Hats off to the potty box cleaners
I would be okay to last one more day before the job is done but it must be done
The world will thank you, the cats will thank you
Its a job that needs to be done. There is no getting around it
Instantly the air smells better
Hats off the garbage dumpers
Taking the waste from our kitchens and finding the ubiquitous collection can
This task across cultures remains the male domain if there is a male in the picture
Still someone has to get that waste out
The trash must be readied for pick up on the given day
The trash cans out to the street, and then back from the street
Hats off to the toilet cleaners
If you can clean another's toilet you will never starve or so the saying goes
Its really a mind over matter kind of thing.
We were taught that our poop and pee were not a thing of joy.. so cleaning it up....
We swept the walks when we were little and still sweep walks today
No one ever says,"My you swept the walk beautifully today!"
It has to be done.
So this is for the unsung heros of the cleaning set
:) Pat
A written expression of a 65year old plus retired Speech and Language Specialist in the Central Valley of California.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Scalloped Potatoes
I suppose the real term is potatoes au gratin. Last night I made my famous scalloped potatoes. It is quick work with a Cuisinart food processor. Most of what is needed is easily prepared with this food processor, It also helped to have cheese already grated and left over onion already chopped.
I peeled the potatoes. I ran them through the Cuis and made them all uniform in width. The new Cuisinarts have a break apart food tube that allows for larger items to be sliced.
Then I took my 8X11 magnalite baking pan and sprayed some pam on it. I layered the first layer of potatoes and sprinkled it all with leftover ham from the Easter at mom and dad's. Then I made a mixture of a cup and a half of milk and two tablespoons of corn starch. I also took a half of a cube of butter and cut it up in little pieces and it was added to the layered grouping.
So one more layer of ham and onion and cheese. Then potatoes and finally another layer of the group. the last layer was cheese and then I poured on the milk mixture. I baked it for about 30 minutes at 375 with a topping of foil. I took off the foil and broiled the pan for another 10 minutes.
They were the best scalloped potatoes that I have ever made.
We also made up the two artichokes that Mikie brought over. We were trying to remember the last time we had artichokes and its got to be a couple of years.
: ) Pat
I peeled the potatoes. I ran them through the Cuis and made them all uniform in width. The new Cuisinarts have a break apart food tube that allows for larger items to be sliced.
Then I took my 8X11 magnalite baking pan and sprayed some pam on it. I layered the first layer of potatoes and sprinkled it all with leftover ham from the Easter at mom and dad's. Then I made a mixture of a cup and a half of milk and two tablespoons of corn starch. I also took a half of a cube of butter and cut it up in little pieces and it was added to the layered grouping.
So one more layer of ham and onion and cheese. Then potatoes and finally another layer of the group. the last layer was cheese and then I poured on the milk mixture. I baked it for about 30 minutes at 375 with a topping of foil. I took off the foil and broiled the pan for another 10 minutes.
They were the best scalloped potatoes that I have ever made.
We also made up the two artichokes that Mikie brought over. We were trying to remember the last time we had artichokes and its got to be a couple of years.
: ) Pat
Monday, March 24, 2008
Grandpa on Crystal Springs RSV
On top of Grand Mesa, the largest flat toped mesa in the world near Grand Junction Colorado, is Mesa Lakes. sitting on land that once held a fantastic summer lodge with horse corrals and riding trails, a series of lakes dot the landscape. Each one has its own personality and its own reputation with our family.
The one that is most obvious from the lodge is Little Beaver lake. Usually there is a beaver colony that works this like, chewing off aspen logs and carrying them over to a water surrounded home. It is not a big lake. It aways has had fish jumping on the surface of the lake. That makes us pretty excited.
In some years the underwater plants get an upper had and the fishery is robbed of its oxygen. Fishing is slow in these years. The scenery is always worth it however.
When I was about 12. Dad got a good fly rod and he casted 40 feet off the embankment on every cast he caught a 12 incher. The embankment was great because you didn't have to worry about the backcast with your flyline. The rest of the fisherman around the lake kept saying.. look he's got another one. Their florescent cheese balls were not producing. We have always fished with flies.
Those days are gone. They do not stock that little lake like they used to. The lodge tries to have some dinner service but in the past few years its been shaky. I think the liability of horses has confined the horses for rent to the ones you bring up yourselves.
It is still a great place to go fishing. It is close to Grand Junction. It is a real cool off spot when the heat gets oppressive in the Grand Valley.
So why do I have the title that I have at the top of this Blog? I am making a big watercolor of Granpa fishing on Crystal Springs Lake (One of the Mesa Lakes0, Mom took the photo that I am working from. It is a photo of the reflections of the trees on the little lake. there is not much blue in it. The trees are mostly yellows and yellow browns with an occasional evergreen reflecting. I have a yellow ochre wash on a full sheet. I have been painting tree reflections all day. I hope that it will be a successful painting.
