what happened??

 I had today pretty much planned

    I was going to finally put away the outside lights, which have been laying in a tangle in the basement.

    But Julia got a call that a car she was interested in was at the dealership and would I want to go with her to look at it?

    Jackie said she would be fine for a couple of hours, so we went.

    Five and a half hours later, we got home.

    During that time Jackie dropped the remote from the tv and could not reach it. so she had no choice but to watch the same channel.  Could not turn it off, or change channels.

    Corki had to go to the potty and stood by the door two times before giving up and going to sleep.

    I stopped at the mobility dealer in Rockford only to discover he was out and would not be back and the person working knew nothing about the turning lift chairs for cars.

    Learned that two of the people who work at this dealership spoke French!  Neither from the same country either.  One from Haiti and one from Morocco.

    Jackie was happy to see us.  We brought food.  

    Yes, I was worried the whole time we were gone, but nothing major went wrong.  That is a good thing.

    Tomorrow I attack the lights.

Peace and Love

I think it was a hoar frost...it was pretty, whatever it is called.

Deer seem to like our yard

A close up of Covid......or a purple coneflower, whatever

I ended up buying a car Jackie could easily get into.....now, where do I put the wheelchair?

Upset?

 I watched a lot of football today

    Both teams I wanted to win lost.

    I liked SF because of the Chicago connection.  Gould was a kicker for the Bears, Grappalo went to Rolling Meadows High School, and Jimmy Ward played for NIU. 

    I liked the Chiefs because of Hahomes.  

    And I don't know/care if the names are spelled correctly.

    We had Iowa chops for supper.  Iowa chops are about 1 inch thick.  I got them at Headon's and used a recipe from on line......coat them with olive oil, sear on each sides for 2 minutes, bake in 400 degree over for 20 minutes.  Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

    I also made green beans from the garden and Julia made scalloped potatoes from a box.  It was a good meal.

    The recipe also called for heavy use of salt to give it more flavor.  But when I followed that advice last time, Jackie did not like it because it was too salty.  To be honest, it was a little too salty for me.  So I cut down on the salt this time.

    Because the chops are so big, we actually have enough for a second meal.

    Good football games, good food, and a good day in all.

    Hope everyone is well.

Peace and Love

reverse

 It's funny how life goes around

    When Julia was in high school, she would have to ask to borrow the car.

    Now that she has moved back, she still has to ask to borrow the car!

    When she was little, we cooked and did dishes.  Now she cooks for us and does the dishes.

    When Emily was little we would explain things to her about all sorts of things.  Now she explains things to us when we have questions about medications, Corki, how the internet functions, or what the hell was the password for my Apple account.

    We have changed that sucker so much, I have about 7 scratched out.  And that is since November.

    I just can't remember my user name and password for the account.  Writing it down does not seem to work, because, well, I don't always write it right.  

    I think both girls draw the line at the possibility of changing my diapers......if that day ever comes.  I hope it does not!

    I don't think I I wasted the day away (not in Margaritaville either.  In a poll recently taken, Margaritas were the most popular mixed dring in the US, followed by rum and Coke.  That's just in case you were in the mood for some useless knowledge.), but I did not do much.  Two loads of laundry and the annual museum meeting, a short nap and the first few pages of a  book I got for Christmas were all the things I managed to accomplish.

    I also made some coffee.  Yes, I made coffee.  In the coffee maker we got a long time ago.  I don't make very good coffee...it's either too weak or too strong.  This one may have been somewhere in the middle because it did not make my eyes bulge out right away.

    Now, if I can get to sleep tonight it will be a miracle.

    Friends out east, stay safe!  The worst may be over.

Peace and Love

It was an Otis day

 I sure had some ups and downs today

    I guess I should say we had some ups and downs today.

    Jackie had an appointment with the Botox Queen in Rolling Meadows.  We were a little concerned with the weather forecast, but in the end that was not a factor.

    I wheeled her out to the car at 11:45 for the 1:30 appointment.  We left a little early  because I needed gas.  In the car.

    This is how we do it:

    Roll her to the open door.  Put the brakes on the wheelchair.  She leans forward.  I hook my arms under the armpits.  She pushes,  I left and turn.  She sits on the seat.  I lift her legs into the car.   All is well.

    I don't know what happened.

    I lifted, she pushed, I turned, she missed the seat.  She slid gently to the garage floor and I went to get Julia.

    We got her under the arms and lifter her, moving her to the seat.

    Made it to the doctor's office in plenty of time.  She got her Botox injections, 7 or so in various parts of her legs, and we got ready to go.

    I opened the car door, moved the chair, put the brakes on, lifted her......and she missed the seat. I tried lifting her legs and butt, but I am not strong enough.

    So she slid to the pavement.

    Here we are in the doctor's office parking lot on a 14 degree day and she is laying on the blacktop.  No one was around. No sense going into the building, because it is an 8 story office building and I would have to leave her laying on the pavement.

    I tried getting her up, but that was no use.

    A car pulled into the next space and the driver asked  if I needed help.

    So, we tried to pick her up.  We missed the chair again.  Down onto the pavement she slid.

    We tried picking her up but the two of us were having a tough time.

    I look down and Jackie is laying on the pavement with her shirt and coat pulled up around her shoulders!  It was like she was flashing this guy, who was about the same age as me.

   She was flat on the ground, making it hard to get her shirt down over the bra.  Luckily, it's a new bra and very stylish!

