day.....boo!....230

 A happy, strange, Halloween to all

    A full moon.  A blue moon. Cool night.  Strong winds.  A pandemic.  Time change.  An ideal night for ghosts and goblins to do their biding.

    I started prepping  Christmas decorations today.  I took out  my garland and tested the lighting.  I love hanging garland off the porch.  I love how it looks all lit at night.

    I have 8 strands of prelit garland.  Only 2 of them work.  The other six don't light.  So I am laboriously taking off the old lights and will replace them with new ones sometime this week.

    On Thursday or so, when the temps are in the 60s, I will hang the  garland strung with new lights. I won't be lighting it until Thanksgiving, but I am trying to get some stuff done before my surgery.

    Vampire bats are always a good Halloween topic.

    I was listening to a radio program about them yesterday.  Vampire bats will slyly make a small slit in an animal, like a bird or cow...or human... and then sit on the creature and lick the blood as it drips out.

    Vampire bats also develop life long friendships.  The researcher said that once bats become friends, they stay friends, often living in the same colony.

    Then it geets weird.

    If a bat can't find a food source and is hungry, his friend will vomit up food into the hungry bat's mouth!

    Now folks, many of you are friends.  I will never ask you for a mouthful of vomit for supper.

    Trust me.

    Turn your clocks back.  Watch the full moon rise.  Have a great Halloween night.

    And don't forget your masks!

Peace and Love

day.......fear...229

I went out of town for dinner tonight 

    Prepandemic, the local radio station had an auction.  I bought $10 gift cards for a popular pizza place for $5 each.  I have 4 of them.  Then the pandemic hit.

    We have not gone out of town often for food.  But tonight I was in the mood for pizza.

    So I hopped in the car and drove over for two pizzas.  They don't take phone orders, I found out, and the pizza is a European type that serves one.

    I ordered at the bar and she said about 15-20 minutes.

    The place was packed.  No social distancing, every table looked full and there was some sort of party out on the patio.

    I alao ordered cheesecake.  I used 2 of the $10 gift cards, and I had a balance I paid in cash.

    After about 15 minutes a waitress brought out a stack of pizzas and said, "Order for Terry."  Two cheesecakes and three pizzas, including a goat cheese pizza....so I knew that was not my order.  But the cheesecakes were.

    The pizzas belonged to someone else.

    So I waited.  About 10 minutes later she comes back again with three pizzas and says, "Terry, here's your order."  I point out I ordered 2 pizzas, and none of the 3 she had were what I ordered.

    A lady was waiting, and they were her pizzas.

    Another 5 minutes goes by and she comes back with two pizzas and looks at me and says, "Terry, these actually are your pizzas."

    And they were.

    They were also darn good. 

    But I was nervous for all the people around.  I tried to hide off on a corner of the bar, but a young girl asked if the seat next to me was taken and I said no, so she sat next to me for a few minutes.  I think she noticed me cowering even farther away and she eventually moved over three seats.

    Covid does some strange things to your mind.  A young girl sitting next to me?  The only thought on my mind was "don't breathe in my direction."

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Please wear a mask.

Peace and Love

day.....oops......228

 Sometimes living in a small town is fun

    Today I wanted to call a friend.  I knew his number, even though I don't call it often.

    I was in my car and his number is not in my phone.  So I stopped in a parking lot and  called.

    I have called this number before, that's why I knew it.

    When a man answered and it was not who I wanted, I was flummoxed.  Has the  number changed?  Did he drop his land line and someone else have that number?

    I apologized to the man,  who sounded familiar, and hung up.  I got home and looked up the number I wanted, and realized it was not the number I called.  But the number I called was for a different friend.....I thought the voice was familiar, but I was looking for a different person.  Make sense?

    That's what living in a small town is like....you call a wrong number and still know the person who answers.

    It's kind of funny.  I go to a barber shop and know her number by memory.   I probably call it 10 times a year.  I think I know it because I dial it manually every time, which reinforces what I already know.  With callers in my phone, I punch a name and it dials so I don't have that reinforcing lesson.

    So I don't always remember a number.

    And is dialing the correct term?  Not like it is a rotary phone I am working with.

    Speaking of terms....in the book I am reading the word arras comes up frequently.  I found it means a tapestry that covers a wall.  And a priest was handling his brievary, which is not a sexual term, but refers to his book of services and prayers.

    I guess old dogs can learn something.

    Stay healthy,  Stay safe.  Keep wearing those masks.

Peace and Love

day...what's up doc?......227

 I had a loooong day today

    For about a week now, after I get up, get Jackie going and have breakfast, I seem to take a nap.  I sit in my chair about 11:30 and nap.  It really seems to help me restart my day.

    Today's chore was harvesting and freezing carrots.

    This is my last crop in the garden.  I planted 4 rows, 4 feet each, in two gardens.  One area was planted early, the other late.

    I harvested the early portion today.  First thing I noticed is the greens of the carrots are a little shorter today than they were yesterday!

    Notice the hoofprints?  These were not Santa's reindeer making an early visit, but the neighborhood deer.  In my other bed, they actually pulled up three or four carrots!

