THURSDAY

. . . . . I was happy with my final bowling results today but the first line was a weak 129. Luckily enough I came back with a 157 and a 150 to end up with an acceptable 145 for the day. It was also nice that we won over our opponent. That is a rare thing for our team, but it just shows to go ya' we can do it if we buckle down! Stopped by the market on the way home and it was nice enough out to keep the windows rolled down all the way.

WEDNESDAY

. . . . . I got a bit of exercise at the fishing hole today. The pathway from the sitting area to the pole holder needed some attention so I cleaned things up a bit with the shovel. Also during the winter the table and chairs were washed away but I noticed some time ago that the bottoms of the table legs are reaching upward toward the surface of the water. I attempted to dig some of the sand from around the thing but it did little good. Sand falls back into the hole as fast as I dig at it. Perhaps if the water goes down a foot or more next month I may be able to retrieve it. I have no idea where the chairs are. . . . Lots of reading today and no fish. The weather continues to be peachy-keen, just the way I like it. It reminds me of Mazatlan in January and February.

TUESDAY

. . . . . I was a very happy boy as I left the bowling alley this afternoon. I was very consistent with a 152 average over the first five lines and a 154 average during the second five lines. . . . I will try to do as well on Thursday, league bowling day. . . . Before bowling I had lunch with eight others from the class of '52' and had a nice time getting together with them again. Spring has sprung....the weather was exceptional this afternoon. I will try to catch a fish again tomorrow.

MONDAY

. . . . . No fish again today but as usual the quiet was nice and the weather was acceptable.  Just a great day to be alive!

SUNDAY

. . . . . The river looked inviting this afternoon as I drove into town to try that bowling thing again. My first five lines averaged 136 and the second five came out at 150. I felt sort of OK about the results but I knew that had I concentrated as well during the first set as I did on the second I would have done much better for the day. Most of my problem is failure to concentrate, I keep telling myself that all I have to do is walk up there and toss that ball. I am slow to discover that bowling certainly is not like that. . .  . .This afternoon I wasted away the time in front of the boob tube. My bad.

SATURDAY

. . .  .Doggy and I spent three hours at the fishing hole reading and napping. We arrived back at the house before three o'clock and had a light lunch and watched a movie.  Five o'clock found me driving into Teigens driveway and hopping in their vehicle for the drive to South Sound Raceway for the evening. That was really a lot of fun for a 3/8 mile track, those cars really get to speed in a short distance then slam on the brakes just in time to make it around the turn before hitting the gas again. The main event was 125 laps with lots of excitement all of the way. The races ended about eleven PM then they had their annual Fireworks Display. I got home at midnight and posted my blog before settling in with a couple of chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk. It was another great day!

FOURTH OF JULY!

. . . . This turned out to be a good day except that Ron and his Mom were in Portland awaiting the results of Rudy's, Ron's Dad , stomach surgery. I spent the afternoon with Caren and Colton while we all celebrated the day with a couple from Caren's past.
The races we were planning on this evening turned out to be not this evening but tomorrow so we will get together again tomorrow and go to the races. I left Caren's place about 7PM and Ron had not yet phoned about Rudy's condition. The weather was nice, Colton spent the afternoon making soap bubbles while the rest of us told tall stories and lied a lot. It was a good day. Remember your prayers for Rudy.

THURSDAY

. . . . . It looked like rain when I left for the bowling alley this morning but it never happened. Didn't hurt my feelings at all. . .  .My three lines of league bowling were all above my average so I felt pretty good as I walked out. Made a stop at Safeway for a tank of gas and a few goodies that I just can not live without. It was  a good day and I expect the same for tomorrow. Caren phoned and asked me to join them tomorrow for a BBQ and a trip to the auto racing in the evening. Sounds like fun!

WEDNESDAY

. . . . . I phoned the supplier of old auto parts this morning and after getting their email address sent them five pictures of the cruise control amplifier I am looking for. They phoned back within the hour and told me it was being shipped out today. I have an appointment for next Wednesday morning to have it installed. It will be nice to have cruise control again but the price of the labor is terrible for all of the time it took R&R Motors to find the problem. . . . . .Spent 4 hours at the river today, no fish but again a great day to be there. 

TUESDAY

. . . . . .This day helped prove that summer does occasionally come to Washington. I am sure the temperature got above eighty, I like that!  Bowling was nothing to write home about but I did average above my league average at 140. This evening Roy asked me to help his wife install a new printer for her computer. It took a couple of hours but most of that time was showing her some basic things about computer operation that she knew nothing about, drag and drop and basics like that. It was fun and she did appreciate the help. I also gave her my copy of Computers for Dummies that I am sure she will get a kick out of. The river did not look very nice as I drove by today but I may try some fishing tomorrow. Sitting at the river reading is not hard to take on days like this, fish or no fish.

MONDAY

. . . . . . . Turned out to be a busy morning but rewarding.  I stopped by R&R Motors at 8:45 to have my cruise control 'computer' removed so that the part number could be located and sent to a supplier. An hour later I was at the hospital lab getting that blood draw that I attempted yesterday and failed. The tech promised me she would get the results sent immediately to doctor Stoneking so he would have it in time for my 10AM appointment. That promise paid off and the results were just fine. . . . The doctor is very pleased with my 'progress', which means my heart failure is not progressing as fast as was originally projected. I then stopped by the bowling alley and bowled ten lines. The first five was not what I wanted, 139 average, but the second five came in at 151 so I walked out with a 145 for the day. . . . .The owner happened to be behind the counter and told me the games were on him today. He has done that several times this summer and it is much appreciated. I told him I would return again tomorrow and practice some more. It was a good day; and I noticed the river is dirty while on my way into town so that was the reason I was so sure I would be back at the bowling alley tomorrow. Perhaps I'll be fishing on Wednesday.

