Tuesday October 17, 2017

Blog time 1150 at Panera

Another sunny day with temps early this morning in the high 40s.  Nancy headed out early to swim.  I had breakfast and waited for sunrise, 0758, before heading out.

This will be my last day at the Y for a week so I made extra effort on the calisthenics.  I have mentioned before that I think most folks at the Y follow a MWF routine because it was not crowded this morning.

Today Nancy met with the cataract surgeon.  She will have both eyes done.  First on Nov 30 and then the second on Dec 14.  No swimming for three weeks after surgery.

Yes the power of the press does exist.  President Trump’s choice for  drug czar withdraws after CBS’s 60 Minutes report.

Raqqa, Syria ISIS’s Capital was captured by US backed forces.  Now what do the USA backed troops now fight the forces of Assad?

A US Hospital ship sits off the coast of PR with no sick folks.  The PR bureaucrats have not cleared folks to go to the ship.  You cannot blame FEMA for local agency incompetence. 

At home we took Ms P on a long walk.  First time in months that she has walked over 1.5 miles.  No problems noted.

Finished packing for our trip to San Jose.  Continued putting away summer clothes and getting out winter stuff.  Also inventoried all clothes and decided a trip to Goodwill was in order.  I have 30 year old shirts that I have not worn in years.  

This evening we attended the monthly neighborhood dinner at Noto’s.  Only   20 folks were in attendance.  Nancy and I enjoy these dinners.  Every month we meet new couples and find out about their travels and local activities.  Last nights dinner was good especially the dessert.

Watched Bull on TV before heading to bed.

Monday October 16, 2017

Blog time 1155 at Panera:

Finally the rain has stopped, bright sun but cool, 45 this morning.  With all the rain noted that the streams were running full and every depression was filled.  High winds accompanied the weekend storms resulting in a lot of fallen branches.  It was great to see Cascade Twp out this morning blowing the branches off the bike trail.  

Read this morning about perfect exercises for older women.  Swimming and Tia Chi were the top two.  Nancy does both.

Normal routine at the Y and then biked to Panera.

Some interesting articles in the London papers:

First Millennial Head of State was elected in Austria.  He is 31 and very conservative.  Millennials in the USA are usually left leaning.

Hurricane Ophelia has arrived in the UK.  The storm has brought up a lot of dust from the Sahara creating a red sky.

On this date in 1793 Marie Antoinette was beheaded in France.  Today in France a law has been proposed to immediately fine men wolf whistling at women.  Times have really changed?

Iraqi and the Kurds are fighting for Kirkuk.  The USA has a problem in that we support both groups.  Another reason for getting out of the Middle East.  We don’t know who the good guys are.

Spain is making threats to take over the government in Catalonia.

Civil servants in the UK are told not to use “he” or “she” so as not to offend.  Good grief!

I did not leave Panera until 1300.  Took a quick walk around the block before lunch.  

Brenna Bradshaw who will house sit Ms P while we are in San Jose stopped by.  We gave her a crash course on feeding Ms P, using the TV and Netflix, setting the furnace controls and other peculiarities of the condo.  She has helped her mother clean the house so she is already familiar with the condo.

During lunch I watched President Trump’s unscheduled new conference.  I wish he would stop badmouthing opponents in public.  I do think despite the hostility between POTUS and the press that he has much more contact with them than President Obama.

Lunch and then a quick trip to Staples.  Purchased two open crates to store summer clothes.  I am now bringing out the cold weather clothes and storing the warm weather gear.  Also started packing for our upcoming trip.

Short nap and then another walk.  Light dinner and then the news.  We watched The Killing on Netflix before turning in.

Sunday October 15, 2017

Sunday October 15 at 1630, sitting in downstairs office:

It was still raining when we got up this morning.  First stop was the Y.  Nancy swam and I did my modified routine.  

A unit from the local Army National was at the Y.  I knew they were Army because it was written on their shorts and tees.  They were performing their 6 months physical evaluation.  The Y trainer said they are required to run two miles in 16 Minutes, they also must do a 30 seconds test of sit-ups and push-ups.  She did not know how many sit-ups or push-ups were required in 30.  They had both male and female Guards.  Is the test the same for both genders?

Came straight home from the Y, changed clothes and headed to Trinity Lutheran for the 1000 Service.  Despite the rain a lot of folks were in attendance.

We did stop at Meijer’s for gas and groceries.  Gas was $2.55.

The rain had stopped so I took a walk around block before lunch.  Lunch and then read funnies before taking nap.  

Debbie face timed us last night. We talked of our upcoming trip to San Jose.  Told her we had rented a car.  She said cancel because she was taking time off during our visit.  After the nap I called Hertz and cancelled.

With my double vision I really did not want to drive in CA.  We are thinking of getting a Lyft or Uber account.  Which one is best?

I will take another walk before dinner.  Nancy is fixing her world famous scrambled eggs for dinner.

Agenda this evening includes 60 Minutes and the GRP.  Maybe a Netflix show?

The deer are moving.  This morning we had two deer in the back yard.  This evening we had two in the front yard.  

Saturday October 14, 2017

Blog time 1120 at the Cascade Library

It rained most of the night and was still raining when went out this morning.   No walk to Panera instead we got in the Escape and drove to Bob Evans.  It has been years since I visited a Bob Evans.  The food was very good.  We will go back.

At home Nancy started the laundry.  I walked to Macatawa Bank and then on to the Cascade Library.

