It is broken 04.30.2022

            Now, as I begin to compose this article, I am aware that some in the reading public are not interested in what I do. For those readers I suggest, stop reading, and do something that you find interesting. As for me, I will enjoy writing about my activities.

            Allow me to start with, it was a cloudy Friday morning, when I staggered out to the Fords ole shed to get the electric weed trimmer, yes, I took a fully charged battery with me. I, with the trimmer in hand, ventured all the way out to the ditch behind the back 40.

            As I had explained in yesterday’s post, I had trimmed half of the ditch with the gas trimmer. Now I need to attempt to trim the other half of the ditch. With a fully charged battery on the trimmer and plenty of string, I began to cut the weeds. I was able to get half of the half, that needed to be cut, cut. Did you understand that statement? I do have a way with words.

            Battery dead, I reverted to the gas-powered trimmer. I was almost finished with the trimming when I broke the trimmer. I was trying to get more string out by tapping the trimmer head on the ground, and that is when I broke the head. That was the start to my Friday.

            After the destruction of my trimer, I decided to go into the city and see if I could get a part to repair the trimmer. Then hopefully while I was in the City, I might get a couple other things I need, like a tire for the riding mower, gas for the Chevy, and bords for the hot house.

            At the home store the boards all looked as if they were culls, you know, the rejected boards, so I did not get any.

            I then went to the tractor store where I did purchase a tire and wheel for the riding mower. They did not have the part for my trimmer repair.

            Hoping to find the part that I need for the trimmer I then went to the new AT… store in Hewitt. They did not have the part for the trimmer, but they did have the tire that I had already purchased, for about $5.00 less.

            Leaving there I went to get gas. When I put my card in the pump it said it would not accept it. I started to leave but then I put the card back into the pump again and it worked.

            Finally, I was back at home, and was able to get a nap in, before I went out back and watered the flowers and berries. I did pick up Alex at school after watering the flowers. What a day I had.

            I am glad you did not waste your time reading this history of my Friday.

Do or do not, you choose!

Senior who does nothing, Don the Ford

Hair oil? 04.29.2022

            For some reason, I began to think about hair oil this morning. Could it have been because I was combing my hair, he asked? Hair oil, do people still use it?

            Back in the olden days, I, as well as many others, use the item known as hair oil. Now that I think about it, it seems a little odd. I would wash my hair and when it was dry, I would put the hair oil on my dry hair and then comb it. The hair oil would hold the hair in place, so you could have a part in your hair, or even a wave, one friend had what we call duck tails, (the top of his hair was combed forward, while the sides were combed to the back of his head, making a duck tail).

            There was a time when I had washed my hair and for some reason forgot to put the hair oil on my head. I remember a girl told me she like my hair. Now I was not good at taking complements back then, and I never get them now. I do remember thinking; I forgot the hair oil and I probably look terrible.

            Enough memories from the olden days, let us see if I can remember what I did yesterday. Yesterday was more or less a repeat of Wednesday, except it was in the back 40 rather than the front yard. I trimmed and mowed the back 40, photo to follow.

            After that grueling work, and while my favorite wife was at a friend’s house enjoying herself, I trimmed half the ditch, photo to follow.

                                                           

            I have several projects for today, and if all goes well, I might get the other half of the ditch trimmed today. I don’t enjoy trimming the ditch, but if it stays cloudy, the work isn’t too bad.

            I need a new tire for the riding mower, so I might attempt to get one today, I need gas in the Ford’s ole chevy, I might try again to get some boards for the hot house project, and I might attempt to get a bottle…

            That is it for now, hope you are blessed with a safe and productive day!

Work, rest, enjoy!

Senior person who is good at resting, Don the Ford

Scheduling re-visited 04.28.2022

            In the posting of 04.14.2022, I explained how we can set schedules for the reading public. I want to say thanks to all who responded to the request. All schedules have been set.

            Let us change topics; as I was wondering around the back 40 yesterday, I noticed another flower blooming, photo to follow.

                                                           

            Other than taking the grand kids to school and picking Alex up after school, it seems as if I did nothing. I did get a bacon egg and cheese burrito yesterday morning, that was nice.

