For the last several years, my parents' place has been infested with ladybugs throughout the winter. They have caulked everywhere one can imagine a tiny bug can get in and still they do. Now, these are not your nice American ladybugs but some import. They bite. They stink. And, if allowed to get too numerous in the house, I suppose they would swarm.
My father has designed a rather ingenious non-lethal trap to collect them with. Tonight I collected five in the upstairs bathroom.
When this infestation started, everone started giving them ladybug themed gifts. As we were cycling through pictures today to show my cousins, I was reminded by a picture of Marilyn holding up a metal ladybug that we didn't buy. I'm way down on my gift giving, especially of ladybugs. My problem is that I don't shop in those kinds of stores. Well, I really don't shop at all.
After the cousins left, we went over to see the progress my sister is making on her 3,500 square foot house she is bui9lding to replace the much smaller one that burned down. She deserves the mansion she is building but as a mansion, it is taking longer.
Then we came back to my parents' place for dinner, chores that we postponed, pool, and Setback. I once again lost badly at pool, except for the very last game. I then proceeded to lose really badly in the last game of Setback.
Why didn't I go to bed with the last win rather than the last loss? I would have gotten more rest and I wouldn't be writing so much about losing in my Life after Layoff blog.
As it is now, it's once again close to midnight and I still haven't meditated. I don't know how effective it is when I'm this tired.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Day One-hundred-and-sixty-six: Goatherding
When I got up this morning, after having stayed up myself past midnight, I found out that my sister had watched over 13 hours worth of TV. Since she fast forwards through the commercials, it may have been slightly less time but still that is a lot of TV. If I ever get cable again, I'm definitely getting DVR.
My father and I played still more pool. This time I "lost" two games by scratching on the eight ball and sinking it in a pocket different from the one I called. I'm obviously improving. Losing this way means that I am putting more balls in.
I played goatherd a little bit today. The electric fence was turned off for too long and one of my parents' smaller goats became emboldened, or accidentally found ways to get through the electric fence. I herded him (it) back through the fence and we gave all 22 of them some more hay to keep them occupied while we went back to the house to turn the fence on. One had gotten out while we were heading back. So my mother and I did the goatherding thing again. Before we could walk away, it had gotten out again. This time we had seen it and used bungee cords and a stick to block a rather squarish hole framed by the gate, shed, and an electric fence pole.
We watched as the goat in question once again was nosing about the former hole. This time it touched its nose to a live wire and jumped back at least five feet. Our work was done. The goat was lessened and likely to stay put on the correct side of the fence.
By the time we had walked back to the house, the goat had found another spot to cross. Tomorrow it is to get a collar with metal antennas that will be guaranteed to catch the electric fence.
"Green acres is the place for me.
Farm living is my philosophy."
... At least I got mud on my new boots. I could go for this pace of life in my Life after Layoff. Of course, this pace only exists in the winter. Plus, I'm still mostly a bystander. My mother and father are working much more than I am.
After my sister left, another set of cousins of mine through my father's side from Springfield, OH, came in for a visit. I was able to visit with them last January. It was good that they could make this trip and great to see them. I hope to be able to stop in for a short visit on my way home.
My father and I played still more pool. This time I "lost" two games by scratching on the eight ball and sinking it in a pocket different from the one I called. I'm obviously improving. Losing this way means that I am putting more balls in.
I played goatherd a little bit today. The electric fence was turned off for too long and one of my parents' smaller goats became emboldened, or accidentally found ways to get through the electric fence. I herded him (it) back through the fence and we gave all 22 of them some more hay to keep them occupied while we went back to the house to turn the fence on. One had gotten out while we were heading back. So my mother and I did the goatherding thing again. Before we could walk away, it had gotten out again. This time we had seen it and used bungee cords and a stick to block a rather squarish hole framed by the gate, shed, and an electric fence pole.
We watched as the goat in question once again was nosing about the former hole. This time it touched its nose to a live wire and jumped back at least five feet. Our work was done. The goat was lessened and likely to stay put on the correct side of the fence.
By the time we had walked back to the house, the goat had found another spot to cross. Tomorrow it is to get a collar with metal antennas that will be guaranteed to catch the electric fence.
"Green acres is the place for me.
Farm living is my philosophy."
... At least I got mud on my new boots. I could go for this pace of life in my Life after Layoff. Of course, this pace only exists in the winter. Plus, I'm still mostly a bystander. My mother and father are working much more than I am.
