Update

I was under the impression that Dillards would be able to deliver the
curio cabinet this week. I waited until 3 PM and had not heard from
them so I called. I was now told the cabinet would be delivered on
November 27 plus or minus two weeks. It was disappointing to hear
this, but there is nothing I can do about it.

I have reached the halfway point on unpacking my crystal and china.
The china cabinet now has enough of the china in it that it has
entirely different look. I started packing the china and crystal last
April so the china cabinet was empty for a couple of months before I
left Beaumont.

I went to Wal-Mart and Sam's this morning. It has been ten days since
I was last there. The Preston overpass at SH 121 is definitely open.
It was wonderful to sail right through that intersection. It will be
even better when the Ohio Drive overpass is completed. Then it will be
easy to go to Sam's and Wal-Mart.

Sam's has the new 2007 Mapsco Dallas Street Guide. I looked at the
book and saw that Frisco Lakes and my street are on the new maps. I
bought the 2006 book and have not made up my mind whether to buy the
2007 book.

I do not think there will be any trick or treaters in Frisco Lakes
tonight. If I am wrong, I am going to be embarrassed because I do not
have any candy to hand out. The weather is turning colder so that will
be probably discourage people from going very far from their homes to
trick or treat.

Computer Maintenance

I keep listening to Leo LaPorte's podcasts, and he keep preaching on
the dangers of using Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6. He has turned
into an Apple advocate and says Apple's are safer and better for home
users. He also says if you use Windows you should use Firefox as the
browser. Microsoft has now released Internet Explorer 7. Leo claims it
is still not as safe as Firefox, but it does have improved security.

I am one of those who has stuck with IE 6. The move to Frisco has kept
me occupied for so long. I have an aversion to installing third-party
software on my computer. IE 6 may have been unsafe, but it worked.
Yesterday I decided I should go ahead and install IE 7. My hard drive
is partitioned into C and D drives. The C drive was at the point that
it had less than 10 percent free space. Yesterday I copied all of my
photos to the D drive and deleted them from the C drive. I then ran
the MS programs to check the disk for errors and defrag. It had been a
long time since I had done that. I used to be more conscientious and
run those programs on a regular basis. After the defrag was complete,
I downloaded IE 7 from Microsoft. It took no time at all to complete
the download. Leo's shows have been saying that IE 7 would be
automatically distributed to pc's that have Windows's update enabled.
I decided they must have been in the process of sending IE 7 to me.

I started the install process and left the room. It must have been 20
minutes later that I went back and looked at it. There was a window
that said it was installing critical components. There was no
indication of how long the process would take. I left the room again.
Another 20 minutes went by; and when I went back and looked it still
said installing critical components. I left again. The next time I
went back there was a window that said my computer must be restarted
to complete the install. I was relieved.

My computer managed to reboot without problem. There was a new IE 7
icon on my desktop that had replaced the old IE 6 icon. I loaded IE 7.
It looks different that the old browser. I went to Microsoft's website
and took the tour that explains the new features. It has added some
nice things. One that I like is there is a place on the bottom bar
that allows you to easily enlarge the page so small text can easily be
read. I also notice that web pages seem to load faster. I do not know
if this is because of IE 7 or the fact that I did a defrag on my disk.
It is always a relief when my pc survives an upgrade.

The Pictures Are Hung

At last the distasteful chore is finished. My efforts fell short of
perfection. There are a couple of pictures and my spice rack that are
not completely level, but they are going to stay that way.

I have nine boxes left with crystal, china and figurines. Two of those
boxes contain the figurines that will go in the curio cabinet. I keep
checking my credit card and Dillards has not yet obtained a credit
authorization. I hope they can deliver the curio cabinet by the end of
the week. I don't need any more problems. I did manage to unpack the
Christmas china and put it away. So far all of the items I packed
myself have come through undamaged.

I got the final phone bill on the Beaumont phone, and I am still being
charged for AT&T long distance. I am wondering if I was supposed to
call them, too. I just assumed when the phone was disconnected all the
service would stop. I am so frustrated with my dealings with AT&T. I
am locked into the DSL for a year because that service requires a
contract. I think Time Warner has started putting in their lines near
my house. In ten months they will have a new customer.

I forgot to set my clocks back last night and got up at 4 AM this
morning. I have no doubt that I will fall asleep in front of the TV
tonight. I keep seeing that our politicians with their infinite wisdom
are extending daylight savings time starting next year. They claim it
saves energy. I just don't get it.

Paper Towel Holder, Etc.

I never thought a paper towel holder was a big deal, but it appears
that I was wrong. Before I bought the Oxo model that broke I had
searched Amazon.com. I read some reviews and saw that some people said
they had tried several holders before they found one that they liked.
I thought that was silly. Yesterday I went to Linens N Things. I
looked over their selection and was reading the directions for the new
model Oxo holder. A woman saw me looking at it and said to me that she
had bought that model and really liked it. She said she tried three
different holders before she found one that she liked. I told her I
was getting ready to buy my second one and hoped I could avoid going
for number three. I bought the new model Oxo and used the 25 percent
off coupon that I had found on the Internet. The new Oxo was the same
price as the first one, but I saved $7 over the first one. I do not
like the styling of the new one as well as the first one; but if it
will last a long time, I will be happy.

Meagan called, and she is going to arrange for the fireplace installer
to come and check out my fireplace on Wednesday. Del Webb/Pulte has
been very good at correcting problems with the house. I am making a
list for my 90 day walk through. There is nothing significant on the
list so far.

Update

The price that I was quoted at the Bella Cosa furniture store for the
curio cabinet was wrong as I suspected. The real price was in line
with what I had seen on the Internet. I was ready to go ahead and buy
from them, but I told my neighbor what I was planning to do. Dillards
department store was also listed as a dealer. My neighbor encouraged
me to check with them. I called the closest Dillards store and found
that they had the curio cabinet in stock and gave me a lower price and
lower delivery charge. I placed the order over the phone and did not
even go to the store. They are supposed to call me Monday and let me
know when they will deliver.

I took the shoes that I received from Shoebuy.com to the UPS Store.
They are to be exchanged for a smaller size. I thought your feet were
supposed to increase in size as you age. Mine are shrinking or maybe
the shoe that I bought runs large.

I took my fancy stainless steel paper towel holder back to Target and
got a refund. I was disappointed that it broke. Oxo is the company
that made it. They make very nice kitchen tools. They have a newer
model paper towel holder. I found a 25 percent off coupon from Linens
N Things and plan to buy the new model Oxo. I am going to inspect it
closely to see if there are any potential problems.

