December 6, 2021

 Monday December 6, 2021

Blog time 1700 sitting in office.

Up at 0700.  Temperature in low 30s with rain/snow mix.  Very windy.

At home calisthenics before breakfast of oatmeal.  Nancy headed out at 0800 for a swim at MVP.  Later she has a 1200 appointment to get her new tooth put in.  After the Dentist she is getting her Pacemaker checked.  Because of road conditions I will drive her.  

Hopped in Fusion and drove to Y.  Followed my normal routine at Y, calisthenics, 1K row and mile walk.  Showered and headed to Panera.

Coffee and baguette at Panera.  Read emails, Alpena News before heading home at 1100.  Strong winds and rain/snow mix made driving difficult.  Picked up Nancy and we headed to the Dentist.  It took about 30 minutes for the Dentist to put Nancy’s new tooth in.  It looks good.

After the Dentist we drove to Spectrum Heart clinic.  Today Nancy had her pacemaker checked.  Everything ok.

At home had a quick lunch before starting afternoon activities which included:

Filling bird feeders

Put out corn for deer.

Read the news

Finished two days worth of blogs.

No time for a nap today.

Nancy fixed bean with ham soup for dinner.  Also a bowl of blueberries.  

Both Debbie and Missy FaceTimed this evening.  We gave a positive.  Nancy showed off her new tooth.

We watched an episode of “Queens of Mystery”.  A nice light show.

Check of Courtyard at 2200 showed everything secure.  At midnight I looked out our dining room window and noted three deer heading to our backyard.  With snow on ground and a bright moon visibility is great.

Temperature will drop to teens this evening.  Coldest night of the  season.

December 5, 2021

 Sunday December 5, 2021

Blog time:  this blog is being written on Monday December 6 at 1630.

Sunday was a complete lazy day.

Up Sunday morning at 0700.  It was 42, windy and drizzling.  In fact it rained all day.  Miserable day.  Except for church we stayed inside all day.

Days activities:

Coffee at Biggby.  Oatmeal breakfast

0845 Trinity Lutheran.  Today we celebrated the 125th anniversary of Trinity.

After church we headed to Meijer’s via Ada to relished supplies.

Spent the rest of day indoors.  

Read papers and took nap.

Nancy fixed me poached eggs on toast for dinner.  

No 60 Minutes tonight.

We watched the last episode of season 22 of Midsomer Murders.  

Still drizzling when checked Courtyard at 2200.

Debbie and Missy Facetimed today.

December 4, 2021

 Saturday December 4, 2021

Blog time 1800 sitting in office

Up at 0700 and head out to “The Gathering Place for Breakfast”.

After breakfast we stopped at dry cleaner to pick up Nancy’s sweater.  It was not ready.

Took a short ride.  Stopped at Total Wines to restock my supply. 

At Panera we got our morning’s free coffee.  Actually it is not free.  We pay $9.99 a month for unlimited coffee.

At home Nancy started laundry and I headed out on a 8.7 mile bike ride.  First time on bike in a month.  Temperature was in low 40s but still windy.  Passed a lot of walkers but no bikers.

Showered and shaved and then ran errands.  Stopped again at cleaner and picked up Nancy’s sweater.  At the Chow Hound I bought a 35# bag of corn and 15# bag of bird seed.

Put out corn and filled bird feeders before taking a nap.

Nancy’s watch went on the fritz today.  We spent time trying to reset the apps on her watch face.  Finally we called Debbie and she helped.  Still not exactly what Nancy desires.  Will make changes on Sunday.

For dinner I finished the beef dip sandwich I purchased at Schnitz’s Deli last night.  Also had a dish of blueberries.

Saturday night is movie night.  Tonight we watched an Agatha Christie movie on Netflix.  About an English PI during the 50s.  Also starred Glenn Close.  We gave it a B-.

I am finishing this blog on Monday so I cannot remember much about FaceTime folks who contacted us on Saturday. I know Debbie and also Missy, I think.  

It was misting when checked the Courtyard before bed.  Everything secure.

