Bog Day for History Today

Today is Cyber Monday and who cares. I am so tired of all these gimmicks to try to get our money. I heard on the radio that this is now Cyber Week as there are internet deals available all this week. I suppose next year we will have Cyber Month and then Cyber Quarter and so on and so on...

More importantly than this capitalistic greed is something much more monumental that happened on December first (tomorrow) in 1955. I mention it now because I will probably forget to mention it by the time the actual anniversary (tomorrow) arrives. Tomorrow is the date in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama when an African American seamstress refused to give-up her seat for a white man even though she was sitting in the, so called, black section of the bus. It seems that Rosa Parks was destined to do this because twelve years prior to this now famous and monumental act she was getting on a bus and the bus driver made her exit and go and enter the bus though the rear door (the black entrance). While she walked back to the rear door the driver closed the doors and drove off without her. I am really glad that I was not a black person back then because I do not have near the patience and discipline to have endured what these people had to demonstrate. I have so much respect for people like Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, Jackie Robinson and many many others that had the will and bravery to stand-up for what was right.

It was so nice having Splenda home for Thanksgiving. We will see her again in a couple of weeks and then again at Christmas time. While she was home we went shopping (all four of us for a change) for the underprivileged children for Christmas. Cha Cha drove four names from the names at her work so we would have one child for the each of us. I believe Santa Claus is going to deliver the toys. The most difficult item to get was the Fartblaster 2. Luckily, while we drove through the St. Charles / Geneva area Cha Cha Googled the Fartblaster and found one left at Target. She bought it on-line and it was waiting for us at Target when we arrived there. Karma paid us back but allowing us to get gas for only $1.72 per gallon when it is $1.99 here in DeKalb.

What more do you need in a haunted town than a tavern?

I am watching what I am eating again; I have decided that I really do not want to weigh 300 pounds as I had aimed to do a couple of weeks ago. I now have a new target of around 175 again. I guess that is a big difference isn't it? That will probably be easier than going up to 300.

I read that there is a town in South Dakota for sale for $250,000. The town is called Swett and it is only six acres of land but how cool would it be to own your own town? Maybe if I could get five partners and we all pitched-in $41,667 each we could buy the town and each have one acre lots for our homes. Maybe a little smaller than an acre so we could have a small downtown. There is already one house there that is supposed to be haunted and a closed bar. We can open the bar and call ourselves a ghost town and maybe get our money back as a tourist trap? I would like to change the name of the town though. Who wants to travel to a town named Swett?

One of my favorite people still on this planet just sent me a message telling me that today, in addition to Rosa Parks' big move, is also Samuel Langhorn Clemens' birthday. She knows that he is another of my favorite people who was ever lived on this planet. November 30th is a monumental day on Earth. Maybe I should buy that town and rename it Twain or Langhorn or something. Ironically, Splenda and I went on a ghost hunting overnight tour with this same favorite person and now she mentions Twain's birthday while I am writing about the ghost town for sale. Is that the cosmos telling me that I need to buy Swett? I think the new town name should be Spooky, South Dakota or Haunted, South Dakota or something along those lines. Creepy? Scary? Ghostly? It seems like it is destined to be. In a sort of related point - though Clemens grew-up in a slave state (Missouri) I believe he was anti-slavery. I base this on my reading many of his works and visiting his home town many times. It is difficult to say whether I am correct or not but I hope that I am. One of his most famous books had a runaway slave as one of the main characters and that character was good friends with the main character - Huckleberry Finn.

Okay, I have been writing this off-and-on for the last couple of hours. I have to get some more laundry started and start thinking about dinner, I am thinking turkey hot dogs. I will do mine with no buns now that I no longer want to weigh 300 pounds; it would be a lot easier if I just kept that as one of my goals. I hope you have a great rest of your day and night and, as always. I thank you for stopping by. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Insert Your Own Clever Title About Ivory Poachers, The YMCA and Alcatraz Here!

This makes me very, very sad. Though these are Rangers trying to stop it.

Again I did not get a chance to blog yesterday. With Splenda being home for Thanksgiving we have been spending a lot of time with her, It is only 07:02 on Sunday morning right now and she is still asleep so I am blogging and will finish before she gets up for the day. She will head back to southern Illinois this afternoon. Cha Cha has been helping her with her final college project/presentation a bit and we went and bought her the materials she needs for that project. We also bought a new dishwasher and we will find out tomorrow when that will arrive. I am assuming it will be installed this week.

I am kind of sad this morning because I turned on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel while I let the sleep drain from my mind and eyes and there was a story about the hunting and slaughter of African elephants for their ivory. I am a sucker for all animals and this saddened me greatly. There are even park rangers that dress like and train like a military group to battle these poachers.They even wear camouflage uniforms and carry assault weapons. The statistics of the loss of the elephants were very alarming - about a generation ago (around 1979) there were about 1,500,000 wild African elephants and today there are only about 400,000 alive. We can manufacture plastic and wood to look and feel just like ivory so why do people think they have to destroy an entire species of animal on our planet for it? I am sad most days anymore and this made it just worse today.

We were going to go over to the YMCA today and join again but we saw their hours and the cost and decided that it is less expensive to just spend the money on food and stay fat. Our YMCA has a pool that members can use in our old high school but the hours to use it are 05:00 - 0700. What the hell good is that? It's a place of intolerance anyway with YMCA being an acronym for Young Men's Christian Association. I am not young, half of my immediate family (and the best parts) are women, I would not call myself Christian for various reasons and I don't like to be associated with things all the time. It sounds more like segregation than anything; I am sure they will take anyone's money though. It's interesting how money seems to squelch segregation many times.

I just saw a report of the laziest cities in the country listed state-by-state. It has a lot to do with median income and activity, of course. I think people all over the country read this blog from time-to-time but three of the states that I know that have regular readers are: Colorado. Illinois and Wisconsin so I will tell you their laziest cities. In Colorado it is Pueblo, in Illinois it is Carbondale/Marion and, in Wisconsin it is Fond du Lac. If you are interested in your state or in giving some of your lazy friends grief here is a link to the article. I found it funny while I sit on my lazy butt blogging.

Sadly, Splenda goes back to the laziest city in our state later today. I wonder if laziest cities have prisons in them. I know Marion, Illinois has a very large federal prison that is where many of the prisoners were moved-to when Alcatraz closed. I drove out to the prison when I was in college down there. One of my friend's roommates was doing a paper on federal prisons and he needed a ride to go on his tour of the prison. I had a car so I drove him out there. It was pretty scary for a 20-year-old to drive into that complex with his orange Ford Pinto with the guards with their sub-machine guns staring down at him. I got yo go to a waiting room while my passenger went inside the big house to interview some prisoners. I would have loved to go further into the jail but it is cool just to say that I was inside Marion. I have also been inside Alcatraz too when I was a kid on vacation in California.

