What Now! Just a short one!

I know I have goofed off for a day and a half. I have a bad chest cold, and my nose is running constantly. I must have been too close to the speaker when I was talking to Marcy wednesday afternoon and caught her cold. I usually don't have much trouble with colds lately, but this is one I can't shake. I have had it for about a week, and it keeps getting worse. I will wait till Monday and if it is not better I will go to the Doctor and get some pills. I will not take a chance on getting pneumonia again. I had it three times already. Once you have it you can get it easily again.

I go to the Doctor every three months to keep track of my diabetes. I don't want it to get worse so I have to take medicine. I never thought about growing old when I was young. As a typical male I did not take care of myself. When you are young, nothing can hurt you. It is always the other guy. Funny how that changes when you get old and start reading the paper every day to see how many people you know are listed in the deaths. Life means more as you approach the end of the living years. When you have grandchildren you want to live a little longer to see them grow up. Life is sweeter in your later years. You cherish the moments that you spend with family more later in life. The grandson is coming tomorrow. We will play playdoh, and some other games. A three old does not have a long game playing concentration span.

I will make up the time I have rested hoping to fend off this cold. I will get my scanner going so I can send Marcy my pictures. I never give up. If I can't get the scanner going I will go to office depot and get them to put my pictures on a chip to put in my computer so I can e-mail them. Things will work out somehow. They always do. I will write about more adventures we had on the motorcycles. It will warm me up these cold days. We had a lot of days in the single digits. Even four nights at zero degrees. Where is this global warming when we need it!

Scanner?? I hate electronics!!

I hate anything electronic! Just when you think you know what you are doing, it acts up. I am 65 years young, I was not brought up using these electronic wonders. Sometimes they elude me. I am learning how to use my computer and printer,copier,scanner. Right now every time I push a button to do something it says must align printer. I will have to get Mary to look at it this weekend again. I am ready to throw it out the window. I figured how to turn off my pop ups unit so I can read the attachments my brother sent me. I put browser pop ups in the search of my computer and went to a site that told me how to do it on my mac. I guess I am not so computer dumb after all. This old dog can figure out some of the problems.

I'm sorry I will not be around in 100 years to see all the fabulous discoveries that are going to take place. I just hope we do not destroy ourselves by pollution or some crazy virus we create by mistake that wipes out most of humanity. I will learn what I need to get my businesses up and making money. I will not let some unknown make a fool out of me for too long. I have done pretty good in life learning how to do lots of things. I am not about to quit now. I am too bull headed to give up. I know the time will come when I can't do what I want to. But that is a long way off yet!

So many people are afraid to try to do what they are not comfortable doing. It is so sad. One of my favorite sayings is:  IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT! That has been my motto all my life. I am bi-polar so my mind is going a mile a minute with all kinds of thoughts how to do different things. I guess I can't understand people who give up, because that thought has never crossed my mind. I know when you must run, so you can fight another day. But that is not admitting defeat. That is just being smart.

We can't be smart all the time. We must learn when to ask for help. I know men don't like to admit we do not know how to do something or find someplace when we drive. But I am getting better at asking for help. But I admit it took a long time to get this far.  We are continuing our learning every day. Worry is the darkroom where negative thoughts are developed. I try not to worry so much. I am trying to learn not to worry, but it is hard. I must work on that some more. Yes I am 65 and still have a lot to learn. I will learn, I know I can. It is just a matter of time. Do not give up, fight till you get the outcome you are looking for. Think of me, old, disabled, and not computer smart--YET. I will fight to stay in these living years as long as I can. And learn as long as my brain will absorb the knowledge. Be too bullheaded to quit. Keep going. Make it in life,  so you can enjoy the rewards. I know I am going to do everything I can to accomplish this for me and my family. You can too.

Put him in the ground today!

Well we put Donald my brother-in-law in the ground today! It was hard seeing his wife and children and grandchildren suffer. I have not missed any one like this since my father died thirty years ago. When my mother died, she went slowly, but not painfully. When she passed, we know it was coming and could say goodbye in our own way. With Donald and my father, it was too quick. We did not expect it. No real chance to say goodbye. Their death did not seem real. When you don't expect the death, you feel cheated at not getting any sense of closure. Something is missing. No chance for knowing they left in peace. When I spent six days in the hospital a couple years ago with the virus C-DIFF I thought I was dying. I could get my feelings in shape to realize this was the end of my living years. I almost accepted defeat. I was ready to meet my maker. Donald and my father did not get the chance to get their thoughts in order to accept what was happening. I feel anyone who dies fast and in such a tragic way are losing the chance to get their mind straight to what was happening to them. They are cheated at the last moments  of life. With my almost giving in to death, I still fought to not leave the living years. I know that is why I did not die. I would not give up, even though I thought this was it. I fought to get back to the living years. The nurses told me three people in PA died the week I was sick. Why was I not one of them. I feel it was because I made up my mind to not give in!

I will get over this feeling. It is not really depression, it is feeling the loss of someone I cared for and respected. I had to say these two people I thought would live forever. That means I might be leaving this life someday too. I will not live forever either! When a loved one dies you realize how fleeting this thing called life is. I am preaching from my soapbox again! But getting this off my chest is keeping me somewhat sane.

When we were eating at the lunch Shirley and the kids provided, I told Mary I told Shirley and the kids that if she needed a ride somewhere, anything else like a companion so she is not alone during the day so much to let me know and I would drive up and help her. I am home all day and I thought I could do something for her. The lady next to me said, but you live so far away, that is a long drive to just get to her house. An hour each way is not too far. I thought that lady was selfish. You do what you have to do for family. Sure she was Mary's sister, not my sister, but that does not make a difference to me. Mary's younger sister and her kids lived with us three and a half years after her divorce. That was more trying than driving an hour each way. I know I like to help people. I have been blessed with a pretty good life. I feel it is only right to give back. Am I wrong in wanting to help someone who has treated me good for 41 years.  Being alone all day is going to be her biggest problem. Having Donald every day is what she was used to. Now being alone is going to be a great shock. Mary is going to go up next week and stay overnight with Shirley.  Her kids will be over all the time for a while. But that will wear off when they go back to their own lives. Being alone is a terrible thing when you first lose a loved one.

I have bent your ear for long enough. I feel better, getting this off my chest. The cemetery was not as bad as I thought it would be. The wind died down, and it was 16 degrees. Almost a heat wave. We are glad the day is over. Burying a loved one is never pleasant. But it is something we do for those left behind. To show support for them. The viewing is to let the family get closure to the departing of a loved one. This time I did not get mad at GOD for taking Donald. I am a lot older and a little wiser than when my Father died. I guess this Old Dog is learning some new tricks. YIP YIP

Pain in the rear calls, use DO NOT CALL LIST!

I don't know about you, but I dislike all the calls I get to buy this or that. I have told numerous callers to put me on their do not call list. But they keep calling. I found this information, and you know me, I will pass it on to you. National do not call list;1-888-382-1222  www.donotcall.gov        Pa. do not call list     https://dnc.attorneygeneral.gov    Free credit reports; 1-877-322-8328    www.annualcreditreport.com  Pa. Bureau of Consumer Protection  1-800-441-2555
Sources AARP, PA Attorney General's Office. Any other helpful information I will pass along to my readers. I check my phone every time it rings and see who is calling. I plan on using these do not call lists my self. They like to call right at dinnertime when they figure you are home. I even had one jerk call at 9:30 at night. I guess he could not get me earlier. I did not say hello. I just screamed why would you call this late at night and hung up. They did not call back.         To those who read my blogs every day, thank you.

I get a lot of calls to refinance our house. I  tell them I am retired and do not need to refinance, Seems to work sometimes. Also I get a lot of calls to go to college, on the net. Same thing I tell them I am retired, put me on your do not call list. But doing it on these web sites and phone numbers you will get all of them to stop. Most of these lists expire every five years so you might need to keep the numbers and web sites for future canceling. If you don't live in Pa, go to your state web sites and see if they list do not call numbers and web sites. We can stop these jerks if we persist in getting help. You know me, never stop fighting.

I even had one jerk call my phone when I was at the funeral of my brother-in-law today. Luckily I had my phone on vibrate and did not bother the preacher.

A very down day!

Tomorrow is my brother-in-law's funeral. It is 2 degrees over night, and only 8 degrees and windy in the morning too. Wind chill will be minus 10 to 15 degrees tonight, and not much better tomorrow. It will be tough enough seeing Donald put in the ground tomorrow morning without  having to put up with the freezing cold. Thirty years ago when my Dad died, it was bitter cold, and had 8 inches of snow the night before. Like Mother Nature was weeping to see good men leave the living years. It makes me revisit my own demise. I realize my time will come. Please LORD do not make it soon. At least Donald and my Dad did not suffer. My Mother died in her sleep. I hope when I leave these living years it will be quick and relatively painless. Us men do not do good with long and painful deaths. We are not as strong as women. Look what women go thru in childbirth. It would kill us men.

