Nightly Reflections – Monday, October 30th, 2023

Breakthrough! With less than 48 hours to go now before Christmas returns to the interior of my home, I had a major breakthrough today with the Christmas short story I’ve been working on. And I am now more excited than ever to move ahead on the story. I’ll tell you more a little later, but….

Happy Monday! Cold but sunny 🙂 I’m keeping my house at 70 this season so far. I don’t feel like it’s cold inside or I’d definitely crank it up. Still haven’t lit my first fire but it’s coming, for sure. Still have to restock the wood too. Maybe tomorrow when I go to the Writers’ gathering. Mondays are one of my better days in the week since retirement. I don’t think it requires a lot of imagination to figure out why that would be. It kinda starts Sunday night when I don’t dread Monday morning but waking Mondays in retirement is a mighty fine feeling. One, I’m alive yet. (lol) And two, I usually wake at a time when I would have already been standing in front of 35 teens, trying to be productive. Yup. Mondays are a fine day in my world these past nine years 🙂

So, going back to the short story, which at this point is nameless, I should give Toby major credit for this breakthrough. Yup. Toby. Last night, for the second time in our relationship, he jumped into bed with me about 5 minutes after I had gotten settled in it. Until I fall asleep each night, I am on my back. I like to be on my side, but the other night when he jumped up, I was in an awkward position and he saw fit to rest against my legs, so I couldn’t move at all. If I am on my back, more than likely, he’ll see fit to rest by my feet, between my calves. And I have my legs separated enough so it must look to him with the bedspread resting like the middle of it is a nest for him. And that’s exactly where he went when he came up on the bed. So, that meant I had to lie motionless or he might get the notion to go into attack mode on the bedspread to get to whatever is moving under that covering, and that would be my legs, by the way. All I can do is just rest there and hopefully fall asleep sooner than later. It wasn’t a sooner-than-later situation last night. I was awake for a while, so my thoughts went to my story. And that’s when I had this revelation. The story is going to go in a direction I wasn’t thinking at first. And it’s going someplace I never thought it would go, and my ending will be the same kind of ending as The Ornament, which is a wonderfully emotional ending, filling one’s heart with joy. Christmas joy, of course 🙂 SO, today, when I left the house, all I wanted to do was run to The Bucks and start recording my thoughts from last night, hoping like heck I’d remember them. I did and more came to me sitting there. So, now my story has an “outline” of sorts. I see my story in eight phases. That might mean that it will be divided into eight nights, ending on my Christmas Eve blog. We shall see, but I’m excited with the progress made today. Thank you Toby. 🙂

As I was sitting in The Bucks today, I saw numerous people, men included, coming in wearing thong-like slippers on their feet. I never understand that kind of footwear this time of year. It’s barely above freezing out there! We all know kids play by different rules and they’ll dress like it’s July 12 months out of the year. I recall that period of my life when I cared more about being warm and far less about looking cool. It’s a nice line to cross finally in one’s life. lol

Well, thanks to my 40-something year old nephew in introducing me to Zelda, the video game for my Switch, I now have a new addiction! I have been playing it, and suddenly finding myself totally immersed in it for too long in one sitting! Seriously, this is quite the game. I didn’t think I’d ever even be interested in the game, but so much for that incorrect assumption. The second Zelda game that game out late spring is definitely going to be on my Christmas list for my family and I know it will be my nephew who will buy it for me because he likes to contribute to the delinquency of an uncle. I am enjoying it as much as I enjoyed my MLB The Show all baseball season! God forbid I would ever take these games to the PS4 because that would mean the game would play on my 65-inch TV. I fear I’d only play even more then. You might remember that once upon a time, I was a World of Warcraft video game player. When I wasn’t enjoying playing it alone in my den, I was playing it with four others every Saturday, well into Sunday morning. Then that component of my life ended and I was left with WoW on my own and I enjoyed it too, but once my computer crashed, that was the end of my WoW playing days. I often think of getting a new gaming computer so I can return to that game. It was a relaxing thing I did. But, for now, I’ll let Zelda take its place. I should have a clock that alerts me when I’m playing that it’s time to STOP PLAYING! lol Thank God I have to charge the Switch from time to time! lol

A friend of mine told me her son told her that to get the most bang for the buck when it comes to candles, he puts them in the oven, lid off, at 150 degrees for ten minutes. I have my two fall candles ending their runs, but thought I’d give it a shot. My oven wouldn’t go lower than 170. So, I ran with that and ten minutes wasn’t enough so I gave them five more minutes. Worked pretty slick. Just in case you wanted a little tip on your candles, especially now that we’re in candle season 🙂

Time to shut ‘er down. Hoping your week began on a positive note. See if you can make it two days in a row tomorrow. Until then, enjoy your night. Toodles.

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Sunday, October 29th, 2023

And then there were two. Two days remaining in October, 2023. But what a nice day in the weather department this one turned out to be. The sunshine makes all the difference, correct? Still chilly but to be expected at this point. There are so many leaves down in my neighborhood right now, I really just want to plow through them by walking and listening to the sound. When we were kids, that was a huge thrill, and so was raking them into a big ol’ pile and jumping into them. Did we fear what might be in those leaves we had just raked, since that was long before the days of dog walking with bags? We did not. We would have lived through the experience. Part of the joys of our youth and fall. I shall truly miss this month going forward.

Happy Sunday! Wasn’t so happy when I jumped in the car mid afternoon to hit The Bucks, only once again to find my favorite Starbucks closed internally. They were taking app orders through the drive-thru but apparently they didn’t have the manpower to handle walk-ups, or at least that’s always been the case when they close on a Sunday. Since I was in the area, I traveled on to Dunn Bros. to pick up a pound of ground-up beans cuz I was in need. I thought about staying there and writing, but it didn’t have the appeal. Next up was Kwik Trip which would give me more time to think about where it was I would head to to write. I gave serious consideration to Mo Jo Coffee Gallery that I had told you about several weeks ago, but when I did a search for it to see how far I was from it, it was simply too far for as late as it was I was looking, so I decided I’d go to the Rosemount store. Not that I have anything against that place, but I really wanted to go elsewhere. The Burnsville store was a possibility but the last time I was there, it was a work in progress in their seating area and decided I didn’t want to drive all the way over there only to discover they were still in remodel mode (or whatever that was that I saw). So here I sit, Rosemount, plenty of windows letting in plenty of sunshine. Mostly quiet, now that a small group of very young girls left with their mother (?) or guardian (?). Now it’s just adults with their laptops or cell phones.

Sad news last night about Matthew Perry. I was not a HUGE fan of Friends, though I did enjoy the show when I’d watch, but I know of his demons he battled as he grew older. Seemed like an unfair ending to his life of challenges, but then, we all know there’s nothing fair about this life. We take it as it comes. It always amazes me how these high profile deaths rattle fans around the world. I remember one death that shook my grandmother’s world way back in 1974. It was December, the day after Christmas, when Jack Benny died. My grandmother was so sad. I was 18 but I was mystified that anyone who didn’t know another person could feel that sadness and loss. She did. It would only be years later when I felt that way when Bing Crosby died and again when Mary Tyler Moore died. I think now, when they die from that generation or near there, I am saddened to see them pass because it’s just an ugly reminder that I am aging and my mortality has a clock ticking as well. So much for the joyful news of the day.

