ah......50!

 Today was a beautiful day

    I almost was inspired to go out and work in the yard, but I know that would be foolish.

    I will give it about 4 more weeks, then begin the never ending task of lawn maintenance and garden upkeep.

    I have big plans for this spring:   4 trees, expansion of the native garden, some brick laying around the bird feeders.

    Big plans.  I have them written in a book, so I know they will get done.

    Speaking of books, I found a notebook that we use to jot down grocery items and discovered some lists I had made of things to do.  I don't know when I made the lists, but the tasks still need to be done!

    Lists are not the end all.

    Sometimes I just wing it and do what I feel like doing....which is nothing.  Then I get upset that I wasted a full day and accomplished zilch.

    Today I went to walk at The Rec in town.  I had two more stops after that, but I forgot my wallet, so I could not finish my list.

    Now I have to add those to my list of things tomorrow, which includes taking Jackie to physical therapy and then going for a pedicure. 

    I know, minor complaints.  If I lived in the Ukraine I would have much more important things to do than complain and write this.  And so would you.

Peace and Love and Prayers for Ukraine

Eh........

 Some people have all the luck

    Like the guy in New York who just won $10 million in the lottery.  Again.  He won $10 million  a couple of years ago, and did it again last week.  He said he hasn't spent the first $10 mill yet.

    I saw an article on a  car he may be interested in buying.

    It was in today's Tribune and was described as possibly the last great gas car that will be built.

    It's a Bugatti Chiron and the one they had pictured had a base price of......wait for it.....wait....wait.

    $3.2 million.

    My eyesight is not too good, so I had to double check the price.  

    $3.2 million.

    On the plus side, it is supposed to go a little over 300  MPH, ideal for the billionaire who is in a hurry to  reach his yacht,

    When I read a bout $14 million dollar homes and $3 million cars I honestly think I will become a socialist.  People with that much money should be paying a hell of a lot more taxes than they do.

    On a bright side, my feet did not drive me nuts last night.  I washed them (my feet, just to clarify)  and dried them right before bed and they were fine.  I actually got to sleep before midnight. 

    I am experimenting tonight to see if a hot buttered rum will impact my feet.  I don't think it will, but it may impact my typing!  

    Meanwhile, I am going to find the guy in New York and ask him to buy me a lottery ticket.  Who knows?

Love and Peace and prayers for Ukraine

TMI.....again!

 Break out those tiny violins

    I am going to tell a tale that will produce tears and cause you to have unsurpassed sympathy for me.

    My feet itch.  (Cue the  tears.)

    I know!!  Too much information plus it's about my stinky feet!  You may want to stop reading right now.

    Sometimes when I go to bed my feet itch.  I put lotion on the soles twice a day...and it is the soles.

    Last night was horrible.

    I went to bed at 10:30.  Lights out.  Jackie was watching TV, I was reading.  At 11:15 I closed my Kindle and shortly after, the TV went off.

    Room was dark, all was quiet.

    And my feet started itching.  

    I tried rubbing them.  I tried ignoring them....but at a couple of points they were itching so badly my foot actually started spasing.  (Spazzing?  Whatever)

    I got up  to take an allergy pill.  At 1 I put some lotion on my feet, an anti itch lotion.  At about 2 I sprayed with an ahtlete's foot product.

    At 2:30 I got  back up, washed both feet with hot, soapy water, took my going on the airplane pill and went  to sleep, only to awake at 10 a.m.

    Now it is just after 5, and I can barely keep my eyes open.  We were going to the play tonight, but I just can't.  Luckily there is one more weekend.

    The problem with the sedative is, when I wake up I am, well, confused.  My mind does not work quickly.  I feel like I am in a fog.  But if I don't take it, I won't sleep.

    Cue the violins. please.

    So today....no caffeine after 2 p.m., no nap, no wine, (more sympathy needed here)  nothing that might interfere with sleep.  I will go to bed early, not read, put on my Coyote Oldman disc and see if sleep will overtake me before midnight.

    And I will wash my feet in hot, soapy water.

    Damn, this is getting old!  No wonder I am losing my hair.

Love and Peace and Prayers for Ukraine

doctor, doctor

 We began the process of changing pimary care docs today

    Our primary care doctor's office was closed by the corporate big shots.  When we were told he was going back to the local hospital, we were happy.  

    But then we contacted the local hospital and.......at this point, he has not signed a contract.  And there is unceertainty as to when he will.  So, we changed doctors.

    There is a lot of paperwork.  We also had to fill out forms for any specialist we see.  When the lady asked how many forms we would need to do that, I said 10.

    We only used 8 of those, but two places had multiple doctors for us.  

    We see a lot of specialists.

    On one page it said concerns.....I listed about 406 but I now have two more I did not list.

    I was looking at my head and I am going bald!  Holy freaking shit, I am not kidding!  The top of my head is very thin , thinner than it should be.  Why have I just noticed that?

    Shouldn't the hair clogged shower drain have been a tip off?

    It  is not so  noticable when I part my nair and comb it over.  Oh god, a comb over!  WTH!!!!

    But if it just dry it and leave it go, it is very noticeable, at least to me.

    So, do me a favor.  When you actually see me in person, DO NOT STARE AT MY HEAD!  Please, be kind to this old guy.  And I won't mean to be looking down my nose at you, but my head will be tilted back.

    My other issue is my difficulty sleeping.  

    I was in Cypress House Wednesday and got a drink off the kids menu, but adult sized and with coffee.  It was not bad, not great, but I drank it.

