whew!!!!

 Talk about a loooong evening

    I was doing ok until the tv, Jackie's phone, and my phone all signalled "tornado warning" at about the same time.

    Julia was at Emily's and called to say the sirens were going off.

    So, I bundled Jackie into  her wheelchair, put a leash on Dog Beth, grabbed a flashlight and herded us all into the little bathroom.  I called Julia to tell them where we were in case, well, you know.

    Jackie said to take the dog and go downstairs, but we all stayed together.

    Luckily nothing but wind, lightning, thunder and rain.....for which I am grateful.

    We have been through a tornado once, just about 8 years ago, and I don't want to withness that again.

    Julia went over because Emily was trying to get 13 dogs into the basement.  I wish I had video of that.

    Aside from that, today was pretty good.

    Took some electronic recycling to Oregon, got Beth's dog tag, and stopped at the Village Bakery in Oregon for coffee.

    For those who don't know, the Village Bakery is a business run by the Village of Progress, a workshop for people with disabilities.  Some of those attending the workshop work in the bakery, with supervision.

    There was a tour group in, youngsters with disabilites, and the coffee machine was being explained to them  I ordered a vanilla latte and they had a chance to hear the machine, see the steam, watch how the drink was put together and one little girl even pumped the vanilla into my coffee.

    I thanked them all for making my coffee, and especially thanked the girl who gave me 5 pumps of vanilla.  They looked like they were having a good time.

    We discovered Beth does not like thunder.  Also, the weather alerts on the radio send her into a panic, much like they do me.

    And Jackie and I talked to my cousin in law Warren in Alaska!  It has been ages since I called or texted him.....I need to do that more often.

    All is well that ends well.

    Sleep well, my friends.

Peacde and Love

Ghosts II

 Yes, I am going to talk about ghosts again

    Sort of.

    Last night at the museum Kimberly Ekes did a program of then and now pictures around Rochelle.

    Simplifying what she said, she finds old pictures, researches the locations and takes today pictures of hte same spot.  Then she photo shops part of the old picture onto the new picture.  She called it ghosting.  I think, anyway.  Sometimes I don't hear that well.

    So you may have a picture of a group of people in the 1910 era standing in front of a store that is inset into a picture of the same location.  She lines up the building lines, windows, etc., so it looks like one picture.  The old "ghost" picture is black and white while the modern picture is color.

    It's really cool.

    I have seen similar photos, but hey have been done diagonally, with the old on one side and the current on the other.  Those are also neat.

    That is one ghost story.

    Now another.

    Jackie has told me several times that she hears music at around 6 a.m.,  music loud enough to wake her.

    The alarm is not on.  Siri is not active.  I don't know where the music is coming from and neither does she.

    So, now she will wake me up when she hears it. 

    I can hardly wait.

    Then I wondered:  What if a truly sadistic carpenter or electrician programmed a radio to play for a few minutes each day.  The radio would be in the wall, so you would not see it.  It would be directly wired so no batteries would have to be replaced.

    Is that possible?

    Anyway, I expect some day I will be awakened around 6 a.m. by Jackie because she hears music.

    Sincee I don't sleep with my hearing aides, I won't have any idea what is going on.  But that is normal.

    I don't think it is a car going past, but it could be.  Not sure what else it could be but....... ghosts?

    Be aware of the weather tomorrow!!  Keep alert!!

Peace and Love

A new year

Tomorrow is New Year's Day!!! 

    I know, it is March 30.  But it is opening day at Wrigley, the start of a new year of baseball!

    I have big hopes for the Cubs this year, but I am also a little vexed.  I really want to see Peter Crow Armstrong (PCA to Cubs fans) in center field and Christoper Morrel in right.  Both will be starting the year in the minors, the reasoning being neither would get much playing time once Suzuki comes back and it is important for them to get reps at the plate and experience in the field.

    The Cubs are deep in outfielders in the minor leagues.....so I wonder if Ian Happ will be traded at mid-season, or Cody Bellinger, or both.  Time will tell.

    Julia and I drove Dog Beth nuts today. 

    I have a chicken that sings.  It is an Easter decoration.  I put out decorations today and showed Beth the chicken.   When you pick up the chicken by its head it clucks.  When you press a button on its arm it dances.

    Beth did not like it.

    Eventually I put it on top on the tv cabinet, but Beth kept putting her paws up on the cabinet.  So I moved it to the den and put it high on a speaker.  Beth sat and stared at it.  Then she ran around the house.  Then she stared at it.  Then she ran.  Then stared.  

    This went on for a while.  So I put the chicken in a closet.  Beth kept looking for it but I think she has finally given up on finding it.

    Jackie said I should throw it away.  I have 1 Easter decoration....so that is not going anywhere!

    We had another training session today and Beth did very well.  Julia stood in the driveway and Beth started toward her and stopped when she remembered the blue flags mean danger.  However, Beth did get zapped when she went to sniff the trainer.  He said that is expected, she will forget the underground fence is there from time to time.

    As long as she does not get out.

    Went to a really neat program at the museum tonight......part of the week of Chatauqua talks. More about that tomorrow.

Peace and Love

say it ain't so

 This is getting depressing

    I just heard a weather forecast that used the word snow in describing tomorrow mornning.

    When will this misery end?

    Holy cow, I had a problem tonight.

    I was famished!  I have been eating a lot in the last 2 hours, like I am out of control.  Leftover Italian beef, chips, more beef, more chips, a bundt cup cake, more chips....all washed down with a little vino.

    I will have to walk extra tomorrow

    Tomorrow will be better because I finished the wine and the chips....so no more temptation.  Unless I open another bag.  Or bottle.

    No...I am stronger than that!   Sigh......sometimes.

    I did go out and try to see the aligned planets.  I really did not have much luck, two of them were low on the horizon and the trees hid them.  Then I got to thinking, eh.  I have missed eclipses, Northern Lights, comets, meteor showers .... so this is one more celestial even added to my list of not sees.

