Wednesday August 12, 2020

 Wednesday August 12, 2020

Blog time 1230 sitting in office

Today is Breakfast Club Wednesday.  Set the alarm for 0615.  

Calisthenics at 50% and then drove to Panera to get a coffee and bagel.  Back at home breakfast with oatmeal, bagel and banana.

BC today was again on Zoom.  Today’ sound quality was not very good.

The speaker was CEO of Cherry Street Health, Tasha Blackmon. She explained the operation.  This is the largest health service in MI.  They provides Health services to folks of limited mean.  Good talk.

After BC I took a nine mile bike ride.  It was sunny with temps in high 70s.  Lot of bikers and walkers were out enjoying the day.

Shower and then spent some time on the iPad reading emails, etc.  I tried sitting out on the deck.  Picked a shady spot.  I need shade to see the screen.  It worked ok until my shady spot became sunny. 

Today my chores include; gathering up and taking out trash, doing a load of laundry.  Typical Wednesday chores.

Lunch at 1300 followed by a short nap.  At 1730 took a short walk.  It was hot, high 80s.  Low humidity so walking was pleasant.  

Our condo is very well insulated.  The temperature inside was in mid 70s all day.  No need for AC.  We enjoy sleeping with windows open.

Blast from past:

In the summer of 1960 I had a summer job with the Vermont Highway Department.  I did not know how I would get to Vermont because I had limited funds.  

The day before leaving a fraternity brother asked that I join him on at trip to a race track.  Because of limited funds I did not want to bet.  My friend grabbed two bucks from my wallet and placed a bet on the last race of the day.  The horse won.  The payout was $35.  With this money I took the train to Vermont.  The horse’s name was Will of Allah.  

It was a great job.  I was assigned to a traveling survey crew so we traveled all over the state.  The state paid for our motel which was a big saving for me.  I just paid for weekend lodging.

Vermont is a beautiful state.  I was 22 so a fellow survey crew member and I were able to enjoy the many pleasant Vermont pubs.  The big news in the summer of 60 was the Democratic Convention.  We would watch on the Pub’s TV.  As everyone knows JFK won.

In mid August I had to figure out how to get back to Ann Arbor.  I had one more semester before graduating.  A fellow crew member offered to sell me a 1950 Ford sedan.  I paid $35 for the car and it made it back to Ann Arbor with no problem.   I sold the car in the fall for what I paid for it.

Light dinner of Cheerios with blueberries and croissants.

Tonight after the news we watched two episodes of Partners in Crime on Acorn.  We finished the season.  Good show.

Very pleasant when I made a check outside at 2200.  Debbie FaceTimed us this evening. 

August 11, 2020

Tuesday August 11, 2020 

Blog time noon at Panera

The sun was not yet up when I got up at 0630.  I don’t like these shorter days.

Nancy headed out early on her morning walk.  Today she walked nearly 4 miles.  She also has a 1300 PT appointment.  This will be her last.

I headed downstairs and slowly completed my calisthenics.  I think I need to take a break.  As soon as the shelter in place is lifted we should take a week’s vacation.

Breakfast and then hopped on the bike and took the 10.5 mile ride.  No critters seen this morning.  Another perfect day for a ride.  Sunny and not too hot.

Shaved and showered before heading to Panera.  Panera was cold.  They had the AC cranked up.  Not a pleasant dining experience.  I did bring a sweat shirt which helped.

Does anyone watch professional sports?  I don’t.  It is a shame that the Big Ten cancelled their football season but probably it was the right move.

Blast from past:  about this date in 1955 I was looking forward to the upcoming HS football season.  The coaches wanted me to put on some weight, 150 pounds at least. I came up with an idea.  My Grandfather and Uncle raised beef cattle.  They had a huge barn where during cold weather the cattle would congregate.  About 2 feet of manure covered the floor.  I needed an exercise regime so volunteered to clean the barn.  I spent a week at the farm.  Every morning I would back the manure spreader into the barn and using a pitch fork would load the wagon.  The manure was very heavy.  When filled I would spread the manure over a vacant field.  I would make at least 15 loads a day.  Grandmother took her task to put some weight on me seriously. She prepared three huge tasty meals a day.  Every evening I would end the day with a four mile walk.

When practice started I weighted 155 pounds.  The additional weight must have helped because I played more minutes than anyone else on the team.

