Free Falling!

In a rush to beat the "trash guys" I was carrying one last bag to the street when I hit the ONE patch of ice in my tarmac driveway. Down I went like the proverbial "ton of brick."  OUCH.  The trash bag went flying, and I grabbed my knee and swore, perhaps very loudly.  Then, of course, I looked around to see if anyone saw me fall. At this hour of the AM, everyone's drapes and blinds were still pulled. No cars went by,either.  So I sat on the cold pavement and checked out my wounds.  I have a severe case of "road rash" on my left knee.  Reminds me of the same thing I got learning to ride my two-wheeler with the training wheels so many years ago.  Not only that, but I feel like my butt cheeks are residing somewhere up around my shoulder blades and my back hurts.

I did learn a few things from this, though.
1. Slow down. Hurrying isn't worth it any time, any place.
2.  Keep "road rash" treatment supplies on hand just in case.  I had no antibiotic ointment here, upon   reading the label on the Preparation H, I decided that wouldn't work!  I found some anti-infection cream left over from last year's surgery and some ancient Band-Aids. Oh, and a box of old gauze patches.  That will have to suffice.
3. 220# of ugliness goes down in a hurry and takes a while to rise back up.
4. You can skin up knees pretty badly and never tear a hole in your pants!  I don't know how that happened, but it did.
5. I could fall in this neighborhood and lay there until I froze solid. 99% of the time if one falls, no one sees them do it, and in this neighborhood, even if they did, they would do nothing. (Except for Roger next door and he was at work!)

And the clincher of the whole thing is:  with the holidays, our trash guys don't run until tomorrow!
 Damn!

Until next time,
Peace!
JE

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Lat year we had, according to our local weatherman, a grand total of 6 inches of snow all winter. Right now, I, with yardstick in hand, measured 3+ inches in my back yard. And the thermometer is hovering at 0F. So, with the upcoming outlook of more snow, freezing rain, sleet, and back to snow, I am beginning to believe that we will have a white Christmas this year. Some years we do, some years we don't, but it's more fun if we do.
This year we are supposed to trek to the capital to my daughter's for our family Christmas get together. That is supposed to occur this coming Saturday. That's the day of the freezing rain, rain , sleet, then snow that is coming our way, then plummeting temps back into single digits, with negative numbers at night. I asked her if they had a plan B, and she said, "No, but we can do what we always have done and converge on you on Christmas Day and you can feed us!" Then she laughed!! I hope she was kidding! Or at least if they come here, they bring food. I don't cook for crowds. I barely cook for one! Not that I can't, I just would rather eat nuked hot dogs, and open a canned veggie, or even eat a big bowl of cereal. I rarely have enough food on hand to feed the troops! And this month is not long on groceries cause I bought gifts and such!
But wherever we end up, it will be fun. We will welcome little Annabelle into our family traditions, though at 2 months, I doubt if she'll pay much attention. My halls are as decked as they are going to get, and I am ready. My list is short, and needs are few. I just want my family near and dear and well and happy. What more could an old guy ask!
Until Next Time,
Peace on Earth,
JE

Health frustrations!

I am not one to complain about my health. I have been fortunate up to now to have good health. Recently, I have had some pain in my back, lower right, and coming around to the side.  I have been to my family physician, and another doc that I saw for the same problem. I have even visited the emergency when the pain got severe enough to be worrisome.  After numerous tests, including blood work, urine analysis, x-rays and a CT scan, the people in the know cannot find any major cause of my pain. The CT scan showed some "older age" stuff, but none of it pain causing.  The only explanation I have been given is that my spine is deteriorating slowly and "could be" causing pinched nerves. I have some minute kidney stones, but shouldn't be causing pain. These things are non-serious, so I guess the pinched nerves could be the culprit. It continues to ache in the same spot, and has disrupted my sleep and rest several times.
Let me be on the record as saying that "the golden years ain't so golden."
More doc appointments coming up the middle of December. Maybe he will find something. Until them, I just hope for the best.

Until next time,

Peace,

JE

Brrrrr!

Yesterday I was in shorts and flip flops. This morning snow was flying and now I am in Under Armour and Jeans and a sweater, with socks!  Holy Moly!  A terrific thunderstorm and high winds last night brought in the cold, and took down the rest of our fall leaves.  One more trip through the yard with my rake and I should be done with that mess.  Here in Indiana we can't complain too much about the fall weather.  I haven't had to run my furnace much, if at all, until the last week. Maybe just in the evening to take off the damp and chill. A quick fire in the fireplace in the morning for the same reason.
Looking forward to spending Thanksgiving in the state capitol (or "al" I never can remember without looking it up!) with my family. My daughter is having us all to her home and is doing most of the cooking. I am responsible for dinner rolls. Specifically King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls. That was unanimously voted upon by the masses.  LOL!
Child #2 and 3 of his 4 little people are all getting over colds. Momma and the babe are the only two well ones in that household right now. I think the two older little people bring home every germ that there is at school and they all just pass it around.  Maybe this colder weather will rid the atmosphere of those nasty germs.  I had a flu shot and pneumonia shot last month, so I hope I am good to go.
Everyone have a good weekend and for those of you who celebrate "turkey day," have a wonderful, safe holiday.  Happy Thanksgiving a few days early!  Busy week coming up!!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Frustrated!!

I am trying to update my profile shown on the right side of my blog. I can't seem to save the changes after I make them. Blogger sure doesn't make it easy!!  Anyone out there that can help me?

Help!

JE

New Prompt: 5 Items I would Buy with a Million Dollars

If I won a lottery of some sort and had an extra million dollars what are the 5 things I would buy?

Wow! Where to start!

1.  More life insurance. I used to have ample life insurance, but had to cash part of it in to pay off hospital and funeral expenses when my wife passed.  I have slowly been repaying that debt, but if I passed tomorrow, my kids would have to sell the "home place" to pay those expenses and one outstanding debt that is slowly decreasing, but still staring me in the face. So that would be my first purchase.

2.  A new car. My Chrysler is getting old, now 11 and has well over 100,000 miles on it. I have been looking at the new cars, way to expensive for my blood, but if I had a windfall, I would buy a little, red two passenger sports car of some kind. A convertible of course.

3.  New carpet in my dining room. 24 years, 3 dogs and a cat, plus 5 to 7 adults and at least 4 grands eating meals on it at the table, it simply needs to be replaced.

4.  The stuff to completely remodel the bathroom everyone uses  (but me, I have my own). The fixtures are old, and don't work too well. The walls need redone, and a new ceiling would be nice. I want more storage built in while I am at it.

5.  Probably wouldn't hurt to replace my 24 year old refrigerator and dish washer. They are gonna go sometime, and maybe that would be a good way to replace them instead of buying them on time at Sears and paying half again as much!  LOL!

As you can see, my wants are few and probably ridiculous to some, but I am a simple guy with simple tastes.  In all reality, if I won a million dollars, I would finance my grands college education as much as I could, set in trust funds, and save the rest for a rainy day!  But this was a "dream" exercise. I am still not too old to dream.

