Sorry I'm late

Usually I post much earlier...
...but I had nothing to say.
Besides, I say way too much about way too little anyway.

This is much better.

I grabbed it from a Facebook post so I don't know who to credit.

Beach weather?

clicking does something

I think not.
It's still a little chilly.
But we've been warned it may warm up some more.

80s is a good bet

Oooooooh!

Saw this on APOD... had to share.

better'n rectal effluent

Monday Update (sorry to keep you waiting)

So Grandma Skip went to the endoscopy center this morning for her colonoscopy.
But let's back up a little so I can explain to you how the procedure is not really what the victims patients dislike.
It's the freakin' four liters of chemicals they're force fed the evening before after being starved through most of the day.
The instruction for ingesting the cleansing preparation read

Administer at a rate of 240 mL (8 oz.) every 10 minutes, until rectal effluent is clear or 4 liters have been consumed.

Quite possible the first two glasses of this insidious potion may be consumed in the time allotted.
Beyond that, it is some sadist's pipe dream.
I would suggest that only a long time die hard beer drinker is capable of down 8 ounce beverages in such a manner.
Then only after warming up for a bit.
Then, too, the beer drinker, if he's male, has an advantage of relieving himself standing up.
The consumer of the force fed chemicals not only has to get past the taste, they find themselves spending an inordinate amount of time sitting in the bathroom.
It does not occur to them to bring their beverage along.
In fact once the solution begins working, there isn't much, other than being near the bathroom, that occurs to them.
Trust me when I say I speak from experience.
Now I have also witnessed it.
Does that make me an expert?

Okay, so after a poor nights sleep, GS was bundled into the car, at 7:45 this morning, for the drive to Redding for her procedure which took place at 8:30.
The Redding Endoscopy Center is a busy place.
They run a regular assembly line type of operation.
They've even arranged the layout such that arriving patients don't meet up with departing patients.
That's probably a good thing.
The procedure itself doesn't take long and the patient doesn't notice anyway because she's anesthetized sedated.
Afterward nurses monitor patients to make all vital signs return to normal.
Then the doctor comes out and explains what he's done and how things went.
Doc "D" explained that he was unable to do a full colonoscopy because of scarring from previous surgery (30 years ago).
He couldn't get the scope past a certain point in the colon without risking perforating the wall.
He noted there was some diverticulosis and he took some sample for biopsy.
We will get the biopsy results in a day or two.
That's all we know.
We did not see anything like a swag bag.
GS is very tired... not from the procedure, but from a certain lack of sleep last night.
On the plus side we did not need to use the transfer chair (it's like a wheel chair without those big wheels) or a walker for her to get from the car to the bedroom.
She has requested a roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy for dinner.

wonder what's next.

It's a procedural thing

I may have linked to this post before.
It's Dave Barry's story about his colonoscopy.
I found it humorous because I have been through the same procedure.
It really isn't so bad except for "the cleanse."
"The cleanse" is my name for what goes on the evening before.

I will say nothing more about that other than I've done it twice.

I remember sometime back in the sixties there was only one way to clean things out for a GI doc to view the inner workings.
It involved filling a bag with a warm water solution, hanging it over the bathroom door or a shower curtain rod and torturing oneself anally.
That was only the beginning.
I may as well explain some of the details of why this was deemed necessary.
I was in my mid twenties and suffering some very severe cramplike spasms  in my gut.
At times I was even doubled over in pain.
I actually went to the doctor voluntarily without anyone actually suggesting it.
The GP I saw was quite concerned because the symptoms were such that I might have been something from which I could actually die.
He told me there would be a series of procedures performed until they determined what the issue was.
He sent me to see the resident GI doc.
The first test was a sigmoidoscopy, described as a minimally invasive medical examination.
I can vouch that whoever described it has never had a sigmoidoscopy.
I would have answered any question to make them stop.
There really aren't words to describe just how the examinee must line up all of the stars. That was test number one.
They saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Next test was a fluoroscopic exam of the upper gastro-intestinal tract, particularly the stomach and small intestine (ileum).
That involved fasting for some time and then drinking a chalk milkshake some barium.
The only thing worse than drinking that was eliminating it.
It doesn't all go away at once.
Again, they found nothing out of the ordinary.
That was almost good news because it meant a lot of potentially serious problems had be deleted from the list.
I say almost good news.
The next, and last, procedure involved the self-torture I mentioned above.
Somehow I managed to do my part.
Then I went to the clinic for another fluoroscopic exam.
This time it was the large intestine (colon).
Barium was again involved, only I wasn't going to drink it.
I will vouch that it is no fun having someone roll you around under a fluoroscope with a colon full of barium.
I will also vouch that you cannot run to the bathroom with a colon full of barium.

