SPECIAL OFFERS

 I think I'm getting too old for these 4 am mornings.  If only I could fix my internal clock.  At least in a few short days we will be back on Arizona time, so in spite of my sleeplessness I can SAY I got up at 5:00!!  Once again, Kitters must have come through the doggie door because I do NOT remember letting her in.  

It's chilly this morning ... back down to 42 degrees.  Still not bad as temperatures go.  The wind however, was BIG.  Most all day long it howled around the house.  That was almost enough to make me cancel the walk/run I had planned.  I went, but it's just not fun trying to run against a 20 mph wind.  It's not fun WALKING against one either, try as I might to go in the same direction it was blowing.  

Back home, I picked up the mail.  That's always a lesson in trash.  The good news is I got a message from the Quilting Company that my Chuwi computer had been repaired so I can get back to quilting.  DO NOT buy this brand.  Every single one sold three years ago, had the battery swell up and break open the case.  

I have a bad feeling about this.  I think they changed the software, meaning I will have to learn the entire thing all over again ... AND ... I'm pretty sure when they did that it deleted all of my PAID FOR patterns that I can no longer get.  There were at least 50, with a price tag of $15-20 each.  We shall see on Saturday when it arrives.

Next up, a letter from Sirius.  When I got the van, I got a Sirius subscription for free.  It was crazy hard to navigate through all the programs, books and music.  Just give me two cowboy stations and I'm good!  Well that FREE programming just turned into a $385.00 a year investment.  NO THANK YOU.  I called to cancel.

They specialize in frustration ... AI frustration ... that doesn't know what the word REPRESENTATIVE means.  In ten seconds, I was screaming it into the phone.  Finally a real person answered.  I told her to just cancel it ... when low and behold ... WAIT, I can get you a SPECIAL OFFER.  Yup ... here we go.

The first one was for streaming and music for $130.00.  Nope.  Oh wait ... here's one for $120.00.  Nope.  We finally ended up with $85.00 for the year.  Quite the difference there, no?  Yes the S is missing because this image came from the internet where you can go to JAIL for downloading pictures.

With that all set up, I tried to nap a bit, but it was not happening.  More accounting work ensued until it was time to get gussied up for the Elks Lodge meeting.  It was Old Timers Night.  I think they gave away over 50 pins ... the last one for being a 70 year member.  Yup ... he was 94 years old.  WOW!   Oh look ... I'm wearing Levis and boots!!!

That's not allowed in the lodge room ... as a Trustee, I have to wear the OUTFIT or I will get fined.  Not that I have EVER paid the fines.  This time I said NO.  I just wasn't feeling it.  In fact, I was SO not feeling it that I wasn't going to go at all, but the Bingo King talked me into it, mostly so he can take a break for a beer while I sell dinner tickets.  

It was a HUGE crowd on this night ... I sold 172 dinner tickets, not counting the 15 kitchen crew who cooked everything.

I forgot the plate picture, but here's the leftovers.  Green salad (not shown), New York steak, baked potato (cooked a tad too long), green beans with tomatoes (I ate them), a roll, and ice cream for dessert.  All for $20.00.  I think the biggest benefit of being an Elk is the food!!  These lodge night meals are served twice a month.  Next week it will be corned beef and cabbage with an expected crowd of 200.  Yes, it's that good.

 I'm pretty sure they were all shocked when I got up and walked out the door instead of up the stairs.  I'm rather tired of the rigamarole and too many days of always being there.  They will get along just fine without me.  Even the bartender was shocked as I waved goodbye!

And so it's Friday.  I know there are several things on the list for today and tomorrow, but I can't think of what they are at the moment.  Oh wait ... yes tonight I have been invited to dinner ... at the Elks Lodge.  It's okay though ... that shrimp scampi is worth the effort to get out the door.