    Anyway, I cleaned them (the carrots), peeled them, Jackie and I cut them up,  (again, the carrots) and then we blanched them and froze them.  I used my new crinkle cut knife and it was pretty dang neat!.  Plus, Emily got us a new peeler and it was slick as a whistle, made the whole process a lot easier.

    In the end, we put up 4 one gallon bags.  

    I don't know how well the second crop did, but I will find out Saturday.  If it is as abundant, I will have fresh carrots to give away.  Stay tuned.

    We also realized we have not gone off the property since Saturday.  Four days of not driving a car or going anywhere.  It's just weird.  I don't want to expose myself too much or expose Jackie, so I am staying home as much as possible.

    But I do need to get some things from the store.....so tomorrow I will venture out with my mask and hand sanitizer and stock up.

    And I found another bag of my mother's pictures.  Damn, she took a lot of photos!

    I have some to scan and save, so I will be keeping busy during my recovery days.

    Stay safe.  Wear a mask,  Stay healthy.

Peace and Love

day......is it? ....226

I started reading a book this week 

    I know, nothing exciting about that.

    Have you read a book that you really liked and read it again?

    Something like Charlotte's Web, or To Kill a Mockingbird.   For me it was Catch 22, A Farewell to Arms, and The Old Man and the Sea.

    I've read them multiple times and they never grow old.

    Years ago....when I was in my preteen or teen years, I read a book and loved it.  I read it a second time I was so enthralled by it.  I believe it was my cousin Sally's book, because my parents didn't "waste money on books."

    As the years went past, the title escaped me.  I know it was a green book.  (Hint:  Don't ask your local librarian if they have green books from the late 50s early 60s that were written for younger readers.  They will only roll their eyes.)

    All I remember about the book was it involved the 100 Years War.  And it was exciting.

    This summer a FB friend posted 100 books he loved, and one of them was a young adult book set during the time of the 100 Years War. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote it, The Black Arrow.  It's a coming of age story set in England.  You may connect Stevenson with Treasure Island, another great book I read years ago.

    So I found a copy on Hoopla, an on line lending service provided by my local library.  Your library may have it too, if not, ask them about it.

    I started the book two days ago and .... well, how can I put this politely, I am having trouble understanding it.  Goeth and Doest and Y are commonly used and it's like learning a new language, even though it isEnglish.

    The first two chapters don't ring a bell....but over 60 years maybe details get forgotten.

    The upside is I don't play as much solitaire on the computer.  At least I am using my time a little better.

    And who knows....maybe this is the one and I won't know until the very end.  If so, then I will have time traveled back to my youth.

    Stay safe.  Wear a mask.  Stay healthy.

Peace and Love

day......safe.....225

 I learned a lesson last year at this time

    I have 8 pots of plants that I can winter over.  My understanding is to cut them down to almost nothing, then water them lightly once a week and keep them in a low light situation.  (Notice  pots of plants, not plants of pot.  Big difference,)

    Last year when I cut them down, I broke out in a rash all over my body!  I itched like hell for a couple of days until the Benadryl and lotions soothed my skin.

    This year I wore work gloves and put on a long sleeved sweatshirt and pulled the sleeves down.  I made sure I did not touch any part of my body and washed my hands well when I was done.

    So far...no itch.

    The plants are lemongrass and citronella geraniums and I think it was the geraniums that caused the rash.  Not this year, by gum!!

    I think it was Edith on Downton Abbey that asked Lady Grantham why all her causes were so gloomy.  Lady G answered, "Because it's the gloomy things that need our help.  If everything is the garden is sunny, why meddle?"

    Those Brits were pretty smart.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Be a rebel...wear a mask!

Peace and Love

day.......amazing....224

 I attended a play today

    Well, not live in person attend.  But I was there.

    Goodman theater live streamed Death of a Salesman for free this weekend.  I actually thought it was Steppenwolf, but I was wrong.

    Brian Dennehy was Willy Loman and he wa amazing.

    I had always thought that if I was ever going to perform in a drama, it would be as Willy in Death of a Salesman.

    But I am wrong.  I don't think I have the range of emotions, or the capacity to memorize the lines.  

    But damn, it was a great production.

    This 1999 production was filmed at the Goodman.  Because it was filmed, there were close ups of the actors' faces and zoom in scenes that you would miss attending  a live theater production.

    The play ran 3 hours.....and it took me about 5 to watch it.  Emily and John came over and we worked out a post surgery schedule for help, I made Jackie supper, fed the dog, let the dog out, let the dog out, let the dog out....I swear, Corki goes outside and just stands there, sniffing the air.  Then she does her business.  

    John also helped me roll up the family room carpet, clean undereneath the pad, roll the carpet back down....all be it in the wrong spot.  Then he came over later to help pull the carpet to the right spot.

    Sadly, Dennehy is gone now. But his talents live on in this show.

    Emily brought some cider and I warmed it up and am sipping on it now while  waiting for the snow to start.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Wear a mask for the rest of us.

Peace and Love

day.......ho hum....223

 I just want to say something

    Listening to a tv station that plays old shows is depressing.

    So many commercials about Medicare plans and options.  Reverse mortgages.  Portable oxygen units. In home health care.

    The medication commercials scare me.