Bob and Mikie are back in Palidade getting their house ready for the spring. Its still cold and there are huge amounts of snow coving the lakes.
Love
Pat
The one that is most obvious from the lodge is Little Beaver lake. Usually there is a beaver colony that works this like, chewing off aspen logs and carrying them over to a water surrounded home. It is not a big lake. It aways has had fish jumping on the surface of the lake. That makes us pretty excited.
In some years the underwater plants get an upper had and the fishery is robbed of its oxygen. Fishing is slow in these years. The scenery is always worth it however.
When I was about 12. Dad got a good fly rod and he casted 40 feet off the embankment on every cast he caught a 12 incher. The embankment was great because you didn't have to worry about the backcast with your flyline. The rest of the fisherman around the lake kept saying.. look he's got another one. Their florescent cheese balls were not producing. We have always fished with flies.
Those days are gone. They do not stock that little lake like they used to. The lodge tries to have some dinner service but in the past few years its been shaky. I think the liability of horses has confined the horses for rent to the ones you bring up yourselves.
It is still a great place to go fishing. It is close to Grand Junction. It is a real cool off spot when the heat gets oppressive in the Grand Valley.
So why do I have the title that I have at the top of this Blog? I am making a big watercolor of Granpa fishing on Crystal Springs Lake (One of the Mesa Lakes0, Mom took the photo that I am working from. It is a photo of the reflections of the trees on the little lake. there is not much blue in it. The trees are mostly yellows and yellow browns with an occasional evergreen reflecting. I have a yellow ochre wash on a full sheet. I have been painting tree reflections all day. I hope that it will be a successful painting.
Bob and Mikie are back in Palidade getting their house ready for the spring. Its still cold and there are huge amounts of snow coving the lakes.
Love
Pat
A Thousand Acres-- Jane Smiley
I just completed reading the Pulitzer Prize Winner for 1992. It is entitled "A Thousand Acres." It is about a family and its large farm in Iowa. The main crops grown on the soil are corn and beans. They raise a few pigs. Their expansion of the pig farm eventually does them in. Timing is a big factor in farming. They were delayed this expansion of the division of property and its control.
Loosely built around the plot of King Lear, this novel covers the tragedies of the three daughters that grow up on the farm. The father without sons decides in a drunken state to will over his farm to his daughters. Caroline the youngest daughter who does not live on the farm, escaped to the big city to become a lawyer. She had doubts about the split and the reasons behind the split. The interaction of the daughters with each other and their respective husbands and the neighbors is what this novel is all about. The other issues covered in this book are child abuse, farm expansion, and division of inheritance.
It is a well written book. It is written in first person narrative. The voice is of the less forward of the three sisters. It is also a slice of the post Viet Nam era from the perspective of the family owned farm.
The sad part is that it is as Dad always says penny dreadfuls. These women face dreadful circumstances, many of which are not their own doing, throughout the book. The women are very different from each other. They are married to very different men. They must work together as a family group for the farm to succeed.
The good part of this novel is that the narrator stays in character throughout. It is an interesting story. It is well crafted. It is not as detailed at the Annie Proulx's shipping News.
I hope you are reading a good book.
Love
Pat
Loosely built around the plot of King Lear, this novel covers the tragedies of the three daughters that grow up on the farm. The father without sons decides in a drunken state to will over his farm to his daughters. Caroline the youngest daughter who does not live on the farm, escaped to the big city to become a lawyer. She had doubts about the split and the reasons behind the split. The interaction of the daughters with each other and their respective husbands and the neighbors is what this novel is all about. The other issues covered in this book are child abuse, farm expansion, and division of inheritance.
It is a well written book. It is written in first person narrative. The voice is of the less forward of the three sisters. It is also a slice of the post Viet Nam era from the perspective of the family owned farm.
The sad part is that it is as Dad always says penny dreadfuls. These women face dreadful circumstances, many of which are not their own doing, throughout the book. The women are very different from each other. They are married to very different men. They must work together as a family group for the farm to succeed.
The good part of this novel is that the narrator stays in character throughout. It is an interesting story. It is well crafted. It is not as detailed at the Annie Proulx's shipping News.
I hope you are reading a good book.
Love
Pat
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter at Mom's and Dad's
After debating back and forth whether we should go to the Easter celebration. I decided to go.. just 2 hours over to Morgan Hill.
Acacia flew in early this morning on virgin air.. yes, she loved it. Cammie and Dominic were there and enjoyed the festivities. Mom made a wonderful Cook ham and didn't over sweeten it with a bunch of gunk.
