Family News

Now that a full week has gone by, I feel I am allowed to share the following news. (It has been on Facebook, after all, so that makes it official!)

Kelsey is engaged to be married! She and Zach will tie the knot next August.

Congratulations to them both!

Glad It's Friday

I had a busy week. I worked hard and had a couple extra appointments.

I'm tired! (It's a "good" tired, though.)

But I didn't realize how tired I was until I experienced a "first for me" moment at work today....

Have you ever stapled your shirt sleeve to a piece of paper? I can now say, "I have!"

Dad 277: Fall, Football, and Felines

(Yesterday was National Chocolate Day! How did I miss that?? Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Not the greatest fall day. Started with a rainy night but was just cloudy most of the day. Not too cold.

 

Josh's team is ready for the football playoffs after another 4-4 year. (Three years in a row.) Go, Josh! Zack will get a chance to stand on the sidelines as a freshman player.

 

We're all anticipating Thursday night football as we're hoping the Patriots continue to win. Go, Pats! Miami could be a tough game as they are now playing well.

 

Almost closed up for the winter. Must put the go-cart in the trailer and get Glen's and Lew's motorcycles in the third bay.

 

Spouse and I are surviving with the help of local family members. Monday morning we will be going to the eye doctor to see about Spouse's cataract removal. (We'll see my glaucoma doctor.) Keep your thoughts and prayers coming for Spouse. Thanks!

 

Reminder: Today is National Cat Day. We'll give a couple extra goodies to Marilyn and Jerry.

 

Tune in next week.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Weary Wednesday

Woke up.

Walked (sort of - did elliptical).

Went to 

Work.

"Wined and dined"

With friends.

Wiped out, but

Watching baseball!

Royals?

My prediction of a World Series between the Cubs and Royals did not come to fruition. (My prediction was made in the title of a prior post:  Click HERE to see it.)

But, hey, I was half right!

The New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals will start playing Game #1 in a few minutes.

My prediction of who will win the Series?  You shouldn't need to guess!

Play Ball!

Not One of "These" Days

It was one of "those" days.

I had a routine doctor appointment first thing this morning, then I went to work.

Once at work, I felt like I couldn't get out of my own way.

Everything I picked up had a little "issue" to be resolved.... Nothing was straightforward!

I e-mailed a colleague with one of my questions, and her day ended up going downhill after that.

I was expecting a work-related phone call that never came.

The project I really wanted to work on sat untouched. (Hopefully I'll get to it tomorrow.)

The best thing about today was that I was not alone.... Everyone else at work had one of "those" days, too!

So, not only is there strength in numbers, there is also comfort.  :)

Argh!

Eli's birthday is this coming Tuesday. He will be four years old!

We celebrated today with a "pirate" party.

Happy Birthday to you, Eli!

"Ahoy, Matey!"

Adam, the Apprentice Pirate.

Mommy will always be Eli's pirate princess!

Senior Night

Lew and I went to see our nephew Josh's football game tonight (the first half, anyway).

It was "Senior Night" so Debbie and Glen met Josh at midfield during a pre-game ceremony. Josh gave his mother a flower and there were hugs all around.

We are proud of #56!

Dad 276: Football, Plow, Therapy, and Jobs

(Update: It is now dark out. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Today started wet and cloudy but is now cool and sunny.

 

Josh's football team has one game left and must win for a break-even season. Then it is on to the playoffs. Good luck, Josh!

 

I got my plow inspected and they changed the fluids. All for free. We should be ready for winter.

 

Today was the last day for Spouse's physical therapist. We're now on our own to do the therapy necessary to still improve or gain back some of her previous abilities. She seems to be improving. Not as fast as we wish, though!

 

In the past few weeks we are happy to state that two daughters and one granddaughter have new jobs. Daughters Tracy and Deb are busy now. Granddaughter just got a job in Chicago with an orthodontist. Happy for all!

 

That about brings us up-to-date. Still a little left to do for winter. Done for today, sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

A Thursday Wednesday

As I was leaving for work this morning, I reminded Dad about writing his Derf post.

 

But - oops - today is Wednesday, and he now writes on Thursdays.

 

The thing is, I thought today was Thursday!

 

While at work, I heard at least three people comment that today felt like Thursday.

 

Someone else said the same thing at our housechurch group dinner tonight.

 

One of the kids said his teacher mistakenly thought today was Thursday.

 

Why were so many people confused by the day of the week today?

 

My "alternate universe" theory is probably way off (ha ha), but something was definitely up on this Thursday-ish Wednesday.

 

Note to self: Tomorrow is Thursday!

Another Near Cat-astrophe

This evening, in the comfort of our living room, Lew and I took on the task of trimming our cats' claws.... Both cats.... Front and back claws.