Yes I am depressed. I was not ready for Donald's or my father's passing. Mary and I would visit Donald and Shirley's every 5 or 6 weeks and go out to eat. Sometimes their younger brother's and their wives would join us for a meal, and we would sit at the restaurant and talk for a couple hours. It was good to see Mary enjoying herself. Appreciate what time you have with loved ones. You never know when it will be over. Yes I am depressed tonight, but it is not the usual down feeling I used to feel with my bi-polar problem. I will feel better again, I will miss a good friend who also was my brother-in-law. Yes the world will go on without Donald, but something will be missing. Every time the four of us got together there was a lot of laughing, especially about the hazards of growing old.

Donald is enjoying Heaven. My Dad is showing him the ropes. They are looking down on children. grand children, and soon great grand children. I hope I am good enough to make it to heaven and see them again. The reunion will be grand. But right now I have a lot to fill my living years. I know I will be going some day, but LORD please not too soon. I have a lot to accomplish yet!

Our life is what our thoughts make it!

So much can be said for your unconscious mind playing the lead in how your life unfolds. It took some time for my thoughts to be in the positive realm. When I was young I kept good thoughts in my mind, Just not great ones. In spending a lot of time growing my subconscious mind I learned over the years what I was thinking at the time is how my actions would play out. If I thought I could not do something, it usually did not happen. However if I thought if I could do it, it did happen. That was my ah ha moment. I don't remember when that was. It was before I was sixteen. I focused my thoughts and my life started to come together. I had tapped into something that would guide me well in my later years. Yes I was bullheaded, but I learned to use that for the positive. So my thinking evolved to something useful. It still took more experiences to build my confidence so I could accomplish my goal with a mindset that was only positive.

Now I can see it in my children. The experiment paid off. My kids set their minds to do something, and they accomplished it. We are working on the grandchildren now. I just hope I am around long enough to help them see it. What we think has a big impact on our performance.

Old Knight in rusting armor!

Cleaned the driveway and left for Mary's place of work at five this morning  to clear her windows of snow and warm up the van. She deserves help now and then. She does so much for me! Snowing again, this is the third time in two days. This cold and snow is getting old. January is not over yet and we have twice as much snow as all of last year. But I know we will get through the hard times. We are resilient and will fight back. No matter what Mother Nature throws at us we will overcome. We have for thousands of years. Why should we change now. It will just cost more money to clean up the mess.

Kids coming over for supper, so I must clear a path to walk up the driveway. Save the big cleanup for nine tonight when Mary leaves for work. If it is too bad, I will drive her again. I am not afraid to drive in anything with my Astro van with all wheel drive. I have my cell phone for emergencies. So far I have gotten out of all bad driving hazards the last five years taking Mary to work. It is not so bad in the daylight, the darkness just ads excitement. and worry! I felt this morning like the white night rescuing Mary, just older and my armor is a little rusty from all the years of use. But I am still able to do what I need to do. I know the time will come when my body will not do what I ask it to. I gave up a lot already. I have handicapped parking because of my left knee from the cycle accident. And I got Social Security disability at 63 because I can't get on my knees any more. I can't lift heavy like when I was younger. But what I can still do I will keep doing as long as I can. I push the light snows with my shovel, not lifting the shovel much to save my heart. I have been going to the gym to build up my arms and legs. I lost 10 pounds this visit with the doctor. I will keep improving my tired body. I know I will never be a body builder, but I can do what my body will stand.

I will build my business too. I will make enough money so Mary and I can live a good life when she retires. We don't need a lot, Just able to help the kids and grandchildren. And enjoy our Golden years, even though they will not be so golden. Getting old is like Mic Jager  said "Getting old is a drag." But it beats the alternative. Will let you know how I make out tonight. Hope the snow lets up before Mary has to be at work. Salt does not work well below 22 degrees, so the roads are pretty much snow covered yet. Will be careful.Thank you for reading my blogs. Randal Caldwell

Snow and cold go away;come again another day!

It snowed this morning, just a dusting. Now it is eleven thirty at night, and snowing again. Will set my alarm for 4:45 in the morning so I can clean suicide driveway and go to Mary's work and clean the van of snow and warm it up for her. I owe her that much for all she does for me. She says she really hates cleaning the snow off the windows more than the cold. After all if it were not for Mary I know I would not be alive now. She keeps my going, even if I think she is killing me with all the stuff she takes away from me. I know what she takes away will hurt me. I just still miss the caffein. The FDA now says the caramel coloring in Coke and Pepsi and other drinks causes cancer. Glad she stopped buying it. I was drinking at least three a day. They say you should only drink one a day. I could not do that if they were in the house.

Mary wants to keep me around for a while yet. Sometimes we do not get along, but all together it has been a good 41 years. I will not get much sleep tonight, I don't sleep good when Mary is not home. And thinking about clearing suicide driveway and getting her van clean and warm runs through my mind. When I am in my manic stage my mind runs a mile a minute. That is where I get my good ideas. I am not depressed much anymore. Except like tonight when I am bummed out about the cold, like 8 degrees tonight, and more snow coming. I don't get as depressed as when I was younger. I realize getting depressed is waste of my time and energy. Still griping about it makes me feel better. I just know not to get mad. It is too hard on my heart. When anyone asks me how I am today I say great because when my subconscious hears great it wants me to feel great. I try to keep a positive attitude. But when the 3 year old grandson screams and is bull headed it is very hard to keep a positive attitude. I just don't let it get under my skin like when I was young.

How ever much Mother throws at us, we will survive. It is 2:30 sunday morning now. It just snowed enough to be annoying. I can push it off the driveway with the shovel like I did yesterday morning. No use going to sleep now. I will of course wear my ice spikes so I don't fly on my back like two years ago. Do you know the amish put horseshoes on their horses with titanium spikes welded on so their horses don't slip on ice and snow. Just like the tires of years ago that had studs for ice grip. I had them for many years. They worked really good. Just like the spikes I put on my shoes now. 

I'm watching movies between working on sending e-mails and promoting my banners for my business. I even stayed up all night when I was single. The lousy weather will not last long. Soon the spring will arrive. My daughter put a down payment on a house at the shore. They belong to a co-op that we can rent a house for  $750 for a whole week. For the seven of us it is a lot cheaper than a motel. And we have a nice kitchen so we can cook at the house. Save a lot of money that way. Yes spring will come, and renew the world. We take the snow blower off the tractor, and put the mower on. Instead of staying inside from the killer cold, we will be staying inside to avoid the killer heat. But at least over summer there will be a lot of nice days to take the grandkids outside. Three year old Kyler loves to play outside. He has a sandbox here and at his house. He can play on the porch and make as much of a mess as he likes. We can play playdoh on the porch instead of the kitchen table. Yes spring will be here soon, but then winter will be back before you know it. Mother will keep trying our patience, but we will never give up, till its our turn to give up the living years.

Whoever's praying for snow, PLEASE STOP!

Saw this on a church sign today. It should be snow and frigid temps.

Had snow this morning, and probably tomorrow. I can keep up so far, but with Mary driving to work at nine at night, and home at six in the morning it is a real pain! The other day when it snowed all day, and 8 degrees at night and blowing up to 25 mph I took her to work and picked her up in the morning.

Thank goodness for cell phones! I keep mine in my pocket whenever I go out fighting Mother Nature. Where is this global warming when we need it. Today the news said it was below freezing in all fifty states. I think with our pollution we have really screwed up the weather!

The lord never gives you more than you can handle so they say. I hope they are right. So far in my life the LORD has not given me more than I could handle. And I thank  the LORD every day for helping me cope with life.

I know I fuss a lot about what happens to me, but I want you to know how I look at life. I complain a lot, but I am happy with my life in general. I feel if you see how my life is not perfect it will help you to conquer the troubles you have in your life. By maintaining a never quit attitude you can work through any problem you have.

I feel my life is going too fast. The years go faster the older you get. I don't know where the years went. Yes I do, they were good most of the time. And the times that were not so good I survived. Having a good life partner is what has carried me thru all the years. Learning to love has helped me weather the good and bad times.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said "Once you make a decision; the universe conspires to make it happen." I believe that with every ounce of faith I have in my body. But you have to make that decision yourself. When I quit cigarettes and alcohol, I had to believe I could do it! Since I quit soft drinks and drink a lot more water I feel better. I have a soft drink every once in a while. I just do not have them at home. I have no self control, so I must keep certain things Not at arm's length. I hear them calling to me, drink me! Or eat me!

