Kroger is Dumb

I went "Krogering" today and spent some time picking out just the right two gift cards.

I know, "they" say don't give gift cards this year because you're playing financial roulette trying to pick who might go belly up before the cards can be redeemed, but I was trying to save myself some time with my dime PLUS they have a gift card merry-go-round every few feet just begging for your patronage.

One of the cards was rather dicey because it was for a fancy French food joint, but the other was freakin' KROGER. I figure if Kroger goes under so does Walmart and we all know that ain't going to happen any time soon.

However Kroger gets my dumb shit of the year award.

I got to the checkout and while waiting for the final tally I started making out my check as is my custom. It's my custom to have everything in place so the folk(s) behind me don't have to wait any longer than necessary. That's because I'm nice.

The checker, who was not a regualr checker, but rather someone "in charge", says "OH, you can't write a check for the gift cards....you'll have to use a credit card or debit card or cash".... I say "huh?"..... He goes into this long, boring song and dance about how people would get hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards on their credit cards and then cancel them, blah, blah, blah.... they have decided to go back to honoring the credit cards, but no checks. I guess the Gov isn't bailing out the paper hangers.

Anyway I almost let fly, but instead I did my best pre-Xmas passive-aggressive bit about how I didn't see any signs saying such in the store or around the VAST displays of gift cards. He just repeated the purchase options like he was dealing with a ...... well, he probably WAS dealing with a fill-in-the-blanks, but it riled me no end. I've never written a bad check. (Okay, ONCE, back in the 70's, but that was an accident and I took care of it immediately!) I had already written out my check for an amount over so I could have some cash back (another one of my customs!). Since they are so strict about limiting overages to $50, I couldn't even say, okay just forget it. I said OKAY JUST FORGET IT, but had to write out another check to wit everyone in line had to wait.

It's no wonder that business is having a hard time with policies like that. Both the fancy French joint and Kroger lost out....I will go elsewhere and pick up two other cards and go back to being nice once more.

What I Hate About My Local Media

Well, let's face it, there's a LOT to hate about all media, but here we sit in the center of "the cone" waiting for Ike to do "his" durndest (is that a word?) and one would think that keeping the TV on as long as possible is a good thing.

BUT nooooooooo. If they aren't scaring people to death, they are showing idiots on the beach and ranting about how they should leave. First off, if they are on the beach, chances are they aren't hearing the warning! If they keep showing these fools on the beach, they are only encouraging OTHER fools to come on down and get on TV!

Sometimes I wish Dan Rather would of had his scrawny ass blown off the beach during Hurricane Carla! His hanging on to poles and screaming into the microphone while water cascaded down his jowls has done nothing but breed a generation of baseball caps wearing clones!

I love Eric Berger, the SciGuy, at the Chronicle! He's OUR Dan Rather without having to get wet! He's far better though because he isn't hysterical....he offers facts and figures and links. He is a bright spot in the otherwise murky flood water of Rather want-a-bees!

Well I'm going to evacuate to my daughter's house. Should take me 2 minutes to drive there....she's only about 4 blocks away!

Everyone dealing with Ike, be safe!

70 Year Old Male Looking For Love Or Something

I was bored and so I went to Craigslist to see what there was to read...

After checking out the Photography and Electronics and Collectibles, I selected a category called: Strictly Platonic M4F. This is what I found:

The Lady I am Looking For;

She would be loving

She would want to hold me every night

She might go to work but be excited to come home

She would be understanding

She would eat right, exercise and take care of her body like I do so we could enjoy a long healthy life together

She would be adventurous

She would truly want me...just me

She would have a healthy view of money and not let it rule her

She would make me her #1

She would see the dream of growing older together and “smile”

She would let me know how crazy She is about me

She would “get me” or work very hard on "getting" me

She would accept and appreciate my quirkiness

She would miss me when I am gone

She would take care of me

She would treat others as she would want to be treated

She would encourage me in all things

She would never feel as if she settled for second best

She would try to some times live out side of the box with me

She would love to rub my feet, run her fingers through my hair, rub my back, etc.