Kelly and Reza arrived and had a good conversational time with us. Reza's news.. his parents are in the process of getting some visas to come see them.. maybe this summer. We had some great pies and cakes. Cammie got a fondue fountain going and had chocolate covered everything.
Bob and Mikie Sue were there for a short period of time before being scooped up and headed to the SF airport by M Lopez for a trip to Salt Lake City.. and a rental car to Grand Junction.
My leg is doing better but Mom and Kelly suggest that I go back in tomorrow and get another shot at a shot.
Dad's new computer is a gasser.
Sue stayed at home for this trip. This week is particularly hard for her because it is the week she lost both of her parents (over three years)
Next week I have off. So we are looking forward to seeing the Heather girl and the Linzi girl.
Take care
Pat
Acacia flew in early this morning on virgin air.. yes, she loved it. Cammie and Dominic were there and enjoyed the festivities. Mom made a wonderful Cook ham and didn't over sweeten it with a bunch of gunk.
Kelly and Reza arrived and had a good conversational time with us. Reza's news.. his parents are in the process of getting some visas to come see them.. maybe this summer. We had some great pies and cakes. Cammie got a fondue fountain going and had chocolate covered everything.
Bob and Mikie Sue were there for a short period of time before being scooped up and headed to the SF airport by M Lopez for a trip to Salt Lake City.. and a rental car to Grand Junction.
My leg is doing better but Mom and Kelly suggest that I go back in tomorrow and get another shot at a shot.
Dad's new computer is a gasser.
Sue stayed at home for this trip. This week is particularly hard for her because it is the week she lost both of her parents (over three years)
Next week I have off. So we are looking forward to seeing the Heather girl and the Linzi girl.
Take care
Pat
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Shots are working!
I got a shot of something like Kflex for two days and row and some sulfa oriented pills to take. It really seems to be working. If the pills don't make it I will be back at the Dr.s office. We are testing my thinking about the allergies because they antibiotics that I think that I am allergic to are far and away the best meds for this job. I have some benedryl on hand to make sure if I have a rash it won 't compound the issue.
Last night I hooked up the TV in the bedroom to a 29 dollar DVD player.. still not satellite.. I bought Legend at my local store and watched it. OMG.. will Smith plays himself. Its a futuristic movie with a huge fright factor. I was glad I watched it on DVD rather than in the movie theater. The setting is a time in the future when a discovery of curing all cancer goes array.
I bought two TVs since we have three hookups. I needed to have a TV at each hookup spot or pay 150 dollars for each one not activated. Luck would have it that the bonus money for using the costco AMex card equalled 300. And the Costco exec. Membership bonus was 200.. so we got a TV for the Art room for the cost of the taxes. I had saved enough for the new TV in the Family room.. It is waiting for some help to get it up in place and take down the errant EDTV plasma. It is still a very nice TV except that its power supply is gone and horsing it off its wall is more than a one person proposition.
Costco finally got some more Wiis in. After the fun we had with it at Christmas, I thought I needed to buy one too before they disapeared again.
So we have lots of projects... not the least of which is to free our life from the big blue containers that hold buckets and buckets of vital information and treasures.
This morning I went out to the local farmer's market. I bought some locally produced olive oil from Gustine. The farmer from Le Grand had some huge cabages and some brocoli side pieces (maybe rabbi) and some free range eggs with extra omega 3, flax. some of the eggs were blue. Also they had some blackberry honey. Its their strongest.. yum. I went home and made Susie some french toast with real French bread.
I am setting out the new pomegranate tree today. It looks vibrant. Still digging the hole is a multi session accomplishment. I am glad that I can take a break and come in and blog a little.
Boy this blog has been all over the place.. Maybe because I am finally feeling better after three weeks of being down.
I hope you have a successful Saturday morning.
Love
Pat
Last night I hooked up the TV in the bedroom to a 29 dollar DVD player.. still not satellite.. I bought Legend at my local store and watched it. OMG.. will Smith plays himself. Its a futuristic movie with a huge fright factor. I was glad I watched it on DVD rather than in the movie theater. The setting is a time in the future when a discovery of curing all cancer goes array.
I bought two TVs since we have three hookups. I needed to have a TV at each hookup spot or pay 150 dollars for each one not activated. Luck would have it that the bonus money for using the costco AMex card equalled 300. And the Costco exec. Membership bonus was 200.. so we got a TV for the Art room for the cost of the taxes. I had saved enough for the new TV in the Family room.. It is waiting for some help to get it up in place and take down the errant EDTV plasma. It is still a very nice TV except that its power supply is gone and horsing it off its wall is more than a one person proposition.
Costco finally got some more Wiis in. After the fun we had with it at Christmas, I thought I needed to buy one too before they disapeared again.
So we have lots of projects... not the least of which is to free our life from the big blue containers that hold buckets and buckets of vital information and treasures.
