April 2017

April 2017

Saturday 01- 77 to 54 very nice with a bit of breeze.

Tanner sign- Doug poem & guitar

Sunday 02- 84 to 58

I did my stretches, yoga, core trainer, took the dogs for a mile jog, and punched the heavybag.

I cleaned up the yard some and did the dreaded poop patrol; most of the poop was buried in the sand by the high winds we’ve had the past week. I had to hunt them down and dig them up.

Just finished doing my Federal and State Taxes... I am glad that's over and done with! I felt like stuffing all the forms and that incomprehensible 8962 into a envelope and sending it off to the IRS with a note: You made up all this complicated jargon and rules, here you go figure it out and let me know how much I owe.

Monday 03- 88 to 51 and windy again

I did my stretches.

Tuesday 04- 77 to 54

I did my stretches, exercises with the 20lb dumbbells, took the dogs for a mile jog, and punched the heavybag for a spell.

FedEx delivered my 20 watt solar panel I opened it up and found it was shattered.

Wednesday 05- 80 to 50

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a nice walk morning and evening walk.

I emailed the business that sold me the broken solar panel. Alex said that he will replace my broken 20 watt panel with a 30 watt panel and will ship it right away.

Thursday 06- 87 to 52

I did my stretches and took the doggies for a mile and a half jog.

Late in the evening I had just starting writing chapter 12 of "Upon Ashen Roads" when I got distracted by our missile strike against Syria... strange how I am writing fiction of that area right now... I'll try and continue chapter 12 on Friday night....

Friday 07- 81 to 57 overcast.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk.

I am still distracted by the strike against Syria to write.

Saturday 08- very windy 73 to 47 degrees.

I did my stretches.

I went to the "Full Moon Desert Acoustic and Poetry" out in the windy desert tonight and met some really nice people and had a wonderful time.

Sunday 09- 72 to 48 still windy, but not as bad as yesterday.

I think I got sick from the cold wind last night. I just stayed inside. I took an antihistamine that knocked me out.

I did some writing on chapter 12 but still distracted by events in the world and only gotten 186 words written.

Monday 10- 68 to 45

Still sick and stayed inside. I did my stretches and messed around with my computers.

Tuesday 11- 83 to 56 with afternoon clouds.

I felt better and did my stretches, weight bench, core trainer, punched the heavybag, and took the dogs for a mile jog.

I watered all the outside plants.

Wednesday 12- 86 to 57 windy.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile jog.

I went WalMart to do some shopping.

Thursday 13- 81 to 55 windy in the evening.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile walk.

I cleaned up the yard and threw a bunch of stuff in the dumpster.

I took the dogs for an evening walk.

Friday 14- 75 to 51 with a lite breeze.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile jog.

I went to the post office in 29 to pick up the 30 watt solar panel sent to me as a replacement for the 20 watt panel that had shattered in transit to my home. I also stopped at Stater Bros to pick up a few items I couldn’t get at WalMart the other day.

Took the doggies for an evening walk.

Saturday 15- 81 to 58

I stopped taking the antihistamine pills last night. The pills make me very tired and lazy the next day. I think they may be worse than the allergy symptoms that I experience. I  did my stretches, yoga, took the dogs for a mile jog, and punched the heavybag for a long spell.

I finally cleaned the kitchen counter and stove very good. I have neglected most cleaning in the house lately.

Sunday 16- 88 to 60

I did my stretches and took the dogs on a mile jog.

I am still feeling like crap because of my allergies. Don’t really feel like doing anything, plus my Doctor said two visits ago that I shouldn’t lift any weights for awhile because of my pain in my wrist, so I cut weightlifting down to maybe two or three times a week. I hope it starts getting better soon.

Monday 17- windy

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile jog.

I finished chapter 12 after a long delay. I wrote over two thousands words.

Tuesday 18- windy still.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile jog.

I got interested on Hawaii. Just sell everything and move there with the dogs. I spent a bunch of hours online looking at property. I even contacted a realtor about one. Just a dream right now and there ain’t nothing holding me here in the desert anymore. All my good friends I had here have gone on to a different dimensional plane of existence than I.

Wednesday 19-  windy

I did my stretches and took the dogs for an evening mile walk.

Played around with my computers. I have so many I think I’ll start giving them away or maybe sell them on ebay.

Thursday 20-  82 to 52 windy

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk.

I did the poop patrol and cleaned up a few areas outside.

