How do People Do It?

I suffer a little (OK, a lot) from the disease that whatever crosses my mind often falls out of my mouth.   I often wonder what it would be like to be so introspective that I can shut up and listen more than I talk.  I guess it takes a lot of practice and I don't have that down yet.  Perhaps in the next 68 years, I can figure that out.

One thing we are going to do today is to replace our answering machine.  It seems to work when I call it from my cell but others say they left messages but there is no record.  Oh well, minor stuff.  Perhaps I can leave a better message on a new one.  I have lost the booklet that told me how to edit my message on the old machine.

I did have a fun time talking to the class members that I went to Minneha with.  Probably more so than the High School Group.  We did have a couple of them show up that didn't go to our High School as there were three choices. 

We were given a tour of East High and it was really kind of funny that the Principal took us all around the new stuff and most of that was is the Junior High building next door and a new addition between the two schools.  The old school looks a lot like it did when it was built.  It was way old when we went there and that was 50 years ago.  SHEESH!  there was some discussion on the different way they do things today.  There was also a discussion on the fact that they can't seat the entire student body in the new or the old auditorium.  The made the old auditorium smaller  and there has been a big decrease in the student body population.  They haven't solved the drop out rate since we were there either.  It is approaching 80%.  Can't figure out that one. 

From a sociological stand point, there was one statistic that stood out.  Back in our day, the choice was black white, native American or Spanish.  When they opened the category to mixed race the black population dropped about 7% and the new mixed category went to 7%.  Not sure what that means, but I did find it interesting. 

Security of the school was found to be very interesting.  Seems like there are only 3 security officers from the School District and one officer from the Police department.  He isn't assigned to the school only so he does patrol the local neighborhood.  During the day they have only one door open and that port of entry is manned.  The Principal said that back in the 70's they would confiscate four or five guns a year.  He said they have only had one in five years.  Wonder if it is poor screening or fewer guns.  Oh well, Not my Circus, Not my Monkeys.

Again I will shut off here.

MUD

The Day After

Many of the class of 65 met last night at a local Country Club.  I went to get in the class picture and little else.  The best of our reunion was the 53 year reunion of our Junior High Class and it was where I got to be with the kids that I spent 10 years in school with.  By High School we were a pretty diverse group and in a school of 5,000 and a class of 1200 was hard to stay in touch.

This dedicated to the Minneha Hawks.  May we always remain vigilant.

 One of the girls wondered why we didn't have more minority students at the reunion.  I told her that I was pretty sure that the next reunion would love to have her chair the minority invitation section.

Is there a real reason we go to reunions that hasn't soaked into my brain housing group?  Do we go to lord it over others, to see how good they look or to try to see how young we look?  A very small part of me wants to say "what if" and another part of me says "Whew, I dodged that bullet."  In no way do I want to say anything bad about where I got to.  We worked darned hard to get here and I am glad we did.

One of my friends that I grew up with lives in Kingman, KS.  I looked him up on his land line and call phone and got no answer.   Kingman is just a short drive west of Wichita so we just drove over to see.  Our first sign was that his name wasn't on the mailbox.  When we pulled up in the yard, it was clear that there were no tractors or old cars there anymore so I figured he didn't live there any more.  I drove over to the High School where he had been a teacher and sure enough, he was there.  I now have an address and a cell phone number.  It makes me think that in this day and age when we have all this instant communication, we need to keep someone posted how to get in touch with us.  When Mom and Dad were alive, they were my home of record but those days are long gone.

Today will be a turn around for us as we are nearing a trip out west.  We are taking our Daughter-in-Law with us so it will be an interesting trip.  I know the Barb's enjoy time together and I will probably be the odd man out.  But that is nothing new to me. 

In the Military, I think one of my strengths was in the area of planning.  I just wish my memory was as good now as it was then.  The weakness is not that I don't plan well, but I forget some of the things I had cross my mind.  I guess  I will need to start taking notes one of these days.  Perhaps like the Nursing Home where they had a sign that said, "Today is Monday, the 28th of September."  Probably will need to have a to do list posted below that.  Barb does spark my memory when she asks me what's on my agenda.

