December 31

Nothing to brag about yesterday and most folks hate complainers so this note will be another struggle for me. Without a challenge once in awhile what would a person do? 'Use it or lose it', I believe also applies to ones mind. I think I read there was a medical study that showed an active and challenged mind can slow down the symptoms of Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is a lot more scary for me after I read a little about it. such as; The disease usually begins after age 60, and risk goes up with age. While younger people also may get AD, it is much less common. About 3 percent of men and women ages 65 to 74 have AD, and nearly half of those age 85 and older may have the disease. It is important to note, however, that AD is not a normal part of aging. I read one article that said it affected nearly one out of ten over the age of 65.

Hey, I'm sorry about this note! I just get started down a path and the next thing I know I've gone too far.

We're expecting the Krohn's and the Montgomery's to join us here for dinner on the first day of 2005. Black-eyed peas, Pickled Herring and maybe some collard greens are a few of items that's on the menu and either Bill or Carl must come into the house first.

The first visitor at your house on New Year's Day must be a male or you'll have bad luck.
Don't do laundry before 6 p.m. on New Year's Day or you'll wash someone out of your life.
You must eat black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's Day. Black-eyed peas for luck, collard greens for money.
On New Year's Day, put an egg and a dollar in a bag, throw it out the window of a moving car, but don't look back. This will bring good luck.
I can't remember what the Pickled Herring does or prevents for you but I'd say eating a bite can't hurt.

I'm not sure how Glenda and I will stay awake until midnight so our plans are to ring in the new year watching the New York bash on TV. We can do that at 9:00 our time then go to bed.

I imagine I'll feel a little week come Sunday and will need to stay close to the house. I plan to eat two or three cans of collard greens myself and I'm positive the results of that will flush me out pretty good. We really could use a little money!

December 30

Well we both made a blood donation at the Boulder Station Casino yesterday. For being so caring and giving they rewarded each of us with two free buffet passes. We used two of them yesterday and have till next year to use the other two. I doubt we'll wait all that long.

I won several dollars when we first got there but ended up leaving a small cash donation there too. Sounds like a Kerry doesn't it? "I actually won before I lost." The straw that did me in was playing that stupid game called bingo without winning again! You can't win if you don't play but you can't lose either. That is if you don't figure that you could have won something if you did play which would make that possible sum a loss. Forget it! I don't understand either.

Today is a free video poker tournament at the MonteLago Casino and a free gift at the Sunset Station. I figure we'll work both those stops in sometime today.

"Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell." - Anonymous

A good day to you!

December 29

Not a whole lot happening around here. Glenda didn't win at anything yesterday but she has vowed to correct that today. She has a no lose item on our agenda. Well, it is a give and get kind of thing. Give a little blood at the Boulder Station Casino and receive a free buffet ticket for two. Glenda has stated that if we can only use it today that I'll be the only one giving. You better believe she'll happily partake of any rewards that I might receive from my blood, sweat and tears. Maybe not the latter two but I typed them in there anyway because I think that is how some saying goes?

The stubborn drain didn't give in to all of my efforts yesterday but did finally succumb to the Liquid Plumber that Glenda brought home. All the time I wasted! Glenda says that I kind of look like a plumber from the rear when I bend over. THANKS!

And thank goodness I feel far enough down the page to stop this typing and click send.

This from our TV channel 8 weatherman: I'm not sure what this means, but I just saw animals lined up, two by two, moving down the Strip. The first in a series of drenchings isn't through yet. Some neighborhoods have already exceeded one inch of rain, and the rain will continue through midday Wednesday, at least. Highs will be near 50 with lows in the 40's. Another system is due in for New Year's, we're watching that one very closely.... and another one for Monday-Tuesday. You've heard of the rainforest, welcome to the rain-desert!

December 28

Yesterday was the worst at the games that we've seen this year! Cloudy, rainy and losing all joined together to cause us a huge lack of happiness. We did get a free buffet at Sam's Town and $5.00 but I didn't/couldn't even keep enough of the $5.00 to be able to pay the tip. Glenda had to pop for that. Anyway the meal was good!

Last night the coyotes came calling again serenading us with their off key song. It sounded like a quartet but it could have been a chorus. This time they spiced it up with a real bark. It was rather high pitched but still, it was a bark.

Today we're supposed to see rain most of the day. There will be about a week of the stuff. Sure do hope it doesn't end up making us homesick.

I think Glenda and Aunt Ruby are going to do their day out. Probably going to a casino for a cheap breakfast, then to Wal-Mart, then another casino, then to Big Lots, another casino, Walgreen's and then another casino for a supper meal of some kind. Who knows what they will do all day. I'd wager they'll only know as the day progresses. At least they always seem to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, back here in the jungle, I've got a stubborn drain to repair, a couple of meals to prepare, a book to finish and another one to start on. Lots of lazing around too, as I further bond with Tomi and Mikey. They and I have a lot in common already as Glenda tells me I'm just as spoiled as they are. Funny maybe but I've noticed that about her too. We're living in a house of spoils!

Beware the barrenness of a busy life. ~Socrates

December 27

It looks and sounds like we may get a little rain around here off and on for most of the week. On the TV this morning they said there had been 200 traffic fatalities in the valley so far this year. At least that's what I think I heard. Glenda thinks it was less than that. Anyway this purported rain over several days will most probably add to the total at whatever it stands now. The roads do get awfully slick when they get wet yet so many people won't slow down any. We will be going slower!

Yesterday we made a stop at the Railroad Pass Casino. I walked in, put a dollar in a quarter slot machine and won a pot of $20. That little dab of luck and the fact that Aunt Ruby and daughter Kim was winning induced me to mess around leaving the whole $20 there when we left. Not good! Not good at all! I only lost $1 of my walk in money but I'm still aggravated!

After that we gave the Fortune Casino a chance at some of our walk in cash. They took advantage of the opportunity as far as my pockets were concerned but not so Glenda's. Honest, no mistake about it, she took two cents more out of there than she walked in with. We were there for a hour or so and she played the same machine all that time.

Today is one of those where we need to make the rounds starting with Sam's Town where they used a free $5 worth of play as the lure. If you ever start fishing for suckers, 'free' is one of the most productive lures there are.

If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles. ~Doug Larson

December 26

And a Merry Christmas was had by all! At least around here it seemed merry and we hope it was everywhere else too. Now we're hunkering down waiting for the new year stuff. After all that's over it will be back to regular whatever regular is. Who knows anymore? Things like, you can't say Merry Christmas because it might offend some foreigner or a person of a different faith, heck, you can't even kill the enemy during a war because of his rights. Give me a break!

A big bang to start our day off. Something huge slammed into the trailer or jumped on the roof and rolled off. That all happened at 4:26 a.m. I jumped up to check things out and found nothing amiss. Got back into bed and noticed Mikey staring hard at the window so I got back up and raised the blinds to look. I saw one lone coyote slinking by very close to the trailer then I saw numerous shapes a little farther out in the desert slipping past. My thoughts are the prey they were after made the big noise during it's escape or escape attempt. Anyway no going back to bed so it got our day started early again.

Yesterday morning I had to get some gasoline for the car so I drove eleven miles to save four cents per gallon. That little excursion put me real close to the Fiesta Casino. We had a free money offer there for the day so I stopped in to pick it up. To shorten the story they had $3 free play for each of us. I used Glenda's card and her $3 to come away with $5. I took my card to another machine and after a pretty long loosing struggle I was able to turn it around and came away with $ 5 for myself too. What a challenge!

My biggest challenge so far this day is in finding something worthy to type.......It's too much like work! I quit!

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength. ~Charles Spurgeon

December 25

Wishing all of youse, a very Merry Christmas!

May your day be shinny and bright and your whole new year be just as pretty.

December 24

Yippee! I walked out of the Fiesta yesterday with five extra bucks in my pocket! I felt like a true winner. To have that feeling I did need to force from my mind the terrible stop at the Monte Largo just an hour or so earlier where I lost ten dollars. I'm not very happy at all about how the Monte Largo has treated us so far this year. It's true we've only been there twice and Glenda did win twenty bucks the last trip but they took my favorite machines out and turned that little area to some kind of eating joint.

The Fortune Casino has been so mean to me so far this year that I've scratched it from my list but guess what, we're going there this morning to meet Uncle Carl and Aunt Ruby for breakfast. One of those free, 'you buy the coffee' and we'll give you two eggs, hash browns, toast and sausage or bacon. The coffee is only $1.25 so it isn't a bad deal at all. I tried to get the meal without buying the coffee last visit but refused me.

We are planning a visit to the Fiesta and the Sunset Station today also. Both places have used an offer of free cash to lure us in. Maybe, just maybe, we can use their money to prime some old machine into pouring us a out bucketful. Yeah, right! One positive way not to win anything would be not to play! Or is it that a real winner doesn't play? Life sometimes can be so confusing.

"The act of taking the first step is what separates the winners from the losers." -- Brian Tracy

December 23

I was awakened this morning around 3:45 by what I first thought was Santa on our roof. After checking around I discovered it was only that damn wind blowing branches against the roof. I was up anyway so I made some coffee and sent Mikey out after the papers. We get two papers on Thursday. Generally Mikey is a really good paper retriever and he was this morning for the first paper. For the second one I had to order him, beg him and then I had to go out on the cold porch to lure him outside. Had to pay him double after he brought the second paper in.

The wind is blowing pretty hard and the air that it's moving around is only 37 degrees. That makes for a pretty cool beginning for the day. The sun will assume it's place of prominence soon and things will begin to look up.

