It's still September

I decided to get up from the computer this morning and run a few errands around town. Didn't really have anything I actually HAD to do but I felt like getting out of the house.  I drove across town to stop at the bread store (one of my favorite shops) and even though I spent less than $3, they let me pick an item from the free rack.  I chose some sesame seed hamburger buns and brought them home to freeze in packages of two.

Then I walked next door to the VCR repair shop to see if the guy felt I should bring my two VCRs in for a cleanup.  He charged $20 a machine and I wasn't sure they really needed cleaning or they were just wearing out.  I was the only one in the store but he made a point of telling me to wait; he'd be right with me. Said it twice but I could see he wasn't doing anything that he couldn't have stopped doing to wait on me.

I didn't like his bedside manner. Kind of talked down to me like I was an idiot.  Some people come across that way and they don't even realize it.  Or they do and they don't care.  He said (in a condenscending tone)  "Well, VCRs are just like cars. You put the key in and it won't start and it could be anything!"  I told him again that both machines were running fine, I just wondered if he could tell me if the tracking problem was because it needed adjustment or was just wearing out.  I guess I should have known I wouldn't get a straight answer. He told me to bring them both in so he could put in his own tape.Getting down to unhook those VCRs from the tv isn't a walk in the park for me so I made a quick exit telling him I'd think it over.

I stopped at the pawn shop (I think PA actually has two or three) to check out their DVD collection. This guy around my age was looking for westerns or  classics (kind of like I was too) and he suggested I just buy a VCR/DVD at Walmart for $50 rather than spend that much on getting them cleaned.  Also told me about this place at my end of town that has a garage sale every weekend and how they have a ton of movies super cheap.  Apparently they buy storage units and hit other yard sales.

I drove out there and was delighted to find a huge barn and another building full of stuff from floor to ceiling. I'll go back on a regular basis.  I bought a movie from her for $1.50 and a stool to use at the kitchen counter for $6.  As I drove on home, I decided to stop at the Airport Nursery to see how much their tulip bulbs were.  They didn't have any so I bought two little goldfish and a pigs ear for Sammy.

As I tried transferring the fish to the big bowl, I dropped them out with the little net and then I couldn't find them swimming inside.  I hunted and hunted and then realized one was still stuck in my net.  Oh dear!  Way to kill the fish before I even get him home.  I guess he'll be okay although I probably gave him a heart attack.

I gave Sammy the pigs ear and he walked around the yard looking for a place to hide it.  When he saw me watching him, he dropped it and moved away like he wasn't interested.  I came back in the house and later I went out and discovered the ear was gone. Part of the fencing I put around the back porch was disturbed and I assume he went under there to hide his treasure for later.  Sometimes he'll do that in the house.  I'll give him a chew bone and he'll try to hide it behind the couch or under a blanket in his bed.  Silly Sammy!

Wayne and the kids stopped by to get their bikes out of the garage. Wayne's on vacation this week and he's taking the kids camping to Sol Duc this weekend. 

Well, I'm feeling mighty tired so I think I'll take a nap.  My ear ringing had let up for a while but alas, it's returned with a vengeance.  Between the issues I have with things on my head and the issues I have with foot problems and knees and hips, there are days when I wonder if I'll ever feel really good again.    Yeah, I know...I'm whining again.  Hate it when that happens.

Last day of September

The barking of the neighbor's dog woke me up from an interesting dream this morning.  I won't type the words I used but they were definitely naughty.  My high school classmates were in this dream and as usual, it was corny as all get out.

It's lookin' a little gray outside but I'm fine with that.  I finished the chores on my list yesterday and today's list is much easier. And a lot more fun. I'm cleaning out computer files and sorting pictures and writing my next Leader blog.  This weekend I'll get back to sewing.

I think my fish are much happier now. Here's their before and after photos.

I went outside and did weedeating around the fence, hauled the garbage bins to the alley, put away garden tools, and set a little fencing around the steps to keep balls and toys from going under the porch.

