New Years Eve 2025. We’ve almost tucked away another year to history.  I just realized a few minutes ago that I “officially” retired from Pastoral Ministry. It seems so long ago and I do miss it. Although with all of the issues we have had with Ms. Kate’s health these last two years, I’m convinced that my retirement was a “God thing”. There is no way I could have stepped up and cared for her like I needed to if I was still pastoring two churches. But, I do miss it and am thrilled that I get the opportunity to fill in for their pastor when he goes on vacation. I’ll be doing so on February 1st. 

Have you taken the time to look back over you 2025? Was it a good year, a bad year that you are glad to see gone? Did you have any unfulfilled plans? Do you have any “memorable moments or experiences” from the year 2025? As I look back over 2025 much of it is a blur and I guess it was therefore a good year. I remember that Kate went through Cardiac Rehab the first part of the year and enjoyed that to the extent that we joined Planet Fitness to keep her and my exercising going. But health wise, Kate had a good year up until right before Thanksgiving and it has been not so good since then. We have her in Pain Management and it has helped some but I’m still chief cook and bottle washer and laundryman around here. She’s only been out twice now for anything other than a doctor’s appointment. We went to her sister’s for dinner this past Saturday and today I took her with me to Dewig’s meat market. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason she got sick on the way home from that and started throwing up. 

2025 did allow us a family vacations with the girls and their husbands for a week at Kentucky Lake. That was a fun trip. 2026 promises a full family vacation in Sevierville, TN with all the girls, the grandchildren, and the great grandchildren. I’ve rented a large house with acreage and an indoor pool for a week the second week of June. I really hope they all make it because I fully realize that having all of them at one time is going to be harder and harder. And frankly, who knows how much longer Kate and I are going to be around. Kate just turned 78 and her health sucks. I am 81 and in fairly good health but unable to do so many things that I used to do regularly. I’m much weaker and I have a hard time getting up and down. I’m not sure what is going to happen with garden this year.  I truly hope that they will keep up the tradition once we have passed. It’s very important. 

Do you have any big plans for 2026? Other than the aforementioned trip, we certainly don’t. On February 26th Kate and I will celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary. She and I have vastly different thoughts about celebrating that. I’d love to “have a shindig” and invite a bunch of friends to celebrate with us. She wants none of that. I suppose it is because her health is so “iffy” that she doesn’t want to make any plans.  We’ll have to see. I guess I just consider it such an honor that God would give us this much time together that we should celebrate it. 

That’s a wrap for 2025 my friends. Thanks for following along on my day to day uneventful life. Give God thanks for another year of living and giving. Peace. 

 Thursday holidays on top of weekends and company etc; —- it wears you out. This week won’t be a lot better, but I’m not expecting any company this week at least. But —- it was great company. Julie came over as I told you and we had a nice quiet visit. She cooked Christmas Eve dinner for us and she and I cooked Christmas Day lunch/supper (Lupper???) Christmas was quiet although we did not see Jim. He came down with the cold crud and sounded like a dying calf. We told him to stay home and not infect us!!!!!

The weekend was uneventful. Julie went home on Saturday and Kate and I sat around and did little to nothing. I did some reading and played my IPad games. Kate watched a lot of her cooking and “stamping” shows. And she watches a lot of “crime television”. I don’t like to watch much of any of that. I told her all I see about her shows is a lot of gunfire, and women either being beaten or kidnapped and trying to escape and a lot of screaming with it. I go into the kitchen and watch something or just turn off the tv in there and read. I could go downstairs to “my area” but getting up and down the steps is not as easy as it used to be. I guess I don’t know which is worse; going up and down the stairs or sitting on a kitchen chair  for two or three hours and getting stiff and sore.  These “Golden years” are heavy. LOL

It was 58 when I got up yesterday morning and 18 when I got up this morning. We had a major wind storm come through the country last night. There were tornadoes around and lots of other wind damage. Luckily we had no damage that I know of but the bottom dropped out of the temperature gauge. We’ve had several days of “springlike” weather and then a 40 degree temperature drop in a couple of hours. But, at least we didn’t have any of the terrible blizzards that are still messing with the northern part of the country. 

Saturday evening we went to Karen’s house for dinner. It was Kate’s first “social outing” since before Thanksgiving. We had dinner and visited with her family for a bit and then headed home because Kate was starting to be in pain again. I think it did her good to know she was well enough to say least go even if we did kind of “eat and run”. 

I think I’m going to do some writing today. Have yourself a wonderful Monday. Peace. 

 Merry Christmas 2025. This doesn’t feel much like Christmas today. It is almost 70 degrees outside, yet also gloomy and cloudy all day. As I told you, we did very little decorations this year nor did we put up the “regular” Christmas tree. We sent out a limited amount of Christmas cards and frankly received less than normal, which fine by me. Julies came over to spend Christmas with us yesterday and Jim was going to join us today for lunch but leave their dogs at home which meant he would turn around and go ack home after lunch. But, he has come down with a cold so he didn’t make it over either. So, nothing was “normal” but it was okay at the same time. 

Julie made us an excellent dinner last evening of scrimp scampi. Today she helped me with fixing lunch. We had pork tenderloin, Brussels sprouts, Mac & cheese, and jello, and then I had baked Ms. Kate a birthday cake yesterday and we had that for our dessert.

So how was your Christmas? Did you get to a Christmas Eve service? I watched our church service on my IPad and I watched the Children’s program and worship service at the parish in Ft. Branch. I love the Christmas Eve service at my home church. It always closes with a candlelight service. The Bell Choir played “Silent Night”, and they had Holy Communion. I remember the Christmas Eve services from my childhood at that church. At least part of the service was always done in German and we would always sing “Silent Night” in German and English. It is a very fond memory. Back in those days churches were always packed on the Holy days. At Christmas Eve we were elbow to elbow. Last night we could easily have had another 70or 80 people added to the congregation. That’s sad. I would love to see that turned around. 

Christmas is over now and we have just one week left in the year 2025. I look back over the year and Kate and I had a good year up until the last six weeks or so when she started having all of these back pains etc. She went to her Pain Management doctor. He has put her on a regimen that we hope is going to lead to better days. I would love to see her become pain free and be able to get around without using a rollator. It is miserable for her. 

That’s it for today. Have a blessed rest of your day. I wish you Christmas peace. 

 Tuesday the 23rd of December and it is 66 degrees outside. That is very hard to believe especially since we started December in the deep freezer. But we are on tap to have the second warmest Christmas on record. I remember the Christmas of 2004 when it snowed 24 inches. I hope I never see another one of those. 

Ms. Kate had her MRI yesterday and her Pain Management appointment today. The bottom line is that she does have arthritis in several spots in her spine. And she has some bulging discs and nerve pinches. The doctor has put together a plan that is not overly aggressive but will take some time. We both felt good about the visit.

I think it is “Trades Day” around here. I just had the plumber leave the house from fixing all three toilets. The fill valve was not working on two of them and had to be replaced. So, while he was here I had him just replace the valve on the third toilet. It was cheaper to get the third one done now than to have it go bad and pay for another service call. 

Later today, I have the Heating and AC guy coming to check my furnace and see what I have a condensation leak coming out of my furnace. I was wondering where I might spend any Christmas bonus that I might have coming. 

Tomorrow my lady turns 78 years of age. I will bake her a cake. Julie is coming over and will fix her /us a nice birthday meal. 

Okay, here comes the HVAC guy. Have a great day. 

 Happy Friday, December 19th. We have a beautiful but chilly day today. Yesterday was gloomy and rainy on and off all day. But today the sun has come out and the temperature will probably get up to 38 degrees. I can live with that.  

Well, I did make a pie yesterday. I was thinking about making two since I have eight apples left yet. That would make a full pie for sure. I used seven yesterday to make this one and it was plenty although another small apple would not have overfilled it. Bout, Kate and I talked about it and decided that we did not really need to have two pies sitting here. We have so many sweets sitting here between candy and cookies that we don’t need to put ourselves in a sweets coma. So, I put the remaining apples back in the refrigerator and they will hold up for a few more weeks I think. After New Years I will make another one. 

Kate and I both had hair appointments this morning with the same person 30 minutes apart. So we loaded her and her rollator up and went down to the beauty shop. We had to really watch ourselves this morning or at least Kate did. She fell twice this morning or maybe it was one continual fall. She was getting dressed and lost her balance and fell. She didn’t call for me to help but tried to get herself up. She managed to get herself half way up but then fell back down. She didn’t hurt herself anymore than she already was and she did manage to get herself all the way up.  

So we are back home now and I think it is time for a brunch time peace of pie. That will build our energy back up. That will leave two pieces for supper dessert. How long does a pie last in your house? 

I think I’m going to need to make a Walmart or Sam’s pick-up order before Christmas. I don’t need a bunch of stuff but I don’t want to wait until Christmas Eve and try to fight that traffic or those crowds. I think I told you that we are going minimal for our Christmas meal. But there is always something that needs to be picked up. 

That’s it for today. Have a blessed Friday. Peace. 

 Here we are in the middle of yet another week. The time is seemingly going faster. However, if I were a kid waiting on Christmas Eve, I’m quite sure the time would be dragging along. 

I don’t have a lot for today. Kari is here cleaning for us and making the place all spiffy. One of the better life choices we made was giving in and hiring someone to help with the house cleaning. She comes every other Wednesday and we really don’t need her more than that. It’s just Kate and me and we aren’t that messy nor are we “dirty” people. But it always looks so much better when she is done. 

I decided to fill the bird feeders today, well most of them anyway. I have one that I didn’t want to chance  filling because I have to get on a ladder to do it. I got on the ladder for one of them and it gave my knee some real problems. So, it will have to wait. I was not going to take the chance of off falling off of a ladder and breaking something. But — I got most of them filled and the birds and squirrels will be happy. I also threw out several handful of the pecans that I had gathered at Karen’s place. The squirrels will have those all buried before the day is out. I’m glad that when they bury them they usually don’t sprout. I don’t need a pecan grove in my flowerbeds or flower pots. 

