yawn

 Not much to say about today

    I had a great nearly 2 hour nap, let Emily's dogs out and went to our first rehearsal for an upcoming play.

    I think I will have trouble sleeping tonight though.

    While I was napping, the mail person tried to deliver a letter that I had to sign for.  No one could answer the door, so I don't know what the letter is about.

    Am I being sued?  Jury duty? Back taxes?  Overdue library books?

    My mind races when I think of all the possibilities.

    Sometimes Jackie gets letters from the city because she is on the library board. If there is an annexation, every board member gets a letter and that has to be signed for by the recipient, or their agent.

    But I am not on any government board.  And I don't want to be on any government board.

    So, I will go to bed and worry until I get to the post office tomorrow.

    The form said I could pick up the letter after Oct. 1.  But does the mean they will attempt delivery again tomorrow?  

    Geez.  I make life so complicated sometimes.  I need to not worry so much about things I can't control.

    Still, the unknown always puts me on edge a little.

Peace and Love

tow be or not toe be

 There are some dedicated collectors in this world

    I have a collection of nutcrackers.  But these are not your ordinary buy at the store nutcrackers.  

    Almost all of them were made in Germany, including some when there was a West Germany and an East Germany.

    And yes, there may be 1 or 2 from some other country, but most are from Germany.

    Jackie has Santas for her collection.  Most are hand carved or hand crafted but some are not.  Some are glass, like the one I bought her at the market in Chicago.  I liked it so much, I bought a second one the next year and wondered why it seemed so familiar.

    We have a display case full of them.  Well, I call it a display case.  But we probably have over 100 of the two types.  

    The girls are not Santa or nutcracker collectors, so I don't know what will happen to them when..... well, you know.

    Which brings me to the topic of Toby jugs.  

    The Tribune had an article about  them today.

    These are from England originally and are ceramic figures of people.  Not just he face, but the entire body although the face is 90 percent of the jug.  Toby jugs have been around for over 250 years,

    A man in suburban Chicago started collecting them when he was a teenager.  When he was stationed in Europe with the military he would send cases of them home.

    After he was married, he still collected them and displayed them in his home.  One day his wife said, "Get them out of here."

    So he converted space in a building into the American Toby Jug Museum.  According to the Trib,  it is open Tuesday afternoons and attracts several thousand visitors a year.

    He died a few years ago, but left provisions for the museum to be funded for five years after his death.

    Well, the time is up.

    His widow and their daughter have begun selling some of the 8,500 Toby jugs.

    8,500!!!

    Sports figures, presidents, royalty, the Beatles, Harry Potter and Star Wars characters..... all will be sold either in parts or as a whole.

    When his widow was asked why she was selling, she had an honest answer.

    Toby jugs were his thing, not hers, and she didn't want to have her family figure out what to do with them when she goes.

    Reading the story, it almost made me want to go to the museum just to see the Tobies!

    An figure out what to do with our nutcrackers and Santas.

Peace an Love

slow learner

I just don't seem to learn from the past 

    For instance:  At the wedding yesterday I had a coffee.  That was about 5:30.  And I had a Coke. Probably around 5.

    Lots of caffeine late in the day.  So at 1 a.m.l as I am wide awake and watching Reels on Facebook, I kicked myself for having caffeine that late in the day.

    I don't think I slept until after 2.  

    Ton night I got hooked on Reels again and spent about 40 minutes watching landslides, floods, police chases and road rage incidents.

    I need to avoid Reels and caffeine.

    We had a great time today with Jackie's brother Bob, his wife Anita, and Jackie's sister Judy.  Bob and Anita are up from Florida to visit family in Illinois.  I think he picked a good time to leave as that hurricane is making life a little difficult.  He said there was no damage in the area where he lives, which is near Ft. Meyers.

    I picked up some Portillo's beef and rolls for supper.  It turned out pretty good, but we do have leftovers.

    We also had a visit from 2 lovely little girls, Nora and Gwen, who seemed to enjoy playing with my blocks and petting Beth.  Oh, their grandparents were with  them.

    A big THANKS to Sheri for feeding Beth and for letting her out  last night .  

    A big THANKS to Kevin and Emily for coming over yesterday afternoon and helping get Jackie up off the floor.

    That's another lesson.  We have a. transport chair and a wheelchair for use in the house.  Don't ask, just know they are different.

    The transport chair is a little narrower and is easier for me to move her into once she gets off the pot.

    So why I use the wheelchair is a mystery.  But I did, and we missed the chair, causing her to hit the ground.  Softly, but she did bump her head slightly.

    Of course, we were getting ready to go to the wedding, so that put us off schedule by about 20 minutes.

    As they say in sports, no harm, no foul.

    Tomorrow is the end of the season for Cubs fans.  Today's game was especially poignant because Kyle Hendricks pitched.  Kyle has been a Cub for 11 or  so years.  He was a key player on the 2016 World Series winning team, and the last member of that team still with the Cubs.

    Kyle has had a rough year.  Early he was horrible, later he was good some games, not so good other games.  Today he pitched almost 7 shut out innings.  When he left the mound, the fans gave him a long standing ovation.

    Kyle hugged everyone in the dugout, then took a curtain call.  It was very moving for a long suffering Cub fan.

    Kyle will be a free agent.  The Cubs have not made an offer to the 34 year old pitcher and probably will not make an offer.  Today could have been his last game as a Cub.

    He realizes that, his team mates realize it, and the fans do too.

    It was touching to see the love they showed for him, and the love he gave back.

    It's a game, but a business too.

Peace and Love

fancy us

 We got all gussied up for a wedding today

    Jackie had a new skirt and top, which Julia helped pick out.  The top has sparkles....glitter, I think.

    You can tell where Jackie has been by following the glitter trail through the house.

    I wore my sport coat, and gray slacks.  I have to say we made a darn nice looking couple.

    Trouble is, we never took our picture to show how nice we looked!  Son of a gun.  You will just have to believe me.

    The wedding was in Delavin, WI and the son of friend Beth was the groom.  We have known Cody since he was born, and even baby sat him a few times.  It was strange to see the little boy grown up and adulting in life.

    We got there about 15 minutes before the wedding started.  Actually, we made pretty darn good time.

    But on the way home we sort of made a wrong turn.  Or two.  Maybe three.  I had the nice lady who tells directions mighty confused, but we eventually got on the right road.