You can see why they called it "The Rock!"

It always surprises me where I go with the blog when I start writing. I guess it is just like a conversation that starts one place and goes in several different directions before winding-up coming back to just about the same place that it began. Even the voices in my head have mixed conversations. I bet you;re thinking about all the voices in your head too, aren't you?

Thank you for stopping by today. It looks like a fairly nice day outside. I am happy for that with Splenda driving six hours later today. I am a worrier and I always worry about everybody I know and love. If I know you but don't love you I will just worry a little. It is safe to say that the people that I know who read this at least semi-regularly I worry about you quite often. I want the best for you as I hope you do for me as well. Have a great weekend and I will try really hard to blog on Monday. I will also work on getting those before and after photos of the kitchen now that the holiday weekend is winding down. TTTMonday...MITM (out) TA!

I Cannot Wait to Buy a Fartblaster!

 I should probably drink Fat Gut but I have to invent it first 

I know I said I wouldn't blog today but I said I would blog yesterday and I didn't so, two negatives equal a positive to I should be back in the MIDDLE by writing this one. I was so damn darn busy yesterday that I did not have one second to do anything but setting-up tables and making stuffing and mashed potatoes and cooking three turkeys... I could fill the entire blog with what was accomplished. Yesterday I got up at 03:00 to start the turkeys cooking for eight hours. Since I was so tired I pulled a Julia Child and did shots of Fat Ass reposado tequila and drank Moscato so I wouldn't be crabby during dinner. I think it worked because I did not get yelled at for being an old poop.

Dinner with the families (one dinner combining by side and Cha Cha's side) has worked very well for the past couple of years. We had eleven people here. Today I am working on the tear-down. I took all of the stuff off the table and started washing the table cloth and the napkins... I am not sure how we are going to get all of the leftovers into the refrigerator. Everything is in plastic containers on the counter and I will see who is going to do leftovers and hope the number of items is smaller before then. Nobody really wanted to take too many leftovers which did not help. Perhaps the food was not as good as I thought it was. Who cares? They got a free meal and they brought pie so, for me, it was successful; I suppose that could be the wine and resposado talking?

Either today or tomorrow Jill and I are going out to buy a new dishwasher. This GE is the one that we bought when we built this house about ten years ago or so; it has seen better days. I am going to have them, whoever "them"  turns out to be, install it and take away the old one.

We have free Cinemax right now and I am watching The Great Waldo Pepper. I really like Robert Redford. Every holiday I check the premiums and see if they are free. More times than not one of the premium (movie channels) stations have free "previews." We subscribe to HBO so I never know when that one is free but I am guessing it is free this weekend with Cinemax.

I may be totally lost because I never got the Fartblaster 1

Oh yeah, we also have to do some shopping for refugees and children of lower-income families who wouldn't get gifts if it weren't for people realizing that the world is a global community and all children are our children. We just got new dishes and silverware and drinking glasses so we will give those to the refugees and Jill picked four children off of their giving tree (or whatever they call it) at her work. Both of these things (children and refugees) are from her work. She picked four kids to buy gifts for because. with me and Cha Cha and Fabio and Splenda (who is home here until Saturday or Sunday) that is one gift from each of us. One of the kids wants the Fartblaster 2 so you know damn good and well that will be the one I will buy. I am thinking about getting one for me too though I don't normally need assistance in that defartment.

I am still having some spells now and then - this has nothing to do with the Fartblaster. I am not sure they will ever be gone. Maybe, if I get into Mayo Clinic, they will be able to get to the bottom of what is going on?

I have to go start another load of dishes. I would do them my hand but it is difficult to wash and dry by one's self because of the space limitations. If I were to get an assistant I would do that but I am not going to wake the two that stayed-up nearly all night and Cha Cha works non-stop for her job and she deserves a break. I will be a Matt of all trades in the kitchen department during the entire Thanksgiving holiday. I have no issues with that.

It is nice having Splenda home for the holiday. The next time we will see her is when we go down to Carbondale to watch her graduate. Jill and I both went to SIU-C so it is always fun going back there. Unless Fabio ends-up transferring to SIU this will be the last time we will probably ever be there. I do not know why but that seems sad to me.

Okay, I still have lots to do and it is almost noon. Have a great rest of your Friday. I think I will have time to blog tomorrow as all the commotion has dies-down for now. Thank you for stopping by - I am thankful for you (I even thought that yesterday when I was cooking and doing shots of tequila. TTTT...MITH (out) TA!

Trying to Keep All My Balls in the Air

I cannot believe it is almost 17:45 Middle Time and I am just now starting to write this. I suppose it works for you in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. I should, occasionally, take into account the people in the other parts of the world and write the blog in the MIDDLE of the night when I wake-up once in awhile. I am so inconsiderate of our friends down under.

Today I have been working on the list of things that need to get done it before Thursday. I did put the turkey and the additional breasts in the sink to thaw. It is almost time for them to go back into the fridge before they get cooked on late Wednesday night or early Thanksgiving morning. I am not sure if we have everything we need but the supermarket that is less than a mile away is open until 14:00 on Thursday so, any last minute problems can be rectified expeditiously. I am looking forward to having everyone over but I am not looking forward to the clean-up and I haven't even made the mess yet. I like Thanksgiving because there is no pressure to buy presents and it is non-denominational and there are no religious undertones. It is something everyone in the United States can enjoy regardless of anything. Even vegetarians could have a tofu turkey and almost everything else is vegetables, bread and fruit (stuffing, cranberries, corn, pie...).

I also crawled around the kitchen and dining room floor most of the day using the Goof Off and a scraper/putty knife on all the paint drops from the last three or four times we have painted here. The house smells very chemically. I hope it dries and the smell subsides before she gets home. I am trying to breath-in as mush as I can so I can catch a Goof Off buzz and have snorted the smell out of here. I suppose I should open a window and let the furnace do it's job. Tomorrow I will clean the main-floor powder room and clean the floor and the rug in the Tiki Room.

 Nothing like a Goof Off high 

Cha Cha has been worrying about me a lot lately. I am not sure why - I am not doing any worse than I was before. In fact, I think I have improved in many ways other than in the memory department but that could just be the Google Effect? It could be age. It could be snorting Goof Off and paint fumes.

Turkeys are getting blamed for shooting down a Russian jet and, maybe, a rescue helicopter. See, turkeys are finally beginning to organize against this upcoming holiday. Someone should probably tell the turkeys that the holiday is just a holiday in The United States of America so they should not take it out on the Russians. In all seriousness (or whatever seriousness I can muster) this attack is going to make holiday travel even tougher on people going to visit their families. I am so happy that Jill and I got to Europe before this happened. I imagine travelling by airline now will be much more time-consuming and stressful. I will be right back - I have to begin the cooking for Taco Tuesday - I am actually making tacos for Taco Tuesday this week (with ground turkey meat - cannot get to much turkey this week).

