Another month has passed since my last boring update.
Healthwise, I'm on the mend....chest x-ray next week will tell the story.
Continuing to work from home with some annual leave thrown in to cover those times when I'm too pooped to produce. I expect to start going to the office one or two days a week beginning next week.
Vern spent a week and 2 days in Yuma doing an audit at the prison where he used to work. It was 113 degrees while he was there....103 here in Tucson one day during his absence.
Steven is busy working...he's progressed to the level in the sushi business where a chef is entrusted with cutting up whole fish into sections of different quality sushi (raw or cooked rolls) and sashimi (raw only). He will take the remainder of his degree classes next fall and spring.
Weather here is glorious....90's with <10% humidity....too dry for much of the flowering vegetation (except the cacti), but we'll surely make up for the lack of rain during the monsoon season, which begins in July and lasts into September.
We're enjoying the lack of rain because it affords us an opportunity to get outside DIY projects completed. At the moment, Vern is cutting up a few remaining pieces of porcelain tile for me to glue down on the patio. Then we'll clean out the cracks and put down grout to finish the job.
Also have one and a half unpainted trim areas on outside windows to finish and the trim at the top of the house, which V couldn't reach without endangering his well-being. we need to find a ladder that will give him some measure of safety in that regard.
he's also been working on cleaning up the mess that comprises our garage. i've kept nagging him because he has a bad habit of dropping tools and other stuff on piles and then having a helluva time recalling where he dropped it when he needs something.
We bought new kitchen tile from Lowes. The fellow who did our hardwood said he would come back to put it down, but i have my doubts, since he does not return our calls, as he promised. It may not be worth the drive out here for the labor estimate he gave us ($300). We may have to do-it-ourselves. Whewwwwwww.... it's not a straightforward job like the patio...this tile has little painted insets (it's Mexican style). Going to require a return to one's knowledge of geometry...YIKES!
My nephew Nick is getting married in Rochester on July 26. Steven is an usher. I found JetBlue tickets for $348 RT....decent for this gruesome period of high fuel prices in which we are now living. we're going to go to Niagara Falls if the weather is good, since Steven was only 5 last time we were there. also going to drive down to my sister's in Ithaca (about 90 miles from Roch)for a few nights after the wedding. Her husband Mike is going to take us back to Roch to catch our flight.
I was planning on attending my high school reunion in Wilkes-Barre during the week of July 4th, but it's up in the air depending on the progress of my recovery from the fungus. Going to check flights and fare before I confirm any travel.
I hope all of you who may read this are hale, healthy, and hearty.
a
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Fungus Among Us
Very warm, windy, and sunny in the Old Pueblo for the past week. Lots of moisture passing to our north has given us gusty conditions. It's no wonder that I got valley fever, sucking all the blowing dust.
The doctor confirmed that the blood test I had showed a blood antibody level for valley fever. Today, I had a CT scan that showed the mass on my lung had decreased about a cm in size. He called me to advise me that this was consistent with the diagnosis. I'm not on any meds for now; they are useful when one is in the throes of hacking, fever, chills, muscle aches etc. My legacy is shortness of breath and occasional coughing. The antifungals that this is treated with are not friendly to one's liver, so I'm opting to use rest and relaxation as my primary treatment. If things go back to where they were a month ago, I'll call the doc for help. Need a chest x-ray (not CT) in a month for him to review.
Steven finished up 2 classes at ASU this week. He's been working full time as a Sushi Chef for several months, and he may be seeking more than full time in the near future. He's training someone else right now as a relief chef. He has 8 more classes to complete for his BA in Design Studies, Built Environment.
We had carpet replaced in teh bedrooms and hardwood put down in the living room, family room and hall. Looks like somebody else's house. Of course, when you do this kinda remodel, it demands that you paint the walls to add pizazz, and the old furniture (we're talking from 10 to 25+years plus in age) looks like crap in this context, so we'll likely need to replace a few items. I need to wait til May 8 to tap into my Federal savings plan without a tax penalty.
