It Is What It Is

It is what it is folks! They are only a few bugs. We got some earwigs in our sun porch. Arlene would say WE ARE INVADED. Now we have a difference of opinion. Yes we have bugs in our sun porch, like maybe 30 every morning. We spray and they are usually dead but they seem to excrete when they die. Arlene says YUCK! Ya we have a couple that come under our front door and usually a couple in our bath off our master bedroom. Ya, one woke me up the other morning crawling on my back. JeanMyFriend said—That isn’t soooooo bad, one morning on the farm Reuben and I woke up and we had a mouse in bed with us! Arlene says—I CAN’T TAKE IT. They are only bugs and do no harm. They say they come ‘cause of the damp conditions around wood mulch and stuff. It’s only temporary. Maybe a little creepy but think about our forefathers who came to America this 4th of July and what they had to endure. A few bugs really aren’t that bad folks. Just go with the flow. SHE CAN’T! Such is life.

It is what it is! What more can I say. Charles Spurgeon declared, “I would rather lay my soul asoak in half a dozen verses all day than rinse my hand in several chapters.” The scripture is what it is folks but to determine what it is a guy needs to speed time meditating on it (i.e. my opinion). I read this while eating my oatmeal with blackberries on it—We must know the nature of our weakness before we can determine how to deal with it…So we need to be honest facing our weakness (i.e. what you think is what you’ll be)…There is a proper time for everything. I must learn not to do things at the wrong time, that is, before I am ready or before the conditions are right. It is always a temptation to do something at once, instead of waiting until the proper time. Timing is important. But folks be careful, that can be an excuse. Many times the best time to do it is NOW! Look at churches, they dink around and seem to hardly ever get anything new done (i.e. the timing is right but they don’t get anything done). But the churches, businesses, folks that get after it seem to be the ones striving. So…! It’s a lot easier to say, Ya that is a good idea. We’ll do it sometime but never do it! Such is life.

When I go for my daily walk, I walk past a late-model blue Dodge parked on the street. I look into it every time. The inside is a mess! I mean there is more garbage in it than most folks have in their house. How can anyone want to get into a car with all that junk in it? Yuck! But the owner/driver is a pretty little gal who dresses real nice. I don’t know her so maybe she’s a fake but there seems to be a contradiction here folks. Something doesn’t seem to add up. But it is what it is! Such is life.

Go with the flow—Do you know folks that will disagree just to disagree (i.e. they like to argue—they just like agitation)? Sometimes it’s a lot easier to just go with the flow. If a person is block headed they’re not going to listen to you anyway, you might just as well save your breath. I heard what Joesixpack said one time—I just keep my mouth shut even though I know more than the folks talking. I know what I know but I don’t know what they are trying to say (i.e. it’s quite entertaining and it doesn’t cost anything). Have you ever noticed that the homecomingqueens never voice their opinions? They just go with the flow (i.e. everyone likes ‘em). We were at a friend’s 60th birthday party the other night. The family sorta kinda got after each other pretty bad about politics (i.e. obvious they disagree strongly). I was told later that they were not to talk any politics but they did. This probably has happened before. Ouchy ouchy! Geno told me--UncleWillDryer (i.e. a long time resident of Aplington who died maybe 40 to 50 years ago once said—A man changed against his will has the same opinion still! MyFriendJean says—Silence is one of the great arts of conversation! She also says—After twenty years of marriage, those “three magic words” become “what’s for supper”!

