Female driver 04/02/19

            Did you notice the title line? As the title line indicates, I will have a short comment about the driving abilities of a certain group.

            I had ventured from the Fords homestead in an effort to change my appearance. Yep, I went to the hair shop with the intention of getting all the hair, at least, what’s left of it, on my head, cut. I was surprised twice during this visit. First, I was the only customer there on a Monday morning (April Fun Day). Second, they had raised the price again.

            I left the hair shop with almost no money, but I did go to the coffee shop. There were only a few cars ahead of me so, I thought I would get through the drive through fairly quick. Nope, I was wrong. I think they had some new employees which helped cause the slow down. As I sat there the vehicle behind me decided to bump into me.

            I thought, “Crazy person”, as I got out of the Ford’s ole Chevy and walked back to her vehicle. I first looked at the rear of my vehicle, and the front of hers. I have a trailer hitch, which I had thought of removing, but now I am glad I did not. My vehicle was ok, hers was slightly damaged. I approached her and she, seemed to reluctantly roll the window down. I asked if she was ok, she said yes. She asked if my vehicle was ok, I said yes, but your bumper is scratched. She seemed nervous, so I again asked if she was ok. She again said yes so I went back to my vehicle.

            I pulled forward and placed my order. I thought she would stay several feet away from the back of my vehicle, after hitting me. She was right on my tail gate again. I pulled forward and when I stopped she again pull almost against my tail gate again. “Female driver!”

 

            I have a bunch of things to do today. I should make a list. I need to get the oil changed in the Ford’s ole Chevy as I may need to go to Missouri soon. There are several outside jobs (the weather is supposed to be good this afternoon), and other tasks.

            Employed people work all day long, a retired person’s work, is never done!

 

Rest while you can, there is no rest after retirement!

 

Senior non-rested person; Don Ford

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It is my day 04/01/19

            It is April first and that makes it my day. There is a name they use for this day, and it isn’t, “April First day”. I know what it is, “April Fun day”, let’s all have fun today!

            The following two photos have nothing to do with April Fun day, the work was started a couple days earlier, when it was still warm spring time. If you don’t live around here and you don’t know, it has turned back to cold weather again. I turned the air conditioner off and turned the furnace back on. It was so cold and windy yesterday, would you believe, I refused orders from the boss to go outside and work in the yard.

            Back to the two photos, I have decided to expand the ole black berry area and define the new area. Photos to follow.

                      

            In the first photo one might see that we have begun to enlarge the area available for plants by a volume of 2.25. That means, if you multiply the area of the original patch by 2.25 you will get the area of the expanded patch. (P x 2.25= EP) 

            In the second photo one might notice that the solar panels need to be washed. Usually a good rain takes care of that, but with all the yellow pollen falling, and the only moisture we have receive lately was in the form of a mist, the panels need to be cleaned. Also, our grounds keeper has laid out a beginning barrier for this new black berry patch. For that one person who might ask why the small cloth pieces are tied on the wire, could it be for the dog so he don’t run through the wires, or more likely, possibly for me!

            I went out in the freezing weather (50 degrees with a breeze) and dug holes for three cacti type plants. Prior to the planting, I had removed a stack of fire wood, (at least that is the original reason for the wood), which had laid there for several years. Many bugs and some lizards were displaced and the wood that had contact with the ground, well it wasn’t wood any more. That is where the cacti are now located. Photo to follow.

                                     

            Not pretty but they are planted and hopefully they will grow.

            This week on Friday, my favorite wife and I will celebrate 50 years of being married. 5 decades, or one half a century, time flies when you are having fun!

            Well I guess that is it for now, I hope you had a good weekend, and have a safe coming week. Don’t fall for any of the April Fun Jokes!

May April be full of fun and happiness!

Senior grounds keeper; Don Ford

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Friday is here 03/29/19

            My spouse of almost 5 decades, occasionally comments that I make odd noises and sounds. She doesn’t like it when I make up words from time to time. I may be a little irritating to some, when I am making up words and sounds. I tell anyone who wants to listen that I am silly, and being silly for me is fun. This morning I had made up a silly song and was singing it, out loud. My favorite spouse didn’t say anything, but she did give me the look!

            I say don’t do it if you can’t have fun!

            On the way to school today, my youngest and favorite granddaughter was telling me about some new earrings she has. She does not have her ears pierced, so they are clamp on. Somehow she had lost one this morning. I suggested she could have worn one ear ring. She gave me the same look I had gotten earlier from my present spouse. All females, regardless of age can give a man that look!

            I then, being a wise senior grandpa suggested, “Get a set of ear rings, one would have the word left, and the other would have the word right”. Wear the ear ring with the word left on your right ear, and the one with the word right on your left ear. Then see if any one notices that the left is on the right, and the right is on the left.

