MORE MEANDERINGS

Quick note from the Adobe on Hillside Drive  Our week was a bit subdued as the Man of the house continues to fight lack of energy and thus, ours has not been a house filled with unlimited enthusiasm for activity.  Luckily, the LA Dodgers have been doing their thing with the Boston Red Sox and Ken has been tied to the television.  He is not much of a sports fan until they get down to the brass tacks of championship battle and then he develops interest especially when it is a home team.  He is a Dodger fan but not until they get down to the final games does he sit up and take notice.  It has been several years since he attended a game but alas, he has been known to enjoy attending on occasion when life was a bit spryer. I was surprised that he stayed up until almost 1 AM Friday/Saturday to see the Dodgers win game 3.  That was late for him but he was glued to the tele. Inasmuch as it was the only game the Dodgers won, it is good that he was able to share that one loud burst of applause!

Thursday, I Had my semi- annual checkup of my pacemaker and it seems to be running smoothly and according to plan.  Doctor says I have eight more years of battery and that will probably outlast my need. After the pacemaker checkup we drove to Beverly Hills to my eye Doctor for a look see at my eyes that seem to be of concern by others including Dr. Daood who seemed to think I should consult my eye Dr.  She prescribed an eye drop which is an anti-biotic but she did not see anything that was a source of concern for immediate action.  So, I will continue to haunt everyone with my red eye!

Ken and I vote absentee ballot and our votes are in.  I learned that you cannot write in a candidate when there has been a primary balloting process so I simply did not vote in two races that seemed to be a choice between two Socialists, neither of which I cared to be on record as supporting by vote or otherwise.  I emphasize with all of those who lament that they no longer identify with the country where they were born because of President Trump’s policies.   I wasn’t born in California but I can assure all who care, I do not identify with California’s politics.  While I love the State, the politics of many of its inhabitants are offensive to my values and beliefs.  The political climate does not live up to the promises inherent in its many other inviting characteristics sans earthquakes mind you!

No blog can post without a complaint, opinion or observation that I feel you need to know.  This week I want to share with you my experiences in the new services for home delivery that are being lauded by on line retailers i.e., Amazon, Walmart and Costco.  I believe that Target is readying themselves to join this new wave as well but I have not checked them out.  Daily we discover new issues related to the aging process. I thought that ordering heavy groceries and staples on line to be delivered to our home would remove some of the stress of shopping and carrying stuff in from the car.  Ken does most of the shopping and carrying the groceries in also seems to be a chore that he bears.  I enthusiastically made out my shopping list for Costco on line, pushed send on my computer order and sat back to await delivery of our first order promised in  two days.  As promised, two days later my orders arrived in relatively good condition in spite of  a few small dents in a couple of cans).   I was encouraged by this modernized and greatly improved version of the house to house peddlers that I remember from a bygone era. It is amazing what good ideas can come from new thought processes!

I was now encouraged but Costco does not carry some things that are required by our lifestyle or or their quantity is too large for our small pantry space.  Back to the on line shopping cart at Walmart I went and placed my order with Walmart, again for delivery two days later.  Once again, my delivery arrived as promised and again, a few dents but all still usable. I was excited.  Ordering on line was less expensive because I was not encouraged to buy items that struck my fancy as a result of tasting, looks or emotional appeal.  In addition, the packages were delivered onto the porch where we could open the boxes and easily carry the items into the those and not have to unload them from the car.  This was good.  What a help!

A few weeks later, I placed a second order with Walmart and Costco and again, both companies delivered two days later as promised.  Costco’s order was in good shape but Walmart’s packaging did not live up to expectations with several cans dented bad enough for me to be suspicious as to their reliability.  I had ordered 20 items and seven had to be returned to the store.  Now I am dealing with reverse inconvenience though the returned items were not heavy or bulky.  Nevertheless, this was not a desired effect.  Ken assumed responsibility for the return.  Although the wait to return the items was extraordinary  he reported that  the customer service was pleasant with no questions asked and a refund in full was credited to our credit card.   Somewhat disappointed, I was now having second thoughts about this great new service but I still felt somewhat upbeat inasmuch as Costco had managed to retain my enthusiasm.  I assumed Walmart would soon learn from its mistakes and I held out hope that their service would improve.  

  

Last week I decided to bite the bullet and try again.  Costco lived up to expectations but Walmart really blew it.  I ordered four jars of Alfredo sauce and they appeared to throw the unwrapped jars in the bottom of the shipping box with some miscellaneous items on top.  (I know they have a protocol for wrapping breakables, I have a trash can full of the stuff but alas, whoever packed the Alfredo sauce apparently was not aware that glass breaks!) As you might suspect, the Alfredo sauce arrived broken with sauce all over the items that had been thrown on top.  Once again, Ken returned the items for a credit that was issued without question and in a pleasant manner but that simply does not cut the mustard (or even spread it).  I have advised Walmart’s on line customer service of my disappointment. Further, I plan to write Walmart's CEO suggesting that they should not waste their money on college educations for their employees and that they (and the country in general) might be better served by teaching their employees how to think and the importance of competence and customer service.   In the interim,  my Walmart loyalty has undergone rethinking .  Perhaps their shipping department uses those same people who answer my telephoned request for help with my Internet question?

I am now going to try Amazon and see how they do.  They recently announced pay increases to all of their workers and I am curious to find out if that has helped their employees in using their head better than Walmart’s promised college education. We do live in interesting times.  

Life is a bowl of cherries!

WEEKLY MEANDERINGS

It is Sunday night and all through the house all is quiet,

Ken is safe in his bed and I am cheating on my diet

When suddenly I remembered, the GAZETTE must be done

How could I possibly miss out on that fun?

Poet and don’t know it but alas, my feet show it!

We had a good week and enjoyed our visit with niece, Debbie, from Indiana. We were sorry when it was time for her to return home to her dear family.  She missed her granny’s despite our best efforts to keep her occupied.  Terri took Monday off and they did a girl’s celebration of Debbi’s birthday and on Tuesday, Debbie and Ken took the train to Santa Barbara for lunch on the pier to complete her visit to California.  I was disappointed that a medical situation prevented me from accompanying them but life is what it is!  We sent her home, hopefully, not looking a day older than when she left, despite adding another year.  Unfortunately, she apparently picked up a bug during our visit and plans to call her Doctor tomorrow in hopes of gaining some relief from symptoms that sound like a cold.  I have heard reports of some inconvenient symptoms from a bug that tend to hang on.  We are hoping that we did not contribute to her current discomfort.

Wednesday and Thursday found us making routine visit to our Doctors with both of us being referred for further tests and oversight.  I have been having a problem with my eyes and the Doctor suggested that I should see my eye Doctor for follow up.  Likewise, Ken has been having a problem that seems related to his throat and he has a further test scheduled to check that.  He also had a lung function test this week and we await the results of that test.   Whatever did we do when we did not go to the Doctor at least once a eek and sometimes, more than that?

 

We completed our week with a lovely brunch celebrating Terri’s birthday served by Marci and Lauren out in the lovely new landscaped yard at Gary and Marci’s.  Gary had a skin cancer removed from the bottom of his foot and it developed blisters that curtailed his walking so he was home to join in the celebration. 

We have completed this week with dinner prepared and served by our friends Phil and Sheri.  They had invited us to join them for dinner but Ken has been having some shortness of breath that has curtailed his activities.  I was afraid that it was too much for us to plan on doing an afternoon out after Church and I was right.  So, since Ken could not come to dinner, Phil brought dinner to us.  Terri assisted while Ken and I assumed the role of royalty under the guise of “old age”.   Life is good!

Today is Ken’s brother, Don’s, birthday.  They are helping some friends move their furniture from Florida to Arizona and thus, we did not want to call him while he was driving and this evening when we should have called, we had company.  Nevertheless, we remembered him and wished him a Happy Birthday via Facebook but I am not sure he got that either.

Lauren left this morning for Kauai, HI.  She texted that they were checked in and ready to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Island.  We could not resist suggesting things for them to do and see while on the Island.  However, it sounded like they had planned their week without our assistance.  We just want them to enjoy and have a great time.  This is her first trip to Kauai and though we believe it is the prettiest Island in the chain, it is not the liveliest for the young.  We did try to prepare her for a more subdued lifestyle, but we hope she and her friend will liven the Island with their special charm.

The election is nigh and I have my absentee ballot at hand and Ken has completed and mailed his.  California has a lot of bond issues on the ballot and though many sound good and I would like to support them, the State has no shame when it comes to spending money it’s taxpayers do not have.  So far, I am inclined to vote yes on only one and that is to override a gas tax that is burdensome and ill conceived.  I also have a bit of an elitist attitude (i.e., deciding what is good for people over their own decision-making attributes) and deciding what is good for others by voting against increasing taxes that must be repaid by my children and grandchildren.  That, of course, may be in opposition to how they vote but Mother and/or Grandmother knows best!

Below you will find my latest meanderings of political thought.  Whether you read further or not is solely your decision. Your reading pleasure is not defined by my rant on a given day.  Have a good week!

The recent Kavanaugh experience has increased my awareness of just how concerned I think we all need to be for our country and the course we are on.  I am concerned for our Constitution and the rule of law that supports our rights under its guiding principles.  Admittedly, I have a conservative view of life.  While the view of others may be more progressive, ambitious or liberal in perception, I firmly believe that our disagreements are not liberal or conservative but rather who we want to be and how we achieve that end.

We all see the world from a personal perspective and that perspective varies in relation to our lifestyle, experiences and expectations. We see answers to problems from our perspective and experiences. Thus, it is important that we be introduced to and understand differing and alternative views if we are to reach a sustainable resolution to our problems in an understanding that differing views can be a framework to real solutions.  In today’s world, idea exchange and respect for alternative views has been rejected and exploration of ideas is no longer a welcome endeavor. When our institutions of higher learning cannot or will not allow people of different thought processes on their campuses, can we honestly believe that free speech abides there? 

Discourse of thought and sharing of ideas as to alternatives has been reduced to attacks bordering on violence that conveys a vulgar and tyrannical approach to opposing views.   As I hear the increasingly aggressive rhetoric that encourages hostility I am appalled.  I do not believe any of my friends or family engage in such actions. However, commitment to a few broadly shared values and party loyalty  assures their vote to reinforce that rhetoric and my heart breaks.   I do not know anyone personally who has joined the mobs on the street, many of whom wear masks to protect their identity.  Neither have I heard any outcry or criticism of these actions.  In fact, some of our high placed representatives have gone on record as encouraging the mob.  Do they not understand that they, by their simple statements of support are sitting the stage for further violence?  The potential of impact upon our way of life because of not condemning the actions of a mob mentality is enormous. The “protesters” are paid to convey the views of an employer(s) who hide(s) from the limelight and risks no liability.  In fact, the mob mentality that is active in creating discord among us is no better than those who we readily identify  as offensive and condemn, namely   the Klu Klux Klan, Communist, Nazis etc.  In fairness, the latter group does not hide behind masks and mislead us as to their intentions.  

I urge friends, family, citizens and responsible people everywhere to look at the issues confronting our country and consider the repercussions of your decision on election day.  Whether you are a supporter of President Trump, a “never Trumper”, Democrat, Independent or one of the new Socialist, look closely at your candidate’s vision for your country.  Even though we may know our representative as a member of our community, will he or she vote a vision that is compatible with what you believe and want for our country.  It is not enough to vote for the man or woman who we know to be a good, honorable person committed to the principles and philosophy that we believe in. He or she must have an open mind and a commitment to a way of life in which you can believe.  

We need to ask ourselves, will the person for whom we are voting be respectful of the views of others and willing to consider alternatives ideas? Will he or she vote the party line as reflected in the current trend for mob rule or support the rule of law that protects our Constitutional rights? 

What do the candidates really believe beyond that which they think will get our vote?  The votes we  cast may determine whether we live in a country governed by Constitutional rule of law or a country of mob rule.  We cannot take our choices lightly. By ignoring the rhetoric, we may be encouraging further dysfunction and even violence and is that what any of us want?  We must remain true to ourselves and beyond that, think beyond today or our children, grandchildren and those who come after us will inherit the results of our decisions.  Go vote but know for whom and what you are voting.

Oct 14 THIS N THAT

THIS N THAT 

It is that time of the week and I am not sure how well I am going to do on this computer.  I had some issues with my trusty computer and Terri had a touch screen that she was no longer using so I confiscated it.  I was anxious to get the touch screen because it saves a lot of wires etc but the keyboard is different and I have not yet adapted to it.  We’ll see how it goes but I may need to retrieve my old keyboard for extensive pecking!  Granted I do not type like I once did, but alas – old dogs do not like to learn new tricks.

Our week was good.  After celebrating Terri’s birthday on the 4^th and our anniversary on the 7^th, my niece, Debbie Wood, arrived for a visit on Wednesday, the 10^th.  Thursday we did a mountain run for breakfast at Newcomb’s Ranch, a stop over at the observatory on Mt. Wilson and a ride back through Big Tujunga Canyon and home. 

Friday included a brief? Visit to Costco and to Walmart to return some items ordered on line that arrived looking like they could have been thrown from China as opposed to shipped.  I have been ordering large  bulky items and canned goods on line from both Costco and Walmart to save the wear and tear of trying to get the stuff from the car into the house.  We still have to move it from the front porch into the kitchen but it is easier.  Of course, I am also analyzing the business plan of both companies and wondering how they can sustain their expressed intent of providing delivery to the home.  The concept is great for the customer but let’s face it, costs have to be covered and by my calculations, Walmart needs to do some refiguring.  Of course, Democratically speaking, free enterprise should be a giveaway and the reality of covering the costs is a concept gone afoul.

