Friday December 13, 2019

Friday December 13, 2019

Got up at 0550 and took Ms P out.  It was very mild with a temperature of 37 degrees.  I hate this yo-yo weather.  If I was king I would declare that in the three winter months the temperature would never get above 32.  I think this is healthier.

Nancy headed out early for MVP.  Later she has a full morning of Christmas shopping.

After breakfast I walked to the Y.  The steroids must be wearing off because I am feeling more hip pain.  I might have to change my winter routine.  Calisthenics and walk/run and shower before walking to Panera.

This and that:

Today is Friday the 13.  I always buy a lottery ticket today.  I won a Jeep in a raffle in 1956 with the number 13.

On Friday December 14, 1962 young Ensign Scott boarded the 1400 log flight from Midway Island Navy Base to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  My year long tour was over.  I was heading home for Christmas.  This was a happy day in my life.  It was 74 degrees when I left Midway.  After changing planes in SF, Chicago and Detroit I landed in Alpena on Sunday morning.  My Mom and Dad met me. It -17 degrees but who cares I was home for Christmas.

The UK election was decisive.  The conservatives have a green light to finally get BRexit done.

China/USA trade deal.  Good news.

After lunch I headed to Breton Village.  I planned on getting my car washed but the Car Wash was closed.  Mechanical breakdown I was told.

Bought a Christmas gift and then I stopped at Fitzgerald’s.  I bought a pair of pants that are made of super duper material.  The salesman said just like Lululemon.  I also stopped at Lululemon and looked at their pants.  Fitzgerald’s brand was superior.  

Final stop was the Orvis store.  Purchased nothing.

At home I spent time cleaning my desk and reading.  No nap today.

Fixed out apple snack and then at 1700 we drove to Brann’s for dinner.  I had a bowl of chili with wine and Nancy had a margarita and chicken sandwich.  The food is always good at Brann’s.

This evening we watched another episode of The Crown.  It was about Prince Phillip’s midlife crisis.  Great show.  I like this season better than the last two.

The temperature will remain above freezing tonight.  Opened our slider for fresh air.

Thursday December 12, 2019

I was up at 0550 and took Ms P out.  It was 12 degrees.  Headed back to bed.  Nancy woke me at 0710.  She was on her way to MVP for a swim.  

At 0830 I headed out for my walk to the Y.  I was bundled up.  Wind chill this morning was in single digits.

The Y was crowded with the pre holiday workout crowd.  Noted that the body pump classes and heavy duty aerobics classes were full.

Calisthenics and a walk/run this morning.  So far running several laps has been painless.  My goal is to run a mile.  Showered and then walked to Panera.

This and that:

Today is the big election in the UK.  

Why do folks pay good money for jeans with holes.  More confusing why wear them when the temp is in single digits.

In winter I wear long underwear or lined pants every day.

In elementary school all little boys wore union suits in winter.

Nancy is having lunch with her old college classmate, Karen Horlings.

Is it tacky to send an email Christmas Card?

The times have changed.  Today’s Alpena News had a picture of the AHS basketball team.  Several of the members had full beards.  Nobody, absolutely no body in my AHS class had facial hair.

Looked out the slider about midnight and saw two deer eating the corn I had put out.

POTUS mocked Time magazine’s choice for Person of the Year.  Maybe Time should award him Jerk of the Year.

After lunch I headed downstairs.  Put out corn for the deer and turned on my electric fire place.

This afternoon was dedicated to getting this year’s Christmas Cards done.  I typed a short note to put in each Card.  My handwriting is so bad that I am forced to type.  Typing is painless for me.  In retrospect typing was the best class I had in high school.  I type every day.

Thought I was late with this year’s cards but checked last year’s records and they were also completed on same day.  I must be preprogrammed?

No nap today.  At 1730 I fixed our apple snack.  

For dinner tonight Nancy fixed a stout pie with green peas.  Very tasty.  After firing up the dishwasher I prepared our nightly cheese/cracker and dark chocolate snack.

The women from Dowagiac, Mi continues to win on Jeopardy and the announcer continues to mispronounce Dowagiac.  After the show we watched an episode of Midsomer Murders.  Good episode.

It was 37 degrees at 2200.  We slept with the slider open.  Mild weather continues through tomorrow.

Wednesday December 11, 2019

Wednesday December 11, 2019

Blog time 1000 at Panera

Today is my easy Wednesday.  Got up at 0550 and took Ms P out.  It was cold, 18, and windy.

Nancy headed out for MVP.  This afternoon she works at the Gardens.

I did my exercise routine at 50% this morning.  Checked my weather app and the wind chill was in single digits.  Got out my heavy hooded wool coat.  I walked into the wind and it was miserable.  Arrived at Panera at 0900.  The place was crowded.  I ordered an oatmeal breakfast.