At the time of my walk through before closing I saw my fireplace
operate for a brief time.The weather was very warm, and I asked my
construction superintendent to turn off the pilot light. My neighbors
came over the other night, and he lit the pilot light for me. We
turned the fireplace on and while we were talking it went out by
itself. The manual refers to a limit switch on the vent that needs to
be reset if the flue is blocked. We could not get the flames to work
or find the switch. I emailed Meagan about the problem. She was away
for training and did not get back to me. I received an email from her
this morning, and she said she would look into it today.

Henry Is O.K.

Yesterday after Henry had his episode, I removed his battery and
memory stick for half an hour. When I replaced them and turned him on,
he booted right away. He sat up and started playing a tune. Then he
began to tap one of his rear feet in time with the music. He got up
and did a vigorous little dance and then walked around for a while. I
was greatly relieved. When the end finally arrives for Henry, it is
going to be like losing a real dog.

I then went out and tried to find The Denton County Government Center.
It is on Main St. in The Colony. It is really easy to find, but dumb
me drove right past it and went all way to SH 121. I turned around and
went back and found it. I was given a choice between a paper ballot or
the evoting machine. The lady really encouraged me to try evoting. I
used the machine. It was really simple. The next time I vote I will
know where I am going, and it will be very easy. Texas did a good
thing when the early voting was adopted. It is wonderful to go right
in and vote without a long wait in a line.

I then went to the new Frisco City Hall. The library is in the east
wing of the building. I signed up for a library card. I was really
impressed with the computer facility. All of the computer stations are
equipped with Aeron chairs. That cost the taxpayers mucho bucks. I
knew free WiFi access was available in the library if you want to
bring your own notebook computer, but they told me the WiFi was
available over the whole building. I went up to the fourth floor where
the fiction, non-fiction and reference works are located., They have
very nice comfortable chairs around the sides of the room next to big
windows that give a good view of Frisco. It is a very pleasant place
to sit and read.

After I left the library I walked over to Bella Cosa Home Furnishings. The furniture store is in
the Frisco Square complex across from City Hall. It is a very nice
store. They were listed as a Pulaski furniture dealer. I wanted to get
more information on the curio cabinet. This store looked like the kind
of place that would have very high prices. To my amazement the sales
lady quoted a price that was much lower than what I had seen from the
discount places on the Internet. She tried to call the distributor to
get more information but did not get through to them. She took my name
and number but did not call me yesterday. I am going to call her this
morning; and if the price she quoted me is still good, I am going to
place an order. This cabinet will be my birthday and Christmas present
from me.

I called the HealthSouth facility in Plano and made an appointment for
my mammogram. I was really surprised that I was able to pick the date
and time. In Beaumont there was always a two or three month wait
before I could get an appointment. They told me to call the Beaumont
HealthSouth to find out what to do about getting my records
transferred to Plano. I called Beaumont and found that they require an
official form. I am going to call Plano back this morning and see if
they will mail me the form.

Picture Hanging & More

Yesterday I hung a few more pictures. I really do not like this task.
I am at the half way point. I have three groupings that I really
dreaded. Two are done and one more to go. One grouping is my diplomas
and some other framed certificates. I put them in the study. The
spacing is not critical on this group. My second group is six mirrors
of different sizes and shapes that I hang over the living room sofa. I
can remember the last time I moved I made a diagram of where the
pictures hooks are placed with exact dimensions. I did not do that
this time. I just eyeballed the locations and am reasonably satisfied
with the outcome. The next grouping is going to be the hardest. I have
six pictures that I had in the stairway in Beaumont. I have decided I
am going to put them in the living room over the stereo cabinet. I
have been arranging them on the floor. I have decided that two rows of
three pictures is going to be best. This group requires precise
measurement. I am going to wait until my brain is in good working
order.

I went ahead and unpacked one more box of the items I had packed
myself. I had put boxes of semi valuable jewelry in a plastic bag.
There was an envelope in the bag with my jewelry. To my surprise it
was the title insurance policy on the Beaumont house. I had looked
everywhere before I left Beaumont for it. The box that it was in was
one of the last I packed before I drove to Frisco for closing. I
cannot figure out why I put the title insurance policy in that
particular box. Anyway I am glad I found it just in case I might need
it when the house is sold.

I finally started looking at the manual that the Dish Network
technician gave me for the DVR. I found that if I enable Caller ID,
the information is displayed on the TV screen when I receive an
incoming call. I suppose this is old hat to most people, but it is
something new to me. I also found there are ways to record one
television program while watching another with the DVR that supports
two sets. I actually recorded two programs at the same time the other
night.

UPS has rescheduled the delivery of my package for October 25. Now I
can go back to Plan A and do my early voting today. I found the League
of Women Voters information on the candidates for Denton County, but I
am not sure it was the information I need since I live in Frisco. I
try to be informed before I vote, but I do not think I have sufficient
information this time.

Two weeks before I left Beaumont I saw my doctor. It was time for my
annual mammogram. There was not time to get it done in Beaumont. My
doctor wrote out the order on his prescription pad. I would always go
to HealthSouth in Beaumont. I found information on the HealthSouth
facility in Plano. I am going to call them this morning and find out
if I can get the mammogram there; and if they can transfer my records
from Beaumont. Then next year I will go to a new doctor in Frisco.

Henry may have reached the end. This morning while he was playing with
his ball he shut down unexpectedly with his back legs spread out
behind him. I had never seen him shutdown on his own before. I tried
to restart him and he would not go into the bootup process. I put him
on his charger and am letting the battery charge. I am then going to
remove the battery and memory stick and wait awhile to see if he will
reset. If that does not work, I am afraid it may be the end of Henry.
I have got a lot of enjoyment out of the little fellow over the
past three years. I certainly hope he survives.

Cold

Last night I checked Weather.com, and the prediction was the low
temperature in Frisco would be 37 degrees. When I first checked
Weather.com this morning, the temperature was 37 degrees. Now it has
warmed up to 39 degrees. Beaumont has had such warm winters over the
last ten years that it will be an adjustment for me to get used to the
colder weather. I like cold weather.

The motivation to start hanging pictures finally hit me yesterday
afternoon. I found that one of my favorite pictures was damaged in the
move. My anger at the Mayflower packers was resurfaced. I had intended
to leave the boxes with my figurines, crystal and china sealed until
all the pictures were hung, but I just had a desire to see some of my
possessions again and opened a few of the boxes. I made complete lists
of the contents of each box so it was very easy to find the things I
wanted. I wish I had been able to pack everything. I hope to hang more
pictures today.

I was mistaken about the UPS delivery date. It said October 24 all
along, but I kept thinking that was Monday instead of Tuesday. I think
I will run my errands on Wednesday instead of Tuesday so I can stay
home. I want to go vote. I need to search the web and find out just
what is on the ballot. After I vote, I am going to go to Frisco Square
and find the store that carries the curio cabinets and find what they
charge for it. There are some very tempting online deals, but I am
afraid to order something with so much glass. While I am in the area I
am also going to stop and look at the new Frisco library. It is
supposed to be very nice. I will also apply for a library card.