She would be excited to see my face first thing in the morning

She would allow me to have friends of my own

She would encourage me to do things I enjoy doing

She would always be there for my family and allow me to be there for her’s

She would never want to go away...for long

She would help me build a “new” past together

She would treat me as a person of substance

She would respect my opinion

She would try new things that I like to do...without regret

She would speak her mind

She would never hold back

She would touch my hand, and give me a look...so everyone in the room would know we are together

She would argue with respect and know how to voice an opinion with out shaming or degrading to anyone

She would have a love for quiet times with me

She would need me

She would want a new “Best Friend” in me

She would want me to know her family, friends, and children

She would help me in this new phase of life, new friends, old family, new family, and become my new love

She would want to know my family and friends and help me blend both of ours together

She would help me create new memories

She would be excited about getting to know me...just me

Most of all...She would love me no matter what!!!

----------

My first thought is that this guy isn't looking for a realistic woman, he wants a dog!

My 2nd thought was: platonic? What part of that didn't he get?
I guess to be fair I should note that his last line was...

If you feel the same as I do about what I have written above...Change the She to he, and know in your heart and mind this is the type of person I am. I’ve been looking for you...

Too late, the damage was done well before the last line. He probably married and lookin' to cheat..... that "live outside the box" thing was a dead giveaway.

I think I'll just keeping my options open for another 12 years or so....

Scary Nut Case!

Long time no write! Mostly been busy...got some auctions going on E-bay and trying to keep cool in this Texas blast furnace. Also in an effort to keep from being TOO political I choose to just lie in wait. And there in lies the story...

I figure it's my right to support the candidate that I think best for 'Merica and I make no secret of the fact that there is only ONE viable candidate and that's Senator McCain so I bought a bumper sticker and put it in the back window of my car. It looks a lot like this one....



Well yesterday I came out of Kroger's in broad daylight and put my groceries into the trunk of my car, then I put the cart inside another cart and became aware of some guy hollering. I made eye contact with a man in a nice newer pickup truck as he was driving around me. He was just a ranting about something and I figured it was to another man in yet another pickup truck so I blew it off. Then he drove down the isle in front of my car, circled around and pulled into a parking spot on the isle I'd parked in, got out of his truck and started walking my way. The whole time this was going on he was looking at me whether I was returning the look or not! I decided to wait in the car and keep an eye on him in my rear view mirror, etc. When he got right behind my car he pointed at it and said something again. I didn't hear what he was saying, I just know he wasn't smiling and he was loud.

After he was in the store I backed out and puzzled all the way home what it was that I had done to hack this guy off. But BEFORE I drove off I wrote down his license number and I could reproduce it here, but that's not why I wrote it down. I looked him up and I know his name and where he lives. I thought he was making note or perhaps pointing to MY license plate as if to say he knew how to find me.

The more I pondered on his dementia the more I was convinced he was upset with my McCain sticker! I *think* I heard "Obama" at least once when he was driving around. All I can say is "FIGURES"! Only a bona fide nut case would support a candidate with no experience and nothing going for himself but Oprah's endorsement.

I will admit that it made me very uncomfortable to be singled out by a nut. This was a white male, probably in his middle 40's, driving a nice truck. He looked like Mr. Average American. He acted like he needed some adjustments to his meds!

When I wrote down his license number I didn't notice if he had any stickers or not...I was in a hurry to jot it down and get the hell out of Dodge! But even if he'd of had Obama stickers plastered all over the thing *I* would of never told him off for his political leanings! That's because I'm only a nut case in limited family related incidences, I reckon....

Vote, I don't care who you vote for, but VOTE! If you are voting for The Other, keep it to yourself, I got enough to worry about!

Odds And Ends Of Life In The Fast Lane

It's been crazy around here.

