Happy National Coffee Day

 TWIT and I would like to wish everyone a very happy National Coffee Day.  As I type this, I have a full cup of coffee sitting here within arms reach.  In case you haven't had a cup yet, it's not too late to get some coffee and celebrate.

Tuesday Update

 The Old Man and I are happy tonight - we got hair cuts today, and we look pretty good tonight if I do say so myself.  From this retiree, that's all I got today.  Nuff said. 

Weekend Update

 The weekend got away from me and I forgot to post.  I learned quickly that time does get away from you when you are retired and don't go to the office every day.  But I digress.  

I branched out and stepped out of my comfort zone and made a pot of bean soup from scratch yesterday.  It was a special request by the Old Man.  He loved it and told me to be sure to put the recipe in my cookbook binder.  I simply Googled "easy bean soup" and found the recipe titled "Senate Bean Soup Official Recipe".  After reading about it, this bean soup is the one food that is always on the menu at the U.S. Senate restaurant.  Well, it's no secret that the Senate can't agree on anything, but they sure do agree on a good bean soup.  

Friday Update

 I am not one to post "heavenly birthdays" or "heavenly anniversaries" on Facebook.  But today is a special day in our family.  It is my Sweet Mother's birthday, and also Gram and Grandpa's anniversary.  The Old Man and I honor them today.  

It was also the Old Man's annual checkup with his cardiologist.  He got a great report - the doctor said the EKG was great and he'd see him in a year.  You can't ask for more than that. 

Farewell, Summer

 Dear Summer:

I am glad to see you go.  You gave us way more days in the 90s than we would care to have this summer.  You went out in style,, though; yesterday it was 96 here at The Compound,, and today the high is only 74.  That is a good start to your predecessor.

While you are away from us, I sure hope you don't gain momentum for next year. 

Bye.  

Tuesday, Tuesday

 We're a day away from the official start of summer and as I type this, it is 94 degrees here at The Compound.  I can only hope that our winter won't be as harsh.  

Stay tuned.,  

Monday, Monday

 The Old Man and I had a different type of Monday yesterday. As soon as we got up, we started watching Queen Elizabeth's funeral.  Both of us were glued to the TV until the coverage ended after noon.  It was grand - that's the only word I can use to describe it.  We were so impressed with the processional all (key word) stepping/marching in perfect step.  And then at the commital service, I was blown away when one of the commentators said that there was a diamond in the royal scepter that was 500 carats.  

After we peeled ourselves up from the recliners and took off our pajamas, we didn't do much.  We were both ready to doze off later in the afternoon when we heard a huge thud that shook the house.  At first, we thought another car ran off the road and landed in our front yard.  But luckily, it was "only" a huge, long limb from the neighbor's tree that had fallen and landed on the phone line.  I checked the phone and it was working fine, but just out of precaution, I called AT&T and asked them to send someone out to check the line.  Let me preface by saying that AT&T calls here no less than twice a day, trying to sell me some upgraded service; I was on hold for 45 minutes before I got to speak to an actual person.  She was very helpful and fast, and said that a repairman would be out today between 8 am and 6 pm.  She sure was right; when the Old Man and I got up this morning at about 8:15, the repairman was out in the driveway fixing the line.  

Now to just sit back and wait for something to happen today.  Not.  

Solemn Sunday

 I am sorry to report I was not in a very good mood today, faithful readers. I kept it hidden and didn't take it out on the Old Man.  On the contrary - I made one of his favorite things I make - Paula Deen's Taco Soup.   

I've been doing all I can to get out of the mood, and thanks to prayers, it's helped.  I just need to keep on reminding myself not to compare myself to others and what they are doing in their lives right now.  

Stay tuned. 

Security Tip Saturday

On my weekly Saturday trip to Kroger, I noticed something today.  I saw an older woman who had her purse in the child area of the shopping cart, and lo and behold, she had the child seat belt through her purse straps so nobody could snatch her purse.  But she left her purse wide open - available for a thug to take her wallet and phone.  I hesitated for a minute, but then I said something to her.  I prefaced by saying I was a licensed security consultant, and then urged her to keep her purse zipped up, or even better, to just take her debit card, keys, and cell phone in her pockets into the store and leave her purse at home or locked in the trunk of her car.  She thanked me so much, and even gave me a hug.  My work is done.  

I.Just.Can't

 I made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby today to pick up something, and as I walked past the checkout lanes to the main part of the store, it hit me like a ton of bricks: Christmas decorations were in the store.   I'm sorry.  It's not even officially fall yet.  There are no words. 

I Don't Blame Him One Bit

 I'd say King Charles handled this better than I would have.  

Charles loses his temper after fountain pen leaks on his finger

King Charles had a run-in with a leaky pen during his visit to Northern Ireland on Sepmtber 13.

The new monarch was taking part in a signing ceremony at Hillsborough Castle when his writing utensil suddenly burst.

He also had to ask for the date, perhaps a sign of the pressure he has been under this past week and the whirlwind of public events and duties he has upheld since the death of his mother.

The pen exchange was captured on video.

‘Is it September 12th?’, the King asked an assistant. He then added: ‘Oh god, I’ve put the wrong date down. Oh god, I hate this pen.’

The King quickly stood as the pen seemingly leaked ink all over his fingers.

‘It’s going everywhere,’ Camilla the Queen Consort added as a new pen was hastily sourced.

The King was then heard saying: ‘I can’t bear this bloody thing… every stinking time.’

An aide then darted over to retrieve the leaky pen while the King wiped away ink with a handkerchief.

Visitor Parking

 I had to take some paperwork to the CFO at ZCO today about my retirement fund withdrawals, and I admit it felt odd parking in the Visitors Only parking area, and felt even more odd when I had to sign in and get a visitor's badge.  But it is what it is.  