Hope all readers are healthy, wealthy and wild!
a
The doctor confirmed that the blood test I had showed a blood antibody level for valley fever. Today, I had a CT scan that showed the mass on my lung had decreased about a cm in size. He called me to advise me that this was consistent with the diagnosis. I'm not on any meds for now; they are useful when one is in the throes of hacking, fever, chills, muscle aches etc. My legacy is shortness of breath and occasional coughing. The antifungals that this is treated with are not friendly to one's liver, so I'm opting to use rest and relaxation as my primary treatment. If things go back to where they were a month ago, I'll call the doc for help. Need a chest x-ray (not CT) in a month for him to review.
Steven finished up 2 classes at ASU this week. He's been working full time as a Sushi Chef for several months, and he may be seeking more than full time in the near future. He's training someone else right now as a relief chef. He has 8 more classes to complete for his BA in Design Studies, Built Environment.
We had carpet replaced in teh bedrooms and hardwood put down in the living room, family room and hall. Looks like somebody else's house. Of course, when you do this kinda remodel, it demands that you paint the walls to add pizazz, and the old furniture (we're talking from 10 to 25+years plus in age) looks like crap in this context, so we'll likely need to replace a few items. I need to wait til May 8 to tap into my Federal savings plan without a tax penalty.
Hope all readers are healthy, wealthy and wild!
a
Sunday, April 20, 2008
All Doctors are NOT Created Equal
A few weeks ago, a gentleman phoned me at the office to inquire about how to make comments on the upcoming environmental impacts analysis of the Rosemont Mine project, for which we rec'd an application from a copper company last summer.
While we were chatting, he asked me about the public open-houses that the Forest had held during the week before Easter. I told him I had been sick and hadn't attended. He then advised me that he was a retired doctor and asked me what was ailing me.
I explained that I'd been unable to get a deep breath for a few months, especially when i was out walking the dirt roads near my home with David as part of our exercise regime. I continued to tell him I had a nasty cough that was unproductive for awhile, then turned into a gurgling, wheezing nightmare. I told him I had sweats and chills, and that I was sooooo tired that I was sleeping 12-16 hrs per day.
He said it sounded like Valley Fever or pneumonia.
After our phone conversation, and as I reported in my April 10 post, I had the PET/CT done at Scripps, whereafter the radiologist noted the shadow on the upper lobe, right lung. My endocrinologist, Dr. Dailey, phoned me from Scripps and told me to get an appointment with a pulmonary specialist here in Tucson. I called everyone in town, and no one would schedule me until August or September. I even tried David's sleep doctor, who is a pulmonary specialist, and they turned me away. Dr. Dailey had faxed them the radiology report, but to no avail.
That weekend, I felt somewhat better, so I attended our next open house about the mine on Saturday April 5. Whom should I meet there, but Dr. Chrissman, the retired doctor to whom I spoke on the phone. He asked me about my doctor visit, and I reported what they'd seen on the PET scan. He said it was likely valley fever. I explained my frustration at not being able to score an appt. He offered to help.
Long story short, he was able to locate someone to see me. David and I saw Dr. Clements on Wed this week, after which I had blood drawn for an antibody titer and a followup CT scheduled for next week. He told me he was fairly certain in was valley fever, and gave me compelling reasons why it was probably not TB or lung cancer. He also wrote me an excuse requesting that i be allowed to work from home so that i can catch some zzzzzzzzzzzs when i feel worn down, rather than laying on the floor of my office.
I finished this week working at home, napped when i could, worked when i could and more or less feel stronger as of today. Haven't had chills since last weekend, and not much coughing at all. Though Dr Clements encouraged me to keep swimming for exercise, I'm waiting until after the CT scan to be sure that I'm not exacerbating the problem.
Thanks a million to Dr. Chrissman, a caring, compassionate man.
While we were chatting, he asked me about the public open-houses that the Forest had held during the week before Easter. I told him I had been sick and hadn't attended. He then advised me that he was a retired doctor and asked me what was ailing me.