    At this point I thought of calling the fire department for help. 

    But we gave it one more try.  

    We got her up into the wheelchair.  

    Then I moved her to the door, lifted while he pushed, and she finally made it to the seat.

    I thanked him several times.  He had a young person in his car who had a wheelchair also, but she was small. Her medical problems were much worse than Jackie's, which is so sad to see in a youngster.

    He easily lifted her out of he van and strapped her into her chair, as I thanked him yet again.

    We met Jackie's sister Judy at Portillo's for lunch, but Jackie didn't eat  because at this point she was pretty worn out and sore, but not from the falls, which were actually slides down the side of the car moves.

    After a short visit, we headed home.  

    As her reward, I did stop in North Aurora for a chocolate malt for her, but even when we got home she did not have much of an appetite.

    That turning seat would have made all the difference today.  I think it is time.

Peace and Love

oh my!

It just seems to be one of those nights

    Part of me is sad, another part of me feels like a weight has been lifted off my sholders and a third part of me is conflicted.

    I told the folks at the zoo today that I would not be returning as a volunteer.

    I started in 2008, after I retired from teaching.  Every other Friday I would make the 80 mile drive to the zoo and spend the next 4 hours playing with kids.  Sometimes we would do blocks, sometimes we would have plastic animals and make zoos.  If I happened to be in the greenhouse and saw some youngsters I would show them the sensitive plant;  when you touched its leaves they would curl up, and slowly open 15 minutes later.

    There were so many creative craft projects to help youngsters with and bringing out a  guinea pig or snake was always an attention getter.

    As Jackie's ability to walk slipped away, we made some adjustments.  Someone would come in from 9-1 and be with her and help her as needed.  But it became apparent last spring that amount of help needed to be increased.  For me to go to the zoo, I would need someone to come in and stay for 8 hours.

    It becomes a cost issue.

    I'm sad about it, but I have given it lots of thought.  Sure, Julia is looking for a job, but she will find one.  Emily works.  I won't depend on them because it is not fair for them, nor would it be practical.

    So, I am sad about it but happy that I finally made the call. 

    I had a fun time over the almost 12 years I went.  I will treasure the people I became friends with and the memories I have.  Some of my favorite times were when a child would sit with me and just tell me about their pets, their lives, their dreams.  

    But I know I will miss it.  Because I have for the past 2 years....damn you, Covid!

    Hopefully I can visit this summer....and take Jackie along.

Peace and Love

time flies

Today just flew past 

    Of course, getting up at 10 did not help.  By the time both of us were showered and dressed, it was almost noon.

    The power went out twice last night.  Once about 10 while I was up.  The second time was in the middle of the night, causing Jackie to awaken me to tell me the power was out.  I politely suggested next time she wait until morning when I am not in a deep sleep.

    I did set up a little step stool to reach the top shelf of the bathroom closet, but that was all I got done.  Wait, I changed a light bulb.

    That was frustrating.  About 3 months ago I put an LED bulb in a hall fixture.  The light would work some of the time, but not all the time.  I finally decided to change the bulb.....but the bulb works in Julia's lamp, so it is not the bulb.  Maybe it just got too hot because it is enclosed?  Anyway, I put a regular bulb in the light.  I hope it works tomorrow.

    We have lots of tracks in the yard.  Deer come over from the park and browse my yard.  I tried to use plants that do not attract deer, and usually they are not a problem.  They have pawed away the snow in a couple of areas to get at the grass and may be helping themselves to my bird seed because it disappears pretty quickly.

    Corki can sense their presence at night.  She will stare and wag her tail at some invisible creature in the dark, but maybe she smells a deer.

    I don't think she can hear one because she does not hear well anymore.  That's a sure sign of aging.

    By the way, it was damn cold last night and this morning!  More to come, I hear.

    Tomorrow, the closet!

    Tonight,  the warm bed!!

Peace and Love

brrrrr......

It is dang cold

    As I start writing this, it is -2 outside, with a windchill of -16.  That is cold.

    On nights like this I think of homeless people sleeping in  tents under overpasses or bridges in the Chicago area.  I feel for them, but don't know how to help.  

    Jackie had a doctor appointment in Rolling Meadows scheduled for today, but they called this morning and cancelled due to an emergency in the office.  I was sort of thankful.

    After talking with Bob and Anita, who were in the lower 30s in Florida, I tackled my new list.

    These are short, easy things I need to do around the house.

    For example: My underwear drawer was full of underwear I don't wear.  I spent some time cleaning out the unused tighty whiteys, which created a lot of room.  This took about 10 minutes.

    My next project was to replace the door closure on a kitchen cabinet.  I figured all I had to do was unscrew the first one, use the same hole, screw the new one in.  15 minutes tops.

    I could not find a Phillips screw driver.  After I finally found one, I discovered I needed  a light, so I got my big flashlight.  That did provide the right light, so I went to find my three headed worklight.

    But it did not work.  I could not figure out how to change the batteries, so I Googled it and watched: 1, a sales video; 2, a video for a different type of flashlight; 3, the right video on how to change the batteries.

    Turns out it is pretty simple.  Except when one battery "explodes" and has to be pried out with a sharp, small instument.  

    By now the 15 minute project was nearly 30 minutes long and I still had not replaced the closure.

    Once I got the flashlight in the right spot, the correct screwdriver, and got on the floor, it was an easy fix.  Getting off the ground was the hard part!

    After 2 days, I have 3 chores crossed off my list.  That is a big deal for me.

