Do it right or don't do it 03/11/2021

            I was in the Ford’s ole Chevy when I observed something that was not done right! Why is it that ole senior persons are able to see things that others do wrong, yet we are too polite to tell them that they are as dumb as the south end of a north bound horse.

            What was this thing that the Ford observed, it was a flag that was flown improperly? This person had two flags flying, one Federal and one State on the same pole. What this person had incorrectly done was, he /she posted the Texas flag up-side-down. Even an ole person like me immediately knew the flag was up-side-down. If you are going to fly a flag at least fly it properly and do not allow it to touch the ground.

            Speaking of flags, when I go to pick the Alex up at school, they fly both flags on two poles. Usually, the pole for the American flag is a few inches taller that any other pole. That way, putting flags on the pole ensures that the American flag flies a little higher than the other flags.

            The poles at Alex’s school appear to be the same height, but I could be wrong, (nope I am right). Also, they were flying the flags at haft mast, a week or so back, and the Texas flag was a little higher than the American flag. I thought of going in and telling them, but I assume they did not care, and probably did not know the proper way to present flags.

            I also thought about raising the American flag myself, then I thought they would probably think I was stealing the flag and call, the police.

 

            Now that I have completed chastising those uninformed people, let us talk about me!

            My favorite wife and I are still schedule for the second shot Friday, yes, both kinds of shots, and both are for adults.

            My first wife and I, plan to visit the grocery store today. It would be nice if we had some money to spend while we were there, you know we sent a check to the IRS, which we hope does not bounce. 

            Speaking of money, have you tried to purchase anything with money lately? I am asking have you used real money and not that plastic card. It could be fun to watch a person try to count out your change.

            Well, the neighbors dogs were out again this morning. I did take the baseball bat out with me to get the newspaper, but I did not see the dogs at that time. I don’t know why they can’t keep their dogs in the fence.

Your mask helps you and others!

Senior soon to be grocery shopper, Don the Ford

Litter on the streets 03/10/2021

            As the Tres and I walk on the dark ole streets of Hewitt, with the fear of bad people around every corner, we continue to try and focus on the ground as we look for any litter the we can pick up and sell for money, to buy food.

            Are there vampires and other beasts here in the community of Hewitt? I can’t say for sure, but it is scary when we walk, all alone, not seeing another live human in our scary ole neighborhood.

            I should tell you that people have almost stopped tossing the aluminum cans out, on the side of the streets as they drive. Now days, all we find are plastic bottles, an occasional cigarette butt which has been totally smoked, meaning one can’t pick it up and relight it for a free puff or two. 

            There are many ole used face masks along the street. To be truthful, we find more ole face mask than anything else, and it is really sad when one can’t afford to buy new masks, so they use the ole mask with all the germs from that real person! Don’t people know, ole retired people need those aluminum cans in order to have a little money for food and the occasional new mask! 

            I need to write a check to the IRS today. Every year about this time they want me to send them money. I don’t have any money so I will send them a check and hope that I can get some money in the checking account before they attempt to cash it.

            Did you know you can pay the IRS with a credit card? If you pay them with a credit card, the IRS gets their money from the credit card, and then you can refuse to pay the credit card company. You don’t have the IRS after you, just the credit card company.

            I did drive down to the McLane center yesterday just to see which streets were open. The McLane center is where we get our next virus shot, this Friday. I now have a plan for getting there without any streets being blocked. Friday can’t come too soon!

            Yesterday, I butchered the shrubs on the north end of the house, today I may be allowed to get the weed trimmer out and knock down some weeds.

 

Wearing your mask, helps others feel safe!

 

Senior dog walker and vegetation butcher, Don the Ford

Good and not so good 03/09/2021

            As that interesting title line states, "Good and not so good", what could it mean?

Let's look into this partial statement. Let us discuss what could be, "Good and not so good". As I see it, we are supposed to get some rain this coming Friday, which we do need, but I believe, "That may not be good".

