To, Too, Two 11/14/2021

            As usual, I would like for you to look at the title line. Have you ever seen such an informative title line? What does those three words refer to, well it should be obvious, they refer to me. For that one person, and we know who you are, the three, “to, too, and two” do not equal six!

            Let’s see, how do I describe yesterday? I had decided TO do as much of the remaining painting as I could, using the scaffolding, for painting the peak above the garage door. Here is a photo of the Ford painting above the garage door!

 

             There is a story about the paint brush that the Ford is using, but first allow me to note that the Don and the Ford (aka David) together, the TWO of them worked on painting the rest of the house. Now as you can see, the Ford was using a paint brush in the photo. I had suggested that he try using a small roller in the rest of the red painting. This small roller is about 4 inches long, and it allows one to get paint into the smaller tight areas.

            We went to the north end of the Homestead, in an effort to determine what he needed, for the Ford to be able to paint the red trim. He was able to paint the red trim from the ground, using the small roller and the extension pole. I was observing his painting, while I had the paint brush the Ford had used on the other end of the homestead, in my hand. I decided to hang it on a bush as it was going to take several minutes to complete this painting. Photo to follow.

            The above photo was taken the following day, yep it stayed there all night. That brush is done! Another expense for the retired senior who is on a fixed income.

            After the Ford completed painting the north end, he and I both climbed up a radio tower, and began painting the areas on the roof. He was using the small roller with red paint; I TOO was using a small roller as I painted the tan paint. The work I was doing was from the reclining position. Laying on the roof and painting was not as easy as it sounds.

            We together completed the project yesterday. Well, there are still three spots that need to be touched up, and hopefully I will get to that today.

            We are very thankful that David came over and helped.  

            As an observant person may see, the red oak is starting to turn yellow, and the leaves will start falling soon. Wow, just a lot more work for the senior ole retired person.

            I had wanted to complain about the cost of a sandwich that my favorite spouse and I shared yesterday, but I have gone on too long, and I can see you are getting sleepy. Let me just say, the J-deli will not get any more of my funding, we paid as much for a sandwich and drinks as we would have for a real meal at a real restaurant.

 

everything cost too much!

 

Senior retired person who can’t afford anything anymore, Don the Ford

Fall in Texas 11/13/2021

            Being from Missouri, and now I am a naturalized Texan, I have seen many versions of fall foliage. In Missouri, it seems as if all the trees turn colors about the same time, an it is very beautiful. Some trees will turn colors in central Texas, while others, just drop their leaves in an effort to irritate the human population. I have a photo of the Fall foliage in Hewitt, enjoy!

             I don’t know whose house this is but the tree is in its full fall colors.

            Bad news for this ole retired family, the teller machine was broken yesterday, so we did not get our stipends, the $5.00 is still in the machine.

            It was too windy to get outside and paint yesterday, there are a couple lower areas that I could have painted, if it wasn’t so windy. Maybe I can paint a little today, if it isn’t too cold!

            I did raise the scaffolding platform a little yesterday, this time I did it the smart way. Basically, you take some things apart, and them put them back together in a different location, which allows one to raise or lower the platform, on which one stands. I have changed the platform height in the past without taking it apart, and that was too heavy for this ole senior to try again.

            As I sit here in the Ford’s ole office, I have noticed some birds that seem to be fighting over one of the bird houses. I have considered this in the past, do the birds use the bird houses year-round. It would make good sense to have a place to get in out of the weather, for those birds that don’t fly south.

            Well, I can’t think of anything else to discuss this morning, we hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe day!

 

Stay warm, be nice!

 

Senior retired person who has no schedule for today, Mr. Don the Ford

Friday again 11/12/2021

            It happens almost every week, at the end of the week there is almost always a Friday. That being the case, I do have a few things to do on this Friday. But before we get into that, allow me to explain where I believe the name Friday came from.

            Ok, I can see that several of you have already formed an opinion as to what I will be stating. I should just stop and go back to the main topic, but I can see that one of you have not yet formed an opinion.          

