AUGUST ALREADY---WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN

 OUR FRONT YARD IS BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE FROGVILLE

Somehow, we have made it through our busy social calendar for this past week and a half.  For us, it was a bit of a whirlwind but everything worked out and went well.  And OMG here we are into August already.  When did that happen??

 A FEW PHOTOS FROM OUR MORNING RIDE THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE

 BUZZARD ON A MANURE PILE

 BUZZARD NOT ON A MANURE PILE

With cooler temps upon us now I am feeling a bit more energized.  With yard waste accumulating in the utility trailer, it was a good morning to haul all that stuff to the Park's recycling area.  So, after doing our country road walk and slipping around a few country roads Pheebs and I headed home, hooked up the trailer, and got it emptied.

I FOUND THIS SET OF HOMEMADE STEPS IN OUR RECYCLE AREA THIS MORNING AND KNOWING A NEIGHBOR WAS IN NEED OF A SET OF STEPS I LOADED THEM INTO THE UTILITY TRAILER

 HEY YOU GUYS I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD GROW THINGS IN YOUR UTILITY TRAILER EH

Kelly, Rebecca, and Ella had taken the Subaru to the beach Tuesday so by the time they got home there was enough sand in the car to build me a small sand castle. I had intended to clean the car but the humidity ramped up and sent the mosquitos into a frenzy and that in turn sent me into the house.  Hopefully tomorrow.  

 A  OLD BACKYARD GATE WE HAVEN'T USED FOR A FEW YEARS

 I'M GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF FROGS TO CATCH AND TRANSPORT TO THE PARK'S POND THIS FALL

Kelly's itching' has ramped up again but only because it is over a week since her last plasmapheresis treatment.  The next one will be this coming Saturday and she may have to ramp up the treatments to get herself back on track again.

 A FRONT YARD GARDEN FLOWER

My overall health has taken a bit of a setback over this past week and a half.  I've been like a drunken sailor staggering down a narrow gangplank tripping over bowls of ice cream, staggering through piles of cookies, and stumbling over pieces of cake thick with icing.  Too many peanut butter and honey sandwiches and too many burgs and fries.  This morning I almost needed a construction crane to lift me out of my recliner.  I gotta get myself smartened up and back on track right quick before I get hauled out of here in the back of a dump truck!!!!!!

 ELLA MADE KELLY A WALKING STICK

I've been toying with the idea of joining the YMCA.  I was an active Stratford member over 40 years ago but that was then and this is now.  Taking up Tai Chi again has also been on my mind.  Probably been about 15 years since I last worked my way through all those 108 Tai Chi moves.  Exercising at home has never, and still doesn't work for me.  I just don't have the self-discipline for that.  As much as I feel uncomfortable being around groups of people, a group exercise class might be my only option.  With my walking cut way back due to my problematic hip, I might have to consider a YMCA cycling machine program to strengthen my leg muscles.  Kelly is thinking of joining the YMCA for the winter as well.  We'll see how things go.  But no matter what, we both gotta do something because healthy adventures and RV travels to the great American Southwest are regrettably no longer in the cards for us.

 I HOPE WE HAVE ENOUGH GARAGE CANS

Ellen's Groove:))  Haven't heard too much new music from Ellen lately but here's an older one I like she does with her Dad (on guitar) and a couple music friends.  My Angel      

 HYDRANGEA

Al's Music Box:)) The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant from the album 'Suddenly There's Gogi Grant'.  1956  This is another memorable song for me as a young boy.  I would often hear it on the radio.  I wish I could go back and visit those mid 50's years.  Things were so different then.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An amazing 2 letter English word....A reminder that one word in the English language can be a noun, verb, adjective, adverb and preposition.

UP

This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.'  It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep.], [adj.], [n] or [v].  It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?  At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.  At other times, this little word has real special meaning.  People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.  To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.  And this UP is confusing:  A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.  We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!  To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary.  In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.  If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used.  It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.  When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP.  When it rains, the earth soaks it UP.  When it does not rain for a while, things dry UP.  One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now . . my time is UP!  Oh . . . one more thing:  What is the first thing you do in the morning and maybe something you have to do in the middle of the night if you are a Senior.  So, don't screw UP, send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book....or not.   It's UP to you.  Now I'll shut UP!

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