with my hearing loss that damn thing is loud!
     I did not go out except to go to the mailbox and found my census form.    Question:  What do we do about Julia?  She has a legal address here, but works out of country.  Maybe there is a box for that.  I guess I could read the directions.       Tomorrow.
     Echoes just started on WNIJ....I love the ambient soundscape that is presened at night.  I honestly think I could fall asleep to that.
     But the weather radio would probably wake me up.

Peace and Love

day 3

I just am not getting it done

     I figured with the lockdown, I would get some of my routine tasks done and still have a little fun time.
     I bought a 500 piece puzzle.  I have some evaluations to do.  I could work on my book.  I could practice my French.
     Nada.  Zilch.
     I did do a couple of crossword puzzles today.  And I played spider solitaire. And made supper then did dishes.  And played spider solitaire.  I also watched 3 episodes of Schitt'$ Creek, which I think is funny but Jackie does not like.
     I did put on my gloves, mask, hazmat suit and collect the mail, which turned out to be a shopper, advert from a cruise line and a huge sale on cars.  I did not even bring it in the house.
     After stripping off the hazmat suit and burning the mask and gloves in the new incinerator we recently installed, we Face-timed with Bob and Anita.  It takes us about 15 calls and four tries at the computer to put it where we can hear them, and see them and they can hear and see us.  Usually we have two of the four going prior to starting over, but today it worked on the first try.
     Speaking of crosswords, I spent a long time working on a clue.  It was Slow-----.
     The word started with "an"  and ended in L  I was perplexed.  Slow. an....sell? bell?  I worked around it, but had to come back to it because the connecting words made no sense. 
     I don't know when I realized it was SHOW, not slow, and the answer was show...and tell!
     And that folks was my day!
     Stay healthy
Peace and Love

day 2

Yes, that was me at the store

     I had to get a new antibiotic for Jackie.  Her infection has not disappeared, so we made a trip to the immediate care facility at our local hospital.
     Our normal PP was out today and I did not want to wait 24 hours.  This will be our third antibiotic....hopefully it will do the trick
     That was our afternoon, mostly.
     I did go vote, which does not take long out here.  Unlike big cities, which seem to discourage voting by not having enough machines or judges, it took me less than 5 minutes.  Of course, there were no contests except for president, which made it easier to vote.
     We did talk to Julia today.  Switzerland has imposed some pretty strict rules for the virus, and one of them is no crowds.  I think she said there is a maximum of 5 people allowed to gather in a home.
     Food providers and pharmacies are the only businesses open and schools are closed until the end of April.  Some hospitals over there are running out of space for COVID patients, so people are in hallways.
     The Swiss are pretty strict in her area.  If you violate one of the newly established rules, you could end up with a $20,000 fine and 3 years in prison.    Folks there are taking it pretty seriously.
     I read a post from a friend who hosted an Italian student a few years ago.  Hospitals there are also experiencing space shortages plus shortages of ventilators and other equipment needed to treat COVID 19 victims.  Folks there are basically on lockdown at home.
     When I went to pick up the prescription, the drive up lane was full so I went inside.  It looked pretty much lick a normal day at WM, people shopping as if there were no worries.
     Me?  I carry a bottle of hand sanitizer and use it often.
     I did overeat.  Plus I got a mint chocolate milkshake from Arby's.....I drank about a fourth then supplemented with Rum Chata.  So please, pardon my typing and sentence structure.
Peace and Love

day 1

Somehow, nothing seems different

     I did not go to the store, but that is not unusual one day a week.  We did not go to the eye doctor for our annual exam.  I guess we could have, but I seem to have a cold (I HOPE) complete with a scratchy throat and a slight cough.  No temperature.
     The office called to see if we were sure we wanted to come, but when I said I had a cough, they agreed I should stay home.
     Stay home, stay put.  My new motto.
     My bird feeder was filled and the other day Jackie spotted a cardinal in the redbud.  First cardinal we have had at this house.
     But the horde of grackles seemed to drive it out.  Those birds are like a gang....they devour the food an scare all the other birds off.  And there is always a lot of them. 
     Jackie's sore looks a lot better.  We are supposed to visit the wound specialist next Wednesday, but that remains to be seen.  I might just take a picture and e-mail her so she can keep updated on the progress.
     I guess today was just a normal day for two retired folk.  If it was sunny and warm, I may have worked in the yard.  I have some things to do, but I slept for a while this afternoon and just never got a round tuit.
     We talked to a couple of people on telephone, which helps with the isolation.  I think that is the worst part, just having Jackie to talk with.  After 50 years, there isn't a lot left to say.
Peace and Love