I explained that I'd been unable to get a deep breath for a few months, especially when i was out walking the dirt roads near my home with David as part of our exercise regime. I continued to tell him I had a nasty cough that was unproductive for awhile, then turned into a gurgling, wheezing nightmare. I told him I had sweats and chills, and that I was sooooo tired that I was sleeping 12-16 hrs per day.
He said it sounded like Valley Fever or pneumonia.
After our phone conversation, and as I reported in my April 10 post, I had the PET/CT done at Scripps, whereafter the radiologist noted the shadow on the upper lobe, right lung. My endocrinologist, Dr. Dailey, phoned me from Scripps and told me to get an appointment with a pulmonary specialist here in Tucson. I called everyone in town, and no one would schedule me until August or September. I even tried David's sleep doctor, who is a pulmonary specialist, and they turned me away. Dr. Dailey had faxed them the radiology report, but to no avail.
That weekend, I felt somewhat better, so I attended our next open house about the mine on Saturday April 5. Whom should I meet there, but Dr. Chrissman, the retired doctor to whom I spoke on the phone. He asked me about my doctor visit, and I reported what they'd seen on the PET scan. He said it was likely valley fever. I explained my frustration at not being able to score an appt. He offered to help.
Long story short, he was able to locate someone to see me. David and I saw Dr. Clements on Wed this week, after which I had blood drawn for an antibody titer and a followup CT scheduled for next week. He told me he was fairly certain in was valley fever, and gave me compelling reasons why it was probably not TB or lung cancer. He also wrote me an excuse requesting that i be allowed to work from home so that i can catch some zzzzzzzzzzzs when i feel worn down, rather than laying on the floor of my office.
I finished this week working at home, napped when i could, worked when i could and more or less feel stronger as of today. Haven't had chills since last weekend, and not much coughing at all. Though Dr Clements encouraged me to keep swimming for exercise, I'm waiting until after the CT scan to be sure that I'm not exacerbating the problem.
Thanks a million to Dr. Chrissman, a caring, compassionate man.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Have a Heart!
Last Sunday, we left for my biannual diabetes appointment with Dr. George Dailey, head of Endocrinology at Scripps Institute in La Jolla. I had scheduled both an office visit with Dr D and an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound that shows heart function under stress. This type of stress test is done for people who are unable or unwilling to do the treadmill test.
My tender right foot refers excruciating pain to my lower back if I exert too much pressure on it by walking (that's why I swim), so this was the test of choice. The reason for my having a myocardial function test was becuz of my use of the oral medication, Actos, which comes with a warning about potential heart failure as a side effect.
Get to the cardio lab, all suited up in a glamorous open front nightie, and ready to go, IV pumping toxins into me, electrodes glued down in the netherlands of my anatomy, when the ultrasound technician reported that she couldn't see my heart on the screen. Where was the li'l bugger?
She and the nurse who was going to inject the drugs to stress me tried every which way to move my left boob to get a glimpse of the ticker.
Unable to locate it, they summoned the cardiologist on duty that day, Mike Smith. He looked at the screen, moved the mouse around a bit (the computer kind), then turned to me and said, "Do you have breast implants?"
Indignant, I replied, "Why, I BEG YOUR PARDON!" They all laughed sheepishly, and then I just couldn't resist the opportunity to use a line from an old Seinfeld show where Jerry is trying to find out if a girl he's dating has implants. I continued by saying proudly, "They're REAL....and they're SPECTACULAR!"
We all had a good laugh.
Turns out that there was no way of seeing my heart with ultrasound becuz my breast tissue is too dense. They couldn't get a peek at the heart thru the rib cage either, becuz i have dense and gigantic ribs as well. Next step?
The IV comes out, the electrodes pulled off and i get dressed for a hike over to my endocrinologist's office to try to get approval for one of the best myocardial function tests on the market: the PET scan. After duress with the nurse (Doc had left and didn't answer his pager), another Doc in the endocrinology dept approved the PET scan.
