Lucy Volume II

“. . .Has Left the Building”

2012-02-04T20:40:00.002-05:00

For many years, beginning when our boys were young, I have attended soccer games, baseball games, karate competitions. Cole was 5 when he started playing baseball. He also played soccer for one season and basketball for a couple of seasons. Owen and Levi have both played touch football. Bella just started volley ball. We have seen our share of kid sports.

Today Noah had a basketball game. I have mentioned before that I don’t really enjoy watching my grandsons play basketball. The sport is rough, the coaches are too critical and too competitive. They seem to coach with a mindset of win at all costs. The parents are overly invested in the game and winning. Some of the parents put the mothers of little beauty queens to shame.

In today’s game, an event happened that I’ve never seen in any young people’s sporting event. In the first period, which was 8 minutes long, the refs called 18 fouls on our team and probably a like number for the other team, and one referee yelled at the opposing coach for some reason. From his remarks I gathered that he thought the coach was being disrespectful to him. We were sitting near the coach, and I didn’t hear him raise his voice. I suppose he could have made a remark that we didn’t hear though. Both officials were being quite unpleasant to the players. Most of the time the referees try to teach the children. When they commit an infraction, they explain it them. Today these guys were just snotty.

When the period ended, both coaches tried to talk to the refs, explaining that these young players were 12 years old and under, not pros. One ref began yelling and told our coach to sit down. Our coach was being polite and never raised his voice. He didn’t impugn the man’s integrity or tell him where to go or make any suggestions that are anatomically impossible. He just looked him in the eye and kept standing. The ref was ready to throw him out of the building.

At that point, the vice president of the league who was running the clock jumped up out of his seat and tried to calm the troubled waters. The ~~idiot~~ referee was having none of it. As a result, the VP tossed the referees out of the building telling the players and the parents that those officials would never be used again. Everyone applauded when they left the building.

The coaches decided to continue to play the game as a scrimmage and reschedule the game, if possible, later in the season.

I have seen players ejected from games, coaches ejected from games, and parents ejected from games. I have never seen officials ejected from games. That was a first for almost everyone at the game, I think.

Growing Younger Every Day

2012-02-01T17:58:00.001-05:00

Stephen King’s 1991 mini-series, “Golden Years,” tells the story of an older man who stops aging and grows younger. Interesting premise. Where would it end? In the womb? Or would he simply cease to exist when he reached the moment of conception. It’s sort of like the incredible shrinking man. How small could he become? Did he shrink into nothingness or did he still exist in the cosmos the size of atomic particles?

Mr. Fixit and I were married when I was 20 and he was 28. At the time, the gap between us seemed to be large. In fact, some people thought it was too big a gap. When I was 32 and he was 40, it seemed still to be quite a difference. Even when he retired at 66, the gap seemed to be wide because of the length of time I had to wait to collect my SS benefits. Then after my SS kicked in, it seemed the gap disappeared.

Now as the character in King’s series, Mr. Fixit seems to be getting younger than I. In the last few years, he has had his heart fixed twice; it’s now almost as good as it ever was according to Dr. Doofus. He had his hernia fixed again. He now has help with his hearing, but that doesn’t count. It’s funny about those hearing aids; he can hear everyone except me. He’s had a colonoscopy; everything there is fine. Now he has an appointment next week to fix his eyes. If they decide to remove the cataract, he will be able to see much better.

As I see it, he’s getting younger with every doctor visit. Soon he will be the spring chicken and I will be the doddering old lady. Medical science is wonderful!

Also in the News

2012-01-27T15:51:00.002-05:00

Headline on Yahoo! News

Attribution: ABC New/Good Morning America

“Paula Deen Caught Eating a Cheeseburger”

It seems that Ms. Deen, television chef, caused a furor in the last week or so when she “admitted” that she has type 2 diabetes and is now a paid spokesperson for a medicine to treat the condition.

I can see how some might think she brought it on herself after seeing some of her recipes. One they showed several times was a burger with all the fixin’s on a donut. Okay, that was over the top, but who in their right mind would eat something like that? Is it possible she was just pokin’ a little fun at ya’ll?

I have a news flash for the writer of the cheeseburger story. Unless that cheeseburger had barbecue sauce or some other condiment with sugar, the cheeseburger is okay for a diabetic to eat. It’s not the calories that are so important—it’s the carbs we have to watch. Of course, overweight is a factor when dealing with the condition, but even if you are overweight you can control the blood sugar levels by avoiding the carbs.

Let’s break it down. A cheeseburger usually consists of a hamburger patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, onion, pickle, and a bun. Some people may choose to include catsup or mustard. Meat and cheese (proteins) have little or no carbs; lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion less than 5 unless you use a whole tomato on one burger; mayo, no carbs. Now we come to the bun. Depending on the size and ingredients, a bun can be as little as 20 carbs for a “lite” bun to as much as 55 for a huge burger at a fast food emporium. Even if it were on a big bun, 60 grams of carbs is low for a meal. The calorie count may be high, but the carb count is low. Some people need to get their facts straight before taking others to task for something which, apparently, they know nothing about.

(So often I have heard people say when talking about over-weight low-income people, “They sure don’t look like they’ve missed many meals.” They are overweight because beans, pasta, potatoes, bologna, biscuits, gravy, and cornbread are a heck of lot cheaper that meat, vegetables [cauliflower was $4.00 a head last week locally, as an example], and fruit.)

Then were is nurture vs. nature. Some of us have a predisposition for diabetes. It not exactly described as hereditary but it does run in families. In my family, it goes back to my great grandmother. But, of course, some of it does go to nurturing. My mother who over-weight has a great cure for depression. Not drugs, but “eat something, you’ll feel better.” Needless to say, it became my cure, too. I must have been really depressed. There is also the way my family cooked. My grandmother was from Alabama. Everything vegetable she cooked was seasoned with bacon drippings or fatback. Chicken was fried, and the ice cream was home-made in the hand-cranked machine.

Ms. Deen has been criticized for her southern cooking, with some implying that it was her diet that was directly responsible for her condition. They are also blaming her for putting others in harm’s way by touting her recipes to the general public.

There are several contributors to developing diabetes, but I certainly don’t blame my family for my predisposition to it or for the way my family cooked, or my mother’s choice for handling depression. At some point, I made the decision to continue overeating. It was ME, not my family, not some cook on television. I should have made better decisions and then I perhaps I wouldn’t be shunning all the White Stuff that I love to eat. I wouldn’t be worried about losing body parts, kidney function, and sight.

And Paula Deen shouldn’t be blamed for obesity and diabetes. And if she wants to have a burger, it’s not really such a bad choice. (But we all know that we should watch those calories, too, dammit!)

In the News

2012-01-27T10:47:00.002-05:00

Headline on Yahoo! News

“Low IQ and Conservative Beliefs Linked to Prejudice”

Was that splat I heard something hitting the fan?

And was that strange fluttery noise the sound of ruffled feathers?

This study should be fodder for “interesting” discussion.

Note: Article Byline - Stephanie Pappas, Live Science. com

An Open Letter to CBS News Division

2012-01-25T10:15:00.001-05:00

While I applaud you efforts to improve your morning show, I, a humble viewer, would like to offer one small suggestion. Someone should tell Ms. King to shut the hell up! She talks over Erica Hill and interrupts both her co-anchors and guests. She comes across to me as abrasive with some guests. Perhaps “abrasive” is not the word I’m looking for. I think “snotty” is a better choice.

I was so looking forward to the changes so that I would not have to endure the cooking, wine-tasting, and Willard Scott on NBC. Robin Roberts on GMA has a tendency to become giggly and simpering when interviewing the celebrity du jour and the new guy seems to be wannabe stand-up comedian masquerading as a morning anchor. Maybe it’s just me, but I find giggling, simpering, and one-liners a little grating in the morning.

Well, now. I feel ever so much better. I shall lick the cream from my face, retract my claws, and take a catnap. Enough cattiness for today.

The Fixit Family News

2012-01-21T21:28:00.002-05:00

Harrowing Ride

Part of Mr. Fixit’s family is on the way to South America for a visit. They had a long layover in Atlanta so Mr. Fixit decided to make the 130 mile trip (one way) to see them at the airport.

The weather became a big problem. We ran into torrential rain on I85 almost as soon as we hit the interstate, and it continued most of the way. We had to pull off the road several times because of the visibility problem.

When we were about 2/3 of the way there, they called to say they were still on the ground at LaGuardia in NY because of the severe weather in Atlanta. We went on a few more miles, and then Mr. Fixit decided to turn around and come back home. There would have been very little time to see them, and we didn’t want to drive back after dark.

Bo-o-r-r-ed!

Some time ago Mr. Fixit became a fan of VH1. Every time I walked by, there it was. Thank Heaven, that didn’t last long.

Now he has watched every western known to man, the weather is keeping him indoors, and the boys don’t have anything for him to do (handy-man stuff at the trailer park for one son or inspection work for the other), he is super-bored. He found RFD TV. He watches blue grass performers, polka dancers, country dancing, and animal husbandry shows. I hope this doesn’t last long. That blue grass music gets on my nerves.

Too Sweet

I have never been accused of being too sweet, but since Christmas, I have been very sweet. For some reason, my blood sugar jumped higher than it’s ever been before. My meds haven’t changed, so I don’t know what’s causing the problem. With my meds, I could eat almost anything I wanted if I regulated the amounts. No full bags of chips and whole cartons of regular ice cream.

I’ve had to cut back on the carbs, eating only a quarter of the amount suggested by the nutritionist to keep the levels within a reasonable range. It’s almost like being on the Atkins diet.

I want white stuff! Bread, pasta, chips, potatoes, etc! However, when we went to a check-up from Mr. Fixit’s cardiologist, there was a man there who had lost a leg at the hip because of diabetes. I guess I can do without the white stuff. When I die, I would like to go with all my visible parts attached.

Politics

And the winner is—Newt! The people in this state just astound me. When Clinton was accused of infidelity, the good Christian people of the state were ready to impeach him. He was called every nasty name in the book. I think some would have liked to have seen him drawn and quartered. The rallying cry was “Family Values.”

At least Clinton’s wife was not suffering from cancer as Newt’s first wife or suffering from a degenerative disease like his second wife when he kicked them to the curb. His business ethics are quite “flexible,” too, it seems. But Newt pulled off the win. It’s scary and sad how some people can say one thing one time and say the opposite thing when it suits their own points of view and prejudices.

Does anyone remember who put this country in the mess it’s in today? It seems to me the economy tanked before the election of President Obama.

The Book Project

What a lot of work!

The shelved paperbacks have now been put in order and “catalogued.” (That spelling looks completely wrong.) Climbing up and down that ladder was strenuous for me.

I have started the hard-covers. One book case is finished, and the stacks on a table in my bedroom and stretched across the dresser top are about half done. There is a box under the bed, and another bookcase in the living room to go. Then they must be sorted and put in order.

That leaves the seven or eight big bankers’ boxes in the garage with more paperbacks to be cataloged (that spelling doesn’t look right either. I looked it up and both are correct though. It just looks wrong.

It’s going to be very hard for me to get rid of them.

Politics

2012-01-17T14:11:00.000-05:00

With most of the Republican presidential candidates in our state flooding the airways with negative ads and another debate in the near future, I suppose it's time to talk about politics--No, let's not.

What Is This World Coming To?

2012-01-11T19:26:00.001-05:00

It’s time for forget about the strangeness that’s ongoing in the political arena; it’s time to worry about the really important stuff.

Hostess Cupcakes has filed bankruptcy! Say it ain’t so, Joe!

I never cared much for Twinkies; they were too sweet. My favorites were the pink and white Snowballs. You know, the devil’s food cupcake covered in marshmallow and coconut. I also liked the chocolate ones with the white loopy design on top.

When Mr. Fixit and I were first married, he worked second shift. Every day he took one Twinkie in his lunch for dessert. After Ben was born and he could eat big people food, I had to put in two Twinkies. Mr. Fixit would leave one in his lunch box for him. That was the first thing Ben looked for in the morning when he got up. He always had dessert after breakfast.

I can hardly believe that this bit of Americana is going by the wayside. Is nothing sacred? Get out there and have a Twinkie!

___________________________

I am 66 years old, and every time I try to spell “dessert” or “desert'” I have to look it up. I must have a mental block.

Good-bye Old Friends

2012-01-08T22:17:00.001-05:00

This weekend I began a major project that turned out to be a little more involved that I thought. I decided I would try to sell all my books on line. The project involves inventory and re-shelving. In order to sell I have to know what I have and where each book is physically located. I devised a data base that makes it go a little faster, but climbing up and down the ladder and moving books from one place to the other is tiring and time-consuming.

I read cozies, thrillers, and mysteries mostly. My sleuths are police detectives, private detectives, a gay detective, a native Alaskan woman, a female forest ranger, authors, crossword puzzle creators. I have series that include sleuths who cater, cook, quilt, knit, edit newspapers, etc. Nuns, priests, and rabbis also have a nose for crime. One brainy solver is physically challenged, some are elderly, some are physic. All are interesting.

The biggest problem may be letting them go. As I look at each one, I see so many that sound interesting and I have no memory of the plots. I have read every book on the shelves, some more than once, so it’s such a temptation to save them to read later. It going to be so hard to lose my old friends.

I’m looking on the bright side. Maybe they won’t sell.

In Preparation

2012-01-05T19:07:00.002-05:00

Disclaimer: Jason, I have not been told that my time is short. The following are just some things that I have been thinking about lately. I plan to be around for a while longer, but I would like to get a head start on some of the practicalities of dying.

When I was young, I could not envision my own death. Death was something that was not going to happen to me. Even though I experienced the death of all my immediate family members, my dying seemed impossible until the last few months. Then a few things occurred that brought the reality of my mortality.

Even though Mr. Fixit and I have discussed aging and death, it is generally in a light-hearted way. “It’s time for you to learn how to use the kitchen appliances in case I die first.” He has said that he hopes he’s dies first because he doesn’t know how to pay bills using electronic banking. Once he told me that he never wanted to go into a nursing home. I told him I would rather go into a nursing home than to be a burden on the children. He changed his mind when he thought about it.

Not long ago, the subject came up in a conversation with my older son and his wife. We told them our preferences if we should ever need care. I was a bit surprised, though, when I realized that they had probably discussed the subject.

