Frustration

If I see Oliver Perez start another game for the Mets I will scream. If I see David Wright lunge at a ball outside and strike out I will throw something at the TV. If I see Jose Reyes lunge and pop up another pitch I will give up on the Mets this year.

I am a glutton for punishment as I keep watching, though I will admit not every game. Two weeks ago they are in first place, today they are a couple innings of dropping into the basement. From Yadier Molina's home run in 2006, through the collapses of 2007 and 2008 and the dreadful 2009 season how can you blame me for being close to giving up already for this year. I know, I know, the season is just barely one quarter over and a lot can happen yet.

And now as I watch with the Mets down 7-0 in the 6th they have just scored three to tease me a bit. I can't take it. I just can't take it.

Happy Pi Day everyone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YsM4ElTJcE&feature=player_embedded#

Are we alone?

Are Pat and I the only ones in the country not watching the olympics? We didn't watch the opening ceremonies except for perhaps ten minutes while sitting in Kevin and Tracy's living room. Since then I have seen perhaps another ten minutes of skiing. It seems to be of no interest to either of us. Even the big hockey game yesterday, Canada vs. USA, didn't draw my attention. Can't put my finger on the why, but it does free up a lot of time. Not that we need any more free time.

The Pluto Platter

Walter Frederick Morrison has passed away. A simple invention that provided so much fun for so many, including the writer of this blog. I think the most I played with his Frisbee was in college. A bunch of us would get together , with beers, and in a square would toss the frisbee around to see how many times we could go without someone dropping it. I know, pretty lame. Another "game" was in our long hallway in the dorm. Standing on each end of the hall we would play catch using the walls to bounce the frisbee along to each other. Mr. Morrison, thank you.

Pluto Platter was the original name of the Frisbee.

Meet the Mets

It was announced today that this past Monday we lost one of the memories and one of the sounds of my past. Jane Jarvis died at the age of 94. She will always be associated with attending Mets games in my youth. So many today don't recall the sound of her organ echoing through Shea. Now she is gone, and Shea is gone and we are left with a sterile ball park and rock music. I long for the old days.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Bubble Wrap

First stage done

Yesterday Rob (contractor) was here all day ripping out the old doors and installing our new six panel doors. Not an easy swap because these houses originally had metal frames instead of wood jambs. I had a major problem fitting and squaring up the wood jamb and doors years ago when I replaced the originals. A lot of cursing and trimming, but I made them work. Rob actually took out one of the framing 2x4s on each side of each opening and replaced it with a piece of 5/4" board, thus allowing space for shimming and squaring. The three bedroom doors, bath and linen closet are all done except for knobs which I am responsible for. Not sure if we will get new ones or not. Today he will return to pop in the entry way closet door. He ran out of time yesterday. Next week, not sure of the days yet, the floor guys come to sand and finish the floors. Then the tile guy will come to tile the entry way, followed by Rob coming back to put shoe molding all around the floor molding. THEN comes my job when I have to paint.

You can see a pic of the hallway doors on my 365 project blog.

Viewers

I always wonder who views my blog, and now my 365 project blog, only because no one, or very few ever comment on anything in either blog. But this weekend I was both disappointed and happy about learning about my viewers or lack thereof. It seems my brother, who I always thought was a loyal follower, was not following my blogs at all. How distressing. But a day later I learned that a brother of an in-law does follow, even though he makes no comments. That was a nice thing to hear. So, to all who are reading this, please, every once in a while, take the time to make a comment on either this blog or my 365 project blog.

And to those who have been making comments. Thank you.

Eight Minutes!

In order to have the floors redone we needed to get the piano out of the living room. It is the only piece of furniture which we can't handle ourselves. Due to the house's floor plan there is no way to roll it into another room. In order to get it out of the way it would have to go on end, which I was not going to attempt even with help. So we hired piano movers. Three guys, two dollies, one blanket, one roll of shrink wrap and a ramp. They threw a large blanket over the piano, wrapped shrink wrap around and around to hold the blanket. Then the piano was tilted up on end onto a dolly. After they rolled it into the kitchen they tilted it off the first dolly, right onto the second one so the piano was no right side up again. Then a simple ride down the ramp to the den. They lifted it off the dolly and positioned it. I made out the check, signed the invoice and they were gone. Eight minutes from the time I opened the door until I closed the door behind them. Unbelievable.