Until next time,

Peace,

JE

New Prompt: Having Dinner with Fictional Characters from novels.

Which five characters from novels would you have dinner with?  Interesting concept, huh? Well since currently Craig Johnson is one of my favorite authors, and he writes the Longmire "modern-day western" series, I think it would be great to have dinner and hang out with Sheriff Walt Longmire, Henry Standing Bear, and Cady Longmire. Of course, we would have to have Walt's secretary Ruby there for comic relief and maybe include Deputy Ferguson if he wasn't too shy to attend.  We could have antelope steaks and all the trimmings. Sounds like a fun time. Oh, and Rainier Beer. That's all Walt will drink.

If you haven't read any of Johnson's Longmire books, you really should. They are wonderfully written and give a lot of insight to the relationship of modern law enforcement on and off the "reservation.' Walt Longmire is a man's man with a soft heart. His best friend since childhood, Henry Standing Bear, whom Walt refers to as "Cheyenne Nation" is a classic modern day Native American, well educated, and speaks his mind clearly and concisely never using contractions.

The Longmire series has been made into a TV series, now produced by Netflix. It was on for four seasons on "regular" TV, but that network cancelled it. The outcry from the public was so great that Netflix has taken over the production of the series the last two seasons. I binge watched the latest season of 10 episodes recently and now have to wait a whole year for the next season. Meanwhile, I will continue to read on in the Longmire series. My only regret is that our own library doesn't have them all. When I tried to order them on inter-library loan, I found that they are on a waiting list at almost every library in our group. And on e-book, they are also always checked out. Must be a popular series to other people besides me.

I hope Craig Johnson keeps writing these novels which take place, incidentally, in Wyoming.

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Reliving Life

This post prompt said, "if you could be any age for a week, what age would you choose?  As I look back on my 71+ years of life and try to choose a particular age, I find it hard to single out any particular year. I know that I wouldn't relive my teenage years for anything. They were miserable in so many ways, that revisiting them in my mind is painful enough! I don't remember too much about my early years, but I do remember those carefree years between age 7 and 13. They were glorious. We owned a lake cottage and would move there as soon as school was out and stay for the summer. I lived in a bathing suit. No shirt, no shoes. If I got hot, I dove in the water and cooled off. We had fun neighbors with kids my age, so that was fun. I didn't always have to spend time with my older brother like  at home. We had older neighbors who loved kids, baited hooks for me, removed the fish from the hooks for me if they were too wiggly for my small hands. There was woods behind our cottage where all of us kids built forts, played cowboys and indians, and had a blast.
  Those years spent  carefree, away from the hustle and bustle of "life"were grand. I remember them well.
   My early twenties were pleasant, too. But for a whole different reason. I was a college student, learning my way through life. I drank a lot of beer, swore a lot, and generally raised a goodly amount of "hell." Probably, if my parents knew all, they wouldn't have been too proud of me, but back then, we guarded our friend's secrets and they guarded ours. I survived it all and came out alright. Alright enough to marry the love of my life, father 3 children, go through the death of one child, raising of 2 more, the ups and downs that go with any relationship, yet I survived that, too.
  Now, at this ripe old age, I have come out on the other side of life, not to damaged, a whole lot wiser, though that might be questionable by some, and still kicking. I still drink beer, just not so much, I have curbed the swearing a whole lot, and I don't feel like raising too much "hell" anymore, but still think, "life is good!"

And The family grew!

This very morning at 1:05 AM EDST, my son's family grew just a bit more. A little bit, by the way. Annabelle Jo came into this world. She weighed in at 7 lbs, 9 oz and @ 19.5 inches long, she was a light weight compared to the rest of the grands. But she is a beauty. I will post a pic at a later date. I haven't met her yet, but am going to the hospital later on this evening to become acquainted.

                                                                                 

This brings the "Grand Count" up to 5 for my family. My oldest grand being Big E at age 23, then there's a big jump to Princess K, age 8, RJ, age 6, Toby, age 3 and now Annabelle. Mom and granddaughter are both doing fine. Mommy was tired having been doing the "labor" thing for about 16 hours, but thanks to modern meds, and a epidural, she said it wasn't too bad. She was more hungry than tired.  I admire women. They can take more bodily punishment than we men can. If men, and I being one of them, had the babies in the family, each family would only have one, I am sure!!

Anyway, that's my grand announcement for now. This has to be living proof that our God is good...all the time.

Until next time,
Peace,

JE

#5: My Favorite Rainy-day Movie

Of course I have several favorite movies, which makes this a tough one. If I was choosing a good one for a rainy day like it is today in "not so sunny Indiana," I would have to choose,"Dances With Wolves." (The extended version)
   First of all, Kevin Costner is probably my all-time favorite actor. He is as talented in front of the camera as he is behind it. His talent shows both in this movie.
   I love American history and this is it. It holds back nothing. It shows how brutal the Civil War was, how inadequate the medical care was during that combat, and what a lost cause the war was to the South. I abhor the treatment of the Native Americans by the whites. I also admire the Native American way of life, which is truly shown in this movie.
  I have seen this movie 24 times. Twice in the theater, the rest on either VHS or DVD. I know that seems like a lot of wasted time, but I like the movie and I see something I missed every time I see it.  We used the beginning scenes of the Civil War in my 8th grade American History class. My students were fascinated, especially when it was explained to them that this was actually based on facts and research.
  I have always been interested in the Native American culture and way of life. With the help of many leading historians and experts, the scenes of the life of the Lakota Sioux depicted in this movie were as real as they could possible be made. The buffalo hunt is fascinating and after reading how it was filmed, and that no animals were actually hurt, it became even more fascinating.
   I also liked the love story between John Dunbar and Stands With a Fist. I'm an incurable romantic at heart, so this was another part of the movie which drew me in.
   The cast was wonderful, the acting great, using many Native American stars, and actually giving some their start in the motion picture business.
   All in all, it's a wonderful movie experience. At almost 3hrs and 45 mins, it takes a lot of time, but it keeps my interest, even though I can quote many lines, both in English and Lakota. And, yes, I will probably watch it again and again. But first, I have to figure out how to hook up my new DVD player. My old one quit!

Other Rainy Day picks might be:
An American President
When Harry Met Sally
Postcards from the Edge
Grand Torino
Bridges of Madison County

Until nest time,
Peace,

JE

#4 Where would I go if someone gave me a free plane ticket to anywhere?

I have no desire to go out of  the US and Canada. There are too many things to see here before going abroad. This makes the prompt a little easier to answer.

I think I would like to go back to San Diego, CA.  I was there many years ago visiting cousins. At that time, they had small children and we were all limited on funds, but we did a lot of sight seeing and did visit the San Diego Zoo.  My mother was along and she treated us to a visit to Disneyland a couple of years after it opened.  I simply would enjoy seeing my cousins that still live there. We see each other about every ten years and as we are growing older, those times are getting fewer.

