Not that anyone will make note or long remember, "Oh, that was back in 2008 I think." But I have only four days remaining and my family will be cheated of nearly $400,000.00. And I can't stop that. The die is cast.
My time as an employee will come to an end. (at least for a while) And with that end is a big world wide celebration of a new year, a new world and a new beginning. I am ending my longest and last vacation.
I still don't have a plan. I have found that I won't be watching TV. I watch less now than I did before this vacation. And if they continue with this drive to 'digital TV' I won't be watching anything. I am really put-off by what I call 'digital moments'. You know the ones, where the picture has digital artifacts (those pixelated parts) and the sound goes out. It is like the television is confused for a few seconds.
And I'm put-off by the incessant advertisements telling me that, "Digital TV is so much 'better' and that is why the government has decreed that all stations 'MUST' broadcast in all digital." We should all know that the real reason is to move public broadcasting to a new band and take the current band (read channels) for 'homeland security'. Somewhere, someone will make money from the move. In theory, digital will be better. In reality we will accept a lesser experience with dropped sound or image because that is what digital does. To paraphrase the nursery rhyme, "when it was good it was very, very good; when it was bad it wasn't there at all."
And this is good! I will be spending less time in front of the TV and more time doing something else. Walking, cleaning out the basement, working in the yard?
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Like the Cold, Reality Creeps In
I'm just starting to feel that I am no longer employed. Although I technically am on vacation until the end of the year, I am realizing that I don't have to return to the job.
I also miss the walk from the far end of the parking lot. I gained 8 POUNDS in 5 weeks! Have to cut back on food and increase walking.
Gasoline is way down! Yes, the price is, but so is my usage. I have gone from 2.5 gallons per day to .75 gallons per day. WOW! Or in economic terms, from $10.00 per day to $1.11 per day. At that rate I will have enough money to last a few additional years. Yippee!
Christmas is coming! I am done. I didn't want to go out yesterday, but I knew the weather was going to change and I needed to get shopping finished.
Crap! It really changed! It was 50 degrees when I went out at 3 pm. It was still 42 degrees and raining when we went to the grocery store at 9 pm. This morning I went out to scrape the ice off Sally's car so she could go to work. It was frozen hard, the doors were frozen shut and one tire was very low and the other three were less that full.
I started scraping her windscreen. I used the toothed side and scratched the bumps down but didn't get to the glass. I the car running while I checked her tire pressure. The front tires were down to 25 lbs. So I pumped them up. The air hose wouldn't reach the rear tires until I turned the car around. One rear was 25 psi and the other was only 12 psi. I pumped them all up to 34 lbs. and started on the windscreen. It was still icy but it yielded to the scraper. I stood in the driveway, in the 3 degree weather, in the 20 MPH wind, waving good-bye 'til she was gone from sight in her warm and ready carriage. Then I returned to the house and soaked up the warmth.
God! I am glad I retired! Now I can wrap gifts and clean house and worry about my kids and plan for the next thing to do. Which of the babies will I see next? How are those kids doing in school? Is everyone okay?
I also miss the walk from the far end of the parking lot. I gained 8 POUNDS in 5 weeks! Have to cut back on food and increase walking.
Gasoline is way down! Yes, the price is, but so is my usage. I have gone from 2.5 gallons per day to .75 gallons per day. WOW! Or in economic terms, from $10.00 per day to $1.11 per day. At that rate I will have enough money to last a few additional years. Yippee!
Christmas is coming! I am done. I didn't want to go out yesterday, but I knew the weather was going to change and I needed to get shopping finished.
Crap! It really changed! It was 50 degrees when I went out at 3 pm. It was still 42 degrees and raining when we went to the grocery store at 9 pm. This morning I went out to scrape the ice off Sally's car so she could go to work. It was frozen hard, the doors were frozen shut and one tire was very low and the other three were less that full.
I started scraping her windscreen. I used the toothed side and scratched the bumps down but didn't get to the glass. I the car running while I checked her tire pressure. The front tires were down to 25 lbs. So I pumped them up. The air hose wouldn't reach the rear tires until I turned the car around. One rear was 25 psi and the other was only 12 psi. I pumped them all up to 34 lbs. and started on the windscreen. It was still icy but it yielded to the scraper. I stood in the driveway, in the 3 degree weather, in the 20 MPH wind, waving good-bye 'til she was gone from sight in her warm and ready carriage. Then I returned to the house and soaked up the warmth.
