Thursday, April 25, 2019

Thurs, 25

4-25-19
Easter has passed.   April showers have washed over us in the past 2 days (we had well over 2 1/2 inches in our rain gauge). Everyone at church is all giddy about the choral and musical programs this past week.  I had minor to do with it other than holding down a chair on the back row.  That's plenty.
We are now into our 2nd week of waiting for the sprinkler system guy to send his workers.  Now I am perplexed whether to start calling him again or wait.

Last year, I waited over 2 weeks and finally did the job myself.  The problem this year has to do with digging up lines to find the leek - make that leak.  We don't grow no onions here.  Would.  but, don't.  I feel like it will be only 5 to 10 feet of digging down 2 feet.  Really folks, my knees are starting to bother me a bunch.  Digging like that can't be good for them.  Plus, with all the rain, water will seep  (NOT SEAP) into the dug ditches as they grow.  This is not good.  Reminds me of the old video game: Dig Dug.  Wonder if Dug is available.
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Church choir lady handed out a new song for us to learn:  Joshua fit de battle of Jericho.   I have an issue here.  Notice the words "fit de."  At the start of the song, it says the song is arranged from a traditional spiritual.  Stay with me.   "Fit de" would be traditional words, I'd think.  Later in the song, the arranger writes  "and the walls came tumblin' down."    Still with me?   I believe the correct word is "come."  --"and de walls come tumblin' down."    So, here is the question.  If it is okay to fit de battle, why isn't it okay for the walls to come tumblin' down.
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If the arranger is gonna get to-uh-changin' lyrics.  Let's try:
"Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, and the walls started falling down - or began falling - or - I could do this for quite a spell.  Those of you who have been keeping up here, understand.  Why not correct the entire lyric - not to mention, some of the notes have a bluesy effect.  Should we not check with 
J.S. Bach to get the correct harmony and musical line?  I would think so.  I realize Bach died.  Surely, there is a Bach fanatic who might help.
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Maybe I should spend this time fussing about vocal arrangers who write for small church choirs and include B#  and  Cb  and double sharps  (that is B sharp and C flat and E sharp and F flat and double sharps and double flats).  I am impressed with their musicality - but "WHY?"

My #3 granddaughter is in 8th grade band in Frenship (Lubbock area).  Her band (a middle school) is coming to Dallas for a contest and spending the night.  I never took M.S. kids overnight unless it was an All-Region earned honor for them..  I'm thinking that over-night with 7th and 8th grade kids would be less than fun.... However, they are still young enough to scare.- well most are.  They get to go to Medieval Times and 6 Flags on the next day.   It should be fun for them and worthy of remembering.

Closing now.  luv, m
P.S.  8 MONTHS TILL CHRISTMAS

Friday, April 19, 2019

A Good Friday 4-19-19

4-19-19
This has been a Good Friday - actually it has only been a pretty good Friday.  The church choir sang a program tonight for the services.  My legs got very tired standing up there.   Some services are full of symbolism.  This one seems to have the most.  People seem to enjoy it though.  No problem here.
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Bill Etheredge worked with me in Ardmore many years ago...late 70s / early 80s.  He was one of the directors that I enjoyed working with and knowing over the years.  Bill is in an Okla. City hospital in bad shape.   I hope they are able to fix him up.  It doesn't sound good though.
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A few evenings ago, I was in the dog pit just as the sun was going down.   It was peaceful.  Then  in a nearby tree I heard a "Who-Who Who"   (half note, 2 quarters) .  An owl was calling - from a distance, a reply - too complicated to explain here -  just imagine a bunch of "whos."  My owl gave his signal followed by the distant answer.  You might describe it as a question and answer series.  After listening for a while - I answered with my own whos.  They seemed unimpressed.   I never saw them in the trees; but, I know they are out there.
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Our housing development has an HOA website where people post stuff.  One of the gentlemen posted that he saw a real large cat entering our HOA tonight.  I assume this is either a bobcat or a cougar.  Either one is scary enough for me.   They are out searching for easy food supply.  I've noticed a lack of rabbits in the yard lately.   Sad.
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I think I mentioned in an earlier posting that I have the motorhome back.  $1500.  I was previously told it would be $1000.  Camping World in Tyler - service dept - someone needs to take over that department and clean house.  At the least, someone needs to go in there and set up rules that service writers and mechanics should follow - no, make that "shall" follow.  If there normal customer service is what I received, they won't have to have a service department.  Boo!!! Camping World Tyler.
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enough -  The Etheredge thing has really made me feel bad.   Time to do something else.
m

