A Rant and a Love Story

Last week, I failed to upload My Everyday Life for the last week of October, as one of my readers reminded me. You can read it a week late right here:

My Everyday Life - October 25-31, 2026

Technology has left me befuddled and stressed. We have had a Kroger card for several years, but it was discontinued earlier this year. They have now offered a new Elite Rewards card, and I applied. Shortly after, I had a request from Imprint.com to verify my identity. They needed a photocopy of my driver's license (front and back) and a rotating headshot taken from left to right. At first, I didn't realize that Imprint had been hired by Kroger, so I had to make sure it wasn't spam before proceeding. The story is more involved, but here's the short version. I was able to get the photos taken on my iPad, but when I submitted them, they said I didn't meet their requirements. I talked to someone, and they were unable to tell what was missing from my application. Shouldn't they explain to applicants what was wrong with their submission? To make matters even more frustrating, I tried again, but this time I couldn't access the camera on my iPad, so I'm back to square one. My 72 hours to finish the application are about to expire. 

Another issue has been syncing my Fitbit and iPhone. When I'm out for a run, I hear the cues at 1 mile, 2 miles, etc., but when I get home and check my phone, it says I've only run 2+ miles. Since this is the route I usually take, I know that something went wrong even though I heard the "4 miles" cue but only see "2 miles" on my phone. I'm making sure everything is in sync before I leave the house to improve results.

Leaves ready for raking

On a happier note, we watched "Cycle of Love," a story of an Indian artist who traveled by bicycle nearly 6,000 miles to Sweden to find his girlfriend after she left India and returned to her homeland. It's worth a look if you enjoy true stories. 

We watched some of the LSU football game as the visiting Alabama team was victorious 31-13. Next Saturday, Texas visits LSU, and this might be a good game to watch. IU had a bye and didn't play yesterday. USC will visit IU next Saturday. Purdue lost to Maryland 34-29. On the last play of the game, Purdue was close to the goal line but couldn't convert for a touchdown. The Colts played a competitive game at home against the Dallas Cowboys but were unable to hold on, losing 27-23 and are 2-7 for the season

Pine Needles

We haven't watched any basketball games yet, but the season is young, and I'm sure we'll be watching quite a few when the opportunity arises. Do you care to make a guess who will make it to the Final Four?

My Everyday Life - November 1-17, 2026

Until next time, may you and your teams do better than ours! It should be easy to do that! Will we have a hard freeze this week? Tune in next week to find out.

Hello, November 2026

It's November, and we ended Daylight Saving Time last night, but I need to document what happened the last week of October. Last Sunday, our Director of Christian Education planned a Reformation-themed event. It was held outdoors and had five stations: Nailing of the 95 Theses to the church door; The Diet of Worms; Wartburg Castle; Burning of the Papal Bull; and the escape of Katie. It was a bright, sunny day, perfect for the event that included a light meal. 

The children "nailed" papers using tacky putty

The Greenwood Community Halloween Concert was scheduled for Sunday evening, but when we arrived, we learned it had been moved to another location. When we finally arrived at the correct site for the concert, which had already started, we were startled to see the conductor in a white wig and all the band members in costume. 

A Spooky Halloween Concert

One evening, we watched "Silver Screamers," a heartwarming and spine-tingling documentary that follows a group of spirited senior citizens as they embark on an extraordinary adventure far outside their comfort zones: creating a horror film. The documentary explained that the seniors were involved in all aspects of the production of "The Rug." The documentary was nearly two hours long, but the movie they made is only 11 minutes long. The next day, we found The Rug on YouTube and watched it. You can do the same if you're interested.

When shopping at Menard's, I hoped to purchase a daffodil bulb or two to fill in a spot next spring that had failed to come up again. The smallest amount I could find was a bag of 8 bulbs, so I planted the extras under our tree, which has a circle of stone edgers filled with dirt to protect the base of the tree from weed whips and lawn mowers. I'm excited to see them bloom next spring before the leaves come out on the tree.

We had a big expense, but one that we couldn't avoid. After talking to our son-in-law, Joe, I felt confident in purchasing tires for our car. We also had a new battery installed, and now we should be ready for winter. They also did an oil change, checked all fluids, and flushed the antifreeze.

