Sunday, May 10, 2009
Fri-Sat-Sunday: HORRIFIC WINDS ALTERED OUR LIVES FOR A LONG TIME!!!!!!
OMG.....I can't even begin to describe the disaster zone I have been living in!!! It looks like a war zone.......I don't know where to begin!!!!
First I have no service other than water.....everything is totally shut down!!! I do have natural gas still in the kitchen, but I had to turn off the hot water heater as the flu system/vent to the outside is damaged and I didn't want to NOT wake up this morning due to carbon monoxide.........
Let me see if I can begin......
Yesterday morning around 11AM (Friday) the tornado sirens went off and kept screaming for quite some time. As I always do when this happens here in "Tornado Alley", I gathered together some insurance files, my repaired laptop, and my camera and went into the laundry room where we have a 2ft x 2ft square opening to go down under the house in the "crawl space"....and at that point, under the house, it is almost high enough to sit up, but not quite. Putting a step stool in the hole, I looked and couldn't find a damn flashlight in the whole house.......I made a call to the 1st Lady who is still at her Mother's......and told her what was going on....and as I was doing that the cell service went down/out.
It was almost noon.........and then the winds began to blow...and they grew stronger and became worse and worse......I could hearing the roaring above....and it was not even dark as usual in a bad storm....the clouds where a dark white/gray.....not the usual for a tornado. I decided it was time to down under the house as the winds became stronger and loud....and so I went with the files, the laptop, and the camera, and laid down on the plastic sheeting we have on the ground under the house.
WELLLLLL......it howled and roared until 12:18....and then the winds sounded as if they were slowing down. During that time I had continued to hear loud thumps on what sounded like the roof of the house and at times, the house would actually shudder.....and so when those winds slow down, I crawled up and out from below......looking out of the window of the laundry room...and I could see the neighbor's tree had been completely uprooted and was laying clear across the back yard and onto my house, tearing down the privacy fence around the patio area.
And then....the winds began again.....and it was worse than ever. This time they were coming from the north instead of the west which they had been blowing from. I couldn't believe how terrible they were.......and I was beginning to become a bit worried: worried that the large tree just outside the laundry room might blow over onto this area of the house and no one would know where I was......and NO cell service!!!! Well....these horrific winds last ANOTHER 15 minutes......and then they died down and it calmed down.
Again, I crawled out from under the house and up into the laundry room......and began to look outside and....OMG.....OMG....it was just terrible!!!!!!! I will put pictures on here to show my yard and the surrounding area, but the HUGE maple tree in the front yard that must be at the least, 100 years old was totally uprooted and laying on the ground, stretching across the street and into the yard on the other side!!!!! One side limb was resting on top of the RV, but it was a light and it appeared there was not damage to the RV! In the back, trees everywhere....and some laid across the back of my house extending over the wing that we had just recently remodeled and put in the new bedroom and bathroom. Roof shingles were everywhere in the yard as well as debris and limbs and...and...and...and I can't begin to describe it all!!!
The entire street was blocked both ways in many places by the HUGE old trees that had gone down from the winds. Trees on top of houses....stuff laying everywhere. My house: no windows had blown out nor where any knocked out, but my shingles were everywhere with gaping spaces on the roof where they had been, the turbine type vents were blown of the top of the house, leaving wide gaps open to the elements, my gutter was down, and I could hardly get out of the patio door because the trees blocking the way and stuff laying everywhere!!!!
I began taking pictures of everything for the insurance adjusters.....and then the sirens from the emergency vehicles were sounding everywhere........and then sun began to emerge, which helped.......but everyone just walked around the trees on the street.....shell shocked!!! I borrowed a cell phone from a lady up the street and called the 1st Lady to tell her the house was still standing but open in the room in some areas to the skies and weather, and that I had survived as well as all of the neighborhood.
Then the young man who lives across the street came out with his chain saw and began working on my huge tree, trying to get the street open......at least in front of our houses. He is a tree trimmer working in the STL area for Ameren..and so know what he was doing with the tree...and after others joined in with chain saws...in about an hour we had the street open so that vehicles could go through. Many people were walking up the street towards their homes as no cars could come up the street to our section due to more huge trees blocking it....the parents were really worried about their kids at school and with no way of communicating successfully no one knew what the situation was across town. More help arrived to help with the trees in the street further down the street and we finally got it opened up, at least for one way traffic which became an obstacle course.
It took a couple more hours for the street to become completely unblocked so that the emergency vehicles could get through, if necessary. By late afternoon, parents were walking back up the street with their kids, having picked them up at the school where they were being held until family signed them out of the school to go home. Many had left from work to pick them up....and they then had to walk part way home with the other streets being blocked. Many of the country roads were completely blocked and no one could in or out.....and with no communication available to those in the country, no one could find out anything about their friends and relatives.
As the afternoon went by, I climbed up onto the roof with plastic sheeting and duck tape.....and began trying to cover the wide open holes in the roof where I could look down into the attic. However, the main large tree in the back that fell over our new bedroom, I could not get to the large opening in the shingles there....no way to reach it with all of the branches laying over it. I just decided it would have to remain open all night.....
I did get out and drive around in some areas...where it was possible to get through. Went by the HS and it's roof over the gym was severely damaged, in other places buildings were completely flattened, windows out in the Court House, businesses main plate glass windows were out, awnings missing,........a surreal sight, to say the least.
I stopped and found my insurance agent and talked with him, giving him my info and the damages that I could see at the present time. Working my way up the hill to the stick and brick......MANY STICKS.....I couldn't return to the driveway as the utilities trucks were taking down the broken poles and beginning to erect new poles in place of the broken ones. This went on in front of my home until 10pm.....however, I was able to wedge my truck into the driveway by that time.
I charged up the cell phones of my neighbors several times during the afternoon/evening when I ran the generator....the only way, without driving their cars...that the phones could be charged up. I then lit some candles and remained in the house all night. A curfew went into effect at dusk and everyone was to be at their own homes where possible. I downloaded pictures onto my computer in the event that I could locate some wifi.....somewhere.
TODAY...SATURDAY.....I got up, opened up the Rv, and turning on the generator, I made a pot of coffee, charged up my cell phone again, as well as the laptop, and then realized just how dazed....in some kind of shock.....I was finding myself. The next door neighbor came over....and said the very same thing.....he was just suffering from the shock of all of this damage. We just couldn't believe how terrible things are/were!!!!!
Most of the morning was taken by talking with various city workers, others who drove by stopped and offered to help if there was anything they could do....and the sounds of generators and chain saws were sooooo noisy this morning....but they were definitely needed. Already we had utility trucks here from STL and from Poplar Bluff assisting our city crews.....and the help is really needed.