This weekend when I got to see a lot of my old friends, I had cause to wonder if my memories of back then are absent because they were not memorable or if they were forgotten to protect the guilty?   I know that I would have been on Ritalin back then and probably would have been a better student but it wouldn't have been as much fun. 

Better get moving. 

MUD

Reunion

I can't fully express the feelings I have at my 50th High School Reunion this weekend.  Am I supposed to look back and wonder "what if"  or thank god for where life has landed me.   I find it interesting to see where life has landed some of the kids I grew up with and sad to know that the ones that came to the reunion have a lot of the same feelings I do.  Where did the really poor kids land? 

Oh well, I am glad to know where  I am even if I don't seem to have a clue sometimes.  As I re read the previous paragraph, I realized that I talked about life on terms of landing as if it is more fate than the result of hard work.  On one hand I do accept that luck does play a lot onto what happens to us, but I don't want to minimize the hard work we put into it to get here.  One of the songs we sing has a line, "My memories take me to" and I want to continue to look at the future and not back.

If this seems a little disjointed, it is almost 2 Am and I am typing this in the dark so Barb can sleep. I think it is a lot more of a questions period without the clear ability to provide the answers.  The one thing I don't want it to be is an Oh Poor Me post.  I consider myself to be a darned lucky guy and when I die, I want people to laugh at a lot of the funny silly things we all did together.  If I can't make you laugh at us, I hope you can at least laugh at me.

What makes a good marriage?  One of the girls at our reunion talked about the alcohol fueled decisions that she made right out of school.  She said that she feared that the path she was on was flawed and she made some deliberate steps to change where life took her.  I guess guys always had the Military and girls had maternity.  Here I always thought War was hell but didn't think about the kid of hell others went through.  It is kind of staggering to see the divorce rate of the class of 65. 

Yesterday I met the most beautiful German Shepherd dog.  You could tell that she was getting old as she didn't even bark as strangers came to the door.  I wonder how many of us would love to be like that dog and lay on the cool floor and just watch people come and go.  The only time I felt kind of bad was when she had to get up  and I could tell she hurt like I do when I get in and out of the car.

Oh well, I am going to send this on like I really know the answers.  Oh hell, I am not sure I even know all the quesions after 68 years.

MUD

Once Upon a Time

I am going to start writing a book that I hope will be as much fun for my audience as it will be for me.  It will be Faction in that there will be some facts that will keep it in line but coated with a lot of fiction to keep me from having my butt taken to court too many times.  I don't think I will write it on this blog but I think the Blog Format might not be a bad way to go.   I guess the format of Forest Gump and in installments like the green mile.  The big difference will be the fact that I have no intention of writing for profit.

Where do you see yourself in a few years?  I always thought I would be right here at Rabbit Run and doing about the same things.  The only problem with that is I didn't factor in the age difference and less than stellar ability to get everything done.  If I could just get started, I can do most things, but I don't always get started.  There are a few things I need to contract out and expense. 

I am really kind of concerned that this fall trip might be the one that really points out my weaknesses.  I have high hopes that riding in the car doesn't pose problems like the episode right prior to Easter.  I am darned sure that I don't want to be in the hospital again for any reason.  We'll See.

How does the name Dog Patch, USA sound like for a title to my story?  I think I will close here and find a good home for a blog with that name.

MUD

Cool

This morning as I went out to fetch the paper, I really felt the cool starting and it makes me think about all the days between now and next summer that won't be warm.  I don't know why, but in the spring, the warmer weather is such a positive thing and in the fall I just begin to be a little sad.

In a couple of weeks, I will be attending my 50th High School Reunion.  I really have mixed feelings about attending.  The one real positive note is that my first friend in life has agreed to be there and that will make it all worthwhile.  My Friend, Harvey and I will have talks that just start where the last one's ended.  We have walked the same streets and miles for so long that we know almost what the other person is going to say.  Barb is probably thankful that I have someone else to share my stories with.