After my sister left, another set of cousins of mine through my father's side from Springfield, OH, came in for a visit. I was able to visit with them last January. It was good that they could make this trip and great to see them. I hope to be able to stop in for a short visit on my way home.
Day One-hundred-and-sixty-five: Laughter!
Today I got a tour of the Glenville State College library where my oldest sister, still younger than me, is the director and tour guide.
Afterwards we bought some beer for company coming Saturday and some PowerBall tickets, also for the Saturday drawing.
My father and I played some more pool. I was still the loser overall but did win two by sinking the eight ball at the right time and into the pocket I called. My father quit playing for the day after my second "win" so I do not know whether or not I could have caught up.
I laughed all evening. First my oldest sister came in and we played Mystery Partner Euchre. I made the crib, the left over cards from the deal, my partner a couple of times. My father also "stole" a loaner I had dealt myself by ordering up the bower that I would have definitely picked up and making me his partner. The two points we received for me taking all the tricks put both of us out. It was the only time I won and it was a half win.
Then we watched a marathon of "The Daily Show" and the "Colbert Report." My sister comes over every once and a while and watched these shows that my parents record on their DVR. I had seen many of them but laughed at the repeats even more. Laughter is truly contagious almost at any time and I need laughter in my Life after Layoff. The ones I had seen, I had seen alone.
Afterwards we bought some beer for company coming Saturday and some PowerBall tickets, also for the Saturday drawing.
My father and I played some more pool. I was still the loser overall but did win two by sinking the eight ball at the right time and into the pocket I called. My father quit playing for the day after my second "win" so I do not know whether or not I could have caught up.
I laughed all evening. First my oldest sister came in and we played Mystery Partner Euchre. I made the crib, the left over cards from the deal, my partner a couple of times. My father also "stole" a loaner I had dealt myself by ordering up the bower that I would have definitely picked up and making me his partner. The two points we received for me taking all the tricks put both of us out. It was the only time I won and it was a half win.
Then we watched a marathon of "The Daily Show" and the "Colbert Report." My sister comes over every once and a while and watched these shows that my parents record on their DVR. I had seen many of them but laughed at the repeats even more. Laughter is truly contagious almost at any time and I need laughter in my Life after Layoff. The ones I had seen, I had seen alone.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Day One-hundred-and-sixty-four: Pool shark
Well, I put some balls in with some of them being the result of half way decent shots. Unfortunately, I also missed quite a few that should have been easy. As a result, I won only four games and lost more. What is worse, I didn't "win" any. My father lost, twice by scratching on the eight ball and twice by sinking it prematurely.
Just like golf for me, there is always some aspect of my pool playing that holds out the promise that I will do better the next time, as long as the next time is in the next couple of days, not a year or more. (Not that I actually do better, but that promise is there.) If the delay is a year, I will conveniently forget how bad I actually played and only remember the promise.
The rest of the day was more cards, more errands, and more eating. I won the last game of cards, which is that promise again, but I can't remeber winning any other.
It also rained all day, sometimes rather heavily. This may be a promise of a different sort.
All of these promises, or potential, are very analogous to the potential in my Life after Layoff.
Except for when my cousins visited, I've been carrying around my camera in the belt case I bought to keep it with me and allow me to take more pictures. When it came time to take pictures with my cousins, I couldn't find my camera. Now that I'm carrying it around again, I still forget to take pictures.
Just like golf for me, there is always some aspect of my pool playing that holds out the promise that I will do better the next time, as long as the next time is in the next couple of days, not a year or more. (Not that I actually do better, but that promise is there.) If the delay is a year, I will conveniently forget how bad I actually played and only remember the promise.
The rest of the day was more cards, more errands, and more eating. I won the last game of cards, which is that promise again, but I can't remeber winning any other.
It also rained all day, sometimes rather heavily. This may be a promise of a different sort.
All of these promises, or potential, are very analogous to the potential in my Life after Layoff.
Except for when my cousins visited, I've been carrying around my camera in the belt case I bought to keep it with me and allow me to take more pictures. When it came time to take pictures with my cousins, I couldn't find my camera. Now that I'm carrying it around again, I still forget to take pictures.