Marilyn was next door visiting my parents, so we tackled Jerry first.... Piece of cake.  Not that he liked it, but he's an easy-going kitty.  Plus he knows he's going to get extra treats afterward.

I went to get Marilyn, who weighs in at less than eight pounds. She was not happy with us... not happy at all.

I tried to keep her occupied by giving her goodies while Lew trimmed her claws. She managed to squirm away a few times. She tried to scratch and bite both Lew and me. (I think she succeeded.)

And did you know that cats can growl?

Anyway, we were able to complete Marilyn's pedicure without any blood being shed.

And just think.... we get to do it again in another month! Just the front claws, though.  :)

We love our kitties!

A Tale of Two Heaters

I brought a space heater to work today. My office mate has one, but it doesn't throw heat to my side of the room.

It was really cold outside this morning, so the building was cold as well. (I think it takes a while for our building to "wake up" after the weekend.) I was happy to have my heater.

A few minutes after I fired it up, it unexpectedly went off. As did my computer. As did my floor lamp. As did my office mate's computer and space heater.

Blown fuse!

What we learned: Do not run two space heaters on "high" at the same time in our office. ("Low" is fine, though, thank goodness.)

Smile!

A Near Cat-astrophe

Earlier this month I wrote about needing to get a new laptop soon.

 

Today I thought I might need to get a new one, well, today.

 

I turned on my laptop and left the room while it was starting up.

 

When I returned I saw Marilyn on top of the keyboard.

 

When I looked closer I saw that she was prying the keys off with her claws.

 

She had managed to remove the A, Z, Shift, and Caps Lock.

 

I yelled at her, picked her up, carried her downstairs, and reported what she had done to Lew.

 

Fortunately for my laptop - and for Marilyn - Lew was able to snap the keys back on.

 

We love our kitties!

At the Ballet

I went to the ballet tonight! One of the pieces they did was "Peter and the Wolf". My friend Ellen's daughter was the cat.

I end this post with a photo of me and said kitty.  Meow!

Dad 275: Head Banging

(There is a Wendy's chili in my refrigerator. I will eat it tomorrow – the chili, not the refrigerator. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! Enjoying a fairly good fall day. We really have had a good fall with warm weather. Today feels a bit fall-ish. Supposed to get cold this weekend. Perhaps even a coastal frost.

 

Just finished eating some Wendy's food I picked up after my haircut.

 

I did hear that Sunday River Ski Area will open this Monday. It seems that snow can be made at higher temperatures than in past years. This will be the earliest opening ever for the ski area.

 

Did get my plow on the truck Monday. So I am ready for my free plow inspection this Saturday. I plan on being there. (As I was picking up tools after putting the plow on, I fell forward and banged my head. I had a large bump on my head. It was gone in about a day.) The plow says it takes 2 to 3 minutes to mount. It takes me one hour!

 

Tonight I'll know the last of the baseball teams that will play in the National League Championship Series. I want the Cubs to beat the Blue Jays in the World Series.

 

That's it for today, sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Something

Busy day at work. Planned to head home at 5:00 so I would be ready to go to our housechurch group tonight.

I left closer to 5:20.... 5:21, to be exact. I sent Lew this text message:

"On my way.

Cutting it close!

Hope you have what we're bringing for food."

He did.

When we got home after our meeting, I told Dad I probably would skip posting today. Long day and tired. He said, "Nah.... You should post something."

I was tempted to post just the word "something" but I settled for using it as the title. I figured I should put in at least a little effort!

Good night, Dad!

Red Pants Tuesday!

Closing Day

Lew and I both had to work today, but I know that some folks had the day off for Columbus Day.

 

In addition to being a holiday, Columbus Day also marks the end of "the season". We don't exactly roll up the sidewalks, but we might as well do so.

 

Lots of places closed today. We now have to wait until April for "pie and fry" and for the best ice cream.

 

Anticipating the months ahead, Lew and I went to our favorite places yesterday.

Until next year....

 

 

Wedding Bells

Katelyn, the daughter of Batgirl Anne-Marie, got married today!

Lew and I rode to the wedding with Batgirl Ellen and her husband. We met up with Batgirl Krista there.

It was a lovely day of celebration and friendship.

Congratulations to Katelyn and Tyler!

Cubs? Royals?

Who goes shopping on a Friday night?

WE go shopping on a Friday night!

Lew and I went out for dinner and then stopped at the grocery store. We have a busy day tomorrow so we decided to get our shopping done tonight.

I am now trying to clean off my desk at home, but there is a really bad side effect of this project.... I am missing baseball!

I do enjoy watching playoff baseball. My beloved Red Sox are not in the playoffs this year (I won't mention the type of season they had.... ahem....), so I can actually watch the games without a pit in my stomach.

Play ball!

Dad 274: Zack's Feat

(I don't want to think about snow yet, but I guess we have to be ready for it. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another fair day in the Northeast. We have enjoyed quite a stretch of rain-free weather. Supposed rainy day tomorrow and then another stretch of sunny days.

 

Josh's varsity football team got beat last weekend by the defending state champions.

 

Zack, our 280-pound freshman, was up in the first line when the opponent tried an onside kick. They kicked it in Zack's direction. He made the catch and went to the ground. It was an exciting play. He finally touched the football! Congratulations, Zack! Zack's team is undefeated.

 

Just received word that free inspection for snowplows is on Saturday, October 17. So I must get my plow on to get my free inspection.

 

The furnace gets its annual upgrade on Monday. The outside water is off. The hoses are put away. The cellar has D-Con throughout. Must now close down my garage refrigerator. We are battening down the hatches for winter. (Hope this winter is not as bad as last February!)

 

Please keep up the prayers for Spouse!

 

Done for today, sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Nine To Go

I went through the whole month of September without dedicating a blog post to my 2015 Reading Challenge.

In case you think I gave up the challenge with the onset of my new job, I would like to assure you that I have not given up.

I have nine books left to read and 12 weeks in which to do so. I know I can average a book a week, so I think I'm going to make it.

And for 2016?  I have already declared it, "The Year of Reading Whatever I Feel Like Reading Whenever I Feel Like Reading It!"

A Fantasy Win

Before this past weekend, the fantasy football team co-captained by Lew and Matt had a losing record of 0-3.

They were the only team in their league without a win.

I am happy to report this is no longer the case.

I found out the good news this morning while I was in the shower. Lew came into the bathroom cheering, "We won!"

Shortly after that Matt texted Lew to make sure he knew of their victory.

Winning....  It's no longer just a fantasy.

Congratulations, Lew and Matt!

Laptop Timing Out

I have had my current laptop (my first one ever) for several years. It still runs Windows XP, which Microsoft stopped supporting on April 8, 2014.

I have been nursing it along since then. I've been running malware and virus scans every week. Plus I back up my data to an external drive (although not as often as I should).

I try to do as much "in the cloud" as I can on my iPad and iPhone so that I don't need to depend on my laptop for too many things.

There are three programs that I really need my laptop for:

• iTunes
• Quicken
• TurboTax

Everything was going fine until yesterday. Although I still have a working iTunes program on my laptop, it appears that I can't download the latest version. And I need the latest version in order to connect my laptop and my iPad. This is not the end of the world, but it is a sign of more trouble to come.

I think that Santa may have to bring me a new laptop this year. (I will decide which one, Santa!)

Yes, although it has served me well, my current laptop has timed out. It had a good run.

Pumpkin

Lew and I met up with our breakfast buddies this morning at our usual place.

I always get a hot chocolate with whipped cream, a glass of water, scrambled eggs, and a muffin.

I vary from week to week on what kind of muffin I want, so our waitress has to check with me on that. Otherwise, she knows exactly what I want. She is a waitress-extraordinaire.

This time of year she doesn't even have to ask me about the muffin because the pumpkin muffins are back! Yes, please, I want the pumpkin muffin whenever they are on the menu. They are DELICIOUS!

The muffin wasn't my only pumpkin experience today. Dad bought some Pumpkin Spice Oreos at the grocery store. Mom sent me a text message telling me to come try one. (Yes, we live in the same house.)

I liked the Pumpkin Spice Oreo. It was quite tasty. But I wouldn't choose it over a regular Oreo cookie. And I wouldn't choose a regular Oreo over the muffin.

The pumpkin muffin RULES!

Brief Commentary on "The Job"

I haven't written too much about my new job yet. I just finished my fourth week, so I think it's safe to now say that it's a "keeper."  I'm really enjoying the work and I like all my co-workers. I would go so far as to say that it's kind of fun.... Yes... I like bookkeeping! I like things to add up right, and I like proving that they add up right.

I have learned so much during the past four weeks, and I still have much to learn. But it's going well.

Hooray!

Dad 273: Rain, Rain, Went Away

(Got home late from work tonight, so many thanks to my father for a short post. Enjoy! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Enjoying a rain-free day here in the Northeast. Yesterday we received at least six inches of rain in a short period of time. The rain came down! Portland had many flooded areas almost covering up some vehicles. Our sump pump kept our cellar from flooding. It worked well, thank goodness. The water at the lower level of the cellar stayed at about one foot. Now we wait for the hurricane.

 

It is now October and almost time to button up for winter. I think I'll start within the next week, if the spirit moves.

 

Josh's and Zack's football teams won their games this past weekend. Josh's team plays the defending state champs this week. It will be a tough task. Go, Josh!

 

Spent one night with Spouse at the hospital over the weekend. She seems to be doing better. On the mend! Please keep her in your prayers.

 

I've reached my limit for today, sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!