here they are:
m
A "STONE" is a family word for a personal story or thought, not quite an essay or short story. We moved to central Texas to be near a daughter. We are down to only one wirehair dachshund - Sadie. (Goodbye in 2021 to Oscar the ball boy and Bruno the larger twin) & my wife -- penned by a retired Texas H.S. band director - just nonsense thoughts unrelated to each other or anything other than what's happening and comments.
See the title above:
Should it be "Has Come" or (based upon Christmas song) "Is Come?" Our Day Is Come. "Joy to the World, the Lord is come..." Not important right now. You decide.
Tonight at 8 p.m., my wife and I get our 1st Covid shots. The day has finally arrived. Give me another week or so, and I will be going around hugging everyone at Walmart.
I did have this thought. When a person has received his 2nd shot and is 95% protected - when that happens, why wear a mask? I realize you wear the mask to protect others from you. The mask rarely saves the wearer. That's what I've been told.
So, I have come up with a plan. After you receive your 2nd shot, they tattoo the word "SAFE" across your forehead. Maybe there is a better word. "I've had my shot." That seems a bit long for a forehead tattoo. As an alternative, people wear a blue ribbon on their shirts after they have had the shots. Gonna change that to a red ribbon. Red stands out more and can be seen by the normal human. (pink is already taken)
Or we could each carry a little flag with the picture of a needle on it. No, dummy. Not a sewing needle. The hypodermic Needle. Maybe the picture could have a few drops of liquid squirting out.
You cannot get some people to wear masks, so I don't think giving them a needle flag would work.
When I was a Freshman at Tech, my fraternity required me to wear a little green beanie. People who don't take shots could wear a green hat. Ya don't like that one? The possibilities are endless. Wouldn't you love to be on the jury when that green hat one came to the courthouse. They would equate it to Jews having to wear a gold star in Germany during WWII. Yessir! That would be a fun time in the old court room tonight.
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Subject #2: The wind won't quit blowing.
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Subject #3: My daughter Laura (bless her heart) has 6 boxes of Grape Nuts for me. We are working out an agreement on delivery or me picking them up. 6 boxes will last me for 6 weeks unless my wife starts eating them daily. Ya never know. It could happen. After she order the cereal from Walmart dot com, her store started stocking the cereal again.
I'm tellin' you. When the stores started stocking toilet paper again, it was a wonderful day in the neighborhood. And, now, Grape Nuts.
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One Final Subject #4: In the beginning of all of this, there was a report that dogs can get and spread the disease. Originally, I figured this report was started by the CAT lobby. Those people have no morals.
Can a dog be protected with a shot? I can tell you that my Bruno is getting real tired of wearing a mask when he goes to the dog park to smell other dog's .... There is a group of people who are now coming out suggesting that it is the USA's duty to vaccinate other countries. I believe the shots should be kept at home for America, America, God shed his grace on thee. Is it really our responsibility to give shots to all the people in Brazil or Italy?
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Your turn. See ya later.
Mtz
I first wrote of this on Jan. 19th -- see that blog below plus others -- about "shortages" I cannot find in my Corsicana grocery stores.
My daughter Laura is a worrier. She got on this project of finding me Grape Nuts and wouldn't let go. Think of a dog and his bone. You just try to pull that bone out of his mouth.
She looked in Waxahachie and couldn't find. She had promises (I think) that Grape Nuts are coming. didn't come.
At last, she went to Walmart.Com - found Grape Nuts online -- placed an order for 3 boxes ---
Total cost would be about $17. { I don't think Walmart delivers to Corsicana; but, they will deliver to a Waxahachie address. } 3 boxes ordered. She got the word. Delivery is today (Saturday).
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A big Budget Rental truck arrived and delivered a big Walmart box. Inside her house Laura opened the box and called us. It, the big box, had one box of Grape Nuts inside and a notice that the other two boxes were back ordered. This big box had shipped from Sherman, Texas, up near the Oklahoma border. Look that up on your map.
