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
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
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
Sunday, December 30, 2007
When's It Gonna Get Warm Again?
Photo taken by my neighbor (about 1 mile west of my home) 3 weeks ago when it was storming here. Rainbow ends on my home. Pink things on roof (insert) are solar panels. I wish i knew how to improve the image resolution......need to get the scanner book out and become less illiterate. If you double click on the photo, however, it calls up a GIANT photo where you can see the colors and the house much clearer.i've been freezing my dupa off here in TUS for the past month!
i never thought i'd say this, but in the winter, i actually do miss the 10 degrees warmer that it is in Yuma compared to Tucson. i don't, however, miss the 70-100,000 snowbirds that clog every road, restaurant, supermarket, and square inch of desert within 50 miles of Yuma from October to April every year.
i should hush and be grateful for our 60-degree, pleasant sunny days...... i just wish the days were lonnnnngggger and the sun's azimuth higgghhher so i could swim laps without getting frostbite. yeah, yeah...i know...go 'head and remind me that PA's Benton Creek is colder than a witch's ***** in mid-July...i have REALLY wussified since moving to AZ, haina???
Vern's Aunt Margaret (82) passed around 9 pm EST yesterday. her health had taken a precipitous nosedive after a nasty fall in late summer that fractured her femur. after surgery to repair the bone, her recovery was derailed by an E. coli infection (septicemia), kidney infection, pneumonia.... you name it, she caught it.....docs got the infections under control with meds then sent her to a 'rehab' hospital for physical therapy to learn to walk again.
when vern and i visited her there on our trip to TN in November, we found her sharing a room no bigger than a telephone booth with another very ill patient. it was a hateful place....i could see a great sadness in her eyes--one that revealed that she'd fought the good fight and was really really ready for the final journey.
vern is flying to TN on Tuesday a.m. (New Year's) for her wake and then funeral on Wed. Margaret was very close to him and his brother, Jeff....they spent many summers on the family farm with her and their grandparents.
Margaret's sweet nature and spirit will live on in our hearts. i have no doubt she is with me as i write this, grateful that she passed peacefully into that long good night.
i had a fun phone visit with my cousin Diana this morning. She called for her parents, my Aunt Betty (Wargo) and Uncle Joey, to thank me for flowers that I'd sent to brighten their winter. Hadn't seen her since my mother died in 1990, so we had a LOT to chat about. She's about to be a gran'mama! Talked briefly to my aunt and uncle who are in their mid-80's and still entertaining one another with "gin rummy" (wink-wink).
Son Steven came down from Tempe for a few days over Christmas.
We did the traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper, albeit abbreviated, since he and vern are finicky eaters, and my pierogies come out of a box, not molded with love by my own hands. Steve has a B average at Az State, where he is working toward a degree in Design Studies--Urban Environment. He should finish his B.S. possibly by the end of '08.
i am off until Wednesday this week, then leaving on Sunday for a week in San Diego (tough job, huh?) to assist my blind student with a training class. See http://www.paradisepoint.com/ to check out our digs for the week.
Happy 2008 to all my peeps!
a
i never thought i'd say this, but in the winter, i actually do miss the 10 degrees warmer that it is in Yuma compared to Tucson. i don't, however, miss the 70-100,000 snowbirds that clog every road, restaurant, supermarket, and square inch of desert within 50 miles of Yuma from October to April every year.
i should hush and be grateful for our 60-degree, pleasant sunny days...... i just wish the days were lonnnnngggger and the sun's azimuth higgghhher so i could swim laps without getting frostbite. yeah, yeah...i know...go 'head and remind me that PA's Benton Creek is colder than a witch's ***** in mid-July...i have REALLY wussified since moving to AZ, haina???
Vern's Aunt Margaret (82) passed around 9 pm EST yesterday. her health had taken a precipitous nosedive after a nasty fall in late summer that fractured her femur. after surgery to repair the bone, her recovery was derailed by an E. coli infection (septicemia), kidney infection, pneumonia.... you name it, she caught it.....docs got the infections under control with meds then sent her to a 'rehab' hospital for physical therapy to learn to walk again.
when vern and i visited her there on our trip to TN in November, we found her sharing a room no bigger than a telephone booth with another very ill patient. it was a hateful place....i could see a great sadness in her eyes--one that revealed that she'd fought the good fight and was really really ready for the final journey.
vern is flying to TN on Tuesday a.m. (New Year's) for her wake and then funeral on Wed. Margaret was very close to him and his brother, Jeff....they spent many summers on the family farm with her and their grandparents.
