The Coffee House

[SquarePeg]

Wasted day yesterday. Before I retired I was a firm believer in the "7 P's" on any project. Now I've gotten lazy. Yesterday I started a project only to find I didn't have everything I needed, after the 3rd trip to the store, only to find I was still short something, I gave up. Will try again this afternoon. Anyone else find this happening to them as they retired and got older?

I had a similarly frustrating morning yesterday but with other issues than memory - just one of those days where nothing went right. Since I had the day free I decided to take the dog and go for a hike at one of the local nature preserves. I had a bunch of softball equipment in my car that needed to be dropped off at our league storage locker so I thought I'd take care of that first since it's on the way. Here is how my morning went.

Arrive at storage facility and get out of car to unlock outer gate.
Drive in, get out again and re-lock outer gate (there are multiple signs warning against leaving the gate unlocked and it's not the best area so I didn't' want to leave it unlocked).
Drive to storage locker and spend 20 minutes getting key to work in rusted padlock. Success!!
Load stuff into locker.
Spend 20 minutes trying to get key out of lock so I can lock up the locker. No such luck.
Drive out of storage facility, getting out of car and unlock gate, drive through, get out and re-lock gate.
Drive to Lowe's down the road and buy new lock (dog poops on floor in Lowe's so have to clean that up).
Drive back to storage facility, get out and unlock gate, drive through, get back out and re-lock gate.
Drive to locker, cannot get new lock out of ridiculous packaging. Don't have anything sharp with me. Keys and lock are packaged like they're thousand dollar electronics or razors at the drug store! Have to get help. Drive around facility, no one else is at any of the other lockers.
Drive out again getting out of the car to open then again to re-lock the outer gate (getting really annoyed now...).
Drive back to Lowe's and have the guy in the lock department look at my receipt then cut the lock packaging off for me.
Drive back to storage place and get out to open then again to re-lock the outer gate.
Drive back to storage locker and guess what? New lock does not fit in the hole for the padlock.
Take photo of lock on storage locker next to ours.
Drive out again getting out to open and then again to re-lock the outer gate.
Drive back to Lowe's. Return first lock and buy duplicate of the one in the photo, ignoring condescending attitude of lock guy.
Drive back to storage locker, get out of car to open then again to re-lock outer gate.
Drive to storage locker, put new lock on (hooray!)
Drive out of storage facility getting out again to unlock then again to re-lock the outer gate.
Drive home and open bottle of wine for me and bacon snacks for dog.

 

[Gary A.]

Mary Lou and Gary are enjoying a quiet morning taking our coffee and tea in the patio. It is mid-morning and we are still in our pj's.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gary A.]

@ Peg: LOL ... In retrospect, Gary thinks you should not have cleaned up after the dog.

 

[snowbear]

Wasted day yesterday. Before I retired I was a firm believer in the "7 P's" on any project. Now I've gotten lazy. Yesterday I started a project only to find I didn't have everything I needed, after the 3rd trip to the store, only to find I was still short something, I gave up. Will try again this afternoon. Anyone else find this happening to them as they retired and got older?

I had a similarly frustrating morning yesterday but with other issues than memory - just one of those days where nothing went right. Since I had the day free I decided to take the dog and go for a hike at one of the local nature preserves. I had a bunch of softball equipment in my car that needed to be dropped off at our league storage locker so I thought I'd take care of that first since it's on the way. Here is how my morning went.

Arrive at storage facility and get out of car to unlock outer gate.
Drive in, get out again and re-lock outer gate (there are multiple signs warning against leaving the gate unlocked and it's not the best area so I didn't' want to leave it unlocked).
Drive to storage locker and spend 20 minutes getting key to work in rusted padlock. Success!!
Load stuff into locker.
Spend 20 minutes trying to get key out of lock so I can lock up the locker. No such luck.
Drive out of storage facility, getting out of car and unlock gate, drive through, get out and re-lock gate.
Drive to Lowe's down the road and buy new lock (dog poops on floor in Lowe's so have to clean that up).
Drive back to storage facility, get out and unlock gate, drive through, get back out and re-lock gate.
Drive to locker, cannot get new lock out of ridiculous packaging. Don't have anything sharp with me. Keys and lock are packaged like they're thousand dollar electronics or razors at the drug store! Have to get help. Drive around facility, no one else is at any of the other lockers.
Drive out again getting out of the car to open then again to re-lock the outer gate (getting really annoyed now...).
Drive back to Lowe's and have the guy in the lock department look at my receipt then cut the lock packaging off for me.
Drive back to storage place and get out to open then again to re-lock the outer gate.
Drive back to storage locker and guess what? New lock does not fit in the hole for the padlock.
Take photo of lock on storage locker next to ours.
Drive out again getting out to open and then again to re-lock the outer gate.
Drive back to Lowe's. Return first lock and buy duplicate of the one in the photo, ignoring condescending attitude of lock guy.
Drive back to storage locker, get out of car to open then again to re-lock outer gate.
Drive to storage locker, put new lock on (hooray!)
Drive out of storage facility getting out again to unlock then again to re-lock the outer gate.
Drive home and open bottle of wine for me and bacon snacks for dog.

