A Few Firsts

    Unfortunately for IU fans, IU lost its first football game to Ohio State, 15-38. They are now 10-1. This afternoon, the Colts lost to Detroit at home 6-24 and are now 5-7.  

    Another first happened last Wednesday when I fell while playing pickleball. I have never fallen while playing, but this happened when my partner lost his balance and knocked me down. I didn't see this coming, but I got up and walked off the court after a few seconds. Later, I was back playing. Everyone stops for a minute when someone falls to check that no one is seriously hurt. 

    A third first was our first snowfall of the season. We woke up Thursday to snow on the grass. Even though it was in the low 30s, I went out for a jog. Later that afternoon, when we were leaving the senior center after playing bridge, we found the car covered in several inches of snow. We had to rely on our windshield wipers to clear the snow since we didn't have a snowbrush in the trunk. There is one now! The snow didn't cover the sidewalks or streets and was gone the following day.

My Everyday Life - November 17-23

    Thanks to all who read this. I'm grateful for your continued support and wish you an enjoyable, relaxing, and beautiful Thanksgiving week.

Mid-November Memories

    I mentioned in my last post that we had a new TV but couldn't install the soundbar. On Monday, Dustin and his friend Josh came to help. Kylie came along since she was off work after her back surgery. The two guys quickly got everything working. After finishing the installation, we met for lunch at Tried & True Alehouse, less than a mile from our house. If you recall, Monday was Veterans Day, so Dustin and Josh had a holiday. As a veteran, Ray had a $15 voucher at Tried & True and had a free meal. 

    When it was time for our evening meal, I scanned a list of restaurants offering veterans' specials, and we chose Golden Corral. The parking lot was crowded when we arrived, but we could get inside and wait in a slow-moving line. Several veterans at the door handed out "I Served" stickers to those who qualified. Eventually, we reached the front of the line and waited for a vacant table. The restaurant was at total capacity. After a few minutes, to our surprise, a woman approached us and asked if we would like to join her and her friend. She recognized us from a distance and was a pickleball player we had met years ago. She was finishing her dessert, but we had time to catch up and enjoy a great conversation. I didn't know much about her other than that she was an excellent pickleball player, but I learned that she grew up on a farm and had written two books about her experiences.

Available from Amazon in 
paperback for $10.99

    She also has a second book "More Tales from Turkeyneck Hill." I hope to order a copy soon. 

My Everyday Life - November 10-16

    The Colts defeated the New York Jets, with Anthony Richardson returning as quarterback, ending a three-game losing streak. The Indiana Hoosiers have a bye week but will play Ohio State in Columbus next Saturday.

An Unexpected Shopping Trip

    When I realized we had no plans for Saturday, November 9, I knew I had time for some much-needed cleaning. After breakfast, I began vacuuming behind the furniture and in spots that hadn't been cleaned in a long time. I made progress and even wiped down areas that needed extra attention. 

    When Ray turned on the TV around noon, we discovered a major problem: broken and dead! We checked the usual suspects, including the circuit breakers. I called a local Samsung TV repair service, and the technician estimated that fixing the TV would cost about $500, suggesting we could buy a brand new one for the same price. I also surfed the WEB to learn what might be available if we purchased a new TV.

    At around 3 p.m., we went to Menards to buy light bulbs and then to Best Buy to look at TVs. The store had many boxes of TVs scattered throughout, so I couldn't estimate the number of TVs in stock. Finally, we spoke to a sales representative who suggested an LG TV. It was $150 more expensive than the $500 repair but featured the latest technology. He also suggested purchasing a soundbar to enhance the audio. We took the TV and soundbar home in our car and immediately unpacked the boxes. In about an hour, we had the TV connected. Surprisingly, the IU-Michigan game was still on, and the fourth quarter was about to start. 

    The Hoosiers defeated the defending national champions, Michigan, 20-15, achieving a record of 10-0 for the first time in school history and only their third win against Michigan since 1967. Do you think IU should be playing in the college football playoffs?   

Following the game, an interview with IU's Quarterback.
We really like our new TV!

    I have yet to be able to install the soundbar and need help understanding the installation instructions. Dustin and his friend Josh are coming tomorrow to see if they can assist.

    Although my cleaning project was interrupted, I am pleased with what I accomplished and hope to finish it soon. Below, you can read about the rest of my week.

My Everyday Life - November 3-9, 2024

 

Are You Liking These Hoosiers?

    For the first time this season, IU fell behind 0-10 in its football game yesterday against Michigan State. Some fans were heard shouting, "Overrated." However, the Spartans never scored again, with the final score of 47-10 proving, I think, that IU has a chance to be in the College Football Playoffs. Of course, they have several tough opponents in the next three weeks.

    We enjoyed a few days of 80˚ before the rain came on Halloween. We had one of the driest and warmest Octobers in recent memory. We thought the early morning rain was over, and Ray and I went out for some exercise but came home damp. We cleaned up and got ready for our afternoon of bridge. I encouraged coming in costume the previous week since we would meet again on October 31. I found our costumes from several years ago, and we were ready for some Halloween fun. Not all the bridge players came in costume, but six of us did.

We enjoyed candy and cupcakes, too!

    This week, the Colts made big news when they demoted their young quarterback for the rest of the season. The Colts are playing Minnesota this evening, and I won't have the results before finishing this post. In fact, with a late start, we may not stay up for the game's finish.

    We set our alarm clocks back last evening, and tonight, it was dark as we started our evening meal. It was nice this morning to wake up to daylight.

My Everyday Life - October 27-November 2, 2024