ATTIC CRAWLING

Today was one of those days that your mind tells you that you can do something, and your body just says
"no way!"
Some months ago, I had opened the attic hatch in the garage, and noticed two bare wires sticking out of a junction box. Well, old geezers have a way of letting things like that gnaw at you, with all kinds of scenarios playing in your mind. So, with the weather being a little warmer today, I decided that I would crawl up there and put wire nuts on the wires and put them back out of harms way.
Now that sounds simple enough, but the box was deep in the attic through a maze of beams and supporting cross members. I finally snaked my way back there, sat on a joist and made the repairs. But, when I got ready to make my way back, the legs turned to jelly! Now, what am I going to do! This called for some deep thought and planning. After about fifteen minutes and several rest stops, I was back at the hatch, down the ladder and resolved to never do that again!
Just another example of a 35 year old mind, trapped in a 70 year old body. The list of "no-no's" is growing way too fast!
We have been fortunate here in middle-TN this winter. It's almost like we have a bubble around us.
Only two big snow events, a little ice, and three nights of well below zero temps. However, just consistently
cold days that keep us closer to home than we would like. I know that many of my fellow bloggers have experienced a really brutal winter so far, and like many of you, I am so ready for spring to get here.

IT"S OVER......TILL NEXT YEAR !

Christmas morning here on the ridge dawned bright and clear, but the temps were just above freezing.
I was glad to see that it was clear, so that the kids that got new bikes, and outdoor whutzits could enjoy them.

I was raised in S.W. Michigan, the land of lake effect snow. I can recall that one year I wanted a new sled for Christmas. My old one was a hand me down, and the nails on the seat would rip the seat of your pants pretty good. Well, I got one, but that was the only year I can remember, that we did not have snow and what was there, was patchy. The paint on the runners, until it was worn off, slowed the sled down to a snails pace. Sliding on the patches was not bad until you hit the dirt, then every thing came to an abrupt stop, including yourself!

A few weeks ago, I was explaining to my Tennessee grand kids, what I did in the winter time in Michigan when I was a kid. I mentioned that a toboggan, on a long hill was a great ride. They both looked at me like I was nuts! Quickly, I realized that a toboggan, here in Tennessee is a wool, pull over cap! I also told them about walking a mile through the snow to go to school, but I could see the B.S. alarm was about to go off, so we changed the subject!

Sometime between now and the first of the year, we have to pack up what Christmas stuff we put out, and get it back out to the plunder house. Thank goodness, we did not go over the edge like several of the neighbors, boy have they got a job ahead of them!

This morning we had to go to Wally*World for a few items. The place really looked picked over.
There were people snatching up wrapping paper by the basket full. I was thinking that they are pretty optimistic, that next year they will have something to wrap, with the economy and job situation going down hill the way it is. Who knows what surprises lie in store for us?

Well, it's over. The best part was being with family. They are all well, and doing fine, what more could an old man ask for!

Windy on the Ridge.

Another Sunday has rolled around. Today is cold, overcast and windy. A good day for a hot cup of coffee and flying my recliner. The wife is nose deep in a good book, so she is happy. We have the TV on just background music, must of which sounds like some poor lonesome American Indian, in the woods hoping to attract a squaw with is dole full music. The bills are paid and the pantry is full. It just doesn't get any better than this. (At the moment!)

I sure am having a hard time getting into the Christmas spending spirit this year. Since we elected not to put up our Christmas tree this year. I was feeling a little like Scrooge, so we bought a small table top pre-lit
tree at Wally*World. The rest of the house is decorated with the wife's collection of snow men, so it kinda looks like Christmas around here, but for some reason, I'm just not into it. Maybe, the older we get, Holidays are not as exciting as they used to be when the kids were small.

The past week has been full of more dental appointments, and more to come. I also wedged in a trip to the lab for blood work to be completed for next weeks doctor appointment. I ate like a hog over Thanksgiving, so the A1-c, and blood sugar levels will be high I know. This leads to a lecture from both doctor and wife.
More "Shame on me's" coming for sure!

Yesterday, we received our notice of the increase in our S.S. benefits, boy, just don't know how I am going to manage that 1.5% increase. What a wind fall! Now I can buy TWO cans of spam. I guess I should not complain too much as there are a lot of families struggling right now. Some I truly have compassion for, others, not so much.

Last week was gun cleaning time. The Ruger LCP, that I carry in my jeans pocket had a lint plug in it. I'm glad I didn't need it, for the lint plug could have created a problem. I need to keep an eye on it.
In the summer, I use a belt holster for that gun as I can wear my shirts on the outside. The rest of the arsenal
looked good. I still have not fired any of the bear loads through the 870 Wingmaster. I'm pretty sure they will destroy a door if need be.

If the weather we have had of late, is a prelude to the rest of winter, boy, it's gonna be a humdinger!
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Stay Out of the Kitchen !

Turkey day is tomorrow, so the kitchen is "Off Limits" for now. The house smells of pumpkin pies in the oven, and other treats for the over indulgence that will occur around 3:00 PM tomorrow.
We will pack it all up and go to my son's home, as he has a larger home than we do, and with all of his wife's family and ours we will need it.