It is what it is folks! NorthButlerw/thegoodheart sent me this (i.e. I think it’s funny). She said I could share it with you guys--Something funny happened to me this winter. Speaking of Arlene able to sleep anywhere, anytime. Me too. Have always been blessed that way. At least I think it is a blessing. Anyway ... we met some friends for a weekend in the quad cities late winter and decided to go to a casino. I don't care to gamble and for some reason I was just dragging. I offered up my standard $20 limit then found a comfy seat watching TV screens almost on the ceiling. I konked out. Didn't hear dinging of the machines, voices, nothing. All of a sudden a casino employee comes up to me and says, "Ma'am, ma'am, do you need medical assistance?" I woke up and told her no I didn't. She said rather loudly, "There's no sleeping on the casino floor." The thing that's hard to get across is the lady's tone. It was almost like Tom Hanks in A League of There Own, "There's no crying in baseball!" Now substitute "There's no sleeping on the casino floor!" That is what it sounded like. I said that was fine, I had had my nap. Yikes. A little embarrassing, but I'll probably never see her again. And even now it brings a smile to my face. Crazy. It is what it is folks!

It is what it is but…think about this kids of all ages. Parents of any age (i.e. 21 to 99) are all interested in what is happening in the life of their kids. Sooooooooooo kids of all ages (5 to 80) tell your parents just a little of what is going on in your life. They really cherish those tidbits of information about your life (i.e. what is going on). It may not mean much to you but parents really really like to hear about you and your family. Don’t blow your parents off. Treat them like someday you want to be treated. The cell phone today costs you nothing to call—call them and tell them what you did today. They will be soooooooooooo happy. Try it please. A lady acquaintance who is 85 told me recently—I don’t ask my kids about stuff any more; it seems they tell me more when I act like I don’t care! Such is life.

It is what it is folks! Chad a.k.a.myhuntin’dog had a pair of cargo/zip off pants on last fall. I asked him where he got those—Kohls—so I looked for them but they didn’t have any. When we were in CO I got an email from Chad saying he saw them again in Kohls—so I went on line and found the closest Kohls’ store that was on Kipling, called them to make sure they had them and went down there to buy a pair. They didn’t have my size so the little, pretty sales gal said I could buy them on line using their phone in customer service and that way you don’t have to pay postage. They were "buyonepairandgetthesecondonefree" for $54. I only wanted one pair. So I called and they wouldn’t sell me one pair—the gal kept saying the second pair is free (i.e. she just didn’t get it that the second pair is not free, I only want one pair). Finally I said, cancel the order. I went back to the sales gal and explained. She got the manager and he said—order both pair and bring one back (i.e. we will give you credit for one). So I did that. Well I got my pants in the mail--actually two packages. One package had one pants in it at a cost of $54 and the other package had two pants in it at a cost of $54. Man-o-man! I had some business and rode bike in Cedar Falls so I stopped at Kohls to return them. She took them all back and credited me for both and then sold me one pant--you are lucky she said as the pant is now on sale at $24.99. I saved money. Then I went to Earl May as I wanted a ‘East Friesland Meadow Sage Salvia’ plant. I asked the gal if the plants are on sale--some but not very many yet; let's go see if the one you want is. It was--two for one. I told her I only needed one (i.e. oh man, here we go again I thought). She stood there for a while (i.e. I didn’t say anything) and finally she said--I'll sell you one for half price! Such is life.

GeorgeTheCrook says—Nothing is more important than your wholehearted commitment to your Creator. Are you enthusiastic about your life? You want to recharge you batteries? If you do, you need to count your blessings (i.e. instead of your troubles). When you become passionate about your faith, you’ll become passionate about your life, too. It is what it is folks. What more can ya say.

WildBobWithTheColorfulLanguage was in our foursome at league the other night. WildBob gets new clubs every year and I said I wanted to buy his Callaway 3 metal. You don’t hit it anyway and besides you get new clubs every year anyway. I think you even got a new set free a couple of years ago (i.e. it was through Golf Digest that he called in multiple times with the correct words and jumped through some other hoops and got his name in a drawing and ended up winning a new set of Pings). WildBob said—Yes I did and those blank-ade-blank blank-ade-blanks sent me a 1099 for $999—they weren’t free! Ya WildBob, it is what it is! The other two guys in our foursome were friends. One is a farmer/cattle feeder. WildBob said—It’s easy for a cattle feeder to get a loan; all they have to do is walk through the cattle yard and get their boots full of shit, go into the banker's office, and they’ll have that blank-ada blank loan in about 10 minutes! Such is life.

