Difficult to do 05.12.18

               It was somewhat difficult to do, and I will miss it on occasion, but I think I did the right thing.

               Well over a quarter of a century had passed since I was without one, actually it is over 35 years since I have been without. No, you know I have been married 49 years and I am not without a wife and mother to my children! With mother’s Day being tomorrow, how could you come up with something like that, ridiculous! How you could even think of something like that is beyond me. I guess the class of my reading public may not be at the high level I have thought it was. Consider this, if I were without a wife, I would not have any one to feed me, and I would be skinny. Now we all know I am not skinny, so I am not without a wife!

               I was somewhat worried about this meeting as this person had called and later canceled and then called again a week later and reschedule the meeting. I wasn’t too worried at first but when he said he was a couple hours away, I began to wonder. Why would someone that far away want to drive over here for a meeting? Also he did not want to go into Waco, so I suggested we could meet at the HEB. He said he would call me from Gatesville, TX which is about 30 minutes away from Waco, then I would have time to come to the HEB for the meeting.

               When he called back and changed the meeting day to Saturday I began to wonder. He also said they would arrive on motorcycles. Are they part of a motorcycle gang? I woke up several times Friday night wondering if this was some type setup, and if so how would I handle it.

               I even asked the retired Cop that lives a couple houses away if he would have the time to go with me. He was getting ready to leave town and could not go.

               My wife was willing to go, and I asked her if she would drive the Ford’s Chevy as it has a high definition camera which could record the entire meeting. She agreed and this was the first time she has driven the pickup since we purchased it almost three years ago.

               We arrived at the meeting point, parked the pickup so the camera could record it all. The four of them arrived on two Gold Wing trikes. Three of them were older than me, the fellow that purchased the bike was younger them me. We talked and they looked, I showed them some of the bike’s niceties.

The photo below is from the camera in the pickup.

He purchased the bike without riding it. We did the paper work, and they handed me the money in cash which I carried over to Donna and as I handed it to her I asked her to count it. I retrieved a bag from the pickup which has some accessories for the bike and we went through the bag together.

               I wished them good luck, and they rode off. I saved about six hundred dollars as I will not need to purchase insurance, or a license and inspection next month.

Does anyone know of a bike for sell?

I mean have a nice Mother’s Day!

Don Ford

As I was motivating 05.11.18

                              The first part of this posting was written on Thursday morning.

               The old song begins something like this, “As I was motivating over the hill, I saw Maybelline a Coop Deville”.

               Well, I was driving up a hill as Gabi and I headed for school. There was this north end of a south bound horse, walking along the edge of the street, during the heaviest traffic period of the morning. This Horse’s butt could have waited 10 minutes and school would have started and the traffic would have been minimal.              

               This person had a leaf blower and was supposed to be cleaning up after he or someone had mowed and edged the midway school yard. This person was blowing the grass and other dirt particles not back up onto the property where it came from, but back out into the street were we were driving. It was an irritant when I first saw him as he was on the other side of the street. On my return trip to the Ford Homestead I was on the same side of the street as this non-caring white trash person, and that is when I noticed he had a black handkerchief looking item over his face. Possibly he was going to rob a bank or something.

               This pile of trash was still blowing the grass and debris out onto the street so I saluted him with the one finger wave.

               If you are going to do a job, do it right! If you hire someone to do the job, be sure they are going to do it right!    

               Well I got that off my chest I feel better now. I think I will go get my hair cut. Yes you are correct, all the ladies will want to put their hands on me once my hair is manicured! Handsome is something I live with!

                                             Today is Friday as I finish this posting!

               Yesterday (Thursday), we finished painting, I hope.             I went for my hair cut, and at the Star place got a cup of coffee, then I removed two more doors and painted them. After they had dried I returned them to their openings.     All those doors will get new door knobs.   After bringing the Alex home from school, I went outside and mowed the yard, front and back. I, knowing my limitations, decided I would do the trimming later, possibly this afternoon (Friday).

               We went to the field day at school today, camera in hand.   Alex and his school mates had a lot of fun at the field day. Donna and I are tired from being on our feet for hours.

Above we see, Black berries before they become black, I guess they are green berries!

I also thought I would include a photo of the Homestead, taken early in the morning. Click to enjoy.

              

May your weekend be enjoyed by you, and the family!

