Too good not to share

Trivia - on expressions

A SHOT OF WHISKEY

In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a "shot" of whiskey.
 
THE WHOLE NINE YARDS

American fighter planes in WW2 had machine guns that were fed by a belt of cartridges. The average plane held belts that were 27 feet (9 yards) long. If the pilot used up all his ammo he was said to have given it the whole nine yards.
 
BUYING THE FARM

This is synonymous with dying. During WW1 soldiers were given life insurance policies worth $5,000. This was about the price of an average farm so if you died you "bought the farm" for your survivors.

IRON CLAD CONTRACT

This came about from the ironclad ships of the Civil War. It meant something so strong it could not be broken.
 
PASSING THE BUCK/THE BUCK STOPS HERE

Most men in the early west carried a jack knife made by the Buck knife company. When playing poker it as common to place one of these Buck knives in front of the dealer so that everyone knew who he was. When it was time for a new dealer the deck of cards and the knife were given to the new dealer If this person didn't want to deal he would "pass the buck" to the next player. If that player accepted then "the buck stopped there".

RIFF RAF

The Mississippi River was the main way of traveling from north to south. Riverboats carried passengers and freight but they were expensive so most people used rafts. Everything had the right of way over rafts which were considered cheap. The steering oar on the rafts was called a "riff" and this transposed into riff-raff, meaning low class.

COBWEB

The Old English word for "spider" was "cob".

SHIP STATE ROOM

Traveling by steamboat was considered the height of comfort. Passenger cabins on the boats were not numbered. Instead they were named after states. To this day cabins on ships are called staterooms.
 
SLEEP TIGHT
Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night's sleep.

SHOWBOAT

These were floating theaters built on a barge that was pushed by a steamboat. These played small town along the Mississippi River.  Unlike the boat shown in the movie "Showboat" these did not have an engine. They were gaudy and attention grabbing which is why we say someone who is being the life of the party is "showboating".
 
OVER A BARREL

In the days before CPR a downing victim would be  placed face down over a barrel and the barrel would be rolled back and forth in a effort to empty the lungs of water. It was rarely effective. If you are over a barrel you are in deep trouble.
  
BARGE IN

Heavy freight was moved along the Mississippi in large barges pushed by steamboats. These were hard to control and would sometimes swing into piers or other boats. People would say they "barged in".

HOGWASH

Steamboats carried both people and animals. Since pigs smelled so bad they would be washed before being put on board. The mud and other filth that was washed off was considered useless "hog wash".

CURFEW

The word "curfew" comes from the French phrase "couvre-feu", which means  "cover the fire". It was used to describe the time of blowing out all lamps and candles. It was later adopted into Middle English as "curfeu",  which later became the modern "curfew". In the early American colonies homes had no real fireplaces so a fire was built in the center of the room. In order to make sure a fire did not get out of control during the night it was required that, by an agreed upon time, all fires would be covered with a clay pot called a "curfew".
  
BARRELS OF OIL

When the first oil wells were drilled they had made no provision for storing the liquid so they used water barrels. That is why, to this day, we speak of barrels of oil rather than gallons.

HOT OFF THE PRESS
As the paper goes through the rotary printing press friction causes it to heat up. Therefore, if you grab the paper right off the press it is hot The expression means to get immediate information.

no wonder English is hard to understand as a second language.

Addendum from Flo Jean

 AND AS EVERY FALL

WE DO NOT KNOW THE REASON

BUT WE DON'T WEAR WHITE

Autumn?

The days are shorter.

But the temps are near ninety.

Summer slow to leave.

Orthopedics

I saw the orthopedist this morning - all looks okay on x-rays of the new knee.  Exercise more and lose weight - usual stuff.  Except - he's going to retire at the end of October. He made some recommendations for a new doc, gave me all my x-rays, and will send copies of his office notes if requested.  I still see a rheumatologist, so I guess I'll hold off on starting with a new orthopedist for a while. We'll see how that works out.

End of summer life

It's been really quiet around here.  We had a birthday party after swimming for one our group.  She's just turned 90! And she is very faithful about coming to class.  We all sort of wish she weren't still driving, but she's a role model in any case.  I finally got back to duplicate this evening.  My partner and I tied for second - Wow!

Sunday Stealing

Have you ever??

1. Have you ever had chicken pox? Yes, I was 6 weeks old.
2. Have you ever shopped in Home Depot? Yes, but I prefer Lowe's.
3. Have you ever spied on your neighbors? Seen what was going on in the neighborhood, but not what I'd call "spying".
4. Have you ever ridden in a limo? Yes, Randy got us one to take us back to the car after our trip on the St. Lawrence River.
5. Have you ever had a pet fish? The girls had the giant goldfish, Cinderella.
6. Have you ever lied about your age? No.
7. Have you ever fired a gun? Only a BB gun.
8. Have you ever been ice skating? Yes, I think, only one time.
9. Have you ever played golf? Yes, I was never good at it.
10. Have you ever hidden on Halloween because you had no candy for trick or treaters? No
11. Have you ever made a prank call? No
12. Have you ever gotten a tattoo? Only as markers for my radiation treatment for breast cancer.
13. Have you ever had a massage? Oh, yes! and I do miss having them regularly.
14. Have you ever locked your keys in the car? Unfortunately, yes.
15. Have you ever ridden a horse? Yes.  I think the last time was in 1969.
16. Have you ever been to the circus? Yes, but it's been many, many years.
17. Have you ever been to Europe? Yes.
18. Have you ever built a fire? Yes, probably when I was a Girl Scout.
19. Have you ever been skydiving? Not bloody likely!
20. Have you ever bought something at a garage sale? I don't think I've ever been to one.
21. Have you ever walked in on someone having sex? No
22. Have you ever faked an injury to get out of something? No
23. Have you ever been to a nude beach? No
24. Have you ever received a speeding ticket? Yes.
25. Have you ever run a marathon? Again, not bloody likely!