    Tomorrow I am organizing a bathroom closet.

    That should be fun.

Peace and Love

 

brain farts

 That is my excuse

    For the first time in I don't know how long, I forgot to do a post last night.  I guess the football games and church meeting and everything just gave me a brain fart.

    But that does not excuse this morning.

    I folded my clothes, made the bed, and discovered I lost a pillow.  Seriously.  It disappeared.

    I looked under the bed, in the closet, in the den, in the garage...everywhere I had gone, but could not find it.  I had it in my hand!  It was there....then it was gone.

    Not under the bed, or under the sink, or in the dirty laundry basket.

    This is not a big pillow.  About the size of two footballs, Jackie puts it behind her back for support at night.

    I was really getting frustrated.  I had been folding t shirts, so I looked in that drawer a second time and, there is was.  I must have picked up the pillow with the shirts and did not see it when I first looked.

    Events like that make me think I am losing my mind.

    I have several chores I need to do.  I figured I can't do them all at once, so I made a list with the idea of doing one at a time.  Not one a day, just one during the day. Any day.

    When I am done with this little rambling, I will do one job and cross it off my list.  At least I will feel like I accomplished something today.

    We'll see.

Peace and Love

day late

And I am a dollar short! 

I broke my string of 34,009 consecutive days of doing a blog!

Well, not quite that many...but a lot.

I guess I was so caught up in the games on Sunday that I forgot.

That has never happened before, that I remember.

Oh well....there is always a first.

Peace and Love

shut out

 I am kind of wacko

    There are certain foods I love, maybe too much, and only for a little while.

    Cherries......fresh and from Michigan or Wisconsin, for example.  Peaches from Illinois first, but also Michigan and Missouri.   Strawberries from Michigan or Illinois.  Sweet corn grown locally.  Tomatoes from my garden.  Honeybell oranges from Florida.

    The problem is, the seasons are short.  Usually it's about a month for the produce to be available fresh.

    Well, Emily tipped me off to a Florida company that brings citrus fruits up north and sells them out of a truck.  Sounds fishy, but it is not.  Today (Saturday) they were in DeKalb for  an hour with oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, nuts, and honeybells.

    I used to order honeybells from a company in Florida.  But when I did that last time, I paid close to $60 for about 12 oranges.  As much as I like them, I won't do that again.

    Honeybells are only available for a short time....usually early part of January to mid February.  They are sweet, juicy, and just delicious, in my view.

        So when I read the ad for honeybells at $45 for 20, I was set to go.

    I hit two other places before heading  to the travelling fruit truck.  I got there about 3:15 and there were 10 people in line.  I got at the end and waited in the cold.  And waited.  The line went fairly quick, but people were buying a lot.

    A man 4 people ahead of me stepped up and ordered a box of grapefruit and a box of honeybells.

    "I can only fill half that order," man in the truck said.  "I have the grapefruit, but the honeybells are still on the trees in Florida."

    So I went back to my car, crushed.

    As I sat there I thought, heck, I am here, why not by some oranges?

    So I got back in line and bought a box of oranges.  I asked about honeybells.

    The guy in the truck said they have never been this late before.  They are just now getting ready to be picked and growers are concerned that it is taking so long.  He also said he should have them when he comes back Feb. 12.

    The oranges I bought are more the size of a grapefruit and they are sweet!  Lots of juice, and a great taste.

    Too bad they are not honeybells......but next time!

    Jackie and I went to the theater group's cluminating event tonight.  We had a nice night out and the other Terry and I did a short snipet from Tuna Does Vegas, a two person show the two of us are doing in July and August.  It was a fun time, and the other shows lined up also look like a lot of fun.

    Despite the gloom and doom we face on a daily basis, there is a little bit of sunshine in our lives.

Peace and Love

yummy!!

 We had dumplings for supper tonight

    Julia has had them several times back in the land she misses, so we made them toinight.

    Friend Sheri came over and she was put to work with Jackie and Julia.  I was told to not get involved because it took some manual dexterity, and I am lacking in that department.

    Julia mixed pork cabbage, mushrooms, ginger and who knows what else in a big bowl.  Then the ladies put filling in the dumpling and rolled it.  After all were rolled, Julia cooked them in a pan, first in oil, then steaming them in water.

    It all turned out pretty darn good.  If you go to a restaurant, they would be called pot stickers.

    It is a social meal.  You visit, roll, drink some wine, visit, and finally eat.

    I am full and ready for bed....almost.

    Have a  great weekend and stay warm.

Peace and Love

This was a great wine!  Too bad I only brought 2 bottles of it home....wish I had more.

on the road, again

 I got a little flustered today

    First off, I got up at 6 to take out the recyclables.  Yes.  6.  Me.  6 a.m., to be clear.

    I did go back to bed for about half an hour, but I had a worker coming to fix my window blinds.  So I showered, dressed and sat in a chair until he showed up at 8:15.

    He was here less than 20 minutes.  Job done.  Should have called my friend Carrie.

    Jackie always gets me up by 8:30.  But today she slept until almost 10!  

    I finally got her up and dressed and the second repair person came to check our fireplace.  We noticed that after about 15 minutes. it cuts off then comes right back on.  The guy was here once to fix it, replacing the ignitor, but when we used it again it still cut out and came back on.  Three times in a 5 minute period.

    Today he ran it for a while, it did cut off once, and he checked with the manufacturer who suggested it was the wall switch  So he replaced the wall switch, turned it on and we spent the next half hour watching the gas logs.

