Holiday recap

Watching the news and reading about the last few days I was reminded of the Merry Minuet.
Not much has changed in 55 years.

All in all it appears to have been a riotous Thanksgiving ...thanks to those merchants who created a need and then created an artificial shortage of some merchandise.
Of course, it was only the me firsters who fell for this shabby merchandising trick.

Some will blame capitalists for the anarchy that occurs among shoppers on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
But it isn't capitalists.
It's lazy marketing folks who've done it.
They know everyone ...with some exceptions ...loves Christmas and they've managed to turn the marketing of Christmas into an almost five month proposition.
Yeah, if you looked close enough, you saw potential gifts right next to the back to school stuff.
The true capitalist doesn't create a need for what he's producing.
He finds a need and fills it.
When he's successful in so doing, he creates a job for another person and in doing so provides another consumer for the marketplace.

In any event, I kinda think American Express came up with a grand idea about three years ago when they started promoting Small Business Saturday.
They acknowledge it isn't their baby.
But they know a good thing for communities when they see it.

Let's close this on a positive note.
Remember awhile back I mentioned a friend who was hospitalized after a terrible motorcycle wreck?
He's home now, after a month in hospitals.
I talked with him the other day.
He sounds pretty good, though there is still a lot of pain and he has to have help getting into his back brace.

 I'm about ready for an attitude adjustment.

prolly spending too much

 time between my ears

Bonus Black Friday post

Actually it is a link to the San Bernardino Sun.
Typically, I had to search for the location from which the website originated.
The header just says THE SUN, which one might surmise it was a certain British Tabloid.

Rialto police vehicles sit outside a Rialto Walmart Thursday night November 28, 2013 after 3 seperate altercations took place at the store Thursday night. Police officers descended on Walmart in Rialto after a brawl between two men injured a police officer who tried to break up the fight Thursday ...

If you're truly interested, you can get the full story here.

Somebody must've told those folks there were six fewer shopping days until Christmas.
So they surmised they'e have to fight tooth and nail to make sure they got what they wanted.

Who'da thunk we'd be using Thanksgiving to measure how much greed there is.

I kinda think the merchants who've created this atmosphere should be cited by the police or other public safety organizations and fined for having an attractive nuisance.
Why should the taxpayers have to foot the bill for this?
Or, better yet, the merchants should be required to hire Blackwater to secure their premises.

good grief

Even after creating this post I can't think of a title

Does anyone remember when we used to go to see the window decorations on the day after Thanksgiving?

It was when we all started wishing others a Merry Christmas.

simpler times

.

TCF

...for all this and more

A favorite has returned after an almost two year hiatus

This is just a sample of Uncle Jay's work.
You can find a new post each Monday.

¿Dónde estaba?

the best thing about this is I don't have to come up with anything original today

So... here's the latest

There's been frost on the neighbor's roof for the last three mornings.
I don't know if there's been frost on our roof because it's been too darn cold to go outside.

I did the shopping for the Thanksgiving feast yesterday ...except for the turkey, snagged it a week and a half ago when I saw exactly what I wanted.
The bird has now been moved from the freezer to the fridge.

That reminds me my employer back in the Bay Area always gave each full time employee a turkey for Thanksgiving.
Part time help received gift certificates or somesuch.
It was his way of saying thank you.
We all also received Christmas bonuses, too, usually within a week or so.

The big boss was fairly demanding.
But you really had to screw up pretty bad to get fired.
Stealing or drinking on the job were about the only firing offenses.
Anything else got you yelled at.
Well, actually it got the managers yelled at.
They straightened out whatever the problem was.

It was a good place to work because everyone pretty much knew what was expected and did their best to meet expectations.
We also had goals and knew what we had to do to meet those goals.
We also knew the difference between goals and expectations.

What fun it was to work for that company.

Following up on yesterday...

That must be an old graphic, because now they do it on the same day.

sure miss the ol' days

Another dilemma

We got by the last one simple enough.
Sorry there are no pictures.
We managed to suvive yesterday's dilemma.
We had pulled pork sandwiches with cole slaw and fries (baked in the oven).

Today's is even more mundane.
What to post?
Then I remembered what week this is.

I will try not to be too negative.
I did find out the local grocery will be open on Thursday.
It is convenient for those who overlooked an important item that can't be purchased at a convenience store.
But they are closing early so the staff can celebrate.
There were more volunteers for shifts than there were shifts available.

 . . .

Sunday dilemma

What shall we have for dinner tonight?

we'll figure it out

Then I saw this...

...and thought of Suldog.