    Ever listen to the list of possible side effects?

    I love the ones that say don't take it if you are allergic to it.  How the hell do you know you are allergic to it until you take it? Then it might be too late!  If your lips puff up like a banana and your face turns red and  you stop breathing, wouldn't that  be too late to find out if you are allergic?

    Or the anti depressant that says use could lead to an increase in suicides.  Really?  Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the pill?

    The side effects listed are often longer than the benefits of taking the pill.

    Oh mygosh, I will never take a new medication after listening to them.

    And why does Joe Namath need to be aspokesperson for an insurance company?  Or Joe Theisman (rhymes with Heisman) for that matter.  Or William Shatner recommending a cleaning  device for his sleep machine.  Don't they have enough money?

    There also seems to be a never ending series of appeals.....saving animals, feeding people, children's hospitals.... all good causes but how can you support all of them?

    I guess I could watch less of those channels....not that I watch a lot of them now.     Something that irritating kind of defeats the purpose of my new antidepressant medication.....of which one of the side effects is intolerance of tv commercials.  It says so, right on the label.

    Stay healthy  Stay safe.  Please, don a mask.

Peace and Love

day....TGIF....222

 I am into numbers today

    Scientists estimate there are betwen 10 and 15 million bubbles in a bottle of Champagne.

    Now, I don't know about you, but I think that is an amazing thing to know.  I am not sure how they estimate, and I for sure don't know how you actually count the bubbles.  I would be happy to volunteer to take part in a count providing they provide real Champagne, you know, the kind from France.

    Remember Room 222?  

    196,725.........That is the number of views this blog has had in its 300 year existence.  At this rate I should hit 200.000 by the end of the year.

    Anyone remember the phone number 588-2300?  It would be 312 area code, Maybe they still use it today.

    Or Hudson 3 2700?  Tonight I can't remember the business, but it may have been carpeting.  Maybe it was  even the same as the first one.....my mind is confused.  

    HU was Hudson......281 9206 was my parents' phone in the house on Belle Plaine.  Only it was Buckingham, or BU, instead of 28  My mom moved from the house in 1971 and I still remember that number.  I wonder if I call it, will someone I know answer?

    One final thought.  I read this somewhere, so it is not mine.  I don't remember where I read it, but I wrote it down.  

We have 60,000 thoughts a day.  Many are very disturbing.  Laughter helps the brain reset.

    I don't know if I have 20 thoughts a day, let alone 60,000.   I do know some are disturbing.  And I do like to laugh.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Please, don a mask.

Peace and Love

day...the answer is.....221

 I think I want another job

    I always wonder how my life would have been different if I had a different career. I think I would have liked bing a tv talk show host, like Carson or Leno.  Or a radio show host or DJ.  Maybe a lawyer, which could have led to the presidency.

    Baseball player and NBA point guard would be impossible because of my talents and size.  Same with football.  Maybe curling would have been a possible curling, but I do slip on the ice from time to time.

    But one career that I would have been great at is game show host....and I could still do that.

    I quote from an on line company:  "Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Game Show Host job market in both Sycamore, IL and the surrounding area is very active. People working as a Game Show Host in your area are making on average $38,993 per year or $1,433 (4%) less than the national average annual salary of $40,426. Illinois ranks number 45 out of 50 states nationwide for Game Show Host salaries."

    Did you read that?!  The game show host market in Sycamore is very active!!  There must be game shows going on there that I don't know about, and they need hosts.  I wonder how you tap into that market.

    After all, Drew Carey makes around $1million per episode!  I read that in 2 differeent spots, but I don't think it's accurate.  Steve Harvey makes about $20,000 per half hour episode...not exactly chump change.  And Alex Trebek.....$10 million a year.

    So I would be willing to work as a game show host in the Sycamore area at a salary of $40,000 or more.....I just wonder where to apply.

    It could also be that sometimes what you read on line isn't true, even if it's a real company giving the information.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Please, wear a mask.

Peace and Love

day.....deja vu.....220

 I am working on my surgery prelims

    Physical thereapy.  Clearance from my primary doctor.  Clearance from my heart doctor. MRI.

    I set up the MRI today.  And I got a huge surprise.

    As the person was telling me what I had to do....wear clothing without metal, arrive 15 minutes early, no jewelry, 1 hour before arrival adminsiter enema.

    Enema!!

    No!  I said.  Not an enema!!

    Yes, she said, afraid so.

    That will be the third in a month.

    Now, my last experience was less than fun.  I can't imagine the next two will go any better.

    I dread those more than the surgery.

    At least that 88 cents will not have been spent in vain.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Wear a mask, please.

Peace and Love

day....success....219

 Jackie's cataract surgery went well today

    She was tired.  When we got home, she sat in her chair and napped until almost 4.  She is still pretty tired

    But everything seemed to go well.  I have to put 3 different drops in her eye twice a day.  

    It's like a dive bomber hitting a target from 30,000 feet.  I think I get it in on the first or second try....but I am never sure.  She does not have liquid on her cheek, so I think it is going in.

    It wasn't as hard before the surgery, but I don't want to pull on the eyelid and cause damage.