Friday 21- 87 to 60

I did my stretches, yoga, core trainer, took the dogs for a mile jog, did the weight bench, and punched the heavybag for a bit.

FedEx arrived with a package containing a Panasonic ToughBook.

Watered the plants.

I did some leg stretches, exercised with the 20lb weights, and took the doggies for an evening mile jog.

Wrote over a thousand words in chapter 13 finally. I now know how the book is going to end.

Saturday 22- 88 to 63

I did my stretches, worked out with the 10lb weights, and took the doggies for a mile jog.

I did this and that and other things  today that needed being done that I’ve haven’t done but needed to do, eventually.

Took the dogs for a nice evening walk. Everything is in bloom now and Cassie and Barney are sniffen at all the flowers.

I finished chapter 13.

Sunday 23- 91 to 60 and windy.

stretches

Monday 24- 84 to 60 and real windy. So windy in fact I had to let the dogs inside.

I did my stretches and worked on chapter 14 of “Upon Ashen Roads”

Tuesday 25- 82 to 55 and still windy.

stretches

Wednesday 26- 86 to 53 and windy.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk.

I went to my Doctor’s appointment in Palm Springs where they drew more blood from me. I did some shopping at WalMart and didn’t get back home until 8pm. The Doggies not happy with me so I took them for a evening walk.

Thursday 27- 82 to 62 very windy again... kinda getting tired of all the wind.

I did my stretches, took the doggies for a mile jog.

Seime came by for me to help him on his laptop because the sound wasn’t working; I fixed it for him,

Friday 28- 76 to 52 with wind...

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile jog.

Saturday 29- 76 to 51 with lite wind

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk.

I cooked up a pot of rice, gathered the cookies I bought and headed down to the community center for our monthly potluck. There were about twenty hungry denizens of the desert there waiting to dig into the feast set before them on the table. There was Yvonne’s yummy banana pudding; Dorothy's delicious Mexican casserole, Cal’s healthy fruit platter; someone made a chocolate cake that magically disappeared; Chris and Mary’s fried chicken and pea salad; cookies from Joyce and John Lee, who journeyed from Santa Ana to enjoy the wonders of our desert. We have no music or entertainment of any sort except the pleasant chattering of desert folks yammering on and on about this and that and other important things pertaining to their lives. It’s a wondrous feeling to be among them.

Sunday 30- 87 to 62 sunny day.

I did my stretches, core trainer, weight bench, punched the heavybag, and took the doggies for a mile jog.

*************** Stuff I wrote this Month **************

The cord that binds has been tied off and cut, but forever remains a link to a mother’s heart.
~RD

At this moment in history the news media thrives on opinions of reactionaries, not on a sense for fairness or any impartial coherent reporting. For good or bad we alter the world by just being alive and trying to rationalize and internalize the information we acquire. How we change the future is up to us by the seeds we sow. Plant the seed of knowledge and watch us grow. Plant the seeds of deception to watch the world wither and die.
~RD

I like dogs because they have no political ambitions. Cats on the other hand I'm not so sure of...
~RD

Create and enjoy life so others may enjoy it with you...

~RD

Life is not to be wasted on mundane and irrelevant demands put upon you by others. Treat life as a wondrous journey not a racetrack to the end. Be awed, be creative, be inspired and inspire others, ask questions and question everything, love and be loved along the way to journey's end.

~RD

Come live in the desert with me and enjoy the beauty, silence, and grandeur of endless horizons. It's simply awesome to behold. Then ponder as you gaze out into the desert’s sparse habitat how so much can survive with so little. Did you know the kangaroo rat survives without drinking water?

~RD

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March 2017

March 2017

Wednesday 01- 62 to 42 sunny, but cool.

I did my stretches, core trainer, weight bench, punched the heavybag for a spell and jogged a mile with the dogs. I am still having pain in my right wrist and am keeping the weights lite.

Thursday 02- 68 to 45

Went to my doctor’s appointment. He wants me to take another lab test. I told him about the pain in my arm and wrist and he said to stop lifting weights for a while to see if it gets better,  Got some supplies at Stater Bros.

Friday 03- 74 to 48 degrees and clear.

I did my stretches and went on a mile jog with the doggies.

I started writing chapter 4 of my book.

Saturday 04- 71 to 45 windy.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk because of the high winds. I also started to feel my allergies kicking in.

I finished chapter 4 of my book.

