I recently completed a project to remedy a space problem in my tool shed. I have a push lawnmower and a yard vacuum. The yard vacuum was acquired back last summer and is used to dispose of the many leaves that float down on our yard during the fall. Well, anyway, setting in my shed side by side took up a lot of my valuable floor space. With a little effort I was able to design a platform that would let one sit atop the other. Now I have enough space to accumulate a lot of other stuff. When I transition to the other side I will be looking down (hopefully) with pity for those poor souls responsible for sifting thru my collection of things I just had to have. My motto is “throw away nothin’ “, if I do, I will need it again within days.
The temp has dropped around here. The days are in the low to mid-forties and the nights drop down in the low-thirties, with a wind chill in the twenties. The birds have been hitting the feeders hard and all the animals in our backyard are using the bird bath for their water supply. Jerilyn noticed that our big bird feeder was being depleted rapidly and we suspected it was the raccoon that hides under our shed during the day. The other night around 6:45pm (it gets dark here around 5pm), she turned on the outside light and, sure ‘nuff, there he was, hanging from the feeder munching away on the sunflower seeds. I retrieve the big 9 volt flashlight and shine it on him through the window, but he ignores it and keeps on eating. Finally, Jerilyn goes to the back door, opens it and yells for him to leave. He does immediately and now we take the feeder in at night and put it out the next morning. Poor guy, if he wasn’t so piggy we would be glad to share it with him. The squirrels do the same thing, but they eat a little and leave. We have a couple of possum’s somewhere around here, but I haven’t seen them lately.
Our family room looks a lot better now. The wallpaper was stripped, the walls and ceiling were painted and new carpet has been installed. It doesn’t look like the same room. When I suggested to Jerilyn that we move the furniture to different places , i.e. move the TV to another corner of the room, etc, she would have to no parts of that idea. She will replace things, but not with something different. She has a strong dislike for change. If I force a change on her, like getting a cell phone, she will eventually adapt and accept the change, but she will not do it willingly. I try not to do too much forcing. It is never good for a relationship. She is much the same way with me. I guess it’s the old give and take thing.
I have been busy during the cold weather trying to convert some VHS tapes to DVD. I have the necessary software & hardware to do that, but it does take quite a bit of time. Right now, I am converting the class of 1957 high school reunion (in 1987) for a very close friend. I know a lot of people on that tape because I graduated from that same school in 1959. Everyone in that tape was in their late forties and now they are in their late sixties. What a difference 20 years makes. I imagine the next 20 are going to be the toughest for me. My mother-in-law is ninety and I look at her and say to myself, “In twenty years I’m going to look like that.” I’m sure my kids look at me and say the same thing. Wrinkles, gray hair and creaky joints sure are hard to get use to. I just hope I don’t get cranky.
If you are a fan of the singer Jewel and you visit her website on November 28th you can get her new "Perfectly Clear" album for a $1 donation to charity: http://www.jeweljk.com/index.php .
The gas prices in our neighborhood are down to $1.69/gal. I never thought I would see gas prices that low again. A barrel of oil is currently selling for $54, down from a high of $147 in July. There are 42 gallons of oil in a barrel and that will make 23 gallons of gas, the rest is used for jet fuel, lubricants, etc. I just hope the lower prices do not encourage us to continue buying large vehicles. All the car companies are offering big incentives. I hope we all resist the urge to buy cars that get poor gas mileage, thus, forcing them to come up with better MPG vehicles.
Herewith are a few select quotes I thought you would enjoy:
“We dare not trust our wit for making our house pleasant, so we buy ice cream.”……Ralph Waldo Emerson
“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.”……James Dent
And finally, “Eat less cottage cheese and more ice cream.”….Erma Bombeck
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
11-08-2008
A lot of things we encounter in our daily lives bring back memories. Like you, I get a few e-mails reminding me of what it was like 50 years ago. Seems we long for simpler times. Personally, I like things the way they are now. I like the friends I have now. I like the modern conveniences we have today. I enjoy the ability to connect with people so very far away. I wonder how many of us would actually go back to our childhood, or early adulthood, if we actually had to stay there. Sure, there were a lot of good times, but, there was a lot of loneliness. I had relatives that I very seldom had contact with. Not true today. I have friends in far off places that I seldom see, but, have contact with on a weekly basis. A lot of what I had to do as a teenager, or young adult, to entertain myself revolved around our TV. No so today. I cannot remember the last time I was bored (notice I did not say "the last time I was boring"). I certainly do not take all the credit for my life being so interesting. A lot of that praise goes to my wonderful friends and relatives. I firmly believe that you reap what you sow. "Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap." (Galatians 6:7). Could be a good thing for all of us to take to heart. If we want our life to be interesting, acquire interesting friends and do interesting things. Of course, I would be remiss if I did not tell you that Jerilyn is responsible for a very large part of my happiness. And, I do assume, since all my friends are interesting, therefore, their lives are interesting to them. I wonder if I am assuming too much?
Aren’t we all glad that the elections are over. I was so tired of answering our phone, only to find out that someone representing a politician was on the line encouraging me to vote for their candidate. I was amazed at how brutal a lot of the campaigns were. Somehow, we have to get out the message to our politicians that we want them to run a positive campaign. I read somewhere that studies have shown if you scare people, more of them will vote. I find it exceedingly difficult to believe that is true. Oh, did I tell you I saw Elvis in a shopping center the other day? I’m afraid if I examine myself too closely I will find that I live in a fantasy world.
I, like you, have been watching my investment very closely. Sadly, they are down approximately 25%. The one account that I personally manage online at TDAmeritrade is down 50%. Needless to say, I am expecting President-Elect Obama to figure out a way to restore our faith in our financial system and get our economy growing again. I have to admit to you that I did, indeed, vote for Obama in the election (as if it were a big surprise to you based on my previous musings). I think I only had one friend vote for him, so consequently, I get looked at as a "poor misguided soul". I feel compelled to say that I think he loves our country as much as we do and that he will only do what is good for us as a nation. From what I have read, his close friends and advisors think his government will closely resemble that of Poppy Bush (left of center). Only time will tell. I believe he is a reasonable man and will act as reasonable people do.
Jerilyn and I went to a Dolly Parton Concert the other night and had a wonderful time. The only downer was that I, occasionally, had nosebleed due to the fact we were so high up. Six of us (Don/Louise, Mary/granddaughter Melissa, Jerilyn & I), piled into Melissa’s van and headed off in the rain to the concert in Norfolk. It is absolutely amazing how much good conversation occurs when you put six friends together in a moving vehicle. At times, I felt sorry for Melissa (15), being in an enclosed environment with 5 people over 60 years old. Being the good person she is, she never let on that we were "older than dirt" and listened to our chatter attentively. Dolly, at age 62, put on a dazzling show for two hours. I was impressed with her interaction with the audience. If you get a chance to attend one of her concerts I feel certain you will enjoy it. I would guess about 8,000 people attended. She is not a top tier attraction, but certainly worth the price of admission.
It gives me great pleasure to say that, for now, the painting and plaster repair work is complete. It will be resumed next year, but for now it has stopped. In a few days, we will have the carpet replaced in the Family Room and then we start preparations for Thanksgiving and Christmas. What a wonder time of year. The leaves are floating to the ground and the trees are so beautiful. Just as spring is an inspiration, so is fall. I often wonder how we can see so much beauty in the world and not believe in God. In church today I learned there are 100 million church members in the United States, but only half of them attend service, on average, 85 per service. In our church, that figure (85) holds true. That is so sad. Unfortunately, Jerilyn and I are not there every Sunday. That has to be something we work on.
Aren’t we all glad that the elections are over. I was so tired of answering our phone, only to find out that someone representing a politician was on the line encouraging me to vote for their candidate. I was amazed at how brutal a lot of the campaigns were. Somehow, we have to get out the message to our politicians that we want them to run a positive campaign. I read somewhere that studies have shown if you scare people, more of them will vote. I find it exceedingly difficult to believe that is true. Oh, did I tell you I saw Elvis in a shopping center the other day? I’m afraid if I examine myself too closely I will find that I live in a fantasy world.
I, like you, have been watching my investment very closely. Sadly, they are down approximately 25%. The one account that I personally manage online at TDAmeritrade is down 50%. Needless to say, I am expecting President-Elect Obama to figure out a way to restore our faith in our financial system and get our economy growing again. I have to admit to you that I did, indeed, vote for Obama in the election (as if it were a big surprise to you based on my previous musings). I think I only had one friend vote for him, so consequently, I get looked at as a "poor misguided soul". I feel compelled to say that I think he loves our country as much as we do and that he will only do what is good for us as a nation. From what I have read, his close friends and advisors think his government will closely resemble that of Poppy Bush (left of center). Only time will tell. I believe he is a reasonable man and will act as reasonable people do.
Jerilyn and I went to a Dolly Parton Concert the other night and had a wonderful time. The only downer was that I, occasionally, had nosebleed due to the fact we were so high up. Six of us (Don/Louise, Mary/granddaughter Melissa, Jerilyn & I), piled into Melissa’s van and headed off in the rain to the concert in Norfolk. It is absolutely amazing how much good conversation occurs when you put six friends together in a moving vehicle. At times, I felt sorry for Melissa (15), being in an enclosed environment with 5 people over 60 years old. Being the good person she is, she never let on that we were "older than dirt" and listened to our chatter attentively. Dolly, at age 62, put on a dazzling show for two hours. I was impressed with her interaction with the audience. If you get a chance to attend one of her concerts I feel certain you will enjoy it. I would guess about 8,000 people attended. She is not a top tier attraction, but certainly worth the price of admission.
It gives me great pleasure to say that, for now, the painting and plaster repair work is complete. It will be resumed next year, but for now it has stopped. In a few days, we will have the carpet replaced in the Family Room and then we start preparations for Thanksgiving and Christmas. What a wonder time of year. The leaves are floating to the ground and the trees are so beautiful. Just as spring is an inspiration, so is fall. I often wonder how we can see so much beauty in the world and not believe in God. In church today I learned there are 100 million church members in the United States, but only half of them attend service, on average, 85 per service. In our church, that figure (85) holds true. That is so sad. Unfortunately, Jerilyn and I are not there every Sunday. That has to be something we work on.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
10-8-2008
We sure had some high tides last week. Last Thursday it must have been 5 feet above normal. Jerilyn had two, large, potted plants setting on the pier, as well as a hanging basket and a basket on the pier rail. Like a jughead, I go down during a break in the rain to see how much water is accumulating in the boat. At that time the water covered the pier and was about 6 inches deep. It was still two hours away from high tide, but, I’m thinking the flowers will be ok. They are fairly large and quite heavy, so they should be ok. About two hours later Jerilyn yells, my two potted plants are floating away. I look out and sure ‘nuff they are floating up the creek. I go down to the pier and wade out to the boat, the water is about two feet above the pier by now, and watch one floating downstream. I dunno where the other one went to. I lower the boat, disconnect it from the pier and head off looking for potted flowers. I am sure our neighbors thought I was “nuts”, but I was able to retrieve one of the plants. The other one is hiding out there somewhere. Where? Only the shadow knows!
I watched the presidential debate the other night and went to bed thinking it was a draw. I don’t think anyone changed their mind because of what either candidate said. I’m still having a problem deciding on which one to vote for. I’m leaning toward Obama because he seems a reasonable fellow, but I want McCain to convince me to vote for him. I have received tons of e-mail disparaging Obama and absolutely none doing the same to McCain. There seems to be something inherently wrong with that. How can there not be one e-mail with someone saying something bad about McCain? I want Republicans to convince me to vote for McCain, not make me afraid to vote for Obama. Tell me there hasn’t been an attack on American soil since 9/11 because of President Bush, don’t tell me Obama is Muslin, or won’t put his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance. We know Obama is not Muslim and I see people not putting their hand over their heart during the pledge all the time. Aaaah, if Dad could hear me now, being the good Republican he was, he would roll over in his grave. I can just see it now, he would say to Mom, “Dolly come over here and look at what Tommy Joe is writing now!” “Well Preach”, she would say, “he always was strong headed.” As a footnote, Dad’s nickname was Preach. His first name was Elden, but Grandma said at age 9 they caught him on a stump after church preaching, hence the nickname “Preach”. I doubt very few people outside our family knew his real name.
Jerilyn and I have spent a lot of time this past week stripping wallpaper off the walls in the family room. Living close to the water, very close to sea level, has its disadvantages and one of them is that your house has a tendency to settle. Anyway, stripping wallpaper is not a fun thing to do. I am not very good at doing things that do not interest me. Jerilyn really had her hands full trying to keep me on the job. She is an excellent taskmaster, keeping her focus on the job at hand and not stopping until the job is complete. If I owned my own company, I would want to hire a dozen employees like her. I would probably get rich really fast.
My youngest granddaughter, Chelsea, just turned 16 and I received a wonderful e-mail from her. She lives very far away (16 hrs) and we don’t see each other very often. She was born about a month after my son, Rusty, and his family moved to Tennessee in 1992. So, on average, we see each other twice a year, which isn’t very much. She is a lovely young lady and I miss her a lot. Before long, she will be an adult and I will have had very little opportunity to enjoy her childhood. Maybe, grandparents aren’t all that important in their young lives, but I like to think we are. She told me once that I thought I knew her, but that I really didn’t. In retrospect, she probably was right. What can you know about someone when you are around them only twice a year. I have tried to convince her what a great grandpa I am, but, I don’t think I have. Deep in my heart I know I haven’t.
My brother Jerry was ready for a visit this week, so off I went to his home in Carolina to spend some time with him. He seems to be doing ok considering everything that’s wrong with him health wise. His wife, Patty, broke her hip and had two pins put in place during surgery. She seems to be recovering fairly well.
We are off to Branson, MO this coming Saturday (10/11). We went there back in 2006, but Jerilyn wanted to go again, so off we go. I had fun the last time because I had three first cousins, and their wives, onboard the bus. You get to meet a lot of people and all the planning and logistics of the trip are done for you. I never knew that bus tours could be so much fun. I hope to take a lot of pics and share them with you on my return. I can just hear the groaning now . I also plan on keeping in touch with my laptop.
Monday, September 22, 2008
9-22-2008
I have been working on my boat recently. It is not a very big boat (14 ft.), but, is of sufficient size to get me out to a good fishing place and back. I bought it from a good friend (thanks Dick), who gave me a really good deal. He and his wife are selling their home on the water and moving close to their daughter in North Carolina. Anyway, I decided to make some changes to it and those changes are underway. Fall is almost here, so the prime fishing time, for me, is past. Thusly, I can take my time with the changes and enjoy the project. You know, like, getting close to the boat, so it won’t leave me stranded in the middle of the bay or something.
Last May I bought a used lawn vacuum from a listing in our local paper’s classified section. I planned on using it during the fall to collect all the leaves that accumulate in our backyard. I pulled it out of our shed the other day, planning on putting it through it paces to see how well it picks up the leaves, pine staw, etc, but the darn thing would not crank. The flywheel was stuck. Nothing left to do but take it apart and locate the problem. An hour or so later the problem was resolved and I was happily sucking up our leaves and pine straw for disposal. Strange, I don’t remember studing yard equipment repair in college. As a side note, many years ago I worked with a fellow (Frank Fullman) who, when asked how he knew something, always replied, “I studied it in collage (ko-lage)”. Of course, Frank never attended college, but I have been guilty of using that line very often, ie: I studied yard in kolage, or I studied boats in kolage, anyway, you get the idea. It always brings a smile to Jerilyn’s face. I guess that is why I do it.