We had a lovely visit with Dustin and his friend Josh on Thursday afternoon. We were celebrating his October birthday. Dustin and his co-workers are busy getting the Indianapolis road equipment ready for the winter season, determining if the snowplows are ready, and training new hires for their role at the Department of Transportation.

Yesterday, we did not observe Halloween; instead, we attended a service commemorating the Reformation at St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door on October 31, 1517. St. Peter's is a historic 130-year-old church located on the east side of Indianapolis, about a 35-minute drive away. After the service, the congregation invited everyone to join them for Gemütlichkeit in the undercroft.

Exterior of St. Peter's Lutheran Church

If you haven't heard, Indiana University squeaked out a second OT win, this time against Minnesota on Saturday, 16-23. It was exciting! IU scored a touchdown quickly in OT and then had to defend against Minnesota's attack to win. Minnesota was close to scoring a TD, but on 4th down, IU sacked the Golden Gophers' quarterback, and the game was over.

Purdue was at Penn State and lost 17-31. We didn't get to see the game, but learned that this was Penn State's first Big 10 win of the season. Purdue has two Big 20 wins and is ahead of Penn State in the standings. LSU had a bye week and plays Alabama next Saturday.

This afternoon, the Colts lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 7-42. In the AFC South standings, there is one team worse than the Colts: the Tennessee Titans are 1-7, while the Colts are 2-6.

Until next time, may your November be filled with delicious food as we think ahead to Thanksgiving and fun activities.

A Duplicate Weather Week!

The past week has been a duplicate of the previous week. It’s almost perfect weather. We turned on the heat since the house is chilly in the morning, but maybe we should have waited. By the afternoon, when it’s warmed up, I feel that we could turn on the AC. The next several days are expected to be similar. It must be perfect for the harvesting season with no mud and rain showers to contend with.

We filled out our absentee ballots and mailed them in midweek. As I mentioned previously, we aren’t voting for a Senator or Governor this year. Still, the Secretary of State position is up for grabs since the incumbent did not get nominated. We don’t have the opportunity to vote in the primary for Secretary of State. The parties fill the position at conventions. We also voted for the State Comptroller and the Treasurer. Some of the local county officers had no opposition on the ballot.

Later that day, I planned to donate blood, but was deferred since my hemoglobin count was 12.1, just shy of the 12.5 required. I’ve started taking iron pills and plan to return to the donation center in about three weeks.

Ray and I have taken advantage of the beautiful afternoons, enjoying the warm sunshine and a calm breeze as we walk through the neighborhood. On one afternoon, we met a local feline.

This kitty was curious and purred a bit, but wouldn't let us pet.

What have our favorite teams done this weekend? Indiana won in OT at Michigan, winning their first game there in 59 years! The final score was 13-6, with IU scoring the only touchdown of the game in overtime. Purdue did not play yesterday and will be at Penn State next weekend. LSU, ranked #15, started strong in the first two quarters and prevailed over Auburn 38-17. Another Indiana team, Notre Dame, is ranked #5, just one point below Indiana at #4.

Today, the Colts traveled to Minnesota and scored in the first two quarters, leading the Vikings, 10-6, at the half. However, they didn’t score in the second half and lost 10-16, and are 2-5 for the season. It seems that there won’t be a post-season for the Colts this year.

My Everyday Life - October 18-25, 2026

 Until next time, enjoy the trick-or-treaters if they come by your house on Saturday!

Perfect Weather!

It’s a few minutes past 4 p.m., and Ray and I just returned from a lovely 45-minute walk in the neighborhood. We commented several times on the perfect conditions, such as sunshine, no wind, and a perfect 71˚. We expect the next several days to be identical, and I wish I could bottle days like this. They are special.

The walk was calming for me, as I had been in a stressful situation when I couldn’t log in to an account. I had to go through several people, and I finally learned that the old passwords were no longer accepted. The passwords for this account can contain only letters and numbers, and must include at least one capital letter.

