No News for Me Today!

Spent most of the day yesterday at the VA with Katey at their walk-in clinic for treatment and meds. She is ok btw. Not too bad a day scrolling thru my phone and playing word games.  Getting better at these.  Most of the Vets are old guys with various devices to help them get around.  All have a story to tell.  

I need some pleasant vistas and palm trees this morning as it is rainy and cold. Spring is supposed to be here but I remain fooled still fumbling around in a down vest and long sleeves.  

After our visit to the docs, we went to Anita's Kitchen in Ferndale which was a wonderful respite from all the waiting downtown.  This is a mid priced place with Mediterranean cuisine.  We were fortunate to have seating next to a window with full view of the Woodward construction.  Had a chicken shawarma sandwich with fries which was well spiced and very satisfying.  Try this place if you can put up with the construction and Ferndale's parking. We all wanted to fix the damn roads.  This is the outcome with its inconvenience. 

Well, I have to say it.  The former president has been indicted.  The document is still sealed and will be delivered and opened next Tuesday.  The excited talking heads are assembling on both sides of the issue. Lecterns are being set up for speeches.  Every politician has had a newsworthy comment.  It will be FULL COVERAGE from now till then.  Regardless of earthquakes or famine or flood, this will be the leading and maybe the only  story.  Logos are being designed for the news broadcast crawls. Projections will abound with so called insiders barking about strategy for the defense and the prosecution.  I am weary of all this before it begins.  The Proud Boys and the QAnon folks are formulating their response.  His loyalists have already branded the action as a political witch hunt.  The media and the tee shirt makers are clamoring for the mugshot solely for the purpose of revenue. 

At the end of the day, he will have no consequences other than a paltry fine with billions in free publicity for his campaign.  

Sorry for the diatribe.

all for now

stay safe

 

First birds

 Went to Kensington yesterday for the first time this year to maybe have some bird landings.  The trees and foliage are mostly bare as you can see.  Judy and Marie had a pretty good outing with  about two dozen feeders landing in the pile of seeds they are holding.  The park is still pretty brown and muddy at this point.  Due to spring breaks for the students, the place was quite full.

There was a good population of doves and one sandhill crane.  Only these little guys will light on a human hand.   

Eli and Marie spent the night with us.  He is up on his computer and she is still snoozing away.  His bowling league had a fundraiser at Culver's in Waterford yesterday with the young members delivering food to the tables of hungry customers.  I got something to eat and my little deliverer was a pretty girl about 10 years old with a sparkling smile and a twinkle in her eye.  All had a good time and got their first experiences at a job.  By the way, the food was not bad.  My fish sandwich looked like the TV commercial and was tasty.The director of the league got them all ice cream at the end, I'm sure to their delight

Harry and Judy are not up yet and I am wearing her patterned fleece jacket with my plaid flannel bottoms,  looking quite mismatched ready to take Harry for his morning constitutional.

all for now 

stay safe

Beardless

 

Had enough of facial hair.  Was becoming scratchy and I got food trapped and couldn't wipe it out. And frankly, I looked like Santa in a goatee.  Cleaned up, it looked pretty good but too much trouble.  There's also the element of hiding behind the facial disguise I am not pleased with.

Are we contributors or consumers?  Do we make a difference, even a small one?  Or are we simply consumers waiting to be waited on and served?  Maybe we are a combination of the two.  I encounter too many people consuming only.  The thinness of their lives is quite evident.  Food is delivered not prepared, wash is done by others, house  is cleaned by others.  These simple but meaningful tasks done by us provide purpose for getting up in the morning because they are jobs.  We need jobs I think, even if no money is earned.  There is a Navy Admiral that was a Seal that wrote a book "Make Your Bed" noting that job is the most important way to start your day because it establishes the first thing you accomplish for the day.  I kind of agree with him.

Sunny day today!!  

Get outside and enjoy it.

all for now

stay safe

Dinner

It's Saturday and it will be a Shannon day for us.  Will pick her up around 5 and bring her for her usual overnight.  We will do the usual, eat the usual and watch the usual.  This routine really makes her happy.  Her old people friends will be thrilled to see her and listen to her tales. 