I recently read an article in Newsweek (Sep 15, 2008) titled: Why The War on Cancer Has Fallen Short, by Sharon Begley. If you are at all interested in this subject you will find out a lot in her article. President Nixon declared war on cancer in 1971 and very little progress has been made in finding a cure, or preventing it. The mortality rate from cancer has only dropped 7% since 1971. This is truly a must read if you are someone you love is fighting this dreadful disease. The article can be found here: http://www.newsweek.com/id/157548/page/1
We have been busily preparing for some repair work in our home. We have cracks in the drywall on our ceilings and walls due to our house settling. We had about 30 anchors install several years ago and, it seems, the settling has stopped. A contractor is scheduled to be here Wednesday (9/24) to start the work. After he finishes a fellow will start painting the ceilings. Almost all the walls have wallpaper on them, so we haven’t decided what to do about those yet. We may remove the wallpaper and paint them. The Decider, no not George Bush, hasn’t decided yet. Anyway, turmoil will prevail in our little hut for quite awhile. Jerilyn dislikes any type of disruption, so this is taking quite a toll on her. I am comfortable with a mess, so I’m not bothered too much. I think that bothers her also. At my age I try to keep frettin’ to a minimum.
I recently thatched the yard, with Jerilyn’s help, and put out grass seed with starter fertlizer. We had a fair amount of slow rain afterward and I assumed the grass seed was well on it’s way to popping up. Naw! Here it is two weeks later and the results have been very disappointing. The seed I put on the lawn between my neighbor and I, who has a sprinkler system, is doing mavelously well. I reseeded some of the bare places yesterday and made a promise to do a better job of wattering. I always try to to keep my promises.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
September 16, 2008
Well, it has been quite a while since my last missive (August 4th) and a lot has happened during that time. With so much to tell, it’s hard to decide where to begin, but, here goes.
I recently took our truck to the dealer and had some work done to it. The Automatic Braking System (ABS) wasn’t working and neither was the cruise control. I paid for the part back in May and it finally came in during the month of August. This month I took our Riviera to the dealer because the ABS light was on. It also started missing a beat or two when under pressure, so I instructed them to determine the reason for that and fix it too. . I dropped the car off and returned home, awaiting a call letting me know what the damage would be. In a few hours the service lady calls, I answer the phone and she pleasantly says, “Mr Hale, this is Candice at Suttle Motors. Are you sitting down?” It was right then I decided I should be, and so, I answered in the affirmative. “Well”, says she, “you need a lot done to your car. Do you want the bottom line of the details?” Trying to avoid the “bottom line” as long as possible, I say meekly, “give me the details, please”. By the time she got thru the “details” I was amazed that I was able to drive the car to their shop. I eventually gave the ok to do the work and the car is home now, purring down the road, whenever needed, running like a new car off the showroom floor. Oh, that bottom line thingy came to $4500. There goes my kids inheritance.
Have you ever wondered if you knew how much time you had left, if you would continue to use it as you do now. I doubt that I would. I stand in line at restaurants, wait at auto repair places, wait for my PC to perform tasks that seem to take forever and watch meanliness TV shows & movies waiting for them to get better. If my doctor said I had 6 months to live, how would I change? I think my prayers would be longer and not so rushed as they are now. I would insist that my children & grandchildren let me be a bigger part of their lives and I would include my close relatives & friends in more of my activities. I would spend less time on daily chores and more time doing the things I enjoy. I would cherish all the time I spend with Jerilyn. The sad part is, we very seldom have any idea how much longer we will live, and so, without that motivation, we will plug along, doing the same things, not noticing the water draining slowly out of the tub. "Man's loneliness is but his fear of life." ..Eugene O’Neill
Jerilyn and I have a trip planned to Branson, MO, next month. Needless to say, we have not informed her mother of this yet, because if we do, the trip will surely have to be cancelled. We have been to Branson before and enjoyed it so much we decided to do it again. The trip will be via a bus cruise with our good friends Don & Louise. We will leave on October 11th and return on October 19th. My favorite show there is Mickey Gilley, but I am also looking forward to seeing the Pam & Mel Tillis show. I think we will attend 8-9 shows in all.
Our yard has been thatched, fertilized & reseeded and we are patiently waiting for little green things to emerge from the ground. Our next door neighbor has installed a sprinkler system for his yard and we are green (pun intended) with envy. There I am, standing in the middle of our yard with a water hose in my hand and I hear the hissing start. I turn toward the noise and there are all these little gadgets spraying water all over his yard. Ahhh, the differences between the have’s and the have not’s.
My project to use my camcorder to record people telling their life story is progressing quite well. So far, as you know, I have done my brother Jerry and my aunt Helen. It took about 30 minutes for each of them to work their way thru their history. I have about 30 questions for the interview. Sooner or later, I will bump into a person that will talk for an hour about themselves. If none do, then I will interview myself. I know I can talk about myself for an hour. Since Gladys just turned ninety, I wanted her to be the first, but, she turned me down. Said she wasn’t interested in passing the details of her life on to anyone. My goal is to get everyone close to me to set down and do the interview.
I constantly change my prayer list, taking people off as they get better, or transition to the other side, and putting people on that need help. I am a firm believer that praying helps. We may not always get the answer we want, but we always get an answer. I remember, as a young lad, asking my dad for something and his first answer was always “No”. Many times, I was able to persuade him to say “Yes”. So, I learned at an early age not to give up when you wanted something. Now, The Lord normally does not answer immediately, but I believe if I ask him over and over, using the experience I had as a youngster, I can convince him to heal the people in my life that are sick, or in need. At least, I like to think I can.
Monday, August 4, 2008
8-28-2008
The last WOW was May 28th and a lot has happened in my life since then. My uncle Claude passed away and a good friend, Lois, passed away also. They both will be greatly missed by family & friends. Uncle Claude was an important part of my life during the ages 6-18, so he occupied a special place in my heart. Lois became part of my life when she came to live with her daughter who has been my close friend for 16 years. I seem to be at a point in my life when everytime I turn around somone meaninful in my life passes over to the other side. Of course, I know that sooner or later, my turn rolls around. I need to be prepared for the transition and pray that the end comes quickly. Jerilyn’s mother, Gladys, turns 90 this month. That a goal to shoot for.
My son, Rusty, has made his move from Tennessee to Virginia. I helped him with that move back in mid-June. It is good to have both of my children close.
I recently visited my brother, Jerry, who lives about a hour away. I took my trusty camcorder, and with his permission, I recorded his life on film as told by him. I prepared 32 questions to ask him and it took about 35 minutes to get it all recorded. I have copied it to a DVD, which I will give to him on my next visit. He will leave it to his children when his time comes to leave this earth. His wife, Patty, wants me to do the same for her on my next visit. While back home at Oakwood, VA, to attend Uncle Claude’s funeral, I did the same for Aunt Helen. The only difference was that her son, Harold, interviewed her. He also asked her some questions about her life that he wanted to know about. I will be transferring that to DVD shortly and sending a copy to him. There are so many people in my life that I would like to do that with. My regret is that I did not do this many years ago.
I had four pilings driven into the water down by our pier several weeks ago. I plan on installing two hoist that will allow me to lift my boat out of the water, thus preventing barnacles from accumulating. If I leave it in the water for two weeks then I have a lot of work to do to remove them. Once I have my hoist in place, cleaning the bottom of that boat will be a thing of the past. I’m at the point in my life where I am constantly trying to make things easier.
Our recent vacation included spending a week in California with our good friends John & Phyllis. What a wonderful experience. They spent an entire week giving us a tour of their state, from Palm Springs to San Francisco. Our base was at their home in Thousand Oak. We visited their children, Craig & wife Leslie (& their children), Tim & son Kyle, and my childhood friend, Brenda and her husband Vyron. How many of us are willing to take an entire week and devote it to making someone happy? That, in my opinion, is a true friend. Somehow, it makes my effort to be a good friend seems very inadequate.
After leaving California, we traveled by air to Hawaii, where we visited four of their eight islands (Hawaii, Maui, Oahu & Kauai). The four we did not visit are: Niihau, Lanai, Molokai & Kahoolawe. The weather was the same every day we spent there, and as far as I can tell, never changes very much. I kept forgetting that Hawaii was part of America. Their culture was so different and the mainland was so far away. I enjoyed the visit, but was happy to be back home. Hawaiians only have 12 letters in their alphabet and the struggle to pronounce the names of their cities, street names and shopping centers left me exhausted. I acquired way too much knowledge about volcanoes, lava and Hawaiian’s that died many years ago. Seems like on every bus tour, the driver was required to tell us about Hawaii’s history. By the 5th tour it was beginning to get a tad old. As we boarded the plane to depart our 50th state, I promised myself that I would forget most of what I was told when we landed in Virginia. Guess what? I was able to keep that promise.
My son, Rusty, has made his move from Tennessee to Virginia. I helped him with that move back in mid-June. It is good to have both of my children close.
I recently visited my brother, Jerry, who lives about a hour away. I took my trusty camcorder, and with his permission, I recorded his life on film as told by him. I prepared 32 questions to ask him and it took about 35 minutes to get it all recorded. I have copied it to a DVD, which I will give to him on my next visit. He will leave it to his children when his time comes to leave this earth. His wife, Patty, wants me to do the same for her on my next visit. While back home at Oakwood, VA, to attend Uncle Claude’s funeral, I did the same for Aunt Helen. The only difference was that her son, Harold, interviewed her. He also asked her some questions about her life that he wanted to know about. I will be transferring that to DVD shortly and sending a copy to him. There are so many people in my life that I would like to do that with. My regret is that I did not do this many years ago.
I had four pilings driven into the water down by our pier several weeks ago. I plan on installing two hoist that will allow me to lift my boat out of the water, thus preventing barnacles from accumulating. If I leave it in the water for two weeks then I have a lot of work to do to remove them. Once I have my hoist in place, cleaning the bottom of that boat will be a thing of the past. I’m at the point in my life where I am constantly trying to make things easier.
Our recent vacation included spending a week in California with our good friends John & Phyllis. What a wonderful experience. They spent an entire week giving us a tour of their state, from Palm Springs to San Francisco. Our base was at their home in Thousand Oak. We visited their children, Craig & wife Leslie (& their children), Tim & son Kyle, and my childhood friend, Brenda and her husband Vyron. How many of us are willing to take an entire week and devote it to making someone happy? That, in my opinion, is a true friend. Somehow, it makes my effort to be a good friend seems very inadequate.
After leaving California, we traveled by air to Hawaii, where we visited four of their eight islands (Hawaii, Maui, Oahu & Kauai). The four we did not visit are: Niihau, Lanai, Molokai & Kahoolawe. The weather was the same every day we spent there, and as far as I can tell, never changes very much. I kept forgetting that Hawaii was part of America. Their culture was so different and the mainland was so far away. I enjoyed the visit, but was happy to be back home. Hawaiians only have 12 letters in their alphabet and the struggle to pronounce the names of their cities, street names and shopping centers left me exhausted. I acquired way too much knowledge about volcanoes, lava and Hawaiian’s that died many years ago. Seems like on every bus tour, the driver was required to tell us about Hawaii’s history. By the 5th tour it was beginning to get a tad old. As we boarded the plane to depart our 50th state, I promised myself that I would forget most of what I was told when we landed in Virginia. Guess what? I was able to keep that promise.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
5-28-2008
I have very little talent when it comes to carpentry, I am modestly successful with mechanical things, very good with electronic things and quite good with computer things. I am, however, terrible at remembering names. My friends are constantly saying to me, “you remember ol’ so & so, don’t you?” In fact I probably do not. I am inclined to think it is something that comes with age, that forgetting thing, because my younger friends seem to remember everything. I have one older friend that remembers everything, but he is the exception not the rule. I guess the point I am making here is, if you think I remember someone we both knew way back when, I probably don’t. Believe me, I do feel badly when my memory fails, but it’s just the way it is and I move on. It only becomes serious if I fail to remember my name :)
Jerilyn oldest grandson, Chris will be having his high school graduation cermonies on June 14th. We are all excited for him and his big event. He will be attending the University of Tennesse in Knoxville this September and I know he is very excited about it. I also know that his mom and dad, as well as his brother Brandon, will miss him. But, life moves on, nothing is as permanent as we like to think it is, and people that are in our daily lives move away and things change. I remember well the day my two children moved away from home and I also remember the tears I shed. I guess my parents did the same when I left, or, maybe that had a big celebration. I prefer to think they shed a few tears. I’m gonna have to ask my brother the next time we visit.
Jerilyn and I attended a reunion with some of my former co-workers on Tuesday night. It was a delight to see them all. I have come to the conclusion that one of life’s pure joys is the connections we have with others. I enjoy family reunions, class reunions, meeting old friends and reminiscing about days gone by. Old friends are the connection to your past and, I believe, the past is what makes us what we are today. What a joy it is for someone in your past to walk into your life one day and set off a cascade of memories.
I recently bought a small boat from a friend of mine. He and his lovely wife are moving into a nearby retirement community. We wish them both well. I have already been fishing on his boat. My son and I went out on Memorial Day and caught 40-45 croakers. Only a few were keepers, but we threw them all back in. Jerilyn gave me strick orders “Don’t bring back any, I don’t want my kitchen stinking with the odor of fish.” Our next door neighbor, Mary Beth, said next time, bring the keepers to her. So be it.
The new boat has to have a lift, so we have contacted a fellow that will drive 4 pilings down by the pier. That will enable us to place a lift at each end of the boat and hoist it out of the water, thus preventing barnacles from attaching to the bottom. This will happen within a couple of weeks, or so says the contractor. I have my doubts, but am willing to wait and see. My experience is that contractors never keep their scheduled dates.
Summer is upon us and most days I am busy outside, puttering around the yard, and trying to find creative things to do. Lately, the creative thing has been pushed aside and more mundane things have taken over. Our truck is in the garage with an Automatic Braking System (ABS) problem. My lawn tractor is still not running like it should and the Riviera wants to make squealy sounds from one of it’s pulleys. Sometime, I feel life is a series of problems, interrupted by occasional bouts of happines. In mid-June, I will be accompanying my son to Tennessee and helping him move all his belonging back to Virginia. I’m sure there are mixed feeling on his part about leaving his family. I am very happy having him closer to me, but his children in TN will miss him terribly.
Jerilyn oldest grandson, Chris will be having his high school graduation cermonies on June 14th. We are all excited for him and his big event. He will be attending the University of Tennesse in Knoxville this September and I know he is very excited about it. I also know that his mom and dad, as well as his brother Brandon, will miss him. But, life moves on, nothing is as permanent as we like to think it is, and people that are in our daily lives move away and things change. I remember well the day my two children moved away from home and I also remember the tears I shed. I guess my parents did the same when I left, or, maybe that had a big celebration. I prefer to think they shed a few tears. I’m gonna have to ask my brother the next time we visit.
Jerilyn and I attended a reunion with some of my former co-workers on Tuesday night. It was a delight to see them all. I have come to the conclusion that one of life’s pure joys is the connections we have with others. I enjoy family reunions, class reunions, meeting old friends and reminiscing about days gone by. Old friends are the connection to your past and, I believe, the past is what makes us what we are today. What a joy it is for someone in your past to walk into your life one day and set off a cascade of memories.
I recently bought a small boat from a friend of mine. He and his lovely wife are moving into a nearby retirement community. We wish them both well. I have already been fishing on his boat. My son and I went out on Memorial Day and caught 40-45 croakers. Only a few were keepers, but we threw them all back in. Jerilyn gave me strick orders “Don’t bring back any, I don’t want my kitchen stinking with the odor of fish.” Our next door neighbor, Mary Beth, said next time, bring the keepers to her. So be it.
The new boat has to have a lift, so we have contacted a fellow that will drive 4 pilings down by the pier. That will enable us to place a lift at each end of the boat and hoist it out of the water, thus preventing barnacles from attaching to the bottom. This will happen within a couple of weeks, or so says the contractor. I have my doubts, but am willing to wait and see. My experience is that contractors never keep their scheduled dates.
