Tried to Get to Sleep Last Night, but. . .

I tried to get to sleep last night but my body wouldn't let me.  Let me explain.  My ears are still plugged up somewhere from my throat to my head.  So, I can't hear very well at all.  Since I couldn't hear much of anything else, my own body sounds were exceptionally loud.  The loudest of all was my heart beat.  Yes, I really like my heart to beat and don't wish it to quit.  The trouble was that since I could hardly hear anything else, my heart beat kept me awake.  I guess if something is going to keep me awake, it may as well be my own heart beating.

It is surprising what all kinds of sounds can come from the human body.  Some we like and share (singing, talking, poetry) but others we try to hide or stare at the person next to you as if they did it.  I think you know what I mean, like loudly passing gas in a mixed crowd or loud stomach rumblings when you are sitting in a church service.  Now don't tell me you don't know what I am talking about!!  Yes, I too have been there, done that.

Well, I did finally get to sleep.  Today started bright and sunny but now in the mid afternoon, the clouds are building up.  There is only a slight chance of thunder storms or rain.  Now, you all have a great day, you hear?

Should Think Before You Speak

Yesterday in my blog which I titled "Words Are Stronger Than Swords", I mentioned that sometimes I have quick "come backs" to something that someone said.  Well, I went and did it again just a little bit ago.  Dang, I should know better.  When am I ever going to learn to think before saying those quick come backs? 

So, what did I say?  Let me first tell you that there was thunder all round us with new storms coming in from the north.  Then my wife walked into the room with a tight fitting jacket on and said, "Look, I got my thunder jacket on" referring to the thunder jackets that they make for dogs who start shaking from the thunder.  Well, when she mentioned her "thunder jacket", I just said that "it goes well with your thunder thighs".  That was not a good idea.  For your information, my wife is only about 90 pounds with no signs of fat anywhere.  Now, you see, that is a good example of what I wrote about yesterday. . . take time to think before you speak.  Now, I hope you have a nice day. . .

Words Are Stronger Than Swords.

They say that words are stronger than swords, right?  Well, if that is the case, why don't peace talks guarantee peace?  Why have we had so very many wars throughout the history of mankind?  And again, some people use words before thinking.  So, it seems that words, promises, or breaking of promises has caused more wars and skirmishes than anything else.  Of course sometimes words and lots of them do not work.  Let's see. . . wasn't there a delegation of Japanese in Washington, D.C. talking peace when they bombed Pearl Harbor?  In this case, it seems that swords won out over words.  It did get the U.S. involved in WW2, and with Germany, an ally of Japan.

Some people find slander and evil in words that had no desire to hurt or harm.  They read hidden meaning into them that were never intended to be there by the person who spoke them.  It is a lot easier to say the wrong thing than it is to write it.  We usually put a little thought into what we say, although I have known people who speak first and think later and these same people tend to write without thinking, also.  I am sometimes guilty of that and am sure all of you have been, also.

I have a strange sense of humor and my mind always seems to come up with quick come-backs to something said.  Most of the time, I bite my tongue, but that does not always work.  Thank goodness most of my "come backs" are humorous.  If you can get your antagonist to start laughing, you win and you may also make a new friend.  To me, humor is the best medicine for anything from sickness to wars to surviving among others.  Much better than fighting, for sure.  So, make fun of me because I am a lover instead of a fighter (grin).  Actually, I have both in me, but have to be pushed some before the fighter comes out.  Now you all have a great day and don't push me, you hear??? 

How About Some Astronomy.

There is a lot of things happening in our universe.  Some are so far away that they have no effect on us here on Earth, but some are close by and do affect us.  But most, even the close ones, would not be noticed by us humans if we did not have the astronomers and their powerful telescopes.

So, what am I getting at?  Well, I am sure you know that Earth is not alone.  Yes, we have some natural satellites along with a lot of man made ones.  The one I am going to talk about has slight changes in its orbit every revolution around our planet.  This could possibly cause a problem for Earth in the future.  I found information and an illustration of the asteroid as it circles the sun and the Earth on the Astronomy web site:

Click on the above illustration to enlarge it.  So, as you see, the Earth has a companion for our moon.  Now the old moon will not feel so lonely. . . (grin).  Below, I have copied and pasted a paragraph from the astronomy.com web site:

As it orbits the Sun, this new asteroid, designated 2016 HO3, appears to circle around Earth as well. It is too distant to be considered a true satellite of our planet, but it is the best and most stable example to date of a "quasi-satellite."

