Check your smart phone 08/10/2019

            There is a commercial on TV that in part said, “In olden days we did not regularly check our smart phones”. Now I assume that they were commenting to the effect that years ago we didn’t have the distraction we now have, with the cell phones.

            In the olden days, (70 years ago) many people didn’t even have a phone. Those people who had a phone were often on a party line. The party line means there were other people on the same line. When you wanted to use the phone you would first pick up the phone and listen to see if someone else was using the line. If someone was using it, you just had to wait until they were finished talking, and then you could use the phone.

            In the olden days, people may not have been regularly checking their smart phones, but they did regularly check to see if someone was using the party line, then they could listen in. It is called eavesdropping.

            So now you see, phones have always been a distraction, and also an attraction! 

Thursday afternoon:  

             Yesterday was Thursday and it only hit 99 degrees. The day was hot and dry, there was very little wind, and there were low level clouds. The clouds were blocking some of the sun but there were times I could still see a slight shadow following me around. The shadow was usually 2 to 3 steps behind me, I am quick for a senior retired person.

            It was about 2:00pm when I decided I was tired of doing nothing. I popped out of the Ford’s ole recliner and ran out to the back 40, where I procured some tools from the ole shed and headed for the old blackberry bushes. I had decided to pull some of the grass and weeds that seem to thrive there. It is odd that the St. Augustine grass grows so good everywhere you don’t want it to grow.

            I dropped all the tools and trash can by my floor mat, and I got down on my knees. The first thing a senior person who is going to be 72 years old next week should do, is pray that he will be able to get up after while! It only took a few minutes for me to change the plan. New plan is to remove the old bushes and to try and get the new bushes to grow up and not out. I finished this project at 4:45pm, which is 2 hours and 45 minutes of an old senior person’s labor!

            The bushes do look good, I am happy and tired.

Friday morning bright and early:

            This morning I decided to get outside early and attempt to remove the grass and weeds from the old black berries. I will not get distracted this morning. I secured the necessary tools, gloves are the most important tool, if they are a tool, and my floor mat. I started at 7:00am, the sun was not over the house yet, it only took me about 1 hour and 15 minutes to remove the weeds. I then watered the old and the new black berry beds.

            Hot and sweaty, I drug my ole senior body back to the Homestead, and made myself my first cup of real coffee of the day. There was half a breakfast sandwich, (my spouse of over 5 decades had eaten the first half) sausage and jalapeno with a little cheese, in the fridge, I warmed it up and had it with my real coffee.

            Refreshed, I drug my ole body to the bed room and prepared for a shower. Sweat and dirt removed from my body, I actually felt like a live person again.

            I do feel blessed that I can still do most work around the homestead!

Friday afternoon hot and dry:

            It was hot and dry outside, it was not so dry inside. Shall I explain? I thought I had been hearing a slight noise from the air conditioner. I being mechanically inclined, opened the door to the unit and attempted to remove the air filter. Instead of the filter being flat and properly installed, it was bent and slightly wet on one corner. I removed it and installed a new filter. All seemed ok until I rechecked the filter. The new filter was totally wet and no longer flat. I had trouble getting the filter out. I then removed the inlet air vent and there was water on the floor and dripping from the unit.

            I now know I have problems. This unit has a sump pump. Yep, the water from the unit goes down a pipe like all air conditioners but, the unit is lower than the drain pipe, so the water goes into a sump and then gets pumped up and out. The sump pump was supposed to have a safety switch which would shut the unit off, if it were to become full.    It didn’t!  

            I called the people who installed the unit last year, and explained the problem. I was surprised that I could get a repair person on a Friday afternoon during a heat wave. He came to the house and replaced the sump pump. He also replaced some of the pipes that went from the unit to the pump. He also said he would return next week and install a second safety switch.

                        Bad situation turned into Good situation!

                        I was irritated and upset, I am happy and satisfied!