Panera must be a popular spot for office staff to meet and have a brief meeting over pastries and coffee.  Most of the tables had more than three folks.

Finished yesterday’s blog.  Read the papers and in keeping with my no comments on USA politics this year I have nothing to comment on.  

This and that:

On days with the temperature below freezing mittens are superior to gloves.

Today we have 9h3’ of daylight.  So far in December we have had 2% of available sun.  Bummer.

This year I have a major case of Christmas Spirit.  I enjoy the continuous Christmas music at Panera and on my car radio.

In my elementary school days I asked Santa for two gifts that would not be allowed today.  The first was a Red Ryder BB gun, made by Daisy of Plymouth, Mi.  The second was a pair of leather high top boots with a sewed in leather pouch that contain a jackknife.  Both gifts were super cool.

The walk home was more tolerable because I had the wind at my back.  Nancy was getting ready to leave for the Gardens when I got home.

Headed out to run some errands.

First stop was the Chow Hound for deer corn.  No luck.

Next stopped at D&W and mailed packages to Ca.

At Meijer’s I bought a tub of Pinconning soft cheese and a brick of Black Diamond cheese.  Black Diamond cheese is a little pricey but worth it.  Great cheese.

Next I stopped a Horrock’s and bought a 35 pound bag of corn.  Put out the corn as soon as I got home.

Wednesday afternoon so after lunch I:

Took out the trash and recyclables.

Did a load of laundry.

Took a nap.

Fixed our apple snack as soon as Nancy got home at 1700.  It is part of our daily ritual.

We had a light dinner tonight, cereal with blueberries.  Very good especially fresh blueberries.

We watched the news and Jeopardy while eating our after dinner snack.  Tonight we watched another episode of The Crown.  Great episode.  Nancy headed to bed and I watched another episode of a Polish crime story.

The temperature at bed time was 12.  We decided it was too cold to open our slider.  Sissy!

Tuesday December 10, 2019

Tuesday December 10, 2019

Blog time 1200 at Panera

Took Ms P out at 0530.  It was cold and snowing.  Went back to bed and finally got up at 0700.

Today Nancy headed out early for her Tuesday swim.  Later she is attending a Retired Teacher’s Luncheon.

It was snowing too hard to ride my bike.  I walked to the Y.  Calisthenics and a walk/run.  I am so happy I can run a lap.  Showered before heading to Panera.

I heard that the Y had a huge early morning crowd.  They even had lines for the showers.  Folks losing weight before the Christmas eating binges.

This and that:

A recent report revealed the vast amount of money spent in Afghanistan.  18 years of war with no positive results.  Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan all terrible foreign policy mistakes.  Will we ever learn?

Russia is banned from Olympics for doping.  Why should this surprise anyone?  Russia’s meddling in elections in the EU and USA should have put everyone on notice.

Sad news, UM All American football player and coach Bump Elliot died today.  He was 94.  Mr Elliot was a Marine during WW II and was involved in the Pacific campaign.

My High School classmate Dennis Bowen passed.  God Speed Dennis.

Finally Congress and the Administration have reached an agreement on the trade deal with Mexico and Canada.  About time!

Nancy was still at lunch when I got home.  Quick lunch and as soon as Nancy got home we started running errands.

Stopped at Chow Hound to get corn for deer and dry food for Ms P.  Chow Hound was out of corn.

Stopped at ACE to see if they had corn.  No luck.

At Family Friends Vet Clinic Nancy picked up at prescription for Ms P.  Ms P’s monthly pill bill is greater than Nancy and Bob’s combined.

At D&W bought stamps and cole slaw for dinner.

Stopped at Costco.  Picked up another prescription for Ms P.  Bought party cheese pack for Nancy to take to Book Club Christmas party.  Waste basket liners, naan and powered fiber were also purchased.

Emptied the car and then took Nancy’s Taurus for gas.  Gas today was still at $2.54.

Found time for a short nap and apple snack.

Nancy fixed chicken noodle soup for dinner.  We also had cole slaw and a croissant.

Tonight we watched the news, Jeopardy and NCIS.  The current winner on Jeopardy is from Dowagiac, Mi a pretty small town in Cass County.

After Nancy headed to bed I continued watching a Polish crime story on Netflix.  Temps tonight will plunge to teens.

Monday December 9, 2019

Monday December 9, 2019

Blog time 1150 at Panera

I did not get up until 0700.  The steroids must be wearing off.  Nancy left home at 0715 because she had to pick up a neighbor and take her to MVP.

Nancy has a luncheon today with her pals from the hospital guild.  In fact Nancy has a lunch nearly every day this week.  Later we are going to the discount mall.

Last week I had difficulty doing chin-ups which I blamed on the steroids.  This morning I was able to do four.  It is a start.