Drizzles kept coming down...off and on... and I worried about the affects it would have on the open area of the roof, but I still had assistance from anyone with a chain saw....... I talked with Marcos across the street...and hopefully, he will be able to get those limbs sawed off so I can cover the open space above the bedroom. I made more coffee....and passed it out to the neighbors who needed some. I made a sandwich with items in the fridge.....and realized that I would soon have to throw out all of the food as the inside of the fridge was rapidly warming up. It will all have to go into the trash by this afternoon!!!
I do/did not have any water hooked up to the RV as yet....and cannot take a shower inside as I am still worried about turning on the hot water heater. I then hooked up the hoses to the RV, turned on the hot water heater there...and planned to get a shower. I kept thinking that shower would make me feel better about all of this......but it didn't. I still felt like crap afterwards...!!!!
OK.....several hours later.....I had a visit by a rep from State Farm Insurance saying the adjusters may be a week before they get around to everyone!!!!! She told me that I need to the huge limbs off of the back of the house so the adjusters can inspect it for damages........I wondered just how the hell that was going to happen!!!!!
After lunch, I ran up to Farmington to get some plastic tarps, roofing nails, bread, and some batteries as I need to recharge the camera batteries and I don't want to run the gennie that long or I will run out of propane....and then the generator will not be able to operate until I find more propane......and then no fridge in the RV will run, either!!!
Returning to this devastated town......I ran the obstacle course up the hill and back to the driveway......and then spent the next six hours on top of the roof.....SIX HOURS.....putting down tarps and nailing them to the roof to cover the places where I could look through the boards and see the attic below!!!!! I then spread some black tar goop that I had in the garage around the edges of the tarps to try to make them more secure over the holes. I am trying to save the inside of the house after all the money and time and effort and love and shouting matches that we spent remodeling the house about three years ago. So far.....sooo good...as we haven't had any more rain yet.
By 8pm, I had emptied the fridge, the freezer, and had made a list of everything that was throwing away......the fridge in the RV is tiny, tiny, tiny compared to our new fridge in the kitchen. I had 5 cell phones being charged up with the generator running this evening while I was typing up these lines on the computer, as it charged up it's battery.
Darkness descended quickly.....and the CURFEW began then, again. No one allowed on the streets....and anyone coming into town were stopped to check their ID's and their home addresses. Yep.....it really was like a WAR ZONE!!!!!!!
Soooo, another night of sitting by candle light ........DAMN, I just cannot imagine how people ever were able to read by candle light!!! I am supposed to go to my daughter-in-law's in Cape G. tomorrow evening so I can get online and take care of things that need to be attended to. I hate being gone very long with all of the people that I need to get hold of about the house, etc., etc.
SUNDAY: early evening. First off....I am in Cape G. at my daughter-in-law's....and as I attempted to copy and paste this long post.......the damned computer would not that task!!!!!!!!!!!! Soooo, I am having to copy everything I have written over the past 48 hours....not an easy task as I go from the document file to this blogger posting program online....and going back and forth I am realizing that I am changing verb tenses and sometime speaking in the present and sometimes in the past........SORRY ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!......I am exhausted again as last night I didn't hardly sleep at all. Everytime I moved in bed, I woke up in pain from the strained muscles from working on the roof all afternoon yesterday afternoon.
Last night I also went to bed about 9:30....sick of staring at candles.....and went right to sleep. Then about 11pm....I was awakened by voices......and thought someone must be trying to break into the house. Soooooo, taking my trusty flashlight with me, I stumbled into the front of the house......and noticed a bright light in the driveway.......and parting the drapes I realized that it was another utility truck working on the poles again....IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!!!! Soooo, back to bed I stumbled....and again, everytime I moved....I woke up!!! DAMN!!!!!
This morning.....SUNDAY.....I took that hot shower, made a pot of Fr. Roast coffee.....and then took a walk, where I COULD walk....in the yard surveying the trees and damages, trying to get my mind to accept the fact of all of the damages again.... the yard, the back of the house, the gutters, the TREES!!!!!!
Later this mornin the insurance agent came by.....and we toured the property together as I pointed out some of the smaller issues that must be dealt with......discussed the problem of the neighbor's tree falling clear across the yard and destroying my fence, the patio set of table and chairs, BBQ grill, and just whose responsibility this is.......err....mine!!!!! We also discussed the deductible on the policy, the costs for tree removal, etc., etc., etc.
A bit later in the morning a tree remover came to the door.......the same company I had called last night over in Ironton.....and we spent 30 minutes looking at the trees and discussing the two estimates I need for the insurance coverage.....the way I needed it prepared for them,.....the options that are available about a couple of trees. He quoted me a total of $3600 for the removal of the trees and limbs that I had shown him, as my son-in-law is going to take care of some of them.
Then I worked in the yard....getting a wheel barrow completely overloaded with roof shingles that I picked up in the yard. Again, I ran the gennie to charge up the phone, the laptop battery, and other's cell phones....and then after more talking with others who have the same problems up here, I headed to Cape G. for the evening!!!!
Arriving there, we met at O'Charley's....and had a good dinner. I am now on the sofa trying to get this whole long post re-typed on the blog......reading emals....and knowing that I am not sure when I will get to post on here again. I must return to the stick and brick early in the mornng to continue with talks about repairs, etc, etc.
How do I say this and really be truthful???
LIFE IS GOOD.......COULD BE MUCH BETTER.......BUT THE HOUSE SURVIVED AND SO DID I!!!!!!!!......And, I hope things are much better than that with you!!!!!!!
First I have no service other than water.....everything is totally shut down!!! I do have natural gas still in the kitchen, but I had to turn off the hot water heater as the flu system/vent to the outside is damaged and I didn't want to NOT wake up this morning due to carbon monoxide.........
Let me see if I can begin......
Yesterday morning around 11AM (Friday) the tornado sirens went off and kept screaming for quite some time. As I always do when this happens here in "Tornado Alley", I gathered together some insurance files, my repaired laptop, and my camera and went into the laundry room where we have a 2ft x 2ft square opening to go down under the house in the "crawl space"....and at that point, under the house, it is almost high enough to sit up, but not quite. Putting a step stool in the hole, I looked and couldn't find a damn flashlight in the whole house.......I made a call to the 1st Lady who is still at her Mother's......and told her what was going on....and as I was doing that the cell service went down/out.
