Just got back from the hospital and mom is doing fine. Came through the surgery with flying colors - although she may not feel that way at the moment. It took about 2 1/2 hours to install a new knee. Pretty amazing.
Now I'm waiting for the hospice and home care folks to visit dad. The nurse should be here in a half-hour or so. And I'm still hoping for a workout.
So far...so good...
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Gettin' a Little Chilly
Brrrrrr. Took the jeep in for service at the crack o' dawn this morning. It was 33 degrees. The rain was mixed with snow. It was dark. I turned the heat up when I got home. Took my sweater off then put it back on. On November 1st we go off daylight savings time which means it will be getting dark shortly after 4 PM. Shit...
On the other hand, I will be moving to the folks tomorrow for some period of time...and it is unlikely I will be cold there. The wood stove will be going full tilt. I'll be taking mom to the hospital tomorrow morning at 6 AM. She's scheduled for a knee replacement at 8 AM.
I hope to be able to spend part of the day here at my digs and get my customary workout every day...but it's not yet clear how this will all play out. Fortunately, dad seems to be reasonably chipper at the moment. My sister, Linda, and I will be dividing chores although there are some dad duties that she doesn't feel comfortable performing. Can't say that I blame her...
Spent about three hours yesterday at the folks' raking leaves, clearing the gutters and sweeping the driveway. Second time in about two weeks; and more leaves accumulated last night. The folks think leaf sweeping is important and I certainly don't mind the exercise. But it's kinda humorous when you look around their neighborhood; a lot of folks won't even pick up the garbage that the ravens/bears get into - much less rake leaves. But then again most of the folks in the neighborhood don't have yards...
On the other hand, the immediate neighbors are very nice and are always very solicitous of the elders.
I may be a little spotty on posting for awhile...
Later gang.
On the other hand, I will be moving to the folks tomorrow for some period of time...and it is unlikely I will be cold there. The wood stove will be going full tilt. I'll be taking mom to the hospital tomorrow morning at 6 AM. She's scheduled for a knee replacement at 8 AM.
I hope to be able to spend part of the day here at my digs and get my customary workout every day...but it's not yet clear how this will all play out. Fortunately, dad seems to be reasonably chipper at the moment. My sister, Linda, and I will be dividing chores although there are some dad duties that she doesn't feel comfortable performing. Can't say that I blame her...
Spent about three hours yesterday at the folks' raking leaves, clearing the gutters and sweeping the driveway. Second time in about two weeks; and more leaves accumulated last night. The folks think leaf sweeping is important and I certainly don't mind the exercise. But it's kinda humorous when you look around their neighborhood; a lot of folks won't even pick up the garbage that the ravens/bears get into - much less rake leaves. But then again most of the folks in the neighborhood don't have yards...
On the other hand, the immediate neighbors are very nice and are always very solicitous of the elders.
I may be a little spotty on posting for awhile...
Later gang.
Monday, October 26, 2009
It Has Come to My Attention...
...that a certain picture has been circulating on the internet that purports to portray yours truly as an abuser of deer. I have located the offending image (below) and as anyone can see, I am clearly aiming at the green...not the deer. Look at my tootsies...they are lined-up well to the left of the supposed target ungulate. Trickery. Trickery. Trickery.
Although, come to think of it, hunting these semi-domesticated deer with a golf club and ball is certainly more sportsmanlike than with a thirty-ought-six (assuming such a weapon still exists). Not to mention with an assault rifle...
And while we're on the subject of wildlife...I must mention that I have added a new bird to my life list. A Downy Woodpecker. Black and white guy...never seen him before...but I spotted him from the back of my folk's trailer while mom and I were watching the ravens devour the hearty breakfast she had provided to them. The Downy Woodpecker is rare in Southeast Alaska. Wish I had my camera at the time...
Elmo carefully aims at the green...taking every precaution to avoid disturbing his four-legged pal
Although, come to think of it, hunting these semi-domesticated deer with a golf club and ball is certainly more sportsmanlike than with a thirty-ought-six (assuming such a weapon still exists). Not to mention with an assault rifle...
And while we're on the subject of wildlife...I must mention that I have added a new bird to my life list. A Downy Woodpecker. Black and white guy...never seen him before...but I spotted him from the back of my folk's trailer while mom and I were watching the ravens devour the hearty breakfast she had provided to them. The Downy Woodpecker is rare in Southeast Alaska. Wish I had my camera at the time...
Elmo carefully aims at the green...taking every precaution to avoid disturbing his four-legged pal
In other news - got a call from mom just as I was headed into the grocery store this afternoon. Dr. Smith had called and unfortunately spoke to dad. Dad's translation was somewhat garbled by virtue of his congenital habit of saying "yeah" to anyone talking to him regardless of whether or not he has heard a word spoken. And over the phone he hears very few words. Apparently instructions were given...but they remain a mystery...
I am awaiting a call-back from Kim's nurse to find out what was really said...
Life is grand!
I am awaiting a call-back from Kim's nurse to find out what was really said...
