The Art of Cantaloupe Sniffing…

Yes, I ran into Jermaine in produce tonight. He explained to me the art of picking the right cantaloupe. I just wanted some bananas.

“Smell that!” he said handing me a cantaloupe. “That one is just right! And feel the skin as well. It has a certain give.”

“Well, you are just a right professor of cantaloupes,” I told him, handing back the melon.

Earlier, as the night began…

“What are you going to spend tonight?” my father asked me on the jaunt across the parking lot.

“Seventy five dollars,” I told him. “I’ve got it all planned out.”

My total came to exactly $75 dollars tonight just as I had said. Dad looked at me astonished as he swiped the debit card.

“Are we still going to do my $100 a month in computer parts?” I asked my father apprehensively as we walked out of Kroger.

“Yes you can,” he said. “Just keep it to $100 and under.”

I was beaming inwardly at my elation. I emailed my parts to Matt as soon as I got home from grocery shopping – just two keyboards, a 3.5mm stereo cable extension, and some thumbscrews.

Comment Replies…

Sharyn Bellah said...

Oh, btw, I took a little walk around your archives. Back to 2008. The Homeless Guy is no longer blogging but is now an artist in San Diego. Is George still in jail? What was his original offense? Miss Florine is gone but what about Helen? Isn't the lawn guy JT related to her somehow? Did you ever reconnect with Rosa? And Clara? Isn't it funny how they are all gone now. Well, now I'm sad.....

Andrew Replies…

The homeless guy will never be able to support himself as an artist I believe. His talents lie in writing and activism. George is currently in Atmore State Penitentiary on the Alabama/Florida line. I ran into his cousin awhile back in the Piggly Wiggly and Monte filled me in. In an odd twist of fate, my cousin Blake is also in jail at Atmore at this moment. George’s original offense was reckless driving, drunken driving, and trying to elude the police. Dad let Helen go as he no longer needed her when my mother passed away. JW is not related to Helen. Rosa and I talk on the phone occasionally. She will get lonely and call me. The last thing I heard about Clara is she is living in a halfway house for severe recovering alcoholics in Columbus, Georgia.

Andrew’s Computer Tip of the Day…

Seagate Backup Plus Hub 4TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive STEL4000100 Black $99.99

2 months of Adobe CC Photography added.

Seagate Backup Plus

Yes, that is 4TB of backup storage for a $100 bucks. I use the backup and restore program that comes with Windows 10 that migrated over from Windows 7. You can set it up to backup and forget it. Don’t forget to burn a rescue disc, or what is commonly referred to as a restore disc. Windows will give you that option when you’re setting up things.

What a Fool I Am…

A friend notified me that a new patch was out for Skyrim Special Edition. A computer game we both play. I searched for the patch and found a program that would download and install the patch for me. It looked completely innocuous, but I should of known it would be too good to be true. I installed it and all the script and writing on my computer immediately turned to Russian Cyrillic rendering my computer useless. Then the nasty bestiality porn popups started. I quickly booted up with my rescue DVD and reimaged my drives and solved the problem. It really pays to back up your computer every week. I back up all my computers on Sunday nights at 7:00 PM. I lost a little bit of data, a weeks worth, but didn’t have to fall back to disastrous measures such as reinstalling Windows 10 from scratch and losing all my data.

Bad Hair Days Abound…

“Well, I am glad someone’s hair looks worse than mine this morning,” Charlie said with a chuckle and a laugh as he walked inside mi Casa.

What little bit of hair Charlie has left was flailing about wildly. My hair looked like it had been hit by hurricane force winds. I had fallen asleep in my recliner this morning waiting on our Charlie. I sleepily laughed back as Charlie handed me McDonald’s biscuits and a monster Coke. Maggie can go from 0 to 100 quickly so you know she was happy and going strong when Charlie knocked on the door.

“I’ve got to finish my deliveries,” Charlie said. “I’ll see you again tonight for KFC. Do you want your usual?”

“Yeah, just my and Maggie’s two chicken pot pies,” I replied to mien Charlie.

I was overly overjoyed when I looked more closely at the biscuits and they were bacon, egg, and cheese. I think Maggie was as overjoyed as me as well.