Summer is upon us and most days I am busy outside, puttering around the yard, and trying to find creative things to do. Lately, the creative thing has been pushed aside and more mundane things have taken over. Our truck is in the garage with an Automatic Braking System (ABS) problem. My lawn tractor is still not running like it should and the Riviera wants to make squealy sounds from one of it’s pulleys. Sometime, I feel life is a series of problems, interrupted by occasional bouts of happines. In mid-June, I will be accompanying my son to Tennessee and helping him move all his belonging back to Virginia. I’m sure there are mixed feeling on his part about leaving his family. I am very happy having him closer to me, but his children in TN will miss him terribly.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
5-18-08
The author Michael Pollan offered an elegant seven-word mantra in his best-selling book “In Defense of Food” that provides clarity amid the bounty of choices on supermarket shelves: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants”. How easy that sounds. Although, I’m still on my ELOO (Extra Light Olive Oil) diet, I am still plagued by the amount of food available to eat. Jerilyn and I eat out once a week and, it seems, the restaurants are always eager to heap food on our plates in an effort to see that we return. The worst places are the buffets where we are responsible for returning several times and overeating. One thing I know for sure, if I ever cease to fight my own “Battle of The Bulge”, I will quickly baloon to an inconceivable weight and multiple health problems will appear. Like you, I have a weight number that causes immediate panic if I exceed it. I may not win every individual battle, but I will win this war!
Last week, Jerilyn got stung by a bee (Wasp) on her finger and it caused her a lot of pain. She spied it on the floor and took a paper napkin and caught it, squeezing it several time until she thought it was dead. Nope! When she opened the napkin and picked the darn thing up by its wing it stung her and she yelled at the top of her lungs. Goodbye Wasp! When she finished with it that time it was definitely dead. Looking at me inquiringly, she said “What can on do to stop the pain?” Desperately trying to remember when I graduated from medical school, I suggested placing her finger in vinegar. That seemed to help some. A friend told us that taping a penny on it for 15 minutes helps and someone else said that rubbing a banana peel on it would help also. The next day she pulled the stinger out and then things started improving. Her finger is fine now, but it will be a long time before she fools around with bees again.
I went fishing with my son last Sunday. That boy truly loves to fish. Without a boat, we were relegated to fishing off a pier. We were there 3-4 hours without a bite. The wind was gusting up to 30 mph, so we pretty much knew the fish would not bite. It was, however, a good time for father & son bonding. It always works out that way when we fish together. What a fun time!
Jerilyn has been working with United Airlines, setting up our trip to California in July. She was trying to work it in with our trip to Hawaii. We wanted to leave home a week early (July 16) and fly to San Francisco, which is part of the Hawaii trip, and then fly up to LA to visit family and friends. After that, we would rejoin the tour group and continue on to Hawaii. Also included in the problem was that we were attempting to use a flight credit issued to us last year when we cancelled our CA trip. Over a period of two days she was on the phone with United constantly. Every time they talked the rate would change depending on who she was talking to. Finally, at the end of the second day, she yells into the phone “I cannot believe anything you people tell me! Does anyone there know what’s going on?” That is so unlike Jerilyn. She is always sweet and pleasant. At the end of the day, they e-mailed us the tickets and I have printed them out. Unless we have a catastrophe we will be in CA on July 16th. This will be my first visit to that fair state and I’m certainly looking forward to it. I plan on taking many pics.
Saturday night we took Gladys out to dinner at Olive Garden (her favorite place). It has been more than six months since she has been out to eat with us. Health problems have kept her, either in Health Care, or her apartment. It was a good time for all. But, without fail, she looks over at me when our food arrives and says “Now, eat slow because I am taking my time.” As Jerilyn know, I absolutely despise anyone telling me how to eat my meal. As the anger boils inside, I calmly say to her “Gladys, I solemnly promise that if I finish before you do I will not leave you here.” Somehow, I think she knows how much that aggravates me and she cannot resist pushing that blinking red button. Once we got past that little annoyance, we enjoyed our meal and had a delightful conversation. She will be 90 this August. What a wonderful blessing!
Well, I finally finished the park bench for Jerilyn. The base of the bench is made of six by six (6”x6”) lumber and the bench setting on top of it is from a buckboard wagon Jerilyn’s Great-Grandpa Moger used back in the early 1900’s. I applied several coats of Thompson Waterseal to it before bolting it to the base. The base is salt treated and should last for many years. I poured some dry cement into each hole for the legs with the thought that it would eventually harden and hold them firmly in place. Jerilyn still has some work to do. She plans on making it a rock garden, so another trip to the Rock Place is in store for us. Anyway, my part is done and Jerilyn is a happy camper. Needless to say, when she’s happy, I’m happy!
My latest project involved putting a tomato plant in a bucket and hanging it upside down from a tree limb in our back yard . I found the info I needed online and with a printout of the instructions firmly clutched in my little hands I proceeded to follow them step by step. First I obtained a 5 gallon paint bucket, with top, from Kathy (Jerilyn’s daughter-inlaw), washed it with soap and water and placed the top firmly in place. I then drilled two holes in the bucket handle for a small rope. Taking a sharp knife, I cut a 2.5” diameter hole in each end, removed the top, placed a coffee filter over the hole in the bottom and filled the bucket with dirt (Jerilyn normally has a good stock of flower dirt from our local self-help store). Next I placed a coffee filter over the top of the dirt where the lid hole would be and then placed the lid firmly on the bucket. I then turned the bucket upside down, cut a slit in the coffee filter and worked out a place for the roots of the tomato plant, placed the plant roots inside the bucket and packed the dirt in firmly around it. The coffee filters inside the holes keep the dirt in place. Next, I throw a small nylon rope around a tree limb and attach it to the two holes in the bucket handle, hoist it to the desired height, tie it firmly and soak it thoroughly with fertilized water (Ortho liquid Fertilizer). That’s where the instructions stopped. I decided I wanted it to water itself for several days without my intervention, so I took a quart bottle, punched a small hole in its lid and base, plugged the hole in the base with a small screw (so I could regulate the drip), propped the bottle in the base and, with a few tweaks, I was done. So far, a bottle of water has lasted 1½ days. My new tweak should result in 4-5 days. I expect tomatoes as big as watermelons. I will keep you posted.
Last week, Jerilyn got stung by a bee (Wasp) on her finger and it caused her a lot of pain. She spied it on the floor and took a paper napkin and caught it, squeezing it several time until she thought it was dead. Nope! When she opened the napkin and picked the darn thing up by its wing it stung her and she yelled at the top of her lungs. Goodbye Wasp! When she finished with it that time it was definitely dead. Looking at me inquiringly, she said “What can on do to stop the pain?” Desperately trying to remember when I graduated from medical school, I suggested placing her finger in vinegar. That seemed to help some. A friend told us that taping a penny on it for 15 minutes helps and someone else said that rubbing a banana peel on it would help also. The next day she pulled the stinger out and then things started improving. Her finger is fine now, but it will be a long time before she fools around with bees again.
I went fishing with my son last Sunday. That boy truly loves to fish. Without a boat, we were relegated to fishing off a pier. We were there 3-4 hours without a bite. The wind was gusting up to 30 mph, so we pretty much knew the fish would not bite. It was, however, a good time for father & son bonding. It always works out that way when we fish together. What a fun time!
Jerilyn has been working with United Airlines, setting up our trip to California in July. She was trying to work it in with our trip to Hawaii. We wanted to leave home a week early (July 16) and fly to San Francisco, which is part of the Hawaii trip, and then fly up to LA to visit family and friends. After that, we would rejoin the tour group and continue on to Hawaii. Also included in the problem was that we were attempting to use a flight credit issued to us last year when we cancelled our CA trip. Over a period of two days she was on the phone with United constantly. Every time they talked the rate would change depending on who she was talking to. Finally, at the end of the second day, she yells into the phone “I cannot believe anything you people tell me! Does anyone there know what’s going on?” That is so unlike Jerilyn. She is always sweet and pleasant. At the end of the day, they e-mailed us the tickets and I have printed them out. Unless we have a catastrophe we will be in CA on July 16th. This will be my first visit to that fair state and I’m certainly looking forward to it. I plan on taking many pics.
Saturday night we took Gladys out to dinner at Olive Garden (her favorite place). It has been more than six months since she has been out to eat with us. Health problems have kept her, either in Health Care, or her apartment. It was a good time for all. But, without fail, she looks over at me when our food arrives and says “Now, eat slow because I am taking my time.” As Jerilyn know, I absolutely despise anyone telling me how to eat my meal. As the anger boils inside, I calmly say to her “Gladys, I solemnly promise that if I finish before you do I will not leave you here.” Somehow, I think she knows how much that aggravates me and she cannot resist pushing that blinking red button. Once we got past that little annoyance, we enjoyed our meal and had a delightful conversation. She will be 90 this August. What a wonderful blessing!
Well, I finally finished the park bench for Jerilyn. The base of the bench is made of six by six (6”x6”) lumber and the bench setting on top of it is from a buckboard wagon Jerilyn’s Great-Grandpa Moger used back in the early 1900’s. I applied several coats of Thompson Waterseal to it before bolting it to the base. The base is salt treated and should last for many years. I poured some dry cement into each hole for the legs with the thought that it would eventually harden and hold them firmly in place. Jerilyn still has some work to do. She plans on making it a rock garden, so another trip to the Rock Place is in store for us. Anyway, my part is done and Jerilyn is a happy camper. Needless to say, when she’s happy, I’m happy!
My latest project involved putting a tomato plant in a bucket and hanging it upside down from a tree limb in our back yard . I found the info I needed online and with a printout of the instructions firmly clutched in my little hands I proceeded to follow them step by step. First I obtained a 5 gallon paint bucket, with top, from Kathy (Jerilyn’s daughter-inlaw), washed it with soap and water and placed the top firmly in place. I then drilled two holes in the bucket handle for a small rope. Taking a sharp knife, I cut a 2.5” diameter hole in each end, removed the top, placed a coffee filter over the hole in the bottom and filled the bucket with dirt (Jerilyn normally has a good stock of flower dirt from our local self-help store). Next I placed a coffee filter over the top of the dirt where the lid hole would be and then placed the lid firmly on the bucket. I then turned the bucket upside down, cut a slit in the coffee filter and worked out a place for the roots of the tomato plant, placed the plant roots inside the bucket and packed the dirt in firmly around it. The coffee filters inside the holes keep the dirt in place. Next, I throw a small nylon rope around a tree limb and attach it to the two holes in the bucket handle, hoist it to the desired height, tie it firmly and soak it thoroughly with fertilized water (Ortho liquid Fertilizer). That’s where the instructions stopped. I decided I wanted it to water itself for several days without my intervention, so I took a quart bottle, punched a small hole in its lid and base, plugged the hole in the base with a small screw (so I could regulate the drip), propped the bottle in the base and, with a few tweaks, I was done. So far, a bottle of water has lasted 1½ days. My new tweak should result in 4-5 days. I expect tomatoes as big as watermelons. I will keep you posted.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
5-08-2008
This past Saturday was a lot of fun. Jerilyn & I went, along with our friend Louise, to a community yard sale. We probably went to 15 locations and perused their goods. I bought a laser printer, exactly like the one I have, except newer. It is setting in the old one’s place right now. I paid $400 for the old one and $20 for the one that took it’s place. All three of us had a good time and Louise and I bought a lot more than Jerilyn. She (Jerilyn) analyse’s things before she buys, whereas, Louise and I threw caution to the wind and just bought. I probably spent $30. It is hard to have that much fun on $30. I’ll bet it will be a long time before Jerilyn invites me on another “yard sale” adventure.
Recently, I went over to pick up our trailer from Kathy (Jerilyn’s daughter-inlaw) and bring it back home. We had delivered a load of mulch to her and she emptyed the trailer and it was ready for me to pick up. It was a sunny, Sunday afternoon, and Brandon (the youngest granson) was out playing ball with his friend. Chris (who graduates this June) was out in the yard lazily enjoying his day. All of a sudden, I flash back to when I was his age (50 years ago) and I recalled how wonderful those days were. Graduation was only several weeks away and after 12 years of school it was a welcomed change. College was not an option, as was the case for most coal miner children, and a tour in the military was a distinct possibility since I did not want to become a miner. In my opinion, you will never feel better physically than when you are 18. I cannot recall worrying about much and everything that was going to happen in my life was going to be new and exciting (or so I thought). It was clear to me that my parents expected me to become self-sufficient at 18 and that included finding a place to live. They both loved me dearly, but it was time for me to move on and move on I did. Chris’ life is getting ready to change dramatically, leaving his friends and family behind as he strikes out for college, acquiring new friends and new challenges. A great life awaits him and I know he will do well.
I went out Sunday morning and had breakfast with my daughter (Debby) and Mary, at a local restaurant. The food was good and the conversation was excellent. It is so wonderful to break bread with people that mean so much to your life. After breakfast was over, we sat and talked awhile, then got into our cars and went our separate ways, me with a warm, comfortable feeling deep inside. It doesn’t get much better than that. It seems the longer someone has been a part of your life the more you love them. Well, these two have been a part of my life for a long time. Enough said.
At the yard sale last Saturday, I picked up a book on our presidents (thru Dubya). I am currently on our 12th president (Zachary Taylor). Since watching all 7 episodes of John Adams on HBO I have suddenly, become interested in learning about our presidents. Virginia (8) & Ohio (7) are leading with the most. Of our 43 presidents, I have lived under 11 and I remember 10 (starting with Truman). I cannot recall any of them being inspiring and, maybe, that is asking too much from them. Maybe, Obama can be inspiring, I don’t think Hillary or McCain can be. Should the ability to inspire be a prerequisite for the presidency? It would be nice to have such a president, but that may be asking for too much.
Well, our trip to California has been cancelled. Seems, the airline (United) has refused to do what they promised when we were forced to reschedule last October. Rather than pay twice for our tickets we have decided to work California into our schedule when we visit Hawaii in July. A little history on California, courtesy of my book on presidents: President Polk attempted to buy this state from Mexico in 1847 but they were unwilling to sell. Polk knew the Mexican government was weak and could not hope to win a war. Even so, the war turned out to be longer and bloodier than expected. Mexico was forced to surrender and the peace treaty with them forced an agreement (1848) for them to sell what is now all of California, Nevada and part of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. I guess when we, as a nation, want something we take it. Anyway, with the cancellation of our trip to CA we are now considering a trip to TN to visit my family there. With all the travel planned I was wondering how I was going to work in a visit with my grandchildren (and great grandchildren). Now, I have a perfect opportunity to do so and do not have to wait until fall arrives. How wonderful it is to look into their face and see a reflection of those I love so dearly.
I have been working on a bench down next to the waterfront for Jerilyn. She has cut out a space in our backyard for a flower garden that will include the bench, some rocks and some flowers. I have almost finished the bench part and when the garden is complete I will include a pic of it in a future edition of this missive.
Recently, I went over to pick up our trailer from Kathy (Jerilyn’s daughter-inlaw) and bring it back home. We had delivered a load of mulch to her and she emptyed the trailer and it was ready for me to pick up. It was a sunny, Sunday afternoon, and Brandon (the youngest granson) was out playing ball with his friend. Chris (who graduates this June) was out in the yard lazily enjoying his day. All of a sudden, I flash back to when I was his age (50 years ago) and I recalled how wonderful those days were. Graduation was only several weeks away and after 12 years of school it was a welcomed change. College was not an option, as was the case for most coal miner children, and a tour in the military was a distinct possibility since I did not want to become a miner. In my opinion, you will never feel better physically than when you are 18. I cannot recall worrying about much and everything that was going to happen in my life was going to be new and exciting (or so I thought). It was clear to me that my parents expected me to become self-sufficient at 18 and that included finding a place to live. They both loved me dearly, but it was time for me to move on and move on I did. Chris’ life is getting ready to change dramatically, leaving his friends and family behind as he strikes out for college, acquiring new friends and new challenges. A great life awaits him and I know he will do well.
I went out Sunday morning and had breakfast with my daughter (Debby) and Mary, at a local restaurant. The food was good and the conversation was excellent. It is so wonderful to break bread with people that mean so much to your life. After breakfast was over, we sat and talked awhile, then got into our cars and went our separate ways, me with a warm, comfortable feeling deep inside. It doesn’t get much better than that. It seems the longer someone has been a part of your life the more you love them. Well, these two have been a part of my life for a long time. Enough said.
