General Babble

[cineater]

My sister texts me her slot machine screen, $13,000.     I'd say her vacation is going well.

[cineater]

It was really nice having mom here for a few days.  We shopped and ate out for the first two days.  But eventually we did get that time where we weren't doing anything and could just relax with each other.  Have those talks that people who spend a lot of time with each other get to have.  Nothing important just those little conversations that connect you.  She really enjoyed going to the bar.  Hadn't been in one in years especially at night.  Enjoyed chatting with the pinball players, young people as she calls them.  She was ready to go home though.  I hope we get to do it again sometime.

[cineater]

2nd place going into pinball playoffs.  Hard tp say how I'll do in playoffs.  I haven't played Marcus all season and only a couple of times when he was brand new.  Brian usually asks if you're playing next season by now.  He also hasn't replaced one of the missing machines.  Maybe that is true about the remodel.  We'll be welcome at Two Plumbers.  It's a bigger place.  But I really do like my neighborhood bar.

[cineater]

Cool my sister is two hours away from home.  Gambling her way back from Wisconsin.     Mom was pretty tired yesterday.  My brother's family stopped in to check up on her.  She couldn't remember today if my brother came or not.  He did.  She sounded better today.  Spent the day reading.  She looks the same, sounds the same so it's hard to remember she's 90.

My daughter and I totally forgot it was grandparents day.  It's a greeting card day, no gifts.  Her father had to remind us.  I could say something really bitchy here but I'll give an example.  My daughter put a picture of him and the baby on my frame, I deleted it.

The kids installed my smart thermostat.  The electric company can now control my temperature in the house on high energy use days.  Here's the deal, they can only up me 4 times per year and they are suppose to send me $50 and $25 a year for participating.  I'm not to override them more than twice a year.  They already lied to me once but I saved $40 and got to see the grandbaby so okay.  I'm waiting for them to ask if I want to donate what they are giving me to the program where they help low income people with their energy bill but I bet they don't think of that.  I'd say okay to that.

[cineater]

Wasn't very kind of me to mention the deleting of his picture.  The guy has every reason to delete mine too.  I'd ask him if he did but I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings.  I kind of think he would say no but he thought about it.     He'll still put flowers on my grave.

[cineater]

Pinball playoffs tonight.  Brian announced he brought in a new game.  I think Tim is full of shit about the reno.  I hurt everywhere so I should do pretty good.

[cineater]

Shit!  3 second places and one third and I still ended up in 3rd place.  Twice I was way ahead and the person after me came from way behind to beat me.  Hate when that happens.  Anyway, he announced the next league play so I'm in.  My wrists are shot.  Venom is kind of fun.

The county passed a property tax freeze over people over 62.  Yea, I wasn't planning on selling so that's helpful.

[cineater]

I missed the update on the pinball place last night.  They are remodeling and turning it into a high class bistro.  We're going to have league until they close up in maybe a month.  Brian didn't say anything about what he's doing.  Two Plumbers is opening up a new place just for pinball machines.  No word on when that will be but the location is okay for me.

[cineater]

In, out and I got my shot for bone loss.  Guess I'll research that on my own.  I figure at this age I'm pretty much worthless, might as well be a lab rat.  As my father use to say, once we were men, now we are mice.  He was referring to all the medical and aging aspects of life.  Personally I didn't care too much for the man aspect of life or rather woman in my case.  A lot of stress and goal achieving went with that.  Should have been a lot more happiness and living free.  I'm liking the aging part, of course I still have my health.  This is kind of like my summers during college except I have money.     I don't really need it but it is fun to spend.

[cineater]

I'm going to have to go with red hair on my grandson.  We've been debating between that and strawberry brown.  He had that helmet on for so long you didn't really notice but get him in the sun and that hair is red.  He's 10 months, happy little camper.  Almost ready for that first haircut. 

