day........eh........433

 Today was a pleasant day in Rochelle

    The tempertures were nice, almost no wind, plenty of sun.  I took a ride through town on my trusty bike and stopped at Cypress House for a cool refreshment.  Spent some time with friend Amy, who was having lunch outside.

    While riding I ran into a former student who now lives in Hawaii.  She was home visiting and helping her mom and we spent a few minutes catching up, maintaining a safe distance all the while.  We even gave each other virtual hugs.

    My pea crop has taken a beating.  I don't know if it was the frost or the rain, but I replanted the peas today.  I hope they mature before it gets too hot.  I don't understand how peas and corn survive when it frosts, but the corn plants look pretty good.

    I stopped by a farm field and picked up some rocks for my gardens.  I may need a couple more, but I better get them before the crops get too big and I can't see the ground.

    I also took items  for the market in Creston tomorrow.  Friend Linda and I are having a booth and hopefully we can sell some of our stuff.  I took over about 30 items, and am hoping I don't bring 35 back.

    As you can see, it was a pretty hum drum day.  I am not complaining at all about that.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.

Peace and Love

day...whew....432

 I love days like this

    I had a 6 month exam with my urologist about my prostate cancer incident.  It was almost 6 months ago to the day that I underwent robotic surgery to remove the prostate.

    I had a PSA test to check, and I have a rating of 0.  That is very good.  Sharing TMI here, but the pipes are controlled and I am almost normal, what ever that is in my mind.

    He said something very nice to me.  He said I am doing great for a man of my age!  Usually it takes almost a year to reach the state I am in, so I am quite happy.

    I do have a check up in six months.....almost on the anniversary of my operation.

    To celebrate, as if I need a reason, I stopped at Starbucks and ordered an iced coffee.  As I am standing there a voice rings out, "Is that Terry Dickow?"  I turned around and saw a man and woman, but I did not immediately recognize them.  She looked familiar, but I could not place her.  I asked who she was and she told me, but I must not have understood because I said, "Whose mother?"  She told me again and lowered her mask and then I recognized her.

    We all sat outside and talked for almost an hour.  It was like a normal day!

    I know Dolly and John don't read this blog, not sure if their daughter does either, but I had a really nice time.

    I even packed up two boxes from the den today.  

    I also made a list of things I need to do.  It's a long list.  I am slowly chipping away at it.

    For some reason I have been listening to the Margaritaville channel on Sirius instead of the Beatles.  I do miss our Buffet concerts.....and our get togethers.  Hopefully this year we can do both.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.

Peace and Love

day....drats.....431

How many times......... 

    That's what I ask every time I leave the house only to return.

    Today I was running late for a meeting. (To those who know me, that is certainly no surprise.)   I was about 5 minutes behind when I needed to be.

    Got in the car, pulled  out of the driveway and realized I did not have a mask.

    Backed up the driveway, ran in grabbed a mask.  I was now about 8 minutes behind.

    Road work on Flagg Road....but I went at the right time.  No delay!

    Drove 2 miles down the road and realized I did not have my phone.  If Jackie needed help, she could not get me.  Turned around and headed back.  Got caught by construction.  Finally got home.  Now I was 15 minutes behind.

    Got back into the car with my phone,  my mask, my patience frayed, and got caught in construction again.  

    I reached my meeting 25 minutes late.  The bad part was I had to leave early!

    I managed to be there 40 minutes.  I apologized for being late.  I apologized for leaving early. 

    I would have almost been on time if I was not so damn forgetful!  Granted, it did not help to be behind someone pulling a trailer and doing 40 or getting caught by all 4 of the traffic lights on the route.  When I am not in a hurry they are always green.

    I did have a relaxing dinner with Emily and John and Jackie, plus a couple of glasses of vino, which has relaxed me further.

    Tomorrow I have a doctor appointment in DeKalb.  When I leave the house I will do a double check for keys, mask, phone, wallet, Maybe that will help me not make two trips back to the house.

    It could be worse.  At least I remembered where I parked the car tonight.

    Stay healthy.  Stay happy.

Peace and Love

day.....birthday......430

 I started my 74th year of life today

    Sounds strange, 74.  It was actually my 73rd birthday, but a birthday marks the end of a year.  I am celebrating the beginning of the next.

    When Jackie and I first landed in Rochelle, I said we would only be here 5 years. She would be done with her degree, I would have had some experience in newspapers, and we would move on to a bigger community.

    That was 1970.

    Are there days I regret still being here?  Of course.  

    But I don't think I could have made the friends I have anyplace else on earth.