No big stories of yesterday are available here. That is mostly because nothing big happened. We did got to Sam's town to play 1:00 bingo whit the same-o results. Played a little Joker Poker but nothing worth mentioning. Well, I might mention one mistake that worked out okay. I put $5 in a multi-domination machine and played twenty coins without noticing the machine was set on nickels instead of pennies. On the second play it gave me four of a kind for 400 coins. When the meter racked up $20 I was shocked and began to wonder what size bill I had put into the machine. That was when I noticed it was set for nickels. I promptly reset it for pennies and played it a little while longer. Got the total to $29.45 toward my $30 goal when it started the wrong direction. When it got down to $20 I cashed out and moved on.

Today will be another one of those wonderful whatever we want it to be days. Nothing planned yet so we have all of our options still open. I'm sure it will be a good day.

"Let no pleasure tempt thee, no profit allure thee, no ambition corrupt thee, no example sway thee, no persuasion move thee to do anything which thou knowest to be evil; so thou shalt live jollily, for a good conscience is a continual Christmas." --Benjamin Franklin

December 22

Oh, the wayward wind is a restless wind, a restless wind that's born to wander. If your wind has been restless and has wandered off, don't worry about it. It's out here with us! I can't say for sure but I'm thinking there must be some kind of reunion in this part of Nevada for winds from everywhere. It seems kind of odd that you can feel it and see the results of it's passing but you can't see the wind. Does it pass or does it stay in one place huffing and puffing? If it passes where does it go? Oh, the wayward mind is a restless mind!

I was able to finish the book, 'Motion to Suppress', by Perri O'Shaughnessy yesterday. Then I started 'Reversible Errors' by Scott Turow. I think it is going to be a really good one! I can read better when Glenda isn't here because I don't have the TV blaring. Glenda needs a TV or radio on in every room that she might visit during the day. Here of course it is only the bed room and the living room/kitchen but it boggles my mind too much and interrupts my reading thoughts. Glenda hears very little of anything that spews from the TV or radio anyway so I don't know why she needs them on all of the time.

Glenda hit four deuces on a nickel machine yesterday for a $50 pot then came home with $11 less than she left with. I'd say she stayed out too long but I enjoy the reading time too much.

The newspaper says there are 10 people per hour arriving here. (It must be the wind blowing them in!) The story goes on:

The state added 92,564 people between July 2003 and July of this year, according to the estimates. That's more than 10 new residents every hour, or 7,700 a month.

Between the third quarter of 2003 and this year, the median value of a home in the Las Vegas Valley jumped more than 50 percent, from $184,300 to $283,200.

To access the Las Vegas Review-Journal click.... http://www.reviewjournal.com

Lord, where we are wrong, make us willing to change; where we are right, make us easy to live with. ~Peter Marshall

The wind continues but I'm about blown out!

December 21

Some soft looking clouds in our sky being battered around by the, back with avenges, wind. That same wind is aggravating the land dwellers somewhat too but not yet as near as it will by Friday according to the weathermen. They've suggested securing down all of anything outside including any Christmas decorations. "Well blow me down", may not be just a stupid phrase anymore after Thursday. We'll see.

Yesterday we picked up a few things and Sam's Club, a few at Big Lots and since we were so close to Sam's Town Casino we decided to pick up a little spare change there. It didn't work out that way but we didn't leave any either. That wasn't because none of our change is spare rather because we left with exactly what we went in with. Initially we both won some but greed overcame us and we played it back trying to double it. When we got back down to our carry in money we left. Shoot, that right there made us a winner!

Today is Glenda and Aunt Ruby's day out. A day where I stay home, cook my own meals and after a few need to dos, I read one of the books we've acquired.

Our five pomegranate trees out back has shed their leaves so I may out there with a rake. All I'll need to do is pull them out into the open and let the windy mother nature move them out. From our free and handy 'Gurunet' program I copied the following for you.

pomegranate (pŏm'grănĭt, pŏm'ə–) , handsome deciduous and somewhat thorny large shrub or small tree (Punica granatum) belonging to the family Punicaceae, native to semitropical Asia and naturalized in the Mediterranean region in very early times. It has long been cultivated as an ornamental and for its edible fruit. The fruit, about the size of an apple, bears many seeds, each within a fleshy crimson seed coating, enclosed in a tough yellowish to deep red rind. Pomegranates are either eaten fresh or used for grenadine syrup, in which the juice of the acid fruit pulp is the chief ingredient. Grenadine syrup, sometimes made from red currants, is a flavoring for wines, cocktails, carbonated beverages, preserves, and confectionery. The astringent properties of the rind and bark have been valued medicinally for several thousand years, especially as a vermifuge. The pomegranate is now cultivated in most warm climates, to a greater extent in the Old World than in America; in North America it is grown commercially chiefly from California and Arizona south into the tropics. The fruit has long been a religious and artistic symbol. It is described in the most ancient of Asian literature. In the Old Testament, Solomon sang of an “orchard of pomegranates.” Because of its role in the Greek legend of Persephone, the pomegranate came to symbolize fertility, death, and eternity and was an emblem of the Eleusinian Mysteries. In Christian art, it is a symbol of hope.

In my memory somewhere comes the word 'filler' to describe the last paragraph. Looks like it works fine for that as well as being educational.

"A good listener or reader is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something." -- Wilson Mizner, Author (with a word or two added?

December 20

On a day like today, we passed the time away, making footprints in the sand. Walking in the desert that is. Doing whatever we want. Well, almost anything we want. That is somewhat limited by the finances and unbalanced budget that we're going to be forced to revise once again. How does that saying go? Money can't buy love, but it sure gets you a great bargaining position. Being rich wouldn't necessarily make one happy but the ability to afford living wouldn't be too sad of a plight either.

I must be stopped up! I know my head is just full of stuff but I can't seem to get anything to run. No, I guess I'm probably just constipated since most tell me I usually talk out my rear anyway.

Good can come in so many ways and can come unexpectedly. We should all be thankful when good comes!

Good bye.

Just before Christmas, an honest politician, a generous lawyer and Santa Claus were riding in the elevator of a very posh hotel. Just before the doors opened they all noticed a $20 bill lying on the floor. Which one picked it up? Santa of course, because the other two don't exist!

December 19

Yesterday a great short time with our friends. Sorry that we seemed to drag them down a bit. It was only after we parted company that John hit a Royal Flush for $250.00 on one machine then on another he hit four deuces for $200.00. This was reported to us via the phone. They didn't want to spoil their luck.

We did have time to get our calendars and chess sets. If it wasn't for the fun of the game neither would have been worth a walk across a single lane road. Luckily the trip was far enough that we were forced to drive.

The parks Christmas dinner wasn't worth a walk across the road either! By luck we happened to drive there too. As they say. "two trips in one, the first and the last." Glenda did win a door prize tho. It was a gift certificate for $10.00 at the grocery store. We're hoping to sell it for around eight bucks for gambling money.............Just kidding! We need it for tip money! A free meals does not include any tip. No big expense for me unless Aunt Ruby is around. We can't let she or Uncle Carl leave all the tip so we divvy up a share. I've saved enough when they haven't been with us to pay the whole tip but they won't let us.

I don't think there is much on our agenda for today. We'll just wait and see.

December 18

Coyotes yipping and howling just outside our window in the wee hours of this morning makes the sleep a little less enjoyable. Some folks think that is a neat sound, I guess I'm tone deaf or something because it wasn't very pretty to me. They weren't mournful sounds at all. It was more like they were all out there making fun of, or mocking anything that could hear them and really enjoying it.

Yesterday we picked up a couple of free (ha) calendars at the Sunset Station. Later at home watching TV, we saw an advertisement for the same calendars, $14.95 plus $6.35 shipping and handling. We have an opportunity to pick up another two of them today at the Fiesta for free (ha). We would give them away but we're not sure whether to bother with it or not. It could end up cheaper to order them and have them sent direct to a chosen recipient. Of course we'll go right past the Fiesta on our way to Sunset again where our gift today is a swell some looking chess set. We'll just wait and see how it works out.

A couple of Missouri friends are supposed to be here around 11:00 so we may not have time to make the round anyway. Our plans for the day include a free dinner at the club house in the park. The social part begins at 5:30 and then we eat at 6:00. Glenda intends to bake a cake to take too. That will take a little time. Ah, we don't need the chess set nor the calendars!

The U.S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. ~Benjamin Franklin

December 17

We're blessed again this morning with a little north-north-east wind about,...................about 10/20 mph. We've discovered a little know fact! This area is the place where that dumb hairdo that stands up all over your head began. I once thought how ignorant it was to work at combing and teasing your hair into an such an uncombed ugly look, but now we know out here they don't comb it that way, instead they go outside for a short walk them come in and put hairspray on the results. Weird hairdo or regular we should all buy stock in hairspray related companies. The smog looking stuff hanging over the city must only be over-spray from the hairspray cans.

We slipped up yesterday. Broke down and went to downtown Henderson where there are three small neighborhood casino's. They don't need to be large to take your money and they care not if it's a neighbor's money. We did play a little but most of the time we took turns watching one another play. Won a little but lost a tad more than the win. At least we can still go out for another day or two before we go back to the easy chairs and good books.

Today there are a couple of stops to be made to pick up some of the free (ha) stuff. At the same time we're looking for a call from a couple of Missouri friends that flew in last night. We won't be reading much today.