            "Why would rain on Friday not be good", she asked with an inquisitive look on her face. With a wonderful smile on this ole but hansom face, I politely responded, "Please allow me to enlighten you.  We have been scheduled to get our second virus shot this Friday Afternoon between 1:00 and 2:00pm. It will be a drive through and I wonder how the rain could affect the drive through shots".

            We will need to go down to the McLane stadium, which means we will need to drive on or near I-35, with all the work that has been going on during the past few years, we have not driven on the interstate lately. I may take highway 77 to get there but there has been work on it also.

    Good news and not so good news, shots and rain! 😊😕

 

            We have the grandkids here again today, my favorite spouse will be making some homemade chicken noodle soup for lunch, nice! 😊

 

            I had over looked the bushes on the north end of the Homestead, they need to be butchered, I may be able to get Alex to help me.

 

            That is all for now, Alex wants to use my desk for his gaming device. A cup of coffee doesn't sound to bad, C U L.  (Those letters were used many years ago in ham radio and they mean "See you later".

                        It is better to give then to receive, which can also mean,

                        Let others do your work, they will feel good!

 

May your day be filled with…!

Senior retired person who still needs to butcher vegetation, Don the Ford

Dog gone it 03/08/2021

            We have had a problem with one of the neighbor’s dogs getting out lately. They have two dogs and they get out too often. Saturday, they came at me in my drive way, I got a club and stood my ground, as they barked and snarled at me. Then I decided the club might not be heavy enough so I grabbed a baseball bat. I would have hit one if one got close enough.

            This morning I raised the garage door a little to allow the cats to go in and out. Tres began barking under the door and then the neighbor’s dogs were trying to get under the door, trying to attack Tres. I got Tres away, and shut the door. I put Tres in the back yard and I grabbed the baseball bat, as I needed to move the trash cart to the curb. Bat in hand, I took the cart to the street. The dogs came running at me, and I was ready to literally take one or both of their heads off. They were very aggressive but they stayed about 6 feet away. I did not get to hit either one.

            Another neighbor saw the event and sent me a Text. He also carries a walking stick (AKA club) with him when he goes out to get the morning paper, due to those dogs.

            As I now see it, I can’t take my dog out with me to get the morning paper due to the neighbor’s dogs possibly getting out, and I will need to carry a bat. Also, I may not be able to walk my dog up the street due to the possibility of the dogs getting out. I plan to talk with the owner today.

 

            The grand kids are supposed to be here for the next few days as spring break has begun.

 

            We hope to get our second shot this Friday, we are waiting for the call for a schedule time to arrive.

 

Stay safe, wear a mask, carry a bat!

 

Senior retired person who may get to hit a home run, Don the Ford

Sunday Morning Post 03/07/2021

            Our cat Charlie returned last night. Charlie left on Friday morning about 5:30, which is normal for both cats. Molley came back in that morning but Charlie did not. Charlie was gone all day and night Friday, and all-day Saturday. Saturday evening about 7:00pm I opened the door to go into the garage and Charlie came in. He does not appear to have been hurt, but he was hungry.

            Oddly, this morning (Sunday) Charlie did not go out with Molley. Charlie seems to be happy to be here in our house. I have the feeling that Charlie had gotten into someone’s garage, shed, or vehicle and was unable to get out. He has been fixed, so I am sure he doesn’t have a girlfriend. 

 

            I was able to butcher the vegetation in the back 40 yesterday, and most of the yard looks renewed. There are two cacti that look bad. One is dead, the other is hurt. I will also need to address the dead flowers in the hot house.

 

            OK, I now need to go rest my ole body after all this data entry, ole fingers get tired.

 

Bless others, wear a mask!

 

Senior retired person, who plans to be nice today, Don the Ford

Saturday, my day off 03/06/2021

            Yes, Saturday and every other day are my days off. Most real people think I have been off, mentally, most of my life.

