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My thoughts released; a mind set free |
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These pages contain my thoughts, from meandering ideas and persuasions to deep cerebrations and serious mentations. Why, for what purpose? To release my mind and set creativity free. Somewhere inside the constraints of my mind dwells a writer, a poet, an artist who paints with words. In here I release those constraints and set the artist free. Perhaps, lost somewhere in the depths of thought, is a story or a poem, waiting to be written. 
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| I need to find inspiration; I've been stalled in my writing far to long. But what should I write about? I know I have some good stories and poems but instead of them flooding into my mind and onto paper, I sit and stare at a blank page. I do start typing some, but it seems I use the backspace and delete keys more than any other and in the end, the page is again blank. I'm making some changes to overcome this disgusting rut of nothingness, but I need inspiration. I inquired of my muse, Leora but I think I pissed her off yesterday when I didn't believe her story about Quakers. Oh well, I can do this without her, I know I can, I just need to find my inspiration. So, I set out to do just that: (Inspiration) "Where is it at?" I asked of myself, "Perhaps in the cupboard or up on a shelf." I went and I looked, but it was not there. "Why is it hiding? It just isn't fair!" "Perhaps in the closet! I'll go take a look." Nothing but clothing and a misplaced old book! I looked in the junk drawer, sure it's in there, But all that I found was junk and despair. I looked behind objects and under the bed I sneezed from the dust and then bumped my head. I checked all my pockets, then looked in my desk, "Nothing but lint and my desk is a mess!" Leora came over, standing quite near She whispered these words, right in my ear, "You want inspiration, I'll give you a clue, Turn you eyes inward, it's hiding in you." Today Leora taught me a few very important lessons: First, don't piss off your muse, second, don't doubt your muse, and third, don't look outward for inspiration, look inside where it resides. |
| It's warm again! Of course, this is northern Minnesota in January, so warm is almost thawing, and it's only for a few days before more frigid air pushes through. It's a nice break from the cold. This weekend we are back in the deep freeze, but then it sounds like a stretch of above zero temps for a while. That is, if the forecast is even close. Another change that is miking the day beautiful is how I feel. I mentioned that we had Covid around again, first my wife and then me. Yesterday was by far the worst day for me, but today I am again feeling more energetic and it seems the fever has passed. I'm still resting and letting myself heal after this last bout with the dreaded bug, I know far too well how overdoing things can lead to relapse. Tomorrow, since it's supposed to be another beautiful day, we are hoping to take the dogs out to a secluded area so they can run and frolic for bit. Of course, it will depend on how well I'm feeling, since it requires a short hike to get back in away from the road. |
| Who is Murphy? I don't know. I suppose I could do some research and find an answer, but it doesn't matter, he just sucks. Perhaps you're asking, "Why does Murphy suck?" Because of his set of screwed up laws! Yes, I'm talking about Murphy's Law which states, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. It's often used to explain unexpected or unfortunate events in a humorous way. Only, when the law applies to you, it's seldom humorous. Year's ago, while serving in the United States Air Force, we had a poster on the wall of our break room. There was a picture of Major Murphy at the top, and under it was the phrase, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong". Under this was a list of various laws that covered just about everything, for example: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.  If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. Corollary: If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen then.If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop.Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse. And the laws went on and on. One section covered illness and stated that until you pass your illness to another, you can't get over it (I don't remember the actual wording). So, my wife had Covid and was sick for about a week. I did what I could to make her comfortable and aid in her getting over it. She did, but not until the day I woke up with a stuffy head, slight fever, and a cough; Murphy's Law! So, she's doing good, almost fully recovered, and I'm feeling like ick. It's been about four days, maybe five and I'm ready to wake up feeling better, but it just stays about the same. I'm not real sick, mind you, just enough to be tired and rundown with a bit of a cough, stuffed up, and a low fever. But, she's already had it and there isn't anyone I can pass this on to so I can get over it. Where's that damn Murphy when I need him? |