God! I am glad I retired! Now I can wrap gifts and clean house and worry about my kids and plan for the next thing to do. Which of the babies will I see next? How are those kids doing in school? Is everyone okay?
Monday, December 15, 2008
A New Avocation
I got the chance to do a project for Julieanna and Geoff. They needed child latches for the cabinets installed. And for me it was additional time with Cora.
Julie made soup and grilled cheese while I fed Cora. She is a good eater! So while I was spooning it in, I worked on teaching her to wink. Of course I knew she can't wink! That is the fun of it. She doesn't yet have the ability to wink; but she tried and it was adorable. She blinks and then smiles with pride.
By the time lunch was ready, Cora was wink response ready. Julie gave her some crackers and I would wink at Cora. Cora would 'wink' at her mom and smile. About the third time Julie said, "What's with that face?"
I said, "That's not a face, she's winking." Then I winked and Cora winked and Mom was amused. It is so much fun to experience these kids learning something; but, SO REWARDING when it is something you have taught them.
Then I put the locks on. Cora was right at my elbow, crouching down to have a better view under my arm. I think next time she will be able to install them. For a while she will be safe. No cleaners for her. But I wouldn't trust them absolutely. She is smart and her little hands can reach in easily. It won't be long before she figures it out.
Julie made soup and grilled cheese while I fed Cora. She is a good eater! So while I was spooning it in, I worked on teaching her to wink. Of course I knew she can't wink! That is the fun of it. She doesn't yet have the ability to wink; but she tried and it was adorable. She blinks and then smiles with pride.
By the time lunch was ready, Cora was wink response ready. Julie gave her some crackers and I would wink at Cora. Cora would 'wink' at her mom and smile. About the third time Julie said, "What's with that face?"
I said, "That's not a face, she's winking." Then I winked and Cora winked and Mom was amused. It is so much fun to experience these kids learning something; but, SO REWARDING when it is something you have taught them.
Then I put the locks on. Cora was right at my elbow, crouching down to have a better view under my arm. I think next time she will be able to install them. For a while she will be safe. No cleaners for her. But I wouldn't trust them absolutely. She is smart and her little hands can reach in easily. It won't be long before she figures it out.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Almost Retired
Well, a lot has occurred since the last post on November second. I worked until November 13, Thursday. And I use the term 'worked' very loosely. My delivery manager is great to work with and we had only two projects still active by the thirteenth. I had many people ask why I was leaving on THURSDAY. I wondered why they would ask!
I have enough vacation time (30 days) remaining to take me through year end. Why would I work one extra day? So the folks in the area took me to lunch at The Cheesecake Factory! Their meat loaf is delicious. And they gave me a very generous gift card to The Home Depot. Two people I used to work with directly took me out to lunch on separate occasions. And a couple of very special friends gave me farewell gifts also.
By the time l left on the thirteenth , it was hugs and kisses and tears. I will miss the folks intensely. They are some wonderful people who all pulled together and pitched in to help when someone had a problem with their work load.
Saturday the fifteenth Sally and I took off to Missouri by way of Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin. I know, I know, that is not 'on the way'. Cabela's has a store there that is one of three distribution centers in the country. If I find a pair of pants that I like but they are not in my size or the color I want, the clerk will call the attached warehouse and order them down. In ten minutes or so they are ready. So away we went. We did our shopping and headed on through Iowa. We stopped for the night in the middle of Iowa.
Then Sunday we got on the road and drove and drove and drove. We went through a lot of country I've never been through before. It was nice to see; but a very long drive to Kimberling City, MO. We got there about five or six o'clock. We had dinner at my sister and brother in-law's home. We visited and planned our activities.
We went to see the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans museum. It had a lot of memorabilia and the story of their lives. Then we saw Yakov Smirnoff. That was a first class show. He is very funny and the whole production was very entertaining. The theater was full of folks. I think they said 1600. We saw the 'New Shanghai Circus'. It was very good acrobatics and adagio. However there weren't that many people there, less than one hundred. I picked a real looser.
The Jim Reeves Tribute show. Jim Reeves was a country ballad singer in the fifties and sixties. He was a phenomenal talent who had a fear of loosing his voice. This drove him to record many songs and save them in a vault. Although he died in 1964, since 2003, the US based VoiceMasters has issued over 80 previously unreleased recordings by Jim, including new songs that fans have not heard. The show was his 60+ year old nephew doing a few songs and telling his story between breaks. The warm up act was a big fellow from east Texas and a blond 'contest winner' from east Texas who had 'won' the chance to perform in Branson, MO. She did three gospel numbers one at a time and he did three sets. Her family came with her. There was her mom and dad, husband, two kids and sister and brother in-law. Then there were six people in the front row and I think three other couples. I bet it is hard to perform for such a small audience.