Going for it all

Pat has been wanting hardwood floors in the living/dining room and hall for a long time. I finally gave in and we ripped up the carpeting over the past week. Today I tore up all the tile by the front door. A few days ago I figured with everything being done and all the furniture out of the living and dining rooms I might as well bite the bullet and go all the way. So, we are switching out all the doors from the inexpensive (spelled c-h-e-a-p) to six panel doors to be painted white. All moldings around doors will be replaced and painted and all molding along the floor will also be painted white. Eventually after the floors are done we will be getting area rugs. But for now it is a lot going on. After this is all done I think we will be finished for a while. That is until Pat sits and begins to think of other things she wants done. Then I will again resist and maybe this time I will not change my mind. But for now I can't foresee any major changes that could possibly be made.

It is official

Well, today marks the day. We, or Pat more specifically, have become seniors, the aged, retired, or anyone who can be defined as receiving Social Security benefits. Yes, today the direct deposit was made for Pat's benefits. Four more months for me. So...everyone out there; please keep working and contributing.

Happy Anniversary To Us

What, you say? Another anniversary? Isn't our anniversary in August? The answer is yes and yes. Yes our anniversary was August 22nd, thirty nine years of wedded bliss. But today is another anniversary. It marks the day that we first went out, January 10th, 1963. It was a Thursday. I am not sure where we were or what we did but this has always been our recollection of when we first started going out. Being a Thursday my guess would be it was a basketball game at the high school. Granted there were times when we broke up, or to be correct, I broke up with Pat, but that is the date when we first were together as a couple. Fourty seven years. Egads! Yikes! More than seventy five percent of our lives have been together. I guess we were meant to be together. This August marks forty years of marriage and in only another ten we will be able to have our picture in the paper for our golden anniversary. Boy does that make me feel old. To quote Frank Barone ..... Holy Crap!

Happy New Year

So, another year has come and gone. I used to think that the end of the year was overblown in its importance, but this year has me looking on it differently. So many things have transpired this past year that I am glad that it is over. Turn the page. Look to the future. Hopefully 2010 will be a better year.

And in keeping with the change, I have taken on a challenge, one I have given myself. I am going to keep a daily photoblog. Yes, I know what you are thinking, that it will last a few weeks and then I will give up. That could very well be true, but only time will tell. I don't know the blog definition yet except to say that it will be a picture a day. Not a self portrait as Kevin tried last year. This will be more of a chronicle of my daily life. How each day's picture will be determined is what I still need to come to grips with. It may start out in January, and by June (if it is still going) be totally different. So, it being January 1st, my first entry is posted.

http://www.photoblog.com/rayswrld/

Happy Festivus

Frank Costanza: "Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way."

Kramer: "What happened to the doll?"

Frank Costanza: "It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born: a Festivus for the rest of us!"

Kramer: "That must have been some doll."

Frank Costanza: "She was."

It sure would be nice

With all the advances in technology in the automobile industry from computers and sensors that can tell you when your tires need air to a camera that looks behind you when you back up, why, oh why, can't they make steering wheels that are heated. They can heat your seat, which by the way is very nice. Nothing like a warm tush when you are driving. But how difficult can it be to warm a steering wheel the same way. Surely there must be some reason that it can't be done because it seems unlikely that one of the braniacs in the research department of the auto makers hasn't suggested this in some conference room. But, it sure would be nice.

WHOA!!!!! I decided before posting this to do some googling. It turns out that there are many patents out there for heated steering wheels and steering wheel covers. But then I found it. BMWs have them. Some other high end cars have them, like Cadillac and now Ford is going to start putting them in their cars and trucks! I hope Honda follows suit because I like my Hondas and hate to have to switch allegiances to keep my hands warm.

And a last thought. I guess it is a good idea for me to google first before going off on a rant.

What a fox!!!

My regular readers know that in the past I have posted about animals and road kill that I have encountered on my cycling excursions. Well today, despite it being November, I went out for a ride. It was near sixty so the calendar didn't really dictate whether I rode indoors on the trainer or outside. For those familiar with the area, I was at the intersection of Telegraph Hill Road and Bethany Road. I made a left off of Telegraph Hill and proceeded on Bethany. There is a small bridge that crosses a creek between Telegraph Hill and Hazlet Avenue. Right before that bridge I saw up ahead on the sidewalk an animal that I thought at first was a dog. But as I got close I saw it had a long bushy tail. A tail just like a fox. And as I passed this animal i looked at the face/head and darn if it didn't look like a fox. So, I came home, went to the internet and googled dogs that looked like foxes. I could only find one, a New Guinea Singing Dog, but pictures showed that it was nothing like what I saw on the sidewalk. So, my only conclusion was that I saw a fox. Where did he come from? Where was he going? Did someone have a fox for a pet? These questions will never be answered. At least by me.

I'm Not Ready!

Retailers have begun the blitz already, and it has been going on for a week or more. For me it is way too soon for Christmas ads and decorations. I can deal with it right around Thanksgiving, when the "official" start to the holiday begins. Well, it used to be the official start, but not anymore. Earlier and earlier in the year. Pretty soon we will be giving out candy canes to trick or treaters. But it was the Jeffersons that prompted me to write. No, not George and Weezy, but the neighborhood Jeffersons who always put up their decorations early. Two days ago we drove past and, not only do they have the lights on the house, but their tree is up. As I said, way too early.

I did not know that

My truck is due for an oil change. My last one was eleven months ago and I still have another eight hundred miles to go to hit the five thousand mile mark. I have had the truck for almost six years now and thought it might be a good idea to get the coolant system flushed and refilled while getting the oil change. But I didn't know what the maintenance schedule recommended for the procedure. So, I opened the glove compartment (I don't keep gloves in there) and checked the maintenance schedule. Well, much to my surprise, the coolant only needs to be replaced at, now get this, one hundred thousand miles. Wow. Things sure have changed.

Still alive

There is still hope.

Go Phils??

So, I am watching the game. Nothing else worth watching on the tube tonite. Pat is out and I sit here with a Yuengling and watch. And guess what? I am totally invested in the Phils. Is it because Pedro is pitching? Maybe. But as I said in my last post my dislike for the Yankees runs a lot deeper than it does for the Phils. Up until a few years ago the Mets main opponent was the Braves, so the Phils have only come on as a hated rival recently. But the Yankees, that dislike (spelled h-a-t-r-e-d) has been there for more than forty years.

Hours to go

A few hours to go til the series begins. I will not be watching, but will check in for scores. And I will be rooting against the Yankees. Not for the Phils, but against the Yankees. My dislike for the Phils is no where near as longstanding as my dislike for the Yankees. And as one caller into WFAN this morning said, "If the Yankees were playing Al Qaeda I wouldn't root for them".

And the dilemma is here

I went to bed last night at eleven with the Angels behind as well as Big Blue. This morning I woke up and checked the scores and found myself glad I didn't stay up for two losses. But with the series now set with the Yankees vs. Phillies I found myself leaning toward hoping the Yankees lose more than the Phillies. Notice I didn't say I want the Phillies to win. I think perhaps it matters that I live in the NY area and hear all the Yankee praise on the radio, tv and in the papers. If I were near Philly and was still a Met fan I might lean toward the Yankees. So, with all that said, I will not watch the series, but will hope for rainout after rainout until it becomes just too cold and too late in the year for there to be a series.

We mourn with Pookie

Yes, we mourn with Pookie, White Fang and Black Tooth. I am sure they will all be doing the Soupy Shuffle one more time in Soupy's honor. For those who have no idea what I am talking about, google Soupy Sales. Yes, Milton Supman passed away today.

I didn't watch but.........

After watching The Office and 30 Rock, and checking the score at commercials, I flipped over to the game to watch an inning. It was 4-0 and I turned it off and went to bed. Good thing I did because if I had started watching the seventh inning I would have turned it off anyway, not waiting for the Halos comeback in the bottom of the inning. Nothing new here so far that someone couldn't find in any coverage. But, in the morning I was in the car with the radio on and I heard that fans could start ordering World Series tickets. Jumping the gun? Being over confident? Now I know it is probably standard practice to do that for all teams, but I wondered if this was the jinx, the death knell, that would send the Evil Empire spiraling to another series debacle. Oh, to hope.

Oh crap!

A huge dilemma looms ahead. Both LCSes are three games to one. With one more win each it will be the Yankees and the Phillies in the World Series. For those who know me, you can see my dilemma if that happens. Who do I root for? Try to decide which team I dislike more? Try not to care? True, I will not watch, but only check in from time to time to see the score. But without a rooting interest that even seems unlikely. Whose loss will give me the most pleasure? If that were the only question to be considered I would have to say I would root against the Yankees; but that would mean rooting for the Phillies, which goes against everything being a Met fan stands for. Oh well. Maybe the Dodgers and Angels will pull it out.