damn them

 We got burned on an on line order

    Jackie saw an ad and went to the website.  She ordered 4 items from Astoria Jewelry.

    When she got the items they were not as shown.

    So I asked about a refund.

    They said to send a picture.

    I did.

    They responded that the picture did not match the order, there was a "minor  deviation."

    Then silence.

    I e-mailed again.

    Silence

    I e-mailed again.

    This time they said I had to send a picture.  I. told them that was done and I wanted to return the items and have my credit card credited.

    Today they said all I have to do is fill out a form, submit the form, once it is submitted they notify me and I can return the items to China.  Not to their store.  To China.

    I replied that I don't see how they can sleep at night running a business like that, knowing that it is going to be super expensive to return the items to China.

    I also told them I wished the Bird of Happiness crapped on their heads.

    I will contact Capital One, but my guess is there is not much that can be done since the return    wwindow has now closed.  But I will try.

    Lesson learned.  Don't buy stuff from Astoria Jewelry.

    Aside from that, my day was pretty ok.  Had a hearing aid check up, in Sycamore and sometime I replaced smoke detector batteries, although I am so tired right now I don't know if I did that yesterday or today.

    I stopped in Walgreen's and there was a sign:  Buy 2 Dr. Pepper products and get 3 free.  The 12 packs were $11 each.  I checked to make sure the sign was correct, and it was.  So I bought 5 cartons of pop for $22, which is less than $5 a carton.

    Now that would not be a problem except there was similar deal at Hy-Vee last week on Pepsi products.

    Due to my inability to pass up a bargain, we now have 13 cartons of pop!

    And at Target they had buy 2 Tides, get one free.  Each one was $12, so I actually got 3 for $24, which was a great deal.

    When I die the kids are going to go, "What the hell??"

    Hopefully we will use it all before then.

Peace and Love

flexible

 If nothing else, I am flexible

    And no, I don't mean bending over to pick something up flexible.

    Or downward dog or butterfly yoga  positions flexible.

    I mean able to adjust my plans quickly.

    Emily had a dog issue today.  One of her dogs was playing too rough and ended up with a cut on its foot.  Emily took the pup to the vet, but she had to be at work.

    Someone was needed to pick up Fiona, so I offered.  That way Julia did not have to take off work.

    Jackie was feeling better, so I wasn't too worried.

    All went well.  Fiona is a good van rider!

    When I got home I texted friend Kevin to see if he had 5 or 10 minutes to move Tyson the Bison and also the grill.

    And yes, I renamed the bison.  He is now to be known as Tyson, or at least until I forget what I named him and decide to call him Todd.

    Before I left to get the dog, I ran the dishwasher.

    I had to run it because I started it last night but the soap packet did not dissolve.

    Imagine my surprise, and vexation, when I opened it to empty it and the soap packet had not dissolved.  Again.

    So I put a new packet in and ran it again.

    In the meantime I stacked breakfast and lunch dishes on the counter.

    When I opened the machine again at about 6:30 the new soap packet had not dissolved.

    I am not one for excessive water use.  But I also don't think that rinsing dishes 3 times is as good as washing them.

    So I stacked upper dishes on the counter and ran it again.  

    I said it had better work because I was not going to wash all those dishes by hand!

    The fourth time was a charm.  This time I just tossed the soap packet into the bottom of the washing bin.  I just opened it and the soap packet was nowhere to be found.

    It has to be the packets, right?  Twice the soap drawer opened and the packet fell to the bottom at some point.  One time the packet never left the soap tray.

    Are my hands wet when I touch them, causing them to stick in the drawer?  Are the packets bad?

    Is the world really round?

    I guess from now on I will just toss them into the bin.  

    But it does kind of irritate me.

    Not as much as gold plated ballrooms, but still......

Peace and Love

 

plan?

 Our lives have to be flexible

    For example:  I changed my ear appointment to Wednesday because we had help coming this afternoon  Because we had help, I was going to Rockford with a list of errands and items to purchase.

    The Fickle Finger of Fate intervened.

    Jackie has had a slight stomach issue and I did not feel comfortable going away.

    So I washed flower pots, picked up yard stuff, and damn near froze my ample butt off.

    My hands feel like sandpaper.  It must have been the water and cold that affected them, but they do feel awful.

    I tried to bring Bill the bison in, but he is too awkward to lift by myself.  I also have the grill to bring in for the winter, which is a 2 person job.  Otherwise almost all the summer stuff is in the garage.  Almost.

    The bad news is I have a huge problem with my raised bed gardens

    I used 2 2 x 12 boards for each side, making the garden 24 inches high.  One of the boards has bowed, and it is a top board, so now there is a half inch gap where the soil can "leak" out.

    And my bigger garden is bowing at the side.  No dirt comes out, but it is just a matter of time before the side collapses.

    My winter project will be one of thought.  Do I want to remove the dirt and rebuild the planters or do I just take them apart ad hot have a garden. 

    Sadly either option is a lot of work, work that this 77 year old may not be able to do.

    There is a lot of dirt that would have to be moved.  I wonder if a landscaper would be willing to do that, if they haven't all be rounded up and deported by spring.

    I took the handle off my yard sweeper to make it easier to store for winter.  There is a cotter pin that holds the handle on to the frame.  I figured to put the pin back in the bolt and leave it in the handle so I don't lose it.