You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try. ~Beverly Sills

December 16

Yesterday was one of those days that come along every once in a while. The kind that leaves a dumb-ass like me, nothing to bray about! It wasn't any good anywhere we went. Yesterday is past. We've thankfully been given another day, hopefully one we might enjoy. To insure that joy is most probable, we'll just stay out of any of the gambling joints. We'll lick our wounds and plan out an attack for another day. We did pick up a couple of real nice photo albums but I'm not going to even mention the word free!

I'm thinking the Library and the grocery stores might both get a visit from us sometime today. We'll just see what the wind blows in and I'm telling you the damn wind sure is really B L O W I N G! Mikey and I were out in it earlier and let me tell you, it brought tears to my eyes. I'm not really sure if it was the wind tho, or the memory of yesterday slipping in on me again.

Worry is but a terrible misuse of the imagination. ~Dan Zadra

December 15

Yesterday was as great as you would expect. Mikey and I did a little walking and I did a lot of reading. Mikey hasn't learned how to read yet and I think that might be why he talks so funny.

Glenda did let me down a little. I gave her my money and she came home with less than she took. She left it strung all around Henderson and maybe left a small amount in Las Vegas too.

We are on the list to receive a free (ha) photo album and some free (ha) cash at the Silverton Casino today so I expect we'll visit there for sure. Not a lot of anything else on the list. I was thinking we might play the rest of the day by ear but just as the thought struck me one of the hearing aid batteries gave out. Maybe we'll make the first stop to be at Walgreen's or someplace like that for new batteries. You can't play it by ear if you only half hear! Or could that lead you down some very new untried paths? Humm.

It certainly hasn't helped me much with my typing or content of this.........

Believe it or not but the other hearing aid battery just gave it up too.

"A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something."-- Wilson Mizner, Author

December 14

Day before yesterday, on the way home, I became a little aggravated at a full sized van driving beside us. I was in the passing lane and it seemed like he sped up enough to hang in there beside us. Because of the aggravation I drove over 65 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. Wouldn't have been a big deal had the city police not been sitting along side the road. As I went by I looked in the rearview mirror and watched them pull out with their lights flashing. I thought some of our gambling money might be in jeopardy. Pleased was I when I watched them pull over another white car that had been behind us. Just before we turned off the road Glenda said they were coming again with flashing lights. We think they stopped the wrong car then realized their mistake. I'm not sure if I speeded up but I'm sure I didn't slow down any. We made it home without them getting us anyway. Speeding through the park isn't kosher but we did just a little of that too.

Today I may have figured out why the van paced beside us. In line for Sam's Buffet this afternoon, a guy directly behind us in the line, tapped me on the shoulder and told me that I was a very lucky man. After I had played several machines with out winning a penny I was ready to disagree with him when he said "your wife is very beautiful". Of course we both thanked him and promptly forgave him his three cigarettes that he smoked during our wait to get in to eat. Just a little statement like that from a stranger can help a person realize how really lucky we are. I'm thinking now that the people in that van were probably admiring Glenda too. For some reason the comment didn't inspire Glenda to win any at the games but I'm positive she was sitting there happy.

Tomorrow is the girls day out so my money making opportunities will increase. Glenda could very well win, while sitting at home I can't very well spend. "A penny saved"......

"When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another." -- Helen Keller

December 13

Yesterday was a very good day..............for Glenda. She had her name called again at the Fortune for a spin at the wheel. She won $20 at that. At the other games she won too. We decided to wait for the 2:00 draw and while doing that I talked her into playing a nickel Joker Poker Machine. She promptly won $28.00 less the $5.00 she put in. Shouldn't half of that be mine?

Glenda just loves it at that place! I'm thinking she and Aunt Ruby should do the stop next weekend leaving me at home. Someone has got to stay so that others can play!

It was our 20th wedding anniversary yesterday. At least Glenda and I both remembered! I think while she was cooking our pork for supper she was a tiny bit peeved that we didn't go out to eat. I can only hope, long after my worldly departure, she will be able to see the benefits of the savings.

The only thing on our calendar for today is free cash at Sam's Town. I expect we'll make the trip to get it. No telling how much we'll turn that $5.00 into.

One day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful. ~Sigmund Freud

December 12

We got free playing money at the Gold Rush and Sunset Station yesterday. I turned mine into a little bit more before we headed home. I think I picked up an extra $24.00. Glenda started the day with only $6.25 in her purse but managed to bring home $11.00.

Picked up a couple of nice metal picture frames as the free (ha) gift of the day at the Fiesta and they paid us a little to get them. It was a nice day!

Helped Uncle Carl put up some Christmas lights while Glenda and Ruby went on the home tour. After we got the lights up I walked home. It was a 53 minute three mile walk. Quite a joy...........................to get sat down in the old easy chair after I got home.

Aunt Ruby paid Glenda's fare for the home tour which they did going from home to home in our car. I believe she said they looked at five homes. What I can't believe is the cost was $10 each. What a big rip that was! I'm thinking of setting this place up for tours next year. I'll go with around $2.50 which ought to make it a very desirable tour for retirees and the cost conscious.

There was some talk of staying home today but our larder as well as our refrigerator is empty. Everything, including meals is higher on weekends except at the grocery stores so I suspect we'll visit one of those today.

"I find that it is not the circumstances in which we are placed, but the spirit in which we face them, that constitutes our comfort." --Elizabeth King

December 11

You're never going to believe..........................we won a $50 pot playing bingo at the Fiesta yesterday. Of course we gave a big chunk of it back to the casino via the video poker machines but it was nice anyway. Took the free (ha) $4.00 they gave us out of one machine and put it into another. Took some of the winnings meager amount that was left to distribute at the Sunset Station after we picked up our free (ha) gift. We ended up leaving it all there. We finally left carrying a $25 wine bottle stopper and a $25 hat that together was probably worth around $10.

Today we've got to make the round again for more free (ha) money and another free (ha) gift. Afterwards we're going to the Krohn's where I'm going to help Carl put up some Christmas lights while Glenda and Ruby go on a touring trip of some kind. I think they will be taken to about five different homes to see all of the Christmas decorations or what.

Since I'm so near the bottom of the above I'll use this space for the end. Bye.

A good day to you please!

December 10

Here, a nice looking day is in progress. Sunny, with not a lot of wind yet and a forecast for a high in the upper 60's. Heck, I may not even wear a coat today. I do think I'll stick to my long sleeved shirt and long pants tho. I know that damn wind will pick up in a bit and that makes a little cool even more uncomfortable. One of the main reasons the casino's are so successful is because the constant wind finally addles your brain. You end up going into a casino to get out of the wind with your mind still on the blowing and so you do. Ah, it isn't really that bad.

No big wins yesterday at the Sunset which was our only stop of the day. Joined Ruby at bingo again but even she didn't win this time. I'm going to quit that game! I say we didn't win but the free buffet seemed like a winner at the time unfortunately the scales this morning indicated that even that was a loss. One of those 'more is a loser' kind of loss. I did a fairly long walk yesterday but still gained a pound! At least now all of the free buffet's there are over for awhile. Now as long as we can stay away from Sam's town where we have several free ones on the book, we'll be okay.

A dawning is beginning here. Our minds are beginning to realize how much all of this free stuff is costing us but the knowledge hasn't set in too hard yet which means today is another trip to Sunset for a free gift with a stop at the Fiesta for some free cash. Live and learn I guess. We're not very fast studies!

If you happened to have read this far I bid you no further ado.

"The Pentagon revealed that China launched a nuclear submarine capable of firing intercontinental ballistic missiles into the United States. In case of attack, take cover inside a Wal-Mart. China would never bomb their best customer." --Argus Hamilton

December 9

Everyday we get is a good day, no doubt about that. There are many days that need a little power of positive thinking to push away or overcome a negative influencer or two but that can be done by anyone. Want or desire must be great enough but that might take a few moments of real thought. Lots of folks won't slow down long enough to do any real thinking so they are doomed in a seemingly bad day to falsely see as such. Taking time to smell the flowers is such a meaningful gathering of words. Whoa! Where did I get all that?

Our yesterday was one that was good all the way. Mostly because we were able to overcome the bad influencer of the loosing at bingo. Aunt Ruby won so that helped but after our big free buffet we took the time to smell the flowers and slowly play a few Joker Poker machines. The four queens with the joker that I got with only one dollar in the nickel machine, playing a quarter at a time, was a real lifter. Cashed in $50.00 on that machine and came home. I also won $10.00 on a quarter machine playing one quarter at a time. I'm not unhappy at all about what I didn't win by not playing more per pull.

Today it's back to Sunset for another two for one buffet. We use our points there so the cost is only in the tip. The tip and an extra probable several calories. We've eaten there enough times now that we know most all of the foods and one trip through is usually enough. Well, they do have a fat free, sugar free yogurt ice cream that might make for a second trip.

If I've bored you again I would haft to say that it's up to you. Ending this boredom is only a click away. Heck, if you've read this far you might as well finish.

Give me a break! I do all of this with three fingers and with a 63 year old mind controlling them. After 63 years I think ones mind might tend to wander some. I doubt that I need to own up to that if you read any of these.

My mind seems to have wondered now into a different direction.

Please hold your applause!

Patience is also a form of action. ~Auguste Rodin

December 8

Well howdy! I've had my shower, stuck my hearing aids in, popped my partial plate into the big hole, got my glasses, took a Celebrex and have drank four cups of coffee. This old man is ready to go!

No sun yet this morning nor was there much yesterday but we did get a little rain. They're saying no rain along with very little sun today. Seems like home to me. All except that damn wind. I'm not used to that much competition.

