Ramblin'

I listened to an interview on Sirius this past week with Jon Hamm. 

It was 2 hrs and 3 minutes long. No commercials and no censorship. 

It was a great interview. Know what I liked most?

What I liked most is that he is a nice midwestern boy. (STL)

In all seriousness, I have been disappointed in the past when I tune in to hear someone I like, they are weird or worse, not nice people. 
That was not the case with Jon Hamm. I was happily surprised!

My goodness he is as great as he is handsome. Not bad eh? And he's so funny and he's friends with my other midwestern boy Paul Rudd. He mentioned he was friends with Joe Buck but I have decided I won't hold this against him. He has to have a flaw or two. 

I went to Costco yesterday as I mentioned to you in my previous blog post. 

Rick drove because of my ankle which I'll fill you in on later. But Rick can't go into costco. Rick knows this. In fact he told me he'd drive and stay in the car. I was shocked. The man loves Costco but I hate him going. I've told you all a million times I sent him to fetch my favorite pens I could not find anywhere including all office supply stores, and he came home having spent well over $400 and no friggin' pens! 

Rick sees meat and before you know it we've spent $400 on meat alone and we still have to shop for what we came for. 

So Mr. No Willpower decided to stay in the car and send me in with his list. He said he couldn't be trusted and I don't trust him at Costco, its the other woman. At least he knows himself. It was killing him to be in the car I just knew it!

I text him to tell him about a couple things on his list they don't have. I explain how they are out of a lot of things. He text back, c'mon really? So I suggest he come in and learn restraint. I received back an emoji laughing.

He arrives at the meat dept and sees they are out of everything and I'm not crazy. We proceed to shop and he picks up this, picks up that. He is just winging things into the cart.  Finally I say, remember we have a budget. I gave him the head tilt. He laughed and put back the bag of several hundred tortillas as if one person needs that many flour tortillas when he has some at home. (and he is the only one who eats them)

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In other news Rick and I are watching a show on Apple called Bad Sisters. There is a character who all on the show refer to as The Prick. Last week's episode ended making us think they killed him, finally. But he arose from the ashes so speak and The Prick is alive. I am so invested in this that I want him dead and STAT. 

This show has sucked me in big time! Sucked us both in. We have flirted with not watching until all episodes can be streamed. But the frustration this week made us agree that we will not watch weekly when only 1 episode drops but to wait until we can watch to the end.

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The other evening while watching a game they kept saying we won AL East title. I even repeated it here. But looking over schedule it's not locked up just yet!! So we have a ways to go. Then again I'm bad at math. I think I'm right this time though. But it's been a fun season over all, no matter how it ends.

Moustaches

Well here it is Friday already. Before retirement, days never flew by like this. What's that about?

I am buried under baseball. Love this time of year. I don't think we will get far in the playoffs but it is fun while it lasts. 

But before last nights game we saw an interview with JLo. She and another woman were discussing women not hating their bodies. These 2 women talked about the fact that Latina women have prominant butts so they should embrace it, not hide.  I stupidly said to Rick, gee wonder what we Italian women have? Too damn quickly he added, 'Mustaches'

Needless to say I had a spit take. That made me laugh like a nut job. Finally I said, "You sure answered that quickly"

He just winked at me.

Good nite of laughter and we clinched the AL East title while playing Boston. Doesn't get a whole lot better for me than that. 

Fingers crossed that Aaron Judge won't be walked all nite tonight. Look Roger Maris got his 61st HR against the Red Sox so its only fitting that Judge should too. 

😁

Enjoy your Friday. I'm going to Costco and I'm going to enjoy the 74 degree weather. Yesterday was 98 and today it will be a high of 74. How great is that?

Yeah, happy dance for me!! 💃 

Beach Time

After six months of laying around, you'd think I wouldn't wish to do any more of that. HA, being at the beach is my nirvana. Some hike, some run. I need to be near water. I would prefer to be on a boat, or a raft, or a paddle board but on or around water is a must for me. It may be a Pisces thing but I've always found my peace at water's edge. It calms me. It is good for my soul.

It was a cooler day of 85 so we thought it would be nice at the beach.
We packed up a cooler, camera, and other things one needs at the beach. We have had these Eddie Bauer chairs for years. We had them at the lake house, we've used them for outdoor concerts, etc. But these have not been outside of their canvas cases in 2 yrs. We were surprised they were still intact but a few things missing or rotting like a plastic piece that fits around the drink holder. But all in all, they were fine for today's use. But this is their last year. We got them at Costco in 2001 so we got our monies worth out of them for certain.

We got situated and Rick immediately went swimming. The water was very much like hot bath water which he found horrible. I would have preferred it a bit cooler but not much. It was more like a pool than a lake. I like a pool 😁

We were at what is normally a guarded beach. Since the season is over there were no lifeguards. But they had bathrooms here so that is why we went to this area. The area we always went to with Izzy was remote but I brought water to drink and then having to pee is an issue for me because no, I will not pee in the lake, a pool, or the ocean. I'm weird I know. 