The two back-ordered boxes are scheduled for Monday delivery.
I am sure - since Laura may not be home on Monday when the delivery occurs - the national ring of grape nut burglars will be following the truck and will snatch them up. Them burglars be notorious in this part of the west.
So - to sum this up - I am GRAPE - FULL to daughter Laura for her efforts.
now an aside:
Have gone to Walmart.com and typed in Grape Nuts. You can buy a 4 pound box of grape nuts for $110.90. Yes. $110.90 for a 4 lb box. But, wait hey, there is Free Delivery.
My one little box is 29 oz. That is 1 lb 13 oz. So a 4 lb box is about 2 1/2 boxes equivalent. $110.90. I looked on Amazon. One guy is selling a box for about $200. Yes. $200. That should qualify for free delivery too.
The question: when I finally get my one box (29 oz), should I eat it? Frame it? Put it on Amazon and make a $180 profit? Normally it sells for about $3 or $3.50 or so. I'm thinking about trying to corner the market and become the Grape Nut King.
Serially Yours,
Mtz
My whole family is looking for Grape Nuts for me. I have had calls and texts. It was in the news that Post is having problems keeping up with the demand. Why?
I looked on Amazon. They have Grape Nuts. $15 a box. plus s&h. If my family in Lubbock finds Grape Nuts, they would have to be mailed. That would make their cost about $15 a box too. Not a good idea. Even for a pitiful, dottering old man, not a good idea.
At $15 a box, I'll continue to eat dry Cheerios and a small glass of orange juice for breakfast. If someone could corner the market on Grape Nuts, they could get wealthy - at least until the govt. decided to impose new regulations. I think it may be a commie plot. The dems will blame Trump.
GRAPE NUTS ARE THE NEXT TOILET PAPER CRISIS
Speaking of the mice inside my Flex's engine compartment eating wires -- my repair guy says that he believes it is field RATS doing the damage, not mice. He described them being so big (hands held 8 inches apart) and with little short tails. It sounds like I need to carry a machine gun with me when I go outside at night. Kill them varmints.
Let's do an aside here: Varmints vs. varmits. Which is correct? My spell check puts the "n" inside the word. No self-respecting cowpoke would pronounce the "n."
"I've got ya covered. You varmints stand against that wall and shuck your weapons real slow like."
Var-MENTS. I just can't see it.
Grape Nuts has an N. You can plainly see it. "Gimme a bowl of Grape Uts." Nope. That would never do. Put an N in Grape Nuts and take it out of Varmits.
Time for a big glass of Lemon flavored Lipton Ice Tea Mix (see a previous blog about Raspberry and Peach teas). When will it end? When will it all end?
see ya.
m
I really don't try to write things that are depressing ( downers ). Hopefully, folks realize that my downers are my way of making fun of situations. I wrote my "downer" yesterday.
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Interestingly (to me, of course) Rush hit on this subject today. He was explaining how professional radio personalities try to hide how they are feeling while on the air. You listen to a disc jockey on the radio, he is always happy and ready to go. Sure, I have heard talk show hosts who yell at callers. I think that is their way of getting people to call in to their show. And, some of their callers really are morons. Rush always seems to be upbeat. Even when politics don't go his (our) way, he seems to put a nice twist to it.
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So if any of my stuff is depressing, try to find the good hidden away. It is hard to be always happy and cheerful. I fail miserably at times.
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Let's take dogs for instance. . . . maybe even cats and horses and pigs and pigeons. I have never seen a dog that was depressed. I'll take that back. Once in a while you hear of a pet who goes to the grave site and curls up on top of the grave, despondent looking. On TV you see advertisements for charities who show dogs that are mistreated or scared - certain commercials. That's not fair though. You give a dog a meal and a bed and love, they are always happy. SQUIRREL!!! I don't think they know how to be sad.
