Wednesday January 22, 2020

Wednesday January 22, 2020

Blog time 1040 at Panera

Today is my easy Wednesday, thank goodness!  Nancy was first up.  She said it was cold, 25.  Nancy left for MVP at 0730.  This afternoon she is working at the Gardens.

I did some calisthenics at 50%.  Took a shower.  Today I used the upstairs shower because it is cold downstairs.

Bundled up and walked to Panera, 1.2 miles.  Walked into a stiff west wind.  Good news, I will have the wind at my back on the walk home.  More good news, the sun is out.

Extracurricular winter activities while in grade school.

Sleigh rides:  about twice every winter my grade school would go on an after school sleigh ride at a local farm.  All the kids would pile into a sleigh that was pulled by a team of horses.  Blankets and hot chocolate were provided.  Great fun especially when sitting next to the cute redhead.

Ice skating races:  the City maintained several ice rinks around the City.  The big rink at Michekewis Park had an Olympic size oval.  Also a regulation hockey rink.  

Once a year afternoon classes were canceled and we would all go to Michekewis rink.  All the grade schools would participate.  Boys and girls races included sprints and relays.  Great afternoon fun.

High school:

Alpena High had a ski club.  Although not many ski areas were nearby.

Several high school students belonged to the Alpena Speed Skating Club or the Figure Skating Club.

No High School Hockey but the City sponsored a Hockey league.  Tommy Collins and I were about the only high school students to play.  The league was called the Beer Distributors.  Stroh’s, Goebbels, Frankenmuth, and Pfeiffer’s beer were sponsors.  

The City Merchants also had a City team called the Alpena City Merchants.  They also sponsored a Junior team.  Tommy Collins and I played on both teams.  Games were held with surrounding communities on Saturday and Sunday.

Winters were great if you liked being outside.

The walk home from Panera was pleasant.  Sun and wind at back helped.

Being Wednesday I did all my normal chores, trash and recyclables to curb, laundry and feed deer.  Found time for a nap.  

Spent time in the office working on family history data.  I tried to download the Family Tree Builder.  It is a free addition to My Heritage.  Spent an hour trying to complete the download but no luck.

Nancy got home from the Gardens at 1700.  I fixed our apple snack.

Light dinner tonight followed by after dinner snack.  Watched the news.  Impeachment news dominated.

Tonight we watched an episode of Wycliffe.  Nancy headed to bed and I started watching a new Norwegian language drama called Occupied.  It looks good.  

Debbie FaceTimed at 2100.  She was driving home from work.  We had a nice talk.

Very mild, 32, when took Ms P out at 2200.  Warmup coming tomorrow.

Tuesday January 21, 2020

Tuesday January 21, 2020

Blog time 1120 at Panera

Nancy was up at 0600.  She said the temp was in mid teens with no wind.  She left home at 0700 for her Tuesday swim.  She did not look forward to swimming on such a cold day.

After breakfast I drove to the Y.  Calisthenics/walk and 2K row before shower.  Drove directly to Panera after Y.  Later I will take a short walk.  

This and that:

The coronvirus outbreak in China appears very serious.  It is even impacting the stock market.  It looks like public health officials are making a good effort to contain it.

Today is the first day of the Impeachment trial.  Hope everyone is civil.

The Virginia gun rally so far is peaceful.  I look at a lot of the participants and they appear to be adults playing guns.  Why does anyone need an assault rifle?  I think allowing open carry guns in bars is a bad idea.  Alcohol and guns don’t mix.

Is France’s Macron getting an upper hand with the militant unions?

As soon as I got home put out corn for deer and then took a two mile walk.  Lunch and then took a nap in my recliner.  I pulled a stomach muscle rowing this morning so I put a heating pad on affected area.  Slept soundly for a good hour, the pulled muscle felt better.

Spent an hour putting more family data on the Ancestry data base.  Presently I am using both Ancestry and My Heritage sites.  It is expensive keeping both sites active.  I plan on discontinuing My Heritage later this year.

Tonight Nancy fixed a pork chop with rice, onions and carrots dish.  She cooked it in the crock pot.  Very good.  

We had our evening snacks while watching the news.  Tonight we watched NCIS.  I stayed up and watched the final episode of Giri/Haji.  I gave this show a C.  Confusing and disoriented.

My Sister, Helen, texted me that she heard a home is for rent in Tucson.  She gave me a number to call.  Will contact tomorrow.