I cleaned various area around the house with 409 and then Maddie replaced my fridge magnets when she got home from school. 

One thing I plan to do this fall is plant tulip bulbs. Lots of 'em.  I love tulips.  I also love sweetpeas and pansies.  I planted a few sweetpeas in a pot in early spring and this is the first time I've ever had them come up for me.  I think I'm going to try tulip bulbs in some of my large pots as I have quite a few.  Suppose I'd better go buy some soil while I'm at it.

                                       
There is an area along one fence that I started digging up for flowers but it was slow going with the claw and I had to quit before I was done.  I intend to continue where I left off as I think tulips growing down the entire side of the fence would be beautiful.  Wish I had a rototiller to run along that piece of lawn; it would sure make things easier.

I don't recall ever planting tulips before.  Maybe in PT or Hadlock years ago.  Tulips are my favorite so I don't know why I don't have them growing everywhere.  I don't think I'll put them in the front (as much as I'd like to) because I'd see red if the deer ate them.  I'll have to google what deer won't eat.  I've already forgotten.

My memory brain cells are definitely wearing out.  Just little things but enough sometimes to remind my daughters that the day is coming when they'll have to put me in a home or make room for my butt in their house.  We all laugh but unless I kick the bucket unexpectedly (my hope), they're going to have their hands full.  I've told them I'll try not to be cranky and hard to please but if my personality now is any indication, I'm most likely going to be an irritant.

One thing I keep forgetting is that I can use my computer to tune in to my favorite radio station in Seattle when I can't take the background sound of the TV any longer.  880 KIXI (easy listening) is what I prefer but living out here in the sticks of Port Angeles cuts you off air-wise from a lot of good radio.  I've got it playing clear as day now and will most likely have it on until supper time.

Well, guess I'll go hunt for a video to share today. My pictures can get pretty lame from time to time.

Thursday is for cleaning

Some mornings you wake up just feelin' like you wanna' clean up the joint.  It doesn't happen often.  Today is one of those days.  I pulled out the Windex and the 409 and will get to work once I finish my coffee.  I don't intend to go crazy but I have noticed certain areas begging for a spruce up.

The bathrooms are first.  Not the toilets and sinks so much as the mirrors and counter tops. The kitchen will probably take the longest.  I'm taking off all the fridge magnets and cleaning the top and teh doors.  Nothing much gets by Hunter's eye and yesterday he pointed out that one handle on the fridge was slipping.  It's not loose but I guess the continual pulling made it relocate. I doubt I would have ever noticed.

I haven't decided yet if I'm unloading all the kitchen cabinets to clean inside. Just cleaning the outside of the dishwasher, range, washer, dryer, and kitchen table legs may be enough to satisfy my cleaning urge.

I also need to clean out the three fish jars. Would sure be easier if I could keep all of them in one bowl but apparently that's a no-no with Betas.  And they just keep hangin' on and hangin' on.  I guess they like it here.  And why wouldn't they?!  I adopted them from Walmart.

I decided as long as I was cleaning out jars, I might as well do my beach glass collection too. It's been on the front porch all summer but I think I'll bring it in now and put some of it in smaller vases.

Yesterday the twins were practicing soccer in the back yard before it was time for me to take them to practice.

It wasn't long before the ball was kicked under the porch so today I'm weedeating that area and putting a little fold-out fence around the edges. I'll have to wait until this afternoon for that job, though. It's kind of wet and dewy out there.

I taped three hours of programming on Channels 4 & 5 last night as I continue to wade through the new shows and decide which I'll give a second or third look.  'The Office' seemed a little better to me; at least the one episode I watched. I adored that show at first but then found it too silly and moved on.  I thought they gave too many lines to Steve Carell (who I didn't find that funny) and not enough to the other office workers--like Stanley who cracks me up.

I refuse to watch any show with canned laughter. It's become one of those things I just notice immediately and won't tolerate.  I kind of liked Prime Suspect and will watch it again. Channel 7 on Thursdays I believe.  And Modern Family, of course. That's a no brainer.  Funniest show on tv.  I also like 'The Middle.'