Yes I hear voices in my head, but sometimes they are such good ideas I use them to further my agendas. The voices I hear are good voices. And they tell me this year is going to be one of the best of my life!

Whether you feel the time goes fast or slow depends at that time whether you are feeling pleasure or pain. Most of my life I have felt pleasure since I hooked up with Mary. The time I was single were very hard for me. I was lost in booze and reckless behavior. Luckily I stayed away from drugs. I figured I got in enough trouble with alcohol. Mary got me off cigarettes after we were married three years. The alcohol took a lot more time. What helped me quit cigarettes, is Mary telling me when the kids see me smoking they will do what I do. I did not want them smoking.

One more thing I must RAVE about is the shooting that happened in Maryland today. It is getting closer to our home. Maryland is about 45 miles from us. I don't know where in Maryland the mall that the shooting was in, but a lot of people are not getting the mental help they need. If you know someone who needs mental help, speak up to them. We need to help each other. That is why I started this blog to talk to people and offer what little wisdom I have stumbled across over the years.

If I can help people improve their place in life, than all the time I spend writing this blog will have been worthwhile. I don't have a lot of money to help people, but if my words strike a blow to help you change your life I have accomplished some good from being on this earth.

I'm Gonna Live FOREVER!!

Isn't  it funny how we think the end will never come for us It will always be the other guy. At eighteen years old we are invincible, and will now get hurt no matter what we do. In out twenties and thirties we are too busy to die. At forty and fifty we think about death, but believe it is a long way off. When we hit sixty years old we check the paper every day to see who was unlucky enough to meet his or her maker. After that we know we are not invincible, but it will not be us this time. Yes my brother in law dying made me consider my demise. So did my fathers dying when I was thirty five years old, made me realize life is never a sure thing. My dad dying was the first real close person that I lost. I did not talk to GOD for months after that. I was mad at him for taking my father. It took me months to realize it was my dad's time. GOD does not take you from this life. He does not cause death. He does a lot to save people. I know he did that for me numerous times in my life. It is hard to realize GOD does allow death! He watches over us, and at times we do dumb things and suffer because of it. He cannot save us every time! My time will come, I know. And when I am laying there dying I don't want to think I should have done or said something to show a loved one I will miss them. I try to show them in my living years. Remember I said I told my dad I loved Him for the first time about a week before he died. My parents were not the kind to talk of love much. People of that generation were not taught to say that. We feel different now. More enlightened.

Tell your loved ones that you love them. Don't expect them to know how you feel. You must tell them! I try to tell my kids and grandchildren HOW I feel every time I see them. I don't want them to give up the living years without being loved. Feeling unwanted when you die must be a horrible feeling. End your feuds before it is your time to go from this world. Don't die mad at someone you love. I hug my kids and there life partners and my grandchildren often. I hug my male friends who are close friends. It is not the wrong thing to show someone how you feel about them! REMEMBER WE DO NOT LIVE FOREVER! We will leave these living years. Make the transition with no regrets of loving people, you will miss.

It took me a long time to adopt these principles. Learn from my mistakes. Enjoy your living years while you can. For your living forever years may end any time, you never know when. Make your time on this earth pleasant for everyone you know. I am trying hard to live up to what I have told you. My teachers and the team I have never met in person. Donna, Rob, and Marcy and the whole team I have never met in person. But I consider them like family. And I would miss any of then if they were called to lose their living years. And all my friends local that I have, I feel the same way. I even help the animals around my house. I feed the cats that come around, and Mary just got me another bag of bird food, she said it was on sale. Might as well help the birdies while we can. We are both softies. Thank  you for letting me get this off my chest, it makes me feel better I am trying to help people not make the same mistakes I did. This is a good saying I got from in front of a church. It ties in with what I have been saying!

Life is made for inspiration--not hesitation!   Tell someone you love how you feel about them. It will make you both feel better. No I am not preaching. My son is studying to do that. I just want to pass along what little wisdom I have picked up over the many years I have been stumbling across this earth! Thank you! Randy Caldwell

Tired of the cold and snow!

Well we are locked in the cold again. I am checking my one water line that froze twice in the thirty years we live here.  I will have to do something to get it not to freeze up. Will move washer and try to insulate it better. Suppose to snow again in two days. I will attack suicide driveway again.  I will do what I have to to keep driveway and circle open. Helping neighbors to dig out makes me feel  good. I am still doing worthwhile work. Feel needed again.

I am glad we are not getting snow like Washington D.C. They got a lot more than us. We already have twice as much snow as all of last year. It is 5:00 in the morning. I just woke up about twenty minutes ago and am rambling. Checked everything, and O K so far. It is about 8 degrees. Where is global warming when we need it.

The cold weather will not last! We will make it till spring. That is the renewal time for all of Mother Nature creatures. I am feeding the birds, and of course the squirrels grabbing their share. I have outside kitty's food and water dish filled up. I check every day water is not frozen. Back porch gets up to about 50 degrees from the sun. Cat is in her bed now, staying warm and out of wind.

Must go and get breakfast, and empty the dishwasher before Mary gets home at 6:00. I am listening to news to see what is happening outside. Will go down driveway to get newspaper. I take my phone along like I said before. I do not take unnecessary dumb chances anymore! Put ice cleats on my shoes too. Suicide driveway tried to eat me once, I will not give it another chance.

Yes I am RAVING again!

Why is it that some good people get all the bad luck in life. It seems some people get an unfair deal in life, and others have a free ride when it comes to luck. When I was younger I did not believe in luck. Now I am not so sure of it. I have had good and bad luck happen to me and my family. I have money problems, but other things have gone my way. It seems good and bad luck travel in packs. You have a lot of either good or bad luck at a time. When things are bad they keep coming. When things are good, usually you get a lot of it at a time before it changes. I don't know if luck figures in life, or it just seems that way!

I got a bad infection about two weeks after my stomach operation. It was c-diff. It almost killed me. I was sure this was the end of my living years. Three people in Pennsylvania died the week I had it. Why was I spared? My motorcycle accident, I could have died, but I did not even break a bone. And enough people stopped to help me so I was not run over in the middle of the road. When I was in the hospital as a child and my oxygen ran out, my dad awoke just as I was gasping for air. It makes you wonder. As a child I had my appendix almost explode before they took it out. Why so many close calls. Is life trying to tell me something? And am I getting the message and changing my life. You bet I am!!

I thank the LORD every day for protecting me and my family. I am not a goody two shoes. Why have I been blessed? I don't know, I just pray life keeps protecting me and my family. 

We have a brother-in-laws funeral to go to in a few days. His wife just got her breasts removed from her second bout with cancer. Why strike that family again so soon after her operation. I don't know. I just will go and grieve with her and her family and try to hold my head up high and let her know how much we will miss Donald.

I just needed to get this off my chest. I feel lost in the sense that I contemplate my own loss of the living years. When you lose someone close you find out life has no guarantees. We must not waste time being mad at someone and not talking to that person. You never know when that person will die and then there is no communicating with them. If you have a grudge with someone, settle it while you can. Tomorrow may be too late!

I feel better now, I tried to save someone some quilt in life. I saw another good sign at a church today!   

Life is made for inspiration----not hesitation!!    Don't hesitate,do something TODAY!!

Thank you for listening! Randy Caldwell

And the FOOD taketh away!

Mary had a hard night at work last night. Short staff, and a power failure caused a lot of headaches. She was 45 minutes late getting out. I sat in the van gobbling up gas to keep warm in 1 degree temperatures and up to 25 mile per hour winds. When we got home I ate breakfast and watched TV till nine o'clock, and hit the driveway and circle to get what the snow plow missed. I was half frozen as I was finishing scraping the driveway with my snow shovel to get the impacted snow off. When I came in it was time to eat lunch. Mary came down to talk to me. Her eyes were red, so I knew it was not good news! She got a call from her niece, her older sisters husband died suddenly. We go up every 4 or 6 weeks, about an hour and a half away for lunch at a restaurant and conversation. Donald and I take turns harassing each other and all four of us laugh a lot. We will miss him a lot! Mary is really close to her sister and her husband, I am too. They are 76 years young. 

He had a triple bypass a couple years ago. He still had a big stomach. That is hard on your heart. Her brother four years older than Mary died a few years ago from the same thing. He had a big stomach, and did not watch what he ate too. I am trying to lose my big stomach. I realize it is not good for you. Since I have been going to the gym, I lost 10 pounds. Being cut off from soft drinks helps too. I realize I have a problem with food, and am taking responsibility for reducing my intake. But it is so hard! Nicotine, alcohol, and caffein you can just not partake. But food you must eat every day. It is the kind and portion that is hard to control. But I can do it, I must! I want to be around for a while. I am careful when I shovel snow, and take breaks. I carry my cell phone whenever I am outside, especially when it is cold and I am working. I don't want to be laying in the snow with no way to call for help.

