Big Boy

 

Today we had a bit of fun. No doctor appointments. No PT. We actually took a day away from "it all." We saw a steam train. Not just any steam train but the largest steam engine ever built. The train is lovingly called "Big Boy" because he's reallllllly big. 

If you are a train buff, you will know what a 4-8-8-4 locomotive is. If that looks like a not-so-random grouping of numbers it stands for the number of wheels under this train--4 smaller ones, then 2 sets of 8 68 inch wheels, then 4 smaller ones. These big wheels propel the train 20 feet per revolution. Smaller wheels cannot go that far. In 1941 when this 4014 was built, it was THE long haul freighter through the Rocky Mountains.

If you stretch this picture, under the big 4014, it says 4-8-8-4-1-68. The 1-68 says the big wheels have a 68 inch diameter.

These fellows are greasing the huge wheels. Looking at the size of the men, gives you an idea how big the wheels are. You can also see all the pipes and pistons that make this train travel up and down the roadway. There is nothing small about this train.

 20 "Big Boy" locomotives were built in the early 1940s to get over the Rockies safely and quickly. They were numbered 4000 to 4019...this train is 4014. For twenty years, these big engines hauled freight (not passengers) thru the mountainous terrain. By 1961, new diesel technology made these behemoths obsolete. The huge steam engines were replaced. While diesel engines are not nearly as lovely and mechanical and brute-force beautiful as these locos, they are a bit more versatile. 

The era of the Big Boy ended. They were retired and sent to become museum pieces throughout the country. Then about 10 years ago, Union Pacific decided to restore one of these mechanical beasts. It took several years as many of the parts had to manufactured from scratch. The goal was to have Big Boy ready for the 150th anniversary of the first Transcontinental Railway when the Golden Spike was hammered into the track that joined the railway from east to west at Promontory Point UT. That was in 2019. At that time, we went on a 3 day road trip following Big Boy. Today we took a day trip to see the train in Kemmerer, WY.

Nothing about Big Boy is small. Even the nuts and bolts that hold it together are BIG. When the train starts to move, the wheels slowly turn as the whistle blows so loud you can feel it in your bones.

If you want to see a "blast from the past" go to the Union Pacific website to find out when Big Boy might be near your location. It's definitely worth your time to see this wonderful mechanical monster.

If you stretch out this picture, you'll see "Big Boy" written in chalk on the front of the engine.

Life in Geezerville: Medicare Edition

Courtesy of GossipGenie.Com

We are geezers. Oftentimes, we're proud to be geezers--maybe even happy to be geezers. Heck, we have LOTS of experience...and usually that experience is in our favor. Then there is Medicare. I swear, Medicare is one of the most complicated things out there. I remember looking at Medicare plans when I retired decades years ago. I went to a seminar at my University, and found out some answers and chose a plan. I must have chosen wisely as I've been pleased with the coverage I have.

BUT, nowadays, it seems there are more "plans" out there and they are NOT CREATED EQUAL. Yes, you are reading that right. A friend of mine just retired--she thought she had read all that she needed to know. She chose a Medicare plan and thought she would start collecting Social Security and Medicare benefits the day she turned 65. She turned 65 and nothing happened. She went to her local Social Security office to find out why and received the not so royal runaround. Eight months after her 65th birthday Social Security and Medicare finally "kicked" in and she's now receiving benefits. She asked if there was going to be any compensation for the 8 month delay and the answer was no. She was happy something was finally happening but not clear on the details. That's when we discovered that her plan was vastly different from my plan.

She asked me why that was the case and frankly I did not know. I know that my sister has different Medicare benefits from me--and she has a co-pay. Do a search for Medicare plans and what seems like a million websites appear. You get answers to your questions and you get brain fog trying to understand the nuances. There are webinars on Medicare topics you did not even know existed. Books (real books, not online ones) that tell you how to not  make Medicare mistakes. You can watch YouTube videos that show you the ins and outs of Medicare (and we all know how reliable You Tube is for answering Medicare questions?) You can access a myriad of "Medicare Cheat Sheets" to help you compare and contrast plans. You can find how much you'll pay for Medicare; what benefits you will receive; and by the end of the search you might be able to figure out the best Medicare package for you. It sounds so easy!

