Friday, March 15, 2024

Friday's Fare

I don't know what we did to my butt this morning after the shower. I mean we didn't do cancer anything different we actually put new tape on the right side of my buttocks but whatever we did it's made my whole back end a bit sensitive today especially to the way that I'm sitting. So much so that I spent a large part of the day leaning back in my chair to take the weight off of my hips. Of course I've had access to streaming services which helps a lot in that situation. I did go outside once to dump a load of garbage into the dumpster it was so cold I couldn't believe it. Very cold wind was blowing however the sunshine was out and certainly looked nice but I wasn't going to be able to go anywhere and do anything because I'm tending to be a Wist these days. I did work out of my bike for about 35 to 40 minutes well I listen to NPR but that was about the most productive thing I did all day except for the usual making coffee for Melissa this morning. I tried not to think about times that I might be wasting. What was enlightening however with the visit with my sister my BIOS was that my biological father actually died from cancer. I think it's the concert starts with a P but I can't put my name onto it right now. All I know is now I have to really start thinking of seriously getting a colonoscopy soon. I just got to figure out again how to do it. It's just difficult to do if you're single and you can't drive as well as do everything else that you need to do to prep for a colonoscopy. I'm trying to not let this wreck my days but I need to be more adult on this thing and hope and cross my fingers I'm not too late. That would really be a sucker punch. Oh I remember now prostate cancer which is which also took out by adoptive dad. I know it's a real thing and it's dangerous it's all dangerous.


Last night I had to texts before I went to bed of my new relationship with my bio sister which is okay but it's just a lot of contact and then this morning when I got up I noticed there were a couple more texts wishing me a nice day and how did I sleep? I really don't need to have this much texting interference with my regular days. I'm not sure what I'm going to do or if I'm going to do anything maybe it'll curtail on its own it kind of doubt that but we can hope. There's so many lonely people out there who really sometimes I think are hanging on by their fingertips trying to stay sane and they need people to support they've been doing that all I know is can wear a person out sometimes. 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Thursday's thoughts

  Another extremely full day for the old guy. It was coffee social this morning so I didn't have to move so quickly still I had to stay focused on getting dressed so I'd be ready by 9:30 which came along just fine. It wasn't too bad get together this morning I was feeling a little drug out because I didn't sleep very well the night before. No particular reason except maybe I went to bed an hour earlier than usual that could have been it.


I meant my biosis around 11:00 a.m. over at the coffee shop. I was really relieved and quite impressed to find out how good a person she is. 4 years older than I am and looking as rugged as I we seem to have a lot in common. We talked the entire time with no dead silences anywhere and we wandered from the coffee shop over across the street to this little severely Mexican joint. It's one of those places where all the locals go so it's terribly authentic and we got food to share. I guess it was kind of expensive but well worth the time getting to know each other. It's great that she lives not far from me and I think we should be able to spend more time together. She seems to be kind of alone sort of like me and it might be fun to have someone to knock around with. I don't think she really knew quite what to do with me and that's okay she'll learn over time but like I said we seem to hit it off pretty good. We only talked about the other kids minimally and she was able to fill me in on a lot of interesting things about the family that I have of course had no idea about. It's not going to change anything significantly of how I feel about the other bios but at least it feels like I have somebody in the corner with me looking out at the other family weirdos- we're just the weirdos in the corner.


We had quite a long time to visit like I said we never stopped talking the entire time but I had to finally cut loose so I could run back to the apartment get myself a little bit ready then head out for a bus to go to the Independent Living Center for the regular board meeting. Did I say at all of how windy it was today and that's not bad enough it's also cold the wind blew a chili piece of air I had the weird over the hood furry jacket thing the kids got me for Christmas or Father's Day but I was still pretty chilly as I went from block to block catching the bus and then the train. I was also having a challenge keeping my shoes on as usual and luckily finally when I got to the Independent Living Center my buddy Kim was able to put them on so they at least stayed on till I got home pretty much spasms are still pretty significant and I think I'm just barely getting by but that's all right. There soon to be a trauma going on at the Independent Living Center the new director got a notice of probation for mishandling our not being accurate on some funding issues. It was not her fault it was the way she inherited the problems going on with the financial issues of the organization. She took it in stride which I thought was pretty good it's going to be an interesting couple of months until we can get ourselves out of this financial ditch that were in right now as an organization I think we will be able to do it and we'll get along well probably have to do a lot more emergency meetings for the board. I was glad to get out of the meeting finally and luckily due to Daylight Savings time it was quite light and I was able to travel home in the daylight it was just cold and I was glad to get here. Heated up the sauerkraut and hot dogs and watched a little TV to finish out my day. Hopefully tomorrow I can rest up a little bit...

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Nerves!

 I just finished texting one of my biosis, biological sister, about meeting tomorrow for the first time. It's a little strange to me how this is all coming about. I'm not all that interested in developing these relationships as much as the other bios seem to be. Oddly, yesterday I was contacted by yet another sister who had been in contact with a couple years ago and now she's making sounds like she might want to be getting together as well. I don't know how I feel about developing the whole new family relationship especially at this time of my life. I've done the family thing and I'm still doing the family things as much as I can. But there's a whole bunch of Family Folk on this biological family thing and I just don't know how I want to relate to them if at all. There seems to be some kind of tension between some of these folks I don't know very much I just sense it in how they request that I don't share anything they tell me with anybody else like I'm in contact with anybody else that they would know. It's just little things like that that make me feel a little uncomfortable. Now I'm kind of dreading the meet up at the coffee shop across the street from where I live. Now she'll know where I live. I don't need drop-ins and I don't need to be doing major therapy family therapy to a family that I don't know much about at all. I did the Seinfeld thing decided to meet at 11:00 a.m. for coffee and if it looks like it's better than coffee then maybe I could take it to lunch if it looked like it would be halfway worthwhile conversation wise. Luckily later on in the afternoon I have a meeting that I I have to be at so I can always beg off by saying I need to catch the bus down to the Independent Living Center for my March board meeting. And this is true I have a board meeting at 4:00 in the afternoon and I have to make at least one bus transition to get there. So tomorrow is going to be a very busy day. At 9:30 I have coffee social here at the building, 11:00 I'm meeting with the biological sister and at 4:00 I have a board meeting Mid City on the 3300 block. I think I'll be right tired by the time I get done with Thursday.


I really haven't done much today except work out on the arm bike and pretty much hang around the apartment oh, I washed clothes that's right that's always a fundamental project to get through. However, I must admit it's not the task that it used to be now it's just grabbing the basket in dumping on the bed and folding the clothes 23 minutes that's all that much. Thankful for that tasked to be out of the way. It's still pretty early but maybe I can get to bed early for once and read for a longer than usual and be ready for tomorrow's events..