Something new

We actually saw sunshine today - first since Monday.  And, I did something I never expected to do - I bought a piece of furniture.  The girls had suggested I might think about replacing the loveseat in my living room with a loveseat-sized sofa bed.  I guess I should have thought of that myself.  Anyway, my dear friend, Vicki, shopped for one for me ( you know how I would have hated to do that myself) and picked one out today.  I've given them my information, and it's to be delivered in about three weeks.  Painless, except when the credit card bill comes.  LOL

Remnants of Irma

After agonizing with the disaster that was Harvey in Houston last month, and worrying about Anne & Nick flooding out there, we were not expecting to have to deal with this again.  (Fortunately, my only real problem here is the "worrying".)  And then here comes Irma.

Along with many others, I spent the weekend glued to the TV watching as Irma powered through the Caribbean, and then finally decided to come up the Florida Gulf Coast.  It's amazing to see the awesome power of Mother Nature and what She can do to us mere mortals.

After doing her best to wreak havoc throughout the entire Florida peninsula, Irma has spread into the Southeast.  Chattanooga is just getting the fringes of this monster.  As of dark, we'd had an inch of rain, with squalls and wind gusts.  But they'll continue overnight and through tomorrow, so we won't know the full rain total until then.  Sarah & Carson on the SC coast are still at Sue & Randy's in the Upstate (where they have lost power), but their house is okay.  Paul & Katherine in Charleston are staying home with their house pilings in a foot of water.  Their "house" is basically one story elevated, so no problem there, and their cars are safely in a nearby parking garage.  Matt & Claire are fine in the Atlanta area - only getting rain.  I'm hoping all is well with the folks in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky.

Now if Jose will just head back out into the Atlantic and bother the fish.

My heart goes out to those folks who have lost so much.

Sunday Stealing

1. What is your middle name? I didn't have a "given" middle name.  After getting married, I used my maiden name for my middle name.
2. What is your favorite color? Mostly the spectrum of pink/red/purple/blue/turquoise.
3. What’s your lucky number? Don't have one.
4. Do you have any pets? Haven't had one in years.
5. Where are you from? Born in St. Louis, grew up in Houston, 24 years near Nashville, and  31 years so far in Chattanooga.
6. How tall are you? Used to be 5'7 1/2", now about 5'5".
7. What shoe size are you? 9-10.
8. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Don't know, but only three that I regularly wear.
9. What was your last dream about? I never remember my dreams.
10. What talents do you have? I knit, and have been a painter.
11. Are you psychic in any way? No, but I have friends who are.
12. Favorite song? No favorites.
13. Favorite movie? Too many to name.
14. Are you religious? No
15. Have you ever been to the hospital? Not since last year.
16. Have you ever been in trouble with the law? Just a couple of traffic tickets.

September Thursday

It's looking now like Irma will be heading up the US East Coast.  Sarah (granddaughter in Bluffton, SC) has already headed to her parents' house in the NE corner of South Carolina.  Paul (grandson in Charleston) works in the same building with the Emergency Response Center, so has access to all the latest updates.  He says he has plywood for their windows, and is prepared to head for the Upstate when/if the situation warrants. Our 7-day forecast just up on the Weather Channel shows us getting wind and rain on Tuesday with just rain on Wednesday.  So I guess that'll be when the edge of Irma is predicted to get here.

Jean came in yesterday for a couple of days.  She took me downtown this morning to the glass-making place.  I've been wanting to take the last of John's ashes there to get some small pieces of glass made with them.  Parking there is all-but-nonexistent, so I needed somebody to let me off and drive around or find a place to park.  She managed to find a parking place, so was able to help a lot.  We also got to go to the Sculpture Fields to check on John's two trees.  Both seem to be doing well.  She'll head back home tomorrow.

The weather and Dr. Phil (no connection)

A storm line blew through here about 4:30.  Lots of wind, lightning, and thunder.  It came up so fast, I didn't have time to crank down my umbrella, and it blew over (not damaged, though).  In about 30 minutes, we got nearly an inch of rain.  Plus, I later found out it must have blown the local NBC affiliate station off the air (my usual source for local news).  We're still due to get another band in about an hour or so.

But then there was Harvey. And the fires out West. And there is Irma heading our way.  Wow!
------------------------------
Next Wednesday (13 September), if you can, please watch Dr. Phil.  I've never seen the program before, but his program on that date features family of our dearest friends from Hendersonville (and still).  Their daughter/granddaughter committed suicide last year, brought on by an abusive relationship.  They're still being harassed by the abuser, and this is to be their story.  They're doing it in the hope that it will prevent this happening to some other young woman.

