What Are You Doing For Excitement Today?

[Judy Harder]

I had a very nice day. Had a fasting blood test at 8:30 and ate breakfast at Swinging Bridge. Was hoping to see some of the forum there, did see and chat with Barbara and the waitress Judy, did not get her last name.....but nice to chat with.
Then since the Tuesdays Treasures wasn't open yet, went to Howard to get my shopping done there.
Looking for some spring type curtain rods so I can hang insulated plastic curtains under my drapes this winter, the kind that look like foil and I hope insulates better than what I have been using past two years or so. Never did warm up last year and my bill looked like I was heating the outside...after all just 3 rooms here and I will shut off the bedroom and still keep a blanket on when watching tv.
Picked up some grocery's and a prescription and stopped to chat with Joanna at the flower shop..........then
back to Moline and a fun filled hour or so going through the "Garage Sale" Picked up a pillow before I even went in...........and of course 2 teddy bears followed me home and a couple of vests and a nice button down shirt and scarf for cooler days at church. and well, I had a super time just browsing and will go back again later this month.
Saw a couple of nicknacks that would make super gifts...........had to come home and regroup.........LOL  after walking the dogs have spent rest of day, just resting. It is so nice to be tired from actually doing something, instead of sitting around.

Now, deciding if I am going to Indy tomorrow or doing laundry......and a little yard work. Looks like I better repot what I intend to keep in this winter and clean out what has stopped growing.
Night all and God bless

[Janet Harrington]

Judy, what do you feed teddy bears that follow you home?

[doobie]

Bullets-their hair will grow out in bangs ( i crack myself up at times)

[Judy Harder]

Usually dust particles and once in awhile I bring them out to air and entertain the people who don't drop in.
This was something my mother started..........she had so many bears that I would believe a whole room would not be large enough for. Good thing she liked them all sizes, mostly cuddily and nick nacks, I just like them when I didn't have pets, before Scooter and Sassy came to stay, I would use them to snuggle up with when I was down in the dumps. Now, if they are cute and I feel an OOOH! and or an Ah! coming on they jump in my arms and come home.
None of them have been much above $10 and I get them at dollar stores, and where ever. Not really a collector like my family, they love the carebears and the ones from is it Carthage that has the famous ceramics? forgot that. but, it is a harmless collection, I use to do owls.....then i ran out of room, teddy bears are delegated to a corner of my bedroom and I am looking for a swinging hammock thingy to put in the upper corner just to have more room and find more.
Oh, when Dad passes and we dismantle his and her house, a lot of the teddy bears will be mine. If I want them. sis and rest of family will have choices, too. (I know more than you asked for, but you found out, anyway........so there ----)~~~ptuie

[Janet Harrington]

How cool. I have a bunch of stuffed animals that are stored in totes. Someday I need to get them out and do something with them.

@doobie, You crack us up, too. LOL

[Delbert]

The mind is the first things to go.   Hope you remember me the next time I see you.

[larryJ]

Yesterday turned out to be exciting.  My son had conned me into joining the American Legion in Newport Beach and I had been inducted a month or so ago.  Now this place is the largest AL post in the United States.  However, veterans join because of the music on the weekends, the beach outside the patio gate and the bay with all the yachts or other boats parked therein.  It is also a yacht club.  I don't sail.  Oh yeah, the grill and the bar attract many.  The reason he conned me into this was so he could also join as a "son of a Legionnaire".  Just in the last two days, he has moved with his family from Tustin to a beach rental not more than a mile the AL post.  Last night, he was inducted into the membership and I was there to support him.  He doesn't sail, either.  The Newport post is about 40 miles from my house.  Needless to say, I won't be going there on a regular basis. 

The exciting part is, coming home along the 57 freeway having just passed Angel Stadium, my right rear tire blew.  I have always taken good care of my tires, so this was some sort of a shock. I can't remember the last time I had a blowout, but it might have been when I was working the hay fields in Elk County.  I had felt a clunk as if I had run over something and then, Whammo, there goes the tire.  I was able to move to the shoulder where there was plenty of room.  This was not a flat.  This was like you see when a semi shreds a tire.  UGLY!

For many years, since I married, I have always had an Auto Club card.  I did this mostly to protect my wife and subsequently my children so if they had a roadside emergency, they could get help.  I have rarely used this service, but yet, I maintain my annual membership fees------------------just in case.

Last night was a "just in case."  In this day and age, technology is a wonderful thing.  After pulling over, I pulled out my phone, pulled up the GPS app and confirmed where I was.  Then, using the same phone, called AAA for help.  The young lady first was concerned  that I was out of harm's way and that I, personally was okay.  Then she asked for the specific location which I reported and the description of my van.  She assured me that there would not be much of a wait because they respond to freeway troubles first.  Within twenty minutes, a tow truck showed up and a young man got out, looked at the tire, went and got his jack, pulled out my spare tire and changed it fast.  This spare tire has not seen the light of day since I bought the van 9 years ago.  I was afraid it might be low on air.  It wasn't too bad, but the truck was equipped with an air hose and he proceeded to air up the tire.  Total time from flat to "on the road again" was 45 minutes.

Well worth the $122 a year I pay for just such a service.  Especially sitting on the shoulder of a busy freeway at 10 PM. 

So today I will buy some new tires, (been going to do that anyway) (not that they are bad) and consider buying a new expensive hub cap (mine is somewhere in Orange County.)

Larryj

[patyrn]

I agree, Larry.  Having an AAA membership or other roadside assistance program is well worth the yearly fees.  One incident of being stranded and the peace of mind that goes along with it pays for that yearly membership.  We give our adult kids a yearly membership to AAA for their birthdays so we know they have help available when needed.  If you never have to use it, that is wonderful, too!

Glad your blowout didn't cause an accident!!  Have a great day looking for tires, and hope you enjoy being a part of the American Legion.  It sounds like your post is quite a social destination.  My husband belongs to the post in hometown Howard, and although it is not anything like you described, he takes pride in his membership and enjoys helping out with post activities to help with community projects and outreach to veterans.   

[Diane Amberg]

Same here. Daddy always gave us a AAA membership for Christmas every year. Well worth it, plus we have used the trip tiks and discounts many times too.

[larryJ]

I generally drive in the slow lane or the one next to it.  I have no desire in my senior years to drive in the faster lanes.  So it was not much of a problem moving over, especially when I was shredding rubber all over the place.

Having been to two Legionnaire meetings now, I have learned about some of the things they do.  Apparently, one of the biggest needs for our troops is socks.  They seem to go through them pretty often.  Last night we were told how many thousand pairs of socks had been sent by the post.  And, there was a lady there who knits caps.  She originally knitted a cap for a friend who was recovering successfully from cancer.  Her friend was complaining that because of her hair loss from the radiation and chemo, her head was always cold.  Then it took off.  She rounded up a bunch of volunteer knitting ladies and began knitting caps by the hundreds.  She was also an auxiliary member of the AL and began sending caps to VA hospitals around the country and then to other hospitals, especially children's hospitals.  Last night we learned of the thousands of caps that have been donated to those hospitals and nursing homes around the country and the amount of the donation that AL gives for this cause.  They also provide scholarships for education, not just for college, but for books and clothes, etc., for kids that their families can't afford.  What began as a favor to my son so he would have another place to party is becoming something I am proud to be a part of and maybe will get more involved as time goes on. 

Larryj