A Shotgun Visit…

“Maggie!? Charlie’s here!” I exclaimed from the computer room with my birds eye view of the street.

Charlie slowly pulled up to the curb in his Caprica and came to a stop. Maggie immediately went to whining furtively, barking jubilantly, and carrying on in happy dog fashion.

“I’m here to see Maggie and I brought her a treat,” Charlie told me after stepping inside.

Maggie was yelping and fawning all over Charlie as they sat down on the couch.

Janice had cooked a pot roast yesterday and Maggie was the beneficiary of some ample meaty leftovers. I got an ex-large Coke from McDonald’s as my treat which suited me just fine.

“I can’t stay,” Charlie told me. “Horsefly’s in the car and we are headed to the matinee. He’s already in a bad mood. I’ll see you in the morning with y’alls biscuits.”

I wished Charlie goodbye with a hearty thanks and Maggie did as well.

The Tipsy One…

I smelled wine on my father’s breath Sunday night. Good thing Charlie was driving. Well, he was downright tipsy last night when he stopped by for a visit and to see Maggie.

“Let me drive you home!” I told him adamantly. 

“I swear I haven’t had that much to drink!” he exclaimed to me.

“Yeah, that’s what all the tipsy people tell cops when they’ve gotten pulled over,” I told my father.

You could hear it in his voice.

What is weird is that he hasn’t had a drink that I know of for months. I told him a few months back that he must have scared himself. All his uncles were notorious drunks. Walt gave away Papa’s truck in a drunken poker match one time years ago – signed over the title and everything.  He has that gene and if he is not careful will join their ranks.

Papa was sober today when I drove over to see him. He had been furiously cleaning and the house smelled wonderful.

“It smells wonderful in here,” I exclaimed walking in the back door which made him beam with pride.

Of course, he was watching Doctor Phil and a show about the world’s most obnoxious mother-in-law. I about couldn’t watch it she was so aggravating and rude. It was reminiscent of my mother-in-law when I was married decades ago. 

Where is Charlie? I haven’t seen Charlie in days. I think he about wore himself out moving into his new home. I would love a Charlie visit this afternoon and the afternoon is still young.

Yes, Smokes and Cokes Are Imperative…

“You want your Cokes and smokes this early?!?!” my father exclaimed over the phone this early morning.

It was a minor miracle I was up so early. I was in the bed at 11 PM last night.

“Just look at the radar,” I told him. “It is fixing to start raining hard and will rain for hours. I don’t want to get caught out in all of that mess this afternoon and I have three cigarettes left.”

“Well okay,” Old Fuss and Feathers replied grumbling. “Give me about 15 or 20 minutes to get them out there and then I will call you.”

Dad called about 30 minutes later and I hurried over to get my stuff. It was very chilly outside and it is going to be an even colder rain in store for us. I sighed as I pulled back into my driveway with my main task taken care of. I thought I felt a drop of rain as I walked inside.

Rather Interesting…

My father called me late this afternoon.

“Are you feeling better today?” he asked.

“I am feeling like my old self,” I replied.

“I left your Cokes and cigarettes on the chair outside the backdoor,” he told me. “I am in Auburn and will be home tonight.”

I drove over to get the goods and noticed my mother’s car wasn’t in the garage and the BMW was. The CR-V was parked in the driveway. Why did he go to Auburn in my mothers car was omnipresent on my mind. He said this week was the week he was getting my mother’s car in my name.

“Matt’s car has about had it,” he told me yesterday. “I know Matt will be glad to get your car soon.”

Matt drives a 1991 Nissan Pathfinder if you can believe it.

Could interesting things be afoot? Hmmm…It makes me wonder. Lord knows, I have waited long enough and had my hopes dashed a dozen times. I better not get too excited.

Looking Back to Monday Night…

It was just turning out to be your average Monday night grocery buying trip until my father and I stepped inside Kroger.

“Ma’am step to the side here while we talk to you,” a policeman said to a woman with a cart of hundreds of dollars worth of food.

Apparently, she had tried to walk out of Kroger's with that cart undetected. Another policeman stood to the side talking on his cell phone.  

