Good Riddance to 2023

2023 you SUCKED!

Now FUCK OFF!

The Ole Homestead At Night

Here's a shot of the outside of my house with some Christmas lights.

Pretty basic, nothing too fancy.

Who Remembers 'Jordan Marsh'?

Another blast from the past, Jordan Marsh!

I grew up with this store and it was a main anchor in Framingham at Shopper's World and in Boston's Downtown Crossing; a Boston lost landmark.  They had a terrific bakery in the store and I can still smell and taste the BIG chocolate chip cookies we'd get.

The ownership of Jordan Marsh was transferred between several holding companies during its operation, including Hahn Department Stores in 1928, Allied Stores in 1935, and Federated Department Stores in 1988. The brand was retired and eventually absorbed into the New York City-based Macy's chain in 1996.

Snug As A Bug In A Rug!

Trixie sporting her new Christmas gift!

I've never seen a dog smile as much as Trixie did when she opened her gift and saw what it was.  She couldn't get it on fast enough. Seems the homeowner has taken a bit after his old man and is stingy on the old thermostat 😬

Here she is trying to start a new fashion trend -

Just A Squirrel Trying To Get A Nut

Well, as you can see, this squirrel was successful in getting a nut!

One of the scads of grey squirrels we saw throughout the Boston Commons the other afternoon.

Blood Donation "Yeti" Again

I completed another Power Red blood donation this past Friday afternoon to close out 2023!

I'm able to donate again anytime after April 13 and have already scheduled a 4-25-24 appointment!

Received a "Yeti set donate" long-sleeve t-shirt as a thank you.

#Blessed

She's A Beauty Clark!

My Christmas tree is up, presents wrapped, and the living room, as well as the rest of the house inside and out has been decorated too!  Everything looks great and festive!

#Blessed

Amen!

#Blessed

Almost 40-Year!

#Blessed

Beef, It's What's For Dinner!

Christmas Eve dinner has been picked up, sorted, cut, marinating (half teriyaki and half plain) and patiently waiting in the freezer for GO TIME!

Almost six and three quarter pounds of beef sirloin tips!

I'm not rushing things but already looking forward to a family gathering here at the ole homestead on XMas eve and digging into these tips, hanging out, catching up and enjoying family time!

I'll Be Home For Christmas

#Blessed

R O A R!

Rise and shine!

King of the ole homestead jungle (so he thinks...)

A Parent's Prayer, Circa 1964

Going through my mother's recipe box last night - 

I came upon the above A Parent's Prayer.

Based on the notes this prayer was sent back in 1964 by my grandmother, Edna, to my mom and dad.

Good advice still, some ~60 years later.

Finger Lick'n Good!

I had a hanker'n for pork spareribs the other night but not just your typical barbeque ribs, no.  Rather, I was wanting the ribs my mother used to make using the Chinese style AH-SO sauce!

It was too cold out, therefore the grill was out of the question, so instead I opted to broil them in the oven.  The problem with the broiler is the smoke it usually creates when cooking (at least when I cook, HA).  Even with the oven fan on high it didn't prevent my smoke alarms from going off; ALL four of them, since they're all linked.

Outside of the panicked and confused look on Trixie and Oliver, no worries.  Turned on the ceiling fan and opened the slider and after a couple of minutes the problem was solved.

However, this is where that dink "Murphy" comes in, alas.  For whatever reason, the smoke alarms going off woke them from their dormancy, with the living room alarm constantly chirp, chirp, chirp, UGH!  The challenge being is this particular alarm is mounted on the ceiling; my vaulted ceiling, some 15 or so feet high! Now it couldn't have been the alarm I'm able to reach using a small stool, of course not!  Has to be the most challenging one of the bunch, thanks 'Murphy'.

In order to address this alarm, living room furniture needed to be moved, a blanket put down and my 15' aluminum ladder needed to be carried inside.  Of course the ladder, by virtue of being stored outside was filthy, covered with leaves and pin needles that needed to be cleaned first, then I had to wrap towels around the ends that leaned against the wall so not to mark or scratch the paint.

In the end, and as designed, the chirping is letting you know that the 9-volt backup battery needs to be replaced, DUH!  I replaced that, reinstalled and performed a test and no more chirping.

All normal maintenance at the end of the day.

By the way, the ribs came out perfect and were delicious!  I reminisced and enjoyed each and every bite!

It Sure Does!

As it's said, "A leopard can't change its spots"...

Post Up!

How bout these awesome pics I took yesterday, perfect!

One of my favorite birds too, the Eastern Bluebird!

She's not sporting the beautiful blue color they typically have during the summer but this female is still stunning just the same.  The orange or rust colors even match the actual rust on the metal hook she's posing next to.

Also, worth noting is that these pics were taken through the window over my kitchen sink.  Crystal clear right?!  This bodes well for, and kudos to me, for the excellent job I've done cleaning both the inside and outside of my windows!

