It Was a LONG Week

'K' has been sick with a respiratory infection since last Wednesday.  It really messes with things when that happens.  Groceries were running low too.  My cooking skills were being challenged with many of my regular things missing key ingredients which would only be solved by a trip to the grocer, which I had not been looking forward to.  But she had gotten a video doctor visit and he prescribed her some meds that I would need to pick up-at the grocer anyway. 

Also, things were needed if I was going to be able to cook a few things.  Wouldn't you know it, the store had reshuffled their aisles.  The changes were made but they hadn't changed the signs at the end of the aisle that told you what was there.  That messed up my list so I had trouble finding things.  I left without a few things since my list was messed up.  I had to make a return trip lol.  Let me explain my list.  I had learned shopping from 'K' telling me what we needed and me forgetting half.  Then she would write it down.  Well that was a real trip.  What ever came to mind she just listed it in the order she thought of it.  Not a good way in this giant store.  It's one of the top 2 or 3 in size in Texas when it was built about 10 years ago.  I was wandering all over the place.  I would get to one side and then have to backtrack to the other due to how the list was written.  My mind works so much differently than hers, so I made the lists from then on.  I listed everything in order to where it was located in the store.  Start on one side or the other and follow the list through the store.  It also keeps you from buying things you don't really need.  Obsessive?  Maybe so.  I just think it's more efficient and I don't wander around near as much until they mess it up every 6 months or so.  They call it marketing.  I call it something else.  I also left a pair of my reader glasses in a case in one of the carts.  Not sure I will make a trip back for that.  

Anyway 'K' is finally starting to feel a little better but she is now coughing so much I am afraid she it going to cough up something she may still need.  

Happy Trails

The Never Ending Project

It's finally complete.  Woohoo.  Painting the exterior of the house is now off the Honey Do list.  The 3 year part time project is over!  I did get some help from a friend that has a much taller/nicer ladder than what I have.  Still wasn't quite tall enough for the highest spot but he rigged up and extension to the roller and paint brush and got it done while I pretty much stood around.  I was actually busy painting the lower parts I could reach while he did that, or before he got here.  I am still pretty sore from all the up and down ladder climbing.  Especially my calves and feet.  Oh my.  His help made sure it got done in two days and no one was injured falling off my make shift scaffold which will now be disposed of.  I am so very thankful for his help.  And we actually had a good time. 

Now on to other Honey Do projects like the yearly trimming of the whiskers on the Oak trees.  Then my garage will get a major overhaul.  My plan is to get rid of tons of stuff I have been a pack rat with.  That means some things may get tossed I may need later...you know how that goes.  There is just no room to really do anything I want to do in there and everything gets lost.  And someone else thinks that when there is no room for her stuff, just set it somewhere in the garage-that has no room.  Ugh.  We just have to get in the mindset to toss it.  That's easy for 'K,' when it's my stuff lol.  She has a whole wall of things left over from her jewelry business.  I have been after her for years to thin it down.  Her craft room is even worse.  She hasn't been ready to think she is finally done with it.  She does fiddle with stuff on occasion by making a piece of jewelry for someone as a gift.  It's gonna be tough to get her to change her mind.

HAPPY TRAILS

I'm Baa-aack

We are back from our short road trip.  We got back Sunday just past noon.  Where were we?  Glad you asked.  We were in Farmers Branch (Dallas) for the Bloomin' Bluegrass Festival.  It was great.  Lots of big names I hear on Sirius radio all the time.  And of course the main attraction for me, Del McCoury.  He is now over 80 years old and still sings just as good as ever.  It was 93* when he hit the stage wearing the traditional full suit.  I don't know how he does it.  The heat with no shade almost sent me back to the hotel.  But there was too much great music to come and I didn't want to miss a note.  I tool precautions.  

I haven't been to many festivals but I have seen their line-ups and none match this one.  This may be the best festival in the country due to that fact and it is run very well.  Folks come from all over because of the great line up.  Most festivals have just one or two headliners, all of these folks could be a headliner at any festival.

I have a few pics of most every band that played.  So you get to see those.  

Texas and Tennessee

Donna Ulisse

Alan Bibey

The Queen of Bluegrass-Rhonda Vincent

Breaking Grass

Kenny and Amanda Smith

Seldom Scene

Del McCoury

Balsam Range

Dan Tyminski

I could go on and on about each act but I couldn't do them justice.  I understand that Bluegrass isn't for everyone but I have loved it since I was a kid when I heard the Osborne Brothers on the Country and Western Radio back in the 50's.  The musicianship of these folks is top notch and for that alone they can be appreciated.

Now I will go out and check my rain gauge-yes, we are finally getting some good rain and hope there will be more as predicted.

Happy Trails

Range Time etc.

I was moving along pretty well with the painting and then I ran out of paint.  I have used more paint this time around than I have any other time.  I assume that is an indication of just how bad I needed to paint.  It seems the siding is sucking up the paint pretty well.  I am almost finished.  I even have an option for the remainder if it gets too hard for me.  I have an offer of help.  I may just accept it.  I will need to get more paint first but that will have to wait a week or two.

I made it to the gun range this past week after I ran out of paint.  Man was I rusty.  I have never claimed to be a good shot, but I was competent.  But the first couple mags were pathetic.  Then I switched over to the 1911 and moved the target in a couple yards.  That was good for my ego.  A few more mags from both pistols and I felt much more confident.  I will need to go to the range more often than I have been.  Shame on me.  I have always had issues with those short barrel guns like my carry gun, M&P Shield (the smaller one).  The 1911, not so much.  I shoot much better with it but it's too heavy to carry everywhere.  It behooves me to be more capable a shooter if I am going to carry.  

