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Psalm 90:10, "The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty if we are strong.... |
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Three Score and Ten the Introduction, Well here we go, After 50 years I am going to take another attempt at writing. The first time was the Palmer writers correspondence school in 1969. The writing will be not a book that will be written with the idea of being published, But will be a writing of thoughts unencumbered by possible publishing and monetary gain. This writing will be a hybrid of Journal and Reminisce. It is important to me that the writings are my true thoughts at the time, not influenced by any factor. The writing will try to explain how a 70 year old white, male USA citizen now relates to today's world. Is every oldest generation lost in their own world, that they aged into? What do I see, and feel as I age farther. I know I am not normal as in what this world today would consider normal. But I hope I am in the ball park writing the thoughts of a 70 year old. I hope for you to learn to know who I am, As I search for Who I am at 70+ This work will carry on until I am no longer able to think or write. This will be done on a nearly daily writing interwoven with a life's reminiscing. This writing has been in the planning for 10 plus years. and I have now made it to this starting point. This writing is dedicated to My Wife The Kitten, My family, My grand children, Lukas, Levi, Luis, Lydia and Sonora Pearl. I thank you God that you have allowed me to have your Three Score and Ten Time. |
| We got back from the Northwoods yesterday later then normal after a unexpected rough experience up there. Everything was going great. I did everything I needed to do the first day. I stopped and lined up a sign painting for the garage. Then went to the farm and started clearing the fence line. My nephew came shortly after I got there to get ready for the deer hunt. He has a deer stand, should I say small cabin on top of the small silo there, nice. But anyway I gave him the key fob for the truck so he could move it and get by my van. Then drive down to the buildings where the his stand is, about a quarter mile. I was getting tired so I decided to quit brushing and see him before he left. I get there and he says something is wrong with the van, It will not start. Now we have never had a problem with starting it before hand. So now we have walked over to the van. I put the key fob in and it says BAD KEY. What the .... The van is completely dead the fob will not operate anything. We try different things their. Nothing helps. He offers to drive my to town, about 15 miles away and check the battery in the Key Fob. The battery shows it is bad. We put a new battery in key fob and return to van, Nothing again. What The .... so then he takes me over to my brother, [20 miles away], his dad which is about 2 miles from our home place up there. It is now late. my brother has his buddy is over there working on the tractor I wrote about earlier. We decide I will call the Chrysler dealership the next day. My brother took me over there in the morning, about 15 miles the other direction. It turns out there was a recall on the ignition, Unknown to me. So believe it or not last February we joined AAA. I felt it was time to not fight situations on the side of the highway at my age. To shorten this story up some. Triple A picked up the van and took it to the dealership. Now that is great, but the dealership has to order parts, That will not arrive until Monday, the 23rd. They say it is a half hour to fix the problem, then program the new key fobs. So now what I have to get back to this location. My brother, God Bless Him, took me back the other direction where I rented a Mini Van to get us back to this home location. Now Monday I need to drive back up there and return the van, and pay the bill. And hopefully I am able to pick up our van. If not I will be up there till I can pick it up. I am crossing my fingers. We did manage to get to the auction house by 10 minutes and pick up winnings. Now my thoughts on why this happened. The vehicles they produce today are way over the top complicated. They take something simple like a key and improve on it until they break it. If anyone would build a simple bread and butter vehicle without all the bells and whistles, and a standard transmission. That is priced to match, people would line up to purchase. I really did not want to purchase a 2009 van. I do not like what I can not see and understand. The Old Foggy's ways rise to the top again. I will write again tomorrow before I leave, Have a Blessed Rest |
| We are getting ready to leave for a visit to the Northwoods Compound. A few things need to be done up there before our winter schedule of visiting one a month if the weather cooperates. The deer rifle season starts next week and I want to walk the farm property before the season starts. The farm is the beginning of my adult life, and dear to my heart. But I find it hard to get there during the garden growing season. The farm is about 24 miles from the house. Just enough to make it difficult to visit. This week will be my last chance to do so this year. I will write again upon return. Best wishes to all |
