I hate when the phone rings early in the day
I am retired. After 9 a.m. is a good time to call me. Please don't call me at 7:45.
I bring this up because I got a call this morning at about 7:45. Jackie has a hard time sleeping, and she usually sleeps to about 9. I try to grab the phone quickly so I don't wake her.
So when the call came, I looked at the name and recognized it. I picked up.
This was a person who reads my column in the Sunday paper. She called to say she liked my recent column and agreed with most of my thoughts.
But she did have a question.
Now usually when someone says that there is a mild criticism involved, or they are pointing out a minor mistake, or a glaring error of omission. Mark my words, everything I write is filled with all three.
But she asked me a question that floored me:
"What channel are the Cubs on?"
So I told her to get a piece of paper and a pen and write down the four channels that the Cubs are on. She had another channel she wanted to watch, so I told her the number of that one.
To be fair, she is a little older than me....probably in her early 80s. And finding the right channels on the Comcast guide is a little daunting.
But 7:45 a.m?
I don't think this person has Internet, so she will hopefully never read this. I did enjoy talking to her, and I have enjoyed talking with her in the past.
But it has always been afternoonish. You know, when I am awake.
Besides, I did feel bad talking on the phone quietly with another woman while my wife was asleep in the bedroom and I was in my totally sexy boxer briefs.
Usually that type of call costs me $3.99 a minute.
Also got calls today from a bank telling me it was urgent I call them about my credit card balance, a call from Utah (probably the Mormons) and two from downstate Illinois.
I did not know any of those people, so I did not answer. Maybe they were looking for the Cubs too.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Monday, August 14, 2017
mary, mary......
I picked beans today
I am not supposed to do pulling or twisting with my right hand, so I had to pick left handed. That is weird.
We have bush beans and Italian beans in our little garden space. I picked both today, but I confess I don't know if they are over ripe. Jackie said as long as they are not swelled up, (or is it swollen?) they are fine.
Tomorrow I have an errand or two to run after Rotary, but then it will be freeze the beans day!
The Japanese beetles and I were busy, and I have about 4 pounds of each kind of bean. That should be enough to hold us over till next summer, when we can pick them again.
I have to go out and plant more carrots. I can do that in the space left by the peas. I love carrots. We did not have enough of them last year.
Plenty of cucumbers, so if you want some, come over and grab them.
But I only have one tomato so far. Lots on the plants, but none are red, yet.
I think the lack of rainfall is affecting the garden, seems a couple of weeks since the last good rain.
It is supposed to rain Wednesday, our last Cub game, and I truthfully hate dragging the hoses out to water the garden and a couple of trees.
If nothing happens Wednesday, I'll water Thursday.
Gowrsh....this was pretty boring.
Maybe I have lost the touch.
I am not supposed to do pulling or twisting with my right hand, so I had to pick left handed. That is weird.
We have bush beans and Italian beans in our little garden space. I picked both today, but I confess I don't know if they are over ripe. Jackie said as long as they are not swelled up, (or is it swollen?) they are fine.
Tomorrow I have an errand or two to run after Rotary, but then it will be freeze the beans day!
The Japanese beetles and I were busy, and I have about 4 pounds of each kind of bean. That should be enough to hold us over till next summer, when we can pick them again.
I have to go out and plant more carrots. I can do that in the space left by the peas. I love carrots. We did not have enough of them last year.
Plenty of cucumbers, so if you want some, come over and grab them.
But I only have one tomato so far. Lots on the plants, but none are red, yet.
I think the lack of rainfall is affecting the garden, seems a couple of weeks since the last good rain.
It is supposed to rain Wednesday, our last Cub game, and I truthfully hate dragging the hoses out to water the garden and a couple of trees.
If nothing happens Wednesday, I'll water Thursday.
Gowrsh....this was pretty boring.
Maybe I have lost the touch.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
food day....part 2
Pardon my typing
We had a different food day today.
First off, at church we had a parish meeting catered by our Islamic friends down the road in DeKalb.
A chicken and rice dish, salad, dessert, all prepared in a very traditional, old world manner. It was very good.
