Kung Flu log for date 87.15.64

We ventured out to pick up some groceries yesterday afternoon. The store was fairly well stocked, but there were still some empty shelves. I think it was the first time either of us had been out for a week, besides strolling the neighborhood sidewalks for vitamin sunshine and exercise. Came home and scrubbed my hands and repeated after storing the groceries.

The boy seems better when we spoke yesterday. Breathing was almost back to normal. His cough was still bad, but better. Thank you for your prayers.

Days are blending together. There is little distinction between a Saturday and a Tuesday. The girls don’t come. We don’t hang out with our friends on a Saturday evening. I tried to find a virtual euchre game but it didn’t work out. As the current TV season wraps up things are going to get even more boring. I guess I will develop a love for yard work. I have enough of it to do.

Life continues on. We are alive. So far we are reasonably healthy. That is enough.

Wuhan Virus Chronicle, Day 19

Life these days is similar to the life we led as newlyweds. It is just me and the wife. No kids. No grandkids. No money to go anywhere.

Lots less sex though.

Stay apart, unless it is inconvenient

Lots of rain, wind storms, thunder, and general nasty spring weather rolled through yesterday and into the night. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed.

The neighbors across the street had a party. Seriously. It started innocently enough. Their oldest boy turned 21 yesterday. A normally great day was marred by the closures of bars everywhere. The poor Schlub faced having his “first” beer with mom and dad. I myself tossed him a can of Yeungling in the afternoon.

In a touching tribute, many of the birthday boy’s friends and family showed up around eight o’clock. They parked in the cul-de-sac and left presents, six packs, and bottles on the drive. They stood near their cars and when he came out, toasted him and serenaded the newly-crowned adult with the traditional song. So far, so good. Then the dozens of people began to mill and gather to talk. Soon isolated groups became clusters. The next time I glanced out the window, the fire pit was burning brightly and a crowd of 15 or 20 had gathered. As the rains came they crowded together in the garage. They were still at it when I mossed up to bed around midnight.

Social distancing indeed.

In other news, The boy was about the same when I talked to him last night. His breathing was eased a little but his cough was worse. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words and especially for your prayers. I know I am not worthy.

Finally, time for our regular Sunday feature. The main reason I am sure you visited today. Instead of a scenery picture I am going to present an actual screen shot from my trusty iPad yesterday.

Is that the saddest thing ever?

Hitting close to home

My oldest son is the middle child. Two behind and five ahead. He lives in Colorado. A musician and bartender, he is most like me in personality and temperament. He looks most like my wife’s family.

He is also very sick from Corona crud, Wuhan fever, the Kung Flu.

Symptoms started a few days ago. The wheezing and coughing reached a point yesterday where he sought medical attention. His doctor met him in the parking lot and sent him off to the ER for official testing after ruling out the regular strains of flu and associated maladies.

At the ER he was told to go home. No tests are available — not at that hospital nor any other in the Denver area. I guess those are reserved for politicians, athletes, actors, and the wealthy. They told him to come back when he could no longer breathe.

He sounds like a septuagenarian emphysema patient with a five pack a day habit who just jogged a mini marathon when I spoke to him last night.

Yes, I’m worried.

Government numbers of infected patients are astounding. I suspect the true numbers of the sick are a magnitude higher.. One can only get tested if they are gravely ill, the really sick, and mildly sick are not being tested. At this point we are in the midst of a plague. Fortunately, not a deadly one.

It still doesn’t prevent me from worrying incessantly about my little boy.

Corona Virus Karaoke

Day 53 of Kung Flu fighting.

Apparently it is a Friday. It feels like any other day at this point.

While strolling around the greater subdivision yesterday evening I stopped to talk to a fellow Cubs fan. He noticed my T-shirt and gave me the sooper  sekrit high sign. We stood ten feet apart and reminisced. I didn’t know the guy but it seems he grew up in the next town over from where I was born and raised. Small world indeed.

I cooked a thick ham slice in brown sugar and a little pineapple juice for dinner. For sides I made a pan of homemade mac&cheese and green bean casserole, and then I sautéed the pineapple chunks in the syrup. It was pretty good fare for a warm spring evening.