OK, so it isn't a companion for our moon, since it orbits the Earth a lot further out past the moon, but it is there and it is a satellite of Earth.  Just when we think we know all about the solar system, especially the part close to Earth, surprises seem to always pop up.  What does this new discovered satellite mean to you and me?  Probably nothing at all, but I thought it was interesting.  Now, you all have a great day, you hear?

Middle Names.

Most people I know have a middle name. . . . Wait a minute!!  I believe I have already posted a blog that covers this subject.  OK, I went back in my history and looked and sure enough, I did.  So, I am not going to rewrite a similar blog here.  Nope, I am going to take the easy way out and let you decide if you want to see that blog posting again.  I am just going to give you the link and you can go there or not.

http://dizzydick.blogspot.com/2015/02/wondering-about-my-name.html

An updated.  I am still under the weather, but at least it stopped storming so hard.  Since I got old (happened fast, just got up one morning and I was old), I don't get over things very fast.  In fact, they can linger on and on and on.  I am not complaining here, just letting you know, because I am always glad to just wake up in the morning.  Now I hope all of you will have a great day, you hear? 

Some Things Are Too Obvious.

Why is it that we humans always think things are more complicated than they really are?  Is it because our large brains just can't accept something very simple?  OK, don't believe me?  Then read this next question,

Have you ever noticed how geese fly in that V-formation? Have you ever wondered why one side is always longer than the other?

Well, I can answer both questions for you.  The first part is easy, the V-formation.  They all follow the leader and flying in the V offers them less air turbulence.  The second part, well that is easy, too.

Answer to why the V is longer on one side: - There are more geese on that side!

Now be honest, what were all of you thinking the answer would be?  I bet you were trying to come up with some very complicated explanation, weren't you?

Now, why there are more geese on that one side, is a different question and will not be discussed here. .   That may be way too complicated for me to figure out today, maybe tomorrow. . . but as you know, it is very hard to live in tomorrow and when it gets here, there will always be another tomorrow.  Now have a great day, you hear?

Happy Father's Day to All You Dads.

I sincerely want to wish all you dads out there a very happy Father's Day.  On this day, I have to remember my Dad and what great guy he was.  As far as I am concerned, there was never nor will there be a dad as great as he was.  I could never be the man he was.  He taught me everything a young fellow needs to know and especially to be honest and God fearing, respectful to my elders, and always be helpful.  When things were not going well for me, he always had this to say, "Son, nothing is ever so bad that it can't get worse".  Well, when you stop to think about that, he was definitely right.  In other words, there is always something to be thankful for.

He was quite the out-doors man.  He loved to hunt and fish.  I think his favorite was night time fishing out of a canoe on the upper Allegheny River.  When I got old enough, I went with him.  Although it worried my Mom, she knew that boys needed to do things like that with their dads.  He taught me to love nature and respect it and when hunting or fishing, never take more than you can eat.  Never, ever waste anything.

My Mom was an outdoors person, also.  Both my Dad and my Mom lived along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania; Dad up river at Foxburg and Mon down river from there in a little town named Phillipston.  Oh to return to those good old days. . . but time moves on and we have to move with it.  But it sure is nice to reminisce and I hope you all had good times that you can now look back on with smile.  Now, have a great day, you hear?

Screaming Dog, etc.

Have you ever heard a dog scream?  I don't mean a bark or a howl or a growl, but a real honest to goodness scream like a child or a woman would sound, and I suppose some men, too.  My oldest and most loved pup did it twice the other day.  The first time, she had her head under a folding table that had sloped metal legs.  So, naturally, I thought that she had got her head stuck in the leg.  I picked her up and petted her and she seemed just fine.

Then she did it again.  That ear piercing scream and I looked down and she was laying on her side stiff as a board with her legs sticking straight out.  This time I again picked her up but she just sort of collapsed in my arms.  I held her for a short time and she then came back to her old self.  I am pleased to say that she has been her normal self ever since.  Yes, she is getting up in years, but I am sure she has a lot more left in her, at least I hope she does.

I am still under the weather.  But had a plumbing problem and had to try and fix it.  Gave up, turned all the water off, and plan to work on that problem in the morning.  I am tired and want to go to bed.  Maybe tomorrow will be a little better, or not.  But, I want all of you to have a good evening and a great day tomorrow, you hear?

Seems I Got Old.

It seems that old age has snuck up behind me when I wasn't looking and tackled me.  How do I know?  Well, one way is that when I come down with a mild case of the flu, it really isn't mild and it lasts and lasts and lasts.  Yep, I still have that dang flu and I don't feel one bit better, in fact I feel worse.