Next day, i have to fast from 8 am til the test at 2:45 pm. Lovely. This test uses a radioisotope (rubidium) to illuminate the heart and every blood vessel you own. Side effects are myriad. My side effect of choice was a booming migraine. I'd had many migraines in my life, most of them associated with changes in barometric pressure and cyclic female hormone changes. With this test, I learned emphatically that changes in barometric pressure cause my sinus tissue to dilate, which produces the sinus headache that eventually continues long enough to give the symptoms of migraine.
But I digress......the bottom line is that you get a stimulant injected into your IV to dilate every blood vessel, then rubidium injected in the IV to glow in the dark on the CT scan that follows. For about 15 minutes, you are in the CT machine enjoying your own personal side effect. Some people have chest pressure, others have tingling fingers and toes. I knew my head was going to explode.
They finish by injecting a drug that reverse the dilation and takes most of the migraine away. 800 mg of ibuprofen to polish off the pain and i was done.
Good news is that the myocardial function was outstanding. And my doctor took me off the Actos anyway, because weight loss and exercise has helped my blood glucose levels remain low.
Not-so-good news was that the scan also shows the lungs hiding behind the heart, and i had a 4cm shadow on the upper lobe of the right lung. I'd been off work with a nasty cough for a week before this, so it was no surprise to me. Dr. Dailey recommended a follow up CT scan here in Tucson with a visit to a pulmonologist. He sent me an email with the reading on April 3, and I've not yet been able to schedule a follow up. Most folks I call say they are booked until September. I have an Obgyn annual on May 5, and if I've been unable to hook up with anyone, I'll ask her to help.
Other stuff: weather was cool in SD but still lovely, flowers were bursting at the seams in all colors of the rainbow cuz of winter rains. Ate at our usual haunts, but this was a rather short visit, so we didn't get to do much but go to the doc and test labs.
On April 7, here in Tucson, I had my second oral surgery for placement of 2 dental implants on the left lower jaw. In a few weeks, I'll have impressions made and they'll order the crowns. David's had to recently undergo 2-hr (not kidding) sandblastings of his gums because of scale buildup. The pH of your mouth is a big determinant of whether or not you get scale; i've lucked out on that, and he suffers.
david got his sleep apnea machine and is resting much better. SO AM I. It keeps him from snoring like a freight train, so I too sleep like a baby when we are in the same bed/room. He thinks it may need some adjusting, but overall is pleased with its results. He no longer comes home in the afternoon and collapses in a dead funk.
i've been having some very interesting dreams again...lots of visitation by dead relatives and crazy activities in them. Not worth repeating, but let me say that when i wake up, for a few hours, i don't know if they're truth or fiction!
hope all who read this are well and blessed.
a
My tender right foot refers excruciating pain to my lower back if I exert too much pressure on it by walking (that's why I swim), so this was the test of choice. The reason for my having a myocardial function test was becuz of my use of the oral medication, Actos, which comes with a warning about potential heart failure as a side effect.
Get to the cardio lab, all suited up in a glamorous open front nightie, and ready to go, IV pumping toxins into me, electrodes glued down in the netherlands of my anatomy, when the ultrasound technician reported that she couldn't see my heart on the screen. Where was the li'l bugger?
She and the nurse who was going to inject the drugs to stress me tried every which way to move my left boob to get a glimpse of the ticker.
Unable to locate it, they summoned the cardiologist on duty that day, Mike Smith. He looked at the screen, moved the mouse around a bit (the computer kind), then turned to me and said, "Do you have breast implants?"
Indignant, I replied, "Why, I BEG YOUR PARDON!" They all laughed sheepishly, and then I just couldn't resist the opportunity to use a line from an old Seinfeld show where Jerry is trying to find out if a girl he's dating has implants. I continued by saying proudly, "They're REAL....and they're SPECTACULAR!"
We all had a good laugh.
Turns out that there was no way of seeing my heart with ultrasound becuz my breast tissue is too dense. They couldn't get a peek at the heart thru the rib cage either, becuz i have dense and gigantic ribs as well. Next step?