And we saw the Osmond's Christmas Show also. It was Jay, Jimmy and Wayne. It was a real first class show and it too was a full theater. The troop was an excellent group of dancers. They did some of my favorite holiday songs like Santa Baby.
We spent Thursday at Silver Dollar City. When I was a kid of eleven or twelve I took a trip with my grandmother's neighbor to Albuquerque. Down historic Route 66. As we went by Silver Dollar City it was a small outfit in what seemed like nowhere. But like everywhere in this country, it has built up and developed. There are an unbelievable number of holiday lights on every wall, tree and shrub. The shops in the park are craft shops of high quality furniture and articles made by hand. It was really very nice but my leg was killing me.
Friday the twenty-first we got up and hit the road for home. We bought gasoline for $1.55 in Missouri. It was a long drive but wasn't bad after we got into Illinois. Actually none of it was bad; it just seems like we are almost home once we cross into Illinois.
That is the end of week one of semi-retirement.
I have enough vacation time (30 days) remaining to take me through year end. Why would I work one extra day? So the folks in the area took me to lunch at The Cheesecake Factory! Their meat loaf is delicious. And they gave me a very generous gift card to The Home Depot. Two people I used to work with directly took me out to lunch on separate occasions. And a couple of very special friends gave me farewell gifts also.
By the time l left on the thirteenth , it was hugs and kisses and tears. I will miss the folks intensely. They are some wonderful people who all pulled together and pitched in to help when someone had a problem with their work load.
Saturday the fifteenth Sally and I took off to Missouri by way of Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin. I know, I know, that is not 'on the way'. Cabela's has a store there that is one of three distribution centers in the country. If I find a pair of pants that I like but they are not in my size or the color I want, the clerk will call the attached warehouse and order them down. In ten minutes or so they are ready. So away we went. We did our shopping and headed on through Iowa. We stopped for the night in the middle of Iowa.
Then Sunday we got on the road and drove and drove and drove. We went through a lot of country I've never been through before. It was nice to see; but a very long drive to Kimberling City, MO. We got there about five or six o'clock. We had dinner at my sister and brother in-law's home. We visited and planned our activities.
We went to see the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans museum. It had a lot of memorabilia and the story of their lives. Then we saw Yakov Smirnoff. That was a first class show. He is very funny and the whole production was very entertaining. The theater was full of folks. I think they said 1600. We saw the 'New Shanghai Circus'. It was very good acrobatics and adagio. However there weren't that many people there, less than one hundred. I picked a real looser.
The Jim Reeves Tribute show. Jim Reeves was a country ballad singer in the fifties and sixties. He was a phenomenal talent who had a fear of loosing his voice. This drove him to record many songs and save them in a vault. Although he died in 1964, since 2003, the US based VoiceMasters has issued over 80 previously unreleased recordings by Jim, including new songs that fans have not heard. The show was his 60+ year old nephew doing a few songs and telling his story between breaks. The warm up act was a big fellow from east Texas and a blond 'contest winner' from east Texas who had 'won' the chance to perform in Branson, MO. She did three gospel numbers one at a time and he did three sets. Her family came with her. There was her mom and dad, husband, two kids and sister and brother in-law. Then there were six people in the front row and I think three other couples. I bet it is hard to perform for such a small audience.
And we saw the Osmond's Christmas Show also. It was Jay, Jimmy and Wayne. It was a real first class show and it too was a full theater. The troop was an excellent group of dancers. They did some of my favorite holiday songs like Santa Baby.
We spent Thursday at Silver Dollar City. When I was a kid of eleven or twelve I took a trip with my grandmother's neighbor to Albuquerque. Down historic Route 66. As we went by Silver Dollar City it was a small outfit in what seemed like nowhere. But like everywhere in this country, it has built up and developed. There are an unbelievable number of holiday lights on every wall, tree and shrub. The shops in the park are craft shops of high quality furniture and articles made by hand. It was really very nice but my leg was killing me.
Friday the twenty-first we got up and hit the road for home. We bought gasoline for $1.55 in Missouri. It was a long drive but wasn't bad after we got into Illinois. Actually none of it was bad; it just seems like we are almost home once we cross into Illinois.