My cousin MJ and I were very close growing up. She was the "big sister" that I never had. She is now in her late 70's and has suffered a few maladies of growing older. Her husband is a retired Commander in the Navy. A great guy and lots of fun. Last year he suffered a severe stroke, and it has been  debilitating for them both. They have enjoyed traveling since he retired, and now they cannot. Just last week they had to give up their home and move into retirement community to be all on one floor. Through all of this MJ has kept her sense of humor and handled all these things with her usual energy and forward thinking. In a recent letter from her, (yes she still writes snail mail) she referred to their new "digs" and the area as "Vinyl Village."  Their family has spread out, with only one daughter and her family still living in the area, who I know is keeping a watchful, and helpful eye on her parents.

So, if I had a free ticket, I would fly to spend time with MJ and Eldon, and know that it would be time well spent. In fact, I may just foot the bill and go anyway!

Until next time,
Peace,

JE

#3 The Best Vacation I Ever Had

   In my lifetime, I have been on some vacations. When I was young, Dad and Mom had all the responsibility of driving, making reservations, etc. While I was married, I did all the driving, and those vacations were to distant grandparents of my wife's.  My wife and I took a few short jaunts to Michigan while her health was good, but they were short and though nice, were nothing special. I flew to California twice to visit cousins, staying with them in their home and not doing much since they had small children at the time.
   My best vacation ever was my trip to Montana in 2008. My daughter was teaching in a small town in the Northeastern part of Montana in, what the "natives" call the "high plains."  I flew for the first time in  44 years from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, changed planes and flew on to Billings, Montana. Flying had changed so much since I had been on a plane. So had airports! I had to change planes, had 20 minutes to do it in Minneapolis, and thus enjoyed the "people conveyor." Arriving in Billings was a treat. All the mountains around us, I wondered just how this plane was going to land, but it did, sort of dropping down out of the sky and onto the airfield.
My daughter met me there, and we made the 3+ hour trip back to her home in Jordan, MT. She did all the driving, and gave me a continual narrative of the surrounding areas like she had lived there all her life, rather than only 2 years.
   I met her friends, visited her school, visited a couple ranches, ate well and slept like a baby. The days were hot and dry, but as soon as the sun set, the wind picked up and it cooled down enough to sleep without the AC on and the windows open. I loved it. I interviewed for a job while I was there, teaching in one of the 8 one-room schools that were situated throughout the county. I visited that school building which had a small home for the teacher on the same property. It was down a well-maintained dirt road, 22 miles from town. I would have 8-10 students from K thru grade 8. Though it would have been a challenge, and I was tempted, I had to say "no." The thought of being "stuck" 22 miles from town in the dead of winter in an area that got snow, not by the inch, as I was accustomed,but by the foot, scared me.
  We took a day trip to the Missouri Breaks, which is a desolate area in Montana carved out by the Missouri River once upon a time. It is so hauntingly beautiful that no words that I have can describe it. We also took a ride north to a small town that had a summer theater manned by college drama students for a delightful, and quite professional presentation of "Jesus Christ, Superstar."
   I delighted in sitting at the Hell Creek Bar and Grill in Jordan where good food, good booze and good friends met. One evening a fellow brought his guitar and his mother had her standing bass, someone else was on the piano and we drank beer and sang. What fun!
   The last night I was there, many of my daughter's friends, teachers she worked with, and their respective significant others gathered at Hell Creek B and G, and gave me great send off. I heard lots of stories about the area and also some stories about what a great teacher my daughter was and the great strides she had made in the school's English department. She had even produced and directed two student musicals while there, unheard of up till then.
   I left Jordan knowing that my gal was in good hands and was appreciated for her talents, as well as her personality. It felt good. I had a ball, had little responsibility while I was there. I flew home a happy man.
   Though it wasn't as exciting as someone else's vacation, I loved every moment. I saw things I had never seen before, met new people, observed another way of life, and flew for the first time in jets!
That, my friends, was the best vacation ever.

Prompt #2: A Picture Prompt.

It's beginning to look like Fall in Indiana. Though, right now the trees are not quite this colorful. I took this last fall in October. I needed a picture for this prompt, so I thought this one, taken from my front porch would do.
Fall is my season. Not too hot, not too cold. Sort of like Goldilock's porridge.  I like the changing from the heat of summer where I have been staying inside with the air conditioning on. Having the windows and doors open is such a refreshing change. I also like the colors of Fall. From the deep browns to the vibrant reds, that rainbow of color cheers me when I see it against the bright blue of fall skies. I wish I could paint, because I would try to capture the beauty of Fall. I have decorated my home in the golds and reds and verdant greens of fall with lots of texture and warmth.
I like dressing for Fall. I like jeans and sweaters and flannel shirts. I dislike having to begin wearing shoes again after living in sandals and flip flops all summer, but I adjust!!  I like sitting on my porch in the mornings enjoying a cuppa and watching the neighborhood awaken. I like not having to go to work anymore, yet I miss the Homecoming football games and the bonfires that followed. I like sitting by the fireplace while taking the chill off the living room in the evenings, and relaxing with a good book and a glass of my favorite wine.
Fall is a harbinger of things to come, too. It hails Halloween with the knocking on my door by many super heroes, ghosts and goblins. It also brings Thanksgiving, which  is a time of family gatherings and good food and pauses for being blessed. It also brings some snow, which I still look forward to, and of course, that leads into the annual "deep freeze." I never mind the cold as much as I do the heat.
Yes, Fall is my season. All the warmth, beauty and comfort it represents is what makes it special.

#1 On the Prompt List

I have determined that my life is rather boring!! I haven't got enough to blog about, so I went on the internet and found a list of blog prompts that is workable, at least for me. So, today I will do prompt #1.

1.  What show from your childhood would you love to bring back?

 We didn't have a television until quite late into my childhood, and I spent so much time outdoors that I seldom watched many programs. When we did get a set, I remember "The Loretta Young Show" the most. Oh My Gosh! I had a real adolescent crush on her. Every Sunday (I think) I sat transfixed to our B and W GE 21" screen to watch her open those double doors and swirl through. I thought she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had the softest voice, reminding me (now) of soft caramel. Wow!  I can't recall any of the story lines, only the opening orchestral fanfare and her entrance and that she always closed her show by reading a quote by someone, smiling, and saying, "Well, good night, and I'll see you next week?" Always ending with that lilting questioning in her voice. Of course, Loretta, I will be right here next Sunday evening.
I was probably devastated when her show ended, though I don't remember that!
There have been many other "favs" down through the years. "Gunsmoke," "Have Gun, Will Travel," "I love Lucy," being some of my best recalls. Carol Burnett had a wonderful variety show back in the day. Her antics were famous and still appear on clips on YouTube. I recently found the "immortal" episode where she did a spoof on "Gone With The Wind" appearing as Scarlett with a curtain rod across her shoulders. I still get a big belly laugh from that one.
As far as today's comedies go, I can't find a good one. I was hooked on "Big Bang Theory" until the writers began making it the "Sheldon Cooper Show," which has spoiled it for me. I watched the beginning of the new season recently and, looking at the clock, thought to myself, "when is this over?" No more BBT for me. Television has changed so much. Loretta and Lucy are gone. Gone are my sweet days of youth when I could appreciate Loretta's beauty and grace, and laugh at the inane antics of Lucy and Ethel.
I don't think it's possible to bring back that kind of television. Times have changed and so has the media. I am glad my television has an "off" button!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Nine Years Later

