I slowly open the back yard gate and peer down the alley. The alley looks empty, but Mama said that it was time. I step into the alley without letting go of the gate. I lean as far as I can into the alley, without letting go of the gate. And suddenly there he is.
I let go of the gate and begin to run. I run past Wally's yard. I run past Jefferies' yard. I run past Bobbie Moore's yard. I am very far from home. It is scary, but exciting. There is a dog in one of the yards. I can't see him because of the fence but I can hear him barking. It is scary but exciting.
Then I look up, and there he is. He is smiling and his arms are wide. I take a leap and he scoops me up. He kisses my face. He kisses me on the eye. The stubble of his beard picks my face. We are laughing. He's happy that I came.
He carries me high on his arm. I can see the dog now. He is still barking and jumping against the fence. Nothing is scary anymore because we are laughing.
We come to our own back yard. The gate is still open. I look into his eyes. I'm not supposed to leave the gate open. But he is still laughing and swings me down to the ground while he closes the gate.
Once released from his arms, I can run to the house and announce to everybody - "Papa's home".
Monday, May 29, 2006
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Its raining
Its raining. Its raining hard. I'm all alone on the back porch. I have my pick of the big red rocking chairs. I like the bigger one better because I can sit cross legged on it and rock higher. There's thunder and there's lightening. Bernie told me that Bobby Moore's grandmother got hit by lightening standing in their back garden. But I am safe. I'm on the porch.
A little while ago, Monica was back there with me. Before it started to rain. We were playing cut-outs. We got matching cut-out books for Easter. Rita helped me cut out the dolls because they are on the covers and the paper is thicker and harder to cut. I cut out the clothes myself.
Monica gets mad when I put the same dresses on my dolls that she puts on hers. Its hard for me to decide what my dolls should wear. When I see what her's are wearing, it seems like a good idea.
Monica got mad at me and went inside. It was too windy to keep playing anyways and then the rain started. I liked the smell and the sound of the rain. Watching it hit the sidewalk.
Our sidewalks were smooth and flat from the alley all the way to the front of the house. That was good for roller skates but not so much for collecting rain puddles. There would be good puddles in the alley but if you jump into them barefoot, you might hit a stone or piece of glass. Alley puddles were better when it was colder and you were wearing boots.
It gets darker and the wind gets colder. I don't want to go in the house because I will run into Monica and she is mad at me.
Mama comes out on the porch. She brings me a sweater. She takes the smaller rocking chair, letting me stay in the big one. We sit together and watch the rain. I love Mama.
A little while ago, Monica was back there with me. Before it started to rain. We were playing cut-outs. We got matching cut-out books for Easter. Rita helped me cut out the dolls because they are on the covers and the paper is thicker and harder to cut. I cut out the clothes myself.
Monica gets mad when I put the same dresses on my dolls that she puts on hers. Its hard for me to decide what my dolls should wear. When I see what her's are wearing, it seems like a good idea.
Monica got mad at me and went inside. It was too windy to keep playing anyways and then the rain started. I liked the smell and the sound of the rain. Watching it hit the sidewalk.
Our sidewalks were smooth and flat from the alley all the way to the front of the house. That was good for roller skates but not so much for collecting rain puddles. There would be good puddles in the alley but if you jump into them barefoot, you might hit a stone or piece of glass. Alley puddles were better when it was colder and you were wearing boots.
It gets darker and the wind gets colder. I don't want to go in the house because I will run into Monica and she is mad at me.
Mama comes out on the porch. She brings me a sweater. She takes the smaller rocking chair, letting me stay in the big one. We sit together and watch the rain. I love Mama.
Friday, May 26, 2006
The company
Company was coming. The air was electrified. Houses were cleaned. Pies were baked. Larders were replenished. And, if the company came from far away, bedrooms and sleeping spaces were shuffled to accomodate. Possibly the reason for some of my time on McKinstry.
Company had to be shown the Detroit Zoo. Company had to be shown Belle Isle. Company had to be shown Edgewater Park, especially, the fun house.
One year, when Company included the Grandparents, we all walked to the home of Petit Noir who lived on Pearl near Vernor Highway to show them TV. On a Tuesday night, of course, so we could watch Milton Berle. That year we also showed them a Drive-In Movie and went to see Trail of the Lonesome Pines.
Dinners were planned. Dinners that required more than one table setting not including the children who were fed early and then pressed into service to fetch and carry, serve and clear.
After dinner the floors were cleared for dancing and entertainment. Children were encouraged to perform and so did the adults. At Ma'Tante Vonna's house on Clark Street there was a victrola in the living room with good dance music records. Squares would form up and Tony was the caller.