This morning I went out to the local farmer's market. I bought some locally produced olive oil from Gustine. The farmer from Le Grand had some huge cabages and some brocoli side pieces (maybe rabbi) and some free range eggs with extra omega 3, flax. some of the eggs were blue. Also they had some blackberry honey. Its their strongest.. yum. I went home and made Susie some french toast with real French bread.
I am setting out the new pomegranate tree today. It looks vibrant. Still digging the hole is a multi session accomplishment. I am glad that I can take a break and come in and blog a little.
Boy this blog has been all over the place.. Maybe because I am finally feeling better after three weeks of being down.
I hope you have a successful Saturday morning.
Love
Pat
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Dr. Visit Not Good
The Doctor today took one look at my leg and said that he needed to spend the time working on my leg instead of giving me the physical that was planned.. this was after be blood work was taken last week and a EKG was taken today.
He decided that this cellulites should have been done by now.. so he inquired about the reations that I had in the past on penicillin clones and decided that it was worth giving me a shot of something like kflex.. a penicillin clone that is a little different.
I also need to spend some more time off of it.
Already it seems to be working better.
Love
Pat
He decided that this cellulites should have been done by now.. so he inquired about the reations that I had in the past on penicillin clones and decided that it was worth giving me a shot of something like kflex.. a penicillin clone that is a little different.
I also need to spend some more time off of it.
Already it seems to be working better.
Love
Pat
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Downloading Aretha and Pearl
I started using my emusic ration last night. I get 90 tracks to download each month for 19.85. This month's selections are from Aretha Franklin... "Best of Aretha Franklin" and Pearl Bailey, and Friends.
Pearl Bailey has so many classic songs from the 40-60s. Like "That old Black Magic" and "When Sunny gets blue."
Aretha Franklin won so many Grammies (only one female singer won more. Alison Krauss) they called the female RnB the Aretha award. From I say a little prayer for you" to "Respect" was there. I looked here up in Wikipeda and bought her other number 1 on the Billboards 100 where she sang with George Michaels in 80's "I knew you were waiting for Me". I had to order it off of ITunes. It is so nice to be able to use ITunes to pull up a particular song and only pay 99 cents for it.
Even in the late 60's a 45 RPM single (it had 2 sides with a total of 2 songs on it cost 1.50. In todays money that would be about 7 dollars.
Leg is doing much better. No pain pills last night!
Take care
Pat
Pearl Bailey has so many classic songs from the 40-60s. Like "That old Black Magic" and "When Sunny gets blue."
Aretha Franklin won so many Grammies (only one female singer won more. Alison Krauss) they called the female RnB the Aretha award. From I say a little prayer for you" to "Respect" was there. I looked here up in Wikipeda and bought her other number 1 on the Billboards 100 where she sang with George Michaels in 80's "I knew you were waiting for Me". I had to order it off of ITunes. It is so nice to be able to use ITunes to pull up a particular song and only pay 99 cents for it.
Even in the late 60's a 45 RPM single (it had 2 sides with a total of 2 songs on it cost 1.50. In todays money that would be about 7 dollars.
Leg is doing much better. No pain pills last night!
Take care
Pat
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
August Rush
The beginning of this movie is a little hard to follow. The viewer is a little unsure of the origins of the kid, the rock star or the cello player.
It all comes together in its own glorious rhythm as the characters try to find each other as their unique since of music is not embraced by their immediate peers. They are all geniuses. Robin Williams plays the bad guy, street hustler pimp who recognizes the boy as the source of some pretty awesome cash down the road.
The highlight of the movie is in the end with the concert at Central Park.
This one left tears of joy in my eyes and is an incredible cinematic experience even on the smaller screen. It has a significant indi feel, even with some well known actors in it.
Be patient with the beginning and enjoy the ending... Now in DVD
Love
Pat
It all comes together in its own glorious rhythm as the characters try to find each other as their unique since of music is not embraced by their immediate peers. They are all geniuses. Robin Williams plays the bad guy, street hustler pimp who recognizes the boy as the source of some pretty awesome cash down the road.
The highlight of the movie is in the end with the concert at Central Park.
This one left tears of joy in my eyes and is an incredible cinematic experience even on the smaller screen. It has a significant indi feel, even with some well known actors in it.
Be patient with the beginning and enjoy the ending... Now in DVD
Love
Pat
Pork Enchiladas
The can said mild.
I bought some beautiful blue corn tortillas handmade in Sacramento. They are nice thick ones. Should have been great.
I carved off the meat from the pork baby back ribs that I baked in a new carne asada liquid marinade that I bought at costco. Sue prefers them regular rather than the overnight marinade in the chili citrus sauce.
So I shaved up the cheese and opened the can and made some enchilades out of the materials. They cooked and cooked and when they were good and dry and crispy the mild had cooked out of them and what was left was definitely on the hot side. Too hot to eat was the verdict from my dear wife. She actually asked for the reheating of the leftovers from the night before (the corned beef and cabbage meal) for her major meal yesterday.
Bob dropped by to pickup up a coat the Mikie accidently left at our house. He wasn't interested in pork enchilides either.. But.. this morning they made a great wake me up breakfast.
I guess it was one of those meals that was just waiting for the right occasion.
Have a great Tuesday.
Love
Pat
I bought some beautiful blue corn tortillas handmade in Sacramento. They are nice thick ones. Should have been great.
I carved off the meat from the pork baby back ribs that I baked in a new carne asada liquid marinade that I bought at costco. Sue prefers them regular rather than the overnight marinade in the chili citrus sauce.
So I shaved up the cheese and opened the can and made some enchilades out of the materials. They cooked and cooked and when they were good and dry and crispy the mild had cooked out of them and what was left was definitely on the hot side. Too hot to eat was the verdict from my dear wife. She actually asked for the reheating of the leftovers from the night before (the corned beef and cabbage meal) for her major meal yesterday.
Bob dropped by to pickup up a coat the Mikie accidently left at our house. He wasn't interested in pork enchilides either.. But.. this morning they made a great wake me up breakfast.
I guess it was one of those meals that was just waiting for the right occasion.
Have a great Tuesday.
Love
Pat
Sunday, March 16, 2008
First Stawberries of the Season
While mom was over she pinned up a couple of very ripe strawberry baskets, Today I bought some vanilla bean ice cream and some little berry cups.. yum.. Its the quintessential Spring dessert.
We usually have great strawberries. I think that they are at least a month away, especially considering the wind is blowing and its really cool.
I have finished the "Basilica" a wonderful book about the building up St. Peters in Rome. It details the politics of the popes that were instrumental in building such an enormous place of worship. It went through many changes.
We were so fortunate to see it on our Rome journey Christmas of 2001. We were hosted by my best friend in high school, Francisco. Sue was most impressed by the pieta and of course the Sistine Chapel.
Hope you have a great week
Pat
We usually have great strawberries. I think that they are at least a month away, especially considering the wind is blowing and its really cool.
I have finished the "Basilica" a wonderful book about the building up St. Peters in Rome. It details the politics of the popes that were instrumental in building such an enormous place of worship. It went through many changes.
We were so fortunate to see it on our Rome journey Christmas of 2001. We were hosted by my best friend in high school, Francisco. Sue was most impressed by the pieta and of course the Sistine Chapel.
Hope you have a great week
Pat
Corned Beef and Cabbage Sunday
Monday is St. Pat's Day!
This family tires to do a corned beef and Cabbage Meal during this time. Today I made one for Sue and myself.
It used to be a cheap meal. It is not now. Mom says don't mess with the brisket it you can help it.. Corned beef Round makes a better less fatty meal. Mom is right. Corned round from Greely Colorado is now 3.50 a pound. But oh my what a meal.
I simmered it for 4 hours. I added the potatoes in the last 1/2 hour. I added the carrots in the last 20 minutes and the cabbage in the last 10 minutes. Yum Yum.. everything was perfect. There will even be some leftovers.
This is really not the Irish dinner tradition that comes from the old country, It is Irish American tradition. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's day. Tomorrow is red hash day where the corned beef and the potatoes and cabbage become the hash of the day. Copped and refried with eggs to accompany it. Some in our family prefer this to the original.
My earliest memory of St. Pat's day occurred when I was in the first grade. I came home for lunch and mom had colored the tuna fish casserole green. Green tuna fish was not the most appetizing dish in the world, but she certainly got points for creativity. I also remember going to a San Francisco Saints basketball game on the St. Pat's weekend. At halftime I looked out the window and I saw part of the St. Pat's parade as it rounded Civic Center (where the basketball game was played) and headed down Market Street. There were lots of green cars and small groups marching in line.
St. Pat's day is always green in Northern California. There is a serious hint that Winter is sill not that far away. Usually in the form a a blustery windy day. Today is not an exception.
Ps. leg looking better.
Love Pat
This family tires to do a corned beef and Cabbage Meal during this time. Today I made one for Sue and myself.
It used to be a cheap meal. It is not now. Mom says don't mess with the brisket it you can help it.. Corned beef Round makes a better less fatty meal. Mom is right. Corned round from Greely Colorado is now 3.50 a pound. But oh my what a meal.
I simmered it for 4 hours. I added the potatoes in the last 1/2 hour. I added the carrots in the last 20 minutes and the cabbage in the last 10 minutes. Yum Yum.. everything was perfect. There will even be some leftovers.
