I have not been a good biker this year
I keep track of my miles. And it is not good.
As of today, I have ridden about 248 miles this summer. That may seem like a lot, and in a way it is.
But last year I rode 609 miles. Granted....over 100 of those were in the Netherlands on our biking trip, but that still makes almost 500 miles of riding in the states.
In 2017 I rode 349 miles. No trips, just riding.
So....I have a ways to go to even match 2017 and no way I can match last year, unless I ride to DesMoines in the next month or so.
I need a riding group. And not young, thin guys in their super tight spandex. Older folks. A couple of people who regularly ride, whether it is the bike path or a bike trail. A biking club that rides. I know there are clubs in DeKalb and Rockford, but I really don't want to cart my bike up there to ride.
My annual goal is always 500 miles. Someday I would like to hit 1,000 in one summer. I think I better get serious about that because I am not getting any younger.
Biking is good exercise plus it gives me a mental release. I am relaxed when I ride and when I am done. I have great conversations, out loud, because no one else is around.
I have solved many problems out there on the bike.
Summer is rapidly running out......so I better get riding.
Peace and Love
Monday, October 7, 2019
Sunday, October 6, 2019
always look on the bright side of life
Everybody whistle! de do, de de.......
Pardon me...went to see Spamalot today with Emily and John.
It brought me back to the old neighborhood. Seriously.
Spamalot was at the Mercury Theater, about 4 blocks from where I grew up. It is very close to the Music Box, a movie palace that I have been to many times as a kid.
My mom took me there to see My Fair Lady and Oklahoma. I remember that distinctly, although My Fair Lady came out in 1956, so I must have been about 8 years old.
During one rowdy matinee, I threw a Milk Dud at the screen. Every time there was a close up of John Wayne, it looked like he had a mole on his face! Good times.......
But I digress. The Mercury Theater is relatively new...within the last 20 years or so.
It has a professional troupe in residence, at least that is what it seems.
The performers were very good. I sometimes don't watch the main characters, but I watch the faces of the people in the background, and their body language. The characters in this show were alive and involved with the production.
I also watch the feet of the dancers. I know that is strange, but that is what I do.
The male dancers in this show did a variety of tap routines and sequences and their feet were flying in all directions.
These are professionals. Yet, they are not on Broadway, or off Broadway, or a touring company. It reminded me of why I could never have been a professional actor. The talent level they had was amazing....yet they were not first teamers, more like single A ball in baseball.
Some of them have not yet been "discovered" but I would bet the majority of them would not have a problem filling a role on Broadway.
It was a neat experience and I am glad Emily and John asked me to go. Too bad I didn't get a picture by the marquee!
As we drove through the old neighborhood, I kept expecting to see faces I knew...John, Frank, Billy, Larry, Connie, Sandy, Richie, Joe, Mark......but everyone was a stranger.
I guess that happens after 50 years.
Peace and Love
Pardon me...went to see Spamalot today with Emily and John.
It brought me back to the old neighborhood. Seriously.
Spamalot was at the Mercury Theater, about 4 blocks from where I grew up. It is very close to the Music Box, a movie palace that I have been to many times as a kid.
My mom took me there to see My Fair Lady and Oklahoma. I remember that distinctly, although My Fair Lady came out in 1956, so I must have been about 8 years old.
During one rowdy matinee, I threw a Milk Dud at the screen. Every time there was a close up of John Wayne, it looked like he had a mole on his face! Good times.......
But I digress. The Mercury Theater is relatively new...within the last 20 years or so.
It has a professional troupe in residence, at least that is what it seems.
The performers were very good. I sometimes don't watch the main characters, but I watch the faces of the people in the background, and their body language. The characters in this show were alive and involved with the production.
I also watch the feet of the dancers. I know that is strange, but that is what I do.
The male dancers in this show did a variety of tap routines and sequences and their feet were flying in all directions.
These are professionals. Yet, they are not on Broadway, or off Broadway, or a touring company. It reminded me of why I could never have been a professional actor. The talent level they had was amazing....yet they were not first teamers, more like single A ball in baseball.
