Tired of facial hair

 I got tired of the constant facial irritation, the itching and the picking into my skin.  I know all the cool guys now wear some manner of beard, short or long, bushy or cut short regardless of age.  My face has gotten fuller like it was pre heart attack.  Weight is hovering around 140 lbs. and i'm getting shorter.  In America, the life expectancy for men is just short of 76 years, where I at this moment.  I don't feel like I am staring down at mortality yet.  Walking is still a pleasure and balance is at least ok (mostly). 

Our government is still shut down.  Air traffic has been disrupted due to a lack of ATC.  This issue is what caused the last shut down to end.  Daughter is working for free in her government job.  He is threatening to not pay the furloughed workers even though a law was passed in 2019 prohibiting such action. Under this administration, these laws are ignored due to the whims of the president.  This might be a definition of our times, governance by whim.

The weather has taken a turn for the cooler, back to sweater weather.  Shorts have been packed away.  

thats it , 

Changing times

 

I did protest the Viet Nam war in the sixties and early seventies.  It was allowed and deemed acceptable behavior.  We marched, held up signs and chanted, little else.  We were angry with Lyndon Johnson's carrying on of previous two administrations policies.  Nixon also felt the brunt of our collective anger.  It was an unwin-able war as spelled out in the Pentagon Papers.  No troops were deployed here except at Kent State University on May 4th, 1970, as the song goes.  Our voices were not silenced by the government.  Don't really know what was accomplished but, we could speak.  

Times have changed.   National Guard troops have been sent to LA  and Chicago  to scoop up immigrants; and now Portland (the current counter culture capital of America with its nose rings, man buns and numerous coffee shops and questions about the food sourcing on the plate.)  A very dangerous place where regular citizens no longer feel safe.  What bullshit!

Around here, we may finally get some rain today.  The lawns are completely browned out and flowers need to be watered 3 times a day.  I  just finished up my last homegrown tomatoes.  It was an adequate crop for an amateur grower like myself. 

I like to visit older music on occasion.  In the late forties and early fifties, an Italian trumpet player and singer, Louis Prima, emerged.  He san happy and heartfelt songs in English and Italian, in the jump blues style of music.  Being rooted in NOLA  jazz,  the music had a Louis Armstrong intonation.  The bands sax player, Sam Buttea, played in the raucous tone that was later popularized in rock and roll.  If you have Pandora, look it up, might be interesting.

that is

Birthday and more

My wonderful wife's birthday was yesterday.  I still question her judgment in putting up with me for all these years.  She's a terrific mom, grandma, aunt, sister, dog and cat mom as well.  Brilliant and focused, she keeps me on track even in our senior years.  

These are some recent shots from our trip to Middleville to spend time with Jon and his boys. Judy and I walked on the trail along the other side of the river.  It's lovely and quiet there.  One can hear the migrating geese and other water fowl in the river.  It's a good place to just sit on a bench and contemplate.  This is one of the gifts of retirement, the ability to take time.

Judy's party was yesterday afternoon and Katey made a delicious lemon cheesecake.  All the participants enjoyed  There was a plan announced that this would be the Thanksgiving dessert as it was that good.  Katey cares little for cooking, but baking is her forte.

I hate to advise that my lifelong love affair with pizza 

is coming to a close.  On Friday, I went for the lunch special at Green Lantern at their carryout location on Telegraph.  Pleased to announce that it only went up by a buck, from 5 to 6.  Still a pile of food for a small price.  As good as I remembered, but not magical.  Maybe it's me, but the passion for pizza is gone.  

We have Shannon with us for today.  Judy is going thru the cleaning and grooming process.  I watered the plants for their first drink.  With this extended warm and dry weather, they need about 3 shots to stay untitled.  Harry is on the couch in quiet repose waiting to go on another walk.

These are some phots of Jon and the boys and a birthday one of Judy and me.  Once and awhile you get a good photo by chance.  This is one of the JV football game at Hurley Stadium in Berkley as the sun was setting.  The game was a decent one, even though Berkley prevailed.

thats it. 

Where do I begin

 

Over the past 4 days, we have been in Middleville MI visiting with our son Jon and taking care of our grandsons Paxton and Everett.  It was a most pleasant time with all the occupants including their big dog, Bow.  I did the highway driving to get there and Judy did the driving around town including the kid drop-off a the 2 elementary schools.  In this village, they have schools dedicated to students from pre-K to first grade and then from 2nd and third grade.  Don't know the reasoning behind it, but is seems to work out fine.  

They live on the shores of the Thornapple River which is a tributary of the Grand River.  Within walking distance is a pleasant walkway that parallels the river.  we took a hike along it.  Got a couple of photos on the way.

Jon got a row boat with an electric motor recently and he and the boys and Judy to a ride around the river.  Paxton was at the helm operating the electric motor. As the balance challenged member, I elected to stay on shore and filmed a short video clip showing part of the voyage. Couldn't get it in the blog unfortunately.  Judy is hangin on for dear life, but the craft stayed afloat.  I sent it to her sister, Andrew and Katey.  All had the same comment.  

While they were at sea, the dog got out and decided for a run.  My chasing abilities have diminished and I finally got here back inside with some harsh comments and a bit of comedy.     

Made a couple of visits to little hometown restaurant in town called the Nook.  Had coffee and some house made baked goods that were breathtakingly good, even if not so healthy for me.  It was after a long walk so I think it was ok.  Got to cook for Jon.  He really enjoyed and appreciated it.  A simple kindness was appreciated.  
He and I went to amateur comedy night one evening. I realized how difficult it is to be funny.

The ride home was smooth until an accident slowed us down and a subsequent rain torrent made vision difficult as night had fallen.  

But home now and glad to have slept in my own bed.  My glucose number was pretty good along with BP this morning.  I do not know why.  Have to do some food shopping and cleaning today along with cutting the grass.  Well, thats it.  Good to be home.

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. 

thats it

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