I think I am too old for change
I was awake half the night because I saw a spot on my body I had never seen before. I was convinced this was not good. It's a mole, and I bet I have had it for years and never seen it until last night. Why last night, I will never know.
So I did not sleep well. Or at all. I wandered, sat, laid down, wandered......finally I fell asleep in the chair in the den.
Tonight I was at church weeding the garden.
I left the house 10 minutes late because I could not find any of my bug spray. After looking everywhere, I found one of them right where I put it so I would not forget. The second spray was in my car, where I had left it from last week. I found a third spray when I got home.
I wear this old leather shoes. I was weeding on my hands and knees and my feet were crossed behind me. My shoes rubbed together and let out the loudest fart sounding noise I had ever heard. Rick was weeding next to me and did not say a word. I was a little embarrassed because I don't do that in public. (Fart, I mean..) Then it happened again! Damn squeaky shoes.
And of course, I had updates on my computer. Do you think I have the right password> No, that would be too easy. I need a password for my computer, apple, the cloud, and I think all of them are different.
I am going to start resetting passwords to something I can remember.
Like, 1,2,3,4,5,6
Or Password.
Something no one will be able to figure out.
Back to my mole. I had fears I would have to have surgery ASAP and a certain part of my anatomy would be altered forever. But the worst part would be I could not go to Julia's.
So, I believe Jackie when she says there is nothing to worry about. I am positive it is a mole.
Just to be safe, I won't sleep well tonight either.
I will never learn to put stuff away. I will never learn to write down updated passwords. I will never learn not to worry.
Someday, none of that will matter anyway.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Monday, July 13, 2015
what happened?
Today was a big day
We took our baby out for supper to celebrate her birthday. Hard to believe she has grown up. These past few months have been a strain, but she has held up well.
So tonight we celebrated. Dinner at Stone Eagle. Dessert of chocolate cake from Portillo's at our house. Watching the lightning and hoping for mild weather.
I also did a bike ride today. Realized I had not ridden in a week and needed to get on the bike. I had been riding about 40 miles a week but last week....only 10. It's easy to get lazy. I need to get some longer rides in.....anyone? Maybe Stone Bridge or Jane Adams? Ann and Ed will go with, but their schedules are pretty full too.
I also picked my first peas! I have a picture, somewhere. To be honest, I fell asleep about 10:45 and just woke up......in time for bed. I am just too tired to download the picture.
Hopefully ride tomorrow, lunch with retired teachers, a little yard work, weeding at St. Paul.....the less I do, the busier I feel.
Time for real bed.
We took our baby out for supper to celebrate her birthday. Hard to believe she has grown up. These past few months have been a strain, but she has held up well.
So tonight we celebrated. Dinner at Stone Eagle. Dessert of chocolate cake from Portillo's at our house. Watching the lightning and hoping for mild weather.
I also did a bike ride today. Realized I had not ridden in a week and needed to get on the bike. I had been riding about 40 miles a week but last week....only 10. It's easy to get lazy. I need to get some longer rides in.....anyone? Maybe Stone Bridge or Jane Adams? Ann and Ed will go with, but their schedules are pretty full too.
I also picked my first peas! I have a picture, somewhere. To be honest, I fell asleep about 10:45 and just woke up......in time for bed. I am just too tired to download the picture.
Hopefully ride tomorrow, lunch with retired teachers, a little yard work, weeding at St. Paul.....the less I do, the busier I feel.
Time for real bed.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
summer is here....happy?
It was pretty hot and humid today
I did not spend much time outside.
When I was a kid, we didn't have air conditioning and the heat did not affect us.
But.....it is hard when you are older. I walked down to the end of the block and was pretty hot by the time i got back.
Then I decided to do some weeding. I put my arm down and pulled a weed out. Thousands of ants followed. They went up my arm, got under my watch , and bit! Not painful bites, but little pinches.
The ground was crawling with ants....I have never seen so many in my life.
I sprayed the nest with bug killer.....but I don't think it will help much.
It's hot in Switzerland too. Julia said it is in the 90s....even hit 105 this week. For a place without AC, that is hot. Same in Italy and France...hot, hot, hot.
Anyway, tomorrow marks the birth of my favorite living in America daughter.
Yes...Emily came into the world on July 13 just a few years ago.
She was born at Rockford Memorial. Jackie was very big, and a couple of weeks overdue.
We were in the room and the nurses and docs came in and looked at me, and asked if I wanted to be in the delivery room.
I said I was going for coffee. And I did.
I figured they did not need someone fainting during the middle of a birth....which I am prone to do in medical situations.
Happy Birthday Emily........Mummy and Daddy luv you very much!