    I dropped the little SOB 7 times before I finally got it in!

    At least I won't lose it until spring.

    Geez.....winter isn't even here and I am thinking spring.

    Time flies.  So do ducks.

Peace and Love

who knew?

 Sometimes I am just surprised

    Not like when I find a dusty M & M buried in the couch.  

    Or when the Bears score a touchdown.

    I am not even surprised when someone says they are not going to rip down part of a national treasure and then they rip it down.

    But I am surprised at people who buy......well, I am not sure what to call it.

    Remember Rosebud?  The sled in Citizen Kane?  The sled thrown into the fire a the end of the movie?  That Rosebud?

    It seems there are 3 surviving Rosebuds in the world and one of them sold for $14.75 million.  For a prop in a movie.  

    It doesn't seem to have any historical significance, but it does have a cultural significance.  I guess.

    Much like a pair of Dorothy's ruby red slippers that sold for about $30 million.

    Darth Vader's light saber used in the battle with Luke sold for $3.6 million.

    What??

    Can you imagine the buyers having kids? 

    Halloween is coming and junior is out with his Darth Vader costume and his dad's light saber.  (I say dad's because I don't think a woman would be inclined to spend that much money on a light saber.)

    I hesitate to guess what happens to the person who puts Dorothy's slippers on as part of their Halloween costume. 

    Winter finally comes and  little Ian wrecks his granddad's sled going down a super steep hill, only to have granddad have a massive heart attack upon seeing the wreckage of Rosebud.

    The rich are sure different from us, aren't they?

    Speaking of movies, I went to bed last night with a vision stuck in my brain. 

    It was from a movie, or book, maybe both.

    A man goes into a gypsy camp to get some help in a plot.  Two women get in an argument and they are bound at the wrists and given knives to fight to the death.  As they woman juke around each other, gunfire opens and the gypsy camp comes under attack

    The man, who I thought might be Bogart but not John Wayne, grabs the girls and saves them.  The gypsies fight off the attack and the plot continues.

    That was all I remember.

    You would think that I would not be bothered, but I was. 

    So at 2:30 this morning I Googled gypsies in movies.

    From Russia With Love with Sean Connery was on the list.

    I have seen the movie, and read the book, but I have no idea what the context was for him to be in the gypsy camp.

    But it sure kept me awake!

Peace and Love

worldly

I have taken a gastronomic world tour 

    I don't know if that is a word....gastronomic....but I am using it.  It is not underlined in red, so I think I am correct.

    Well, not quite a world tour.

    We had Italian beef Monday and pizza,  accompanied by a great Italian wine, last night.  I thought it might have been one Julia left behind, but she said she bought 2bottles for me.  I have 1 left.

    Tonight we had Chinese.  Julia ate out with a friend in DeKalb and brought some Yen Chens for us.  

    Last Monday I had some wine from Switzerland.  

    And tonight I am having a Canada Dry Ginger Ale.

    Four countries contributed to my gut this week.

    I bought some tree feeder spikes.  Directions say to pound into the ground, but do it after a rain when the ground is soft.

    Well.... I did not do that and I tell you, it was hard as hell!

    I gave up after 3 trees.  I have 11 more to do. 

    We got a little rain today, but I don't think it is enough to soften the ground.  So I will grab a huge tent stake and make a pilot hole with that.  If I get them started, I am sure they will go in.

    I got out the ladder to check out my security light.  Sure enough, I did not put the bulb in tight enough.  As soon as I tightened it, the light came on.

    Once upon a time a young fifth grader came up toe me and asked, "Mr. Dickow.  What is the difference between a pregnant lady and a burned out light bulb?"

    I admitted I did not know.

    "You can unscrew the lightbulb," he said.

    I told him not to repeat the joke.

    Silently, I did laugh.

Peace and Love

TGIF

 Friday is always a special day

    End of the work week.  Payday.  Pizza night.

    Thanks to Sheri, we had pizza tonight!  Not only did she bring out the supper, she brought some super desserts.  We had a great time chatting and laughing.

    We also had a great bottle of wine.

    To be honest, Julia provided the wine. 

    I found a couple of bottles of an Italian wine in the basement, and I know I did not buy them.

    When she moved her collection, she must have missed these 2.  And I am glad she did.  It was a great wine!

    The evening wa a nice way to end the day.

    Jackie had 2 doctor appointments in Sycamore, so we spent a few hours over there.

    I made a huge date mistake.  Again.

    I thought our friend was coming Wednesday while I went to Rockford.  But she is coming Monday.  I had an ear appointment set for Monday, but in between Jackie's appointments I managed to reschedule the ear folks until Tuesday.

    So Monday will be my Rockford day.  I  think

    When we got home I managed to get in a bike ride. (Laurie, you inspired me!)  It was sunny, calm, but damn chilly as I rode.  I went around the block 2 times, but was too cold to go a third.

    Instead, I froze my butt off mowing part of the yard.  I will finish tomorrow.

    All in all it was a pretty fun, busy day.

    Tomorrow I have to finish mowing, trim a bush, and finish washing out pots.  I hope the temps are conducive to working outside.

    By the way, I have not used conducive in a sentence in 100 years.

    The wine is making me smarter!!

