2021 Here we come!

Stole this image from my friend  high school Jane Johnson.  It seems fitting.  Been writing since early this morning to my cousin in Australia about our differing life experiences and our similar view of the world.  Also my friend Susan who was a telephone pal from when I worked.  Along with speaking about orders and production, she told me of her life in North Carolina and her son that was 10 at the time, now will be 21 in February.  Also old friend Jo about our similar early rising and wanting to sleep in more, an impossibility for both of us. I like most of us is ready to start anew with the coming year.  Resolutions, a few;  first stay upright feet planted firmly on the terra ferma.  I am going to PT to try to earn this with their help.  Second, work on my sugars to stay healthy.  Thirdly, more interaction with people, not judging the old people around here and reaching out to my friends, family and associates even when it is not convenient.  Frankly, stuck in here with colder temperatures, I feel like that guy in the pictures, beat up.  

I have been truly enjoying my interactions with my far away family.  Did not know they existed till a few days ago. Trials and tribulations for us all abound and different lives.  My cousin in Hungary is a retired cardiac nurse.  My young cousin in Australia was an educator.  She was amazed at the lives of my children.  I am trying to get a feel for her life and she mine thru these talks.  Frankly, its till astounding to me that we can talk in real time even though we are thousands of miles apart in different time zones.  

Next year I am going to embark on a new blog.  I am truly beyond retirement.  It is over. Need to have a fresh take on these musings.  

too much blah blah blah today

Happy New Year

stay safe 
 

Farewell 2020, don't let the door hit you in the ass

 

Many of the people I encounter completely live in their past.  Much of the conversation revolves around pleasant or funny experiences in their history.  Goals have long expired and their memories envelop them. This is not to deride or ridicule only as an observation of my surroundings.   My question is can we make memories now, from this point forward?  One thought is that we need to be around and interact with people that are different in age from us.  It doesn't have to be youngsters maybe someone that is 20 years different.  If they are willing to allow it, one can learn from them and maybe they will listen to you.

We need to have personal goals regardless of where we are in life.  I publish this wordy journal noting observations and feelings of the nuances of life.  Because of Covid-19 we are restricted in our movements and social engagements.  This Is having a positive effect in our state with new cases reducing.  Many are still bitching about the governor.  I for one believe she is acting correctly in the circumstances.  With all that being said, and me falling on my face tripping over concrete, I have started a working out with a YouTube instructor on walking in the home much to the humor of my family.  Friend Janine suggested it.  I DO IT ALONE WITHOUT OBSERVERS,  IN THAT MY COORDINATION IS LACKING AND FAR LESS THAN ATTRACTIVE.  But it does get me moving for about 30 minutes.  Face is almost healed and I am 90 percent back to normal.

I put together a FB post recently about my favorite book someone would have read to me as a kid.  Mine was Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel.  One of my friends told me that Captain Kangaroo (look him up) read to us viewers.  That is probably where I heard it.  Many of my friends replied with theirs.  Still trying to figure out what to do with this info.  Many of the titles are still available on Amazon.  Settings may be outdated but still good stories.  The pictured one is from my daughter in law Kelly, her favorite.

Having spent time conversing with some of my relatives from Hungary, I need to develop some manner of family tree showing my side that immigrated to this country starting around 1910.  I hope to integrate it with the one cousin Maria provided to me.  This experience has been quite fascinating over the past few days.  

45 will be leaving, we are still battling this disease, Alex Trebeck's last posthumous shows will be airing and I am going to get 600 bucks. How will you spend yours?  on a purchase? paying bills? or buying food?  I wish everyone a happy and safe 2021.  

all for now

stay safe

Joe Carter

This is a photo of my newest found cousin, Bela Salamon.  His is 45 years old and a married economist with 3 lovely daughters.  He resided in Clinton MA with his family for two years some time ago and moved back to Debrecen, Hungary which is in the northern plains of the country.  He and I wrote back and forth in Messenger for about 2 hours in the early morning yesterday.  Their time is 6 hours ahead of us.  We exchanged information about our respective sides of the families and with me receiving most of the revelations.  I always thought that my surname, Kocsis meant coachman (the guy behind the horse).  Was completely wrong.  The exact translation would be Carter in English or a person that transports goods by cart or wagon, an occupational name.  Grandpa's name would have been Joe Carter  (Jozsef Kocsis). His mother Maria became FB friends with Judy and my sister Joan  and his younger sister Maria joined up with Katey as they are in the same generation.  All are quite excited about the new found relations.  I sent more info to him this morning hoping it will be of interest. 