“Shit!” my father muttered under his breath as he looked at me. “This is a cluster f—k.”

All the checkout lanes were congested and busy as well.

“Let’s hope things clear up while we shop,” my father told me as we parted ways.

He needed to do some shopping as well.

When I caught up with my father, he asked me if I was sure I had enough food.

“It will add up,” I assured him. “I have about $75 dollars of food although it doesn’t look like it.”

Judy, an elderly lady we often get, checked us out. My total came to $72 dollars.

“You were right!” dad told me looking astonished.

Dad then got embroiled in a conversation about Judy driving for Uber and what it was like.

We were walking to our cars talking about Judy’s industriousness when dad said, “We forgot Maggie’s medicine.”

Back inside we went to get some Cortisone and some Neosporin. Maggie’s had a bad yeast infection break out on her neck and chest and I have just about cleared it up using these two medications.

Down in the Dumps…

I have a deep case of the melancholies as I call them. Very deep. Dad called me last night and said, “Are you okay? You always come over or call me at least one time a day!” He then asked me if I was able to go to the grocery store and I said yes. I was starving with no food in my house and was just going through the motions. Every thing seems pointless when I get these moods. Maybe I will shake off this deep sadness and get back to normal in a few days.

Blood Makes Noise…

I could hear my blood ringing and rushing around my ears on the drive to my appointment in Opelika. Is it perceived or real? I do not know. I know it happens when I get under a lot of stress.

We signed in and had to fill out countless medical forms and the receptionist needed my ID and insurance information and cards. Just then, Dr. Edwards, my former psychiatrist, walked by with a cup of delicious smelling coffee in his hands.

“Dr. Edwards!” I exclaimed. “Are you still my psychiatrist?”

“Y’all are next after one more appointment,” he told me.

I was elated and let it be known. He smiled and probably thought, “Yes, this one needs to be medicated”. My father was thrilled as well and shook his fists in the air in a celebratory fashion.

He refilled my prescriptions and we don’t have to come back for 6 months.

Dad and I moseyed on over to Hardee’s and got two steak biscuits and one sausage biscuit – always a pleasure on such trips to the doctor.

This Should Prove Interesting…

I have an appointment in the morning with a brand new psychiatrist. My motto is why fix it when it isn’t broken? I am doing well on my current regimen of medications. Many times, a new psychiatrist will try to change your meds. Y’all be thinking about me in the morning. I am already nervous as hell about this endeavor – the ole butterflies are a fluttering.

It’s a Jungle Out There…

I just called my father to see what he is up to. He was saying last night he was going to get us up a good supper tonight.

“Hey Papa, what are you doing?” I asked.

“I am working in my yard,” he replied.

Dad loves to toil for hours planting flowers, weeding flower beds, and trimming shrubbery until he is a sweaty and dirty mess. His mother loved this as well. This progeny didn’t get this gene or characteristic. I abhor cutting my grass and pray my shrubbery doesn’t grow too much. When I was having those terrible anxiety attacks years ago, Charlie would come and cut my grass.

“I’ve already gone to the grocery store,” he told me. “How does cubed steak, gravy, and Southern rice sound tonight?” he asked.

Dad will cook the cubed steak until it is very fork tender. I would consider it a Southern delicacy.

“That sounds delicious,” I told him. “Absolutely delicious.”

“I am going to cook those green beans you like so much as well,” he then told me.

Poor Maggie is Such a Skittish Dog…

I started to clip my fingernails this morning and after the first click or snap sound, Maggie went flying out the dog door. She thinks she is going to get her nails clipped as well. She will wait until about two hours have passed before she cautiously comes back inside. We take her to the Vet next week and I will let them do the dirty business of clipping Maggie’s nails. She’s is going to get a bath and grooming as well. Another thing she just hates.

Big Fish…

Guess what I caught in one of my glue traps last night? A MAGGINS! lol I had the bright idea yesterday that I would put a sprinkle of dog food on my glue traps and caught something unintended.

“Hold still,” I told Maggie as I laughed and she squirmed and wiggled impatiently.

I was trying to cut the trap out of her fur with a pair of scissors.

