Hello on Monday Morning

Dear Friends,

Sunday went as planned. I moved the deck furniture to the screened in room on
the deck. My grill is the only item on our two level deck.
I made and stained a bird feeder holder so that we can watch the birds
feasting on sun flower seeds while looking out of the family room through the
sliding glass doors.
The birds were at the bird feeders as I was watching the Patriots beat up the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in sunny old England. Luckily the Patriots have a "Bye"
week this coming weekend.

Linda had fun at the apple orchard / vineyard. She didn't bring home any wine
since we are still working on wine from the Finger Lakes region in western New
York State.
She did bring home some apples that are so large you can just about make one
pie using one apple.

Last night we had a Costco Pizza for supper. Yes, I know it is not the
healthiest of foods, but it does go well with football watching. We cooked the
pizza in the oven using a pizza stone. We have never cooked a pizza using this
stone which we purchased years ago. If you want crispy pizza, you will get it
using a pizza stone.
When our son and his wife, from Kansas, cook pizza on their grill, they use
pizza stones too. The Curley's will never cook a pizza without one.

I just got through cutting up the vegetable for a crock pot soup. It will be a
chicken and vegetable soup when Linda finishes putting in the remaining
ingredients, and spices.

Speaking of food, I think that this is the week that our son in East Boston
will be serving food for the production crew which is making a movie starring
Tom Cruise in a nearby warehouse. Tom won't be eating at "Dough", but it would
be neat if he did stop in and say "Hi" to Kevin and his kitchen crew.

We have another busy week coming up. I will be heading to Lee to see if Dad
needs anything done at his home. I am not sure if the air conditioners have been
removed. If I don't do the removal, then my nephew takes them out.
I will also stop and visit Mom at the nursing home on the way home from Lee. If
it warms up enough, I will take her for a walk outside.
Mom is still wheel chair bound.

Linda is hosting a session of Mah Jongg this evening at 6:30 PM. I will be
watching Monday Night Football.

Observation -- As I was dealing with the deck furniture, I started to think
about living in a Condo once again. The friend that I chatted with the other day
said that grandparents are selling their homes in the Berkshires, and moving to
where their children and grandchildren live. A colleague of mine did that soon
after he retired. His daughter had triplets. Him and his wife sold their home in
Pittsfield, and moved to Texas to be near / with their daughter, and her family.
Our circle of friends have children who have no desire to return to the
Berkshires to raise a family.
Some of our friends are really attached to their homes, and they have no desire
to move at all. They pretty much want to live and die in their own homes. That
was the attitude from my parent's generation.
I chatted with another lady at a luncheon the other day. Her and her husband
live in a place called Salisbury Estates (55 and older) in Pittsfield. You
purchase a one level home with a garage. You pay a maintenance fee to take care
of the lawn, plants, etc. She said that if your roof leaks, it is covered. If
you have a plumbing problem, that it covered too. When you go to sell your unit,
you get back about 80 % of your initial purchase price. There is a 115 person
waiting list to get into one of these limited units.
I guess that I am not the only one who thinks that maintaining a home forever
is not all that appealing.

Politics -- A bombing in a secure part of Baghdad killed over 100 people. Is it
time to get out of Baghdad, and Afghanistan, and let these people run their own
countries?

Well, I have to read the local newspaper, and get dressed for my activities for
today.
Linda will have several hours without interruption. She will be loving every
moment.
Yesterday, a 10 AM telephone call from her shopping buddy woke her up. She
usually doesn't sleep that late, but a 12 hour day of shopping and dinning out
must have been exhausting.

Have a great week at work or play!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad