Only the Good Friday 08/14/2009

What can be nicer than a beautiful rainbow, right in your own back yard?

Here it is, Friday already. Time to write the Only the Good Friday post. Only the Good Friday is the brainstorm of one Shelly Kneupper, of Texas, who pens some great articles on a variety of subjects. When at her site, This Eclectic Life, scroll around and check out the reasoning for finding some "Good" each Friday. I also like the "My Neck of the Woods" stories.

Just want to mention that rainbow picture above was taken Thursday late afternoon when a short lived thunderstorm moved through. It left behind this beautiful rainbow. I couldn't resist taking a picture of Mrs. Spadoman and Yoody, (see below), as they played in the yard when the sun popped out. That was a very "Good" scene.

I started writing posts this week at two different times, and even though I had an idea and some insomnia time to write, I never made it. This week has had me pretty busy overall. Grand daughter Anna had a pre school year meet up that met up Monday through Thursday. (No, not pre school, Anna is eleven years old! It happened before the school year started, so, pre, school, year. I mean, how should I have written that? See why I'm not a professional writer?) I was around to get her to school and pick her up. It was only for a couple of hours in the morning, to orientate new students to Middle School and the changes that occur with switching classes and locked lockers and such.

I did have enough time to experiment at the stove and finally come up with a recipe for genuine Southern Fried Chicken that worked. Worked for me anyway, and that was some "Good" chicken for any day of the week, Friday or not! The recipe was out of Uncle Bubba's "Savannah Seafood" cookbook. Uncle Bubba is the brother of Paula Deen. Paula cooks on the Food Channel and uses a lot of butter. That might not be so "Good", but it sure tastes "Good". Looks "Good" too, (see below).


Here's the cook book cover. Some mighty "Good" recipes in here!

After I picked up Anna at 10:00 a.m., I headed into the city to my youngest daughter's new home. She took the week off from work and asked me to help her with some projects. We ended up priming and painting her sun room, then striping the floor, sanding and applying varnish. The replacement windows will be installed next week, then more varnishing of woodwork. I don't mind helping her out at all. In fact, when she asks for my help, I am flattered and honored. But I'm getting old and some muscles just don't work like they used to and when I do use old muscles, I pay the price of aches and pains later. But I recover from those sore muscles in the hot tub. But there is nothing but "Good" spending time with either one of my daughters, helping them out and chit chatting as we go.


Kids enjoying a hot tub soak. "Get out, it's my turn!"

The problem is, I am on disability for a reason. Just because I have time and don't have a job doesn't mean I am available to "work" doing home owner projects. I've decided to be a consultant and teach the young daughter how to do stuff. She is already mechanically inclined as she works in the automotive industry with a background in auto body repair. She manages the accident services department for Avis/Budget car rental.

The "Good" in this idea of consulting rather than hands-on-work-my-ass-off-in-90-degrees-with-soaring-humidity is that I don't have to work my ass off in 90 degree weather when the humidity is soaring!

This was genius on my part, (yeah, real genius to wait until I'm 60 to become a consultant, should have been doing it this way since the beginning!) What is really "Good", is that I can still do a few things. I miss all the activity that I no longer participate in as age creeps up, but it is "Good" that I know my limits and it doesn't get me down.


Daughter Jayne, first day at her new home.

In any event, I got through the week and had some fun besides. We went to a ball game, the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. They are building a new stadium and will play there next season. That means this trip to the Metrodome was probably the last time I'll ever have to watch an indoor baseball game unless I go out of town to attend another domed stadium. They tore down the perfectly good ball park they had to build the Mall of America. The politicians convinced us that with the weather up north, we had to have a domed stadium. That was in 1979. Now, we have to have an outdoor ball park. I guess the weather patterns have changed enough to play baseball outside again. I'm glad that spell of inclement weather is gone. The whole stadium debate and ordeal made me laugh and that was "Good".


Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins went 3 for 4 at the Dome.

The newest member of our household, one Zeke the dog, got a ticket the other evening too. That made me a little angry. No, not at Zeke, but at the woman who called the cops. She says Zeke attacked her as she walked her little yapping live animal past our house. Zeke had been in the yard, but someone left the little service door to the garage open and Zeke wandered out into our front yard. The woman must have gotten frightened, but Ole Zeke never barked. He just ran towards the duo and wagged his tail. Well, he didn't run, he hopped I guess, Zeke only has one front leg. The cops came and gave me a ticket. I will appear in court and plead not guilty. Zeke never left our property, and when the cop came to the door, he didn't even get up to look let alone bark. The cop looked at Zeke laying on the living room floor with his one leg and rolled her eyes, but explained that the citation must be issued. The "Good" part is that the whole process only bothered me for a little while. Now, I'm over it, and Zeke got a milk bone out of the deal. He thought that was "Good".


Would you be afraid of this dog?

All in all, a good week. I have the good fortune and blessings of everyone in our family being healthy and happy these days. We returned from an awesome family trip and still rave on and on about what we saw and what we did. I know there are issues to deal with in the neighborhood and the world. Issues that need our attention, like war and health care, poverty, global warming climate changes and dishonest politicians, but these things get plenty of my time, if not just with concern, then with some kind of action. The rest of the time is mine and I'm enjoying it, peacefully.

"Good" all around. Wish I could bottle it up and send out a few cases to those that suffer. I guess prayers and positive thoughts have to do. In the meantime, here are a few pictures of life around Spadoville. Enjoy your weekend and the days to follow.

Peace.


I made Southern Fried Chicken and it came out really good with this new recipe I found. Yummy!


Yoody enjoying the swing right after a brief summer shower.


Looks like they don't use the dressing rooms at Spadoville.


Waiting for the light rail to take us to the Ball Park


Pure Glee! Might have been the lemonade. Anna at the Dome.