news from over there

Talked to our daughter in Switzerland

     She returned last week from time in Borneo and Thailand, I believe.  I actually had to look up Borneo on Google.  I had no idea where it was.
     On the flight home she said they were checked twice for COVID 19.  I believe she said at the first airport and again inAbu Dhabi when they landed there enroute.
     Of course, schools are closed, some of the minor border crossings  between Switzerland and Italy are closed, and people are being told to work from home.
     We also talked to my nephew and his wife, also in Switzerland.  She has a friend in a remote Italian village and residents there are instructed to stay inside.  She said police will stop you, even if taking a walk by yourself, and send you back home.
     Another niece and her family were visiting and came home today after their original flights were cancelled.
     The US has 18 airports that are accepting overseas flights.  If you saw the pictures at O'Hare today, you should have been shocked.  Thousands  of people, waiting hours in line shoulder to shoulder, because testing was being done.
     If you ask me I would have said if you only have 18 airports open and there are thousands of of citizens abroad who are coming home, then you better mobilize every person you can to make sure the testing is done quickly.  Having those people stand in line for hours is absolutely insane and could lead to a massive surge in the number of people infected.
     I just hope Laurie and Ron and the kids did not have to wait too long and that no-one sneezed or coughed on them.
     Meanwhile, I ventured to the local WM for some essentials...potato chips, cottage cheese, other stuff.  (The local pharmacist was incredulous tha I was at the store.)  The only chips left were way up on the top shelf, the one that says ask associate for help.  I found an associate, said I wanted one of the few regular chips left.  He got a ladder, climbed up....and brought down one bag.  The other 10 or so he left on the out of reach top shelf.
     Heaven help us.
Peace and Love ande I am not going out to another store for two weeks.

finally

I finally fell asleep early last night

     I did not hear the cuckoo hit 12...deep sleep.  Peaceful sleep.  Restful sleep.  REM mode.
     For a full 45 minutes. 
     Corki had to go out.  She never goes out at night.  Never.  It's as if she knew I was asleep early for the first time since the time change and decided to take revenge on my not giving her more treats.
     But, I fell asleep shortly after that.  Deep sleep.  Peaceful sleep.  Restful sleep.  REM mode.
     Until 2:30 when Jackie woke me up to tell me Corki was gagging and choking.
     But Corki was sound asleep in her bed.  No gagging.  No choking. SHE was in deep sleep.  Peaceful sleep.  Hell....you know the rest.
     I did get back to sleep, but prostate told me at about 4 that any idea of sleeping more that two hours was expressly forbidden by the have to pee gods of the underwear world.
     I did eventually fall back asleep again, which explains why at 9:45 Jackie woke me up to tell me she was taking her shower.
     On paper I was in bed for 11 hours.  But I don't know how much sleep I actually got.
     Going to try it again tonight.  Corki just went out, I have cut down on liquids, and it isn't quite 10:30......I might have a chance.
Peace and Love and Sweet Dreams