I guess we will break the usual weekly food menu here unless we have turkey pizza. Until last week Jill and I haven't been following the daily food menu anyway because of her Thursday night classes. Thursday night is supposed to be pizza night. I think we only had pizza one of those ten weeks when we ate at Lou Malnati's. I miss our weekly drives into Chicago; it was nice just visiting for the drive in, during dinner and the drive back. Plus, Chicago is a fun, vibrant city and it almost always a good time in Chicago.

I am only on number four- Number one took two weeks (I m getting older)

Sorry. I left there again for a few minutes. The meat is now ready, the rice is in the oven, the cilantro corn is ready and I will just wait until Cha Cha gets home (never really sure when that will happen) to fry the shells. I love cooking but I hate doing the cleanup. I do it anyway; we all do things that we are not very fond of doing but that need to get done.

I am going to have to wrap   this up to continue to keep all of my balls in the air. Thank you for reading the blog today and whenever you can. I hope you have a nice night. I will try to blog earlier tomorrow between my tasks. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Willing To Sacrifice!

And I am, technically, a Foreigner 

Saturday I shoveled the driveway twice. Once in the morning about 09:00 and then again in the evening at about 18:00. I would say that we got about six inches or so of snow on Saturday. The second time I shoveled I listened to Pandora through the earbuds. I played the AC/DC station because I figured that they would pump me up and I like them a great deal. The first song was T.N.T. by AC/DC and the second song was a song by Foreigner. Can you guess what would be the song of Foreigner's that played while I shoveled? It was Cold As Ice; of course it was. Then Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin followed by Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Most of the songs fit other than Stairway To Heaven; if I have to walk I ain't going. By the time I had finished Highway To Hell had not played but I am sure it was waiting in the wings. I must have shoveled too quickly. I think I need to get the snowblower fired-up before the next snow,though, I did like getting the exercise and the extra steps on my APP. Maybe I will walk to Heaven if I make the cut so I can get the steps for that too. Smart money is that I will be more likely to walk downhill. I feet looked out about a half-hour later and the snowplows pushed the snow from the street across the end of the driveway. One of the bad parts of living in a cul-de-sac. I even shoveled about seven or eight into the street in hopes that this would not happen. When will I learn?

I got a message Saturday from one of my more faithful readers Linda Bee Gee (she is related to the brothers Gibb I think) asking for photos of before and after the kitchen cupboard remodel. I will have to check and see what I can find. I did not think to do before and after photos. I am not quite finished as the cupboard door nobs and drawer handles need to be installed. The cupboards did not originally have handles or nobs so this will be fun. I told Cha Cha that she has to mark where the holes go and I will drill the holes and attach the hardware. I want to share in the responsibility if they are nor level. Linda went on to say that she felt she "was there staining and waiting, more staining, etc..." That made me feel good that my writing actually painted (no pun intended) a picture. I believe that is what writing is supposed to do. So, thank you Linda for that nice compliment and I will try to find some photos. I just now got done putting up the trim and I will do some minor caulking later.

Born (or operated-on) to have triplets!

We bought the large turkey with two additional breasts. Three breasts is not as unusual as you may think. I, for one, an a breast-man. I think some people like thighs and wings but I like breasts. I do not want to anger three-quarters of the fowl population in the world. We bought them frozen and put them in the refrigerator a couple days ago and they are still frozen. I suppose tomorrow, if they still feel like bowling balls, I will put them in the sinks and let them thaw awhile and then put them back in the fridge until Wednesday night / Thursday morning. I may even start pairing the tables and chairs tomorrow afternoon. No, probably Wednesday since they will take up a lot of room. We are going to make it one longs table like at Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving. I may throw some jelly beans, popcorn, pretzels and toast on the table to see if anybody says anything. I will just say that it was Jeff's idea.

I am excited that Splenda will be home for Thanksgiving. Jill's bother and his family are coming over, plus one boyfriend of one of our nieces, my parents will be here and, of course, Cha Cha, I and Fabio (maybe a plus one?) will also be here. Oh yeah, and Jeff will be patrolling the grounds for dropped morsels or any hand-outs he can coax from one of us saps. I like Thanksgiving because it is just about family. No religious undertones or overtones, no stress of buying the right gifts for everyone... The only pressures are to make a nice meal and not burp (or anything) and try to get somebody else to do the clean-up Thanksgiving is a pretty good day until the greedy Mr. and Mrs. Potters of America turn the night into Black Friday Eve. Greed and capitalism still rule our country' -you ain't ever gonna change that.

There is talk of a lot of storms arriving on Thanksgiving day. Our area, at this point, is only supposed to get rain but there are many areas that will probably get snow and ice. I will take the rain as it will get rid of much of our snow. With all this talk of food I am starting to wonder what I should make for dinner tonight. I wish Thanksgiving was yesterday because then we would have turkey sandwiches for dinner. It is Meatless Monday so turkey would not work anyway, now that I think of it. I was thinking maybe spaghetti but last week we had manicotti and I don't want to turn Mondays into meatless Italian night because Wednesdays are already Italian night. Mothers have been facing this dilemma since the beginning of families. Backed potatoes are always good. Quesadillas with cheese, of course, and maybe spinach, onions, tomatoes, corn...? Vegetable egg rolls sound good. eggs/omelets, tomato soup... I will figure something out before I go buy the caulk and get dinner supplies. Maybe we will have the toast, popcorn, pretzels and jelly beans tonight? Problem solved - thank you Snoopy!

My idle hands are getting antsy so I had better go get my caulk and such. I hope you have a great day and the next snow doesn't hit you until closer to Christmas. Thank you for coming by. I will try to get some kitchen project photos together over the next few days now that I know that there is, at least, some interest it that. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Frightful (and I am dying)

Outside of the Tiki Room this morning - The U.N. of birds

As advertised, we have quite a bit of snow on the ground this morning. Kona (the neighbor dog and Jeff's girlfriend) and Jeff have been running through our backyard non-stop. They love the snow. I don't think I have ever seen Kona run until today. She is a Mastiff / Great Dane combo so she is more laid-back for the most part. She is just as fast as Jeff and Jeff is pretty quick. Once she gets going her strides are so long that she is a good match for Jeff's speed. He is wily though and makes quick cuts and turns - an advantage to being lower to the ground I suppose. It is fun to watch them like little kids playing in the first snow. I wish I could teach them how to shovel the driveway and sidewalks. 