            The positive points to this negative situation are; not a lot of water got on the new floor, the air conditioner works, an additional safety switch will be installed and the work was no charge.

           

            The best part of the day, my spouse of 5 decades and I sat on the Ford’s ole swing just before sun set and enjoyed the evening!

Senior happy person; Don Ford

Virus-free. www.avg.com

Friday August 8, 2019

            I have noted that our two KATs have an odd habit. When I walk to the door each morning there is usually one of the KATs wanting to go outside. As I stand there the KAT is in front of me, I then open the door and the KAT looks out making sure there is nothing that will hurt him / her. After a look for their enemies, the KAT will walk around behind me and then go outside. Why do they feel the need to walk behind me? 

              As I was out back working on the blackberries Thursday afternoon, removing the old stuff from this year, tying up the new stuff for next year, I heard a bunch of Birds making an excessive amount of noise. I thought there's something wrong in the ditch so I got up off the ground and went to the ditch. There must have been 25 or 30 Blue Jays screaming and flying around a tree. I now assumed there was a baby bird on the ground in distress. Then I saw the problem, it was a yellow Tom KAT that lives a couple houses away. He took off running when he saw me and the birds chased him up the creek. My good deed for the day!

            Different subject; what we say and how we say it, will influence the people who hear your words.

            For many years, and I still do it but not as often, I have used the word, “hate”, any time I didn’t like something. As a child I did not use words like dislike, instead I would say I hated whatever the subject was that I didn’t like.

            There was a time when I was in a vehicle with a couple work associates, the conversation was about work, as we had just left a work setting. I can’t remember the subject but I noted that, “I hated the idea”. One of the associates asked why I hated it. I tried to explain that I didn’t really hate it, I just did not like the idea. He ask why I said I hate something, if I didn’t hate it. 

            It was many years ago when it was brought to my attention, I try to use the word less, but I still back slide and say I hate something, when I really don’t hate it.

            Another problem I have, and we all should consider is, responding to a comment or question to quick. If we take a few seconds to think about a question or comment before answering, we will likely provide a better and more caring (professional) response.

            When someone is in your face, basically talking in a raised voice, or literally screaming at you, a natural response is to, react in kind. “Do not scream or holler back, do not react in kind”. You must stay calm, and not respond as if you have an opponent, when you stay calm, you should be able to control the discussion.

            What we say and how we react, will affect others. Be positive, calm and considerate! That puts you in control.

Senior management / life consultant, and KAT watcher;     Don Ford

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He was lost 08/07/2019

               I have only two photos for today’s posting, hopefully they will be self-explanatory.

  

                                                         

               I knew there would be one of you who would not understand the photos. First click on the photo to enlarge. Second, look close to the left side of the tree at ground level. That is a baby blue jay who seemed to have fell out of a nest, but I could not see a nest. He / she eventually hopped out of our yard and into the neighbor’s yard. I decided to catch him / her and put her / him into the neighbor tree, in an attempt to keep the cats away from him / her.

                                                             

               The above photo is of a flower bed around a tree. Now if you had ever done yard work in a yard with trees, you would know there are roots that grow from the bottom of the trees. You rich people have someone else do the work, so you will not understand much of this posting. If you have flower beds made from blocks around the tree, you would know that the roots have a tendency to move the blocks. Roots had moved our blocks, the blocks were uneven, and the angel was leaning. 

               I was forced, I mean it was requested that I take action to correct the situation. I brought a bag of dirt from the hot house, some tools to dig in the dirt, a mat to sit on, a large glass of water and an electric fan. The fan was positioned to provide air flow to the senior person’s ole body. By the way, I did the work after lunch when the temp was much hotter, but the area was shaded. I try to not work in the noon day sun, or any other sun!

               I did not chop the tree roots out of the ground, I did add some dirt to help level the playing field (aka flower bed). I removed all the blocks from the white flag (its small you may have to look closely) to the blocks the flower pot is sitting on. The work is a success, and the angel should not fall over.