            If anyone comments that you have them on the wrong ear, you simply say to that person, “You are wrong”. After they explain a couple times that you have them on the wrong ears, you then calmly explain, “If you were observant, and if you had thought about what you were seeing, you would have realized that my earrings are correct as you face me”. You then continue with, “When you look at me the word right is on your right hand side, and the word left is on your left had side. I have them that way for you!”

            As you may be able to understand, our drives to school is often full of very interesting information.

            I took a photo this morning of a cloud. I sometimes see things in the clouds. Silly grandpa thought of a bird when I saw these clouds. Click if you want to enlarge.

                                                           

                                            

Left can be right, and right can be left, depending on how you look at it!

Silly grandpa; Don Ford

             

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Another day, not another dollar 03.28.19

            The title line means, every day that passes takes more money from us senior retired people.

            I had thought about getting a ticket for the drawing last night but then I thought, “what would I do with all that money”. As we all know, I am very lucky, and if I had purchase the ticket for the drawing I would have won. What would I do with 500 million dollars in cash? It would have been nothing more than a pain in the back side. If I won that money I could no longer sit outside in the afternoon with my diet soda.

            I am glad I didn’t spend that dollar for the ticket. Can you imagine everyone wanting to be your friend? Even the politicians would want to talk with you. Then all the charities would want you to be their friends. I could go on and on, but let’s just say, I am glad I didn’t purchase a ticket!

 

            I need to get ready to take Gabi to school and I haven’t had a cup of real coffee yet. I hope I don’t go to sleep while I am driving. Maybe I will make it back without falling to sleep, it takes almost 10 minutes round trip. Tres goes along on this trip, so if I were to try and make it to the star coffee place, I would have him looking over my shoulder for the entire trip. Do you have any idea what it is like to have a large dog looking over your shoulder while you are trying to constipate, I mean concentrate on driving. For some reason Tres likes the smell of coffee although I haven’t given him any, yet.

            I’m back! We took the Gabi to school but we did not go to the coffee shop, so I am drinking a cup of homemade real coffee. I guess it is better than nothing.

 

            This morning I took a shower in our in house shower. Later I learned that the neighbor has started running his sprinklers. That will save us a lot of money as I can take my shower in his front yard. I need to record which days he has his sprinklers running, so I don’t miss out. Yes, I will probably wear a swimming suit or something while showering in his front yard. If he would run the sprinklers before sunrise I could shower in my birthday suit.

            Well, I need to get out of the office and go to the back yard. I had planned to water the flowers in the back yard yesterday afternoon but for some reason, I did not receive a reminder.

 

            I may be getting a little forgetful. Last week I left the homestead with a couple places I wanted to go, one of which was the bank to get a couple dollars for the coming week. I, unlike many of you, like to have money in my pocket and not use a card for every little purchase. My first stop was the bank, but upon arrival there were two female subjects at the teller machine, and they had it open. I decided to go on, and proceed with the other tasks, then return later to get the couple dollars.

            Why did I give you that history, it was so I could tell you this. A couple days later I opened my bill fold expecting to see a couple dollars in it but they were not there. I then assumed I had either lost the money, or had spent it, but on what? I racked my brain trying to remember what I had done with that money. Finally I just gave up and said it is gone and I don’t know where it went.

            Yesterday I went to the Home store to purchase a piece of pipe to fix one of my favorite wife’s spinners. The pipe cost $11.00 and that was the last of my cash. On the way home, I decided to drop by the teller machine and get a couple dollars even though it wasn’t Friday. Friday is the day I usually go to the teller machine. As I turned the corner going toward the bank I thought, I hope those two ladies aren’t out there working on the machine. Yep, I then thought, “Hay dummy, they were there last week and you were supposed to go back to get a couple dollars, but you didn’t go back”. That solves the mystery of where did the money go, I did not go back!

 

Don’t forget to get the money!

 

Big ole dummy; Don Ford

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I went to the 03/27/19

            The last time I was in for a cleaning I was told that I had a filling that needed to be replaced. I explained that I had problems with the last filling he had put in. He suggested I remind him of that when I come in for this filling.

            I reminded him. He was examining the old filling when it came out. He grabbed his drill and began to drill saying, “If this hurts let me know and we will start over with a shot to deaden the area”. It did not hurt but it felt as if the drill was very cold. He got the filling in without a shot and without pain.

            I have Medicare, being a senior person. The company I have the additional insurance with has several versions of their additional insurance. I took the plan that I do not pay a monthly premium for. It has dental insurance with it and it saved me half the cost of the procedure. That is nice!