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Red flags

 I've gotten so involved in other things tonight that I put off blogging until late just because I had forgotten so this may not be a long one or the 500 words but I'll try. It's been a busy day no question about it more than I thought. I knew I was going to be out in the elements just because it was assist day. Then I saw there was a storm coming in so of course I knew I would get wet somewhere along the line but not bad. I wore my jacket a red jacket which I thought was Overkill but not really everybody else was wearing their heavy coats too. Anyway got in did my duty yet the private nonprofit then split over and spent time with Taco Time which is my favorite of the day and then I had to go home and hang out for a while for a special meeting of the board of directors for the Independent Living Center. I don't know what's really going on over there and I should have more knowledge about what I'm doing but something strange. I'm surprised we really didn't talk about that much at the special meeting but I was a little worried about the director Holly she seems so fragile I hope she's okay. I sense that she's under a lot of stress and I wish that it was easier for her. She talked about just having an automobile accident and I suppose you totaled a lot of vehicle. I hope she gets settled one way or the other.o


The other thing is beginning to raise a red flag Somewhere In My Mind is that all the sudden two of my blood sisters have come out of the woodwork. Now, I know that's not a great big deal but kind of is at least to me. The one is innocent enough the one I'm having coffee with on Thursday if I remember correctly but the other one doobie out of northern Utah just out of the blue start making contact with me and beginning to ask weird questions or just questions in general not necessarily weird but. Why both of them at the same time now? Like I say it raises some red flags. I don't even know how much I want to be involved with this part of the family my family anyway my blood family you can choose your friends but you can't choose your blood family I suppose you could work the adopted family thing into that too at least with the adopted family you could actually become invisible but with your Bloods once they found you they found you. I certainly have my guard up regarding these folks. I just don't know how much I want to be part of the clan. That's going to have to do it for today I think I might be close to 500 words but I'm not sure but it'll have to do it's late I'm tired and I've still got to do my journal and then hit the sack

Monday, March 11, 2024

Techno storm

I really do think it's odd that tonight when I went to charge my cell phone off my bedside unit for some reason I couldn't get the charger to come on. I think I only had or have 35% on the battery which kind of worries me. This morning when I packed my cell phone into my day pack I noticed it was only about 67% charged and it was on charge all night long supposedly. Now tonight when I went to my tablet to begin my dictation for today's blog entry it's only showing 27% charge. Luckily for me it really does not take much energy to do my dictation however I'm ghosted with a nine feeling that for some reason the charger for my tablet is not working as well as it should be. On the cell phone I tried pulling the connection out of the power strip which I have next to my bed that's got everything I have powered on it of any consequence and plugged it into the wall across the room and picked up immediately saying that it would be totally charged in an hour and a half. I don't really use my phone a lot during the day even when I'm on the bus just scrolling around so if I can get it at least a 95% charge tonight before I turn in I should be okay for tomorrow. But really worries me is that I'm wondering if I'm at the beginning of a tech meltdown- I tend to go through those off and on when all the sudden everything in one particular area of my life tends to fail. This could be a subtle warning that all things Tech in my life might be in question for a short space. Things like my cell phone and my tablet are a pain in the butt when they don't charge but if something happens to my power chair or my power bed then I'm in big trouble I really can be Marooned. So these times I tend to try to be as cautious as possible making sure that everything is topped off electrically that all my power in my chair is up to Snuff as well as my bed. That's all I can do just hope for the best after that.


I just got a message from one of my real blood sisters. I know that sounds weird but it means one of the family I have from the original Mom and Pop gene pool. I have just recently started visiting with her or she started visiting with me and now it looks like we might be communicating on a daily basis. We technically have not met yet physically supposedly this Thursday we're meeting for lunch or coffee or something. She's 4 years older than I am it'll be interested to see how we dovetail if we do it all. I think a lot of this is going to depend on me and how much I'm willing to give. I really do have some feelings about real family versus adopted family but I guess we all have to be aware of where we're from and who we're part of it's just weird..

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Canned Delight!

I blew a perfectly beautiful day on television/movies. I don't apologize I totally enjoyed the experience but I did go out as usual. Sunday and that usually means breakfast with Marc Anthony and the kids but it was just Mark and I this morning and he was a bit later than usual. I was quite pleased with myself because going to bed about the usual time but I forgot about the whole daylight savings time kicking in and so even though I thought it was a good hour getting to bed I was really an hour later and so again it was like after 12:00 a.m. by the time I turn the light out to get some sleep and then I worried about not waking up in time to get dressed to go to the restaurant. Fortunately however I woke up really well about 3:00 a.m. 3:30 I needed to pee but I couldn't well I probably could have but I was caught between peeing and going to sleep for too long and having the pee keep me awake and then I wouldn't be late. I basically stayed awake till it was time to get up.


Following breakfast I asked Marc Anthony if he would assist me in getting some Case Lot Goods at the local market it was the sales and I wanted to get cases of the vegetables I use on a regular basis in my concoction. I'm carrying so many cans these days it kind of wears me out if I had a case being 24 cans that's going to last me quite a while I think. Mark of course was more than a happy to assist and I got everything I needed except the red beans and I usually can get those here at the apartment complex on food box day nobody seems to like him so they're easy pickings other than that I got a case of corn, French cut green beans, tomato diced, I also got a bunch of sliced pickled peppers which should last for a couple of days. I did ask about getting some of the big cans, restaurant style cans, of the pickled peppers that would hold me off quite a while I would think. It did before when I found them in a brand that I didn't necessarily like as much as the ones I used typically now. By the time we got them home and situated in the closet I was getting pretty tired so when Mark left I turned on the big screened and zoned out with my movie selections. Watched a couple good ones I was surprised to find them on Prime. The temperature supposedly got up at the 60 degree mark and I'm sure it would have been okay to be out but I was too tired I was exhausted from the weird sleep schedule hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll have another good day. Clouds are moving in tonight of course should be having Rain by Tuesday again very typical…

Saturday, March 09, 2024

Sunshine Saturday

I was so concerned about my tablet being locked in safe mode that I decided I would go into Best Buy down on 21st South and get it checked out by one of the people down there. It was still kind of chilly this morning and even though my Saturday morning coffee buddy decided not to go to coffee today I felt that I needed to put in my presence anyway just to keep informed and to say that I did something today. I know that's pretty pathetic but that's me so I went to coffee and sat at the table by myself for an hour or so then packed it in came back to the apartment. By then however, the temperature was increasing, the sun was out no clouds and the wind was really minimum so I decided I would check on the bus schedule head into Best Buy and get my tablet looked at. It was a bit chilly, I must admit, waiting for the bus. Had the bus been at the same time it was supposed to be according to the internet schedule I wouldn't have waited very long at all but I almost waited seemed like 20 minutes later than the posted pickup time. I just faced the Sun and tried to think warm thoughts.


Typical as things go when I got to the Best Buy into the desk where they work on little computers and such I was assisted by a lady named Rachel who was really nice. But typically things go- - it kind of got carried away in that sentence- - When Rachel turned on my tablet and looked sure enough there was no sign indicating my system was in safe mode. I'd like to say that I had done something in the repair of this but I doubt it. I just basically turned off the system and frustration and waited to go to Best Buy support. She immediately tuned into the fact that the case that I have tablet in had slid over the volume control and so it was always on which was probably the reason that the tablet kept turning off the volume or sound. I can't believe I didn't see that. Anyway, Rachel indicated that if I just slide the tablet back into the case all the way to the top it should relieve the pressure off that volume key and the tablet should return to normal. I also had her look at the fact that I keep getting messages about how terribly finite my storage space is and then I'm about ready to run out of storage. Well it turns out I have lots of storage as far as things like entries to my tab or my and my writing. I just don't have any room to add any more applications and for the first time I started considering getting another tablet. I like this tablet so much however I don't want to go that route if I don't have to until I have to. Now that it's out of safe mode and I can really dictate freely and swiftly and with a relatively good level of accuracy I don't need another tablet. I did the pricing on the tablet that I would like to have that would have like three times the amount of space for applications or apps then I currently have which allow me a lot more options if I want to get more applications but I don't see that a big deal right now but who knows if I had access to space maybe I might. So, I pretty much accomplished what I went there for and even considered possibly getting another tablet a new tablet but not just yet. I surprised myself in that I almost did get it and I could have done it I don't think with any tragic issues. But since I spent so much this month already I just didn't feel comfortable spending $207 more on a tablet that is new. Maybe I'm cheap but I just don't feel the need to spend more on stuff I don't need right at this point in time but I'm now beginning to seriously think about the concept of more application space..

