Bait and Switch

Well today is the day. 

Elections. 

Say whatever you want about the GOP, but they're savvy. 

Evil - yes. Corrupt - hell yes. Rapists - sure, but the dems have those too. Smart - yes, though I loathe to admit it. 

But the image you see is precisely why they are savvy and why / how they win so often. 

The GOP bets on you not reading the fine print. The GOP knows the voting public have the memories of a goldfish and the attention span of a gnat. 

Items they voted for or promised are in place for them to get your vote - and on the surface they've done some of these things. 

It's just that there is a big fat asterisk attached to them. 

They don't want to seem evil for the mid-terms, so they've thwarted some of the blow to make them look like the "good guys". 

Again, it's about the fine print. 

Remember that when you vote today. 

Song by: the Shins

My Music Monday

I am thinking of using November for underrated, under appreciated tunes, or songs that just slipped by unnoticed. 

I mean, it's one person's opinion (and blog), of course, but I could fill up an entire year (I think) of that category. It could be argued I already have. 

Technically, the Eurythmics have never broken up. 

Sure they don't record or tour, but they've never officially split, nor are they on bad terms. 

Back in 1999 the band ended a 10 year separation to record and release Peace. I think they've come back together one other time to record two additional tracks for a greatest hits compilation. But according to the Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox, they leave the door open for future collaborations. It's one of the few things in life about which I am optimistic. 

"I Saved the World Today" was the first thing written, recorded and released from that disk. It never charted in the U.S., but it did in about 20 other countries. 

If you go by the YouTube comments, apparently the songs was used in a Sopranos episode. That seems to be most people's reference. Just not mine. 

The song is string heavy - in a good way. And balanced with electronic keyboards and some brass. Lennox's vocals are spot on. She is just a great singer. She makes most every song better.

The song and album deserved a better showing than it got. 

Oh - and go vote and Save the World TOMORROW. 

Stayin' Alive

Physical Therapy has been challenging. 

Not so much the exercises, but the conflicting 4-1-1. 

My main PT guy (Basil) didn't like what my home PT guy had me do for the first three weeks. "I wouldn't have had you do that.....".  I dunno, maybe keep the conflict between yourselves, as whatever happened has already happened. I don't know I was any worse the wear due to PT #1 (Bill). 

And I wrote a while back about using the cane / not using the cane info they ping-ponged back and forth on. 

The main PT guy also gave counter-advice about what the secondary PT (Tim) guy had given me regarding how well I am at bending to 120-125 degrees. Basil goes this last Friday:  it tells me you are looser than you should be and it needs to be tighter. 

It's like having cold water thrown on you. 

I had been boasting about my progress only for that to be dashed by Basil. He wasn't mean about it, but clearly has a different perspective. Perhaps a lot more conservative than Bill or Tim. 

I also questioned Tim's thoughts on my ability to bend at a certain stage and how I thought he got the timing wrong. I kept saying 12 weeks will be in a week. Basil, like Tim, thought differently - though it would seem Basil's explanation would be "better" than Tim's bad math. 

While the doctor told me 12 weeks, 12 weeks, 12 weeks - he wrote three months. I get most people think three months is 12 weeks, but it's not. Three months is longer. Let's not quibble about February, shall we? 

Instead of a week to come off my restrictions, I now have another 17 days (from today).  UGHHHH. 

Blobby would be lying if he said he wasn't a tad dejected. Perhaps more than a tad. 

My normal 45 minute appointment lasted about 85. Let me tell you, having one of the last appointments of the day makes for a rank smelling PT room. P............U.   ...and this is coming from a man with limited smelling ability. 

Anyway, after our assessment and exercises, Basil wanted to see me walk. With and without a cane. 

I have been trying not to lean on my bad leg, but it's been a challenge. So for about 15 minutes, we tried to get me to walk "correctly". 

Normally, one doesn't have to constantly think about how to walk. At this moment, I must. 

After several failed attempts, I was told - and I'm paraphrasing - to take longer strides, activate my glutes, move the trunk (torso, not ass) and to move my arms a certain way. 

