Two Birth Days

We had an addition to the family this week. Asher was born to Bridget On Thursday morning or afternoon—I forget all I knew I was getting ready for or had just finishing my broadcast. I remember because I was tied up with my guest when my phone range and Frank took the call and notified me the birth had taken place, I knew the birth was going to happen began Asher was induced because he had been having such a difficult time initiating the birth process. Now, Asher did have a bit of a challenge exiting the womb and he had to twist and turn to make the great escape but he managed and made it. Following work I took the train yo the hospital and was surprised to see Brooks, Bridget's brother standing in the room with the fam. I cannot say I was shocked, it was just natural to see him standing there. Brooks actually took time off from his insurance business in Vancouver and flew to Salt Lake City/Murray to be with his sister and family. This was really a “'Waltons”moment which does not happen all that much with this family but was great to see and experience.

Today Sunday the 29^th of may is also my daughter, Michelle's 29^th birthday. Shelly lives in Oregon, not far from the Washington border. Michelle have given me two very special grand daughters. Michelle, Dustin and the two girls live in the great North West—they're kinda hippies and I think that is cool. Michelle has done very good in establishing herself in her relationship as wife and mom and manager in a manager telecommunication company. Michelle is special in that I have never really had to worry about her. Michelle has always managed to take care of herself and her family i.e. her two younger brothers and she still does time to time. It seems I have never really had easy access to Michelle. There was a short while when she lived in Blackfoot right after she was born that we were neighbors and I saw he daily, and that felt good but not long after the divorce her mom remarried and moved from easy access. For a brief time in her high school years Michelle actually lived with our family in Murray I believe when Michelle was a Junior at Murray high. That was the year of Michelle preforming in Murray choir by day and living on the INTERNET by night. Many times we her the clicking of computer keys, madly into the night behind the door to her room but immediately after graduation Michelle migrated, once again, to the great Northwest.Two bisrh

Two birthdays in may at the end of the month very close to Memorial day. Cards and or presents to get and send,Michelle continues to grow and mature and Asher is starting out. Ashers seems quiet, strong and self assured –I don't know why I feel that way but from holding the lad and watching him the day of his birth makes me feel that way. Happy birthday my special may babies I love and miss you...

Give Me Something with a Kick, Please

I am sitting here at my desk intermittently dozing, trying to stay away but I seem to be loosing the battle.!I am falling asleeep at my desk is I am out of coffee and hat is not completely true. I am out of regular coffee which I usually drink through out the day.

Remember my last post on Friday? Where I was sitting waiting for the phone call from my cousin or who ever is supposedly repairing my van. Guess what the call never came and in fact I was prisoner at my house over the weekend which was not too bad except I did not preform one of my weekend chores and run to the market to get the items we will need for the coming week. I usually pick up coffee for the office, if I need, at this point in time an that point did not happen last week. So this Monday morning in a fit of responsibility I actually left the house early and stopped into the corner Beans and Brew looked over what they had. I knew that what ever I got was going to be expensive but I figured the cost was do able and only had to hold until I could get out to get another can of crude since crude is what I usually use to get me though the day at work. I found some bags in the $2.00 off bin and figured why not? I was still pretty groggy and so was their staff since the time was not yet 6:00 a.m.. So, bought the brew and had the baraista ground the beans and I was on my way. It was later when I was at the office and tearing into the bag of coffee that I saw “DEF” on the bottom of the bag—that was all not green anywhere on the which is always the “flag” to me that the coffee is denuded, defrocked or lacking in kick which is what I needed. Actually I saw this and did a shoulder shrug, there could not be that much of a punch now for as long as I have been drinking coffee at my work, surely I must have built a tolerance to the caffeine's effect long ago and truth be told I did not think the decaf coffee was any different then my regular until Frank asked if I had had a rough night. I said no thinking I had actually had a pretty good night allowing me to rise early enough to pick up the decaf, and asked Frank. His reply was that I was looking pretty rough then later in the day Dianne called and as we chatted she asked if I was tired!! Again, I asked why and she said I sounded exhausted. It was then I did feel more tired then I usually felt .and the only difference was the non “octane”. I coul not believe it. I needed some real java.

So the coffee has been a ow priority for me. I have been trying to get by with my make believe. If I really thought I needed real coffee I would just grind some at home and bring it in and mix with the other. The van was nor ready on Monday and yesterday, Tuesday we got the call the vehicle was done and I even picked the van up on my way home from work, so I could have stopped and got some coffee but I didn't and I brewed another pot of the stuff today but the consequences have been challenging. Tonight I will grind a few beans to get me through tomorrow and then over the holiday weekend I'll pick up some real coffee and we cn then hope for a more alert Tuesday.

The Week that Was

The week of work has finally passed and the weekend has started. I really wanted to write more but the office is actually getting busy with more stress on me to be more active in my job preservation campaign I have admit am getting into the process even though the efforts seem some what counter productive. So,its Friday and I here I sit finished with a lot of the household cores and some of the homework I chose to bring home.

