Tuesday

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"Why go to the trouble of constructing fantasies when a flick of the dial will produce them ready-made?" - Robert Sommer
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Wow, thought provoking this quote is. What was life like before the television?

I remember not having a TV. I played up in my room, somewhere in the house or outside. I had a wonderful imagination. Thanks to my Aunt L., I loved to read. I played with my dolls. I especially liked trucks and stuff though I never had a G I Joe.

At Aunt D's and Uncle B's I would climb their apple trees. I would walk in the woods with them scavenging for flowers or other edible greens. There was work in their garden. I loved shelling beans or peas before dinner. I would eat as many as went into the dish. Lucky for me Aunt D did not mind.

At home there was work in our own garden. I loved eating fresh veggie right out of the garden. There were walks in the woods with my Dad. And, I would play in the creek by our house or play in the woods.

As for sports, we would listen to the games on the radio. I remember one year, I believe I was in 8th grade; the Boston Red Sox were in the World Series. The school principle allowed the game to be played over the intercom.

I loved listening to the basketball and baseball games with my Uncle B. The images the announcers could create for you as you were listening to the game.

I do remember our first television was black and white and I can remember watching the moon landing.

But now it is all about television and advertisements.

I do miss not having satellite so I can DVR and then skip over the ads. Most of them when you have seen them once is enough.

I have the few programs I have my alarm set to remind me of the time for when they come on. I watch those programs but the rest of television is brain medication. I would rather read a book.

We attempted to go without television once. The attempt lasted about a week. Michael was beside himself because he is a television watcher. He primarily likes to watch movies but he has his shows. Plus, it goes back to being a TV veggie for him. It keeps him busy and it helps him to fall asleep.

When I watch television, I have to be totally into the program or I am bored or I fall asleep. I usually play solitaire when I watch TV. Or, I might write or read my book during the commercials.

I do have to say I am spoiled when it comes to sports. I do love those instant replays. I am always at the 50 yard line or in line with the play. No having to use binoculars to see the game at the other end of the field as in football or soccer or rugby. I like being warm and not having to pay an arm and a leg for munchies.

I have friends who have a television is every room in the house. I guess if you can afford it, okay. Me, I like having the TV in the living room. That said, it would not be to bad to have the tube in the bedroom so when I fall asleep I am already in bed.

I am fine with the TV with where it is in the living room.

I have also come to the realization that soap operas don't hold my attention like they used to.

When I finally had Internet and I could watch "my" soaps, it was exciting at first. Except, I came to grasp that watching soaps on the Internet still took up time even though there were fewer commercials. This is time I could have been reading my book or doing house projects. I even tried reading the daily summaries of the programs I watched. I still found I did not want to spend my time this way.

Granted I do turn the TV on for background noise when Michael is away from home. I do watch my cooking shows and my night time programs; but, in the end, I still love a good book.
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Ah, it was a lovely night for us as our house guest spent the night at her friend's home. I wonder if our house guest can stay with her friend until she leaves for the islands on Saturday. That would be a lovely thought if she could do that.

Morning came early. I slept through my alarm. Michael woke me up because he had come to bed at 4 a.m. and was still not quite asleep. I decided to get up a bit earlier - 45 minutes - to get dressed and self care as in a good brush of my teeth and some war paint on for a change.

It is still dark out when I leave for the food bank. I am surprised how warm it is at this hour which is 6:15 a.m. Granted if Michael was going with me we would have left by 5:30 a.m. But, I told him last night to sleep in; besides, he will be getting up early on Thursday morning for the food bank in Morro Bay.

Granted I am not crazy about getting up this early and let alone getting up earlier just so I can put my make-up on but the best part of getting up this early is to watch the sunrise. I live in paradise and sunrises and sunsets are wondrously beautiful.

As it is by the time I arrive at the church only one other person has arrived ahead of me. So, I am number two, there will still be a good selection of food to choose from and is another good reason to get up early.

What I did not remember was today is the fourth Tuesday of the month and there is a second food bank held by the county in the parking lot of one of the apartment complexes. Geesh, I totally forgot and this meant I forgot my rolling basket and extra bags for produce and bread items. No problem, one of my friends says she has an extra bag for me to use if I need it.

So, of course, by the time I arrive at the location of the second food bank, I learn the truck bringing in the provisions is running late. This means it will be even later by the time the volunteers get the bags filled. Luckily today someone has the good sense to fill the bags assembly line style and things so smoothly. But, still we have to wait.

Now waiting is standing in line on a downward slanting driveway. This is not comfortable on my lower back, hips and feet. Basically, my whole lower self is complaining. A few times I considered just going home but the produce looked really good and healthy and I did not want to miss out on that.

Still we wait. Then the apartment complex management wants everyone from the two complexes to come down in front so someone from the housing authority can speak to them. Apparently there is an outbreak of bed bugs and since these are housing authority residences, they need to educate their residents. But why do it on food bank time?

The easy answer is everyone is in one place. This is not the first time I have heard of the bed bug outbreak in our county. I understand that the primary problem is from folks purchasing used clothing, bedding or used mattresses either from single entities or through thrift stores.

By now, it is 11 a.m. and I am really tired and my lower body is sore and achy. My friend assists me with getting my bags into the truck. When I arrive home, Michael assists me in putting away our provisions and I am done for the day.

Although, I do clean up the kitchen, prepare four containers of strawberries - three for freezing and one for eating - and, finally, I wash the kitchen floor and sweep the dining room floor. Now, I am really done for the night. I am glad tomorrow is going to be an easy day of puttering around the house.

While I am working with the strawberries, Michael feels himself in a music mood and plays some Rolling Stones and we do some kitchen dancing to the only country western song the Stones did, "Far Away Eyes." Then I bebop in the kitchen as I take care of business. Ah, I love music.

Our house guest arrives back at our place late in the afternoon. Apparently she has been ill all night and needs to be taken to the hospital. So, Michael drives her into SLO-town to be looked at by the ER doctors.

He does not come back home as a happy camper. Instead of taking the bike which is more fuel economic, he used the truck. It also happens to be the witching hour for returning home workers. Gaack, he is in a mood.

I tell him to take the bike out for a ride and just be safe and let off some steam and enjoy himself. Which he did and he feels much better.

Then he gets the call from our house guest from the hospital, she is ready to come home since they are not going to keep her overnight. She is told it is food poisoning. Yikes, I have had that and it is no fun.

Well, darn. Okay, it is only three more nights before she goes home.

Me, I keep the home front moving on along. I make my program calls, chat with my best friend, Lady C, and take care of myself.

With all the stuff I did this morning and today, my body is letting me I have over done and I have spent a good portion of the day in the bathroom. I am glad my body waited until I got home first.

Anyway, I am in pretty good spirits and can call it a night.

mz. em

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Currently reading:
-- "Taltos" - Anne Rice
-- "The Daily Book of Art/356 readings that teach, inspire & entertain" - day 29
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