I did not spend much time outside.
When I was a kid, we didn't have air conditioning and the heat did not affect us.
But.....it is hard when you are older. I walked down to the end of the block and was pretty hot by the time i got back.
Then I decided to do some weeding. I put my arm down and pulled a weed out. Thousands of ants followed. They went up my arm, got under my watch , and bit! Not painful bites, but little pinches.
The ground was crawling with ants....I have never seen so many in my life.
I sprayed the nest with bug killer.....but I don't think it will help much.
It's hot in Switzerland too. Julia said it is in the 90s....even hit 105 this week. For a place without AC, that is hot. Same in Italy and France...hot, hot, hot.
Anyway, tomorrow marks the birth of my favorite living in America daughter.
Yes...Emily came into the world on July 13 just a few years ago.
She was born at Rockford Memorial. Jackie was very big, and a couple of weeks overdue.
We were in the room and the nurses and docs came in and looked at me, and asked if I wanted to be in the delivery room.
I said I was going for coffee. And I did.
I figured they did not need someone fainting during the middle of a birth....which I am prone to do in medical situations.
Happy Birthday Emily........Mummy and Daddy luv you very much!
Saturday, July 11, 2015
gotta sleep.....
I am tired, but not sleepy
Got home from the zoo about 10:30 and was so tired, I actually missed Skare Road and had to turn around in the park. (Yes, Todd....those were my headlights flashing into your house at 10:40 tonight. Sorry)
But I can't sleep.
Sure, I have had a little caffeine today, but that should be wearing off. Right?
So I am reading the news.
Lots of strange stuff and one article that just made me mad.
A policeman in Kansas arrested a woman and her 15 year old daughter for shoplifting after they were caught at a local store stealing diapers, food and other necessities. The officer paid for all the stuff, but charges were still pressed.
What made me mad is that in this land of plenty, a woman and her children are living out of a car, doing without the basics every human being deserves.
If they were dogs, or cats, or whatever, they would be adopted by people who love animals.
But they are people. A family who lost their husband and father in 2011. A family who has been struggling ever since, Struggling to the point of having to steal to provide basic needs.
In a country as great as ours, it just doesn't make sense that people have to live that way...in any city, or any state ... in our union.
Kudos to the officer. Kudos to the people who have sent in money to help the family get back on their feet, find a place to live, and get the car fixed.
I know there are people who will say the woman is lazy and should get a job. That stealing is wrong.
But sometimes people can't find work. They are not qualified. They can't find daycare. They don't have skills. They still need to eat and have a place to live.
We nee dto do a better job of helping those people.
That's it.....all I got on that topic.
Got home from the zoo about 10:30 and was so tired, I actually missed Skare Road and had to turn around in the park. (Yes, Todd....those were my headlights flashing into your house at 10:40 tonight. Sorry)
But I can't sleep.
Sure, I have had a little caffeine today, but that should be wearing off. Right?
So I am reading the news.
Lots of strange stuff and one article that just made me mad.
A policeman in Kansas arrested a woman and her 15 year old daughter for shoplifting after they were caught at a local store stealing diapers, food and other necessities. The officer paid for all the stuff, but charges were still pressed.
What made me mad is that in this land of plenty, a woman and her children are living out of a car, doing without the basics every human being deserves.
If they were dogs, or cats, or whatever, they would be adopted by people who love animals.
But they are people. A family who lost their husband and father in 2011. A family who has been struggling ever since, Struggling to the point of having to steal to provide basic needs.
In a country as great as ours, it just doesn't make sense that people have to live that way...in any city, or any state ... in our union.
Kudos to the officer. Kudos to the people who have sent in money to help the family get back on their feet, find a place to live, and get the car fixed.
I know there are people who will say the woman is lazy and should get a job. That stealing is wrong.
But sometimes people can't find work. They are not qualified. They can't find daycare. They don't have skills. They still need to eat and have a place to live.
We nee dto do a better job of helping those people.
That's it.....all I got on that topic.
Friday, July 10, 2015
noooooooo....not again!
I am 0-5 in Cubs games this year
No wins. Only losses. Another frustrating one today as the good guys lost to the gooder guys 1-0.
The Sox score without a hit. The Cubs hit into 6 double plays. Go figure. The bats have to come alive, don't they?
Highlights of the day?
Lunch. I had a Cuban sandwich at the Decade Diner under right field. Pork, ham, bacon, cheese, a spicy sauce, all served on a funny kind of flat bread whose name I forgot. The sandwich was huge! It is normally $12.50, but because we got to the park early, it was $9.40. It was goooooood!
People continue to amaze me. When we were sitting in our seats, waiting for the game to start, some guy started yelling, "Melissa, I love you." He was a pretty big dude....at least 300 pounds. I am not exaggerating.