Since I am basically an antisocial jerk, this whole semi-quarantine has been a minor inconvenience. The wife, who needs to be perpetually on the go, is going crazy. Coupled with the fact that she can only see the grandgirls via FaceTime, she is not a happy girl. She is hunting the house for projects to keep busy and that means she is roping me into participating.

Mr. B asks a pertinent question. If the goal is to keep folks separated and at home, why oh why is public transportation still running?

Rain is slated for the next few days. As I watch the rapidly greening front yard I am reminded my mower died last fall. I did the last few cuttings borrowing my SIL’s mower. I need to figure a way to purchase a new machine.

Stay safe amigos.

Make Stem

I slept in this morning.

 It’s not like I have anywhere to go.

 A pretty dense fog blankets the neighborhood. A warm front is edging in today. I may wander out onto the patio and enjoy the sun today as temperatures move into the low sixties.

I’ve been binging through The Sopranos over the past few weeks. Nothing like being more than a decade behind popular culture. Today I plan on watching The Sand Pebbles, one of my favorite flicks ever. It is high on the list of movies you have to stop and watch if you discover it while scrolling through the remote. I am sure you have movies like that.

I need some more coffee and perhaps a little breakfast.

Have a great day and stay safe.

Quarantine Blog Day 8

Millions of parents realize little Johnny is just a jerk and it is not the teacher’s fault he doesn’t learn anything.

Righteous Outrage

Apparently it is just too much to ask for the dooshbag politicians to put politics aside for a moment and do what is right for the American people.

Nancy and Chuck are far more interested in making sure Orange Man Bad doesn’t get any credit for an emergency economic relief plan and want a “Democrat Plan” put forth. In case you don’t believe me and blame my inherent bias against rat bastard commie mofos Democrats for putting the onus on rat bastard commie mofos Democrats, even the NY Times and NBC say Democrats torpedoed the relief package in the Senate last night. So screw them all.

The Federal, State, and local governments have put millions out of work. They have prevented us from earning a living. Now politics as usual is preventing relief. Spit.

All you in the service and retail industries need to remember this Democrat perfidy come November. Government workers are sitting home watching Judge Judy with full pay and benefits while you are trying to dig change from your couch cushions to buy black market potatoes, rice, and toilet paper.

The politicians are fighting over who gets credit.

I’m trying very hard not to blaspheme and swear these days. Well too bad, fuck ‘em all.

6,673 times

I go from irritated at being stuck in the house to “getting it”. As a free American I chafe at the growing government heavy-handedness in these infectious times. I growl internally when my daughter insists she will get groceries and such for us. I shake my head as she leaves them on the porch. Then I mitigate my attitude with an understanding that I am almost 60, diabetic, and have had pneumonia 3 times in the last decade. She is looking out for me.

Boy, do I hate, hate, hate, hate being told what to do. My friends as far back as high school knew the one sure way to get me to do something was to tell me “I forbid you to”. Example:

Hey Joe want a beer? 
Nah, I better not.
I forbid you to have one
Gimme that sumbitch

I forbid you to throw this dead squirrel into that open window on that cop car.
Gimme that sumbitch

Like that. So my first instinct when I’m told “no” is to do it anyway. I’m not alone. I have found in my world travels this attitude is a core American trait.

So I’ll social distance. I won’t like it. It is also quite likely I will go to Walmart this afternoon because I can. I’m torn. I’m not seventeen anymore. In the end I’ll do the right thing.

Probably.

Now for the reason you really stopped by:

Lights of Cholula and Mt Popo at sunset December 2018

That is the active volcano Popocatepetl (17,802ft) on the left, taken during a business trip.

The old blog turned 15 today. Time to get that long-anticipated learners permit.

Have a great Sunday

Sweet citrus delight

My mom used to make this wonderful lemon cake. Is was moist and delicious and covered in a sweet and tart lemony glaze. It was the best lemon cake I have had and no other lemon cake I have tried even comes close.