    I began earnestly to line up care for Jackie for while I am gone this summer.  It's not easy.  I don't always know what to ask, or what to expect.  One company is sending a rep out next week to interview us and determine our needs.

    I just want to go knowing she is taken care of.  

    Any advice would be great.

    I hope by starting now we will have a plan in place well before I go.

Peace and Love

how many?

 Today was Jackie's actual birthday

    I won't say how old she is, but she is younger than me.  

    Sometimes I think the entire world is younger than me.

    The girls got her a really neat ceramic egg, some rabbit figures, and some small ceramic eggs.  At least I think they are ceramic.  Sitting here I realize I am not sure and am too lazy to get up to see.

    We were up early, like 6:45.  But we went back to bed and slept until 10:30!  I really needed it.  That does throw off the whole schedule.  I usually go walk at 1 or 1:30 but did not go today until 4.  And no coffee after walking!

    I made Iowa chops and scalloped potatoes for supper, with carrots for our vegetable.  Emily came over and we ate together, which was nice.  

    For those who may not know, Headon's sells Iowa chops.  These are pork chops that are an inch or an inch and a quarter thick.  I pan fry them for 6 minutes then stick them in the oven for another 20 and check the temp with a meat thermometer.

    We had 3 chops for the 4 of us and we have leftovers!  I love them.

    Not a  real busy day, but a fun one.  Jackie talked to sister Judy  and brother Joe in Illinois and we Facetimed with her brother Bob and wife Anita in Florida.

    New challenges tomorrow.....a lot of phone time ahead.

Peace and Love

rainy days

 I think the song goes rainy days and sleepless nights

    I don't know the name of the song, though.  And it might be restless days and sleepless nights.  I honestly don't remember.  Day and nights are in the song, for sure.  I think.

    All I know is the last 2 nights have been rough sleeps.  I think I am asleep, but I also think I am awake.  I was up a couple of times both nights, but I don't know if I slept.

    Make sense?

    It doesn't to me either.

    I was really tired today.  So I tried to take a nap.  I think I slept 30 minutes or so, but it wasn't enough.  

    When I go to bed, the last 2 nights I have been so tired, I can barely keep my eyes open.  But as soon as I hit the sheets, I am wide awake.

    I did have a Dr. Pepper yesterday afternoon, maybe that was the reason.

    I have tried to limit myself to 1 pop a week, and drastically reduce the amount of French fries and potato chips I eat.  I have been doing well, until this week.  I had fries a couple of times and 2 cans of pop.  The chips are another story.

    We had a few friends over for Jackie's birthday, small group, lots of fun visiting and talking.  It was almost like pre-covid days.  I miss getting together with people, even though I tend to get quiet in group situations.  

    It was a dreary day, which doesn't help.  But at least it did not snow.  

    And the Cubs open their season Thursday, so things are looking up.

Peace and Love

yikes!

 That was quite the winter storm for us

    I think we had about 3 inches, but by noon it was almost all gone.  The big problem is the grass is so mushy!  I hate walking in it and Beth hates chasing the ball in it.

    Julia went east and said there was very little snow in DeKalb and hardly any in Aurora.  As Mr Torres would say, snow has to stop and start somewhere.

    This is not a storm for us.  But northwest of us, some spots had 18 inches with tree branches breaking and power lines down.  I am glad that was not us.

    Every time I go into the local meat market on a Saturday they have cooked ribs.  So I figured for supper, I would get ribs.  Got over there and .... no ribs today.

    Julia did her own thing for supper, so Jackie and I had hamburgers.  I went to the freezer downstairs and found some already cooked hamburgers left over from Jackie's birthday last year.

    I said I was going to have one, and make Jackie's fresh.  Julia looked at me like I was nuts.

    "It's a year old, Dad.  Throw it out."

    I countered with it was cooked and had been frozen, so it should be fine.

    She rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever.  It's your stomach."

    Now having doubts, I asked Jackie.  She expressed a little surprise.

    "You want to eat a hamburger that has been in the freezer for a year?"

    So I tossed it out.  There were actually 2, so they both got tossed.

    I erred on the side of caution, something I don't usually do with food.  I could Google it, but I am afraid of the answer.

    I have to admit, the fresh hamburger taskted pretty good.

    I guess I should check the freezer for more outdated food.

    Someone might not be there to speak reason next time.

Peace and Love

ah geez

 I am really tired tonight

    We got up early so I could help Julia move a table she wanted to buy at an estate sale.  She got there at 9, but the table was light enough that she didn't need me.

    However, when we got home Emily expressed interest in a metal arbor that was at the sale.  I said I was not interested, but since Emily was we went back to buy that.

    The arbor was 46 inches wide across the middle.  My van is 47 inches wide.  So most of the arbor made it into the van.  The top part of the arbor was pretty wide, so we bungeed it all in place and drove home with the tailgate open and the flashers on.

    It is a nice arbor.  

    All week I have been telling Julia and Jackie we were leaving at 2 today to meet with an accountant on our taxes.  Because of one or two investments my mother left me, the tax filing is best left to someone who knows how to do it correctly.

    At 1 I made Jackie's lunch and planned to sit down for a while, maybe close my eyes, and then go the meeting.

    My eye wandered over to the calendar and in clear letters it says "2 p.m.  Taxes."

    I did it again.  Jt takes about 45 minutes to get to him, so no lunch for Jackie, no nap for me, no time to waste.

    Realize it takes a long time to get Jackie into a car.  So at 69 minutes, we were pushing it.

    But we made it.  Walked into the office at 1:56.

    In the middle of the meeting I got a call, but did not answer.  By the time the meeting was over, I had forgotten the call.  But Linda called me again and said someone was interested in buying one of my items at Pickin Station, but there was no price.  I called the shop, but the person had already left.  

    I should have filled the van up before leaving.  But I did not.  It got pretty low, and the trip estimator said I had a range of 98 miles when I left Rockford.  I am beginning to doubt the accuracy of that, because my range was 89 miles when we pulled in for gas in Rochelle.