I need to go to Walgreens and pickup a prescription for Ms. Kate and then I need to go to the post office and put two packages in the mail. I have boxed up small boxes of Springerlies cookies to send to Heather and Lisa. ( I wonder if drug dogs will hit on those???) Wouldn’t that be something. I think I told you the cookies have a liquorish odor to them and that might set the dogs off. 

Okay, Kari is gone and I’m going to see if Kate wants a ride-along for a change to something other than a doctor’s office. Have yourself a blessed day. Peace. 

 It’s a good morning. It’s not raining or snowing and the temperature is well above freezing, and —- I just got the last and final batch of cookies out of the oven and they are delicious. I call that a successful morning. Now I can put away all of the baking stuff. Although —- I do have some apples out in

 the sunporch that I need to take a look at and see if they are still usable. If so, I could make an apple pie with them. I still have a package of Pillsbury pie crusts in the refrigerator. I guess I need to check that out. If they are soft, well, the raccoons and possums will eat them. 

I was talking to my buddy Brenda via text this morning and she said her husband Andy is having an issue with kidney stones again. He just went through this a month ago. I have never had kidney stones but I understand that they are incredibly painful. I knew a fella once that had a kidney stone “attack” while he was driving and crashed his car into a light pole.  Fortunately he wasn’t hurt too badly. So, lift Andy up in your prayers please. 

Ms. Kate is still holding her own. Not doing too bad unless she moves around too much. I’ll be so glad when she finally has the MRI and then goes to Pain Management to see what she needs to do. She can’t just sit there in her chair for the rest of her life. 

I heard an interesting weather forecast last night from my favorite guy. I think he said it looks like for Christmas Day we may have as high as 60 degrees. Maybe it was 50, I’m not sure because I was crunching on popcorn as he was talking. But regardless, that means no white Christmas around here and I’m just fine with that. I know there are a lot of snow lovers and sentimental folks that think we have to have a White Christmas and I’m sorry for them but not sorry either. 

Have you started planning your Christmas meal yet? I asked Kate about that last night and I think that we will go an extremely simple route. Unless Kate is much better I’ll be doing the cooking again like I did at Thanksgiving. I don’t want to fix another big meal and have all of the leftovers etc. I think that maybe I’ll just go with Brats and mashed potatoes and some veggies. It will just be the four of us, Kate, me Julie and Jim. The only disappointment with that is that it really finishes off reducing Christmas Day to just another day. We haven’t put up a tree, don’t buy presents for each other anymore because we have everything we need, haven’t decorated, sent very few Christmas cards out and have been doing “recliner church”. But —- we haven’t put not forgotten the reason we celebrate this time of year and maybe o year of no “commercial trimmings” isn’t such a bad thing. We’ll have a house full of family love and joy in our faith. Santa can just go on next door. 

That’s it for this Tuesday morning. Have a great day, Peace. 

 Did you realize that there are only 16 days left in the year 2025? The 21st Century will be one fourth gone! I find that fascinating, maybe because I never thought I’d live this long. Of course as kids we think we’re going to live forever but we have no concept of the definition of forever. I saw that Dick Van Dyke turned 100 yesterday and he looks fit for his age. Certainly didn’t look like a 100 year old. And I see the “Captain Kirk”, i.e William Shatner has turned 94 and he still has a television show. I’m in good shape, certainly better than Ms. Kate but I don’t know that I want to live to be 100 years old. 

I told you Friday that I had been making cookies and was going to be making more. Well, my weekend was partly spent doing just that. I got the Snickerdoodles made and I got the White Chocolate Macadamia Nuts cookies made. Today I decided to make another batch of Springerlies. I want to send some to Lisa and to Heather. They are the only two of the girls that like them. And I have a lovely niece that likes them too and we try to make sure she gets some. So, I made another four and a half dozen today. They are on the table now to rest overnight before baking them. The house smells great with the odor of anise wafting through the air. Springerlies cookies are an anise based cookie. If you don’t recognize that ingredient, it has a liquorish flavor and odor.  I have said for years that we couldn’t have Christmas until the Springerlies were done. LOL.

Last night was the second night of dangerously cold temperatures but today it has climbed up from 5 degrees to 36 at the moment. And we’ll have 57 by mid week which will then drop back down to the thirties. Roller coaster temps will probably be the flavor for this winter. Our “average” temperature for today should be in the mid-forties. 

Ms. Kate addressed that Christmas cards yesterday and they are in the mailbox for pick up today. As I told you, she didn’t get near as many made as we usually send. For the past few years we’ve usually sent out 100 cards but this year we sent less than half of that. I hope folks will understand.  And —- if they don’t — well they didn’t deserve a card anyway. LOL

That’s it for today my friends. Have a blessed remainder of your day. Just for a thought —- call someone you haven’t talked to in a while like maybe an elderly relative or friend. It will do you both good. Peace. 

 Wow, it’s Friday and only 13 days until Christmas. The weeks are suddenly flying by. It seems like I have a bunch of stuff to get done and am running out of time to do them. Although I suspect most of it is self imposed rush. 

Ms. Kate is holding her own. I did get her out to the beauty shop today for a hair appointment. We’re still doing everything with a walker so it becomes a hassle sometimes. But at least she’s up and around some. While she was “in the chair” I ran down to Walgreeens and picked up another prescription for her. Her doctor has changed her thyroid medications because her number were coming in all out of whack. Bad thyroid numbers can contribute to the problems she is having just getting around. 

I think today is going to be another cookie making day. I’m finally getting around to making the snickerdoodles. I’m hoping I have everything I need to do the job. I don’t want to get started and have to stop and go to the grocery store. I don’t know how many cookies a “batch” makes. But, I’d like to make maybe six dozen cookies. That’s what I made with the Springerlies, although if we don’t slow down on them, I’ll have to make more. LOL If I can get six dozen made today of the snickerdoodles and then maybe tomorrow or so I’ll make six dozed of the White Chocolate Macadamian nut cookies. That should do me for the season. I’m a Cookie Monster but I do have my limits. I remember the years and years that Kate would make so many different varieties of cookies and we would share them with the family and with friends. One of the favorite things she made for grandson Joshua was her fudge. It was made with Velveeta Cheese which sounds so weird but tastes so very good. She always sent him a couple of pounds. 

We had a snow event last evening. I think we got maybe an inch and most of it is already gone. My daughter Julie over by Louisville got five inches. Better her than me. I don’t have the snow blade on the John Deere yet and won’t get it on until Jim comes over for Christmas. So, we don’t need to be getting a bunch of snow. 

I got the Christmas cards out that Kate has finished and will try to get them addressed this weekend. I think she has maybe three dozen finished and that will have to do. 

It’s lunch time and I think I will be making Mac and cheese for lunch. That sounds good. I really need to check the pantry and freezer to see if I have all the making for a pot of vegetable soup. It’s going to be a high of 17 degrees on Sunday and I think it is a good time to have soup. 

That’s it for today. If I don’t get to you this weekend, have a blessed weekend and take time to soak in what this season is all about. Once again we celebrate God coming to earth to physically experience us in the flesh. The awesomeness of that overwhelms my simple mind. Peace my friends. 

 Good morning and welcome to “hump day”.  Yesterday was a busy day for me. I had to make a minor grocery and drug store run and then come home and fix our lunch. Then I decided that I was going to start on my cookie making. I decided to start with Springerlies. I have never made them before but Kate has a couple of recipes for making them, one from her mom and one from her Aunt Katie. The recipes are almost identical. The thing is that you have to make them one cut them out and then let them sit overnight. So today I will put them in the oven and bake them. My Grandma Heumann used to make Springerlies and I loved them. I don’t imagine her recipe was much different from what I used. I want to make two more kinds of cookies. I’m thinking Snickerdoodles and Kate wants White Chocolate Chip Macadamia nut cookies. I can live with that. But those will wait until at least tomorrow. 

This morning I had my skin cancer removal surgery. The surgeon took out a Basal Cell Carcinoma on my left shoulder. So, I’m on “light duty” for a bit. But then, my life revolves around light duty. But, I’m not supposed to do a lot of lifting or stretching or reaching for about ten days. He doesn’t want the stitches to rip out. So, I think I’m about done with activities for today and it’s only 1030 in the morning. 

Today is a gloomy day but not too cold, 41 degrees. The bad news is that it is all going to go down hill from here. By Sunday we are looking at a high of 28 degrees; and it still isn’t officially winter. Crapola! But I still can’t complain. The weather is a whole lot worse in many other parts of the country. 

So that’s it. Time to get my in recliner and maybe take a nap. I didn’t sleep much last night because of anticipation of my surgery this morning. 

Have a blessed day. 

 A new week, new opportunities to do something for someone. I give God thanks for those opportunities even though I don’t always take advantage of them. 

How was your weekend? Ours was “quasi-productive” I reckon. Kate is still down for the count. I told you that the Tramadol was helping with the pain and it continues to provide relief but no elimination. Again, we’re waiting for her MRI. 

I did get the garage cleared up enough to bring Bambi in and she is “happy” to be in her winter spot in the garage. It does make it a bit tighter having both of them in there but I don’t want it to sit out in the snow and winter weather. I plan to call my JD dealer and have it picked up and serviced and cleaned up. It’s criminal what they charge to do all of that but I can’t do it and I want the mower in good shape. So, pay the piper. There is no reason that little mower couldn’t last for years. 

This morning I had to go to the bank and “roll-over” two of my CDs that had matured. And Kate wanted me to take some money out of the checking account and purchase a new CD. Checking accounts don’t make you any money and CD’s at least pay something. Today’s best rate was for 8 months at 3.7%. Back when I got these the going rate was 4.25%. But who knows, maybe in 8 months the rates will climb back up some. Our money market account is only getting .025%. So, we get what we get. It’s not like we are playing with “big money” but one has to take care of what they have and manage it. 