So, went to dinner with Katey last evening.  She and I rarely go out alone and chat.  We reminisced about her life and where it is headed and laughed about the unfortunate traits I gave her namely a lack of grace and the ability to be overwhelmed by our emotions.  We both took stock in her mother's concrete thinking that profoundly affects us both in positive ways. We both ate waaaaay  too much as it is easy to do with food you really like.  The venue was Mexican eats at El Patio in town which has recently reopened.  The food was fast and tasty with the servers running in the aisles.  If you are from around Berkley, give them a try.

Jordy Mott is one of my apartment buddies and is of an old NYC family dating back to the 1700's.  Mott Street in Chinatown is named after his family.  He is pleasant and chatty full of stories to regale us with.  He fell prey to what happens to many of us recently, kissing the concrete from un even sidewalks.  I too am in this club as mentioned many times before.

He is sporting a new black eye and a new story about a jealous husband.  But is hale and hearty after the incident at 82. His granddaughter is a bronze medalist swimmer from the last Olympics.  

This tome is becoming a chronicle of my life's events with some intermittent commentary on current events.  Actually it's kind of fun, so I will keep it up.

Don't get your toupee blown off today, supposed to have 40 mph winds in the afternoon.

all for now

stay safe

 

Random Observations

 

First off, housing developments in fancy neighborhoods have MONUMENTS announcing the entry to their site.  The have clever and appealing names such as the new one in Katey's  area called Eden Gardens.  This name makes is sound like you should be interred there rather than dwell there happily.  These entry points sometimes have running fountains and changing lights.  Come on, this is not Disney World only the place where you hang your hat and someone's dog shits on your front lawn.  

We have always knew where we lived, by the street signs, usually green or in our case blue.  All neighborhoods are given a name by the original city planners when  the site is platted.  Ours is called University District because of all the streets named after colleges.  We don't need an edifice to announce it.  My only request for some cities is to have signs with bigger print for those of us that need the help. 

Living with only seniors has its shortfalls.  People slow down naturally and seem to do less.  We have neighbors that are being moved out because they can no longer care for themselves.  It's not their fault only the current state and a sad reality.  There are folks that seem to be putting in their time, some rarely leaving their apartments.  All the encouragement offered makes no difference. It is difficult to see people you have grown to care for crumble emotionally and physically.  There are times I wish I stayed in my house with kids and dogs and moms and babies up and down the street.  I enjoy engaging with life.  Sometimes I need to reach around and kick my own ass to get motivated.

Been enjoying recorded musical performances on YouTube recently.  Now getting too old to fight the crowds but still love live performances.  Have really enjoyed watching old guys making music for fun.  These performers really don't need the dough anymore.   Currently watching a 1/12 hr performance from the Dukes of September, a group comprised of Donald Fagan, Michael MacDonald and Boz Scaggs with a rocking ensemble behind them.  The concert is from 2012.  Seen Kenny Loggins (now 75) still singing as good as ever with Darryl Hall.  Use this service if you have it to at least partially relive your youth.

Been also thinking of magnificent singers that have left us that many youngsters have not nor care to hear about.  Let's talk about the magical voice of Jackie Wilson (Lonely Teardrops).   He stopped the show on American Bandstand.  No one has ever done him justice doing the same songs.  Roy Orbison, another wonderful voice of my youth, with tones as clear as a bell ringing,  I can still sing most of the verses of Pretty Woman.  Growing up in the Detroit area in the 60's Motown ruled the airways.  Smokey, The Temps, Marvin Gaye and the Four Tops.  Levi Stubbs singing "Sugar Pie Honey Bun" still rings in my ears.  

thats it, (I could keep on droning on)

all for now

stay safe

An Evening of fun and falling

 

Had a wonderful dinner with friends Chris and Bob in our little apartment in the afternoon and stretching into the evening yesterday.   It was good to see them after quite some time.  She is suffering with a serious condition and still comes in smiling and engaging.  As I talk to her, I continue to realize how brilliant she is and that I am most fortunate to know her. 

We had a great talk about TV programs we have enjoyed and the state of language is it is presented now.  Most curious is the series on AppleTV+ called Shrinking.  While it is a wonderful insightful show about a psych practice, we discussed the changing language of the characters.  There is a lot of playful offhanded cursing, frankly a lot of fucks,  between friends, family members and acquaintances.  Our most egregious  verb becomes just another word.  Whether we approve it or not, this is how people talk without apology.  It is a direction that will not change as us septuagenarians become antiques and wither away.

