killer bagels

I ate a bagel today

    I know.....big deal.  People eat bagels all the time.

    This was one Julia bought.  She had 4 in bags in the freezer, and I ate one today.

    I will never eat another one.

    I don't know if it was a garlic bagel, or an onion one.  But I do know it did not agree with me at all. 

    I was queasy all afternoon.  Not sick, but not feeling right in the big ol tummy area.

    I still managed to get 3 loads of laundry done, although I just finished folding them.  Towels, sheets, and my stuff.  

    We had meatloaf for supper.  Usually we order out on Saturday night, but Julia is gone and she hates meatloaf.  I figured it was a good time for us to have it.  I even pulled 2 carrots out of the garden and cut them up for our vegetable.  Yes, 2 carrots because they were pretty big.  

    Dog Beth is moping around the house, missing Julia.  She does not want to eat her food, because Julia did not make it.  So I have resorted to adding bits of things.. cheese, dog treats, itty bitty bits of meatloaf from the pan....and then she eats.  She has trained us well.

    I did not get up to visit my brother because of my stomach.  My understanding is he has not worsened any and has not had any more seizures or strokes. He is semi awake, knows people are there, but is still on a ventilator.  I plan to go up tomorrow, stomach willing.

    And thanks to all who have helped out with a prayer or two.  It means a lot.

    So much for my life!

    But boy!  Last weekend was 30 degrees warmer!  Talk about a sudden change.

    Julia is in Chicago with  Selin,  a friend from Switzerland.  Selin  is running the Chicago Marathon.  After the race they are going to crash downtown and them come out here Monday for a short visit.  Then it's back to Switzerland on Wednesday.

    Jackie and I are looking forward to the visit.  

    Have a great Sunday!

Peace and Love

not much

 I don't have much to say tonight

    I know, I don't have much to say most nights, but I still say it!

    Today was just a so so day.  We had a home health assessment appointment through our insurance providers and that was the highlight of the day.

    The person asks a lot of questions, gathers some data, and does reports that get sent to our PCP.  That is Primary Care Physician, not he mind altering drug.  But you knew that.

    She took my blood pressure and it was a bit high.  That might have been because I had to reorder some pills.  I used the Walmart automated phone program, which to me is a disaster.

    Last night I tried and the voice said to enter my prescription number.  I did.  Nothing happened.  Then it said enter your prescription number.  So I did.  It then told me the number was invalid and I would have to talk. to a pharmacist, but the pharmacy was closed.

    This morning I called and it said to give my date of birth.  I said May 11 1948.  I was ver clear about that.  The voice confirmed saying, "You said November 19, 2008.  Is that correct?"

    When I said no, it connected me to the pharmacy, where I talked to a real person (not my daughter) and ordered a refill.

    That was still on my mind as my BP was taken.

    And, my brother was on my mind.  He is in ICU at St. Anthony, having suffered a stroke and some seizures.  I went to visit him after the assessment, but he is heavily sedated and on a ventilator.  I talked to him, made a few jokes, knowing he can hear me.  

    I did not stay long, but I will go back tomorrow for a bit.

    Prayers for him and his family are appreciated.

Peace and Love

Score

 No, this is not about football or baseball

    I have solved my tow behind spreader problem.

    I bought new clamps and thing a ma bobs for the old spreader, which is Emily's but it does not turn.  It is frozen. I have taken it apart and spent hours trying to free up the parts.

    The  same type of spreader spreader costs about  $249.  I hate to buy a new one for the one or two times a year I will use it, but I can't repair it.

    I decided today to bite the bullet and buy a new one.

    I stopped at 2 places, but they did not have any in stock.

    I stopped at a third place and they had 3 or 4 different models, but no price on them.

    I went in, explained what I wanted, and they looked up the price.

    The one I chose was the $249 one I had seen on line.

    The nice lady typed in the code and she looks at me and said, "That spreader is $49.95"

    I said, "Excuse me....I don't think I heard you right.  How much?"

    "$49.95 if it is the same one you are looking at."

    So a guy came out, checked the numbers, called the check out counter and......yup.  $49.95.  For a $249 spreader.

    The guy said they are trying to get rid of summer stock and instead of storing it, they want it gone.  So drastic markdowns are being given.

    If you are in need of a spreader, dethatcher, aerator, lawn cart....stop at Stock and Field on 251 and ask about heir price.  You may get a great  bargain.