Nine years ago today I said goodbye to the love of my life.  Sad days have followed me for a lot of that time. As the years have passed, the sadness has abated to a point that I can remember my love with fondness and not shed tears.
I have learned a lot in the last nine years. I have learned that life goes on. That though people care, they get on with their lives, and I have to go on with mine.
I have learned how to keep a good, clean (ahem,no comments) house. How to maintain a checkbook balance that keeps me out of the "red ink" zone. I have conquered the washer and dryer, though I still HATE doing laundry. I have learned how to "cook for one." (read here," make lots of stuff at once and refrigerate.") I have found that I rather like being alone. A friend asked recently if I would ever consider remarrying. I said a resounding "no." I like my space, my being able to do what I want, when I want to do it. I rarely get "lonely" and when I do, I jump in the car and go somewhere around people. So, I would say I have adjusted to single life. I kinda like it. Yes, I miss Pam every day. Yes, I wish she was still here, only in a "well" state, not the way she was when she passed.
When I hear people say they "lost" a loved one, I think to myself, "I didn't lose Pam. I know exactly where she is." I know she's somewhere out there looking down on her family and smiling. Probably scratching her head and thinking, "Damn, am I missing out on a lot."  And she is!

Until next time,
Peace, (I have found it)
JE

Happy News

I received some happy news yesterday. My daughter, who has been divorced from "asshat" as he is know in our parts, for over 20 years, has dated the same great guy for over 6 years. They are now engaged, diamond ring and all. And, they are planning a small, immediate family ceremony sometime after the first of the year. My "sin-in-law" is finally going to be my "son-in-law." :)  They both have the approval of their sons; that is very important.
Heather and Bill knew each other in school, graduating in the same HS class many years ago. They never dated each other, never paid much attention to each other during those years. They both went their separate ways, married others, had children and lives. At some point, after all these years, their paths intersected at their work sites, and the rest is history!
I will be proud to add Bill and his son Lane to our family.

Until Next Time,
Peace,
JE

The Magic of a Song

     Have you ever thought about the impact that lyrics of songs can have on your life? They can affect your mood, making you feel happy, sad, or even melancholy. Hearing a particular song can stir you into  becoming more patriotic as well as causing you to become an emotional basket case.  For example, the lyrics of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America," can bring audiences to their feet with hats off and tears streaming down their cheeks. Recently, while visiting in Texas and attending a Ranger's ball game, I noticed that when the crowd was singing this song, all the people had risen to their feet, had their hats off, hands over their heart, and many were in tears, and even hugging each other. Obviously, these lyrics stirred this crowd of fans, and reawakened a feeling of patriotism.

   "Make the world go away, and get it off my shoulders," brings another feeling to bear. When the stresses of everyday life get to be more than a person feels they can bear, these lyrics can really express what a person wishes could happen. Of course, we all know that the world is going to go on and the troubles we are asked to bear will still be there, but by singing or listening to these words, we can feel some sort of comfort.

   In 1873, a well-to-do lawyer, Horatio G Spafford, was planning a trip to Europe with his wife and their four daughters. Knowing he still had an important court case to follow up on, he sent his family on, promising to join them in London at a later date. While sailing across the Atlantic, their ship was struck and cut in half by a freighter. Spafford's four daughters were swept to their deaths while their mother watched. She was thrown overboard and managed to swim to some flotsam where she was rescued. She wired her husband in New York and informed him of the tragedy. Spafford immediately set sail for London where his wife awaited. As his ship neared the spot where his daughters were lost, he was overcome by a feeling that God was near. He immediately set about writing the words to the now-favorite hymn, "It is Well With My Soul." His words, "When sorrows like sea billows roll" must surely describe the terrible grief that he must have been feeling as he sailed on past the watery grave of his loved ones. But, Spafford's lyrics also say that, "It is well with my soul" showing that he accepted what had happened and that it didn't hinder his faith.

   A contemporary American singer, Joe Cocker, recorded "You Are So Beautiful  To Me" in 1973. Cocker's scratchy voice and unique style of delivery has made this song one of the greatest love songs of our time. "You're every thing that I hoped for, you're every thing that I need, you are so beautiful to me," exemplifies a feeling of love that most men feel for their wives or sweethearts at some point in their lives. It says things to women that men often feel, but cannot express.

   There is magic in a song. Whether it is patriotic, a solemn hymn, or a love song sung in a scratchy voice, music has a magical way of getting to the feelings of human nature. It has a healing effect on the soul and acts as a catharsis for a broken heart. Listening to and singing music is God's way of saying that all is right with the world.

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Another idea, another page.

I can't take classic photographs, nor can I paint beautiful landscapes, nor can I make beautiful jewelry. In fact, I don't even like to try those things, although I have tried all at some time or another. I love to crochet and have done a lot of it in the past, but am slowing down because I have developed arthritis in  my right hand making it harder to crochet for long periods of time. (And I don't thing God Himself could ever teach me to crochet left handed!!! LOL)

But I do love to create with paper and paint and stamps and die cuts. So I have been doing more art journaling and less of everything else, except reading. I still read voraciously, having just finished book #78 for 2016.

 I know it sounds like I am whining, but I don't intend it to sound that way. Just life getting in the way.....again!  Here's my latest art journal entry. I have two journals going, one small one large. This is in the small one.

With this one, I stepped out of my comfort zone and used some of the idea of "Steampunk" art. I like the industrial feel of it, with the gears and clocks, and  the use of di Vinci's drawing added a bit of "culture."  Not until I was all done and had it sealed did I discover that the placement of my stenciled lettering sorta spelled my last name, but also sorta spelled the "f" word. Believe me, this was totally unintentional!!!  But it's art, it's mine, and I am choosing to leave it alone. I will watch that in the future. And, I don't intend to point it out to everyone who might glance at my journal.  I love working with different media.  For now, it's a time passer and a challenge.  But, I keep on reading and crocheting. I have made a sweater and hat for my expected new granddaughter, who shall be arriving in October, and shall be called Annabelle Grace, the last I heard. I have a sweater started for my 6 yr old grandson, and yarn purchased for one for my 8 yr old granddaughter. My 23 year old grandson already has hats, scarves, and a prayer shawl I made for him, and he wouldn't wear a hand crocheted sweater anyway. So between now and Christmas, I should keep busy. I also have to make my Christmas cards. I need to quit blogging and spending time on Pinterest, and get busy!  LOL!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Letting Go

A fellow blogger, AC, had an interesting blog post about letting go.  He turned it around and posted about "not letting go" with an interesting take on the same prompt.  AC, I am stealing your prompt since I don't have a "prompter."  Hope you don't mind.