On Sunday afternoon, we celebrated four birthdays at Joe’s house. Dustin’s birthday was earlier in the month, but he was vacationing in Myrtle Beach. Ray’s birthday and Samantha Stein’s (Dustin’s cousin) 30th birthday were on the 17th. On Sunday, Samantha’s mother, Maria, celebrated her birthday. As you might imagine, there was a big crowd, but the weather was beautiful, and some enjoyed sitting outdoors. Kylie brought a big pot of chili, with others bringing other condiments, including cornbread. Of course, there was birthday cake with candles.

Ray, Maria, Samantha, and Dustin
(Samantha left before the cake was served)

Maria, Dustin, and Ray blowing out the candles

It was a disappointing weekend for the teams we follow. Last Friday night, Purdue lost to Washington 38-26. On Saturday, Ohio State visited Indiana and came away with a win, 19-15. The Hoosiers almost won, but on one of the final plays, the IU receiver caught a pass but was just a few inches out of bounds in the end zone. Indiana’s kicker missed some field goals (one hitting the upright), and that might have been the difference in the game. LSU’s shutout of Mississippi State 31-0 was the only highlight of the weekend.

Since we were at the birthday party Sunday afternoon, we didn’t watch the Colts game closely, but we noticed the Colts were leading the winless Titans early in the game. Joe has a TV in his garage where everyone was congregated. When we left for home, we knew the Colts had lost, so we deleted the recording. I couldn’t believe the Colts allowed the Titans to win their first game of the season.

The owner of the Colts decided it was time for a new general manager, and Chris Ballard, who had been with the Colts for 10 years, was fired. This fall, the team was 2-4 and had made only two postseason appearances during Ballard’s tenure. At this point, the head coach, Shane Steichen, still has a job. Rebuilding the team will take several years, and the Colts may have to trade some of their better players for a top draft pick.

My Everyday Life - October 11-17, 2026

 Until next time, may the Hoosier sunshine reach out to wherever you are.

Football, This and That, and Halloween

 It was dry and sunny for most of last week, so it's a delight to be outdoors. Not having rain is OK, but we occasionally need some, and we were expecting precipitation from Hurricane Isaias. All we got were two very cloudy days. When I woke up Saturday morning at 7 a.m., it was dark outside, and it was a while before we saw daylight. Today we're back to sunny.

It's still a few more weeks until we return to standard time. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, don't have daylight saving time. For us, in the western part of the Eastern Time Zone, the return to standard time will give us more morning light and earlier sunsets.

We didn't get to watch all the football games, but Indiana at Nebraska was a squeaker. IU prevailed 20-17. After that game, the Texas-Oklahoma game was next. That was exciting to watch. Ray roots for Oklahoma, and I am always hopeful that Archie Manning succeeds, since Indianapolis has a long-standing connection to his uncle, Payton Manning. I thought it was interesting to hear the Texas political ads that aired during the game, ones that we wouldn't air in our area. Oklahoma defeated #1 Texas 27-24 in a thrilling conclusion.

Purdue had a decisive win over Minnesota 41-13. I'm sure the Boilermaker fans are enjoying Purdue's success this season. #22 LSU lost a close game to #15 Kentucky, 34-35. We didn't see either of those games.

Yesterday, the Colts traveled to Pittsburgh expecting it to be rainy from the tail end of Hurricane Isaias, but that didn't happen, and the Colts didn't win either, 22-34. They are now 2-3 for the season.

The skeletons are washing lettuce for Taylor Farms

You might say I'm obsessed with Halloween decorations, but when I look at my photos over the years, I have taken quite a few. A few years ago, a local scarecrow contest had us searching all over Greenwood, but that hasn't been continued. 

My Everyday Life - October 4-10, 2026

Until next time, enjoy the fall season with its cooler temperatures. 

Welcome October!

It’s that time of year when political ads dominate the airwaves, as do health care ads. The Secretary of State is up for grabs this fall, so most ads focus on the candidates running for this position. The Bayh family has been in Indiana politics for a long time. Birch Bayh was born in 1928, and after success in Indiana politics, he served as U.S. senator from 1963 to 1981.

Birch Bayh’s son, Evan, served as Secretary of State from 1986 to 1989 and then as governor of the state from 1989 to 1997, after which he served in the U.S. Senate from 1999 to 2011.

In 2026, Birch Bayh’s grandson, Beau, is running for Secretary of State. He has been campaigning much earlier than the other candidates. Four candidates are competing for our vote, plus one person who is campaigning for a write-in vote.

