New Year's Eve– – 2018

New Year's Eve

Boy did I have a hypochondriacal event during the night. Unbelievable I really begin to worry about myself significantly.Now, in the light of day I don't quite fully recall what was going on but I remember dragging myself out of bed at 3:30 AM because I thought I was coming down with a cold or a flu or some sort. Kind of thought I had a sore throat and it was going to get worse. Honestly, however I really believe I've been on the cusp of becoming sick last couple of days as I whined about in two or three entries into this blog about how I've elected just to stay in my apartment while the temperatures dropped significantly especially with the amount of snow we've gotten recently. This is okay I don't have a problem with this I love my apartment, I love staying in my apartment almost too much. I'm sure some of the folks around this apartment complex think I'm becoming a bit antisocial but except for checking my mail there really isn't a reason for me to go up front except that's where the washrooms that that's fact. So I have to go up there and watch my close once a week is a numerous trips up to and back from the washroom which is usually on Friday or Saturday.

It's Monday morning and of course that means Dana is coming over to do my health care routine i.e. suppository and bath/shower. And I was concerned because if I did have something contagious I certainly didn't want her to come down with whatever I thought that I had it so I actually texted her to significant texts about one my condition and to I've actually put a mask on the front door for her protection that she could wear which I was hoping would limit the amount of exposure she might have to any contagions I might be carrying. Oddly, once I was up I felt pretty darn good. My stuffy had cleared out and I was looking forward to whatever I was going to do today whatever New Year's Eve might bring. I had toyed with the idea of attending the “3 PM new year celebration” but it just seemed to pathetic for attending. Especially if I felt contagious. I got a few things done waiting for Dana to get here like I had 120 minutes or something. I caught up on my journal picked up the kitchen a little bit and wash the crockpot that I cooked all the beans in. I should've called my friend Elske in Nijimegen, Netherlands. It would be actually the time that she could probably visit it would be her morning at some point transitioning to afternoon. This eight hour difference is a real challenge a lot of ways. But I did not I just rolled around enjoying the apartment and wondering if I can make it through the rest of the day thinking perhaps this should be the day that I would take a nap.Speaking of Elske last night as we were communicating and I was telling her about the large pot of beans I had made with the hambone she suggested I use Worchester shire sauce.

When Dana got here I had her put the larger of the two containers of beans and ham into the freezer and I decided I would take the rest of the beans in jazz them up with all kinds of possible flavor. I put in a couple of teaspoons of Worchester shire sauce, crushed red pepper, a fourth of cupof jalapeno pepper juice Salt-and-pepper and even the bay leaf or two. Wow, I now have one snappy cup of soup hambone soup happy new year!

Ham And Bean Soup

It's been so cold I have not wanted to go out. I know this makes me sound weak but Seriously is no reason for me to get all dressed up and go out in the cold and then in the afternoon the snow came and it snowed for a large part of the afternoon. I don't know what's good be like tomorrow so maybe I will be going out tomorrow either but that's all right I've cooked beans all day today in fact I just heard the heat off on good have to wait a while before I put them away. What I'm saying is there's no need for me to go out until next Thursday for bookclub. Tuesday's New Year's so my regular meeting downtown will not happen. So I'm spending the last few hours of this year, today and tomorrow, enjoying the heat insecurity of my apartment with more than enough food, technology and a link to the Internet will take me anyplace in the world and beyond…

I just got off the marathon phone call with my friend in the Netherlands what a great technology to let a person visit with somebody else doing up video chat for as long as I want for basically For the cost of my Internet connection. This is a person I doubt that I will ever physically meet which is too bad because I think I would really like to physically meet this person and who knows maybe someday. But we can certainly visit over the Internet.What a great technology. What a great time to be alive.

I cannot believe the amount of beans that I made today. Tomorrow when the hot of beans Have cooled down to the point of manageability I'm going to freeze most of the beans into quart size bags to eat over the next couple of months. Then I'll be done cooking for a while. I guess this is a great way to jump into the next year having enough food made to not worry about cooking anything until February at the earliest. There's still things that love be cooking but I don't think I will now. I'm really anxious to cook a roast beef. I would've cooked a roast beef had I not already thawed out this ham, I did not want to lose this pile of meat so I processed it so that have a bone to cook the beans with. So I have literally a hole ham in packages in my freeze. So I'm really set.

You may ask what I plan to do for New Year's and I will tell you. I lived a facility where their idea of a New Year's Eve party starts at 3 PM and is probably over by six. As I stated earlier I doubt that I'm going out anywhere tomorrow night. The buses will not be running and I will have no other way to get around except my power chair to hear I will be. But that's okay. I don't know if I will stay up till New Year's but you never know I might go out at New Year'sIf nothing more than to hang on some pans and irritate the hell out of my neighbors who've been asleep since 8 PM

Stinkin Thinkin On a Saturday Night

I hope y'all don't get bored or frustrated about me rambling on about this one hundred dollar bill but I think I got spend a little more time talking about it which means thinking about it. Truth be known, I've not even spent that yet are even begin to spend the currency. Truth is I a little spooked by it that's how I am. Even though I know that's just $100 and that I have more money in the bank and more money coming the first of the month and I'm going to be okay I just have a rough time spend in the hundred dollar bill. I sort of think it has something to do with holding on to something that I really value. I mean it could be a can of spam. I'll probably buy another can of spam before I opened up the two I have in the closet just because I like having to in the closet that really is kind of stinkin thinkin. I just get this sad feeling when I finally break the hundred dollar bill because it means that an item of value given me by someone I really like is going to disappear. That's ridiculous when I told Dennis that I was going to spend our most likely spend the major portion of the hundred bucks on movies and other items of enjoyment over the holiday he was all for it he encouraged me. However, I spent the 20 I got from the Smiths which is actually 40 and started on the gift card to Starbucks. I have to admit I'm glad I had the hundred bucks backing me up art been even harder spend the 40 bucks that I got for my family for Christmas. Set just too weird or what?