It was a pleasant 25 when I took Ms P out at 2200.  A warming trend coming for the end of the week.  Bummer! It is winter the temperature should never get above 32.

Monday January 20, 2020

Monday January 20, 2020

Blog time 1130 at Panera

Nancy took Ms P out at 0600.  She said it was cold, mid teens, but no wind.  I was up at 0630.

Nancy left at 0700, she is picking up a neighbor to take to their MVP class.  After breakfast I drove to the Y.  It was 0750 and still dark, sunrise was not until 0805.

I forgot today is a holiday for a lot of working folks, MLK Day.  The Y was crowded.  Calisthenics/ walk and 2K row before shower.  Usually after the Y I drive home and walk to the Y.  However, the walks have not yet been plowed so I drove directly to Panera after the Y.

Completed yesterday’ blog and read the headlines.  Of course I had coffee and a baguette.

This and that:

Enough, enough of the Harry and Megan sob story!  I am so glad my ancestors had the good sense to leave the UK and come to North America so many years ago.  

Super Bowl is set.  I am pulling for the 49ers.

I hope the impeachment process is short.  I am so tired of the hysterical, thumb sucking, bed wetting press having a hissy fit every time Pelosi, McConnell or Trump opens their mouth.

We finally have some great winter weather.  Temperatures below freezing with a good snow cover.  Last night we had three deer in our backyard eating corn.  Good sight.

Before heading home I stopped at Dick’s Sporting Goods and Staples to look around.  Bought a letter size tray at Staples.  Nothing at Dick’s.

I did note on the drive home that the sidewalks still had not been plowed.  At home put out corn for deer before lunch.

Spent several hours in the office doing things that are best done on cold winter days.  Fixed apple snack and then decided to walk to post box.  Surprise the walks had been plowed so I increased walk to 1.5 miles.

Light dinner followed by after dinner snacks.  After Jeopardy we watched an episode of Midsomer Murders.  Temperature was in mid teen when I took Ms P out at 2200.

Sunday January 19, 2020

Sunday January 19, 2020

Blog time 1100, Monday, at Panera

More snow over night.  It was cold and windy.  Nancy questioned if we should drive to church with the roads so bad.  I said I would drive to Panera to get us a coffee and check the roads.

The roads had not been plowed but were negotiable.  Nancy was apprehensive but I thought with the Escape’s super duper four wheel drive no problem.  We took our time but had no problem.

Not too many folks at church.  Too bad because I thought the music and Homily were very good.

The main roads had been plowed when we left church.  Stopped at Meijer’s for supplies.  Gas was $2.46 today.

Before lunch I:

Emptied car of supplies.

Shoveled walk.

Put out corn for deer.

Read the GRP.  (Took only 15 minutes)

Lunch and then took my afternoon nap.  Fixed our apple snack before a short walk to mail box.  The sun came out so the walk was pleasant.

Debbie FaceTimed us tonight.  We got caught up.  We envied the weather she was having.

Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for dinner.  Also had spinach pie, sausage and coleslaw.  

Watched several minutes of both football games.  60 Minutes and then watched two episodes of The Kominsky.  I stayed up and watched Giri/Haji.  

Saturday January 18, 2020

Saturday January 18, 2020

Blog time 1440 sitting in office

I slept in but Nancy took Ms P out at 0600.  She said we had over 6 inches of snow.  I was up at 0700, dressed and went outside to check on the condition of the roads.  Surprise! our drive had just been plowed.  I finished shoveling our walks.

Cars were negotiating Tahoe Drive ok so Nancy and I drove to Panera.  I had my usual oatmeal breakfast.  Not many folks at Panera.

This morning I drove Nancy to the Cascade Library.  They are having a book sale.  While Nancy was shopping I read the Detroit Free Press.  I grew up reading the DFP and had forgotten what a good paper it was.  I think I will buy the digital edition.

It has been snowing and raining all this morning.  I wanted some exercise so I drove to the Y.  The Y was jammed.  A lot of youth sports were underway.  Calisthenics and a mile walk before showering and shaving.

Lunch and then spent several hours in office checking email and reading news.  I did find time for a nap.  

Fixed our apple snack and then at 1715 Nancy and I headed downtown.  We have 1800 reservations at the Bull’s Head Tavern.  The freeway was in good shape despite the heavy snow.  Parked in the City/County structure and made the short walk to restaurant.  