If modern technology is such a great thing, why doesn't someone create an App that helps me organize all the paper here around my computer.  To save them money, they put their instructions on line as paperless.  I have to print all that crap out and now I need to have help organizing.   I have one notebook full of all the passwords I need to sign in and out.  The other day I needed to change the bank I use for one little auto pay and I had to print out three pages of instructions and had to create another password.  I always feel so great when a new system tells me that the password I chose is "Strong."  Generally they are so strong that even I can remember what the hell I typed. 

The other day, I used Firefox and now Google has inserted some kind of instructions in the upload that completely blocks me using it.   I am pretty sure that it is some kind of a Google plot to block me from using Firefox but I could never be sure.  If they really were so protective of cookies, they would hunt down the girl scouts and leave me the hell alone.

I am a person that loves a good book if it has a great plot and a lot of Adventure.  I read Clancy (RIP), Patterson,  WEB Griffin, and a host of others.  For some reason, I have been buying the WEB Griffin books and have a pretty complete collection.  The latest book back in the Philadelphia COP series just didn't seem to be nearly as good as his books in the past.  Oh well, another case of my taste changing with time. 

How come the clerk of the court can get divorced three (or four) times and yet profess that she won't allow Gay Marriages?   What God brought together  let no man put asunder was a part of at least one of her vows yet she can dictate others cant even bring it together.  I am strictly a letter of the law kind of guy in a lot of areas.  I hate the idea of Abortion, but I adhere to the letter of the law.  I damn sure don't want zealots to make that kind of decision for other women. 

Have you noticed that I have kind of backed off from the criticism of the Catholic Church?   The pope has lifted the excommunication of women who have had an abortion.  At least now they can tell the truth and stay in the church.  Now if they will open the church to more women in higher rolls, things will get better.  Not that I really care from the outside.

Better get with the program.  Lots to do today.  Might even work in a bike ride.

MUD

Growing Up Poor

I have often wondered if a good start to the reason I hated being poor was that's the way I grew up.  In my neighborhood, we were probably near the top of the income bracket or as I called it the "Cream of the Crap."  I didn't hate the fact that we were poor as much as I hated not having the money to do what I wanted to do so I got off my butt early and worked.  It took me from 1965 to 1975 to complete my degree but I did it.


I mowed lawns, pumped gas and did odd jobs for a friend of my mother.   One job I was not paid for was feeding the cattle with Mr. Longhoffer but that was not a regular job.  Several times a month I would see him and he would invite me to throw hay out of the back of his truck as he sat in the cab and drank beer.  The real payment for that work was that once in a while I would get an invitation to have one of those wonderful German meals Carrie Longhoffer would make. 

I am so fortunate to have married my wife Barbara.  She helped me save some of the money we made and it is paying off in spades now.  There were a few things I wanted back in the day but there is little today I want.  With that said, there always was a problem knowing the difference between a want and a need. 

Yesterday we went down to the Capitol Building for a Book fair.  After walking through the fair, we went inside and toured the Capitol Building.  It sure looks nice in there.  I guess after all the money we spent redoing it, it should.  Some day in the not too distant future, I am going back to take the building tour and go clear to the top of the dome.  Barbara probably won't want to do that.

I am seeing a lot of Ben Carson's information show up on Facebook and in the Media.  I think it is a shame that he has to follow Obama.  There are a lot of people out there that will not vote for him because we don't think Obama is a great President.  Oh well, we all have things to solve.

Better go get the day started.  Did some beer can chicken yesterday.  It is plenty moist but somehow I haven't figured out how to impart a great taste in chicken cooked that way yet.  Will work on that.

MUD 

Repost from the past

11/10/2012

Different View of the Small Stuff

Over the past few years, there has been a change of attitude about the security of Government installations in other countries.  I won't go back to the times Teddy Roosevelt sent the Marines in strange places but I will go back to Iran where our Embassy was invaded and hostages taken.   If a country does not provide security for our installation there, why do we send people there?  Tell those countries that they will not have our presence in their country. (and our foreign aide) If they do not provide security and protection why do we spend one moment trying to provide them with a place in New York that is safe. Overrun one of my embassies, and I will throw you out of my country is not a too strong position for me.  Unless the UN and the USA start taking a hard line on this, things will continue to get worse.
I do not believe in complete isolationism but I do believe that places that do not perform their duty to other embassies should not benefit from our help.  Other countries should also join in when one is attacked. Now that we have been brought face to face with the inevitable downfall of our economy without a lot of hard work, why so we continue to send dollars to other places, especially those that don't  treat us as friends.

