Tuesday morning.....

Just finished browsing through a couple of catalogs.  Amazes me how many show up in my mailbox these days.  Most go straight to recycle bin.  I did place a phone order this morning, though, from Dr. Leonard's Healthcare catalog. Found a couple of foot thingies I want to try out.  Also a set of curtains. Wouldn't normally buy curtains but the price was right, and it was a set where all the pieces are sewn together so they slip on one rod. Hopefully, they won't be too cheesy.

Also found some items in the ABC Distributing catalog. Birthday gift putaways for the twins mostly. Since Jenni likes their stuff and will be ordering as well, I figured we could split the shipping costs.

I finished sewing my red heart appliques with freezer paper last night so today I will begin sewing them onto white squares.  Got my sewing machine back from the shop and he didn't charge me for adjusting the belt.

Sitting here watching Paula Deen as I type. Probably a good thing she's not a neighbor of mine. I'd be hanging out with her all the time.

Miss "whirlwind activity girl Maddie" will be finishing up basketball this month. Today she brought her equipment for softball practice AFTER she finishes up her CampFire Girls meeting at their cabin downtown.  Hunter has a team party to attend at Lincoln Park this week for his basketball team.  I can remember partying at that cabin the year they turned one.  Gees, where does the time go?!

Well, time to get back to work on the book. Today, though, I've got to condition myself to not spend hours on it.  Need to attend to other projects. I started to play this video and Sammy immediately sat up and starting looking out the window and making "those sounds" he does like grrrr....where are you, arf, grunt, arf, grunt.... I turned it off and he laid back down again.  He needs a girl friend I think.




Well,here I am...two hours later and I'm still on this computer.  Oh well... here's a picture I saw on Facebook of Ann Robson's place in Issaquah and a second of Hunter's basketball team in the PDN.

Coming down in buckets

I woke up to the wind howling and the rain coming down in buckets, and from all indications, it's going to continue along those lines most of the day.  I have to return a movie to Red Box outside Walgreens but intend to wait until this afternoon. Am hoping two other businesses in that area will call and tell me my "stuff" is ready.  I'm having a needlepoint framed and my sewing machine tweaked.  Going to be an expensive day, I'm afraid, and I don't want to make more than one trip to spend money.

Watched Ryan Gosling in 'Drive' last night.  It was tense, to say the least.  And violent. Albert Brooks was a killer and I don't like to see him in that role.  He's one of my favorite comedic actors.  It was still good, though. Had Brian Cranston and Ron Perlman as well.  It had a good music soundtrack but I hate those movies where the actors mumble or talk too fast and you have to rewind over and over hoping to figure out what they said.  If that happens more than once in a movie, I figure somebody isn't doing their job.

Had a phone conversation with my son already this morning. Computer woes. Went like this:

Me:  An adobe update prompt appeared on my laptop when I signed on this morning so I agreed to the update.
Joe: You don't need to update adobe.
I was told you always need to update.
No. Only if you have adobe pro and you don't.
But I was told adobe keeps updating their programs to keep out spyware and such.
No, they don't.

Ok. But when I agreed to update, a box popped up telling me Norton Antivirus was going to be installed once I updated.  I unchecked that box because I knew I didn't need another antivirus on here. I continued on and another box popped up thanking me for doing what adobe suggested and accepting norton. Just the opposite of what I clicked. Meanwhile, there's no option to get rid of Norton or get rid of this big box on my desktop.

Hit Ctrl-alt-delete. Highlight Norton and end program. Then go to your control panel and uninstall Norton on there.

Ok. I did all that. Now tell me this: How come when I sign on to my google mail in the morning, there's an ad at the top of the page telling me about this website I could use to self-publish a book. How do they know I'm working on a book?

Because they know. It's computers.

Well, I did click on the ad as I was interested in their program and I gave them my "other" email address to send me stuff.  I put down the wrong phone number, though, as I didn't want my cell number out there.

DON'T CLICK ON THOSE ADS! That only generates more. If you want to know about self-publishing, put a query in at Google.

Oh dear. So now I'm to expect more? By the way, tell me again how I delete my history.  I want a thorough job of it so if the FBI confiscates my laptop because they think I'm going to bomb somebody or hire a hit man, I don't want them to find out what sites I visited.

Oh, yeah. The FBI.  I would have thought they'd be more interested in all that child porn you go to.

hahahahahahahah

Bye mama.

 I'd read  in an email recently sent me that there are key words the "authorities" follow online to track bad people. Subjects people search for on google, for example. One of them, I think, was child porn.  Now I'm probably going to be on a watch list. Hmmm...maybe I should go look for that email again and write down all those words and then start googling them one at a time to see if I then get a visit from the FBI or notice cars following me.  What a fantasy world I live in.

