Sept. ends

 I'm old.  To someone that is 100, I'm not.

Life is different when you're older.  You have different kinds of responsibilities and thuds.  I thud a lot lately.  Hopeful to keep the thuds under control.

But one thing that I'm getting to do is to play my trumpet.  I don't practice enough to be a strong player.  That's for sure.  But, I still have certain techniques of my youth.  My chops just don't produce strength as much.

Centered in Salado is the Central Texas Community Band.  It is made up of old guys - those of us who might be considered professional - generally area band directors who seem to like a bit of relief from teaching - guys who played throughout high school and college and just want to play some more - I believe there are one or two college and high school kids in the group.  I'm having a bit of trouble with the membership because it seems to change so much from one event to another.  I'm starting to recognize several of the players and might be able to recognize them away from our setting.  We will see.

3 different directors are running the show.  Probably the best known "Statewide" is Frank Coachman.  He works with the Band UIL stuff - thus, band directors all know the name.  Another is James Whitis who I knew a while back when I was teaching.  His latest gig was the director of Mary Hardin Baylor Univ. Band.  The third director is Charla Kelley.  She is a personable director who can smile easily and convincingly.  Her last gig was at Salado H.S.  I like all 3 and believe they are doing a nice job.

Anyhoooo, we played a concert Friday night at the MHBU facility.  We played a few songs and their concert band played some.  All in all it was a nice event.  MHBU played the entire Carmina Burana.  The song is difficult and takes some fine players to pull it off.  I love this song.  Additionally they played the Melody Shop.  What a fun tun - features baritones of all things.  You can find it on your phone - google, I guess.  Really fun tune.

That's pretty much it for the past week.  Maybe I'll get to practice a bit more this week and be ready for Thursday's rehearsal.

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Wasn't that Hurricane terrible?  I really fel sorry for those folks.  Not much more you can say.

later m

Well, I guess just because...

 Hello - Howdy - Good Morning - How y'all doin'?  Sup?  Good ta see ya today.

And it goes on and on.

MONDAY!!!!

Only 1 phone call to buy my "not-for-sale" house today.  Monday is usually the prolific day for buying houses - apparently.  It's a rent house.  It's rented. Why would anyone sell a rented house?  Normally, I get 3 to 4 calls on Monday.  Must be something wrong with the Chinese real estate market.

First thing I dood this morn, is to step out on the front porch and spray poison on a wasp nest.  They had created a nest 5 inches across, covered with yellow jackets - busy little monsters.  These are not those little ones that are somewhat beneficial.  These are the ones that get mad and attack in mass.  The nest was right above the door attached to the porch light.  They're gone.  Nasty little beggars.

Next thing - sat in chair to read paper.  Wife came up and said she was going for a walk.  I said to wait while I put real shoes on.  She did.  I did.  Walked to the door and it started raining.  Saved!!!!  She rode the indoor bike instead.  Now, she naps.  I'm hungry.

The spouse has an appt. in January with a doctor in Temple.  Fine.  BS&W sent a message that the doctor was transitioning to a new role at the hospital.  We should call XXX-XXX-XXXX and re-schedule with Dr. XXXXXXX.  Actually, this would not be a reschedule; it is a schedule.  So after 3 weeks of muttering to my self (I hate having to break new doctors in  -  dot dot dot  -  not that the old doctor even remembers us coming in last year, but new is still new.)

I called appropriate phone number.  I went through all the phone options and chose correctly.  Lady answered.  I explained.  She transferred me to another lady.  I explained.  I had to go through all the hoops:  wife's name, date of birth, phone number, address, color of great grandmother's eyes, favorite food, graduated from what elementary, does she like to eat fish --- you know the process.  I guess it serves a purpose.

Finally, the phone lady explains she cannot schedule the appointment.  A secretary would have to call me back sometime in the next 24 to 48 hours.  I rolled my eyes (unseen by the phone lady of course).  Lady hung up - but I stayed on to answer a one question survey.  Guess what they asked.  How was the phone lady 1 to 5 with 5 being the best.  She got a 5.  Nonsense.  Now, I wait.

1:20     Late for lunch snack.  Wife still naps.  Dogs all napping.  I feel left out...snore

m

unexplained good ...

