I need a drink - squawk

 SQUAWK =  CHIRP     = TWITTER (but not the internet)

Sometimes I don't remember what I write about - (poor English sentence structure)

So, Sooosss, I sits here at the machine looking out the window to my side.  Nothing is stirring other than an occasional working pickup truck whizzing by.  The sun is going west while my window faces east.  Sitting here with my CEFCO big gulp in my right hand looking out the window.

A bird flies by and lands in the shade outside my window.  Interesting.  He's a nice little bird - some dark color.  Could be a boy bird or a girl bird.  That has been hard for me to tell  most times.  The really pretty birds are boys - strutting about to show off for his gal.  This bird was dark.  I spoke through the window at him.  He didn't care or hear.  The big air conditioner is roaring out there.

The widdle birdy walks across the yard.  I figure he's looking for a juicy bug.  Who wouldn't be?  A nice juicy bug on a hot July afternoon lounging in the shaded grass.  That's the life of Riley.  I watch him strutt through the bermuda.  He goes over to the air conditioner - really?

My A.C. - as does yours - has a white plastic pipe coming down from the attic unit.  AC works by pulling humidity out of the air and funneling it outside into the yard.  With that bit of knowledge planted, look at my little bird.

He walks over to the white pipe and sticks his beak under it - yes, he is getting a drink of water.  Is this a smart bird?  Or do all birds know this trick?  I watched him for some time until he flew the coup.  What-do-ya-know-Joe?  I marveled.  Then, another bird landed in the grass.  This time it is a big ole black bird.  Same trick.  I marveled.

Over the past week or so, I continued to be fascinated by my parade of birds.  All sipping nectar from a dripping A.C. conveyor pipe.  I had an idea.

Out in the shed I found a small bowl - left over from somewhere - cereal bowl - or perhaps once it held mashed potatoes on a Sunday afternoon.  I don't remember.  I placed the bowl under the end of the pipe.  Within moments it began to fill with cool water - well, as cool as water can be under the circumstances.

Now I have a continual flight of birds - small, large, in between.  No Eagles yet.  They not only drink, they bathe, they stand in the water and wash food, they sip and slurp.  Why haven't I thought of this before?  FYI: some stand on the edge of the bowl and put their beaks in the water - sidewise.  I suppose they can't suck in water so they trap it inside the beak.   

I enjoy this show.

Join me - find a dish and join the sloshing.  Who knows, maybe a passing rabbit or dog or elephant will make a short stop.  I'm waiting.

Mike #3

water blues

 

good title.  water blues. debated typing "water bluz."  "Is it too subtle," I said to myself.  Note the color of this print.  too subtle?

My house has a strange quirk.  When you turn on the water hose, you hear this high pitched sound throughout the house.  On the good side, the noise helps me remember to shut off the spigots.  Really strange - not a hammering that you often hear in older homes, but  a high pitch sorta moan.  Oh well.

I am assuming that it is caused by small pipes and too much water pressure.  Am NOT going to tear out all my pipes and redo the whole house.  "Live with it," I say.

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I stay up fairly late messin' with the computer and watching TV by myself.  Nothing is ever accomplished.  It is what I do & have done since I could choose my own bedtime.  In my younger teaching days, I'd stay up watching Johnny Carson while I typed and prepared for the next school day.  It is what I did...and do.

Thus, being retired, my preference is to sleep late - maybe 9 or 9:30.  What else is there to do?

This morning at - say - 6:35 or so - my wife rolled out and went into the bathroom.  Don't know why that woke me up.  I looked at clock and turned back over.  (Remember I am close to deaf without hearing aids - I don't hear everything.)

As I started to doze, I heard the fan in the bathroom turn on.  That's something since I rarely hear the fan running when I am standing in there.  A minute or so later, the wife walks out of the room and asks what that noise is.  That Noise Is?  I rolled my eyes still hidden behind the sleeping eyelids.  Huh? Oh?  What? Sure?  Do what?