Included in which was a section on the weddings we attended as kids.  The entertainment was always Ziggy Bela and his Gypsy Orchestra.  I loved it even as a kid.  there There was an instrument called a cimbalom, a stringed instrument played with mallets.  This is an old photo of the group in performance in the 50's.  Inserted mostly for Bela in case he sees this.  

Shannon is with us for the holiday still watching the movies that make her happy from Disney.  I try to offer new choices but they always fall on deaf ears.  We had our kids over yesterday for a casual meal and a viewing of "Uncle Buck", a family favorite.  All went well and I managed to stay upright.

45 has pardoned most of his criminal pals and has refused to sign the bill for Covid relief helping millions of Americans that could be out on the street by the end of the year.  I hope all of his ardent supporters are watching closely as he becomes more unhinged with each passing day, enjoying a round of golf in the sunshine while the ICU's are running out of beds.  I am weary of his antics.

stay safe

all for now

 

Pickup your feet Dad

When I started this blog it became important to me to share with the readers aspects of my life that might not be pleasant.  l shuffle my feet as I stride along and occasionally hit the pavement.  This was the case on December 22nd out walking Harry.  As I laid on the ground next to him, he was looking at me as to say WTF are you doing here Dad.  I caught a piece of uneven sidewalk with my shuffling gait and blam that was it.  This looks much worse than it is. On this occasion,  Judy was busy making candy for the holiday when I whisked past without a word running into the bathroom to clean up myself as much as possible before I presented myself. She again acted as Nurse Judy and applied ice to my face.   Friends have said "you should have seen the other guy" for a proper retort.  

This lovely young woman is Maria Peller (Kocsis) of Victoria, Australia.  Out of the blue, she contacted my via Facebook to announce that she believed she was my cousin.  Her Great Grandfather Janos and my Grandfather Joseph were brothers. My relation sailed from the port of Antwerp to Ellis Island on June 10, 1912 to begin his new life with Lydia, grandmother.  

Her mother Maria is my cousin, slightly older than me is still in Hungary.  She relocated to Australia with new husband Zoltan and teaches Hungarian to adults in her adopted country. There are many  2nd generation Hungarians in Australia that long to learn the language of their parents.  We do have some language barriers in that she is not real proficient in English.  We started messaging and sending family pictures like crazy people from about 6am till 730am with no breaks.  When I told her I needed to make my breakfast, she told me she had to go to bed because it was nearly midnight, 7:30 am here.  She told me that her mother Maria couldn't sleep learning about her family in the US.  Maria (in Hungary) and I exchanged Christmas greetings.  Finding these family members that I never knew existed has been my gift this year.

I remember when we were kids my father and his siblings would pull out the Hungarian to discuss the black sheep of the family and they did not want the kids to hear.  There are curses in the language that my father took to his grave never wanting to reveal them to me.  

45 has been rewarding all his pals and confidants with pardons before he exits the premises, no surprise here.  He has basically slammed the door shut on the Coronavirus stimulus package with his demand for more money so he could exit looking like Robin Hood. He know the Senate will not go for it.  600 bucks would have been nice.  But I think the prospect is in the wind now.

all for now

Merry Christmas

stay safe

 

Holiday Harry (a reluctant pose)

Check out the expression on his face.  Not thrilled even reticent at best.  Although I'm not much of a Ho Ho holiday guy, this photo of Harry says it all.  We are stuck in this lockdown situation and still supposed to be warm and happy.  I am doing my best, but this is about all I can muster today.  Just look at the f*cking hat on his head.  That says it all. 

We are all well and thankful to be so.  Friends are going thru some big challanges with health and injury maladies.  
I send them all the empathy I can muster and wish for their bad times to be over . 

