Light rain 04/24/2021

            We had some rain yesterday afternoon. This rain came in a short period of time. The shape of our Homestead and no gutters puts a lot of extra water into the Ford's back yard. Since we had the driveway put in, the water from the neighbor's yard also flows into our yard. We received over 2 inches of rain when I checked the gage, and it was still raining. Photo to follow.

                                   

            As you may be able to see, this photo was taken from a monitor in the Ford's security room. When I look at the monitors, they are very clear, but when I take a photo of the monitor, I get all those lines. The yard was very dry, the water is 90% gone this morning.

            I will not need to water the black berries for a few days. The rain will help the front yard grow, and probably allow me to mow it Sunday. 😐

            The boy scout troop that Alex is a member of, is having another car wash today, I guess we may take the Ford's ole van and get it washed. That could lead to having lunch somewhere.

            I need a cup of the coffee, CUL.         (For that one person, CUL = see you later)

 

Believe and all things are possible!

 

Senior retired person who you might believe is a nice guy, Don the Ford 

I must be old 04/23/2021

            The title line states, “I must be old”, and I am. Being old, I am sick and tired of the crap that is presented on the so-called news. In my opinion, the so-called news and other TV crap is not worth watching.  I now mute the TV, or turn the channel, when certain persons are on. I have joyfully turned the TV off when certain crap is on! You don’t know how good that makes me feel to turn them off! I do watch the old TV shows and reruns.

            As for me, show me something one time and do not repeat it again. If there is true additional news on a subject that has been presented, then show that additional info one time.

            If you check the so-called news in the morning, at noon, and in the afternoon, they will be saying the same thing. Those must be interesting jobs, reading the same stuff over and over.

            Trust me on this, it aint going to get better, unless we just stop watching.

 

            Allow me to unwind a little, I will modify my output and try to be nice.  Some of the reading public does not see the occasional thing I put on Facebook, so I will add a photo to this posting that has been displayed on the Facebook. Tres, Alex and Gabi in the Blue Bonnets.

                                       

                        Being Blue is not always bad!

 

Stop complaining, go do something!

 

Senior retired person who will complain any time he wants, Don the Ford 

Another cool morning 04/22/2021

            Just another Thursday, the temp is cooler than normal, but not too cool.

            My spouse of many years purchased some cinnamon rolls yesterday. Seeing the cinnamon rolls reminded me of Manske rolls. We use to get Manske rolls many years ago. The Manske roll was a big cinnamon roll, with a pad of real butter on the top. When you warmed the roll up, the butter would melt into the roll, "It was so good!" I think they still sell them but I don't know where.   It was just an ole memory, ole people have ole memories.

            I have a word that I doubt that any of you have used in a while, and I believe that one reader (we all know who you are) has no idea what this word means. The word came to me as I was reclining in my bed this morning.

            I find it interesting that my brain, actually works while I am reclining in the bed. Maybe when I stand up, the blood can't make it all the way up to my head, and without any blood, there are no thoughts.

            Anyway, the word is scold, or scolding. When was the last time you were scolded? Possibly a long time ago, although, I do get my share of scolding's daily, from the Homestead CEO. Yes, it can be very hurtful.    ☹       look it up if you don't know the meaning.

            I did get outside for a while yesterday afternoon. As a prolific reader of the Don's Blog, one should know that I had cut down some bushes a few weeks ago. What one might not know, there was still small stumps of 4- or 5-inches tall, protruding from the earth. I have tripped on these little hard to see stumps several times, so I decided to remove them. Sounds like an easy job and it would have been, if I had the Ford's ole ax. The Ford's ole ax has been loaned out, which means it was somewhere other than here.

            I have a small cross cut saw with an adjustable handle, so I dug some dirt away and use the saw. Tres would take each piece as I cut it and carry it away. That wasn't so bad as he was depositing them in the same place, so when finished I walked over to his depository and reclaimed the pieces of wood. 

            I also picked out the location of the Ford's soon to be, "#3", black berry garden. Plans at this time have it as, "16 feet long and 4 feet wide". I will need to move the kids ole swing, a two-person job, and the ground will need to be tilled up. I gave the tiller away, maybe I can borrow it back. The garden will have an 8-inch wall around it, so on top of the tilled-up ground I will need to put some potting soil and top soil. Donations should be in bags of top soil or potting soil, not money, as I don't what to have to go to the home store and get the dirt myself!

            If the green berries in #1 and #2 gardens, all turn black, and if the birds stay away, we will have a bumper crop again this year. We are supposed to get possibly an inch of rain tomorrow, if so, that will help the berries. Hail is also a possibility and that will not help the berries!

            We have some birds feeding in our back 40 and I got a photo. The squirrel must have taken the day off allowing the birds to dine.