    So, I am tired, physically and especially mentally.  And I have a feeling the weather tomorrow is not going to improve my attitude.

    Hopefully this rather strong hot toddy will help me sleep, althought I really have slept better since the time change.

Peace and Love

crime does pay

Sometimes I see why criminals are criminals 

    In Thailand, police arrested 21 people in a nationwide crackdown on scammers.

    The people would contact mainly elderly people in the US and tell them they were investigating international money laundering.  Then they instructed the seniors to send them their money so it could be verified.

    Now, I would never do that.  Never.  Never.  I repeat, never.

    And I am a senior.  Ok, maybe not elderly, but not as young as I was yesterday either.

    How much were they accused of scamming people?

    $87 million!!!

    That's a hell of  a lot of money!  If you scammed people and earned a couple of million and then quit the business, you may be lucky enough to never be caught.

    Then I think of Rita from Dixon, who embezzeled $54 million from the city over a period of years.  She lived the high life during that time.

    And I read about business people who scammed the government of Covid funding.  Some of them got millions for bogus companies with ghost employees.  They used that money to live the good life.

    I am convinced most criminals eventually get caught.  But until they do, they live a pretty luxurious life.

    And the penalties?  A slap on the hand, a couple of years in prison, restitution, and then back on the streets. 

    We can't jail them long enough because prisons are full of murderers. rapists, child molesters and other dregs of society.

    Of course, non of them are ever really guilty.  It seems no criminal is.

    But maybe we could find a suitable punishment, like winters in North Dakota and summers in Mara Lago, or whatever that place is called.  Take away AC and give them a constant supply of kale and chickpea sandwiches and society can have the satisfaction of a fitting punishment.

    by the way,  if anybody has any spare $100 bills, you can send them to me and I will check to see if they need to be laundered.  If so, I will have to keep them for evidence.

Peace and Love

not me

Some things I am fine not experiencing 

    Like the newly discovered underground spider in Australia.  Its body is 1.5 to 2 inches.  Its body!  Throw on the 8 legs and it is an ginormous arachnid!  Seeing pictures of it makes me want to not close my eyes at night.

    Or  the beautiful blue ringed octopus.  It's not very big, but it is very venomous.  It looks smaller than the giant spider, and is a lot prettier.  But its venom is deadly, even to humans.

    Alligators.  I could never live in Florida.  I would be petrified of alligators.  I would hear them under my bed, in my closet, on my lanai, and in the back seat of my car.  I would be constantly looking over my shoulder, and would probably step on one right in front of me.

    (I finally know the difference between alligators and crocodiles.  I will see gators later, and crocodiles in a while.  Ok, you have to be familiar with 50s music to get that one.  Sorry.)

    Rope bridges between ridges in the mountains.  France and Switzerland have some as tourist sites, but I don't think I could cross one.  Julia said there is a glass bridge in China that at a certain point is programmed so it looks like the glass is cracking as you walk on it!  I would wet myself.

    Arizona.  I don't care if it is a beautiful state and Cubs do their spring training there.  It is probably the state with the most venomous creatures!  They also have the Sonoran desert toad, which is not venomous but it poisonous!  So, don't eat toads when in Arizona.

    I know some of my fears are unfounded, like an alligator in my back seat.  But I bet it has happened to somebody who never thought it would happen to them.

    Better safe than sorry.

Peace and Love

Uh oh.....

Beth taught me a lesson  today 

    Don't get over confident!

    Beth has been real good about the Invisible Fence.  She stays away from the flags marking its boundary and is reluctant to approach within a couple of feet of the flags.

    So, I have been getting a little more confident with her staying in the yard.  Sometimes I don't hold her lead in my hand, I just watch her wander around the yard.  I even throw the tennis ball and she chases after it, dragging her lead behind.

    Today I was really confident and opened the front door and let her out without a leash.

    As soon as I saw the people from down the street walking their dog, I realized I had made a mistake.

    But Beth should be stopped by the fence, right?

    Wrong, electric shock breath!   That little girl trotted right thru it without flinching!

    Since Beth growls and snarls at other dogs, I was a little concerned.  The man walking the dog grabbed Beth's collar and held her until I got there. 

    Beth only growled one time at the dog, which was a brown labrador.  She did sniff around the dog and let the dog sniff her.

    Maybe the bigger dogs are better for her to interact with.  Emily will bring over one of her big dogs as a test, eventually.

    Tomorrow we have another training day with the fence people.  I assume they will turn up the level on her collar, which should stop the going out of the yard issue.

    I picked her up and carried her back into the yard and guided her to the door, and all she did was watch the other dog go down the street.

    When the weather warms I will start walking her down the street.  I missed the REC Monday and hope to get there tomorrow.  I seem to have fallen out of my routine since I got sick.

    Opening day..... coming soon!  Go Cubs!!

Peace and Love

My daffodils are emerging!!!!  

Firsts

 I experienced some firsts today

    It was my first time taking Beth to our vet in DeKalb, or Sycamore, I get confused.

    Actually, it was bittersweet and I did get a little teary eyed.  

    As we sat in the waiting area I thought of the last time I was there..... the day Corki died.  Almost 1 year ago, in fact.  I sat remembering how she looked, how she walked down the street like she owned it.  And I remember Jackie and I seeing her hours before she died, and me saying I would be back.  It still haunts me.  I should have been with her like I promised.

    Beth acted very well in the vet's office, except for the growling at a little Yorkie that wanted to be friends and play.  Beth seems to have a problem with other dogs.  Have to work on that.

    Another first was using a seat belt harness to hold her in a seat.  Usually we just let Corki roam around the car, but Beth is a little more active.  The harness worked out nicely.  Of course Julia had to put Beth in it and show me how to hook it to the seat belt.

    I took Beth in to Pet Smart to return an item and buy another leash.  We have one, but it is dirty and I need to wash it and let it dry, so we need another leash to use until it does dry.  Going into the store with a dog was a first for me.

    Then we stopped at Starbuck's and Beth got her first puppychino.  She really enjoyed it.