I could probably write more about these candidates, but most of you who read this blog don’t have a vote in Indiana. We are not voting for a Senator or Governor this year, but we still have to endure too many political ads. So let’s change the subject to sports.

Unfortunately, the Indiana Fever lost Game 3, 94-83, to the Las Vegas Aces after winning Game 2 at home. The game was much closer than the final score indicates.

Purdue defeated Illinois, 24-17, to win the Cannon Trophy and snap a 19-game Big Ten skid. Indiana easily defeated Rutgers Saturday night, 47-15. LSU, rated at #10, easily defeated McNeese, 63-14. The Colts were in London on Sunday morning playing the Washington Commanders and won their second game of the year, 30-13.

We watched the biopic “Frida,” the story of Frida Kahlo, born in Mexico in 1907. She contracted polio at 13 and then was in a bus crash at 18, which left her in pain for most of her life. Kahlo died in 1954, and her work remained relatively unknown until the late 1970s, when art historians and political activists rediscovered it.

We’ve been waiting for the opening of the Fujiyama Restaurant, which has been under construction for a year. I told Kylie we’d take her there for her birthday, and she had to wait 3-1/2 months until the Grand Opening this week, when we enjoyed a meal together Sunday evening. 

Onion Volcano Eruption!

Steven, Me, Kylie, Ray, with Jayden and Maiah behind

Until next time, try to tune out the political ads, and I hope you have some festive fall or Halloween displays to enjoy.

From the 90s to the 60s

Last week, the weather changed dramatically. After enduring five consecutive days of 95˚—a record for September—a cold front swept in on Monday. For the rest of the week, daytime highs stayed in the 60s, and we found ourselves reaching for jackets or long sleeves before heading out for a walk. Because of a heavy cloud bank, we didn’t see any sunshine until the end of the week.

In the middle of the week, we watched an interesting documentary, “The Stones are Speaking.” I found this description on the Internet:

The Gault Site in Texas has yielded over 2.6 million artifacts, including around 600,000 Clovis artifacts and many older items dating back 16,000 to 21,000 years ago, making it a significant archaeological site for understanding early human presence in the Americas.

Much of the documentary featured Michael Collins and his life. Here’s what I found about him:

Archaeologist Michael Collins helped lead research at the Gault site in Texas and worked to save and protect it for future generations. Excavations led by Collins and colleagues found evidence that people were in the Americas as early as about 20,000 years ago, earlier than the Clovis period.

A quick review of other events in our lives:

• We also watched the ballet Le Corsaire, an exciting production full of dramatic choreography and impressive performances.
• Cluster flies have invaded the house, and we're looking for effective ways to get rid of them.
• On Saturday, we caught IU, Texas, and LSU football games.
• The Colts finally won their first game of the season on Sunday, snapping a frustrating nine-game losing streak.
• The Fever dropped their first playoff game in a three-game series against the Las Vegas Aces.
• We enjoyed delicious food at the church picnic on Sunday, meeting and welcoming the newest members of the congregation.
• After the picnic, we took in a performance by the Greenwood Jazz Ensemble under sunny skies—a perfect ending to a pleasant day.

The ensemble played for 90 minutes, with a talented vocalist accompanying many selections and adding a special touch to the performance. The turnout was smaller than at the evening concerts earlier this summer, but the atmosphere was just as enjoyable.

A friend joined us unexpectedly, and I managed to snap a photo capturing part of the crowd. 

My Every Day Life - September 20-26, 2026

Until next time, may blue skies and bright sunshine be with you. 

Halfway Through September

I wrote about the block party last Sunday, and you can see another photo of the event in My Everyday Life below. On Monday, Ray had an eye appointment, and no problems were found. His eyes are better than mine. We are happy that some of our favorite TV programs have returned with new shows this week, and we don't have to watch reruns. 