Some of them have not yet been "discovered" but I would bet the majority of them would not have a problem filling a role on Broadway.
It was a neat experience and I am glad Emily and John asked me to go. Too bad I didn't get a picture by the marquee!
As we drove through the old neighborhood, I kept expecting to see faces I knew...John, Frank, Billy, Larry, Connie, Sandy, Richie, Joe, Mark......but everyone was a stranger.
I guess that happens after 50 years.
Peace and Love
Saturday, October 5, 2019
that's unusual
Not much to say tonight
It was cold and damp today. I took a nap. I read my four inch thick book for about 15 minutes. Went to the high school play.
I am having a glass of Rum Chata because I had to check it to be sure it was ok. It is.
Jackie was cold, so we put the fireplace on for a while until it got too hot.
In short....pretty boring day.
So, I'm calling it a day. Or night. You decide.
Peace and Love
It was cold and damp today. I took a nap. I read my four inch thick book for about 15 minutes. Went to the high school play.
I am having a glass of Rum Chata because I had to check it to be sure it was ok. It is.
Jackie was cold, so we put the fireplace on for a while until it got too hot.
In short....pretty boring day.
So, I'm calling it a day. Or night. You decide.
Peace and Love
Friday, October 4, 2019
damn GPS
So much for a 12 hour day
I had a zoo day today. I set the alarm for 6:30. When I got up at 3 I assumed I would be able to go back to sleep.
No luck. I put peaceful thoughts in my head.....Dewey Lake, Lake Geneva, Lake Superior, Mackinac Island......nothing helped.
I know it was after 4...possibly 4:30....when I did fall asleep, only to awaken a short time later.
I forgot to shut off the security system. When I opened the door to the garage to finally leave, it was pretty loud. Jackie and Corki were now awake.
After the zoo, (which started with a note saying Happy Anniversary! I started volunteering in October, 2008) I wanted to go to a Dyson service center in Bollingbrook.
I got the directions, studied the map, and had little problem getting there.
I had a frayed cord on our cordless vac. I asked for a replacement on line, and was told the $29.95 one was replaced by the $129 unit, so I did not order one. The man at the service center took my cord, found a replacement unit and told me there was NO CHARGE because he has seen this on several vacs.
That was great.
I got in the car and headed out.
I wrote down the directions, and entered them in my phone. To get to the Dyson place, I turned on a northbound street. So I turned northbound on the same street.
First off, I thought my phone would tell me the directions. It did not. I only had the map, and since it is illegal to even touch your phone while driving, I assumed I was heading north. I was not. I was going south. I ended up in Romeoville.
I called Jackie thinking she could point me in the right direction, but since I did not at the time know I was in Romeoville, I could not give her a starting point.
Finally I pulled into a shopping center, took out the paper map, and discovered I had to turn around and go back the way I had just come until I hit 55, and then take that north to 355, then to I 88, then home. Easy. Seems I was heading south.
Except.......no delicate way to put it, by now the Starbucks had worked it's way through my system and my bladder was yelling for help. I was in a construction zone and spotted a McDonald's. I pulled in, used the can, got back on the road.....and because the signs were down for 55 due to construction, I drove past the entrance.
I decided to turn left at the next light, go into the shopping center, and come back out.
Except.....it was a construction zone and the traffic in the other direction managed to block the intersection. For three lights. Finally some fairly intelligent people realized they should not block and intersection and a bunch of us were able to turn.
I eventually got on 55 and for a while motored along at the incredible speed of 15 mph. Although irritated, later I became thankful because on I 88 we rolled along at the mind boggling speed of 8 for about 10 minutes, then everything was clear.
I had a stop to make for groceries so after leaving the house at 8:16, I pulled in at about 8:10.
I just made a hot chocolate with Run Chatta and it seemed off. Does that stuff spoil? And I just discovered I am bleeding between two fingers, in the webbing on my left hand.
I do think I will sleep tonight.
Peace and Love
I had a zoo day today. I set the alarm for 6:30. When I got up at 3 I assumed I would be able to go back to sleep.