            I believe, the name, “Friday” started many years ago. The name came about due to the fact, on that day every week, Grandpa would catch some fish and Grandma would fry the fish. Obviously, the family would come over and have fried fish each week so they began to call the day, “Fryday”. At some point someone misspelled the word and the day became “Friday”! that is the Don’s version of history for this week.

            Now let’s get back to what I have planned for this Fryday. I just thought, I should state what I did yesterday, that would keep things in order of occurrence. Yesterday I cleaned the Ford’s ole office area. I removed most of the items to the garage, then I dusted, then I took a damp cloth and wiped down the areas that I had previously dusted. I then wiped down each item before bringing it back into the office. I even got rid of, or at least move some items out of the ole office. It feels very good now, as I sit here in the ole, clean office.

            The cleaning process took almost 3 hours. I then headed outside and brought the Fords ole walk behind mower to the front. I vacuumed the front yard and it looks nice with the leaves removed, and there were a few spots where the grass was a little taller than it should be.

            I then headed out to get the Alex from school. Alex likes to ride the Ford’s ole electric bike.

            My favorite wife and I went to the cracker restaurant for supper yesterday afternoon. Again, this week, we had to wait to get a table, as they do not have enough wait staff.

            This morning after taking the grand kids to school, I need to drop by the teller machine and see if I can get our stipends for the week. Then I need to drop by the former employer and pick up my order. After that I will hopefully find something to do for the rest of the day.

            I don’t have any funding in my Star coffee card, so I can’t get a cup of coffee. I don’t put my own money in the card, I do move money from gift cards, given me, to my card.

 

May your card have funding!

Senior ole retired person who bought gas yesterday for $2.88, Don the Ford  

I wish I had. 11/11/2021

            That odd-ball title line states, “I wish I had”.  What is it the Don wishes he had? The Don wishes he had something to write about today, but he has nothing.

            There is another odd ball point, is entering info using a key board considered as writing? It seems to me that writing should be done with an instrument like a pencil. So, is me posting these odd ball posts considered as writing, or entering?

            If it is entering, then, where am I entering? The verb “enter” means, “To go in or into”. When I put together these posts, I am sitting still. In truth, I do squirm (squirm) around in this chair somewhat, but I am not going in anywhere or anything, except if I go into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, then I am entering, but that has nothing to do with these posts!

            Staying on the subject of writing or entering, I say I have written stories, but have I? Yesterday, as I was waiting for the Alex to get out of school, I was reading a story that I had composed a couple years ago. Did you see what I just did? I used the word composed, and that solves the debate over entering or writing! Wow, how did I get so intelligent?

              As I was attempting to state, yesterday as I was waiting on the Alex to get out of school, I was reading a story that I had composed. This story is, in my opinion, not only interesting, but I am amazed that I composed it. Is it odd to read something that you have composed and think it is not only interesting but also well written?

            Anyway, enough about me, lets get to a different subject, “What did the Don do yesterday”! I did put a couple more flowers into the Ford’s little hot house, there are still 4 more to be moved before a freeze arrives. I did get a hand saw out and cut up the parts of the bushes that I had removed from the north end of the homestead. They are now in the trash container.

            I did identify the locations of the lawn sprinkler heads that are near where the new side walk will be installed. That should help the contractor if, I mean when they come.

            I did charge the electric bike, as the Alex came over to our homestead after school yesterday and road the bike. He rides it up and down the street but I think it would be more fun if there was another biker to ride with him, then they could go different places throughout Hewitt. Oddly, Alex is now referring to the bike as his. I think he now has an electric bike on his Christmas list.

            The weather was nice yesterday and I could have gotten on top the house and painted two areas. These areas require one to sit or lay on the roof to paint them. It is coffee time, I got to go!

May you have something to do!

Senior person who would like to vacuumed the leaves from the yard, Don the Ford

All days are wonder filled 11/10/2021

            To that one reader who actually understands what he / she reads, the title line did not state, “All days are wonderful”, the title line stated “All days are wonder filled”. Now for that one person, wonderful and wonder filled are two different statements.

