A New Street!!!!

Among all the other things going on these days is a newly paved Millard Ave.,  as of about 15 minutes ago.  We have been without a street for about two weeks getting new curbs, driveway approach and new asphalt pavement.  At 2pm today, we can drive on it without problem.  I cannot tell you how much better this will be.  As a retired guy with time to listen, I got the complete explanation from the foreman on the job as to the process and and the operation of the equipment, one of the benefits of time on your hands.

The grandchildren had a late start this morning at their elementary school.  Many parents bring the kids early on these days if the weather is not inclement to let them run around the playground.  They rage around chasing each other with abandon,  with not a care in the world.  We could all learn from them.  We all have too many details in our lives to sweat out, with little time off, even in retirement.

Trump meets the Pope.  Can you suppose two more diametrically opposed and different people to put in the same room?  Of course the president said he had a "fantastic" meeting with the Pontiff.  This is the adjective he uses for his budget, a health care program, and meetings with his colleagues.  It seems to be his favorite descriptive word.  I hope some of the Pope's goodness rubbed off with the handshake.

My wife and her good friend Jayne are discussing dog training techniques in the back yard.  Jayne has a new standard Poodle puppy.  The two dogs have been romping in the backyard expending energy,  much like the elementary school kids.  They both collapsed in exhaustion.  Her pooch is 3 times the size of Harry who is unrelenting despite their differences.  It seems the current thoughts on dog training include a large segment of socialization between pets, and it seems to work.

Its back to Staples for me this afternoon, after an early morning shift yesterday.  Wednesdays are different in that most of the stuff is put away and I am given assorted assignments by my young boss. 
She is good natured and an extremely hard worker and always teaches me something new,  makes decisions easily and really needs to be somewhere where she can shine.  Hopefully she will enjoy much success in life.

I have become way too addicted to my smart phone.  It has become my information source, my entertainment and my social interaction.  And in fact, it is a lonely medium that keeps you distant from personal contact.  My habits with this device need to change.  I will bet that many others feel the same way.

This was supposed to be a really crummy weather day.  So far the predictors are incorrect.  Its pretty nice outside.

all for now

Spring??? way too cold

Perhaps this is the new normal,  cold in the morning and modestly warm in the afternoon.  I am looking forward to wearing shorts, but to no avail.  Harry the wonderdog has doubled in size and is regularly harassing the 35 pound cat.  We have given up on breaking up the fights.  One of these animals will emerge as the victor.  He has all the usual puppy bad habits of chewing shoelaces and any garment that happens to be hanging from a chair.  He had his masculinity neutralized last week and is almost recovered from the surgery. 

Sadly my son's father in law passed away a couple of days ago after enduring heart disease and diabetes.  He was a good man loved by his family and friends and will be missed by many.  His daughter is devastated struggling to deal with this new reality in her life.

I am working on being a meat free eater with some success but still having urges to fulfill my taste buds with foods I am familiar with.  Still as I drive around town seeing all the convenient, fast food joints that I can't stop in for a quick indulgence and it is frustrating.  But the truth of the matter is that the thrill is gone consuming these so called foods.  At the end of the experience, it wasn't as good as you thought it would be.  Then you are saddled with the responsibility and needed time to prepare food.  I know this is better.  However, I will admit to bouts of laziness and a desperate cry for convenience.  This is nothing really earth shattering, and I have nothing to bitch about in that we have plenty to eat and others do not.

I find it fulfilling to work at my part time job in that I can really solve problems for some people.  Most of them are senior (much more than me) citizens looking for a solution that is baffling in their lives.  I assisted a 91 year old lady yesterday find the correct box to ship clothes to Africa for her charity.  She had lost her fine motor skills and was struggling getting out the change to make the purchase.  One of the items was heavy and the box was cumbersome so I put it in her car, making her day a little easier.  She was probably too old to drive.  My spirits were uplifted, the gift for the day.

Watching and reading the news is becoming more less and less palatable,  I can't count how many times the president's name is mentioned or the total lack of governance he is putting forth.  Things are becoming more and more fearsome.  And as stated before, I am so completely different than this guy and his supporters.  I feel like we are watching a dictator in another country operate on his people.  And yet, it is here.

all for now