As if I don't already have enough projects going.  Which I think I'll get back to now.  Gotta research some products I read about yesterday regarding metatarsalgia.  I just deleted a couple lines I wrote about my foot so I'm sparing you the whining this morning.

Been reading Bob Greene's book 'Be True to your school.'  Am laughing through most of it too.  Last night he talked about going to a Peter Paul and Mary concert at their school, and how he and his buddies got to interview Peter and Paul afterwards for the school paper.  On the way home, they were really excited when one of the guys wondered why Mary never came out of the dressing room to be interviewed.  His friend replied: She was probably on her period.
I thought this was funny because this is exactly how teenage boys would think in 1964.  ha ha

Okay. Off to work I go.....

Yard work

Actually got a little yardwork done this morning.  Not much, though. Seems like I pretty much have to pace myself dealing with this foot problem.  Hunter hooked up my hose for me and I cleaned the bird feeders.  Pulled a few weeds, picked up some dog poo poo, refilled the bird feeders and put one feeder in the front and cleaned the bird baths with bleach and a wire brush.

Then we went downtown so he could run his remote control hovercraft on a large puddle in a field near the waterfront.

 I added a few other pictures to my Facebook page, and will post a quick video here.

I started working on some quilt pieces yesterday using freezer paper and my, I really like that technique for applique.  Especially when I can sit in my recliner with feet up to work on the individual pieces that need turning and basting.  I'm betting I'm probably going to move my sewing area back to the kitchen before too long.  A lot easier to work on things there.  Not now,though. Have a jigsaw puzzle set up in that corner.

Rented Hugo from Red Box last night.  Hunter and I both thought it was boring.  I picked up a second one for tonight--Drive.  Expecting Jen back within the hour and I know Hunter is looking forward to seeing them as well. 

I did a little cut and paste work from my blog to a word program but it's going to take a while to get that done. Intend to do a little every day.  Think I'll leave the computer room for the rest of today. Need a break.  Feeling awfully tired too. Probably need a nap.  Rain finally arrived a half hour ago.  I think I'll heat up a Marie Callender dinner and have a salad with it. Don't feel like cooking tonight.

Hanging out with Hunter

I picked up Hunter and Sammy around 11:30 this morning. We dropped Sammy off in the back yard and then we took off for Sequim.  I was looking for a folding camp stool that was cheap and yet high enough and strong enough to allow me to sit and get up again.  (no snappy maneuver these days!)  Big 5 had two very overpriced ones for $20 and $25 that still weren't exactly what I wanted.  We looked in Brown's Sporting Goods  in downtown PA on the way home but they didn't have any either.  I'll just continue to keep my eye peeled at yard sales.

We stopped in at a flea market at the Sequim Grange. Ran into Janie, Edwina, and Connie Myhre.  It wasn't the same flea market I was thinking it was. This one was mostly antiques and the prices were a bit out of my budget range.  I did pick up this Elvis record folder, however.  I used to have this record sleeve on my bedroom wall.  It didn't have the record with it and checking on ebay, this sleeve with record is bid up to almost $6 now.  Another record listed on ebay with a different code number at the top but showing the same picture is worth $700.  I probably paid what it was worth but I could have done better had I looked online first.  Lesson learned.  Hunter ended up buying a reproduction bank of a 1923 car.  He wanted to buy some Tootsie cars too but ran out of dough.

I had a little money left on a Burger King gift card so we stopped for lunch. Their chicken sandwiches were buy one, get one free so now I have tomorrow's lunch too.  We also stopped at Costco. Only bought four things so we got in and out quickly.

Hunter was telling me about this view of the straits at the end of 10th Street (our end of town) so I took a drive down there to take pictures. Took a short minute video too. Hunter says my videos are kind of nutty.  He's right. It was quite a drop down there. Hunter and I were careful not to get too cose to the edge.

 That's the Indian reservation in the distance, I think. 

 And this is Canada across the way.

Here's the parking lot that we walked across to get to the edge of the cliff.  I'll post the video at the bottom. It's about a minute long.

Off to the living room now. Hunter is spending the night and I picked up a movie at a Red Box. Hugo.

I know-I already posted but I had more to say...

Yes, I'm killing time again.  Just made a quick Walmart run to get a few items. Impulse buys included a rug runner for the area coming into this room as it gets a fair amount of traffic day and night. Also bought a small portable ironing board for my sewing room.  Now that I'm setting up shop in the back bedroom, the large ironing board is causing me grief always in the way.