There are people in the world that hate me.  I do not spend one minute trying to curry favor with them or spend one $ trying to influence their opinion.  Why does the USA work so hard to do just that?

I think the old saying that says - "Work for peace but prepare for war."  Is that such a bad saying?   

For the next year, we will be forced to focus on the hard problems here at home.  Iran, Afghanistan, and any other country that causes us to lift our focus from here at home is just out of luck.   

MUD     

Geerow

Today I bought a book from an author at the Kansas Book Fair.  He tells the story of his trip from Africa and how he now lives in Kansas.  He said he is now employed at the University of Kansas, Kansas City and is the head of Foreign Students there.  On the way home, Barbara said sounds like the Geerow story need written again.

As I found out and most people don't know, most international students have to go to one of a few universities to get certified in English or to become proficient enough to graduate.  A lot of Asian students come to KU each year and because they are generally really good in math, a lot of them stay there to study.  With really high match sored and grades, it should not surprise anyone that a lot of them wind up teaching as graduate students and first or second year graduates.

In the school of business, if you want to be a Business School graduate you have to have a Bachelors of Arts or a Bachelors of Science.   If it is arts, you have to have a foreign language.  I flunked out od Spanish in High School so Bring on Biology and Geology.  That track also included Calculus and like every good student I enrolled in Calculus.

For some reason there were three or four Business students in that class and I thought we might be given a break.  Well it started when the first day our instructor came into the class room and wrote his name on the board.  Khack Ree and I could tell that it was a guy but the stuff he was teach was Greek.  Sometime in his first lesson, he drew an 0 on the board with a slash through it.  He declared that it was a Geerow and I seemed to be the only person that didn't understand what that was.  I spent most of the first two weeks looking through the Calculus book to find out what a Geerow was.  Nothing.  Finally of the second Friday we had a review session and I asked what the hell a Geerow was.  Duh Dennis said one of my Business school partners he is saying zero and the slash is to make sure no one confuses it with the letter O.  Shit Oh Dear, was I ever behind the power curve by that time.

With the help of some extra help from my Business School buddy, I managed to pass that class with a D.  It was a passing grade and one of the ones that I was the most proud of. 

Geerow's all Folks.

MUD

Idea for all of the Ages

Once upon a time many years ago, I was a driver for the Jazz festival held in Topeka.  I got to meet and greet most of the performers for the 3 day festival as we rode back and forth between the Airport in Kansas City and Topeka.  There was and still isn't regular flights into Topeka.  I think we are the only Capitol City without a regular airline flight.

On one of the trips, there was a lady from New York extolling the virtues of her Senator, Hillary Clinton.  She had a long list of friends that Hillary and her staff had done things for.  I calmly asked her if she or anyone else in the van could tell us one things Hillary had done for America as she is a Senator first and from New York second.  To a person, no one in the van could tell us what Hillary had done for the United States.  That was where my idea started.  (This is not designed to bash Hillary, but to point out that most of the senators are like that)

Today someone pointed out how much better off we would be if the President once elected no longer had any political affiliation.   I love that idea and thing it should apply across the entire body politic.  Why does any senator go to Washington expecting to serve his state or political party?  They belong to all of us and they should do what is good for all not just any State or party.

I am not sure where we can take this wonderful idea and make it so, but nothing else is working so why not give it a chance.    Would we be better off if the President and the Vive president were the top two people in the vote count?  OK, I will let that one rest for now.

MUD

Will It Ever Happen?

Once upon a time, many years ago, I read about the effects of Alzheimer's and an effect called the Sunset Effect.  Many of the sufferers start the day out strong and by the end of the day lost the ability to function properly.  The other day, Barb asked me to read a transcript of a hearing I attended in Oklahoma and I asked her to wait until the next morning so I could be a lot more clear.  I have always been a morning person but now I wonder if the failing ability in the evening hours could be the precursor of impending doom.  There is a history in my family of minor strokes and early onset dementia.  My Father's mother and my father both slipped into a life a lot more simple as they grew older.

