Wake Up Mister Bozo

This is yesterday.  For those of you who might have seen this posting on Facebook, I have expanded it slightly - might have even edited it just a bit.  We'll just have to wait and see.  It's early.

Before I begin.  The word "just."  I understand the need for Just and Unjust.  I can see that.  But, using it in regular conversation as I did twice above - that is inexcusable.  I first became aware of my dislike of the word back when I was teaching band and going to Friday night football games.  Every game began with the Star Spangled Banner,  2 different school songs {Alma Mater}, a speech about sportsmanship, and the nightly prayer.

As such, I have nothing against a good prayer.  Bring em on.  There for a while - with government interference, we had no prayer.  "Just" a good old moment of silence.  That lasted for a while.  

Eventually, the government turned over in the Judge Department, and prayers returned better than ever.  It was during this time that I began to notice the word JUST in prayers.  Frankly - don't mean to offend here - the word seemed to appear most often in prayers led by good Baptist.  Instead of:  "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Protect our boys in battle..."  We would get instructions to God.   "Just protect our teams."  "Just do this or that."  A good preacher could get 5 or 10 good JUST(s) in a proper prayer.  

I betcha didn't know that JUST could be plural  - see above last sentence.  

Anyway, that is just a bit off the beaten path here.  So, I just continue.   Just Yesterday morning  ---------------

I just can't wake up this morning.  it is so hard.  My cell rang & woke me - a number I've never seen.  I closed my eyes and started drifting off again.  4 minutes later it rang again - chimed really.  Different phone number calling.  Bet it's the same person  - SPAM!!  

I own this little rent house in Waxahachie (my son says Waxa-Hatchet).  Every Monday, calls ring to buy it, at a major discount of course.  Doesn't matter that it is not listed anywhere for sale.  Ya see, it is not my Homestead, therefore I pay bigger property taxes on it & anyone who checks records can see that it is not my Homestead.  Thus, it must be for sale.

I believe people go to seminars in Dallas over the weekend about how to become a millionaire in real estate.  Seminars are run by fast glib talking non-millionaires [if you get my drift].  BUT it is so hard to wake up.  The phone calls moved me, but it is so hard to wake up - focus.  GADZ, it's only 10 o'clock.  Stupid phone.  

So, I fall outta bed, & with my eyes only half open I begin to stumble towards the Necessary Room.  The older you become, the more the room becomes more of a necessity at night.  My daughter's big ole basset hound is parked / sleeping in the middle of my path.  That is so hard to navigate with one eye closed and the other still half closed.  I just can't wake.

Logically, why should I?  Been retired 20 plus years.  no plans to leave the house today.  Big morning activity will be helping my wife Brenda Joy to wash her hair { euphemism (sp?) for taking a shower}.  Feed the spouse breakfast.  Read the paper.  Watch news.  Marvel at all the stupidity.  Play around on the computer.  Might do my books, it is close to the first of the month.  Go get the mail.  Fix supper.  Watch TV a bit in the evening - did I mention yelling at the dogs for barking while my wife tries to nap in the afternoon?  read a bit from my lately acquired novel.  More TV & computer games.  It's no wonder I'm so tired & having trouble waking.

No doctor appts this week.  Think I'll try to catch a few extra winks till she wakes.  Goodnight.

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At this point I'd like to explain that I was dreaming when the cell rang.  I do that a lot.  Normally, I cannot remember one dream from another.  It must be because I was awakened out of a deep sleep.  The dream.  For some reason I needed to go to a town about 60 miles north of here - I'm guessing Waco.  I hopped into my golf cart along with somebody else that I cannot at this time identify.  Golf cart!!   I don't own a golf cart.  I really would like to own one.  I know, start a go fund me page and buy me one.                

Moving on.