The days now have finally gotten cold with this last snowstorm. There's enough snow on the ground that when the temperature drops at night when the skies clear that gets quite chilly. Me not wearing long pants and no socks seems like I'm feeling the cold more now than before. Feeling good right now but yesterday afternoon and this morning I actually felt little sickly and felt that if I just stayed in the apartment for the day I would be fine and that seems to be the case. I never got around to making the bean soup I will do that tomorrow call it my New Year's Eve offering but the day made a pretty decent omelette once I got up then this afternoon I cooked the steak with peppers garlic and I microwave decouples buds. I doubt the human eat any of that really tonight. I just wanted to have a cooked and ready for the morning and mornings hereafter. The steak was pretty large I think it'll make at least three breakfasts or dinners if I stretch them right eat a few bites of fried potato and steak when I have the meal and I should be just fine though I do have another potato cooked up and ready to go if I need to have more taters. I even made one of the brownie mix I have. I think I took those out too early and put them back into cook some more and I don't know how they turned out. As long as I can dig them out of the pan and put them in my cookie jar I should be fine. Got a parcel of dishes to wash now I've been busy but I will clean it up tomorrow. Snow's coming in and sounds like so I may just be staying in the next couple of days, hanging low and really just enjoying my reality… There's nothing wrong with that.

No Green Eggs Just Ham

I did it! I cooked the ham I got from food bank last week today. As ask a going to cook this ham are warm it up since supposedly it's already cooked, Christmas Eve but then the apartment complex folks at the spontaneous potluck ham dinner. And then we had the leftovers from that ham dinner the next day on Christmas. However I had thawed out the ham and I figured I'd better use it or lose it.Possibly, truth be told, I may have been a little bit intimidated because this was a whole ham! The ham we fixed for the apartment complex was about the same size and fed 7 to 10 people twice with two plates that were taken home afterward. What was I go to do with the whole ham, holy SMOKED HAM.

So little after 12 o'clock, just before Terry Gross and FRESH AIR I cut my hand out of the mesh took off the tinfoil wrapping/to the plastic wrap and threw it in the roaster I got a couple weeks ago. The ham almost fit but I couldn't put the lid on so I end up making a tent tinfoil – – that's what you're supposed to do right? I thought about using a little packet of glaze but then said screw it all just be happy to get this thing heated up and packaged and frozen. I mean really all I wanted really was the bones that I could use to make ham and beans. But the ham is free, to me, courtesy of the food bank. But I have the lose? Soon, I was intoxicated with the smell of ham radiating from My oven. The odor was quite intense.

While all this was going on I was actually washing clothes and trying to clean the apartment a little bit. My son and his wife were coming over may and I did not want to look too helpless. Need help with finding my printer actually helping my computer find the printer before I have to print kids letters come the first of the month our first of the year holy cow and New Year's, and I'm not ready. In Mark and Kristy got here They jumped in and helped clean the kitchen which desperately needed their attention. I was so glad because there is someone to help me lift the ham out of the oven. I believe I've written before about how sensitive my smoke alarm is and usually when I open up the oven In the heat Invariably sets off the smoke alarm driving me crazy.Mark worked on my computer and Kristy did a great job on the kitchen and they lifted the ham out of the oven. I really wanted them to have a portion of the ham just because they're so much of it but they left before I could start deboning the beast. I cut up 3 quart bags of ham that I threw in the freezer and then I put the bone in a gallon bag and put in the freezer which I plan to make human beings this weekend… Maybe.

Hang Time Revisited

Hang time. I know y'all know about hang time to talk about it every year after Christmas. But that's where I met right now dead center hang time. I should be doing 1 million things that I'm not. I don't know what's happening to me that this year, this Christmas season my apartment is completely out of control. I guess last year at this time I still had a cleaning lady. Cindy hadn't had her heart broken yet and was still dropping in on my apartment at least once a month to do a clean. I've not found a replacement person yet sorted because I'm hoping Cindy will come back and things will continue on as they were but I know that's not going to be.

I lost control the apartment this December when I started working on sending out Christmas cards. I had to dig out the cards themselves as well as a writing device. On top of that I had to launch into my yearly family address search. I don't know why I can't seem to keep a file current. This year to my siblings moved in one changed their address completely so I had to find three new addresses would seem to take forever and seem to lead to more disarray on my computer bench which also doubles as my writing area. During the same period my Christmas cards from family and friends started arriving and I would open them up in the same area. Christmas cards In One Part and there are envelopes (which I like to keep) in another part of the same desk which after one or two days become somewhat chaotic. Then there is the trek to the post office to get my Christmas stamps. So now envelopes and Christmas cards are piled on my computer station. Other pieces of mail brochures and whatever are massing on the kitchen table along with items from the market which land there as soon as I come in the door. Things are piling up I don't know why unless it's just Christmas. Tonight I was even going to vacuum and I did vacuum a little and tell something happened in the puff of smoke came out of the front of the vacuum cleaner and I smelled rubber. I think something happened and I burned through a belt. I have one left but I'm going to have to get Mark Anthony or my brother to come over to my last built on the vacuum drum.

Sometimes I scare myself – – but you all know that – – and I think “boy, I'm not as independent a selective think that I am”. In these moments of clarity I become a little spooked. I wonder how long I can maintain this illusion of living independently on my own by myself with a little help from my friends… And family. What a ruse? This morning, I won't say that I almost didn't, but I know I felt a little spooked because I had difficulty with my transfer from bed to chair getting up. I'm feeling pretty good I've only had to call the fire department one time this year during the summer when I landed in the rocks.

So I'm in the middle of hang time. My apartment is a mess sometimes I wonder if so is my life but then I remembered I have 100 bucks and I'm going to the movies and today I went to the movies. I wrapped the blanket around my leg so it looked like a real invalid put on my red jacket and stocking And caught the bus to the movies. Snow was flying when I got out and I was cold waiting for the bus but happy in my hang time.

