damn them

 I am still having trouble printing from my computer

    The whole situation started when I upgraded to Sonoma 14.3.1  From that point on, the printer stopped functioning properly.

    Turns out, I am not the only one!

    Lots of people have reported being unable to print with the new system installed.  

    So it is not the printer that is the problem....it's the Sonoma.

    One person said the best solution may be to remove the printer and reinstall all the software for it.  I have no idea how to do that, hopefully Julia or Emily can, and will, before Jackie yells at me again.

    There is also a possibility I can only print using Apple Air Print, or something, but I have no idea where that is.

    Damn Apple for upgrading and casing problems. I might even sell my 2 shares of stock in protest.

    We had  mini earthquake last night.  Just like New York and points east, our house shook a little, enough to wake Jackie up.

    The quake was not caused by tectonic plate movements, but by an elderly heavy set man missing the f'in bed!

    I don't know how I did it, but the bottom part of my body missed the bed.  The upper part made it in, but the bottom part fell off the bed, taking the entire body with it.

    Jackie thought the house was being destroyed.  But it was just me.

    Seriously!  How do I miss the bed?  

    No harm, no foul, no injuries.  

    Then I thought what happens if I do fall?  Jackie can't get out of bed to call, Julia gets the dog in the morning, which means I would lay on the floor for 6 or 7 hours before anyone but us knew.  Beth would probably come out and lick me, but she is no Lassie and won't run to get help.

    Maybe I need one of those help I fell and I can't get up thingies.

    We missed seeing my niece and her husband this morning.  They called and said they would be at the Starbucks in Rochelle in about 40 minutes.  Julia went, Emily went, but we did not have enough time to get out of bed, dressed, in the car and there.  Niece and hubby  was on heir way back from Peoria.  (Chuck Diamond was a weather guy in Rockford and he always called it Pee Oh Ree Ah.  How the hell do I remember that?)

    FYI...they called about 11.  Yes, we had just gotten up.  No, we were not dressed to go anywhere.  Yes, I realize that we need to get up earlier.

    But between men's basketball and earthquakes, it was a tough night to sleep.

Peace and Love

tis the season

 I actually planned on mowing today

    I know!  It's only April 6!!

    But my grass is getting long in spots and I don't want it to get away from me.

    The only thing that stopped me was:  I had no gas.  For the mower.  Plenty of gas  otherwise, (I did not put a space between of and gas and autocorrect changed it to organs.  Go figure!)

    Now, I could have driven into town, got gas, and mowed in the 50 degree weather.  I am 8 miles from a gas station.  The van gets about 20 mpg.  It would take me almost 1 gallon of gas to go buy mower gas.  That made no sense to me.  I will wait until I have to go to town and then I will get gas.  

    So instead, I watched most of the Cubs game.

    I had called my friend John yesterday and told him that if we had our Friday series tickets, like we did before pandemic, John, Dan, Linda and I would all be sporting our Pat Hughes  sweaters at the park.  But in reality, Pat Hughes sweater day was today, so we would not have gotten matching sweaters. Plus we would have been darn cold, even though we would have seen a Cubs win.  Oh well.

    We played euchre with friends tonight.  It has been a while since we have done that.  I learned to play the summer I worked at Funks in Ashton, unloading unsold bags of seed corn.  We could play one game during our 15 minute break, but it took us almost 2 hours to play 2 games for us tonight.  We spend a lot of time talking and trying to remember what trump is and who deals.

    I also sort of watched NCAA basketball.  I am looking forward to watching the championships tomorrow and Monday.  I think.

    Anyway, I plan to mow Monday.  The eclipse will happen in the afternoon.  Part of me really wants to hop in the car and drive 4 hours to the eclipse zone and park someplace and watch it.  But the other part of me says no.

    Julia bought us eclipse viewing sunglasses.  They came in the mail today.  Tell me how this makes no sense.

    The glasses were packed in a small box, which was packed in a larger box.  Just seems to us they could have found a more efficient way to ship this.

    And for some folks out there, the eclipse is not God telling us we are sinful and evil.  We already know that.  

    That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Peace and Love

I see, sea?

 I got my new glasses today

    I always have. trouble adjusting to new glasses.  Even though my prescription changed very little, it seems like I am having a little trouble adjusting to the new ones.   I know, give it time.

    I received an e-mail alert from On Star regarding the alarm sensor on my2022 GMC Terrain AWD vehicle.  This concerns me because I have never owned a GMC vehicle.  Ever.  Yet the e-mail was addressed to me.