At the yard sale last Saturday, I picked up a book on our presidents (thru Dubya). I am currently on our 12th president (Zachary Taylor). Since watching all 7 episodes of John Adams on HBO I have suddenly, become interested in learning about our presidents. Virginia (8) & Ohio (7) are leading with the most. Of our 43 presidents, I have lived under 11 and I remember 10 (starting with Truman). I cannot recall any of them being inspiring and, maybe, that is asking too much from them. Maybe, Obama can be inspiring, I don’t think Hillary or McCain can be. Should the ability to inspire be a prerequisite for the presidency? It would be nice to have such a president, but that may be asking for too much.
Well, our trip to California has been cancelled. Seems, the airline (United) has refused to do what they promised when we were forced to reschedule last October. Rather than pay twice for our tickets we have decided to work California into our schedule when we visit Hawaii in July. A little history on California, courtesy of my book on presidents: President Polk attempted to buy this state from Mexico in 1847 but they were unwilling to sell. Polk knew the Mexican government was weak and could not hope to win a war. Even so, the war turned out to be longer and bloodier than expected. Mexico was forced to surrender and the peace treaty with them forced an agreement (1848) for them to sell what is now all of California, Nevada and part of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. I guess when we, as a nation, want something we take it. Anyway, with the cancellation of our trip to CA we are now considering a trip to TN to visit my family there. With all the travel planned I was wondering how I was going to work in a visit with my grandchildren (and great grandchildren). Now, I have a perfect opportunity to do so and do not have to wait until fall arrives. How wonderful it is to look into their face and see a reflection of those I love so dearly.
I have been working on a bench down next to the waterfront for Jerilyn. She has cut out a space in our backyard for a flower garden that will include the bench, some rocks and some flowers. I have almost finished the bench part and when the garden is complete I will include a pic of it in a future edition of this missive.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
05-01-2008
There are times when you have to give up. The hose reel is history. After taking it apart for 8 times it was time to call it quits. To insure I would not change my mind, I took my Sabre Saw and sliced it into two pieces. The trash man comes this Thursday and it will be at the curb waiting. I do not give up easily, but it was time to put it to rest. My theory about life’s problems is if you struggle with them long enough you can usually come up with an answer. Needless to say, that did not happen in this instance. Oh well, life goes on.
I watched a movie the other night (Into The Wild) about a young college grad that decided to spend his life in the wild with very little human contact. His theory was that complete happiness could only be achieved by being close to nature. He and his sister were very unhappy with their parents and this seemed to be the driving force in their life. Hence, his need to get away. There are two point to make here: 1. Joy in life, in my humble opinion, is best when shared (spouse, relative,friend). 2. At some point in your adult life the impact your parents had on you will diminish and you have to take responsibility for your happiness, or lack thereof. I’m thinking the statue of limitations is 10 years. After that, no whinning about how bad you were treated as a youngster. I know, there are plenty of mental health people out there that will disagree, but that’s my opinion and I’m stickin’ to it!
Jerilyn was looking out the window the other day and saw a mole moving along his underground tunnel. She screamed for me to come quickly, we each gathered a pitchfork from the garage and headed outside to eliminate this very destructive vermin. Sure nuff, after 15-20 jabs with our weapons, it appeared on Jerilyn’s pitchfork with one tine thru his mid-section. The celebration that ensued would rival that of the Redskins winning the Superbowl (or me winning a piece of super-duper computer software on ebay). These little fellows can plow up a yard in a couple of days and the traps on the market are practically useless. We have tried mole poison, broken glass placed in their tunnels and just about anything else that been suggested. A good mole trap could easily net someone a cool $million. With this in mind, I have given it a lot of thought and I think I have figured out a design for a mole trap that will work. Now, the next trick is to build this thing.
We spent part of Sunday morning spreading mulch under some of the trees in our yard. It had been setting in the back of the truck since last Friday and with rain in the forecast, we decided it needed to be spread before it arrived. Fortunately we finished before the rain came, showered, and went over to pick up her mother so she could spend the remainder of the day with us. I took her home around 7pm and upon my return, Jerilyn had a pippin hot dinner waiting for me. We ate in front of the TV while watching 60 Minutes (on tape). 30 years ago this day would have been so boring. Now, to me, it was a great day! I refuse to think about what a great day will entail 20 years from now.
Jerilyn and I went out to dinner with 5 friends on Saturday night. It’s amazing how much good conversation can happen when friends eat together. Everyone has a story to tell and each of us contributed mightily to each other’s entertainment. The food was very good, but the fellowship was better. After eating we went to a live show and arrived home around midnight. We spend most of our time during the week doing chores, so getting out with friends on the weekend is a welcomed change.
Yesterday, we ran the Noland Trail and left there for the place that sells rocks. Landscaping with rocks is a favorite pastime for Jerilyn. After turning many rocks in various positions, she finally settled on three. One was probably 150 lbs and the other two considerably less. We got them home safely in the back of the truck and, with some assistance from 3 contractors next door, have them safely ensconced in their appropriate spots. Today, we go back to the rock place for a really big one (600 lbs), bring it home and get it off loaded (without help this time) and then head off for another load of mulch. This woman is working me to death!
I watched a movie the other night (Into The Wild) about a young college grad that decided to spend his life in the wild with very little human contact. His theory was that complete happiness could only be achieved by being close to nature. He and his sister were very unhappy with their parents and this seemed to be the driving force in their life. Hence, his need to get away. There are two point to make here: 1. Joy in life, in my humble opinion, is best when shared (spouse, relative,friend). 2. At some point in your adult life the impact your parents had on you will diminish and you have to take responsibility for your happiness, or lack thereof. I’m thinking the statue of limitations is 10 years. After that, no whinning about how bad you were treated as a youngster. I know, there are plenty of mental health people out there that will disagree, but that’s my opinion and I’m stickin’ to it!
Jerilyn was looking out the window the other day and saw a mole moving along his underground tunnel. She screamed for me to come quickly, we each gathered a pitchfork from the garage and headed outside to eliminate this very destructive vermin. Sure nuff, after 15-20 jabs with our weapons, it appeared on Jerilyn’s pitchfork with one tine thru his mid-section. The celebration that ensued would rival that of the Redskins winning the Superbowl (or me winning a piece of super-duper computer software on ebay). These little fellows can plow up a yard in a couple of days and the traps on the market are practically useless. We have tried mole poison, broken glass placed in their tunnels and just about anything else that been suggested. A good mole trap could easily net someone a cool $million. With this in mind, I have given it a lot of thought and I think I have figured out a design for a mole trap that will work. Now, the next trick is to build this thing.
We spent part of Sunday morning spreading mulch under some of the trees in our yard. It had been setting in the back of the truck since last Friday and with rain in the forecast, we decided it needed to be spread before it arrived. Fortunately we finished before the rain came, showered, and went over to pick up her mother so she could spend the remainder of the day with us. I took her home around 7pm and upon my return, Jerilyn had a pippin hot dinner waiting for me. We ate in front of the TV while watching 60 Minutes (on tape). 30 years ago this day would have been so boring. Now, to me, it was a great day! I refuse to think about what a great day will entail 20 years from now.
Jerilyn and I went out to dinner with 5 friends on Saturday night. It’s amazing how much good conversation can happen when friends eat together. Everyone has a story to tell and each of us contributed mightily to each other’s entertainment. The food was very good, but the fellowship was better. After eating we went to a live show and arrived home around midnight. We spend most of our time during the week doing chores, so getting out with friends on the weekend is a welcomed change.
Yesterday, we ran the Noland Trail and left there for the place that sells rocks. Landscaping with rocks is a favorite pastime for Jerilyn. After turning many rocks in various positions, she finally settled on three. One was probably 150 lbs and the other two considerably less. We got them home safely in the back of the truck and, with some assistance from 3 contractors next door, have them safely ensconced in their appropriate spots. Today, we go back to the rock place for a really big one (600 lbs), bring it home and get it off loaded (without help this time) and then head off for another load of mulch. This woman is working me to death!
Monday, April 21, 2008
4-22-2008
The rain has been persistent for the last two days and appears to be determined to hang around for at least one more day. We certainly needed the rain to wash away the pollen that is everywhere, causing runny noses and tearful eyes. But, we are ready for some sunshine and the opportunity to get outside and do things. Somehow, rainy days always depress me. I remember that being so when I was a boy running around in our coal camp (Page). I also remember that when it rained it came down in buckets. Us kids would stand under the water as it cascaded off the roofs, as it was the only way to get cool in the summer. I never saw an air conditioner until I left home and went into the US Air Force. Heat & AC are available now just by moving a lever on the wall unit. Lord knows I should be much happier now than I was back then and, maybe, I am. Life was so simple and there may be a lot to say about a simple life. I wonder what I would say if I should be lucky enough to stand in front of St. Peter and he says, “Ok, what’ll it be, the Simple Life, or, one more complicated, but with more pleasures?”. “St Peter”, says I, “how about a mixture of both?”. “Nope”, says he, “it has to be one or the other!” Pleading, I say, “Could I at least have my laptop?” I imagine that’s when he does what my 3rd grade teacher (Mrs. Angell) always did: draw a circle on the chalk board and make me stand there for an hour with my nose in it. Come to think of it, I think that circle did some psychological damage.
Maybe, I can use that as an excuse. Surely, St. Pete knows the damage a circle like that can have on a young kid.
Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) will be moved from the Health Care unit (HC) of her retirement community back to her apartment this Friday. Health Care provides 24 hour care and, of course, once she gets back to her apartment she has to look after herself. We are hoping for the best. We went over Sunday and took her to her apartment in a wheelchair and let her practice walking to the community dining room, just to make sure she could do it. At 89, she is quite weak and very unwilling to exert any energy. I think she would like to stay permanently in HC, but that unit is for those residents severely disabled. Jerilyn & I went shopping last week and bought her a new, 26” TV. The one she has is very old and huge. It works well, but we decided she needed one with a better picture and more easily moved. We anticipate she will be back in HC before too long, for one reason, or the other.
We attended a city wide yard sale last Saturday morning. We arose early (0530), ate breakfast and headed off for the sale least someone should grab up all the bargins. I was standing at a table with a very nice patriotic wall flag, picking it up and looking at the price tag on the back, when I noticed the owner close by. “Hey”, says I, “how much is this flag?”. “$10” she responds. “Oh”, says the lady next to her, “I just looked at that flag and decided not to buy it because it said $40”. She then quickly walks over to me and says, “If you lay it down I want it!”. Everybody that goes to a yard sale is looking for the “I bet you can’t guess what I paid for this?” item. Now it’s impossible for me to lay it back down and then walk around thinking about it before I buy. I either have to buy this thing now or she gets it. Like the dummy I am, I proudly yell “SOLD!” and reach for my wallet. Later, as we walked back to the truck, I had a sneaky suspicion about being set up. Now, I know that chalkboard circle thing did some psychological damage!
On the way back home from the above yard sale, we stopped at another one. They had one of those ladders that you can make into a platform to do various things to the side of your house (repairs, wash windows, etc.). The price on it was $75. I inquired as to their best price and the lady says $65. Trying to atone for the previously perceived hustling I declined to bite that hook. As we got in the truck, I told Jerilyn about it and that I was only willing to pay $55. She makes a beeline to the lady, gives her our phone number and tells her to call if the ladder doesn’t sell and she’s willing to take $55. I have been sitting by the phone for 2 days now. I wish she would hurry and call. I’m missing all my good TV shows.
Well, the baseball season is upon us and I have yet to see my first game. Jerilyn’s grandson, Brandon, is involved with the Little League and I enjoy watching him play. The weather has started to warm up and spring is in the air. I always look in the Sports Section of our local paper to see how the Dodgers and Yankees are doing. The Dodgers were KD’s favorite team (since childhood) and following them, somehow, keeps me connected with him. Mary (my adopted sister), stays busy with LL baseball. I plan on getting out and watching one of her teams play this summer (she’s the league’s president). I coached her son (Duke) in baseball for a couple of years in the early 80’s. As a matter of fact, his nickname comes from the popular Centerfielder of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Duke Snyder. Baseball is such a wonderful distraction from the worries in our life. Isn’t it great that the only thing that matters for a few brief hours is how many runs we can score, how many batters we can strke out, or how many times we can hit the ball.
Have you noticed the price of a barrel of oil lately? Last time I checked it was $117 and the average price for a gallon of gas nationwide was $3.50 and no relief in sight. I wonder how high it will have to go before I change my driving habits? Right now, I’m guessing that $4.00/gallon will cause me to plan my trips more carefully and $5.00/gallon will give me severe heartburn. At $6.00/gallon the bicycle comes out and some serious pedaling takes place. At $7.00/gallon the possibility of buying a motor scooter crosses my mind and all discretionary traveling stops. Should I blame the Arabs or am I to blame because I am unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices. Aww shucks, I’m back to that chalkboard circle again.
Maybe, I can use that as an excuse. Surely, St. Pete knows the damage a circle like that can have on a young kid.
Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) will be moved from the Health Care unit (HC) of her retirement community back to her apartment this Friday. Health Care provides 24 hour care and, of course, once she gets back to her apartment she has to look after herself. We are hoping for the best. We went over Sunday and took her to her apartment in a wheelchair and let her practice walking to the community dining room, just to make sure she could do it. At 89, she is quite weak and very unwilling to exert any energy. I think she would like to stay permanently in HC, but that unit is for those residents severely disabled. Jerilyn & I went shopping last week and bought her a new, 26” TV. The one she has is very old and huge. It works well, but we decided she needed one with a better picture and more easily moved. We anticipate she will be back in HC before too long, for one reason, or the other.
We attended a city wide yard sale last Saturday morning. We arose early (0530), ate breakfast and headed off for the sale least someone should grab up all the bargins. I was standing at a table with a very nice patriotic wall flag, picking it up and looking at the price tag on the back, when I noticed the owner close by. “Hey”, says I, “how much is this flag?”. “$10” she responds. “Oh”, says the lady next to her, “I just looked at that flag and decided not to buy it because it said $40”. She then quickly walks over to me and says, “If you lay it down I want it!”. Everybody that goes to a yard sale is looking for the “I bet you can’t guess what I paid for this?” item. Now it’s impossible for me to lay it back down and then walk around thinking about it before I buy. I either have to buy this thing now or she gets it. Like the dummy I am, I proudly yell “SOLD!” and reach for my wallet. Later, as we walked back to the truck, I had a sneaky suspicion about being set up. Now, I know that chalkboard circle thing did some psychological damage!
On the way back home from the above yard sale, we stopped at another one. They had one of those ladders that you can make into a platform to do various things to the side of your house (repairs, wash windows, etc.). The price on it was $75. I inquired as to their best price and the lady says $65. Trying to atone for the previously perceived hustling I declined to bite that hook. As we got in the truck, I told Jerilyn about it and that I was only willing to pay $55. She makes a beeline to the lady, gives her our phone number and tells her to call if the ladder doesn’t sell and she’s willing to take $55. I have been sitting by the phone for 2 days now. I wish she would hurry and call. I’m missing all my good TV shows.
Well, the baseball season is upon us and I have yet to see my first game. Jerilyn’s grandson, Brandon, is involved with the Little League and I enjoy watching him play. The weather has started to warm up and spring is in the air. I always look in the Sports Section of our local paper to see how the Dodgers and Yankees are doing. The Dodgers were KD’s favorite team (since childhood) and following them, somehow, keeps me connected with him. Mary (my adopted sister), stays busy with LL baseball. I plan on getting out and watching one of her teams play this summer (she’s the league’s president). I coached her son (Duke) in baseball for a couple of years in the early 80’s. As a matter of fact, his nickname comes from the popular Centerfielder of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Duke Snyder. Baseball is such a wonderful distraction from the worries in our life. Isn’t it great that the only thing that matters for a few brief hours is how many runs we can score, how many batters we can strke out, or how many times we can hit the ball.