            I did get the gas-powered string trimmer out and trimmed the front yard. I also brought the ole walk behind mower to the front yard and mowed the yard. Mostly, I was hoping to cut down the trees that are still sprouting up all over the yard. Every acorn that either we step on, or that the squirrel’s plant, pop up all over the yard. I did get the clippings out of the street and off the driveway and put my tools away.

            The water bowl that the cats and squirrel’s use to drink out of, has been broken. We think a squirrel may have jumped on it, knocking it over and it hit a stone. I have now installed a metal bowl; they can’t break this one.

            As you can see, this ole person did little or nothing yesterday. I might work in the back 40 today, I still want to get some boards to finish the hot house project. The ditch behind the house needs to be mowed down, that may be too hard for a senior person.

Coffee sounds good, so I will leave you now.

 

Do your best!

Senior ole yard worker, Don the Ford

Neat clouds 04.27.2022

            As I staggered out of the Ford's Homestead this morning, you know ole people stagger a lot, and before you ask, "No, I did not have an adult beverage", I observed a few clouds that I thought were interesting. Photo to follow.

                                                           

            I have often wondered how clouds get their shapes. We know they are made of moister, but how does the wind form them into all these different shapes?

            Well, I was able to think about the clouds in the sky, and since I was that close to heaven, I thanked the Lord for the beginning of what will be, a very nice day.

            Adjusting the topic, a little; what did the Don do yesterday, they asked? The Don, not being able to get the boards he needed to make the shelves in the ole hot house, and not having enough scrap lumber to work on the project, he decided to use a different wood, photo to follow.

           Cedar is more expensive than the wood fence planks! If you don't have what you need, then you improvise and use what you do have. The photos above show what I had decided to attempt to use, as a top shelf, for the tall shelf frame. This wood is normally used in closets, and in wood chests (cedar chests).

            Since I was not planning on placing any heavy items on the tall shelf, and since the planks are tongue-in-groove, they seemed to be acceptable for the top shelf. I did need to do some cutting; I used a hand saw. Allow me to present two more photos of the project.

                                               

            The first photo shows the cedar after being located on top of the rack. The second photo shows the rack in use. Note: there is a way to hang things under the top shelf. You are correct, the Don does good work!

            The Don was also allowed to do some other work in the front yard and back 40. In the back 40 he was able to get some of the black berry vines, that were hanging out in the way of a person mowing, secured in positions that would allow him to walk around the plants and even mow.

            In the front yard, he was allowed to place a block at the north end of the porch. this block acts as a step for ole people to get on and off the porch. He also placed some other bocks in the new Jasmine bed allowing anyone to get to the bench, which is in the middle of the bed, without stepping on the plants.

            I was also allowed to replant a flower for my favorite wife, and water a couple hanging plants that did not get watered during the recent rain.

            Well, I need to get going and take the grand kids to school, and I just might stop and get a burrito on the way back home. 😊

 

Be there for your friends!

 

Senior retired person who is still kicking around, Don the Ford

It rained 04.26.2022

            As any of you who live in central Texas knows, we needed the rain and a lot of us got some rain. Unfortunately, many who live west of I-35 did not get much rain. Here at the Ford Homestead, we received a little more than an inch of needed rain.

            The rain had seemed to let up a little about the time my favorite wife and I got in the Ford’s ole Chevy, and headed south to Temple Texas (30 miles away). We had an appointment with the doctor in Temple. It rained most of the way there.

            When we left Temple, it was still raining, so we decided to take a back road, staying off the interstate, you know, less traffic, and I think it rained all the way home.

            As to the doctor’s visit, the doctor explained that the tumor had not increased in size, from the first scan which was 10 months ago. It appeared to me, to be a little smaller. We had a good discussion with the doctor, and it was decided to wait for 6 months and get another scan, that discission was made by us, and the doctor approved.   

            If you want more info about the visit, call my favorite spouse.

            Topic change; the berries are growing, photo to follow.

                                                           

            It will not be long, and we will be picking the berries.

            We did not sit outside yesterday, darn-it, it was cool and windy.

           

Have a happy safe day!

Senior ole person who might work on one of the hot house shelves, Don the Ford

 

Did nothing Sunday 04.25.2022

            Hay, it is raining here today, nice. I believe everyone is hoping for enough rain to start getting rid of the drought.

