Naturally, the Italians couldn’t possible tolerate a dull national anthem. It’s like grand opera.
Feb 232015
Feb 232015
The whole idea of ‘vim and vigor’ used to amuse me. It seemed old fashioned, the kind of remark that my grandma would make. Of course that was back when I had it. Now that I’m older than my grandmother, it’s not so funny.
The dictionary says it means strength and enthusiasm, qualities which are becoming more elusive with each passing day. I never thought that ‘vim’ was an actual English word. I learn now that it is; derived from the Latin for strength. It doesn’t matter because, for me, ‘vim’ is a quality in short supply.
Not me!
These days I find I’m spending half the day finding the ‘vim and vigor’ to get our of bed. I don’t feel old exactly- although I couldn’t tell what that might mean. I can find the energy to get up and at ’em eventually and when I do I feel just as capable of taking on the day as ever. It’s just that the sense of urgency is gone. Getting up is driven more by a full bladder than eagerness to take on the day.
I have plans, hopes and dreams just like always. What is misssing these days is the urgency. Even more I have the feeling that I’ll be much more energetic if I lie here just a few minutes more. Certainly the body is less willing these days. What troubles me more is the realization that so is my mind.
C’est la vie. Continue reading »
Feb 232015
Image via Wikipedia
Now I like clean clothes and swear by our faithful washing machine, but I’m not talking about clothes washers. I’m talking about the washers that keep your faucets from dripping. Or at least that’s what they used to do. Repairing a faucet was easy. Turn off the water. Take the faucet apart and replace the washer. It didn’t take much time and it was a simple task. The biggest effort was the trip to the hardware store to get the right washer.
Today it’s not so simple!
These days with all the modern improvements, a dripping faucet isn’t so simple. Yesterday I decided to deal with the dripping shower head that had been bugging my wife for a few weeks. I felt confident that it would be a simple task, yet something warned me to delay. Finally, those comments from my wife kept getting sharper and Monday seemed like the right time to take care of the problem. In our old house, I was quite familiar with the fixtures and fittings. Here at the new place, I’d gotten soft enjoying the luxury of everything being new. Was I still the man of the house? Would I give up and call a plumber or be the master of my domain and fix it myself? I didn’t hesitate.
Attacking the problem.
It didn’t take long to get into the faucet but there were layers within layers before I finally got down to the control. I was feeling good. It wouldn’t be long now. I pulled it out. Now where is that washer?
It’s a lump of black plastic.
Somewhere down deep in this black plastic assembly lies the washer but it is quite clear that Kohler never intended for me to replace it. Why let me repair my faucet with a 25 cent washer when they could sell me a $30 module.
At the hardware store, I show them what I need. They don’t have it. They can order it but it will take a week. I’m thinking I can put the old one back and let it drip for another week but the hardware guy finds a place that has it in stock so I drive to the next town and get the part. It’s only $31 and so far I’ve dedicated 4 hours to this project but now I feel elated. The rest is going to be easy. I’m a winner!
I put it back together.
The new assembly is almost identical to the old one which is very comforting and it fits the hole nicely. I tighten the screws and turn on the water. The water doesn’t spray. I’m getting really cocky. I’m still the man of the house. I carefull replace the decorative elements and the handle and test the operation. Water flows. Water stops. I finish replacing all the parts and return to normal life. Modern technology had done it’s best to beat me down but with sheer persistence I had pushed on and fixed my dripping faucet.
The story continues.
Lying in bed last night flush with my victory, I relived the day, minimizing the difficulties and rejoicing in the triumph. I hadn’t lost my ability to solve household problems. I started to drift off to sleep when I heard a noise from the bathroom. It was a rhythmic sound that was very familiar. It was the steady dripping of my shower faucet. After all the time and expense dedicated to fixing the drip, it was as if I had done nothing. The new assembly was no better than the old one.
So, as I wait for the plumber to fix my drip, I yearn for the good old days when all you needed was a washer. These modern times where simple, inexpensive and easy to service devices have evolved into expensive assemblies which require professionals to install them properly. Bring back the washer.
Feb 102015
Image by Old Shoe Woman via Flickr
I don’t fish!