    Today I went in and ordered a coffee and they told me it was free.  Evidently after I left Wednesday they discussed the drink and decided they mixed it wrong when resizing it and it was too watery.  The figured I didn't like it.  In a sense, they were right.  But I still drank it.

    But I also eat food that may be considerably beyond the best use by date.

    It was great for the Cypress House girls to comp me.  

    If you have not gone there for a coffee, or flowers,  I highly recommend stopping in.

Peace and Love

sad

There's a sucker born every minute 

    Mark Twain, or PT Barnum.....one of them, said it.  I believe them.

    I read a story today about a 76 year old man in a North Shore suburb of Chicago. Kind of a ritzy suburb.

    Anyway, the man got an e-mail from Apple that said his account was overdue.  He called the number on the e-mail.  The representative told him he had to correct the problem immediately and the best way to do that was to go to a store, buy gift cards, then read the numbers off to the person on the phone so they could deposit the money in his Apple account.

    He made multiple trips into the store.  The people kept him on the phone and kept telling him he needed more gift cards.

    At some point he quit, but not until he had spent over $8,000 on gift cards.

    His recourse?  He is suing Target for selling him the gift cards!  He maintains they did not provide enough security and scrutiny in his purchases.

    I feel for the guy.  He was duped.  But it is not like he was not warned about his.  Almost daily we get warnings to never respond to e-mails like this, never buy gift cards and read off the numbers, never give important information out to strangers....and yet people do it.

    I am no genius, but when I get an e mail that says my account is anything, I dig out the website and use those numbers.  

    We all need to keep vigilant, and if you have old folks in your family keep an eye and an ear out for what they are doing.  

    You could end up saving them thousands od dollars.

    As a digression, Putin is mad.  What he is doing is immoral.  I hope the folks in Riussia realize it and throw him out.  But that is doubtful....blind loyalty and belief in his lies will continue to give him power.

    Peace and Love to Ukraine

oops

 We forgot about supper tonight

    Maybe forgot is the wrong word.  I thought Julia was making supper, she thought I was and at 6 we wondered when it would be done.

    Oops.

    I ended up doing breaded chicken breasts in the air fryer.  But they seemed dry to me,  maybe I am cooking them too long, even though I followed the cooking instructions.

    We had been Facetiming with Bob and Anita in Florida and I guess we lost track of the supper plans.

    But, all is well that ends well.

    I had an anniversary of sorts today.  

    It was about 1 year ago when I last walked at the Rec.  I just don't seem to get the exercise bug.....I need a buddy to ride me on this.  I have put on about 7 pounds since Christmas, mainly due to all the cookies and crap I have in the house.  

    Yesterday I stopped in DeKalb for a couple of cookies and some cupcakes.....which does not help when you need to lose weight.

    So, today I walked.  I think I did a mile but I don't concentrate very well.  It is six laps to a mile and I did 5, 6. or 7 laps....not sure.  From now on I will bring my little counter to keep track.

    As I left the Rec my head was cold, making me realize I left my hat inside.  Luckily I remembered when I was in the parking lot.  Last time I lost a hat I spent 40 minutes looking for it.  Turned out it was at home because I never wore it in the first place.

    Winter weather advisories out.  We'll see what really happens tomorrow.

Peace and Love

it's time

I think I need a schedule 

    Like I had when I taught school.  PE from 1:20 to 1:50, language arts from 10:30 to noon. ... that kind of schedule.

    I think that will help me develop some habits.

    Like exercising.  If I set a specific time each day, maybe I would be more likely to do it.  

    And writing.  I have not worked on any of my 649 books since last September.  I don't even remember what some of them are about!  Here's the thing:  I read a post on Facebook today about Kurt Vonnegut and success.  When he was younger he told someone he had tried lots of things, but wasn't good at any of them.  The response was that is ok.  What is important is if you enjoy them, do them regardless of the success level.

    OK, that may  not apply to heart or brain surgeons, who really should have a high success rate.  But it applies to people like me who want to tell a story or two.  I just need to tell the story and take pride and joy in the work put into that story.

    Tha being said, I know something I write will sell millions of copies and become a movie, making me a highly sought after night time talk show guest and at the same time, provide an income I  could only dream of having.

    I did learn something today.

    A friend's daughter got married and part of the ceremony involved the mother of the bride putting a string around the bride's right hand and the groom's left hand.

    The officiant said this was an ancient Celtic tradition.  (No, not the Boston ones, but the European Celtics) and was the basis for the expression "tieing the knot."

    I never knew that.

    I know they don't read this, but congratulations Hannah and Conner.  It was a lovely ceremony and I am glad we got to watch the live stream.

    For those people who are saying 2-22-22 was a once in a lifetime experience, here's food for thought.  If you are young enough you will see 3-3-33 and maybe even 4-4-44 and 5-5-55 and 6-6-66.

    I am old enough to have seen, but not remembered, 5-5-55; 6-6-66; (and the world did not end, although it is rumored to be the birthdate of rock and roll)  7-7-77; 8-8-88; 9-9-99; 10-10-10; 11-11-11; 12-12 -2 and 13-13-13.  Ok, I have a broken calendar.

    But you get the drift.

    Who knows, I might even stick around to see 5-5-55, again.  Of course, I would be 107, but all things are possible!

Peace an d Love

like a dwarf

 Just call me Sleepy

    I did something incredibly reckless last night.

    I had some wine with supper.  That was not it.