| Blite, bliting, etc... a coin I termed term I coined. To write in one's blog, or to be writing in one's blog. Of course, you probably shouldn't be writing/bliting in someone else's blog unless they invite you. That's my goal, to try and blite everyday; at least for now. Once spring hits that's likely to change, since there is always so much else going on. Of course, even in the winter there can be demands on time that could interfere with daily bliting. The problem, however, isn't just time. It also encompasses topic; what the hell to blite about. It's kind of funny, in a not so humorous way. In the winter when there's not near as much going on there is more time for bliting but less to blite about. But, in the spring, summer, and fall, there's so much going on there's little time for bliting but so many things to blite about. Maybe I should take notes through the seasons of life to blite about in the dead of winter, but if I had time to take notes I'd have time for bliting. Crazy? It's been rumored but I prefer eccentric. Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts where I may find bliting inspirations, it would be greatly appreciated. |
| As a spin off "no way". Since about a week ago there have been predictions of snow this weekend, but as I always say when looking at the forecast, "We shall see." It seems, most often anyway, that as each day passes the forecast changes. Also, as the days pass and the forecast becomes current, it's seldom what was predicted. The forecast has been for snow, six to ten inches, with a lot of high winds. I would call that a blizzard, but they don't usually use the "B" word until it hits. Yesterday the snow arrived, which by the forecast this last week, put the snow here a day early. Already the forecast was wrong. But, despite the early arrival, the forecast for today remained the same until this morning when it changed to three to six inches and fair winds. We received less than an inch yesterday and through the night, but it's been snowing pretty steady all day. How much will we get? So far it's a light, almost winter-wonderland type snow and I would guess about an inch. But, it's suppose to snow heavier this afternoon through tomorrow afternoon. I would say, at current conditions, we may see a couple of inches of snow if it continues like this through tomorrow afternoon. Thankfully, we are stocked up on pantry items and do not have to venture out in the snow except when we take the dogs out. |
| My wife has ow been feeling ill since Monday, although she is getting better each day now. With that said, Murphy's law of illness seems to be holding true: you will not recover until you have successfully passed it on to another. Yes, today I'm feeling a bit run down, I'm a bit stuffed up, and my chest is feeling congested. I think I'm losing this battle of not catching what she has. But I'm still hopeful that with proper care and precaution I can refrain from getting as ill as she has been. She works in healthcare for the elderly, so she had to take a Covid test and we found out today it was positive, So, we are quarantining and making sure we don't pass it on to others. In fact, just to keep you all safe, I'm typing with latex gloves on. |
| What's different? The weather. It's been cold, single digits above and below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but today it warmed almost to thawing. We also are getting a bit of snow, but less than an inch—for now. It sounds like it's going to yo-yo for a while; some warmer days, some frigid days and the possibility of six inches or more of snow this weekend. What's still the same? My wife's cold. She called in to work again today, and since she works with the elderly, she doesn't dare go back to work until she is over this round of the Yuck. Another thing that has not changed is my overall health. I've felt like I may be catching the same thing she has, but so far it hasn't gotten rooted in and I'm feeling pretty good. I'm hoping that I can fight this off and net catch her cold, but we all know it doesn't usually work that way. |
| I couldn't sleep last night for some reason so I read a bit and finally successfully went to bed a little after two this morning. I did manage to sleep in until almost ten, so a pretty good night. After a cup of coffee, I saw I had missed a phone call from the garage that's doing the oil change on my truck. They are also testing the charging system because the battery keeps draining. No message was left, so I enjoyed a second cup of coffee and called back. The truck was done and ready to pick up. Oil, filters, lube, all that stuff was taken care of, as well as a general vehicle inspection. The battery was at fault so he had replaced it, the alternator was working fine, and everything looked good except. I always cringe when my mechanic says except. Anyway, I was right to cringe, the left front wheel bearing is a tad loose. It's not bad—yet, but it's just a matter of time before it starts making noise and starts vibrating. How much? About $600.00! That's just a ballpark guess, it could be a bit higher, and possibly a bit lower. The good news is, he thinks it will get us by until spring, but he recommends we don't take it on any long road trips until after it's fixed. I stopped at the butcher shop on my way home and picked up five pounds of beef fat and a couple of nice chicken breasts. The chicken was for chicken noodle soup, homemade from scratch. My wife is still down with the Yuck (sinus cold or something) and she wanted some. The beef fat, fresh, is for melting down for tallow. I've been reading up on some benefits of frying in beef tallow, but to buy the stuff is kind of crazy expensive, and I can't find it close to home. So, After getting home I proceeded to trim up the fat, cut it into small pieces, and put it inn the dutch oven to melt down. Next, it was time to start making some homemade soup. Then, while the soup stewed and the fat simmered, I washed up dishes and my mess in the kitchen. I did take a few breaks in there to pop in and out of here, but other than that, it's been a busy day. But, I have about a gallon of beef tallow and the soup turned out scrumptious. We are fed, the dogs are fed, the dishes are pretty much all washed, and I'm pretty much beat. |