Friday, March 08, 2024

Friday Thoughts

 


I'm so frustrated I'm back to using the headset and the DragonBar software. Somehow I the tablet which are usually used to dictate my blog on “safe mode” And the machine will not allow me to do a dictation matter what I have tried to do. I have gone to the Internet or direction and of course nothing offered by the Internet seems to work on what I need done. So I'm back to talking and my headset and opening for the best.


The clouds were finally gone today, look like a beautiful day until they got out into it. The temperature should be freezing actually, it was a little above freezing but very uncomfortable Just the same. I didn't want to go out but it was finally time to freshen up the old vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. I used up all my tomatoes and cucumbers were long gone. I was going to have to make it fast over to the market. The trip over was not too bad The construction on the sidewalk but it didn't stop me. But I was glad to finally get into the market. I got my usual list: cucumbers, tomatoes on the vine,Sliced pickled peppers, corn kernel S, tomatoes in the can, green beans, a bottle of orange juice, candy bars usual. 40 bucks worth it doesn't take much anymore. My basket was pretty heavy by the time I started home. Luckily, the basket Was heavy enough that the load Pretty much stayed on my lap. There are a couple moments when going down an incline I was afraid I might lose my load but I survived okay and finally unloaded the Load on the table. It was good Provisions in the apartment and ready for the weekend.


I think the high point of my day – – actually there were 2, what was the call from my friend who now lives in Blackfoot Idaho and the other was based on with my brother,Who Found a flat piece of wood long enough To sit my new big screen making the screen much more safe it was most precarious. We averted a major heart break. Henry, written about this before in my blog. I have known Henry for over 50 years. We met at a Disabled kids camp As many years ago. Later on we met again at University being in the same dormitory actually. Our professional lives merged off and go on Over the years. Now, we are just a couple of fuddy-duddy old guys who get together over phone Every couple of years . It was good to catch up. I wish we lived closer, I wish I could travel to go and visit old friends spend the night of the places. That's not how it goes right now, but who knows…?

Thursday, March 07, 2024

Shower chair fixed

 A deliberately choose not to wear shoes today. Thursday you know that's the day for coffee social and if I'm lucky not having anything else to do today except get through it. I had possibly considered maybe taking in a movie or going to one of the stores in the area and getting some more tomatoes and materials needed for my concoction. However every time I looked outside it just looked gray and uninviting. A perfect day to be without shoes. So following the coffee social this morning I decided I would go ahead and get my wash done since yesterday didn't work out for the clothes washing because I had to leave immediately following getting done with Melissa and heading out for my meeting. I suppose if I had really planned to go somewhere I would have done shoes. As it were it took me a 2 hours if not a shade longer. A time to get the clothes washed. I even took the clothes following the second dry back to the apartment and immediately folded hung up close so at least that was off the table.


I texted my older brother, Carl to see if he'd help me with my shower chair which needed some attention. I'm trying to keep it going until I either get the new Casters in and replace the old Wheels or the chair that I just did the paperwork on hopefully well I'll be enough to get the chair sent to me without further work on my part. I signed the papers and mailed them back into April over at the Independent Living Center. Hopefully, this will be enough and if indeed a chair does come and able to fix the other chair I will have a suitable backup and maybe it's lightweight enough that if I ever had to go somewhere in a vehicle it could be stowed in the back but I don't want to ask for too much. Was totally good to see my brother when he showed up after his work ended about 4:00. He was able to see what was needed then take off for the hardware store for the nuts and bolts and washers he would need to manufacture a screw for the other side of the chair. My brother was as good old self when he came over really excited to help me. We got the shower chair pretty much fixed up. My brother actually sounded excited for me when I told him that we had found a place to get the casters for the shower chair that I've gone ahead and ordered the front wheels. He sort of seemed like he was planning to put the wheels on the chair when they got here. He took the part that needed repaired home with him, to his shop, and did the repair in about half an hour 45 minutes later returned to my apartment and we assembled the shower chair I'm excited now about showering in the morning to see if my feet actually stay on the footrest. I am positive they will. Once again I'm saved by my big brother. Interestingly we talked about items requiring some memory capabilities and I don't know if he's if his is coming up short or I'm not remembering things at all the way that other folks see things. We had quite a discussion about when my older brother went to live with him and his wife back in the middle sixties. This is a hole another entry to the blog. He fixed my shower chair and then was reminded that he was to be at a movie in a few minutes so in a hurry he had to leave. It would have been that way anyway I've got a great big brother and I'll miss him when one of us goes, I think I'll miss him terribly..

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

Board meeting

  To be honest I almost missed my meeting today. I just happen to be checking my calendar the other day and all the sudden I saw that there was a meeting listed for wednesday, today! It was the utaf meeting, a board that I've sat on but seems like forever I'll bet you almost 30 years which is hard to believe totally hard to believe. I think I may have taken a break while I was going through that hole stenosis thing if I was in the hospital but we meet twice a year5 maybe four times a year I'm not sure. But it's always interesting. They provide a pretty decent lunch it used to be hot but now it's just sandwiches but you just have to appreciate what the economics of the new times are and I'm thankful to get the box sandwich. I was a little irritated at this group not necessarily the group itself but the organization I think I went to this organization for a loan or a grant to purchase the new shower chair which I ended up having to go through the Utah Independent Living Center for the device which of course they came in with a much less expensive piece of equipment that I doubt we'll meet the need but they were only going to allow me the $300 some dollars for the $1,300 chair that I wanted to replace the other. I didn't bring it up but when I see all the money we've let go for hearing aids like three and $5,000 Grant I wonder why I only got 300 some bucks. And chances are they weren't even aware of my need because I was going through the Independent Living Center which I guess is the organization you go through when you're working with these guys are one of the organizations. Since I got my problem fairly solved I believe I'm just letting the whole thing drop. I'll be impressed if I were to get the cheaper chair. All right about it when it shows up.


I find it just amazing that I've worked with this group of people for the length of time that I have just blows my mind I mean I am definitely old but I certainly watched these guys grow old. We look pretty decent as a group. I think I look the most hammered as far as that goes with my bizarre feet and weird dress habits I don't even know how to dress anymore as far as appearances at these meetings I should have a costume that I keep that I can dress up to go to these meetings my meeting board meeting costume. One of the members of the group is a retired physical therapist and she just sort of goes crazy every time she sees me. Today she was just super concerned about my right foot which tends to turn under and in. She asked if she could set my foot right which I strongly and quickly agreed to. Is the best my foot had felt all day long. I was kind of surprised because Melissa pretty much set my foot straight before she left I think I just twisted over as the day goes along and my spasms interrupted and I was sitting outside of my chair and my foot box is covered with that squirrely closet does it help my feet stay steady at all. Needless to say I was grateful. It was cold and dark coming home not dark dark but you know storm clouds dark. I just looked forward to coming home shutting the door eating some of my concoction and planning a very humble dinner and watching the Jazz lose again…

Tuesday, March 05, 2024

Time gift

I had a 4-Hour gift today. When I called to see if we had a meeting over at Assist Inc I was told that there would not be a meeting, which is fine with me for some reason I just didn't want to suit up and go all the way down to Salt Lake for the meeting. I wish I had known last evening so I could have tried to do a little more sleep this morning cuz at 4:30 when I woke for the last time I could have used some more sleep. I won't go back to sleep at that point in time just because I'd be afraid of overextending my sleep cycle and not being ready in time to catch the bus. Either way it's okay actually because I was pretty much dressed by the time I called in to find out if we are having a meeting and that's probably just as well. So I figured with my time I would finally make the trip to get a ream of paper for The copier / printer and another bag of rubber bands and just to do some various window shopping or whatever you call it when you look at stuff that you don't plan to buy that you might buy at some point.


The only struggle I had getting dressed today was really two one was button it up my shorts and the other one was getting the shoes on. And I got the shoes on as best as I could but obviously not good enough. I was pretty focused as I got to the market, the superstore just up the street from our apartment complex. I got the paper and I got the rubber bands and I had them balanced on my lap as I rolled around the building looking at various other items and of course my right foot took a spaz and then off came my shoe actually I didn't even know why she was gone until somebody brought it up to me and asked if it was mine of course it was and I graciously accepted the shoe and put it on my lap not knowing quite what to do except perhaps just roll around the rest of the day with the shoe of my lap till I got back home because there was no way I was able to get my shoe on myself especially with all the stuff on that lap and travel pack and hook. Long story short I was looking around must have been looking a little for Lauren because this one lady stopped and asked if she could help me reach something and I said no but I can sense that she was a helper person so I asked her if she would consider putting my shoe on and she said yes. I was elated I tilted back in my chair extended my foot instead of perfect Cinderella prince scenario. She put my shoe on tighten it up really tight and I felt so much better not having to go home with my shoe on my lap with the rest of my materials from the market. I'm not sure what this was about or if I had to be about anything but I sure was uncomfortable for a minute or two. Luckily well I was at the market, the superstore I remember this is where I bought my shoes the first place and sure enough there was still shoes exactly like mine sitting there on the rack waiting for someone like me to come around and purchase again for another couple years…

Monday, March 04, 2024

Ho hum Monday

 It's another Jazz game night which means it's another night that they're probably going to lose. Hate to be such a defeatist but this team is training me well I have to admit that. Not that I dislike the team the team just seems to be floundering right now and that could be with all the deficits plaguing the team but still it's a challenge to watch them play if you want to support them. Snow feel again last night and it was snowing when my home health person came this morning, Melissa. Had the day not been snowing and just cold I'd still doubt if I would have gone anywhere today but I do need to get some more paper for letters and notes and stuff. That will be a rundown to 21st South Office Max and that's not a trip I would take lightly maybe if I went to assist meeting and stopped on the way back that might be a way to go cuz there's that 21st station that I can get off and just buzz across the street.

.

I spent the morning off and on making a refueling my concoction with cucumbers and tomatoes and another can of sliced jalapenos and the juice. I think I have enough now for the week but I still now need to get some replacements another bunch of tomatoes cucumbers and maybe some celery or something belts which is crunchy. A little worried about the tomatoes they seem a little soft but I think as long  I keep the tomatoes n the brine they should stand until I eat them. Perhaps the most important event of my day was getting the last two kids letter off into the mail. Early on I was able to get them signed and folded and stuck in their envelopes and then I just had to get settled after Melissa left and took them down and drop them into the mailbox as well as check my own mail. There's no bad news in the mailbox at least for me that was a good sign. I know this is not quite 500 Words but sometimes there's not 500 Words of information I can scrounge out for a day's time. Maybe tomorrow. I made contact with assist this evening and my person was not there which I thought was a little strange but the first I did visit with seemed to indicate that there would be a meeting tomorrow so I'll act like there is one until I call Andreas to find out yay or nay. So there might be more from tomorrow's challenges then the days. All I can say is the days are getting longer and it feels like it's getting warmer and the snow is not nearly as much the next day as it was the day before..,

Sunday, March 03, 2024

Fluid intake

 I'm just exhausted and I really haven't done anything today to be the exhausted from. I think it's because I woke up at about 3:00 a.m. and knew that I had to be up at 6:00 a.m. in order to have enough time to get ready to go to breakfast with Marc Anthony. I was afraid I might oversleep and be totally late. I think I was still worried about the possibility of getting stuck with my transfer as well. I'm really beginning to have issues with my ability to transfer and I don't know if it's me or if it's the bed or the power chair something's not the same. I don't know how the bed could be different but it seems like it doesn't go up high enough especially for the transfer into the power chair in the mornings. This morning the chair was just about even with the cushion and I made the transfer okay but I wouldn't have had a chance if I didn't have the slick pads to get me over. Then there was the challenge of just getting ready and I was able to do everything in time there's no time for dallying  t hat's f o r  s ure.  But I was totally put together by the time it was to leave even the shoes and I had to do those once or twice. When I got back from them breakfast I finished watching my series on Prime and then watched a couple other movies and part of a basketball game until I got bored with it because the team I wanted to win was losing. And then this evening to watch two Marvel movies. What I found really strange was I intended to sleep through a couple of the movies which was sort of my intention but I felt like I had a fever or something I felt like I was coming down with something. I thought maybe perhaps I wasn't drinking enough fluids for today and I still think that might be the case so I Gluck down a little bit of the orange juice and settle back and watch some more Thor. Eventually I decided to have some dinner of the roast beef I made yesterday with the potatoes and carrot. That was pretty decent and I started feeling better at the same time I don't know why that would be I did stop by and take a couple spoonfuls of my concoction that might have had something to do with it but somehow I needed I think to increase my fluid intake. I never even got to make my bed today. That really never happens and everything smells a little pissy I don't remember pee in the bed seem like I drained everything into the bag as always. But there's a strong urine smell by the bed as well as in the bathroom. Perhaps I didn't ingest enough coffee today maybe that's why I'm so sleepy or the mere fact that I was out going to the restaurant and snow covered sidewalks rattling my teeth cuz it was so rough road. I think the snow will go in the next couple days quite swiftly.


I've decided that I don't have a fever so I don't think I have a bladder infection. I'm about due for one I can tell but I don't think that's what I had today I think mainly was I hadn't ingested enough fluids. I can work on that tomorrow and the week. It's just another Sunday night getting ready for a Monday I'm so thankful to be where I'm at...

Saturday, March 02, 2024

French Cut. Beans

 Once again I had a major mishap transferring from my bed to the power chair this morning. I wanted to make sure I had enough time to be ready so I can get over to the copy shop to meet with my friend Janet. So I got up around 6:00 a.m. but as I was transferring my right leg fell between my bed and my chair. I thought sure I'd close the gap between those two areas are that area last night but my foot and leg got stuck in the crack and I spent the next 20 minutes trying to free my leg so I could skip finish the transfer and get into my chair the right way. I really was a little bit concerned I don't want to have to call the fire people any more than I have to or the resident assistant here in the building both issues detrimental to the longevity of me being as independent as I want to be. Also, in the back of my mind I keep hearing voice of reality indicating that you can't keep transferring forever sooner or later your body's going to give out. I'm in the mode of disbelief right now that this is the time. It was just an error on my part and getting my foot caught. I'll be more careful from his point on. Like I said it took almost a half an hour to free my leg up finally and I was able to do it independently thank goodness I had all my sticks where I could reach him and prop my leg up and pull my leg up and whatever I had to do to eventually get my leg free my leg had to pay the cost however a lot of damage was done to the Shin on my right leg. My skin is really taking a beating another issue I have to be careful about. I wish Melissa was around she gets to put some ointment on my wounds or something. But like I said eventually I was able to free my leg and get on with my morning. I wasn't late getting to the coffee shop even though there was great winds blowing as the next cold front settles in on Taylorsville and Redwood Road.


