I'm sitting here at the kitchen table watching the crazy hummingbirds diving into the feeder and enacting Hummingbird Wars as they quibble about who has first dibs on the nectar. I wish they could all get along. The neatest thing is when the alpha male gets his tail feathers in a flurry and opens them wide like a peacock as a threat display to whomever among his h-bird peeps is trying to access the feeder. Quite amusing on a daily basis as i sit here working on my laptop while recovering.
Speaking of recovery, I am doing well just 3 weeks after being sprung from the ICU at Scripps Memorial Hospital in LaJolla, CA. Belly achin' summary follows...
Oct. 4, Sunday---fly to San Diego, eat "last meal" at Vincenzo's in Little Italy (it was outstanding)
Oct. 5, Monday---physical exam with Dr. Wittgrove (surgeon) and pre-admitting testing at Scripps, including the ever-popular transvaginal ultrasound. There are no words to adequately describe this high-tech torture machine.
Oct. 6, Tuesday---5:30 a.m., much too early for anything, nevertheless got prepped for surgery, including a large dose of Fragmin, a blood thinner
---circa 8-9 a.m., zonked out on anesthesia, ready for the scalpel
---9 a.m. til ? p.m., surgery and recovery
---2 p.m. to room, not much pain, groggy from anesthesia. what bothered me most of all were the "leg-exercisers" that they placed on my calves to prevent clots. These #@$@&# things were electrically powered to puff up every 15 seconds and ABSOLUTELY DROVE ME NUTZZZ. I hate to have anything on my feet when resting or sleeping. These things should have been used at Abu Graib.
AND, i had lots of discomfort from the abdominal drain that was placed in the southwest most incision closure on my belly. I learned afterward that the drain tubing extended in a full circumference of the belly to drain all 6 incisional areas. It pressed on the diaphragm and its nerve feeds, which gave me a huge pain in the left shoulder area, kinda what i envision is a heart attack pain. When the drain was removed on Thurs, the pain disappeared!
They had me walk on Tues evening, not even 12 hr since surgery. I did fine, but was nauseous from meds.
Oct. 7, Wednesday---had no food since surgery. Doc came in mid-morning. We talked about the nausea, and I reported to him that i had a lot of gurgling in my abdomen, like a bowel movement was imminent. Since there had been no substantive food or drink in my belly since Monday 2 p.m., it was unlikely that it was a bowel movement. Doc said it was likely clotted blood irritating the bowel and that I would pass it via the bowel.
Well, pass it I did. Just after he left, they brought me broth and sugar-free jello. Two sips of each and I lost total control of my anal sphincter. To spare readers the ooogliness of this, just let me say that losing one's clotted blood at the back door was not pretty. I soiled the bed repeatedly and the floor in a big way as Vern tried to assist me in getting to the john.
Ultimately, after Vern went down to the cafeteria, i began feeling very weak. I knew i had to go again, so i ventured forth from the bed to the john, about 10 ft away. Got on the pot, then keeled over onto the ice-cold tile floor. I was unconscious for I don't know how long. When i woke up, i scanned the area and could not find a call button. So I hollered unsuccessfully for a nurse. When someone finally came in to do my vitals and found me, all hell broke loose.
The hospital's Rapid Response Team descended upon me. They asked me to sit up, with help, then try to sit in a chair. I told them repeatedly that i was faint, but they insisted. When they lifted me into a chair, my eyes rolled back and i was out for awhile. I came to in a surreal vista of a bunch of talking heads hovering over me. They plopped a huge oxygen mask on me and were billing and cooing that i'd be ok.
Some lab villain dissected my arms and hands looking for a vein to pillage. Eventually, the lab reported that my hemoglobin was 7 and hematocrit 25, which should be 13 and 35 respectively if all was okay.
A phone call to Dr. Wittgrove and i was headed to ICU. Apparently, i am one who does not benefit radically from a blood thinner. Where they stapled my intestinal relocation, there is naturally some bleeding. Because of the blood thinner, i did not clot real soon. All the bleeding that i did filled my bowel, and that was what was being emitted from my bottom. The rapid massive blood loss made me faint and very weak.
In ICU, i was transfused with 5 pints of San Diego's best red stuff. Now, i find myself fighting an overpowering urge to push a buggy along the boardwalk, hunting aluminum cans.
Oct. 8,Thursday p.m.---after 24 hr in ICU, I was sent back to the bariatric floor. I continued to improve with teh new infusion of blood. The bowel leakage lessened dramatically.
Oct. 9, Friday---feeling stronger, i washed my hair and rancid body in the bathroom sink, still tied to the IV. Doc came in as I was cleaning up. He removed the drain and i begged him to be released. He concurred. One thing that didn't get done was the removal of staples in my belly. They were soooo uncomfortable during my hotel sojourn over the weekend. I was released from hospital at 5 p.m.
When we got to the hotel, i needed to hit the bed, as i was quite worn out. I spiked a really high fever, no reason known, for a few hours. Then i slept on and off all night. It was not a restful sleep due to the staples and the fever. but it was a semblance of rest.
Oct. 10, Saturday---taking it easy, sat on a chaise longue at the pool for a couple hr while Vern had breakfast and went to the supermarket. Against the dietary rules, i asked for a couple of poached eggs to add to the protein supplements I was drinking. They slid down the hatch effortlessly, but when they hit the newly transformed mini-stomach, they were like lead pellets. I made it thru the cramping and lumpy fullness that the eggs caused and continued to lounge in the lobby in a sitting area w/ fireplace.
Vern never missed a meal, and while he had dinner at the restaurant in the hotel, i hung out in the room.
Oct. 11--Sunday....we went to CVS for diabetes test strips. Then we drove to La Jolla Shores Beach area. I laid out the towels and enjoyed a 70ish day of sunshine and nice breeze. I even got into the ocean for a short time to relieve myself. Vern wandered hither and yon exploring the shore as i rested. It was very relaxing.
Oct. 12---Monday....Vern did 2 loads of laundry at the hotel. I worked all day on my laptop on my office email. It was not easy, because i had episodes of fogginess (anesthesia legacy).
Oc. 13---Tuesday...0830 a.m. appt w/ Dr's office, followup and removal of staples. 3 hour diet and exercise lecture followed. Released to go home at noon. The night before, i had trouble sleeping, and while awake, i decided to change our existing 6:30 pm reservation to return to AZ earlier. This was successful, and we took a 5 pm flight that got us to AZ at 6 p.m.
When we landed in AZ i was overcome with relief. I slept like a baby and felt 1000% better the next morning.
And I have improved daily every since. I've obviously lost some weight from the ordeal and from the fact that i cannot eat solid foods yet. If i eat an egg, it has to be mooshy. Most of what i exist on these days are liquid protein supplement drinks, soup and broth, and sugar free desserts.
My incisions are mostly healed, a few small scabs remain.
My mini-stomach is hypersensitive to anything more than an ounce of input over a short period of time. It's very difficult to get used to SIPPING, SMALL BITES, etc. when you've been wolfing your food down for 50 years or so.
I'm optimistic and looking forward to the day when i can chow down on a rare piece of beef. Until then, i am delighted to be able to draw a breath. Next week, i have my one-month blood draw to check my chemistry. My diabetes meds have been dropped to less than half of what they were before surgery.
Until the blood results are known, I wish you peace, love, and happiness.
a
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bariatric Surgery, Anyone?
Continuing our saga of life through August 09....let's see....I forgot to mention that my temporary promotion to Ecosystem Management and Planning staff officer began in July and continutes til the end of October. It means that I must attend Forest Leadership Team meetings, representing EMP, and am the approval point for our group for purchases, training, and all supervisory matters...our supervisor will be resuming her duties in November after she has completed a "detail" to another program.