That is the end of week one of semi-retirement.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
HALLOWEEN
Halloween came again, much to our excitement. We have fallen in step and decorate a bunch. Sally has a talent for building these little vignette in the corner of the front porch. A bale of straw, a string of ghost lights and a string of pumpkin lights draped on a home made chair. Some knick-knacks and a cauldron of smoking brew.
Tinker Bell was first to arrive. I took several pictures of Logan and she is making so many different expressions. It was hard to choose. She was so non-plused being set in a pile of leaves.
The Cephalopod was very good at maneuvering around her tentacles. Cora is very cute and good natured about it all. These little ones didn't go Trick or Treating.
Alex is next to the oldest. He was a Hobo carrying his jack o'lantern on a stick. Alex also did not last too long door to door. He got his fill of candy and came in.
Ashley was a NU Wildcat fan. That's not a stretch! They all are. She stayed out the longest and came home with not a lot more than her brother.
Tinker Bell was first to arrive. I took several pictures of Logan and she is making so many different expressions. It was hard to choose. She was so non-plused being set in a pile of leaves.
The Cephalopod was very good at maneuvering around her tentacles. Cora is very cute and good natured about it all. These little ones didn't go Trick or Treating.
Alex is next to the oldest. He was a Hobo carrying his jack o'lantern on a stick. Alex also did not last too long door to door. He got his fill of candy and came in.
Ashley was a NU Wildcat fan. That's not a stretch! They all are. She stayed out the longest and came home with not a lot more than her brother.
Here you can see a bit of all four. The older kids enjoy the babies.
And Tinker Bell was a darling of the trick or treaters coming up on the right. The ten or eleven year old girl was really smitten.
The girl whom you hear off camera and her sister of about eight came up the stairs and Kyle went in the door to get the candy. He dropped a Snickers bar in her bag and she handed him a religious pamphlet and said, "Jesus loves you."
Kyle took it and said, "Thank you." Then gave a candy bar to her little sister.
She said, "I'm all out of God!"
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Play Time!
Is this a hockey game, a boxing match or introduction?
Cora said, "Follow me." Logan watched her every move.
"Drat! How does she do that?", Logan said. Logan has all the parts to crawl but they just don't work together; but she can roll and scoot.
She just watched Cora cruise away.
Cora shows Uncle Kyle how to play this thing. Cora thinks it's a pinball machine. She gets the music going and then wiggles and bumps and shakes it.
Cora said, "Follow me." Logan watched her every move.
"Drat! How does she do that?", Logan said. Logan has all the parts to crawl but they just don't work together; but she can roll and scoot.
She just watched Cora cruise away.
Cora shows Uncle Kyle how to play this thing. Cora thinks it's a pinball machine. She gets the music going and then wiggles and bumps and shakes it.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Cora Explores the Art of the Deal
Hi Grandpa. What you doing?
Can I play with your computer? How about just the cords? They're my favorite. I like cords. I'll be your friend.
(I left one above so you can see how they were from Picasa)
I like the direct upload better.
I'll just read my book then. Is this right side up? It looks different.
It's not easy to turn her down.
Can I play with your computer? How about just the cords? They're my favorite. I like cords. I'll be your friend.
(I left one above so you can see how they were from Picasa)
I like the direct upload better.
I'll just read my book then. Is this right side up? It looks different.
It's not easy to turn her down.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Kyle At Play
Logan is playing with Kyle on the floor
Julieanna plays with Cora on the floor. But Cora plays with Mom all the time. Kyle is someone new!
Since Cora is mobile she can go to Kyle on her own. (shades of things to come? Early independence?)
Kyle held their rapt attention for a while.
Preparing for the baby duel.
Crawl ten paces, turn and -- YOU CAN'T CRAWL!
Never mind then. I'm not going twenty paces.
There was no insult to honor. I'm making this up too.
Julieanna plays with Cora on the floor. But Cora plays with Mom all the time. Kyle is someone new!
Since Cora is mobile she can go to Kyle on her own. (shades of things to come? Early independence?)
Kyle held their rapt attention for a while.
Preparing for the baby duel.
Crawl ten paces, turn and -- YOU CAN'T CRAWL!
Never mind then. I'm not going twenty paces.
There was no insult to honor. I'm making this up too.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Cora The Pinball Wizard
It's a good thing there isn't a 'Tilt' on this.