The fear hit me.  What is that noise?  Oh no, the Air Conditioner motor is going out.  Boy it is loud.  I squirreled out of bed, put on the house shoes, and shuffled blindly into the bathroom.  It wasn't the fan.  The noise got louder as I neared the water closet  ( a cute name for the toilet hidden behind a door ).  I know, some neighbor must be  running a big machine outside.  It sounded like an enormous compressor - a machine grinding away at space...The fear continued.  I looked at the ceiling.

The air cond unit runs down the middle of the house in the attic.  I moved towards the L.R. & made sure the A.C. was turned off.  It made no difference to the sound.  On to the other side of the house.  The sound diminished.  Why?   I was standing right under the A.C.  no sound.  Moving to the front door, the sound increased slightly.  I opened the front door and walked around to the outside A.C. unit.  Quiet and Still.  nothing there.  This makes no sense.  

A quick trip to the garage, pull down the ladder, and climb into the attic.  It was so quiet I could have paused for a relaxing nap.  So, it is not the A.C. -  ??? that was a question mark ???  Back to the bedroom, "wham bang" it was still crunching loudly along.  I don't understand.  one last thing.

I opened the back door.  Maybe a neighbor out back was running a pool cleaning service or helicopter landing pad.   Then, I saw it.

(at this point I should pause for a commercial.  since I have nothing to sell, we go on)

The spigot on the back of the house outside the bedroom window was spewing water,  It was where the water hose connected to the spigot - y'know, one of those government mandated attachments to keep water from going back into the house pipes.   Water spewing.  I trudged over and turned off the water faucet - the noise stopped.

We have a water hose attached which waters the garden if you turn on the timer and the faucet.  My daughter had turned it on as she went to work.  It should have shut off and BEEN QUIET.  It didn't.  I do not understand the pipes in this house. What a noise.

By now I am awake.  Going back to bed was an option; then, my wife said, "I can't find my phone."  I gave it up - look for a lengthy nap in the p.m. hours.

I wish you could have heard the noise.  I'm asking for all you profession, semi-professionals, and amateur plumbers to lend me your expertise.  Best plan?  Sell the house, and start over.  Maybe, don't water the garden at 6 a.m.

more later [or not],

m3  

Gonna ramble here

Since it has been about a month since I visited my blog/bloggy/blug/bluggy/blooper,  I figure it is about time to let you know I'm still alive - I'm Alive!

Sitting here looking out my window at the dying grass, my dog Sadie reclined in the door way - tail wagging - trying to get my attention...she has just been fed and is as contented as a small dog can be on a full stomach -- but the dying grass.  I don't know what to do.  Water company has put us all on class 3 restrictions, water once a week and turn off you front yard fountains ... don't have a fountain.  Instead I have a blow up Uncle Sam using electricity in celebration of the 4th.  There is probably a Level 3 electric restriction somewhere.

I water on Wednesday.  Today is Wednesday.  Forgot this morning.  will water tonight, which brings up another issue for me.

I got my water bill last week.  It showed that I had used 58,000 gallons of water.  58,000.  That is a big number.  Sure, I watered my lawn twice a week - it was only level 2 restrictions then.  Last year, I never used more than 28,000 even in the hottest weather.  

{ Aside: did ja know that the word hottest has 3 Ts?  I tried it with 2 Ts, but "spell check" reprimanded me.  So it is ==>  Hot Test not Hot Est.  I bet I'd have missed that one on my 6th grade spelling test. }

The water company came out & said I had a water leak.  I know where it is.  The Sprinkler System has a leak.  I did some tests around.  That's it.  So, if I run the sprinkler tonight, I will water the lawn - AND - I will water somewhere else with my water leak.  Can anyone, other than me, see the potential for an enormous sprinkler system fixit repair bill?  Didja know that stage 4 restrictions are BUCKET watering only.  That is a joy to look forward to.  

"Whar's mah bucket, Maw?"