    During her surgery I had a nice visit with by brother and his wife.  We looked at an old photo album of our mom's.  I know I talk about these a lot, probably too much, but one of the albums I have is from my mom's youth.

    It's funny to see pictures of her as a 17 year old.  She was pretty.  I always knew her  as Mom and I guess I never thought about her life as a kid.  She was born in 1914, and the pictures were in 1931 up to 1934 or so.

    They are all pretty happy pictures, taken during the Depression, one of the darkest times in our history. I did talk to her a couple of times about her life....I guess you would call them interviews, actually.  I made notes in a notebook and filed it in a folder marked "family history."

    Maybe I'll look at the notes and pictures and piece it all together.

    But that's a recovering from surgery project.

    Stay healthy.  Stay happy.  Mask it, please.

Peace and Love

day....it's a date.....218

 I had some good news and some terrible news today

    The good news is I have a date with a surgeon Nov. 18 to remove my traitorous prostate.

    I will have one incision plus  5 or 6 small holes where the camera and robots will enter my pristine abdomen.  Once inside, the little guys will clip and snip away at the prostate, eventually setting it free for removal.

    Strangely, I am quite at peace with this.  I did not  cry, panic, sweat, pass out, curse, or attempt to run away and hide.

    I may have impressed Emily with my stoic nature.

    My happiness was even greater when the doc said I did not have to do an enema piror to the procedure!  You may remember my last encounter with an enema and while it wasn't pretty, it made some of you laugh.

    My elation came crashing down when the nurse came in with pre-surgery instructions.....and an enema was included.  I said no, no,, he said I didn't have to.

    So she trotted off to confirm only to learn he mistakenly told me I did not have to....but I do.

    So, somewhere around 4 a.m. Nov. 18 I will be performing my enema gymnastics.  Spectators are invited, but there will be a hefty entertainment charge.

    Jackie, on the other hand, is rather subdued over her date with a doctor tomorrow.  She gets the cataract on her right eye fixed.  Two weeks later she gets her left eye done.

    Hopefully by the time Christmas comes we will both be recovered.

    That's the medical front news......imagine if our parents had Facebook instead of having to use a telephone to announce to the world all their medical problems that people my age said they would never talk about when they got old.

    Life's a bitch sometimes.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it, please.

Peace and Love

day.....huh.....217

 I get annoyed about things

    And I should just let them go.

    I have said it before, and I probably will bore you.

    But.....ever notice people in tv shows and movies NEVER have to circle the block to find a place to park?  They always pull up in front of a building and park.  Never double park, never feed any meters because they places they park don't have meters.

    When tv people have coffee in take a way cups, they just swing away with them, never worrying that the coffee will spill.  I think the cups are empty.  I also think they should at least fill them with water so it is a little more realistic.

    And when they order pizza, the box never weighs any amount.  They must be empty like the coffee.

    In the tv show Friends, the live on the fifth floor.  But nobody ever complains about walking up the stairs....even the parents.  I would be  bitching with every step.

    Why do people drive so fast in car commercials?  And while I'm on it, why do they have to drive through pristine mountain streams in their big SUVs?  

    When there is a hurricane, why do the folks from the  weather channel stand out in the wind and rain and warn people NOT to go out into the wind and rain?

    Why do so many midwesterners go outside to look for tornadoes when a tornado warning is issued?

    I clicked on an article that listed rare coins that are worth money.  Several of them were pennies that were double cast or had other imperfections.  I'm wondering what the chances of finding a $45,000  penny are when there are 288 billion pennies in circulation?  Well, I'm guessing 1 in 288 billion.  So how would you find a rare one except by pure chance and great observation skills?

    And in football, a team is up by 20 points with 90 seconds left and they have the ball.  The other team has no time outs.  So why do we have to watch the insufferable quarterback kneel play two or three times?  Just call the damn game.

    I know....let it go.

    As much as I try, I just can't.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe. Keep the mask on!

Peace and Love

day....roller coaster....216

 Ever have some of those up and down days?

    First the ups.

    Friend Linda baked an apple bundt cake and offered us a couple of slices.  It was pretty darn good!  She sent me the recipe a while back and I have not tried it yet, but may have to after the sample.

    Plus it was nice to visit her and Dan.  We socially distanced and masks were involved, so all is good.

    When we came home tonight, we found a delicious looking coffee cake, some apple and cherry slices, and four huge cookies from my favorite Illinois bakery.

    Emily and John were in its neighborhood, so they stopped and  surprised us with a blueberry-almond breakfast treat and the other goodies.

    They also brought some Mighty Vines...the beste tomoto not grown in my yard.

    Earlier this week I got a shipment of cheese I ordereed from Shelburne Farms.  I cut into the smoked aged cheddar and it is amazing.

    A FB request to a long ago friend was accepted.  I did them wrong years ago and was hoping we could reconnect just to see how life turned out for them.

    The only downer was Jackie had a little bit of a plumbing issue today.  We ended up in a hospital ER for about 4 hours.  Two hours of that was spent waiting for the doc to finish up the paperwork to discharge her  She is fine, no problems.  

    I don't know what it is with me, pretty nurses, and flatulance.  But thanks to a dinner of burrito, beans and rice, let's just say that even a mask would not suffice.  If I wanted the nurse to enter, seems all I had to do was fart.