I seriously have to get groceries tomorrow. I am missing items I could have used today. Right now, it looks as though I won’t be getting a lunch in. Dinner tonight will be my final creative usage of that rotisserie chicken I got on Friday from Lunds. I could use bread products, for starters. And now, humorously, I start paying close attention to what I’m eating cuz I have my yearly wellness visit with the doc in two weeks. I don’t need to be scolded. That week is a week I can’t say I’m looking forward to. There’s that visit, which usually raises my level of stress until I am leaving the exam. Then, the day before, I have an eye appointment that is based on a “small concern” my eye doctor had three months ago. He wants to run the same tests he did back then to see if things are different or the same. He said he had no base from which to work with my eyes and he will have more of an idea after this next exam. Don’t be surprised if I end up having Afib by the end of that week!

The week coming up is pretty much stress-free. Writing group on Tuesday and that’s it. Would be a good week to see the three-plus hour movie Flowers of the Killer Moon but I’ve decided I need to be in the right frame of mind before sitting in a theater and watching what I’ve heard is a ton of violence. Though, I have to admit, I am in need of a movie theater experience again. So, that may be on my list this week. We shall see. I was waiting for my spontaneous buddy but he’s being pulled every which way and God only knows when he’ll have a chance to go.

I am now feeling the pressure of getting this short story I’ve been working on completed! November is about to happen and then….the way I’ve seen this is that I would be, if it was like the one I did in 2020, I would begin to share it around the 16th of December, and share a segment each night in this blog. The way I see it, it will run around the same length and I want it to end on Christmas Eve. I have a thing for Christmas Eve. 🙂 As of today, by the way, we are three days from the official Christmas music and DVD season beginning in my world. I believe Sirius will start playing it on Wednesday. If I’m wrong, I’m not wrong by much. Normally, they start it right away. Love that Sirius! And Wednesday night, I get to start putting in my DVDs at bedtime. By bedtime Tuesday night, my tree WILL be up and lit. The decorations will come next weekend. I’m telling Toby each day, “You will LOVE the tree and will NOT want to CLIMB it!” I also tell him cuz I know he likes to live up to his predecessor, “Willy loved to sleep under it and he NEVER harmed a hair of the tree!” I am certain it’s working. 🙂

I am going to share with you in pics tonight a few pages from my birthday book I found one week ago tonight in a box in my sister’s basement. If you were reading me that night, you know what I’m talking about. I told you I wanted to do this and since I don’t have any pics in mind for tonight, I thought this would be a good time. You’ll see mine, my best friend’s, another friend whose dad was the owner and cook at a very popular diner in Beaver Dam, CHILI JOHN’S, and one girl who I thoroughly enjoyed as she grew older with us. The boy whose dad had the diner is now the man his father was. He owns the diner and people still flock to it. His dad was friends with Minnesota Fats. His dad also played a mean game of pool. I can’t wait to go to the diner at Christmas time to ask him if he remembers the birthday books and his picture. As for the girl who had the scary dad, I am SOOOOO hoping she appears at the 50-year reunion next September. It’s been so very long. Her dad scared the bejesus out of me when I was in second grade and he was supervising the playground. He was about ten feet tall with a scary face and a perfectly bald scalp. Kathy Boyle pushed me on the playground and I pushed her back. Could I help it if she lost her footing and fell into a puddle? He came to me, making me stand against the school wall, facing it. To me, he was the equivalent of Frankenstein. lol

Ok. the nonsense ends here tonight. Time to leave this place and see if I can find something to munch on before dinner. Big Brother tonight and then streaming stuff, I’m sure. May the start to your week be without incident. And I look forward to having you with me tomorrow night. Stay safe and look out for goblins. It’s nearly their big day!

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Saturday, October 28th, 2023

It is not even 9:00 this morning yet, and I have been at school for 90 minutes already. And, as expected, when the alarm went off at 6:00 this morning, I was cursing myself once again for having signed up to do another ACT. But, now that I’m here, we are just halfway through the first test which is the English test. I encountered some issues this time, which I normally don’t do regarding the online approach. But, they were solved soon enough and now I am back in the saddle, as they say. And looking forward to noon when it ends 🙂 What I won’t do for a few bucks.

Happy Saturday! Definitely will be once I’m back home with a few hours to spare before heading to the concert, the real event of the day. When I leave school, I may stop off for a latte and then bring it back to the house so I can chill with a football game while waiting out the start time of the concert. Let me elaborate on the trials and tribulations of the morning, however. So, I met my longtime friend and colleague at the front door, by accident but thankfully so. Her job today had been cancelled as she was supposed to sit with one student and help them take the ACT. That student cancelled so she was assigned a different task. And she was able to walk back to my car, grab the two books I had brought for her as well as her yearly Candy Cane scented candle. Now she too can start the season as early as today if she’d like. It’s her favorite scent and so I get her one every year. She and I went to the counselors’ office where the head of the ACT testing would be. I grabbed the box with all my supplies for the morning and with her assistance because I had things in my hands as well, we moved on to my testing classroom. Which, by chance, was once upon a time my friend’s normal classroom here. As I was trying to get online, she was arranging my room so it was appropriate for testing. There were desks in groups of four but that can’t be how they test, so it had to be broken up. I am sure when she returns on Monday, she’ll flip, but I won’t be returning her room to normal. I remember many a Monday when I’d come into my classroom and discover the room had been used in the weekend interim. No one returned my room to its normal state, so just keeping true to the tradition here at RHS. 😛 In any case, I tried to get online to the ACT test site and do you suppose I could do it? I have always had success before, but today, no. I did not. Very unsettling. My friend ran down to the boss’ room to ask for help. He gave me his laptop but not sure why that would have been any different. (I just made my first test time announcement…”You have five minutes remaining.” YAY!) Well, I began the morning with the paper copy. He eventually found his way to me and had me go to the site I should have been to right away. Once I went there, I could log in without difficulty. So, as of this moment, I am back on track with my task here. Reading instructions from my laptop rather than the paper. The online version also keeps time and it’s how I do the seating chart and book number assignment. It’s far slicker and more time efficient. Happy to be in sync again 🙂

English test was first. Now, about 13 minutes remain for the 60-minute math portion of the test. Then, a 15-minute break. I tell them if they are all back in the room before 15 minutes, we’ll kick in with the final tests. Two hours, approximately, remain. I would have consumed three hours of cartoons and one hour of Wild Wild West by now had I stayed home and made no money. Doing this about four times a year is hardly a task, but it’s the early hour that kills me each and every time! lol

The kids are back in the room and they are in the process of working through Test #3, the Reading component of the Test. It’s the shortest yet, being 35 minutes. We’re less than 90 minutes from completion and then it’s outta here Charlie! I may even take a nap before getting dressed for my emceeing gig at 4:00. Here’s one of the reasons I still do this job. When the kids were coming back from break, I am talking to them about this, that and the other thing. Letting them know I am a human being who does more than sit in front of students proctoring an ACT test from time to time. I always make it a point to tell them I taught here for 33 years and that I was the pep fest guy for 30 of those years and I was responsible for the annual Holiday Assembly they still enjoy thanks to the leadership who answered my plea to keep that one thing alive that I did. Today, there are four kids in here who are NOT RHS kids. One is from St. Paul, one is from Lakeville North, one is from Cannon Falls and I forget where the other one is from. I find a reason to chat TO them specifically too. Yup. I miss the kids and will always miss the kids.

