December 18, 2022

            Yesterday, Alex raked some of the leaves in the front yard into piles. Later in the afternoon, when my wife of more than half a century and I sat outside, we noticed that Tres was looking for a place to lay. Tres walked over to one of the piles of leaves and after smelling it, then he lay down on it. I assume it was a comfortable bed, photo to follow.

            We plan on having Alex come over today, and he and I will attempt to remove the leaves from the front yard. Alex is a good worker; he gets it done! What can I say, Alex is a Ford!

            Yesterday we all went out for lunch. Patrick, Karla, David, Claire, Gabi and Alex, along with me and my favorite wife.

Patrick and Karla will be on vacation Christmas week, they will not be here at the Homestead. This will be our first Christmas when both of our sons will not be here.

            My favorite wife and I have received an early Christmas present, we will talk more about presents when Christmas day has passed. We are not asking for or expecting presents, but we are thankful for any that comes our way.

            I just learned that it is 26 degrees outside this morning. I have not yet covered the outside faucets, so that is another project for today, and I should drain the water out of the hoses. Water, I need to water the plants in the hot house today.

            The weather guy said the temp next week may get down to 16 degrees, and we may stay below freezing for up to 48 hours. If the temps are going to get that cold for that long I am considering moving the flowers from the hot house into the garage, that will be a lot of heavy work.

The hot house, or green house, whichever way you like to refer to it, will handle cold weather below freezing for a while, but not sure it can handle long periods of below freezing.

Well, I guess that is it for now, we will see how this day goes. We do hope your day is warm and cozy, stay safe and be nice to everyone.

Below freezing!

Senior person who doesn’t like summer heat, or winter cold, Don the Ford

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

December 17, 2022

            Well, let us see, I think there is 8 days until the big day gets here. If only we knew what that big day was?

            Let’s see what occurred at the Ford’s Homestead yesterday. The Don had plans to remove some of the leaves from the front yard, but he did not remove any leaves. It started raining and continued on and off all morning. Wet leaves can stay in the yard.

            The Don did venture into the back 40 to get a photo of a wet rose, that was in bloom, I am sure this cold weather will stop the blooming.

             I even heard that there is a chance of snow later next week, when a strong cold front moves across the nation.

            The Don then attempted to start his favorite wife’s van, as you might expect, it did not start. He then pushed it back a few feet and connected the Halo to the battery to get it to start. He drove said van to the mechanic, where he explained the situation. They could not work on it then, so they scheduled a visit for Monday morning.

The Don had left the van running as he assumed it might not start again. When he went out to drive home, he noticed a red warning light that look like a small lightning bolt, so he went back in and told them. The van is now at the mechanics shop, they gave him a ride home.

The Don had a sandwich for lunch, and upon completion of ingesting the food, he received a call from Dave, he was off work. The Don left the Homestead at 11:30, was able to get Dave home safely, then The Don headed for Alex school to get in line.

Arriving at the school, the line was longer than usual as the Don was number 9 in line, and he is usually number 5. The parents and grandparents arrive earlier on bad weather days.

Alex came out and hopped into the Ford’s ole Chevy and they headed to Gabi’s school. Gabi was not outside when they arrived, so they found a parking spot and called her on the phone. Gabi and her boyfriend arrived a few minutes later, and we headed for home.

Traffic was heavy as usual, and when they arrived at the stop light on Hewitt Drive and Panther Way, they were delayed a little longer, due to a wreck on Hewitt drive. After this delay they headed for the boyfriend’s home, dropped him off, and then headed for the other Ford’s homestead. Gabi and Alex dismounted the vehicle and I headed for home. I arrived at home at 1:30pm, a total of 2 hours away from my first wife.

My wife of more than half a century and I did go to the bank as we had a little business to attend to. When we made it back home, I took a well-deserved nap.

During the time driving, The Don noticed that the price of gas was now going back up, most of the signs were back up to $2.45 per gallon. Wow, ole people never get a break.

The Don learned that he was going to be allowed to take his present wife out to supper, if they could go early, in an effort to beat the Friday eating crowd. We went to the restaurant named after my dad, “George”, we did not beat the crowd, we circled the parking lot about 4 times, and each time we would see a parking space, someone would beat us to it. We had tears in our eyes (at least I had tears in my eyes) when we left.

On the way home I suggested we could stop at the restaurant named after a “Rose”, and we did. We had supper, it was food, it was not great! The service was outstanding due to the fact that we had to do all our own service, bringing our own food to the table, getting our own tea and eating utensils.

Well, I guess that is it for now, we hope you have a nice safe day, filled with warm sunshine.