an olio of sorts

Just a collection of random thoughts today

     Two nights ago I had a dream.  I lived in a white two story house.  I had gone downstairs to make sure the back patio door front door, and side door were all locked.  I went upstairs and opened the second floor patio door.  There was no balcony.  The yard was blanketed in snow with dozens of solar powered twinking lights under the snow.  Then I noticed the deer.  Dozens of them, all with twinkling eyes.  They were browsing, dancing, cavorting.....making the snow fly in many ways.  Suddenly there was  person at the back door.  I spit a cherry seed at them and hit them.  Their head turned slowly up toward me and they smiled.
It was a truly beautiful scene.
     Went into the store for a couple of things today.  People be crazy!  No eggs, no spaghetti, lots of empty shelves.  Wild.
     Was at Walgreen's and the cashier said the one thing people were not buying was hand soap.
     I drove past 5 businesses tonight, bars and food, and all 5 had full parking lots.  So much for social distancing.  I had carry out and used the drive thru.
     "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah is an amazing book.  I had no idea what life was like during apartheid.  None.
     Dream II:   Last night I had a dream I was late for teaching.  How long do I have to be retired before I stop having that dream?  Been 11 years.
     We didn't get any mail today.....no bills, no adverts, no special offers.  I feel unwanted.
     Walgreen's limited customers to 4 thermometers per person.  4.  That just seemed strange.  I heard one guy ask for one of those "less expensive ones, you know, the ones with mercury, like when I was a kid."
     What will sports writers do for the next month?
     Huh.
Peace and Love and Wash your hands

coincidence...or fate?

Today was a day to remember

     At least until tomorrow.  I was a millionaire, but now my portfolio is down to $2.97.
     Ok, I wasn't a millionaire.
     But holy cow.  The market is crazy, gas prices are unbelievable, events are being cancelled left and right.
     We have an 8 pack of Cubs tickets.  I order the tickets, they get sent to me on my phone, I forward them to the other people.  The system sucks.  I hate it.  Last year I almost did not get into a game because I could not get my ticket to my wallet.
     So John and Linda get the tickets, but they can't  move them to their wallets.    They tried and tried and tried but could not do it.  I called my new found friend at the Cubs and he gave a number to call, saying it was a glitch with the MLB ap.
     Finally, John and Linda got the tickets loaded to their wallets on their own.
     And baseball was cancelled.  Our two April games are DOA and our May games may be questionable.
     Last night I bought tickets for the murder mystery....today it was cancelled.
     I had a meeting tonight, but about 4:30 I developed a cough and a bit of a sore throat, so I stayed home.  I know I have not been exposed to anything other than a second grader with a cold, yet deep down there is that doubt.
     Next Thursday 4 of us are doing a show for a local group.... but my guess is the show will not go on.  Just a hunch.
     Wash you hands, don't touch your face, avoid crowds.  Stay healthy.
Peace and Love

What, me worry?

Thank you Alfred E. Neuman

     For those  of you who know me,  you know I tend to worry.
     I had to stop watching hospital shows like ER because I kept getting the symptom of the week.  One time a character showed up with a hatchet  wedged in his head and I had a headache for a month.
     If I hear it described, I have it.
     So this coronavirus thing is driving me bonkers.
     In the past 24 hours I have had a headache, muscle ache, pain in my joints, sore throat, cough, ED, flat feet, four cases of appendicitis and one baby.
     My body is wracked with pain, imaginary and otherwise.
     I am older, so I am a target of this disease.  Jackie is compromised, so she is a higher risk.
     Do I go out to the store?  I think we have enough food in the house to last about 2 weeks, with the exception of milk, yogurt, Big Macs and filet o fish with a shamrock shake.  Does Door Dash work in Rochelle?  Do I get John and Emily to drop off food in exchange for TP?  Why am I so inconsistent with capital letters?
     And by the way.....I have not bought any TP since the virus started spreading.  My hoarding was done much before the illness.
     It may seem like I am making light of it, but believe me, I am not. It truly worries me.
     I haven't slept well since the time change and this whole pandemic thing only adds to my angst.
     Make it all go away, please.
Peace and Love

