Saturday, May 4, 2024

How I Spent My Birthday (and the Next Two Days)

I was a complete sloth for three days. All I did from Wednesday through Friday was sleep, read, eat, and watch stuff on TV.

I did go visit a friend yesterday morning, so I guess I should remove the word "complete" from the first sentence of this post.

I am paying for my slothfulness today. I dealt with the mail piled up on my desk, used the elliptical machine, took a shower, and I am currently doing laundry.

I will close this post with a photo of my birthday cake. It was chocolate. The frosting was sickeningly sweet... just the way I like it. Yum!

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Dad 712: Meeting Mazie Mae

(Dad writes today. And, yes, I believe his post is short enough! ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! Not a great pre-summer day. It is cloudy but the temperature is getting warmer. If only the weather would get to be a constantly sunny daily occurrence. Any time, please!

Only two things to write about today.

1)  Sixty-one years ago today the first of our three daughters was born in Augusta, Maine. The now 61-year-old daughter is Tracy. She and her husband, Lew, own and live with me in our family home. They are certainly a very helpful couple for me as I trudge along these days. (I might add that Tracy said to keep my blog post short today.)

2)  Daughter Deb brought her new puppy to see us this morning. Mazie Mae is cute and active! I'm sure we will see her frequently and try to get her to become friends with our cats. Below is a picture of me with my new grand-puppy.

(Short enough, Tracy?)

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Mazie Mae — "Mazie" — is a mini Australian Shepherd.

Mazie is bonding with my slipper!

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Conversation With an "Old" Friend

This past Tuesday evening I stayed up until 12:30AM (into Wednesday morning) talking on the phone with one of my dearest friends. I met her when I lived in Kansas, which is still her home.

She came to Maine for a visit about four years ago, and we couldn't remember if we had spoken on the phone since then. Text messages and the like, yes.  But speaking, not so sure.

At the end of our three and a half hour phone conversation, we talked about how it hadn't seemed like a possible four years. Wasn't it only yesterday that we were sitting in the same room, drinking hot tea, and watching a chick flick?

Friends are forever. Especially "old" ones.

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Dad 711: Six Months, Two Days

(Dad writes today. ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! Another pretty cloudy day in the Northeast with temperatures around the mid 50s. We're still waiting for that warm weather to reach the 70s. It is rather slow in coming. We'll just have to wait. A little rain still left.
 
Six months and two days ago our Mary Lou left this earth. It is amazing how fast the year is flying by. It is surprising to me how many times during the day she enters my thoughts. I guess living with someone for 63 years does make an impression on one's self. The good times that will never be again. But the memories are great!
 
We struggle along with our loss knowing we'll see her soon. That will be a reunion. We're ready.
 
Life goes on.
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Prayers and More Prayers

I have dear friends that have suffered this past week.

For two friends, the tragic loss of an adult daughter/niece.

For another friend, painful side-effects from chemotherapy.

My friends know people are praying, and they are grateful.

God's peace, comfort, and love to all.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Dad 710: A Special Brick

(Dad writes today! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! It looks like a nice summer day outside. However, the temperature is in the low 50s. I'm waiting for the temps to rise to the 70s on a daily basis. We are ready to warm up.
 
Life goes on week by week and each week seems to go about the same. Several things happen over and over.
 
This week we did notify the Hospice that we would donate an engraved brick memorializing Mary Lou. The brick will be put in the yard at the hospice. Nothing fancy, just her name and life years. The brick will be dedicated at a spring ceremony along with other memorial bricks. We plan to be at the dedication and are looking forward to it.
 
Still planning on attending the big reunion at Kents Hill School celebrating the class of 1964 (50 years). Hope go all goes well and I make it back for the 200th reunion at the school. I'll let you know.
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Mouse Out of the House!

Not wanting to risk another middle-of-the-night ruckus due to the mouse, Lew and I decided to flush him out.

Because of how the kitties were acting, we knew the mouse was behind or under the bookcase beside my recliner. Lew pulled the bookcase away from the wall, and the mouse went scurrying.

He made it underneath a corner piece, safe from the two kitties that were stalking him.

I tried to lure the mouse out with cheese, but he wasn't biting. He eventually ran back under the bookcase.

Lew believes the mouse was getting desperate for food, because he (the mouse) eventually emerged. The kitties chased him back to his hiding spot.

He came out again. The kitties chased him.

This went on for about an hour. At one point the mouse came out and sat still, as did the kitties. It was at this point I realized our cats were "playing" instead of making serious attempts to catch the mouse.

When Marilyn chased the mouse into our small bathroom (which is beneath our staircase), we knew we were in luck. Although it is small quarters, Lew and I both went into the bathroom and shut the door. The space under the door is tight (old house!), so we knew the mouse couldn't get out.

So it is the mouse, Marilyn, Lew, and I in the bathroom. Marilyn and the mouse are playing peek-a-boo back and forth behind the toilet.

I had brought in the tupperware bowl (from yesterday's post) and was ready for when the mouse decided to come out into the open floor.

And he finally did!

I trapped him under the bowl. We put Marilyn outside of the bathroom, and I carefully slid the bowl over the small area rug. Lew took it from there.... He folded the area rug around the bowl, tipped the bowl over, and subsequently released the mouse outside.

Phew!

Jerry and Marilyn then crashed, exhausted from the "hunt" — and I use that term loosely!