Today I have one chore to do.  This afternoon I plan on replacing the guts of the toilet bowl in the master bedroom.

Got home from Panera at 1245.  Before lunch I checked the problem toilet bowl’s workings.  With some effort I figured out how the thing worked.  Made a simple adjustment and problem solved.  I was proud of myself.

Lunch and then I pumped up the tires on my 50 year old single speed and biked to Macatawa Bank.  Withdrew money for Kim who cleans on Thursday this week.  Nancy has book club on Friday.

While at the bank checked to see if I have sufficient funds to pay for my implants.  I have a meeting with the Dentist on Friday.  Payment is due.  The actual surgery is on the 19th.

Biden’s Vice President selection became the big news story for the day.  I think Senator Harris was a good choice.  Of course I will not vote Democratic this fall.  I will probably vote Libertarian.  I have never voted for Trump.

This afternoon I took a short nap followed by a 3/4 mile walk.  For dinner tonight Nancy fixed hot dogs with scalloped potatoes.

Tonight we watched “Partners in Crime” on Amazon.  It was very good.  After Nancy headed to bed I watched a Polish detective show on Netflix.  It was also good.

Both Debbie and Missy FaceTimed us this evening.  We reported everything ok.

Checked front yard and garage at 2200.  The temperature had dropped to mid 70s.  Turned off AC before turning in.

Monday August 10, 2020

 Monday August 10, 2020

Blog time 1130 at Panera

Both up at 0630.  Nancy has a 0900 Doctor’s appointment so no walk this morning.  

Morning calisthenics before breakfast.  Standard breakfast, microwaved oatmeal, 1/2 sandwich thin with peanut butter and a banana.  

My Grandparents Scott were not familiar with peanut butter until they had their visiting grandkids asking for it.  My Grandfather called it wagon grease.

Speaking of PB, while in Vietnam a Vietnamese employee, Herbie, and I were talking and I asked if he liked PB.  He had never heard of it so I went to the PX and bought a jar.  It was a big hit with his kids.  My contribution to the People to People program.

This morning I took my easy 10.5 mile bike route.  It was hot and humid.  

For the past several weeks I have been writing my blog on Google’s new blog format.  It took some getting use to but now I like it.

A lot of news lately on the Atomic bomb being dropped on two Japanese Cities in 1945.  I remember these events and my parents talking about the use of the bomb.

In July 1962 the USA made an above ground test of the powerful H bomb.  This bomb was much larger than the bombs used in 45.  The test was held on the Johnston Atoll.  The Atoll is near Midway Island.  I was stationed on Midway and remember the Island being loaded with tech folks with high tech monitoring equipment.  I think Midway was the closest land mass from the test site.

I remember walking to the beach about 2200.  Most of the Navy folks were there.  It was pitch black but when the explosion went off the sky brightened like it was midday.  I remember thinking I hope no one is dumb enough to set one of these off.

Sticking with 1962 events on Midway Island.

On Oct 3, 1962 a Mercury space capsule landed 440 miles NE of Midway.  It was picked up by the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge.  The Kearsarge headed to Midway.  The capsule was offloaded to a small tug that was stationed on Midway.  Once it reached Midway, Ensign Scott and a group of Seabees were responsible for offloading the capsule to a flat bed truck and taking it to a cargo plane.  It was a big deal because of all the news coverage.

The space craft’s pilot was Wally Schirra.  The capsule orbited the earth 6 times.  I could not get over how small the capsule was.  It was covered with a layer of soot from retry.

On Oct 16, 1962 the Cuban Missile Crisis started.  I was scheduled to be given a new assignment.  I really wanted to get off Midway.  The Officer charged with getting me a new duty station said because of the Cuban Missile Crisis everyone was frozen at their current duty station.  Later that day I was notified of an immediate opening with the Deputy Officer in Charge of Construction Southeast Asia.  I wired back, get my ass to SE Asia.  When my orders arrived I headed to the library to find out where Saigon, Vietnam was!

And that folks were the highlights of my 1 year, two weeks, three days and 13 hours on Midway Island, Navy #3080.

Left Panera at 1230 for home.  Before lunch I took a 3/4 mile walk.  I wanted to get my walk in before the afternoon rain.

After lunch spent an hour in office finishing my daily news reading.  After I took  a short nap.

