finished

 Our floors are done!

    They finished today, but I can't walk on them for a while.  I could walk on them tonight, but the longer I stay off, the better it is.

    So....the doors are closed so no one can go in, even those who walk on four feet.

    We may have found someone to watch Jackie while I am gone.  That problem may be solved, but another one is arising.  The Covid rate in Switzerland is rising and today the CDC put a travel advisory against going there.  Julia said the Swiss government may impose some restrictions on travel, as several EU nations have done.

    The whole travel situation may be out of my hands.

    One thing about the floors that has been a benefit.  I have been getting up and showered at 7.  I hope to continue that, except at 7:30.  Jackie usually sleeps a little longer, so I have time to read the paper and play on Facebook before I get really busy.

    And tonight it seems to be raining a little.  Not a lot, but the driveways are wet.  We could use it.

    That's it for me today.

Peace and Love

high hopes

I got really excited today 

    For a few seconds, I thought I actually was a winner!

    Every year Amboy Depot Days has a 50/50 raffle.  I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago.  I bought some tickets, and bought some for friend Linda.

    The drawing was this past weekend.

    This morning the phone rang.  I looked at it.  It was from Amboy!

    I answered it.  I said hello, a voice said hello.  Then he said, in a heavily foreign accent with a lot of background noise, "I am Mark and I am calling for American Health...."   Click.

    Telemarketer, not a prize.

    Excitement, then anger.

    I really need to learn how to take a photo texted to me and move it to my computer.  I spent 20 minutes tonight trying to do that.  I thought I could e-mail it, but by the time I went through all the steps I evidently changed my Yahoo password and set up a new account.  

    I have been reading a book on Hoopla, a book lending service.  I have renewed it three times.  When I went to read today, Hoopla was down.  When it came back on line, the book had been returned and I had to renew it again.  

    Turns out I was one page from the end.  So I renewed it, then returned it.  Should have taken the extra time to finish it.

    By the way....it was one of the weirdest books I have read.  The Color of Magic.  Terry Pritchard is the author and he has the wildest imagination I think I have ever encountered.

    Finally...cooked burgers.  Cheese burgers.  With thick slices of Beefsteak tomato.

    It was a good meal.

Peace and Love

Thanks, Amy and Terry, for the banana dacquiri...or however you spell it!

the end is here

We had our last performance today 

    It's always bittersweet when  a show ends.

    I have spent the last 6 weeks with these people, talking, laughing, interacting, and working as a team.  Now, it is done.  The show is over and we all go our separate ways.

    That's the bitter.

    The sweet is  evenings are now mine again.  I won't be getting to bed at midnight, struggling with my lines, rereading my script or worrying about missing cues.  (Which I did today.)

    We had over 420 people at the 7 shows.  That was great.

    I saw former students, including Kylene and her mom Tina who came out from Chicago to watch today, freinds, family, former co-workers, and a bunch of people I had never met before.

    I am tired.  Mentally and physically.

    And so, I face the final curtain.....for now.  What does the future hold?

Peace and Love

farewell, old friend

I said good bye to a dear companion today 

    For the past nearly 8 years it was dependable, comfortable, fun....but all relationships must end.

    I sold my Honda Civic.

    There is an empty space in my garage.  It will stay empty for a while.

    I remember the first time I saw it.  Gleaming.  Sleek.  Irridescent.  

    Many fun times.....runs to the zoo, camping, hauling my bike around.  

    Jackie seldom drives.  She can, it's just getting her into the car that is a problem.  If I am putting her in the car, I might as well drive.

    So for us to have two cars just seemed unnecessary.

    I sold it to our granddaughter, Camryn.  

    It will be a good first car.  It's in great condition, sure, there are a couple of tiny scratches, but mechanically it is sound and that is important.  I told her next year she might consider new tires, but it all depends on how much she drives.

    Some people name their cars.  I don't.  It was Honda.  That's all.

    And now it is gone.

    This will be the first time in 18 years I have not had a Civic in my garage.  Strange.

    Play went well tonight....did not lose my belt, or my hair.....just a couple of lines.

    One more performance.

Peace and Love

late nights

I got an unpleasant surprise tonight 

    No, it was not my Elvis belt falling off during the show, although that was a surprise since it has been adjusted several times to eliminate that.

    No, it was not my Elvis wig that suddenly looked like a dead wombat on the top of my head.  That has never happened before.  At some time between my putting it on and going on stage, the hair net that holds the pompador in place came off and the hair went everywhere.  I did not know this until I looked at my shadow on the back wall and saw a huge mess coming out or off my head.

    No, it wasn't my missed entrance.  Yes, I was in place.  Yes, I was watching carefully.  But the air conditioning fan turned on and I thought it was raining.  I was happily listening to the rain backstage as 4 people waited for me on stage.  Maude, sprawled across the back of the couch, looked and me and started waving for me to come on, snapping me out of my trance.

    At intermission  I started getting hungry.  I talked myself into stopping at the Golden Arches for a burger and fries.

    After the show, I really was thinking of that burger.  And fries.

    I even took the long way home to stop and get one.

    My surprise?  At 10:30 on a Friday night McDonald's was closed.  No drive thru, no lights on either inside or outside.  Closed.  10:30.  