Also, nothing out of the ordinary was discovered.
It was decided that my problem was probably stress related and it could be resolved with a dietary change and drugs.
I was even asked why, as a twenty-something in the sixties, I wasn't a pot smoker.
I won't tell you my answer because....

I should also mention that at no time during any of these "procedures" was there anything like anesthetic or anti anxiety drugs provided, or even offered.
Or, was it mentioned there might be some discomfort.
note: On another occasion the necessity for the barium exam of the colon occurred. That time it involved drinking "the cleanse."
While it may be more convenient than self-torture, it is no less uncomfortable.

let's think happier thoughts

There is a good chance there will be another Monday update

It will probably be on Monday.
Sometime in the afternoon.
We finally got the Docs to finish their game of phone tag...
...or maybe it was more like keep-away?
Anyhow, the three of them are all on the same page now so GS is no longer chasing (figuratively), first one, then another of, the Docs.
The really good (another figure of speech) news is, because the GI doc had a cancellation on Monday, GS will have her colonoscopy then, instead of having to make an appointment for two months from now.
The only real question remaining is whether or not this will determine what ails her.

oh what we settle for as we age

I didn't know that

Yep, I was wondering what to post ...again.
Then, while scanning the blogs, I found a question.

Why was there a hole in the old farmers almanac?

The first answer I found would normally (there's that word again) have been sufficient.
But I had to dig deeper.
This video is the result.

The almanac folks are making an assumption that other folks hang it in the outhouse for reading.
We know that's only the case if there's no Sears catalog available.

sure

happy 

it's 

Thursday

What was that?

Well... that was kind of exciting.
Of course the experts have to confirm it.
It doesn't matter that someone took a picture and the funnel tore the roof from a barn.
Until a bona fide certificated NWS expert says so, it isn't a tornado.
On the other hand it will only be rated as an EF-0 tornado, which by Midwest and Southeast standards is pretty wimpy.

Besides the screwy windstorm there was all kinds of other weather related activity.
There was snow all the way down below the 1000 ft. elevation and bunches more up in the hills and mountains, not to mention the hail that made some road slicker than snot.

Today, all of that's gone missing.
The Sun is shining and there is a light breeze.

I wonder if Anonymous could ever be convinced to hack 61398?

I wonder if any of the blossoms are left on the trees I saw last Saturday when I drove through the area where the alleged tornado was?

yeah, right, nothin' here

Someone said, "Unsettled"

If this didn't happen about once a year...
...fortunately, for us, it's about 60 miles south in the flatlands.
Though it has been known to occur just over the hill.

It's about time

Maybe I should say, "About freakin' time?"
 
The word was originally ten o'clock last night.
Finally it started in around 8am this morning.
The darn clouds are already breaking up.

December held much promise for a wet winter.
It's been pretty disappointing since.

On the other hand, there's been no threat of flooding since, either.

stay positive

You could say it about blog posts, too

~ Otto von Bismarck
"Laws are like sausages. It's better not to see them being made."

But most of the time the good bloggers make it seem painless or they have a really good story.

That's not the case here today.
I got nothin'.

so what are you doing here

Today

Happy Birthday...
...try to stay awake

It's not here

Somehow I managed to put today's post in the wrong other blog.
The one I don't post on but about once every few months.
The one where I used to post all of the pictures.
This one.
It makes perfect sense to leave it there.
That's because there are lots of pictures...
...and a bit of a rant.

go look

I gotta get this up before Buck

But then he may not be interested because he doesn't do F/B.

it rings true

For you on Valentines Day

If those don't do the trick....

...here're some more.

Sometimes it's like that

"A human is a system for converting dust billions of years ago into dust billions of years from now via a roundabout process which involves checking email a lot."

~xkcd (2/13/2013)

GIGO

This kinda stuff happens all the time

Bloggers start things.
They take on a life of their own.
The only thing worse is one that has an award attached.
Ask Suldog.
No, I'm not gonna give him an award.
I might give him bacon.
Heck... I may even give the blogger who tagged me bacon.
For a further explanation read this post or go here and follow the link.

