Okay - stay with me here.  I was looking at my blog and it starts giving me an  "More on Google analytics"  bit.  Now, I can't say I know what they are talking about.  But, below is a chart they gave me with   ABSOLUTE NUMBERS.  I'm guessing these are views of this here bluggy.  I don't know -  since the inception some 10-15 years ago?  Or is it only the last 12 months.  Whatever - look at the top numbers.  Does this mean I have made friends in China?  Or is it just the old communist trolling for info in order to make me more poor than I am.

As I  have said on more than one occasion, retired school teachers are not flush.  We know how to flush (move the little handle down - flush).  I've known how to flush for years.  There is not much of a learning curve there.

So look at the numbers       - perhaps you have an opinion?  if the chart doesn't show up - put your curser in middle of the line and do some backspaces.  I think it will all show up.

The important thing is  I show   USA  at 393,  China at 190, Singapore at 35, and Hong Kong at 19.

moving on>  mtz

United States      393

China            190

Singapore        35

Hong Kong        19

Germany        14

Netherlands        6

United Kingdom        5

Belgium        4

Indonesia        3

Australia        2

Canada        3

France            2  all the rest are 2 or 1

South Korea

Bangladesh

Brazil

Ireland

Japan

Mexico

Palestine

Other

That was the week that was

 Back in 1962 there was a TV show named:  "That was the week that was."  I looked up the date.  It was a news show as I remember it. Google says it lasted 2 seasons and was nicknamed TWTWTW  or  TW3.  And according to them it was a satirical comedy.  Maybe (probably) I was too stupid or innocent or out-of-touch to realize it was satire.  I thought it was a news show explaining what had happened that week.  But, of course, I wasn't into politics at that time.  It could be I wasn't really paying attention.

So lemme see here now.  1962.  November, they said.  I got married in August of that year.  I was working my first teaching job half-day in Littlefield and attending classes towards my Master degree in Music Education in the afternoon at Tech. I'd leave Littlefield about noon - eat a sandwich on the road - and get back to Tech to make marching band rehearsal at 1 p.m.  My wife was finishing her Bachelor Degree in Education.

We lived in duplex type of thing in the north part of Lubbock.  It was truly a poor part of town.  If there were other students living there, I didn't know it.  $50 a month rent.  We bought a Siamese cat ($15) that we named Mice  (pronounced Mis-Sy).  We were so grown up.  Cooked our own meals.  Made our own beds.  Washed our own clothes.  Paid our own bills.

I remember waking up one night and that cat was perched on a shelf above out bed just looking down at us.  I think it was getting ready to attack.  Siamese cats can look pretty scary.  About 6 months later we gave Missy to a Levelland farmer.  He said the cat would be happier on the farm.  I have often wondered if this was just a thing created by my father because he didn't like cats.  

There are a couple of things I remember about teaching in Littlefield.  Boy I was innocent.  It's a wonder I lasted past the first week.   The head director had me teaching some beginner type classes by myself.  He would disappear and take a break.  High school band was the first hour.  He had them marching to King Size March.  I hate that march.  So many flats in the low brass.  Trombones never could find 5th position. I did learn some things about marching songs that season.  Keep in mind I was about 3 years older than the senior class.  I was so naive.

The week that was.  

Facebook

 I really dislike facebook.  Mine is nothing but advertisements and connections to junk sites that can only be interesting to - well, it's best not to say ugly things about other people.

Today on facebook,  I actually tried to post some stuff and put a few comments in other places. That is over for a while.  I found a message to me from 2017 from a lady with the last name Metze in South Carolina wondering if we were related.  I responded to her.  Actual answer would be, "I don't know."  But, my Metze family did come out of the Carolinas...years ago.

for those of you who are worried - I got my stiches out and am fine.  However, I caught myself messing with the scar twice last night in bed.  I've decided to continue with the bandaid at night.  Now, if that bit of news doesn't make 60 Minutes, I don't know what will.

I have to get out of bed several times in the night.  It is not for a snack.  Before I had the prostate cancer thing, I was getting up every hour almost on the hour.  Now, I have been able to go 2 or 3 hours at a time.  Even had a 5 hour sleep the other morning interrupted only  briefly by Anna barking outside my window at 7:30 a.m.  