Mother strikes back with a passion!

We are getting four to eight inches of snow. It is 16 degrees, going down to about eight tonight. With twenty five mile per hour winds. I am taking Mary to work about eight thirty tonight. I am going to use my '98 astro van which is all wheel drive. Better than the front wheel drive toyota van in this kind of weather. I only have to take her about six miles,but it is hilly with lots of turns that we could slide off the road. I am asking the LORD to watch over us. Nurses need to get to help the patients, and people who drive them need to be out in weather like this. This is far from the first time we have done this. I have rescued people lots of times in my life. I had a full size ford pickup with a camper on that was great in snow. I carried a set of chains and pulled a lot f people out of the snow drifts.

I don't have the chains anymore, someone else can pull the stuck people out now. It is fifteen degrees the weather man just said. Getting colder and the wind is picking up. I am getting ready to go out, put my long john under ware on and an extra sweatshirt. No use taking a chance if I get stuck and must walk for help. Yes I have my cell phone ready. I will clean suicide driveway, get the astro van from the circle, and clean it off. Mary and I have ice spikes to put over our shoes to go down the driveway to get to the van. Mary wears them on the sidewalk at work too. When you are older, and wiser, you don't take risks like when you were young and stupid! I will write about my delivery when I get back. In the morning when I pick Mary up is when I will have to be the most careful. The snow will drift, and salt does not work below 16 degrees.

Bruce called tonight, and harassed me for not riding the motorcycle today. We call each other every couple days and say why aren't you out riding. It is only 20 degrees. We rode all winter when we were young. Good circulation when you are young, didn't mind the cold like now.

Mother can throw whatever she wants at us, and will. I will fight her every inch of the way as long as I can. You know my attitude, fight back as long as I can. Never give up. Stand proud. That is what we taught our children and grandchildren and I am proud they follow in our path. Young people need encouragement to know they can keep going. Too many people give in too soon. It they would try just one more time, they would make it. I believed that all my life! I am not going to change now! Will talk to you when I get back.

Well I beat Mother again. I got suicide driveway and part of the circle cleared. Got my astro van fired up and cleaned off. Mary is at work and I made it back in one piece. Saw some real idiots driving too fast on snow covered roads. Even saw one guy driving without lights. It takes all types! Saw a good sign on the church along the way. That is where I get a lot of my sayings.

"Every 60  seconds you are angry; you lose one minute of happiness." That is so true. When you get mad you only hurt yourself. Your body gets all worked up and you hurt your heart and blood vessels. It does not pay to get mad. It took me a long time to learn that fact. Stopped snowing while I was taking Mary to work. Got about six and one half inches. Hope that is all, and not too much blowing tonight. No 25 mile an hour winds please!

Well if I can pick Mary up at 6:00 in the morning without any incidents I will be happy. Will finish clearing the rest of the snow in the daylight.

Plan your work and work your plan!

Mary brought home Chinese after her hair appointment  and this was in my fortune cookie. It is a good piece of information. I have planned a lot of things over the years. Yes I act on impulse on most of my decisions, but I plan my moves when I know it will elevate my progress. Yes I have spent time planning, like when I was racing. I would go to a back roads and practice launching my motorcycle and car so when I raced I would get a head start on my competition. Some times planning is essential. Like when you start up a business or a plan for your life. You must remind your subconscious mind every day what you want to accomplish so you can make it happen. Like I said before I have a one million dollar bill on my computer keyboard so I see it every time I am at the computer. You can get your mind jogger at mill bill.com It helps program your mind to strive to make more money. You must constantly tell your mind what you want out of life. When your mind knows what you want it will figure how to get it. I have seen it work in my three kids lives. They know what they want, and then figure out  how to get it. I can see the start of it in the grandchildren. It is a great piece of advice we can pass on to future generations.

You can do what ever your mind knows you will do. That is why I do not say, I think I can. I say I KNOW I CAN! That leaves no doubt in my mind what I want and can accomplish! Straight thinking is how you get ahead in this world. You must plan something, and then figure how you are going to do it. With your mind working on the problem you can accomplish it. That is how we have so many inventions coming our way today. There was a program on the History Channel about the TV series  star trek brought us so many inventions. Children grew up watching Star Trek and when they grew up they became scientists because of the show and said how can I make this work. And they did it. The mind is a funny thing. It works how we feel about something and reacts like we think. Like they say, garbage in, garbage out! Positive thoughts in, positive actions out! We need to keep positive thoughts in, and negative thoughts thrown out.

I have to keep reminding myself everyday not to take a drink of alcohol, or a cigarette! They destroy the thinking part of our brain. I killed enough brain cells when I was young. I will not lose any more  to those filthy habits. I have enough trouble with food. I am working on that too. Your brain needs good nutrition and exercise to stay in shape too.  I am off soft drinks again. I drink a lot more water and limit caffein too. I can feel the difference. I am more tired because of the loss of caffein. But my blood pressure and blood chemistry is in better shape with hardly any caffein in me. I will survive quitting caffein. I know I will. I quit nicotine and alcohol, so I can do this too. It is a shock to my body only putting good things in my mouth. But my body likes it! Like I say, Mary will get me healthy even if I think it is killing me! LOL See I say I think, not I know, because it is really helping me. I know I am sarcastic! But I know you needed a laugh too.

My outside is not in such good shape with the arthritis and other elements I have, but I am working on the inside to make me better. I will not worry about the outside till I have the inside in control. Then I will make the outside better too. I am sure I have enough time left. I am still going to the gym three days a week, so I am working on both inside and outside slowly, but surely. It took a long time to ruin my body, so I cannot fix it overnight. I am getting more sleep, and trying to make this tired body last a lot of years yet. I want to see the grandchildren grow up. And the new ones from my two boys families that have not been born yet. I have too much to do yet to leave these living years any time soon.

Thank you! Randal Caldwell

Runnin' on Empty

Yes that is one of my favorite songs, but that is not why I chose it for the title of this chapter. I am going to talk about Mary trying to help me again. She cut me off from caffein. No more soft drinks. She will not buy them again, or so she said. She has been threatening to cut me down to two cans a day for about two years. Finally she did it. Except cold turkey this time!  I love Cherry Pepsi and I have a hard time resisting it. She does what she always does to things I jam down my gullet too much, refuse to buy them. I said before I have no self control.      Mary will drive me to healthy eating, even if I think it is killing me!!      I know she is looking out for my well being, but the instant thrill of something delicious is hard for me to resist! I have been heavy all my life because I can not resist the tasty morsel. Food is one of the hardest things to resist. That is why our society is one of the fattest on this earth. We have an abundance of food, and we stuff in in our face without cause for the consequences.

Something we like is something we can devour when no one is looking. We are sure no one will find out!! Like it will not show up on our reared later. The food addict is a hard life. You cannot resist the tasty morsel. Food is hard to manage. Because we must eat. It is not like booze, nicotine or drugs that we can stay away from. We must east to survive. Controlling the amount we stuff into our mouth is in our genes. That word again. It is the roadmap of our lives. It is a good excuse for how we control our lives. We cannot control something because it is inbred in our psyche. There is something missing in our chemistry that makes us act this way. Science is finding everyday some cause that makes us this or that way. Someday we will take a pill for everything. In the future we will take enough pills and we will be perfect. Fat chance of that happening! Sorry my lack of faith in science strikes again.  

I am getting angry again, I need to calm down, Getting upset is not good for my blood pressure. Must resist the urge to get mad. It does my body no good. Getting mad only hurts you. Today's culture gives us so much to get mad about. That is why we have so much trouble with people getting mad and doing stupid stuff. We feel overwhelmed that we cannot control the world, we must sit by and watch bad things happening. We cannot control what happens, and this upsets us. If you want some control in your life, you must take it back. You must decide, this is what is going to happen in my life today. I will do this today for me and mine. I will have a better life today!

Take control of your life     TODAY. You will be glad you did Everyday hearafter! We need to be told again we will change when we want to. Not when we are made to. The mind must grasp what we want, be shown repeatedly that this is something we can accomplish if we give it a try! No not a try, we must do it! Know you can do it, not just think you can. This is how I tackle the problems in life, and you can too! Be in charge of your destiny. Change what is going on in your subconscious mind and you can solve any problem. Well my soapbox is getting pretty high, I must come down for now. Save the soapbox for another time.

Thank you for letting me rave again. Randal Caldwell

I always know what I am doing? YEA RIGHT !!