    On a down note, my brother is in the hospital.  I am concerned. 

Peace and Love

me! me! Pick me!!

 I would like to be Speaker of the House

    I know, what experience do I have?

    None.  Zilch.  Zero

    But I can't be any worse than what is happening now.

    I promise I will listen to both sides before ruling the way I want.  I will be nice to people I like, regardless of party, and piss on the rest.

    I would not sell my influence to any foreign power.  I may rent it to some, but I would never sell it.

    When I do screw up, which I will, I will blame the media, the left wing part and Fox News.

    I would model my behavior after Sen. Melendez.  This poor man is being made an. example of, just because he likes to have some cash on hand in case of emergencies.  Granted, I usually have a little less than $480,000 stuffed in envelopes and put in coat pockets in the closet, but I do put $40 aside for emergencies. 

    And the gold bars they found in his closet? We all should be hoarding gold for when the economy melts down and gold is the only valuable commodity.  In fact, I have some gold too.  I store it in the back of my mouth on the right side.  That way no one can steal it.

    Every day I am more astounded than the previous day that in a country of over 350,000,000, people  this is the best we can do.  Really?

    Where are all the people with ideas and honor and a willingness to work to improve the country?

    I can tell you where they aren't

    But that all could change with me being Speaker. Hell, I might even appoint  Marjorie off her nut Greene to a high ranking post on the biggest slow in congress committee.

    Gah......what a world.

Peace and Love

Holy busy days

Why are we so busy? 

    Holy cow, our calendar has a lot of stuff written on it for October.

    True, some of is is small stuff, like me getting a haircut tomorrow.  But it is still on the calendar.  Even Beth has a date!  She is going to get groomed in a couple of weeks.

    Right now Mondays and Fridays are open, but I know I have to take the car in for service,  that will screw up one of those days.

    I do have a couple of outside projects to do.  Jackie said I should do one today, but it was too hot to be mucking around in the yard.  Maybe tomorrow, if it does not rain.  And after I get my hair cut.

    I used to always say I was getting my hairs cut, but that isn't funny after 75 years.  Well, maybe 65 because I probably didn't say it b before I was 10.

    What's sad now is my nose hairs, ear hairs, and my eyebrows grow so much faster than my head hairs!  And I still have the problem of hairs on my knee, which is still sore.

    I borrowed my neighbor's tow behind spreader to do grass seed, but I don't want to make a habit of that.

    So I borrowed Emily's so I can spread fertilizer..  

    I don't know when it was last used, but it is frozen.  The wheel does not turn, nor does the speeding plate.

    So, I took it apart to try to free it up.

    Big mistake.  

    I am not a handy person.  My hands are best used for calling a repair person, not doing the actual repair.

    I have bits and pieces of the thing on the golf cart, but no matter what I do, I can't get the parts freed up.  I bought a product that blasts rust, but so far that has not helped.

    My only hope is that some store has an end of season clearance and wants to get rid of a tow behind spreader at a reasonable cost.

    Gonna work on it again tomorrow, but I don't have a lot of hope.

    Kind of like being a Bears fan this year.

Peace and Love

fall already?

 Fall is my favorite time of year

    The first frost kills the bugs, the leaves turn beautiful colors, and there is a crispness in  the air you don't feel in summer or spring.  I won't mention winter.  

    I have a few things on my to do list, such as cleaning out the garden and finally getting the bird bath in correctly.  The bird bath will require some work, so I am putting that off as long as possible.

    But here are drawbacks to fall.

    The Cubs usually stop playing.  I love watching them and wish I could go to more games.

    The garden stops growing, so no more fresh tomatoes or beans.  I still have carrots to dig, but that is not a big thing. 

    The flowers lose their color, which is too bad.  Looking at a bunch of brown plants is not very exciting.

    But most of all, fall means another year almost gone. 

    It's a short trip from birth to autumn, isn't it?

    I went to the store tonight.  Took may own reusable bags and put them on the counter where a real person was working and they asked me if I wanted my groceries in my bags.

    I was going to tell her no, that I would just pile them in my arms. but she was young and I bit my tongue. 

    I  had a fantasy that I spent a week in Chicago, seeing all the things the city has to offer.  But, that is unlikely to happen.  Driving down Lake Shore Drive Sunday I was amazed at all the people out enjoying the day.  It really is a great city.