🐭😼😸

Friday, April 12, 2024

Mouse in the House!

Last night around 2:00AM I was awakened by a loud noise. Then I heard one of the cats madly dashing around downstairs.

I went to investigate.

Marilyn was at the foot of the stairs, playing with one of her toy mice.

Upon further inspection, I saw that said mouse was able to move all on its own.

The mouse ran behind the speaker we have next to our electric keyboard. Marilyn and the mouse then played an amusing game of peek-a-boo back and forth around the speaker.

By now Lew is downstairs as well. Jerry seemed to be just a casual observer at this point.

The mouse got brave and ran into the dining room. Both cats now were trying to catch it. Lew tried to trap it with a tupperware bowl, but the mouse was too fast.

Eventually the mouse dashed into the living room, and it is there we all lost sight of it.

Lew and I went back to bed while the cats kept watch.

No sign of the mouse today.... It's freaking me out a little!

🐭

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Dad 709: The Super Shoe

(Dad writes today! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! The weather finally is giving us a taste of spring and even summer. Please get here soon!
 
Last week I told you I would tell you about my "super shoe." So here is a short story of the super shoe.
 
After my last foot surgery to clean out the infection, I was supposed to walk on my heel to keep all weight off of my toe. This would help the healing process, but it wasn't happening. I mentioned building a different heel for my shoe but was discouraged from doing so.
 
In the hospital my foot finally started to heal. The day that I was being discharged from the hospital to rehab, I was issued a new type of shoe (my "super shoe"). It has a rebuilt heel that helped me to get up on my heel and not use my toe area. My rehab was on its way.
 
I was released from rehab after one week by my surgeon, and I have been wearing a simple surgical shoe as the healing goes on. In a couple of weeks I'll get back to all regular shoes.
 
Here is a poor drawing of the super shoe.

 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!


(P.S. Below is my own rendering of the super shoe, from heel to toe! 😏 ~ Tracy)

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Tuesday Musings

The NCAA tournaments are over. Congratulations to the UConn men and the South Carolina women for their decisive wins! And now I can try to get to sleep at a decent time. 😴

My work colleagues shared eclipse glasses yesterday. We weren't in the path of totality, but we were able to see some of the effects of the eclipse. The glasses showed us that most of the sun was blocked by the moon at the peak point of the eclipse, but it still wasn't dark out. The sun is certainly a powerful star.

The weather has been nice the past couple days. I think that Spring got the message and decided to show up!

Saturday, April 6, 2024

It Snowed on April 4th

Everything screeched to a halt on Thursday because of heavy, wet, and icky snow!

Police and fire departments requested that people stay home if possible.

Our power went out about 4:15AM. 

We were cold.

We were tired.

We were cold and tired.

Just over 12 hours later — around 4:30PM — our power came back on.

Warm food for dinner!

Hot coffee! (Regular for Lew, decaf for me.)

Cable TV and internet working again!

Every time we lose power, I promise to never take it for granted again. But then I do....

Therefore, many thanks to the line crews that have worked hard these past two storms.

And, Spring, you need to step it up.

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Dad 708: Foot and Shoe

(Dad writes today! Hooray! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! I'M BACK!
 
I've been home since last Thursday. I spent a week at Maine Medical Center and finally got discharged when my foot started to heal.
 
Then I went to rehab. The rehab was not a physical therapy need. It was to allow my foot to progress in the healing process. It did heal and I was discharged to go home.
 
I wore an extended-heel shoe while in rehab and for the first few days after returning home. I now can go back to wearing my flat surgical shoe for the next six weeks. If I treat my foot correctly, I should be able to get into my orthopedic shoe after the six weeks. I'll keep you posted.
 
Tune in next week! Will write more details about my stay and my new shoe!
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Saturday, March 30, 2024

The Rhythms of Home

I've been fighting off a cold the past couple days, and I think I've conquered it in time for Easter Sunday.  We are looking forward to attending church in the morning and then going to Debbie's & Glen's house for Easter dinner.

Dad did come home on Thursday. He certainly is glad to be home, and we certainly are glad to have him home. The cats even are happy! They both were off their normal routines while he was gone, and now they are back in their usual rhythms. Animals are interesting that way; they know when there is a change.

Lew and I continue to watch many of the NCAA tournament games. It's fun.

Wishing everyone a blessed Easter!

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Tomorrow... Only a Day Away

Dad is getting discharged from short-stay rehab tomorrow. He was ready to leave before he even got there (ha ha!), so this is welcome news.

It will be nice to have him home.

🏠πŸͺ🏠  Home, Sweet Home!

Monday, March 25, 2024

March is Mad

Lots of stuff the past few days:

March Madness! The NCAA basketball tournaments (both men and women) are great sporting events. I love watching the games. Lew likes filling out the brackets.

More March Madness! It SNOWED on Saturday. Then it turned into an ice storm. We lost our electricity around 7:40pm on Saturday evening and didn't get it back until last night around 7:30pm... so almost a whole 24 hours without power. Besides being cold, we also missed watching lots of basketball.

Many area churches lost power as well and had to cancel services yesterday. Our church was one of them. A strange Palm Sunday indeed.

Dad had a good follow-up appointment with his foot surgeon today. The nurse at rehab is doing an evaluation tomorrow, so I expect he will be home within the next couple days. He still needs to stay off his foot as much as he can, but it is healing nicely.

