Blocktober Fortunes and Spinning Feces

 

Well, my beloved readers, this week didn't start off in the best of ways. Driving down the main road in downtown Roseburg, I saw a man in an electric wheelchair cruising along, minding his own business. But as I watched him during my travels, something didn't feel right. I pulled as close as I could to the center of the lane when I saw his wheelchair hit the edge of the curb. This made the man lose control of the chair and it began to spin in a circle and he fell right in front of my car. Luckily, I was far enough over to the center that I could predict an avoidance of the now toppled chair. Not patting myself here, but I felt blessed that I could maneuver quickly to avoid hitting the poor guy. 

I pulled my car over to the side of the road and jumped onto the sidewalk. Since he was lying on the pavement, I had to rush to him to keep him from getting up before he was checked out. As I came upon him, I noticed blood coming from his ear. He was asking me not to call an ambulance. I informed him we had no choice, as I would need assistance in getting him up. The truth was I wanted paramedics to look him over before they chose to take him in for help or to let him go on his way. But in the meantime, I could sit beside him and hold his hand with a hope it would reassure him. 

After a few cars rushed by, a trio stopped their truck. Two women and a man jumped out to see if they could help. I was grateful. One of the women took over my hand holding, comforting job so that I could have both hands to call 911. She noticed the blood streaming from the ear, pointing it out to me. I gave her the indication that I had seen the blood and continued with my phone call to paramedics. 

Once the call was placed and emergency crews were on their way to the scene, I squatted down on the ground again. The injured man was making an attempt to push himself up at this point. Grabbing his shoulders, I made the move impossible for him to complete while asking him to remain down. He begged me not to let an ambulance take him. I made an attempt to explain the need for paramedics, whether he went to the hospital or not. They needed to do a check on him before he moved, and I needed help to get him upright again. Then there was the blood streaming from his ear, which could be indicative of a head or neck trauma. 

At this point, a woman shoved herself into the group. She looked down at the man and said, "Okay, let's get him in his chair and let him get on his way. It's stupid that we are all sitting around doing nothing." Trying to remain calm, I explained that the blood coming from his ear could mean an injury and he should not be moved. Plus, there could be a myriad of things wrong internally. Anger spewed from the woman as she hissed that I was being "ridiculous" and I was keeping the man without reason. A couple of other people chimed in agreement with me that he should remain where he was. The Karen stormed off to her car, mumbling something about how she had worked with patients before. I hate to admit this, but my first thought was, "Wow. Those poor people, being patients of hers?" Bless their hearts. She needed to work on her people skills and bedside manner a bit. 

Sirens were a welcomed sound. Once the paramedics were hovering over the man, I released his hand and moved out of the way so they could attend to him. That's when I saw all the blood on my hands and shirt. I wished the man well and walked toward my car. I knew I needed to get home and scrub myself, wash my shirt, and remove the remnants of his injuries. He had touched his ear several times and in return passed it on to me when I held his hand. From there, it ended up on my shirt and a little on my pants. I didn't care in the moment but later hoped he was not burdened with any blood transferrable diseases, such as HIV. 

To put myself in a better mood, I headed to the store to choose tonight's dinner. Hmm. What should I feed my husband tonight? Dinner choices were always fun to pick and yet a real pain in my derriere at the same time. I'm sure most of you can relate. It becomes a matter of trying to imagine something that you haven't served in a while, but typically ends up being something quick and easy because it's been a long day. Today was one of those days, yet I wanted something different and special for my man. I love cooking for him and love seeing him happy even when it's in the food area of our lives. 

I chose a soup that I have never served before and actually have never tasted. Terry loves this soup and orders it each time we go to Olive Garden in Eugene. It's called Zuppa Toscana, a combination of potatoes, Italian sausage, kale, onion, and garlic, all in a beautiful creamy Parmesan base. The soup idea was making my mouth water! I figured why not? Let's try something new and different. 