Where have I heard that line, (LIE) before! Us guys hate to ask directions on the road, read directions while assembling something or ask for help. Not because we believe we know what we are doing. Because we hate to look stupid. That of course makes us look more stupid. But ladies it is in the genes. I don't mind asking for directions when I am lost, but hate to read directions till I have screwed something up. I have done pretty good over the years, not ruining too many things till I gave in and read the directions. Now in my later years the wisdom I acquired over the many years of struggling and having screwed a few things up have sunk in my thick scull.

I don't ride the motorcycle without my helmet. I google a place I plan to visit if I don't know the way. I prefer to have Mary along to read the directions for me to make sure I follow them right! I don't move the car without my or anyone else in the cars seat belt fastened. And if I'm not sure how to put something together, I skim over the directions before I start putting it together.

The last two years I was afraid to take the motorcycle out for a ride. It is one of the few adrenaline producing times I have left. I'm not sure why. I worried I'd find another idiot like the guy who tried to kill me, and took off. I took the bike for inspection, even though that errand was where I met the idiot and almost left my living years. That I did so my son could ride my bike. I will not let any more of my precious time slip away without my riding taking up a lot of my time now! I have changed this last year since I started my Jerky Direct business, and found the team. Going on the weekly calls charges up my battery, the team kids me about charging up their batteries too. I know I like to talk, and like Rob says, I think outside the box. I am manic depressive, my mind is going a mile a minute. This blog is really good for me, it keeps my wondering brain busy.

Yes some of the ideas I come up with are good, at least that's what the team tells me. And the team needs a good laugh now and then. I can supply the laugh, I have a lot of material to tell them. I did not have the money for insurance this fall. Jeff was in North Carolina so he and Heather could not ride the bike, and I had it inspected so I let it lapse. I will pick it up again in the spring, and I will ride it, believe me. I will not let some jerk who does not know how to drive scare me away from my passion again. Mary tells me when I am down to go ride the motorcycle ( I don't have a kite) so I will ride the motorcycle. I will be on the watch for the idiot drivers, but I will ride!

When you feel down, think of me and my exploits. I will be riding my cycle and getting rid of my pent up emotions.

I think I can?? I think I can?? NO!! I KNOW I CAN!!

Henry Ford said." If you think you can; or If you think you can't; you are always right!" Mine is a little different from Henry Ford's because from small on up I always did not think, I knew I could do what ever I put my mind to. I don't know if it was because my mother always told me I would not amount to anything or because my dad was stubborn and would not give up whenever he was doing anything. I grew up with those two opposite influences and my dads won out. When I was doing something I did not like, in gym class for instance when we ran cross country and I would get cramps I would just remember the pain will only be there till I finish the course. I eventually would be sitting in another class when it was over. The pain would not last. And that is how I made it through all the operations I have endured over the years.

Life's setbacks are temporary; good friends helping us out are not!

And I have had a lot of good friends over the years. When at the age of about twelve a car pulled out in front of me when I was coming down a hill on my bicycle. I guess he did not see me. I hit the front fender of the car and sailed over the hood and landed on a patch of grass on the other side of the road. He took me home, I was still conscious from this accident. He was my neighbor and knew where I lived.  Friends were looking over me that time too. I'll tell you later about the fight I had with GOD when my father died. I was not friends with GOD for a while. But I reclaimed my senses and realized not every thing is GOD'S fault. We have a free hand in our lives. It took me a while to figure that one out. The head is a little thick at times.!

I made a lot of crazy inventions when I was in my teens. Some worked, some sent me flying when they did not work. There was always someone there to pick me up and check for broken bones. I worked in maintaining production equipment most of my life. If my employer owned it, we repaired it. Guys told me a lot, how the heck did you figure that out to get it running again. I got the ability from my dad. He was a mechanical genius. He took an old washing machine electric motor, turned it up and down on an old mower and hooked a blade to the shaft and mowed the yard before those type of mowers existed. Some one saw him mowing and stole it. Probably sold it for a lot of money. The little guy gets the shaft again. My dad always helped people, I guess thats where we get it from. My parents took in a lot of people over the years. So did Mary and I. You do what you see your family doing!

That is where I and Mary get our attitude from. Mary had us install a wood floor in the kitchen. She did a lot of vinyl tile work at the old house we had, and this one we are in now. Three years ago  we had a contractor install picture windows and vinyl siding on the back porch. She said we would do the inside. Again I thought she was nuts, we could not get it done. And again I was wrong, the porch turned out great, thanks to Mary and our son in law. We even cut and installed vinyl flooring. When I doubt, Mary is there to set me straight. Pretty good set up for a relationship that lasted 41 years so far, considering Mary was afraid of me when we first met. Donna heard all these wild stories from Jim about me and told the girls I was Jimmy's wild friend. Well the first time she saw me I went around a stop sign on the motorcycle where Jim and Donna were stopped because a cop was chasing me. And yes he did not catch me,THAT TIME!

Yes I had a lot of traffic violations when I was young and reckless. I never did any thing real bad, never hurt anyone except my self. I thank the LORD every day he got me thru this reckless life I have led. I am glad I got this far in life, and am not ready to give up the living years yet.

Thank you for checking in to read about why I am how I am. Life creates us all different. How we live and what we are taught makes us all different. But it is funny how most of us really care about others and will help when we see a need. That is in our genes too. The good and the bad is in there together. Its just some of us use what we have in different ways.

I guess I have bent your ear enough for tonight. Good night, remember never give up, fight like the frog in the pelican's mouth, put your hands around his throat and choke him till he spits you out. Be stubborn like me. I have a bumper sticker that says: Make the undertaker mad, don't die.     I cleaned it up for my readers, but you get the idea.

Thank you Randal (Randy) Caldwell

Dumb Vs. Stupid

I have said several times, sometimes I can act dumb, but I am not stupid! I am fasting tonight to take a blood test tomorrow morning. Every three months I go to my doctor. He keeps an eye on my blood pressure, my diabetes, and my blood chemistry. I am not yet taking anything for my diabetes. I watch my salt and sugar intake.

Mary tries to get me to eat the right foods. It is an ongoing battle to eat right. Most of the time I listen to her. Sometimes I sneak a treat. I don't have much self control. But I also want to continue in the living years. So I try to listen to Mary. It usually works out that I behave. Most of the time! Just went out to the kitchen for a snack. Saw my note, no food or drink after 8:00 PM tonight. It is now 8:48. Sorry, only water! Good I write myself notes all over the place! My mind is terrible, too many hits to the head over the years.

My father had eight strokes before he had the one that took his life. They did not treat high blood pressure much in the old days. I have been monitored since I hooked up with Mary. If not for her, I would not be around now. I smoked four packs of mostly non-filtered cigarettes a day, and drank heavy. I was drunk a couple times a week when I was young.

I needed a nurse to set me straight. Quitting alcohol was not near as difficult as quitting nicotine. Cigarettes are the most trying thing I ever had to quit in my life. Even now 35 years after I quit, if I smell unfiltered cigarette smoke, just for an instant I would take one. It is that much of a draw on my psyche. I can't imagine how it is quitting drugs. That is why I was afraid to try drugs when I was young, I knew how bad nicotine had a hold on me. Both my parents families had problems with alcohol and nicotine. Its in our genes. My younger boy smoked for a few years. He has quit several years now, to our delight.

Quite a few times I am ashamed to say I drove drunk. I don't remember getting home! Now I realize how horrendous it is to take a chance like that. Back then it did not have the stigma it has now. A good friend Bill was killed by a drunk driver a few weeks after we graduated high school. I am so thankful the LORD watched over me in my single years, because I did not.

I worry about my family, because there a lot of people out there like me when I was young and stupid. At that age, IT can't happen to me. It is always someone else. I lost five friends to stupid people and stupid actions. Every couple weeks it was in the paper. (Local youth fails to negotiate curve.) It meant another kid bought a tragic end to the living years.

Unfortunately, the car accidents are still happening. The kids are still invincible at that age. So they think. And the motorcycle accidents mount up too. People start out on big heavyweight cycles that do not forgive mistakes. Not like us 50 years ago when we learned on small lightweight bikes.

I also see so many people riding without helmets today. They should not have changed the law, I believe. If I had not had a helmet on when that guy tried to run me over, I would not be here today. My helmet has a piece out of it where my head hit the roadway! I thank the LORD every day for looking over me and my family!

Its funny how your look on life's changes with age and some wisdom! I know I am not really smart, but I am not as dumb as I was  at 18 or 19 years old. I have learned some good over the years. I am just lucky I was given the chance to grow old and a little wiser. So many have not had that chance. They paid a high price for young foolishness.

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope my faults and my learning inspire you to change your life for the better. I am learning all the time. You must too!

The difficult we will do immediately.

The impossible will take a little while longer.

Computer Whiz Vs. Computer Dummy?