"Think John Travolta at the beginning of Saturday Night Fever. You have to strut". There may have also been a descriptor of an aggressive mall walker. 

Yesterday, with the running group, I walked by myself. It's not that weren't other walkers, but my pace was faster. I was Tony Monero walking to the paint store or the disco. 

710 later said I still was slightly favouring my bad side BUT pointed out since my 1993 surgery, I've always had a slight limp. 

Maybe Basil can fix fix me, or maybe he just need to know that maybe I am fixed and anymore, the limp is my normal gait. 

Many have been pressuring me to ask about when I can start running. I'm not in that mindset. 1. If I ask, I'm bound to get an answer I don't want / won't like.  2. At this point, I'm not sure what contradictory advice I might receive. 

Bother. 

Song by: the Bee Gees

Lola

It is a sparse week. That's ok. It happens. 

I'm just ridin' along and not fighting certain things like having "enough" pet pics. ....whatever that mgical number may be. 

Shep bored with our new hiking place. 

Actually, he loved it. We kind of liked it a lot too - though it's not convenient. 

Pitbulls get a bad rap, but I'm not sure I've ever met a questionable one. They've all been nice.

Lola was one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met. Solid as all get out. But just wanted attention, hugs, more attention, kisses and a little more attention. 

I was happy to give it. 

Another 710 pick-up shot. 

Song by: the Kinks

Make it So

Well, as celebrity deaths go, I'm a bit bummed after hearing about Patrick Stewart. 

Like other celebrity deaths, this doesn't truly impact my life one way or the other - I just liked and respected Stewart over the years. 

I was never a huge Star Trek fan per se. I LOVED the Next Generation, but could never get behind the original series or Deep Space Nine. 

And I tried. Really. 

I'll be honest, I didn't even attempt to watch the 311 other Trek series they ended up having - and continue to have. It's like all the hundreds of Star Wars factions - who has the time or the energy to A. watch them all. B. Keep the storylines straight. My geekdom is very very finite. 

Stewart really cemented TNG. He drew me in before they got to Far Point Station and to when he saw the origins of life develop next to Q. And everything in between. 

I saw pieces parts of X-Men stuff, so I know he probably did ok with the big franchise money. I hope he did. He might have been the best thing about Jeffrey. To be quite frank, when he married a woman, I was like, "whaaaaaat?".  It never occurred to me he was straight. 

Stewart probably made bank from all the voices he did on Family Guy alone. Sure, many of them were him playing Patrick Stewart playing Jean-Luc Picard, but he had many others on that series. Mostly one-offs, but I always relished that he didn't take himself seriously enough not to do that kind of stupid shit. 

And he could record it at home in his bathrobe probably and still cash the check. 

I often wonder how he read the scripts where he thought: WTF??  But he pulled them all off flawlessly. 

I love he was good or best friends with Sir Ian McKellen. That close association might have clouded my thoughts of his heterosexuality. 

But 86. That kind of floored me. For the longest time he just didn't age. He always seemed to perennially be in his early 60s or late 50s guy. Or maybe that's just the way I've chosen to think of him. 

That's the second Star Trek death this week. I would have lost a bet if someone wagered me as to if Chekov were still alive.  I dare say the difference is that Patrick Stewart will be missed. 

Song by: the Beverly Crushers

the Tide

I don't have anything of note. 

A lot of election shit in other countries going down, but I can't tell you what it means. That would require me to read a newspaper or something - and for content. 

Brazil. Serbia. Israel.  Am I missing anyone else?  It's possible. 

They're all seemingly taking pages out of the BLOTUS handbook and crying election fraud. Mind you, the guy from Brazil fled the country, so it's not like he stayed to fight the perceived injustice. 

I know nothing about him or the sitch, so not sure why he had to leave the country. Naturally, he got refuge here, even though aren't we turning away south of the border refugees? 