Zuppa Toscana begins with dicing an entire white onion. 

Followed by slicing two pounds of spuds. 

I felt like I was on a cooking show with the audience I had in attendance. Yes, the cat is laying in a grocery bag pile. He loves to bury himself inside the bags or the one tote we have for carrying food home from the stores. Togo just loves to steal them and cart them to the couch so he can cuddle with it and his stolen garbage. He does it with milk jugs and even ice cream containers that we put beside the garbage bin because they are too bulky to put inside the can.  Yes, he's an odd duck, but he's our odd duck. In this household, he blends right in. At least I can say we have our whacky ducks all in a row. 

I'm going to head south for a moment, just to share a story about Kit, the cat. The other day I walked into the kitchen to grab something. I glanced to my right and saw Kit sitting in the laundry room. He was playing with something. I walked toward him as he was looking at his catch. I was hoping beyond all hope that it was not a mouse or something creepy that he found. 

He would reach his paw out, give the item a swift spin and then let it spin away. The entire time he was looking at my face, maybe to see my reaction. The moment it stopped, he would spin it again, still keeping his eyes focused on my face. 

I took a position beside him to get a better look. At first glance, my brain could not comprehend what I thought I saw. After staring at it for several moments, it dawned on me what was happening. Our cat was playing with a piece, well, a piece of shit to get blunt here. Yes, he was spinning a large piece of shit around in circles. I was dumbfounded. Walking to the kitchen to snag a paper towel, it really hit me what I had just witnessed, sending me into a fit of laughter. Oh, my. I realized I was living in a crazy house. Our beautiful babies are losing it. When a cat gets bored enough to take on a piece of his own feces to be entertained, there is an issue. I guess it's time to buy him more toys. Pets. Got to love them. Now, moving on to less gross tales ...

Sautéing the Italian sausage, onion, and garlic cloves together made the house smell so good! I was definitely looking forward to trying this aromatic dish!

Adding some crushed red pepper, milk, and cream really brought the soup to fruition. It still had some work to be done on it, but it was coming together!

All of the ingredients were on a slow boil, creating a fragrance throughout the house that was making me crave this soup even more. 

After adding kale and Parmesan, the soup was complete. Now comes the tough part in seeing how hubby Mac likes it. 

Terry and I sat down and began to eat. The creamy base mixture of cheese, milk, and spices, with the touch of heavy cream warmed my senses. I love soup in the fall! Potatoes blended with the sausage and kale made the dish an absolutely perfect meal. Sweet man loved it and I had found a new creation for dinner! I ate the leftovers of this soup for three days of lunches until it was gone. I know for a fact that I will have this be a go-to for soup choices. It soothed the soul, cured my bad day blues and filled our bodies with goodness, as a soup should. 

Tuesday was a regular day, with both of us working during the day of course. Terry was so busy at work both Tuesday and Wednesday that he could not make it home at his lunch break to walk Togo. I loved walking him. He's such a good boy and he makes me laugh. His pigeon-toed walk and hilarious quirky personality keep me entertained, that's for sure. 

Wednesday came around and hubby and I chose to go out to eat instead of the usual of making something at home. He found a Chinese restaurant called Kowloon's that was fairly close. So off we went to see what kind of trouble we could start tonight. I told him that at least we don't have cheese to worry about as comes in the Mexican food choices. The last time we ate out was Mexican food and Terry managed to have a very long string of cheese dangling from his mouth as he spoke to a waiter. This, of course, sent me into hysterics. 

Now, right off the bat, Terry removes the paper off his straw to slide it into his diet soda, but not all the paper came off before it hit the cold drink. He began an immediate search and rescue mission of the one tiny piece that made it into the bubbly liquid. Sweet man became frustrated as he tried to pull the disintegrating thin paper from his soda. The drink won in the end. He never rescued the paper, leaving it floating around in the Coke. Then came the worry of choking on the invading piece as he drank through the straw. Thank the soda Gods, that didn't happen. 