First couple lead to the right. four hands around and Birdie in the Cage. Birdie fly out and the gent fly in. Gent fly out and two couples swing.
After the dancing started nobody paid much attention to the kids. We got to play outside. It was dark out. If it got too scary outside, nobody noticed if you found a quiet place to sit just inside the doorway and watch.
When the party was at our house, and bedtime had been achieved, no one noticed if we crept down the staircase to listen.
Company had to be shown the Detroit Zoo. Company had to be shown Belle Isle. Company had to be shown Edgewater Park, especially, the fun house.
One year, when Company included the Grandparents, we all walked to the home of Petit Noir who lived on Pearl near Vernor Highway to show them TV. On a Tuesday night, of course, so we could watch Milton Berle. That year we also showed them a Drive-In Movie and went to see Trail of the Lonesome Pines.
Dinners were planned. Dinners that required more than one table setting not including the children who were fed early and then pressed into service to fetch and carry, serve and clear.
After dinner the floors were cleared for dancing and entertainment. Children were encouraged to perform and so did the adults. At Ma'Tante Vonna's house on Clark Street there was a victrola in the living room with good dance music records. Squares would form up and Tony was the caller.
First couple lead to the right. four hands around and Birdie in the Cage. Birdie fly out and the gent fly in. Gent fly out and two couples swing.
After the dancing started nobody paid much attention to the kids. We got to play outside. It was dark out. If it got too scary outside, nobody noticed if you found a quiet place to sit just inside the doorway and watch.
When the party was at our house, and bedtime had been achieved, no one noticed if we crept down the staircase to listen.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Red Leaves
When I moved in here winter had a strong toehold and most leaves were off the trees. Across the parking lot, about 4 doors down from me is a lovely large tree. It is the focal point of the view from my living room picture window. There were a small clump of branches on that tree that were clinging to some red leaves. I kept waiting for the leaves to fall. They never did.
All through the winter, through the snow and ice, winds and rain, those sturdy red leaves hung on. Then spring started to spring and most of the trees around here started to bud. This tree remained bare. When other trees were visably green, this tree started to bud.
Ah, I thought to myself, now those fragile red leaves will be pushed off by the new buds. I have been checking it faithfully every day. I search the ground beneath the tree for fallen leaves (from my easy chair, of course, I don't go outside and search). I've never found any.
The tree is quite green now, and because I know where to look I can pick out the red leaves. There they sit. Red leaves among the green.
All through the winter, through the snow and ice, winds and rain, those sturdy red leaves hung on. Then spring started to spring and most of the trees around here started to bud. This tree remained bare. When other trees were visably green, this tree started to bud.
Ah, I thought to myself, now those fragile red leaves will be pushed off by the new buds. I have been checking it faithfully every day. I search the ground beneath the tree for fallen leaves (from my easy chair, of course, I don't go outside and search). I've never found any.
The tree is quite green now, and because I know where to look I can pick out the red leaves. There they sit. Red leaves among the green.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Dinner with Elise and Larry
My dinner with Elise and Larry was in no way remarkable. Elise got married the same year I did. We stood up at each other's weddings and it is always delightful to spend time with them.
Many years ago Larry suffered a stroke and he has been fighting long and hard to regain normal functions. There is a slight list to his stance and a slight slacking of facial muscles that advertise him as a stroke patient. But, he has regained his speech and motor skills and seems to enjoy a high quality of life. His mind and memory are the equal of any of us this age.
When I arrived at the restaurant (Ram's Horn) they were already seated so I joined them and over dinner conversation told them about my recent encounters with advanced arthritis. As we were leaving, I pointed out a walker with a seat attachment and said that that was what I was going to need when I got to the walker stage. The man it belonged to said "just take it." I said I would if I thought I could outrun him, but no.
After dinner they came over to mine to see my new place. As we walked from room to room (not that many) Elise and I had to find a place to sit while we chatted and discussed. Larry was content to stand and pace and check things out. He even went down and checked out the basement. My point here being that among the three of us he is the most fit.
Many years ago Larry suffered a stroke and he has been fighting long and hard to regain normal functions. There is a slight list to his stance and a slight slacking of facial muscles that advertise him as a stroke patient. But, he has regained his speech and motor skills and seems to enjoy a high quality of life. His mind and memory are the equal of any of us this age.
When I arrived at the restaurant (Ram's Horn) they were already seated so I joined them and over dinner conversation told them about my recent encounters with advanced arthritis. As we were leaving, I pointed out a walker with a seat attachment and said that that was what I was going to need when I got to the walker stage. The man it belonged to said "just take it." I said I would if I thought I could outrun him, but no.