Letting go, for me has several meanings.  First, I need to let go of "stuff." Material stuff.  I no longer need to, or have the desire to put up 9 Christmas trees as we used to do when I had a wife and more of a desire to decorate. Over the years since she has been gone, I have let go of many of these trees and decorations, donating them to either my church, or charities around the community.  I have purged my cabinets of unused kitchenware, and dishes.  I gave the good china and the china cabinet to my son, and other sets of dinnerware to my daughter, who had no desire to have the good stuff.  I have scaled down the amount of books on my bookshelves, since I really only read a book once. Why not either donate them to the Sr. Center or sell them at Half-Price Books, (for little or nothing, really not worth the trip.)

I no longer really care what other people think of me and  my life. I love life and embrace it every day. I don't always do things the way I should, but I don't care anymore. If I am happy, that's all that matters.  My family accepts me, warts and all, and that's what really matters. All else is just superficial anyway.  So, if I skip a meeting, or miss a Sunday at church, it's not all that important. And, in the grand scheme of things, I don't think it's life shattering if I stay up until all hours reading, or crafting, then sleep in in the morning.

I have let go of guilt, too. If any other of you readers have ever lost a spouse, you know that it causes lots of guilt. Why did they die? What could I have done to prevent it?  Could I have done more?  Well, I have let go of this guilt. I have also let go of the guilt that I am still here, and she is gone. That took a lot of time to get that right in my mind.  I will NOT ever let go of the love I had for my wife, but I have given myself permission to move on and let life go on without guilt.

So, here's my take on the "letting go" prompt I "stole" from AC.  I think these kinds of posts let people who read them get to know a fellow blogger just a little bit better.

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Addendum to my Art Journaling post.

I found the other picture that I wanted to post last time.  I decided that if I was going to photograph each one, I needed to set up an Art Journal folder for the jpegs.  So I searched and found it, and now there's a file created for each one.

Yellow acrylic paint over gesso, applied with a baby wipe.  Green acrylic around edges with a sponge dauber, and the flowers were a stamp using acrylic paint.  the flower stems were free handed, and the butterflies are die cuts. Accents and highlighting done with a variety of markers and pencils.  The "without change, there would be no butterflies" is stamped with archiver's ink and individual letter stamps (99cents at Walmart in a sale bin).  The leaf border was done with a sponge and a stencil that I found laying around from years ago when we used to stencil windows with watercolors with the kids.

This was fun page, and was fun trying mixing media.

I am not real happy with the book I chose to begin journaling in. It's originally a sketch pad, thin paper and lots of fiber. I am gluing two pages together for each entry. It'll use up the book faster that way, too. By using a base coat of gesso, it makes the pages so things don't soak through.

The learning continues.

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

The art of Art Journaling, my way!

After watching many videos, reading extensively about the art and doing some dabbling, I have begun to try my crafty hands at art journaling.  I have had to learn a whole new language for this craft. I have learned about gesso, gel medium, embossing paste. I now know the difference between dye inks and pigment inks and how to use them for the best results. I also have learned about gelatoes, oil pastels and watercolors.  It has been a broad learning curve, but slowly, and with some experimentation, I am beginning to like my results.  The first couple were really crude, but with each one I am trying new materials as well as different techniques.

This is my first attempt. I used a lot of rubber stamps, and some embossing folders. Pretty crude, and obviously my camera skills leave a lot to be desired.  The pinkish cast to the pic is due to having my red and white check curtains closed against the bright sunshine that day.

Same pinkish cast, but you get the idea. Muted background is cut from a sheet of scrapbooking paper, the letters and butterflies are die cut on my embossing/die cutting machine.

"I shall drink no wine before it's time."  Acrylic paint free hand grapes on a gesso background, Wine bottles and glasses cut from paper, and the wine label from a bottle of wine I finished while journaling. It happens to be from  winery in Southern Indiana.  The clock in the bottom corner is a reminder that maybe it's 5 o'clock somewhere!!

One of my favorite quotes from who knows where, I first heard from my daughter. I have used it many times on cards, especially graduation cards.  But it serves as a good reminder to all of us to be true to ourselves first. The maps are from scrapbook paper I collected as are the compasses The compass rose in the lower left corner is a rubber stamp and dye ink.All on a background of watercolor over gesso applied with a wet baby wipe. I just finished this page today.

I have found that each page takes a LOT of time. Mostly because I have the quote, idea or mood in mind, and spend a lot of time visualizing how it's going to  look. Then I have to gather the tools and materials I "think" I will need for the project.  I work at my kitchen table (I leave an open place mat available to eat on) but my craft storage area is in the laundry room, so lots of trips back and forth are necessary. I guess this art is also a form of physical exercise as well as emotional/mental.

Lots of art journalists do a page a day. Not me, I do one when I get an idea, or hear a good quote, or want to convey a mood.  Writing in a journal, I have found, is boring and not creative enough for me. I tend to ramble on and on and say very little. (Much like my blogs) so putting those thoughts, ideas and moods into art form is better for me.

I have one more page to post if and when I can find the photo.

AC, if you read this and can offer any suggestions to help improve my camera skills, whip them on me. I would like to be able to show my work in a better "light."  :)

It's fun, creative, passes the lonely hours cooped up in the house because it's so damn hot outside, and this winter should pass some time when it's too damn cold to be outside!  Can't please all the people all the time!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Time Passes so Quickly

I have just discovered that I haven't posted for over 2 months. I have had company, done some artsy-craftsy things and read a whole lot of books in that time. My brother and sister in law were here for 3 weeks in June. They had their respective 55th class reunions, so they used my home as their base camp. We had a whole lot of good times while they were here and the time ended all too soon.

I have visited my daughter in the Big City twice since I last wrote. We ate a lot and had a bunch of laughs. Her step-son was here visiting them for a month from Florida, and it was great to see the young man. I only see him once or twice a year, but he is now 17 and is 6' 5" tall. He said his doc says he can expect to grow taller even. Funny thing is, his dad is only about 5'9", and his mother is short!!  I suppose in some generation there was height. He's a great kid, smart and funny, and will be a senior this coming year. He has decided he wants to come back to Indiana to go to college. We are hopeful. He would be welcomed with open arms.

Let's see, what else has happened. Oh, we found out that my son's new addition to their family is going to be a girl. She will arrive on or around 10/10/16. That will make two of each for them. They will range from 0 to 8 years in age.  We are all excited and trying to come up with names is not only hard, it's freakin' hilarious!  They were so sure that it was going to be another boy that they haven't even thought about girl's names.  It's been fun making suggestions. My favorite is Kara Elizabeth, but I don't think either of the parents like my choice. I think since this will be their last one, and I am the only living grandparent, I should be allowed to name this new arrival, don't you?  (preferred answer would be to comment a big "YES").

I have been learning the craft of "art journaling." It's been fun and a challenge. If you aren't familiar with the term, look it up on the internet. There are websites, and blogs and videos dedicated to this art form. I am just getting started, so my stuff looks rather amateurish, but it's fun and passes the time on these hot sultry summer days when it's too  warm and muggy to be outside. (I much prefer being housebound by snow and ice.) Anyway, I am learning and being kept busy, so that's a good thing.