The determined look on his face made me smile. That furrowed brow, indicating he was on a serious mission. That teeny piece of paper would haunt him until we left, I'm sure. It would me. I don't like anything floating the soda river in my cups either. That would have driven me crazy. I learned a new swear word or two while he went fishing. It was a good time overall. Of course, I didn't help. I sat on the other side of the table and did what I do best, laughed until my sides hurt. Hey, what other purpose does a wife have? I mean, really. 

But this had become quite the task. He was on a mission and was not planning on letting it go. He dug for a while and finally figured he would just drink the soda to see what happened. 

We ordered and ate. It was good food, but I still loved the other Chinese restaurant more. Our old go-to in Chinese food closed its doors a while back. It was sad. Since then, sweet man and I have been on a hunt to locate another good eatery for Chinese cuisine. This could be it. At least my fortune was a good one this time. Several times I ended my meal with no fortune in my cookie. It's as if the universe is telling me, "Hey, I got nothing loser." 

Terry's fortune was a good one as well. 

The dining experience was good. I have a question though. Why is it all Chinese restaurants pretty much look the same? The only thing missing here is Maneki Neko, the lucky kitty that holds a paw high in the air. I love Maneki Neko. Our cat, Bella, reminds me of the good fortune traditional kitty. She will stand on her hind legs, put her paws high into the air, and beg us to pet her. She is adorable! This restaurant did not have the typical red paint all over the walls, but it had that Chinese restaurant feel to it anyway. 

Maneki Neko

Thursday meant another loaf of sourdough bread. I'm loving this new hobby! This loaf came out so much better than the last one, although it was great tasting and all. Thursday's boule had a great texture and crumb, and the outer crust was even a bit soft. 

Mallory came by Thursday to visit. It was nice to see her again. She spent time visiting while brushing Togo out. I brought the brush out due to all the shedding he has been doing lately and she wanted to make him pretty, which she did. I can see a slight difference in his coat from her loving care. 

So, it is now Friday. For me, work is inevitable. For Terry, relaxation is on the horizon. Beautiful day in Roseburg today! No rain and 67 degrees with a predicted high of 87. Awesome. Tomorrow is showing a high of 86 degrees, which is perfect. We are heading to the Blocktober Fest in downtown Roseburg. Live music, booths, and the rest of the typical fun stuff at these types of events. The festival is actually right up the road from us, meaning close enough to walk (cough, cough). Oh, look at us go, exercising and shit. We may have a follow up trip to the hospital after the walk. Stay tuned ...

Well, today is Saturday. I cannot believe how fast the weekend tends to eke by! Crazy. The weather is still warm but there is that nip in the air that tends to bite at bare hands and noses during the fall. While summer is my favorite season, I do love the color changes in the landscaping. After what feels like a long, dry summer with far too many fires popping up around the outskirts of town, it's nice to smell a rain fall and feel that slightly colder air rolling in. 

We still have a couple of fires looming in the distance, creating a smoky day here and there. It is getting better now, but Oregon was basically on fire during the summer. All the beautiful greenery is now black from the fires or brown from the lack of rain. The past few years has seen much less rainfall in a state that is known for precipitation. The Umpqua River typically winds through town but the lack of water leaves nothing but barren land where the water once was. I don't know if this is normal or not, since it has only been a little over a year of living here. The river was dry last year as well. Large rocks and brush as far as the eye can see, all lined along the dry riverbed. It's scary to see how the weather is changing over the years. No, I don't live in fear all the time contemplating climate change, but I do wonder how Oregon weather will be in the next 30 to 50 years. 

On a lighter note, today is the Blocktoberfest in Roseburg. I guess it's all taking place downtown, which is our neighborhood. Plenty of craft beer, wine, live music, food trucks, family fun, booths and the like are slated to be there. It sounds like fun, even though it also seems as though it will be the normal outdoor event in a small town, meaning once you walk through the booths, grab something to eat, and listen to the music for about five minutes, it's time to head home. We'll see! 