Temperature was in the high 40s this morning with a steady rain.  I drove to the Y.

Today I tried running. I would walk a lap and then run a lap.  Completed two laps.  First time I have been able to run in over a year.  Showered and then headed out.

Drove to Apple store to make a purchase before heading to Panera.  Finished yesterday’s blog and read some news.

Still raining when I got home.  Quick lunch and then we headed to the Tanger’s Outlet Mall.  Spent an hour looking around.  I bought a pair of cords at Brooks Brothers.  BB is the only store that carries corduroy pants.  I love corduroy, they were the preferred winter pant in my youth.  Nancy made a purchase at Talbot’s.

At home put out the last of the corn for the deer.  Will replenish supply tomorrow.  

Quick nap and then took a 30 minute walk.  I needed to get my 30 minutes outside completed.

Light dinner, fixed after dinner snacks and watched news.  Debbie called us this evening.  She said they have been having a lot of rain but it stopped today.  

We watched an episode of Wycliffe before turning in.  The temperature has been dropping all day.  Snow tomorrow.

Sunday December 8, 2019

Weekend update for week ending Sunday December 8, 2019

Saturday December 7, 2019

Blog time 1700 sitting in living room.

Up at 0630, Nancy had just taken Ms P out.  Temperature was 27 but no wind so we decided to walk to Panera.

Saturday morning is very quiet in our neighborhood.  No traffic or folks walking.  Panera was not crowded.  I had my oatmeal, bagel, coffee breakfast. Nancy had a coffee.

Today is Pearl Harbor Day.  Not many folks were alive on December 7, 1941.  I was.  This event was a milestone event in USA history.

At home Nancy started the laundry.  I got out my winter bike and went on a 7 mile ride.  I did make a quick stop at Macatawa Bank to deposit my quarterly IRA check.

At home I shaved and showered, put out corn for deer and then made a quick trip to Groskopfs to purchase a present.

Quick lunch and then a nap.  Prepared our apple snack.

This evening we are attending the Holiday Pops.  Left home at 1730.  Parked in the City Center and walked to Panera for dinner.  Nancy wanted Panera because she wanted just a bowl of soup.  Surprise! the downtown Panera was closed.  Bummer.

We walked to the Amway and ate in their Sports Bar.  Nancy had a small chili and I had a burger and glass of wine.  The burger was especially good.

The concert started at 1930.  Full house.  Great concert, it put everyone in a holiday mood.  We got home at 2230 and headed right to bed.

Sunday December 8, 2019

I was up at 0600.  Took Ms P out.  Mild with temps in low 30s.

This morning we took our Sunday walk.  1.25 miles.

Dressed for church and made a quick trip to Panera to get us a coffee to take with us.  Left home at 0840 for Trinity Lutheran.  Good crowd at church.  

We stopped at RiteAid after church because they had a special on Fiber One cereal.  Next we stopped at Meijer’s.  Gas was $1.54.

After unloading the car I read the GRP completely.  As I have mentioned many times the GRP has to be the worst newspaper in the USA.

Lunch and then I took my Sunday nap.

Watched some of the Lions game, sad.

Fixed our apple snack.

Finished my physical activity with a 1.5 mile walk.

Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for dinner.  I had mine with spinach pie and a croissant.  

The football game delayed the start of 60 Minutes.  After 60 Minutes Nancy headed to bed.  I started watching a Polish crime show on Netflix.  It was good.

Friday December 6, 2109

Friday December 6, 2019

Blog time 1140 at Panera

Slept in until 0630 this morning.  Nancy had already taken Ms P out.  Windy with temperature in mid 30s.

Before breakfast I usually do pushups and chin-ups.  Today I could not do a chin-up.  I am still blaming my loss of strength on the steroids.

After breakfast I walked to the Y.  Calisthenics, sans chin-ups, and a walk.  Showered and walked to Panera.  Panera was crowded.  I had trouble finding a table.

This and that:

Good jobs report so the stock market goes up?

I will not make any more comments on the US political scene this year.

Playoff football starts this weekend.  Does anyone care?

Girls high school basketball has started but the Boy’s season has not.  I assume there is a reason for the different starts?

Kim was still cleaning when I got home so Nancy and I made a quick trip to Trader Joe’s.  The place was crowded.  Nancy vowed never to go on Friday.

Shower, lunch and then a quick nap.  We left home at 1630 and headed to Moleski’s.  Tonight we had dinner at Mill Creek Tavern.  As always the place was crowded.  I had the perch dinner but the others had sandwiches.  Great perch.  Pleasant time.

At home we watched an episode of The Crown.  I think this season’s shows are the best.  Nancy headed to bed and I stayed up and watched a new Scandinavian crime show.   Fell asleep five minutes into the show.