There are many more birds outside the window this morning. Cha Cha says they are House Wrens All of a sudden the birdseed is much more important. I feel like the only birdseed dealer in the neighborhood and, now that I have them hooked and the demand is higher I should probably raise my prices. Kind of the same way that fuel prices have gone down recently now in the MIDDLEwest now that we can't drive as much.

I have had a sore throat (neck may be more precise) the last few nights. There is a spot just below my lower jawbone on the right side of my neck that aches a great deal. Now today, for the first time, it is aching this morning too. So I am going to grow a goiter or have thyroid problems or something. Maybe it is because of the new medicine that the doctor gave me the day before these aches began. Maybe it is because that medicine had a past expiration date and he told me to take it anyway after I noticed the date and called and asked. Maybe it is just the beginning of a cold. Something else the Mayo Clinic can look at if I am worthy to gain an audience with them. I am going just assume that it is a cold beginning and then I will die and, on my headstone (or my urn since I prefer to be cremated) they can engrave "I told you I was sick."

Last night Cha Cha and I watched a few episodes of With Bob and Dave on Netflix. It is pretty much the same people that we on Mr. Show when it was on HBO back on the 1990's. It also the same show for the most part. I imagine they had change name for royalty reasons? HBO probably funded Mr. Show and they owned the name. We have several season of Mr. Show that we bought on DVD. I think the first time we saw the show was in a hotel that had free HBO. I have always loved Bob Odenkirk and David Cross so it was immediately a home run to me. I recommend both shows if you get a chance while snowed-in or on a flight of just bored. 

I strongly feel that refugees should be allowed safe-haven in our country. I cannot believe that a country that was formed because of people wanting to flee oppressive nations would now want to refuse to let the very people that our ancestors were a chance for a better life. Jill's work is collecting household goods and things to give to refugees. we just learned this yesterday. It could not be a better time for that in our household. With us remodeling the kitchen we have also bought new plates and silverware and glasses and silverware holders/storage trays so we have plenty of things that we were probably going to take to Goodwill. This is better than that for many reasons. So, we have a couple of boxes filled and I bet I have some clothes that I could add as well. So, over the weekend (at least). we will start collecting more things to donate. I really do have a problem with the rich politicians having issue with us being a safe-harbor for oppressed people. We were the same in World War II when we didn't want to get involved right away. Can you imagine how many more people would have survived that war had we not been too afraid or unwilling or cheap to offer our might support? It took Japan to bomb one of our naval bases in Pearl Harbor before we found it fitting to join the cause. What will be that defining moment this time? Chicago? New York? Los Angeles? I am getting all fired-up (no pun intended) so I had better stop before my one of my thyroid veins blows.

I always think with my heart first - one of my strengths I think?

I guess Jill and I are going shopping in the weather. Now that the cupboards are back up I am told that we are going to get handles for them. So, before Thanksgiving arrives, I guess I have another project. And then I get to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. We will have plenty of food if you know of nay refugees who need a place for a meal. 

I had better get out of my jammies and get dressed because the shower upstairs turned off and that means I only have about 45 minutes before Cha Cha is ready to go. I will be dressed in about 13 minutes (including a shower) and then I will wait. I like being a guy when it comes to getting ready to go places. Thank you for coming by (that is my giving thanks to you just before the official Thanksgiving). Try to stay warm and dry today if you're in the MIDDLEwest. TTTMondday...MITM (out) TA!

My Fatherland vs. My Motherland

Yesterday, as advertised, I received a phone call from The Mayo Clinic. They just wanted a list of the medications that I am taking and they are passing that on to one of their neurologists and then a determination will be made whether or not I am worthy of gaining an audience with the king or queen. I was told that I could expect contact, at the very soonest, the beginning of December. Then, if the determination is that I am worthy of their benevolence (though that is not an appropriate word since it will not be charity - I and my insurance will pay), it will be another three to five months, at best, before I could make the trek to Rochester, Minnesota. That is actually pretty nice since I would not want to drive to the North Pole in the MIDDLE of winter. This would make it somewhere between March and May before I would go. Maybe I could catch a Twins' games. Mall of America will be there any time of the year. I have a feeling that I will not make the cut. I am not sure why I feel that way but maybe I am thinking that because I am MIDDLEaged. I picture them taking mainly older or much younger people. Maybe if they new that I do a  pretty good Jacky Benny impression my chances would be bettered? Ques Sera Sera!

I am so happy that the kitchen is finally done and our house is as back to normal as we believe is normal. There are still a few touch-ups I have to get done. The little drips that accumulate on the opposite side or in the grooves of what is being painted. I will sand those off and put some paint on those spots as well as the few areas that the masking tape covered while I was painting. Now we need to get a new dishwasher because the one we have had here since we build this house goodness knows how long ago doesn't do the job as well as we think it should. We are probably going to get one that is stainless steel and accommodates the dinner goods better. I will probably put all of the stuff back in the drawers and the cabinets when I get done writing this. We also bought new silverware and dishes. You would think we have won the lottery or something. If we had won the lottery I would have had somebody else do the cabinets and they would probably be in our new villa in Europe somewhere; I have always wanted to be an expatriate (Expat as I prefer) though, technically, I think I am partially one already.The true definition is actually a person who lives in a country where they are are not a citizen and I am a citizen here. Maybe my heart is just an Expat. What is the difference of ones fatherland and their motherland. I think German is my fatherland and The United States of America is my motherland. Sometimes, throughout history, my motherland and fatherland have disagreed and, for some time in the early 20th century (WWI and WWII), they had some major disagreements and even separated from one another a few times but they have always made-up and got-along again. I worry that if they get into another big fight it may be bad news for the entire neighborhood (World). I think WWII, and maybe WWI too, should be classified as domestic violence given my new theory on my parentlands.  Does this mean that Ireland and Bohemia (now only a region of The Czech Republic) are my Aunt and Uncle and Cousinlands?

 I believe this will become my new family crest 

When I went to the store yesterday to pick up the finishing touches for the kitchen I stopped by the library. I returned one book, renewed the one that I was not done with yet, and checked-out three more. I have always loved the library and the internet has made me forget that until recently. My life has been too busy and fun-filled for the past 25 years or so for me to appreciate one of my first loves. Do you remember how excited and empowered you felt when you learned how to read as a young child? I had forgotten that love recently and am happy to have it back. I suppose with working for several newspapers as a writer, and editor and reporter and writing news for television and radio I have done more reading than I realized; I am not not taking that for granted right now. I do take more notes when I read now though as my memory sucks and I need the notes to refer back to when I begin the writing part of my novel. I think I may start writing within the next week or two. I have been taking notes on my chapters and ideas as well as the notes from my research. I am pretty excited about it right now.

