News from the eastern front

PHG reports the weather has improved sufficiently enough for outdoor activities, not related to snow and fish, can begin.
That means, of course, yard work.
It also means a little exporation.
She found a dove nest.

credit: PHG

It's probably a good thing Sebastian is here.

when is dove season, anyway?

How to wash your cat

How To Clean Your Toilet - The Fun Way

    Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.
    Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.
    In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids. You may need to stand on the lid.
    The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.
    Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power-wash" and rinse".
    Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door.
    Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids.
    The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off.
    Both the commode and the cat will be sparkling clean.

stolen from Pinterest

 that's right. . .    nothin'

Oh goody!

This morning is my annual visit to the eye doctor.
I have figure out what my issue is with such appointments.
As soon as I determine how to explain it I will pass that information along.

I forgot to mention the spectacular sights in Sunday's afternoon sky.
There was an overwhelming number of lenticular [no spell-check, not testicular] clouds.

source

There were more than in the image above. . .   from horizon to horizon, almost.
It appeared that the jetstream was also having an effect.
I'm sorry I was not able to get any photographs.

I was pleased to see the ugly bird is back.
I have seen it flying from the oak tree and heard it's call.
The other evidence, which requires major cleanup is not yet present.
BTW - it is a green heron.

Bwahahahahah. . .

. . .and that has been your Monday update

...and it's late today because. . .

Today is Easter.
I had got to do the second most important thing about Easter Sunday morning. . .
Hide eggs [yes, Valorie, I know you'd have hid them better].

But before anyone could hide the eggs they had to be colored and cooked   . . .or is it cooked and colored.
It really doesn't matter because our process does both at the same time.

They are place carefully into a large basket, about three dozen at a time.

Then the basket is placed into a large pot of boiling water which already has the food coloring in it.

Then about 20 minutes later the boiled colored eggs are placed back into the flats and taken to a secret refrigerated storage facility.

On Sunday morning the armored car someone goes and picks up the eggs and brings them to the park [more specifically to Moose Grove*].
(yes, I have noticed there are only a few trees in the grove. . .   also there are no moose)

You might notice (if you right click and enlarge) that there are pennants on the ground used to separate the four age groups of hunters [you might also notice the water treatment plant in the background].

A few of the hunters lining up for the start.
(George Faust was a member of the Anderson Lions. He donated the campaign signs so we had something on which to put the age group designation signs)

Just a few of the little roaches children finding eggs which, as you can see without enlarging, are well camouflaged.

The other day I bragged that we finished the coloring project in record time.
I think this year's egg hunt was over in record time.

thenitwastimeforbreakfast

*named for the Moose Lodge, who provided funding for the picnic facilities there

Saturday's late post

It's the early post, too.
One stop is all it takes.
Unless the donut shop is closed.
Then you're stuck with donuts from the convenience store.
So are you getting the drift now?
I have absolutely nothing really worthwhile to post about.
Well, that's a lie.
I just don't feel like posting about anything that requires me to think.
I haven't don't one of these don't stop typing for a minute posts since I can't remember when.
I kinda want to be anywhere else right now but I have committed to doing this for. . .

done

Hi Valorie!

This was not a normal Friday

I don't usually get into the real reason for Easter.
Recent events have caused me to rethink that.

There are a lot of folks out there in the world who don't think like me or, probably, most of you.
I was thinking about why we celebrate Easter and Good Friday   , , ,and all of those other Holy Days at this time of year.
I shall reflect upon that today.
Probably I will pray for change and peace.

Then I'm going over to Suldog's to read this again.

after that, who knows

Sure Happy It's Thursday

Sarge's post stirred up a memory:



He's right (the Sarge that is) on two counts.

1. It's apropos of nothin' 
2. It shouldn't be the Feds

just sayin'

Casualty

Sebastian has made it obvious that he will allow no competition in this house.
I'm not even sure where he found it.
But obviously, by leaving it in the middle of the floor, he was sending a message.

What do you do when you can't go back to sleep?

This morning I was awakened by the vibration of my cell phone as a text message arrived.
The content of said message is unimportant to the context of this post.
It is sufficient to say that I made every attempt to try to fall back asleep.
Successful, I was not.

It's funny.
At night, when I go to bed, I have little trouble clearing my mind of thoughts.
In the morning, when I wake, whatever time it seems to be, it seems like there are thousands of thoughts awaiting. . .   just like the crowds at Walmart on Black Friday.
Try to sleep through that.