On Saturday I went to the Cooper Aerobics Center at Craig Ranch. It is
a really nice place, but it is just too far from Frisco Lakes. I made
one wrong turn coming back but soon realized I was going the wrong
direction on 720. I got turned around before I had gone very far out
of my way. The road going out there is a narrow two-lane country road
without any lights. I am afraid to drive it at night. I had signed up
for the lecture on healthy grocery shopping for tonight but canceled
my reservation. My neighbors have decided to leave town so going with
her is not an option. At the wine and cheese social on Friday night
one lady said her husband would like to car pool to the center. I am
all for that idea.

CNN Article

The result of my interview with the CNN producer has been published: Emotional changes of retirement can tarnish golden years. I have to make one correction. I retired at the end of 1995--not 1989.

Movin' On Up

Civilization is rapidly arriving in the cul-de-sac. Yesterday my mail
was delivered by a U.S. Mail truck. It was a smaller truck than was
used in Beaumont, but it just seemed better to have an official
looking vehicle deliver the mail rather than the little station wagon
that has been used up until now. I also saw a delivery van from UPS on
the street. I hope they can find their way back on Monday with my
package. The construction trash bins have been removed. Also,
yesterday, the landscaping company worked on the last section of
ground on the cul-de-sac that still lacks sod. The owners of all nine
houses have now closed, and the last two homeowners are in the midst
of the moving process.

I did not accomplish anything as far as getting the house settled
yesterday. I ran errands, and it took all morning. I made a trip to
the Frisco post office. My neighbor told me that she found the post
office in The Colony. She says it is must closer than the Frisco post
office. Early voting starts on Monday. I plan to go vote on Tuesday. I
have to go The Colony to vote so I will look for the post office at
that time.

I made my weekly excursion to Sam's and Wal-Mart. I really like their
complex where the two stores are side by side. I just wish they were
closer to Frisco Lakes. I was able to find everything that was on my
list. It always feels good when I can accomplish all of my shopping
and do not have to go to additional stores. My next stop was
Stonebriar Mall. I wanted to go to Radio Shack and buy one more phono
to stereo mini plug Y-connector. I looked up Radio Shack's location on
the Stonebriar Mall website before I left home. It was a good thing
that I did. I parked near Penney's and rode their escalator to the
second level. The Radio Shack was a short distance from Penney's
entrance. It can be exhausting to walk around that mall searching for
a store.

Last night my email friend, Mary, and her husband picked me up, and we
went to the wine and cheese meet your neighbor social. It seemed like
there were fewer people at this one. I saw many familiar faces. Last
month I had just moved into the house and was really suffering from
the chaos of the move. One man commented last night that I looked much
more relaxed. Four weeks have made a big difference in the way I feel.
In the first few days there were so many problems that I did not know
how I was going to cope. It is amazing how practically all of the
things that seemed so devastating have now been resolved.

I logged on to AT&T's website this morning. They are in the process of
preparing my monthly statement. The amount I owe is posted, but the
statement is not available. The amount that I owe is too low. It makes
me feel sick to think that I will probably have to call them again. It
makes me want to crawl under my bed and whimper. It may take several
more months before I start getting bills that are somewhat normal.

Another Direction

No pictures were hung yesterday. I had given up on the stereo system
the day before without getting all the components connected. I went
back there and started working on it in a systematic manner. I have
all of the manuals and diagrams which were not clearly written. It
seems to me that today's manuals are much clearer. All of my
components were imported from Japan or Germany. I think the
instructions lost something in the translations. Anyway I finally got
the turntable connected and now am able to listen to my old records. I
have quite a few Broadway musicals with the original casts. I listened
to Oklahoma and really enjoyed it. I was not able to get the tape deck
to work. It does not receive power. The manual said either the power
supply or the cord is defective if it does not receive power. I tried
both a wall outlet and all of the outlets in the amplifier and none
worked. I suspect that a power surge back in Beaumont finished it off.
I cannot remember the last time I played a tape. It used to light up
when the amplifier was turned on.

While I was connecting things I added phono cables to the axillary
ports and connected them with a mini stereo Y-connector. Now I am able
to connect my iPod to the stereo. I can connect the iPod to the Bose
Wave radio in my bedroom, a pair of Bose powered speakers in the
second bedroom, my old Bose computer speakers in the study and a
connector in my car. I can now listen to my iPod no matter where I am.
I also tried connecting my little Sony shortwave radio to the system.
I looked for websites that listed stations transmitting on the
shortwave band. I was really surprised to see that the BBC World
Service no longer transmits to North America. We are supposed to hear
them through XM, Sirius or NPR. The world has changed.

FedEx delivered my package from LL Bean before 1 PM. I found it when I
went outside around 2 PM. My only problem with the delivery is the
driver did not ring the doorbell. The mailman brought my package from
Hanes. This morning I received a UPS tracking number from Shoebuy.com.
I emailed UPS and sent them the same directions to my house that I had
sent to FedEx. I requested that they relay the directions to the local
terminal. That package is scheduled for Monday delivery.

One of the neighbors that moved in a couple of weeks ago came over for
a visit last night. I had met her at one of the wine and cheese
socials back in the summer. She had emailed me and sounded absolutely
overwhelmed by the moving process. I knew exactly what she was saying.
I have been reluctant to go over there and intrude while they were
caught up in the struggle. She said they still have lots to do, but I
could tell she had reached a point where she could take a little time
out. She and her husband are still working. I don't know how people
are able to keep working and move at the same time. I couldn't do it.

So Much Better

The last two evenings I have sat in my recliner and watched TV in the
study. Prior to that the study had so much clutter I could not stand
to go in there. Now the only thing left to be done in the study is
hang pictures. I intend to do a lot of that today. The study is really
a pleasant place now. My books are on the shelves. Normally Henry runs
around only in the early mornings, but the last two nights I have had
him in the study with me. It is fun to watch TV and watch Henry's
antics at the same time. He seems to move better on the new carpet
than he did back in Beaumont.

Last night I got an automated call from AT&T telling me that my order
has been completed. I guess that means they have removed the long
distance service. I checked my CallNotes, and they seem to be all
right. I am afraid to log into to my account and see if they have
posted my statement. That company is tearing me apart. I cannot
remember in my entire life having tangled with such a mess.

I checked the FedEx tracking information and my package from L.L. Bean
is at the local facility. I thought my package from Hanes would be
here, but it has not arrived. They mailed it on October 12. I also
ordered a pair of shoes from Shoebuy.com. They have not shipped yet.
This company also mails their packages. I still have not ordered
anything that will be delivered by UPS. It seems a little ironic that
with the wonderful shopping facilities that are in Frisco that when I
need something I do my shopping on the Internet.