               I did get a couple odd looks from neighbors, but if they had thought of having a fan in the yard when they were working, if they ever work in their yards, it would not have been funny to them. 

Proper planning makes the work more productive!

Senior Fellow at The Ford Institute for Labor Scheduling: Don Ford

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Bug out 08/06/2019

            What the heck does Bug Out mean? One might say it means, “To get away from”, while others might think it means, “The bug is outside”. Either definition is ok, if that is your non-observant attitude. I came up with the title line the other afternoon as I was sipping an adult beverage while sitting on the Ford’s ole rocker.   

          I was looking at the sky, there was an ominous looking dark cloud overhead, and it was starting to sprinkle a little rain, but the sun was still shining. The temperature had cooled down about 12 degrees.  I looked up and there was a bird chasing a bug. Now it is not unusual to see a bird chase and eat flying bugs. This bird was chasing a really big bug, and it was flying around in circles, up and down, and the bug out maneuvered the darn bird. The bug out flew the bird, I saw the bug fly away in the cool breeze. Even though that wasn’t interesting to you, it was to me.

                    BUG OUT, to get away from the BIRD!

          Let’s bug out from that subject and talk about the heat. It is August in Texas, I don’t need to say anything more, but knowing that some of you may have never been in the Lone Star state in August, I will expand this comment.

          The so called weather people basically say the same thing this time of year and I will quote all of them, “It will be hot with temps above 100 and the humidity is also high”! Heck, I could be a weather person this time of year and be as accurate as their computer programs.

               Different subject; as I walked out to get the paper this morning, one of the doves that use the Ford’s ole Red Oak trees as a nesting location, dropped a feather. I found it interesting that this feather came down slowly, point of the feather pointing down, and the feather was twirling which slowed its descent, kind of like a parachute. Tres was more interested in smelling everything, he didn’t see the feather.

            I need to go to town and get a tarp this morning.

 

T T U L dudes and dudets!

 

Senior all-knowing all-showing person; Don Ford

 

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What did I do August 5, 2019

               Friday: Too hot to do much. I went to the Home store and purchased a piece of plywood. I stopped at the Star coffee place and got a cup of coffee on the way home. I used the ply wood to make a portable work bench by placing it on a cart that I have.

               The plywood top is removable so I can use the cart as a cart or as a portable work bench.  All too often I have a small project where I need a work bench, so I go to the ole shed and bring a folding table to the house, and use it as a work bench. 

               As I worked on the top, attaching four pieces of wood to the bottom side of the plywood, I had the Ford’s new fan running on low. I have found that the fan moves air all around in the garage, and one can feel air flow even when they are not in front of the fan. It moves so much air on low, I can’t imagine a need to run it on medium or high.

            Oh, I just realized, I had not explained that on Thursday afternoon, I called another Freight store and they had 6 of the fans. I drove 30 miles one way to get the fan. There is work being done on I-35 in Temple Texas, and my exit was blocked, so I drove a few more miles before I could turn around and head back. I had my GPS and it is a good thing as I would not have found the store after missing my turn off. Fan purchased, fan put together, it works like a champ, although I have never known a champ, and don’t really know how they work.   

            It is dryer than popcorn down here and we are watering our yards, at least most of us are. Although I did not want to, I did mow the Fords yards, (front and back) Friday afternoon.  They did need to be mowed but I didn’t want too. All the neighbors had mowed their yards which basically forced me to do the same. They do look a lot nicer now! I am considering changing the watering schedule from 2 to 3 times a week.  

            Saturday: I did nothing.

            Sunday: After lunch and a good nap I went into the Ford’s ole garage and painted the new plywood bench top. Two coats of white paint on either side, then I decided to take a needed break. I secured a cold drink and sit down on the ole rocker. Suddenly and with little notice, a breeze kicked up, there was cool air blowing and a dark cloud overhead. Something started to fall from the sky. As I looked at the drive way there were spots appearing on the cement. What could this be? As the falling moister increased, I sat there enjoying the free shower. A neighbor drove by and waved, I wonder what he thought about the ole retired person sitting in the rain. He didn’t stop to help me get out of the ole rocker and then into the dry garage. I did get a photo as proof of the water event!