Don Ford

Painting again 05.10.18

               As the title states, I was painting again yesterday. As usual I took the Gabi to school and then I returned home and changed into some different clothing as I had an appointment. The appointment was with the dentist, supposedly for a cleaning. The cleaning went well, and they said I should have the total around X-ray that was another $70.00, which I declined. The dentists found two teeth with bad fillings that needed to be replaced. A filling is $157.00 each.

               It seems to me that dentists along with many other businesses need to consider the so-called customer and price their service or product in a manner where they make a profit and not alienate the paying customer.  It is bad enough when someone has insurance to help pay, but those of us who have no insurance…     was I complaining, sorry, excuse a poor senior on a fixed income for stating his unfortunate   situation.         Your _non-tax deductible donations should be sent to the usual P.O. Box, Thanks   

 

               Yesterday, I was again forced in to a labor intensive situation. My present wife suggested that I could remove some doors from the hall way, take them to the garage and paint them. I did. A coat of paint on both sides and some time to dry, I then returned them to their home location where they look outstanding. Possibly I should note that my first wife had painted the trim in the hall way which was more difficult then painting the doors, as part of the painting was completed while sitting or crawling on the floor.

               Before no one askes, yes the hallway is looking good. Today, after I get my hair cut, I will remove two more doors from said area, the bath room door and the door to the inside air conditioning / furnace. These two doors will be painted and as I understand it the inside of the front door will also be painted today.

               The yard needs to be mowed and possibly I may get to it today. I had thought about putting it off until Friday (tomorrow) but we will be going out to Alex’s field day during the morning hours.

               I suggest you become rich so you can pay others to do all this kind of work, or not retire. Either way you may be able to have others do your work while you supervise / manage the projects!

 

Feel sorry for those on a fixed income!

Don Ford

 

Installation complete 05.09.18

               Another article about air conditioning. This is a follow up to yesterday’s story. Obviously if you haven’t read yesterday’s outstanding and informative story, then stop reading this one and go read the previous posting. Always read these master pieces in the order they were written, and you will not only enjoy, you will also be enlightened.

               I have told you about the water in the carpet, I did not tell you how dirty it was. I told you the supervisor came out and redirected the water disbursal from the cooling coils. We (meaning I) vacuumed the carpet in an effort to get as much water out as possible.

               The area that was wet was only about 18 inches by 48 inches. I left a fan blowing on the carpet which helped, and the fact that the air conditioner was now working properly, helped remove the water over night.

               The supervisor came out yesterday morning (Tuesday) and began fixing a lot of the problems his workers had missed.

               He added an additional return vent, increasing the air flow to the cooling system.

               He removed the copper pipe that had been installed in our attic by his team.

               He replaced the drain pipe they had removed and connected it to the unit.

               He dug a small trench, placed a piece of 4 inch pipe in it, and added rocks making a French drain.

               He then ran the drain pipe into this drain so we no longer have water dripping on the ground.

               He patched the hole in the wall that had been put there by his team.

               I will put some paint on the repaired area.

               As far as we know, all is working properly now.

               As if that wasn’t enough, my spouse of 49 years started painting the hall way and I was forced into helping. I had to do all the high work, and my legs are tired from stepping up and down, on and off the step stool. The walls are now painted and now I have been informed that I will remove the doors, and they will be painted in the garage, while the trim work is being painted.

               Tired and old, this senior would hire the work done if I wasn’t on a fixed income. Speaking of money, I haven’t paid for the air conditioner yet. I am sure they will send me a bill.

               Alex’s field day is this Friday!  

 

May you win the lottery and give part to me!

Don Ford

Air conditioning x#&*% 05.08.18

               Was the new air conditioning / furnace system installed?  Yes.

               Are we happy?   No!

               What happened? Water was dripping from the unit and the carpet is wet.

               The air conditioning supervisor came to our house and looked at the unit.  He fixed the problem. He will be back today trying to complete the job. We both agreed there was a better way to do some of the work.

               We did have cool air during last night’s sleep.  

 

               Different subject: we are supposed to have a buyer for the Gold Wing this Friday. We are also going to Alex’s field day Friday. The fellow who wants the bike will just have to wait until field day is over. Grand kids are more important than selling the bike.

 

Have a safe and productive day!

