Monday, February 09, 2026

AS OPENING A JAR OF OLIVES

 JUST A BIG OLD FREEZING COLD PILE OF LOGS IN A FIELD
My exercise bike exercises are still going well. I am spending one hour a day on the bike so far, and I have that divided into six blocks of time.  I am close to the point where I will soon begin stretching those ten-minute time slots to fifteen minutes.  When I finished assembling the bike just over a week ago, I ended up with a part that I have no idea what it is, where it goes, or why.  Not even in the instructions could I find a picture of, or an explanation, as to what this part is.  Below is a picture of that part.

Up until today, I have been doing reasonably, if not remarkably well, (in my opinion) dealing with this cold and snowy winter.  My attitude has been good, but with the thermometer sitting at 0 degrees Fahrenheit this morning, and despite sunny skies and no overnight snowfall, I felt my positive attitude just roll over and crash to the ground.  And, for the rest of the day, I couldn't seem to drum up enough enthusiasm to even pick up the pieces.  I had about as much interest in taking a few photos this morning as opening a jar of olives.  But, here's the bright spot...tomorrow is a new day, a month from now, we'll already be beyond the first week of March with hopes of seeing some early Crocus flowers by the end of the month.  Oh, I hope that is so:))      

 I TRIED TO PULL SOME SNOW OFF OUR REAR DECK ROOF WITH MY LONG SNOW RAKE THIS MORNING, BUT I MIGHT AS WELL HAVE BEEN FLAPPING MY ARMS AND TRYING TO FLY TO THE MOON
Al's Music Box:: Without A Song by Frank Sinatra.  My favorite Sinatra song.

 MORNING SUNRISE
GROANER'S CORNER:(( A contestant on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" had reached the final plateau. If she answered the next question correctly, she would win$1,000,000. If she answered incorrectly, she would receive nothing. As she suspected, the million-dollar question would be no pushover. So, the question was asked: Which of the following species of birds does not build its own nest, but instead lays its eggs in the nests of other birds? Is it

A) the condor;

B) the buzzard;

C) the cuckoo; or

D) the vulture?"

The woman was on the spot. She did not know the answer. And she was doubly on the spot because she had used up her 50/50 Lifeline and her Audience Poll Lifeline. All that remained was her Phone-a-Friend Lifeline, and the woman had hoped against hope that she would not have to use it because the only friend that she knew would be home happened to be a fair-haired lady on the slow side. But the contestant had no alternative. She called her friend and gave her the question and the four choices. Her friend responded unhesitatingly: "That's easy. The answer is C: The cuckoo." The contestant had to make a decision and make it fast. She considered employing a reverse strategy and giving Regis any answer except the one that her friend had given her. And considering that her friend was a little on the slow side, it would seem to be the logical thing to do. On the other hand -- her friend had responded with such confidence, such certitude, that the contestant could not help but be persuaded. "I need an answer," said Regis. Crossing her fingers, the contestant said, "C: The cuckoo." "Is that your final answer?" asked Regis. "Yes, that is my final answer." Two seconds later, Regis said, "I regret to inform you that the answer is-...... absolutely correct. You are now a millionaire!" Three days later, the contestant hosted a party for her family and friends, including her friend who had helped her win the million dollars. "Jenny, I just do not know how to thank you," said the contestant. "Because of your knowing the answer to that final question, I am now a millionaire. And do you want to know something? It was your assuredness with which you answered the question that convinced me to go with your choice. By the way......how did you happen to know the right answer?" "Oh, come on!" said her friend. "Everybody knows that cuckoos don't build nests. They live in clocks."
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- "The best time to add insult to injury is when you’re signing somebody’s cast."

- "A cement mixer collided with a prison van. Motorists are asked to be on the lookout for 16 hardened criminals."

- “I have kleptomania. But when it gets bad, I take something for it.”

- “I hate sitting in traffic, because I always get run over.”

- “This bloke said to me: ‘I’m going to attack you with the neck of my guitar.’ I said: ‘Is that a fret?'”

- “Somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on my windshield, it said ‘Parking Fine.’”

-“Crime in multi-storey car parks. That is wrong on so many different levels.”

- “I met this bloke with a didgeridoo and he was playing Dancing Queen on it. I thought, ‘that’s Abba-riginal.'”

- “I went to buy a watch, and the man in the shop said ‘Analogue?’ I said ‘No, just a watch.'”

- “Uncle Ben has died. No more Mr. Rice Guy.”

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

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6 comments:

  1. Al, we have a part that looks like that on a different piece of exercise equipment. Look for a hole in the frame that it will slide into. It will keep the bike stable and in the position you want it.

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  2. Al, that looks like a typical "cotter pin", which fits through a hole, matching it to another hole (probably on the frame) to that its height can be raised or lowered.

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    Replies
    1. Al, forgot to add: then flip the round thingy onto the pin so that it doesn't come off, or change positions.

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  3. I have a pin like that locking my seat at whatever level we put it

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  4. Being that your exercycle has a folding frame, that pin is meant to stop it from doing so while you are using it.
    We are looking forward to Spring as well.
    Stay Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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  5. Ah, yes, it is a cotter pin ... to be stuck in a hole somewhere ... don't ask me what hole you should stick it into or I might tell you. :-)

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