    So was the one last week that told me I should call to arrange a meeting to discuss the tax issue someone was  working on for me.

    I don't return or respond to those, I know they are scams.

    But are they targeting me because I am a senior or am I on someone's list?  I smell a conspiracy.

    Or maybe it's a fajita, I am not sure.

    We had take out tonight and Julia called the order in while I was at the store.  She told me it was order 7 and it would be ready in 20 minutes.

    20 minutes later I went in to the restaurant and said I have an order....number 20.  The lady looked at me and said, "Isn't it 7?"  I said I thought it was 20.  I checked my text and it was order 7.  I guess I got the 20 from how many minutes it would. take.  The lady said she knew it was 7 because they don't go up to 20.

    I took a stroll around the back yard this afternoon after I got back with my glasses.  Actually, I was picking up dog doo.   But I realized the grass is actually getting long!  I told Jackie I may have to cut it, but I hate cutting it when it is cold and it is going to rain, so I am in a quandary.

    I don't want it to get so long it bunches, but I don't want to freeze my butt off either.

    I am watching my second NCAA women's game tonight.  Iowa is not doing so hot.  Caitlin Clark has not hit a 3 moving into the half, but I expect that will change.

    I have yet to watch a men's game!  Maybe I am just caught up in Clark ania.

    Finally, our kitchen has been a mess for weeks.  I just can't seem to put stuff away.  I really need to get on that tomorrow.

    I just have no ambition.

Peace and Love

winner, winner

 No, I did not win the lottery

    But Jackie won big at bingo tonight!

    Tonight was small business bingo at the Flight Deck.  The event was first organized by a lady, Ashley Patrick, who wanted to make a difference in the community.

    So she organized the bingo nights.

    People pay $15 to play.  Each player gets 10 bingo sheets, each sheet has 3 games.  Local merchants donate prizes.

    All the money goes to local groups.  For example, tonight the proceeds went to the Rochelle Area Community Foundation and The Kitchen Table, which is a pay what you want dining facility.

    Being on the Foundation board, Jackie and I opted to attend.  Jen K. got a table and we were joined by Sheri, Julia, Kevin, Joy and 2 of Jen's friends.    Names again.  Ashley and ......... ?

    We played a variety of games, including regular bingo, four corners, X, and some picture frame games.  I believe Jackie won on the 4 corners game.

    We got a box of delicious chocolate chip mega cookies made by a local business.

    That was a great prize and I am sure I will devour it within days.  But Jackie will get some, I hope.

    Anyway, that was the highlight of the day for me.  

    Yes, there were people there we knew.  Of course, I got Haley and Kelsey mixed up, again, but I recognized Kelly!  And I even said hello to their friend and partner, who wasn't even there!  

     I tell ya, names are just a battle for me.

    I let the dog out just before we left home.  

    Now, Beth can open the front door by pushing on it.  She often does that and I just go and close the door.

    Julia said she was downstairs after we left and could smell fresh air.  She came upstairs and the front door was wide open and the house was cold.

    Yes, I forgot I let Beth out.  Luckily she can come in the door and luckily Julia was home.  

    But I fear the day I leave and Julia is not home.  Jackie will freeze by the time I got back to shut the front door. 

    If only Beth could learn to close it after opening.

Peace and Love

Oh my

 What a cruddy day this has been

    Rain, snow, sleet, wind......you name it, it has happened.

    I can't believe the Cubs are playing baseball!  I also can't believe people are there watching it!!  But if you have paid some big bucks for a ticket, you go, rain or not.

    Well.....here are my horror stories of the week.

    I mentioned I was in a meeting yesterday.

    What I did not say was  during the meeting I got a hamstring cramp.

    Not just a little cramp.  But a leg goes straight out, kick a chair, shoot my body into a strange position, cause me to push my chair back and hit a wipe off board before I can get out of my chair cramp.

    Reaction of the people around me:

    Are you having a stroke?

    Is this a heart attack?

    Are you ok?

    I may have yelled something as the pain hit, but I am not sure.  Things were a little painful at that moment.

    I stood for a few minutes and that helped it a lot.

    Horror story week continues.

Part 2

    Took Beth to the vet to get weighed so we can give er the correct dosage of heart worm medication.

    I walked her around the yard outside the clinic, (in the freezing blowing snow/rain) and after a minute or three we went in, where Beth immediately took a crap in front of the dog food.

    Yes, she is a little dog....but this was not a little shit.