It was time to go to the Blocktober Fest downtown. I had to ask Terry if we could drive only because my lower back was hurting badly. Not sure why, but ow! We parked a block away and walked the rest. Sweat began to roll immediately. It was a lot warmer than I thought it would be! Beautiful day and good day to see everything the festival had to offer. 

It was quite a turnout. Roseburg is a small town, and it was still early enough to keep people from wanting to go to the beer garden and wine tasting venues throughout the street. While people were shoulder to shoulder in the street, there were many more crossing the streets to come to the festival. Pretty cool actually. We walked around to see the many booths that had hand crafted items, along with wares the stores were selling. There were food trucks, booths, a family stage, and two bands playing different genres of music. One a jazzy style selection and the other an electronic mix of softer tones that sounded interesting. 

Back behind the booths, along the sidewalk. 

Saving Grace adoption center brought along some kittens. Saving Grace is where Terry found Kit and we found Togo. 

Hats, jewelry, fairy logs for fairy gardens, t-shirts, skirts, household items and more were enticing festival visitors. There were two streets of booths. 

I took a seat on the bench to let my back rest. Sweet man headed down the street to see if he could find a good beer. He came back empty handed. Nothing impressed him. They required the purchase of tokens, six to be exact. I'm sure that would give you enough to purchase two beers. But they offered a glass too, all for $20. Terry couldn't justify the purchase of tokens for two beers. He typically drinks one for the taste and that's it. 

Even along a quieter, less traveled road, a man and his son stopped to play a game of ball. It was pretty interesting. I sat and watched for a minute while Terry grabbed a root beer float. 

Heading back to where all the "action" is. 

At least there was shade along the sidewalk. Terry and I both had sweat pouring down our faces. Much warmer than I thought it would be today. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt too, to make sure I stayed warm enough. OMG, I was warm enough. 

I saw the Elk Lodge was going to host a haunted house real soon ... Should be fun. Might have to get some grandkids down here!

This band was playing an electronic genre of music. Sounded pretty cool. 

What is a festival without Jack's appearance? He was chatting with visitors as they passed by. 

But really, what is Jack Skellington without his faithful companion, Zero? 

The festival was a hit. If I drank wine or beer, I believe it would have been more entertaining. Get a couple of glasses of wine down me and anything goes. At that point, music would have been well, music to my ears. I wouldn't have cared what genre was playing. Yes, I'm a cheap date and always have been. 

Terry kept asking if I wanted to look through any of the booths along the way. I was "window shopping" today. I really don't want to purchase anything that is not absolutely needed or if it's something I fall in love with that I can't live without it being in our home. We are running out of space, and I don't want the house to feel crowded and look gaudy because of way too many things pushed in together. Besides, I have to dust all of this stuff. Yeah, no. But it is a blast to look, and time spent with sweet man is always a good thing. 

We're now moving into the evening. The evening was uneventful besides my back was still killing me. Not sure why other than I'm getting old. 👍😁😆😊😉It also doesn't help that I sit in a computer chair all day and for fun I sit in a computer chair to either write or see what social media has to offer for the day. Real smooth, girl. I need to get up and begin to work on my core muscles again, she says as she sits in a chair typing away. 💪😏

Beyond that little matter, we did nothing but relax. Terry sat in his recliner, reading a book on his tablet. I stretched out on the couch to watch a show on TV. Yeah, right. Let's be honest here. I was actually checking out how many floaters were in my eyes with my eyes closed. We both finally got up and made the trek to the bedroom after taking our dogs out. 