It’s 12:15 and I’m heading home! Another mindless task of proctoring an ACT exam Saturday morning. I had 17 out of 20 possible show up for the exam. Juniors, for the most part. These kids were, as is usually the case, nice kids. Interesting, though…not one kid thanked me for my role in their morning. I almost always get at least one kid, normally a young lady, will make sure they say thank you to me. I definitely don’t need it but I’m always impressed when someone does it. Makes me smile.

Arrived home, was greeted by a trotting-down-the-hall Toby. I always used to love seeing that with Willy. THAT makes me smile too. Gave him some lovin’ and then gave him some dry food. I didn’t give him that much for breakfast in the way of wet food. That’s probably why he was trotting toward me. He was hungry. lol Then I grabbed my notecards for the concert, and my laptop, and headed to The Bucks. I wanted to read over my notecards, make some notes on them if need be, and then continue writing this. Now, when I get home after the concert, I’ll have only to bring you up to date on how the concert went. Let me share with you today’s line-up.
1. “An American Fanfare”
2. “Elite Syncopations”
3. “Autumn Leaves” (this one I believe most people will recognize….a haunting and beautiful number)
4. “The Inferno”
5. “Chillers and Thrillers” (this is a medley of “creepy” and “scary” music from John Williams. It’s more about the movies the music is drawn from than the music itself. Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jaws, War of the Worlds, Dracula, and The Witches of Eastwick. Witches is a great soundtrack! I think young and old will love this entire selection. I know I will.)
6. RAVE, an off-shoot of the band, will be playing a number here entitled “A Salute to the Armed Forces.”
7. “Each Time You Tell Their Story” (this is the one with the poem inserted in the music, a poem I was asked to read with the band, so that’s kind of special for me.)
8. “Black Granite”
There you go. Now I just have to wait for the concert!

Well, I’m back home now. And the concert was as cool as I expected it to be. We had a nice crowd and the band was at the TOP of their game. I said this at the concert but I’m saying it again. Emceeing their concerts is such a delight because a) I know many people in the band and I get to see members of the community I rarely see otherwise at each concert, but b) I also get to listen to the concert just like everyone in attendance. This isn’t just any old community band. These folks are good and the musical selections for this concert were top of the line. Three autumn tunes, two Halloween pieces and then three more honoring the Armed Forces throughout the years. It was just great and I am so grateful to be a part of it. My next involvement with them will be in December when the Christmas concert happens. Last year, I was all ready for it and then, two days before, I came down with Covid. I think I am sheltering inside until I know I won’t get sick. The day or two before, like last year, I plan to be in attendance at the Gustavus Christmas concert, my other heartbreak last year. What better way to kick off December with two venues I love?!

On tonight’s “Saturday Night At The Movies,” a movie that rocked my young world a long time ago. In 1961, this movie made its premiere in theaters around the country. The Pit and the Pendulum. I would have been six when it was released, but I can’t believe I saw it then. I can’t believe Mom would have allowed it. But I also know I wasn’t that much older when I saw it on a Friday night when our theater liked to show horror films with Vincent Price and Peter Cushing. The Raven, House of Usher, The Terror, Tales of Terror and more American International films. They often were double features on a Friday night. I remember being in the balcony for this one. The movie is creepy enough, but in the final scene when Vincent Price, who has gone made, sedates a man and takes him to his dungeon where he straps him down on a large slab of cement with a sharp pendulum above him. The device is maybe six feet above him when Price starts it swinging back and forth. As it swings, it slowly lowers itself. The idea? To cut the man in half. I can not tell you how much that bothered me then and for years after. To this day, when I watch the movie, it still gives me the heebie jeebies. It’s kind of reached the level of being a movie I love to hate. 🙂

Ok…above and beyond my length here so I’m outta here. Hope your Saturday treated you well. May your Sunday add more to your weekend of relaxation. We’ll see you back here Sunday night. Until then….just chill. Too cold to be outside for long anyhow 😛

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Friday, October 27th, 2023

In the world of video games, you may have heard of a popular game called Zelda. The original version was released in 2017. As much as I love my video games, I don’t necessarily like the ones most people like. I had heard about Zelda, however, all the time. I never really knew what the purpose of the game was. At the time, I was immersed in playing WORLD OF WARCRAFT. Between WoW and my yearly MLB The Show games, I had no real need for another video interest. Should a first person shooter game have come along where I could play against the computer like I used to before online playing became so popular, that stance would have changed, but that’s now how it was. So, I remained ignorant on Zelda. My nephew and I talk video games because he’s a gamer. He has always loved Zelda and always told me how I needed to try it, but for $70, the risk was too great if I didn’t like it. And then, in May, along came the next Zelda game. And everyone has been talking about that one as well. I have to admit the chatter about it was making me more intrigued. My nephew once again told me how incredible the game was. Apparently you can get yourself lost in playing it. We’re talking about the Switch as the gaming system. Well, with Christmas coming up and people wanting a Christmas list from me, I decided to put the second adventure on my list because I know my nephew will buy it for me in an instant. This past weekend when I was in Beaver Dam, we were together that Saturday at the brewery watching the Badger game. It was there he handed me his gaming card for Zelda #1 to slip into my Switch so I could see how the game was played. Well, yesterday, I inserted the game card and began to “learn” the game. And I am here to tell you…I see what all the fuss has been about and how a person can spend HOURS getting lost in the world of Zelda. And to think I just bought the new Mario Bros. Wonder. I don’t know if I’ll even take that gaming card out of the case for weeks now.I am way into Zelda! The child in me is waking up. He must know that the Christmas season is days away as is putting up the tree 🙂 Ho Ho Ho!

Happy Friday! If there was any confusion after yesterday’s mild day as to what time of the year it is, today’s weather definitely should have set you straight. Man oh man! The wind and the temps! Time for the heat for sure now and the fireplace will be getting some major attention in the days ahead! Now I just need to restock my wood! A little sunshine would have been nice today, but I have to admit I love the temps for today and the clouds just sort of seemed to go hand-in-hand with the temperature. And it definitely did NOT keep me inside. The rain will do that before the cold. And, on a day like this, if it were to snow, who cares. However, if it were to rain, then the day becomes depressing and gloomy. Give me snow anytime on these days.

