October 24, 2023

            As I sit here at the Ford’s ole computer, it came to me, I don’t have anything to talk about today. Yesterday, Tres and I walked, nothing unusual happened. I did leave the Ford’s homestead to go to the cleaners, where they clean clothes, and they also try to clean ole people of their money.

            It was sprinkling some rain drops when I left to go to the cleaners, the sprinkles stopped about the time I was leaving Hewitt city limit. The sprinkles started again about the time I was returning to the Hewitt city limit sign. Were the little rain sprinkles just for us in Hewitt? It did rain more in the afternoon, just about the time I was getting ready to go to the bible study. All in all, we did get less than ½ inch rain in the free rain gage yesterday, let’s see what we get today.

            I did go to Bible study early yesterday; they were having a meeting as to how to study better. They presented a method that the leaders of the groups use as they prepare for the weekly lessons. To me it is a more intense way of understanding what you are reading. I will work with it some, but probably not as much as they do.

            Today we are supposed to have more rain, and if it isn’t raining, I plan to walk the dog, and I will also get the kids from school this afternoon. Now you see, I have nothing to write about.

            My favorite wife is in the kitchen right now putting together the needed items for the tamale manufacturing. Tamales are not easy, first she purchases all the needed items, then she cooks the meat, then I get the heavy mixer and a big pan for her, then she mixes the masa. She gets the corn shucks wet; she puts all these items on the table, and she sits there for hours putting the tamales together. After the tamales are made, she puts them in a pan and steams them. When they are cool, she puts them in bags of a dozen, and places them in the freezer. We usually end up with 20 plus dozen, that is too much work for one person.

            My favorite wife learned to make the tamales from some friends, I think there were four of them and they worked as a team making tamales.

            I guess I could get a cup of homemade coffee and take a short break before I walk the dog. We hope you have a good day, be happy and try to be safe, don’t take too many naps!

Tamale eater

Senior ole person who has nothing to write about or to do today, Don the Ford

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

October 23, 2023

            Good Monday morning to one and all, that includes you too. I am starting the day with no big plans and my favorite wife will be working all day, again. Yesterday she worked on cleaning the house and getting ready to make the tamales. She did go to the grocery store yesterday, (do they still refer to stores as grocery stores, maybe it is just us ole people who do) to purchase needed supplies for the tamales such as, corn shucks, masa, meat, spices and I don’t know what else she bought. I do know there was meat cooking in the Ford’s ole kitchen all night and she is starting another round again this morning. I think she has decided to build the tamales this week.

            Now did the Don do anything yesterday, yes, he did. He moved the ole van out of the garage, he sat up a couple tables, and he worked for about 5 hours on the angel. Now we all know the Don did take a few breaks during the day. The Don would remove a short piece of the ole rope light from the angel, then place the new rope light in the place of the old. You might think that is odd, but the rope lights do not take one easy path, nope, they cross each other, some go over and some go under, some go side by side for a while.

            If I would have removed one entire rope light and then tried to replace it with a new rope light, I would still be out there working. It took me about one hour for each rope light to remove and replace. First, I cut the old wire ties off, then remove that portion of rope light, replace that portion of rope light, attach the wire ties, tighten the wire ties, cut the ends of the wire ties off, then start on the next section.

            I was using my ole senior hands with two different tools, a plier and wire cutter, to a point that my hand actually cramped up. That is when I took a break.

            When the work was finished and after I had swept up all the ole wire ties that had been cut off, and the ends of the new wire ties that had also been cut off, and the tools and tables put away, I then proceeded to move the large angel to its place by the tree. I was able to get it chained back to the tree and the power connected.

I have two photos, before and after. 

 

            After all the work we both needed a rest, so we proceeded to the swing set by the driveway where we rested. We did have friends to come over and converse with us for a while. That was a nice end to the work filled day.

            I know my present wife has a bunch of work planned for the day, I do need to go to the cleaners and pick up my cleaning, and I guess I will go for a walk with the Tres. We hope you have a good and rest filled day, also try to be safe in all you do.

He’s and angel!

Or did he, the senior ole person just re-light an angel, Don the Ford 

 

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

October 22, 2023

            Happy Sunday morning, even though the sun is not up yet. What do we have planned for the day? At this time, we plan to start the angel relighting. I was able to get it down, that is away from the tree and flower bed, and into the garage yesterday. Basically, it was chained to the tree, so I had to disconnect the chain, which wasn’t easy, then I had to pick it up out of the flower bed. This angel weighs at least 50 pounds, it is taller them me and it is close to 4 foot wide, so it is not easy for an ole senior person to handle.