Anyway. . .
I got up, scratched the usual places, and let the cat in.
Then I turned on the radio to my usual NPR station.
We are fortunate here in the North State to have two sources.
One if them actually provides three services on separate stations.
That information is also unimportant, as I only listen to one of them.

The first story reported was sort of political in nature.
There were interviews with some Millenials regarding political affiliation.
More specifically the conversations were with young Latino voters and some who are yet to become eligible to vote.
It seems most of them don't identify with either political party.
They are more driven or motivated by issues.
Those issues are on either side of the political spectrum.
The may be registered either as Democrat or Republican, but it only as a convenience.
They vote the issues and which candidate most supports the what's important to them.

Anyhow. . .  the commentator labeled them Young Latinos.
After listening to these really bright young folks speak their minds, I could pretty much relate.

So I have decided I'm a Young Latino.

another reason cell phones are dangerous

Monday update

What?
There's nothing to update?

Well, there's always the weather.
It was nice Saturday.
That was a good thing.

The boosters club from the charter high school that's downtown had a yard sale in the school's parking lot.
The Anderson Lions assisted.
We sold hot dogs as a fund raiser for the Sober Grad Night committee.
There's a little more to it than that, but that story is for another time.
This is a weather report.

It wasn't so nice yesterday.
It was cloudy and windy all morning.
The weather mavens had forecast rain with the possibility of thunder, as well.

I may have heard thunder.
When I left the house to drive to Redding at 3:30pm there had been, maybe, a little spit [that's my term for less than mist] of precipitation.
As I drove further and further north that changed dramatically.

Then, after I reached my destination as was safely indoors, someone overturned a bucket.
That had to be the case.
Because when I went back outside there was Sunshine, albeit there were also some pretty huge cumulonimbus clouds.
The roads were well puddled, too.

When I arrived back home, I found the rain, for all intents and purposes, had missed us [Sebastian and I], as the pavement was barely damp.

Upon checking the various weather sites, I found many varying measurements for the time period (about 15-20 minutes).
The most significant was .33 inches in downtown Redding, followed by .25 at the airport.
My rain gauge shows .01 for the entire 24 hour period.

So. . .  now that's the mundane.
Just so you don't feel like it's been a total waste:

yeah, this post isn't even that

What do Leprechauns do on their day off?

credit: their mother

They go swimming.
Yes, it was the last day of winter.
No, it didn't feel like winter.

Have I mentioned how much I love their mother?

Oops!

Sometimes I should remember context.
Yesterday I posted that GSFSiL had a procedure on Thursday.
Then that Runner said he was out.
I'm sorry that some misinterpreted that to mean the procedure was over.
It actually meant he was out of the hospital.

I saw him bright and early yesterday morning when I went over to take their offspring. . .   who is about as tall as I, but only just a teen. . .   to school.
He is sore and weak, but that should improve now that he's home.
He definitely looks much better.

The only medical activities on his agenda currently are three sessions of dialysis each week.

I forgot to wish folks a Happy St Patrick's Day here.
(Yes, it was)

No, the occasion was not overlooked.
We wore the green, and feasted on corned beef, cabbage and the other fixings.
In fact I started a day early, fixing corned beef on Wednesday for dinner.
Now I have what I need for a few sandwiches, too [yes, there's dark rye].
The only thing left is to ask Sarge to hoist a Guiness for me, since I don't dare get started on that.

There were leprechauns on the Interwebs.

Then there was this.

But it looks better in this context. . .

. . .with the wisteria on the fence in the background.

The four-legged troublemaker must think he has friends in high places.
The past few mornings have found him on the roof crying to come down.
In each instance I did not give in.
He found his own way down.
He is not really very happy with me.

too bad

Yay!

I received a text early yesterday from GSFSiL.
He was going to have another procedure.
They'd told him it wouldn't hurt.
He described it in rough terms.
I was familiar.
We'll spare you the details.

Then around one o'clock Runner texted that he was out of the hospital.

So it was a pretty good St Patrick's Day.

 except for the cat getting on the roof

Sure Happy It's Thursday

So. . .   the other day PHG told me she was going catfishin'
I thought that was kinda strange.
She already has a boyfriend.

Then she told me it was catch an release and my jaw hit my chest.

Finally she sent a picture.

He is, too, smiling

It just occurred to me that this may be the first picture we have posted of The Boy Friend [aka TBF].
I shall attempt to refrain from publish too many pictures, particularly flattering ones, of him because I am still not pleased that he lured PHG back to Michigan.

so there

He, who waits. . .

I'm not gonna say Sebastian is a creature of habit.