Thanks for checking in!

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

A Step Closer

Dad left the hospital and entered the short-term stay facility today.  He is there so his foot can heal a bit more.  Then he can come home.  It will probably be several days.  At least he is right down the street from us.  Easy to visit!

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Sunday Update

Nothing too new to report on the hospital patient. His foot needs to heal before he can walk on it, so a decision probably will be made tomorrow about where he will be heading to rehabilitate.

Stay tuned!

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Foot Update

Dad's foot surgeon called me after the surgery today. She told me she removed all of the bad stuff. ("Bad stuff" is my term; her words were more clinical.)

I spoke with Dad, too, and he sounded good.

Now it's time to wait for some test results, as they need to make sure the infection is under control.

So Dad probably is in the hospital at least over the weekend.  At least he likes selecting his hospital meals; he gets to call in his order himself.  Little things.... 😊

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Dad's Foot

Dad is not writing his usual Wednesday post because he is in the hospital on IV antibiotics.

Tomorrow at 3PM he will get a little nubby removed from his right foot.  (When he had his first toe removed a few years ago, they didn't take the whole toe.  The remaining portion is what I refer to as the "nubby.")

The nubby is infected, as is some of the bone near it.  So perhaps they will need to take a bit more.  We'll find out soon enough.

So, here we go again!

Prayers are appreciated.  Thank you!

Sunday, March 10, 2024

DST Day One

At 6:15 PM today, I commented to Lew, "It's still light outside!"

Here's hoping I can get to work by 8:00 AM tomorrow.

Saturday, March 9, 2024

More Daylight On Its Way

I do like Daylight Savings Time.

The later Mr. Sun stays up, the better.

What I don't like is the start of Daylight Savings Time.

I am not really a morning person, so moving the clocks ahead makes for a difficult adjustment.

There has been talk of doing away with the semi-annual time change.

Please, let's do it and have Daylight Savings Time all year.

Happy "Spring Ahead" to you!

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Work Anniversary

I had to take Tuesday off this week, so I went into the office today.

On my drive home I remembered that I started this job on March 7, 2023 — one year ago today.

This means I've been through a whole cycle.  I think I pretty much know what I'm doing now, ha ha!

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Dad 707: Future Foot Fun

(By request, Dad writes a short post today. Thank you, Dad! ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! Not a great day to be out. Damp, wet, and about 50 degrees.

A one-liner tonight:

Things seem to be going on as usual, but a final foot surgery is coming!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Sunday, March 3, 2024

A Record is Broken


πŸ€  Caitlin Clark!  πŸ€


Do I need to say more?

The Book After Titus

We just had a two-week sermon series on the book of Philemon at our church.

How is Philemon pronounced?

During the sermon series, the preacher said it like this: fill-EE-mun. Emphasis on the middle syllable.

A variation that I thought I heard him say a couple times: file-EE-mun.  Fill vs. file.

Either way, emphasis on the middle.

Now we need a series on Habakkuk! 😁

Friday, March 1, 2024

Leaplings

Yesterday was Leap Year Day. I just saw a headline that more than 20 babies were born in Maine yesterday.

I wonder when these babies will celebrate their birthday. Biologically they will be four years old the next time a February 29th rolls around.

In non-leap years, they should have a two-day birthday celebration. My reasoning: The birth was in the month of February but it was on the day after February 28th.

So, leaplings, I encourage you to celebrate on February 28 and again on March 1! You are worth it!

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Dad 706: Oxygen Deficiency

(Dad writes today. He got a call back after he wrote this. Appointment tomorrow! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! A cool, cloudy day in the Northeast. But no snow in the future for us. Only one day until March. Will be one of the most snowless Februarys on record. Spring is on its way. We'll take it!
 
Well, I spent Monday at urgent care attempting to regain oxygen for use. My oxygen levels are not where they should be at times, and I have been short of breath and have trouble finishing sentences, etc. I wait for an appointment for an outpatient stress test. I think it is called "nuclear" because it is done with no activity.
 
Also I'm waiting to get oxygen at home. Just waiting. Waiting for a call back from nurse at doctor's office. I feel good and hope to clear up my heart problem. (All other tests are good except for this problem with my heart.) The body getting old is not the best thing that happens in the aging process.
 
Tune in next week. I may have better news.
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Monday, February 26, 2024

Technology Woes

Our computer files at work were "re-organized" by our I.T. office.

And now the files are disorganized.

It's been messed up for a week now, but we are making do until everything can be fixed.

What fun we are having!

πŸ˜•

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Taxes Done

I have finished tax return preparation for another year!

All three Federal returns have been "accepted."

I am still waiting for two Maine returns to be "accepted."  Hopefully that will happen in the next day or so.

Now on to other projects that are hopefully more fun. 😁

Friday, February 23, 2024

Taxes Update

I just e-filed income taxes for Matt and Emily. I did our own last week, so I just have my father's left to do. I am planning on looking at his tomorrow.

I found a great emoji to include at the end of this post. The title of it is "Money With Wings." Seems appropriate for the subject of taxes!

πŸ’Έ

Thursday, February 22, 2024

A Good Season

The Rockets season ended last night with a loss in the regionals. I imagine they wanted to go further into the playoffs, but they still should be proud of the winning season they had.

Dad and I enjoyed watching the games. Lew sometimes joined us. We still marvel at the technology which allows us to sit in Maine and watch a high school basketball game being played in Illinois.