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is next week. I think I will be German next week. Brats are easier and quicker to make than turkey. As you may have guessed, Thanksgiving is here this year. Jill's family and my family will be here. Splenda will even be home from school; I hope we do not get the twelve inches of snow they are calling-for. I want her drive to be bad-weather-free. Do you think people would be upset with turkey pizza? I could use cranberries as the sauce and then make turkey meat sausage and use stuffing and salad as the toppings. And then, of course, a pumpkin pie pizza for dinner with whipped cream as the mozzarella stand-in. I really think I am onto something here. I am glad I am putting it n writing because then it is copy-written and trademarked as my intellectual-less property. Give me a call Pizza Hut and Papa John... and we will talk.

I am still getting several emails every day from that Presidential candidate that Jill and I donated money to the campaign for. I will never do that again unless I personally know the person who is running. They are asking for more money in nearly every one of the messages. "Can you give just another $19?..." I do not know where the figure $19 comes from but it must be the most money that doesn't sound like too much psychologically? $20 sounds like too much? We have more than $19 the first time but now I wish the first time was $0 dollars. I still plan on voting for this person and, unless they win and I get invited to the inauguration, I will not donate any money again for any political reason unless it is a cause like refugee protection or the environment or children or hungry people or something that I truly believe-in. And then, I will want proof that 100% of my money is going to that cause. I would rather take refugees into our home or take food directly to starving people than trust any of these, what I believe to be, charlatans.

I have to head over to the store now and get some of those little bubble thingies that go on the backs of the cupboard doors and drawers so they are not wood-on-wood when they close. I just need a few but I am sure they come in a package of several. Anyway, thanks you for stopping in; I really thank you for letting me get some of my frustrations off of my fingers. Good luck with whatever weather is coming your way over the next few days. We are supposed to get up to twelve inches of snow before Saturday night. I have missed work even though I have enjoyed sleeping at nights but I will not miss working throughout the nights when it is 40 below zero with 50-mile-per-hour winds while I am surrounded by open cornfields. Just be careful driving and bundle-up in layers (clothes not people though an orgy would keep you warm I suppose). Don't be in a hurry no MATTer which of those options you choose. TTTT...MITM (out)...TA!

I think the letter S may be evil

I am finally done painting the cabinets. I put the two remaining coats (the paint over the two primer coats) on the lower doors already this morning and, after they are dry I will reattach the the hardware and put the doors back on. Then, I will wait for Jill to get home and let her tell me where I have decided to put all of the silverware... then I will put those things in those drawers.

I finished another of my books and I started the last one that I have from the library. The books are due back today. I have been returning them as I finished reading them and these are the last two that I have. I will either finish reading the other one before going to the library or return the one and renew the other, I think I will probably get a few more also. The recent terrorism in France is sort of related to the book I am researching for and will eventually write. I am glad I am not done with it now because if it were out now, though the sales would probably spike right now, I do not want to be a vulture, even if by chance, circumstance and coincidence. Luckily I have been writing for several weeks about my research so I can prove that I was researching for the book quite a bit before I began writing. That is probably the biggest clue I have given to what I intend to write about.

Apparently they have killed the mastermind who, supposedly, planned the recent Paris terrorism. I am not convinced this is true or if they are just wanting us to feel a false sense of relief and safety. Even if it is true I am sure there are plenty of psychopaths that were associated with this monster and group who will pick up the torch and carry-on with this lunacy. I think these people take this as a badge of honor to die for what they believe is heroic even though 90% of the rest of the world know it is cowardice and shameful. Now ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) has released a video threatening a New York City attack. I am not sure how ISIS is derived from what it supposedly stands for though I have also heard the acronym ISIL which makes more sense. I guess sometimes the second S stands for Syria. Why do so many terrorist groups have the SS in them like the Schutzstaffel? I think I may change my last name back to the original Holzer so I don't have any S's in my name.The S's of Evil!

 I may be really  slow but I just now realized that the swastika is two S's 

I have to go to the store in a bit to get the new vent cover I wanted to get yesterday but time did not allow for that purchase. We had one of those old cheap metal ones that they install when they build houses and I want to get a nice white one. preferably wooden, to match the new cupboard color. It goes right below the sink below the cupboards and it would took terrible being grayish brown or whatever color they think that is.

Last night I took my "new" medicine that had an expiration date that had already passed. It was also supposed to make me drowsy and help me sleep so I did not take my usual two Tylenol PM tablets. I have been awake since 03:06 because of this. I think I will call by brain guy and see if I can take the new / old pills with the Tylenol PM's. I have little faith in this doctor of late so I may decide what to do on my own?

I am going to get in the shower now and head to the store. I forgot to mention that Cha Cha made a short video of our European vacation. She made it on her phone last night and sent it to me. I will see if I can figure out how to put it on my Facebook page. Thanks for stopping in today; I continue to be thankful for that; isn't that what this next seven days are about? Being Thankful? Batten-down the hatches and hold-on for the next few days. I am so glad Jill's class is done and we aren't heading to the windy city again tonight. It is windy enough in this city. Have a great rest of your day. I will blog tomorrow with no cupboards to work on. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Feeling Terrorists Rumbles Even Here in the Middle!

Acts of terrorism can change all of our feelings immediately 

Yesterday I went to the neurologist and wasted more of my time. He asked me a bunch of questions and then gave me another of his sample packs and said I should take one of the pills at bedtime for the next fourteen days and then come back to see him. So, last night, I got the pack and saw that the pills had an expiration date that has passed. I have enough problems so I did not take a pill. I called this morning and talked to a receptionist and a nurse and they said to go ahead and take them as the doctor had ordered. I think it is time to find a new doctor. He has given me a few different of these kinds of packs over the last however long this has been going on and they all have looked old but this is the first time that I happened to look at the expiration date. Why have an expiration date at all if it doesn't mean anything? I am sure the FDA would tell me not to take them. I appreciate that he is trying to save me money on prescriptions but... This is the D part of the FDA and I am sure if I had some milk for the F part of the FDA I would not be so quick to drink that. I am at a medical crossroad. Change doctors? Take outdated medicine?

We have a collage that Jill had put together of our trip to Paris a few months ago that I am looking at now while I type this. I have thought it was very nice but has taken on a whole different feeling now when I look at it with the terrorist attacks there recently. Of course, the politicians are using this as a political tool, with the upcoming Presidential election, which makes me dislike politics even that much more. It would be so much easier if, when the founders of our country mapped-out our government, would just have kept us a Monarchy. It doesn't matter who the leader(s) of the country is/are - if you aren't one of the politicians or one of the zillionaires that buy the politicians it makes no never-mind what we think. We can vote and pretend that it makes a difference but I think the politicians just argue and disagree so we think there is a good side and a bad side. Some think the bad guys are the good guys and the good guys are bad guys but it is all of us regular schmoes at the end of the trough.