This is really not the Irish dinner tradition that comes from the old country, It is Irish American tradition. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's day. Tomorrow is red hash day where the corned beef and the potatoes and cabbage become the hash of the day. Copped and refried with eggs to accompany it. Some in our family prefer this to the original.
My earliest memory of St. Pat's day occurred when I was in the first grade. I came home for lunch and mom had colored the tuna fish casserole green. Green tuna fish was not the most appetizing dish in the world, but she certainly got points for creativity. I also remember going to a San Francisco Saints basketball game on the St. Pat's weekend. At halftime I looked out the window and I saw part of the St. Pat's parade as it rounded Civic Center (where the basketball game was played) and headed down Market Street. There were lots of green cars and small groups marching in line.
St. Pat's day is always green in Northern California. There is a serious hint that Winter is sill not that far away. Usually in the form a a blustery windy day. Today is not an exception.
Ps. leg looking better.
Love Pat
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Visitors, Workers
Mom and Dad and Mikie arrived today to have a look at the leg themselves. Mom put some aloeVera on it to keep it from cracking and Mikie bought me some new socks that will take the pressure off the area.
While they were here, Mikie and Dad put up two sets of drapes. Mom cleaned up the kitchen and cut up the strawberries. We all ate at home town. I spent the whole time on the kitchen couch with my foot up.
Mikie let me drive her new to her volvo SuV.. some slick machine.
The cats headed for the hinterland. They are all recovered now that they went home.
Its was good to see them.
Suzie is doing better. She got out and did the shopping trip with the girls.. overall everything is better.
I am going to get off my feet again so that the pills can do their jobs..
Love
Pat
While they were here, Mikie and Dad put up two sets of drapes. Mom cleaned up the kitchen and cut up the strawberries. We all ate at home town. I spent the whole time on the kitchen couch with my foot up.
Mikie let me drive her new to her volvo SuV.. some slick machine.
The cats headed for the hinterland. They are all recovered now that they went home.
Its was good to see them.
Suzie is doing better. She got out and did the shopping trip with the girls.. overall everything is better.
I am going to get off my feet again so that the pills can do their jobs..
Love
Pat
Friday, March 14, 2008
A Song? A Movie?
When is a movie a song? or a Song a Movie.. I guess when it is called "Once." Once won the academy award for the best song this year. it should have.. it devoted its whole movie to it.. It has just a little plot.. The girl is Russian, the Irish guy is too old.. they don't get it on.. but what a synthesis when the music is put together!
She has these wonderful eyes. She is married with a cute little daughter, living upstairs in a foreign country with a mother that does not speak a word of English. He is scruffy red haired Irishman who fixes Hoovers for a living and gets a penny or two from playing outside.. his own compositions. Its got a making of a fairy tale.. and it almost makes it.. we don't really know what happens in the end. I must be going deaf but I missed most of the lyrics until they were cleaned up in the studio..
I bought it on Ebay.. so if you are family I will get it to you.. if you haven't seen it yet.
: ) Pat
She has these wonderful eyes. She is married with a cute little daughter, living upstairs in a foreign country with a mother that does not speak a word of English. He is scruffy red haired Irishman who fixes Hoovers for a living and gets a penny or two from playing outside.. his own compositions. Its got a making of a fairy tale.. and it almost makes it.. we don't really know what happens in the end. I must be going deaf but I missed most of the lyrics until they were cleaned up in the studio..
I bought it on Ebay.. so if you are family I will get it to you.. if you haven't seen it yet.
: ) Pat
Got Blood
I went in this AM and got more blood taken in anticipation of the full physical for me next Thursday. They did find blood.. just as I told them.. its exactly where it should be but much deeper than you expect.. Kelly should have a smile over this as it was the same line I layed on them up the emergency room at Emmanuel.
I am feeling much better today. I called the school and said that I would be out all of next week too.. (only four days), My neighbor, Clayton has agreed to take my class for the next week too.
I am working at 10 min. shifts. The dishwasher is working away. The lawn is moved. Going to plant the new pomegranate tree today. Also have some fertilizing to do on the lawn and maybe some round up.
Peaches are still in bloom.. so pretty pink. They woulod be worth having in your yard if all they did was bloom.. but come the middle of June into July.. we will have some very nice fruit.
Glad to see that Kelly made it to her residency in Phoenix. I am so proud of her accomplishment.
Its really good to see some more blogs from Acacia down in SD.. and even Ken Brown going with Kelly to the Pho hut...
I am almost at the end of my 10 minute segment.. so happy Friday everyone,,
Love
Pat
I am feeling much better today. I called the school and said that I would be out all of next week too.. (only four days), My neighbor, Clayton has agreed to take my class for the next week too.