Thank you, Rockets! It was fun. πŸ€

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Dad 705: An Easy February

(Dad writes today. I am happy to be back to my two-day work week! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! About noon and our weather is similar to the recent pattern of the outside looking good from the inside. A very little storm is on the books for the weekend. Should get a little snow, about one-to-three inches across most of the state. About one-to-six inches in one little spot up on the border. The coast, however, will get a little snow then rain clearing the land of the snow. This is about the easiest February I can remember in my 85 years. No large weather issues for the rest of February. We'll take it, but I do feel bad for the people depending on snow for their businesses.
 
Tomorrow marks four months without Mary Lou, my partner of 63 years. I have my moments when I am not filled with happy thoughts. One thing is for sure, though: I am getting closer to being with my partner again. Then I will be happy. Nothing wrong with my company now, but the best is yet to come!
 
Tracy seems to have the schedule for her bookkeeping job straightened out to what she was hired for, which is a two-day work week. Now she works to get our taxes done. Then we'll be ready for the rest of the year.
 
Tune in next week!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Leftovers

Breakfast out with Lew, Carole, and Donna.

The rest of today's dining:
  • Lunch: Leftover Chipotle.
  • Dinner: Leftover lasagna.
Yum!

Friday, February 16, 2024

A New Dining Experience

I had a late lunch with a friend today.

She suggested going to a place I had never been.

That place? Chipotle! (Yes, I am behind the times.)

I enjoyed the food and I even have leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.

When I see the commercials I now can say, "I've eaten there!"

Tax Season

My annual tax return preparation service has begun! I hang no shingle outside, though, since I only do three returns.  😁

I just e-filed the tax returns for Lew and me, so two to go!

Have you started YOUR taxes yet?  Just shy of a couple months left to get them filed. Have fun!

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Dad 704: Valentine's Day

(Dad has some good words for us all today. ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! Another beautiful day as seen from the inside. Temperatures are still south of freezing.
 
Let us have a simple day with a simple wish for everyone to have a spectacular Valentine's Day. Take a good look at your Valentine. Enjoy your company. Life is short. Make your day worthwhile. It will be worth it for you.
 
Happy Valentine's Day.
 
Tune in next week; I'll try to write more.
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

A Precise Weather Report

Amount of snow predicted for our area today: A COUPLE INCHES.

Actual snow received today: NONE. (Hooray!)

Snow received in other states not too far south of us:  A BUNCH... TOO MUCH!

❄❅❆⛄

Monday, February 12, 2024

Monday Musings on Super Sunday

I was rooting for the 49ers, so I was a little disappointed in the outcome of the game. But it was fun to watch. Congrats to the Chiefs. 

I thought Reba McEntire did a nice, respectful job singing the National Anthem. 

The half-time show. Eh. I'm of the opinion that the half-time length should be just like it is all season. Don't need to have a longer half-time just to have an elaborate production. The drama of the game is enough. 

I just listened to a few snippets of some Taylor Swift songs. Eh. I want to like her, I really do want to, but I don't understand why her music is so popular. Apparently I am not her target audience! But I guess she was good for NFL viewership this season, since all the "Swifties" were watching just to see her sitting in a box at the games. Now that the season is over, will her romance with Travis Kelce continue much longer? Stay tuned, Earthlings!

As for the commercials, I did enjoy many of them. Some were trying so hard to be unique that they fell flat. I didn't have a favorite, and I didn't rush out to buy any new products today.

Our Super Bowl special food: Lew made cheese nachos. Yum. Thanks, Lew!

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Super Sunday

Yesterday's post indicated my schedule for today. How I did:
  • We did go to church this morning. The sermon text was Colossians 4:4-6. Speak wisely and graciously!
  • On our way home from church we picked up Dad's ziti dinner. We also got him a brownie. Lew got an Italian sandwich. I got a lunch-sized ziti meal and a whoopie pie. (Yum.)
  • Caitlin Clark scored 31 points in the game today, but Nebraska beat her Iowa team by three points. She has to score only eight more points to be the highest scorer in NCAA Women's Basketball. Iowa's next game is at home on Thursday, and she will probably do it then.
  • I just finished the book I've been reading, Father Elijah: An Apocalypse by Michael D. O'Brien. It's entry #8 on my 2024 Reading List page.
As for the rest of the day, I hear there is a big event on TV starting around 6:30pm our time. I guess I will watch.

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Super Sunday Schedule

Tomorrow:
  • Go to church.
  • Pick up a Ziti dinner for Dad.
  • Watch Caitlin Clark play basketball.
  • Finish the book I've been reading.
Let's see.... What else is happening tomorrow?!

πŸ˜€πŸ“ΊπŸˆ

Friday, February 9, 2024

Divine Chocolate

I often wonder whether there will be chocolate in Heaven.

Then I remind myself that our present food won't compare to Heaven's feast.

Note to self: Rest easy!

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Think, Jessica, Think!

The TV show Murder, She Wrote is currently available on Amazon Prime Video. I just discovered this last week. To allow myself the guilty pleasure of enjoying the show, I only play it while I'm using the elliptical machine.

I've watched the first few episodes of Season One. I am surprised that Jessica Fletcher has put herself in danger a few times. For example: In the show I watched today, one of the characters asked Jessica to meet her in an abandoned warehouse down at the dock that evening. And Jessica went!  What was she thinking?