After dinner they came over to mine to see my new place. As we walked from room to room (not that many) Elise and I had to find a place to sit while we chatted and discussed. Larry was content to stand and pace and check things out. He even went down and checked out the basement. My point here being that among the three of us he is the most fit.
Friday, May 19, 2006
My Cousin Elise
I had dinner last night with Elise and Larry.
For those of you who are generationally challenged, Elise is my first Cousin, daughter of my father's sister ReJeanne after whom I am named, because she is my Godmother. Elise and I were close growing up, partly because we were close in age and because among we siblings, her mother liked me best (duh).
I remember spending parts of many summers at her house on McKinstry street just a block away from Clark Park. Elise was an only child in her early years and quite spoiled. Her father was called Petit Blanc. It was a nickname but we didn't know that at the time. He came by that nickname because he actually had a twin brother who was called Petit Noir.
Ma'Tante Jeanne and Petit Blanc had three children born at 7 year intervals. That's why I'm thinking they each had the "only child" experience.
Sitting in the kitchen on McKinstry, watching Ma'Tante Jeanne cook was not like watching my mother cook. I had watched my mother make hamburgers. She opened the butcher papered package of ground beef and tore off little chunks and made patties. So now I prepared to watch Ma'Tante Jeanne make hamburgers. She opened the butcher paper and dumped the whole lump of ground beef into a bowl. I thought to myself "WTF" or something similar that would have been appropriate for the times.
Then, this aunt of mine, of whom I was quite fond, took an egg and broke it right over the meat and started mixing them together. I had to leave the kitchen so I don't know if that was the only thing she put in there. Of course, I didn't eat my hamburger at dinner. Ma'Tante Jeanne knew I was a picky eater and was quite kind about it.
Another McKinstry kitchen memory is of the rhubarb that grew in their back yard. When Ma'Tante Jeanne harvested the rhubarb to make pies she would give me and Elise each a stalk with a mound of course salt to dip it in. Ah, good times on McKinstry.
I'll save the story of dinner with Elise and Larry for tomorrow's post.
For those of you who are generationally challenged, Elise is my first Cousin, daughter of my father's sister ReJeanne after whom I am named, because she is my Godmother. Elise and I were close growing up, partly because we were close in age and because among we siblings, her mother liked me best (duh).
I remember spending parts of many summers at her house on McKinstry street just a block away from Clark Park. Elise was an only child in her early years and quite spoiled. Her father was called Petit Blanc. It was a nickname but we didn't know that at the time. He came by that nickname because he actually had a twin brother who was called Petit Noir.
Ma'Tante Jeanne and Petit Blanc had three children born at 7 year intervals. That's why I'm thinking they each had the "only child" experience.
Sitting in the kitchen on McKinstry, watching Ma'Tante Jeanne cook was not like watching my mother cook. I had watched my mother make hamburgers. She opened the butcher papered package of ground beef and tore off little chunks and made patties. So now I prepared to watch Ma'Tante Jeanne make hamburgers. She opened the butcher paper and dumped the whole lump of ground beef into a bowl. I thought to myself "WTF" or something similar that would have been appropriate for the times.
Then, this aunt of mine, of whom I was quite fond, took an egg and broke it right over the meat and started mixing them together. I had to leave the kitchen so I don't know if that was the only thing she put in there. Of course, I didn't eat my hamburger at dinner. Ma'Tante Jeanne knew I was a picky eater and was quite kind about it.
Another McKinstry kitchen memory is of the rhubarb that grew in their back yard. When Ma'Tante Jeanne harvested the rhubarb to make pies she would give me and Elise each a stalk with a mound of course salt to dip it in. Ah, good times on McKinstry.
I'll save the story of dinner with Elise and Larry for tomorrow's post.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Doctor, doctor
OK, the pain in my left hand and wrist has passed the point that I expect it to go away on its own and I went to the doctor. She tested my strength and flexibility, took some blood work and sent me to the other side of the building for a series of xrays. I remembered to mention the pain behind my left knee so they xrayed that too. I forgot to mention the bottoms of my feet since that has been a lot better for a while now.
The Xray lady came in holding the same chart file my doctor had and led me to the xray room. She sat me on a rolly stool at the foot of the xray table and started to position my arm. It started flat on the table. I could do that. Then she needed it turned away from me. I could almost do that. Then she said, now turn your hand so that its facing you. I wanted to ask her if it said anywhere on that chart that my problem was a limited range of motion. She got all her wrist pictures and said While I develop these you can climb up on the table and lay flat on your back. I almost cried but didn't mention how many pillows it takes on my bed for me to lay on my back. Then she started with straight leg, bend it this way, lean it that way. Man, what a workout.