    I felt bad, so I got some paper towels out of the bathroom and cleaned it up.  The two girls at the desk were busy taking care of my med order, and I did not know what to do with all the dog shit I was now holding in a paper towels.

    So I put it in the waste basket in the bathroom.

    I got more towels and finished cleaning it up.

    The girls both said not to worry, it happens all the time.  I told them where I put the waste and one PYT (Pretty Young Thing) said that w it will be fine there.

    I told her fine unless someone wants to use the bathroom, and then they will be gagging.

Part 3

    Last year at this time I weighed close to 200 pounds.  I did not like it.  I felt terrible and had a low self image.

    So I started walking, eating less, eating better and by the first of this year I was at 192.

    I got on the scale today and I was.........197.  I have given almost all of my loss back.  I feel like a slob.  I also feel like having a cookie, but I know that has to stop.

    I need to get back walking and eating less.  

    I wanted to be 190 by my birthday, but I don't think that will happen.

    So much for self control.

Peace and Love

We have had a lot of rain.....tough on the fields and ditches

Yes, we stopped for a coffee and pup cup

She really got into this!

Whew!!!

 I am a different kind of tired today

    I am mentally tired, but fine physically.

    Had a rather long meeting today.  It was a good meeting, we made some great decisions, but it was a long meeting.

    I did not appreciate collecting the trash can this morning.  By the time I got back to the house I was soaked!  I ended up putting my coat in the dryer because it was so wet.

    I also got soaked going to the post office to mail our tax payment to the IRS.  Government can function now for another .006 seconds once they get our check.

    I always laugh at the commercials that say, "Owe the government over $10,000 in back taxes?  We can help."

    First off, what kind of idiot doesn't pay their taxes?  Second of all, why should those people get a break when I don't?

    But I digress.

    At some point today it was snowing.  Not a sticking snow, but you could see the flakes.  I don't know why I am telling this because most of you will have seen them too!  Some of you will have experienced much worse weather than we are having.....flooding, heavy snow, whatever....this week, but that is coming to us in the next 24 hours.......

    .....    along with 60 degree temps, tornado alerts, flash flood warnings, a blizzard watch, a possible tsunami and a volcanic eruption.  All by Saturday, so it should be interesting around here.

    On Easter I wore my tan chino pants.

    Jackie looked at me and asked why I was dressed up.

    Julia looked at me and asked why I was dressed up.

    It occurred to me that in the past 8 months there were less than 10 days I did not wear jeans.  Truthfully, I am tired of wearing jeans.  I just don't want to look for comfortable pants in my size. 

    Maybe I will put that on my to do list for tomorrow.

    I won't actually look, just put it on my list.

Peace and Love

This is the magnolia tree.....Easter, in the sun, looking good.  After the rains finish, and the winds lessen, I hope it has some blossoms.

I got to fly the W for the first time  this year on Easter! Notice my tan pants!!  It's been too wet to fly it much despite wins Monday and today.

gosh darn it

 I am back to list making

    After not having any for a few weeks, I opted to make one for today.  Of the 7 things on my list, I did 5 and a half.  

    Not bad.

    I am making a new list for tomorrow.  Actually, 2 lists.  I have a grocery list and a to do list.

    The grocery list is a little late.

    Julia made chili today.  I told her I would make corn bread to go with the chili.

    At 5 I took the corn meal out and read the recipe and discovered I had 1/4 cup of corn meal, and I needed 3/4.

    I had 1/3 of what I needed.

    My head almost exploded when I tried to compute 1/3 of 5 and 1/4 cups milk, and 1/3 of an egg, and 1/3 of a teaspoon.  

    Now understand, I have not taught fractions for over 14 years and even then it was a pretty basic few lessons.  And I was a little rusty on dividing 5/4 by 1/3, so when Julia said just use 1/2 a cup of milk I agreed.  I used a whole egg though, hard to get 1/3 of that.

    I ended up with 3 mini corn bread buns.  And they tasted ok.  I was surprised.

    I did drop an egg on the floor, which seems to fit in with my recent trend of dropping things.   Luckily Beth was not around to gobble it up.

    All is well that ends well.  Supper was good, the Cubs won again, and I got most of my list checked off.

    Hopefully tomorrow will have the same results.

    The big thing was I did not take a nap!  That's 4 days in a row I have not napped, and I miss it.

    Maybe I'll put that on the list.

    I hope nobody made a fool of you.  I just don't do the pranks I used to do.  

Peace and Love.....and that's no prank