    And while the temperature finally hit 50, the wind was cold and strong.  In fact, it blew down my campaign signs!  The one listing REEA endorsed candidates now has a broken frame..... caused by the wind.  Emily seems to have lost the Jennifer Thompson sign.....it had to be the wind.

    And the blue flags outlining the invisible fence are shredding and scattering all over the place!  Gonna have to pick tthose scraps up soon.

    But it is officially spring..... so bring on the warmer weather and the April showers.

Peace and Love

Wordle

 I have been stumped this week on Wordle

    Normally I can get some starter letters with my first word.  But the last 3 or 4 days, I have not been so fortunate.

    In fact, 2 days I have taken all 6 chances and one day I did not get the word at all.  I was completely stumped.  Today I got it in 5 chances, but it was not easy.

    I like word games.  I love playing Scrabble, but Jackie doesn't.  I have not played a real game in years.  I used to play for free on line at Pogo, but last time I did after every turn there was a 30 second commercial and an offer to sign up to play ad free.  Being the cheap skate I can be sometimes, I passed.

    I gave up playing it because it was so irritating with the commercials.

    Sometimes I do crossword puzzles on line.  That is one of the things I miss most about a real Chicago Tribune.  I tried printing the puzzles, but the squares and type come out too small for me to read or fill in the blanks.

    Such is life.

    We had surprise visitors today.  Sam, Kevin and Jen came over to deliver our Butter Braid coffee cakes and we had a cookout and a great visit. Two social events in 2 days.....we must be feeling better.

    Dog Beth and I had a fun time out in the back yard today.  I threw the ball, she ran, grabbed it and raced around the yard like a crazy dog.  Despite the cold, we had fun.  I do keep a leash on her, but I don't hold onto it during the day.  She seems to be adjusting to  the Invisible Fence nicely.  She only had one oops today, I don't know if she had a shock or just heard the warning noise.  

    That's it.  50s tomorrow, which will be a welcome change from the cold.

Peace and Love

Enough

 I demand winter weather end today

    I took Beth outside while the wind chill was in single digits today!  This is mid March!!  Enough of this!

    Enough of the snow flurries that we had for most of the day.

    Enough of the crazy winds that go right through this old body.

    Enough of the wondering when I can throw grass seed on the bare spots in the yard.  I know, I can throw it any time, but it needs sun and warmth to sprout, which is the main goal of spreading grass seed.  When will that come?

    Jiminy Cricket.  Winter has lasted long enough.

    Had a great time tonight with Sheri, some wine, and some pizza.  It's always good to visit with people and catch up on what is happening.

    I thought we had a training session for Dog Beth and the Invisible Fence, but nobody showed up.  So I e mailed him and asked what happened.  What happened was our appointment was last Saturday, when he was here, and next Wednesday.  For some reason I was thinking today was March 11, even though I knew yesterday was March 17.

    Enough of  that too!

    And enough of this.....time for bed.  Maybe.

Peace and Love

miracles

 Today was a special day

    We had pedicures, which always energizes me.  My feet feel so damn soft and they smell great!   Normally that is not something I can say about my feet.

    After the pedicures, Jackie and I stopped at Ollie's for our first taste of the year.  I had the Irish Cream Cake, which sort of disappointed me because it was brownish in color and did not taste like I thought a cream cake would taste.  Jackie had a small hot fudge sundae.  She could not finish it, and I did not because she still has her cough and I don't want to risk a reinfection.  So miracle of the day....I threw out custard!

    Second miracle.... I drove past a Starbuck's!!!   I figured since I had Ollie's, I should not press another treat.

    Third miracle.....  I saw a former student and actually called him by his correct name!  That is a miracle, trust me.  In the past, I have strugged to remember his name.  But today, bundled up, hat pulled low, coat snug, and a beard, I recognized him!  We even talked about his job!!  I was on fire.

    Fourth miracle.....  Jackie wanted a Reuben tonight.  So I went to Acres Bistro and got her one there.  Because I was wearing green, I got a $5 gift card for my next visit!  Cha ching!!!!!!

    Final miracle..... I only spent 10 minutes doing dishes.  Julia made Rosti, a one pan dish.  That pan, plus a couple of plastic glasses, were the bulk of my dish duty.

    Too bad I did not fill out a March Madness card, eh?  I might have even chosen Farliegh Dickenson, who knows!

    That's enough miracles for one day.

Peace and Love

memories

 It is amazing how powerful music can be

    Several years ago, a much younger friend asked if I was interested in going to a Jimmy Buffett concert.

    To be honest, I had not listened to much of Buffett's music.  I was not a fan.  But I said yes, because she said it would be a lot of fun.

    A bunch of us went to Tinley Park to watch the show, both the show inside and outside.  Parrotheads are a group that knows no bounds when it comes to fun.

    It was a hoot.

    We have gone to several shows since, at Tinley Park, Northerly Island, and Alpine Valley.

    I have had such a great time at each show.  It's like going on vacation and watching a very bizarre movie in the parking lot and a giant sing-a-long on the stage.

    I listen to the Buffett Margaritaville channel on Sirius a lot.  Jackie doesn't much enjoy it, but I just love it.

    The music is joyful, happy, carefree..... well, most of it is.  Sometimes it is funny.  Sometimes it is pretty profound. Some is, well, suggestive.

    But I love his music.

    He's pretty amazing too.  He is older than me, worth about half a billion dollars, performs dozens of concerts a year and shows no sign of slowing down.

    Today during the Buffett Buffet, heard 3 times daily, he was talking to the audience and said, "Hey all you folks out there on the lawn.  I can't see you, but I can hear you.  Who'd think you all would be sitting on a ski slope in Wisconsin in the summer?"

    I'm guessing it was Alpine Valley. 

    And today, when visiting my audiologist, I brought Buffett up in conversation and she said her dad took her to a show years ago in Tinley Park.  Huey Lewis was the opening act and I kind of think our group was at that show.

    She also said she was surprised to see all ages, from young people to her father's age.  Which is the same as mine.