Mom always made me this lemon cake for my birthday, even bringing one to my college residence. After I moved away I always missed the lemon cake on my birthday. I thought the recipe was gone when she passed away.

Until Thursday when my wife pulled out the eggs and flour and proceeded to bake my mom’s lemon cake for my Friday birthday. It was as good as I remember. I almost cried. It reminded me of my youth and my mom.

It seems my daughter and wife were going through mom’s recipe box at Christmas and when my wife spotted the faded card with the lemon cake recipe she knew she had to take it home and bake it for me.

The grandgirls came over yesterday and sang happy birthday from the end of the sidewalk. That sucked. The littlest one waved from her car seat as the oldest sang to me. Fricking Chinese. See what happens when you eat weird stuff?

I can’t say much positive about this latest, just completed trip around the sun. It started OK, but quickly went to seed after that. I give it a one star review.

Tomorrow marks fifteen years of this blog site. Rarely does a day go by without some words from me. That is good or bad depending on your point of view. Thanks to each of you who stop by. You are indeed one of the reasons I keep it up. That, and a compulsion to provide evidence for my future commitment hearing.

Stay safe. Stay away from people. Wash your hands. Pray for your neighbors. Pray for America.

So it goes

The Will

Doug Smith is on his deathbed and knows the end is near. His nurse, his wife, his daughter and 2 sons, are with him. He asks for 2 witnesses to be present and a camcorder be in place to record his last wishes.

When all is ready he begins to speak, “My son, Bernie, I want you to take the Mayfair houses. My daughter Sybil, you take the apartments over in the east end. Jamie, I want you to take the offices over in the City Centre. Sarah, my dear wife, please take all the residential buildings on the banks of the river.”

The nurse and witnesses are blown away as they did not realize his extensive holdings, and as Doug slips away, the nurse says, “Mrs. Smith, your husband must have been such a hard-working man to have accumulated all this property”.

The wife replies, “No, the jerk was talking his paper route.”

Dear Diary

Day whatever. Foggy. Severe weather a possibility. I’m sick of reading. Sick of watching TV. The wife has contracted a severe case of cabin fever. She is used to going somewhere, anywhere, every day. The grandgirls are home with their parents. Yes, like you, I am bored. If I had any money I would use this time to do some home improvement projects - painting etc. if the weather breaks, I might head out to start cleaning out the flower beds, picking up the estimated 6,543,218 sticks shed by the big willow over the winter.  I watched a rerun of a 40 year-old baseball game the other night. Ted Kosinski’s fevered rantings are starting to make sense. That is a joke. Is it nap time yet?

Day 6

At what cost?

We are destroying our economy to a point it may take years to recover. All bars and restaurants in Indiana were closed yesterday, throwing tens of thousands out of work. Uber and Lyft drivers are idled by travel restrictions. The mayor of my city has ordered all travel on city streets stopped outside of work, doctor, and food. In effect, Martial law.

This is tyranny. This is how your freedom dissipates like smoke.

But a Joe, there is a global pandemic. We are all in danger.

This disease has spread quickly through the world, starting in China. Authorities tell us it is deadly.

Is it?

There are 7.5 billion people on Earth. So far, in three months, 7,074 people have died. Total. Globally. In Indiana 24 people are diagnosed, one has died. This out of a population of 6.6 million. There have been about 180,000 cases diagnosed globally.

We have put tens of thousands onto the unemployment rolls. We have put many of our lowest income earners in a position to lose their cars, weeks from being homeless to protect what appears to be a fraction of a percent of the population.

I don’t want to seem cold-hearted. I’m one of the high risk targets of this virus.

If there isn’t a run on tinfoil yet, I’m going to fashion me a hat, because the facts don’t back up the fear, panic, hysteria, and outright government intrusion into our lives.

But Joe, without these precautions things could get way worse, I hear you say. If deaths increased a thousandfold, it is still a minuscule percentage.

Call me skeptical.