I'm writing this because another friend just came home from a 20 day hospital stay. After she came home we talked a long time and she said "make sure you know about your Medicare plan." I asked her why and she said "because I was refused some services because I did not have the right plan for the hospital I was in and I had to pay out of pocket for services that other folks with the "right plan" were getting for "free." 

Just a friendly reminder. Know your Medicare plan. Every year when you get  the"new" Medicare book, read it carefully to see what you are getting and what you are not getting. Figure out if your local medical community is still part of the plan. It's not easy, but it's important. Remember, we're all in this together. 

Life in Geezerville: Friends Edition

Yesterday I received a call from Guam. I lived in Guam eons ago and I still have a friend who lives there. We email each other daily. Since we cannot hop in our cars to visit each other we've done the next best thing. I've taken cruises that stopped on Guam, and she's flown to the US mainland. What we do best is write each other every day. I start my day with a good morning email to her--and she does the same. Throughout the day, we send each other messages -- not long messages -- sometimes just a funny or two -- sometimes a quiz. It's a comfortable routine of 2 friends keeping in touch even though there are thousands of miles of ocean between us. Funny thing is, when I say "good morning" to her, she's already in bed. When it's 6 AM at my home, it's 11 PM on Guam. There's a 17 hour time gap between us. There's only a small window of time when both of us are awake at the same time. This makes calling difficult and why email and texting are so important.

Then about 2 months ago, I stopped getting emails. Between now and then, I tried to call her and discovered that the numbers I had for her and her son did not work. (BTW this is not unusual for Guam, as the phone system is unreliable.) I did the next best thing I sent her a snail mail letter with a crocheted flower bouquet (you know me). I did not hear from her. I scoured the online newspaper, the Pacific Daily News (PDN) and did not see any news about her...that was good. Since she's a geezer, like me, I was getting more worried that something horrible had happened. I did not know how to help her from my location, but I needed to know what was going on.

Then something special happened. I'm checking out at the grocery store and my phone rings. It's says GUAM on the screen...what's going on? You know that feeling you get when you receive a call in the middle of the night that you KNOW is bad news...well I had that feeling. It's my friend's son calling me.  I said hello...how is your mom as fast as I could. And he says to me "She wants to talk to you!" Oh Glorious Day! My friend was alive and she wanted to talk to me. I told my husband to pay the checker and I talked to my friend for a wonderful 18 minutes and 48 seconds. I'm smiling and crying at the same time. We did a quick catch-up; she said she was tired and we said we would call each other next week.

The moral of the story...stay in touch with your friends. They are part of the fabric of your lives. They are most special people. You love them and they love you. It does not matter if they are across the street or across the dateline on a tiny 212 square mile speck of an island 13 degrees north of the equator.  Call them, write to them, visit them! My friend called me and we talked. What a day! Remember, we're all in this together. 

Life in Geezerville: Aster Edition

 The asters started to bloom. I always watch for them. There's an old wife's tale up here in the Rockies, that  asters predict the beginning of autumn. The tale says "Once you see the asters, there's 8 more weeks of summer." 

To that end, I've been watching the wild asters for over 3 decades and they have been a good indicator for arrival of fall. The earliest I've seen the asters bloom is June 15 and yep---we had an early fall. Today I saw the asters growing in the understory of the forest. I look for them everyday and I was thinking that it's about time for them to show their pretty faces. Today is July 14 and I saw the first of the asters. IF the asters can predict anything, then we can expect fall to arrive about September 14. That's late for fall in the high country. BUT, if my asters are telling the truth... ... ...watch this space for the arrival of fall.

That brings me to Old Wife's Tales. Are they real? Do they predict what might happen? I'm guessing that an old wife's tale is a "real thing." They were "created" as it were, by women (and men) who lived on the land and paid attention to it. Back in the day, long before cell phones, the internet, meteorologists, scientists, the 24 hour news cycle and such things, farmers paid attention to the land and the weather and the gifts they provided. They kept calendars of when each type of flower bloomed, when critters gave birth, what critters ate, when birds arrived in the spring and when they flew away in the fall. Putting 2 and 2 together, the asters told the story of the growing season. If there are 8 weeks left of summer, then it's time to think about getting ready for the fall. Here we have a 60 day growing season and getting ready for the fall is important. SO, the asters started to bloom today. Sadly the summer will end in 8 weeks. It's time to get supplies for the fall and the winter. It's time to think of rain and snow. It's time to think about "snow birding" to warmer winter climes. 