Have you noticed the price of a barrel of oil lately? Last time I checked it was $117 and the average price for a gallon of gas nationwide was $3.50 and no relief in sight. I wonder how high it will have to go before I change my driving habits? Right now, I’m guessing that $4.00/gallon will cause me to plan my trips more carefully and $5.00/gallon will give me severe heartburn. At $6.00/gallon the bicycle comes out and some serious pedaling takes place. At $7.00/gallon the possibility of buying a motor scooter crosses my mind and all discretionary traveling stops. Should I blame the Arabs or am I to blame because I am unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices. Aww shucks, I’m back to that chalkboard circle again.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
04-13-2008
The time just flew by during our trip to PA, NY and CT last week. We had to cut our trip short because Jerilyn came down with a cold, but still, we had a good time. Our visit with her brother Wayne and his wife Marion was quite enjoyable. We left their home in Armonk, NY and travelled to Rocky Hill, CT to visit her cousin Jackie, who is a delight to be around. She travels to a lot of foreign countries, keeping diaries and taking pictures during her tours. We had planned on leaving her home and head back to southwest VA to visit my folks, but that will have to happen later in the year. Jerilyn looks forward as much as I do to our visit with my mountaineer family. I have close family friends back there that I pray for every day so it is important to visit them to make sure their health is improving. I am so very guilty of assuming that people close to me know I love them. I need to demonstrate it in a more open way.
While we at Woodloch Pines in PA, we had the opportunity to make new friends. At our table for breakfast, lunch and dinner were 7 other people. Two were from Long Island, NY, two from Newbern, NC (originally from Long Island) and three from NY City. By the time we went on our way three days later, we each knew a lot about each other. Everyone has a story to tell and how you tell it says a lot about who you are. The youngest guy in our group (around 48) was a city cop and firefighter and he had a lot of stories to tell. The oldest guy had two hips replaced and had equally compelling stories. As usual, I had my fun telling about my maternal relatives being McCoy’s (of Hatfield fame). And I always have fun letting people know about my indian heritage and the fact that my ancestors greeted their ancestors upon their arrival to the New World. Good conversation always trumps bad TV. In the coal camp I grew up in, if you couldn’t hold your own in a conversation with your peers, you might as well take your glove and go home. Too bad our school didn’t have a debating team. The kids in my neighborhood would have reigned supreme.
Our yard is looking very good. The grass is a lush green from all the rain it has received and our bushes and trees are letting us know that spring is here. I was having trouble with my riding mower but I think I have resolved that issue. I am back to working on our weed whacker. I have stopped the leaky gas tank, but still have a few other problems to resolve. I seem never to have much of a problem filling my day with things to do. One thing I have noticed as I get older is that I tire easily. I am normally up by 7 am and by 5pm all my energy is gone. That’s when I head inside for a shower, have a few peanuts and a small glass of wine and then logon my PC and check my e-mail.
I think one of the things that make life fun is having interesting friends. Jerilyn and I travel many miles to visit with friends. An interesting life, in my humble opinion, is made up of interesting friends, interesting places to visit and interesting things to do. If you are still in the workforce then an interesting job is very important. Of course, all of this interesting stuff is predicated on having good health. Health problems make it almost impossible to enjoy much. I have some very close friends struggling with their health and I know that their finding enjoyment in this life is a hard.
I always keep track of the gas mileage on my vehicles. I have done this for many, many years. I have always felt that if something was wrong with the engine it would be reflected in its gas mileage. During our recent trip to PA, CT & NY the Riviera averaged 26 mpg. Around town it gets 20 mpg. Now, the truck is a different animal. It gets 16 hiway and 13 city. The truck is our primary means of transportation when we are home. I feel so guilty riding that thing. I want to sell it and get a very small car to ride around town, but, Jerilyn will have no part of that. She makes her biweekly trip to the dump and without the truck she would be relegated to having to hook our trailer to the car and that is not so cool. Someone once said that “guilt is a tireless horse”. Every time I get in the truck that “tireless horse” jumps on my back and stays there until I park it. As soon as someone comes out with a car that get 50 mph, at a reasonable price, that puppy will be setting in our driveway.
If you have ever smoked 100 cigarettes in your life and are between 65-75 years old you should be checked for an aortic abdominal aneurysm-AAA (per National Institute of Health- www.nih.com) . The reason I know this is a very close relative has one (recently diagnosed). I doubt, however, that she has ever smoked in her life, so it is possible to have AAA without ever having smoked. I must remember at my next physical to ask my doctor about being checked.
I recently listened to a discussion of how a husband would feel if his wife made more money than he. I have never had that happen to me, but it gave me pause for thought. I was raised to believe that husbands were the breadwinners and wives took care of the children and kept things in order at home. Anyway, that is the way it was in our home as a kid. As an adult I worked with many women, with very few making as much as I made. Fortunately, that is changing and women are assuming their rightful place in higher paying jobs at work. Women make up 58% of college students and make far better grades while there (NY Times-July 2006). So it stands to reason that women will eventually make more money since they will be better educated. A woman is currently standing on the on the precipice of the presidency and are regular occupants of cabinet level jobs. So, that brings me back to my original question: would I feel inferior if my wife made more money than me? Common sense would dictate that I should be a happy camper, but I dunno if that would hold true for me. I guess I still carry a lot of baggage. Sometimes, the way you feel about things make absolutely no sense.
While we at Woodloch Pines in PA, we had the opportunity to make new friends. At our table for breakfast, lunch and dinner were 7 other people. Two were from Long Island, NY, two from Newbern, NC (originally from Long Island) and three from NY City. By the time we went on our way three days later, we each knew a lot about each other. Everyone has a story to tell and how you tell it says a lot about who you are. The youngest guy in our group (around 48) was a city cop and firefighter and he had a lot of stories to tell. The oldest guy had two hips replaced and had equally compelling stories. As usual, I had my fun telling about my maternal relatives being McCoy’s (of Hatfield fame). And I always have fun letting people know about my indian heritage and the fact that my ancestors greeted their ancestors upon their arrival to the New World. Good conversation always trumps bad TV. In the coal camp I grew up in, if you couldn’t hold your own in a conversation with your peers, you might as well take your glove and go home. Too bad our school didn’t have a debating team. The kids in my neighborhood would have reigned supreme.
Our yard is looking very good. The grass is a lush green from all the rain it has received and our bushes and trees are letting us know that spring is here. I was having trouble with my riding mower but I think I have resolved that issue. I am back to working on our weed whacker. I have stopped the leaky gas tank, but still have a few other problems to resolve. I seem never to have much of a problem filling my day with things to do. One thing I have noticed as I get older is that I tire easily. I am normally up by 7 am and by 5pm all my energy is gone. That’s when I head inside for a shower, have a few peanuts and a small glass of wine and then logon my PC and check my e-mail.
I think one of the things that make life fun is having interesting friends. Jerilyn and I travel many miles to visit with friends. An interesting life, in my humble opinion, is made up of interesting friends, interesting places to visit and interesting things to do. If you are still in the workforce then an interesting job is very important. Of course, all of this interesting stuff is predicated on having good health. Health problems make it almost impossible to enjoy much. I have some very close friends struggling with their health and I know that their finding enjoyment in this life is a hard.
I always keep track of the gas mileage on my vehicles. I have done this for many, many years. I have always felt that if something was wrong with the engine it would be reflected in its gas mileage. During our recent trip to PA, CT & NY the Riviera averaged 26 mpg. Around town it gets 20 mpg. Now, the truck is a different animal. It gets 16 hiway and 13 city. The truck is our primary means of transportation when we are home. I feel so guilty riding that thing. I want to sell it and get a very small car to ride around town, but, Jerilyn will have no part of that. She makes her biweekly trip to the dump and without the truck she would be relegated to having to hook our trailer to the car and that is not so cool. Someone once said that “guilt is a tireless horse”. Every time I get in the truck that “tireless horse” jumps on my back and stays there until I park it. As soon as someone comes out with a car that get 50 mph, at a reasonable price, that puppy will be setting in our driveway.
If you have ever smoked 100 cigarettes in your life and are between 65-75 years old you should be checked for an aortic abdominal aneurysm-AAA (per National Institute of Health- www.nih.com) . The reason I know this is a very close relative has one (recently diagnosed). I doubt, however, that she has ever smoked in her life, so it is possible to have AAA without ever having smoked. I must remember at my next physical to ask my doctor about being checked.
I recently listened to a discussion of how a husband would feel if his wife made more money than he. I have never had that happen to me, but it gave me pause for thought. I was raised to believe that husbands were the breadwinners and wives took care of the children and kept things in order at home. Anyway, that is the way it was in our home as a kid. As an adult I worked with many women, with very few making as much as I made. Fortunately, that is changing and women are assuming their rightful place in higher paying jobs at work. Women make up 58% of college students and make far better grades while there (NY Times-July 2006). So it stands to reason that women will eventually make more money since they will be better educated. A woman is currently standing on the on the precipice of the presidency and are regular occupants of cabinet level jobs. So, that brings me back to my original question: would I feel inferior if my wife made more money than me? Common sense would dictate that I should be a happy camper, but I dunno if that would hold true for me. I guess I still carry a lot of baggage. Sometimes, the way you feel about things make absolutely no sense.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
4-02-2008
The time when things were easily accomplished seem to be in the past for me. The other day I decided it was time to rotate the tires on our car which I do every 7,000 miles. I pulled out the necessary jacks and proceeded to switch the tires. The very first tire I tried to remove had a stubborn lug that would not come loose. Desperate not to break it, I gently increased the pressure trying to pry it loose. Didn’t work! It breaks and, in frustration, I uttered a few curse words, later regretting that I did so, but I must admit at the time they felt really good. I gave up cursing back in the 60’s when my two children were very small. The people I worked with were very profane, and so to fit in, I adopted their manner of expressing themselves. What I found out was that I could not keep the profanity at work, away from the ears of my children. It didn’t take long to conclude that I had to clean up my act. Today, you will very seldom hear me curse, unless of course, I break a lug :)
Tax deadlines are approaching (4/15- Federal & 5/1-state). I prepared ours this year with H&R Block’s Tax Cut. We owe on the federal form and receive a refund on the state form. Now, I know most people enjoy getting money back from Uncle Sam, but me, I prefer not to let him use my money for an entire year without paying interest. My daughter prefers to look at it like a savings account and the biggest smile always comes over her face when she sees the size of her refund. The glee in her face more than makes up for any lost interest on her funds.
I am still struggling with a variety of problems. The infamous weedwhacker still has a leaky gas tank, the hose reel is still not working properly and my pedometer refuses to upload its data to my PC. I have ordered 2 gig of ram for my laptop and it should arrive shortly. I will be leaving these problems behind this Friday when Jerilyn and I head off to PA for a few days vacation. We will spend three days at a resort (Woodloch Pines), and then travel over to NY to visit her brother Wayne and his wife Marion, then up to CT to visit her cousin Jackie. We will leave there and head for the mountains of VA, where we will visit my folks for several days. My Aunt Helen is celebrating her 84th birthday today. Our plans are to be back home by Saturday, April 12th. I will have my laptop with me and hope to stay in touch.
To close, I would like to let you know that I’m still struggling with the presidential thingy. I do not see any good options here and it seems to come down to picking the candidate that will do the least harm. Right now, I’m leaning toward Obama, but Dad would turn over in his grave if he knew I was voting for a democrat. Before, I could keep things from him, but now, he can look down and see everything I do (not a good thing). Hopefully, as we get closer to November, the choice will become easier. I will be visiting some very smart friends this summer and I just know they will be able to enlighten me some. Believe me, I need all the help I can get.
Tax deadlines are approaching (4/15- Federal & 5/1-state). I prepared ours this year with H&R Block’s Tax Cut. We owe on the federal form and receive a refund on the state form. Now, I know most people enjoy getting money back from Uncle Sam, but me, I prefer not to let him use my money for an entire year without paying interest. My daughter prefers to look at it like a savings account and the biggest smile always comes over her face when she sees the size of her refund. The glee in her face more than makes up for any lost interest on her funds.
I am still struggling with a variety of problems. The infamous weedwhacker still has a leaky gas tank, the hose reel is still not working properly and my pedometer refuses to upload its data to my PC. I have ordered 2 gig of ram for my laptop and it should arrive shortly. I will be leaving these problems behind this Friday when Jerilyn and I head off to PA for a few days vacation. We will spend three days at a resort (Woodloch Pines), and then travel over to NY to visit her brother Wayne and his wife Marion, then up to CT to visit her cousin Jackie. We will leave there and head for the mountains of VA, where we will visit my folks for several days. My Aunt Helen is celebrating her 84th birthday today. Our plans are to be back home by Saturday, April 12th. I will have my laptop with me and hope to stay in touch.
To close, I would like to let you know that I’m still struggling with the presidential thingy. I do not see any good options here and it seems to come down to picking the candidate that will do the least harm. Right now, I’m leaning toward Obama, but Dad would turn over in his grave if he knew I was voting for a democrat. Before, I could keep things from him, but now, he can look down and see everything I do (not a good thing). Hopefully, as we get closer to November, the choice will become easier. I will be visiting some very smart friends this summer and I just know they will be able to enlighten me some. Believe me, I need all the help I can get.
Monday, March 24, 2008
3-24-2008
The following quote is very true:
“Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she’s the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not well.
Your mother lives inside your laughter and she’s crystallized in every tear drop. She’s the place you came from, your first home; and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love and your first heartbreak and nothing on earth can separate you…..not time, not space, not even death!”
My mother passed away 20 years ago this month. My brother and I think about her most every day and though she has been gone all these many years, we still miss her smile, deep black eyes and wonderful outlook on life.
Our trip to Myrtle Beach two weeks ago was a welcomed vacation from our everyday routine. Our friends, Don & Louise , went with us and we enjoyed their company. They visit MB often and served as our guide. We attended several shows, walked the beach and the girls did some shopping. Our motel, unknown to us, did not have Wi-Fi (internet connection) and rendered our laptops practically useless. I basically used mine to upload photos and make entries in my daily diary. Fun was had by all. Louise carries the label of “tour director”. She planned our trip and makes the necessary arrangements. It is nice to have “take charge” people in your life.
I am currently working on a hose reel that rewinds the hose by using water pressure when I am finished. I purchased it about 5 years ago and it has worked to perfection up until this spring. So, being the adventurous sort, I started removing the screws that hold it together (30 or more) and tried to diagnose the problem. So far, I have gone thru this process twice without success. It’s almost impossible to replace the rubber parts because of the odd shapes. It’s probably time to pull out the book that came with it and see if I can order the necessary parts. Odds are this thing is headed for the city dump. A negative attitude never helps.
Jerilyn and I attended our church’s sunrise service yesterday. How wonderful it was to get up early and celebrate this wonderful tradition. As our minister talked about Christ’s return from death, the sun arose on the horizon and all was well for us on that special day. We attended an Easter show on Saturday evening that included our next door neighbor (Mary Beth) in the choir. As our luck would have it, the choir director stood directly in our line of sight and it was difficult to see her while she sang. I was, however, able to pick out her voice. She sings so well.
I plan on going over to NC this week and visit my brother Jerry. Mary has decided to go with me and that makes the trip more meaningful. It gives me an opportunity to spend time with my adopted sister, as well as with my brother and his wife Patty. We will make a day of it, stopping to eat on the way home, and enjoying good conversation on the way over and back. I fear spending time with her will come to a rapid close as the youth baseball season starts. Over the past 40+ years, she and KD were impossible to get in touch with from April to August and without KD she will be a mighty busy woman. I know how much she enjoys it and I wish her well.
For the past few weeks I have been busy trying to broadcast my wireless internet signal to my next door neighbor so he can stop using his 56k phone modem. Well, the signal repeater finally arrived and, with a little fiddlin’ here and there, my efforts were rewarded with success. His access is not quite as fast as mine, but many times faster than what he was using. It makes me feel good when I can help make someone’s life a little more pleasant.
