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!