But I digress. We still have 8 glorious weeks of summer. Sunshine and warmth; flowers and trees; calves and fawns. The beat goes on. In this political season the beat goes on too. I do not write a political blog, but I don't live in isolation. For information about politics, please go to the other DrCs blog. In this one I'm going to talk about fawns and flowers. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Mama and her Twins Edition

 

This summer we have a set of twins in the aspens and are they fun to watch. The two little fellows jump and leap and butt each other. They love to run figure eights between the park bench and an aspen. In fact they have created a little trough between the bench and the tree they have played so hard. 

The little spotted fellows are full of energy and their mom is too. She has the task of keeping them in line. She's very subtle with her manner, but the little guys know when they've gone over the line. 

This morning the twins were running their figure eights with particularly high jumps and leaps. She was watching them ever so closely -- after about 5 laps around the track, she put up her front left leg and the bouncing STOPPED just like that. I don't know what raising her leg meant, but the twins knew they had better stop. A couple of seconds later, she gathers them up and licks them. Reluctantly they let her lick them. But, not more than a minute into a licking, they grew restless, and since they were so close to each other, they started  butting heads. This time, she put down her head at "fawn level" and the butting stopped mid-butt. 

She's a good mom. She trying to teach her kids lessons. She does not have any words or sounds. She has relatively small head, foot and leg movements that communicate to her offspring that it's time to stop that and move on to something else. 

She has a lot to teach these bouncing babies. They have to learn how to find food, how to protect themselves from predators, how to stay safe from cars and people..and so much more. She has 4 months to teach them, and then they are on their own. 

It's high drama in the aspens. Mama lovingly guides her babies with nudges and actions and they KNOW they need to heed her lessons. The circle of life continues. It's not about politics. It's not about getting ahead with the best house or car. It's about living in harmony in the forest. So in this heated political season I'm watching my critters and trying to learn from them. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Fluff Edition

I'm the one on the left--baby fat and all---and my still thin sister

You know, when babies are born they are chubby little rascals? We call that baby chubby and everyone thinks it's cute. So, I challenge you, what do we call geezers who have become chubby larger rascals? There’s not a good name. You don’t say “see that fat guy over there”… or “gees, she’s gained weight” ? None of those are particularly polite. Therefore, I’ve decided to call my extra poundage FLUFF. I’m not fat, I have geezer fluff—it’s the equivalent of baby fat—but, it comes later in life and sadly, it does not go away like baby fat. You know you have a case of geezer fluff if the height-weight charts say you should be 7 feet 3 inches tall for your weight but you are only 5 feet 2 inches tall. 

 

I was “that” baby who was short and chubby. I always wore the x-size clothes. I remember trying on a 6x dress that was too big for me and my mother said not to worry as I would grow into it. Then one day, when no one was looking, the baby fat melted away. I remember thinking I had a waist. I had never had a waist before but now I had one. What a treat! I was about six years old when that happened. Funny thing is, I never gained weight after that. Once I hit my current height, I weighed just about the same for 30+ years. Then…the dreaded fluff started. 

 

At first, the fluff was not all that bad. But that changed when a kind doc put me on prednisone for something or other. I was CONSTANTLY hungry for the full 21 days I was on that dratted medicine and I gained some fluff. Then, I was put on prednisone again and one more time because the condition would not clear up. A total of 63 days on prednisone put the fluff on…and it stayed and stayed and stayed. That’s my story as to why I have fluff.

 

I went to the doc who gave me the horrendous prednisone and she said, in a very nice way, that prednisone weight has 2 consequences…it comes off quickly or it stays forever…then she dropped the other shoe…I seemed to have the type that stayed forever. DARN.