Buy gas or gifts?

Senior retired person who needs the gas, sorry, no gifts this year, Don the Ford

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

December 16, 2022

            Happy cold morning! It seems like winter is here, and it is supposed to get colder, as we get closer to that big day, which is now 9 days away. You don’t have much time to get that present, for you know who!

            Let us consider yesterday. I did get the grandkids and Dave from school and work, to their home safely.

The battery in my first wife’s van was dead yesterday morning. I charged the battery and then drove the van to get it checked out, and I was told it is ok. We don’t know what happened, we will see if it starts today.

 My favorite wife had lunch with some of her friends yesterday, I could not go as I was collecting a granddaughter from school. As I understand it, they had a good time.

I am hoping to get out in the freezing cold weather today with the mower, and vacuum some of the leaves from the yard. I will attempt to get the leaves from the street also, and I might get started on the flower beds. I am not sure I will have the time to do it all, as I get both of the grandees from school around noon today, and I have no idea what time Dave will get off work.

We plan on celebrating Christmas a little early tomorrow, as Patrick and Karla will be here, as they will be out of town on Christmas day. We plan to go out to lunch tomorrow to celebrate.

We will have a somewhat normal Christmas with Dave, Claire, Gabi and Alex, on Christmas eve and Christmas day. Presents, if there are any, are opened on Christmas eve here at the Ford’s Homestead, and Christmas day is mostly for food and conversations! We usually have a few friends drop in on Christmas afternoon.

I have a photo of the Ford’s Christmas tree, this tree is based on the TV shows, Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation. Yep, you have to look close to see all the ornaments.

 

            Yes, it is located on my ole desk, so don’t look at all the stuff laying around.

Well, I need to get something to eat for breakfast, so I will say C U Later, and hope you have a nice safe day.

Lump of coal?

Senior ole person who knows what coal looks like, do you? Don the Ford

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

December 15, 2022

            So, has anyone noticed that we keep getting closer to that day, if we only knew what presents you have bought. Wait a minute, have you bought anything yet? What? You haven’t bought me I mean; you haven’t bought anyone a present yet?  You are the real Scrooge!

            We now have 10 days for you to get ready. I said, “Get ready”!

            Let’s see if the Don did anything yesterday. I went outside and swept the leaves off the side walk and porch and it looked nice for almost 28 seconds, but the wind was blowing and the leaves were moving around.

            At 12:00 noon I was in line to get the Gabi from school at 12:40 Gabi, her boyfriend and I were leaving the school, yep, we take her boy friend home first then we returned to the Ford homestead.

            At about 2:40pm we received a call that Dave was off work so Gabi and I went to pick him up and deliver Dave and Gabi to their home.

            It was 3:00pm when I dropped Dave and Gabi off so I then headed to Alex’s school to get in line and wait for him to get out at 4:00pm. I do take a couple snacks and a soda to make the wait less stressful. I also take my old, and I do mean old, tablet with me so I can play solitaire during the wait.

            I dropped the Alex off at home about 4:15pm and I headed for home.

            It was kind of cool yesterday afternoon so I put on a jacket, made a drink, and headed outside to the ole rocker. My favorite wife joined me. If anyone wonders why we sit outside, it is time together without the TV, radio or computer. We can talk about things and actually focus on what is being said. We do take the phones just in case we get a call.  

            Todays possibilities: I will get the grand kids from school same schedule as yesterday, and I will get the Dave from work. I kind of want to start vacuuming some of the leaves out of the flower beds today, I don’t need to get them all, but I would like to get started.

            Well as you can see, I do have some things to keep me occupied. We hope you have a safe and productive day at what ever you are doing, be nice to someone today!

Are you sure?

Senior tired person who is retired, (consider those words) Don the Ford

            He was tired, now he is re-tired, what? Isn’t retired just tired again?

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

December 14, 2022

 

            Well, it seems as if we are now 11 days away from that day, you know which day I am referring to, a day of receiving I mean giving!

            I remember an ole saying, “It is better to give than to receive”! Knowing that statement to be true, I hope you will be better than me! Did you understand what I am saying? Better to give, be better than me!

            Allow me to say something which that one person might understand, it is raining this morning. Well, the wet weather will keep this ole person from removing any leaves or venturing outside.

                                                He leaves the leaves! 

The same word used to mean two things, one is a noun and one is a verb. Yes, I know which one is the verb and which one is the noun.

Alteration of subject matter:

I have a different schedule today, I get Gabi from school at 12:30, David at 1:30 if no overtime, and Alex from school at 4:00.

