hunting

We got our Christmas tree today

     Ever since I can remember, we have had a live tree at Christmas.  At least when we have been home for Christmas.  Two times we did go to Disney World, so we did not put up a tree those years.
     It was misty and rainy today.  John took me.  Actually, it was John's second trip to our house because someone needed to be picked up around 7:30.  Funny, I was sleeping in my chair in the den because I have a cold and I don't cough as much with my head up.  I heard someone knocking on the door, and went to see what all the noise was.  It was Jackie, laying on the bathroom floor banging her walker on the floor.  I did not hear her calling me, but I sure heard the knocking.       I thank my lucky stars each time she does this and comes away uninjured.
     John and I went to the tree farm, and found a tree that looked really nice.    Straight.  Looked full.  About 8 feet tall. 
     So he cut it down and I paid. (More than I wanted to or should have, but it was rainy and I did not want to get caught in a downpour.  Bad choice.)  Got it home and put it up right away.
     I think the tree we saw in the field was switched.  I don't know how, cause we watched it get shaken and netted, but this tree certainly does not resemble the amazing tree we saw.
    But it is up.  And decorated. And Christmas is coming.
Peace and Love

Bison at the zoo

Not a spaceship, but a greenhouse

Perfect tree

What happened?

A couple of nights ago

dang it!

I missed a deadline today

     For those of you who don't know, I do a weekly column  in the Rochelle News Leader.   Every Sunday, my opinions and thoughts get shared with hundreds of thousands of readers.  I am sure they all find me incredibly funny, insightful, and informative.  Well, at least 5.
     I write the column Wednesday and Thursday and send it Thursday night for the paper.   Every week.
     Twice in the past year I have missed deadlines.....and both times it has been Thanksgiving.
     I should have done the column Wednesday and sent it.  But I got busy.  I simply forgot about it Thursday, mainly because I was so busy cutting pies and eating turkey.
    I got home from the zoo today and eventually got to checking e mail and there was the note saying, where's the column?
    By then it was too late.  So for the second Thanksgiving in  a row, I missed a deadline.
     Next year I will figure out a better way to do things.
    By the way, if you don't subscribe to a local paper, you should.  You will get news about what is going on in the city, in the schools, in the county and you will be able to see who died and who was arrested. 
     Most papers have an on line edition available, but I still like the print copy.  Something about the feel of a paper and the ability to hold it up and scan the entire page at one time.
     And yes, I do look for typos. 
    Including ones in a column I typed.
    But there are never mistakes in the ones I forget.
Peace and Love

OMG

I ate too much today

     Good food, good friends, good football game, good weather.....all in all it was a good day.
     And I am not being persnickety.
     Only part I missed was visiting with Julia.....somehow that just escaped us.  I have to send her my grocery list, time is running short!
      For dessert we had a choice of cupcakes, cherry pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie and cherry bars......a veritable sweet fest.
     If you aren't doing anything Friday night, stop by for some pie!
     Funny thing about that.  People rarely stop by just to visit.  But this week Bob and Diane came just as we were leaving for an appointment in Sycamore!  I wish we had some time to visit, but we had to go.  Then Debby dropped by and I was still in my pajamas!
     I better start getting dressed earlier.
     Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving.
     I am tired...and sated!
Peace and Love

where are my expandable pants?

I think tomorrow will be a problem for me

     I tend to eat more than I should.  Way more.  I have been trying to cut back, but tomorrow will be a test.
     We were going to make a pumpkin pie to go with an apple pie.  But I convinced Jackie we should buy one.  Making it is a lot of work for me, and I already have enough.
     So she called a bakery in Oregon and ordered a pumpkin pie.
     So we are going to have apple and pumpkin.  And the cupcakes that I got after Chuck won them at Rotary.
     Jackie's brother Bob is a cherry pie eater.  So whenever he came, we would have cherry pie.  I love cherry pie.  But since Bob is living where the frost don't sting, we never have cherry pie.
     Imagine my surprise when I picked up the pie and discovered she had ordered  a cherry pie to surprise me!
     When I got home she was also surprised.  She did not remember even mentioning cherry pie when she ordered.
     Oh well.......dessert is about 5.   Feel free to stop.
Peace and Love and Happy Thanksgiving

winner winner, chicken dinner

This was a pretty lucky day

     How lucky was it?
     The doorbell rang about 10 and a wonderful woman named Debby dropped off some cream puffs for Jackie and me!  (You know who she is, don't you?)      Well, thank you very much.  They are absolutely divine.
     Then I got a phone call from WRHL.  When they had the food drive last week, I dropped off a donation and filled out an entry blank for a drawing.  I won!  The prize box was from Pepsi and included a 12 pack, a Blue tooth speaker, a great sweatshirt, and a Chicago Bears' football with an autograph from a current player!
     I went to Rotary and every week I say I am going to win the football pool drawing and pick the Sunshine Bakery cupcakes.  Well, I didn't win, but Rotarian Chuck won and gave them to me!  Thank you, my friend!
     Honestly, this is the most up beat I have felt in a while.
     So basking in the glow of great luck, I bought a lottery ticket and the most nonamazing thing happened.  Every upper has a downer.  I didn't win!
     But if I had, I would have spent the $200 million in a very creative manner.
Peace and Love

what's in your closet?

I don't always understand modern life

     Like why valve and salve don't rhyme. 
     Or Poshmark.
     I see the commercials on late night TV.  Some young person, usually a female, tells us she made enough to buy a car, take a family vacation, pay for her wedding, or do a number of other great things simply by selling stuff in her closet.
     Or the commercial where the lady says she only paid $100 for the $700 boots.
     All I keep thinking is if the person selling the clothing hadn't bought the clothing in the first place, they would have been driving that car or taken that vacation already. 
     How much clothing do you have to sell to earn $10,000?  If I sold every item of myclothing in my closet, dresser drawers, and tubs in the basement, I would not net $10.  Well, maybe someone would pay more for the ripped jeans I wear in the yard.  But not a lot more.
     I do need to get serious about selling stuff on line, however.  I have small antiques, and knick knacks that someone may be interested in having.  But I doubt I'll earn enough to buy a car or pay for a family vacation.  It would be nice if I did, but it would also be a great surprise.
     So....where would you sell your unwanted items?  I'd appreciate your suggestions.
Peace and Love

a present? for me?

You know I love the Beatles

     Wait...the Beatles or The Beatles?  I think just Beatles.
     But if I say I love Beatles, then people might hear me and think dung beetles or June bugs.  Whatever.
     I love their music.  The Beatles, not the June bugs, although that would be a cute name for a group.
     I listen to the Beatles on Sirius almost constantly.  I plan to visit Liverpool next summer and see the Cavern Club, John's home, Paul's home, Penny Lane and the barbershop and hopefully the Casbah Coffee Club.
     Today on the radio they played the boxed set newly released by Apple Records.  The set features all the Beatles singles.....each with a unique jacket.     Sirius played them in the order they were released, and it was interesting that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was the fourth or fifth single, but the one that brought them into the spotlight.
     I don't want this set.
     Why?
     First off, it is on vinyl.  I don't have a record player.
     Second, it is well over $200. 
     Third, they are all singles.  Yes, singles.  You get something like 186 individual records, all the size of a 45 but with a small hole in the center so you don't need an adapter.
     I guess you play them one at a time.....which is also a pain.  I remember those days!  I did have one of those adapters that allowed me to stack several 45s and have them play one after another, but sometimes two records fell and some times none fell.  Good times.
     So...scratch that off my list.  It is too much money and too much trouble.
     But so much music......
    Good times, my friends.  Good times.
Peace and Love