    I use the phone for directions.  I am not sure how I set it, but the directions are never like I thought. 

    For example, today it had us taking backroads all the way. to Delavin, but it seemed to me faster, and safer, to take interstate most of the way.  So we did.

    When we left the wedding facility, I said "Her Siri, directions home."

    Siri answered, "You have no home."'  I was devastated.

    Anyway, nice wedding, beautiful day, good memories.

    Sheri K. let out Beth and fed her while we were gone and was the third person to buy $20 worth of raffle tickets!

    I will be taking her and Emily to coffee one of these days.  But I think I will get the Jonamac cider and caramel at Cypress House in keeping with the season.

Peace and Love

Bath time

 I took a bath tonight

    I have not taken a bath in heavens knows how long.  I'm a shower guy.

    But I have heard several people talk about soaking in a warm bath with Epsom Salts can help relieve muscle pains.

    And boy, do I have muscle pains.

    So I filled our bath tub and discovered something.

    I don't know how to sit down in a bath tub.

    I got in and also discovered the water was a tad hot.  I did my best stork imitation while running colder water into the mix.

    I finally tried to sit.  I had the darndest time getting my body in a sitting position.  I ended up going on my knees then turning sideways, stretching out one leg, turning the other direction, stretching out the other leg and plopping down.

    I also discovered the water near the spigot was a lot colder than the water away from the spigot.  My toes were blue and my legs beet red.  I felt like a lobster.

    It was a nice soak, but I did have one worry.

    How the hell do I get out?

    (Note to Julia.  I know you have an extra deep tub in your house.  Consider putting grab bars on the front or back so people have something to grab onto.  Maybe one along the back also.)

    If I can't get out, who do I call? Ghostbusters?

    I had to act like a contortionist to get out, but I did manage to escape.  

    My long soak lasted about 20 minutes, about half the time I had hoped.  Maybe I'll try it again, if I can figure an easy way to get down.

    I ran into a friend who is a pastor today.  I said to them, "Shouldn't you be working?"

    As I was sipping my    ice tea and munching warm chocolate chip cookies on the patio at Acres Bistro, I realized my comment made no sense.

    As I was leaving I stopped and apologized for saying something totally inane,They laughed , and I just hope they don't think I am a total idiot.  

    But, maybe I am.  I mean, I can't figure out how to sit in a tub!

Peace and Love

stuffed

 We went out for dinner tonight

    It was our friend Sherri's birthday and we went out to our favorite in town Mexican place, which we all call Teca but that is not its full name.

    Anyway, we had a good time.

    This was my dinner.

    It was a chimichanga, and I know that is not spelled right.  Or even close!  Because I had 2 of those big red things also.  Turns out, strawberry margaritas taste pretty darn good!  I did not drive, by the way.

    Julia, Jackie, and I went to see the house.  It is looking good, with the windows in and the roof shingles on.  Every week there is noticeable progress, and Julia expects the house to be done sometime after the start of 2025.

    Luckily she is not in a big hurry, except she does want to move into a house she owns.

    She does have to pick out garage doors and entry doors, which I suspect will be on her list for next week.

    What a beautiful day it was!  My goodness, I wish we had more like this.  I pity the people in Florida.  

Peace and Love

yummy

I had a coffee date today 

    The Flagg Township Museum is having a 50/50 drawing during the Christmas Walk festivities in December.

    I said anyone who bought the $20 ticket package, which includes 24 tickets plus a year's membership to the museum, would also be taken out for coffee by yours truly.

    Well, that happened!

    Friend Jen Kudelka bought the package and I treated her to a coffee at Cypress House.

    Technically, she did not have a coffee...opting for the Jonamac hot cider with caramel, which tasted like a caramel apple.  I opted for the Dark Side of the Moon, but the caffeine free option.

  

    My plan was to sit outside and have a nice visit in the beautiful fall afternoon.  But Mother Nature felt compelled to create a damp, chilly day, so we sat in the greenhouse portion of Cypress House.

    We chatted about life, health, the weather, Santa Clause and a bunch of other stuff before I had to leave to go shopping.

    Truthfully, I should have done this weeks ago.  She got the tickets before the ear thing and I just kept putting it off.   Now that the ear issue is answered, sort of, we made a coffee date.

    Want to join me in a tasty beverage?  Buy $20 worth f raffle tickets and I will treat you. to a Cypress House beverage.

    Today was kind of a fallish day.  Dreary, wet, chilly.  I fell asleep at 1, p.m.,  waking up almost an hour later.  

    And tonight I thought it was bedtime but it was not even 8!  Holy cow.

    The worst news of the day was hearing that NIU is divesting itself of the Lorado Taft Field Campus in Oregon.  All functions end this December..

    In the 70s and 80s Taft was a well known outdoor ed center, with students from all over the US and Canada  It has a vibrant history as an art colony, education center, camp location, and just a cool place to visit.

    Hopefully it becomes part of Lowden Park and the 100 year old buildings can be saved.  There are  newer dormitories there, so maybe the state could turn those into hotel suites for all the non campers in the world.

    It's a place filled with history, nature, and memories.  I will miss it.

Peace and Love

crud

 I guess it is what it is

    I had a visit with my audiologist today.  She retested my hearing and guess what?

    I can't hear in my right ear.

    I have an 80% loss in the ear, as compared to a 20% loss on tests from prior years.

    She suspects a virus caused nerve damage and that the damage is irreversible.  So.... it is what it is.

    She did adjust hearing aid settings and hardware, which will help a little.  But my hearing is pretty much gone in my right ear.

    I go back in 30 days to have a recheck and to see what else could be done in terms of hearing aids.  

    The adjustments seem to be helping.... but I am a little bummed out.

    She said the biggest problem I will have is when I am in a crowd.  She suggested I use my directional hearing and face the person talking to me.  But it will be a challenge.

    It is what it is.

    Julia helped out with supper tonight.

    She popped the boneless turkey breast in the oven and made stuffing.  When I got home I microwaved potatoes for Jackie and me and we all had an early Thanksgiving dinner.  I was in the mood for turkey, I guess.

    Getting to DeKalb took a little longer today.  IL 38 was one lane for a while and I counted about 58 cars that either went west or were waiting for the flag person to let them go west.  It is a busy, busy road.

