Monthly Archives: November 2022

Gone

“KF5UTC” is my husband’s ham radio ID. He was really excited about getting the best set-up he could when he started this hobby several years ago. He joined the Ft. Smith Ham Radio Club, studied and took the tests, got his license, etc.

We’ve had a series of antennas, each able to access a different band. We laboriously put them up and he played with them, trying to contact people. He was thrilled when he was able to talk to others, find out where they were (sometimes in other countries!)

We got all kinds of equipment – ham radio, headphones, an antenna switch, antenna controller, signal analyzer, and numerous other things he has enjoyed over the years.

Suddenly, one day last week, he decided to give away the 40 foot ham radio tower. Yesterday, George and a friend came, laid the tower down, dismantled it, and took it, the controller, a signal analyzer and various paperwork away.

The photo ABOVE shows the tower as it was yesterday.

This is what it looks like today. All you can see is the slab we poured as a base for the tower.

As you can see, we poured it in July of 2017.

“KF5UTC” still has an antenna on the well house roof, and another on the roof of our house, plus the ham radio and the antenna switch. If he decides to use it, he can still contact more local operators.

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F-f-f-f-Freezes!

The elephant ears are still alive, but they probably won’t be by the end of next week, with freezes predicted every day now. :0( I wanted to share a last look before Mother Nature closes the book on this year’s plants.

We love wave petunias, and try to have them on the deck every year now.

We’ve had a good – though weird – year with our veggie square foot garden, tomatoes, and plants. It’s hard to have them here today and gone tomorrow.

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Tom Strutton Wildlife Drawings

Tom Strutton Wildlife Drawings

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Sunny, Cold Saturday 11-12-2022

Dogtime.com

______________

Weather –

My husband saw snowflakes when he took Amber out for the last time last night! It’s 37 degrees with bright sunshine right now, with more snow possibly Monday. Ooh. NOOOO! I’m not ready for this! I’m still trying to get the yard cleaned up!

Diet and Exercise –

I’ve lost 2 lbs this week. I’m really trying not to stuff my face between meals, after dinner, in the middle of the night…. DAY 120 on my yoga practice. It’s still quite difficult for me to hold the plank pose. I made it to 21 seconds yesterday. Pathetic, but progress.

Ham Radio Tower –

It’s gone! George and a friend came at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon. They were able to get the tower lying on it’s side on the ground without problem (amazing) and then proceeded to take it apart. While they were doing that, I helped my husband get the antenna controller unattached from the shelf in the office where it has lived for umpteen years. It did NOT want to come out of the sturdy metal bracket my husband built for it, but FINALLY he was able to get it down. He also decided to give George a signal analyzer. I found the paperwork and we bundled those together. George was thrilled with his ‘goodies’ and we were happy that the stuff has obviously found a good home.

Lunch Bunch –

It was great yesterday. Kay’s husband, Bud, wasn’t working because it was rainy (he works a backhoe). He greeted me with, “I thought it was time for you to enjoy my smiling face again.” :0) He, Kay, and Linda were there. Linda is moving to a retirement place in Greenwood and may actually be moved by next Friday, or soon thereafter. She is looking forward to a more active social life than she has now. I’m really happy for her. She meets people easily and should be happy there. If not, we’ll help her move again.

Supplies –

Since the forecast is possibly snow Monday, we’ll probably get out today or tomorrow to replenish supplies so we can hole in up here, if needed. I’m planning to wait until it warms up as much as it’s going to if we go today. The sun is shining, but it’s COLD out there!

Have a nice Saturday.

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Love Is

Mike Kemp – BlendImages/Corbis – Daily Mail

Charles Schultz – Homemade Gifts Made Easy

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Sculpture of Hamish Mackie

Hamish Mackie Sculpture

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Fun Gif from Our Son

Our son sent this to us. Someone was remotely giving their dog a ride in this car in the park. Isn’t it GREAT?