As stated before the dinner went well with shrimp scampi as the main course.  I think the shrimp was over cooked by me and the meal would be better served if the protein was placed in a hot pan initially, seared, then removed, only to be added at the end.  We had purchased scones (Elwin's in Berkley) as the desert. Bob brought beer and wine.  I had an IPA with my food.  It fit right in.

We have a small living room in the place and comfortable seating for 3.  I added one of the kitchen chairs as my place for our discussion.  At the end of the visit when our friends decided to depart, I got up from my chair, teetered a bit, lost my balance and fell over, kissing the floor.  Not injured at all, but embarrassed, I stumbled up.  I need to work on my balance.  

all for now

stay upright

enjoy your day

Spring......maybe

We finally had a lovely day yesterday with temps in the 50's and partly cloudy. We used the occasion to travel to the Troy Nature Center.  Not much as come up yet, so I took a shot of this trio of trees that had yet to bloom.  It is such a blessing and rebirth when the weather finally breaks and winter's death grip leaves us.  

Have been communicating with folks we met in Carrabelle that reside in rural Minnesota near the Iowa line.  This is a photo of their homecoming on  March 13th.  I thought I had something to complain about. 

 Seeing some friends for dinner this afternoon we haven't seen in a while.  Will try shrimp scampi, worked pretty good last time.

No arrest for the former yesterday as forecast.  Maybe today will be the day.  Lots of protests and counterprotests over Drag Queens reading stories at a local bookstore in Royal Oak.  Residents were up in arms over these interlopers coming into their town that had no business being there.  The locals far outnumbered the invaders and shouted them down.  Reading stories to children is a good thing regardless of how you're dressed.  

Dig those snow mountains.

all for now

stay safe

Dreams

 Dreams are the topic for today.  Been having a lot lately.  Maybe it's what I ate or meds I am on. But I am experiencing them repeatedly.  Last nights were so scary that I woke up shuddering and completely disoriented.  One was being lost in a factory with a little kid on my shoulders running aimlessly looking for the exit which I never found. Then I woke up struggling to re find my reality.  Second was preparing for the Russian invasion that was coming.  I was told to close all the windows and shut off all the electronics.  I awoke looking at the sky (in the dream).  

Then after all these nightly premonitions, I  wake up completely depressed for no reason other than these dreams.   Miraculously the sun comes up even shrouded in thin clouds,  I make my breakfast and consume it, and things seem brighter.  

We hope to view this new movie Champions  which should be uplifting.  The narrative is Woody Harrelson coaching a team of mentally disabled basketball players and the things he learns about life.

Springlike temps seem to be creeping in and spirits should slowly lift.  I am very weary of the cold and dark days.  Berkley has been voted one of the top 25 cities to live in Michigan.  I couldn't agree more.  it is a great place to live for many reasons.  

Will the former be indicted today?  Only time will tell.

all for now

stay safe

Its a Paxton Weekend

Grandson Paxton has been staying with us for this weekend. We had a chilly but fun trip to the Detroit Zoo today. The visitor population was down today with the with wind an cold temps.  He had a great time with the squawking birds with their various songs.  The penguins were also a big hit splashing around in their frigid environment.  We tried to stay at the indoor exhibits with the reptile house being the  biggest hits.  It's two days later now.  Our little guy went back to his other grandma with his parents finishing up their kitchen project.

Not too much happened yesterday,  mostly sat around watching TV and Judy helping out Eli with a computer problem.  

I took some OTC sleep aid Saturday night and woke up feeling bleary even with sleeping 8+ hours.  Did not like the feeling at all.  Much better today.

Not feeling terribly inspired today.  Off to PF today and Apollo duty in the afternoon.  Making dinner for Andrew and Stephanie tonight.  

Glad to see MSU advance and Fairleigh Dickinson beat Purdue in March Madness.  Will the former get indicted tomorrow? We will see.

Thats it

Cannot hit a home run today

all for now

stay safe.

 

Sauce

So afer a trip to Planet Fitness and a few other things, we decided to visit Zeoli. an eatery we frequent in Clawson.  The food there is always excellent and at a reasonable cost.  We decided to split a pizza with an appetizer Judy picked out.  The selection of zucchini chips arrived looking delicious.  They had a lemon tinged dipping sauce and some small tomatoes and capers on the side.  The entire meal was great but this sauce really stood out.  Dumb as it might seem, I feel compelled to tell the cook whenever I think something is outstanding.  

