More developments

Well more stuff is being delivered today.  Appliances are coming.  The plumber is hooking up the sink/disposal/faucet.  Stove and dishwasher are being delivered and a new washing machine.  Lots going on.  By the end of this day, we should have an up and running kitchen.  Katey has gifted me with some athletic shirts from her collection.  They fit good and are comfortable.  

Have to mention this date in our history where terrorists attacked and killed our citizens and destroyed the World Trade Center.  Even from afar, it is still a devastating memory.  Like the Kennedy assassination, we all can remember where we were when we heard the news.  Our world has been forever changed since that day.  We still feel sorrows for the victims and their families.  

It is going to be a sunny day and Harry is still not comfortable with all the changes going on in this new environment.  He's got this well what's next look. 

Big presidential debate last night.  I did not view and looked at the post mortem online this morning.  The election is still a ways off. It could still go either way.  Many of us are nervous.

All for now

stay safe

Had to include my final photo from Berkley of lovely blooms from a hasta plant.  

Progress

We are making progress on our resident apartment.  They put in the new countertop in the kitchen yesterday.  On of the installers got cut on the stone.  Mama Judy jumped into action and patched him up and made him promise to visit Urgent Care after the day was thru. We are getting the appliances tomorrow and we will

finally be in business,  This process started on January of this year and now coming to fruition. Doing more walking in the neighborhood.  Walked on Lahser to 12 mile yesterday with Harry.  The houses were well maintained and tidy.  The walk was too noisy for my liking. 

For the first time in my life, I am now a minority.  This community is about 70 percent African American.  To a person, all the folks I have encountered have been pleasant and quite friendly.  One could call it "code switching", but I don't think so.  I think it is an age demographic thing.  Most of the people are old like me.  in some ways, moving past our differences.

and on to our similarities. This is a good thing.

Big presidential debate tonight.  The question will be; can Kamala best the former president?  Will he go off the rails and attack her with false labels and bring up past legal decisions that color her in the worst possible light?  Will all the crimes he has been convicted of be brought to light?

Sadly, Mufasa has died.  What a wonderful and enduring legacy James Earl Jones leaves behind.  There

could never be anther Darth Vader.  I remember seeing Star Wars in 1977 and being completely consumed by the story and the heavy and labored breathing of this most menacing character.  I can't count the number of times Shannon and I watched The Lion King on a Sunday morning with me reciting the dialogue. 

thats it.

all for now

need to get into the shower and begin my day

Current events

It's morning and the kids have returned.  Andrew has the day off and he is doing the morning shuttle duty.  Have decided to grow the beard back.  The initial discomfort has worn off and now it's pretty comfortable.  Judy was helping Marie with her algebra homework last evening.  Neither Andrew nor I have the capacity for these math problems.  Today the electrician is coming to complete his work.  We have power for about half of the apartment at this point.  

We had a mountain of garbage for yesterday's pickup with all the yard waste and the packaging for all the cabinetry.  Southfield's current contractor for this service picked it all up, thank goodness.  So pleased with this, I wrote to the city complementing them on this service yesterday.  

Have found use for the shelving units from our storage space from Oxford Towers.  They are ones you can disassemble and reconstruct without tools.  Have proved to be an asset as we establish this new living space.  Doing lots of climbing  in this setting.  One day my Fitbit told me I did 51 flights of stairs due to all the stuff moved from garage to apartment.  Thankfully this part of the process is almost done.  

The biggest part of the struggle of transition is finding new spots to put living equipment and then remembering  where you put it.  The space is all new. Few locations have been established.  At some point it will make some sense.  Slept poorly last night.  It affected my balance making me all off kilter.  

Well, waiting on the electrician.  He will probably not be thrilled with all the stuff thats been put away.  Hey, we live here now.  Glad to have a single address

all for now

stay safe
 

Life Below Grade

Well, we're in sort of.  Still moving the closet stuff and the kitchen stuff.  Have electricity for half of the apartment.  There is more work to be done on the elec panel.  Here are some photos of things as they are now.  Paining still has to be done.  All the segments of the work took longer than anticipated, (no surprise).  Appliances are coming next week and the countertop .

on the following week.  

We have arrived.  The move is all complete with lots of stuff in the garage looking for a home. It is most pleasant to only have one address.  Lots of things to get used to in this neighborhood with its manicured lawns and all the Mercedes and Cadillac automobiles around.   

Touch screen on my 2018 Ford Fusion went black. 

Everything else works, thank goodness.  We have reviewed YouTube videos and tried their methods without success so far.  Would really like to get this fixed without going the dealer route.  

My other son Alvin is in from Hawaii where he is stationed, with his wife and new baby in tow.  Judy is chomping at the bit to squeeze this chubby little guy. 