    Three more pictures from Sunday.

    I did not realize the Cubs statues have been moved.  Hell, I didn't even know the Starbucks was gone.

Not sure I like the new location, if it is indeed the new location.

Peace and Love

no ghosts

 I visited a cemetery today

    Not just any cemetery, but one that is on a historic list.  Funny thing, it was 2 blocks from where I grew up and I never really paid much attention to it.

    Sure, my mother's parents are buried there. And an aunt and uncle are buried there.  But once I moved out and Mom moved away, we had not visited. My memory sometimes plays games with me, but I know my parents would take me to Graceland to visit the relatives and have a picnic.  I remember sitting by a lake and eating, although it is a bit fuzzy.  When I saw the lake and surroundings, something stirred deep inside my little brain.

    Anyway, I am posting some pictures.  

    I met my niece Cindy there and as part of our day we tried finding my grandparents and aunt and uncle's graves.  We were half successful, or 2 thirds, depending on how you look at it.

    Afterward I decided to go to the Starbucks by Wrigley Field, since that is just couple of blocks away.

    I found parking space one block away and walked to the Starbucks.  I took some pictures of Cubs greats along the way, and stepped in to order a coffee.

    I was a little surprised at the remodeling that had been done. Then I realized it was not a Starbucks!  Holy cow!!

    I headed back to the car and some guys were in front of Wrigley taking pictures.  They asked If I would take a picture of the 3 of them with the marquee behind them.  I did. I showed them the picture and they liked it.

    Funny thing....they were wearing Cleveland Browns shirts!  They were visiting Chicago, not sure for how long, and wanted to see Wrigley.  We talked about the Browns, Bears, Guardians and Cubs for a minute or two before we went on our ways.

    I have to say, for someone who has a hard time talking to people, I carried on a pretty good conversation!

    I got back in my car and drove maybe 100 feet and there was a Starbucks!  But it was a pick up only store.  So I stood inside, placed my order on my phone, waited a minute, and picked it up.  I also told him I went into the Starbucks near Gallagher Way and was surprised to see it wasn't a Starbucks.  He said it hadn't been for almost 3 years.  I guess it has been a while.

    I also talked to a guy in the cemetery who was taking pictures of my boyhood nightmare.  He was from Ohio also.  He said he paid his respects at this grave site by circling it three times and touching the earth. He was excited to be visiting the cemetery.

    And despite living in the country and never having seen a coyote, I saw one today.  Graceland has a relatively well established pack.  Go figure.

Peace and Love

And pictures.

The Field plot...as in Marshall and his family.  If the sculpture seems somewhat familiar, the same artist did the statue for the Lincoln Memorial.  

Let's play 2 today!  Fans leave momentos on Ernie's grave all the time.

This is the Potter Palmer memorial....The Palmer House and other enterprises.  Mrs. Palmer wanted to sell small cakes to people attending the 1893 World's Comedian Exposition.  But she wanted the cakes to be hand held, so she made small ones.......or brownies, as we call them.

Her parents are in the  crypt across the road; but has  a French Abbey influence

Goodman's memorial is topped by what appears to be a stage.  He founded the Goodman Theater

Many of the burial vaults have an Egyptian flavor, either featuring pyramid shapes or ancient symbols.  Snakes were frequently the guards of the doors.

The girl in the glass case is a beautiful carving, but the weather was starting to deteriorate, so the girl was put inside glass.  Our  guide said the child was struck by lightning, and if you are in the cemetery during a lightning storm at night you may see her ghost rise up. The tokens are there to tell her she is remembered.

Even the dead have neighborhoods.

This sculpture scared the bejeebees our of me when I was a kid.  I hated going past it.  Legend is if you look it in the eyes you will die.  But we all die eventually, right?.  It is copper, and the lovely patina adds to the fright Eternal Silence can cause.  By the way, this is 1 of 2 Lorado Taft sculptures in the cemetery. The shadow makes it look like she is holding a hook.

• 

• In 1876 Chicagoan William Hulbert decided to clean up professional baseball.  He was tired of the gambling and poor behavior, so he organized a professional baseball league with 8 teams.  He called it the National League.  His name and the original 8 teams are on his memorial.  Chicago is on the other side.

These are my mother's parents and grandparents.  Cindy found them and was surprised to see that honer of her  daughters shares the name Charlotte with a great great grandmother.  Small world, eh?