From: amheater@BYE.SAILORcogeco.ca   
      
   "Gary"  wrote in message   
      
   > LOL   
   >    I was, and am, still bored.....over bored...and I am not even on a   
   > boat...   
      
   Gary m' lad, you need a hobby.  Something which will keep ya too busy to be   
   bored .. something to keep your mind off aught else ..   
      
   Now take my hobby for instance, which I love so much that  ... the Kipper   
   has at times taken to opening his own cans of stuff (note I didn't say &   
   heats it up), but between times he makes runs to Wendy's (salads & baked   
   potato, cause he can't make 'em), Subway (he doesn't know what ingredients   
   to buy) and Ta-Ta Pizza (don't ask).  He does make the coffee frequently -   
   his mother made him learn when she spent 3 months with us back in '77.  My   
   gosh but I love and miss Mum (she passed away in '97, aged 89) .. wanted her   
   to come to Canada to live with us and put the finishing touches on the   
   Kipper, but she was afraid it would spoil our friendship ... and Kipper's   
   Dad had not been long out of 'basic' himself  .. she didn't want to leave   
   him alone for too long.   
      
   Kipper also knows how to open a box of cereal, cut up a few strawberries,   
   toss on a few blueberries (oh .. he buys them himself) .. pour on the yogurt   
   (buys that too), then eats it.  He feeds the dogs now .. he vacuums once in   
   awhile, but hasn't quite mastered the dusting and he does a terrible job of   
   making the bed.  He can empty the dishwasher (but hasn't a clue where many   
   things go ... it's like he's in a foreign land ..), unfortunately he still   
   afraid to fill the dishwasher with dirty dishes .. so I HAVE to do it   
   sometimes ... but he will wash a dish by hand (no soap- yuck) for his cereal   
   if he has to.  He can do some grocery shopping, if he has a list .. but it   
   takes so much time to write out descriptions of what each item looks like,   
   it is such a pain and very time consuming.  You'd think after all these   
   years he'd be able to recognize what we buy.  I've learned not to cringe   
   when I do happen to see something odd in the fridge or cupboard.  Oh well   
   ... he will eat nearly anything.   
      
   Kipper doesn't think it is necessary to iron his handkerchiefs (what the   
   hell, he's retired now anyway), nor is it important to him if not all his   
   grey/black/brown socks match all the other grey/black/brown socks.  He   
   thinks if he has a jacket on, he doesn't have to iron the back or sleeves of   
   his shirt, just the collar, fronts and cuffs .. and that only if I think it   
   looks like it needs ironing (stucks it under my nose).  At least it's winter   
   now.  Thank heavens he kept his housewife (don't look at me!   the one the   
   RN gave him in '58) ... too bad they hadn't taught him to sew.  How can   
   anyone knit a vee-neck sweater for himself, but not know how to sew on a   
   button properly or not to use black thread on a light coloured shirt?  And   
   the thread!  Holy cow, you could mend a net with it, it's so thick, plus it   
   is as old as the hills.   
      
   I think he thinks I will take pity on him for the sorry state he's in.   
      
   He threatens to do the laundry at times, but the machine is too confusing to   
   him, so he asked if maybe I could spare the time to teach him soon.  That   
   was several years ago and we've a new machine now .. our son says it's like   
   cockpit with all the lights, buttons etc .. scares the heck out of Kipper   
   ....  he's never been fond of heights.   
      
   I just keep telling him, for cying out loud ...   I can't waste time doing   
   housework, or making nosh ...   
      
   I'm far too busy climbing the family tree.   
      
   wrcn   
   (who for the past few years, when asked her birthdate, has been heard to   
   answer  .. 1846)   
   ... every good girl loves a sailor ...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)