My friend Rob is a computer whiz. He has studied for years, and practiced his trade daily. He knows what he is doing! I, on the other hand, am the dummy!

I have just started finding my way on the computer. It takes a lot of learning to be proficient in all that is related to manipulating the keyboard and getting what you want to materialize on screen.

Last year I knew how to send and receive e-mails. That was about the extent of my computer skills. Now I know a lot more, and am learning more every day. I want to improve my lot in life, and I must learn more to do it. I am 65 years young, and it is not easy going to school at this age. But I want to make more money, so this is what I must do.

A lot of what I learn I am getting from Marcy. She is a great teacher. I also am being taught by Donna and Rob. I know I will not be able to manipulate the computer like Rob, but I will learn what I need to become a better earner of my destiny. I will do it to improve my place in the world. It is nice to have a lot of people offering me help and guidance.

If you want to improve your life, you must change what you are doing. I am changing my life by learning how to make money on the Internet. I have already started making money, and I will change what I am doing to enhance my chances for a better life. We who want to improve our life do what we must to have a better place in this world. I will never give up this quest to improve my lot in life 'til I am not in the living years anymore. When I must give up my quest for a better life, so be it. But I will not give up 'til I cannot do it any more. I will fight 'til the end of my life.

When you stop learning, you stop breathing!

When you stop laughing, you are dead!

I plan to keep breathing and laughing for a long time. Just try and stop me, life. I will fight you every inch of the way. I may be a dummy for now, but I am not stupid! I plan to get as much out of my living years as I can. Like my dad told me over thirty years ago before he died, "I can rest up when I am in the ground. It will be for a long time".

Plan to improve your living years, so you can to enjoy your golden years. For they will not be that golden if you don't have enough money to live a good life. Plan ahead. Don't rely on someone else. They may not be there when you need them. I am talking about the government retirement program! Yes, even the retirement plans offered by employers can be yanked away. Many have!

Thank you,
Randal Caldwell.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!!

Well it's Saturday, and like the weather lady said, it is raining cats and dogs. That is a funny expression. If it was raining cats and dogs, we would be polluted with animals instead of worrying about flooding. At least suicide driveway is getting washed down. All the sand I put on it is washed to the circle. When it dries I will sweep it up and use it again to fight Mother another time.

That is whats great about using sand for traction. I can use it over again. Mail just was delivered, so I will navigate suicide driveway again. This time it is just wet. Don't need to put on my ice cleats. Although I did use them this morning. I may be dumb now and then, but I am not stupid. The driveway black ice got me two years ago. Not ready to trust it again. When it is near 32 degrees, I lean to the safe side and use my cleats.

Like the movie said, I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it! Yes the male species does learn when it is a painful lesson! Fantastic, the newspaper lady drove past when I was at the mailbox. I did not have to walk down again as soon as I got into the house, like usual. Lady luck shines again! I wonder why it is referred to as lady luck. The ladies have the upper hand again!

Mother Strikes Back Two

Well it is now raining. I have to go check the driveway before Mary tries to back down suicide driveway in about an hour when she leaves for work. It is suppose to rain a lot tomorrow. The weather man says the rivers are rising now, so tomorrow when we get more rain there is a chance of flooding. With the extra rain, there is the chance most of the snow piled up is going to melt and cause a flood. Another calamity in the making. From one problem to the next. I am glad I am not a worrier! LOL

Tomorrow, saturday it is suppose to get up to 50 degrees. Will melt the snow and ice, that can be the problem. Too much run off into the rivers still ice capped. I am glad we do not live near a place that floods, but I feel for the people that do. I guess it doesn't matter where you live there is a change of something happening. You really are not completely safe anywhere. I'm glad we are resilient as a people and can bounce back from a lot of calamities in life. We also have a lot of good places for people to get hooked up with someone that will help in times of tragedy. Mary and I support several charities that we have never needed. Thank you Lord for helping us over the years! We have helped a lot of people over the years ourselves. We are blessed with being able to keep our heads above water, so we feel the need to help others that need it at sometime in their lives.

Yes I talk about my battle with Mother Nature, kid a lot, but I am glad at my age I can still fight back. I feel good being in the good fight of the living years, being able to help others. I had help when I needed it, and it feels good to pay it back. I know there will come a day when I can't win the fight any longer. I hope it is quite a few years away yet. When I had my electric business I would get a call from some people to fix electrical items that I could see they could not afford the bill. And I charged accordingly. I even wanted to do some jobs free. When I told the person there was no charge, they insisted they pay me something. So I relented and charged them $5.00 just so they felt good about not being a charity case. You learn a lot about people when you work for the public.

Mary left for work, so I had room in the garage to turn the tractor around so it was pointed toward the door, ready for my next battle with Mother again. Over winter the tractor is ready to fight Mother with the snow blower on front. Over summer the tractor has the belly mower to do battle with the grass.  It is a 365 day sword for me to use to do battle with Mother, whatever she throws at us. As long as Mary and I can do the battles with Mother, we will live in this house. When we can no longer walk up and down suicide driveway, Mary says we will use the car to go up and down the steep hill. LOL.

Mother Strikes Back!!

Mary did not work last night, so I did not set my alarm for 5AM to check suicide driveway. What a surprise when I awoke at 8AM and found over an inch of snow covering everything. This was the second surprise in as many weeks that the weather man called wrong. They said this would be freezing rain. Another bad call. Well they can't be right all the time, I guess.

I realize the snow is better than freezing rain for everyone traveling the roads. So it is not so bad after all. It's 1:00 PM on Friday. I relaxed a while since we had nowhere to go. I will work out at the gym twice as much when I go again Monday, to make up for missing today. I will have lunch, and then tackle the driveway, the circle and the neighbors' driveways. It is help your neighbor day again!  They helped me when I needed it, so I like to help them while I still am mobile enough to do so!

Well, I made the world safe for another day! I removed the snow from the suicide driveway, the circle and the neighbors' driveways too. I shoveled my walk and stoop by hand. Snow is wet, heavy and melting. Warmed up above freezing.

Will be bad when Mary goes to work at 9 tonight. Lots of frozen spots to watch out for. Glad she is a sensible person, not taking a chance while driving. I have adopted that theory in my later years too. No cycle riding on ice and snow like when I was young. My daredevil attitude has changed with age too. I have my nurse now, for keeps. I do not need to meet another one  in the hospital like when I was single and looking to meet a nurse to settle down with!

Speaking of my nurse, Mary is always looking out for my best interests, even if I do not at times. She got me a new blood pressure cuff to keep an eye on my blood pressure since high blood pressure is what killed my dad, and men on both sides of our families. She says it is easy to operate, that means it is idiot proof so I can use it when she is not around. She showed me how to use it. It is pretty easy, just have to position it right on my arm.

Must make a habit to lay it out, so I stumble over it, and I will remember to use it. Again ladies, it is a male thing! The guys will know what I mean. What would we stupid men do without our ladies watching over us. That is why they say married men live longer than single men. Thank you ladies for looking out for us! We need it! And we appreciate it, even if we don't tell you enough.

You People Are Nuts!!

I hear that from a lot of people that live in the nice climates all or most of their life. And our friends who move to fair weather states when they retire, or get a job in a state that does not have snow and ice! Yes, it would be nice to live where the weather in nice almost all year. You just have to put up with storms, tornadoes, and earthquakes. The worst part of leaving our state would be leaving the kids and grandkids. We would miss not seeing them so much.

I grew up living beside my mom's parents, and my dad's family was close too. And you get used to being around family, at least we do. Mary and I talked about moving several times, but we always came back to the same argument. We did not want to leave family!

So much for us being nuts. Even my youngest boy and his life partner decided to move back from North Carolina to go to seminary in Lancaster, not go to California. They miss family, and want to be close to loved ones. The other two kids and their families live within 15 miles of us. We were just with my daughter's family tonight. The oldest granddaughter turns 14 tomorrow and we took them to Pizza Hut for supper. She picked the place because it was her celebration.

The three year old grandson was in rare form. He yelled and screamed, so my daughter took him out to the car when the pizza came. I ate one slice of pizza and went out to the car to stay with him so my daughter could be with the party. Don't tell anyone I am really a softee when it comes to my family. We spoil all of them rotten! I said before, family is the most important thing to myself and Mary. 

Yes, we people who live in the states with snow and ice have hardships. Even in the fair weather states people go through trying times. Remember the sign I saw outside a church recently: If GOD brings you to it, HE will bring you through it!!!!

I believe that with all my heart. He has brought me thru a lot in these 65 years I have been stumbling over this earth. I know my keen sense of saving my behind has not been my actions as much as HIS. Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope I have enlightened your outlook on life. I know writing it has helped mine!

Mother Got Me Again!!

