The Horror!

 So yesterday Katie called. They needed a ride. I was having a puttering day, so I said I could do it. I had a small shopping list myself. 

Here, Christmas displays started going up well before Halloween. You had your 'welcome Autumn' decor aisle right next to your Halloween costumes and decor which was adjacent to your Thanksgiving displays which was in a direct sight line with your Christmas trees and tree decorations and the lights and the bows and wrapping paper. 

It truly is a confusing time of the year, but let's be real...I have become accustomed to this.

But, all that being said, as I browsed the aisle wasting time while they did their shopping, I was shocked to realize that I was listening to Christmas music. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. 

I said to the the woman on the other side of the aisle 'It just is too early to be hearing this!'

She said, "It makes me feel like I am behind, like I need to hurry up!"

And that is what they want, for everyone to spend more time in the stores. 

But not really. 

Before my daughter's wedding, we were doing a lot of multitasking. Tim had an appointment to get a vehicle inspection done. I needed to order the cake, find a topper, look for a picture frame, get a card, buy pantyhose, etc. Lots of boxes needed ticking that day. 

The thing was, there was no sense in rushing, because Tim would not be back for a while, so I moved through the store at a leisurely pace. I took my time selecting the cake and talking to the sweet woman in the bakery. 

I browsed the floral department to pick the bouquet. 

I ran into a friend I had literally not seen in years. Unbelievably, we were both looking for pantyhose. We eventually found it, but we were yakking the whole time. 

Over to home decor to look through their picture frames, then to the Christmas aisles to try to find something to work for a cake topper, which was not far from the clearance aisle, and lord knows, I always check the clearance. Etc. 

So I was meandering through the store taking my good old sweet time when I realized I was being watched. A casually dressed gentleman seemed to be reappearing no matter where I was. He didn't hover, but I noticed him passing by me as I walked, or suddenly appearing and disappearing at the end of the aisle I was in. 

It happened often enough that it just made me want to finish up and get out of the store. I don't even know why. I knew I was not doing anything wrong, but just the fact that they thought I was was enough for me. When I did the self checkout, the attendant watched me closely. That was the giveaway. 

I paid for my stuff, got a printed receipt and waited out front in the cold for 20 min. until Tim got back to pick me up. 

I mean, I get it, but still, it was an uncomfortable situation.

Fast forward. Same big box store, different location. Two weeks later. I was just running in, a quick stop...I needed to buy a larger ice chest. Of course, while I was there, I decided to pick up a pound of sausage and a pound of ground beef to make meatballs at my son's house. I was speedwalking because I had 40 pounds of frozen chicken breast in the back of the car that did not all fit in the cooler I had.

I got up to the self check out and I wasn't the only one speedwalking. The attendant zipped right over and asked to look inside the empty cooler.  

I had the little gun in my hand as I rang up my meat and two other things I had grabbed in passing. I put them into the empty cooler. I said, "you know, I do understand why you watch everyone, but really, it is a little humiliating...' 

I replaced the gun and reached for my purse, still talking.

The attendant said, "You are going to scan the cooler, right?"

Mortified, I could only say, "I would have figured out that I had not scanned it when I saw the total."

I hope I am smart in my next life. GADS!

STFU

 It was a productive day today. While I was away enjoying Grandma time, Mr Romance ducked out and surprised me with a truckload of mushroom mulch. Which was actually very sweet.

I spent the day shoveling it into my raised beds, which will be tarped off for the winter. This gives the mulch time to break down and age. I am hoping that the tarp will keep the soil in those raised beds free from blight. The black tarp will also absorb the sun's heat next spring, baking (and killing) weeds. 

I will untarp the beds when I am ready to plant next year.

So...that's what I was up to today. 

It was a windy day, but not cold. I worked wearing just a sweatshirt, and I was completely comfortable. 

I got five beds weeded and mulched and smoothed out. The wind picked up and it began to spritz rain. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I will throw the rest of the mulch on the flower bed and get the vegetable beds tarped.

Tim was busy too. We have snow in the forecast late Sunday. We went shopping for a storm door. We stopped in to a family owned building supply store first, just to see what they had. We found a door we were both satisfied with, nothing fancy, but practical and utilitarian. The guy said, 'I have that door out back. It was a special order that was returned because of a scuffmark." We saved over $200 on that door, and it came with all the hardware and the hydraulic tube that allows the door to shut without slamming.

So that was what Tim did while I shoveled. When he needed an extra set of hands I was there to jump off the truck and 'hold this right here like that' (my special talent).