I just cannot justify disrupting their lives and the lives of the grandchildren by being dependent on them for my basic needs. I think perhaps I wouldn’t feel that way if I had daughters. It would be too much to ask of a daughter-in-law and too humiliating to have my sons assisting with, say, hygiene. I’m sure the grandchildren would come to resent the upheaval that comes with having old folks living with them. My boys and their families are extremely busy people who have their own lives to live.

Dying has been on mind more than a bit lately. Of course, there is a little fear of the unknown, but that doesn’t prey on my mind as much maybe as it should. I hope that I can go easy with little pain. I guess we all hope for that. Also I hope I don’t live so long that people would see my death as a relief. I try to think of it as a release from the more unpleasant parts of living. That gets me through the day.

It’s the aftermath of it that worries me. For instance, I really don’t want anyone going through my personal belongings after I’m dead. It really makes me cringe to think about anyone, including Mr. Fixit, going through my underwear drawer and my closet.

I also know that when the time comes there will be a basket full of to-be-ironed clothes, and I’m sure the refrigerator may harbor a few of those little plastic storage containers with unidentifiable green, fuzzy stuff in them. The kitchen floor will look as if it hasn’t been mopped in a month of Sundays, and the bathroom will be in great need of a good cleaning. I wonder if there is a service like those people who clean up crime scenes who would get rid of my things and give the house a good cleaning. I wouldn’t mind having strangers cleaning out my drawers and closet and giving the house a cleaning before anyone sees it.

I guess the real answer is to throw away any holey underwear I may have now and to keep my house cleaner.

I will never have pets after the ones I have now are gone. No one would take care them or love them like I do. Who else would cook chicken just for them?

What about all the pictures of my family? I scanned and put them on CD’s a few years ago, but I just can’t bring myself to destroy the pictures themselves. I know, however, that my children have no interest in them. They never had a relationship with my family, so to them, those pictures have no emotional ties. So will those pictures end in the landfill when I’m gone? I have considered burning them now. I also scanned Mr. Fixit’s family pictures so they will have those.

I have some old reports cards that I kept simply because they have my dad’s signature on them. Isn’t that silly? Those reports cards would have absolutely no value to anyone but me.

I think I have decided to try to sell my books and my crafty stuff. No one in the family has any interest in those things either.

As a matter of fact, there is very little in the house that the children would want. If I start getting rid of things now that I really don’t need, it will save them a lot of work, and it will save me the embarrassment of knowing that a loved one will see my not so new underwear.

Star Light, Star Bright

2012-01-04T11:19:00.001-05:00

Last evening (actually this morning) was the great meteor shower of 2012. Since in my 66 years I haven’t seen a meteor shower (the odd “shooting star” once or twice), I decided that I would see this one. Who knows if I will have the opportunity again? According to our news, it was to become visible about 2:30 am stay visible until daybreak. I thought it was a little later, but I guess I misheard the times; I started my vigil at 4:00 am. According to news sources, there were to be 60 to 70 meteors streaking through the sky every hour.

I wanted to go outside on the deck for a better view, but I didn’t want to run into the nocturnal denizens of our yard. My bedroom window faces northeast and that is the direction for the shower to pass through. I discovered that the heavenly show would be in the vicinity of the handle of the Little Dipper. It was very cold last night and many stars were visible, but I couldn’t find the Little Dipper, Draco, or any other grouping. I have never been able to tell one constellation from the other.

I stood at my window and searched the sky. I wanted to see the spectacular event! 4:15 am came and went—not one meteor. 4:30 followed with no sighting. I was getting a crick in my neck as I scanned the sky from the horizon to almost directly above the house.

Finally! At 20 minutes before 5 am, I saw it! One little lonely meteor that was visible for only a blink of the eye. I waited for another half hour but gave up seeing the celestial show that I had anticipated. At least I did see that one little gem.

I forgot to make a wish.

A Lovely Way to Spend the Day

2011-12-27T10:34:00.001-05:00

Today on TCM:

1) The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

2) The Maltese Falcon

3) Casa Blanca

If “The Caine Mutiny” were to be shown, I could have frittered away almost the whole day.

___________________________

TCM had a very nice tribute to those in the movies industry, from big name stars to those behind the cameras, who died this year. Very nicely done.

Situational Ethics

2011-12-23T10:49:00.002-05:00

When Mr. Fixit was hospitalized back in October, he was transferred from one hospital to the other. We have received the bill from the second one he was in, and I have paid the bill in full for our share of the costs.

The first hospital still hasn’t send us a bill, but I received a statement from our insurance carrier indicating that we owe a hefty amount for the amounts not covered. I have been holding my breath every day waiting for the mail. It’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

My ethical problem is this: I know I should call and ask about the bill, but I haven’t done it yet. Why? Because Christmas is almost here, and I needed the money that I know is due the hospital. I also have to pay the taxes on the house before Jan. 15 so that I won’t incur penalties and interest on that amount.

So by a “sin of omission” I have not acted ethically, and my conscience is hurting a little. The fact that I hope they don’t send a bill until January makes it seem even worse.

I guess my ethics are only important when my bank balance isn’t involved. That’s not a pleasant realization for me.

______________________________________________

My conscience is now clear.

Today about an hour after I wrote the above post the mailperson delivered THE BILL. Yeah, I should have known better than to tempt Fate. Tempt Fate and get kicked in the butt. To add insult to injury, there was a snippy little note telling me the amount was past due, and it would soon be declared delinquent.

I'm going to write a pissy little note when I remit payment suggesting that if they want their money in a timely fashion, they should bill in a timely manner.

The town where the hospital is located is 15 miles away from our home. The statement was dated Dec. 19; I received it today, the 23rd. That four days from their accounts receivable office to my home. I wonder how long it lay on someone's desk or in their mailroom.

Bah, Humbug! My seasonal depression is alive and well and giving rise to my righteous indignation. It's part of my own particular Christmas tradition.

Snotty R Us

2011-12-08T18:26:00.001-05:00

Overheard while I was shopping at the well-known toy store.

Customer to Snotty R Us employee: “I’m looking for a small remote control car. . .” (She gave a complete description of the toy.) “Do you know the name of it?”

Snotty R Us employee: “I can’t remember all the names of the toys in this store.”

An Open Letter to Sears, Penny’s, Walmart, etc. WISE UP!

2011-12-01T13:01:00.002-05:00

One in eight people in the US are over the age of 65. According to the Census Bureau, it’s the largest age group of the population. One in eight means there are more than 40 million of us, and the segment is growing by leaps and bounds.

Let’s assume that half of that population is female. Since women statistically live longer than men, there are probably more women than men in our age group.

Twenty million consumers—that seems to be a market that could be tapped to produce significant profit for the American retailer. I realize that not all of us elder women have the same criteria as I when shopping. Still, I'm sure that there is a large portion of us who don't want to dress like teen-agers.

The other day I was shopping for jeans. I’ve lost a few pounds and all my jeans are baggy in the seat and legs. Being full-figured (that’s a euphemism for that ugly three-letter “F” word), I wanted jeans that rose to my natural waist. I wanted an elastic waist. At this stage of my life, comfort is important. I don’t wear stilettos any longer, and I want to have a little wiggle room in my pants when bending over. I also refuse to pay more than $35.00 for one pair of jeans.

I usually buy my jeans at J. C. Penny’s or Sears. Both stores carried the jeans I wanted. It seems they no longer provide comfortable jeans for those of us who won’t, or can’t, wear hip-huggers. (Are they still called “hip huggers?) I am so pissed! No more granny jeans?! What in the world are we grannies supposed to wear?

Another thing—could someone (Sears, Penny’s and Walmart) please offer blouses with one more button on the upper portion of the front. I’m tired of having to hunt for safety pins because most blouses (shirts) show way too much skin. I am by nature a modest person. I don’t care to have people looking down the front of my shirts when emptying my grocery cart. I don’t suppose anyone really wants to look either. At 66 years of age, my cleavage ain’t what it used to be. It’s sort of like a traffic accident—you just have to look.

So Sears, J.C. Penny’s, Walmart, Target, take a look at the demographics. It’s time to consider the elder consumers and give us practical, reasonably priced clothing. You could be missing out on outrageous monetary gain. If you won’t offer products we need out of the goodness of your hearts, then fall back on your greed and avarice. We seniors have to spend money, too, you know.

Losing It

2011-11-30T11:58:00.002-05:00

One of the most annoying things about aging is “losing” things. I suppose it’s caused because I have developed this irksome memory loss. It seems I spend hours a day looking for things.

In the last few weeks, I have lost a cardigan, a pair of black pants, the recharging cable for my mp3 player, other assorted cables, a blue hat, my car keys (a number of times), and numerous other items.

This morning it was a large container of fabric softener. The other day I knocked something off the shelf next to the washing machine.It fell behind the washer; I couldn't reach it. I thought it was the softener. This morning I needed it, so I asked Mr. Fixit if he could use my handy-dandy picker-upper thingy to retrieve the item. When he pulled it out, it wasn’t the container I was looking for.

Because I hate ironing so much, I bought a bottle of “wrinkle releaser.” It appears to be diluted fabric softener. It works well on some fabrics, but it’s just too expensive to use often. Then, being the ~~cheap~~ thrifty person I am, I decided to make my own. I bought an inexpensive store brand fabric softener and mixed it with a little water. It works great at a fraction of the price. This large container was the one I was looking for. I searched and searched and searched. It took me about a half hour to find it.

At least I did find it. My sweater and my black pants have yet to be found. I wonder if they went the way of socks in the dryer—lost never to be seen again.

You’re a Good Man, Mr. Fixit!

2011-11-18T15:07:00.001-05:00

As I grow older, I become a little quirkier. I suppose I have always been a little different from most people. I have mentioned my attitude about my shoes and handbags matching. The bread on my sandwiches must “match,” and the filling of the sandwich must reach the edges. My fear of heights is getting worse. I stand backward in the shower; that is, I face away from the spray. I noticed people on tv and in the movies always face the spray. I was/am convinced that my way is best.

Now another quirk has reared it’s head. Sunshine in my face makes me very cranky. In the morning when the sun is low on the horizon and we are driving on a highway with trees close by, the strobe-like effect of the quickly changing light and shadow makes me even more uncomfortable and crankier. I feel like the scientist in “The Andromeda Strain” who goes into a catatonic state when she sees a flashing light. I don’t get catatonic even though Mr. Fixit probably wishes I would; I get testy. I have a hat in car to shade my eyes, and it helps a little.

The other day I was complaining about the sun in my face. He pulled over on the shoulder and let me drive. The sun was on the passenger side. Isn’t he a sweetie for putting up with me and my quirks? I think so.

Chutzpah

2011-11-16T10:32:00.001-05:00

When Mr. Fixit and I walked into the donut shop, I didn’t pay particular attention to the woman in front of us who was ordering. I noticed that she was in her late 50’s or maybe her early 60’s and that she didn’t have a pleasant look on her face as she walked over to a table.

Mr. Fixit ordered his coffee and I ordered a cup of tea and took a table not far from the woman. I was aware that she was there, but not much more. She sat there a while with her coffee; I assumed that she was waiting for someone.

A few minutes later she returned to the counter and said she wanted to return the coffee. “I didn’t touch it. I bought it for someone who is not able to meet me,” she said. I was amazed. I had never seen anyone return a coffee.

The counter person didn’t know how to ring up the return. I guess she had never had a coffee returned.

A man standing in line waiting to order offered to take the coffee and pay her for it. The price of the coffee was $1.49. She agreed. The staff was still trying to decide how to process the return. The man gave her $2.00 and she turned around and walked out without giving him any change.

Not only did she return a $1.49 coffee, but she made money on the deal. I wonder if she thanked the guy.

The young lady who served her the coffee sat beside us when she went on break. I asked her if anyone had ever returned coffee before. She said no and added that the woman had given her a hard time when she purchased the coffee. She saw three pots of coffee and didn’t want the one that was partially filled. She wanted to be served from the full pots. I might add that there were a number of people in and out buying coffee, so I know that the pot couldn’t have been sitting there that long.

Some people have a lot of nerve, but there are still some nice people in the world like the man who paid $2.00 for a $1.49 coffee with only a bemused look on his face and a small shake of his head.

The Off Season

2011-11-11T15:01:00.001-05:00

Tonight may be the last game of any kind until January (unless basketball begins earlier than normal). At one time, our four grandsons were all playing baseball at the same time, and Bella was playing volleyball. With the exception of Cole’s games, all of them played on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and most of the time they played at approximately same times at different venues. Scheduling alone was confusing, to say the least. We usually made two games out of four each night.

Bella found a sport she likes—volleyball. She said she wanted to try it because they play in an air- conditioned gym, and she likes the outfit. I don’t blame her one bit; I don’t like to sweat either.

The girls started out being too polite to really go after the ball and too lady-like to hit the ball hard enough to get it across the net. In the last few games, Bella’s self-confidence blossomed, she scored in every game.

I don’t much like watching Noah and Owen play basketball. The parents are super critical of everything about the game, and some of them have no problem yelling at their children. The children range in age from 12 (Noah’s group) to 9 (Owen’s group) yet the parents seem to think that the little guys should have the co-ordination and instincts of pro players. They are nuts!

Dressing the Part

2011-11-07T10:27:00.001-05:00

From observations made during our little jaunts, it seems that there are many men who are recently retired, or nearing retirement age, who ride Harley motorcycles. I can see the attraction. It looks as if cruising down the highway with the wind in your hair would be great fun. I admit to being a little envious until I think about the splat of bugs on one’s person or helmet.

There is one thing I don’t quite understand about the Harley experience. It seems that there is a rule about acceptable dress for Harley riders.

Saturday when Mr. Fixit and I were cruising in our little red compact car we stopped to eat. While we were enjoying the wonderful weather, the foliage, and our meal, several Harley’s drove into the parking lot. The group was made up of mostly couples, but there were a few single men. Most of them fell into the nearing-retirement or newly-retired age range.

The women wore slacks, jackets, sensible shoes, and helmets. The men wore jackets, sensible footwear, jeans, and helmets. Some of them wore chaps. One had on leather chaps-type protection that only reached the knee.