The IV comes out, the electrodes pulled off and i get dressed for a hike over to my endocrinologist's office to try to get approval for one of the best myocardial function tests on the market: the PET scan. After duress with the nurse (Doc had left and didn't answer his pager), another Doc in the endocrinology dept approved the PET scan.
Next day, i have to fast from 8 am til the test at 2:45 pm. Lovely. This test uses a radioisotope (rubidium) to illuminate the heart and every blood vessel you own. Side effects are myriad. My side effect of choice was a booming migraine. I'd had many migraines in my life, most of them associated with changes in barometric pressure and cyclic female hormone changes. With this test, I learned emphatically that changes in barometric pressure cause my sinus tissue to dilate, which produces the sinus headache that eventually continues long enough to give the symptoms of migraine.
But I digress......the bottom line is that you get a stimulant injected into your IV to dilate every blood vessel, then rubidium injected in the IV to glow in the dark on the CT scan that follows. For about 15 minutes, you are in the CT machine enjoying your own personal side effect. Some people have chest pressure, others have tingling fingers and toes. I knew my head was going to explode.
They finish by injecting a drug that reverse the dilation and takes most of the migraine away. 800 mg of ibuprofen to polish off the pain and i was done.
Good news is that the myocardial function was outstanding. And my doctor took me off the Actos anyway, because weight loss and exercise has helped my blood glucose levels remain low.
Not-so-good news was that the scan also shows the lungs hiding behind the heart, and i had a 4cm shadow on the upper lobe of the right lung. I'd been off work with a nasty cough for a week before this, so it was no surprise to me. Dr. Dailey recommended a follow up CT scan here in Tucson with a visit to a pulmonologist. He sent me an email with the reading on April 3, and I've not yet been able to schedule a follow up. Most folks I call say they are booked until September. I have an Obgyn annual on May 5, and if I've been unable to hook up with anyone, I'll ask her to help.
Other stuff: weather was cool in SD but still lovely, flowers were bursting at the seams in all colors of the rainbow cuz of winter rains. Ate at our usual haunts, but this was a rather short visit, so we didn't get to do much but go to the doc and test labs.
On April 7, here in Tucson, I had my second oral surgery for placement of 2 dental implants on the left lower jaw. In a few weeks, I'll have impressions made and they'll order the crowns. David's had to recently undergo 2-hr (not kidding) sandblastings of his gums because of scale buildup. The pH of your mouth is a big determinant of whether or not you get scale; i've lucked out on that, and he suffers.
david got his sleep apnea machine and is resting much better. SO AM I. It keeps him from snoring like a freight train, so I too sleep like a baby when we are in the same bed/room. He thinks it may need some adjusting, but overall is pleased with its results. He no longer comes home in the afternoon and collapses in a dead funk.
i've been having some very interesting dreams again...lots of visitation by dead relatives and crazy activities in them. Not worth repeating, but let me say that when i wake up, for a few hours, i don't know if they're truth or fiction!
hope all who read this are well and blessed.
a
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sushi Son
Finally, after almost a %^$#@& year, we got our 2006 Federal income tax refund!!!
We even scored a wee bit of interest, probably not the amount the IRS would have levied had WE been the ones to pay late. It was my fault for the delay. I completed our joint return and Steven's 1040EZ whilst in a zzzzzzzzzzzz boring meeting last April, and absentmindedly put David's social on both ours and Steven's. Ooooops, the smart-ass IRS computer kicked them both outta the $$$$ queue and into a black hole.
I repeatedly visited the "where's my refund" link on the irs.gov site to check our status. It repeated its monotonous, "Your return has been received and is being processed." After 3 months of checking, i decided to saunter down to the 1st floor of our building and inquire.
After about 15 minutes, a staffer came out and said in a Jack Webb voice, "Did you prepare your tax return for 2006 yourself?"
"Yes, all my myself," I beamed.
"OK, did you prepare a return for anyone else for 2006?"
"Yes," I beamed again.
"Well, ma'am. The problem is this. We have two returns with the same SSN on them. The computer noticed this discrepancy and immediately placed the payments on hold. The returns were assigned to a fixer on July 31. If you don't receive a refund by September, come down again and let us know."