Today in "Question of the Day!"  , S 🤦   asked, "What inspired you to start writing?I couldn't give an answer other than,"I don't know." I briefly explained, I have always been a story teller (my mother said I could tell a whopper of a story shortly after I started talking) so I guess it was only natural to start writing them. I have also been an avid reader which also contributed to my need to write. Growing up I told some pretty wild tales. In third grade, my teacher asked my Mom how we managed all the exotic animals we owned. My Mom, of course, didn't know anything about this. The teacher informed her that I had told this tale so believably that she had honestly thought we had a small zoo on our farm. My Mom informed her we did not live on a farm, but in town, and we had no animals, domestic or wild. I don't remember the teacher's name, but she told my Mom not to be upset, I was a natural born story-teller and that I should be encouraged. I was with my Mom during this conference and was a bit embarrassed when it all came out. But, both my Mom and the teacher did encourage me, although they also emphasized the importance of also being truthful. Perhaps that was the beginning of my desire to write stories. I know that by the time I was in sixth grade, I wanted to be a writer. I was an avid reader and would read most anything available. I was also a pretty fast reader, and when we read in class I would be pages ahead in the book. Of course, we were called upon to read out loud randomly, and I would be a few pages ahead. So when I was called, I often didn't know where we where. Also, I tended to be shy and introverted, so reading to the class was very difficult. Between these two problems, my teacher assumed I had a reading problem and had me transferred to a special reading class. This was a blessing! The teacher of that class soon discovered that I didn't have a problem reading and soon let me go to the library and pick out books to read from any grade level and then write a report after I finished it. It was done one on one so it was enjoyable for me, and after he read a few of my book reports he told me I should try writing my own stories. Unfortunately, that same school year, we had an assignment in my regular class to do a report on what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wanted to be an author and did my report on that. The teacher read it to the class, not even trying to hold back her own laughter. In fact, she ridiculed me in front of the class and set a firm block in my mind that I would never be a writer. That blocked stayed there for many years, but in my thirties I decided to go to college and pursue a business degree. English Composition was required and I again had to write stories and poetry. I also had to take Business Communications which required being able to write various types of business letters and documents. I was very surprised when instructors confronted me about my writing and asked permission to use my writing as examples for future classes. It was there, in college, that various instructors encouraged me to again pick up pen and paper and write my tales and rhymes. |
| Yes, a note I made for myself. Why you ask? (or maybe I asked for you) It's been a rather lazy day for me. My wife didn't have to go to work until five this afternoon, so she took the dogs out while I putzed around most of the day. I made a kettle of soup, did a bit in here, worked on some surveys, etc... Since none of this required getting dressed, I did my putzing in my pj's; shorts and a sleevless shirt. I didn't even bother to put socks on today, since it's comfortable and my feet didn't get cold. But, about an hour ago, the dogs let me know they needed to go out and take care of business. Being only five degrees Fahrenheit with a bit of a wind, I knew they wouldn't be out for very long, so I slipped my jacket and bedroom slippers on and out we went. I felt the cold instantly on my legs and exposed head, but it was bearable and again, I wouldn't be out for very long. They did a bit of sniffing around, then took care of business. In five minutes or less, they were heading back to the door to go in. But, something distracted them and they went around the side of the house. I hurried over to see, and sure enough, the neighbor was heading my way. He was dressed for the temperature and carrying a cup of coffee in one had, a couple of dog treats in the other. "You must think it's spring dressed like that." "No, I just ran these two out and was heading back in. It's a bit too cold to be out here dressed like this." He gave the dogs their treats and asked how things were going. He also told me that the landlord may be changing our garbage pick-up and a few other things. I was polite and talked for a few minutes, but I was getting very cold, my legs were starting