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Happy Flag Day, USA
Ours is posted. Is yours?
Published on 14 June 2020, this is my post number 31/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving #FlagDay
by Roscoe
SeniorLiving
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For a normal person, this would have been easy.
But for me it was a long, stressful, very major deal. Let me explain.
I bought a new phone recently, a pixel 3, and it arrived yesterday. This isn't the very latest phone in the pixel universe, but I found it available at a good price and it's gotten pretty good reviews. And I've almost always had Android phones. My current primary phone is a Galaxy 10 and this new little pixel phone is intended to serve as my back up. So I hoped all would go well.
Now I've been a computer hobbyist since the 1980s, and a full-time Linux user since the late 1990s, Heck, I've assembled computers from the motherboard on up and had great fun doing that. So being hands-on with technology doesn't bother me. As long as it's computers, and as long as it's Linux.
But I have NEVER been a telephone person. I absolutely HATE having voice conversations over the phone and am quite comfortable turning off the ringer at all times unless the wife is out of the house or I am. Face to face conversations in real life I'm perfectly fine with. And emails or text messages, I'm good that way too. But talking over the phone? If it's not an important business or legal call of some kind, forget about it. Ask anybody, they'll tell you. Roscoe is NOT a telephone person.
Somehow that attitude of mine carries over to the point of making it difficult for me to work with phones. Anyway, somehow I botched things up when I tried to set up this pixel phone and actually had to reach out to the phone company's customer service department for help this morning. Thankfully we were able to text/chat and get everything working okay. Finally. But it took HOURS! Man!
But all systems are working well now. And I'm moving steadily along the pixel learning curve.
And the adventure continues.
Published on 12 June 2020, this is my post number 30/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #phones #SeniorLiving
by Roscoe
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Happy Humpday!
A few hours ago, about Noon-ish, she and I went to one of our favorite quiet little restaurants for lunch. We went inside, were seated at a table, ordered from the menu, and were served by a waiter who has served us many times before. It felt SO DAMNED GOOD to be out in the world living normally for the first time in months!
On the way home we stopped at the neighborhood HEB store for some groceries. I've been hitting the grocery store about once a week since this whole plandemic lockdown nonsense started. Yes, I wore a face mask there, (but I didn't need one inside the restaurant, of course). And the shelves and bins at the store are now filled and well-stocked so shopping is so much easier than it was when the lockdown first hit.
And on the way home we noticed the price of gasoline has gone up. But that's to be expected. There's a whole lot more Texans driving around now, burning up gas. And that whole supply and demand thing comes into play: the greater the demand for a product (gasoline), the higher the price for the supply will be.
GOD, I'm glad Texas is opening back up for business.
And the adventure continues.
Published on 27 May 2020, this is my number 24/100/365 post of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving
by Roscoe
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Croquet, anyone?
Why in the world has it taken me so long to buy a croquet set?
We had so much fun playing this backyard game when I was a boy growing up! And now that I'm an old fart, I'm finding this a great excuse to get out of the recliner and into the outdoors, fresh air, and sunshine, and move around.
Pricing new croquet sets, I found they can retail into the several hundreds of dollars. BUT cheapo sets like this that I've just purchased online, can be had in the $25.00 or $35.00 range. And this has everything needed to play the game, plus a carrying case to store the stakes, wickets, balls, and mallets when not being used.
Is this aerobic exercise? Of course not. Strength and muscle building? Ha! Not at all. But as I said above, croquet gets me moving around outside in the fresh air and sunshine. And it's fun! So I consider it to be a very healthy activity: something good for old folks like me to do.
So... who's up for a game?
The adventure continues.
Posted on 24 May 2020, this is my 23/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving #health
by Roscoe
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Finally some excitement – Day 17/100
12 May 2020 ~ 15:30
According to a weather bulletin that just popped up on my phone, we're under a tornado watch. Heavy thunderstorms are likely until shortly after midnight, and the tornado watch is in effect until 17:00, about two hours from now. I'm not looking forward to any damage that may come, but ... things have been so damned boring lately.
Off and on rain has been the order of the day so far. It was heavy rain that woke me this morning at about 06:00. But the walk was dry when I went out to the mailbox a few minutes ago.
In other news I've rejoined MeWe, a social networking platform I've joined then left a couple of times over the last few years. The reason for my jumping on it again is to stay in touch with a community of folks who have just left Facebook.
And so the adventure continues.
I’m publishing this as day 17 of my 100 Days To Offload. You can join in this blogging challenge yourself by visiting https://100daystooffload.com.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving
by Roscoe
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Midday Monday: Day 16/100
11 May 2020 ~ 15:10
Nothing to get excited about today, but I am moving steadily through the day's chores.
