So Long, 2021

Yes.... So long, 2021!  As in 1) good bye, and 2) commentary on how slowly you creeped by.

I went up to visit Mom earlier this afternoon. When I left, I told her I would see her next year. She is aware that "next year" means tomorrow. 

The rest of today will be taken up with watching college football and deciding if I want to make some goals for 2022. The "deciding" part may take a while, so I may just wing it.

Lew is going to make cheese nachos later, which I am looking forward to. Yummy!

Below is a photo of the jigsaw puzzle I completed last night. I still have 10 jigsaw puzzles in the pipeline, so I'll be starting another one soon.

So long, 2021!

"Purrfect Harmony"  (puzzle by Vermont Christmas Company)

Dad 600: Literary History!

(Dad writes his weekly post today. He has been very conscientious in writing as scheduled... much more than I have been! Enjoy his post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another fine winter day in the Northeast. Temperature is mid 30s and snow is slowly melting. It is creeping up onto January 2022. Then only two months left until March. Please, Winter – go away! Quickly!

 

Well, today is a historic day in my vast literary career. I have been informed by my literary boss that this is my 600th blog post. I guess I got started around 12 years ago. I don't quite remember how this started, but I surely have had bad posts as well as possibly a few worth reading. Hope to have a few more left.

 

I am now preparing to go to the nursing home to see Lou for the remainder of the afternoon. Must fill the birdfeeders outside her window prior to my visiting her inside, so I must leave a little early to allow Tracy to get home at the normal time. Lou and I will spend a few hours talking and putting together puzzles.

 

Then my evenings at home are spent using the television. If one of Zachariah's basketball games is streamed, we (Lew, Tracy, and I) watch that. Very enjoyable. Think he has a tournament now. Good luck, Zach!

 

Tune in next week for number 601!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Four Days

As I think about the past four days (Christmas through today), some of the things that come to mind are....

• The fabulous time spent with family on Christmas Day.
• The fantastic food that was eaten.... a feeding frenzy!
• Football, football, and more football.
• Fun times playing games and doing puzzles with Mom.
• Thankfulness to God, our faithful Father, who forgives us and fills us with hope.... Hey, unto us a child is born!

So very blessed.  😊

Merry Christmas!

I am posting this on Christmas Eve since tomorrow we will be quite busy celebrating with family. It's already Christmas Day in some parts of the world, so "Merry Christmas!" is okay to say now anyway.  😊

HEY!  Unto us a child is born!  💗

Dad 599: Ice and Rain

(What lovely weather we are having. Dad writes today! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! We are having an ice/rain storm today. Lew even missed his regular Wednesday morning breakfast out because of the icy conditions. He decided not to go since he didn't want to fall and slide down the driveway! The roads during this rain seem pretty dry because of traffic, but sidewalks and driveways are exceptionally dangerous to traverse. Many businesses and schools are closed.

 

Not sure if we will make it up to see Lou today. Lew is going to try to beat the terrain. We'll know in a few minutes. He did make it up the icy driveway with no problems.

 

{Interlude}

 

We (Tracy and I) indeed will be going up to visit Lou today. Lew has been appointed the driver of the day. He will take Tracy up and then bring me up in an hour and bring Tracy home. Then he will pick me up around 5:00 to 5:30 today to get back home. Hope all works out.

 

{Interlude}

Lew is back from bringing Tracy to see Lou. I will be next.

Talk to you next week... not just about weather!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

NFL Fo(u)r Days

It's the time of year for NFL football on Saturday. The Patriots played on Saturday and they stunk.

Then more NFL games on Sunday per the usual.

Then Monday night football.

Now Tuesday night football....? I guess we have COVID to thank for that. Hopefully the rest of the season will be played as scheduled.

COVID, COVID, go away.

Come again never!

Two Christmas Pageants

My niece Kelsey directed the children's Christmas pageant/program at her church this year. Her son, Bode, played a donkey. He was cute and squirmy! The program was last Sunday.  Mom and I watched the video of it online that afternoon, and we thought we had identified Bode... but we were wrong. So we watched it again today, eyes glued on the correct donkey this time! Great job, Kelsey! Great job, Bode!

I decided to read "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" to Mom. The book is by Barbara Robinson. We finished reading it yesterday, so today we watched the 1983 made-for-TV special. (I found it on YouTube. It's less than 50 minutes long.) Mom and I enjoyed both the book and the TV special.  If you have a chance to read/watch it, then I encourage you to do so.  Experiencing the Christmas story through the eyes of the Herdman family is a delight.  "Hey! Unto you a child is born!"

Our first heavy snowfall of the year is happening right now.  ❄❅❆

Dad 598: Pah'k the Cah'...

(... in the garage. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another sunny, cool day here in the Northeast. Must admit that the temperature is above freezing today. The last few days had been below freezing temperatures. Maybe a snowstorm tonight. However, there is not supposed to be anything but rain along the southern coast. Slightly inland and the rest of the state will get snow. I'll finally put my car in the garage tonight. It is a shorter walk from the house to the car in the driveway than it is to go to the garage. More steps must be taken!

 

I just wrote a lot about our leaders. Didn't like the writing, so I crossed it out. Must do a better job. So this is it for the day. Tune in next week. I'll try to do a better job of showing how our great country is in serious trouble. Down with the leaders!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Music with Mom

Mom and I went to a music event at the Center today during my visit. The gal that performed played the guitar, sang, and even whistled! She was able to whistle in the "normal" fashion, but she also whistled in a way that sounded like a trumpet. A very impressive musician!

Except for the first number, all of the songs were Christmas songs. Mom and I sang along when we knew the words. When each song ended, Mom and I combined to make one clapping entity; she took her only hand (the right one) and clapped it against one of my hands.

It was a lovely afternoon of music.

🎄🎸🎄

A Puzzling Suggestion

I ordered seven puzzles for Mom from the Cobble Hill Puzzle Company.  All seven are cardboard "tray puzzles" which are really great for Mom.

Cobble Hill's tray puzzles are very clever. The puzzle picture is printed in black & white on the tray itself, so the puzzle pieces can be matched up to the picture. These puzzles have 35 pieces — usually too many pieces for Mom. But because of the picture, Mom is able to handle these puzzles. She really enjoys doing them.

I learned of Cobble Hill when I got one of their tray puzzles for free through my town's "Buy Nothing" Facebook group. Mom always picks this puzzle first when I give her a choice of what to do. As Dad mentioned a few days ago, we need some new puzzles for Mom... so I went to Cobble Hill's website and submitted my order. (I had actually done this before Dad mentioned it!)

The puzzles arrived and they are wonderful. So as not to overwhelm Mom with too many new ones at once, I brought her the first new puzzle today. After I reminded her of how the puzzle worked ("match the puzzle piece to the picture underneath"), I pretty much left her to do it on her own. I helped out a couple times, but she did a great job overall. I'm looking forward to bringing the next new puzzle to her in a couple days.

I am thankful to have learned about the Cobble Hill Puzzle Company. They do have other kinds of jigsaw puzzles — not just tray — so I encourage you to check them out if you enjoy puzzling!

🧩🧩🧩🧩🧩🧩🧩

9:02

On Friday (two days ago) our mail was delivered at 9:02.

You may be thinking, "Wow! That's great! So early!"

Ummm... that's 9:02 P.M.

We were slightly annoyed.

But then we woke up to the news of the tornados in the Midwest. Total devastation. So many lives lost.

The time of our mail delivery? Not really a big deal. Not at all.

Praying for America.  

🙏

Dad 597: Snow Travel Plan

(Santa already knows what Mom needs for Christmas. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! A few snow flurries and a temperature in the mid 20s. A picture of what is coming weatherwise. Another winter! What a thought!

