Ricky

I'm helping Rick with the changes that will occur when he turns 65 and everything changes for him, like insurance and possibly a larger Social Security check each month, so yesterday he was hunting for his birth certificate at home and he found his very second driver's license that he ever had.  At that time they used to print your social security number on your driver's license, so I'll just show you his picture.  

He's so cute, and I would have never imagined that he once looked like this:    

I always did go for guys with blue eyes, and if you didn't have blue eyes I wasn't interested.  

Dull Zero Turn Blades

After about 4 years the BadBoy's 3 blades finally got dull and needed changing or sharpened.  Since the blades couldn't be sharpened until they were taken off, I decided to buy brand new blades.  I bought them last year and just stored them until a few days ago when Rick decided to put them on.

The first thing he did was hoist

up the mower, but with the first impact drill and breaker bar, the bolts couldn't be loosened.

He lowered the mower after trying and put it away.  I told him that I would go to Lowe's and buy a bigger and more powerful impact drill, so in a few days I did.  I bought one that would loosen semi truck lug nuts.  At least that's what the salesman told me.

 Up the mower was hoisted again for the second time, but this time he added an extra rope just in case it tried to fall or something.

This time I watched him work from the dining room window with phone in my hand ready to call 911.  I just don't trust chain hoists, ropes and tree limbs.  

From the safety of my house I could hear that new impact drill humming away and finally I saw what looked like a mower blade in his hand, so I came outside to make sure that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.  It was.  He had gotten the first blade off, followed by the second and then the third.  The blades were really on there tightly.  

He put all the new blades on and tightened them very securely.  I decided at that moment that we are keeping that new heavy duty impact drill.  He didn't even have to use the breaker bar at all either.  I'll have the old blades sharpened and ready for next year.  They looked good with no nicks or distortions.  I had cut a support cable off a telephone pole once, but that was my only mishap.  It really wasn't the cable, but one of the bolts or something that holds it at the bottom.  No harm was done to the blades.

I had told Rick that if that new impact drill didn't do the job that I was returning it and hauling that mower to Bishop's in Richmond, Ky. who has a small engine repair shop and deals more with lawnmowers.  Rick had stopped in one day and they said that they would change the blades for $30.  I thought that this was a reasonable price, but Rick didn't want to have to haul it there.

Here Rick is all proud that he got the blades off and the new ones on.  I treated him to Golden Corral as payment for his hard work.  He's easy to please.  Just offer him food.  He used to charge me $10 per hour for anything that he did around the house, but now it's just food since he's retired.

Note:  I know I'm not stupid.  Changing the blades cost me a pretty penny with the purchase of two battery operated impact drills, sockets and long socket sets.  And let's not forget the batteries and chargers as well.  At least they'll be there for other tough  jobs.

Presidents should be respected

I have ALWAYS supported and stood behind all of our United States Presidents even when I didn't like them.  They all deserved our respect because each one was elected by the majority of voters, and each time the voters chose who they wanted to be President.

Something happened during the Biden administration.  The majority of voters elected President Biden, but when Biden made the decision to run for a second term he was removed and replaced by Kamala Harris.  

Like "Kings" the democrats just installed Kamala on the ticket to replace Biden without a single vote.  The people of the United States just let it pass, and an election took place between Harris and Trump.  The majority of voters elected Donald J. Trump as their President and the Democratic Party completely lost their minds.

Trump cannot run again when his term is complete, so the Democratic Party will have their chance for a President of their choice to be elected.  That's just the way it is and hopefully the Republican Party will not be such sore losers like the other side was this time.  

We the People are every United States citizen no matter what side they are on.  Just play nice and get along.  Accept and respect who the majority of citizens elect as our new President even if you don't like them.  I don't mean that you have to stay quiet and accept every decision that they make, but just please be respectful, and be proud of your homeland.  Make it a better place to live in for all.  