In August, about the only newsworthy item to report is our trip to San Diego over the weekend of August 15th. The trip was conceived after I acted upon a suggestion from my endocrinologist (at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla) during my late June visit to investigate the possibility of surgery to improve or resolve my diabetic condition. His comments were precipitated by his concern that, with my declining pancreatic function and aging, collateral health issues, such as high blood pressure, would soon be on my horizon.
With this in mind, I phoned the Wittgrove Bariatric Center in La Jolla to request a consultation with Dr. Alan Wittgrove, a renowned bariatric surgeon. An appt was scheduled for August 17th to screen both me and Vern for our Body Mass Index and discuss our options for weight loss and improvement/resolution of my type 2 diabetes and Vern's cardiovascular diseases and sleep apnea.
Upon screening, we learned that I was at the cusp in BMI for morbid obesity and Vern was about 5 points above me, well into morbid obesity. That alone indicated that we were tentative candidates for bariatric surgery. We then met with Dr. Wittgrove to discuss our options. He asked us about our past success with diets, our current eating issues, and other variables that would affect our BMI. One of those is sedentary activity, such as Vern's passion for the TV. We explained that both of us swam laps regularly, and that I was successful in losing over 30 lb with Jenny Craig foods. (Vern lost 10 lb over a year...cheating.) Further, I had gained 15 of that loss back in 18 months. I continued to describe our ventures with Weight Watchers, loss of weight, regain, and my experiences with Optifast, Medifast, and a Dr-supervised high protein program where I lost 20 lb in a month.
Dr. Wittgrove described the types of surgery that he performed, the risks and benefits associated with each, the post-surgery expectations and more. I learned that over 40 years of bypass surgery, statistics indicated that type 2 diabetes was reversed or markedly improved in 90% of patients who had diabetes for 8 years or less. (I have had it 12+ years.) This reversal/improvement occurs LONG BEFORE an individual loses excess weight!
Scientists subsequently hypothesized that the rearrangement of the small intestine during the bypass surgery was the key to diabetes resolution. They subsequently researched the intricacies of the first length of small intestine, called the duodenum, using diabetic rats to try to pinpoint the characteristic(s) of duodenal tissue that causes glucose metabolism to malfunction. Experiments concluded that there is some factor(s) (enzyme? hormone?) in the lining of the duodenum that does(do) not function properly to regulate glucose metabolism. Bypassing that part of the small intestine results in food not coming in contact with the duodenal lining, and hence, there is no adverse effect on glucose metabolism.
With the bypass surgery, the duodenum is disconnected from the distal end of the stomach, where partially digested food empties into it. The next lower segment of small intestine is then reconnected to the stomach and things continue as normal, without food passing thru the duodenal lining. Of course, the bypass surgery also restricts the size of the stomach, which fosters significant weight loss over time in the patient.
We had a lot to digest (no pun intended) after the consultation. I read every article I could find about "duodenum/diabetes". I learned that several medical centers of excellence had been established across the U.S. to make the bypass surgery available to diabetics under the designation as "metabolic" or "diabetic" surgery. Dr. Wittgrove's center is one of them. Cornell University's Medical School at Columbia in NYC is another.
I was stoked that this surgery could improve or resolve my status as a diabetic. I followed up with the doctor's office to learn what I needed to do to be considered a candidate. Vern followed my lead. Weight loss for him is the key to resolving his cardio issues and sleep apnea, over time.
We had the necessary blood tests, a psychological evaluation to screen for any potential mental health concerns post-surgery, and Vern had to obtain clearance from his cardiologist. Doctor's office submitted to BC/BS for approval, which was quickly approved for me. Vern's primary insurance, United Health Care, denies bariatric surgery coverage, so he had an extra hoop to jump thru. After his denial, my BC/BS approved him for surgery.
That about sums up our August and September adventures. I was advised in mid-Sept of a surgery date on October 6 at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. Vern was assigned a date in November, but after my rough post-surgical ride, we rescheduled him for January. He continues to eat like it's his last meal, and has GAINED weight since our first visit to Wittgrove. He is swimming regularly, but our pool temperature has dropped from 96 to 84 due to cold nights. Don't know how long he'll be able to tough it out.
I will write about my surgery in an October update in a day or so.
Please pray for my continued recovery.
Peace and good health,
a
In August, about the only newsworthy item to report is our trip to San Diego over the weekend of August 15th. The trip was conceived after I acted upon a suggestion from my endocrinologist (at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla) during my late June visit to investigate the possibility of surgery to improve or resolve my diabetic condition. His comments were precipitated by his concern that, with my declining pancreatic function and aging, collateral health issues, such as high blood pressure, would soon be on my horizon.
With this in mind, I phoned the Wittgrove Bariatric Center in La Jolla to request a consultation with Dr. Alan Wittgrove, a renowned bariatric surgeon. An appt was scheduled for August 17th to screen both me and Vern for our Body Mass Index and discuss our options for weight loss and improvement/resolution of my type 2 diabetes and Vern's cardiovascular diseases and sleep apnea.
Upon screening, we learned that I was at the cusp in BMI for morbid obesity and Vern was about 5 points above me, well into morbid obesity. That alone indicated that we were tentative candidates for bariatric surgery. We then met with Dr. Wittgrove to discuss our options. He asked us about our past success with diets, our current eating issues, and other variables that would affect our BMI. One of those is sedentary activity, such as Vern's passion for the TV. We explained that both of us swam laps regularly, and that I was successful in losing over 30 lb with Jenny Craig foods. (Vern lost 10 lb over a year...cheating.) Further, I had gained 15 of that loss back in 18 months. I continued to describe our ventures with Weight Watchers, loss of weight, regain, and my experiences with Optifast, Medifast, and a Dr-supervised high protein program where I lost 20 lb in a month.
Dr. Wittgrove described the types of surgery that he performed, the risks and benefits associated with each, the post-surgery expectations and more. I learned that over 40 years of bypass surgery, statistics indicated that type 2 diabetes was reversed or markedly improved in 90% of patients who had diabetes for 8 years or less. (I have had it 12+ years.) This reversal/improvement occurs LONG BEFORE an individual loses excess weight!
Scientists subsequently hypothesized that the rearrangement of the small intestine during the bypass surgery was the key to diabetes resolution. They subsequently researched the intricacies of the first length of small intestine, called the duodenum, using diabetic rats to try to pinpoint the characteristic(s) of duodenal tissue that causes glucose metabolism to malfunction. Experiments concluded that there is some factor(s) (enzyme? hormone?) in the lining of the duodenum that does(do) not function properly to regulate glucose metabolism. Bypassing that part of the small intestine results in food not coming in contact with the duodenal lining, and hence, there is no adverse effect on glucose metabolism.
With the bypass surgery, the duodenum is disconnected from the distal end of the stomach, where partially digested food empties into it. The next lower segment of small intestine is then reconnected to the stomach and things continue as normal, without food passing thru the duodenal lining. Of course, the bypass surgery also restricts the size of the stomach, which fosters significant weight loss over time in the patient.
We had a lot to digest (no pun intended) after the consultation. I read every article I could find about "duodenum/diabetes". I learned that several medical centers of excellence had been established across the U.S. to make the bypass surgery available to diabetics under the designation as "metabolic" or "diabetic" surgery. Dr. Wittgrove's center is one of them. Cornell University's Medical School at Columbia in NYC is another.
I was stoked that this surgery could improve or resolve my status as a diabetic. I followed up with the doctor's office to learn what I needed to do to be considered a candidate. Vern followed my lead. Weight loss for him is the key to resolving his cardio issues and sleep apnea, over time.
We had the necessary blood tests, a psychological evaluation to screen for any potential mental health concerns post-surgery, and Vern had to obtain clearance from his cardiologist. Doctor's office submitted to BC/BS for approval, which was quickly approved for me. Vern's primary insurance, United Health Care, denies bariatric surgery coverage, so he had an extra hoop to jump thru. After his denial, my BC/BS approved him for surgery.
