Monday, February 10, 2014

"Growing old's like being increasingly penalized for a crime you haven't committed." ~ Anthony Powell, English Novelist, 1905-2000

It's another Monday and this one is labeled February 10, 2014 where I say hello and welcome back. Many folks last week were complaining about the polar vortex/frozen tundra scenario and how it came, left, returned again and on its last visit it decided to stick around for a few days. I will say this about it, I was out in that windchill some and when it was a feels like of around 20° degrees, it was even making me feel uncomfortable. Best I recall we grew up where the seasons were a little better defined and we typically did have some really cold spells during the winter time. We just haven't been as used to it the past several years. Plus, as bad as I hate to admit it, I'm no longer ready to sign up to be the freeze out champion of the world like I was as a teenager. While it's still a ways down the road, I think it has something to do with that sign I can begin to see up ahead that reads 70 but it doesn't have anything to do with the speed limit. The wife at times has those woman flashing deals going on which makes her better able to handle the cold than me. Now there's just something not right about that. My world. It's upside down. No wonder I'm beginning to lose my grip. For the record, I am mostly joking, but the further I go it is the more I feel compelled to use the word mostly.

I do thank you for keeping up with me as I continue this writing adventure. For those nearly 40 folks who get my blog each day by email, I am particularly impressed how some of you miss my morning visit if I'm either running late or whenever on rare occasions the email demons decide not to deliver to some on the list. I appreciate the inquiries when a glitch does occur. I also want you to know that I do recognize there are times when a typo or even a wrong word ends up on the electronic page. Sometimes my sweet wife lets me know about it and often I notice them myself, after the fact. Most of you probably think that's not a big deal, but it is to me. I hate it when that happens. It bugs me to no end. I'm not talking about dangling around some participles and abusing the grammar like there's no tomorrow. That, I'm afraid, comes with the territory. But, I do not like it when I have a mistake because often it interferes with the sentence and the thought I am trying to express. I know. Most folks figure it out and go on. I always do my best to correct them on the blog of record which is stored out there in that magical storage place somewhere over the rainbow, but, that doesn't fix it on those distributed via email. Sorry about that. I guess my wife is right after all. I am human. Who said dealing with blunt trauma truth on a Monday morning would be easy?

Let me give a shout out to my wife, who, though retired from her public job, is pretty much burning the candle at both ends most of the time. Her typical week is not for the fainthearted. As most of you know, our middle son, who is impaired and disabled due to his bi-polar condition, lives with us. We also have two of his teenaged children living with us. That's like a whole lot right there. In addition, she has stepped up and is busy in a variety of ministries associated with our local fellowship. The other day when our nearly 20 year old dishwasher (it's one of those electrical units, not an illegal immigrant) gave up the ghost and flooded the kitchen, well, she had good reason to be beside herself. She often tells me that I really don't have a clue. Know what? I believe her. Because this Mr. Clueless gets up and leaves most days and when he returns, he eats a good home cooked supper and then retires to his napping nest to enjoy his favorite TV programs which he later has to stream on the internet since he slept through them. I thank God for her and look forward to the arrival tomorrow of the new electrical dish washing gizmo so that at least one little piece of her world can be made whole again. I guess she does pretty good for a cotton farmer/preacher's daughter. And, after all is said and done, some 49 years and 54 days ago she hooked up with me, but I'll not try to evaluate the merits of that choice at this time. Have a great rest of the day and may God bless each one. Amen.  ...More later.

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