    So, I got home and did the next best thing.  I made a banana shake and ate a Kind bar.

    Well, not the next best, but at least I am no longer hungry.

    Just tired. And dreaming of a burger and fries.

Peace and Love

hunger

I can't eat a lot before a show 

    But during the show...watch out,

    I think that started two years ago when we had a ham as a prop,  It was delicious.  I seemed to eat a lot during the dinner scene and between acts and after the show.

    There are snacks for the current show.  Kimberly brings cookies, and there are pretzels with a  peanut butter filling, and cheese crackers, and cheddar cheese crackers, and I find myself "nibbling" a lot.

    Then when I get home, it continues.....chips, Italian ice, Kind bars, string cheese.

    It is a totally unhealthy diet.

    Yet I feel compulsed to eat the stuff!  Even if I am not hungry, I am nibbling.  (That just goes to show my low ability to control myself.)  

    Luckily there are only three shows left because my Elvis costume is getting tighter and tighter!

    I have a routine the day of a show.  Lunch, tea or coffee, nap, light snack.  Today I could not nap and I skipped the light snack.  Now I am tired.  And hungry.  Just when I should be in bed, I am going hunting for something salty.

    String cheese?  Goldfish?  Why not both.

    Peace and Love

never toss anything

I tend to save unnecessary stuff 

    I have a lobster trap.  I have a fish trap.  Don't ask why, I just have them.

    In 2012 when we were building the house, I told the flooring guys to leave the untreated oak for me for campfires.  I figured I would be able to sit out in the yard on cool fall nights and enjoy a little campfire.  Since the wood is not treated, it would be fine for that.

    The two tubs of wood are still in the garage.  I have not burned it, and worse, I think we have only had a couple of bonfire type nights.

    The same guys who did the wood floor in 2012 are doing the wood floors in the two bedrooms.  

    Yesterday they finished laying the floor.  Today they sanded and then stained the floor.

    But....they ran into a snag.  

    Prior to staining the floor, they run a damp rag over the wood to open the pores so the stain is deeply absorbed.  During this wetting time, they found a defect in one of the boards.  Evidently a bug burrowed into the wood, and when they wetted it, the wood "popped."

    Since they finished the flooring yesterday, all the scraps and extra wood was gone.  They were trying a couple of things to fix the hole, but none seemed to be working.

    I asked how they normally would fix it.  One guy said we would normally replace the board...but all the wood is back in Dixon.  Waiting to get a new piece puts the project two days behind.

    I told him to follow me.  I led him out to the garage, we went trough my stash of old wood, and found a couple of peices.  Then I looked in the corner and there was a 4 foot section of the right size.  

    He said he remembered me telling them to not toss it because I would use it for campfires in the back yard.  By the way, I did not save the cut pieces this time.

    Problem solved.

    Well, one problem.  I still have two tubs of wood to  burn.

    So this fall I will have at least one fire, maybe two.  I just hope I remember the marshmallows.

    Still looking for a caretaker for Jackie....I have not bought tickets yet because I have to have someone in place.  I hate myself for waiting so long.

Peace and Love

Twos day

 I am struck by my gullibility

    Someone said that Tuesday, Feb. 2, will be an oddity we will never see again.  It will be 2-2-22.  A real Twos day!  I believed them.

    But alas, Feb. 2 is on Wednesday.  I had already told people to mark it down as a day to celebrate twos, now I will just say .... eh.....when we hit that non historic date.

    Oh well.

    Quite a storm rolled through today.  I was out grilling pork chops when the wind howled through.  It blew my chairs over, one of them landed on Jackie's rose bush.

    Then the temperature dropped about 20 degrees in what seemed minutes.  

    We got rain, but it was blowing sideways, so I have no idea how much we got.  It is still lightning to the south, hopefully we get some rain over night.

    A couple of weeks ago I doused a wasp nest in my rock wall on the patio.  As the storm rolled in, I noticed the wasps were flocking on the wall!  It was almost like they sensed the rain and were seeking shelter.  I sprayed again tonight, but if they come back again I'll call my friend Xav.

    We did the last of corn today.  I won't put up any more.  I believe we froze 6 dozen ears, which should last us.  We also froze Italian beans today....those are very prolific plants an there are still plenty of flowers on the plants.  Green beans?  Jury is still out.

    They finished laying the floor today.  Guys will be back tomorrow to sand, then the staining and sealing begins, stinking up the house.  I can't wait for this to be over so I can put the house back together again.

    And the weird thing....I had some wine last night, a wine I had never had before.  After a glass or two, I got really hot and sweaty.  My ears were burning!  I felt dizzy and a bit odd.

    I just figured it was me.

    But tonight, same thing.  I wonder if there is something in this particular wine that might trigger an allergy.  This was a half bottle, and it is finished.  But I will avoid that wine in the future.

    That's my day!

Peace and Love

Normal....for a day

Today was actually a fairly normal day 

    Up at 7 for the construction crew, picked beans, ran some errands, grilled burgers for supper.

    Unfortunately, I went to Rainwater's for sweet corn and ..... none.  No signs, no people at the stand, nothing.  I heard a rumor on Saturday that they were nearly done and I should have gone then.  Oh well.