[cineater]

Brian announced 39 people signed up for league, holy fuck!  He's starting us tomorrow and thinks we will get in 6 to 10 sessions.  Says he's selling some of the machines.  Means he's setting the rest up somewhere.

At the start of the year I started writing down all the memorable things that happen to me this year.  I was reviewing the list because I haven't added anything in a few months.  I come across Dr. Fish.  I have no idea what I meant by that.     It's in between GNR tickets and the baby reaching for me.  Not a clue so I google Dr. Fish.  Oh yeah, it's when I went to the aquarium and the fish ate the dead skin off my hand!  That was so weird.    It's true, you can find anything on google, even your memories.

[cineater]

Interesting what is going on in Hawaii with rebuilding and climate change.  They are in the middle of a 20 year drought for the low lands and 75 percent more rain in the mountains.  People are wondering if they should rebuild.  Apparently the towns were built up so fast with no real plan and people would like to have a plan now.  Working on a good plan could take years and where would people live?  Where would people work?

[cineater]

Danielle stopped by to pick up some baby clothes I scored for her.  She hasn't been here in a long time.  She was telling me how great a the new underwear gift I go her when she gave birth the first time.  She already went out and brought herself some new ones for after this birth.     she plans to buy all her friends that git.  I know how you felt kid.  Best gift I ever got too.

That hasn't happen in a while.  I was cooking dinner tonight and got dizzy.  I think it's just fluid in my ear I can kind of feel it.  I'm always wondering if it's a sign I'm going to have a stroke.  Dad had something similar a month before he had a stroke.  You know, I'm just not ready for that.  There have been times where I didn't much care, would have been a relief to have it all end but not now.  I was watching Tina Turner.  She believes in reincarnation.  She wanted to come back as a teacher or rather a life coach.

[cineater]

I guess the little electric car I grabbed off the side of the road is a big hit.  I couldn't really tell from their expression if they wanted it.  Because you know that's what everybody needs is gaintantic child's toy.     I thought I saw a gleam in Caleb's eye but they weren't really saying anything.  They put it on the charger and had to wait to see if it worked.  Okay, it worked this morning but didn't move.  Caleb thought maybe you had to sit in it.  Of course my daughter tried.     Not with her in it but it does work.  Still waiting to hear if they put the baby in it or the dog.  I think they might be outside playing with it.   

So Mike, the Republican/alcoholic next door.  Earlier in the week I hear a woman's voice in his place late at night.  Look out and there are no strange cars in his driveway.  This is not going to be good.  All his choices for that are bad.  Not that I care, I just don't want to hear him whine about what a stupid thing he did.  Turns out it's his ex wife from Ohio, one of the bad options.  Not really wife, they were never married but might as well have been.  He got the rehire here at Boeing just in time to put an end to that relationship.  What he said but you could tell the guy was still hung up on her.  It's been over 10 years.  He periodically bitches about her and her kids and distanced himself from them.  So I run into him outside the other night.  He sheepishly tells me she is here and has been all week.  Hey, I am not judging you.  I've always said positive things about her, you're the one who made the decision to leave her, move away from all your friends and come here.  You never even went back, you wanted to be away from there so bad.  He starts talking, his dad likes her, she cooked for him, he's thinking about retiring, might move back, she's leaving the next day.  He says all this in a quiet voice.  He's trying to decide if this is his plan.

Oh no, you're not running all this by me to make the decision.     Totally on you.  I know this guy well.  He's waiting for me to take a side so he can have an argument.  He likes turmoil in his life.  You belong with those crazy folks in Ohio.     But he left them and never went back.  I really can't say what's best for him.  I'm waiting to see what he thinks.  We have some of the same themes going on around living alone and dying alone.  All that aside, he dropped her at the airport.  Not a good sign and if he has no immediate plans to get together with her again, not a good sign for the move back to Ohio working out in the long run. 

[cineater]

He called me.     I wasn't going to ask but I was curious.  He's leaving it open to consider again in two years but they have no plans to get together again anytime soon.  That's a no go.