I did get confused. Jackie does not like spicy, so I got her the spicy chicken. I don't mind spicy, so I got the mild chicken. She did not enjoy much of hers. When I tried hers, I was surprised how spicy it was compared to mine! I ate hers too. Plus I brought some home for supper tomorrow.
Of course, we drove past Ollie's and had to stop.
But supper was the coup de lack of grace.
I cut up a sweet potato, butternut squash, baking potato, onion, green pepper and bathed it in olive oil. Then I put it in a basket, added some oregano and rosemary from our little herb garden, and set it on the grill.
It had been on the grill for about 15 minutes when I figured it was time to shake up the basket to make sure the bottom and top cooked fairly evenly.
Put on an oven mitt on my left hand and proceeded to grab the handle with my right hand.
The pain was intense. I said some words I probably should not have said, and spent the next 15 minutes running cold water over my hand. I put a burn salve on it, which really stung.
At this point Emily and John arrived and I turned the cooking duties over to him. We discussed whether ER was needed, but I have no blistering or swelling.
Typing is not easy. Cutting my meat was a challenge. The damn basket of taters and squash were a little undercooked, even though my hand isn't.
The chocolate cake from Portillo's helped sooth my hand though.
So to celebrate John's birthday, he came, he cooked, he worked.
I will load some ointment on it tonight and put a sock over my hand. Hopefully I will be better tomorrow.
It was a stupid thing to do....I honestly can not explain it.
I guess that is why there is a category called accident.
And here's an after thought. I am very distressed, upset, angered, sickened by what happened this weekend. White supremacists? Nazis? And a president who does not strongly condemn this type of hatred?
It's a sad day for the United States, my friends. A sad day.
We had a different food day today.
First off, at church we had a parish meeting catered by our Islamic friends down the road in DeKalb.
A chicken and rice dish, salad, dessert, all prepared in a very traditional, old world manner. It was very good.
I did get confused. Jackie does not like spicy, so I got her the spicy chicken. I don't mind spicy, so I got the mild chicken. She did not enjoy much of hers. When I tried hers, I was surprised how spicy it was compared to mine! I ate hers too. Plus I brought some home for supper tomorrow.
Of course, we drove past Ollie's and had to stop.
But supper was the coup de lack of grace.
I cut up a sweet potato, butternut squash, baking potato, onion, green pepper and bathed it in olive oil. Then I put it in a basket, added some oregano and rosemary from our little herb garden, and set it on the grill.
It had been on the grill for about 15 minutes when I figured it was time to shake up the basket to make sure the bottom and top cooked fairly evenly.
Put on an oven mitt on my left hand and proceeded to grab the handle with my right hand.
The pain was intense. I said some words I probably should not have said, and spent the next 15 minutes running cold water over my hand. I put a burn salve on it, which really stung.
At this point Emily and John arrived and I turned the cooking duties over to him. We discussed whether ER was needed, but I have no blistering or swelling.
Typing is not easy. Cutting my meat was a challenge. The damn basket of taters and squash were a little undercooked, even though my hand isn't.
The chocolate cake from Portillo's helped sooth my hand though.
So to celebrate John's birthday, he came, he cooked, he worked.
I will load some ointment on it tonight and put a sock over my hand. Hopefully I will be better tomorrow.
It was a stupid thing to do....I honestly can not explain it.
I guess that is why there is a category called accident.
And here's an after thought. I am very distressed, upset, angered, sickened by what happened this weekend. White supremacists? Nazis? And a president who does not strongly condemn this type of hatred?
It's a sad day for the United States, my friends. A sad day.
Saturday, August 12, 2017
a food kind of day
I think I ate tooo much
It was not my fault. Well, not all of it.
Hicks' barbecue was at the car wash, and Jackie and I thought it would be good to have some brisket for supper. So I bought sandwiches.
Then I went to the market at Cypress House and there was a taco truck. So I bought two cilantro chicken tacos. Figured that was lunch. And it was a lot for lunch! Very delicious tacos, will definitely go back to them.
Also got some super sweet corn at Rainwaters, which I boiled for supper.
A friend, Sheri, came over and did some weeding of my flower garden. I did most before I had the stents, but the thistle keeps coming back fast. I can't use my wrist for twisting or digging motions, so we snared our friend for a little help.