“There! You are free!” I exclaimed as Maggie ran out the dog door as if I had perpetrated this unfortunate event upon her.

Windows Live Writer Lives On!

I found out last night that Microsoft released the code to Windows Live Writer and made it open source. It is now called Open Writer and works under Windows 10. Let’s hope it is actively improved with new features. If you've ever used this tool for blogging then you will never go back to blogging with blogger's cumbersome and clumsy interface.

Open Live Writer

openlivewriter.org/

Open Live Writer is an open source application enabling users to author, edit, and publish blog posts. It is based on a fork of the well-loved but not actively developed Windows Live Writer code. Open Live Writer is provided under a MIT license.

A Mighty Fine Day to Be Alive…

For the past few days, I couldn’t put a finger on why I felt so out of sorts. Miserable would be another word to describe my predicament. I realize now my injection ran out a few days early. Well, my medications have started to be released into my bloodstream and I feel a hundred percent better. I feel peace in my mind. What a modern miracle these atypical antipsychotics are. In the old days, they would put me in a sanitarium and give me electro-shock therapy.

Operation Bumfuzzled…

<------- I miss the old nurse uniforms.

Well my injection was growing increasingly FUBAR this morning. Dad forgot today was my injection and I called him at work yesterday to remind him. They didn’t have a shot in stock and had to have it delivered overnight. I drove down to the pharmacy this morning hoping for the best. Dad had called me and said my injection had arrived. I was kind of disheveled today and Old Fuss and Feathers remarked upon it.

“Let’s see how you fare with schizophrenia,” I snapped at my father with a tinge of anger in my voice.

My father apologized for his harsh words.

“Rebecca’s not coming in until lunch,” my then father told me. “A nurse named Mary is going to give you your injection.”

I drove down to Kamath medical deflated and expecting the absolute worse. I signed in, chatted with the receptionist, Trina, for a few minutes, and sat down for about 15 minutes. Then Rebecca poked her head outside the door and welcomed me back. I was so elated to see her.

“What are you doing here?” I asked excitedly.

“I had to take my daughter to the pediatrician this morning,” she told me. “It dawned on me that today was your injection so I hurried up.”

I just sat in my chair with a big goofy grin on my face at this fortuitous turn of events.

That Darn Inflation…

<----- I love this stuff more than anything else I buy. Mrs. Grissom’s Select Chicken salad.

I didn’t buy a lot of groceries tonight and it still added up to $72 dollars.

“You sure you have enough?” dad asked me very worriedly.

“I’ll be fine. I will just have to be frugal with what I eat this week,” I replied.

“I am going to do some shopping of my own,” my father told me as I checked out. “You okay getting loaded up?”

“I’ll be fine,” I replied.

I got mainly things to make sandwiches this Kroger visit. It sucks to have to cook for one person and making a sandwich is easy to do and easy to cleanup.

It does seem like groceries get ever more expensive as the months go by, though. I used to could get a lot of groceries on just $65 dollars – enough to last me the week. I guess my eating habits have changed as well. I spent $15 on chicken salad alone tonight.

I still always get a remark from an unfamiliar checkout person about the amount of eggs I buy. That always makes me chuckle. 

We barely missed Jermaine tonight. He was getting in his car and leaving as my father and I walked across the parking lot.

“Dear god, I am glad not to get entangled with Jermaine tonight,” my father said. “It is cold and he would talk for 15 minutes.”

We thanked our lucky stars that he didn't see us.

Hit and Run…

I did one of my classic hit and runs on Walmart today. I needed one more audio cable to make my home theater listening experience complete. I needed it for my 12 inch subwoofer. A female RCA to a Y of two male RCA cables.

“I’m headed to Walmart,” I told my father on the phone and I explained what I was doing.

He grumbled some as he was at work, but said okay.

“Don’t buy any beer or Benadryl,” he told me sounding exasperated. 

I grabbed my wallet, jumped in the car and flew down highway 29 at breakneck speeds ever cognizant of the police.

“Welcome to Walmart,” the greeter/loss prevention person said at the door.

