October 17, 2024

            Well, we have started another day and as the Tres and I was outside this morning reviewing the front yard, Tres pointed out that the full moon appeared larger than usual, and it did. Tres also wanted me to wish you a good morning. I should note that the air temp was 46 this morning, yes, a cool start to the day. Tomorrow we will be back in the 80s.

            I have started this a little later than usual, so I will need to stop at some point and go get Alex for school. today is Thursday and we usually have football games on Thursday, but not today, so we get to go out for supper this evening. No other plans for today, and I will explain why in the next few statements.

            Yesterday’s events: since the weather was cool yesterday, I decided to go to the hot house and clear out some stuff, organize what is there, and sweep the floor all in prep for the cool weather that might come in few weeks. In front of the hot house there was a limb hanging down and it would rub my ole head, so I decide to cut it down before working on the hot house. I went to the shed and got the pole saw and cut the small limb down, then I cut another and another…

            At some point I stopped the cutting of the limbs, and I completed the work on the hot house. Did I say that I also trimmed some low hanging limbs from the live oak tree, well I did. I have a photo as a review of my work. The trailer was empty before I started on the hot house.

             Attention deficit disorder is often used to explain why kids do not stay focused or don’t pay attention. I have always been a person who goes to do one thing and then gets distracted and does something else. So, cleaning and organizing the hot house ended with a trailer load of limbs. 

I did put the big cooler that was used during the refrigerator work back in the shed yesterday and I have a photo which is not interesting, but you might want to know that the big ole cooler is under and behind the items you see in this photo.

            No one asked but I have used everything in that shed in the past except for the two kerosene heaters, which I bought a couple years ago. My son Dave did use one of them. Yes, there is a security light on the shed and two security cameras covers the shed.

            We did sit outside yesterday, and it was cool outside. How do I know it was cool; the following photo will provide the necessary image of my favorite cool person.

            I assume a hot cup of coffee might have been better than the cold water she had.

            OK, that will be it for now, please have a good day, stay busy and also stay safe.

Easily distracted.

Senior ole person who may start to do something, but do something else, Don the Ford

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow!

October 16, 2024

            It is cool and yet a good morning here in Hewitt. This morning the temp is reported to be in the high 50s, that is after yesterday's high temp of 100 degrees. We had to have the big ole fan on as we sat outside yesterday afternoon.

            I want to start this morning with a photo which I took yesterday when I was going to get Alex. This photo I found interesting.

            Sun was coming up, should I have taken a photo when I was driving?

            Allow me to discuss the work on the refrigerator yesterday. We did everything we needed to do, we were able to get the ice cleared out and the inside of the freezer box cleaned and dried. We also were able to put everything back into the refrigerator and in the freezer. The lady did come and get the items we had to remove from the freezer in the garage. Everything went well yesterday, and I will need to put the big cooler and the fan back in the shed today, ole peoples work never ends.

            No plans for the day other than taking Alex to school and stopping at the teller machine. With a predicted high today of 72 degrees, should I have a long-sleeved shirt on, and should I have jeans instead of shorts? Wow, so many decisions for an ole person to make. 

            I have another photo, and it is of a blooming Boggabilla. These have been doing good even in the extreme heat. 

            Well, I need to stop and get started to Alex's house. We hope you have a good day and please stay safe in all you do.

Alert driver? 😐

Senior ole person who hopes for a restful and safe day for all, Don the Ford

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow!

October 15, 2024

We hope you are having a good morning, and ours seems to be looking good. I will splain later, Lucy.

Did the Don do anything yesterday: well, he did take advantage of the cool morning air and put the new tarp on the riding mower. Finishing that project, I decided to water the remaining potted plants that were not watered the day before. Obviously, since I had the hose in hand I watered the berry beds.

