Our Phone Works!

Sometimes the last resort really should be considered earlier.

Fortunately, I heeded the above advice last night. (This is advice I gave myself.)

I spent about 10 minutes reading online to try to figure out the problem with our phone. I got absolutely nowhere. I couldn't even determine if our phone was even hooked up or not.

So I marched downstairs and told Lew, "I'm calling."

The wait was going to be a billion hours (not quite that long, but close), but fortunately the cable company has a callback option. So I didn't have to stay on the phone the whole time, and they called me back when it was my turn. (If you are wondering, "How did she call if her phone wasn't working?" — I used my cell!)

Lew wasn't convinced I would receive a call, but about 20 minutes later I was speaking to a wonderful guy named Rich. He quickly determined that our modem had not been activated properly on their end, and he took care of everything. He was awesome.... I think I'm in love.

By the way, Lew was also awesome with the phone project. He did all of the manual labor. The new phone system we purchased is all hooked up and our old phones are in a pile, awaiting their demise. Thank you, Lew, for your hard work.... I know I'm in love.  💗

Don't Call Us; We'll Call You

Today is the day that our home phone was supposed to be switched over to our cable line.

As of this moment, we still get a dial tone on the "old" phone line. Nothing on the "new" one.

When I tried to call our home number from my cell phone earlier, I got a message that "this number is currently not accepting calls."  But I COULD call from my "old" home phone to my cell phone.

Freaky.

So I'm about to embark on yet another Internet search to figure out if there is something more we are supposed to do on our end. (We were told it would be seamless. Ha!)

Calling the cable company? That will be my last resort!

New Do!

Dad 377: It's the Magic Number Countdown

(Let's win the division, BoSox! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Here I sit in the Northeast on this fall September day with the air conditioner on. We sure are enjoying our late summer. The experts tell us it will be more fall-like starting tomorrow afternoon. Might even have temps in the 40s. So cool!

 

Zack's football team got back to winning with another blowout (beat the school that I was employed at as principal). Josh's team is still looking for a win, but did score five touchdowns in a loss. Go, Zack and Josh!

 

The Red Sox have been at magic number three for a few days. The Yankees are winning and the Red Sox are now losing. Five games left and must have a total of three Red Sox wins and/or Yankees losses. Stranger things have happened. Injuries seem to be taking over the Red Sox. Go, Sox!

 

Spouse continues to be holding her own and wants a haircut before Kim and Kaelen arrive two weeks from today. We are psyched for their visit.

 

Enough for today. Sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Technology Travails

I used a vacation day today so that Lew and I could do some errands.

We changed our cable package to make it more economical. Part of that entailed switching our landline to cable. In order for that to work best for us, we then went out and bought a new phone setup. (Sometimes you have to spend money to make money, right?)

Our wireless printer had been hanging on by a thread lately, and today the thread broke. So when we bought the phone, we also bought a new wireless printer. The salesman assured me the printer setup would be easy. Ha! I was ready to dropkick it at one point, but I persevered and eventually prevailed.

Lew kept referring to today as "the Day of Tracy." It certainly didn't turn out like I had planned it to. But we did eat lunch at IHOP, so that was something.

Lew's Logbook: Bro Date

(Lew writes today. I love the photo with his not-so-little nephew! Enjoy! ~ Tracy)

He’s not “The Godfather,” but brother-in-law Glen made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

Debbie could not go to Josh’s football game at Maine Maritime Academy today, so Glen called me earlier in the week and asked if I would be his date for the day.

Even though I had a couple of things planned, I immediately said I would go. We all have a hierarchy of things we would like to do, and going up to beautiful Castine, Maine to watch my nephew play football is way up on my list.

The weather was perfect and we took Josh out to lunch after the game.

A day well spent. Thank you, Glen.

I Certainly Can.... Ken-Ken

I stumbled across a superb Ken-Ken app for my Kindle Fire.

For those of you that have never heard of Ken-Ken, it is a game similar to Sudoku — except Ken-Ken is much more fun, especially for math geeks like me.

Problem: I can't seem to stop playing!

Solution: Just keep on playing, and eventually I will get tired of it. (Maybe....)

Darci Lynn's Got Talent

I just spent half an hour watching video clips from this season's "America's Got Talent."

I don't watch the show, but apparently the finale was last night, and the winner was a 12-year-old ventriloquist named Darci Lynn Farmer.

When I saw an article about her winning, I thought, "Hmmmm.... I should check that out." (I was actually thinking, "Really???  How good can a 12-year-old be at ventriloquism?")

Well, thirty minutes later I am wanting to find video clips of everything she's ever done.

If you haven't seen any of her performances yet, start your google search now!