                                              

            Allow me to provide a few more photos of the hard work accomplished by a retired senior person. Click and ye shall believe!

                                                                      

First photo is of the Fords ole cart. Second photo shows the new plywood top. Third photo shows wheel chocks.

What else might come from a senior’s brain!

Senior inventor and presenter; Don Ford 

Virus-free. www.avg.com

Thursday August 1, 2019

            Wow, this is my first posting!    It is the first in the month of August!

 

            My spouse and I worked in the garage yesterday afternoon, we had the one little fan and if it wasn’t pointed at you, there would be no air to cool you. We had a discussion as to the possibility that we might be able to afford a large fan for the garage. I would need to help my present spouse pick up those aluminum cans from the highways and bi-ways, if we were to purchase a new fan. L

 

            This morning (Thursday) I reviewed the freight company sale items and they have a 30 inch fan that we might be able to afford. I got in the ford’s ole Chevy and headed to the freight store. Sadly I must report they had none. The lady said we had a stack of them over there but they are all gone. That had on one display, but not to sale. I was told that the truck would be there tomorrow, I was not told that there would be one on the truck.

 

            Yesterday afternoon as I sat on the fords ole rocker, I observed a white vehicle pull into the neighbors drive way. A female subject dismounted the vehicle, and the male driver began to back out of the drive. Said male driver, who I believe had his head up his butt, backed out of the drive into the street never seeing the vehicle that had to come to a complete stop to avoid hitting him. When he finally saw the other vehicle he waved and pulled forward allowing the vehicle to proceed.

 

            I believe, we all too often get use to driving certain places with very little or no traffic, and out of habit we do stupid things.

 

            Pecan Tree, not planted by us, has some pecans.

            This tree was planted by squirrels, possibly 15 years ago, it is probably 35 foot tall, my spouse has always said it was a pecan tree, and it does have leaves like a pecan tree. I have assumed it was some type of hybrid and would never produce pecans. This year it has pecans, but after careful inspection, the pecans are only on the side of the tree that gets lots of sun light. The shaded side of the tree has none. Photo of the first years pecans to follow.

                                   

            Probably another expense for us, we will likely need to have the tree that shades the pecan tree trimmed or removed. That cost money.

 

            Yesterday we were supposed to have a repair person come to the Ford’s homestead and repair the lower ice maker in the fridge. They did not come and they did not call. I called the warrantee people again and they said they only have this one repair service in our area. I told them of our preferred service that they have used in the past, but they don’t use them now. We are supposed to get a call from the repair people sometime today.

 

May your day be as expected, and all schedules met!

 

Senior disappointed and disillusioned person; Don Ford  

Virus-free. www.avg.com

Wednesday July 30th 2019

            Although I am writing this on Tuesday, I do plan to post it on Wednesday, and that is why the title line is Wednesday, even though it is about Tuesday.

            Tuesday my spouse of 5 decades and I went to the tax office, we needed to update a title. On the way to or from the Tax office I thought of a word, “Revert”. As that work flopped around in my empty head, it came to me that I should consider writing about words. If you finish reading this posting that may mean your head is as empty as mine!

            Before I get too involved in writing about words I would like to tell you of something that happened this afternoon. I was sitting on the Ford’s ole rocker near the garage door when a very small brown colored lizard came out of the grass and onto the drive. This little lizard appeared to be almost transparent. Tres saw him and was going to investigate but I stopped him. The lizard was about two feet away from my feet and laying very still. From out of the sky came a sparrow landing about one foot away from the lizard. I waved my arm at the bird and he /she left. The little lizard then ran under my chair and into the flower bed. My good deed for the day!