 

I'm sitting here getting ready to spend the rest of the afternoon with Mary Lou. Today Lew drove Tracy up for her visit with Mary Lou. Soon he will take me up and bring Tracy home. Then I believe Tracy will come pick me up later in the day. Hopefully this travel pattern will not be necessary many times this year. Don't snow too much!

 

Lou (Mary Lou) and I take a walk around the Center most days. She is in her chair and we go throughout the building. I've called her Lou for 60+ years and from this point on I'll call her Lou.

 

After our walks we do several puzzles. I'm looking forward to Christmas. Perhaps Lou will receive more puzzles to work on, since she has pretty much figured out the current ones. Must challenge her with new ones.

 

Must stop writing now and get ready for my visit.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

"Team BOY!" Celebration

I went to a baby shower this afternoon.  My friend Brittany is having a baby boy in February, so it was fun to celebrate with her today.

We did play some games.  One was to guess how big around her belly currently is.  (Answer: 44 inches!)  We did a "fill in the blank" nursery rhyme page, which we all took turns singing the answers to.

Another puzzle sheet had us try to identify what the Emojis indicated (all were clues for pregnancy/birth/baby related terms).  It was a hard task, especially for those of us with poor eyesight.  I had to take my glasses off and squint up close to see what some of the Emojis were.  Still, it was fun!  I end this blog post with a few for you to figure out:

👶🚿

🌄🚽

👶👶👶

🚗🏥

Answers are below.

Try not to peek!

Don't keep reading if you don't want to know yet.

Do you give up?

Okay, read the following if you must... and if you can read the extra fine print!  😁

baby shower; morning sickness; triplets; driving to the hospital

A Cool Date

You may have seen that today's date of 12/02/2021 is both a palindrome and an ambigram.

Ignoring the slashes, 12022021 reads the same from both the left and the right.  That's the palindrome part.

The ambigram part makes the most sense when seeing the numbers like they are displayed on an adding machine.  If you look at the numbers upside-down, it reads the same.  Try it!

I love stuff like this. Geeky!  😁

Dad 596: Our Nation

(Dad writes today. The national news is hard to watch lately. ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! At last we are in the final month of 2021. Not in the greatest shape unless one listens to our leader. I have just seen our leader speak for a few minutes about how great everything is going for our country. If we could only get rid of all non-Democrats and leave all to them (the Dems) then we would be living the best ever in the USA.

 

Tom Cotton's rebuttal to Biden's speech on TV was well-received by me.

 

Sadly in the news yesterday was another shooting in a Michigan high school. Four killed (ages 17, 17, 16, and 14) and eight wounded. The football captain was killed as he attempted to remove the weapon from the sophomore shooter.

 

I'm getting ready to go up to see Mary Lou and replace Tracy as visitor. We get Mary Lou out for an inside wheelchair ride around the facility. And we do many puzzles during our visit. Some of them challenge us, but we get them done. I'm also done....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Christmas Lights!

Lew did some decorating today.  Look out, Clark Griswold!  😁

Thanksgiving Weekend Tradition

Usually I have some sort of cold/illness over Thanksgiving weekend.

I was doing pretty well this year, except today I feel like I am fighting off the onset of a cold. (I believe I'm winning the battle.)

At least the tradition lives on....

😏😉

Mom's Thanksgiving Leaf

Mom colored a paper leaf earlier this week.  The recreation director wrote Mom's answer on the leaf (see photo below).  The paper leaves went on a Thanksgiving tree.

I love Mom's answer.  "Everybody" would have included Dad, but I love that she mentioned him separately.  She knows he is HER special man!

💕

Dad 595: A Thanksgiving Greeting

(Dad writes today. I always tell him I don't mind very short posts! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another beautiful sunny day in November here in the Northeast. Temperature is in the 40° range. Quite cool outside! At least NO SNOW!

 

Very short post today.

 

Happy Birthday to daughter Debbie!

 

I now repeat a Thanksgiving day statement by Mrs. Gurney, a teacher on the "Mr. Peepers" show 50 or so years ago. She stutters and stammers:

 

"Happy, happy, happy – HAPPY TURKEY DAY!"

 

Thank you, Mrs Gurney.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

C is for Cords

I wanted to post something today, but nothing was jumping out at me. Then I remembered my Alphabet "Soup-er" Idea that I started over two years ago. At the rate I am going I will get to letter Z in the calendar year 2044. 😁

C is for Cords

If I had typed "Chords" instead of "Cords" then I could write about music. (I do love good vocal harmonies!) But "Cords" it is.

Cords have taken control of many a household due to the plethora of appliances, devices, and the like. My bedside alone is an overwhelming example of this....

I have five charging cords by my bedside. They are for my iPhone, old iPad, Amazon Tap, Kindle Voyage, and Amazon Fire tablet. 

My clock/radio and my white noise machine (which I can't sleep without) are also by my bedside. Both have electrical cords.

Our sleep number bed pump, heated mattress pad, and bedside lamps are also plugged in by my side of the bed.

These cords are somewhat neatly arranged. It took me years to come up with a good way to organize them, ha ha!

A Good, Good, Good Win

The University of Maine Black Bears football team beat the University of New Hampshire (UNH) today by a score of 33-20. It was the final game of the season.

Three good things about the win:

1. The Black Bears finished the season with a winning record of 6-5. (Much nicer than 5-6.)
2. The last time Maine won at the UNH campus in Durham was 20 years ago. (Glad to have that losing streak over with!)
3. Maine and UNH play each other once a year, and it is a special rivalry. The winner of the annual contest takes possession of the Brice-Cowell Musket. (The musket is coming home to Maine!)

Congratulations to Zack and his teammates on a great win today!

Mom's BINGO Hat Trick

Mom plays BINGO just about every week at the nursing home. The winner of each game gets to pick a prize, which is often a piece of candy.

I took Mom down to BINGO today and sat with her for the first two games she played. The first game she and another lady got BINGO at the same time, so there were two winners. I took a photo of Mom with the prize she selected:

She also won the second game!

Dad arrived during the third game, so I left for home. I found out from Dad that she won that game, too! After that she'd had enough so they went back to her room.... 

I guess it was time to let someone else have a chance!  😉😏

Dad 594: A Toothy Decision

(Dad writes today! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! The outside temperatures are cooling down and it gives us an idea what is coming soon. I don't like what I know to be true. However, I have no control of what lies ahead. I wish I could control the weather. It is above my pay grade!

 

I just returned from my six-month appointment at my dentist for cleaning. I have another cleaning scheduled for next May. I also have an appointment in January for redoing a crown on a tooth. I am thinking of just getting the tooth pulled. We'll see what happens.

 

I am writing this post prior to going up to see Mary Lou. Tracy is visiting her now, and I'll be up there in an hour or so and stay for her dinner. I try to get her to eat more than she wants to. (I don't have great results.) Mary Lou is doing well with her puzzles and we watch a little television every afternoon. I enjoy my daily visits and she is becoming more social again.

 

Tune in for more updates next week.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

A "Sun" Bathing Kitty

I haven't shared a cat photo for a while, so here's a photo from this morning.

Jerry is relaxing in his "sun."

Life is good.  😻

Football Update

After a disappointing loss last weekend, the UMaine Black Bears had a satisfying win yesterday against UMass. Congratulations to Zack and his teammates!  Only one game left this season.

The New England Patriots are on a roll. They won last weekend and then again today. Actually, they've won four games in a row! Go Pats!

🏈🏈🏈🏈

A Father/Daughter Laugh

My father has received some interestingly mail recently from more than one company. Apparently they believe he and I are married... to each other!