Wednesday I have to go to my dermatologist and have a Basal Cell skin cancer place removed. It isn’t huge but it’s also not a pet that I want to keep. So, I’ll go in and get it done. I had several “places” on my face, ear, and hands that he froze and they have all now fallen off and I at least look a little better. 

I have not pulled out the Christmas cards that Kate has made yet and I need to do that. There aren’t very many. Most of our friends won’t be receiving one if they are on Facebook. I will just send our wishes them everyone there. It’s a terrible way to do it but I refuse to go buy Christmas cards that in my opinion don’t hold a candle to the ones that Kate makes. I have told her that I do not want her to make any more cards this year because she does injury to her back sitting there making the cards. We’re hoping her back clears up fairly soon. She said she is going to start on her Christmas cards for 2026 in March so she has plenty of time to do them. If you don’t get a card from us this year —- We love ya’ and have nothing but wishes got good thing in your life. 

With that, I’m out of here. Peace. 

 It is still the 5th of December although all but the last hour and a half of it has already been spent. It is 10:30 pm and I’m doing what I often do, just sitting here listening to music on You Tube for an hour plus before I go to bed. I have a “favorites” list created that I often listen to that are Gaithersburg Homecoming Videos, but I also bring up The Collingsworth Family or The Baltimore Tabernacle Choir. A couple of weeks ago I stumbled across The Dallas First Baptist Choir and Orchestra. They have an amazing choir and orchestra. They perform like they were the standard “Praise and Worship” group starting the service except there are probably 150 members to the choir and maybe 65 members to the orchestra. My friend Art tells me that First Baptist Dallas was the largest Baptist church in Texas. I don’t know if that is still true but the sanctuary is large and filled. And I sometimes listen to the Pastor’s messages. He’s does excellent sermons. Of course, they probably have ten pastors; mega-churches generally do. Anyway, if you like to listen to Gospel music and choir music, I would highly recommend any of these groups to you. I find listening to my music before I head off to bed serves as my evening devotional and relaxes me. 

Had a busy day today. I had to take Kate for an appointment this morning and we got home around noon. Yesterday afternoon I picked up some donuts from the Windmill Bakery so when we got home from her appointment we had  some coffee and donuts. Then I gathered the laundry together so I could do it yet today. Then we decided that the weather was nice enough that we would go decorate the family graves. Kate had bought the stuff earlier in the fall so we went out and decorated her folks, her grandparents, my brother-in-laws graves at one cemetery and went out to our church and decorated my parents graves. That done, we came home and I did the laundry. 

Kate is doing some better and getting around a little better. The Tramadol is really helping to manage the pain and she is getting some sleep. She still needs the walker to get around. I hope when she has the MRI they can determine the cause for all of that and we can get a fix. It may just become something that she will have to adjust to and learn to live with. I would hate that for her. 

That’s it for tonight. I pray you will have a blessed weekend. Walk with Christ my friends. Peace. 

 Thursday evening on another cold, cold day. If you are sitting where is warm outside —- I’m sending you raspberries!!! It would be hard to find a warm spot anywhere in the country this week. I have the evening weather news on right now and the forecaster is predicting some “warmer weather” but I would break out the swim suits just yet. I know it is the 4th of December and it is supposed to be cold but dang, let’s give it a rest okay????

Today was “an outing day” for Ms. Kate. We both had dental appointments and then she had to go to the clinic for bloodwork for two different doctors. So while we were out being wild, we went to Wendy’s drive through for lunch. We old people are just a riot aren’t we. 

Kate’s dental appointments went very well and she was really glad to be able to keep it. She had missed her last one because of illness so she was determined to make this one. She said the dental chair certainly wasn’t comfortable for her but Ashlyn, her hygienist was very patient with her and allowed her to sit up and move around when she needed to. Ashlyn has been my technician in the past and she is very good. 

My visit, on the other hand did not go as well. The hygienist had to do “the pointer test”. That’s where they take this little gauge thing and poke along your gums to determine the condition of your gums and jaw bones. Unfortunately mine have deteriorated over the years and I have to go in for a series of “deep cleanings. They will numb me up to do the process. They divide the mouth into four areas and will do one area at a time. It gives me something to look forward to in February. LOL 

Are you doing anything to celebrate Advent? It’s appropriate to remind ourselves that Christmas is far more than tinsel and presents and trees. We’re celebrating the coming of God to earth and walking among us. Please take time to reach out and offer your gratitude to our Lord and God. 

That’s it for Thursday. Have a blessed evening. Peace. 

 Happy Wednesday from the winter wonderland. The snow has not and will not be melting probably for several more days. Today is our “warm day” for the next week to maybe two weeks according to the weather forecaster, and the high today might reach 35 degrees. But, no grousing aloud here. Some parts of the country have as much as a foot or more of snow or ice mix dumped on them. Other parts are having flooding. And we often forget that we aren’t the only country in the world that has some horrible weather. Last week there were hurricanes in the Philippines, volcano eruptions in some places and earthquakes in some other countries. So, I will raise my hands in praise to our Lord that we have noting more than some bitterly cold and a little inconvenient snow. 

I don’t know if I told you that we picked up some different pain medicine for Ms. Kate or not. The combination that she was using wasn’t doing anything much to help her. So yesterday they started on Tramadol. This morning she said she felt a tiny bit better. We both have dental appointments tomorrow at noon. I’m hoping she can handle it. I don’t know how comfortable she is going to be in the dental chair leaning back. She doesn’t do very well laying down in the bed. She will start out in the bed and with in  sometimes only a half an hour she has to get up and move back to her recliner or maybe the couch. She grabs short naps during the day. I really feel sorry for her but there is nothing I can do make her feel better. Kari, our cleaning help is here today and of course offers to do anything to help. We love having her.  

I got my turkey noodle soup made yesterday and it was pretty good even if I have to say it my self. If time I make make soup I remember the first time I made chicken noodle soup. It was horrible. In fact, I’m not even sure I added noodles, I might have just made chicken soup. We were stationed in the Philippines at the time so this would have been maybe 1980, 45 years ago. I knew nothing about cooking but decided I was going to make the soup for the girls. I think the only thing I made it from was left over chicken and water, maybe salty and pepper. I knew nothing about using broth or anything like that. 

I have to get my self out of Kari’s way so I guess I will sign off. Have a wonderful blessed day. May God bring you peace. 

 My Facebook “One year ago” photo is an exact copy of what it would be today if I took a picture outside. Last night we got maybe an inch of snow and obviously one year ago last night we got an inch of snow. Thankfully we didn’t the stuff like they did just 75 mile up the road. Our streets are clear and the snow is mainly just on the grass surfaces. I can handle that kind of snow. But, it is cold, 27 right now. Luckily there is no real wind blowing. 

We have nothing on our calendar today which is good because Kate is still down in her back and hardly getting around. She still can’t find a comfortable way to sit or lay and is getting very little sleep. She has an MRI coming upon the 21st but that doesn’t help her pain right now. She sent a message in to her NP explaining her situation. Hopefully they can do something to help her. She’s taking her Tylenol every eight hours on the dot and has a muscle relaxant that she takes at night but nothing seems to help her. We have dental appointments on Thursday for teeth cleaning but I seriously doubt she will make it because she won’t be able to sit in the chair for that long. We’ll see. 

I cleared a spot in the garage last night so I can bring “Bambi” in for the winter. Unfortunately I didn’t it brought in before the snow. But maybe I can do that tomorrow if the snow melts off of it. There are so many things that I did not get done that I should have but I have been tied up taking care of Ms. Kate which is more important. But I do want to bring that mower in. When the kids come down for Christmas I need Jim to put the snow blade on the big John Deere. Maybe if he gets it put on, we won’t have snow that needs to be cleared. LOL That’s my sneaky plan anyway. 

I may make some turkey noodle soup today. That sounds good to me. I want to use the turkey up and I’m tired of turkey sandwiches . I think I told you that Minh, my neighbor Dan’s wife had brought us a bunch of ham th day before Thanksgiving. I sent a bunch of that home with Julie but I have enough of a few more ham sandwiches. But, sometimes I get tired of sandwiches. When I was stationed at Erhac Turkey we had some marvelous cooks for the unit.They made really good hot meals three times a day for the guys and we had a baker that was superior. I was the Detachment Commander and one day a few of my Airmen came to me and asked; “Sir, could we just have sandwiches once in a while”?  So I asked my civilian site manager if he could arrange that. He did and the guys were thrilled to just have bologna or other cold cut sandwiches a couple of times a month. 

That’s it for today. Stay warm and or stay safe if you just go outside. Peace. 

 December 1st, and oh boy does it feel like it; we might reach thirty two degrees today. Later this evening we are supposed to get snow, maybe as much as two inches which by some standards really isn’t that much. Much of the country got as much as 12 inches yesterday. I’m glad I don’t live in those places. We get just enough snow here to be both beautiful and aggravating. 

How was your expending holiday weekend? I pray you weren’t one of the thousands caught up in delayed flights or an of the hundreds of highway pile ups. North of us they had a 46 car accident. I haven’t heard how many people got hurt or seriously injured. But there were pile ups across the nation in the northern tiers. I just got a news flash that there is a dangerous ice storm coming in some part of the country. Snow is bad enough, I really don’t want to del with ice. 