    When I went to bed, my feet itched like crazy.  (I kinow, TMI!)  I put up with it until about 1, when I could not take it anymore.  So I took an allergy pill.  That was not it.

    I tossed and  turned until about 2:30, so I took a little pill that I take just before boarding an airplane.  That was it.

    I did not think about any possibilities of bad interactions, because they were minor doses.  But, one can never be sure.  I consider that a little reckless.

    Jackie woke me at 9:30 and said she had to get up.  I could have slept several more hours.

    I have always had trouble sleeping.  I don't know what the deal is.  I had a cup of coffee at 4, but that should not have bothered me 8 hours later,  So today, no caffeine after 1 p.m.  We'll see if that makes a difference.

    It's the damned itchy feet that drive me nuts.  No rhyme or reason to it, as far as I can tell.

    On a much more positive note, just placed my Burpee seed order and realized, after I hit place, that I did not include the 20 percent off coupon. Damn.

    Now I am wondering if I even placed the order!  Oh well......

    I think it is thundering.

Peace and Love

why not?

 I found a house I would like to buy

    Jackie said no.  I think she is being closed mind on this.

    The price has been  reduced by half since it was listed 10 years ago this month.  There have been some buyers interested, but no on has made an offer.

    It has a little over 32,000 square feet, 9 bedrooms, 15 full bathrooms and 4 half baths, 15 car garage, and an indoor  regulation sized basketball court.

    Michael Jordan's former home was originally listed at $29 million but is now listed at a little over $14 million....quite the deal.    Property taxes are a shade over $132,000 a year.  I could sell some plasma and organs to help meet the tax for a year.

    I am just wondering why there are 15 full baths.  That just seems odd to me, but what do I know?

    Can you imagine living in a house that size?   Holy crap!  I could use a different bathroom every day for two weeks, although I have no idea why I would want to do that.

    If someone took the $14 million and built $125,000 homes for homeless people, they could build 112 of the shelters. 

    I am not begrudging MJ his wealth, he was a talented basketball player and rebuilt the image of the Chicago Bulls.  Plus he is a pretty smart businessman.

    Still.....someone will buy the house, eventually.

    I just know it won't be me.

    Julia and Emily had Indian food for lunch with my neice and her daughters.  I have not eaten much Indian food, but I really like buttered chicken, so they brought an order home for me. I had it Saturday night and tonight and found it really tasty.  Thank heavens they toned the spiciness down.  Tums will be served for dessert.

    Watching the closing ceremony of the Olympics.  I admit I got a little burned out about 4 nights ago.  I watched a lot of the games.  I am impressed by the athletes and their stories, trials, troubles, obstacles and their failures as well as their successes.

    I always get sad when the games are over because I know I will be 4 years older when they ski, skate, sled, and succeed again.

Peace and Love

when was that?

 You may know I have a hard time with dates

    Not the ones that grow in Mediterranean climates.  Or the ones that involve dinner and a movie.

    But the ones that involve being someplace.

    This is not new.  

    When Jackie and I were first married, we had a friend named Gerry who was going to enter a seminary to become a Cahtholic priest.  He was part of the college group at the Episcopal Church in DeKalb, and a going away party was planned.

    Jerry and I were friends.  Really.

    We pulled up to the house where the party was at and Jackie said, "There are no cars."

    I said maybe we were early.

    It w as Sunday  3 p.m.  Maybe everyone else was late.

    In  fact, we were one day late.  We missed the party, missed saying goodbye, and it was my fault.

    Last week I missed Zoom church, but I went to join the annual meeting.  Being on the vestry, which is the church governing body, I was expected to attend, especially since it was my last meeting.

     But I could not find the Zoom link.   I figured I had the wrong week, so I checked the church calendar and .... you guessed it.  Missed it by a week.  I actually opened the e-mail with the link, agenda,  and reports three days before the meeting.

    Today I went to the opening of the museum's display on kitchens of long ago,  The opening reception was from 1-4.  I planned to leave the house at 2:30, but things happen.  I left at 3:40 and walked into the museum at 3:50.

    No visitors were there.  None.

    I asked Mary how the opening went and she looked at me and said, "It's next Saturday."

    I have recieved a postcard, e mail invite, and 2 Facebook pages about this event and I still had the wrong day.

    I swear, I don't know how I function sometimes.  Honestly, sometimes I don't function.  I need a date manager.

    Or I need to start using my phone to remember dates.  I just have to find it.

Peace and Love

uh oh.....dog trouble?

 Corki had a vet check up today

    Her ears are clear, but she can't hear.  Our puppy is deaf.  We have to figure out ways to communicate with her.  I guess I can't ask how she is, because she can't hear me.  Of course she never answered me either.  I will continue to talk to her, as will Jackie and Julia.

    Corki has a couple of cyst like growths on her tummy.  We are going to get those removed, and some skin tags lasered off.  The surgery will be go  in one  morning and out in the afternoon.  The cyst like growths are a concern, and removing them will be a way to rest our worried minds.

    Of course, I stopped for coffee and got her a puppychino.  That should have been her treat for the trip.

    I also picked up pizza for the adults.

    I had pizza on my plate at home but forgot a napkin.  I also forgot what a food thief Corki was, so she also had a piece of pizza with sausage, cheese, mushroom and green pepper.  I need to remember NEVER leave my plate unattended.

    I have a feeling I will be paying for that sometime during the night.  Needless to say she did not eat her supper.

    Dang windy out there.  There is a snow squall warning for the northern edge of our county.  I had never heard of one of those, but the weather alarm went off and NOAA has it posted on their web site.  Heavy blowing and drifting snow, making for poor visibility and driving conditions.