It was almost noon.........and then the winds began to blow...and they grew stronger and became worse and worse......I could hearing the roaring above....and it was not even dark as usual in a bad storm....the clouds where a dark white/gray.....not the usual for a tornado. I decided it was time to down under the house as the winds became stronger and loud....and so I went with the files, the laptop, and the camera, and laid down on the plastic sheeting we have on the ground under the house.
WELLLLLL......it howled and roared until 12:18....and then the winds sounded as if they were slowing down. During that time I had continued to hear loud thumps on what sounded like the roof of the house and at times, the house would actually shudder.....and so when those winds slow down, I crawled up and out from below......looking out of the window of the laundry room...and I could see the neighbor's tree had been completely uprooted and was laying clear across the back yard and onto my house, tearing down the privacy fence around the patio area.
And then....the winds began again.....and it was worse than ever. This time they were coming from the north instead of the west which they had been blowing from. I couldn't believe how terrible they were.......and I was beginning to become a bit worried: worried that the large tree just outside the laundry room might blow over onto this area of the house and no one would know where I was......and NO cell service!!!! Well....these horrific winds last ANOTHER 15 minutes......and then they died down and it calmed down.
Again, I crawled out from under the house and up into the laundry room......and began to look outside and....OMG.....OMG....it was just terrible!!!!!!! I will put pictures on here to show my yard and the surrounding area, but the HUGE maple tree in the front yard that must be at the least, 100 years old was totally uprooted and laying on the ground, stretching across the street and into the yard on the other side!!!!! One side limb was resting on top of the RV, but it was a light and it appeared there was not damage to the RV! In the back, trees everywhere....and some laid across the back of my house extending over the wing that we had just recently remodeled and put in the new bedroom and bathroom. Roof shingles were everywhere in the yard as well as debris and limbs and...and...and...and I can't begin to describe it all!!!
The entire street was blocked both ways in many places by the HUGE old trees that had gone down from the winds. Trees on top of houses....stuff laying everywhere. My house: no windows had blown out nor where any knocked out, but my shingles were everywhere with gaping spaces on the roof where they had been, the turbine type vents were blown of the top of the house, leaving wide gaps open to the elements, my gutter was down, and I could hardly get out of the patio door because the trees blocking the way and stuff laying everywhere!!!!
I began taking pictures of everything for the insurance adjusters.....and then the sirens from the emergency vehicles were sounding everywhere........and then sun began to emerge, which helped.......but everyone just walked around the trees on the street.....shell shocked!!! I borrowed a cell phone from a lady up the street and called the 1st Lady to tell her the house was still standing but open in the room in some areas to the skies and weather, and that I had survived as well as all of the neighborhood.
Then the young man who lives across the street came out with his chain saw and began working on my huge tree, trying to get the street open......at least in front of our houses. He is a tree trimmer working in the STL area for Ameren..and so know what he was doing with the tree...and after others joined in with chain saws...in about an hour we had the street open so that vehicles could go through. Many people were walking up the street towards their homes as no cars could come up the street to our section due to more huge trees blocking it....the parents were really worried about their kids at school and with no way of communicating successfully no one knew what the situation was across town. More help arrived to help with the trees in the street further down the street and we finally got it opened up, at least for one way traffic which became an obstacle course.
It took a couple more hours for the street to become completely unblocked so that the emergency vehicles could get through, if necessary. By late afternoon, parents were walking back up the street with their kids, having picked them up at the school where they were being held until family signed them out of the school to go home. Many had left from work to pick them up....and they then had to walk part way home with the other streets being blocked. Many of the country roads were completely blocked and no one could in or out.....and with no communication available to those in the country, no one could find out anything about their friends and relatives.
As the afternoon went by, I climbed up onto the roof with plastic sheeting and duck tape.....and began trying to cover the wide open holes in the roof where I could look down into the attic. However, the main large tree in the back that fell over our new bedroom, I could not get to the large opening in the shingles there....no way to reach it with all of the branches laying over it. I just decided it would have to remain open all night.....
I did get out and drive around in some areas...where it was possible to get through. Went by the HS and it's roof over the gym was severely damaged, in other places buildings were completely flattened, windows out in the Court House, businesses main plate glass windows were out, awnings missing,........a surreal sight, to say the least.
I stopped and found my insurance agent and talked with him, giving him my info and the damages that I could see at the present time. Working my way up the hill to the stick and brick......MANY STICKS.....I couldn't return to the driveway as the utilities trucks were taking down the broken poles and beginning to erect new poles in place of the broken ones. This went on in front of my home until 10pm.....however, I was able to wedge my truck into the driveway by that time.
I charged up the cell phones of my neighbors several times during the afternoon/evening when I ran the generator....the only way, without driving their cars...that the phones could be charged up. I then lit some candles and remained in the house all night. A curfew went into effect at dusk and everyone was to be at their own homes where possible. I downloaded pictures onto my computer in the event that I could locate some wifi.....somewhere.
TODAY...SATURDAY.....I got up, opened up the Rv, and turning on the generator, I made a pot of coffee, charged up my cell phone again, as well as the laptop, and then realized just how dazed....in some kind of shock.....I was finding myself. The next door neighbor came over....and said the very same thing.....he was just suffering from the shock of all of this damage. We just couldn't believe how terrible things are/were!!!!!
Most of the morning was taken by talking with various city workers, others who drove by stopped and offered to help if there was anything they could do....and the sounds of generators and chain saws were sooooo noisy this morning....but they were definitely needed. Already we had utility trucks here from STL and from Poplar Bluff assisting our city crews.....and the help is really needed.
Drizzles kept coming down...off and on... and I worried about the affects it would have on the open area of the roof, but I still had assistance from anyone with a chain saw....... I talked with Marcos across the street...and hopefully, he will be able to get those limbs sawed off so I can cover the open space above the bedroom. I made more coffee....and passed it out to the neighbors who needed some. I made a sandwich with items in the fridge.....and realized that I would soon have to throw out all of the food as the inside of the fridge was rapidly warming up. It will all have to go into the trash by this afternoon!!!
I do/did not have any water hooked up to the RV as yet....and cannot take a shower inside as I am still worried about turning on the hot water heater. I then hooked up the hoses to the RV, turned on the hot water heater there...and planned to get a shower. I kept thinking that shower would make me feel better about all of this......but it didn't. I still felt like crap afterwards...!!!!
OK.....several hours later.....I had a visit by a rep from State Farm Insurance saying the adjusters may be a week before they get around to everyone!!!!! She told me that I need to the huge limbs off of the back of the house so the adjusters can inspect it for damages........I wondered just how the hell that was going to happen!!!!!