    We have run it since and the problem seems to be fixed.

    I had a chiropractor appointment at 2, so I started getting ready at about 1:40.  But I could not find my phone.  I used the Tile button on my car keys, but nothing happened.  So Julia called my number and heard,"This is the Kohl's Service Desk speaking.  We have your phone."

    Yesterday Julia and I stopped at Kohl's to look for a new bathroom rug for our bathroom.  I remember using my phone to take a picture of the rug, but Julia used her phone to take the picture so I must have set mine down to hold the rug.  I have no idea how it got from the rugs to the service desk.

    By now it was almost 5 to 2, so I put on my shoes and left.  Jackie was still in her wheelchair and I had not made her lunch.

    Julia had to make her lunch, get her into her chair, and wait on her until I got home.

    It was not a totally wasted drive.  I did get the hand cream I forgot two days ago.  And I did get a pistachio latte for the drive home. 

    I went almost one full day not missing my phone.  No one called, texted, or anything, so in one sense I feel neglected.  I mean, not even the car warranty pests called!

    But all is well that ends well, I guess.

    I am kind of tired tonight, hopefully I will sleep well.....and I bet a certain lady wakes me at 8 tomorrow.

Peace and Love

oh, when?

 I have to get up early tomorrow

    Due to a misunderstanding two weeks ago, my recycles did not go out.  I should take them out tonight, Wednesday, for Thursday morning pick up.

    But it is supposed to be windy, so I hate to think that my crap will be blowing all over the neighborhood.  So I will set the alarm for 6:30 and take them out then.  I hope you all see the false assumption in my plan.

    We have people coming tomorrow between 8 and 10 to work on our in-window blinds, which seem to have broken.  So.....up at 6:30, shower, and then take a nap until they get here.

    Jackie will either get up or wait in bed, which is kind of obvious, isn't it?  I don't believe there is another choice.

    Took the car in for an oil change today and Julia went along.  We stopped at Woodman's for "a few things" and I ended up spending over $100!  The cart was full, but I had not planned on buying all the stuff I bought.   

    For example:  They had huge packages of Bounty towels for $20.  If you bought $30 worth of P & G product, you got $10 off at the register plus you can send in for a $10 gift card.  So that means the paper towels only cost.....$20.

    It doesn't matter that I now have a lifetime supply.  I saved $20!  I thought it was a good bargain.....now I am wondering if I should have bought TP also.

    Last thing.....remember how history repeats itself?

    When I went to the antique mart with John and Emily, I found this calender.

    Now, what is today's date?

    Funny, huh.  These folks had the flu, a world war, and a great depression to look forward to over the next 25 years.

    We'll see.

Peace and Love

and they're off

 We had a little excitement tonight

    Emily came home with Tesla from the vets.  Tesla had some tooth work done, I believe an extraction.

    Anyway, when Emily opened the back end of ther car, Tesla took off like a shot.

    She had never done that before.  Tesla, Emily has opened the back end lots.

    Emily called and Julia and I joined the search party, which luckily included several VCCT members who were meeting at their house.

    Julia and I drove the perimiter while the others searched the neighborhood on foot. 

    After what seemed forever, Will caught sight of the miscreant and was able to get ahold of her leash.  Luckily she never left he subdivision, but she was awfully close to getting into the fields.

    Julia and I thought we saw her in one of the corn fields, but it turned out to be a deer.  Actually, 5 deer.

    Several times I put the car crossways on the road so we could better search the fields, hoping to see her.

    All's well that ends well, but it sure was a nerve wracking time.  Greyhounds can run fast for a ways, and while Tesla always comes to me in the house, she does not come to people outside the house.

    I'm just thankful for all the people who joined the hunt.

Peace and Love

cut ups wanted

I have amassed a large collection of boxes 

    They are all over the garage.  But they have a purpose.  (Not a porpoise, but that was a fishy joke.)

    When I expand my wildflower garden in May, I will put cardboard down around the plants.  This helps prevent weeds and holds in the water.  

    I like to use cardboard hat is up to 12 inches long and 6 inches wide.  Hence the cardboard boxes.

    At some point I need to start cutting the boxes down to the right size.  Since it is work in the garage, I would like a warmer day, but cutters can't be choosers.  Hopefully tomorrow I will start, but I know I won't finish.

    It is not fun.  My hands usually hurt, my knees ache from kneeling on the garage floor, I freeze, and I get angry at myself for even thinking this is a good idea.

    But, I will do it.  Eventually.

    Today I got a new blade in my Fat Max cutter, and that is a start.  You can't cut cardboard with a dull scissors.

    So if you are driving by and happen to stop, check out the mess I am making in the garage.  And if you bring a box cutter you can even join in the fun.

Peace and Love

PS....just to clarify, a porpoise is not a fish.  Its a mammal.  That's not as funny.

and another thing

 I have another mystery I forgot to mention yesterday

    My cuckoo clock is, well, cuckoo.

    I pull the chains up at about 10 at night, or sometimes in the morning.  Lately the clock has been stopping at odd hours, like 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.   (I did get in trouble when it stopped on day at about 10 a.m. and I asked Jackie if she had looked at it.  She did say I was number 1 in her book, sorta.)

    So why does it work for 3 or 4 hours then sudenly stop?  It's a vexing issue.  (Covid is a vaxing issue, on the other hand.)