Still, I have some leg/knee problems.  They don't really hurt - just a big ache at times.  I have found when this happens at night - I take care of my business - then, I take Sadie out back for her business turn - and, finally, I sits on the side of the bed for 5 minutes or so (trying to read facebook since I have little else to do at 4 a.m.).  When I return to the sheets, I seem to drift off okay without leg aches.  Thus, as you see, I return the conversation to Facebook.  It is truly mindless [both facebook and my conversation].   I RALLY do enjoy reading stuff about relatives, friends, and past students when Facebook lets me.  Commercials come first apparently.

That's enough.  Take care. m

nothing of importance (nothing to write home about)

 It's been a while.  thought I should just make a quick note or two.

#1  Happy Easter.  Hope all of you remain Good Eggs in the view of the world.

#2  Noted that my fee for keeping this blog is coming due in 3 days.  When I'm inspired, I enjoy writing and rambling.  $17 a year - about.  It seems like a worthy investment in nothing that will make the world a richer place.  Note:  I still do not have them put advertisements on my missive.  Who reads a blog and clicks on the advertisements?  I just cannot believe anyone does that.  I wouldn't.  But, times have changed.  Ads seem to clutter my page and make me feel beholden.    If'n I'm gonna' be beholden to someone, surely I can find someone better than advs.  (please note previous sentence had 3 consecutive words with asterisks - a world record for me)

#3 MOH Surgery.  Look it up.  If you see a dermatologist on a a regular basis and were out in the sunshine in your youth, you'll meet a Moh surgeon someday.  Skin cancer.  They's got's big words for that type of cancer, but who really needs to know all those big words if your not in the business ?  (only 2 asterisks that time)  A few years back my wife had a nose problem.  We drove up to a doc in Dallas who cut a hole in her nose.  It healed.  this doctor was about 7 ft tall, was raised in South Dakota, very pleasant - associated with U.S. Dermatologist Partners chain.  Wonderful experience - considering.

Naturally, not to let my wife out-do me, a couple of years later, they cut off part of my nose too.  This time a young lady (all doctors are young to me now) cut on me.  She sang through the whole process.  I inquired and learned she had studied voice - I forget where.  Nice change.  Now, my present  derm doc in Belton, noted a red spot above my upper lip a year ago January.  He asked me to watch it.  I did.  it didn't go away.  I told him this Jan.  He did an autopsy - wait, that's not the right word.  I wasn't dead.  He tested the spot.  We agreed it was bad.  And about a week ago, a young female doctor cut a hole above my lip & put in some stiches.  Yes, she had me in stiches.  She hummed her way through the whole process.  I wonder if she is the same doctor?

Short Moh explain:  Named after the doctor who invented it - Moh - I think calling it "MO" is funnier - they remove a part of you and put it under the microscope.  Somehow, they are able to see if the entire cancer was removed.  In theory, they come back in and take a bit more off.  Frankly, there is no pain.  The first TINY needle stick is the Worstest thing.  After that, you are numb.  No pain, No gain (or loss).  So once again, the skin problem is eliminated until they find another little red spot.  If you look at me or my wife straight on, you'll see the nose is not symmetrical anymore.  Mo !!!

My neighbor down the street had Moh on his head,  Apparently they stretched his skull skin over the cut area in such a way that it was quite tight.  I want to remark that it made his eyes slant upwards.  it didn't; but I thought that was a descriptive explanation - and funnyto see.  He probably would disagree.

#4  this is getting longer than I anticipated.

#5  I've noticed that I get my best ideas for this blog, blug, bluggy as I lay in bed waiting to drift off to  sleep land.  Who remembers what you think at that time of night?  I gots me a little pad of paper which is beside my bed.  I can make notes now.  I don't dwell on remembering inconsequential thoughts as I drift off.  Wish I had remembered to get a pen too.

#6  We'll call this last:  For several days, the weathermen have been saying, "Rain Friday, Saturday, and Easter Sunday.  It's coming.  Inch to 1 1/2 inches."  This morning at 5 something, rain finally came.  We have all of Point .17 inches.  That is less that 2/10ths of an inch.  Cheeeee  ruined my Easter morning.

 Closing.  Would you like for me to spend a while discussing the political scene?  I do have some strong views.  Maybe some other time.  Politics is a sure way to lose friends.

love ya, Happy Easter, say hello to a bunny wabbit

mtz 

An Irish Blessing

May your glass be ever full

May the roof over your head be always strong

And may you be in Heaven half an hour

Before the Devil knows you're dead.

=================================

And, yes, even with a last name of Metze, I am a bit Irish.  Of course, my first name is Irish too; but that's not the bit.  I come from an ancestor (Great Grandfather) name Toole.  He was not an O'Toole.  Because of certain legal problems, he changed his name to Smith; thus, my dearly departed Mother t'was born a Smith.