Our aim for this day is for the Sunset Station Casino. We're going to meet Aunt Ruby and Uncle Carl there around 2:00 for the buffet. We all have two for one coupons. We might get there a little early and play 1:00 bingo with Aunt Ruby. I'm not sure it isn't just the coffee but I'm feeling pretty lucky today!

I don't know what to say about Glenda. I stayed home so she could have enough money to play a few machines while with Ruby on their day out. She didn't loose much but she didn't win anything either. I make these sacrifices so she can enjoy herself but she cuts me short. I had a teeny glass of free champagne at Terrible's Casino the other day. While she had two, she wouldn't let me have a second one because I was the driver. I'm saying very teeny glasses of the stuff!

She also won't let me obligate us to payments on a new laptop computer, telling me we don't need it. Hey, she doesn't need more than three or four tops either but she bought two more the other day at the Goodwill store on Warm Springs Road. Then, on top of that she got another ten given to her by Aunt Ruby. The list just goes on and on.

One would think I'd be used to it all by now but like Mikey, I get up to a new day every morning. If you have any control at all, a fresh start every day would be swell. Unfortunately I have so little control my day gets a little rank once in awhile. It doesn't make any difference tho, just like an idiot at McDonalds, I'm lovin it.

Still, it makes me think a little like Mike Armstrong sometimes. He says, "I've been married so long I don't even look both ways when I cross the street anymore."

December 7

WRONG! Yesterday I said Terrible's was treating four to a Royal Flush as a Royal Flush. Nada! What it said was, four to one on a Royal Flush which turned out to mean if you get a Royal Flush and meet certain criteria, they will pay you the pot times four. We learned this when Glenda hit four to a royal and sat for 40 minutes waiting for someone to explain the facts to her. Just sitting there without playing did make her a winner of sorts, "a penny saved is a penny won".

I on the other hand, believe it or not, hit a Royal Flush and not knowing the rules, didn't attempt to get the times four. That could have been a terrible mistake but later I learned one of the criteria is you must have played max coins. I hadn't so I wouldn't have qualified anyway. I was playing Joker Poker at a penny machine and only had 15 pennies in the machine when it hit. I don't mind telling you that to earn $120.00 off of a 15 cent investment is a real good happy maker. Actually I had put a one dollar bill into the machine. I played it up to a high of $126.00 but began losing so I cashed out when it got down to the $120.00 making it a $119.00 dollar on an investment of a buck. I'm not complaining!

When we got home the gas furnace wouldn't work. It seems out here that the cold here is colder than in Missouri as also the hot is cooler. It might be the lack of humidity or simple the damn wind. Anyway I stumbled around with the furnace and because of my failure to find a flicker of fire guessed that the pilot light must be out. What do I know about a gas furnace? Nothing! I called Uncle Carl and as with most every thing, he was experienced. He came over and got here almost before I could hang up the phone. My guess had been correct and in a matter of minutes we were heating again.

Uncle Carl is not only knowledgeable about watering systems, furnace's, plants and all around the house things. His experience and knowledge goes far beyond that. If I have a question on anything in the world I can find the answer there. Add to that the kind, calm and cool personality and you'll find a gentleman that can't be beat. About the second or third time playing a new learned game he can't be beat either.

We've made him our Guru! Tho he isn't on a mountain, we've got him very high on a pedestal. He is a lot easier to visit that way too.

Man's main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is. The most important product of his effort is his own personality. ~ Erich Fromm

December 6

From here to there more of nothing is in the making. Nothing is a lot less than what we do and to us it is a fun time but it looses something when I try to put it on the computer. I think the problem is, trying to tell it in a humorous way is beyond my capabilities. Also I feel that I need to spice up even the happiest of our happenings because most folks would rather be entertained than read a history lesson. So I stumble on with the history anyway.

Yesterday I took a 3.5 mile hike and come up on a small bicycle laying in the desert. It was nice looking bike but the chain and sprocket were rusty and the tires were very low on air. That led me to believe that it had been wasting there for sometime. No need to let a good thing go to waste so I called Uncle Bill when I got home. We went back to the area and picked it up for Tyson. A bad turned into a good with possible bad still hovering about. If the thing was stolen and just throw out there.............Well, we hope whoever lost the bike, lost it long enough ago as to not want it anymore. Or that someone outgrew it and replaced it with a larger bike and just discarded this one. It was a sad sight laying forlornly there in the desert. Anyway, we changed that sight and made a little boy happy at the same time.

Today, Terrible's Casino is having an anniversary party with free cake and champagne, two for one buffet and they're paying four to the royal. If you get four out of the five needed for a royal flush they'll pay you as if you had won. Getting four cards of a royal is a constant to any poker machine player. We may give that place a visit today. My new positive attitude kept me from typing, "we may pay them a visit".

The ability to get up and go makes us a winner no matter if we do loose a few bucks! I like that reality softening rationale! "If you're able to lose it, you're a winner".

We have no more right to consume happiness without producing it than to consume wealth without producing it. ~George Bernard Shaw

December 5

Anda waay wee gooo! Right out of one day into the next. That has been happening for a long time to people all over the land and we're hoping that it continues for a lot of them. I'm not going to try making a list for you because it would be so long as to be impossible and the chance of miss listing someone is too great.

I think I might be able to make a good list of the few that my hope doesn't cover but it might not be the same tomorrow as it is today. That list is a constant changing tally. I can forgive in a day but there are times when it takes an extra day or so. That means that usually there is at least one or two on there. I'm sorry!

Thinking about the population as a whole, the largest list would probably be of those that I have no opinion. On second thought a no opinion would be for instead of against so we're back to the original two lists and right near the end of this B.S.

Yesterday's breakfast was just fine. I was not too surprised when they insisted that I had to buy the $1.50 cup of coffee in order to get the free breakfast. The only thing I could think of to lessen that impact was to drink three of their free refills. Figuring it that way I came away feeling like instead of getting a free breakfast, they paid me $4.50 to eat it. Four cups of coffee @ $1.50 each equals $6.00. $6.00 less the $1.50 that I paid leaves me $4.50 ahead.

Even beyond that was the extra energy I left the cafe with. It's was still pretty cool when we left but I strode to the car so fast that there wasn't any chance at all for me to get even a tiny little chill. Matter of fact until the caffeine wore off not much of anything bothered me. Well, hearing the off notes in my singing as we drove to the next stop did bother me a little and Glenda a lot. I'm just not a singer...........nor typist as far as that goes. If we had come home I might have been a hyper typer for a little while.

Is it too late to end this? Yes, I know. Four words into it that the spell checker highlights when I try to send it would probably have been a tad too late.

A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down. ~Arnold Glasgow

December 4

Yesterday was a bummer! Yes, we went to the Fiesta and picked up our free $5.00 cash. Yes, we played bingo where the main game was for $59,255 in 55 numbers or less. Yes, we didn't win a thing. Yes, no one else won that game either. Yes, we lost our free $5.00 plus a little. Yes, we went to the Sunset Station Casino. Yes, we picked up our free $3.00 cash. Yes, we et at the buffet there for free. Yes, we lost our $3.00 plus. Yes, yes yes, damit yes, neither of us were money winners yesterday but we enjoyed ourselves and we're very thankful that we can still go and do it. Viagra just helps a man to be all he can be. I'm not sure but I suspect they may have found a way to give it to some of the machines. A couple of them have really screwed me bad!

Today it is listed to be a stop at the Fortune Casino for their free "you buy the coffee and we'll buy the breakfast" deal. Going to meet Aunt Ruby and Uncle Carl there. Coffee will probably cost us two dollars a cup. I wonder if I just order water, will I get a free breakfast? I'll let you know.

I almost forgot the, 'need to stop' at the Fiesta for a free (come on) gift and another, 'need to stop' at Sunset Station for another free (come on) gift of some kind. Looking for bargain meals and picking up our freebies sure takes a lot of our time and some of the times can get a little costly too.

The weather here and weekend forecast is: 37 was our low for Friday night taken at 4:55 A.M. Saturday will be calm with scattered clouds with a high of 59 during the day and a low around 37 overnight. Sunday brings a slight chance of rain showers through Sunday night with the same temperature range as Saturday. Scattered clouds for Monday morning with highs around 53.

We saw Santa Claus walking down Flamingo the other day. His big white beard and huge belly exposed him tho he was disguised as a street person pushing a grocery cart. He didn't act very jolly either. It looked to me like some lucky person is going to be very surprised Christmas morning when they wake up to find a large collection of used aluminum cans under their tree. Right now I could use a bunch of them myself. I guess it could be that Santa is really ho-ho-homeless. I believe anything is possible out here!

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer; it sings because it has a song. ~Maya Angelou

December 3

We got some Christmas lights strung out and the SP2 update downloaded, we're still here. No worse than some of the women I've know over the years...what a bitch! I saved here and I saved there then I just hoped for the best and did the update. Seems like all of the useless savings and worry was for naught.

I hvne't ben able to se any problms yt but it mae tke awhle. Wer hopn fr th bst! The spell cheker may ned a help but Idon'ty remmeber svaing it so fogve my inapt spelin. Iv livd wit it soooo log aso yrur probly useto it binw anewa.

Aunt Ruby came by around 7:30 with Aunt Donna in the car. They collected Glenda and headed for the Railroad Pass to make their fortune. Glenda returned around 11:P.M. dragging her purse. No it wasn't of any heaviness created by lots of money. The problem was the really lowdown feelings she attained by the beating she took at the poker machines were so strong she was unable to stand up straight. She just come dragging in frowning.