    And yes, I have beans!  The 98the planting was succesful for the Italian beans but the jury is still out on green beans. I filled a bag and tomorrow we will hopefully cut, blanch, and freeze them.

    Construction crew.  We are putting wood floors in the two bedrooms.  We will not have any carpet in the upstairs part of the house, except for some area rugs.  It gets a little noisy, and later this week it will get dusty when they sand the new floors  before staining.

    I plan to put a plastic bag over the computer and put the mouse and key pad in a zip lock bag.  Hopefully that will protect them from dust.  I also plan on replacing the furnace filter a couple of times when they are finished.

    No rehearsal tonight.  None tomorrow night.  Then 5 days with either a rehearsal or a show.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Peace and Love

    Jackie has always wanted a rose bush...so I put one in a container on the patio.  Now she can see it when she eats breakfast.

hello...who are you again?

 I am terrible at recognizing people

    Put a mask and a few years on them, and it is almost impossible.

    So I was greatly saddened when I heard Grant, a former student of mine, was at the show last night. I would have loved to have chatted with him and caught up with his life, even if for a few minutes.

    I asked what he looked like.  I was told, tall, like dad, wearing a blue shirt, and a mask.

    I said I was talking to a rather tall guy in a blue shirt who was wearing a mask.

    I was told, yep that was him!

    I was talking to him, but did not know I was talking to him, and I wished I had known that because our conversation would have been much more interesting than the generic jabber.

    Then it happend again today.  Not a former student, but someone I have known for a LONG time, just have not seen for a few years.  She had a mask on, a different hair style than I remember, and a voice that was familiar.  We had a nice chat about the new theater and how nice it will be to perform in a space that we don't have to share with other groups  We laughed a couple of times at memories from the past.  I should have asked her name, but I didn't.....so  I missed a chance to catch up with Susan because I did not recognize her.

    I need to get into the habit of saying, I am sorry, but your name escapes me.  Can you please tell me again?

    But I too socially inept to do that.

    Oh well.

    It was great today  to see Jim and Karen from the Quad Cities....three years ago we made plans to get together and take a bike ride along the Mississsippi.  Still have not done it.

    Show went well today, four more shows left.  If you live in the area, please come.  I think you will enjoy the laughs.

Peace and Love

How do you spell.....

 I usually am a pretty darn good speller

    Learning lines in a play may give me problems, but I can spell!

    I have a line in the show that goes something like....anyone know a 5 letter word for female dog....third letter is t.

    Most people figure it out quite easily...not a terribly hard puzzle.

    But I have added a twist.

    Two nights ago I said the last letter is t. 

    Tonight I said the third letter is b.

    Tomorrow I am printing a note to tape in my prop with the correct spelling.

    I can't believe it.  I don't even know I have done it until people start telling me.  Of course, it could be a conspiracy to undermine my confidence.  A sinister, evil plot at that!  Maybe I am doing it right and everyone is in on the plot by telling me I was wrong.  Maybe Q Anon is behind it!

    I imagine some members of the audience and still wondering what the word is.   I may even cause a world power shortage as the multitudes that were there tonight try to Google an answer.

    At least I didn't leave early or come on at the wrong time, like I did last night.  We have 5 more shows, so hopefully by the last one I will have put it all together.

Peace and Love

1 down......

We had our opening night tonight 

    I thought it went well. I may have missed a line or two, but on the whole, it was a good show.

    People laughed.  A lot.  We have been rehearsing it so long the lines were no longer funny to us, but to fresh ears they are very funny.

    I think  lot of people were just glad to get out.  Return to normal.  Be with a crowd.  I just hope everyone had their shots and no one brought the dreaded Covid in with them.

    As a lark I asked our director if I could sell Rotary calendars in the hallway afterwards.  She said yes, and gave a plug for the calendars in her director's remarks.  I sold four!  I plan on doing that every show.

    The big news around town is we are getting a Starbucks!  It is next to the Walgreen's and is causing me some conflict.  I love Starbucks, so much in fact, that I bought stock in the company a couple of years ago.

    But I love Cypress House too. 

    So where will I go for coffee?

    I am operating on two ideas:  alternate sites, or buy at Cypress House in town and at Starbucks in DeKalb or Rockford or where ever I happen to be that has a Starbucks.

    Why can't the world be a simpler place?

    And now, I need to unwind.

Love and Peace

an early start

 I am getting to my blog early today

    Normally I have been doing this after rehearsals, but it has been late at night.

    So, here goes.

    Hot again.  Humid again.  Draining day again.

    I did take a nap for a while and I think I needed it.

    I also went to the store for a few items.  I spent $99,78!  I thought there had to be a mistake, but I went over the receipt and it was accurate.  Holy crap.

    My face is still stinging from last night, so I bought new Noxema and it is white, not brown.  When will I ever learn.

    Tomorrow night is opening night.  I tend to get a little excited, regardless of the size of my role.  I can't eat in the afternoon, I urinate frequently, and jabber like an idiot until I get the to the point where I just sit and think.  Little things upset me.  Truthfully, little things  upset t me all the time, but much more on show days.

    Starting Monday hopefully I can take care of the little things....phone calls I have not made, weeding I have not done.  I might even be able to pick beans!  I have beans!!  Four plantings, but they have produced.