Toby Update: I may be returning to the anxiety med again tonight. Guess who, for the first time since arriving, jumped into bed with me last night. I was thrilled to have him aboard. He is so funny. When he decides he’s going to plant his big ol’ self down, he does just that. He simply, and literally, drops his body where he’s at. Just drops over. He makes me laugh every time he does it. And he did it last night cuz I could feel the thud. I was in a position where, I knew, I was going to have to reposition myself sooner than later and I did not want to upend his world and have him start attacking me in bed. I carefully rolled back onto my back, telling him “It’s ok. It’s just me. Stay there.” Stuff like that. And he did. Until about 3:00. Apparently, I must have been moving in my sleep. And he wasn’t having any of it. And he was attacking me again. Here’s what I felt. I’d be lying there, trying to sleep and then, suddenly, a lunge at my calves. I finally got up to go to the bathroom hoping he’d get off the bed too, but nope. So, when I left the bathroom, I grabbed some hard food in the laundry room and lo and behold, there he was at my feet. We went to the kitchen and I dropped it in his bowl. I returned to my bedroom and closed the door. No Visitors Welcome. So, I think I’ll return to the med tonight and little by little, I’ll wean him off it, and maybe that will make a difference? I don’t think so. I think he has anxiety issues and they come alive at night. Again, who knows what his life was like for those 15 months he was out there somewhere. I think his behaviors at times are a product of those unknown months. We’ll be fine, either way. 🙂

Ok. Here’s a little story that goes back a couple of weeks. I told you how I had ordered a vintage Milton Bradley board game, VIDEO VILLAGE, that was popular in the 60s. I watched the game show and I played the box game with friends. I also showed you a pic of the box as it arrived to my house. As if the box had been run over by a truck. It was a huge disappointment when it arrived. And I was SOOO excited about receiving and adding it to my vintage Christmas gifts that I went back to Etsy to see who else might still have one from those days. And I found another. The pictures of this one were impressive and I thought I’d take another chance. You see it here tonight. Everything about this version is intact. The box has a couple of rubber bands around it to just hold the cover on. After 60 years, one can’t ask for an item to be in better shape than this one, considering much of its components are simply cardboard. I’m thrilled to have it and can’t wait to see how it looks with its counterparts under the tree later next week 🙂 Yup. The time is almost here! Ho Ho Ho!

I went to The Bucks today to write and to read. When I got there, something was different. The patio was bare. Naked. Empty and void of all its furniture. It is now just cement. Cold, barren cement. Any idea how I’m feeling about that? Sigh.

The World Series starts tonight! The beginning of the end of baseball for 2023. Tomorrow morning, I am going to hate myself when the alarm goes off at 6:00 so I can have a little down time for myself before showering and heading to school to proctor the ACT once again. Last time I did this was June. Doesn’t seem that long ago. As always, I expect it to be a breeze and before I know it, I’ll be walking out the door thinking, “Ok. I’m once again retired.” lol I also think about how, had I not done the proctoring, I would have just been sitting at the house, watching cartoons and the rest of my Saturday morning ritual, making no money. This way, I am making some easy money and having a chance to bond with kids once again, even though the bonding is minimal, but there are opportunities to slip in a little Brooks personality with the test takers. I like it. I also will see one of the Granite City Gang folks who also proctors. I can give her two books I promised her that are great reads as well as her yearly Candy Cane candle from Earthshine in Beaver Dam. She loves the scent so I get her one each year at this time. She can enjoy the season early if she wishes or light it come December. What a guy. I know 😛

This is more than enough. I will start tomorrow night’s Reflection tomorrow morning. I am sure I’ll be whining a bit but maybe I’ll have a story or two for you regarding the start to the day at RHS. After that, I will have three-plus hours before getting dressed up and heading to The Well for the Rosemount Community Band concert at 4:00. I have my notecards all ready and I know what I’ll be wearing. That’s usually the biggest pain. The band will be all gussied up and I try not to overshadow them with my clothing. LOL The concert will last until 5:00ish. Then I’ll go back home, get out of the monkey suit and probably light a fire, have dinner and chill with the Tobemeisters. And shortly after getting settled, I’ll return to adding to and finishing the Saturday Reflection. Got another “Saturday Night At The Movies” coming at ya tomorrow night! Forgot last week, but being in Beaver Dam/Watertown, it’s no real shock that I forgot. lol

Have a great evening and Saturday and we’ll see you back here some time tomorrow night. Depends on how quickly I settle back in at the house 🙂

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Thursday, October 26th, 2023

October 26th, and 62 degrees. Incredibly mild out there. The slap in the face is coming in less than 48 hours. Can you imagine how nice today would have been had the sun made an appearance? Wow. Records might have been broken. But, at least it was dry for the greater part of the day. Tomorrow windy and Saturday, light snow. What else can one say? lol

Happy Thursday! You are once again one morning away from waking up on a weekend! One month from today is Thanksgiving. A month later Christmas. A month later, we’re complaining about winter and asking where spring is. lol

Today, I had one item on my agenda. To have lunch with one of my dearest RHS friends who was there when I arrived. She and I have been buds all these years. That’s over 40, folks. Today, we met at Granite City. It was $6 Apps Day. We both had flatbread pizzas from their apps menu. Better than that, however, we had a great lunch of chatting and catching up. I love my time with her always. She’s as refreshing as anyone in my world. It was a great lunch.

The day continued to rock with my visit to Barnes and Noble afterward. I went with one goal in mind. To grab their November issue of “The Atlantic” if it was on the shelf yet. And it was. However, I couldn’t just be there without checking out the books. C’mon! I had to. And I found two books. One I am not sharing here because it might end up being a gift. And I don’t want to tip the individual off. However, the other one The Goodbye Cat, after reading the book jacket, I had no choice but to buy it. “Against the backdrop of changing seasons in Japan, we meet Spin, a kitten rescued from the recycling bin, whose playful nature and simple needs teach an anxious father how to parent his own human baby; a colony of wild cats on a popular holiday island show a young boy not to stand in nature’s way; a family is perplexed by their cat’s undying devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father; a woman curses how her cat will not stop visiting her at night; and an elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be in each other’s lives forever.” There are seven stories in this little gem of a book. Something to pick up, read a story, and then put down and continue with another book before returning when ready again. I just HAD TO! And I knew about this article with General Milley when the news networks shared parts of it in the news weeks ago. I’ve been wanting to read the article and now I can. I found a little something I want to share here with you about my book buying. Brings it all into focus nicely 😛

So there you go. Think about that. LOL

Guess what I finally remembered to do last night?! Remember when I came back from Wisconsin with a bag of EverCrisp apples AND a frozen apple pie, all from Dooley’s Orchard? Well, I was supposed to let the pie thaw, and then poke it full of fork holes, slice a slit in the center and brush it with egg white, only to sprinkle a little sugar on top and then bake it for an hour. Well, it had thawed but that was it. I baked it last night after completing the other steps. And I have yet to cut into it. Tonight, it will be dessert. Can. Not. Wait!

Terrible stuff going on in Maine. I watched it as it unfolded last night. Another example for a good number of people that being in the wrong place at the wrong time proved to be fatal to their lives. Do you ever think about that? I am not at the MOA often, but when I am, it’s a thought I have. At the State Fair this year, I thought about it. Whenever I go to a movie, the thought is there each and every time. Even when I do the parades, I think about it more than any other time. And what’s a person gonna do? Stay indoors for their life? So scary and unsettling. I can’t begin to imagine what everyone in that area of Maine is going through at this point, especially considering they are still in lockdown. I hope they catch the guy soon, but one has to wonder if he hasn’t taken his life and it’s a matter of them finding the body. Hopefully the chapter will close soon so all the people there can meet their emotions head on.

An evening of football and it’s DOUBLE EVICTION NIGHT on Big Brother! That means that in one night, they’ll vote out one house guest and then in the remainder of the hour-show, they’ll play an entire week of BB in a matter for 45 minutes. It’s always crazy fun and before it ends, a second house guest will head out. The game is winding down. I think there’s two-plus weeks left. This is as late as the show has ever gone, but they started it late, likely because of the writing and acting strike. They needed programming and a reality show doesn’t require actors OR writers. Tomorrow, nothing. I need some groceries. I stopped after my SBX visit this afternoon at Byerly’s. Discovered they do NOT have the EverCrisp apples. Sad. I wanted a loaf of bread and picked up some cans of soup. Thinking soup and sandwich will make for dinner tonight. Sounds good to me.