As always Janet and I had a pretty decent conversation talking about people here at the building and what's we feel is going on to a lot of Apartments. Really seems like many of the apartments are falling apart one way or the other. Lots of mildew and mold and stuff like that and so everyone thinks they're getting sick and just a bit of a trauma psychologically speaking for those who have to live here. I'm happy still with what I've got and I think I just have to be more careful be focused and not be afraid to call in people if I need to. I was able to get Shelley's mail out done today as long as well as Mom Hughes. That leaves just Marc Anthony and Jasmine and since Mark doesn't really care when he gets his and Jasmine- - probably doesn't either - - it's on the road with Jackson traveling I assume they're still in Florida but they may have gone up to North Carolina I don't know but at least I remember that they're on the East Coast south east coast som

ewhere. So they won't need letters until maybe a couple weeks I do have the $10 bills that I stuff in those appropriate envelopes and the most I worry about is Brisa and Denver. And I'll have time either tomorrow or the first of the week to get those letters dictated and mailed. I spent a lot of time today after and a little bit before trying to clean up a little bit around this apartment. I really messed up and let it go to waste. It kept me busy for the rest of the day actually I did stop and watch the series I'm currently involved in Mr and Mrs Smith that's cute rendition on the original game or movie. Following the Jazz's loss tonight I spent time just cleaning things up as well as cleaning out the concoction container which is pretty ugly looking and cutting up some more ingredients actually I just added cans of peppers kernel corn and tomatoes in the can. Just tired too tired to chop up the real Tomatoes as well as the Cucumber so that's going to have to wait till Monday but I have enough concoction with the corn and the peppers and tomatoes and French cut beans to get me through till then and I'm happy about that

Friday, March 01, 2024

March's entrance

 A fairly interesting day though very frustrating at times. It's the warm before the storm, yes, another storm is barreling down on the Wasatch Front promising snow and a Severe temperature drop so I figured if I do anything today I should get ready for possibly being hammered into the apartment for a day or so. It's supposed to be a fast moving storm so not too much to worry about especially this time of year each day equates to more sunlight snow just does not have a chance.


It was such an interesting Friday morning because for one reason or another my home health person, my caregiver, elected to come in and do me at 6:30 in the morning she never comes out early. That would be ideal if she came that way every work day. In fact she came today just a little after 6:00 and I hadn't even had time to shave or get any of the other things I need to have done before she gets here like having the coffee made and the bathroom tidied up a little bit. But it was nice to be done basically by 7:30. She indicated that because she has her child on Friday mornings and the kid has to be somewhere relatively early she's able to come early and get me up and going then return home and finish getting the kid ready for wherever it's going. That works for me kind of extends my weekend a little bit. I spent the morning trying to work on my kid letters to get them out. I would like to have gotten them out today but it just isn't happening. This is part of my frustration. I have one granddaughter who's in Florida this week vacationing with her sisters and boyfriend. So, I don't need to get her litter out anytime soon as far as it being close to the first of the month because after Florida she's going somewhere else for I think a couple days and it eventually will be almost 2 weeks. So then I just had to get the other kids out. All went along fine until it was time to start printing letters and envelopes. I tend to do these all at one time and don't pay attention to the documents as they come out, as I should. Finally I realized when I started looking at some of the letters that they were partially printed and partially faded and partially nothing there at all same with the address is on the envelopes. I was out of ink! Luckily, I had a Backup cartridge and then I have the issue of putting the new cartridge in the printer. I don't want to risk messing up the installation and wasting the whole cartridge of ink as well as the printer sits on the top shelf on the same level as the big screen TV and I don't want to chance pushing it off the edge, the big screen TV. So as contacting my son to see if he'd come in and help but then I realized I need to give it a shot before I start doing that which I did and it worked! The other issue was even before I started printing for some reason I couldn't get the printer to work no matter what I did it just wasn't seeming to work I finally turn the system on and off completely and I don't know if that did anything but eventually I started getting items printed and after a couple hours I got that finished. I'm going to try to get the letters to the people who are at home this week and then later on get the letters to The Travelers. And again, I don't think the people even really read the letters very closely but that's okay at least I do it which is important to me..

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Leap Day!

I really had a hankering for roast beef the last couple of weeks. I don't know what it is but I just can't seem to get enough of the protein. So with that in mind following the weekly coffee social I decided I would take a bus trip down south to the lucky store around 6800 South Redwood Road and see what they are offering for beef roasts. I really go to this place called Lucky's it's a nice looking place and relatively new and I'm always impressed at their mail out advertisements that come in my box weekly. They really seem to have better prices than a lot of the other joints around the area so with that in mind I want to see what they would offer as far as chuck roast goes. The last roast I purchased I threw half away because I bought it way too large and it sort of went bad before I could finish eating it. This of course wasn't expensive lesson and I hopefully won't have to experience it again. The other roast I think was a rump roast with much more meat than the Chuck roast variety.


As I said the day was much warmer than the last couple of days and a lot of that's because the storms coming and there's a lot of wind blowing in from the south as the front pushes in. So even though it was a bit warmer the day was still cool enough that I had to wear my Hood from Christmas. I was glad that I did. I had a pretty good ride down it's about drop off point at 6800 South I grabbed a lunch while I was down there from an  Asian fast food joint. It wasn't the best Asian I've had after all it's just fast food but it was good enough I had beef and broccoli over noodles which was pretty decent again I don't know if it was worth the 10 bucks but you got to pay the piper if you're going to be in the dance. Lucky's advertises itself as a wholesale price venue which it probably is as I zoomed around the facility looking at different prices it was a little bit cheaper than the other places I don't know if it's enough to go out of my way to shop there anymore. The beef looked good All Things Considered and I was able to get a smaller cut of roast this time so it should take long to cook it all maybe enough to get me through S weekend should be fun I'm looking forward to it.


It's leap day many places are probably having Sadie Hawkins day dances and such. I appreciate the extra day of the month to get my kid letters Out even though I won't get them out tomorrow as I was hoping. That is a large part my fault I agree. The letters will go out and it's okay it's not like Jasmine's going to really know because she's in Florida right now for how long I don't really remember but she's on quite a trip that's for sure so she won't even see him till the middle of the month anyway if at all. The first of the month just gives me a great Target to shoot for it feels like I'm getting something done and doing something good. Who knows maybe the best part is the 10 bucks I'm sending to most of the grandkids. At least that's something to look forward to

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Time management

Everything takes time it's a sad but true element of this reality in which I live. If I want to do something during the day something's going to have to suffer, whether I like it or not. Today it's just getting to my writing which is now middle of the evening. I should have done much earlier but this is one of those days for I jump the bus and went for a ride. It's not that I did it voluntarily I had an appointment down south at my podiatrist to have my toes done. Yes I have a podiatrist and I could haven't done here at the apartment complex if I wanted to go through the hole rig of a row of dealing with volunteer podiatrists if that's what they are. I would just assume go through my benefits from Social Security and whatever else I have that pays for him at a podiatrist even if I have to go out, right a bus then wait for the next bus to get to the toenail cutter. I don't think it's an elitist thing I just get out ride the system and get my toes worked on or any other issues my feet might be having. Usually a fast procedure I can't believe he gets the amount of money he gets paid to do this but it's the office is very close to a super Smith's and if you've ever been in one of those they're a grand store to wander around in and I did that today. If I had a very small snack two chicken legs and four pieces of potato wedges it was all good I enjoyed next time however I would get just a couple chicken strips. But that took a major piece of time out of my day. I was able to get the wash at least collected from the laundry and brought back. One of my kindly Neighbors saw that the machine was done and brought it back but I haven't finished hanging up the clothes yet like I said time. So possibly maybe I will work on hanging up the rest of the clothes tonight or maybe I'll do it tomorrow before coffee group. If I'm lucky I might be able to get one letter written tonight. Fortunately February has one extra day in it this year, yes it's leap year, and they'll give me time to finish writing the letters tomorrow and possibly getting them printed and enveloped who knows. As of now I think I just have the coffee group in the morning and then I should have the day free to myself if I don't go anywhere. The day should be fairly decent I mean even today was much warmer than yesterday when I was out on the transit system. My butt was even feeling better today I don't know what that was about but all in all it was a pretty decent day but I'm also paying the price for being out on a decent day by running behind on things I should have had done hours ago