I think I had some hormonal things going on yesterday.  Perhaps it was fatigue---or maybe I'm just a bitch!  Nahhhhh....

Anyhow, I went over to Virginia's for lunch and she served  this delicious bacon and artichoke quiche. I noticed as I was dishing up that the clock said 11:11.  I commented on that and how you can Google "why am I seeing the number eleven all the time" and she said she'd heard it had something to do with angels looking over you. (I do know there were some biblical references to the subject)

After I left, I went to Safeway to pick up three items.  The two check-out lines with cashiers were busy so I opted for the check-yourself-out line.  I made sure I was near the "helper" as those damn machines act up almost every single time I try using them.  Well, sure enough, I had a problem right off the bat. I looked up and the "helper" was gone.  I started to fume and another "helper" walked by asking if I needed help.  Well, DUH....!!!

She proceeded to ask me what I had done and what the problem was.  As it ended up, she wasn't trained in that area and had no clue what to do.  The regular "helper" was around the corner helping someone else.  Then this kid came over to see if he could help. And the blasted
scanner just took off and worked with him standing there.  This was after he asked me: What exactly were you trying to do?" 

I felt like screaming at him 'I'M TRYING TO MOP MY KITCHEN! WHAT DO YOU THINK I WAS TRYING TO DO?!"

After the scanner took my three items, he was going to help me use my debit card. I guess he thought I was a little old lady who didn't know how to handle the complicated technology today. I told him: "I think I know how to do this part!"  I left in a snit.  I got out to my car and had a talk with myself wondering why I couldn't just laugh it off and go with the flow.  Why did I let a supermarket scanner annoy me to the point where I wanted to scream.  And then I cried all the way home.

I continued to talk to myself  trying to figure out exactly what brought on the tears.  I went through my little troubles and woes and decided they were just the regular problems I've always had and dealt with so what's the big deal?  Must be hormones.  And when I got home, I got out the receipt to record it in my checkbook and the total was $11.11.  Hmmmmm...

Okay....off to squirt 409.

Facebook

I resisted Facebook at first but once I discovered the photos you could view that others posted, I was hooked. Last night I spent a couple of hours putting up some old Crown Z and PTPC pics that I had.  Was a reminder to me that I need to be thinking about upgrading to a newer computer.  I baby it through an awful lot of functions that should be much easier.  Even though I turned it off once to reboot, I still kept getting error messages that line 5, 6, etc. were errors or missing.  Haven't a clue what that means.

Some days I have to try over and over to burn to a CD because my computer insists I don't have a disk in or that I have a disk that you can't use.  And of course, there are always those very annoying periods where nothing moves except in slow motion.  Drives me nuts!  I had memory added to my computer a couple of years back and I have an external hard drive I keep things on but I still probably need a better and newer computer.  It's on my list.

It's 9:30 a.m. and even though I've downed two cups of coffee, I'm sitting here yawning and thinking I really need a nap.  There's an awful lot of mornings lately where I wake up feeling like I've aged ten years overnight.  And sadly, I look it too!  I roll out of bed and stumble into the bathroom dragging myself to the sink to throw water in my face.  I try not to look in the mirror right away.

I'm heading over to Virginia's in a couple of hours for a belated birthday lunch. She's serving quiche.  And speaking of birthdays....HAPPY BD TO JOHN ECKER!  Here he is (third from the left) in high school and today....

I've been taping a lot of tv shows this past week. Unfortunately, both my VCRs are getting difficult to manage.  Could be they need cleaning or perhaps it's my old tapes.  I'd get a DVR (which two of my daughters keep telling me to do) but I believe you have to upgrade to a higher subscription level with the cable company and then pay a DVR charge on top of that.  They get enough of my money already.  Like high speed internet which isn't high speed enough to suit me.  And I know I don't want to mess around with dish satellites. Been down that road before and I didn't like the trip.

