What we want 10/08/2019

            What is it that most of us want, other than being healthy, wealthy and wise? Most of us want to have friends, we want to be considered as friendly. Although I have covered this subject in the past, it came to mind again, so here I go preaching, I mean teaching!

            If you are smart, learn to listen. Hopefully someone will listen to you.

 

            Moving from that subject to another, as the Tres and I walked this morning, more than an hour prior to sunrise, I was surprised by a bird that started making a very loud sound. Then another bird started making a loud noise. They seemed to be in the trees that we were walking under. The noise continued until we were about 100 feet away. I assume they were warning all the birds in the area that a silly senior person with a big dog were in the area.                    

            Back at home, a cup of real coffee in hand, I went into the ford’s garage to acquire a hooded sweat shirt to keep my senior body warm in the cold weather. Yep it was so cold that Tres had asked for a jacket. Even though the cold weather was crippling, I was able to sit on the Ford’s swing and sip on the coffee. As I sat there I heard someone’s cell phone ringing. The sound seemed to come from across the street. The phone rang several times but I did not see anyone. I kind of assume it was my neighbor out behind his home. Still, that was a long way to hear a cell phone ring.

 

            I plan to go get my license for the truck this morning. I plan to try the local HEB first then if I can’t get them there I will need to drive down town.

            You are correct, ole senior people are always on the go!

 

May someone listen to you today!

 

Senior professional non-listener; Don Ford

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Flag 10/07/2019

            After I took my morning pull, I refer to it as a pull and not a walk due to Tres pulling on the lead. In truth, he pulls mostly during the first few minutes of the walk, and then he lets up. Anyway, the pull / walk completed, I was sitting on the Ford’s kind of new swing contemplating world issues. The wind was blowing fairly hard, and temperature was at 63 degrees. Wow, a cool morning for a change. The cup of real coffee was much appreciated!

            For some reason, I thought of the American Flag and how it could be blowing in this breezy weather, although it was more than an hour before sunrise. I then harkened back to a time over half a century ago when I was stationed at Fort Lewis Washington. I believe I was in basic training at this time. It was close to the end of the day when the drill Sargent had everyone fallout from the barrack’s and form into platoons. They then marched our company to an area where the American Flag was flying.

            Once our company was formed facing the flag, the order was, “Stand at ease”. There was four soldiers, not from our company, standing near the flag pole. These soldiers would bring the flag down at the appropriate time.

            Our company was called to attention! The order to, present arms was given! They began to lower the flag. As the flag was lowered I felt very proud to be an American, and in the military.

            All that said there was something else that happened during that flag lowering. There was a busy road that passed by the flag pole and as the flag was being lowered, cars stopped on the road, military personnel got out of their vehicles. Standing beside their vehicles on the roadway they saluted the Flag.

            That is one of the old memories that I want to keep remembering.

 

            Different focus:

            Yesterday (Sunday) after returning from brunch, my spouse open the front door and discovered a box laying on the porch. She immediately brought it to me as she was concerned that it might be a bomb, I mean she thought it might be my new DVR. I quickly opened it and yes we have received the new DVR. I promptly took my after brunch nap, and then installed the new DVR.

            I can now sit here and see what’s happening outside. I am happy again. I had replaced 5 cameras when I installed the new DVR. There are three that should be replaced as the color is not good on them and one has reduced night vision.

            We did not get any rain from the cold front that came through but the cooler air is nice. I feel as if I need to inform you, the reading public, that my spouse of 5 decades had a hooded sweat shirt on as she sat outside this morning. She is totally acclimated to the Texas weather.

            Texans, and naturalized Texans, are allowed to complain about how hot it is, and the first day it cools off, complain about how cold it is.

Honor the flag and those who protect it!

 

Sargent Ford reporting for pay sir: Don Ford

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Garage or yard sale 10/06/2019

            I have noticed certain actions and reactions of those who go to a yard sale.