Julie and Jim both made it home just fine. Julies stayed until about 3:00pm on Saturday. I’m so glad they decided to move to Indiana some years ago. They are only an hour and a half from us. I think I reported that her son Josh and his family just moved from New Hampshire to Raleigh North Carolina and live only forty five minutes from middle daughter Lisa and her families. So Josh’s family was able to spend Thanksgiving with his Aunt Lisa for the first time ever. Lisa said they had a wonderful time and a really good visit. The two families are all getting to know one another all over again. Up until now, the family only got to see Josh’s family once every two of four years. I hate having my kids spread all over the country. That is why Ms. Kate and I started having family reunions. We wanted the cousins to get to know one another. I don’t think that folks who live with all of their family surrounding them often really appreciate that blessing. My kids grew up as a military family and away from any of their cousins so none of them are close. I grew up here in Evansville and my closest relatives were apt least 120 miles away and in those days traveling that distance was just not done very much. Unfortunately the grandkids are now all adults with jobs and work schedules of their own so trying to put together our reunions is getting harder and harder. Our next one is planned for middle of June 2026 in Sevierville, TN. I have a 12 bedroom place that I have rented for a week. I will be shocked if everybody can make it. Ms. Kate and I are getting up the in years and the odds of many more of these reunions happening is getting smaller. I was just thinking this morning that one of the “things” about being 81 years old is that you realize that every time you see someone, it odds of seeing them again begins to decrease exponentially. Of course, that could be the same for everyone. That’s why we really need to appreciate our times together. 

Well! Now that I have bummed you out, I guess I will sign off and fix myself a ham sandwich for lunch and see if my lady would like one too. Have a blessed day. Peace 

 Black Friday!!!! I’m sure glad that I don’t get tangled up in all of that. I can’t imagine the amount of pulsing and shoving and waiting in line, trying to find a place to park and walking forever. But I know a lot of people that are really into that for their Christmas shopping. But without trying to offend anyone, I don’t know a single man that voluntarily gets involved. None of the men I know that have had to go never have a smile on their face when they talk about it. Actually, I don’t understand why they still declare it a Black Friday sale anymore because the sales have been available already from two weeks, and most of the people that I’m close with get their shopping done on Amazon. I don’t remember the last time Kate and I went shopping in a brick and mortar department store. 

How was your Thanksgiving? Did you over-eat? Of course you did; everybody does. As planned, I did 95% of the prep and cooking and cleanup. I just emptied the second load of dishes this morning out of the dishwasher. Man, I so remember the days before dishwashers. The refrigerators are full of leftovers and I have a pumpkin pie sitting beside my IPad here at the table that I am nibbling on. 

Julie came over on Wednesday evening so she could help me on Thursday morning. I appreciated it although I already had most everything already prepped. The extra “get this and get that” help was definitely appreciated. We had the “typical” Thanksgiving meal that all of America had: turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole, brussel sprouts, green bean casserole, gravy, rolls, carrots, deviled eggs, and pumpkin pie. It came out well, but I made a lot of trips to the family room with questions of “how do I” from Ms. Kate. She is still barely getting around with her walker so I decided that I would cook with a lot of supervision. We make a good team. Jules was a big help and Jim was a big help afterwards finding containers and room in the refrigerators to put the stuff. Team work makes delicious dream work. 

The temperature is having a hard time getting above 30 degrees today. Kate had hoped to go decorate the graves today for Christmas but it is too darn cold. I’m hoping that it will get just a bit warmer next week and we can get them dressed up for Christmas. 

That’s it for today. I hope your weekend is blessed. Peace. 

 It is 10:30 pm so I guess this will be a Tuesday/ Wednesday note or two. 

It has been a rather busy day for me and tomorrow will be even busier I think. We did our usual morning routine of sitting around, reading the latest Facebook gossip, and playing a couple of computer games. I have one game that I play and Kate has two or three that she likes. Then we both like to “color our daily pictures” on a site called “Happy Color”. It is actually good mental exercise trying to solve the picture. I recommend it to all senior folks. 

Next I got a call from Walgreens that Kate had a prescription that needed to be picked up. Since I needed to go to Ruler’s any way to get milk and bread, I got ready and went and picked up my groceries and her prescriptions. Ruler’s and Walgreen are across the street from one another. Then I went to Ritzies, in the same shopping complex, and picked us up some lunch. 

I came home and we had our lunch and then it was time to eat started on things that I need to prep for our Thanksgiving meal. It was a whole lot of stuff but doing it ahead of time will really help. I cut up a loaf and a half of bread for the dressing. I’m still debating whether to go to Meijer’s tomorrow and pick up some oysters to make some oyster dressing. I love the stuff but no by else is a fan. Kate would eat a small helping but neither Jim or Julie would touch it. But, I maybe will pick up a small batch of fresh oysters while we are out tomorrow. Kate has a hair appointment and assuming she is mobile enough to get in and out of the car and into the beauty shop, we’ll take her to her appointment, then to our doctor’s office lab for her to ge her blood drawn, and then —- maybe to get some oysters. 

Anyway —- I got the bread all cut up, I got the carrots peeled and sliced up for the meal, and I got the celery cut up really small to go in the dressing. Tomorrow will be the day to get dishes out to cook in and to serve in, and I will make two pumpkin pies. I’m glad that the weather is turning really cold because I have no room in the refrigerator for the pies after I bake them, and Kate says they need to be refrigerated because they are a custard pie. With the cold weather, I can just set them out in the sunroom which will be a bout 40 degrees or less. Or, I can take them out and set them in the grill on the patio. I know they will stay cold there. I’m not sure there will still be two pies left by Thursday morning, in fact I can almost guarantee it. 

I got my winter order of food for my aviary friend today. It gets more expensive all the time. I spent $175.00 for this order and it wasn’t all that big. But, this order will get me through December and maybe half of January. Picking up five gallon pecans from my sister-in-laws yard will help a lot. 

That’s it my friends. I hope and pray you have a blessed Thanksgiving Day. Peace be with you. 

 Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Ours was “housebound” except for a couple of errands I had to do. We did “recliner church again today. It is really hard for Kate to get in and out of the car and down the steps etc. So that should tell you how she is doing. 

Friday Kate called in a Walmart curbside order for pickup on Saturday. As I have said in the past this is a “perk” that I really like, —- on most days. Saturday didn’t go all that well. 

Kate didn’t go with me of course but she did go on the app and tell them “I’m on my way”. I got there at 10:30 and called the posted number to let them know I had arrived, per instruction. Unfortunately I got a recording that said “the party you are tying to reach is not available, please tell us which spot you are in and we’ll get back with you”. So I did that. There were several cars in the curbside area and I sat there as one after another was loaded but I never got a call back. I watched as new cars arrived and their order were brought out and loaded and still nothing. So, after about 20 minutes, I flagged down one of the delivery people and told them I had called in but had heard nothing back. The kid check his phone and says, “yeh, it shows you still arriving, okay”. I waited another 10 minutes and still nothing. The kid that I had talked to even came by my car to make another delivery but said nothing. Finally I went up to the door and knock on it, and a young lady came to the door. I told her what was going on, and other answer was “Okay, we’ll be out in a minute”. There was no apology or anything. They did come out about five minutes later and load me up. Not a good day for curbside. One of the problems was that Kate had called in the order on her phone so I didn’t have an order # or the right phone number for them to call because it would have gone to her phone and not mine. But —— it was redonkulous!!!! 

By the time I left Walmart, it was lunch time and I decided to stop by Ms Donalds and get us something to eat. McRibs are “back in season” so I ordered two of them, a large order of French fries for us to split, and two strawberry/banana smoothies. And of course —— “I’m sorry, we are all out of smoothies”. Grrrrrrrrr!

I was glad to get home. We had ordered most of what we would need for Thanksgiving. The turkey is in the refrigerator thawing. Julie and Jim are coming over so I got a 11.5 lb bird. That will give us a meal and will also have plenty of leftovers to send some home with them and also for me to make turkey noodle soup. Today I will start doing some of the prep work for the meal. 

Sunday was uneventful, we watched tv church, took naps and generally didn’t do much else. Minh, from across the street come over and gave us a bunch of sliced ham. She said she bought too much and wanted to just give it to us. I made of dinner out of that. 

That’s it for today. Have yourself a wonderful Thanksgiving week. May God bring peace to you home. 

 Well here it is Friday and it looks like most of the rest of the days this week. It is raining and raw outside and gloomy. It would be a good day to snuggle up in front of the fireplace and read a good book and listen to some soft classical music. But there are other things to attend to today. 

Ms. Kate isn’t doing a whole lot better and that surprises me. I thought by today she would be getting around better than she is. However, she did make it out to her hair appointment. She cancelled last week so she was going to make it this week come hell or high water. We loaded her and her walker in the car and she made it alright. If she doesn’t feel better physically, I know she feels better mentally having her hair looking good.

Yesterday I had an appointment to get my toenails trimmed. I do that once a month because I can’t bend over to do them myself. The young lady I go to does a good job. I don’t like to go to a nail salon because the women there want to do the whole “pedicure thing”. My feet are extremely sensitive and ticklish so I don’t want all of that rubbing and stuff. I just want the nails trimmed and my lady understands that. The nails on my big toes get ingrown so quickly so it needs to be done once a month. Some would call that an indulgence, I call it a need. 

Since Ms. Kate is still down for the count, I did the laundry yesterday too. Actually, I do the laundry most of the time. I find it so simple to do and I have been doing laundry since I as a child once my mother moved up from a “ringer washer”. When I take the stuff out of the dryer, Kate always says “just put it there and I will fold it.” But, I don’t. That just adds  another step to the process. So I just take it on back to the bedroom and stand there and fold it. Then I put my stuff away and she can put hers away. 

Kate needs to put together the grocery list and do an on-line order from Walmart. That on-line ordering thing is a great benefit. I figure we can get all of our stuff for Thanksgiving ordered and I will pick it up tomorrow. Kate wants to do a turkey so we need to get it while they are on sale and then we can start thawing it on probably Monday evening. Personally I’d rather have pork tenderloin but this way, I’ll end up getting some turkey noodle soup which I love. And maybe we’ll have a turkey sandwich or two also. We don’t a turkey bigger than 10 or 12 pounds. Julie and Jim will be here and I can send some home with them too. Kate doesn’t like leftovers. Me, I could eat them anytime. Her mom used to make a large something like a pot of soup and she would eat on it every day until it was gone. 