A lovely day

All in all, today was a lovely day.

I went to WalMart (really, into the store) for the first time in ages.  I went as soon as I got up - to beat any possibly holiday rush.

Then I sat out on the deck in the lovely cool morning to read the paper and drink my coffee.  I didn't disturb the hummingbirds at all - they came right in and sipped at the feeders.  Even the wrens hopped up and down the railing right next to me.

Lunch was nice and then I computered and knitted for the afternoon.  I was planning to spend the evening doing that, too.  But one of the other duplicate players called and asked me to play, so I finished up the day with some bridge.  And we came in second!

Yes, a lovely day!

Sunday Stealing

Back to School

1.  What kind of school did you attend (Big? Small? Public? Private? Specialty? One-room schoolhouse?) I went to a large public high school.
2. What did you wear to school (uniform? dress code? Whatever you wanted?) This was before the days when girls could wear anything but dresses to school.  Other than that, we could wear anything we wanted.
3.  How did you get to school? I first rode a city bus, then got a ride with a friend.
4.  Who was your favorite teacher?  Why? I liked my French teacher - we just got along well.
5.  What was your favorite subject?  Why? I liked French and math.
6.  What was your least favorite subject?  Why? I didn't particularly dislike any of them, maybe the science classes.
7.  Did you belong to any clubs? I belonged to one of the social clubs, maybe the French club.
8.  Were you a picky reader? Nope, I'd read anything.
9.  What did you do in your free time? I don't remember anything special.
10.  Did you get good grades? Yes, I was in the Nat'l Honor Society and the top 10% of my large graduating class.
11.  Did you like/participate in sports? No and no.
12.  Did you have a boyfriend/girlfriend in high school? I did the last part of my sophomore year and my junior year.  We remained friends after that.
13.  When did you get your driver’s license? On my 16th birthday.
14.  What kind of kid were you?  (Popular? Class clown? Shy?  A nerd?  Teacher’s pet?) Probably pretty nerdy, maybe teacher's pet for some teachers.
15.  Who were your heroes? I don't remember having any.
16.  Were you ever bullied? Not that made an impression.
17.  Did you learn how to touch type? Yes, on those old big manual typewriters, with the letters covered.  I was very good, and worked as a medical transcriptionist until I retired.
18.  Who was your best friend?  (Are you still friends today?) Anne and I are still friends 65 years later and get together once or twice a year.  She and Nick (John's high school friend) got flooded out in Houston, and are working their way up from the disaster.
19.  What is one thing you regret about high school? No regrets.
20.  What were you most proud about? Getting good grades and being admitted to the (then) Rice Institute.

A day for remembering

The rain started here about noon and has continued on and off since then.  We're supposed to get more of the spin-off from Harvey tonight and tomorrow - about 2" here.  Nashville and West TN are due to get maybe up to 11".  The devastation is just incredible.  Anne and Nick have been able to get come clearing out done, with the help of grandchildren.  But I don't know what they're going to do long-term or where they'll be staying.  They have a son living nearby, but he had 3" of water in his house.
----------------------------------------
John died two years ago today.  Like Beth told me on the first anniversary of Joe's death, it doesn't hurt any more today than any other day.  But it's still a day to be especially close.

Heavy heart

My heart aches, Houston.

Anne, Nick are safe, with water

In their house.  Love, Hugs!

Car thing

Jesse has gotten my car repaired.  Margaret says it drove very well when they took it to her house.  Now the plan is that sometime within the next week, they'll bring the car back to me and Margaret will get her car back.

All happy now!

The Eclipse!

Margaret and Jesse picked me up about 12:30 ET.  We drove north and west, and stopped in a grassy area next to a McDonald's in Pikeville,  TN (look it up on Google maps).  We were not alone - there were about a dozen other cars there, and groups in every church and school parking lot we passed. It was fabulous! The glasses worked like a charm, and the totality lasted about 2.25 minutes. There were cumulus clouds around near the horizon, but around the sun, it was absolutely clear. It didn't get as dark as I had expected, but definitely dark and cooler. And we heard the crickets start up as soon as it got dark.  We left when it was about half-way "off", and got in the only traffic we had seen thus far. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I'm SO glad Margaret made that happen for me.

On another front, they left to take my Nissan back to Margaret's for Jesse to look at and to evaluate it for his possibly fixing it.  They left me with Margaret's Ford Escape, so I have a neat car to drive.  We're all open to all possibilities now - keeping it, buying something else, my buying Margaret's Escape and her buying something else.  Who knows where all this will go.

Sunday Stealing

Here's something different for this week.  

