Good News for the Book Club

 I had a test run on my new tablet this morning and it works perfectly on Zoom! Can't wait until the meeting so I can actually participate instead of just listening to the other members.

Talking about the book club, I am reading next month's selection, Cover Her Face by P.D. James. I read the first fifteen pages yesterday, but there were so many characters that I stopped reading until I could prepare a character list. I did so this afternoon. It helps; slows the reading down a little but worth it.

In other news, I am going to try my hand at origami. I found some instructions online early this morning. I'm going to attempt a crane. It looked pretty straight forward.

My blood sugar seems to be coming down a tad. Using the FreeStyle Fibre 3 reader helps me see where it is anytime I want. And that is good. My Glucose Management Index I think that's what it is called) is 6.8 % for the last week, or 7 days. For the last 14 days, 6.9. I can't tell you how long I've had average readings this low. My appointment is in mid-May, so I am very excited.

Reading several books as usual, but not getting very far on any of them. Maybe I should briefly make a comment or two on the blog. That might spur me. We'll see.

Enough for now; I really need to do some serious writing about GTD. Maybe tomorrow.

Day of the Eclipse

 This day has finally arrived. And Good Riddance! It's as if we haven't seen an eclipse before. Maybe because it passed over so much of the US, millions would be able to see it instead of the relatively few who usually get to see one.

Because of cloud cover in our area, the event was a non-event. I didn't even go outdoors. Wife went out but didn't really see anything. 

I have a Zoom meeting appointment with Dave B. tomorrow morning to try out my new tablet. Hopefully, this will solve my problems with the rest of the members when we meet to discuss our book of the month. Stay tuned for this.

I finished the Sheehan book just before midnight last. I entered it into my  Goodreads account, but have not purposely written a review other than to say "I will write one in a day or so". A lot to digest. For one thing, I didn't realize he actually was writing it as he was dying. The epilogue was written by his son, George Sheehan III (He and his wife had twelve children). There is a lot to digest in the book. It will take time. And I need to be thinking about my life journey.

Going the Distance

 I will be 80 in one more week. Next Saturday. I've been reading George Sheehan's book Going the Distance which he wrote just before he died in 1993 of prostate cancer. His family published it in 1996. I bought it at that time. I had always been a fan of his - his writing especially. 

I have several of his books. I went to listen to him give a presentation in 1978 the day before I ran my first real race, the Kansas City Half-Marathon, in - you guessed it - Kansas City, MO.

All of his books are at least partly about running but are also about philosophy. This one is more so since it is about him as he dies of prostate cancer. I thought it would be an appropriate book to read as I approach my birthday. He was 74 when he died. One of the reasons I wanted to read it was to see if I could discover the real reason I stopped running - and then walking - and have essentially settled into a very sedentary lifestyle which is not healthy.

More later...

Hello Again

 This is just an experiment to see if I remember how to use the blog and post to it. Some things will be different - fewer photos. More about books. And more about the end of times - my times. No, I am not dying. But I am getting old. And since two years ago, some things have significantly changed. But more about them in future posts. Right now, I just wanted to re-establish my connection with the blog.

I will be 80 in less than a month. I have been trying to come up with things to go to, to do, and maybe even get. It's harder than you might think. 

Until next time.

Alibis

February is on its way out and once again I find myself with no posts for the month. But I do have an alibi. Our old TV broke last month - or was it early this month - and we finally replaced it with an up-to-date LG 42" LED model that has allowed us to stream channels. And I have to admit that I am guilty of wasting time watching several of my old favorite series as well as some new ones.

I am now happily catching up on Endeavor, Inspector Morse, Foyle's War, and Inspector Murdoch. I can't get INspector Lewis without purchasing PBS Masterpiece  Theatre and I can't justify getting it for only a show or two.

But I have found a few very good series. My new favorite is The Brokenwood Series. It's about a police detective in New Zealand and his station. He likes country music, has had four wives, and is presently single. He dresses slovenly, has a facial growth, and drinks a lot of coffee.

Another series is called "800 Words", about a widower with two teenage children who move from Sydney to Brokenwood, NZ. The characters are engaging, the plots interesting, and I generally find myself confused as to the four or five main female characters' names and jobs are. But I like it.

The last good series, Virgin River, about a female nurse/physician's assistant who relocates from Southern California to a small town (Virgin River) in Oregon. It started off light but has quickly picked up some serious vibes.

I have a few others, but I am trying to keep myself limited. And also watch less so I can get back to my reading.

This Past Week

 We had a snowfall last weekend. It left us with about 8 inches before you take into account the drifting. Out our front door looked like we were burying a dead body. It was heavy snow with ice afterward.

The next morning it looked like TWO dead bodies were buried out front.

But some young people who always follow their dad when he plows out the driveways in our development - he has the contract - once again did a great job shoveling our walk entrance.

What's Wrong with This Picture?!

Stockings still up? No. Cat toys moved? Nope? It's the TV. As in it's off. After about 18 years and 3 moves, it has finally given up the ghost. Usually, it is on constantly; if not watching something, it's playing music from Stingray. Yesterday morning it broke before I had my morning coffee. 

So I listened to old records and the PBS radio station. But I also had quite a bit of quiet. It was distinctly different. But in a way, nice.

We now have to schedule a trip to Best Buy. When we first bought this flat screen, it was a Magnavox 42". But now we will be buying a REAL flat-screen - same size - but with the smart capabilities for Internet channels. The Magnavox is about 2 and 1/2 inches thick. The new ones look like they are half that size. Excited. 

But in a way, I like the ability to listen to old LPs, talk radio, and silence. We have over 1,000 music CDs and over 500 DVD movies ( But to watch them I need a TV!).

But we'll have to wait for a couple of days to go shopping. Freezing rain and the possibility of snow are forecasted. In fact, the weather canceled our trip north to PA for our grandaughter Serenity's baptism.

Maybe next month.