There is a football game here in town tonight - Northern Illinois University versus Western Michigan University. Because of the Paris attacks there will be extra police presence and all bags will be checked even more-so than usual. I suppose that is where the term "terrorist" comes from - they terrorize us on every level through the world. I know it is better safe than sorry. So, the football game will look like one of those old movies when people are trying to cross into a soviet country with many in uniforms and German Shepards sniffing everything. How are people supposed to smuggle beef jerky into the game with a dog sniffing their privates?

Please have all purses and bags opened for inspection!

This morning I finished priming the lower cupboards, drawers and doors and I have put the first coat of paint on the insides of the doors. I have to wait three hours before it is dry and then I will paint the second coat on the drawers and cabinets and do the first coats on the insides of the doors. I plan to have everything done and reassembled by tomorrow afternoon. It will be so nice to have our kitchen back and no workbenches all over the dining room. It is now four hours later and I am not even sure if the paint needs another coat. They look really good without it. I guess two coats of primer really helps. I may do the second coat anyway just for more protection?

Okay, I have to get back to painting - my three hour dry-time has long since passed and I want to get this done and do some reading. I hope you have a great night and stay vigilant and on your guard. I am always that way which is probably why I am losing my mind. Better my mind that my life I suppose? Thank you for coming-by; I will talk at you again tomorrow. TTTThen...MITM (out) TA!

Hold The Mayo?

On Saturday I said I would blog Monday. So I did not lie I am starting the writing of this at 20:58 on Monday. I didn't say I would post the blog on Monday.  I was really busy all day today (yesterday at this point).

While I was working on the lower cupboards today (yesterday) I discovered which member of the X-Men I am. I think I am Magneto (Mattneto). I was using the drill to remove the bottom cabinet doors and I thought to myself, "self, I wonder when the battery on this drill is going to go dead?" On the very next hinge the battery died. Of course, I switched it out for the one that was charged but I probably could have just used my mind to keep using the drill with a dead battery.

Speaking of my.mind, I have an appointment this afternoon with the neurologist.  I am sure nothing gas changed. Cha Cha is trying to get me into the Mayo Clinic to see what they know. I will mention that to my current head doctor ans see what he says. Won't the people at Mayo be surprised when I shut their equipment down with my mind?

Last night was No Meat Monday (obviously, it is Tuesday now) so I went with manicotti.  I like how Italians (at least in the movies) call it manigot. Everybody was really pleased with dinner. It will be nice when the kitchen is back to normal.

It is 13:24 and I have put the second coat of primer on the outsides of the lower cabinet doors, painted the first primer coat on the inside doors and on the lower cabinets. I have my doctor's appointment at 16:30 so I am showered and will not do any more painting until I get back fro that appointment. I hope to have the cupboards completed by tomorrow afternoon. Nothing has really changed since my last doctor's appointment so this will just serve as buying him some new golf clubs or nice Christmas presents for the wife and kids. I am going to mention to him that I may go to Mayo Clinic and see what he says. I may also try to use my Magneto powers and see if I can make the power go off in his office for a few minutes. It is raining pretty good out today so that ups my chances of making that happen.

Today is Taco Tuesday but I think I am going to suggest going out for dinner since the kitchen is a disaster. Nobody balks at going going out for dinner. I guess that is not true - Fabio seldom goes with us. He is always willing to allow us to bring him back something; that is not going to happen. 

I must be hungry; I have written a lot about food in this blog. I don't feel hungry I feel like taking a nap;. it is dark and windy and rainy out but I have to go waste time going to hear that nothing has changed. Those words will come out of my mouth not the doctor's. Then he will probably try to change my seizure medicine and he will have his nurse call it in and then Walgreen's will tell me it is ready and I will decide whether I will waste my time and money or not. I think maybe I will just stop taking my current seizure meds and see if it changes anything. They say we know our own bodies better than anyone else so maybe I need to start doing the process of elimination game on myself. I do not think I will mess with my blood pressure medicine or my cholesterol medicine and I know I am only sleeping well because I am self-medicating at bedtime. Maybe I will ask about medical marijuana? I have never been a pothead but I think I should check that off of my Focker List. 

Alright it's after 14:00 now. I think I will do some reading so I can turn one of my books into the library before or after my appointment. The two I still have are due back by Thursday. I am almost done with one and then I will have to power-read the other while I watch paint dry. I also need to get a few things at the store(s). Thanks a lot for coming by. I am thankful for you and for a reason to write. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Watching Paint Dry

  It was easier typing the blog today for some reason 

I enjoy this time of year because I prefer the cooler (not cold) temperatures. One thing that I do not like as much is having to clip my fingernails more often. Some people say that evolution isn't real but, homo sapiens growing longer claws (fingernails) in the winter pretty much convinces me that we have evolved from some other species and another species will evolve from us. why else would we need longer fingernails in the winter other than to forage for food? I suppose maybe our evolution has just been starting farms and supermarkets but I hope there is more to it than that.

Last night Cha Cha and I got the two coats of paint on the upper cabinets and the outsides of the above-counter cupboard doors. Then, this morning, I got up early and I have already painted the first coat of the insides of the doors. I have to wait for at least four hours for the first coat to dry before I can paint the final coat. Then after another four hours, I will put the hinges back on the doors and rehang them. Monday I will probably begin the bottom cupboards. I guess we are going to put hardware (handles) on the upper cupboards after that too. Aren't we supposed to be doing this kind of stuff in the winter when we cannot do anything outside?  I guess we haven't evolved quite enough yet.

The book idea that I have been researching for that last couple of months keeps haunting my daily life.I know it is just coincidence and, had I not been researching what I am researching, it would have meant nothing, things keep creeping-up that touch on my topic. I know I would not have thought of it had I not been working on this topic I am researching (and eventually writing) but it is weird. I know this sort of thing happens to you from time-to-time. One of the things that "creeped-up" was a show that I DVR'd several months ago made by Alfred Hitchcock (creepy) and the other showed-up on a television show that I DVR every week. Since I recorded the Hitchcock thing, probably in June or so, before I had the idea of writing on this topic, I was already interested in this subject but for it to show-up on the TV show too was just weird. Maybe the cosmos is just trying to nudge me to keep me interested and motivated. I want to stay that way too which is why I keep writing about it in the blog. Whatever motivates me to keep going-forward I am very appreciative for.

I think Jill and I may go watch the new James Bond movie (Spectre) tonight. I really like Daniel Craig as Bond. I think he is the best one so far. Sean Connery was good but he was Bond when Bond was more indestructible. I know Craig's Bond comes-back from things that would kill most of immediately but at least he is beaten-up and has to recover when he gets his yarbles smashed for hours. The past Bonds would have just shaken it off which is bologna. We will go in more toward Chicago to watch or, maybe, Rockford because our local theater is terrible. When will the time come when we can just order new releases at home in a pay-per-view manner? You know that day will come. There is too much money to be made in popcorn and soda I suppose. Why else would they now have HUGE 3-D screens and reclining chairs. I really wonder what will be next in the theater "experience."