Anyhow, I've watched a few of the shows and decided immediately they weren't going on my list of things to watch again.  I even taped a few that have been on for a while and seem to get good ratings but never particularly intererested me.  And they still don't.  Like Two and a Half Men.  Ashton K. has never been a favorite and his part in the show he's featured in now is aimed at sophomores.  STUPID!  Not that I don't like stupid now and then but there's funny stupid and stupid stupid.

I tuned in 'Terra Nova' yesterday afternoon. It's a sci-fi show kind of like Jurassic Park.  Will interest younger folks, I suppose, but was very predictable in story line and I won't give it another look see.  Same with 'How I met your mother.'  Obviously written by young writers still laughing at big boobs and farts.

My two favorite "bad" shows are Sons of Anarchy and Breaking Bad.  At least they aren't predictable and their villains are real.  More often than not, I'll start surfing to try and find something and will settle on Little House on the Prairie or The Waltons.  I'm also finding news shows featuring potential presidential candidates worth listening to.  I know who I don't like and I didn't care for them right off the bat--Romney, Bachman, Palen, Trump, Perry, and Obama. I do like NJ governor, Christie, and I kind of hope he decides to run. I also kind of hope Trump runs just so we can watch the media chew him up and spit him out!

Here's a pic I saw on Facebook of my nephew, Eddie Forcier, playing drums in his band on a Port Townsend pier. Funny...I've got two nephews  who play drums.

                                                                   Eddie

                                                                   Kevin

Looks kind of nice out today. Think I'll try and take Sammy for a walk. Sometimes if I get that metatarsal pad "just right" in my shoe, I can walk without pain.   

More Vegas, Port Angeles, Renton, and Port Townsend

It's been a busy month for me. Especially the last two weeks.  I can sure tell I'm getting older by how long it takes me to jump back.  If I could go to bed and sleep through the night, I'd probably be as good as new in no time but alas.....I suspect sleeping through isn't something I'm going to experience all that often from here on out.   Everytime I roll over (which is often) I seem to wake up and look at the clock.  And if I'm not getting up to pee, then I'm sipping on water to help my dry mouth.  Add in the weird dreams which often leave me uneasy (or in a very bad mood), you get an idea of the activity going on in my bedroom most nights.   And heaven help me if I roll over wrong and my knee stiffens up in pain. It's just delightful.

I've been catching up on computer and paper work today.  Ran a couple errands as well. Rain has been coming down steadily and that's fine with me.  I'm ready for fall to begin.  Although the idea of having to start up the furnace pretty soon isn't something I look forward to.

I've got a VHS tape in the VCR taping an old Mickey Rooney movie on Turner Classic channel.
A Yank at Eton from 1943 I think.  I always like watching Mickey Rooney movies.  I've been taping hours of various shows this week.  Too busy or too tired to sit down and watch them.  American Pickers is on tonight and I like that.  Sometimes I watch Pawn Stars afterwards.  I was surprised to see "Chumlee" t-shirts in Vegas shops.  But then again, everybody gets their 15 minutes of fame.  And Chumlee is funny.  I wish we could have had time to go across town to visit the Pawn Store in person.

Well, I'm thinking a nap is on my agenda today. I'll just post various pictures I have and call it good.  Four night pictures Jenni took while she was out and about. I love the 4th one--the  strip
at night.
 

We went out to Old Vegas in the Fremont district and Jenni really liked that atmosphere.  Not sure who the guy is posing in our picture but that was the type of mood out there. Fun.

This is Jenni at the arcade  where we played horse racing.

Rented Castle in Renton for a birthday party in Mary and Andy's back yard.

Friends of Mary's: Shari Glessing, Tami Hewitt, and Jenny Ericksen. Ex husband, John Baldridge standing in the back.

Here I am visiting with my cousin, Ann Evans. Her daughter, Katy, is in blue.