    At least I didn't have to go a heart unit in Rockford, like I did last time.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or casket.

Peace and Love

day....refrain.....215

 This seems to be a  never ending song

    I am so tired of Covid.  I'm tired of socially isolating.  I am tired of wearing a mask.  I am tired of being careful when I am out in the real world.

    But I will continue to wear a mask, maintain distances. and keep up my guard because I don't want me, my wife, my family, or my friends to get sick.

    But it is tiring.

    So, to make it a little less so, here are some suggestions:

    Give a puzzle as a present.  But switch a couple of pieces with another puzzle just to make it interesting.

    Create a mixed tape.  Or disc, whatever it is.  But instead of using the original artists, you do the singing accompanying yourself on pots and pans drums.

    Mow a design in your yard.  Or, even better,  wait for your neighbors to go out and mow a design in their yard.

    Grow your own grass.  Enough said.

    Drive around the block backwards and tell curious people you are trying to turn back time to pre Covid.

    Text random people and leave suggestive messages.  On second  thought ....don't do this.  A spouse may think it true.  Disregard this suggestion.

    Read Moby Dick.

    Call a talk radio show and say, "I'm a first time caller.  How are you today?" because no one ever starts a call like that.

    Put rainbow colors in your hair using wasable Magic Markers.  Be sure they are washable.

    Lay out in the grass on a beautiful day and see what shapes the clouds are making.

    Glue the leaves back on the trees in your yard, mixing up the types to give more variety to nature.

    Reread posts from your favorite daily blogger because the ones he wrote in the first year are funnier than the ones he writes today.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Mask it or The Cask of Amontillado

    I'm sorry.  That was a poe joke.

Peace an Love.

day......details......214

 I am not a detail person

     When I was teaching, my lesson plans often looked like doodles  To be honest, sometimes they were doodles!

    When I got my first real job at the newspaper in a different life, I was detail oriented.  I always made sure names, addresses, dates, facts were correct.

    As I move through life, I have gotten sloppy.

    So papers I should file are piled in the closet.  Magazines I "must" read are piled on the floor, along with unsold calendars and news articles I printed off.  Somewhere I have a DIY article on refinishing my patio furniture, which I hope to do in the next week or two.

    It may be in the pile too.  The article, not the furniture.

    I do get short bursts of enthusiasm.  This week I changed the batteries in the smoke detectors, put in new lightbulbs in our outdoor garage lights, unscrewed all the hoses in case we get a big freeze, moved in plants, covered my struggling beans, and put a picture in a frame.

    Notes:  Jackie bought the lights on QVC because friend Nadine told us about them.  The lights are LED but with a sensor that turns off when it is light.  Jackie has always complained ab out how dark the garage area is at night.  During the day it is not dark.  Just so you know.  The picture is 11 x 17.  I bought an 11 x 17 frame.  Easy peasy, right?  A detail person would have noticed the picture is 1/16th of an inch bigger than advertised.  A detail person would have carefully trimmed it down.  I jammed it into the frame.  It looks ok.

    To be honest, sometimes I get frustrated with me.  The papers and unfinished, often unstarted, projects really do bother me.  

    And that's why

day.....lists....213

 I know I can use my phone for lists

    I prefer to write the lists on paper.  That way when I go to the store I can whip out the paper and read my list without squinting.

    Of course, sometimes I forget the list.  Or lose the list.  

    Sometimes I can't read my writing.

    So I had a detailed list today.  I went to the store, got everything on my list except the very first item!  And what did Jackie ask me when I got home?  Did I get the salve?  Damn no, I did not get the salve!

    A list on the phone whould have made no difference.....probably would have been worse because I can't always read the small print, and if I make it big, I can't see the list.

    Problems...problems...problems.

    I guess if that is my only issue in life, I would be a happy man!

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or casket.

Peace and Love

day.....dreaming....212

 I joined a new Facebook group

    It focuses (that's a pun) on photos from Switzerland.

    I love the site.

    I have seen so many pictures, it is almost as if I was there.

    Of course, many of  the places I have actually been to, but my pictures don't do those sites justice.

    I also have been seeing pictures from Upper Michigan and Vermont....again, places we have been to but the pictures are just so amazing.

    I love the fall.  I love the trees changing colors.  I love the crispness in the air and the crunch of leaves under my feet.

    But I always think of Frank Sinatra.  Ole' Blue Eyes.  

And now the days are short, I'm in the autumn of the year and I think of my life as a vintage wine from  fine old kegs  From the brim to the dregs, it pours sweet and clear...it was a very good year.

    Like many people my age, I never thought I would reach the autumn of the year.  It is kind of a surprise, really.

    Someone whom I have not seen for a while looked at me and asked when my hair turned gray.  I don't know.  It just happened.

    So...a little maudlin tonight.  

    But I have a message:  Live your life.  Don't wait.  

    Now, if you'll excuse me I am going to go back to looking at picrtues from Switzerland.  And sipping some wine from California.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or don't pass go and collect $200.

Peace and Love

day.....Monday, Monday.....211

This was a strange day 

    I spent most of the morning moving pictures and documents to a saver disk.  I learned something.

