AND YET, WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE

 OUR PARK'S ENTRANCE IS JUST UP THERE ON THE LEFT

My creative side (writing and photography) seems to have wandered away somewhere again.  And just when all the beautiful Autumn colors are out, and our weather just couldn't be nicer.  It left yesterday, and I don't know where the heck it went.  I never took a picture or typed a word Monday.  Oh well, at least I was able to haul my tall ladder out and teeter around getting some eavestroughs cleaned out before winter.  And of course at this time of year there is always the raking, and raking, and raking.

 SAW THIS COLORFUL TREE IN CLINTON THIS MORNING

 AUTUMN DAISIES IN OUR PARK

Ever since Kelly passed away in early December of 2024, I've had a lot of things on my mind, and many of those things are still rolling around in there.  In the Spring of 2025, Woodsy helped me with both a big inside and outside cleanup and purging of things.   There was a lot of old stuff that just had to go.  And there still is a lot of stuff that has to go.  At that time, in the Spring of 25, I had to take a realistic look at what the road ahead might be shaping up like.  This house (mobile home) I live in is old and showing its age.  The plumbing is old, the decor is dated, it could use some repairs.  The outside needs a facelift, and the grounds would benefit from some new ideas.  Despite those things, I love doing all the outside maintenance and grounds work myself, and it keeps me limber.  However, I continue to experience the tell-tale signs of Senior aging, and that is a worry when I try to plan a few years ahead of me.  And yet, what is the alternative??  The thought of living in an apartment absolutely mortifies me.  I love being able to walk out the door and putter around, but how long is that going to last.  I have been very aware of an uptick in both my physical and mental abilities as of late.  I am experiencing subtle changes that, at some point, are going to require decisions.  The question then becomes: how does one prepare for those decisions, and when?  I love living here and have loved it ever since Kelly and I (and our dog Max) moved here just a couple of weeks short of 24 years ago.  But I know I can't stay here forever, and I don't want to find myself in a situation where I can't keep up with all the necessary outside grounds work and maintenance, etc. I can feel that day approaching.  I am writing this today because I know there are others in the same situation I am in.  Some have reached this point, dealt with it, and moved on, while others are dealing with it right now.  Others like myself are on the doorstep of change.  And no, I am not planning to sell my house.  Not yet anyway...................  

 SLIPPED NEIGHBOR MONICA INTO CLINTON THIS MORNING FOR AN EYE APPOINTMENT

Memories Music Box:(( Leaving On A Jet Plane by Peter Paul and Mary.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( One night Father Gill asked Fabio to share his secrets for staying happily married for almost 50 years. Fabio explained that he’d tried to treat his wife nice, buy her a few things, and best of all, he took her to Rome for their 25th anniversary. Father Gill asked, “So what are you going to do for your 50th?” Fabio proudly answered, “I’m gonna go pick her up!”

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You ever talk about a movie with someone that read the book? They're always so condescending. Ah, the book was much better than the movie. Oh really? Yes, what I enjoyed about the movie most was no reading.

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- “Did you hear the one about the woman who threw her toaster away because it kept burning the bread? She was black toast intolerant.”

- My brain is like the Bermuda Triangle. Information goes in and then is never found again.

- Teacher: "I asked you to draw a cow and grass, but I only see a cow. Where is grass?"
Student: "The cow ate the grass, sir."
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The little Moron was visiting his friend, who had acquired two new dogs, and asked him what their names were. The friend responded by saying that one was named Rolex and one was named Timex.
His friend said, 'Whoever heard of someone naming dogs like that?' 'HELLLOOOOOOO......,' answered the friend. 'They're watch dogs'!!

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Today's Art Gallery