Today is a free gift day at the Fiesta and also Sunset Station so there goes another thirty miles on the car. At least the gasoline has come down from $2.099 to $2.059. That means instead of a fuel cost of .091 cents per mile it's down to .0895 cents per mile now. Only around $2.685 cents to drive there and back. That is if I don't need to punch it any. I had to do that a couple of days ago. It sure sucked the gas mileage down but it did bring a big smile to my face. That old car still can flat get it on!

December 2

Another day of wind, sunshine and mid-fifties weather. One doesn't notice the wind or cool weather while engaged in a luck match with any of the crooked money stealing poker machines. Before Tuesday that was Glenda's feeling because she couldn't seem to win which I didn't share because I was. Now Glenda is wining and I'm loosing so we've reversed or exchanged our positions.

I've developed a big liking for the penny Joker Poker machines. Glenda is more hung up on the Deuces Wild game. She has hit the four deuces two times in the last three days. Winning some is the good, the bad is, she hasn't had enough coins in to win great big yet.

We visited MonteLago and Sam's Town yesterday. Glenda won a little at both places. I won a little at MonteLago but the only way I could say I won at Sam's Town is by counting the free buffet as an eleven dollar value. We played bingo there which has only proven to be a nerve wracking waste of time and money.

For spending, as near as I know, I've got a lot more time than money so my thoughts are to stay home today and spend some time putting up a few strands of Christmas lights and working on the computer. I've still not got the Norton Ghost working yet. I'm starting to worry about not having the SP2 update for Windows XP installed.

Usually by the time I read all of the emails, subscribed to articles, read three newspapers and type some sort of gibberish, I'm too tired sitting here to work on it.

I'm a mite tried right now.................

"Courage is the first of all the virtues because if you haven't courage, you may not have the opportunity to use any of the others." --Samuel Johnson

Have a good day!

December 1

Another day, another dollar. Hopefully this will be one of those days when the dollar comes in instead of going out. Glenda came home last night with more dollars than she took so things are looking up. She did it using pennies. A penny for your thoughts is usually what happens. You play with thoughts of a win as the machine takes your pennies. We usually play nine cents at a time so it doesn't take long to go through a buck if you don't win a little. After the dollar is gone I go to a different machine with another dollar. I usually find a good one within three dollars. I've been a good picker. No little boogers hanging around me.

It's a good thing Glenda finally won something. She had begun talking of quite a few things that we could be doing on this mobile home and lot instead of visiting casinos. Shucks, it has a couple of nails to hang your hat, a kitchen to fix your food, a bed to lay your body and an indoor toilet, what more does one need? Oh, I forgot the TV's that we have to watch. One in front of our, her and his recliners, that we can go to sleep by and another in the bedroom to sleep by after it gets dark.

What a deal! We drove thru hell and slick roads to get here but the memories of the warm days and all of the sunshine pushed us on. Now that we're here we still need to rely on our memories because it's been cold ever since we arrived. Freezing or below every night with the highs only into the lower or mid fifties. And do I need to mention the wind? I think it must be a little like the waves at the lake. They are mostly caused by those asshole boaters running back and forth trying to show off their signs of wealth. While out here most of the wind must be caused by the very fast pace and the hurry scurry of gamblers trying to distribute their wealth.

So much for today's insight or outlook or as most call it, 'waste of time'.

May happy hug you tight and be your closest companion all day.

November 30

11/30/04--30*AT 5:00 A.M.

I mistakenly thought that we came out here for the warmer weather. Right now the weather in Missouri sounds a bit warmer. I'm sure all of that will change soon and our goal will be realized. The TV said the temperature was 28* this morning in Boulder City but not according to my Struebbe Atomic Clock and it's outside temperature attachment. No complaints from us anyway!

Yesterday was a good day for me on the penny slots but Glenda had her problems. We visited two casino, Sam's Town and the Boulder Station. I did okay at both but the better of the two was Boulder Station. That was because they paid us to eat their buffet. Well, the buffet was free and I won so I guess it would depend on how much Glenda lost. She didn't say but she isn't one to gamble very much if things don't seem to be going her way.

Today she is heading out with her Aunt Ruby for their weekly shopping, breakfast and lunch trip in Henderson and Las Vegas. There will be several opportunities to gamble and if she takes advantage of one I'm hoping it will end on a positive. That is + in her purse when she gets finished playing.

I've things to do around here and besides, some must save so others can gamble.

"The best things in life are dreams". Without a dream of some kind, what's the use?

November 29

11/29/02-5:25 a.m.-34 degrees-wind 15 mph.

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?

We had some snow mixed with very small sleet here yesterday morning. I had Mikey in the desert where we were both freezing when things kept hitting me on the head. At first I thought it was something off the bushes that the wind was blowing about but after further investigation discovered that it was the snow and sleet. We rushed home and got Glenda out to look. It all came from a big ugly lone cloud that was passing by. We were able to see the stuff on the porch for a bit before it was gone too. In just a short time the cloud and all of it's droppings were gone and all it left were the memories and some pretty cool weather. At 1:00 yesterday it was only 49 degrees.

We did our home thing yesterday. We stayed home! Didn't go anywhere at all. What a nice day it was. Me trying to get stuff saved on the computer so we can update windows while Glenda watched a few football games. I guess I mean we planned to stay home but when Aunt Ruby called Glenda, she succumbed to the temptation and accompanied Ruby to Railroad Pass. As with falling for most temptations the gratification burned off in a short period of time leaving Glenda with nothing but the knowledge that it had been a mistake. Unfortunately she paid pretty good for that lesson!

The snow and sleet wasn't the only excitement yesterday. We observed two city police cars pull up to 1305 Redwood. The officers went to the door together but I don't believe anyone answered the door. I doubt that it would take two officers to serve a paper but we've no idea why they were there. We're going to keep a sharp eye out.

So far I've been unable to use Norton Ghost properly and have been unable to save anything. All I've accomplished is the wasting of eight CD's. I'll use the book today and try again.

"Smile, it enhances your face value." -- Truvy (Dolly Parton) in "Steel Magnolias."

November 28

Yesterday was a windy and cool day but Mikey and I enjoyed it. He is thrilled to be able to check out all of the dog messages left in the desert each day. He doesn't seem to care too much about the walk around the patch of desert that we have in back. I think he prefers only to check out the closer message posts. When we do the whole walk he follows with his head down and acts like he would rather be somewhere else. We are fast approaching the time where I take him out back for a little while then bring him in when I take the walk.

Picked up a free gift at the Sunset Station yesterday. It was a bag with doggie chews, a knotted rope and a ball. Mikey is a happy animal right now. Of course we each got a bag so he is double happy.

After that we went to Sam's Town for our free $5. Glenda had the wrong day so we didn't get it, instead we each gave Sam's Town $5. We'll need to go back over there Monday and hopefully get it back plus.

Last night Ruby and Carl came over. We played dominoes and snacked. Played for a quarter a game and ended up proving that we can just stay home and still loose money, just not as much.

Not much to this message either but I've run down.

"To swear off making mistakes is very easy. All you have to do is swear off having ideas." -- Leo Burnett

November 26

No big wins yesterday tho I did win $35 on a couple of penny Joker Poker machines at the Fiesta. We played three o'clock bingo there too but didn't come very close to a win. The other day at Sunset playing bingo, I only needed one number to bingo at the double hardway game. The number I needed was the hot ball for the day and would have paid me $3282.00. I had about five chances for them to call it but nada. Finally someone else won the game but without the hot ball of course.

We went to Fry's and picked up a few bargains including the Norton program Ghost which should allow me to save my stuff so that I can do the SP2 download. I'm not looking forward to that anyway.

Today is another free champagne brunch at the Railroad Pass. We'll probably get there around 10:30. That might allow us to go without eating anything else during the day. Well, maybe a little something light this evening.

"I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people's accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man's failures." -- Chief Justice Earl Warren

November 25

What a nice day yesterday was. Mikey and I took a long walk across the desert to the road then down it across it then back. Mikey was tired by the time we returned. Not me tho, Glenda's cooking turkey and the other cooking stuff had a smell in the air that perked me up greatly. Gee I was hungry!

I think it was the long walk that finally caught up with me about an hour after eating. I'm not for sure that it was the walk because this turkey really stuffed himself. After feeling bad about it for awhile I discover a couple of things that might cause me do that more often.

When I looked in the mirror later on, I noticed that the huge wattle hanging under my chin seemed smaller. I think the smaller size may have been caused by the weight of the overstuffed stomach stretching the skin down. My ears seemed a bit lower too and I was breathing better because my nostrils seemed larger. Too bad but my nose didn't seem any smaller. My sideburns were down below my ears. I made the mistake of trimming them. This morning after the stuffing had been digested and all the things taken care of lessening the weight considerably, I was shocked to notice that I have no sideburns at all and have a rectangular shaved space of about an inch wide and 3/8 of an inch deep up into my hairline. Weird looking but I'm sure it will grow back. I'm hoping pretty quick!

As I sat in the recliner later yesterday I got a little dozy until Glenda found a program on TV that was of enough interest as to pull me up again. Now that I think about it the reason could have been the weight from below was also pulling my eyes open wider and that made me think I was more awake. I did slip off to bed around 7:10. Had a good nights sleep too.

I only drove 4.7 miles yesterday and that was just going to the grocery store and back. No money grubbing casinos for us yesterday!

Here's hoping that your day will be all that you want it to be.