Mystery Gifter

I do not know what I can use for an excuse this year except I just didn't get out and do any Christmas shopping for gifting. This is really a poor excuse when you think about all there opportunities there are for actually gifting the easiest being online gifts. You know, when you set somebody up with X amount of dollars on a certain website the easiest being Amazon, a music service of some sort are even eBay. My kids of been doing it for years for me and I've always enjoyed getting 10, 15,20 bucks on a online gift card that lets me buy books are whatever I would like to online. Now I can even get streaming video which is just amazing.

Something which I thought is been kind of cute the past couple of days is to find a small gift wedged between the door handle. It usually Hershey's kisses and the candy cane or something like that. There's never any kind of identification as to where it came from but still nice. I didn't do anything like that this year which makes me sort of a jerk I guess. I think residents probably thought I was a bit of a humbug this year because I did not go to the resident dinner put on by management. Luckily, I was able to put together a lunch at a restaurant with one of my friends which gave me an ample excuse not to attend the resident/management Christmas party.

I was surprised yesterday morning when I went out of my apartment to find a bag hanging from my door handle. Look like to rolls of fabric inside the gift bag. I thought maybe it was those flannel blankets which I kind of like. In fact I have a number of them couple I've made into ponchos cutting a hole in the center drapey it over my body which is worked very well in the cold weather specially when I'm wearing shorts. I actually picked up a couple more this year from folks with I needed something like this. I thought they were more flannel blankets in the bag but I was wrong it was actually to new longsleeve shirts rolled up and stuffed in the bag! I was pleased but somewhat bummed at the same time. It was nice to be remembered by someone willing to actually purchase a fairly significant gift particularly if it was an individual from the apartment complex. They are nice shirts and I would sure wear them if they were not too small. Of course, went to the tags first and immediately could tell they would not work. Begin the sad part being these are anonymous gifts. I think it would have been kind of nice If they were going to be anonymous that they had at least included the sales receipt so that I could return the product for a larger version. Quite frankly, don't know what to do. I can certainly donate it to the sharing shelf but that would hurt the feelings of who gifted me, I think if they were to see thatGarments on the shelf. I surely do not want to throw them away, I could put them up in the closet for a couple of months and then drop them off at the DI or something but that seems bad too. I just don't know. I love a mystery gifter, I just wished they had gifted the receipt as well… Oh well it's the spirit of the season that counts.

Christmas 2018

Christmas is always such a long day for me . Don't get me wrong it's not necessarily a bad day just a long day. I didn't eat breakfast just because I knew we are having our second holiday dinner at noon today and I want to mitigate the caloric intake as much as I could. Even having skipped breakfast and piecemeal in here and there a piece of fruit, a couple of pieces of jerky from the gifts my brother brought in some trail mix. Still at 7 o'clock this evening I feel bloated and wish that my home health person could come this evening as opposed tomorrow morning. I received a text message earlier indicating she would be late tomorrow because she has to take her beast to the veterinarian. Of course, what can I say? That I got to thinking when the veterinarians open our office? Hopefully will not be too late but if so cares I guess after all of the day after Christmas what am I going to do?

I was going to really think about going to the movies today but sadly as I scrolled through times and selections available this afternoon a solid pickups are pretty slim add to that the buses aren't working many not have to drive my chair up and back to the moviehouse. I could do this but the more I thought about such an ordeal I thought why? I've got more than enough to keep me occupied here at the apartment. I need to clean it up now that the holidays over I can put away the Christmas cards and such for another year as well is the preparations I was doing for the holiday. Dinner was just as good as last night's perhaps the food not as fresh but just as tasty and way too much for someone trying to lose weight. Following dinner I did feel bloated it's good thing there was no cake or pie or other delicacy for dessert. However, if I was on the fence about taking in a movie this afternoon I have fallen off the fence by the end of dinner.

Faithfully my daughter called and we had a nice Christmas discussion. She had a few moments before she had to prepare a Christmas meal of her own for friends and family members there in Oregon. A placed a call to my old friend Dennis was also quite the benefactor to me this holiday season and we had a fairly good discussion. I still recall another friend of mine before the day is out. I wanted to a little more picking up around the place and then maybe get down to do some reading before the day is out. There's not much on television. I cannot even find any movies I would be willing to rent with the Amazon card my daughter sent which means I'm going to be reading are going to sleep early. I kind of thought I might hear something from Mark Anthony but the best I got was a text and that's good enough. I know it probably does not sound like a joyous holiday for me but it's joyous enough I'm so thankful for where I am and how I am on this Christmas of 2018.

Christmas Eve

I'm kind of embarrassed to be honest. Today is Christmas Eve and to be honest I was kind of feeling the holiday. I was going to really put the ham that I got from the food bank on Saturday on to cook today so I would have cold cuts for Christmas eve and Christmas day however, I got a tag on my front door indicating that Marjorie the resident at our apartment complex from England was going to cook a ham and have it available for dinner at about 6 o'clock and anyone who want to participate could drop in.

Ham dinner at 6 o'clock kind of defeated by ham baking excitement. I really should've focused on cleaning the apartment delis putting some kind of organization to the chaos. I actually wrote one letter and readdressed one of the Christmas cards that were returned last week got them out in the mail. As feeling too productive at that point. I accident given up any kind of weight maintenance for this year. I gained another kilogram I noticed this morning after my shower. I'm trying not to let this bum me out and just enjoy the holiday fixings.

I had the cash and really I had the time. Sometime during the morning I checked the movie schedules as well as the bus schedules. Redwood Road was running every 15 minutes of the movie I chose for today was Spiderman and that Spider Universe a piece of animation around your friendly neighborhood Spiderman. The day was surprisingly warm, plenty of sunshine and temperatures did really climb fairly high when I went out to check. I grabbed my black blanket and backpack and off I went.