The unusual thing I noticed was all the jackets, shirts, and headgear the men were wearing were all Harley items; that is, on all the items the words “Harley Davidson” was prominent.

Is there a rule, or perhaps it motorcycle etiquette, that participants in the pastime are required to wear only clothing with the H-D Logo? Or is it simply a way to let the world know they have H-D’s? Are phone calls flying back and forth on Friday evening to decide what to wear on the weekend ride? What happens if someone shows up in an unbranded leather jacket or a plain shirt? Are they discouraged from riding without the proper gear? Hmm. . . I wonder.

Even so, riding in our little red car in regular clothes seems a little boring when I see the Harley’s pass by. It gives me the same feeling when I see birds soaring high above in lazy circles—that feeling can best be described as restless envy.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

2011-11-04T11:11:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we were notified by our water department that we probably had a major leak. I assume they have some way to monitor the amount of water being used aside from reading the meter. We were notified a day before they read the meter. That was on a Thursday. We turned off the water at the meter and only turned it on when absolutely necessary. Our sons came over Saturday morning to dig a hole and repair the leak. Thank heavens for sons who don’t mind lending a hand.

I waited with fear in my heart for the new bill. It finally arrived on the 1st. My worst fears were realized.

Usually we use 3,300 to 3,500 gallons a month. The reading showed over 27,000 gallons flowed through the meter. The amount charged for water, sewage, bond, and garbage pick-up was $320.00. Needless to say, if I paid that amount, serious damage would have been done to our financial situation.

Yesterday I went to City Hall and ask if they could make an adjustment to the sewage fee because the water ran into the yard instead of the sewer. (The grass is such a nice shade of green in the leak area.) The young lady said that, of course, we would have to pay for the 27,000 gallons of water, but she would give us credit for not using the sewer. Yea!

The bill started out with a credit balance of $140.00. I pay some of my bills ahead so that in cases of dire need I can skip a few payments when necessary. She then did a few calculations which involved the past three months and said that $4.50 would bring the account back to zero. I don’t know how she came up with that number but I am glad she did.

I gave her a check for $50 so that I can start rebuilding my credit balance, but I’m so happy I didn’t have to come up with $320. “Blood from a stone” and all that, you know.

Why Is Everything So Difficult?

2011-11-02T14:42:00.001-04:00

Years ago we purchased our satellite system in a retail store when they were very, very expensive. It cost us over $600 for two receivers and dishes. We had to buy a special thing for the dish called a dual LNB so that we would only need one dish. I don’t remember exactly what year we bought it, but for the past several years we have been receiving a gift from Directv because we have been customers for more than 10 years.

Over the years, we have had very few problems. The remotes had to be replaced and the old receivers were replaced. I simply called Directv and arranged for the new receivers, and I ordered the new remotes on line from their web site.

Now we are having a new problem. Through a process of elimination, we think we need a new LNB on the dish itself. The problem? No one sells satellite system and replacements in retail stores. Not Radio Shack, not Best Buy. I have scoured the Directv web site and I can’t find how to order the part or even a new dish.

In the meantime, we are down to one television. Mr. Fixit found a single LNB in the original dish box and it’s working for one TV.

I see Directv trucks running around all over the place, but I think they are installers with no place of business. I think they work out of their homes. Does that mean that I have to pay for a service call to simply buy a part? I am so p.o.ed.

I found a part on line, but we’re not sure if it’s compatible with our system.

I wish there are a number on the Directv web sight for me to call tech support. Who you goin’ to call? Not Directv! I can’t find the number! (Maybe it’s there; I just can’t find it.)

Nook Color Thumb

2011-10-28T19:15:00.001-04:00

I have a new syndrome (ailment) to report—Nook Color Thumb.

Nook in its cover:

Nook with cover open and folded back:

My hand holding said Nook:

I hold it like this so that I don’t accidently cause the pages to flip when I don’t want them to flip.

My hand with fingers in normal position:

My hand after holding Reader for a length of time:

Note the position of the thumb. It is drawn up against the forefinger and won’t move. After massaging it a bit, the cramp-like sensation disappears allowing the thumb to move again. If I again hold the Reader, the thumb and parts of the hand cramp again.

I wonder if this will be recognized by the powers that be as a legitimate syndrome. I would like it to be known as Lucy’s Nook Thumb Syndrome. I’ll be famous!

Hmmm. . .My 7” tablet doesn’t cause me this problem. Of course, the tablet is less weighty.

Fall in the Southeast

2011-10-27T21:30:00.002-04:00

Last week Mr. Fixit and I drove out to Lake Hartwell. It was a blustery day, chilly and overcast. The water was rough.

The maple in the front yard looked like this just a few days ago—very little color

Yesterday morning it looked like this.

Yesterday we drove to Johnson City, Tennessee, to see the foliage. We were almost too late. The color wasn’t as vivid as it is some autumns. There was very few reds. Even the sumac was dull. These pictures were made at an overlook on I26 between Asheville, NC and Johnson City, TN just over the Tennessee line.

(Click on Photo for Detail)

Calling Dr. Doofus!

2011-10-23T19:12:00.001-04:00

Mr. Fixit saw the cardiologist Friday. His blood pressure has been very high for a few days. The doctor put him on a new medication to control it.

It was during the visit that he asked us why we were upset during the stay at the hospital. I finally got to have my say to this guy.

When Mr. Fixit was sent to the large hospital the physician that we normally see was off for the weekend. He saw Mr. Fixit in the emergency room Friday night. We didn’t see him again until the office visit Friday. His partner arranged for the transfer and said the heart cath would be either Monday or Tuesday. We assumed it would be Tuesday. We didn’t expect to be put ahead of others. However, the nursing staff at the hospital began paging him Sunday evening after we arrived to get orders from him. He never answered his page. Monday we didn’t see a doctor at all. All day long the nurses were trying to get in touch with him. They told us that this group had a reputation for ignoring their pages.

Tuesday morning came and still no orders had been received. The nurses were upset and finally paged a third partner in the practice. We had never heard of this guy. By this time Mr. Fixit was getting ready to leave.

When the third partner came in, he said, “We didn’t know you were here. If I had known I could have done your procedure yesterday.” I was so angry. We didn’t know this guy from Adam, and he assumed that he would just walk in without the benefit of knowing Mr. Fixit’s history and do the heart cath. When he walked out of the room for a moment, I asked the nurse, “Who is this guy? How do we know if he is competent?” The nurse explained that he was a new partner in the practice and he was competent to do the procedure. She also told us we didn’t have to let him do the procedure. She suggested that we talk to the patient advocate at the hospital. But we decided to go ahead and let him do the procedure so Mr. Fixit wouldn’t have to spend an extra day there.

After the procedure, I did speak to the advocate, and I asked her not to do anything until I called her. We wanted to wait until after the first check-up. We wanted to speak with this doctor face to face and let him know that his handling of Mr. Fixit’s case was not acceptable.

The next morning the third partner came in with the discharge papers, and he knew we were upset. Apparently, the advocate,or perhaps the nursing staff, had told him that we were very angry. He said that he would take over the case if we wanted. I had a feeling that there could have been a power issue within the practice. We made an appointment with him for the follow-up.

I received a call from the first doctor the next day asking us to change the appointment and see him. I agreed. When he put his office manager on the phone to make the appointment, she asked me what the problem was. I told her that I would discuss it with the doctor when we came in Friday. She said she wanted to know because the doctor wanted to document the situation. That made me even madder. I declined to discuss it her again.

During the office visit, I explained to him that we had very little confidence in a doctor who “forgets” that his patient was awaiting a procedure. I also explained that I was angry that his office manager said he wanted to document the situation without talking to me himself. He apologized several times and denied that he received the any page from the nursing staff. He tried to blame the whole thing on the second partner. He also said that the new partner could not have performed the procedure on Monday because he (our doctor) had booked the cath lab for most of the morning. He had one excuse after the other. I told him I didn’t care to hear his excuses because forgetting his patient was completely unacceptable under any circumstances. I was completely civil to him. I didn’t raise my voice one time.

When Mr. Fixit had his stent put in several years ago, we had a problem with him, too. We were told the procedure would take about 45 minutes. Two and one half hours later, we still hadn’t heard that he was in recovery. We were in the waiting room. Finally, my son called someone and found that his doofus had neglected to let us know that Mr. Fixit had been returned to his room. I was a nervous wreck by that time. I was sure that there had been complications.

When the doctor came into to speak with us later, I told him then that he or one of his team should have let us know what was going on. He apologized that time, too, but he said he had an emergency come in and he had to save a man’s life. I told him I was glad he saved a life but that he had a responsibility to us to let me know that my husband wasn’t dead. I told him that time, too, that his actions, or lack of action, was unacceptable. Fat lot of good that did. He also decided to do the heart cath at one hospital and to put in the stent in another hospital almost doubling our bill.

As soon as Mr. Fixit’s blood pressure problem is resolved, we will attempt to find another cardiologist who associated with our insurance network. Dr. Doofus thinks that the problem has been resolved; he might be a little surprised when he sees a request to transfer Mr. Fixit’s files to another physician. No, maybe not. I have a feeling that as long as he has patients needing his services who are in our position he won’t give two hoots unless we decide to make a complaint to the hospital.

A Smack Upside the Head?

2011-10-20T16:32:00.001-04:00

Today a water department guy came to our door and said that we should check for a leak because our water consumption doubled for last month.

This afternoon we found the leak. It’s between the meter and the house; therefore, it is our responsibility to repair it. Mr. Fixit is making plans to dig up the area to fix it tomorrow.

I reminded him rather forcefully that it was only two weeks ago tonight that he had a heart attack. He says he fine and he’s going to start it tomorrow after his checkup with the doctor.

What do you do with a person like this?

Hospital Stay

2011-10-18T14:21:00.001-04:00

There were some problems with Mr. Fixit’s recent hospitalization. They were disturbing to say the least.

Sunday night after moving to the large hospital, Mr. Fixit woke about 3:00 am. The heart monitor that was in his pocket slipped out. I helped him find it in the bed linens and put it back into the pocket of his gown. Apparently, there was no interruption of the data being sent to the people monitoring him because no one came to see if there was a problem.

After waking, he said that he was experiencing that indigestion feeling he had Thursday night. (That’s when we suspect he had the actual heart attack.) He pushed the button to call the nurse. They answered quickly and ask his about his problem. He explained and they said they would send a nurse to his room.

After about 10 minutes, the discomfort had lessened, but the nurse hadn’t come to check on him. In 20 minutes the discomfort had completely disappeared. I stayed awake from 3 am to 7 am and not one nurse so much as stuck her head in the door. I have a feeling that she thought I was asleep because I didn’t turn on the overhead light. I was reading using my reader.

We didn’t know whether to mention it or not. When you are in a vulnerable position as we were, you think twice before making waves.

During the course of the morning when the day shift started making rounds, a nurse asked if he had any problems during the night. I then explained that he had some discomfort but that it disappeared. I then told her that we had asked for a nurse, but no one checked on him.

I went to sleep about midnight and slept until he woke me at 3:00 so I suppose someone could have checked on him between those hours, but no one came to check on him after he reported his discomfort.

The next night we had a different nurse, and they seemed to be very solicitous. The fact of the matter is that we don’t know if the nurse ignored him or if the person who answered his call neglected to notify the nurse.

The next day there were problems with the cardiologist who was to do the heart cath. More to follow tomorrow.

Home Again

2011-10-13T18:34:00.001-04:00

Mr. Fixit is home now. The heart cath went well and showed no blockage either in the old stent or in any of the other arteries.

Several unsettling things happened while he was in the hospital, but those stories will have to wait. We are both very tired today. Let’s just say that hospitals and doctors aren’t like they used to be (to their detriment).

Hurry Up and Wait

2011-10-10T10:35:00.001-04:00

Here we sit at a large hospital in a neighboring city. We still haven’t been told when Mr. Fixit will have the heart cath done. We are waiting for the cardiology team to let him know. It could be this afternoon or sometime tomorrow. It seems that things are a bit unorganized in this institution.

He is feeling okay. He’s just tired. When we were in the smaller hospital, they woke him at least every two hours to check on him. After you wake, it’s a little difficult to get back to sleep. The staff at the small hospital was terrific and very helpful.

Not knowing the immediate future causes a bit of a hardship on me. I need to have time to go home to shower and to get a decent meal instead of eating out of the vending machines. I don’t have some of my meds with me either. My glucose levels are either sky high or low enough that my mind is a little muddled. But maybe that’s because I’ve had very little sleep since Thursday night.

The cats haven’t been fed today either. They may revert to their feral nature and start hunting leaving the remains as gifts for me. Yuk!

I rode in the ambulance yesterday when they transferred him. That was exciting; I’ve never been in one under any circumstances. I suggested that I would drive if the need arose. I think that might rank up there with driving a lap around a speedway in a stock car. They didn’t take me up on my offer. I didn’t ask to turn on the siren and lights, but I was sorely tempted.

And so we wait.

Follow-up

2011-10-08T16:57:00.001-04:00

Mr. Fixit is doing quite well. He has been stabilized and will soon be moved to a regular room from Critical Care. I can hardly wait. Once you are in this unit, you can’t just leave and return. You have to be admitted each time. I try not to leave so I don’t have to bother anyone at the nurses’ station. .

He will be moved to a large hospital tomorrow for a heart cath and possibly a stent. If the blockage that caused the event is in the old stent, he will have by-pass surgery. If a completely different artery is blocked, they will put in a new stent.

He didn’t sleep at all last night because he was tethered to monitors and there is still an IV being used. He was so uncomfortable. I slept a couple of hours in a recliner, but I’m very tired also. To say that he was not a happy camper is a gross understatement.

I’m glad there was only minor damage (as far as we know at this time).

Broken Heart

2011-10-08T00:15:00.001-04:00

Today didn’t go exactly as planned. In fact, not one thing went as planned. We were going to Barnes and Noble to ask a question about my Nook. I also planned to go to the hairdresser and to take some books back to the library. We didn’t accomplish anything on the “to-do” list.

It all began last night. We had three baseball games scheduled. We skipped Levi’s game because it was Owen’s turn for us to watch him play. Noah’s game was scheduled immediately after Owen’s.

During Noah’s game, Mr. Fixit bought a snack and ate some it. It seemed to cause him to have heartburn or indigestion. We arrive home about 10:00 pm. His discomfort continued after he went to bed.