We all had supper, along with a little wine.
The brisket and pulled pork were very good, as was the cole slaw. And the corn was amazing.
Problem is, I always eat good food too much. I know that is terrible grammar. Sorry.
Adding to the problem, I stopped at Culver's to check on the order for the museum next Saturday, and the salted caramel concrete mixer actually called to me! So I had one of those.
I have gained 46 pounds today!
But tomorrow is another day and I promise I will be better. I have to be, those stents won't work forever!
Maybe tonight I'll see some meteors.....looks clear. That would be nice.
I'll brew some decaf tea, put on a sweatshirt and sit outside for a while, enjoying the dark and the tea.
And some shooting stars.
It was not my fault. Well, not all of it.
Hicks' barbecue was at the car wash, and Jackie and I thought it would be good to have some brisket for supper. So I bought sandwiches.
Then I went to the market at Cypress House and there was a taco truck. So I bought two cilantro chicken tacos. Figured that was lunch. And it was a lot for lunch! Very delicious tacos, will definitely go back to them.
Also got some super sweet corn at Rainwaters, which I boiled for supper.
A friend, Sheri, came over and did some weeding of my flower garden. I did most before I had the stents, but the thistle keeps coming back fast. I can't use my wrist for twisting or digging motions, so we snared our friend for a little help.
We all had supper, along with a little wine.
The brisket and pulled pork were very good, as was the cole slaw. And the corn was amazing.
Problem is, I always eat good food too much. I know that is terrible grammar. Sorry.
Adding to the problem, I stopped at Culver's to check on the order for the museum next Saturday, and the salted caramel concrete mixer actually called to me! So I had one of those.
I have gained 46 pounds today!
But tomorrow is another day and I promise I will be better. I have to be, those stents won't work forever!
Maybe tonight I'll see some meteors.....looks clear. That would be nice.
I'll brew some decaf tea, put on a sweatshirt and sit outside for a while, enjoying the dark and the tea.
And some shooting stars.
Friday, August 11, 2017
And then I said
I did the August history walk today
I felt fine. One of the people said that if I could do the walk with two stents implaced Monday, they could do the walk just fine.
We got caught by a train. It was about a 15 minute wait, but eventually the train cleared the crossing. The good thing is no train whistle because the city has quiet zones.
I like when people ask me questions for which I don't have an answer. I have to ask Wendy where and how the city got the Lincoln Highway markers by the visitor's center.
Every time I do the walk I learn something. Today I learned the Rochelle Bottling Company bottled a product for Pepsi before moving the operation to Rockford.
It was really a nice night, not hot, not windy, pleasant all around.
But I admit I am tired of talking. Seems I talk more every time I do this.
A couple of people said I knew more about Rochelle history than they did, and they have lived here their whole lives.
I don't think that is true.....but it was nice of them to say.
Two more walks to go..... hope I don't run out of jokes.
I felt fine. One of the people said that if I could do the walk with two stents implaced Monday, they could do the walk just fine.
We got caught by a train. It was about a 15 minute wait, but eventually the train cleared the crossing. The good thing is no train whistle because the city has quiet zones.
I like when people ask me questions for which I don't have an answer. I have to ask Wendy where and how the city got the Lincoln Highway markers by the visitor's center.
Every time I do the walk I learn something. Today I learned the Rochelle Bottling Company bottled a product for Pepsi before moving the operation to Rockford.
It was really a nice night, not hot, not windy, pleasant all around.
But I admit I am tired of talking. Seems I talk more every time I do this.
A couple of people said I knew more about Rochelle history than they did, and they have lived here their whole lives.
I don't think that is true.....but it was nice of them to say.
Two more walks to go..... hope I don't run out of jokes.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
memories and old friends
We had some special people over today
Once upon a time, Jackie and I were young. We met at NIU. Those are facts.
Now, tne story gets confused.
I maintain we were set up as a blind date. A girl on Jackie's dorm floor was dating a guy, David, who lived with a geeky kind of guy in an off campus house. The girl thought Jackie and the geeky guy were a good match, so they set them up on a blind date. I was the geeky guy.
I remember we went to see 'Goodbye Columbus' and it was sometime in October.