I was having dinner at the golf course after league the other night with three younger guys (i.e. two I had in high school typing class a zillion years ago and the other was probably in elementary). ANYWAY one of two guys who are both farmers (i.e. a big burly guy) that were in my typing class, said—I’m sure glad I took typing. I use it every day with the computer. The other guy who is pretty good on the computer (i.e. has his own web site and is good with spread sheets etc) said—I could type 65 words a minute back in high school but now use two fingers. How come? I guess after 30 years I sorta kinda forgot! What! I thought that was like riding a bike, you never forgot. Did any of forget like my friend says he did? It is what it is but…!

It is what it is! Remember Jim my Mon-Ray window guy? Well, I finished my project and sent him a “thanksamillion”. Here is his reply (i.e. printed with permission from Jim)--Thank YOU, Erv, for all the kind words on your blog. Learning about your very positive blog could not have possibly come at a better time, and I will share the link with the rest of my family, especially my Mom. She's been the primary caregiver (the rest of us have been helping as much as possible) for my Dad with his dementia. Just within the last two weeks, she admitted she was at the end of the rope of her own survival with lack of sleep and trying to care for a person who is definitely not the same one she's been married to for nearly 50 years! (The end was probably more like two months ago, but she never could "quit" on anything!) She will, I'm POSITIVE, love your point of view and simple lessons and reminders. Just yesterday, we finally got him checked into a hospital for full testing, evaluations and placement into a long term care home, based on a recommendation because the doctor who heads the department is supposedly the best around. Dr. Holm proved this ten times over as he spent over two hours with us, doing his initial exam and explaining every detail of my Dad's disorder. Turns out, my Dad has likely been misdiagnosed with Alzheimers when he actually shows all the signs of a related dementia known as Pick's Disease. But the best part was how he assured my Mom that she has been doing all the right things, and made her feel so good about being able to care for him as long as she has when most would have thrown the towel in long ago. He also reassured my Sister and I that we were right that her health would have definitely deteriorated if she tried to keep going the way she was. He also admitted that he pulled some strings to get my Dad in quickly because even though my Mom told him, on the phone, she could handle the situation until a bed opened up, he could hear the exhaustion and desperation in her voice. After we left, we were all raving about how thorough and caring he was, when my sister looked at one of his business cards he had handed us, and smiled at the little "motto" at the bottom. It says "Passion for Caring and Service." I'm not sure if everyone at Bethesda Hospital has that on their cards, but with this doctor running this department, it's obvious that they live by that philosophy. Sorry about writing the whole unsolicited story! I just thought you would appreciate hearing about how this positive person turned a stressful and terrifying experience completely around. We all left comfortable knowing Dad is getting the best care available and understanding much more about his disease and how it's affecting him. Everyone kept telling me they were sorry about what a "tough day" it must have been. It was actually a pretty great day, knowing the "toughest days" are behind us and knowing he's going to get the care he deserves. Jim Nelson Sales Manager Mon-Ray, Inc. jnelson@monray.com

A friend ran in a half marathon at the Sturgis Falls days in Cedar Falls. When he got to race he found out he forgot his running shoes. The only shoes he had along was his church shores (i.e. Skechers). So he ran the race in them. Ya, he got a couple of blisters but ran it in an hour and forty some minutes (i.e. not bad). He said he wanted to catch a guy dressed as a Sparta outfit carrying a shield and a sword but never could. He also said that the Cedar Falls firefighters ran the 5K in full garb (i.e. that’s impressive to me). It is what it is folks. Such is life.

Life is what it is folks—that’s just the way it is. Some parts of life we just need to accept. We just can’t change them. Such is life.

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

KR’s thought of the day—Free will is a gift. Love is a choice. Hate leaves you no choice at all.
TheProfessor’sPithySaying—It is difficult to heal a wounded heart.