It is Sunday! Wow, this weekend has flown by! We have plans to make cinnamon rolls today and to put our new bookshelf unit together. This should be interesting. I am putting the starter to the side today to make Cinnabon cinnamon rolls again. Hubby Mac loved the last ones. I used another recipe though and they didn't "puff" the way my other recipe did. Having a new plan in mind, we're going to try it again. The brownies I made last night should suffice as after dinner treats until I get the rolls made. I do believe he will survive. 

Terry is smoking a cigar or two. I am writing the post. Such an exciting day (insert eye roll here). I did hear some sounds coming from the basement last night. Grabbing the flashlight, I headed downstairs to see what I could find. Thinking mouse or rat, I was set to be startled if something ran out under me. Nothing appeared. Either the creature was gone already or froze until I left. I heard nothing. Our roommate Harry wasn't even around that I was aware of. The basement light was off until I entered, and all seemed well. That's about it for the heart racing excitement we face around here. 

A while back, Togo our husky was outside with us. I saw a beetle run under the patio table and the dog jumped up to investigate. At least I thought that was what happened. Terry and I chatted for a while longer. About 40 minutes later, I glanced under the table to see what our fur baby was up to. He was sleeping under the table, enjoying the summer evening with us. But there was something laying on the patio beyond the dog's position. I mentioned it to sweet man, and he turned in his chair to look. It was a dead rat. Not a mouse. A dead rat. Togo had killed it. With chills running throughout my body, I got up and went inside. 

Eventually Terry came in. We talked about the rat situation, knowing we had to dispose of it. I handed my husband the dustpan and smiled. He dealt with the disposal, and all was complete. This is why I figured it could be a rat or a mouse in the basement. 

Down the alley, facing the side street off the alley, there is a home or hell hole I should say, that has blackberry bushes overgrown so much you can barely make out the yard. Windows are covered with furniture and items that are stacked up against them. One of the front windowpanes slid down into the lower frame, leaving an exposure to the elements. The furniture is blocking any breeze that may be coming in, however. 

While doing a few food deliveries in the beginning of spring, I was called to that house. I couldn't not find a clear path on the porch to set the food down. The two that reside in the home came outside to meet me. I always imagined there were older folks in the home and that's why the house was in such disrepair or someone who was disabled and was unable to keep up with the house. Two perfectly fine, healthy human beings walked out. The house is the way it is due to laziness and a lack of caring. 

The front porch aesthetic includes a treadmill, covered in cobwebs and filth. A couple of couches, and on top of those couches sits chairs, boxes of crap, and more stuff leaning against them or covering the surface. There are shoes, tables, garbage bags, and knick-knacks. Animal cages, bed frames, and rugs were thrown on the porch too, as though it were one large dump. It could be such a cute house if properly cared for. 

Anyway, the reason I'm discussing the house is because there have been rats and mice running in and out of the blackberry bushes and other brush at that house. I see them while driving the car to the end of the alley way to go to the store and there are two cats that hang out there all the time, waiting and watching. Dead mice have been seen in the alley as well, when I walk Togo. It's a disgusting situation. Not caring how they want to live; as it is their choice, I have never done anything about the problem home. 

But now, we have rats and mice that are hustling their way down to our house and that's a reason to turn the house in. Not something I want to deal with here. Believing a call should be made before the situation expands into our home, I guess it's time. I hate "tattling" on people, but something should be done before our entire neighborhood is infected with rodents. That and I truly do not want our dog fighting them. Do we call or leave it alone and deal with a rodent infestation? 

A bit of good news. Terry came in with a big grin on his face and informed me that he doesn't have to work tomorrow either. This means a five-day weekend! He's off on Thursday and Friday anyway and now we have Monday to spend time together too! Well, I'll be working but he won't have to leave the house tomorrow. It put an equally large grin on my face too. Love spending time with sweet man!

Well, readers, since today is Sunday, I will close this week's post. We are spending a quiet day at home, with nothing real exciting planned. Anything that may happen or come up, we will post next week or add a special post to this week. 

Count your blessings! Take care of yourselves and please, be kind to one another.