Nancy heard on the news that a storm with high winds is headed to GR.  We removed the umbrella from our deck table.  Also moved the table to a safe place.

We had our normal light Monday dinner.  Cheerios with blueberries and croissants.

About 2000 a big thunder storm with high winds rolled through.  After the storm I checked outside to see if we had any wind damage.  We lucked out.

Tonight we watched an episode of Midsomer Murders.  Midsomer is our default show when we cannot agree what to watch.

Debbie and Missy FaceTimed tonight.  Not much to report other than we are still sheltering in place.  

  

Sunday August 9, 2020

Sunday August 9, 2020

Sunny this morning with temps later today reaching the high 80s. Nancy headed out on her morning 3 mile walk.  I dressed and drove to Panera to get a coffee and bagel for myself and a hazelnut coffee for Nancy.

At home I fixed a bowl of oatmeal, toasted my bagel, ate a banana and enjoyed my coffee while reading the GRP.  At 0915 we turned to YouTube on my iPad and watched the 22nd streaming service from Trinity Lutheran.  Nancy and I both miss attending a real church service.

After church I finished reading the GRP.  At 1100 took a relaxing 7 mile bike ride.

This and that:

I was thinking while riding that during my summers on the farm my Grandfather and I would shoot a chicken for our Sunday meal.

I got the first shot and if I missed Grandfather got the second.  If after several tries we still did not have a chicken Grandfather would get his shotgun and end it for the frightened bird.

My Grandmother would clean the bird and we would have fried chicken with mashed potatoes for our big meal.  We ate a lot of mashed potatoes on the farm.  Great memories.

We watch Our Church services on YouTube.  After the service I watch a clip of Scottish Military Bagpipe bands.  Love bagpipe music.  In fact I told Nancy at my funeral I want her to hire a bagpiper to play Amazing Grace.

During high school a popular dance was called the “Herr Schmidt”.  I used YouTube’s search function and sure enough found several renditions of Herr Schmidt.  The magic of the internet.

During the school year on many Sundays the five of us would attend a late afternoon movie.  After the movie we would go to Jim and Ann’s for burgers.  Life was great in the 50s.

Lunch and then took a short nap.  Spent some time reading the news before finishing the afternoon with a short walk.  Tough walk because the temperature was in high 80s with humidity near 90%.  I think we call this condition “muggy”.

For dinner tonight we cleaned out the refrigerator.  Asian Chicken salad with blueberries and a croissant.

We watched the local news before switching to Apple TV.  Watched an episode of Call the MidWifes.  Nancy headed to bed and I watched an episode of Ozark.  Not very good.

Debbie called after Nancy had gone to bed.  She was late because she spent several hours on her porch talking with a neighbor.  Good to see Debbie socializing.

It was still hot and muggy when I checked outside at 2200.  Turned the AC off before turning in.  At midnight I turned the AC back on.

Saturday August 8, 2020

Saturday August 8, 2020

Blog time 1500 sitting in office

Slept in until 0700 this morning.  Looked out the window and nothing but bright sun and a cloudless sky.  Temp was in low 60s.

 This morning we walked to Panera.  Sat outside and drank our coffee.  I also had oatmeal and a bagel.  We had time to plan our day and next week’s activities.

At home I put on my bike clothes and headed out on a 10.5 mile bike ride.  Nancy started the laundry.  Does this seem fair, Nancy works and I take a bike ride?

A lot of couples were walking and riding bikes this morning.  I did see a flock of wild turkeys.

As soon as I got home I shaved, head and face, before my shower.  Dressed and then Nancy and I took a drive.

Nancy has a Doctor’s appointment early Monday morning.  She was unfamiliar with the office location so we made a dry run.  

Today is my sister’s, Helen, birthday.  We gave her a call.  Did you know Nancy and Helen were roommates in college?

Lunch and then headed downstairs to finish yesterday’s blog, checked email and read the news.  Really not much new in the news, 

Coronavirus is not getting better

No one has figured out how to start school

Except for the explosion in Beirut thing seem quiet in World News.

Have we entered the “Dog Days of August”?  I just Googled this phrase and found “lethargy and indolence tend to reign due to the heat”.  It has been hot all over the world this summer especially the Arctic.  Read that the temperature yesterday in Baghdad was 106.  Now that is hot.