Monday, February 26, 2024

The Talk

It was bound to happen in fact it had to happen it was only a matter of time. I've been dancing around the issue for some time now and this weekend at the Sunday breakfast it finally came out and that was what are we going to do with Dad when it's time for Dad to be gone? I brought up the idea jokingly at first and actually it was pretty light all the way through the discussion I was kind of surprised. For some time there's been some discussion about it might be cremated or am I to be buried and a funeral. Since I'm not going to be around at least in spirit I don't care what the kids do after I'm gone my biggest issue is how is it going to get paid for? And that's what actually brought up the whole idea of dealing with the remains at this week's breakfast. It really is an issue I have found. My two kids really want me to be intured somewhere a physical resting place where they can come and acknowledge my existence. I know there's a billion reasons for not having such things from saving the Earth to not letting the body decompose naturally. Again not that it matters to me. I even came around to Cremation which I never was going to do. Cremation for me was taboo I was raised with the idea that the LDS Church didn't believe in cremation I still hear both versions of the idea. But, Diane pretty much changed my mind on the whole cremation concept and I came around. To my surprise the kids did not want such a thing as I indicated earlier they really want a place to come where my remains are at to do whatever. I don't mind such a thing but such a thing costs money lots of it which I don't have. Even if I did have the money I would be hard-pressed to use it for for a casket and a spot. As it is right now I have a few thousand I guess I could contribute as I got closer to the end and knew I wouldn't need the money for something else. Or maybe look into one of those pay a little bit every month type of a thing and then they finish the whole concept. Anyway, the big point is for the first time I'm really beginning to visit with my kids about my end in this world and how I hope to be part of it to some degree. Sadly unless something major happens if the kids want the whole nine yards they're going to have to put a lot of the bill. Even The Cremation would be a lot more than I would have considered. I know my buddy and I were talking a couple weeks ago and I gave him the idea of donating his body to science I could do that but I don't think they want an old broken up body like mine I should look into it though but even then my guys want something to remember me by and not ashes. was bound to happen in fact it had to happen it was only a matter of time. I've been dancing around the issue for some time now and this weekend at the Sunday breakfast it finally came out and that was what are we going to do with Dad when it's time for Dad to be gone? I brought up the idea jokingly at first and actually it was pretty light all the way through the discussion I was kind of surprised. For some time there's been some discussion about it might be cremated or am I to be buried and a funeral. Since I'm not going to be around at least in spirit I don't care what the kids do after I'm gone my biggest issue is how is it going to get paid for? And that's what actually brought up the whole idea of dealing with the remains at this week's breakfast. It really is an issue I have found. My two kids really want me to be intured somewhere a physical resting place where they can come and acknowledge my existence. I know there's a billion reasons for not having such things from saving the Earth to not letting the body decompose naturally. Again not that it matters to me. I even came around to Cremation which I never was going to do. Cremation for me was taboo I was raised with the idea that the LDS Church didn't believe in cremation I still hear both versions of the idea. But, Diane pretty much changed my mind on the whole cremation concept and I came around. To my surprise the kids did not want such a thing as I indicated earlier they really want a place to come where my remains are at to do whatever. I don't mind such a thing but such a thing costs money lots of it which I don't have. Even if I did have the money I would be hard-pressed to use it for for a casket and a spot. As it is right now I have a few thousand I guess I could contribute as I got closer to the end and knew I wouldn't need the money for something else. Or maybe look into one of those pay a little bit every month type of a thing and then they finish the whole concept. Anyway, the big point is for the first time I'm really beginning to visit with my kids about my end in this world and how I hope to be part of it to some degree. Sadly unless something major happens if the kids want the whole nine yards they're going to have to put a lot of the bill. Even The Cremation would be a lot more than I would have considered. I know my buddy and I were talking a couple weeks ago and I gave him the idea of donating his body to science I could do that but I don't think they want an old broken up body like mine I should look into it though but even then my guys want something to remember me by and not ashes.

Sunday, February 25, 2024

What?

 


It's funny how you don't notice something until you do notice something- I know that sounds crazy but it's true. I thought it's been weird that all the sudden the last year or so I've started noticing more and more ads for hearing aids are hearing aids devices. I didn't pay attention to these but I did notice there was more and more media attention being put to these devices. I noticed for the first time this morning that maybe I should start considering something like that. To be honest I've been somewhat doing major avoidance of these devices as I look around to my friends and notice are sticking in their ears more and more. I mean a lot of people here at the facility slash Apartments have the hearing aids but I just had never ever thought about them for myself. Remember I work on that committee that has assistive technology funding for people with disabilities and I've been griping about how many people have been utilizing our funding for these hearing devices. They're not cheap they're very expensive. I just sort of inwardly smirked that that's something I'm not going to have to worry about. However, this morning I really noticed possibly for the first time- - I mean there have been other times before that I'd sort of considered what was happening but I didn't pay much attention to it- - but this morning I was doing that real senior thing but asking everybody to repeat what they were saying. Luckily I caught myself and not being too obvious….. at least I hope I wasn't too obvious. I think I only asked people to repeat themselves like maybe three times but I can see myself in one of those TV commercials for someone's trying to follow a conversation and they're all just hearing mumbles and stuff. I have been kind of wondering what's the driving force that makes somebody realize the need for a hearing device aside from a y for something who just gets tired of repeating themselves and finally brow beats the guy into getting a hearing examination. I'd like to think I'm hearing just fine and it seems like I am actually except for moments like this morning when I realize I'm asking people to repeat themselves. I soothe Myself by saying that I'm in the public place there's a lot of background noise and that is the reason I can't follow a conversation at the other end of the table. I don't know maybe I'm expecting too much but in the back of my mind it's like I would never be able to hear that or those conversations anyways just too far at the other end of the table. But for the first time I'm willing to play with the idea that maybe just maybe I might need some kind of hearing device. Of course the next big issue would be if I were to get a hearing device or devices I just don't know how I would maintain them and self execute them as far as putting them in and taking them out when needed to be. They really look like they do need a lot of hand function to get things done right. But then again I seem to get by over and over again when the need comes up. I don't think I need the hearing devices yet but I can sure feel the need coming...

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Sunshine Saturday

 I swear I dictated this and posted it sometime earlier today but I don't see any sign of it tonight anywhere so I'm going to do it again real quick. I'm glad I checked the journal that's when I realized that I may not have posted the blog for today but still sort of freaks me out. Anyway I wanted to get to bed somewhere early tonight so I could get up in time for breakfast with Marc Anthony tomorrow and I will it's just going to be a little more difficult to get up because I wasn't able to get to bed earlier enough and it's my own fault. Been watching a little TV and cleaning up a little bit and it's been taking all my time but I would have used to be doing this had I thought I had not already done it. But briefly, it's been a good day sunshine was out and the temperature was nice it was about 55° could actually sit outside if I really really wanted to. I went to breakfast with actually coffee with Janet and then later I crossed the street and picked up some items over at the market which I felt I needed for Sunday as well as the beginning of next week mainly pickled peppers beans and other things I used to put in my concoction and a few items I thought I needed to get through Sunday. Other than that it's been a quiet day. I wish I had some Fantastic Adventures to talk about but I sure didn't. Please that my butt wasn't hurting however and that the cushion I'm in today is much more protective than what I had yesterday and the day before. My Butt is sore tonight but not like it was yesterday and I've been trying to push the filling back as much as I could all day today. Hopefully it'll make a difference. Like I said not much is happening. I could have gone out and done some shopping I'm going to look for a pillow a hugging pillow. I didn't have one last night because I didn't see where Melissa had put it after she made the bed it was just in reach but I didn't know where it was at and I wasn't about to search for it in the middle of the night when I realized the thing was gone. So tonight hopefully we'll see. I hope I'll sleep well. I actually did my own bike about 8:00 tonight which is another weird thing that I hardly ever do is exercise that late but I didn't get around to it today cuz I was sprucing up the apartment a little bit here and there and hey why did you get some sleep so hopefully the half an hour workout will help me sleep tonight at least until early enough to rise and get ready to go across the street for breakfast aside from that was a pretty good Saturday..