That about sums up our August and September adventures. I was advised in mid-Sept of a surgery date on October 6 at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. Vern was assigned a date in November, but after my rough post-surgical ride, we rescheduled him for January. He continues to eat like it's his last meal, and has GAINED weight since our first visit to Wittgrove. He is swimming regularly, but our pool temperature has dropped from 96 to 84 due to cold nights. Don't know how long he'll be able to tough it out.
I will write about my surgery in an October update in a day or so.
Please pray for my continued recovery.
Peace and good health,
a
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
What We Did on Summer Vacation
Friends, Family, and Surfers,
July was highlighted by our trip back East to see family and friends and revel in the Sicilian wedding of our cousin Michelle Musante to John Coppola.
Vern and I flew to Boston on a semi red-eye, arriving at a Wyndham Hotel in the blue-collar 'burb of Chelsea around 2 a.m. Hotel was awesome, some of the most comfortable beds in the world. Great rate thru Expedia of $79 per nite, mostly due to the location....but, this place was 10 minutes from the airport, albeit via a circuitous route thru narrow streets and barrios, and offered a shuttle to the Boston subway airport station, the "T", every half hour. We were a 5-minute subway ride to downtown from the "T" drop. When we returned via the T from downtown, we'd call the shuttle for pickup. Great service! No rental car needed!
While in Boston, we slept away most of our first day there, given our late night arrival, then had dinner next door at a local bistro, Floramo's. Meals were akin to eating at a local bar in W-B, good home (Italian) cooking, not gourmet but tasty and large in quantity. We stayed in the rest of the night to rest up for the next few days.
Next day around noon, we shuttled to the T for our first venture into town, during which we spent the day at the Boston Aquarium. It was pretty crowded for a Thursday, lotsa school or daycare groups and lotsa tourists. We particularly enjoyed the penguin demonstrations. A very relaxing part of the Aquarium footprint is a huge pavilion (wharf) at the rear of the facility, where there are lots of comfortable wooden benches from which to watch the boat traffic and jets coming and going from Logan. It was a warm, breezy day, 80ish, and an occasional drip or two would fall from a stray dark cloud. We spent an hour or so watching the excursion boats and water taxi traffic in the harbor. Around 5 pm, we heard from my niece, Natalie, who was subwaying over from her office at Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Science. When she arrived, we crossed the Blvd to Legal Seafood, where we had some wine and ate a humongous, delicious meal. Both Vern and I had the surf and turf, lobster and filet. Outstanding. Afterward, we walked with Nat from downtown to Boston's North End, which is the Italian neighborhood.
Food still settling, we stopped by a bistro for a gelato, which is rich, creamy Italian ice cream. Also went to the very crowded Michael's Bakery to score pastries and marizipan in every conceivable shape and size. When it started getting dusky, we headed downtown to the T for our respective trips home. Vern couldn't find a restroom to relieve himself, so he had a squirmy ride back to the airport on the T. No relief at the hotel shuttle stop, either, so it was a verrrrry longgggg ride back to the hotel for him.
Next day, Friday, we took the shuttle to the airport T, where we met Nat and proceeded to Avis to rent a car for our drive to see Auntie Ann and my cousin Mandy in Marblehead, MA. Marblehead is a lovely community on a spit of land into the Atlantic about 30 minutes drive north of Boston. We arrived to find AA outside awaiting our arrival. It was wonderful to see her looking so perky and healthy. She had a quadruple bypass last year. Also had all her teeth pulled and dentures made, which was an ordeal for her following surgery.
She sprung for lunch at a local chowder bistro. We had scallops that were out of this world! Since I hadn't seen her for 5 years, we had a lot to catch up on. Vern hadn't seen her since my aunt Mimi died in '95. After lunch, we headed over to a small restaurant with which my cousin Mandy was affiliated. Had some coffee there, chatted and planned to meet at Marblehead lighthouse which straddles the harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. We spent a couple hours visiting at the park at the lighthouse, sitting on huge boulders and benches, yapping away. Afterward, we returned with Ann to her apartment at a senior apartment complex. She nursed a huge blister that i'd developed on my pinky from all the walking we'd done over the 2 days. We planned on driving back to Boston shortly thereafter. We discussed what we wanted to do for dinner, when Ann piped up with "There's a really good Chinese place down a few streets, do ya wanna go there?"
Sure, why not! We headed out to the place, which offerd a combo Sushi and Chinese cuisine. Nat and I had some sushi and ordered a dish from the Chinese menu. Vern passed on teh sushi and had a great chicken and walnut dinner. Mandy had gone home to catch up on laundry. At some point during our wait for dinner, she called her Mom, who told her where we were. As soon as her clothes were in the dryer, she popped in to join us for the rest of the meal.
We said our loving goodbyes as darkness fell and returned to Boston where we turned in the rental car and grabbed the shuttle back to the hotel.
Saturday morning we hailed a cab to travel over to downtown to the rail station. It's a grand old facility with lots of character and an array of restaurants catering to many tastes! Had a light breakfast, then boarded the Amtrak for New Haven, CT.
What a great ride on the train! We passed thru cities and mostly rural areas of MA, RI, and CT, all of CT with the ocean to our left and various bays and inlets to the right. It was a 2.5 hr ride, but passed quickly. Vern visited the dining car and got us snacks/drinks about half way there. We arrived in New Haven on time and rented a car from Avis at the rail station. It too was gorgeous vintage America, with thick oak benches and ornate ceiling.
We drove to our Hilton Garden Inn in Shelton, CT, where we settled in, then proceeded to dress for the evening reception. My cousin Diana knew we were not planning on attending the afternoon wedding, and it was a good thing, cuz we learned it was SRO.
The reception was held at a country club. We arrived as probably the last guests, due to unfamiliarity with the turf. Michelle and John were graciously waiting in an empty foyer, as most guests had moved on to the appetizer buffet (awesome!) in the rear of the building. When we arrived, we were warmly received, and we headed to the rear as well to seek out Diana and my Uncle Joey and Aunt Betty. Hadn't seen these folks in 20 years, remember, since my Mom's funeral. I found a bridesmaid and asked who among the many was the mother of the bride. They pointed out Diana, who is now a blonde. I went over and tapped her on the head and said hello. She looked at me like I was a wedding crasher. When i told her who i was, she yelped and then we went to find my aunt and uncle. It was a delightful reunion! I also got to visit with Diana's ex-husband and father of the bride, Ed Musante (Muzzy). Looks the same, acts the same, nice guy in general.
The reception and dinner was quite entertaining. Bride and groom did some native American war dance with their peeps that cracked us all up. They did a married couples dance and eliminated folks based on how many years married. The couple who was last to go was my aunt and uncle.....65 years married! They also did a group picture of all those present who were Sicilian in ancestry. My aunt Betty and I were the sole guests remaining at our table and there were a few other non-Sicilians in the room, but mostly all were in the photo!
We danced a lot, ate a terrific dinner and enjoyed being part of the festivities. Next day, Diana hosted a cookout at her place, which was less than a mile from our hotel. The highlight of our day there was playing cards with them....we refreshed my mind on how to play Setback (called Cinch in PA) and taught Vern the rudimentary rules of the game. After uncle and auntie left for home before dark (he is almost 90and still drives), we sat on D's deck and chatted some more.
Next morning, V and I headed back to the train station, returned the car, and caught the Amtrak south to Newark, NJ. Another 2 hour trip that completed our coastal tour of CT, then took us in the back door to NYCity. We arrived at Newark Train Station around 1, rented a car and drove to Paramus, NJ, where my uncle Dick resides. I could not figure out how to get off of those friggin' traffic circles at the exit that leads to his neighborhood, so we drove about 45 minutes back and forth until we finally figured it out.