    I exported them.  I should have copied them then exported.

    Now all the pictures and documents I want are on my rescue disk.  In order to view them, I have to import them.

    Did not think of that in advance.

    Anyway...I was looking at pictures of our trip to Vermont in 2016 and found a series of pictures of me milking a cow at Shelbourne Farm.  I have no memory of that.  But I have pictures.  I would show you the pictures, but I have to import them from my rescue disk.

    Seriously....wouldn't you think milking a cow would create a mamory?  Udderly ridiculous that I forgot.  

    John came over and installed the mammoth update, but computer still runs soooooo slooooow......Have to call Apple again tomorrow.  

    So...here are some random pictures for you to enjoy...or not.  I hope at least you are entertained.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or .... oh hell, it's not that serious.

Old guys camping

Moonie!!!!

Do not try this at home!!

Fire is tasty.....but may singe the tongue

The wind was a problem

He was balancing on a board at the time

A jar of beard trimmings from my razor....gross or fascinating?  You decide.

Peace and Love

day....liar....210

 I told a lie, unlike George Washington

    I said I would post some pictures from the weekend today, but I did not.

    Friends John and Kathy came out and brought lunch!  We visited, laughed, talked and had a great time.  I don't think we have seen them since Julia was home at Christmas.  It felt good.

    After they left I did a couple of small chores outside and before I knew it, the day had almost gone.  Jackie is very tired, so getting her to bed was a bit of a chore.

    Then I tried to export pictures to a back up disc and was doing well until the whole shebang froze up and I had to force quit photos.  I don't have the energy to restart the process. 

    I think hearing that SIL John walked for 24 hours and covered 72 miles mentally tired me out.  He did it to raise money for two groups and that was truly amazing.  Some friends joined him, so kudos to them for keeping him company, awake and going.

    So...spank me, I am bad.  Really, spank me!  Hit me hard!!  Oops.....getting carried away.

    Tomorrow....maybe,..... pictures and other neat stuff.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Mask it or ...you know.

Peace an Love

day.....huh......209

 I may go unshaven for a few days

    My electric razor fell apart today and I can't figure out how to put it back together.

    Like Humpty Dumpty, it's in pieces.

    I know they all fit together, but for some reason they are not cooperating with me.

    So....I may go unshaven for a while.

    For those of you who know the weirder side of me, the razor fell apart as I was emptying the head while cleaning.  I tapped it lightly on the side of the jar and when I put it down, it came apart.

    Jar?  you ask.  Yes.  I have a peanut butter jar full (well, nearly full) of my facial hair.  I don't know why.  I have been saving it since my "beard" was brown, but now it is considerably lighter.

    I want to put it on E-Bay and see if anyone would buy it. 

    And I can't tell if it is amazing, odd, or disgusting.

    Had a great time at Emily's and John's today.  

    They had Moonie out for a benefit in their yard.  Moonie is a regular at the Ren Faire in Bristol and appears in faires around the country....I believe he said he travels 32 weeks out of the year for faires.  I don't know why I am spelling it faires.

    He does a fun show.  Tomorrow I will post some pictures.  Why not tonight?  No reason, just frustrated over the damn razor.

    Maybe a toddy will calm me down.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or get trumped.

Peace and Love

day....memories....208

 I had one of those almost memories today

    Long story long, because I can't ever be concise.

    Years ago I would go to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.  My mom took me several times.  The coal mine always scared me, while the submarine amazed me.

    There were two displays that struck me....the trains, and the tree ring.

    The tree ring must have been 15 feet across.  Giant sequoia or redwood, it had strings that pointed from  a ring to a card:  1066, Magna Carta signed; 1492, Columbus sales; 1776, US demands Independence.  It was amazing to me that a tree survived all of this.

    Fast forward 40 years. 

    I am with a school group at the Byron Forest Preserve nature center when I see a tree ring that reminds me of the one in Chicago.  I ask.  It is the one from Chicago!  The museum no longer wanted it and Byron offered to take it.  So it was displayed on the main floor of the nature center.

    A few years go by, I go back and the ring is gone.  I ask and am told they removed it and will be turning it into benches.

    Today I stopped and saw a beautiful bench in the visitor's center....but it wasn't from the ring.

    I asked and was told the ring is still intact, stored on the property in a barn.  Turns out the museum remodeled and its focus is on the prairie in Illinois and the sequoia was out of place.  The plan is still to turn it into benches or seating.

    Unfortunately, the barn where it is stored is not open for viewing.  

    But can you imagine a tree over 1,000 years old? 

    Sad to read about the fires in California that are ravaging the groves of redwoods and sequoias.  The guy I talked to said it was awesome to stand at the base of a tree that was 300 feet tal and look up ........ I hope I get that chance some day.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or get trumped

Peace and Love

day...drat....207

 I learned a lesson today, again

    Always carry your cell phone!

    We have help on Tursdays and Fridays for Jackie, so I can do errands and get a little me time.

    So today, my plan was to go to Lindenwood to look for hedge-apples, then to DeKalb because there is a Starbucks there and it is happy hour Thursday.  Next I would stop at a grocery store then hit the orchard in Malta and head home.