I caught the 1:40 PM showing . I was not going to do the basic movie food but I caved in. Luckily I still had a few licorice twists from yesterday, I got a small popcorn and a drink. The movies been out for some time at least a week I was kind of hoping that most of the moviegoing public would be Aquaman and I guess they would've been more at that movie had Aquaman not been sold out of the three theaters. Spiderman and Spiderman however and is going to be kids but they were at least Spidey kids.

The movie is good I liked it anyway. A lot of multiple universe stuff in quantum mechanics and it was all going pretty fast. I tried to keep up it was kind of difficult I finally gave up sat back and enjoyed the ride. I should go to it again to see if I get more out but I don't know if I can handle all the noise – – boy do I sound old.

I almost didn't go to the ham dinner. Actually the ham was provided and prepared by one of the residents of the apartments and anyone else was invited to bring whatever they'd like. I even purchased a casserole dish as going to make green bean casserole but it was too late by the time I got home. This was a much better Christmas Festival dinner the mid-had earlier in the month. There was leftovers which will be brought out tomorrow lunch I will do it again. This is great be a perfect Christmas dinner with friends here at the complex. This kind of what I wanted anyway. My brother stopped by and witnessed by horrible looking apartment but was glad that I'd gotten out to the movies. May go to bed early and read.

A Starbucks Christmas

And you know it takes literally eight hours to charge my battery when it gets down to a certain point like halfway or three quarters ? Last night my buddy David called from California, which as we all know is an hour behind me, but around 11 o'clock. We probably talked for at least an hour before his battery on a cell phone began to falter and that was the end but by then it was like 1 o'clock my time. I did not even read but went to bed. I slept not like straight through eight hours but often on till 8 o'clock literally! I waited until the charger finished with my battery in the power chair. Interestingly though while I was hanging around the bed waiting further yellow red blinking light to go steady green I began to think up different items I could use in the blog. I think I came up with two solids at least possibly three which is entirely wonderful. Why I write this? Is that it feels like I'm turning the corner in my writing and that what used to terrify me in not having subject matter is becoming less and less an issue because her subject matters everywhere and I have the best subject matter it seems right after I wake. I don't know if this will continue but I plan to keep writing at least the idea/concept of these possible blog entries when I have them.

Today I started my Christmas movies at least I went to one movie. This movie was a light piece of animation from Disney and I thought was pretty good Wreck-it Ralph breaks the Internet. Kind of silly but I identify so much with this character that I have to support his little movies. I have four or five more I would like to consider during this Christmas season. I think I outlined them yesterday. Tomorrow begins my Christmas week. I have to admit I'm pretty damn excited. I'm going to cook the ham tomorrow so that I will have ham for Christmas Eve and Christmas day. No, I do not plan to have a sitdown dinner or anything just a whole ham to munch on my Christmas day. If Mark Anthony holds true to form he'll probably come over at some point in the evening and possibly Carl as well. If they don't show that's fine too I'm just looking forward to cooking.

One of my nephews sent me a card to Starbucks! The $25 past two minor celebrity at the coffee shop, at least that's how I feel. I am so pathetic I ask that the coffee guy put my cup of coffee in the three other empty coffee cups, their Christmas cups, so I can drink out of them when I get home with my real coffee. It's Christmas week and I think I'm going to enjoy every moment of Christmas week this year. I have no major plans but I am going to do things a little different and be a little bit more active and just look to enjoying this time I have to live another Yuletide season.

Christmas Tidings Of Good Joy

One of the things I like best about where I live is that I'm just a couple blocks from a major motion picture theater, the Regal Crossroads. The crossroads has 14 screens and the place is remarkably attractive. I'm trying to get a part-time job there which is not been to promising so far but I want to make Regal Crossroads one of my New Year's resolutions right up there with auditing classes at the community college. However, these resolutions are fodder for another blog posting at another time.

It's Christmas! Christmas movies of tumbled out of Hollywood or wherever like a giant Christmas sock turned upside down and emptied out. I have about four or Five that I would like to take in over the holiday. I don't know if I would categorize any of these films is blockbusters this year, don't get me wrong the films would do well I just don't know their blockbusters.These films include

Spider-Man: Into the Spider

Mortal Engines

Ralph Breaks The Internet

Second Act

Bumblebee

On the Basis of Sex.

These are not listed in order but they are the titles I am most interested in. I'm actually a member of the Regal movie club which means I get points each time I go to the movies. I found out that I have a few thousand points accrued enough to score me a small bag of popcorn. I also found I have five days to use them are they'll be taken away.Free popcorn and Christmas are the best reasons I can think of to go binging at the Regal. Actually, the only thing holding me back was I figured if I were to do this Monday and Tuesday traditionally are set aside dates for seniors and I can watch movies for five dollars a shot. However, this may not be the case for this coming Monday and Tuesday just because it's Christmas Eve and Christmas day which are big gun movie days. So I don't know if I can use the excuse of senior discount. I am feeling guilty for spending money on movies – – even though I can. It just feels irresponsible.

I'm all confused I had forgotten that today was Saturday and I try not to worry about mail on the weekends. I figure if it's bad news can wait till Monday if it's good news I'll enjoy the good news on Monday. Because of a scheduling mishap with my health care worker we moved my Friday shower and toileting to Saturday, today. I checked the mail and had three Christmas cards which kind of shocked me since I'd gotten all my family's cards, I thought so far. Still I was pleased to be remembered. I was intrigued one of the cards was from a good buddy of mine from the old days. I wasn't surprised he it actually contacted me by text requested my address. But did surprise me, significantly was that when I opened up the card $100 bill slipped out!! Wow! What a treat. The hundred dollar bill is crisp and new the kind you like to drop in that game where you hold the bill between the thumb and forefinger spread apart and then drop the legal tender and see if the other person's reflexes are quick enough to pinch and capture the falling bill. I'm blown away of course that somebody would send me this much money. I'm flattered and humbled. I think of 1 million things to spend the money on all of which would be more responsible for what I'm thinking that's right… Movies!