First, they do not usually park in a manner that normal people would park. It seems as if they are in a hurry, and one end of their vehicle is further out in the street than it should be.

Second, they quickly exit the vehicle, but slow down as soon as they step away from the vehicle. They want to appear to not care, and appear as if they really don’t what to be there. If there is a male and female, the male will try to look as if he had to come, and don’t want to purchase anything. In fact, he is shopping just as much as the female.

Third, if he / she sees something they want they will walk past it, only giving it a slight glance. After they have looked at a couple other items they will ask, “How much for that gig widget”? They expect you to drop the price some from whatever you have on it. Whatever you say they will smile and continue looking as if they are not interested. In a minute or so they will make you an offer, about half of what you had told them. Don’t take it, they are interested, you got them if you just stand your ground.

Fourth, if they find a couple items they will make you an offer. You then need to decide, do you want to get rid of the items or stand your ground and try to get your price. Most people give in and take the offer.

 

            Suggestion; don’t have a yard sale, give it to a charity. If the money is that important, get a receipt and write it off on your taxes.

 

Those who go to yard sales or odd!

 

Non yard sale person; Don Ford

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Guard duty 10/05/2019

            This posting consists of one photo.

           

            Guarding the Ford Homestead, or listening to other dogs!

            Senior dog trainer; Don Ford

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Friday 10/04/2019

               Nothing going on today. It is Friday, the end of the week days, a day to get ready to rest and do nothing over the weekend. Wait a minute, that is what I do all week, do I rest too much? Yesterday, while I was resting, I mowed the front yard, I broke my word and loaded the 80 pound bag of cement into the wagon for the neighbor. He did get his new mail box post with the mail box attached, installed in the front yard.

               Since no one asked, I will not tell you that I still do not have the new DVR, and I don’t have the tracking number. Also, I will not tell you, that the tracking number they sent me yesterday, was delivered in Florida yesterday.

               After Tres and me walked this morning, earlier than usual, I sat on the ford’s kind of new swing even though it was wet and had a cup of real coffee.  In an effort to keep you from straining yourself and asking a question, I will tell you why the swing was wet. It must have rained last night. The rain gage had between 1/8 and ¼ inch of water in it. It wasn’t enough rain to cause the automatic turn off, to stop the sprinklers this morning. I did watch the garage TV this morning, photo to follow. The night light over the garage door was on, as it was still dark outside!

                                                           

               The license plate is covered, if the vehicle was stolen someone might get in trouble!

               I did get a photo of Charlie, although it was taken later when there was some daylight.

                                                           

That is all for now, I think I will go sit on the Fords kind of new swing, with a cup of real coffee, and feel sorry for myself.

May your day be everything you want it to be, and more!

Senior rest-ologist; Don Ford

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On the way 10/03/2019

            I received an email this morning stating my new DVR is on its way. There is a tracking number, so I entered it in the computer and the first thing I saw was, “Estimated delivery Thursday Oct. 3^rd.” I looked a little further and the DVR is in a Florida USPS. I doubt it will deliver today.

            I have checked again and the DVR is out for delivery in Florida. They either gave me the wrong tracking number or they sent it to someone other than me.

            I have now emailed them a response asking them to check into the above. I believe the person I am communicating with may be in China, as their responses are usually in the middle of the night, and the unit was made in china.

            I would like to get this settled and be able to sit in here and see outside.

 

Change the topic:

            I told my neighbor I would give him a bag of cement that I have in the shed. It has been there for a while so I need to make sure it is still dry and usable. I did tell him I would not lift it or move it as it weighs 80 pounds. He is putting a new mail box post up and the cement will hold it in place.

 

            I will keep you advised of progress with the DVR and cement. Heck, I hope I can remember where to put the wires, if I ever get the DVR back.

The red wire goes to the black connector, and the black wire goes to the yellow plug, and…

 

Have a safe and productive day, with some cooperation!