Then I see that Muhammad Ali has passed away and he was only less than one year older than I am now.  Dang, and he would have been in much better physical shape than I am.  Oh, that's right, he had Parkinson's Disease.  That is a terrible thing to have.  It sure took its toll on Ali.  Well, he is at peace now, at least, I hope he is.  I have never been into boxing, but did enjoy wrestling although I knew it was mostly show.  I watched it back in the golden days when Gorgeous George lit up the wrestling ring.  Remember him?

 

Guess what?  When I was in college, I took wrestling in Phys-Ed and I really enjoyed it.  One evening I returned to my dorm room and the little guy down the hall stopped by to say hello.  I told him what I have been doing and he told me he liked to wrestle.  To make a long story shorter, this little guy turned me every which way but loose.  A couple of times I looked like a pretzel.  So, I learned real quick it isn't your size that matters, it is what you have trained to do.  Then he told me he was state champion in wrestling when he was in high-school.  Looks sure can be deceiving.

Now that this dang flu has got me wrapped up into a pretzel shape, it reminded me of that time way back a thousand years ago when I was in college.  Just in case you are interested, I went to Penn State, home of the Nittany Lions.  Now I hope all of you have avoided this flu and had a great day and have great evening, you hear?

Just an Update.

I am still alive and kicking but am still under the weather.  I feel a lot better but still am hacking up lung junk.  Don't have anything special to say.  Except that I found this picture on the internet that tells what this dang flu has done to me. 

Now, after you have read my posting, go wash your hands and gargle so you don't catch what me and that fellow above has.  Why, because I want you all to have a great day, you hear?

Having a couple of bad days.

I have come down with some kind of flue and it, among other things like coughing, etc., has made me dizzy.  Yes, I know I should be used to it since my nickname is Dizzy.  Anyway, I got up out of my rocker and took two steps and fell flat on my face.  Had to lay there on the floor for awhile.  The whole room was revolving and I was really starting to get sick.  I didn't know our house was built on an not too merry of a merry-go-round!!

I feel somewhat better today but have to go before a judge today for the appraisal district to challenge my new appraisal.  They doubled the value of my home.  How could that be??  I live in a double-wide and let me tell you, there would be no way that I could get double for it if I wanted to sell it.  In fact, probably couldn't get a fraction of the original purchase price.  OK, now I hope your day is going much better than mine, so make sure you have a great day, you hear?

For The Birds

I went to Tractor Supply the other day to get another 35 pound bag of bird feed and some more squares of suet.  Yep, don't ever let me hear anybody say that I eat like a bird.  Those little freeloaders must eat multiple times their weight in bird feed every day.  Remember the blog I posted back on January 7th of this year?

http://dizzydick.blogspot.com/2016/01/aviary-in-my-back-yard.html

While I was there at Tractor Supply, I saw this large bird feeder that would hold many, many times what my two little ones did, so of course I came home with it and the bag of bird seed.  Got it filled up (that will keep them going for quite awhile) and hung out were the old bird feeders were.  And dang, it even brightens up the yard on a gloomy day like today.  Might not be able to look at it when the sun is shining (grin).

I took another picture from a different angle.  In the picture below, you can see where I but a big scoop of bird feed on the ground.

I hope the squirrels don't ruin this one like they did the other two.  BTW, the reason I put bird feed on the ground is for the squirrels and the doves.  Also, it seems the blue jays prefer to eat their share from the ground.  Now, I hope you all are having a great day, you hear?

Tongue Twisters

I like tongue twisters.  It really doesn't take too much to twist up my tongue, but I still like to try saying some of them.  I bet all of you remember when you were a kid and tried to say the tongue twister, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers".

OK, I bet most of you tried to say it, right?

I found some more of them at this web site:
http://www.fun-with-words.com

I found this one on that site.  I had never heard this one before, so I decided to share it with you all:

Mr. See owned a saw.
And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.
Now, See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw
Before Soar saw See,
made Soar sore.
Had Soar seen See's saw
Before See sawed Soar's seesaw,
See's saw would not have sawed
Soar's seesaw.
So See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw.
But it was sad to see Soar so sore
just because See's saw sawed
Soar's seesaw.

Now be honest.  How many of you could read that tongue twister straight through really fast without any mistakes?  You could?  Well then, you are much better at it than I am.  My tongue gets twisted around my teeth and it takes some effort to get it untangled.  Now, you all have a great day, you hear?