    I was fifth or sixth in line and the person in front must have been a new driver....they only hit 50 once, and mostly hovered around 40-45.  Plus they hit their brakes on the curve near DeKalb.

    I did the same thing when I first started driving.  Only I had a horse.  

    The drive west was also a bit slow due to one lane.  I guess I will go a different way next time.  It will age a good excuse to buy apple donuts in Malta.  

    And Kim, if you read this, I did not use doughnuts.  I am sorry I bumped you from our fifth grade spelling bee for using the short form.

    I am enjoying some red tonight.  With the coolish weather, I decided a hearty red would go well with my blues.

    It is what it is.

Peace and Love

rain!!!

 There was a welcome rain today

    I hope it is not too little, too late.

    I have been watering my flowers, but that isn't the same as nature providing rain.  Plus, I don't always remember to water them.  I need a new system for next year.

    Jackie and I go to church in DeKalb.  When our minister left, we could not get an interim, so we have been using supply priests.

    And the service time was changed to 9:30.  Now, that may not seem like a big issue, but for us it is.

    It takes a while for us to get going.

    For example, there was a special meeting at 10:30 today that we wanted to attend.

    We got up at 7:45 and made the meeting by 10:36.  Going on that example, we would have to get up at 6:45 to get to the 9:30 service.  That ain't gonna happen.

    And I am sure we could find ways to cut some time off our morning prep, but it won't be a lot.

    Friends of ours suggested going to their church in Rochelle instead, which would save an hour of driving time.

    But I looked around at all the familiar faces and the meeting and thought of al the time we have been together and decided changing churches is not the answer.

    That was my day.

    Tomorrow begins the quest to find a route to DeKalb that isn't under construction.

Peace and Love

birthdays

 We had a mini birthday bash tonight

    Camryn's birthday was Thursday, and she came over tonight to celebrate with us.

    We had pizza and ice cream cake......and was it good!

    It was us, the Kudelka Klan, and Camryn and between the 8 of us I had a hard time following the conversation.  Yes, I couldn't even hear myself talking!

    I did put in my  hearing aids, but that only amplified the sound on my left side.  The right side was still kind of crappy.

    It was a nice night  anyway.

    Speaking of nights, I actually slept last night!  I only got up once and I slept for what seemed forever.  I also took a nap today, so I am well rested.

    The worry about my brain is gone.  Hopefully there will be a solution for my hearing loss in the future too.

    Jackie heard ambulances today and I saw 2 heading west on Flagg Road.  When Julia came back from showing everyone the house, she said my favorite intersection..... Brooklyn Road and Flagg Road.... was the scene of a motorcycle vs car accident.  I hope no one was seriously injured.

    I  hate the intersection because if you are on Brooklyn Road, you cannot see traffic from the west because of a hill.  And people don't do 55 out there.  Sometimes it is like a speedway.

    Driving its serious business and we all have a responsibility to obey the laws and be careful.  I should follow that advice myself.

Peace and Love

and the answer is...

 I opened the MRI box today

    No tumor, no deformities, nothing that would result in my loss of hearing.

    To say I was happy and relieved would be a major understatement.

    The report did note a mild case of "small vessel chronic white matter disease'"  Well that got me wondering, so I Googled that.

    Seems this is a result of not enough blood reaching the brain and is common in people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and the elderly.  I guess I hit all three.

    It is not reversible, but can be slowed down by taking my meds, exercising, and watching what I eat.  Oh, moderating my alcohol intake.  I write this as I sip on a Spanish wine, so you can see how well I will do following all that advice.

    Not life threatening, it can result in memory loss and unsteadiness.  Hearing loss is not mentioned.

    So, back to the audiologist Monday.  I think the plan is to see what my hearing aids can do to improve my right ear, but I am not optimistic they can do much.  I l guess I will go through life, or what's left of it,  in mono.

    I picked up our friend Sam from middle school today.

    I told Jackie I was going to stand by my van with the door open and say, "Hey little girl...want some candy?  Hop into my van."

    Jackie did not think it would be funny.

    Neither did my friend John, who did offer to bail me out after I was arrested.  I forgot to tell him under the no bail law I would be on the catch and release basis.

    So no, I just waited until she got there.

    We had McDonald's for lunch and played a couple of games back at our house before I took her home.

    It made for a fun day for me. 

    While I did check the MRI results on My Chart, I also got a call from the neurologist's  office telling me not to worry....nothing up in my head.

    But we all knew that in so many ways.

    Now it's official.

    The one bummer is I opened the dishwasher to put away the clean dishes and discovered the soap packet did not dissolve.  So I had to run the dishwasher again.  Which means hand washing tonight's dinner dishes.

        That is not mu favorite thing to do now.

Peace and Love

Done

 I had my MRI today

    First off, that sucker is loud!!  It reminded me of the time I got stuck in the dryer with 170 golf balls bouncing around!

    I was asked what kind of music I wanted.  I pointed to my Beatles t shirt and said, "Here's a hint."

    First song I heard was a Rolling Stones number.  Kids today.

    I actually heard a couple of songs in between Gorgon the Giant banging on the outside of my space capsule as I hurtled toward the moon.  That's what it felt like.

A    fter about 35 minutes my first session was over.  I asked Jeff how long I was in the machine and he said, "17 minutes."  It had me fooled.

    We paused while some sort of dye was injected into my body.

    Then it was back into the Hellovator for another 15 minute session.

    It was really weird, it affected my brain!  When I got out, Jeff had morphed into attractive Anita, which they blamed on a shift change.  I think it's a conspiracy myself.  My brain was sucked out and I feel like voting Republican.  I hope that will pass.  I know that will pass.

    Here's my dilemma.  It's like that guy with the cat.  Is the cat alive or dead while in the box?

    I asked how I got my results.  The folks, which I actually called guys when they obviously were not, told me the doctor who ordered the MRI would go over them with me at my appointment.  I said I did not have an appointment with the doc ordering the MRI, but I had one with the Audiologist on Monday. They said that person would have the report.

    Here's my dilemma:  The also said he may post the r results on My Chart and I could check them.  I asked, "Is this a case where they post the result if it is good but don't post is it if the news is not good?"

    They did not answer.

    I'm afraid to check messages in MyChart now.

    A digression.

    Travel to DeKalb is about to get a bit hairy.

    Ill. 64 is under construction, with 2 sections of one lane road, each section about 3 miles in length.  And construction on Ill. 38 starts Monday. 

