Saturday, July 14, 2012

We Need Rain!

And also cooler temps. This is gettng extreme.
It's so dry here that we in the Baptist church have begun using just a wet washcloth for Baptisms.

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Just Wondering

I received this pic in a text today. I lent my pontoon to my sons in Lincoln. The two men here are our sons. The 3 boys belong to my youngest in the yellow shirt. His wife is beside him on the couch.
All of the girls (4) belong to the picture taker and his wife is on the right.
I'm just wondering, it looks like fun and you're only looking at about half of the boat. I must have missed the call. Did any of you get a call??

Sunday, July 01, 2012

Overheard

We had been hauling irrigation pipe. My crew consisted of 2 big strong lads. One 13 and one 14 years of age.
These two are very talkative fellows and can find stuff to talk about even when there is nothing to talk about.
I was standing in the kitchen while they sat in our dinette taking a break. When I finally tuned in I heard my grandson say "You know the Lucky Charms cereal?" His buddy affirms, "uh-huh."
He continued, "Well you know how they have those marshmallows and that other stuff like Cheerios?"
His buddy replied in a very soft voice, "Yeah, they need to get rid of that other stuff."
Marketing analysts in the making I'd say.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Marilyns Other Job

 
 My wife, Marilyn along with my daughter Juli,  groom on the average about 10 to 12 dogs per day. Then for relaxation she works like, well...a dog on her garden. Here are a few shots of her handiwork.

Friday, June 08, 2012

Summertime Activities

As busy as we are this time of year, we always take time to watch the grandkids play ball. At least the ones who live near by. This is one place you'll find Marilyn and I on many nights in June. Well, this, and ball fields all across Northeast Nebraska. Off in the distance you'll see another field where our grandaughter Casey plays some of her softball games.
The top pic is of Colton hitting a ball down the first base side of the field for a single. If you look closely you'll see the ball after he hit it. It's the white blur over the plate.


Colton won't be 14 until late July but he is a big kid. I measured him in his barefeet last week and he stands exactly 6' 1". The bottom pic is of Colton trotting to 2nd base after the next batter was given a walk. He's a good hitter and hasn't failed to put the ball in play yet this season.
Oh yeah, the pictures were taken thru a chain link fence so I couldn't yell while taking the photos. I was afraid I might 'strain' my voice.

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Yep

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” Dr. Seuss








Saturday, June 02, 2012

Dual Fuel

This is my 13 year old grandson power washing my mother inlaw's deck. Below find the fuels the operation was running on.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

First Tomato

Our growing season is way ahead of schedule here. Waaay ahead. Our corn is already mid thigh high. The peonies were all a month ahead of time and distant memory. But yesterday we had our first full sized, ripe tomato. I don't think I've had very many tomatoes from this area even in July so to have one in May is incredible.
I should have taken a picture but Ralph and Char and Marilyn had it cut up and on grilled hamburgers before I thought of it.
We all spent an enjoyable weekend in Normal Ill at their Granddaughter's high school graduation. Good times and great party. Really neat folks.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

No Groaning Please

A man takes his goldfish to the veterinarian. The vet asks "What seems to be the problem here?" The man says "I think this goldfish might have epilepsy."
After peering into the bowl a little while the vet says, "He seems normal to me."
The man indignantly said, "Sure he seems normal, thats because you haven't taken him out of the water yet."

Monday, May 14, 2012

Fairy Dusted

I'm really getting to adore this modern technology. I spent years trying to tell people that all they had to do in order to use email was get a computer, sign up for a dial up connection and they'd be in. I was always thrilled when I got something from one of my brothers or sisters. "Look," I'd say to Marilyn. "We got mail and best of all it's free." It didn't cost us a thing. Yeah, right.
Now I get my email both at home and on my not-so-smart phone. Every few minutes during the day I now get unbelievable deals right in my pocket, all kinds of new and different ways to save money on shoes and siding and furniture and the latest joke to be circling the globe.Just yesterday I was huffing and puffing while hoisting a sweep auger into a grain bin. Then it happened, I got an advertisement for a "spot cooler" on my phone. How did they know I was sweating?
I also received notification by the newspaper in Omaha that texting or sending a picture with your smart phone is not the best way to contact a 911 operator. Yes, I stared at the grain bin wall for a bit. A picture! How would you accomplish that feat? "Dear 911, in the attached photo please find the picture of my right hand and notice also that it is no longer attached to my right arm. Please send an ambulance." Later in the hospital you'll come to realize that it's a good thing you're left-handed or you couldn't have sent the text.
I was warned about even wading off into the dark and murky waters of smart phones. My sons use them but when I called and said, "Dan, Marilyn and I can buy one and get one free, what do you think?" After a long and awkward pause he said, "Uh, Dad, there's a pretty steep learning curve when you go to these phones. Are you sure you have the patience for this?" Then I yelled, no, spoke forcefully into the phone and said, "What the heck is that supposed to mean?" I'm not sure but I think he quietly said to himself, "precisely."
We've been inventing new words ever since we made the plunge. I will tell Marilyn, "Your phone just Droided you," alluding to the deep voiced "DROID" the phone makes when it needs to inform me that I have a text or an email from some place like "Mens Big and Tall." (No, I'm not tall.)
I had to change my notification sound to something besides Droid because I couldn't always hear it when a machine was running, so I experimented and settled on a tone with various tinkling sounds. The tone was titled "Fairy Dust." So, of course Marilyn will bring me my phone as she did just now and says, "Here, your phone just Fairy Dusted you." That better not have been a giggle I just heard as she walked away. It's also sort of embarrassing to be standing with a group of farmers at the elevator and have someone say with alarm, "What was that?" "Cliff, do you have Tinker Bell in your pocket." I tell them, "Look, at least I can hear it."
In my earliest recollections, I recall going with my parents who were born in 1905 and 1907 to visit some of their elderly friends. Otto and Lilly lived way back in the hills and were neighbors to my folks at one time. They fairly marveled at the new technology, just as I do today. Their new-fangled communication device hung on the wall and had a hand crank on the side. The crank was the "notification" device used to "Droid" the operator who may or may not be in bed depending on the time of day or night you lit her up.
The question is whether or not we're making progress. This coming from a guy who remembers a time when we all didn't need to carry a personal supply of high priced water with us at all times or a smart phone.
The progress is indeed questionable in societal terms. I now get phone calls from my sons at the Body Shop that goes like this. I say "Hello," and then a customer walks into their shop and the reply is, "I'll have to let you go Dad. I'll call you back." Calls like that are hard to explain to your wife. "That was Tom calling to say he doesn't have time to talk."
When I was a lad if someone was on the phone, it was important. "He'll be with you in a bit, he's on the phone, it's long distance." "Oh, long distance, I can come back another day."
Now everyone's on the phone, it's the reason we have nothing to talk about when we get home at night. "Yes dear, I know that, remember, you called me and you sent me a text about it."
This day is now complete; Marilyn just rushed out the door to go to work and texted me that she loves me. I was fairy dusted just as I heard the door slam shut.