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Outside my window and down about 10 feet is our outside A.C. unit.  It hums and hums all day long.  As you know, the A.C. pulls moisture out of the air and drips it outside via a white pipe.  Now, lately I've notice birds flying down and landing outside my window - looking for bugs?  Nope.  They walk over to that white pipe and get a drink of water.  There is my outside water fountain.

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I bought a propane tank for my outside grill.  We've lived here for 2 years without firing up the grill.  When we moved, nobody would transport the old tank here - guess there is a law about propane transportation.  $58 at our HEB Grocery store.  It was here for the 4th.  My daughter bought some steaks, veggies, and potatoes for a very nice feast.  There are leftovers if you're interested.

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Little black bird with a white stripe on the side of his head walking south by my window - gonna guzzle my Stage 3 water supply.

Here's a bit of a medical thing.  You know that I am old:  82 and a half.  My wife is now 82 and three quarters.  Yes, she is older than I.  She's had a bit of a problem moving around.  Fear of falling is almost as bad as actually hitting the ground. {and we learn that hitting is really HIT  TING not Hit  Ing. It is good to learn new things.}  She has signed up for some physical therapy.  They give her exercises.  I do them with her.  Some days I cannot believe how good a person that I yam.   Up-down-up-down 10 times.  Loving it.

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I miss going to the Canton Flea Market (1st Mondays).  The distance from here is too far for just one day of looking.  There is nothing I need to buy.  There is nothing for my cash supply to liberate.  Maybe I need a new purple martin house.  I miss going to their dog town and looking at the puppies. Everyone tells me that I don't need another puppy.  What do they know?  I'd love to have another female wire-hair dachshund to go with me until I am gone.

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To finish this up, a little political comment:

WHAT  ARE  YOU THINKING ????  MORONS !!!!

Love,

m3

Hot in Salado

 H

    O

          T

              

IN

T

   E

        X

             A

                  S

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Reminds me of a poem that a really smart person said I could recite to my students during band class.  He never explained why I should.  I'm thinkin' he was coveting my job.  I could be wrong.  Rarely am I.  

POEM BY WHO KNOWS - Probably was stolen from the Milton Berle show.

##########################################################

Spring has sprung.

Fall has fell.

Summer's comin'.

and it's Hot as ......

well ya'know, it's gonna get really hot.

They're already talking heat index and "feel's like" temperatures.

And during all this heat, some guy or gal will come running by my house in shorts and a tank top sweating and dripping...happy he is getting into shape by suffering.  And a holier than thou smile hiding the grimaces.

No pain, No gain.  I heard that throughout high school and college.  

They are wrong.  I have chosen not to have that pain - and I certainly have gained.  So there.

My Fair Lady =>  Mad dogs and Englishmen come out in the midday sun.

I'm neither.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I'm wonderin'  -- when it's 100 degrees in Texas ... go south into Mexico - let's say Cancun - is it not 100 degrees in Cancun too?  They're on the water, so we know they are not at a higher altitude.  Maybe it is attitude?  The Bahamas - or any other tropical paradise - surely they are as hot as Texas.  Surely.  I bet I could find that online.  Suppose I'd have to be motivated to look.

later,

m   (94 degrees right now in Salado)

Pot Pouring (potpourri)

Potpourri - according to Wikipedia - no wait, who cares?  look it up yourself.    Even though this may have an aroma, it is just words on the page.  On my phone they list the Wikipedia explanation followed by an Amazon adv. for poo-pourri .... that would be toilet spray.  But my favorite addition from my phone are the potential alternate words:  melange, pastiche, hodgepodge, mishmash, patchwork.  

That is what this is.

#1  tear jerker sorta:  Local Salado Village Voice (you should get a subscription) has an article about a 99 yr old guy named Carl Reid.  He lives in a veterans hospital in Big Spring, TX.  He was in World War II as an 18 year old.  When asked what he wanted for his birthday, he said, "I want 100 birthday cards."  Actually, the article just says "cards."  I assume they mean birthday cards.  If he wants a deck of cards (that's 52 cards + jokers), he only needs 2 decks to reach his goal.