1. What is a normal thing that took you an embarrassingly long time to learn? To get along with my sister.
2. In what ways are you old-fashioned? I'm a grammar snob.
3. What is the best sandwich you've ever eaten? Where did you get it? What made it so delicious? I love a really good Reuben.
4. What are you currently not bragging about that you should totally brag about? I can't think of any hidden talents.
5. What food have you never tasted and are most interested in trying? I'd like to try Korean food sometime.
6. What history facts were you surprised to learn because it was never covered in school? The civilizations that existed in the Americas before 1492.
7. What is something that you waited entirely too long to start or stop doing? What made you say "Why did I wait so long?" Painting.  Unfortunately I don't do it any more.
8. What socially expected thing do you hate doing the most? Making small talk with strangers. 
What thing about polite society really grinds your gears?
9. What is something about your city that I should know if I'm going to visit? What is the hidden "must see" that you always tell friends and visitors to not miss. The Sculpture Fields; the Hunter Museum of American Art.
10. What do you miss most about childhood? Easy movement without pain.
11. What "fact" did you learn in school that is not true or no longer true? That there were no civilizations in the Americas prior to 1492.
12. What's your favorite piece of useless trivia? Raccoons are terrible thieves.
13. What's your best go to homemade "lazy" meal? Something somebody else cooks.
14. What's the title of this current chapter in your life? Chapter 3 - Creakiness.
15. What is a habit or practice that you learned from your childhood that you didn't realize was "weird" until you were an adult? Always carrying knitting with me.

Sunday Stealing (on Thursday - from 8-5-17)

Freckles and other oddities

Do You Have Freckles? Nope
Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed? My closet door never gets closed.
Can You Whistle? Yes, but not the two-fingered loud kind.
Did You Wake Up Cranky today? No.  I'm a morning person, and can't remember ever waking up cranky.
Zodiac Sign. Pisces
What Is Your Eye Color? Brown
Take A Vitamin Daily? Not a multivitamin specifically, but several prescriptions and supplements.
Do You Sing In The Shower? No
What Did You Have For Lunch? Today was soup and sandwich day - I had clam chowder and a Reuben, plus some carrot sticks and strawberries.
Do You Watch The Olympics? I watch some sports in both the Winter and Summer games.
Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean? I don't really care, just enjoy being in the water.  I haven't been in the ocean for several years - I'm not steady enough to get there.
Bottled Water Or Tap Water? Tap water.  In general, I think it's ridiculous to pay for bottled water.
Do You work Better With Or Without Music? It doesn't matter.
Can You Curl Your Tongue? Yes
Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You? I'm surrounded by all things Flamingo - so yes!
Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly? Not that I remember.
Are You Easily Influenced By Other People? Not really - it depends on how much respect I have for "another person".
Do You Have Strange Dreams? I don't usually remember my dreams.
Do You Like Going On Airplanes? It's not very pleasant any more, but it's still the best way to cover long distances in a limited period of time.
Name One Movie That Made You Cry. Oh, there are SO many!
Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds? Peanuts
If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be? A nice chamber ensemble would be nice.
Are You A Picky Eater? Unfortunately, no.
Are You A Heavy Sleeper? Pretty much so.
Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning? No. I love an occasional good thunderstorm.
Do You Like Your Music Loud? Not really.
Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents? Wrap presents.
What’s The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters? I haven't seen a movie in a theater in about a year - don't even know what's available now.
Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight? Of course.
Do You Like Meeting New People? Yes, but not in large groups.
What Are Three Things You Did Today? Went to Silver Sneakers, went to meals, knitted.
What Do You Wear To Bed? Pajamas.
Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More? Probably a toss-up, but I'd rather wear sweats.
Name Something That Relaxes You. I'm pretty much relaxed most of the time.

After Charlottesville

I have two things I want to share - one old and one new.

From South Pacific (1958) - You've got to be carefully taught.

Today's blog "Margaret and Helen"

Sighhhhhh!

I thought I had all the car stuff almost settled, and now it turns out that almost nothing is.  The guy who was going to buy my car is really looking for a small truck.  He thinks one of the other maintenance guys is interested, though.  On the "new car" front, that may have fallen through, too.  I talked to the guy this morning.  He decided to talk the sale over with some of the other family members, and some of them have expressed an interest in the car.  He may get back to me in a day or two, if none of them really want the car.  Sighhhhhh!  But I've talked to Margaret and Jesse, and he's sure he can fix my car.  So it's beginning to look like I might be keeping the good ol' Altima.

AND, just to keep things interesting, the ceiling in my living room started flaking off last night, with pieces hitting the floor.  Maintenance came quickly this morning.  Turns out it's the popcorn-y paint that hadn't been properly primed and was flaking off in big pieces.  He scraped a bunch of it off, and has put on a first coat of something.   I guess nothing ever goes smoothly, does it. Not even the painted ceiling.

Home again!

We got back to my place about 12:30 am ET Sunday morning - after getting up about 4 am Alaska time (a 4-hour time difference - one hour earlier than Pacific time).  The trip home went fairly smoothly, except there was no wheelchair pusher at the gate in Atlanta.  There were chairs, though, so Margaret loaded me up with the carry-ons and pushed me herself.  Our checked bags arrived safely and the Chattanooga shuttle was at the stop when we got there, and surprisingly, no traffic tie-ups on the way home.  We even stopped for burgers just before getting to my place, so we had something to eat when we got here.

The trip was great.  We saw wonderful glaciers (Mendenhall, Marjorie, Sawyer glaciers up close, plus many others not so close).  We had stops at Skagway (rode the train), Haines, and Petersburg, cruised Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm. We saw lots of eagles, otters, sea lions, seals, a pod of orcas, several humpback whales.  And ate seafood at nearly every lunch and dinner.  The staff, crew, and other 91 passengers were helpful and delightful.  I can definitely recommend the American Cruise Line and this itinerary.