November 25

First things first. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!You know what? People that still are have so many things to be thankful forit is beyond comprehension yet there are so many folks that never give it athought and take it all, including life, for granted. Not so for some ofus! We would rather fret and worry about the comings of the day as we tryto manipulate happenings to our desires. The people like me are sosurprised when a day comes by and it works we can't help but be thankful.No really, even if daily things doesn't work out to a persons delighteveryday, the fact of just being and all of the un-thought aboutcomplications over the years to keep one here should cause pause. A timeout to be thankful and if given enough thought could result in astonishmentat the same time. What a blessing! Only by God's grace are we!Enjoy your day!Most of us spend our lives as if we have another one in the bank.~Ben Irwin

November 24

Good morning,

We've already let yesterday slip by failing to accomplish a whole heck of a lot. Tis' a shame and now it's too late to go back and redo it. I'm not saying that we completely wasted an important day of our lives. Every one of allocated days are important. I'm just saying that like a lot of other folks in this world, we didn't do all that we could have. A terrible waste! Do I sound sorry? Well I'm not! We had a good time and enjoyed the whole day.

Sam's Town took a little money from us but they allowed us to decide the amount and how we wanted to turn it loose. At the machines I was staying ahead but we decided to play bingo. The last game made me a nervous wreck. It was a coverall with three chances to win. I had two cards needing three numbers. The caller called one of my numbers leaving me two shy of winning on two cards but another won the first game. The first number drawn for the second chance was one of the two that I was left needing on both cards but it turned up the second winner. Now I was down to needing only one number for either card. If they pulled the correct number on one of my cards (orange) it would be a $500 pot. On the second card (tan) it would be a $750 pot. How could I miss? I was sitting there thinking how high I should jump when I yelled bingo as and the caller called a number. The only two reasons that I couldn't have danced under a limbo stick set 12 inches off the ground was because of my girth and the fact that I was shaking so much I would have made the stick fall just by getting close to it. Sad it was but the excitement of the moment before the last call remains fresh in my mind as a big natural high that will probably cause me to play several more times. Hey, maybe I can win the next time.

Today a free, (ha), pumpkin pie each at Sunset Station and a free, (ha), apple pie each along with the last scratch on our ticket for this week. We don't eat pies so what to do with them is something we're working on. We know two people here in the park that we're pretty sure would enjoy one apiece leaving us looking for a home for the other two. A giveaway shouldn't be too complicated.

To lessen my complications I'll end this now.

"Slavery and torture were outlawed a long time ago, but, for some reason, marriage is still legal." -- humorist Ashleigh Brilliant

November 23

Too much I've read on the internet this morning making me too tired to sit here much longer. There is no telling what you missed. Happily I'm sure. I've found one of the ways that I can really bring happiness to most others is to type very little or not at all. Only selfishness makes me keep doing it. I Like our animals too much to be kicking them around and Lord knows it turns out too painful to take any of my frustrations out on Glenda. Where does that leave me? Sending messages. Poor, uninteresting and sometimes a tad nasty but it is an outlet that relieves internal pressures and decreases tummy pains and the chance for ulcers. I don't eat at the computer either. That may have something to do with the fact that I can't chew and type at the same time.

Yesterday was a 50.3 mile day. Our anti-virus subscription was going to run shortly after we got here so we purchased Norton System works 2005 in Missouri only to find it was cheaper just to update it so we took the thing back to Sam's Club. Since then I've found it on-line, free after rebates. We lost a little money there.

Stopped at Sam's Town for our free point scratch off then played a little. I won at all three machines that I played. The problem was on two of them I got greedy and ended up with a Kerry. Had a, "I won before I lost", kind of deal. We also took an hour to play bingo with the minimal expenditure which ended up being a $6.00 contribution to the place from each of us.

It's Sam's Town again for another scratching sometime today but that trip will probably be a lot later. It is so foggy out that we can barely see across the street.

It has come now to a place where I can barely see myself sitting here any longer.

Did you know, that the typical 15-pound turkey is 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat.

November 22

Yesterday was a 'watch the race' day but afterwards it seemed like a good idea to pay a visit to the Fortune Club. Bad idea and pay we did. Putting one dollar in a penny machine, then playing only ten cents a play can make one think he/she isn't gambling much. You win a little then lose a little but before you know it it's time to put another dollar in. This is a slow way to lose more than you want to. Some folks put $20 into a penny machine then bet 100 coins each play. I've seen them win but I've also seen them put the second and third twenty in. I'm sticking to being a cheapie with the one dollar and a bet of ten cents at a time.

It rained all day yesterday and most of the night too. It's still raining. All the rain and also some snow on the hills that we can see from the porch is totally unusual for here we're told. We're even being blamed of bringing some Missouri weather out here with us. Neither Glenda nor I see a problem with the weather at all. Seems like home to us.

Today another visit to Sam's town is a probable. We've got tickets for free points but they must be the ones that scratch the black off. We've got scratch offs for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The points come in handy when you get hungry.

Glenda isn't a happy camper this morning because the cable TV is out for some reason. This computer uses the same cable and it still works making me happy.

"Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles. What do we live for if not to make the world less difficult for each other?" -- George Eliot, Novelist

November 21

I got the trees finished yesterday and all the limbs cleaned up. Couldn't have done that today because we're getting one of those hardly ever rains this morning. It started in around 2:00 and hasn't let up yet.

We met Aunt Ruby at the Railroad Pass for brunch yesterday. It was a good meal and it was one of those meals, free but they paid us to eat there kind of deal. Playing a nickel machine I got back $25 more than I put into it. At the brunch no one waited on us so we had to get our own drinks and eating utensils. I wasn't going to leave a tip but the waiter picked up our plates just before we got up to leave and they made me tip a dollar. I'm still mad about that! The waitress did not do one tiny solitary thing for us and they made me leave her a buck. Does that sound right to you? Paying people for nothing rankles my craw!

After I cashed in my winnings I gave $20 to Glenda and came home. Glenda spent the day with Ruby out and about. She didn't give me my twenty back when she got home either. She said she had a good time and I got a lot of 'no TV on' reading done too, so I guess it was worth it.

Today is a race day and I imagine we'll stay home to watch that. I think it is the last race of the year.

There is only one success--to be able to spend your life in your own way.~Christopher Morley

November 20

Today our list begins with,................well getting up and getting ready is a given and doesn't appear on the list, so the beginning is a listing for a free champagne brunch at the Railroad Pass Casino. The free used here is one of those tongue in cheek words. Most of the time it really isn't that bad and better than nothing. At least we get a little something for our gambling expenditures. Every once in awhile we end up winning some which in effect makes them paying us to eat. I love that! The last free buffet I even told Glenda that I was going to start tipping 20%. The cost that is paid at the time of the meal being nothing, 20% of nothing is nothing. That sounded like a plan to me. Unfortunately Glenda took exception to it and made me leave two bucks. Two bucks for someone to bring us a glass of water and eating utensils? Give me a break! I can and would get the stuff myself for a lot less than two bucks but for some reason Glenda won't go along with that plan either. She must be a spendthrift.

After the brunch entry the list starts to get a little harder to read and interpret but I think it says come home and work on the trees in the back. Glenda is the only one that can read it for sure and when I ask her about it she just shakes her head affirmatively and grins that Mona Lisa type smile.

I guess the only thing I can do is wait and see.

No need to wait and see where the ending of this is...........It's here now........Bye

November 19

Had problems sending messages this morning and they were all caused by my stupidity. After trying to send one every few minutes for over an hour I discovered I was trying to send it from Charter. No big deal but I can't believe it took me so long to realize the problem.

We're having other problems too. One other is the time difference. We get tired pretty early in the evening and wake up way too early. Last night we went to bed around 9:30 with this mornings get up time coming around 4:40. We have quite a few things that we could do around here but we like putting some of them off just to save things to do. We haven't been leaving to get our free points until around noon which makes the mornings very long. During the mornings Glenda has been walking with Mikey while I've been reading. It is enjoyable but I'm thinking it will be better when we get adjusted to the new time.

Tomi may never adjust. I've fed him around 4:00 in the afternoon for too long. Now he starts bugging me to feed him around 2:00 when we're here. The same with mornings. I fed him around 5:00 a.m. at home so now he starts wandering and causing problems around 2:30 or 3:00 every morning. I've been getting up and feeding him a very small amount then shutting the bedroom door to keep him out. He will adjust or teach us to.

Mikey has no problem with anything other than our leaving him for awhile each day. He seems to pout every morning then when we make it back home it's happy times for awhile. Then it is back to like we never left. He is a really nice forgiver.

We've got to do the Sam's Town stop again today to pick up our free points that we turn into free food. A free gift of some kind is being offered at the Sunset Station. The thought is to play a little game of Bingo at one of those places........or not. Out here I never know what we'll do or where we may end up.

End up sounds like a nice idea.............................so I will.

November 18

Not much to say about this day. We did go to Henderson for a stop at Sam's Town to get our points then stopped at the Emerald Isle and Wal-Mart on the way home. Had a free buffet at Sam's Town which cost us a pretty penny but we enjoyed it. Dropped four dollars at Emerald Isle too. Needed ink for the printer so Wal-Mart was the most expensive stop of the day. We drove a total of 36.1 miles which took about $2.90 worth of gasoline.

Maybe I'll think of something else to say in the morning.

Evening, November 17

Today we used the car and some of the $1.919 gas that we bought in Kingman, Arizona. It's seeping away. We've got to conserve that as much as we can because the gas here is $2.099 at the lowest priced place in town.

We paid a visit to the Sunset Station Casino where we redid our card stuff for the months we plan to be here. We did receive a two for one buffet thing and used it pronto. We used the last of our points for the meal so the cost could have been free if not for the two dollar tip.........That is if you don't count the money stuck into the machines. We did escape there with a full stomach! Does wallet sound like a question?