            Today the van will be displaced from the garage and will stay out until I get the lighting complete. The van sitting outside will make it difficult for us to see people as they drive or walk by, during our relaxing period outside, in the afternoon. I guess things can’t be perfect for ole people.

            My favorite wife and I did venture forth from the Ford Homestead yesterday, I wanted to get an item from the Harbor store, where I saved 30% off a six-dollar item, we had lunch at the deli, it was not very good, and we stopped at the store that has items up to 70% off. We purchased a couple items there and then headed for home.

            Before anyone asks, we did wash the dog yesterday, he smells better today. While we were outside with the dog, we noticed something that we found interestingly odd. We saw what appeared to be flocks of buzzards flying over. They were mostly going in the same direction with the occasional circling from a couple. We wondered if they were really buzzards or some type of bird that looks like buzzard heading south for the winter. There are 17 birds in the photo, and there were plenty more flying by.

            I did see something that I found interesting; it is a cloud formation. Now when I saw this, I first thought could it be smoke, but if so, how many fires. I determined that it was clouds, and if any of you have an imagination, which I am sure at least one of you do have, you might see the outline of a giant’s legs. So, in the photo we might be seeing the bottom of a ghost like space alien, maybe a precursor to the coming Halloween, or just some interesting clouds. 

            I guess I will stop for now, we hope your day is fun and that everyone stays safe.

Ghost alien at Halloween?

Senior ole person who has an imagination, Don the Ford

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

October 21, 2023

            Well, it is Saturday again, wow time passes too fast. Let us see what I did yesterday. I did allow the Tres to take me for a morning walk, that all went well. My favorite wife and I went to the home store to get a Christmas tree. This is an outside tree which will be positioned in the front yard. Arriving back home I placed the tree in the corner of the garage and started my projects.

Now I had planned to strap the limbs down on the trailer, I had planned to check the air pressure in the tires of the trailer, I had planned to pull the trailer from the back 40 to the driveway, and then check the taillights on the trailer. 

            I did all that, and I was unable to fix the taillights on the trailer, so when I take the limbs to the dump today, I will not have trailer lights working. I usually try to be one of the first people there and then wait in line a while, this morning I plan to wait at home and go later hoping there will be no line. After removing the trailer from the back 40 I went to the so-called hot house to remove three 40-pound bags of so-called topsoil, which I dumped in the location where the trailer sits, this soil is not a very good dirt and it for sure isn’t topsoil. As I was in the hot house, I noticed the thermometer was broken, it seems as if it got too hot during the heat waves we had, and it broke, I guess the hot house gets hot, photo to follow.

            I had also planned to get the string trimmer and trim the areas in the back 40 yesterday, which I did. I had not planned on mowing the back 40 as a lot of it did not need to be mowed, but I did get the ole riding mower out and mowed the back 40. Allow me to point out that I was doing all this work in the afternoon, and I did need to go get the grandkids from school. Well, I started the mowing process then I remembered that I had not picked up the Poopa-Loopa from the back 40, so I stopped the mower and picked it up. As I was completing that task, I noticed that I had not rolled the hose up from the back 40, so I did that and then I could start the mowing.

            Mowing complete I needed a bath but there was no time, so I brushed off the grass clipping from my legs and feet washed my hands and face and got ready to go to school and pick up the grand kids.

            Returning from dropping the kids off, we should have washed the dog, but my wife was working on a project in the house, so I went outside and started my happy hour, alone. It took a while for my wife to come outside, and a friend came over and sat with us. Our conversations went from olden days, to politics, and as usual the bible and our thoughts about the bible.

            Towards the end of the outside happy time, it seems as if the mosquitoes were trying to have their happy time with us. I excused myself and went into the house, my first wife came in a few minutes later. We were both able to find some leftovers for our supper.

            Finally, I was able to drag my ole worn out body into the shower where I revitalized myself. If you don’t know the meaning of the word revitalized, look it up.

            My plan for today, after the Tres and I walk, after I take the limbs to the dump site, after I put the trailer back into the back 40, I plan to bring the angel in from the front yard and start replacing the rope lights. That will be a time-consuming task. 

            Well, I guess that will be it for now, we hope you have a nice day, and that your projects, if you have any, are all easy, and we want you to be safe.

House of heat!

Senior ole person who needs to get going it is almost sun rise, Don the Ford

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

October 20, 2023

            I wish I had something interesting to write about but I don’t. All the stuff I put on these postings are, just basically things I want to do, have done or should do. I know these are of no interests to you all, so just let me know if you want to stop receiving these emails, and I will take your name off the email list. I don’t want to be a bother to you.