But when nobody is home [or really early before anyone is awake yet] he will sit on the porch rail waiting patiently to be let in.
Where it gets a little strange is he will wait there for the door to be opened instead of walking over and coming in through the garage.
He actually pretends he doesn't see me.

He will also sit up there when it's raining and he wants to be outside without actually going into the rain.

Gee. . . it's after 8:30am

I oughta get started on a post.

Sebastian got a bird last night.
He brought it to me.
But first he scattered feathers all over the damn place
Who's gonna clean up that mess?

Yeah, it's me.

better get started

Monday update

But first, the wx:

click to enlarge

. . .or, rather, the result.
(those barriers are open because it was Saturday. . .
. . .evidently everyone was off.)

There was something just north of two inches of rain.
Much of that fell after yesterday's video was shot.
There has also been lots of wind.

There is a certain irony regarding the picture.
Saturday was the opening day of Little League.
That is the largest of the Little League diamonds on the left.

Most of the seriousness of last week has subsided.
GSFSiL is no longer in ICU and he is complaining about the respiratory therapists.
Those are both really good signs.

Today marks two weeks that he's been in the hospital.
I kinda wonder if he will ever call me to ask if I can take him anywhere again.

Yesterday morning he was complaining, "the respiratory care people suck"
My guess is he was sleeping and they woke him for a treatment.
That's their usual MO.
It doesn't help that he's sore, weak, and still had the chest tube, which made it hard to do anything.

Later, there was word the tube had been removed.
So little by little there is progress.
The next challenge is to get the left lung working at capacity.

and for the rain to stop

There isn't much, if anything to tell.
This is what we're dealing with currently [well. . .   yesterday at noon, anyway].



Hopefully, I'll have an update tomorrow.

TTRBMA

The Sarge has begun routinely posting a series called TIFPA.
You can check out what those initials mean by looking on the acronym page.

Ironically things he posts about many times are TTRBMA [maybe that should be ttrbm@?].

things that really burn my @$$

I found myself particularly chuffed the other day at the hospital, where parking is at a premium, because there are a number of folks who just can't seem to limit themselves to a single parking space.

a little fire about this high

Come back later.
There may be more news about GSFSiL.

Ups and downs

We left it yesterday morning with things looking up.
Then the phone rang.

It had been decided to transfer the patient from a private room on the fourth floor to the ICU on the second floor.
There were entirely too many abnormalities and he needed closer observation.
There was also a consideration that a second surgery might be necessary.

To say some family members were concerned would be an understatement.
At one point I think there might have been 20 people in the ICU Waiting Room.
There would've been fewer but nobody could actually visit him in the ICU because the room was full of equipment, technicians, and actual medical people.
They were all trying to determine what had transpired over the last 12 hours to bring him to this point.

In the waiting room it was a whole 'nother situation.
Non-medical people were trying to determine who to blame. . .
. . .and toddlers were crawling around on the floor, sleeping in strollers, and breastfeeding.
In one corner there was a prayer circle.
That made the most sense.

Then some folks went off to donate blood.
A few others went to the hospital cafeteria.
Have I mentioned that I think I have had way too much hospital food over the past four years?
About one o'clock food showed up in the waiting room.

A little later word came down that there would be another pericardial procedure at four o'clock.
It would not be as invasive, but more of an exploratory event.

After awhile we started hearing better news.
BP was stabilized.
There was much better color.
Mr. the patient made it known he felt much better and didn't think he wanted an invasion.
The surgeon called for further xray for a look-see.
This after echo-cardiogram, and sonogram.
By 4pm it was decided to put surgery on hold and observe.
Oh, yeah, and allow a little higher dosage of pain meds.

That's my story for now.
Thanks for the prayers.
You know who you are.

Now for a word or two from our sponsor.

We will pass along more information here on a regular basis.

I think I mentioned on occasion that this blog started out so I could update my immediate family members regarding developments from my own surgery some eight years ago.
Little did I know, at that time, that I would become bored with that after about two or three days.
Ironically, it has become a vehicle for reporting about others medical issues.
I thank you all for allowing me to vent my concerns here in my anything but conventional manner.

In the meantime I have come up with an acronym for the patient.
Hereon out he shall be known as GSFSiL.
That would be Grandma Skip's Favorite Son in Law.
I feel safe in saying that because he is the only son in law [PHG's first husband is no longer with us] and he is a pretty nice guy, good husband and nice dad.