The thing that really started me thinking about this was the blood clots I threw around Easter and the fact that I had been ill right prior to that.  When I throw in that my mother was on Warfarin to thin out her blood for years, I fear that I might be headed in a direction I don't want to go.  

This morning as I walked out to fetch the paper, I saw a rather nice sized log that had fallen off a tree in the storm last night.  It was slightly larger than a baseball bat and probably about the same weight.  I picked it up and attempted to throw it into the brush pile just beyond where I mow the yard.  I failed to clear the mowed part with it.  I thought to myself that I could have on the past thrown it clear over the wood pile, not come up short. 

Well crap, Oh Dear, I am sure you did not expect me to show up this morning with self doubts and write this missive.  But, I assure you that it is still early in the day and typical of when I write on my blog.

I will stop here and go finish my book so this time I can return ti to the library before it is over due.

MUD 

Rain Again?

This morning I went out to get the paper and the sidewalk was still wet from an overnight rain.  Sure glad I went with my instincts instead of the forecast.  I did put everything away yesterday just in case.  I did have to dump about three inches of rain out of the little red radio flyer from the last rain.   I sure hope the trash men can handle the cans that were out overnight.

By this afternoon, I plan on going up to Dave's and doing some mowing.  Seems like I never get finished and it needs done again.   When I finish there, I probably will need to go to the rental house again also. 

Barbara and I changed out bank as the old one moved and their drive through didn't work all the time.  When we went to close that account, we realized there are a couple of auto pays that I need to take care of.  When the VA gave me a 10% disability, they didn't give me more money, they just made a small payment that came out of my Military retirement that is not taxable.  I had forgotten that as I moved things from one bank to another.  One of these days I will tell you about trying to get that changes through the VSA system but not today.  I also have one prescription that is paid out of the old bank but only once every 90 days.  I will try to get Tricare to change that sometime today.  The sad part is that I will probably also stop taking that medicine some time this year. 

In the past, when we traveled I had a 17inch screen portable that I took along to stay in touch.  I bought a 13 inch HP tablet for my birthday and am slowly learning how to enter the touch screen Windows 10 era.  I am fond of the convenience but hate having fingerprints all over my screen.  The new tablet is so small and light that it will be nice to lighten the load.

Our Local PBS station had been running the Ken Burns special the Civil War that was first shown about 20 years ago.  Every time Barb comes downstairs and see it on, she says,  "Just so you know, the North Won that war."  Spoilsport.  For me, it is a trip down memory lane and I love to see how the battles unfolded.  If England or France had pitched in the South  might have won that war.  As it was, the North did their best to lose the war for a couple of years.  Oh well, that was 150 years ago.

Well, I guess I had better get ready to go tackle things in the real world.  Have a good time out there.
My snarky comment today was to a person that asked me to repost something on Facebook.  "Reposting things on Facebook is like wetting your pants in a dark suit.  It gives you a warm, feeling and no one notices."  Unless it gets posted of YouTube

MUD

Rain Again

Last night there was a loud thunderstorm that crossed over the heartland.  I don't mind the rain so much but it does play Havoc with DirecTV.  Normally I really don't care but PBS was showing a rerun of the ken Burns series the "Civil War."   I cannot explain how much I enjoyed that series when it ran years ago.  I sat on the floor with my Civil War Battle maps and traced the battles as they were discussed.  I think I also have the Sound Track to that series somewhere.  

Yesterday we took the kids out to lunch at Applebys.   It just blows me away that a lunch for five can be $100 when you throw in a tip.  I always tip well and try to even make it a little better.   I guess the waitress didn't hear me when I told her to keep the change.  She brought me what would be the tip and she sure smiled when I told her that I wanted her to have it.  She worked hard and did well.

Somewhere in among all the work Dave did with my computer, my mouse got misplaced.  He brought me one that had no batteries in it.  Even with new batteries, that one was dead and the new one no where to be found.   Oh well... 