Peace and Love

fall

I love fall

    The crisp nights and brisk days.  The colors of the trees.  The lack of insects.  A final law mowing, or two but the end is in sight.

    Pretty soon there will be snow on the ground and we will be wishing for warmer temperatures.

    But right now it is time to enjoy fall.

    Jackie had her hair done today and afterwards we drove around looking at the various hay bales.  We did not see them all, but we saw several.

    I had an Amazon item to return, and it had to go to a UPS drop off.  I went to Petro, which is where I always go with a UPS package, (except when I went to the post office and they informed me the were the USPS, not UPS).  Drove out there and discovered Petro is no longer a UPS drop off.

    So I went back to close to where Jackie had her haircut and used a drop off box there.    Just seems strange that there are so few drop off boxes in town.

    We got home in time for me to mow the field for the last time.

    As I got near the back, I discovered deer were using one of my sugar maples as a scratching post!  The bark was scarred and damaged.  Last year a deer took out my gingko tree, I assume using that as a scratching post.

    I had some drainage tile  in the garage, left over from when we built the house 13 years ago.  I slipped that around the tree trunks of 2 of the trees, hopefully that will keep the trees safe.

    I had restaked another tree and noticed the metal stakes were pulled up and out of the ground.  I wonder if a deer got caught in the wires.  That seems to be what happened with the gingko.    I restaked  that.

    But it is now past 9 and I did not freeze my carrots yet!  I hope they make it another day.  I don't have many to start with and I would hate to lose those.

    I just keep putting it off.

    Jackie reminded me to start bringing in yard stuff.  I need to do t hat.  I just don't know where to put it all.  My garage is never a neat place.

    Oh well.

Peace and Love

One of the things I miss about our old house is the pair of sugar maples in front.   They were always beautiful every fall.

damn deer

Our sugar maples....small but colorful

I planted these this fall

Julia's friend Matt asked me if there was anything he could bring me from Switzerland.  I told him mountains and a lake.  Well, he brought me smaller versions...Evian water and the candy of the alps.

ready, set, stay

Whoops!  I did it again 

    We have people come in to help take care of Jackie in the morning.  One day a month I have a friend come in the afternoon so I have some free time.

    Today was that day. I had my day all planned.  Leave at noon, hit 5 places in Rockford, visit Dan and Linda for a few minutes, get home by 5.

    I had everything laid out on the table.  Wallet, van keys, gift cards, lists.  I was in clean jeans for god sake!  Ready and raring to go at noon.

    At 12:15 I was a little concerned.  She has never been late.  

    I looked at our calendar.....noting marked.

    I check texts and I had asked her to come Oct. 27.  Then I noticed the date today...it was not October. 27.

    Fudge.  I did it again.  Confused dates, for the millionth time in my life.  It is so damn frustrating.

    The upside was I had a clear afternoon.

    How did I spend it?

        2 loads of laundry.

        Waxing the kitchen cabinets.

        Cleaning the stainless steel.

        Washing the kitchen floor. (On my hands and knees, in case you thought I was slacking.)

        Playing spider solitaire.

        Playing with Beth.

        Eating a huge piece of chocolate cake and sipping Earl Grey.

     No nap.  No afternoon coffee.  No trip to Rockford.

    At least I got a couple of tasks checked off my list.

    I had Emily over Sunday for the 4th time to explain the new Nest thermostat to me.   I think I get it now, but I still don't understand it.  Emily does not either.  The heat is set, but there is also a cooling temperature.  We can't get out of that program.  

    So the cooling temp is set at 80.  If the house temp reaches 80, the AC will cick on.  I imagine the smoke detectors will too, because that is pretty damn hot!

    I did not sleep well again last night.  

    But tonight I am tired.  I did not have a nap.  I did enough chores to make me sleepy.  

    I just hope when I get into bed my mind shuts down.

    This world is much too vexing for me these days.

Peace and Love

ch ch ch changes

I am sill wearing short sleeved t shirts

    Granted, I have a sweatshirt on over them, but I am still in short sleeves.

    

    The temp outside is 44, but with the wind it feels like 29.  And it is damp.

    I know that because I just ran an errand into town.

    That was my second trip of the day.  I went to Walmart to buy a turkey for Thanksgiving.

    In my usual style, I bought bananas, pork and beans, macaroni salad, picked up a prescription, got some packing tape and was headed to the check out line with a nagging thought I had forgotten something.

    I asked myself why I had come in the first place and remembered the turkey.  Thanksgiving dinner is now partially stored in the freezer downstairs.

    Jackie and I had tele-health calls today.  

    I do not know how to put my phone into speaker mode when I have my hearing aids in.  Even when I took them out, I could not do it.  So I told the nice lady my problem and asked her to call back.

    She did, and then I could put the phone into speaker mode, but something happened and we lost the connection

    When she called for the third time, I once again could not get the phone into speaker mode.

    

    It took 4 calls, but we finally completed the tele-conference.

    Not sure why we do. them.  Our PCP  asks the same types of questions.  At least I think PCP stands for primary care physician, right?  

    One of the questions she asked me is if I often feel tired and run down.  I said, "I'm 77....of course I do!"

    She also asked about sadness and depressions.  I was honest.  I frequently feel down, angry, stressed.  I also said I had plenty of friends who are always willing to listen to me.  And I told her I talk to dog Beth a lot, which is true.