 

Now I’m fluffy. I refuse to say that awful F*T word. I refuse to call anyone else that awful F*T word too. I don’t know why my friends and neighbors are fluffy, but I know it happens. I had another doc say “well at your age…” those are 4 words that all of us geezers hate to hear. We know that the next part of the phrase is something like “…you can expect to be overweight” or “you can expect to have (fill in the blank).” When a doctor starts that phrase I say “Don't be so smug. Just you wait, this will happen to YOU to!”

 

The next time you see a geezer who should be 7 foot 3 inches tall, but sadly is shorter, know that you have something in common with each other. You share geezer fluff. Then, if that fluffy geezer is your friend, celebrate with an ice cream sundae. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it. Remember, we’re all in this together. 

Life in Geezerville: Beginnings Edition

Many, many moons ago, on this date, the other DrC and I went on our first date. It was to the local fireworks display. Since then, we've tried to see fireworks on July 4th. Most years we go to an actual show--and that show has been literally all over the world. One time we were on a Danube River cruise and the riverboat staff had an American Independence Day celebration with sparklers--it was the closest we could get to fireworks that year.

Other times, we've seen the displays at Disneyworld, along the Mississippi River, in Washington, DC, Dallas--you name it, we've been to the July 4 fireworks. Recently, we've enjoyed the display put on in Idaho Falls. The Melaleuca company sponsors the display and it's fantastic. It is touted as the largest display west of the Mississippi, and I believe them, as we've seen many different displays and none compare to the show that Idaho Falls puts on.

This year, we did not go to the display first hand, but we did the next best thing. I figured out how to live-stream the display from my iPad to our large screen TV. It was perfect. We sat in the comfort of our living room, looked as the 18,000 plus "shells" burst across the Idaho Falls sky and fall into the Snake River. The starbursts were great, the booms and  pops were loud, and the music was fun. We did not have to deal with the crowds, nor drive the 190 miles to and from Idaho Falls. Not dealing with the traffic, might have made it even better than being there in person.

Who knew where that date would lead? 3 years later we were married and we have been very happy. July 4 is the beginning of our wonderful country and "us."  What are your beginnings? When was your first date? Have you celebrated that date year after year? My parents always celebrated the anniversary of their first date with a fancy dinner in a French restaurant...so I guess it was in my DNA to follow tradition. Is it in your DNA? Whatever you did on your first date, it must have been special as you are still together. Remember, we're in this together. 

It's Independence Day 248

 

Life in Geezerville: Pre-Independence Day Edition

 

The folks in Geezerville North are busy today. They are decorating their RVs with red, white and blue bunting. The golf carts are getting fancied up with patriotic symbols too. The poor dogs are begging not to be dressed up in Uncle Sam costumes. The kids are hoping they will catch some candy that will be tossed from the golf carts. Everything is in a red, white and blue swirl. The patriotism is catching too as folks who have not decorated their homes or RVs or golf carts are thinking what they can do at the last minute.

Our wonderful hardware store is out of bunting. Up till last week, there were bolts of red-white-blue cloth, but they are gone. I bet they'll sell you some RWB paint though (but, I've not checked).

Tomorrow the golf carts will parade around the RV park about 930. I've had a preliminary look at a couple of them. I can only imagine what 50 or more golf carts will look like. Later on, in town, there will be a "regular" parade with cowboys and cowgirls on their horses, the only fire engine will be all shined up and decorated, as will tractors and cultivators. There will be floats decorated by our kids, 4H critters will be led by their persons, strutting their stuff, and so much more. It is an old-fashioned Independence Day parade. This is a big parade for a very small town. Don't expect anything commercial or posh like the Rose Bowl Parade. Our 4th of July Main Street Parade and Extravaganza is simple with folks celebrating our independence from England 248 years ago. Happy Birthday America. Tomorrow night we'll have fireworks to cap off the events of the day. 

I hope you have a wonderful old-fashioned Independence Day Parade to go to too. I hope you get to see fireworks (or drone shows) tomorrow night. What you need to do now is get ready for the holiday. Happy Independence Day! Remember, we're all in this together.