The pipes for the washing machine in the room leading to the garage are frozen again. It happened several years ago when it was this cold. I have a portable heater propped above the washing machine, blowing down the wall where I cut the drywall out years ago to get more heat to the pipes. Just checked the heater, and the plastic housing in the wall that houses the spigots was melted and curled up. Should have checked it sooner. It is not that bad, but must keep a closer eye on it.

Really like this frigid weather. Went to gym this morning and drove my other van that is parked outside. Try to run it every couple days, this kind of weather. It was about 10 degrees inside. Takes a couple miles to start throwing heat. I just shiver and say, "Common heat", like a fool!

We were going to my daughters about 10 miles away to watch the three year old grandson so my daughter can go to doctor for checkup. Will bring Kyler along to stay overnight. Like to have the kids over, just not too long at a time. They wear us out. Grandchildren were made for grandparents to spoil rotten, then send home for parents to put up with again!

Mary will have to go by herself, so I can finish defrosting the pipe. Need to wash a lot of clothes. Had I known the pipes were going to be inside the back wall, I would have had the plumber move them on the outside of the wall behind washer. Well, you live and learn. Thirty years, and this is only the second time this happened, so not so bad. Like a well educated man told me years ago, "I can't think of everything". Before we left, Mary tried the washer, and the pipe was open again. Well Mother Nature, you threw me a curve again, and again I beat you back. Sometimes I win!! So I went along to watch Kyler and bring him home.

Well strike another blow for not thinking ahead. I have tried to think ahead most of my life. I have done pretty well at it. Not that many bad decisions in my life! I am a worry-wart like I said before. It has served me well over the years. Most times we had an emergency, I had taken along what I needed to solve a problem.

I bought smoke alarms and fire extinguishers when we built the house. I ran electric out to my mailbox pole so I could put a light on it where the number was. I put an electric eye circuit throughout the house to turn the lights on at night. I even put a light in the skylight above the steps that comes on at night and illuminates the living room so when you come home at night, when you open the door you can see enough to get in safely. I even have lights in the garage so when you get home after dark you can see to walk in the house. I'm prepared for everything, I think! Well so far I have not found too many things that I did wrong. A few things I would do different, if I could do my life over again.

Hindsight is always 100%. You can be smarter when you analyze your life. You say, "I would do this or that differently". The one thing I would not change in my life was hooking up with Mary, and having my family. I have a lot of friends that have a business or fancy jobs and lots of money, but did not have time to have a family! To me, family is more important!

Back in the Groove!!

Well holidays are over, and my break from work must end. I goofed off over the holidays, and took some much needed time for myself and the grandchildren. Three year old grandson coming over tomorrow night. I brought his containers of play dough in from the unheated porch so we can play with play dough tomorrow. When cold, it is too hard to mold.

Kyler is a handful. Mary and I get no rest when he is here. We love when he comes over, but it is a relief when he goes home too. We can't take the kids too long at a time. Our old age surfaces, and our bodies need rest.

Last night it was 0 degrees with 40 mile per hour winds. The furnaces worked overtime, and on the news was a story about all the people that lost heat. I used to repair heat and air conditioning units so I know what the poor service men are going through. Thirty years I was on call for HVAC, plumbing and electrical work. I'm glad the younger guys are taking over for us old fogies now.

It is suppose to be 8 degrees tonight with little wind. It is like a heat wave! The polar air is suppose to end tomorrow. Supposed to go back north. I can say I am glad it is moving back up where it came from. Good riddance. We will not miss it.

I must send an e-mail to Bob in St. Petersburg, Florida. Yes, my friend from our trip to the shore on the motorcycle, when we were eighteen years old. He always gives me a hard time when we have cold and snow, that they are warm and ice free. I'll ask him how does he like the Polar Wind we sent him, freezing even in Florida. Weather woman said there is freezing in all fifty states. Even on mountains in Hawaii!

Well you see I like to tease, and be teased. I know everyone needs laughter now and then. It helps relieve the pressure of everyday life. One year more and Mary will not be working full time. She wants to just work part time. Hates to give up nursing altogether, but not be in charge and have all the responsibility.

That is why I am building up my home business, to make up the loss in salary when she retires. So we can maintain our level of living. Besides, it gives me a reason for getting up every morning and tackling this crazy thing we call life. I need to feel needed, have a reason to get these old bones going in the morning. It feels great to feel in charge of my life again. We all need to feel needed. Be responsible for our time in the living years again like when I worked full time.

Thank you for letting me rave, it has changed my life, being in charge again! You can do it too! Change your life like I did. It feels so good!

Back to Normal (Almost!)

It's Monday so I went to the gym. I must get back into my routine again after three weeks of missing some days! It was really hard to exercise since I was not as limber as when I went three days a week. I saw my neighbors, Rachel and Drew. They are regulars, and are in better shape than I ever will be. They are a lot younger, and take to exercise better than my war torn body. I just will do what  I can to keep this decrepit old body going as long as I can. Karen said again, I need to add more machines to   your daily routine. I said I can't wait! Luckily she was busy and did not have the time now to torture me some more. Ah, I look forward to her giving me some more instruction another day, showing her I can take it. I hope!

It is mild today, maybe 40 degrees. Tonight it is suppose to be about 6 degrees with wind chill in the minus 2 to 8 degrees. Just so we do not get snow again, Mother give us a break for a while please.  It was announced on the news the guy from Florida will not take the coaching job at Penn State football. Imagine him not leaving sunny Florida for the snow and ice of central Pennsylvania! We who live in cold states are tough old birds. We say, give us your worst, we can take it. We are tough, we live where we choose, not where life is easier!  That is why people who live in the cold states are self reliant, and prosper in whatever we choose to partake of in life. We don't let Mother Nature push us around!  We will survive!

Mary works tonight, so I will worry 'til she gets to work and back home again. She is tough, and she does stand up for herself. I don't worry about what she does on the road, I am scared of what other drivers might do to her! Just like on the motorcycle for myself and my son when we ride. I made it 42 years riding motorcycle before that person almost ended my life through carelessness! Luckily HE was watching over me and I fooled everyone and did not die.

I don't know how many lives I have left. They say a cat has nine, but I never read where I stand in this life. I just thank the Lord every day for the living years I and my family have been given! I never realized in my younger years I would ever be old and thankful for my family and all that I have been given. You have no thought of growing old. You are too busy enjoying life.

My dad told me, "Time goes faster the older you get." I can't believe he is in the ground thirty years already! Where did my precious living years go to? It was a blur, however nice it was.

Well you have heard me rave enough for this chapter. This time I was not being profound in trying to give you a lesson in appreciating the years you have left. Or was I?!

Time goes so fast. The passage of time, how you perceive it, depends on whether you are feeling pleasure or pain at that time in your life. Had to throw a little piece in there to get your mind involved. Gotta exercise your brain as well as your body. Both need daily exercise.

A Very Dire Dilemma!!

Its Saturday night, the fourth day of 2014. I just finished my three S's. S--t, shower and shave! Yes I do them during the week too. I try to stick in a laugh. I know you need a laugh sometimes too!

The grand puppy was sitting on the chair beside me, when one of the cats walked over to her favorite squeaky toy on the floor and started sniffing it. Joy, that's her name, figured the cat was stealing her toy and she jumped to the floor and started barking and chased the cat from the room. Now remember, Joy is less than half the size of the cat. Shows you what a little attitude can accomplish when you have the "never say die" attitude! I have acquired that attitude over the years! We all need some of it, now and then.

Now on to my dilemma. I like the Sci-Fi and horror movies from the late 40's and 50's very much. I like to watch them whenever they are on. Now women, especially Mary, do not understand us guys that like to watch anything that we like over and over again. It's in our genes.

She always says, "You watched it so many times you know it by heart!" That is the reason we like to watch it over and over again. We are checking to see if anything changes this time! You girls just don't understand we are just checking it to make sure no one changed anything. But I digress again. Remember, I am male.

One of my most favorite movies was on, "The Thing from Another World". Most people think it was just The Thing. But when it ran years ago they shortened the title. When the new version was made, "The Thing", they used the original name for the 1951 movie to tell them apart in the listings. See, I know all these little known tidbits. I am a filler freak. (The little filler pieces they put in to take up space, in printed papers and TV guides.)

Mary told me years ago I should play the games about odd stuff. She says I could do well at that. The problem was that a Muppet movie was on at the same time on another channel. Now, should I watch my old standby Sci-Fi movie or the Muppets Take Manhattan. Serious dilemma! Well, I had never seen this Muppet movie, so I watched The Thing again, and saved the Muppet movie for another time. I have grown to like the Muppets from watching them so much with my kids when the Muppet show was on every week when they were young, and I had hair all over my head!