🤣

Dad 593: More Active

(Yesterday there was a musician at the nursing home; Mom and I stayed for the whole performance! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another fall day with not-a-bright-sunny sky. We definitely are now closing in on the worst months of the year (December, January, February), unless you like winter and snow.

 

This will be my 84th winter and I can honestly say I have not enjoyed any one of them. We already have snow up in the mountains and temperatures are such that one Vermont ski hill is now open. Good luck and hope you all enjoy the winter games. Oh yes!

 

Tracy and I are still visiting daily with Mary Lou. She is getting more interested in some of the games and activities/meetings with other residents. Tracy has been visiting these groups with Mary Lou. If I get there while the activity is still going on, I get involved and Tracy can leave as I take over. Two nights a week I leave early to have dinner with Glen/Deb (Monday) and Lew/Tracy (Thursday). All other days I stay until Mary Lou gets her supper. When she is eating I go home. With the time change it is quite dark when I get home.

 

Done for today! Sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

A Puzzling Mystery

The recent jigsaw puzzle I did was new out of the box. I took the shrink wrap off of it, so I know it should have been complete.

But — Alas! — when I got to the end there was a piece missing. Thinking I probably dropped it, I looked all over for it. I thought perhaps one of our kitties batted it under some furniture, but it didn't turn up when we looked. (Although we did find over a dozen toy mice!)

Before doing my search, I accused both Lew and my father of pocketing a piece. They both denied it, although Dad did say he understood why I would be asking him. (It does sound like something he would do!) Another person I thought of was brother-in-law Glen, but I haven't been able to place him at the scene of the crime.

Anyway, below are some photos I took this morning before storing the pieces back in the puzzle box.  The over-sized index card is now in the box, too.  Maybe the piece will turn up some day!

🧩🧩🧩🧩🧩

Name of Puzzle:  "I Had One of Those!"

Close-up of where the piece is missing.

The over-sized index card I devised.  :)

A New Experience

A friend treated me to a spa pedicure this morning.

It was my first pedicure and it was delightful.

When I visited Mom this afternoon, I took off a shoe and sock so she could feel how soft my foot is!

I believe I will get a pedicure again sometime. 🤓

Dad 592: Home of the Braves

(Congratulations to Atlanta! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Fall is now in the air. The weather is not sunny and not very warm. Right now the temp on the television weather channel is 50°. One thing is for sure: the weather will get worse before it gets better. I am not a fan of winter!

 

Lew has been very busy these past few days getting all set up for the winter weather. The outside water is now off. Equipment has been moved for storage in the shed and the deck furniture is stored. While Lew has been busy working, I have been busy watching him. Not an easy job!

 

I'm getting ready to visit Mary Lou this afternoon. I'll be leaving shortly to go on my visit.

 

Well, I'm kind of happy that the Braves won the World Series. They were once a favorite team of mine when they were in Boston. As a youngster we would go see the Braves over Labor Day one year and go see the Red Sox every other year. We'd stay at my uncle's; Braves Field was not far from their home. Ah, the good old days. It was there I saw Jackie Robinson. A real treat!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

 

A Guzzle Puzzle

I just completed another jigsaw puzzle.

The word "guzzle" came to mind for a couple reasons:

1)  How I might drink Pepsi.

2)  How the truck might "drink" gasoline, especially at today's prices!

Remembering the RemDawg

We all were sad to learn that Jerry Remy passed away yesterday.

I don't remember watching him when he played baseball, but I certainly have logged many hours listening to his commentary during Red Sox games!

Thank you, RemDawg, for the joy you brought to Red Sox Nation.

Rest In Peace.

Dad 591: Running Late for an Important Date

(Happy Birthday to my grandson Eli! Dad writes today.... ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. I guess the next two days we may have a view of the sun. Wow!

I am behind schedule in going up to see Mary Lou so this will be short. Tracy is currently with her and I will take Tracy's place as a visitor.

She (Mary Lou) is getting to ride around the building every day with Tracy or me.

We both do her puzzles daily with her, and she is getting pretty good at completing them.

I'm late and I must go visit. Soooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

The Jacket Off Her Back

This past Sunday Lew and I sat behind our friend Sheila at church.

After the service ended, I told Sheila that I had been coveting her jacket. The top of the jacket is denim with some embroidered "bling" and the bottom is a mixture of some red fabrics. It looked so fun!

Then Sheila said, "Do you want it?"

I laughed, but I soon realized she was serious! She said it didn't really fit her properly. Then she took it off and insisted I try it on. And....

I now have a "new" jacket! Thank you, Sheila!  💕

Win, Win, and Not a Win

The UMaine Black Bears football team won yesterday! Congratulations to nephew Zack and his teammates.

The New England Patriots won today. They needed a good win.

As for the Boston Red Sox, well, the wheels fell off of the laundry cart.... Not really. Just my way of saying they lost. (Laundry cart was used to give a player a ride in the dugout after a homerun.)

My World Series chant: Let's go, Braves!

Pumpkin, Puzzle, and Pedals

My sister Debbie's workplace currently has pumkin-flavored bundt cakes. I sent Debbie a text message telling her I needed to try said flavor. Monday night she personally delivered two bundlets to me! I ate one Monday night and the other Tuesday night. YUMMY! Thank you, Debbie!

I just finished a jigsaw puzzle based on the game Tetris. A very fun puzzle with lots of color!

Mom went on a bike ride yesterday! An organization called Portland Wheelers provides rides for people who aren't able to operate a bicycle on their own. Her ride lasted about 45 minutes. A couple photos follow!

And they're off!

Dad 590: Current Events

(Dad writes today! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another fall day with temperatures slowly going down each day. We have not had a frost on the coast yet, but the report today says we will probably dip to temperatures below freezing around the middle of next week. Then the growing season for produce and grass will be over. (The grass is still green!)

 

While writing this I've been watching news concerning the probable finding of Brian Laundrie. It seems as though a body has been found in a park in Florida. His parents have visited the area and the coroner has been called in. Seems to be quite probable that it is Laundrie. Why would Gabby Petito be traveling the country with her fiancé? Make good choices!

 

Seems the country is on a downward spiral. Not sure if some leaders are trying to destroy our country or if they are just inept. They certainly don't make sense to me. Better days are ahead when the leaders are changed!

 

Try to take Mary Lou out in her chair for a ride around the nursing home. Also play with her puzzles. Between Tracy and I we manage to do these each day.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Shampoo Tip

Today's post is a public service announcement:

Shampoo should go in your hair only, not in your eyes.

I believe it says something of this sort on the bottle, too, but it is important to reiterate this warning. Getting shampoo in your eye is pure torture.

Trust me on this.

P.S. Lew suggested I start using a "no more tears" shampoo.

Sports, Sports, Sports

The UMaine Black Bears football team won yesterday. Congratulations to nephew Zack and his teammates!

We've been watching the Major League Baseball playoffs. Many late nights.

The NFL is somewhat secondary at the moment because of baseball, but we did watch the Patriots lose today to the Cowboys.

Mom likes to watch sports (mainly the Red Sox, Patriots, and Tom Brady). Dad and I will watch with her while we are visiting. For evening games, I leave a sticky note on the corner of her TV with the time/channel so that the staff can help her turn to the game.

Let's go, Red Sox!

Dad 589: More Tag-Teaming

(I tagged Dad about an hour ago! Enjoy his post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Just another day of great fall weather. We are enjoying a run of what seems like late summer weather. Really enjoyable!

 

Received a phone call from the nursing home wanting permission for Mary Lou to get her booster shot for COVID-19. Agreed that she is to get the shot, as well as a flu shot. She will be vaxed for both this week.