I strode back to the kitchen to see a young man toiling away at the cooktop.  Mentioned to him and he came out smiling.  Told him how impressed I was with the sauce and he told me he dips his fries in it.  He was quite pleased to be appreciated rather than  receiving complaints.  When we were leaving he stopped to intruduce himself as Adam and gave me a little cup of the sauce to enjoy.  And, the pizza was great too.  

Mr. Paxton is coming for a visit today for a couple of days from Middleville.  We haven't seen him in a while.  He is a sweet boy now in kindergarten with lots of opinions presented as truth and brimming with confidence.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can have some outside activities.  

Breakfasting with friend Jerry this morning.  We both have trip tales to swap about our visits to Florida.  Rainy thus far today but at least it's not snow.  Weather moving into the 50's next week.  Hooray!

No bitching today

all for now

stay safe

Smartphone

I wake up early as usual, climb out of bed, move to the couch, grab my smartphone and start scrolling.  I do this endlessly for about an hour.  I don't know what I am looking for actually. This pointless activity has become a ritual, an addiction and a brain softener.  It is a mushy balm to the beginning of the day.  This does not make me a happier person only one that continues to search.

Leaving my dwelling, it must be attached to my person alt all times.  Not getting any calls for the most part and those that come in are bullshit from some area code I have never been to or contacted.  Occasionally i will plug the device in putting it in another room.  But I have to look at it to see if anything is new.  This device becomes the ultimate time filler.  Is that what we need in our lives a time filler?

In purpose, it is good to have for Pandora music or YouTube videos of bands I miss never scene in concert.  Other than scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, this thing which is a window on the digital world is only a continuous habit that interrupts sleep, meaningful conversation and relationships.  

Our attention span is shortened.  You start an article but don't complete it because of loss of entertainment value to you.  So you move to the next one only to have the same experience.  On FB you receive friend suggestions from people from all over the country and the world for that manner, and continue to scroll thru them in hopes of seeing someone you once knew, usually to no avail.

I think all this scrolling contributes to depression,, because you find no fulfillment thru this practice, only more seeking.

Sometimes I wish we still had the phones that just made calls, not a window on the world. 

thats it, 

all for now

stay safe

 

A Return Role

Saw the return of Felicity Huffman to network last night in an episode of The Good Doctor  streamed on Hulu.  She did a yeoman's job in her portrayal of a crafty lawyer.  She appeared quite thin to me.  The story involved Shawn in a mal practice lawsuit and her employee defending him who suffers from extreme OCD.  So you have a character with ASD and her interacting extensively.  His character brings unique insights to her dilemma.  

Those with knowledge of popular culture will note that in her personal life she was recently involved in the purchase of doctored test scores for her daughter's college entry.  She paid her price to society which included a fine and limited incarceration.  She fully admitted to her wrongdoing publicly.  So, a crime was committed,  and punishment was meted out.  I was pleased to see that the industry that she belongs to allowed her to move forward. 

Do we as a society have the ability to move forward after a grievance has been acknowledged and punished?  I am not talking about heinous crimes like murder or molestation.  I am pleased that the producers of this episode showed the courage to cast Ms. Huffman.

Moving forward after redress is sometimes tough to swallow.  Society does not really forgive sins.  There will always be someone in the background saying "remember when she/he did this?"  Back when Joe Biden was making his first presidential run in 1988,  I spoke to my old boss AJ Conniff about him.  He said "Biden the plagerist?"  I was not familiar with the speech he borrowed from or that he admitted it and owned up to his mistake.  Should he have been cast into history's dustbin, or move forward?

So that is today's morality play.  Lots of activities in our household today.  Should be an exciting day.

Had to borrow one of the Carrabelle sunsets this morning.

all for now

stay safe

Squirrelly

So Judy's friend Jayne came over for a visit yesterday.  I arrived after yet another trip to Trader Joes for provisions.  They were talking jovially.  Jayne was draped in a lovely long scarf I noticed immediately which I should have complemented her on.  After putting away my stuff, I ambled off to give them some time.  It was about noon so I walked over to the Taco Bell around the corner.  It seemed that I found the HS hangout for lunch for Berkley High.  In a statement, let me say that the food here always looks better in the pictures than in real life.  Anyway, as I fumbled through my lunch, couldn't help but notice these kids.  They could be my grandchildren.  Girls sitting with girls and boys doing the same.  The young gentlemen noisy full of f*ck this an f*ck that and the girls separately whispering and laughing about who said what and who was going out with who.  Overwhelmingly, I felt out of place in this setting, but the observations were fun.