Our littlest guys are moving with their parents to Grand Rapids to start a new adventure today.  We will miss them terribly but have learned that we can take a bus to get there for a reasonable cost.  Planning to make the trip in January for birthdays.  Masked up and fully sanitized, we should be ok.

Shannon had a visit from Santa at New Gateways this week.  As expected, she was thrilled.  Lynn and her staff to a terrific job with the participants.  Shannon loves it.

She is coming to stay with us Christmas Eve for the holidays. 

 

We will see our other Navy son Alvin for dinner this week with his new bride to be for dinner.  He as meant so much to us since serving with Katey.  We are thrilled he has found happiness with his Katy.  

Andrew crossed the road of 40 this year here with his happy (Marie) and reluctant (Eli) kids.  

I donated blood thru the Red Cross yesterday.  Am trying to get back into the habit of being a decent person and helping others. I learned that my O positive blood is identified as CMV negative.  This is a virus that most people get and recover from without incident.  Apparently, I have never had this virus.  This means that my donation can be used to save babies lives, up to 3 per donation. I have to admit that I got emotional learning this, still feeling it now even writing it down.  Always wanted to do something positive.  This may be it.  In 54 days I will hold out my arm again.  If you are not terrified of needles and can spare about an hour, consider the positive step of blood donation.  The Red Cross team does  an exemplary job of sanitizing the environment and making sure you are well before you leave.  That's my pitch for today.

On the downside of this experience, too much vigorous activity yesterday caused the vein to reopen and let loose.  A disquieting event to say the least. But Nurse Judy wrapped it up with a new compression bandage and all is well today.  

Marshall Law!! WTF!! 45 is still ranting and has about 30 days to eviction.  I become increasingly weary of his antics and the news media's coverage.  On our way to Highland to visit our kids, we encountered a police barrier in Troy that moved us thru the neighborhood only to discover they were protecting a MAGA rally of SUV's and pickup trucks with people waving 45 flags and chanting that they will not be silenced.  These vocal proponents do scare me with their loaded firearms and lunatic attitudes.

Oh well vaccine hopefully by March for us.

stay safe

all for now

Little People today

Worked with friend Rick Bradford last evening to get his new blog up on Facebook.  Without the expertise and logical mind of my lovely wife, Judy, he and I would still be on the phone hashing it out.  No new pictures of kids or surroundings, hence a photo of the old guy with the 2020 beard, probably won't be a lifetime affectation, a cross between and English author and middle aged Rabbi.  

We have the little people coming for an over night with their parents moving before Christmas.  Mom needs some organizing time and we love having them around.  The apartment needs to be somewhat kid proofed for the toddler with things put on upper shelves.  It's cold and windy here today so probably not too much park time. This will be and active couple of days.  Pray for me.

I have been a diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic for 20 years.  Numbers have not been as good as before and I chose to go back to square one with a series of classes taught at Beaumont Hosp.  The cost is covered by insurance and should help me get back on track.  Gentlemen out there, if you are pissing with great urgency and hourly and are thirsty all the time, get yourself checked.  With a few modest life changes and a willingness to check you blood regularly, you can be a success.  This condition has strong genetic markers and it runs rampant thru my father's side of the family.  I am not a failure because this condition developed.  Get your head out of your ass and deal with it. That's all the preaching.

45 appears to be exiting the office for the new  occupants.  I wonder if we have been paying for all his court actions.  I know he paid for the recount in Wisconsin but that's it.  His picture is showing up less on my news feed to my liking.  I figure he will be pardoning all his buddies and loyalists that have been charged or are currently doing time.  

Happy Mayor Pete got the nod for Transportation Secy,  not so sure about Jennifer Granholm for Energy.  Familiar with Susan Rice but not with the others.  Thrilled that the vaccine is being distributed.  In our age group we should be in round 3, some time in early spring.

all for now 

stay safe
 

The Supremes

 

Have you ever watched a program that is unsettling but sucks you in? We viewed "Your Honor", a Showtime presentation last evening.  All that is available is the first episode at this point.  Brian Cranston is the lead actor.  And now we have got a 6 month add on to our Hulu so we can see it.  This episode is free on Hulu.  Don't watch it!  Like the approaching train wreck you cannot look away from. 