 Friday evening thunder was heard and lights flashed and miracle of miracles, rain fell from the sky surprising all who were caught unawares including the master of the house.  It rained through the night (Southern California style) and the outdoors still bore resonance of rain.  Our cup (and Ken’s barrels for saving rain water) overflows.

Saturday we attended the theatre matinee presentation of SOMETHING’S AFOOT at the Glendale Centre Theater.  Afterward, we joined friends for dinner at a local eatery and that about wrapped up our Saturday out on the town.

Sunday Terri and Debbie visited the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and enjoyed lunch at the Winery in the vicinity.  Ken of course, attended church and enjoyed a long nap while I relaxed and did what I do best – nothing.  We topped our day off with a movie on the tele and that brings us to Monday and a new week.

Absentee ballots have arrived and the voting process is in season as are the never ending calls, letters and advertisements urging one’s vote for whomever and whatever!  Robert Redford recently said he feels out of place in the country he was born in.  That made news perhaps because Robert Redford said it, but don’t we all at one point or another in a given day, week, month or year?  I personally am not comfortable with a lot that is going on in this country but what disturbs me may be at variance with the Star. Unfortunately, we all share the mess that exists and our definition of “mess” may vary.  I suspect it is a given that his vision and mine may not share the same moral high ground.  I keep wanting to remind the people who feel that they are suffering through a purgatory of sorts that I suffered through eight years of discomfort with decisions that I did not agree with and I just want to tell them all Welcome to the Club.

67 YEARS WHOOPITY DOO

67 YEARS AND COUNTING

It is that time of the week when I share with you my complaints, happy chatter and words for thought.  Now aren’t you the lucky one?  Be alert, I am not sure how well I am going to do on this computer.  I have been having some issues with my trusty computer and Terri had a touch screen that she s no longer using so I confiscated it.  I was anxious to get the touch screen because it saves a lot of wires etc but the keyboard is different and I have not yet adapted to it.  We’ll see how it goes but I may need to retrieve my old keyboard for extensive pecking!  Granted I do not type like I once did, but alas – old dogs do not like to learn new tricks

.  

Our week has been pretty routine – up, dressed, eat, sleep and repeat!  Of course, we have been riveted to the Kavanaugh hearings and it is with a great deal of relief that we watched the vote and saw the Judge confirmed.  I am shocked at the mentality of our country.  If there was one iota of evidence that offered any basis for a conclusion other than what was made, it would be different.  But, absence no one who could substantiate anything related to Dr. Ford’s accusations, I believe that the Majority made the right decision and the minority was wrong in the way they handled the entire affair.  Admittedly, my personal philosophy and related opinion may be somewhat prejudiced toward the majority, but I do believe they extended patience to Dr. Ford and were respectful.  I was appalled at the way the Judge was handled by the minority party and it left a very bitter taste in my mouth for the minority representatives on the Judiciary on Committee.  To the extent their attitude is shared by the masses, may the masses beware!

On Wednesday, Ken and I celebrated Terri’s birthday with a prime rib dinner at a restaurant nearby.  She worked on Thursday and was booked up for the rest of the week, so alas, it was an early celebration for ye old parents.

Thursday on our day out, we drove to Ventura (remember we started that way several weeks ago until the GPS turned us around and routed us to Ventura Iowa until we finally spoke up and told the lady in the box to STOP ROUTE!).  We had one of our major rainfalls on Wednesday (two drops to the acre and we know that because there were raindrops on the car windows) so the air was delightfully clear and a good view of the outlying islands available.  A drive about the marinas and a stop for lunch summed up the day out and of course, the ride home was abysmal with the Southern California traffic that binds! 

Cooper (Terri’s very lovable and cute dog) has not been feeling good of late so he is getting lots of attention.  He is lethargic and reluctant to play with his toys as well as getting up and down the steps into the house from the yard is a chore.  Terri took him to the vet and they gave him some meds, believing as we do that he may have done something to cause some muscle discomfort.  He is making progress but we want our happy healthy dog back. 

We are looking forward to niece, Debbie’s, arrival on Wednesday.  We haven’t firmed up any plans for things to do while she is here but alas, we’ll think of something.  For us, visiting and sharing time with her is great but I am afraid that would be pretty boring for her.

Today Ken and I have been married 67 years.  How time flies when you are having fun! 

Have a good week.