    There are people who have put up with my clowning, my goofiness, my forgetfulness, my thoughtlessness and have stayed my friends.  Good friends.  Friends I would not trade for all the fame or money in the world.  Well,  maybe for a lot of money...but that'a just hypothetical.

    Sometimes I am astounded at their friendship, and all  the time I am grateful.

    I look back at my life and realize how lucky I have been.  Two daughters and a wife who love me, despite my faults.  Friends from grade school days who still keep in contact and do things with me.  Friends from Rochelle, some of whom are like sisters or daughters or brothers.

    Yes, there are some who gave up on me.  And I wish they would give me a second chance, but that doesn't look possible.

    And there are others who have moved away but still keep in contact.

    I am thankful for each and every one of them.  And of you, people who read my nightly drivel.

    Every time I watch "It's a Wonderful Life," I cry when George opens his book and sees Clarence's message:  No man is a failure who has friends.

    I truly am a successful person.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.

Peace and Love

day....call me lucky....429

 I found a rabbit's foot the other day

    More specifically, I found a rabbit's leg with the foot attached.  There was also what looked like a picked over bunny skeleton attached to the leg.

    This was way in the back of my yard, so I know Corki was not responsible.  Could have been the hawk that hangs around the yard, or a coyote, or a cat, or fox, or an eagle....several possibilities.

    So...I found this foot-leg combination and did now want to leave it laying in the yard.  I got a small plastic grocery bag and put it in that, tied it shut, (well, after poking the leg down a couple of times....rigor mortis seemed to be an issue) and put it in my trash.

    An hour later I went back into the garage and said to myself, "Holy Hell!! What is that smell?"  

    I got another garbage bag and double bagged it.  That seemed to help.  When Emily and John brought over the Mother's Day hanging flower baskets, we put those in the garage for fear of frost.  The smell of the flowers helped a lot.  John did say the garage had a funky smell.

    I am just glad the temperatures are not in the 90s......I don't think I could stand the smell.

    I guess I could have buried it in the yard, or even in the prairie garden.  I was afraid an animal might smell it and dig it up again.

    Maybe tomorrow I will have to set the garbage can outside, especially if the temps rise.

    Chair update!!

    I finished the fourth chair today, put all my stuff away, put the chair away and discovered I missed the back side of the chair I did yesterday!  By then my hands were sore, I was cold, stuff was away .... so I said screw it, I'll do it tomorrow.

    I swear, this is taking me forever.

    Stay healthy.  Stay happy.

Peace and Love

day....moms' day.....428

 In honor of Mothers' Day I did very little

    My hands were still sore from yesterday and it is too cold outside.  But tomorrow I will have to work on the damn chairs.

    We had a nice Skype visit with Julia in Switzerland.  It's always good to talk to her and be able to see her.

    Tonight Emily and John came over with some beautiful planters and delicious cheesecake.  It was great seeing them and catching up with their lives.

    Those two girls mean more to me than I can describe.

    As for me?  Well, we are having some work done in the house and I have to clean out some closets.  I have one done, and started on the hard one today.

    I spent three hours going through two shelves.  Most of the time was spent going through two little shoe box sized containers.  I hardly tossed anything out.  Pictures, memories....journals from my two Alaska trips.  All went back into the containers.

    I just get too emotional.  I found a Father's Day card from the girls they gave me in 1982.  Did I toss it?  Heck no.

    Maybe some day I will.....just not today.

    Hope you had a wonderful day.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Keep the memories.

Peace and Love

day....drudgery......427

 I worked my fingers off today

    Seriously.  I only have 8 left and am finding it extremely hard to type.

    I sanded two chairs and the table.....and my hand is sore.  Sore from holding the sander, sore from changing sandpaper, sore from drying out....just plain sore.

    I have a problem with garlic mustard in my yard.  It is a fast growing, fast spreading, stinky weed.  I have a lawn service, but they suggested I spot spray with weed killer.

    So I did.

    First thing I used to tell students is read the directions.

    Well, I didn't read them all.  The label said rain resistant in one hour.  I knew it was going to rain later in the day, so I figured I was safe.  After I was done, I read all the directions and it said not to apply when rain is expected within 24 hours.  So, that may be a wasted hour of my life.

    I woke Jackie up about 3 a.m. to tell her Sally was bringing the beer.  Twice.  She asked me what?  And I said again, Sally is bringing the beer.  Then I went back to sleep.

    And Sally did bring the beer.....she had a parade that featured seveeral bands, caged animals, floats and Sally herself at the end, magnificently dressed in a red flowing evening gown and holding a six pack of beer  She looked a lot like Suzanne Sugerbaker of Designing Women, which was on when I fell asleep, I think.

    Sometimes even I don't understand me.

Stay healthy.  Stay safe.

Peace and Love