Life untethered IV... in conclusion (part two)

We were talking writing about ordering new appliances.
But I should tell you that Mrs. Cuz has a book of poetry that was just published.
It's a little bit like a blog that's been edited so there are no misspelled words or syntax errors.
I probably wouldn't have mentioned it, but PHG really has enjoyed it and read a number of the poems aloud to us.
PHG has a pleasant voice and is easy to listen to.

So on Monday, a week ago, the van pulled up in front of the house loaded with the new toys.
The first decision was about the door through which the appliances would be brought.
Then the old stuff was removed and we did a quick clean up of the floors underneath.
Even after 20 years they weren't too bad [no, there are no pictures of the floor].

When they left after a little over an hour it looked like this.

click it ...make it bigger

Now, after 9 days we are still delighted and making every effort to keep from getting finger prints on the stainless steel.
The dishwasher is so quiet you hardly know it's in the room.
Everything worthwhile in the fridge is at eye level.
We may learn eventually how all the settings on the microwave work.
The range has features that we may eventually use [particularly the self-cleaning that operates at 200º]..
The regular features have already been used.

it wouldn't be fair to post a picture without the recipe

Wednesday GS had an appointment with the oncologist.
There was nothing in particular of a major concern.
We are paying a close attention to the hemoglobin count and the diarrhea.
But the doc isn't concerned so much that she needs to see GS for another four weeks.
Some of that may have to do with the fact that GS walked into the office instead of being wheeled in with the transfer chair or the assistance of a walker.
In general I'd say she is feeling much better with possible one major exception.
You can probably guess.
There's been no weight gain, but no loss, either.
Maybe it's because she's moving about more?

Along with the book of poetry came a hand painted bookmark from the author.
If you are interested, Hand Full of Joy is available at Amazon.com.
It won't have a bookmark ...or be signed by the author.
Yes it's good.
Anyone who's followed long enough knows that is a ringing endorsement from me.
Buy two... one for a gift.

she's good people, too

Not A Normal Friday

There are a few "where were you" posts out there today.
There will probably be any number of retrospectives on TV as well.
Those of an age will remember just what they were doing 50 years ago when they heard JFK had be shot.
I was about two hours into a watch in the CIC of the USS Wiltsie (DD 716), which was returning from a deployment to WestPac.
I fact we were just about 24 hours shy of arriving back in San Diego, looking forward to all that goes with returning home.
Those on watch heard the squeal from the console announcing a call from the radio room.
The Petty Officer of the Watch picked up, listened for a few seconds and announced, "Kennedy's been shot."
Everyone kinda looked at one another.
Finally someone asked if there was any more information.
There was none ...yet.
In about five minutes the announcement was made over the 1MC (the ship's announcing system) by the Captain.
This was unusual in that the Commanding Officer seldom, if ever, made announcements.
Usually if we were going to hear from the CO it would be in person.
Withing about a half hour we had been informed that the President was dead and we knew it was in Dallas.
We learned little else that day.
There was a change in ship's routine and a chapel service was held for those who wished to attend.
Everything was just a little different from that point forward.
The anticipation of arriving home had lost its luster.

The arrival at the Naval Station wasn't much to write about, either.
There was no band and not much of a welcoming committee.
It was like we had only made a quick run out and back.
We had all seen other ships return from deployments and knew ours was no longer important.

so, where were you?

Sorry for the break in continuity.
We'll resume tomorrow.

Life untethered IV... in conclusion

I left a little something for Sarge, Buck, and Tuna over at whatchamacallit.

Whilst we were communications challenged GS had a couple of visits to the oncologist.
Maybe you'll remember there was a change in treatment from IV chemo to oral meds.
Thus far there has been no adverse reaction or sign of side effects [that aren't already apparent as a condition of the disease (e.g. diarrhea)].
If anything, her appetite is improving, though there seems to be no commensurate weight increase.
We will take what we can get.

But wait ...there's more.

The Dr. visits are now quick turnarounds ...compared to the previous ones that sometimes involved as much as five hours.
That's when I did the major shopping and was able to do things like get haircuts.

On one of the major shopping expeditions, which always [a word I use advisedly here] involve a stop at Costco (even if they've had certain holiday merchandise on display for weeks now), I spied the following.

sorry for the blur

GS and I had toyed with the idea of replacing some appliances.
We also realized that if we replaced them as needed, they would not match.
We knew for certain we wanted to replace the microwave, as the handle on the door is broken.
We also were aware the refrigerator was working its way toward some major issues [one being the stuff in the back of the bottom shelf is unreachable by anyone over four feet tall with arms less than three feet long].
We had also decided the dishwasher was entirely too loud.
It was such that we would set the timer so it ran after we have gone to bed because it was nearly impossible to hold a conversation anywhere near it when in operation, and forget about hearing the TV or stereo.
So that left only the range out of the equation.
And a white range would have looked entirely out of place [besides, the oven is too small].