After lunch, I ran up to Farmington to get some plastic tarps, roofing nails, bread, and some batteries as I need to recharge the camera batteries and I don't want to run the gennie that long or I will run out of propane....and then the generator will not be able to operate until I find more propane......and then no fridge in the RV will run, either!!!
Returning to this devastated town......I ran the obstacle course up the hill and back to the driveway......and then spent the next six hours on top of the roof.....SIX HOURS.....putting down tarps and nailing them to the roof to cover the places where I could look through the boards and see the attic below!!!!! I then spread some black tar goop that I had in the garage around the edges of the tarps to try to make them more secure over the holes. I am trying to save the inside of the house after all the money and time and effort and love and shouting matches that we spent remodeling the house about three years ago. So far.....sooo good...as we haven't had any more rain yet.
By 8pm, I had emptied the fridge, the freezer, and had made a list of everything that was throwing away......the fridge in the RV is tiny, tiny, tiny compared to our new fridge in the kitchen. I had 5 cell phones being charged up with the generator running this evening while I was typing up these lines on the computer, as it charged up it's battery.
Darkness descended quickly.....and the CURFEW began then, again. No one allowed on the streets....and anyone coming into town were stopped to check their ID's and their home addresses. Yep.....it really was like a WAR ZONE!!!!!!!
Soooo, another night of sitting by candle light ........DAMN, I just cannot imagine how people ever were able to read by candle light!!! I am supposed to go to my daughter-in-law's in Cape G. tomorrow evening so I can get online and take care of things that need to be attended to. I hate being gone very long with all of the people that I need to get hold of about the house, etc., etc.
SUNDAY: early evening. First off....I am in Cape G. at my daughter-in-law's....and as I attempted to copy and paste this long post.......the damned computer would not that task!!!!!!!!!!!! Soooo, I am having to copy everything I have written over the past 48 hours....not an easy task as I go from the document file to this blogger posting program online....and going back and forth I am realizing that I am changing verb tenses and sometime speaking in the present and sometimes in the past........SORRY ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!......I am exhausted again as last night I didn't hardly sleep at all. Everytime I moved in bed, I woke up in pain from the strained muscles from working on the roof all afternoon yesterday afternoon.
Last night I also went to bed about 9:30....sick of staring at candles.....and went right to sleep. Then about 11pm....I was awakened by voices......and thought someone must be trying to break into the house. Soooooo, taking my trusty flashlight with me, I stumbled into the front of the house......and noticed a bright light in the driveway.......and parting the drapes I realized that it was another utility truck working on the poles again....IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!!!! Soooo, back to bed I stumbled....and again, everytime I moved....I woke up!!! DAMN!!!!!
This morning.....SUNDAY.....I took that hot shower, made a pot of Fr. Roast coffee.....and then took a walk, where I COULD walk....in the yard surveying the trees and damages, trying to get my mind to accept the fact of all of the damages again.... the yard, the back of the house, the gutters, the TREES!!!!!!
Later this mornin the insurance agent came by.....and we toured the property together as I pointed out some of the smaller issues that must be dealt with......discussed the problem of the neighbor's tree falling clear across the yard and destroying my fence, the patio set of table and chairs, BBQ grill, and just whose responsibility this is.......err....mine!!!!! We also discussed the deductible on the policy, the costs for tree removal, etc., etc., etc.
A bit later in the morning a tree remover came to the door.......the same company I had called last night over in Ironton.....and we spent 30 minutes looking at the trees and discussing the two estimates I need for the insurance coverage.....the way I needed it prepared for them,.....the options that are available about a couple of trees. He quoted me a total of $3600 for the removal of the trees and limbs that I had shown him, as my son-in-law is going to take care of some of them.
Then I worked in the yard....getting a wheel barrow completely overloaded with roof shingles that I picked up in the yard. Again, I ran the gennie to charge up the phone, the laptop battery, and other's cell phones....and then after more talking with others who have the same problems up here, I headed to Cape G. for the evening!!!!
Arriving there, we met at O'Charley's....and had a good dinner. I am now on the sofa trying to get this whole long post re-typed on the blog......reading emals....and knowing that I am not sure when I will get to post on here again. I must return to the stick and brick early in the mornng to continue with talks about repairs, etc, etc.
How do I say this and really be truthful???
LIFE IS GOOD.......COULD BE MUCH BETTER.......BUT THE HOUSE SURVIVED AND SO DID I!!!!!!!!......And, I hope things are much better than that with you!!!!!!!
Thursday, May 07, 2009
May 7, 2009: An event I overlooked....yesterday!!!
Hmmmm.......I realized this morning that I actually forgot to mention yesterday that May 6th was the day in 2005 that I wrote my very first post on this HowserHouse blog......asking at that time, what in the hell was I doing writing a blog?!!!!!!!!! And.....hahaha, you know.....I still wonder that same thing exactly four years later. As I hit a few months and without any focus yesterday, I dropped in on a few days here and there on the blog.....just to see what I had written over these four years.....and to see how the evolution of this blog has progressed. I sometimes think that I get caught up with such mundane things in my Life on here....things that I cannot in my wildest imagination understand why anyone would want to continue reading this, day after day after day. And yet.......now that I have a Site Meter on here, I can see the name of the town/city and state or country from where the server is located for those who do read this blog.....and almost invariably, the same towns appear each night/day on the site meter. WHY?????? What is it that draws people in......in to the Life of someone that in most cases they have never met face to face......someone that they may never meet.
And in regards to the last statement above.......I must confess that the 1st Lady has NEVER in four years read one post on this blog!!!!!!!!!!! I think she is worried that she will be embarrassed by seeing what I have written....hahaha!!!
On the other hand......I have rver's who read this blog and go out of their way in their travels to locate me and introduce themselves!!!! THAT is just amazing.....and makes me feel good about this blog! I can remember an incident 2-3 years ago when the 1st Lady, Dr. Jeni, and her two children and myself were all in an rv park on the panhandle of Florida. I was finishing up grillind some meat for dinner and decided to walk down to the pool where Dr. Jeni and girls were swimming.....to let them know that it was time to eat. When I got there, I yelled "Jeni!!!....Let's eat!!".....and suddenly a man jumped out of his chaise lounge beside the pool and came right over to me and said, "Is that DR. Jeni??" And...."Do you drink Fr. Roast coffee in the morning and take dark red medicine in the eveings??" I think my jaw dropped to the lowest part of my sagging hulk......and I answered in the affirmative. He then proceeded to tell me that he had read on my blog that we would be at this RV Park.....and so as he traveled from southern Florida to Houston, TX....he made plans to stop in at this park just so he could meet me!!!!!!!!! WOW......and to this day I am still a bit overwhelmed that he actually did do that!!!!!