As I was writing this, I looked down to see my little Sadie sitting there looking up into my eyes. I stopped and picked her up. As always she curled up on me and rammed her head under my chin, pushing to get just a bit closer. I loved her and talked sweetly. It lasted about 5 minutes, and she was ready to go. Go! Somewhere. That little girl knows how to cuddle. I've accused her of doing it just to soften me up. No doubt, she is good at this. We all have our strong suits. Cuddle up on my lap: that's something you cannot do with a horse.
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Now, now, now - a response to yesterdays downer. When we checked out at our HEB grocery store yesterday, they gave my wife a card. "You could win a $100 gift card." Just fill out a survey to maybe win. I did the survey this afternoon. It had a place to list what I am unable to find at the store. No doubt, they must have heard my whines or read my bluggy. I jumped on this chance to list Grape Nuts. GRAPE NUTS. I NEED GRAPE NUTS. Now, I feel that I have done something to make our world a better place to live. I am such a giving person.
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Speaking of giving: In today's mail, a letter from some group known as the "INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS." They are out of Washington DC or Chicago. Fundraising. They say: "Urgent: Help feed elderly Jews struggling to survive." On the surface that seems like a good thing - doesn't it? Inside their writings, we find they are trying to get your money to feed - ready? - the Holocaust Survivors struggling to survive in the former Soviet Union.
I was born in 1940. WWII ended in 1945, If I am 80 years old - and I am - a Holocaust survivor has to be my age or older. True Holocaust individuals had a terrible life. If a newborn was locked up at age of one, how old are we talking about? Holocaust survivors living in Russia. That would be the socialist republic of USSR. Socialism is not taking care of them? That's a question. Maybe this is a legitimate fund raiser. Beats me. They say that $25 will "fill a Pantry for 1 Jew for one month." Cynic. That's me. Is this a downer? Think I will send my money to the Cancer folks or the Methodist Children's Home in Waco.
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okay. sorry. this was not a fun blog tonight.
I will try harder in the future. It is the void of Grape Nuts that is getting me down. Keep in mind, one box of Grape Nuts will feed a surviving band director for one week.
m
:) 😉
Now, don't get me wrong; but, when I say "today" was an adventure, I'm not talking about learning to sky dive or having to fight a dragon. When you hit 80 and rarely venture out of your castle (dragons beware), anything different feels like an adventure. Let me give you a couple of basics.
It takes about 15 minutes to drive to town on our two lane road with moderate traffic. You can't fall asleep on the way. One must pay attention. 2/3rds of the way to town, we move on to US hwy 287. They have construction on 287. Again, this is not a leisurely drive looking at the the hillsides or mountains - we don't have mountains - breathing the fresh winter air. It is a busy drive dodging cows and trains and trucks and guys in pickups who are trying to break the sound barrier.
If you drive to town, you can plan on 15 minutes in - and 15 minutes back - unless there is a train at the crossing. Everything is paved... and, today, wet. The rains have come again.
As I reported on my previous bluggy, my Flex is having problems. The engine seems to be missing or there is something broken / hidden in the drive line. Repair people fix that sort of thing. About two days before I took the Marauder to the repair guy (see a different blog for that stone), I pulled my Flex up to the Marauder and used jumper cables to no avail. I was under the Flex's hood that day. I parked the Flex in the garage for a couple of nights.
Rain stopped - weather cold, I left the Flex outside in the cold for a couple of nights. I have learned my lesson. When the Flex first started acting up, I did open the hood and look. All males worth their salt will open the hood and stare at the engine saying, "hmmmmmmm." When, I opened the hood, there was a pile of mouse bedding right on top of the engine. It's gone now. Due to a past problem, I guessed this might be related to my newest Flex problem.
The Plan: Drove 2 cars to town. Dropped off the Flex at the repair shop. Continued in the Mercury.