There were a few people on the beach. 2 young women on a blanket. 

An older couple like us in front of me. 

A family behind me with a little child who yelled, mom, mom, mom, MOMMY, MAMA, MOM MOM, MOM, MOM, MOM, MOOOOOOMMMMMYYY!  I was ready to answer this little kid myself and pretend I was his mom. How can you ignore this? I guess only a mom can.

Finally, his mother came to the water to see what he wanted. 

Honestly, this kid was a bummer. After yelling in English he began yelling in Spanish. Rick called this kid "birth control" and of course, I laughed.

Then another family came in with a child who screamed so much I had to turn around. I didn't want to look for fear the mom would think that I was judging her but for the love of God this kid sounded like he was being abused. No abuse happening, just a tantrum to beat all tantrums. That poor mom. It was 2 families of moms and their kids. I'd have a drink after that one!

I grabbed my book to try to get lost in the sound of the water lapping on the shore and a good story and ignore the shit around me. I realized my book was on the top of the cooler. It was not quite behind me and not quite next to me. It was between both chairs in an odd way. I leaned to the left and I went down!  As I leaned to the left my whole chair came with me. 

My broken ankle got twisted in the straps for the footrest. 

Now, I am laughing like crazy! Each time I tried to get up it would rock me back. I did a full-on crunch and held it while trying to get my foot free. Remember I am sideways on the sand. No luck. I was howling and Rick heard me while doing his laps. 

He yells, "Are you okay?"

Oh, I don't know, I'm laying sideways with my legs in the air like a turtle on his back what do you think? I gave him a thumbs up. I mean I was fine I just needed to get upright. I wasn't hurt, my glasses that are under me may be hurt but I wasn't. If I hadn't been thrown into a fit of laughter I think it would have been easier. How could you not laugh? 

The more I tried with my legs and arms flailing it was funny to me. But there I was laughing and on my side with the chair upside down and not a soul offered a hand to help me up which I found odd. Rick is still doing laps. I was down like this for a solid 5 minutes easily. If I saw an old bat on the beach like this I'd want to laugh too but I'd still go over and ask if I could help him/her. At the very least I'd yell to the person and see if they wanted help. I'd also help a young person even though I too would probably laugh. Boy, I bet they videoed this though to show others to laugh. 

Finally, Rick is out of the water coming toward me. I think to myself I can just lay here and wait or just try one more time. I counted to 3 and Viola. 

I got untangled and got myself upright just as Rick got to my chair. Oh, I was still messing with the chair but I was now standing.

He was laughing and said, "you were laughing and I could hear you out there and it made me look up. how the hell did you do that?"  

I explained and he just laughs and shakes his head. "Ah, my clumsy wife." Then he said, "none of those men came over to offer a hand?" Nope. 

He sits down in his chair and states the obvious, "we've really gone downhill, haven't we? I'd help a person of any sex or age what is wrong with people?"  I have no answer to that Rick. It was all fine and it was damn funny.

It was a glorious day. I don't know why laying around at the beach doesn't make me feel guilty but laying around my house does. Rick was doing laps inside the taped-off area for swimming. He swam back and forth a great deal. Guess who was sore by that night? But since he has very bad arthritis in his feet (just saw dr. for it) walking is bothering him a lot. He has been skipping some mornings of his daily walks of late due to this pain. He needs to exercise he says but nothing is appealing to him. I suggested swimming. 

He loves to swim, which is good for you and less harmful or painful on his joints. But he poo-poos me all the time when I suggest going to the Y. 

Friday night after things settled down the soreness crept in for him. 

But he said it was a good sore. I understood that. Then he said as if no one has ever said these words before. "Maybe I should look into the local Y and see about swimming several days a week. It would be good exercise and help with the feet issue." 

All I said was, "You think so Rick?"  

He laughed. He knew.

So this week we are going to check out the local Y that I have wanted to see about joining and see if there are any classes or things I'd wish to be a part of. I think we can get a 7-day free trial so we may start there. 

I know during the day it should be a pool of adults or fewer people. 

I know if there are a ton of kids he won't want to go.

That is Rick down by the water setting up our chairs as I am walking back from the restrooms. 

This was the other older couple in front of my chair who laughed along with me but sure didn't offer a hand. 

Rick resting after a few laps against that yellow thingy. He did so many laps I was going to tell him he didn't have to do them all in one day! He swam along that yellow line and the posts.

There were several posts like this. He did 4 posts as 1 lap and then back again. I sat on my fat butt and watched.

Here's my Big Guy 

It was a very nice day. We think we'll go back this week but mid-week not a Friday. Hoping fewer people that way. Less screaming children at the very least. 

If they aren't your kids, screaming children are not fun for R & R. 

Look Out

Ranting here today.