 

Senior wiring professional; Don Ford

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Old people old thoughts 10/02/2019

            For some reason, this old person began thinking about the olden days. It may have had something to do with the fact that I always back my pickup truck into the drive way. The neighbor across the street parks his pickup in their garage and he always backs in.

            I started backing in years ago, shortly after becoming a member of the Hewitt Volunteer Fire Department. The neighbor was also a member, and I believe he began backing in when he joined the department. When we received the call we needed to get to the fire department quickly, so driving out the drive instead of backing out, saved a few seconds.

            A few other things that changed when I became a volunteer. First I kept my pants next to the bed so I could get into them quickly. Beside the pants were socks and shoes. I learned that when the alarm sounded I did not have time to go to the Potty. Potty time was after the fire or medical emergency was over, and we were back at the station.

            I remember going on a fire call when I was sick. It was winter and the call came that we had a fire. I dressed and headed to the station. I was one of three people on the back of the fire truck and I tried to duck down out of the cold wind as we responded. Fire calls needed as many people as possible.

            Thinking of winter responses, we had a call at a house in the middle of the night, the wood fence was on fire next to the house. They had a heat lamp in a wooden box that was there to keep the swimming pool pump from freezing. We had sleet that night so the roads and walks were slick due to the ice.

            The box began to burn, it caught the fence on fire, and the house was next. While we were putting the fire out, I almost fell into the swimming pool. With all that bunker gear on and the freezing weather, It would not have ended well to fall into a swimming pool.

            My first response to a vehicle fire was a learning experience. A high school student had went through an intersection which had yellow flashing light. Another vehicle hit the boy’s pickup and after the crash, the pickup caught fire. The boy did not survive the wreck and fire. I saw things that day that I did not want to see again!

            Many memories of my 12 years in the department, some were good and some were not.

 

May you never need first responders!  

 

Senior memory narrator; Don Ford

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Birds of a feather 10/01/2019

               I am not sure but I think the ole saying is, “Birds of a feather flock together”. Now I wonder what that statement means. If the same type birds always stay in groups, not allowing other birds to join in, that would mean they would all look and act alike, guaranteeing the blood line. Not allowing birds from other species to cross breed will insure the blood line. All those different types of birds and they don’t cross breed.

               Now that I consider this, the statement applies to most species. Lions will not breed with tigers, dogs don’t breed with cats. So it seems that this is something built into most species DNA, but not humans.

 

            Speaking of birds, I have again observed numerous white wing doves in the street in front of the neighbors. It seems as if there are pecans falling on the street and the vehicles are running over them. The doves and other birds come in flocks to eat.

 

               Let’s get on a different subject;

               My favorite spouse and I were sitting outside Sunday afternoon and our dog Tres was with us. A lady who saves rescue dogs pulled up in front of our driveway. She exited her vehicle with a three month old puppy. He is a white fuzzy Pyrenees puppy, she noted he was a freckled faced Pyrenees. Tres began barking and the puppy barked back. The lady’s name is Gail, she lives up the street. We all stood there talking as the puppy and Tres was smelling of each other.

               While we were talking another lady came down the street walking her dog. I don’t know the ladies name, but her dog is named Max. Tres and I have talked with her and Max, in the past. She came over to our driveway, now there was two dogs, one puppy, three females and me.

               The discussion went in many directions. At one point Gail was talking about their last garage sale. They have these sales to get money to help fund, taking care of these dogs. Gail has at times had as many as 10 rescue dogs at her home. She noted that they had made a couple thousand dollars from the last yard sale. People donate items to them, and they attempt to sell it.

               We had donated a few items to the sale, among those items was several walking sticks that I had made. She noted that the walking stick sold out very quickly. She then noted that she sold them for 50 cents each. The other lady commented that she had bought one, she went on to say, walking sticks like those usually sell for 20 to 30 dollars each.

               Maybe next time they will ask for a little more than 50 cents.

              

Much appreciated, undervalued!

 

Master stick converter; Don Ford

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