It’s lunch time so I better se what my patient wants for lunch. Have a great day. Have a great weekend if I don’t see you again. Peace

 Happy Wednesday. It is a damp 42 degrees today. We had rain on and off through the night but I think we are supposed to stay dry today. If I recall, the weather dude said that we will start having rain again tomorrow afternoon and then more on and off through Friday. It’s southern Indiana fall. As I use my weather app and check on the places that the girls live, It looks like maybe Lisa, down in North Carolina gets the award for best weather today. Heather comes in second out in California. The rest of us all suck. 

Ms. Kate had a great night and woke up feeling better. But that lasted until she got about half way down the hall and the leg and hip started hurting again. Bless her heart. But she is improving, just not to the extent that we would like her too. The muscle relaxer she took last night really did let her rest though. She is on her second day of prednisone so maybe it will all start coming together as she goes through the day. 

I wasn’t writing this past January so you didn’t get the neighborhood gossip and news. We had a neighbor across the street and one house down that lost much of their home due to fire. The fire actually totally destroyed the garage and two cars that were in there. But, of course with smoke damage and fire suppression after, the rest of the home was rendered useless too. So, they have left the brick structure of the rest of the house, gutted everything else and are building a new garage on the house and today they are putting on a new roof on the entire house. Allegedly they will have the house ready to move in on February 26th, 2026. I guess we will see if that happens. They had torn off all of the roof on the house on Monday and then of course it poured down rain yesterday and last night. I’m sure that didn’t help anything at all. The house has a full basement and they are going to have it turned into a living area again so that means for sure all new flooring etc to eliminate any new chances of mold. I really don’t know much about building houses but It seems to me that it might have been cheaper to bulldoze the entire structure and start fresh. But, I’m sure they were limited by whatever their insurance company would pay for. I know the name of their insurance company and have never heard anything positive about them. I also know that they have gone back and forth numerous times between the insurance company and the building contractor. It has been a nightmare for them. The only bright light is that no one was hurt during the fire. For that we give praise and glory to God. 

Our cleaning lady just came by and dropped off a pumpkin roll for us for Thanksgiving. She is so sweet. And, she’s a great baker too. Last winter when Kate was sick, she backed up the only Christmas cookies we had for the season. 

That takes care of my Wednesday gossip. I reckon I will jump off. I may either continue reading my book today or maybe do some writing. It depends on what Ms. Kate needs me to do. Have a great afternoon. Peace. 

 Happy Tuesday. It is 2:00 pm and we have been somewhat busy. Ms. Kate had a doctor’s appointment today with her kidney doctor. I forget her title, (maybe Nephrologist???). But, it’s an every four month visit to see how she is doing. I don’t know what that doctor gets paid but for the length of her appointments, I’m sure the price per hour is outrageous. It takes longer for the nurse  to take Kate’s blood pressure, go over her medications etc than it does for the doctor to walk in, look at the results of her last blood test, ask a couple of questions and be gone. It doesn’t help that neither Kate nor I particularly like this doctor either. She’s “cold” and aloof and frankly rude. But, maybe her once every four month appointments are okay since every visit is less than 10 minutes. 

Kate still is down for the count. The steroid shot hasn’t really seemed to kick in yet and to add to the misery, the injection site is now sore too. I’ve had steroid shots several times. They don’t hurt when you get them but always seem to hurt the next couple of days. I don’t know why, that’s just the way it is. We weren’t able to pick up both of her meds yesterday. We got the prednisone but there is a muscle relaxer that she is supposed to take at night that I have to go to Walgreens shortly to pick up. I’m hoping by tomorrow we see a “feeling much better Ms. Kate.”

We are having rain on and off today and into tomorrow. I’m glad I got my yard totally mowed yesterday afternoon and I also went over and mowed Dan’s yard again. He and his wife just got back from visiting her brother and family in the Washington DC area for four weeks. Dan came home sick with COVID and flu. It happens every trip he takes out there. I understand why they spend such a long time there each visit. Minch is Vietnamese and has no cultural connection here in Evansville. When they go there, their family lives in a larger Thai and Vietnamese area and she can speak her native language, eat all her cultural food etc. Plus, she is the oldest member of the family and that naturally gives her the place of honor. Dan says they cater to her every whim and treat her with the utmost respect. No wonder she wants to not come home. Here, I never see her go any where other than to shop once in awhile. Dan has all of his family here and he and his brothers get together and go golfing either here or out of state for a week. 

It has quite a racing for a bit so I better run to Walgreens and get Kate’s medicine. Have a great rest of your day. Don’t get so busy being busy that you forget to take time for a chat with God. Peace. 

Not a very good weekend around here.I told you Friday that Kate was down with her back. It continued to get worse as the weekend progressed. We got her in to see the Nurse Practitioner this morning. She said Kate for sure is have a Bursitis flare up and there may be more. But, she gave her a steroid injection and had a bunch of X-ray’s taken. Also prescribed Prednisone and something else for hr to take at night to help her sleep. It’s a routine that I have been through numerous times and I think it will help her too. In the meantime though, she is a miserable puppy. 

I finally finished up the front flowerbeds. I’m glad to have that out of the way for the year. I mowed our front yard and Dan’s front yard and had all of the leaves mulched away. I’m sitting here looking at Dan’s yard right now and one could never tell I was ever there. His Maple tree is shedding really good right now. I give it to the end of the week and it should be done. The one ion his back yard has hardly started. 

Okay, that’s it. I’m busy taking care of my lady these days. have a blessed week. 

 It’s hard to believe another week is this close to coming to an end. And as they say, “what a difference a day makes”, or two or three days. Monday it was 23 and we had snow and today we are on a fast track to 65-70. I went out for a hair cut and a grocery run this morning and I’m running around in a short sleeved shirt. It feels really good. 

Ms. Kate was supposed to have a hair appointment this morning but she has a problem with her hip. It keeps giving her pain for some reason. It’s not constant, but when it hits, it just kind of grabs her. She felt fine when she got up but by the time she got to the coffee pot it was hurting her. It must be the way she is sleeping or sitting or something that has caused her to pinch a nerve. She has taken her Tylenol but there will be no trip to Planet Fitness today. But, I have some outside work to do today while it is sunny so I won’t need a gym trip. I’ll get enough exercise as it is. 

I noticed yesterday that I was really in the need for a haircut and a beard trim. So, when Kate called her hair dresser and cancelled, we just slid me in to her spot. I’ve been using her hairdresser as my barber for a year now. She does a good job. Kate was my barber for many years. We saved a lot of money over the years by her cutting it, especially in the military when it had to be kept at a certain length. When I was a kid, my dad used to give me my haircuts. That was in the days when people at home didn’t have electric clippers. He always did a fairly good job. I think he grew up cutting his brother’s hair and probably cut hair for guys when he was in the Army during WW2. Of course as a kid in the fifties, the only acceptable haircut for boys was a “burr cut” or a flat-top. In the sixties I wanted what was called a “duck-tail” because that was the cool haircut. But my folks wouldn’t hear of it. They said only “hoodlums” wore their hair that way. So while the other guys got to be cool and have an “Elvis” haircut —— I had to be “Pat Boone”. I look at the young guys today and am amazed at what is acceptable. There was no way a kid in high school was going to be sporting a beard or a mustache. You had to be clean shaven. You went to school wearing jeans and a collared shirt. Girls had to wear a dress or skirt  and the length was to the knees. It’s a different world today. I’m not sure if it is better or worse. 

Time for me to get off of here and get busy. Have a most blessed day and a blessed weekend. . Peace. 

 Good morning on this balmy November 13th. This sure beats walking up to 23 or some of those other ugly numbers. It’s 56 at the moment and would feel even warmer if the sun would come out from behind the clouds. 

As you know, I had my dermatologist appointment yesterday. Of course I have a story to go with it. I had never been to this office before so I was a little confused as to where it was. But the instructions gave me directions that seemed familiar to me. We left in plenty of time to get to Deaconess Mid-Town, park in the parking garage, find the elevator and make it to the third floor. However, none of the room numbers were even close to what I was looking for. I went into one of the offices close to me and asked for directions. As it turned out, I was in the wrong location. I was at Deaconess Mid-Town Hospital, and I needed to be at Deaconess “Downtown”. I didn’t even know there was a Deaconess Downtown Hospital, but I was a good ten minutes from where I needed to be. But, the young lady that was helping us told me how to get there. 

We found our way to the right place and there was no place to park. There is construction going on in a building next door and the construction trucks etc had blocked off a third of the parking spots. Another part of the lot was reserved for a business across the street. So, Ms. Kate went inside to insure that we were in the right place and called to assure me we were. She called up to the office we were supposed to be going to and told them we were there but I was trying to find a parking spot. Anyway, I got to my appointment and they didn’t give me any problem about being a few minutes late. However, we found out that there was an entire parking garage that we could have used and just on the back side of the building was an entire empty parking lot. When I go back for my next visit, I’ll know where to go, and I won’t be in a fuss about being at the wrong place etc. Yeh, it did stress me out some. 

The results of my visit were not bad. The doctor “froze” seven “pre-cancerous” spots on my face and ear, and hands. Those “frozen spots will fall off without any scaring in about a week. He also biopsied one large mole on my back. We should hear the results of that in a week but he was certain it was a Basal Cell Carcinoma skin cancer, which he described as the “wimp of skin cancers”. If it turns out that he is correct, I’ll go back and they will do a bit more invasive something to make sure they get it all. But —- it isn’t a big deal, just needs to be taken care of. 