    Anyway, thank you Carrie for needing someone with a van to transport people to that first show.  And thank you and all the others in our little Parrothead group for keeping life fun.

    Now, I'm going to listen to some Jimmy.

Peace and Love

wrong town

 Sometimes I think we live in the wrong town

    Rochelle is nice, but sometimes I wonder.

    Jackie had a doctor appointment in DeKalb today.   I have a doctor appointment in DeKalb tomorrow.  We both have a pedi appointment in Sycamore Friday.  Next Monday we have a vet appointment in DeKalb.

    That's a lot of driving.

    Plus, we go to church over there.  Let me rephrase that.  We are members of a church over there, but we have not attended in person since Covid, except for Christmas and Easter services.  Part of the issue is getting Jackie up and going in time to get to 10:30 service.  Well, me too.  I have been doing Zoom church, but I have even had problems getting to that.

    I know, we could find people in town to do some of those services.  But we have confidence in the people we are currently dealing with and don't really want to change.

    And I try to combine trips.  For example, tomorrow I intend to pick up my bike from the shop in Sycamore, stop at a home care giver's office, and maybe hit Lowe's.  I may also have one other stop to make, but I an not sure when that will be.

    It seems we do a lot of driving.  But we bought this van in August and we only have 5,500 miles on it, so we don't really drive alot.  It's just that all the trips seem to come at one time.

    I felt really good today.  I even went to the REC and got in a walk.  Jackie's cough is not as bad today, and she feels pretty good.

    So, things are looking up, health wise.

    While the temperatures were in the 50s today, it sure did not feel like it.  The wind gave me chills all day.  At least the snow is mostly melted.

    When I was walking at the REC the Kish girls' softball team was practicing.  I watched the pitcher and was pretty impressed.  She really hurled that ball!  I never realized how fast the pitching was.  I know would not have been able to hit it, even in my prime years.

    Hell, I had trouble hitting 16 inchers lobbed over the plate.

    Life goes on

Peace and Love

normalcy

 I had a normal day today

    Not much coughing, no mid day nap, no headache.....it was pretty nice!

    Camryn had an orchesta concert tonight and we had planned to go, but Jackie's cough would have been a total distraction.  Plus, I still have an occasional coughing spell, just not as often.

    Thanks to modern technology, we were able to watch it on YouTube TV!  We spent the first few minutes searching for Camryn, only to learn she was in the second orchestra performing.  Once that group came on we found her right away.

    She plays the violin.  It is such a beautiful instrument, capable of producing joy and sadness.  Watching the group play makes me regret not learning how to play an instrument when I was young.  It is a life long gift.

    Emily came over and brought Beth a playmate.  Becky is one of Emily's laid back dogs, but Beth did not welcome Becky into the house.  A lot of growling and snarling from little Beth.  We told her she can't be that way and expect to have furry friends come over to play.  That was no help.

    Emily also brought a key lime pie in celebration of pi day.  Needless to say, it was pretty darn delicous.

    Hopefully tomorrow I will get to the REC and walk a little.  It has been three weeks, and I think I have gained back some of the weight I had lost.  Damn.

    And tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 50s........ that is great news.  I am tired of the cold and snow.

Peace and Love

surprise

 I did not win an Oscar on Sunday

    I admit, I was not surprised.  

    First off, you have to be nominated.

    But mainly you have to be in a movie, or connected to a movie in some way.

    I was not last year.  Or the year before.  Or the year before....... you get the idea.

    Actually, I paid little attention to the awards.  In past years I always tried to see some of the nominees for Best Picture, but Covid seemed to put a kabosh (or is it kibosch?) on that.

    I was impressed by one news item I saw.

    Evidently Lady Gaga was walking in on the runway when a photographer fell.  She turned around, went back, and helped him up.  The only person to offer help, according to the news story.

    I think that says a lot about her.  She does have a great voice and a somewhat weird act, but helping a stranger like that shows she is compassionate and caring.

    When she comes in the area I plan to fall down and hope she helps me up.  And I bet I am not the only one on the ground.

    Funny thing. 

    I woke up this morning refreshed and feeling great.

    Then....BANG!    The bottom fell out.  I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open.  I took a nap a little after 12.

    While I was asleep Julia took care of Jackie and took Beth out, and I slept through it all.

    I woke up with a headache which went away about 5 and I felt great again, until a couple hours later when I got tired again.  I have no ambition.  I just want to sleep.

    I did make supper yesterday with a recipe I found on line.

    The picture of the Italian sausage, long grain wild rice, and peppers looked great.

    However, my dish looked nothing like the one in the picture.  Julia looked at it and dread came over her face.

    After she ate, she asked that I never make it again.  Jackie was of the same philosophy.

    I, on the other hand, liked it.  

    Except for how it looked.

Peace and Love

    

aww geez

 I hate time changes

I forgot that we changed times last night.

So, when I headed off to bed at 11:30, it was really 12:30.  I did set the clocks before I went to bed.

    But I also had coffee yesterday.  I made it it my Mr Coffee type thing.  I think the beans are a little more caffinated than I expect.  I finished my coffee by 2 p.m., but I was still up at 3 a.m.  I just could not sleep..nothing I did relaxed me.

    Eventually I  fell asleep.  Did not hear Julia come in to get Beth, or hear her when she brought Beth back into the kennel.  

    Any hopes of making Zoom church were out the window because that starts at 10:30 and I didn't get up until 10:45.  

    Today, no coffee.  Bed by 11.  Asleep by 2 a.m.   Lofty goals, I know.

    Our Invisible Fence is now working and we are training Beth.  The yard is dotted with blue flags about where the fence is.  Julia and I let her wander the yard and steer her toward the blue flags along the perimeter so she knows how far she can wander.

    Neighbor Jackie came out today and Beth went right over to her, despite the blue flags and slight shock. It's a learning process.

    Every day we are supposed to walk her around the perimeters a couple of times so she is aware how far she can go.