Well, both Vern and I went down several times to bug them, and all we could get was, "The returns are still in processing."
In October, the local office gave V the phone number for the Taxpayer Advocate Service out of Omaha. The lady who accepted our case was very nice, but it still took her until March to fix the two socials. I was about ready to file an amended return (thought about doing that long ago, but since i wasn't advised that this would correct the problem, i didn't bother) when we rec'd a letter from the Advocate telling us that we would break the bank in March. Now I gotta get this year's returns done, and in the process, teach Steven how to do his own, so that i won't screw up again.
We drove to Phoenix last Wednesday to take Steven his new ASU license plate and health insurance card. He works every day, and is taking 2 courses. We know his schedule is quite busy, therefore, we're reluctant to ask him to drive to Tucson.
We visited his current place of employment, Sake-Bomber, where he has been working as a sushi chef since last summer! He made us several creative rolls, and ensured that his Dad's had "cooked" fish and shrimp on them. Even made a non-sushi roll that the place offers for squeamish folks (it has cooked chicken in it).
I was sooo proud of him. He loves the work and if he's happy, I'm happy. They have him on a weekly salary now, no benefits, but it may be that if this is his calling, he'll develop the expertise to play with the big boys. The restaurant is not frou-frou, but definitely not a college joint or chain. Lovely decor, great lighting and great food. It's on the southwest corner of McClintock and Broadway in Tempe.
I have a busy next few weeks, with multiple meetings (day and night) and teaching a class to Forest Service staff in Douglas, AZ.
Hugs to all.
a
We even scored a wee bit of interest, probably not the amount the IRS would have levied had WE been the ones to pay late. It was my fault for the delay. I completed our joint return and Steven's 1040EZ whilst in a zzzzzzzzzzzz boring meeting last April, and absentmindedly put David's social on both ours and Steven's. Ooooops, the smart-ass IRS computer kicked them both outta the $$$$ queue and into a black hole.
I repeatedly visited the "where's my refund" link on the irs.gov site to check our status. It repeated its monotonous, "Your return has been received and is being processed." After 3 months of checking, i decided to saunter down to the 1st floor of our building and inquire.
After about 15 minutes, a staffer came out and said in a Jack Webb voice, "Did you prepare your tax return for 2006 yourself?"
"Yes, all my myself," I beamed.
"OK, did you prepare a return for anyone else for 2006?"
"Yes," I beamed again.
"Well, ma'am. The problem is this. We have two returns with the same SSN on them. The computer noticed this discrepancy and immediately placed the payments on hold. The returns were assigned to a fixer on July 31. If you don't receive a refund by September, come down again and let us know."
Well, both Vern and I went down several times to bug them, and all we could get was, "The returns are still in processing."
In October, the local office gave V the phone number for the Taxpayer Advocate Service out of Omaha. The lady who accepted our case was very nice, but it still took her until March to fix the two socials. I was about ready to file an amended return (thought about doing that long ago, but since i wasn't advised that this would correct the problem, i didn't bother) when we rec'd a letter from the Advocate telling us that we would break the bank in March. Now I gotta get this year's returns done, and in the process, teach Steven how to do his own, so that i won't screw up again.
We drove to Phoenix last Wednesday to take Steven his new ASU license plate and health insurance card. He works every day, and is taking 2 courses. We know his schedule is quite busy, therefore, we're reluctant to ask him to drive to Tucson.
We visited his current place of employment, Sake-Bomber, where he has been working as a sushi chef since last summer! He made us several creative rolls, and ensured that his Dad's had "cooked" fish and shrimp on them. Even made a non-sushi roll that the place offers for squeamish folks (it has cooked chicken in it).
I was sooo proud of him. He loves the work and if he's happy, I'm happy. They have him on a weekly salary now, no benefits, but it may be that if this is his calling, he'll develop the expertise to play with the big boys. The restaurant is not frou-frou, but definitely not a college joint or chain. Lovely decor, great lighting and great food. It's on the southwest corner of McClintock and Broadway in Tempe.