We've had days close to that. We keep a pair of scissors in the car glove box, as well as a package of pens.

 

[snowbear]

@ Peg: LOL ... In retrospect, Gary thinks you should not have cleaned up after the dog.

But those that were behind you really appreciate it.

 

[Gary A.]

Buenas Dias Coffee Hosers. Yesterday, Mary Lou and Gary hit Tom at the Huntington Library. He was quite conscience and alert. There was a giant tube coming out of his neck and into this cool bubbly machine. Gary thinks a similar machine would work well for airiating vino. Patrick, the stroke guy, is still in ICU, been two weeks, with slow improvements coupled with incremental setbacks. The Cook ate a bit this morning, about a handful of shredded chicken. Two days in a row of eating, which is an improvement. Today, Gary will whip up smoke's sick dog recipe, chicken w/rice stew. Yesterday, she was trotting down to the end of the block but coming back she was having problems and Gary carried her home. This morning she seemed to have a bit of a spring in her step. Monday we're back to the vets.

 

[Gary A.]

@ Peg: LOL ... In retrospect, Gary thinks you should not have cleaned up after the dog.

But those that were behind you really appreciate it.

Gary would call that collateral damage.

 

[Gary A.]

For Seniors Gary saw this in the LA Times:

This is a lifetime pass to Federal parks. This is the last day to purchase at $10 (plus another tenner for processing). On Monday the pass will spike to $80. The catch is that it is a senior pass (so how much lifetime does a senior have ... right?).

Goto: lat.ms/seniorpass to purchase.

"About the Senior Pass:
The Senior Pass is a lifetime pass available to United States citizens or permanent residents 62 years of age or older. The Pass can be used at over 2000 Federal recreation sites across the nation, including National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and many National Forest lands. The Senior Pass admits the Pass owner and any passengers traveling with him/her in a single non-commercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas or the Pass owner and three additional adults where per-person fees are charged. The Senior Pass may also offer a discount on some expanded amenity fees, such as camping. Discounts offered by the Pass vary widely across the many different types of recreation sites. Pass owners are encouraged to check with sites they plan to visit before obtaining a pass to verify that their Pass will be accepted. Anytime a Pass is used, photo identification will be requested to verify Pass ownership."

 

[smoke665]

I always made lists - working or not working

My wife and I keep multiple lists that sync with each other's cell phones. To do lists, Shopping list, Medication lists, etc., etc. We couldn't live with out them. My problem had to do with lack of following the first two P's Prior Planning on the project. I just assumed I had the necessary items to complete the project.

 

[snowbear]

Hopefully the Sr NPS Pass will drop in price by the time I hit 62.

 

[Gary A.]

Hopefully the Sr NPS Pass will drop in price by the time I hit 62.

In a decade ... Gary thinks not.

 

[smoke665]

This is a lifetime pass to Federal parks. This is the last day to purchase at $10 (plus another tenner for processing). On Monday the pass will spike to $80. The catch is that it is a senior pass (so how much lifetime does a senior have ... right?).

We bought ours several years ago at a Federal Park location that sold them, so we only paid the $10. Over the years we've more than gotten our money back.

so how much lifetime does a senior have?? Never sure, but in our case we hope it's many more years!!!!!

 

[snowbear]

A bit less than a decade.

 

[smoke665]

Hopefully the Sr NPS Pass will drop in price by the time I hit 62.

I doubt you'll ever see it drop, but even at the $80 amount it's a good deal, for seniors.

 

[snowbear]

Hopefully the Sr NPS Pass will drop in price by the time I hit 62.

I doubt you'll ever see it drop, but even at the $80 amount it's a good deal, for seniors.

Probably not, but (trying to avoid a political discussion) increased budgets can, and have, lowered usage fees.