WAIT! I forgot! Toby update! So, last night, I talked about dry food and wet food for the boy. Well, I forget exactly what I all said, but in the morning, he gota third of a can of food. He ate it all at one time. Then, around 4:00, I gave him a little dry food to mix it up. He ate all that. THEN, I gave him the rest of the wet food from morning WITHOUT THE ANXIETY MED. He ate it all and he was no problem at all last night. I have been wanting to walk away from the anxiety medicine in his food. He sleeps a lot and I was thinking maybe I was playing a role by giving him that anxiety liquid. Not to feel guilty because the vet said I should, but now, we’ve gone through 8 months of it. I think he might have been struggling adapting to his new life with me. Again, not knowing what he went through in the year-plus when he was out there someplace, it makes it tough to know how best to suit his needs in his world with me. But, I think he’s ready to say goodbye to that stuff. We’ll see how he does over the course of the next few days. I’ll feel better if I take him off the stuff and he still sleeps a lot. At least I will know it’s not the anxiety medicine. Ok. There. Tonight’s Toby Update 🙂

I’m done. Hope your Thursday went smoothly. We’ll see you Friday night. Thaaaaaaaaaaat’s All, Folks!

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Wednesday, October 25th, 2023

The rain, for now, is over, but enjoy the reprieve cuz it’s coming back to stay for a while again. And then those really chilly temps are heading our way. Looking at my plants this morning on the patio…well, it’s obvious they’re about done, and yet, when you look at them, they seem to be fighting. However, when I clear the patio of the furniture, the pots go to the bin. And we will wait for May to return 🙂

Happy Wednesday! Wass happenin’? Got a little Toby story for ya. So, I think it’s been established I worry about Toby far more than I need to. As I was telling my sister today, I think that’s in part due to my experiences with Willy over the ten years we were together. Here’s what happened last night with Toby. I have shared how he has gone to eating both his morning and evening meals in shifts. Where he once used to gobble it all up right then and there, not so much any more. And then last night, something new. I gave him the normal stuff in the normal amount and stirred it all around, mixed with his anxiety med and he barely touched it at the start. I knew something was up when he wasn’t “MEOWing” like crazy as I was transferring it from the counter to the floor. That silence concerned me. I walked away after putting his dish down and there he was, in front of me in the living room, 60 seconds later. “Toby!” I said, exasperated. And, throughout the night, it remained mostly untouched. He had eaten some but normally, by my bedtime, he’s eaten it all. Not last night. I normally give him some bedtime treats but it’s hard for me to do that when he has that food there. SO, I give him a few to go through the mechanics of keeping his routine alive for him. I also Googled this last night…”Do cats get bored with their food?” And the answer was a resounding YES! The suggestion by several sites was to give the cat one-third dry food each day and two-thirds wet food. Now, keep in mind that he’s been doing this “Eat his food gradually through the course of the day” thing and combine it with what he just went through and that is that in the morning for four mornings, he had hard food. Then, at night, my buddy came over to give him his wet food. This may be his way of telling me he wants more dry food. Or at least some variety. I have to check with Chuck and Don’s to see what other wet food choices I have. I may need to change the brand up. In any case, this morning, when I went out to his dish, it was practically all gone but still remnants of last night’s dinner. I cleaned out his dish and then put about a fourth of a can of food in his dish. He ate it all. YAY. And then, feeling sorry for him around noon or so that he might be hungry, I gave him a small amount of dry food. The kicker will be tonight to see if he eats it or he does what he did last night. Do I worry too much? Me thinkst I do. 😛

My laughter buddy stopped over last night briefly to give me a gift he had purchased for me over the weekend. He saw this fleece jacket clearanced way down and thought of me. He bought it, unsure if it would fit but if not, he’d take it back. Well, as it turns out, it was a perfect fit. And I struggle in the fall and early spring for a light enough coat or jacket to wear. I bought my denim jacket last year which fits the bill nicely, but that in itself is a heavy piece of clothing. The weight of it, I mean. This fleece top will be a nice option. Very thoughtful of the laughing friend. He is also the most pragmatic person I know. So, when I talk to him about any concerns I have for Toby, his response is always this…”Charlie, he’s a *^#@&^! cat! He’ll eat when he’s ready.” He makes sure I don’t over-worry. lol Gotta know people like that, right? 🙂

I discovered something on Prime recently I didn’t know they offered in the way of a previous series. The series premiered on NBC in 1982. I was just starting my career at the time. The show was a weekly hour-long show starring Pierce Brosnan (years later to be James Bond) and Stephanie Zimbalist. The show? Remington Steele. I really enjoyed that show when it aired. I thought it was fun and playful. Brosnan and Zimbalist’s chemistry was perfect, much like that of Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepard on Moonlighting once upon a time. I played the first episode last night when I went to bed. And then today, in the eleven o’clock hour, I played the same episode to watch. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I forgot the basic premise of the series and how the two stars of the series met. From here on, it will only become more playful. I’ve been watching Ironside at that hour of the morning, but no longer. I have a new show to watch. A new old show 🙂

I ran to school today for a common reason. With the Rosemount Community Band concert this Saturday, I was going to need my script printed and then placed on to my notecards as I work better with something a little more firm than paper. I did what I needed to do with separating the various numbers and then sending it to my friend in the main office. I told her not to bother printing them until I got there with the notecards because then she might decide to mess with the font to get everything to fit on to minimal cards. Well, when I got there, she had done all the work for me, which is a first. I certainly never expect that! But yup. Must’ve been a slow day in the main office. Cuz she had them all prepped for me. Very nice. Probably the earliest I have my scripted notecards for a concert. Now all I have to figure out is what I’ll be wearing. It will be formal attire. Again, it’s a celebration of fall, Halloween, and Veterans’ Day. I am excited about it. At the rehearsal on Monday night, I found out the Christmas concert date will be Sunday, December 3rd. Last year, after prepping like crazy with the script, I had to cancel because I came down with Covid. That will NOT happen this year! Same thing with the Gustavus Adolphus concert the day before. One major disappointment at Christmas time is enough for a lifetime!

Tonight, just television I guess. No sporting events tonight. No Big Brother tonight. So, that leaves either shows I have recorded and need to watch or streaming shows. I’ll see. Tomorrow, lunch with my dear retired RHS friend. That will be the excitement for that day. And that will be plenty 🙂 I just remembered my nephew gave me his little Switch disk for the first Zelda game. I told him I’m putting the new one on my list for this Christmas and so he thought I should try the first game in case I don’t really like it. Another thoughtful individual in my life, so I need to slip it into my Switch gaming device and see what everyone is in love with. He mentioned another game that just came out…Mario Bros. Wonder. He should never have done that. I have been obsessing about it since. I watched a video of the gameplay and it looks fun. I should put that on my Christmas list too for my peeps. OR….. I should just buy it now cuz I continue to obsess about it! lol

Enough of this nonsense. Time to let you eat your dinner, breakfast or snack. I’ll come back Thursday night and then we’ll be on the verge of another weekend! And Halloween will be a few days away! Have you picked your Halloween costume? That would be a fun discussion. If you had to pick a costume for wearing to go Trick-Or-Treating, what would you wear this year? I like that question. I could have had fun with that in my Creative Writing classroom 🙂 Until Thursday night, folks…..