I have a busy next few weeks, with multiple meetings (day and night) and teaching a class to Forest Service staff in Douglas, AZ.
Hugs to all.
a
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Monthly Minutia
What's there to report about a mundane life?
The new Volvo is running great...i especially like the convenience of the built-in blue tooth to make phone calls. Used to be a real pain in the arse to try to hold a phone, shift gears and steer ol' blue (the '02 convertible). Now i can be sure to steer with something other than my left knee, much more accurate and keeps you on the correct lane. It's got a built-in Ipod too, but because of my being an old fart, i don't know what an Ipod is. I do know it has something to do with music, but it's not a radio, so ???? the car came with 6 months of Sirius satellite music, don't know what more an ipod could do to fill the vehicle with soothing sounds.
Valentine's Day.....we had a 5 course dinner at the Az-Sonora Desert Museum, outstanding dining at a high price, but for a non-profit organization, so it's acceptable. the restaurant is set among the wild desert foliage with floor to ceiling windows to gaze out.
today is anniversary 23 for me and V. whew! a long haul to say the least.
work is the same as always, a means to an end. we're thinking about using some of the hard-earned bucks for hardwood flooring in half the house, new carpet in the other.
we haven't seen Steven in 6 weeks, he's busy with school and working when he's not in school. talked with him yesterday, he's got a bad cold, like 3/4 of America right now.
days are getting longer, sun is MUCH MUCH warmer, i am looking forward to spring and wildflower bloom. V and i are taking hour-long walks for exercise several times a week, enjoying the wildlife (javelina, quail, coyote, rabbits etc.) and soon, wildflowers. we also keep tabs on new construction in the subdivision. it kills me to walk, with my tattered sciatic nerve searing the whole time, but with a few stops to cut it a break, i manage to do the 3 or so miles without having to summon an ambulance.
Blessing to those who read this blog, love to family and friends.
a
The new Volvo is running great...i especially like the convenience of the built-in blue tooth to make phone calls. Used to be a real pain in the arse to try to hold a phone, shift gears and steer ol' blue (the '02 convertible). Now i can be sure to steer with something other than my left knee, much more accurate and keeps you on the correct lane. It's got a built-in Ipod too, but because of my being an old fart, i don't know what an Ipod is. I do know it has something to do with music, but it's not a radio, so ???? the car came with 6 months of Sirius satellite music, don't know what more an ipod could do to fill the vehicle with soothing sounds.
Valentine's Day.....we had a 5 course dinner at the Az-Sonora Desert Museum, outstanding dining at a high price, but for a non-profit organization, so it's acceptable. the restaurant is set among the wild desert foliage with floor to ceiling windows to gaze out.
today is anniversary 23 for me and V. whew! a long haul to say the least.
work is the same as always, a means to an end. we're thinking about using some of the hard-earned bucks for hardwood flooring in half the house, new carpet in the other.
we haven't seen Steven in 6 weeks, he's busy with school and working when he's not in school. talked with him yesterday, he's got a bad cold, like 3/4 of America right now.
days are getting longer, sun is MUCH MUCH warmer, i am looking forward to spring and wildflower bloom. V and i are taking hour-long walks for exercise several times a week, enjoying the wildlife (javelina, quail, coyote, rabbits etc.) and soon, wildflowers. we also keep tabs on new construction in the subdivision. it kills me to walk, with my tattered sciatic nerve searing the whole time, but with a few stops to cut it a break, i manage to do the 3 or so miles without having to summon an ambulance.
Blessing to those who read this blog, love to family and friends.
a
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Black Beauty
Summarizing the past few weeks:
New Year's Week: David travelled to Knoxville for his Aunt Margaret's funeral.
