You Can Call Me Sherlie

Learning the tools of the trade.

Eureka!

Where is Watson?

Lew's Logbook: Movie Moment

(At least Lew didn't mistakenly enter the ladies' room after this movie. Enjoy his post! ~ Tracy)

My friend Dick and I went to the movies this week. We went to see a movie called “The Accountant."

We can go during the day because we’re both retired and I didn’t think this would be a movie that our wives would enjoy.

Actually, after seeing the movie, I think Tracy would enjoy it. Yes, there was a lot of shoot-em- up but no excessive graphic scenes, not a lot of gratuitous bad language and no sex scenes. And the story was interesting.

I was standing in my kitchen about an hour after I got home and suddenly realized that I had missed a piece of the movie puzzle. I texted Dick and asked if he had figured out what I had missed. He had not.

I called him later and we seemed to have differing ideas about what was missed. The event in question happened near the end of the movie, and I blame our lack of focus on the fact that we both had to pee really bad.

I will see it again with Tracy. She will straighten me out as she usually does.

Brainstorming Costumes

The human resources director at work sent out an e-mail this week encouraging us to dress up for Halloween on Monday.  Of course, all costumes must be appropriate for the workplace, etc.

Because this is an opportunity to potentially wear jeans on a non-Friday (!), I am thinking about what I can "be" for Halloween. Here are some of my ideas so far:

Sherlock Holmes — I already have the magnifying glass and a hat that looks similar to his. 

A baby (or toddler) — This would allow me to wear warm, fuzzy P.J.s to work!  I could put my hair up into two ponytails on each side of my head. 

A debit or a credit — I am a bookkeeper, after all. But I would need my supervisor to dress up as whichever one I'm not. So it's probably too late to pull this one off. We're pretty good at coordinating our efforts, so maybe we can plan to do it next year. But it would definitely require some creativity! 

A college student — Here's where the jeans would definitely work!  :) 

A baseball player — I have a nice Red Sox jersey like the players wear. Add a ball cap, my glove, and I'm all set. (Oh, and jeans.)

A hippie — Lew could help me out with the authenticity. He is, after all, a former hippie. 

A graduate — I have a cap and gown somewhere up in the attic. Not sure I want to go up there, though!

A blanket — Our office is usually cold, so this would be a warm option.  :)

Will I dress up or not? We'll see. If I do, I will be sure to share a photo on Mainely Tracy. Stay tuned!

Holy Cow!

So the big news around here is that the Holy Donut is coming to Scarborough.

The Holy Donut is a Southern Maine business that is expanding; Scarborough will be its third location. (Once the shop opens in March, the waistlines of Scarborough residents will also start expanding. Ha ha!)

For my blog readers that are familiar with the area, the Holy Donut is moving into the building formerly occupied by Tim Hortons. Tim Hortons closed about a year ago now, so we've had a long time to wonder what would be moving in there.

Saying that people are excited about the Holy Donut would be an understatement. I don't think I can fully express how much joy this news has brought.

As for me? Well, I will be driving by the Holy Donut every day as I go to work. It's on the way. It's even a right-hand turn, which makes it all the more convenient.

Time to invest in more slacks with elastic waistbands!

Dad 329: Grillin'

(Lew cooked. We ate. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! The fall weather is upon us. Still waiting for a deep frost. Still have to mow once more before filling the trailer with the mower and various other items. Hope we are ready for winter within the next 10 days. Already have had a little snow up north. Predictors say more to come up north over the next few days.

 

Zack's team finished the year at 6-2. They start the playoffs Friday and should win. Then they will have a shot at one of the teams that defeated them.

 

Josh's team lost again by one point as they tried for a two-point conversion and failed. Their opponent scored and kicked the extra point (the winning point).

 

Spouse (Mary Lou) and I went for our six month check-up and teeth cleaning over the last two days. The results: NO CAVITIES! Yeah!