I have my card selected, stamped, and signed.  It goes out tomorrow.  What?  the cost of a stamp and a cheap card?  Make an old man happy.  address is:

Mr. Carl Reid     

Re:  100 for 100

c/o Lamun-Lusk-Sanchez Texas State Veterans Home

1809 N. Hwy 87    Big Spring, TX 79720

it is a nice thing to do.    When I reach 100, send me cash.

_________________________

#2  I've noticed as I age that Gravity is becoming a bigger and bigger part of my life.  I suppose it was there when I was younger, but who paid attention?  Today, getting dressed, I dropped a sock three times.  This is not so serious.  Yet, I had to bend over three times to pick it up.   Not long after, I got this pill out of its RX plastic container.  I laid it on top of my metal drinking cup which has a lid and a straw.

I fumbled around & hit the cup.  The stupid pill got right up and rolled down the straw hole into the liquid.  This might not be so bad except the pill was my wife's prescription.  I didn't need it at all.  All was poured down the drain, and I started again.  Gravity took the ice and liquid down the drain.

Gravity rules my life.  My stomach is affected too.  Without gravity I might look like the "old" Arnold Swartzenneiger  - I was right.  His name went straight to spell check as wrong.  doesn't matter.  you know who I mean.  The OLD Arnold from years past.  

People are paying millions of dollars to fly into space and experience no gravity.  Well, that is the "GRAVITY" of the situation.  I could give you numerous examples.  Bet you have your own.  Is it best to have gravity?  or is the moon a better place to be with less?  Your decision.   I am (ready?)  DROPPING the subject right now.

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#3 The final nonsense.  Reading Heloise's column in the Temple Paper, someone wrote in about getting hot toast out of the toaster.  Well, yeah, that is a thing.   I usually use a fork or a knife.  Their instructions say, "No, don't use a fork or a knife."  I dood it anyway.  Maybe I'll be electrocuted and my family can sue the toaster company for riches.  If you can sue McDonald's for hot coffee or chicken nuggets, why not the toaster folks?

Back to Heloise.  The writer told of giving her friend a set of toaster tongs.  Have you ever heard of anything like that?  toaster tongs!  surely not.  Off to Amazon.Com.  type in toaster tongs.   Hundreds of toaster tongs came up.  Where have I been all these years.  Bamboo ones,  plastic ones, ones with cute fingers, others with a magnet, red, blue, green, you name it.  toaster tongs.

I look around the kitchen and found that I own several toaster tongs that are presented in the advertisement.  I chose a red one to match our red toaster.  It works.  This all happened on Tuesday.  Forever in my house Tuesdays will be known as:

TOASTER TONG TUESDAYS!!

Complete your life now.  Get a pair today.  I have; and, my life is better for it.

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#4  Medical.  For those who keep up.  Gave a jar of blood yesterday for testing.  My PSA is still below .01     they call it <.01    I suppose I will live a little bit longer now.

love ya

m

I'm sad

 Short.

Went out back with dogs.  I looked at garden.  Big dog was by the fence barking at neighbor.  I went over and shushed her.

As I walked back, a bird flittered by me and landed on a fence.  It was a baby learning to fly..

I thought I could get passed it without causing panic.  I was wrong.

It tried to fly away from me landing in the grass 20+ yards away.

My dog Sadie ran and grabbed it.  Dead in less than a second.   A male red winged blackbird was flying in and out of the encounter.  Sadie killed a baby bird.  I'm sad.  Nothing to do now.

Misc report - disasters and otherwise

June 1st - year 2023 - nice day - sun shining - sprinkler system worked this morning with no problems - 3 dogs in residence today - #1 child working today - wife watching TV and coloring - I'm taking care of business online and other places because it is the 1st of the month.  Note:  today starts Pride Month.  Worthless events highlighted by the press as wonderful.  We move on.

