About this blog title

I cannot tell you how many times I have shown up at events with a couple of cameras around my neck, a gadget bag full of odds & ends and a lighting kit and have been asked that question. If it happened once every few years, that would be one thing. But it happens a LOT. It's like getting pulled over by the police and he's standing there with uniform, gun, flashing lights and asking him "Are you a cop?" I would love to come back with a witty reply, such as "No, I am Jesus. Don't you recognize my beard?" However, I cannot be that rude.


Thursday, November 22, 2018

The Day Before Thanksgiving, November 21, 2018 (Better Half Goes to the Hospital)

Our plan for Thanksgiving was to cook an early turkey dinner, eat it, then go visit her daughter's families. We would start by making some of the side dishes the day before. Here is how the day went. I got up and had coffee with some guitar practice for bit an hour. I gather some kindling wood and get the wood stove fired up. I worked for a bit on a jigsaw puzzle Copely House. Then I get a call from brother R. He needs to work on his truck, changing the water pump, and would not be able to feed our mother lunch. "Can you go up there?", he asked. Of course I can, but that wasn't part of my plan for the day. (I don't tell him that) The Better Half and I go to visit my mother at Hospice of Jefferson County. We get there at noon and find the staff fed Mom lunch a little early. No problem. We try to initiate some conversation and just sit with her for an hour or so.
Jig saw puzzle in progress at our home in Chaumont, NY. 
while waiting for the stove fire to get going strong. I was also eating bologna sandwich.  At 10:00 I have a guitar lesson with a 9 year old boy at the
My mother and The Better Half at Hospice of Jefferson County, Watertown, NY.  iPhone 6 photo by Gary Walts
On the way home we stop at Dollar General story for a couple items we had forgotten to get earlier in the week. One of those items were Klondike Bars, those really delicious chocolate covered ice cream squares. Now let me back up a bit. The Better Half has had some problems for the last couple weeks with diverticulitis, an infection in her colon. She has had problems eating because most foods irritate her and cause her discomfort. Ice cream has been quite agreeable with her. We each have a Klondike Bar. Then she begins making stuffing for Thanksgiving. However, she has started feeling uncomfortable. I should note that she had also taken some Milk of Magnesia. She's not sure what is causing the discomfort.As she wrks in the kitchen it gets worse so she lies down to relax a bit. I start make a Cole Slaw for tomorrow. Then a I cut in half some acorn squashes and slather them maple syrup, salt & pepper, pop them in the oven. Next, I put some sweet potatoes into a pot of boiling water. Soon the Better Half says she thinks we nee to go to the emergency room. She is getting a serious diverticulitis attack. So off we go. My sweet potatoes are only half cooked. I drain them. We leave. At the hospital she has a number of tests, and different things and before you know it, it's 1:00am. She will be admitted to the hospital. By the time I get home it is 2:00am and all I've had to eat was that bologna sandwich back in the morning. I take care f a few things in the kitchen and hit the sack. What a long day it turned into.

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Halloween 2018

Well, we had nice Halloween at our home in Chaumont, NY. The weather lately has been cool and rainy. Last evening however was mild, and a little bit of rain. Temperature was about 53 degrees. Very pleasant for these parts. We had 107 trick or treaters. We keep tally every year. One year we had 134.It's always over 100.
Self portrait with a Dogfish Punkin Ale at our home n Chaumnt, NY.
I like to have a Halloween themed beer on hand for Halloween. Just to add a festive touch. Most of the pumpkin beers I try I find are mediocre. This year I picked u a 6 pack of Dogfish Punkin Ale. It was smooth and pretty good. Son in law D however took one sip and declared it horrible!  Our group was a bitt small this year. For food we had pizza, Croghan bologna, various cheeses, spinach artichoke dip, and a chili cheese dip.