            Back to my thoughts about words. The word revert got me to thinking, what does vert mean. You put a “Re” in front of vert and you get a verb meaning, to return to… So what does vert mean, does it have a meaning? Vert: green forest vegetation especially when forming cover or providing food for deer. Who knew!

            My empty head started flopping the word around again and I came up with the following.

Avert, to stop a green vegetation?

Covert, to hide the green vegetation?

Divert, to turn away the vegetation?

Evert, a guy who lives up the street?

Overt, help unconcealed the vegetation?

Pervert, to corrupt the vegetation?

Revert, to return to the green vegetation?

Subvert, to disrupt the green vegetation?

Vertical, help the green vegetation grow upright?

            I did use my new tool yesterday, I removed the grass from around about 15 sprinkler heads. I did learn that when inserting the new tool around the sprinkler head, one should always turn it to the right, to cut the grass.

            In the olden days when I was a first responder, there was a saying. “Righty tighty, lefty loosey! Most things tighten when turned to the right, and loosen when turned to the left. Sprinkler heads work the same way. I turned one to the left and loosened it. Yes I tightened it back down, at least I think I did. If you don’t know about the new tool, you should read the previous post.

            While working on the heads I had an accident. Yep, I know it is difficult to believe that a careful senior retired person would somehow be involved in a fall. First let me explain the situation. I was using a stool like one would use in a shower, if they want, or need to sit down while taking a shower. My first wife paid $2 for it at a garage sale. Photo to follow.

                                  

            Allow me to continue. I sit on the stool as if I were riding a horse, one of the hand holes is in front and one in the back. I don’t know if you can see it or not, but the dark spot in the grass to the left of the stool is a sprinkler head. Sitting on the stool I would lean forward and work on the head. It is much more comfortable than being on ones knees, and about 12 inches above the ground. When I would finish a head, I would secure the tools in one hand and grab the stool by the front hand hole and move to the next head.

            This all worked fine until I set the stool on a slight incline. I sat down and worked on the head, no problem. I then gathered the tools and took hold of the front hand hole as I sit up in a vertical position, a little too close to the back hand hole.

            You may have guessed, me and the stool went backwards onto the ground. When my behind hit the ground I almost did a back flip. My feet went up in the air. I started laughing and at the same time hoping none of the neighbors saw the flip.

            I got up, and gathered the tools and stool, and went to the next head. I no longer sit the stool on unleveled ground. Glad the grass and ground were soft.

            The grand kids are here today so that will likely keep us focused. The grand kids occasionally say that I annoy them. My favorite granddaughter (only granddaughter) has a new shirt, which she bought just for me. Photo to follow.

                                  

            Above is Gabi, she is 12 years old and was using her computer with the headphones. I asked if I could take a photo, I may have annoyed her, but she consented. It is really good to know that the grand kids think of their grandpa! J

May your day be filled with appreciation!

Senior highly appreciated and annoying grandpa, Don Ford

Virus-free. www.avg.com

Shopping 07/30/2019

            I didn’t have much to do Monday, the grandkids were not here and I didn’t want to work outside until I had some shade.

            My first wife had a project going where she was attempting to remove rust from and old milk bucket or barrel. Now, before I go any further, I want to acknowledge that I used the word Barrow, instead of Barrel, in a previous posting when referring to a restaurant. I found the error myself, it was not pointed out to me. Proof I can’t spell.

            This ole milk barrel has set outside for several years, and has a lot of rust. Having nothing to do, I went to one of the big box stores to purchase some rust remover. I found the rust remover, and then I ask a store employee for a tool that don’t exist. I asked if they had something that would work to cut the grass around sprinkler heads. He said they did not have said tool but they had something that might work. I followed him to the garden area and he showed me the tool. Two photos to follow of the tool.

                                   

            This tool is for planting flower bulbs, it works well for cutting the grass away from the sprinkler heads. I told the store employee he should invent a tool for cutting around the sprinkler head, he would make a bunch of money!

It is not perfect but it works.

Master tool designer; Don Ford

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