I had to have a plumber last week for the first time since moving into this home 24 years ago last month. A copper pipe leading from the "main" developed 3 pinholes about the size of a pencil lead and was spraying water all over my cellar. Bear in mind that there's nothing down there that requires my attention, just furnace, water heater and softener, so I don't go there very often. About every 3 months to change furnace filters is all. The softener serviceman discovered the leak. After receiving the plumber's bill, I decided that all the years I worked, I was in the wrong business. Zowie!! But he and his helper came promptly, fixed the problem the way it needed to be fixed, so I am not complaining too loudly. I was just shocked a little at the labor cost for only being here an hour. But, I also realize that these two guy are just trying to make a living being small businessmen.

Well, that's it in a few paragraphs of what's been going on. Maybe I won't wait so long to post again. And, maybe, just maybe, I will post some pics of my new craft of "art journaling."

Until Next Time,
Peace,
JE

Traffic in a small town

I live in a small town. (Sounds like an old Mellencamp song, doesn't it!) Not village small, but the usual small mid-America town of about 11,000 people. We have two N and S state highways and one E and W US highway running through town.  On state highway 15, on the north side of town are all the fast-food restaurants, banks and shopping areas.  The city planners, bless their hearts, thought that letting Burger King, Hardee's, Wendys, Taco Bell and Arby's build on the north side of town, they would be closer to the US highway dual lane 24.  Okay, that's good. But they didn't plan an access road, so all of these things, plus 3 banks, 2 strip malls, a church, a furniture store, and 2 pizza parlors all have open access to 15, or Cass Street as it is called withing the city limits.  Anyone wanting to make a left out of any of these businesses is stuck waiting. I have waited behind cars for up to 10 minutes trying to go left. Now, if I am at any one of the businesses, I just make a right and go WAY out of my way to get home.

I live in East Central, an old part of town, so to get to any of the businesses, including Walmart, I have to travel north. I am finding it easier to use surface streets to get the the dual lane then head to Cass Street coming back into town from the north. It's frustrating, too, because the city is working on some of the surface streets, especially one called Alber Street, which is a main surface street headed north, and it is closed to through traffic.

All in all, it's just easier to stay home!  Or go South, through the downtown area, and 16 miles South to another town where they have the usual array of fast food places, and a Hobby Lobby.

I guess getting older makes me somewhat impatient, but waiting 10 minutes to make a left turn would make anyone develop a bit of "road rage."

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Another birthday, another year!

Today is my birthday!!! Wow! #71. Where the hell did the time go?  When I look back at my life, I have to ask myself that question. It seems like only yesterday that I was handed my high school diploma and began my "adult" life.

My life has had many bumps and curves and even some slow and "danger" signs along the way, but never has it had a "stop" sign. Maybe if it had, my life would have been a bit different.  Who knows? And at this late date, who cares?

As I reminisce, I realize that I had the chance to have the one great love of my life.  We shared 38+ great years together. Even though our life together was cut short way too soon, I wouldn't change one thing about our time together.  I have two wonderful children and 4 (going on 5) grandchildren, all who help keep me young and centered.  I have great friends who make my life more interesting and fun.  I was lucky enough to come from a home with two parents who not only loved each other, but loved me to the moon and back. I have an older brother who accepts me, warts and all, and has been the best teacher, especially in the area of "do it, just don't get caught by Mom."

My life is full. What more can a fella ask?  So, if it's okay with all of you, I am going to lift a glass of wine and toast myself. And hope for many more years to celebrate this great life I have been given!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Brotherly Love

Right now I have the privilege of having my brother visiting.  He flew here from Texas on Sunday last, and will be here for a few weeks.  His wife, being the brave soul that she is, decided to take a "total immersion" Spanish language experience.  She is residing with a Mexican family in Puebla, Mexico, attending class for 4 hours a day and also has one-on-one instruction each day plus homework!!! ( At age 73, this woman is either one brave lady, or she's NUTS!)   She is gone for 3 weeks, so Brother decided to come visit me as he had no desire to go to Mexico nor did he wish to stay by himself for 3 weeks.

We are having a blast of a time.  We have toured some of our old "stomping grounds," drank a lot of wine and beer and eaten well. I am the chief cook, he is the bottle washer!  This seems to be working. Yesterday, he and I assembled my new gas grill, so I predict some outdoor cooking over the weekend. It is my understanding that my daughter and her BFF are coming to take us both out for dinner this evening. That should be fun.

It is totally a different experience to be "living" once again with the guy I grew up with. And totally different. I am finally bigger than he is!  He is 2+years older than me, and has always been the big brother, both physically and emotionally.  I think that he finally realizes that I grew up and matured just as he did.  We are now equal!! Well, sorta!  He will always be better in math than I am. He knows more about traveling than I do as they have traveled the world extensively down through the years. He will always be good at sports...something I was not!  But he can't sing a note, or draw, or craft, or dance a step. So, I got him on some things! Not that it makes one whit of difference now. All those things that made us different and caused numerous tiffs as we grew up, have faded into the past.

Now we just enjoy sitting, having a glass of wine, and scratching where it itches!  We are having a bang-up time remembering old times, discussing politics and our children and grandchildren.  That, my dear friends is....priceless!

Until next time,

Peace,
JE

He ain't heavy, he's my brother!

Lookin' Good

Or maybe I should say "Good Lookin'"

Not to be overshadowed by the "big sister" drama queen, the grandsons needed to be included. They are two very handsome guys.  And as different as night and day. Of course, we wouldn't want them any other way.

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Beautifulness!

This is my beautiful granddaughter in her Easter dress and sparkling shoes. So much beautifulness in a small package. I told my son that in a few years he'd be beating the guys off with a bat. He said, "No, I am licensed to carry." Enough said!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Just for Fun!

Found this and copied it from a fellow blogger. Thought it might be a way for readers to get to know me a little bit better. Maybe, I just posted it for the fun of it!

Four names I go by:  Dad, Jim, Sparkie, Papa

Four tunes I adore:  Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, “Does He Love You,” “Baby Grand,” “Canon in D.”

Four things I hate: spiders, broccoli, rudeness, and high winds.

Four places I have worked: a lumber company, a sporting goods store, GenCorp Automotive, and our public Middle School.

Four things I love to watch: Youtube videos, good movies, sunsets, and people doing what they do.

Four places I have visited: Old “Cowtown” in Ft. Worth, Gettysburg Battlefield, Disneyland, and Bad Axe, Michigan.

Four things I love to eat: Rib-eye steak, baked corn, Rosemary’s sugar cookies, and biscuits and gravy.

Four favorite drinks: Coca Cola, Margaritas, Jameson’s, and Dos Equis.

Four shows/plays: Les Miserables, Rent, A Chorus Line, and Jesus Christ, Superstar .

