barking like a madman

 

Harry was barking like a madman.  I was in the shower and could not attend to him.  Katey had arrived unexpectedly with dresses for Marie's homecoming.  He went berserk at her arrival. He's hiding in the bedroom now.  Flowers are watered and the breakfast is done.  This is Judy and Shannon from last Sunday.

We have been a post dinner walk at Inglenook Farms where they have a well worn walking path of mostly cinders.  She 

grabbed my hand and motivated me to move at a better pace.  Normally, she is out in front by some distance and I am sauntering behind.  

It's the next day.  So, Robert Redford has left us.  With all the roles he played and triumphed in, he seemed like a good guy in real life He stood for the environment and for conservation and lived a more simple life in Utah.  With the Sundance Film, he fostered independent film makers.  "The Natural" was my favorite one of his movies.  When steely eyed Roy Hobbs sends the ball into the overhead lights and they explode, it was the image of victory.  This was my grown up baseball movie.  In my boyhood, "It Happens Every Spring"  starring Ray Milland was the favorite that I watched with my Dad. 

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This Day

So today social media is flooded with the news of an assassination of a right wing political operative endorser of the current administration.  I really did not know of this guy aside from a few blurbs on my Facebook reel feeds.  Personally, I completely disagree with all of his statements and beliefs.  He should not have been killed, regardless of his opinions. It is yet another sad day for our violent and deeply divided nation. I fear this cycle will continue. 

This incident over shadows the 24th anniversary of the attack on our nation in 2001. For me it was one of the events where I could picture myself exactly where I was when it happened.  I was struck with disbelief that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center and initially thought it was some tragic accident only to learn the truth.  I was at my computer doing my job and across from me in a large conference room the bosses were peering at the large screen tv which showed a burning building with a plane stuck in it.  I was shocked and really everything stopped.  We were all in a state of disbelief.

As we sit here in 2025, this event has moved in the history books along with the Kennedy assassinations.  Our offspring and grand children have no firsthand memories of these events.  But for my demographic, they are defining moments in our nations history.  This guy's killing will move to that status in a few years 

I am down to my last 4 tomatoes from my plantings of this year.  It was a good haul

Love your neighbor. Drop all the differences. We are all we have.

thats it

   

Complicated

 

Diabetes type 2 is a complicated condition and always frustrating to deal with.  Never knowing the right path and what foods to consume in what quantity.  At 75, and still consuming meat and a few vegetables doesn't seem to be the answer,  Eating late and eating pasta late is definitely off the list.  Tracking all the details on a daily basis should give some guidance but not really.  The big question still seems to be "What do I eat?"

Taking the kids to school this morning for the first time in over a year. Judy is tied up.  It's now the high school and I remember well how to get there after all the trips to sporting events and my kids attendance.  It was called Kimball HS back then and renamed after the Dondero HS was converted to a middle school.  

I am tired of the government wasting the taxpayers money looking into a dead pedophile and all his buddies.  We have to assume the Trump was there and he was best pals with him.  But really, enough all ready.  Let's work on the people's business and pass a budget.  

On a different subject, in Detroit, why is every Breaking News story in the morning news a shooting in some neighborhood?  There are always lit up patrol cars in a formation in the block and lots of crime scene tape.  There seems to be no good breaking news.

Also the president is attending a ball game on 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our nation.  Let that sink in. 

Ok I'll stop bitching

Quiet Morning

Quiet here this morning.  Had a big crew here yesterday for eats.  This lower level easily accommodates a crowd..  My new buddy Frank came as well, absolutely thrilled to be here.  Even with his childish habits, I still love him in all his goofiness.  Andi, Steph's daughter is a pleasure to feed.  Been bombarded with nutritional videos on my FB reels.  Really don't know what to believe.  Are these just talking heads or people with actual qualifications? 

We visited this girl at the Nature Center in Troy recently.

Social media is flooded with Spartans and Wolverines posts.  MSU always opens with Western Michigan University and soundly defeats them. Michigan beat New Mexico.  Too much chest beating on both their parts.  I am not amused.

We have been consumed by Hostage on Netflix.  It is a British drama, well acted with a continuing developing plot line.  have a couple more episodes to view. 