            I would like to note that I began listening to the Christmas music yesterday as I was driving into town. More about that later. I do have the music playing on the Alexa right now, and it is much more relaxing than the so-called news.

            Back to the subject at hand, my wonder filled day started with me venturing out into the back 40 where I planned to re-inflate the front tire of the Ford’s ole riding mower. First, The Don had to get the front end raised up so the tire would be off the ground. Have you ever tried to lift the front end of a riding mower and place blocks under it, by yourself? Well, this ole senior has, and it isn’t easy. Lifting it with a lever is easy, putting blocks under the mower is easy, but not when you try to do both at the same time.

            As you might expect, The Don was able to find a way, but he did get his hands dirty as he had to dig in the semi wet dirt, to make room for a block. The Don did all the usual things in an effort to put air back into the tire.

            Think about this, The Don had to carry his portable air tank, which weighs about 30 pounds to the Ford’s ole garage, where he put 70 pounds of air into the tank. Then The Don had to carry a 30-pound tank with 70 pounds of air in it, back to the shed where he was working on the mower. How would your back feel, carrying that much, 30 + 70 = 100?

            Although The Don did everything he could, the tire would not inflate. The Don decided to go to town and get a new tire and a valve stim for the wheel. I actually thought most of the problem was with the valve stim, but the tire is old and has a leak that I can’t see, so I will get a new tire.

            On the way to town, I would say that I was not happy due to the tire, and for some reason I turned the radio to Christmas music. This music seemed to quieten me down, I was totally relaxed!

            I arrived at the Farm store and found the tire that was the size I needed. The price on the bin was $66.98. Wow I expected to have to pay but that was a surprise. I guess I don’t shop enough and pricing always seems too high to me. Next to the tire was the same tire on a wheel with the valve stim and some items used for various mowers, it was priced the same as the tire alone, $66.98.

            Even a silly grandpa knows a better deal when he sees it, I bought the tire with the wheel already installed. The price at the register was $57.00.

            I was able to install the new tire and I even mowed the back 40. There wasn’t much mowing, more or less chopping up leaves, and the new tire worked as expected.

            That wonder filled project completed, I headed for the front yard where I trimmed some grass and Jasmine. Then I trimmed along the side walk. I then removed all the acorns that were along the edge of the side walk and after cleaning the sidewalk, I swept the leaves and other debris from the street. 

            As if the above wasn’t enough, after happy hour I went around the Homestead looking for areas that might need a touch up of paint. I did find a couple.

            What type of wonders will fill my day today?

 

Let’s hope it is wonderful for you!

How does the senior retired person come up with wonder filled days?

            He’s Don the Ford, that’s how!

Senior person working? 11/09/2021

            As some of you know there is an ole saying that a photo is worth a thousand words. Well, I have three photos that could be worth up to 43 words, photos to follow.

                                                                       

            In photo one, we see the senior laborer attempting to apply some red paint. In photo two we see the same laborer celebrating that he was able to apply red paint, in photo three we see said laborer resting from all his labors. (43 words)

            For the one person who is wondering if I had the chair up there while I was painting, that is none of your business, but I will splain, Lucy! Nope, the chair was added for the photo session, as a prop, so that some of you would know, “Yep it is silly grand pa”!

            Yes, I did some other things yesterday, the dog Tres took me for a walk, I put a new tarp on the Ford’s ole riding mower. The tarp is there to protect it from the weather, we are on a fixed income and can’t afford a shed for the mower.

Note; the tarp may be put on wrong, and I might need to change that today.

Note; the riding mower had a flat tire, and yes, it is the same one that was flat the last few times.

            I plan to add air to the tire and see if I can find the leak, tire repair is not my strong area, but I will attempt this repair. It would be nice if we could afford a new tire but I do not want my favorite spouse to be out picking up aluminum cans after dark.

            I hope to do some trimming in the front yard today, there are some leaves on the ground in the front yard, but the grass isn’t growing. I would like to vacuum the leaves, but that is a lot of work.