And I get elections other places are different than the U.S.. but I knew nothing of Israel calling for one. I do like they can call for one and not have to wait years for it to happen. The UK is similar with the PM. Maybe the majority of countries are that way. 

I hope they're all positive moves and if so, carries on here on November 3rd. 

My head is in the sand. I'm hopeful, but honestly, I'm more afraid than anything I think if Dems don't take some strides this cycle, the country is over. 

....and this is why I moved my shrink appointment to after the election. 

Song by: Lucy Kaplansky

I Didn't Mind

Ok, I'm hoping this works. 

I've never embedded a video from Insta before. I didn't even know it was possible. 

It's not My Music Monday, but it is something I stumbled over on Instagram only because someone I know "liked" it, so I think it got pushed my way. Honestly, I don't know how the algorithm works, but let's just assume that's one of the ways. 

The lyrics are flawless. The musicality and performance are minimal and everything that would have been done in the early 80s by bands on the fringe.  I mean, minus the tiara. Probably. 

2Krispii (what they go by) hits the mark on how MAGA and / or RINOs are possibly feeling about the state of their political party.  

No offense to 2Krispii, but a lot of those things of which they sing directly effect the gas prices, but to their credit, the basis MAGAt never puts 2 + 2 together. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 2Krispii (@2krispii)

Song by: 2Krispii

Shopping with Blobby

Yet another installment in the drudgery that is everyday shopping. The camera-phone makes it a bit more fun - though I get looks whenever I take pics of products. Like I care what people think!

In a recent-ish 12 of 12 I had a photo of us patronizing Penzeys. They make and / or sell spices. 

Their product certainly costs more than McCormicks - which you can get at any grocery store - but it's also better quality. 

MOST importantly, they troll the fuck out of BLOTUS.  ....and that is priceless. 

Up above is their most recent advertisement. 

I don't even give a shit about the 30% off, but hey, if it saves a little money, I'm not gonna say 'no'. I'm there for the visual. I'm here for the coupon code.  I mean, off the top of my head I can't even think of a spice that starts with 'I', but I'd buy it. 

Lord, I hope someone shows this to BLOTUS. 

My Music Monday

Oh my - I'm doing my second U2 song (I initially typed 'dong') of this year. One last February from one of their two (or three?) EPs they put out. 

"The Greatest Show on Earth" is from their upcoming full length album Carnaval De Luz to be released next month. 

I've said it before - used to be a huge fan of U2 until they truly broke big. Their first four albums are almost perfect, which is a rarity. Then it just kind of fell apart. At least for me. 

That said, with each album since, there is usually a good song - maybe two - on those other disks. Nothing enough for me to plunk down money, but at least to the point I won't change the radio dial. 

"the Greatest Show on Earth" kind of builds. The music itself has some representation of earlier U2. Mostly the guitars - but the bass and drums are good. 

I can do without the band's (Bono's?) use of catholicism, bot in visuals and in some of the lyrics. That said, I dig the lines:  "If this is love and love is all we’ve got  / You can show me what it is / I can show you what it’s not"

Red and Blue

Yesterday we went to a new park to hike with the dog. 

I can kind of hike. Slower than usual, but I can now do it. 

Like many times, we had to go out of the county to get to it and it wasn't really accessible through anything but country roads and such. It took us through different communities, but we knew it was going to end up in what is GOP territory. 

As we live in a very liberal area - and we don't get out much - I can honestly say until yesterday, I had never seen a yard sign for Vivek Ramaswamy. 

Sorry - Vivek Ramaswamy. 

Oh yes, none of the signs had his last name.  None. 

It was on purpose two-fold. 

A. It's a lot more real estate and ink to as that many more letters. Cost shouldn't be prohibitive though as Musk has given at last $5,000.000 to Ramaswamy's campaign. As have like every owner of Cleveland major league sports teams. 

B. Putting the last name kind of reminds racist Ohio voters that Ramaswamy isn't a WASP.  ....and that they'd be voting for someone who wasn't christian or white. 

