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!

Open W I D E!

BIG day yesterday; root canal day 😱!

The procedure took about 1.5 hours, and it's quite the procedure for sure.

I was a bit nervous going in, as I am with most dental visits, even cleaning - my problems.

Turns out it was no big deal at all; there was literally no pain during and only a bit achy afterwards when the novocaine wore off.

Before procedure x-ray -

After procedure x-ray -

The white lines in the one tooth below, those are the now packed canals of where the roots of that tooth used to be.  The endodontist packed the canals with a product called gutta-percha, which is a rubber-like material that was compressed, so it fit snuggly against the walls, and then an adhesive cement was used to further seal the canals.

Easy-peasy!

The next and last step is to go back to my regular dentist to have the new crown installed atop of the now rootless tooth.

I have SO much money invested in my mouth with all the dental work I've had these past ten years!

This Too Shall Pass

"It's just a season"

On Fire!

Was presented with another outstanding sunset the other evening off my back deck!

It doesn't get much better than this!

#Blessed

Who Remembers Lechmere

I have a 545 yard roll of nylon fishing line that was purchased at Lechmere back in the 1990's and for only $1.38!  It's used sparingly here and there for small projects like hanging Christmas decorations.  Being so thin and fine, it's perfect for stuff like that. Being so old, I don't know if I would trust using it for fishing.

A quick search on Amazon today and a 300 yard spool of fishing line costs anywhere from $15.00 on up.  Times have sure changed

Lechmere was a Massachusetts-based chain of retail stores, owned my Montgomery Ward & Co., that sold consumer electronics and appliances.  Sadly, all Lechmere stores closed November 7, 1997.

Tis The Season!

It's time and so it's begun!

Very chilly out there this morning but the show must go on!

It's Christmas decorating time, so off I go...

#Blessed

The Cupboards Are Bare...

Caught this 5AM Thanksgiving day visitor on my surveillance camera.

There are three I see all the time and at all times of the night and day.

They're hanging out at the wrong house if they hope to find plants to eat.  All my fall clean up and flower bed clean up has been completed, and everything has been put to bed for the winter.  I have plenty of neighbors who do little to no fall clean up and can only image there is plenty to eat in their beds.  Just wish these tick carrying pests would move on.

Cherish The Day!

#Blessed

It's A Curse Really

Mystery Solved

Doing some deep cleaning in the kitchen, I removed each and every drawer, and look what I came across. An Amoxicillin prescription bottle from March of 1996 with two pills still inside!

Someone didn't complete their full dosage, tsk tsk.  I'm guessing they were baffled at what happened to, and where, this pill bottle disappeared to all those years ago.

Not A Bomb...

 Tick tick tick tick...

I pulled this dude off of my back shoulder a couple nights ago.  It wasn't crawling either, rather it was ensconced, and ensconced deep too!

It was in such a spot that I had a difficult time reaching but also I couldn't really see the area.  I suspected it was a tick, the spot was tender and that dude would NOT come out.  Eventually, I was able to pull it free but not all of it, UGH!

I just couldn't see or get at the area and due to the swelling, redness and tenderness I made an appointment to see my primary care doctor this morning.  Sure enough, the tick's head was still lodged in me, which she was able to remove.  I'm now taking doxycycline to prevent Lyme disease.

The doctor sent the tick off to the lab, so it can be identified and to confirm if it's a known variety that carries Lyme disease.

I'm guessing I picked up this dude while out in the yard raking.  Honestly, with all the yard work and weeding and crawling around I do, I've been luck to have only this one tick encounter.

Fun times!

Shameful Really!

Welcome to Franklin!

Is this NOT appalling?!

This is the off ramp from rt 495 into Franking; the old exit 17, now exit 43.  This is what travelers coming off the highway are presented with as they come into our town.  I'm sure there's some technicality about who's responsibility it is to main this section of roadway, the town of Franklin or the state and therefore no one cleans it.  Whatever the reason, I say SHAME ON THE TOWN OF FRANKLIN!  It reflects poorly on them.

Another example of the mismanagement of our town officials and shoddy work our town DPW and highway departments do!

Disgusting and shameful in my book! 

No Parking...

Darn bikers, there's just no reasoning with them!

All motorcycles pictured are parked in clearly posted No Parking AND Tow Zones!

Better Safe Than Sorry!

I learned a hard lesson last winter, the result being a frozen and burst basement pipe!  The burst pipe feed one of my outside spigots.

I have (3) outside spigots and last fall I protected only two of them. The one I failed to cover, is the one that froze.  Suppose that's what 20 years of false security does to you, as I never covered my spigots before and never had an issue.

So, I bought a third styrofoam spigot cover and have installed all three ahead of the coming cold weather. These do make a BIG different and keep the frigid cold air from direct contact with the copper pipes.  A worthwhile investment for sure, especially with what it cost me to have the burst pipe repaired, not to mention the inconvenience of needing to turn the main water to the house off until the repairs were done AND the God awful mess that was made in the basement!

Ah, live and learn!

Gnome? Pixie? Elf? Fairy? Dwarf? Goblin?

Say hello to my little friend!

Picked up and rehomed this gentlemen this morning; literally picked up and carried!

A house about a half mile from me recently sold and this gnome was curbside this morning with a bunch of other free stuff.  On my 6AM walk, he kept me company on the way home.

King Of The Jungle

Mighty Oliver checking out the Philodendron I placed next to his domed litter box.

An elderly friend, who had to move into assisted living, asked me to take this plant. Mind you, when I first brought it home, it did NOT look like it does in the picture, nope!  I transplanted it into a larger pot, using miracle grow soil, then left it outside under my deck all summer long.  It loved it and took off, more than twice as big.

And YES, I am aware that Philodendrons contain calcium oxalate crystals, which are toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and other animals.

I've since moved it from the bathroom, as shown in the picture, to a tall table in the living room. It looks really nice there and will keep an eye on Trixie and Oliver to make sure they don't bother with it.  Chances are it will need to go back down to the basement, so not to temp the mighty one from eating it.

Mighty my ass! 

Hit The Nail On The Head