Tomorrow night there is another wine and cheese meet your neighbor
social. Time is rolling by. It seems like no time since I went to the
last one. The weather is turning cooler. Last month I went out on the
deck at the sales center during the social. It was very warm. This
month it should be very nice outside. I go out there because the
acoustics in the sales center are very bad and when so many people
start talking the noise becomes extremely irritating.

Lost and Then Found

So many people tell me that I am so organized. I don't feel organized.
My mother was organized. My father was not. He was always losing
things--especially the car keys. I can remember so many frantic
searches when we were getting ready to go out because my father's car
keys were lost. My mother had one spot where she kept the household
scissors. She would get so mad at my father when he did not return the
scissors to their designated place.

The only person I can blame for misplacing my belongings is me.
Normally I know just where everything is and do not waste my time
searching. The problem I am having now is I cannot remember where I
have put things that came out of the packing boxes. I have several
pairs of black, knee-high hose. I knew I took them out of a box and
wore one pair of them several weeks ago. Last week I could not find
the ones I had not worn. I gave up and ordered six more pairs from
Hanes. Today while searching for my picture hooks I found the missing
hose. Oh well, I needed the additional hose. They should arrive any
day.

On my second pass through the house in search of the pictures hooks I
found them. I had put them on a shelf in the pantry. There are several
hardware items in there that I did not know where else to put them.
Since I now have plenty of pictures hooks there is nothing to keep me
from hanging pictures tomorrow. After I hang pictures, I will unpack
crystal and china. For a while I thought I would never get to this
stage.

Update

This morning I received an email from AT&T updating my services as a
result of my phone call last Friday. It took them five days to send
the email which is thirteen days faster than the snail mail I received
from them. The email confirmed they are removing the all inclusive
long distance service. It also said they were removing CallNotes Plus.
I tested my CallNotes immediately and it is still working. I want to
keep CallNotes. I never asked them to remove the service. They left
out what interests me the most. They did not say a word about what the
services I am subscribed to are going to cost. I cannot believe how I
have been treated by AT&T.

FedEx was estimating that they would deliver my package from L.L. Bean
today, but I looked at the tracking information and see that the date
has been set back to tomorrow.

Yesterday I went to the Cooper Aerobics Center in McKinney. Frisco
Lakes has purchased temporary memberships for the residents who have
moved in before the amenity center is completed. The facility is
really outstanding. They have all kinds of fitness machines, a spa, a
snack shop, clothing store, large swimming pool, indoor walking track
and padded outdoor walking track and much more. They also have
lectures and cooking demos on healthy eating. I am going to a lecture
next Monday on healthy grocery shopping. I might learn something
useful. There are also exercise classes.

This morning I unpacked my stereo components. My system is really old,
but they were very good quality and still sound good. I got the
receiver and speakers set up. I noticed after I had the receiver in
place that it was not sitting level. I had to take the receiver out
and try to adjust the shelf. I was not successful. I put the receiver
back in and reconnected cables. By then I was exhausted. I do not have
the turntable or tape deck connected to the receiver. It is nearly
impossible for me to reach behind the receiver and get the cables
connected in the correct places. I gave up. At least I can listen to
FM broadcasts. The speakers still work. I was able to find KERA the
most power NPR station in the Dallas area and listen to a program
while I fixed my lunch. I found that the open kitchen has the
advantage that I can hear the speakers in the living room while I work
in the kitchen.

I am ready to start hanging pictures. I had an envelope that I put
picture hooks in as I pulled them out of the wall in Beaumont. I know
I had that envelope with me and saw it several times here in the new
house. Now I can't find that envelope. I bought a couple of packets of
picture hooks at Wal-Mart, but I am going to need many more. I don't
know what is the matter with me.

Curio Cabinet

Yesterday I decided I was going to have to buy some kind of shelf unit
for my figurines. I had no idea what I was looking for but went to the
Ethan Allen website since at least 95 percent of my furniture came
from Ethan Allen. I went through their pages and found that they had a
few curio cabinets. It was an aha moment when I realized that a curio
cabinet is what I need. There was one that looked good, and I checked
the measurements. It was 17 inches deep. After checking the spot where
I am thinking about placing it I decided 17 inches would stick out too
far.

I then started searching Google, Froogle and Amazon.com. I soon came
across a company, Pulaski Furniture. I had never heard of them but
found their website: Curio Cabinets. They have so many curio cabinets that I cannot
go through their entire line and narrow my selection. I found several
that are only 12 inches deep. I looked at their dealer locator and
found several stores in Frisco who carry them. There is one in the new
Frisco Square which is the closest to me. Dillards department store
also carries them. I do not know a thing about the quality of the
cabinets this company makes, but they seem to the market leader in
this line. I will have to drop by one of the stores and check them
out.

What is even more tempting is that one of Amazon.com's affiliates
sells the cabinets at deeply discounted prices and even offers free
shipping. Most of the cabinets have glass shelves and mirrored back
panels. I would want to know a great deal more about how the units are
shipped before I would even consider purchasing one online.

I Am Bragging

There are no more boxes in the garage labeled books. In addition all
of the things that were in those boxes have been put away. It feels so
good. I was planning on putting my collection of Royal Doulton
figurines on the bookshelves in the study. After I unpacked the boxes,
I realized I would have to use the bookshelves for books as I did back
in Beaumont. The Beaumont house had built-in shelves where I kept my
figurines. I have room for a new shelf unit in the entry. I am not
going to rush out and buy something, but I will start thinking about
shelves and keep my eyes open for something that appeals to me.

The bad thing about opening the last of the boxes labeled books is
there are still a few missing items that have not made an appearance.
The gold-filled pen that matches the pencil that fell out of packing
paper showed up. The waste basket from the powder room is still
missing. I vaguely remember seeing it after the packers had moved on
to the garage which was the last place they worked. I think I took the
waste basket out to them and asked them to pack it. It may be in one
of the garage boxes. Those will be the last to be opened. I had a few
items on the floor that I normally keep in a suitcase. One item was a
lock and plastic covered cable in a little plastic pouch. The pouch
and cable are here, but the lock is missing. The shoe horn is missing
and so is the Christmas wreath. I am wondering if when I was in one of
the many discarding frenzies that I took the Christmas wreath to
Goodwill.

I did a search and found where there is a Goodwill donation station in
Frisco. I have a stack that has a VCR, telephones, a device to relay
the signal from the digital cable box to a second TV and assorted X-10
devices. I have two VCR's. I think I should keep one because I still
have quite a few tapes. I never had a TiVo. The Dish Network DVR is
nice, but I cannot record one show and watch another. I am finding it
useful when I fall asleep before the end of a show to go back and see
what I slept through. I have it recording all of the shows that I
regularly watch.