 The past week or so has had some actually good things happen.  Can't complain.  

Not true, I can always find something to complain about.  It's my nature.  But, nevertheless, this has been an okay week.  I hope you have had a good adventure also.

First of all, my wife has a brother (only 1) who lives in New Hampshire.  That is a fur piece from Texas. We've visited up there a couple of times.  It was nice.  And we met them in Florida one year for a week. That is a complete Stone in itself.  Good and Bad.  After that trip, his wife deteriorated and eventually died after multiple problems.  That is another story in itself.  Let's skip it for now.  Glad you agree.

So it's been several years since we've seen her brother.  A long time.  He's old too - 80.  After much prodding, he flew down here for a week's visit.  It was a great visit.  All my children spent at least 2 days with us visiting.  Ernie - his name - is getting old with the rest of us.  He was real upbeat and a pleasure to be around.  He has been a vegetarian for 30-40-50 years.  I don't know how long.  So we learned some things about that too.

He flew in and out of the Austin airport connecting to Boston where a limo took him and picked him up at that airport for a drive to his house in New Hampshire.  A lot of money passed through Ernie's fingers over the past couple weeks.  He is like us - far from wealthy - but comfortable.

I won't go into the details of the visit.  It was a good week.

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2nd thing:  Driving into and outta the Austin Airport was relatively okay.  I know airports can be a pain.  But, it all worked out really well and nobody yelled at us.

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3rd:  You might not think this is a big deal.  For me, it was.  I pushed the button on my car door lock thing - and nothing happened.  I got in the car and the computer didn't recognize the key.  Nothing happened.  Luckily, we had a 2nd key that was working just fine.  What to do?  What to do?  When a keyfob dies, there must be a plan.

We  all sat and stared at the keyfob.  I found a futton on the back that slid over and the top pulled off.  THERE WAS AN EXTRA KEY IN THE KEYFOB for opening the door.  My car is a push button start - no place to put a key except the door lock.  I was starting to invision a trip to the Ford House where they would charge me $200,000 for a new one.  The daughter suggested a trip to a local key making company.  Great Idea.

Then, in a flash of genius - I do have them at times - I got the car's instruction book out of the glove box.  You do know that we have no gloves in our glove box.  Do You?  By actually reading the book, I learned how to open the keyfob.  And there it was.  A battery just waiting to be replaced = one of those flat batteries - it seems like it was a #2023 or something like that.  Who keeps this battery at home?  Well folksy readers, we had one.  I don't know where it came from or when....all wrapped  up in its packaging - probably from Walmart.   

Installed, my key fob works.  And it was under $200,000.  Now, don't you think that should be registered as a good thing happening?  I do.  I did. I'm putting another 2023 on the grocery list.  Never leave home without one.

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4th thing:  I''ll combine 4 and 5.  Every 3 months or so, a guy comes by and measures the crud in our septic tank.  If it is measured as an #8, then, it must be pumped out by a big truck.  That would call for a few hundred dollars.  We measured a #1 out of 8.  Good thing.  Then, the local water guy dropped by and checked my sprinkler system to make sure the "backflow" valve was working.  IT WAS.  We won't have to replace that valve.  He's a nice man.  Made my day, today!!!

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There have been other terrific things this past couple of weeks:  seeing all my children, sharing a few really great meals with them (ate out a few times too), Ernie reuniting with his sister, all bills are paid with a few dollars left in the bank, Son Roger/Penney celebrated their 28th anniversary while they were here  -  and, perhaps, the most important -------

My wife celebrated her 84th birthday while everyone was here (less 2 granddaughters that we sorely missed).  She had a great birthday - ate at Olive Garden - opened cards and presents - she even shed a tear during all that - happiness tear.

I'll quit now before I get mushy.  Y'all take care.  Remember, if you behave and act good, eventually Karma will turn around and good things will occur.  They did for me.  Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.  mtz, smiley face,  😇😍😏😙😜

All's well

 All's well here.

It rained over an inch on Wednesday (didn't have to run sprinklers).

It is quiet.

Mowed front yard this morning.  Bought a new battery for mower.  It was an amazing new battery. 