 

Tracy has been taking Mary Lou for wheelchair trips almost daily around the halls in the nursing home. Sometimes they go outdoors in this late summer weather. Mary Lou gets tired quickly and wants to go back to her room. She doesn't want to travel about too long.

 

Yesterday Mary Lou had a haircut. Pam cut her hair, and all through the cut Mary Lou complained about tiredness and wanted to sleep. However, she stayed awake and never did take a snooze. She stays awake while we visit her, refusing to nap while we are there.

 

As I write this, Tracy is on her way to visit and I'll be going up in about one hour. We are a tag team daily.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Baseball Playoffs

For a few reasons, Lew and I haven't followed the Red Sox the past couple years.

But we have begun watching again after Eli's recent "Play Ball!" experience... just in time for the post-season.

It feels kind of nice to say this again:

LET'S GO, RED SOX!

The Video Chat

When watching The Jetsons many, many years ago, I thought how cool it would be if we really could see the person we're talking with on the phone. And now we sort of have that via the video chat.

As I've mentioned before, I help Mom video chat with Kim at least a couple times a week. I still am amazed that the technology exists to do this.

Now, if only someone could invent a car that folds up into a briefcase!

Dad 588: In the News

(Dad writes today. Prayers for the high school in Texas.... ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another beautiful day in the Northeast. Temps are in the mid 60s and the next week is predicted to have nice weather. We'll take it.

 

While writing this I'm watching the results of a school shooting in Arlington, Texas. It is at Timberview High School where a fight started and an 18-year-old drew a gun. I believe four people were injured. The fight and shooting are on cameras. (It seems that everybody has a camera on their phone.) Hope there are no fatalities. We'll find out shortly.

 

Tracy has gone to visit her mother at the nursing home. I will be going to see Mary Lou shortly for the remainder of the day.

 

I have been watching sports on a nightly basis. Happy with all the results. I was glad to see Brady win over the Patriots by a small margin. (Almost lost!) Last night I watched the Red Sox beat the Yankees to continue in the playoffs. They have had a good run but will have a tough time winning against the very good Tampa Bay team. Good luck, Red Sox!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

A Freak Tweak

Probably everyone who reads this blog is also my friend on Facebook. But just in case, I must share the status I posted a couple days ago on Sunday:

Early this morning I sat in my recliner and raised the footrest. This reckless action caused me to tweak my back. 😳

Be careful out there!

I got a lot of sympathy from my Facebook friends! And a few of them picked up on my attempt at humor.

My back started to feel better on Sunday with rest and ibuprofen. It still feels "delicate" but I'm thankful it's not that bad.

A Television Tale

When Mom transitioned from the short-term stay side to the long-term care side of the nursing home, we had to provide a television for her. (Only the short-term patient rooms have a TV.) Brittany, a co-worker, had a TV she wanted to get rid of and it was the right size for what Mom needed. Brittany didn't want any money for the TV. It was a generous gift!

The remote control for "Brittany's TV" disappeared a few months ago. The nursing home staff did try to find it, but Dad ended up bringing in a universal remote control to replace it.

Last Sunday the picture on Brittany's TV finally went. This TV served Mom well for almost a year and a half, but it was time to retire it. Lew had been wanting to get a new set for our bedroom, so we brought our old set to Mom's room. It is the right size and works well for her.

When I went to visit Mom the next day, I saw the remote control for her "new" TV on her bedside stand. Guess what was beside it? The remote for Brittany's TV! 😄

(P.S. Lew and I bought a new TV for our bedroom at Sam's Club.)

An October Thought

Happy October 1st!

An octopus has eight legs. An octagon has eight sides. Why isn't the number eight of significance for the month of October?

I have an idea. Since October should have only eight days, I propose a new month for the days currently known as October 9-31. A month named Tracy! (Why not?)

Since Tracy is now the 11th month of the year, November and December will be known as the 12th month and 13th month, respectively. 

Nobody will object, right? Aren't crazier ideas than this being adopted these days? 😳

Dad 587: Tag-Team Visiting

(Dad is visiting Mom as I enter this post for him. Enjoy! ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! Fall weather is now with us and the experts are saying we'll see no temperatures above the sixties for the next few days, as well as showers off and on for a time. Fall is here. No more air conditioners. Bring it on.

Getting ready to visit Mary Lou in a while. Tracy is visiting her now as she does every day early in the afternoon. Tracy leaves when I get there. I usually stay until the arrival of Mary Lou's dinner. I wish I could get her to eat more. She does drink an Ensure every afternoon that Tracy brings with her visits. Think this gives her some sustenance.

I do take Mary Lou for a ride in her wheelchair around the building (usually inside) almost every day. This is new for us. I think she is happy to get out of her room. Will try to continue these trips. These trips, along with other games and puzzles, keep us busy during our visits.

Enough for today! More next week!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

More Puzzlin'

This was a good puzzle to do to celebrate the start of Fall.  It's called "Autumn Shoreline."  Due to the unique shape, it is one of the harder puzzles I've done.  I love the colors!

PLAY BALL!

Matt took Eli to the Yankees/Red Sox game tonight. It is Eli's first time at Fenway Park, and he was asked to start things off! He got to go on the field, dance with Wally (the Red Sox mascot), and yell "Play ball!" over the loudspeaker. He will never forget his first Major League Baseball game.

Nephew Zack's football team (University of Maine Black Bears) had an away game yesterday. They lost 41-14, but the day was still special. The game was in Illinois, so Kim,Joe, Kelsey, Zachariah, and Bode went to it. Zack wasn't expecting to play, but he actually was in for two plays! Then he got to visit with his Illinois family after the game for about half an hour before the team had to head to the airport.

Sports can be fun.

Dad 586: Fall is Here

(Dad writes today! We remembered it is Wednesday! :) ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! The first day of Fall. Right now it is a little better than the reporters' views last night. We don't have as many clouds as predicted, but they are slowly arriving and the sun is gradually disappearing. Same tomorrow with rain on Friday and Saturday. Well, we are in Fall now!

 

Strange things happening in this old world today. The body of the young girl from Florida has been found, but her boyfriend has disappeared from the face of the earth. Will he be found before being a meal for an alligator?

 

The thousands of new people in the United States at the southern border are now entering into U.S. cities (many more than the group being sent home). Nothing new about this arrangement. Don't listen to the administration, but follow what is actually happening. Not a whole lot of sending these people back home. Bring them into the U.S. and rely on them to show up at a court appointment down the road. Don't forget to show up! Sure!

 

Well, I'm getting ready to go see Mary Lou for the afternoon. Tracy is with her now. We both spend time with her each day.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Mail and E-mail

I loved receiving my own mail when I was a child. My mail was mostly cards around my birthday and the occasional letter.

I don't really like getting mail now. It usually consists of bills to pay and, of course, junk.

When e-mail first came on the scene, it was really fun. What a great way to keep in touch with friends, and it's so much faster than a mailed letter.

Now I keep in touch with friends mostly via text messages or Facebook.

I no longer find e-mail fun. It is much like my regular mail... mostly junk!

Summary Saturday

Zack's college football team, the U.Maine Black Bears, pulled out a win today! In the final minutes of the game, they had to make a defensive stop and then get a couple first downs themselves to seal the victory. The final score: 31-26.  Congratulations, Black Bears!

Lew and I went to a couple football games this morning. First up was Adam's flag football game. That was followed by Eli's football game (full pads and helmets). Both teams came up short, but they were fun to watch. Eli even scored two touchdowns!

I've been going to visit Mom every day for an hour or two. Our visits have the same routine — Ensure, puzzles, Spot It, crossword puzzle clues, TV, etc. — but that's okay. We enjoy just being together.