G’Night!

(of course I didn’t forget…..two months from today it’s CHRISTMAS! With the screenplay back in my thoughts and dialogue, you think I’m not going to remember my Christmas Countdown after all this time? You’re nuts!)
(one other thing…one week from tonight and I’ll be listening to my first of many Christmas DVDs when I go to bed! YAY!!!)

Nightly Reflections – Tuesday, October 24th, 2023

I’m going to be very tolerant here since September and October were so nice to us. However, it’s beginning to look like October is going to end on a wet and nasty note. Oh well. Tis the season.

Happy Tuesday! Not much of a day in the weather department, but I will say I don’t remember the last time I heard the house shake with thunder. And numerous times today, it was so dark, I needed lights on. I’m never fond of days like that. But, again, whatchya gonna do? It didn’t keep me inside, however. I had to social events today and I met them both with excitement and a smile 🙂

The first one was at 11:15 with the former athletic secretary who retired two months ago. This is the woman who always wants me to pick up candles for her and then when I bring them back, she struggles NOT keeping them all for herself. lol She buys the number she does because she gives them as gifts. This trip’s purchases were the Christmas scented candles. I wrote her after visiting the shop on Saturday that I so wanted to get her more than six. There were still about five more scents she would have loved, but she only said six and that’s all I got her. She’ll get more when I go home for Christmas. She takes advantage of the After-Christmas sale they have each year. As she should. So do I. My supply of those which are in my laundry room cupboards right now will be put into action one week from tomorrow. I’ll need to replenish my stock in two months 🙂 So, my friend showed up at The Bucks and we had a wonderful time chatting and catching up. She had questions regarding The Ornament and I had questions focusing on her new life in retirement. She’s happy, as she should be. Retirement looks good on her. She’s as wonderful a woman as RHS has ever seen in a staff person. For years, I felt she went unappreciated. She worked with special needs kids and she couldn’t have been better for them. Then, when the secretary position opened in the front office, she applied and got it. She replaced another wonderful woman. And now, the woman who holds that position is someone I don’t know. But I bet she’s wonderful too. 🙂

I read for a while after she left and then, with the rain lightening up, I took the window of opportunity and left to go home. I had another social at 3:15 with my Granite City peeps, minus one. I was told to bring my two treasures I unearthed in my sister’s basement on Sunday night, the ones I told you about. The Birthday book from 1961 and my first photo album of my earliest years on this earth. The two of them loved going through the birthday book of all my kindergarten classmates drawings. I didn’t tell you and I had forgotten that i ever did this, but in pencil, I apparently had given each drawing a letter grade. The ladies thought I was a tough grader. lol I think I had students many years later who would agree. lol We had fun catching up and we were at Applebees, by chance, during their “Happy Hours” specials on apps. I had two apps. One for a late lunch and then I just finished the second app as my dinner.The total bill still only came to under $14. A great deal, for sure. Almost as good as Build-A-Chicken Breast day at Granite City! We enjoyed being together, missed our missing colleague, and finally a little after five, we were outta there. Having been together for decades, we have worked diligently at staying in touch because having lived long enough, we know if we don’t do that, we will lose touch and then you can forget it. So, now we wait for our November get-together 🙂

I came home and put in a load of laundry and paid attention to a certain cat that roams the corridors of my home. He’s doing weird things lately regarding food and tonight, the weirdest. Always, he’d be chomping at the bit to have me serve him his food, be it breakfast or dinner. The meowing was terrible but it was his dealio. It has stopped and he has gone to eating in intervals. In other words, he never eats it all up right away. And for the first time tonight, he may have had a mouthful or two and then called it quits. I know he stretched breakfast into a multi-hour affair today, so maybe he just wasn’t hungry for his normal feeding time. We shall see. I just tend to worry about him ALL THE FREAKIN’ TIME! I am, in this respect, the same as my sister. Though her worry is when she can’t find Sunny. Realistically, there’s no real place for Sunny to go to where she’d be lost forever. She usually is found under something. She likes going under blankets and clothing and whatever else might be soft and warm. She and I are basically a couple of worry-wart cat parents. 🙂

I might be getting a visit tonight from my friend who makes me laugh. He bought a piece of clothing for me this past weekend while I was gone and he said he was thinking about driving down from St. Paul after he worked out if he wasn’t too tired. So, I may get a visit. Otherwise, I’ll be watching the seventh game between the Phillies and the Diamondbacks. World Series starts Friday. Baseball is almost done. Big Viking/Packer game this week. I am not sure how I should be feeling about this one this year. lol

Ok. I think that’s about it. Tomorrow is open. Thursday is lunch with another retired buddy. She’s the best! Friday more free time and Saturday, proctoring the ACT and then the Rosemount Community Band concert. And then, before ya know it, it will be Sunday! Game time! Hoping your Tuesday has been super duper. May your humpday be a swell day too. Starting tomorrow, each day becomes the final day of its kind in October, 2023. When November rolls in, so do the flakes. Check out your forecast. 🙂 (evil laugh)

I included tonight a pic from last night’s rehearsal with the band. You’ll see me up front, reading a poem as part of a stirring piece, recognizing soldiers who die in war. People who attend the concert will get splashes of fall, Halloween, and Veterans’ Day. I am excited about announcing it once again.

G’Night!

Tonight’s story could be a lengthy one, but I’ll try to give you the Reader’s Digest version, but you know how good I am at doing that. lol

Happy Monday! Only one more in October! I am back after a whirlwind of four days in the Motherland and my home town. Am I pooped? Oh yes, I am pooped. I shall sleep well tonight. And when I wake in the morning, if history repeats itself, I will wake up, immediately thinking I have a four-plus hour drive ahead of me only to open my eyes and remember I’m back in my own bed and then relief that I don’t have to drive that distance! Weird, I know, but that’s usually what happens!

I woke at 6:00 this morning, really wanting to sleep longer because I was up late last night with The Ornament as I was editing some changes. But, when I saw it was six, I crawled back into bed, hoping not to fall asleep too long as I like getting on the road early. As it was, I didn’t hit the highway until 8:00 which was ok. A lousy drive back with too much rain and road construction seemingly every 40 miles. The rain finally left the drive just after Eau Claire when only 90 miles remained. The drive down and the drive back were days I hate driving. I love sunshine and driving on those days is the absolute best, but oh well. It was what it was and I pulled in around 2:00 after a pit stop at the Eagan HyVee to pick up my muffins and some lunch food for the week. When I got home, it seemed as if a certain cat was happy to see Dad. Eventually, we both could be found in the chair, napping. 🙂