    When she gets too close a high pitched sound alerts her, and she knows to turn back.   Julia can hear the sound, but I can't.  I have not had my hearing aids in for a couple of days, so when I put them in tomorrow I will be listening carefully for the noise.

    Beth's kennel is in our bedroom.  We noticed that she has carried almost all of her toys from the toy basket to her kennel, one at a time.  She seems to like to sleep with them.

    And she still goes into her kennel when she wants a nap.....perfectly happy to snooze away in it.

    Her incision seems to be healing nicely, so everything is looking up.

Peace and Love

here's lookin' at you, kid

I got my "Casablanca" fix today 

    Everyone has a favorite movie.  Mine happens to be Casablanca.

    You can find adventure, suspense, romance, patriotism, and even humor in the movie.

    I am not alone in my ravings....Casablanca is always one of the films mentioned in top 100 lists.

    When I was in high school I had a posters of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman from the final scenes, when she leaves Casablanca.  The faces are in partial shadows and Bergman has a tear running down her cheek.  Bogart looks like he just lost the love of his life.  They were great posters.

    And yes, Ingrid Bergman was the most beautiful woman to walk the face of the planet!  And Bogart was  a man's man.

    There are parts in the film when I can say the lines with the actors.  

    Even though I know what is going to happen, I still pay attention.  The use of shadows and shading on faces always impressed me, and at the end they way the camera goes from one face to another to another....just one face filling the screen.

    I do have favorite parts.....when Laszlo leads the bar in singing The Marseilles, the airport scene, and the roulette scene where the young Bulgarian wins enough to buy black market passes out of Casablanca, to name a few.

    Jackie had never seen it, so she watched it with me.  Well, she watched most of it, but she missed the middle because she fell asleep.  My guess is it did not hold her attention.

    A few years ago I saw it on the big screen and could see details I can not see on the DVD version.  I wish I could see it on the big screen again, I just need to pay attention to art theaters to see if they are showing it.

    By the way.  The words "Play it again, Sam" are never said in the movie.

    If you have never seen it, treat yourself to a classic.

    So....here's lookin' at you kid.

Peace and Love

suggestions, anyone?

 I have several premium services on our TV

    We have Apple, Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, and Prime.

    Now, if that seem like a lot, it is.  But Hulu and Disney+ were a package for less than $5 a month, Julia has Prime and Netflix, and we have Apple.

    Here's where you, my faithful readers, come in to play.  What is good to watch on some of those?

    We have watched Only Murders in the Building, Grace and Frankie, Ted Lasso, Marveleous Mrs Maizel, and a couple of others fairly regularly.  

    But what movies or other shows grab your attention?  We don't like bloody shows or scary shows.  We have a home security system because I was watching Law & Order and NCIS and got really freaked out.  So now I won't watch serious type shows.

    And hospital based shows are out because I always catch the illnesses that show up on the show.  Yes, call me crazy.

    I did watch the first episode of History of the World Part II and was underwhelmed by it.  Just didn't seem as funny as part 1.

    It may be a good movie day tomorrow.  More snow on the way tomorrow....maybe a couple of inches. 

    I want to watch Casablanca again.  I have the DVD of that, so can watch it anytime.  It's been I while since I heard, "Here's looking at you, kid."

    Dog Beth had a bit of a problem this morning....her butt was in the snow when she tried to squat.  Julia ended up taking her on the driveway, where she did a little business.

    Which means..... drum roll, please......day 7 without an accident.

    Oh, happy days!

Peace and Love

roller coasters

Sometimes life just has its ups and downs 

    Snow, no snow. Snow, no snow.  

    It seems to be coming down now.  Pretty heavily, at times.

    We had one of those nights.  I did not hear Julia come in to take Dog Beth out this morning, nor did I hear her come back into her kennel.  I was sound asleep.  I finally woke up at..... hold on to your croissant....10:30.  

    Realize it takes Jackie and me about 2 hours to get to where we can eat breakfast, or in the case of today, lunch.

    When I woke up, I had the same pattern as the past three or four days:  felt really good at first but as the day goes on I don't feel so good.  I am darn tired right now.  My cough is drier, but still there.

    I stayed home from my second meeting of the week.  Both groups meet in smaller rooms and I just did not feel right going and possibly spreading my crud to other people.  And when our cleaning lady came today, Jackie and I sat in the den and we wore masks.

    Beth spent a long time in my lap as I tried to read.  I say tried, because it was hard to pet her and hold the book. 

    I don't think she likes the snow.  I took her out and she immediately began jumping p and down and pulling back toward the house.  Julia took her out later and she did her business and came right back inside.  Wet, but relieved.

    I ordered a nightgown on Amazon.  Tloday we got a box with a cook book in it.  I did not order a book.  Julia did not order a book.  I thought maybe they substituted the book for the nightgown.

    Later Julia was talking to one of her friends in Switzerland and the book came into the conversation.  Turns out the friend sent Julia the book!  Directions were that we had to make some of the recipes.  Mystery solved.  Nightgown on the way.

    Don't worry, it's not for me.  If I was in Tennessee and wearing a nightgown I guess I could get arrested because some people don't want you to be you.  I look at it as a government telling you how to dress.   Shameful.

    But I digress.

    I think that's because I am tired.  And it's not even 9 p.m.

    And I think my days are all off.....accident free for 6 days!   

Peace and Love

    

    

here we go again

 We have a winter weather advisory for tomorrow

    Up to 4 inches of wet, heavy, heart attack causing snow is possible.  

    After a winter with hardly any snow, we now have a pretty snowy couple of weeks under our belts.

    I don't like it!!

    On a positive note,  Cubs home opener is March 30, if I remember correctly.  Another season of hope, optimism, then brutal reality is about to set in for all us die hard Cubs fans.

    I do believe they will challenge St. Louis and Milwaukee for the Central Division. I don't expect them to make the playoffs, but I bet they make some interesting trades mid season and some call ups that will prove to be the nucleus of the next championship.

    And people call me a pessimist.

    Saw an old friend the other day and came home and told Jackie, "I just had a nice conversation with Martha." (Names changed to protect the innocent.)