Day One-hundred-and-sixty-three: Family history
I really enjoyed listening to my father and my cousins talk about his family and his sister's genealogy work. They, in turn, talked about their family. In fact, there were a lot of family stories and pictures. My father has been visiting family graveyards and relatives across the country, particularly for family on his mother's side: Clarkson and Miller. He now corresponds by email to quite a few of them.
All of this made me think of a couple of other "tours" I would like to take in this Life after Layoff: A "Family" tour, where I visit the relatives we know spread across the country. The problem is, I don't know them. (I will need to get a copy of his addresses and phone numbers.) And a "Nostalgia" tour, where I visit places, and maybe people, from my past.
Even the family I do see, other than immediate, mostly come to see me while I'm visiting immediate family.
Tonight the visitors were friends of my parents and oldest sister. They did not come to see me but I got to enjoy their visit anyway.
Once again, there were lots of good food, all of it good tasting but only some of it good for me, especially in the quantities I ate of it.
All of this made me think of a couple of other "tours" I would like to take in this Life after Layoff: A "Family" tour, where I visit the relatives we know spread across the country. The problem is, I don't know them. (I will need to get a copy of his addresses and phone numbers.) And a "Nostalgia" tour, where I visit places, and maybe people, from my past.
Even the family I do see, other than immediate, mostly come to see me while I'm visiting immediate family.
Tonight the visitors were friends of my parents and oldest sister. They did not come to see me but I got to enjoy their visit anyway.
Once again, there were lots of good food, all of it good tasting but only some of it good for me, especially in the quantities I ate of it.
Day One-hundred-and-sixty-two: Real boots
I finally have a pair of real deer hunting boots. They are both warmer than my snow boots, which I didn't bring, and better suited for mud. Their only problem may be that they are warmer.
We also played more cards, at which I lost more than I won. It seems that whenever the three of us play, one of them wins. My father really gets enjoyment from winning.
We drove the Prius out on the one errand we made today, to pick up a couple of rebuilt John Deere mower tires, and my boots. On our outing, we went by Stouts Mills, where my grandmother and I used to walk to over the hill to go to the general store. Quite a few trips involved me carrying five gallons of blackberries with us, which I sold for $0.50 a gallon. I mostly picked them myself for sale but my grandmother helped more than she should have.
My fatehr attached the grading blade to his tractor and scraped cown the county road where the state had just dumped gravel, in the middle as well, building it up so high in places that it was easy for normal cars to drag. Three quarters, or more, of the road is essentially their lane. There is now only a deer hunter's cabin above tehm. That has residents very infrequently.
I have a new seater. My father had one he claimed was too large for him. I've worn it all day. They may get tired of their gift before I leave. It is the perfect weight for running out in the cold for short errands, like to the loft above the detached garage/shop. It may be too large, but it also may have been too warm for him, as hot as they keep their house. For the evening, I went and changed into a micro knit T-shirt I accidentally brought with me. It's good that their gas is free. Some oil company ran a gas line across their land without a right of way.
A couple of first cousins, once removed to me, came to visit. One of them used to baby sit me and one stayed with us for a brief time when I became old enough to remember her.
It was some time since I last saw them. They didn't show up when I was last here and I can't remember when I last saw them before 2004.
Now that I have the boots, I need to go walking. I haven't done any this trip. I used to walk five miles one way to play with one of their nephews when I came out over the summer ostensively to help my grandparents in the hay.
Except for the ability to drive or ride in a car, my times out here with my grandparents were all of the freedom I'm having now in my Life after Layoff. Maybe even more freedom because then I didn't have any money worries or future worries. In fact, I was living in the moment better then without the meditation I'm now doing to be fully present.
I've been reading Dr. Dean Ornish's Reversing Heart Disease. It has a section on meditation that I'm going to try tonight.
We also played more cards, at which I lost more than I won. It seems that whenever the three of us play, one of them wins. My father really gets enjoyment from winning.
We drove the Prius out on the one errand we made today, to pick up a couple of rebuilt John Deere mower tires, and my boots. On our outing, we went by Stouts Mills, where my grandmother and I used to walk to over the hill to go to the general store. Quite a few trips involved me carrying five gallons of blackberries with us, which I sold for $0.50 a gallon. I mostly picked them myself for sale but my grandmother helped more than she should have.
My fatehr attached the grading blade to his tractor and scraped cown the county road where the state had just dumped gravel, in the middle as well, building it up so high in places that it was easy for normal cars to drag. Three quarters, or more, of the road is essentially their lane. There is now only a deer hunter's cabin above tehm. That has residents very infrequently.