I jumped in my gold cart and drove the 60 miles to the other town.   I was in the middle of I-35 tooling along.  No problems.  I just sailed along.  Whatever my business was, it ended and we jumped back into the cart and headed south - ON I-35.  No problems.  I even kicked the golf cart up to 104 mph on the way home. No problems.  Then the phone rang before I got home or arrested or run over.  Never bought gas.  Why should I?  It's a dream.  Why 104 mph?  

There is no explaining dreams.  So that's it.  I hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane...or I-35 on a golf cart.  Did I mention I was driving in the dark?  Do golf carts have tail lights?  Beats me.  I'm still waiting for you to start a go fund me page.

later.  keep smiling.  drive fast.  eat some Kentucky Fried Chicken for supper - original recipe.

m3

 

Fire ants

 I was getting ready to write sometime tomorrow.  But, tonight...

My daughter went to bed a while ago.  She was out of the bed in less than a minute.  Her entire bed was covered with fire ants.  Pillows, sheets, you name it, little black beggars crawling around looking for food.  I don't think she eats in bed.  We used a hand held vacuum on most of them.  I found them on the baseboard at the head of her bed.

Amdro.

I put Amdro all along the base board - yes, on the carpet.  Amdro is a bit oily.  We killed a million of them.  The sheets were stripped off and thrown into the washer.  Let em swim.  She only had about 3 big bites.

On her bed!!

It was dark out.  I took a flashlight and a container of Amdro outside.  I did find a small line leading into one of the brick weep holes on her wall.  Actually, it was right behind the air conditioner unit outside.  Amdro has been liberally sprinkled around the AC unit and the brick wall.  

I don't know if this spot was their entry or not.  We'll see in the morning.  Little beggars. 

If you have fire ants, remember to put ant poison around your AC.  Also, if you have a septic system, be sure to put ant poison around the  air pump.

What if a policeman had driven by while I was looking around the window outside my house with a flashlight?  I can only imagine.

That's it.  I'll try to do better tomorrow.

Have you ever heard of such a thing?  Ants in the pants, sure; but, in the bed?  

m3

practice

 Monday,

I belong to the Community Band of Central Texas.   CBOCT

Or is it the Central Texas Community Band?   CTCB

NOPE.  Going with the first name.

We meet in the Salado Middle School Band room On Thursdays from 7 till 9.

We have not had a session since last spring.  We start back this coming Thursday.  Today, I took out my trumpet and oiled the valves.  Boy were they thirsty.  I have to go buy some more valve oil soon.

I'm like normal folks.  I love to play my horn.  I hate to just practice.  /Right now I am playing my scales.  One octave from C down to low F# in half notes.   Then, 2 octaves in quarter notes starting on low F# and up until I embarrass myself with my inability to make the high notes sound.  A common problem, Tis.

I rest a tiny bit between each scale.  This is to give the old chops (lips) a slight chance to recover between scales.  This is another common practice.  If you rest a bit, you last longer and progress is made - to some degree.   Right now I am going to do my 2 octave Bb scale.   High Bb will not be a gorgeous sound.  So be it.  

Done.  The other trumpet players in the band seem to practice more than I.  Sure, I have excuses for not practicing.  Being 85 and lazy are my two biggest problems.   Now, the B natural scale.

That went okay.  Interesting to me is that my dogs don't bark when I practice.  Why izzat?  Ya know they can't like what it does to their ears.  Enough rest.  Time for the 2 octave C scale.  Then I close.

This missage is over  (missage?  a real word or a missppeelliinngg?

m    

GADS - he rants again

 remember:  Gifts are not about keeping score

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From a small bedroom, in a moderately sized fairly new house, outside a small but growing village, in a square county, in a very large State, on the southerly edge of a pretty large country, near the north of a large continent, on a small planet - the third rock from the center among a smallish solar system, on the edge of a large galaxy, deep in what seems to be a never ending universe, I sit here at my fairly low priced PC, playing with colors & typing words on my keyboard to be posted on my little known blog, in retirement, watching TV and waiting - waiting - for what?  This shall be left to the imagination of the reader - happy thoughts or somber muses  Vs. the void ... whatever THAT may be or may bring.