My big discovery of the week: I have a nightgown that I don't want to remove the tag from (long story), but the tag bothers my neck a bit. For some reason, it felt fine this week. And that reason was I WAS WEARING IT INSIDE-OUT! Ha ha! I was going to fix it, but then I realized it didn't matter since I'm just wearing it to sleep in. Too bad we couldn't do this with all of our clothing.  Perhaps I could start a fashion trend. After all, I have been on the cutting edge of fashion most of my life. (Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!)

Dad 585: A Visit With Mary Lou

(Dad writes a day later than normal. At least we both remembered today! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! I am sitting with Mary Lou in her room at the nursing home. It is 3:15 PM and we are watching a Gunsmoke episode. (It's the second half of a bank blowing up case that will eventually go "boom" by the end. I've seen it before.) Weather has cleared up quite nicely and we're enjoying the sunny afternoon.

 

As I look out at Mary Lou's birdfeeders I see that they need to be filled up before I go home today. I will do that!

 

{Interlude.}

 

Just got back to Mary Lou's room after taking her for a short trip in her wheelchair down to the main entrance. We saw Tara and June on our trip. On our way back we also saw Emily who said "hello" to Mary Lou. Then back to her room and back to bed. We now are watching Andy Griffith on television. And we wait for Mary Lou's "supper" or "dinner." We grew up with "supper."

 

I'll cut it short for Tracy today. Soooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

 

P.S. I will take care of the birdfeeders now as I leave for the evening. Supper is served!

Forgot... Times Two

Now that I'm not working, the days are feeling the same to me.

This means that I forgot today is Wednesday and that Dad was supposed to write his weekly post.

And what do you know.... He forgot, too!

We agreed that he would write tomorrow, so be sure to check back then.

😊

The 10th Day

Today marked the 10th day of my self-imposed unemployment.

I've started doing many of the things I hoped to during this break. 

Top of the list: I've been able to visit more with Mom — a very good thing.

I'm also doing a lot of reading, which is one of my favorite activities. I'm currently re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia series. (See my Reading List 2021 page.)

I am trying to remain productive and stay caught up on household tasks (laundry, checkbook, etc.), but I'm also taking time for some R&R.

Blessed. 💗

Emma! Jerry!

Congratulations to Emma Radacanu! She had to play in the qualifying round to even get into the U.S. Open tournament, and then she ends up winning the whole thing. Nobody had ever done that before. An amazing accomplishment. I'm looking forward to watching her play tennis for many more years since she's only 18 years old.

Jerry decided to use the TV as a scratching post this morning. We got after him for doing so, and he realized he had misbehaved. He put himself in a time-out!

Tennis, Anyone?

Lew and I don't follow tennis that closely, but we have been watching the U.S. Open and really enjoying it.  

We have been mostly interested in the women's bracket. The teenagers are exciting to watch! 

As for the men, the big story is whether Novak Djokovic will get his grand slam. I hope he does.

🎾🎾🎾🎾

Today is nephew Joshua's 23rd birthday. Happy Birthday to you, Josh!

Dad 584: Gowning Up

(It's Wednesday, so you know what that means! Dad writes today! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! I believe today and yesterday may be the best two days we've had in a row for many months. Beautiful temps (70+) with very low humidity. However, we have rain coming in tonight.

 

I am, once again, listening to the news while writing this. It seems that we are at a pivotal point in our country. Gavin Newsom may be recalled. I hope he is, but I don't believe he has any worries. The president is being asked to stay away from ceremonies for the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001. I'm sure that he will try for a victory lap over the Afghanistan foul-up. He should go to Afghanistan and celebrate with his "friends." They should accept him, along with his gift of an army awarded to them in the form of our war assets. A great donation to the terrorists.

 

Mary Lou continues to receive us as daily visitors. We had to miss one day (Saturday), but have been allowed in after that day. We now visit her dressed like people ready for a Moon landing. We wear gowns, masks, and shields. It makes no sense to me as we are with no other people, but we remain quiet so as not to upset the wonderful people in power.

 

Done for today!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Sunday Project

It was a comfortable day weather-wise on Sunday, so I decided to work on a project during the yard sale. 

I set up a card table in the driveway, grabbed a chair from the deck, and made this LEGO flower bouquet.

It took me a couple days to decide on a vase to use. I think this ceramic pitcher is a good choice.

I love the combination of colors!

More Puzzling

I completed two jigsaw puzzles over the past couple weeks. I enjoy doing them. And usually once I start doing one, I can't stop. I say to myself, "Just one more piece...." — which usually turns into at least another hour working on the puzzle!

I bought the carousel puzzle (used) from the library, so I wasn't sure if I would have all the pieces. I finished putting it together today while I was still in my jammies and bathrobe. And, rats, wouldn't you know I was missing a piece. But then I reached into the righthand pocket of my bathrobe. Guess what I found there? 😄

🧩🧩🧩🧩🧩

Everything Went... Almost!

Yard Sale day # 2 wasn't as successful as yesterday, although we did enjoy the social aspect of it. We got to spend another day with our friends who do the sale with us. I finally met a new neighbor whom Lew has known for a while. Then another friend of ours stopped by while he was out for a walk.

When we were ready to pack up, we set aside a few things that we didn't want to put on the side of the road for free. Then everything else went to the free pile.

By dinner time, the only thing we had to retrieve from the side of the road was our sign that says, "FREE — Please Leave Sign!"

Yard Sale Weekend

Day one of our Labor Day weekend yard sale is in the books!

We are going to set up tomorrow, too, and see if we can get rid of more. Everything must go!

I needed to unwind after the sale, so I worked on a jigsaw puzzle and ended up staying up too late. I'm getting this post done just in time for the midnight deadline! 😂

ZERO

My countdown has been completed!

We had a pizza party at work as a send off for me. That was a good time.

Yard sale tomorrow. I only have four things to put in it, so I'm glad our friends have stuff to sell. I imagine Lew and Dad also have some items.

Liftoff!

ONE!

I was hoping to title this post "ONE & WON!"

ONE for my countdown. My last day at my current job is tomorrow.

WON because nephew Zack's football team (U. Maine Black Bears) had its first game of the season tonight. But they got beat 34-24. They were playing one of the top teams, though, so their showing was still pretty good. Looking forward to watching more of their games.

GO, BLACK BEARS!

Dad 583: The "News"

(Dad writes today. And my countdown is at TWO! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another pretty good summer day. Will get a rain storm from Ida tonight and tomorrow. Must mow the lawn Friday for our weekend yard sale! Weekend should be great weather. Weather experts have told us that!

 

Getting ready to visit Mary Lou for the afternoon. Will leave in a little over one hour. I still visit with her every afternoon and I keep her birdfeeders full of delicious seeds. The birds agree! Happy eating!

 

I'm listening to the news which I find deviates from my understanding of what we have just lived through. It is sure strange that people can have such a different understanding from what really is taking place. I'm sick and tired of our leaders telling us what happened, their claims seemingly in disagreement with what I've been watching.

 

The United States leaves NOBODY behind! That is what I thought. We'll see! Sounds like there are a lot more people still left in Afghanistan. (Probably a higher number of people than we've been told.)

 

That's enough for now.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Three

Yowza!  My countdown is at three.

I'm feeling pretty good about what I've accomplished in the past couple weeks. My co-worker is able to use the notes I wrote, so those efforts were successful.

I am caught up on my month-end processing tasks, so the next three days I can try to keep up with the work that comes in. (I say "try" because the volume of work is always high!)

Yowza!

FOUR!

Last day of the fiscal month was yesterday, so it was a busy day at work.

A few more busy days at work ahead... four days, to be exact! 🤓

Another August Birthday

We have more than one August baby in our family. Today's birthday girl is sister Kim. Mom and I recorded a "Happy Birthday" video on my phone. Mom and I agreed that Kim would like the video, and we were right. Happy Birthday, Kim!