I'm going with B as the reason his last name - Ramaswamy (see, I'm just putting it out here to keep letting people know he, or someone he knows, probably had something to do with 9/11) *.

On the plus side of this trip:  remember, we are in GOP country. But half the signs were for Ramaswamy. The other half for Acton - the democrat for governor and Sherrod Brown for senate. 

BTW, never saw one Hustead sign. 

Oh - and the Brown or Acton signs were HUGE. 

To see blue in this area was - dare I say - hopeful. 

I'm not chicken counting though. 

*I know it's not true but these are the same voters who are xenophobic and say shit like that all the time. Now they're voting for a guy they probably would spit on and tell him to go back to his country any other time.

Song by: the Dave Clark Five

Blade Runner

This not being able to take care of Shep is really hampering my pic taking of him. I get it's only temporary, but there's not much I can do in the interim. 

Like me, you will all live.

Probably. 

He's adorable when he sleeps. Like Petey, he needs a pillow. 

A lovely aged pup waiting patiently for their owner. 

Again - Shep:Autumn

Henry or Virginia watching Blade Runner. 

Henry or Virginia not watching Blade Runner. 

...and once again, the pic of the week was taken by 710 at daycare pick-up. 

Song by: Vangelis

Nasty

I'm a few days late to this - though 710 told me about it a day or so ago. 

We have a gubernatorial race going on here in Ohio and it's gotten ugly. Well........uglier. 

Amy Acton was the director of the Ohio Department of Health. During Covid she was the voice of reason and taking a lot of shit from people who didn't think it real or serious. 

Six+ years later it still lingers in her campaign opposition. PACs are reminding everyone that "she" shut down the state during Covid. Since it's a PAC, you can't really fire back at an untruth. Acton had no power to shut anything down, but the REPUBLICAN Governor did...........and it was he who shut things down. 

The PAC will never say that. Unfortunately, neither will Acton. 

I'm going on record that I voted for her, because what was the alternative? Another fucking GOP governor here?  

She is a doctor and not a politician. And while she might be very nice and educated, I find it depressing that the Ohio Democrats had NOBODY else lined up to run. Much like the national democrats, there seems to be no succession plan for anything. It's why we lose so g-ddamn often. 

Acton's opponent is Vivek Ramaswamy. Some rich douche. And an asshole to boot. 

He ran his own ad that had a couple in it - though it was pointed out that the male Vernon Edwards, is a registered sex offender and sexual predator in Ohio.  Ooops. 

Brought up in a rally / town hall, Ramaswamy told the person to - and I'm using upper case because his voice did - "GET OUT!!!!". 

So, how to take the heat off that? 

Oh - now he's running an ad with Acton's estranged mother who was aware that her second husband raped Acton as a child.  The mother, who looks like they dug her up after four days in the crypt, denounces her daughter and says she is lying. The old broad stayed with the rapist. Acton ended up leaving the home and being raised by her father. 

Nationally, Ramaswamy is being vilified for running the ad. It's his a CNN panel and the View. It's made the national papers as well. 

No worries, Ramaswamy has doubled down and Vance and BLOTUS have given the green light to the ad with a thumb's up. 

There are two things Acton needs to do, which I don't think she or the dems are willing. 

1. A one time response saying, of course the GOP is fine with this ad, as their history has been to back, and cover up for, child rapists.  

Honestly - just put it out there. Put them on the defense for rape. The "president" on down. You don't have to say his name, the implication is there. 

2. Go Low. Get Dirty. "Ramaswamy".  Start questioning his national loyalties, his race, his religion. All of it. 

It's doesn't have to be true. You don't even have to say "you" (read: she) believes is, but start questioning and implying. 

I'll be honest, I know people anymore only vote along straight party lines, but this is Ohio. I am a little surprised that there is backing for a candidate of color and a Hindu.  GOP backeres here are whiter than white. Where is their outrage like it was for Obama? 

Oh that's right: BLOTUS. 

Hate hate hate this state. 

Song by: Janet Jackson

Bent

This past weekend, I walked with my running group. They run. I don't. They go farther than I, but I end up finishing the same time as some of them - depending on how far they go. 

