bzzzzz bzzzzz

 I know, I know.   I am posting too much.

My house has a big metal shed about 20 x 40 or so.  I don't know.  We keep a bunch of junk in it WHICH  I am always planning to sort through.  Been going to do that for about 4 years.

Behind the big shed I have a smaller storage shed which holds my mower and other garden stuff.  I keep the Christmas stuff out there.  Nobody wants to steal that stuff.

So these are located on the west side of my property - about 6 to 7 feet from the 6' wood fence.  We keep this blocked off from the dogs mainly to protect the neighbors from the bark fest.  

Normally, I might mow this area about once every week or so.  Normally.  Well, it has been over a month since it was mowed.  Part of it is about 2 ft tall.  Good grass - few tall weeds - 

Today, I mowed the yard.  It is Tuesday.  The yard needed it - To start, I moved the barricade  and drove the mower down through that strip of land.    All of a sudden there was this big ole honkin' black and gold bumblebee.  25 ft along I made the U turn to go back over the area.  

WOW!!  The whole area beside the little shed was covered with flying bees.  Easily there were 100 bees flying around.  One bee found me and zoomed over my head.  I shooed it away.  I was stuck behind the sheds.  There was only one way out of the area at that time - right through the middle of those swarming bees - big bees - big fluffy vicious bees.

My daughter is home today.  I finally got through to her with my cell and explained the problem just as she rounded the edge of the shed and quickly backed up.  Yes, she found the key to the fence gate - I was able to drive out another way & the bees were still swarming.

Didja know that certain bumblebees nest in the ground?  The whole hive is below ground with an entrance hole.  They don't do the honey thing.  Every year they'll move to a new location.  There is a bee keeper who will come collect the bees with a sorta vacuum cleaner that doesn't kill - then, he digs up the big nest and relocates the bees to another area.   We read that on Google.

So, I mowed the entire yard - no problem other than heat.  I parked my mower back into the shed and was attempting to close the door when some bees found me.  I ran  into the house but not until I was stung behind my left ear and on the underside of my right forearm.  Those stings hurt and grow in pain as time passes.  

As quickly as possible, I took a Benadryl and sat down in my big chair to wait for the pain to diminish.  I learned a couple of things today.   First of all, keep all the grass mowed down and look for the bees in the grass.  2nd if you rile up a nest, leave the area and don't return for a few hours.   3rd carry a machine gun when you do decide to return.  I understand that a water hose will knock them down for a while.

Now, I have to decide.  Do I mow that part of the yard anytime soon?  Do I call someone to relocate the bees.  How much money am I willing to spend to protect these bees from my can of poison spray.

There must be other questions.   Moving on.  I am well now.  I do not have an allergy to bee stings at this time.  Y'all take care out there even when you think you are doing a safe activity.   Wear a mask, hoodie, long pants, gloves, etc.

I need a vacation from retirement.             G'night.   M3

short landline report

 as stated previously, I have been unplugging my landline for 24 hours or so.   This has cut into my spam calls and so forth.   It  seems to be working except for:

New Medicare scams.  They always have a new approach.  You can't change Medicare till the end of the year - so these folks must be looking for something else - like getting your Social Security Number -  they have a need to verify your number for the govt.  

Interesting {to me) is that my wife and I have almost identical SS numbers.  Raised in Levelland across town apparently our parents saw that we got our cards close to the same time.  I don't remember getting it at all.   Our numbers are 29 digits apart.  That may not be exciting to others who are raised in the same small town - but, still, at my age most things are exciting.

The word "Interesting" above -- I had to type that word 4 times before my fingers worked.  I kept getting extra lettteerrss.   go figure.

I was a whiz in typing class in high school.  I believe it is because I play musical instruments and had already taught my fingers to communicate.   Others, who had only taught their fingers to eat finger foods or pick their nose, they had to adjust.  I thought I was quite good of course.  However, when it came time for the typing teacher to select participants in the UIL typing contest - held in Canyon, TX - I was overlooked.  Sad, really.   On the other hand, my future wife was selected to compete in the short hand competition.  She won the Regional event.  The medal is still in her collection of prized objects.

I remember when she returned - they had a banquet up there to announce winners - she was dressed in a very fancy dress you might wear to a prom - she ran up to me and was just beaming.  I don't think she was that excited when we finalized getting married.  Of course marriage had always been a projection - nothing as a surprise.  I  was quite happy for her - but, she, in all her modest ways, she was - how do you spell estatic?