After breakfast this morning, he was feeling okay except for the heartburn. He decided to check his blood pressure. It was okay; it was lower than usual. The BP monitor also shows your pulse rate. This wasn’t okay. It was up to 155 and indicated an irregular beat. I suggested that he take it again; it remained in the 150’s. His indigestion went away and he felt fine and his color was normal.

While I was in the shower, he decided to go for his walk. While he was gone, I called his cardiologist, and the nurse suggested that I take him to the emergency room ASAP. I picked him up in the car and passed on the information from the nurse. He was having none of it. He said he felt fine. Finally, after “discussing” the problem for several hours, he decided maybe the best course of action would be a visit to the hospital. We arrived about 2:00 pm.

It is now just past 11:30 pm, and we are in the Critical Care Unit. The medication has finally kicked in. His heart rate is down to 60 as it should be.

When we first arrived, an EKG was done. I asked the attending ER physician if it looked as if he had had a heart attack. He said that it didn’t appear so. He said it showed only a very irregular heartbeat. We were told that if he didn’t respond to the medication to reduce and stabilize his heart rate, a pacemaker could have been in his future. I guess we don’t have to worry about that now.

When he was brought to Critical Care, the nurse told us that the blood work indicated that he did, indeed, have a mild heart attack. He had no symptoms except for the “indigestion.”

Tomorrow morning there are some tests scheduled to determine how much damage was done to the heart and to check to see if another heart catherization and stent is in his future.

Today when I was trying to get him to the hospital, I was thinking about his 74th birthday that is in a few days. I was thinking that he was very lucky not to have had a major heart problem by this age. Lots of men have. I still feel very lucky that even though there was damage to his heart; it seems to be minor. I hope the tests tomorrow prove it so.

Picky, Picky, Picky

2011-10-06T15:26:00.001-04:00

During the ‘70’s when mini-series were very popular television programming, I chose not to watch. I missed “Roots,” “The Thornbirds,” “Shogun,” and all the rest except for one; I watched “Chiefs.” It was based on a novel by Stuart Woods. I liked the mini-series very much so I read the book which I also enjoyed. I may have read one or two other stand-alone novels by Mr. Woods.

Mr. Woods has written several series books including one series featuring a character named Stone Barrington, a lawyer. To be perfectly honest, the character left me cold. I read one book in that series and left them behind.

Mr. Woods then began several other series, one of which featured a retired female MP who becomes chief of police in a small Florida. I liked this character more.

He has another series which I can read featuring another lawyer. While he is not one of favorite characters, I can find positive things to say about the writing, plots, and characters.

I checked a couple of his books out a week or so ago, and I discovered something that put me off a bit. At the end of the books, there is an “Author’s Note.” In this note, he has instructions for his readers as to the contents of any e-mail they may send. While I understand some of his comments, his tone is arrogant. Among other things, he wants no attachments; he doesn’t want to be added to mailing lists for “funny stories, prayers, political causes, charitable fund-raising, petitions, or sentimental claptrap.”

He wants no ideas for a book. “If you have a good idea for a book, write it yourself, but I will not be able to advise you on how to get it published.”

He wants to hear nothing about typographical errors or editorial errors. “If you feel an irrestistible urge to tell someone, please wire. . . Do not e-mail your discoveries to me, as I will already have learned about them from others.”

He doesn’t even want to hear from anyone who may want to acquire the film, dramatic or television rights to his books, but he does include an address for his agent. I wonder how many people who read his books are begging to acquire such rights.

While I do understand why he doesn’t want book ideas (I suppose he could be sued if one of his books contained one iota of anything similar from a fan), and I don’t like getting forwarded mail either. However, it seems to me that as a writer he should have been able to make his requests a little less arrogant and a little more civil.

I get the feeling he will be glad to receive emails with glowing reviews of his talent, but little else. I will have a little problem spending my hard-to-come-by dollars to purchase any more of his books.

The Results Are In. . .Almost

2011-09-29T14:57:00.001-04:00

When I woke up yesterday, my foot was very swollen, and it hurt more than it had the day before. I decided to go the doctor just in case.

The X-ray showed no broken bones, but the diagnostician hasn’t looked at the film yet. I’m willing to take the word of the nurse-practitioner and my doctor, both of whom said they saw no broken bones. They will call if anything is found.

The blood work showed no elevated white cell counts so that means there is no infection even though the nurse said she felt more warmth around my ankle than normal.

She gave me a tentative diagnosis that I really don’t like. It’s not that bad, but there can be recurrence of the symptoms. There is some additional lab work to be done to prove the tentative diagnosis.

Frankly, I think it is a sprain, or a mild ligament or tendon problem. If that’s what it is, I don’t have to worry about it happening again unless I fall off my shoes or step in a hole.

A cortisone medication and a mild pain reliever were prescribed. Whether the cause is the condition that can recur or whether the problem is a strained something-or-other, the cortisone should help.

I told Mr. Fixit that I think the medical people are wrong with their opinion of a “condition.” He asked me when I got my medical degree. I’m going to change his name to Mr. Smart Guy.

It Could Only Happen to Me

2011-09-26T22:59:00.001-04:00

Night before last I woke as usual about 2:00 am. I read for three hours and turned off the light to resume sleep. There was no apparent problem.

From 5:00 am to 7:00 am, I woke several times with pain in my foot around the heel. Even the sheet touching it caused pain. It felt like a sprain, and there was swelling around the ankle and heel. Only I could sprain an ankle in sleeping in bed. By the time I got up at 7 am, I could barely walk. I hobbled around most of the day.

Today, the soreness has lessened, but the swelling is still pretty bad. I think the swelling is worse today than it was yesterday.

Now I’m in a quandary: Should I go to the doctor or should I wait since the pain isn’t so bad? I think I’ll just wait it out a few days and see what happens.

Add Netflix to My List

2011-09-20T10:14:00.001-04:00

In the last few months, Verizon, Microsoft, our car dealer, and Google (Blogger) have incurred my wrath. Now it’s Netflix.

Yesterday morning I, along with millions of other people, received an e-mail from Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, informing us of the separation of his DVD rental business and his video streaming business.

When streaming first began, it was an free adjunct to the DVD rentals. I thought it was a great idea. I streamed movies quite often to my computer. It worked quite well. At the time, we had DSL Lite which is a slow version of regular DSL. I never had any problem with buffering or any delay in the movies. The only problem was the contrast on my monitor made the pictures too dark, and I couldn’t get it adjusted properly. Then they changed the player and shot my streaming to hell. The videos would be interrupted numerous times, and each time it took longer to resume. I stopped streaming.

Recently we upgraded to a faster DSL, and I could again stream movies to my computer.

Last Christmas, Mr. Fixit and I bought a streaming device to attach to the television. Mr. Fixit watched old B/W westerns for days on end. The only problem with this was my internet speed was greatly reduced. It would take a lot longer for pages to load. After the “new” wore off, Mr. Fixit only streams videos occasionally. I seldom stream because the videos I prefer are not available for streaming.

Now Netflix has decided that they will start charging a fee for streaming and another fee for DVD rental. Okay, that’s their privilege, but I don’t intend to pay an extra fee for fewer videos offered for streaming. The selection is just too small compared to the selection of DVD’s available.

My complaint is that they didn’t give me a choice before billing me this month. I checked my bill and they decided that I would partake of both services. In order to discontinue this streaming, I had to opt out.

It seems to me that I should have given me the choice to opt in before billing me for a service I don’t want. I will pay the extra $8.00 this month, but I have already opted out for streaming.

Mr. Hastings may have made a major business error with this whole deal. I think that he should have procured a larger library for streaming than he has now before he started charging for the service. A million people have cancelled the service since the separation was announced. I think many, many more people will choose to forego any service from this company until he has more product to offer.

Another Bright Spot in My Life

2011-09-16T17:52:00.001-04:00

Our local public library is now offering e-books, and I love it (so far). It’s convenient and easy to use, and, of course, it’s FREE! I spend too much money at Amazon. While there are more titles available than I expected, I hope the list will grow and include older works by contemporary authors.

There is one drawback. My tablet informs me that my operating system (Android 2.something) will not support Adobe which is a must for the program the library uses. It’s a little difficult trying to read in bed using the laptop. I’ve started checking into e-readers that are compatible with the library system. I can use my tablet for Kindle books. It looks like Nook is my best bet. I need to do a lot more research and start saving a little money.

A Bright Spot

2011-09-15T12:01:00.002-04:00

Levi began his T-ball career Monday afternoon. He is such a good little player. I have some video that I want to post, but I need some help with editing.

He had good time. He didn’t want to wait until today for the next game. He said, “I wish we could play tomorrow. Playing games is awesome!” It’s a kick watching the little guys play. Some of them look like 3-year-olds.

Cole is playing his fall season, Noah begins tonight, and Owen starts next week. We will be busy for a couple of months.

(Click on photo for more detail.)

Cue—The Twilight Zone Music

2011-09-09T18:59:00.001-04:00

Things haven’t been going well lately.

1. We had to have one of our cats put down.

2. Verizon caused major problems with my phone.

3. Microsoft put a program on my computer that I don’t want, and no one seems to know how to remove the program.

4. There is a warning light on the instrument panel in the car that stays on all the time. We have taken it back to the dealer 5 or 6 times. They haven’t fixed it and they won’t admit that they do NOT know how to fix it.

5. Blogger wants me to install Google Chrome and I don’t want to.

6. My desk chair (the only one in the house where I can sit comfortably) is broken.

Now—Cue the The Twilight Zone music.

Yesterday after taking Little Boy to the vet (see yesterday’s post), we ran some errands and came home. I turned on the computer to check on the news and complete the rest of my morning computer ritual. The chair was just fine. It’s getting old and I was getting ready to cover the worn spots with duct tape, but it was comfortable, and, okay, ugly.

We went out again. When we returned, the chair was raised to its highest position (When I left, it was at its lowest position.) and it was facing 180 degrees from the position it had been in when I left. In order to raise the chair you have to push a handle on the side of the chair without being in the chair. It also had a tilt to one side—a large tilt. Had a plump Goldilocks done a B & E and sat in Mama Bear’s chair until it broke?

We checked to see if any valuables (few as they may be) were missing in case Goldilocks had a bit of larceny in her heart. The laptops are here, the PC is here, and my rolls of quarters are on the chest as usual. All the other electronics and Mr. Fixit’s tools are accounted for. No valuables appear to be missing. There was still porridge in the fridge left over from breakfast which, I maintain, clears Goldie from any suspicion whatsoever.

The only living being in the house at the time was Little Girl. Could it be that while we’re away she plays games on the PC? Does she check out the “LOL Cats” site? Perhaps she decided to change the position of the chair. I can’t figure out how she did it since she doesn’t have opposable thumbs. Hm-m-m.

Have we a poltergeist? Uh-oh! Did I make the wrong decision regarding L-i-t-t-l-e B-0-y and now he has decided to ~~haunt~~ pester us a bit? You have to admit the timing is suspicious.

Mr. Fixit bought me a new chair today, and at the moment, he is taking the old chair apart to solve the mystery of the tilted chair. There is no major discovery yet.

If he does find an explanation and can fix it, I told him I would like to have the old chair back and he can have the new one. The old one fits my bucket like a fine bucket seat. And I have a roll of duct tape to repair the upholstery.

I hope he finds a reasonable explanation so I won’t worry about you-know-who being angry with me, and I can forego the exorcism. I also have to check to see if Little Girl has been hiding her opposable thumbs from me.

UPDATE

This is why he is known as Mr. Fixit. While he didn’t discover the origin of the problem, he Mickey Moused it to remove the tilt. My bucket is now ensconced in my old chair, and he was rewarded with the new chair. I explained to him that there is one little caveat that goes with the new chair. If his Mickey Mousing should fail and my old chair tilts and goes up and down all by itself, I get the new chair back.

Little Boy 2003-2011

2011-09-08T10:08:00.000-04:00

We had to have our black and white cat put down this morning. He had some sort of mouth problem that left him with few teeth and periodic flare-ups of pain and the inability to eat.

Since three of our cats are feral, they are hard to catch. They come in to eat morning and evening, but they spend most of their time outdoors. This morning he knew something was not as usual. He wouldn't go into the dining room to eat, and he was so affectionate. He wanted to be petted. That was so unusual. It broke my heart to have to make this terrible decision. I feel as if I betrayed him in the worst possible way.

We will miss him.

I’ve Got a Mad On--Part 1: Verizon

2011-09-05T11:07:00.001-04:00

The last few weeks have been frustrating and upsetting to me. I’m angry at Verizon, Microsoft, Maybelline, and myself.

I recently wrote that the decision to have our landline discontinued seemed to be working out. It’s now become a problem. It was another bad decision I made. Depending on Verizon exclusively is a mistake.

I discovered a few things about Verizon. First of all, did you know that not all Verizon stores are Verizon stores? I need a new phone so I compared prices. I went to the small Verizon store in our town. It looks like a Verizon store. It has the Verizon logo and the décor is similar to other Verizon stores. It handles only Verizon products so I assumed that it was a Verizon store. It is actually a sort of a franchise deal. That means they can sell phones for whatever price suits them. They don’t have to abide by Corporate Verizon store advertisements.

The phone I want is just a phone. It doesn’t have internet access, it doesn’t have a camera, or even Blue Tooth capability. It’s just a flip phone with big numbers, and a large, readable display. It is marketed primarily to persons in my age group (that means old). I don’t want to renew my contract for 2 years because I’m not sure I want to continue our long association with Verizon. I think it might be best just to pay full price for the phone since it costs so much to cancel the contract early. It costs more to cancel the contract early than the price of a new phone.

I checked Verizon on line. The price was $169.00. The price at the “franchise” store was $250.00. It was $200.00 in Walmart. I found one on Ebay for $145.00. One on Amazon is $129.00. The associate at the corporate store wouldn’t discuss the full price of the phone with me. He wants to sell $700.00 phones. While I have the wherewithal to purchase a phone, I don’t want to make a mistake and waste my money. And there are other considerations that are contributing to my inability to make a decision.

If I commit to a 2 year contract, I can get the phone for as little as a penny using a franchise establishment or the corporate Verizon store offers it for $39.00 if I renew the contract.