 

Don Ford

It's lonely at the top 05.07.18

               Before we get into today’s lovely story, I should explain that we here at the Ford Homestead have not had air conditioning all weekend. The old unit which is only 20 years old, reportedly made a couple popping sounds and according to the neighbor a big spark, I did hear one of the pops, then I called the air conditioning people. The fellow who worked on it last time came to the Homestead and looked the unit over. The compressor was leaking oil which shorted out the wiring he had repaired the last time he was here. Anyway, to make a short story long, we need a new unit. They can replace the outside unit only with a 5 year warrantee or both inside and out with a 10 year warrantee. Work to be done today.

               We will accept donations for this process, please make them large!

               Lonely at the top refers to the lonely red rose atop this little bush. Other flowers have blooms and leaves around them but this poor rose is all alone. Even the tomatoes have more than one new green tomato on the plant.

               What?                  You want to know what?               Yes, that is a real owl sitting on the plastic pipe at the end of the flower bed!  I can’t believe you would ask something that silly!                Why do I try?

               It’s not only lonely at the top, it must be lonely at the bottom. The person that asked that question, must be, “Lonely, because he/she is at the bottom!”

On a fixed income with this type debt!

Don Ford

Priced to low 05.05.18

               Today is May 5^th, Cinco de Mayo, so I may have some chips with Queso, Fajitas and maybe a Margareta. Queso is pronounced as Kaso, with a long a, and long o.

               Yesterday was May 4^th, you know,             “May the Forth be with you”!                   Star Wars.    Oh come on, you must have seen Star Wars!          Why do I even try?

               The rain has ended and we received close to two inches over the two day period. We had some water standing in the back yard for almost 15 minutes after the rain stopped. That means the ground was absorbing the rain as quickly as it fell.

               I guess I have the Gold Wing priced too cheap, at least that is what everyone says. The people who have called say it is a good price. One fellow want to come yesterday but I told him I would not be home and anyway it was raining. I don’t know if he plans to come today.

               I would like to sell the bike but it is not absolutely necessary. I am considering changing the price on Craig’s list by increasing the price. Heck I might as well have some fun while I am trying to sell the bike. The main reason for selling it is, it is in the way in the garage. I could put it out back with the full cover on it, the cover would keep the weather off the bike, and I would have some room in the garage.

               I need to check on my latest transplant, it was transplanted just before the rain arrived. If it is ok, then I have five new black berry plants. I need to decide how I want the new, soon to be, “New Black berry patch”, to look. One must consider how he will get to the berries without injury to himself. My old patch is accessible from both sides. The plants in the new area are planted only a couple feet from the side of the shed. Will I be able to access all the future berries?

               Above is the most recent transplanted berry. I use tomato rings in an attempt to keep Tres from digging them up. The plant in the center ring is the most recent. Before you ask, yes I would clean the weeds out of the area once the new plants have established themselves. The white fuzzy ball is an onion that went to seed. Those onions were planted last year but did not do much. They lived through the winter and this spring we ate several of them. The rest have grown and gone to seed. I plan to try to replant some of the seeds and see what happens.

Remember, next Sunday is Mother’s Day!

Don Ford

Nothing to right about 05.04.18

               If it was tomorrow I could write about Cinco de Mayo. Yes I know there is one person who don’t know what Cinco de Mayo is, so I will give you the short definition. The Mexico army reportedly kicked the French army’s behinds on May fourth a long time ago. 

               Did you even notice the title was, “Nothing to right about” when it should have been, “Nothing to write about”?

               We finally have some rain in the area, I have received about ¾ inch in two days. We could use about 3 or 4 inches over a several day period which might get us caught up.

               All I have to do today is sit here and watch something on TV about space ships and wars in the stars. See how I told you what was on without saying the name. If they want my endorsement they need to pay me for it.

               I just saw something on the Boob Tube and I have no idea what they were advertising. There was a person with a motorcycle and it was spinning in circles around the person as he held onto the handlebars after a couple circles he straightened the bike up, jumped on it and rode away. In the olden days when I was a young rider, we did the same thing but we would stayed on the bike, one foot on the pavement as the bike spun in circles.

               I did this one time in the high school auto mechanics building, right in the center of the shop. I had an audience of students and there was several circles made by the tires left on the floor. I assume the teacher saw them, but he never said anything about them.

               I just heard it thunder, maybe we are getting more rain!

 

May you get what you need, not necessarily what you want!

 

Don Ford