Monday Meandering - 10.27.2014

It's been a quiet week here in Lake Wobegon. At our age quiet is our preferred status, so it has been a good week.

Probably the most exciting thing that happened was to spot the Google Street View camera on my route - not once, but twice. If it was filming, I'll post the coordinates so you can see me driving down Koenig Road in October of 2014. Talk about an alibi!

A couple of times I have spotted an unusual couple out for a trek through the neighborhood. Both are outfitted in boots, walking shorts and boony hats - you know, the wide-brimmed floppy type, associated with the Outback or such. Each also has a backpack, but what is most striking is that they seem to be "poling" through the neighborhood; both have what like like ski poles, or a pair of walking sticks, and they are working the poles every step, at a really accelerated pace.

Well, I voted last week, but for some reason the TV networks have not recognized that fact and I'm still seeing all the political ads. Huh.

This week the US Women's Soccer team has been competing in the CONCACAF Tournament, which determines which teams in that conference will get invites to the World Cup next summer. The US qualified midweek with a win over Mexico, and met Costa Rica, also a qualifier, in the championship game Sunday night. Abby Wambach scored her 174th career international goal in the game. She also scored her 175th, 176th and 177th - about 50 more international goals than any other player, man or woman. The first 3 were headed in; nobody does that better. The 4th was a delicate little chip over the keeper's head, just to show she could do that, too. Looking forward to some soccer this summer!

Monday Meanderings - 10.20.2014

The news from Fangorn Forest is good this week; no major limbs fell on our heads (knock on wood - uh, wait!). My fear was that we were losing that pecan tree, since it seemed to be divesting itself of limbs at an alarming rate. I finally called an expert and Andy Arborist came out and checked everything out. He said that the tree was quite healthy - if it were not, it wouldn't be loaded with so many pecans. He blamed the breakage on the timing of periods of drought followed by good rains. And once it drops all its pecans we should be out of the woods. Heh heh.

If there is anything I like better than food at Chuy's it's free food at Chuy's. Our regular waitperson was vacationing in Maui this past week (maybe I'm over-tipping?) and we got Billy Beginner. After a long, long wait, the manager came by and told us that they discovered that Billy placed our order in the "training mode" which meant it never went to the kitchen, so our late-arriving meal was on the house. I'm good with that.

I have mentioned before that I find it odd that most gyms and fitness centers put all the heavy cardio equipment on the second floor. That's certainly the case at Silver's Gym, and the other day some guy right in the middle of the upper floor, on the edge overlooking the weight area, had his treadmill in warp mode. He was pounding it, and the floor was shaking so badly I had to hold on to the rail to cross to my treadmill. I kept thinking that when the floor collapsed I would be on top of those poor souls below - but under a treadmill!

Barb had a blind woman come by the other day and take measurements and then Friday a blind guy came by and installed...blinds. Okay, no more, I promise. Over the years we have had various window treatments - woven woods, shutters, shades, curtains, even some blinds, but now we have nicely coordinated matching wooden blinds in all our windows. I'm really liking the open view, but there is some discussion going on as to openness vs. privacy. I maintain that don't wander around in my unawares that much, but Barb's pretty insistent. She may be onto something.

Monday Meanderings - 10.13.2014

Looked out Friday morning and this bad boy was sitting on top of one of the bird feeders.

When I tried to get a picture he flew a few feet away to the utility wire. This shot doesn't provide a good perspective; this bird is more than 2 feet long! A Red-shouldered Hawk, I believe. Formidable-looking as he might seem, a gang of Jays chased him away a few minutes later.

Guy on the corner was flying a sign that said, "Need fuel for the space ship back to Mars." From the looks of him, he might be right.

In a recent John Sandford book, a character was described as "needing a fresh Chapstick for every time he read. Without Chapstick his lips got cracked and chapped."

I now get texts from my bank informing me of my current balance. That's okay, but I wish they didn't add "LOL" to the end of every text.

And I noticed a product at my local Walmart that I didn't even know I needed.

Monday Meanderings - 10.6.2014

Since Austin is now almost completely encircled with toll roads, I picked up a couple of TxTags for our vehicles the other day. The clerk carefully explained how to access my account online to keep up with the charges and payments, and even gave me an instruction sheet with all the needed information. However, when I got home, the website rejected all my attempts to log on.

I finally called the Customer Support Desk and explained my dilemma, and after several fruitless attempts, the support person asked, "What is your email address?" I told her, "Bob@*******." She laughed and said, "We had something else. I'll correct that." So while she is correcting my email address, I check the instruction sheet that I was given, and sure enough, they had  "Boob@*******."  Close, but no TxTag.

The AT&T saga continues, but this time the telephone support guy got it right. We still don't have our new phones, but at least the plan is all correct and working. While the telephone support guy was waiting on his manager to work out some details, we were chatting about this and that, and he asked  - since I lived in Texas - if I was a Cowboys fan, noting that they were off to a great start. I confessed that I was, even though I know if the Cowboys are 15 and 1 at the end of the regular season, they will break my heart in the playoffs.

Friday, there was a group of people surrounding one of those beach buggies, parked at the entrance to Virginia's on the Bay. I thought it might be a medical emergency of some kind; one of the men in the group turned to me and asked, "Do you have a crescent wrench in your car? My wife's seat belt won't release and she's trapped in the buggy."  Alas, we did not, but I assured her that we would bring her something to eat when we got ready to leave.

Same song, 4th verse. Welcome to Fangorn Forest. Beware the trees.

You had one job and one job only!