I had a job in h.s.  I was the night janitor for the h.s. band and choir rooms.  Every night, I would sweep, empty trash, arrange the chairs for the next day.   Sometimes I would even make an effort to clean the rest room.  I had my own key to the H.S.  Got paid minimum wage.   That was what I was doing when she returned from Canyon.

Having a key, I could practice in the band room  - or bring in other jazzers and have a little band rehearsal of my own.  It really was quite powerful for a H.S. kid to have a key to the entire building.  It was a good treat for a h.s. kid.  My brother JIM did it for 2 years before I did.  We had a lot of great jam sessions back then.

Through babbling.   Might mention that I loved all the fireworks and celebrations yesterday.  Our neighborhood is not in the city limits.  We have no restrictions on fireworks.  They start shooting them about 5 or so - and it goes till midnight - every year - all the time.   Whiz Bang Boom!!!

see ya, Mike  

p.s. the reason I was not selected for typing competition was that - although fast - I was not always accurate.  Y'know, if you are in a wild west shootout, it is not always the fastest gun who wins.  You have to hit your target.

 

interview

 I take a magazine called  TRUE WEST.   It is published out of Arizona.  On the whole the magazine is fun to read.  It has a combination of stories about the old west - about old & recent movies - and what I like to call:  Travel Channel.

The stories about the old west are interesting.  They are usually well done and fun to read.   The mag does dwell quite a lot on Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp & the OK Corral.  But, you get use to that.  This last issue had an article on Sitting Bull  and another about Jim Beckwourth:  Legendary mountain man.  I enjoyed those pretty much.

The letters to the editor and general writings by the editors are fun too.  One of my favorite pages is called  "Truth Be Known."  They print things that people have said.  Example:   Wernher von Braun said, "Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing."   Old Vaquero says, "Three things tell the truth:  small children, drunks and yoga pants."     And there are others.  Go buy a copy if you like this sorta thing.   

The movie section this time was all about Gus McCrae and Lonesome Dove.  If you're a movie buff, you'll love that section of the magazine.  I might mention that the last issue devoted several pages on the Highway 66 and its restoration to the world.

Where am I headed with this?  Wait, I forgot.  Travel section.  they talk about all sorts of places to visit, what restaurant is good, which museum to see, the history of that part of the west and on and on.

Now, on the very last page is  called:  What History has taught me.  They pick some author, historian, editor, writer, whatever and devote a page to his thoughts.  They write the start to a sentence, and the guest writer completes the sentence.  This month was Stuart Rosebrook, who I don't know and will never meet.  The sentence starts with:

I grew up .... (and now YOU complete the sentence).  Rosebrook said:    "in North Hollywood, California, but spent part of every summer at the Quarter Circle V Bar Ranch near Mayer, Arizona."   I will complete the sentence this way:   .... being moved from town to town while my father worked for a oil exploration company - Standard of Indiana - until the 6th grade when we landed in Levelland, Texas, for the rest of my years.  I could have said:   playing music on my cornet, piano, and accordion.  Both of my parents were school band directors for my younger years and playing instruments was just part of our lifestyle.  So many possible answers to that.     "loving Halloween"    "eating pork chops and black eye peas"   "in high school driving my motor scooter across Levelland to see my future wife, Brenda Joy"   

You get the idea:  So without any preplanning here, I am going to take Rosebrook's questions and answer them myself.  If you want to play along, do the same.   If you want to see Rosebrook's answers, go buy a copy of the magazine.   READY, GO!

When I was growing up ...  the world was so innocent and different.  WWII had just ended and we were catching up on what was good....playing outside till dark....roaming the neighborhood without a parent hovering (even at age 5)....having to practice 30 minutes everyday....never eating out, only home cooked meals.   It was a good time.

When I was growing up ....   Oops! it looks like I already answered that one - let's try this:  when  we took vacations it was mainly to see relatives.  When we did travel, we slept alongside the road, never in a motel.  My father didn't appreciate roadside attractions.   Lunch came when my father could find a place selling burgers 5 for a $1.    Me thinks I could answer this one several more times.k

My parents taught me .... that I could work with my hands.  I don't.  But, I could.

