Ted Lasso and others

 Been watching the latest season of Ted Lasso.  This time he and Coach Beard are motivating a team of women.  Gone are the male players we became co familiar with over the last three seasons.  Roy Kent is still around with Higgins and a smattering of Jamie Tartt.  While the characters are still brilliant, it's the transition to writing a story for and based upon women in the same framework that is remarkable.  Keely got a bigger part and there is a new emotionally damaged assistant coach.  Admittedly it was a challenge to adjust to the new personnel but it still is a great show.  If you have Apple TV, give it a look.

Judy's birthday was a couple of days ago.  We celebrated with most of the gang and had Andrews wonderful citrus olive oil cake   It was a fine day for my lovely life partner.  

Just got my A1C numbers back and they were not the best.  The impact of this has got me reeling.  I will again have to reinvent myself to maintain relative health.  

Do more cardio

 

Went to my cardiologist yesterday afternoon.  He told me I was near perfect and that all my parts were working well.  The plumbing repairs they did in February of 2024 are still holding and functioning properly.  As long as I can stay upright, should be annoying people for a few more years.  Most of my outings seem to be concerning medical reasons for either Judy or me.   I suppose it's the age.  Gonna to see my primary care on Monday so she can pass judgement.

Our younger grandsons are supposed to show up for a visit later today.  I don't get to see them very often due to the distance.  Now in second and fourth grades,  they will have adventures to tell about.

Our president is entertaining the Chinese leader who is playing him like a violin.  This guy doesn't give up much and does a lot of listening and watching with his staff close at hand monitoring and recording events.   Trump sees himself as the smartest guy in the room.  He is not.

 

Pants?

 I have these pants.  They are flat front creaseless khakis, tan in color heavy fabric, the twill being quite obvious.  I got them at the Goodwill resale shop sometime ago.  These are my favorites.  The fit is loose on my thinning body and they provide great comfort in the wearing.  I think we all have favorite garments that we make our frequent choices.  At this point comfort is the key in that will pass without notice for most people.

Harry is sitting in my chair, looking out.  He will allow me to join him briefly before he moves away.  We are now back to normal after our Clarkston visit and returning to our regular routines.  

Pants are not an earth shattering topic but this is my blog and I can be as boring and mundane as I want. Going with Mike for breakfast this morning at the Avenue on Woodward.  In the mornings it is filled with walkers and oxygen devices from the diners there.  Food is good and the wait staff is pleasant and patient. All the discussion heard is concerning medications and doctor appointments.  No one is going to a ball game, concert or bistro.

Had to have another shot of Dotty.  Kind of miss her enormity and friendly demeanor. 

Day 4

The sun is shinning, finally.  Judy is out walking the dog and it is 9:15am. this is from yesterdays walk in the neighborhood.  Katey came over today.  They are out side with the dog having a discussion.  We took a walk without the dog in the afternoon and saw some sand hill cranes in a front yard.

I have some heavy topics to cover today.  As an old man on the doorstep of 77, I have a lot of time to contemplate the future, personally, politically and spiritually.  

As mentioned before, I live in an upper middle class African American community.  Folks are nice and polite but not really engaging.  We say hello and exchange smiles but go on our ways.  Little real conversation is exchanged.  There are walls between us erected by history and not to be dismantled.  It's very frustrating for me.  

I always thought of myself as one of the Kum-by-yah kind of guys where all will work out if we just talk it out

I am wrong.  Historically, there has been too much water under the bridge.  There is too much distrust in the black community for good reason.  Centuries of lies and deceit cannot be denied. 

The evening is coming and the sky is fading.  It's still clear and quiet.  Joan and John are returning tomorrow afternoon. She and I were never at odds, no fights or disagreements. Our lives took different paths. She lost her first husband to cancer and met John. They clicked and were married.  We had three kids and adopted Shannon.  Our lives did not intersect

only by circumstances. But now as senior citizens we have reunited.   

  

I am thrilled to be reunited with my sibling and most happy to have John in the fold. 

 

Its Sunday

Another gloomy day but the rain has stopped for a while.  My constant observer, Dotty is always at the ready.  She is out on the deck presently looking around.  Judy is about to take her for a walk in the neighborhood.  While I am eating my food, her head is in my lap waiting for anything to fall off.  I am not used to a dog of this height.  

We finished binging "The Beast in Me" on Netflix.  The performances are brilliant.  Matthew Rhys deserved all the accolades that were bestowed on him.  Claire Danes was equally good in her part.  While grim and tense, it's definitely worth watching.

This is my friend Chris at the Cares food pantry in Farmington Hills. She is one of my most favorite people in the world period.  She was Shannons first teacher early in her life and Judy's pal and confidant.  Chris has given tremendous support and guidance to challenged  kids in their beginnings.  Enough thanks cannot be summoned for her. She and her husband Bob are great friends and supporters.  This is one of the only pictures of her and me.

El Presidente has banned major news networks from the White House in his latest efforts to cancel out freedom of the press.  Canada is about to become associate members of the EU.  America has been relegated to the sidelines.  What was once the shining light of freedom has been diminished.  

 

This is Dottie

We are dog and house sitting at my Joan/John's house for a few days to give them a short respite from regular life.  So they are up north enjoying the relaxation. 

This dog joins us in bed taking up as much room as a teenager.  She got her name partially from our mom Dorothy This was her nickname.  Also as a puppy she had spots.  

It's taken a little time to get used to all the proximities and how stuff works.  John has a fancy coffee maker with bean grinder.  Good coffee but more effort than I am used to with the Keurig maker back home.  

 

 

Gonna to try to make a daily entry like I did on our Florida trip from 2023.  For me it's good to write every day.  Gloomy and rainy today so not much outdoor activity.  Still is lovely setting with extreme quiet.  I brought some provisions but Joan has a well stocked pantry and fridge..  She has beautiful annuals and perennials ringing the property.  It makes for a colorful environment.  

John and myself have been in outside sales for most of our careers. Prior to mobile phones,  call were made from public pay phones.  We both were required to call our offices from the road for messages and to convince our employers we were in fact working and not sitting in a bar or park bench enjoying the day. 

My recollection was standing at a phone booth on the New Jersey Turnpike competing with traffic noises or standing outside the doorway off a supermarket with the clanging baskets crowding out my conversations.  John had a location where the phone cord was long enough to reach into his window and front seat.  My favorite phone was in the Troy Hilton (now long since replaced by a gas station).  The place had warm, clean bathrooms and an ample bank of phones. It was always filled with sales professionals.  

That's it for now.

too many pictures

Went to the Lloyd Stage Nature Center yesterday on the beautiful sunny day. Had lots of animal encounters. Must have been a day for deer at the Inglenook Farm as well 

because we had a visit on our walk on the trail from a momma deer and her fawn.  The nature center in Troy is a great free outing if you are an outdoor lover.  It was named after a local volunteer fire fighter.  Always well maintained and staffed.  If you are in the area, definitely worth a look. 

its an early morning on the next day.  The dogs are asleep on the couch.  There is not a sound in the house.  Andrew and Steph are on an overnight and we are minding the house.  My tomatoes are gone but Andrews garden on the other side is flourishing.  Lots of

eggplants are growing. 

So the president declines to attend with the other formers at the 9/11 memorial yesterday and does go to the remembrance at Washington DC.  Once he makes his opening remarks, plopped in his chair, he falls fast asleep.  What a wonderful way to commemorate the passing of American heroes, a nap. It shows the impact of the events of the day.

In our local world, I fear that our democratic candidate for

U.S. Senate will lose to the Republican part time Michigan resident due to his name and faith.  That would be a shame.  

I know, too many pictures.