There are some walkers in the group, but ironically their pace is slower than mine, so I end up walking by my lonesome. On Saturday and Sunday I walked three miles each day. 

Morty - being Morty - said that was impressive.......followed by a....."is your PT ok with you doing so much...?"

I love that he cares, but the honest reply was: "I guess I'll ask him on Tuesday".  Mort keeps an eye out for me. He also knows more about running injuries than I.

On Tuesday, I completed my first month (!) of outpatient physical therapy. 

The exclamation point is meant to stress that there is more to come. More than a month. Possibly more than two. Possibly through the end of the year. 

Right now it is weekly, though in reality it is daily. It's just that I see a therapist once per week, but do my exercises every stinking day. Or most. 

"They" - yes, so far there have been three different therapists - say to do my exercises three times per week, but none of them were / are that taxing. I asked if I could them daily, and I was told yes. As long as I don't hurt. 

But I do. But it is muscle pain. Not incision pain. The muscle pain is from doing PT 5-7 days per week. I get why they say three days per week. 

I did ask the Morty question. Jim (so far my fave PT) asked if I hurt doing it, or afterwards. No. He asked if I was dead tired afterwards. No.  "Then keep doing what you're doing, you're fine".   Phew. 

Jim also wanted to see my range of motion. 

In theory, I'm not allowed to bend more than 90 degrees. But there I was, on my back and he said, "without using your hands, bring your knee as far as you can to your chest".  So I do. 

"Ohhhhh......that's way more than 90 degrees!!"  He measures: it's 125.  Ditto with "the good" leg. 

He said normal is 120 on an average patient who is ambulatory. He credits my above and beyond to being in shape before the accident.  Yay me. 

I said something about the 90 degree restrictions coming off in three weeks. He goes, "four". We went back and forth on that and he said, it's been 64 days since your surgery. Divide that by 8 and you're at 8 weeks. 

Blobby wasn't thinking clearly as he was dejected by missing a week of time. After I got home, I went: "divide by 8?. There are not 8 days in a week. So I divided 64 by 7 and got to the magic nine week mark. 

Phew. 

While it's nice to know I was in shape and I'm exceeding some expectations, I know it's still a long road ahead. 

At least I think it is. 

Song by: matchbox 20

It's All Been Done

I am a man of a certain age. 

63 to be exact.  Well, 63 and change. 

I've been wearing glasses since the 8th grade. That's at least 50 years of spectacles. And while I can only say I've owned "countless" pairs of frames, the number is quite finite, I just haven't been keeping track - so it's "countless". 

710 will call me the Imelda Marcos of frames. He's not wrong exactly. I keep a lot of them past their expiration date because I like the frames, even if the prescription isn't completely workable anymore. 

With the advent of on-line glass retailers, at times I have gone overboard in ordering reasonably priced frames. It's been extremely hit or close. There has never been a spot on purchase. 

In theory, I justified that with the lower price, but in reality I come away with frames I kind of liked, but now don't and glasses where the transition from nearsighted to farsighted is fair to horrible. Yes, I make them work, but it's an eye strain. 

Yesterday - well and the prior week - I went back to brick & mortar in search of new frames. New glasses. 

Which brings me back to the third paragraph here. 50 years of glasses - there isn't a lot I haven't seen.....or owned at some point. Size. Shape. Colour. Materials. 

It's all been done before. 

Cathy, from the place I normally got my glasses, wasn't of great help. She usually is. Normally not only is she spot on, but somehow also manages to find the most expensive frame in the store. Her father was the same way. 

My first visit was a bust. 

Oddly, the week before she assisted 710 and immediately found three great frames for him. Imelda or not, he bought THREE pair !!!!  Cathy is good. Very good.  And 710 praised her to me on how intuitive she was at finding frames. 

This time, it was not my experience. 

I got lots of BOLD choices. Too much colour. Too large of frames. Too funky looking. At one point I said, "I can't wear those..........I'm not an architect".  At least she laughed. But you all know what I mean too with that statement. 