The leaves on one of my Tulip Poplar have completely fallen off and the other one of about 60% done. I think I will run the mower over them today and then I can put “Bambi”, my back yard JD in the garage for the winter. Whatever leaves fall from the other tree can either lay there and compost themselves or I will drive “Big John” around and mulch them up. But, I want to get Bambi in the garage for the winter before we actually get really crappy winter weather. 

That’s all I have for you today my friends. I hope your Thursday is full of blessings. Take time to have a chat with God today. It will do you good. Peace. 

 On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, all WW1 hostilities were ceased when an armistice was signed with Germany. Initially remembered as Armistice Day, it was renamed Veteran’s day in 1954. It is different from Memorial Day because it recognizes all who have served rather than just those who were killed while serving. I thought I would toss in a little history lesson for you this morning. I know a lot of people, perhaps most of the current generation of people, who have no idea what we celebrate today. I find tat rather sad because it is indicative of the generation today that cares nothing abut learning or even knowing about our history as a people or as a nation. They have been taught that our history is all lies dreamed up and propagandized to us to make “white people” feel good about themselves. 

The weather is “a little better” today than yesterday. We ended up with  a third of an inch of snow yesterday but as I told you, it melted as soon as the clouds cleared and the sun hit it. However, the temperatures certainly did not rebound. It was 33 when I crawled out from my covers this morning. I just checked at we are at 45 now and that is supposed to be the high for today. But the wind is fairly calm so that will make a big difference in the “feels-like” when you go outside. 

I talked to my buddy Brenda a while ago and she and her hubby have a miserable cold outside job today. They are loading hog to take to the market. They have 20 to load. Andy was busy trying to coax them all into a pen with corn. She asked me if I wanted to help and I got all excited telling myself that “Yes, I could do that”. I have done that job in the past. Admittedly it was 70 years ago, but the job and method is the same. But then she told me she was just messing with me. So, I was disappointed —— and frankly relieved. LOL It would have been fun but I would have been more in the way than anything else. Or I would have slipped in the mud and gotten run over my a scared or angry hog. It’s amazing how quickly one’s mind tries to convince us that we can do what we used to do. 

Tomorrow I have to go to a dermatologist and have these places on my head and ear evaluated and possibly even removed. They will be checking to see if I have skin cancer. I think I told you that I had this appointment coming up. It took four months to get in to see this doctor so I hope he does something to help. 

I think I will put on something warm and go to Rule King and maybe buy myself a Carhart Jacket for the winter. I don’t have a suitable outdoor jacket for when I need to fill the feeders or remove snow from the driveway etc. So that sounds like a good plan. Of course maybe a better plan is to stay in the house and wait until tomorrow since it will be much warmer and I have to go out anyway for y appointment. 

Decisions, decisions. Y’all have a blessed day. 

 Good morning on this 28 degree, snowy morning. It’s coming down quite heavily at the moment. There are already reports of accidents around the area. The snow is barely sticking to the grass but I guess the roads are really slick in some areas. Ah well, it’s supposed to be 60 by Wednesday and 72 by the weekend. Nothing to get out of sorts about. 

Would you allow me to reminisce for a few moments this morning? On November 10th, 1965, I entered Lackland Air Force Base and began what would eventually become a 32 year career. At the time, the Air Force was only 18 years old which means I’m older than the Air Force. Along the way I progressed from Airman Basic (E1) to Colonel (O6). I will be the first to tell you that I did that with the help of an extremely supporting and tolerant Ms. Kate, some very wonderful understanding daughters, hundreds and hundreds of excellent fellow service men and women, and a God with a sense of humor. 

During the career I have lived in California (x2), The Philippines (x2), Florida, Turkey, Missouri, Illinois (x2), North Carolina, Texas, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Virginia. I have done extended temporary duty in  Alabama, Italy, Sicily, the Netherlands, Germany, England and Croatia. Needless to say, I have had a wonderful chance to see the world. 

A Military career is certainly not for everyone or for every family. It takes a certain personality for a spouse to follow a husband or wife around for move after move after move. We changed locations every two to two and a half years which meant setting up a household from zero again and again. We lived in base housing most of my career so there wasn’t a lot of choice in what your house was going to look like. Because I served as a unit commander and Chief of Police at my locations, I was required to live on base. Most of the houses were okay. Our place on Nellis AFB in Las Vegas was wonderful and was our first and only “Colonel’s housing”. The down side to all of that is that we had to buy our “forever home” when I retired at almost sixty years old. Taking a thirty year home loan knowing it would be paid off when you are 90 is a daunting thought. (Ms. Kate of course wasn’t going to let that happen and we paid it off two years ago..)

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Tomorrow is officially Veteran’s Day and so I’m taking time today to say thank you to my family and to all of my fellow veterans. If you know a veteran, take time to say thanks to them today. Peace

 Can you believe that the first week of November is already gone??? Suddenly it seems like the year is flying by. It seems like since the days got shorter and we dropped Daylight Saving time, we have less time in the day to get stuff done. I know that is ridiculous because we have the same 24 hours a day that we always had but there was a mental shift in there at some point. 

Yesterday I got another flower bed cleaned up. I filled my freshly emptied trash can to about three quarters full again with peonies and other plants. I would like to do another one today but I don’t want to completely fill the trash can. I need to call Republic and see if they will pick up bags of clippings etc that are not in the trash can. Before the days of trucks that had swing out arms to grab the cans, the guys would pick them up. But I don’t know about now. We are supposed to have some showers today but so far nothing, which is fine with me. 

Yesterday we also had to do a Walmart drive through grocery run. I really like that. Kate just orders on line and sets a pick up time and they notify us when the order is ready. Today we did the same thing with Sam’s Club. I haven’t actually been in Sam’s in at least six months. And I haven’t been in Walmart in at least two months. And the only Walmart we use is the Neighborhood Market Walmart. 

We went out for brunch while we were waiting  for Sam’s to notify us that our order was ready for pickup. The first thing we did today was to take Kate for her hair appointment. We skipped the gym today because I have a sore back from yesterday’s yard work and am walking around like a dang old man. Some may say that I should go “work it out”. My father would certainly have said that. But no thanks, I’m going to take it easy today. If it doesn’t rain very hard, I’ll work outside again tomorrow. By Sunday evening it is supposed to get really cold and the weather dude even used that really nasty four letter word for a Monday morning possibility; (snow flurries). 

That’s it for today my friends. Have a blessed weekend. I may jump on tomorrow depending on the weather and the length of my “honey-do list”. 

Peace. 

 What a beautiful day!! It is supposed to go up to 70 degrees today and that would be super. We have a lot going on today. Our house learning lady is here currently. While she is here I think maybe we’ll go do our gym thing and then get some brunch. This afternoon we have a contractor coming to finally “raise our back sidewalk” and seal up the “caulk” where the concrete meets the house. This is the supposed fix to the water coming into our basement. (Ya’ gotta see it to understand it, but it makes perfect sense.)

I didn’t get nearly as much done as I wanted to yesterday but I did get the tomatoes bed cleaned out and the tomato cages put up until next spring. That bed was really a mess. My tomato plants grew really big this year and produced well. But by end of summer the weeds had grown up in there too. The tomato plants were so thick that I couldn’t get in there around the cages to clean out the weeds. But I got it all cleaned out and have put a good layer of Preen on it to prevent the weeds in the spring. This afternoon I hope to get some of the peonies finally cut off although my trash can is almost overflowing with tomato plants. So, I may wait until tomorrow after the trash man has come and emptied the can. 

The wind is fairly brisk today and there are a lot of leaves leaving their trees and heading off to the unknown. Well, I know because they are in my yard. I will run the John Deere over the yard today for sure. 

Kari, our cleaning lady, brought us pumpkin muffins today. She is a really good baker and has brought us goodies in the past. They didn’t last long. She has promised us pumpkin bread on her next visit. 

That’s all I got today without just rambling. I hope you get a chance to get outside and enjoy a day like we’re having. It’s just one of God’s blessings that He is sharing. Peace. 

 It’s bright and beautiful this morning but I need the temperature to come up just a few more degrees so I can work comfortably outside. 

Yesterday we went to the gym, as you know, and I can tell you that it flat wore me out. We had not been in a week and when I got home I was physically exhausted like I had tried to run a marathon or something. I don’t know why. Our routine isn’t that hard and is more for getting the heart pumping than anything else. But I actually went to bed at 2200 hours last night. We generally don’t go to bed until around midnight or even 1:00 am. We watch television or something like that until we are ready. But I spent yesterday evening reading my new book for two hours and then went to bed. 

Speaking of my new book, it is very interesting. It’s called “The Unseen Realm” by Michael Heiser. It talks about the supernatural aspects to our faith which is an area or at least “word” that most pastors won’t touch. I think that is because it is a “labeling” issues. I have always realized that when we start talking about things that happen and we assign the reasoning to our belief that God, whom we don’t see, caused it, then we are talking about supernatural events. But society seems to want supernatural to only belong to the realm of “magic” and witchcraft, and ghosts and stuff. That is so far from the truth. So, it becomes messy when we assign a miraculous event to angels or a dead relative watching over us and interceding for us. When we talk about Jesus being dead in a grave for three days and then getting up and walking out —- that is a supernatural event, and we (I) believe it actually happened. So, my book is a really great read and one that I can identify with. 

The trees are really starting to turn colors and the leaves are falling in earnest. Dan, my neighbor across the street, has a maple tree in his front and back yard and I like to watch them turn their beautiful red before the leaves fall off.  If I get around to it, I will probably run the lawnmowers over the yard so I can keep up with the leaves. My tulip poplars are losing their leaves a lot now. I know some people recommend that we not rake up our leaves etc but leave them as a winter cover for certain bugs etc in the spring. I can’t imagine not mulching up my leaves. I don’t rake and bag them but I do run the mower over them and mulch them. It is good for the soil. One of my jobs today is to get the tomato plants cut off and pulled up. Then I need to work on getting the peonies and four clocks cut back to ground level. 