We visited with Dick at his home, and he took us out to Ocean's, a Greek seafood restaurant in nearby Saddle Brook, NJ. Outstanding meal, and we were joined by his friends Kathy and her sister Diane. Kathy has been helping Dick out for over a year now with his shopping, billpaying, cleaning and personal needs. He claims to love her. I don't know if it's a romance or not, as she is 20 years his junior.
We were with Dick less than 24 hours, when we checked out of the Holiday Inn Express and drove back to Newark for our flight home. I didn't mention that we had excellent weather every day we were in the northeast, except the last day......it poured buckets in NJ and our American Airlines flight to Chicago was delayed. The delay meant we'd miss our connection to Tucson. Fortunately, while we said our goodbyes to Dick, he mentioned that we should probably check our flight status becuz of the weather. GREAT IDEA! we learned that i'd misread our boarding passes and that we were to leave an hour earlier than i'd planned. if we hadn't checked, we'd have missed our flight (technically), but since it was delayed, the point was moot. Nevertheless, we said quick goodbyes to Dick and hurried to Newark to turn in the car and try to get on another flight.
While we were enroute, American phoned Vern and advised him that we had a missed connection pending. They offered us seats on a direct USAir flight to Phx, then Tucson. We took them. Unfortunately, the seats were middle ones at the rear of the plane. Vern was in the very last row and couldn't recline, but he managed to sleep anyway. We got a hoagie at the airport and used it for our dinner en route. 5.5 hr later we were in rainfree PHX and a quick hop on a regional jet thereafter brought us safely to Tucson. End of whirlwind trip!
August and September still to come on this slooooow mooooving blog.
peace.
a
July was highlighted by our trip back East to see family and friends and revel in the Sicilian wedding of our cousin Michelle Musante to John Coppola.
Vern and I flew to Boston on a semi red-eye, arriving at a Wyndham Hotel in the blue-collar 'burb of Chelsea around 2 a.m. Hotel was awesome, some of the most comfortable beds in the world. Great rate thru Expedia of $79 per nite, mostly due to the location....but, this place was 10 minutes from the airport, albeit via a circuitous route thru narrow streets and barrios, and offered a shuttle to the Boston subway airport station, the "T", every half hour. We were a 5-minute subway ride to downtown from the "T" drop. When we returned via the T from downtown, we'd call the shuttle for pickup. Great service! No rental car needed!
While in Boston, we slept away most of our first day there, given our late night arrival, then had dinner next door at a local bistro, Floramo's. Meals were akin to eating at a local bar in W-B, good home (Italian) cooking, not gourmet but tasty and large in quantity. We stayed in the rest of the night to rest up for the next few days.
Next day around noon, we shuttled to the T for our first venture into town, during which we spent the day at the Boston Aquarium. It was pretty crowded for a Thursday, lotsa school or daycare groups and lotsa tourists. We particularly enjoyed the penguin demonstrations. A very relaxing part of the Aquarium footprint is a huge pavilion (wharf) at the rear of the facility, where there are lots of comfortable wooden benches from which to watch the boat traffic and jets coming and going from Logan. It was a warm, breezy day, 80ish, and an occasional drip or two would fall from a stray dark cloud. We spent an hour or so watching the excursion boats and water taxi traffic in the harbor. Around 5 pm, we heard from my niece, Natalie, who was subwaying over from her office at Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Science. When she arrived, we crossed the Blvd to Legal Seafood, where we had some wine and ate a humongous, delicious meal. Both Vern and I had the surf and turf, lobster and filet. Outstanding. Afterward, we walked with Nat from downtown to Boston's North End, which is the Italian neighborhood.
Food still settling, we stopped by a bistro for a gelato, which is rich, creamy Italian ice cream. Also went to the very crowded Michael's Bakery to score pastries and marizipan in every conceivable shape and size. When it started getting dusky, we headed downtown to the T for our respective trips home. Vern couldn't find a restroom to relieve himself, so he had a squirmy ride back to the airport on the T. No relief at the hotel shuttle stop, either, so it was a verrrrry longgggg ride back to the hotel for him.
Next day, Friday, we took the shuttle to the airport T, where we met Nat and proceeded to Avis to rent a car for our drive to see Auntie Ann and my cousin Mandy in Marblehead, MA. Marblehead is a lovely community on a spit of land into the Atlantic about 30 minutes drive north of Boston. We arrived to find AA outside awaiting our arrival. It was wonderful to see her looking so perky and healthy. She had a quadruple bypass last year. Also had all her teeth pulled and dentures made, which was an ordeal for her following surgery.
She sprung for lunch at a local chowder bistro. We had scallops that were out of this world! Since I hadn't seen her for 5 years, we had a lot to catch up on. Vern hadn't seen her since my aunt Mimi died in '95. After lunch, we headed over to a small restaurant with which my cousin Mandy was affiliated. Had some coffee there, chatted and planned to meet at Marblehead lighthouse which straddles the harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. We spent a couple hours visiting at the park at the lighthouse, sitting on huge boulders and benches, yapping away. Afterward, we returned with Ann to her apartment at a senior apartment complex. She nursed a huge blister that i'd developed on my pinky from all the walking we'd done over the 2 days. We planned on driving back to Boston shortly thereafter. We discussed what we wanted to do for dinner, when Ann piped up with "There's a really good Chinese place down a few streets, do ya wanna go there?"
Sure, why not! We headed out to the place, which offerd a combo Sushi and Chinese cuisine. Nat and I had some sushi and ordered a dish from the Chinese menu. Vern passed on teh sushi and had a great chicken and walnut dinner. Mandy had gone home to catch up on laundry. At some point during our wait for dinner, she called her Mom, who told her where we were. As soon as her clothes were in the dryer, she popped in to join us for the rest of the meal.
We said our loving goodbyes as darkness fell and returned to Boston where we turned in the rental car and grabbed the shuttle back to the hotel.
Saturday morning we hailed a cab to travel over to downtown to the rail station. It's a grand old facility with lots of character and an array of restaurants catering to many tastes! Had a light breakfast, then boarded the Amtrak for New Haven, CT.
What a great ride on the train! We passed thru cities and mostly rural areas of MA, RI, and CT, all of CT with the ocean to our left and various bays and inlets to the right. It was a 2.5 hr ride, but passed quickly. Vern visited the dining car and got us snacks/drinks about half way there. We arrived in New Haven on time and rented a car from Avis at the rail station. It too was gorgeous vintage America, with thick oak benches and ornate ceiling.
We drove to our Hilton Garden Inn in Shelton, CT, where we settled in, then proceeded to dress for the evening reception. My cousin Diana knew we were not planning on attending the afternoon wedding, and it was a good thing, cuz we learned it was SRO.
The reception was held at a country club. We arrived as probably the last guests, due to unfamiliarity with the turf. Michelle and John were graciously waiting in an empty foyer, as most guests had moved on to the appetizer buffet (awesome!) in the rear of the building. When we arrived, we were warmly received, and we headed to the rear as well to seek out Diana and my Uncle Joey and Aunt Betty. Hadn't seen these folks in 20 years, remember, since my Mom's funeral. I found a bridesmaid and asked who among the many was the mother of the bride. They pointed out Diana, who is now a blonde. I went over and tapped her on the head and said hello. She looked at me like I was a wedding crasher. When i told her who i was, she yelped and then we went to find my aunt and uncle. It was a delightful reunion! I also got to visit with Diana's ex-husband and father of the bride, Ed Musante (Muzzy). Looks the same, acts the same, nice guy in general.
The reception and dinner was quite entertaining. Bride and groom did some native American war dance with their peeps that cracked us all up. They did a married couples dance and eliminated folks based on how many years married. The couple who was last to go was my aunt and uncle.....65 years married! They also did a group picture of all those present who were Sicilian in ancestry. My aunt Betty and I were the sole guests remaining at our table and there were a few other non-Sicilians in the room, but mostly all were in the photo!