David remembers it a little differently. He said the two of us went to a party and met the two of them and we all hit it off.
We ended up going to homecoming together, all four of us. I still have a picture of the girls someplace.....beehive hairdos! Wild.
Whatever, after NIU we all went our separate ways....they to Maryland and us to Rochelle. We visited them once a long time ago, but aside from Christmas cards, were not really in contact.
Until Facebook.
Now we communicate regularly. When they decided to come back to Illinois for a visit, we made arrangements to meet and have dinner.
My stent work made that a little tough because I can't load the wheelchair into the car yet, so they came to our house.
We laughed, ate pizza, drank some wine, introduced them to Emily and John, had dessert, and in general had a great time.
To be honest, there have been days I have cursed them for introducing us, but deep down in my heart I am glad they did.
Safe jouneys, David and Pam.
And thanks for bringing us together.
Once upon a time, Jackie and I were young. We met at NIU. Those are facts.
Now, tne story gets confused.
I maintain we were set up as a blind date. A girl on Jackie's dorm floor was dating a guy, David, who lived with a geeky kind of guy in an off campus house. The girl thought Jackie and the geeky guy were a good match, so they set them up on a blind date. I was the geeky guy.
I remember we went to see 'Goodbye Columbus' and it was sometime in October.
David remembers it a little differently. He said the two of us went to a party and met the two of them and we all hit it off.
We ended up going to homecoming together, all four of us. I still have a picture of the girls someplace.....beehive hairdos! Wild.
Whatever, after NIU we all went our separate ways....they to Maryland and us to Rochelle. We visited them once a long time ago, but aside from Christmas cards, were not really in contact.
Until Facebook.
Now we communicate regularly. When they decided to come back to Illinois for a visit, we made arrangements to meet and have dinner.
My stent work made that a little tough because I can't load the wheelchair into the car yet, so they came to our house.
We laughed, ate pizza, drank some wine, introduced them to Emily and John, had dessert, and in general had a great time.
To be honest, there have been days I have cursed them for introducing us, but deep down in my heart I am glad they did.
Safe jouneys, David and Pam.
And thanks for bringing us together.
 |
| We look the same as we did in college! Seriously!! |
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
still here
Day 2 has passed, and I have not
I have this nightmare. Actually, it is a daymare too. I do something stupid and blow out the plug in my wrist.
Then I fly around the room backward, like a balloon when you let go of the opening.
So I am being very careful.
My mind is not as fuzzy as yesterday, although I did have to ask what day it was a couple of times today. Doesn't help when Jackie does not know either.
I have been hot and cold all day. I sit on the patio in the sun wearing a sweatshirt. Then I sit in the shade and take it off.
And I give thanks.
Thanks for good doctors and nurses, thanks to God for my health. (Although the thanks to Him is balanced by my cursing whenever I watch Jackie struggle to get up or move. )
Thanks to my family for being there. And thanks to all the people who have sent their wishes along. They mean an awful lot to me, despite me not acknowledging them. Hitting the like button does not seem to say enough.
I think back to my favorite Christmas movie, when I always tear up at the ending.
No man is a failure who has friends.
Thanks Clarence, and all you other angels out there, with or without wings.
I have this nightmare. Actually, it is a daymare too. I do something stupid and blow out the plug in my wrist.
Then I fly around the room backward, like a balloon when you let go of the opening.
So I am being very careful.
My mind is not as fuzzy as yesterday, although I did have to ask what day it was a couple of times today. Doesn't help when Jackie does not know either.
I have been hot and cold all day. I sit on the patio in the sun wearing a sweatshirt. Then I sit in the shade and take it off.
And I give thanks.
Thanks for good doctors and nurses, thanks to God for my health. (Although the thanks to Him is balanced by my cursing whenever I watch Jackie struggle to get up or move. )
Thanks to my family for being there. And thanks to all the people who have sent their wishes along. They mean an awful lot to me, despite me not acknowledging them. Hitting the like button does not seem to say enough.
I think back to my favorite Christmas movie, when I always tear up at the ending.
No man is a failure who has friends.
Thanks Clarence, and all you other angels out there, with or without wings.
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