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Aside stone: Since I was diagnosed with Diabetes in 2008, I try to limit my intake of Carbs. Early on, I learned that 3/4 cup of Grape Nuts cereal plus 3/4 cup 2% milk reached my carb liimit for breakfast. I have been eating Grape Nuts for 12 years with a few breaks in-between for bacon and eggs or ham or sausage. It is not that I crave Grape Nuts. It is that Grape Nuts work. Eating breakfast is much like a job. It is something I should do everyday correctly. And, I do.
Aside stone #2: Years ago, French's mustard started selling a bottle of mustard sauce. It was really good. I used it on many a meal. Good. French quit making the sauce or my store quit selling it.
Aside stone #3: I used to drink Instant Nestea. I liked that flavor over Instant Lipton tea. I drank Nestea for years and years. Nestea quit making that jar of instant tea or my store quit selling it.
Aside stone #4: I bought a Mercury Marauder. I love my car. Ford quit making Mercurys..... (or should that be Mercuries?)
This same thing has happened to me over the past 80 years. I find something that I dearly love and they quit making it -or the store quits selling it. I can give you more examples.
Aside stone #5: Before I was introduced to "Men's" shower soap in a squeeze bottle, my wife had me using Vel Soap bars. Vel worked. it lathered. it soaped. it didn't smell really girly. You cannot find Vel soap bars anywhere - not nowhere.
Aside stone #??? Forever this has been my cross to bear.
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Back to the plan: Drop car off; drive to the grocery store. We have 5 large type grocery stores in Corsicana. I cannot find Grape Nuts in any store. Either G.P. have quit making it or my STORES have quit shelving it. Every store has an empty place where Grape Nuts should be. There are none anywhere. What do I eat for breakfast? I ate bacon and eggs yesterday. The day before I tried a bowl of Cheerios. That won't do. I would rather eat dry Cheerios than put them in a bowl with milk. Today, I ate 2 energy type bars and drank a small glass of orange juice. That seemed to work - until 11:00 when I had a major hunger attack. I'm still looking.
Who would have thought that Grape Nuts would be the next Toilet Paper in the epidemic?
The plan: I had no luck with cereal. On we traveled to the Vet where we bought a 6 month supply of Heart Gard for our 3 dogs. That comes to over $100. Sigh. But it is better than seeing my dog die from heart worms...a lot better.
On to Walmart. Filled the Marauder up with gas. Went inside and bought some rubber things to go on the bottom of a kitchen chair. The wife got some dental floss. Showing that she is learning about shortages, she bought two packages of the floss. Good.
By now it was 11:00 +. I'm really hungry. We went to CiCi's pizza for lunch. That was an 11 o'clock mistake. They were barely open and certainly not prepared for customers. The boss wasn't there and apparently whoever was in charge was not totally there either. Finally, a stop over at HEB to get a week's supply of groceries. They do not have Grape Nuts. They do not have diet flavor Lipton tea mix jars. They do not have any fruit juices except those associated with Cranberry. Everything is a cranberry. There is something wrong with that.
Home by 1:30. 1:45 phone rings. Rusty is calling. The Flex is ready. A rat had eaten wires to the engine. He had not eaten all wires, just enough to cost me $122. The Flex is in the garage now.
We left Rusty's and drove straight to the Ford house. We have a recall on the Flex. There is a rear suspension toe link breaking. Y'all know what that is. I had called Ford earlier. "Bring it in now, " 'they said. It seems that this part being recalled has been back ordered. Take the car home; we'll call you when (and if) the part comes in. Back Ordered. I bet my Grape Nuts are back ordered too.
Now all of that might not seem like an adventure to you. To me, it was. So much travel. So many minor things. It is over. The dogs have been fed. And the rain continues. We've had an inch and a quarter so far today.
One other thing before I go. Rusty (see car repair) has a new beautiful brown, chocolate Lab puppy in his office. She is about 3 months or so old. Her name is Molly. Molly! What a great name. When she stands on her back feet, the front feet are on my shoulder. What a beautiful friendly puppy. That dog loves me. That puppy loves everybody. You have to love Labradors. You simply have to.