This time - and I only went back to pick up something for 710 - she goes, "you should have brought him along, he has GREAT taste."     {sigh}

She let me be and told me to look at anything and call when needed. Lots of misses. A few possible hits. 

I kept coming back to the one in the title image. 

As Cathy pointed out - you have a grey beard (duh!), and the frames really compliment your colouring. 

I had (have) black frames similar to this but they're wood, and I love them. And they're like 15+ years old, but now and then I break them out.

Naturally, Cathy didn't even have to point me to some of the pricier goods. I found them all on my own: Tom Ford. He of which I had looked for 15+ years ago when I settled on the black wooden frames, but at the time, no one in the 216 carried Tom Ford frames. 

They might not be exact, but they're close and 15+ years newer. 

Can I run in them? Who knows. I mean, who knows if I can run again. To mix my metaphors, I'll burn that bridge when I get to it. 

They arrive in 10 days (though 710 got his in like 4). Cathy said I could pay for them when I picked them up and if I forgot she has 710's card on file. 

Works for me. 

Song by: the Barenaked Ladies

the Abyss

I'd say that Autumn is my favourite time of year, but then you think - ugh - election season. 

We've literally had to stop watching Jeopardy as it airs. Instead it's on the dvr and we watch it later and pass over the commercials..Instead of Rexulti ads, it's now campaign bashing ads - mostly PACs who can do and / or say whatever the fuck they want. It doesn't have to be "approved" by any candidate.  

Who am I kidding, the ads here have been running since the May primaries. It has been non-stop. 

I suggest you watch Family Guy. 

Maybe not for the cartooning skills or banter. I found a show where no politician will spend one single solitary dime to advertise for their shitty aspirations. 

I've lamented on this before, but anymore, almost every election seems to be the most important one. November 2026 is no different. The others were to stop us from abyss. Now it's hoping to claw are way closer to the top of it. 

Make no mistake, we are in the abyss. 

This is probably a good time to mention that my next therapy session - mental, not physical - was supposed to be next week. I had to reign in the doc and go......no no no no no no. 

I don't need a shrink before the election - we're past that. So we rescheduled to a day or two after the upcoming one. 

Mind you, should there be a blue wave, I'm not expecting relief. I'm expecting push back and tons of discussion on massive election fraud. Lots of court battles. 

I trust no one with this. And BLOTUS has effectively used the courts to his advantage. 

And since I trust no one - politically speaking anyways - we do "mail in" ballots. Except we don't mail. We physically go down to the Board of Elections and drop them off in a drop-box. And we do it on a Sunday. 

Other days, election workers are there supposedly to "assist" you and they will take it from your driver's window to drop it in. 

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. 

That is never going to happen with me. So we went on Sunday when they were at church or wherever those allegedly christian people go on Sunday. 

So my ballot is done. It's in. 

Now, let's just hope it is counted. 

Song by: the Weeknd & Lana Del Rey

My Music Monday

Blondie has a new disk, High Noon, coming out in early 2027. 

In theory, it will (or should?) be their last release, as Chris Stein is no longer touring with the band due to health reasons and Clem Burke died two years ago. This leaves Debbie Harry as the only original member of the band......and who is 81 (!!!!). 

After their first 6-7 albums (though some would say 5, Blondie's output became........spotty. And I might be dressing that up, as I was such a huge fan of the band. 

Through my friend Jon, I'd be kept apprised of the possibility of a new disk, but with Burke's death, everything was questionable. 

As it turns out, Burke had recorded all his parts before his death. I mean, it's hard to do it post-mortem. Though with AI, who the fuck knows. 

It sounds like High Noon has been completed for a while, so it sounds like logistics was behind the album's delay. 

The other day, I told Jon about the release of the album, but he seemed to already know about it. And I got his review of their new song "Spectral Eyes" from him as well: "the first single is terrible". 

Well......crap................yet not unexpected. I'm going by their last few disks, though their last, Pollinator, was stronger than the 2-3 before it. 