The Little League Baseball World Series is in the books. Michigan beat Ohio to win it all. I predicted the outcome of this game correctly, believe it or not.

After the game, Lew switched over to the golf tournament. It ended in a tie so it went into playoff holes. I think it took six holes to decide the winner. Patrick Cantlay finally edged out Bryson DeChambeau. (I had to google that just now since I couldn't remember the winner's name.)

And my countdown resumes.... Five!

0 For 2

I am glad that I don't bet money on anything. I would have lost big-time if I had bet on the Little League World Series games today!

I thought South Dakota would beat Ohio. And Hawaii was a sure thing against Michigan.

I was wrong and wrong!

Ohio and Michigan will play for the championship tomorrow. Should be fun!

Five

After the weekend I will work my last Monday at my current place of employment.

After that will be my last Tuesday.

And then the last Wednesday.

Let's not forget about the last Thursday and the last Friday.

Not that I'm counting or anything...!

Waving Good Morning

Tuesday morning Lew got my car out of the garage and kept it running, ready for me to head to work.

As I was opening the car door to get in, a man rode by on a bicycle. The front of his bike had some sort of carrier, in which was seated a very young little girl.

This sweet child saw me and waved. 

I waved back.

She made my day!

Dad 582: This Old World of Crises

(Dad writes today. And my countdown is at seven! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Seems like we are at the start of a summer weather pattern for the next week or so. We'll take it! Hope the A/C can handle it.

 

The world seems to be on the verge of collapsing. The greatest country in the world doesn't seem to be acting like the greatest country. There is so much going on that seems so negative. A positive thing is our belief that God is in control, so I know all is okay.

 

Surely the mess in Afghanistan has taken all other news out of the news cycle, taking the heat off of other potential newsmakers. We'll never know a lot that is going on until the Taliban takes over in the area (perhaps it already has).

 

Still visiting Mary Lou every afternoon for around 2 to 3 hours. Hopefully we will be able to get her out for a few rides around town. We do some puzzles every day. Also watch shows like Gunsmoke and Andy Griffith. Sure would like to have her at home if we were able to care for her at home. Will continue on as we are and see what follows.

 

Pray for Mary Lou. Pray for our world.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Eight

I am enjoying my countdown. 🤓

I am enjoying the Little League World Series.

I am enjoying doing a jigsaw puzzle.

I am enjoying the book I'm reading.

I am thankful I am able to enjoy simple pleasures!

One Down

By the end of the workday today I had completed all but one of the processes I needed to write or revise.  I'll get the last one done tomorrow and go over it with my co-worker.

I also started following up on some loose ends. Some of them might not be tied up by the time I leave, but... oh, well!  I'll leave a trail for my successor.

Nine workdays to go!

The Countdown Begins

Ten workdays left at my current place of employment! The next couple weeks will be spent writing some procedures, cross-training a co-worker, and helping get through one more month-end.

I told Mom that I would soon be able to spend more time with her, and she is very excited about that.... I am, too! 💗

Another Celebration

Lew and I went out to dinner tonight with Matt, Emily, Eli, and Adam.  That's two Saturdays in a row we've met them for dinner!

Last week we celebrated Adam's birthday (several days late).  

Today was another family member's birthday....

Happy Birthday to my Sweetie!  💕

Waiting outside for our table to be ready!
Left to right:  Matt, Adam, Lew (the birthday boy!), and Eli.
(Photo credit:  Emily 💟)

Girl Power

I now have a favorite player in the Little League Baseball World Series!

Ella Bruning plays for the team from Texas. She was the catcher in tonight's game, and she got two base hits.  After her first hit, she eventually scored her team's first run. With her second hit, she drove in her team's final run of the game.  They beat the team from Washington, 6-0.

In my opinion, Ella was definitely the MVP of the game.

She is the 20th girl to play in the Little League Baseball World Series.

I'm rooting for you, Ella!

The Old Ball Game

One of the best sporting events began today! The Little League Baseball World Series wasn't held last year due to the pandemic, so it is so wonderful to see it happening this year.

The pandemic is still affecting the Series, though.  Usually there is an international bracket (eight international teams) and a United States bracket (the eight regional winners from the U.S.).  But this year all 16 teams are from the Unites States (the top two teams from each region).

What a great experience for the kids on these teams. It is a joy to watch their games.

PLAY BALL!   ⚾

Dad 581: That Day is Coming Closer

(Dad writes today. I think I agree with him! ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! The summer days are here again with a little more rain in the next couple days.  Rain is needed to lower our possibility of a drought. We can use the precipitation.

I don't have an inclination to write a lot today as I'm watching our country take steps to fall into the toilet. I want to see our leaders answer questions as to why the greatest country ever is in such shambles.

If I could have a wish that I know would be answered, I believe I'd call for the Rapture. I don't have the inside line on this, so I'll stop here for the day. Maybe I'll see things in a different light next week. Tune in!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

A Decision

Multiple choice.  

Today I decided to:

a.  Eat a banana.

b.  Give my notice at work.

c.  Watch "LEGO Masters" with Lew.

d.  All of the above.

If you answered "d" then you are correct!

Obviously "b" is the big news. My last day at work will be September 3rd. Unless my dream job comes along, I am planning on taking a break to spend more time with Mom and enjoy life.

I am blessed.  💗

In Case You Were Wondering

A few days ago I wrote that I might go to a ladies' breakfast on Saturday. I didn't go after all, so my recipe search was all for naught... this time. I probably should keep looking for an easy brunch recipe since there will be another breakfast next month!

The leftover macaroni & cheese from our Saturday night out is all gone. I ate some for dinner last night and finished it off tonight. I think the leftovers tasted even better than the portion I ate at the restaurant!

I just realized that both of the above updates concern food. 😁

Yep, I Googled This

This is the first entry of an idea that I may (or may not) continue on this blog. Sometimes I am curious about things that have no bearing on my life whatsoever, so I look them up online.

Today I actually wondered, "What would happen if I called the number 867-5309?"

Not wanting to follow through on doing this, I googled it instead.

I was surprised to learn that this is still an active number in some area codes.  And apparently there are businesses that use it as their business number — easy advertising, I guess.

Thank you for reading.  And I'm sorry if a certain song is now stuck in your head!

A Celebration

Tonight Lew and I went out to dinner with Matt, Emily, Eli, Adam, and family friend Jessica. We were celebrating Adam's eighth birthday, even though his birthday was a couple weeks ago. He didn't seem to mind that we were celebrating with him a little late. Maybe the more celebrations, the better? (When you're his age, at least! Ha ha!)

I ordered macaroni and cheese (a three-cheese blend), which was quite delicious. It was the largest serving of macaroni and cheese I've ever had at a restaurant. I think I brought about 75% of it home.

Anyway....

Back to Adam, the man of the hour....

Click HERE to see my post from the day he was born!  OH, BABY!  💗 

100,000

I did it!

100,000 in Meow Match gold!  

Do you see the "100046" between the two + signs at the top of the photo? It is also boldly underlined in red, with a red arrow pointing to it.

Do you see it?

That's my gold!

A Night Out

My good friend Carmen came to our house after work this evening. The original plan was to take a walk on the beach followed by dinner at the Clambake and a stop for ice cream.

It was hot outside today and we all were tired, so we nixed the beach walk.

When Carmen, Lew, and I walked into the Clambake we turned right around and headed back to the car. The line inside to order was very, very long. So we ate at our regular diner instead.

