Monday Miscellany

Icy Sidewalk in the Back Yard

Last night (Sunday) it started to rain. The temperature was dropping and I was giving thanks that I was not going to be driving to work before sunrise on Monday morning.

Sure enough, this morning (Monday), the local road report was full of black ice (invisible ice on the asphalt) warnings and reports of slideoffs and collisions.

An also retired friend and I decided to postpone our monthly lunch together until next week, and I settled in, happy to stay home on such a day.


Celebrating Severance
Tomorrow is the three year anniversary of my severance date. It hardly seems possible it has been that long since I've worked in Corporate America.

I was well-suited for my job. Most of the time I enjoyed it. But I like it even better being retired.

New Microwave

I've been wanting to post this picture of Mom and her new microwave ever since I took it on Christmas Eve. The subject hasn't fit into a post until now. How can it not fit when the title is "Miscellany"?

Mom and I picked out the model she wanted and put it on her Amazon Wishlist. Then, sister Doris bought it for her and UPS delivered it right to Mom's door on the third floor of her apartment building.

All I had to do was remove the old microwave and get the new one out of the box and onto the counter.

The hardest part was removing the old one. We guess it was about fifteen years old and microwaves were heavier fifteen years ago. They were also less powerful but way more expensive.

Mom was certainly past due for a microwave upgrade and she's very happy with it.


Pappy, up close.

We don't know how old he is, but in the past year he's gotten gray on his cheeks and eyebrows. He still has plenty of spirit and energy, though. Especially when he spots a rodent.