I don't know if I'm going to binge – – that would be something kind of fun to do on Christmas day since there's nothing else for me to do or not. I just wish my buddy lived closer and that somewhere in the beaten-down movie theater they are having a James Bond marathon and we could set together, eat popcorn, red vines and sip Cherry Coke like we did 50 years ago. Merry Christmas Dennis thanks.

Christmas Cards

Happy solstice, it's winter and that's okay by me from here on out the days are getting longer and each day were that much closer to spring and summer, however today was not half bad actually. Didn't do a whole hell of a lot with it as far as being out doing stuff outside but a few minutes ago I went out my garbage run and was mildly surprised how warm the outside felt. I really should've been out doing stuff today since later tonight several storms are scheduled to start passing through till after the holiday. Seriously that's okay I don't need to be out it's not like I'm in a be doing anymore Christmas shopping at brick-and-mortar. I may do a guilt filled run on Christmas Eve and send out Amazon cards the folks.

I really try to at least acknowledge my immediate family at Christmas. However this year is been a real challenge as far as getting return mail for the wrong addresses. I guess it's my fault you didn't realize a couple of brothers had different addresses and I guess is no forwarding to the new address at the post office so I got them, the cards, back. One I resent which I think might get there before the holiday the other is just going to have to get there when it gets there. I'll try to put the new address on tonight and send it out in tomorrow's mail. Aside from that however I'm just about done with Christmas this year.

As I was saying small storms will be marching through the next couple of days. I've got cooked chicken strips, my beans of course steak and hamburger and fish frozen in the top of my freezer. Got eggs and a half loaf of bread bottles of juice cartons of milk and more than enough candy/calories if I really want to imbibe. What I'm saying is that I don't have to go out I have no reason to go out really. I thought about going out to get you couple of movies today and I should know since the weather was good but that will be put on the back burner and who knows I might get a wild hair take off for a movie or two. I made a list of about five movies I feel might be worth watching. And maybe that would be my gift to me this Christmas season is movies movies movies down at the Regal. I'm kind of excited about because Of storms coming in – – The stormsmay be able to increase the feeling of the Season. A kind of wish my apartment was cleaner but oh well. It's not like I'll get any visitors. Actually, I'm sure Mark Anthony and possibly Christie and Jasmine might stop by. Carl might drop something off but I think that would be about it that's okay though it's Christmas.Oh, you know what? I did want to go out and get my haircut before the holiday just because that feels the right thing to do. Maybe tomorrow even if the weather is inclement I will make my way across the street the little Hispanic lady who runs a little hole in the wall barbershop who I really like. I found a spot to put my cards up and loudly enough makes me feel Christmasy.

Long Days Santa Plays

Just before I went on…

I'm exhausted. It's been a very long day. Because I had an emergency dental appointment at 7 AM across the street I elected to have Dana my home health person, come in at 530 to do my process which sounds like a bigger deal than it is since I like to get up early anyway but still it was early and I woke up even earlier than that just because I want to be sure to be awake when Dana got here are before she got.

Sure enough the tooth I'm having a problem with Is the same tooth I was at the doctor's office last week about. Apparently the tooth in question is so destroyed that the solutions Dr. Alan uses just does not work. I was not going to sweat the issue this morning I've decided that I'm always good old money this person so enjoy the ride: I ordered more nitrous oxide. I told the girl I did didn't care roll it all away up to the top give me all the gas I can take it she kind of did. I was feeling pretty damn good Dr. Alan got around to shooting me with the Novocain did deaden the tooth or what was left of whatever we were working on today. He was positive he felt he could fix the “nub” by using some other form of adhesive or whatever. He said he felt good with this solution but if it did work we would try something else and I believe him. It's going to keep something there for me to use for grinding food in the back there. It was kind of weird I usually stop at the front desk to find out with the damage is going to be financially. However Cindy told me to follow her, that I was done leading me through the office and out the side door that I used to exit and enter this facility. I felt a little suspect but I suppose they will get me if they need me after all they know where I live.

It's the last Thursday before Christmas that means it's the independent living center's Christmas party and once again I am taking on the part of Santa. As you all know, I've done this part for years and years at this facility. I kind of like it. I really didn't have much time after coffee social this morning to get back to my apartment and get ready to catch the bus or train over to the library. I really enjoy seeing people I used to work with been catching up with what's going on with their lives. If I get to the office early I can snag a free lunch. This year it was spaghetti and garlic bread and much better than I thought it was going to be. It was a good crowd, not as many as last year but a good crowd just the same. I was pleased that “Mrs. Santa” would be joining me this year. Last year she was quite sick and I flew it alone. Didn't get as many images of myself as I would've liked but I did get part of it documented the part right before I went out. It was a good experience this year.

I drove like a crazy man up the street and over to the train stop and hop the red line out to the library for Book Club. I'd received a text I realized from Avery the coordinator of the program since you Scott and traffic and to be getting there late. The other coordinators never got there late not that I'm saying Avery doesn't care as much but there does seem to be some patterns developing. Anyway, Avery got there about 20 minutes late and I guess it didn't really matter because no one else showed just me and Avery. I suppose that's all right like I said I'm very tired but it would've been even better had I not have to gone out to the library. But all in all it's been a good day.okay

D liver D letter D sooner D better...

There is probably no place more dreaded of public institutions over the holiday season then the federal post office. And you will notice I said federal post office I'm not sure about how the private postal type carriers function but I don't believe there is the same amount of frustration as the postal service of the United States government. I say this because like the driver's license bureau are Social Security office these are places where the public has to go regardless of their status in life. Luckily places like the drivers license bureau or Social Security you go just the minimum amount of times during a lifetime whereas the post office it seems at least once a year if not more but Christmas time for sure.