The story of the night, however, is all about last night.
Part One – We lived on Haskell St in the final ten years I lived in Beaver Dam. Then Mom died in 1985. And Dad stayed in the house for another year or two before selling it and moving to a smaller house. When he moved, he had to get everything out of there. I remember him telling me I had stuff there, but I couldn’t get down there because of my RHS life at the time. And what I had there, I didn’t think was all that important. However, as the years rolled forward, I found myself wondering where two items from my life were. I thought I had possession of both, but time and time again, after multiple searches, especially in my garage’s attic, neither surfaced. Time and time again, I mentioned to my siblings, “Are you sure you don’t have a box or two of my stuff in your basement?” But all were certain they did not. Well, then I began grilling her further because I figured if these were not tossed, she’d be the likely one to have them since she lived in town and helped Dad with emptying the house. But she insisted she did not.
Part Two – This trip, I was hell bent for leather to nail her to the wall to at least show me where, if she had anything from our house on Haskell, the boxes might be. And last night, before she went to bed, she walked me into the basement and had given me latex gloves cuz what I was about to do was going to deal with a great deal of dust and yuck. Once she showed me the area, and the area was intimidating, I gave her a goodbye kiss since I would not see her in the morning. Then she went up and I went to work. Moving one thing after another. A nasty job. And then, when I was down to the final possibilities, there was a box on the bottom, and I cracked the top cardboard lid and I saw something that made my heart race. After uncovering it from other crud, I pulled it off the shelf, which required doing what I have been doing with the damn litter box and I did a number on my back again. But I was focused now. I opened it up and there, sure as hell, were the items I was looking for and more. In that box was a smaller white box with Mom’s handwriting on it. “Chuck’s College Graduation Robe.” And I know in that box there were pics of me with Mom and Dad who were there that day. My back was giving me fits at that point and I just couldn’t bare to stay in any position too long because I had once again wrenched my back. I took the two items I was mostly interested in finding and slowly, step by step, I painfully climbed the steps to the kitchen. And then the emotions began. The first item was my kindergarten birthday book. In tonight’s pic, you’ll notice the front cover. It’s nearly 62 years old. Mrs. Goodwin, the teacher, would have us all draw an image on the day one of us had a birthday. And then, with their names on top of their drawings, she would put them together in a book and give to us. I remember going through that book so many times, not just then but years later, it was crazy. I have a friend who is still in town. He was my best buddy growing up until we were maybe ten or so. He was in my class. His drawing is in there and I’ve asked him time and time again and he doesn’t remember doing it. Well, now I have proof I wasn’t crazy. I’ll show you another night his drawing and maybe a few more. But to page through that book again and to see certain drawings that sparked a memory of that very drawing from 62 years ago…it was an emotional night. But it didn’t stop there.
Part Three – I have wanted to find my big black photo album that I knew existed but I always thought it was upstairs in the garage. After failed attempts, I was ready to throw in the towel but then, there it was last night. This is the album that shows me as a little tyke through about ten or so, most of the pictures from when we lived on Maple Avenue, a house I still love to this day and will never not drive by when I’m in town. It’s the house where Santa and the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy all lived. I’m nuts about that house. In this photo album are pics of a really young Mom and Dad, and numerous ones with me alongside. More emotion. I also knew I’d see pics of me with my second and oldest brothers. So. Many. Memories. I know this will sound strange to you, but so be it. By finding that book last night, I now feel whole. It was like those years never existed because I had no visual evidence like everyone else did in the family of my youngest years. My old neighbors are in the pictures. Relatives that are a long time gone in the pictures. I’ve included one of me tonight, one I always loved and still do. Admit it…I was damn cute. lol
No one else, except the family of course, is going to care about these two discoveries. But I do. Finding them means everything to me. I will never lose track of them again. And I will likely pick them up and sift through them as often as I do with a new book.

And that’s my story for tonight 🙂 Plan on seeing a few new pics from the album as well. At least one of me with my two older brothers from the day. I have one of where I am standing in front of a fake fireplace front that we had where Mom hung the stockings for Christmas. When I saw that pic last night, more emotion. I seriously feel whole once again. That’s strange, I know, but not having seen any evidence of what I knew existed made me wonder if I just dreamt all that stuff. Now I can say, “No, I didn’t.” After having both older brothers there yesterday, it’s too bad I found this album after both were home. However, I will be bringing it to Christmas cuz I know they’ll get as much enjoyment seeing these pics as I have.

Ok. I have to get ready for the Community Band rehearsal. I wanted to post this before so I could just come home after and chill with the Tobemeisters. Hoping you had a nice Monday. We’ll check back in tomorrow, but tomorrow night might be a little later cuz the Granite City Gang and I will be having our October bonding session! Yay!

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Sunday, October 22nd, 2023

Well, this has been quite a final full day in The Great Beaver Dam Autumn Adventure. The weather came through in shiny colors. Today was almost beyond perfect here. And it all started rather early with a breakfast with two female buddies of my sister’s. One going back to their high school years. That kicked off quite a full day until the Packer game ended. And nary a drop of liquor got to within feet of my lips. All soda today 🙂 My tummy thanks me.

Happy Sunday! How was your day? Did you have the gorgeous weather we were having? They are slated for 74 degrees on Tuesday! Our Tuesday back home will be wet and a high of 67. Not fun. Actually, the week ahead in Minnesota looks to be far from desirable. Oh well. Beggars can’t be choosers.

So, my sis, her hubby and I set out before ten to a little place called Zig’s. It’s a bar but on the weekends, they serve breakfast and it’s a darn good breakfast menu. Our two breakfast guests were there waiting for our arrival. I got a big hug from both women. I’d heard much about both from my sister, but I’ve never had the chance to really get to know them because we’ve never really sat together long enough to do so. But today was a much different ball game. It was a very nice breakfast and we were on the lake so there was that to look at as I sat facing a window filled with trees of varying colors and the lake. The place was crazy busy but it we weren’t in a hurry. So, we had a nice leisurely breakfast, chatting and laughing and getting to know each other a bit better. They were planning on joining us at Stooges for the Packer game. But, we finally had to call it a morning as we all had stuff to do. Hugs aplenty and farewells but we’d be back together in hours.

From Zig’s, we were heading home except my second oldest brother called to let us know he was already at my sister’s house. We honestly were thinking he’d show up closer to the time of the game and not three-plus hours early. lol So, we dumped my sister’s husband at the house and picked up our brother and we headed out to a little gem of a tradition in the country called Dooley’s. It’s an orchard and it’s a stop I want to make each October I come to town. My brother indicated he had never been here. There was a little buffet of apple chunks when we walked in, all labeled appropriately. My sister tried one and went crazy. She dropped a chunk in my hand and I went crazy. I have NEVER heard of this apple, but this is one I will look for each fall. Ever Crisp. Supposedly, its “parents” are the Honeycrisp and Fuji apples. Makes all the sense to me as I know both apples and this one is just perfection. Here is a link to their web page.

While there, I picked up my annual frozen double crust apple pie. Monday afternoon, once I arrive home, I’ll flip on the oven, preheat it and then toss the pie in so the place is smelling great within an hour. And then I’ll have apple pie for the week. Nothing better. My sister got her goods and my brother was merely along for the ride 🙂 Finally, it was time to head back.