Done, but not dusted

Let's just call Runner's hubby (my son in law by proxy, or stepson in law) TP.
That's short for the Patient.
He is going to be under medical care for some time because of his kidney issues.

Anyhow TP had surgery yesterday afternoon.
The term they used was procedure, as in Pericardial Window Procedure.
The term I'd use and that most lay persons would use is Heart Surgery.

Pericardial window is used diagnostically and, more often, therapeutically for drainage of accumulated pericardial fluid. The pericardium envelops the heart like a cocoon; its cardiac filling can be impaired when this cavity fills with excess fluid. When the limited space between the noncompliant pericardium and heart is acutely filled with blood or fluid, cardiac compression and tamponade may result.

Pericardial window involves the excision of a portion of the pericardium, which allows the effusion to drain continuously into the peritoneum or chest.

(I kinda edited that a little and I forgot what website I stole it from)

The Runner said he looked pretty good afterward.
He'll probably feel better, too.

With any luck  . . .and the skills of fine medical professionals he will only have to deal with dialysis from here on,
Luck and prayers may work on that front, too.

Luck and prayers will also help keep the low lying lands from flooding, too.
Sebastian is hating it.
He's only known drought in his short life.

On the dental front it was only a routine visit to see that I haven't grown any new teeth.
A minor adjustment was made.
I will go back in a few months.
I always do.

Hah. . . best laid plans

I posted this yesterday:

There was more, but. . .

Anyhow, my appointment is this morning.
We won't discuss the details of what happened.

The patient is having a procedure this afternoon.
I don't have much in the way of details and I won't bore you with speculation.
But it means he will not be going home today. . .   or tomorrow.

It's raining a little here.

looking for more

More odd 'n ends

I have a dentist appointment first thing this morning.
I can think of any number of other things I would rather do.

There have been a number of posts on f/b announcing that 88% of congressmen and senators are up for reelection.
They claim I could vote them out.
There's only one issue I have with that claim.
I am not allowed to vote outside of my congressional district.
So at the most I can vote to replace one senator and one congressman.

 

We had 3 3/4 inches of rain over the weekend.
That was less than predicted.

We are due for more in the next few days without much break.

The patient, who really, really wants out of the hospital, overlooked the fact that he will continue to need dialysis.
The labs came back all good.
The blood culture was negative.

I may have mentioned he had a staph infection?
He was told that it was the most treatable (receptive to antibiotics) form of staph.

Don't ya hate it when this happens?

PHG went sucker fishing yesterday, on some river up near Saginaw.
They were skunked.

Monday update

I still have trouble with the keyboard on this computer.
Every time I lift my hand, the keys on the right seem to get moved over one spot.
*tjem o emd i[ wotj sp,etjomg ;ole tjos/

The report from the hospital is good, as far as it goes.
The patient is hoping they will release him to go home today.
Runner has returned to work.
If I find out some background it will be reported.

PHG reports the Sun is shining in Michigan and she is going sucker fishing.
In this neck of the woods we've seen scatted flooding and fallen trees.
Driving has been an adventure,

That said, yesterday morning there was Sun for awhile.
That did not, unfortunately, develop into a good turn out at the breakfast.

Sebastian prefers to play with a ball, any ball, over any other toy.
However, he can be distracted.

squirrel

*Then I end of with something like this.

Freakin' atrocious weather

I looked out front yesterday morning and this caught my eye. . .

. . .because it was at the base of one of the Italian Cypress in the front of the house.

It isn't out there by itself.

This one is only about two or three feet away.
There's a tiny forest of these puppies.
They've been there for years, ever since I planted them.

I just never had this many at one time.

Now if I could only camouflage the ugly red fireplug.

This morning is the monthly breakfast.
I hope some folks show up.
It's really, really nasty out.

the images will enlarge of you click on them

Maybe I've come up with something

The other day I was facetiously referring to PHG's sister as Acronym . . .   because I have never quite settled upon how I refer to her.
An acronym is not a good identity for anyone except the head of a government agency or the like.

There have been times when I have felt it would be kind of fun to look the President of the United States in the eye and exclaim, derisively, "You POTUS!"
Try it.
See if you can make a Donald Trump insult out of it.

Easy, huh?

You can do it with SECDEF, too.
And SCOTUS sounds like something you want to clean from your lawn after the geese have left.

Those all make SWMBO, The Old Bat, and PHG sound endearing.
(I'm certain that in the context they are used they're meant to be endearing . . .
. . . at least after some use)

The keys are it has to be simple, easy to remember, and have some meaning.
Once upon a time she was called Chrissy.
That was when here hair was much lighter, almost blond, and the television show Three's Company was really popular.
(that was the show Suzanne Somers played a real ditz named Chrissy)
I wouldn't be fair today.