Hawk

This morning, as I was getting ready to have coffee on the porch, this fellow greets me with a low KEH. I said hello to him, took his picture, then he spread his great wings, and quietly left the porch. 

To give you an idea of his size, the upright he is standing on is 17 inches tall. He is just a wee bit taller than the upright. I think he's a Cooper's Hawk. Sharp Shinned Hawks look very similar to Cooper's Hawks, but are a bit smaller and their tails are squared off instead of slightly rounded. I know it is not a red-tailed hawk, but it could be another variety. Please let me know what you think he is. He's a very pretty bird and I hope he comes back.

 

Life in Geezerville: 1/2 Year Edition

Can you believe 2024 is half over? I find that hard to believe. When my Auntie Ruthie turned 90 she said that the years sped by like lightning -- I'm not yet 90 but I have to agree with her, the years are speeding by at record speed.

When you were a child, do you remember wishing for your birthday to arrive? You were so happy when you reached 7 1/2--only six more months before you turned 8. Those 6 months went by ever so slowly--snail slow. Now, I'm guessing, you don't wish the days away, let alone wish the years away. If you are like me, you want to savor each moment of every day. You want to see your friends; go to your favorite restaurant; hug your honey. You don't want to see the days vanish at the speed of light.

I wish I had a magic cure for the speeding days, but I don't. But I do have a way to slow them down (a teeny bit). I do plan an adventure that is fun and exciting for the near future. That gives me something wonderful to look forward to. By having a plan, the days are not hum-drum or boring ... but  filled with just a little bit of electricity as something is coming. I know that something is coming, and I have to get ready for it. I have to plan what to do when "it" gets here. The days are filled with purpose. I get meaning put back into my day. I still do the chores that need to be done, but in the back of my mind, there's something brewing, and that's exciting.

To that end I have a 2 cruises planned in the next 6 months. One domestic and one international. One is on a river, the other is on the ocean. Both will be fun and different.That's all I'll say for now, as when the time comes, I'll post pictures of the cruises and write about the adventure.

I'm challenging you to come up with an adventure for the next half of the year. Get off your geezer duffs and plan something wonderful and exciting. It does not have to be a cruise--it can be getting a fun toy (such as golf cart or a razor or a new Lego build) or working on a special project or creating a road trip to some place different. It does not matter. What matters is having a plan--a purpose--a goal. When you work with a plan, time slows down a bit. Remember, we're all in this together. 

Life in Geezerville: Mom and Pop Diner Edition

There's a diner I know  where geezers rule. It's a mom and pop operation with 12 tables and 8 stools around the counter. Mom and Pop cook all the food, and the wait staff are family, (sons, daughters, grand kids, you know who I mean). This is a small town restaurant, with no aspirations to be the next McDonald's or Applebee's. It's just good home town food.

Everyday the clientele is about the same. Every morning a loyal group of LOM geezers arrive at opening and stay for a couple of hours. They are wearing their Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine ball caps as a badge. The caps say "We served" and Mom and Pop give them a discount.  The fellows come every morning for coffee and breakfast. They solve the problems of the world over a friendly cuppa.

They leave in time for the local lunch crowd to come in. These are not youngsters either but not geezers. They work in the area and they know Mom and Pop have the best lunches around. And, Mom's pie is fantastic.

By the time they go, it's time for the geezer couples to arrive. They come in time for the 4 PM special. From 4 to 6 PM, the diner includes free coffee and soda, for all meals.  That's a good deal. Everyday the couples change, but there's always a group of geezers who are eating their early dinner. They share tables if they run out of room, it's a family type place.

By 6:30 PM, the diner has now been open for 12 hours. Mom and Pop have put in a full day. They turn on the closed sign, and talk to their customers as they are finishing their meals. Everyone is out of the restaurant by 7 PM. If you want to stay later you can, but you'll have to deal with the cleaners--who are the great-grandkids of Mom and Pop. They clean the place from top to bottom and get it ready for the next day. 

Mom and Pop have developed a neighborhood diner that works for them and the neighborhood. They know their customers well...they also know the children and grand children of all their customers, and the customers know Mom and Pop and their kids too. Everyone knows the local gossip, the best stores, doctors, lawyers and chiefs. It's their own private Geezerville, all in a restaurant. What a place. 