I think I creeped out one of the sales associates at one store. My Fixit and I have a family plan, or shared minutes as it was called years ago. I asked the young man (All associates in these stores look to be about 16 years old to me.) if I died before the two-year contract was fulfilled could Mr. Fixit cancel the family plan. He stuttered for a second and he said that in the event of death the contract could be negated. Mr. Fixit saw that he was a bit flustered by my question and told him that I am not expected to die any time soon. But being the practical person I am, I added, “But you never know, do you?”

I am currently using an old phone that my daughter-in-law is letting me use. It doesn’t hold a charge. If I talk more than five or ten minutes, it goes from a full charge down (4 bars) to almost no charge (1 bar).

One other thing I discovered through this phone ordeal is that Verizon folks lie. It may be a lie by omission, telling complete untruths, and by PR people who put their own spin on things. I’ve come to the conclusion that most businesses will do any underhanded thing to get your money. There is very little integrity left in the retail world.

I have asked advice from a few people, but I still can’t make a decision. My pride is holding me back (as well as not wanting to waste our resources). I hate hearing, “I told you so.” So here a I sit dithering about. My decision-making track record lately hasn’t been the best.

We’ll take up Microsoft and Maybelline at a later date. There are some surprising and intrusive things going on with Microsoft, too. And what is this message I get that my browser is no longer compatible with Blogger? It is suggested that I change my browser to Google Chrome. That really burns me, too. I don’t want Google putting its nose into my business anymore than I want Microsoft putting intrusive programs on my computer without asking me first or at least telling me that it has been done. As for Maybelline, that was just a little inconvenience, but with all the other crap going, it brought me to tears yesterday.

More Good News--Maybe

2011-09-01T10:22:00.000-04:00

Bean Plataspid

According to new reports, there is a bug that eats kudzu. Some reports maintain that kudzu has been reduced by one-third in one southern state.
Kudzu vines grow as much as a foot a day covering trees, power poles and lines, and buildings. Farmers are in a seemingly unending fight to control the encroachment of this plant. I think that it’s actually pretty, but then when winter comes and the plant dies you see the trees and shrubs that have been affected by this plant and you realize how destructive it is.

While the bean plataspid appears to be a control for kudzu, there is a downside. They also eat soy beans. When the kudzu is gone or becomes scarce, will they attack soy beans? That doesn’t bear thinking about. Soy beans have become invaluable.

Another drawback is they stink. The common name for this little fellow is “stink bug.” And they bite.
It seems the bugs are here already. I guess the choice must be made to either exterminate the bug and find another control for kudzu growth or risk damaging soy bean crops for years to come.

One last thing--these bugs are ugly, too!

Cole’s Birthday Gift

2011-08-31T16:40:00.001-04:00

Mr. Fixit, Ben, and Cole left this morning for Boston to see the Bosox play the Yankees (at least, I think the Yankees are playing.) They drove to Charlotte (a two hour drive) for their flight.

Ben had really good luck with this bad weather that we’ve been having. He was in Florida for a business meeting before they knew for sure that Irene would not do much damage there. I think his trip home was delayed a day because so many people were leaving. After Irene hit New England, there was no delay in flights or alteration to the game schedule.

They are going to the game tonight and leaving tomorrow morning. It’s a short trip, but they all love baseball and the Sox. This should be one birthday gift that Cole will remember for a long time.

A New “Extreme” Sport - Aging

2011-08-28T14:58:00.001-04:00

As I was paying bills, I found one from the anesthesiologist Mr. Fixit used during his outpatient surgery last month.

We were charged $839.50 for anesthesia. The next line reads, “ANES-PATIENT EXTREME AGE UNDER.” The charge was an additional $71.00. (The line was typed in all caps just as it appeared on the statement.) The next line is a credit of $71.00 with the notation,” TRACKING ONLY.” I have no doubt that shortly we elders will be charged this fee in the future because we are old.

Mr. Fixit is by no means “extremely” old; he’s 73. That classification was a bit of a shock to him. I was appalled by the extra $71.00 we were charged even though the amounted was credited.

I wonder when “extreme age” begins. I’m 65. Am I extremely old? I can always pretend I’m an “extreme elder” much like those who participate in “extreme sports.”

There Is Some News Out There

2011-08-20T09:10:00.000-04:00

Burger King has decided to retire their huge-headed advertising mascot, "The Burger King." This had to be one of the creepiest mascots of all times. That thing was scary!

This and That

2011-08-15T10:30:00.001-04:00

It looks as if the unbearably hot weather is over for now. I hope it’s gone until next summer. It still isn’t comfortable for me, but it’s much better than it was.

Mr. Fixit has another little get-away planned. Cole’s 16th birthday was last week. As his gift, his dad booked a flight to Boston and bought tickets for a Red Sox game. He asked Mr. Fixit to go—his treat. Isn’t that nice? I think they are all very excited. As far as I know, they are only staying one night, and I don’t know how many games they will be able to catch.

Bachman won the straw vote in Iowa! What in the world were they thinking?

S & P

2011-08-08T12:19:00.000-04:00

That's a pretty big OOPS!

In the News

2011-08-06T21:50:00.001-04:00

A local news outlet reported today a shooting incident at a bowling alley. The person being shot at reported to police:

“. . . could not provide investigator's with JR's full name, but said that they were arguing because she was previously pregnant with his child and did not have the baby.”

She does not know the last name of the man who fathered her child? She “did not have the baby?” What exactly does that mean?

Is it just me or does anyone else think this is dreadfully strange?

Granddad

2011-08-05T16:33:00.000-04:00

My maternal grandfather was born on this day in 1901. It's hard for me to believe that it was so long ago. I believe he was born in Martin, Tennessee, but I'm not sure. I know that his mother lived there until her death. I remember seeing her when I was very young.

Granddad and Me circa early 1946

Granddaddy was a bit of a character. He worked in construction as a pipe coverer. He covered pipe in asbestos, and both he and my uncle died as a result. He worked away from home most of the time, coming home only on weekends if he was near home. He worked all over the South and in Illinois and Indiana.

He liked his little nip; my grandmother strongly disapproved. My older brother and I would find his bottles all over the house. I guess Nanny did, too, since she was such a good housekeeper. I don't see how she could miss them. She had a cedar chest that looked like a casket to me, and I think she would hide his bottles in there. She didn't mind too much if he smoked in house, but if he decided that he wanted tobacco in another form, she made him sit outside. I've seen him freezing in the winter time sitting in the front yard using his snuff or chewing tobacco.

My brother and I loved to spend the night when he was at home. He let us sleep with him. He would turn on the radio and we listened to “Gunsmoke” or “Gang Busters.” He told great ghost stories,too.

He also told tall tales. He told us about a tornado that picked up straw and blew it into utility poles. He said it looked as if someone had hammered each straw in vertically. Then there was the story of a man he knew who bought a Model T, or maybe it was a Model A. The top needed to be repaired so the man put chicken wire on top. The owner had an accident that ejected him through the chicken wire. He wasn't too badly hurt; the chicken wire simply sliced off his ears.

He loved cowboy music. I think he knew the words to every song ever sung by Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. My favorites were “Cool Water” and “Ghost Riders in the Sky.”

He was a spiffy dresser. As a construction worker he made a very good living, so he was able to buy expensive clothes. He thought nothing of paying $300.00 for a suit. That was a lot of money in the late 40's and early 50's. He would go to Finklestein's Men's Clothing twice a year to buy new suits. He also wore fedora hats in the winter and white straw hats in the summer. He would wear his straw hats all summer, then decide in August there was something wrong with the hat. He then returned it in exchange for a new winter hat. I'm sure Mr. Finklestein realized the price of a hat brought him the sale of expensive suits.

He and Nanny were so different. He was fun-loving, and she was dour. I never saw her smile much. He would make her so mad sometimes. Every time she made vegetable soup he would put in a bit of sugar. She would get so aggravated at him. When she was cooking, he would walk through the kitchen and smell the meat before she cooked it. She didn't take that well either. This picture illustrates the difference in them. My dad made this picture in the Smoky Mountains. They posed for the picture; at the last minute he turned his hat around backwards and crossed his eyes. Look at her! She's didn't think it was funny at all.

Granddad and Nan circa 1955

Granddad died in 1965. I wonder if he ever thought that anyone would be thinking lovingly of him in 2011.

Observation

2011-08-03T12:39:00.001-04:00

Cole, our oldest grandson, has been playing baseball since he was five years old. His l6th birthday is this month. I have attended a majority of his games.

I have seen some unusual things during the games. I’ve seen parents sleep during the games, transact business, read, engage in conversation from the first inning to the last, and phone and text for most of the game. I’ve seen good things and not so good things.

This past Sunday I saw something new. One of the mothers gave herself a pedicure and a manicure. I wondered if the polish would dry since it was so hot and humid. It just struck me as funny.

And speaking of hot, a little while ago I was washing salad ingredients. The cold water was so warm that the leaf lettuce came from the water less crisp than when it went in.

Hot!

2011-08-02T11:49:00.001-04:00

This hot, humid weather is killing me. Not only does it make me feel sweaty and dirty 24/7, but it brings on big time depression. How weird is that? I don’t want to talk to anyone, I don’t want to see anyone, and I don’t want to hear anyone. All I want to do is sit in a cool room with a book.

Will November ever come?

One Day in Our Lives

2011-07-20T10:41:00.002-04:00

Mr. Fixit came through his surgery without a problem. The doctor had said that the procedure would take about an hour and a half. He was finished in less than an hour. When Mr. Fixit woke up, his color was good, and he was very alert. When he had a test under general anesthesia recently, he had a hard time waking up and he was ashen. It scared me a little.

After I brought him home I had to go to the pharmacy to get his pain medication. The doctor said to be sure that he took it on schedule. When I gave the prescription to our regular pharmacist, he said they were out of the product. This is not an unusual item. I couldn’t believe it. The pharmacist said he could order it for me. I took the prescription back and explained that Mr. Fixit just had out-patient surgery and he needed it now, not tomorrow. I had it filled at the grocery store.

He walked down the stairs for breakfast this morning, but he didn’t stay up very long. He was told that a little walking the first couple of days would minimize swelling.

About 7:00 pm I was lying on the bed reading and I fell asleep. When I woke up I thought the clock read 4:45; I usually wake up about that time. I noticed that the sky wasn’t completely black, and I realized the shades were up. My first thought was, “I must had undressed with the shades up.” When I stood up, I saw that I was completely dressed. What was going on? I was completely discombobulated! It took me a few minutes to pull myself together and see the clock read 9:50 pm. Okay, I remembered that I had been reading and the sun was still shining when I dropped off to sleep. I got up and went down to the kitchen to take my medication. I turned on the television and put it on PBS looking for “Poirot” which comes on Saturday nights. It wasn’t on. I started flipping channels and saw “NCIS–LA.” I thought they were moving their programming around again. Then I realized that it wasn’t Saturday—it was Tuesday. What a weird feeling—out of step in time completely.

I’m blaming stress instead of thinking it was one of those senior moments.

Baseball in the Heat and Humidity

2011-07-18T14:16:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we drove to Charleston, SC to see Cole’s Showcase team play in a tournament. It lasts all week, but Sunday was the only day we could go. (Mr. Fixit has some out-patient surgery tomorrow. I don’t think he will be up to making the 3 /12 to 4 hour trip after the surgery.)

We were lucky; it was hot, but not as hot as I expected. The last time we were there it was horrible. I wasn’t looking forward to the trip at all. The temp was in the mid to upper 80’s and, of course, the humidity was up there. The breeze made it a little more comfortable. I complain about the heat and humidity but those poor boys don’t get the sit under the canopy in the shade and drink cool drinks.

He has one more tournament for the summer session, and I think it’s closer to home, thank goodness. I’m to old to make these long daytrips, plus sitting through a double header in the heat.

I’ll be glad when Fall Ball starts!

Hibiscus Flower

2011-07-14T10:02:00.001-04:00

This is the first flower on a hibiscus plant that Mr. Fixit ordered from a gift catalog. It measures about 7” across. He bought three plants for $3.00. The other plants have buds but haven’t bloomed yet. Each one is supposed to be a different color.

This is the best buy he’s made from any of the gift catalogs he just can’t resist.

Tip of the Day

2011-07-13T17:32:00.002-04:00

This “Tip of the Day” comes from my experience using the downstairs bathroom for showers. I had a few close calls in the upstairs bathroom when the rubber bath mat inside the tub began slipping for no apparent reason (even the new one I purchased slipped).
The shower stall downstairs has a built in seat. I never used the seat to sit on; I use it to put my feet on to wash them. The other day after lathering my feet and rinsing them, I decided to sit on the little seat to shave my legs (TMI?).
Tip: If you have this convenience (a seat) in your shower, do NOT attempt to sit on it until you have rinsed the soap from it. The minute I sat down I started to slip off. Only ~~my lightning quick reflexes~~ the grace of God saved me from landing flat of my derriere and breaking my tail bone.
NOTE to Shower Manufacturers: Maybe you could put the non-slip surface that you use on the floor of the shower on the seat so that shower-takers won’t break any body parts.

*******************************************
The outdoor temperature is 96 degrees. The heat index is 106 degrees. It's so hot it hurts.

Crepe Myrtles

2011-07-12T16:27:00.001-04:00

The crepe myrtles are gorgeous this year. The colors are vivid, and the branches are covered in blooms (except mine). The ones at our local Wal-mart are outstanding. They are a deep, bright red.

(As usual, click on photo for more detail.)

Baseball

2011-07-10T12:25:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was baseball day. We left the house to 11:15 am and returned at 8:30 pm. Cole's showcase team played 2 games, and Noah's All-Star tournament game began at 6:00 pm.

Even though we were under our canopy during Cole's double header, it was unbearably hot. By the time we arrived at park for Noah's game, it was cloudy. We didn't need to set up the canopy again and it was a bit cooler, but it was still very, very uncomfortable.

I think the summer schedules for all the boys are almost finished. Noah has only this tournament to finish (we have a game at 4:00 pm this afternoon) and Cole has a big tournament in Charleston coming up. We probably won't be able to attend that one, Mr. Fixit has surgery scheduled for July 19th.