So, you ask, what's this all about?
It's the Cranky Old Man.
He can't leave things well enough alone.
Like me, he has to stir the pot.
I'd say it's an age thing.
That would be so wrong.
I have always like to keep the pot stirred.
Ask my first wife.
It is here that I would normally say, "Enough about me."
But today's post is all about me and it's Cranky's fault.
Herewith I give you...

 Who Are You?  

WHERE WERE YOU BORN?  
    St. Mary's Hospital, San Francisco
WERE YOU NAMED AFTER SOMEONE?  
    My brother, who is an only child.
    He was named in February.
    I wasn't named until August.
    Really, I was named after my father and grandfather.
    There's a “III” following my name on the birth certificate/
IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE?
    A son, 38, who I am estranged from.
    A thirty something daughter, who I adore almost as much as Grandma Skip.
    A younger daughter died from cancer at the age of eleven.
    A stepson and two stepdaughters in their forties... I like them a lot
HOW MANY PETS DO YOU HAVE?
    None, though the neighbors cats and dogs do visit our yard.
WHAT IS YOUR WORST INJURY?
    I suppose it's the fractured orbit I suffered when I was kicked in the face.
    Then again, spent more time in the hospital (and a full leg cast) with the fracture dislocation of my left foot.
    Or, maybe the fusion of C-3 – C-4.
    Aw crap!
    I can't decide.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
    I have been know to get both feet in my mouth.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO BAKE?
    Lately, it's twice baked peppercorn fries.
FAVORITE FAST FOOD?
    In-n-Out!
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
    I won't even watch.
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
    I'm not sure... probably if they're attractive.
    Then I look at their shoes.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
    I was reading some blog (or Facebook) comments after GS's surgery.
ANY CURRENT WORRIES?
    Not at the moment.
    I haven't pissed anyone off lately.
NAME 3 DRINKS THAT YOU DRINK REGULARLY:
    Water, coffee, Coke.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?
    It isn't Atlas Shrugged.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PIRATE?
    I have done some pirating, but wouldn't want to be one.
FAVORITE SMELLS?
    Fresh baked cookies
WHY DO YOU BLOG?
    I can't stop.
    I used to drink and smoke.
WHAT SONG DO YOU WANT PLAYED AT YOUR FUNERAL?
    We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
    It used to be my left eyebrow.
    I've learned to live with it.
FAVORITE HOBBY?
    Candid photography.
    Be careful when I have a camera with me.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A FRIEND?
    Honesty.
NAME SOMETHING YOU'VE DONE THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU'D DO:
    It has to have a name?
    Others call it sobriety.
FAVORITE FUN THINGS TO DO:
    Travel
ANY PET PEEVES?
    People who bitch about something without offering a viable solution.
    ...and prepositions at the end of a sentence, with a few exceptions.
WHAT'S THE LAST THING THAT MADE YOU LAUGH?
    I really don't track things like that because I laugh a lot.
    By the time I answer, it will be something else.

If I hadn't been looking for a topic today, I'd probably have just referred to another post where I've done this before... if I could find it.

I am supposed to tag 10 other bloggers.
    ...ain't gonna happen, but I'm gonna watch to see if Suldog responds.
    I will also be checking to see of any of the others tagged by Cranky respond.
    Volunteers are welcome, which means we aren't apt to see a response from any of the ex-military types, because they know better than to volunteer.

Oh yeah... and Bacon to the Cranky old man.

now he can pass some along, too

Monday Update... yeah, really

Let's see.
We actually started this whole scheme sometime back in August, just after Cuz #2's birthday.
Though I only alluded to it in a post about a Sunday afternoon in Boston.
At that point all we knew was Grandma Skip had lost a bunch of weight, was feeling tired, and we had just learned about the aneurism.
We did not yet know about the great adventure that was to follow.
It is hard to believe the surgery was two months ago.
Now we are somewhere in the neighborhood of square one again.

There is no longer any weight loss.
But it's not exactly headed in the other direction, either.
GS spends a lot of time resting.
We spend a lot of time trying to feed her.
You shoulda seen the ginormous meat loaf.
It would've taken less time to cook two smaller ones.
Her appetite has improved.
It could still be better.

Last Thursday was the final visit of the physical therapist from Home Healthcare.
She is much stronger now than when she came home a little over a month ago.
Once GS's stamina improves she can be referred to a facility where she can do some resistance work.
No, I don't mean resist as in when she balks at taking certain medications.