Life is grand!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Milton Supman 1926 - 2009
R.I.P. Milton Supman, a.k.a. Soupy Sales, children's television show host from the late 1950's through the mid-1960's. Although I was never a huge fan, I certainly recall watching his show from time-to-time. I pegged him as a dope, but his memorial in the Washington Post this morning notes that Soupy was occasionally in trouble with the authorities for his on camera hi jinx including this gem:
I spoke briefly to Leah on Thursday to wish her a happy birthday. She was getting ready to go to dinner with Chris. Sounds like her job is kinda dicey - this past week she's been working a public health swine flu hotline - not a lot of fun when your message is "We're out of vaccine."
Sounds like the immunization effort is a bit of a cock-up nationwide and the public health folks have their work cut-out for them. First the shortage of vaccine. And now the whack-jobs and flim-flammers are getting into the act big time. The internet is full of scary nonsense about the lack of effectiveness and danger of the vaccine and the patent medicine quacks are further muddying the waters hocking a plethora of homeopathic remedies and prophylactics.
If this winter turns into the 'perfect storm' of influenza and our health care system (particularly our hospital system) is overwhelmed by seasonal and H1N1 flu - something that is very possible - one can, of course, then expect the mullah's to weigh-in with the customary "I told you so's" of the "This is God's retribution for [INSERT YOUR PET PEEVE HERE]" variety.
At times I wonder if this country is governable...
With one minute of airtime to fill at the end of his show, he told his young viewers to sneak into their parents' bedrooms, find their wallets and "take some of those green pieces of paper with pictures of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Lincoln and Jefferson on them." "Send them to me," he said, "and I'll send you a postcard from Puerto Rico."In other news, I had a busy day yesterday getting mom cleared for surgery next Friday. We paid a visit to her regular doc and then to the hospital for some lab work and a pre-op briefing. No show stoppers so far.
I spoke briefly to Leah on Thursday to wish her a happy birthday. She was getting ready to go to dinner with Chris. Sounds like her job is kinda dicey - this past week she's been working a public health swine flu hotline - not a lot of fun when your message is "We're out of vaccine."
Sounds like the immunization effort is a bit of a cock-up nationwide and the public health folks have their work cut-out for them. First the shortage of vaccine. And now the whack-jobs and flim-flammers are getting into the act big time. The internet is full of scary nonsense about the lack of effectiveness and danger of the vaccine and the patent medicine quacks are further muddying the waters hocking a plethora of homeopathic remedies and prophylactics.
If this winter turns into the 'perfect storm' of influenza and our health care system (particularly our hospital system) is overwhelmed by seasonal and H1N1 flu - something that is very possible - one can, of course, then expect the mullah's to weigh-in with the customary "I told you so's" of the "This is God's retribution for [INSERT YOUR PET PEEVE HERE]" variety.
At times I wonder if this country is governable...
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Happy Birthday Leah and Amanda
Amanda and Leah turn 26 years young today. Happy Birthday gals! I only wish I could share the day with them in person. They are wonderful.
Leah and Amanda have always been sweeties!
In other news, I've been busy, busy, busy. Yesterday was devoted to serious cooking. I made a LARGE batch of beef stock in anticipation of doing lots of cooking while residing at the elders this next month. And I prepared supper for the whole tribe last evening.
It's always a question mark whenever I try anything new with the family - but the saute of scallops with mustard, rice with parsley, and glazed carrots with apricots and almonds seemed to go down pretty well. And the Apple Brown Betty dessert was mighty tasty if I do say so myself.
Earlier this week I made a large batch of chicken noodle soup which is dad's favorite breakfast food...
Tomorrow I'll accompany mom to her primary care doc for her pre-surgery check-up. And then we have a pre-op gig at the hospital tomorrow afternoon. She's scheduled for her knee replacement on October 30th - none to soon - her pain is extreme. She's ready to get this show on the road.
Last week's beautiful fall weather is now just a fading memory. Back to the normal October diet of rain and wind. The trees are now mostly bare. The very brief fall color is gone and the leaves are now a soggy brown mash underfoot. Yesterday mom noted that our first snow last year was on October 24th. Don't think we'll get any snow this next week but it won't be long...
I see that Microsoft is releasing its new operating system. This is a good thing. I desperately need a new desktop computer. Thought this one was going to have a stroke processing my vacation pics. Or maybe it's computer Alzheimer's...it just kinda stops every few minutes and grinds away like it's forgotten what it's supposed to be doing... It's over six years old which is about 100 in computing years.
Later gang!
Leah and Amanda have always been sweeties!
In other news, I've been busy, busy, busy. Yesterday was devoted to serious cooking. I made a LARGE batch of beef stock in anticipation of doing lots of cooking while residing at the elders this next month. And I prepared supper for the whole tribe last evening.
It's always a question mark whenever I try anything new with the family - but the saute of scallops with mustard, rice with parsley, and glazed carrots with apricots and almonds seemed to go down pretty well. And the Apple Brown Betty dessert was mighty tasty if I do say so myself.
Earlier this week I made a large batch of chicken noodle soup which is dad's favorite breakfast food...