            I put out fire ant killer yesterday, covering the entire yard. I assume those of you who have never pushed a spreader, at a quick pace, all over your yard, have no idea of how much work it is. Well, for us senior people, it is a lot of work. The package noted to put it out in the late afternoon, “When it is cool”, and water it.

            Late afternoon in central Texas this time of the year, isn’t cool, and the package did not say how much water to apply. I did run the sprinkler system for 2 minutes on all the areas, and the rain today will finish the watering.

            I did drill two holes in the tall scrap wood soon to be shelf. These holes are one and an eighth inch, through two 2X4s, that was not easy work, but I was able to produce it. I then put a piece of ¾ inch pipe through the holes. It is my intention that if needed, items could be hung on this pipe.

            I needed a couple pipe fittings and I thought I would go to the home store on Sunday and possibly get these items. I have never seen so much traffic on highway 84, it was continual vehicles. Now that I think about it, there is a large church just off highway 84, and it was a few minutes after 12:00, I bet church had just let out.

            Arriving at the home store I went to the lumber area and there was a man picking out the same boards as I needed. He had his cart full, so I went to the plumbing area and found the items I needed. I then proceed back to the lumber area and this fellow was still there inspecting each board and culling the not so good boards.

            I decided to purchase the two pipe fittings, and come back later to get the boards. I walked up to the check out, it looked like Wally world, they had one person checking people out, as they want the customer to do the check out for them self. I looked at the people and items they had and I decided I would not stand in line and wait. I placed the two items on a shelf, and walked out.

            At home, I was allowed to fix the chains on a hanging basket, it looks better now. I did organize a couple boards and some metal fence post, so they are now stacked, making the area look little nicer.

            I have a couple photos that were taken during the spreading of the fire ant killer. One is of a rose bush; the other is of new pop-up black berries in bed number two. These black berries spread like crazy.

                                                  

            I find it interesting that the popup berry plants spread as far as they do. Notice inside the tomato rings at the left of the photo, there is a pop-up berry and that is a good 3 feet from the others.

            That is it, I need to get ready to take the kids to school.

Rain yes, storms no!

Senior retired person who is happy for the rain, Don the Ford

One way or another 04.24.2022

            I assume the title line refers to me starting something, and then altering the plan in the middle of the project. In truth, the alteration was very small and did not make a big difference. I have another modification in mind, not sure if I will modify it, or not. Photo of my afternoon work.

                                                           

            The rack will have a top shelf, where I can place junk, I mean store items. Tall flowers can be set under this shelf. There are one or two scrap wood boards left, and then I will no longer be able to create anything.

            Allow me to show you a tool I was using yesterday, and it just happens that the tool, is a mallet that I made years ago, yep, from scrap wood. I must be, “The senior scrapper”! Wow, who knew the Don had a title?

                                                           

            Topic change: my favorite wife and I did go into town yesterday, we took a couple black berries with us, along with one of my tension relievers, and gave them to a friend. When they plant these two berries, they will enjoy them until next year. Next year the plants will have berries on them, and that is when they will say, “Ouch”, a bunch of times (black berries have stickers). 

            We also stopped at a sandwich place for lunch. We could have gone to a real restaurant, and had good food along with good service, for the same amount of money.

            We stopped at the home store, and I bought some fire ant killer. Now I need to spread it over the yard, which means I have to walk in straight lines, and quickly, to get the poison to spread evenly. Ole people have trouble walking in a straight line, and or at a quick pace.

            Being tired from all the work and traveling, my favorite wife and I did sit outside together and enjoyed the nice afternoon.

Happy Sunday!

Senior retired person who plans to do little today, Don the Ford

Share or not to share 04.23.2022

            As you can see, the question seems to be, should one share or not. Let us consider sharing because one wants to, and sharing with out permission. I have two photos which more or less provide one with an understanding of the two types of sharing. 

 

                                                          

            In the above professionally compose photo, we see sharing a nice place in the lawn because they want to. This is the good type of sharing.

                                                           

            In the second photo, if you look closely at the arm rest, there is an uninvited visitor on my chair. I had to ask him to leave several times, before he would exit the chair. As you can see, I am not the only one who enjoys sitting outside in the afternoon!

            Let us alter the topic just for a minute. Since you did not ask, yes, I did get everything on my list completed yesterday, and a couple other small projects too.