The one thing that did go as planned was the stop for ice cream! 🍦🍨

Although the eating was enjoyed by all, the best (and most important) part of our night out was spending time together talking and catching up. It was great to hang out with a good, long-time friend! 😊

Dad 580: A Charge Change

(Dad wrote his post earlier today, but his editor wasn't able to enter it until now.... I am the editor! Enjoy! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! A string of summer beach weather begins today. Going to be very warm over the next few days. Temps will be over 80°. The beaches will be crowded.

 

I'll be going up to visit with my bride for the afternoon in about 40 minutes. I try to visit with Mary Lou until she receives her supper every night, which is usually about 5:30 PM. We do not talk to one another for the whole time without being sleepy. We watch a little television with Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke. It is just nice to be able to visit in person. How long it will last is still unknown.

 

We do know one thing. Learned yesterday that the lady in charge of the nursing home will be leaving at the end of August. Hope we get a good person in charge that continues to show hope for all our visitations. We'll know by the beginning of September. We'll pray for the best!

 

Not much else to report, sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

My Muse...?

I asked Lew what I should write about tonight.

He said, "Let me think," and proceeded to rub my shoulders as I sat at my computer.

Then he said, "I've got nothing. I'm not much help."

Nope, Lew wasn't much help with my writer's block.  My writing muse, he is not.

But he gives great shoulder rubs, so I think I'll keep him.

💗

Who's the Boss?

Marilyn.

Marilyn rules our household.

Everything happens on her terms.

If she won't come to her normal spot to eat, her food is brought to her.

I blame this on Lew.

He spoils our kitties!

😻😻

Easy Recipes Online

I am considering going to a ladies' breakfast at church next Saturday morning. It's potluck. I am not very domestic (understatement!), so I need to bring something easy to make. I have some "easy" cookbooks — all gifts from sympathetic family members — so I will probably find something in one of those.

But I did do a brief online search just now for "easy" recipes.  What I learned: "Easy" is a relative term. Most of them look fairly complicated to me!

Domestically challenged, I am.

A Family Birthday

Today is my aunt's birthday!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Debbie!

🎂🥰

My Dream Job

I went to a job interview late yesterday.

Lew drove me and we both went inside the building. One of the first people we saw was a guy we apparently knew from church.

Then I went to the first part of my interview. It was on the first floor of the building in a room with a large table in it. Someone showed me what seat I should take, and the next thing I knew every other seat at the table was occupied by current employees. They asked me all sorts of questions, and I was quite humorous in my responses. One of the women asked whether I invested in some company I had never heard of. I told them I took an investment class while getting my MBA, and that it was SO boring... I even slumped in my chair to illustrate the extent of my boredom. They all laughed! I think they liked me.

It was time for the second part of my interview. A woman was leading the way, and she suddenly said "Oh, wait!" as she started running up some stairs. After a few steps she looked back at me and I realized I was supposed to be following her... despite her saying to wait.

The executive offices were upstairs. It was a beautiful space. I sat in a large open area and was again surrounded by a lot of other employees. (I even knew one of them from a prior job!) The CEO got up and welcomed me and said we were going to watch a video.

I didn't understand the video, but I did notice the picture was upside down. Nobody seemed bothered by this, which made me suspicious.... Was this a "test" for me? So I spoke up and said the picture is upside down. I was correct about it being a test! They wanted to see if I had the guts to speak up.

Then we played a game where we introduced each other. When it was my turn to introduce someone else (Melinda) I did a little dance step. They all laughed! I think they liked me.

I don't know whether I got the job or not, because I woke up before they told me.

A Million Would Take Too Long

Whenever I have a few spare minutes, I play Meow Match on my phone.  It is highly addictive.  Fortunately, I lose enough so that I run out of lives and have to wait for them to get replenished.

There is an end in sight to my Meow Match addiction. I've earned over 91,000 in gold and want to see what happens when I reach 100,000.  Probably nothing exciting, but I still want to see it.

After I get the 100,000, I can stop playing.  100,000 is my goal.  It's good to have goals.

Dad 579: A Nice Summer

(Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another day of reasonable weather. Our weather seems more like September than August to me. Perhaps summer weather is about to return. We hope so.

 

Well, summer is about over for the Maine family since all of our family visitors have returned home. All activities that were necessary to happen have been completed. Joe has had his hip replaced and is recovering well. (Don't overwork the hip, Joe. Let it take its time to heal.) The rest of the family, including Bode, Zach, and Kelsey, are back home and getting involved in their work schedules. Bode doesn't have a work schedule but he's back to his routine. What a nice time was had this summer!

 

On July 29th Lew's and Tracy's grandson Adam turned eight-years-old while away on a family vacation. Happy Birthday, Adam!

 

Still visiting with Mary Lou every afternoon. Try to visit with her until she gets her supper. Then I go home and eat food prepared by Lew. Then to bed!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Jerry's New Evening Ritual

I have brushed Jerry several nights in a row.

How much fur can one cat have? I keep brushing and brushing and the fur keeps coming off of him!

Jerry does seem to enjoy getting brushed. He even likes it when Lew vacuums him afterward! 😂

A Day of Good Visits

Dad had a really good visit with Mom this afternoon. I guess they talked for a couple hours! That's a long time for Mom to stay engaged in a conversation. 😊

I stopped in to see Mom on my way home from work. She remembered that Dad had been there and that they had talked about how she needs the care they provide at the nursing home. She also told me that she didn't want to play a part in some show they were going to do, but I think she may have been confusing that with the episode of Andy Griffith we were watching! (Aunt Bee was going to be Miss Mayberry in the pageant.)

As I wrote yesterday, another visit came to an end this morning. Kelsey, Zachariah, and Bode got on the road at 6AM... only an hour later than Kelsey had hoped for. Not bad, I say!

Wave Three

We said good-bye to Kelsey, Zachariah, and Bode tonight. They will be heading home to Illinois tomorrow morning. (They are planning to leave Debbie & Glen's house around 5AM!)

Glen got up early this morning to start cooking brisket and ribs in his smoker. Delicious! The after-dinner entertainment was playing with a beach ball with Bode.

Debbie and Bode visited Mom at the nursing home this morning. Mom got to see Bode several times over the past week. I heard they played with her puzzles and laughed a lot!

Debbie took a very sweet photo of my mother during this morning's visit. She is holding hands with a precious little boy. 💗💕💗

A special moment for Great-Grams and Bode.

Hi, Kim!

I went to visit Mom this afternoon and we had a 15-minute video chat with my sister Kim. It was a good chat, especially since Mom hadn't been feeling well this morning. I was glad to see she was doing better.

Kim told us about the cardinal that comes daily to their bird feeder. She named him Reggie. I brought up Rocky the Squirrel and our recent starting contest. I mentioned my post on this blog about it, which led to Kim telling me that I'm not doing very well writing on this blog. She checks it every day, so I need to step it up!

This is not the first time Kim and I discussed my lack of posting to the blog. In fact, I believe a previous discussion served as the fodder for a prior post on the same topic.

Faithful readers (all five or so of you), I will try to post more regularly. My fans demand it.

😍

Dad 578: Cousin Arvid

(Dad writes today.... ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another fabulous, beautiful summer day here in Southern Maine.

 

Was able to go to the viewing of a cousin yesterday. Arvid, a farmer at heart, passed away one week ago at 96 years old. A lot of our families grew up on Elm Street in Springvale; I can remember at least six homes filled with relatives within a mile on the street. Arvid was older than some of these families. He was involved in all the granges as well as the farm with his uncle Verne. They certainly supplied the area with exceptional produce (especially corn). Arvid was Acton Fair president for about 46 years until 2016. He had an exceptional life of giving back to the local area.

 

Thank you to Lew and Tracy for sharing my trip to the viewing last night.