This has been a Monday update.

Buck posted a Peggy Lee song.
It brought back a bunch of memories.
Then I got to thinking.
She was singing with Benny Goodman way back before I was even born.
As close as I can tell, her last recording session was in 1995.
The one song that keeps coming to mind... Is That All There Is

because I got nothin' else

Works for me

I love the idea of hearing those infernal folks, who wander neighborhoods for no other reason than to hand out Bible tracts and the like, standing on my doorstep hollering, "Ding dong!"

woulda liked it even more

 if the spelling was better

Local scene (sort of)

A local realtor [in Redding] forwarded this to a reporter at the daily, who urges viewers to take a Dramamine before viewing.

Redding to Mt Shasta from Skip Murphy on Vimeo.

The question of the day...

No, it's not, "Will New England survive the storm?"
Though maybe someone can write a story, Surviving Nemo.

The real question posed today is:

If Molly Bloom met John Galt, what do you think they would talk about?

BTW - they found Nemo

We got hammered last night

No, no... not that kind of hammered.
The weather nailed us again.
Thunder, lightning, hail and ginormous raindrops...

We'd had sunshine most of the morning and afternoon.
I went out at 5:30 for about an hour and a half.

On my way home there's a brief stop for the traditional Thursday night meal, a burrito bowl.
A simple explanation is there's no tortilla, just the filling: rice, black beans, cabbage, salsa, cheese, sour cream, and a choice of (pork), steak, chicken or shredded beef.
It's enough for the three of us at one meal with enough leftovers for an omelet.
Preparation takes all of five minutes.
It's fast food, but it's fresh.

It was dry when I went in to order, though I had seen lightning flashes for at least 45 minutes.
I had left the car parked on the street behind the restaurant.
It was no longer dry.
In fact the pavement was completely wet, like it had been raining for some time.
I won't go as far to say it was a gully washer, but I was sorry the umbrella was still in the back seat of the car.

All told, we had another half inch of rain.
That's the official total, not necessarily an accurate measure here.
The 11:00 weather report for the area showed as much as a third inch more in some spots and no rain in others.

This morning it is clear.

Now go over and read the two parter at The Cranky Old Man.
Part One is here - read it first.
Then read Part Two.

On second thought, go over and read his posts.

skip this one

The rain stopped

That hasn't helped improve my imagination.
This was interesting... for a few seconds.

I may have to get a rain gauge.
The Weather Service says there was only .04 inches.
I think I've said before I don't trust their readings.

In any event, we may have some thunder showers later today.
But there won't be any significant addition to the annual rainfall total, which is now below what is deemed normal by wiser folk than I.

It's raining here

After getting all of Pope Benedict's luggage loaded into the limo (and he doesn't travel light), the driver notices the Pope is still standing on the curb.

'Excuse me, Your Holiness,' says the driver, 'Would you please take your seat so we can leave?'
'Well, to tell you the truth, ' says the Pope, ' they never let me drive at the Vatican when I was a cardinal, and I'd really like to drive today. '

'I'm sorry, Your Holiness, but I cannot let you do that. I'd lose my job! What if something should happen?' protests the driver, wishing he'd never gone to work that morning.
'Who's going to tell?' says the Pope with a smile.

Reluctantly, the driver gets in the back as the Pope climbs in behind the wheel. The driver quickly regrets his decision when, after exiting the airport, the Pontiff floors it, accelerating the limo to 205 kph. (Remember, the Pope is German)

'Please slow down, Your Holiness!' pleads the worried driver, but the Pope keeps the pedal to the metal until they hear sirens.
'Oh, dear God, I'm going to lose my license -- and my job!' moans the driver.

The Pope pulls over and rolls down the window as the cop approaches, but the cop takes one look at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and gets on the radio.

'I need to talk to the Chief,' he says to the dispatcher.
The Chief gets on the radio and the cop tells him that he's stopped a limo going 155 kph.
'So bust him,' says the Chief.
'I don't think we want to do that, he's really important,' said the cop.
The Chief exclaimed, 'All the more reason!'
'No, I mean really important,' said the cop with a bit of persistence.
The Chief then asked, 'Who do you have there, the mayor?'
Cop: 'Bigger.'
Chief: 'A senator?'
Cop: 'Bigger.'
Chief: 'The Prime Minister?'
Cop: 'Bigger.'
'Well,' said the Chief, 'who is it?'
Cop: 'I think it's God!'
The Chief is even more puzzled and curious, 'What makes you think it's God?'
Cop: 'His chauffeur is the Pope!'