Big doings at the penitentiary yesterday too.  It seems that a little black squirrel found its way into one of the apartments on our floor.  Needless to say, trauma rang out and it was the hot topic of conversation.  A young policemen showed up with a net but the little fellow had already escaped.  Kathy from the office captured the moment with her camera phone.  You can see the culprit peaking around the plate.

We viewed the finale of The Last of Us after I slept through Jeopardy last night.  It left the audience in a typical cliff hanger moment getting ready for the next season.  Along with the well developed characters, I have enjoyed the post apocalyptic landscape created by the makers.  It mirrored my thoughts on life in the remains of society, with semi destroyed structures and vegetation growing rampantly.  Animals in some cases are flourishing as the characters came upon a Tower of Giraffes (I looked it up).  Ellie fed them leaves and branches with long black tongues reaching for more .  Am eagerly anticipating the return of this show.

all for now

stay safe

A New Page

 

Today begins with another blank sheet of paper for my life.  It's a new year with new aspirations for myself and my family.  Eli informed my yesterday that he want to be a percussionist in band next year.  We will store the historic clarinet for another grand kid to try, maybe Paxton or Everett. 

I want to thank all the sent birthday wishes to me, lifting my spirits for the day.  Many of these folks are voices from my past.  It was nice to be acknowledged.  Judy's collage of photos was a look at our history and it brought back lots of memories. I share this day with James Taylor. He is 75 this year and still in fine voice and quite articulate.

It was a thrill to see Brendan Fraser win the best actor Oscar for The Whale .  He has had his share of struggles in recent times.  His redemption was due.  Very happy for him.

Harry made a new friend with Andrew's friend Stephanie.  There was an instant bond and Judy captured the moment.  He felt quite at home with her and her calm demeanor along with the fact that she has a little dog that he could probably sense.

Jon sent a nice little video of his boys singing and dancing happy birthday to Poppy.  Have not been able to get is from the phone to the computer however.  Miss these guys and should see them soon.

Heading back to Planet Fitness today after pizza and Judy's delicious  cake which aside from one small piece, was all consumed yesterday.  

You know, some times I feel 53 and sometimes I feel 93.  It depends on the day, the weather, current events or simple aches and pains.  There  are folks I care about that have their struggles, much greater than mine.  It's better to focus on these people rather than myself and life's foibles.  

All for now

stay safe

Snow Day for the Kiddies

 

Much to the joy of the students living here, Royal Oak Schools has declared yet another snow day.  The. juniors are still snuggled in their beds and waiting for Poppy to fix them some breakfast.  

I am here enjoying my second cup of coffee and looking outside at the weather, still coming down pretty good. 

So today is going to be day of TV and making meals for kids.  I have very little else to report.  Saw The Hangover stupid but moderately funny in an adolescent way.  Started watching The Many Saints of Newark, the Sopranos prequel.  This only made sense if you saw every episode of Tony and his crew.  I will finish because of a fascination with the characters. The balding guy playing Silvio has all the neck hunches down and the actress portraying Livia (Tony's mom) is equally as bitchy and judgmental.

Well, its the next day, still gloomy outside.  I am now down to my pre vacation weight and glucose numbers were good today as well.  My birthday approaches quickly.  I recall the stories from my mom on my one month premature birth. Weighing in at 4lbs 9ozs was big deal in 1950.  My father said he had to look thru 3 panes of glass to see me.  Mom fed me every two hours well into toddlerhood, which may have contributed to my rounded physique in those days and later. 

I used to really detest my birthday, marking another day older and closer to reaching my demise.  I see it now as a reason to bring people together, not so much for me, but for each other.  Had a good conversation with old friend Jo yesterday.  She has been traveling on a rough road for a while.  Interactions with friends and people you are close to seems to be the essence of living now.  

 So call somebody up you haven't seen in a while.  Reconnect to people you care about whose paths you no longer cross.  Have a coffee or breakfast to catch up with someone you have thought about.  At this point in our lives, it is of critical importance to connect.

all for now

stay safe

A Band Concert

Every year, the city of Royal Oak has their All City Band Concert.  There used to be 3 middle schools and 2 high schools.  With all the demographic changes, now only one middle school and one high school.  My dear grandson Elijah is in the beginner band this year.  The group of about 50 played straight forward tunes in 4/4 and all were in tune.  Even though there was a large battery of B flat clarinets and the players had limited experience, there were no squeaks to be heard.  The directors gave precise beats and rhythms from their batons and smiled with encouragement  at their charges.  I remember playing that same clarinet in the 6th and 7th grade and sharing a music stand with my band mates.  I always loved music, maybe this was the beginning of it.  Players learn not only notes but time signature,  how to count,  basic scales, embouchure and how to watch the conductor and their music at the same time.  There is a lot that goes into playing these simple tunes.  They did great.