    Our call would have been 15 minutes shorter if I was a little more technically skilled on my cell phone.

    Guess I need another lesson.

    Julia and Emily, beware!

Peace and Love

family ties

 We had a nice family time tonight

    Niece Laurie was in Rockford visiting her mom, and they came down to see us.  

    That is great, because Ruth has steps into her home.  Granted, they are small steps, but they are steps.

    So they came, along with our other niece Cindy, and joined Emily, Julia and us for dinner, conversation, dessert and lots of laughs

    After everyone left, I looked at Jackie and said, "No one took a group shot!  How did I forget that?"

    I guess we will have to do it again.

    Julia picked up Portillo's beef and chocolate cake, Ruth made a delicious cheese cake, and I am stuffed.

    Aside from that, pretty unexciting day around here, and I like it that way.

    But I am a bit tired.

Peace and Love

He's a She??

 Sometimes people get omens in life

    I may have had an omen experience tonight.

    Whenever someone leaves our house at night, I tell them, "Watch for deer."

    That phrase has many implied meanings:  be careful; stay safe; we love you, are some of them.

    I was driving to Emily's tonight and a deer stepped in front of my van.

    I was not going fast.  Neither was the deer.

    I stopped, it moved to the side and joined 4 or 5 of its friends.

    After a quick stop at Emily's, I went to Walmart.

    Walmart on a Sunday night is not as busy as during the day.  The parking lot is not as full.

    I parked, there was no one else around me, and as I was walking toward the store I heard a feminine voice say, "Terry, I'm glad to see you."

    I looked around.  Nobody in sight!

    My  first thought was  God is a woman! Not hitting the deer was me avoiding death!  Now God was glad to see me!!!!  OH NOOOOOOO!!!!

    I spun around, looking up, and I heard a laugh.

    "Over here."

    I am deaf in myth right ear.  So all the sound comes into my left ear.  When I hear something, I look left.  I saw no one.

    It was then I regretted not learning the Rosary at a young age.  Of course, I am not Catholic, so that would be another obstacle.

    "Over here," came the voice again.

    I turned around and saw my friend Chris sitting behind the plants having a smoke.

    I relaxed and went over and visited her  for a few minutes, but since I am still in summer mode and did not have a jacket or sweatshirt on, I eventually said I was cold and we parted.

    Then I got to thinking of omens again.  Chris.  Christ.  The only difference in the words is a T.  

    Hummm.

    Once safely inside the store, I ran into another old friend.  It was at this point I realized I had remains of supper on my shirt.   No I did not eat it.  I brushed it off onto the floor.

    But my friend had a black thing on the bridge of their nose.  A sore?  A bug?  Dirt?

    It really grabbed my attention and I discovered I could not look at them without focusing on the dot.

    So I looked away while we talked.

    I did drive extra carefully on the way home.

    I saw no more deer, and heard no more voices.

    And I don't want to  experience any more omens.

Peace and Love

No Kings

 I went to the protest in Oregon today

    I was not alone.  Julia went with and we met up with Dan, Linda Chris and Sharon.  We also saw a couple of other Rochelle area people there.   And Bobbie, good Democrat that she is, was also there.

    One person said the crowd was about 700.  I don't know how they reached that figure. I did see a couple of people walking and counting, but how do you count people that move around?

    Normally I am not political when I do this.  I try to be funny and entertaining.

    But this circus is no longer funny.

    Anyway, that is all on that.

    We did get almost 1 inch of rain last night and it is raining again.  Guess I won't have to water my new trees tomorrow.

Peace and Love

Now for some of my favorite signs from today

Poe me!

 I was transported in time tonight

    I went to the VCCT show An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe.

    I am just going to use first names, because, well, because.

    Amy did a great job writing the introduction and segues between the performances.  She captured the language of the time, which was a lot different from now.   And she gave  historical context, which was  very informative. 

    I have always loved The Raven and TC did an excellent job with it.

    Now I admit, they are my friends.  And I am biased.  But they were good.

    So were Dog, John and Becky.  Their characters showed lots of emotion....sometimes you don't get that off a written page.

    I don't think I could have memorized the pieces.  I would have gotten "Once upon a midnight dreary " and then been los.t

    Granted, Poe isn't for everyone.  Jackie, for instance, did not go because Poe's work was a little on the macabre side of life.  And yes, macabre gets used several times in the show.,  

    I only had one problem at the show.

    At intermission I bought a pack of Reese's pieces from Camryn, concession gal and grandy. .  I spent the.next 5 minutes trying to open them, but the second part started and I still did not get them open!

    What the hell????

    This morning I could not get the plastic seal off my yogurt and ended up attacking it with a fork and peeling it back.  No, I did not eat it with a fork, just mashed the plastic.

    My hands just don't work like they used to!

    I guess I could say that about a lot of parts of my body....but I won't.

Peace and Love

    

Usually I fill a 5 gallon bucket with carrots.......not this year.  This is it.

the lair of a wolf spider ?

The stage is set

busy day

 No rest for the wicked

    It seems like every day is busy lately.

    Yet nothing gets done by me.

    Granted, I put the pumpkin lanterns out front, but that took maybe 5 minutes.  