Headed on across to Sam's town to do our renew there. We received a bunch of points and cards to redeem for a pie and a pie plate later in the month. We played some of the machines there and promptly paid for their free givies. "Free is just another word for something you must lose."

We stopped at food 4 less on the way home and picked up a nice frozen turkey on sale for $3.00 and some pork steak for only $1.18 per pound. We picked out a pork butt and had it sliced. The guy that did the slicing was so very nice and told me that he wasn't supposed to do it after the clean up but for me he would. He was such a nice guy about the deal and repeated that he wasn't supposed to do it after 3:00 so many times that only as we walked off did dumb me realized that a tip was being asked for. Dumb saved me again!

We are still having a problem with the two hour difference in the times of where we live and where we are. Getting up this morning at 3:45 sounds early to the here about, but to us it was 5:45. No big deal except 5:30 p.m. here is 7:30 at home which means my bedtime isn't that far off.

Off is the next thing I'm going to do here...........

November 17

Troubles! The guy came as agreed Monday morning and proceeded to hook us up to cable. After almost three hours of trying to get my new one cent computer modem and two others to work without any success he left telling us his supervisor would be here between 2 and 6 to check things out.

His supervisor came around 3:00 and did the same things that the first guy did and trying a fourth modem. All with the same success as the first guy. He left telling us there would be bigger bosses here Tuesday morning to fix the thing tho he doesn't know what needs fixed. He is sure that it's something with the server.

A guy in a big truck came just before noon yesterday and fixed us up. He said the problem had been the box?? for this area had never been set for internet. He set it and then came hooked us up again and here we are. The first ones in the whole area to ever use the cable for our internet service.

My arms look like I've got some kind of rash. Even tho I wore long sleeves they weren't able to deter the stickers of the tree limbs of the tree out front. Putting our step ladder against the tree then laying into the tree wasn't very comfortable and gave me a rashy looking stomach but the tree was too high and thick to do very much from the ground. I did finally get it trimmed by lashing the trimmer to a shovel handle. Using the shovel head as a counter balance worked okay and did enable me to finally get the thing timed.

Just across the fence in back we have seven more trees that need trimmed. Four of them are Pomegranate??? trees. Yep, big sharp thorns. I don't look for those trimmings to be near as bad as the one tree in front was. I may tackle them today.....or not.

Glenda made a sashay into the world of make believe with her Aunt Ruby yesterday. She came home carrying her purse as opposed to dragging it because of all the heavy money it contained.

So much for today's stuff..................

F.Y.I.

The national directory of cell phone numbers is about to be published. Once this happens telemarketers will have access to your cell phone number!

This will be even more annoying than the calls to your "regular" phone because in addition to being a disruption, these calls will also use your cellular minutes.

If you wish to avoid this, register your cell number on the National Do Not Call list as soon as possible. You can do this by calling 888-382-1222 from the phone you wish to register.

Or you can go to their web site at www.donotcall.gov and add your number.

November 11/12/13

We had a very nice trip almost. It was pleasant enough across the crooked Y19, Y, and W then got a tad better down 54 but by I44 it was daylight. That and four lane road was where the where the enjoyment rose to a greater degree. It got even better driving across Oklahoma and their 75 MPH toll roads. Then came that stupid backward Texas with it's lousy 70 MPH speed limit....unless it's dark then It goes down to a measly 65 MPH. The ride was beginning to tell on us and poking across Texas didn't come at a very good time. Thank goodness we were able to scramble across before dark!

Into New Mexico, with their nice roads and 75 MPH speed limit, our sprits again began to lift, especially so when we didn't find the incumbent weather that had been forecast for that area.

We made it to Albuquerque, New Mexico around 7:00 P.M. and found a room for the night. That cost was only $36.20 total and it even had a TV. The weatherman on that TV told us to expect one or two inches of snow to accumulate on the area overnight. It looked to be a small band of bad weather so we went to bed knowing it wouldn't take us long to drive out of it the next day.

The next morning we were pleasantly surprised to discover no snow at all. We left there around 5:30 our time in very high spirits. That lasted for only about twenty minutes. If white is good and black is bad, about twelve miles out of Albuquerque we had a hell of a 110 mile two and a half hour ride experiencing the good and bad together! It is the blackest before the dawn and we were real deep into it when out of that black came the ugliest white stuff you would ever want to see. It had the roads and all the surrounding grounds deeply covered with the stuff in no time at all. When you can barely see beyond your nose and having all the road markings covered up, it is extremely hard to travel more than 20 or 30 miles per hour. When it started we were in a construction zone where the speed limit was limited to 45 MPH. In just a few minutes in we were unable to reach that speed again.

After the snow there was a strip of ice that we didn't know was. I thought that we might have a flat tire because of the way the car was handling so we stopped to check the tires only to discover the problem was with the road and it's covering of ice. The ice wasn't a real problem however and we were soon out of it to good seeable pavement and 75 MPH driving. We always assume the patrol will give us about a 4 MPH allowance so we actually set the cruise for 79 or 80 MPH. We did average 27.3 miles per gallon over the last 593 miles which included our snow and ice driving. Not too shabby for an old car with a big V8.

November 10

Today, a trip to Jeff is in bold font and pretty high on the list. I've got a dental appointment for a cleaning among the sub-titles, as well as a visit with Lena where we will try to explain to her how to use the cell phone. Another is the selling of our cans. No! We're not going into prostitution, we're taking along our bag of crushed aluminum cans hoping to get high dollar for them. I'm thinking around $8.00 tax free should be in my pocket shortly after stopping at the recycle joint.

I'm a little concerned about teaching Lena the paths through all of the cell phone's functions. Glenda and I played around with it enough to know how to make and receive calls but beyond that.........We did get her a voice mail set but there seems to be a problem with the password while trying to retrieve a message. Maybe I've got that mixed up with our phone. Anyway, all we can hope for is that a couple, in this case three, blind people can stumble through far enough to make the trip fun and successful. It's probable that Bob, a more knowledgeable person, will need to be called in before this inning is over.

Having a mobile phone for over twenty five years means nothing! A mobile phone is just a real phone while a cell phone, containing about the same amount of buttons is a very complicated form of commutations. I would say they're not for the slow or dim-witted but everywhere you go you see doubtfully smart people with the thing stuck to their ear. If it takes an fairly intelligent person to learn how to use one, there are millions of intelligent folks that prefer living poor. The phones seem to be pretty expensive yet we see people that in ragged clothing and their toes sticking out holes in their shoes, talking on one. Some of these people look to be only a step or two away from being a street person.

I've about come to the conclusion that the cell phone is addictive and once you get caught in it's web you can't give it up for anything. They are so expensive that the results of the addiction might be evidenced by the people on the street, looking like a street person in ragged clothing in shoes that allow their toes to stick out through all the holes, still with a phone to their ear. Poor folks using their money to keep the phone going while ignoring their basic needs.

Anyway, we are going to take the chance and hope for the best. OUR PHONE WILL ONLY BE USED IN AN EMERGENCY!

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast, you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." Eddie Cantor

November 9

'Red in the morning, sailors take warning.' From the way it looks out there, I don't think I'll be getting into any boats today. It sure is kind of pretty tho. It is 45 degrees here at this time with a stiff breeze out of what looks to be the southeast. 'It's an evil wind that blows no good.'

We're getting close to our final throbs before shooting out of here. I certainly would hate to forget something important and that keeps my mind on 'search', which slows the 'now reality' mode down quite a bit. Because of that and several other things that I ought to be attending to, any further reading from here will be canceled for today.

Gee! I'm thankful for the free Gurunet program. I discovered the difference between aught and ought as well as further and farther. Yes, I probably learned that in school but my goodness, that was over forty five years ago. And that was back when I didn't pay too much attention to book learning so I may not have ever known the difference. Too late I see the error of my ways. I've stumbled through life clear out here into the middle of old, only to discover that I didn't bring along enough real knowledge to keep me afloat. I've really got to kick to stay here.

The computer is a really good kicking exercise and I'm learning a lot thru it but still not enough to float yet. Part of the reasons you get these messages is from my desire to keep my head up without kicking.

Our neighbor was x-rayed and told that he had three cracked ribs. He was given some pain medicine and sent home. They didn't tape him up or anything. It didn't sound right but he was told they don't tape anymore because it increases the chance of pneumonia. He is a little worried that the pain medication is going to run out long before the pain.

If I have learned one thing in this life, it is that God will not tie my shoes without me.~Doug Boyd

November 8

Several things to do today, among them is taking our amassed cache of aluminum cans to town and converting them to gasoline for the trip. They won't come close to filling the tank but every little bit helps! Thankfully gas prices are coming down a little at this time. We're hoping they are still down even further before we leave then stay down the rest of the year!

It is going to be pretty cold here the next several days which, as we were told by the weatherman, could mean snow flurries on the first leg of our trip. If variety is the spice of life then our spice rack is pretty full, thanks to Missouri's weather. That hardly is the case in Boulder City, where it is usually about the same each day with mostly only one variable, that being how hard the wind is going to blow. There are too many spicy things in that area to depend on the weather for your spice anyway.

I sat Mikey down yesterday and looking him in the face, explained the trip. He got all fidgety and excited then ran off to get a toy for me to show his appreciate for the talk.

I thought it would be proper to show Tomi the same courtesy which I did. Funny, unlike Mikey, Tomi acted like he didn't give a shit. I imagine he's thinking it over and I don't expect to hear his opinion till he is in his crate and we're headed out. Then we'll get around a two hour summarization of his feelings on the subject before his sleep pill gives it a rest. Then we'll get another three hours more of it on the second leg because of the fact he will not take a pill the second time.