We danced a lot, ate a terrific dinner and enjoyed being part of the festivities. Next day, Diana hosted a cookout at her place, which was less than a mile from our hotel. The highlight of our day there was playing cards with them....we refreshed my mind on how to play Setback (called Cinch in PA) and taught Vern the rudimentary rules of the game. After uncle and auntie left for home before dark (he is almost 90and still drives), we sat on D's deck and chatted some more.
Next morning, V and I headed back to the train station, returned the car, and caught the Amtrak south to Newark, NJ. Another 2 hour trip that completed our coastal tour of CT, then took us in the back door to NYCity. We arrived at Newark Train Station around 1, rented a car and drove to Paramus, NJ, where my uncle Dick resides. I could not figure out how to get off of those friggin' traffic circles at the exit that leads to his neighborhood, so we drove about 45 minutes back and forth until we finally figured it out.
We visited with Dick at his home, and he took us out to Ocean's, a Greek seafood restaurant in nearby Saddle Brook, NJ. Outstanding meal, and we were joined by his friends Kathy and her sister Diane. Kathy has been helping Dick out for over a year now with his shopping, billpaying, cleaning and personal needs. He claims to love her. I don't know if it's a romance or not, as she is 20 years his junior.
We were with Dick less than 24 hours, when we checked out of the Holiday Inn Express and drove back to Newark for our flight home. I didn't mention that we had excellent weather every day we were in the northeast, except the last day......it poured buckets in NJ and our American Airlines flight to Chicago was delayed. The delay meant we'd miss our connection to Tucson. Fortunately, while we said our goodbyes to Dick, he mentioned that we should probably check our flight status becuz of the weather. GREAT IDEA! we learned that i'd misread our boarding passes and that we were to leave an hour earlier than i'd planned. if we hadn't checked, we'd have missed our flight (technically), but since it was delayed, the point was moot. Nevertheless, we said quick goodbyes to Dick and hurried to Newark to turn in the car and try to get on another flight.
While we were enroute, American phoned Vern and advised him that we had a missed connection pending. They offered us seats on a direct USAir flight to Phx, then Tucson. We took them. Unfortunately, the seats were middle ones at the rear of the plane. Vern was in the very last row and couldn't recline, but he managed to sleep anyway. We got a hoagie at the airport and used it for our dinner en route. 5.5 hr later we were in rainfree PHX and a quick hop on a regional jet thereafter brought us safely to Tucson. End of whirlwind trip!
August and September still to come on this slooooow mooooving blog.
peace.
a
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Sunny San Diego---NOT!!!
Dear Potentially Bored Blog Readers,
June was rather uneventful. To ensure a good afternoon nap or night's sleep for you, I'll begin by sharing a tidbit of what I do for a living.
I spent the end of May and the first two weeks in June immersed in writing a Project Description for the environmental impact analysis being conducted for the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine on the Coronado National Forest. It was not an easy task to wade through a contractor's report (Plan of Operation) detailing activities needed to construct facilities to mine copper and process it onsite. The organization and flow of the contractor's report was convoluted and often less than comprehensive. Nevertheless, I turned in my deliverable the second week in June and never looked back.
Afterward, I continued to swim laps and nag Vern, two of my favorite hobbies. The monsoon started in June, which was nice, because it watered the vegetation and made the brown grass green again.
At the end of June, we trekked to San Diego (June 28) for my endocrinologist appointment at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla. Instead of staying overnight in SD, where the hotel prices are still outasite, we opted to spend the night in Yuma at a Wingate by Wyndham hotel. Still pricy ($70), but under what we'd have had to fork over for SD lodging. It was nice digs, except for the grossly funky shower curtain. I don't know what the Chinese are making those things from nowadays, but they soooo smell like Steven's jock strap after a soccer or Little League game in 100 degree heat.
In the a.m. on Monday, June 29, we headed west for my 1:20 appt. The Dr's office was supposed to call in a bloodwork order so that I could have it drawn earlier than the appt since i was to be fasting. When we got to the Lab, they didn't have the order...Murphy's law of course. I was feeling woozy from lack of sustenance aka low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. Undeterred by such a simple thing as needing to be fasting and armed with a motto of "better to ask forgiveness than permission", I blazed a trail to Jasmine, our favorite Chinese bistro on Kearny Mesa in SD. Needless to say, we dived into the dim sum offerings with full gusto and entertained the staff and nearby tables with muchos belches!!
Afterward, I met with Dr. Dailey as scheduled, seeking forgiveness for the delightful dim sum meal pre-blood draw. He took it well and gave me a bloodwork order for NON-fasting. Dr. was pleased that my monitor showed recent blood glucose levels of normal. My blood pressure was higher than normal when it was first taken, normal about 10 minutes later when we were leaving. He recommended that I purchase a wrist BP monitor just to keep an eye on it over time, since i am considered elderly now. The purchase will benefit Vern as well, since he is on meds for high BP and has a family history of heart disease.
We had hoped to enjoy a day or two of leisure in SD, but the weather was rather poor. Usually sunny, cool SD was drizzly and cooler than one would like for poolside putzing. We took a spin thru La Jolla beachside and marveled at the courage of those faithful surfers in their wetsuits in water temps of less than 60 degrees. Then, we turned eastward and drove back to Yuma on the same day we travelled over! Not at all a typical visit for us. The expense of staying in SD while it rained was impractical. We checked back into the Wingate in Yuma, same front desk clerk eyeing us quizzically, as she'd just checked us out 8 hours before.
Weather was VERY hot in Yuma. We toured our old haunts, checked on our house on Gateway, where the trees we planted are grazing the clouds. The new owners have painted the place a rusty desert orange, which was very pleasing to behold. The coup de gras was our supper late in the day at Ronnie's Pizza. Ronnie is a native Philadelphian and makes PA pizza second only to Sabatini's in Exeter, PA. Great pie...we ate the WHOLLLLLLE thing! Oink, oink, oink.
Our return from Yuma was uneventful. It was good to drive back in the light of day. We like to spend as much time in SD as possible, and usually end up driving to Tucson in the dark.
I spent the remainder of that week on VACATION on the patio and in our pool. I rested, read, relaxed and did NO household chores that would improve our quality of life on Larkdale. What else is vacation supposed to be?
Next post: July vacation to MA, CT and NJ. See ya then.
a
June was rather uneventful. To ensure a good afternoon nap or night's sleep for you, I'll begin by sharing a tidbit of what I do for a living.
I spent the end of May and the first two weeks in June immersed in writing a Project Description for the environmental impact analysis being conducted for the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine on the Coronado National Forest. It was not an easy task to wade through a contractor's report (Plan of Operation) detailing activities needed to construct facilities to mine copper and process it onsite. The organization and flow of the contractor's report was convoluted and often less than comprehensive. Nevertheless, I turned in my deliverable the second week in June and never looked back.
Afterward, I continued to swim laps and nag Vern, two of my favorite hobbies. The monsoon started in June, which was nice, because it watered the vegetation and made the brown grass green again.
At the end of June, we trekked to San Diego (June 28) for my endocrinologist appointment at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla. Instead of staying overnight in SD, where the hotel prices are still outasite, we opted to spend the night in Yuma at a Wingate by Wyndham hotel. Still pricy ($70), but under what we'd have had to fork over for SD lodging. It was nice digs, except for the grossly funky shower curtain. I don't know what the Chinese are making those things from nowadays, but they soooo smell like Steven's jock strap after a soccer or Little League game in 100 degree heat.