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Thoughts on a Tuesday 11-11-2022

It apparently rained overnight, but we didn’t get the forecast freeze, so that’s good. We might get some rain this evening, but otherwise, it’s just a gray, cloudy day today, on Veterans’ Day.

Final Fantasy XIV.

Since I haven’t gotten calls or messages on my phone, it looks like Lunch Bunch is on. The only other things on our schedule today are 1) that Fedex should come to deliver an order, and 2) that George, the man who came and wanted to adopt our 40 foot ham radio tower and antenna, called last night to ask if it was okay if he came today. He’ll be here around 1pm (hopefully with lots of help) to dismantle the tower and antenna and take them away. (I love it that my husband phrased our offer, “Ham Radio Tower Free to Good Home.”

Columbia Distributing

It’s cool and gray outside now, making me feel lazy and contemplative. I just want to curl up in my recliner under my throw, read and nap. Yesterday I finished the biography of Johnny Carson. Today I’m starting the last one I got from the library fundraising sale about Rush Limbaugh.

I guess I’m contemplative because I wrote the post about Veterans Day, and my husband being adamant about refusing to allow me to honor his service in the park in town. It also made me think about my dad. He was always embarrassed when talk turned to military service. He wanted to serve, and went to sign up for WWII. They rejected him and referred to him as a ‘cripple.’ He fell off a horse when he was 3 years old, breaking his arm in several places. They were able to save his arm, but it was touch and go on whether they could save his hand. They saved it, but his left arm was much shorter than his right and his hand was almost useless. He handled this so well that many times I forgot that he had more challenges than others, but the military made HIM feel useless as a man. If they had hurt ME, I would have gotten over it years and years ago. I guess I’ll never forgive them for hurting my dad and making him feel ‘less.’ They’re lucky they are all gone now, because I would still bite them in the legs, and I haven’t had my rabies shot…

I’m looking forward to George coming this afternoon to take the ham radio tower away. He’s a big man, young, with a can-do feel about him. He was like a little kid, thrilled that he will get the tower. It makes me happy to meet him, and have a very small part in giving him something that will bring him hours and hours of fun and excitement.

Lunch Bunch in a few minutes. Enjoy your day.

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Veterans’ Day 2022

Greenwood Memorial Park

The photo above is old, from 2013, but it gives you the flavor of the park that is in the center of our ‘square’ in the middle of Greenwood. There are MANY more sidewalks in the park now (kind of like the spokes on a wheel), MANY more commemorative stone plaques lining the sidewalks, and flags beside all. This is a very personal display on all days such as Veterans’ Day, because people are remembering their family members who served. I wanted to get one for our family, honoring my husband’s 4 years of service in the Marine Corps, but he wasn’t having any of it. He doesn’t consider himself a ‘veteran’ since he didn’t die during his service. (Sad that the Marine Corp service didn’t make him smarter, or give him the realization that it’s the fact that he was trained and ready to defend his country, on ships at many hot spots during his time, that is what is being honored. The schools will have assemblies today, and many veterans will attend.

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Love for a Thursday

The Paw Print-Essential Pet

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I Love Murals

The-wild-bride-By-AERO-in-Calais-France

Tom Wild

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Simon Griffiths Sculpture

Simon Griffiths Sculpture

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A Bit of Pride

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November 10, 2022 · 10:00 am

Heart-Warming Cristall Harper Art

My Dog Loved Quarantine Time

Nearsighted

Puppy Therapy

Thinking About the Universe

Cristall Harper

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Happy Thursday 11-10-2022

Good morning!

Mother Nature is testing our mettle this week, with sunny and 81 today, and rain, a freeze, and high of 53 tomorrow. I have enjoyed roller coasters in the past, but I prefer them in an amusement park…

Shout-out to Marsha – continue to stay safe and dry from the hurricane today.

Shout-out to Cathy – I hope you’re recovering well and will feel sassy soon.

Shout-out to Susy – Thinking of you and Bobby, and hope things are going well.