These restaurants are a dying entity...so when you find one, support it with all your heart and soul. We need these places that are not connected to a big chain but to a neighborhood. We need places that know what the customers want and that's what they serve. There are no trendy items on the menu. This is not the place for a kale smoothie or burr ground coffee. At Mom and Pop diner USA you'll find a good cuppa coffee any time of the day and a good meal, morning, noon, and night. While this might not be your cuppa tea everyday of the week, it's a great place to enjoy some good food every now and then. (We like going once a week.) Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Surgery Edition

 

We're old. We live in Geezerville. We have health problems. When we need help, we see doctors. Sometimes, we even go to the hospital...and sometimes we need surgery. These are all "givens" when you are a geezer from Geezerville. To that end, my guy had surgery today. 

He has had an open wound on his head for over a year. Before he could qualify for any surgery, he had endure several less drastic procedures. They could have worked but they did not. The last procedure ended in April and he finally qualified for the surgery that was done today.  

He had the surgery in SLC at a fantastic hospital, the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Before you get worried HE DOES NOT HAVE CANCER. Huntsman got him on the docket quickly, and has taken excellent care of him. When they said they would see him at 1 PM, they showed up on time. The doctors and nurses have given him great care. We could not have asked for anything better. Thank you Huntsman!

In the meantime we are in SLC enjoying the hospitality of our friends who live here. All day I've been texting our Geezerville friends and family about what is going on. The good wishes he is getting is fantastic. Thank you one and all for your encouragement, love, prayers and concern. He has been blessed by your kindness. You are what Geezerville is all about. Caring for your friends and neighbors. Thank you Geezerville for everything. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Solstice Edition

 

Picture courtesy of NPR

Summer officially begins today--well actually it began on June 20 --the earliest the solstice has arrived since George Washington was president. That's a long time ago. I have no idea how "they" figure out when the solstice will get here--but "they" know what they are doing. 

Solstices mark the beginning of summer or winter when there's either more light than dark or more dark than light. Equinoxes mark the beginning of spring and fall when there are equal amounts of light,  night or day. From the solstice, the days will get shorter and shorter until December 21ish...then they will get longer again. Given that, we are enjoying the long long days. The sun is getting up about 6:30 and not going down until 8:45 at this elevation. It's a treat to have all the daylight.

Do you remember as a kid, that no matter how light it was, at 8:30 all the moms on the block would call out "it's time to come in." All the kids reluctantly went inside as we could not defy our moms.  I never liked going to bed when it was light  outside. It did not seem right. I'm still like that...it's hard to go to bed with there is still daylight. It's a good thing I don't live in Juneau, or St. Petersburg where the days are extra long. In St. Petersburg they call it "white nights." One time in SP, we went to the ballet, and when we walked out of the theater at the end of the performance of Swan Lake, it was 11:30 PM and still daylight. What a treat.   

But I digress. The days are long and bright right now and I'm not a kid anymore. I don't have to go to bed when it's still daylight outside. I can go to bed whenever I want to. I hope you can too. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Summer Edition?

Summer is supposed to arrive on Friday. Today it snowed. It's the 18th of June and we are having freezing nights and snow. While the Rocky Mountains are getting snow, the right coast is getting record heat. Weather is crazy. Is it global warming? Is it climate change? I have no idea. I do know the weather is acting weird.

I'm not going to blame ozone or methane or car emissions for this crazy weather. The world has experienced crazy weather for millennia.  I'm just musing about snow in the middle of June in the Rocky Mountains.

In the 30-plus years we've spent summer in the mountains, I've kept track of the last day of snow in the spring, and the first day of snow in the fall. Up to yesterday, the last day has been June 15. Last night we had snow on June 17/18. Snow was still on the ground at noon. That's unusual. In addition, the first day for an autumn snowfall has been September the 21st (the day that autumn starts). This neck of the woods has a very short growing season between the snows. However, those 60 days are heavenly. We have some fantastic summers here and we might even get one this year. Remember, we're all in this together. 