Margaret's sweet nature and spirit will live on in our hearts. i have no doubt she is with me as i write this, grateful that she passed peacefully into that long good night.
i had a fun phone visit with my cousin Diana this morning. She called for her parents, my Aunt Betty (Wargo) and Uncle Joey, to thank me for flowers that I'd sent to brighten their winter. Hadn't seen her since my mother died in 1990, so we had a LOT to chat about. She's about to be a gran'mama! Talked briefly to my aunt and uncle who are in their mid-80's and still entertaining one another with "gin rummy" (wink-wink).
Son Steven came down from Tempe for a few days over Christmas.
We did the traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper, albeit abbreviated, since he and vern are finicky eaters, and my pierogies come out of a box, not molded with love by my own hands. Steve has a B average at Az State, where he is working toward a degree in Design Studies--Urban Environment. He should finish his B.S. possibly by the end of '08.
i am off until Wednesday this week, then leaving on Sunday for a week in San Diego (tough job, huh?) to assist my blind student with a training class. See http://www.paradisepoint.com/ to check out our digs for the week.
Happy 2008 to all my peeps!
a
Friday, December 21, 2007
Jaw Breaker
the word used to refer to jumbo gumballs that one could get for a penny at the corner market.
in the context of this blog post, jaw breaker refers to my experience with Dr. Richard Weiss, who drilled for oil in my jawbone on Wednesday and may have struck the motherlode. he set two titanium posts into the bone as a prelude to screwing in two porcelain implants 4-6 months down the road.
why am i spending the big bucks for implants? well, i figure i don't have to save up for the "other" kind of implants due to God's good graces....and i have 2 spaces in my mouth that were originally covered w/ a dental bridge that kept breaking cuz of my fierce bite! Dental literature says that the primary reason for aging adults (yup, i'm a one of 'em) having a jaw that recedes til its akin to that of a wicked witch is becuz of dentures or for those who prefer the natural look, no teefff (aka zoobies: Ukrainian origin).
a full complement of dentures or an empty mouff w/ no zoobies contribute to the loss of bone in the jaw. if there ain't a tooth in the bone, it ceases to have a reason for being, and soon erodes to dust.
hence, i opted for the implants and now my lower left cheek (the one north of the equator) is blue-violet....yes, exactly the hue that one finds in a box of Crayolas......AND the lovely hued flesh extends outward about 3 inches a la Jay Leno.
aches a bunch....i've been in and out of la-la land for 3 days now, first day cuz of the Valium and nitrous oxide (oooooo, i luv that sweet gas!)...yesterday and today cuz of a combination of Motrin, Darvocet, and amoxicillin.
i can't eat anything that crunches for a week.....goodbye buttered popcorn.... the only thing soft enough to bite down on is a sugared donut....well, not the only thing, but the only thing that looks and tastes yummy.
so here i sit on my sugar high, waiting for the next hunger pang to force me to open the Hostess box and find me another legal drug to ingest.
on a totally other random note, i've got some ramblings in my brain that i am going to share with the world in a future post....have given lots of thought to what ails humanity and want to express it before Old-timer's sets in.
Y'all have a merrrrry merrrry and offer praise to the Almighty however it feels right.
Love and peace to all my homies!
in the context of this blog post, jaw breaker refers to my experience with Dr. Richard Weiss, who drilled for oil in my jawbone on Wednesday and may have struck the motherlode. he set two titanium posts into the bone as a prelude to screwing in two porcelain implants 4-6 months down the road.
why am i spending the big bucks for implants? well, i figure i don't have to save up for the "other" kind of implants due to God's good graces....and i have 2 spaces in my mouth that were originally covered w/ a dental bridge that kept breaking cuz of my fierce bite! Dental literature says that the primary reason for aging adults (yup, i'm a one of 'em) having a jaw that recedes til its akin to that of a wicked witch is becuz of dentures or for those who prefer the natural look, no teefff (aka zoobies: Ukrainian origin).