    I could drive back roads to avoid delays, but I think the only paved back road is the one south of town that goes thru Creston.  

    And finally, Emily and Renee went to see "The Full Monty" at the Paramount in Aurora.  They paid to see partially, or totally naked men.  When I was much younger, I did that for free.

    Sweet dreams!

Peace and Love

whine, whine , whine

 I should have been born rich instead of good looking

    Laugh, but I was a darn cute baby! 

    My mother entered me in a baby contest once and the judges said she had to take me home because I was making the other babies cry.  With envy.

    It wasn't until later in life I developed a goiter and rather plain looking features.

    But, that is not the gist of my mindless ramblings tonight.

    Years ago, police in Switzerland fined a driver 1 million franc for speeding.  In Switzerland, police and courts take into account how fast you were going, where you were speeding, the car, and your personal wealth.

    So rich people who speed pay more than poor people who speed.

    I think that is fair.

    I saw an article the other day where Swiss police pulled over a man for speeding.  No speed was given, but he was driving a Pagani Huayra Codalauga.  

    I have never heard of this car and for good reason.  This one was valued at $7.6 million!  For a freakin car!!

    Its top speed is rated at 274 miles per hour!  Holy crap!

    I believe the driver was on his way to Verbier, an upscale ski resort town close to where Julia used to live.  In fact, she has friends that live there or have a vacation home there, but none of them drive this style of car.

    On the positive side, 274 miles per hour does reduce your commute time.  

    Speaking of being rich.

    Michael Jordan may have sold his home in the suburbs.  It was listed for something like 49 million, but the purchase price is somewhere north of 20 million.

    For a house.

    Yes it has a pool and NBA regulation basketball court, but still.

    Imagine taking 20 million less on your home when you go to sell it.  That's close to me selling our house for half of what it is worth.

    Finally, we have had 2 houses in our subdivision listed for over $400,000 and they both sold very quickly.  That may not help my property tax bill when they reassess in a few years.

    I told Jackie we should sell ours and move into a care facility.  She said no.

    Hell, where would I grow cucumbers if we did that?

Peace and Love

grill not

 I am a little frustrated tonight

    We went to DeKalb for towels.  I know.  But we went.  Stopped at Ollie's.  Should have called Barb, but didn't.

    Also stopped at Headon's on the way home and bought some brats for supper.

    I boil them in beer for about 20 minutes, then grill them.

    Except tonight, I did not grill them.

    The damn grill didn't light.

    This happened the other day, but I used a butane torch to light it.  That did not work tonight. 

    The electric starter is dead (yes I tried changing batteries)  and now it appears the regulator is dead.  Again.  So the question is do I try to get it fixed or replace it?

    And can I fix it myself, or is that above my pay grade?

    Sigh......

    I got a Black Forest sundae at Ollie's.  That is vanilla custard, hot fudge, and cherry topping.  

    It was delicious, and I sat in the shade so I did not make a mess in the car.  Jackie had a cone and sat in the car.  Don't think that is strange.  She sits on my deaf ear side and I can't hear much of what she is saying anyway.

    I had to run into the car when hundreds of yellow jackets swarmed the sundae!  Well, maybe not hundreds but certainly a dozen or so.  Or maybe it was just one.  A byway, I shooed it away and finished in the car.

    Little black bugs drove me in from the patio tonight.  I was enjoying the night air, supper, a magazine and a mojito when I started getting bites from itty bitty little bugs.

    Being highly biting insect intolerant, I went int the house to finish.

    As we drove to DeKalb, and as I sat on the patio, I could not help but notice how dry everything is.  The weather has been dry for at least a week, if not more, and it doesn't look promising for the rest of the week.

    Our part of the Illinois is in drought stage....and that is not good.

    Hopefully Mother Nature will turn on the spigot soon.

Peace and Love

updates

We have new credit cards 

    Our old ones expired.

    In the old days that was not a big  issue.  But now days, it is.

    We do a lot of donations, subscriptions, and regular payments on line, using our credit card.  So today, I spent most of my afternoon, well a lot of my afternoon.....ok, some of my afternoon trying to notify people of the change.

    Some were easy.  I called, talked to a human, and made the change.

    The worst one was Sirius.  I needed my radio number to make th exchange, or my account number.  I figured the radio number was easiest.  Go into the car, turn on the radio, hit 0 and get the number.  

    First off, I could not figure out how to hit 0.  I know, everyone in the world can figure that out but me.

    Next, I had to read the number and write it down.

    Well, let me tell you, that was no easy task!  I used a magnifying glass (thanks Darci) and wrote the first 4 numbers down and it shut off.  So I did it again, wrote the next 5 numbers down, and it shut off.  I finally got all the numbers written down, but it was a challenge.

    I went back into the Sirius website and entered my number only to find out my number does not exist.

    Back to the car.

    Checking the numbers what I wrote as a 3 was actually a B and my 5 was really an 8.

    Back inside, enter the numbers and ...... my number does not exist.

    Back to the car to double check and I discover I wrote one number down twice in the sequence.

    Go back inside , enter it again and voila!  Success!!

    That single change took probably half an hour, but it got done.

    Today we made refrigerator pickles.  

    I have a cucumber problem.  I let them go too long and they get huge and yellow.  I know I should go out every day and check, but I don't.  If I go out once a week it's a miracle.

    Jackie wanted to make 5 or 6 small jars, but we only. had 3 lids.  So I went to the store and bought lids.

    I boiled the lids today not realizing there were 2 difference sizes....one that fit our jars, one that did not.

    I bought the ones that did not.

    The next challenge was to find 3 jars for the new lids, sanitize them, and use those jars, which we did.

    It is really a challenge being me sometimes.

    If anyone wants giant, yellow cucumbers, come on over.

    Or if you are looking for some delicious tomatoes, I can help with that too.

Peace and Love

rabbit holes

 I can't control myself sometimes

    Ok, I can't control myself most of the. time.

    For example.  I was looking at FB today and clicked on the reels section at the top.  

    I watched a couple of floods, then a snow avalanche that seemingly buried the person filming it.  But I don't know what happened to the guy.  Did he survive?  Did they just recover his phone and discover his last words were, "Holy shit...I'm in trouble?"