Completing those “strenuous tasks”, we decide to do what the repairman told us to do, and that is defrost the freezer portion of the refrigerator. Defrost meant there was a hunk of ice on the back of the unit, not just frost. Now to do this we were told it would take about 12 hours with the freezer open and the doors of the refrigerator should not be opened, keeping the items in the refrigerator cool.

We needed to move the frozen items from the freezer, to the freezer in the garage. The garage freezer was full due to us allowing a friend to put some items in our freezer as hers was full. We called her and told her that we needed her to get her items as we now need the room.

I went to the shed and moved several items around which enabled me to get to the Ford’s ole cooler, and I placed it in the garage. I moved her items into the cooler. She was supposed to come yesterday to get them she did not, her items are still in the cooler. I also recovered a fan from the shed to be placed at the open freezer to help warm and remove the ice and dry the area. 

We moved the items from the indoor freezer to the freezer in the garage. We also moved any items that we thought we would need today from the refrigerator in the house to the fridge in the garage.

Different subject: I did review the questions and answers for the bible study and I read the notes for last night’s bible study, which we are supposed to do that after the lecture. The notes are a lot like the lecture. I did not have supper last night and I did not get an adult beverage, maybe I will get both tonight.

Today: This morning, we unplugged the refrigerator and opened the freezer drawer, place the fan blowing into the unit and now we are waiting.

There wasn’t as much ice in the freezer unit as we were led to believe, and most of the ice has now fell off. I believe we will be finished with the project in about half the time the maintenance person told us.

I did get Alex to school safe and on time. Well you know all about us now so I will say have a good day and be safe in all you do.

Ice removal. 

Senior person who is defrosting today even though it may be 97 today, Don the Ford

 

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow!

October 14, 2024

            We had a good day yesterday and we hope we all have a good morning along with another good day, but we hope it is a little cooler today than yesterday. We learned this morning that the high yesterday was a record setter, 104 degrees. It was the hottest day ever on record for October. Today's high is said to be mid 80s, and later this week we are expected to cool down to the 50s at night and high 70s to low 80 in the day.

            Yesterday in review: we did very little yesterday, after I completed my daily reading and homework, my favorite wife and I decided to go to the cracker store for lunch. The wait was about 25 minutes to be seated and it seemed that long between the time we ordered to the time we were served. Food eaten my favorite wife shopped a little while, which turned into a conversation with someone she knew. 

            Leaving the cracker store we decided to go to the cheap store and review their inventory. We purchased one thing that cost about $2.00 and then we headed to the Harbor store. At the Harbor store I purchased a tarp which will be use to cover the ole riding mower.

            Arriving back at home a friend had dropped off a couple tubs that can be used for acorns as we collect them. Then another friend arrived at our homestead and he updates us on some of the Plumeria plants we have and how to get them ready for winter.

            Next, we washed the pot hound Tres, and then I watered the flowers out back of the house, I guess I should water those near the driveway and out in the front of the house this morning.

            Sitting outside yesterday, I looked at the kind of smart phone and it indicated that it was 101 while we were sitting there. It felt hot but I did not believe the 101 until this morning when the weather guy said it was 104 yesterday.

            Today's plan: I have no real plans for today, we will wait and see what happens.

Record high? 😐

Senior ole person who wished he could, but may not be able too, Don the Ford

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow!

October 13, 2024

            Today is the 13^th, but not Friday the 13^th. We want to wish everyone a good day.

            Let’s see what happened yesterday: we picked Alex up Saturday morning about 11:00 when he had finished the ROTC training. They were preparing for the upcoming Homecoming for Mid Way High School. We then headed into Waco for a quick lunch at the sandwich shop. Food ate, we headed for home where we turned Alex loose getting ready to mow.

            I headed out back to pick up the Poopa-Loopa when I remembered, we needed to dig up a black berry before the mowing started. Alex got the shovel and I got the flower pot to put the berry in. Alex dug the berry plant up and potted it. I then finished the Poopa-Loopa pick up as Alex checked the riding mower.