a full complement of dentures or an empty mouff w/ no zoobies contribute to the loss of bone in the jaw. if there ain't a tooth in the bone, it ceases to have a reason for being, and soon erodes to dust.
hence, i opted for the implants and now my lower left cheek (the one north of the equator) is blue-violet....yes, exactly the hue that one finds in a box of Crayolas......AND the lovely hued flesh extends outward about 3 inches a la Jay Leno.
aches a bunch....i've been in and out of la-la land for 3 days now, first day cuz of the Valium and nitrous oxide (oooooo, i luv that sweet gas!)...yesterday and today cuz of a combination of Motrin, Darvocet, and amoxicillin.
i can't eat anything that crunches for a week.....goodbye buttered popcorn.... the only thing soft enough to bite down on is a sugared donut....well, not the only thing, but the only thing that looks and tastes yummy.
so here i sit on my sugar high, waiting for the next hunger pang to force me to open the Hostess box and find me another legal drug to ingest.
on a totally other random note, i've got some ramblings in my brain that i am going to share with the world in a future post....have given lots of thought to what ails humanity and want to express it before Old-timer's sets in.
Y'all have a merrrrry merrrry and offer praise to the Almighty however it feels right.
Love and peace to all my homies!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Happy Holidays!
In just a few days, the feast upon which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ will be history.
Even as a small child, I was never one who found excitement in the merchanting hoopla that accompanied Christmas and New Year.
The only hoopla that interested me was directly related to the anticipation in my gut for the traditional foods that my mother and others in the family prepared from scratch.....pierogie, Polish ham, kielbasi (smoked in the back yard over pear or some other fruit wood), poppyseed loaf, babalki, and myriad cookies filled with dates, prunes, nuts and assorted spices. And for the camaradarie that the holiday brought as we supped together to honor our Saviour.
Christmas to me and my family was all about family and church.....never, ever the rush to find the best gift for kin, sweethearts or special friends. As I've mellowed into the golden years, I am impossibly impatient with the emphasis people (or as i call them "sheep") place on material goods. A new whatchamacallit is not even in the same league as the priceless feeling of well-being that embraces me when i am with those whom i love.
I reminisce in my heart about our visits to Pennsylvania...the long white-knuckle drive on oft-icy roads with carsick critters under seats, on your lap, on the dashboard.....finally pulling up to 62 Wyoming St in Lee Park with the joy of knowing my parents and Aunt Annie were just moments away from big hugs and kisses and we were just minutes away from a stock pot full of pierogies.
It's not the same anymore, no matter if I take the lead and prepare the pierogies or poppy seed or other foods for the traditional Christmas eve supper. My mom is gone almost 18 years, my dad 6, and most of my aunts, uncles and other kin are celebrating with them in heaven. I feel their presence as they find a comfortable vantage point in various corners of my home over the holidays. I also feel them with me when i am elsewhere, but the longing to touch them at special times is overwhelmingly melancholy.
The only gift I want for Christmas is to have them near me, within my heart and mind, warming the deepest recesses of my soul.
Hristos Rozdayesha to all!
Even as a small child, I was never one who found excitement in the merchanting hoopla that accompanied Christmas and New Year.
The only hoopla that interested me was directly related to the anticipation in my gut for the traditional foods that my mother and others in the family prepared from scratch.....pierogie, Polish ham, kielbasi (smoked in the back yard over pear or some other fruit wood), poppyseed loaf, babalki, and myriad cookies filled with dates, prunes, nuts and assorted spices. And for the camaradarie that the holiday brought as we supped together to honor our Saviour.
Christmas to me and my family was all about family and church.....never, ever the rush to find the best gift for kin, sweethearts or special friends. As I've mellowed into the golden years, I am impossibly impatient with the emphasis people (or as i call them "sheep") place on material goods. A new whatchamacallit is not even in the same league as the priceless feeling of well-being that embraces me when i am with those whom i love.
I reminisce in my heart about our visits to Pennsylvania...the long white-knuckle drive on oft-icy roads with carsick critters under seats, on your lap, on the dashboard.....finally pulling up to 62 Wyoming St in Lee Park with the joy of knowing my parents and Aunt Annie were just moments away from big hugs and kisses and we were just minutes away from a stock pot full of pierogies.
