The Tao Of Paul

When a simple post on Pundit’s site garners over 60 comments, it’s a sure bet that it quickly devolved into a fecal flinging fun fest.
I hate to sound like the old guy on the park bench complaining that the world is going to hell in a Longaberger, but can’t anyone stay on topic anymore? Wishing families would “eat shit and die”?
Makes me long for the days of Hank & Haterade. At least they could go at it without sounding like the angry drunk at the corner of the bar that spits when he yells incoherently at you.

I always try to find one positive each day.
Yesterday was the evening meal at Hardware.
Today? I am the only one in the office. Boss, coworkers have other things to do. I know when I go for a cup of coffee, there will be more than an eighth of a cup left in the pot. I can listen to my music. There will be no interruptions.
Tomorrow? I have free tickets to the Bisons.
See? Simple. One good thing every day.

First Game for Da Bills, so probably watching the game while grilling (charcoal of course) and consuming a beverage or two.
Which leads me to believe the grocery trip will need to include a stop at Spar’s fine sausage establishment.
I need to find an event going on where I can wander and people watch. That is always most enjoyable.
Have a good one yourselves..

My Paternal Grandmother lived here with her Mother Wiktorja Lusiak and her sister, Vi. Her father was not in the picture. According to Gram, her mother threw him out of the house because her was “no good”
Great Grandmother supported the family as a seamstress. Every Sunday the girls would show up at church (St. Stans I believe) in nice new dresses. Models, I guess for their mother’s work. She must have been pretty frugal and done well, because when my grandparents who were living with her decided to move out to the wilds of Tonawanda and Ellicott Creek in the late 30’s, she loaned them the money to buy the property and start the house. Gram said that there was no question about the fact that this was a loan, not a gift.
So there you have the East Side beginnings of my family. There was a brief return when my grandparents owned a tavern on the corner of Stanislaus and Lathrop in the early 70’s.

When I find more pictures i will give you my South Buffalo roots (Mom) on Altruria Street.

Too often I wake up at two in the morning, remembering either something I neglected to do, or something I have to accomplish the following day. Perhaps this may help. I do lists for the weekend. Groceries, major chores to be done, things to get at the home improvement store, the usual. But nothing for during the week. That’s when I trip up. The movies that have to be returned. Mulching the gardens. Normally I carry one of those little 3×5 notebooks in my pocket to keep notes on things to do, but the last one bit the big one and I need another. How can I put that on a list when I have no notebook upon which to write the list?
A major project? No problem. I will have it broken down into a to do list in no time at all, right down to the last detail.
My life? Well, maybe I need to start making a list.

Well how my family did anyhow.
I know that my paternal grandmother’s side came over from Poland (German part) in the late 1800’s and first settled in Pennsylvania (oddly enough about 40 miles from where I was stationed while in the military). From what she said, it was shit (her words). Anyhow, they went back to Poland, and returned, this time to Buffalo.
This evening I found a remarkably well preserved document in my basement.
An excerpt:

I, Wojcik Nowicki Do Solemnly Swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America, and that I do absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance to any foreign Prince, Potentate, State, or Sovereignty whatsoever, particularly to the Emperor of Germany, to whom I now owe allegiance.
Sworn in open Court, October 17, 1892.
Present, the Hon. Joseph V Seaver, Erie County Court Judge.

Coming up later, single Moms in the early 20th century.

To start off, Son of Dub is up on a school break.

That is a 1986 Plymouth Conquest (read rebranded Mitsubishi Starion). Mint condition. Even the maroon crushed velour interior.
Worked in the yard with my beloved, went to a friend’s party in Kenmore that was most enjoyable.
Did the draw for the home games with the brother in law. I only miss the Jets and the Browns (of course Miami).
Jets? Meh. As for the Browns, I don’t do Monday night games. Interferes with bowling.
So, a good weekend even if I didn’t make the Garden Walk.

Did NOT have a great time at the doctor’s today. The physical itself went pretty good. Mark on back is not some bizarre melanoma. Blood work was fine except one thing.
A1C was 8.7
Which means that
A. I am out of insulin due to pancreas done.
B. Have not been taking meds (not true)
C. Been eating crap (true)
So I get 90 days to try a new med. If that doesn’t work (plus not eating like crap), it’s insulin for me. Maybe a pump, or some cool pen type injector once a day, I don’t know. But I really hope I get to keep away from a needle just a bit longer. She said 10 years is about average for oral meds, and I’ve been on for a little over 11. So it might be time. I just don’t want to take that next step. It’s almost like a challenge.
So if you see me scarfing down wings, pepperoni pizza, any kind of dessert, just punch me in the side of the head.
Real hard.

Heading down to Candor NY for my nephew’s graduation party. They’re having it a bit late because this is the first weekend everyone could make it!
Around 4 hours, we take a leisurely trip down Rt 5 to 14. Breakfast in a small diner, cruising through the Finger Lakes region, down through Watkins Glen. Of course there is the mandatory stop at Prejean.
Usually we get there eventually, I drop off my beloved, then go fishing. But today is different. We hope to be in Ithaca by 5. Evening prayer and Meditation at Namgyal Monastery is a little after 5 and I do not want to miss that.
Saturday fishing and a party, Sunday’s leisurely trip back followed by a little get together for Buffalo homecoming, all makes for a great weekend.
Sometimes it’s great to be Dub….

And a 3 day weekend to boot!
Parades in every town with local politicians in the back of cars and pickups throwing schlock to the crowds (yep, gonna vote for the one that gives me the best refrigerator magnet with emergency phone numbers on it). Which are usually followed by massive numbers of people consuming massive amounts of beer at the local VFW/Legion Post/Amvets/Fire Hall, etc.
That’s why I keep my driving to a minimum on the Fourth.
And I haven’t gone to watch fireworks since the kids moved out.
But it is a day off, a celebration of an important event in our nation’s history. And everyone is “patriotic” on the Fourth.
To all - drive safe, and have a happy Fourth!