    And at our house....no snow.  Not even a flurry.  Just a lot of wind.

    Go figure, eh?

Peace and Love

open house time

 I am trying to go to bed earlier

    Last night I made it before 11.  I was tired.  Usually I am up until 11:30 or 12, but last night I was in bed early and asleep!

    Somewhere around 11 Julia woke up freezing.  She got up, then came into our bedroom.  "Is Dad here?" or something like that made it through my slumbering brain.

    Turns out, the old man did not lock the front door at 9:50 when he headed to the bedroom.

    Because it was pretty windy the door blew open.  So for an hour or so, our front door was wide open to any critter that needed warmth:  raccoon, skunk, burglar, disgraced Republican, coyote.....almost all could have wandered in and spent the night.

    Luckily, none did.

    And Julia asked because sometimes I go out and look at the stars and moon and just enjoy the quiet of the night.  She didn't want to lock me out, which I appreciated.  I guess there was also the possibility I had fallen when out there and could not get up.  In that case I would have ended up a popsicle for sure!

    Then today Jackie heard a thump at the back window.  I looked out on the patio and there was a little itty bitty bird laying still in the snow on the patio.  I got a towel, a box, and brought it inside.  I did not want it to freeze out there, and I figured it was just stunned.

    I put the box in the garage and about 15 minutes later I went out to check, and the little feller hopped out of the box.  Then it sat on the box.  I went back inside and 30 minutes later went out and opened a garage door.

    It would not leave.

    Birdy kept flying over my head, banging into the ceiling, sitting on the windowsill but it would not leave. 

    I opened all 3 garage doors and it still sat in the front of the garage. away from the doors.

    So I closed them and went inside.  

    I went out again a while later and opened the doors and eventually  the little birdy flew out.  I hope he comes back again to visit my feeders and say thanks, but I doubt it.

    Tonight I will be extra sure to lock the doors....it's gonna be a cold one!

Peace and Love

job security

 I sometimes wish I had my dream job

    Trust me....I have had a few in my mind.

    I always wanted to be a TV show host like Johnny Carson.  I think I would have been good asking stars questions and performing silly skits.  That was my first dream job.

    My second dream job would have been an announcer for the Cubs.  Sitting up in the booth, describing the action, talking to players.  I enjoy guys like JD. Boog, and Pat and Ron.  They are watching people play, usually in the sun but at least not in the rain, and getting paid well for it.

    My third dream job would have been hosting a radio sports talk type of show, where I visit with fans, players, a sidekick and just talk about sports.  I have been told I have a face for radio.

    I know all those jobs take a great deal of talent, luck, listening for  the knock of opportunity and being in the right place at the right time.

    That brings me to my next dream job.  Weatherman.

    I want to get paid big bucks to go on TV and tell people if it is going to rain, snow, sleet, hail or be sunny.

    Like Tom Skilling, and Demetrius Ivory and the rest of the WGN crew.

    Why a weatherman?

    I don't think anywone keeps track of your forecasts.  Do people chart how many times they are right or wrong?  Do they get grades for accuracy?

    Hell, no!

    And I don't recall anyone getting fired for bad forecasting.  As a talk show host you have to be funny, but in announcing the weather, it can be a crap shoot.

    Take today.  Please.  It was in the 40s, going to the teens, could rain, sleet, snow or miss us entirely.  If it does snow, it could be an inch or 10 depending on if you live north or south of I 88 and east or west of 47.

    And if a really, really, gaseous person farts in Minneapolis that may shift the front even farther south.  Ok, they did not say that.  But it could happen.

    I know, I would have to go to school to learn about the weather. the terminology, the science behind it.  

    But in this day and age, a lot of people don't believe in science anyway so to those folks weather forecasting is actually just some people guessing.

    It's too bad I am as old as I am.  I could have been a forecaster.

    Now I have to go break out the snowshovel or the life raft....either one might be needed in the morning.

Peace and Love

something new

I bought an air fryer this wek 

    Or is it frier?  I know it is not friar, because that would be as in Friar Tuck.  

    Anyway, I keep hearing how great it is to cook food in one, so I bought it.  I had a 30 percent off coupon for Kohl's, so I think I got a good deal.  But I don't know.

    I have cooked 2 things so far:   French fries last night and chicken nuggets tonight.

    The fries were fine, but I thought the nuggets were a little dry.  Jackie and Julia said they were fine. 

    FYI, I took three chicken breasts, cubed them, rolled them in flour, then in egg, then in bread crumbs.  I cooked them for a little less than it said because they were getting brown.

    I did pause the unit several times to shake up the food, but that was no big deal.

    The only drawback I am seeing is I can only cook one food item at a time in it, right?  Tonight we had chicken, broccoli,  and fondue potatoes but everything was cooked in its own pan.

    What exactly are fondue potatoes?  Well, we had half a bag of fondue cheese left over from Friday night and some petite potatoes we had boiled.  Julia mashed the potatoes, stirred in the cheese and a little kirsch, and baked it for about 20 minutes.

    It wasn't bad.  I actually liked it because it had that hint of fondue.

    I know John has cooked a lot in their air fryer, so I will ask him or Emily what they recommend.

    Now....I have to find a spot to put it.  No easy task in this household.

    I see they have posted a winter storm watch for DeKalb and Lee Counties, but not for us.  The last snowstorm also took a southern path and missed us. We'll see how this all shapes out.