Life in Geezerville: Father's Day Edition

Father's Day is tomorrow--a day to celebrate a very important member of the family. I was lucky to have a good daddy. I was his princess, his little girl, his honey dear. (Those were a few of the sweet names he called me but you don't need to know all of them.)

My dad was a not only a father, he was a teacher, a hard worker, a traveler and more. He taught me how to use all the tools in his toolbox. As a cabinet maker he had huge toolbox. He would pick up a screwdriver and tell me what it was and what it was used for and how to use it...then the next time he wanted a screwdriver I could tell him all about a screwdriver--or a hammer--or a pair of pliers. 

He taught me history. He loved history and taught me to love history too. When we visited anywhere, he told the stories of the people who lived there. The stories made history come alive for me. I always followed his model when I taught history to my students, as the stories were far more interesting than the dates.

He taught me a work ethic, albeit I did not know it at the time. Sometimes he worked 3 jobs. I knew that if I wanted something I had to earn it. He would say "You can't get nuthin for nuthin." You need to put in time, effort and skill. Based on that, I always tried my best as that was what my parents modeled all the time. It must have worked as I went to school--and went to school--and went to school--until I became a Professor. I believe that was one of my dad's happiest days. His little girl did well.

Along with everything else, he taught me the love of travel. He was very successful at that task, as I've traveled a lot. He did too. I remember road trips when I was a kid. To me, they were exciting and full of adventure. We were going to some place new, and I loved that. I believe my dad was more than a tiny bit jealous when the other DrC and I bought our first RV. He could hardly contain himself as he looked it over and thought about all the fun we were going to have.

On this day I remember my daddy. He wanted to live forever but sadly that did not happen. He did see the Millennium. He passed away in July of 2000. He is gone but not forgotten. Happy Father's Day Daddy. And, Happy Father's Day to all the other daddies out there too. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Coffee Edition

Before we went to IHOP for breakfast (which was quite good), my brother and I went for coffee at a B & B (that stands for Beans and Brew). The coffee at the B & B was quite complicated to order. First we had to decide upon size--anything from 8 ounces to 96 ounces. Then we had to decide on the roast: medium, dark Italian, French...Siberian (the barista rattled off a variety of roast types that I did not know existed so why not Siberian). Then came the decision as to the type of cream--and finally the type of sugar we needed. I said I wanted a cup of plain black coffee. My brother who "knows" more about coffee than I do, said I wanted medium roast, black coffee. That's what I got. It was very good. 

Fast forward to our breakfast at IHOP. I ordered another cup of coffee. We were served a cuppa hot black coffee (who knows what the roast type was) in an IHOP mug with an extra pot of coffee for fill-ups. It was perfect. I guess I have simple tastes when it comes to coffee. Shoot, I can't tell the difference between roast types, cream types and sugar types. It's pathetic. I thought both places served me a good cuppa coffee. Speciality coffee shops with professional baristas are for coffee lovers. I'm probably not a good advertisement for speciality coffee shops as I don't really care. All I want a regular cup of ordinary hot coffee and I'll be happy--end of discussion. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Big CIty Edition

(Not SLC, but Geezerville North)

We are in Salt Lake City tonight. SLC is a huge city...especially when Geezerville South is a small town of 20,000 souls and Geezerville North is a smaller town of 1700 souls. We are used to small towns and SLC is NOT a small town. It's moves ALL THE TIME. There's traffic that is speeding along at a gazillion miles an hour where we are used to traffic going 35 mph. Talk about being a square peg in a round hole.

Don't get me wrong, we are perfectly able to drive in traffic. When we go to Vegas or St. George we are driving in traffic...but SLC has CAPITAL T Traffic. It does not stop...it just keeps going and going and going. We are used to St. George...drive there all the time--no hassle. We don't like Vegas so we don't go there often, and when we do, we go to our destination, do our job and get out of town. In GN there are no "big" towns nearby. Idaho Falls is our major shopping location and it's not a big town. We also know our way around Idaho Falls, like we know our way around St. George and Vegas. We don't know our way around SLC. As you know, knowledge is power...and we have no knowledge of SLC.