to burn, and my toes had gone numb; I told him as much, then added, I need to get inside before I freeze something. "Yeah, the radio says it's seventeen below with the wind, it don't take long for exposed skin to frostbite." I headed towards the door, but he continued to chew the fat. "Why don't you come in, I have a pot of coffee on and it should be done." "No, thanks, I just saw you out with the dogs and thought I'd come over and say hello. You better get inside, you're legs are either turning blue or it's the yard light making them look blue." "Yeah, I'm heading in. I'll have to stop over one of these days and visit. Thanks for stopping by." I started up the steps to the door as he turned to go back home. But, the dogs were still wondering if there was another treat and followed him. I had to go back out in the full exposer to the wind and call for them. They stopped following right away and Bellah ran back like she usually does, but Max, my Husky is a bit more stubborn. He looked at me and then back at the neighbor, sat down and watched until he was out of sight and then came back over, slow and sniffing along the way. I could no longer feel my toes at all, my legs felt like they were on fire, my ears were burning, and my fingers had begun to ache. I hurried up the steps to the door, opened it and Bellah went right in, but Max mumbled something (he is quite a talker) and ran over to the tree line to poop. After another minute or two of freezing, he started heading back, then saw a squirrel that he had to chase up a tree. I gave up and went inside and called for him from inside the door. He thought for a few seconds about his choices, and decided to meander his way up tot he door so he would get his treat for coming in when called. He did get his treat, they both did. I'm still thawing out, sitting her under a blanket trying to get my legs warmed up. Max is lying on my feet which warmed them right up, and my fingers have quit throbbing and just burn a little now. So my not to myself is: Don't be a fool and go out in the frigid arctic air unless your dressed warm enough to handle getting stuck out there for a half an hour or more. No serious frostbite damage, just well chilled, but I will say this, Baby it's cold outside! |
| Yesterday I signed up for a survey site to make a few bucks. I also set some small goals for getting my office organized, working on a few things around the house, and trying to write a little something. My wife has this weekend off, so the idea was to work together on some of this, then I could do my writing while she did her thing. But, for whatever reason, I could not sleep last night. I was tired until I got into bed about 1:30 this morning, then any plans on sleeping vanished into the dark of night. I got up and took a Unisom tablet and read a bit while I waited for it to do it's thing. I went back to bed about 2:30 and slept sound, waking up just before noon.. Getting up so late meant a change in my plans, which I made while I downed a few cups of coffee to shake the sleep-aid cobwebs from my brain, then set about starting the revised day. But, just as I was getting started, a vehicle pulled up and low and behold, my wife's cousin was here. Not wanting to be rude, I had a couple more cups of coffee and visited for a spell, then informed him that I had some stuff to get done. But, there was no getting much of anything done. As is the case most times, as soon as something is stated, it is regretted because it seems to trigger in a lot of people just the opposite effect of what was said. he finally left just before time to start dinner, and now it's late and I'm trying to get a few things salvaged out of my plans for the day. This is the reason I find it so difficult to make plans or set goals... |
| I posted a question in the Newsfeed earlier about ways to make a few bucks online. I looked into one (the only) response and gave it a try. I earned about two and a half bucks! Of course, I didn't spend much time there today, but hopefully I can set a bit of time aside most days to go in and do my thing. I think it's going to help out, but I doubt I'll get rich anytime soon. The way things are tight now, every little bit helps, and I'm grateful for the reply. If anyone else has any ideas, I'm always eager to listen. |
| We are two days into the new year, and I don't see any changes; is it broke? I took the Yukon in for an oil change and to have the battery and charging system checked, since it had a low battery a while back. The mechanic said he would get to it either tomorrow or on Monday. He's always busy, but I suppose that's the sign of a good mechanic. I could have scheduled an appointment for next week, but often something comes up and he has an open slot of time, so if it's there waiting for him, he can get it done sooner. My wife picked me up at the garage on her way to work; I took her car back home after stopping for some water at the store. That means I'll have to watch the time and go pick her up after her shift ends. While filling up a three gallon water bottle, a guy asked my why I buy water. I assumed right off he's not from around here, or he would know that the water in this area has a lot of iron in it. It's fine to drink, or at least the water reports indicate it's fine, but because of the iron it has an off taste and plugs up the coffee maker quickly. So, we refill three gallon bottles with water filtered by reverse osmosis for the coffee maker. While waiting in line to pay for the bottle of water, I overheard a couple of people complaining about the cost of groceries and gasoline. I understand, both have gone berserk, but what got me chuckling was the comment, "It's the new year, why haven't prices gone down? I thought 2025 was supposed to be better!" The other person replied, "They would have come done this year but that damn Trump got elected and messed it all up." Anyway, I do hope everyone has a wonderful new year. |