The Shit Got Real

 The shit got real for me this morning: I feel officially retired.  I had to fill out paperwork for withdrawing from my retirement fund.  Luckily, the guesswork was taken out of it because all I had to do was look over my spreadsheet for bills and expenses, and then add a bit to that amount to compensate for the federal withholding amount.  I'll deliver the paperwork on Wednesday to the ZCO CFO, and if I filled the form out correctly, the first week of October I will get my first withdrawal.  To help me out with taxes, my first withdrawal is for three months worth of my expenses, and then in January I will withdraw enough for a year.   I know that is probably more about my retirement fund that you wanted to know, but this is my blog and I can write whatever I want. 

You Can Have Something

 I was frustrated again yesterday - I tried to print something and the printer wouldn't work.  And to top it off, my keyboard crapped out.  Granted, it was twenty years old, so I think I got my money's worth.

I went to Staples and got a new wireless keyboard, and fussed with it for half an hour and couldn't get it to connect.  After doing what anyone would do (Googling it), I found out what I was doing wrong and got it to work.  And in doing so, I realized I had 3 more USB ports on the back of the computer that I could use.

And the printer suddenly started working.  So as of right now, all is quasi-well in my computer world. 

Flashback Friday

 

I was looking for something in the closet in the back bedroom, and found Gram's leather dice cup.  I wish I had a dollar for every game of Yahtzee that she and our neighbor Alice played using that cup.  I remember the Old Man bought it for them to use when the chintzy cardboard dice cup that came with the game wore out.  

Every week night evening after supper, Alice would come down and would play Yahtzee with Gram and Grandpa.  After Grandpa died, they kept up the nightly Yahtzee game, even though there were only two people playing.  

I know people still play Yahtzee today from all of the ads I see for apps for the game.  But there's just something extra cool about the sound of the dice.  

Rest In Peace, Queen Elizabeth

 

TWIT and I are saddened by today's news of Queen Elizabeth/s death.  Some might think it is sacrilegious to say this, but she was definitely one hell of a woman.  

This will always be one of my favorite pictures of two true Queens - Elizabeth in the front, and Susan Lucci standing behind Prince Phillip at the 2007 Kentucky Derby.

Retirement Frustrations

 I spent most of today working on  two very important retirement things - health insurance and my retirement fund withdrawal.

I tried (key word) to get through on the Kentucky state website set up from Obama-Care, only to keep getting roadblocks; I would sign in, and then when I got to the screen to enter my name, address and SS#, I kept getting the little red circle with the line through it - not able to enter a thing.  After an hour on the phone with the site's technical people, I just gave up.  

At least I made some headway on my retirement fund withdrawal.  I just have to finish filling out the paperwork, decide what amount I want to withdraw and how often I want to withdraw it, and then take the paperwork into HR at the office.  This was going to be the hardest part of the two things but it turned out to be the easiest. 

Tomorrow when I have more patience, I'm going to just call the Kentucky state website and hopefully will get to talk to someone that can help me. 

Stay tuned. 

Rest In Peace, Miss Schmitz

I found out late last night that my favorite teacher from high school died yesterday afternoon.  The one thing I will always remember about Miss Schmitz was her big, genuine smile.  

Miss Schmitz was my typing teacher. I struggled a bit at first in my first typing class of hers, but after encouragement from her, once I got the hang of it there was no stopping me on the trusty IBM Selectric. She was also the advisor for the FBLA club (Future Business Leaders of America). She kept nagging me to join, and just to make her happy, I did, and was appointed as the club historian. On Senior Takeover Day, she chose me to takeover for her in her classes. Not only did I have to conduct those timed drills, she made me wear a big button all day long that said "I Love FBLA." At our graduation, she was on the stage to give me a four-year business award. After handing me the certificate, she hugged me and with that big smile of hers, said "keep on making me proud of you." In my work career and in college, those words stuck with me. And they still do.

Monday, Monday

 Even though I am retired and days off for federal holidays like Labor Day didn't really mean much to me since I was already off.  But today was kind of a blah day.   I'm feeling much better physically from the shingles, but I didn't really feel good otherwise.  I've got so many friends battling cancer, heart problems and Covid right now, and they have been on my mind constantly..  I know that the Lord has heard all of the prayers that me and the Old Man have said for them, and will continue to say, but I can't help but being concerned about them and worrying.  

Can't Have Nothing

 For the past two days, I've driven myself crazy trying (key word) to get my printer to work.  I was one step away from uninstalling it, doing a factory reset and then reinstalling it.  I did one more Google search and looked up the instruction manual for it.  I went to the page that showed a view of the back of the printer, and lo and behold, I had the USB cord in the wrong plug.  Once I put it in the right plug, it started printing.  Boy do I feel dumb.  But at least I know what I did wrong and my printer works.   Moving on.

Covid 19 Update

 I made my usual Saturday trip to the grocery store this morning, and I would say about a third of the people there shopping, yours included, were wearing masks.  

Stay safe,

Flashback Friday

 I made a trip up the road yesterday to our local post office to mail a package.  They still have strict Covid rules in place - only two people allowed at a time inside at the service counter.  So while I waited a couple of minutes out in the lobby, I noticed that the old school stamp vending machine had been taken out.  

The first stamp machine I remember was white and blue and was made like a small old school public mail box.  It had slots for you to put coins in to get your stamps.  Then it was replaced by a "modern" vending machine like you see for snacks at rest areas on the highways.  It had a slot for coins and for paper money.  But those are a thing of the past. Now you can get stamps at the grocery store and online.  That's progress.