Well I have thrown a lot of different ideas at you again.  Like Rob says, I guess I am deep at something. I just have not found a good outlet for my tidbits except this blog.  If I can enlighten you and make you laugh while you learn something, then I have not wasted my or your time.

Check back and see if I have put any of my tidbits on paper that you need to read at a certain moment in your life. It sure helps me clear my head when I put my thoughts on paper. And it is cheaper than going to a shrink.

Randal Caldwell

Worry-Wart!!

Yes, I worry about everything! I get that from my mother. She used to worry 'til she got physically sick.

Last night, in 0 degrees cold and high winds, Mary left for work a little before 9:00 PM. She forgot to call and let me know she got there safe. It is only five miles, but hilly and a lot of curves. So I waited a half hour after she left and called to make sure she was safe. I told the lady who answered the phone who I was and asked if Mary got there safe. She said yes. Doom and gloom averted one more time. She remembered to call in the morning and let me know she was leaving, so I would not worry. She made it home in good shape, just a little cold!

My worry is not as bad as when I was younger. My excessive obsessive behavior used to be a problem. It is a lot better since I am busy with my business and especially since Marcy got me into this blog. My friends keep an eye on me, and let me know when I am straying from my goals of furthering my business and my life. The women of the group also remind me when I am not listening to Mary's good advice.

I am thankful for all the people who are looking out for my interests! Like I've said before, you need to surround yourself with like minded people to help you change your attitude and further your goals in life. People who build up your attitude, instead of tearing you down! People who will let you know when you screw up, so you can change your bad behavior!

Even Rob, who keeps me from getting a big head. I asked him how my blogs seem to a guy who is our resident computer specialist. He said I did not know you were such a deep stinker, oh I mean thinker! He always gives me a hard time, to make me laugh. I need to laugh a lot. It helps me not worry. A lot of people have told me I have a strange sense of humor. Laughter helps us all get through the tough times.

Donna works so hard and has been through a lot the last couple months. She is always up in her attitude, ready to help others whenever she can. I always send her something funny when I find it. She needs a good laugh too. Donna is always sending good vibes to keep us going when we get on the call. I owe my better attitude to everyone on the team who help me, Especially Donna!

I saw a sign on a church on the way to pick up the girls to stay overnight. We have them over a lot. We miss the kids when we do not see them at least every other weekend. And of course grand puppy is along. She keeps our two cats in line even though she is about 1/2 the size of the cats. I liked the saying on the sign, I just changed it a little bit. It was placed there to enlighten my life!

"Do not use your energy to worry; Use it to get ahead of your problems in life!!"

This is my new motto for 2014. I will focus my energy on building my business. We have a renewed motivation in all the members of the team. We will overcome our problems and soar to new heights.

Thank you to everyone who made me what I am today. Keep up the good work, I need the help "despertably"!

Mother Gets Even! (Maybe!)

It is Friday night, the first Friday of 2014. Yesterday and last night we got over eight inches of snow and howling winds. It was really exciting blowing snow last night and early this morning so my wife could navigate suicide driveway again!  Between working last night and this morning in the dark with 30 mph gusts, I spent about three hours fighting Mother Nature outside. That was counting the time I spent in the circle cleaning up drifts this afternoon.  Don't tell Karen my drill instructor at the rec center I did not go New year's day or today for my workout. I figure the workout I got from blowing and shoveling snow was enough!

Mary is getting ready to leave again for work. It is 8:45 Friday night, and she has off Saturday and Sunday night. She just has to make it through tonight and navigate home in the morning when it is suppose to be below 0 degrees. Hope the wind lets up. This dry powdery snow really blows around. The Penn DOT drivers on the news say it is hard keeping the roads open. Mary will have a hard time missing the people stuck in the road because they don't use their heads, in this kind of weather.

No Mother, we will not give up. We will fight you every bit we can. Mary must get to work. The nurse's duty cannot wait.  People need care, and the dedicated people who must be out in times like this are very dedicated.  All of them!!

We enclosed the back porch years ago. Three years ago we put bigger windows in, and vinyl siding on the outside. Mary and Rich, our son-in-law, took care of putting the paneling inside. And we put vinyl linoleum on the concrete floor. The three year old grandson has a great play place now. I had installed a cat door about 14 years ago for the one cat out of the litter that we had we could not find a home for, so she lives on the porch. Today in the cold and windy conditions there was a blonde cat visiting. Probably had no place to go, so she or he sought shelter here. Like the people we took in over the years, we help people and animals that need it. I'm large, and take no gruff off anyone. I stick up for people's rights! But today after coming in the house from being frozen outside I noticed the bird feeder was empty so I ran outside and filled it. Don't tell anyone I am really a softy at heart. LOL

I like to help people, that is why I started this blog to let people know how my life has changed. And how we can help you change your life. Give it a chance and see how your life will change for the better. The bad weather will not last, but your life will be the same unless you change what you are doing. It took me a lot of years to find the best way to improve my life. Make your change today for the better. I know you can do it!

Randal Caldwell

It's a Three Dog Night!! For Sure!!

Mother Nature strikes again! It's 12 degrees, with 16 mph winds and gusts to 30 mph. Spent 45 minutes last night clearing suicide driveway and circle. Mary had to drive around three idiots stuck in middle of road last night on way to work. This morning it was 45 more minutes clearing driveway and circle. Did neighbors driveways again. Help out when I can. This morning my finger tips were in pain, even though I had fur lined glove on. Three grand dogs are at their homes, only have two kitties to keep me warm in bed. It's supposed to be 6 degrees tonight. Bring it on Mother, we will survive! Even with wind chills at -8 degrees.

I'm glad I don't have to go to work anymore. I worked outside most of my life. Now that I am retired, someone else is taking my place.

When I was younger the cold was not a problem. Now I can't stand the cold anymore. Like Mick Jagger sings, "It's a drag getting old" but it beats the alternative by a long shot! Besides, I need something to rave about! I like talking, as you are finding out. So blogging is a great pastime for me. It gives me a purpose in life again, that retirement took away.

Writing these blogs I thought would be hard!  But as you see I just really like putting my thoughts and feelings down on paper. I just sit at my keyboard, and the words flow from me. I have a paper from a fortune cookie on my desk that says."Imagine your ideals, then make them real."

With my vivid imagination that is not too hard! I imagine my wife being able to retire next year because my home business is making enough money to take up the loss of income when she quits working. That is my main goal right now. We want to travel the 50 states, but not for long periods of time. We must see the kids and grandkids, we would miss them if away too long.

Well I must sit in my lazy boy and cover up again. Still cold from my fight with Mother Nature clearing the snow. Hopefully I will warm up again soon. We keep the house 72 degrees, but when you see the snow, and hear the wind blowing outside you feel cold. At least I do now.

Learning lots of computer workings. Marcy is a great teacher. Good friends make life better. Find like minded individuals to bolster your thinking and keep your spirits up.

Randal Caldwell

Still Not Here!

It's 10:00 PM on New Year's Eve and I am finally getting my computer back. Mary and the three year old grandson have gone upstairs. She puts a DVD in the portable player and sits it on a stool near his bed and hopes he falls asleep watching Mickey Mouse, his favorite.

The eight year old granddaughter just informed me she wants the computer back. She was playing games for about four hours, she quit for about fifteen minutes and I thought it was my turn. Wrong again! She just took a break for a snack and to walk the puppy.

Well the lot of being a pushover grandpa! They gave me a magnet for on the refrigerator that says "Love you Grandpa" so we put it next to the magnet my wife got from the kids' mom that says. "If Mom says no, call 1-800-Grandma." They knew at an early age we let them get away with more than mom and dad. Well that is in the rule book that grandparents give in more than mom and dad! I can hear the three year old grandson. Mary's bedroom is right above my bedroom/computer room. He doesn't sound very sleepy! Maybe he will see the New Year in after all!

Well I must turn over the computer to Kallista, so she can continue her game. Will finish this chapter of my life next year.

Well here it is the new year already. It is 3:00 AM on New Year's Day. Donna texted me about 10:30, wished me "happy jerky new year" and asked if she should text me five minutes to 12:00 so I'd be awake to see the new year in, like I joked she should. I figured so close I would be awake and said no. Well you know what happened!  I was snoring when new year came in. I missed the Bologna from Lebanon coming down, all 12 feet and 200 pounds of it and all the other festivities I wanted to see. So much for male pride. I did not listen to a woman again, and missed my celebration. I still have a lot to learn!

I hope my mistakes help others to learn their limitations and improve their lot in life. I am trying every day to improve my lot in life. Most of the time I am doing it right. There are just some times that I digress into the old ways and it happens again. Failure! Well, I will try harder next time. As long as I learn from my failures, it is not totally wasted time.

Have a great New Year. I know I will!
Randal Caldwell