I suppose I could do what the Sarge does.
That's use a job description or a call sign.
I can't use Mom, but she does have another job.
I thought about Skinny, she's lost over 100 lbs.
Runner works . . .   for at least as long as she keeps this job.

that's a different tale

Normal Friday Potpourri

    "Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary."     ~ Evan Esar

Me: “How are you doing today?”
Cashier: “Well, you know, some days are okay and some days you want to jump off a cliff?”
Me: “Oh, don’t do that. Push someone over first, so you have something to land on when you fall.”
Cashier: [grins] 


Trouble at the Canadian border .  .  .
Crisis at the U.S. - Canadian Border
 The flood of American liberals sneaking across the border into Canada has intensified in the past week, sparking calls for increased patrols to stop the illegal immigration.  The Republican Presidential primary campaign is prompting an exodus among left leaning citizens who fear they'll soon be required to hunt, pray, and live according to conservative ideas about the Constitution.
 Canadian border farmers say it's not uncommon to see dozens of sociology professors, global warming activists, and "green" energy proponents crossing their fields at night.
 "I went out to milk the cows the other day, and there was a Hollywood producer huddled in the barn," said Southern Manitoba farmer Red Greenfield, whose acreage borders North Dakota .  “The producer was cold, exhausted and hungry.  He asked me if I could spare a latte and some free-range chicken. When I said I didn't have any, he left before I even got a chance to show him my screenplay, eh?"
In an effort to stop the illegal aliens, Greenfield erected higher fences, but the liberals scaled them.  He then installed loudspeakers that blared Rush Limbaugh across the fields, but they just keep coming.
 Officials are particularly concerned about smugglers who meet liberals near the Canadian border, pack them into electric cars  and drive them across the border where they are simply left to fend for themselves after the battery dies.
 "A lot of these people are not prepared for our rugged conditions," an Ontario border patrolman said.  "I found one carload without a single bottle of Perrier drinking water.  They did have a nice little Napa Valley Cabernet, though, and some kale chips."
When liberals are caught, they're sent back across the border, often wailing loudly that they fear retribution from conservatives.  Rumors have been circulating about plans being made to build re-education camps where liberals will be forced to drink domestic beer and study the Constitution.
 In recent days, liberals have turned to ingenious ways of crossing the border.  Some have been disguised as senior citizens taking a bus trip to buy cheap Canadian prescription drugs.  After catching a half- dozen young vegans in blue-hair wig disguises, Canadian immigration authorities began stopping buses and quizzing the supposed senior citizens about Perry Como and Rosemary Clooney to prove that they were alive in the '50s. "If they can't identify the accordion player on The Lawrence Welk Show, we become very suspicious about their age," an official said.
 Canadian citizens have complained that the illegal immigrants are creating an organic-broccoli shortage, buying up all the Barbara Streisand c.d.'s, and renting all the Michael Moore movies.  "I really feel sorry for American liberals, but the Canadian economy just can't support them," an Ottawa resident said.  "How many art-history majors does one country need?"

that's right, there's nothing new

Metaphor for emotions

Nothing much new from the hospital...
...but I do have an observation.

Maybe it's more of an inquiry.

Does anyone remember what a rheostat is?
(that's not my question)

It's what we used to control the volume on our superhetrodyne receivers.
(yeah. . .    radios)

Anyhow, many of those volume controls are actually numbered.

source

Sometimes they are accompanied by another control.

source

You may understand where I'm going with this?

People!
There are those who control their emotions much like the numbered knob above controls volume, very seldom ever reaching the highest output.
Sometimes they can be quite frustrating because they may give the impression they don't understand the severity of a situation.
(don't bet on it)

Then there are those who set the volume control at ten and just turn emotions on and off.
They're most likely the ones who believe in the squeaky wheels program.

That's pretty reckless.
They will get the oil.
Unfortunately, they sometimes find later that graphite would've been a far superior solution, but by insisting on immediate action other options were not explored and became moot.

It has been observed that those of the on/off variety are also usually the center of the Universe.

The only time it may be appropriate is when watching a favorite team at a sporting event.
(notice I didn't say in the living room)

Recent [and not so recent] events have called the above to my attention.
I am a firm believer in holding something in reserve [except when it comes to the fuel tank in my car
that's created an incident or two or more where the on/off variety has reared it's ugly head].

stop digging here