Friday, February 23, 2024

Open wide

 


Finally the appointed day for my dental work has come. I don't know if I was excited or just in pain from surviving yesterday's and the day before seating on the cushion that was in backwards in my power chair. I don't know what I was thinking when I had Melissa put me down on it it felt weird at the time but I thought I was just getting used to the chair pet cushion again but in fact I think it was in backwards and it really hurt my butt I thought I was going to die during the night because my cheek on my right side burned I put some medication type stuff on there and that helped a little bit but I think that also kept me a little awake during the night didn't get a lot of sleep I don't do a lot of sleep anymore it seems like. Anyway I finally got up around 6:00 a.m. did the transfer which I was surprised when as well as it did got shaved and ready and she showed up here at 7:00 which is great. Got myself taken care of and dressed and finally got to the dentist office around 10:00 a.m. little bit before. I really do like being over there those people I really like they really treat me good I mean I pay for it that's for sure but still I enjoy hanging out with the guys that's nice.

I

It took a while to get going and stuff but finally they got me in the examination portion and tilted back and got some x-rays taken. Luckily just a little bit of drilling had to take place but I still got a couple shots of Novocaine and a good dose of nitric oxide my favorite reason for going to the dentist. Seem to take a while for Alan to get to work but when he finally did we went through it fairly quickly drilled out the bad parts then filled up my cavity space with whatever he fills it up with and then turn me loose. Almost $200 worth of work fortunately they were good enough to break it up into three payments- - actually I could have done it in one but why put any more pressure on myself that I need to right? Anyway, the day was actually visually beautiful clear skies and almost warm. I toyed with the idea of going over to the market to shop but never got around to it. Every time I thought that I would I found something to keep me here at the apartment or an excuse that I didn't need this I really didn't need that and I can wait a couple days before I got that and so I didn't go anywhere just up to the front a couple times and that was it. I watch the cartoon movie after dinner the first cars motion picture which I liked at least it kept me entertained. I was kind of hungry for dinner because the doc said I couldn't chew anything hard on my right side where the Dentistry went today so I just had a couple of hot dogs for lunch I mean wieners from the package and my concoction and that was kind of it aside from a couple treats here and there. I visited ed with Dave Allen on the text messaging as well as Diane who called me some more issues of people in her life. I listen to them was kind of glad to get back to my movie in the Afternoon News. Hopefully get some sleep tonight we'll see

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Shoeless!




I've kind of been trying to get out of the apartment all day long but today's obstacle is the fact that I cannot get my shoe to stay on my foot. I know this sounds pathetic but it's true. There was a point where I could do this fairly well- - and I could do it now I believe if I really wanted to and there was something I really wanted to go out to do but as it is today's been cold and wet and cloudy and the only thing I really need is something I really don't need. If I could get to the market I would get a box of Ritz crackers a special kind that I have sort of gotten and another staple that has slipped my mind right now. I have the item written on a piece of paper on the table. I would like some more firm grapes but I don't know if that's possible and bottom line is I have a roll of Ritz crackers still and a complete new box of white crackers so I can get by, I still have juice orange juice so I'm okay there really. I'd like to have a backup bottle of juice but I really don't need that till tomorrow or Saturday. I think weather will be better by then anyway and I think tomorrow for instance I could or I will have Melissa put my shoe on herself and she can make sure the shoe is on tight. The problem I'm having with that shoe is that the velcro on the top tie just does not stay fastened when I put the shoe on. Part of it is my grip not being able to forcibly pull the top part to some velcro that will still stick and the other part is that the shoe tends to fall off when it hits my foot pedal. Like I said I used to be able to do this no problem now there is a problem. And if I really wanted to I could go out without a shoe and I don't care what people would say. I just feel more comfortable when I'm completely dressed out in public. I know these are pretty strange words for an exhibitionist maybe I'm just more cautious about my feet then my another parts:-).


Tomorrow's the day! I just got off texting my caregiver who I'm expecting to come expecting to come in expecting to come in early tomorrow morning because I have a 10:00 dental appointment to fix the gaping cavity in my mouth when the filling fell out last week or two weeks ago actually. Fortunately there's been no pain involved and I can't believe I've had to wait this long but hopefully tomorrow it will be done. I don't know how the dentist will make a fill in the stick in there maybe it'll be a two appointment operation but I'll just be glad when it's done that can stop cutting my tongue every time I forget and close my mouth the wrong way. I really don't anticipate much discomfort but then again you never anticipate the unexpected …

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Wash day

 



It's gotten so the most ambitious thing I do on a Wednesday it seems is the wash and really that comprises of putting 3/4 in the slots and pushing the plunger in for the second dry and then throwing everything in the clothes basket and dragging it back to the apartment where I spend the next hour are usually shorter listening to something on NPR and folding clothes. That's right I try to fold all the clothes in the wash which includes hanging the shirts and folding the washcloths. It's not hard work it's just work that has to be done, which is not fun, but it's one of those things that you can get by in life without doing but doing it makes life just a little bit better. I have nothing to support that with it's just a feeling that I get sort of like making your bed every morning even if it's not a good bed making you can tell that the bed's been taken care of one way or the other that's just not a chaotic Mass writhing on the top of a mattress. I also updated my calendar and ordered a few things in on my general maintenance issues. My catheter company calls every month or 6 weeks to see if I need more catheters of course they know that they're going through this ritual/dance and they usually call and I don't pick up the phone if I know it's them and call back a day or two later and act like I'm just major busy guy and how much I appreciate them calling. Today I okayed for the next shipment of my catheters and then asked for a special lubricant in a nice shiny silver envelope which I really like. I mean I really like the shiny silver envelope not necessarily the lubricant cuz I think the lube is all the same just the packaging is different. And I like the silver package better than just the common plastic. I wandered up to the front of the building a couple times well of course I had to to wash clothes but to also check on my mail and to see who was moving around up front. This is many time I actually go up front and people see me and know that I'm actually alive. Now tomorrow is another exception because tomorrow is social coffee group and at least I make an appearance chat a little bit try to enjoy the company of the others and enjoy any if any treats are forthcoming. Sometimes Donuts actually show up but most the times it's just stuff that people bring in from their apartment. A couple times it's been homemade cookies as well as cake. I enjoy those almost as much as the donuts if ever any show up. They could get them every week if they wanted it's just a time thing someone to go out and get them. I know they have the money because I collected every week and it'll turn it into the money person. We have tons of money we can have Donuts every week if we wanted them.


So, once again I'm looking down the barrel of a weekend. It doesn't look like it's going to be too good to be going out and doing stuff just because more rain is forecast. We're quickly getting to that point where I don't have to worry about snow or freezing rain as we get closer and closer to Spring. However, we are certainly getting the atmospheric Rivers plow through more and more which is totally different than what we're used to. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about flooding or anything like that so far and I'm on the first floor water from the roof coming down doesn't get to me it spoils other apartments before that happens thank goodness. I'm going to look for a break in the rain tomorrow or Friday get some provisions and then just hunker down for the weekend again and wait for an early spring..