Well, that was fun.

Went to a Halloween carnival once that had a kissing booth - turned out to be a puppy kissing booth.

Went to a topless carwash once - turned out they didn't wash the top of your car.

Went to a fundraiser once where they sold chances on a portion of a football field - forgot what it was called - a cow was turned loose & wherever he dropped a cow patty, that square won the prize.  Cow Patty Bingo - or something like that.  Tickets weren't cheap.

Knew a rapper once who went by the name of Gershwin.  He only sold CDs which were blue in color. They were his  "rap CDs in blue."  [that's a joke]

My wife doesn't do email anymore.  I checked a while back, she had accumulated 32,061 emails.  This probably does not include her spam file.

Short term memory is not something my wife has anymore.  She does pretty well with long-term things.  I try to create events in her life that call up memories.  I figure it can't hurt.  One is the  "Tuesday Joke of the Week."  The Temple newspaper has a kid's page on Tuesdays which include a joke or riddle.   All I have to say is, "Tuesday."  She responds with "Joke of the week."   Another is when I bring her a can of Coke.  I say, "Here's your Coke."  She sings, "and get your hat. Put your worries on the doorstep."  For youngsters those are words from an old song: Sunny Side of the Street.

This memory condition has some interesting side effects.  The car radio is tuned to a 50s station.  We were in high school during the 50s.  She seems to know most of songs and sings along with them - often times clapping her hands in rhythm.  In years past she would never have sung along with any song at any time.  It seems she is losing many of her inhibitions.  I do lead her on to some extent.  During the next month, she will turn 86.  She's older than I am by 6 weeks or so.  I guess we have had a pretty good run together.   We topped our 64th anniversary this past month.  That's a long time for her to put up with my foolishness - and, I would appreciate it if nobody will give any examples of my past stupidities.  Thank you.

As the chosen caretaker, I have taken on being head chef in the Metze household.  My daughter pushes me out of the way sometimes - but, I don't care.  Menu planning is a real pain.  I have my eating disorders (purely selected by my not wanting to eat certain foods).  I don't eat broccoli.  Tried it; don't like it.  But the spouse needs to eat green stuff. So every evening I create a weird menu around what she will eat willingly and what I'd prefer to consume.  Yesterday for instance, I found some stuffed pork chops at Walmart - cheese and bacon.  Put in oven.  Added green stuff & some chicken rice from a box.  Nice meal.  I wish they had had more bacon and cheese stuffing.  Hey!  for $3.50, beggars can't be choosey.

Now, what's for tonight?  I'm considering Pepperoni Hot Pockets plus sides (salad and green stuff).  How can I go wrong.  4 days ago, hot dogs with home made chili  - plus salad and green stuff.  It was a hit even though the hot dog buns kept splitting apart and dumping the chili.  I'm thinking Sunday, it will be cheeseburger day - with salad and green stuff.   I am getting a longing for Chinese Food and good ole American BBQ.  I did read a food truck menu today on my phone.  l lb brisket = $33.  1 lb ribs = $22.  Sausage = $whatever.  Pint (not quart) of beans  = $8.  I'm getting too old for these prices.

Found a magazine I want at Walmart.  $15.  Life magazine and the Wild Wild West.  It was full of pictures and stories of the old west.  $15 - well, $14.99 plus tax.  Maybe one of you will get it for me for my birthday - or better yet - start a GoFundMe page - ask for a quarter each.  That might be hard to find - enough people with 25 cents.

I leave.  Y'all take care.  Today is Friday.  Think I'll  go tune up the microwave.

mtz, m3, Mike, etc.  My PC is returned to its resting position.

64

 Must make a point to say that today is our anniversary.   It has been 64 years.  They were not all roses and lollipops; but, they have been workable.  As we say around here:  "on to 65."