Weed Et the front sidewalk.  Used the weed eater that I bought for my wife years back - battery powered.  it did a fairly good job but is made for shorter-than-me people.  Next time I will use my gas machine, known locally as the Terminator.  it is so much better; but, it weighs so much more.  I cannot weed eat the front and back in one day.  Maybe if I take some Geritol.

10 days till the wife turns 84.   I call it  83 and 11/12ths and 3/4ths.   There is a certain age that you list your age as 83 and a half.  83 and three quarters.  Sorta like when you were a kid and you were 2 1/2  not just 2.  

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I know why.  I'll ask anyway.  Why do charities keep sending me stuff.  I'm not rich.  I might send a couple of bucks to some place.  I cannot afford to support every charity that finds my name, which, of course, brings up the question.  How did they get my name?

I know how.  Let's suppose that I give $50 to charity A.  They turn around and sell their donor list to charity B.  Charity B sends me a dun. If I send money to  B, I won't have money to send to  A.  Isn't that how it works.  I suppose they are making more money off selling the list than I give them.  I suppose.

Years ago, a friend of mine taught band at Boys Ranch near Amarillo.  I was teaching and had a bit of cash.  So, at Christmas time, I sent a donation to Boys Ranch (near Amarillo).  Within 2 months I was getting requests from 5 different  groups like them.  There is a boys ranch in Nebraska, a girls thing in the Panhandle, an Indian group up in the Dakotas . . .  So, I quit sending to all of them.  Save my money.  

It would be nice to be able to support the whole World.  When I had monetary problems back in the 80s, nobody show up at my door to help out.  I just worked a little harder.  I don't spend my money on cigarettes and booze.  Nowadays, I do get some diet cokes though.

About 3 - maybe 4 - years ago, I sent $50 to Alzheimer's charity.  I have my reasons.  Immediately, I began to receive request for more.  Some days I would get 3 Alzheimers requests on the same day.  It was relentless.  Flood of mail.   After a spell I started keeping track of their requests.  Using regular postage rates, they soon spent more than $50 writing letters to me.  I don't get it.  Finally, I wrote them and explained why I was not sending them any more money - instead I was just going to give the $50 to the US post office and eliminated the middle man.

It didn't faze them.  The mail continues to this day.  Go figure.  Yesterday I got a grocery type bag from a group supporting some aspect of the military world.  That's nice.  I just don't have the extra cash to support everyone.

I use to pack up the Christmas cards - and other greeting cards - that came here.  Then, I would drop them off with my extra magazines at a certain home for old, poor people.  I was told they were thrilled to get them.  I don't know.  

nuff, see ya, m

quickie

 paper reports that a NFL player just got a new contract and a raise.

His name is Dicker.

And he is their Kicker.

Paper said:   Kicker Dicker gets new contract.

I feel these things should be shared.

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don't miss the whine fest below.  It is worth missing.

Whine Fest

 No, I did not misspell WINE.  This is a "whine festival."  My 2nd choice for a title was:  "When will it all end?"  You may not have noticed in the past, sometimes it never quits.  Something will go wrong - agaon - then, before you recover, another thing will happen - And, it just seems to pile on and on and on.  Tis problematic ya know.   You will see that this writing will turn into a marathon.  Why?  Because it NEVER ENDS!!!!

You bump your toe.  You holler and which causes the dogs to bark.  The barking makes you jump (why, I don't know, it happens all the time) and you trip back falling over the lump in the floor (another dog?).  On the way down you grasp at the tablecloth pulling stuff off the dining room table.  On the table was a container of syrup.  You have to mop the floor.  A dog walks through the syrup...  Where does she walk?  It never seems to end... 

So, I think this is how it goes.

#I  ]   A while back the daughter came home from work with a tire going flat.  She has to have transportation to get to work 30 miles down the road.  We put an air compressor to work.  Poor solution apparently.  She takes off for Discount Tire in Temple to get it fixed "TONIGHT" instead of later.

#2 ]  The tire starts to go down when she is a couple of miles from the store.  She pulls over and calls me.  The wife is loaded in the Flex and we head that way with "Air and a Prayer."  

It is SOOOOO hot out.  105 maybe in the shade.  Daughter decides that she cannot wait for me to help change that tire in this heat, so she takes off driving on an almost flat tire.  Tire is flat when she arrives at the store.  And, (just perhaps) she might be driving on a rim.  I don't know.