 

            Yesterday not a lot happened, I did pull weeds from part of the back 40, yes, I was on my knees both in prayer and work. I did get some of them pulled but when one pulls these weeds, they should do it after a rain. It is very annoying when you attempt to pull said weed and you do not get the roots, you know it will be back soon.

            During the walking of the dog yesterday, I did again notice the faded blue rag laying against the curb, but in approximately the same location as it has been for a couple months now. The weather people are saying we have chances for rain almost every day next week, if we were to get a good rain the rag (aka litter) will likely be washed down the street.

            Tres and I did come close to an orange and white young cat yesterday. Now we have seen this young cat before, but this time he /she was laying against a bush not more than 5 feet away from the curb. I assume the cat thought laying still we would not see it, but Tres got happy and started jumping around, so the young cat ran across the yard and up a tree. We then saw two other cats in the same yard but further away, the big cat may have been mom, and there was a multi colored young cat next to her.

            I text my neighbor who has been gathering acorns for a friend and told him I had a container for the acorns, when did he want me to get them. He said let me put my shoes on, so I headed that way. I went to his side door and sat down on the bench. After a few seconds I got a notice that someone was at my front door, so I got up and look to see who was at my house. Yep, it was my friend, he had carried the two 5-gallon buckets of acorns up to my house. I then proceed to pull my ole red wagon back home to get the acorns. The acorns are now in the container waiting for the other friend to come and get them.

            My favorite wife and I did go to the George restaurant yesterday afternoon, the food was good, the service was also good. When we returned home, we sat outside and enjoyed the quiet neighborhood and nice weather for more than an hour.

            Today, I think I will be allowed to follow my first wife to a home store this morning, as she wants to get a new outside Christmas tree, and it is in a big box. After we get the tree, I will bring it home and she will do her Friday store hopping, I mean she will go shopping.

            Back home I need to tie down the limbs on the trailer, check the air in the tires replace a tail / break light on the trailer, pull the trailer up out of the back 40 to the drive way, that way it will be ready for tomorrow morning, going to dump the limbs.

            I will need to get the Alex and the Gabi from school today, I have learned that next week’s eight grade football game has been canceled, as many of the opposing team members failed some classes.

            I guess I will stop for now, Tres is in here and is wanting to go for our walk, he also needs to get a bath today, he stinks.

            We hope your day is interesting and safe, try to be nice to at least one ole person.

Uninteresting post

Senior person who need to get moving, Don the Ford

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

October 19, 2023

            It is Thursday again and as usual I have nothing to do today and nothing to write about.

We hope you have a good day and as usual, be safe.

Nothing day!

Senior ole retired person who might get a cup before we go for a walk, Don the Ford

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

 

The Don is thinking;

            Well, I have finished that short blog post, and now I don’t know what I want to do. It is too early to go for a dog walk, I have had my glass of milk and my breakfast sandwich, the news is all about the war in Israel. I have already gone out to the front yard with Tres, we still go out every morning even though we don’t get a news-paper any more. I noticed that Tres did defecate in the front yard, sorry, for that one person and we know who you are, defecate means the same as Poopa-Loopa.

            It isn’t as cool as it has been, I think the temp is about 61 degrees this morning. I wonder, could I do some work in the back yard today? I did pull weeds from the #1 and #3 berry beds yesterday, and my ole body isn’t as tired as I thought it might be. I could get the weed eater out and do some trimming, or I could get back down on my knees again and after praying I could pull some weeds from the back 40. I have always called these weeds wire weeds and they have a tendency to pop up all around, especially when the grass has been stressed with less than adequate rain fall. It would require a bunch of crawling as these weeds are not in just one small spot.

            I guess I should put the straps over the limbs on the Ford’s ole trailer, I do want to take it to the dump site this Saturday. My favorite wife wants me to move a big flower into the hot house, this move will require someone like my son Dave to help me. Even with help it is not an easy task.

            My friend down the street had a bunch of acorns collected and I need to go get them today. I can use the ole red wagon, or I have a big container that I think has wheels on it and I might use it.

            Today is Thursday, it is, “go out to supper night”, I guess I should stop by the bank to get the weekly stipend. Heck, I guess I do have some things to do today, glad I sat here and thought about things. 

 

October 18, 2023

            It is I, the Don here to greet you this morning, “Good morning”.

            Ok, now that we have the greeting over let us see what the Don has on his ole worn out mind. First off, I said it was 38 degrees here yesterday morning, but I had received incorrect information, it was 36 degrees here yesterday morning, it is 52 degrees this morning.