We didn't sign up for another trip though.  We'll talk with the other girls and see what we can work out.  It was great being with Sue and Randy for the first few days exploring Juneau.  I wanted to see how I would do traveling this time.  I'm not nearly as "low maintenance" as I used to be, and I wound up working Margaret a lot harder than I would like.  We'll see what works next.

The very next event will be the total solar eclipse.  I could watch it as "partial" from my deck.  But Margaret is going to come get me and drive us about 30 miles from here out on some country road. We'll be right in the "totality" band, and get the whole experience. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing!

Going

Going from hot South

To cooler Alaska in

The morning. Hooray!

Lovely

"It's a lovely day today..."  Sounds like a song lyric. 

But today has been lovely - one of the best we've had in several weeks.  The high was about 85, with low humidity - much more pleasant than the high 90s and high humidity we've had for the last couple of weeks.  And the forecast is for several more days like this.

And then we head for Alaska, where the predictions for Juneau show highs in the upper 60s and showers.  But we'll love it!

I looked at a replacement car this afternoon.  It's a definite possibility.  Jesse's going to come over on Monday and look at my car and this one.  I don't know whether we'll get any finalized before we leave or not.  Stay tuned.

Rain

It's been great today.
Lots of lovely rain came down.
Slowly and gently.

Funnies from Ginny (thanks)

Apolitical Aphorisms

 

"If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates."

                                                                        ~Jay Leno~

 

"The problem with political jokes is, they get elected."

                                                                       ~Henry Cate, VII~

 

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."

                                                                        ~Aesop~

 

"Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river."

                                                                       ~Nikita Khrushchev~

 

"When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President. I'm beginning to believe it."

                                                                       ~Clarence Darrow~

 

"Why pay money to have your family tree figured out - run for office and your opponents will do it for you."

                                                                      ~Author unknown~

 

"Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel."

                                                                      ~John Quinton~

 

"Politics are the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other."

                                                                     ~Oscar Ameringer~

 

"I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them."

                                                                     ~Adlai Stevenson~

 

"A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country."

                                                                      ~ Tex Guinan~

 

"I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians."

                                                                     ~Charles de Gaulle~

 

"Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks."

                                                                     ~Doug Larson~

 

"There ought to be one day -- just one -- when there is open season on politicians."

                                                                     ~Will Rogers

Day 2

Just got back from getting the estimate...

Can you spell T*O*T*A*L*E*D?  

Their estimate was @$5,700, value is about $3,400.  Not a surprise for a 12 year old car. 

My insurance doesn't cover a rental.  I could get one for the rest of this week @33/day, which I'd pay up front and hope to reimburse from the other guy's insurance. But a rental would be sitting in the parking lot most of the time anyway, so I'm not going to do that.

The estimate guy (Aaron) tells me that State Farm will come to me to check things out and officially "total" it.  Then they take it away.  Aaron says the car is safe to drive, but would be very dangerous if I should get rear-ended again.  There is structural damage to the rear end, and the lights on the left rear don't work.

So I'll plan to stay home this week, and then, of course, we'll be gone for two weeks.  I've cleaned it out, and will ask the maintenance guy here to take the license plate off for me.

Decision time.  I don't think I want to buy another car, but I don't think I'm ready to quit driving yet.  Maybe this is the opportune time to think about leasing for a year or two.  (Fortune works in mysterious ways.)  And then there are other options arising.  The maintenance guy here is interested in buying the car, if the insurance company totals it.  He says he can fix it for his use.  Hmmmm.  And then a woman here want to sell her 2015 Nissan.  She's going to get the specifics from her son so I can check that out.  Hmmmmm.

I hope the insurance company calls me tomorrow.

I'm okay, but...

I always hated getting calls that started like that.

I got rear-ended on the way home from bridge tonight about 10:15.  I really am okay, and the car is drivable.  I was stopping at a light (second car) and the guy behind me didn't.  He said he sneezed.  The police were called. The insurance company was called.  All information was exchanged.  The police were satisfied that he was totally at fault, and sent me on my way.  I got home about 11, and spent time on the phone with State Farm.    There is denting to the bumper and a hole torn in the bumper.  The trunk is bent and the left blinker light doesn't work.  And I'll probably be sore and achy in the morning.  I guess I'll take it to the repair shop in the morning and see what happens next.  Maybe they can get it done while we're gone.

Sigh......

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing
Around the House

Bedroom: what’s your sleep schedule? No set schedule, except on swim class days.  Then I get up at 6 a.m. I'm usually asleep between 11 and 11:30, and wake between 6:30 and 7.

Kitchen: favorite comfort food? I usually finish my day with ice cream.  And I love home-made soups

Washroom: showers or baths? bubbles? bath bombs? Always showers.  I can't remember the last time I sat down in a tub.

Closet: sum up your style in a few words. Informal and comfortable.

Parlor: favorite party or board game? The only game I enjoy is bridge.  Sometimes at the beach, we play Scrabble or Mexican Train or dominoes or Rummi-Kub.

Living room: what do you like to do with your family? Go to the beach and hang out.  Or just hang out anywhere.

Dining room: favorite special occasion food? My favorite food has always been "somebody else cooked it".

Garden: favorite tree? flower? I'm no gardner, but I love all trees and flowers.