    A couple of days ago we took Corki for a trim....she looks pretty.

    Check out the pictures!

Peace and Love

I honestly thought I bought Big Boy tomatoes.....but maybe they are Beefsteak!  They are huge.

Aww

 Cute II

making up is hard to do

 My apologies to Neil Sadaka

    He was popular in the early 60's and his song Breaking Up Is Hard To Do still rumbles thru my head once in a while.  I probably spelled his name wrong, but at this  time of day, I don't care.

    We did make up tonight for the play.  Make up is not my favorite part of doing a show.  I can't do it right and I always look, well, odd.

    After the last show I did I tossed some of my stuff.  I really did not think I would be in a show again, yet here I am.

    I asked for advice, and people said go to the drug store and have the person at the cosmetics counter find you a base.

    So I did.

    I think I really confused the young girl.  I asked for a foundation that matched my skin, and was hypoallergenic.  I told her it was for me.  She kind of did a double take when I then asked for a "manly looking lipstick."  I then explained I was in a play and needed makeup so my face does not disappear in the lights.

    I put it on tonight, and I guess it was ok.  I did have to borrow the other Terry's color tray to highlight my nose and temples.

    When I came home, I washed my face with soap and water and got out the Noxema.  I put that on and after 14 seconds of intense burning, rinsed it off.

    Is Noxema normally brownish yellow?  I always thought it was white.   Jackie had a jar too, and it was also brownish yellow.

    Neither of us remember buying it, and by the amount of dust on the lids, it has been around for quite a while.

    You'll never guess what I did.

    I threw it out!  Both jars!!   And that's not all.....I threw out almost all of my well worn gray socks!!

    Tomorrow I will go to the store and buy a small jar of Noxema.  One.  

    Afterall, it seems to last forever.

Peace and Love

a day late

and a few dollars short...for now 

    Rehearsal ran a little long tonight, so my Tuesday blog is now a Wednesday entry.  Go figure.

    We had a pretty active day today.

    Corki had an appointment at the groomers...pictures tomorrow.  Because of that appointment, I washed all her dog  beds so everything was nice and clean.

    Her groomer is south of us, and about 20 minutes from Amboy.  If you don't live in this area, I will explain.

    Amboy is a little town, population around 2,500.  Samuel Carson opened a dry goods store there in 1854.  That is important.  Why?  He was the Carson in Carson, Pierre Scott & Co.

    Amboy has a festival, Depot Days.  There are no longer railroad tracks into town, but the old Depot has been made into a fine museum.

    Years ago the Depot Days car show committee decided to have a 50/50 raffle with the museum being the benefactor of half the pot. 

    Well, the first drawing didn't net a lot of money.  I think it was something like $1,200 or so  By 2001 the prize was almost $9,000.  In 2017 the winner got over $130,000!

    Over the years lots of projects were funded with the money.....library, parks, schools, the museum, and a whole lot more.

    Jackie went along and waited in the car while I plopped down money for tickets.  I also got some for friend Linda and yes, I used her name and phone number on all her tickets.

   I  bought the tickets at city hall, having a nice conversation with the lady there, then took them over to the grocery store and put them in the big bin....which had a lot of tickets already.

    Then I stopped at Casey's and bought an Italian wrap, bag of chips and some drinks and we had a picnic in the car.

    Finally we stopped and got Corki, who looks beautiful!

    That's my day.  If Dirty Harry asked me if I was feeling lucky today, I would say yes.  Because even if I don't win a dime, I feel good just buying the tickets.

Peace and Love

My tomatoes are coming in all sizes and shapes!

Love the colors

Not a great picture....but the butterfly was pretty

Monday, Monday

 No, I am not channeling the Mamas and Papas

    Although I did have a crush on Cass.  I loved her voice and persona.  

    No, its just that Monday seems to set the tone for the week.

    And if so, then this will be a good week.

    Rehearsal went pretty well.  We missed a line or two here and there, but we are getting better.

    Our wood for the flooring got delivered today.  I know it will cause me some hurt, because it is stacked in the dining room.  When I roam the house at 3 a.m. I will probably walk into it and fall.

    Friend Linda suggested putting my flashing red bike light on the pile as a warning and I think I will do that.

    Linda, Dan and Julie from New Yawk were here for a little light refreshment.  Yes, wine was involved, a delightful rosé from Provance that I got at a local grocery store.  Fleur de Mer, which I believe is flower of the sea.  I am finishing the bottle as I write this.

    Because of rehearsal, I only had a small taste this afternoon.  But it is a nice wine.

    For some reason we got talking about  bodily functions.  Of course, I had to mention my Italian experience.

    In 2013 we rented a villa in Tuscany.  Several people joined us, including Chicago John and his wife Katthy.

    One day John, Kathy and I headed for Sienna, a World Heritage Site and darn neat city.

    I had everything mapped out...the route, where to park, all you needed to know.  

    But as we got closer to the city, I had a strong urge to evacuate the morning cup of tea.  I figured  no worry, since the parking lot was very close to where we were.  But the parking lot was being used for a fair.  

    There we sat.  In traffic.  In Sienna.

    I had to pee so hard sweat was dripping down my forehead. Traffic was not moving.