In the a.m. on Monday, June 29, we headed west for my 1:20 appt. The Dr's office was supposed to call in a bloodwork order so that I could have it drawn earlier than the appt since i was to be fasting. When we got to the Lab, they didn't have the order...Murphy's law of course. I was feeling woozy from lack of sustenance aka low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. Undeterred by such a simple thing as needing to be fasting and armed with a motto of "better to ask forgiveness than permission", I blazed a trail to Jasmine, our favorite Chinese bistro on Kearny Mesa in SD. Needless to say, we dived into the dim sum offerings with full gusto and entertained the staff and nearby tables with muchos belches!!
Afterward, I met with Dr. Dailey as scheduled, seeking forgiveness for the delightful dim sum meal pre-blood draw. He took it well and gave me a bloodwork order for NON-fasting. Dr. was pleased that my monitor showed recent blood glucose levels of normal. My blood pressure was higher than normal when it was first taken, normal about 10 minutes later when we were leaving. He recommended that I purchase a wrist BP monitor just to keep an eye on it over time, since i am considered elderly now. The purchase will benefit Vern as well, since he is on meds for high BP and has a family history of heart disease.
We had hoped to enjoy a day or two of leisure in SD, but the weather was rather poor. Usually sunny, cool SD was drizzly and cooler than one would like for poolside putzing. We took a spin thru La Jolla beachside and marveled at the courage of those faithful surfers in their wetsuits in water temps of less than 60 degrees. Then, we turned eastward and drove back to Yuma on the same day we travelled over! Not at all a typical visit for us. The expense of staying in SD while it rained was impractical. We checked back into the Wingate in Yuma, same front desk clerk eyeing us quizzically, as she'd just checked us out 8 hours before.
Weather was VERY hot in Yuma. We toured our old haunts, checked on our house on Gateway, where the trees we planted are grazing the clouds. The new owners have painted the place a rusty desert orange, which was very pleasing to behold. The coup de gras was our supper late in the day at Ronnie's Pizza. Ronnie is a native Philadelphian and makes PA pizza second only to Sabatini's in Exeter, PA. Great pie...we ate the WHOLLLLLLE thing! Oink, oink, oink.
Our return from Yuma was uneventful. It was good to drive back in the light of day. We like to spend as much time in SD as possible, and usually end up driving to Tucson in the dark.
I spent the remainder of that week on VACATION on the patio and in our pool. I rested, read, relaxed and did NO household chores that would improve our quality of life on Larkdale. What else is vacation supposed to be?
Next post: July vacation to MA, CT and NJ. See ya then.
a
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Free at Last (Financially) aka The Kid Graduated!
My Tia Wooobeee asked that i get off my duff and update this blog. Because she is so special, i will do my very best to accommodate her quest for knowledge and wisdom (and gossip and such).
Let's see.... I last blogged in April around Easter, eagerly anticipating Nana's visit from TN and Steven's graduation from ASU.
Both events happened as planned.
Nana (Vern's mom) arrived in Tucson on May 11 for a week-long visit at our home. This was her first solo flight, and we hoped that it would be smooth and uneventful. Thanks to American Airlines and perhaps the weather somewhere back East, her flight was delayed leaving Knoxville, which made her miss her connecting flight to Tucson in Dallas. American was not too concerned about her plight, however, becuz there were several later flights that could carry her to Tucson. But, she stood by for the next flight and then another, without boarding. Instead of arriving here around 2 pm as scheduled, she arrived at 7:30 pm. That was 10:30 pm Eastern time. Bless her heart, Nana had an anxiety-filled day, but she was a trooper. Arrived in Tucson unscathed, and not as hungry as we expected. Reason: she had snacked in Dallas while she stood by for flights. Nevertheless, we stopped at a Sonic on the way home and pigged out on junk food as her (and our)reward!
We loved having Nana with us for the week. The focal point of her visit was, of course, the graduation events at ASU. After all the hype i gave you readers about attending the mass graduation event in Sun Devil Stadium (8000 grads on the field) with our esteemed President Obama giving the commencement address, we didn't attend...instead, we watched the President's approximately 25-minute address in the air conditioned comfort of our living room in Tucson. And, son Steven was nowhere to be seen on that sizzling, sardine-packed field.
A combination of conditions led to our decision to stay in Tucson and not attend the field ceremony, and instead, to attend the College of Design graduation in Tempe on May 14. That was the real deal where Steven actually walked on the stage and received his diploma. And it was in an air-conditioned sports arena at ASU.
Our decision was preceded by Steven's diabolical plan to foil our hearing Obama's address in the flesh. We had 6 tickets reserved for the stadium event. It was up to the student (aka Steven) to pick up said tickets at a campus location. Steven had already made up his mind that he did not want to participate in the mass graduation. He based his decision on the fact that he would have to be present for rehearsal at the stadium at 3 pm on a very hot (100+) day, after enduring the heavy security screening being conducted becuz of Obama's visit. He also said that he was concerned for Nana and us having to wait in the blazing sun for at least 90 minutes to pass thru the screening. Then, the seats we would be assigned were a crap shoot. We may have lucked out or we may have been up yonder dodging the small jets arriving at Sky Harbor. In any case, he let his opportunity to fetch our tickets lapse beyond the deadline. When i learned of this, i freaked out and scolded him to no end, threatening things i don't wanna repeat here. He begged my forgiveness, saying he moved heaven and earth trying after the deadline to score the tickets. Sooooooo, that's why we watched the graduation ceremony at home. No one at the stadium event got their diploma, and several folks, including students, were treated for heat exhaustion. Maybe Steven was right after all.
The May 14 College of Design graduation was much more comfortable. It was indoors and lasted about an hour and a half. Approximately 800 students were presented individually with their diplomas. We took pictures with those little disposable cameras from the drugstore, and professionals took photos of each grad as he/she left the stage. Afterward, due to time constraints, we went to the nearby Chompie's Deli in Tempe for a late supper.
On the following Saturday, we hosted a celebratory cookout. David's aunt Darlene and cousin Mark came down from Phx for the day. I grilled sweet Italian sausage; burgers; Nathan's beef franks; and red, yellow and green peppers. Had a mixed salad of fresh fruit as a side, and all the usual accompaniments. Darlene and Mark stayed til after sunset talking about David's uncle John, who passed away in Dec 08 and David's Dad, who passed away in Jan 09, as well as catching up on other family events. I believe a good time was had by all.
Nana left us on Monday, May 18, and her return flight was much improved over the first adventure.
Not much else to say about May 09, except that Vern worked on getting the foundation laid for the greenhouse. As of today, he has the bottom section of the thing built and battened down on landscape timbers and about 2 tons of sand raked out inside the structure as the base for the humongous concrete pavers we are using for the floor. Slow going, but that's life with Vern.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Tia Wooobeee as she continues to slowwwwwwwly recover from biliary surgery. She had a ruptured gall bladder and some post-surgery complications that have kept her down and out for 2 months now. We wish her the best and send all our love.
My next post will continue with June and July to recount my snoozer of a life for posterity.
Love and peace to all of you.
a
Let's see.... I last blogged in April around Easter, eagerly anticipating Nana's visit from TN and Steven's graduation from ASU.
Both events happened as planned.
Nana (Vern's mom) arrived in Tucson on May 11 for a week-long visit at our home. This was her first solo flight, and we hoped that it would be smooth and uneventful. Thanks to American Airlines and perhaps the weather somewhere back East, her flight was delayed leaving Knoxville, which made her miss her connecting flight to Tucson in Dallas. American was not too concerned about her plight, however, becuz there were several later flights that could carry her to Tucson. But, she stood by for the next flight and then another, without boarding. Instead of arriving here around 2 pm as scheduled, she arrived at 7:30 pm. That was 10:30 pm Eastern time. Bless her heart, Nana had an anxiety-filled day, but she was a trooper. Arrived in Tucson unscathed, and not as hungry as we expected. Reason: she had snacked in Dallas while she stood by for flights. Nevertheless, we stopped at a Sonic on the way home and pigged out on junk food as her (and our)reward!