    I didn't leave at 1, more like 1:45, and I was in a hurry.  I got halfway to Lindenwood when I realized it was already 2 and it would be 30 more minutes before I could get there and back to DeKalb.  Figure 20 minutes to order, sit outside, sip some coffee, then hit the grocery store and orchard and I would be pushing 4.  So I skipped Lindenwood.

    Somewhere about there I discovered I did not have my phone.  No big worry, Jackie was not alone.

    I got to Starbucks and the drive through line was loooooong.  So I opted to go in, only to read the sign on the door saying no counter service, drive through and app orders only.

    No phone....no app order possibility because I don't have my phone.

    So I got in line...for about 2 minutes then decided to go to the grocery store.

    Long story, made short, bought stuff, went back and saw the line was only 2 cars, got my coffees, went to the orchard and made it home by 10 minutes to four...plenty of time.

    Supper tonight was a Thanksgiving dinner by a church in Steward and it was very good.  Drive through service, did not take long, 

    All in all, it was a good day....coffee, apples, turkey, sunshine.....a Bears win would make it pretty darn good.  We'll see.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Mask it or get trumped!

Peace and Love

day.....rest,,,,,207

We had our last doctor appointment for the week today 

    I had two, Jackie had two.....so I guess we are tied for medical needs this week.

    I even got in a short nap!  Then I went to the store, got gas for the mower, and mowed the yard.  I have not done that for a few weeks....and I think I have one more mowing to go.  At least I hope it is only one.

    Let me tell you my amazements for the day.

    I have a bottle of laundry detergent.  Sometimes I put too much in the measuring cap and try to pour it back.  I don't always hit the spout, so a little pool forms in the lid area.  .  But when I go to do the next load, the pool is gone....is dripped back into the container.

    So, that amazed me.  Engineers and designers looked at the problem (too much soap in the lid) and solved the problem (design a tilted opening, so liquid drains back into the container.)

    I don't know if that makes sense, what I am saying.    It does amaze me.

    We have a radio alarm that turns off after playing for an hour.  Cars that correct themselves when you leave your lane or slow you down when approaching a car.  Computers that store 8,000 pictures.  

    Maybe it's the wine, but I am truly amazed at a lot of stuff in our world.

    I watched the last minute of The Munsters and they were arguing over who gets to watch a tv show.  Imagine that.  They had one tv, no way to record or play back shows, and if they missed a show, well, they missed it.

    How far we have come.  Thank you scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and Stella Rosa.

    So...I guess I will just take my amazed butt to bed.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Mask it or trumpit.

Peace and Love

day ....update....206

 I had a doctor visit today

    My original urologist suggested I see a different urologist for his opinion on what to do with my prostate.

    If you don't know, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer one week ago.  Anniversary cards are not expected.

    The doc today repeated the doc from last week....advantages and disadvantages, probable outcomes and risks.  

    I asked him what he would do if he was me and he said remove it.  Then he  added that he was a surgeon.  He has done over 400 removals robotically.  Now, if you think that is a lot for the DeKalb area, he did work in downtown Chicago for two years and performed surgeries there.

    Next up is a radiology oncologist.  I meet with him next week and get his opinion.

    Doc today said either way was a good option.  

    So that is where I am at.

    I have a couple of other people to talk to, and have talked to several men who have gone the removal route.  None regretted it.

    I do want to thank everyone who has commented on my situation and offered encouragement and help.  You won't believe how much that means to Jackie and me.

    I know there are people, friends and friends of friends, who are suffering from cancer far more serious than mine.  Yet some of those same people have messaged me words of encouragement and hope.  It literally brings tears to my eyes.

    If I opt for surgery, it won't be done until mid to late November at the earliest.  My prostate needs time to heal from the biopsy.  Seems funny to me to heal it up and then take it out.

    I just hope I don't have to give myself another enema. 

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Mask it or casket.

Peace and Love

day....aarrgh!!!! ....205

 I am so frustrated with me I could scream

    I have crap all over the place.  Papers, magazines, notes, notebooks, books.  

    I am even spilling over into the blue bedroom, which is Julia's room when she is home.

    The garage is a mess.  The basement is a mess.  My mind is a mess.

    I have been disorganized my entire life.  But now it is really getting to me.

    Can't find Corki's leash.  I don't remember where I put it.  Lost a vice grips the other day.  Found it with my shoes.  (Exit 99ers...see a pattern?  When I lost the group's checkbook, where did I eventually find it?  In a shoe!! WTH)

    I spent countless minutes today looking for a book I am reading.  I found it in a pile of stuff.

    The dining room table is loaded with pictures and albums and envelopes for pictures  in so I can send them to people.  Been that way for 6 weeks and today I brought up more pictures.

    I just hope I can go through these before Thanksgiving.

    It's not easy being me.

    At least I made it through my blood test without any problems today.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Mask it or trump it.

Peace and Love

day.....it's a fast....204

 I hate blood tests

    I don't like getting shots or having blood drawn.  I would be a great person to not get involved in drugs.

    I got a flu shot Saturday and the friendly pharmacist was very good.  I always get my shot before Jackie because my anxiety level rises, a lot.  The kind pharmacist knows that and treats me gently, distracting me with idle chatter and then painlessly injecting me.  Thank you, Emily!