SUNDAY

. . . . . . This day did not turn out the way I had planned. I left the house in time to get my blood draw before stopping at the bowling alley but when I got to the lab I discovered they are no longer open on Sundays. That made it rough because I wanted the blood draw results sent to my doctor so he would have them tomorrow morning when I arrive for my appointment. . . . .  .After leaving the lab I drove to the bowling alley and found the parking stuffed with automobiles. They had some big doings going on in there so I drove home all dejected.  After arriving back at the house I phoned them and asked what time they would have open lanes for practicing and was told it could be as late as 3pm. I gave some thought to driving back into town but decided since I had to go to the lab and see the doctor in the morning I would just wait and try bowling tomorrow. It turned out to be a really quiet Sunday. There was not even a NASCAR race on TV. I did a lot of reading and was surprised I didn't even get a nap. I will wake up in the morning and start the day all over again, I am sure it will be more productive. Film at Eleven.

SATURDAY

. . . . Had you been looking for me today you would have found me at the fishing hole sitting under an umbrella in the rain reading a book. Of course I didn't catch a fish. The funny dog I live with was sitting in the rain looking at me wondering why we were not going home. The poor pup does not have the sense to sit under the chair I am planted in so to get out of the wet. There were a couple of times when the rain was falling like mad, poor doggy. We did leave about 2:15 during a sunny break but that lasted only until we arrived back at the house. I'll try my luck at bowling  tomorrow.

FRIDAY

. . . . . .A pretty good rainstorm came through before I left for the fishing hole this morning but I was fortunate in that I was not flooded out while there. I left about 2:30 to deliver some lawn furniture from Mel's place to the Teigen's and on the way back the rain began. The fishing was comfortable but as usual the catching part left a lot to be desired.. . . . R&R Motors phoned this afternoon; they want me to deliver the car to them Monday morning so they can remove that cruise control part from my car and get the part number off it so they can continue searching for a replacement. My plan is to be there Monday morning before keeping my doctor appointment. In the meantime if the weather allows it I will be back at the river tomorrow. I am stubborn!

THURSDAY

. . . . . It is safe to say that my bowling is just as bad as my fishing. Today for three lines I averaged 126; no need to add that we lost all three games to the other team. The excitement of the day was watching one of the guys we were bowling against bowl a 300 game! I have never seen that done and I don't think I have ever been in the building when it was done. All 32 lanes suspended bowling while he bowled the last three balls, great job! Maybe next week I will do that! It could happen, . . . . . really.

WEDNESDAY

. . . . . . Doggy and I arrived at the fishing hole around 11AM. There was a cool breeze for the first couple of hours so I sat in the sun and finished my book. By one O'clock the sun was out in all of its glory and I moved to the shade and started another book. Those of you who follow this blog can guess the results of my fishing effort, to the newcomers I have to admit to another day of failure. I expect my luck at the bowling alley tomorrow will show improvement, it has to be better than zero fish. You think?

TUESDAY

. . . . I braved the possibility of rain today and left the house without a jacket. The bowling started out pretty bad when I averaged only 127 for the first five lines. After giving myself a good talking I improved during the second five with a 152 average. I still only did 139 for the day though. That is one pin better than my League average but I certainly expect better than that. As I was leaving the bowling alley I notice three rain drops were on the windshield but I arrived home with none added to it. It was a good day.....

MONDAY

. . . . .The first thing I did after breakfast was wash the car. And  sure enough the weather report for the next five days is rain. . . . . My drive to Canby today was well worth the trouble though. The weather was nice for a drive and the traffic was no problem. . .  .Ol' Ben is still having memory troubles but we hope that will clear up after the effects of the heart attack wear off. He is a great story teller and even with a bad memory he does a good job of making things up if they are not the truth. . . . . I was home by 2PM and about 4:15 Caren phoned and asked me to come by for pork chops and cornbread. I had a fine meal and enjoyed it tremendously. . . Poor little Colton was running around on the wooden deck with no shoes on and contracted with a sliver of wood in his foot, 'all the way to the bone', he claimed. Ron took him upstairs and put the foot to soak and the splinter will be pulled later. Caren told me she will pull it with tweezers, if she can see it. I guess it was not the most noticeably visible splinter in the world. He'll live, I'm sure.

SUNDAY

. . . . . . The weather was perfect today and I never went near the fishing hole. I did venture into town to try my luck at bowling though and turned in a very good result for my trouble. My first five lines gave me a 149 average and the second five delivered a happy 153. I am most pleased with the final tally of 151.4. Tomorrow I plan on driving to Canby to see my ol' buddy Ben who is now in a rest home. Jean has said that he is not recognising people but he loves any company that stops by.

SATURDAY

. . . . .Another fine day at the fishing hole. No fish of course but I didn't lose any gear either. I'll try bowling tomorrow, I am sure I will do well since it is not a league day.