Attic: what’s one thing you have a sentimental attachment to and you will never throw away? We pitched out so many things when I moved.  I can't think of any one particular thing.

Library: favorite book genre? Police procedurals, crime stores, nonfiction.

Office: if you could have any job in the world, what would it be? The one I have now - being retired.

Guest room: have you been to a sleepover? if so, when was your first? do you like them? The first would have been a zillion years ago.  My family has started having weekend "sleepovers" and they're fun.

Foyer: do you like small gatherings, large parties, or one-on-one meetings? Generally small gatherings and one-on-one meetings.

Pantry: favorite meal to make? I used to make lasagna and split pea soup in large quantities to freeze.  And I liked doing all the stuff for Thanksgiving dinner.  But even more, I like not cooking any more.

Laundry: favorite and least favorite chore? Laundry is something to do - not to like.  Of that particular thing, I least like folding and putting things away.

Garage: favorite mode of transportation? favorite car? I like river travel.  Trains can be fun.  Cars are for transportation - I don't get attached to them.  I do like my current car, a Nissan Altima.  It's very user friendly.

Panic room: what was the most nerve-wracking experience you’ve had? Dealing with the time of John's death, unexpected and out of the country.  I was so lucky to have had loving family with me to help.

Powder room: do you wear makeup? if so, what one item can’t you live without? what’s your favorite look? I don't have a "look".  I use a little pressed powder, blush, and lipstick.  And I can go without any of them.

In good shape?

I read somewhere a list of things for older people to do to keep their brains healthy longer.  These are the ones I remember...

Work puzzles (crosswords, etc.) - Check
Spend time on the computer - Check
Play games (computer, card, etc.) - Check
Do some sort of hand work (knitting, painting, crocheting, embroidery, etc. - Check
Get an hour's exercise several days a week - Check
Socialize - Check
Play sports - Well, can't win them all

Guess I'm in pretty good shape (for the shape I'm in) - at least for the time being.

HOORAY!!

Duplicate tonight.

Did not seem like a good night.

But we came in first!!!!!

Sunday Stealing:  Firsts

First Job: probably baby-sitting
First Real Job: doing filing preparing for opening a new hospital; then transcribing dictation of old autopsy reports (my father was a pathologist).
First Favorite Politician: John F. Kennedy
First Car: I learned to drive a 1951 Chevrolet
First Record/CD: I have no idea.
First Sport Played: Whatever I had to take in school.  I learned to swim early, but never participated in organized sports.
First Concert: (and only) Jimmy Buffett
First Foreign Country Visited: I may have gone into Mexico with my family as small child, but my first "real" trip out of the country was to Venezuela.
First Favorite TV Show: I don't really remember, maybe M*A*S*H.
First Favorite Actor: Alan Ladd
First Favorite Actress: June Allyson
First Girlfriend/Boyfriend: Jimmy B (in junior high school)
First Encounter with a Famous Person: I shook hands with LBJ when he was campaigning in Nashville in 1964.
First Brush With Death: Car wreck in about 1967 or so, probably not really life-threatening.
First House/Condo Owned: 106 Trucord Dr., bought in 1963.
First Film Seen: I have no idea.  I loved movies as a child, and went to the neighborhood theater often. I remember them being $0.09 for children during WWII.
First Favorite Recording Artist: I didn't buy many records.
First Favorite Radio Station: Probably WPLN in Nashville (an NPR station)
First Book I Remember Reading: I read the Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew books.
First Meme You Answered on Your Blog: Sunday Stealing

Sigh....

For a week that started out really slow, things picked up.    I played duplicate Monday night, and out of 21 hands I think I opened twice.  And most of the time was unable to respond if my partner bid.  But we must have done something right, because we wound up with a fraction of a MP. 

This morning, after Silver Sneakers, I actually went to Walmart.  And you KNOW how much I hate actually going to the store.  LOL 

When we got back last Saturday, I found that the a/c in my apartment had been leaking again.  The carpet in my living room and bedroom was sopping wet.  I immediately called to report it - knowing that nothing would be done on Saturday night.  Nothing happened on Sunday, though I called again.  I told the desk again on Monday morning - no action.  At noon today (Tuesday), I again told the desk about it, and was planning to go to the Head Honcho if nothing happened by midafternoon.  As it happened, the maintenance guy was at my door as soon as I got back from lunch.  He worked on it all afternoon.  I had been told this was a very old unit, so I mentioned that It might be time to replace it.  They're going to try to get it fixed one more time.  The guy left at 3 and said he'd be back first thing in the morning to check it, and move my furniture back into place. 

By the time I went up to supper, although it was set on 65, the actual temperature in the apartment was in the mid80s (with the outside temp about 91).  I hoped for a final cool-down, and went on up to supper and bridge.  When I got home, it was stifling in here.  I called the desk, and asked for another place to sleep, or at least a box fan.  I got a window open and left my hall door open for some cross ventilation. A couple of the CNAs came down to check and agreed that it was miserable in here.  They checked the thermostat and, DAMN!, it was set to "HEAT"!  And was happily chugging along.  Of course, I never thought to check that. 