    Blood work?  Heeby jeeby time.  I once used to have to lie down to get blood drawn because of the risk of fainting.  I have gotten better, but not much.

    I also don't like it because I have to fast.  Going without food for more than an hour is a struggle for me.  I can drink water.  

    So now in addition to worrying about the prostate, the blood test, being hungry, I will probably be up every 2 hours getting rid of the water I am drinking now to stem my hunger.

    I ate supper....made stew.  It was ok.  Had a nice salad.  Now it's late an I am hungry, but it was fast for 12 hours.  Blood test is at 9.  

    Nice visit from Nadine today....even sold her a couple of calendars!  Thank you for supporting Rotary and its various causes and for visiting.

    Yes, we maintained social distancing.  

    That's it for me.  Hope you had a great Sunday.  Bundle up, frost advisory for our area tonight.  That's why so many of my plants are in the garage.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or trump it.

Peace and Love

day...feed me....203

 I think my life revolves around food

    I had fish and chips last night and today was a veritable food flood.  (I just noticed the only difference between food and flood is the letter L.  Coincidence?  I think not.)

    There was a food truck festival in a downtown park.  There were three vendors, and I got a hot dog for Jackie at one and and 2 tacos for me at another.  They were delicious.

    Friends Dan and Linda dropped off a chicken and noodles dinner from a church in Chana, and it was heavenly!   I especially loved the apple dessert that was part of the meal.

    And they bought a Rotary calendar!!  So a double win!!

    Thank you for the food, friendship, and Rotary donation.  Soon we will be meeting and having wine as we ponder the state of the world.

    Tomorrow I plan on making beef stew.  Jackie will have to tell me how to do that, but I have been craving stew for a while.  It's good cold weather food, right?  And it is getting cool outside.

    Two downer notes.....the Cubs are done.  I just could not get into this season, and they didn't seem to either.  The second downer is the spooky drive through benefit for VCCT.  People will be able to reserve a time, drive to a cemetery, turn on the radio, and drive through the cemetery while actors portray figures from Rochelle's past.

    It would be something I would love to do, but I can't commit.  I could be  busy a few of those days.  

    Into life a little rain must fall.  That sums up today, too.  A rainy day.  Sometime this week I will have to dig carrots and cut them up so we can blanch them and freeze them.  I always seem to do that when it is freaking cold, but hope to avoid frostbite this year.

    That's my life today.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Mask it or casket.....advice some leaders should have followed.

Peace and Love

day.....break......202

I had a break today 

    I did not obsess on my new problem.  Well, almost not all day.

    Talked to Joan in Wisconsin and caught her up on our news.  

    I did take our ballots to the county clerk's office in Oregon, the city, not the state. We were very careful to sign and verify our votes.  Then Jackie filled out her authorization for me to bring them to the clerk's office, which I did.

    Friend Dan also took theirs over.  If I had known that, I would have suggested we meet for coffee.  Linda said we could have gone to the statue and that is exactly what I did!  Got a coffee and drove up to the statue, sat in the sun for a few minutes, sat in the clouds for a few minutes, and watched the world go buy.

    There were a lot of people viewing Blackhawk, or the Eternal Indian.  Almost everyone took a selfie of them and the chief...and I thought that was a pretty touristy thing to do.

    Some people followed the path off to the left to take a short hike.  But almost everyone came back after seeing the 6 million steps down to the river.  I did not even think about that.

    Watched/listened to the Cubs lose again.  (Megan...please tell Ben the season is over and no WS this year.)

     Then I talked to friend Chuck about prostate issues.  Seems the more people I talk to, the more relaxed I am becoming.  I have a couple of people I plan on calling this weekend, so if you see my name on your caller ID, please answer.

    Finally, topped off the night with a visit from SK.  It was great to talk to someone other than each other, but I think Jackie and I talked nonstop.   At least I did.  It was just nice to have a guest, and red wine, and good food.

    I have appointments set up for next week and the week after,  and I pretty much know what I am going to opt for ... but I am not making a decision yet.

    So, that's it.  

    Live safely.  Live healthily.  Weareth a mask or thou doust risk the possibility of infection.

Peace and Love

It's such a touristy thing to do........

day.....sniff.....201

 I sometimes have nothing to say

    Yesterday I told you about my new journey through life.  Or rather , the detour my journey through life is taking me.

    You people made me cry.

    The things you said, the comments, the words....every time I read one I bawled like a baby.  You will never know how important your words were, and are, to me and Jackie.

    From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support.  And hey, I made it to just one minute ago not crying at all today!  

    The virtual love, virtual hugs, the real life hugs at Walmart, all are special to me and I thank you so very much.

    I have an appointment with the robotics guy Tuesday.  He will outline what he thinks I should do.  Then I will have an appointment with the radiation guy and hear his pitch.

    I have heard from many people who share my problem....and they have all lived long, healthy, prosperous lives.  No reason I can't join that group.  To be honest, every story I hear gives me more confidence in what I have to do.

    So, again, from the bottom of my heart thank you for caring so deeply for me and Jackie.  I love you all.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or casket.

Peace and Love