AMAZING!!!

(Postscript: When I was 12 years old, I could tell you which Major League Baseball teams were leading their divisions. I could also tell you the second-place teams.)

Dad 376: Spouse Is Doing Well Also

(Football and baseball... it's a wonderful time of year! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Enjoying another damp and cloudy day thanks to storms off the eastern coast. Next few days look like summer if the experts are correct. Bring it on!

 

Football is a 60-minute game. Well, last Friday Zack's team was in the lead for 59 minutes and 14 seconds (at one time led by 14 points, 28-14). Lost the game with 46 seconds left, 32-28. They should do all right the next four weeks. The season's last game will be, I think, their next challenge and then the playoffs. GO, ZACK!

 

The Patriots got a win and they are 1-1. GO, PATS!

 

The Red Sox are three games up on the Yankees with 11 games remaining. Keep scrapping, Red Sox!

 

Lew and Tracy are in a special choir at their church for Christmas. I'm sure they will contribute and enjoy it.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

A Time to Sing

Lew and I attended the first choir rehearsal at our church tonight.

It has been over five years since we sang in a choir on a regular basis, and boy, could I tell!  My vocal muscles are not in shape. I'm not even sure if we have vocal muscles or not, but whatever they are — cords, I guess — they are not used to singing for 90+ minutes straight.

So this week, as I am out and about, I will be softly singing to myself... when appropriate... probably not at work... I want happy office mates!

Retail Therapy

On Saturday I did something I haven't done for a long time: I went shopping.

And I'm not talking about Amazon.com.

I actually went out shopping, to real brick and mortar stores.

I went with my friend Luanne, and we spent the whole day spending money. (It was mostly my money, Luanne has a lot more self-discipline than I do.)

I bought some much-needed clothes for myself and got a little bit of a start on Christmas.

We had a really fun time, and we are already planning to go again soon.... Just doing our part to help the economy!

Lew's Logbook: Cooking for Tracy

(Enjoy Lew's post!  I did.  😘  ~ Tracy)

“It was delicious.”

That’s what Tracy says to me after almost every meal that I prepare.

Those of you who know Tracy know that she has many skills and talents, but most of them do not require time in the kitchen. That — and the fact that I am retired — means that I do just about all of the meal prep, whatever it may be.

I know my way around the kitchen a little bit, although my repertoire is pretty basic and limited. But she is not fussy. If I ask her, “How about ________ for dinner,” she says, “Sounds good.” We say grace before we eat and she always kisses my hand at the end. Then, after we eat, she always thanks me and says, “It was delicious.”

Isn’t she sweet. 💗

I’m going to go big this week and make an apple pie with some juicy Maine macs.

I’m expecting extra kisses.

Do Re Mi

Lew and I are going to be in the Christmas Choir at our new church! We went to an orientation session on Tuesday. Regular rehearsals will start on Tuesday next week.

Lew has already started listening to the music. I have not, so I am already a slacker, ha ha! At least we will be using our music for the performances; I am glad we don't have to memorize it.

It has been a while since we have sung on a regular basis, so this could be really interesting as far as our vocal stamina is concerned....

It will be fun. 🎵

Dad 375: Sports, Sports, Sports

(After my father wrote this, the number "20" became "21" ... Wow! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! We are now in the middle of some of the best weather of the summer season. It is just grand!

 

How about those Patriots.... Did you ever see them play worse? I haven't! Did you ever see them get out-coached like they did? I haven't! I figure them to win their division. Their record will be between 12-4 and 14-2. Then it is to the playoffs and anything can happen. Would like one more ring.

 

Zack's team is doing really well. Big game this week with another undefeated rival. GO, RED STORM!

 

Hope Josh's team rebounds from their first game and gets a win this week.

 

The Red Sox seem to be limping along to a division title. How about Cleveland's 20 wins in a row?!

 

Spouse is getting along fairly well and that really makes us happy!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

It All Waited

After staying home sick yesterday, I returned to work today.

I had 86 e-mails to go through. Fortunately a lot of them required no response/action on my part.

My co-workers did a great job keeping up with their tasks that I review. I was able to breeze through my part, making very few changes.

So... I may have overstated my "breezing." I put off one thing until tomorrow: reviewing 105 payables in our accounting system.

That number — 105 — is a lot.

My co-worker sent an e-mail telling me they were ready for review. She added a winky-face emoji at the end, because she knows how much I look forward to this particular task. (Nope.)

My one-word response to her:  "Stinky!"

It Can All Wait

Had flu-like symptoms today.

Stayed home this morning, and thought I would try to go in after lunch.

But I still wasn't feeling all that great.

