25th day of January

Jan 25 - long, long, long week has just passed.
We have spent in excess of $2500 on dogs - I don't begrudge this spending because it was all necessary - well if you are a bit human and love your animal.
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Bruno had 2 teeth removed.
Greta was discovered with an enlarged heart (heart murmur they call it)
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Yesterday, Greta got up about 6 a.m. - went to the pit and did her necessaries supervised by the wife.  She walked around for a while - ate nothing - laid down in the middle of the kitchen floor and quit breathing.  We knew it was coming, just not the when.
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My wife had a haircut in the morning.  I dropped her off at the place and took Greta to the vet to start the cremation process.  As of this moment, I have yet to have a "good cry" that she is gone - I know, I know, it isn't manly to have a good cry.  Maybe this is because I saw how much she was suffering with the enlarged heart and the wheezing and the cough  and the complete lack of appetite.

side note:  I would put a pill in the middle of a tiny bit of frankfurter.  Greta would take that piece and eat it right down - then, no more eat.  I would like to think she knew what was happening.  I would like to think this.  Please don't ruin my illusion.

Bruno returned to the vet this morning to have a gander at the stitches.  He got a good bill of health and can now go back on dry food.  I can tell you that he doesn't want to go back on dry food.  That canned dog food must be really tasty.  I know we ALL love the aroma.

We got the Flex back yesterday.  They installed a new camera in the back - actually, I would imagine that it was a camera module replacement.  It sorta works [ at least the camera picture is no longer upside down ]. 

I don't know anymore about this than I shall recite.  We were sent a text yesterday while we were in town that police were all over our area and to not open our doors to anyone in a white truck.  How do you spell Omminubuss?   Spel chec says "ominous."  
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Or in the language of  the Hippy:   "Heavy Man, Heavy."   We decided to have a subway sandwich on the way home.  With that done we slowly motored the route.  On the way we met a couple of police cars and a big black machine that looked like an armored car - let's think SWAT team.

They are working on the main road to our housing development.  Workmen are everywhere including one at our HOA's main entrance.  I stopped and got our mail - then I walked over to the workguy and asked questions about the excitement that we missed.  He seemed to know most everything.   One of our neighborhood men went off the deep end - weapons - barricaded eventually - possible threat of suicide - I don't know which neighbor, but I have a pretty good idea.  Yes, this concept is scary. 

We had a home owners meeting this past weekend - with this guy in the room with all of us.  What if he had lost it at that time?  There might be a lot of black arm bands  and  houses for sale today.

I have heard nothing else.  I have asked nobody anything else.  Gossip is not my thing.  Not True:  I like some gossip.  I flagged down my neighbor (ex-policeman).   I found out that the neighbor only knew what I knew -  it seems he stopped and asked the workguy at the front like I did.   This guy could have made a fortune selling information.

The bonkers guy was taken to a hospital for observation.  I do hope that he recovers quickly and things improve for him.   I worked in a mental health hospital in Dallas for a few months several years ago.  It was quite an experience which I believe helped me to get my head screwed back on a little better.  

Band directors have a website run by a guy - they call it a Yellow Board.   This week, a first year teacher / band director wrote that he had just been informed that he would not be renewed for next year.  That means he will be fired at the end of the year.  His posting was depressing - full of sadness and sorrow.  How will he ever find another position if he is fired?   All is lost.  He even wrote something about this being the end and not being able to cope ... you get the picture.  I read it as leaning a bit towards suicidal.  Postings are anonymous so nobody knows who wrote it.

Immediately other directors responded with helpful ideas - see doctor - how to find new job - you want to get out of that toxic environment anyway -  etc.   I suggested he consider returning to school for another degree or even a change in his major.  New beginning.  Ended up trying to say that this is not the end of the world - just a set back.   I do hope this young band director gets it figured out properly.   

I did know a band director who was nervous with major problems coping.  He was in a terrible school - the band sounded like a train wreck - he had inherited this program (not his fault).  It made me so nervous just to be a positive person.   This guy eventually committed suicide.  Such a waste.  I've known two female directors who left their jobs in the 1st couple of months and were put in hospitals.  Nothing is worth going crazy over - find a new path - move on - there is always a better something out there.  I won't talk about the students I knew who did suicide or tried.  Young minds have a problem processing what should and shouldn't be.

