After that we went back home and Cassie made the little man his birthday dinner which was pork chops. We had a lovely cake made my Grandma Jo and then presents. He was a happy boy.
The little man was so surprised. He didn't expect me at all. It is the best present for him.
So I saw an ad for a really cool t-shirt. It said I studied triggernometry and then had a schematic for a handgun. Mechanically it was really fantastic. I checked out the website on whois because I've had very bad luck buying things off Facebook ads. Looks like a legit company that isn't just started. Go to the their website and realized they don't want to sell anything to me. Their search box suggests searching for Trump, 2nd amendment. They have a nice little ditty that their products are guaranteed to make snowflakes cry. I don't understand why a company in the business of selling stuff would only want to sell to half the population of our country. And I know that my not making my $60 order is not going to hurt them, but I am putting my money where my mouth is and not supporting a business that intends on being divisive. I don't care who you voted for. I don't care if you are a 2nd amendmentist. I do care about ending the hatred. Their website isn't about that and would be better off not taking a stand at all and letting their products speak for themselves, but obviously their political view is more important than sales.
Every year for 30 years my knives all got sharpened Thanksgiving morning. It was a job Dave took on and how he would spend the morning while the turkey was roasting in the oven. Knives got sharpened during the year also, but Thanksgiving they all got sharpened.
2013 was the last time he sharpened them. He was too sick in 2014 and he died a few days after Thanksgiving. Not a skill I ever was able to learn. I have had Dave try and many cooks in my youth try to teach me how to do it. Just not in my skillset. So that means the knives have not been sharpened since then. There was a store at the mall that you could take knives too, but it closed years ago. So I just didn't know how to solve the dilemma of getting them sharpened again.
This year there has been a Facebook ad for a retired chef who sharpens knives. I've seen the ad many times but never followed through. But here I am, the week of Thanksgiving, thinking it may be time to sharpen those knives. So I contacted Garrett on Facebook asking about his availability this week. He gave me his address and suggested I stop by and drop off my knives. Which I did. Then I went home and watched a movie. Just as the movie ended he messaged me that my knives were ready. He had told me how much it would be before I left the first time and it stayed that amount. I thought it might be higher since the knives were pretty dull. $30 for three chef's knives and one pairing knife. They are sharp. And that is going to make carving the turkey a pleasure this year. Garrett's Knives
I think Dave is smiling at me. Probably thinking it was about time. Maybe the new tradition is that Garrett sharpens my knives the week of Thanksgiving.
So my check engine light came on. Oy. Pat updated his code reader so he could read newer cars. It is throwing a code for the air intake control. So I changed out the filter as the internet says that is the number one problem. I don't think that took care of the problem although there was a lot of crap in the filter. Dandelion seeds, fir needles, bugs. Just amazing the things that got into it. Car still runs just a tad rough when it starts, so it may need a trip to the shop.
Then I had a dead battery. Wait...what? I hadn't started the car since I changed the filter. All the doors were closed. I checked the glovebox, since I replaced that filter also, to make sure that little light hadn't stayed on. Nothing. Charged the battery enough to go run my errand. Crazy business.
Next day I have a dead battery. Oy. Same thing...nothing left on. Well the battery is original so it is probably at least seven years old. It may be time for a new battery. I think the car can just sit there until I return from Indiana and my quarantine. But if it is going to start nickel and diming me it may be time to do something else.
I bought the turkey last week. Remembered this morning to take it out of the freezer and move it to the frig. It is an 18 pounder and will take that long to thaw. Hopefully.
I'm not cooking it this year. Rebecca decided she was doing the cooking. So I just made sure she has most of what she needs. I do get to do the pies. Went to the store to get the final touches and got a tad frustrated that Winco didn't have cook and serve lemon pudding. I need that for the lemon pie. Guess it means another trip so a different store.