December 3, 2021

 Friday December 3, 2021

Blog time 1220 at Panera

Up at 0700.  Nancy is meeting friends for coffee at 0930.  No MVP for her today.

Calisthenics and breakfast of oatmeal before driving to the Y.  We had a light dusting of snow on the ground.  Temperature was 32.

At Y I finished calisthenics, walked a mile and rowed 1K.  Showered and headed to Panera.  

Panera was once again empty and it was also cold.  I have complained several times about the lack of heat.  No action by Panera.  If not for the cheap coffee I would go elsewhere.

Arrived home at 1230.  Feed the birds and put out corn for deer before lunch.

This and that:

Several folks who regularly attend the Y use wheel chairs.  I am surprised at the clever modifications to vehicles to accommodate wheel chairs.  Everything from gull wings to expensive mobile ramps.  Most modified vehicles are pickups or SUVs.  

Weather data for the month of November indicates that we had a very average month weather wise.

An article in one of the news outlets says folks are totally turned off by news reporting.  I agree.

The attack at Oxford HS still dominates the local news.  

We left home at 1645 and headed to Schnitz’s Deli in Ada.  Arrived at 1700 and got the last table.  I had the beef dip and Nancy had a bowl of chicken rice soup.  We really enjoyed the food and atmosphere.  We gave Schnitz’s an A.

Tonight we watched an episode of Murder in Paradise.  This is a Good Friday night show.

We FaceTimed with both girls tonight.  

Check of Courtyard just before bed was uneventful.

 

December 2, 2021

Thursday December 2, 2021

Blog time noon at Panera

Up this morning at 0715.  Nancy headed out to a class at MVP.  I did the at home calisthenics before breakfast.  The sun was out and the temperature was in high 40s.  The wind speed was 18mph so I decided not to ride bike.  I drove to the Y.

At Y I did calisthenics, mile walk and 1,000 meter row.  Showered and then headed to Panera for coffee and baguette.  Read some news, checked email and finished yesterday’s blog. 

I thought Kim was cleaning today so I spent more time than normal at Panera.  Left Panera and headed to Woodland Mall.  Stopped at Woodland Mall to purchase a new case for my mini iPad.  Found out the super duper case I was looking at was not available for my model.  Bummer.

When I got home found out Kim had not come today.  We had a mix up on her schedule.  She comes next week.

I had a late lunch and then some chores:

Filled bird feeders

Put out corn for deer

I moved some furniture to help Kim with her cleaning.  Put the furniture back.

Nancy and I ordered some Christmas gifts using Amazon.  The gift will be delivered next Tuesday.  Folks criticize Amazon but they offer a real service.

Light dinner tonight.  News is dominated by new strain of Covid.  

Tonight after the news we watched an episode of “The Madame Blanc Mysteries”.  Easy watching.

Tonight we FaceTimed Debbie.  We had not heard from her all week.  Debbie explained how busy she is a work.  With the new Covid strain and uncertainty in manufacturing she has plenty on her plate.  Had a nice talk.  Steve and family are visiting Debbie over Christmas.  Good news, no one should be alone over the holidays.  Missy and AJ will spend Christmas in GR.

I know what it is like to spend the holidays alone.  In 1957 as a member of the UM wrestling team I was selected to go to a holiday tournament in Wilkes Barre, Pa. I was very excited. 

We were to leave Ann Arbor several days after Christmas.  Because of the long trip between Alpena and Ann Arbor I decided to stay on campus.  All the dorms were closed except one.  I got a room in the dorm.  The place was empty and after one night I got very lonely.  Next day I said the hell with it.  Took a Greyhound to Alpena.  It was Christmas Eve when I walked into the house at 2200.  My Mom and Dad were sitting in the living room playing gin rummy.  Mom said what are you doing here!  I told her I got so lonely that I had to come home for Christmas.  Spent a great holiday at home.  Several days after Christmas I took the Greyhound back to Ann Arbor.