    I know we have to get it cleaned and oiled periodically.  Usually we take it to a man in Sycamore who repairs watches and clocks.  Maybe it's time to do that.

    Or, maybe I need to redo the hanger.  Sometimes I notice it is leaning forward, which I guess could cause it to stop.

    And I can't rule out the possibilities of ghosts or aliens.  

    In any case it bugs me.  

    Speaking of bugging me, I watched a video on how to change the blades in my Fat Max cutter.  Looked pretty easy.  The problem is, the replacement blades are all stuck together and I can't get them apart! I have to look for my cut proof gloves so I don't accidently slice off part of my anatomy.

    Spent a pretty quiet day today...a football game, reading the paper, straightening up the den......nothing too taxing.  

    At some point I have to make a list of things I need to do.  That does help. 

    Jackie was doing the checkbook and asked me for a composition notebook.  I have about 7 in my desk drawer.  Every notebook I picked up had either the first couple of pages ripped out or writing on the back pages.

    One notebook has, written on the back page:  ate 70s      early 80s.  (I assume I missed the l and it is late.)

    Another one has four numbers:   10:24, 10:27,10:30, 10:48.

    I imagine at some point in time those had some meaning....but I have no idea what the hell it all means.

    Yet another mystery to ponder.

Peace and Love

I don't get it

 I wish I was smart enough to understand today

    For instance:

    How do QR codes work?

    Why does flammable and inflammable mean the same thing?

    How does my printer get the information from the computer when I want it to print?  It is a wireless set up and the printer works with several devices, which don't even have to be in the same room.

    When Sirius is updating in my car, how does it know where I am?

    How can someone use my home phone number to telemarket in Florida, resulting in complete strangers calling me at 8 a.m. because they missed my call and my number showed up on their phone?  Twice!

    Why didn't I buy Apple when it was $9 a share?

    Do  rippled potato chips actually taste better than regular chips, or is it just me?

    When a football team is up by 2 touchdowns and has the ball with less than one minute to go, why can't they just call the game instead of having the QB kneel three times?

    How can houses or buildings burn up and down at the same time?

    How do you write yes in a binary system?

    Why can't I figure out how to change blades in my Fat Max cutter? 

    Why are fitted sheets so hard to fold?

    If you have answers, I would appreciate them.  Meanwhile, I will continue to ponder the mysteries of life.

Peace and Love

What the .......

 I lost one of my favorite hats today

    It's my red Swiss hat, has a white cross on the front.  It fits well, is nice and warm, and I just like it.

    I went to six places today.  I know I had my hat on when I left the house.  Leaving the first place iwth Dan and Linda, my hearing aids got caught up in my facemask and everything was falling out all over the place.  I got discombobulaed!

    By the time I got to my last stop, it was cold and snowy.  I looked for my hat.

    I could not find it.

    After leaving my last stop, I went back to Cypress House.  No hat.  Then to ALM Cabinets.  No hat.  Then past a friend's house were I stopped and got out of the car.  No hat.  The antique place I went with Dan and Linda.  I wandered up and down the aisles, but no hat.  I left my name at the front counter with a complete description of the hat and my phone number.  Called the museum.  No hat.

    When I got home I looked under the car seats and .... no hat.   I did find two gloves that match the two gloves I have in my glove basket.  Now I actually have 4 pairs!

    We ordered pizza (it's Friday!) and I went to get my gloves....there was my hat.

    I texted Linda at some point and asked her if she knew what I had done with my hat, but she said she did not think I was wearing one.

    And I wasn't.

    Which means, I am now losing  things I never had in the first place!

    I bet I spent 45 minutes backtracking my steps today.....45 minutes I could have spent napping or playing solitaire.

    Now I am not saying I am losing my mind, but if you ever see me wandering aimlessly around town, you might want to check on me.

    Oh....I did post the lost hat on Facebook and offered a Cypress House coffee to the person who found it.  I found it.  I owe myself a coffee.

Peace and Love

memories

 10 years ago today we closed on our old home

    We had been in the Skare Court house for about 20 years and had figured it was our forever home.

    But MS had different plans.  When I saw Jackie literally pulling herself up the stairs, I knew we could not continue to live there.  So we opted to build a one level home.

    Don't get me wrong, I like our current home.  But I loved the other one.  The breezeway was the main reason, but it was also fairly isolated with the park behind and wonderful neighbors to the south.  We had lots of trees too. and I love trees.

    We have wonderful neighbors now, too.  But the park and breezeway and trees are memories.

    Emily's tree, Martha, is still there.  She got that in third grade, I think.  All the kids got white pines and we planted it and nurtured it at our Mill Pond house.  When we went to move from there, Emily said we had to take Martha.  So we did.

    Martha flourished at Skare Court.  

    In reality, the house was too big for the two of us.  But it was also comfortable.

    MyFB memories reminded me that it was 10 years ago today we closed.  How is that possible?  What happened to those 10 years?

    I had another FB memory earlier this week about moving boxes into our temporary housing.  I thanked Dave and Mary for helping us, and now I wonder who they were.  Was it Dave R?  What Mary would have been around?

    Was it  new neighbors in the townhouses?  Why can't I remember?  Who helped?

    This summer I will be planting four trees.  It is long overdue.  I plan to watch them grow for a long time, maybe not 20 years, but at least half that.

    At least,  "God willing and the creek don't rise," as Tennessee Ernie Ford used to say at the end of his TV show way back when.