Still, I got home and logged onto YouTube to listen to "Spectral Eyes". 

I don't know I'd go as far as to say "terrible", but it's also not their strongest work. It's not even their writing. Johnny Marr (the Smiths, Electronic, Modest Mouse) wrote the track. Generally, I like Marr. I thought perhaps it would be a good combo with Harry and what was left of the band. 

Immediately, I thought it could be a forgotten track off of the band's 1999 album, No Exit. 

Burke was a great drummer, not that you'd know it here. The mix has them so far in the background it could be anyone. 

I think I get why. I love Harry, but her voice sounds like it's sung through a megaphone and muted at the same time. I don't even think it's autotuned as much as it is just very nasal sounding. For Burke to truly drum, he'd drown her out.  I can't say I can pick out the lyrics all that well. 

Marr does an ok job writing the song and playing the lead guitar. 

At this stage in their career and life, I'm not expecting peak performance, but it'd be nicer if they were better. 

NOTE:  Listen to the song. Do NOT watch the video.........especially if you have Epilepsy. It's a 'visualizer' video and not like an art one. Strobe lights or not, there is no reason to view the visual portion. It's annoying AF. 

Celebrity Skin

It's a confusing tine to be Blobby. 

I have a new hip and somehow also have three zits that reside between my nose and cheek.  ....that that crevice. I'm sure it has a name, I just don't know what it might be. 

Am I 83 or 13? 

I am not much enjoying either dimension. 

Oddly, the acne might have upset me more. 

As a teen, I was plagued with it. Face and back. Lots of it. I went to a dermatologist monthly until I left for college, and only because I didn't have a dermatologist at college. I should have. 

It was unsightly and painful - physically and emotionally. Teens feel they have such are hard time in the first place, skin conditions did nothing to help in that realm. And while most kids probably got acne, Blobby got ACNE. 

Yes, everyone said, "don't pick them".  It basically became a full time job for me. 

There was a satisfaction in ridding myself of them, even if only temporarily and even if it actually did nothing. I could easily be at the bathroom mirror 30 minutes at a time trying to kill them all. Clearly, it was for naught, but psychologically, I felt slightly better. It was a losing battle. 

It took years and year and years for me to be done with acne. That 710 ever looked at me twice is kind of a miracle. It left my face much earlier than it did my shoulders and back where the worst of it resided. 

Of course, one shows up now and again. But three?  In the same area at the same time?  Honest to g-d, it was like a little PTSD. I felt them long before I saw them. I felt like a self conscious minor again. Like, immediately. 

And yes, I reverted to my natural stated of eliminating them. Let me tell you - 63 year old skin is way tougher than 13-17 year old skin. 

It felt like time travel existed......but fuck, there have to be better moments in time which to revisit. I'm thinking Antietam in 1862 would be a calmer, less stressful time for Blobby. 

The hip is unseen. The limp will (?) go away. No one is any the wiser. 

Honestly, I'm guessing no one even noticed I had three pimples. .....but I did. 

Song by: Hole

Treat Her Like a Lady

It's been a shoddy week of photos. I've been out of the house more, but Shep has been at daycare more - as I still cannot walk him or take care of him on my own.  Yet. 

Whatta gonna do.  But there are few pics, but they're good ones. 

On an outing to the Chagrin River last weekend. 

This is Hazel. She's 11. 

Unfortunately, she was surrendered to the APL as her owner had to go into a home. She's adorable and nice. If anyone wants to adopt her.......click here. 

710 wins the photog award for the week. Maybe month. 

This is going to be my phone screen - as soon as I can remember how to change it. 

Bailey - and a treat. 

I'm 91% sure that food as never reached the ground when she is nearby. 

Song by: the Temptations

Needles

Yesterday was shot day. 

I was apathetic about doing it. I've been putting it off for weeks, but to my credit, I felt I had enough done to my body over the last two months. Clinically, that is. 