I just figured out this is too involved for my mind.  So, no more answers.  If you are curious, here are a few of the remaining questions:   (There are 29 total questions - my attention span has weakened)

I will never miss;   My parents' station wagon, Country music; I was taught;  A teacher who changed my life was;   always stay;  If I could to back in Time;  I love...;  What history has taught me;  being a father;   riding a horse;  Most people don't know;   For my money, the best Western is;  The biggest break I ever got was;  The closest I ever got to..;  My next big challenge is;   

 That's enough.  I'll try to say something brilliant with my next post.  .   .   sure, that'll be the day

m

  

this is a Misc. post

 think I'll just ramble.

1.  my blog people say for  me to click on the pencil icon at the top right and they will provide you, the reader, with profound comments and links to what I am writing.   Well first of all, there is no pencil at the top right.  There is one on the left side of the page which I will now touch.  Nope, that's not it.  At the far top is a heart and other stuff.  Nope, that's not it.  I suppose I will just have to live with not knowing what they want you to know.  No pencil.  No extra connections.

2.  I remember once they gave me the chance to Monetize my posts.  I tried that.  In doing so, I made a bit of fun (I thought).  I figured I'd make a penny every time you clicked on something.  Maybe in 5 or 10 years, I'd earn a dollar.  They did not take kindly to my money thoughts.  I was eliminated.  No money making retirement for me.

3.  Saturday, I got a notice:   JURY DUTY.   As it turns out, I'm a tad bit old for them. Actually, I'd probably fall asleep in the jury box if chosen. Seems that I have 2 different ways to get out of service. The first is my age.  I'm WAY OLDER than their 75 limit.  I thought it was a 65 age limit.  Their website says it is 75.  They don't really want an old yapping man sitting in that jury room.  Now, do they?  Might be fun except for reason #2.  My wife's Alzheimer's.  She really cannot be left alone.  Sure, she seems fine when you sit down and have a conversation. But, after a while, she will ask the same questions 4 or 5 times.  And, there's not real predicting what she might decide to do.  I caught her trying to open the lid on a pressure cooker a while back.  At the hospital last fall, I left her in the waiting room while I went to talk to the doctor.  She was gone when I got back.  Rest Room break.  She couldn't remember where the waiting room was.   Short term memory is the culprit right now.

Anyhoo, interestingly, the jury is being selected for the local Salado Justice of the Peace - not the Bell County big time courthouse.  I wonder what happens in the Justice of the Peace courtroom.  Curious, I am.  But, not ready to volunteer.

4.  I remember being called for a jury in Amarillo.  I had just left my teaching job at Tascosa HS that summer.  It turns out that the case was between a mom and dad - divorced type.  They were arguing whether the daughter, a student at Tascosa, probably 15 to 17 yrs old, had the right to choose which parent  should keep her.  Immediately, I figured out this was not for me.  When asked, I raised my hand; I was invited to the front of the court room; I was asked what my problem was; I explained where I taught and that I thought a girl that age could make up her own mind.   That brought down the house - the judge and lawyers all ascended upon me Shhhhhhh Shhhhhhh - it went.   I was excused.  That was on a Monday.

Naturally, my interest was peaked by the case.  I paid attention to the lawyer world.  It seems the father had a very rich family and expensive lawyers.  They went first.  All week they raked the mother, not a rich woman, over the coals.   On Friday, it was the mom's time.   Instead of putting the father on the stand, the family made some concessions and a solution was found.   As disappointing as it may be to you, I cannot remember the results of the trial.   I believe they reached a "shared" solution.

My only other jury experience came when we lived in Plano.  I couldn't figure out how to get off that jury.  I served.  It seems this teenage boy took his fathers semi-truck without permission on a joy ride.  Students had gathered in the Plano HS parking lot - a few hundred.  When they were dispersed, this kid was arrested at the scene.   Drugs were found in the big truck.  There was to be a court trial.  Frown as I might, the lawyers still liked me.  The kid's lawyers argued that:  the father had just returned that day from a trip across the continent.  He had picked up a hitch hiker.  Of course, the hitch hiker had left his drugs in the truck.  It wasn't the kid's fault.   No, he didn't do drugs; he just stole his father's semi tractor and went for a joy ride...no license.   My 12 member jury had several bleeding heart females.  Oh, my, what a disaster for this young man .... oh, me, oh my ....   I had no desire to fight with them.  The boy was found not guilty.  I betcha the policeman was really peeved at us.  I went home and hid.