Peace and Love

I'm no fool

I can't believe the scam e-mails I am getting 

    It seems I have subscriptions that are due, free $50 gift cards, unclaimed packages, and purchases charged to my account in error, and they want to refund the money.

    Plus.....I got a message from a FB friend that he had sent a picture that he just found.  

    There may be a point later in life when I am gullible enough to believe some of these people, but not now.  I did not open the picture, which I am visualizing as some sort of worm that will infect my computer and destroy all my records after it grabs all the money in our savings accounts and transfers it to a hidden bank account in Elbonia.

    Or it could have been a porno shot.  I am not checking.

    To get the free gift card, all I had to do was to give some information to verify my account.  Really?  After I verify my info, I assume scammers will use my info to set up fraudulent accounts in my name and grab all the money in our savings accounts and transfer it to a hidden bank account in Elbonia.

    Subscriptions?  I get at least 4 notices a day telling me a subscription I don't have has expired.  I kinow if  I clink,   (my new shorthand for click  on the link.....TYVM!)  all my info will be stolen and someone will  grab all the money in our savings accounts and transfer it to a hidden bank account in Elbonia.

    To further prove I am not a fool, I took down my outside Christmas lights today.  It was fairly warm, so I used that to my advantage.  I did leave up one set, but that too will soon disappear.

    I also started thinking of a summer vacation.  Someone told me Elbonia was nice in September.

Peace and Love

un-real

 I read about the man out east who got a new heart

    It's not a human heart, but a pig's heart!  As I understood, it is a gene modified pig's heart, which closely resembles a human heart.

    The heart was inserted in an 8 hour operation.  Although the man was on an artificial heart machine after the surgery, doctors seemed pretty optimistic.  The pig heart seemed to be working.

    The man had a serious heart issue and was not eligible for a transplant, medication was not the answer, so the pig heart was his only option.

    That is feaking amazing!

    Of c ourse there are some ramifications.  He can't eat bacon or ham.  If he does generous acts he will be known as Pig Hearted Bill.  People will accuse him of eating like a pig.  If he joins a community theater group he might be called a ham in the making.

    And for you older folks, every time he finsihes a story he will say, "Tha   tha thaaats all folks!"

    I sinceerely wish him well.  He could be a lifesaver for so many people.  It was a courageous move on his part.

Peace and Love

TMI

I think my blog is impacting my social interactions

    When I talk to friends or family I start to tell a story and I hear, "yeah...I saw that on your blog" and I am rendered speechless.

    I need to start hiolding back information so I have somthing to talk about with people.

    You may not know this, but I am very much an introvert.  I know, you will disagree.

    But If I go to a party or gathering of people I don't know, I tend to sit on the edge and not interact.  I  usually don't go up and introduce myself to people, although the older I get the more I am doing that.  I think it's the feeling that I am older now and I'm not so worried about saying something stupid.

    And that is a real concern.  I spent 28 years talking with 9 and 10 year olds on a daily basis.  They think knock knock jokes are funny.  But get in a crowd of bankers or bsinessmen and ask them, "What's the last thing to go through a bug's mind as it hits your windshield?" causes them to look at you like you are an idiot.

    The more I am around a group, the more relaxed I become.  Yes, I can interact very well at a friend's birthday, or at a theater group event, or in several other situations when I know people.  

    And I perform on stage and with an improv comedy group, which a lot of people just can't do.  But the improv group is made up of friends, and I feel comfortable with them.  On stage, I am not Terry, but a character...or at least I try to be.

    Being a volunteer at the zoo caused me to talk to many strangers and I think that has helped me.  It's too bad Covid has impacted that part of my life.

    By the way, I just took Corki out.  It is 7 degrees outside.   I have my hearing aids in and it was great standing out there and listening to the night.  It was quiet....didn't even have traffic on Flagg Road, which is unusual.  

    The only sound was Corki's feet crunching on the icy snow and her incessant barking at the shadows.

    And the last thing that goes through a bug's mind?  His Butt!!!!!

    Admit it, you laughed.

Peace and Love

dirty, dirty dishes

 Today was one of my least favorite days

    The almost final act of removng Christmas is to change the Christmas plates with the non Christmas plates.

    It is a long, involved process.  All the Christmas stuff has to be washed, then moved to the dining room table.  Then all the normal dishes have to be raken out of the pie safe,  carried to the kitchen, and put on the shelves.

    The Christmas plates then go in the pie safe.  Now, some people prefer them to be in a particular order while others just want to stick the damn things into the pie safe.  This often results in some mumbling and grumbling and an occasional swear word, but then Jackie settles down.

    Meanwhile, the dishes are put into the kitchen cabinets in a certain order that reflects their use.  Big-butt pitcher?  Top shelf.  Cereal bowls?  Bottom shelf.

    I repeat the process with glasses and cups  We have a lot of cups.  More than we will ever use.  I have a cup I got for my 60th birthday and it holds 2 cups of tea.  And yes, I do fill it.

    I also had a love/hate relationship with today for another reason.  The Bears played their last game.  I usually love watching he Bears, but  for the past 2 seasons it has been hard.  I foolishly got overly optimistic when they grabbed a 14-3 lead before getting trounced in the second half.

    Now, I am not a football genius.  But if I have a bruising running back and fourth and goal from the one, I am not taking him out and passing.  But the Bears did.  The next time they had fourth and goal from the one, they had Montgomery in but they again passed the ball.  Neither pass was close.  Another time the QB got sacked, which ended what should have been a scoring drive.

