Time for another Pot Pouring (Potpourri)

 Coming to the end of October.  Temperatures have started down.  I've been able to go outside and do some stuff without sweating to death.  Of course, today we have 85% humidity.  What do they say?  It's not the heat, it's the humidity.  How true.

1.)  I bought my wife some gum yesterday at the store.  It's been a while.  She loves gum.  Use to be it was only Double Bubble.  Now it seems to be Extra Spearmint.  She loves gum.  I don't.  I don't like to chew it; I don't like to watch others chew.  My nickname is not Chewy.  

2.)  Now I use to chew gum.  Thought I was cool chewing with my lips apart just a bit.  Tried not to make smacking noises - just look cool.  Over time I evolved into Dentine gum:  tastes good, small pieces.  About 1974 or 75 I was chomping away and bit the inside of my gums just one too many times.  That was it.  I put the gum away and haven't chewed since.  Wish I could remember the exact day and time.  I know all of my readers would relish that bit of info.

3.)  Couple days ago, I was opening the front door to start the day.  Often, we'll leave it open with a dog cushion close so the dogs can watch the traffic - and bark - and be fussed at for barking.  Sadie was resting on her couch excited with the prospect of looking out.  Something fell off the cushion onto the middle of the hallway.   It was a dead rat!  Sadie had been out in the back yard after the big rain - she was soaked - and killed another rat.  Bless her heart.  She had to carry it into the house and gently place it on the cushion.   She didn't argue MUCH when I picked it up by the tail and relocated same in a trash bag.   No blood.  Just a dead rat.

4.)  Why yes, it did rain.  1:24" on Friday  and 1.15 on Saturday.  We've not seen rain in over a month.

5.) I've been spending the last couple of days placing blow-up Halloween things in the front yard.  It tires me out.  The bending and so forth - hard on an old man.  We've got to get ready for Friday night.  I think we have as much as 10 sacks of candy ready.  Never before have I lived in a neighborhood with so many trick or treaters.  Steady stream.  Last year the first show up at 6:15.  We were back inside by 8:30 or so. 8 bags of candy last year.  My daughter doesn't have a brain.  She let some grab a handful - and others she overloaded the child.  I tried to tell her this was not out job - to feed the world.  She doesn't believe.

6.) Had a flashback today.  Watching TV when an adv. came on with little girl jumping rope.  I remarked that I never could jump rope.  That's not entirely true.  If I had the rope in my hand, I'd be okay.  But, get between 2 people twirling it blindly.  Not a prayer.  Jump 2 ropes at the same time?? Ya gotta be kidding.  Not a prayer.

So right now I am gonna admit something else.  I surely hope it doesn't destroy anyone's vision of me as a child.  I could not jump rope.   Playing Jacks was out of the question.  The boys shot marbles.  I'd do that  until they started playing "keepers."  Too cheap, that's me.  Keep my marbles for myself.  Hop scotch was a bit too much as were the monkey bars.  Who can swing around on those things?  Not to mention hanging upside down by your legs.  No way!   Had a PE class where they made us do somersaults and the like.  Somersaults scare me to death.  Cheerleaders do all those twirling around things.  Not for me.  I had a trumpet.  I could do musical gymnastics.  Luckily none of my PE classes had a rope hanging from the the ceiling to climb.  I would have failed PE.

I remember PE in the 7th grade - Levelland jhs...required attendance.  The coach handed out basketballs. We went out back on a paved area with a goal and played horse - daily.  When we weren't playing, we'd sit in the shade and repeat dirty jokes - or at least we thought they were dirty.   Yes, I'd always lose at Horse.  As winter approached - as it does in the Panhandle - we stayed inside.  The coaches thought dodge ball was the game of the future - and they tried to teach rassilin' - not wrestling as is done many places.  There were no rules.  Grab and roll around the floor.  No structure - no results - just killing time.  I wonder why I hated PE?

Didja know that when you play basketball - and you have the ball - that the other team tries to jerk it out of your hand and knock you down?  I learned that in 7th grade.  Whar's my horn?

7.) I'll end with this.  The on-off button on my computer is broken.  Oh, it still works.  But it has fallen down inside the computer.  I have to use a long blade to reach down in computer and turn the machine on.  It's A Miracle.    More later.  I try to write more later.  Things get in the way.  Right now, it is 5 o'clock.  It is dog feeding time.  If you think for one moment that I can put that off, you're wrong.  No proof reading of this missive.  Correct the misprints for yourself.

MMtz