day.....AAAARGH.........258

 Technology  frustrated me today

    We have a subscription to Britbox.  So I went to the site and picked the show I wanted and I got the message, "watch for free for one week then become a subscriber."

    I am a subscriber.  If I watch for free, I have to enter all my info, which they already have.  There was no I am a subscriber button, as far as I could see, which is not very far.

    I tried for 10 minutes then threw the damn remote onto the couch.  That will show them.

    I called my brother today.  After I hung up, I put the phone away in my pocket and I heard someone talking.  Seems I redialed his number putting the phone away.

    And tonight I went to check an e mail and I turned on the flashlight.  I didn't know how I did it, so I didn't know how to turn it off.  John and Emily have shown me that several times, but I just don't remember.  I'll need another lesson.

    I ended up turning my phone off completely, then could not remember how to turn it on.

    Sometimes I miss the days when we had 5 tv channels and I was the remote.

    Also....I asked Emily to buy me some briefs, since I am not supposed to go into Walmart.  I told her I wanted Tidy Whities. She looked at me and said, "You know, dad, they are called Tighty Whities because they fit tight."

    My entire life....Tidy Whities..........so maybe it's not the technology after all.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Wear a mask.

Peace and Love

day....eh.....257

 I really don't have much to say tonight

    I know!   That IS unusual.

    I did manage to make our on line church service today.  It's not the same as in real life, but it is better than nothing. I do miss the people at church.

    Started reading a book today, The Fifth Elephant, and it has brought on a chuckle or two.  Two nights ago I finished A Tale of Two Cities.  Not a laugher, but a good read.  

    We are moving the Christmas tree....seems it is pretty round and hard to get around.  So we (Emily and John) will be sliding it into the corner some time to provide a little more walking room.  That is a big change for us.  We have certain things in certain places.  Let me clarify that.  Someone has certain places for certain objects.  Me?  I just like to put stuff out and am not particulary concerned about what goes where.  I think that will be good this Christmas.

    Capped off the day with a lasagna dinner, and some Spanish wine.  Lasagna was great, but the wine did not seem so hot.  Could be I am used to pinot noir, so tomorrow may be a different taste story.

    Then we sat down to watch the Bears.  Opening drive left me optimistic but I had to stop watching at the half.  Just can't take the ineptness.  

    See?  An Eh  day.  One of many.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Wear a mask.

Peace and Love

day....Y.IPEE!!!!!!.....256

 You all have pushed me over the 200,000 mark

    The official stats say 200,098 page views when I checked tonight.  Again, thank you so much for reading this blog over the years.  I feel I have shared some funny stuff, some personal stuff, too much information at times and enough interesting posts to keep you coming back.  I am  truly humbled.

    I thought of a Rolling Stones song today.  "This Could be the Last Time." 

    We were standing in the cut your own field at Sinnissippi Tree Farm and I realized that at my age, cutting a tree is a lot of work for everyone around me.

    We have cut a tree almost every year since the mid 70s.  There is always something about going out in the brisk air, wandering until you find the perfect tree, then continuing to look, hoping for a better one, only to forget where the perfect one was.

    I have cut crooked trees, short trees,  tall trees, diseased trees, bug infested trees, and beautiful trees.  Every time has been a great experience and I wish it would never end.

    But today was different.  I could not cut, I could not carry, I could not load or unload...and I wondered if it was worth it, or if I could live with an artificial tree that could easily be put away at the end of the season.

    Then we, I mean John and Emily, put the tree up in the house and the smell of the tree just overwhelmed me.  I would miss that a lot, and no, a candle or incense would not take its place.

    The tree is bare.....will be for a week.  Camryn will come next weekend and help decorate it and I will be happy.

    It's a pretty tree.  Nice and round, like me.  

    This could be the last time, may be the last time......I really don't know.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Wear a mask.  

Peace and Love

    The perfect tree.....John is starting to harvest it.

    Job done..

    It took several of the high schoolers to get the tree into the wrapping machine.

    Working on the tree

    It looks great....and will look even better lit and decorated.  I just wish the smell would last forever.  And  the memories too.

day....104!!!!!.....256

 104 views until I hit 200,000

    Excuse me for being excited.  I never expected to be doing this at this point in my life.

    Of course, I never expected to be in a pandemic, have prostate canceer, or not see another Cubs World Series at this point in life.

    I guess you just have to expect the unexpected in life.

    Like zombie minks.

    As I undeerstand it, minks were thought to be involved in the transmission of Covid 19, so mink farmers killed thousands of the animals in Denmark.

    They were buried in trenches 8 feet deep, coveerd with chalk, sand, chalk, sand. A  veritable chalk sand sandwich, which is weird to say.