The answer to my question is this: Jessica Fletcher wasn't thinking. She is a fictional character.  It's just a TV show... but an entertaining one.

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Dad 703: A Project in Penmanship

(Dad writes today. Our joint project – see 2nd paragraph – is going slowly, but we'll get there! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! Another day which looks like a spring day from inside. Temperatures in the 30s. The professional prognosticators have said Saturday may approach 60°. Then back to winter. But only about three weeks of February left. Slowly sliding our way to spring. Bring it on!
 
Tracy and I are sending out "thank you" notes for the sympathy cards we received after the loss of Mary Lou. (The only problem I have is it takes me a long time to succeed in completing one "thank you" note!) It sure was nice to receive correspondence from acquaintances and friends we've made throughout the years.
 
We have watched all but one of Zachariah's Rock Falls basketball games from Illinois. I believe they have almost finished the regular season schedule and soon will be involved in postseason games. We will continue to watch the games. They certainly shoot the ball well. Good job, Zach. The team scored 100 points in 32 minutes a couple weeks ago!
 
Life goes on and we are still participants in it. We change and adapt to our surroundings. Enough for today. Enjoy the day!
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Write, Write, Write

Once upon a time I tried to write a novel. I finished a draft of it. I didn't do anything more after that, since I wasn't all that excited about it. (Translation: It wasn't a very good story!)

Recently I've been reading about the craft of writing. It's got me thinking I should try again, especially since my two-day work week will allow me to have some creative time.

Instead of a novel, I'm going to try my hand at short stories of the "whodunit" variety. I love mysteries, so this sounds fun to me.

Now that I've told my blog readers about it, I guess I should follow through soon!

Monday, February 5, 2024

Lew Saves My Day

My alarm went off at 6:00 this morning. I "waved" the snooze button. (It's a motion sensor.)

It went off again a few minutes later, and I again waved.

The next thing I knew, Lew is saying, "Hey, babe...."  It was 7:30!

He had been downstairs taking care of the kitties and realized he hadn't heard anything going on upstairs. So he came to wake me up.

Thank you, Lew!

P.S. I was only a few minutes late to work.

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Sunday Encouragement

Our pastor has been preaching through the book of Colossians. Two more weeks to go after today!

The main topic of today's passage was prayer, which reminded of the best encouragement I've heard regarding prayer. (Can't remember where I heard it.)

Many people, myself included, struggle with staying focused while praying. Here's the encouragement:

Pray until you pray.

Have a blessed week! 

Saturday, February 3, 2024

Can't Win 'Em All

A couple tough nights for the Rockets. Close games last night and tonight, but they came up short in both. Still fun to watch. We are grateful for streaming technology.

Only a few games left in their regular season and then the playoffs. We'll be watching!

Friday, February 2, 2024

68 Cents

Forever postage stamps have been around a while now. Because of this, I usually have no idea what it costs to mail a letter. The price isn't on the stamp, so... out of sight, out of mind.

I picked up a roll of stamps for my father today, so I learned that the cost is now 68 cents a stamp. Apparently this is up from 66 cents, and apparently this price increase just happened within the past couple weeks. Go figure.

Lew and I watched a news program earlier tonight, and the question was posed:
What is the price of a Forever stamp?
I knew the answer!

What a difference a day makes.

Thursday, February 1, 2024

My Recent Obsession With 0 and 1

I'm a little miffed at my friend Mary. She told me about a binary puzzle game on the internet, and now I can't stop playing it! There is something really satisfying about getting all the 0s and 1s in the right squares on the grid.

P.S. In reality I'm not upset with Mary. I just needed a catchy sentence to start this post.

P.P.S. Happy February!

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Dad 702: Don't Forget FRUIT

(Dad writes today. His post has nothing to do with fruit. But he has a big bowl of fruit in his fridge, and he wants me to eat some. So he jotted a reminder on his hand-written post. I will try to remember to have some later! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! Currently enjoying another stormless day in mid-winter. We've had a few storms that quite simply were nuisances. Still have not had an old-fashioned storm. And we now face February.
 
With the arrival of February, my mother always said "winter is almost over" or "only four weeks of winter left." I always breathe easier come February. Just a few weeks before we see the world come back to life. The flowers bloom. The grass grows. The birds are back. Please hurry back. We welcome you!
 
Life seems to go on about the same week after week. We continue to miss Mary Lou. We are adapting.
 
We enjoy watching Zachariah's Rock Falls High School basketball team from Illinois. (We've missed only one game.) They scored 100 points in a game last week. They are now 17-7. Keep the hoops coming. Good job, Zach!
 
I've reached my quota. So must stop.
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

A "Normal" Work Week

I worked yesterday and today, and I am done for the week! πŸ˜€

My new office-mate is working out splendidly. I am glad to be back to doing just my own tasks.

I do have one little thing to do for work tomorrow, but it will only take about 15 minutes and I can do it from home.

In other news:  Another nice win for the Rockets tonight!

Monday, January 29, 2024

Mac & Cheese

I like macaroni & cheese!

Lew and I don't try new restaurants very often, but if there is macaroni & cheese on the menu... well, I order it.

Several weeks ago I tried the Baked Mac & Cheese ("four cheese blend") from Amato's. YUMBO! I now order this every time we get Amato's food. The portion is so generous that I get two meals out of it.