Well, spring has officially arrived! I mowed my grass for the first time this year and it will continue until late October. The temperatures are starting to go higher and flowers are blooming everywhere. A lot of trees are showing buds and the birds seem to be very happy that spring is apparently here. I am glad that winter is over and I’m looking forward to spending a lot more time outside. I always feel renewed when spring arrives. We have a trip planned to PA in a couple of weeks and are looking forward to it. We are also planning on visiting my folks back home on the way back. It’s always a pleasure to go back to Buchanan County, VA and see what’s going on at Garden Creek (my hometown). There are so many people there that I love.
“Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she’s the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not well.
Your mother lives inside your laughter and she’s crystallized in every tear drop. She’s the place you came from, your first home; and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love and your first heartbreak and nothing on earth can separate you…..not time, not space, not even death!”
My mother passed away 20 years ago this month. My brother and I think about her most every day and though she has been gone all these many years, we still miss her smile, deep black eyes and wonderful outlook on life.
Our trip to Myrtle Beach two weeks ago was a welcomed vacation from our everyday routine. Our friends, Don & Louise , went with us and we enjoyed their company. They visit MB often and served as our guide. We attended several shows, walked the beach and the girls did some shopping. Our motel, unknown to us, did not have Wi-Fi (internet connection) and rendered our laptops practically useless. I basically used mine to upload photos and make entries in my daily diary. Fun was had by all. Louise carries the label of “tour director”. She planned our trip and makes the necessary arrangements. It is nice to have “take charge” people in your life.
I am currently working on a hose reel that rewinds the hose by using water pressure when I am finished. I purchased it about 5 years ago and it has worked to perfection up until this spring. So, being the adventurous sort, I started removing the screws that hold it together (30 or more) and tried to diagnose the problem. So far, I have gone thru this process twice without success. It’s almost impossible to replace the rubber parts because of the odd shapes. It’s probably time to pull out the book that came with it and see if I can order the necessary parts. Odds are this thing is headed for the city dump. A negative attitude never helps.
Jerilyn and I attended our church’s sunrise service yesterday. How wonderful it was to get up early and celebrate this wonderful tradition. As our minister talked about Christ’s return from death, the sun arose on the horizon and all was well for us on that special day. We attended an Easter show on Saturday evening that included our next door neighbor (Mary Beth) in the choir. As our luck would have it, the choir director stood directly in our line of sight and it was difficult to see her while she sang. I was, however, able to pick out her voice. She sings so well.
I plan on going over to NC this week and visit my brother Jerry. Mary has decided to go with me and that makes the trip more meaningful. It gives me an opportunity to spend time with my adopted sister, as well as with my brother and his wife Patty. We will make a day of it, stopping to eat on the way home, and enjoying good conversation on the way over and back. I fear spending time with her will come to a rapid close as the youth baseball season starts. Over the past 40+ years, she and KD were impossible to get in touch with from April to August and without KD she will be a mighty busy woman. I know how much she enjoys it and I wish her well.
For the past few weeks I have been busy trying to broadcast my wireless internet signal to my next door neighbor so he can stop using his 56k phone modem. Well, the signal repeater finally arrived and, with a little fiddlin’ here and there, my efforts were rewarded with success. His access is not quite as fast as mine, but many times faster than what he was using. It makes me feel good when I can help make someone’s life a little more pleasant.
Well, spring has officially arrived! I mowed my grass for the first time this year and it will continue until late October. The temperatures are starting to go higher and flowers are blooming everywhere. A lot of trees are showing buds and the birds seem to be very happy that spring is apparently here. I am glad that winter is over and I’m looking forward to spending a lot more time outside. I always feel renewed when spring arrives. We have a trip planned to PA in a couple of weeks and are looking forward to it. We are also planning on visiting my folks back home on the way back. It’s always a pleasure to go back to Buchanan County, VA and see what’s going on at Garden Creek (my hometown). There are so many people there that I love.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
3-05-2008
I received an e-mail from my grandchildrens mother the other day and she told me this about my youngest granddaughter Chelsea:”Speaking of Chelsea, she is doing very well in high school so far. Good grades and her teachers seem to respect and like her. She was baptized on Superbowl Sunday! I was so proud. I thought of her Great Grandma Dolly (my mother) on that day and of how proud she would be that all 3 of her great grand daughters know the Lord and have been "dunked". I have to say, I feel relieved myself. I can't explain it, but I feel as though now that they have all been baptized, I know the Lord will always be with them, and they will follow me to heaven some day. It's a comforting feeling. And does a mother's heart good.”
What a wonderful message to receive and I especially liked “……and they will follow me to heaven someday”.
I have always strived to be good enough to get into heaven, but I never actually assumed I would go to heaven. I guess I always thought I would be assessed upon arrival at the Pearly Gates. If you live according to His will, why shouldn’t you assume you will go to heaven? Maybe I need to be more positive about my salvation! Thanks JoAnn for such a wonderful message.
Jerilyn has recovered from her fight with a cold. As a matter of fact, we are making preparations for our trip to Myrtle Beach next week. She just had me print out the weather for the next 10 days down there. We certainly are looking forward to it. We haven’t been out of town since last August due to her mother’s increasingly bad health. For now, everything is go for liftoff. No, Gladys does not know about it yet. We have to wait and spring it on her about 2 days before we leave, otherwise, she gets real sick real fast. I think we all hate deceit don’t you?
My cousin Jesse is still fighting his cancer. He received some bad news from his doctor the other day. The chemo he was taking is not working and his cancer has increased in size in several locations. They plan on a giving him an experimental type of chemo starting in a couple of weeks. He is a wonderful person with a lot of faith in God and he has placed his fate in His hands. I pray for him daily and if you have room for him on your prayer list please place him on it. Our family will be so grateful.
My next door neighbor (John) and I have been trying to set up his laptop so he can logon to my wireless network to get on the internet. After several attempts we decided the signal was just too weak, so we ordered a signal expander to increase the signal strength. It should arrive in a few days. I will keep you advised on our progress. I was out in the driveway yesterday, with the hood of our car up, trying to diagnose a squeal coming from the serpentine belt that travels all over the engine. John walks over, studies the situation a few minutes and says “squirt some WD-40 right there”, pointing to a pully located at the top of the engine. I walk into the garage and come back with a spray can filled with silicone. Two minutes later the squeal was gone. “John”, says I, “anytime I open the hood on one of my vehicles I need to get you over here!” Says he, “Well, my father used to say any dumb hog will find an acorn sometime”. Humility is a wonderful thing don’t ya think?
I have been working on my weedeater the last few days. I finally discovered the location of the gas leak. It is about 14 years old and, I guess, the tank just got tired and sprung a leak. I tried several remedys and then my friend John suggested I get some of this clay like stuff you knead together and then it hardens. Off I go to Advance Auto and come back with the stuff he suggested. It appears to be working. It has been in place for 2 days and as of yet I have not detected a leak. I sure hope John doesn’t plan on moving away anytime soon.
Jerilyn and I attended Chris’ birthday dinner Sunday evening at a chinese resturant that cooks the food on a grill in front of you. The chef did a lot of clever things to entertain us and we left with a full stomach and the warm feeling that goes with spending time with family. Chris appears to be anxious to start his life as an adult. He has less than 60 days left before graduation from high school. I’m sure he will do well as an adult.
I went to a retirement breakfast yesterday morning with my friend Skip in Williamsburg (30 minutes away). I think the only requirement is that you have to be a Newport News Shipbuilding retiree and with 43 years service I certainly qualified (and so did Skip with 42.5 years). I was surprised at the number of people that attended, possibly 75 or more. I doubt that I have ever seen so many old people in one room before. An old friend of mine, whom I had not seen in many years, sat across the table from me and asked me several times what my name was. Another guy, who probably fought in the Civil War, spent several minutes telling me about his adventures in the shipyard. I guess I have a pretty good idea of what lies in store for me down the road.
Reminds me of a joke I heard recently: This old fella (Bill), in his late 80’s, loved to play golf but his eyesight was bad and he couldn’t see where his golf ball landed after hitting it. One day he came upon a solution: His next door neighbor (Ed), who was in his 90’s had perfect eyes, so he asked Ed to go with him and he agreed. Bill gets to the first tee and knocks the ball down the fairway. “Ed”, says Bill, “did you see where my golf ball went?” “Yes”, says Ed and as they walk down the fairway, Bill says, “ok Ed, where is it?” “I dunno” says Ed, “ I forgot”.
What a wonderful message to receive and I especially liked “……and they will follow me to heaven someday”.
I have always strived to be good enough to get into heaven, but I never actually assumed I would go to heaven. I guess I always thought I would be assessed upon arrival at the Pearly Gates. If you live according to His will, why shouldn’t you assume you will go to heaven? Maybe I need to be more positive about my salvation! Thanks JoAnn for such a wonderful message.
Jerilyn has recovered from her fight with a cold. As a matter of fact, we are making preparations for our trip to Myrtle Beach next week. She just had me print out the weather for the next 10 days down there. We certainly are looking forward to it. We haven’t been out of town since last August due to her mother’s increasingly bad health. For now, everything is go for liftoff. No, Gladys does not know about it yet. We have to wait and spring it on her about 2 days before we leave, otherwise, she gets real sick real fast. I think we all hate deceit don’t you?
My cousin Jesse is still fighting his cancer. He received some bad news from his doctor the other day. The chemo he was taking is not working and his cancer has increased in size in several locations. They plan on a giving him an experimental type of chemo starting in a couple of weeks. He is a wonderful person with a lot of faith in God and he has placed his fate in His hands. I pray for him daily and if you have room for him on your prayer list please place him on it. Our family will be so grateful.
My next door neighbor (John) and I have been trying to set up his laptop so he can logon to my wireless network to get on the internet. After several attempts we decided the signal was just too weak, so we ordered a signal expander to increase the signal strength. It should arrive in a few days. I will keep you advised on our progress. I was out in the driveway yesterday, with the hood of our car up, trying to diagnose a squeal coming from the serpentine belt that travels all over the engine. John walks over, studies the situation a few minutes and says “squirt some WD-40 right there”, pointing to a pully located at the top of the engine. I walk into the garage and come back with a spray can filled with silicone. Two minutes later the squeal was gone. “John”, says I, “anytime I open the hood on one of my vehicles I need to get you over here!” Says he, “Well, my father used to say any dumb hog will find an acorn sometime”. Humility is a wonderful thing don’t ya think?
I have been working on my weedeater the last few days. I finally discovered the location of the gas leak. It is about 14 years old and, I guess, the tank just got tired and sprung a leak. I tried several remedys and then my friend John suggested I get some of this clay like stuff you knead together and then it hardens. Off I go to Advance Auto and come back with the stuff he suggested. It appears to be working. It has been in place for 2 days and as of yet I have not detected a leak. I sure hope John doesn’t plan on moving away anytime soon.
Jerilyn and I attended Chris’ birthday dinner Sunday evening at a chinese resturant that cooks the food on a grill in front of you. The chef did a lot of clever things to entertain us and we left with a full stomach and the warm feeling that goes with spending time with family. Chris appears to be anxious to start his life as an adult. He has less than 60 days left before graduation from high school. I’m sure he will do well as an adult.
I went to a retirement breakfast yesterday morning with my friend Skip in Williamsburg (30 minutes away). I think the only requirement is that you have to be a Newport News Shipbuilding retiree and with 43 years service I certainly qualified (and so did Skip with 42.5 years). I was surprised at the number of people that attended, possibly 75 or more. I doubt that I have ever seen so many old people in one room before. An old friend of mine, whom I had not seen in many years, sat across the table from me and asked me several times what my name was. Another guy, who probably fought in the Civil War, spent several minutes telling me about his adventures in the shipyard. I guess I have a pretty good idea of what lies in store for me down the road.
Reminds me of a joke I heard recently: This old fella (Bill), in his late 80’s, loved to play golf but his eyesight was bad and he couldn’t see where his golf ball landed after hitting it. One day he came upon a solution: His next door neighbor (Ed), who was in his 90’s had perfect eyes, so he asked Ed to go with him and he agreed. Bill gets to the first tee and knocks the ball down the fairway. “Ed”, says Bill, “did you see where my golf ball went?” “Yes”, says Ed and as they walk down the fairway, Bill says, “ok Ed, where is it?” “I dunno” says Ed, “ I forgot”.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
2-28-2008
The expected did happen. Gladys was moved into the Health Care unit of her retirement community the other day (2/19). The doctor is operating on her back this afternoon and we hope that it will do her some good. She has had two other operations on her back just like the one today (cracked vertbrae) and both times the pain was eliminated (for the most part).
Jerilyn has come down with a cold (from me) and is working her way thru it. She is putting up a valiant fight, but you just have to suffer thu the thing like everyone else. Mine lasted about a week. I hope she has the same experience. Sometimes, a cold can last forever. She worries about giving it to her mother and not about how bad she feels. It is a habit of her’s to put others first. It’s great for the other folks, but not so great for her. I shouldn’t complain she always puts me first. What a wonderful person she is.
For the last few mornings anywhere from 10 -30 ducks fly into our backyard and eat the tiny acorns that fall from our tree overnight. They eat frantically, gobbling down as many as they can before their comrades can eat them all up. Then, almost on signal, they fly away, landing in the the canal about 50 feet away. I don’t mind the ducks, it’s the geese I dislike, they poop all over the place. I do enjoy watching the wildlife around our place. The squirrels constantly entertain us, the birds are a pleasure to watch, the Great Blue Herons are a delight and the occassional raccoon and possum are observed cautiously. For the most part, all of them are constantly looking for food. I guess that’s the way it is in the wild. Come to think of it, that’s the way I am!
Well, the tax season for me is well under way. I have finished ours and all that is left to do is sending it out. Gladys’ information has been delivered to the tax firm along with her husbands estate. I have finished my daughter’s taxes and they have been filed. What a relief it will be when all of this is over with. I do think that I will go back to Turbo Tax next year. Tax Cut is strickly an interview type program, whereas, TT lets you access individual forms. It cost twice as much but I think it is probably worth it. I dunno, I’ll have to give that “twice as much” idea some thought.
I watched the debate the other night between Hillary & Obama. I am having a lot of difficulty making up my mind about who to vote for. I want to vote for McCain but I’m having trouble with doing that. I do not want another president that “shoots from the hip”. From all I have read about him, he is a hothead and does not tolerate dissention. Hillary will say and do anything to get elected. I think she should have divorced Bill years ago (not politically expedient). There is something about her I don’t like but I cannot quite tell what it is. Obama is a likeable fellow. He appears quite intelligent and seems to have a cure for every ill. I worry that he will spend too much time trying to help people that do nothing to help themselves. I would like to see an orderly withdrawl from Iraq (but not like Vietnam), every kid under 18 with unlimited health insurance, and dealer penalties for every car sold that weighs over 2500 lbs and gets less that 37 mpg. I would like to see a balanced budget required and tax laws that are fair to all. I am not opposed to a flat tax for everyone over a certain income level. I think every adult that receives a handout from the state/federal government should have to pass a drug/alcohol test ever 4 months. If they cannot pass that test, I know what they are using their handout for and I want it stopped. I would like to win the lottery. This could go on ad infinitum. Me thinks I rant too much.
Jerilyn’s oldest grandson, Chris, celebrated his 18th birthday yesterday. What a wonderful age! I remember turning 18 on January 30th 1959 and a few days later taking the family car and driving to the local “watering hole” at a small part of our community called Red Jacket (Red Jacket Coal Co.). I walk into the joint around 5 pm, set down at the counter and ordered a beer. The waitress eyes me suspiciously, then says, “you just turn 18?” “yes”, says I, “do I need to show you my drives license?” She smiles mischieviously, reaches in the cooler and sets a Budwiser in front of me. I drink it slowly, pay and leave a tip, and head home, hoping Mom will not detect the smell of alcohol on my breath. I avoided her the rest of the day and my venture into adult vices went unnoticed. I was 24 before I had another beer. Nothing taste better to me, during the summer, than having a good cold beer after a hard day’s work outside.