The prize goes to the person who said arthritis. It seems my left arm is consumed with arthritis from shoulder to fingertip. Also the knees. She gave me some samples of Celebrex. I took one as soon as I got home, about half hour ago. I can already feel less pain and more range of motion as I type. Why, oh why, didn't she give me one of these before the xrays?
The Xray lady came in holding the same chart file my doctor had and led me to the xray room. She sat me on a rolly stool at the foot of the xray table and started to position my arm. It started flat on the table. I could do that. Then she needed it turned away from me. I could almost do that. Then she said, now turn your hand so that its facing you. I wanted to ask her if it said anywhere on that chart that my problem was a limited range of motion. She got all her wrist pictures and said While I develop these you can climb up on the table and lay flat on your back. I almost cried but didn't mention how many pillows it takes on my bed for me to lay on my back. Then she started with straight leg, bend it this way, lean it that way. Man, what a workout.
The prize goes to the person who said arthritis. It seems my left arm is consumed with arthritis from shoulder to fingertip. Also the knees. She gave me some samples of Celebrex. I took one as soon as I got home, about half hour ago. I can already feel less pain and more range of motion as I type. Why, oh why, didn't she give me one of these before the xrays?
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
I Burned
So far this year, I have caulked, I-Poded and now I have burned a couple of CDs. Am I a new age woman or what.
And, since I spent the whole day at the Casino Windsor, and I know its Tuesday, I didn't get any pea soup. Maybe next week.
And, since I spent the whole day at the Casino Windsor, and I know its Tuesday, I didn't get any pea soup. Maybe next week.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Wednesday
Today is Wednesday. It is the time on Wednesday that, if I were a working person, my workday would be over. It is the time on Wednesday that I often say to myself, "Damn, I didn't get any Pea Soup."
There is a very nice little family restaurant across Wayne Road from my complex named Rana's. Rana's has a very nice soup bar. Tuesday is Pea Soup day. I love their Pea Soup. There comes a time on most weekends when I think I will have to get to Rana's for lunch on Tuesday and have some Pea Soup. Some Tuesday mornings I remember this and make a concious decision to wait till later in the day and get some soup for dinner instead. Then it is usually about this time on Wednesday that I say to myself, "Damn, I didn't get any Pea Soup."
I have been wearing a wrist stabalizing brace on my left wrist and as I type this the start menu keeps popping up. I'm not sure what key I am inadvertently bumping.
--
There is a very nice little family restaurant across Wayne Road from my complex named Rana's. Rana's has a very nice soup bar. Tuesday is Pea Soup day. I love their Pea Soup. There comes a time on most weekends when I think I will have to get to Rana's for lunch on Tuesday and have some Pea Soup. Some Tuesday mornings I remember this and make a concious decision to wait till later in the day and get some soup for dinner instead. Then it is usually about this time on Wednesday that I say to myself, "Damn, I didn't get any Pea Soup."
I have been wearing a wrist stabalizing brace on my left wrist and as I type this the start menu keeps popping up. I'm not sure what key I am inadvertently bumping.
--
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
All About Jan
Jan Suchy has written a book. Jan and Gene were my next door neighbors for the last 22 years. Gene has been the treasurer of Holliday Park since before I moved in and just retired from that post last year. Since he retired our carrying charges have gone up twice. I know, gas prices, etc. But they didn't go up when Gene was managing the money.
Anyways, about Jan. The title of her book is Three Heavenly Lives. It chronicles her childhood years growing up in Dubuque Iowa, her 19 years in the convent and her 30 odd years of married life. I'm assuming it was self-published and since she isn't in the business to make money, she is selling the book for $5.95. I bought one and finished it yesterday. Those of you who know her will believe me that there is not a harsh or offensive word about anybody. Except maybe herself. She tells of a time while she was in the convent and one of her sisters (there were 9 siblings) left the Catholic church and joined the Lutherans. She wrote her sister a letter telling her she was going to hell. She also tells how deeply she regrets that letter and that sentiment.
One of her stories that I had heard before is that after she accepted Gene's proposal, he set a date for the wedding a year away and told her that she would need a dowery of $5,000.00. He later explained that he wanted to make sure she was not just trading the security of the convent for the security of marriage. He wanted her to know that she could make it on her own. When she presented him with $9,000.00 before the wedding, he offered to double it if she decided she didn't want to get married. But she did.
Something I didn't know about her was that she suffered two miscarriages in her early married years and ended up with a hysterectomy.
In other news, I learned that the guy who bought my unit died before he ever moved in. It seems that the wife is going to move in anyways tho.