Mary and Andy's street scene during the party

On the deck

Mary's cousin, Keith Sawka and his wife, Karma

Sharon Sofie, Ruth Kvinsland, Joanne Gilles, and Linda Pedersen behind that glass! This picture cracked me up. Linda is always hiding from the camera when she can.

Here's Maddie and Hunter on the first day of 6th grade.

I love this one Jenni took. Next year....junior high.  Man oh man, how did that time fly by so fast!

Too tired...

This computer is running slow as molasses tonight and I'm just too tired to sit here and be patient.  I uploaded a few pictures on Facebook as it's a faster program than this blog is. Hopefully, you can see them there but if not, I'll try to get some loaded on here tomorrow or the next day.

I'll load a few and then call it a night.
Wedding reception in Port Townsend this afternoon for Liz O'Brien and Craig Hausler. (Betty Hayes)

the prettiest women there

some of the fellas

Goofy people

Liz & Craig in their duds

Jud, Gail, Ruth

Dick, Karen, Sharon, Lew

Helen, Tom, Sharon, Dave

                         ferry off Hudson Point. Get together was held at T's Restaurant

Finding notes and sharing pictures

One of my habits is saving pieces of paper to write notes on.  If I print something and only use half a page, I'll cut off the bottom to use for notes.  And I've got a ton of little scratch pads picked up here and there.  Today I started using this tablet that must have belonged to my stepmom.  The third page down read:

I recognized her handwriting immediately and it was typical for her to start writing a few pages from the front.  I guess she had weird habits too.  I'm kinda tired tonight so I think I'll just post a few pictures.  I did manage to get a large zucchini ground up into two freezer baggies and used the other half for two loaves of bread.  I'll take them to Mary's house tomorrow for a party we have planned. I made up half a dozen salads so I'll eat them for supper all week.  Didn't get too much else done around here...well I did wash the car, I guess that was something.

I took down my hummingbird feeders and moved two other feeders to the front yard a week or two ago.  I couldn't understand why the seed disappeared overnight.  I should have known. The deer!  I remember them eating my sunflower seeds but these were just the cheap bird seeds. Although they weren't exactly cheap either!  I came out onto the front steps and saw the feeders moving and I knew the wind wasn't blowing.  Didn't take me long to figure out who was helping themselves. I've since moved them back to the backyard.

I may have already shared this next picture. I can't remember.  Hunter and Maddie are playing clarinet and saxophone this year. Sammy doesn't care for it and Maddie took this shot of him hiding out under my bed.  I guess it hurts his ears.

My sister gave me this cool clock for my birthday. You can put whatever photos you choose going around the face.

I've got this desk pictured below listed on Craig's List and 2good2toss if you're interested. Only $20.

I was digging around in my wrapping paper and gift bags and came across this one that just cracked me up. I didn't even know I had it.  One side says "It's your birthday and I hope you dance."  The other side says "You're funny when you dance." 

Before I forget..  I got a FB note from his daughter today that Harry Gauthier is in a nursing home after falling and breaking his hip.  Would love to see people send him a get well card.  His daughter said he instructed her to send me a birthday card because he was sure it was this week. What a sweetie pie!  Address is: Bremerton Health & Rehab Center, 2701 Clare Ave, Room 14, Bremerton, WA 98310

Even if you don't know him---send him a card. He's pictured here (seated) with Paul Carr and Warren Moss, probably taken in the 80's or 90's.  I lose track of time easily these days.

The rest of these pictures are ones Jenni took that I downloaded from her camera onto my computer.  I thought they were colorful enough to share.

Hunter in the Port Angeles 4th of July parade on Lincoln Street

Chance, Hunter, and Malcolm at Hunter's birthday party

Chance playing a game where a nylon stocking was put over their head with a ball in the foot. They had to swing the ball and knock over bottles.

Maddie's girl friends at her birthday sleepover

Two guys in black in Vegas

Two gals in pink in Vegas

"the victim" at the CSI museum where Jenni went

                                                   Cute old lady at the slot machines