Jerilyn has come down with a cold (from me) and is working her way thru it. She is putting up a valiant fight, but you just have to suffer thu the thing like everyone else. Mine lasted about a week. I hope she has the same experience. Sometimes, a cold can last forever. She worries about giving it to her mother and not about how bad she feels. It is a habit of her’s to put others first. It’s great for the other folks, but not so great for her. I shouldn’t complain she always puts me first. What a wonderful person she is.
For the last few mornings anywhere from 10 -30 ducks fly into our backyard and eat the tiny acorns that fall from our tree overnight. They eat frantically, gobbling down as many as they can before their comrades can eat them all up. Then, almost on signal, they fly away, landing in the the canal about 50 feet away. I don’t mind the ducks, it’s the geese I dislike, they poop all over the place. I do enjoy watching the wildlife around our place. The squirrels constantly entertain us, the birds are a pleasure to watch, the Great Blue Herons are a delight and the occassional raccoon and possum are observed cautiously. For the most part, all of them are constantly looking for food. I guess that’s the way it is in the wild. Come to think of it, that’s the way I am!
Well, the tax season for me is well under way. I have finished ours and all that is left to do is sending it out. Gladys’ information has been delivered to the tax firm along with her husbands estate. I have finished my daughter’s taxes and they have been filed. What a relief it will be when all of this is over with. I do think that I will go back to Turbo Tax next year. Tax Cut is strickly an interview type program, whereas, TT lets you access individual forms. It cost twice as much but I think it is probably worth it. I dunno, I’ll have to give that “twice as much” idea some thought.
I watched the debate the other night between Hillary & Obama. I am having a lot of difficulty making up my mind about who to vote for. I want to vote for McCain but I’m having trouble with doing that. I do not want another president that “shoots from the hip”. From all I have read about him, he is a hothead and does not tolerate dissention. Hillary will say and do anything to get elected. I think she should have divorced Bill years ago (not politically expedient). There is something about her I don’t like but I cannot quite tell what it is. Obama is a likeable fellow. He appears quite intelligent and seems to have a cure for every ill. I worry that he will spend too much time trying to help people that do nothing to help themselves. I would like to see an orderly withdrawl from Iraq (but not like Vietnam), every kid under 18 with unlimited health insurance, and dealer penalties for every car sold that weighs over 2500 lbs and gets less that 37 mpg. I would like to see a balanced budget required and tax laws that are fair to all. I am not opposed to a flat tax for everyone over a certain income level. I think every adult that receives a handout from the state/federal government should have to pass a drug/alcohol test ever 4 months. If they cannot pass that test, I know what they are using their handout for and I want it stopped. I would like to win the lottery. This could go on ad infinitum. Me thinks I rant too much.
Jerilyn’s oldest grandson, Chris, celebrated his 18th birthday yesterday. What a wonderful age! I remember turning 18 on January 30th 1959 and a few days later taking the family car and driving to the local “watering hole” at a small part of our community called Red Jacket (Red Jacket Coal Co.). I walk into the joint around 5 pm, set down at the counter and ordered a beer. The waitress eyes me suspiciously, then says, “you just turn 18?” “yes”, says I, “do I need to show you my drives license?” She smiles mischieviously, reaches in the cooler and sets a Budwiser in front of me. I drink it slowly, pay and leave a tip, and head home, hoping Mom will not detect the smell of alcohol on my breath. I avoided her the rest of the day and my venture into adult vices went unnoticed. I was 24 before I had another beer. Nothing taste better to me, during the summer, than having a good cold beer after a hard day’s work outside.
Monday, February 18, 2008
2-18-2008
I haven't been feeling too well the last few days. Seems, I have a cold, or the flu, I dunno which. All I know is that it has sure put a damper on my daily enthusiasm. Jerilyn (Dr. Mom) has been doing her best, pumping all sorts of medicine into me, and some of them help me feel a little better. I guess it's something you have to tough out for a few days. I have been very fortunate. It has been 3-4 years since I have had any problems during the winter months, except with the occasional bout of Vertigo. I'm guessing that in a day or two I will be back to normal.
We are currently having a brick mason chip out and replace some of the cement between the bricks on our three stoops. It seems, that as the house as aged, a lot of the cement disappeared. It has been replaced and hopefully will last another 30 years. There is always some maintenance needed on a home. I guess that is something everyone has to get use to.
The caulking of the bathtub mentioned in last week's WOW has been completed. I am not an accomplished caulker, but it does look good based on my meager abilities. I hope it is a long time before I have to do it again. I worry too much about getting things right and sometimes the more you fiddle with things the worse they get.
Gladys hurt her back again the other day and is back in Assisted Living and probably headed for the Health Care unit of her retirement community. She goes to see the doctor tomorrow (2/19) and will probably need an operation like the two she had several months ago. They shoot some gell in between her vertebrae and then shoot in some glue to hold it in place. It has worked well in the past. At 89, we expect to see this happen on a continual basis. We pray for her every day.
Sometimes, I walk around worrying about something and am unable to put my finger on exactly what it is I'm worrying about. I pause for a few minutes and struggle to figure out what is bothering me. Most of the time I am unable to do so. Maybe we are allocated so many "worrying minutes" per day and regardless of what we do we cannot escape having to "belly-up" to the Worrying Bar and do our share of worrying. The trick is to figure out how to minimize our "worry" allocation. Thusly, I have decided to only worry about those things that I have any control over (should eliminate about 80% of my worries). From that point I can handle the rest (dream on!).
My trip to watch the University of Virginia basketball game last week was fun. On the way up to Charlottesville (on I64) we ran into a lot of ice on the road about 18 miles from our destination. The car immediately in front of me spun out at about 60 mph and landed in the wooded median. From that point on we crept along at 3-4 mph and arrived at the game about half-way thru the first half. The trip home was safe and uneventful. If you should need tickets for any type of sporting event go online to www.stubhub.com . It was refreshing to be in the midst of 5000 young people shouting, cheering and jumping up and down with huge speakers blaring and lights flashing all over the place. It's almost like going to the doctor and getting a "youth" shot. I left the stadium feeling renewed and refreshed. I gotta do that more often.
Jerilyn and I are looking forward to our trip, with our friends Don & Louise, to Myrtle Beach on March 9th . We have made this an annual event. One of the things I look forward to is Don & I heading off to the cigar shop and buying a $5 cigar and setting outside on the park bench, smoking away. I haven't had a cigar since our trip there last year and I need a cigar badly. The girls get a lot of shopping in and Don & I just wonder around looking at this, that and the other. Last year we took a side trip to Charleston, SC and enjoyed it very much. Louise is our trip coordinator and does a very good job at it. She is very good at planning the different things we do while we are there. I think every group needs someone like her, don't you? To make things even better, she is a registered nurse and so if I get a piece of fried chicken stuck in my throat I don't hafta worry. I wonder if Don and Jerilyn know the Heimlich maneuver.
It's time for me to get serious about filing our income tax return. All I can say is that Tax Cut had better be as good as Turbo Tax, although at half price it may not be. Time for me to close this newsletter and start to work.
We are currently having a brick mason chip out and replace some of the cement between the bricks on our three stoops. It seems, that as the house as aged, a lot of the cement disappeared. It has been replaced and hopefully will last another 30 years. There is always some maintenance needed on a home. I guess that is something everyone has to get use to.
The caulking of the bathtub mentioned in last week's WOW has been completed. I am not an accomplished caulker, but it does look good based on my meager abilities. I hope it is a long time before I have to do it again. I worry too much about getting things right and sometimes the more you fiddle with things the worse they get.
Gladys hurt her back again the other day and is back in Assisted Living and probably headed for the Health Care unit of her retirement community. She goes to see the doctor tomorrow (2/19) and will probably need an operation like the two she had several months ago. They shoot some gell in between her vertebrae and then shoot in some glue to hold it in place. It has worked well in the past. At 89, we expect to see this happen on a continual basis. We pray for her every day.
Sometimes, I walk around worrying about something and am unable to put my finger on exactly what it is I'm worrying about. I pause for a few minutes and struggle to figure out what is bothering me. Most of the time I am unable to do so. Maybe we are allocated so many "worrying minutes" per day and regardless of what we do we cannot escape having to "belly-up" to the Worrying Bar and do our share of worrying. The trick is to figure out how to minimize our "worry" allocation. Thusly, I have decided to only worry about those things that I have any control over (should eliminate about 80% of my worries). From that point I can handle the rest (dream on!).
My trip to watch the University of Virginia basketball game last week was fun. On the way up to Charlottesville (on I64) we ran into a lot of ice on the road about 18 miles from our destination. The car immediately in front of me spun out at about 60 mph and landed in the wooded median. From that point on we crept along at 3-4 mph and arrived at the game about half-way thru the first half. The trip home was safe and uneventful. If you should need tickets for any type of sporting event go online to www.stubhub.com . It was refreshing to be in the midst of 5000 young people shouting, cheering and jumping up and down with huge speakers blaring and lights flashing all over the place. It's almost like going to the doctor and getting a "youth" shot. I left the stadium feeling renewed and refreshed. I gotta do that more often.
Jerilyn and I are looking forward to our trip, with our friends Don & Louise, to Myrtle Beach on March 9th . We have made this an annual event. One of the things I look forward to is Don & I heading off to the cigar shop and buying a $5 cigar and setting outside on the park bench, smoking away. I haven't had a cigar since our trip there last year and I need a cigar badly. The girls get a lot of shopping in and Don & I just wonder around looking at this, that and the other. Last year we took a side trip to Charleston, SC and enjoyed it very much. Louise is our trip coordinator and does a very good job at it. She is very good at planning the different things we do while we are there. I think every group needs someone like her, don't you? To make things even better, she is a registered nurse and so if I get a piece of fried chicken stuck in my throat I don't hafta worry. I wonder if Don and Jerilyn know the Heimlich maneuver.
It's time for me to get serious about filing our income tax return. All I can say is that Tax Cut had better be as good as Turbo Tax, although at half price it may not be. Time for me to close this newsletter and start to work.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
2-12-2008
I read an article the other day that said happiness occurs during two phases of our life. The 1st is in our 20’s and the 2nd is during our 70’s. In other words happiness is shaped like a “U” and the worst years are during middle age (40-60). They were at a loss to explain why, but had several theories. Being the sage I am, I can easily explain. During your 20’s nothing bothers you and, of course, if you have no worries you are happy. During your 70’s you are retired and “don’t go to work no mo”. Now what could possibly make you happier? I bumped into a friend the other day (Amos Mongo) that has been retired for 13 years. I had not seen him since he retired. He looks much better now. Of course I could tell he had aged somewhat, but his eyes were brilliant and full of life and mischief. He stood straight and tall and told me his health was very good, playing a lot of golf and traveling. I guess now I have to stop yearning to be 30 or 40 again and start looking forward to my 70’s. This 70’s thing had better work for me.
Just like most of you, I have started to worry a little about tax time, which seems to be fast approaching. In the past, I have always used Turbo Tax by Intuit and that software has always been well written and easy to use. The problem is that it keeps getting more expensive. So this year I decided to try Tax Cut. It cost half as much. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
The yard received it’s winter dose of fertilizer and weedkiller the other day. The night after I put it out, I was awakened by this persistent noise. Turns out, it was my grass growing, with the howling of weeds dying mixed in. In years past, I have been disappointed in the part that kills weeds. I’m looking forward to better results this year. Yea, I believe in the Tooth Fairy also. I’ve got to get a better attitude. I guess Jerilyn hide it someplace ‘cause I can’t find it.
Jerilyn’s youngest grandson, Brandon stayed a few nights with us last week while his parents took his older brother, Chris, to Knoxville to tour the University of Tennessee. Chis’ application to attend UT has been accepted and they wanted to see what it looked like and assess the teaching staff and course offerings. This has to be an exciting time for Christopher and his family. It has been several years since Brandon (age 13) has stayed with us. He is a delightful and active young fellow and we enjoyed his stay. I was standing in the garage one morning as Jerilyn escorted him down the driveway to the bus stop. He had his backpack on, filled with books and stuff, and my thoughts wondered back to when my kids were that age and catching the school bus in front of our house. Life is full of wonderfully pleasant experiences. How can we not remember them. I’m sure, to Brandon, it was a place to stay until his family returned, but to Jerilyn and I, it was a chance to enjoy youth one more time.
Tonight, my son Rusty and I,along with Jerilyn’s grandson Chris & his friend Trent, are headed off to the University of Virginia , in Charlottesville, to watch UVA play North Carolina University. We are expecting NC to wipe the floor with UVA, but the experience of attending a major conference game will be fun. I am looking forward to spending some quality time with Rusty and Chris. Chris will be 18 on the 27th and will be heading off to college in the fall. He has already visited UT, as mentioned above, and is leaning toward going to school there. There is a possibility of rain & light snow in Charlottesville tonight. Hopefully, that will not happen. The game starts at 8 and is 3 hours away, so we will be getting home around 1:30 a.m. Luckily, Chris is on spring vacation and Rusty can take some time off, but I have to get up and go to work in the morning….no, wait, I’m retired!
We vote in our State Primary today. In Virginia, you have a choice of voting on the Democratic ticket or the Republican. Normally, I would vote on the Republican ticket, but McCain already has it locked up, so I will vote for the Democrat I would like to see on the ticket. The polls are predicting an Obama win. I’m wavering on my vote, but I’m leaning more toward Hillary since I want to see a woman president in my lifetime and she appears to be as qualified as anybody else running.
I had to replace two large springs that help when we open our garage door. We drove up to the door the other night, pushed the button to open the door and drove in, closing the door as we exited the car. As I was walking around the front of the car, we heard this big “bang” that sounded like a grenade had exploded in the garage. As we prepared to hit the floor, we realized that something had broken. Further inspection revealed the broken spring. A trip to Ace Hardware the next day cost $33 (to obtain two new springs & the necessary cables). The helpful assistant told me that he has heard of people being killed by broken garage door springs. I could image the damage they would inflict if they hit someone, so I have devised a way to prevent that from happening. The new springs say they will work for 10,000 openings. This house was built in 1978, so maybe their time was up. Now, I need to replace the two springs on the other garage door, but have decided instead to install my new safety device and wait for the big “Bang”. I cannot imagine a company making these doors without some kind of safety device installed. Maybe, the newer doors have something. If you are interested in installing my safety system on your doors, let me know
Just like most of you, I have started to worry a little about tax time, which seems to be fast approaching. In the past, I have always used Turbo Tax by Intuit and that software has always been well written and easy to use. The problem is that it keeps getting more expensive. So this year I decided to try Tax Cut. It cost half as much. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
The yard received it’s winter dose of fertilizer and weedkiller the other day. The night after I put it out, I was awakened by this persistent noise. Turns out, it was my grass growing, with the howling of weeds dying mixed in. In years past, I have been disappointed in the part that kills weeds. I’m looking forward to better results this year. Yea, I believe in the Tooth Fairy also. I’ve got to get a better attitude. I guess Jerilyn hide it someplace ‘cause I can’t find it.
Jerilyn’s youngest grandson, Brandon stayed a few nights with us last week while his parents took his older brother, Chris, to Knoxville to tour the University of Tennessee. Chis’ application to attend UT has been accepted and they wanted to see what it looked like and assess the teaching staff and course offerings. This has to be an exciting time for Christopher and his family. It has been several years since Brandon (age 13) has stayed with us. He is a delightful and active young fellow and we enjoyed his stay. I was standing in the garage one morning as Jerilyn escorted him down the driveway to the bus stop. He had his backpack on, filled with books and stuff, and my thoughts wondered back to when my kids were that age and catching the school bus in front of our house. Life is full of wonderfully pleasant experiences. How can we not remember them. I’m sure, to Brandon, it was a place to stay until his family returned, but to Jerilyn and I, it was a chance to enjoy youth one more time.