            Alex was mowing the back 40 as I decided to pull some weeds from a rose bush. I went to the ole hot house to get a flower pot and as I removed the pot from the wooden bench there was a swarm of wasps, and yes one of them stung me above my left eye. I did get the wasp spray and sprayed the nest killing many of the wasps. When I was pulling the weeds from the rose bush, I was on my knees again.

            Back yard completed Alex went to the front yard and mowed and trimmed it. Alex does good work and you only have to tell him how to do something one time. The mowing complete he procured the leaf blower and cleared the neighbors drive and along the street.

            All that done, I dropped Alex off at home, I needed a nap.  Later in the afternoon we were able to sit outside for a while watching the neighbor ladies as they were trimming a tree and cutting up the trimmings into small easy to handle pieces, then piling them up. I did take a photo of the Boggabilla’s as we were sitting outside yesterday.

            These flowers are blooming all the time, and it may be due to the amount of BS, aka fertilizer, where we sit every afternoon.

            Well, I guess that is it for now, I hope we all have a good Sunday and please stay safe in all we do.

Yard work supervisor.

Senior ole person who got the yard mowed and did little work, Don the Ford

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow!

October 12, 2024

It is a good morning here in Hewitt as I am able to get out of bed, eat a breakfast sandwich and start this uninteresting posting.

I will start with some of yesterday’s events: the morning was cool, so I went out to the ditch behind the house hoping to knock down all the weeds. As usual, Tres needed to get into the ditch and review it before I was allowed to get started. Tres usually fines a place to deposit some Poopa-Loopa and then he comes out of the ditch and allows me to get started.

It took a little over 2 hours to get the ditch cut down. the weed trimmer ran out of gas one time but the string on the trimmer lasted the entire time. The difficulty with trimming in the ditch is that it is uneven and has trenches running through it. These trenches make it hard for an ole person whose ankle hurts a lot, to stand on solid even ground and work. While I was working, I discovered a plant blooming against the fence.

             My favorite wife reviewed this plant, she has three of these plants at different places around the house, but none in the back 40. We assume that a bird may have planted it. It is odd, there has been no rain and yet this flower is growing and blooming.

            Ditch completed I was able to drag my ole body to the house. I undressed in the garage, and it was a good thing as I had weeds and dirt all over me, yes, I swept the floor of the garage after I undressed. The shower was good, and I was able to get some rest.

            I did get to do my bible reading and the homework after the rest period. A little later my favorite wife explained that the flowers needed to be watered, so, I watered the flowers in the pots. Since I had the hose on the driveway to water the flowers, I decided to clean up some oil that had dripped from my pickup. Why did oil drip from my pickup, I had the oil changed a few days ago and they spilt some oil on the motor during the process. They did attempt to clean the motor, but they did not get it all.

            The oil spot wasn’t too large, so I poured dishwashing soap on the area. I allowed it to set for a while then I took an ole broom and scrubbed the area. I then use the hose to wash the oil and soap away. 

We did set outside yesterday afternoon, and our friend came over as usual. Some good discussions and yes, we did have some discussion about things we have been reading in the bible.

Today is Saturday: we plan to get Alex from school, he is practicing with the ROTC for the homecoming. We hope to take him to lunch with us and then when we bring him home, he will do the yard work for us. Yep, we will pay for lunch and for his labor and we will be broken.

Well, I guess that is all I have today, we hope you have a good day and that everyone stays safe.

Ditch trimmer.

Senior ole retired person who is still tired from the work yesterday, Don the Ford

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow!

October 11, 2024

            What a day for day dream, or maybe it is just a good morning! The sun is up and I am sitting here in front of the computer as opposed to going to get Alex and take him to school. Yep, you got it right, school is out today, and also on Monday. I guess the teachers just needed a day off.

            We did go to the freshmen football game yesterday and the game was a close game but watching the game, “sucked”. Please allow me to explain the reason for the word sucked. The game started at 5:00pm, the sun was shining brightly on both sets of the stadium seats. There was not a cloud in the sky, and the sun had been shining all day, the seats were hot to the touch, and the sun was shining directly into our faces.