Maybe we should wait until tomorrow when the Bears' game is on at noon to go to the movies? So many decisions to make.

I am getting burnt-out on Facebook again. I think I was much happier when I was limiting my time on this stupid time-suck. I am obviously addicted because I keep coming back for a fix. I am going to try to cut-back again. I think one of main problems is that I am just nosy and weak.

Okay, I am going to read a bit while the paint is drying. I may stop every now and again to watch the paint dry. Thanks for coming by. I will probably not blog tomorrow as has become my practice. TTTMonday and have a nice weekend. MITM (out) TA!

I think I am a Triskaidekleptomaniac

 The term "smoking jacket" seems more classy but I am a realist (sometimes) 

Who steals the belt off of a guy's robe? I am thinking we must have robe belt gnomes in the house. So, I just put on my belt-less robe and took the garbage to the curb this morning. I did have my pajamas on underneath so there was not a chance of exposing my twig and berries to the horror of the neighborhood and YouTube. I didn't take the trash out last night, as I normally would do, because the winds were still whipping pretty good. It still is kind of windy but the alternative is that we have double the garbage next week and the rolling bins that they give us are both full (the recycle one and the regular refuse one). I even put them in the garage yesterday because the wind blew them to the MIDDLE of the driveway. I understand the colder weather in the autumn and winter but why does it also have to always be windy? Maybe we just call it windy in those months and we call it a nice Spring or Summer breeze when it is warmer outside.

Jeff is outside barking up at the trees again (the squirrel). I am going to have to check the house and see if that rascal rodent has found a way into our attic. Where else would a squirrel live in the winter? I don't hear scurrying in the ceiling at night so he/she probably has a nest somewhere. I have some investigating to do when the wind allows my robe to stay closed without a belt. I suppose I could just put on big-people clothes but what would all of my bunnies think if I wore real clothes?

I am not sure why I stopped drinking coconut water but I have stopped stopping and am drinking coconut water again. I really like it. I will still drink, primarily, regular plain water though. When we go out I will usually have iced tea or, sometimes, just water. I don;t know why I felt compelled to tell you that but it seemed important before I wrote it.

I am about 2/3 done with one of the two books I still have from the library. I hope to finish this one sometime today/tonight. These two aren't due back until the 19th so there is not too much hurry. I have been taking them back to the library as I finish them because, the state of my mind right now, if I don't do that I will end-up racking-up some late fees. Who needs late fees? That kind of defeats the purpose of borrowing books from the library. If I am going to pay late fees I may as well just buy the books. I suppose "late fees" are more for video rentals and I should use the term "past due" fees.

Wow, now it is 14:23 and I have been to Menard's to get the top coat of paint for the kitchen cupboards, Had lunch at Panera. painted all of the cupboard doors (fist coat of outsides), painted all of the upper cabinets, vacuumed the Tiki Room and dumped all of the bird seed that I have dropped feeding the birds over the last couple of weeks, fed them for the second time today because it is getting colder and I figure they need more food to develop their top feathers (I am basing that on nothing other than me getting fatter to stay warmer for the winter) and then I remembered that I didn't finish the blog. That all came in handy as it gave me an entire new paragraph to write.

I am really going to miss driving with Cha Cha to Chicago every Thursday night now that her class is over; she really is my very best friend. I hope I die before her because I don't think I want to be alive without her around. I will be one of those old codgers that will die weeks after she is gone from sheer sorrow and loss. Or maybe I will use the insurance money to go die somewhere nice. It will not be Florida. Maybe the south of France or Trinidad. It will not be Luxembourg because those people were rude. Czech Republic was nice. I would want to stay closer to the kids too so, I guess they would just have to come with me. Jamaica? Amsterdam? Maybe Kauai would be good - free coconut water. I have often, my whole life, whether it would be better to die before my spouse of after her. I see the pros and cons to both. If she dies first I will miss her too much but, if I die first she might be sad. Together seems like the best way I guess but then it is tougher on the kids. She is nicer and smarter than me so she would be better to stay here for the kids. I think I would rather go first - that would be better for all involved. I just hope it isn't for at least a couple of years though - I really want to get these cupboards done before I go. I would have been done had the color not been changed for me several times. I think they will be about three inches and bullet-proof before I am done. They are now going to be white.

 I stole this photo! 

Okay, I am going to end now. I hope you have had a good Friday the 13th so far. My favorite number has always been 13 and I love Fridays for several reasons (weekend begins, typically payday, fish-frys...) so Friday the 13th hit me right in my wheel-house. If you have ever gone to one of those places where there is a thing on the counter that says "take a number" and the 13 was missing I, most likely, was there and took it. Kind of an odd collection / hobby huh? I guess I have triskaideklepaphilia combine with kleptomania so that would make me a triskaidekaphleptomaniac maybe?

Thanks for stopping, I appreciate you stopping-in and for the comments you send me. I am pretty sure I will blog again tomorrow. Jill and I are thinking about seeing the new James Bond movie so I don't know exactly when. We may not even see the film tomorrow, who knows? Have a great rest of your Friday the 13th. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

I Am Becoming Zombified Again!

 I appreciate the thoughts but please stop dreaming of me 

It is only 10:31 and I am ready for a nap. I was awake most of the night. That is unusual for me lately, though it was the norm for many years prior to about three months ago. The reason I sleep well, for the most part now, is A) I am sleeping at nights rather than sleeping from about 10:00 - 18:00 five days a week and then trying to sleep nights the other two days and then switching back again and, B) I am taking two Tylenol PMs every night at bed time. Last night was unusual as it was very windy outside and Jeff, who sleeps with me every night, was pretty fidgety because of the high winds. Then, when I got up this morning I saw one of my little blue Tylenol PM tablets on the floor. I had taken only one? Well, that might explain it other than, "how did I miss my big mouth?" About an hour later I saw the other pill on the floor. That means those sleep aids are probably the only reasons that I am sleeping at nights. I am really happy that I use them. I am glad Jeff didn't find them and eat them though then he would have slept which would may let me sleep.

I heard on the radio, when I was running around town this morning, that there are many streets closed in Chicago due to the high winds and the Great Lakes are expected to have 15 foot waves today and tonight. What a way to celebrate Cha Cha's last class in downtown Chicago about three blocks from Lake Michigan (one of the Great Five).

It is now 11:49 and the chances of a nap are waning. I hate always being everybody's go-to guy but I like being irreplaceable too - what a paradox.

  You thought I made that up didn't you? 