 

If all goes well today, Lew will cook one last time on the grill. What will he cook, you ask? Just four pieces of tenderloin (filet mignon). Can't wait to eat.

 

Done for now. So....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Arsenic and Old Legs

(Disclaimer:  I am not offering medical advice nor recommending any treatment.  I am just trying to write a silly blog post!)

Yesterday I mentioned drinking half a cup of tonic water before bed to help with my restless leg.

A co-worker told me about this idea.  She said that tonic water contains a minute amount of arsenic, which is used in the treatment of restless leg syndrome (RLS).

My extensive research (five minutes of googling) didn't help me answer some questions I now have: Does tonic water really contain arsenic? Is quinine the same thing as arsenic? (The tonic water I have contains quinine.) What is prescribed for RLS and how much arsenic does it contain, if any? Or does it really contain quinine? Does any of this matter to me if the tonic water works?

The tonic water does seem to help. My leg is less "anxious" and I sleep much better.

I thought Cary Grant might start showing up in my dreams, but — alas — no sign of him yet.

A Blue Monday

Stayed home from work today:

Didn't sleep well due to my restless leg. I had been trying Lew's apple cider vinegar cure-all, but it doesn't work for my leg as well as 1/2 cup of tonic water before bedtime. So back to the tonic water it is.

Also fighting the start of a cold. I drank two cups of Gypsy Cold Care Tea this morning, and most of the symptoms have gone away. More fluids and an early bedtime tonight may give me victory.

Feeling lousy physically often makes me feel "blah" mentally and emotionally. So after feeling sorry for myself this morning, I've picked up my game a bit for the afternoon. So hopefully my "Blue Monday" will not stretch into Tuesday....

I don't think it will, because I'm wearing my red pants tomorrow. Plus, there's this — especially this:

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.   [Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV84]

Smile!

Lew's Logbook: Ladies' Room

(I'm still laughing! Enjoy Lew's post!  ~  Tracy)

Oops!

We went to the movies tonight with some friends.

After the movie was over I had to stop by the men’s room before we left the building. I looked to my right and saw the “men” sign and walked into the facility.

Upon entering I encountered an elderly woman wiping her hands. I looked up and saw another elderly woman by one of the sinks. Brain told me something wasn’t right with this picture; I stopped while brain informed me thoroughly that women are not supposed to be in the men’s room.

I exited immediately.

Looking up at the sign, I noticed that I had not seen the “wo” in front of the “men”. The sign was curved and from where I was standing you could only see “men”.

There were two men standing outside of the women’s room waiting for the two ladies I had encountered. They got a big kick out of my mistake. They saw me go in and never said a word....

I think I made their day.

A Ho-Hum Haiku

It is now Friday.

What a wild and crazy week.

It's time to rest now!

How Much Are Those Kitties in the Window?

These sweet kitties are NOT for sale!

Dad 328: Closed For the Season

(The burgers were delicious. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Summer has returned for this day only. The weather predictors let us know this was going to happen a week ago. They were correct. If they are correct for next week's weather, we will be 30° lower than today's temperatures. Winter is not too far away. Oh, joy!

 

Zack's team beat Cheverus and now is at five wins and two losses with only one game left before the playoffs. Josh's team lost again and their young team can't seem to add to the win column. They are not blown out in games, but a loss is a loss. Better luck this week.

 

Lew played golf today and said it would be his last round of golf for the year. Only time will tell. Depends on the weather! He is about to turn on his grill for burgers. Is this the last grilling of the year? As for this – only time will tell.

 

Today I was able to turn off our outside water faucets. Also, Fred's fridge is closed for the season. It will reopen next spring with ice cream and soda.

 

Enough for today. Sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

 

Two Presentations

Yesterday a co-worker presented me with a beautiful infinity scarf that she had crocheted.

Today I presented her with lunch — her favorite gourmet pizza from Romeos:

SPANAKOPITA 

Ricotta cheese as the base, topped with fresh spinach, fresh mushrooms, sausage, feta cheese and our special blend of cheeses. 