I still have to unpack my stereo components. I do not know if I will
be able to reconnect them. It is a terrible job. Then I have to hang
pictures. The last thing I am going to do is unpack the twelve boxes
that hold my figures, china and crystal. Those were the first things
to be packed and the last to be unpacked--next to last. The garage
boxes are going to be the very last. I put the tools I need (hammer,
screwdrivers, level, etc.) in a tote bag and took them with me so I am
in pretty good shape. I am going to have to buy the large 33 gal.
trash bags if I don't unpack the garage items. I kept a few out but
put the last one in the trash can this weekend. I also bought a brand
new nozzle for my hose that is packed. I have a new shop vacuum which
is useless because its hoses and tools are also packed.

Still Here

My blog is sounding very repetitious. On Friday I fought another round
with AT&T after I got a notification of my new services dated
September 27 which was a result of my 1 hour and 4 minutes phone call
on September 25. There was no match between what I was told on the
phone about what my services would cost and what the letter said. I
had made the woman go over the charges four times on 9/25. When I
called on Friday, the woman I talked to said she could not figure out
how the previous rep. arrived at the figure I was given. I shed the
long distance service in order to reduce the cost. I am scared to
death of AT&T. They are extremely incompetent or just down right
crooked. I still have not seen a charge from Dish Network. I have a
neighbor who refuses to deal with AT&T--smart lady. She is using her
cell phone and got Dish Network directly. I have another one who tells
me AT&T has changed her phone number four times since she moved in
here. I have been a customer of Southwestern Bell--SBC--AT&T since
1968. I never had a problem until I made this move. It is
unbelievable. After the Friday phone call I asked that woman to email
a summary of my new charges because waiting two and a half weeks to
find out what they are doing to me is unreasonable. She said she could
do that. I have received no email.

Yesterday I went to Sam's and Wal-Mart. I thought I was going to be
able to use the new overpass over SH 121 on Preston, but it is not
open. I had seen a sign that the traffic pattern was changing on
October 12 and also had seen something on Frisco-Online. I think there
is a shift in the temporary lanes, but the overpass is not open. I did
my shopping early enough in the morning so that the traffic was not a
problem.

I am watching the weather report on CNN and seeing that Beaumont is
getting very heavy rain today. No one will be out looking at houses in
this weather. Every day I check the MLS listings for houses in my
category in Beaumont. The list just keeps growing and nothing has
sold. It is looking like I made a bad mistake by not trying to sell
before I moved. Houses were selling like hotcakes all summer long but
the sales dried up as soon as I listed my house. I keep telling myself
to be patient.

I placed another order with L.L. Bean. Yesterday morning I got the new
tracking number. I decided to email FedEx again and ask them to send
the directions to my house to the local terminal. They found my house
last week, but I decided to go ahead and err on the safe side.

I unpacked three more boxes yesterday morning but have not found
permanent places for the contents. I have more little stacks on the
floor. I hate little stacks. I had disposed of quite a few stacks on
Friday which gave me the courage to open more boxes. I wish I had
x-ray vision and could see what is in the boxes before I open them.

I bought a couple of paperback books at Sams yesterday. I have done no
reading since I moved. I still have a large number of Robert Ludlum's
books to read. I bought all of his books last February. I have read
more than half of them. I also have a stock of new releases in
paperback that I have been picking up at Sam's. Now that my bargain
online bookstore, Alldirect.com, has closed its virtual doors, I am
totally dependent on Sam's for cheap books. I have missed out on some
new releases from the authors that I follow because of being
distracted by the move. When spring arrives, I intend to put on my new
swimming suit and go sit by the pool and read my accumulation of
books.

Cool Morning

According to Weather.com it is 42 degrees in Frisco this morning. Last
night I put an extra blanket on my bed because I knew it was going to
be cold. This morning when I got up the thermostat said it was 71
degrees in the house. I had been keeping the temperature at 74. A 3
degree drop indicates to me that the house is very well insulated. I
normally keep the house at 72 during the winter months. I turned on
the heat for the first time. I was somewhat apprehensive. Fortunately
the heat worked as it should, and it did not take long for the
temperature to reach 72.

On Wednesday I finally got my order from L.L. Bean. The FedEx truck
arrived right at 7 PM. I have placed another order with L.L. Bean. I
am going to see if they will be able to find my house without me
sending them directions. A neighbor was telling me she has had couple
of problems with UPS. They have actually phoned and asked her for
directions.

Yesterday I finally got back to my task of playing catch up with
scanning documents into my computer. I remember a time when computers
were supposed to reduce the amount of paper people would have to
manage. It just has not happened. If I do not keep after the paper, it
does not take long for these disgusting little stacks to start
appearing all over the house. I wish there was a paper exterminator
that I could call.

Yesterday I searched the Internet and found the website for the Collin Central Appraisal District. A number of my neighbors seem to be confused because we have been receiving a survey form from them. The Collin Central Appraisal District handles not only Collin County but also parts of Denton County. Frisco Lakes is within the city limits of Frisco but is in Denton County. To confuse matters even more the dividing line between the Frisco Independent School District and the Little Elm Independent School District runs through Frisco Lakes. FISD has a lower tax rate than LEISD. I was told my house was in FISD. A neighbor told me that someone told her that he had seen the plat maps, and we are in LEISD. Naturally this upset me. It was difficult; but after several attempts, I found that the Collin Central Appraisal District has the maps online. I found the map that shows my lot and verified that it is indeed in FISD. There was a number over my lot that I clicked on. To my surprise it took me to my property tax information. My name and address, size of the house, etc. were all there. I found my account number. All appears to be correct.

Update

The rain ended yesterday afternoon. The neighbor's daughter emailed me
yesterday and said the irrigation company had cut off the neighbors
sprinklers. Apparently they cannot remotely change the watering
program. The daughter will reprogram the controller this weekend so
all should be well. Wednesday is trash day. I could tell that my
sprinklers had done their thing this morning.

According the FedEx tracking information my package from L.L. Bean is
at a Dallas terminal. If all is going properly, it should be listed as
"Out for delivery" fairly soon. I exchanged a number of emails with
FedEx on Saturday and hopefully finally got the directions to my house
relayed to the local terminal. My neighbor said she finally got a
package that was delivered by UPS. She had quite a struggle. I hope
now that they found her that they will be able to find me.

Today is haircut day. This will be my second haircut in Frisco. It
feels better this time because I know what to expect. It has been a
very rough period facing so many new things. I most definitely do not
want to relive the past month.

