April 8, 2023

Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 8, 2022, a national pursuit.
Five years ago today: April 8, 2018, consider it a success.
Nine years ago today: April 8, 2014, it’s not a bad book.
Random years ago today: April 8, 2007, a rare list of gigs.

           First things first, this place needs a major shop, but let’s be reasonable. That means stopping for a budget breakfast at Wendy’s. With a coupon. I’ve never gotten into coupon shopping but JZ assures me the breakfast is top notch. It was, but for some reason the gal at the till took an immediate dislike to JZ, which he tried to lighten up with a little humor. But he must have reminded her of something. Then, to top it off, the next group that walked in sat at the booth where they could and did sit there in silence eavesdropping on everything we were saying. They had snuck in Starbuck’s coffees. Welcome back to Maimi.

           Detecting the nearby table of snoopers were anti-Trump, we gave them an good helping of what they plainly found uncomfortable. This turned out to be the fun part of the day. We did not get home out of the summer heat until noon, did I mention JZ has no A/C in the truck? Knowing nothing would get accomplished in this weather, I bought two movies. Both were equally bad. We watched them but wound up talking strategy the whole time. Folks, the plot of the crew on a space-ship being chased around by a hostile alien or computer has been done. Add to that the ex-soldier blues. The old neighborhood is not there any more.

           First stop was Dollar Tree. Don’t buy it elsewhere if they have it at Dollar Tree. Most of the time we talked again about getting JZ out of Miami—though I remind you this conversation has been some 15 years long already. One day he will, and it will be the day he admits he’s lived through the degeneration of the city from a sleepy tourist destination to a feeble shadow of itself. From ritzy to a degenerate, unAmerican, over-priced version of Havana. You build it, they tax it.
           Next on to Wal*Mart, America’s favorite store for cheap Chinese crap. That’s where I found this pile of papayas. So now I finally see what a ripe set of these look like. My local batch are nowhere near that coloration yet.
Easter was never big in my life. That doesn’t mean I don’t go for the food part. I bought a $30 rack of ribs and another $20 in trimmings, once again knowing that JZ is beyond an expert cook. Who hasn’t noticed which foods taste better when prepared by someone else? That explains the arrangement. I buy it, you cook it, we eat it. The simplest food formula yet.

Picture of the day.
Hearing aid glasses, 1950.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Like many of us who trusted the government to inspect the food long ago, both of us now take prescriptions to ward off diabetes. Sure enough, a bunch of warnings have begun to circulate about side effects. To our horror, we each take one of the drugs mentioned. Aha, the swelling of my thigh--maybe isn’t just taking its time, it’s being caused. According to the articles, one symptom is a new word that has entered by vocabulary: Edema. I find out it is not just ankles and feet, but can be in the thigh. I’m not happy. This is the leg I fell off the small step back in August last year. It is still noticeable.

           Meanwhile, I had bought this box of wooden blocks for models. It was supposed to be some kind of tower game. As shown here, they quickly become coffee table distractions. Here’s some samples while we were discussing JZ’s new savings plan. Return tomorrow for a set of questions I have for anyone who has such a plan. Because, if it was that easy to save, more people would be doing it. The questions will give you clues on the correct way to save up a small nest egg. Take my word for it.

           In the end, it was me who dropped out again. What a feast. Ribs that you just rake off the bone, it don’t get no better. JZ has a barbeque sauce he makes from molasses, and I found out what “braise” means. Return tomorrow for that, as well. I know I’m a few days behind on the blog. It’s called no access to a computer. It’s not my fault some people I know like to live in the dark ages. Pinecrest is open on Monday, no guarantees but I’ll try to post from there.
           The cheap-o antenna system at JZ’s picks up the colorized western reruns. I finally saw “The Big Sky”, I’ve seen it in parts and until today did not realize it was all one movie. Pretty amazing for the realism it tries to portray. Back then, most effects were either real or had to be done the hard way. No way would I get in one of those boats for any amount of pay. It’s a classic with Kirk Douglas playing a coureur de bois.
           I had to look up that spelling and learned something. The text all says they were “unlicensed” hunters. Ha, that’s putting it mildly. Young men were required by early Quebec law to marry and have big families so France could populate the new world. This created a class of young men who had other ideas, and they became among other things, these fable trappers. They also sold guns and booze to the Indians, fathered countless half-breeds who no matter what you say became a burden on the system, and got lots of people caught up in various wars against the English, who were no better.

Last Laugh