He and his brother [the GGfather] went to a dance in Arkansas.  During that evening, a fight ensued.  His brother shot and killed a man.  I don't quite understand the next part completely.  Because the brother was in danger of being hanged by a mob, my Great Grandfather confessed to the murder/shooting and was sentenced to jail.  Rumor is that my Grandfather actually witnessed the shooting - thus, explaining certain things about his character.

Eventually, he escaped prison - there is a story about a mass breakout at the Arkansas prison located along a certain river - he was one of the few to get away...several were killed.   Rejoining his lovely wife ( "LOVELY" - Afterall, she was my Great Grandmother, you know) he moved into Kansas and eventually Oklahoma.  He took his wife's maiden name, Smith.  This was in the late 1800s.   My mom was born in 1910...so...

My Grandfather somehow ventured back into Kansas and met my Grandmother Olive, a farmer's daughter.  The King Family farm in Kinsley, KS.  They were married and moved to Kaw City, Oklahoma where they had a hoard of children.  My Grandfather James M. Smith was a barber for most of his life.  I understand he was not a truly nice man - not a sweetheart.  I don't know - just rumors.

And, now you have it.  Yes, I be Scottish too; but, we'll save that Stone for another time and place.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

my Irish eyes are smiling

m

VAL PART DEAUX - a quicky

 Talking about St. Val's yesterday.  Left this out.

Temple paper sold 2 " adv for people to send Valentine's to loved ones via the paper.  Apparently they were able to sell about 16 nice advertisements.  A couple were from people lamenting a spouse who had died.  And so forth.

My two favorites:

One was from 5 dogs and 1 cat to their "mama"  Guardian Angel Mrs. Fran Rodriquez in Moody, Tx.  That lady has one cute collection of cats and dogs.  I'm betting someone else planted the adv.

The 2nd was from a mommy to her 2 dachshunds:    Jethro Coal & Dachs River.   Jethro Coal is a black doxie.  Really  precious of course.

this was a quickie.

m

Valentine

 Happy St. Valentine's day to all, young and old and in-between.

Took wife to eat at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant today.  It was a nice meal.  Lots of seafood for me and lots of chocolate deserts - oops, make that chocolate desserts.  To top it off, we visited Buccees, the post office, and the bank...even topped off my gas tank.  This is what St. Valentine's Day is all about.

Our Humor:  Dynasty Chinese.   In the car we call it  Dy -- NASTY.   Of course it is not a bit nasty.  That's not the point.  You take a good word and mess with it.   If it were nasty, we would NOT go there so often.

Now, take that Chinese buffet restaurant in Killeen.  2 stories follow.   Look it up on the web.  There are several photos of roaches climbing the wall etc.  I've never seen the roaches, but look it up.

and, this Chinese restaurant was robbed last week.  At night, someone broke in and took all the cash out of the register.  Then, they rolled the safe out the back door and took it.  The owner, later lamenting the theft, said he had $60,000 in the safe.  They were hoping to get some back via insurance.   $60K == EXCLAMATION POINT!  He said it was there because the next day was payday.  Let's suppose he pays once a month.  A $60,000 cash salary for "how many people?"   I'm rolling my eyes a bit.  Pay your people in cash, too.  This just sounds screwy to me.  Wonder if the government is getting their share?  I don't know nuthin.  I'm just supposin.  The owner hinted that he thought it was an inside job.  Really?  I do feel sorry for anyone losing that much money.  But, something sounds off.  No news reports on it during the past week.

And, just for the record:  I have begun to work on my IRS taxes for 2024.  Hopefully, I'll finish before the deadline.  I use a CPA in Corsicana to figure it for me.  Sharon Mahoney, CPA.  She does a great job and is timely.  And, the government leaves me alone when she is finished. 

Now if you are a crook and are going to try to use this tidbit of information to steal from me, don't waste your time.  IF, and I say IF, there is a refund, it won't be enough to buy a Whataburger and certainly not enough to go to DY-Nasty.  You're a dreamer if you think differently.

I may be old.  And I am.  But retired teachers have no money.  We struggle to get by for the month-to-month.  I can guarantee.

Finally, I know someone who had a birthday this month on the 5th of February.  Think about it.  If you were born on the 5th, your birthday would be  ***  2-5-25  ***  What a great birthdate.

later,

mtz