Here's what I learned about the teams we follow: IU was victorious over Western Kentucky 0-38; Purdue fell to UCLA 38-52; after two wins, LSU lost its first game of the season to Ole Miss, 24-32; the WNBA Fever returned to play after the World Cup, and they defeated Toronto Tempo 103-85. The Fever's Kelsey Mitchell set a record of 1,034 points this season, eclipsing the 1,021 points scored in 2024 by A'ja Wilson. Mitchell also scored at least 20 points for the 25th consecutive game, extending her WNBA record. The Fever played this afternoon and lost badly to the Washington Mystics, 93-77. There are only two games left in the season before the playoffs begin, and the Fever is playing the #1 Minnesota Lynx in back-to-back games. The Colts are playing Kansas City this evening, and I don't have much hope for a win.

Yesterday afternoon, we celebrated Sara's 100th birthday, whom we met while playing Bridge at the Senior Center. She said she believes she's been allowed to live a long life so she could know all of us. Four bouquets of 25 roses each, for a total of 100 roses, were provided by her daughters. We enjoyed a light meal and birthday cake!

One Hundred Roses!

We've had our last 90 days, I hope. For the record, Indianapolis experienced 5 consecutive days of temperatures reaching 95°F or warmer in September 2026, marking a record for the month. We've had 27 days of 90 or higher, compared to the average of 20 days.

Ray received a summons for jury duty for the U.S. District Court! We have 10 days to reply, or "you may be summoned to the clerk's office to complete the form." I'll be going online tomorrow to complete the form, and I'm sure his name will be withdrawn from the pool.

My Everyday Life - September 13-19, 2026

Until next time, may you enjoy the start of the fall season, which officially begins on Tuesday. Are you seeing fall colors or changing your decor?

Football and This and That

Kudos to the U.S. Women's Basketball Team for playing in the FIBA World Cup and winning their 5th straight championship! The game against France was close for much of the contest, but the U.S. women ultimately dominated and finished 97-79. All the games in the World Cup were played in Berlin. I enjoyed the graphics behind the commentators and on the game floor as much as the games themselves. They were colorful and had a fun vibe.

However, I was not pleased with either the TNT or Xfinity telecast. I don't know who was responsible, but our recording ended before the game ended! If the game had been close, we wouldn't have known the outcome. 

And now here's a recap of last weekend's football games. Purdue played Wake Forest and lost 38-36 in the second overtime. IU was a big winner against Howard, 55-0. LSU was victorious over Louisiana Tech 45-14 for its second win of the season. Next weekend they play Ole Miss, which is one we'll try to watch. One of the big games that received national attention was Ohio State at Texas. Texas fell behind, 3-23, but scored 21 points in the 4th quarter to win in the final seconds, 24-23.

I don't have anything good to say about the Colts game against the Ravens. We didn't get to see much of the game, but I didn't even want to watch our recording when I heard the results: a loss, 41-23. The Colts scored in each quarter, but the game was lost in the first two quarters when the Ravens scored 31 points.

One morning last week, I woke to hearing the chirp from the smoke detector in our kitchen. After an hour or so, the chirping stopped. The next morning the same thing happened, and the following morning we didn't hear anything. However, it seemed prudent to replace the batteries, so we went to the battery store and purchased two — one for the kitchen and one for the bedroom. I had talked to our neighbor's grandson to see if he could replace the batteries, but he was away for the weekend. He offered the help of his grandfather, who came over on Saturday afternoon and reached the high ceiling with his ladder.

When I checked our most recent Xfinity statement, I was surprised to see it had gone up by $50. I talked to their representative; he lowered our monthly charge to less than before it went up by reducing the Internet speed from 500 Mbps to 300 Mbps. I hope we'll be happy with this change, but we are paying less!

Before we went to the Stone Village Block Party, we wished Jayden a Happy 19th Birthday. 

He blew out the candle in one swift blow!

The food line at the block party

Yesterday afternoon, we went to the neighborhood annual block party, our first. The HOA provided meat, tables for the side dishes and desserts, water, a canopy that didn't cover everyone, and a few card tables. Everyone was asked to bring a side dish and chairs. The afternoon sun was warm, and we looked for shade. The food was delicious, and we ate more than our share of desserts, but they were yummy!

My Everyday Life - September 6-12, 2026

I'm afraid this post is too long for most readers. Until next time, try to keep cool, as it seems as if we are going to break records for the hottest September.

College Football is Back!