No luck. I put peaceful thoughts in my head.....Dewey Lake, Lake Geneva, Lake Superior, Mackinac Island......nothing helped.
I know it was after 4...possibly 4:30....when I did fall asleep, only to awaken a short time later.
I forgot to shut off the security system. When I opened the door to the garage to finally leave, it was pretty loud. Jackie and Corki were now awake.
After the zoo, (which started with a note saying Happy Anniversary! I started volunteering in October, 2008) I wanted to go to a Dyson service center in Bollingbrook.
I got the directions, studied the map, and had little problem getting there.
I had a frayed cord on our cordless vac. I asked for a replacement on line, and was told the $29.95 one was replaced by the $129 unit, so I did not order one. The man at the service center took my cord, found a replacement unit and told me there was NO CHARGE because he has seen this on several vacs.
That was great.
I got in the car and headed out.
I wrote down the directions, and entered them in my phone. To get to the Dyson place, I turned on a northbound street. So I turned northbound on the same street.
First off, I thought my phone would tell me the directions. It did not. I only had the map, and since it is illegal to even touch your phone while driving, I assumed I was heading north. I was not. I was going south. I ended up in Romeoville.
I called Jackie thinking she could point me in the right direction, but since I did not at the time know I was in Romeoville, I could not give her a starting point.
Finally I pulled into a shopping center, took out the paper map, and discovered I had to turn around and go back the way I had just come until I hit 55, and then take that north to 355, then to I 88, then home. Easy. Seems I was heading south.
Except.......no delicate way to put it, by now the Starbucks had worked it's way through my system and my bladder was yelling for help. I was in a construction zone and spotted a McDonald's. I pulled in, used the can, got back on the road.....and because the signs were down for 55 due to construction, I drove past the entrance.
I decided to turn left at the next light, go into the shopping center, and come back out.
Except.....it was a construction zone and the traffic in the other direction managed to block the intersection. For three lights. Finally some fairly intelligent people realized they should not block and intersection and a bunch of us were able to turn.
I eventually got on 55 and for a while motored along at the incredible speed of 15 mph. Although irritated, later I became thankful because on I 88 we rolled along at the mind boggling speed of 8 for about 10 minutes, then everything was clear.
I had a stop to make for groceries so after leaving the house at 8:16, I pulled in at about 8:10.
I just made a hot chocolate with Run Chatta and it seemed off. Does that stuff spoil? And I just discovered I am bleeding between two fingers, in the webbing on my left hand.
I do think I will sleep tonight.
Peace and Love
Thursday, October 3, 2019
I'm prepared
There are some things I won't live without
Chocolate. Tea. Coffee. Pizza. Good hamburgers. Great hot dogs.
Toilet paper.
I may have a problem there.
What do you think?
This should last me for a while. If ever there is a shortage, I will gladly sell some of my stock, for a significant price.
I had a nice day today, with coffee with Dan and Linda, a trip to an open house, rehearsal......sometimes I forget to stop and breathe. This helped me.
Hope it helps you too.
Peace and Love
Chocolate. Tea. Coffee. Pizza. Good hamburgers. Great hot dogs.
Toilet paper.
I may have a problem there.
What do you think?
This should last me for a while. If ever there is a shortage, I will gladly sell some of my stock, for a significant price.
I had a nice day today, with coffee with Dan and Linda, a trip to an open house, rehearsal......sometimes I forget to stop and breathe. This helped me.
Hope it helps you too.
Peace and Love
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
treassure troves
I found a box of treasure in the basement
I have a tub of slides, photographic slides, I have taken over the years. Well, I have not taken slides since 2007, but I have a lot of them.
I have a Bell and Howell slide cube projector that actually works! I have not used it in this house and we have been here seven years in November.
Tonight I set up the projector and ran through 7 cubes of slides.
Julia as a 4 year old, Emily as a baby, a camping trip to Isle Royal.......here's the problem.
I was not a good photographer!
Of the 30 or so Isle Royal slides, I can see four of the lake that are good. The rest are just too dark to even make out who was there. The question is , why did I save them?