Cookin’ With Joe

You asked for my ham loaf recipe. Here goes:

3 lb ham loaf mix (I buy mine premixed at a small grocery in my hometown, but I believe it to be 1-3/4 lb ground ham +1-1/4 lb ground pork.)

3 eggs
1-1/8 C corn flakes crushed
1C milk

Add more cornflakes if it is too wet.

Mix well and form into loaf. Bake 350 for 1-1/2 hours. Baste ever 30 minutes with glaze.

I form mine into a loaf (usually 2) on a foil lined baking sheet  you can use a loaf pan if you prefer.

Glaze

1/4 C vinegar, 1/4 C boiling water,3/4 C brown sugar, 1teaspoon dried mustard. Boil all for 5 minutes. Keep warm and brush on meat every 1/2 hour

You can substitute 1C Ritz crackers or saltines for for the corn flakes. Start with 2 eggs and add another as necessary.

You can make smaller batches, adjust fillers as necessary.

By family tradition it is served with homemade Mac and cheese

Enjoy

And another thing

I don’t have enough Chapstick on hand to get through two or three weeks of semi-quarantine.

Now we have a problem.

I’m afraid of more than fear itself

I’m not sure how I feel about the Government demanding private businesses to close. Governors in neighboring states have forced restaurants and bars to close their doors. This pseudo marshal law will put hundreds of thousands out of work. If I were a waiter, a concessionaire, a hotel employee, any service worker, I would be pissed I’m at home, earning a fraction of my wages on unemployment, while idled state and federal employees are getting full pay.

Big box retailers are cutting their hours, perhaps under pressure from the authorities. Doesn’t that force more people to be at the store at the same time? If you cut your hours by 50% doesn’t that mean the theoretical number of people in the store doubles? And again, workers at groceries and Walmart are among the lowest paid.

Clearly our food supply cannot support people buying two or four weeks of supply, forget eight weeks. Empty shelves for almost a week are a testament to this. I’m not sure what the poorest among us or those who live in urban food deserts are supposed to do.

I can’t help feel we are committing economic suicide over this. The airlines almost did not recover from 9/11. Now millions of workers have been idled via government fiat. Many small businesses cannot sustain a month or two of lost sales.

A global economic depression is about to descend.

I sure don’t have answers. Maybe this will get the Chinese to quit eating bats and lizards and contracting weird diseases that spread around the world.  Perhaps these harsh steps are what we need to protect us from our selves.

I know I’m worried. We are barely holding on. My temp job at the big box has dried up. I worry prospective employers are going to put things on hold. The prospect of losing everything is starting to loom as a distinct possibility.

I take little solace in knowing many will be in the same position soon.

Yes, I’m scared.

Edit: I know you don’t read links.  You should read this one:

Read this

Sneaky Pete

Normally I like to fix a nice meal for Sunday dinner: Ham loaf*, pot roast, fried chicken, etc.. Last evening I was discussing the possibilities with the wife and she declared a serious jones for homemade potato soup and a BLT. OK. The only problem is the hoarders have scooped up all of the bread from the grocery aisles. So, ever the good soldier, I schlepped down to the local food emporium upon waking - yes, even before coffee - to see if there was an overnight bread delivery. Alas, a small shipment had arrived; 30 or 40 loaves were on hand. It wasn’t the wife’s preferred brand, but tough. I grabbed some extra ‘maters and another pound of bacon to replace the one I’ll use up this evening. I only grabbed a single loaf. You might need some. That’s all I needed.

I guess all of these food shortages and lack of loo paper are just a foreshadowing of life under Bernie Bro communism. But at least we will all be able to read. Spit.

We had snow all day yesterday, leaving the ground covered in a thin layer of white stuff. What a change from the spring-like weather we have been enjoying. Despair not, warm weather is heading back.

Two, is it a Doublemint commercial?

I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille

Here is an early evening rainbow (actually double rainbow) taken from the side street behind my house just a couple of weeks ago**. Go ahead and embiggin, should you desire. Before you ask, it is a baseball diamond.

Ha, I sneaked in some Sunday Pictures when you weren’t paying attention.