Thank you, Amato's, for your excellent version of this delightful dish.

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Football (What Else?)

In last Sunday's post I gave my ordered preference for the four possible Super Bowl matchups. At half-time of the NFC Championship game today, I thought my last choice was going to be it. C'est la vie....

But then the 49ers came out and got it done in the second half. Quite a comeback, and they made it look easy.

In two weeks I again will be rooting for the 49ers. Best wishes, Brock Purdy! I hope you win.

Saturday, January 27, 2024

Rockets Win Again!

Another great win for Zach's team tonight, 67-36. (I think I am remembering the final score correctly.)

One of his players — a senior — scored his 1,000th career point tonight! They paused the game to recognize his achievement and presented him with a plaque and the ball. Congratulations!

Friday, January 26, 2024

The Tell-Tale Mail

Based on the mail that has been coming lately, I should be able to file our 2023 taxes soon. Just a few more tax documents needed.

Earlier this month I wrote about installing TurboTax on my computer. At the time, the need to use the software seemed far off. Sigh....

I remember looking forward to receiving mail when I was a kid. Now, not so much.

πŸ“­ ✉ πŸ’» πŸ€”

Thursday, January 25, 2024

A Perfect Score

We watched Zach's basketball team win again last night, 100 to 78.

They reached the 100-point milestone in the closing seconds. It was very exciting.

Congratulations, Rockets, on a great game!

πŸ€  πŸ’―  πŸ€

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Dad 701: I 'Shoe' Hope Foot Heals

(Dad writes a brief post today! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! Another snowy day in the Northeast. Plowable storm, but I'm not sure of that. Less than one week and February will be here. A short month to get us through another winter. Be glad when we get rid of cold winter weather.
 
Still must visit my foot surgeon again in six weeks to see if my foot is healing up. Don't want another medical problem with my foot, so we are trying to clear it up. Will try my new shoe (with its modifications) by using it one hour a day and then adding time each day. We'll see!
 
My blog boss said to keep my post short today. I'm doing what she said.
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

The Morning Sky

I called Lew on my way to work this morning. (Hands-free, no law breaking.) I had to tell him about the sky.

There were patches of beautiful blue with white clouds. And there were dark, long, snake-like clouds that seemed to stretch for miles.

I told Lew the dark clouds reminded me of action movies where the clouds turn into large monsters that terrorize the world.

But the clouds remained clouds.

I arrived at work safely.

πŸŒͺ☁🐍πŸŒͺ

Monday, January 22, 2024

A Shred of Fun

The paper shredder I have used for several years is fairly small.  You have to fold the paper in half (the long way) so that it will go through the shredder.  And you can only do a couple pages at a time.

This weekend I decided to buy a new shredder. You don't have to fold the paper first and you can do 12 pages at a time. The receptacle is much larger, too.

The shredder arrived today. I unboxed it as soon as I got home from work and shredded a stack of documents in less than five minutes. With my old shredder, it would have taken much, much longer. Maybe as long as an hour.

Shredding is now fun. Who knew?!

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Home Sweet... Oh, Rats

The title of my blog post tonight was going to be "Home Sweet Home" because all of the home teams won the divisional playoff games this weekend.

But one of the home teams just lost... the Buffalo Bills... the game that I cared the most about. Ugh. Sad.

As for the other three games, I did find myself rooting for one team over the other: the Texans (lost to the Ravens), the 49ers (won over the Packers), and the Lions (won over the Buccaneers).

So I went 2 and 2 this weekend. The second 2 feels a lot bigger, though.  Maybe I should write my weekend record this way:
       2 and 2

And the weekend record for the home teams:
       3 and 1

A week from today the Super Bowl matchup will be set. The order of my personal preference for said matchup:
  1. Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers
  2. Baltimore Ravens vs. Detroit Lions
  3. Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
  4. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions
My biggest hope for Super Bowl Sunday is that Lew will make cheese nachos.

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Breakfast!

The last time we had Saturday breakfast with Carole and her daughter Donna was mid-December. We missed several weeks in a row due to either illness or inclement weather.

Today the circumstances were such that we could all make it. It was so nice to finally have a chance to get together and catch up.

We know Dick would be happy we are continuing our Saturday breakfast tradition. But we sure do miss him.

Friday, January 19, 2024

Rockets!

The Rockets played a basketball game tonight.

Dad and I watched it. (Lew watched part of it with us.)

The Rockets led by eight points at half-time.

When the final buzzer sounded, they were ahead by 30 points... yes, thirty.

Another win for the Rockets!

Congratulations to Coach Zach and his team.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Sing a Song

I usually listen to a Christian radio station when I'm driving. While on my way to work today, I heard part of a sermon about Joshua and Jericho.

I walked into the office singing, "Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho; Joshua fought the Battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down."

I think some of my work colleagues heard me. Maybe they even enjoyed it.

We all need to sing. It's good for the soul.

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Dad 700: On Top of a Snowbank

(Dad writes today. A milestone post! Enjoy! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! Another beautiful summer-looking day from inside. However, a step outside will tell you it is not summer. Temperature in the 20s.
 
If you notice the number at the top of this post, you will see 700. That 700 is the number of times I have put in writing a report of our life over the past few years. Seven hundred blog posts! When I started this I didn't plan on this large a number. Perhaps one of the 700 has been something worth reading. Perhaps not.
 