Anyways, about Jan. The title of her book is Three Heavenly Lives. It chronicles her childhood years growing up in Dubuque Iowa, her 19 years in the convent and her 30 odd years of married life. I'm assuming it was self-published and since she isn't in the business to make money, she is selling the book for $5.95. I bought one and finished it yesterday. Those of you who know her will believe me that there is not a harsh or offensive word about anybody. Except maybe herself. She tells of a time while she was in the convent and one of her sisters (there were 9 siblings) left the Catholic church and joined the Lutherans. She wrote her sister a letter telling her she was going to hell. She also tells how deeply she regrets that letter and that sentiment.
One of her stories that I had heard before is that after she accepted Gene's proposal, he set a date for the wedding a year away and told her that she would need a dowery of $5,000.00. He later explained that he wanted to make sure she was not just trading the security of the convent for the security of marriage. He wanted her to know that she could make it on her own. When she presented him with $9,000.00 before the wedding, he offered to double it if she decided she didn't want to get married. But she did.
Something I didn't know about her was that she suffered two miscarriages in her early married years and ended up with a hysterectomy.
In other news, I learned that the guy who bought my unit died before he ever moved in. It seems that the wife is going to move in anyways tho.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Springtime Tulips
I had lovely tulips on the side of my house. Overnight they sprung almost full grown. Beautiful red tulips. Crap. I don't want to take care of any flowers. When I bought this unit, I made the lady pull up all the flowers and lay sod right up to the bricks.
Whoever laid the sod probably didn't even know those bulbs were down there and now they have presented themselves. Yes they are beautiful, yadda, yadda. But, in my case, beauty is in the eye of the caretaker and that makes them ugly to me.
I sent my resident daughter outside to pull them up and she did. The next morning I saw them sitting in my trash and could see about 20 buds waiting to open. So I called Jeannette and she offered to adopt the plant and put it in her backyard. Now when I look at them at her house, they can be beautiful again.
Whoever laid the sod probably didn't even know those bulbs were down there and now they have presented themselves. Yes they are beautiful, yadda, yadda. But, in my case, beauty is in the eye of the caretaker and that makes them ugly to me.
I sent my resident daughter outside to pull them up and she did. The next morning I saw them sitting in my trash and could see about 20 buds waiting to open. So I called Jeannette and she offered to adopt the plant and put it in her backyard. Now when I look at them at her house, they can be beautiful again.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Alien among us
I mentioned in my Slacker post that we had been to the Windsor casino last Thursday with Martha. We liked it so much we decided to go again on Tuesday the 18th and Jeannette made the reservations. When we get on the Windsor bus we have to show our proper ID so the bus driver will know that there will be no problems at the border. Usually we flash the passport pictures and get on the bus. This day, there was a little delay getting on the bus and after flashing the picture page, Martha closed her passport and the bus driver saw that it said Canadian.
He asked to see her green card. He asked a little belligerently. She didn't understand the request, not having had a green card for almost 25 years. Jeannette tried to find out why he thought she needed one. The way I understand it is that a green card is necessary for aliens who wish to live and/or work in the US. Martha lives is Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and was just here visiting Jeannette for the week. The bus driver was listening to no one and kept hollering "Lady, let me do my job." It was the day after Martha's 85th birthday and she was visibly shaken.
The upshot was that he wouldn't let Martha on the bus, and she and Jeannette went back home, got Jeannette's car and drove to Windsor where they met up with me and Rita for the day. Rita and I took the bus anyways in order to get our $15.00 bus packets, then we drove home with Jeannette.
We heard the driver explaining to some of the front passengers who had witnessed the demonstration that Martha would have been able to go over on the bus, but she would not have been able to come back. Bringing her into Canada would have been no problem since she was a Canadian citizen resident. He is not allowed to bring any Canadian citizens across the border to the US on his bus without sufficient entry documents.
Jeannette got the full explanation from the bus company supervisor when she called to complain. She still lodged a complaint against the driver for his intimidating, belligerent manner, and failure to explain at the time.
He asked to see her green card. He asked a little belligerently. She didn't understand the request, not having had a green card for almost 25 years. Jeannette tried to find out why he thought she needed one. The way I understand it is that a green card is necessary for aliens who wish to live and/or work in the US. Martha lives is Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and was just here visiting Jeannette for the week. The bus driver was listening to no one and kept hollering "Lady, let me do my job." It was the day after Martha's 85th birthday and she was visibly shaken.
The upshot was that he wouldn't let Martha on the bus, and she and Jeannette went back home, got Jeannette's car and drove to Windsor where they met up with me and Rita for the day. Rita and I took the bus anyways in order to get our $15.00 bus packets, then we drove home with Jeannette.