    At one point one of the announcers said something like, "If any Bears fans are still watching, and they haven't put their foot throught their TV, this has to be maddening."

    That is when I went back to work on the dishes.

    By the time you read this, there may have been a big shakeup in the organization. 

     And I may have rearranged the pie safe after Jackie sees it.

Peace and Love

olé, olé

 We had a Mexican flavored night

    Julie made cornitas.  I think that is how that is spelled.  Pulled pork, soft shell tacos, Mexican rice, black beans, guacamole,   It was all good.   

Emily, John, Renee and Wendy came and we had a nice time eating, talking, and laughing.  I think the talking and laughing were the things I have missed most these past long months.

    And we had Portillo's chocolate cake for dessert.....my favorite!

    Emily and John went to an antique mart in Aurora today and took me along  It was a pretty cool place and I can't tell you the number of times I said to myself "I have one like that."

    The problem is, I do have one like that and I need to start getting rid of those items!

    At the same time, I saw things and thought I would like to have ....but I did not buy anything.

    Now I am hoping the ice does not build up on the power lines and put us in the dark, and cold, tonight or tomorrow.  I sure would hate to miss the excting final Bears game.  I think it is called the "Who Cares?" bowl.....but somebody has to win, right?

Peace and Love

No news is good news

 I am not sure what happened today

    The alarm went off at 8:15.  I fell back asleep.  Until 9:15.  By the time I got Jackie up and dressed, it was 11:30.

    I also realized I had forgotten to finish my weekly newspaper column, which is due Friday morning.  It finally got sent, but maybe not in time to run in the Sunday paper like it usually does.

    The fireplace guy came and replaced the igniter in our fireplace and now it seems to go on faster.  Maybe now it will not go off and on like it was doing.

    The rest of Chrstmas went downstairs.  Then I found more, which went downstairs.  Then I found more.......little things that were scatteered around the house.

    Yesterday I called the refuse people about my recycling cans.  I was confused by the message on their webpage.  The woman I talked to said if they were not here by 6 p.m., then  I got it out too late.

    I took the garbage out brought the recyling back in and today, our normal garbage day, they picked up the recycling.  I have a lot of recycling every week.  Now I will have twice as much as normal when they come in 2 weeks.

    I always wonder if we are being scammed.  Is the stuff really being recycled?  

    Went to getp pizza tonight.  Paid with my credit card.  Got home and Julia met me at the garage door.

    "You left your credit card at the pizza place."

    I asked why someone didn't call me.

    "I did, but you left your phone on the counter."

    That was 20 minutes I'll never get back.  But I did enjoy the radio, especially since Sirius was updating and no channels were available.

    Oh well.

Peace and Love

Breaking News!!!!!

 Space aliens have invaded!!!

    An entire quaint 1800s era village vanished today as alien space invaders beamed up the cottages and the inhabitants.

    "Oy, it was terrible," said eye witness Mike.  "We were all afraid for our lives."

    Among the buildings reported missing are the poultry shop and fire station.  "Unbelievable!" uttered Ms. Green, who was in the library of the building next door looking for a candlestick.  "A big beam of light and poof!  It's all gone!"

    Several local politicians also witnessed the mayhem, but said the space aliens were misunderstood and just looking for a way to protest probes being sent up Uranus to look for moisture in hopes of starting a colony on the gas giant.

    Warehouses and churches also vanished, along with Eddie Acorn, noted chestnut dealer who usually set up shop in front of the cocoa plant, which also is gone.

    "Me poor Eddie,"  Mrs. Acorn wailed when notified of the unexpected event.  "Now who is gonna provide for me poor family?  Little Donnie, Mitch, and baby Teddy will now have to go out into the world and earn a living instead of livin' off my dear Eddie's business."

    That is all the time for this news bulletin.  Stay tuned for more information.

Peace and Love

Proof of aliens!!!!!

Before aliens

After aliens...all that is left is some unknown packing material

small steps

 Another part of Christmas went away today

    We packed everything except the village.  That will be put away tomorrow.  I can only do so much and then I get irritated and bored.

    The going up and down the stairs does pain my legs a little.  I tell Julia not to go down emptyhanded, or come up without an empty container.  So far, that has worked well.

    Corki had a vet appointment today.  We are concerned about her hearing.  The doc said she has a slight yeast infection in both ears, so we have medication for that.  He also cleaned out some ear debris, but said on the whole, the ears did not look bad

    The nhe asked me how long she had the lump on her stomach.  It took me by surprise, because in all the time I have given her belly rubs, I had not noticed it.  Now I am aware of it and we are taking a wait and see approach.

    As  a reward for her good behavior, she got a Puppychino from Starbucks on the way home.  She loves those!

    The drive was not bad except for one or two stretches of road where the visibility was not good.  A sane person would have turned around at the first area, but I am not the most rational person in the world.  I slowed down, put my emergency flashers on, and continued on my way.

    In the end, it all worked out for the best.

    By the way,  24 more visits to 230,000!

Peace and Love

Numbers

 Numbers sometimes confuse me

    I have a home security system.  One of my window's sensors has a bad battery.  It says dining room window 2.....but I don't know which one is 2.  I have put new batteries in both sensors, but window 2 is still not working.

    I tried replacing one window's battery.....but the message remained.  So I replaced the other window's battery....but the message remained.  Which one is 1?  Wjich one is 2?