I am working at 10 min. shifts. The dishwasher is working away. The lawn is moved. Going to plant the new pomegranate tree today. Also have some fertilizing to do on the lawn and maybe some round up.
Peaches are still in bloom.. so pretty pink. They woulod be worth having in your yard if all they did was bloom.. but come the middle of June into July.. we will have some very nice fruit.
Glad to see that Kelly made it to her residency in Phoenix. I am so proud of her accomplishment.
Its really good to see some more blogs from Acacia down in SD.. and even Ken Brown going with Kelly to the Pho hut...
I am almost at the end of my 10 minute segment.. so happy Friday everyone,,
Love
Pat
Saturday, March 8, 2008
LInzi Comes .. DeJuVous
Sorry Kelly.. I need to tell the rest of the story.
First Leg is much much better.. tough night as it contracted..
Linzi came on Friday afternoon.. drove me to my apt.. back at Urgent Care.. They looked at it and agreed that it needed more than the pills.. they tried to get some of the infusion of the Lavacyn..yes the hospital had it but would not part with it.. so back up to Turlock.. Emmanual emmergancy was empty when we arrived.. they shot us in to see a Dr. right away.. He said that it was continuing to spread.. there were even influences of it as far as 3 inches away.. we would have to get another kind.. okay.. this time I got a water bottle Iv first and then after a 1.5 hour drip we were free to go home.. new antibiotic.. next to the end.. clinimyicyn..
We had dinner.. 1/2 sandwich and soup at Panera..(I had turkey artichoke and Linzi had a smoked chicken tomato sandwich) Sue was happy with the hard rolls we brought home..
Over night it did its trick.. the skin itself looks splotchy in spots and tender.. its not growing and the infection seems to be subsiding..
Linzi made sweet biscuits with berries and cream for breakfast
Thanks all for your concern
Love
Pat
First Leg is much much better.. tough night as it contracted..
Linzi came on Friday afternoon.. drove me to my apt.. back at Urgent Care.. They looked at it and agreed that it needed more than the pills.. they tried to get some of the infusion of the Lavacyn..yes the hospital had it but would not part with it.. so back up to Turlock.. Emmanual emmergancy was empty when we arrived.. they shot us in to see a Dr. right away.. He said that it was continuing to spread.. there were even influences of it as far as 3 inches away.. we would have to get another kind.. okay.. this time I got a water bottle Iv first and then after a 1.5 hour drip we were free to go home.. new antibiotic.. next to the end.. clinimyicyn..
We had dinner.. 1/2 sandwich and soup at Panera..(I had turkey artichoke and Linzi had a smoked chicken tomato sandwich) Sue was happy with the hard rolls we brought home..
Over night it did its trick.. the skin itself looks splotchy in spots and tender.. its not growing and the infection seems to be subsiding..
Linzi made sweet biscuits with berries and cream for breakfast
Thanks all for your concern
Love
Pat
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Celluitus? Got infection of the leg
Wednesday sue looked at my leg. It was looking mean. She said you got to go in to be scene. Regular DR. cannot see me.. too many laser patients. I went to Urgent Care. They identified it as cellulites. It is the infection of a patch of skin cells by Staph. It has grown from just an anklet to 3/4 up to my knee of my leg on the left side.
Kelly arrived to help support the flu symptoms and took one look and got our her marking pen and outlined the area.. to see if it was continuing to grow. It was growing my the hour.
She took me by jeep to Turlock to Emmanuel's emergency. They started me on a Levaquin IV. Then we picked up the pill equivalent on the way through town.
Good news, the flu symptoms have abated. Bad news I fighting for my leg with this new infection. Next appt. Friday 3pm, still no school for me.. next week is iffy.
Love all
Pat
Kelly arrived to help support the flu symptoms and took one look and got our her marking pen and outlined the area.. to see if it was continuing to grow. It was growing my the hour.
She took me by jeep to Turlock to Emmanuel's emergency. They started me on a Levaquin IV. Then we picked up the pill equivalent on the way through town.
Good news, the flu symptoms have abated. Bad news I fighting for my leg with this new infection. Next appt. Friday 3pm, still no school for me.. next week is iffy.
Love all
Pat
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Wednesday Morning and Still not good
The chills have subsided but the headache is still coming on... not enough water. I made dinner for us last night. Those huge tiger shrimp from costco were calling our name. My dear wife had found a half a sack of Hersey almond kisses and was downing them for dinner.. I couldn't take it anymore.. I told her to put them down, as I was going to make dinner. I heard her crumpling up a few more.. oh my.. she had not been off the couch in 24 hours, she is not sitting up... but he dinner brought her up and to the table,,
Low carb spaghetti, tiny bit of bacon, butter and olive oil, onion, microwaved fresh asparagrass in tiny pieces, chopped up juice removed, tomatoes thrown in at the end, She was only able to eat 4 shrimp (they are pretty large). She didn't have any room for her frozen latte from Costco. I am now getting her 5 or six at a time and separating them into smaller cups.