We heard the driver explaining to some of the front passengers who had witnessed the demonstration that Martha would have been able to go over on the bus, but she would not have been able to come back. Bringing her into Canada would have been no problem since she was a Canadian citizen resident. He is not allowed to bring any Canadian citizens across the border to the US on his bus without sufficient entry documents.
Jeannette got the full explanation from the bus company supervisor when she called to complain. She still lodged a complaint against the driver for his intimidating, belligerent manner, and failure to explain at the time.
Monday, April 17, 2006
The Sheedy Scoop
I had dinner with Rita's family and here's all the Sheedy scoop.
Jerry and Linda have been in their new house long enough to know that they really like it. Jerry and Neil have facial hair, Kelly not. Kelly brought a girlfriend (name, Diana) Neil, not. Linda just got back from a trip to Las Vegas with her siblings. She has 3 sisters and a couple of brothers and they are close and do trips together. This new house is close to one of her brothers.
Kelly is laid off from his good job and hopefully it is temporary. Since he started this job and had good insurance he has been to a sleep clinic. He has a pretty severe case of sleep apnia. They outfitted him with an apparatus that sits next to his bed and to which he is supposed to hook himself up in order to sleep well. They found that he quit breathing an average of 72 times per hour, and the longest non-breathing interval was 125 seconds. He tried holding his breath for 2 minutes (after an inhale) while awake and couldn't do it. He finds being hooked up very tedious and has been told to try wearing the apparatus while awake for increasing intervals in order to get used to it. There is a surgery that could be tried, but they told him that many people end up using the machine even after surgery.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Slacker, Me
I don't do anything. I can't just blog about casino experiences all the time. Martha (Jeannette's Aunt) is in town and we have been to Windsor and Motor City. We were supposed to do MGM on Tuesday but are going to Windsor again. That's our favorite.
My feet have been hurting really bad. I go from hardly being able to walk to not being able to walk. In the not able to walk stage it hurts slightly less when I'm sitting and slightly less than that when I'm lying down. Its been more than a week now. I'll give it another week then think about seeing a doctor.
I get sunshine in my living room in the afternoons and it gets pretty hot in here. I can't open the front door cause that's where the hot is coming from. Yesterday I was smart enough to open the side door and got a nice cool breeze. Today its cold again and there's no sun.
I am going out to dinner today with Rita's family. Happy Easter to all of you.
My feet have been hurting really bad. I go from hardly being able to walk to not being able to walk. In the not able to walk stage it hurts slightly less when I'm sitting and slightly less than that when I'm lying down. Its been more than a week now. I'll give it another week then think about seeing a doctor.
I get sunshine in my living room in the afternoons and it gets pretty hot in here. I can't open the front door cause that's where the hot is coming from. Yesterday I was smart enough to open the side door and got a nice cool breeze. Today its cold again and there's no sun.
I am going out to dinner today with Rita's family. Happy Easter to all of you.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
How Quickly we Spoil
We had a couple of days of weather in the 60s and I am thoroughly spoiled. Getting off the casino bus last night it was quite a bit colder than it had been when I got on at noon.
The full tank of gas that came with my car is almost gone and I saw gas at a reasonable price (the fact that I can call $2.46 a reasonable price means that George W. is truly winning) but I wouldn't stop and pump it because it was cold outside.
I figured if it went up 5 or 10 cents in the next couple of days (as it is wont to do) that's a dollar. I would have paid someone a dollar to pump that gas.
The full tank of gas that came with my car is almost gone and I saw gas at a reasonable price (the fact that I can call $2.46 a reasonable price means that George W. is truly winning) but I wouldn't stop and pump it because it was cold outside.
I figured if it went up 5 or 10 cents in the next couple of days (as it is wont to do) that's a dollar. I would have paid someone a dollar to pump that gas.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
New Car Woes
On the car's one week birthday, we came out of the restaurant and the boopy thing didn't unlock the doors. I had to manually use the key. Can you imagine. The next time I needed to unlock the doors, it worked. Then again it didn't work. The door unlock and the trunk release are on the same button. Hit once to unlock doors and hold down to release trunk. When it didn't work, none of it worked. Before I called the dealer I tested the other buttons. While the unlocky part wasn't working I pushed the remote start button and the car started just fine. Then I had to open the door with the key to get in and stop it.
So, I called the dealer, got my salesperson's voice mail and told her my problems. About a half hour later she called me back and said that the guy was going to be there at 11 if I could bring it in then. I could, and I did. When I got there she noticed my book and we discussed a book she was reading called My Sister's Keeper. It just so happened that Erika had loaded that book into my ITunes file and it was going to be the next book I listened to. She showed me to the waiting room without ever mentioning my problem.