| Yesterday was the last day of the year, so as far as the year goes, it begins here. Not that I put much into the whole new year thing. Some people do, as if by some kind of magic the changing of the date will somehow bring in changes, but I have been around the block a few times now and know better. I do realize that there will be significant changes this year, like every year. But will they be better, or will they be worse. I take each day as it's given and try to make the most of it, and of course, I hope for the best. Did I make any resolutions? Of course not. I can't make any because years ago I resolved not to make resolutions and I'm still keeping that one. I do believe in setting goals, but I don't see any reason to pick one day over another. If you do make a New Year's resolution, I wish you the best in keeping it. How is the new year starting for me? It's also the start of a polar vortex bringing frigid air down from the arctic. We are in the teens today and it's dropping; for the next week or so we will be doing well to see single digits during the day and we will drop below zero at night (Fahrenheit). But that's normal for Minnesota so I guess the year is starting out normal. And, normal is good. |
| Since this is the last day of 2024 I wanted to post one last entry for the year. But, when a person doesn't have much going on, it's difficult to write anything. I do have some things going on, and even ongoing, but they are personal problems and issues that I doubt you want to read about. Hell, maybe I should write them out, then you can comment about your own problems and issues showing me mine aren't worth fretting over. I could also write about the weather, it's been pretty mild and nice lately, but it's also been overcast and/or foggy. We did get some bitter cold early on, and we had about a half a foot of snow, but the cold turned warm enough to melt off most of the snow. I would say it's been a beautiful December, except for the lack of sunshine. Now, the month comes to an end as does the year. But, who picked January to start a new year? I speak from a person living in northern Minnesota where January is the coldest month of the year, and it's even possible to see the temperature remain below zero (Fahrenheit) for the entire month. Hell of a way to start a new year! It's now 4:30 in the afternoon and it's getting dark. Sunset is still an hour away, but with the heavy, low clouds, even the few minutes more of daylight we've gained are in vain. I can see why many people in this area suffer from seasonal depression this time of year, the days are short, there's little sunlight, and it's too damn cold out to enjoy the sun when it does shine. And, that's not to mention all the added costs of living in the cold and dark, or the extra problems we must endure and/or overcome. I should be in the doorway screaming into the growing dusk, "Why the hell do I live here?" But, I have lived other places and by my choice moved back here. It's difficult in the dead of winter, but I love Minnesota (the state, not the liberalism). Besides, no matter where a person resides, there are always problems to overcome and things we must put up with; here, in the north land, I know what to expect and how to deal with it. It's like I've said for many years now, no matter where you go, there you are! I wish all of you a very wonderful New Year's Eve and hope all your wishes for the new year come true. |
| This is an observation I made the other day— not that day, the other one. Any way, I've heard complaints about self-checkouts; I'm sure you have as well. One of the complaints is, we are scanning and bagging our own items, but not getting paid (or a discount) to do the work of paid employees. Another is that by checking our own items, we are removing jobs that other's need. I'm sure there are more as well. The day I mentioned above, we had stopped at Walmart to pick up a couple of things. We had the dogs with us, so I parked at the end of the lot where they wouldn't be bothered as much by other people. The spot I picked was just behind the Pick-Up area. You know, you do your shopping online and an employee gathers your items, bags them, and then when you drive to one of the Pick-Up Spots and an employee brings your items out and puts them in your vehicle. Meanwhile, in the store, you have to fight through crowds of people, find your items, cart them up front and either wait for an infinity for one of the two check-out lanes, or go to the self check-out, scan your items, bag them, and then bring them out yourself. What's my point? It costs the same amount! You do not pay extra for the service of an employee doing all the work for you, and you do not get a discount for doing all of the work yourself. Also consider this, while checking out my wife said there were only two cashiers to check people out, yet there were also two employees working in the self-checkout area. I myself witnessed five different employees working the Pick-Up lines; how many others were wandering the store filling orders. Yet, if you need assistance, there seldom is anyone around? Oh, and one last thing to consider. We have three Walmart stores within an hours drive and depending on where we are doing our shopping will stop at any one of them if we need something only they carry. One of the items is a specif dog treat that our two dogs love, but no other vendor around us carries. This dog treat costs & $16.98 at one store, $15.98 at another, and $17.98 at the third store. Why? This is why I seldom shop at Walmart. Why do I shop there at all? Because after they run a lot of smaller businesses out, it's the only place shy of ordering them, that we can get a few specific items. |