You have probably figured out that this Coot is no fisherman. My Dad tried to develop my love for fishing. He got fishing rods and spinning reels and he would take my brothers and me down to the pond from time to time. It didn’t take. I don’t know it if was not catching many fish that kept me from developing fishing fever or maybe it was that my father never seemed very committed himself. Somehow, fishing just never caught my fancy. If I planned to spend a day staring at the water, I would much rather not be distracted by casting a line and reeling it back in.
Justin fishes!
Whenever the pressures of his responsibilities weigh too heavily, he finds a way to shove them aside and go fishing. Even during his day to day stay at home Dad duties, it seems that Justin can squeeze in a little fishing diversion and he is always eager to share his love of fishing with his kids. It seems to be working because his four year old is now eager to teach the baby how to fish. It seems that those apples just don’t fall very far from the tree in the Matthews household.
Successful fishing has consequences.
I just never saw the pleasure in fishing. I remember that on one of my infrequent successful experiences that the joy of actually catching a fish quickly dimmed when I discovered that I was expcted to skin and clean the darn thing – and then eat it. This was a big overload for an over-sensitive youngster. My killer instict was undeveloped in those days and the idea of killing and eating a harmless fish made me anxious and inclined to vegetarianism.
My apples rolled away.
My sons through no influence on my part, love to fish. I took them fishing on occasion both at lakes near our house and at the pond where I fished as a child. I didn’t do it for love of fishing, it was because I was trying to be a good dad. Despite my influence (or maybe because of it) my older son now goes deep sea fishing often and my younger son wants to emulate him when he has the funds. I may give it a try myself because it seems a big improvement over the land based fishing I know. As I understand, you just get on the boat and then they take you where the fish are and give you the equipment. You fish and drink beer with the other fishermen (male bonding), When you catch something, the crew cleans and packages it for you to take home and it looks just like you bought it at the store. Perfect!
Maybe it’s time for a change-up.
Maybe I need to work a deep sea fishing trip into my schedule this spring, I could bond with my younger son, look good to my older one and score some points on the hunter-gatherer scorecard from my wife. Or I could just think about it while I stand on the shore like an idiot.
Dec 232014
It's hard to have fun in the snow
“A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.” Carl Reiner
Coots don’t expect much!
When you are a Cantankerous Old Coot, you don’t expect the world to do you any favors. Age and experience teach that if it is possible for something to go wrong, then it will go wrong. More likely than not- very, very wrong. One of the excuses people make for living in California is that snow is optional. Unlike most of the rest of America, Californian’s can be sure that the only snow they see is the snow they wish to see. That’s been my story for over 30 years. Why change t now?
All those years without snow can produce a selective blindness about the reality of snow, a naive innocence encouraged by too many Hallmark Christmas cards and perhaps a touch of senility. As a result, my family decided to vacation in the snow.
And sometimes what they expect is entirely wrong.
The idea was that March would be an ideal time to enjoy the beauty of the high Sierra snow with none of the inconveniences. Typically, the snow holds on at the end of Winter but the snowfall stops keeping roads clear and the air warm for any winter activities..
This year Mother Nature had different ideas. Our plans for ski lessons, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and fishing went awry after the first day. After one day out and about enjoying the beauty and planning the rest of the week, the blizzard hit. Each day new snow and freezing temperatures kept us cabin bound. We experienced the full impact of winter during the rest of our short 5 day trip. Each day marked another foot of snow on our cars, hot tub and picnic table. Each day we watched the snowplows block the driveway until the cabin owner arrived to clear our path. Each day we watched the news, hoping for a break in the weather that would free us from confinement. It didn’t come.
I have renewed respect for Mother Nature.
Finally as we reached the end of our vacation, I was able to shake off the wonder and recognize that snow is a worthy and irrepressible opponent. It had gained control over our lives and would show no mercy. I rediscovered that even the soft fluffy flakes that looked so beautiful in the palm of my hand were lethal in a pack. I remembered my misadventures driving in snow when I was much younger. I remembered getting stuck and fighting to keep from collisions on icy roads. And I decided that it was time to return to my snow-optional home a mere 70 miles away.
Snow is fine. I just don’t need to be in it.
Snow is beautiful. Snow makes winter sports possible and quite interesting when you are watching on TV. Snow is a helpful tool for storing Winter precipitation for Spring and Summer release. But fun in the snow is not a necessary component of my happy life