Peace and Love

Eminem and me

 I actually have something in common with a rapper

    But nobody is talking about me today!

    I, too, took a knee during the half time show.

    I had to in order to wipe up the juice I dribbled on the floor while doing dishes.

    Unlike Eminen, I had a much harder time getting up, grabbing on to the counter, dishwasher, counter, and pushing off the floor.  It's just lucky I have four arms.

    With all the things to get upset about, a rapper kneeling is about 427 on a list of 20.  

    If you want to be pissed off about something, look at gun violence, homelessness, income disparity, mental health, the treatment of veterans, corruption in government, racism, discrimination, domestic violence.  But a rapper kneeling?  Yikes, give it a rest.

    The half time show did not bother me.  I used the time to do dishes and I don't think I heard or saw any of it.

    But I noticed folks under 60 seemed to like it, while us over 60 had a different opinion.

    I had thought about watching the commercials today, but I realized I had better things to do with my time. 

    I finally started hanging pictures back up in the den.  After working on it for about an hour I got 2 up.  Let's just say I am easily distracted and let it go at that.

    If I put a couple more hours on it tomoirrow, I should get another 3 or 4 hung.

    And no, they are not crooked.  Yet.  Everything looks straight.

    I do have two pictures hanging that would drive an obbsessive/compulsive person over the edge.  One picture has the hanger a bit off center, so it tilts a little.  The other picture is framed off center, so it tilts the opposite direction.  Drives me nuts.... but I don't know how to fix them.

Peace and Love

zzzzzzzzz

 I almost fell asleep during the Super Bowl

    The second half was not actually exciting until the last minute or so, when the question was will the Rams score.

    I thought the Bears had a poor first and goal offense, but LA did not exactly show an offensive juggernaut either.

    We were up late last night watching the Olympics.

    That is my excuse anyway.  When I got up to use the bathroom it was 10:40.....a.m.

    By the time we were both dressed it was passed noon.  

    We will be going to bed earlier tonight.  

    Skyped with my nephew and his family in Switzerland.  They are in the Zurich area.  They went for a walk last weekend and there was no snow, so I asked about that today.

    Normally they do not get a lot of snow!  That amazed me,  because I always think of Switzerland as snow covered and cold in the winter.  But it did not get that way by Julia's  and it is not that way in most of the Ticino area in the eastern part.

    But up in the mountains,  they do get a lot of snow.  It seems everyday I learn something new about something.  By the time I am 110 I will be a freaking genius.

    The funny thing about Super Bowl commercials is I didn't know any of those people except the Manning family.  Jackie would say, "That was Joe Montana," or that was the guy from Schit's Creek, or that was Miley Cyrus, or that was Rebecca from Ted Lasso, or that was Ted Lasso.

    I am absolutely clueless.  Maybe I just have a block about remembering names and recognizing people.

    Ah well.....

Peace and Love

Super Bowl Eve

 It will be hard for me to sleep tonight

    The BIG GAME is tomorrow.  The sports event of the year!  Billions of Americans will tune in to see which team is the best in football.

    There have been reports of chicken wing shortages all across the US as fans prepare feasts for the game.  Hoit dogs and rippled potato chips are selling at record numbers.

    Some stores have customers lined up for blocks just to have the oppoortunity to buy tortilla chips and salsa.

    Madness, I tell you,  Super Bowl madness.

    Before I get back to stirring the 20 gallon pot of chili I have simmering on the stove, I would like to make some predictions, including which team will win the game.  Guaranteed.

    Truckers and motorists protesting vaccination requirements will clog roadways leading the the stadium.  Aaron Rogers will be leading he convoy, but nobody will notice it is a protest because Los Angeles roadways are constantly clogged by trucks and cars. 

     Rogers will have to buy  a ticket to be at the Super Bowl, telling everyone who sits near him he has had his shots.  He will not tell them they were for mumps, pertusis and diptheria, and he had them 35 hears ago.  

    The team that scores first will be ahead for part of the game.

    No one will return an opening kickoff in Devon Hester fashion and he should be in the Hall of Fame for his return abilities.

    Players will have multiple injury time outs as they cramp up in the 175 degree temperatures.

    At least 2 Bengal fans will be beaten senseless in the parking lot before the game even starts.

    Several fans will have shirts off and letters on their chests that spell out their team's name, which will not be as impressive as Packer fans do it when it is 5 degrees.

    The Detroit Rams will be mentioned 6 times.

    People will wonder, who the hell are the Detroit Rams?

    Viewers over 60 will give a collective sigh after the half time show and say, "What the hell was that?"  adding that they miss days when music had a beat you could dance to and words you could understand.  (I was going to say a melody that rhymes as a tribute to Steve Goodman, but I didn't.)

    Joe Buck will be heavily criticized by fans for his blatant anti someone remarks even though hs is not part of the broadcasting team.

    The biggest post game debate will be which commercial was the best.

    Several people will announce they only watch the game for the commercials, and then go on to describe the big plays in detail.

    Some fans,  after eating 25 hot wings, 3 bowls of chili, chips and salsa and downing 14 beers, will pass out before half time.  Their post game celebration will be spent praying to the Porcelain God.

    Two commercials will make the sensitive among us cry.

    A huge Covid outbreak will follow within 10 days.  Yes, you could say the game literally made people sick.

    Now for the big prediction.  

    Who will win the game?

    The team with the most points!

    Now, I have to get my sleep because I am always anxious for the game coverage to start 16 hours before kickoff.