Sure 

Happy

It's

Thursday

I'm reminded...

Lime commented on yesterday's post.
Thank you Lime!

Well, actually she provided a euphemism.
That reminded me of one of the first really clever euphemisms I ever heard saw.

During the ninth grade, at the end of the school year, some senior students at the high school pulled a prank.
It was a tradition to pull a prank just prior to graduation.
This year they managed to put a horse in the administration building.
The local newspaper [in Palo Alto, CA] reported the only damage as a pile of "unmitigated corral dust."

There is an article, on the Redding paper's website, explaining some local terminology.

I find language fantastic.
In this case I do not use that word in the euphemistic sense.
I also find it to be fascinating.

it's not BS

Yeah, yeah... it's Tuesday

...and there is nothing to update.
Okay?
Grandma Skip did go  in for some labs (not the canine kind) yesterday but it was just routine stuff.
We are waiting for the the GI doc to get a written confirmation from the cardiologist that it is okay to schedule GS for a colonoscopy.
There aren't any appointments available until March, but his office won't even put it on the schedule until they have the confirmation in black and white.

I call "B@!!$#*t"

What's the problem with the paperwork we already have in hand from the last visit to Sac?

Anyway that's my Monday update for this week.

Good game

The team that made the fewest mistake won.

Suldog's going to be disappointed*.
I had nothing riding on the the outcome of the game.
I can't remember the last time I bet on a 49er game.
There's something inside telling me I couldn't deal with a double loss.
Yeah, I feel that strongly about "MY TEAM."

On the other hand, by not betting, I can get over the loss a lot sooner.
If I had bet money, I would have to wait until after paying off to say...

"Wait 'til next year"

That is the mantra of a true lifelong 'Niner fan, who suffered through the unfulfilled promises of the firties, sixties and seventies.

*sorry no props

the Giants are just "my team"

Today's theme

This brought back some memories


I don't mean about previous Super Bowls.
We're talkin' about the ol' neighborhood.

I was born at St Mary's and lived only four blocks from the original stadium [such as it was].

almost in the Haight/Ashbury

I write about normal a lot

That's because I think normal is a relative term.
While browsing blogs this morning I found another take.

 

Maybe that explains why I don't entirely understand what folks mean by normal.


Then there's this...

yep!
that's it

435

That would be one more post than I had last year.
At the rate I have been post so far I will reach 435.
The reason I reached 434 last year is there were 54 posts in December.
Those of you who've been following for awhile know why there were that many posts in December.
It was all of those Monday Updates.
There were also a number of extra posts early in January.
They were also Monday Updates.
I am hoping the necessity of Monday Updates has waned.
We shouldn't have more than one Monday in any given week.
Nobody should have more than one Monday in any given week.
Even my worst enemy...
Do you get my drift?

Anyway, we shall confine updates to Mondays.
If I forget to post an update on Monday, remind me and I will try to remember to post one on the following Monday.

Where were we?
Oh yeah, I was writing about December... sort of.
There was a steep increase in pageviews during December, almost twice the number of any prior month, other than last July.
I have no idea what happened in July.

Enough of that!
What inspired this post (almost all of my posts are inspired by some outside agent) is a post by the Old AF Sarge, another of the True Patriots. [Maybe I should list their blogs separately in the sidebar?]
The major difference between his post and this one is he went on about January.
This one's going nowhere.
He did mention how he remembers how many days there are in a month.
I have a remembering thingy, too:

Thirty days have September, 
April, June, and no wonder,
All the rest have thirty-one,
Except my grandmother,
Who rides a little red wagon.

 I didn't say it made sense.

Until Grandma Skip's surgery the most popular post had to do with the weather, or rather a particular aspect of the weather.
Now that post is only just in the top five.
The most popular has five times as many views.
It doesn't hurt page views when I send emails with links and post those links on Facebook.

Now, except for the periodic Monday Update, I can go back to posting the usual drivel... and, when I can get out with the camera, more pictures.

BTW - did I post a picture of the flowers sent by GS's Brother and Sister-in-Law?

Thank you!
Flowers, cards, letters and visitors [timing is everything] are most welcome here.

not gonna spell it out