Happy 4th of July, all! I’m sure you want to know what I am doing today. 😉
I may be, or may have been, out for a shortish bike ride, twenty or so miles, this morning.
This afternoon I will be meeting up with my drinking buddies, and then heading over to Hank’s new digs for dinner. I’m not a big fireworks person, so if I don’t see any, then that’s okay by me.
Wordle: five, my starter was STOKE
Connections: perfect, Blue > Green > Yellow > Purple
Tough night of cycling. Ascending is my nemesis.
Today I am trying out my repair to the hipster lawnmower. I did not have to mow in June since we received so little rain.
Wordle: five, my starter was DRONE
Connections: perfect, Blue > Yellow > Purple > Green
How could I have forgotten that yesterday was Canada Day?!?!
From a book I am reading…
Often one cannot look back on the best time in one’s life with any pleasure if it ends badly.
I have heard of, and have started watching a (relatively old) British tv series called Inside No. 9. I’ve only watched three of the fifty-five episodes which aired from 2014-2024, and have been impressed and surprised how different the show was. I’m watching it on BritBox, the one streaming service from which I feel I am getting my money’s worth.
I’m still trying to rewatch the first two seasons of The Bear to lead into season three. Unfortunately Hulu has let me down, stalling hard toward the end of the third episode of season one, and then showing me episode four in a such terrible resolution it made it frustrating to watch the show.
Wordle: four, my starter was REIGN
Connections: perfect, Yellow > Green > Purple > Blue
Hello, July.
With the sale of the Florida house complete this begs the question “When will I visit Florida again?” , and my answer is “I have no idea.”. I am not a beach goer, and with my mother gone Florida has little to draw me, especially since I have gone there no fewer than six times in the past year. There are many other states, cities, breweries I wish to visit, so it’s time to start checking those off my list.
I’m continuing to monitor the plumbing repair Hank and I did on Friday; so far, so good. In the end we wound up cutting the elbow from the intake, and installing a new elbow, stub pipe, and cutoff valve. A new cutoff valve was needed because the one we installed a month ago seemed to have damaged threads and still let some water seep through. I swear that someone should design a house which allows for easy plumbing and electrical repairs. How hard would it be to install an access panel under a sink, especially when there is a vanity which will would cover such a convenience?
On Friday I had a new visitor to the WLF water trays that I have out for birds (and squirrels) to use for bathing and drinking.
The Tour de France has begun, but unfortunately this year NBC/Peacock has decided not to offer the International (read “commercial free”) broadcast. So, I will have to suffer with the commercial breaks this year, because you all know just how much I love commercials especially during an election year.
Wordle: five, my starter was TRUNK
Connections: two mistakes, X > X > Yellow > Green > Blue > Purple
I didn’t want to jinx it, but it happened! No, I’ve not met a woman, I am no longer a partial owner of a house in Florida! The closing was yesterday, and after a few anxious hours I saw my checking account balance rise for the first time in three years. The amount I received is welcome but not life changing, therefore I am still trying to figure out how I will make money again starting next year. Last night I walked into my dining room and thanked my mother’s ashes for her house.
Hopefully more good news will happen today as my buddy Hank and I are going to tackle the drip that is occurring on the hot water side of the vanity that we installed about a month ago.
I decided to rewatch the first two seasons of The Bear before launching into the third. Thanks to Hulu’s commercial interruptions I was also able to wash my dirty dishes during the time that I watched three episodes.
Not much is on my weekend agenda, but I am certain that I will find things to occupy my time.
Wordle: four, my starter was. RUGBY
Connections: perfect, Yellow > Green > Blue > Purple
A mea culpa
My Upside submission for Wrecking Bar was indeed declined, but in this instance it turns out to be my fault. I uploaded a copy of the itemized receipt, which did not prove that I paid with the credit card I have registered with Upside. Now, if it hadn’t taken ten days! to inform me of my error I might have been able to upload a photo of the proper receipt, but by yesterday that receipt had long been shredded.
Last night I discovered that season 3 of The Bear is now available on Hulu. I am looking forward to watching it soon.
I need to do a lot of work in WLF today, but I am not looking forward to this because it’s already very humid and will be another warm day.
Wordle: four, my starter was CRISP
Connections: perfect, Green > Yellow > Purple > Blue
I had so much going on yesterday I failed to mention my dinner on Monday night. I went to the hash! No, of course I didn’t do that… I made spaghetti and vegetables with a red sauce in the InstantPot. Now there’s a name I’ve not mentioned in a while. Ye Olde InstantPot doesn’t get much play since I lost the person with whom I used to share meals. But, on Monday night I decided to use it rather than to heat the kitchen by boiling a large pot of water, and simmering a pot of sauce. The result was predictably good, I’ve made this recipe previously, and now I have enough left over to last me three more meals.