Enjoy your Sunday, and don’t hoard the toilet paper, it ain’t dysentery, as LSP reminds us.

* My preferred choice, but I can live with spud soup.
** March 8, 2020 for those of you who like exactitude.

Fish or cut bait

The oldest boy is head bartender at a popular watering hole in Denver. He said he had to resort to putting a fishing show on the TV yesterday. Who sits around getting mildly hammered while watching a guy pull in a large mouth bass? Not too many people according to his tip count yesterday.

We are all gonna die

All is well. While telling us not to panic the media and government are are whipping up panic and fear to levels I’ve not seen in my lifetime. Indianapolis has pretty much cancelled everything including school. Nationwide sporting events are on hiatus. Vacation spots are closed.

The economic ramifications are going to be severe and profound. 2008 and 2009 are going to look like fond memories.

The wife and I moseyed to the local Kroger last night for our regularly scheduled shopping trip. Holy cow. The shelves were stripped bare. No meat was available outside a stray package of chicken wings and some full racks of ribs. Very little produce was on hand. The canned goods stock consisted of mixed peas and carrots, proving no one likes that crap, and some garlic flavored green beans. There was no bread, no eggs, no butter. I saw a lady with two carts full of bottled water, at least ten cases total, perhaps more. Call me naive, but does anyone think basic services like electricity and water are threatened? Employees were rationing toilet paper. At 11:00 pm the check out lanes were all open and each had a line of carts at least ten deep.

I wish that preceding paragraph was hyperbole. It is truth.

Hoarding isn’t helpful.

I have a couple of promising job prospects. I am worried the quickly collapsing economy will affect these opportunities. I was slated to start soon on a seasonal gig at one of the big box chains. Who knows if that will come to pass.

Yeah, I’m worried. No I’m not panicking. Yet.

I do think we are facing a situation we haven’t seen since October of ‘29.

Boy, do I hope I’m wrong.

On a far more pleasant note, go over and wish My blog buddy Jean a very happy birthday.

Ramifications

I’m making no judgements. Just tossing out a few thoughts on the Coronavirus.

How much of the cancellation decisions are rooted less in prevention of the spread of disease and more in fear of the inevitable lawsuits filed by the leeching lawyer class if anyone attends a large event and gets sick. “They should have known, that’s why we are filing this massive class action suit”.

Colleges and universities are canceling classes. Does any really believe college kids are not going to socialize? Besides, how can they spend the next months in their dorm rooms without access to food or the library or labs? Besides “Partay!” . Who are we fooling?

The cancellation of large sporting events will have a huge effect on the economy. The NCAA Tournament alone brings millions to the communities. Hotels, bars, restaurants, airports, Uber, and taxis all will feel the pinch.

I keep seeing stories that a Trump cut research funding and the budget to the CDC. Any reporter who tells you that is incompetent, a liar, or an ignorant buffoon. Never read that source or watch that news organizations again. Congress controls the budget. Congress determines how and where money is spent. Period.

I’m not in a position to know what is right or wrong here. But there is a lot going on.

Joe has anger issues

No matter how long I stare, or how how severe the stern looks I give, the cursor refuses to type letters and words of bloggity entertainment. The dit dit dit dit dit dit ad infinitum blinking Morse Code is useless for content. I guess it is up to me to make the cursor dance like a organ grinder monkey. Curse you mocking cursor.

You have weather. I have weather. Unless you reside in central Indiana, my weather is useless to you.

Biden picked up most of the Donkey Delegates yesterday, making an ass out of himself with one of his Union Supporters. If you watched the video, you see Biden getting outraged anyone would question him, calling the guy an asshole at one point and threatening to “take it outside”. I thought the union guy was polite. Too bad, the young guy would have beaten pencil-neck Joe to a pulp.

It reminded me of the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz: “Put em up, put em up”.

I know had I talked like that to one of the USW workers who reported to me when I was a stupidvisor, I would have ended with a bloody nose. Good thing Biden has a cadre of Secret Service types to back up his big talk. Funny how the Union high-ups were boot-licking the Veep, pushing the rank and file out of the way.