I sent a text message to my supervisor, telling her how I hoped to get in to take care of some of my work.

Her response:

It can all wait.
Stay home.

Good advice, which I heeded.

Lew's Logbook: Grocery Store Marvel

(Lew writes tonight. And I don't think he's weird at all! ~ Tracy)

I usually go grocery shopping twice a week. I have the time and Tracy really doesn’t like to go. (I asked her if she wanted to go with me one day this week and she said “nah”.)

Most times when I am at our local Hannaford I think about how amazing it is that they have all this food here every time I come. There are always blueberries and strawberries available (quality and price vary) no matter the time of year. All kinds of other fruits and vegetables are always in stock. Fresh breads, meats and bakery items tempt me all the way through the store.

I guess I am a little weird to think about such a thing, but it just goes to the fact that we live in the most wonderful country in the world and I thank God for it. I even feel blessed sometimes when I am running water in the sink because I know that most of the people in this world struggle for clean drinking water.

I guess that I am a little weird, but I am very grateful to my Heavenly Father and I don’t want to take anything for granted. (Thinking about it, my attitude may have something to do with the year that I spent in South Viet Nam and seeing a third-world country up close and personal.)

Lew Took Me Out...

... to the ball game!

We went to see nephew Zack's football game this evening. His team — Scarborough High School's Red Storm — won the game, 49-15.

It was a beautiful night for football.

Congratulations, Red Storm!

Dad 374: Pharmaceutical Ventures

(It's already time for flu shots?! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another cloudy, rainy day here in the Northeast. No complaints as we watch the devastation in the Texas area and Irma as she heads to Florida.

 

Went to Rite Aid today and stocked up on a prescription and some vitamins that Spouse takes daily. Also received my flu shot and last pneumonia shot I needed. Hope tomorrow will be less rainy so we can get back to Rite Aid for shots for Spouse. We go through the drive-thru and let them know we are there. Then Jim meet us out front to give Spouse her shots.

 

Friday will be Spouse's last visit to her doctor (Dr. Chase) in Scarborough. He is moving to Westbrook to their larger office. I sure am not happy about this. Can do nothing about it. Progress, I guess, for them!

 

Go, Patriots, tomorrow in your season opener. Get on the ball, Red Sox, both pitching and hitting.

 

See you next week!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Why Didn't I Think of That?

During our walk yesterday, Lew commented on how all you really need is one good idea and you can be set for life. Of course, having the good idea doesn't automatically get you to the "set for life" part — there is a lot of work that goes into it.

So, which is easier? Coming up with the idea or putting the work into implementing it?

I believe it is more difficult to have a new idea. I say this because I can't come up with one!

😉

Happy Anniversary, Emily and Matt!

Emily and Matt have now shared seven years of wedded bliss! I just read my blog posts about their wedding, and I have linked to the posts below. I hope you enjoy my trip down memory lane. 💗

The year is 2010....

Tuesday, August 31 ~ Weather or Not

Thursday, September 2 ~ All Work and No Play

Friday, September 3 ~ Wedding Weekend

Saturday, September 4 ~ Congratulations Emily and Matt!

Sunday, September 5 ~ The Father of the Groom

Monday, September 6 ~ Room for the Groom

Tuesday, September 7 ~ Wedding Accessories

Thursday, September 9 ~ Two Wedding Tidbits Featuring the Nephews

Friday, September 10 ~ Wedding Wheels 

Weekend Update

Remember my big project at work? And how I was waiting to send out version 2.1? Well, I sent it out yesterday. I didn't really intend to send it so soon, but I happened to mention it at a staff meeting and of course everyone wanted it! (I might be exaggerating a little about my co-workers' enthusiasm, but they really were interested in getting the version with the cosmetic changes.)

Despite feeling a little chilly, Lew and I made it through the entire Sea Dogs game last night! (We even stayed for the fireworks afterward!) It helped that the game was a fun one to watch. The Sea Dogs won, 7-2. They usually lose when we go, so it was a nice change.

Lew and I went out to dinner with some friends tonight. That's two nights out in a row for us. We are not used to all of this social excitement, so we're tired now. I am glad that I have the day off on Monday to recuperate.

Speaking of the Labor Day holiday, our plans are to do nothing. I can hardly wait!

Lew's Taking Me Out...

... To the ball game!

I have not been to a Portland Sea Dogs game yet this season, but that will change tonight. Lew and I are leaving momentarily to go to Hadlock Field.

I plan on eating lots of yummy stuff and cheering for the Sea Dogs. It will be loads of fun.

But Lew and I agree on something:  If it gets too cold, we are coming home!

Go, Sea Dogs!