After an hour and a half, she came in and told me that the guy had to get a part that was at another store and that he thought that if he put in a longer delay it would work better. "Good", I said, "because it is a real pain when the doors don't unlock and I have to open the door with the key to push the inside trunk release and ... She looked confused and laid "unlock??" He's fixing the starter. I told her no, the starter works fine, its the unlock button that doesn't work. Oh, she said I'd better go tell him. Good Grief
A half hour later the guy comes in and apologizes for working on the wrong thing but says he needs a pick up a relay that will only take a few minutes to install, and rather than have me wait for him to go pick it up, he takes my address and says he will come out and install it at my house tomorrow. (today, now) Hopefully it will all work out.
So, I called the dealer, got my salesperson's voice mail and told her my problems. About a half hour later she called me back and said that the guy was going to be there at 11 if I could bring it in then. I could, and I did. When I got there she noticed my book and we discussed a book she was reading called My Sister's Keeper. It just so happened that Erika had loaded that book into my ITunes file and it was going to be the next book I listened to. She showed me to the waiting room without ever mentioning my problem.
After an hour and a half, she came in and told me that the guy had to get a part that was at another store and that he thought that if he put in a longer delay it would work better. "Good", I said, "because it is a real pain when the doors don't unlock and I have to open the door with the key to push the inside trunk release and ... She looked confused and laid "unlock??" He's fixing the starter. I told her no, the starter works fine, its the unlock button that doesn't work. Oh, she said I'd better go tell him. Good Grief
A half hour later the guy comes in and apologizes for working on the wrong thing but says he needs a pick up a relay that will only take a few minutes to install, and rather than have me wait for him to go pick it up, he takes my address and says he will come out and install it at my house tomorrow. (today, now) Hopefully it will all work out.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Long suits and shortcomings
In taking a little stock here I find that my shortcomings have nothing to do with my height and my long suits are all in my head.
Among my long suits, I have excellent reading and comprehension skills, very good reasoning power, and a good memory. I know a lot of stuff and have always considered myself a pretty smart cookie.
In the shortcoming department, I have absolutely no physical talents. Any physical attributes I might have had are quickly falling by the wayside. I used to be a pretty good dancer. Ballroom, square dancing, line dancing and even in grade school days, tap dancing. I learned the steps easily and executed them well.
I was an excellent typist. My last testing at a temp agency after I retired and decided to work temp jobs had me at 82 wpm with 0 errors.
I was a good singer. School music classes and performances. A talent show and Karaoke on cruises, Glee clubs, church choirs and even just with the family. I loved to sing.
All the physical pieces of me that used to allow me to do those things either just don't work, or hurt when I use them.
Keep in mind that I am still very grateful for all the things I can still do. I can still walk, just not very far. I can still sing, just at the very low end of the keyboard. I can still type, only the backspace and delete keys on my keyboard are the most used.
When I am 100 years old, and I don't remember any of your names, and my body is just a drool machine, remember that in my head there is still a lot of singing and dancing going on.
Among my long suits, I have excellent reading and comprehension skills, very good reasoning power, and a good memory. I know a lot of stuff and have always considered myself a pretty smart cookie.
In the shortcoming department, I have absolutely no physical talents. Any physical attributes I might have had are quickly falling by the wayside. I used to be a pretty good dancer. Ballroom, square dancing, line dancing and even in grade school days, tap dancing. I learned the steps easily and executed them well.
I was an excellent typist. My last testing at a temp agency after I retired and decided to work temp jobs had me at 82 wpm with 0 errors.
I was a good singer. School music classes and performances. A talent show and Karaoke on cruises, Glee clubs, church choirs and even just with the family. I loved to sing.
All the physical pieces of me that used to allow me to do those things either just don't work, or hurt when I use them.
Keep in mind that I am still very grateful for all the things I can still do. I can still walk, just not very far. I can still sing, just at the very low end of the keyboard. I can still type, only the backspace and delete keys on my keyboard are the most used.
When I am 100 years old, and I don't remember any of your names, and my body is just a drool machine, remember that in my head there is still a lot of singing and dancing going on.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Cracked Up
Sean's comment line "Youth isn't all its cracked up to be" cracked me up. However, after I finished laughing, I began to wax philosophical and he is, of course, absolutely right. The more I waxed, the philosophicaler I got. (Is there any kind of award for the best made-up word?)
Nothing can be "all its cracked up" to be because nobody cracks anything up to be something unless its something they haven't got. And if its something they used to have or expect to have in the future, they tend to dwell on the good parts.
While you're taking the good with the bad, isn't it nice that the good stays with you and the bad tends to disappear.
Nothing can be "all its cracked up" to be because nobody cracks anything up to be something unless its something they haven't got. And if its something they used to have or expect to have in the future, they tend to dwell on the good parts.