I finally have the new printer working but I had to hook it up hard wire.   It is supposed to be wireless but I haven't figured that out yet.   

Does anyone know why there are few if any Butter finger Bites out there in the stores?   I found them a couple of weeks back and really like them.  Now I have looked at several stores and the shelves are bare.  They have the Butter finger peanut bitter cup bites but the regular ones just are missing.  

Barb and I are working hard on using cash as much as possible.  We were hacked and don't really want out Credit Card or Debit Card data out there for the hackers to use.   This does cause the Credit card company to cal us when we really do use the card but that's their job.  We will call them right prior to our trips and let them know to expect there to be some use on the cards.   

I am getting terrible at remembering passwords for the different programs I use on my computer.  Just last night I had to log into Facebook on the new little computer and  for the life of me could not remember it.  Oh well, resetting passwords is something I should do more often.

Better log off here and go see if I can get another mouse at Walmart.   I don't shop Best Buy anymore.


MUD

Update from Yesterday

Well Crap oh dear, I forgot to get more corn tortillas for the enchiladas.  Went to Wal Mart and bought some of those dish towels and still forgot the tortillas.  Oh well, trip three sometime today and we'll be OK.   I am sure we are going to get out as the kids have agreed to have lunch with us.  There was no shortage of things to cook in the icebox so no one went hungry.

Yesterday afternoon I took the opportunity to finish a new Patterson book.  Typical, bad guys play havoc and then the good guys win.  Throw in a little romance without the sexy parts and it will be another money maker for the Patterson book writing empire. Is he dead yet?  Nah, I think that was Clancy.

When I finish here, I am going to dive into the printer hook up project.  I can't seem to make it all work using the wireless system.  Perhaps I am not holding my mouth right.  I will go for the wired hook up to make it talk and then attack the wireless system.  Will keep me off the streets.

The weather here is very unsettled right now.  The clouds are almost not moving and there is thunder being passed from cloud to cloud.  A light rain is again falling and Barb says we can always use it.  I think that in spite of the rain this year, our garden didn't produce nearly as much as drier years.  I can remember having the counter buried with tomatoes and not so much this year.  We do have some Okra the size of small rockets but our cukes and tomatoes just aren't as good or big.  We have actually gone to the farmer's market and bought tomatoes.

I wrote to my brother-in-law to see what he thought about trying to build a chainless drive shaft system for the recumbent.  I was kind of amazed when he didn't think it was worth the time to pursue it.  He said that chains are 98% efficient and he didn't see the chain slap and grease as a problem.  Perhaps he like me is just getting too old to want to change.  It is more that I don't have the ability to make the change than it is the desire to change.

With the cloud cover, it is still pretty dark outside for 8:30 in the morning.  I guess there will be a lot of people coming home early from the last days of summer at the lake. 

OH well, write if you get work.

MUD

Down Day

This morning Barb said that it is kind of strange that we have a day with nothing on our agenda.  She promptly got up and went out to collect milkweed leaves to feed all the monarch caterpillars she is raising.  My initial thoughts were that it was a good day to turn the chicken we grilled yesterday into enchiladas.  So, busy minds turn in a nothing day into a busy one.

We went to Lawrence to have dinner with my sister and my brother that drove up from Tulsa.  We then went up the street to see my other sister and visit with her some.  Great food and even better conversation.  Stopped off at Wal Mart on the way home and sure enough, further on down the road remembered something we were going to get.  I noticed that were were out of dishtowels and Barb admitted that she  retired some of the more holey ones from service.  Oh well, need to go shopping a little for the things I need for enchiladas.  

I am really concerned about the upcoming trip out west.  I am not sure how my body is going to do with a couple of days behind the wheel.  I guess I will need to have a lot more exercise stops planned in.  I will take my swim suit and visit the pools every evening.  If our Daughter-in-law comes, we will both need the breaks.  

When we bought our new computer, the deal included a new cannon printer.  So far I can't seem to make it work with either of our computers.  It is supposed to be a wireless printer but it doesn't even act like it wants to talk to the modem.  Oh well, I have time to look into it today.

Better get rolling and see what else Barb needs while I  am out.

MUD

Communications

I thought that we were in the era of instant communications.  This morning my sister called me and told me that my other sister had been in the hospital all week.  I sat here fat, dumb and happy all week thinking everyone and everything was fine.  If is was a "Gad About" I would understand not hearing about things, but we have lived in the same place for 25 years and still have the same telephone number we have always had.  I put an answering machine on that line so people could leave a message.  I have a computer and a cell phone to stay in touch.  Because of a health scare last Easter, I have not really been on the road much.  

I am working with my brother-in-law to see if there is a way to put a drive shaft on my recumbent rather than the chain.  I love the gears on my bike but the chain slaps when I go too fast and it wants to skip around on the chain sprockets.   I saw the direct drive shaft idea on the bikes that the County has placed around for people to rent here in Topeka.  They claim that the Shimano set up is good for at least 8,000 miles.   The problem is that the direct drive shaft is only about 18 inches long and mine will need to be at least 4 feet long.  I am sure that it will take some machining to make the shaft and the shaft cover longer.

My Recumbent bike

I have given in and will attend the 50th High School Reunion this month.  In a way I am looking forward to seeing the "old" friends.  (heavy emphasis on OLD)   The thing I am really looking forward to is the get together of the kids I went to school at Minneha from Kindergarten through the ninth grade. I hope that some of the kids that went to Wichita Heights for High School will be there.  

The other day, while I was talking to my first friend in life, Harvey, I recounted the pretty high number of friends that are no longer alive.    Dennis L.  Wayne, John and Whitney are all gone.  That leaves only three of us in the regular group, Ron, Harvey and myself from the baby boomers on the east side of Wichita.  God only knows how long that group will survive.  When you consider some of the stupid things we have done in our lives, it is a miracle that MUD, Bone head and Harv are still with us.  

Oh well, enough head shaking just to hear myself rattle.  On to bigger and better things.  I have a couple of chickens to grill.

MUD

Oh My God

I was just looking at a story on the web and there was a small screen that said the "Worst of Wal*Mart"   I started to look at the pictures and realized that I could be in there.  Getting old(er) means that when the bladder warning light (BWL) goes off, I need to be near a bathroom.  The BWL is that little sound that goes PEE! PEE! PEE! when you hear water running.  I hope that my not wearing white pants too often protects me from the brown stains showing up when I trust a fart.  My favorite food is not beans anymore.  

I guess that I don't understand how a court clerk that goes to jail for not doing her job as in the "Rule of Law" draws any sympathy.  I fully expect Government to protect her right to her religion as I expect the Government to protect my rights where her nose ends.  She is in Jail for Contempt of court not for breaking God's Law.  She is welcome to go to her church and pray on her time and to do her duty as a clerk on my time.  She isn't the Government, we are.  Take our  money to do our job and you had better damn well do what you are paid to do.  I can't figure out how someone there didn't have it in their job description to just fire her and put her out of our misery.   

Yesterday I got a phone call from my first friend in life.  He wanted to know if I was going to the 50 the HS reunion this month.  After we cleared up the date somewhat, I filled out the application and sent it in.  I hope he can get up to Wichita and spend some good time with Barb and I talking about old times.  I hope that I can help him understand that having a free schedule every day is not a bad thing.  The first step is to realize that there is really more things to do than  you can ever imagine once you look at it.  I agree that as non golfers we do need to find a better place to take a walk.  The good thing is that every time we go to the mall , we don't have to spend money.  I can't say the same thing about Sam's Club.   I like to ride my recumbent bike at the lake.  I do have a 57 Chevy that could do some work also.   At least a couple of days a week I need to mow and viola, the week is full.  Throw in singing on Monday nights and it is very full and fun.

This is the time of the year when a lot of parents are saying farewell to their children as they go off to school.  As a Dad, I was proud as my son got nearer to the door and stepped out into the world.  To me, a pat on the back was good enough.  For the better half, she saw the nest being empty and did her best to rush out and save him whenever she thought he needed saved.  I described it as she would helicopter in with a bag of groceries from time to time.  It wasn't the money, it was the effort and time she took looking out for him.  Oh well, all's well now and time moves on.