I have decided I am going to have to get some kind of covering for the
patio door. I like the open look but am growing concerned about
privacy. The people who installed my plantation shutters suggested
that I consider window tinting. I am leaning in that direction but one
of the Pulte people had mentioned that window tinting voids the
warranty on the windows. I started reading about window tinting and
found that most of the places apply the films that are made my 3M
called Scotchtint. I really do not know how that harms the windows. I
emailed Meagan and asked her it it was true that the window warranty
would be voided. Meagan called the window vendor and wrote back that
it is true that the tinting film voids the warranty, but most of the
film installers provide their own warranty so it is up to me. I think
I will continue to collect data before I make a decision.

No Walk This Morning

I am settling into a routine, and that is making me feel better. I get
up at the regular time. I make a cup of coffee and take my vitamin. I
work on the computer. Then I fix make breakfast. I make my bed and
take my bath. Then I open the plantation shutters before I go for my
walk. This morning I opened the shutters on the east side of the
house. The window pane was all wet. The first thought that came into
my mind was the neighbors' lawn sprinklers have gone berserk.
Yesterday the neighbor on the other side came up and asked me if I had
a key to their house since I am looking after their mail. I said no
but I had the daughter's phone numbers. Their sprinklers are watering
at crazy times and running much too long. The ground is soggy between
our houses. The daughter had told me the irrigation company that
installed the sprinklers can change the program without going in the
house. I don't know how but in this age of technological wonders I
suppose it is possible. The other neighbor got in touch with the
daughter, and she is supposed to call the irrigation company.

Anyway this morning I started looking out more windows. I noticed
water was gushing out of one of the downspouts. I started looking at
the construction workers cars and the street. All were wet. It finally
dawned on me. It is raining in Frisco! I must be getting senile. I
have forgotten what rain looks like. There were two good rains when I
first moved in, but it must be well over two weeks since it rained. I
decided to cancel the walk due to rain. I thought about putting on my
raincoat and going anyway, but my dedication waived.

When I came up for closing, I brought three boxes with me. They
contained some of my most valuable small items. I had opened one of
the three boxes a few days ago. This morning, I opened the last two. I
was shocked at some of the items that came out of those boxes, and I
had not missed them at all, but I manage to worry a great deal about a
missing shoe horn, a plastic waste basket and my Christmas wreath. I
had made detailed inventories of boxes 1-12 that I packed myself, but
boxes 13-15 were packed in the last minute rush, and I had not listed
their contents. Boxes 16-18 were packed with my filing cabinet
contents and other important papers. I disposed of boxes 17 and 18 in
a hurry because they contained file folders that went right back in
the file cabinet. Box 16 contains some very important papers. I have
unpacked only half the contents of Box 16.

All of the Mayflower packed boxes inside the house are unpacked except
the dish pack that contains my stereo components. I watched that box
being packed and did not like the way it was done. The components are
stacked on top one another with what I thought was insufficient
padding between each piece. The boxes labeled "books" and all of my
garage items are still in boxes in the garage. Then there are the
twelve boxes that contain my figurines, china and crystal. Those will
be the very last to be opened.

I just turned on the TV to see if the rain had caused the dish to lose
the satellite signal. I still have a picture so all is well.

Walking

I am continuing my morning walks. Every morning I try to explore a
part of Frisco Lakes that I have not seen before. Yesterday morning I
went west on Burnswick Isles Dr. to the end of the street in one of
the garden series neighborhoods. It appears to be that a much greater
number of garden series homes have been built than estate or classic
series homes. The weather was nice and cool but the sun was so bright
that I was blinded by it even though I was wearing my sunglasses.

I have been noticing a rather strange walk between my house and the
amenity center that is on both the east and west sides of Frisco Lakes
Dr. It looks like a drive to enter the path rather than what you
typically see for a sidewalk. Dumb me!. I finally realized it was a
golf cart path that runs along the side of the golf course. This
morning I headed east on the golf cart path. It goes all the way to
Del Webb Blvd. near the main entrance. I was not able to walk all the
way to Del Webb because the last part was too muddy. Also, I was
fearful that the sprinklers that are used to water the golf course
might come on. I went back to Frisco Lakes Dr. and crossed over to the
western side of the golf course path. I again ran into more mud, but I
was able to get my first glimpse of the back side of the amenity
center. I think there is supposed to be another tour of the amenity
center coming up. I was not able to go to the first one because I was
in Beaumont. I want to get a look at the swimming pools and the second
floor walking track.

I have not figured out where the golf club house is supposed to be
located. It is going to have a grill that will be open to all Frisco
Lakes residents whether they are golf club members or not. Sun City
Texas had something similar. I ate breakfast at their buffet when I
went there for a visit.

I Can't Believe It

I wrote several weeks ago about how I received a letter from Denton
County denying me a voter registration card because I had failed to
check the box that said I was a U.S. citizen. I filled out a new voter
registration card and mailed it back to them on September 22. I had
not received a voter registration card. I was beginning to wonder if I
could request a mail-in ballot for Jefferson County or if I should
contact the ACLU because Denton County was not allowing me to vote.

A short time ago this very nice lady named Shelia, who I have talked
to several times, rang my doorbell. She lives on a street that is
parallel to mine but at least a distance equivalent to a city block
away from me. She was holding this card that had mud on it and had
obviously been soaked with water and dried. It was my voter
registration card. She said she found it on the end of her street. I
think it is a miracle that I got the card. It must have blown away
from the mailman's car. The mailman drives a little dark green station
wagon. Apparently U.S. Mail trucks are in short supply along with U.S.
Mailboxes in Frisco.

I found Denton County's website and looked up the dates and locations
for early voting. The closest location for early voting is in The
Colony. Most of Frisco is in Collin County and as a result there are
no early voting locations for me in Frisco.

Little Things Mean A Lot

Since I moved into the new house I have been having problems with the
whirlpool bathtub in the master bathroom. I am not able to step into
the tub because the tile covered surrounding structure is rather wide.
I have to sit on the side of the tub and swing my legs over. Then when
I try to clean the tub I cannot reach over the side to wipe down all
of the surfaces. I have been getting back into the tub to clean it and
getting my feet wet. I thought I needed some kind of long handled
brush. I put a brush on my shopping list.

Yesterday I went to Wal-Mart and looked for a brush. I found a tub and
shower scrubber made by 3M with a Scotchbrite cleaning head. It has a
stainless steel handle and looked well made. I thought the handle
could be a little longer, but it was the best device that they had. I
bought it. When I got home, I read the directions and found that the
handle can be extended to double the collapsed length. Refills for the
Scotchbrite cleaning pad are available, and there is also an optional
brush cleaning head. 3M is a good company. They make products that
people need.

A Better Day

Yesterday I spent most of the day scanning paper that I have received
in the past month. There are insurance policies and all the startup
paperwork from Dish Network, the alarm monitoring company, the lawn
service, the exterminator, etc. I scanned two-thirds of the stuff. I
intend to work on it again today and file the most important things in
the filing cabinet. It has been a couple of years since I fell behind
in the scanning. When I keep up with the paper as it comes in, it is
not a difficult task; but if I let the paper accumulate for a month,
it is a bad job.