    And then there are the people playing piano somewhere and someone asks them if they can play a certain song.  When they start, another person whips out an instrument, steps up to sing, or in some other way creates a magical musical moment.

    But I keep seeing the same guy playing the piano!  Is it possible that every time he sits down a magical musical moment happens?  (Notice the repeated use of alliteration.  It is the mark of a true genius.). Or is it all prearranged just to create a Tik Tok moment?

    I was also struck by a photo of the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland.

    I thought it was a fake, so I checked Wikipedia and by golly, it is real.

    The wheel connects two canals.  But the canals are a different height. The wheel opened in 2002 and is 79 feet up.  Boats enter the wheel at the bottom, using a basin constructed for the wheel.  The wheel then turns and lifts the boat up while lowering boats from the upper level at the same time.  The boats at the top enter through a man made canal.  This way the 2 natural canals can be linked.

    Google it.  You will be impressed.

    Finally, I found an article in the Trib that talked about Hobby Horse Championships.

    True.  People use the stick ponies and run obstacle courses, do jumps, and other tricks.  There are American champions and European champions.   Go figure.

    I was looking forward to a good football game tonight.  But to be honest, I think the Bears offense stinks.  They can't complete long passes, run the same failing wide receiver screens, and run the ball up the middle too much.

    It's going to be a long season.

    I guess I might have to pass on looking for Super Bowl tickets.

    Clever, huh?  Pass.  You'll laugh at some point.

Peace and Love

the end is here

This is the end of a hectic week for me 

    It seems there was a lot of stuff to do this week.  Pedicures, doctor appointments, guests for dinner, wine with friends, big trains, laundry, foundation meeting, museum meeting. first play meeting.......  just a lot of stuff to keep me busy.

    Tonight was Whose Live Anyway in DeKalb.

    This is basically Whose Line Is It. the popular improv tv show from years ago.  I love improv.  I love to be a part of an improv group, Exit 99, but we have not done a show in a loooong time.  Too long.

    So tonight we all went to see the Ryan Stiles led group perform at the Egyptian.

    Now, some people may think it folly to spend money on a seat at an improv show when one can't hear out of an ear.  I missed a lot of the dialogue, it's true.  But I heard a lot too.  I put off the sometime garbled sound as part of my hearing problem. but it turns out others had a hard time understanding the show because the words were garbled.  It wasn't just me!

    But I digress.

    I had a great time, saw a good show, and had a lot of laughs.

    It was a wonderful wayto end a hectic week.

Peace and Love

This creature was hanging out at Emily's when I went to let out the dogs

Cinderfella

 I tackled our kitchen floor again today

    If you don't know, it was covered in watermelon juice yesterday after a melon exploded on my counter.

    We Bona mopped it several times.

    Today I took some water, put a little Dawn in it.... like 4 drops....and got on my hands and knees to wash it.  Again.

    Well, it isn't sticky.  But it isn't slick either.  

    Any suggestions would be appreciated.

    We took Jackie out to see Julia's house today and met the next door neighbor.  She seems very nice and explained some of the rules for the subdivision.  Julia has a copy of the covenants, but the lady just wanted to make sure Julia knew to look them over.

    I think they have a quiet hour, but I am not sure.

    That's not a bad idea.

    After 9 p.m., no loud noises, barking dogs, fireworks, screaming.

    But I would like to see some other covenants. 

    By the way, for those of you not sure, covenants are not enforceable by a city or township.  In Illinois they are only enforceable by residents of the subdivisions. If someone breaks a covenant, the subdivision association or a homeowner can sue, in civil court, to be sure the covenants are enforced.

    Covenants I would like to see include:

    No mowing day.  One day a week, decided by a vote each November, will be mower and leaf blower free.

    Wine day. Every Friday evening, from 6 to 7, a neighbor will host a wine or refreshment night in their driveway. ( I actually got that idea from Dan and Linda.  Their new residence has something like that and they really get to know their neighbors.  We met at Acres Bistro for a glass of red yesterday and spent over an hour catching up.  It was a lot of fun.  Theirs might be once a month though.  Digression over.)

    The subdivision will have names that reflect the area accurately.   We once lived on Mill Pond, but there was no mill or pond.  Our subdivision is Hickory Ridge, but finding a hickory tree takes a bit of looking once your get past the first road.  Emily lives in Cherry Hill.  No cherries and not much of a hill either.

    Across the road from us is Indian Creek.  No creek and certainly named prior to the PC emphasis in our country.

    So be honest.   Former Cornfield Estates.  Soy Bean Acres.  Crabgrass Acres.  Honest.  Real.

    Digression 2.  Julia is building in a wooded area.  There are 3 or 4 huge trees right next to her house.        They all hang over the house.  I don't know what kind of trees they are, but I looked at them and said, "I love threes....but these have to go."  With the severity of storms increasing, the likely hood that one or more of these trees will come crashing down on her house also increases.

    I think the builder has reached the same conclusion.  A crew is coming out to remove the ones hanging over the house.  It's a shame, but for safety sake it needs to be done.

    Hopefully she will get some firewood out of the removal.

    That's my covenant for tonight.

Peace and Love

Boom!

 We had 2 minor explosions at home this week

    No, do not fret.  We are not harmed.  The house is fine.  

    I bought a new toy at HyVee on Monday.

    It works on the same principle as the apple slicers.

    I also bought a watermelon Monday.  I told Julia I wanted her to take a video of me cutting the melon this afternoon.

    At 6:30 this morning, she woke me up and told me to come into the kitchen.

    Here is what I. found.

    I have never seen a watermelon explode!  For  some reason, this one did.  It was fine last night!

    After it exploded it seeped down he front of the cabinet and into the silverware drawer, the towel drawer, and the foil and wax paper drawer.

     And it covered half the kitchen floor.

    And it smelled.  A terrible smell that still lingers in the house.

    So, Julia and I started cleaning up.  I realized  the silverware had to be washed, the silverware divider tray had to be washed, and so did the towels and other linens in the second drawer.  The bottom drawer also had some juice, but not as much.  All we had to do was toss out some packaging.

    We mopped up the floor with rags.  While I cleaned out the drawers, Julia mopped the floor with our Bona cleaner.  Then she mopped them again.  Then she went to work and I mopped again.  And again.

    Meanwhile, 2 loads of laundry were done, one with the rags, the other with the soiled dish towels.

    The dishwasher had been started.