I've got to go! Russell, our neighbor just called and is in extreme pain due to a fall against his car yesterday. He made it through the night but feels he should go to the emergency room now. He says it feels like he has a rib about to poke through something. We'll let you know later...............

November 7

We did it! Got Lena the free extra 100 minutes of airtime on her cell phone. We were also able to pick up our extra minutes too. $60 worth of airtime that wasn't quite that large of a deal after subtracting the cost of the many long distance calls to Lena getting information we needed. We went step by step which caused us to call with one question then a few minutes later another call for another question and so on.

Yesterday was a fine day! We accomplished very much toward completion of our needed chores for leaving here. Glenda blew and burned leaves while I did the doors and the Tirtoon.

I put a Draft Buster shrink film over each of the four gapping sliding doors. I'm positive that makes a big difference in our heating bill. We need all the doors replaced but feel that foremost we should retain the ability to buy food.

The Tritoon needed the battery disconnected and charged. Also, I always check the toons to make sure there isn't any water there-in. Let the boat down, drag in out of the slip, turn it around then put it on the lift backwards allows me to check the two outside toons from the dock. The middle one requires me climbing in with the motor and playing contortionist. Of course that was the only one containing water! That has had it's effect on some of my muscles this morning. After draining that compartment, I put the boat down and reverse my prior actions.

I took the time to catch several Crappie yesterday too. I've been giving my catch to the guys working next door. I don't have the urge to clean them since I didn't even get the pump on the dock running this year.

Today I might use the blower one more time if it doesn't interfer with the NASCAR race. I think that starts around 2:30 so I should be safe.

Acceptance/concession: The difference between the President's words and those of Senator Kerry is aptly summed up in the first line of their remarks Wednesday. President Bush said, "I'm humbled," in contrast to Kerry, who said, "I'm gratified."

November 6

Well what do you know? We're blessed with another brisk beautiful morning. 49 degrees with a huge sun peeking thru the trees on yon side of the cove as it prepares to mount it's place in the sky. A good nights sleep behind us that always allows you and your conscience to meld and repair the problems of the days past leaving you feeling clean and with a renewed vigor for the life ahead with all of it's crooks and crevices.

Today we'll probably wrap up our leaf blowing for the year, check the pontoons on the boat to make sure they're not holding any water and charge the battery on that boat. That will leave a whole passel of things left to do but hey, with renewed vigor, no problem.

They took down a bunch of trees next door yesterday. They haven't hauled them out yet so it doesn't really look all that good but I'd say a heck of a lot better would still qualify. They've put new doors in where there wasn't any before, closed up the old door ways, new windows and took out the fireplace. They're doing some intensive stuff inside. I'm thinking it might be a high priced place by the time they get done.

Hope thinks are as well with you as you would want them to be!

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again. ~Og Mandino

November 2

Wore myself out reading all the stuff this morning. I'm tired of the computer and tired of the rain but I'm hoping to stay around till all of that changes. As far as the rain goes, it may be we'll need to travel on out of here to get that changed. The computer reading should automatically lighten up in a couple of days. Meanwhile we will continue stumbling along waiting as we enjoy being alive and healthy as best we can.

All the political crap sure gets depressing after awhile but that's coming to a head with today being just about the worst. The last few nights have been pretty bad with phone calls from George, Laura, and about ten others. Glenda isn't here to help me with the list but one thing I noted on my own, not one call from any Democrat.

I'm not sure if the high political pressures via TV, radio and telephone over the past so very long had an influence on my thinking or not but as I cleaned out Tomi's litter box at 5:08 a.m. this morning my thoughts turned to politics and I really felt good when I cast the collected mess over the seawall into the lake. Hopefully this shit is about over! We're already dreading all the probable lawsuits!

The notion that Europe is united in opposition to U.S. policy in Iraq is a myth. Twenty-one European countries have sent troops to Iraq, as have 16 of the 26 NATO member states. The opposition of French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to the liberation of Iraq shouldn't be perceived as representative of Europe as a whole. Indeed, a majority of European governments backed the U.S. decision to liberate Iraq." --Nile Gardiner

November 1

Man, we moved the leaves yesterday! Moved them, then burned them. We finished about an hour and a half before the rain began. Well, we didn't really finish, we just quit for the day. You never ever finish with the leaves when you have so many trees hanging around. It's pretty much a year round battle.

I did take some time to put the battery charger on the boat batteries. While I was down there I made a few casts with a jig and caught five Crappie. Unfortunately only three of them were of a keeping size. I put'em in the basket thinking I might add to them but I haven't yet.

It is a pretty dreary looking day here. Luckily we have warm hearts and a few choice books so we'll not miss a beat. However, it seems to be a regular day in the correspondence department finding me again with nothing to say. You never know from whence your next blessing might come.

"I wouldn't call it fascism exactly, but a political system nominally controlled by an irresponsible, dumbed down electorate who are manipulated by dishonest, cynical, controlled mass media that dispense the propaganda of a corrupt political establishment can hardly be described as democracy either." --Edward Zehr

October 31

It sure is a good thing, me not sending anymore messages for awhile. I don't have anything to say anyway. Not that I ever do but it keeps my mind active digging around in there trying to find something.

October 30

I'm having a heck of a time trying to keep ahead of the leaves this year! It's slowing down a little bit now but the battle won't be over for a long time. With gas at $1.939 a gallon we may be forced to abandon the fight.

Out of my address book another staunch Democrat couldn't take it any more and has come out of hiding. She is from Saint Louis so I'm not surprised. She has been sending me a few pro-Kerry things that like everything else, has nothing substantial that a person could hang their hat on. Mostly anti-Bush stuff. You know, nothing said about what Kerry will do or how he plans on doing it. Too bad so many people don't want to think for themselves, instead they would rather just follow a Judas Goat like the stockyards use. Kerry being the goat worries me plenty!

I sure hope the last little paragraph doesn't make anyone else angry, tho the lady in Saint Louis still hasn't gotten so angry as to tell me not to send her anything else, I'm thinking I won't send her this.

On the off chance that I did anger someone else, I'm sorry and I'll attempt to refrain from sending anymore emails for several days, tho I do think my worry is stronger than my sorrow.

"As if the conflicting polls of 'registered voters,' 'likely voters' and 'national adults' weren't confusing enough, now we have a pair of surveys of American children that show contradictory results: 'Senator John Kerry has been declared the winner of Nickelodeon's "Kids' Vote" according to kids nationwide who exercised their voting power in the network's presidential poll held online Oct. 19.... In this year's vote, Sen. John Kerry received 57% of the vote, and President George W. Bush received 43%.' But Scholastic, a children's publishing company, gives victory to Bush: In the 2004 Scholastic Election Poll, George W. Bush received 52 percent of the votes and the Democrat contender, John F. Kerry, received 47 percent.' Apparently kids who read favor Bush, while those who watch TV prefer Kerry. Hmm, whose parents are more likely to vote?" --James Taranto

October 29

Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what a beautiful day. Actually it is a nasty looking rainy beginning and rain is in the forcast for the rest of the day, but we're just so proud to be here!

A couple of friends over the hill from here were planning to travel to Egypt, leaving here on the 8th of November. They travel a lot every year and have been most everywhere but this years trip may be in jeopardy. We're told he, Ron, had some chest pains yesterday so his wife took him to the emergency room where they discovered he was in an immediate need of a bypass operation. If this is so I'm thinking their trip will probably need to be rescheduled. I believe too, it would certainly be time to sit down and thank God that this problem didn't wait to come up while they were on their trip, out in the middle of nowhere.

Also one of our son-in-laws, Mike, had some chest pains this week. He was taken to the hospital where they run some tests including the, from the groin area look. They saw no problems and surmised it to be a stress related problem. I talked to him just now and he sounds good but is going to work from home because of the soreness and need to be very careful of the incision at the groin.

At our house we just keep pidy padin along, blowing leaves, watching them fall, blowing leaves then watching them fall. The gas bill for the blower is really mounting up but you can't let the leaves get too far ahead of you because larger mounds are much harder to move. I did catch a nice Crappie yesterday. He must have been playing hooky. He was the only catch so the school must have been elsewhere.

Hey! As I look out the window now I'm thinking we may get a little sunshine before the rain.

"Some people are making such thorough preparation for rainy days that they aren't enjoying today's sunshine."-- William Feather, Author and Publisher

You get the sense that if George W. Bush said it was sunny, John Kerry would rise in indignation to speak about how a 10 percent possibility of light rain proves that George W. Bush has not been honest with the American people." --John Podhoretz

October 28

Very foggy here at this time but the temp is good at 64. I don't know what the forecast is but I do know that we'll enjoy the day as best we can no matter the weather.

Glenda and Ruthie will be doing the cooking of the meal that they will sell and serve at Lion Club's bingo tonight. If I play my cards right I might get a free meal out of it before they haul it out.

It is hard to believe that the world series is over! Losing four could be played games surely cost someone a lot of money! We only had two winners in the neighborhood baseball pot last night. Keith Truesdell won $5.00 with his Sox 1 Cards 0 square and Joe Thomas won the rest, $20, with his Sox 3 Cards 0 square. We had a sold out pool for the next game, that will not be, so I've got to chase around giving everyone their money back.

I've got to get scraping things together that I want to take to Boulder City and I might as well start some of that now........Bye

You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than you can by what others say about him. ~Leo Aikman