Here we are again, another new year just around the corner. What is in store for the coming year? What new adventures will unfold? Will gas make it to $5 a gallon? Of course no one knows, but each New Year's Eve we all ponder these types of questions. I suppose it's just human nature to wonder about the future.
More than likely, not much will change. Think back to the past, how many things can you remember that really knocked your socks off? Yeah, that's what I thought, not many.The biggest event I can remember in my relatively short past was 9/11. I mean that really hit everyone out of the blue!
I suppose landing on the moon was a big event, but at the time I was still in high school and it really didn't seem like such a big deal back then. We knew it was going to happen eventually, so the actual event was just a bit anticlimactic.
I think life is mostly like that, changes occur slowly and even the ones which truly impact our daily lives happen in such a way that they are perceived to have always been that way. I mean a lot of the things we have today we take for granted as having always been available to us.
Those of my generation can remember a time when had to wait a bit if we wanted to hear sound from an electronic device. For those who don't remember, I'm talking about the fact that we had to wait for the tubes to warm up. Nowadays we simply flip a switch and we get instant sound or music.
If you go back a little further, there were no devices capable of playing any kind of sound. If you wanted music you had to listen to a live performance. If you wanted to hear someone making a speech, you had to be there when they made it.
This point was brought to me recently when I purchased an older car with a tube-type radio. It does play, but takes a minute or two to warm up before you hear sound coming from the speaker. And that sound is not the kind which can be generated by even a cheap MP3 player these days, it sounds a bit on the low-fidelity side.
Computers are now pretty much taken for granted, everyone has one and most of us are connected by the marvel called the internet. I can remember a time when if you wanted to chat with someone, you picked up the phone and called them, or paid them a visit in person. Now you take a device from your pocket and type them an instant message. Not really sure if this is a step forward.
So what will the coming year bring? No idea. But I think we can safely assume that it won't seem such a big deal when it happens. We are just programmed that way I guess...
Friday, December 31, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Okay, my past problems don't seem so bad now that I've had a week to reflect on them. Plus the fact that I spent yesterday afternoon and evening, as well as the morning through dinner time with my lovely daughter and her family played a large part in feeling better about it.
Presents have been opened, and food has been consumed, too much, but that is what the holidays are all about. I mean if you can't overeat during this time of the year, when can you do it? Good times, good food, plus spending time with your family and friends, it just doesn't get any better.
Some were missed this year, but I spoke with them on the phone and so at least kept in touch. With some this was not possible and those will never be forgotten. It just makes you appreciate all those who are still in your life all the more.
Some have not been a part of my life long enough due to circumstances beyond our control. This includes those who I never knew at all or just met very briefly. Life has a way of dealing you a set of cards and those cards are all you have to play with, no matter how much you protest.
And lastly, there are those who will not be around forever, even though it sometimes seems that way. We take their presence for granted and should not do so. Life and the time spent with family is precious and should be treasured. We can see that with those who recently left us, too soon, but then life offers no guarantees it seems.
And so another Christmas has come and is slowly fading into oblivion. Monday morning means back to work for a lot of us and soon the holiday we shared will just be a fond memory. Try to keep the spirit as long as possible and don't ever forget the times we spent together. Remember for some, it's possible this will be the last one spent with those you love.
To Huey Ray and James Louis, you are sorely missed by those who loved you. God willing one day we will meet again...
Presents have been opened, and food has been consumed, too much, but that is what the holidays are all about. I mean if you can't overeat during this time of the year, when can you do it? Good times, good food, plus spending time with your family and friends, it just doesn't get any better.
Some were missed this year, but I spoke with them on the phone and so at least kept in touch. With some this was not possible and those will never be forgotten. It just makes you appreciate all those who are still in your life all the more.
Some have not been a part of my life long enough due to circumstances beyond our control. This includes those who I never knew at all or just met very briefly. Life has a way of dealing you a set of cards and those cards are all you have to play with, no matter how much you protest.
And lastly, there are those who will not be around forever, even though it sometimes seems that way. We take their presence for granted and should not do so. Life and the time spent with family is precious and should be treasured. We can see that with those who recently left us, too soon, but then life offers no guarantees it seems.
And so another Christmas has come and is slowly fading into oblivion. Monday morning means back to work for a lot of us and soon the holiday we shared will just be a fond memory. Try to keep the spirit as long as possible and don't ever forget the times we spent together. Remember for some, it's possible this will be the last one spent with those you love.
To Huey Ray and James Louis, you are sorely missed by those who loved you. God willing one day we will meet again...
Sunday, December 19, 2010
No phone, no pool, no pets...
That line from the Roger Miller song, King of the Road, struck me as funny as I pondered my own situation. I've been without water since last Thursday. You never really know how bad things can get until you have to do without something as basic as water. I have options, but I don't really want to use them, guess I'm a little stubborn that way.
They say that cleanliness is next to Godliness, guess the Devil and his gang have moved into my house! It's times like these that I'm glad I don't have a lot of company here. They wouldn't stay long if they did pay me a visit. I have no heat in the house, except for my room and the bathroom, but that beats paying those high winter heating bills.
Of course this does not bode well for my water pipes, as every year I generally have one or two bust from freezing. It's kind of like driving in the snow, you forget how to do it until the first snow hits. I always forget to let the water run in a very small stream during the coldest nights until the first time a pipe freezes. Then I remember for the rest of the season, at least until next winter.