So, because GS already and I would already be in Redding; she would not be overly tired from a long Dr. visit; and I was inclined to loosen the purse strings [probably because I use the appliances at least as often as anyone in the house]; we made a visit to the local appliance shop.
I kinda wish I had shot a picture of the place.
We'll just say there is nothing fancy about it, and, literally, almost every possible size, style, brand, and finish is available to view.
There are even items for outdoor kitchens and pizza ovens.
It would be overwhelming for anyone who doesn't know what they want (well, I knew what I wanted, but I also knew what we have room for and can afford).
So we kicked the tires and pretty much decided what we would purchase.
Then left with the salesman's business card in our hand... to confirm that the fridge would fit in its designated place.

Two weeks later ...because GS only has to visit the doc every other week ...we again visited.
A different salesman took us around the store again, confirming what we wanted.
He also showed us a less expensive dishwasher that did everything we were looking for [wash dishes quietly].
The original salesman was then free to take over and complete the paperwork and arrange for delivery and installation.

gosh... this is running long

Life untethered III... we digress

So it has now been raining for the past 36 hours.
We've had 1 !/3 inches.
That's a whole lot more than what was forecast.
Not many are disappointed... except maybe it could be a little warmer.

The inconvenience of no Internet or wi-fi was fare outweighed by the lack of distraction.
Numerous small projects were completed by all members of the household.
I managed to finish two books.
The one major concern I had about not having any connection was downloading more reading material to the Kindle.
I was also concerned that it would be a problem submitting monthly reports for the Lions Club.
They do accept paper forms, but the difficulty lies in obtaining those forms when they have been submitted electronically for a number of years [and then finding a typewriter with a ribbon that hasn't dried out].

The upshot of the situation is I am considering an attempt to restrict my time spent on the Internet (almost typed computer, Besides I have f/b on the phone).



Oh... yeah there's one more thing to report.

maybe tomorrow

Life untethered II... with diversions

Buck was commenting about the similarities of his wx and ours.
I thought I'd show him how right he is.

That done, we can talk about why I posted a picture of the top layer of a pallet of pomegranates.
Vinegar...
Our bush produced no fruit again this year.
Truth be told, there were no blossoms this year.
That didn't stop GS, PHG, and NT from deciding on a project.
What better than milk pomegranates and turn the juice into vinegar.
It seems anyone can make jelly.
They had lots of time because nobody could connect to the WEB here, except on their cell phone.
They even dragged the All-Star into the project.
I was perfectly willing for him to help me with the oak leaf and acorn relocation project.
There are currently two gallons of precursor ensconced in the garage that we someone will be decanting to the 48 cruets that are sitting on the floor at the end of the couch.
If I hadn't been busy relocating oak leaves and acorns, there'd probably be pictures.
I didn't even think to get pictures of the acorns.

Speaking of which, there've been that many again twice since.

acorns and pomegranates are messy

Life untethered ...the beginning

I think I mentioned [oh, hell! I know I said it] we weren't entirely Internet free while the wi-fi, or modem, or both [yeah, they've both been replaced] were on hiatus.
GS, PHG, and I all have iPhones.
They all can connect to the Internet.
They just do it better when there is a free wi-fi network available.
It helps when you know the password for the wi-fi network.

Blogging from an iPhone is not fun.
I have enough challenges using a real keyboard.
The keyboard on the iPhone ...and any other small portable device for that matter ...is almost torture.
Throw in auto-correct and it's almost comical [it is comical when someone else suffers].

But there were lots of other things to occupy our time.

And there was this 

click it so it biggers

...for almost two weeks

Thanks to NPR

Thanks to you, too, Sarge.
Yesterday I was twice reminded of onions...

...in a musical way.



I was listening to the Weekend Edition.
They had a story about Stax records and part of the story was about the house band.

Then, later, when I got home, there was a post on Sarge's blog with the Onion Song.
(not this Onion Song, but the French Onion Song)

That, of course, made me hungry for some French Onion Soup [it's almost painful to have a short memory and a short attention span].

Anyhow its great to be able to get around to the blogs again and do more than lurk.
I figure I have a few stories to tell about the almost two weeks we were without a normal [in this case the word suits its use] Internet connection.
That, of course, will require that I remember what's happened over the past two weeks.
It also means I will have to be less spontaneous.

now go listen to some of Buck's soundtracks

Another glorious Saturday morning

We've finally had a break in the weather.
What I mean is, the temperatures are about where they usually are this time of year.
There've been a few clouds to tease us.
Otherwise it is still dry.
I don't think I have ever had to run the lawn sprinklers this late into the year.