I heard on the radio that today is National Pizza With Everything But Anchovies Day. It is also National Happy-Hour Day. It is weird that Happy Hour Day nationally is celebrated in the United States when Happy Hour was started in Ireland

I am so tired of gas being charged with the 9/10ths of a cent. Fuel here is now $2.22-9/10ths per gallon. Why can't it just be $2.23 per gallon. I filled-up this morning because I have noticed that the gas prices always go up on the weekends.

Okay, I am going to make this a short one (I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard that) because I am going to try to sleep a few hours before driving in high winds, heavy traffic and fifteen foot high waves. I saw a goodt movie while I was awake all night last night. I will write about it tomorrow. TTTThen...MITM (out) TA!

That-a-boy Clarence!

It was an awe-inspiring, breath-taking visit

Happy Veterans Day and thank you to all of the people who have helped keep our borders, mostly, safe. I know I have written about it here before but, I should be a retired U.S. Army veteran now. I cannot imagine (okay, I can imagine) how my life would have been different had I not gotten my big toe cut off after already being sworn-in. I was to head to Fort McClellan, Alabama right after I got out of high school where I was going to basic training before entering the Military Police. Had that happened, I never would have met my college sweetheart and two people, who are alive today, never would not have existed. I guess, in a sense, I saved more people's lives not going into the Army as I may have had I served. I always feel like George Bailey when I think about that. Clarence was watching out for me and making my life more fulfilled than I could ever have imagined it would have been with Cha Cha, Splenda and Fabio in it. That-a-boy Clarence!

Just a few months ago Jill and I were in the Luxembourg American Cemetery in, yes, Luxembourg. It was amazing to walk through there. It was probably the most beautiful cemetery that I have ever seen. Most of the grave-markers were identical There seemed to be two types: the white cross or the white Star of David. Even General George S. Patton's grave marker was the simple white marble cross. This cemetery looks exactly the same as the one used in the film Saving Private Ryan (at the beginning and the end) though that one, I believe was the Normandy, France American Cemetery Odder still is that I believe Patton spent some his last few days in the Army hospital in Heidelberg, Germany. This is the same hospital where I was born. He was buried in Luxembourg at his request because he wanted to be "buried next to his men." Odd to think that of all the fighting and wars Patton fought in he could have lived longer had he been wearing a seat belt. When his wife dies in 1953 she was cremated and her ashes were strewn on her husband's grave by their children. She was not allowed to be buried there as she had not served in the military so, they found a loophole so she could spend the eternity with her husband.

This week is the final week of Jill's class at DePaul University. I have enjoyed having been able to go with her for these past eight weeks or so. I am glad this is the last week because it has really taken a toll on her working and taking this class. Being a Masters' class she has to write lots of papers and she gets very little time to relax. It is nice to have the time travelling back-and-forth to Chicago. There are little distractions and we can talk a lot (Thanks Clarence). At home there is always something to do and we don't often get to just talk. Maybe we will just have to drive around once a week when this class is over?

The burritos and rice were a big hit last night. If I can get Fabio to approve I know I have accomplished something. I made six burritos and we each had one last night, I packed one for Jill for her lunch at work and I ate my second one for breakfast burrito this morning. I have never really been much of  traditional breakfast food guy. I think it is silly that you have to have certain foods for breakfast and certain foods for lunch and certain foods for dinner. Lunch and dinner foods, however, seem to be more acceptably interchanged but breakfast seems t be a snob about what it wants served. Then there is brunch which is what I believe every meal should be like; eat the kind of food that you want to eat at any meal.

Just like the Army to get my birth date wrong (or did they?)

I have to do some shopping so I had better quit here now. I am so glad that you stopped-in today. I know you have a busy life, at least from time-to-time, but I always hope that I can put a smile on your face or make you think or laugh at my ignorance once in a while and it makes things just a little better for even a moment. I am not usually acting dumb here - you really are a lot smarter than I am. I hope you have a great day and night. We are supposed to be getting some serious winds and maybe a storm or two here in the MIDDLEwest over the next few days. I awhile it will be winter and we will know what to expect pretty much every day for awhile. Thanks again (and thank you for your comments and suggestions, I do appreciate them). TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

A Loser with No Idea Which Direction to Go

  It was only a MATTer of time! 

My lucky streak has finally run-out. If, what I have been over the last few months could be considered lucky I cannot wait to see what happens from here on out. As you probably have guessed, I checked this past drawing's Powerball ticket earlier today and it was not a winner. It is said that "winners never quit and quitters never win" so, since I am no longer a winner, I did not buy another lottery ticket. I am a quitter and a loser in one fell swoop.

The house smells fantastic. I am making chicken enchiladas for dinner tonight and I have had the chicken in the crock pot with several spices and peppers and vegetables. Just a bit ago I removed each chicken breast and shredded them. I then put them back with the spices so the meat could be better married with the seasonings. In an hour or two I will assemble the enchiladas and put them in a backing dish, top them with enchilada sauce and cheese and bake them. While that is going on I will make the rice side-dish. The house smells great with the cooking and the paint (primer) from yesterday already dry and not smelling like paint any longer. I think we may go over and pick-up the the actual topcoat when Cha Cha gets home from work.

When I went to the store earlier for all the ingredients my goal was to try to get everything for under $20. When I checked-out I got $3.02 back from my double-sawbuck. I had a couple twenties in back-up just in case I decided to go crazy (or crazier in my case).

"Of course, some people do go both ways..."

I think I have a broken thumb on my left hand. I believe it is actually just a small hairline fracture on the outside of my hand where my thumb turns into my hand on the palm-side. It has hurt for about three months but I doubt there is anything they could do about it other than put it in some sore of dumb cast or a brace so I have been just dealing with it. It has really just ached rather than hurt but the pain gets worse when I bump it or try to open a jar or something.

When I am done here I am going to check the chicken and then do some more reading/research. I have read five books and watched one documentary for my research so far and I still have two more that are due back at the library a week from today. One of the books I have about half done with and the other looks like a pretty quick read. I hope to be done with these and have some new books to read by Thursday. I do think I am just about to begin the writing process but will need some more sources of information when I begin my self-editing and fine-tuning processes.

I am going to go downstairs and check the chicken now. Thank you, as always, for stopping in. I hope you have a great rest of your day. I should have no problem blogging again tomorrow unless I get heavily involved in paining/staining. There is always time in between coats for drying. I hear Jeff barking like crazy outside so I am guessing the squirrel is taunting him again. You would think that Secret Squirrel would be a bit more secret and go to a yard that doesn't have a yapping dog. There is a big farm house with lots of old trees less than 1/4 mile from us but I am sure squirrels live in much smaller worlds than we do. He/she should be able to see it from the tops of our trees I would think. Oh well. I can barely handle my life so I am not going to live a squirrel's life. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!