While you're taking the good with the bad, isn't it nice that the good stays with you and the bad tends to disappear.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Almost twins
Jeannette and I picked up our new cars together on Thursday. She sold her car on Monday night and since I was going on an overnight gambling trip Tuesday, she used my car for the next couple of days. Thursday afternoon she left work early and picked me up to go pick up our cars.
After the paperwork, our sales lady had them pulled up one behind the other in the service bay and it turns out they are exactly the same color. The names of the colors are different because they are two different models. Mine is a Focus and the color is Tundra, hers is a Fusion and the color had a different name.
When I looked at the color swatch, it was blueish grey. Now that it is sitting in front of my house in sunny, cloudy, rainy and even snowy weather, it looks mostly grey.
I love how clean it is, inside. I was never one to accumulate a lot of litter inside my car, but dust will out. And the day I wash windows inside my car is the day after I wash them inside my house.
After the paperwork, our sales lady had them pulled up one behind the other in the service bay and it turns out they are exactly the same color. The names of the colors are different because they are two different models. Mine is a Focus and the color is Tundra, hers is a Fusion and the color had a different name.
When I looked at the color swatch, it was blueish grey. Now that it is sitting in front of my house in sunny, cloudy, rainy and even snowy weather, it looks mostly grey.
I love how clean it is, inside. I was never one to accumulate a lot of litter inside my car, but dust will out. And the day I wash windows inside my car is the day after I wash them inside my house.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Monica's back
For any of you that had stopped checking Monica's blog (I still checked it every day, just in case) she's back. Now if we can just get Marcel to start blogging. Note to Monica - Since we always like to see comments from our non-blogging brothers, there is a selection at the top of this "create post" page that says "Moterate comments" when you click on that it directs you to a "Comments" page where you can select who may comment on your blog. If you select "anyone" it will allow anonymous commentors.
On the birthday front, we (Rita and I) spend Rita's birthday on an overnight gambling trip. I think all future birthdays should be casino related. We had a great time. I wanted to buy her a birthday dinner and ended up paying for our first breakfast stop at Tony's at Birch Run (you Michigan people know what I mean). We shared a breakfast that included eggs, hash browns, toast and ham. After we had both eaten our fill, they could probably have served that plate to another table. The servings are that big. We did finish the ham and the toast. We asked for the hash browns extra crispy but only the top was crispy. The good news was that even tho we only ate the crispy top parts, it was still enough for both of us to eat our fill. There was still a pound of mushy hash browns on the plate. If we had been on our way home, instead of on our way there, we would have brought all those potatoes and eggs home and had enough for a week.
At Mt. Pleasant, we were able to use the points from our playing cards towards our meal. In fact, when you put the card into the machine to start playing, it doesn't say you have x amount of points, it says you have x amount of dollars and cents. You just presented your card to the cashier and she swiped it. So. I got $6.75 off of my $7.75 soup-salad-drink and desert bar that I had for dinner. Of course after that my credit was back down to zero and I didn't notice where it was at right before we left.
I found out later that we could have done that at Little River also. I had a $5.00 coupon that I had received in the mail from them tho so dinner there was pretty cheap also.
You young folks take notes about this stuff so that you don't have to learn it all by trial and error after you retire.
On the birthday front, we (Rita and I) spend Rita's birthday on an overnight gambling trip. I think all future birthdays should be casino related. We had a great time. I wanted to buy her a birthday dinner and ended up paying for our first breakfast stop at Tony's at Birch Run (you Michigan people know what I mean). We shared a breakfast that included eggs, hash browns, toast and ham. After we had both eaten our fill, they could probably have served that plate to another table. The servings are that big. We did finish the ham and the toast. We asked for the hash browns extra crispy but only the top was crispy. The good news was that even tho we only ate the crispy top parts, it was still enough for both of us to eat our fill. There was still a pound of mushy hash browns on the plate. If we had been on our way home, instead of on our way there, we would have brought all those potatoes and eggs home and had enough for a week.
At Mt. Pleasant, we were able to use the points from our playing cards towards our meal. In fact, when you put the card into the machine to start playing, it doesn't say you have x amount of points, it says you have x amount of dollars and cents. You just presented your card to the cashier and she swiped it. So. I got $6.75 off of my $7.75 soup-salad-drink and desert bar that I had for dinner. Of course after that my credit was back down to zero and I didn't notice where it was at right before we left.
I found out later that we could have done that at Little River also. I had a $5.00 coupon that I had received in the mail from them tho so dinner there was pretty cheap also.
You young folks take notes about this stuff so that you don't have to learn it all by trial and error after you retire.
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