            I pick up the grandson every afternoon at school, and the scenery has improved! Blue bonnets are doing their thing now, and the area in front of, and around the school, are covered.          The photo below shows a partial view from the Ford’s ole Chevy in front of the school. No, you can’t smell the blue bonnets, it’s a photo. Why do I even try!    Click to view, not smell!

                                              

                                          Say something nice to someone,

                                          listen to someone closely,   

                                          Give a big thank you to someone,

                                          offer to help someone today,

                                          And it will be one of your best days. 

            Preacher; Don Ford

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Easter is coming 03/26/19

            Next month Easter will be here. My spouse always put some time and effort into decorating not only the inside of the house, but also the front yard. One of the neighbor’s kids come over and help place some of the Easter eggs.

            I helped with one decoration and I have a photo. Click to enjoy!

                                                           

            I have a dental appointment today. They are nice people but I still do not like going.

Feed your dog better and he won’t eat the eggs!

Nice senior citizen; Don Ford

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What happened Friday on 03/2519

            Typical Friday, nothing new.

            Question: why do pecan trees not produce leaves when other trees do? I have an opinion. Big surprise, Don has an opinion! My opinion is, they allow all the other trees to fill the air with pollen first, then as the other trees stop pollenating, the pecan trees do their thing. Continuation of Allergies for all!

                                                           

            I did move one of the bird homesteads a couple feet, Charlie was in the tree and he was trying to get into the red homestead. The occupants didn’t seem to mind.

            I did finish pulling the grass and weeds from the black berry plants. I wish there was something I could spray to kill the grass but not bother the black berries. Do you know how hard it is for a 70 plus year old man to crawl around a bunch of black berries, which have thorns all over them and also pull those weeds? Well, it is hard work!

What happened Saturday

            It sprinkled rain this morning. There was not enough in the rain gage to measure, although the driveway was wet.

            Occasionally saying nice job to someone helps that person’s morale. I had placed some stepping stones in front of a bench and I asked someone if they had seen the work. The person said, there is some dirt on them, they need to be swept. There was nothing said about nice job.

            I did get the Fords ole riding mower out and mowed the back yard, it does look a little better. Front yard needs to be mowed but it was not.

                                                                   

What happened Sunday

               We went to the barrel for brunch. It took a longer than normal time, to get the food to our table. The server was busy and polite but it did take longer than usual to get food. When the bill came, we had not been charged for the coffee and large milk. I could have simply paid the bill as is, and went on thinking it was their error. I being honest, called the waiter over and showed him that we were not charged for the coffee and milk. He stopped me and said, I did not charge you for the coffee and milk because it took too long to get your food to you. I then said ok and paid the reduced bill.

            I try to never cheat anyone, even if they make a mistake. I hope that I am treated the same way.

            New subject: I removed the flowers from the hot house today. My spouse of almost 5 decades (April 5^th 2019 will be 50 years for me and my present spouse) and I worked together in transplanting some of the flowers. Most of them are still sitting in the back yard, and will be worked with this week. Next year I need less flowers to put in the hot house or I need either, a second hot house, or a larger hot house. The photo below shows some of the flowers.

                                                          

            I have, or had, a 100 foot long extension cord that I used to power the heat lamp in the hot house. As I was mowing Saturday, I cut that cord into three pieces. I will need to purchase a male and female connector for the cord and replace them. The cord is still 80 foot long and should work just fine next year.

            My favorite spouse of almost 5 decades and I are very tired from working on, and with the flowers. I will complete the work this week, hopefully.

Help someone today, you, we, will need help someday!

Senior grounds keeper; Don Ford

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Extra light 03/21/19

            I will keep this as short as possible. I don’t care if you waste time reading these articles, as a matter of fact I enjoy knowing you are reading them, but I do care if I waste time sitting here at the Ford’s ole computer. I have several projects that need to be completed, and today is supposed to be a nice day for working outside.

            This morning as Tres and I went outside to get the so-called newspaper, which wasn’t there, I noticed additional light shining on the front lawn. I wondered if the neighbor had fixed their light over the garage door, which has not worked since they moved in a couple years ago. As I walked out I realized it was the moon. I then remembered the moon was super close to the earth last evening. Saying it was very bright, did not do it justice! Would you believe I needed moon glasses? Moon glasses, get it? Why do I even try to brighten your night? 

            Since no one asked, I did not get the oil changed in the present wife’s vehicle yesterday but I did get the cat to the vet. I will get the vehicle’s oil changed today. My wife of soon to be 5 decades is going to lunch with friends today. No, I was not asked to join the group. L  

            I started pulling the weeds and grass out of the black berries yesterday. It started sprinkling so I stopped. Water melts sugar and you know how sweet I am, I didn’t want to melt!  

 

Say something nice to someone today. They will, and you will, feel good!

 

Workaholic; Don Ford

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