I have a new seater. My father had one he claimed was too large for him. I've worn it all day. They may get tired of their gift before I leave. It is the perfect weight for running out in the cold for short errands, like to the loft above the detached garage/shop. It may be too large, but it also may have been too warm for him, as hot as they keep their house. For the evening, I went and changed into a micro knit T-shirt I accidentally brought with me. It's good that their gas is free. Some oil company ran a gas line across their land without a right of way.
A couple of first cousins, once removed to me, came to visit. One of them used to baby sit me and one stayed with us for a brief time when I became old enough to remember her.
It was some time since I last saw them. They didn't show up when I was last here and I can't remember when I last saw them before 2004.
Now that I have the boots, I need to go walking. I haven't done any this trip. I used to walk five miles one way to play with one of their nephews when I came out over the summer ostensively to help my grandparents in the hay.
Except for the ability to drive or ride in a car, my times out here with my grandparents were all of the freedom I'm having now in my Life after Layoff. Maybe even more freedom because then I didn't have any money worries or future worries. In fact, I was living in the moment better then without the meditation I'm now doing to be fully present.
I've been reading Dr. Dean Ornish's Reversing Heart Disease. It has a section on meditation that I'm going to try tonight.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Day One-hundred-and-sixty-one: Shopping
I found out that my father likes to shop even less than I do, much less. As a result, our shopping trip to Clarksburg, about fifty miles away, with a stop in Weston on our way back bought a few food stuff extra that wasn't on the list but little else. We didn't get mud boots for me and after this snow melts, I will certainly need them. West Virginia, when wet, is noting but mud.
After a breakfast of oatmeal, and after a couple rounds of cards (cribage and gin), we were on the road by 10:00 AM. After a stop at Sam's Club to check out TVs, we made our way to Sears, where my parents bought a 40" Sony Bravia HDTV. Since that Sears store was out of stock on that model, they will have to pick it up on or after December 23rd.
By then it was lunch so we ate at China Buffet. I'm sure I stayed with true vegan items but both the amount and fat percentage content was over the top.
Then we went back to Sam's Club for non-TV shopping, well buying. Even though there was no walking the aisles just to see if there were any other things to buy, we did buy more than what was on the list. On the way home we stopped at both Wal-Mart and Kroger. My parents spend money better than I do, which is not to say for better things.
It felt good to donate to the Salvation Army kettles. One thing that I miss in this Life after Layoff is giving to the street people and muscians in San Francisco.
We made it back to their home just before 4:00 PM. Shopping in West Virginia is an almost all day effort. My middle sister called just after we got here. I guess she does it a lot. It was good to hear her voice.
As we were driving up the lane, we saw a neighbors horse with one leg stuck over a fence, hopefully not a barbed wire fence. My mother called the neighbor to let them know. They couldn't call back, even if they were of a mind to, because I have been on the computer using their sole dial up line for this blog. I'm glad to be able to keep up, however infrequently, even without pictures.
After a breakfast of oatmeal, and after a couple rounds of cards (cribage and gin), we were on the road by 10:00 AM. After a stop at Sam's Club to check out TVs, we made our way to Sears, where my parents bought a 40" Sony Bravia HDTV. Since that Sears store was out of stock on that model, they will have to pick it up on or after December 23rd.
By then it was lunch so we ate at China Buffet. I'm sure I stayed with true vegan items but both the amount and fat percentage content was over the top.
Then we went back to Sam's Club for non-TV shopping, well buying. Even though there was no walking the aisles just to see if there were any other things to buy, we did buy more than what was on the list. On the way home we stopped at both Wal-Mart and Kroger. My parents spend money better than I do, which is not to say for better things.
It felt good to donate to the Salvation Army kettles. One thing that I miss in this Life after Layoff is giving to the street people and muscians in San Francisco.
We made it back to their home just before 4:00 PM. Shopping in West Virginia is an almost all day effort. My middle sister called just after we got here. I guess she does it a lot. It was good to hear her voice.
As we were driving up the lane, we saw a neighbors horse with one leg stuck over a fence, hopefully not a barbed wire fence. My mother called the neighbor to let them know. They couldn't call back, even if they were of a mind to, because I have been on the computer using their sole dial up line for this blog. I'm glad to be able to keep up, however infrequently, even without pictures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