I will pause now.  I'm sure this posting has been a real JOY to read.    We are down to 3 dogs:  Oscar, Bruno, & Sadie.  At our age, to add any more dogs would probably be foolish.  Oscar & Bruno (the twins) will be 10 in another month.  Sadie turned 3 last month.  If Sadie lives to be 13 (10 more years), my wife & I will be 88 years old.  If she makes it to 18 like Greta, we would be 93.  It makes you stop and think - or at the most,  JUST STOP.
Later,
m  

9th day

Well, here it is.  The ninth day of January.  I'm not sure what you are thinking; but, to me, this month is passing way too fast.  Six more days and it will be time to put flea medicine on the dogs again.  That can be a rewarding experience as my dogs look up into my eyes and say, "Oh thank you kind sir for dousing us with that tube of flea killer.  Where would we be without your assistance?"
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Maybe they don't say it in that many words,  They want to say it.
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Yesterday, I traveled to town and bought a new air filter for my furnace.  They cost near $35 because of their weird size.  20x25x4.5  Walmart has a 4 inch one for $28.  So I order mine from Gilfillan's True Value.  I've done it enough, the people there seem to know me when I walk in.  Go Figure.
I followed that with an HEB trip to buy 3 big sacks of dog food.  Dogs gotta eat.
Finally, a hair cut.  I was about 3-4 weeks late getting this done.
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As I was having the ears lowered, in walks this tallish, skinny girl - not really a girl - say upper 20s or lower 30.  She is tattooed almost everywhere except the face.  The face has several rings placed appropriately for someone covered in tattoos.  The sides of her head have been clipped short with a puffy bit of hair on top - all solid black - really really black slick hair, if puffy can be slick.   She asked the barber a question (I could understand it cause my hearing aids are out) - he responds with a "Sure, c'mon in.  Have a seat."  
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Almost immediately a guy comes in as well.  He is as equally skinny - normal hair tough.  Seemed like really nice folks and talkative.  The girl just jumps in talking and carrying on conversations.  They apparently have moved out to the Streetman side of lake and are new to the area.
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She asked the barber something else which he muttered an answer.  Then, taking a breath, he says, "The second question people ask is 'where is the courthouse?'  followed by 'the post office'."  This must have been their first time to come to Corsicana.   As I finished up and was leaving, she was complaining how slow their golf cart was.  As I exited I pointed out how they could always walk.  Left.
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Let's talk Karma.  The Flex (car) has a couple of problems - namely the check engine light has been on for over a week.  Also, the back up camera is flawed.  Sometimes the picture is right - sometimes it is upside down - sometimes I get a message to contact my dealer.  Went into the dealer on Tuesday-the service guy said they are behind and it would be a week before they could do it.  A week.  He said to give him a couple of days to see if they could get me a loaner car while the Flex was in the shop.   We drove the Flex home.
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Tonight, I drove to choir practice in the Marauder.   About 2 miles from home, my check engine light flickered on.  I checked all the gauges.  Nothing.  Tomorrow we go to Rusty's to get it fixed.  Now, the kicker:  As my wife left church in the Flex tonight, its check engine light turned off on its own.  I didn't know they could do that.  So Karma fixed the Flex and broke the Marauder.  Sigh.
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Tomorrow I plan to cook up some Jalapeno Poppers.  I do so love those.   I used to cut the top off, clean em out, fill with cheese, wrap in bacon.  They were gooood.  I have evolved into cutting the pepper in half, clean out each half with a grapefruit spoon, cover with cheese, wrap in a half piece bacon, cook at 400% for about an hour.  They are just as gooooooood.
over and out.
m

Jan 3rd - karma

Jan 3rd
Sprinkled / drizzle / mist most of the day.  Water has stopped now but yard is a soaked swamp.  Oscar wants to go out and play ball.  He has no concept of cold - wet - mud.  He doesn't care:  "Throw the ball!"
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Mail was weak today. I received a notice from a magazine that I just subscribed to and have never received my first copy.  They think now is the time to suggest I re-up for an additional year at a $1 savings.  Wouldn't you think it would be better to wait until my first copy arrives?  They don't; then, they whine that so much of their budget is spent on notifications.  Also received a catalog from Woodwind Brasswind.  I do enjoy looking through music catalogs.
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There was a show on TV several years back about a bad guy who was turning his life around because of his newly learned love of KARMA.  Good things happen to good people.  I've had my doubts about that premise over the years.  It never seems that things get better when I behave better.  Let me give you an example.  Is Karma chasing me?
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About a month or so ago, before Thanksgiving, my wife and I made a motorhome trip.  On the last day of the trip I made a stupid mistake and the slideout hit a storage door on its way to being closed.  My stupid error.  The door was okay, but a piece of trim and hardware for the door were damaged.  I figure it will be $1,000 before that part of the motorhome is repaired properly.