shopping , shocking

I get a little frustrated sometimes

     There is a salad dressing I really like.  I get in a rut, I like it I buy it.  But our local grocery folks don't carry that particular dressing. 
     I found a granola I like...like, flaky, tasty.... but our local grocer does not have that either. 
     I was in DeKalb for a medical appointment and stopped in a store there.  Same story.
     But both places had plenty of their own brands on the shelves.  Perplexes me, yes it does.
     So I had to have some Ollie's today as a consolation.  Barb, we have a medical follow up in two weeks and we will contact you in advance!  We have been going to meet at Ollie's for at least 10 years and have not yet managed to do that.
     Julia gave me puzzles for Christmas a couple of times.  I did not think I would like them, but I did.
     In a moment of madness I just ordered another puzzle, something to do in case we are stuck in the house for 5 weeks.  Just kidding.
     These are folk art puzzles of Chicago and they can be challenging.  500 pieces.  It will take me weeks.  But I actually enjoyed doing the ones before.
     By the way, the wound specialist said I was doing a great job on Jackie's wound.  We now have a different medication and a different way to wrap it in a bid to reduce the swelling.
     In addition to being a comedian, stage actor, writer, and health care provider. I am now a wrapper.
     Just call me Snoop D.
Peace and Love

snore

I am not adapting to DST


     And I do have to be careful about typing.  If I messed that up, it would be STD, which I don't have, and don't want. 
     My typing is a concern.  First, I don't have spell check on the blog anymore.  Second, I don't see as well as a young person, or the person I once was, does. Third, I don't type as accurately as I used to.
     I am using all three excuses for the mistake I made last week, when I sent out a post about every person counts.....but I missed the o in counts.  Emily pointed it out to me and I still had to read the post a few times before seeing my faux pas. I then fixed the post.
     Color me red.
     I had some tea yesterday.  And some wine with supper.  But when 10 rolled around I was still awake.  I did my blog, worked on my program script, played solitaire ..... and discovered it was 12:30. 
     So I went to bed.
     Do you dream when awake?
     I swear I heard the cuckoo at 1, 2 and 4.....but I also had some really weird and vivid dreams during that time.  It was as if I was day dreaming in bed.  But 4 was the last cuckoo I heard, although the rain woke me up at some point.  As did the prostate. 
     I did not roll out of bed until almost 11!
     Holy crap!!!  The day was half gone already!
     So tonight I am going to bed early and I hope I drop off to sleep quickly.
     Luckily it was a rainy day, but I did not go walk like I should have.
     Maybe tomorrow.
Peace and Love

foiled again

Sometimes the train comes off the tracks

     Had a pretty good day today.  Worked at the VCCT theater to be.  They let me cut 2 x 4s into specified sizes to build a knee wall.  I measured, made a line, measured again and cut......it was a success!
     Wall went up with a little extra pounding.  It was a tight squeeze.  But I still have all my fingers!!!!
     Emily and John came over for pizza and we looked at pictures of their Florida trip.  I love Key West, although I have never been there.  I always pictured it as a quiet, quaint little village but it is huge!
    It's on my bucket list, mainly to stand at the buoy that marks the southern most point in the continental US (although Emily and John pointed out a military base is actually south of the buoy, so that is not the southern most point anymore) and to  visit the Hemingway home with the six toed cats.  And visit Ft Jefferson on the Dry Tortugas.  A lot left on that list.
     Of course, wine factored in on the evening.
     As I loaded a red wine goblet into the dishwasher it came flying out of my hand, hit the cups in the top row and splintered into hundreds of pieces.  It took    me 30 minutes to clean out the dishwasher and clean up the floor.
     But, it was still a good day.
     I an not used to changing times.....so I think it is still 11.....oops.
Peace and Love

is that a cough?

I am a little nervous about the coronavirus

     As an older guy, it does worry me a little.  I take precautions, but I am an eye rubber and hang nail chewer.  I bet I touch my eyes 20 ties an hour.  And I an constantly biting dead skin off around my fingernails. 
     Disgusting, right?
     But I have been doing it all my life.  How do I stop now?
     People with immune system ailments are also at a higher risk, which includes Jackie. 
     And Julia, Emily and John just got off airplanes....Julia in Asia, where the virus is huge.  And Emily comes in contact with a lot of sick people.
     So yes, I am a little concerned.
     I will wash hands when I come home, try to avoid touching my face, and use the wipes on carts in stores....which I do anyway.
     Hope it runs its course fast.
Peace and Love and Purell

Grrrrrr........