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Lights out

 Thank goodness I did not have an assist meeting this morning. I don't know whether I would have made it or not. Last night was one of the weirder nights that I've spent in this apartment complex. Last night was a pretty regular night. I didn't get to bed till about 11:00 p.m. my usual time really this gives me time to read and maybe an hour before I turn in for the night. Last night I turned in and was situating myself under my covers to read and it did something and the Lights Went Out. I don't know if I've told you all this before but I have this wooden stand built by occupational therapist at one time that I keep next to my bed and I have a lot of stuff on there. I keep most of my catheter equipment there as well as my other backup materials like bed protectors different kinds of painkillers. One of my nightmare scenarios has been something happening and unplugging the power strip and being trapped in my bed all night are tell whatever I can get somebody in here to help out. It or I have nudged it once or twice before and the whole system's gone down but I've usually been able to put it together again so it functions and I have power to read and operate my bed. Last night I was not so lucky.k


I probably tried for an hour trying to isolate the plug that came undone but for the life of me I could not find it. I had already halfway situated by bed to how I wanted it with my feet up a little bit and my head piece that up a little bit as well. No whatever I did I could not find a power source are the power source to plug my little Woodstock back into. Then I entered into all kinds of weird behaviors of contacting folks on messenger. I messaged both of my caregivers. The one caregiver actually had a green light on her photo but I received no information back from them I also sent a message out to my son hopefully that he might be out running around but I received nothing from him as well. I was basically out of luck I thought about calling my older brother Carl but then you'd have to drive all the way across town and he could have done that they would have done it but I wouldn't have felt very good that way. The time it moved past 12:00 into 1:00 a.m. and I was still laying in bed trying to figure out what I was going to do. I don't know if I've talked about them before but I have a string Off the Wall here it's connected to a notification system to the resident advisor here at the building and I think if the ra does not answer it goes straight to the fire department who then sends out one of their big trucks to find out if there's a problem. I really did not want to go that route I have a theory that they're watching us and if we do that too many times call in somebody like the fire department then we may have to move on. Anyway long story short, I pulled the emergency pull string and sadly I thought nothing happened I pulled it again nothing happened there used to be a light on there that let you know when things are okay somebody has seen the cry for help and sure enough maybe 20 minutes later the ra shows up asking if I need some assistance and I said yes I do and with some coaching was able to get him to plug the power strip into the wall directly. Before I had the power strip stuck into a end of a purple extension cord heavy duty but it seems over the years it's been somewhat precarious and the plugs tend to fall out of the sockets. I've been trying to figure out how to make my electrical devices more secure but after some finagling my friend got the the plug for the light about the bed plugged in and the power strip put it in a place that should be out of the way. I'm going. To figure out a system to where the plug will not come out. Actually the power strips plugged in now out of the way and I think it's safe I don't think I'll have to do anything more to it right now…

  70

President's Day

 I've said it before holidays have their own particular feel just like weekends do. In fact holidays are probably distantly or even closer than that related to weekends it's a change in the flow of time. A day it's different even though all days are the same roughly 24 hours but the feel different and today even though it's President's Day which I think many people question is a real holiday has that feeling at least to me. It's supposed to be a wet day today and possibly the latter part of it will be but the part where I was conscious most of the time was dry and almost nice I think the temperature even got up to 50 today maybe even higher. I was surprised when I got an email from my friend Lori indicating that there's supposed to be a meeting of the friends for lunch today at 11:00. We had to go to Dee's Restaurant as opposed to the coffee shop across the street because the coffee shops always closed on holidays on Sunday which drives me crazy and that's a whole different posting.


My friend, bless her heart, this sometimes a bit traumatic. I think she wanted to have this meeting of myself and another individual who worked at the Independent Living Center the number of years ago to have this bit of a tribute lunch for the director that we worked under, who passed away a few months ago. I didn't necessarily want to do a tribute to Deb but that's a whole another posting also and one that I don't know if I'm ready to make yet or even close. But I felt I need to support my other two friends if they wanted to vent about their separation from Deborah the the director we all worked under for a period of time. This was really a strange lunch to say the least. You got to realize I do not really have a speech impediment per se. I communicate relatively well however both of my friends have cerebral palsy and significant audio involvement so you got to listen closely to hear what they're saying in the best of scenarios and it challenges even greater when you're in public there's a lot of conversations going on as in a restaurant. Added to that one of the friends is quite dramatic and speaks at a very high tone and uses a lot of profanity in this conversation which I'm totally glad that no one can really understand him when he's going off on tangents as he tends to do. Like I said thanks goodness they couldn't understand him when he was ranting about his ex-wife and about how and when he came out as a gay person. I may be just delusional and maybe everybody understood quite well what Ken was ranting about and what he was saying using the f word quite liberally to liven up this conversation. It was a long lunch we talked a long time we even came to some kind of solution which is going to require some more meetings which I think for the next couple months are going to be at this place at the apartment complex. We have a couple rooms on the third floor which might work or just such a meeting. I don't know how I feel about this since one of the big Reasons I'm involved in the conversation is because I'm on the board of directors of the agency they want to bring back into the fold as far as what Independent Living centers should be doing. I'm not going to worry about it now I have enough on my plate to be anxious about and the loose sleepover. Other than that it was a pretty nice day. I cooked the beef tips I purchased the other day and had them with gravy and mashed potatoes tonight for dinner and a couple bites of the jalapeno pepper concoction that I keep in the refrigerator. It was a pretty good day…

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Simple Sunday

I'm pretty sleepy tonight I figured I would be. I woke up and had to drain about 3:30 this a.m. and I really did get back to sleep. I may have gotten another 45 minutes of some kind of sleep but wasn't much before I got up at 6:00 a.m. because it was Sunday breakfast over at the restaurant. Like it or not it takes me a bit to get dressed anymore. I kind of like to give myself 2 hours at least for the 8:00 a.m. breakfast. If I don't screw around I'll lose focus of the time I can actually do it and probably 1 hour but it's very improbable. I would really have to be focused and move quicker than I would like. 2 hours gives me time to drain, shave take my morning medications with juice or whatever I choose and then get dressed. It's the Sunday ritual if I didn't have to put my shoes on the process would even be quicker I could probably do the whole thing in an hour if I needed to. Today, after getting dressed I took my meds, did one or two word puzzles and waited for the clock to turn to a time that I can get to the restaurant on ti

me and not look like I'm over zealous.


, today not only Mark Anthony but the two kids joined us Jasmine and Jackson. This certainly made for a lively discussion at parts and times in the breakfast. I must caution myself always to not be as liberal as I tend to be and try not to be as political as I think the kids would like us to be. I still don't think the kids all of them understand a large part of the political process as well as the discriminatory actions are going on in the community. They're very conservative if they're political at all. I kind of think Jackson is or you understand a lot more then I think the other two might but he has the wisdom, great wisdom for a young man, to stay quiet and help out where he can. This morning he took great pains to butter my flapjacks and I thought that was pretty kind of him. I hardly ever order pancakes cuz you know it's one of the breads that's offered on a regular order and when they demand what bridge you want I figure Flapjacks is best it could be figured into the most options if I were to actually take them home with me. I'm always surprised when they're bringing the Flapjacks out with the order even though I remember ordering them I'm always quite shocked to see the three Pancakes on the plate and thinking how am I going to eat these? The funny thing is is that I do eat them or good portion of them every meal that they show up on. Today I had an omelette which came with three two pieces of bread or pancakes. Jackson covered the pancakes as well as he could with the little bit of butter they afford the pancakers. I like to tear my pancakes up in the strips kind of roll them up and dip them into syrup then eating as fing ger food. The Omelette was not as Gucci as I would have liked it to be but I covered it in green up sauce as much as I could and of course ketchup for the hash browns.


There was a cold wind blowing as I left the restaurant enough that I knew that I would not go out anywhere today being glad I had a good excuse to stay in and watch Netflix all day which I did Shameless to say that I spent the day binging on a series which is pretty stupid. I meant second season and hopefully I should be done with that season tomorrow at some point if I get the chance to do some more binging