Recycle items 01/23/2020

            In today’s world it is proper to re-use or repurpose as many items as we can. Our recycle bin is out at the curb side right now waiting for the truck to pick it up. We attempt to put as many paper, cardboard, and plastic items in it as we can. We still have a lot of non-recyclable items that go into the trash bin. 

            Being the senior environmentalist in our neighborhood, I like to set a good example for others to follow.

            As you may understand, I do like an occasional cup of coffee, and it may be difficult for you to believe that I reuse the coffee grounds. Have you ever used the same coffee grounds to make a second cup of coffee?  That second cup of coffee would be somewhat weaker than the first but that may also make it milder to the taste. Getting to use the same coffee grounds two or three times is a big savings, and may qualify you to be an environmentalist.

            It may be difficult for some of you to understand why I recycle the coffee as I do. I learned how to do this from my mother. We were definitely not rich, and had to make good use of everything. I remember mom and dad taking vegetable scraps like peelings out to the garden spot rather than putting them in the trash.

            My mom would occasionally take coffee grounds and put them around her flowers as a fertilizer. I take my used coffee grounds and drop them around the black berries. So far, the black berries do not taste like coffee. No, I don’t make a second cup of coffee out of my coffee grounds, although I did accidently one time attempt to make a second cup of coffee from the same pod, it was ugly looking and I did not drink it.

            Wow, I think I need a cup of coffee…

            My coffee has been ingested, for that one person that means I drank my coffee. Let’s get away from coffee and I want to comment on birds. This is the first year that I have noticed birds using the bird houses year round. The birds that used them as nest this summer, appear to be using them this winter. I don’t blame them, heck I think it is a good idea.

            I have also seen new birds, birds of a different variety checking the bird houses out. Something else that I noticed, about two weeks ago there was a baby bird in a nest at the back of the homestead. A baby bird in the winter times seems odd to me.

            I bet the world warming is what caused the birds to be confused, and think it was spring. Get ready, spring is coming. Spring starts officially in March, it will be here before you know it.

Regurgitate nope, recycle yes!

Senior environmentalists and one time good guy; Don Ford

Don't complain January 22, 2020

            As I understand it, you don’t read my title line until I bring it up in my article. The fact is my title lines usually don’t mean too much, so when you miss a wonderful title line it is no big deal.

            Does this soon to be wonderful article discuss complaining? The short answer is no! So why is it the title line, I believe we all should stop complaining. That includes complaining about my articles. Thanks to everyone who has responded to my email blog list cancelation notice.   

            It is raining today, and I had failed to empty the rain gage prior to the start of this rain, so I can’t tell you how much it has rained overnight.

                        Rain, rain, don’t go away,

               Don’t come again some other day,

               Little Donnie don’t need to play!

        If it wasn’t raining, I would go out to the back 40 and take a photo of the Easter lily that is blooming. There was one Easter lily blooming yesterday, and there could be more today, but since the rain is coming down, I can’t go out as I would likely melt!

            I will change the subject for a moment. Since no one ask, I will be happy to respond to the non-question, “Yes, I can read the print in the new bible, as it has larger print than the ole one”.

            Another subject, I did get the tax software yesterday and a new monopod. These items were free as I had purchased items from the Best store for Christmas, and received several dollars in points and a gift card.    

            What? Google it. I can’t tell you everything, learn to Google.

            What, you want to know what he just asked. If you would pay attention you would have heard what he asked. Ok, he wants to know what a monopod is. Learn to Google your questions.

I need coffee, got to go!

Tripod or monopod, now you know!

Senior bipod and sometimes good guy, Don Ford

Does color matter 01/21/2020

            I was faced with the question, “Does color matter”, this morning. The Tres was out in the front yard looking for the newspaper that we no longer get, he was searching the entire yard. Yes, he did water a few things like the mail box during his exploration. When he didn’t find a newspaper, he returned to the front door with tears in his eyes.