    In fact, message center said they had lost contact with window 2.  I looked, it was still there, so I know window 2 didn't wander off.  Good thing too, with the wind and freezing weather outside!

    My printer keeps printing 4 of everything.  I don't check the number of copies before I hit print, so evidently it prints whatever the previous number was.  I don't know when I printed 4 of anything, except the Christmas letter.

    I finally went to buy a couple of calendars today.  Who would think the selection would be so limited 4 days into the new year?  I want a weekly one that I can use to keep track of my miles on the bike and my weight.  I bought one, but I don't like it.  That's what procrastination gets you.

    I started this blog in 2014.  When I  sat down tonight, there had be 229,907 visits to the site.  So.....sometime in the next two nights it will pass the 230,000 mark.

    I have said it before and I will say it again:  Thank you for reading this.  Maybe you don't read it every night, maybe you do.  In either case, I am glad we have connected.

Peace and Love

Coooookie monster

 I think I may have overdone it

    I always buy butter cookies after Christmas because they are cheap.  Instead of $1.99, you can find them for half that and even less than half.

    I always go hunting for them.  Sometimes other people help.

    Like Emily.

    She bought some for me.

    You decide if I have enough or not.

    I usually go through a pack every two weeks.  I make a tea, sit on the porch during the summer or on the patio, and have two or three cookies.

    Jackie likes them too.

    I think I have enough.  I had bought 12 packs and I think Emily got me 40 something.  So this summer, stop by for tea and a cookie.  Or stop by  this winter for hot chocolate and a cookie.  Or coffee and a cookie.  Or tea and a cookie.

    You get the idea.

    Today I started packing them in freezer bags.  Then they will go downstairs in the freezer until I start craving them.  And yes, they do freeze nicely.

    Munching them in July always brings back fond memories of Christmas.  A tasty reminder, if you will.

    I just wish they would not contribute to my weight!

Peace and Love

going, going

 We took the tree down today

    Jackie packed ornaments, Julia and I got the tree out the door ,and the first nail in Christmas 2021 has been pounded down.

    We usually don't take stuff down until Jan. 6, Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas.  I think today was maids a milking day, but I get so confused.

    Anyway, because I left the heating vent under the tree open, old Tannebaum may have dried out prematurely....like me.

    Needles were falling all over the place.  I was afraid it was becoming a fire hazard.

    So, down it came.

    After taking the tree down I went out to clear my driveway. Well, half my drive way.

    There was only snow on half of it because it just was blowing so much.  I guess the guy who plows my drive either forgot me or figured it wasn't enough to bother with.

    So I went outside when it was 12 degrees and took care of the snow.  I also filled bird feeders since I was already out and frozen.

    I do enjoy watching the birds.  I think we had a cardinal this week, but I am not sure.  We do get lots of finches and sparrows.  I imagine the snowbirds will show up in the next week or two and I love watching them.

    Such is my life.

    Here's a few pictures to round out the night.

Peace and Love

These were needles on the floor......a whole bunch of them!  And I am holding a bottom branch!!

Rebecca, I hope you read this blog!  I still have it, at least I did until this weekend.

I saw this before New Year's.  Seriously?

2022? Eh.........

Well, so far it has been anything but exciting 

    The tree is still up, the pictures not hung, and the desk is still a mess.  The two closets have not been organized, still.  Those were last year's tasks.

    But, I did manage a nap.  And I read the paper.  I also watched the second half of a football game of which I had no interest.  I also shoveled the porch off a couple of times.

    Now, Corki is weird.  When there is snow on the ground she often does her duty on the snow covered porch.  So,being smarter than an average dog,  I go out with her and shovel the snow off the porch before she has a chance to squat.

    I have to clear the snow off anyway, so it is no big deal.  And it saves me work, because it is not easy geting frozen pee off the cement.

    At the end of the first day of the New Year, I feel I have not accomplished anything.

    Plus, no celebration last night.  No special celebration today.

    Years ago, before I met Jackie, I had a crush on a girl in one of my journalism classes.  We would walk to class together, help each other with assignments, have coffee in the j-lab together.  Classic crush behavior.  One day I asked her to go see Blow Up, a movie about a photographer who captrues a murder on his camera, but he does not know it.  

    She said yes, and that her boyfriend would love to see it.  So, the 3 of us went to see the movie and that cemented what would be a long time friendship.

    Little Lynn was like a sister to me.  When I was dating Jackie, we would often end up at Lynn's apartment, which was right across the street from the NIU health center.

    We went to her wedding to Chuck, she was godmother to Julia, and we spent nearly every New Year's Day at their house in Western Springs, having dinner, catching up, laughing, and enjoying a friendship.

    This does not have a happy ending.  She and Chuck got divorced, she remarried (to a guy named Chuck!  And he remarried a girl named Lynn!  At least they didn't have to change monograms.)

    We must not have set a good impression at her  second wedding, because we drifted apart.  I tried getting in contact with her, but we had forgotten her new last name.  By the time I finally screwed up the courage to ask Chuck one, it was too late.  She had died a few years before I asked.

    Like with so many people in my life now, I regret not being a better friend and calling her more or seeing her more. 

    New Year's Day has just never seemed the same, even though it has probably been 30 years.  

    Funny thing, when I would travel to the zoo I would pass her street.  I would always smile, because she was that type of person.

    I really don't know why I digressed into such a dark space.  But there is a lesson in it, for all of us. 

    I just hope I learn.

Peace and Love