Blogger - I wrote an entire post with photos of my day at the beach on Friday. It wouldn't stop going backwards and deleting everything I wrote or the images I posted. I tried hitting the revert arrows. Nope. I got out of it and came back and it moved so fast it was unbelievable. I tried a slew of things but nothing stopped it. Earlier in the day I had no reading list so this has to be blogger. My reading list said I had no blogs. What the shit is going on now? I never did get back my email notifications even though all things are done correctly. I was so upset that I just gave up. I lost it all and I'll do it again for tomorrow's post. But boy it was pissing me off. I had to walk away from the computer for a couple of days.

Queen - I am an American. I could give a rat's ass about a monarchy that is so out of touch with reality. Yes, it's sad after 96 years of living free is over. I'm sure she was a nice woman. But c'mon. They can do this without the U.S.A. nonstop coverage. I mean a nibble or two but days and weeks and hours of this crap?

Didn't we make sure in this country to leave that BS behind us? 

I am tired of it being on tv 24/7. I don't wish to watch a car carrying a casket for miles. (She's probably not even in it) What is the point of this? Do people of the UK still find this nonsense valid and useful? Do they really think giving them billions is the right thing to do for shaking hands and attending dinners? Rhetorical since thousands stood in line for days so they could look at a wooden box, bow and cry. I saw that David Beckham stood in line for 13 hrs to pay his respects. What a glorious waste of time. Do something philanthropic perhaps David with your time and money in her honor? You know to help others? 

Oh, I could go on but I won't.

Heat - it's official I am friggin sick of 96-degree temps. I mean to tell you summer here is too long. I moved here last year in October so I never had summer here. But I have now and boy oh boy it goes on forever. I will love this come January, but right now it's the longest summer of my life and I am done with it. We are to have 2 days of what they are calling cold, in the high 70s, later this week and then back to the mid to high 90s. Argh! 

Streaming -

They claim to be streaming services but they are regular channels when they only drop an episode a week. We have decided to let each show run through its season and then watch it all at once like a movie and how it should be on a STREAMING service. But Mr. Shife if reading this now, I am happy to have found out how the "prick" as he is called died. I hope they get away with it.😁 

Lowes/Men- 

I went to lowes alone to buy some wood I needed to do a wainscoting number in my living room. The way I was treated I am surprised they let me enter without a man on my arm. I want to put up a batten and board-style wainscotting in my living room. I am doing this, not Rick. I thought I'd start on this small wall and see how I fair. I asked Rick if he'd cut the wood to size for me if I gave him my measurements. I hate using a saw because I am clumsy and I really like my fingers. 

Standing in the wood aisle I see what I want but it's 1" too thick. 

I wanted a 1x3 and all I could find were 1x4s. 

So an employee walked down the aisle and I asked him if he had any 1x3s. He laughed and said sure we do right where you're standing. I said it says 1x3 on the placard but if you measure these they are all 1x4, I looked through them all. 

He again laughed and said in the most condescending tone, "did you actually measure them?" 

I pulled out my key chain with my tape rule on it and said, "yes"  

He looked up and down the aisle past me and around me and I'm thinking, what the hell are you looking for an escape route? 

He then asked me if my husband was around? No, why? 

Are you doing this yourself? Yes. Maybe you should call your husband because he may really want 1x4s. Now I am fuming!!! I calmly tell this ass that I am doing this myself and I need two 1x4s for the header and baseboard but 1x3 for the vertical boards. I would prefer those primed but if you only have the raw I'll take that and prime myself. 

He laughed and then the shithead walked away leaving me standing there in the aisle.  One of these days I am going to go off on one of these guys. Of course, should I ever do it I'll just be a bitch to him, and then he will still be an ass and have learned nothing because he only sees my gender. 

I went to customer service to see if they had them in stock. They did but in the back. I said, that's fine I can wait for them to get them and I tell her how many I need. She tells me there wasn't anyone available to get them for me. Gee, you didn't even ask anyone. Okay then.  I left frustrated as hell. So much for customer service. I did not feel like driving across town to Home Depot because it was late so this week I'll try it again at a different store. What the hell is wrong with men anyway? 

I know, rhetorical. 

Can I do this? I honestly don't know. But I know what I needed and I wanted to try. Rick was busy with his orders so I figured I could surely go buy the wood to get started all by myself even if I am just a little ole woman. 

Whatcha Watchin'?

I have watched 3 episodes of Gutsy and just love the show.

Now what you need to know is it's Chelsea Clinton along with her mom Hilliary Clinton. 

I have never been a big fan of Hilliary's. No warm fuzzies here. Did I think she was a good secretary of state? Yes!  Would I vote for her? Yes. Because I think she is whip smart and can get the job done!

But as a person I was iffy.

Lately she has been on television a great deal and I have warmed up to her a bit. So I thought I'd try this show Gutsy. It's about women. Women who didn't listen to the naysayers (men) are forging ahead despite their situations, hardships and their past. 