    The drawers were cleaned;  wiped down my Julia, waxed by me, and the fronts were wiped off and waxed.

    And I did the floor again, this time breaking the Bona mop.

    The floor still does not feel right.  It is not sticky, but it is not smooth either.  I think tomorrow I will get on my hands and knees and do it again.

    The other explosion happened Tuesday night.  Jackie and I were watching the Cubs game from bed.

    The Cubs' pitcher put a Dodger on base in the ninth inning.  The runner made it to third in a 6-3 ballgame, so he really didn't matter much.

    The batter was Max Muncy, who is a power hitter.  The pitcher got 2 pitches into the at bat and had a panic attack, grabbing his chest, bending down, breathing hard.  After the trainers checked him out, he threw a really bad pitch.  His next pitch was cranked in the air.  Everyone thought it was a home run.  Fans in the stands were reaching out to catch the ball.

    PCA, or Pete Crow Armstrong, came out of center field, leaped in the air like he was going for a dunk, and grabbed the ball right in front of a fans hands!  I gave a yell, followed by a loud "holy cow!"

    I told Jackie I was putting the W flag out right then, and clomped through the house, turned on the lights, and stepped outside.

    I found this.

    Only it wasn't on may chair, it was sitting right in front to the door.  So I said, "Hey little,buddy!  You can't sit here!  Don't you have a home?  You'll get squashed here."

    Julia came out of the bedroom and  asked, "What's wrong?  Who are you talking to?"

    I then explained the PCA catch.  She is not a baseball fan.  And I told her I was talking to a frog.

    She said, '"It's after midnight I was asleep.  I thought something was wrong. with all the yelling and stamping around."

    She went to bed, I went to bed.  I don't know where the frog went.

    Tomorrow I'm buying another watermelon.

Peace and Love 

sadness and hope

 I can still see the images on tv

    A jet hitting a tower.  Then another jet into the second tower.  Then the collapse.  And the Pentagon.  A field in Pennsylvania.

    The worry about friends and family living in NYC.  The tears as the death toll of civilians, fire fighters, EMTs, and police rose.  

    The horror of seeing bodies falling out of one tower, those seeking a faster death than the one they faced.

    The messages from people aboard a doomed jet to their families, friends, or loved ones as civilians fought terrorists and winning, willingly put the plane into a field.

    The feeling of unbelief  as it all unfolded.

    Students in my class would be in their early to mid 30s by now.  I doubt they will forget the days of fear and uncertainty that followed.  I know I never will.

    It changed our lives forever. 

    But it also showed an America that was united in the sorrow and in the anger.  

    We made flying safer.  We regulated what can be brought on board.  Changes were made to how security operated at airports. No fly lists were expanded.  We started taking off our shoes.

    I hope you took time to remember those whose lives ended that day, and those who lost family members, and those who developed cancers and other diseases because of their exposure to the dust and smoke.

    Let us never forget the heroes and the victims of that day.

Peace and Love

    

    

    

excuse me

I love to travel 

    I have been to places I had never dreamed of visiting because my daughter lived in Europe for 20 years.

    I went down a slide in an underground  salt mine in Salzburg, visited David in Florence, saw the Last Supper in Milan, visited Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and beloved Switzerland.

    I have walked Omaha Beach, visited the Verdun battlefield, riden in mountain gondolas, walked in Cinque Terra and sat in St. Marks square in Venice.

    Twice I biked through the Holland countryside. Once I hiked to the top of a mountain and stayed in a hut in Switzerland.  I sledded down a mountain in the summer in Switzerland.

    Last year I went to London and Liverpool, and Switzerland.

    If I could, I would go someplace tomorrow.  But life changes.

    And if Julia didn't live in Switzerland, there is a 95 percent chance I would never have gone to Europe.  I am fortunate.

    I have been reading a lot about tourists and how they are overwhelming towns.  Even some cities in Alaska are looking at ways to minimize the number of tourists visiting.

    Earlier this year residents of Barcelona, armed with water pistols, squirted people they suspected of being tourists.  Venice is charging a  fee to visit.  Today I read that Austria has more visitors per resident than any other country, and it causes problems.

    Traffic.  Litter.  Crowd congestion. Inflated prices.  Shortages of available affordable housing for the locals.  All these seem to be complaints about tourism.

    I am glad I went when I did, because that was not as much of a concern as it is now.  Seems since Covid people have begun to travel more and farther.  And the cruise ships have gotten larger and larger.

    Even Rochelle faced some problems Sunday, when an estimated 60,000...... yes, 60,000!  people came to see The Big Boy steam engine.  Roads were packed, the tollway had cars lined up for miles on the shoulders as they inched toward the entrance ramps.  Back ups on 251 extended for miles.

    Getting across town was a nightmare.

    And when I tried to order a Starbucks, my drink was sold out!  That has never happened!!  It wasn't even pumpkin, just a plain vanilla latte.  Imagine.

    I wonder if the stores that stayed open on Sunday benefited from all the people.  I certainly hope so.  I especially hope someone bought my box of train stuff at Pickin Station.

    But I think a lot of Rochelle residents were glad this happens once every 4 or 5 years.  I can't imagine what it would be like more frequently.

    Go Cubs.  Go ,la!

Peace and Love

    

hurting hammies

Today I paid the price for my long walk 

    My hamstrings are killing me.  Figuratively, not literally.

    But they did cause a bit of a problem today.

    Jackie and I had our toe nails done.  I move her from her wheelchair to the salon chair, which is about 4 inches higher than the wheel chair.

    I have never had a problem doing this.  But, and here's the big butt, I never waked 97 miles in 110 degree heat the day before either.

    So I picked her up, and my right hamstring went "twang".  I think it was a high C, or maybe that was me screaming.

    Anyway, she went back into the wheel chair...barely.  Salon staff then helped and we got her into the chair.

    Getting out of the chair is easy because it is a drop down.  A little painful, but easy.

    So....I think it is time I start looking for someone to give in home pedicures.  Now, I might continue to go, but I am not sure about moving Jackie.

    We have briefly talked about buying a second car for me to just run around in.  

    Briefly goes like this.

    Me.  I think I should get a smaller car when Julia leaves just to drive around.

    Her. No

    That's about as brief as it can get.

    But I saw a new electric vehicle called a Spectre.....which might also be the name of the criminal circuit in some James Bond books I am reading.If so, I think it is a bad choice for a name.