            I did get a bunch of the back yard vegetation properly butchered yesterday. A lot of the vegetation has been butchered, whether it was done properly or not, will be learned later when everything begins to grow.

            If my ole senior body allows me, I may get back out there and attempt to finish the project today. I did review and water the flowers in the Fords so-called hot house. Most of the flowers are dead or partially dead. A neighbor noted that he lost flowers to the cold, and he was also using a heat lamp.

            The last time we saw our cat Charlie was yesterday morning when we let him and Molly out. Not sure what has happened or where he may be. My favorite wife is walking down the street looking for him. I went to the ole shed and checked to be sure I had not locked him up in it, as the door was open a lot yesterday. He could be hurt, he could be locked in someone’s garage, he is friendly, so someone may have taken him. 

 

Charlie, where are you?

 

Senior workaholic and coffee connoisseur, Don the Ford  

Happy what? 03/05/2021

            As I had noted in an earlier posting, Alex, my favorite grandson's birthday was Thursday the 4^th, of March. I picked him up after school yesterday afternoon and since it was his birthday, I begin to sing to him, "Happy Thursday to you, happy Thursday to you, Happy Thursday dear Alex, happy Thursday to you"!

            Alex gave me the look and said, "It is Birthday not Thursday". I then countered with, "Could we both be correct"? I again got the look from Alex. I then noted, "It is your birthday so you are correct, it is also Thursday so I am correct'.

            It is nice when silly grandpa and Alex can both have differing opinions, and yet both be correct. 

 

            Later at the homestead Thursday afternoon, I went to the back 40 and resumed vegetation removal. Alex came out and helped me. It is always nice when a young person helps a senior retired person. I still have a lot of work to do in the back 40, I know I will not get done today.

 

            My present spouse has been using the right hand (remember, she had a broken bone in her wrist) and she is now able to do anything she wants. Today she plans to go to town, alone, and do some shopping. 😊    Now one should consider, when she goes to town alone, that means her first, but maybe not her favorite husband, is left at home alone! 😐

            Yesterday as I was working on the vegetation removal, I could hear several lawn mowers running. Now I have a few weeds in the yard but not enough to get the mower out and try to mow, although I am considering getting the walk behind mower out and vacuuming up the leaves that I have raked out of a flower bed.

            Now that my mind is working, maybe I will take some or all the leaves to the black berry beds and deposit them there. The leaves help keep in moister and also help retard the growth of weeds.             Wow, I am thinking! 😊

 

            I will be so happy to get my second virus shot, I plan to wait 2 weeks after receiving said shot, and then I plan to go to the hair removal place, and get my extra-long and kind of wooly, hair removed!

Be nice to others, wear a mask!

Senior mask-ologist and almost nice guy, who will be home alone today, Don the Ford

Thoughts, do I have them? 03/04/2021

            I do have a couple thoughts, they will not be interesting to you, the reading public, but I will post them anyway, as I care about them!

            In 8 days, we are scheduled to get our second shot! No, not an adult beverage shot, although that would be ok, a virus prevention shot. Why do I even try to enlighten the reading public, when you ask questions like that?

            I believe I have completed the hard part of the yard work in the front yard. A couple minor items and I will proceed to the back 40, where there is an enormous amount of yard work.

              Speaking of the back 40, I have two photos of the black berries. First a look at the number two area, the vines look very poor, almost dead. A closer look reveals that the vines are starting to produce green leaves. That is a positive sign.

           

                                    

            My first spouse and I plan to go to the store today to get some items for the homestead.

            My wife of more then half a century plans to venture forth from the homestead tomorrow, driving herself. This will be the first time she has driven in about 8 weeks.

            My favorite grandson (he is my only grandson) has a birthday today. He will be 11 years old. I will sing happy birthday to him when I pick him up from school this afternoon.

                                               

            The flags were flying at the Homestead yesterday!

Use your own guide lines, stay safe!

Senior retired person with a lot to do today, Don the Ford