    And I picked up a friend after school and took her home.  But first, Sam treated me to an ice cream cone and it was delicious.  We went to the scoop place on Sixth Street and I had a very chocolaty chocolate.  Same had a peanut butter taste. 

    We sat on the bench and watched a lot of traffic go past.

    I did sit outside at home and read after my chiropractor appointment in the early afternoon. It was such a nice day, I don't know how many more we will have like this.  I also enjoyed a Campfire from Cypress Hose while I read, which was very relaxing.  Or was until I go to sleep and caffeine kicks in.

    Lawn service came this morning, right about the time the cleaning person came and the morning help was leaving.  I almost needed a traffic cop in the driveway!

    I know Beth can't go on the grass after it is treated, so I let her out just as the person was coming round the corner, straight at Beth!

    I yelled, "Beth!!" and the machine ground to a halt and I grabbed the dog and took her into the house.

    The girl driving the machine looked startled.  

    When she left the paperwork, I noticed her name was Beth.

   Now I wonder if she thought I was yelling at her.   She had ear protection on, so I doubt it.  But you never know.

    I am surprised the trees haven't turned more.  It seems the maples are starting, and my little hickory is, but there is still a lot of green in the park.

    I am hoping one day next week we can make a trip to Morton Arboretum and see some color.  I would like that.

    We ended the day with Jackie's library board meeting..... so it was a late super.

    But better late then never!

    Peace and Love

not again

I find petting a dog very soothing 

    Our morning help had left, Jackie was at the breakfast nook table, and I was putting towels in the dryer.

    Beth was on our bed, so I sat down next to her and started rubbing her belly.

    It was about 12:15,  and I was all set for the day.  

    I got tied of sitting, so I lay on the bed with my legs dangling over the side and Beth cuddled next to me.

    Then I got in trouble.

    Or rather 90 minutes later I got in trouble.

    Jackie thought I was in the den.  She yelled.  No answer.  Called on the house phone.  No answer.  Called on my cell phone.  No answer.

    She rolled herself into the den and no Terry.  She looked out the window and my red reclining outdoor chair was empty.

    She rolled back through the house, yelling for me.  No answer.

    When she got to the bedroom door I finally heard her.  Beth had long gone by that time. 

    The house rule is never sleep on my good ear.  But I did.  

    I don't think she was mad as much as frightened.  C'mon!  I'm 77!!  

    After I got up I made her lunch and went to the store. (Again, I go almost daily because the raspberries do not seem to last long.  Plus I always find I need something.) There was a light drizzle falling, so I did not go out and work in the garden.  I need to rake it, bag the debris, and dig carrots.  Knowing me, it will be 30 below before I get to that.

    The optimist in me says tomorrow will be better.  The pessimist says it won't.

    We'll see who wins.

    Meanwhile,  I'll pay better attention as to how I lay in bed.

    What I should do is train Beth to wake me when Jackie calls.  Fat chance of that!

Peace and Love

dough or do?

Today was donut day for the RACF 

    And Kim....I apologize.  In fifth grade, during a spelling bee, I do not allow donut as  the official spelling for doughnut.  You were right.  I was wrong.

    Now that that is out of the way, the Rochelle Area Community Foundation has a sweet way to thank the community for the support given to the foundation:  free doughnuts!

    I was one of the people passing out the treats.  It was a beautiful day, the only downside was the amount of wasps attracted by the doughnuts.  Whenever we uncovered a box, the wasps would arrive.  We made sure the little stingers did not get served with a doughnut!

    And thanks to the Presbyterian Church, Jackie and I  enjoyed a pork chop dinner to help support the youth groups at the church.

    No dishes.  No cooking.  No hassle.  I could do. this everyday!

    I also got a bike ride in, topping the 7 mile mark for the first time in 2 years.  There was a time I could ride a lot farther, but there was also I time I was a lot younger.

    I watered the porch plants, put away my pile of empty pails and planters, pushed my yard cart into the garage and settled down to watch Thursday Murder Club on Netflix.  

    And thanks to Julia for picking up all the pails and planters that were knocked over from my beautiful stack.  Wind?  Animals?  Ghosts?

    The wondering mind wants to know.

    A side note to the doughnuts.   When I was teaching with Gwen, the reading series had a story about Henry Reed and doughnuts. 

    We set up a doughnut making station in one of the rooms and made donuts for all the fifth graders.  The school smelled like a grease pit for days.

    We had a doughnut maker, deep fryer, gloves and coverings  for the donuts.  I don't think we would be able to do that in today's world.  

    But donuts will never go out of style...an I think I may still have the doughnut dropper thing.

     That might be worth a look see!

Peace and Love

not misted

 We had some rain today

    It was not a lot, but it was a surprise.

    My grill was uncovered, so I had to let it dry before I covered it.

    It was such a light rain too..... shame we don't get more.

    I had a weird dream last night.

    People were chasing me and trying to catch me.  

    At one point I had to punch my way out of a crowd.

    At that point Jackie shoved me and told me to stop hitting her!  She said I hit her 3 times before she woke me up.  

    I surely did not mean to do that.

    Our morning person was here and I sat in my recliner, set my timer for an hour, and took a nap.

    That was at 9 a.m.

    At 10 a.m. I shut my timer off.