There was a high school Jazz Band that played Count Basie and more modern music, complete with drum kit, electric bass, and piano.  The director only starts them, then walks off.  It was most impressive to see a young  player stand up and play an improvised solo on their instrument.  Maybe for only 8 bars, but they owned the stage.  You need the lungs of a lion to play the baritone saxophone.  There was a kid that took a solo on that beast of an instrument and did a fine job. 

So the concert was over, all the parents and grandparents stood and cheered.  The instructors and band directors thanked everyone for coming.  We met Eli in the hallway.  I got to see his braced up smile which was beautiful.  He looked at me and said "Poppy, I saw you in the audience and you really looked old!", one of my favorite honest comments from him.  Judy pointed out that it was probably my new beard which is as white as Santa's.  He agreed.  Appearing old is one of my most sought after attributes.  

Thats it.

all for now

stay safe
 

Doctor Visit

So as part of my post vacation deflation, I visited my physician for bloodwork to evaluate my current state of health.  It's one of the wonderful things you need to do as age creeps up on you.  My doc is a skilled and perceptive female of in her thirties.  She is talkative and current on medical data.  Her exams are quite complete and she listens to me, not dismissing my opinions about my health.  I do my best to be completely honest with her.  

She has a former ER nurse as her assistant, that performs all manner of in office tests and data collection.  Her skills as a blood draw expert are without parallel.  I think she mad a deal with the devil to be this good at the task.  Had no discomfort, no extra pokes and little bruising.  I have been stabbed by some real amateurs, resulting in massive bruising on the arm of choice.  I have discussed this topic with my wife, who has had some experience with extracting blood and been told there is a sense of feel that is needed to be successful which cannot be taught from a book or a video.  

Have you watched The Last of Us on HBOmax?  It is about a post apocalyptic world with weary travelers trying their best to survive.  At times brutal with nothing held back in visuals.  The viewer gets sucked in like watching a crash on the highway.  The characters have sturdy personalities and will do what is needed to continue.  The latest episode takes place in winter in what was once Colorado.  I was struck for the first time as to the desperation of the situation and the uncertainty of the characters.  

Also viewed a tween friendly film, We Have a Ghost staring David Harbour (Stranger Things) with a bad combover and Anthony Mackie as the dad.  There is also a wonderful vignette with Jennifer Coolidge at a talk show host in the movie.  The story goes that a family of color moves into an old house occupied by a ghostly guy named Ernest who befriends one of the kids. It has terrific visuals and  an uplifting ending.  If you have kids or grand kids that fit this profile, catch this one.

Have kids this afternoon and into the evening.  Royal Oak is having their all city band concert at the high school.  We attended lots of these in the past when our musical kids were in the band and orchestra.  Should be fun except for sitting on those hard bleachers.

all for now

stay safe

Vacation? What vacation?

this morning out the window

Although it was a wonderful time, with sunny skies, pristine beaches and moderate temperatures, my tan is fading and my bug bites have healed.  Starting to use my photos as reminders of Carrabelle as I cannot recall everything aside from the rooster that woke me every morning.  

Returned Thursday to be greeted by Friday's snow storm and subsequent melting.  Fully stocked the refrigerator and pantry early that day before the snow arrived.

The head mistress of Oxford Towers has moved on to greener pastures.  For me, it is no great loss to the residents.  I will leave it at that.  

Harry grumbling at the phone 

Joyce's Coffee Clatch went off without a hitch yesterday except that I dumped a whole cup of black coffee on Cindy, a lady I know that is tethered to a oxygen machine,  felt stupid and terrible, but she said no harm was done.  

Meeting with the cronies in about fifteen minutes.  Will be regaled by oft repeated stories and discussions of the weather.  Joyce called just now to remind me that she had strategically placed coffee cake for us.  

Grand daughter Marie is sick and will probably be with us for the day.  It's ok, I miss her anyway.  