The governor did issue new restrictions on our state. Just as I posted before. I love the for four weeks part. I'm sure it will be until there is a vaccine we all get or it is next spring. I'm going to miss El Rancho once or twice a month. That was my big outing in public, not at a grocery store.
Looks like thusfar I can still fly to Indiana at the end of the month. It is the trip after that that is really up in the air. Anyway I read an article put out about why we shouldn't fly. How dangerous it is to be on a plane with other people. How the odds are every flight has someone on it who has covid. I can't actually believe that because the laws of odds don't work like that. Getting to the end of the article it says on those rare occurrences that someone caught covid on a plane it was on a long flight....like at least six hours and more likely 9-14 hours. So the recommendation was to not fly on long flights but have layovers. And make sure to socially distance. There was a whole long explanation about how fresh air is brought in from the engines. I had already gotten that lesson from a neighbor, which already made me feel quite comfortable.
So I guess I'm not doing anything different than I have been doing. I hadn't visited any indoor place congregating with other people. Beyond the activities in Kokomo I haven't done any visiting of outdoor places with people congregating. I haven't been to a movie theater as I have tons of things I can still watch on Netflix. My biggest thing was that dinner out once or twice a month.
Onward we go.
I actually felt like leaving the house today. I read my last book. So I had started another one on my phone. But it just feels wrong reading on my phone in bed. I need a real book for that place. I had a couple of disappointments on amazon with books that I ordered through them. Totally annoys me to get a "short story" by itself and having paid for a book. I don't mind short stories but I want them in a book with other short stories. I will probably try again at some point but for now I needed a book store.
The last time I was in Barnes & Nobles I was absolutely shocked at the prices of new paperbacks and refused to buy one. I found a few hardbacks by my favorite authors for a greatly reduced price....like half of a paperback and bought those. So I now need a used bookstore.
Off I went to Literary Leftovers in BG. You can't sell books back to them anymore as it was not profitable for them. I get that. Would have been a great way to not accumulate so many books though. Anyway I played with their cat. I found eight books to tide me over for awhile and they gave me a puzzle. I'm happy. And I can read my book on my phone the next time I fly. Seems to work well in that space.
Not completely but definitely curtailed. Word has come through that due to the Covid 19 really going strong that my state is going to again shut us down. They say it will be for four weeks, but I'm betting till spring. No dining in restaurants...take out only. Retail can stay open this time but only 25% capacity. Limited number of people in a group, etc.
Last time it seemed excessive. I only knew one person who had gotten the virus and died. The number that had died in my county was relatively small. The whole state shut down though. And we got on with it. Some small businesses didn't make it. The economy took a hit. A lot of people complained. A lot. My personal feeling was it was overkill but I still followed the rules because that is what we had to do. You need a mask to shop, you need a mask to shop or don't shop. I missed being able to go to a concert, but it is one thing out of a lifetime of things. Maybe next summer.
I took my road trip as things were opening back up. Saw how different states were doing things differently. We finally could eat in restaurants so I did that a couple of times very local. Felt pretty safe at both places. They followed all the protocols.
This time, it is different. The numbers are a lot higher. I know two people in the last couple of weeks who have tested positive. One said she only had a headache and a low-grade fever. Made me worry about my headache that just keeps lingering. I have no fever though. I checked.
This time I think I will be home even more than before. I have lots of things I can do here. And we will see how it goes. Tomorrow we will hear the details. I think I better hit the bookstore and get some books.
I talked with Cassie about houses. Feeling out their plans. We kind of made our own plan. If we can agree and if we can qualify for financing we might just buy a house. Houses are much cheaper in Kokomo than they are here.
But first I had to make sure they plan on staying put. For me it is either an investment or part of her inheritance. For her it is a home that they can paint and hang things on the walls and have more than one pet if they want to. It's all for them four babies.
So we have started looking to see what is available. They have a lease through April of next year. Which gives us enough time to see if we can pull it together or not.