    So I jumped out of the car, ran behind one of the walls of this UNESCO world heritage sit and relieved myself.  I kept hoping there were no cameras to witness this desecaration of a historic site, and double hoping no one would come along and yell at me.

    I then got back in the car and within 5 minutes found a parking garage with a bathroom, which I now did not need.

    I would like to say that was the only time I had to resort to such drastic measures, but suffice it to say some Tuscan wine may have had a more earthy tone the following year.

Peace and Love

sigh

 I may just overextend myself

    After an almost 2 hour vestry meeting for church, I spent 2 hours down at the new theater, doing some easy on the old guy type cleaning.

    We got an e mail from Kohl's that I could save 40 percent if we used our Kohl's charge card.  After spending a long time looking for our cards, Jackie called to make sure we could charge without the card and still get the discount.  We could.

    Now, it is sock time for me.  So I bought 12 pairs of black socks and 12 pairs of gray socks.  That means I can toss out my existing gray socks and most of my black socks.  If they are all the same kind, then I don't have to spend time matching them....it's just find a black one to go with another black one.  Saves time.

    And today, I saved money.

    When I finally got home, I realized the mess I had.  Dishwasher not emptied from this morning, not loaded from breakfast and lunch, adding dinner dishes, letting out Emily and John's dogs and feeding them, (the dogs, not Emily and John)  feeding my dog, and as some point I just felt everything was spiraling out of control.

    But I seem to have temorarily recovered.  Dishes done, lawn bags delivered, car gassed up, dogs let out.....maybe it's time for a hot toddy.  Lord knows I may need one to sleep.

Peace and Love

a killing machine

 I turned nto a mass murderer today

    I was sitting on the patio when I noticed a wasp land on the brick wall just about 1 foot from me.  Then I saw another.  And another.  Next I saw one come OUT from between the bricks.  Then another.  And another.

    I know it is best to spray wasp nests at night, but these guys were buzzing around a lot.  So I sprayed between the bricks.  About half an hour later, they were still going in and out, so I sprayed again.  I waited a while, then sprayed a third time.....which seemed to have slowed down the wasp traffic.

    Now, I have a history with wasps.

    I took the family up to my brother's cabin in Wisconsin years ago, for a midweek retreat.

    It's a log cabin.  Nicely built.  Secluded.  Quiet.

    We went in and I noticed a couple of wasps.  I swatted them, and killed them.

    About an hour later, a couple of more. I again swatted them.

    We decided to go into town to buy some spray, which may have been better than me swatting them.

    When we came back, there were more.  And more.  And more.

    We went for more spray.

    When we came back, we discussed what to do.  At one point we thought of leaving because the wasps were coming in somewhere.

    I went to the upstairs bedroom and laid down to think.  I looked over at the log wall and saw wasps coming in from between the logs!  I called and was told where to find some oakum, which I plugged into the hole.

    But wasps were still buzzing around inside the house.

    As I went down the stairs, one of them landed on my.......well, it was a place I was not comfortable hitting hard.  My big fear was it would sting me and cause an unnatural swelling of a ceertain appendage that is not designed to be stung by a pissed off wasp.

    In panic, I brushed it off.  It did not sting.  I remember Jackie watching and laughing at the panic on my face,

    2 cans of spray later, the house was clear of wasps.  I think I swept up 40 or 50 of their bodies.

    And outside the bedroom wall was the biggest nest I have ever seen!  Huge!

    The nest today was not as big, but there are 12 dead wasps on the ground.  I am headed out to spray again because now it is dark.

    I know the critters serve a purpose, but not on my deck.

    I just hope they are not light sleepers.

Peace and Love

weding, riding, and hit a brick

 I accomplished a lot outside today

    I weeded the raised gardens.  I do have beans, and they do have flowers.  My carrots are doing well, but the cucumber is just not going very fast.  It will bea race now to see if any cucumbers develop before the first frost.

    I    may have olanted the wrong tomato plant.  The tomatoes are gigantic.  I thought they were big boys, but they may be beefsteak. In any case, they are huge....and green.

    Then I trimmed and mowed.  I timed it today, a little over an hour to mow.  Throw in 20-30 minutes to trim, and it's a full afternoon.  I did get a little close to one of my larger rocks.....the blade clanged off of it and dislodged it from its resting spot.  I have to remember to put it back in place tomorrow.

    I also weeded along my back wall, which had not been weeded yet this year.  It was a grassy mess.

    I have a weed that is  abundant throughout the yard.  I believe it is called parslain, or purslain.  It is all over the place, but especially in my veggie garden.  Luckily it pulls out easily.

    Now I have 3 bags of weeds to drop off someplace.

    Tomorrow is corn day.....going to freeze another 2 or 3 dozen.  Not sure if we will do more than that.

    Luckily the weather has cooled off, and the humidity has dropped.   Hopefully, that lasts for a few days.

    I hope to check the sky tonight to see if any meteors appear.  I did see one, around 2:30 yesterday morning.  Far below the 30-40 an hour that were expected.  The clouds certainly did not help.

    By the way, happy Friday the 13th....the only one of this year!

Peace and Love

Kodak moments

Not a lot of words tonight 

    Sometimes I take pictures with my phone.  As a kid, I never would have dreamt I could do that.  But hey, Dick Tracy's wrist radio sure seems like the inspiration for I watches!