It's good to see the ex but I can tell you, it doesn't take long before you're remembering why they are the ex.  I do think he might be happier back in Ohio.  All his friends are there.  He showed up here and went for the overtime money.  He's on second shift so he basically goes to work and comes home.  I'd miss him if he moved.  It's nice having someone my own age and male right next door.  We've never had a thing for each other so there's not that complication. 

She's already called him.  I wondering why she came in the first place and what she's thinking.  It took her a long time to let him go.  She's got a lot of crazy ass shit going on in her life.  Maybe it's just Ohio people or the people he hung with but they all seem to have a lot of crazy ass shit going on.  They've mellowed over the years.  It's mostly who is dying of what at this point but Ohio people seem to die early or again, just his friends.  Mike's asked me to drive with him to Ohio, while I would like to meet these people once but for a very short period of time.     I do not want to party with them.  I would hate to be trapped with them even for just a weekend.

[cineater]

The kids have taken the baby to urgent care.  His first trip.  He hasn't wanted to eat all day, his left ear and inside of right hand are bright red.  He has what appears to be a couple of bites or hives.  Can't decide if he's wheezing at times.  Other than that, he was his normal little self.  I watched him from 8 to 5 with dad in the house with different things popping up throughout the day.  My feelings, if you're worried, go to the doctor.

False alarm.  The doctor just think it's bug bites.  I recommended they kick his stuffed fox out of the crib.  And he finally ate what he was suppose too.

[cineater]

I know it's not Sunday but I need a music day.  "Don't Let Go" seems appropriate start.  Wow, do I have a lot going on.  It's all making progress and more keeps getting piled on.  In my fast pace to get it all done, I'm doing a few back ups.  Wait, don't we need to do this first before that?  I do not want to do anything twice, one and done!  I'm pretty sure "I'll Stop Working When I'm Dead" applies to me, might be my theme song.     I probably look pretty close to dead but "better to burn out than fade away".

I've found this new site to shop at, Temu.  A bunch of junk for nothing.  A lot of it I've seen on Amazon but way below their price.  If this is your thing, get there quick because Amazon is going to be looking at buying them out, imo.  Once you sign up plan on getting spammed daily from them.  Don't believe it when they say free shipping if you order within the time frame.  They always have free shipping.  Or the "today it's at a big discount".  It's always a big discount.  I get on there and buy all kinds of shit, mostly as little gifts for other people.     I don't need any more shit. 

Well, I've 'Taken a Melody', time to get back at it.

[cineater]

"The video games say play me
Face it on a level but it take you every time
On a one on one
Feeling running down your spine
Nothing gonna save your one last dime 'cause it own you
Through and through"

   Jim had a very bad night on Toy Story.  I'm moving to the top of the pack and he's moving down the ladder.  He was drinking at pinball.  I never noticed he was drinking too much but he said he was.  Apparently going back to drinking ain't helping.

Oh, they are starting on the neighbor's new deck.  Looks like there won't be any sleeping in the next few days with the pop of the nail gun to wake me up.  Not a noise you want to hear first thing in the morning.

[cineater]

Amazon sent me a Christmas toy catalog.  When did they start sending out catalogs?

Susan says that Temu site uses slave labor in foreign countries to produce their products.  You can read more about them here:  https://time.com/6243738/temu-app-complaints/#How%20Temu%20Could%20Affect%20The%20U.S.%20Economy

[cineater]

Time for me to get shit together.  The house wasn't really dirty since I haven't been here but I wore my muddy shoes in the house.  It dried and there was dirt every where.  Besides cleaning house, got the laundry done and the car cleaned.  The car is loaded with shit to drop at the garden.  Scheduled for tomorrow at 8.  And I need cat food.  Scheduled for tomorrow on my way to babysit.  The pot harvest needs cleaning up.  Ugh, retirement has turned into work.     I swear, the next person who texts me before 7 is getting a text from me at 2AM.  That's when I'm up.  I'm retired!