Seems to me calling would-be voters liars and a-holes is not the best way to garner support. What do I know?

I still think Hilary will end up with the nomination.

Toosday Talking Points

It is a wet morning at the old homestead. Warm weather continues with temperatures in the fifties. I noticed the maple out front is not only filled with buds, but some are already breaking out into leaves. Shoots of tulips and lilies are bringing some welcome green to the winter brown. I see yard work in my future. That thought elicits a hearty “yeah!” and a sigh. I look forward to the warm days of spring and summer but not the massive work I need to do on the grounds of the estate.

The local news station is running a “facts not fear” campaign on the Coronaviris, then spent the first ten minutes of the newscast fear mongering.

The wife ate something that did not agree with her Sunday, probably the Tex Mex we had for dinner. I took over daycare duties for the grandgirls yesterday as a result. The oldest was peeved I couldn’t put her hair up the way mommy and grandma do for pre-school.  I combed it and stuck on a clip-on bow. She got over it.

This is my new favorite thing:

Stay dry and have a great Tuesday.

Stock up on supplies

I putting this blog under self-quarantine.

It is displaying symptoms of barely breathing, wheezing along, just a short time from needing life support.

I think it is the 12 Corona virus.

Grand Cayman 2019

In other words, I need a 12 pack of Coronas and a week at the beach. I’m certain that would cure everything. No, I would probably need more beer, and not Corona, either. And some rum. And some cigars. Yeah, that’s it.

Of course it ain’t gonna happen. But I can dream.

Be careful, I think what I have is contagious.

Ribs, Cards, Taco Shells

We went back to the old town of my birth yesterday. We stopped by to visit with my papa and then went to hang out with some friends. We enjoyed some excellent ribs at a pub / restaurant place the next county north and then headed back to their house for some euchre and laughs.  It was a good Saturday.

So far today I have changed the clocks to adapt to DST. Deleted 5,000 word rant about the idiocy of DST. I activated my new debit card. I swallowed my morning handful of pills and squirted ant-rejection steroids into my eyeballs.  I’ve managed so far today to drink almost a full mug of coffee, read up on the internet news, and type what you have read so far.

Now I just have to decide what to post for the Sunday Photos feature. I’m torn between some rainbow pictures I took Thursday or a vacation photo. What is your vote?

Looking down the promenade deck, Carnival Dream 2019

I’m just kidding. This is a blog dictatorship. You don’t get to vote. I like this picture. It is a cellphone pic and no fisheye or other distorting lense was used. If you never been on one, cruise ships are huge.

Like many of my favorite pictures, a sunset is involved. Thankfully, the horizon was clear of any Pirates. I understand they are in the Caribbean.

I have determined homemade tacos will be on the supper menus today. It is supposed to be warm and a little South of the Border flavor seems about right. What’s on your menu?

Have a great Sunday and thank you for stopping by.

the barking dog chronicles

The full moon is shining bright over the neighbor’s roof. It is still dark. Johnny Cash is singing in the background. I have classic country music playing on the little Echo spy device here in the office. 

I had a little acid reflux issue that drove me from bed early this morning. So it goes. I fought acid reflux for the better part of a decade, finally recovering about ten years ago. Now, not surprisingly, it is back. 

Yesterday was cold and raw with a North wind and spitting occasional snow. Today will be a little warmer and we are supposed to be back in the sixties Sunday. 

I think after it gets light I will go visit my grandson this morning. I haven’t been down to see him for a month or so. It’s been 2-1/2 years and I still cry every time I visit.

How about a little audio for your Saturday entertainment?

Have a great day.

its not even daylight and I need a nap

After a string of warm spring-like days, winter has made an appearance today. It is spitting snow and windy. I’m not worried. It is supposed to return to warmer weather tomorrow.

In the past week the baby granddaughter has gone from starting to crawl to pulling herself up to stuff. She is getting into everything. It is a full time job just herding her. She is obsessed with ripping my glasses from my face. She has destroyed a couple of the wife’s magazines. The little one finds all of this mischief hilarious. We are blessed with two of the happiest, good natured grandgirls ever.