The wife's brother, who is not a spring chicken either, used FTD and sent some beautiful roses and a box of chocolate.  That was very nice.  My wife is infatuated with the roses.  Gorgeous big flowers.

I have been reading a series of books by Alan Hunter about a British detective named George Gently.  He wrote about 56 books.  All are easy reads with little to no hanky panky among the police staff.  Some stories dip into lust somewhat.   There is a BBC series based upon the books.  Colorful writings in my opinion.  Not necessarily great literature like War & Peace.  Still, I can read a few paragraphs, put the book down, and return without losing any sleep over it.

Ate out with daughters at Cracker Barrel.  Adequate.  Served it's purpose.  As we sat waiting, a rather tall, lumpy guy walked in.  He had a giant mop of blue hair and a big red ball on his nose.  His clothes were comical.  He sat at a table for two and waited.  Then she walked in.  Yes, Send in the clowns.  She had all sorts of make up, fantastic clothes, and giant shoes with bubbled toes.  They sat and ordered.  Eventually, two young ladies went over and had a conversation.  I bet they never get to eat in privacy.   In some ways you must envy these two who have the personalities to do this kind of thing.  I'm not sure I would ever be able to.  What about chu?

With that, I close.  Got to go fix my face for the day.  Everyone has to do a bit of decoration or work in order to remain on the "Most Beautiful" lists.

mtz

Idle thoughts

 Idle thoughts - and I am pretty much idle.

BUMBLE BEES:  our bee situation has stayed the same (see below).  A company is coming tomorrow to remove the bees from under our small storage shed.  The bees like living under our shed.  The company vacuums them up, digs under the shed, and removes the entire bee nest.  Bumblebees don't do the honey thing.  So they remove the entire nest including the queen and babies - yes babies - and capture as many adult bees as possible.

Then, they take them out to a certain ranch, dig a hole, plant the nest, & release the bees back into the wild.  Everyone is happy except me, who has to pay for this service, and the bees that are left behind.  My daughter is our environmentalist.  She wants to save the bees.  I am a jerk.  If left alone, I probably would have sprayed the nest with poison and moved on.  I do suppose this is the right thing to do.   I should open one of those 'help me" accounts on Facebook to pay for this.

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I started making a list of things that I want and do around the house.  I only got to four.  These are things I believe are necessary.  They make life easier around my house.

1.  In the kitchen, put a pair of "Scissors in Every Drawer."  These are the big honkin' scissors that will cut through most anything.

2.  "A pair of reading glasses in Every Room - and garage."  After my cadillac (cataract) surgery, I have to put on reading glasses for anything up close.  If I carry one pair around, invariably I break them in my pocket - and back to Walmart for another pair.  Now, I have a pair:  in the kitchen, on the dining table, hanging in the garage, beside my big comfy TV chair, by this computer, in the "water closet" for when I have a major event and need something to read while I wait it out, and beside my bed.  Eventually, I'm going to put a pair in the car...eventually.   I suggest this strongly to others who are infected with my desease.

3.  "A Box of cheap Kleenex in Every Room."   I know, I know.  I should have written "tissue" instead of "Kleenex."  My wife constantly seems to want to have a running nose.  There must be a tissue available in all household locations - sometimes 2 boxes in the same room.  She has a small trash can beside her comfy girly chair to collect them.  This can must be emptied every night before bedtime, or Bella - the tissue seeking dog - will rip them to shreds overnight and carpet the floor with same.  Is it so hard to empty a trash can nightly?  Apparently.

4.  For now the 4th thing I have learned to do in my aging youth:  "Always check my wife's jean's pockets" for spent KLEENIX before putting them in the washer.  How many times have I messed this up since I began handling the wash?    Tissue paper lining the inside of the washer & maybe the dryer.  I need a vacation from retirement.

5.  I'm sure there will be a number 5.  You can add your own to the comment list if you'd like.  It would be nice to get a bit of help with this.    How about this one.  If you turn the water on in the kitchen sink AND there is one spoon in the sink - the water will always hit the spoon and splash your shirt.  Enough.