    A humid day today, temperatures were not that bad.  Cooler weather is on the way, which will make mowing and weeding a bit easier

    I did pick my first tomatoes.....4 of them.  I proceeded to drop two on the floor and they split open, so they became salad fillers tonight.

    Had nice Skype chats with Julia and then my nephew Mike, who is also in Switzerland.  All seem to be doing well, but Covid is on everyone's mind.

    So.....some tpictures.  Not saying they are good, but they may be interesting.

This may be the critter that jumped on my head a couple of weeks ago!  It sits under the light on the garage.

All in all, you're just another brick in the wall

Who wears this sparkly bowtie??

My butterfly bush area....I can't remember the name of the plant in the back, but it smells like licorice and attracts a lot of bees!

All in all, you're just another brick in the sidewalk

All in all....oh hell, enough!

A sun tree.

Peace and Love

Oh my...busy, busy, busy

I seem to have quite the active life 

    Today I took my car in for some routine maintenance.  While in Rockford I also went to 2 groccery stores, an office supply place, and a home products place.  And I also got a coffee.

    Why 2 stores?  Well, Schnucks still has Illinois peaches and there are Schucks in Rockford.  I stopped at the one on East State and was really impressed.  It reminded me very much of the Manor in Switzerland.  Clean, wide aisles, and different departments so it felt like you were going to different stores...like bakery, deli, butcher.  

    I also stopped at Woodman's for 2 items:  string cheese and Dean's cottage cheese.

    We have bought Dean's there for years, but today, not a Dean's in sight.  Jackie prefers that to other cottage cheeses and it just seemed odd they would not have any.

    At the home supply place, I went specifically for a corn shucking device.  We have one, but we would like a couple of more.  I asked where they might be and after an on line search, was told that store did not stock them so they were available only on line.  But the shipping cost for a $6 item is outrageous.  They did not offer to order it to the store and I did not ask.

    Picked up a plastic mat for the chair by the computer desk.  Someday our floors will come and we will be ready.

    Tonight I had rehearsal....which means for most of the day I was not home.  Jackie had excellent care though, so I did not have to worry.

    When I was at the Honda place, the salesman that sold me the car saw me and said. "Hi, Terry."  I said, "Hello Mike."  I was impressed that he remembered my name.

    After I left, I thought about it.  I made the service appointment a week ago.  When they brought the car's history up, maybe they told Mike I would be in on Aug. 11 at 1:30.  

    That's the cynic in me.  I should be thinking I have such a sparkling personality no one can forget me!

    And then friend Bobbi texted me tonight that she was at the Boone County Fair  and got to talking to my friend Mark from Brookfield Zoo!  I have not seen Mark for maybe 3 years, but he is one of my favorite zoo people.  Alas, he is no longer with the zoo...which is a shame because he was so good at his job.

    Tonight hopefully I hit post.....and get a good night's sleep.

Peace and Love

yowser

We finally got some rain today 

    There was almost 1.5 inches in the rain guage, but the rain was not the big story.

    We had strong wind!  I was afraid our patio furniture would end up in the kitchen, it was blowing that hard.

    We lost power, briefly, four times.  It would go off, come on, go off, come on.....finally it stayed on.   On my way to rehearsal I ran into some fire trucks and police cars blocking Flagg Road, so I assume a power line was down.

    I saw lots of branches and one huge tree down.  I have to go out tomorrow and put my windmill back up because my anchoring was not strong enough to hold it.

    On my way home from rehearsal there were several utility trucks on IL 38, I again assume power lines were compromised due to the storm.

    The sky was really ugly at the start of the storm.  I am thankful it did not morph into something more destructive.

    On a positive note, I now have beans!  

    No, not from the garden, but from friend Curt who had a surplus in his garden and kindly shared it with us.  That was really nice of him to bring us some.  But more than the vegetables, we enjoyed the visit.

    I am emotionally drained due to the storm.  I really don't handle these things very well.  I am hoping for a good night's sleep.

Peace and Love

Peanuts

 It was a dark and stormy night.....

    Snoopy in the comic strip Peanuts started a lot of his stories that way.  It is a pretty trite expression in the writing field.

    But so apt today.

    Tornadoes to the east, west, north and south of us, but none by us, thankfully.

    My problem is:  I get a little overexcited when it storms.  Panic is one word that sometimes describes me.

    So when the weather alert sounds a tone for a severe storm, I pay attention.  Today Jackie's I Pad and both our cell phones sounded a tornado warning for our area, again, luckily it was not a problem.  But it still gets me excited.

    I hope everyone is safe today...and will be safe tomorrow.

    One good thing about the weather, the Cubs did not lose.

Peace and Love

Amazing

My computer desk is clean 

    Spotless.  Not a bit of unneeded crap on the desk.

    Now, please don't think I have gone on a long delayed cleaning spree.  Instead, we moved the computer into the front room anticipating the remodeling in our two rooms.

    Of course, I have a pile about 7 feet high of paper and SIDNWTDW (Stuff I Don't Know What To Do With) with which I have to deal.  Paper just traps me in an endless cycle of despair and depression...I don't know what to do with paper.  I have a Civil War scrapbook I put together in eighth grade.  Aside from the peacock blue ink I used in my refillable ink pen, it has no significance to me.  Yet I hold on to it.

