July 6, 2026

                Good morning to everyone, our day seems to be starting off well, I actually slept in this morning and that is unusual.

                Nothing interesting happened yesterday, we went to the cracker store for lunch and as usual it was good. Returning home I tried to get a little rest on the ole recliner but that did not happen. I then decided to take the clothes to the washroom and begin the washing process. I loaded the whites first and then I decided to use the little boy’s room, (aka toilet).

                Have you ever sat down on a toilet and as you were getting comfortable the toilet seat broke, well I have. Yes, that is an odd feeling. As you may have considered, I then needed to go to a store and purchase a new seat for the toilet. Did you know there are different seats and different sizes?

                At the store I found the plumbing supplies and I picked a seat. Now in truth the ole seat was showing that it was ole, so the new seat was a good idea. Have you ever installed a toilet seat, it isn’t difficult if you know what to do. I learned quickly by removing the old seat. In truth I did a good job of it. Work completed, I sat on the new seat, and it felt very nice…

                I was allowed to continue the washing and the drying of the clothes. Do you remember having a clothesline in the back yard and the fact that clothes would be hung on the clothes lines to dry. Olden days!

                My favorite wife and I did sit outside yesterday afternoon and since there was little or no breeze, we had the big ole fan blowing on us. No visitors dropped by and most of our conversations were about the number of jet planes that went over, and the hawks that seemed to be flying everywhere.

                We returned to the house, and I finished the drying of and putting away the clothes. I was then allowed to cook supper. Please allow me to define, “Cooking by The Don”. Cooking means putting it in the microwave and heating the items. My favorite wife brought about half of her lunch home from the cracker store and I purchased a $5.00 to go lunch from the cracker store. Our suppers were heated and then eaten.

                Today’s plans: …   I do have a photo of one of the rental properties that we have, and yes, we have several properties.

                This particular property is on a 5-foot post and has a musical device next to it.

                Well, this is Monday and I have no real plans yet, so I will stop and see what happens. We hope you have a blessed day and that we all stay safe in all we do.

                Donnie the Ford

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

July 5, 2026

It is Sunday and we are having a good morning here at The Ford Homestead and we wish you a good morning too.

                Yesterday’s events illuminated: we did get our yard man Alex to come over and mow our lawns. It takes him a little less than two hours to mow and trim both the front and back yard. Since we had a little extra time Alex and I washed the dog.

Mowing and washing done, we decided to go to lunch at the sandwich shop in Waco. We drove into Waco and they were closed due to the 4^th of July. We then were attempting to determine where we might go to have lunch. We drove all the way back to Hewitt and stopped at the Georges restaurant. We were surprised that they were not packed with customers and there were plenty of parking spaces close to the door. Food was good and service was also good. Eating done we dropped Alex off at his house and returned home.

My belly was full, so I took a short nap on the ole recliner before we went outside to set on the front porch. There was not a lot going on in the neighborhood, very little traffic on the street. The sky was mostly blue, (aka clear) and we were talking about the small number of little clouds we could see. I have a photo of where we set on the front porch, yes I took the photo and my favorite wife was sitting on the porch.

As usual, when I am sitting outside, I find a couple things to do. First, I watered the potted plants out front, and I filled the bird baths with water. You might see the water on the bloom in the photo below.

Then I remembered I wanted to get the trike out and ride it a little, as it had not been used for probably a month. I road it up the street for a few blocks and then back home, yes I have a photo.

                You may notice that the trike has some items in the back carrier, one is a bag of dog food. The bike ride was very enjoyable; it does need to be cleaned.  

                We had supper at about 7:00pm and shortly after supper, our neighbor and her son came over and wanted the ole lawn mower I had offered her a couple weeks ago. I told her I had given it away already. She noted that her son was wanting to mow the back yard, but the mower would not run. I said let’s look at it.

                In their back yard we went to the mower, and I pulled the starter rope one time and the mower started. Her son took the mower and tried to mow but the mower started to slow down and then stopped. I asked him to restart the mower and let me try it. Instead of mowing the full 22 inches that the mower is wide, I mowed half that much and the mower was able to continue to run. I should note that the grass was knee high, I am not kidding it was knee high and too thick to cut a full path. Cutting a small path will take longer but it will work.

                Today’s plans: we will likely go to the Cracker store for lunch and other than that we have no other plans.

                I should stop for now and let you have some time to yourself. We hope you have a very blessed day and that we all stay safe in all we do.

                Donnie the Ford

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

July 4, 2026

                250-year birthday, nature is on the side of the United States with the red, white and blue in the photo below.

            The 4^th is here and we say, “may the 4^th be with you”. Did you think about Star Wars with that statement?

This morning I ventured out into the backyard to see if I could get a photo of a blooming flower. The bloom is pretty even though the sun was not shining on it, and the flower is next to a wooden post that is about 5 feet tall which has a bird house on the top. I also noticed the tomato plant which had several small green tomatoes on it yesterday, has none on it now. Something is taking the tomatoes.

            We did set outside yesterday afternoon; we did not receive any visitors. There were many drones flying over making deliveries yesterday afternoon. The weather was hot and we had the big ole fan blowing air on us.