Tim decided that he needed to order another part for his truck, a spider/fuel injector tube set up. It is the last part he can replace for the fuel assembly. Everything else has been done. If that doesn't solve it, he will begin looking at the computer system.

He could not find the part on Rock Auto. He was getting aggravated because either they didn't understand what he was talking about or they did not know what they were talking about. He finally reached a store that understood what he was looking for. They pulled it up on their computer and said they could have it delivered to the store by 2. He knew it would be expensive but he flinched at the $795 price. 

"Let me think about it," he said.

I interrupted him on the phone, something he hates.. "You order that part! It is false economy to have a truck sitting around that you can't use." 

He ordered the part, and went in to pick it up. 

You know, I was pretty upset that he bought another truck with problems, but he has been patiently and methodically replacing parts and studying the situation for quite a while now. 

I was worried about him after his stroke. When he gets tired there are glitches in his logic. Sometimes he stutters. Working on his truck is good exercise for his brain. When he gets tired, he can set it aside and watch a few youtube videos or read up on it. It is something he has loved all his life. 

I need to STFU, as they say. 

At least it is not another house.

Life is for learning

We like soup when the temperature starts to drop. I have a pretty good collection of recipes, but it is always fun to add a new one. 

This one was called Creamy Bean Soup with Kale. I had all the ingredients. It certainly smelled good. 

Note to self: next time I cook kale, remove it from the stems.

Was kale even invented in the 1900s? 

Maybe it was just illegal. 

(Tim thinks it should be.)

A mystery:

Tim came out of the bedroom wearing a tee-shirt. I said, 'Where did you get that?' He said, 'I thought you got it for me.' 'I would not have got you a ratty tee shirt...' 

We have no idea how this shirt wound up in his dresser drawer.  I don't even remember washing and folding it.

It looks like the democrats are having a good day. 

I wrestled with myself over this one. It is awful. 

Oh deer!

I headed out to my son's house Thursday morning. I did not get the early start I usually do. It was raining quite hard but was supposed to taper off between about 9. I decided to hold off. The rut has begun. This means that hormone crazed bucks will be chasing does hell bent on getting away. The incidence of car/deer crashes is greatly increased this time of year. The rain was heavy enough that I was afraid decreased visibility would make a bad situation worse. 

So I waited it out.

The rain did not stop exactly, but it was brighter outside. I finally got on the road at 10. I saw 34 road killed deer once I hit the interstate, so I am sure I made the right decision.

I got to my destination about the same time my oldest grand daughter got out off her school bus. 

It was a busy weekend. Trick or treating Friday night. Practice for the Nutcracker Saturday morning. Birthday party Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately, the oldest started getting feverish on the way home. Before the night was over,  she was sick. The youngest was sneezing.

So it was a weekend spent at home which suited me just fine. Mom and Dad got a date night. The girls and I curled up on the couch and watched a movie that they loved and I had never seen. 

Last night, I kept waking up in the night freezing. I knew there was another blanket in the closet, so I got out of bed and got it. Except, I woke up freezing and went for that blanket over and over and over again. I wasn't dreaming about being cold, but I was dreaming about getting that blanket! By the time I woke up, I was headachey and knew I was coming down with it too. 

I was afraid to waste any time getting back home. Tuesday is Election Day. I can only cast my vote at the local fire station, and I will be there come hell or high fever, so I dosed myself with aspirin and said goodbye.

I am home now. It was an uneventful trip home, although I did see a very damaged sportscar pulled off the road. The passenger side hood was completely smashed  and the windshield was out. The roof was caved in. 

About 50 yards past that was a bloody mess of a deer. He had obviously leaped out in front of that little car, been hit hard, came over the hood, smashed the windshield and went over the roof. My guess is that the driver was flying.

(Did I mention it is the rut? Smart drivers are not flying anywhere.)

Our clocks went back Saturday night. 

I hope everyone reading makes it a point to get out and to vote tomorrow. We don't have a lot of ways to register our displeasure. Not remaining silent. Voting. How we spend (or don't spend) our dollars. We all need to make our voices heard in every way we can.

Happy Halloween

 I am am away for 5 days being a grandma. Have a happy Halloween!

Suppertime

 Remember our friend who had lost so much weight that he frightened us? He stopped in this morning on his way to Altoona to say that he would be unable to make dinner tomorrow. 