Who Remembers 'Paperama'

Circa 1987

With my new Christmas tree up, I'm finally going through some of my mothers old Christmas ornament.  They've been stored in the garage for years and now is an ideal time to see what I have and even get them hung!  I came across three boxes of bulbs, all with Paperama price stickers, see below, and made back in the day when things lasted -

Paperama was a cross between a supermarket and a discount store and was owned by the John S. Cheever Co.  In their heyday, they had (16) stores, with one being in Norwood, the next town over from my home town of Westwood.  Sadly, the company into problems in the early 1990's, with falling sales leading to suppliers and lenders tightening credit. The John S. Cheever Co. filed for bankruptcy in 1994, and later that year, the Paperama stores were sold to Long-Island-based  Party Experience. That company closed the stores in 1998.

Hanging some of these bulbs to my Christmas tree adds a nice bit of nostalgia and brings back some wonderful memories.

#Blessed 

Inquiring Noses

I've gotten into the habit of letting Trixie and Oliver check out any delivery packages I receive, as well as any bags I return with from running errands.  For example, before opening any packages, I'll place them on the kitchen floor and give them some time, see above picture; same with the bags from the market, on the kitchen floor versus the counter like I used to. They both seem to enjoy it and it occupies them for a short while, hopefully breaking up the monotony for them.

Camera Shy

I had a big, beautiful Red-Tailed hawk following me for a bit this morning.

Out of all the pictures I took trying to capture it, this is the best of the bunch, which isn't the greatest.  

He flew from the top of the flag pole, to one lamppost, then to the one pictured above.  Each time I stopped walking to take some pics the dude would fly off, as he's doing in the above pic. You can see he just stepped off and is taking flight.

Oh The Humanity!

Call 9-1-1!

I came across what I believe to be a crime scene this morning on my 6AM walk!

No sign of a struggle and no clear indication of foul play but a limp Woody is a crime!

Seriously Just Over It

 

I don't know who's writing my story, but they need to put the pen down for a while. I need a break!

Turducken Is An Actual Thing...

For the curious, Wikipedia defines a Turducken as - "A dish consisting of a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck, further stuffed into a deboned turkey. Outside of the United States and Canada, it is known as a three-bird roast. Gooducken is an English variant, replacing turkey with goose."

Get Moving!

Get out there and just do it!

Zoom Zoom Zoom

I spy, with my telephoto lens, a pair of Red-Tailed hawks perched atop a white pine tree way off in the distance -

* Ignore the date stamp on the pictures, they're incorrect.  I took these this past Saturday.

Clueless, Lazy or Doesn't Care?!

The new neighbors just don't get it!

It's NOT that difficult and honestly, it really comes down to common sense, which seems to be lacking by SO many these days. My intent is not to pick on them, just pointing out what so many others also do.

The Franklin's DPW recycling website clearly states the following, "Please remember to keep carts three feet apart for collection to ensure that the truck has proper access. Also keep carts near the curb so the truck can access the cart.".

The town also publishes and sends a 'Curbside Chronicle" flyer to residents.  It contains the following -

As stated, the barrels should be placed three feet apart, close to the curb and with the lid opening facing the street.  As you can see in the first pic below, none of the requirements listed above have been adhered to and their mailbox in on the other side of the bin with the yellow top and just as close too..

Incorrect -

Pictured below is the proper placement, and yes I'm a good doobie, which is really an OCD curse of mine, alas.

Correct -

Also, for the lazy folks, barrels shouldn't be left emptied on the curb, see above.  Think of the folks trying to use the sidewalk that need to dance around your empty barrels.

Kudos To Chevy

With what seems to be an increase with the holiday car commercials, I've been thinking about posting how these companies (Genesis, Lexus, Audi, etc.) are SO disconnected from reality with their over the top, fake and foolish television ads.

Their so focused on pushing their products and making a buck, that they don't seem to acknowledge that people are struggling to get by and to make ends meet.  Affordable housing, whether renting or buying has skyrocketed.  Regular every day staples like bread, milk and eggs are stupidly expensive and the worry about how to keep their families fed are enormous.  Gas for vehicles or to heat homes; critical and needed prescriptions are ridiculously overpriced and on and on! Then on comes these phony ads with some BS story lines and outrageous monthly car payments all the while being presented in such a way that everyone is doing it, so easy, no worries.

These commercials are right up there with all the annoying drug commercials. Enough, GO AWAY!

Then in a shockingly different approach, I found this holiday commercial by Chevrolet that changes everything.  Rather than touting some foolish scenario, e.g. how a spouse surprises their significant other with an over the top and unnecessary SUV with a ginormous red bow atop of it, this Chevy commercial opts to instead highlight an all too real issue so many family are faced and struggling with!  This ad tugs at your heart and is sure to make you cry, especially if you've ever had to see a loved one suffer with dementia or Alzheimer.

Click the link to watch but have a tissue or two handy, you're gonna need it 😢, I did - 

A Holiday To Remember

I applaud Chevrolet for making such a commercial but more importantly I give a standing ovation and a big "THANK YOU" to ALL those that help and care for people struggling with Alzheimer and other memory issues!