            After our time outside we proceeded back into the house where I was able to make supper. That is I was able to microwave a couple items, and they were our supper although we did have a homemade salad with small pieces of tomatoes cut up on them, and that was good too.

            After I was allowed to wash the dishes, I did get an adult beverage and watched some TV.

            Today's possible events: we have asked our yard man Alex to come over and do the yard work this morning. We will likely go into town for a sandwich for lunch after the yard work is completed and Alex usually goes with us.   

            Change of topics: my sister Becky sent me an old pome that my Mother had written many years ago. I have a photo which isn’t very good and I have also typed the words from the pome below.

Mansion In the sky

Ive got a mansion in the sky

That I’ll inherit when I die

No rent or taxes will come due

In that home that’s away beyond the blue.

                                                                               

I’m just a pilgrim and a stranger

I have no place to call my own

But I am going up to heaven

I’ll have a mansion all my own

                                                                               

My name is not on security record

I have no riches in this world

But I am wealthy if you just look

You’ll find my name in Heaven’s book

 

I am not sure if there was more to the pome, that is all we have. We know that mom did occasionally write comments like the above.

I will stop for now we hope you have a safe 4^th of July, and we hope all have a blessed day.

Don the Ford

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

July 3, 2026

                We are having a bright and sunny good morning here in Hewitt.

                Let us see if yesterday had any interesting events. It was another basic day here at the Ford house not a lot went on during the morning, I did go out and water the potted plants and the black berry beds as we have not had any rain lately and the lawn sprinklers to not cover the black berry beds. I was also allowed to go to the bank and ask a question, then I went to the grocery store for a few items. Note: one should not go to the grocery store a day or two before a holiday as everyone was there getting the items needed for the celebration.

I did enjoy the reading of the Bible, and later in the afternoon we did go out for supper. The food was good, the server was also good, the table was not cleaned properly. We did have the waiter come over and clean the table. The problem seemed to be that someone had spilt a drink on the table and when they left it was not completely cleaned as there was still some liquid at the end of the table.

After our evening meal we returned home and decided to set out on the driveway with a big fan blowing on us. It was hot and there was no breeze. One of our neighbors from down the street stopped by to talk and that's always good. We all had some interesting conversations.  As we were talking another neighbor came walking over with her boy, the boy was on an electric scooter. We got an additional chair for her. Her son was having fun with the dog, photo to follow.

                I think Tres and the boy liked each other.

                It is always good when a friend stops by to talk when we are sitting outside. Without a friend our discussions are based on birds, drones, airplanes flying over, no traffic on the street, the quiet neighborhood and the grass in yards. I have two photos of grass in yards conversations.

                I will assume that by looking at the two photos you may understand what the conversations about the grass in the yards were about.

                Different topic: I was provided with a copy of something my mother had written many years ago. I know mom tended to make notes and write things she was thinking about. I will add the note in a few days.  

                Today there are no major plans currently. After composing this soon to be informative but not interesting article, I will head to the Ford’s ole recliner for a break (nap).

                I will stop for now, we hope you have a very good day filled with blessings and that we all stay safe in all we do.

                Mr. Donnie the Ford

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

July 2, 2026

                Good morning to all, we hope your day is starting out well. To that one person who reads this in the afternoon, good afternoon to you also and we hope your evening is starting out well.

                Yesterday’s activities were minimal: we sat around doing nothing, we had chicken for lunch, we ventured into Waco and went to the cheap store for a couple items that my favorite wife wanted. We also went to the hardware store and got a couple items, one that I needed and one that she needed.

                Back at home we sat outside for a while on the front porch. As usual the neighborhood was quiet and I do think the flower bed that I removed the weeds from looks a lot better now, even though no one has said that to me. In our neighborhood most people keep their lawns mowed and the yards look good. I have noticed that when we drive through a neighborhood and someone’s yard is not mowed it catches our attention. Not everyone has the time or sees a need to mow. We have some real nice neighbors on our street; our neighbors are always willing to help each other!

                I have no plans for today although it is date night (dinner out) and we will, as usual, go out for some food this evening. I do need to pull more weeds from several flower beds, but I am not sure I want to get out in the heat today.

                We are getting close to the holiday; we hope your holiday plans include family and friends. If you have some good food that would also be nice. If you are travelling, be careful.

I will stop and take a break from all this data entering, we hope you have a blessed day and we all stay safe in all we do.

Donnie the Ford

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

July 1, 2026

Another Good Morning to you and we hope everyone has a good day.  

                First time ever! My gold card from the Star Coffee company has zero money on it. I have had the gold card and have used the gold card for I think 14 years. Over the years I would get gift cards for the Star Coffee, and I would transfer the money from the gift card to the gold card, and I also at times just took cash and had them add it to the card so I could get the points for free drinks.

                Tuesdays happenings: the day started off normal, I worked on my notes for the posting then a short nap and my bible reading. I had a quick lunch, and I vacuumed the carpets as the dog does leave hair everywhere. Housework completed I went to the shed where I procured the knee pads and a couple other items and then I went to the Jasmin / flower bed where I got on my knees. Now this time I was not on my knees for prayer, although I need it, I was ready to remove weeds.