My problem is fixed, at least the obvious leak was repaired, at a fairly high cost this time as well. Seems I tripped going down the steep wooden stairs which lead to the celler and busted up my knee and skinned the back of my hand on the rock wall. You would think as many times as I have had to climb up and down stairs I wouldn't forget how to do that.
But I turned 59 today, maybe that is part of the reason. Things on my ol' body just don't function they way they did when I was younger. Not to mention the fact that when I do fall, it takes longer to heal and generally causes more damage. I guess the old plumbing in my house is a lot like me, just can't take the pressure of survival like it used to.
Water is still not on. I called the water guy Saturday when I repaired the leak to see if I could borrow the tool needed to turn the water on at the meter. Haven't heard back from him. I don't blame him, I wouldn't want to mess with my job on my time off either. Now that I'll be home from work tomorrow anyway, guess one more day of waiting won't hurt anything. The cat doesn't seem to mind the smell all that much.
Have to admire the planning which went into the plumbing of this place. It's setup in such a way that when a leak occurs, the cellar fills up with water. Of course the shut off for the water is located on the wall where the pipe comes in from the meter. That is all the way across the cellar from the stairs. So if you want to shut the water off you have to wade across the floor in about 3 feet of water. Not the safest thing to do considering the furnace and electric hot water heater are down there as well.
I never really understood why people move into retirement homes when they get older when they have a perfectly good home they are living in. I'm beginning to understand...
12/20 update: I have water once again and things are getting back to normal. Sure feels good to be a part of life once again!
They say that cleanliness is next to Godliness, guess the Devil and his gang have moved into my house! It's times like these that I'm glad I don't have a lot of company here. They wouldn't stay long if they did pay me a visit. I have no heat in the house, except for my room and the bathroom, but that beats paying those high winter heating bills.
Of course this does not bode well for my water pipes, as every year I generally have one or two bust from freezing. It's kind of like driving in the snow, you forget how to do it until the first snow hits. I always forget to let the water run in a very small stream during the coldest nights until the first time a pipe freezes. Then I remember for the rest of the season, at least until next winter.
My problem is fixed, at least the obvious leak was repaired, at a fairly high cost this time as well. Seems I tripped going down the steep wooden stairs which lead to the celler and busted up my knee and skinned the back of my hand on the rock wall. You would think as many times as I have had to climb up and down stairs I wouldn't forget how to do that.
But I turned 59 today, maybe that is part of the reason. Things on my ol' body just don't function they way they did when I was younger. Not to mention the fact that when I do fall, it takes longer to heal and generally causes more damage. I guess the old plumbing in my house is a lot like me, just can't take the pressure of survival like it used to.
Water is still not on. I called the water guy Saturday when I repaired the leak to see if I could borrow the tool needed to turn the water on at the meter. Haven't heard back from him. I don't blame him, I wouldn't want to mess with my job on my time off either. Now that I'll be home from work tomorrow anyway, guess one more day of waiting won't hurt anything. The cat doesn't seem to mind the smell all that much.
Have to admire the planning which went into the plumbing of this place. It's setup in such a way that when a leak occurs, the cellar fills up with water. Of course the shut off for the water is located on the wall where the pipe comes in from the meter. That is all the way across the cellar from the stairs. So if you want to shut the water off you have to wade across the floor in about 3 feet of water. Not the safest thing to do considering the furnace and electric hot water heater are down there as well.
I never really understood why people move into retirement homes when they get older when they have a perfectly good home they are living in. I'm beginning to understand...
12/20 update: I have water once again and things are getting back to normal. Sure feels good to be a part of life once again!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
A blast from the north
Looks like we are in for a few very cool days already and it's not even officially winter yet! The highs Monday and Tuesday are only supposed to be in the low 20's, so I may have to try a double layer of long underwear! Not one for liking the cold at all, I do whatever it takes to stay warm!
I just posted another chapter from my life story booklet I'm writing on my personal blog site:
http://mosslack.wordpress.com/
So anyone who wants can read that. I was told by my daughter (Autumn) that she didn't like it when the story was about dating her mother, etc. She told me leave that part out and just stick to talking about the cars. Oh well, just goes to show you can't please everyone, but to me, it's the most important part of the story, so just skip those chapters honey.
I guess it's back to work tomorrow, not looking forward to that at all. As heavy as the volume of packages have been I can just imagine what December will be like. Sure will be nice to be retired, can't wait for that to come. I've been told be some of those who have retired that it's not as much fun as one might think, but I'm more than ready to take that chance.
Oh well, back to doing laundry and making the most of the remaining time I have for this weekend. I mainly just wanted to say a few words and put a plug in for my other blog. Have fun!
I just posted another chapter from my life story booklet I'm writing on my personal blog site:
http://mosslack.wordpress.com/
So anyone who wants can read that. I was told by my daughter (Autumn) that she didn't like it when the story was about dating her mother, etc. She told me leave that part out and just stick to talking about the cars. Oh well, just goes to show you can't please everyone, but to me, it's the most important part of the story, so just skip those chapters honey.
I guess it's back to work tomorrow, not looking forward to that at all. As heavy as the volume of packages have been I can just imagine what December will be like. Sure will be nice to be retired, can't wait for that to come. I've been told be some of those who have retired that it's not as much fun as one might think, but I'm more than ready to take that chance.
Oh well, back to doing laundry and making the most of the remaining time I have for this weekend. I mainly just wanted to say a few words and put a plug in for my other blog. Have fun!
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