Last week I promised to tell you about getting a truck stuck on the top of a snowbank. I was in my late teens and we had a Studebaker pickup. It was the middle of winter and the snowbanks were quite high on the roads. We (my sister Deb and I) were on our way to our grandparents' house in the Shaw's Ridge area of Sanford, and I spotted a place where the windblown snow had collected into a big pile on the side. I wanted to try driving through the windblown snow. So we headed through the pile of snow beside a snowbank. The windblown snow responded by sending the pickup truck to the top of the snowbank. To say Deb was not happy is not a strong enough statement. How do I get the truck back on the road?
 
Well, I had to walk about a half mile to our grandparents' home. Then I got on our red 1948 Farmall H tractor, pulled the switch and started it up. I went back to the stuck truck and pulled it back on the road. I don't remember much else about our trip, but I do remember Deb was not happy. The rest of the day went all right. No more trying to ram through a snowbank. A learning experience that kept me on the road and not on top of snowbanks forever. Well learned.
 
I still don't recall why we were going to our grandparents' home!
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

The Weather (What Else?)

We had snow flurries when I went to work this morning, but the weather (as predicted) did become more "inclement" throughout the morning and afternoon.

Our office closed early (3:15PM) because the roads were getting worse. A few minutes before I was ready to leave, I went to the front door and was able to use the remote starter for my vehicle. I'm glad I did that because it made cleaning the car off much easier, although it still did take a while.

I had a slow drive home, but that was okay by me!

Monday, January 15, 2024

A Productive Day Watching Sports

TODAY:  Two NFL wildcard games. But — more importantly — two Rockets basketball games.

Zach's team played in a holiday tournament today in Sterling, Illinois. Dad and I watched both games — via streaming, of course!

The Rockets dropped their first game to a highly ranked team from Chicago. They trailed most of their second game but managed to get things even in the fourth quarter. The Rockets were ahead by one point with 2.9 seconds to go. Their opponent was inbounding the ball under their own basket. They got the ball to the top of the key... a shot goes up... and it doesn't go in! The Rockets win!

For the record, I did more than just watch sports today. I did some reading, used the elliptical machine, took a shower, and wrote this blog post.

Sunday, January 14, 2024

We Fix a Clock

Lew and I bought a large clock for our upstairs bathroom when we moved into our house in 2007. I am blind as a bat, and I want to be able to see the time when I get out of the shower. Hence, a large clock.

The clock stopped working a few weeks ago, so I ordered a new "battery movement" from the clock's manufacturer. It came in the mail several days ago.

I kept thinking it would be a major, time-consuming project to fix the clock. So I was kind of avoiding it.

Earlier today I decided it was time. (Pun intended.)

I brought the clock and the parts downstairs. Between Lew and me, we were able to get the clock working within 10 minutes! And most of that time was just figuring out what we had to do.

The clock is now on our bathroom wall and is working great. We are both glad to have it back!

Saturday, January 13, 2024

No Calm After the Storm

Understatement: It rained today.

The road we live on was flooded in two spots.

We had some water in our dirt basement, but the sump pump did its work.

Flooding elsewhere in the state took out some coastal buildings.

Weather records were set. (Not the good kind.)

Now it's supposed to be bitter cold for the next week and a half.

My thoughts on all of this: Warm, pleasant weather. I like warm, pleasant weather.

Friday, January 12, 2024

Windy Weather

The wind is supposed to pick up around 3:00AM.
I told Lew that I may stay up until it starts.
(I don't think he believed me.)

It's going to rain, too.
More flooding is expected with this storm.
Sometimes a portion of our road gets flooded.
We are planning on staying home tomorrow.
(It was an easy decision!)

🌧 πŸŒ§ πŸŒ§ πŸŒ§ πŸŒ§ πŸŒ§

Thursday, January 11, 2024

Bye, Bill

The recent stormy weather has certainly been big news in New England.

More big news came to us today: Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots have "parted ways."

It will be strange not to see him on the sidelines next season.

Or maybe we will see him on the sidelines with another team...?

My advice: Retire, Bill! Enjoy the stress-free life of not coaching in the NFL.

Parting words: Many thanks, Bill, to you and Tom for the great run! It was fun.

πŸ† πŸ† πŸ† πŸ† πŸ† πŸ†

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Dad 699: Lew's Exciting Day

(Dad writes today. His note to me when he gave me what he'd written: "Tracy – Sorry it is so long." Enjoy! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! Another day of dealing with results of the storm. Had snow at first. Then rain and wind. A storm last month cleared out a lot of trees and branches so we didn't have as much damage. Even now in the late afternoon there are still 15,000+ without power. Another similar storm Saturday.
 
Lew had an exciting day today. He had his Wednesday breakfast with his group. I had a scheduled dentist date for a filling. Lew made it home, but not by using his regular route. Some roads were under water.
 
The dentist had called me to see if I could come a little earlier. I said "no" because I was dependent on Lew's ride. The dentist called again this morning but I was still not available to go early.
 
Lew started to take me to the dentist but we ran into trouble. Route One was under water and we had to reroute. (The dentist is only three miles from our house.) We called the dentist and told them we probably would be late. We were only five to ten minutes late, and the dentist said they would do the procedure.
 
Lew ran some errands while I got my cavity fixed. We then started home, going the long way around. We needed to stop at Walgreens but couldn't access it by car. Lew was able to park at the Dairy Corner and walk across the road to Walgreens to pick up my prescriptions.
 