We loved having Nana with us for the week. The focal point of her visit was, of course, the graduation events at ASU. After all the hype i gave you readers about attending the mass graduation event in Sun Devil Stadium (8000 grads on the field) with our esteemed President Obama giving the commencement address, we didn't attend...instead, we watched the President's approximately 25-minute address in the air conditioned comfort of our living room in Tucson. And, son Steven was nowhere to be seen on that sizzling, sardine-packed field.
A combination of conditions led to our decision to stay in Tucson and not attend the field ceremony, and instead, to attend the College of Design graduation in Tempe on May 14. That was the real deal where Steven actually walked on the stage and received his diploma. And it was in an air-conditioned sports arena at ASU.
Our decision was preceded by Steven's diabolical plan to foil our hearing Obama's address in the flesh. We had 6 tickets reserved for the stadium event. It was up to the student (aka Steven) to pick up said tickets at a campus location. Steven had already made up his mind that he did not want to participate in the mass graduation. He based his decision on the fact that he would have to be present for rehearsal at the stadium at 3 pm on a very hot (100+) day, after enduring the heavy security screening being conducted becuz of Obama's visit. He also said that he was concerned for Nana and us having to wait in the blazing sun for at least 90 minutes to pass thru the screening. Then, the seats we would be assigned were a crap shoot. We may have lucked out or we may have been up yonder dodging the small jets arriving at Sky Harbor. In any case, he let his opportunity to fetch our tickets lapse beyond the deadline. When i learned of this, i freaked out and scolded him to no end, threatening things i don't wanna repeat here. He begged my forgiveness, saying he moved heaven and earth trying after the deadline to score the tickets. Sooooooo, that's why we watched the graduation ceremony at home. No one at the stadium event got their diploma, and several folks, including students, were treated for heat exhaustion. Maybe Steven was right after all.
The May 14 College of Design graduation was much more comfortable. It was indoors and lasted about an hour and a half. Approximately 800 students were presented individually with their diplomas. We took pictures with those little disposable cameras from the drugstore, and professionals took photos of each grad as he/she left the stage. Afterward, due to time constraints, we went to the nearby Chompie's Deli in Tempe for a late supper.
On the following Saturday, we hosted a celebratory cookout. David's aunt Darlene and cousin Mark came down from Phx for the day. I grilled sweet Italian sausage; burgers; Nathan's beef franks; and red, yellow and green peppers. Had a mixed salad of fresh fruit as a side, and all the usual accompaniments. Darlene and Mark stayed til after sunset talking about David's uncle John, who passed away in Dec 08 and David's Dad, who passed away in Jan 09, as well as catching up on other family events. I believe a good time was had by all.
Nana left us on Monday, May 18, and her return flight was much improved over the first adventure.
Not much else to say about May 09, except that Vern worked on getting the foundation laid for the greenhouse. As of today, he has the bottom section of the thing built and battened down on landscape timbers and about 2 tons of sand raked out inside the structure as the base for the humongous concrete pavers we are using for the floor. Slow going, but that's life with Vern.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Tia Wooobeee as she continues to slowwwwwwwly recover from biliary surgery. She had a ruptured gall bladder and some post-surgery complications that have kept her down and out for 2 months now. We wish her the best and send all our love.
My next post will continue with June and July to recount my snoozer of a life for posterity.
Love and peace to all of you.
a
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Christos Voskres! Христос воскресе!
Hola, familia y amigos!
Getting ready to watch Steven graduate from ASU on May 13 and again on May 14 from the College of Design. We are so very, very proud of our son for his perseverance and endurance in a highly challenging curriculum.
Vern's mom, Imazo, plans to fly to Tucson to join us for a wee vacation and to attend the commencement. I am pumped because our new President will be delivering the commencement address. This will be the first time that I have ever personally seen or heard a President speak! And what a great speaker he is. It is indeed an honor for all graduating to hear his thoughts on their future and the changes planned for our nation.
On the home front, we had guests in our front yard yesterday...a backhoe digging up the phone utility near the edge of our property under the direction of the man who owns about 300 lots in Diamond Bell Ranch (most are 1 or more acres), our subdivision, which is part of a working cattle ranch. Vern went over to see what they were doing and found out that the guy owns the vacant lot next to us. He offered to sell it to us for $25K. We may take him up on the offer to preserve the desert space and our unobstructed view of Kitt Peak and the Baboquivari Mountains. I will be paying off our credit card debt in the near future. If we can get him down to $20K, we'll likely make an offer.
After the backhoe trampled everything in its wake near the utility boxes, the driver maneuvered it thru the cacti to our backyard, where Vern had him level off a 12 x 25 ft area to place my new greenhouse. What good fortune! Now we can place the landscape timbers and concrete blocks that we are going to use for the greenhouse floor. Vern has been assembling pieces of the structure in the garage, which is overflowing and which I cannot use to park my car. Since it will be heating up in May, I'd like to have all the boxes out of there so I can park. My car is black, so it of course absorbs every uv ray it receives.
I am enjoying my new office. Feels like a throne room after the tiny one I occupied for almost 6 years.
Vern didn't get the lateral position at the corrections officer training academy, but i don't think it bummed him out any. The drive would've improved and so would the hours, but what the heck, if it is meant to be, it will be and if not, so be it.
Imazo sounds much better and stronger as she recovers from gall bladder surgery. Now we as a family are faced with our Auntie Ruby (vern's dad's sister) having laparoscopic surgery next Friday to remove a cyst on her ovary. She was diagnosed with the problem last week after spending a full day in the ER of a local hospital. There is no certainty that the cyst is benign, and if it is not, there may be further abdominal tissue removed during the surgery. Ruby had a similar cyst removed along with her other ovary over 40 years ago, and it was benign. Our prayers are that this one will be as well.
Meanwhile, we are keepin' the faith and enjoyin' spring sunshine and wildflowers. Right now we have pink, purple, yellow and orange trees, shrubs, and flowers surrounding us. Also, the trees are leafing out that lovely yellow-green color that they do as summer approaches. The 90 degree pool beckons me as I type this. Guess I'll go for a lap swim when I am through.
May the Force be with you all. Congratulations to Aunt Barbara and cousing JoAnne on their new great-grandbaby and grandbaby! And may you all rejoice in the resurrection this Easter Sunday! Christos Voskres!! Христос воскресе!
Enjoy Easter with my peeps at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSokEF1XXis
Intro is chanting...followed by Ruthenian music.
a
Getting ready to watch Steven graduate from ASU on May 13 and again on May 14 from the College of Design. We are so very, very proud of our son for his perseverance and endurance in a highly challenging curriculum.
Vern's mom, Imazo, plans to fly to Tucson to join us for a wee vacation and to attend the commencement. I am pumped because our new President will be delivering the commencement address. This will be the first time that I have ever personally seen or heard a President speak! And what a great speaker he is. It is indeed an honor for all graduating to hear his thoughts on their future and the changes planned for our nation.
On the home front, we had guests in our front yard yesterday...a backhoe digging up the phone utility near the edge of our property under the direction of the man who owns about 300 lots in Diamond Bell Ranch (most are 1 or more acres), our subdivision, which is part of a working cattle ranch. Vern went over to see what they were doing and found out that the guy owns the vacant lot next to us. He offered to sell it to us for $25K. We may take him up on the offer to preserve the desert space and our unobstructed view of Kitt Peak and the Baboquivari Mountains. I will be paying off our credit card debt in the near future. If we can get him down to $20K, we'll likely make an offer.
After the backhoe trampled everything in its wake near the utility boxes, the driver maneuvered it thru the cacti to our backyard, where Vern had him level off a 12 x 25 ft area to place my new greenhouse. What good fortune! Now we can place the landscape timbers and concrete blocks that we are going to use for the greenhouse floor. Vern has been assembling pieces of the structure in the garage, which is overflowing and which I cannot use to park my car. Since it will be heating up in May, I'd like to have all the boxes out of there so I can park. My car is black, so it of course absorbs every uv ray it receives.