Jan. 6-Jan. 12: We drove to San Diego for a weeklong training session with my student trainee, Rachel. Raining when we got there, and cool by San Diego standards for the first couple days, but then the wind died down and the sun shone warmly. We enjoyed staying at the Pacific Terrace, a luxury hotel on the boardwalk that offers a gov't lodging rate. Since it got dark at 4:30 pm, we didn't do much in the evening but eat out. Had dim sum at Jasmine, fried calamari at Vincenzo's, wood-fired Chilean sea bass at Baleen, roast duck and satay at Karinya (Thai), and fun sushi in a restaurant that has a revolving selection of sashimi, nigiri, etc in little boats that circle the sushi bar.
Wk of Jan 14: catch up at work for both of us
Wk of Jan 21: Fed'l holiday (MLK), then i had to attend a 2-day Forest Leadership Team mtg at Sabino Cyn. Weather turned damp and rainy for those few days, so our field trip into the canyon was a wee bit chilly.
This week: Big news is that I traded in my 2002 Volvo convertible for a 2007 Volvo S80.....has 3350 miles, was the dealer demo car, used by the owner of Broadway Volvo when not out demo-ing. It's black w/ dark leather interior and has all the bells and whistles you could think of. V-8, 311 hp, GPS, built-in blue tooth, hot water power spray for cleaning headlights, Sirius radio, keyless start up, sunroof, heated AND cooled seats, rear air........fold down back seats for cargo haul.
Trade-in was prompted by today's scheduled maintenance for my 2002 and repair of the power steering system (warranty-covered) which rang up a bill of about $1K. Dealer gave me credit for these charges with the new purchase. I had 10K miles left on my 2002 extended warranty, and figured I'd be forking out big bucks real soon when it expired, so what the heck.
Only way I could afford to do this was to borrow from my gov't savings plan for a down payment. Anyway, i think i'll enjoy the automatic transmission and a 4-door for a change.
Vern's been sick with the flu, which is making its rounds at the prison. I am anxiously (NOT) awaiting my turn, now that he's sneezed and coughed all over me for 4 days.
That's it for now. Happy trails to all!
a
New Year's Week: David travelled to Knoxville for his Aunt Margaret's funeral.
Jan. 6-Jan. 12: We drove to San Diego for a weeklong training session with my student trainee, Rachel. Raining when we got there, and cool by San Diego standards for the first couple days, but then the wind died down and the sun shone warmly. We enjoyed staying at the Pacific Terrace, a luxury hotel on the boardwalk that offers a gov't lodging rate. Since it got dark at 4:30 pm, we didn't do much in the evening but eat out. Had dim sum at Jasmine, fried calamari at Vincenzo's, wood-fired Chilean sea bass at Baleen, roast duck and satay at Karinya (Thai), and fun sushi in a restaurant that has a revolving selection of sashimi, nigiri, etc in little boats that circle the sushi bar.
Wk of Jan 14: catch up at work for both of us
Wk of Jan 21: Fed'l holiday (MLK), then i had to attend a 2-day Forest Leadership Team mtg at Sabino Cyn. Weather turned damp and rainy for those few days, so our field trip into the canyon was a wee bit chilly.
This week: Big news is that I traded in my 2002 Volvo convertible for a 2007 Volvo S80.....has 3350 miles, was the dealer demo car, used by the owner of Broadway Volvo when not out demo-ing. It's black w/ dark leather interior and has all the bells and whistles you could think of. V-8, 311 hp, GPS, built-in blue tooth, hot water power spray for cleaning headlights, Sirius radio, keyless start up, sunroof, heated AND cooled seats, rear air........fold down back seats for cargo haul.
Trade-in was prompted by today's scheduled maintenance for my 2002 and repair of the power steering system (warranty-covered) which rang up a bill of about $1K. Dealer gave me credit for these charges with the new purchase. I had 10K miles left on my 2002 extended warranty, and figured I'd be forking out big bucks real soon when it expired, so what the heck.
Only way I could afford to do this was to borrow from my gov't savings plan for a down payment. Anyway, i think i'll enjoy the automatic transmission and a 4-door for a change.
Vern's been sick with the flu, which is making its rounds at the prison. I am anxiously (NOT) awaiting my turn, now that he's sneezed and coughed all over me for 4 days.
That's it for now. Happy trails to all!
a
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