After we found where we needed to go on the University of Utah campus, we asked SIRI to return us to our lodgings. SIRI  took us on a circuitous route by the Utah State House, no less, before directing us to I-15. At one point I said "SIRI this is stupid" and she replied saying I was not being nice to her. Once on the interstate, we knew where we were and made our way home. That was a good thing. 

Tomorrow, we'll have to wend our way back to UU, and make our 1 PM appointment.  At least we know where to go now. We don't know the specific building on campus but someone can direct us. Then when we are done, we are going to scamper out of SLC as fast as we can. We are going to return to our small, quiet, sleepy Geezerville and enjoy the slow. Remember, we're all in this together. 

Life in Geezerville: Fawn Edition

This morning I was treated to a rare sight...a brand new fawn. Mama came out of the forest as usual, but today she came out with a tiny addition..her fawn. The little fawn is less than two feet tall..and very shy. Still, there's a fawn hiding in the forest and now that I know it's  there, I will be looking for it from now on. BTW I took this picture from my screened porch...that's why it's not as clear as my other pictures.  Maybe tomorrow I will see the baby without the screens in the way. It's a good day to have a fawn in the forest.  On another note, a white bison was born in Yellowstone on June 4. The Lakota say a white bison with black eyes, nose and hooves is a sacred animal.  I have not seen the white bison baby yet, but I will try to find it later in the summer.

Picture courtesy of https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB1o2iVt.img?w=534&h=356&m=6

Something Different

 I've been crocheting critters for a long time. Mostly they look like the critter I'm crocheting...until recently. I decided to crochet "things" that are not found in real life. Hence, I'm creating little aliens as my friend Miki calls them.

Here's my latest group of aliens...

If you would like an alien, let me know and I'll make one for you

Remembering D-Day

Courtesy of https://www.amicalolaemc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/D-Day.jpg

Today we commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944. Thousands of brave men and women died for our way of life. Several years ago, we visited Normandy and experienced the rough terrain, the embedded battlements the Germans had built, the beaches, the mulberries... The ground is still scared and the remnants of the terrible machines of war are evident. That sacred ground is quiet and subdued now. The nearby cemeteries, with row after row of white crosses and 6-pointed stars tell the sad story of young men who sacrificed their lives. Please take a minute to remember those heroes.

Will we ever learn that war is hell? Will we ever learn to live with each other? When will we learn?

Life in Geezerville: Geezer Finger Edition

 

courtesy of https://www.classicandcollectorcars.com/vehicles/3396/1956-chevrolet-210-2-door-sedan

I've talked about "geezer finger" before, but I had to mention it at least one more time. This morning, my brother and I were trying to type a phrase into a search bar on our cellphones and had absolutely no success. He has wide fingers and failed. After a few attempts, he said "you do it." I have long-ish fingernails. You guessed it, failure again.

We were trying to find pictures of a car he owned a hundred years ago (I exaggerate only a little bit). It was a stripped down 1956 Chevrolet 210 Biscayne with 3-on-the-tree standard transmission and a really bad paint job. He typed that phrase but his geezer fingers said 1956 Ch3vr0let Biscahmr....my attempt was not much better1956 chevr9oet  Biscay e ... not good. 

The next thing we tried was dictation. By this time, we were laughing at the non-results of our efforts. Finally, one of us got the phrase out without a giggle and a ton of pictures showed up. We had success. Is dictation the answer?

All of us have looked at younger folks text. They make it look like a piece of cake. They are using their fingers and thumbs and successfully texting or searching, all while using the same tiny keyboard on the screen of a cellphone. There's no way my brother and I could do that. Our fingers are nimble. Both of us can type quit well. We have finger dexterity. So what is the difference? Is it practice? Youngsters text more than geezers. Is that why they do it better than we do? What it is that makes us folks in our "golden years" unable to text on a small on-screen keyboard? I know that my brother and I are not the only 2 geezers out there who cannot text worth a da**). The other DrC has the same problem...and so do a fair few of my geezer friends. We seem to be afflicted with "geezer finger." Why, oh why, is texting so difficult for geezers? 

If you can answer this question, please let me know. Please don't text me as I know how frustrating texting is. Remember, we're all in this together.