Not much news in the Alpena or London papers. I did read the WSJ especially the opinion page.  The paper is pro business and most of its op-eds reflect this view but they do not get hysterical.  I mostly agree.

Walked home in the rain and found Nancy finishing the laundry.  Quick lunch and some chores before a nap.  Long time since we have had an all day rain.  Perfect day for a nap.  I did watch UM win in OT over IU.

For dinner tonight we headed to Brann’s.  Nancy had a turkey sandwich and I had a bowl of lobster bisque.  Of course I ate half of Nancy’s sandwich.

We watched an episode of Doc Martin before turning in.  It was raining when we went to bed and the rain will continue all night.  Flood warning are up all over West Mi. 

Friday October 13, 2017

Blog time 1230at Panera

Today is Friday the 13th.  It is suppose to be unlucky but I plan on buying a lottery ticket.  In 1956 I won a Jeep in a lottery with ticket #13.

It was dark and gloomy when I left this morning.  Temps were in high 50s perfect for a bike ride.

Normal routine at the Y. Showered and headed to Panera.

Comments on articles in the London papers:

Three snake stories.  Also an article on a women being eaten by a croc.  The Brits love their reptile stories.

A big hurricane is heading to Ireland and the UK.  Don’t really think of hurricanes that far north.

Article on how a couple survived the Santa Rosa fire by jumping in a neighbor’s swimming pool.  Everything around them was vaporized.

Harvey Weinstein still dominates the news.

Do the Tories have a game plan for BRexit?

I don’t understand POTUS’s Iran Nuclear stand,  is he leaving it up to congress?  

Speaking of POTUS I thought General Kelly’s new conference was great.  He epitomizes a Marine General.

The hair growing medicine POTUS uses might prevent prostrate cancer.  Think it would work for me?

President Trump’s executive order on suspending payments to insurance companies is getting a lot of flack.  I think after all the news media hysteria dies down many Americans will think the action has merits.  The ACA is a real budget buster.

Did not get home until 1330.  We took Ms P on her walk.  Lunch and some cleanup before a nap followed by a short walk.

Light dinner, watched the news and then an episode of Vera on Acorn before turning in.

Thursday October 12, 2017

Blog time 1130 at Panera

Cold, dark and gloomy when I first went out this morning.  Nancy headed out for her swim and I waited for daylight, about 0800, until heading out to the Y.  Temperature was 50 so I wore my knickers.  If below 50 I wear pants.

The biggest riding hazard this time of year are walnuts.  They cover the path and when hit they destabilize the bike.  Do deer eat walnuts?

Recent rains have dropped at lot of leaves.  A lot of folks are talking about the absence of deep reds on the leaves.  I guess it is because of the warm fall.

What is this the Boy Scouts are admitting girls.  Times are changing.  I was a Boy Scout but not gung-ho.  Left as soon as I started high school.

Does anyone know what is happening in the Spain/Catalonia independence flab?

The USA  withdrawals its support for UNESCO because of their anti Israel bias.

Nancy and Mary Namey had lunch in Grand Haven with their fellow teacher, Bonny.  They ate at a new restaurant that Nancy said was great.  

Walked around the block before lunch.  Later, I took the deck furniture downstairs for the winter.  Also brought out my winter clothes.

Light dinner.  Thursday night so I thought we would watch an episode of Doc Martin.  Bummer, Acorn did not release a new episode.  Watched The Killing.  Nancy went to bed and I watched Rake.

Wednesday October 11, 2017

Blog time 1200 at Panera

Alarm goes off at 0530 because today is Breakfast Club Wednesday.  It rained all night and was still raining when I left at 0630.  Stopped at Panera to get a coffee to go.  The freeway was unusually crowded this morning. The rain made driving difficult.  In fact I think it was the rain that kept many members home this morning.  That is a shame because this morning’s speaker gave a good presentation.  He was from Celebration Cinema and talked about the changes in the movie industry, from reclining chairs, to beer and wine and now live streaming the NY Metropolitan Opera.  He also gave an update on Celebration’s Downtown Theatre.  The theater will open in late 18 and has its own parking structure.

After BC I headed home and changed clothes and took Ms P out.  As soon as she got out she started barking and chasing six wild turkeys in our front yard.  I was glad to see her actions had little impact on the turkeys.  They continued eating.  Great, I like to see the turkeys.  They should be the State Bird.  Robins are fair weather sissies.

It was still raining so I drove to Panera.

Theresa May has been getting a lot of flack in the London papers for her slow progress on BRexit.  They hint her day’s are numbered.

Harvey Weinstein is dominating the news.  How did his antics escape for all these years?  His friends in the Democratic Party are all bailing out.

Still raining when I left Panera.  This afternoon Nancy is working at the Gardens and after her shift is heading directly to Book Club.

I walked around the block before lunch.  Took out trash and did a load of laundry before taking a nap.  

The temperature has been in the 50s all day.  Rain stopped this afternoon.

Left home at 1630 and headed to Vitale’s on Leonard.  Met Tom Moleski for dinner.  Always good food at Vitale’s.

At home I walked Ms P to the corner a distance of 0.6 miles.  She had not been walking all day.

Nancy said they had a good Book Club meeting.  100% attendance with good food and discussion.

We watched an episode of The Killing.  Nancy headed to bed and I watched an episode of Rake.  I love this show.  I think it is a guy thing.