    Major digression:  I am on Thunderball, which I think is the 7th in Ian Fleming's series.  Bond has only said he wanted his martini "shaken, not stirred" one time, and that was when he was a prisoner on Dr. No's island.

    Any way, the Spectre, if I have the name right, is a top of the line EV will all the bells and whistles.  I think it goes 500 miles without a charge, which is great.  That would allow me to drive around town a lot between churches.

    Rolls Royce makes it and the starting price is only $400,000.  But the model that was tested listed at $560,100.

    For one car.  

    If a person can afford to pay half a million dollars for a car, they can pay an addition 20 percent in income taxes.

    Just saying.

Peace and Love

Mr. Mistake

I was a bloody fool today 

    I know, some of you are snickering and saying, "Today?"  

    But I did something stupid.

    Those of you who know me understand that I tend to act rashly, spur of the moment, off the cuff.  I don't always plan things out, believing spontaneous actions are quite fun.

I went to see The Big Boy today.  That is the gigantic UP steam powered engine currently on tour.

    I wanted to go as early as possible.  So I left the house even before the Bear game started.  Instead of going thru town, where traffic was impossible, I went the back door. I got to Brush Grove Road and headed to the parking area.

    Here was my first surprise.

    This was approaching the facility from the west.  At this time, which was about 11:40.  Instead of pulling into the parking lot, I decided to follow what others were doing and park on Brush Grove Road and walk the rest of the way. 

    I got out of my car right after the Bears first possession and walked.  And walked.   And walked.  It took me 40 minutes to actually get to the rear of the train.

    Now, I am a 7 f-in 6 year old man who has had an issue with balance for the past 4 weeks.  I did not bring water, sunscreen, or anything that would have helped me.

    I even texted Julia and told her if she doesn't hear from me again, check the local hospital.

    But I got to see the train up close.  It is truly impressive.  It's too bad the cars were not open for viewing, but I can understand why.

    UP was passing out little bottles of water, so I grabbed 2 for the walk back.  I was dreading that.

    I also found a seat under a tent and sat for a few minutes. 

    As I started back I noticed a 6 passenger golf cart with 3 people on it.  Turns out it was a shuttle to the entrance to the parking lot, which cut my walk back to the car down by about 15 minutes. 

    As I was walking I noticed people my age were also parking on the road and walking to the train.  I pondered yelling, "Don't go...get in your car...save yourself," but hey would have put all that on the ravings of a deranged lunatic.

    It was hot.  And sunny.  At one point I saw camels.  Or elephants, they seemed to look the same.

    I got back to the van.  Well, I got back to a van that looked like ours but wasn't.  So I continued walking and was shocked at how far people had parked.  Farther than me!  They might have been in another zip code!

    I posted a video of the cars parked as I drove home.

    Then I had to pick up the hoses because my young man was coming to mow.  I went to let Emily's dogs out because she worked today.  After the dogs, I decided to drive into town for an iced vanilla half can latte but when I tried to order on line I got he message that it was sold out at the Rochelle Starbucks.

    Sold out!!!

    Julia's friend said traffic on I-88, the tollway, was backed up from 251 to I 39 because of cars getting off to go see the train.

    People had said 30,000 would be here to see The Big Boy, but I bet there was more than that.

    I managed to watch about 2 minutes of the Bears game.

    While I was letting out the dogs, Julia was making a salad and cookies for us to take to the block party.

    That was a lot of fun.  Met some new neighbors, visited with some I knew.  But again, I sat on the outside and did not mingle very much, although I did go talk to 2 new people.  That is a giant step for someone like me.

Peace and Love

Holy cow

 Today was.a pretty historic c day

    NIU beat Notre Dame in football.  At. Notre Dame!

    I watched/heard 3/4 of the game and every time ND got the ball, I figured it was going to be over soon.  But that never happened.

    Years ago, when Northern was first starting to step up, I watched the Huskies beat....Bowling Green?  Kent State?  Friend David from Maryland was there, and if I remember it was cold and rainy.  It might have even been homecoming.  It was the first time NIU beat a MAC school. 

    That was exciting, but does not compare to the ND win.

    To be truthful, I told someone it was being like lambs being led to slaughter and wondered why they would agree to play a football powerhouse on. their turf.  Boy, was I wrong.

    Jackie felt better tonight, so we went to see Godspell.  The VCCT folks did a great job with the show. 

    Of course, I could not hear the dialogue very well, and some of the singers were hard for me to get, but I enjoyed the show.  I just do not like listening to things in mono. 

    My frog friend is not by the light tonight.  I guess it is too cold for him.  The temp on the car read 52.  I guess Autumn is coming.

    I still have trouble sleeping.

    Last night I went back to my comfort blanket, the one I have been using for the past year or so.

    I got so hot, I was sweating.

    So I got up and used my cooling blanket.

    After a few minutes I was very cold, so I got my third blanket, the sleeping bag insert.  I also took a sleeping aid at about 2:30.  That always seems to be the magical time for me.  I get up to pee, get a drink, grill a steak, pee again, at 2:30.  I think I have an alarm in my head.

    Beth sleeps in Julia's bed.

    I can't remember if it was last night or the night before.

    I was wondering the house, then went back to bed and Beth started barking insanely!  The neighbors to our west had their motion detector light on in the back, and I think Beth detected a deer.  I took her out and she sniffed like crazy around the yard.

    After she went back to Julia's bed, I went to bed and Beth whined and whined until Julia took her out....on a leash, just in case.

    That dog must have a great sense of smell.

    Tomorrow will be a busy, busy day for me.  I wonder if I will do all I want to do.

    Time will tell.

Peace and Love

I miss 2016

 I loved seeing Anthony Rizzo again

    Yes, he is now wearing a Yankees uniform, but I love what he did for the Cubs and for Chicago.  He was/is a great person.

    Funny, last night when I was folding my laundry, I turned on the TV and Marquee sports had the 2016 NLCS final game.  The Cubs were ahead 5-0, it was the top of the eighth and I sat down and watched it while folding.

    Now folks, we all know how the story ends.

    But it was great seeing it again.

    Chapman got the Dodger batter to hit into a double play:  Russell to Baez to Rizzo and the Cubs were advancing to the World Series.