What is happening to my mind?

     I was very discombobulated today.  If that is spelled wrong, I apologize.
     I have a friend, Linda, who gave me some coffee for Christmas.  I grind the beans when I go to brew a cup or two.  Today I put some beans in, did the grinding, put the grounds in a plastic zip lock bag and proceeded to pick up the bag from the bottom.  Coffee grounds everywhere.  I salvaged the ones on the counter, but opted not to sift through the dog hair and crumbs for the ones on the floor.
     On an up note the coffee is very good.
     I loaded the dishwasher tonight, put in the soap, pushed the button and half an hour later wondered why it was so quiet.  Seems you have to actually close the door for the machine to run.
     On an up note, I did not have any dishes to do.
     Went to a local fast food place today and a young man with two toddlers saw me and said, very clearly, "Hi Terry."  I said hello back then hid on the other side of the restaurant because i could not remember his name, or where I knew him from.  But he was very familiar.  When I got home I told Jackie and she said..."Two kids?  About 4 and 2?  Was it Paul, our neighbor?"  Had to be.  Now I am embarrassed because it seemed like I was ignoring him.
     On an up note, Bailey's Irish Cream goes well in a Shamrock Shake!  And I didn't even get food at MdDonald's, just a shake, a smoothie, and a burger for Corki.  Wait.  That is food.  Never mind.
     Jackie asked for a box of tissue.  I said I would get it when I went to the bathroom and it would be now because I really had to go.  Fifteen minutes later she asked where the tissue was.  Not only did I forget the tissues, I never went to the bathroom!  And I really had to go!
     On an up note... oh hell, there is no up note.  I darn near had an accident because I forgot I had to go to the bathroom.
     Getting old is a trip.
     On an up note, the distance gets shorter every day.
Peace and Love

     PS....Jackie is doing much better today.......wound looks better, antibiotics finally are kicking in for the infection,.......hoping progress continues.  Thank you for all your kind thoughts.

updates

Just some thoughts for you to ponder

     The Arby's mint chocolate shake does taste pretty good when laced....er flavored, with Rum Chata.  Very good.  I confess, it was a healthy dose of flavoring.
     I needed to experiment after  the day we  had.
     Jackie has swollen feet.  Two days ago I noticed some small cuts.  I put bandages and ointment on them.  Two of the cuts healed very nicely.
     But the third cut seemed to take on a life of its own.  I bandaged it again and today I took the bandage off....big mistake.  She now has an open sore on her lower left leg.  We went to the doctor.
     She had some tests and after 4 hours, we made it back home.  She has to keep her feet elevated and visit a wound care specialist next week.
     This has not been a good two weeks for her.  Hopefully life gets better soon.
     Wound is a funny word, isn't it.  One word, two pronounciations...like wind, or bow.  It's not spelled differently and sounding like another word, like toe and tow.  One word.
     Wonder what the record is for words like that used in one story.
     By the way, our public library is the tallest building in Rchelle....it has over 60,000 stories.  I have read several.
Peace and Love

time out

I should be retired

     Here's how my day went.
     Metoring, store, let dogs out,  video chat, lunch, dog to groomers, visitation, store again, pick up dog,  cook supper, practice for March 19 show, do three loads of laundry, get frustrated at computer program, tend to my wife.
     I should be  tired, but I am not.  I don't know what I am.
     Jackie isn't much better and in fact, may have a new issue to deal with.  Tomorrow will tell.
     I have a ton of stuff to do and I am playing solitaire....even though I had pledged to cut down on the time wasting game tonight I have spent 40 minutes playing.  It angers me that my will power is crapola.
     Right along that line, I have consumed cookies, peanuts, two cups of herbal tea, two Cuties, a couple of crackers and some chocolate and I AM STILL HUNGRY!
     Tomorrow is a new day...well, that begins in 14 minutes.  Hopefully things are a little less stressful.
     I burned an incense cone today and it smelled like Marijuana!  When Bart and Beth came to practice for the March 19 show, I had to explain that I was not smoking the sweet weed.....but maybe it would not be such a bac choice at this point.
     House still reeks.
Peace and Love