Usually a superstitious day. And yet nothing bad seemed to happen. No crazy drivers. Nothing. Maybe living through a pandemic is enough for this year. ;p
Today my son turned 31 years-old. I still remember that day he was born and how overwhelmed with love I was. I had never felt that before and have only felt it twice since then.
I talked to him on the phone. Sounds clean. I am always amazed at that. The only time I seem to hear it is when he has gotten in trouble and spends his time behind bars. It is not true of all the time he spends there. There is a difference in tone and how he speaks and what he says. So today my heart is happy that he is alive and well, even if incarcerated.
Today Cassie and David got their loan from the bank to pay off the exorbitant loan they got at the car dealer. They have every reason to be proud of moving forward in their life and doing all those things that are considered normal. Their traipse into the drug world and homelessness put them way behind their peers back in their very early adult life. And so they have come a long way. Working on their credit. They did get a loan on their own. It is a shame that there are companies out there that prey on those with less than stellar credit. And I understand those companies are taking a risk with people with poor credit.
Cassie had done the math and she would be paying for that mini-van twice in the six years of the loan. It is only a $10k mini-van. Since she has no real experience with credit and loans she did not understand. Twenty-three percent interest is not good in any way, shape or form. They had to use all of their savings to even get this loan. And they needed a vehicle. One that could haul their family of six. So they were kind of between a rock and hard place.
When I arrived to spend time there for the little woman's birthday we worked on remedying this situation. I could have just let it be and they could make all those payments which would help their credit for the next time they need a loan. But I couldn't unless they told me to. The best thing I could do for them, which allowed them to make the payments and build credit (as they should), was to offer to help them get a secured loan from their bank. And so we went and talked to their bank. And it was explained to us how this would work.
It takes time to put things in place. And so today they were able to actually obtain the loan and pay off the car loan. Their payment dropped by almost a third and the length of the loan was cut by a third. And when they are done they will only have paid about 1k in interest.
When Dave and I were young and starting out we received help. And it made a tremendous difference in how much breathing room we had to raise the family. I'm pretty sure the help was because of those kids. And the best way to help those kids is by helping the parents. And so I paid it forward thirty years later in helping the parents of my grandchildren. And really it doesn't cost me that much. But for them it is phenomenal and still allows them integrity and the satisfaction of doing it themselves. They make the payments.
Maybe now I should think about buying a house in Georgia. ;p
According to the news Biden is the new president-elect in our country. Now all the fraud theories will come to play. I watched CNN for all five days quite a bit and there was never anything that looked fraudulent. It looked like the counting went by in a very careful manner to make sure there was no fraud. I'm smart enough to realize that some people tried to get ballots counted that shouldn't be. That is why they check signatures and provide provisional ballots. Mail in ballots are not fraud nor are they illegal when they are cast and postmarked by 8 p.m. on election day.
Off and on all day. CNN. Watching the numbers inch along. It is looking like Biden will get it. But I have seen other years where I thought someone had it in the bag and it turns on a dime. So just watching and waiting.
I am impressed with how careful the whole process is proceeding. How many people have voted. How it is bi-partisan in the counting rooms with every one being civil and thorough, making sure every legal vote is counted and counted right.
I love how quiet my facebook feed has been. There was a lot of noise up to election day. Now it is quiet and that makes me happier.
Beth and I met up for lunch today. We went to Shari's because it is convenient to both of us.
When we ordered I was informed I could not have a BLT because it is not on their limited menu. Bet me. I didn't make a big deal out of it. I just ordered a Club with no cheese or turkey. Then I asked the waitress if she understood what I just ordered and it went right over her head. She was amused when I told her it was a BLT.
Beth and I spent three hours catching up. She retires in about a year and a half. So she is making plans. She has decided it is time to leave the PNW and maybe settle in Wyoming in a tiny house. She is spending her time doing all the research she needs to do now and figuring out how to make that happen.
We talked about old stories, Just spending time together. Decided we should do it once a month maybe while she is still here. Sounds like a good plan. I admire her choices that is she is making with her freedom.
