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Last week’s events inspired a country song from yours truly.

(Think of Roy Clark plucking those strings, and you’ve got the general idea here)

All them dirty dishes in mah sink
They’s gettin’ pretty rank enuff ta stink
There ain’t no power here inside this room
And soon we are a preppin’ for the doom

Dirty dishes
Broken wishes
Dyin’ fishes
From the storm

Dirty dishes
Broken wishes
Dyin’ fishes
Ain’t the norm

We got no water here ta take a bath
There’s plenty snow out there to make a path
We scoops it up and puts it in the pan
Just boil it up a’top the butane can

Dirty dishes
Broken wishes
Dyin’ fishes
From the storm

Dirty dishes
Broken wishes
Dyin’ fishes
Ain’t the norm

Mah roommate said he would be back at noon
But that was yesterday, that rude buffoon
It was his turn to melt the snow today
I guess he done gone up and run away

Dirty dishes
Broken wishes
Dyin’ fishes
From the storm

Dirty dishes
Broken wishes
Dyin’ fishes
Ain’t the norm

PicsArt AI, “Record album cover of Dirty dishes, dying fishes, broken wishes, in a winter storm”

(Repeat)

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I don’t know why, but a memory from my early teen years popped into existence.

I had a very dear friend from junior high and we’d been separated due to our family moving out of state. Being an 11 to 13 yr old, our writing skills didn’t extend to postal mail and we lost contact with each other over time.

We’d moved back to the city where my friend and I lived, and I was now old enough to drive my dad’s car. I found my friend’s mom’s number in the White Pages and shakily dialed the number from my parent’s house phone attached to the dining room wall.

This was an era before pocket computers, when appliances hadn’t any intelligence, and the only way to know who phoned you was to dial *69 – if you were affluent enough to pay for the custom service to tell you who just called the house line.

So I dialled, and waited, and a weary female voice answered.

“Hello?”, she asked.

“Um, hi, ah this is John.”, I started shakily. I knew my friend’s mom had answered. She was a single mom of two children who were always getting into mischief. She wasn’t one to make cross. “May I speak with Pat please?” I continued nervously.

“Ah. No. And never call here again.” (Slam-click)

This was also the era when one could literally hear the receiver hit the holding bracket when the person slammed the phone down.

I was devastated. I knew I had gotten into a few scrapes with authority figures with her son in the past, but didn’t think she’d have held it against me so harshly.

Thankfully, as it turned out for me in the end, I wasn’t the person she thought I was. What happened was I had the unfortunate luck of sharing the same name as the ex-boyfriend of my friend’s older sister. Mama bear wasn’t angry with me but was protecting her cub.

Memories are funny things. Someday I’ll find out why this one popped up to say, “Hi”.

Not to worry. I didn’t tell it to never call again, haha

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Today’s Just Be thought

I was so happy to see you employing this technique this week. Also I am happy I didn’t let the frozen water pump put me in a funk. We saw the problem, came up with a solution, and did the best we could given what we had to hand.

Also, I didn’t stop and fuss and moan about the lack of running water. Instead I kept trying different things until finally the water started flowing again. I was fully prepared for a completely frozen tank and the possibility of costly repairs and still have no running water for possibly weeks.

As shown on the video, I foresaw the possible worst case scenario and planned for it.

When the reality came out much better, my level of happiness was much greater than if I’d have been grumbling about my bad luck.

I know what to do now to keep from having this issue again when it happens (and it will happen again) and am better for the experience.

Hugs to you!

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It’s 33 degrees fahrenheit outside. It’s raining. Ice has formed on my bird feeders.

I worry about my 11-yr old pup. He doesn’t like to be inside but I’m worried about his aging bones and the weather conditions.

O there he is. Casually strolling along the fence he patrols. His coat is wet from the freezing rain but he doesn’t seem to care.

This is the same pup who sunbathes outside when it’s over 110 degrees fahrenheit.

What is he made of? I want some of that, haha

PicsArt AI, “Black Labrador dog walking away in a snowstorm”

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Ten years ago if anyone would have told me I’d be sipping Scotch in a chair a few feet from my cow and baby german shepherd I’d have thought I’d have heard things.

PicsArt AI, “Scotch”

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I’ve recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

The most fascinating thing about this is that for half a century now I thought I was a lucid dreamer with a commitment complex.

All of the most interesting, compelling, and delicious dream scenarios have been interrupted by me bowing out and apologising for my need to leave.

I always assumed my pounding heart on awakening was a reaction to departing forcibly on my own.

Turns out it was all due to me fighting for air, haha. I wasn’t a purposeful slouch afraid to soar in the air or pursue that imagined love affair. Also I was never truly asleep but in a constant dozing state.

What will the next half-century bring when I become captain and commander of the dreams I shall fearfully and wonderfully craft?

The times, they are a-changin

(Edit and addition)

Just got out of the Dr visit. It seems the two-day sleep study showed I had one 30-minute deep sleep session in the set.

If I was never truly asleep, then have I ever been truly awake?

Woah, shades of The Matrix here

PicsArt AI, “Sleepwalking man”