My brother-in-law wasn’t ready for Stooges yet, nor did he need to be, but my sister and brother did go down early. They were going to save us an area for the Brooks group to watch the Packer game. After my brother-in-law finished getting ready, I drove us down to meet the gang. And the gang was forming. We had a stray who joined us but has joined my sister and husband week after week, so she’s really not a stray. Just not a Brooks. Then our oldest brother and his wife arrived from Madison, only to be followed by one of our twin brothers and his wife. Then, the morning company at breakfast showed up as well. We were a large group and we were ready (and dear God hoping) to watch a fun game with a happy ending. Well, you might know and then you might not. There was no happy ending, and yet, it looked like there might be. The Packers are proving themselves to be a second-half team. Not good for the fans’ nervous system. We lost and the bar emptied quickly. Our gang was already disappearing. Oldest brother and wife first, followed by youngest brother and wife. Then, the breakfast friends moved along at game’s end. The last of us was my sister, her husband, our brother, and the “stray.” lol It was then when something very cool happened. Two people came up to me, thanks to my sister. The woman of the couple said, “Chuck Brooks?!” When she introduced herself, it was a shocker. And then, after talking to her a bit, and her husband (I assumed) was talking, I had to ask him a question. “Who are you?” And he told me his name. That, along with his distinctive voice, pushed me into another zone. I remembered this guy. And this woman. I worked with them in my years at Orv and Wally’s grocery store. They were several years younger than I was. These were the years right after high school for me. We talked and talked at Stooges until I had to sit down and they were moving along. Then the rest of us prepared to leave after bidding our goodbye to the woman who owns and runs Stooges. We had a couple of pizzas to bake when we got home. Chatted, and then ate 🙂 Before, I was writing the rest of my Reflection. Another full day, and when I go to bed tonight, I’ll sleep well, only to wake up early in the morning after packing up my car.

It’s time to shut down the Great Beaver Dam Autumn Adventure. Next up, just an ol’ boring Monday night post. 🙂 As I mentioned last night, I’ll try to write it before I leave the house to rehearse for Saturday’s concert. I have rehearsal at 7:00. If you haven’t seen the posting by then, it will be once I return. It shouldn’t be too awful late, however. Hoping your weekend had as many fun moments as mine did. See ya tomorrow night! Wish me a good drive!

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Saturday, October 21st, 2023

Day Three of the Great Beaver Dam Autumn Adventure is coming to an end and frankly, it’s coming to a very subdued end compared to the day. And in the weather department today, compared to yesterday, today was a disappointment. Clouds, clouds and more clouds. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny again, so let’s hope so. I can only handle so many clouds in any given period of time.

Happy Saturday! How was yours? I did something today I have never done. I drank more beer in one day than I ever have. I normally am not a beer drinker at all. When I am out here with my peeps, it’s always a mixer versus beer. Beer simply never tasted good to me. Still doesn’t for the most part, but sometimes, when there’s no other option, you drink what’s there, especially when the folks you’re with are drinking it too. lol

The day began pretty much like normal on a Saturday here. I got up and came downstairs. Neither my sister nor my brother-in-law was in the living room and the TV was turned off. Saturday morning? TV turned off? Seemed to me to be an invitation to turn it on and head to MeTV’s cartoon lineup. Woody Woodpecker Show greeted me 🙂 After which, my sister made breakfast for her husband and me. She still had plenty of leftovers from the breakfast I took her out for yesterday morning. After breakfast, I showered and we were planning on leaving the house by 11:00. Plans changed because of the others we were spending the day with and we didn’t have to leave until 1:00. That was nice. I ran to Walgreens again because I still wanted to get something for my teeth that I would have had if I had remembered my toiletries bag in my bathroom!

The time had come for us to head out to a small little burg known as Hubbleton, just next to Watertown, a bigger town. Frankly, I have never heard of Hubbleton, Wisconsin, so this was going to be new for me. The destination was eventually going to be Hubbleton Brewing Taproom and Grill, a brewery, but first, my nephew wanted me to see the new house he and his wife now reside in with his 7-year old son. So, we headed to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Their home is a beautiful home and I can see why they wanted to share. My nephew’s wife knows how to decorate. The house was an homage to autumn. As she said, “It’s my favorite holiday!” Correcting her did no good. lol My nephew’s parents, my brother and his wife, came by as well and by 2:00, we were heading to the brewery. Now, because this place didn’t have a liquor license, all they were serving was beer. And that’s what I drank all day. When we walked in, my former student was already at the bar, patiently waiting for us. This is the same guy who met us at the Brewers game in July. Today, he was going to get his second peek into the inner workings of my family. He’s a great guy and he fit in very well. The object of our attention as the afternoon became the early evening was the Badger/Illinois game on the screens in the bar. It wasn’t looking good for the home team (actually, the game was in Illinois, but the home team meaning the home state team!) They were trailing most of the game and then, in the fourth quarter, they decided to play some serious football. And the game became a barn-burner. And in the final minute, they took over the lead and held it to the buzzer. It was a fun ending in a place where the only team that mattered was the Badgers. In the course of the afternoon, my former student ordered appetizers including a giant pretzel (Oh so good), Onion Rings (Yum) and of course…Cheese Curds! The best around! So, when it was all said and done and we parted ways shortly after 6:00, we all headed our separate ways. My sister, her husband and I headed back to their house to let the dogs out before returning to Stooges to finish the evening off there. We weren’t there long at all. They had the Wisconsin/Nebraska volleyball game on and they were embroiled in the competition. Finally, we left to finish the game off at their house. And after a quick sandwich and an Ambrosia apple, I went to typing 🙂 By the way, I so wanted to remember to take a pic of the front of this establishment we were in all day, but I forgot so you get a pic of my view of the long bar. There was a back room that was large, but filled with mainly tables and a big screen TV. We all sat at the bar all afternoon. What a pic that would’ve made.

It’s not even 9:45 and my sister is already in bed. I know I could easily fall asleep now but then I’d wake up far too soon in the morning. Tomorrow’s agenda right now is my sister’s good friends want to meet us for breakfast at 10:00 so that’s the first thing we’ll do. Then, with the Packers not playing until 3:25, there’s no real pressing need to leave the house any too soon after returning from breakfast. This will also be a far more relaxed day in the drinking department because it’s the day before departure again. My babysitter tonight sent a pic of Toby, under a chair for some reason. to let me know all was well in the world of Toby Brooks. That made me feel better since I had been wondering. What with his recent issue with throwing up in my car and then my concern for his litter box habits, but all that seems to be for naught. And typing this makes me realize I DO have one more pic for tonight. TOBY!

Tomorrow night, his will be a little earlier than it’s been but with the game ending likely around 6:30, not sure how it will all play out after. With Monday being a work day for most, no one is going to hang out, plus Stooges closes shortly after the late game. My brother who was with us today plans to join us for the game, as does one of the younger brothers (half of the twins in the family) will be there with his wife. I’ve also let the oldest brother know that we’ll be there as well if he and his wife would like to join in the fun. The only one who won’t be with us will be the sixth Brooks offspring (the other twin) and he resides up around Menomonie. So, once it all dies down, I’ll be back at the kitchen table one final time in this trip to send you the final Reflection from Beaver Dam. Monday night, I will join you like always. I have Rosemount Community Band rehearsal to attend that night, but I hope to write and post before that. I’ll try to remind you again tomorrow night, but for now, I’m signing off. I have to decide if I stay up here and watch the SNL opening monologue and the skits running through UPDATE or if I just surrender and go to bed. That option is beginning to have more appeal. 🙂

I hope your Sunday is a splendid sunny day for you all and that you can get done what you didn’t get done today. I am excited to return for many reasons, but two reasons are two packages I received today. One is another Etsy effort and a new book! And I know Toby misses me. lol Though, maybe he’ll show it now that we’ve learned to tolerate each other. LOL Until Sunday night…GO PACK!

G’Night!