I am loving the topics, the stories and found Hilliary damn endearing at times.  When I said this out loud to Rick he said, "who are you?" 

See one can change! I really really like this show so far. 

We have been watching a lot of TV sadly. 

The Patient with Steve Carrell on Hulu is harrowing and terrifying to me.

He is a psychotherapist who recently lost his wife. A man comes to see him but you know something is off with this man and I said out loud I think he's lying. Steve's character goes outside to see what the noise is about and boom - Next thing you know Steve's character wakes up chained to a bed in the rec room of this serial killer who was the patient of his who I thought was lying. This guy is so creepy. But he claims he wants to curb his homicidal urges. He wants to stop. It is on Apple and it's a weekly show, which I hate.  Streaming has spoiled me. So far this is an intense and good show.

Kevin Can F**k Himself. This is a bizarre show on regular TV, AMC.

I know it's the last season so I can't wait to see how this ends. The show is done in a way that is interesting. When the doofus husband talks it has a laugh track and it's all bright etc. Typical sitcom husband. (idiot) When the wife is involved, it's dark, it's real and there is certainly no laugh track. Either he dies or she does because it is ending soon. The show is a look at the secret life of a sitcom wife. She's pretty and can take a joke even when she's usually the butt of them. But, then you see her secret life and her plans to get away from this nightmare.

Bad Sisters - this too is on Apple. It is an Irish Dark Comedy Thriller. One of the sisters is married to "The Prick" and they kill him or he dies somehow at their hands either on purpose or a fabulous accident. We don't know. You know that from the beginning but how he dies is what you want to know. This man is so awful. Rick said, "If they don't show how they killed the prick soon I will do it myself! I hate this MF"   The show is filmed in Ireland so it's a pretty background and it's hard to understand for me at times. 

Thank God for CC.

I love everything Sharon Horgan does. She wrote this as well. She also wrote one of my favorite Prime Original Series called Catastrophe. It was funny, twisted, dark at times and so damn true regarding marriage. I just loved this show. The only Americans in it were the lead man, Rob Delaney, and his mother played by Carrie Fisher. This show was located in London. 

Rick likes a show I find insipid, America's Got Talent. I think it is one of the worst shows on TV. I don't find the talent all that either. Really? 12 yr olds dancing is worth a million dollars to start a show in Vegas?  I saw a comedian who had 2 funny jokes but otherwise was - eh. But oh how they went on and on about the man. I asked Rick if he thought he was all that. Not at all. The judges make me a bit ill so there is that as well. But my husband will tune in. I normally will do something else during this time. Then the other day he tells me that the host, Terry Crews, must put socks in his pants. Well, that made me have to look. Now that is all I see. I am thankful I don't watch this show. But I find it funny as hell that this bothers Rick so much. Oh, the things that have been said about this. I just find it funny.

We did see the new Elvis movie now that it's streaming on HBO Max. The actor portraying Elvis was very good but the movie was okay.  If you like Elvis I am certain you will like this. Again the actor is very very good. 

We need the weather to get cooler so we can be outside more!

What are you watching these days?

North of the Equator?

 As you all know from coming around these parts for a while my life was working in the travel industry. I know geography. You must know geography to sell travel or to send folks where they need to go. Back in the old days there was not a hub and spoke system like the airlines use today. (mid-70s it began the changes) So you needed to know how to route someone efficiently unlike today.

The only category on Jeopardy I can answer easily along with pop culture or old-time tv and music. 

Yet, Rick disagrees with me each and every time. 

The other day on his favorite program, The Price Is Right, there was a trip to win to Bonaire. I have only been on a booze cruise from Aruba to Bonaire. We didn't exactly get off the boat to sightsee so I said, "Boy I'd like to go there and get off the boat this time." haha

Back in the day when I was there (1985) were the days when hot to me was 70 degrees. So when I landed in Aruba. the hot tradewinds almost knocked the air out of me when I departed the plane.  

Rick asked, "didn't you tell me when you were brushing your teeth the water went counterclockwise?" 

"YES, and I was shocked because we were not below the equator but above it. I always thought it only did that in the southern hemisphere and since it is above or north of the equator I wouldn't have called it the southern hemisphere. But I could be wrong. Aruba Rick is something like 12-15 degrees above or north of the equator" (if you don't know it's off the coast of Venezuela)

Well, Rick let out a belly laugh and said, "Oh Margaret it is not north of the equator."

I asked, "And where do you think the equator goes through then Richard?"

The ass replied, "around the middle."

"Middle of what?" I ask.

"Earth" 

He laughed and thought he was so damn funny and clever. 

I let it go. I didn't add anything to his little response. I chuckled and shook my head and headed into the kitchen for more coffee.

Then he googled it and said, "Damn, it is north of the equator. Why didn't you argue your point?"  

"I don't argue with Stupid."

Thankfully my husband knows I don't think he's stupid (but). He snorted and laughed and said, "okay that's fair missy"

These are our retirement mornings.