I am trying to challenge myself to read a physical book before checking out any more digital books from the library. My Kindle will join me on the journey to Iowa, not that there will be much time for reading. 🙂
Off to my $200 meet and greet with new Kaiser Permanente primary care physician. I have a feeling that I won’t be renewing my health insurance contract with KP when open enrollment occurs again later this year.
Wordle: four, my starter was CHASE
Connections: three mistakes, Green > Yellow > X > X > X > Blue > Purple
The un-forecasted rain yesterday morning was too brief to do too much good for WLF. All it seemed to do was crank up the humidity.
I’ve paid BRAG the $300 fee for riding the school bus, so there are only two things of which I can think that will keep me from going to Iowa — death, or a cardiologist’s demand that I not go. I’m not expecting either, but you never know… My expensive consultation with my new PCP at Kaiser tomorrow morning is really just a prerequisite for me to visit a new cardiologist very soon. I don’t want to outlive my money, but I also don’t want to die before I’ve had the opportunity to spend nearly all of it.
My neighbor has informed me that the dead tree will be cut today. I will be an interested bystander watching, hoping that everything is done correctly.
I am going to keep an eye on the temperature later to determine whether or not I will go bike riding. I could use the exercise, but not if it’s brutally hot.
Wordle: three, my starter was RABID
Connections: perfect, Green > Yellow > Blue > Purple
As predicted by NO ONE, water fell from the sky this morning! If I had any warning I would have brought in the seed pods I was drying, and put out some pans to capture rainfall.
Though I have lived in the ITP Estate for twenty-five years it still reveals mysteries. On Saturday I decided to do some cleanup and reorganizing of my utility room and found a pamphlet from a memorial from forty years ago. The pamphlet was stuck behind the boxes of linoleum tiles which were left behind by the previous owners.
Here is the eulogy from the pamphlet.
LISTON MAX SMITH was born to Jane E. Johannes and the late Herman Smith, on June 6, 1954, in St. Thomas. Known affectionately as ‘Mac’ to his family and many friends, Liston grew up in Coral Bay, St. John.
He completed his early education at the Guy H. Benjamin Elementary School in Coral Bay,
and at the Julius E. Sprayer Jr High in Cruz Bay. He attended the Nazareth Bay High School, presently I. Eudora Kean, and graduated in 1974. Desiring more education, Liston started his formal education at the College of the Virgin Islands. He later transferred to Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida. Graduating in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in math and physics, Liston ventured on to the world of employment.Making his contribution to society, Liston taught at Jacksonville Jr High for several years. He then moved on to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), working a total of 5 years, first in Jacksonville and later in Miami, before his untimely death.
Liston believed in his God. He was baptized, confirmed, and a devoted member of the Moravian faith. He enjoyed music, played the trombone and was a member of the Edward Waters Gospel Singers. And, somewhere in the halls of Heaven, Liston is either singing or playing to the audience of Him on High.
He (Liston) will be remembered by each of us in our own special way, but for those of us who got to know him, he will be remembered most for bringing a smile to our face and laughter to our lives.
Though the journey be one that you must make alone, our memories and prayers are full of you.
WE LOVE YOU, LISTON!!!
Rest, and may God bless you.
ALVIN L. NEWTON
(Brother of the Deceased)
from May 30, 1984
Wordle: four, my starter was CRASH
Connections: perfect, Green > Yellow > Blue > Purple
It was a busy, stressful, and frustrating day yesterday. The morning started out incredibly productive with trips to — Publix, Kroger, Dollar Tree, Goodwill, and Whole Foods — all in the greater Decatur area. One of these is a red herring, Kroger, since I did no grocery shopping there, instead using its DMV kiosk to print a tag renewal for the M6.
My frustrations began with the arrival of a new credit card, one to replace one that expires next month. With a new card in hand I had to try to update websites on which I used this card. Two websites frustrated me so much that I had to resort to calling technical support. While on hold someone knocked on my door, I don’t know who, since by the time I opened the door the person(s) was/were gone.
I found out a little later that it was my neighbor who knocked on my door. How did I find this out? Well, because a limb of his dead tree snapped and grazed my roof. Fortunately for me, his roof took the brunt of it, and it didn’t appear as if the branch penetrated his roof. He is getting quotes to have the tree taken down, at least to a height that will do no damage to either of our houses.
A person with no job and at least enough money to pay bills should not be so stressed out! I need a beer.
Today I am offering to buy Betsy and Hank lunch because they have agreed to be my witnesses for the house documents that I need to have witnessed and notarized before I can return them.
I intend to spend the hottest periods of the weekend indoors, cleaning, reorganizing, and declutter if the house.
Wordle: three, my starter was DAILY
Connections: perfect, Yellow > Blue > Green > Purple