I am enjoying my new office. Feels like a throne room after the tiny one I occupied for almost 6 years.
Vern didn't get the lateral position at the corrections officer training academy, but i don't think it bummed him out any. The drive would've improved and so would the hours, but what the heck, if it is meant to be, it will be and if not, so be it.
Imazo sounds much better and stronger as she recovers from gall bladder surgery. Now we as a family are faced with our Auntie Ruby (vern's dad's sister) having laparoscopic surgery next Friday to remove a cyst on her ovary. She was diagnosed with the problem last week after spending a full day in the ER of a local hospital. There is no certainty that the cyst is benign, and if it is not, there may be further abdominal tissue removed during the surgery. Ruby had a similar cyst removed along with her other ovary over 40 years ago, and it was benign. Our prayers are that this one will be as well.
Meanwhile, we are keepin' the faith and enjoyin' spring sunshine and wildflowers. Right now we have pink, purple, yellow and orange trees, shrubs, and flowers surrounding us. Also, the trees are leafing out that lovely yellow-green color that they do as summer approaches. The 90 degree pool beckons me as I type this. Guess I'll go for a lap swim when I am through.
May the Force be with you all. Congratulations to Aunt Barbara and cousing JoAnne on their new great-grandbaby and grandbaby! And may you all rejoice in the resurrection this Easter Sunday! Christos Voskres!! Христос воскресе!
Enjoy Easter with my peeps at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSokEF1XXis
Intro is chanting...followed by Ruthenian music.
a
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Tiptoe Thru The Tulips
Mundane life is basically the same here in the Old Pueblo.
Vern's Mom, Imazo, is doing incrementally better at home, so we hear from other kin. Her sisters-in-law, Mae and Ruby, have been very kind to visit her frequently and go out to eat and play with her around Knoxville. They've been to many of their favorite haunts---Cracker Barrel, Louis', Litton's---since Imazo was sprung from the hospital, and Ruby has chauffered her to handle business matters. Jeff (V's bro') and his wife Peggy also spend regular time with her, and her sisters from down in Monroe and Bradley counties (i.e., the "country") as well as sister/nieces in Ohio chat with her often via Ma Bell. We wish we could be there to help as well, but it's a long hop to TN. So we FTD'd flowers (15 giant tulips) instead. Until the redbuds and dogwood pop their color at the end of March, it's a constantly depressing drab view out the winter window in TN. Our intent was to brighten her day.
On Monday of this past week, V had an oral board interview for a lateral position at the Corrections Officers Training Academy here in Tucson. It is the location of the training he completed 9 years ago when he was hired by the State. He told me he didn't think he'd get it, and I responded, "Never assume anything." If he gets the position, he'd have a shorter drive to work and more fun, since he'd be teaching new hires how to babysit inmates, rather than doing it himself.
I ventured into town 3 days this week to my new and glorious office. Actually, it's twice as big as the previous one, but smells like a bunch of old wet sneakers. GSA is going to replace the carpet (didn't happen as scheduled before I moved in) and paint. Thus, the office will no longer smell of sneakers but of new carpet and paint. I can work at home while the fumes are dissipating. The windows in the Fed'l bldg do not open (rats!); I sure wish they did. We are like prisoners inhaling 40-year-old recycled air, replete with myriad mystery mold spores and ancient farts.
Yesterday, I did my second lap swim of 2009 in our 95-degree pool. The first was about a month ago during a warm spell, when the water was 88 degrees. Since then, the water temp. declined because of cool nights and windy days, and now, with a bunch of sunshine and 80-degree days, is akin to bathwater. Felt good to flex the ole muscles and sleep it off (12 hours!).
We'll probably be headed soon to breakfast at the local diner at Ryan Airfield, about 15 miles from our home. On Sundays, we often combine the trip with a visit to the county dump (afterward, of course) to save gas and time. We've taken visiting family there (diner not dump), as maybe some of you recall. Todd (the owner) uses only fresh ingredients, so I shouldn't refer to the place as a "diner", but rather an "upscale diner". Both of us usually have a corned beef hash breakfast. Alternatives are a 3-egg omelette bf or a buckwheat waffle w/ strawberries and real whipped cream.
Steven confirmed this week that he will graduate from AZ State U on May 14 at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to venture westward to support him. He asked me if we needed tickets for anyone else. I told him I doubted it (hated to disappoint him).
Cooler air temps today (70s) and breezy as a California storm passes across AZ to our north. Trees we planted in Feb are leafing out and my potted flowers are a-bloomin'. Humidity is generally less than 10% every day and watering daily is a must!
Hope y'all are healthy and blessed.
a
Vern's Mom, Imazo, is doing incrementally better at home, so we hear from other kin. Her sisters-in-law, Mae and Ruby, have been very kind to visit her frequently and go out to eat and play with her around Knoxville. They've been to many of their favorite haunts---Cracker Barrel, Louis', Litton's---since Imazo was sprung from the hospital, and Ruby has chauffered her to handle business matters. Jeff (V's bro') and his wife Peggy also spend regular time with her, and her sisters from down in Monroe and Bradley counties (i.e., the "country") as well as sister/nieces in Ohio chat with her often via Ma Bell. We wish we could be there to help as well, but it's a long hop to TN. So we FTD'd flowers (15 giant tulips) instead. Until the redbuds and dogwood pop their color at the end of March, it's a constantly depressing drab view out the winter window in TN. Our intent was to brighten her day.
On Monday of this past week, V had an oral board interview for a lateral position at the Corrections Officers Training Academy here in Tucson. It is the location of the training he completed 9 years ago when he was hired by the State. He told me he didn't think he'd get it, and I responded, "Never assume anything." If he gets the position, he'd have a shorter drive to work and more fun, since he'd be teaching new hires how to babysit inmates, rather than doing it himself.
I ventured into town 3 days this week to my new and glorious office. Actually, it's twice as big as the previous one, but smells like a bunch of old wet sneakers. GSA is going to replace the carpet (didn't happen as scheduled before I moved in) and paint. Thus, the office will no longer smell of sneakers but of new carpet and paint. I can work at home while the fumes are dissipating. The windows in the Fed'l bldg do not open (rats!); I sure wish they did. We are like prisoners inhaling 40-year-old recycled air, replete with myriad mystery mold spores and ancient farts.
Yesterday, I did my second lap swim of 2009 in our 95-degree pool. The first was about a month ago during a warm spell, when the water was 88 degrees. Since then, the water temp. declined because of cool nights and windy days, and now, with a bunch of sunshine and 80-degree days, is akin to bathwater. Felt good to flex the ole muscles and sleep it off (12 hours!).
We'll probably be headed soon to breakfast at the local diner at Ryan Airfield, about 15 miles from our home. On Sundays, we often combine the trip with a visit to the county dump (afterward, of course) to save gas and time. We've taken visiting family there (diner not dump), as maybe some of you recall. Todd (the owner) uses only fresh ingredients, so I shouldn't refer to the place as a "diner", but rather an "upscale diner". Both of us usually have a corned beef hash breakfast. Alternatives are a 3-egg omelette bf or a buckwheat waffle w/ strawberries and real whipped cream.
Steven confirmed this week that he will graduate from AZ State U on May 14 at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to venture westward to support him. He asked me if we needed tickets for anyone else. I told him I doubted it (hated to disappoint him).
Cooler air temps today (70s) and breezy as a California storm passes across AZ to our north. Trees we planted in Feb are leafing out and my potted flowers are a-bloomin'. Humidity is generally less than 10% every day and watering daily is a must!
Hope y'all are healthy and blessed.
a
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