Shangarey Julia

I’m continuing to try to neaten up the yard, but I’m taking it easy a bit after all the potting soil I moved recently. Making sure we’re ready for the freezes starting tonight and then weed whacking are the priorities for the day.

Make today a wonderful day.

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More Cristall Harper Art

Call the Whambulance

Dog Days

Empathy

Frisky

Hey Girl, Hey

Cristall Harper Art

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Favorite Day

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I’m enjoying working my way through some biographies of people I find fascinating. I’ve read one on Katharine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn, so far. I’m reading one of Cary Grant now, and I have one on Johnny Carson and another on Rush Limbaugh waiting. I got these from the library book sale and they are a wonderful change from my usual reading.

I ordered some used books from ThriftBooks.com recently and they should be delivered soon. I feel rich when I have books on the way or have just received a good handful. :0)

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Filed under quality of life, Reading is FUNdamental

20 Seconds

lifestyle.livemint.com

How fast time seems to go by definitely depends on what you’re doing. 20 seconds if you have your finger on something hot would seem an eternity. 20 seconds for a kiss is just really getting your attention and response. :0)

20 seconds holding the plank position for some would seem that they have just really gotten into position and that they’re concentrating on their good position and trying to relax into it a bit. For ME, 20 seconds in the position is absolutely all I can do at this point.

I can tell I really need to do this position in my daily yoga practice (DAY 117 today) because it is so difficult for me. I get into position and start trembling immediately. I start counting in my head, trying to make sure my body is straight. Maybe I could do a few more seconds if I were wearing shoes, but it seems like a silly thing to stop and do in the middle of my practice.

I’m hoping that if I just do the best I can each day, eventually my core muscles will strengthen. If my core muscles get stronger, my flexibility and balance and posture will improve, and that’s more and more important since I’m definitely getting long-in-the-tooth now. I’ve read about ladies in their 90s doing yoga, and they are my role models.

Down Dog Products

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Wednesday 11-9-2022

Reader’s Digest

Good morning.

We stayed up watching the election returns, finally giving up and going to bed around midnight. I’m happy about the results in Arkansas, but frustrated that we won’t know the national results for awhile yet, and what they will mean for the country. Another character-building exercise.

We’re experiencing low 80s for a high today and tomorrow followed by low 50s and below, plus FREEZES, starting Friday morning. I’m trying to make sure we’ve disconnected the hoses, put the freeze protection on the faucets, closed house vents, gotten the water to the irrigation system turned off, etc. before the freezes come. Today’s yard work is weed whacking at least in the front yard to neaten up for the winter. When the weed whacking is done around the house, I’ll see if I can plant more iris.

I hope that you have a wonderful, calm fall day.

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Potting Soil Done

One Green Planet

I finished emptying and distributing the six remaining bags of potting soil this afternoon, so that part of the yard work is finished. My husband started rounding up leaves with the leaf blower, which is another big project. I did manage to get him to come in, rest a bit, and drink a cold drink. I’m not sure if he’ll do another session in the yard or not, but it’s time for me to do my yoga practice.

I was already pooped physically. Now I’m pooped mentally, too. He has always been the technical guy, having worked as a computer analyst for much of his life. Since he has had a couple of strokes, though, “I” am now the go-to on technical things. BOY! Are WE in trouble!

Today’s problem was that he wants Google Authenticator on his phone. The first thing he does when he gets a new gadget is to delete anything that he thinks he doesn’t need. This time it was ‘apps’ on his phone. I finally got to Google Authenticator on his phone, but it wanted him to verify with a finger or thumbprint. He insisted he had done it, but when I looked, he hadn’t set that up on his phone. We got out of Safari and into settings and fought about what he had to do to get it to take his thumbprint. When he finally tried something I asked him to that he insisted wouldn’t work, it did. Then we got back into the place where we could install authenticator. They wanted his apple ID. He didn’t know it. I fumbled around and it said we could use the passcode we use to get into his phone in order to reset his apple ID. I tried to put that in, but it wouldn’t take it. We’ll go to the AT&T store tomorrow and see if they can help us…

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The Art of Marianna Raikkala

Breathe

Cosmos

Driving Into Light

Night Garden 1

Ocean of Clouds

Voyage

Marriana Raikkala Art

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Gorgeous Watercolor

Unknown Artist – Pinterest

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Trying to Keep My Mouth Shut

imgflip.com

My efforts to lose the lard and increase my movement continue with varying degrees of success.