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Bridge over the water

Since April 2nd, what water has gone over your bridge?
1st of all:  since I started typing this,  I started over 4 times with misspelled words.  The only thing I didn't misspell was "misspelled."   (now, add 2 more since I misspelled  "think"  (thing}  and didn't capitalize "the."    Good start Ex-lax.,
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Brother Pat had a birthday this weekend - his school group had a chili  cookoff - I suppose in his honor.   Never did hear who won.  Bunch of college kids wearing surgical gloves cooking chili inside a building wearing nice clothes...there is something completely wrong with that picture.  I wonder if any of them brought a minature poodle.
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Yesterday we traveled to Tyler and picked up our motorhome at camping world.  It had been setting there for 3 long months waiting to be fixed.  I could spend the next 3 pages describing my frustrations with that company branch in Tyler.  I have used their people in south Ft. Worth and down south of Dallas before.  It was a fine experience,  Four different people estimated a little under $1000 for the repair...nope.  It was $1500 minus a tad.   I cannot imagine why they think customer NO-SERVICE is good for their business.  Maybe, I am missing something here.
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Yesterday was dot-in-law's birthday.  I think she is 29 or younger.  I'm not sure.  I think that is right.  You can't err guessing ages if you go low.
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Tech lost the national championship last night.  I did not watch.  I just cannot watch these things.  Even though I know nobody at Tech anymore, I still am happy for the guys who made it that far.  I am sure Virginia is happier.
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Now some of you are not going to feel any sympathy for me on this.  I have a dock and a boat.  I have not started the boat in some time.  I have a water line that goes from the house to the dock in order to have fresh water out there - drink?  wash things?  clean fish?  that sorta thing.
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In addition I have a water pump out there that shoves water through a pipe and waters my lawn - yard - forest of weeds.   Storms beat those pipes to death.  Both my fresh water and lake water pipes broke this winter.  I have repaired the fresh water and am in the process of repairing the lake water pipe.  It is not hard work really.  You have to get down on your knees and bend way over the water to do the game.  That drains me (and the knees hurt).
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Just got a note from tax lady.  My IRS taxes are ready to go.  I spend to have her fix it each year.  I believe this is money well-spent since I don't quite understand each little nook and cranny of the tax world.  At least when she is finished, I will have someone to help me battle the big boys if there is a problem.  There should not be a problem.  I don't try to make money off the IRS.  These are not nice people.  Nobody should mess with them.
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Easter is fast approaching.  I had this "wondering" the other day.  Traditionally, a person has an Easter Ham.   I like ham.  Ham is good.  My brain - unthinkingly asked - if Jewish people don't eat pork, what do they have for Easter?   Hmmmmm   do you see the problem yet?  Be smarter than me.  think.
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Jews don't celebrate Easter.  Gadzzzz   My brain sometimes lacks something.  This has been one of them there times.
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The spouse just pulled some meat out of the freezer for lunch.  Looking at it, we cannot figure out if it beef or pork.  They look like pork chops; but, they are bright red like beef.  Answer:  she is throwing BBQ sauce on the meat.  BBQ goes with either pork or beef.  We'll eat what ever it is.  I'm sure my dog Bruno could tell me if we would just give him one little morsel to taste.  Prolly not.
over and out.
Maybe next year,
While I have been typing the phone has rung 3 different times.  Each time was from an unknown caller with faraway area codes.  I am so tired of jerk phone callers.
now, over and out.
M3
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Tuesday, April 2, 2019