Anyway, he was bellowing this right behind us. She kept yelling back, "I love you too." She was sitting about 6 rows down in our section.
At first it was cute.
Then he yelled out, "I gotta go to the bathroom."
And proceeded to stagger toward the men's room.
Stagger.....because at 2:30 he was so drunk he could barely walk.
Ten minutes later I decided to hit the can before the game started. When I came out, he was standing by the railing and in a soft, but audible voice, was saying," Shit. O shit" over and over and over.
He eventually must have remembered where his beloved Melissa was sitting, because he started to go down the stairs while carrying another beer. He rocked a little on the first step. Rocked a little more on the third step. and fell on the fourth step, spilling beer down his front.
Once he was able to get back up, he went back to his seat......which was in the middle of the row.
Picture a 300 pounder unsteady on his feet inching past 8 people sitting or standing and you can get a mental image that is a little disturbing.
They were sitting for less than 5 minutes when Melissa decided she had to go. She was as blottooed as he was and she was either very fat, or pregnant.....we could not tell.
So she makes her way out and teeters up the stairs.
Meanwhile, everybody sits down and the big guy decides he needs to go someplace, and he gets up to leave and everybody is up again.
The guy two rows in front of us turned to a security guy and pointed to the rather large man gingerly making his way up the stairs. Security nodded and followed the guy.
Long about the second inning, another security guy came, went to where the happy couple was sitting, picked up a bag and passed us.
I asked if they were coming back. The security man said they had been escorted out of the yard but had bought t shirts and wanted them, so he was getting the t shirts.
Tickets for this game were $65. They spent $130 on tickets....and never saw a pitch!
Can you imagine the conversation with family and friends?
"So Bill, how was the game?"
"Gee, I don't remember...we got wasted before the first pitch and got thrown out! But hey, they were good seats. I think."
"Gee Bill, you are even dumber than I thought!"
Anyway...a couple of more Wrigley pics...
No wins. Only losses. Another frustrating one today as the good guys lost to the gooder guys 1-0.
The Sox score without a hit. The Cubs hit into 6 double plays. Go figure. The bats have to come alive, don't they?
Highlights of the day?
Lunch. I had a Cuban sandwich at the Decade Diner under right field. Pork, ham, bacon, cheese, a spicy sauce, all served on a funny kind of flat bread whose name I forgot. The sandwich was huge! It is normally $12.50, but because we got to the park early, it was $9.40. It was goooooood!
People continue to amaze me. When we were sitting in our seats, waiting for the game to start, some guy started yelling, "Melissa, I love you." He was a pretty big dude....at least 300 pounds. I am not exaggerating.
Anyway, he was bellowing this right behind us. She kept yelling back, "I love you too." She was sitting about 6 rows down in our section.
At first it was cute.
Then he yelled out, "I gotta go to the bathroom."
And proceeded to stagger toward the men's room.
Stagger.....because at 2:30 he was so drunk he could barely walk.
Ten minutes later I decided to hit the can before the game started. When I came out, he was standing by the railing and in a soft, but audible voice, was saying," Shit. O shit" over and over and over.
He eventually must have remembered where his beloved Melissa was sitting, because he started to go down the stairs while carrying another beer. He rocked a little on the first step. Rocked a little more on the third step. and fell on the fourth step, spilling beer down his front.
Once he was able to get back up, he went back to his seat......which was in the middle of the row.
Picture a 300 pounder unsteady on his feet inching past 8 people sitting or standing and you can get a mental image that is a little disturbing.
They were sitting for less than 5 minutes when Melissa decided she had to go. She was as blottooed as he was and she was either very fat, or pregnant.....we could not tell.
So she makes her way out and teeters up the stairs.
Meanwhile, everybody sits down and the big guy decides he needs to go someplace, and he gets up to leave and everybody is up again.
The guy two rows in front of us turned to a security guy and pointed to the rather large man gingerly making his way up the stairs. Security nodded and followed the guy.
Long about the second inning, another security guy came, went to where the happy couple was sitting, picked up a bag and passed us.
I asked if they were coming back. The security man said they had been escorted out of the yard but had bought t shirts and wanted them, so he was getting the t shirts.
Tickets for this game were $65. They spent $130 on tickets....and never saw a pitch!
Can you imagine the conversation with family and friends?
"So Bill, how was the game?"
"Gee, I don't remember...we got wasted before the first pitch and got thrown out! But hey, they were good seats. I think."
"Gee Bill, you are even dumber than I thought!"