Loss of Power

Last Friday we lost power for about 3-4hrs. We also loss internet. It was late morning just as I was about to scramble up some eggs for us.   

Apparently a car hit something and that caused the power outage.

Only about 2,200 of us but my goodness it made for an interesting morning.

It was a 90-degree day with that ole southern thick humidity. 

It could have been so much worse but it was an experience.  

Rick said, "well we can still cook"  I replied, "we no longer have gas remember? It's an electric stove Rick we can't cook."  

Oh yeah, he says. Since moving here everything is electric, even our clothes dryer. We decided we could make breakfast on the grill on the patio. Like camping, you know? Cast iron skillets on the grill work perfectly.

It was still too hot to eat outside so we went back to the house where it was still cool even though the air conditioning wasn't running. But before we went inside I snapped a shot of the top of Rick's head to show him his gray hairs. The sunlight definitely made his gray glisten. See there are some there. Not like me, but some. 

You see since I have gone natural my hair is salt and pepper. I tell Rick all the time that I now look like his mother. He just laughs. He thinks he has no gray. No, he has very little hair, he has gray ones in there. Not many for a guy his age but he has some. He laughs and thinks I say this because I am jealous. Honestly this man. What would I be jealous of? If I wanted brown hair I could have brown hair or any color for that matter. 

I cut his hair, I know he has gray hair but he insists I lie to make myself feel better. So we have this ongoing banter about our gray hair. But he seriously doesn't see his grays and that makes me laugh.

I suppose I should be happy he doesn't see anything because he thinks I am cute. So I should shut up about it, shouldn't I?

When we get inside and after our breakfast we just had the giggles. 

I showed him the top of his head photo. He laughs and says it's the sunlight on him, it's not gray hair. Oh please. Apparently, this man's hair glistens because he is just that wonderful. 

So once inside I begin to video the top of his head to show him. I do one side and then I do the other. Now his hair is not combed well (bed head) and with this area of hair moved you really see his scalp now. I laugh and say well there isn't as much gray on this side because there isn't much hair. That started our laughter into high gear. 

I wanted to attach the video here but I can't. It's on my phone. I sent it to email it made it grainy and hard to see or hear. I attempted right to blogger and nothing. I tried from my phone to this post and said too large. 

I tried so many ways so I gave up. It's not that important for you to see us being silly.

I did text this video to two friends who know Rick well and would laugh that he is so delusional. One friend asked if we were drinking or high. 

I said we are stone cold sober. Just being silly after we lost power. 

Rick reminded me that 35 years ago if we'd have lost power, we'd have been screwing like bunnies and now we're having breakfast on the patio and laughing our asses off. 

Well, it's not too late there Big Guy.😉

Monday

Where have I been?  The same place as my readers - gone!

It was a wild weekend. It rained a great deal. But we sure needed it.

Saturday it poured and I love nothing more than all-day rain. 

I watched a day ball game and my team won so Saturday was a good day.

Last evening Rick and I were talking about old work events. 

An employee reached out to Rick and we were discussing work-related things. That got us talking about crazy customers. Rick was talking about the place with all the blood all over the bathroom walls and floors. 

Yes, he did the job for the tub after the grout medic replaced the grout. 

The guys from grout medic talked to rick about it and they had some good laughs about being fearful of being there. Would their blood be there next? 

It was an odd situation for sure.  I had forgotten this event. 

So I do as I do when I can't remember, I look at my blog to see what year this was. I read it to Rick. (he doesn't read me either)

We laughed about the post remembering it all now. We miss the $$$$ but we don't miss the work or the people!

Because I don't have anything in the well and since no one commented or obviously read this when first posted I thought I'd post it again.  

Happy Monday!

Thursday or is it?

Let's start with some artwork, shall we?

He was asked for a turquoise color. He mixed a bit of pearlescent and viola. The person has not seen the piece and it will arrive tomorrow. I wasn't allowed to post it on social media until it was received by Sarah. Hopefully, she likes it.

We remember it was garbage day but by 12p when it wasn't picked up Rick wondered why. 

As he said this it occurred to me why "You know with a holiday I bet they are off a day." 

"Hell, and we remembered it was Thursday too damn it!"

My reason to dress these days is that I have a doctor's appointment. 

Today I had to see the results of my MRI. The pain in the back of my heel up my leg is burning pain. It's also on the bottom of my heel. I assumed it's tendons or ligament type thing. The pain was not my broken talus/ankle. 

Dr Kind Eyes agreed. He showed me the rips and tears. Yeah for me. No further fractures but some inflammation around that area of fractures and tears. Physical therapy to get me started so I can exercise and walk a lot again. I hate physical therapy. I say, show me once and let me go home to do this on my own. I also got a small brace for my ankle instead of a big boot which thrills me. 

I did my hair and my makeup since I was going out into the world.