    At 11:40 I was awakened again.

    That kind of throws off the day.  By the time I read the paper, ate breakfast, showered, and put in laundry, it was almost 2.  I made Jackie lunch then went to the store, and when I got home I did not do much of anything except sit in front of the computer.

    Emily came over and walked me through the programming for the Nest thermostat.  I just don't get how to program it the way I want.

    So much for going for a ride, putting the pumpkin lantern out, and moving the stacked buckets somewhere inside so I wdn't look like a hillbilly.

    But tomorrow is another day, right?

    It better be.

Peace and Love

Blank

This might be a first 

    I don't have much to say.

    Friend Nadine stopped over today and we had a nice visit.  Se brought some apple bread, and I can already taste that for breakfast.

    I watered 3 trees....one more to go.

    I am not very imaginative or talented when it comes to cooking.

    Jackie suggested impossible cheeseburger pie, a Bisquik recipe we have made in the past. 

    To be honest, I love it!

    So that's what I made for supper.

    Luckily Emily had not left work yet, so she bought some Bisquik for us.  I was positive we had some, but nope.

    I found some yellow peppers and green peppers hanging on in the garden, so I chopped them up and threw those in the pie.  I thought it was good.

    Cubs have gone into hibernation until next February a the Bears play tomorrow night.  So I did not even watch sports today, which was weird.

    I did get 2 items checked off my to do list.  Only 2,5,52 left.

    No rest for the wicked.

Peace and Love

c'est la vie

 All good things come to an end

    Tomorrow I will take all my Cub stuff downstairs.  I was hoping to keep it out a little longer, but that didn't happen.

    Yes, I am a little disappointed.  Milwaukee seemed to get hits with 2 outs, the Cubs did not. They had their chances, but came up empty.

    But life goes on, doesn't it?

    I have another frustration.

    I have put on a little weight over the years.  I once wore 36 in waist pants, but I can't button them very easily.  So I went to 38 in waists, but I have to use suspenders because they keep falling down.

    I finally found some 37 inch waist pants, with elastic on the sides so they can stretch.  I bought 2 pairs, tried on the first pair and thought they fit pretty darn nice.

    Washed them, wore them, and now I can't keep those up!  I am not losing weight, things just don't fit.

    My next step is to buy 36 inch waist with the elastic sides.  When this is done I will have 3 sizes of pants in my dresser.

    I also met be shrinking.  I got 30 inch inseam and they are about 2 inches too long.  But I am afraid if I buy 28 they will shrink and I will look like I am waiting for a flood.

    And another frustration.  I have always hated climbing ladders.  At my age, I hate it even more.  

    I had a motion detector security light burn out.  Julia was over and I had her hold the ladder while I climbed up and removed the bulbs.  I figure replace both, since they were put in at the same time.

    Bought new bulbs.  Julia was over yesterday and she held the ladder while I climbed up and put the new bulbs in.

    Last night I went out and......one of the damn bulbs does not light!  Either I did not screw it in tightly or the new bulb is dead.

    Now I have to get someone over here when it is dark so I can climb the ladder and check.

    Like I say, life goes on.

Peace and Love

No, those are not fake spider webs....they are the real thing!

This was at the place I got pumpkins....very neat

at the pumpkin place

I went here for the first time last year.....huge pumpkins for $5!

Still some color in my native patch

Every year I just shove stuff into the garage.  This year I am cleaning pots before I put them away.  I had no idea I had so many huge buckets.

    

late nights

 We had a late night last night

    The Cubs started at 8 and ended around 11.  It seemed to be a long game.  but it was well worth watching!  Now it's on to Milwaukee and a game 5 win!!

    I hope.

    We didn't get up until after 10.  That put the whole day askew.

    I did get to Cypress House for a coffee.  It was nice to sit outside and sip a pumpkin latte...hot...and watch the world go by for a few moments.

    I had my grocery list in hand, and when I finished coffee I spent over $60, but I forgot one item on the list:  an Almond Joy bar for Jackie.

    It was right there on the list!  I even read it as I headed toward the checkout lanes.

    Damn.

    I also got a bike ride in.

    Here's where I get picky.  I rode 6.98 miles.  If I had ridden to the corner and back, I would have hit my goal of 7 miles.  I checked my mileage after I got off the bike and went into the house.  My butt is not as sore as it was 2 weeks ago, so it must be toughening up.  My goal is to get some 7 + mile rides in before winter.

    Julia stopped and held the ladder while I put in bulbs for the motion detectors.  I hate ladders, hut the job is done.

    I went to Acres Bistro for supper.  I had a grilled cheese and Jackie had a burger.

    The food was great!  I also got the autumn soup, which was a creamy base squash soup with sweet potato,  red potato, and something else.  It was good, but was way too much food for me.  Tomorrow I will have to ride 100 miles to work it all off.

    I have about 20 chores to do before cold sets in, and hopefully this weekend I can get 1 or 2 of them done.    Some are short,   some easy, some time consuming, some boring,  and one that may be beyond my pay grade.  We shall see.

    I am back to making lists, but my experience with the grocery list leads me to believe that is pointless.

    I was getting a grocery cart at Walmart when this lady approached me.  I did not recognize her, do not know if I know her, but I think she was complete stranger.