Still, the constant nagging of my husband was weighing on me. It finally got to where two needles seemed less painful than being cajoled into getting two needles. 

Naturally, being me, I couldn't let him think that he got to me to have this done. I waited until there was a quiet day or two and then did it without pre-notification. Afterwards, I just texted him the above picture. 

All I got back was a 'yay'.  Not even uppercased. 

Rude. 

The pharm tech - or someone like them - administered the shots. I'm not saying she did a bad job, but both hurt going in (that's what she said!).  Usually, the needle is nothing, and it's the substance that hurts or maybe burns. 

I must have made a face on the first one - the flu one - as she said she keeps hearing people say the flu shot hurts this year. I mean, she had to know the syringe wasn't injecting meds into me yet. It was the needle. I'm fairly certain. 

The Covid shot hurt equally as much but I kept a brave face, making her believe that yes, the flu shots hurt more. 

Lies. All lies. 

And yes, I got them both in the same arm. My thought process was: why make both arms ache?  I mean, should they ache at all. 

....and it does ache a little. Certainly not as back as 2021 with the then new Covid vaccines that made you experience pain, sweating, dizziness and such.  ....and the Covid vaccine now has some mRNA factor in it that is supposed to be new and improved, or some such nonsense. 

My sister got her flu shot in August. That seems wasy too early for me. It's like the Halloween candy being in the stores months too soon. As temps start to dip and the sun starts to set earlier seems like a better time to think - and do something. - about airborne illnesses.  And / or their prevention. 

Time will tell if they're effective. I haven't read anything on the effectiveness of the flu shot. It gnerally is in the 35-50% range, which I guess is better than 0%. Covid?  Who knows. 

But I'm vaxx'd up and ready to take on winter!

Nah - just kidding. I'm not ready. 

Song by: System of a Down

Cooking with Blobby

You can't say I didn't warn you this would be coming. 

While I'm happy with the way I normally make salmon, but I'm happy to change things up and try new and different ways. 

710 sent me a recipe the evening before for Tuscan Butter Salmon and well, I just put it into action. I mean, why not? 

Truth be told, this is more about the sauce than the salmon, though that was prepared just fine. The sauce can really be used for chicken or pork too. 

As it is salmon, it comes together quickly, so, as usual, this is more about the prep and being ready to throw it all together. 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil 

4 (6 ounces each) salmon fillets, skin on, patted dry 

Kosher salt 

Freshly cracked black pepper 

3 tablespoons butter 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 & 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes 

2 cups fresh baby spinach 

1/2 cup heavy cream 

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or basil 

Lemon wedges, for serving 

Instructions 

Warm the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season salmon all over with salt and pepper. When oil is shimmering but not smoking, add salmon skin side UP and cook until the flesh is deeply golden, about 5 minutes. 

Flip over and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. 

Reduce heat to medium and add butter. When butter has melted, stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to burst, then add spinach and cook until just wilted. 

Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and parsley (and/or basil) and bring mixture to a simmer. Adjust heat so it's just a gentle bubble and cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. 

Return salmon back to skillet and spoon over sauce. Simmer until salmon is cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes more. 

Garnish with more herbs and squeeze lemon on top before serving

Naturally, I have notes. 

We didn't have four fillets because there are two of us. But that said, I didn't reduce the sauce, tomatoes or greens by half. I like sauce. 

I had a shallot to use up, so while the recipe didn't call for it, I diced that mother up and threw it in with the butter and garlic. I don't know if it made a difference or not, but I wasn't going to let it go to waste. 

The salmon cooked up nicely in the pan. Normally anymore I just use the air fryer. I found it harder to get the fish up to a temp I like it. While it got to the America's Test Kitchen approved temp of 126° I normally like it a bit more than that, but it was fine. 

The sauce? fine. It was a different take, but something was missing. Salt maybe?  While the fish was salted, the sauce had parm, which in of itself is salty. But I think it could have benefited from a dash of that and pepper. 

We kets the leftover sauce. It will work on other meat or just over pasta. 

I'd do this again. Just tweak the sauce.