Sunday 05- 66 to 46 very windy

I did my stretches and just kinda stayed inside with the dogs because of the wind plus my allergies hit me hard.

Monday 06- 58 to 37  

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile jog. Still suffering from my allergies.

I had to drive back down to the doctor’s office to pick up a kit I need to take with me to the lab.

Tuesday 07- 68 to 70

Went to the lab in Yucca to have blood work done. I then went to the Sizzler alone missing Sherry who used to go there with me for linder we called it (lunch/dinner). I then went to Home Depot to gather 20 more paver for the laundry room and also purchased a Sawzall to cut wood.

I started writing chapter 5.

Wednesday 08- 75 to 53

Worked laying down the rest of the pavers.

I got a call from Marguerite telling me our Aunt Audrey had passed peacefully this morning at 5:30 AM and Marguerite and Justin were there by her side. I called family members to let them know of her passing.

Thursday 09-

I did my stretches, but that’s about all because my allergies hit me hard.

Wrote a little more of chapter 5.

Friday 10- 82 to 53 and hazy.

I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and took the dogs for a walk.

I continued to work on my book and finished chapter 5.

Saturday 11- 84 to 59

I did my stretches, exercised on the weight bench and punched the heavybag for a short spell.

I wasted the day on a friend who turned Troll on my FaceBook page ranting about my "List of Wants" I tried to calm him down when he started trolling to my cousin and other friends. Nothing I tried worked and he just grew worse. I told him not to use foul language on my Timeline and he unfriended me. He and his rantings and ravings are now gone and forgotten. I knew him in the 70s as an acquaintance. Shame it ended this way, but it was his decision and a wasted time for me when I could have been writing chapter 6.

Sunday 12- 86 to 59 clear and sunny skies.

I did my stretches, exercised with lite 5lb dumbbells, and took the doggies on a mile jog.     

Monday 13- 87 to 57 a bit hazy.

I did my stretches and worked on chapter 6 of my book.

Tuesday 14- 91 to 61

I did my stretches, worked out on the weight bench and punched the heavybag for a short spell.

I went to Stater Bros to pick up some supplies I needed and came right back home.

I took the dogs for an evening walk and then worked on and finished chapter 6 of my book.

Wednesday 15- 88 to 61 clear skies.

I stayed up very late writing to finish chapter 6 and slept in really late and got up around noon. My dogs were hungry and weren't none too happy about that. I did do my stretches. I spent over an hour on the phone with Home Depot and then T-Mobile getting things set straight about my accounts.

I saved the day when I took the dogs for a jog in the evening when it was cooler and then planted some cacti and watered the plants.

I will start chapter 7 tonight.

Thursday 16- 88 to 60 degrees.

I had a dream about that girl again last night. She isn’t a young girl any longer, just a year or two younger than me, but I remember her as she was in her youth and beauty. In my dream I had taken her out to dinner at an outside cafe. I excused myself from the table to wash my hands in the restroom while she sat there at the table with a bright smile all dressed up and looking very pretty. There was a couch there in the restroom and I laid myself down to rest for a second. Next thing I know someone was pounding on the door yelling, “Get up, get up! You’ve been in there for hours.”

I rose quickly and went outside to find my girlfriend sitting in a yellow taxi about ready to drive away. Just then, her father drove up (played by Ed Asner) and told me how dare I abandon his lovely daughter. Dumbstruck, I stood there as she stepped out of the taxi and went to her father’s car and sat inside, her father shut the car door on her side and drove off. The taxi driver came up and asked for a tip, and then the waiter came and handed me a bill for $119 and said the cafe doesn’t take credit cards. (I’ve included this dream into my book)

I did my stretches, took the doggies on a mile jog, I only exercises that didn’t hurt my wrist: exercised on the weight bench, did pullups on with the core trainer punched the heavybag for a spell.  

Friday 17- 91 to 61 a little hazy.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk.

I watered the plants

I continued to write and finish Chapter 8.

Saturday 18- 89 to 59.

I did my stretches, took the dogs on a mile jog, and hit the heavy bag.

Today they are taking my father and stepmother’s ashes out to sea. My sister Leeanne was there with her family, along with others. My father and stepmother made it very clear it was their wish we not have any kind of ceremony. My sister Lynn and I respected their wishes, but we also respect and understand those who didn’t and their need for closure.

Sunday 19- 91 to 61 clear

I did my stretches.

I did the poop patrol of the yard.

I wrote and finished chapter 9.