I was already walking at about 5 miles an hour. I nodded my head with a smile and let them feel the wake I was creating in front of me. I know I had to smell like smoldering cigarettes and dog.

Electronics was my destination. I grabbed my $9.99 cable and headed straight to a free checkout person (luck be a lady tonight). I was home in about 25 minutes. The longest part was driving there and back. The bottle of water I had been drinking was still cold sitting by my computer when I arrived home. I had this severe singular of focus to get in there and out.

KFC Sundays…

They didn’t have my chicken pot pies last night so Charlie just got me two boxes of fried chicken. I about can’t chew the extra crispy, but I muddled on through somehow.

I managed to have a sparkling clean kitchen so Charlie had nothing to do but throw away two empty milk cartons.

I was extra excited when Charlie said he was bringing me a matching dresser and chest of drawers to my bed this weekend.    

And the Bell Tolls…

I am not feeling well this morning. I feel like I am going to jump out of my skin.

“Hey man!” my father said upon answering his cell phone.

“Can I get my Cokes and smokes at noon?” I asked my father hoping it would soothe me to a degree.

I had run out of cigarettes early this morning which was giving me the jitters. I also thought getting out of the house would help as well. I feel like a caged animal.

“Let me get cleaned up,” he said. “I still have on my pajamas.”

“Don’t make me linger,” I said with a tiresome air to my voice expecting a long wait.

“I’ll call you in just a little bit,” my father told me. “I promise you.”

I just took my noon medications and I hope that helps as well. Dad asked if I had taken them.

Charlie was really late this morning. Maggie’s and my anticipation can mount on such events. I was so glad to see him when he pulled up to the curb. Maggie went nuts she was so glad to see him as well.

“I need you to give me a crash course on how to operate my television,” Charlie told me. “I need to learn how to change the picture, the hue, the color.”

“Just come get me,” I told him. “I am ready any time.”

“What do you want for your supper?” Charlie then asked of KFC Sundays.

“Just my usual,” I replied. “Two chicken pot pies.”

My Little Tablet Computer…

I Live with Technophobes…

There was a surprise knock on the door yesterday evening. It caught Maggie off guard and she started to bark. I opened the door and it was Charlie. Maggie immediately started to whine with affection. I had my head in my tablet computer and completely missed him pulling up to the curb.

“I got you and Maggie some Chick-fil-A sandwiches and here is a diet Coke from McDonald’s,” Charlie told me.

“Can I come pick you up in a little while?” Charlie then asked. “My new TV says it needs to update its software and I am afraid I will goof things up.”

I laughed and said I would be glad to help.

A few hours later, after dark, my father called and said they were on the way to pick me up.

“Let me pee first,” I said. “I have to pee like a racehorse.”

My father chuckled and said to hurry up. They were almost at my house.

Updating Charlie’s TV was simple, but it took awhile as Janice’s wireless connection is rather slow. I thought we would never reach one hundred percent.

“Is something screwed up?” Charlie kept asking worriedly at the time it was taking.

“It is just taking awhile to download the software,” I told Charlie.

The TV restarted and Charlie was all set to go.

I also turned on the surround sound on Horsefly’s TV and brightened the picture. Horsefly was rocking in his favorite chair holding a plush Yoda doll completely oblivious to the proceedings.  

My Birthday Wasn’t So Great…It Was Grand!

“Come on over and open your presents and birthday cards,” my father said around noon.

I drove on over barely missing two spastic squirrels.

“There can’t be a tablet computer in that little box,” my father said. “I am worried they sent you the wrong thing.”

I opened it up to find a little white box with gold letters spelling Huawei.

“There it is,” I told my father.

“That thing is tiny,” my father replied.

“It is called computing on a budget,” I said laughing.

It is dinky at 8 inches, but I love it and stayed up late last night playing with my new toy.

We waited until Charlie was off of work before we ordered the pizza and had cake and ice cream. Papa John’s is considered a delicacy by me and something I normally can’t afford. Charlie says he doesn’t like pizza, but he ate two slices.

Maggie is Ready for a Birthday Party…

Looking Forward to July 1st…

Now is when things start to get very interesting. I’ve gotten the bare essentials out of the way and can get what strikes my fancy.