It happens to be my favorite pizza, too.  We were able to "scarf" it down in no time!

More Tidying News

It is with some trepidation that I say this, but the "crazy-lady" portion of my tidying adventure is complete:

• The house is no longer in chaos, and I believe (hope?) the remaining tasks will be better contained.
• I don't plan on spending any more entire weekends tidying. It makes me weary.

So don't call me the "Happy Homemaker."

I am the "Tired Tidier."

Lew's Logbook: End of Summer

(Lew writes today. There is at least one plus: the beautiful foliage. We admired it this morning.  ~ Tracy)

This is a hard time of year for warm weather people like me. 

Last week I played golf and it was a lovely day. But when I got home I had to decide if I was going to put my clubs away or leave them out for another chance to play. I didn’t put them away…yet. 

Also, I need to start thinking about putting my motorcycle away. (I don’t ride in the cold.) It looks like there might be a riding day this coming week but the door is closing fast. 

I put my beach chair upstairs in the garage and threw my beach pass in the trash. 

Shorts are out and sweatpants are in. 

This is a good time to stop writing. I’m depressing myself.

A Tidy Update

During the month of July I began to "tidy" our house. I brought Lew along on the journey. (He didn't have much of a choice, but he is a willing participant.)

I had read a book which I have since learned is quite popular:  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo. I like the practical advice she offers, but I don't really follow the more whimsical ideas. (For example: Thanking an article of clothing for its service before discarding it. Nope. Although I did make my mother do it when she was having trouble getting rid of some things she could no longer wear. It helped!)

Ms. Kondo said in her book the tidying process could take up to half a year; I believe we will prove that. Lew and I have made great progress and we love the results so far. We are almost done with the upstairs. We still have to conquer the kitchen and dining room downstairs. But I'm not really counting the attic.... Yikes.

Once the major tidying is complete, we will need to keep up only on a day-to-day basis. No backsliding for us!

Let's Go, Cubbies!

There's always next year . . . . 

My beloved Red Sox lost in the first round of the playoffs.

But there are two benefits from said loss:

1)  My stomach will be much more relaxed for the rest of the month.
2)  I now can root for the Cubs with reckless abandon!

Dad 327: Glen vs. The Pheasant

(It was great seeing nephew Josh when he was home this past weekend. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Enjoying some great fall days. The mornings are quite cool but the temperature really warms up for beautiful afternoons. Hoping for a coastal frost soon. Then I'll mow the lawn one last time and store summer equipment in the trailer for winter. Please, frost – come soon!

 

Josh's football team had a weekend off and Zack's team improved to 4-2 with a win. Josh has five games left and Zack has two regular-season games prior to the playoffs.

 

Glen, while taking Josh and four other students back to Maine Maritime on Monday, lost his vehicle's grill to a pheasant. The bird lost its life.

 

We are happy Tom Brady is back. We're a little sad the Red Sox were swept by Cleveland in the playoffs. The Sox left their bats in the clubhouse. Their top pitchers performed below expectation. Go, Cubs!

Tune in next week!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Fall-ing Ahead

Columbus Day — which was yesterday — is a major turning point here in Southern Maine. It is the last day we are open for business. The sidewalks get rolled up afterward.

For example, yesterday was the last day of the season for Pier Fries. Did I get to eat any last-day-of-the-season fries?

My husband sent me a text message yesterday at 12:18pm.  It read, "Come outside. I have a present."

When I met Lew outside of my workplace, he presented me with a warm box of Pier Fries.

He. Is. The. Man.

I shared the fries with all of my work colleagues, and I now have the most popular spouse in the land.

Thank You, Readers

I know — or at least feel like — my own blog posts have been sub-par lately.

As I was driving home from work, I considered cutting back and writing only when I had something fun to talk about.