We are off to visit with my Mom today.  It's been a while for me due to various things.  But we want to go by before we are out of pocket on our road trip for a few days.  We will take the youngest Granddaughter along.  They both enjoy each other and it will be uplifting for Mom.

The drier is on the fritz and so is the microwave.  The repairman came out Saturday and didn't have the part and had to order it.  He will return Tuesday.  We will just replace the microwave, but it appears there are few to be had in the paces we have looked.  Supply chain issues I'm sure.  

I saw a video clip of the President of Ukraine asking the US for a preemptive nuclear attack on Russia to prevent a tactical strike on them.  Keep poking the bear, that always helps.  The world has gone insane, literally.

Ok, I gotta hit it.

Happy Trails

Busy Days and Great Weather

I have been trying to knock out more things on the Honey Do List, taking advantage of this great weather.  I've gotten past some of the harder painting.  Some of it included me having to climb on the roof and lay down on my back to paint under the eaves.  I would say I have about 3/4 complete now.  It should go pretty fast from here.  The only hiccup are the two highest peaks of the roof and the areas there that need to be painted.  I don't have any ladders that tall.  I have done it before, multiple times, the last being 15 years ago by my estimation.  I used a home made scaffold with two ladders on the very top (high-about 8') and managed to reach those areas.  Now, this much later in life, I find I am not as stable up there as I used to be.  I've fallen off one of those ladders before and broke a bunch of stuff.  Don't want that to happen again at this point in my life.  But I think I may have it figured out with an extension and a couple rollers.  Once I get this finished I won't be doing it again if I live long enough.  And yes, I am very sore and have been all week.  By the way, CBD oil apparently is working for me.

I took down a small Hackberry tree that was growing between my fence and the neighbors along with a lot of other undergrowth.  The previous owners of the house next door placed a fence right up next to mine.  They never said anything (like I did with mine) just did it and I am left fighting all the grass and hackberries that grow up in there.  They never saw it as they built a privacy fence.  Out of site out of mind I guess.  I actually had to cut my fence to get at that junk.  But it's gone now and it will get treated with plenty of herbicide.  

It's getting closer and closer for our mini road trip.  I got a new battery put in the vehicle we will be going in.  It left 'K' stranded the other day.  She got it jumped and home without further incident.  I had one of the portable battery pack jumpers but it was dead too.  It had been in the car a couple years.  I will remember to check the charge on it ever so often now.  I thought that Lithium battery would hold a charge longer than that.  It did, but not enough to start an SUV.  Glad that dead battery didn't happen on our trip.  I just had the car serviced last month and they checked the battery and it was good to go.  It just didn't have enough amps to turn over.  Anyway, we are both chomping at the bit to get out and about for a bit.  Now if 'K' can relax enough leaving the dogs alone for a few days (for the most part).

Happy Trail

Glorious Morning

The cooler weather has finally arrived.  I got out on my walk with the dogs a little earlier since I was anxious to enjoy the coolness.  We have 63* and very dry air with a slight breeze.  My hands actually got cold on the walk.  This is chamber of commerce weather.  Clear as a bell too.  

We didn't get far before we came across two Whitetale Bucks stalking each other.  Suddenly the fight was on and it was a good one.  Lasted a good minute.  The smaller buck was giving it his all and was pushing the bigger one around a bit until the end and then the bigger prevailed.  I have a video of it but since Blogger doesn't like my phone videos I won't try to post that until I can get it figured out if at all.  Try videoing with a phone with  one hand while two dogs are going crazy on their leash pulling you.  A little farther along in our walk a pair of Gray Foxes ran across the road.  They were beautiful.  One of the reasons I love living where we do is we have an abundance of wild life.  It does have it's drawbacks at times.  But we deal with it.

We have a close friend in the neighborhood that has offered to come by and care for our dogs when we go on our future road trip.  She will come by today and start the process of letting the dogs become familiar with her.  This will be better for the dogs all around.  What a blessing this will be.  We will make it worth her while.  

The search for a new 'place' for my Mother is ongoing.  It's not easy at all.  She changes her mind hourly and forgets much of what has already taken place.  If it weren't for 'K' handling it I don't know what we would do.  She is about the only one she listens to.

I've got to go cook breakfast so 'K' can get out of here to her Ladies Bible Study.

Happy Trails

More Heat

It seems this whole next week will be more of the same old heat we have endured all Summer (I typed Simmer at first lol).  It will include significant humidity also.  I come in from my pre-dawn walk pretty wet with sweat.  The dogs are pretty warm too, especially Maggie.  It's the humidity.  Her furry fluff makes her pretty warm.  They both get ice chips as soon as we get home.  'K' thought of that and they really like it.  They plop on the cool tile and she feeds them to them LOL.  What a life.  Feed me ice chips and tell me I'm pretty.

Our first choice of dog sitters for the up coming road trip has nixed the idea.  We had indications that it would go that way.  One of them doesn't care for Maggie.  No idea why.  I have gotten word that most all kennels in the area are full up for months.  I don't know, we have never used one and don't really like the idea at all.  Lo and behold a good friend that lives in the neighborhood has offered.  She actually does dog sitting.  We will go with her.  It will be better for the pups to be able to stay in their own home.

I have started some of my Fall Honey-do list.  I tried this morning on another one but my pressure washer would not start.  It may have to wait a few more days.  My neck and shoulder issues have been very prominent the last couple days.  Not sure what set it off this time but it's not good.  It makes it hard to hand crank that motor and it has always been hard to crank.  It has a lot more compression than any other I have had.

We did stop in and get some CBD oil.  It seems to help some but we are still working out the dosage.  Apparently with my neck it isn't enough.  We shall see.

Happy Trails