| Today was a windy cold day outside. I did not venture outside much. I stayed in and worked my miniscule internet business. I crossed 2300 listing today. It will not feed the habit but it helps. I do want to write too the following prompt. PROMPT November 15. 2020 What does “a good life” mean to you? At the beginning Three score and Ten +90, At birth I was not supposed to survive, BUT I had a ace in the whole, God was looking over my shoulder way back then, Blessing me. I was hurriedly baptized Catholic, But I am still here and God has continued too bless me every day. And I give Thanks for that. There have been trials and I am not yet what I need to be be, BUT I have had a Good life. My thoughts on this, On a Good life is that No one else can Judge and say He Had for certain a Good Life. Know one walks In your shoes and can know how you feel. The observations of someone else's life can be misleading. I am the only one that can make that judgement call. For me a good life is being SATISFIED with that life what ever that my be. It is different for each one of us. In my mind to be satisfied to to find BALANCE in one life, To shoot for a balance of TIME and Money. One is not good without the other. To have balance in raising a family. Being not too hard, Not too soft, Raising children that know how to stand on their own, Being trained to raise their own families. There needs to be balance in Work and Recreation, I still need help with that. but with dare I say retirement I am getting better. If at this time I can say I am satisfied with what my life has been, I have had a Good Life. I will have some regrets at the end everyone does I suspect, But with God walking with me and carrying me at times, It has been a Good Life and anyone is welcome to say so. |
| It is a Day I am down somewhat, II Didn't sleep well last night. It is easy for me to be down when I do not sleep well. I was up to many times last night. I drank some Ginger Tea too close to bed time. I think that was the problem. It is not normally a problem. Today I went and pruned Black Raspberries canes for the winter. I will need to thin and prune harder in the spring. It is now raining lightly and we are due for a heaver long term rain today and tonight. So it is good to have that job done. I did a quick repair cultivating of the potato onions. They are out all winter. The tree rats want to dig any loose soil [potato onions] up in the fall. We finished raking leaves yesterday and storing them for compost. We do still have some spinach and romaine in the garden salad boxes, That we will still cut. But it looks like the radishes will not amount to anything, I planted to late. The outside work is really winding down now. It is now time for inside projects. Have a blessed evening rest. PROMPT November 14th Describe an epiphany or "a moment when you suddenly feel that you understand, or suddenly become conscious of, something that is very important to you" that had a profound effect on your life and/or personal opinions. I have put this on hold as it deserves good thought, Good Prompt. Yes, I think I have recently had such an awakening, about a month ago. after visiting my brother about a month ago, and thinking about how he flies by the seat of his pants. We are as close to the same age as possible, less then ten months apart, but years apart in personality wise. He is what I would call extroverted. and I am if you have not guessed introverted. And in being so I realized that for last 25 plus years I have subconsciously worked to avoid stress. The first half of my life I was immersed in the stress if I wanted it or not. I got burned and recovered and so now that I am able, I work to avoid stress. I avoid situations that can lead to stressful situations for me. Such as using technology that I can not see and understand it workings, Getting too close a relationship to people and there entanglements and commitments. And situations where I have to rely on others for help or materials. My loosing control of who I am and what I do is scary. Any perceived lose of privacy or independence is a waving red flag for me. This unrealized behavior has guided by behavior or the last years. Understand I am not complaining, Life is good. and my family and I have been blessed. But me realizing I have a fire wall around myself answers a lot of questions regarding the situations I allow myself to get into. For me Planning, Organizing and Logic, and Thought lead my life. Writing is so much more my style. |
| The Little dog did get his grooming, hair cut today. We had to change horses in the middle of the stream. the original groomer was at a vet clinic in a neighboring town. They decided the Biscuit needed more shots and an exam if they were going to groom him. They were trying to cram more chargers into the bill. We see a vet in our town when necessary. So we walked away. Then looked up another groomer here close to our town. It worked out, but the Biscuit looks like a big rat after the cut. I like his looks with the traditional longer course hair, terrier style. She did a smooth job but I consider it at this time of year too short. The wife thinks its fine, need I say more. This morning I watched You tube videos on trimming Cairn Terriers. I have a clipper, I at one time did cattle for showing. I think I will give it a go next spring. After all It should only take a hour and I have lots of time. And by that time I will need some excitement, the wife and I trying to trim the dog together. So on to, PROMPT November 11, 2020 What is your favorite meal to make when you are really hungry? Since I am a guy that never cooked, I am at a disadvantage. I guess some guys would say find a place to eat out. But I am not big on eating out, Never feel well after doing so. So I seldom do. What I can do is make a peanut butter sandwich with good bread. Or I can graze on bananas, apples, cheese, Or I can take in a bowl of cold cereal with a smaller amount of milk. The wife is a excellent cook, Our problem is cooking for two. At times I think she thinks she is cooking for an army. She is getting better though after much discussion. I do not mind left overs for one day. But it gets old after that. |