            As I stood there waiting on the Tres, I looked at the morning sky. The sky had a wonderful orange glow, with some light blue color higher up in the sky. The sky was very interesting, but I also noticed that the street light was producing the same color on the street below.    There is an old saying, “Red sky in morning, sailor take warning”.  I don’t know if that applies to senior retired people, but we are supposed to get rain tomorrow.

                                               

            If you had enlarged the photo and actually looked at it, you would have noticed the moon was partially hiding behind a limb. The moon being there surprised me, as last evening when I had ventured out in the back 40 I noticed something that I thought was very odd looking in the sky. I thought at first the odd item was the moon, but it looked like a couples stars close together forming a slightly curved line.

            I assumed that my eyes were blurred, then I thought that I was seeing this correctly. I even requested my present spouse to come out and look at it. We both saw it but was not sure what we were seeing. Sorry, I did not have the cell phone with me so no photo. Imagination, space station or alien, whatever it was, we saw it.

            The kids are back in school today so I took the Gabi to school this morning. If it warms up enough today, I plan to remove a bunch of acorns that are around a bench there in the front flower bed. If that works I may even try to remove other acorns that are around the flowers. It will be a lot of work for a senior retired person on a fixed income, but it needs to be done.

Clouds and the street the same color orange!

Senior sky watcher; Don Ford

No school today 01/20/2020

            It is Monday and there is no school for our grand kids today. What the heck will I do? Now we know Tres will be very upset if he doesn’t get to go for a ride in the Ford’s ole Chevy, maybe I can go to the star coffee place to get a cup and Tres could go with me.

            I still need most of my Tax crap, (aka 1099s) before I can start my tax reporting. I believe I got a couple dollars back last year, but I would need to look at the tax returns to be sure. Mi esposa penso que obtuvimos nada el ano pasado. Was that Spanish or just something I made up? My wife thought we did not get anything back last year.

            I had seen on line where the Best Store (no gratuity for me, no advertisement for them) had the tax software I use for 29.99, and they would give me a 10.00 gift card. I decided to do that and when I went back to the web site the next day, the offer had been withdrawn. How hurtful that was to a senior retired person, on a fixed income.

            I now find that Wally world has it digitally for 19.99. The so-called Best store missed out as I will get it from Wally, in his world.

 

            My spouse of more than 50 years allowed me to get a new Bible. She knew which store to go to, and as I looked for something I would like, she found it for me. It is the New American Standard Bible, in large print. I still have the ole bible and it has 4 versions in it, but the print is very small. I had to pay for the new bible myself, my present spouse would not buy it for me! You have no idea how hurtful that was!

 

            Well I will stop for now and see if I can find something to do, it is too cold outside so I must stay inside the Homestead today. Ole people should not be forced out in the cold.

 

Tres is laying behind the chair I am sitting on, and he fully expects that we will go for a ride. He just woke up and is insisting that we go for a ride.

 

May your day be entertaining and safe!

 

Senior retired dog chauffeur and usually nice guy, Don Ford

Days are getting longer 01/17/2020

            If you read the title line, you might believe this soon to be well written article is about the fact that spring and summer are coming. Well, spring and summer are coming, and one day in the future it will be warm to hot again, but this article is not about seasons. Season, what does the word even mean. How does one know if someone is talking about a time of the year or a spice use in food?    “Wow, this is a great season!”         Weather or spice, who knows?

            Ok that isn’t the smartest thing you ever read, it is from a senior person who just got up and hasn’t had a second cup of coffee, yet! Get off my case!

            Our son David has the day off, so we do not need to transport either of the grand kids. What the heck will we have to do? It is raining so we can’t go outside, you would not want me to melt would you. Sugar will melt when it gets wet, so I must stay inside. Tres is upset as he expects us to take the Gabi to school. I had thought about going to the Best store to purchase tax software, but that would require an effort on my part and I don’t have a lot of effort. If I do decide to go to the Best store I could get a cup of coffee from the Star place.