April 2nd

It's been a month since I visited here. Didja miss me?
Lots of water has passed under the bridge since last time.  I have mowed my lawn 3 times.  Now, that is worth mention.   3 times and it is only April 2nd.  It will be a long summer.
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Might mention that the water line to my water sprinkler has broken.  Imagine, close your eyes, hum, imagine, I have a dock 100 ft from the shoreline.  On the dock is a water pump pulling water from the lake.  I have a 100+ft pvc water line going from the pump to my sprinklers.  Winter destroyed part of this line.  It must be replace.
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Also, from the house to the dock, I have a fresh water line.  City water goes to the dock for drinking and washing hands and whatever is needed.  This is another 100+ pvc pipe exposed to the elements.  It has snapped during one of the winter storms.  The dock walkway and sea wall face into the north wind and waves.  it gets beat to death during a storm.
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So I have to go out and remove boards from the walkway, locate the broken PVC pipe and replace.  It is not really hard work - just time consuming and a bit back breaking leaning over the water like that.  I could pay a guy to do it...Prolly about 2 to 3 hundred bucks.  Think how many Big Gulps I could buy with that dough.  If the weather will just warm up a few more degrees, I'll start.  You may not realize that standing over the cold water is a bit colder than standing over land.
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When last we met, the check engine light was on for the Flex.  Ford couldn't figure it out since the light went away and then came back and then went away...you get the picture.  I saw that it would come back on after filling the gas tank.  The flex has no gas cap,  that's not it.  I filled the car up one day- boom, there's the light - the next morn, I drove the light to the Ford house and didn't shut off the engine.  Their computer found the problem - some vacuum switch was being affected by too much gas in the tank building up pressure.  New switch order, new switch installed, no more light.  Me Happy.
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Last week we took sister-in-law Earline and 2 of her retirement home facility ladies to the Dallas  Arboretum.  We ate at Panchos and made the park by 12:30ish.  The two ladies took off at a fast clip and we sauntered along at a  relaxed pace.   A couple of hours later, they had walked the entire facility, and we hadn't.  But, we were worn out anyway.  Met at the car and headed for our respective homes.  All-in-All a nice day with good company.
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Saw the puppies at Canton this past weekend.  I do love to see a happy puppy.  I wish I could take them all home.   Y'know, I do not believe I have met an unhappy puppy other than ones I see on TV advertising animal control problems.  Those are really sad.  There were 3 different guys with pit bulls at Canton.  We just happened to be at the right spot when all 3 met for the first time.  Why would anyone have a pit bull?  It just doesn't make sense especially when you could have a wire-hair dachshund.  No logic.

Met daughter Laura and husband Tom at the Chinese restaurant in Canton for lunch.  They went on to the dog park to look for a rabbit cage - we went to the flea market.  It was cold.  We only lasted about 2 hours before freezing.
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Granddaughter Kayla turned 14 this past week.  Two more years and she'll be driving.   That should cause somewhat of a panic in Lubbock.  Brother Pat turns  "secret" this coming weekend and daughter-in-law Penney follows suit a couple days later.  'Tis the season to age gracefully.
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Wife went to quilt guild yesterday leaving me at home to fix my own lunch.  I opened a can of cold Salmon, cut a fresh onion, opened a can of cold pork n beans, plus crackers.  A feast for a king.  We learned this meal as children.  I realize not everyone thinks this sounds good.  My wife carried the trash to the curb (containing the opened salmon can) as soon as she arrived home.  Add a little Tabasco to the beans - yum.  It use to better when I could actually find red salmon instead of this pink stuff.  But it works.
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I am sure that I have something else to add.  Can't think of it.  Maybe later.
m

Here's something:  April fool's jokes.  Airstream sent out an email yesterday showing their new model the Bearstream.   Be sure to follow the link to the next page to see the rest of the joke:

https://www.airstream.com/bearstream-travel-trailer-2019/?utm_campaign=April%20Fools%202019&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=71316811&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8o8oZHU0w1s_LUS_I8lWp3kvUPwjtWgGi7Nkh7AqZtvieJzNNgExA4OAImZcoC3OiACnjvvCC9g5I6Cz8QB5cQF1_cWA&_hsmi=71316575

And Yellowstone sent out a link to a job search for new positions being filled.   I thought it was funny.  Be sure to follow links to the end.   (aside note:  Yellowstone hires about 3000 people every summer to work).

https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/join-our-team/now-hiring-for-unique-yellowstone-jobs/?utm_source=RPI&utm_medium=email&utm_content=99730&utm_campaign=YNP_190401_TacOffer_Bday_Guest&PID=19173532&PN_email=NkQuUPb3qG2jkYqYNREwuXi50kgZ2eJOi63YloJ1xzI%2BvvR%2F9gUYnANHrfGVirTEIlpaWsdtYZTFotlsxyAsF0mVOMrFiq%2B7iikjqi3OOBI%3D
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If you are into band things, I saw where a M.S. band director handed out the 1812 Overture to his 6th grade beginners yesterday telling them to be prepared.....etc.
It took about 5 minutes before a student called his hand on it.   April Fools !!!!
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now over and out.
m