For instance today I made the trip to the post office on Redwood Road at about 2100 S. really not a bad trip all things considered since the bus picks me up right outside my apartment complex and it's a straight line all the way into the post office. My friend who lives in the Netherlands, Elske. She is the person I met through the Internet. She is the artist anyway I have been visiting with her via text messaging and I asked her for her address so I can send her a Christmas card. Of course the Christmas card is easy the real challenges how much does it cost to send a card across the ocean to the Netherlands? I mean it's bad enough trying to send a regular letter (as I do a couple times a month) and to figure out whether or not the post they just changed and how much postage is just for domestic parcels. But across the water that's a whole different trip and then a card with a couple bookmarks on the inside so the cards kind of poochi. I had to Santa Claus stamps left and then I put up Janis Joplin and they stamp of the astronaut that got blown up the lady astronaut and another stamp that I can't remember right now but altogether came to three bucks worth of stamps.

I knew it was going to be a wait after all it is the post office and it is Christmas. And there was a line and I got it. Like I said if you got a mail something you got a go to the post office. The day was surprisingly warm for December. There are actually overweight women there with tank tops and their coats tied around their waists, your business guys in suits each carrying four or five boxes and always some weird guy with literally shopping carts full of boxes he is trying to send. The postal workers are doing the best they can against the onslaught of humanity. Some are wearing Santa beards are just weird beards of Christmas. Others have the Santa hats on and are all working as fast as they can in the bureaucratic sort of way. I am trying not to run in the people at the same time trying to keep the line moving as much as the line ever moves. We inch along. Finally someone comes out from the back someone who's definitely management but not management dressed. To turn Levi's and a sweatshirt like most of the other staff. She asks the general group if we have a certain grouping of needs that she can take care of but no one responds. Their eyes are glazed over and they just wait for the next person to cycle through. The lady spies me and comes over and asks what I need. I produce my letter and ask your I just wanted to know if I have enough postage. She brightens and says I can help you with that. She takes the letter actually ways it in our hands like she knows what she's doing, like she's weighing a fish. She looks at me to ask the stamps all six of them and says “oh hell yes you got enough” to not inform me that I could have done letter on half the stamps that's okay as long as the letter gets there to the Netherlands so far far away.

I turn around and leave thinking to myself maybe I'll go to the liquor store that is such a fun place to be during the Christmas season… All the lines there happy full of Yuletide cheer our soon to be

Board with Character

I am one lucky taco. Even though the tooth in the back of my mouth is like the Grand Canyon I am blessed that there is no pain associated with whatever is going on with my mouth.I slept through the night very well. The answering machine at my dentist's office informed me that there would not even be anyone in the office until after 10 AM.

I checked in with my buddy at Assist, Inc. and informed them that I was having some tooth issues and by buddy Dave told me to stay home. The other person on the board with me also had some major dental issues going on and would not be at the meeting so Dave declared the morning wash out. I did not have a problem going in for the meeting in fact I would like to have done just that. However, I thought it would be most prudent to get the tooth taking care of or at least develop a plan for fixing the problem.

I spent the day cooking. I really enjoy cooking. The beans I made last week with my new crockpot I got bad over the weekend I sent them down the disposal yesterday or day before so I still needed a good source of fiber so I decided to make another of beans. I decided not to use the new slow cooker and use one of my saucepans for the job. I wasn't sure how this would work but really want to get a shot. I used the recipe for red beans and rice (I used to do this with Dianne. I was kind of the sous chef). I dialed up a recipe and sure enough I had everything I needed since I got the green pepper yesterday. I started out driving beans and only made one cup. This is kind of hard for me since my natural candidates is to make big batches but this is also a weakness on my behalf since everything seems to go bad after I make it after a couple weeks. I got the beans going, processed and onion, green pepper and garlic all and the celery. I really enjoyed myself chopping. I threw in the frying pan and sautéed them up. The aroma was already overwhelmed I was on a roll.

I was using my sons Christmas gift from last year. My son and daughter-in-law gave me a matching set of bamboo cutting boards which have been the best cutting boards of ever owned. I love using them. I'm glad I still have the big board of the two in tact. Yesterday when I was cooking some breakfast I was not paying attention to what I was doing. The other that I use as the controls on the front which is as it should be since I'm a person with disability with limited reach but I must admit I get myself into a lot of trouble with the controls on the front. Yesterday I did not realize when I leaned over that I turned on the front burners without realizing. My large cutting board was on the burner within a few minutes I saw smoke rising from the range reached over not the board out-of-the-way and can see that it was on a hot burner. Fortunately the board was not burned significantly but there is a definite coloration of the burns on. Actually, I will enjoy this mark my cutting board. The blemish or act as a reminder. Early in my second marriage Denise got me a great butcher knife. I left it on a burner and the knives wooden handle Actually did catch fire and badly hurt the handle but I was still able to use it. I had that knife from his 20 years I do not know what happened to that knife but I still miss it from time to time.

Three times for like cooked beans today I almost cooked out the water. I thought about going to the market and getting a sausage to slice up in my beans but then I remembered I have a whole honking Meatloaf ended up throwing up half of it into the beans. I also threw in chicken breast I cooked last week plus jalapeno peppers sliced. I used a lot of crushed red pepper and other spices and the whole thing turned out pretty damn good. I'm waiting for the pot to cool so I can put the beans into plastic containers one to freeze and one to eat the rest of the week. I had a cup of beans for dinner I thought they were great sprinkled Fritos on them and totally enjoyed myself.

It's been nice having a day to cook. Like I said one lucky taco.board of the two in tact. Yesterday when I was cooking some breakfast I was not paying attention to what I was doing. The other that I use as the controls on the front which is as it should be since I'm a person with disability with limited reach but I must admit I get myself into a lot of trouble with the controls on the front. Yesterday I did not realize when I leaned over that I turned on the front burners without realizing. My large cutting board was on the burner within a few minutes I saw smoke rising from the range reached over not the board out-of-the-way and can see that it was on a hot burner. Fortunately the board was not burned significantly but there is a definite coloration of the burns on. Actually, I will enjoy this mark my cutting board. The blemish or act as a reminder. Early in my second marriage Denise got me a great butcher knife. I left it on a burner and the knives wooden handle Actually did catch fire and badly hurt the handle but I was still able to use it. I had that knife from his 20 years I do not know what happened to that knife but I still miss it from time to time.