Tomorrow I'll accompany mom to her primary care doc for her pre-surgery check-up. And then we have a pre-op gig at the hospital tomorrow afternoon. She's scheduled for her knee replacement on October 30th - none to soon - her pain is extreme. She's ready to get this show on the road.
Last week's beautiful fall weather is now just a fading memory. Back to the normal October diet of rain and wind. The trees are now mostly bare. The very brief fall color is gone and the leaves are now a soggy brown mash underfoot. Yesterday mom noted that our first snow last year was on October 24th. Don't think we'll get any snow this next week but it won't be long...
I see that Microsoft is releasing its new operating system. This is a good thing. I desperately need a new desktop computer. Thought this one was going to have a stroke processing my vacation pics. Or maybe it's computer Alzheimer's...it just kinda stops every few minutes and grinds away like it's forgotten what it's supposed to be doing... It's over six years old which is about 100 in computing years.
Later gang!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Vacation Pics Posted
Whew! Finally finished photoshopping and posting my vacation pics. What an ordeal. Bet I've got at least 100 hours invested. Was working on it until midnight last night and then dove-in again at the crack-o'-dawn this morning.
And damn! Just went back and viewed the slide show again...and sure enough, spotted some spelling and grammatical errors as well as a few pics that I wish I had cropped or fiddled with in some other fashion. But I am bound by the oath I took as a retiree - when a project that's supposed to be fun begins to feel like work - then it's time to put a fork in it...
At any rate, check 'em out at: http://classic.kodakgallery.com/elmerlindstrom - if this link isn't "hot" then go find it under Alaska Related Links on the right...
The Kodak Website is under renovation. Looks the same externally - at least for the moment - but the guts have been seriously redone. And I'm not sure I like it. I had a hell of time uploading stuff and the editing process was REALLY slow. But on the other hand, it may be my decrepit computer.
In any event, enjoy the pics. I'm headed to the elders and then for a workout. And I need to make some chicken soup for dad...
TallyHo!
And damn! Just went back and viewed the slide show again...and sure enough, spotted some spelling and grammatical errors as well as a few pics that I wish I had cropped or fiddled with in some other fashion. But I am bound by the oath I took as a retiree - when a project that's supposed to be fun begins to feel like work - then it's time to put a fork in it...
At any rate, check 'em out at: http://classic.kodakgallery.com/elmerlindstrom - if this link isn't "hot" then go find it under Alaska Related Links on the right...
The Kodak Website is under renovation. Looks the same externally - at least for the moment - but the guts have been seriously redone. And I'm not sure I like it. I had a hell of time uploading stuff and the editing process was REALLY slow. But on the other hand, it may be my decrepit computer.
In any event, enjoy the pics. I'm headed to the elders and then for a workout. And I need to make some chicken soup for dad...
TallyHo!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Fall Chores
A busy couple of days of outdoor chores. I spent much of Wednesday putting auntie's yard to bed for the season - even mowed one last time - pretty amazing for October. Yesterday was spent at my folks doing the same drill - plus chimney stack change-out and fall gutter cleaning. Whew! I'm feeling a mite sore today. It's not hard work but there's lots of bending over which I always feel in the back of my thighs and my lower back. No harm done however...
I also finished photoshopping all the Redmond golf pics and got them on a disc and delivered to Laura. They look VERY similar to last year's pics except, of course, we're all a year older.
Laura just got back from Palm Desert where she closed on the sale of her old condo on Tuesday followed by closing on the new and bigger condo on Wednesday. She's now got a contractor beavering away on some improvements. And she bought a golf cart! Not bad for five days work including two travel days... She appeared tired but content.
Yesterday I spoke to Leah and she sounded great. She had her first day of work at Clackamas County and it went well - aside from the fact they are horribly disorganized about this H1N1 immunization thing. Just like the rest of the country. Leah's moving into a new apartment in Portland. It sounds really nice. And most amazingly it is owned by Steve and Maria Marks. Steve practiced law in Juneau and Maria (Keithahn) Marks graduated from JDHS the same year I graduated. A small world, ain't it?
It's Leah's and Amanda's birthday next week. Twenty-six. YIKES!
Have a great weekend everyone!
I also finished photoshopping all the Redmond golf pics and got them on a disc and delivered to Laura. They look VERY similar to last year's pics except, of course, we're all a year older.
Laura just got back from Palm Desert where she closed on the sale of her old condo on Tuesday followed by closing on the new and bigger condo on Wednesday. She's now got a contractor beavering away on some improvements. And she bought a golf cart! Not bad for five days work including two travel days... She appeared tired but content.
Yesterday I spoke to Leah and she sounded great. She had her first day of work at Clackamas County and it went well - aside from the fact they are horribly disorganized about this H1N1 immunization thing. Just like the rest of the country. Leah's moving into a new apartment in Portland. It sounds really nice. And most amazingly it is owned by Steve and Maria Marks. Steve practiced law in Juneau and Maria (Keithahn) Marks graduated from JDHS the same year I graduated. A small world, ain't it?
It's Leah's and Amanda's birthday next week. Twenty-six. YIKES!
Have a great weekend everyone!
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