We were able to watch both Purdue and IU this weekend. Purdue played at home Friday night, with Indiana State visiting. Purdue was victorious, 44-19. Yesterday afternoon, IU hosted North Texas and is defending its national championship with a 52-16 win. IU led 24-6 at halftime and scored in each quarter. We could have watched other college games, since it seemed that almost every channel was broadcasting one. This evening, another college game is on, but next week the pro season starts. The Colts have Daniel Jones back after his Achilles repair, and we hope he'll be healthy all year. Anthony Richardson has been designated as backup quarterback. Four years ago, he was the starter for the Colts, but fell out of favor for a variety of reasons. 

My Everyday Life - August 30-September 5, 2026

September started with above-average temperatures. We had heat warnings and temperatures in the 90s for four days last week, so we didn't venture out very often. 

Until next time, I'm sending vibes for cool breezes intermingled with the hum of katydids, a sign of fall.

Food Talk

When you look at My Everyday Life below, you’ll realize how ordinary it is. I’m trying not to keep reporting on the same things, but after a while it is hard to be unique in what I photograph.

Back on August 10, in My Everyday Life, I noted that it was National S’mores Day, but I didn’t have marshmallows or chocolate, only graham crackers. After replenishing what we needed, we had several S’mores and then had to purchase more crackers. I always thought graham crackers were a healthy choice, but sadly, I learned from Yuka that they are rated Bad. They contain additives to avoid, are high in calories, and contain too much sugar and sodium. Of course, the whole picture of a S’more is not a healthy one either. We’ll finish the ingredients we have for S’mores, and after that have a grape or two instead of something sweet.

While on the subject of food, I question why food manufacturers label their product as three servings. I have seen this many times, and since we only need two servings, what should I do? I could make it four servings or only two, which would make a larger serving than we need. There are some one-serving 8-oz. cans that we split into two servings. Some pre-packaged salads are labeled as one serving, but only a horse could eat it all.

Thanks for reading and letting me vent a little. Food is an interesting subject, and everyone has their own opinions. There are so many things in the grocery store that we need to avoid to maintain a healthy diet.

My Everyday Life - August 23-29, 2026

The WNBA Fever have been playing well with only a few games before the playoffs begin. If you haven’t heard, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell are setting records. They have combined four times to each score 30 points in a game, and Kelsey has a streak of 24 games when scoring 20 or more points. Both of these achievements are new records in the WNBA. The playoffs should be interesting to watch.

Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day. I hope you can spend some time outside tonight or later this week roasting a marshmallow under the stars.

A Tea Party

It’s late evening, and I finally have a moment to begin writing about the past week. Last Sunday, we saw our first production by Collaboration Players. (See My Everyday Life below). Since they are nearby, it will be fun to follow them and attend when their production is something we would love to see.

This Sunday has been interesting too. We attended regular worship in the morning, and at 3 p.m. I returned for an informal tea. One of the members has a very large collection of teapots and donated some to our recent rummage sale. Today, the committee decorated the tables with colorful placemats and several teapots. We enjoyed tea, of course, along with scones and other goodies, and played several games. I was fortunate to win one of the teapots. I’m having second thoughts about whether to keep it since we don’t drink tea, but it might be nice to display it on our mantel or gift it to someone.

Should I keep it or gift it?

After the tea party, I prepared food for a new mother using what I purchased at Meijer after the church service. I heated the chicken Alfredo and breadsticks and added them to the bag with chopped salad, grapes, and chocolate chip cookies. Ray came along as we drove to the new mom’s house about 15 minutes away, but we couldn’t find the house. After quite a few frustrating minutes, we located the house after I realized I had the wrong house number. No wonder we couldn’t find the house. Even though we were later than planned, the family appreciated the gift of a meal after coming home from the hospital.

(Monday Update): Did anyone watch the Freedom 250 Grand Prix? We were watching the playback, but the recording ended before the race was over. Who was responsible for that goof? Kyle Kirkwood was leading when our recording ended, and after checking today, he was also leading at the end of the race.

My Everyday Life - August 16-22, 2026

Until next time, why don’t you plan something special to enjoy these last days of August?