Can we all agree NFL free agency needs to start now so the endless stories about “what will Tom Brady do”can just go away? Please?

I hope you have a great Friday.

Directions

The new family in the neighborhood overslept and their six-year-old daughter missed her school bus.

The father, though late for work himself, had to drive her. In a rush, he forgot his phone and since he didn't know how to get to school he asked if his daughter could direct him. She was excited to know the way.

They rode several blocks before she told him to turn the first time, several more before she indicated another turn. This went on for 20 minutes – but when they finally reached the school, it proved to be only a short distance from their home.

The father, much annoyed, asked his daughter why she’d led him around in such a circle.

The child explained, “That’s the way the school bus goes, Daddy.”

Up on Choctaw Ridge

I’m not feeling it today. What I am feeling is a pounding headache. I don’t care much about the Democrat Primaries, if I am honest.

How about a little music for this Wednesday? This tune was dancing in my head whenI woke up this morning:

Sing along, I won’t mind.

Sooper Toosday

Today is a big day politically. A bunch of states will hold primaries to help determine who will be our next President. The Trumpster will win for the GOPers and we shall see who prevails for the Donkey brand.

Once again I shall lament that out of 300 million choices it is sad this is the best we can find for the Chief Executive position. I will say that I do like Trump’s position on judges, immigration, and foreign policy ( for the most part). I wish he would reign in spending, but politicians love spending other people’s money.

I just realized I forgot to put in my entry for the big Publishers Clearinghouse drawing last month. Crap. I was sure I was going to be a millionaire. First I lose out on the big HGTV Dreamhouse, now this.  Maybe I will win the free cigar lounge/man cave makeover. Who knows?

Rinse and repeat

I woke at 4:30 blah, blah. Whatever.

It was an unseasonal warm day yesterday, with the high temperatures pushing 60F. Of course I am using Fahrenheit, 60 Celsius would be equivalent to an unbearable 140F. I admit I had to look that conversion up. I can do the conversion for metric/inch for length with little trouble. Kilograms/pounds I can do an estimate. Volume and speed I can do with an educated guess (100K=62 mph). Temperature has always eluded me beyond 70F is roughly 18C, I know the freeze and boiling points and -40 is the same in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. All other temperature conversions are impossible for me to calculate.

Don’t be impressed, anyone who works in manufacturing can do those same metric/ imperial conversions.

Anyway, before you got me off on a metric tangent I was going to report I sat out on the patio in the late winter sun and enjoyed a nice cigar while listening to a Dan Carlin Hardcore History podcast. Life is good.

So here we are on Monday. March is coming in like a lamb and according to folk knowledge that does not bode well for the end of the month.

 March is big around here. My 15th blogoversary and my birthday are both in March. You should probably starting thinking about getting me some gifts.

waiting in a long gray line

The grandgirls spent the night last night. No matter I see them nearly every day, it is great when they come in the door. Both are the happiest girls. It is my sincere wish they have that same happiness and joy forever.

Yeah, I know, the teenaged girl is in the future.

We went to dinner at the oldest girl’s favorite restaurant. We had the worst service I have probably ever had, starting with the servers arguing who would take our table; not because of “us”, but because one had a ten top and the other didn’t want another table.

After getting our food our server never came back. We finally got another server to bring our check. Our server never came to collect the payment and after trying to get her attention ( she walked past the table glancing at the cash three times) we left the bills on the table with about $1.50 for the tip. If we had exact change I would have left it. I would have asked for a manager on the way out, but the five year old was ready to leave and the baby was already past bedtime. It shouldn’t take two hours to dine at the Spaghetti Factory. Not counting the wait for the table.

Anyway, here is something a little more pleasant for your Sunday Pictures feature:

This is the mighty Hudson looking north from West Point. Yes that West Point. We visited and had a tour during a sales meeting in October 2013. My only disappointment was we had limited time. While I saw Custer’s “grave”, I did not get to search for the burial site of my hero General George Thomas.

I hope you have a great Sunday.