Good ole Rick made a fuss. Y'all know what that means. It means I look awful most days. Bad wife. (I have to stop the being lazy stuff I think it's getting out of hand) 

And speaking of saying, "you know what that means"

The other evening we heard the weather boy (he looks 13 at best) say the following and it made us laugh. It was his delivery that slayed us. 

10% chance of rain.

90% chance of no rain.

You know what that means? It's not gonna rain.

How's that for a weather report?  

There's No Crying At The Autobody Shop

All this newfound feeling of almost good is so fabulous. I am busy. 

I tire quickly but that's okay, each day is better.
I finished the hall bathroom for now. 

Rick came out of the bathroom and said, it looks like our place now.

I laughed I knew what he meant. That turquoise was so not either of us.

I really should think about before and after photos but then who cares really.

Rick was getting new tires put on this morning. 

He was wearing his bone conducting headphones as he seems to have permanently attached to his head. You know that guy, it's my hubby. 

He was sitting in the waiting area with a bunch of others getting tires.

The man next to him asked if he could ask him a question. 

Oh oh is what Rick thought but Rick said yes. 

The man asked Rick if those were headphones on the back of his head.  Like this -

(I wrote about these here. and there is a video)

Rick said they were indeed a sort of headphone. 

He explained they were bone-conducting headphones, not to be put over your ears. 

The man asked if he could try them. Rick said he could.

As Rick cleaned them off and handed them to him, the man told Rick he can't hear from his left ear. Rick turned on his pandora music and handed them to him. He put them on and looked at Rick all wide-eyed. 

He began to cry. 

He then shared with Rick, "I can hear this in my left ear somehow."

 

Now there in the lobby of the autobody shop were 2 big men crying like fools. Well, eyes all welled up anyway as Rick liked to say.

Rick told him the name and while Rick was there he had already ordered them.  

I don't know why or how he could hear. I am assuming it wasn't like being deaf of course but he was insistent that he had no hearing in his left ear so what do we know? We are not doctors so don't trust us. See your doctor or buy 'em and try them or send them back because they have a 30 day money back guarantee so nothing to lose. 

Now normally when Rick gets home from such chores as putting on tires, he is cranky because things were wrong, the "mouthbreathers" as he would be inclined to refer to them as would be his next issue and/or rant. I had prepared myself for that version of Rick to come home. 

But this man made him so happy. So much so that even with the wrong tire screw up he came home happy.

Whew. 

That man and I were both lucky today!

Labor Day Flash Back

 

In honor of this weekend, I am going to post an old post from labor day weekend.

This was 12 years ago. Wow. Those kids in the pics are grown-ups now and the dog is gone. 😥

But these weekends were so much fun. I miss the people and the lake house.

So here's a flashback to the fun at the lake just hanging out in 2010 before the world went nuts.

Annoying Habits

Quiet holiday weekend here.

Rick is working on a commissioned piece that he wants to complete. I wish to finish my bathroom. I can finish it all today except behind the toilet. I was short some beadboard so need another piece damn it. And painting behind the toilet is not a fun process. I can barely fit in the area to get the baseboards painted and I cuss a lot to myself while doing this. 

I got an inexpensive shower curtain for this bathroom. 

In my old home, the master had a glass door. 

The 3rd-floor guest bathroom had a shower curtain. 

My last shower curtain was used at our old home on that 3rd-floor guest bathroom. I got that shower curtain from Pottery Barn in the early 2000s. 

It still holds up and it is very pretty but it no longer matches.  
Because it doesn't match I was looking for more online. 

OMG, the cost of a shower curtain is ridiculous. Not the liner, the actual curtain, the pretty outside part. 

It was $79 and far more for a shower curtain. Most were around $109. 

I know I never spent that much at Pottery Barn years ago. 

So then I went cheap. I started with Target. As I strolled past a boatload of $11 ugly ones I found one I liked. I looked at the price, $54.  Is it just me or is this a lot to spend on a shower curtain and I'm out of touch? 

I did all the cheapies, Walmart, target, kohls, etc. I settled on a $15 on-sale curtain from Kohls's that looked nice online. I was hoping to spend around $30 so this being on sale was a choice. I put it up yesterday and it looks like a cheap $15 shower curtain. It does not hang well. You know like a cheap dress or skirt. The "drape" is the issue.

Now I am just disappointed but it will have to do for now. Geez, when did these get so expensive?  I feel like my parents right now, so out of touch with the reality of prices. My father thought a bag of groceries was $15-20 or less. Once when I was visiting he got upset when my mom said it cost $50 when she got home. It's only 1 bag what are you buying he'd ask? 

That is how clueless I am feeling about this.  Oh well, the bathroom is no longer that glow-in-the-dark bright turquoise that the former owner loved; that is all that matters at this point.

Today is also a fun day for cleaning my fridge. Rick does not notice or do this kind of thing. While I was down for the count I noticed, but just didn't have the energy. So today that will be tackled along with washing the kitchen floor. It's embarrassing how much food Izzy was getting and it was unbeknownst to me. Speaking of Izzy, 2 nights ago we both had dreams of her. Similar dreams too. God, how we miss this dog.