I’ve changed from a low-carb approach to a more Mediterranean style of eating. The low-carb approach helped me get some weight off and I enjoyed that style of eating, but because I don’t have a gallbladder and I’m old with a cranky system, I ended up having a lot of problems and had to switch.

I describe our eating style now as “Mediterranean Style” because I can’t find “Mediterranean recipes” that my husband will eat, so I’m simply adding a lot more veggies and fruit to our diet. I’m feeling a lot better physically now, but my weight is creeping up because I have trouble not eating in-between meals and in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep.

I’m trying to keep raw veggies and dip ready to grab from the fridge for my snacking, but my downfall is wanting salty stuff. I can skip desserts. I can monitor my portions. I can eat healthy foods. But when I decide I’m ‘starving to death ‘ (hahahahahahaha) in the middle of the day or worse – in the middle of the night – I want something salty.

Each day I start with the best of intentions. I try to stay away from my husband’s stash of chips of all flavors. I’ve even asked him to hide them from me. The last few days I’ve been able to eat our regular lunch, then some cottage cheese after I do my yoga practice for the day, and then dinner, and drinking enough water to make my eyeballs float, in an attempt to get on the right track.

So far, the scales are NOT impressed. I’ll just keep on keepin’ on, and hope for the best.

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Tuesday 11-8-2022

Wired

I wish I thought we would have definitive answers about election results tonight, but I really doubt it. We’ll have delays, run-offs, ‘too-close-to-calls’ etc. We’ll probably tune in to see what we can see, but to say I feel tense is an understatement.

I emptied and spread nine 40-pound bags of potting soil in the trio of brick planters yesterday. Today I’ll continue my efforts, starting in the side yard with one bag each to the two tomato planters and one to the new iris planter. Not sure if I’ll do more.

We’re going to make a run to town to replenish supplies. Hopefully, the trash people have done their thing – if not already – then by the time we come home, so we can put the can in the back of the truck and take it back up. Fingers crossed.

Yesterday we offered our 40 foot ham radio tower ‘free to a good home.’ We had several emails responding and three people who came to the house. One is coming Saturday to dismantle it and take it home. My husband is still able to use an antenna on top of our well house, so he doesn’t have to give his ham radio communications up.

We have no big plans for the day, but the day is beautiful, so it’ll be nice to spend time outside in the sun. Freezes by the end of the week, so I’ll soak up what I can of the nice weather until then.

I hope you have a terrific Tuesday. If you haven’t voted yet, please let your voice be heard today.

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Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Cecil Aldin and Friend (1870-1935)

Illustrations by Cecil Aldin – GurneyJourney.blogspot.com

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Thoughts on a Monday 11-7-2022

Silicone – etsy.com

I pooped out yesterday and didn’t move ANY potting soil into planters. I got the rest of my list done, though, so I feel pretty good about that.

Right now it’s cloudy (but not raining) and 66 degrees F. – almost perfect weather for trying to get 40 pound bags of potting soil into the brick planters.

We just finished gathering trash, and my husband shocked me by wanting to go ahead and get the huge company trash can into the back of the truck, AND wanting to go ahead and take it down to the bottom of the driveway! I think he’s gaining confidence that the critters are less likely to mess with these huge cans, and that, even if it rains, the lids are heavy enough they tend to stay put, rather than blowing up and letting the rain into the can. I’m delighted about the change in his attitude and not having to worry about not getting the trash where it needs to be for pickup in time. :0)

On the way back up the driveway, we noticed that a branch of the tree to one side of the driveway is horizontal in the tree now. It’s too heavy for us to be able to handle it easily, so we’re hoping it’ll just stay where it is, rather than coming down farther. Fingers crossed.