Three times for like cooked beans today I almost cooked out the water. I thought about going to the market and getting a sausage to slice up in my beans but then I remembered I have a whole honking Meatloaf ended up throwing up half of it into the beans. I also threw in chicken breast I cooked last week plus jalapeno peppers sliced. I used a lot of crushed red pepper and other spices and the whole thing turned out pretty damn good. I'm waiting for the pot to cool so I can put the beans into plastic containers one to freeze and one to eat the rest of the week. I had a cup of beans for dinner I thought they were great sprinkled Fritos on them and totally enjoyed myself.

It's been nice having a day to cook. Like I said one lucky taco.

Trying To Find The Lemonade

Tonight, I'm almost feeling totally defeated and really except for one small item I should be on top of the world in most respects. Today was a good day even though I hardly did anything. I really want to do a meatloaf so I took off early well, as early as I could today be in a bad day at all. My caregiver Dana was back after being gone week it was pretty good to have her back that I did really enjoy working with my old caregiver Honey.

As soon as I got squared away, dressed medicated basically ready for the day. I think offer a fast run over to the market picked up a green pepper for my meatloaf. Most of the truck last night mixing hamburger with the bread I used as well as they onions I processed. I got my things came back to the apartment worked out doing my arm bike. I feel pretty good. I went down to the post office/mailroom and I have three Christmas cards all from my brother's family I was totally impressed. I felt so humble so I don't know if my brother his wife Ruby and son Allen meant to but they sent about a $20 gift I was so amazed two $20 bills and a $25 gift certificate to Starbucks from my nephew! I've never had such an expensive gift that I can remember unless a gift from Dianne or Bridget a piece of clothing desperately needed. These gifts pretty much made by Christmas.

Actually I did spend at least an hour this morning working on my bookmarks. I want to spend at least an hour a day making bookmarks I don't know why just seems this is a piece of art that I can focus on right now. I don't know why I'm so rewarded by making these bookmarks are pretty primitive but maybe that's why I like them so much better so primitive that the art is brute. Right now I'm pretty much pretending but I'm doing art and that someday these little pieces of art these bookmarks will be held in esteem. Actually right now they probably are to some degree I got a text from one of the granddaughters to thank me for the bookmarks I sent them for Christmas in their Christmas cards I've forgotten that I had done but it was nice for Summer to do that.

I waited all day until about 4 o'clock when I finally finished putting my meatloaf together. I've done meatloaf before I like doing meatloaf's but somehow I think I was not ready for this meatloaf. I should have used the soft bread for the bread part of the meatloaf rather than trying to use the drive bread I've been saving. The bread just didn't mash into crumbs the way I wanted but I used rough crumbs anyway hoping that by soaking it all night in the meat that the bread good soften. I think I'm having an issue with trying to cook meat to the prescribed temperatures that is set in Internet and on recipes that I read.I could the meatloaf for the prescribed hour at 400° and when I pulled out I of course set up the fire alarm had to call Diana. I think the temperature of the meat was 160° 10° less than 170° that the literature stated. I shouldn't hold the meatloaf then let it finish cooking knowing that the meat was probably pretty well done even if it didn't read 170°. I let it cook for another 10 minutes and then turn the heat off (which I think is my mistake.). I wasn't going to open up the oven door in and set the fire alarm off. Because I see go to say the meatloaf for another meal and eat some of my beings since I had a pretty rough go of it this morning on the toilet. My open of the beings they were gone stunk something horrible so I ended up throwing them down the drain. I ended up eating half a can of chili hopefully these beings will work. I need to make another bunch of beans hopefully get myself loose again.

I pulled the very warm meatloaf from the oven after about 20 minutes of a cooling down (thank goodness the fire alarm) the meatloaf look pretty rough almost incinerated. I studied at the regardless which is a mistake. The outside of the meatloaf of course are pretty crunchy I didn't pay much attention to this as I put some in the mouth for the taste test the taste test was not bad and I will consume as much of this meatloaf as I can. However somewhere in eating this crunchy meatloaf I somehow knocked off another one of my rear teeth similar to what happened last week. On the to the halfway the back it I think it's the to the dentist worked on actually will have to see tomorrow. Luckily I'm an okay and I don't know where the tooth/piece of tooth went probably swallowed. The only thing I can focus on is once again going over across the street to the dentist and having more work done which will cost more money and keep me in debt. Maybe that's the lesson is that I will never get out of debt and be thankful for what I have at the very second that I have no matter what else is happening. I'm okay, my skin is good, I have a great apartment I live in a great facility surrounded by good people friends and family I'm a no pain in the just keeps sinking further in debt. Life can be a whole lot worse.

Yippee Ki Yay...

I watched Diehard today, not the battery, the movie with Bruce Willis. I don't know why really except for I knew that I had to be, I got to the movie along with all the others in the series earlier this summer. It's not that I love Diehard. I liked the movie enough when I first saw it however I was quite shocked about the amount of profanity in the film and the violence but I also saw the document as a Christmas movie. I know that sounds weird but the movie came out in 1988. I thought sure it was in not December releases but actually was in July by cell count is a Christmas movie since the circumstances of the movie And over Christmas eve.

I am so lucky to have been born when I was right smack dab in the middle of the last century. Things are just always beginning where I was involved it seemed. I guess there's always been Christmas movies I. E. Miracle 34^th Street, White Christmas, Scrooge and Scrooged and of course Holiday Inn to name just a few. I remember when I was about 12 United Artists released the first Bond film, Dr. No And it seemed to me after that the next number of years I don't quite remember there is always a James Bond feature released around Christmas time.