            This morning as usual I hopped out of bed and rushed into the Ford’s ole kitchen where I was able to put together a cup of homemade coffee and an oatmeal raisin cookie. I then sprinted back into the TV room and hopped onto the ole recliner. Properly positioned in the ole recliner I reached for the TV control. TV on, I turned it to the morning commercials, aka so-called-news channel.

Now I usually spend about 30 minutes on the Fords ole recliner with the TV on. I have a tendency to turn the sound off when the commercials are being shown and I have noticed that the commercials take about 20 minutes, and the so-called-news takes about 10 minutes.

Well, evidently my ole computer just upgraded, and I have lost part of what I had written. I guess it wasn’t interesting so I will not attempt to recreate that part of the posting. 

We did go to the 8^th grade football game yesterday and they won 13 to 0. It is now light enough to see outside so I could take the Tres for a walk in a little while. Our cat Molly has gone out and came in several times this morning, I guess the 56-degree temp has her unhappy.

I will need to water the potted plants today; they are being watered less now that the heat has gone away. It is supposed to be in the 90s this weekend. I should water the berry beds today also and if my ole body will allow, I might remove the weeds from the #1 and #3 beds today.

I do kind of have plans to do the relighting of the angel that is located in the front yard, the work will be done in the garage, possibly this Saturday. We use rope lights on the angel and more than half of them are out, photo to follow.

             This project takes 6 sets of rope lights and close to 300 plastic wire ties to secure the rope lights to the metal frame. I will find a starting place and remove one rope light, replace that rope light then the second and so on. You may think it is easy, but it is not. I was hoping to have Alex to come and help me, but he has a boy scout camp out this weekend. Most of the work can be done alone, some I will need help with, and my favorite wife can help me.

            Well, I need to bundle up and take the Tres for a walk. We hope you have a good day, stay safe and be positive!

Angel at the Fords

Senior ole person who needs to get going, Don the Ford

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

October 17, 2023

            It is me again, so let’s see what me did yesterday. Dave and I went out to breakfast yesterday after his dental visit, we did not tell my favorite wife, so please don’t tell her. They make some very good omelets, did I say they were really big, they were big.

            Back at the homestead I did not do a lot since my belly was full, heck I didn’t even take the Tres for a walk yesterday. If we go for a walk today it will be later in the morning, as it is colder today than it was yesterday morning. Speak of Tres, he stinks and needs a bath, but it is too cold so we will wait until Thursday, it is supposed to be in the 90s again, and a bath will be given.

            My favorite wife did do some replanting of some flowers and I watered them and then put them in the ole hot house. I did take a bag of top soil and spread it in some of the Jasmine beds, hopefully it will act kinda like fertilizer. I also set the sprinklers to a different run time for each of the areas, basically I reduced the amount of time each system will run now that the heat has left the area. If the heat comes back, I will increase the run times again.

            We did not sit outside yesterday afternoon as it was 70 degrees and the wind was blowing. I did go to bible study last night, and as usual it was interesting. Speaking of the bible, my favorite wife and I were at a store in Waco on Saturday afternoon and I noticed they had a bible which said extra-large print. I opened said bible and both my wife and I could read the print without our glasses. The print was big. I would like to have had the bible, but I have been marking things in my present bible and I don’t want to start over.

            A neighbor from down the street brought us a bag of pecans, and yes, they were out of the shells, so all we have to do is put them in a pie, or just eat them. Nice to get some pecans, the squirrels are eating ours before they get ripe. 

            Let’s see today is Tuesday: what would the Don suggest that we consider this morning? Possibly we should consider the word furnace. Now it is my understanding, here in Texas we don’t usually see any real cold temps until around Thanksgiving. So why did the word furnace come to mind today, well it could have been that I was laying in bed and I had the cover up around my neck.

            Now I have always been a hot person, heck even as a teenager many of the girls thought I was hot. My present wife must have thought I was hot, she married me! Anyway, the word furnace came to mind before I got out of bed this morning, I must have not been hot, I even stayed in bed about 30 minutes longer than usual due to the warm comfort of the blanket.

            Now that I am up and dressed, I have a second reason to consider the word furnace, it is 38 degrees here in Hewitt Texas this morning. That is only 6 degrees from a frost. Now it is supposed to be 90 this Friday so I don’t think the winter weather is here yet.

            What will the Don do today, I plan to look for our Midway sweat shirts, as there is a game this afternoon, it is a home game, and we would like to be warm during the game. The rest of the day I will leave open to possibilities, and a walking of the dog in a little while.

            Well, I guess you know that is all for now, be safe, have a good day, and be nice to all of us ole people.

Warm cool cold

Senior ole person who wants a cup of homemade coffee, Don the Ford

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