Our purpose in being downtown is to attend a Pops Concert.  Kathi Kothe joined us for dinner.  Nancy and Kathi had soup and a small salad.  I had the white fish dinner.  Great white fish.

The concert venue has metal detectors.  I forgot and had to surrender my small jackknife.  Bummer.

Great concert.  The theme was music from the movies.  Music from oldies like “Bridge over River Kwai”, “Ben Hur”, James Bond movies, Dr Zhivago, Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, etc.  You had to be a senior citizen to really appreciate the music.  Nancy and I loved it.

The drive home was an adventure.  Heavy snow made visibility poor,  we averaged 25 mph.  Got home at 2200 and went straight to bed.

Friday January 17, 2020

Friday January 17, 2020

Blog time 1130 at Panera

Nancy said it was cold, 15, this morning when she took Ms P out. 28 will be high temperature.  Heavy snow will start later this evening.

Nancy headed to MVP at 0700.  After breakfast I drove to the Y.  

Calisthenics and a short walk today.  I have added rowing to my routine.  Today I added a minute to yesterday’s time.  My goal is to row 2K every week day.

After Y I drove to Panera.  When I leave Panera I will stop at D&W to buy coleslaw for tonight’s dinner.  We will finish the rotisserie chicken we bought yesterday.

This and that:

Russia’s Putin is making a power grab.  The man is not a friend of the USA.  Russia continues to hack into sensitive areas.  It main goal is to make Americans distrustful of our government.  I don’t think they care about any political party they just want to sow discontent.

Apple, Amazon, Google and Microsoft are now worth over 1 trillion dollars.  35 years ago nobody heard of these outfits.   They have surpassed outfits like US Steel, GM, GE and AT&T.  The world sure has changed.  

China thought they had too many people so they started there one child policy.  Wrong move, China is becoming a country of old people with not enough young folks to pay for increasing social services.  

Bought coleslaw at D&W and as soon as I got home took a 2 mile walk.  Got my 30 minutes outside completed.

Spent time in office checking up on family genealogy.  I called My Heritage to get some info on their annual charge.  I was on hold for 30 minutes before I gave up.

Chicken sandwiches for dinner.  Very good.  After fixed our post dinner snacks.  This evening we watched another episode of “Call the MidWifes”.  This is an excellent show.  Very well written and acted.

I stayed up and watched Giri/Haji.  Took Ms P out at 2200.  We had already received about 1” on snow.  I shoveled our walk.  Major snow tonight.

Thursday January 16, 2020

Thursday January 16, 2020

Blog time 1130 at Panera

Up at 0630, Nancy had already taken Ms P out.  She said it was cold, 27, and windy.  

The temperature at 1130 had dropped to 23 with 18 mph wind, wind chill 8.  The days are slowly getting longer.  We gained 24 minutes of daylight since December 22.

Today Nancy left early for her swim.  Later this morning she has an appointment with eye doctor.

I drove to the Y.  Calisthenics/walk and today I rowed 1200m.   If my rowing app on my watch is correct my average heart rate was 180, great aerobic exercise.  

At home I took Ms P out and then grabbed backpack and walked to Panera.  Miserable walk because walked into the wind.  Brr!  Drank my morning coffee, wrote blog and read the news.  The walk home was better because I had wind at back.

As soon as I got home we started running errands.

First stop was Harvest Bread where Nancy bought a loaf of her favorite whole grain, high fiber bread.

Next stop Costco.  We bought a rotisserie chicken for dinner, Cheerios, scalloped potatoes for dinner, windex, and shaving cream.  Most of the folks at Costco on a Thursday afternoon are seniors.

Emptied the car and then took the Taurus to D&W for gas.  It was nearly empty.

Started a new bag of corn today.  I still am putting out only six ears daily.  Today three deer showed up at 1800 and made short work of eating the corn.

Other afternoon activities:

Nap

Fix apple snack

Checked my credit card charges.

For dinner we had the rotisserie chicken with scalloped potatoes and peas.  Very good.

The evening news today highlighted:

Congress passes the North America Free Trade legislation by a wide margin and then start the acrimonious impeachment trial.

Brexit will finally happen Jan 31 at 2300.

We watched an episode of Brokenwood Mysteries before turning in.  Temperature will drop to mid teens tonight.