just wondering

I am feeling a little curious tonight

     And no, curious is not a person....that would be wrong.
     But I am wondering about things.
     Shamrock shakes at McDonald's.....what if I added some Run Chata or    Bailey's to one?  Drinkable or terrible?
     Same with the Ande's mint shakes at Arby's......but I bet that would be awesome!
     Why do I always get caught by a train when I am running late?
     What jerk drove a 4 wheeler through my ditch in front?
     Why don't we incluide sales tax on the price of the item?  If something is marked $16.98, then that is what we should pay.  I think including the tax would make it simpler for people to buy stuff.
     What do I do with my Hallmark coupons?  Went to the Hallmark store in DeKalb today....but it is gone.  The store,  not the coupon.  The only thing in it was a vacuum. 
     Why are Girl Scout cookies like forbidden fruit for me....I know I should not eat them, but I do.  I still have dozens of frozen cookies in the basement.
     How do you know if a medicene is helping?
     Why do I sneeze 16-20 times in a row then have trouble breathing?
     If I knew then what I know now, would I still do stuff the same way then?
     Did they really make Mr. Ed "talk" by shoving a carrot up his butt?    That gives "Willllbuuurr" a new meaning.
     Do all NASCAR tracks only have left turns? 
     Like I said....a little curious.
     If you have answers to any of these vexing life questions, feel free to share.
Peace and Love

one down......

I finished a project today


     I have about 7, but I finished one. 
     We have an address book.  FYI, for some of us of a certain doddering age, address books are important.  We keep addresses in them.  And phone numbers.       When we want to send a card or call someone whose number we do not know, we look in the address book.
     Our address book has been falling apart and I can't find them in a store.  As one young person told me, "Most people don't use them...so we stopped stocking them."
     I get it.  It's like rotary phones, and Pong...everything has a life expectancy.
     So I decided to create my own address book.
     I used a word processing program, made some 2 column charts, and came up with a rather cumbersome but mostly fully functional address book.
     Some names did not go in my book.  The lady who lived next to my mother in Leisure Village and my mother's friend did not make the book.  Understand, my mother died in 2001.   That makes the old address book about 20 years old.  I have the birthdays of our twin nieces listed, and they were born in 2001 also.
     Some people have multiple entries because they moved a lot.  Not mentioning anyone in particular, (Tracy, Bob, Julia)  but now I don't have to erase, cross out, rewrite, I just have to reenter on the computer.
     A surprising number have died:  Aunt Bea, Uncle Jerry, Aunt Edye, Uncle Walter, to name a few. 
     And some have disappeared.  Their Christmas cards came back as unforwardable, so they were dropped from the book.
     It was a task that was time consuming, but it brought back a lot of memories....mostly of happier times with people who are now out of our lives, for one reason or another.
     Somehow, I don't think the computer sheets will evoke the same types of memories in 20 years.
Peace and Love

who are you?

I graduated high school

     I really did.  Lake View High School.  I was in the upper half of my class, number 352 out of 710.  Upper half.
     But...I also graduated from Mt. Prospect High School and Lyons Township, or so you might believe. I am members of their alumni groups.
     I joined intentionally.  I wanted to find our buddy Little Lynn, who went to Lyons Township, so I joined that group.  I also joined Mt. Prospect to look for one of Jackie's friends who was at our wedding 50 years ago.
     I did not find either person.
     But a funny thing has happened.
     At least 5 people from the Mt. Prospect graduating class of 1967 remembered me!  At least that is according to the e mails I get that another person is checking my profile, which is blank, and remembering me from school.
     One person even recognized me from my nonexistent picture.
     I'm sure it's just an advertising gimmick to get me to sign up for some paid service, which I am not going to do.
     I figure if someone wants to contact me, they will do what everybody else in the world does......check Facebook.
     It's not like I have a last name that is easily forgotten.........
Peace and Love