Later, guys.
m
This edition is a downer for me. I am so down.
Last week I took my 2003 Mercury Marauder (had it towed for $95) to the shop. The guy has always been fair and fast with his work. One week later, it was ready for $733. Fuel pump had quit - plus it needed a new battery. The battery really was week. It would only crank the engine for 3 or 4 minutes before dying.
;I picked up the car and drove to the tire place where my front 2 tires were replaced. There was a cord hanging out of the left front tire...flapping as the tire rotated. The tires were about 7 years old. They were bad. Long story shorter, my total cost for the repair and tires went over $1000. No 2003 car should have a thousand dollar bill. Thanks to the government for my stimulus check. I did stimulate somebody.
Today, I started my 2014 Ford Flex - it vibrated as I backed it out of the driveway. The check engine light came on an started blinking. We drove to town and attended our annual Home Owners Asso. meeting. It was terrible. Fussing, fuming, disagreements, people attending via zoom - they never could understand everything and talked constantly. That was 3 hours and 25 minutes I will never get back.
So, the first of the next week, I'll call the repair guy and take the car to him. I'm starting to feel another thousand dollar repair bill. How am I suppose to get out of debt, if things like this keep happening? I do have a solution, but it will wait until a later date.
Fussing is over. Y'all have a better day than I have had.
m
p.s. send money. start me one of those internet accounts where foolish people send money because you have a sad story. If you can recruit enough cash, I'll just buy a new car. A Rolls Royce perhaps.
This is from the Texas Band director's Yellow Board website. Several Texas schools closed on Monday for a snow day. We don't have snow around here often. The below link shows how the superintendent of Harleton, TX announced the closing of his school. I messed up and didn't get the Supt.'s name. You'll figure it out.
This is the Facebook link to our school closing announcement. My superintendent is a very talented musician, most importantly... he plays tuba! Just thought I’d share something fun. https://www.facebook.com/126100070770566/posts/3627884663925405/?vh=e&extid=0&d=n =================================================================. |
I get lots of cartoons in emails. Usually I smile knowingly and move on. With the one below, I actually chuckled out loud. It was as close to a full laugh as I have had in months. I do this hand thing daily with Bruno and Oscar. Sadie could care less (a dog who doesn't care about food?).
The email had other good ones - maybe post later.
m
If I knew who created this, I'd give him credit.
Remember the old song: "Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?"
My question: Oh where, oh where has my covid shot gone?" Corsicana is apparently is awash in "no-information available." That may seem backwards / contradictory - -
Being awashed in the lack of information / awash in Nothing. This past week, off and on, I have called phone numbers that I could find. Nobody seems to know nuthin'. Or if somebody does know sumpin', he is hiding it from folks, the common everyday public.
Examples: I called the Corsicana health dept - phone number in the book - all I get is a fax machine. You'd think, over time, somebody would notice that. You'd think.
I called the Navarro Regional Hospital - nice lady operator - she know nuthin'. Based upon what I think she said, people (just regular folks) are calling her and giving her information about where the covid shots are NOT available.
Our CVS does not have a phone number in the book - found it on the Net. Their prerecorded message says that they have no shots available.
But, we see people lined up in cars on TV - all getting shots. Every newscast, we see more images of cars lining up in some vacant lot - people getting shots.
I called my doctor's office - his phone person transferred our call to the hospital without telling me what she was doing. Yep, she didn't want to talk about it.
I called the Navarro County health dept. they have a lot of numbers to press. I finally just picked one that sounded a bit like "seniors" and got his machine. I left a message asking them to help the public to learn what was happening.
I called the local paper. Talked to a guy. He passed info on to the Editor (based upon reading the paper, I didn't know anyone was editing that thing). I suggested that a small daily column be dedicated to information on getting the shots. He thought that seemed like a good idea. Am I crazy here or shouldn't a journalist think about this on his own? Just wonderin'?