I'm still nursing a sore jaw, the result of having a molar extracted earlier this week. The tooth had been filled once, and two crowns put on it over the years. I think that one tooth alone payed several car notes, and a house note for the dentist. The crown had decay up under it, and the only way came to light was a tooth ache from Hell! Nothing left to do but extract it. This was my first experience of being put to sleep while the deed was done. It's the only way to go, let me tell you!

Like many of you, we had a little dusting of snow earlier in the week. You would have thought a blizzard was coming! The salt trucks here on the ridge went into full frenzy and spread the stuff every where. The snow on the ground lasted about four hours! If we had several inches on the ground, I'm sure the salt trucks would
have all been at the Warful House, drinking coffee! Good 'ol boys, fer sure!!
The next day we had to go Wally*World for a few provisions, and found the folks had panicked and picked the grocery part cleaner than a hounds tooth. I think these "Preppers" just might have something about storing up a few food items for an emergency.

I have noticed food collection box's everywhere. I hope the food will go to people who really need it,
rather than the "Welfare Queens" who know how to use the system, and deprive a family of a decent meal due to their greed. Well, 'nuff said, I suppose.

And We Didn't Even Get Kissed !

A few nights ago, I was catching the national news on the TV.

They slid by the Social Security increase for this year so quickly, that I'm sure a lot of retired folks missed it.
I was bowled over by the 1.5% increase they said was coming. Now I have to try to figure out what I'm going to do with all that extra money!

The CPI figures the government uses,  is just another tool to screw old folks out of a reasonable increase of a few more dollars. We all know how groceries, property taxes and just about everything else has increased in price, and it's sure more than 1.5%.

It's pretty evident that the powers that be, would like to put all of us retired folks on an ice berg, and float us out to sea on a warm day! Their next big step coming in the revamp of Social Security! Boy, I can hardly wait to see what the dumocrats come up with. You can bet it won't be good, just more cuts and restrictions on people who can least afford it.

Generally, I don't blog about the government, at least not openly. Not much you can do until election time, just suck it up, tighten the belt and go on. But 1.5% is absurd, and a real kick in the pants to us old geezers!

Another Sunday Morning.

Another Sunday morning has rolled around, and after a busy week, I'm glad for it.

The house is quiet, no TV blaring, or some lawn mower off in the distance making a steady hum.

I like to use this time for just reflecting. To look back down the road that has brought me to this point.

The food stamp SNAFU, of the past few days reminded of an encounter I had when we were living in a small mill town in North Carolina. We had been transferred there and were very fond of the folks that we had come to know.

Coming home from work, the wife had asked me to stop at the town grocery store for a few items that she needed for supper. After filling the list, I headed for the check out counter. I could see there was only one elderly lady in front of me, and she had all of her items on the counter ready to be checked out.

They were quickly bagged, and she pulled out her food stamp booklet to pay for them. After that transaction was done, she placed five small metal cans of Tuberose snuff on the counter, and got out her change purse to pay for them. Out of curiosity, I asked her if that was her favorite brand?

She turned and smiled at me, "Mistah, one little dip of Tuberose, will take away all the problems in your world."

Later, I got to thinking about what she had said. For her it seemed to do the job! I remember as a teenager I tried a "dip," and could not stop shaking for the rest of the day. It sure made more problems in my world that day!!

A Brand New PC !

I must be the PC destroyer! The daughters old Dell that I had been using, bit the dust just like my old HP did a few weeks before. They were both old, and I am sure they were loaded to the max with old files. Anyway, yesterday I dug up a few jars out of the back yard and went and bought a brand new PC. This one has a seventeen inch screen, and plenty of speed and storage for what I need.
I am putting up with Windows 8, new tricks to learn, but not as bad as I had envisioned, so, once again I'm flying high on the net!

This past month has been wild around here. Started out with a quick trip to Michigan to visit the wife's brother and his wife. We drove the trip up at night, with very little traffic, but coming back in the daytime, it seemed like I-65 was a parking lot. Construction all the way back to the home place here on the ridge. It was a safe trip, despite one scare with a trucker who lane drifted on us.

I have been losing my hearing in my right ear for sometime now, finally figured I needed to see the EENT doctor to see what's up. After all the tests, seems the parts are just wearing out, and a hearing aid in the immediate future should help. What that boils down to is, I will have dig up a few more jars out of the yard to pay for one. Until then, it's "Huh, wha'd ya say?"  Just more of the joys of old age! 

We enjoyed having dinner with Dapper Dan, (The Cumberland Post-blog) and his lovely wife Joyce.
It had been a while since we both managed to get our schedules together. It was a great evening, good conversation, and the meal was fine as well. Can't beat good friendships!

The leaves here on the ridge are still green, our peak for Fall colors here is around mid November, so we still have a little more time to go yet, more grass to cut, and weeds to pull until a good frost will slow things down.

I enjoy spending time with my son. He is a Luthier, in other words, he builds and repairs acoustic guitars. He got a lot of excellent training from former Gibson guitar people, and what he can do with those skills baffles me. The contacts he has with many of the country music folks in Nashville keep him busy. A few weeks ago, I was in his shop and there was a guitar in for repair that caught my attention that had several bad cracks in it. Earlier this week I saw that same guitar, and you could not tell where the cracks had been. He amazes his old dad to say the least!

That should about catch me up with life here on the ridge. The rest is just day to day things that most of us deal with.

I think this new computer is going to do alright.