We  got home and within a week I had the following problems...by the numbers.
1.  Motorhome storage door damaged.
2.  Motorhome trim piece damaged.
3.  Motorhome awning has quit retracting and must be retracted by hand while standing on a rickity chair or table....no ladder with me.

The remainder are home problems:
4.  All of sudden there was water all over the floor of the master bath.  This room is on the north wall.  The sewer line picks up stuff there and exits the building with 8 foot.  Water was everywhere.  The toilet was overflowing.  Even when it was not flushed, water came out from under - where the toilet is attached to the floor.  Now I know there is a wax seal under there, but, apparently,  the water pressure was more than the seal could hold.
     My wife had washed clothes and this water was coming up from below.   The floor of the master closet had to be emptied, all was wet.   Rugs, boxes, you name it - all wet with slimy water.  I am sure you can imagine the mess.  It was everything you could imagine.   What to do?
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The house is on a septic system.  The pipe goes out the north side of the house for about `10 feet then makes a sharp right down to the septic tanks about 20 ft or so.  In my mind I could see that the septic tanks had filled and were backing up into the house.  When something like this happens, you can see all possibilities.   I made a mistake.  I flushed the toilet in the other half of the house to see if it worked.  It did fine - well other than crud that was backing up into that bathtub.  All of the sewer lines were full.
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I went outside and opened the clean-out cap.  I expected to have water pushing against the cap and a geyser created with crud all over me and the yard.  Nothing.  the pipe showed a tiny tiny bit of flowing water outside.  This meant that the problem had to be between me (the sewer cap) and the master toilet - a 10 - 15 foot piece of pipe 4" in diameter - FULL and waiting.

Years past, I purchase one of those drain snakes which was run with an electric drill.  I began the drilling.  Nothing.  5 feet in - 6 feet - nothing happened to the end of the 25 foot drain snake.  I slowly backed it out.  All of a sudden there was a whosh.  "Whosh" is a word in spite of my computer spell check saying it isn't.  Water and goop came flushing through the pipe as God had intended for it to do.  When the flow slowed, I ran the snake inside again and again.

I'm always afraid that tree roots will invade my pipes.  My machine did not pull out even one tiny twig.  There was something solid inside the pipe holding back all that water.  I don't know what it was.  It would be nice to know though.  The next day I purchased some stuff which goes into the drain to kill tree roots - ya never know for sure.   It cost around $25.  All of the wet stuff cost even more in an emotional toll.

5.  When I drove to town to get the root killer - my car put up a sign that the tire pressure was low on a tire.  I stopped, looked, and moved on.  Later I found the right front tire to be down to 15 lbs pressure.  An annoyance for sure.

6.  Next day I started to weed eat.  I have a good gas weed eater.  Today the starting rope grabbed the throttle wire dislodging it.  I have tried since then to reinstall the wire properly.  Someday I will have to pay someone to fix it.  The machine still runs; it still eats weeds; but gas control is a prob.

7. So I take the big lawn mower/tractor out to mow.  Not 10 minutes into the session, I hear a noise.  The belt has come off the blades.  Nothing mows.  This took me - a real handyman - a couple hours to reinstall.

8.  The door to the bathroom has started to swing.  If it is not shut properly, it swings wide open.  The door to the bedroom as shifted enough that the catch won't catch.   This allows Sadie to open the door whenever I am asleep.   Agreed this Karma is really 8 & 9.  Still just doors.

9.  Our church has a new choir director.  I was on the committee to select.  I think we chose the best one - she has a PhD in music - has done opera stuff on a college campus and other good things.  The Karma thing is that for some reason right at the very beginning of her career here, she set the choir up to go to both services.   I do not do well at 8 o'clock in the morning.  This is a bet of a stretch to be listed under bad Karma, because I believe she is the right person for this job.

