Pens and Pencils

    Yesterday we went to a 'Caregivers Luncheon' on the other side of Halifax. It was very 'poo poo,' china cups and all. I remembered to keep my pinkie up when I drank my cup of tea. There was the Master of Ceremonies and three other speakers. Each one of them started their speech by apologizing  for someone senior to them who was unable to make it. It seems they were out saving the world or something, and they found this out just an hour before the luncheon. Personally, I would rather have not known about it. Besides, I've watched the English version of 'House of Cards', I know what all that means.
    The guy next to me was a social worker, and wouldn't you know it, he was from my hometown. I left there 53 years ago, but still they find me. It's like I have a sign on my forehead, 'I'm one of the bye's from home, eh.'
    He was a great conversationalist. He told me about his tattoos and I told him that one of the nurses that came with me had a tattoo on her behind. She had a hand tattooed to each cheek, and when she walked, it looked like the hands were clapping.
    Everyone at the table had their veggies and dip and pieces of fruit. I ate two giant cookies.
    The best part was that I got a free pencil. I love pencils and pens and scrap envelopes to scribble on. Junk mail finds a home here, well, just the envelope. A few years ago, my brother Tony gave me a nice pen. He found it in a jewelry store where someone had it engraved, but didn't pick it up. It said 'Tammy, R.N.' On my last overnight visit to the hospital, one of my nurses was named Tammy. I kept the pen out of sight.
    That's enough for now, I have to go and sharpen my new pencil.

Compost

    The area behind my shed is where I do my composting. It's kind of a dangerous spot in the winter, tree roots, holes, uneven, ice, etc.. Last week I decided it was time for a move to the side of the shed where it's easy to get at. First, I built a 4' x 2" wooden container. The one in the back is falling apart. I've had it for a number of years. I sifted the compost from there, filling two garbage cans. My wife will use that for the flower boxes. The container is still half full, so I'll just throw the rest in the gardens.
    A friend of ours gave me a square black composter she didn't want. She said to just come and get it, which was easier said than done. They hadn't used it for five years and it had about a foot of compost inside. Roots had taken it over. I had to rip it all apart.
    When I had it all back together, I put it beside the wooden bin. I have a similar composter, which I put next to that. Each spring, I move all the compost from one bin to the next one. So it takes two years to get compost.
   I talk like I've done all that, but I'm only half finished. Have to work on non-rain days. Did some yesterday, but it started to rain. Can't do much today, I have to go to a "Caregivers Luncheon." Not my thing, but it is what it is. (I seem to be saying that a lot lately.)

Hearing Test.

   

    Well, I went for a hearing test yesterday. I have to tell you how that all started. I have a 41 yr. old daughter with C.P., who is bedridden and has to be fed by a tube. When the machine is finished, it gives off a beeping tone. So therein lies the problem, I don't hear the tone.
    It just so happens that a flyer came around offering free hearing tests so I made an appointment. The test told us that I have no problem hearing voices, in fact it is above normal. The problem is that I can't hear high frequencies. The clinic thought that I could get along without a hearing aid at this time. The price of $2700. confirmed that, as far as I was concerned. Of course, they still tried to sell me one.

Thorns

  

     Yesterday, my wife got me involved in a bit of skullduggery. It involves bushes on my neighbors property. First, I have to tell you about the property. I can't remember the last time there was any repairs done. When the ceilings started falling in, her friends convinced her to move to an apartment, which was not easy. She kept coming back, stay for awhile, and then back to the apartment. The visits got less and less and now I haven't seen her for awhile.
    While out for my walk the other day, I noticed a new piece of paper pinned to the front door. Every summer there were slips of paper telling her to cut the grass or else. This one said she owes back taxes since 2009. Pay up or it goes to auction on July 8. (Yes, I was nosy.) This has happened before, but she rushed in and paid the taxes. She hasn't been around to see the paper, so it may happen this time.
    Which brings me to the bushes. One is a lilac bush, which is getting wider and crushing our fence. My wife had me get out the chain saw and reduce it to half. The other was a thorn bush which became four bushes and started to spread to my yard. So we huffed and puffed and dug and pulled it out.
   Better done now. New neighbors might not like our antics.

Potholes

Yesterday, I read this article about potholes in Halifax. It said that 6000 potholes had already been repaired, with 1700 remaining. My first thoughts were how they came up with this number. Did they have some guy going around counting them? Well, it would have to be a team of two, in case one guy fell in a pothole, the other guy could pull him out.
Another possibility is that the entire Highway's Department teamed up and took one day to count. This problem racked my brain for awhile, until I think I came up with a viable solution. I think they just take the number from last year and add 10%. So that means next year you will know how many they repaired this year.

Power Washer.

I bought a Power washer the other day. Tried it out yesterday. It was just a cheap model from Wal-Mart. $47.00. I only need it for small jobs. The green bin, the garbage cans. I also needed to wash the grease from the bottom of my van, stuff that comes from the undercoating. It usually covers the rocker panels and a few inches up the door. Good enough machine for that.
Winter seems to be coming fast. Cold in the mornings. I had to turn on the Heat Pump on for awhile. Warms up in the afternoon.
I should call my mechanic to make arrangements for an oil change. Normally I do it in Oct. and Apr, but next month I'll be away on my cruise.

Shopping At Sears

Last week I bought a new lawn mower. End of the season, good time to buy. Saw a sale at Sears Clearance Center. 20% off and another 10% off with their card. I knew what I wanter before I got there. 6.5 hp, large rear wheels, rear wheel drive, and rear bag.  It used to be that the grass shot out the side, then it was a bag on the back. Now they come with both.
They had a whole bunch there and I found one I liked. Had everything I wanted plus a hose connection for cleaning under it. That's something new. Good idea. I wonder if I can install one on my other mower. I have two mowers. The other one just shoots out the side. Good for my back yard. Don't need to bag, easy to push, don't need auto drive.
So the original price with tax was $ 575.00. marked down to $196. less 20%, less 10%, no tax. Total price was $160.  So I wheeled it from the store. Used it yesterday, works great.