    The problem is hundreds of the minks have come up out of the ground and are now rotting  on the surface!  Since the sand is so light, the minks' decaying bodies filled wiht gas and pushed their way to the surface.

    I know!  How could the fake news media not report on this?  There has been no coverage of this in the United States except in today's Tribune, which is where I saw the story.  But no one is talking about this!

    Wth hard hitting stories like this, I am expecting to go over the 300,000 mark within days!

    Sigh.....if only it was that easy.

    Feeling better every day...walked a little, did some small chores, went to the store.  The Cypress House girls were happy to see me, and I them.  

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Eat leftovers. Wear a mask.  Tie your shoes.

Peace and Love

day.....thanks......255

 This was a really nice day

    It was Emily, John, Jackie and me.  That was nice, because I am not up to a lot of people around me yet.

    The kids did the cooking, the old folks did the eating.  Sure, we had some friends missing, and Julia is in Switzerland, and SIL Judy wasn't here, but I think that was the wise choice, especially for me.

    I am not a patient peerson.  I want my minute rice done in 30 seconds.  I don't buy green bananas.  Wait, I do buy green bananas!  They don't count.

    I don't like sitting through commercials or movie previews. The wait time before I go on in a play is interminable.  

    Sort of like Nike, I want to do it...now.

    So part of my healing process is taking longer than I want. 

    I won't be specific, but think of a baby eating applesauce,  or an old man without teeth drinking soup, or a leaky pipe, or an NBA point guard.  (They all dribble....just so you know.)

    I want that part to be over ASAP.  But as a couple of people pointed out, it was only 8 days ago I had major surgery, and 2 days ago that my catheter was removed.  Give it time.

    I want it now.

    On a statistical note......185.  That is the number of views my blog needs to reach the 200,000 view mark!  Thank you all for taking time from your lives to read my drivel.

    You are all greatly appreciated.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Wear a mask.

Peace and Love

day.....thanks......254

 I have a lot for which to be thankful

    Notice how I tried not to end a sentence with a preposition?  Although, it isn't a sentence, actually.  I guess I did not need to do that.

    Obviously, I am so thankful for my family.  Emily and John have been great.  I now know how to run the tv that puzzled me and the other electronics that always seem to confuse me.  Emily shops, comes at night to give me shots, and tucks Jackie in bed.  Julia has sent messages and called, boosting my spirits.  Jackie has been understanding and not demanded much of me.  My brother and inlaws have called.  

    I am thankful for my friends.  Cards, calls, meals, little signs they are thinking of me and Jackie during this challenging stretch for us.  It is very comforting and makes me realize how much more I could be doing for people around me.

    I am thankful for nurses and doctors who gave me excellent advice and care.  I got a get well card today from the nurses assigned to me.....my walking buddy even said it was "a pleasure to meet you."  A pleasure.  I wonder if she says that to all the guys who have their junk out for public viewing.  

    I'm thankful for Lanet and the care she is giving us during the day.  She won't let me bend over when I drop something and has our health first.

    So much to be thankful for.

    So tomorrow, when our very small foursome is sitting around munching turkey, I wll be giving silent prayers of thanks for everything I have been blessed with in this world.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

    Be safe.  Be healthy.  Stay home.  Enjoy life.

Peace and Love

day......free.......253

I had a doctor's visit today 

    Good news.....18 lymph nodes taken out, 0 with cancer.  The prostate cancer was beginning to spread but was still contained entirely in the prostate.  My chances of cancer recurring over the next 15 years is about 1 percent.

    I will take that.

    As you know, I get worked up about all sorts of things....my mind plays games, and causes me to freak out.

    For instance.  I had a catheter.  The catheter came out today.  The PA taking it out said I needed to breath deeply when she removed it   I almost hyperventilated on the table I was breathing so deeply.  She finally told me to calm down and gave a gentle yank on Little Willie and it was out.  No pain.  Some gain.

    Of course, it will take a while to retrain my body....but the exercises I have been doing should help.  In the meantime, let's just say I am doing a lot of laundry.

    This has been a humbling experience.  I no longer am embarassed about dropping my pants, although no one in Starbucks actually asked me to do that.  Lesson learned.

    I still find myself clicking my teeth.  Prior to surgery I was grinding them, now I am just clicking them.  Still, it's irritating.

    And sleep is difficult.  Maybe tonight will be different, or not.  I would make a hot toddy before bed but somebody finished my bottle of whiskey.  

    We got some snow today....interesting, eh?  Now it is cold and raining.  Somehow, I am not mentally ready for winter and being stuck in the house with no place to go for weeks at a time.  But tomorrow I will start walking farther than the mailbox.  About time.

    Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Wear a mask.

Peace and Love