Fonts on this application have gone screwy.

thats it

all for now

stay safe 

A Party and some family history

Two brothers, cousins of mine put on a surprise 75th birthday for their mother yesterday.  Kathy, their mom is a first cousin of mine that I share a lot of history with.  My parents Dorothy and Ed were best friends with his brother and wife, Bill and Bonnie throughout my entire childhood.  There were many nights at their home in West Dearborn with parents playing pinochle (a game I never understood) and Joan and I hanging around with our cousins Kathy, David and their little brother Mark.  This house hosted many basement parties with lots of beer and booze consumed.  The attendees were mostly neighbors so driving home was not part of the picture.

We all grew up.  Some of us survived to be senior citizens.  Kathy's dear husband died ten years ago from some virus.  He was well and in a month, he was gone, a truly wonderful guy.  His memory was discussed at length with all of us sharing stories we remembered.  When we were kids and our parents sent us to the 6 Mile theater for a movie, we walked down Woodward Ave in front of Palmer Park each holding about 50 cents for the movie and popcorn.  And Kathy was in charge of us, a fact proclaimed by our parents.  

Matthew, the one on the left and Gregory at his side, although being very different now make a great brotherly team.  Matt has a husband, David and their relationship stands on the shoulders of the gay men before them that suffered countless indignities and pain.  Some of those guys are life long friends of mine and I have heard their stories.  Matthew and David are married, happy and their families are happy and  love them both.  This collection of people in this setting is a testament to how things can be in a more perfect world.  Greg, a really likable guy in the film business who has a wonderful girlfriend, Sara, who I met tonight.  She and I swapped photos and she loved the photo of the bearded dragon with the party hat from Jamie Clark.  He and Andrew are pals with infrequent hangouts. 

I got to meet David's parents, wonderful folks that like us have a disabled daughter.  Vito and I discussed at length the pitfalls of the lacking social safety net for the disabled.  He is a spectacular cook and made eggplant parmigiana that was without parallel. He of course down played his talents.  

Matthew and my Katey had crazy fun in their earlier days, always getting into some kind of trouble.  I will make it my mission to get them together for a reunion.

well, that's it. 

all for now

stay safe

 

Snow, eh not that much

We were supposed to have another snowmaggeden in our county.  All the news and weather people were all excited to report.  They had frozen and snowy street reporters in the thick of it with frozen eyebrows and drippy noses.  There were interviews with the county road bosses as to preparedness.  Here at the old folks home, residents were shuddering watching the snow come down.  There were a few blips in the power, screwing up all the cable signals and the streaming services.  None lasted long.  We probably got about 3 inches in our neighborhood.

Shannon is happy even with the snowy day watching movies and listening to her tunes, satisfied with a simple breakfast of oatmeal and some fruit from her mother.  

Even with the snow, it is a little pretty outside.  

It's a low key day with Shannon going back in the afternoon.  I have a social occasion to attend in the afternoon. 

Yesterday had breakfast with friend Bob Kavanagh and i forgot all about it and was 30 min late, too busy reprovisioning the household.  He and his Judy had an adventure in TX seeing the sights in Austin, SanAntonio and Houston.  

Thats it for today

stay warm and safe (snow should be melted by later today)

all for now

Back to Reality

So it is extremely weird to be back in my quiet kitchen making my oatmeal this morning.  It is quiet and and nice in this soundless room aside from the  pot on the stove starting to boil.  Gained about 4 lbs. on the trip after 28 days of eating like I was going to the electric chair.  Sun burn is fading and the bites from the no-see-ums are gone. Going to Kroger early this morning to preempt the coming snow because we are without food.  Have a doctors appointment next week to check glucose levels.  Really dreading it because of my eating habits over the last month.  I am preparing myself for the scolding.

Slept in my own bed last night which had a comfortable familiarity.  Still woke up early after about 4 hours of sleep.  Really have no complaints. 

So all the guys on this trip seemed to have beards, ball caps and tired old jeans.  I didn't want to look too out of place, hence the whiskers.  But now, I have to get back to my normal routine.  Will struggle back to Planet Fitness on Monday and try to move forward.

Have to visit Joyce to get my mail and packages this morning.  Saw some of my resident friends in the lobby as I was unloading my stuff.  it was great to see them.  Gonna get Shannon before the snow gets too bad.  It was a good respite in warmer weather but I am really glad to be home.

all for now

stay safe