 

Had a great report from my foot doctor today. Just a look at both feet. It is okay to get my right foot wet now. Must see him again in one week and then hopefully it will be a long time before another visit.

 

I am spending my afternoons with Mary Lou. She seems tired. Must get her up and around these days. More visits from Bode will cheer her up.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

A Plethora of E-mail

I spent most of my first day back at work going through e-mail. It's unbelievable how fast it piles up!  I think I probably dealt with a couple hundred separate e-mails by either forwarding for approval, saving attachments, sending a reply, etcetera.... My favorites were those I could ignore. (Yes, there were some.)

Tomorrow I hope to get some "real" work done — not that handling e-mail isn't "real" work. There just isn't a lot to show for it!

Vacation Finale

Today, the last Sunday in July 2021, is the final day of my vacation. The week has been restful and enjoyable. Working backwards over the past few days....

Today: Rainy weather. Lew and I went to the 8:30 am church service and now I am doing laundry and some additional "let's get caught up on things before going back to work" tasks.

Yesterday: Beautiful day! Lew and I went to visit our friends Ellen & Paul at their lakeside camp. Our friends Anne-Marie & Peter were also there. We talked, went on a boat ride, had a late-afternoon swim, and ate far too much. It was wonderful!

Friday: The big event of the day was going out to eat at the diner. Dad, Debbie, Josh, and Bode sat at one table. Kelsey, Zachariah, Lew, and I sat at another. Lew and I enjoyed the chance to chat with Kelsey and Zach.

Thursday: Kelsey, Zach, and Bode arrived! 😍

Dad 577: Awaiting Wave Three

(Dad writes today.... I enjoyed! ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! Not too bad a day. Yesterday afternoon we had a good thunder shower, but we didn't get one today.

Tracy's on vacation this week so this will be very short.

Spent the last few afternoons with Mary Lou. Now we await the arrival of Kelsey, Zachariah, and Bode. Hopefully we'll see them tomorrow and Great Grams will get to see Bode on Friday. She is anxious!

More next week.

(Enjoy the short report, Tracy!)

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

The Eventful July 20, 2021

Happy 83rd birthday to my father!

Happy 25th wedding anniversary to Debbie and Glen!

Happy 21st wedding anniversary to Lew and me!

Happy new hip to Joe! (His surgery went well and he was able to go home already.)

What a day! We are truly blessed.

Staring Contest

While visiting Mom this afternoon, I participated in a staring contest.

I won.

This is my opponent:

Stay OFF of the bird feeder, Rocky!!!!!

The Curious Case of the Candy Cane

Last night after Lew and I had both gone upstairs to get ready for bed, Lew asked me, "Where did this candy come from?"

I went to see what he was talking about. There was a candy cane in the upstairs hallway that had not been there when we ascended the stairs.

My initial thought was that Lew had planted it there to give me a mystery to solve, which would have been a unique way to start my vacation.  He denied it multiple times, mainly because I accused him of it multiple times.

I finally accepted the fact that one of the cats had found it and brought it to the hallway.  But where had he/she found it?

Then Lew said, "Something happened here." He was talking about his shoe rack in our closet. Some of the shoes were on the floor. (Cat!) I happened to notice the slippers I gave him for Christmas were still in the clear plastic bag they were packaged in....

Mystery solved! I had included a candy cane with the slippers. It took over six months for a cat to discover it.

(P.S. For those of you wondering why Lew hasn't worn the new slippers yet: He says his old ones are still okay, but close to being retired.... He ordered the new slippers himself, by the way!)

Vacation!

 I'm on vacation, I'm on vacation... Yes, I'm singing The Vacation Song!

A whole week off from work.  Hooray!

Dad 576: The Eventful July 20, 2021

(Lots going on next Tuesday. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another early-June-type day today. Very cloudy and damp and temperature in the 60s. Supposed to get better the next two days. Please!

 

Well, Kim got back to Illinois on Tuesday in the early afternoon. Now she must help Joe get ready for his hip replacement next week.

 

There is a lot of activity happening on July 20, 2021. The big event is my birthday (83). I will be as old as Mary Lou after eight days of being the younger of the two of us. Joe will get his hip replacement, probably the toughest of the activities. Then it is on to Glen & Debbie and Lew & Tracy. Both couples will celebrate their marriages (20-something years for both)! At one time I was the only July 20th celebrant. Now the rest of the family has taken over. I'll take a backseat to them from now on. Good luck to Joe. Our prayers are with him.

 

Visited Mary Lou the last two afternoons from 3:00 to 5:15. Lew gave me a ride up and then picked me up afterwards. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to drive again, as I hope to get my shoe on my toeless foot after last week's surgery. Will find out at my appointment tomorrow. (Did get a preview of tomorrow because my bandage fell off on Sunday. Was quick to get to the doctor on Monday to have bandage redone.)

 

Waiting for Kelsey, Zach, and Bode to arrive one week from Friday!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Wave Two

Wave Two of our summer visitor schedule ended today when Kim flew home to Illinois.  Debbie picked her up at our house at 4:15am to take her to the airport for a 6:00am flight.  (I did get up to say good-bye to her and my internal clock still hasn't recovered, ha ha!)  I received a text message from Kim at 3:05pm announcing that she was home.

Yesterday was Mom's 83rd birthday! I missed the family celebration mid-day, but I did stop in to see Mom after work. I sang "Happy Birthday" to her and she even helped me sing it. I stopped to see her again tonight after work.... Mom is always glad to see me. 💗

Saturday Summary

Dad has no toes left on his right foot. He is behaving (most of the time) after his surgery yesterday by staying off his feet as much as possible and keeping his foot elevated.

After fighting a cold this past week during which I did not visit my mother, I finally felt like it was okay to visit her today. Dad won't be going in to visit her again until Monday (her birthday!) so we did a FaceTime video chat with him. She enjoyed that.

I did make it to work all week (short week because of the Monday observance of July 4th holiday), and it was not the greatest of times. In addition to my not feeling well, it was also crazy with month-end tasks which we had only four days to do instead of the usual five. But we persevered and completed everything.

Lew and I finished watching the first season of The Chosen. We really enjoyed it. The second season isn't as easy to watch on our television, but I figured out how to mirror my iPhone to it. Modern technology is very fascinating and is wonderful if it works the way it is supposed to.

My Facebook friends are already aware that I did a fun LEGO kit last weekend. (A perfect project when confined to home due to illness.)  I had a blast building this typewriter!

Dad 575: Two Toes

(A newsy update from Dad today! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another day for the AC. Hadn't needed it for the last few days.

 

Busy schedule coming up the next week or so. Explained below.

 

Tomorrow I stop my blood thinner (Eliquis) in preparation for surgery on Friday. Must report to the surgery center at 6:30 AM to remove my last two toes on my right foot. Toes number four and five (little toe) will go. More about this next week.

 

Construction crew Phil and company have cut out a section of the cellar wall to put in a door to get into the cellar. Now they are ready to put the door on. We're ready for it. They are doing a great job. We now can get into the basement from outside. Hooray! No more taking large articles up and down the stairway to the basement.

 

Still trying to visit Mary Lou every day at Pine Point Center. Don't know how I'll do after surgery, but I'll try to visit as much as possible.

 

Kim will be returning to Illinois next Tuesday to help Joe get set up for his hip replacement.

 

More next time....

 

Until then!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Still Cold

I mentioned in the intro to Dad's post last week that I had a sore throat. It lingered for a few days, and now I'm just a little stuffed up.  (How does one catch a cold in July??!)

I did make it to work today, but I am glad to have had the three-day weekend.  

I work the rest of this week and all of the next. Then I am on vacation for a week. I sure hope my cold is gone by then!