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I had one more little thought.  It has been sorta nice that my grandgirls have grown up knowing my wife and me.  Maybe we have left them some memory which they will share with their own children, my great-grands, someday.  Of course, I have noted that the grand girls seem uninterested in me telling them about my grandparents - on both sides.  Perhaps, I will live long enough for one of them to be interested.  Perhaps.  Probably not.  I had good grandparents.  Never knew my grandmother on my father's side.  She died when he was still a young boy.  My grandfather did remarry to a lady who had a daughter my age.  That's a story all to itself for a later time.

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Final thought:  I've enjoyed watching a BBC mystery drama about George Gently - a Scotland Yard detective - policeman.  It is based on a series of books written by Alan Hunter.  I've bought a couple of the books and have enjoyed reading them.  The show is 2 hours long.  It is mostly talking type stuff with little real action...like today's action police shows.  If you can find them, give em a try.  You might enjoy.

Later - I'll be back....Mtz3

bzzzzz bzzzzz

 I know, I know.   I am posting too much.

My house has a big metal shed about 20 x 40 or so.  I don't know.  We keep a bunch of junk in it WHICH  I am always planning to sort through.  Been going to do that for about 4 years.

Behind the big shed I have a smaller storage shed which holds my mower and other garden stuff.  I keep the Christmas stuff out there.  Nobody wants to steal that stuff.

So these are located on the west side of my property - about 6 to 7 feet from the 6' wood fence.  We keep this blocked off from the dogs mainly to protect the neighbors from the bark fest.  

Normally, I might mow this area about once every week or so.  Normally.  Well, it has been over a month since it was mowed.  Part of it is about 2 ft tall.  Good grass - few tall weeds - 

Today, I mowed the yard.  It is Tuesday.  The yard needed it - To start, I moved the barricade  and drove the mower down through that strip of land.    All of a sudden there was this big ole honkin' black and gold bumblebee.  25 ft along I made the U turn to go back over the area.  

WOW!!  The whole area beside the little shed was covered with flying bees.  Easily there were 100 bees flying around.  One bee found me and zoomed over my head.  I shooed it away.  I was stuck behind the sheds.  There was only one way out of the area at that time - right through the middle of those swarming bees - big bees - big fluffy vicious bees.

My daughter is home today.  I finally got through to her with my cell and explained the problem just as she rounded the edge of the shed and quickly backed up.  Yes, she found the key to the fence gate - I was able to drive out another way & the bees were still swarming.

Didja know that certain bumblebees nest in the ground?  The whole hive is below ground with an entrance hole.  They don't do the honey thing.  Every year they'll move to a new location.  There is a bee keeper who will come collect the bees with a sorta vacuum cleaner that doesn't kill - then, he digs up the big nest and relocates the bees to another area.   We read that on Google.

So, I mowed the entire yard - no problem other than heat.  I parked my mower back into the shed and was attempting to close the door when some bees found me.  I ran  into the house but not until I was stung behind my left ear and on the underside of my right forearm.  Those stings hurt and grow in pain as time passes.  

As quickly as possible, I took a Benadryl and sat down in my big chair to wait for the pain to diminish.  I learned a couple of things today.   First of all, keep all the grass mowed down and look for the bees in the grass.  2nd if you rile up a nest, leave the area and don't return for a few hours.   3rd carry a machine gun when you do decide to return.  I understand that a water hose will knock them down for a while.

Now, I have to decide.  Do I mow that part of the yard anytime soon?  Do I call someone to relocate the bees.  How much money am I willing to spend to protect these bees from my can of poison spray.

There must be other questions.   Moving on.  I am well now.  I do not have an allergy to bee stings at this time.  Y'all take care out there even when you think you are doing a safe activity.   Wear a mask, hoodie, long pants, gloves, etc.

I need a vacation from retirement.             G'night.   M3