Winter 2014 March 8 Saturday

37 degrees this morning.  Miserable day yesterday, hopefully will be better today.  Good to be home, although we did have a very enjoyable conference and visit with friends.  Daylight Savings Time usually means Spring is coming, but this is one of those Winters when you wonder if it will be one of those Summers that never really arrive.  On the other hand, this Winter could mean a very hot Summer.  I am ready to see my first crocus, which to me is a sign of Spring.

Indulged in some over-eating, will get back in the groove.  Eating right while traveling is so difficult, at least for me.  Perhaps a matter of allowing an excuse for not eating right!  I have also been drinking Gatorade (which seems to be almost pure sugar) hopping to forestall a cold, although it could just be allergies or a reaction to traveling to a different climate.  I hate getting a cold and realizing I have 7 days (or more) of misery.

Aliene and her friend have been friends for over 40 years.  Started in Oklahoma City and continued though the life changes, moves to different states and other major life changes.  They don't get to visit personally a lot, so it is important when they do get a chance.

I have always known about the "familiarly trap", where you don't go see so meeting because you live so close that you can always visit when you "get a round tuit".  The Memphis area has a number of sites we see only when we have friends or family visit, and fortunately, we have seen most of this places in Memphis we would want to see (that we know of anyway!), although we probably need to do more "day trips".  For example, I never tire of the Mississippi.  It rouses my interest and actual excitement whenever I look at it.  It is truly the "nightly Mississippi".  I could actually enjoy living by the Mississippi and just sitting outside and watching it go by.  While we have lived in Lakeland, we have seen the Mississippi at way below average and in flood stage, and it is always interesting.  I can only imagine going down the Mississippi in a raft.  I will probably do the second best thing and bicycle down along the Mississippi.  

Two things we haven't done, which we will do this Spring, is visit Shiloh and Oxford, Mississippi.  I can't believe I have lived within an hours drive (more of less) of both and never gone.  Something I will definitely take care of this Spring.   I don't believe in "bucket lists", but if I did, those two items would definitely be on it.  I'm sure there are other sites or places we would enjoy, maybe we will do some exploring.  One of the more unusual places in Memphis (to me anyway) is the "Metal Museum" which includes actual artisans who create metal art.

Just checked my spam folder on my gmail account, over 1,000 e-mails!  Once I found one that shouldn't have been on there, had to scan them one by one before I deleted them.  I check this morning and there were 68 more!  I really hate the way Gmail is set up, to separate what Google feels is "social media" and "promotional e-mails".  Google isn't any better than Amazon at determining what I want to see or read.  I wish they would just stop trying, it is really irritating. 

Good to be home for awhile.

Winter 2014 January 30 Thursday

18 degrees this morning.  As an example of this winter, here are the stats that prove it is colder"

High/Low Wednesday:  35/10 (Temperature in Lakeland is normally a little cooler)

NORMAL:  51/33

Record HIgh:  70,  Record low:  5

For good measure, the Mississippi River at Memphis is 5.80, flood stage is 34.  

I love looking at these statistics each day.  I used to keep track of them in my journal, but it became a time thing, and then I quit looking at them every day even though I find them fascinating for some reason.  I especially like to look a the Mississippi level and wonder how this affects people.  

There are a number of persons who live along the Mississippi River (the largest i am aware of near Memphis is across the river on the Arkansas side).  They live in RV's, campers or tents and when the river floods the area you see the Rv's, campers and cars (many of vintage age to say the least) parked along I-40 out of the flooded area.  Not a bad life I guess. (Most of them have jobs etc, they just prefer alternative living arrangements.  

I always think about time, since it is always so scarce.  I am amazed at how much time I waste on "doodling" or just doing small tasks.  For example, some days it takes me 20 minutes after I get up to actually hit the street on my morning walk.  There is no reason I couldn't do it in five minutes, but....  Maybe I need the time for some reason. 

Currently, I feel reading my four favorite newspapers (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Commerical Appeal and the on-line USA Today-Sections News, Monday, Tech and Travel only!) take too much time but it is frankly worth it to me.  Some time it may not be, but it is the favorite part of my day.  Responding to e-mail takes a lot less time now.  Facebook takes a few minutes, My fitness Pal takes a little etc. and soon I am out of time for other things!  It is amazing how much time the little things that fill my day takes.  

I had a friend once who emphasized that you have to "delete some events/tasks/habits etc. to add new ones".  I realize it is true, but I don't like it, any more than I like the comment that "Life is a series of Hello and Good-by".  Obviously this is true, but it doesn't mean I have to like it or ever accept it!  

Having just endured a big "Goodby", I can testify it is no fun.  Of course I say "hello" and "goodby" to all kinds of events, items and people.  No matter what I am saying "hello" to Thursday, January 30, 2014 and will say "Goodby" as of midnight, no matter what.  

I always liked the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. I can remember when I first read it (I believe in the 3rd grade or so in one of my brothers high school literature books.  My Dad didn't believe in tv, so I read anything I could get my hands on after I finished my library books!

The Library trip was our favorite.  We would almost always check out the maximum number of books on our weekly trips "to town".  I am always pleased to see the Holton, Kansas Library still there and still well-maintained.  My other primary library memory is the Russell, Kansas library.  If memory is correct, someone donated the funds to the Library for the new building (Kansas has an independent library system, which works well and is a progressive way to fund libraries).  It was a wonderful library, and I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Russell, Kansas and Holton, Kansas for their wonderful libraries and the Librarians who tolerated 7 children and 2 adults checking out the maximum books each week!  (I don't know that my Mom and Dad checked out the maximum or not, but all of us kids did.)

Strange that I now live in a city without a Library, although I have excellent access to a number of libraries.  

Winter 2014 January 26 Sunday

28 degrees this morning.  I need to start tracking what is "normal" each day to see how "normal" a winter this is.  When I first came to Memphis, I tracked the high, low and normal for each day plus the level of the Mississippi River.  It really emphasized the importance of the Mississippi to the region to me.  One thing that is truly impressive in this area (among many) is the Mississippi River.  I have taken cruises on it out of Memphis (I'm talking the hour/2hour type cruises) and Tunica County and one memorable overnight cruise from Memphis to Cape Girardeau. I kept imagining what it was like for Tom Sawyer (maybe Huckleberry Finn) to cruise down the Mississippi on raft!  

In any event, it is my favorite river.  Isn't anything tame about it.  I used to like to call my daughter when I was crossing the Mississippi and singing a song about the Mississippi, but the novelty soon wore off (for her, not for me).  I can see myself buying a house just so I can see the Mississippi, but I think if I had the money (I never wellI) I'd just buy a houseboat and cruise the Mississippi River. Not even own a house or a car, maybe just a bike or two.  At least I can dream about it because I'll never do it!

Hand is getting better.  Still not grasping with it, so I couldn't ride the bike this morning.  Didn't take a shower of shave yesterday (due to difficulty of shaving with my left hand and taking a shower with a hand I'm not supposed to get wet), so I am feeling really grungy and will shave and take a shower no matter what.  (I always  take at least one shower or bath, usually two in a day and I always shave!  Live on the wild side for one day I guess.)  Not sure how I would do on living on the Mississippi River.

I talked with a tug riverboat Captain once.  It was interesting.  He told me about life on the Mississippi (I believe they are on for 30 days and off for 30 days, but I could be wrong).  He was avery interesting person.  

Main problem with the hand wound is the feeling I'm not keeping my hands clean enough since i can't wash my right hand due to the wound.