| It was some what cloudy today with a warm strong wind. I painted again and guess what? I finished for the season, Done. I can now shed the paint clothes. The porches look great, The front porch is five colors if you include white. The side porch is four colors. I hope I do not have paint them again for a few years. But with a Old house with three porches there is never any real end to painting. So now I am sitting here savoring this now moment of accomplishment. Tomorrow I will be on to a new projects. but first I need to find out if I can get a hair cut. I normally get one the beginning of November so I can grow out some before Ice fishing. Then I get another just after Ice fishing season. But maybe not this year. What a year. The Little Dog Biscuit goes in for this grooming and hair cut on Wednesday. Now how is it that it kills me to spend money on my haircut but the Little Dog gets big dollars spent on his. His hair grows really fast. He gets three cuts a year and I may get four. And they say Dogs are dumb animals, not so. The dogs have got things all figured out. Who is training who. The little dog says he pays his way by giving Therapy to Two cranky old people. Yes the Little Dog does pay his way and then some. He is a Cairn Terrier and he Cares for everyone. We love Our Little Dog. Have a Blessed Rest. |
| It was decided today that my youngest daughter will have dinner with us this Thanksgiving day. Her husband is going hunting with his brother in law in the north woods. We normally do not do Thanksgiving dinner here. We for a number of years went to dinner at a daughter in the Chicago area. They do not want to do it this year. They and the oldest daughter want to stay home, alone. This is the first time since they were born that we have not all been together a Thanksgiving Day, Thank You China virus. This is up setting and depressing for me. I expect Christmas dinner will be a similar situation. PROMPT November 6th Would you ever take a trip to a place "off the grid?" Where would you go? Although it is not completely of the Grid our compound in Northern Wisconsin is a close as I think I want to get at this time in my life. We do have electricity which is a must for me. We have a wood lot for firewood and supplement with propane when need be. There is no telephone or television, so we listen to music or read in the early dark evenings. The Wisconsin River is across the highway with a boat landing very close by, so fishing is an important activity. Other times are spent working the potatoes, strawberries and Blueberries and the flower garden. So we are not completely off the grid, we do have neighbors we see at times. but we are away from the stress of living in the midst of many people, noise and much vehicle traffic. It is our get away place north of the Tension Zone. PROMPT November 7th It's said beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Describe something that you think is beautiful or attractive that someone else might consider unattractive or ugly. Without thinking a long time I came up with, A Bog with its Flytraps and Pitcher plants and other flowering vegetation and insects. The best time to catch the bog in bloom is mid summer. In northern Wisconsin the seasons are fast. But even earlier or later the bog is beautiful to look at. It is a different experience waking on a bog if you have never done it. It moves, It floats, Its a mat of living and dead vegetation that is strong enough to walk on with care. I wish you a Blessed Good Night |
| We sure had a nice November day for painting. I can now see light at the end of the Paint Brush. The weather looks good through Monday. That will be the end of the painting season. The roto tiller got put away for the season. I went and got a oil change on our Town and Country van, preparing to travel to Kentucky and visit my wives twin sister. We will be leaving the seventeenth and will be gone three nights. The little dog Biscuit goes with us but Luna the cat has to stay. PROMPT November 5th "Imagine the year is 2030. Write about what has happened in your life over the last decade in the past tense". It is November 2030 and I have been asked to write about the past ten years. I am now 80 years old which is much different then I was a 70 years. The past ten years has been filled with turmoil, political and culture wise. My life style here in Wisconsin has been stable, but my every day routine is getting more challenging. I am still, mobile but slowing down, My knees are getting worse. A few years ago I got my cataracts taken care of. I was then able to see clearly. The wife and I are having more trouble hearing one another and it is agitating. But we are thankful we are here on this side of the sod, together. As we exist here in 2030 I am lost. I no longer understand the so called progress of todays technology. It is my fault they would says as I have not tried to keep up. Which is true. but how do you keep up with artificial Intelligence. The artificial Intelligence of today is out maneuvering the ability of the human mind to comprehend it. So sad from Black and white television to this, where a machine builds it own intelligence. This machine over mind will not end well. Then to add to the problems of todays world our country, our society has broken down into segments. Since before 2020 we no longer have a united, United States culture. we know have a number of cultures, all competing for attention and the few dollars there are. The virus of 2020 and it economic consequences of borrowing trillions of dollars in a attempt soften the blow has had lasting effects. There is today economic hardship through out the world and our creditors want their money. How do you pay back that a kind of dollars. There is no money. Interest rates have risen to plus 25% for good credit, and bad credit is out of the picture completely. The economy of 2030 is at a stand still. The Social Security fund and Medicare is near default. Our human ability to juggle all of societies complexities and solve the problems is coming to an end in 2030. The major cities are a war zone, violence, destruction, hunger, homelessness and lack of health care. Nobody wants to be there. The population losses, for good reason are causing the cities to collapse in on them selves like a black hole. I had thought we yet had a chance to get on top of our problems in 2016, and at first we did make some progress. but it was like a mirage, it did not last. With the election of Kim Sweet in 2028 are troubles have accelerated real fast. When you have more people taking then there is giving, the Republic as we know it can not survive. In 2030 is it time for the soon return of Christ? He will pick his time, How bad will it get? |