Anyway... the sunshine is glorious, there are few clouds, and the leaves are turning.
(not to mention that a wind squall came through yesterday morning and deposited a ton oak leaves and acorns in the front yard)

I may be back later [after the bagel run].

at the moment there's nothing to add

Things

Computers, modems, and routers are things.
I discovered they're convenient, but I don't need them.
They just make some other tasks really easy to perform.

What I did miss was being able to comment on others' blogs.
I'm sure I could have figured out how to make the phone do that.
However, the interface on the phone is a real challenge [as opposed to the perceived challenge of the keyboard].
And... I missed visiting some of the places on my sidebar that I find amusing.

That reminds me.
I must really go clean that up over there because there is some real junk clutter that should be removed. 

Thanksgivukah is a word coined (at least that's where I found it) by Hilary Price.
Just thought I'd pass that along.

hey, it's better'n a acronym

...and we're back

The other side of the coin is we will probably be posting more spontaneously...

...as opposed to planned posts.

Yeah, yeah, I know... how can you tell the difference.

I'll work on that...

...when there's time

Acronyms

Anyone who's followed long enough will know I love them...

...so much, in fact, that I beg, borrow, steal, or event invent them.

C'est la vie...

So yesterday it was my turn with the medical community.

It was just a routine follow up.

In August the doc had been concerned that my BS level was a little high.

She even had me checking it at home on a daily basis.

Yesterday was to determine if there's been any change.

It's a good thing I have been measuring my BS religiously, because, as it turns out, Medicare won't foot the bill for any tests until today.

There is some kind of three month wait for routine testing when administering medication isn't indicated.

So for the second day in a row I trudged off first thing in the morning, before my first cup o' joe.

Fasting is nowhere near the top of my list of favorite things.

But it sure does wonders for my BS level (maybe it would help our bureaucracies if they were to fast).

The dailies have all been pretty much within 'normal' parameters.

However, the doc wants a little more info.

Hence, I made the trek again this A.M..

BTW - lest you get the wrong idea, we're talking about blood sugar.

I hate posting from my phone

The new modem arrived last Thursday...

...it doesn't work.

Now there's a pissing contest between the ISP and the phone company. 

You can guess who's getting showered.

Monday holidays don't do much to improve things.

That said, we'll move on to happier things.

Just for today

...and to all my fellow veterans of all branches, "Thank you for your service."

Frustration on a Monday

Okay... it's been well over a week since the Internet here went away.

I won't go into details or mention how frustrated three individuals are.

I am just hoping this actually shows up on the blog.

My replies to comments don't.

Gaaaaaaah!

Certain difficulties persist on the Intenet front in the House of O'Brien.
Last Friday afternoon the DSL modem that has served us well for the past seven years went away.
It happened just before 5pm.
I was able to contact teck support at my ISP.
They tried to walk me through a restart with no success.
They are sending a new modem.
But because it happened after 5pm on Friday, the earliest it could be sent was Monday.
The next hangup with the scenario is the U.S. Post Office Service Center is now located in Sacramento.
That means the shipment from Mt Shasta, where the ISP is located will come south, through Redding and Anderson, to be sorted in Sac.
It will then be sent back north to Redding and then back again to Anderson.
We may receive it sometime tomorrow afternoon.


So today I am on a borrowed computer, using a Model T version of Internet Explorer and Windows XP.
Instead of bells and whistles there is a bell with no clapper.

I just wanted reassure everyone that all is okay.
I am not looking forward to seeing my email inbox.

Untitled

It was almost spooky enough.
The first trick or treat was family.

NT and TWS* came by with LGS**

Then it started to get dark...
...almost too dark to see the spider.

Do you know how difficult it is to shoot night pictures?
Oh, sure... I could use the flash, but it's not the same.

what folks saw from the street

Then there were the creepy eyes staring as visitors approached.

They're everywhere

Then, Mrs. Bates greets the visitor at the front door...

The only thing missing here is the haunting music.
We had that courtesy of a bluetooth speaker and this album.

There were about 100 visitors between 6pm and 8pm, then it died...

...until after all of the lights were out.
At 9:30 there was a knock on the door [no doorbell ...remember?] and the last three holdouts appeared.
The three 12 year old girls were the only ones unsupervised by parents.
I'm still scratching my head.

...and now you know

 another reason why the

 doorbell hadn't been fixed

*The White Shadow
**Local Grandson