Thinking back there is nothing I enjoyed more than to be all bundled up in my winter coat and gloves and sending in a warm theater with container of popcorn, icy cold coke/cherry root beer and a complete box of red twists licorice. Settling back when the film started and be taken away by the movies magic. Every once in a while during the feature I would resurface to reality and then pleasantly think all things Christmas that was going on around me at that moment smile and slide back into the movie.

Of course as I've gotten older – – away older now – – I feel the caliber of the movies it changed quite a bit as they try to make larger and larger box office smashes Christmas. Some of the Bond films took place over Christmas but they summer got away from that as well. Many of the box office smashes were good (which were released during the Christmas season) but they were not about Christmas per se. What a great time to have such great technology that allows someone like me to have access to all of the great films in the form of DVDs, videotapes, or whatever form of technology allows a person to have access to immediate/On Demand enjoyment of the season. Today I felt like watching Bruce Willis go up against the euro white trash In the Nakatomi tower in the fictional 1988 Los Angeles. Diehard was perfect for my 2018 Christmas viewing desire. Now I'm considering digging out my copy of Holiday Inn and letting Crosby and Astaire go at it of one more season of joy. Maybe I'll even try to find Scrooged with Bill Murray On demand somewhere and really enjoy the season.

I am well probably dodging any new movies that are being released right now which has anything to do with Christmas. There's a couple romcoms I might consider taking in who knows maybe even on Christmas day Since I have nowhere else to go and what better way to enjoy the holiday then to sit back ensconced in the movie theater wrapped in my winter jacket with a box of popcorn, a box of red vines a Coca-Cola/shared root beer and warm thoughts of Christmas pasts.

Even Tide

It is now Saturday night and I'm sitting home in front of my computer doing my blog for the day. I really thought about what I was doing earlier this afternoon thinking to myself it would be kind of fun to have some place or someone to go out with this evening. I was wondering if I have become the typical American elderly shut in. I don't think that I or I could just be in denial which would not surprise me at all. I looked at my van and I knew that even if I did want to go somewhere even if I have a driver the van's battery is probably dead as a door nail. But I got to thinking, even if I still had my license I doubt that I really saddle up and go anywhere particularly on my own. I thought about possibly if I had a group/posse and they were doing something I might possibly go out and meet them, maybe. Even here at the living center/apartments I really don't do a lot with my fellow people. I don't like the activities that they do – – I like the people – – I don't play cards (I don't have the patience) I don't color like some of the women do around here. I do not enjoy the movies/television series they offer here on “movie night our movie afternoon”. And just like earlier in the week I boycotted the annual Christmas dinner/luncheon because of the weird cable arrangements as well as the gameplaying I mean like bingo, why elephants in the singing of Christmas carols. I'm trying to make friends here that I could conceivably do things with that but that has not happened. It's not like Dianne and I had an active social life didn't we pretty much just sat home especially towards the last. And honestly the survey was not Diane's fault, not really, I'm just a deadbeat I think. I probably always have been I just would like to admit.

It's not like things are going to change, particularly now that this point in my life, so I just better make do with what I have it be thankful for what I have. I really do appreciate social media and the ability that social media tools like Facebook has that allows you to really make contact with people you've been out of the loop with for decades since grade school been cases. Not that they are clamoring to follow up with you now it's just very few want to the opportunities just there if you dare. This afternoon and early evening I benched the life of Leonardo da Vinci. I learned something and it was really well done for free Amazon prime offering. I think Now I will go back to do a life of Whistler and whatever other offerings they have. Sometime in the face right now I will probably stick with great painters or illustrators. I mean after all and 67 Saturday night but more do I have to look forward to?

Thankful Thoughts

I really am a jerk. I know I've said that before but it just keeps coming around that I really am a jerk. As you know today was the apartment resident Christmas dinner. And I really did not have any desire to attend this event. About last year and I think the year before and I just was not impressed. I know this event is not about me but sharing the holiday experience with everyone at this event but I was just so unimpressed last year but I did want to be part of the event this year. Luckily for me my good buddy Duane have been in contact with me earlier in the week about having our own holiday dinner. We have a loose tradition of having a Yule time meal together. I really appreciate Duane making time to hang with me. Not only did the event give me something to look forward to, with great anticipation but The event also gave me an honest excuse to give to the old ladies when they asked if I was attending the luncheon. And the real sad part was I enjoyed giving them that information. I really just do not like white elephants and sing-alongs… Does that make me a Scrooge? Perhaps yes. That's okay I can take it.

I don't recall if I shared with you all of my regular staff Dana as that not all week. That was kind of scary when she first dropped the bomb that should be out a week before Christmas. I have not had good luck with “floaters” from the agency Dana works for. Many times the person was either late or did not show up at all are when they did show up give me the feeling that they would rather be anywhere on earth then here working with me doing my ADLs. All week long I have been fortunate to have Honey work with my staff filling in for Dana. Honey was my staff before Dana and I forgot how great it was working with Honey. She is a delight and I'm so thankful to have her as backup. I'm willing to work around whatever I need to have her back up Dana when I need to. Honey is in the middle of her “clinicals” a process are part of her education to become registered nurse. I usually have my staff at seven in the morning but this week I had one meeting in the morning and the other to about three afternoon which is worked out just fine. I almost have to say Honey is my second Christmas miracle this year. Cannot believe how smoothly this is worked out.

I have a friend in the Netherlands. This friend is an artist going to start times and I was on messenger with her this evening when I got notification from the secretary of a private nonprofit that I'm acting with that she needed my bio. I thought I have already go but I cannot find it. My friend in the Netherlands is quite depressed but visiting with her always eliminates to me how good that I have my life and how lucky I am to be doing and living as good as I am. I have some much to be thankful for.I see have reached my 500 words so I think I better close before I get sloppy. This is the joyful season got blesses everyoneWhole