There are a lot of slides that should not have been saved. Out of focus, too dark, blindingly white.....yet I put them all in cubes. I don't think they would have changed over time, so my exposures must have been way off.
One set is a little puzzling because it looks like pictures with the Super Dome in New Orleans in the background. There are some tall buildings and barges in a river. Now it is puzzling because we have never been to New Orleans. How did I get these pictures in with Jackie's grandmother's birthday party?
'Tis a mystery.
Also a mystery is why every other picture is either sideways or upside down. I must have just stuck them willy nilly into cubes.
In any case....some day you will see some of them.
There will be a younger, thinner me along with younger Jackie and our truly darling daughters.
Someday.
Until then, I have to go through about 67 cubes, each with 36 pictures, plus a bunch of slides in cardboard boxes.
It may take a while.
Peace and Love
I have a tub of slides, photographic slides, I have taken over the years. Well, I have not taken slides since 2007, but I have a lot of them.
I have a Bell and Howell slide cube projector that actually works! I have not used it in this house and we have been here seven years in November.
Tonight I set up the projector and ran through 7 cubes of slides.
Julia as a 4 year old, Emily as a baby, a camping trip to Isle Royal.......here's the problem.
I was not a good photographer!
Of the 30 or so Isle Royal slides, I can see four of the lake that are good. The rest are just too dark to even make out who was there. The question is , why did I save them?
There are a lot of slides that should not have been saved. Out of focus, too dark, blindingly white.....yet I put them all in cubes. I don't think they would have changed over time, so my exposures must have been way off.
One set is a little puzzling because it looks like pictures with the Super Dome in New Orleans in the background. There are some tall buildings and barges in a river. Now it is puzzling because we have never been to New Orleans. How did I get these pictures in with Jackie's grandmother's birthday party?
'Tis a mystery.
Also a mystery is why every other picture is either sideways or upside down. I must have just stuck them willy nilly into cubes.
In any case....some day you will see some of them.
There will be a younger, thinner me along with younger Jackie and our truly darling daughters.
Someday.
Until then, I have to go through about 67 cubes, each with 36 pictures, plus a bunch of slides in cardboard boxes.
It may take a while.
Peace and Love
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
WTH
My life is sometimes too strange
Took Jackie out in the wheelchair today to look at the field of deer across the street.
It was almost 7 and it was darkish. I wheeled her out there and instead of saying, "Wow, thank you for taking me out to see all these deer." She said, "Those are geese."
And they were.
But I can't tell people apart, so it is natural that I confuse deer with geese.
By the way, I can never find Waldo. (Except at the Ren Faire I did find him.)
I got an e mail from a relative correcting some information. I was told at a family gathering I was a Jack Daniels baby....someone gave my parents a bottle and they drank it, and boom! Terry is conceived.
Well, that may not be correct. I was told that I might not be a Jack Daniels baby after all. ....... I was possibly a Southern Comfort kid. Explains why I like Johnny Cash.
When mowing today I noticed my burr oak is not looking right. Usually oaks hold their leaves until spring, but mine is almost barren.
And it has galls....lots of galls.
If anyone has tree knowledge, let me know what all this means.
Peace and Love.
Took Jackie out in the wheelchair today to look at the field of deer across the street.
It was almost 7 and it was darkish. I wheeled her out there and instead of saying, "Wow, thank you for taking me out to see all these deer." She said, "Those are geese."
And they were.
But I can't tell people apart, so it is natural that I confuse deer with geese.
By the way, I can never find Waldo. (Except at the Ren Faire I did find him.)
I got an e mail from a relative correcting some information. I was told at a family gathering I was a Jack Daniels baby....someone gave my parents a bottle and they drank it, and boom! Terry is conceived.
Well, that may not be correct. I was told that I might not be a Jack Daniels baby after all. ....... I was possibly a Southern Comfort kid. Explains why I like Johnny Cash.
When mowing today I noticed my burr oak is not looking right. Usually oaks hold their leaves until spring, but mine is almost barren.
And it has galls....lots of galls.
If anyone has tree knowledge, let me know what all this means.
Peace and Love.
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