Light snow when checked 

  

 

December 1, 2021

 Wednesday December 1, 2021

Blog time 1040 sitting in Starbucks at Woodland Mall.

Breakfast Club Wednesday.  Up with the 0530 alarm.  I emptied the dishwasher before getting ready for BC.  Left home at 0630 for the University Club in downtown GR.  It was pitch black with temperature slightly above freezing.  

Small crowd at BC this morning.  Our long time Secretary-Treasurer Pam McVeigh passed away last month.  The Club voted to provide a bench in her name for the Veteran’s Center in GR.  Pam was an active volunteer at the Center.

Today’s speaker was the GR Mortgage manager for Lake Michigan Credit Union.  He talked on the past and present mortgage market in GR.  It was very interesting.  Nancy has been a long time member of the LMCU.  LMCU is the largest mortgage provider in MI.

After BC I drove to Breton Village to get the Fusion washed.  After the wash I headed to Woodland Mall.  Arrived at 0930 so all the stores were closed.  Did some blog writing until until 1000.

This and that:

I do not know anyone who got their buck this year.  This afternoon my high school friend Tom Cassell called me.  We had a nice hour long talk.  Tom is a big hunter and neither he or other class mates got their buck this year.

Two BC members that sit at my table have had covid since the last meeting.  They say that they are Covid free.  Glad I got my shots.

The school shooting at Oxford, Mi high school is mind boggling. How can we prevent these shootings short of a complete ban on guns?

This afternoon Nancy is working at the Gardens.

Trash and laundry were chores I did this afternoon.

After the stores opened in the Mall I did some Christmas shopping.  Looking for a big computer monitor.

All the trees in GR are bare.  We won't see leaves until the end of April.

Temperatures in the next several days will be above normal.  Not unusual.  

In early December in 1964 I was working for my Dad in Alpena.  We had a bridge job in Big Rapids.  I was to be the on-site inspector.  After 3 years in tropics I did not look forward to working outside in a Mi winter.  So in early December I had to do some layout work.  It was 70 degrees.  I thought I can live with this.  Dumb!  We had a cold front move in next day.  The snow did not leave ground until late March.  Brr.  I never got warm.

I found time this afternoon for a nap.

We had a light dinner.  Blueberries, toast w/PB and cookies.

Tonight we watched a cop show on Acorn called “The Gulf” I think.  It is filmed in New Zealand.  Gave it a B+.

Noted when checked Courtyard at 2200 all our snow is gone.  Temperature in 40s.

Missy FaceTimed this evening.  

November 30, 2021

 Tuesday November 30, 2021

Blog time 1600 sitting in office

Up at 0700.  Followed my normal winter morning routine.  Nancy headed out at 0800 for her class at MVP.

I checked out back yard and saw plenty of deer track.  When we went to bed last night the corn was covered with new snow.  Their sense of smell must be great because most of the ears were stripped clean.

Drove to the Y.  This morning the Y was crowded.  I had to wait my turn at the chin-up bar.  I hate waiting.  In addition to the calisthenics I rowed 1,000m and walked a mile.  My time for the 1K row is getting better.  Showered and shaved before heading to Panera.

After Panera came home and picked up Escape.  The Escape is overdue for an oil change.  Luckily, I was in and out of the Ford garage in 90 minutes.

On way home I stopped at Bank to get money for Kim who cleans Thursday and to order a stack of $2 bills.  Also dropped my laundry off at the cleaners.

Late lunch today.  This afternoon I put out corn for deer.  The deer must be hungry because they strip the cobs clean.  

The natural food supply for birds must be diminishing.  They have been very active at our feeders.  I fill one feeder twice a day.

For dinner tonight Nancy fixed chicken noodle soup.  Also had fresh blueberries.

We watched the news before switching to BritBox.  On Tuesday’s a new episode of Shetland is released.  I give this show an A both for story and the scenery.

With the new snow I expected to see critter tracks in our Courtyard.  Tonight I saw none.  The temperature was in low 30s but no snow tonight.

Missy FaceTimed this evening.  She explained her Christmas flight to GR.