            If you would allow me to enlighten you, as to one of the projects, I did get the burrito and coffee before heading to David’s to get the trailer. Arriving at their home, I parked the Ford’s ole Chevy and dropped the tail gate, which provided me with a seat. Sitting on the tail gate, I was enjoying my bacon, egg, and cheese burrito, when I heard a cat’s meow. I knew it was the neighbor’s cat (I think his name is Leo) as he will go to anyone to get petted. The sound of his meow was getting closer.

            I continued eating while thinking about hooking the trailer to the pickup, and how long I would need to wait in line to get the items unloaded at the dump site. Then Leo was there rubbing against my foot, as I sat on the tail gate. I had finished my breakfast, and it was so good, when I climbed off the tail gate. The wind was blowing, and the wrapper that the burrito was in, blew off the tail gate. There were a couple small pieces of egg on the wrapper and as you may have expected, Leo also enjoyed part of my burrito!

            I then unloaded some items I had in the bed of the Ford’s ole Chevy, onto the trailer. After securing all the items, I then embarked on my 3-mile journey to the dumpsite. About a quarter mile away from the dumpsite I had stopped at a traffic light. There is a rail crossing there and wouldn’t you know it, the crossing arms came down, and the train began to pass.

            There is no way to make the train story short. I, along with many other vehicles, sat there as this train passed, and passed, and passed. I have never seen a train this long; it took close to 5 minutes for the train to get past.

            Finally, the crossing arms went up and the green light allowed me to proceed. I was pleasantly surprised not seeing a line of vehicles waiting ahead of me. An even bigger surprise, there was no one ahead of me on the dumpsite. They unloaded my trailer, and I was out of there in less time than it took at the train crossing.

            I guess I have taken enough of your time, go do something interesting!

 

Have a good day!

Senior person who might do some more scrap wood work today, Don the Ford

Schedule today 04.22.2022

            Well, there are a few things I hope to get accomplished today including;

            Getting the kids to school safely and on time,

            Get a burrito and coffee after taking the kids to school,

            Take apart an ole metal set of steps,

            Go to David’s house and connect to my trailer,

            Take the trailer and stuff that is on it to the dump site,

            Come home and park the trailer in the back 40,

            Dig a hole and plant a bush for the CEO,

            Replant a Moon plant,

            Replant a cactus plant,

            Water all the flowers in pots, front and back yard,

            Water the new Jasmine plants, by the way they are growing nicely,

            Have lunch,

            Take a nap!

            After accomplishing those projects, I will ask my favorite wife if there is anything else I could do before going to pick up Alex at school?

            Topic change; as I was sitting on the Ford’s ole rocker yesterday afternoon, yes, I was enjoying a cold drink as we had just returned from having supper at the cracker store, when I observed a wasp checking things out. Photo to follow.

                                                           

            He seemed to be a scout, looking for a location to bring his friends, possibly to establish a permanent residence. We did not have a conversation; I don’t think he liked the location. 

Follow your schedule!

Senior who needs to get going, Don the Ford

Senior dog washer 04.21.2022

            What did the seniors at the Ford homestead do yesterday, we washed the dog, but that is none of your business? What we did is not important to you, what you didn’t do yesterday, should be important to you?

            It was late in the afternoon on a Wednesday, I had worked outside most of the day trimming weeds and mowing the back 40. It was difficult work, as I use the electric string trimmer, and it is heavier than the gas trimmer. I did not have any gas for the gas-powered unit. The electric trimmer does a good job, but it requires more work from the operator.

            Speaking of operators, in the olden days they had phone operators, do they have operators any more, and if they do are they real people? Wow, something else for this senior person to consider!

            Let’s get back on track; my wife of more than half a century went to the stores attempting to purchase some food for us seniors. When she returned home, she put away the couple food items that we could afford, and with tears in her eyes she finished cleaning the homestead.

            At about 5:00 we decided to head outside even though the day was hot and windy, we sat there while discussing the world problems, as we enjoyed a cold drink. It was a little after 6:00 when we headed into the homestead and that is when a friend dropped in. My first wife and her friend discussed several topics, I was not invited into the discussion, so I took it upon myself to enjoy a few bites of food for my supper.

            When the friend exited the homestead, I suggested to my present spouse, “we could wash the dog”. My favorite wife considered our options, then she decided that we should perform a wash job on the pot hound. Tres seem to enjoy the washing.