Four things I am happily anticipating: Spring, Billy Joel in concert, Summer, arrival of grandchild #5 in the fall.

Four things I am dreading: changing physicians (mine’s retiring), next prostate exam, next winter, and doing the next load of laundry (always).

Four items on my bucket list:  a trip to Nova Scotia, reading all of Shakespeare’s works, spending a winter where it’s warm, laying on an ocean beach somewhere.

Until next time,

Peace,

JE

WOW!

I received my new hearing device yesterday.  Let me tell you, it's a whole new world out there. And a LOUD one, too.
After 3+ months of waiting for the "portal" to heal, the final step was a visit to the audiologist to get the device. This is not your ordinary hearing aid. This is a state-of-the-art device that attaches to a portal that was embedded into my skull behind and above my left ear. My cochlea are both still viable, and this device actually transmits sound waves through the bone to the inner ear to the cochlea. Since my hearing loss was greater in the left ear than in the right,( 5% hearing in left) I am wearing the device mounted on the left. Because both cochlea are still viable, sound is transmitted to both and even tho I have no device on the right, it will retrain my brain to hear from both ears.

For the first time, I was able to talk to my youngest grandson and hear what he said back to me very plainly. I met him and my daughter-in-law as they were leaving Nursery School and he ran to me saying "There's my papa!"  My heart swelled! Then he told me "cool hat, Papa!" Made my day.

I had no idea how loud the air coming through the heat vents was, how much I could hear trains from my living room, how loud the wind chimes that hang outside my veranda were. My refrigerator sure is noisy and so is traffic along the state highway that runs past the end of my street.  Birds actually do chirp and I can now lower the volume on my TV from 96 down to 30 on the sliding scale of 0-100.  I had to tell the audiologist and my daughter (she came home just to go with me) that they were talking entirely too loud.

This is going to take some adjustment and is somewhat overwhelming, but wonderful. I will be able to rejoin my church choir and my quartet can start singing again. (They have been waiting on me) and do all the things I want to do with new confidence.

This has to be God's work. Man was given the ability to advance technology this far.  Hallelujah!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Incoming News Flash

Surprises never cease around here. My son and daughter-in-law announced that I am going to be Papa again in the fall! This was not expected by them, so I don't know who is the most surprised. Seems that birth control pills only are effective for so long. That being said, another little one will be welcome whenever he or she arrives. I did, in a somewhat joking manner, remind my son that his is the generation for twins on both sides of our side of the family! I thought I saw a fleeting look of panic on his face!  Gotta have a little fun!
Next month I get to go along with them to hear the baby's heart beat. I did this with my granddaughter and it was a marvel. I am looking forward to it. This will make #5 on the grandchild scale for me. My daughter has 1. My son will have 4. Let the fun begin!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Food For Thought

Have you people who are getting older, like me, noticed that the older you get, the more invisible you become. I don't mean literally invisible. What I mean is that as we get older, the younger generation seem to forget about us. They no longer are interested in what we have to say or how we feel about things.
I have been a parent for almost 45 years now. I have notice that the older I become, the less attention my children pay to me. I know that sounds like I am whining, but I am not. I also see it in stores, where clerks seem to not see me, and in church where people I've know for years don't seem to know I exist.
I just wonder if any of the rest of you seniors out there feel the same way, or if I just am being overly sensitive.

Until the next time,
Peace,

JE

Reader Alert

Those of you who "know" me, know that I love to read. I was the proud reader of 113 books in 2015. Then I received a Kindle Fire for Christmas from my daughter. I signed up with "Overdrive" at our public library that let's me check out books on line. Well, I'm off to a good start on my 2016 reading list, now sitting with 13 books done and #14 in the works. Bear in mind that I am retired (YES! note hand pump and fist bump here!) and it's cold outside, so what's a fella gotta do but sit by the fire and read! Of course, I also have my days and nights turned around, a result of staying up late reading. I love reading on the Kindle Fire, and I still love holding the actual paper volume in my hand, but e reading means I don't have to get out in the cold.  My son and family got me an Amazon Kindle Book gift card, so I can even buy a book if I want to. I'm saving it for something very special that I might see that piques my interest. But, I read on!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

The Broken Switch!

Sunday evening as I prepared to take my evening shower, I flipped the light switch in the master bath. Nothing. Of course i jiggled the switch, nothing! There is another switch which controls just the lights above the medicine cabinet. Those worked, so I went ahead, showered and thought I'd worry about it on Monday. Yesterday, I purchased a new single pole switch at Walmart in preparation for my journey into electrical repairs.
 (Let it be known, in 70+ years, I have installed new plugs on the end of extension cords and screwed in light bulbs. That being the full scope of my electrical experience. Oh, I handed tools to my former college roomie when he came from Ohio to help [read here: he did the work] wire my new garage back in 1994.)
Today I made several trips up and down the cellar steps, which involves opening a trap door on my screened porch, clambering down 9 steep rickety steps to the circuit breaker box. Of course, the breaker to the bathroom was not marked, so it involved guessing, flipping, trekking up the steps across the entire house, thru the master bedroom and checking if the above-the-sink lights were on. After about 5 tries, I found the right breaker.  I removed the cover of the switch, removed the old switch, and attempted to install the new one. To no avail. The new switch had the ground screw in a different place and the ground wire wasn't long enough to reach it. Hmmm! Now this called for a trip to my local True Value Hardware store. I knew Walmart only had the one style, so I took the old one along, and found just what I needed for $.85 less than what I paid for the other one. Back at home I installed the new switch, went down and turned the breaker back on, Nothing!  What the heck is going on. Another trip down the stairs, turn off breaker, back up and tried it again. There was one wire that I wasn't sure exactly where it went. I thought I knew, but obviously, I was wrong. Frustrating to say the least.
My friend Curley texted me and wondered why I didn't come to our club meeting at the Senior Center today, and I told her what I was doing. She said that if I needed help, let her know and she and her hubby Phil would stop by after work. After one more try, another trek down, up and down, I sent her an HELP! text.  About 4 PM, they rolled in, I explained to Phil what was going on. He checked everything out, reinstalled the switch, still nothing. I happened to have a power checker (layman's term) and he used it and said I was getting power, but it was only going to one switch and if one didn't work. neither would work.  He reversed the wires. Nothing. Bear in mind that I was trekking up and down, Curley was standing in the doorway, and she was relaying "breaker off, breaker on" messages to Phil. Finally Phil decided that the one odd wire was to go into the switch on the bottom instead of the top. New wiring isn't done this way anymore, but this add-on to my house was done in 1995, so times have changed. So he moved that wire, hooked it up and we had lights. The only trouble was, when he put the switch back in the hole, then it wouldn't work. Investigating this called for Phil and I both to trek to the cellar, take off the face of the breaker box, pull the breaker, clean the contact, and reinstall all of the above. Nothing. So once more, Phil took off the switch, tried the back wire, and found that it had a small kink that was letting it slip as he tightened the switch back into the wall. At long last, he solved the problem. So once more I trekked down. threw the breaker, and "hallelujah" let there be light!  I thanked them over and over, and Curley said that Phil had learned electrical "stuff" when they built their house, barn and wired the basement. Guess his step dad was an electrician and taught him all he needed to know.
What did I learn from this experience?  Just call someone who knows more than I do about a problem when it arises. Lot less stress on the old man. I also learned what treasurers good friends are!(Which, incidentally, I already knew. These two have been my salvation since my wife died.)