Indiana In the News

 The story that has dominated the news over the last few days is the amount of rain that caused flash floods and river overflows. One statistic I heard was that in the last 10 years, 7 emergencies were posted, compared to 14 in a single day last week. We’re not used to seeing scenes of flooded neighborhoods in Indiana, but we made the national news this week. The areas near Muncie and Noblesville were in the news over the last few days, but now the White River, which flows through the heart of Indianapolis, is also at flood stage.

Indiana's White River crested above levels not seen since the Great Flood of 1913 — a benchmark that had stood for 113 years — as a sequence of storms beginning August 11 triggered dual emergency declarations, mass evacuations across central and eastern Indiana, and a formal request to FEMA for a presidential disaster declaration. As of Saturday morning, August 15, the flooding is not over: the river's crest at Indianapolis has not yet arrived. The NWS Indianapolis flood forecast remains active with major flooding ongoing along the White River system through at least Tuesday.

We didn’t see the sun often this past week. I was lucky one morning when I went out for a jog and captured this photo of the sun. 

By the time I returned home, the sun was no longer visible, and this is a gloomy-looking shot of our house.

Our half of the duplex is on the left

Many of the TV programs we regularly watch are showing reruns, and we don’t have any recorded programs in the queue. This past week, we watched four movies or documentaries instead: James Beard: America’s  First Foodie, Meet Me in St. Louis, starring Judy Garland, Among Neighbors, and Iris. Here’s a quick recap of the documentary and biographical drama I found online.

In Among Neighbors, hand-drawn animation brings the past to life as an aging eyewitness and one of the last living Holocaust survivors from the same small village reveal Poland's darkest secret.

True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.

My Everyday Life - August 9-15, 2026

Until next time, may the skies clear, the water recede, and recovery begin for those affected by the recent flood.

Rummage Sale

The past week has been a blur when looking back. I helped get ready for the church Rummage Sale every day and was there Friday and Saturday for the two days of the sale. Ray accompanied me each day so he wouldn’t have to spend the day alone. 

The effort was worthwhile, as we had a successful sale. The proceeds were designated for our Preschool’s repairs following a small tornado-like storm in June. The storm destroyed one of the school’s pieces of playground equipment, and the rummage sale will cover most of the replacement costs.

We managed to attend the Wednesday evening concert in Franklin. I wanted a relaxing Friday evening but couldn’t get signed in to Kanopy. On reflection, I think it was operator error. Instead, we watched the movie “Breathe” on another channel and endured all the commercials. It was a heartwarming story!

This afternoon, I was able to sign in and watch a Kanopy movie, “Doubt.” Meryl Streep played the role of a strict principal in a Catholic elementary school. Also in the cast were Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played the Parish Priest, and Amy Adams and Viola Davis. As the school principal, Meryl Streep questions the priest's ambiguous relationship with a troubled young student. I was left wondering who was right and who was wrong.

My Everyday Life - August 2-8, 2026

Until next time, may you enjoy a good book or movie and have a restful and calm week.

Welcome to August 2026

We just finished a quiet and routine week. Besides the usual chores of laundry, cooking, and paying bills, we enjoyed a concert and two interesting movies.

The summer concert in Franklin featured the Indiana Wind Symphony. It’s the biggest group we’ve seen this summer, and did they make music! Many of the numbers were marches. We usually sit near the front at these concerts, and it was fun to be up close to see the percussionists as they drummed, beat the bass or kettle drums, and played bells.

The concerts are held in a large church and we noticed they are having a fundraiser for their congregation. 

Advertising for a Spud Bar on August 23

I had to chuckle when reading the accompanying question & answer.

The first movie we watched was “Rebuilding,” a movie that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2025. It is rated PG, and this is what I found on the Internet: 

After wildfires take his ranch, a cowboy named Dusty winds up in a FEMA camp. He finds community with others who lost homes, while reconnecting with his daughter and ex-wife.

We also enjoyed “Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical.” The story was based on the 1899 newsboys’ strike. It was filmed live on stage at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California. It’s a high-energy show with amazing dance numbers and is currently touring the country. Here's what I found on the Internet:

Set in New York City at the turn of the century, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of "newsies," who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what’s right.  

My Everyday Life - July 26 - August 1, 2026

We had rain yesterday and a light shower today, with some areas getting more than we did, and they are on alert for flash flooding. The lawn service did not mow our lawns last week because the grass wasn’t growing, so the rain today is appreciated and needed.