    Jackie looked at me and said, "She's been dead for years."

    The lady was with someone, so I know she was no  ghost.  And maybe she was not Martha.  

    I felt good yesterday morning, went to DeKalb and did some errands, felt lousy last night and most of today.  But tonight, for some reason, I feel pretty good.  I even have a little energy.  Not much, bu a little.  Jackie, however, is still coughing a lot.

    On the Beth watch:  4 days without an accident!!!!   Hurrah!

Peace and Love

winter still here?

 I thought maybe winter was over

    But there is a winter storm watch for counties west and north of us....I just hope it does not move in our direction.

    Siri says it is 36 outside and I am freezing.  No, I don't have a temperature, but I am cold. 

    We slept well most of the night.  Jackie got me up at 5 to move her to her chair.  I went back to sleep and never heard Julia come in, get the dog out of the kennel, take her outside, then bring her back into the kennel.  

    But I did hear Jackie calling  me at about 9 a.m.  So, I slept well.  She also went to sleep in her chair, so she had a better night.  Sleep and fluids are important in getting over a cold and I keep pushing her to drink more.

    Took my bike to DeKalb for a tune up....ended up going to Sycamore instead because no one answered the phone at the DeKalb shop, the answering machine did not kick on, and the shop was dark when I stopped.  Now I wonder if they are out of business.

    I had to stop at a drug store in DeKalb for some medical supplies for Jackie.  I had a mask on because of my cold.  As I was leaving the store I heard a voice ask, "Is that Terry Dickow?"  I told her it was, but while she was familiar, I had forgotten her name.  She told me and then we engaged in some small talk about the upcoming school board elections.

    My concern is that there are some candidates that are pretty far right in their beliefs.  I sure don't want them dictating their radical approaches to our teachers and administrators.

    Problem is, I don't know enough about all the candidates....just a few.

    We have now gone 4 days without an accident.

Peace and Love

sleep.....sleep....where are you

 Last night was a terrible night

    Oh, no.  Another cold update.

    You are right.

    Jackie feels terrible...congested coughing, really tired.

    I put her to bed at 10 last night.  I was really tired myself, and looked forward to a long sleep.

    At 10:10 she said she was suffocating and needed to sit up.  We sat up.  Then she said to take her to her chair, so I took her to her chair.

    After about 30 minutes she wanted to go back to bed, so I took her back to bed where  she felt trapped and wanted to go back to her chair.

    I took her back to her chair.  Finally, she said take me back to bed.  I took her to bed, and within 5 minutes she was anxious and restless.   So I said, in a not calm voice, it's almost midnight.  I can barely stand.  I have put you in bed four times so either stay in bed or stay in your chair.

    She opted for the chair.

    I know, I should have been more empathetic.  But it is not easy lifting her, not to mention when I am exhausted and the possibility her being drop iincreases.

    I got up several times during the night and she was awake every time, coughing, sneezing, blowing her nose. 

    I don't know if the cold capsules I gave her caused it, or wether it is just the cold and not being able to breathe.

    She said she did not sleep at all, and I believe her.

    Today she did take a nap, so did I, but I think it is going to be a long night.  I hope she just decides to stay in her chair, where her head can be up and maybe she can breathe better.

    Putting Vick's on her to help with congestion, but I am NOT giving her the capsules I gave her last night.

    The bright note is . ..  3 days accident free.

Peace and Love

hack, hack, ahchoo

Th house sounds like a TB sanitarium 

    Not that I have ever been in a TB sanitarium, but I imagine it as a place were people are constantly hacking and coughing.

    That is us.  We should have bought stock in a tissue company.

    Jackie is miserable.  I am tolerable.  Julia is still coughing.  Emily is also sick, so I guess it is a family thing.

    I actually feel more normal today.   I did take a 90 minute nap, and I am still tired, but at least now I think about doing things.

    Time to make another list.  I seem to have lost the other ones, but I have plenty of things to do.  I lay in bad at night and think, "I should have done......." over and over.  But the next day I don't do anything because this cold is just so draining.  But what will my excuse be when I am healthy??

    Enough on that.

    Jackie has run hot and cold all day.  Thanks to Emily, we now have a point and shoot type temperature taker.  Her temp has been around 98 every time I take it.  At one point today she told me to open all the doors and wheel her out on the porch, she was so hot.  5 minutes later she was fine.

    Dog Beth misses Julia.  Because of the spaying, she is not supposed to go up and down stairs.  Julia is downstairs most of the day and Beth wanders the house looking for her.  She will stand at the downstairs door and sniff.  When Julia comes up, Beth is very happy.

    As of this weriting, we are Day 2 Accident Free.  Fingers crossed.

    For a brief time today I felt a little energy, so I went out and cleaned up the yard.  One of the tasks I don't like about having a dog, but one that has to be done.

    I have a question for people who know better.  I bought some grass seed because I have a few bare spots.  Should I wait for it to get warmer or throw it down now?  I kind of think now because it is the wet season, but I don't think it will germinate when it is still so cool.

    I could Google it ..... but I would find 749 other articles and spend the rest of the night not looking for the answer.

Peace and Love

old habits

For the past week I have not eaten a lot 

    The cold left me not feeling hungry.  Thirsty, yes.  I have consumed copious amount of honey infused tea.  

    But today, well.... I feel better.

    And I have been stuffing myself.

    I don't like it.  Now I feel bloated.  I actually liked not eating a lot of stuff during the day.

    Maybe I need to catch the cold again.  

    So tomorrow I will try to contain myself, control myself, approach food with restraint and just say no.

    But it is so hard.

    About a month ago I swore off french fries, potato chips, and more than 1 can of pop a week.  This week I had 2 cans, but for the most part I have kept to my plan.  And for a guy who loves fries and chips, it is hard.

    It has also been over a week since I walked.  Hopefully Monday I can get back on track (no pun intended, although it is a good one) and get back to the REC for some exercise.

    Dog Beth can't walk for a while until she heels from the spaying.  Otherwise I could walk her down to the end of the block and back.  But she has to wait 2 weeks to do that, according to the doc's directions.