So now, the unit is again happily chugging along, but at least it's cooling this time, and I hope will be freezing in here by the time I get up in the morning.  Sigh……

Sunday Stealing

1. Where were you three hours ago?
Sitting here, watching a small fox just off my deck.
2. Make a confession.
I can't think of anything specific - but there must be many.
3. Bad habits?
Too much sitting and TV and eating.
4. Favorite color?
I wear a lot of turquoise, purple, and blue.
5. Can you drive?
Well, of course.
6. 3 pet peeves.
Bad grammar; prejudice; rudeness
7. Last "person" you hugged.
Margaret when she brought me home last night.
8. Something you miss.
A working government, willing to compromise to accomplish things.
9. What song is stuck in your head at the moment?
None.
10. Favorite quote.
It is what it is.


11. Favorite band.
I don't have one.
12. Something you're excited for.
Getting ready for the trip to Alaska.
13. Favorite movie.
There are several - maybe "Singing in the Rain"

14. What type of phone do you have?

Samsung Galaxy 6
15. Favorite animal.

I guess if I had a pet, I'd want a cat.

Home, after a good week.

Margaret got me home about 5 ET today.  Unlike the trip to the beach last Saturday, this drive was more "normal" - only one bad slow-down just south of Birmingham.  And only a few light showers along the way.  We had a good week, with lovely weather - how could it be anything else.  We were at the BEACH.  Even though there were rain showers around, we only got some lightning/thunder/rain for a little while yesterday afternoon.  But, as always, it's good to get home.  All our group has checked in from their respective homes, too.

Unfortunately, sometime during the week, the a/c in my apartment started leaking again, and the carpet is wet.  I hope they'll get to it tomorrow (even though maintenance is minimal on weekends).

From the beach

We got here safely, but the traffic was the worst we've ever seen.  It took us 10 hours to make the usually 8-hour trip, including 3 detours, with slow-ups on each of the detours.  And that was pretty much true of the folks who came from SC and from TX, too.  But the beach is still lovely and the weather is great.  I put a photo on FB, if anyone can look there.  With the winter storms and during the tropic storm a couple of weeks ago, the beach in front of the house is about 100 feet less than it has been in previous years.  Friends and family are all good, and more to come over the next couple of days.

Let's go to the beach!

Margaret is here, the car is mostly loaded - except for refrigerated stuff.  We should get away okay in the morning. I did get in my bridge game this afternoon.  There were some very strange hands, but we didn't do too badly - won 0.31 MP.

Hold the fort while we're on the road.

Definitely NOT exciting!

I haven't written much, because I haven't been doing much.  Mostly playing on the computer, knitting, and watching NCIS reruns.  (I can only watch so much of the current news.) Pretty dull!

The Great American Eclipse

I got my copy of [i]The Tennessee Conservationist[/i] magazine today.  It's mostly about the state parks and natural areas of TN.  There's an article about the upcoming eclipse in this issue.  Do y'all know about it?  The eclipse will be 21 August, and will literally cross the US from around Portland, OR, to the Georgia coast.  Chattanooga will be in the "area of totality" about 2:30 that afternoon.  I'm excited that we'll be able to experience that.

Sunday Stealing: The Greenish Questions

1. What is your current obsession? Don't have one.
2. What’s your go-to coffee place? I go for coffee three days a week with the swimmers to Panera Bread.
3. Who was the last person that you hugged? I don't remember - maybe Margaret.
4. Do you nap a lot? Not a lot, but it's not unusual.
5. Tonight, what’s for dinner? Sausage and kraut was my choice.  Next week, it's be Gulf shrimp and fish.
6. What was the last thing that you bought? A book of knitting patterns.
7. What is your favorite weather? Sunny, breezy, in the low to mid 70s.
8. Tell us something about one blogger who you think will play this week? I've met Beverly in person once.  We have a lot in common.
9. If you were given a free house that was fully furnished, where in the world would you like it to be? On water somewhere and not too far from family.
10. Name three things that you could not live without. Food, water, oxygen - the obvious things.
11. What would you like in your hands right now? I'm ready for some shrimp and sand.
12. What’s one of your guilty pleasures? I'm too old to feel guilty about any of my pleasures.
13. What would you change or eliminate about yourself? Less eating, more exercise.
14. As a child, what type of career did you want? I don't remember thinking about any sort of career as a child.
15. What are you missing right now? I always miss John - other than that, I can't think of anything.
16. What are you currently reading? Keeping Watch by Laurie R. King.
17. What do you fear the most? Losing my mental faculties.
18. What’s the best movie that you’ve seen recently? I haven't seen a movie in ages.
19. What’s your favorite book from the past year? I read so slowly now.  The last one before the current one was Folly by Laurie R. King.  It was good.
20. Is there a comfort food from your childhood that you still enjoy? Ice cream.

Rain

It's been a lovely day of rain.

All day.

Two inches of soft, gentle rain since midnight.

And more to come.

Knee update

I saw the orthopedist today, and we're still in the watchful waiting stage.  The new x-rays show about a 0.5 cm. gap (to my untrained eye), between the two pieces of the patella - wider than on the first x-ray.  But he said that unless it moved and/or got caught in the prosthesis or in some ligament, we'd just continue to watch it.  If the piece does that, it'll cause the knee to lock and maybe give way.  And then he might have to go in to remove the fragment - hopefully arthroscopically.  But maybe that won't happen at all.  He also gave me a steroid injection in the right knee.  Yea!  And I can quit using the walker, going to a cane, and quit using the brace.  So, all-in-all, not a bad report.