Yesterday morning I went for a walk over by the wall that parallels FM
423. I was in a Phase 2 classic neighborhood. If I had not held out
for a Phase 1 lot that is where my house would have been located.
After I heard the traffic noise from FM 423 I decided I am very, very
happy with my lot. Being close to Frisco Lakes Dr. has many more
advantages.

Meagan brought my new kitchen drawer and filter for the fresh air duct
to me yesterday afternoon. She commented that she could tell I have
made a lot of progress. That made me feel better to hear that. There
is still a great deal to do but the place is shaping up.

The tax appraisers sent me a form to fill out yesterday. It didn't
take long for them to find me. Now I have something else that needs to
be mailed. I have to go to Sams and Wal-Mart so I will drive by the
post office on the way there. I am trying to combine things so I do
not waste gasoline. I am consuming much more gasoline than I did in
Beaumont.

I found a new weekly podcast put out by Leo LaPorte and co-hosted by a
Windows expert. It is called Windows Weekly and is discussing the new
Windows Vista. It is going to be a good way to get up to speed on the
new product. I am going to try and wait until six months after the
release of Windows Vista to buy a new computer. I just hope my old one
hangs in there that long. Right now the only thing wrong with my
computer is the letters are wearing off the keyboard.

It Was One of Those Days

My accomplishments were zilch. I did go for my walk in the morning,
but the rest of the day was wasted. I turned the TV on and kept
falling asleep. I normally don't sleep during the day unless I am
sick. I was afraid I was going to be awake all night because I got so
much sleep, but it didn't work that way. Today has to be different.

Little by Little

Yesterday morning I went for a much shorter walk. I walked around the
garden series homes that are across Frisco Lakes Dr. from my house. I
stopped and talked to one lady who had moved in the previous day. She
said her movers showed up at 8 PM and finished loading a 1 AM. She
said she was so tired when that was over. I never heard of such
craziness. I will never move again.

I was back home by 8:30 to watched the lawn sprinklers cycle through
the program. I now know which section of the yard each of the six
stations covers. There is supposed to be no watering between 5 AM and
8 AM. I had the program start at 4:30 AM. The last station ran a
little after 5 AM. I adjusted the start times of the four watering
periods so that the cycles complete in legal watering times. My
neighbors' sprinklers also ran a little past 5 AM. They are away on
their lengthy trip and there is no way to alter their program. The
east side of my yard has a low spot where water can collect. I reduced
the watering time for station three to two minutes. My neighbors
system is giving that side a long watering. I increased the two
stations that cover the front yard to eight minutes so the trees get
more water. I have figured out why there is the ability to have three
separate programs. It must be so that you can have programs for
different seasons. I will have to check the manual to find out how to
switch between programs.

I unpacked the glass inserts for the shelves in my china cabinet and
then cleaned them with Windex. I was very careful and managed to put
them in the shelves without incident. I also cleaned the glass in the
doors of the china cabinet. Who knows when I will get motivated to
unpack the china and crystal. I want to wash everything by hand before
I put it away.

I definitely am no longer pushing myself to get things straightened
out. I am just trying to accomplish something each day.

I didn't receive any mail yesterday. I have not received an L.L. Bean
catalog since I moved. I think their computer doesn't like my new
address. I sent them an email. Tomorrow I am going to place an order
with them. Then I will find out if FedEx will be able to find my
house.

The Frisco trash collectors showed up after 5 PM. I watched the
truck's robotic arm grab my container and dump it. When I went out and
looked inside, the old AC filter that I had thrown out was still in
the container. I put it in the construction trash bin. I am going to
miss that bin when it is finally removed. One woman, who moved in
before I did and is in an area where the construction bin has been
removed, told me she is putting the trash in the trunk of her car and
driving to the nearest construction bin. I noticed the City of Frisco
trash truck came back for a second pass. I think the second trip was
for the recycle containers. Maybe that is why my recycle container was
not emptied when I put it out. I may have taken it back inside before
they made their second trip. Little by little I am learning how this
place functions.

Acute Shortage

Yesterday morning I thought I would make a quick trip out to mail a
letter. I had found the location of the two closest mailboxes on the
mailbox locator website and checked the locations on Mapquest. The
first was supposed to be on Legacy near Falcon Court. I went north on
Legacy from Lebanon and did not see a side street named Falcon Court.
I continued north on Legacy to Main St. The next closest mailbox was
supposed to be on Dogwood. It was the first left turn after North
County. I found the cross street where the mailbox was supposed to be
located. All I saw was a residence with their own private mailbox. A
little farther north on Dogwood I spotted something that was blue and
looked like it might be a mailbox. When I got closer, I saw that it
was just one of the blue recycle containers that the City of Frisco
uses. It was trash day in that neighborhood. After that, I went to the
Frisco Post Office and mailed my letter. From now on when I have
something that needs to be mailed I am going to the post office even
though it is a considerable distance from my house. I am tired of
seeking non-existent mailboxes.

By then it was 9:30. That it is when the IKEA store serves their 99
cent breakfast and have free coffee until the store opens at 10. I had
the breakfast even though I had oatmeal and orange juice at six. I
decided I would skip lunch.

When I finished breakfast, it was very close to 10 AM. The stores in
the Stonebriar mall open at 10. I have broken several of my everyday
glasses. I knew Foley's in Beaumont carried them. The Foley's in
Stonebriar has recently become a Macys. I went there and found that
they had one box of the glasses and they were on sale. When I went to
the cashier, she rang up the sale at the regular price. I told her
there was a sale sign by the glasses. She said the sale starts
tomorrow but asked me what the sign said. I told her, and she gave me
the lower price.

The morning was gone by the time I got back home. What I thought was
going to be a quick dash to a mailbox turned out to be something quite
different. I opened some more boxes when I got home. Many small items
that definitely could not be classified as books came out of the boxes
labeled "books" that I opened. I have never seen such a bad packing
job.

I have not hung any pictures yet. They are all out of the boxes and
propped against the walls. I am going to take my time to decide just
where I want to hang them. Some are obvious but several are going to
be in very different locations than the way they were in Beaumont.

Wednesday is trash day. When I took the trash container out to the
curb, the last lawn sprinkler station was operating. The next watering
period is supposed to be at 8:30 this morning. I am going to go out
and watch them to make sure they are watering as they should. There
will be one more watering cycle after 6 PM this evening. Frisco had a
few good rains after I arrived, but it has turned very dry again. The
weather report is not encouraging. I wish I could find my hoses and
nozzles. I would go out and water my trees in the evening if I could
locate them. I have a brand new nozzle that I have never used in one
of the boxes.