Ran into Katie Proper Tyler Porter as she was leaving. We visited for a while at the door. She lives in PA. Says her sons are here.  She has five kids but said she had ten along the way.  Wow!  Lots of grandkids too.  She likes to go to bingo. I think that's where I ran into her last time.  At the Masonic Hall maybe?

Neighbors are having a yard sale (moving to Mt. Vernon) so I bought four wood TV stands or whatever you call them.  I have two and use them everyday.  Offered them to Jenni and Catie and am waiting to see if either is interested.

I saw these next 2 images on Facebook and really liked them. 

"It must be me"

And I always like a good dog or cat photo. Here's "drama cat"....

The mountain view from Walmart sure was magnificent.  I took a picture with my phone but it didn't turn out that great. I didn't realize my camera was in my backpack. Well, it's almost noon so I guess I'll see what I can scrounge up for lunch. Have one bowl left of the homemade noodle soup I made so that will do--and maybe a BLT to go with it. I'm kinda hungry. That yogurt I had for breakfast wasn't quite enough.

Projects going strong

I looked over my blog posts in the archive yesterday to see how many I needed to cut and paste onto a word document so I could start deleting.  I have over a years' worth to work with so that's going to take a while, even doing a couple weeks each morning.  I did figure out the easiest way to go through the steps, though. I mark it for deletion and then a screen appears that is easy to work from asking me if I'm sure that's what I want to do.

I like the built-in pop up that appears to give you a chance to change your mind but I find it irritating that when I change a password on a website, I continually get an error message telling me "I changed it and to retype the new one." How long does it take for the website to accept a new password anyhow?!

Anyhow, now that I'm doing something with my blog posts, I can type away to my hearts' content complaining, whining, gossiping, etc. and know that it is my diary and I can yak about anything I want to.  As I've looked over my diary notations from 1970 to the present, I see that a big percentage of my notes had to do with body pain.  It's who I am.  ha ha ha  That's so pathetic!

My other project--writing a family history using Bob Greene's book as a guide, is going to be long term.  I may try to find his book online (half.com) so I can refer to it through the months. It's a small book (5x7 in size) with 200 pages listing questions to answer.  The beginning is stuff like: What is your name, what is your blood type, how much do you weigh (I put too much).  Later in the book, there are questions What do your grandchildren's rooms look like?  What is on the wall?  How much is gas right now? What's the biggest bargain you ever bought? Even has a section on the garage asking if you have a garage door opener, what you store out there, etc. Interesting stuff. And things I'll need to research and think about.

Just watched an interview on CBS Morning Show with Steven van Zandt.  I found myself smiling through the whole thing.  He was one of my favorite mobsters on The Sopranos and I had no idea he was in another Norwegian mobster show called Lilyhammer.  Apparently you can get the series on Netflix. I intend to look into that right away.  He plays with Bruce Springsteen and he said even though he's been a rock star for over 25 years, he's stopped constantly on the street now with people wanting to discuss The Sopranos.  I believe it too.  I love The Sopranos!

Saw Oprah on Jimmy Kimmel yesterday.  Always find Oprah interesting to watch even when she's not the host.  Wish I could afford the higher cable listings because I'd watch OWN every day, I'm sure.

Watched what I'd taped of American Idol last night.  I didn't like one song the boys did but pretty much thought the girls did good.  At least 10 of them anyhow.  Taping the show is the only way I can tolerate the fluff and commercials taking up most of the program.  I also tape Amazing Race, Dancing with the Stars, The Voice, Southland, and L&O-SVU. (these last two shows can leave you reeling sometimes. Very tense)  Shows I usually watch when they're on include Wheel of Fortune, American Pickers, The Middle, Modern Family, Masterpiece Theatre and often times, Jeopardy.

I also like Storage Wars and some of the cooking and decorating and real estate shows.  Am looking forward to the return of Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, and Mad Men.  Or is Mad Men even coming back?  I'm not sure.  I was into 'Men of a Certain Age' but stupid people cancelled it.  I was also enjoying this quiz show where people fell through the floor.  The taxi driver from Cash Cab was the host.

I googled foot pain yesterday.  Interesting to read just how many people out there suffer with similar pain I've been experiencing.  Their complaints mirrorer mine, too, as doctors not being able to fix what is wrong.  That was comforting, somehow.  I'm going to continue to try my own inserts to see if I can find a solution.  It could be that this is something that is just plain here to stay and I'll have to learn to live with it--like the tinnitis. 