In other news - 

There were 3 times yesterday that I got happy about something and was about to bop around and move my arms in a way like I was cheering and realized I couldn't on this damn ankle. This occurred 3 x throughout my day and I thought what the hell am I doing?

Then I went into the kitchen and said to Rick, "Before all this ugliness of chemo and 'roids did I bounce around a lot?"  After his 3 minutes of howling laughter and snorting, he shook his head yes. Then he walked to me to hug me and said, "oh my God I've missed you!"  I didn't get it. Apparently, I have not been animated and I am normally very animated so he says. 

Then he reminds me of the time I was given this card from Tom Wilson who was watching me at the other end of the bar. 

Okay, but I was telling a story I say to him. 

Yes, but that is exactly who you are Margaret.  YUK.

When he calmed down he said, you do this, and he imitated me. 

"I do? OMG, how often do I do that?" 

"All the time." He can't stop laughing at me. 

I do? Why have I never noticed this about myself? What a pain in the ass I am. 

He said, "you've always been that perky person bopping around, you never sit still." 

"Really? Well, that's fucking annoying."

He laughs again and says, '"No, that's you"

"Yeah well, it's annoying!"

This morning I almost did it again and I caught myself. 

He saw me and said, "go for it" 

Nope.

He said remember how your Uncle Angelo would say, "Peggy's here" just like the man on Everybody loves Raymond? 

Yes, I do remember.

Well, it's that kind of energy of happy happy happy.

You've been so miserable you forgot about happy.

I don't completely understand but now that I know of this annoying trait I will be very conscious of it and try to stop it. He finds it endearing. I find it annoying. Why has no one said anything? I asked my cousin who called me to check in on me. He laughed just as hard as Rick did and told me, "oh my goodness your energy is something that I love about you. It's not like your arms are in the air. You just are a bit bouncy and perky. 

Hmm...

I told him I'd take it ONLY because there is nothing left on me that is perky.

That at least made him laugh this time.

Yes, my Uncle did this each and every time I'd walk into a room. I don't know why but he did it from the time I was a kid to the time he passed away.

I never asked, I just knew if I walked into the house or somewhere he was this is what I heard. One weekend I drove up to PA to visit him in the hospital. I knew it may be the last time I'd see him alive.  There he was in his hospital bed and when I walked in he did this again. 

God, I loved that man. He was always smiling and happy and given his life circumstances at times he was remarkable.

Now, I'm going to go out and tackle my day and try very hard to not be annoying.

Thursday Chuckles

My friend sent me this below on Facebook and said, "This so reminds me of Rick"

I had to laugh because she is spot on and really knows my husband the man-child! He has done some things similar. 

He read them and said, "Hey I'd never get on the floor like that."  

"Yes, I know because you'd never be able to get up right?"  

Yep, I was right. Sure he wouldn't do all of them but this is the same man-child that I had to slap his hands the way he was arranging produce one day in the store when I walked away for a minute. He told me they were asking for it. Honestly!  He's never done #16 but the way he laughed at it I fear he would do it. Katie, am I right?

I wish to finish a project today before I tucker out. 

So I will give you her joke for you all to enjoy

______________________________________

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to the local grocery store. Unfortunately, like most men; I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is like most women - she loves to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter, from the local store manager:

Dear Mrs. Harris:

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion, in our store.

We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to, ban both of you from the store.

Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Harris, are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras:

1. June 15: He took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other people's carts when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: He made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away'. This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company money. We don't have a Code 3.

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told the children shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children obliged.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?' EMTs were called.

9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his, 'Madonna Look' using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. October 22: When an announcement came over the loudspeaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed;

'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'

15. Took a box of condoms to the checkout clerk and asked where is the fitting room?

And last, but not least:

16. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile; then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here.' One of the clerks passed out.

Painting and MRIs

Well Jean's comment to me yesterday was spot on! 

I began my day with such hope. I was not severely ill Sunday night or this morning, it was glorious. I had a lovely morning on the patio with Rick and enjoyed a cup of coffee. Coffee and all food still taste weird to me because I still have metal mouth. In high school, metal mouth was a kid with braces. Now it's an old lady who feels like she's sucking on nickels. 

But metal mouth be damned it was just nice to be awake on Monday and not feeling like death. It was nice to sit with Rick again on the porch in the morning. It's been 6 months of him sitting out there alone with his coffee. 

He looked at me and said, "welcome back".  It was nice.

I then unloaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen because the night before I left the mess right where it was. Best part of retirement if you ask me. Rick headed to his "office" of wood.

I then began to gather all I needed to paint the hall bathroom. 

I had already done the top 1/2 in white but the bottom half was going to be painted a color other than white and it had wainscotting/bead board on the bottom half.  On Sunday I had painted the top chair rail in the garage since it was up against white it was easier that way than to cut in and not get blue on the white. Make sense? The rest of the bead board I thought I'd paint once Rick got it on the wall. It all worked like a charm.