My plan for the day is to work on the bags of potting soil a bit at a time, doing what I can to get them in the planters and the soil distributed. There are 15 bags, so it’ll take a bit of time and effort.

Bulldogology – Pet Solutions

Today is DAY 115 of my daily yoga practice. I’m still at 20 seconds on my ability to hold the Plank pose, and that’s really working at it. I prefer to think of it as “twice as long as I was able to do when I started” rather than simply, “Pathetic.” :0) I’m now using SILVER sparkly stars on my desk calendar as a reward. They’re really pretty.

eBay

These look similar to the ones I’m using.

The Cut

I’m really ready for the election to be over. I’m at the point where I hate EVERYONE. The simplistic arguments and mud-slinging on both sides is exasperating and embarrassing. I will deal with whatever happens, even if I need to crawl under my blankie. Just stop.

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“The Times They are a-Changin'”

This is a 40 foot ham radio antenna tower we’ve had for several years now. It used to be right next to my greenhouse.

Since the times ARE, indeed, changin’, when a storm really battered my greenhouse a couple of years ago, we dismantled it, saved what we could, and hauled off the rest.

Yesterday my husband decided to contact the head of the local ham radio group, telling him that if someone wanted the tower, and was willing to bring people and trucks, dismantle it and haul it off, they could have it.

A man triggered our driveway detector this morning. He said he tried to email, but his equipment wasn’t working right, so he just drove out to see the tower. He was really nice. His name was Rusty and he was just starting out in ham radio. It turned out that the tower was too much for him at this point, but it pointed out to me that we probably should prepare for several people looking and for the tower to be gone pretty soon.

My husband has had a good time with ham radio. We have another antenna on our well house roof that he can use if he wants to, but he hasn’t shown interest in the subject at all for a year or two now.

Times and needs change. I hope we can find someone who is thrilled to get it – just for the price of dismantling it and taking it away.

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Shout-Outs

Women’s Health

______________________

SHOUT-OUT 1 –

To Cathy, just home from the hospital yesterday. May you rest and recover well, free from any further problems.

SHOUT-OUT 2 –

To Susy, working and taking care of her husband who is recovering from cancer. Stay strong, sweet lady. I’m here if you want to talk.

SHOUT-OUT 3 –

To Kay, mother of son who recently married. May the new union be strong and give them joy for many years to come.

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More Pottery by Nan Hamilton

Nan Hamilton Hand-Painted Pottery

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Embroidered Birds

Ann Robinson

Elena Murs

Instagram

Judith Sutherland-textileartist.org

Michelle Poyer-Sleeman

pearl-naultilus.tumblr.com-Doknommeaw

threadandthrift.blogspot.com

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Sad News Sunday 11-6-2022

FaiginVFX

I’m NOT a bazillionaire this morning after winning the lottery. Bah. Humbug. Whine. (just a bit.) I told the nice cashier at the Casey station yesterday that she was selling hope. :0) Maybe NEXT time… Otherwise, a happy day ahead.

I have a busy day ahead of me. It’s all at home. We don’t have any errands that I know of today.

  • I’ll try to get as much potting soil into the planters as possible today, though I’m not in a rush to beat rain today. I’ll just do what I can and see how it goes.
  • Today is DAY 114 of my yoga practice. (I was able to hold the plank pose (barely) for 20 seconds yesterday!) I know, it’s pathetic, but TWICE as long as I was able when I started.
  • Laundry, changing sheets, switching to electric blanket. I love snuggling under pre-warmed sheets and blankets.
  • I have all our clocks changed except for upstairs and our truck. I’ll do both later. Did you remember? (I’m HOPING that Congress will finally vote to keep the time at one hour or the other all year long. The bill has passed the Senate and is sitting, being ignored, in the House. Fingers crossed.)
  • I’ll try to order books, warm socks, and food storage containers online today.
  • I’m making spaghetti for dinner tonight.

I hope YOU have a happy day, too.

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