I guess it depends on which side of the fence you sit on whether you would find it funny. Guess you will be able to tell which side I sit on.
So awhile back I read how it is the liberals who are wearing masks and trying to be considerate and safe. We have a president who refused to wear a mask and pretty much made fun of it. Okay so conservatives are then thinking the whole thing is a hoax or not so bad or whatever. Not listening to science at all. And that is all right, they are entitled to their opinion.
When it comes to the mask issue...I wear my mask because my state has mandated that every one will wear one in a public building and outside if you can't socially distance. I understand science, but given the choice I probably wouldn't wear one. I seem to be an exception in my opinion, but I wear my mask.
So the election comes up and the president tells his supporters to not use the mail in ballots because of the possibility of voter fraud. Tells them to vote in person. And they did in the states where they could. Liberals on the other hand voted in great numbers by mail to stay away from large groups of people. Following the science.
So the counting goes on. Most (maybe all) states counted the in person votes first and those numbers were for the president. Once those were done they moved on the various mailed in votes and provisional. Guess what? Those votes are coming in in great numbers for Biden. So naturally we now hear from the president that all votes received after 8 p.m. on election day are not valid legal votes and should not count. Sorry Mr. President, it doesn't work that way.
All day I have had the television on, off and on. Most of the projections have been made and we are waiting on the battle ground states, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada. North Carolina and Alaska have not been called but they are pretty confidant those go to President Trump. The news outlets learned awhile ago not to make a projection until it is almost 100 percent certain. I remember the year they called Florida and then were wrong.
So I am watching and watching. Could go either way yet. I'm not anxious. Just curious. I am amazed at the voter turnout. In my voting lifetime it seems like there are less and less voters turning out to vote. This year is proving to be an exception and I hope the trend continues. I am impressed with how the counting is being done. It is very transparent with both parties being involved....
Lots of explanations have been given on how the process works. We still wait.
Every four years I am always excited for this day. No more mass political mailings. No more big discussions on who, why, what. The next four years gets decided and we get on with life. And yes there are still ongoing voting the next four years, but president is the biggie.
This has been an incredibly odd year. Just overall. Due to the pandemic, mail in voting became more of a thing country wide with a lot of pushback. Ever since it came up many people decided it was going to amount to a tremendous amount of voter fraud. Here's the thing...there is voter fraud. People voting who shouldn't be. I'm sure a couple of dead people will have ballots cast...and hence the signature checking before a ballot is counted. But in order for voter fraud to make a big difference in the outcome it would have to be countrywide and in big numbers. As soon as the talk of voter fraud starts before the election, I feel like someone already knows their party may not win and is setting it up.
My state has been doing mail in only ballots for many years now. And it works pretty smoothly. I received my ballot before I went to Indiana. I cast my vote and dropped it in the ballot box. It wasn't that I didn't trust the mail, but I was in town and going by the box. Why have postage paid when I am right there. So I'm good.
And then tonight I finally tuned in to the news to see what we know. Due to the whole country having a mail in option we already know we probably won't know today. People had till today to vote and that includes mail in. Mail in has to be postmarked by today but obviously won't get to the counting until delivered by the postal service. I believe that most states set the deadline for mail in ballots to be received is Friday at 5 p.m.
And now we wait as votes are counted. Some as they come in.
Both flights today were totally smooth. No turbulence, take-offs and landings superb. Even in Denver and that so surprised me. Feels good to be home.
The little man never asked when I was coming back. The little woman asked if I was coming for Thanksgiving and I said "no", and then she asked about the little man's birthday. I try really hard not to lie so I shook my head yes. I hope she keeps the secret, but it is all right if she doesn't.
It was a nice trip. It was a happy heart trip. They are even more settled into their new household. We talked about how they felt about that. I wanted to make sure they understood that they should live with a parent as long as a parent was able to parent. And they got it.