    To see the faces of the players, team personnel, fans....some with tears streaming down their faces, well, it was a bittersweet moment.

    My mother was a Cub fan and never saw them win a World Series.  She may have read about  the 1945 Series, but I know she did not go or watch it on TV, which was not common yet.  Maybe she listened on the radio, but she was raising 2 boys and might not have had time.

    I loved Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billie Williams, Ryno, the Hawk, Grace, Ramariz and a bunch of other greats who I could name but not spell.

    But the 2016 Cubs..... I loved every one of them. 

    The window closed too soon.  Russell was charged with domestic violence, Schwarber  was let go to save money, Rizzo and Baez traded for future stars  Some retired, like Zobrist.  Some are still playing, Soler, Schwarber, Rizzo, Chapman, CJ (I think)  and when they are not hurt, Bryant and Baez.

    I hope they realize how much excitement they brought into our lives during that incredible season.

    I watched the Rizzo tribute today and thought he would choke up.  I did.  Then the standing ovation his first at bat.  Fans still love him.

    I had a couple of missed opportunities today.

    I should have gone to the game.  I would have had to plan. that months in advance, but it would have been cool to see him.

    I should have checked to see when the Big Boy steam train was coming into Rochelle.  A couple of FB friends posted pictures and videos of it moving through the countryside west of Rochelle.

    We bought tickets to see Godspell tonight, but MS has a funny way of making people not feeling well enough to go places.  That happened tonight.  So I am sitting home and going to watch......the Packers in Brazil.

    When we tuned it in on Peacock it was available in 2 languages:  Spanish and Portuguese.  I found the Spanish version weird because Brazil speaks Portuguese.  But we found the English version on You Tube.

    Go figure.

Peace and Love

ho hum

 Just another day in paradise

    I did manage a short nap.  I emphasize the word short.

    We have a cleaning lady who comes every other week.  So today while she was here I tried to grab a nap on my front porch chair.  

    I have a hard time, again, getting to sleep at night.   Too many thoughts running thru my head.  Like, the word thru.  It can also be spelled through.  The publisher of the Tribune back in the 20s insisted on thru because it was easier for the reader and type setters. I can imagine him pushing tho for though.  But I digress.

    I took a couple of items down to Pickin Station.  Linda and I no longer have a booth, but we can leave items on consignment.  I had some train related stuff, and since the Big Boy is going to be in town, large crowds are expected.  I hope some of them visit a lot of our stores.  I hope someone buys my stuff foo.

    For those of you who don't know, Big Boy is a steam driven engine.  A huge steam driven engine.  It tours the country for the Union Pacific and draws huge crowds of train enthusiasts.  Our public viewing day is Sunday out at the intra modal facility. (Or inter modal.....I don't know and I don't care.)

    Several people have told me crowds of up to 30,000 are expected. 

    I missed it the last time it stopped in Rochelle.  Jackie and I were visiting Julia in Switzerland, and I think Emily went down to take pictures but the place was packed.  Hopefully viewing will be easier this year.

    I also stopped at Cypress House for a decaf Dark Side of the Moon.  I am having trouble handling caffeine.  I had some iced tea yesterday and tossed and turned until all hours.  Hopefully tonight will be better.

    Big change a comin' in our weather!!  Just hope it rains.

Peace and Love

soaked

 Well, that was an interesting experience

    I was outside moving some hoses when friend John called.  We had a nice chat, as we always do.

    After I hung up I hooked up the hoses to my timer, planning on watering the 2 new pine trees.

    I also had to water the plants on the front porch.  About Sept. 1, sometimes much earlier, I sort of lose interest in the plants out there.  But they still look good despite my neglect.

    I dragged the hose to the porch, turned on the water, and proceeded to water the plants.

    Here's where it gets weird and not a JD Vance weird either.

    I guess I did not have my belt in the right loop, because my pants started to slip down.  Then they started to fall down.

    Not wanting to be reported as an exhibitionist, I quickly grabbed the pants  with the hand holding the hose.  I got soaked.  And the water was cold.

    Oh well.  Could have been worse.

    I hung my bike up today.  I had hoped to ride 300 miles this summer.  But that was May.  By the time June came around, I had hoped to get 200 miles in before the end of October.  But it got hot.  My hearing went, and with it my sense of balance.  I did not want to risk a broken bone by falling off the bike.

    So my total for the year was......2 . 2 miles.  I did not even break a sweat.

    There is a little girl across the street who always says hello to me.  "Hi Terry," she will yell.

    One day she yelled, "Terry we have magnets in our garbage can.  Come see."

    So I did.  But they were not magnets.

    I think when we put dog poop in the garbage cans, flies like it.  And flies produce magnets.

    I took my garbage out last night.  It was full of magnets.

    Tomorrow I will wash it and toss in a little bleach to deter magnets from returning.

Peace and Love

song lyrics

I have had a couple of songs stuck in my head 

    I can understand "The Nanny" being there because Jackie watches it at night when we are in bed. 

    I am cleared up on a couple of things.  I thought  the nanny worked in a barber shop, but it was a bridal shop.

    Ok, I am cleared up on one thing.

    I have also had "When the moonlight turns to June light I'll be on my way."  I believe Paul McCartney wrote that during his infatuation with Buddy Holly and the Crickets.  And If I remember correctly, which is always suspect, John Lennon hated the song because of its simple lyrics.  June light?  C'mon.  But it was early in the lads' career.

    For 2 days now I have been singing, softly to myself or in my head, "raspberries, strawberries the good wine we brew....here's to the girls with the golden curls, the ones we drink them to."

    I don't know why.  I have it in my head.

    So I Googled it. 

    The Kingston Trio recorded the song back in the 60s.  I loved the Trio.  Listened to all their albums when I was a teen and interested in folk music.  I know, they were not actually folk singers, but their songs were pretty neat.

    Who can forget "Charlie and the MTA?"  Or "hang down your head tom Dooley?" or "They Call the Wind Mariah."

    But the funny part is I remember the words differently.  They actually sing, "raspberries, strawberries the good wine we brew, here's to the girls in the countryside, the ones we drink them to."

    Where did I get the golden curls?

    Oh well.

    Another disappointing game for the Cubs.  As I type this, it is 5-0 in the ninth.  The Cubs were 3 games away from the last wild card spot and 2 losses in a row will not help that.  Guess I am waiting till next year, again.

Peace and Love