Son Jonathan and his wife Kelly with their two adorable sons are moving to Grand Rapids for his new job and will be there before Christmas.  It saddens me to see them going so far away, but the job is better and now is the time to make these changes with the kids being small.   Due to my wife's investigation, we've learned that we can make it to their new home via bus for about 20 bucks a pop.  And there  is reasonably priced lodging within walking distance from their townhouse.  This would make the trips much easier, no driving and 4 hours of reading to get there.  We could have some adventures there too.  When the weather breaks and we are vaccined up, the Meijer Gardens should be in full bloom.

The Supreme Court has resoundingly rejected the Texas lawsuit that would invalidate  all the votes of our state and others.  They did it in a single page and unanimously, even those appointed by 45 and his cronies.  Rudy gets cured with the treatment none of us could hope to access and he vows to continue the fight.  I cannot stress enough the weariness I feel as we bear witness to this farcical display of desperation. All the states of the union have certified their elections and the results therein will be announced by the Electoral College on Monday.  That should be it.

The anniversary of my marriage to Judith Ann Reno is tomorrow.  Its been 45 years and I Iove her more than I did when I met her in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in 1975 and still cannot understand why she continues to renew my contract and put up with me.  No big celebration for us this year.  Covid-19 has put the cabash on that,  maybe some wine and cheese with a movie in our living room.

Supposed to be an all day rainy day today.  Should be a good day for cooking.  Making roasted cauliflower soup.

all for now

stay safe

This Day in History

In my life history, this date will always be remembered as Pearl Harbor day.  Most of us know what this means.  Our parents explained it to us and our history teachers offered more detail.  In my news feed on Apple News,  there is no mention of the significance of December 7, 1941.  The Americans that were adults on that day are mostly gone and my generation's information is second hand.  My departed mother Dorothy told me that she was selling popcorn at Yates Cider Mill when the news was announced.  I have often tried to paint the picture of her as a young girl in that setting and the transformative effect of that event.

We now seem to measure the history of our lives in terms of Post 9/11.  Ongoing wars and conflicts are still raging in Afghanistan and the region.  Presidents come and go and yet the fighting goes on.  Soldiers that perish no longer make the news.  At this point, what is the goal?

While at Andrew's, we were watching The Price is Right with host Drew Carey.  His latest look makes him appear as the Hipster Santa with the white beard, jeans and a sport coat too small.  It's his business, but I long for Bob Barker, quaffed, smartly suited and his long pencil microphone. "Carol Merrill, tell them what they've won."

Lovely grand daughter Marie celebrated her tenth birthday this week.  This girl is truly a wonder and will go far; so fascinated with so many interests.  I did a FaceBook post on her and have never had so many likes or comments.  Hoping for a great year for her.

I have shelved the idea of writing a fictional piece for now.  Maybe its the lockdown but my imagination has stalled beyond thoughts on characters.  I am better an observer and commentator, admittedly fond of reviewing media. 

I'm old so I watch 60 Minutes with relish on Sunday nights, always dismayed by the delays caused by football or another sport.  One of the stories last night was an extended interview with actor Viola Davis. She and the other dramatic female giants, like Meryl Streep, Olivia Coleman and Helen Mirren never fail to deliver a rapturous performance. All of these ladies can rip your guts out and grind them in the pavement.  Viola however delivers the pain of her characters so completely the viewer cannot help but getting caught in the snare.   She is appearing in the upcoming Netflix "Ma Rainy's Black Bottom" premiering December 18th.  It is also the last film of Chadwick Boseman before his untimely death.  

 And Rudy has the virus.  Form your own opinions

all for now

Stay safe

Masked up and Locked Down

I tend to travel to the grocery store multiple times in a week.  Like to peruse for bargains and new stuff to try out and for the outing that these visits afford. I will cruise Trader Joes for the latest spice blends or salad kits.  Costco has the best deals if you can store the quantities of non perishables, but also has decent fruits for the breakfast cereal.  Now with the restrictions on populations per square foot in these establishments, we are out standing in the cold waiting to go in. 