    I also discovered I need to learn how to:   Use the measure function on my phone; enter events on my calendar;  and recording music I can play on my computer and phone so I can give Emily her device back, which I have had since before Christmas.

    A huge thank you to John who helped me move the furniture and then hooked up the computer and all the other stuff so we can use it.  Honestly, I would not have been able to figure any of that out.  

    While on the phone with friend John in the City of Broad Shoulders, the Hog Butcher of the World, the Windy City.....you get the drift....the wind really picked up!  I thought my beautiful table was going to go because the umbrella was really flapping, so I took down the umbrella.  It was magic, because as soon as I got it out of the stand and on the chairs, the wind stopped.

    Go figure.

    We need the rain.

Peace an Love

whew!!!!!

 It was hot out today

    I spent a couple of hours with friends Linda and Dan as we had a booth at Creston's street market.

    There were a lot of booths there, but I think we were the only one with collectibles and assorted odds and ends.

    At the other fair we were in, I made $63 selling things I no longer needed.  Or wanted.  I was hoping to do better today.

    So....one trip to Creston, 4 hours in the heat, buyiong lunch, dog treats, garlic, tomatoes.....well, I am no Sam Walton.  I spent $17.  I sold $15 worth of items.  Which means I actually lost 50 cents an hour.

    Soooooooo.... not gonna do that again!  

    We are looking at other ways to share our collectibles to make it easier when it does come time to move somewhere else.

    But the great thing about today was seeing people.  Julie and Andy from New York stopped and talked.  They are visiting family in the area and we (Dan, Linda, me and Julie...not sure if Andy will still be here)  have a date for an afternoon of wine and conversation.

    Talked to 2 sets of former teachers, 4 theater buddies, a current teacher and a bunch of other people..... it was a really nice time, despite the heat and lack of sales.  Three of the people had been at the Exit 99 show two weeks ago and told me how great I was, and how I shined way brigher than the rest of the group.

    Well, what they actually said was we were funny and they had a great time.  But I know what they meant!  (TC, CJ, BH......you know I am just being silly.  You three  rock!)

    I was sweaty and hot, so I showered when I got home then moved some stuff from the soon to be remodeled bedrooms to the basement.  A mojito with my leftover Cubana from Acres Bistro was a night way to end the day.

    Well, not exactly end it.  We made a cake.  And I have 2 loads of laundry to finish.

    I am mellowed but tired.  

    Hopefully we get some rain tonight or tomorrow.....my lawn feels like straw when I walk on it.  The grass actually makes a crinkling sound when I step on it.

    Need to do a rain dance.

Peace and Love

What ????

 Today just slipped past

    We spent the morning making telephone calls to agencies that provide home care.  We have some people to talk to about it, and hopefully we can put together a plan for when I am gone.

    Then I went shopping.  

    Actually, I went to the little Mexican grocery store looking for coconut water.  Jackie likes to have pineapple smoothies made with coconut water.  I bought the pineapple, but WM was out of coconut water.  So was the little Mexican store.

    Now I wonder, is there going to be a shortage of coconut water?  Should we start rushing to the stores and snapping up what is left?  Where does this madness end???

    I bought 3 dozen ears of corn, husked them, boilded them, cut them off the cob and Jackie bagged them.  We ended up with 3 1 gallon bags, which are now in the freezer.

    Last year I would buy 2 dozen, we would freeze one dozen, and eat the rest.  This year it just seemed easier to buy 3 dozen at a time and take care of them.  I'll do the same next Friday, because we don't rehearse on Fridays and doing the corn does tire me out.

    It rained for about 10 seconds today.....and it seems the storms are all north of us tonight.

    But tomorrow is guaranteed to have rain because I will be joining friend Linda with a booth at the Creston street market.  We have lots of collectibles we no longer collect.  If you need something unusual for a present, you might want to check us out.

    Just bring a raincoat and umbrella.

Peace and Love

Oh, Happy Day!!!!

 Let the planning begin!

    Look what came in the mail today!!!!

    I am quite happy!!!

    Now the planning begins.  Tickets.  Care giver.  Food.  Laundry.  

    We have a lot to do for me to go.  

    I am excited, yet worried.  

    Where do I start????

    That is my big news for the day.

Peace and Love

rain will be coming

 We will be getting significant rainfall in about 7 days

    More specifically, Aug. 11 and 12.

    Both nights will be stormy.  Clouds will be so thick, you won't even be able to see an occaisional star.

    How do I know this?

    Well, Aug. 11 and 12 are peak viewing nights for the Perseid meteor showers.  On those nights you should be able to see up to 60 meteors an hour.  It will be a great night to watch.  Great for everyone not living close to me.

    I seem to have a knack for not being able to see  sky events..  Lunar eclipses, red moons, meteor showers, whatever, it is cloudy and rainy when the peak viewing times are.  At least for me.

    There was one time in my life when I saw them.  

    We took a family vacation to Vermont to go to a picnic.  This must have been in the early to mid 80s. 

    We were camping in the White Mountains at a beautiful little campground.  Yes, camping.  My family.  First and only family camping trip.