I put on my painting clothes and went to town. 2 coats. 

While one coat dried I did some laundry before starting the 2nd coat.

I went into the living room, sat in Rick's ugly chair, and thought, boy, I could take a nap. Rick walked into the house at that time and said, "hey don't you have an MRI for your ankle today at 2:30?"  Shit!

I hurried and cleaned myself up and headed to the radiology center.

As I walked in I notice how full the waiting room was. I was hoping that didn't mean a long wait. After checking in I sat at the chair right in front of the door because that was all that was left.

I noticed everyone's head was down looking at their phones. 

I had mine but was determined not to sit on my phone so I kept mine in my purse. But boy I wish I had it in my hand when all this unfolded so I could have made a video of this crazy lady and posted it here. 

A woman in her late 60s or early 70s walks in. 

She is wearing a pair of clam diggers and a filthy shirt. 

Her hair is matted and when she turned around I could see large bald spots. I thought oh my this poor woman must be very ill. 

Ah, but she was fiesty.

The young woman behind the desk asked her if she had her mask with her, if not, they had a stack of them and pointed to them and told her she could put one of those on. 

She said loudly for everyone to hear, "why would I wear one I didn't have to wear one on the plane.No one wears them anymore"  

The nice young woman behind the plexiglass said that she understood but in a medical bldg this must be worn while she is here. She went on to say, you should have gotten a text and/or email telling you this had to be worn did you not? You just opened a door that told you it must be worn so this should not be a surprise. 

She is also pointing to the sign on the plexiglass in front of said crazy woman. 

Well, that did it - now crazy lady was off and running. 

She was so loud, and so rude it made everyone in the room put down their phone to watch the show. 

This woman was fighting mad and yelling about masks. She was loud, vulgar, and mean. If she was ill boy she had a lot of energy. 

Then 2 men in scrubs from the back came up front.

They just stood there by the side of the front desk and said nothing for a bit while the nice woman who works there explained that if she didn't wear the mask they would ask have to ask her to leave and she'd had to reschedule.

Well, that didn't make the crazy lady happy.

She shouted, "You can't make me leave if my doctor wants this to be done. I have an appointment!"  

The nice young woman with the patience of a saint told her that they would be happy to call her doctor to explain why this can't be done today. 

The crazy woman shouted at her, "go ahead you do that because he will be so mad." (I'm thinking, yeah at you!)

"Of course, if you'd like to put this mask on we can have it done today." 

Then the real vulgarity started so the 2 men who had come out front then escorted her to the door and made sure she left. All the while she was bitching and complaining and we could hear her in the hall. 

I thought how smart of the woman behind the desk to offer to call her doctor. Then the doctor would know for certain that his crazy patient is the issue and not Wake Radiology.

Who needed a phone to be entertained when I had this show?

The guy next to me leaned over and said, "geez just wear the damn thing for an hour and then take it off when you leave, what the hell is the big deal?"  I shrugged. Didn't want to get into that conversation!

I am claustrophobic so normally I have to be sedated for an MRI but because my head wasn't in the tube I was fine. They slapped on some headphones and asked what kind of music I liked. 

The technician said, "it's Sirius so if you know the channel just tell me"  

I thought the blankets were a bit much when I saw her grab them but once we walked into the room with the MRI machine it felt like a meat locker. Damn it was really cold. Now I like it cold but this was very cold!

They put my foot in a brace to keep it from moving and wrapped me up like a mummy. I promptly fell asleep. 35 minutes later I was done and sent home.

As they were taking me out of the tube the woman who was doing all this asked if I was upfront when all the commotion was going down. 

I said I was. 

"Was it really because of a mask, I miss out on everything back here?"

I told her it was indeed about wearing a mask. I told her to be thankful you're back here. She laughed and said most days I would agree with that.

I stopped at Jersey Mikes, it was right on the way home. 

I pulled in last minute as I saw the sign and thought I will bring home dinner for Rick so I don't have to go home now and cook and neither does Rick.

I picked up Rick's favorite sandwich from there. I was winding down big time and I felt it. I knew he didn't want to cook either. I pulled into the garage and told Rick I brought home dinner. Yipee.  He loves a Jersey Mike's Big Kahuna.  I knew he'd be excited.  Rick is easy. 

I came inside, changed my clothes and sat on the sofa. I fell asleep sitting up.  Yep, I think I did a bit too much for my first day. In fact last night I was a bit sore. I wondered why and Rick reminded me that bending over and all the stretching, everything I was doing regarding the painting is more than my body has done for a while. Now, how sad is that? 

Painting and bending made me sore. God, I have a lot of work to do on myself.

I think Tuesday will be a bit slower and lazier for me. As Jean said, I need to pace myself. She was right!   But boy it felt good to be tired because I was doing things instead of being ill.