I do have the county judge's personal email. I wounder if he could stir things up. Bothering a judge does seem like a wrong way to do this.
So, what did I learn today. Nobody knows what is going on and if they do, they are not telling the general public -- and, I am the general public.
Now, let's see, where is the Governor's home phone number again?
mtz
Yes, this is an addendum to my previous bluggy regarding my stimulus check -- You may notice the sub-title at the bottom of this: "Why IZZIT????" Yes (repeated), why izzit ("is it" = "izzit" for those from a foreign land) that I get a stimulus check from my government, and, automatically, I must spend it on unforeseen problems. Why Izzit?
I have a 2003 Mercury Marauder that I love. I bought it new and have put 170,000 + miles on it. It is probably the most beautiful Mercury ever built. Of late, I have quit driving it as much. For the past 3 years or so, it barely gets 1000 miles of use per year. That's not much folks. If I drive into town and back, maybe I will add 30 miles to the odometer. Maybe.
Eventually, this car will be a classic that people will want to own. It is coming up on 20 years of age soon. We left town once for a week(this car stayed in our driveway). While we were gone, some big lake birds decided to camp out on the Merc. Now there are smudged white bird droppings that seem to have eaten into the black paint. It is my plan to have the car detailed - paint buffed - waxed thickly - and new dark plastic installed on the windows. It is a bit pitiful right now. Sad, for such a good car.
My plan has been to drive it weekly - up and down the highway for a few miles. Then, the Marauder is parked for another week. So far, so good - WAIT!! - until last week. My car wouldn't start. Grind as I might - recharge the battery and grind away again - it won't start. I pulled my Flex up and used the jumper cables. Still, no life in the engine.
In the past we have had wild critters get into our engine compartments and eat away at the wires. Maybe?
Obviously, it is going to the shop.
I live in the country. I will have to tow the Marauder into town.
I have one of the best mechanics anywhere when it comes to my Fords/Mercury. Rusty Dilliago. Rusty used to be the top service guy at the old Ford house - and before that the Lincoln-Mercury dealer. He understands cars and (until recently) he has been very reasonably priced. I hope he remains the same.
Monday, I will talk to Rusty and have the car towed into town. That should be cheap.
Is that all? Of course it isn't. I expect to have a new battery installed. Rusty will install only the best. {He has approached me over the years to sell the car to him. He will want the car to have the best available battery.}
Is that all? Of course it isn't. A couple of weeks ago - out driving it on the back road - I suddenly hear this loud whapping sound. Slowing to 40 mph, the whapping stopped. Back at home, an inspection I did ... couldn't find a thing. I did not climb under the car. Don't cha think an 80 yr old with bad knees shouldn't be squirming underneath a big ole' black car. But, I should have. Yep, should have.
As I was walking one of my kids to their car as they left after Christmas, I saw something hanging off the front tire - inside the front tire. I reached and grabbed. It was a tire cord coming out of the tire. The tires are 6 years old and set in the sun all day. Their days are numbered. The left front tire has reached that magical number.
So, thank you Mr. Government for my stimulus check. My Marauder appreciates your thoughtfulness.
Mtz, the cursed (and rightfully so - I have not always been nice - karma strikes again)
Received our stimulus check January 1, 2021. It posted to my bank account. I feel stimulated. For many I feel it is too little, too late. For some, me thinks it might be too much, too too. I plan to pay bills. Many have suggested that it be used to book a space on the next shuttle to Mars.
When yours comes, try to not spend it all in one place. Spread the wealth. Remember your elders.
Ate my ham and black eyed peas for lunch. I am ready for the new year. Now if I can only find out how to get the virus vaccine in my arm, all would be better.
The rains have stopped. In two days we received 7 and a quarter inches. That is not to be sneezed at. My heart (sympathy) goes out to the west Texans who received snow ... especially the children. They were already out of school and won't receive any extra snow day vacations. Pity.
luv ya,
mtz