                                               

            After all this work, I need a break. TTUL (Talk To You Later).

 

May you be blessed with much kindness!

 

Senior retired person who needs a short break, Don the Ford

He's a good boy 04/21/2021

            He is a good boy, were words that I do not remember ever hearing. I guess I was not the good boy, and as such, did not hear those words of praise.

            This morning I used those very words!

            We had ventured out of the house to see if the so-called newspaper had been delivered. By delivered I mean, was it laying on the Ford’s manicured Lawn, it wasn’t. I stood there as the Tres relieved himself on some of the flowers.

            I observed that the sky was clear this morning. We did get down to 37 this morning and that did break the record set 111 years ago. Standing there, my ole body shivering in the frosty air, I noticed a vehicle coming down the street, at a fairly high rate of speed. Yep, it was the fellow who delivers the newspaper. He saw us standing there in the yard, so he stopped. Tres went out to the vehicle. The fellow sitting in the vehicle, carefully handed Tres the newspaper. Tres took the paper and brought it into the house laying it in the CEO’s chair. 

            That is when I said, “He’s a good boy”. Tres gets the news paper each morning, but that was the first time when someone handed him the paper. Maybe if I had gone and got the paper for mom or dad, they would have said to me, “He’s a good boy”.

            Let us switch to flowers. We brought a bunch of our flowers in last evening, and when it warms today, we will need to take them out again. You are correct, there is no rest for the wicked, I mean ole people.

            I have a plan for another black berry garden, and I have an idea for a place to put it. I have enough scrap 4x4x8 posts to make a 16 foot long 3-foot-wide garden. I need to get approval from the CEO as to the location, and then I would need help moving the kids ole swing.

              If I get the approval, I would need to get some potting soil and top soil, which would cost money and being a retired senior on a fixed income, money is difficult to come by.

 

              Hopefully I will find something to do today, this sitting around doing nothing gets old.

 

May you have projects, and funding!

 

Senior sit around and do-nothing person, Don the Ford

           

It will be a record 04/20/2021

            As I understand it, and who knows if I understand it or not, the so-called news has been saying it will be a new record tomorrow. Now I do understand that the record of 1910 may be broken early tomorrow morning. The ole record of 43 degrees as a low, will likely be broken with temps around 37 degrees. They are saying we should be ready for some frost. 😐

            That means this ole retired senior person will be required to carry pots of flowers into the Ford's ole garage before nightfall. Never a minute for ole retired people to rest.

 

            Let's discuss the possibility of, "Bad Luck"!

            As I was attempting to meditate yesterday afternoon, with an adult beverage in my hand, I observed a BLACK CAT in the neighbor's flower bed. This BLACK CAT was helping the neighbor by fertilizing the flower bad.

            As the BLACK CAT completed his / her task of fertilizing, said BLACK CAT walked across the neighbor's drive way at the garage door.

            We all know that if a BLACK CAT crosses your path, it is bad luck! How will the neighbors get either of their vehicles out of their garage, without crossing the BLACK CAT'S path? Is there a way to erase the BLACK CAT'S path?

            If the BLACK CAT were to return, and recross the driveway in basically the same path, does that erase the bad luck or does it, double the bad luck?

            If one vehicle leaves the garage, does that erase the bad luck and the second vehicle is safe to leave?

            There are just too many unknown conditions connected to this bad luck situation!

 

May your cats be good luck!

Senior retired person who doesn't have a BLACK CAT, Don the Ford

Spring has sprung 04/19/2021

                                                Spring has sprung,

                                                eggs have fell,

                                                summer is not here,

                                                and it aint hotter than, well.

            I do understand, that most of the reading public may enjoy a short original poem, as seen above. I know that you are the only one of our reading public who doesn’t like a poem, and being the only one who doesn’t like a poem, that makes you a minority.

              In today’s world, we are supposed to be aware of, and concerned for, that one minority reader. So, for that one reader who doesn’t like poems I say, “Sorry”!

              I am not sorry that I posted the poem, I am sorry that you do not enjoy the finer things of life.

            What caused me to create that excellent poem, see the photo below.

 

                                              

            I was in the process of picking up sticks, no, not the ole time game of Pickup Sticks, I was picking up sticks from the front yard, when I found an open egg. Now that should indicate to some of the reading public that at least one baby bird has hatched here at the Ford Homestead. Seeing the open egg, cause yours truly, to compose the above well written poem.

            Let’s convert our thoughts from the front yard to the back 40. Possibly, I should just insert a photo, and allow it to open the conversation.