I crawled around on my hands and knees for more than an hour pulling weeds. In truth what I am referring to as weeds is in fact grass. The grass that is in our yard (St. Augustine) will pop up anywhere.

                As I had noted in an earlier post, the ground was wet which made it easier to get the weed and the root most of the time. About halfway done I took a break on the front porch for a few minutes and that is when I observed a delivery truck making a delivery to the neighbor lady’s house. They unloaded a large carton about 5 feet tall that they left on the walk near the front porch. More about that delivery later.

                I finished pulling the weeds and took the weeds to the trash container where I took a photo. You may notice that the container was full.

                Tools put away I was allowed to take a very nice shower. When my ole body was again clean, I went to the Ford’s ole recliner with a large glass of water and I began to rest. Yep, I took a nap and when I woke up, I suggested to my favorite wife that we could sit outside for a while.

I went outside to see if there was a breeze on the front porch and I noticed the neighbor lady and her two grand kids were at the very big box. I could tell they were considering moving the very large carton across the yard (about 50 feet) to the driveway. I walked over and told her I had seen them deliver it. She said they were supposed to leave it in the driveway. I asked what it was and she said a gun-safe which weighs 240 pounds. Well, I knew that she and the grand kids would not be able to move the gun-safe, especially across the yard. I offered to help saying we should take it down the walk to the street then up the street to the driveway using a two-wheeler.

                We were able to get it to the drive way with out incident, we place it in the garage and I was able to bring the lady and the two kids back to our house where we wanted the lady’s grand daughter to see the painting she had made which now had a light that flashes on it. They came over and talked with my favorite wife and looked at the painting with the light on it.

                My favorite wife and I sat on the porch where I decided to make a pizza for supper. My favorite wife was going to cut up lettuce so we could have a salad with the pizza, but she found that I had mistakenly purchased a cabbage and not lettuce. We had Pizza but no salad. I was allowed to clean up in the kitchen and wash the dishes after supper.

                Today’s events: basically, no plans for the day, we will see what happens.

                I am stopping for now; we hope your day is filled with blessings and that we all stay safe in all we do. Staying safe is a blessing.

                Don the Ford          

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

June 30, 2026

                This is the last time for this post, that is for this month, I hope I can continue next month, and we hope you have a good morning.

As I had stated in yesterday’s post, I pulled weeds, but I didn't do a good job. I should have watered the day before so that the roots come out of the ground easily. I was able to get around on my knees with the knee pads, so that worked out well. There were several drones flying over as I was pulling the weeds a little after 7:00am.

I was allowed to have a shower afterwards to get the bugs off me.

Was able to do my Bible reading after I had cleaned up and rested for a few minutes.

Reading completed, I then went to the store as I wanted to use the money that was on the OTC card. The OTC card funding should be renewed on the first of the month. I also got a few grocery items while I was at the store and then I came back home.

            About 11:00 I decided to get a couple hamburgers for our lunch, and they were not very good.

            The cleaning lady came and did a nice job of cleaning the house.

            I was able to sit on the front porch with the cigar for a while.

This was the last day for that cigar, and I will now wait a couple weeks before I use the other one. While I was on the porch, I heard the sound of a rocket being test fired. It wasn’t too loud yesterday; the loudness of the rockets often depends on the direction of wind.

I was asked what our plans were for the 4^th of July holiday. I being and ole senior person do not have any plans for the holiday like real people do.

I went out and watered the plants in the flowerpots out front, and I watered an area of a flower bed. I want to attempt to remove weeds from that area of the flower bed today.

 

                Today’s plans: pull some weeds and then possibly shred a bunch of ole bills and other papers that have our info on them and after that, do nothing.

                I will stop for now, we hope you have a blessed day and that we all stay safe in all we do.

                Mr. Don the Ford

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

June 29, 2026

Is it morning again? I think it is, a good morning, maybe I should look outside and see…

                Did anything happen Yesterday: not much, we did get Alex and went to lunch, we came home and Alex mowed and trimmed the front yard. Alex and I washed the dog, then Alex went home.

                My favorite wife found a bracelet that is mine. I have a photo of the bracelet.

                When you see the bracelet, you should notice that my name is engraved, and that it is from HWI (Hardware Wholesaler Inc). HWI was the company name before it changed to Do it Best. I assume this was a service award that has been in one of our drawers for years. I don’t know when it was given to me. I believe it was for a number of years’ of service, possibly 5 or 10 years.

                I was allowed to go out front with the cigar and puff a few times. There is still enough for one more lighting of the tobacco.

                We did sit out on the front porch, and we noticed that not one vehicle had driven down our street. We were on the porch for about 1.5 hours and there were no vehicles and no one walking. We know that most all of our neighbors are retired, and I guess ole retired people stay at home.

                Today: I have pulled a few wees from a flower bed and I stirred up some fire ants. I need to go to the store this morning to get a few things, the cleaning lady is coming today about noon.

                Ok I kept this one short, so you have time to do something fun. We hope you have a blessed day, and that we all stay safe in all we do.

                Don the Ford

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