And...that is just one little story......there are many, many more about those who have seen my 5er and immediately come up and introduced themselves, explaining that they have been reading my blog every day for .....well, for some they have been reading almost the entire four years!!!!! As I always say........"My Life is an open book.......just read all about my Life on here."
Sooooo, these four years have gone quickly.....much quicker than I could ever have thought they would....in fact, I would never have believed that I would still be writing this blog in 2009!! WHEW......I'm sure a very wordy S.O.B.!!!!!!!!
Today???? Well, it was absolutely gorgeous when I pulled the sagging hulk of Me out of the bed, pulled open the drapes, and looked out on a wonderful vista: the sun coming up, a bit of haze over the top of our hill, and the newly cut green grass/weeds glistening with the morning wetness from the rain/dew. I opened one of the windows and let that damp, cool (58 degrees) air drift inside.....a great aroma....one that definitely reminds one of Spring. I stood there just enjoying the peace and quiet, the incredible singing of the many, many birds around us, and realized how lucky I am to be living up here on the hill in this house which we have spent a long time remodeling just to accomodate our tastes and style. And......to also realize how fortunate I am to not have to worry about my retirement income during this time of hardship for soooo many who are less fortunate.......and there really are many, many who are having troubles right now. I never go through a day without thinking about this............
It didn't take long until by mid-morning or so, the clouds rolled in, and soon the mist and raindrops returned......AGAIN!!!!! For the most of the day, it was like that....but, by late afternoon, the clouds went away, the sun returned, the temps went up......and soon I found myself grilling a filet mignon, some red peppers, and some mushrooms. Of course, I had to take a couple of doses of my dark red medicine with this meal!!!
After the clean-up......I have spent this evening beginning to get some names of former students from Eldon High School.....as a few of them and myself came up with a super idea: to have a reunion of all of my band students during those 9 years I was the director there, as well as those who were in band after I left them in 1987. Lots of students......lots of names....and lots of work to get all of them contacted once we decide when to get this reunion scheduled and with the many details that must be worked out. I AM EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love staying in contact with ALL of these former students, even though there are some whom I have remained in contact for all of these years, but that is as it always is with friends.....some come and go, while others remain throughout your Life. Anyway..........this should be BIG.....or, I sure hope it will be!!!!!! Soooo, if there are any of you reading this......stay tuned....and get me your email address as well as phone numbers, please!!!
Ahhhhh.....another quiet evening with the 1st Lady still at her mother's home. We talk several times each day....and she will be home after Mother's Day. Dr. Jeni and children are going to join them there for the Mother's Day weekend....and for that I am glad so it will be a special day for the 1st Lady, also!! Sooooo, with the week winding down, and after a great day today.......as always......
LIFE IS JUST REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!
And in regards to the last statement above.......I must confess that the 1st Lady has NEVER in four years read one post on this blog!!!!!!!!!!! I think she is worried that she will be embarrassed by seeing what I have written....hahaha!!!
On the other hand......I have rver's who read this blog and go out of their way in their travels to locate me and introduce themselves!!!! THAT is just amazing.....and makes me feel good about this blog! I can remember an incident 2-3 years ago when the 1st Lady, Dr. Jeni, and her two children and myself were all in an rv park on the panhandle of Florida. I was finishing up grillind some meat for dinner and decided to walk down to the pool where Dr. Jeni and girls were swimming.....to let them know that it was time to eat. When I got there, I yelled "Jeni!!!....Let's eat!!".....and suddenly a man jumped out of his chaise lounge beside the pool and came right over to me and said, "Is that DR. Jeni??" And...."Do you drink Fr. Roast coffee in the morning and take dark red medicine in the eveings??" I think my jaw dropped to the lowest part of my sagging hulk......and I answered in the affirmative. He then proceeded to tell me that he had read on my blog that we would be at this RV Park.....and so as he traveled from southern Florida to Houston, TX....he made plans to stop in at this park just so he could meet me!!!!!!!!! WOW......and to this day I am still a bit overwhelmed that he actually did do that!!!!!
And...that is just one little story......there are many, many more about those who have seen my 5er and immediately come up and introduced themselves, explaining that they have been reading my blog every day for .....well, for some they have been reading almost the entire four years!!!!! As I always say........"My Life is an open book.......just read all about my Life on here."
Sooooo, these four years have gone quickly.....much quicker than I could ever have thought they would....in fact, I would never have believed that I would still be writing this blog in 2009!! WHEW......I'm sure a very wordy S.O.B.!!!!!!!!
Today???? Well, it was absolutely gorgeous when I pulled the sagging hulk of Me out of the bed, pulled open the drapes, and looked out on a wonderful vista: the sun coming up, a bit of haze over the top of our hill, and the newly cut green grass/weeds glistening with the morning wetness from the rain/dew. I opened one of the windows and let that damp, cool (58 degrees) air drift inside.....a great aroma....one that definitely reminds one of Spring. I stood there just enjoying the peace and quiet, the incredible singing of the many, many birds around us, and realized how lucky I am to be living up here on the hill in this house which we have spent a long time remodeling just to accomodate our tastes and style. And......to also realize how fortunate I am to not have to worry about my retirement income during this time of hardship for soooo many who are less fortunate.......and there really are many, many who are having troubles right now. I never go through a day without thinking about this............
It didn't take long until by mid-morning or so, the clouds rolled in, and soon the mist and raindrops returned......AGAIN!!!!! For the most of the day, it was like that....but, by late afternoon, the clouds went away, the sun returned, the temps went up......and soon I found myself grilling a filet mignon, some red peppers, and some mushrooms. Of course, I had to take a couple of doses of my dark red medicine with this meal!!!
After the clean-up......I have spent this evening beginning to get some names of former students from Eldon High School.....as a few of them and myself came up with a super idea: to have a reunion of all of my band students during those 9 years I was the director there, as well as those who were in band after I left them in 1987. Lots of students......lots of names....and lots of work to get all of them contacted once we decide when to get this reunion scheduled and with the many details that must be worked out. I AM EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love staying in contact with ALL of these former students, even though there are some whom I have remained in contact for all of these years, but that is as it always is with friends.....some come and go, while others remain throughout your Life. Anyway..........this should be BIG.....or, I sure hope it will be!!!!!! Soooo, if there are any of you reading this......stay tuned....and get me your email address as well as phone numbers, please!!!
Ahhhhh.....another quiet evening with the 1st Lady still at her mother's home. We talk several times each day....and she will be home after Mother's Day. Dr. Jeni and children are going to join them there for the Mother's Day weekend....and for that I am glad so it will be a special day for the 1st Lady, also!! Sooooo, with the week winding down, and after a great day today.......as always......
LIFE IS JUST REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
May 6, 2009: Another day of Monsoon Misery...until later afternoon.
Ahhhhh, yesterday???? To tell the truth, I spent almost the entire day in the yard, which was still very wet when I began mowing.....and only the parts that were not very tall had dried out by the time I finished....the tall, newer planted grass was very wet and made it really difficult to cut through it. I spent almost six hours in the yard, pushing that damn mower and getting all kinds of wonderful(?) exercise. FYI, it normally takes three hours to do the complete job, so it was way more than twice as long to play this catch-up "game" of getting control of the lawn. After I finished....I had to rake several areas just so that it would not kill out the brand new grass which we planted last fall. And.....during the entire ordeal yesterday, I had to stop five times and turn the mower on it's side and scrape out the wet mulched grass which collected underneath to the point of almost choking out the mower.........it was the worse time I have had of mowing this lawn since we purchased the house in the winter of 1992!!!!!!
As soon as I could "finish" this job, I jumped in the shower and cleaned up my sweaty sagging hulk, put on some clean clothes and headed to Cape Girardeau. Our granddaughter, Rachel, was once again performing in the Cape Middle School percussion ensemble called Shere Khan yesterday evening. As soon as I got to Cape a bit after 4pm.....I headed for El Alcapulco....a Mexican restaurant which I had not eaten in....and since it was Cinco de Mayo Day....I thought this was a great time to try it out.
Well.....I was not impressed!!!! I suppose I have been jaded because I have been to soooo many authentic Mexican restaurants....cafes....in the border towns of Texas and in Nuevo Progresso, Mexico. I ordered enchiladas filled with cheese, covered in a tomato-based sauce filled with beef..(much like pulled pork), and the sauce was very dark with chili powder added to add to the spicy flavor. It was accompanied with shredded lettuce and some guacamole sauce on it. To cut right to the chase.......it was very bland, very "Americanized" so as to not offend our tastes, and i was very disappointed. The chips and salsa brought with my Margarita were not good.....mass manufactured chips which were not real tortilla chips...and the salsa was just adequate. Down south, the salsa is always nice and warm(temp)....and goes down soooooo wonderfully on the fried tortilla sections. The Margarita......UGH!!!!! It was "Happy Hour"....and even with the $1.87 for the drink.....it was soooooo weak and too sweet and.......it was not "hand-made" as it came from one of those large machines that makes things like "slushies". OK.....I won't go back there again......perhaps I should have gone to El Torrero" there in Cape.
Afterwards, I spent a little bit of time in Barnes & Noble.......reading a few mags while sipping a cappuccino.....which also is another story for me to get the "right" ingredients in the correct measurements....and, I won't go there tonight!!!!!
From there, I picked up Becky and Rachel....and we went over to the Cape Middle School. The Shere Kahn....the 6-7 grade audition percussion group.....performed, as well as a few of their members in a small vocal ensemble. This is the same group I heard in December in one of their concerts.....and they also were honored by being chosen to perform this past January at Tan-Tara Resort for the Missouri State Music Educator's Association's state convention. They are quite good, very talented....and last night they performed two numbers that were composed by two of the of the members of the group.....7th graders!!!!!!!! I was/am really, really proud of Rachel.....and she does such a conscientious job with the various instruments that she performs on for the different pieces of music. WOW!!!!!
And....after the performance last night, the director.....Pam Dumey(sp?)....whom I have known for years.....asked me if I would like to direct a number next year at one of their performances. And....I told her I would be delight to do that!!!!
Returning home last night, I collapsed on the sofa...and quite obviously, I didn't get this little post written.
Today????? I was awake before 7am.....DAMN.....and getting my sagging hulk out of bed, I opened the drapes in the bedroom and OMG.......what a dismal day it appeared to be out there. And....for the most of the day, it WAS!!!!! I made a trip to W-M to pick up a prescription for the 1st Lady....she is STILL with her Mother in Monroe City......and then I went to the local lumber yard to pick up a new sliding door handle/lock as the old one had just decided to quit working.
Returning to the stick and brick......I sat and read, surfed the net....and then in the late afternoon, the sun slipped out.....and it became a beautiful evening. The lawn looks sooooo good with the several Azaleas which we have planted over the years all looking sooooo gorgeous. But....I have about 10 large geraniums to get planted, some new red mulch to lay down over the front entrance where I have some plants.....and just other trimming to get done. Tomorrow??? MORE RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And soooo, before I become a bit depressed over this forecast......I can say that, as usual......
LIFE IS REALLY GREAT!!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!
As soon as I could "finish" this job, I jumped in the shower and cleaned up my sweaty sagging hulk, put on some clean clothes and headed to Cape Girardeau. Our granddaughter, Rachel, was once again performing in the Cape Middle School percussion ensemble called Shere Khan yesterday evening. As soon as I got to Cape a bit after 4pm.....I headed for El Alcapulco....a Mexican restaurant which I had not eaten in....and since it was Cinco de Mayo Day....I thought this was a great time to try it out.
Well.....I was not impressed!!!! I suppose I have been jaded because I have been to soooo many authentic Mexican restaurants....cafes....in the border towns of Texas and in Nuevo Progresso, Mexico. I ordered enchiladas filled with cheese, covered in a tomato-based sauce filled with beef..(much like pulled pork), and the sauce was very dark with chili powder added to add to the spicy flavor. It was accompanied with shredded lettuce and some guacamole sauce on it. To cut right to the chase.......it was very bland, very "Americanized" so as to not offend our tastes, and i was very disappointed. The chips and salsa brought with my Margarita were not good.....mass manufactured chips which were not real tortilla chips...and the salsa was just adequate. Down south, the salsa is always nice and warm(temp)....and goes down soooooo wonderfully on the fried tortilla sections. The Margarita......UGH!!!!! It was "Happy Hour"....and even with the $1.87 for the drink.....it was soooooo weak and too sweet and.......it was not "hand-made" as it came from one of those large machines that makes things like "slushies". OK.....I won't go back there again......perhaps I should have gone to El Torrero" there in Cape.
Afterwards, I spent a little bit of time in Barnes & Noble.......reading a few mags while sipping a cappuccino.....which also is another story for me to get the "right" ingredients in the correct measurements....and, I won't go there tonight!!!!!
From there, I picked up Becky and Rachel....and we went over to the Cape Middle School. The Shere Kahn....the 6-7 grade audition percussion group.....performed, as well as a few of their members in a small vocal ensemble. This is the same group I heard in December in one of their concerts.....and they also were honored by being chosen to perform this past January at Tan-Tara Resort for the Missouri State Music Educator's Association's state convention. They are quite good, very talented....and last night they performed two numbers that were composed by two of the of the members of the group.....7th graders!!!!!!!! I was/am really, really proud of Rachel.....and she does such a conscientious job with the various instruments that she performs on for the different pieces of music. WOW!!!!!
And....after the performance last night, the director.....Pam Dumey(sp?)....whom I have known for years.....asked me if I would like to direct a number next year at one of their performances. And....I told her I would be delight to do that!!!!
Returning home last night, I collapsed on the sofa...and quite obviously, I didn't get this little post written.
Today????? I was awake before 7am.....DAMN.....and getting my sagging hulk out of bed, I opened the drapes in the bedroom and OMG.......what a dismal day it appeared to be out there. And....for the most of the day, it WAS!!!!! I made a trip to W-M to pick up a prescription for the 1st Lady....she is STILL with her Mother in Monroe City......and then I went to the local lumber yard to pick up a new sliding door handle/lock as the old one had just decided to quit working.
Returning to the stick and brick......I sat and read, surfed the net....and then in the late afternoon, the sun slipped out.....and it became a beautiful evening. The lawn looks sooooo good with the several Azaleas which we have planted over the years all looking sooooo gorgeous. But....I have about 10 large geraniums to get planted, some new red mulch to lay down over the front entrance where I have some plants.....and just other trimming to get done. Tomorrow??? MORE RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And soooo, before I become a bit depressed over this forecast......I can say that, as usual......
LIFE IS REALLY GREAT!!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!
Monday, May 04, 2009
May 4, 2009: OMG.....this huge light in the sky penetrated the clouds.....and we all went blind!!!!!
Yesterday???? Not a damn thing happened in my Life here in the stick and brick....the QUIET stick and brick. I watched tv, read my newest Atlantic Monthly, was online for a few hours, fixed a pizza for afternoon dinner, and all afternoon I watched and listened to it rain!! WOW......the entire day was sooooooooooo damned EXCITING!!!!!!! It was another consecutive day of drizzles, rain, clouds, dampness, dreary, depressing.......and, I could go on.
Watched The Amazing Race during the evening.....and then surfed around on the tv for something that was of any value to this sagging hulk of Me.....and there really wasn't.
The Azalea Festival here in town...and the annual parade.....were all dumped on by the rains. I didn't go at all.......tromping through that muddy mess is not my cup of tea......and I believe that the parade was canceled....and if they had it, well......I have seen and participated in enough parades as a band director to last me through the rest of this Life....and through the next one, too.
Today.......I did a bit of laundry, talked with the 1st Lady several times, and then when that "great ball of fire" burst through the clouds, I waited a couple of hours and then began mowing the back yard and along the south side. Well......it is soooooo damned tall, sooooo damned thick, and was soooooo damned wet, that it took me over two hours to do less than 25% of the yard!!!!!! Soooo, tomorrow is supposed to be "dry".....hmmmmm, we'll see.....and I hope that I can get the rest finished before the next round of rain arrives tomorrow night.
And sooooo, you can see it was such an exciting day(s)....so much so I doubt I will be able to get to sleep!!! I did get out my tripod and shot a few pics of the birds at my feeders outside by the patio......and I am getting a bit more used to this new camera. It will be a super one once I get it all figured out as to how to use all of the settings that are available.....and which need to be used.
OHHH...if you haven't sat down and watched this musical video which is put together by performers all around the world, each in their own country, then please watch this....I really believe you WILL enjoy it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM
Soooo, my eyes are not as good as usual....that "ball of fire" in the sky about blinded me today after not having experienced that brightness for days and days!!!!!! And, even with the "blindness".......as always......
LIFE IS JUST REALLY GREAT!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
Watched The Amazing Race during the evening.....and then surfed around on the tv for something that was of any value to this sagging hulk of Me.....and there really wasn't.
The Azalea Festival here in town...and the annual parade.....were all dumped on by the rains. I didn't go at all.......tromping through that muddy mess is not my cup of tea......and I believe that the parade was canceled....and if they had it, well......I have seen and participated in enough parades as a band director to last me through the rest of this Life....and through the next one, too.
Today.......I did a bit of laundry, talked with the 1st Lady several times, and then when that "great ball of fire" burst through the clouds, I waited a couple of hours and then began mowing the back yard and along the south side. Well......it is soooooo damned tall, sooooo damned thick, and was soooooo damned wet, that it took me over two hours to do less than 25% of the yard!!!!!! Soooo, tomorrow is supposed to be "dry".....hmmmmm, we'll see.....and I hope that I can get the rest finished before the next round of rain arrives tomorrow night.
And sooooo, you can see it was such an exciting day(s)....so much so I doubt I will be able to get to sleep!!! I did get out my tripod and shot a few pics of the birds at my feeders outside by the patio......and I am getting a bit more used to this new camera. It will be a super one once I get it all figured out as to how to use all of the settings that are available.....and which need to be used.
OHHH...if you haven't sat down and watched this musical video which is put together by performers all around the world, each in their own country, then please watch this....I really believe you WILL enjoy it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM
Soooo, my eyes are not as good as usual....that "ball of fire" in the sky about blinded me today after not having experienced that brightness for days and days!!!!!! And, even with the "blindness".......as always......
LIFE IS JUST REALLY GREAT!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
Saturday, May 02, 2009
May 2, 2009: RAIN...RAIN...RAIN...., will never it cease????
Alas.....it is Monsoon in Misery!!!! And, the rains continue to beat down upon us here in southeast Misery. Enough is definitely enough......and that is exactly what we have had: ENOUGH! But.......once again, the all-knowing weather man has told us that we will continue to be visited by rains for the as much as the rest of this coming work-week(THANK GOD, I am not having to work).
Yesterday......Cabin Fever really attacked my sagging hulk...as I remained indoors through the drizzles, the damp clouds hanging low over this black hole of F'town, and inside the stick and brick was all very quiet with only my sagging hulk plodding around throughout the day. I spent a great deal of that dreary, dismal, drizzling day online working on the proposed trip in September.....notice I said "proposed" as the 1st Lady has not 100% agreed to this idea....even though it was HER idea in the first place. And........I actually thought my repaired and reconstructed laptop might overheat and die once again(how many lives does a computer have?). But.......it kept my mind away from the weather.........