Today I need to find a printer table that will hold two printers and the I need to get them working.  One works with my printer now but the other one is just a lump of plastic that isn't.  There is always the fall back position of having Dave come over and helicopter in to save me.    

MUD

 

WHY?

Over and over the Media is asking the same question.  Why are people shooting the police?   I contend that in many cases, there is no real why in the mind of an irrational person.  The old saying is "Actions speak louder than Words" is an answer in its self.   I will just make you crazy to try to figure out what causes crazy people to commit what we cal senseless crimes.  

One thing that I feel will help us as a society is to try to figure out how we can develop in young children a sense of value in the "self."  If a person does not feel that they have any value, why would you think they value the life of others?   I see that people are putting up signs that say Black Lives Matter, White Lives matter and lives matter.  On the surface, this is just one big DUH to me.  I don't see how a person that gets up out of bed can feel any other way.  My motto is every day above ground is a good day.  I will admit that I am a lot nearer to the end of my life than the start.  I will also admit that I have it pretty darned good right now.

This morning we went over to the west side of town to have breakfast with our daughter-in-law and her parents.   There is a Perkins that manages to serve platters of food that contains enough calories to get me through at least the other half of my day.  There is a "Skillet" that has deep fried potatoes, bacon ham and eggs covered with two more eggs, cheese and a dollop of gravy.  I quit eating with some left on the plate.  I am sure that I would have to come home and take a nap if I ate it all.  Wait, a nap doesn't sound that bad under about any circumstance.  

My good friend Harvey called me today to see if I was going to the 50th High School reunion this weekend.  I told him wait out as I needed to check the schedule.   It is really  the last weekend in September not the first weekend.  I told him that if He would go I would.  I need to get him notified of the right weekend.  Don't you hate it when you get old and the days drift together?  

Just this morning, we talked about what day of the week it is for retired people.  Every day is Saturday to us.  In fact, I try to do most of my weekly activities on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday so I don't get over run by people that aren't retired.  With Labor day coming up this weekend, most of the stores will be closed on Monday so it is really important to get things done early.

Oh well, did I say nap?

MUD

Looking Back or Forward

For some reason, I have an incredible ability to remember things from the past or the ability to replicate things I think I remember.  I will tell you that while I can remember crying some at things that upset me, I really don't dwell on them.   I remember a lot of laughter with a fairly large family. I think that I like to look forward but am an optimist about the past.  

Today there was an editorial from a woman that has given up the modern electronic approach that had captured a lot of people.  I am a conservative in a lot of areas but I try to stay attached to the electronic part of my life.  I haven't given in to the need to stay attached to my cell phone 24/7.  I carry it for my use and am quite annoyed when I get a call from someone I don't know (or want to know)  I seldom use it to google things.  I will admit that it might save us some time but when you reach our age, who cares about one or two hours spent doing something with someone you love.  

I made the mistake of bad mouthing the catholic church with a friend who is a very outspoken catholic.  After about 20 minutes of him trying to convince me that I was wrong, we finally agreed to part ways and claim no harm, no foul.  I cannot find it in my heart to let the idea of a few old men to control things they need to.  I think I have said that while I find abortion a horrible form of birth control, I can't figure why the church need to be involved.  Likewise, why are there no women priests?  Surely they couldn't do a worse job that the reported pedophiles.  Did I mention that I find celibacy a stupid idea?  

OK, I know I have offended a lot of you out there, and there are a bunch of you that I love very much and do not think your religion really upsets me.  If it makes you happy, who am I to really complain?  

Today is mowing day here at Rabbit Run. I am just waiting for the grass to lose some of the dew so it will be easier to discharge the grass and not leave large clumps of grass all over the yard.   I am still having problems with the weak blades on my Cub Cadet mower.  If I thought I could unload this mower I sure would.  I need something that holds up to a little heavier terrain.  The last time I mowed, I noticed that there was a line being drawn by the mower deck after mowing a section.  The blade wasn't bent bad but it was tipped down on one side of the blade.  It was either that or the height adjustment had slipped again.  Nope, the blade was bent a little.  

Oh well, gotta run.  Have a great day out there.

MUD