So it is September 2nd and kids are back at school.  I miss the noise and activity of Rogers Elementary down Oxford Road..  Really quiet here, something I will have to get used to. 

Eleven steps up to the main floor.  I travel on these numerous times in a day.  Constructors have installed many overhead lights to brighten the environment.  These photos are lit by one table lamp, hence their dimness.  

Well off to un load the car for the last time. It's filled with dishes and other kitchen equipment.  I have told everyone that this is my final. move.  I am going straight to the graveyard from here.  Hopefully I will expire upstairs so the undertaker won't have to haul my sorry ass up the stairs.

all for now

stay safe

now a full time Southfield Resident
 

Dream Cruise 2024

I heard the first rumble of the tailpipe this morning at 6:45am.  The Dream Cruise is starting.  Looks like the rain all hit in the middle of the night.  Should be smooth sailing for the most part.  Don't have much interest in such things currently.  My six year old Ford Fusion gets me around and thats good enough.  Really don't have the longing for a classic '57 Chevy anymore.  It strikes me that nearly all of the participants are now white haired or without hair trying to summon up what's left of their testosterone thru the shifters and rumbling exhausts.  When these guys complete their last rodeo, who will take over this event?  Big batteried electric cars simply don't have the appeal.  And they are nearly noiseless.  

The apartment is making progress.  The floors are in.  It is a wood appearing planks that are stuck down, kind of a mat finish.  Makes the space seem larger.  Sound proofing insulation has been installed to be inspected on Monday.  We have a new sump pump and backup pump as well.  Need absolute assurance that the space stays dry.

Andrew and Stephanie are in AL for the memorial service for her mother.  We have our lodger dog Sweetums with us.  Loves the long walks and It took a while for her to find food she likes.  Sleeps under the covers in our bed.  Her and Harry get along famously.  

It's going to be a loud day with all the cars up and down Woodward.  Traveling east, crossing the avenue
will be nearly impossible as it is every year.  Oh Well.

all for now

stay patient and safe
 

Season 3

This will be of little interest to most, but I struggled through the beginning of season 3 of "The Bear" on Hulu. Episodes 1 and 2 were nothing but a continuation of all the screaming and cursing from the last season which I enjoyed as they created a fine dining eatery after the sandwich place from before with the money his dead brother stashed away in tomato sauce cans.  The cacophony from all the yelling and discontent with all the staff members really got to me.  I thought the writers really lost there mojo and something was missing.  We stopped viewing the show for quite a while being disenchanted.

I started up recently when Judy was out with the end of the third episode and the flavor of the ensemble started shining thru again.  With less focus on Carmy and Sydney,  smaller characters stories were being told and expanded upon.  These have been poignant and touching, especially the middle aged Hispanic lady that is a sous chef.  There was one whole story on her losing her job and the struggle to get anything in that her husbands cmployment as a doorman was not enough to pay the rent and feed the family.  In a last ditch effort,  she goes into their Chicago Beef sandwich shop, falls apart with her frustration and has a heart to heart with Michael,  the brother about life and dreams and gets offered a job.  Among other things, he tells her that this place will make her happy even though the pay is sub par.

I am kind of hooked again.  Will watch all the episodes with Judy if she is interested.

Getting used to all the cursing.  The British crime shows same to have no language restrictions and this follows suit.  Words are words.  Very little is shocking.  Our society and the vernacular is moving in this direction for good or bad.  

Thats it for now

stay safe

all for now

Sunday Morning

It's Sunday morning.  Shannon is here and getting her beauty treatment from Judy.  This is an extensive process including facial, nails, and a hair trim.  To be blunt, I could never do this.  She would not look good or be as polished if I did the task. 

As crappy as I felt yesterday, I feel so much better today maybe due to better sleep.  I never can understand it.  Always run into the lovely Esterlee at the laundry machines.  She calls out to make certain I am not rightened.  I can assure you, I am not.  She is always the one I see first in the morning. She is a talker in the extreme.

Went to the Lloyd Stage Nature Center in Troy and captured some shots of the environment.  This is a tributary of the Rouge River. that courses thru the park along with some of the flora along the 

trail.  It was the first time we had visited the place since the heart issue in March.  All felt pretty good aside from the hill climbing in the middle.  When we arrived home, had the surprise of Eli on his bike for a visit and some cookies.  He is quite a pleasant 14 year old.  

This a look at the cleaned up Shannon, joyful as usual.  She took a slow tumble last night and Judy struggled but got her up and back on the walker and into the chair.

Should be a quiet day 

Have to figure out what to make for dinner.

Re: Paris Olympics, While I am very happy that our team has done well.  It thrills me to see teams winning a Gold Medal for the first time.  The home crowd is ecstatic  I am not move by the breakdancing category.  It's probably my age.  

Well, thats it

stay safe and enjoy the beautiful day

all for now