        She had 2 accidnets in her kennel last night.  She has never done that, and I think it is just getting her back to her routine.  Maybe the surgery affected her control also.  But today she has been perfect in the house.

    When we go out she does her pooh business and then wants to go back into the house.  I won't let her go, and within a few minutes she is doing her pee business.  I think she just forgets.

    I know!  You are tired of reading about her potty habits!   Sorry.

    This was the weekend for visiting antique and oddities stores.  I had hoped our booth at Pickin Station would have less items than on Thursday, but I stopped down there today and it doesn't look like we sold much.  Too bad for us.  I hope others had better sales.

    That's my life.

Peace and Love

huh!

 The weather really turned south  today

    We didn't even get a drop of rain, despite the warnings and watches posted for the area.

    I am not sad about that, because it was a late, heavy, wet snow.   It is still a strong storm affecting people and I hope they don't lose power or get as much snow as was predicted.

    Looking at photos of parts of California and I am shocked that so much snow could fall!  Amazing.

    I picked up Dog Beth today.  She came through the surgery fine.  When we opened the car doors I think she may have been confused because she was very lethargic and shaking.  But once I got her into my arms to change vehicles she started wagging that tail and licking my face. 

    We have kept her in the kennel most of the day because she ran  around the house like crazy, even jumped up on the couch!  Doctor directions are  to keep her quite and avoid stairs and jumping.  She was very happy to be home.

    She seems perfectly content in the kennel.  She even ate supper in there....her choice.  She sniffed her food bowl and then walked back to ther kennel.  Julia took the food and put it in and she ate.

    Beth had an accident before we left Wednesday.  I'm thinking that she imagines that because of that accident, we took her to a place and they cut on her and kept her overnight then returned her to us.  So maybe she will be afraid to pee in the house again.  Maybe dogs don't think like me.  But I do hope she goes outside regularly.

    I drive back roads to Sterling because that is the shortest way.

    I was going 60 on Flagg Road.  A purple car caught up to me in a hilly section of the road, with double yellow stripes and as we were starting up the crest of a hill, they passed me!  They must have been going a lot faster than me because they quickly were out of sight.

    I was shocked.  I was also afraid there was a car coming and you could not see it because there were several hills. 

    I think some people are idiots.

    Julia and I are still coughing, Jackie now has it, Emily has the crud.....we are just not healthy right now.

    Hopefully we all recover quickly.

Peace and Love

Oh Mr. Bill, thanks for inviting me for hot chocolate

This is a cozy hot tub

Mr. Bill, what is happening to me?

Oh NOOOO!!!   Mr. Billllll!!!!!!

The starting line up for tonight's cold battle.  And no, we don't take all of them!

  

batten down the hatches?

 Will we get a winter storm or not?

    It seems the area south of us will have more snow.  We will have rain, or a mix.  Or maybe nothing.  Or ice

    Weather is a strange dude, eh?

    Tom Skilling of WGN said the models were pretty much equally divided on the snow/no snow issue, but the storm could shift overnight and change everything.

    I am going to get Beth tomorrow morning.

    She came through her spaying experience strong, and we are looking forward to having her back in our house.  

    I had a strange experience yesterday.

    I stopped at a bakery in Dixon.  I won't mention the name.

    It looked dark, but the lights were on in back and there was no closing hour posted for the weekday, just Saturday.

    So I tried the door.  It was open.  I walked in.

    It was as quiet as a mousse.  (A little dessert humor.)

    I yelled hello, nobody answered   I yelled again, a little louder.  Nobody answered.

    At this point I wondered if I should find a policeman.  Maybe they are closed and forgot to lock the door.

    So I yelled one more time, very loudly, "Is anybody here?"

    A voice came from the bathroom:  "We close at 2."

    It was now about 3:30.

    So I yelled, "Ok.  Sorry." and left.

    I could have helped myself to the delicious looking cinnamon rolls on the counter, but I did not.

    But I thought, what were they thinking?  I am an honest person, but there are plenty of jerks around who could have had the run of the place while the person was in the bathroom.

    Lock your doors, people.  Lock your house doors, your car doors, your business doors.....be safe.  

    I was really hungry for some cupcakes too.  Damn it.

    Cold is approaching the end lf day 6.  I actually started feeling bad during our Exit 99 meeting last week and I hope I did not infect any of them.  

    Still have a cough.  Still tired.  

    But we all have our problems, eh?

    Hope yours get solved in your best interest.

Peace and Love

strangeness

 The house is a little quieter tonight

    But it is also a little noisier.

    Jackie has now developed a cough to go along with Julia and me.  I figure by the time I get over  this bug, Jackie will have passed it back to me.  This will go on until July.

    But the main reason it is quieter is because Dog Beth is off for a vet visit.  She is going to be spayed Thursday by a vet in Morrison.  I drove to Sterling with her today, passed her off to Lynn with the rescue service, and will pick her up on Friday, weather permitting.

    When Beth saw Lynn, she basically went limp in her crate.  Lynn picked her up to move her to her car and Beth would not even look at me.    I took her face in my hands and gave her a kiss on the forehead and told her I would see her Friday.  To complicate things, she peed on a dog bed right before we left, so I am thinking she feels she is being banished. 

    But maybe I think too much.

    She didn't lick my hands, or face, or look at me.

    I can imagine she feels we have abandoned her, passed her off to someone else, her third place in three weeks.

    The saving grace was there were two other dogs in crates in Lynn's car and Beth spent the first few minutes barking at another dog and making growling noises.  The other dog returned the favor.  Luckily the other dog was heading to a different location than Beth.

    I say weather permitting, because the forecast is calling for rain or snow or ice or sleet or hail or tornadoes or possibly a cyclone.  Time will tell.

    Now I have to take out our recycling....missed last time and my bins are pretty damn full.  Why do I do this?   Sigh.....just a dreamer, I guess.

    Speaking of dreams, I hope I have plenty tonight!

Peace and Love