Until Next Time,
Peace (and light)
JE

Weather, whether we like it or not!

Winter arrived with a vengeance.  We have snow, but the mistletoe is put away!  And cold??? My thermometer and the NWS report said -3F. I'm no good at Math to know how many degrees that is C, and quite frankly, (Dear Scarlet) I don't give a damn! Ha! The furnace just seems to keep on keeping on and doesn't shut off much, if at all.  I am dressed warmly, yet still feel a draft, one of the drawbacks to forced air heating, even when the air is warm!
Because we have so many students that walk to either the bus stops or to school, the schools close if the temperature gets below 0, so I know my grands are in at home where it's warm. Blowing snow and drifting roads have closed the schools in the country for the last two days. Gee, we never missed school because of weather.  My how times have changed.
We have had a unseasonably warm winter up until now, so no complaints, or at least very few from my little part of the world. It's just cold. (Not as cold as my Canadian friends are experiencing, though.) I seriously wonder how they stand the sub-zero temps and the tons of snow they get this time of year.  I guess it's all what we get used to. Gosh, as I was growing up on beautiful Lukens Lake, my brother and I didn't give it a thought to ice skating, or sledding or ice fishing all winter long. Were we young and stupid, or just young and lots more durable than we are now.  My brother lives in Texas and won't even consider visiting me here in Indiana during the winter months. So, I guess I am more durable that he, or just crazy.
So whether we like it or not, winter weather is here, for now. But March isn't that far away!

My apologies for the boring weather entry. But what else is there to  write about? I am just staying home where it's warm, reading, crocheting, crafting, and napping...not necessarily in that order.

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

On Getting Older

  ' Growing older means different things to different people.  To some it means being free to travel to the places they have only dreamed of. To others, it might mean finally being able to just stay home. To relax and not have to think about getting up and heading out to work. Others might think of it as a time to spend sharing talents and love. Of course, there are those who love just spending time with family and friends.
   For me, getting older means something entirely different. It means being alone most of the time. It means not having anyone to share those special moments with. It means crying alone over a sentimental TV show or not being able to share a passage from an excellent novel. It means going to bed alone night after night and missing that other body that used to lie beside me. It means knowing that there are very few people out there who really care what happens to me. It means going days and days without hearing the phone ring, or having someone knock on my door for an unexpected visit.  It means not really having a purpose to my life anymore. What I did and said used to matter, but now getting anyone's attention long enough to have them listen to me is almost impossible. It means that growing older has put me on a shelf where I am left like an old "knick' knack" that nobody cares about any longer.'

I wrote this last year in June. I found it today stuck in a magazine.  Looking back, I am wondering what happened to put me in this much of a "funk." There are times that I do get depressed, some of the reasons are mentioned in the paragraphs above. But, in the grand scheme of things, I am damn lucky in a lot of respects, too. I am healthy for my age, I have enough money to at least get by, I have an adoring family and lots of friends. So, maybe I need to rethink and do some retrospection about my life, get on with it, and make the most of what years there are ahead. Who knows how much trouble I can get into by charging ahead!

I saw a quote earlier today that went something like this: "When my life is over I don't want it to end quietly because I was cautious, I want to come sliding into the end saying,' damn, what a ride.'"

Until next time,
Peace,
JE
 

Some Days Are Like That

Today was one of those days.  I didn't do anything.  I didn't dust, sweep, do laundry, make my bed...nothing.  I didn't even get dressed. I started in the recliner reading on my tablet, then moved to the sofa with my tablet, and had Pandora Radio playing softly.  After a while, I decided I just wanted quiet, and do nothing. I closed my tablet, turned of the radio and just vegged on the sofa under my down-filled quilt.  I stayed there all day. And I didn't really nap. I just was there, thinking my own thoughts, looking out the window, and letting the world turn.

Finally, about 5:00 PM, I showered, put on another set of lay-around clothes and fixed dinner, which consisted of a toasted PB sandwich, some chips, and a glass of wine.

Tonight, I watched some Netflix, read a bit, and now, I am going to bed.  Maybe it would seem like a wasted day to some, but this was sheer enjoyment to me. I don't do this too often, but some days are just like that!

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Old Friends

Today I met up with an old HS friend for lunch. We met at a local Bob Evans. He was there before me, and I stood waiting on the hostess because I wasn't sure where he was seated. After all, I hadn't seen him since I graduated 52 years ago. I told the hostess this and that I wasn't sure I would recognize him. She quietly pointed out a fellow that had said he was meeting an old friend as she seated him.  Yes, as he looked my way I caught his profile and knew instantly that it was him.

For the next 3 hours we enjoyed getting caught up on the past decades. I learned that he had been married twice,  the second time now for over 30 years, had 3 children, and 3 step children. He also had served in both the Marines and the Army and retired from the Army only a few years ago. He has a bunch of grandkids and even some greats. He has traveled the world over.  We were both a lot more interesting now than we were 52 years ago when he and I spend numerous hours camping, swimming and going to dances at school.

I found that as we talked, the years just seemed to fall away. He remembered things that happened that I had forgotten as did I.  He seemed truly interested in what I had been doing for the last 52 years, too. We chastised ourselves for waiting all this time to reconnect when we only lived 40 minutes from each other now.

What I learned from today that time is short. Time passes way too fast and we shouldn't waste a minute of it. I am glad Lee and I were able to reconnect. We promised each other we would get together again soon. A very pleasant way to spend 3 hours.

Until next time,
Peace,
JE

Parent/Child Bonding

Yesterday I had the privilege of spending almost the entire day with my son.  This doesn't happen very often. He is married, has 3 little ones, well, 7,5,and 2 is little to me. He works 2 jobs and is a good father, husband, and son. Quite a feat for a 40 year old guy.

We left town early in the AM and headed to a little out-of-the-way cafe for breakfast. Over mush, oatmeal and toast, we attempted to solve all the world's problems. Then we headed into the nearest City for some retail therapy. Incidentally, we do both love to shop. We hit the large mall for one stop, entering J C Penney at the lower level right into the men's department. Then on to Target and Hobby Lobby. A stop at the "bread store," Burlington Coat Factory, and Michael's Crafts rounded out our spree.  On the way back to the car, my son said, "Ok Dad, I'm done, tired and ready to go home."  Secretly I was glad he said that because my feet were tired and I was needing more sitting time.

We headed back home, taking a different route, one that neither of us were familiar with, but seemed to be shorter only because it bypassed several stop lights and highway construction.  Arriving back home, I helped him unload his purchases and went on home for a nap.

What a wonderful day. I live for days like this.

Until next time,
Peace,
JE