| I've been looking for a new muse, and wouldn't you know, I got one for Christmas. Leora, my new muse showed up and was eager to inspire. But, after the last guy that applied for the muse position, Norbert Horace Wankenspanker, I was a bit hesitant. She understood, but assured me that she could and would inspire me. Leora said, "If I fail as your muse, just tell me and I'll either find a solution or go on my way. What do you have to lose?" So I agreed and she inspired me to write the following post holiday poem: Post-Christmas 'Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house Nobody was moving, 'cept the kids and a mouse. The stocking were strewn all over the floor There was one on the TV, three more on the door, All the kids had grown tired of all their new toys And were fighting and yelling, making way to much noise. Mom yelled from the sofa and threw my ball cap 'Cuzz the ruckus and commotion woke her from her nap. That's when out in the drive I heard a loud clatter And ran to the door to see what was the matter; I toppled my coffee and stepped in some yuk And cursed out a word that rhymes well with truck. The sun hit the snow with all of it's might and The glare was so intense I thought I'd lost my sight, I squinted my eyes so that I could see My ornery old neighbor flipping the finger at me. Then he threw a snowball hard and so quick I didn't get the chance to call him a Dick, As fast as a baseball the snowball did fly And caught me by surprise, right in the thigh. He kept throwing snowballs and calling me names Like this was some kind of a humorous game! One hit the porch light, another the wall Then I stepped on another and started to fall, I slid over the threshold and onto the stair And just for a second, I balanced right there, Then gravity took over and was pulling me down Before I knew it, I was flat on the ground. The driveway was icy and covered in sleet, I found myself sliding right out in the street. I stumbled and slipped, but managed to stand My neighbor was yelling, "This show is quite grand!" Then, what to my dazed eyes should appear? The local police and he was getting quite near. He accused me of drinking and publicly drunk, "You're under arrest you delinquent young punk!" He took me downtown, made me pee in a cup, Inked up my fingers and then locked me up. "You have one phone call." The officer said, But I politely declined and laid down on the bed; It was quiet and peaceful, here in the keep And I finally could get a decent nights sleep. He heard me exclaim as he walked out of sight, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!" |
| No, I don't think it's a ghost of Christmas past, present, or future; I'm sure it's not a ghost of any type. Last fall, after we had parked it for the winter, we had a situation with the mobile tent (pop-up camper) where someone had turned on the furnace, used up all the bottle gas, and run the battery dead. But, after discovering this, we finished winterizing it, closed it down, and locked it up. A few weeks later I discovered that someone had been in the HiLo camper I've been working on. There is not gas in the HiLo, and it had been winterized, so nothing other than the lights would have worked, but things had been moved around and one of the chairs that was stowed behind the table was in front of the table. No problem, I locked that up for the winter as well. At the time, I thought it was likely just some local kids screwing around. We live out in the country, but there are a lot of houses around us, some with various aged children. But, a week ago I went to take the Yukon into town and discovered the battery was dead. The seat had also been moved, but I thought my wife had adjusted it when she used it a couple days before. I jump started it and it seems to be fine now, and just because someone had been messing in the campers, I parked it in the garage where it's locked up. However, the car is still parked outside, and we have never had a reason to lock vehicles up. I thought about it after the Yukon, but told myself, "Stop being so paranoid, nobody is messing with the vehicles." Any way, we got a few inches of snow so I went out to clean up around the car. I decided to move it so I could shovel the snow and discovered that the door on the side away from the house wasn't shut tight. It had snowed in a bit, but nothing too serious. I also noticed, because of the door not being shut, the dome light was on. The battery was low but not dead, and thankfully the car started right up. Oh, and the seat was reclined about halfway back. I used the car yesterday to drive into town. Just me, so