It's not the same anymore, no matter if I take the lead and prepare the pierogies or poppy seed or other foods for the traditional Christmas eve supper. My mom is gone almost 18 years, my dad 6, and most of my aunts, uncles and other kin are celebrating with them in heaven. I feel their presence as they find a comfortable vantage point in various corners of my home over the holidays. I also feel them with me when i am elsewhere, but the longing to touch them at special times is overwhelmingly melancholy.
The only gift I want for Christmas is to have them near me, within my heart and mind, warming the deepest recesses of my soul.
Hristos Rozdayesha to all!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Finally, A Diagnosis
after working 3 days this week, i just couldn't pull it together to go in to the office yesterday.
when vern came home he took me to the ER at the Tucson Heart Institute. we went there because i'd read that it is small and underutilized by the public.
after many tests and xrays, the diagnosis was urinary tract infection, but not in the bladder, but in the kidneys. malfunction of renal system caused muscle aches and pains associated with dehydration.
i've had twinges of pain in my lower right back for a couple months. thought it was from swimming laps, never had a kidney infection, so never even entered my mind.
i'm on sulfa drug. kidney area still hurts, but other muscle aches have subsided. dull headache remains.
postponed the journey to east TN for a few weeks so that i'll feel like partying! we rescheduled the flight to Oct 30 and will hang around til Nov. 10.
meantime, i'm drinking agua agua agua.
later.
when vern came home he took me to the ER at the Tucson Heart Institute. we went there because i'd read that it is small and underutilized by the public.
after many tests and xrays, the diagnosis was urinary tract infection, but not in the bladder, but in the kidneys. malfunction of renal system caused muscle aches and pains associated with dehydration.
i've had twinges of pain in my lower right back for a couple months. thought it was from swimming laps, never had a kidney infection, so never even entered my mind.
i'm on sulfa drug. kidney area still hurts, but other muscle aches have subsided. dull headache remains.
postponed the journey to east TN for a few weeks so that i'll feel like partying! we rescheduled the flight to Oct 30 and will hang around til Nov. 10.
meantime, i'm drinking agua agua agua.
later.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Catching Up
Trip to Denver, 9-24 to 26....whirlwind of air travel. Great class on involvement of native peoples in the NEPA process.
Back late Wed. evening, exhausted and still fighting the chest congestion. Worked some from home Thurs, off sick on Friday, in the office Sat evening to approve a report that had to be done by midnight EDT on 9/30. Despite feeling puny, i swam laps both Sat and Sunday.
Today was dedicated to re-entry at work.
David had his 2nd sleep study last night. They put what he called a "snout" over his face to force air into his respiratory tract. He stopped breathing 54 times per hour in the first test. The 2nd was done to see how the machine (snout) worked. Let's hope it was successful or we're out about $300 for the tests and no relief from his sleep apnea. If the test was successful, they outfit him with his own personal snout to use every night. People who use them sleep like babies (i've heard personal testimony to such.)
David stopped by his Dr's this afternoon to try to get me in for a visit before we head east. I want to know if indeed i have valley fever or just what is keeping me fatigued and coughing a lot without much congestion.
Wednesday is the great boob-squeeze adventure at Radiology Ltd. I sooo look forward to the cold metal clamp on what was meant to be suckled and sustenance.
......manana,
a
Back late Wed. evening, exhausted and still fighting the chest congestion. Worked some from home Thurs, off sick on Friday, in the office Sat evening to approve a report that had to be done by midnight EDT on 9/30. Despite feeling puny, i swam laps both Sat and Sunday.
Today was dedicated to re-entry at work.
David had his 2nd sleep study last night. They put what he called a "snout" over his face to force air into his respiratory tract. He stopped breathing 54 times per hour in the first test. The 2nd was done to see how the machine (snout) worked. Let's hope it was successful or we're out about $300 for the tests and no relief from his sleep apnea. If the test was successful, they outfit him with his own personal snout to use every night. People who use them sleep like babies (i've heard personal testimony to such.)
David stopped by his Dr's this afternoon to try to get me in for a visit before we head east. I want to know if indeed i have valley fever or just what is keeping me fatigued and coughing a lot without much congestion.
Wednesday is the great boob-squeeze adventure at Radiology Ltd. I sooo look forward to the cold metal clamp on what was meant to be suckled and sustenance.
......manana,
a
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