here's the latest poop

I think I need professional help

     No, not for me, but for our dog!
     And yes, I know some of you think I should get professional help...but that is another issue.
     Corki has some problems.
     Yesterday, when I was gone, she did not eat.  She did not eat her delicious breakfast bowl of dry cereal and green beans.  She did not eat her Greenie at lunch.  She did go out, but spent most of the day sleeping.
     Until I came home.  Within five minutes, she was eating.
     I can't be in a room more than two minutes before she shows up and lays down near me.
     The only thing that gets her up is the sound of the treat jar being opened by Jackie.
     But today, well, today was another story.
     I don't like to talk a lot about dog poop, but she has a problem.
     She went out this morning and did her usual number in the back yard.  All day she went out and had full use of the yard.
     I took her on our walk at 5.  She pooped in the grass near Skare Road.  I was prepared.  I pulled out my plastic bag and picked it all up.
     She walk five feet and pooped again.
     Once again I pulled out a plastic bag and picked it up.
     Then when we got to the circle on the east end of the block (which makes for a 1.6 mile walk, give or take a tenth) she dropped another load!  I used my final bag to pick that up and carry it all the way home.
     What the hell!
     It's like she saves it up for our walk!
     She had gone out 10 minutes before we started our walk and did nothing....then three dumps.
     I guess our yard isn't good enough for her.
     Now I'm wondering if she is holding it on purpose, waiting for our long walk to release her waste.
     And if she is, why?
     So, I need a dog psychologist.  One who can speak her language and find out just what the heck is going on in that little head of hers.
     And if they have a few minutes, maybe they could chat with me.  They would not need dogspeak for that!

gas made the van go

I took a trip into Chicago today

     I wanted to see the Van Gogh exhibit at the Art Institute, and since it ends on a couple of weeks, I didn't want to miss my chance.
     It was well worth it.
     In 2011 my friend Dan and I spent time in Arles, where Van Gogh's Yellow House was located.  It was here he painted  not only the bedroom picture, but hundreds more.  We were able to stand in spots where he may have stood to paint the pictures.  It was a pretty neat town and a great experience.
    So, the bedroom in the yellow house exhibit went of my must see list.
     Making the day better, because I am a volunteer at an area institution, there is a reciprocity agreement where volunteers get in free.  So all I had to pay for was the Van Gogh exhibit.
     Making the day even better, I had a late lunch at Toni's, a little French bistro type restaurant.  I love that place and the food just popped today.
     All in all it was a very good day.

This line stretched around the corner and down the street.  Why?  Jimmy John's was giving away sandwiches!

Peeping Vincent

Not Van Gogh, but one of my favoriets

bike racks that look like old bikes.

deja vu....all over again

Things just never really change

    When I started this blog in 2014, I didn't expect to still be doing it over two years later.
     Yet, here I am.
     In January of 2014, I wrote that I had hit 200.  As in weight.  A couple of weeks ago I wrote I hit 206.
     Things don't change.
     I've written about this being the Cubs' year three times.
     But this is the Cubs' year.  I am sure of it.
     I think if you read this regularly you know more about me than I do.
    So here is something you don't know.
     Read carefully.....or listen carefully if someone is reading this to you.
     Sometimes I think that we have been instantly created and all our memories have been programmed into our brains by a superior life form.  We did not exist yesterday, but the memory of yesterday was programmed into our brains.  So today really doesn't matter, because tomorrow today will not have existed.
     Of course I also think this is the Cubs' year, the Blackhawks will rally, the Bears will become Monsters of the Midway once again, the White Sox will lose to the Cubs in a 7 game World Series and the Republican party will find sanity at some point.
     Now, it could be the pinot noir talking, but I think aliens from distant planets live amongst us.  How else can you explain some of the clothes people wear to the store?  I've seen old men in too tight sweat pants and all sorts of people in too loose pajamas.  I even saw a guy wearing poopy pants the other day!
     (Ok, poopy pants are pants that have an extra, extra long inseam that comes almost to the person's knees.  The kind of pants you can, well, store items that maybe should be deposited in white porcelain fixtures, if you get my drift.)
     And another topic I am repeating, seriously.
     In June I will be riding in the MS Tour de Farms in DeKalb.  This is a fund raising event, the only one I am doing this year.
     Please consider supporting my team, Jackies Jokers.  Note, there is no ' in Jackies.  It is not a statement, rather an error of omission when I entered the team name.  Oops.
     If you can, support my ride to help in the battle against MS.
     You can go to Bike MS Tour de Farms and click on the donate button. Search teams for Jackies Jokers and make a donation to me, Rev. Stacy, or the team.  It only takes a few minutes.
     And if you are interested in riding 15, 35 or 50 miles or more, sign up for the team and join us in June.
     Jackie and I will be thankful for your support.