I'm glad baseball is almost over. Playing and practicing in this heat is hard on the players, and it even harder for their old grandmothers. But I look forward to Fall Ball when the temps drop below 90 sometimes.

Water Towers - Sports

2011-07-04T21:27:00.001-04:00

Bull Dogs of Hartwell, Ga.

Green Wave, Easley, S. C.
(Cole's Team)

Bobcats, Seneca, S.C.

Clemson University Tigers, Clemson, SC.
(There are tiger paws everywhere.)

Ty Cobb Museum, Royston, Ga.

(Click on photo for detail.)

Hmmm - A Little Insight Perhaps?

2011-06-27T20:45:00.000-04:00

Today as Mr. Fixit and I were returning from a little daytrip, we passed the scene fuzzily pictured below. It shows a flock of pigeons sitting on an electric wire over a 4 lane highway leading into Clemson. For some reason, there are always birds sitting in that particular spot. There don't sit on any of the other wires in the area, just that one. All kinds of birds sit there, not only pigeons, but they don't seem to use the wires at the same time.

I asked, "Why do you suppose birds sit on that wire across that busy highway? Maybe they're watching the traffic whiz by?"

Mr. Fixit said, "Maybe they are retired and they don't have anything else to do."

I wonder if he finds retirement a little boring.

Follow-Up

2011-06-21T22:04:00.001-04:00

Phone - After the beginning of this year, we decided to discontinue our telephone landline and depend entirely on our cell phones. This allowed me to upgrade our DSL service.

The only time I miss having the landline is when I must deal with automated answering devices with those infernal menus. Some menus are very long; some don’t repeat your options (my doctor’s office, for example). The menus are easier to deal with if the keypad is not on the receiver. We had two wired phones with the keypads on the bases instead of the receivers. The keypads on the base are also easier to use when refilling prescriptions by phone.

Another problem is changing your number with all the people that had our telephone number. It’s easy to forget to change the number at the pharmacy or the library.

The best result is that we no longer have to deal with telemarketers and charities asking for donations. It’s embarrassing not to be able to give as I used to.

My faster internet connection speed is not that much faster than our DSL Lite was and every week or so it begins to slow perceptively. I have to unplug the router for a few seconds; it seems to correct the problem. It’s just annoying.

Bathroom – I decided to use the bathroom downstairs rather than taking a chance on falling in the upstairs tub/shower combination. The downstairs has only a shower stall.

I bought new accessories and it looks nice, and I feel much safer.

The one problem is litter. One of Little Girl’s litter boxes is in that bathroom. She likes clay litter, but she tracks it out of the box. Stepping on those little clay particles with no shoes is uncomfortable to say the least. However, a little pain from stepping on litter is better than breaking something if I fell while getting out of the bathtub.

Kindle – I love my little tablet with the Kindle program. It’s so nice to be able to download a book in the middle of the night if I finish one book and need another one.

One of the things I don’t like about it is the amount of errors in the text, i.e spelling, spacing, missing pages. I’ve found mistakes in mainstream books as well as the self-published ones. There was one written by one of my favorite authors which was so flawed, I found it difficult to read. The author happens to be a college professor so I know he knows how to correctly paragraph dialog. I’ve never had that problems while reading his printed books. I spent half my time reading his Kindle edition book trying to decided who was talking. It was so aggravating. The one I was reading today skipped a page or two. I’ve noticed that the self-published ones have more spelling errors and typos than the mainstream books.

The other problem is that it’s just too easy to use. If I’m not careful, I could go WAY over budget each month. I buy an Amazon gift card with a set amount to keep myself in bounds.

Television Can Be Educational–Take Note Rep. Weiner

2011-06-12T22:39:00.001-04:00

Legislative leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, have called for Rep. Weiner (Dem. – NY) to resign his position because of the “scandalous” pictures he posted on line. Instead he is asking for leave to seek treatment. (It seems like now days if you’re caught being naughty all you have to do to redeem yourself is to enter some sort of rehab program. Is there a program for the terminally stupid?)

I don’t really care if he is posting childish, tasteless pictures on himself unless he was involved with minors. If he did include minors on his mailing list, he should be arrested and charged with any number of sexual offenses.

I think he should resign not because of the photos but because no one this stupid should be making monumental decisions affecting millions of US citizens.

Is the man so out of step with the real world that he didn’t know that whatever is out there on the worldwide web is there FOREVER? Has he never seen one episode of CSI or NCIS? Perhaps he was too busy taking tacky pictures of himself to watch television. He could learn something from Gibbs.

I would be very angry if my representative (even if I didn’t vote for him and don’t agree with his stance on most issues) did something this moronic.

Will elected officials, Democrats and Republicans, ever learn?

Mr./Ms. Politician, if you are doing sleazy, sordid acts, please learn to be more discrete. We have huge problems to solve without being sidetracked by your nasty, narcissistic peccadillos.

(And someone should take him to the woodshed for the hurt and embarrassment this must have caused his wife.)

Gainful Employment

2011-06-04T13:02:00.001-04:00

Mr. Fixit and I have been working for a little over a week. My younger son is the quality control guy at his company, and they had an emergency with one of their customers. A lot of parts have to be inspected. There are thousands and thousands of hex nuts with tiny numbers that must be checked and culled. It’s boring but the extra money will be nice-- and the work is temporary.

What’s not so nice is the almost 1 hour drive (each way) to reach the company. It’s been 25 years since I have worked outside our home (I’ve done work at home though) and the organizational skills I had when I worked are sadly lacking. I had forgotten how hard it is to work and to take care of a home. We have been eating out every night.

Part of that is because it’s the end of school here, and we were invited to attend Noah’s graduation from fifth grade, and Owen’s Awards day. There also have been a ball game or two thrown in. We can’t miss those things no matter what. (I was so proud of both the boys. They both were on the A honor roll for the whole year.)

Another minor, but irritating problem cropped up. An advisory was issued saying that our water had to be boiled before ingesting. It lasted more than a day.

My insomnia has caused me a bit of a problem. I’ve been running on about 3 hours sleep a night with no opportunity to nap in the afternoons. It’s makes me grumpy, but I try to keep control of it. Every two or three nights I get 5 or 6 hours which helps a lot.

I’ve learned a few new things, too. First, it seems that all traffic laws are suspended during both the morning and afternoon rush hours. People are simply nuts!

The second thing I’ve learned is that I could never, NEVER!, work with Mr. Fixit for an extended time. By yesterday afternoon, he had changed from Mr. Fixit to Mr. Management. I was ready to call the union rep but, alas, this is South Carolina and there are no union reps. I called him on his attitude and his response was, “I was just a supervisor too long. I think like management.” Fine, manage someone else, but not me! So There!

The third thing I’ve learned is that working when you’re 65 years old is a helluva lot different than when you’re 35.

Next week I won’t be working much because Noah and Owen’s daycare provider doesn’t begin regular hours until the Monday after school is out. They will stay with me for at least three days. This weekend I’m going to do laundry to get our clothes ready (that means actually ironing more than one thing at the time like I usually do) and I’m going to do a little cooking and freezing a few dinners ahead. Maybe my organization skills will come back.

Surprisingly, it’s been nice change. I don’t mind the work at all, and the harrowing morning drive gets my adrenalin pumping.

Around Our Neighborhood

2011-05-29T15:53:00.002-04:00

The Sloane Family built a residence known as Tanglewood in 1860 in Pendleton, South Carolina. It was destroyed by fire in 1908 and rebuilt in 1910. The rebuilt home was a classical colonial mansion. The house remained in the Sloane family until 1950 when it was sold. The home again was destroyed by fire in 1970 leaving the three chimneys, the original columns, and the basement.

The three chimneys accommodate three fireplaces each; two for the upper floors and one for the basement level.

Entrance

Chimneys & Columns

Basement Level

The property was sold to the local government for a new library which appears on the left in the first pic.

(Click on photos for detail.)

Missed Opportunities

2011-05-24T10:05:00.001-04:00

The last few weeks have been very busy for us. The grandchildren have been involved in sports. At times, we have had three games scheduled on the same evening. This past Saturday Owen had a game at 10:30 am and Cole had a double header scheduled at 1:00 pm in a different city. They played one nine inning game and one seven inning one. We didn’t get home until 8:00 pm.

Levi’s touch football is over, and Owen’s last game was last night. He may make the All-Star team though. Cole is just beginning his summer baseball season. They have to wait until all the high varsity teams has finished.

I’ve missed a lot of blog fodder while cheering the grandsons on. I missed the whole Donald Trump president thing. (He was surprised that people had such disdain for him?) I’m not even going to get into the tea party candidates or others who want to do away with Social Security and Medicare. Just wait until their children have to start to contributing to Grandmother and Grandfather’s living expenses. They may decide that Social Security wasn’t such a bad idea.

Now the religious leader who predicted the Rapture is saying he miscalculated again. (He “miscalculated” once before.) To tell you the truth, I was a bit taken aback when the horrible tornado hit Missouri. Anyway, now he predicts the cataclysm for the fall.

I also missed commenting on the royal wedding. No, I didn’t get up a 4:00 am to watch, but I couldn’t help but see bits and pieces of the spectacular. Her dress was very nice, and the prince looked like a prince. What was the young princess thinking with that hideous thing stuck on her head? I read that The Wiggles were bidding on the hat. I haven’t figured that one out yet.

Then there was the story, or maybe I should say “no-story,” of the mother injecting her 8 year old daughter with Botox before pageants. First there were pictures, and then the mother said it was a hoax. Huh?

I’m sure that as the presidential campaign season continues there will be ample opportunity for me to be snotty, snide, catty and sarcastic. I’ll try not to overdo it.

Warning! Gross Stuff Follows!

2011-05-16T17:38:00.002-04:00

Mr. Fixit and I have always had “unusual” conversations at times due to perhaps language problems, inattentiveness, his hearing loss, and my general weirdness. It seems to be getting worse as we age.

Today he asked me if I wanted to go with him to get his hair cut. I said I would go along for the ride, but I would wait for him in the car and read. “Give me a minute to change clothes.”

“Why do you need to change clothes if you are going to sit in the car?” he asked.

I said, “If we have a car accident, I want to be wearing clean clothes. Didn’t your mother ever tell you about that?” His response was a roll of his eyes. I guess his mother forgot to give him that sage advice.

I changed into a pair of light blue jeans and a matching shirt. As we started out the driveway, I noticed a dark spot on my jeans. “Darn it! There’s a spot on my jeans and I wanted to wear these to the ball game tonight.”

He said, “It looks like a booger.”

I replied in my best offended and self-righteous tone, “I’ll have you know, I never wipe boogers on my pants.”

He said, “Maybe you sneezed and a booger flew out.”

“I never sneeze out boogers—a little snot maybe, but not boogers.”

Recent Daytrip

2011-05-05T11:05:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday Mr. Fixit and I took a drive to Cherokee, NC. It’s about a two and half hours away.

As we passed through Rabun County, GA, we saw a few signs of the recent spate of tornados.

The big tree in front of this house fell over and the roots ripped the front of the house away from the main body of the house.

We saw a number of trees down, but I was taking pictures from the moving car. This is the best of the lot.

There are a number of gem stores in that area. You can “pan” for gems, buy crystal jewelry, or simply buy chunk crystal. We saw these outside a jewelry shop. Some of the crystals are opaque, most of translucent, and others are transparent. I’m not sure if the opaque ones are actual crystals; I don’t know much about the subject. I do know that they are beautiful. I missed taking a picture of the opaque, what I would call “lipstick red” ones. There were many more colors than shown here.

(Click on photo for more detail.)

It Happened Again

2011-04-29T22:52:00.000-04:00

It happened to me again--confronted with bad manners by and older person who think her time is more valuable than mine or that they are entitled.

When I walked into the pharmacy, there was a gentleman at the drop-off window discussing his medication with the pharmacist. I waited. . .and waited. . .and waited. I was patient because I realize that such discussions can be important. I must have waited for a little less than 10 minutes. After the discussion was finsished, the techs and the pharmacist had to solve a little problem which took another minute or two. Again, I waited.

In the meantime, a lady about my age who seemed to have no phyical impairment walked up behind me and said, "Are you in line?" "Yes," I answered. She said, "I'm dropping off a prescription. Can I go in front of you?" I said, "I'm just dropping one off, too." Just as I said that, I heard "Next" and I stepped up to the window.

Why did she think she should have the right to ask to go to the front of the line? She had a grocery cart that was empty so I'm assuming that she had other shopping to do.

After I took care of my business, I wondered what I would have done if I hadn't been summoned. Would I have knuckled under and let her go in front of me? Would I have politely explained that I had been waiting for a long time and I would only take a few minutes? Or would have I been as uncivil as she was and told her to stick it? I know I that I wouldn't have chosen the last one. I am seldom rude and I try to be accommodating. But people who for some reason are so presumptuous make be very angry.

Levi at Disney

2011-04-28T10:22:00.001-04:00

“I’m scared of that mouse!”

A New Project

2011-04-20T17:30:00.001-04:00

When Mr. Fixit was away on vacation (he’s back, by the way), I had a little scare.

The shower in the upstairs bath is not separate from the tub; it’s in the tub. As I started to step out, one foot was in the tub on the mat and the other foot hadn’t hit the floor yet. The mat slipped and I almost fell. The hamper saved my bacon. I escaped with a little banged up shin.

Afterwards, I realized that it could have been a bad situation. What if I had broken something and wasn’t able to get up? I could have lain there for days. There is no place that I have to be a certain time, so no one would miss me. No one calls with any regularity.

Weird thoughts started going through my mind. I remembered an episode of “CSI” about a little old cat lady who died, and her cats ate her. One CSI person said, “To a hungry cat, meat is meat.” I love Little Girl, but I don’t want to be cat food.

Even if I didn’t croak, I would be mortified if by some chance someone called our local paramedics and they found me sans clothing sprawled half in and half out of the bath tub. It doesn’t bear thinking about. When I die, I plan to be fully clothed. I would prefer to have make-up on; it’s not a deal breaker if I don’t, but it would be nice if I did.

When I told Mr. Fixit about my near brush with becoming noms for Little Girl, I told him that I want to start using the downstairs bath to take showers because it has a shower stall. There is little danger when stepping down only two inches or so. He seemed to think it was good idea until I said that I would like to freshen the room up a bit. The last time I decided to “freshen up” the upstairs bathroom my budget (according to him) rivaled the national debt. When you paint the walls, the molding looks dreary. The new paint color means new accessories. The new accessories call for new drawer pulls, etc., etc., etc.