Chocolate Bunnies & Stuff

Here are some pictures of Ody and his daddy Brandon Hatcher on Easter.  I was watching a video that Krystal Hatcher posted online and Ody was inspecting his chocolate bunny, and to my surprise he took a bite of it, tasted it and spit it out.  Immediately I said to myself, "he doesn't take after grandma," which is Me, and I laughed.

Like all children, Ody likes to play in tents, and this first picture is of Ody and his daddy in their make-shift tent.

 Here's Ody tasting his chocolate bunny.

Now Ody is wondering what he should do with this thing in his hands.

Have we finally met someone that doesn't like chocolate?  I didn't think such a person existed, but he's still cute as a button and you never know, he might like chocolate better as time goes on.

Next is a picture of Sharon June who was out camping at S-Tree Towers in Jackson County, Ky. 

Sharon is never going to slow down and that's GREAT.  You stop and you're done, but she's not done yet!  It's good to see both of my daughters out enjoying life and keeping very active.  I'm lucky to be able to get out too....to doctors appointments, for lab tests and an occasional trip to the back yard to see what's going on there, and oh, to the grocery store which wears me out for a day or so.  Have you ever counted how many times you have to handle those groceries?  It's a job!

I also forgot to mention that Sharon loves chocolate bunnies just as much as I do.  She has my genes.  Suzanne would rather eat a block of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. 

I'm not sure if I ever posted this picture of Suzanne doing her thing.  She also loves to kayak and spend time with her grandson Carson..

I found it and have already posted this picture, but that's ok.  I like seeing pictures of my girls over and over again.

FIVE GENERATIONS

   

From L-R: baby Tatum, her dad Dalton Hembree, Delores Powell,  Tina Dixon, Ray Powell

There are 5 generations in this picture.  Starting with Delores, her son Ray, Ray's daughter Tina and Tina's son Dalton who is holding his daughter Tatum.

This picture was taken on Easter 2026.

The Building Ramp

I can't stress enough about the beautiful days that we've been having.  The weather has been perfect for working outside on projects that needed my attention.

I bought some treated 2x10"s and had Rick replace the old boards that had been there since 1994 on the ramp to my building.  The two old boards to the right of the ramp have only been there since around 2006, so I told him to leave those until a later date.  They're still pretty good.

The building also needs painting again with Rust-Oleum paint.  The last time I had it painted the paint job didn't last as long as the first time that Jimmy and I had painted it.  This time I'll have Rick apply much thicker coats of paint to it.

Below is a picture of a purple Clematis that still remains next to this building.  It's had a hard time growing through the weeds, wild grapevines and Rose of Sharon's that grow wild in my yard.  

 I think the Clematis is very pretty and I used to have several Clematis' of various colors, but I think that this is the only one that still remains, but I may be wrong.

An extremely large Azalea bush is growing along my front walk-way, and is fully in bloom with these very pretty dark pink flowers.  It never disappoints. 

More Blogging

So I'm doing more blogging than Facebooking, and that's a good thing.  I was getting too involved in politics and bashing the opposing side, which is wrong.  We should all be working together as a nation to make the United States the best place to live.  I thought we were all getting along, but if you get online we are not.

Artemis II is about to lift off to the moon, and wouldn't you know it my weatherman has just interrupted to give us storm weather updates that we already know about.  So long.  I have to change the TV channel. 

Beet Root and Dose

 I'm going to try taking Beet Root.  I read that it's good 

for you, so I'm giving it a try.  It may even lower my blood pressure and that would be a good thing. Also it may attack free radicals that are attacking me, and I sure don't want to be attacked by them.  I have enough of a problem keeping democrats from attacking me, haha.

Rick is taking Dose for your liver and it has lowered his liver enzymes which were up, so it is working like advertised.  He has also lost about 20 lbs, because he says he feels better and more energetic.  The weight loss and energy may be because he eats much healthier these days.  My Beet Root is also supposed to give me more energy and make me smarter.  Fat chance of that! but maybe I will just think more clearly.  Maybe it will lift the brain fog, who knows.