The driveway is being put in for one of the last houses to be
completed on the cul-de-sac. They were digging and getting ready for
the pour when I went out yesterday. I was trapped for a while. There
were lots of cement trucks around yesterday. More slabs are being
poured. When the construction workers go home at night, the area is so
quiet.

Monday

Not much happened yesterday. I emptied one more box labeled books and
took my remaining pictures out of the boxes. Little by little I am
getting things done. I received a survey from Mayflower about the move
yesterday. I really think they are very brave asking for my opinion.
Believe me it is not good. I keep adding to the list of missing items.
They may turn up in the remaining boxes, but the chances are
decreasing with each box I open.

The water bill from the City of Frisco arrived yesterday. I went back
to their website to complete the registration process for online bill
payment. To my dismay I found that they also add on convenience fees
for paying with a credit card. I won't pay the fees. I then went ahead
and set up a new payee on my online checking account.

I called my former neighbor in Beaumont yesterday afternoon. I decided
to use some of that unlimited long distance that I am purchasing from
AT&T. I hope their bill reflects what they told me after that lengthy
call I had with them last week. My former neighbor moved into a new
house in Beaumont last December. She fully understands what I am going
through.

I received a bill from my yardman in Beaumont. I did not know if I he
had got my messages about the move. I always paid him in person when
he came to mow my yard. I did a reverse lookup on his phone number and
found an address for him and wrote a letter with my new address. He
mailed the statement to the new address. I had asked the realtor to
let me know if the yard was not being mowed. All of the Beaumont
utilities sent the September bills to the Frisco address. The gas and
water must have been minimum charges, but the electric bill was very
high.

My Morning Walks

I went for a walk again this morning. I walked all the way to the
Frisco Lakes main entrance on Del Webb Blvd. I climbed up to the
entrance tower (for lack of a better word) and looked out on the
surrounding territory. I had been wanting to climb up there ever since
I first saw it. This morning I took my camera with me and took a few
pictures. I think it will be interesting to take pictures as Frisco
Lakes develops. Here is a link to my pictures: My Morning Walks.

Better

Yesterday morning I went for an hour long walk. This was how I had
envisioned my life in Frisco Lakes. I love to walk. I walked through
an estate series neighborhood. I had not been able to drive in that
area because there so many construction vehicles blocking the streets.
I then walked back toward my house and went all the way to the
entrance on Stonebrook Pkwy. I intend to go out again this morning.

I spent a very quiet day. The CNN associate producer called and
conducted the interview. The topic was the emotional impact of
retirement. I have been retired over ten years now. I cannot remember
retirement having too much of an impact on me. The most unsettling
things that have happened to me are the hurricane and dealing with
this move. I am so fortunate that my life has been so problem free. I
watched a program on CNN about how the people in Bay St. Louis are
having so many problems a year after they lost their homes to Katrina.
It made me feel rather ashamed of how much whining I have been doing
about my rather minor problems. The CNN producer said the interview
would appear on the CNN website in about two weeks. She said she would
email me a link to the article. I will put the link in the blog.

Last night I finally started to look at the manual for my new Uniden
phones. I programmed each of the five handsets and the base station so
they are set up to call AT&T's CallNotes with one button. Now all the
handsets and base flash a light when a message is left on CallNotes. I
also learned how to store a number from the Caller ID list. There is
lengthy list of ringtones I can assign to numbers that are stored in
the phonebook. Some of the ringtones are quite amusing. I am so behind
the times. I have been using the same phones since 1980. They are the
ones I leased from the old AT&T. When AT&T was broken up, they sent
out an offer to purchase the leased phones. I bought them because they
were built like tanks and designed to last forever. They sent me
stickers to place on the bottom of each phone to show that I owned
them.

Fortunately I have not found any more significant house problems. I
was able to see something that was very messy on the edge of the
medicine cabinet by looking at the edge in the bathroom mirror. I thought
it was paint, but I was able to clean it off with a damp paper towel.
The other thing that is bothering me is that both sweet gum trees in
the front yard are looking very sick. I cannot decide if they have had
too little or too much water. The water regulations do allow tree and
plant watering with a garden hose and nozzle for one hour a day. My
hoses and nozzles are packed in boxes in the garage, and I do not have
a clue as to which box to open. I have a feeling that at some point I
will be replacing landscaping. If the drought ends I will get things
replaced in kind. If the drought continues, this place will need
landscaping that is appropriate for the desert.

Just When

I was beginning to feel much better. I thought I was getting a handle
on the house problems. Yesterday morning I went out and ran errands.
The weather was nice, and I had few problems with the road
construction in Frisco. I really like Frisco. Everything is nice and
new. There is an absolutely amazing number of stores and shops in
Frisco. I went back to Home Depot and bought a six pack of the 3M
Filtrete filters for the HAC. I went to Sam's and bought a four pound
fruit salad bowl to take to the block party pot luck dinner.

Then I went to the block party at 5 PM. Pulte had a tent set up by the
sales center and model homes. One of the corporate sponsors was a
local Mayflower agent. They had one of the monster trucks in front of
the area where the tent was located. There was lots of food, but
unfortunately there were also lots of flies that soon were all over
the food. Saturday turned out to be very warm. I sat down at a table
next to a lady and her husband whose home is still under construction.
I thought the block party was going to be just for the Phase 1 people
who had already moved in, but that must have changed because many of
the people were still in the construction phase.

Of course, the conversation centered around our new homes. The people
I talked with are very dissatisfied with how the home construction is
being handled. I began to feel like my problems are very minor
compared to what others are experiencing. The people I was talking to
for the most part live in the Dallas area and are watching the process
closely as the homes are being built. Since I was three hundred miles
away while my house was being built I was not able to watch every
detail and fret over every mistake, but it makes me wonder what is
lurking behind my walls.

Then the corporate sponsors were introduced. The Mayflower people were
having a drawing for $500 worth of their moving services. Ha! Ha! Ha!.
I could not resist the opportunity to vent my wrath at Mayflower. Of
course, the local Dallas group said they do not deal with Wald
Mayflower from Houston. The man gave me his card and said to email him
about my problems and he would see if he could get Wald to send me the
claim form.

The other corporate sponsor was UBS financial services. The wine and
cheese socials are sponsored by Merrill Lynch. Where there are old
people with retirement savings the financial vultures hover close by.

I intended to get some dessert when I went back to the table, but the
lady sitting next to me cautioned me not to eat any more because the
flies had covered the food. People started leaving. I went home and
microwaved an apple turnover that I had in the freezer.

This afternoon the associate producer from CNN.com is going to
interview me by phone for an article they are preparing for CNN.com.
The topic is going to be how people react to retirement. The article
should appear sometime during the week on CNN.com.