            We picked our seats and a few minutes later several people from the other team set down behind and beside us. The game started and a couple of the women were screaming at every play. These were not young ladies they were senior but they had very loud voices. We put up with the screaming until half time and then we got up and moved.

            We had an umbrella that I opened and held when we chose the other seats, and it became a problem for my wife to see as I would get it in front of her. During the last quarter of the game the seats on the other side of the field were actually in the shade as the sun had moved some, we were still in the direct sunlight. We lost the game in the last quarter 20 to 16, and as I inferred earlier, the game was good but being there in the hot sun sucked.

            Game over we drove back to Hewitt Texas on I-35, it was about a 25-mile trip. I set my speed to 75 mph and most of the other vehicles were passing me, I guess they were in a hurry. I decided to get a sandwich on the way home so I ordered two spicy chicken sandwiches. The sign indicated the price per sandwich was $6.29. when I pulled up to the window the fellow said the price was $6.50. I learned that the two sandwiches priced at $6.29 each, were two for six dollars. Wow some good news and they were very spicy.

            We did not get to sit outside for our rest period yesterday so I did not get an adult beverage.

            Today’s possible actions: since it is cool this morning and it will be hot later in the day, I may go out and spray some off on me and then go to the ditch and cut the weeds down in the ditch. We hope you have a good day and stay safe in all you do.

Good game crummy conditions.

Senior ole person who don’t want to work but I guess I will, Don the Ford

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow!

October 10, 2024

            Good morning to all, as I sit here at the Ford’s ole desk, I can see on the security monitor some neighbors motion detecting lights go on and off, but I am not seeing anything in the area. Sometimes a cat or dog can set them off but I am not seeing anything.

            We get to go to a freshmen football game this afternoon. This game is in Temple Texas which is about 30 miles away. My plans for the day are very few, I need to get Alex to school on time and safe, I need to drop by the teller machine for the weekly stipend, and I hope to take the Tres for a walk. I could pull some weeds but that is real work.

            For some reason I had an ole thought come to mind this morning and it was about events in 1971. I had interviewed with HWI for a job at their new distribution center that was being built in Cape Girardeau, Mo. I remember the interview and the math test, and some of us were interviewed a second time. They asked a lot of questions like are you married, and I remember one question was do you have a car, and I said yes, and then he asked how much did I owe on the car. I told him it was paid for and he seemed impressed.

            I was working at General Electric supply company doing a little bit of everything. My experience in all things done in a warehouse and counter sales provided me with the opportunity for a new job.

I received a call in early May 1971, wanting me to come to work on May 31^st, which was a Monday. I explained I could not as I was in the Missouri National Guard and we would be on a 2-week training starting May 31^st. they then asked me to start on June 14^th, two weeks later which I accepted.

I remember my first day at work with HWI. After checking in with the office and doing the paper work the Manager asked if I would help another employee who was working on a shipment in the back of the building. By the way, the building was not yet complete. I found the fellow in the back of the building and he had a shipment of pipe fittings, this was a trailer truck load of boxes on pallets. He told me he had been working on it for a couple days. He was taking the PO, that is purchase order, and the first item on the PO he would go around all the boxes looking for that item. Then he would go to the second item on the PO and go through all the pallets and boxes. I looked things over and I said let’s start over but he did not want to do that.

After some discussion I convinced him to erase everything he had done and start over. We checked in the items on the first pallet, then I said, “move that pallet to another area”. then we did the second pallet and moved it away. He had been working on this shipment for two days and was not finished, we completed the entire shipment in half a day. From that time on I became a go-to person for advice.  

Yep, an ole thought from me. Well, we hope you have a good day and please be safe in all you do.

Memories.

Senior ole person who needs to check the flower blooms out back, Don the Ford

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow!