jimsjoint Blog

What would Dolly do?

Right after Dolly Parton’s passing, I had a layover in Nashville on my way to Kelly’s to Betty sit. Passing one the shops on way to my gate I noticed a sticker on a gift rack that said

What Would Dolly Do?

Thought it was cool but went on my way. Somewhere over Amarillo I started having regrets that I didn’t buy that sticker. I told Kelly and Barb about it said I’d try to pick up a few on my way back home since I’d be back in Nashville again. NO LUCK!! UGH!!

Came home disappointed but determined. I checked out what they had online and on Amazon. There were stickers out there but they weren’t anything special AND they were $4-$6 range, for one sticker!

But right along side all these overpriced stickers was : create your own custom stickers

So I did! Instead of paying $50 for 10 not so great stickers, I can pay $50 and get 50 of my own custom made stickers. Now we can spread the love a little further.

Isn’t that what Dolly would do?

100 Ounces

That’s how much I drink a day. Minimum.

Since February 2025, when my doctor told me to start drinking 100 oz a day, I have been doing so consistently. I don’t know how much I was drinking before but it wasn’t a 100 oz.

Typical day goes like this:

Wake up- 14 oz water with Metamucil and 14 oz coffee

16 oz water

14 oz tea around lunch time

16 oz Bai flavored water with Fresca splash

14 oz Afternoon tea

16 oz water or Roar electrolyte drink

I track it all on my smart watch. When I get to 100 I stop counting.

It must be working because my numbers have improved significantly and my doctor is happy. So I’m happy too.

CHEERS!

Tea Time

Fun Fact: A teetotaler has nothing to do with drinking tea.

Yet I am one now.

I never thought I would be a tea drinker. Growing up nobody I knew drank tea. My parents and everyone else in our world were big time coffee drinkers. The only tea we saw was when we went to Chinese restaurant, and nobody drank it.

Earlier this year when I was trying bridge the gap between morning coffee and afternoon snack I started drinking Twinings oolong tea. We had that in the house because Barb’s mom drank it. I put a little zero sugar coconut creamer in it and fell in love.

Started to try other types of tea. English Breakfast, Earl.Grey Chai. All good. I wanted to try something a step above the Bigelow or Twinings level.

Hello Whole Foods. Whole Foods is walking distance from the house so we shop there a lot. When you look at the WF tea section it puts Publix to shame. So much to choose from! On that day the brand Rishi was on sale so I bought a 4 pack of English breakfast, earl grey, ruby oolong and masala chai. And never looked.back.

Rishi brought the tea drinking experience to a whole new level for this tea novice.

Fun Fact: All those teas and even green tea come from the camillia sinensis (tea) plant.

AI is Dumb

EXAMPLE #1

I do a 30 minute ride on my Echelon bike. I take a photo of the Echelon screen at the end of my ride. Then I upload the pic to Google AI and ask it “Rate and review my ride on Echelon 5es”

First thing Google says is that the screen is a Pelaton screen then goes on to review the ride. So I inform Google that it is in fact an Echelon. It comes back and says “Oh, sorry your right.” You’d think reading and comprehension would be the first thing an AI would learn.

EXAMPLE #2

We ordered a new dresser on Amazon. It arrived today. On the outside of the box it said “Box 2 of 2 – another box may arrive separately” That wasn’t what we expected so I took a pic of the product description label and uploaded to AI. AI described the dresser but didn’t say anything about 2 boxes. I asked where the other box is and AI told me it’s only in one box. So I told it about the whole box 2 of 2 yada yada yada. And AI comes back and said “My mistake, after re reading the label you should be expecting another box”

WTF AI?!

The Sisters

I don’t want too much more time to pass without acknowledge the passing of Barbs mom, Eloise. And our favorite auntie, Irene

When Barb’s dad passed away, Barbs mom and Sarah moved from Yuma to Florida. They had a cute place on 3rd North right by the park. It was good having them here. Out of the desert and on to the beach. Although G G (Great Grandma) missed her friends and the good times in Yuma, she got the opportunity to meet, hold, play with and bond with Parker and Tobias. Her great grandsons. Something that never could have happened if she stayed in Yuma.

Having them so close meant plenty of lunches and dinners together. And of course our best little neighbor friends got the full GG experience. Plus Sarah got a babysitting gig!

Speaking of dinners. GG loves lobster. We must have gone out for at least 10 lobster (for her anyway) dinners. It was fun and she was living it up a little.

One of the highlights of her year with us was when her sister, our auntie, Irene came for a visit with cousin Cindy. It was special. They both knew that this was their last time together so they were considerably nice to each other lol.

GG had been on hospice since she got here and for some time in Yuma. She was in pain and handled it really well. The last time she was over the house she was teasing Kelly about her feux fur coat. When it was very close we all went over and gave everyone chance to say goodbye. Barb and Sarah stayed with her til the end.

I always liked auntie Irene. I think she liked me too. I also think that auntie I liked Barb best out of all the Smith.girls.

She was old school auntie. She came to ‘help” when the kids were born. Told us what to do lol. I think she was the one to convince us to get Kelly’s ears pierced way to young. She was a great cook. I still make her salsa. She also plays big part in the whole Rodriguez enchilada making machine. She liked it spicy too!!

When Auntie I passed and Cindy was cleaning out her things she came across two pics of her and Eloise when they were kids. Just a couple.of Redwood City girls goofing for the camera. I loved those so much I made copies to hang in our house.

I hope these two little girls are smiling down on us from heaven