It's only a stinkin' hour.....

We didn't have this much difficulty when we went to Europe. I can't understand why it is so hard for me to deal with a one hour change. I was tired all day yesterday and didn't sleep well last night. I have been sitting here off and on for two hours and have three sentences written. It's like we changed the clocks yesterday and my brain went to Toledo (that's in Ohio for my geographically challenged friends).

I had a long talk with Steve yesterday. I told him under no circumstances is he to use this lap top. I said, "Steve, you are not to use this lap top  under any circumstances." Steve said, "Meow." At least, I think he said, "Meow." It could have been, "Mow," but I don't think so. Whatever, I am pretty sure he got the point. Although, you never really know with these cats. They're so damn independent.

This is Sparky Lee. She, or he, we're not sure, is sitting on one of the backyard bird baths. I have a feeling if she, or he, continues to do this we won't be putting much water in it. The birds that use our feeder would be much better off bathing elsewhere. Sparky has been living in our backyard for a couple of years now. We don't know where she, or he, came from. Our best guess is that someone down the street moved and didn't take Sparky with.

Over the years Wanda and I have opened our home and our hearts to many stray kitty's. Some we invited in, some invited themselves. We had one guy we called Russell. We had never seen him around the neighborhood and couldn't find any potential "owner." He was a black and white tabby that came in with the groceries one afternoon. He walked in, jumped on the couch and stayed with us for eight or nine years.

We had another guy we called Auggie. He was an orange tabby. I guess Auggie was around for six months or so when we discovered he "lived" next door. One of the kids that lived there came over to borrow something and saw him here. The kid said they sort of thought he took off when they got a dog. Auggie liked it here much better, he stayed for several years.

 As much as we love cats, we're done. We have the four, Casper, Steve, Jill and Dakota. Sparky Lee has a home in our yard. I think she is happy. When we go on vacation we'll make sure she has fresh food and water. For her keep, she can chase the mice away.

I was looking in the mirror the other day, there is no denying it, I am "going" bald. My hair is much thinner, my forehead is bigger. I just don't need this crap right now. Why couldn't I have lost the hair when I was young and didn't need it. What? It's not enough I need bi-focal and computer glasses and a hearing aid of some sort. I use the subtitles for most of the TV watching I do. Now that we have the 47" set, I can see them.

For the last couple of years I have had a hard time with accents in the movies. Now I am finding it's not just foreign films. I am having a hard time understanding almost anyone under thirty five. When we watch what I would call "a young people movie" I can only pick up maybe fifty percent of the dialog. The other night we got a movie from Netflix called, "Going The Distance." I like both of the principal actors and it seemed like a cute, although overdone, story about a long distance relationship. So, considering I could only understand about half the dialogue and the other half was language I wouldn't use in church, what's the point of watching?

Now, here I am, creaking bones and all. I need bi-focal and work glasses. I don't hear worth a damn. It takes me twice as long as it once did to make mental calculations. I keep the thermostat a little higher in the winter, a little lower in the summer. I have started wearing hats, for winter wamth and summer protection. I watch what I eat and what I drink. I have a pill splitter and a battery powered can opener. I try to use eye drops and dental floss every evening. I carry a small notepad if I really want to remember something I write it down, that is, if I remember to carry a pen. I try to check all of my pockets when putting stuff in the clothes hamper. If I forget the pen we have a real mess. If I forget the money and Wanda doesn't get it, I have a nice surprise.

I used to spend parts of the summer with my relatives in Cincinnati, Ohio. (that's just down the road from Toledo) I guess I was around ten or twelve but remember this poem well. My Aunt Belle had a clipping on a bulletin board in the kitchen. "How do I know when my youth is spent?" "My get up and go has got up and went" are a couple of the lines I have always remembered. Now, through the miracle of modern technology I can go back there and if you are interested, you can click here and read it all.

By the way, if you do go to the link, look at the bottom of the page. I guess Aunt Belle was not the only aunt that had this on a bulletin board.