I took a short nap this afternoon followed by a 2/3 mile walk.  This evening for dinner we drove to Cascade Roadhouse.  We sat outside and had drinks and a nice meal.  Very pleasant.

At home we watched a movie on Netflix.  It was called “Erased”.  Nancy gave it a C and I rated it B.  Kind of a Guy film.

Speaking of movies:  the Coronavirus has killed movie theaters.  Some experts say theaters will never return even after a vaccine is found.  I tend to disagree.  Movies are still an inexpensive date.  In my dating days a movie followed by a burger was a great evening.  Also a great place to take the kids on a rainy afternoon.

Both Debbie and Missy FaceTimed us this evening.  We gave a positive report.  

Very pleasant when I checked outside at 2200.  I did note that after 6 months of calls our street light is finally fixed.  

Friday August 7, 2020

 Friday August 7 ,2020

Blog time 1915 sitting in living room.

Up at 0630.  Today I have a 0900 Doctors appointment.

Nancy headed out on her 3.5 mile walk.  Later this afternoon she took a 1.5 mile walk.  Wow 5 miles.  Way to go Nancy.

This morning I did the calisthenics at 75%.  Took a shower before breakfast.  Shower #1

Today I have an appointment with an Ocular Neurologist, Dr Santos.  Dr Santos is monitoring my Myasthenia Gravis.  I gave him my recent history.  The MG acts up in the winter but in summer it is very mild.  Took 8 pills per day in winter and now I take 3 pills.  He said great and scheduled an appointment for later this year.

At 1130 took a 9.5 mile bike ride.  Another great day for a ride.

Shower #2 and then Lunch.  After lunch started errands.  

First stop was car wash.

Next stop was Ada Bike.  Purchased parts for my bike rack. 

Bought gas at Meijer’s.  Can’t recall gas price.

Final stop was Costco.  Bought three bottle of red wine.

This afternoon Nancy and Mary Namey had lunch at Cork.  Nancy said they both had a great meal.

Found time this afternoon to take a nap.  No apple snack today and I probably will not eat an apple until I get my new upper plate.

For dinner tonight Nancy fixed Asian Chicken Salad.  It was very good.  We also had Croissants and fresh fruit, pineapple and blueberries.  Very good.

I took a short walk after dinner.  I enjoy a short evening walk.  However, with the days getting shorter I only have about 2 more months to enjoy an evening walk in bright sun.

The only news I watched tonight was the Brooks and Shields debate on PBS.  David Brooks always has sage advice.

Tonight we watched Vexed, episode 1 of season 2, on Netflix.  Great show for a Friday night.

Debbie and Missy FaceTimed us this evening.  Everything was up to snuff in CA and MI.

Very pleasant when I made my outside check at 2200.  

 

Thursday August 6, 2020

Thursday August 6, 2020

Blog time 1200 at Panera

We both got up at 0630.  Nancy headed out on her morning walk.  Later she will go to Trader Joe’s for supplies.

Calisthenics and breakfast before heading out on my 10.5 mile morning bike ride.  Great day for a bike ride, sunny with temps in 60s.  The critters must be in hiding because I did not see any.

At home showered, dressed and then biked to Panera.  Slowly more folks are sitting inside at Panera.

I checked my email and finished yesterday’s blog.  Read the headlines on the iPads news app.  Started the WSJ before heading home.

Got home at 1230 and immediately had a quick lunch.  This afternoon I have a 1400 Dentist appointment.  

The Dentist checked out my sore jaw and the teeth that are to be removed on the 19th.  Everything seems normal so the surgery will go ahead.  Spent about an hour in the chair.  Left the Dentist reassured that I made the right decision to have implants vs a standard denture.

1600 Nancy and I took a mile walk.  I was glad I could keep up with Nancy.

 At 1700 we drove to Brann’s restaurant.  We sat outside enjoyed our drinks before ordering dinner.  I had a bowl of chili and Nancy had a chicken sandwich.  Of course I ate half her sandwich.  Sitting outside on a Summer’s evening is a real pleasure.

While at the restaurant Nancy heard the folks at the next table talking about Gaylord.  Nancy asked in they knew my sister Helen.  They did.  Small world.

Tonight we watched an episode of Unforgotten on Prime.  It was good.

Debbie FaceTimed us this evening.  Everything ok. 

It was nice and cool when made my 2200 check of the garage front yard.