Things for my plate

 

     Every now and then, usually in the wee hours of the morning, when I seem to wake with all sorts of oh-so-important thoughts, I write things down hoping that I might be able to do something about them when the for-real AM rolls around.  Last night the following came to mind: 

 

          1)  Strip of foam

 

          2)  Writing tablets

 

          3)  Help from kids for mom and dad

 

          4)  Strip of aluminum for roof                      

          5)  Dear family and hiking books

 

          6)  TV antenna

 

          7)  Grass trimmings

 

          8)  Holley tree lower branches

 

    How’s that for a list of things to do in the morning.  Well, in retrospect, all of the items are things that need to be done.  Add to this a visit to my friend Richard’s to discuss some work he needs done next week while he visits his son in Colorado, and my day just might be a bit full. 

 

     Interestingly enough, here I am at 4 in the PM having just finished item 1, above.  Well, not exactly.  Seems my wife has problems walking because of some cartilage growths on her feet.  I just put together something that might help here, using a couple of 2-inch thick foam “soles” and a couple of socks of mine.  Now I am waiting for the glue to dry, after which I will give them to my sweetie to see if the idea had any merit.  Should know something in a couple of hours.

 

     Item 2 was easy.  Actually, I guess I was on top of things, having picked up a 67 cent writing book 4x6 by about 60 pages that I will leave next to bed with a pen.  Should give me something to write on the next time I have those nocturnal thoughts about what I need to do the next day.  No problem!!

 

     Item 3 is a bit needed for the future.  Seems the “kids” just may need a bit of help to see what help they may be to their aging parents, perhaps something they may do to keep us out of one of our old folks homes for just a bit when we get just a bit older.  Of course the “kids” currently are not all that available, since their “kids” are still at home with them and will not be away to college for several more years.  Will have to think on this just a bit.

 

     Item 4 is rather simple.  What I need is a 12” or so strip of aluminum to hang from our roof in the front.  Something we had before the fire and something we need to replace (our contractor did not think so to do) to divert water from the roof to the yard proper to keep it from causing a puddle atop our front sidewalk during rain events.  Can do, will do, probably next week.

 

      Item 5 are two books that just may be salable.  Will do—sooner rather than later will be better (or best!)

 

      Item 6 is, again, something we lost by the fire.  Need to do to improve reception from our local transmitters, which transmitters provide about 20 channels at exactly the right price.   It’s FREE!

(How much do you pay, annually, for your TV service?)

 

     Item 7, again required by my house fire, is needed to provide grass on the areas our contractor left a garbage container to use while they were “fixing” our house.  Dummies—anyone who has a similar problem, a house fire, just may want to find a contractor other than PDR to restore their building. 

 

      And, the holley tree, item 8, is one that our across-the-street neighbor provided to my dad quite a few years ago.  It was very small.  Now it’s 50 feet tall, and the lowest branches shade out the grass that used to grow under it.  Could cut it down, but our neighbor has gone along with my dad and mom to whatever afterlife we will have and I doubt he or my dad would like that.  Neither would his widow who still resides across the street.  Guess I can do this trimming myself.  I do have a pole saw that should do the job.

 

     So, how is that for waking up in the middle of the night and coming up with just a few items that need a bit of work?  Sleep isn’t supposed to bring on work, now is it?  Guess it’s just a good time for the brain to think about things I’d rather continue to put off.  Now comes the hard part. 

 

    Hah!  (Thanks, Alf!)