    Here's the conversation:

    Her:  "You know if you put shoes and socks on a bear he still has bare feet."

    I laughed.  I bet you did too.  Or maybe you groaned.

    As she walked away she said, "Have a great day."

    And she meant it.

Peace and Love

Catching up

 Had a quick visits with friends today

    Dan and Linda were down in Rochelle and I met up with them for a nice chat.  I have not seen them much since they moved to Rockford.

    Had a nice phone chat with friend John, catching up with all his news.

    I enjoy the chats, although they are not often enough or long enough.  And as the years go by that is an important factor in life.

    I think I finally figured out how to program our new thermostat.  The test will come today when the temps go up or down as programmed.  

    I don't sleep well in hot environments.  Last night when I went to bed it was 73 in the bedroom, way too warm for me.

    I could not figure out how to program the thermostat. 

    I played around with it today and I think I have I so it is set at 70 at 9 pm. and 72 at 8 a.m.  We'll see.

    I ordered something from Amazon only to find out I already had the item.  Now I have to send that back.  The advertised item did not look like what I had, but they are the same.  Go figure.

    Win or go home for the Cubs tonight.  I am pretty sure they will win.  After all, Wrigley Field has some magic in it.

    Maybe Ernie and Ryno can push some of those fly balls off Cub bats into the bleachers.  

    Only drawback is the game does not start until after 8.....it will be a late night.

    And my porch plants seem to have decided it is time to shrivel. Must be the cooler nights.

Peace and Love

somethings burning

 Chicago burned over 150 years ago today

    The fire started Oct.8 and burned until Oct. 10.

    I just watched a Heather Cox Richardson video on the fire.   It was short, but summed up the situation nicely.

    There were 5 major fires in the midwest that day.  Chicago burned, but the deadliest fire took place in Wisconsin, centered in Peshtigo.  That fire claimed over 1500 lives while the Chicago fire claimed about 350.

    We all know about Mrs. O'Leary amd her cow.  What started as a rumor was soon legitimized  by the people o f the city.

    But she didn't start it.  Nor did her cow.  Possibly a discarded cigar, or a drunk who fell asleep with his cigar were the culprits.....maybe.

    There is a theory that debris from a comet may have caused all the fires, spread throughout the Midwest.

    But there is no evidence that was a cause.

    I used to have a book written by a survivor of the Peshtigo Fire. He was a minister and he and his family jumped into a well one their property as the flames roared overhead.  It was a truly frightening read.

    Others jumped into the Peshtigo River, unfortunately some also drowned trying to escape the flames.

    There is a mass grave in Peshtigo, next to the Fire Museum.  If I remember, some 300 unidentified victims are buried there.

    Jackie and I stopped at the museum twice on our way up to Mackinaw Island.  It is small, because very few items survived the inferno.

    This is the week I traditionally change batteries in all our smoke detectors.  I suggest you do too.

    And if your smoke detectors are older than 7 years I think experts recommend replacing them.

    And stop blaming Mrs O'Leary and her cow!

Peace and Love

unreality

Did you ever know you did something, that you didn't?

    Welcome to my world!

    Emily drove to the play Sunday night.  When we got back to her house I got out of the van and she gave me the key.

    I lost it.

    I spent 15 minutes looking for my car key last night. Under the car seats, under the bed, in the dirty laundry, on the counters, tables, dressers....any where there was space to put something,  I remember her giving it to me and me getting back into the car with the key in my hand.

    No luck. 

    So I texted Emily and asked her to look in the driveway, maybe I had dropped it there.

    She texted back that she never gave me the key!

    I had imagined all of that!!! Good grief!!!

    I went to empty the dishwasher this morning and the first dish I picked up was dirty.

    I looked at the rest and they were all dirty.  Last night I loaded the dishwasher, turned it on and never hit the start button!!

    Good Grief Again!!!!!

    The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

    A couple of days ago I mentioned getting a note about the bank loan on our house.

    My cousin Bob said not to ignore that.  People have had their property hijacked and never knew about it until it was too late.

    I contacted our attorney, Dennis, and he said I should go to the recorder's office in Oregon and have them check.  He also said this was a scam, which I thought it was.

    Today I went the recorder's office and there are  no loans or liens against our property. (Properties, actually.)

    I also picked up a flyer that tells how to register to be notified if something does get recorded on our deeds.  It is a free service, and I will do that.

    I looked around at the stacks of neatly shelved books and asked if those were all deeds.

    The answer was yes, and some of the deeds go back to 1831.  Amazing.

    After I left I wondered how they digitalize all of that. It would be a massive undertaking.

    It seems fall has arrived, finally.  Donned a jacket just now to take Beth out.  It's cool!

Peace and Love

so many issues

 I got my new hearing aids today

    I seem to be hearing better, but it's only  been half a day.  I do get a slight ringing in my one ear sometimes, not sure why.

    Jackie just asked me why I wasn't watching the Cubs.  I said because I was just damn pissed.  They had a 3-0 after the top of the first, then blew it in the bottom.  Not a good omen.

    I can't find my  van key.

    Emily gave it to me last night and I thought I put it in may pocket. 

    But today I could not find it.  No, I did not put it in the basket, which I should have done.  But I have looked on the dresser, counter, under the car seats, in containers in the car, in the pants I wore.....noting.