These modules can use your existing powerlines to network all your computers giving you internet access all throughout your house. I am lucky in that the wiring is not that old in my house (10 years) and hopefully I will get stellar speeds. I am very excited about this computer part.

 TP-LINK TL-PA9020P KIT, AV2000 2-port Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Starter Kit, up to 2000 Mbps

• $99^.99

An Evening With Horsefly…

Charlie and Janice had to go to a dinner party last night so Charlie asked me if I would take Horsefly bowling.

“He usually bowls 4 games,” Charlie told me. “Here is a towel as he will be in a sweaty mess when he finishes.”

I picked up Horsefly at 6 PM and away we went. Horsefly only sits in the backseat as if you were his chauffer.  

I bowled one game and bowled horribly at that. Horsefly would laugh when I bowled a gutter ball.

“Everybody bowls a gutter ball sometimes,” he said to me affectionately.

Horsefly bowled magnificently. One game he bowled all strikes and one spare. I also ate a hamburger from the concession stand. Our bowling alley has the best burgers in the Valley. Charlie said I reeked of onions when we got back to his house.

We went to Kentucky Fried and got his nightly chicken strips afterwards. Charlie had given me a chocolate Ensure drink for him to drink as well to get his vitamins and minerals. You can’t live on chicken strips alone.

I took him home about 8 PM and Charlie was on pins and needles.

“He didn’t try to pitch a temper tantrum, did he?” Charlie asked.

“Don’t worry,” I replied. “Things went perfectly fine.”

It was the least I could do for Charlie as much as he has done for me lately. This probably means I will be taking Horsefly bowling more often which suits me just fine.

The Plans for Becoming 46 Years Old or Just Plain Old…

Dad called me from work in a very chipper mood this afternoon. He sounded like he is having a very good day.

“What kind of cake do you want?” he asked. “I need to go ahead and order it at the bakery.”

“Just your standard Kroger deli birthday cake,” I replied. “I love the icing on those cakes.”

“You don’t want a computer themed cake?” dad then asked.

I laughed.

“I am getting a little too old for themed cakes,” I replied with a chuckle.

“You always get a Papa John’s pizza every year. Do you want that as well?” he asked.

“That would be great,” I told my father. “Get me an ex-large with the works and some cheesy bread.”

“I know you want to keep it low key so I’ve only invited Charlie, Janice, and Horsefly.”

“That sounds great,” I replied relieved.

My father can get grandiose and make this a grand affair quickly. Next thing you know it, dad can have the whole class of 1964 invited.

Looking Ahead to June 1st at Andrew’s Computer Parts…

June 1st is looking pretty mundane and utilitarian. I will be getting two of Microsoft’s Intellimouse Explorers. I will be wireless mouse free. No more charging and changing of batteries. July 1st is when things start to get exciting and interesting. We will be delving into 2000 Mbps powerline networking.

Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 USB Gaming Mouse

$53^.98($26.99 ea.)

***********************************************************

I am trying to future proof myself with category 7 Ethernet cables. Right now I have all category 6 cables. I will be getting three cables June 1st of the 7 ft. length.

Rosewill RCW-7-CAT7-BK 7 ft. Cat 7 Black Shielded Twisted Pair (S/STP) Networking Cable

• $29^.98($9.99 ea.)

***********************************************************

I can’t do without thumbscrews. I’ve got a power supply in one computer that needs securing. These will be $7.98 for a pack of 25 screws.

25pcs Computer Case Thumb Screws Thumbscrews for Cover/Power Supply/PCI Slots

One Honey Bun, Two Honey Buns, Three Honey Buns, Four…

“What are you going to get tonight?” my father asked me on this chilly evening as we walked across the parking lot of Kroger.

“Lots of honey buns and lots of sweet milk to eat them with,” I replied with a smirk.

“That doesn’t sound like a diet to me,” my father replied laughing.

“I am just going to be fat and happy,” I told him. “I am tired of being hungry all the time and my sweet tooth has been giving me fits.”

I also told him of my infatuation with cinnamon flavored applesauce lately.  