But she can shake that thing!
Keep scrolling; there are four new ones!
New Kid on the Block
The new kids come to a meeting of the minds. Would you believe a meeting of the heads? Well just watch.
Now you see how the alpha-f dominates the younger child. Mobiility and cunning give her the advantage.
But I bet her day is coming. When Logan gets to the same stage we'll see this play out again.
Some Day Logan will be mobile.
Logan gets a head-butt and taunted.
Cora says, "You can't stop me. I can touch my ears! I bet you can't."
Logan so wants to get over there. But she trips, in a manner of movement.
Cora says, "I got the ring! I'm going to get your pacifier." Cora has no idea what it's for. She just likes to squeeze it between her fingers.
Poor Logan is powerless to stop Cora. She is left to wonder, "How in God's green earth does she do that?"
"Some day I'm going to surprise her.", Logan says.
Why do I make this stuff up? Why?
Cora is a sweetheart, too.
Logan The Cadet
Logan would get a superior rating on the flexibility portion of her test. I was going to try this too.
But then I came to my senses. I'll just take those smiles.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Cora and the Corapillar
Cora came to visit while her mom and dad went out to a movie and dinner. She is teething again but she was a very good girl. She only fussed a little bit twice. We played and talked and read.
See this ball? I can throw it! I just don't know where it will go.
Even though I like my name sake, the Corapillar, I still really like these balls that shake, rattle and roll. Sometimes they fly!
I'm going to get up while holding this little puffer fish. Just watch me pop up.
See how easy that is. This is standing. Now I'm moving my feet while standing. When I get good at this I think I will be able to get around the room holding on to furniture.
See how well this works. I'm pretty proud of this. It makes me want to bounce and holler.
Uh-um! Good! Kinda salty like anchovies; but texture is like oysters. Good thing I practiced with my tongue all these past months.
Grandpa, can I wipe my mouth here on your knee?
Thanks! That feels better.
And she plays nicely. Gotta love this girl!
See this ball? I can throw it! I just don't know where it will go.
Even though I like my name sake, the Corapillar, I still really like these balls that shake, rattle and roll. Sometimes they fly!
I'm going to get up while holding this little puffer fish. Just watch me pop up.
See how easy that is. This is standing. Now I'm moving my feet while standing. When I get good at this I think I will be able to get around the room holding on to furniture.
See how well this works. I'm pretty proud of this. It makes me want to bounce and holler.
Uh-um! Good! Kinda salty like anchovies; but texture is like oysters. Good thing I practiced with my tongue all these past months.
Grandpa, can I wipe my mouth here on your knee?
Thanks! That feels better.
And she plays nicely. Gotta love this girl!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Logan Came To Our House Today
Well, she came with her parents. What a little doll. She came in all smiles and happy to come to Grandpa. She was just as happy to go to Grandma too.
Kyle and Sarah had been to Delavan, WI for a week-end get-away to celebrate their SECOND ANNIVERSARY. My how time flies. They forgot to take their camera so they purchased a disposable camera and wanted to burn up some film on the BEST subject.
I might be prejudiced butI think she is a pretty girl.
Look at that smile.
Her parents looked pretty good too. Glad to see them all and had a nice visit.
Then it was feeding time for the little angel. She was trying something new! Uh-um Good!
Well not to Logan!
Logan said, “This pureed chicken white meat makes me PUKE!”
I was just taking pictures when it came back up. I'm sure this photo will be blackmail worthy when she is a little bit older.
This experience turned her off of food. She likes peas, normally; but not this evening. She gagged on peas, she gagged on formula! Eventually she was able to take her bottle. Poor thing.
Kyle and Sarah had been to Delavan, WI for a week-end get-away to celebrate their SECOND ANNIVERSARY. My how time flies. They forgot to take their camera so they purchased a disposable camera and wanted to burn up some film on the BEST subject.
I might be prejudiced butI think she is a pretty girl.
Look at that smile.
Her parents looked pretty good too. Glad to see them all and had a nice visit.
Then it was feeding time for the little angel. She was trying something new! Uh-um Good!
Well not to Logan!
Logan said, “This pureed chicken white meat makes me PUKE!”
I was just taking pictures when it came back up. I'm sure this photo will be blackmail worthy when she is a little bit older.
This experience turned her off of food. She likes peas, normally; but not this evening. She gagged on peas, she gagged on formula! Eventually she was able to take her bottle. Poor thing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