            Let me change the subject a little. I had heard that two million people evacuated a city in the past, and they reportedly walked in the desert for forty years. 2,000,000 people, walking as a group for 40 years, caught my attention. I have been reading a book that has that story in it, this book has four versions so I can compare each version, but the print is small. I am considering purchasing a book with larger print, making it easier for a senior person to read. If I am able to read the entire story, I will be happy to provide valuable information about, “The Exodus.”

            Different topic. As I sat inside yesterday, after the workers finished the cabinet doors, I noticed the Tres had become comfortable. I have a photo, click to enhance.

                                                           

May you be as comfortable as Tres!

Senior, sweeter than sugar, retired person, Don Ford

Tres made it through 01/16/2020

            If you had read the previous article, written by yours truly (yours truly means me) you would have known that Tres had an appointment at the vets to have some blood drawn. Tres itches a lot and it is believed he is allergic to something. If we can find the allergic reason, then maybe we can keep him away from it.

            Here is how it went down. We went into a small exam room and Tres was ok checking everything out. As soon as the nurse and technician walked in, Tres went under the bench I was sitting on. He remembers that they usually stick him with a needle every time they enter the room.

            We were able to get him out from under the bench and they backed him into a corner where the technician and I held him so the nurse could get blood. She inserted the needle into his neck and missed the blood vain. She moved the needle and tried again but missed again. She removed the needle and inserted again this time she got blood.

            Needless to say Tres was not happy with them but he did not attempt to bite anyone. Tres and I left the exam room and he took me to the front door. We exited the building and he did not want to go smell where the other dogs had been, and he did not want to urinate on anything. He took me to the door of the truck and jumped in. Tres wanted to go home and get away from these people. I don’t blame him.

            Don’t even ask how much this cost, heck I may need to help my wife pick up aluminum cans for the next three months just to get close to being back to normal finances. Donations of $100 or more will be accepted at the Fords Homestead, please mark these donations as, “Tres blood test”.              Photo of the Tres to follow.

                                   

The photo may have been taken just after I told him he had to go to the vet. Now that you have seen this poor puppies face, don’t you feel the need to donate to his vet bill?

Change the topic.

            I brought all the containers from the shed to the garage yesterday.

            Donna packed all the Christmas decoration items in the boxes and totes.

            I took them all back to the shed and stacked the items.

The shed appears to be fuller than in the past and we actually tossed a couple items out. It took about five hours total with a couple short breaks.

No rest for the wicked, I mean senior people!

Senior Christmas decoration stocker, Don Ford

What the heck 01/15/2020

            Have you noticed my title lines often ask a question, but they aren’t very interesting? In today’s post we have a photo of a questionable item as you can see below.

                                              

            This photo was taken via one of our security cameras, thus it is not totally clear. I believe it to be a photo of a shadow from a giant monster’s hand, reaching across the street. Someone might believe it is the shadow of a monster with several legs.    What do you think it is?                                      

Subject change: Last summer I purchased a fan for the Ford’s ole garage. It is a three speed fan on a pedestal and it is heavy which makes it difficult to move. It was decided at the Ford Homestead’s recent board of directors meeting, my spouse of half a century is the CEO, that we could afford to purchase some casters to attach to the bottom making the fan easier to move. That was done on Tuesday and it is easier to move. The question now is, “Will it stay still when it is running now that it has wheels”? I guess I could turn the fan on and see if it moves while running. These casters do have so-called breaks.

            I just tried the breaks and it will stay still with only two breaks on. I tried to move it with one of the breaks still on, and I could verily drag it, the breaks work! Photo to follow.

                                               

            Before you start commenting, if you want the base of the fan to be clean then you can get a cloth and wipe the dust off. Also, it isn’t any of your business as to why there is Christmas decorations in the photo, but I will explain. We have all the decorations down and ready to be re-boxed. I will need to bring all the boxes and totes to the garage, pack the items, then I get to take them back to the shed. We need a dry day as most of the items in the shed must sit outside during the repacking of items. It will take about 5 hours to accomplish this task. It isn’t easy to be a senior person on a fixed income!