Tonight, my son Rusty and I,along with Jerilyn’s grandson Chris & his friend Trent, are headed off to the University of Virginia , in Charlottesville, to watch UVA play North Carolina University. We are expecting NC to wipe the floor with UVA, but the experience of attending a major conference game will be fun. I am looking forward to spending some quality time with Rusty and Chris. Chris will be 18 on the 27th and will be heading off to college in the fall. He has already visited UT, as mentioned above, and is leaning toward going to school there. There is a possibility of rain & light snow in Charlottesville tonight. Hopefully, that will not happen. The game starts at 8 and is 3 hours away, so we will be getting home around 1:30 a.m. Luckily, Chris is on spring vacation and Rusty can take some time off, but I have to get up and go to work in the morning….no, wait, I’m retired!
We vote in our State Primary today. In Virginia, you have a choice of voting on the Democratic ticket or the Republican. Normally, I would vote on the Republican ticket, but McCain already has it locked up, so I will vote for the Democrat I would like to see on the ticket. The polls are predicting an Obama win. I’m wavering on my vote, but I’m leaning more toward Hillary since I want to see a woman president in my lifetime and she appears to be as qualified as anybody else running.
I had to replace two large springs that help when we open our garage door. We drove up to the door the other night, pushed the button to open the door and drove in, closing the door as we exited the car. As I was walking around the front of the car, we heard this big “bang” that sounded like a grenade had exploded in the garage. As we prepared to hit the floor, we realized that something had broken. Further inspection revealed the broken spring. A trip to Ace Hardware the next day cost $33 (to obtain two new springs & the necessary cables). The helpful assistant told me that he has heard of people being killed by broken garage door springs. I could image the damage they would inflict if they hit someone, so I have devised a way to prevent that from happening. The new springs say they will work for 10,000 openings. This house was built in 1978, so maybe their time was up. Now, I need to replace the two springs on the other garage door, but have decided instead to install my new safety device and wait for the big “Bang”. I cannot imagine a company making these doors without some kind of safety device installed. Maybe, the newer doors have something. If you are interested in installing my safety system on your doors, let me know
Monday, February 4, 2008
2-04-2008
In 1974, I purchased a small, handheld, calculator from Sears for $100. It was black, with white keys and was the on the “cutting edge” at the time. I worked in the Payroll Department of Newport News Shipbuilding (we paid about 19,000 employees) and we had two huge desktop calculators that everyone used. Rather then stand in line, most of us would use paper and pencil to do our calculations. One day I proudly walk in with this hand size calculator and start to work. Well, the office is abuzz about this little gadget I’m using and “could it possibly be giving me the correct answers?” After all, my machine weigh’s about 10 ounces, versus the office machines that weigh 20- 30 lbs. In short order my boss is standing at my desk with a puzzled look. “Tommy”, says he, “You’re not going to use that little things to do your job, are you?” “Ish”, says I, “let me do a couple of hours work with it, then you check to make sure it is correct.” Needless to say, at the end of the day, everyone was impressed and almost everyone inquired about it. Because of the $100 price tag I was the only one with my own calculator for a long time. Last week I found it setting all by itself in a bookcase I seldom use. I’m thinking, “Does this thing still work?” So I haul it out to my workbench in the garage and commence to take it apart so I can remove the original batteries from it and hope they have not corroded the inside of the thing. I carefully remove the batteries, they were permanently installed, head off to Radio shack and hack a replacement set of batteries in their place. To my surprise, the thing comes on and is working. All of a sudden, I’m setting at my desk in 1974 with coworkers gathered around me, in awe of this marvelous piece of technology. Today, I carry around a credit card size calculator that requires no batteries and is powered by the sun. I think all of us have “aha” memories like this. If you would like to share your’s with me, please do.
Jerilyn and I traveled to Williamsburg the other day to a very large antique shop. Seems, she was there a while back and spotted this old, weathered, bird house (15”W,16”L,18”H), with a big black weather vane setting atop it. Anyway, she decided she just had to have it, so off we go to bring it home. Needless to say, it needs some work (done by me of course) and has to be installed on a pole in the yard. I will include a picture of it when the task has been completed.
Mary (KD’s wife), her son Duke, and I spread KD’s ashes last week at the place he loved to be the most. It was heartbreaking to do it, but it needed to be done. She let me keep a small amount of the ashes and I have them in a small, thumb size bottle, setting on my desk. Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) thinks it’s odd that I would do such a thing. I surely hope I’m not odd. I prefer to think this will insure that I will never forget him. I have one other small bottle of ashes on my desk. I knew George Mitchell for 47 years and he and I had many conversations. I must say his death did not hurt like KD’s, but I still enjoy thinking about George.
It is time to fertilize the yard and put out the stuff that kills crabgrass. Everything I read about yard maintenance says that I should fertilize my grass every 3 months during the fall and winter (September, November & February). Sometimes, I think the stuff that kills the weeds doesn’t work very well, but I do it anyway. I guess I think if I stop using it my whole world will be consumed by weeds and choke out my entire existence. I dunno why I feel that way. I know people that do very little to their yard and they seem to suffer no ill effects from their lack of interest. I worry about the runoff of the fertilizer into our water, but the choice seems clear to me: fertilize with weed killer, or, die! So, in a few days I will be out there with my trusty spreader, doing what Scotts has instructed me to do. I wonder if anyone still performs exorcisms.
I received a birthday card from a very special friend and would like to share it with you:
“Sometimes we may not realize that everything we do affects not only our lives, but touches others, too. A little touch of thoughtfulness that shows someone you care creates a bit of happiness for both of you to share. And every time you offer someone a helping hand, every time you have a kind and gentle word to give, you help someone find beauty in this precious life we live. May your birthday bring you all the happiness that you share with others day by day” What a wonderful thought, that we, as individuals, can create happiness for others without even knowing it. I have always thought you had to do big things to make people happy, but I should’ve known better, little things always make me happy. Isn’t it amazing how some people can say things so eloquently?
We watched the NY Giants win the Superbowl last night. Mary came over and watched it with us. Jerilyn provided some wonderful food to eat as the game progressed and we cheered for the Giants each step of the way (Jerilyn is from NY). This Superbowl thing seems to have become a cultural phenomenon. Millions of people around the globe tune in to watch the game and the halftime entertainment, including the commercials, always seems to be a hit. In a way, it’s kinda neat to watch an event with so many of earth’s inhabitants.
Jerilyn and I traveled to Williamsburg the other day to a very large antique shop. Seems, she was there a while back and spotted this old, weathered, bird house (15”W,16”L,18”H), with a big black weather vane setting atop it. Anyway, she decided she just had to have it, so off we go to bring it home. Needless to say, it needs some work (done by me of course) and has to be installed on a pole in the yard. I will include a picture of it when the task has been completed.
Mary (KD’s wife), her son Duke, and I spread KD’s ashes last week at the place he loved to be the most. It was heartbreaking to do it, but it needed to be done. She let me keep a small amount of the ashes and I have them in a small, thumb size bottle, setting on my desk. Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) thinks it’s odd that I would do such a thing. I surely hope I’m not odd. I prefer to think this will insure that I will never forget him. I have one other small bottle of ashes on my desk. I knew George Mitchell for 47 years and he and I had many conversations. I must say his death did not hurt like KD’s, but I still enjoy thinking about George.
It is time to fertilize the yard and put out the stuff that kills crabgrass. Everything I read about yard maintenance says that I should fertilize my grass every 3 months during the fall and winter (September, November & February). Sometimes, I think the stuff that kills the weeds doesn’t work very well, but I do it anyway. I guess I think if I stop using it my whole world will be consumed by weeds and choke out my entire existence. I dunno why I feel that way. I know people that do very little to their yard and they seem to suffer no ill effects from their lack of interest. I worry about the runoff of the fertilizer into our water, but the choice seems clear to me: fertilize with weed killer, or, die! So, in a few days I will be out there with my trusty spreader, doing what Scotts has instructed me to do. I wonder if anyone still performs exorcisms.
I received a birthday card from a very special friend and would like to share it with you:
“Sometimes we may not realize that everything we do affects not only our lives, but touches others, too. A little touch of thoughtfulness that shows someone you care creates a bit of happiness for both of you to share. And every time you offer someone a helping hand, every time you have a kind and gentle word to give, you help someone find beauty in this precious life we live. May your birthday bring you all the happiness that you share with others day by day” What a wonderful thought, that we, as individuals, can create happiness for others without even knowing it. I have always thought you had to do big things to make people happy, but I should’ve known better, little things always make me happy. Isn’t it amazing how some people can say things so eloquently?
We watched the NY Giants win the Superbowl last night. Mary came over and watched it with us. Jerilyn provided some wonderful food to eat as the game progressed and we cheered for the Giants each step of the way (Jerilyn is from NY). This Superbowl thing seems to have become a cultural phenomenon. Millions of people around the globe tune in to watch the game and the halftime entertainment, including the commercials, always seems to be a hit. In a way, it’s kinda neat to watch an event with so many of earth’s inhabitants.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
01-27-2007
I will celebrate my 67th birthday (1/30/1941) and it is so very hard for me to grasp the fact that I am that old. As a young man, I never thought of myself as ever being a senior citizen, a nice way of saying “old person”, as if it were an affliction. I’m still in fairly good shape, I can run the 5 mile Noland Trail in 59 minutes, I can still lift, pull and squeeze whatever needs those things. My brain still seems to be fairly well intact, with the ocassional forgetfulness, and I still remember names, faces and lots of unnecessary facts. As an “Old Guy”, I find that I most enjoy communicating with my friends (you), traveling and puttering around the yard. My Audio Books are still a source of entertainment (approaching 300 books so far) and visits with family & friends always make me happy. I read once that life is a lot of unhappiness with some happiness sprinkled in. I prefer to think the opposite is true. Ahhh, the power of positive thinking.
My PC has been sorta cantankerous lately. One morning I woke up and found that I had lost my internet connection due to a corrupted file. An examination of the files involved solved that problem, then I discover that one of my CD drives was missing. A system restore solved that problem. It’s a good thing I approach my PC as if playing a chess game with every problem a chess move by my opponent, requiring an appropriate move by me. Of course this game ceases when I no longer find it fun.
Jerilyn and I have been attending her grandson’s (Brandon) rec basketball games. He is a short lad, but loves the game. He has become quite good and his team is so much better when he plays (everybody has to share the bench except the coach’s son). Although he is not my grandson, I enjoy watching him play and being around him. Regretably, I see very little of my grandchildren. Robin lives in Trenton, TN, Christine lives in Knoxville, TN and my youngest, Chelsea, lives in Dyer, TN. It is so hard to stay close when you live so far apart.
I am still involved with the effort of converting all our VHS home movies to a digital format and putting them on a DVD. The tapes go back to 1985 and include Mom & Dad and a lot of family members. I plan on giving each family on the tape a copy. I am trying to figure out a way to include only the family of the person who receives the tape. That solution still eludes me. As most of you know, I enjoy taking photos. I have a website now that lets me store all my pics and make them accessible to my friends. This is the site: http://bipolar66.smugmug.com/ . I hope you enjoy viewing them. My username is bipolar66. I say this so you won’t think it’s an evil site. I plan on posting all my photos there so whenever we take a trip you will be able to enjoy our trip with us.
The Canadian geese have returned. Practically every day, they land in our back yard and commence pooping all over the place. This necessitates a visit by me and my trusty sling shot, loaded with marbles from Walmart. Geese are really smart. The moment they see me they perk up and stand at the ready to fly away. Sometimes I hit one and other times I miss. I miss a lot, but it always scares them away. Even when I hit one, it does little damage, other than to make them depart at a faster pace. I would be sad if I hurt one really bad, but they need to know that I will not tolerate their presence in our yard. They are such a nuisance.
It looks like I will be replacing some grout in our shower before long. I have never done that before, but my plan is to use Google to find out the best way to do it. Normally, I’m not very good at doing things like that, but I am willing to give it a try. If I make a mess of things I can always call in the pro’s and let them fix it.
Our trip to CA in February is probably not going to happen. Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) has moved back to her apartment from Health Care and is in need of our local presence. We are currently attempting to reschedule it for May. We attended a meeting last week on our July trip to Hawaii. Due to Gladys’ health we bought insurance to cover that trip. Normally, I am against insuring things that rarely happen, but the probability of having to cancel this trip is great. I don’t begrudge having to do things for Gladys. I’m guessing if I get to the ripe age of 89, I too, will net help of some kind. The hope is that my children will have the same attitude as I do.
Wayne Gretsky’s explanation for his success as a hockey player, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been” is one of my favorite quotes. Wouldn’t our lives be much better if we looked at where we are going instead of where we have been.
Jerilyn and I attended a country music concert with our friends Don & Louise Saturday night. The show started at 4:00pm and lasted until 10:15pm with 3 breaks between acts. The biggest star was Chris Cagle, with performances by less known stars like, Whiskey Falls, Ashton Shepherd, Laura Bryna and Emily West. We enjoyed each artist and were very pleased that it only cost $10 for each of us to attend. We were also pleasantly surprised there were no parking fees.
My PC has been sorta cantankerous lately. One morning I woke up and found that I had lost my internet connection due to a corrupted file. An examination of the files involved solved that problem, then I discover that one of my CD drives was missing. A system restore solved that problem. It’s a good thing I approach my PC as if playing a chess game with every problem a chess move by my opponent, requiring an appropriate move by me. Of course this game ceases when I no longer find it fun.
Jerilyn and I have been attending her grandson’s (Brandon) rec basketball games. He is a short lad, but loves the game. He has become quite good and his team is so much better when he plays (everybody has to share the bench except the coach’s son). Although he is not my grandson, I enjoy watching him play and being around him. Regretably, I see very little of my grandchildren. Robin lives in Trenton, TN, Christine lives in Knoxville, TN and my youngest, Chelsea, lives in Dyer, TN. It is so hard to stay close when you live so far apart.
I am still involved with the effort of converting all our VHS home movies to a digital format and putting them on a DVD. The tapes go back to 1985 and include Mom & Dad and a lot of family members. I plan on giving each family on the tape a copy. I am trying to figure out a way to include only the family of the person who receives the tape. That solution still eludes me. As most of you know, I enjoy taking photos. I have a website now that lets me store all my pics and make them accessible to my friends. This is the site: http://bipolar66.smugmug.com/ . I hope you enjoy viewing them. My username is bipolar66. I say this so you won’t think it’s an evil site. I plan on posting all my photos there so whenever we take a trip you will be able to enjoy our trip with us.
The Canadian geese have returned. Practically every day, they land in our back yard and commence pooping all over the place. This necessitates a visit by me and my trusty sling shot, loaded with marbles from Walmart. Geese are really smart. The moment they see me they perk up and stand at the ready to fly away. Sometimes I hit one and other times I miss. I miss a lot, but it always scares them away. Even when I hit one, it does little damage, other than to make them depart at a faster pace. I would be sad if I hurt one really bad, but they need to know that I will not tolerate their presence in our yard. They are such a nuisance.
It looks like I will be replacing some grout in our shower before long. I have never done that before, but my plan is to use Google to find out the best way to do it. Normally, I’m not very good at doing things like that, but I am willing to give it a try. If I make a mess of things I can always call in the pro’s and let them fix it.
Our trip to CA in February is probably not going to happen. Jerilyn’s mother (Gladys) has moved back to her apartment from Health Care and is in need of our local presence. We are currently attempting to reschedule it for May. We attended a meeting last week on our July trip to Hawaii. Due to Gladys’ health we bought insurance to cover that trip. Normally, I am against insuring things that rarely happen, but the probability of having to cancel this trip is great. I don’t begrudge having to do things for Gladys. I’m guessing if I get to the ripe age of 89, I too, will net help of some kind. The hope is that my children will have the same attitude as I do.
Wayne Gretsky’s explanation for his success as a hockey player, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been” is one of my favorite quotes. Wouldn’t our lives be much better if we looked at where we are going instead of where we have been.
Jerilyn and I attended a country music concert with our friends Don & Louise Saturday night. The show started at 4:00pm and lasted until 10:15pm with 3 breaks between acts. The biggest star was Chris Cagle, with performances by less known stars like, Whiskey Falls, Ashton Shepherd, Laura Bryna and Emily West. We enjoyed each artist and were very pleased that it only cost $10 for each of us to attend. We were also pleasantly surprised there were no parking fees.
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