    I think I need to get air tags for them.  Maybe that will help.

    But right now I am using Jackie's key and when I started the van I got a low battery in key fob message.  

    Now I have to find out how to replace the battery.

    Damn.  Now it's 4-3 Brewers.  Damn.

    And when we came home from a visitation, Beth was noticeably limping.  She seems ok now, but we are going to keep an eye on her.  It could have just been a cramp in her left hind leg.  I worry about her every time she jumps up on the bed or off the bed.

    Guess I do another search for my key.

Peace and Love

trick or blach!!

 This was a pretty darn good day

    Emily, Jackie and I went to the Paramount Theater in Aurora to see Come From Away.

    Emily has seen the play several times, this was my second.

    It's based on the Sept. 11 events when thousands of people were diverted to Newfoundland and Gander Air Base after air space in the US was closed.

    It's a wonderful musical.  It focuses on the town of 6,000 people feeding, housing, hosting and greeting passengers from 200 airplanes that were diverted there.

    What made this show tonight extra  special is knowing a main character!  

    Russ did a tremendous job as the town mayor and a host of other characters in the show.  Each cast member had several roles as they played the townspeople and the passengers.  I did not realize he had such a good voice!  It was a pleasure to see him on stage.

    As a side note....I believe my brother Denny went to Gander while he was in the Air Force and stationed in Bangor ,Maine.  He was at a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base, and Gander was also a SAC base, and I think he went up there once or twice.  But that would have been in the 1960s......

    Anyway, glad I got to see the show again.  It's a very positive, uplifting show that honors what happened that and the following days.

    Julia, Emily and some other folks went to Autumn on Parade  in Oregon on Saturday.

    They stopped by and left some goodies....apple fritters, small pies, and a little bag of orange treats that looked like Cheerios.

    Those were sitting on the table where Jackie sits in the morning.  They were open and when I went to move them this morning, several fell out.  I picked them up so Beth would not get them. and popped them in my mouth.  (FYI..there is no 5 second rule in my house.  If it hits the floor, it's either me or Beth that eats it.)

    They were terrible!  Yes, they were cheddary, but they were dry and blach!

    I asked Jackie if she liked them.  She looked at me and said, "Those are dog treats.  Julia got them for Beth."

    I don't know how long I rinsed my mouth....but it wasn't long enough.  I can still taste them.

Peace and Love

Great job, Russ!!

It's almost bedtime??????

I think I just lost a day 

    Holy crap.

    I had a good night's sleep, woke up fresh and ready to go.

    Put a load of towels in the washer, loaded breakfast dishes into the dishwasher, made the bed, got Jackie ready for the day, and watched the Cubs.

    Well, for about 2 innings anyway.

    I still have to fold the towels, empty the dishwasher, and reload the dishwasher with supper dishes.

    What did I do all day?

    I don't know.

    Seriously.  

    I sat on the porch to read about 4:30 and I was still reading at 5, but then I drifted off for a quick naps, which ended at 6:15.

    I fed the dog, watered porch and patio plants and went into town for take out.

    Julia did come over and hold the ladder while I unscrewed a dead security light.  We went to the store to get a replacement, but I could not find one that seemed to work.  I went home and dug out the owner's manual for the light so I could double check the watts.  

    And yes.....13 years I still have the owner's manual and I knew where it was!

    Now I know what I am looking for.

    But I also need to borrow some wood clamps.  One of my pillars on the porch is loose and I want to glue it, clamp it, then shoot some finish nails into it. 

    When I am done I will call a contractor to reattach the porch roof to the rest of the house, because I sure as hell will screw that up!

    Another day wasted.  At my age I have to stop doing that.

Peace an d Love

up roars

 Little doggie Beth went ballistic tonight

    At about 7l:15 she started pacing, then went to the front door and barked like crazy!  She even jumped on the door to go out.

    I put her flashing collar on, turned on the porch light, and opened the door, expecting her to run and take a dump or pee immediately.

    Instead we were hit by a wave of skunk odor!

    I could tell Beth was agitated, so I called her and we went back into the house.  Last thing I want is an encounter with a skunk!

    She is still a little wound up, but not as bad as before.

    Peee you!!!!

    I have to start riding my bike earlier in the day. 

    I went out at 6 tonight, and by the time I was finishing it was getting dark.  

    We had help today and I should have gone in the morning when they were here.  But I was really tired and tried to sleep on the porch for an hour.  The little bugs were so bad, they drove me into the house, fully awake but still really tired.  I still should have ridden then.

    On my way into town today I saw some really creative hay bales.  I can't wait to go around and look at them.  I might even take some pictures for those of you not in Rochelle.  Basically, groups and businesses sign up for a hay bale and then decorate it. It's a neat little. thing the city does.  People can be very creative!

    I try not to be political in these little notes, but today I called my congressman's office and listed 6 things that I feel are unAmerican and undemocratic.  I don't know if it makes a difference, but I feel better!

    Back to my ride.

    It was hot, near 90, but when I rode I would hit pockets of cool air.  It was kind of funny, feeling autumn air when the temps were July's. 

    I could also smell at least 3 houses where people were grilling out side.  That is a lovely smell, and it made me hungry.

    Of course everything makes me hungry.

    I think I'll go fix a snack.

Peace and Love