Peace and Love

Maria

 Holy crap, is it windy

    I had to chase my Christmas tree.  It was in the back of the yard one minute, then Julia asked, "Where's the tree?"

    It was two houses down!  The tree blew away but the garbage can did not, which surprises me.  Usually that ends up in somebody else's yard on a windy day.

    As I walked through my yard I noticed it was pock-marked with deer prints.  They must come through when the ground is soft, because there are a lot of prints.  A lot o deer poop too.

    Funny thing is, I never see deer in our yard.  They must come late at night when I am in bed trying to sleep.  On nights with a full moon I do get up and watch the yard, but I still never see any.

    Maybe I should put in a trail cam.

    I think they like to visit my bird feeders.

    Had some friends over for dinner and I made a lemon tart.  I thought it was pretty good, but it would not come out of the tart pan.  I know I greased it, but maybe not enough.  Next time, more grease.

    It was fun just to sit around and talk.

    I was just outside and it is snowing, but it is not the kind that will stick around.  Very light and fluffy and not expected to amount for much.

    Just another day in paradise.

Peace and Love

   PS     If Maria puzzled you, way back when  the Kingston Trio did a song "They Call the Wind Maria."  Maria blows the stars around and sets the clouds a flyin.  Maria makes the mountains sound like folks was out there dyin.   Maria, Maria, the call the wind Maria  Now you know.

speaking of

 I almost went tobogganing

    I have no idea if that is spelled anywhere near correctly.

    I was a kid in Chicago.  My cousin Tommy took several of us  to a hill in Palos Park or Orland Park......something park.  There was a toboggan run that was quite popular in the day.

    We got there, got out of the car, and saw the huge line of fun loving people waiting to climb the 9, 544 steps to the top and slide down a rickity looking wooden toboggan chute that was covered in ice.

    Then we got back into the car.

    I think of that expereince every time I watch sled sports during the Olympics.  Women's skeleton was tonight and they were going down the track at over 79 mph.  Head first.  Face down.  No brakes.  No steering wheel.  OMG...never!

    Skeleton and luge are similar yet different.  In skeleton, the athlete gets a running start and belly flops onto the sled.  In luge they sit on the sled, use handles to push off, and lay down, feet first, for the 70 mph trip down the track.

    It hit me that it would never be talent that kept me out of the Olympics, it would be fear.  Luge, bobsled, skeleton, jumps, snowboarding freestyle.....all require a lot of courage as well as talent.

Shawn White was in his last games while in his mid 30s.  At one point, after his last run, where he fell, I heard him say to a fellow competitor, "My legs just kept giving out."

    He had an amazing career, they keep saying he revolutionized the sport.  It was sad to see him end his career, but the kids competing will carry on that combination of skill and courage to the next Olympics.

    But, I do wish I could go sledding again.  Maybe not 70 mph, but 6 or 7 would be fun.

Peace and Love

eh....again

This seemed to be a pretty blah day

    I did take a nap.  That was the highlight of my activity for the day.

    It's not that I don't feel well, I just feel....eh.

    I have gotten two magazinesin the mail  for someone I have never heard of.  It is my address, but not my name.  I asked our neighborhood FB group if anybody knew the name, but no one replied.  Strange.

    Corki did come up by me at dinner and gave me lots of kisses.  Well, she licked the soup I spilled on my shirt, but I am counting that as kisses.  She is not a dog that gives kisses, which I don't mind as I see where she puts her mouth sometimes.  But she sure did zero in on that soup!

    I also watched some Olympics, including Chloe getting the gold.  I think you have to be crazy to do what those competitors do.  Daring and fast.....even when I was young I would not be able to do what they do.  Nor would I want to, actually.

    Hopefully I will get to bed early tonight.  I have two books on my reader, but for some reason I am having trouble getting to them.  Technology is not my friend.

Peace and Love

no ghosts today

I am still puzzling over yesterday 

    The Grinch puzzled until his puzzler was sore, but I did not go that far.

    Still don't know how Corki got outside.  

    Been watching some Olympics.  Holy crap!  Lugers have to be fairly crazy, eh?  Some of he speeds were 70 miles an hour, feet first, no brakes, no steering except by how you lean.  No way.

    It is just weird watching a Winter Olympics and not seeing snow.  The snow for ski runs and biathelons is all man made.  The mountains around the venues have no snow, and it is just weird.

    I also think one of the venues is next to a nuclear plant.  Those look like cooling towers in the back.

    Curling fascinates me.  I know there are curling clubs in the Chicago suburbs and maybe one day I will visit one to try the sport.  I would still have to be able to walk on ice and sweep for a long time, but it is the only sport I could do that is featured in the games.

    Years ago Jackie and several friends and I would go cross country skiing in Skare Park.  Years ago.  Lately there never seems to be enough snow.  Last year I only went snowshoeing one time because the conditions never seemed right.  This year is a washout for that.

    I saw an article that predicted the doom of the Winter Olympics because of the uncertainty of winter in the future.

    I miss the snow.  I don't like the cold, but I miss the snow.  

    Last year our driveway was plowed something like 8 times.  This year it has been plowed 3.  And it does not look like we will be getting a major snow anytime soon.

    If only someone could figure out what is causing it all.

Peace and Love

Ghosts?

 Something very strange happened today

    Any explanation is frightening, to say the least.

    I was helping Jackie from the pot into her wheelchair.  Corki was laying on her bed in our bedroom.  