We just returned from a flying trip (in the car) to Lubbock for my #3 and last grandgirl's high school graduation from Frenship High.   Nobody knows why it is spelled Frenship - just cause.  

It was a nice event running 635 or more students across the stage in about an hour.  No speaker other than H.S. Salut and Valdic - they were just fine.  Being somewhat deaf, I'm not sure what they projected for the future.  Both speeches got right to the point and included only a bit of remembering childhood.

We left Friday - attended a grad party of Sat. - grad was at 3 p.m. on Sunday.  Yes, Sunday.  They had it at the United Supermarket Spirit Arena - or whatever it is contractually named.  The Lubbock schools had the arena booked up on Thur/Fri/& Sat.  The place was full of screaming mommas and other relatives.  Since I got out of high school, I don't suppose I have held these Commencement Services in too high of regard.  Mine was important of course.  Theirs?  not so much obviously.

One of my bits is to send Graduation Cards in the mail.  I sent each of grandgirls cards.  The bit is to send more than one.  Each received maybe 10 cards spread out over 3-4 weeks.  Some were serious; most were dumb.

Since I taught 38 years, I attended 38 high school graduations, some better than others.  Some were like attending a circus - I particularly remember Tascosa H.S. in Amarillo as close to riots.  Tascosa had recently (3 or 4 years earlier) gone through a court case in which the name Rebels was removed by the court.  They were no longer the Tascosa Rebels and by court order, the rebel flag could not be flown AND Dixie could not be played as the fight song. Thus, locals who were irritated would bring rebel flags and whistle Dixie - so forth.

Aside: the administration with student help picked a new mascot -  The Rebel Kid.  Drawn as a cowboy with a gun.  So, they were still the Rebels, weren't they?

At graduation one year I was there, someone figured out how to get into the rafters of the Amarillo civic center.  They installed a garage door opener.  At the appropriate time, the opener worked pulling out a large Rebel flag and a tape player blaster out Dixie from the ceiling.   I wonder what that cost. How did they find the electricity up that high.  It was effective to a degree.  The students loved it and the Administration was duly embarrassed.  Tascosa was always a circus.

But, enough of that.  We enjoyed the Lubbock trip while we were there.  The 300 mile drive each way is another story.

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On Tues. before we left, my wife was at the front door watering out inside plants.  She has her little watering can - bends over a bit and sprinkles.  Something went wrong - perhaps a dog running through or ? who knows.  She got top heavy and went down.  Nothing serious.  Nobody even knew it except her.   A few moments later, Christine walked through the room and saw blood all over BJ's white shirt.  My wife was unaware that she was cut.

I was called back inside.  We looked.  There was a cut behind her ear and blood had squirted out.  By the time I arrived, it was not bleeding - surface cut.  

After a bit of dabbing and attempting to clean, the shirt was changed - a call was made to local Baylor Scoot & White clinic (4 p.m. plus) - and a quick trip was made to the doctor's.  No doctors were there at 4 p.m. of course on this Tuesday.  A nurse practitioner or maybe just a nurse gave aid.  I stayed in the waiting room while the 2 girls went to the back.  I don't care to watch blood.

BSW was fantastic.  2 stitches went in and cleaning took place.  It was a good experience considering. $5 Copay.  Of course I may get a bill later for $5 million.   Yesterday, out came the stitches.  Another fine experience, considering.   no copay this time.

Life is full of these little dramas.   We have a theory that she bumped the side of her head slightly against the corner of the piano bench just enough to tear the skin.  

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another event perhaps worth reciting:  while in Lubbock we completed our doctor papers  - the ones where you give someone else the right to decide your medical fate.  A friend of the family came over and did the notary work. Papers have been signed and posted.  Another joy-of-living taken care of...

more later if there be a later,

M3

p.s. not proof reading this.  You correct errors for me.