            After the washing we toured the back 40, reviewing the berry beds. There are plenty of blooms and lots of green berries. We also observed some flowers blooming, photo to follow.

            After touring the back 40 I was allowed to reenter the homestead and wash the few dishes that were in the sink, before I was allowed to sit down and rest. What a day for a day dream!

            Ole people have nothing to do all day, they just sit around.

Fill your day with joy!

Senior ole person who has a project or two for today, Don the Ford

Part is complete 04.20.2022

            I just noticed that there are lots of twos in today’s date. Possibly the date means something special, as the number four is in it, and then there are four twos. What could that mean? I will allow you to consider that, as I proceed on with this morning’s posting.

             Before we get started, I will comment on the newspaper. We have not been receiving the newspaper for a month or two, due to the price being too high for ole retired people on a fixed income. Recently, we received a bill for $7.56, stating that we owed it, and if we want to renew the subscription, it would cost $254.28.

            I called to explain that we did not owe them anything and we would not be paying them anything. The lady who answered the phone was nice, and as we talked, she asked why we had not renewed. I explained that we are retired people and the price was too high. She then asked if we would renew for a year with a onetime payment of $157.00. I spoke with my CEO and she approved that one-year price!

            The next morning (yesterday) there was a paper on the front yard and the Tres happily went and picked it up.

            Subject alteration; I had to work alone yesterday, as the Alex is back in school. I will try to minimalize the wording, and I will insert a few photos.

            First, I went to town to get some screws and wood. I did get a box of screws but no wood. Back at home,    I brought all the parts that had been cut, to the garage, along with some extra wood that I would need to cut and attach. I was able to put parts of the shelf frame together in the garage.

            I then carried all the parts back out to the so-called hot house, where I assembled them inside the hot house. I still need some wood to make the top of the shelf, maybe I will get rich and be able to get some before winter gets here.

            Photo of the hot house before, with the items we used for shelves and some stuff.

                                                                      

            Then we have a photo of the house emptied.

                                                           

            And now we have a photo with the frames of the scrap wood shelves. It would be nice to occasionally work with new wood. Before anyone asks, the floor is also ole scrap wood from the Kids ole fort.

                                                           

            What projects will I have today?

Enjoy all you do!

Senior retired person who needs coffee and food, Don the Ford

He did the work 04.19.2022

            The title line is correct, he did the work and I watched, what a nice day for this senior retired person.

            I had decided to work on building a couple scrap wood shelves for the Ford’s ole hot house. At present we have a couple saw horses with some ole scrap wood 2X4s and these are the shelves for the flowers in the winter. I thought it would be nice to have permanent shelves.

            As I ventured out the back door into the back 40 I noticed this shadow following me. It was my favorite grandson, Alex. He asked what I was doing and I enlightened him. He offered to help, and I accepted. He got the chop saw from the shed, we sat it up in our work shop, and connected it to the electrical cord. Photo of the shop.

            When you are retired and on a fixed income, your shop is not in a nice building, but outside where you have fresh air.

            I showed Alex the measurements and gave him a square, he then marked the 4X4s and cut them with the chop saw. He created 8 posts for me, and he was very safe in operating the saw. That work finished, he returned to the house allowing me to put everything up. I have a photo of the 8 posts.

            Now I will need to get some screws and begin putting the post together with some scrap 2X4s I have.

            As I was laying in bed this morning it came to me, “can I build these two shelves, then be able to get them through the door into the hot house, or, will I put parts together and take the parts into the hot house, completing the assembly inside?” I have a feeling I will do some work inside the hot house.

            I will need to spend money that ole people on a fixed income, find it difficult to acquire. Maybe I can mow a neighbor’s yard, or help out with some other work to earn a few dollars. I not only need some screws; I need a few boards to put on the shelf frame to make the shelf. There is always something to slow a retired person’s work project down. 

            I have another photo which I found interesting. You might need to look close at the black part of the Tres’s back to see the saw dust. Tres was laying near where we were sawing and he was covered with saw dust.

 

            I did use the leaf blower on Tres before he was allowed back into the house.

 

            Well, that is all for now, I will attempt to keep the reading public informed of any progress in this project.

 

My thanks to Alex!

Senior ole person who needs to get going, and take the kids to school, Don the Ford