    I took Jackie to the dining room table where she is trying to balance our checkbook.  (Note:  I get so frustrated when I try to help her I could scream.  She has me add up numbers but refuses to round off.  So I add $4.67. $26.78......drives me nuts.  My mom rounded everything to the nearest 10.  So a $26.45 check became $30 in her checkbook.  She never balanced.  Instead, every couple of years we would close her account and move to a new bank.  And every time what she thought she had was pretty close to what she actually had.)

    After the dining room, I moved to the den for a game or two of spider solitaire until the laundry was done drying.  Then I had to go to town to mail a package.

    After about 10 minutes, Corki barks.  

    Jackie asks, "Where's Corki?" 

    I said the last I saw her she was in the bedroom on her bed, yet the noise was not from the bedroom.

    I opened the front door, and there was Corki!

    How the hell she got out there, I can't explain.  I don't remember letting her out.  Julia was downstairs and did not let her out.  Jackie obviously did not let her out.

    Yet, she was out.

    So...the scary part.   We have a ghost.  Corki can open doors.  Someone came into the house and let her out and left.  I let her out and did not remember doing it.

    I went to the post office and mailed a return.  The clerk said, "Uh...this goes UPS.  We are USPS.  Can't leave it here."  

    I knew it was UPS!  What was I doing at the post office?

    Anyway, it got sent, the dog got in, and I think I need a good stiff drink to ward off the ghosts ane other fears.

Peace and Love

My Burr oak sure has a lot of galls

Saw this at a store in DeKalb.....I can't remember if it is jackfruit or something else

But I do wonder how you eat it.  It was huge, like a watermelon.

I do believet hat is where Paddock Hall used to be, on the right.  Was the large hole in the middle the window to the light booth? 

 

Wonder who left these behind

memories

I am always fascinated by Facebook memories 

    Mainly because I don't remember some of them.

    For instance, 7 years ago Jackie and I had a wonderful lunch at Beacon on the Green.

    I don't remember the place.  The only  thing I can think of is that was what the restaurant used to be called at the former country club.  If so, it was a great name because the Beacon was a great place to eat and the golf course is a nice atmosphere.

    But the restaurant situation there seems to be fluid, shall we say.

    8 years ago I watched the last Jay Leno Tonight Show.  It seems longer than that.

    I believe the Packers won a Super Bowl on or about this date.  

    And one message is really clear:  "56 is in the house."  I swear I have no idea what that means.

    But, it's a memory!

    I have noticed sometimes the comments make  no sense, like:  "I can't believe he just did that!"  I do wish there was some context.

     I guess if I was curious I could go back and look....but I am not that curious.

    A lot of comments are about the weather and snow, cold, warmth, lack of snow and other typical Feb. 6 weather observations.  I have one series of pictures taken over 3 days that goes from no snow to what looks like a foot of the white stuff.  And of course the wind and my recycling come up.  

       I have been watching some of the Olympics.  I am fascinated by ski events, jumps, luge, skeleton and bobsedding.....those people have to be a little crazy to do what they do.  I admire them and commend them for what they can do.

    And they are all so young.   Well, most of them, anyway.  I heard a woman in her 50s was competing and an Italian skier in her mid thirties just wiped out hard.  

    To work so hard to get there and then fall has to be the saddest time in an athlete's life.

    That would be a memory never to be forgotten.

Peace and Love

maybe tomorrow

 I still have several items on my to do list

    Sometimes I get bogged down. 

    One of the items is simply to put away the garland.  Right now Judy is laying all over the basement floor.  I just need to put it in a plastic tub.

    But first, I check the lights.  If the lights are not working, I take them off.  Well, some of the garland was prelit, so taking off the lights is no easy task.  I have to untie them from each little branch.  Who ties them on anyway?  I would think a machine does, but what if it is some child in a labor camp in some Asian country who makes a dime a day and considers himself lucky?

    That's actually what I start thinking.

    Sometimes I just cut the broken lights and take them off in sections.  That is what I started doing today.  I have 7 strands of garland, and I have finished 3.  This could take a long time.

    In between tasks I took some time to wash and fold towels and sheets, listen to Jackie read directions for me to make potato soup.  discover we don't have onions despite me seeing several onions in the pantry.  It was only today I realized they were not onions but garlic bulbs.

    Go to the store to buy onions.

  Help Jackie start our income taxes.  

    Have a cup of coffee and watch a little of the Olympics.  Catch a replay of he luger who wiped out and watch a WGN News segment on the Norge ski jumping center in suburban Chicago that was a training site for 3 Olympian ski jumpers this year.  That is impressive!  But jumping is pretty darn scary.

    When all is said and done, I still have Judy to put away.

    But maybe tomorrow.......depending on the mood, the sport, and the weather.

Peace and Love

Timing

 Timing is everything in life

    Look at Jeff Bezos, for instance.  He built a $300 million yacht and how has to pay the Dutch government to remove a bridge then replace it  so he can get the tub out into the open water.

    In the meantime, Prime memberships are going up in cost.  Someone has to pay for that yacht, right?  Might as well be us.

    People are  noticing gas prices are going up, and almost the same week Chevron and Shell announced each had record profits of over $6 billion in the fourth quarter.  Guess where those profits came from!

    Chipolte announced they were increasing the price of a borrito and their CEO got a $24 million raise.  

    To be honest, if someone is paying $300 million for a yacht while people are homeless then something is wrong with our tax code. Think of how many affordable homes could be built with the money going toward a yacht.  Holy crap.

    Now that my rant is over, went to DeKalb today to get Corki her allergy medication.  Left about 1:45, made a quick stop in Rochelle, then another quick stop to make a phone call, then a stop in Creston to make a phone call clarifying my first phone call.   Yes, I have hands free but the person is not in my address book for the phone.  I don't think.  I had to call because the church board was meeting and since I said I was planning on Zooming, they wanted to find out where I was.  Timing.

    I finished my stops in DeKalb at about 4:15 and went to order Chinese food at our favorite place, Yin Chings.  They were pretty darn busy and there was only one person (not Marilyn, who looks remarkably like her  sister) handling customers, phone orders, bussing tables....she was really running!  Literally!  She would take an order, run to the back, get the drinks, serve them, run to the phone.  I got tired watching her.

   Leaving there 4:40, I placed a Starbucks order.  I almost placed an order for 6 coffees, but I looked at my order carefully and deleted the whole thing and started over.  I can't imagine what I would have done with 6, but giving them away to total strangers would have been an option.

    I did not get home until almost 5:30.  FOUR HOURS!!!

    Thank goodness Julia was  home and available for Jackie.  

    I either need to shop smarter or faster, or both.

    Jackie and I watched the opening ceremony for the Olympics.  I like the winter games more than the summer and am looking forward to downhill skiing, luge, skeleton, bobsled and ....... curling!

Peace and Love

finally

 After 2 weeks of planning to put lights away, I did

    I scratched 2 items off my task list, and added 2......so the week is a wash.

    I still have a list of a dozen or so items to do in less than an hour for each item.  I hoped to do one a day, but that has not worked.  Now I hope to do 1 a week!

    Now I have another problem.

    We have had Corki for over 6 years.  2 weeks ago she started raiding the garbage cans in the bathrooms.  She pulls out tissue and eats it, een though her food bowl is full of food she likes.

    I don't remember to close the door or pick the trash up and set it on the counter, but that is not the issue.  Why now?

    I will be buying two lidded trash cans for the bathrooms.  Julia and I have both cleaned up shredded tissue several times recently.  I just don't want my baby to get into something that will harm her.

    And we are keeping the pantry door closed so she doesn't steal her snacks anymore.

    Other than that, she has been pretty normal since her hearing issue.  I don't think she hears at all, but at times she responds to noise.  And no, it is not selective hearing.  I can say, "Corki, treat"  and she does not respond.  It makes me sad.

    Had a surprise telephone call from friends in Missouri today.  It was great talking to them and I realized it had been a while since I heard from them.  Glad they are doing well, but they seem to have more snow than we do!  Strange weather, eh?

    I told them that sometimes when I am at the computer at night I have a cup of hot water.  I have always liked hot water, which some people find strange.

    Last night I heated some water.  About 10 minutes later I grabbed the cup and went back to the computer only to discover.....another cup of hot water.  

    I say it again, the mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Peace and Love

    

s'no fun

 We hardly got any snow yesterday

    South and east of us got hammerd, while we came away with a literal dusting of less than an inch.

    But the wind was blowing, still is, and now we have a wind chill of 0.  That should go down during the night.

        Now the quesiton is what to do with recycling!  Do I take it out tonight and hope it does not blow away, or wait until morning and get up at some freakingly early hour and take it out then?  

    Decisions, decisions.

    Lat night I was looking at the NBC feed out of Chicago on my computer and they showed the storm track.  The listed Rockford, DeKalb, Dixon and ..... Flagg!  Flagg is in Lee County and has probably 60 residents.  That just seemed really strange to me.

    Snow is not bad.  When it melts, it soaks into the ground and replenishes the water lost last summer.  We did not have a lot of rain, so it would be good to have snow to get the ground nice and wet for spring.

    10 inches may be a bit much at one time, but some 2-3 inch snows would be a good thing.

    If you are in an area with a lot of snow, keep safe.  

    And remember to check those furnace exhausts!

Peace and Love

Whoray, I say

 I agree with the school board in Tennessee

    A schOOl board  in that vastly enlightened state recently voted to ban "Maus" from  being used in classrOOms.

    I have read "Maus" and am shocked, shocked I tell you,  at the naked mice in the bOOk.  It is a disgrace that young boys and girls are exposed to naked mice.  Of course, it is even more of a disgrace that they be exposed to the largest organized extermination of humans ever recorded in history, but that is secondary to the nakedness of the cartOOn mice.

    While we are talking about this, I suggest the board also cull the schOOl libraries of any illustrations of Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck.  These supposedly male characters are constantly without pants, which I think is confusing American youth and is the rOOt cause of transexualism.  After all, kids see these supposedly male figures compeltely devoid of any genitalia and may assume they are actually females trying to pass as men.  It is a secret plot by Disney to undermine the definition of family.

    Also, I think there are certain words that should be banned.

    Any word with a double o should be dropped from the English language immediately!

    Why?  Because to young boys the OO may remind them of bOObs.  

    I propose schOOl become skule, gOOd become gut with a hard T sound, just like those architects of the Holocaust intended.

    FOOl becomes fule, tOOl becomes tule....you get the idea.  And since we have three ways to say 2, tOO is not needed at all!

    The entire mathmatics system must be reimagined to elimate any number with a 00, which could also turn a pure, chaste mind  into one perverted and always thinking of putting dots in the OO or 00  he encounteres.  And the symbol for infinity?  Whatever pervert came up with that?

    We must band together and end the bOOb problem in our land.

    Because as we all know, there are far to many many bOObs roaming our streets.  And I am not talking female anatomy.

Peace and Love