| I have been absent from this Blog a couple of days. it is not that i did not want to write, Just that other things got in the way. It was been just great weather for painting, I could not ask for better, So I need to take advantage of it while we have this rare good November weather. then there was the election. I am a news junkie, and have been my whole life. when I was in High school I would give a daily news report for the class. I enjoyed it. I was up until 2:00 in the morning watching returns. As a Libertarian Conservative I am disappointed over the election thus far. Every thing is politics, but I do not want to pull it into this blog. Today I roto tilled the garden and got the roto tiller ready for a long sleep. We have a Troy Bilt Pony here and Horse in the north. It is always a good feeling tp put them away until spring. Then I painted until we had to go to the auction house and pick up. I just had Christmas early going through things. I think I did decent this time around. a lot early 1900's catalogs and almanacks, mid century Christmas ornaments, view master with light attachment and a lot of good stuff. Then we went grocery shopping. I hate to make two trips so we double up when we can. Grocery shopping sure can get expensive, But We did buy some on special meat. A Dog that has a big mouth and likes to eat, then have treats and a big cat does not help the bill at all. PROMPT November 2nd Write about something you collect. If you don't collect anything, write about the collection of a friend or family member. Now this prompt is a real can of worms. It should say in my case what do you not collect. as they say in the business, I sell enough to feed the habit. It is in the blood. My one grandfathers were both self employed and supported there families well during the depression. I will speak of my maternal grandfather a bit at this time. he made this way buying ans sell what ever he could. He was a master horseman, work horses, he showed his horses and did horse pulls. But he was also a horse and cattle trader. and the way I understand it was quit shrewd to say the least. During the war as my mother said he bought and sold tires. But on to collecting. I started collecting when I was very young, Young enough to not remember it all clearly. But I still have the books mother gave me when I think I was 8-10 years old. I remember we had an old Hosier type cabinet I barely remember in the up stairs that I had full of paper stuff. One item type that I still look to acquire is old hand Garden Tools. There was such variety, some strange to see. I still use some of them. They were made to last more then one lifetime, good quality. My last good find was a Mini Seeder, It is nice but missing the planting shoe. I will need to buy another one some where to get a shoe, they are ca. about 1910. I will use it to plant my salad boxes. About 1988 I started collecting Antique Christmas decorations with the purchase of a 5.00 box of ornaments at a auction. The history of Christmas decoration is quite the story. A few years after 1988 we started attending the National Christmas Collectors conventions. We have not been a member for some years now. But I will still buy Christmas If the price is right and it is something that catches my eye. The items I picked up today included a box of old ornaments. The problem today with collecting old antique Christmas is the limited availability and astronomical prices. I won't pay those prices. Once in a while I get lucky on some mid century items. In our front parlor we keep ten different size Christmas trees decorated Year around. We light it only from after Thanksgiving until News Years day. We keep drapes pulled the rest of the year to protect against sun and light. It is known as the Christmas room in town. The trunk room is half full stacked to ceiling with old Christmas I have sold most of my Halloween and Easter collections. If I new how to post an image on this site I would do so. I hope you have a blessed New Day. |
| I do like this recent time change as a night hawk, It helps me get up earlier in the morning. I have never been a morning person. I am even worse if it is cold and dark outside and cool in the house. I need to ease into the day. but then I do not nap or rest during the day. I like evening quite with no distraction. It helps my thinking Muse. By the way MUSE is a new word for me to use. Am I using it correctly? We went to Wal-Mart this morning and the wife got some cat treats, The wife has the Luna trained to get treats when she goes to bed. I got some citric acid like you would use for canning that I will use to remove rust from some steel beer cans I have. You know you can not have rusty beer cans. Then I painted until 3:30. As the sun went down it got cold with the wind. We then ate our main meal at 4:00, a bit late. I may have wrote earlier that we eat one main meal a day. We try to eat all our food between 10:00 and 4:00. I will at times sneak a small snack later on. I think it is a healthy schedule for eating. I got skunked on the internet auction this evening. there are limits that I will pay for things. There was not a lot of things I was interested in. but there is a bright side also, The check can be smaller this week at pick up for the prior auctions. Do not know what has happened but my internet sales have taken a nose dive. Maybe the election, but more likely it could be I am selling the wrong types of items for this time of year. The things I normally sell are items one buys for them selves, not items one buys as a gift. So Christmas has never been real great for me. But it will fluctuate from year to year. Thank you for reading my Blog entrees. There is much I want to write as a have the ability and time, and feel more comfortable doing so. There is much rolling around in this old mans head that needs to be written down, maybe more then you want to read. |
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