It shouldn’t be that bad this time. I bought fabric for a new curtain, a new mirror, and I found a pretty shower curtain. Of course, I will need new towels and a new hamper.

While we were in Lowe’s shopping he was looking at shower heads, I asked him if I could take the one from the upstairs to put it in the downstairs bath. We had a major disagreement when Mr. Fixit tried several different so called “water saving” shower heads before. I hate them! I want to be able to sluice off the shampoo and soap quickly and not have to stand there for ten minutes while the water sprays down on me like “a gentle rain.” My motto is, “Get in; get it done, get out.”

Since we don’t have to paint, buy a new light fixture, or new drawer/door pulls, I should be able to come in under budget--although we could use new flooring. I’d better not mention that. He may tell me it would be cheaper for me to have one of those “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” gadgets.

45 Years of Night & Day and Black & White

2011-04-15T11:40:00.002-04:00

Mr. Fixit and I have been married for over 45 years. Sometime I wonder how we’ve made it this far. We are as different as chalk and cheese.

He is less spontaneous than I. He likes to have every moment planned. When we go on our little explorations, he wants to know exactly where we are going. I like to see where the road leads. When it’s a planned trip, he has two TomToms on, stacks of routes planned by Mapquest, individual state road maps, and the road atlas that is always in the car. I look at the map to get a general idea of the route I want to follow and let the big green highway signs direct me.

He is more self-centered that I am. I don’t mean that in a mean way. It’s just that he give little thought to the way his actions may affect others. He thinks that everything I feel and do has something to do with him.

When something needs to be repaired, he thinks and thinks and thinks, while I want to think a little and then start doing something. Meanwhile, he’s still thinking. When he does start the repair, he is able to fix almost anything (well, plumbing is not his favorite thing). The problem is he doesn’t care what the result looks like; he cares only that the result is successful. Me? I want it to work, but I also want it to look nice.

He thinks I’m not logical. He may be right. When I have a problem to solve, I start at the end and work my way back to the beginning. When I was a child, I loved those maze puzzles. I was a whiz at them. I always started at the end point and worked my way back to the starting point. When he asks me for suggestions when he has a job to do, I always ask first what the objective is. Then I work backwards.

I think he is too influenced by other people. He finds it impossible to say “No” even though he doesn’t really want to do what’s asked of him. He doesn’t seem to realize he being manipulated, or maybe he doesn’t care. I hate being manipulated. It make me angry, and I very seldom allow it to happen. I dig in my heels and do the opposite of whatever the person who is trying to manipulate wants. I can’t understand why people can’t be straight forward and say what’s on their minds. If someone wants me to do something, say so. Don’t manipulate. It makes me angry that anyone would think I’m so stupid that I don’t see what’s happening.

He is more forgiving than I am. Even when I do forgive real or imagined slights, I remember. I remember for a long time and I never put myself in the position to be hurt again. Sometimes I know that it’s cutting off my nose. . .but that’s they way I protect myself.

Even thought we are so different, for the last few years we have both noticed that we have a lot of “Twilight Zone” moments. You know, when we both say exactly the same thing at the same time. This happens a lot in the car. Or sometimes when I’m upstairs and he’s downstairs, we meet on the steps and we both say we need to go shopping, or we want to go for a drive, or we both have a craving for ice cream. It gets really spooky sometimes.

When I talked to him last, he said he was coming home Saturday. I’m glad.

Here But Not Here

2011-04-13T11:56:00.001-04:00

Mr. Fixit is back in the US, but he isn’t home. He’s in Memphis. He had to cut his vacation short. His sister who lives in Memphis went with him on the trip. She received word that a member of her family found out that she has a major medical problem. She asked Mr. Fixit if he would accompany her home. Her daughter had a doctor’s appointment Tuesday, and they thought maybe Mr. Fixit could help translate so they would understand the situation as clearly as possible.

The doctor should have the information he needs from some additional testing by Thursday, and then decisions will have to made.

Mr. Fixit said he wants to come home Friday, but I don’t know if he will be able to get reservations at this late date. Friday is a travel day for business travelers. I don’t know either if he can get a direct flight from Memphis to Greenville. I hope so. If not, I know there are lots of flights from Memphis to Atlanta. If he comes into Atlanta, I hope he waits until Saturday or Sunday because of traffic in the city on weekdays.

Yesteryear

2011-04-10T15:00:00.001-04:00

On Sundays, Mr. Peter Tibbles is the guest contributor at “Time Goes By.” He offers samples of many different genres of music. Today’s theme was music of 1952.

As I played through his list, I knew the lyrics of all the songs but two. Of the songs I didn’t know, one was an early rock ‘n’ roll song by Lloyd Price and the other song was by Hank Williams. When I was a teen I was a fan of Mr. Price’s music, but in 1952 rock ‘n’ roll wasn’t mainstream so I didn’t hear much of the early stuff. Even though my mother listened to country music (we called it hillbilly music) I didn’t care for it and didn’t pay much attention to it.

In 1952 I was a 7 year old second grader. I wondered why I knew the lyrics of the songs. By then we had a television and we didn’t listen to the radio much any longer. Then it hit me—“Your Hit Parade.”

“Your Hit Parade” came on Saturday nights and counted down the top seven (I think) songs of the week plus two “extras.” We would always guess which song would be No. 1 and who would sing it.

I suppose I learned the lyrics from Dorothy, Gisele, Russell, and Snooky. I found this site (http://www.archive.org/details/Your_Hit_Parade_Complete_Episode) with a kinoscope of a whole show. It brought back memories of my dad, mother, and my older brother as well as some great music. Take a peek if you’re into nostalgia.

(It’s no wonder I smoked. Those Lucky Strike commercials were very seductive. LS/MFT. And I wonder if Snooky Lanson was the model for the Howdy Doody puppet.)

This and That

2011-04-08T15:52:00.001-04:00

The last week or so has been a little tough. My glucose levels have been higher than they have ever been before, and nothing I try seems to help.

It started last month when I complained to the doctor about a side effect of one of my medicines. He suggested that I cut the dosage in half. I only cut it by a third though, and there seemed to be no problem except the side effect was still a problem.

Granted, since Mr. Fixit has been gone, I haven’t been eating like I should, but it’s not like I have been o.d.ing on carbs. It’s just that I have not been cooking much. It’s hard cooking for one.

I’ve resumed the previous dosage, but the levels are still twice as high has they should be. Maybe it takes a few days to kick in; I don’t know. There’s not much I can do about it.

************************

I went to Levi’s football game last night. He almost made a touchdown. Those little legs were pumping like pistons! He was with a foot or two of the goal line. Before the game, he told him mom that he didn’t really know what to do. I guess he understood enough to run toward the goal line when he caught the ball.

They Won!

2011-04-05T21:37:00.002-04:00

Levi had his first flag football game to day. He plays in the age seven and under group. He’s only 5. He was so excited. He came off the field after the game with a little lump on his forehead and a bruise on his cheek.
This grammie does not like to watch games in which her grandchildren get bruised but he is probably proud of the bruise.

On the Road Paved with Good Intentions

2011-04-04T10:22:00.001-04:00

Since my short term memory isn’t as dependable as it once was, I have become a list maker.

This is this morning’s to-d0 list:

This is the list that I will actually accomplish:

I’m Sorry; I Don’t Speak . . .

2011-04-03T15:48:00.001-04:00

I never thought I would say this, but a call from a telemarketer might be welcome about now. I haven’t talked to anyone since last Wednesday, unless you count Little Girl and the other cats. They are good listeners, but they leave a bit to be desired in the conversation department. They do meow at me when I talk to them sometimes, but, sadly, I don’t understand Felinese.

She’s back!

2011-04-01T21:07:00.001-04:00

Mother Cat came back this evening about 7:30. I stepped out for a little fresh air and there she was sitting on the deck railing where she usually sits. I was so happy to see her. I thought she would be very hungry, but she came in had a few bits of dry food and left. I guess she had dinner out with friends.

All day long I called her, “Moo-therr! Here kitty, kitty” in my cat calling falsetto voice. I must have driven the neighbors nuts. I know now that she was probably sitting in the bushes laughing her kitty tee-hees, her whole body shaking with almost silent laughter while I was so worried about her.

She is such a little @#$%$, but I’m so happy she’s home.

(The photo is not her, but I bet this was the expression on her face.)

Time and News

2011-04-01T12:25:00.002-04:00

So-o-o? What does a person do when they have no demands on their time? For this person, it’s a whole lot of nuthin’.

Mr. Fixit has been gone since Monday, and here it is Friday. My time has been taken up with computer games, reading, and little else. I have been out once to the grocery.

Even though I don’t want to go anywhere, I have this restlessness at my edges. It’s getting to me a little. I think maybe it’s the weather and the fact that I don’t like going out alone.

This morning Mother Cat didn’t show up for breakfast. She seldom misses breakfast. I’m a little worried about her. I called and called but she hasn’t appeared. She looks as if she is in good shape even though she must be at least nine years old. That’s very old for a feral cat. The vet told me that the lifespan of the average feral cat is about two years. I hope she isn’t trapped somewhere.

And in the news, our state legislature is considering a bill that would not require South Carolinians to use the new light bulbs that will be mandated by the Feds soon. The reason is not what you may think. No one seems to be concerned about the mercury in them. No, it seems that the light bulb problem is a matter of states’ rights. “Nobody is going to tell us what kind of light bulbs to use!” Hmmm. That the same reason that was used for The War Between the States. Slavery wasn’t the problem; South Carolina just didn’t want the Federal Government “pokin’ its nose in where it didn’t belong.” There are so many problems in this state and they are discussing light bulbs. Now I know why we are in dire straits.

I’m angry with the Houston Chronicle. For years, my morning routine has included working their crossword puzzle. Now not only have they eliminated “Fred Bassett” from their comics page, but now they no longer offer the crossword. Washington Post here I come. Houston, your nutsy political scene isn’t enough to keep me as a reader. Well, there is “Dear Abby.”

I’m not too thrilled with my Yahoo! home page either. They have removed their TV listings service. Even though I have a guide on the television and access to the Directv guide, I like having the mini-guide on my home page. It’s so handy.

I hate change! Can you tell I’m a little edgy?

Thanks!

2011-03-31T14:10:00.000-04:00

"Thank you, Lord. Three cancellations by 2:00 pm."

A Grandmother's Prayer

2011-03-31T12:02:00.000-04:00

Today three of my grandsons have games scheduled at approximately the same time.

"Dear God,

Please, please, please, bring on the rain at 5:00 pm today."

On the Home Front

2011-03-29T14:32:00.001-04:00

We took Mr. Fixit to the Atlanta airport yesterday for his vacation with his family. He will be gone until the latter part of April. He called this morning and said that he had no problem. One of his sisters flew into Atlanta from Memphis and traveled on the same flight. I’m glad that he had someone with him. I was a bit worried about him. Now I only have to worry about him getting mugged and being in a country that doesn’t have the best relations with this country.

Ben, Bella, and Levi went with us. I was really nervous about driving in Atlanta. The children were very good in the car, and Levi was so excited to see many soldiers. He is into all things military.

I like going to big airports. They are the best places for people watching. You see all sorts.

The weather has suddenly turned a lot cooler here. Last night the heat even came on again, and we’ve had rain a few days in a row. I thought spring was here to stay. The lilac is blooming, but our azaleas are anemic this year. In fact, they appear to be near death. The Bradford pear trees have lost all their white flowers and are now that nice spring-y green. I hope spring returns soon.

Another of Life’s Little Mysteries

2011-03-25T09:58:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I stayed in the car in the parking lot when Mr. Fixit went into the bank. The car positioned a bit higher than street level so I could see into the cars that went by.

A woman driving by was texting on her phone with her left hand and holding a sandwich in her right hand. I have no clue as to which appendage she was using to steer the car—a third hand maybe?

This and That

2011-03-23T23:31:00.001-04:00

Spring is definitely here. I don’t need the warm temperatures or the birds tweeting outside my window at 4:00 am. to remind me. The calendar isn’t necessary either. I know spring is here because it’s BASEBALL season again. Cole, Noah, and Owen are all playing, and Levi will soon start playing flag football. That should be fun to watch—all those little boys running around not knowing what the heck is going on.

Mr. Fixit is preparing for his vacation. He will be spending more than three weeks out of the country. I’m going to take him to the Atlanta airport. I dread it. I’ll have to make the trip alone; the traffic is horrible, and Atlanta drivers are crazy. I always thought that New Jersey had the worst drivers, but Atlanta is worse.

Elizabeth Taylor has died. While I didn’t admire her personal choices in life, I can honestly say that I admired her beauty and talent. I believe she was the most beautiful woman of our time. No one could be a gorgeous as she was in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Suddenly, Last Summer,” or “Giant.”

The news hasn’t been great lately. A new front has opened for this country in the Mid East. Natural disaster and environmental disaster are threatening all of us. I’m sorry to say that I take all that is reported in the media with a grain of salt. I think lies are being told about the situation in Japan.

I would also like to know why the media hasn’t reported more on the story concerning the non-disclosure by a Justice of the Supreme Court of his wife’s earnings paid to her by a think tank. He was sitting in judgment of a case in which she was involved with one of the parties. His excuse was that he misinterpreted the law. He’s a Supreme Court Justice for heaven’s sake. Somehow I expect the Justices to be able to interpret the law. Perhaps I am expecting too much. The media has dropped the ball on that story, but we know all about Ms. Lohan and Mr. Sheen, don’t we? Who gives two hoots about these people and their self-inflicted problems when people are dying in wars, and our world is perhaps being damaged beyond repair? Our government is being run by power-hungry, narrow-minded people and supported by people who believe any lie that is told because of bigotry and ignorance and their unwillingness find the truth for themselves.

Is That a Rhetorical Question?

2011-03-15T16:23:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow I have a doctor’s appointment for my semi-annual check-up. It never fails; when he walks into the room, he always says, “How are you?” Is this just a bit of civility on his part, or does he really want me to tell him how I am? I never know what to say, so I say, “I’m fine. How are you?”