            I guess the time change has me a little confused, I went outside getting ready for the kids to arrive and waited a few minutes, then I understood that it was still an hour before they would get here. Wow, an hour off.

            I have learned that one cannot see areas that may have been missed when painting, in the bright sun light. During happy hour, you know when the sun is setting, one is able to see any small missed areas. I will attempt to have some paint ready this happy hour for any small touch ups. Other than touch ups, my part of the painting is done.

            Now it is close to the real time for the grand kids to get here so I will say, “So Long”!

Work a little rest a lot!

Senior retired person who likes to think he works a lot and rests a little, Don the Ford

New start new week 11/08/2021

            Well, I guess we are kind of back to normal now, yes, I still have some painting to do, but I think I do have the bushes all trimmed. The final bunch was cut Sunday, lots of work for a senior on his rest day. Before and after Photos to follow.

             As you can see I did paint part of the wall, the darker collor is the new paint. I was told to cut them off about window level, I hope that is what she meant as it is done! I guess I have plenty to do today, darn it! ☹

            Back to normal today, I get to take the grand kids to school, and if the weather is cooperative, I will again be painting.

            Speaking of taking the grand kids to school, I, being a very nice, and silly grandpa, was outside this morning, (at 6:00am) cleaning the back seat of the Ford's ole Chevy. Before anyone asks, I had allowed the Tres (aka our pot hound) to ride in the back seat Saturday. Tres can't go anywhere without leaving some hair. I did not want either of the grand kids to go to school with dog hair on their clothing. See, I am a nice and silly grandpa.

            The time change has thrown me and the animals off our schedules. It will take us a while to get use to the change, heck I now sit outside an hour later, and it is cooler with less sun light. Wow, this time change has thrown me off balance. I just went and made a cup of coffee and I don't usually have a second cup until I return from delivering the grandkids. 

            Being a good neighbor, I did remind the new neighbor to put his trash out this morning, he didn't put it out last week, I bet the container smelled bad!

            It is a little foggie outside, but since the sun is up it is light and easy to see, so driving should not be a problem.

Smile at least twice today!

 

Senior retired person who has things to do, Don the Ford

Good Sunday morning 11/07/2021

            Now that we have made it to Sunday, maybe my favorite wife and I will have a day of rest. One might ask, why does the Ford’s need a day of rest, will allow me to enlighten you.

            My first spouse worked all day on tamales, and if you have ever put a day in making tamales, you know what real work is, and that is after her normal work she does like vacuuming and other normal tasks.

            I didn’t work as hard as my present wife, but I was allowed to do a couple projects. First, cut up the parts of the bushes that I was allowed to cut down the other day, into small pieces. The small pieces go into the trash can better, taking up less room. In other words, proper placement allows for more trash. Second, I was allowed to clean off the Ford’s ole trailer, as I wanted to take it to our son David’s house and pick up some scaffolding. Third, after returning from Dave’s house, he showed me how to put the scaffolding together.

            Alex was with his dad and while we were talking the Alex was riding the Ford’s ole electric bike. He likes the bike and now I think he wants one for himself.

            Forth, I ate some lunch consisting of a sandwich and 5 test tamales, which were good, then I was allowed to get about a 15-minute nap. Fifth, I painted the back portion of the Homestead, the tan portion using the rollers on an extended handle, the red will be the last to be painted. Photo to follow.

         The chair previously had a flower pot on it, although I could have used it to rest, the bushes are cut off at about the 4-foot level, the tan paint on the bricks was from a previous painting. Sixth, I went around the corner from the above photo, where I again painted more of the tan color, although I did not complete that portion, as I need to cut some bushes more or less as seen in the above photo, which will allow me to continue painting. Seventh, I put the paint and other tools away. Photo of some items that were put a way.

           Ninth, my favorite wife and I sat outside for a while thinking and talking about everything that happened yesterday.

            You may be correct, since we didn’t do anything why should we get a day of rest!

 

Little work, lots of rest!

 

Senior retired person who might rest today or maybe not, Don the Ford