10.  Before Thanksgiving, we had storms.  For 2 days our electricity went out.  One day was about 10 hours worth - it came back on  - next day off for several more hours.

11.  I had to go buy a battery for my tractor/mower.  Poof!!  no power.

12.  I wrote myself notes about the Karma so I wouldn't forget.   I went to Home Depot.  As I exited and piled a few items in the back of my Flex, a car drives up really slow and a window is lowered.  Two Spanish ladies in the front a a couple of kids in the back.  The driver starts in asking if I could help them buy gas so they could continue their trip - some type of disaster back home.  These ladies spoke good English.
       When I didn't respond, the driver lady pulled a ring off her finger - flashy ring - and started telling me how it was a heirloom and she'd let me have it if only I could give them $10.   At this exact moment I noticed the other lady slip a flashy ring off her finger and hide it under her dress.  What a con.  The little kids were watching from the back seat.  What a lesson they were learning.  I told them "no"  and got into my car.   They drove slowly away - I am sure they were looking for another old guy to fleece.

13.  To end this, November rolled around.  We went to Canton to see the flea market.   I was wearing my floppy hat and looking at puppies.   A young boy - say 4th grade area - walked up to me and said, "Are you my Uncle Jake?"  What?  I looked at him as he asked again.  He told me that his Uncle Jake wore a hat like mine and had taken him on a trip through New Mexico.  Was I his Uncle Jake?
      Quickly, I looked for the hidden cameras.  Everything seemed normal.  I told him that I was not his Uncle Jake.  We had a couple more words and he walked off to be with family.   Nobody looked over and broke into laughter.  Me thinks it was a legit question by a legit young boy.
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With that Karma and I close.
Dogs are fed;  night is nigh; leftovers await my tongue; nighttime TV to watch; and video games to be played.  See ya,
m 

1st day of 2019

Listening to the radio, I heard a commercial.  Before you hit me with a "duh" let me explain.  The announcer starts talking about some guy.  He gets up in the morning, brushes his teeth, eats, breakfast, drives to the station, takes a train to town  (actually I don't remember exactly what all the guy did that morning), went to work, ate lunch, took the train home - and so forth.  The point is that a description is given of the guys common everyday events - then he goes to bed unaware that an F5 tornado will strike his town that night.
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What is implied is that he did all the common mundane things he always does not realizing that this was his last day to be alive.  I assumed the F5 tornado took him out.  When you get to my age (78) this type of thing hits home - to me.  I never know from one moment to another if it is the last moment - or (morbid thought) if it is the last moment of my wife, children, grandchildren.   It is just what it is.

One should live as if it is the last day.   Enjoy life.  Give up smoking - cut back on the drinking - drive a tad bit slower - what's the hurry? - enjoy foods that are good - play with the dog more - the list just continues.

I was loving on my Sadie tonight talking into her ear as if she could understand.  Sadie snuggles.  She puts that little furry head right under your chin and pushes  up to get closer and closer.  I stroke her and talk to her ear.  And I get a bit despondent...sad, if you will.   I wish I could go back to all of my other little critters and children and hold them again, talking into their ears as if they could understand my babbling.  I remember that "Jill" use to sit on the step of the den (converted garage) looking into the rest of the house just waiting for someone to talk to her. 

I could write this for another hour I believe.  Let's move on.
Today, January 1, 2019.    I was up around 9 - Greta was up about 9:35.  I took her to the dog pit for relief.  Sweet girl.  I watched the Rose Bowl parade marveling at the different enormous bands.  They are all so very good.  The band from Japan with its fine playing and cute little dance steps is a highlight for me.  Sometimes I believe I could watch bands 24-7.  Then, other times, not so much.  I really loved the parade today.

Lunch was our traditional Ham and Black-Eyed Peas.  Today we added BBQ sauce to the ham with sliced onions.  Good.  Yum.  3rd course was macaroni and cheese.  I have to limit how much I eat of certain foods, but when I get to enjoy them, I do.  

While my wife napped the afternoon away, I worked on my finances in order to put 2018 away and start the new year fresh.  I have a box ready for all 2018  receipts - IRS is looking over all of our shoulders.   

Not that any of you might really care, I have a method to help me with finances.   Several years ago I had some money problems.  I developed this method to keep me on the straight and narrow.  