Altoona is a long haul from here. He had a 2:30 appointment. He would be hauling past on his way back home about 6. Tim and I had an appointment to meet at the notary's office to sign the truck over to his nephew, but we would be back home well before then, so I said, "so come tonight."

"Really?" he said. 

It would be simple enough. I was making a pot of Rigmor's lentil soup. I had everything I needed on hand for that. I could chop and sautè, and toss it all in a crock pot. Easy enough. All I had to do was make some rolls. 

He looked hopeful. "Could we have corn bread?"

"That is even easier," I said. "I will make corn bread." He had brought two butternut squash. I said, "Do you like squash? I can bake one of those if you want."

He did want. 

So after he got on the road, I assembled my soup. For the dessert, I figured a high protein vanilla custard. It would be a good way to use up the left over whipped cream from the pumpkin pie. I put the bowl in the fridge to cool, and cleaned the kitchen. 

There were no knife accidents today. (Yay me!)

He showed up at 6, and we all had a leisurely supper.

Before he left, I was able to pin him down to another meal. I think he was embarrassed, but I started simply planning the meal. "Chili or cheesy cream of potato?" 

He hesitated. "Boy...I haven't had a good bowl of potato soup in a long time..."

"Potato soup it is, then. I will make another pan of corn bread for you. Do you want me to make that other squash?"

He agreed that would be nice. He worried about being a bother, but it really isn't any harder to make a meal for three than it is to make a meal for two. I said, "well the fact is, I have made up my mind to put some meat on your bones. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is just to go along with me so I don't get mean. Ask Tim."

Tim laughed. So did he. He took his bag of leftovers. "What time should I come then?"

Clarification

 I can understand why so many people had grave concerns about a 14 year old boy having a gun. Given all the school shootings and violent episodes, sure. I totally get that.

But let me explain. The young man in question is a licensed youth hunter. He had to take a hunter safety course when he began hunting at 12. He has to hunt with a licensed adult until he is sixteen. His father is an experienced hunter. Like Tim, his brother was taught by their father. 

The boy now has a gun, but he has not been turned loose with it. The gun will be safely stored. When he visits, he will take his gun out to hunt with his father and brother.

Are our gun laws adequate? No. I can assure you that they are not. For instance, my husband gave a gun to his youngest nephew. There is no paperwork that goes with that transaction.

Should there be? 

We both think so. 

This is how the law reads: 

Registration Laws in Pennsylvania | Giffords https://share.google/UIizHeUkCwlZo4MOi

I believe the laws need to be strengthened. It is not an opinion shared by most people. "We don't need new laws! We need to enforce the laws on the books!" 

You can see that there is not a lot to be enforced.

Let's talk about personal responsibility. Tim's nephew is a high achiever in school. A happy uncomplicated kid, a boy scout whose intentions are to reach Eagle Scout like his brother. But what if he were an awkward kid? Bullied. Prone to angry out bursts. Acting out. Emotionally immature? Uses violent terminology. Should he have access to a weapon? Of course not. 

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has no laws about weapon storage in the home. 

Should they? Of course. But once again, people will fight tooth and nail against any changes to existing gun laws, screaming about their second amendment rights. 

The sad fact of the matter is that the law is assuming that gun owners will be responsible.

 They often are not. 

James and Jennifer Crumbley trials: Parents of Oxford school shooter sentenced to 10 to 15 years | CNN https://share.google/1rgmChJJG35avyWvq

Adam Lanza’s Mental Problems ‘Completely Untreated’ Before Newtown Shootings, Report Says - The New York Times https://share.google/URlnhaTw4NMTkbaMn

In the case of the Crumbleys, they were called to the school over his disturbing drawings and threats. They dismissed the concerns and allowed him access to an assault weapon.

Adam Lanza's mother likewise ignored concerns and took her son to shooting ranges to practice.

The Uvalde shooter legally bought two assault weapons on his 18th birthday. He had 1682 rounds of ammo.

If assault weapons were not legal, nearly all school shootings would have been prevented. So simple.

Except it is not.

Kids cannot legally drink until they are 21. Why should they be allowed to buy an assault weapon at 18.

Second amendment rights.

People will try to debate the definition of an assault rifle, but the fact is, no matter what you call it, no hunter needs a weapon that fires hundreds of rounds per minute.

It doesn't make sense. You are right. We are left to use our own best judgement in this, and Tim did.

Agree or disagree, the fact is that we live in an area where people hunt. My husband is a hunter. He comes from a long line of them. So does his son. So does his nephews. 

We eat what he brings home. It is the way it is.