5.  Did I tell you that I was sent to a hematologist 2 weeks ago.  Friendly young doctor.  He had them pull out 11 vials of blood because my white blood count is quite low - a 25 out of 100, whatever that means.   We go back to that doctor tomorrow sometime to get the results.  FYI:  my father died from leukemia back in the 70s.   Blood things scare me.   My daughter, who works in a hospital lab,  looked at the results and said that I didn't have that.  We will see.  The prostrate cancer was bad enough for me.  I'd just as soon not find a new cancer at this time.   I have a wife to care for.

6.  I own a weather machine.  It sets on the fence.  The weather machine connects to a display inside the house.  It shows outside temperature, inside temperature, rain fall, wind direction, wind speed, and some other stuff.   Sain Logic is the company.  I really enjoy watching the display.  One of my favorite things.  

It's time to stop.  Ramble is over.  See previous post, nobody has killed me yet.   I really enjoy watching On Patrol Live on the Reels channel.  Makes me glad I didn't go into law enforcement.  Y'all take care now.  I'll be back.   (p.s. still can't find the pencil to click on)

mtz

  

gonna kill me

 Let's see if I can tell this right.

My wife naps in the afternoon.  If the landline rings at this time, I grabbed it on the first ring; hit on; and I hit off immediately - especially if I don't recognize the caller.  

Today the phone rings.  It says Miami.  The only people I know in Miami are the President and all his friends.  Not wanting to talk to them:   ON --- OFF.  Normally, that settles everything.  Not this time.  Within 15-30 seconds it rings again:  Miami again.  I figure that I will say hello just in case it is Ed McMahon, and he misses me.

It's not.  Some guy with a really foreign accent starts talking.   " Is this Michael?"  The background noise is really loud.  I have trouble understanding as you will too when  you get hearing aids.   "You found me,." I uttered.  He starts rambling on - I can't understand him hardly.   I did pick up on that he was from the US Treasury -- I asked, "Are you from Miami?"  He reexplains that he was with the US Treasury -- something about a cashiers check -- and would I be home about 4:30 for it to be delivered.  

Frankly, I mocked him a bit.   He didn't waver.   4:30!  More babbling.  Finally,  Yes, I explained to him that  I would not be home - that I had already hung up on him once - that he was not from the treasury because they don't call - and now, I'm going to hang up on him a 2nd time.

And, I did.

Here's where it gets strange.  

He calls back.  I mutter, "hello," trying to keep the ringing from waking my wife.  He said something; I don't know what.  Didn't really care.  I told him I was hanging up on him for the 3rd time.   And he said,  "I'm going to find you and "f" kill you!"   

I hung up.

thinking about it, I thought maybe I should tell someone.  Called 911.  Nice lady.  I had to explain twice.  Eventually, she said that a deputy would give me a call.  He did.  We talked.  He drove out to the neighborhood and cruised around.  I stepped outside and talked to him in the street.  Nice young man.  He explained that I probably had nothing to worry about.  I agreed with him but felt that I should report the incident.  

We talked a while.  He cruised the neighborhood some more.  I went inside to find my weapon that I keep hidden...just in case the twirp was really that crazy.  You just never know anymore.  And, so, the episode ends.   I am considering installing a machine gun on my roof.  .   . maybe  few Patriot Missiles would be nice.

I was a bit surprised that this got my heart rate up.  

love ya, stay safe, the Treasury won't call you, try to be polite on the phone.

mtz

Landline Blues

 I have a landline.  I have a cell phone.

I like having a landline.  I tolerate having a cell phone; but, I do appreciate the advantages of the cell.

I hear better on my landline than I do on my cell phone.  Plus, my landline is connected to 4 other hand held units in my house.  If the phone rings, there is a receiver close by.

BUT, as you all know, there are jerks who are calling phones all day long selling any and everything - not to forget the scammers and politicians who feel they have the right to call and waste your time.  Yep, they do this.  Oh, really?  I didn't know that.

My favorite are the ones who know how to "spoof" the phone numbers.  I get calls from all over the USA - ESPECIALLY Texas.  At first I answered my phone explaining why I was not interested.  Then, I tried asking them to remove my phone number.  Eventually, I tried yelling and insulting the caller.  Nothing worked.  My phone has caller ID.  If I don't recognize the phone number, it goes to voice mail.  What bothers me the most is when my wife is trying to nap and the phone rings and rings.  Jerks.

Of course none of that works.  One day - about 3 weeks ago - when My first call came in about 8:30 a.m., I reached over and unplugged the landline from the wall.  No ringing.  No calls. I left that rascal unplugged for the rest of the day...plugged it back in at night.  Next day, the calls kept coming about every 30-45 minutes.  Why?  Don't the callers realize that my number is a complete waste of time?  Wait.  their bosses don't care.