            I am taking the Tres to the vet today, and they are supposed to draw blood. I don’t think that is going to be easy and I don’t think Tres will want to sit still for the process. He doesn’t like the vet so I am not sure how this will come out. The vet said he will need to be muzzled for the process. 

May I and or you have a safe and productive day!

Senior over worked person; Don Ford

Habitual actions 01/14/2020

            As the reading public knows, I have commented about habits in the past. I do wish there was a way for me to know if I have commented on a particular topic in the past, then I would not cover the subject a second time. Anyway, if you don’t want to read this then go do something else.

            Habits are very important in our lives, without habits we would need to actually think about what we are doing all the time. Just consider one thing that you do habitually, such as where do you keep your socks. When you need a clean pair of socks, you without thinking, get a pair of socks out of the drawer. Much of what we do each day is habitual.

            Now that we have gotten to the subject of socks, I can proceed with my comments. This morning as I was attempting to get dressed, it just so happened that I was attempting to put my socks on, and I had not yet put my pants on. Do you have the image in your mind, a senior person, sitting on the side of a bed, with no pants, and a pair of socks in his hand?

            I have the habit of crossing my leg to put my sock on. I have now understood that crossing my leg to put a sock on is not the only habit I have, when it comes to socks. Allow me to explain. 

            I acquired the first sock, adjusted the sock with the heel of the sock in the right place, and as I began to cross my leg I reached for my pant leg, but I did not have my pants on. I then realized that I have a habit of grabbing my pant leg in an effort to help get my leg crossed. It is a habit that I did not know I had, until this morning.

            Yes I can still cross my legs without pulling on the pant leg, but over the years it has just became a habit. It is kind of interesting when you begin to think about all the habits you have.

            In my opinion, most things we do are habitual in nature and we do not need to think about everything we do. If you drive, think about what all you do when driving that you do not actually think about. You take the same route to work, you stop at a stop sign without thinking, and do many other driving things as you drive, while you are thinking about other things.

Habits, where would we be without habits.  

 

Smile and you win

            There are several parts to this title line, “Smile and you win”, and I will try to comment on one or two parts. There are many things that make us unhappy, and as soon as we become unhappy we usually have a frown on our face. I know for a fact that smiling, even if you are doing it when you are unhappy, will help you feel a little better, and a smile on our face not only makes us happier, it helps others feel better.

            Consider for a moment; do you want to be around people who are happy, AKA smiling, as opposed to those unhappy people with a frown? A big part of my point about smiling is, you need to know how it affects you and others.

            Challenge: for a week, pay attention to your attitude. Determine how often you are smiling and how often you are frowning. If you are around others when you are smiling or frowning, look at those around you. What mood are they in? Did they help you to get into the smile or frown mood you are in? 

For those who are willing to experiment, you will learn something.

            A different view of a smile; if someone is upset with you and telling you what they think, maybe even hollering at you, your best response is a smile and not responding to any ugly comments. Allow them to unload everything they want to say, as you stay quiet and smile. At some point they will likely stop and look at you. When they can’t get you involved in the hollering, and they see you are not upset, they will stop talking. You may then quietly respond with a short comment or short question. Allow them to respond, as you continue to smile. 

For those who are willing to experiment, you will learn something.

 

         Stressed out: if you find yourself all stressed out about anything, take a few minutes to do a short meditation.

            First find a place to sit where it is quiet, if possible.

            Attempt to relax your back, neck and body as much as possible.

            In this short meditation take a deep breath and slowly release the breath through your mouth, do this three times.

            During this deep breath have a smile on your face even if you must force it there.

            Tell yourself that you are relaxing and you will deal with whatever put you into this mood. Smile and stay as positive as possible as you relax.

            Again take three slow deep breaths and slowly release the breath through your mouth.

            A five minute meditation with a five minute smile will help provide you with a positive feeling.  This will not solve all your problems, but it will help you more adequately address the situation.

For those who are willing to experiment, you will learn something.

 

May your day be filled with positive smiles!

 

Senior smile-ologists and all round believer, Don Ford