 

                                              

            I am aware that some of you may need to put your glasses on, in order to fully appreciate the professional quality photo. Yesterday morning, I walked through the back 40 with the intent to fully evaluate the need for trimming of a few rose bushes, trimming the weeds, and mowing the entire back 40. I was pleasantly surprised when I observed the green, soon to be black berries. I felt the need to get a photo of the first berry of this year. After taking the photo I was quickly made aware of green berries throughout both blackberry gardens. If the birds leave them alone, and the weather cooperates, we may have an overwhelming black berry season.

            The above was written on Sunday.                The below was written on today.

            As I sit here attempting to relate the events of yesterday afternoon, my ole body remembers much hard work. My wonderful spouse of more than a few years, took care of the inside, as I ventured outside. The CEO cooked a very nice noon repast for us, and she was also able to do the laundry. Thank goodness I have two pairs of pants; I can wear one pair and she can wash the other pair. 

            I was able to manicure the front yard, and I have a photo. Yes, we have an angel.

 

                                              

            I also was able to mow and trim the back 40. After all the grueling work, I was able to drag my ole body into the homestead for a short rest period.

            After the rest period, I popped out of the ole recliner and alerted my spouse that it was time for a team effort. Together we attacked the rose bushes in the back 40. We were able to get most of the dead out of the bushes. I guess one would say the bushes look a little less full, but possibly a little healthier.

            As you can see, ole senior people have nothing to do but sit around and drink coffee. That reminds me, I need a cup of coffee, got to go!

Don’t get ole, there is nothing to do!

Senior retired ole person and author of this exciting blog, Don the Ford   

A light to the world 04/18/2021

 

            The following photo was taken from the Ford’s front yard.

                                   

            Was the light showing from the hole in the cloud onto our neighbor’s home? Could the light be coming from the neighbors home going into heaven. What do you think?

            What, you want to know if the tree that has no leaves needs to be cut down. That is what you see in this exciting photo! I don’t know why I even try!

 

      I give up.

Senior person who tries to educate the reading public, and fails, Don the Ford

What a day 04/17/2021

            Yep, it has been a day and it aint over yet. Yes I know I used aint and I don't care.

            Before we get to todays adventure, allow me to speak about yesterday. Yesterday I called the city of Hewitt public works department to ask if they were having the limb haul off on Saturday, as it had been raining. The voice mail said, "I am either away from my desk, on the phone, or in a meeting, leave your name and number and I will call you as soon as possible."

            It had been more than an hour and I had not receiving a call. I called again and got the same message, from the same person.

            I then called City Hall and I was told they have nothing to do with the brush haul off, call the public works. I explained that I had called there two times, and they have not answered. I said Thank you and started to hang up, when the voice said, let me give you another number to call.

            I called that number and I got the same message from the same person. 4 calls and no information. They should be glad they work for the local government, if they worked for a real business, well they would not be working.  

            Saturday started with me hooking up the Ford's ole trailer to the Ford's ole Chevy and heading out to the dumpsite. They start taking the limbs and other items at 8:00am, so going at 7:30 might get me in a good spot in line. When I arrived, I was at the end of the line. I took the time to count and there were 40 vehicles ahead of me, and more getting in line behind me.

            The line moved fairly fast as most of the vehicles were pickups and did not have a lot of limbs.

            They unloaded me and I went to my son David's home where we loaded the trailer and the pickup with bags of leaves. Just a guess but I would say 30 bags of leaves. Dave went with me to unload the bags, and we had to unload them not the city employees.

            I returned home unhooked the trailer and my first wife and I headed out to get the truck washed. The boy scout troop that our grandson Alex is in, was having a car wash. It was cold (in the 50s) and the wind was blowing. The scouts did a good job of washing the vehicle. We noticed that none of them, adults or kids, had a mask on.

            My spouse and I decided to go to the Mexican restaurant for lunch. We had not been there for probably a year. The food was ok, but not as good as it use to be.

            Back at the homestead I was sitting at my desk when I heard Tres barking so I looked at the monitor and I saw the neighbor boy and his little sister moving away from the fence kind of quick. I sat there wondering what had happened and then the little girl came back to the fence and threw something over the fence.

            I went outside to see if I could determine what had been thrown, I could not.

            Returning to the ole desk, I looked at the video of what had happened. Yes, I have a recording of everything that happens on all the cameras. I was able to see that the boy held something up to the fence and Tres seemed to be smelling of it then suddenly the boy appeared to poke Tres, and Tres went into and aggressive mode, as the kids ran away.

            I will speak to the grandpa (Steve) and explain what I have seen. I do have the video saved on the computer.

            Now I am entering all this data into the computer so you, the reading public, may have something to do other than look at TV. 

            The three stooges will be on in a little while, and even though I have seen them all before, it is better to watch them, than the so-called news. The three stooges are even better with an adult beverage!

 

Be nice to ole people, we deserve it!

            Well at least some of us do. 😊😐☹

 

Senior Blog master, or Blog user, and at one time, a nice guy, Don the Ford