We need to take a couple packages to the post office this morning, and my favorite wife wants to get some Christmas stamps. I am still waiting on a package that I ordered a couple weeks ago as a gift for somebody, not for me! Wow, will I have any time for a nap?

Considering the cool weather and the rain, I really don’t have any other plans for the day. With the cool weather we will need to begin heating the Ford’s ole green house, well it isn’t green it is actually clear, maybe I should refer to it as a hot house, but it is only hot when the sun is shining. Call it whatever you want, we will need to heat it at night.

            Well, I am stopping and getting started at the same time, we hope you have a very nice and safe day.

Better to give!

Senior ole person who wants you to be better, Don the Ford

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

December 13, 2022

            Counting today, there are 12-days until that day, am I ready?

 

                        Today is Gabi’s birthday, she is now 16 years old,

Happy Birthday Gabi!

 

            Well, that is all I have for today, we hope you have a good day, filled with friends and family.

Speaking of family, I have learned that I will need to get Gabi from school at noon for the next three days, after today. It seems as if they are taking test during the morning, and off in the afternoon. Alex only gets off at noon on Friday.

            We have some light rain right now, which means I can’t work at removing the leaves, nice!

            I did go down to the Harbor store yesterday to review an item. After careful review, I did not purchase said item, and drove home disappointed but glad, I did not get an item which I considered as subpar.

            We did have a social time with hamburgers at the Bible study last night. The food and socializing were nice, and the bible study was interesting. We are now on a three-week break, no studding over the holiday!

Well, that is all I have for today, we hope you have a good day, filled with friends and family.

Schedules change!

Senior retired person who needs a cup even if it is homemade, Don the Ford

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

December 12, 2022

            Counting today we have 13 days before you know what happens.         

Good morning to you and that one person, yes, we are still allowing that one person to receive these emails, if it wasn't for these emails, that one person would not get any email. You are right, I am a nice person!

            Yesterday I did almost nothing, I did sit outside with a cup of coffee a couple times, I did water the flowers in the little hot house, and that is about it.

            I think today is Monday, at least it should be Monday, my favorite granddaughter has a birthday tomorrow, she will be 16 years old…   Time goes by too fast!

            I guess I am back on the normal schedule today, you know, getting Dave from work and the Grandkids from school. Sorry, I don't have any photos of leaves to enhance your day. 

I have decided to vacuum the leaves from the flower beds when they stop falling and after they have some time to get dry. That may be a while, as they are predicting rain tomorrow, and cold weather this week. If it gets too cold, the leaves can stay there, this ole retired person will stay inside.

            I would like a breakfast burrito but I don't have any money on the star coffee card and I like to get a cup of real coffee when I get a burrito, so I guess I will just stay at home. ☹

            Have you noticed the gas price is down to $2.39 per gallon, wow I can use the lawn mower again.

            We hope you have a good day, be safe, and be nice to others especially old others!

Leave the leaves!

Did you think about the above words? Leave and leaves, same basic words, two different meanings.

Senior leaf processor, and use to be, nice guy, Don the Ford

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

December 11, 2022

            Counting today, 14 days before that day that some of you are looking forward to, and some don’t want it to come, cause, you have not yet bought my gifts. (gift’s is plural)

            Now allow me to talk about leaves again. I know that you are tired of the leaf presentations, but since it is my blog, I will present what I want, not necessarily what others might want. I do have photos to enhance the documentation that I will provide.

            I used the Ford leaf blower and move leaves, from the street to curb, as seen in photo.

            The leaves against the curb, were partially removed by the rain last night.

 

             That means less work for the ole senior retired person.

            Topic alteration: yesterday afternoon as I sat on the Ford’s ole rocker pondering the state of the nation, I received an alert from the doorbell indicating movement. I knew a truck had gone down the street and that was most likely the reason for the alert. I opened the app on the somewhat smart phone to check. There was no one at the door but I could hear birds chirping from the porch via the phone.

That is when things got interesting, as two sparrows flew into the bush and tree next to me and were giving me the once over. I assume they could also hear the birds sounds from my phone. They left as soon as the bird sounds stopped.

My wife of more than half a century put a lot of effort (aka work) in to making some cookies and other sweet treats yesterday. I hope she gets a lot of rest today.

I did mow the back 40 yesterday afternoon; I was mostly attempting to chop up the leaves but there was some grass growth.

The only other interesting thing that I observed yesterday was a BI-Plane flying over. This plane was noisy and flew over a couple times.

            Well, I guess I will stop now and let you get some rest, we hope your day is interesting and safe.

Day to rest?

Senior retired person who can rest with the best of them, Don the Ford

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