When we entered the store, I sent dad on an errand to get me a large bottle of Fabuloso (this stuff is awesome). I am going to mop my bathroom floor tomorrow and possibly move onto the kitchen floor if I feel like it.

He found me looking at the prices of different tuna varieties.

“I’ve grown quite fond of tuna and rice,” I told him showing him the two bags of Uncle Ben’s ready rice already in my cart.

It was $3.99 for a family pack of tuna which I needed.

As we were walking out of the store, I panicked when I realized I forgot my two journal writing sodas.

“Go ahead and load up your car and I will get them,” my father said. “Diet Mountain Dew, right?”

“That’s it,” I said as I then continued to my car.

My father came out shortly with my drinks in his hands. I stuffed them in a bag with frozen food and we both parted ways.

Will We Ever See the Sun Again?

It has been dark and murky here for days on end. It seems like weeks. I just drove over to get today’s smokes and Cokes and it was spitting rain. I want some sunshine and 80°F days. The weather guessers say that if I hold on a few more days then I will get my warm and sunny days back again. My birthday Thursday is supposed to be mostly sunny and warm with a high of 75°F. I will consider it a birthday gift from Mother Nature.

I slept like a baby last night on my new bed. It was truly luxurious. Maggie had to get down once in the night to go potty then she ate some of her nibbles and came back to bed. She had to bark to wake me up to get back in the bed. Charlie called this afternoon and will be by with my two side tables and my lamps tonight.

My father says we also have a go for one sub $100 dollar computer part a month. This thrilled me to death and to no end. I have been planning on what to get and when to get it all afternoon.

“You were drinking more than that in Cokes each month,” he told me last night.

I was drinking a case of diet Coke every 4 days.

These are my first acquisitions. I will email Matt my shopping cart on the 1st of May.

I am getting two of these, my favorite keyboards, for $79 bucks. I am also getting two 3ft. category 7 Ethernet cables for $13.98

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000

Rosewill RCW-3-CAT7-BK 3 ft. Cat 7 Black Shielded Twisted Pair (S/STP) Networking Cable

I Now Have a New Bed...

The bed is giant and pretty much fills the back bedroom. Charlie told me he was coming with some men and a van. I didn’t believe him till they showed up tonight and began unloading. Charlie said he is bringing me two side tables and two lamps tomorrow.

I Just Saw Aphrodite and She Works at Walmart…

Yesterday was a very unfortunate day. I spilled water on my favorite writing keyboard and felt sick at my stomach all day about it. I took it apart hoping to save it to no avail. That was forty dollars down the drain.

“You can’t order anything else at Newegg until next month,” my father callously told me. “You shouldn’t have a glass of water by your computer anyways.”

He was not very sympathetic at all Old Fuss and Feathers that he is.

So I went down to Walmart this morning after Charlie left from bringing Mags and I breakfast. I was looking for a decent replacement keyboard. I found one I hoped would work and headed towards checkout. There she was – Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of beauty and love, reincarnated as a Walmart checkout clerk. I was mesmerized by her beauty as the people in front of me checked out.

“I hope you don’t mind me flirting, but you are absolutely gorgeous,” I told her unabashedly.

She blushed and smiled and told me a heartfelt thank you. I walked out of the store with a big grin on my face. You could just feel the endorphins being released into my brain.

Another of Andrew's Top Ten All Time Favorite Songs...

Joni Mitchell -- My Secret Place

Vittles On the Stove…

“It smells wonderful in here,” I told my father when I walked through the backdoor into the kitchen. “It smells like your mother’s house when she had been cooking.”

I peered into the pots and pans and dad was cooking his signature pork chops and rice. He was also cooking some green beans Southern style.

“I will run some over to your house when it finishes cooking,” my father told me.

I wrung my hands in anticipation and told him a hearty thank you.

“I need to get the recipe, but we won’t do all that tonight,” I said.

“It is really simple,” my father replied. “I will write it down and bring it with me when I bring your supper.”

Another of Andrew's Top Ten All Time Favorite Songs...

Steely Dan -- Do It Again

Comment Replies…

 

glittermom said...

When did you get your 1st computer?