Vegetating

After laundry and breakfast early this morning, all I've done today is go up for lunch.  Tonight was the night where I didn't like either one of the entrees, so I just got into comfortable clothes and ate one of my frozen Chinese meals - plus watching an NCIS "Dad Marathon" most of the afternoon.

Sunday Stealing

: The Ginormous Questions Sunday Stealing

1. Are you single? Widowed - I guess that counts as single, but I don't feel that way.

2. Are your parents still married? They're long dead, of course, but were married.

3. Are you in love? I love, but am not romantically "in love".

4. Do you believe in love at first sight? Maybe I'd say "attraction at first sight".  Real love has to grow.

5. Who ended your last relationship? Death.

6. Have you ever been hurt by a break up? No

7. Have you ever broken someone’s heart? I don't think so, but if I did, they're long over it.

8. Have you ever had a secret admirer? Not that I know of.

9. Prefer love or lust? Definitely love.

10. Prefer a few best friends or many regular friends? A perfect situation is having both.

11. Wild night out or romantic night in? Romantic night in.

12. Back in the day: Been caught sneaking out? No

13. Ever wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? No

 14. Who are/is your best friend(s)? They know who they are.

15. Ever wanted to disappear? Of course.

16. First attraction: Smile or eyes? Smile.

17. Prefer intelligence or attraction? Intelligence

18. Last phone call you received? Probably one of the robo calls that I didn't answer.

19. Last thing you drank? I just had a ginger ale float for my dessert.

20. Before your current one, when was your last relationship? I think it was Dick A., but that was 62 years ago.

21. Do you and your family get along? Definitely - I don't know what I'd do without them.

22. Would you say you have a "screwed up life"? Definitely not.

23. Have you ever gotten kicked out somewhere? If yes, do tell. No.

24. Do you trust all your friends? They wouldn't be my friends if I didn't trust them.

25. Who knows the most about you? My daughters, I guess.

Quiet week

I had terrible cards this afternoon at duplicate (19 points total in the first four hands!).  But when I checked the web site later for scores, I got some good news.  We came in SECOND! (6 tables) And got 0.25 Master Point.

Other than that, it's been a really quiet week around here.  I did get back to the pool for at least part of the swim classes, so I get points for that. Nothing else exciting to write about.  I guess that's probably a good thing.

Monday, Monday

Strange weather yesterday, as usual.  The high was around 90 here, but Tna in upstate NY was at 103!!  No rain  was predicted yesterday, but last night while I was at duplicate, we had a really hard rain - about an hour's worth - with the sun shining most of the time.  Of course, I had left my car windows cracked, so the seats got really wet. And I got home with a wet butt. I opened the windows all day so it could dry out.

We did poorly at bridge last night - cards, bidding, AND play, I'm sorry to say.  I got killed in a no-trump bid - with the perfect lead (for them), I was down 5!  Oh, well.....

My a/c leaked sometime Sunday, so the maintenance guys were here yesterday getting things fixed and dried out.  They have to come back today to check, and hopefully put my furniture back in place.  Other than that, things have been pretty quiet.

Sunday Stealing: The High School Questions
  1. Did you date someone from your school? Yes
2. Did you marry someone from your high school? No
3. Did you car pool to school?  No.  I usually rode with a friend.
4. What kind of car did you have? I didn't have a car.  My family had a Chevvy.
5. What kind of car do you have now? Nissan Altima
6. Its Friday night...where are you now? At home.
7. It is Friday night...where were you then? I have no idea.
8. What kind of job did you have in high school? I worked for a hospital lab, filing and transcribing old autopsy recordings.
9. What kind of job do you do now? Retired.
10. Were you a party animal? Definitely not.
11. Were you considered a flirt? Nope.
12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? No.
13. Were you a nerd? That term didn't exist then, but I probably was.
14. Did you get suspended from school? Never.
15. Can you sing the fight song? No.  I don't think we had one.
16. Who was/were your favorite teacher? Mrs. Porter, Mrs. Earl
17. Where did you sit during lunch? I don't remember - in the cafeteria.
18. What was your school's full name? Mirabeau B. Lamar High School
19. Where did you party the most? I didn't "party".
20. What was your school mascot? The Redskins (and it hasn't been changed since then)
21. Would you do it again? Do what?
22. Did you have fun at Prom? I didn't go.  I was going to go with an old boyfriend, but ultimately, we decided not to go.
23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? See above.  I did talk to him occasionally for a number of years, but he's dead now.
24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? No
25. Do you still talk to people from school? I'm close to one friend, and talk to another on rare occasions.  I no longer live in that city/state.
26. What are/were your school's colors? Red and blue.

Week's End

I went to coffee this morning, got my haircut, and changed out the case for my new Samsung tablet.  I'll have to get lots of help with it from Sue and Kate when we're at the beach (1-7 July).  I've not done much since I got home.  I didn't go to the dining room for lunch.  I got a tiny nap, and sat outside on the deck for a couple of hours.  The temp was about 80, with a small breeze.  I knitted and listened to chamber music. It was a lovely afternoon.