   

I see...or maybe not

My vision isn't as sharp as it used to be

    I just had my eyes examined, and my prescription hasn't changed, but the condition of my eyes has.     I don't know if that makes sense.
   So Jackie hands me an invitation to Emily's wedding.  I look at it and say, "That's nice.  But why is there a question mark after congratulations?"
    Jackie takes the paper and looks at it and starts laughing.
     The question mark was after Can we get a witness?
     Congratulations appeared nowhere on the page!
     And during Hub today, I was working with some fifth graders on fractions and the sample problem made no sense to me.  It was a division problem involving fractions and my answer and the given answer were nowhere close.
     Upon further review, it was an addition problem!  No wonder it didn't make sense!
     Truthfully, that is why I don't always recognize people at a distance.  At least that is my excuse.
     So let's see.....failing vision, can't hear worn crap, achy in my joints, forgetful..... ah, the blessings of aging.
     At least I can get a senior discount for coffee at McD's and a senior Metra ticket.  And I smell good.
     My message to you:  If you are under 60, enjoy life and your senses now because some day they may fade.
     I an hust glab it doesnn't afffet my typing!

huh.....

I forgot to post last night

     No excuse!  I just forgot!
     If I had posted, I would have mentioned how I am resealing my wife's vertical herb garden.  It is cedar, and should be periodically resealed.  So I sanded it, and opened my $14 pint of polyurethane and got to work.
     It was not a full can.
     It became a lot less full when I knocked it over.
     I used the paint brush to soak up the stuff on the tarp and put it back into the container.
     Used my gas grill out on the patio.  Put two burgers on, lit the grill and settled back with a glass of pinot noir.
     15 minutes later I realized the gas was turned off and the burgers were not cooking.  Oops.
     Spent today doing yard work.  We had an invisible fence installed last year.  I like to aerate the yard in the spring and fall, and wondered how to do that with the fence.
     The nice man who installed it said the best way is to get yellow tent stakes and pound them into the ground along the pathway, one on each side of the underground line.  Then when I want to aerate, I get a string, attach it to the pegs, and use a spray paint to mark the route, thereby avoiding aerating up the $1300 fence.
      I just want to explain why I appear to be pounding on the ground with a slightly bent hammer.  I may have overdone it though.  I think I have about 14 packages of tent stakes, six to a pack, in the ground and I am a couple short.  Go figure.
     But I am not short of propane tanks for my grill.  Most people have one, some people have a spare.  I have 4.  Yes, four tanks.  3 of them are currently filled.
     If anyone needs an empty  one.........give me a call.

ohhhhh noooooo!

My day did not start out well

     I actually slept very well.... a hot toddy and some cough syrup seemed to lull me into a semi conscious state.
     You may remember I have a daughter getting married.  I at one point I said I wanted to lose a little weight for her wedding.  I was about 196-198 when I said that.
     I got on the scale this morning and..... drum roll please.........wait for it........
     206.5
     What the hell!!
     I have ballooned!!  Yes, all the little pieces of candy and the cookies do add up, but I have tried to cut down.
     And I admit the last two weeks I have been a little inactive.....have not walked Corki as much as I should.
     206.5.
     I am embarrassed.
     I got dressed and went to have breakfast.   Took down a bowl, got a banana and slicked it up in the bottom of the bowl, poured some Rizzos, (they are a delightfully sweet honey nut roasted grain product very much like a Cheerio), went to get the milk and started to pour it in.....
     The dog food bowl!
     My cereal bowl was sitting on the counter, empty.  Corki's bowl was loaded with banana and Rizzos.
     I showed Jackie what I had done.
     "Isn't Corki's bowl clean?  Didn't you wash it?"  she asked.
     I don't care if it was disinfected by the CDC, I was not about to eat food out of a dog bowl.  I know where their mouths have been and it isn't going to be associated with my breakfast.
      So I dumped it and started over, using my cereal bowl, which was still on the counter, empty.
     The rest of the day was much better.  Got to spend time with my niece and her family up at Byron, where one of her twins was playing on a soccer team in a tournament.
     We watched a couple of games, visited, went out to lunch, and had a pleasant day in the beautiful northern Illinois weather.
     Even thought it started off on the wrong foot, today ended pretty well.
     With that, I am off to bed.

is it spring?

I feel like Rip Van Winkle

     I went to bed and it was winter, I woke up and it was summer.
     Almost.
     Actually, I slept most of the day.  Like th Cubs' bats, I took the day off.  I slept in my chair, I slept on the couch, I took short naps at least four times.
     I know it was warm, because I did go out tonight.
     And I know it will be warm tomorrow.
     My cough is still there, but not as bad....but I am tired.
     So off to bed I go, dreaming sweet dreams of summer days, bike rides, a growing garden..........