It being Monday, one of my assigned chores was doing laundry. And that is now done. Two loads washed, dried, and put away.
Another chore was working on my Correspondence Chess games. I currently have five active games at my club and a few minutes ago I moved in all of them.
A third chore will be posting to my blog. Working on that at the moment. As soon as I publish this little quicky of a post, that chore will be completed.
Spending time on my stepper will give me the day's physical workout, and I will get to that shortly.
After that, who knows? Surfing the Internet, watching some TV, catching a few podcasts I try to follow: regular time-killing stuff. Life under this pandemic lockdown keeps on keeping on.
And the adventure continues.
I’m publishing this as day 16 of my 100 Days To Offload. You can join in this blogging challenge yourself by visiting https://100daystooffload.com.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving
by Roscoe
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Saturday evening: Day 15/100
09 May 2020 ~ 18:30
Spending time with an old scifi movie, Creature, that I've seen several times and never particularly enjoyed as I wait for tonight's Svengoolie.
I'd rather be doing something, almost anything, out in the yard, but the horrible old man across the street is out in his front yard and I do NOT want to be out front while he is. I tried the backyard a few minutes ago but the next door neighbor's dog's constant barking was so annoying that I just came back inside.
So here I am, me and Creature.
Sylvia's napping now and when she wakes she'll find the Mother's Day card and gift I have set out for her on her little table. Hope she likes them. I imagine she will.
What was that? Could it be an ice cream bar calling me from the freezer? Yes, I think that's what I hear. I'd better go see what it wants.
And the adventure continues.
I’m publishing this as day 15 of my 100 Days To Offload. You can join in this blogging challenge yourself by visiting https://100daystooffload.com.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving
by Roscoe
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Friday evening: Day 14 of 100
08 May 2020 ~ 18:00
Today's been peaceful and productive. Well, at least not destructive. After she got off work this morning we went to an eye care place and had Sylvia's glasses frames adjusted. I was prepared to buy her new ones but the adjustment worked. She was happy and I didn't have to spend any money. Good on both counts.
Another nice surprise came in this afternoon's mail. An extra power cord I'd ordered for one of my computers was delivered. I wasn't expecting that to be delivered until the end of June. I've noticed over the last few weeks that many of my orders from Amazon have been showing up early. Unusual that. But I'm not complaining.
Wheel of Fortune comes on in a few minutes, and that will be followed by some of my favorite TV shows. And another quiet night at home will wind down.
And the adventure continues.
I’m publishing this as day 14 of my 100 Days To Offload. You can join in this blogging challenge yourself by visiting https://100daystooffload.com.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving
by Roscoe
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When is a Chromebook more than a Chromebook?
07 May 2020 ~ 18:00
And the answer is: when its inner Linux is awakened and allowed to run some more serious software.
Earlier today I activated the Linux sleeping in my new little Chromebook, did the apt-get update upgrade thing to get the underlying software in order and then installed GIMP and Emacs. The above screenshot shows the terminal open when I did a version check on the newly installed Emacs.
GIMP I wanted because it's the only image manipulation software I've used for ... oh man, forever. And I have no desire to try and work with whatever comes standard as a Chrome app.
Emacs is on my bigger Linux laptop, of course, and if the little Chromebook is to become my travelling/vacation machine, I'll feel much more at home if it has my favorite text editor onboard.
It's possible that I may add more Linux software to this little machine in time. But that's enough for now, I think.
And the adventure continues.
I’m publishing this as day 13 of my 100 Days To Offload. You can join in this blogging challenge yourself by visiting https://100daystooffload.com.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving
by Roscoe
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Now THIS is the win I expected yesterday
06 May 2020 ~ 17:00
After a flurry of moves earlier today during which I took Black's Rook, Queen, and a pawn protecting his Knight we found ourselves with the board pictured above. And Black resigned with his 49th move. That was sensible on his part, my checkmate of his King was only two moves away.
In other news, all is peaceful and calm here in the Roscoe-verse. An episode of Classic Dr. Who is on the front room TV as I wait for Wheel Of Fortune to broadcast on a local CBS Station. Sylvia and I love to watch that show together.
Most likely she'll want to find a movie to watch after Wheel and I'll retire to the home office to continue monitoring the situation in the Philippines. And another good day will come to its end.
And the adventure continues.
I’m publishing this as day 12 of my 100 Days To Offload. You can join in this blogging challenge yourself by visiting https://100daystooffload.com.
#100DaysToOffload #SeniorLiving #chess
by Roscoe