Until next time, I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy a walk or a picnic while we still have summer weather.

It's Week 30 of 2026

It’s been a lovely week as we’ve enjoyed low humidity and temperatures sandwiched between two waves of 90-degree days (we’re expecting 90s to return this week). The plants under my mailbox didn’t fare well in the last heat wave. I should have been watering them more frequently. Compare mine to the Lantanas that I photographed on Wednesday.

Only the Coleus is doing well

My Everyday Life - July 19-25, 2026

We made our way to Franklin for the weekly concert series. This week, the Columbus Mandolin Orchestra performed a variety program. 

Their first number was an Indiana medley. Can you recognize the tune?

These musicians are playing the hammered dulcimer. The player holds a small spoon-shaped mallet or hammer in each hand to strike the strings.

 

Here's another familiar tune. Can you identify it?

Yesterday, we visited Greenwood’s newest addition, The Ark. It’s only a half mile from us. When construction began, I didn’t know what the huge gray concrete building was going to be. It was ugly, but the finished building is quite attractive. The official Grand Opening featured tours, food trucks, bounce houses, raffles for tickets, and more. Hundreds of people or more came to see what it was all about.

 I could only capture 1/4 of the floor space

Faith-fueled excellence

on and off the court.

Until next time, may showers come your way to water the lawn and plants.

Halfway Through July

 The summer heat and humidity have made me set an early alarm so I can get out for a jog before the day gets too hot. Some mornings I see rabbits, and I would love to photograph one someday. If that ever happens, I’ll post a copy.

I’m enjoying the hydrangeas whenever I exit the house. If you recall, I pruned them extensively this spring, but they have rebounded with lots of blooms.

I captured a photo of the sun rising above The Ark, a premier indoor sports facility opening this month in Greenwood. It is designed to serve athletes and the community by providing a variety of sports training, leagues, and events. It will feature 7 hardwood courts, 12 volleyball courts, 4 hitting/pitching cages, and a 6,500-sq-ft weight room.

On Wednesday, we ran several errands in the afternoon and had dinner on the way to Franklin for the weekly concert series. We saw the Southern Indiana Taiko Drummers two years ago, and I was once again impressed by the drummers' physicality and rhythm. As you might imagine, the drumming is very loud!

The drummers performed in the Custer
Theater at Franklin College.
A statue of Benjamin Franklin greets all visitors.

One evening, we watched “A Murder Between Friends,” which had lots of twists and turns before learning who the murderer was. I’ve also been watching “Five Star Weekend,” which is a short series with one or two episodes left. The cast of women friends is great, but I shudder at some of the language.

Is anyone watching the World Cup final game this afternoon? Originally, I thought we’d watch some of the early games, but that never happened. However, we are watching the WNBA Fever games as often as possible. Caitlin Clark became the first WNBA player with at least 40 points and 10 assists in a single game, and the fastest to reach 200 career 3-pointers, doing so in 74 games. She also set the WNBA record for most consecutive games with 5+ assists and became the fastest to reach 1,000 points and 500 assists, doing so in 59 games. She’s not the only star on the team, but Kelsey Mitchell is having a career year.  For your information, she already holds a Master’s degree and is pursuing a PhD.

UPDATE: When I finished writing and before publishing, I turned on the FIFA World Cup game at minute 70, with no score. I was hooked and watched until the end, as Spain scored 1-0 in overtime to become World Cup Champion.

My Everyday Life - July 12-18, 2026

Until my next post, may your skies be smoke-free. If you have had a Hami melon, did you like it?

A Special Week

After the previous week’s high temperatures and humidity, we welcomed relief and enjoyed being outdoors. I didn’t have as much time for that as I would have liked since we were expecting guests from New Orleans. That meant I had to do much-needed decluttering, but the effort was worthwhile. My new goal is to be on top of things and keep the house neat and clean. (I wonder how long that will last!)

Bart, Christy, and Persephone arrived Tuesday afternoon. We had invited the rest of the family for pizza and cornhole, and the early evening was perfect, except for a few who were bothered by insects. Fortunately, I didn’t experience any.

Ray and Christy compete

Dustin gives Christy a high-five!