Anyway...a couple of more Wrigley pics...
 |
| Coming in the main gate |
 |
| Scorecards, get your scorecards |
 |
| A view through the fence |
 |
| Standings and wind direction, a two fer! |
 |
| Fans are unaware of giant behind them |
Thursday, July 9, 2015
pressure.......
Sometimes I don't know what to write about
Probably should be: about what to write, that way I don't end the sentence with a proposition.
I sit at the computer and I am blank.
Not only with the blog, but with my twice monthly column in the Rochelle News Leader.
I draw blanks.
I have a column in this Sunday and I usually try to finish it on Thursday. Today, I hadn't even started writing. Worse yet, I had no topic.
I thought about the state of Illinois and finances, but people with more smarts than me are already writing about that. Same with Iran, presidential politics, the price of chickens and a whole bunch of other stuff.
I had spent the day cleaning and was headed to the bank for a few errands. I opted to take my little laptop with and get a cup of coffee at Cypress House.
I sat outside, and an idea came to me.... and I wrote.
Tonight I polished it as best I could, and sent it off.
I think it's pretty darn ok. I do expect an award, possibly a Pulitzer, for best commentary by a retired school teacher on a bi monthly basis. Which also confuses me. Bi monthly to me means twice a month. Some people say it is every other month. They are wrong.
And now my feet itch. At certain times, my feet are on fire. First I take off my socks, then I squirm for 10 minutes, then I spray them. I don't care what I spray them with...bug spray, WD 40, the important part is spraying them.
But I also have to go to bed. Big weekend. Cubs tomorrow. Happy 100th birthday to the Iron Fountain in Rochelle....program from 1-2 on Saturday. There will be cake. Then Zoo Saturday night for a Summer Nights shift.
Hopefully Sunday will be a day of rest, without storms and places to go. Next week....garage cleaning!
Peace and love....
Probably should be: about what to write, that way I don't end the sentence with a proposition.
I sit at the computer and I am blank.
Not only with the blog, but with my twice monthly column in the Rochelle News Leader.
I draw blanks.
I have a column in this Sunday and I usually try to finish it on Thursday. Today, I hadn't even started writing. Worse yet, I had no topic.
I thought about the state of Illinois and finances, but people with more smarts than me are already writing about that. Same with Iran, presidential politics, the price of chickens and a whole bunch of other stuff.
I had spent the day cleaning and was headed to the bank for a few errands. I opted to take my little laptop with and get a cup of coffee at Cypress House.
I sat outside, and an idea came to me.... and I wrote.
Tonight I polished it as best I could, and sent it off.
I think it's pretty darn ok. I do expect an award, possibly a Pulitzer, for best commentary by a retired school teacher on a bi monthly basis. Which also confuses me. Bi monthly to me means twice a month. Some people say it is every other month. They are wrong.
And now my feet itch. At certain times, my feet are on fire. First I take off my socks, then I squirm for 10 minutes, then I spray them. I don't care what I spray them with...bug spray, WD 40, the important part is spraying them.
But I also have to go to bed. Big weekend. Cubs tomorrow. Happy 100th birthday to the Iron Fountain in Rochelle....program from 1-2 on Saturday. There will be cake. Then Zoo Saturday night for a Summer Nights shift.
Hopefully Sunday will be a day of rest, without storms and places to go. Next week....garage cleaning!
Peace and love....
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
huh....didn't think of that
My pictures have several lives
I deleted a lot of pictures off my computer that I had taken with my phone.
As you remember, I explained I did not know how to delete pictures from my phone. Now I do.
So I went and deleted pictures from my camera and just plugged my phone back in.
All the pictures are back.
Why? Because I did not delete them from the phone, only the computer.
Live and Learn.
Now I know to delete from the phone first, then go to the computer. Should be simple.
Anyway, one picture that did not get deleted:
I was pulling weeds along the driveway and this little guy popped out of a dirt clod. I carefully relocated him to a safer area.
I named him Daot. Yes, that's right...he is Daot Toad. (Sound out Da oat toe ad)
He is a palindrome toad.
I used to watch a tv show about that...Have Gun, Will Travel. You have to be at least 60 to get the joke....it was Paladin, he was a gun slinger in the west. Good western, bad joke.
Now days, judging by people's mouths, it could be Have Gum Will Travel.
So many people chew gum...I have even seen people on stage chewing away, and I keep looking at tv reporters and anchors.
I'm not a gum chewer ... too many cavities and too many fears I will pull out a filling.
Sometimes I wish I owned stock in a gum company...I think I would be getting richer every day.
I am going to bed now...disappointing loss by the Cubs. Thought they had the Cards tonight, but one pitch, one stinkin' bad pitch, cost the game. Sigh.
I leave you with this invitation:
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