Time to put on my work clothes and get busy. I pray you will have a day full of blessings. Peace. 

 Happy November! We woke up to a 35 degree morning but now the sun is bright and we are up to 53. There is more breeze out there than I would like but a good sweatshirt will handle all of that. I’ writing a mote here while I wait for Ms. Kate to get her gym clothes on and we can head down to Planet Fitness for our workout. Then I got stop by and pick up some bread from Ruler’s since to is in the same shopping area. From there we’ll probably grab some brunch before we come home. I have some outside work I want to do today while the weather is nice. I heard the forecaster say last night that a we might actually reach 70 degrees one day the week. That would be awesome. 

Did you have a lot of Trick or Treaters?? As promised, we didn’t do anything at all for Halloween this year. Just left the lights off and went about our business. We had a few doorbell ringers but actually not that many. 

Halloween is over and I saw last night that one of the families in our neighborhood had already put up their Christmas Tree this weekend. I know some people really get in to the Christmas decorating spirit and want their stuff up as soon as possible. I wish I could believe it had any thing at all to with the birth of Jesus Christ and the celebration of that, but I just don’t think it does. I suspect it is all for all of the worldly  celebration. Don’t get me wrong, I love looking at the decorations etc but I’m just cynical about their motives. But, I’m the Christmas Grinch. Were it not for Ms. Kate, there would be no Christmas decorations around our house. I just don’t see the need. If you want to celebrate the Spirit of Christmas; —- go out and do something for someone; share your blessings like God shared His Son. 

We had a family happy brag moment this weekend. My granddaughter Lauren, who lives is SOCAL has been riding Motocross since she was five years old, (she turns 28 this week). Eleven years ago she went professional and competing with some very talented lady riders. Sunday she won the National Women’s Pro Motocross Championship. She is such a good kid and she enjoys riding so much. I’m so proud of her because she embodies all of the good traits of a National Champion. She works hard to encourage all of the young female riders and little girls that look at her like she is a hero. She always has time for them when they are out on the track. She is what I call “Good People”. Her life away from the track also reflects  that. She works as a substance abuse counselor for “First Responders” with addiction problems. 

Enough bragging. Kate should be ready to head out by now. Have a blessed week. Peace. 

 Happy Halloween! May all your spookies be good ones. We’ve had an uneventful day around here. I took Ms. Kate for her weekly hair appointment this morning and I ran to Ruler’s, our local version of a Kroger store. She likes the half and half from there, although I don’t know what makes it any better than anywhere else. But the lady asks and she shall receive. 

Right now I’m waiting on the Sears Appliance repairman to arrive. We need a new door put on our microwave. It has been cracked forever but yesterday Kate told me that the glass almost fell out of it. I looked on the internet to see if that could be a home repair and it can. In fact it look relatively simple but then the caveat says, it would be best to have certified repairman  to install it. 

Well, the young repairman came out and looked at it All told, it is costing me a little less than $500 to have a new door put on my microwave. But a new over the stove unit would have cost me a lot more and bless his heart, the repairman helped to save me over too hundred dollars. Buying the new door through them would have cost me over 450.00 for just the door. So, he had set down at my computer, gave me the part number to order, and the place to order it from. It saved me $250. He will come back on the 10th and put the new door on and in the meantime —— he told me to put duct tape on the front of it to make sure the glass couldn’t fall out. Yes, it’s a redneck fix but what the hell, it works. And the microwave itself works fine. 

Last evening I got busy and actually got a good start on the “pocket sermon” I’ve had running around in my brain for the past month. The danger of the piece is that I need to watch out for “rabbit holes” and stick to where I want to go with it and don’t end up with an hour long sermon. It wouldn’t do for me to fall asleep giving a sermon. LOL

My back yard azaleas are blooming. They do this every year in the fall. There won’t be a lot of blooms but it sure is nice to look out there and see fresh blooms. I also have a couple of lilies blooming and my zinnias are doing well. Thanks for the beautiful blessings Lord!

Nothing else is happening today. I suspect the Halloween’s will be pouring out soon. I’m sticking to my guns and I’m not passing out any candy this year. We’ll just keep the lights off and not answer any doorbell ringing. I guess that makes me a Halloween Grinch, but it is what it is. 

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is the first day of November. Seems like it got here quick but I know it didn’t. Next thing we know we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving, then a half a month later it will be Christmas. 

That’s it for today. Have a blessed weekend. I may or not chat this weekend, if not, I’ll see you Monday. Peace. 

 Thursday afternoon and the sun is shining, and the wind has died down, and the temperature is hovering around 55 or so. All in all, a very nice day. For that I am grateful to the creator. 

Yesterday turned out to be "Tax Day" for us. Property tax bills came in for our home here and for our farmland over in Illinois. I was glad to put both checks in the mail and have that task completed. Of course, the taxes were higher this year than they were last year because that is how taxes work, I reckon. I am just glad that I can afford to pay them. Of all of the things that I have to deal with in life, I think taxes are my most disliked.  I dread every February or so when we do our income taxes because when it comes to dealing with anything using numbers, I don't do well and I'm always afraid I'm going to screw it up. Having property income from my farm always is a headache. I only get a little less than $7,000.00 a year income for renting it out but Illinois income tax just ads a headache I don't want. 

Today we were supposed to go to Louisville to have lunch with Julie and Jim and their friend Karyn. But she couldn't get anyone to "man the store" for her so we cancelled it. Instead, I went to a lunch meeting with a couple of my pastor friends. I always seem to learn stuff when I listen to these young guys. Today's topic between them cost me the purchase of another book. I came home and immediately went to Amazon and ordered the book they were talking about. What will I do with the knowledge I gain from it ----- who knows. 

Ms. Kate is currently fixing a meatloaf for our supper. She planned to do that yesterday, but we were still full from eating a late lunch. So, she's got it in the oven as I write this. She makes a great meatloaf. I know a lot of people turn their nose up at the mention of meatloaf. I had a son-n-law that would not eat it. The thing is that he likes everything that Kate would put into the making of a meatloaf but I guess the actual mixing of the elements turned him off. No wonder he became a "former son-in-law". 

Tomorrow is Halloween but The Monkey has retired and will not be sitting on the street by the driveway passing out candy. The Monkey is the mask that I have used for at least 25 years. I've just gotten to the point that I don't need to sit out in the cold, and the lids don't walk all the way up hill to our door. Years ago, the kids and I loved to decorate the house and the yard and each other for Halloween. Our's was "the house" to go to when we lived on the various Air Force bases. I've scared many a kid and adult with my various pranks. 

Okay, that's it for today. Have a great evening. Peace. 

 Good morning to you. Today is “yuckier” than yesterday weather wise for sure. It’s cloudy and rainy, and cold. But, it is supposed to all clear out  by tonight and I think the anticipated total is supposed to be around an inch and a half. It will be what it will be and my only recourse is to be thankful to God for any blessings that come with this rain. 

Tomorrow Ms. Kate and I will be heading to Louisville, KY to have lunch with Julie and her visiting friend, Karyn. Karyn is a nice lady and she and Jules are pretty much hooked at the brain. They met many years ago when Julie was working for Barnes and Noble in the Boston area. Karyn was her boss at the time. Karyn comes down every Halloween week and the two of them do “spooky stuff” together. A few years ago I went with them and Jim to Waiverly Sanitarium, a “super haunted” former tuberculosis sanitarium. We did a midnight to four in the morning stay all by ourselves in the dark. It was a lot of fun. But, no ghosties got us. LOL It is amazing how one’s mind can pull things out of the darkness whether it is there or not. I’d go back and do it again, although it is more walking than I would want to do these days, and Lord knows I couldn’t run. Bwaahahahahah!

Yesterday we took Kate for her checkup with Dr. Jackson as I told you we were going to. I’m very happy to say that she is doing very well with no outstanding issues. She does have to go for another check of her thyroid in a month. That will be done through bloodwork. Dr. J said that he really didn’t trust the “abnormal” reading that she had for that. So, he wants hr to have it checked again in a month. If it still comes out abnormal, he will adjust her medications. 

The hurricane hit Jamaica with 180 mph winds and rain causing lots and lots of damage. Then it moved on across the Atlantic and now is sitting over Cuba and hit there at 120 mph. I can’t imagine that. I think it will be over Bermuda by this afternoon and then head on northeast across the Atlantic Ocean. It will wear itself out by the time it reaches the north western coast of Europe. Our US Navy storm chasers flew into it a couple of days ago and actually had to abandon the mission because it was so rough. That doesn’t happen very often so it must have really been bad. I haven’t heard of any more deaths beyond the first 6 or 7. I pray there were no more. But lots of people are going to have to rebuild their lives out of nothing. I occasionally hear people say they would love to live on an island and enjoy the sun and the breeze and the ocean. Yes, it would be nice on those days, but when a hurricane comes —- you are out of luck. No thanks. 

I think today would be a good day for either chili or a meatloaf. I need to get some ground chuck out of the freezer. 

With that, I’ll leave you to enjoy the day as best as you can. Put a fire in the fireplace and pull up a good book. Peace. 

 If one day could copy another, today would be a copy of yesterday with the exception of maybe a couple less showers. But it is supposed to begin raining in earnest tonight and then through all day tomorrow. I’m just glad I don’t have to work outside and I feel for the folks that do. The temperature is a balmy 57 degrees. And speaking of weather, let’s all lift up prayers for Jamaica for the islands after that in the path of this category 5 hurricane. I think I heard there had been already six deaths attributed to the hurricane before it land on Jamaica this morning. When you live on an island like that, there are only a limited amount of places one can escape to. So Lord, I ask that you put a protective had on the people in the storm’s path. 

I have a stiff neck today. I guess I slept wrong in some way last night. I couldn’t really get comfortable and sleeping on my left side cause me pain of the left side of my head. It wasn’t a “headache”, it was pain on the side of my head. I don’t know what that is all about but this is the third night in a row that I have had that. I must be stacking my pillows wrong or something. 