I really need to get back to my walking routine and lifting my weene weights.  Have been lazy.

thats it

 

Food Choices

 

We all make poor food choices at times.  As a Type 2, I eat too much bread and too many bagels, mostly out of convenience and less cleanup.  Sweets aren't really my downfall but chips and salty snacks are.  I don't eat enough greenery or drink enough water.  Went yesterday with my buddies from Oxford Towers to a place that offered a 3-6pm half off appetizers during the week.  I judicislly scanned the abbreviated menu for something that would be to my liking.  These choices are absolutely dressed up junk food on plate rather in a wrapper.  I chose high carb, salty selections  feeling guilty but proceeding anyway.  These foods have little nutritional value.  However, my emotions took over and I got my "treat meal", feeling guilty even while I was consuming the fare..  They called. it "Station Nachos".  Basically it consisted of deep fried egg roll wrappers bathed in some kind of cheese with banana pepper rings and some diced tomatoes; not great but filling.  I wasn't that hungry and could not eat much of it.  These are the left overs not too appealing

on the second day so it got tossed.  The guilt I harbored has almost dissipated.  

We are all mourning the loss of life and injury caused by a shooter in Minneapolis at a Catholic Mass yesterday morning.  These events occur far too often.  There seems to be no end in sight.  I hesitate to attend cultural events with crowds for fear of being in the middle of it. There is much anger in our country and far too many firearms.

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Constant Fury

 

How do we stop being so furious all the time?  I wake up mad and put my head on the pillow mad.  The statistical data from the federal agencies is now being tainted by the great leader when it doesn't go along with his opinions.  The weather isn't the weather and the jobless rate isn't presented accurately.  Even though we counted on this information to inform our lives, we will not be able to trust it. It's becoming more Orwells Ministry of Truth where the facts are changed at the whim of Big Brother and history is constantly being rewritten. Further, I reiterate for the umpteenth time, we are just getting started. 

It's the first day of school for my high schoolers in this household.  Judy is about to greet them in their first day finery and take the photos.  Moods are apt to range from sullen to anxious.  I hear movement which means progress in their departure.  They are both firmly entrenched in their teenage years and moods and anxiety.  I love them both and hope the day is good.  My little guys I think are starting next week in Middleville.  Wish I could see more of them.  

On to tomatoes; We had 55 degrees last night.  These plants do well in hot nights, not so much in these temps.  I have lots of green fruit. It will be cooler for the next few days. Martha Stewart says to place them in a paper sack with a banana that releases ethylene gas that actually ripens them.  Gonna try this.  

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Rambling

 

It's 7:11 on a Saturday morning.  All is quiet.  Finished my first of coffee and thinking about breakfast. Got a couple of new shirts for half at the Goodwill store down the street. They have remarkably good merchandise there at really reduced prices.  Don't really require new clothes anyway, not that I need them. Brighter colors seem to suit me. And, not really attending any formal dances in the near future.  Mostly it's me watering the flowers and cutting the gras, interspersed with doctor visits.  

Took books back to the library.  This is a wonderful huge facility about 10 minutes from the house.  Really haven't begun to explore this place.  I need to reestablish my ability to concentrate and get lost in a book.

Livingston Taylor is the younger brother of singer James Taylor.  Without the acclaim (well deserved) of brother, he is an accomplished song writer and performer in his own right.and a teacher at the Berklee College of Music. One of my favorite tunes  is his duet with Carly Simon, Best of Friends, If you can find it on Pandora or other source, and you have best buddies of 50 plus years, it will hit home.  It was probably recored with James was her husband;

Another one is the theme from The Unforgotten, a British crime drama on unsolved murders.  The Brits make these shows complicated and once you get past the dialects and the lingo, quite intriguing. This theme is All We do from an English duo called Oh Wonder.  The lyrics capture the tenure and pace of the show.  It's probably available on some service.

Heading to a reunion with some of my cousins at Kensington this afternoon.  They always greet us warmly even though our paths don't usually cross except these days at funerals.  Generally speaking I am usually the oldest one there.  I have great-great nieces and nephews in the mix which will probably not recognize me. Supposed to be reasonably pleasant weather wise. 

Have to get some stuff for the event at Meijers this morning

thats it