First of all, I get a big spiral notebook from Walmart - each new year a different color.   The Walmart thing is not a part of the system; the notebook is.  2018 was bright orange (certainly not burnt orange) 2019 is bright Yellow.

I make an index at the front.  Then, each page of the book is dedicated to an existing account.  
Page 1 = Water Bill;  Page 2 = electric bill;  Page 3 = Propane company; Page 4 = AT&T - and so forth.  Each credit account is given a page whether I am using that credit account or not.  I have a page that list medical expenses - payments to any charity / church - Everything that I do which needs a paper trail.  One might have a page for House payments, another for house taxes due - I could go on with this for another few hours.

As I pay something, I notate it in the book...date, amount, check #, acct details.  This way I can check to make sure that all bills have been paid.  You might think this is overkill - and it is.  I even have a page which explains the kind of tires to buy for my Marauder....how the sprinkler system is set up....which rooms of my house have LED lights...yep, a bit obsessive.   

One thing I haven't got squared away is listing what medicines - shots the dogs need.  This bit of nonsense is really too much.  I don't understand the Vet's system.

Another reason I got into this is that at one time I worked at a place that paid me every other week.  You have to be organized to make sure everything gets paid in a timely manner and with which bi-weekly check.  I don't see how people survive that system without a plan - or even worse, what if you are paid weekly?  Gads, that would be a problem for me.

I remember that I use to pay my car insurance once every 6 months. Boy, did that not work out for me. We were teaching in Oklahoma and barely made it to the end of the month with any extra cash.  And, of course, at least one child got sick monthly.  It never failed.   Then, that dreaded insurance bill would arrive in the mail.  It was almost too much to handle.

That is what makes living fun.  Trials - can't spell Tribulations - Try-bu-lays-sions.  I got three pretty good kids out of the ranting and railing though ... so, let's move on to January 2nd and see what happens next in my future mundane happenings.  I do believe we may go to the grocery store tomorrow - always an adventure doing that.
m
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12-28-2018 A.M.

12-28-2018  10:59 a.m.  FRIDAY
Here I go again.  I will try to do this better as the year goes by.  I have come to grips with the concept that if anyone reads this, nobody ever comments.  I read other blogs and never comment.  So, I suppose it is just the way it is.  My thought now is to keep a running diary (not dairy) of daily things - just to see how that goes.  Hopefully, I will be able to create this as a habit.

Friday:  wind is brisk from north and upper 30ish temp.   lots of sun - all dogs are inside away from the chill. Greta has had 2 successful trips  to "wet" outside.  Greta, my blond 10 lb beauty, has just turned 18 years old.  She is going strong other than visual and hearing problems.  It is getting to be that she sometimes won't (or doesn't care to) make it outside in time to woo or wee  ( a previous blog entry explains those terms).  

Yesterday was Sadie's 3rd birthday.  Sadie is three years old.  She had dogie ice cream - old fajita meat - shared a can of wet dog food with the others - and I sang to her.  She only truly appreciated the food even though as a whole, she doesn't care about eating.

Bruno & Oscar on the other hand have a completely different view of eating.  LET'S EAT  24 hours a day - continuously,  And Greta just snacks sometimes if she feels like it and the moon is in its 3rd phase and I hold my mouth in just a certain way.  Eating has never been her thing.  Maybe that is why she has made it to 18 years plus.

Went to town yesterday to deposit rent check and mail real estate taxes to Ellis county for the rent house on Johnston Blvd.   Over $4000 seems like a lot for taxes on a 3 bedroom.

I checked  Walmart's post Christmas sales - everything still is too pricey at 50% off.  I may wait for the 75% sales.  I ran into the FUMC choir director and her husband at Walmart when I was trying to buy printer's ink - they were out of style 250/251.  I  looked for another insulated coffee thing for BJ ... they were out.  I did find my seal saver lubricant for my new power washer.

Went by HEB and came home.  Mail was sparse.
Back to today:  Brenda, wife, mom, BJ, girl, etc. is sleeping.  i think she found someone's cold over the holidays.  I may be on my own for lunch.  I see lunch meat sandwiches in my future.

Other than cleaning up, I charged my phone - helped dogs in and out side.  Retired our 2018 desk calendar to the IRS Pile of Papers - and have now turned on computer to do this.  We'll see how the rest of the day goes as I started taking down Christmas...