Well, I think I'll run to Serenity House and maybe even across town to Walmart.  I need items like  dishwasher detergent, clothes detergent, iboprofen, tin foil, Comet, etc.  I tried two more shops in PA yesterday looking for a simple needlepoint kit. Nobody has them so I'll have to check out the mall next time I go that direction.  (which is seldom)

Jenni and Wayne have to take Maddie to a basketball game or tournament? In Tumwater this Saturday so Sammy will stay overnight with me.  Hunter is staying as well.  He's opened up my Sixties jigsaw puzzle so we may work on that off and on.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY TO ANNE MORRISON IN P.T.!   I saw some old CZ party pictures at Harry Gauthier's funeral on Saturday. One album was full of familiar faces from 1982.
I had on this bright shiny green top.  Looked like a damn Christmas ornament with boobs!

Utility truck just went back with a dozen shovels and rakes sticking up. I guess spring is close.  I may have to make another Serenity House run this morning as I can't find my wire brush I use to clean the bird baths and bird feeders.  They're in need of a cleaning real bad too.  Gunky green scum everywhere.

My AARP Bulletin arrived yesterday so I eagerly turned to the back to see what they picked for the winning essay topic last time. I had entered one but mine was no where near as good as the lady who won.  I found her on Facebook and sent her a message. Hope I hear back.

And now it's March

As if I don't have enough projects, I just thought of a new one.  I've been reading Bob Greene's book, Be True to your School, where he made a novel out of the diary he kept in 1964.  I didn't take long notes like he did but I do have pieces here and there from 1970 to today.  Plus my blog.  Like a dummy, I deleted most of my Gupster Granny posts but I "think" I have everything from This Side of the Road. At least I'm hoping so.  I intend to start a file where I cut and paste (without pictures) all the posts onto a new document so I'll have a running commentary of my days.  Which will probably put me to sleep.

Anyhow, then I can delete some of the posts.  I know there's a way to save all the pictures as well. I'm going to look around and see how that works. Could be they go straight into Google's Picasa program.  At any rate, I've got several projects in the works now so that should keep me off the streets.

Woke up kinda discouraged about my foot problem this morning.  It began to ache around dinnertime yesterday (at least more than usual--it's always achy) and the dang blasted thing continued to hurt all night long. Everytime I woke up during the night, it was hurting.  I don't know what I'm going to do about this.  I don't feel the metatarsal pads suggested by the foot doctor are working. Some days I think I'm better than others but it doesn't seem to matter if I'm on my feet all day or sitting all day. Last night I even iced it for a while to see if that would make a difference.

I'm going to start experimenting with the various inserts I have and the cushions I can fabricate of the materials I have onhand.  There are days I just sit and watch people walk and envy them.  I wonder if I'll ever walk without limping again.  Yeah, I know--Those who limp are still walking.  And I am thankful I'm still mobile.  Would be nice, though, to be able to get out and about more than I do. This has been going on for eight months, and I've altered a lot of activities I might have taken part in just because I knew being on my feet was going to be an issue.

Got up at 7, turned on GMA and Today to see what was happening and as usual, GMA lost me as soon as big mouth know-it-all Nancy Grace got the mike.  Whoever gave her license to practice law on the air anyway?!   Gag me with a spoon!  My music is on now.  And it does make me mellow out. I just love my "mix" that comes out over the tv.  Loco-motion with Little Eva just played, Johnny Cash before that.  One of the groups that shows up now and then is The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Ever heard of them?  I hadn't but once 'The Lone Ranger' played, I took notice.  They have a  ton of music out there. I looked them up on Wikipedia.

I looked over Facebook posts (one of my usual surfing spots) and had to chuckle when I saw posts from my daughter, Jenni, and my cousin, Ilene.  They made reference to Davy Jones dying and how sad they were about it.  What made me laugh is that both of them got a reply from a Tammy...
One wrote: "Daydream believer here we come, walking down the street...."
The other wrote: "Cheer up sleepy Jen-Oh what can it mean to...(music symbols here)....

Just looked over my March calendar.  Three notations to haul the trash bins out to the alley every other Friday, four birthdays to acknowledge, have to wear green on the 17th, and go to a CZ retirement luncheon in Port Townsend on the 19th.  Now that I think about it, though, I'm pretty sure Mary, Andy, and Catie are all coming over on March 24th.  They'll spend the night even and Catie will haul the loveseat back to use in her new apartment she plans to move into next month.

My son called yesterday and says he'll take me to the ocean sometime this month or next.  YAY!  He's either going to drive here and we'll drive to LaPush or...I'll drive to Kingston, park the car overnight and he'll pick me up in Edmonds.  We'll go to the ocean on his side of the water and then I'll stay overnight at his place and return home the next day.  Either sounds good to me.

Sure lookin' like spring outside my window right now.  Yard was full of pigeons a minute ago, then robins, and across the street I noticed a lot of quail running into the scotch broom.  Oh...and now the neighborhood cat is prowling, looking for breakfast I suppose

Okay.  Time to get back to project number one.....