    We were sitting around the fire when Jackie announced she was going to bed.  I think it was about 8:30.  The girls followed.  That left me sitting at the camp fire.  But I was not alone.  Some guy from Boston wandered over to say hello because his wife and kids had also gone to bed.

    We sat around the campfire talking about all sorts of things that don't matter now, when we noticed a shooting star.  And another.  And another.

    We stopped talking and just sat and watched as meteor after meteor flashed across the sky.

    The only light in the little campground was my fire.  As it died down, the pace of meteors seemed to pick up.  

    It was magical.

    I don't know how long the two of us sat there, but I remember we were in awe.

    Ever since then I have looked to the skies in August.  Sometimes, not often, I get to see some, but not as many as that night on a mountain in Veremont.

    I often wish I was someplace where there were no city lights to hide the night sky.  I often think of going north to a cabin on Lake Superior during the Perseids and just sit on the shore and watch.

    With my luck, it will probably rain there too.

    So, keep one eye on the sky and the other on the weather next week.  

    You, too, can be amazed.

Peace an Love

old timers or focus?

 Sometimes I just am lost

    Literally and figuratively.

    I went to Sycamore today for a medical thing and arranged to pick up some medication for Corki at the vet.

    I have driven that route dozens of times.  Dozens!

    So I have no idea why I  passed the turn for the vet!  Right passed it.  As I drove passed, I said to myself, "Huh.  You should have turned there."

    So I turned around in a corn field entrance  and went back to the road.  

    This morning I was putting Jackie's compression sock on.  I use the blue medical gloves when I do that, because they allow me to grip the sock.  Plus, my hands don't seem to hurt as much.

    I got the sock, her slippers, the gloves, her pants and sat on the floor to put everything on her and ....... no blue gloves.  I looked under me, under the pants; I looked in the drawer where the socks are, in the bathroom, on the bed, under the bed.....I could not find them.  They had vanished into thin air.  Twilight Zone??

    So I got another pair.

    When I went to put Jackie's pants on her, the gloves fell out of one of the legs.

    I thought I was loosing what is left of my freaking mind.

    But tonight was the worst

    Aside from botching some lines at rehearsal (some being a benign term for screwing up several), I intended to stop and get gas after rehearsal.

    I figured my car was running pretty low.....only 60 miles to empty according to the on board computer.

    Imagine my surprise when I could not find my wallet.  I could not find my wallet because it was at home on the counter.

    So tomorrow, I hope the 48 miles the computer says I can go is enought to get me into town for gas.

    I swear, growing old has its moments.  Most of them crappy.

Peace and Love

magnificent...6?

 I caught two more little critters today

    That makes six, but I still see them scampering around the yard!

    These two were little ones....not babies, just small.  As I set them free, I had a strange thought.

    What if they massed together and attacked?

    Seriously!!!  One or two is no issue, but 6?  I have a friend, Nadine, who said her busband trapped 64 one year!  64!!!

    Now I am worried.  What if they can communicate and remember?  Are they secretly plotting to attack one night when I am sleeping?  Can they burrow through concrete or siding?

    They are excellent diggers, I can tell by the holes they make.  What if they work as a team and create a trap for me?

    I could be riding around on my lawn mower and ....Wooph!!!  Down I go into a pit of honey and red ants.  Looking up, I see the little rodents are grinning down at me, eating sunflower seeds and chirping wildly as the ants climb all over my honey coated body!!!

    Now I am wondering if I should reset my traps.  I don't want to create a ground squirrel uprising, with them shouting and chirpping away as they march relentlessly from the park to my house, blocking traffic on the road and causing small children to cry in fear.

    Or maybe I should just stop letting my imagination run wild.  After all, they are just ground squirrels.  How much of an army could they raise?

    Time will tell.

Peace and Love

Hoot, Hoot

I had a bit of a scare last night 

    Corki usually goes out around 9:30.  For some reason, she did not want to go out last night.

    I like going out then because I can look at the stars or the moon.  It's a meditation time for me also.  A time to reflect.  

    When I take Corki I turn on the porch lights and go with her.  Without her, I just go out in the dark.

    Last night I went out and was standing in the dark on the sidewalk.  I heard a rustling sound and looked up and a huge bird swooped down off the top of the house!  Me being the ever astute person figured it was an owl.  When it left the roof it made a rustling sound, but I could not hear it when it flapped or flew after that.

    Quite startling.  I wonder if it was staking out the house and just waiting for Corki to wander out in the dark.  Or maybe it was looking for rabbits or ground squirrels...there are some of those in the yard.

    Now I will go first and look toward the roof, just to be safe.

    Had a nice chat with Julia today; Emily and John are feeling better; worked at the theater for a while; and cooked a couple of small steaks for supper while sipping a mojito.  It is a beautiful night out there, but there is a hint of smoke in the air, which I assume is coming from the fires out west.  Reminds me a bit of camping trips with my friends in November.

    Here's hoping the West gets rain.  Soon.  

    We were laying in bed last night and the rain poured down....for about 30 seconds.  Then it stopped.  My rain gauge had about 1/10th of an inch....not much good for anything.

    By tghe way...gauge is weird. It starts the same as gauze but has a totally different pronounciation, which is why I always spell it incorrectly.

    At least that is my excuse.

Peace and Love