no one used the passenger side door and I know it wasn't open when I drove into town or home. I also would have noticed that the seat was reclined because I had set my packages on that seat. Last night, around midnight, Bellah, my wife's dog, started barking when we heard a car door shut. We looked around, but didn't see anyone in our driveway so we thought it must be next door. Now, looking back, I realize it was our car door being shut after someone had gotten inside. Now, everything is locked up and hopefully the problem is solved. In a nearby town (six miles north) there has been some problems with items stolen out of vehicles and transients seeking shelter in anyplace they can gain access. The local police did arrest one person, a transient, who had taken up refuge in someones car and pulled a knife on them when they surprised them the next morning. I notified the sheriffs office of our situation and was told to lock and secure all doors, windows, and vehicles, and to be cautious if anyone is messing around. |
| I've mentioned before how difficult it is to try and plan anything out without it getting interrupted and Monday and Tuesday verified it again. A lot of the times it's just me interrupted while trying to do some writing or work on a project. Being introverted, this messes me all up and gets to be very frustrating. Also, being introverted, it's difficult for me to talk to anyone about it, but I have tried and it seems to only make the interruptions worse. I do vent to my wife about it, but until the last two days, I don't think she really comprehended how bad it's gotten. She works rotating days at work as well as every other weekend, so Monday and Tuesday were her weekend. She had worked a double shift on Sunday and was beat and needing some quiet, restful time on Monday. Our plan was to do a lot of nothing much for the day letting her relax and do whatever she felt like while I took care of cooking. But, shortly after getting up, her mom called and got her worked up over some family drama. Shortly after she got off the phone and tried again to relax and take it easy, her sister called about the same family drama. She was trying to work on my Christmas present, something she's sewing for me, but after the two interruptions, she didn't feel like trying to get back into it, so I suggested we take a break and drive over to the state park we live by and just get away from everything. It was a nice day and she agreed, it would be relaxing to take the dogs to the park and get away from everything for a while. But, before we got out the door, the neighbor came over to visit. Not wanting to be rude, she let him in. I was getting a few things ready to bring along with us, and told him he had just caught us as we were heading out the door. He asked where, and I explained. He sat down and said, "I know just what you mean, sometimes you have to just take off to get away from people." But he didn't know what we meant because he proceeded to tell us about everything going on with him. During the conversation and a few cups of coffee, we mentioned a few times that we wanted to get going before it got too late. He claimed to understand and mentioned a few times that he should get going as well, but in the end, it was almost dusk by the time he left. I had given up on getting to the park, so I decided to start getting things ready to make dinner. Maybe if I was busy he would take a hint and go back home. He did, eventually, but by the time he departed most of the day was wasted, dinner was late, and it seemed the day was wasted. While we ate dinner, we discussed plans for Tuesday. We needed to pick up a few groceries and some meat from the butcher/locker plant, but my wife also wanted to take some time to work on her sewing project. I offered to do the shopping while she worked on her project and watched the dogs, but in the end she wanted to shop together. The plan was, get an early start so we could get the shopping done, return home and have the rest of the day for her to work on her project. Tuesday morning we relaxed with some coffee, then double checked our shopping list and by nine we were off to do our shopping. It was another nice day and we enjoyed the drive into town. The dogs were with watching out the windows at all the sites and it seemed like it would be a great day. We had driven to a town about forty-five minutes away because the grocery store there has better prices and more variety, and there's also a Walmart there and there are a few things they have that we needed to replenish. The shopping went fine and soon we were headed back towards our local town where we shop for meat at the local locker store; they carry locally raised beef and their prices are generally lower than the grocery stores Yep, it was turning out to be a great day. We had the shopping done except for the meat and would be home shortly after noon. We had already decided to get a chuck roll (it's the entire chuck of a beef) and butcher it ourselves because it's so much cheaper than if they cut it up. I was going to do the cutting while she worked on her sewing project. But, about five minutes out from the meat store, her nephew called. She explained we were heading to the locker plant, then home with groceries and the chuck to butcher out. She talked for a while and after she hung up informed me that his clutch was acting up and he wanted to know if one of us could follow him to the garage and then take him back to the trucking company he works for. We talked it over, and since he was having vehicle problems she decided that she would follow him over to the town his cousin has a garage in so he could drop off his pickup for repairs and then take him back to the town he drives out off so he could get his truck (he's a truck driver). We got to the locker plant and completed our shopping, but he hadn't showed up yet. It was her understanding that he was also at the locker, but it turns out he was still at the trucking company when he called. She told him to meet us at home so we could get our groceries unloaded and he showed up shortly after us. Once the vehicle was unloaded, she followed him over to the garage, about a half hour drive from here, then from there she took him over to where he works, an hour drive, then filled up with gas and returned home, another forty-five minutes. I put groceries away and waited for her to text me when she was ready to drive home; I had ribs ready to go in the oven for supper, but didn't want to start them too early. After I got her text I put the ribs in the oven to slow roast, got potatoes peeled, and a vegetable ready. But, I didn't want to start everything until she got home so it would be fresh and hot. In the end, we had a very good dinner of barbecued ribs, boiled potatoes, and stir-fried fresh green beans with a bit of bacon thrown in, but it was also another late dinner and another day she didn't get to relax or do what she wanted. After dinner we relaxed with a brandy and talked for a bit. She was a bit frustrated because she hadn't gotten to do much of anything she had planned. I agreed and told her I understood exactly how she felt. I also pointed out that she has the upcoming weekend off and could take the time to work on her project then; no plans, nothing to do, just relax like we had intended for this two day break. But, any day now her nephew will be calling needing a ride to go get his pickup. He's back on the road for now, but it's unsure when he will be back or when his truck will be ready. Also, there family drama is building as Christmas gets nearer and her family members are doing their best to draw her into it. As we talked over coffee this morning she told me that she was finally starting to understand why I get so frustrated when I want to spend time alone doing my thing and can't. Especially when you explain it to these people and they nod and say they understand, but then demand even more attention and time. I had told her before, but mentioned again that it seems the only way to write for me is to have someplace to go that nobody knows about and to turn the phones off. She smiled and asked, can I bring my sewing machine and come with? |
| It's been about five days and Norbert showed up again. Norbert is the muse that showed up to replace Halo; Norbert Horace Wankenspanker that is. I didn't ask him to show up, he was just at the door one day after getting fired from his previous job. He told me all about it, with the idea that I could write it out as a story. I declined since it was kind of gross and not the kind of story I prefer to write. It seems Norbert worked for a guy who pumps septic tanks, and in the cold snap we had the discharge valve froze shut and Norbert could not empty the sewage from the tank. He went into great detail, I'll give him that, detail enough that I lost my appetite, but I will spare all of you. In summary, he got his boss to help him free the frozen valve, but Norbert had forgotten to depressurize the tank, and as his boss knelt in front of the valve heating it with a torch, the valve opened, under pressure, and blasted the poor guy with the contents of the truck. I can understand why he was upset. To add to his misery, Norbert confessed that he thought it was the funniest thing ever and couldn't stop laughing. Well, up until his boss fired him. He, Norbert that is, was a bit upset that I wouldn't write it all out in gory detail for a story, but I explained that I write fiction and was hoping to write fantasy or something similar. Norb, as he prefers to be addressed, thought for a bit and then smiled and told me he had a fantasy I could write. Excited, I got myself set up to write a story. Yes, I was excited to be writing something again. Norb sat on the edge of the desk and started sharing a tale that involved three hookers, some acid, and an assortment of kitchen utensils! Yes, it was sexual in context. Well, it was more like unadulterated porn than anything, but Norb was really getting into the story. I felt bad when I stopped him and explained that I didn't want to write porn, I wanted to write a fantasy. He started turning red and his breathing made me think of a bull about to charge. Standing in front of me now, hands on his hips he yelled, "It is a fantasy, it's my fantasy!" Before I could say anything he turned and stomped towards the door, then turned again with a look in his eyes that made me fear he was going to charge me. "You wanted a muse to help you write and now you tell me you don't want to write about my story or my fantasy? I see why Halo quit, well so do I!" I never did get a chance to speak, he stormed off, packed up and out the door he went. So here I sit museless and wondering where I'll find inspiration. Maybe Santa will bring me a muse for Christmas... |
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