I think that I need two more days and a weekend before I face students again, This flu thing is something else.
Low carb spaghetti, tiny bit of bacon, butter and olive oil, onion, microwaved fresh asparagrass in tiny pieces, chopped up juice removed, tomatoes thrown in at the end, She was only able to eat 4 shrimp (they are pretty large). She didn't have any room for her frozen latte from Costco. I am now getting her 5 or six at a time and separating them into smaller cups.
I think that I need two more days and a weekend before I face students again, This flu thing is something else.
Monday, March 3, 2008
A couple of outstanding AudioBookks
I have been listening to Funny in Farsi. Its about a girl growing up in Southern California and the tremendous struggle she had culturally. There family lived through the Revolution and the hostage taking. Also included is the struggles of her father who is a respected oil refinery expert. The author is reading her book. She has a bouncy style. It was on sale through Auvible.coom for 4.95.
I have been also listening to the number Romance Book at Barnes and Noble. Natural Born Charmer. Its about a quirk spunky gal that gets picked up along the side of the road by a pro football quarterback. She is wearing a beaver suit without its head. They move on to a romance of the old rock star and his wife long since separated who happens to be the quarterback's mother and father. The reader in this one is gifted in changing voices to the men's charaters and well as the various women characters.
On the analog side, I have been reading
The Dissitant the story of a chinnese teacher brought to Southern California to teach at an all girl's school and to produce art work worthy of a show at the end of his tenure.
I hope you are finding good books to read.
Pat
I have been also listening to the number Romance Book at Barnes and Noble. Natural Born Charmer. Its about a quirk spunky gal that gets picked up along the side of the road by a pro football quarterback. She is wearing a beaver suit without its head. They move on to a romance of the old rock star and his wife long since separated who happens to be the quarterback's mother and father. The reader in this one is gifted in changing voices to the men's charaters and well as the various women characters.
On the analog side, I have been reading
The Dissitant the story of a chinnese teacher brought to Southern California to teach at an all girl's school and to produce art work worthy of a show at the end of his tenure.
I hope you are finding good books to read.
Pat
Feeling Better.. Thanks!
Thanks to the supportive comments from all my fans... I am felling better today. I have been watching the clock go around. Taking the motrin at the proper intervals. I haven't eaten since this onset however. Thank goodness for my Ipod audio books. Sometimes you don't even feel like turning the page and following the lines.
We have gone cold turkey the the TV. We gave up the Comcast in January because of the move from the apartment to the house. I have contacted direct TV and they refuse to contact me on the web.. I must have a phone contact... I hate phone contacts. We have a total of three connections in the house. Reading the fine print.. if you order them you have to activate each of the boxes or pay 150 for each box not activated. We currently have only on TV that works. The big one on the wall is having problems with its power supply. It is over three years old, it is not a high def, it is a edef (the same resolution as the non blue ray DVD players. So even if I got it fixed it would not take a HDM cord ya da ya da. After 2 years you are pretty much on your own. This does not make Sue very happy.
The memory for dad's new computer has just arrived! Now I will relabel it and send it over.
Love
Pat
We have gone cold turkey the the TV. We gave up the Comcast in January because of the move from the apartment to the house. I have contacted direct TV and they refuse to contact me on the web.. I must have a phone contact... I hate phone contacts. We have a total of three connections in the house. Reading the fine print.. if you order them you have to activate each of the boxes or pay 150 for each box not activated. We currently have only on TV that works. The big one on the wall is having problems with its power supply. It is over three years old, it is not a high def, it is a edef (the same resolution as the non blue ray DVD players. So even if I got it fixed it would not take a HDM cord ya da ya da. After 2 years you are pretty much on your own. This does not make Sue very happy.
The memory for dad's new computer has just arrived! Now I will relabel it and send it over.
Love
Pat
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Got the Flu
I woke up last night at 1:30. I had the chills so bad that I was rubbing my torso as hard as I could to get warm. So where is the aspirin? After digging thorugh piles of likely candidates I came upon some equate. Then every two hours for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon I was equating... Sue said that I should no into the urgent care and see about it. Luckily there is one nearby. The wait was really short (about 24 minutes). The Armeanin confirmed that I had the flu. It brought back memories of the Mellenium night that Linzi drove me into the emergency. They gave me a new pill and the effects of the flu were minimal after a a day or two. So I have on order the magic pill (take one for each of 5 days). Temperature was 102. She said that adults don't do well with any temperature difference. So I am taking Motrin, drinking lots of liquids and I should be better soon.
Love Pat
Love Pat