The  CDC has pronounced that those over 65 should basically stay home unless its necessary to leave. I should probably limit  my shopping to a single day for a week, getting enough stuff to last.  I am sitting here thinking of plan of attack to accomplish this.  We are also restaurant-less, not being able to eat inside, and the outside venues are not heated well enough for the burgeoning Michigan winter.

Still will be walking Harry as long as I don't fall on my ass on the ice, playing the music in my pocket, him in the coat that he hates.  I have been climbing stairs in the building to work on my cardio health.  Four floors are all I can muster, hoping to improve on that. Janine told us of a person that conducts YouTube video workouts. They work for her. However if I have to dance in place, I will laugh myself out of rhythm and probably fall on my face.  Actually that's a pretty good video in itself.

Boredom is really setting in.  Have completed all the shows.  Both The Fall and Hillbilly Elegy were somewhat disappointing.  The first show had an implausible ending with the villain killing himself by hanging after beating up the protagonist and his doctor then offing an innocent schizophrenic. There were 3 seasons of this program and the first two were stellar.  Only that last was wanting.  Ron Howard's tale of an Appalachian family has so many ugly family moments, it is difficult to watch at times.  The ending is redeeming and it is one man's story of resolution.  The Mandalorian on Disney is disjointed in it's newest season.  Don't know where the story is moving to.

Thinking of writing some sort of story.  Don't really know the how-to's.  Have a reasonable idea on the female character and can paint a picture of her traits. The male character, no so much. Still trying to come up with a storyline. With this current environment, have lots of time to figure it out.

all for now

stay safe

Goodbye Cloth Sneakers and hello boots

Well, the snow has finally arrived.  Regrettably I have to cast off my cloth sneakers to leather shoes to prevent wet feet.  Harry is not too thrilled with the cooler temps either as he gingerly steps out to take a piss.  He has a winter coat that is green and makes him look like a turtle which he detests as well.  The ladies of our building that adore him make sure he is appropriately attired while they are filling him in with treats. 

Uncle Frank is a touching little film about a Literature professor and his partner traveling to the South to attend his father's funeral.  Paul Bettany (DaVinci Code and A Beautiful Mind) delivers at stunning performance as well as the supporting cast that includes one of my favorites, Margo Martindale.  This is a Gay story so if that is off putting to you, don't bother. Moreover, it is story about the clash of cultures, of at least considering acceptance and ultimately resolution.  On Amazon Prime.

There is another Steve McQueen.  He is a knighted British filmmaker.  He has created a series of small films depicting Black life in the UK called Small Axe.  The first one is Mangrove about the clash between the Metropolitan Police and the West Indian community in 1970.  Something we know nothing about.  Well done and worth your time. Also on Amazon Prime.

I know a lot of TV reports, there is not much else to do.

Stephen Colbert interviewed Barack Obama at length about many topics light and not so light, his new book and lots of pleasant bantering back and forth.  If you can stream these segments, do so as a healing balm to all the chaos we have been enduring for the past 4 years.  Rudy G will be in Lansing today to try and discredit the certified election results.  I grow weary of his face, his antics and has absurd pronouncements.  Need him to just go away.  His guy lost, plain and simple.

Saw wonderful grandsons Paxton and Everett recently and had a wonderful time trying to keep up with them.  They both really seem to like me and bring me great joy with their exuberance.  I can get down on the floor ok but getting up in a timely manner is a challenge.  

 

We will be seeing Elijah and Marie later today having not seen them in more than a week.  Our time is quieter but equally as interesting with these bigger guys.  They have tales to tell and accomplishments to share.  Will entice them into good moods with treats.

Fed dinner to our friend Dick yesterday, some homemade pizza that he raved over.  Admittedly, is was quite good.  Holiday times are tough for him being without Shirley, his beloved.  They must have been quite the couple. We try to help out where we can.

Going to try another round at Innovation Hills this afternoon.  Supposed to be in the low 40's so with a hat and gloves we should be fine.

As an aside, we are getting the vaccine as soon as it is made available.  

all for now

stay safe