Andrew Replies…

I didn’t start using computers until I was in my early thirties working in the Forestry Dept. at Auburn University. The first computer I had was one I built from spare parts laying around in the Forestry Dept. lab. I had the director’s approval as the parts were just going to waste. I’d say I was about 30 to 31 years old at the time. 

Maybe It’s Magic…

Charlie brought Horsefly’s rather large TV this afternoon for me to work on. He said the sound wasn’t working.

“It is such a nice TV,” Charlie told me. “I would hate to have to buy Horsefly another one.”

“Let’s hook it up to my cable box with an HDMI cable and see what happens,” I told Charlie of this very large television.

I turned it on, tuned it to a channel, and we immediately had a picture with sound.

“How did you do that?” Charlie asked flabbergasted. “I’ve tried every setting and menu to get that TV to work.”

We loaded the TV back into Charlie’s backseat and headed for Horsefly’s current base of operations.

“Let’s try a different HDMI cable,” I told Charlie when we got back to his house. “If it is not that then we need to get the cable box changed out. We obviously now know the TV is working fine.”

It turned out to be that the HDMI cable was faulty.

“I had to borrow that working cable from the TV upstairs so I am headed to Walmart to buy another cable,” Charlie told me. “Do you want to come?”

“Just drop me off at the house,” I told Charlie kindly. 

“Don’t buy a cheap $4 HDMI cable when you get down to Walmart,” were my parting words to Charlie as I got out of his Caprica.

Another of Andrew's Top Ten All Time Favorite Songs...

Suzanne Vega -- Zephyr and I

Aggressive Negotiations…

“Dad?” I asked my father this afternoon with much bravery and bravado, “Can I have one sub one hundred dollar computer part a month?”

“You are obsessed with this computer stuff. Absolutely obsessed!” he exclaimed to me. “What parts do you need now?”

“I was wanting to get a $89 Wi-Fi extender so I could browse the internet with my tablet computer while sitting out in the porch swing. Next month, I was going to get some computer mice and a keyboard.”

“We’ll see,” Old Fuss and Feathers grumbled and mumbled.

“I think your birthday arrived by UPS today,” he then told me smiling coyly. “It is a brown box which reads on the side ‘may contain awesome’.”

“Yep, that’s from Newegg,” I told him. “Can I go ahead and open my birthday presents?”

“You get outta here!” my father exclaimed as he laughed very loudly. “Go home and play with Maggie or something.”

I couldn’t leave without my father gathering me up some supper. It was the main reason I drove over. He had cooked a pan of cornbread and vegetable beef soup this afternoon. It is a fitting chilly day for hot vegetable beef soup with some cornbread crumbled in. Don’t forget several dashes of Louisiana style hot sauce as well. 

Another Song From My Top Ten All Time Favorite Songs...

Kim Richey -- Straight As the Crow Flies

Well I’ll Be a Monkey’s Uncle…

Charlie just called me from his way home from work. I grew excited at the sound of his voice.

“Andrew! I found your cables at Radio Shack,” Charlie told me. “I showed the printouts to the guy at the Shack and he knew exactly what you needed.”

“You weren’t going to give up were you?” I asked Charlie of his dogged determination in this matter. “Thank you so very, very much.”

“Well, I will be by your house in a little while,” Charlie told me. “It takes me an hour to drive back from Dadeville and I am on the road right now.”

“I’ll tell Maggie you are coming,” I replied. “She's going to love to see you.”

Charlie laughed.

“Do you want something for supper?” Charlie asked.

“Dad and I bought groceries last night,” I told him. “I have plenty of food.”

“I never asked you why you needed these cables,” Charlie said inquisitively. “I know you needed them for your home stereo I think.”

“I can play my video games in true 5.1 surround sound with them. Not simulated surround like Dolby Pro Logic,” I told Charlie. “I already have one cable and I needed two more.”

Comment Replies…

glittermom said...

Is Charlie ever home long enough to watch tv?

Andrew Replies…

You literally made me laugh out loud with this question. Charlie only watches one TV channel and that is Home and Garden Television and I bet he can’t sit still through a single show or he will feel the need to get up and do something constructive with himself. He is constantly on the go.