I notified my family what I was doing.  I unplugged the phone for a solid week.  Then off and on for the next week.  The more I unplugged, the less it rang - go figure.  After about 2 -3 weeks of no landline unless I needed it, I left the phone plugged in.   Yesterday, I had one call about 2:30 in the afternoon.  Same thing the day before - only 2 calls.

Am I making progress, or am I just delusional?   Maybe both.  Y'all take care now.  Moving on.

mike mtz

reminisce

 Here we are on My 2nd.  Things are moving along.

1.  Announcement:  I play in the Community Band of Central Texas.  Proudly, I hold down a 3rd trumpet part.  It is so hard to actually practice in this house with my wife taking naps so often - of course, I never take a nap.  Luckily, I can pretty much the 3rd part with minimal practice.  To all of my former students who might be reading this - there is no excuse for YOU not to be practicing.  

2.  My granddaughter Shelby dropped by to see us Friday.  She had driven from Lubbock on her way to College Station.  She had a ticket to the Banana Ball Baseball game held in Kyle stadium.  Over 100,000  were in attendance.  That's a lot.  Learned the game would be broadcast on ESPN, 7 P.M.  I turned it on in hopes of seeing the G-dot  (among 100K?  Get serious.)  If you know me, you are aware that I'm not the greatest sports fan - name the sport, I'll find something else to do.   Now, that's not true when it comes to Texas Tech sports.  That's different.

I watched the entire Banana Ball game.  That was entertaining.  Fun.  Might be willing to watch another.  If you know nothing about this - Google!!  The rules are funny.  This game didn't end in a tie; but, if it had, that would have been a fun happening.  Look up the rules, too.   

3.  Recently noted that I am starting to post more on Facebook than here.  That doesn't make sense.  Here is an example:

     3A.  MAY DAY.  When I as in the 4th grade, we moved to Crete, Nebraska.  My father worked for Standard of Indiana running the 'logging' truck for oil exploration.  We moved a lot in my elementary years.  Crete celebrated May Day.  We dressed in Holland costumes w/ wooden shoes & made a May pole - which we had practice "for."  I know May 1st is celebrated in Russia .... No idea what wooden shoes have to do with Russia.  Moved to Odessa, TX for the 5th grade.  Never saw or heard of May Day since.  

     3B.  As an addition to this - that would have been about 1949-50.   One of my memories of Crete was that we drove to Lincoln on day to see Harry Truman as he passed through on his campaign train.  He stepped on the back platform and made a short speech.  I might mention that he was elected in 1948.  That messes with my memories a bit.  My younger brother Pat was born in Fowler, Kansas in April of 1949.  You can see my problem here.  Something is wrong.

     3C.  In Crete they have snow.  My folks bought me shoes which had grooves in the sole.  Later in life, I heard these called waffle stompers.  A memory I have is that with snow and ice and going out to play at recess, there was a pile of snow which all the boys would climb and slide down...on the feet, no sleds.  When I did this, the other boys would yell at me because my waffle stompers would  cut grooves in the ice.   I was abused as a child.  I need counseling.

     3D.  Another Crete memory (for band people) is:  I was in the Crete H.S. band in the 4th grade.  The band room was on an upper floor of a big red brick building.  Entrance was made by climbing up the outside fire escape.  In one of my 1st days in band, the director said to play the Bb concert scale.  I played the Bb scale on my cornet.  This was the day that I learned that this scale was the C scale on the cornet.  It's funny how I can remember this so vividly.  But, I learned how to transpose for the "concert" scale terminology.  

     3E.  We had a black 1948 Hudson.  My father bought 2 trailers - one  was the 53 ft trailer that big truckers pull down the highway.  The 2nd was a one bedroom trailer, common.  They were placed in an L shape.  My father remodeled the big trailer into a kitchen, dining room, living room, and one bedroom.   At night we 3 older boys slept in the little trailer & the parents slept in the big one with little brother Pat.   The middle of the little trailer was fixed into a radio repair shop which my father used as a 2nd  income.    My mother taught piano lessons when she could.

oh, enough of that.   Nebraska was cold.  I was glad to get to Texas when I could.  One year in Odessa.  Moved to Levelland for my oldest brother's senior year in H.S.  He grad in 1952.

closing - take care - find a Banana Ball game.  Fun.

mtz