#3 ]  I get to the "calling" place.  She is not there.  Text messages can be so wonderful.  I continue to Discount Tire.  Discount tire operates on appointments.  But, if you get into the store in time, the tire will be fixed before they close and go home.  They conned her into 4 new tires (probably needed for sure).  She had a few hour wait to be finished.  We went and ate Mexican food.

#4 ] got back to store as they finished.  We dumped her off & went home.  An hour or so later I gets this text that she has decided to stop & have oil changed at Ford House.  I rarely do anything at the car dealerships.  Oil changes seem fairly safe.  Wait.  The guy tells her she has several leaks.  Of course there is no oil on our driveway.  He talks her into having the truck checked over.   By the time they are through, they find enough stuff to repair that they quote over $9000.  Yes, $9000.  I tell her pay what you owe & leave.  That would be $175.  No oil changed yet.  She comes home.  I have heard of a local guy who has a shop in his back yard.  He has a day job & does this in spare time.  EVERYONE says nice things about him.  

#5 ] It takes 2 days to get the truck over there and have a discussion.  He has a couple of cars in front of ours.   Today, It has now been 3 weeks without the truck.  Ford house implied truck was going to catch on fire if driven much.  Fear mongers.  Thus, for past 3 weeks, my daughter has been driving my car to work.  I am without a car.  That's okay.  We have no place to go, & we do have my 2003 Mercury Marauder as a backup.  There is a problem.  The Air Cond has gone out on the Marauder.  It is now an emergency backup  only.  It is 105 degrees out.  This is all fine.  It is no problem.  I don't mind.  I have no place to go ---- yet.

#6 ] Later that same week, walking through the house, I noticed that I am sweating.    Check thermostat.  82 degrees in the house.  I can hear the AC running but not cooling.  It is a heat pump.  Big time people love heat pumps.  I'm not quite sure.

I call this local guy who has helped me before.  He can't help me and says, "Call David." I do.  David will be over as soon as he can.  He is in Burnet right now (well over 90 miles away me thinks).  

Just for you, I'm gonna summarize this as best as I can.  Yes, I could make it a lot longer.

Eventually, he shows.  Finds leak in coil.  Needs replacing.  Compressor has been making this 'Gawd Awful' noise for a year.  He gets new coil.  Then, he finds - and demonstrates - another leak in the compressor.  Things go down hill from here.

#7 ] We now have a new air cond system - outside as well as in the attic - It cost more than I should spend.  I trust David primarily because he was suggested by local friend. But, he is over-priced, I am sure.  But, we have a new system that should last 10-20 years.  This is money I'll never get back.   It took S I X full days before the system was fully operational.  Meanwhile we spent S I X full days ranging from 75 degrees to 87 degrees.  

It is over.  We move on.

#8 ] Daughter didn't work on that following Friday.  I walked by MY car and noted that the left tire was wearing.  Yes, I've hit a few curbs recently.  I know it is out of alignment; but I don't want to get it fix today.  She can drive that tire for another week.  No problem.  Research:  found a place who can do an alignment - no openings till next week.  Set the work up for the following Friday & ordered two new tires.

Sat. morning.  The three of us go to town.  shopping for food etc.  When we get home the dot spots a slash on the side of the tire.  The tire has a 3 inch gash on the sidewall.  You don't go anywhere with that type of problem.  Well, most folks don't.  She cannot drive that car to work.   I must do something now.  And

#9 ] Off to Discount Tire in Temple.  Will the tire make it?  Yep.  I arrive at 2:30.  They close about 5 ish.  Remember, must have appointment.  They projected I'd be out by 7:26.  roll your eyes.  

Long story short.  Finished.  Got 2 new tires up front.  following Friday, alignment at a different tire store & put 2 new tires on the back.    All of that was about $1300.  We do have 4 new tires, aligned.   It is over.

#10 ] Repair guy  gets ready to work on daughter's truck.  First of all his grandfather died.  Local, well-loved, I'd say a wonderful old gent.  Sad.  then, repair guy has to go out of town for his company for a few days.  Today, Sept. 1st, parts are ordered and work has begun.  

The three weeks that I wish I had missed.

Tomorrow, Labor Day, I shan't do any labor.

love ya, Mtz