Monday 20- 87 to 63 hazy

I did my stretches, exercised with 20lb dumbbells, and jogged a mile with the dogs.

I started chapter 10.

Tuesday 21- 81 to 57 hazy

I did my stretches and yoga.

I worked out in the yard for a spell and watered the plants.

Wednesday 22- 71 to 51 very windy.

I did my stretches, worked out on the weight bench, core trainer, and took the dogs for a mile jog.

I worked on chapter 10 and finished it, now working on chapter 11.

Thursday 23- 73 to 49 still a bit windy.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a nice walk.

I continued to work on Chapter 11...

Friday 24- 74 to 50 with wind.

Doc’s for shots, shopping. I bought two new 6 volt deep cycle batteries... the old ones are dying quickly.

Saturday 25- windy

Potluck was pretty nice with around fifteen starving folks showing up at our community doors to share and eat what was being shared. It was Dyan’s birthday so we all stood up to sing her Happy Birthday while she sat there in her seat being embarrassed by all the attention. She received many gifts and many hugs from her friends. Chris and Mary brought fried chicken and hot dogs with all the fixins. Dorothy and Dyan cooked all day over a hot oven to bring us all carrot cake, turkey stuffing, braised cabbage, and a yummy casserole. David King concocted a pear walnut thingy.  John Lee brought us two gallons of tea to swallow it all down with. There was some yammering going on about this that and other things that ain’t fit to print here, but we all had a wonderful time doing it.

Sunday 26- windy

I did my stretches.

Monday 27- 78 to 48 very windy.

I did my stretches, weight bench, punched the heavybag, and took the dogs out for a mile run.

Tuesday 28- 71 to 52 and still a bit windy.

I did my stretches, yoga, punched the heavybag, and took the doggies for a nice jog.

I wrote a bit of chapter 11...

Wednesday 29- 80 to 53 degrees and still windy.

I did my stretches, but stayed inside because of the wind and my dang allergies.

Thursday 30- 82 to 48 and really windy!

I did my stretches.

I drove to the post office to pick up a package containing a shop manual for my Zuma F50. I then went to Staters to get some supplies.

Friday 31- 70 to 48 finally with no wind!

I did my stretches, took the dogs for a walk, and spent the rest of the day working online on my taxes. The automatic tax thingy sent back my Fed return 7 times because of form 8962, what a mess and unintelligible are the instructions for that form. I also did Calif State without a problem.

*************** Stuff I wrote this Month **************

Walking into the ballroom her beauty was such, as if light focused on a prism burst into vibrant colors bedazzling those in her presence ~RD

We are where we’re supposed to be because we either left where we were or ended up staying where we are.
~RD

It doesn't hurt to dream of the impossible because sometimes the impossible can come true. We live in a world full of what was once impossible dreams.
~RD

I had a dream about that girl again last night. She isn’t a young girl any longer, just a year or two younger than me, but I remember her as she was in her youth and beauty. In my dream I had taken her out to dinner at an outside cafe. I excused myself from the table to wash my hands in the restroom while she sat there at the table with a bright smile all dressed up and looking very pretty. There was a couch there in the restroom and I laid myself down to rest for a second. Next thing I know someone was pounding on the door yelling, “Get up, get up! You’ve been in there for hours.”
I rose quickly and went outside to find my girlfriend sitting in a yellow taxi about ready to drive away. Just then, her father drove up (played by Ed Asner) and told me how dare I abandon his lovely daughter. Dumbstruck, I stood there as she stepped out of the taxi and went to her father’s car and sat inside, her father shut the car door on her side and drove off. The taxi driver came up and asked for a tip, and then the waiter came and handed me a bill for $119 and said the cafe doesn’t take credit cards.

~RD

My Wants:

I want a world free from hunger
where no one goes hungry because they are poor
I want a free educational system
where students aren’t drowning in debt
I want good healthcare for the impoverished
that never denies or turns them away
I want an end to belief systems
pointing out differences of color gender and race
I want a society based on merit and creativity
instead of money and greed
I want an end to countries dependent on bullets and bombs
killing man woman and child
I want a new paradigm without money
sucking up resources and spitting out waste
I want everyone safe on this little planet
that spins happily around this vastness of space
I want all of these and I’ll probably want more
until there’s no need for want anymore
~RD

Oh pale the day as darkness creeps upon thy bedsheets
though yonder chamber glistens boldly
beckons ye with dance, drink and merriment.
~RD

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