Does he want to hear the normal stuff that happens when our bodies age? We have painful knees, hips, and our hair is thinning. Does he want to know that our blood pressure is up (or down) and our weight fluctuates, but never changes enough to be happy if it goes down or worried if it goes up. Does he care to hear that we have cavities that need to be filled? Does he want to hear that we have the blues or if we are happy as larks? Does he care that we can have diarrhea one day and constipation the next? Does he want to hear that we don’t take our medication as regularly as we should because we just can’t remember to take it? Does he want to hear about our age spots and dry skin? And what about the dizziness that sometimes hits when you are in public and causes you to stagger or walk a bit off kilter,to say nothing of the acute embarrassment which accompanies the bit of a stagger?

I don’t know what the hell he means when he says, “How are you?” so unless I have extreme pain or an open, bloody wound, I will just continue to say, “Fine, thank you. How are you?”

**********************************

A few days ago we received a letter from the IRS agreeing that we do not owe the thousands of dollars they said we did. Thank heavens! I have only one thing to say to the person or computer who decided that it was necessary to bring me to the brink of a stroke. I would like to say (or sing), “Neh, neh, neh, neh, neh!” You can add you own favorite little melody to the nehs.

Drudgery

2011-03-10T15:44:00.000-05:00

I know I have said this many times, but once again I have to say, “I hate housework!” I like the result which lasts for about a half hour, but I hate the drudgery necessary to have a clean house.

Since Mr. Fixit retired, I have done very little cleaning—just enough to get by and to insure that the Health Department doesn't declare this address uninhabitable. When Mr. Fixit says, “Let's go!” I don't let the vaccuum keep at home. As long as he gets a home cooked meal every now and then and he has clean clothes, he doesn't mind the clutter and the dirty windows. In fact, sometimes he gets a little huffy with me when I start cleaning around him.

One of his sisters called Sunday evening and said they were thinking about coming to visist this weekend. What is wrong with these people? Don't they know I required at least two weeks notice just to clean and hide the clutter? She hasn't let us know yet for sure if they are coming so I have been cleaning like crazy. They are my in-laws after all. I think that after 45 years they still wonder if our marriage is going to last.

I have cleaned the carpets, scoured the burned-on debris from the stove, removed all the green fuzzy stuff out of the refrigerator, cleaned the windows, dusted, and removed the visible spider webs. I saw a few that were not conspicious so I left them alone. Spiders need a home, too, don't they?

Mr. Fixit offered to help, but to tell you the truth, he's slow as Christmas and he only does part of the job. He cleaned the bathroom downstairs, but he neglected to clean the floor in the hall leading to the bathroom when he did the bathroom floor. I had to finish that up. He replaced two tiles in the kitchen and that took half a day. I have been cleaning up and putting away the stuff he uses to “help.” He cleaned the ceiling fan in the living room and it turned into a major project. I sound ungrateful—I'm not.
Every little bit helps.

It's just about killed me though. I was thinking this morning about how all this work I was doing was the same stuff that I used to do once a week or more often when I was younger. I didn't consider it hard work or that tiring. Now I feel as if I can't put one foot in front of the other. I was telling Mr. Fixit that all this cleaning was what used to the just the usual. He said, “That's what happens when you get old.” That made me feel so much better.

Travels with My Camera

2011-03-01T11:11:00.002-05:00

Easley, SC
I took this picture as part of my interest in water towers, but the result was so aesthetically pleasing that it is one of my favorite photos. The picture was taken during a brilliant pink sunset causing the tower to pick up the rosy tint.

Greenville, SC
This concrete plant (manufacturer?) caught my attention. It appears to be abandoned, but there are concrete items for sale, i.e. birdbaths, garden statuary, etc. The interesting thing to me is the greenery growing out of the tower.

When I zoomed in I noticed something else.

A portable john atop the tower? I suppose they didn’t have women working there because there is no ladies’ room up there.

Norris, SC
There is something sad about this chimney surrounded by kudzu.

Did a fire destroy the home was was heated by the fireplace? Why hasn’t the property been used? Was the chimney left standing as a reminder? Or was there no one left to care?

(Click on photo for detail.)

Wisdom of the Aged

2011-02-28T17:53:00.001-05:00

Here’s a little nugget of wisdom:

Cool-Whip Lite makes sugar-free peach jello palatable.

Blood Will Tell

2011-02-26T21:13:00.001-05:00

Like the rest of the grandchildren, Bella has no physical characteristics like mine. She has brown eyes; mine are blue. Her hair is dark; my hair was light. My skin is very fair; hers is darker. She has very long legs; mine are short.

Recently she stayed the night with us. The next day when she was gathering her stuff to take home, Mr. Fixit noticed a pair of her shoes that she hadn’t packed. I said, “I didn’t notice that you weren’t wearing the sneakers yestersday.”

She said, “Well, these sneakers didn’t match what I was wearing yesterday. I was wearing brown pants so I had to wear my brown shoes.”

Yes-s-s! That’s my girl!

Instant Gratification

2011-02-24T10:04:00.001-05:00

I love Kindle! I never thought I would say that because I love hold-in-the-hand books.

I buy gift cards from our local Best Buy so that I don’t have to give my credit card number when ordering on line. Mr. Fixit gets a little nervous about having that number floating around out there in the ether. If I finish a book using the Kindle reading program on the e-pad at 3:00 am, I can purchase another one without leaving my bed and in my pj’s. It takes about 30 seconds to download a book. Having a set limit also keeps me from going overboard which I have a tendency to do when purchasing books.

It’s possible to download free books, and sometimes you can find great bargains on brand new works. An author mentioned on his blog a few days ago that his new book is available for Kindle readers. The price—$2.99! That’s far less than the cost of a paperback, and I don’t have to wait for a year for it to hit the stands in soft cover.

Amazon offers a free reader for computers so that an e-reader or e-pad is not necessary. I used that before one of my sons gave me the e-pad for Christmas. Using a smaller unit is more convenient than using a laptop if you like to read in bed.

The Results Are In

2011-02-23T19:26:00.001-05:00

Mr. Fixit had his test done this morning. The doctor said there is no indication of problems.

He took a long time to come out of the anesthesia, and they didn’t give him quite enough time to wake up. He experienced some uncomfortable side effects, but he says he’s feeling better now. He was groggy in the car and he threw once on the way home. I helped him into bed and he slept until 4:30 this afternon.

He can get back to his regular diet tomorrow.

I’m thankful and he's relieved.

Testing 1, 2, 3. Testing

2011-02-21T21:13:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow and Wednesday should be very interesting. I know things will be extremely tense around here.

Mr. Fixit is going into the hospital for a test Wednesday so he can’t eat anything at all tomorrow. He can only have clear liquids, jello, broth, tea, and coffee with no cream. He gets very testy when he can’t eat. In fact, he can be a misery to be around. I wonder if I could desert the Fixit ship until Wednesday afternoon. That would be the coward’s way out, wouldn’t it? No one ever said I would ever be awarded a medal for bravery.

It’s going to be a l-0-0-n-g day and a half.

Anniversary

2011-02-19T17:40:00.000-05:00

Today is our 45th anniversary. Wow! And they said it would never last.

Big Brother, Little Brother Conversation

2011-02-18T14:05:00.001-05:00

Today was a teachers’ work day for Noah and Owen so they are visiting with us. They asked if we could go out for lunch. We decided to go thru drive-thru and eat at home.

After we had the food in the car, Owen asked if he could start eating. I said, “No, let’s wait until we get home.”

Owen asked, “Why can’t we eat now?”

Noah said, “She wants you to suffer.”

The Realities of Aging-Hair, Money, Vision

2011-02-11T11:27:00.001-05:00

As usual when at the hairdresser, the talk turned to my thinning hair. The young lady there suggested that I try her products for thinning hair. I’m not an idiot; I know there are very few products that actually grow hair, but I decided to try the suggested shampoo and conditioner.

When she told me the price, I almost changed my mind. Even when I didn’t have to worry about every penny I didn’t buy $10.00 shampoo or $10.00 conditioner. I bought the stuff anyway for some reason. As I headed out the door, I was thinking about all the things I could have bought if I had forgone the expensive shampoo and purchased Suave products as I usually do.

Surprisingly, the stuff actually does camouflage the thin spot by plumping up the hair or something. I’m sure that there is no new hair growing. But I’m not sorry I bought the expensive stuff.

The only problem is that the packaging is almost identical on the tube of shampoo and the tube of conditioner. They also smell the same. This morning for the third time, I picked up the wrong tube and squeezed out conditioner first, wasting the costly conditioner. You see, (really bad joke) I don’t wear my glasses in the shower, of course, but my aging eyes really need my reading glasses to tell one from the other.

This is how I am trying to solve the problem.

I hope the big green “X” doesn’t wash off. I used a permanent marker.

Aging means you have to use your problem solving skills a lot more often.

It’s in the Small Print

2011-02-08T15:31:00.002-05:00

This morning Ms. Bennett, of Time Goes By, wrote that manufacturers, retailers, and advertisers have begun to recognize that elders, too, spend money to buy their products. They are beginning to change their products, packaging, and advertising to accommodate those of us who are older.

Small print should be taken into consideration; it drives me nuts. It seems that my magnifying glass has become a permanent extension of my right hand even though I wear corrective lenses to compensate for my aging eyes. With my glasses, I can read most books, newspapers, and magazines. I do have trouble with more than a few items with extraordinarily small print.

Below is a scan of a page from the instruction manual of my e-pad along with a page from a normal paperback book. The print in the manual is miniscule when compared to the paperback print. Even with my trusty MG, I find it almost impossible to read.

The instructions on OTC medication packaging and containers are sometimes so small that they are impossible to read. I have sometimes resorted to scanning the containers and enlarging/zooming in on the print.

I suppose that I should invest in a stronger magnifying glass.

(I wondered if I should add the unusal "click on photo to enlarge." It seems a little ironic for this post.)

Owen

2011-02-04T11:28:00.000-05:00

Last night Owen's school held its annual talent show. The children range from kindergarten to fifth grade. These children who participated are so poised, and talented, of course. Several times there were little glitches with music, and no one was disconcerted. They simply waited with grace and patience until the problem was cleared.

The show was held at the high school auditorium which probably seats more than 500 people. Almost every seat was taken to see the 26 different acts.

There are some students who are incredibly talented. One little girl sang "Over the Rainbow" with a bluesy flavor. Her phrasing was wonderful.

Owen did another hip-hop routine.

Get Thee Behind me, Amazon!

2011-02-03T16:30:00.002-05:00

One of our sons gave me an e-pad, or epad, (one of those things like an Ipad) for Christmas with the Kindle software. The other son gave me an Amazon gift certificate. I love it and the ebooks. I have used up my gift certificate plus a little more.

Every day I receive email from Amazon advertising Kindle books. Today’s was the biggest temptation yet. I found ebooks available by some of my favorite mystery writers—Dana Stabenow, J. A. Jance, C. J. Box, Michael Connelly, Jonathan Kellerman, etc., etc.

The temptation is killing me. Have a heart, Amazon, no more advertisements for a while.

Buzzards (I Think)

2011-02-01T09:21:00.002-05:00

We have noticed in the last few weeks a lot of buzzards—even in our neighborhood. The other day there was a smushed squirrel lying in the street up the hill from our house. As we passed I saw a huge black bird (a little smaller than a wild turkey) sitting on the side of the street waiting for his lunch. He seemed unperturbed at the closeness of our car and waited for us to pass. He was U-U-U-G-L-Y!

A few days later we saw several along a four lane highway. They too were undisturbed by traffic.

Yesterday while we were out exploring we noticed (couldn’t help but notice) several skunks who had successfully committed suicide by the motor vehicle. At almost every suicide there were one or more vultures. How do they stand the smell of skunk? I wonder if birds have a sense of smell? Something else to research.

I also saw several roosting on a tumble-down house. Creepy!

I know that every creature was put here on earth for some good reason. Scavenger birds are our cleaner-uppers, but did God have to make these useful birds so butt-ugly?

Water Tower Art

2011-01-31T10:02:00.002-05:00

This tower in Anderson, SC, celebrates the city’s participation in hot air balloon festivals.

I don’t quite understand the artwork on this one. I don’t know that Powdersville, SC, has any waterfalls. But then perhaps I am misinterpreting the art.

No, this isn’t an advertisement for Purina. This tower is located outside the city of Pickens, SC. It’s simply a red and white checkerboard pattern. We saw it from the highway, but we searched a lot of back roads to find it and get close enough for a photo.

(Click on photo for more detail.)

An Open Letter to Betty Crocker

2011-01-24T17:37:00.002-05:00

Dear Ms. Crocker:
Over the years I have used a number of your products and have never found one that was terrible—until now.

Today when grocery shopping Mr. Fixit and I were looking for something to prepare quickly for lunch. We found your product, Fried Rice with Chicken. Everything was included—the rice, chicken, vegetables, and broth. The only thing I had to add was water and oil.

I prepared the “kit” according to the directions on the box. I left it to simmer for the recommended 25 minutes. A few minutes later a ~~noxious~~ unappetizing odor wafted out of the kitchen. I went back into the kitchen and lifted the lid on the rice pot. Eeeww! What a smell!

I let the dish finish cooking. I’m sorry to tell you that the finished product tasted as badly as it smelled! And now five hours later, the ~~noxious~~ aroma is still in the house.

Ms. Crocker, this is not one of your best products. If I can offer my opinion, it stinks! This one should be removed from the shelves immediately before the stock in your company plummets.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Fixit

PS
What in the world is the ingredient that smells terrible? I can’t quite put my finger on it. It seems to be a cross between cumin and dirty gym socks.

How Many Ducks. . .?

2011-01-23T18:53:00.001-05:00

For the last week or so I have seen lots of ducks, or maybe they’re geese, flying somewhere in the V formation.

First, I don’t know if they are just now flying south or if they are returning north early. If they are returning early, someone missed the forecast on the Weather Channel. We usually see a lot of birds in formation in November on their way to Florida or Mexico or wherever they winter. I never see them flying in V formation in the spring. Do they fly together in the spring? I’ve looked for the answer to that question but have yet to find an answer.

How many ducks does it take to make a V? Yesterday I saw a rather small V. It consisted of two birds—one leading and the other one flying a bit behind and to the left of the leader.