We then wanted to go to Ace Hardware to get rechargeable batteries since I had ordered the wrong size. We tried driving through a snowbank in the strip mall next to the Dairy Corner. We got stuck.
 
A bigger truck finally came along and pulled us out. We went to the hardware store and found the batteries I needed. We then went home!
 
I am now caught up with my duties.
 
Today was not my first time to be lifted up on snow and get stuck. Next week I'll tell you about trying to get through a snowbank years ago... and how I got unstuck. Sister Deb didn't appreciate my driving!
 
That's it for today.
 
Until next time!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

A Win-Win

With Michigan's win over Washington in last night's college football championship, Lew won the dollar bet with my father.

My father was happy to pay up, since he wanted Michigan to win anyway!

Monday, January 8, 2024

I Have an Office-Mate

My "new" co-worker started today! We had a good first day of training. Tomorrow we'll do more. I'll still have to work a couple more days this week. I'm hoping to get back to my two-day workweek soon.

Lew and I are watching the College Football National Championship. It's half-time right now. We feared it wasn't going to be much of a game at first, but it's close at the moment. We'll see what the second half brings. Lew and Dad made a big bet with each other regarding the game's outcome. Their "big bet" is a whole dollar! Ha ha!  

🏈🏈🏈

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Sunday Snowday

The snow started falling overnight. The worst of the storm was mid-afternoon today. It stopped a short time ago. I now hear the sounds of plows out doing their work.

Our church was one of the few that didn't cancel this morning, but we opted to watch online. It was a good decision on our part, especially since we weren't plowed out yet!

The football games have been fun to watch today. Except for the Patriots game... what a terrible year.

I believe my new office-mate is feeling better, so she will start with us tomorrow. Hooray!

Best wishes to all for the week ahead.

😊

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Rockets!

A great win for the Rockets tonight! They played a tough opponent but managed to beat them by three points. Congratulations to Zach and his team.

In other news, it has started to snow. Most area churches have already canceled tomorrow's services. Here's how I would publicize it in the morning:
CLOSED: Southern Maine.

Friday, January 5, 2024

A No-Frills Friday

Today was a "stay in PJs" day. I wasn't planning to go anywhere, so it just seemed like the right thing to do. πŸ˜ƒ

I did manage to accomplish quite a bit while wearing my PJs. I installed TurboTax 2023 on my computer, thus I'm all set to do taxes when the time comes. I did quite a bit of reading. And tonight Dad and I watched Zach's basketball game online. The Rockets came up short, but they get to play again tomorrow night. We'll be watching!

Additional plans for tomorrow: Laundry, watch football, read, and prepare for all the snow we're supposed to get on Sunday.

I don't really do much to "prepare" for getting snow. But it is fun to see all of the hype in the local news!

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Blogging 2023 Numbers

I did a very poor job writing blog posts last year. There were only 148 posts, and nearly a third of those were written by my father.

However, I did keep my 2023 Reading List current (sort of). I made 90 entries!

I hope to post more regularly in 2024. And, of course, I hope to read just as much.

I feel pretty good about the reading goal.

Time will tell about writing more blot posts....  😁

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Dad 698: Bellows Bellows

(Dad writes today. This post's title is a complete sentence, LOL! ~ Tracy)
 
Derf Here! Another sunny, cool day in the Northeast. Maybe some snow this coming weekend. No snow in Western Maine on the ground and we will be a week into January. Wish it would last until late February. Temps are low enough to keep the ski areas' snow-makers working. Keep it there!
 
Over two months ago Maine had a shooter who killed 18 innocent human beings and wounded 31 others. This action seemed to unite our state. But Maine's Secretary of State has once again split the state.
 
Maine's Secretary of State has taken Trump's name off of the ballot for the upcoming primary. As she puts it, she did this because Trump was involved in an insurrection. It seems like a stretch to use this reason, since Trump was not charged with anything resembling insurrection.
 
Who is this woman and what is she thinking? She is thinking what her party is thinking, which is a desire to eliminate Trump's rights as an American citizen. We'll see what happens!
 
Tune in next week!
 
Toodle Pip!
 
Derf!

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

A New Office Mate

I have been without an office mate since the beginning of August, but I am happy to report there will be someone sitting at the neighboring desk soon! Once she is up to speed, I will be able to decrease my workweek from three days to the desired two days. 

She is not a totally new colleague since she already works where I do. She wanted to go from full-time to part-time, so she is moving into the position of Bookkeeping Assistant in my office.

Today was supposed to be her first day with me. However, she texted this morning about her current state of health.  Headache, congestion, sore throat, and body aches. And from what she wrote tonight, she isn't feeling any better. (I told her that Lew is suffering from something similar, which I have avoided getting so far.)

So, here's to everyone getting well soon!

In the meantime, I hope I don't catch what's going around.

Monday, January 1, 2024

Happy New Year!

Happy 2024 to all!

I've been trying to find a fun way to express the year.  What I came up with:
(2^10)+(10^3)
The ^ indicates exponent. 2^10=1024, and 10^3=1000. You should be able to do the rest of the calculation.

You may have noticed the blog background is different. New year, new look. I removed my picture. (I'm not sure if I want to include one or not.) I also added a subtitle per the prior post. 😁

Thanks for continuing to follow Mainely Tracy... or Mainely Derf!