When you truly believe that something is working for you, it usually does because it's, mind over matter.  You yourself actually cause the changes because your mind can work wonders on your health.  I used to take blood pressure medication, but then I read about how the Monks meditate and cause their blood pressure to lower, so I tried it and soon my blood pressure was dropping too low so I had to quit taking my blood pressure medication.  

I don't take any prescription drugs now, and only take Aleve or Tylenol whenever needed, but I will be adding the OTC supplement Beet Root just as soon as I receive it.  I hope it gives me energy, less brain fog, keeps my BP in check, lowers inflammation and fights off those free radicals that are attacking my cholesterol and turning it into a sticky substance.  We'll see, and if I stroke out we'll all know that it doesn't work for strokes.  

Here's what Dose looks like.  It comes in a 16 oz. glass bottle that makes a perfect water bottle after it is empty and is washed thoroughly.  I was using a plastic water bottle, but I like glass better because you won't get none of those microscopic plastic particles in your drinking water.  Drinking water already has enough plastic particles in it and we don't need to consume any more than we have to.

Family Fun

 The kids are always sending me pictures of what they're doing, so I've decided to share them here.

The first one was taken at Lake Cumberland. This time Suzanne is holding the fish that Matt caught this weekend while using Ray's brand-new fishing pole that Suzanne got him for his birthday.

The next few pictures are of Ody & his dad Brandon at a child's birthday party this past weekend.  

This picture is of Jack & his mom Jennifer Morris in New York City. 

This last picture is also of the Zac Morris family

I noticed that there are always pictures of certain members of the family who are always missing from the photographs.  They are the ones that are generally working, missing,  or maybe even the ones who are taking the pictures.  I don't mean to leave anyone out, so here's my sincere apology for that.   

Beautiful Day

Oh! Another beautiful day here!

I just love the weather we are having here lately.  It is just gorgeous with everything sprouting up, some flowers and trees are blooming and some are sending out their bright young green leaves.  This is all candy to my eyes.

I just got finished eating a warmed up flower tortilla with butter inside.  Those are like comfort food to me and just a light snack before supper.  I can't make up my mind whether I want a Stuffed Crust Pizza loaded with different toppings and extra cheese, or a Tuna salad sandwich for supper tonight.  I'll just have to wait and see what sounds more appealing to me later on.

Rick mowed my yard yesterday.  It sure needed it, but his two yards are still waiting for the grass to grow.  My yard just grows thicker and faster than his for some reason.   That's a good thing tho. Less mowing to do.  I mow his one and one half acres with my zero turn while he weed-eats it, and then his second property we mow with a self-propelled push mower.  Last year I didn't do so well pushing the mower or even weed-eating, but this year I'm feeling stronger, but we'll just have to wait and see if I'm able to help Rick with his second yard or not. 

It's so warm that I turned on the AC and put on some shorts instead of long pants today.  I'm sure we'll have more cold weather, but I'm taking advantage of this beautiful sunshine today.  

Sharon had an upper endoscopy this morning with a biopsy, and at another hospital in Lexington Delores had 2 epidural shots in her back for her back & leg pain.  I hope the shots work this time for Delores.  She's been in so much pain lately while dealing with her lung cancer treatments and still healing from her total knee replacement.  That just seems so much for her to deal with at 88 years old, but she's a tough old bird.  You should see how she still whizzes around in Cosco's shopping for groceries.  I can hardly keep up with her.  That woman loves to shop and she loves to cook. She's one of the sweetest and most generous people that I know. 

New things

I'm sure enjoying my new laptop, but I still haven't managed to get my email to work on it.  I've never mastered a Mac, but at least I've never had a virus on one either, and that's what I like most about Mac's.

Someday I'll get Zac to set up my email for me.  I'm not that worried about that since I mostly delete email on my phone anyway.  It's mostly advertising.

I bought another new riding lawnmower Thursday.  My old one is about dead except for its brand new battery.  I have a zero turn for the yards, but I needed a riding mower for the steep bank out front.  I didn't realize that they had all gotten so expensive.