Today is the first time in a long time that I haven't either:

Dropped something on the floor while cooking
Bumped into something walking through the house
Stubbed my toe
Misplaced my reading glasses
Got a sharp pain from twisting a part of my body the wrong way
Forgotten what I was looking for when I walked into a room
Stood up too fast and had to sit back down

You might think that's a weird thing to be proud of, but you just wait until you get to be older.

My record is two days in a row, so fingers crossed, since that doesn't hurt.

Over the course of several years, I have accumulated a closet full of winter coats.

I have several leather coats or jackets, suede, denim (lined with sheep skin) and wool.

Unlike some people who live in this area, I don't like the bitter cold. When it's freezing outside, I only leave the warmth of the indoors to go to work or the grocery.

When I was younger, before I bought my first car, I walked everywhere in the winter. I would get cold, but if I kept moving I maintained enough heat that it didn't really bother me.

In my 30's, after my divorce, I worked for two years a a meter reader for the local electric company. I worked in all kinds of weather. I was bitten by dogs. I was threatened with guns by irate customers. The very worst thing that happened was getting both of my hands frost bitten (years later I got toes on both feet frost bitten, but that's another story for another day).

That's the reason I have a closet full of winter coats and a drawer full of winter gloves. When the temperature dips below 40 degrees, I have to wear gloves or my hands start turning numb.

So I've bought another coat. This time I went all out and bought a hooded, insulated parka that comes down over my rear end. Just for those days when I have to go out and scrape ice and snow off the windows.

I know, I know, I could move to a warmer climate, but with retirement looming within a year I will tough it out and soldier on.

My happy thought is that when I retire, I will no longer have to venture out when it's freezing. I can stay indoors, look out at the frozen tundra and smile while I remain toasty warm.

Life goes on.

~

Cybermen, Cybermen, at my door.
They're so heavy, they shake the floor.

Cybermen, Cybermen, what can I do?
Oh yeah, I think I'll call for Doctor Who!

I treat everyone the same, wherever I shop. If the employees are civil to me, I'm civil to them. Rude or bored employees will get back what they give and cause me not to shop in their store any longer.

One thing I can't resist, though: If an employees asks me at checkout if I found everything alright, I can't help myself from asking them:

Why, are you hiding something?

It is sometimes a wonder I haven't been banned from stores for being a smartass.

Today was a slow day, but not how you'd think...

In line at the grocery. Only two people ahead of me, but the second guy, who is in a motorized wheelchair, gets mesmerized by a toy and doesn't move for 3 minutes (although the cashier is now free and trying to get his attention).

Going down the road on my way home, I get stuck in a long line of traffic. I forgot the local university had it's homecoming game today and although the game is in the second quarter, cars are backed up both ways, with college kids jumping between cars to cross the road. 17 minutes to drive a stretch of road that normally takes no more than 3 minutes to traverse.

Blocks from home, a train stops out on the tracks and I watch several of the crew hop off the train to go into the nearby McDonald's to buy lunch. Just across the tracks is the liquor store I want to go to and I have to drive the long way to get around the train to get there.

Once inside the store, a woman is buying a lot of liquor. The clerk has her order wrung up, but she twice has everyone wait while she goes back to pick up something she forgot to get before she made it to the counter. Two young, pretty girls are giving away samples of some kind of new Coors deliicacy. I turn down the free offer, but still get a nice glass while I'm waiting.

I backtrack around the still immobile train. One last stop at the meat market to pick up some steak. Only one car in the lot, so I think I might get in and out quickly.

No.

Another customer is buying a lot of meat for a cookout. 15 minutes later, I get to the counter. 2 minutes later I'm back on the road, heading for home.

An hour and 45 minutes to run errands that should have taken me one half an hour, 45 minutes, tops.

Finally home and ready to relax. Then I remember I forgot to stop at the bakery and pick up dessert.

I'm doing without dessert tonight.

~

This is my favorite time of year. The air is crisp, the sky a deeper blue and the sun feels warm, not hot against your skin.

Walking along and seeing the leaves begin to turn vibrant colors always makes me smile.

The only thing missing is the smell of burning leaves, which is sadly not allowed any more.

Time for some hot cider and maybe a slice of pumpkin pie.

My Mom told me my Dad flipped out when he saw this video, and not in a good way. lol:


You see, my Dad played Bluegrass, knew Bill Monroe (who did it originally) and played the song himself.

I kinda liked it.

~

Thanks for the tip, Mitch, Lots better now!

As I slowly get used to my Windows 10, one question remains I haven't answered yet:

How do I get the words on this model bigger?

With Windows 7, it was simple to find the menu I needed to make changes, like in size of wording and pictures, etc.

Eventually I will figure it out and achieve another minor victory in man over machine.

Soldiering on!

~

Monday.

I find it to be harder to get motivated for work on Mondays with each passing year.

When I pay off that last $2,000.00 of debt, Mondays will be a lot happier for me because I will be retired.

I love the sound of that word: Retired. To me it will mean freedom to do whatever I want.

Until that day that I can smile and say I'm retired, I'm keeping my eye on the prize and soldiering on.

Monday.

~