Equipment problems

I have had my glass grinder for many years, at least twenty and it finally died. It was leaking water into the motor and that could have been very dangerous, so it had to be replaced. Then to add to this, the glass saw has a rotary metal band that is covered in diamond dust and it broke. Yesterday we made a quick trip to San Antonio to get the band replaced. In the process of replacing the band, I learned that the spring that creates tension in the drive mechanism was missing. So, with new parts and equipment I continued working on my latest glass piece. It is now cut out, ground and washed and waiting for the next step which is copper foiling each of the edges of the more than 300 pieces. I hope to get started on that today after church.

To add a bit to this griping, we have had very inconsiderate neighbors behind us. Quiet time is supposed to begin at ten in the evening. Their first night they finally quit talking about 2:30 am and only turned their music off after we went over and asked them to do so. Another evening we again asked them to quiet down and they got very rude. Last night we got the park management involved and hopefully this will do the trick. This is the first time that we have had this kind of problem regardless of where we might be staying. I do not understand rudeness or lack of consideration for others.

On a happier note, the weather here has been delightful. It has been cold at night and warms in the daytime to the high 60's or mid 70's. It has been nice enough that I can work outside on my projects. Happy travels.

Don't get on that scale

The day after Thanksgiving you should not get on the scale unless you were sick and didn't eat anything. I got on it and should not have. I was back up two pounds. It might have been all I ate at the meal yesterday but probably was the two beers and several helpings of popcorn, not that salt would enter into fluid retention, that I added on in the evening. Guess I have to get back to the diet grindstone and get serious.

We are not out shopping early or at all as far as I am concerned. Today it is back to working on my latest glass window. I hope to get all 300 plus pieces ground today and maybe start the copper foil process.

We talked to many family members yesterday or the day before and it was delightful to visit and catch up with each and all. The next three to four weeks will pass by in a blur and Christmas will be upon us. What a busy and wonderful time of year is this holiday season. When I was teaching it seemed to fly by and then we had some time off for the Christmas vacation. That break gave enough renewal that we were ready for the new year. Wonderful!

Hope your Thanksgiving was great and happy travels.

Giving Thanks

I love Thanksgiving. It is a time when families and friends get together and share a sumptuous meal, talk non stop, stuff themselves and wonder later why they ate so much. Then in the evening you raid the carcass of the turkey and eat some more. You should not get back on a weight scale for several days. Are there parts of the meal that you really look forward to? I love the turkey and gravy, stuffing with lots of gravy, cranberry sauce, breads, pickles and other condiments, and the pies at the end. Every year I promise myself that I will take small portions and only eat a little of each favorite dish. Somehow a little of each favorite dish becomes too much and I generally stuff myself and later wish I had better control.

Really this day is a day for this whole country to give thanks for our many blessings. I give thanks for my wonderful spouse HW2 and all our kids, their spouses and grand kids too. We have many long time buddies and new friends but I treasure each friendship.

We have been blessed with many years of living, generally good health and a wonderful retirement that has lasted for these past twelve years. We have been able to travel here and abroad and gradually learned that we travel where the Spirit leads us and look forward to our next adventures and opportunities. We are not in charge although we like to delude ourselves in thinking so. Our remaining days on earth are to give help and support where we can to others in need.

I particularly wish to thank you the reader for reading this ongoing blog and for your generous comments. This has been a delightful undertaking and is always a work in progress. Happy travels and Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I'm Good

I heard the expression, "I'm good," being used on some show that we watched the other night and realized that I use it, too. Generally, I use it when HW2 asks me if need another glass of water or another helping of food. My typical response is, "No, I'm good." I wonder if you have heard this expression being used, too or use it yourself. I would be interested to know.

I haven't had any entries for several days as just daily living has been going on here. We did go to First Presbyterian Church on Sunday. We helped serve customers at the antique mall on Saturday for about four hours, as Bobby and Vicky had told us that it would be a busy day, and so we volunteered to help. It was fun to be helpful there. Yesterday I finally finished and transferred my rose pattern for a new glass window, that I have been commissioned to do, onto tag board and then cut out the many pieces to be. There are over 300 pieces in this work, and it will be quite time-consuming. Today I hope to begin to cut out the glass. HW2 has been busy sewing and also decorating our motor home for the Christmas season. We look quite festive. I have been weighing myself and trying to stay on task for the Flat Diet and feel a bit like a yo-yo as my weight goes up or down one pound. I wish it would drop by 10 pounds, and then I could stabilize and quit and then try to stay at that weight. It took me quite awhile to get my weight to this current level and will require hard work to lose a pound or two or three. Alas, not my favorite thing. Happy travels.

Five pounds gone after day three

Can you believe it? I have lost five pounds according to the scale this morning. I guess thinking "FLAT" is working, plus eating twigs and leaves. After day four,, I think that I can get back to Coffee, etc., but smaller amounts of food. We are planning to go to San Antonio this morning to get a new glass grinder. My old one gave up after many years of service, at least 20. Then we hurry back to help in the Sunrise Antique Mall, as this is supposed to be a busy day, and we volunteered. Happy travels.

Day three on the diet and a movie reward

Keep thinking Flat, Flat, Flat. It has been a tough day three on this diet, but we made it. The meals left much missing. HW2 says that she had better lose more weight tomorrow, or she may go off the reservation. Actually, what she said could not be printed here in a family publication. She shopped for more diet food that we needed, and I finished up five smaller pieces of stained glass. Then after lunch we went back to see Ed and Sandy at their ranch to talk further and get final approval for their glass window.

On the way back home we stopped at a Dollar Store to see if we could find some unscented red candles, and there were three Crossfires in their small parking lot. The manager of the store drives one, too. One driver, named Skip, we had met previously at Walmart, and he visited and thought that three Crossfires in one lot was great. He had entered his car in a car show last weekend and won in his category and even got a trophy. They did not have the red candles.

After dinner we decided to reward ourselves with a visit to the movies to watch the latest James Bond flick, "Quantum of Solace." It is a non-stop action thriller and would make Ian Flemming proud, although his stories were never this action filled. Daniel Craig is a very fit actor and never seems to stop. The ladies in the film are very fit and attractive too, of course. I parked the car, and HW2 got our tickets. While parking, another Crossfire parked one car away. So, I guess that is four of these cars in one day. The other driver and I visited all the way into the theater, but he went on to another movie. He had already seen the Bond flick. The theater lobby was crowded, maybe because so many kids were going to see "Twilight." I think that in depression times, more people go to the movies as an escape. We certainly enjoyed our movie and it was an action packed thriller. If you like action films, this is a delightful escape. Enjoy!

Rome was not built in a day

Now, there is a thought. Rome was not built in a day. Well, of course. Anyway, I weighed myself this morning and am finally down a pound. YEAH! Can't wait to find out how HW2 is doing. (She lost another pound.) Yesterday we met Byron over at the River Rock Saloon since I owed him a beer or two and like to quickly pay off any of my debts. HW2 made us pineapple smoothies (part of the "snack" regimine), and we went over and joined Byron. It felt a bit odd sitting at the bar, visiting, but only slurping the smoothie. I bet the bartender had not had that happen before.

So we are in day three of this diet thing, and I may have to change my mantra from Flat to Coffee or Beer. Guess I will stick with Flat for the time being.

Two more days of this detoxing procedure. We have been drinking Sassy Water. "What is that?" you ask. Well, Sassy Water is water in which you place a thinly sliced, peeled cucumber, thinly sliced lemon, mint leaves, and grated ginger root in 2 quarts of water to blend overnight. We have been drinking the stuff at every meal. I do not usually eat cucumbers or grated ginger because my digestive system thinks I am better off not doing that. Actually, it is everyone around me who applauds if I don't do that. I gingerly tried this water mixture and, except for some discreet noises, have managed to drink Sassy Water and certainly am looking forward to a new batch made last night by HW2. Today's Motto -- When in Rome, drink Sassy Water. Keep eating!