Today?? I went down to Cape G. about mid-morning. I drove by the infamous F'town Azalea Festival.....soggy, muddy, and not nearly over-run by people as usual for the Saturday morning activities......and then I went to Cape. My glasses have been giving me fits......they needed re-adjustments and so I patiently waited for my turn.......only ONE person working in LensCrafters this morning!!!!!!! After about 25 minutes....three customers ahead of me.....I had my glasses fixed in about 2 minutes.....and they do feel better. Now....the question is: Can I actually see better....or not??? Beginning to believe that I may need a new prescription for an updated pair......OMG, I surely hope that is not so!!!! I remember soooo damn well how LONG it took me to finally get a pair that allowed me to see better two years ago.......UGH!!!!! I HATE the thought of that happening again.......
Following the adjustment....I did a bit of shopping......purchased a book on Peru written and published by "The Lonely Planet". WOW....these damn books...in the "trade" size of paperbacks are sooo costly: $24 and change was the total bill. But...they are packed with valuable info that is difficult to get all in one place......and so, my reading will begin.
A wonderful little lunch followed......enjoyed at My Daddy's Cheesecake"......and it was wonderful! I ordered the Turkey Ciabatta which had a 1/4 pound of turkey covered with melted Provolone Cheese, Fire-roasted red peppers, and a very light and spicy Pesto sauce on it....all of which was fit between two pieces of toasted Ciabatta bread....and heated!!!!! Soooooo good!!!!....Accompanied by thick, baked potato chips and a very tart, salty and thick slice of dill pickle. The coffee was from Kenya....and was a dark roast with lots of robust and rich......very good!!! I allowed myself to then "sin" and purchased a slice of their "Tiger Cake".....really quite tasty, rich, but just a bit on the dry side, as if it had been in the refrigerated display cabinet tooo long.....however, it was good...and made a great pairing when put with the coffee!!!! For all of you southeast locals.......if you haven't eaten there.......get yourself there and enjoy!!!!
Then I went to visit Mike this afternoon and had a really enjoyable visit with him. He is doing well......and that I am glad to know, as well as see personally!!!!
Home again by 9pm.........and after checking and reading some emails.....here I am!! A small glass of Bailey's "Creme Caramel" is just the thing to end the day with........a great taste, creamy and yet with the bite of the liquor in the finish of each drink!! Give it a try!!!
And soooooo, another day has disappeared in the drizzles......and tomorrow???? Well,....will it rain on our Parade? The Azalea Fest Parade is tomorrow afternoon.....and who knows what it will do by then. I sure as Hell am glad that I do not have to make the decision as to march the band with their expensive uniforms and instruments......not knowing if it will rain or not during the two hours of being outside for the parade line-up and then the long, slow parade. It is/was always a decision where there was really no win-win solution......someone would always bitch if the 120+ kids would march and get wet.......or if we didn't march and they didn't get to see "their band march"......Ahhhhh, the wonders of retirement!!!!!!
As always, even with the Monsoon of Misery..........
LIFE IS REALLY, QUITE GREAT!!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
Yesterday......Cabin Fever really attacked my sagging hulk...as I remained indoors through the drizzles, the damp clouds hanging low over this black hole of F'town, and inside the stick and brick was all very quiet with only my sagging hulk plodding around throughout the day. I spent a great deal of that dreary, dismal, drizzling day online working on the proposed trip in September.....notice I said "proposed" as the 1st Lady has not 100% agreed to this idea....even though it was HER idea in the first place. And........I actually thought my repaired and reconstructed laptop might overheat and die once again(how many lives does a computer have?). But.......it kept my mind away from the weather.........
Today?? I went down to Cape G. about mid-morning. I drove by the infamous F'town Azalea Festival.....soggy, muddy, and not nearly over-run by people as usual for the Saturday morning activities......and then I went to Cape. My glasses have been giving me fits......they needed re-adjustments and so I patiently waited for my turn.......only ONE person working in LensCrafters this morning!!!!!!! After about 25 minutes....three customers ahead of me.....I had my glasses fixed in about 2 minutes.....and they do feel better. Now....the question is: Can I actually see better....or not??? Beginning to believe that I may need a new prescription for an updated pair......OMG, I surely hope that is not so!!!! I remember soooo damn well how LONG it took me to finally get a pair that allowed me to see better two years ago.......UGH!!!!! I HATE the thought of that happening again.......
Following the adjustment....I did a bit of shopping......purchased a book on Peru written and published by "The Lonely Planet". WOW....these damn books...in the "trade" size of paperbacks are sooo costly: $24 and change was the total bill. But...they are packed with valuable info that is difficult to get all in one place......and so, my reading will begin.
A wonderful little lunch followed......enjoyed at My Daddy's Cheesecake"......and it was wonderful! I ordered the Turkey Ciabatta which had a 1/4 pound of turkey covered with melted Provolone Cheese, Fire-roasted red peppers, and a very light and spicy Pesto sauce on it....all of which was fit between two pieces of toasted Ciabatta bread....and heated!!!!! Soooooo good!!!!....Accompanied by thick, baked potato chips and a very tart, salty and thick slice of dill pickle. The coffee was from Kenya....and was a dark roast with lots of robust and rich......very good!!! I allowed myself to then "sin" and purchased a slice of their "Tiger Cake".....really quite tasty, rich, but just a bit on the dry side, as if it had been in the refrigerated display cabinet tooo long.....however, it was good...and made a great pairing when put with the coffee!!!! For all of you southeast locals.......if you haven't eaten there.......get yourself there and enjoy!!!!
Then I went to visit Mike this afternoon and had a really enjoyable visit with him. He is doing well......and that I am glad to know, as well as see personally!!!!
Home again by 9pm.........and after checking and reading some emails.....here I am!! A small glass of Bailey's "Creme Caramel" is just the thing to end the day with........a great taste, creamy and yet with the bite of the liquor in the finish of each drink!! Give it a try!!!
And soooooo, another day has disappeared in the drizzles......and tomorrow???? Well,....will it rain on our Parade? The Azalea Fest Parade is tomorrow afternoon.....and who knows what it will do by then. I sure as Hell am glad that I do not have to make the decision as to march the band with their expensive uniforms and instruments......not knowing if it will rain or not during the two hours of being outside for the parade line-up and then the long, slow parade. It is/was always a decision where there was really no win-win solution......someone would always bitch if the 120+ kids would march and get wet.......or if we didn't march and they didn't get to see "their band march"......Ahhhhh, the wonders of retirement!!!!!!
As always, even with the Monsoon of Misery..........
LIFE IS REALLY, QUITE GREAT!!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
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