I'm excited about tomorrow because I don't have to do anything! I don't have to go anywhere! I was going to the Astros game, but one of Larry's customers wanted tickets so he gave them away. We're going Thursday and that'll be fun. It's Mother's Day early and they are giving away tote bags to "women 16 and above". Is it just me or does 16 seems awfully young to be a "woman"?

I got to see them play that long ass game Sunday when they pulled it out and went on to beat the Brewers. That was a great game! I've been lucky to see some great games the last few years in person and over the years on TV.

This year is coming along nicely because the bats are alive and well and doing their thing. I love a good pitcher's duel, but nothing spells fun like a high scoring game that ends up with a big fat "W" for the home team.


Today I got my "Welcome to Medicare" physical. I celebrated that by going out for breakfast to The Egg And I. The food was good and tasted even better because I went in after having to fast for 10 hours for the blood work the doctor ordered. I was breaking in a new doctor too. He's a Family Practice doc that works for Kelsey-Seybold. As a rule I hate Kelsey-Seybold, but I felt like I needed a GP for this whole Medicare gig. I played the old card at the Egg place and scored the senior citizen discount! Hot damn, this old thing might be a winner after all! I can just see me going around town holding out my hand for the coot rebates!


I sat around picking fleas off the devil dog this evening. I got 3 of them before she got bored. I have a system. I catch them between my right thumb and forefinger and open those fingers inside of some soapy water that I put in a glass. They sink like stones and drown their little bastard selves. I'll probably end up giving her a bath tomorrow to try and drown the rest of them in one fell swoop. (I had to look up "fell swoop"! I thought it was "feld swoop", but found out that was just my East Texas accent messin' with me again!)


I've worked in the yard a lot more than usual, but that's one of the perks of losing the weight....I WANT to do more and I CAN! I bought some foam "barrels" from Kroger (not cheap!) to put lots of Amaryllis bulbs in. I had lots and lots of bulbs in several pots. Make that too many pots and thought it'd be neat to have a big pot with lots of them instead. I need a couple more foam barrels to put ALL of them together, but for now I'm content with just the two. Only time will tell if I like that foam aspect. They might dry out too much.


I've got a fair amount of comments on the YouTube video. 99.9% are favorable. My oldest bro said it was "vulgar". I took THAT as a compliment considering the source. Most of my relatives are not saying anything! They probably are not that crazy about it but more considerate than the bro. I can't fault him though because I did ask folks to tell me what they thought. My kids were cool and *I* liked it so there. The more I see it the more I'm amazed at what a good job Travis did putting it together. Some of my "scenes" make me cringe, but the dream like quality of the playground stuff is very good. Naturally the times I'm just having fun and cracking up come across as more real than the walking around with my nose in the air stuff, but that's to be expected I suppose.

Two of my friends have said they were "speechless". That's pretty cool because usually they are regular Chatty Cathys! Many just don't say anything. I'm guessing they are speechless too.... haha....


Found out today that I do still have diabetes according to the doctor, but it's well controlled. I figured as much because how could it just go away after being in my life for 15 years? My first born went to the diabetes doctor and she told her that she's seeing people having to get back on the meds and shots after awhile because they think they are cured and start eating like sugar and carbs are no problem. There is just so much insulin being produced and when that's not good enough to do the job it's back on the needle or the pills.

I'm glad I heard about that hopefully before I'm out of control. I've been eating candy and ice cream, etc. and need to step back and evaluate just what I think I hope to accomplish eating junk. I sure don't want to give it all up now! Changing your life long habits and patterns is like a giant game of Mother-May-I.... you take two little steps forward and one giant step backwards if you forgot to say the magic words or, in the this case, eat the magic foods and lay off the bad stuff.

The best thing about life is that until it's over you can make changes and reevaluate your choices. That's pretty empowering stuff! I like the way that works! Thanks, God, that was a good idea You had there!