Kate has an appointment with our family doctor today. It is a routine, every quarter visit. She did her bloodwork for the visit last Friday, I think. Today she has to have a chest X-ray. I have bragged on Dr. J before and will again. He is a really good doctor and has been through a lot with us two old farts. I pray we never have to find another doctor. He has a great family too. I was pastor for a lot of his in-laws while I was at the Ft. Branch parish. 

I have an idea for a sermon that has been rolling around in my mind for weeks now. I need to just sit down and put it on paper. Will I ever have the chance to use it???? I don’t know. But, if someone does ask me to fill in for a Sunday, I will have this one ready. It can be used on any occasion. I know I’m retired, but that doesn’t stop the brain and I like to create what I call “pocket-sermons”; sermons you have in your pocket if called upon. My buddy Art Christmas probably has a thousand pocket sermons ready to go on a moment’s notice. I’m not that wordy or smart. But then, Art has been preaching for about 60 years, has a Doctor of Ministry degree, and teaches at a seminary. I learn a lot from that old Baptist!! He’s a year older than me. He’s a great friend.

That’s it for today. Try to stay dry and warm. Give thanks to The Lord for all of the blessings you have been given year again today. Peace, my friends. 

 It’s wet, chilly, rainy and raw today. I wonder if there are any other adjectives I could use to describe a yucky (there’s one) Monday. I unfortunately thing is that this just day one of this weather. Reports say that we’ll be having this on and off through Thursday. But it is supposed to be a nice day on Friday, which is Halloween. The neighborhood monsters can have a good day to go grub for candy. I wouldn’t want them out there catching a cold. 

We haven’t done anything this morning except sit around on our IPad’s and work our individual games. Both of us like an app called Happy Color. We each do the picture of the day and then may find three or four other pictures that we like and color those. I find it a good exercise to wake up the brain while we look for the part of the picture that corresponds with the number we are trying to find. If you are looking for something a bit challenging and have free time I recommend this application. Some of the pictures will frustrate you because the spot is often quite small and well hidden. The other game that I play is Criminal Case. I’ve been playing this one for maybe three years now. Each “case” involves several different part to it and each part may take a couple of weeks to solve. Again, it’s a time waster but also mentally therapeutic. And —— I’m easily entertained. 

The reason we can sit on our bums today is that we did our work yesterday afternoon. We got the laundry all done including changing the bed clothes and making an apple pie. I think we have enough apples left for maybe two more pies and that will be the last of the fall harvest pick. Speaking of apples, I was down in my furnace/storage room a couple of days ago putting something away and noticed that we had several pints of apple butter on the shelf that Kate canned at least a decade ago. I decided to bring one up and see if it was still good. It is delicious!! It was like finding a bit of treasure down there. I figured it should be good since it was still sealed. So now, for a snack I pop a couple of pieces of bread in the toaster and have a bit of a snack of apple butter and toast. 

Our pastor had a good sermon yesterday. Yesterday was Reformation Sunday, the day that Martin Luther posted his 95 complaints to the church door in Wittenberg  Germany in 1519 and there the beginning of the Protestant (from protester) Church. His sermon was about the wife of Luther, Katherine von Bora, who was a major player in the beginning of the movement in her own right. I had never heard of her or frankly ever thought of Luther having a wife. It is an interesting story that you might want to look up sometime if you are interested in church history. He was a Catholic priest and she had been raised in a convent and wanted to escape. It’s good juicy stuff. LOL

I think it is time for me to make some Ramen soup. On a day like this soup seems like a good thing and I love ramen. 

Have a blessed day. Peace. 

 Hello Sunday afternoon. It’s been a peaceful day so far. We did “recliner church” again this week. You know, it used to bother me that people would stay home and watch the service instead of showing up in person. My argument was that you can’t get the same sense of Christian Fellowship when you aren’t together. But, frankly, Ms. Kate and I enjoy watching it from home and while we may not get the sense of “fellowship”, we are getting the gospel from our pastor and that is what counts; hearing God’s words and hearing His message.  Next week we will try hard to make it in person because it will be communion Sunday.

This afternoon Kate made another apple pie. I declared it to be “doing the LORD’S WORK because I know when it comes out of that oven it will taste heavenly. 

Yesterday we went to my sister-in-law’s house to gather pecans. She had told me that the wind was blowing a lot of nuts off of the trees. I took my bag and gathering device and went up there but I really didn’t find that many. There is enough for one good round to throw out to the squirrels. I suppose it looked like a lot more when she was mowing. Or maybe her squirrels have picked up a bunch of them already. 

My grandson Josh and his family finally got into their apartment three are renting in Raleigh, NC. The place they thought they were going to get turned out to be way less than advertised; infested with roaches, leaking ceiling, wacky electrical wiring. So, they demanded their down payment back and quickly found another place after five days in a hotel. Bless their hearts. I feel for them and am so glad it all worked out. 

Okay, my friends, that is enough for today. The end of October is rapidly coming this week. Give God thanks for any blessings you received this month. Peace. 

 Thursday finally got here, the day I have been dreading because of my electrocardiogram test. Yes, I know I was being a baby about it but those things are really very uncomfortable to have. If you’ve had one, you know what I mean. If you’ve haven’t, let me tell you about it. It is totally non-invasive and I don’t really know what they are measuring except I guess how well your heart is functioning. As I told you, I didn’t really know who prescribed it for me but I found out it was my primary care doctor, Dr. Jackson, who has been keeping me alive for 25 years now. 

Anyway, you strip down to skin above the waist and lay down on this bed on your side. The technician then spends the next hour poking and prodding with a couple of different instruments trying to get good pictures of the inside of your heart. Again this time I had a student I there to do the procedure which I’m not crazy about but she did a good job and they have to work on somebody if they are going to learn the job. The problem is that when the student has completed her job, she then calls in her supervisor to check her work. And of course the supervisor feels the need to get some pictures of her own. They have to really press hard  and they just keep it up and keep it up. I seriously thought about telling her that if she wanted to reach my back, she could maybe reach around my body instead of trying to go through it. But of course, I made it through it just fine and didn’t cry (in front of anybody.) LOL So, if your doctor recommends you have one of these things, just know, you are not in for a fun hour of your life. 

It was 42 this morning and once again is going to be only in the low 60’s today. Sunday, I think we won’t get out of the 50’s. I actually pulled out a sweatshirt to wear today. It wouldn’t be as “cold” if the wind would calm down. But the wind definitely makes you say “Brrrrrrrr!”

Yesterday afternoon we went to get “Bambi” (the little John Deere) a new battery. I’m glad to have it back up and running. Bambi is my backyard JD and I need it to mulch up the leaves that are soon going to coming own off of those two Tulip Poplar trees. I could of course, take “Big John” around back but it is a tight squeeze along the sidewalk and getting through the gate. When I bought Big John I tried to trade in Bambi it the dealer wouldn’t give much at all for it so I just kept it and once I got the fuel pump issues worked out, it has run well. I just needed something with a bit more power for my snow clearing out front, so I bought something a little bigger for the front. I don’t need to do snow removal in the back yard although I could because I have a blade of Bambi too. As much as I enjoy the setting of our home on this hill, I certainly didn’t consider snow removal at the time. 

Tomorrow is going to be another busy day. Kate has a hair appointment and I have an appointment to get my toe nails trimmed a the same time in two different locations. So, I will drop her off and run down the street to my appointment, then pick her up when I’m done. From there we’ll go do our thing at Planet Fitness and then we’ll head up to Kate’s sister’s house and gather pecans. She has three big pecan trees and they are dropping pecans like crazy with the wind we are having. I have the neatest pecan gathering tool and it requires no bending over. From there we’ll probably go get some lunch somewhere before we finally come home. So, I may or may not post tomorrow.

That’s it for today. Have a great evening. Remember that God loves you and you are never alone. Peace. 

 Can I say it????? HUMP DAAAAAAY! It’s been around I think for seven or eight years and I still get a kick out of that. Silly camel. 

It’s 48 degrees this morning and we have a frost advisory for tonight. Fall has certainly arrived in style. Yesterday it was really windy all day. We had gusts up to 40mph. I don’t see much of a breeze out there at the moment and we are supposed to have a fairly calm day. Actually the wind is what kept the frost away this morning. 

Our cleaning lady, Kari, is coming this morning. She does such a good job and is so very personable. We know two other families that she works for. Kate had  put off hiring someone for a long time but when she started to have all of her health issues she finally gave in. She comes every two weeks and mainly does stuff that I did as a kid when I lived at “home” for my “chores. She does dusting, cleans the bathrooms, vacuums, and anything else that I might want her to do. She spends three hours or so and the place feels fresh when she is done. We had her come when we were on this last vacation so that we come home to a freshly cleaned house. It is a great way to “finish up a vacation.”

Today is gym day so we will be heading down to Planet Fitness in maybe another hour. We only use one of the machines and do 30-40 minute workout but it keeps us fit. It obviously helps because it was reflected in my physical last week with all of my good stats. 

Tomorrow I have to go for an echocardiogram and I don’t really know why or who scheduled it for me. I had one last year too but I don’t recall my doctor saying anything about me needing it They called yesterday as my reminder and I had an option to cancel it and really considered that. But, I’ll go ahead and let them poke and prod on my body and then they can tell me I’m good to go. 

The neighbors across the street finally have contractors working on their house that caught on fire early this year. They have gutted to house and will be replacing the roof as well as building a new attached garage. It  has been a long process for them but they think they will be in by the end of February. It  gives the rest of the neighborhood something to be nosey about. My next door neighbor on my south side is having a roof put on this morning so I have entertainment all day. 

We need to make apple pie again today because our apples are starting to get a little soft. Darn the luck. 

With that silliness I think I will sign off for today. I pray God brings peace to your life today.