But then I thought about what would probably happen in reality: I'd get out of the habit of posting altogether. And I do want to keep the blog going.

So, I'll keep writing on the non-Sunday and non-Derf and non-Lew days.

And every now and then I might have something interesting to say. It could happen, you know!

Thank you for reading Mainely Tracy!

Lew's Logbook: Em and the Boys

(I was right! Emily does look adorable in the Batgirl t-shirt. Enjoy Lew's post! ~ Tracy)

Sometimes nice things just happen.

I came home from getting a flu shot yesterday and my phone rang. Daughter-in-law Emily asked if I would like to go to lunch with her and my two grandsons and then go walking on the Eastern Trail.

I had plans to work on some projects around the house, but all-of-a-sudden they didn’t seem very important.

I took turns giving the boys shoulder rides and realized that I can barely lift Eli over my head. Growing up quick.

It was a beautiful day and a lovely time.

STINKY!

I hate baseball.

That is all.

Oh, Why Am I a Sports Fan?

The past hour of my life:

The Boston Red Sox scored a run in the top of the first inning.
I love baseball!
The Cleveland Indians tied the game in the bottom of the second inning.
I hate baseball.
The Red Sox went ahead, 2-1, in the top of the third inning!
I love baseball!
The Indians just scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning, which isn't over yet.
I hate baseball....

No wonder why my stomach is in knots by the end of October.

Repeat often: "It's only a game."

Dad 326: No on Hurricane, Yes on Sports

(Let's go, Red Sox! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Enjoying a nice summer-ish, fall-ish stretch of weather. It looks now that the hurricane will only touch the southeast section of the country and then turn out to sea. We hope so!

 

This past weekend was not kind to grandsons' football games. Josh's Maine Maritime game was a 36-30 loss. Zack's high school game was a two touchdown loss to the defending state champs, who are still ranked as number one in the state.

 

The Patriots lost their first game of the season and finished at 3-1 without Tom Brady. His four game suspension is over after serving it, even without a conviction.

 

We, in the Northeast, are all looking forward to the baseball playoffs and wish the Red Sox well. It has been a great season for the Sox and I'm sure they will receive some individual awards. Stay tuned!

 

Enough for today. So....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Play(off) Ball!

I haven't written too much this season about my beloved Red Sox,

Unless you don't follow baseball, you already know two important facts:

1. The Red Sox won their division.
2. David Ortiz ("Big Papi") is retiring.

I will be rooting for the Red Sox in the postseason, of course.

I will also be rooting for the Chicago Cubs. (Cubs fans, I feel your pain.)

But if the Red Sox and the Cubs meet in the World Series, I must remain loyal to my team.

Go, Red Sox!!!!!

The Bear: The Rest of the Story

It's taken 43 years, but I have finally resolved the fate of Fred the Bear....

The bear named Fred was sound asleep.
The bear rug makers didn't hear a peep.
But when they opened up the crate,
they had no time to celebrate.
For they heard Fred make a loud snore.
He woke! He gave a mighty ROAR!
The rug makers turned around to run,
but Fred said, "Awww... I roared for fun."
A talking bear! His name is Fred.
He moved next-door to Mister Ed.

Lew's Logbook: Apple Pie

(The book Lew refers to is by Marjorie Standish. Enjoy his post! ~ Tracy)

I made an apple pie today.

My mom’s apple pie was one of my most favorite things to eat on earth. I happened upon a recipe years ago that comes as close to her pie as anything that I’ve ever tried. It is from a cookbook titled “Cooking Down East” and is called “Best Apple Pie”.

Of course these days I can’t taste it. But I still derive some satisfaction from eating things, so I thought I would cook one up. This is the season after all.

I’ve always thought that fresh macs make the best pie. I confess, however, that I use ready made crust.

Fred, Mary Lou, and Tracy seemed to enjoy my effort.

You will note in the picture that I also managed to find my old L.L. Bean apple peeler. It does make the process a lot easier.