I am home alone, the baby has not been born yet. DD is over babysitting bridge until Gabriel gets home. Yesterday we got the bad news the transmission in the van was gone and we had better get the transmission repaired or we would be out personal transportation. We took the van to the cousins and he got us a deal of $1800.00 and who knows how much more when all is said and done. Luckily it seems like we have a little bit extra but those funds are kind of committed to roof. Nothing ever works out the way one wants. I am sure we will go by. I just hope the van has enough life in it to justify the amount of money we are dumping into the beast. Today is wet and cold, will warm weather really ever return? The weekend looks to have just one day which will be semi-dry and hopefully enjoyable and maybe some drying out of the territory the end of next weekend which is also a holiday weekend.

My butt has finally healed to the point I can stay up all the day without being in pain. I have gone to hslf days at work—which is fine. I surely have the “sick” leave accrued. I have been coming straight home from work and actually going to bed to get the weight off my rear which seems to have worked. Now, to keep the skin break down away, pressure release, pressure release, pressure release. This morning I also contacted my physical therapists and scheduled an appointment for next week where I can further discuss and detail my needs. I need to some solutions done to my power chair will make my life much more bearable, have a closer look at getting a cushion which will give my butt more protection and get some much needed strengthening and stretching. I would eve like a dietary consult with some food ideas for meals which will assist me in some weight loss. If I can get some of these issues addressed now, I should have a much better summer and remainder of the year.

So, now, I am just waiting for a call from the shop to let me know if I will be a prisoner at my home or will I have personal transportation. I could use public transit but it nice to know the van is here if we need it. The van being drivable I also imperative for watching Aunakah if and when her brother arrives.DD terribly wants to be at the hospital and part of the process. In fact I found out from Mark A's face Book that Jasmine had her tonsils adenoids removed and tubes inserted and that is just alright by me.

Thoughts on Being back...

I can never choose a good day to be out of the office. Today I am back after taking yesterday off as a “sick” day and I WAS sick too. Well, not sick “sick” like a running nose sick but sick, like a skin break down sick—some of the weak places on my butt were looking spooky so I figured I had better stay off the butt for a couple of days and Sunday and Monday looked like bad weather days so I figured I would lay around all day and I did but now I am paying—always a payment.

So I did the usual thing that someone does when missing work, I rolled right into the bosses office as soon as she got here to do “the why I was out” speech. I know, I don't need to do this speech but I always feel I have to just to make sure everything is OK—helps me roll easier. What is really cool I how cool of a boss I have. My boss is really one of those world class bosses that you hear about, the mirage boss, one you see off in the distance, chase after but never quite get. My boss asked how I was, is everything OK, should I actually be back to work, and what can she do to assist me takes the steps I need to take to make sure my butts heals up and stays healed so I can not only work but enjoy my life, pain free.

So how cool is this? If I nee to I am going to go on part days, not part time but use my sick leave(which I have large amounts of). So, I would do hal day in the office in the mornings, take and return calls and then book home in the afternoon to get off my butt to let the skin rebuild itself if it well. Next I am going to get hold of my P.T. To see about getting better butt protection for my wheelchair and maybe do some physical therapy which might lo include some weight loss strategies. Actually, I thought I had already do this, I even met with a new P.T. And I was waiting for a response an nothing has happened...so now I am “picking up the ball” and finding out hat has happened and what I need to be doing to make sure something positive happens. If I can get these thing accomplished I can then return my focus on things which are taking place in my office to make sure my position stays round for the near and distant future.

Of interest to note, I got my Galaxy Tablet and the hand held device is quite wonderful as I learn how to use it because the device is actually a small computer system in and of itself. I am trying to with hold judgment and not be disillusioned because I cannot use the system as effectively as I would like, granted a large part of that use was laying in bed with quad hands. I may have, once again, over bought bu we shall see. Right now the hand held is a device that DD and I can both us and seem to enjoy and since I got a special deal from my son we are enjoying he device even more.

Back, once again--

Seriously! I promise to write more this week--I have been down again due to skin issues and this getting old! I have to do something soon.

Feelings

The area I caught in a slow moving storm. A storm which is going to last a couple of days bu then get back to warm Springtime weather. The storm is a wet storm with cooler temps. The temps are not necessarily cold like freezing or sub freezing just wet and uncomfortable and again, I have found being out in the weather is nor so bad as being inside looking out and the inside never warming up. So everything feels slow and I am hard pressed to get in gear and my 'gut' is telling me, I better get in gear and be busy if not at the very least look busy.

The office bean counter was just in my office dropping off the monthly budget summary which tells me just exactly how much money is left in my programs budget. I spent more then anticipated last month and somehow I get the feeling I better beware as I come up to the end of m fiscal year. An though there has been talk about having funding in place for the next year I don't have anything concrete. So, closed door discussions, brisk confrontations and gray days with lots of rain.

Mother's Day One Way or Another

Its raining the nice days of Spring have come and gone and cold front has move in for the rest of today and the first of the week. We just finished a small Mother's Day lunch with BGndA. The event was nice and low effort. We prepared the roast an the kids brought rolls, an vegetables. This event must be placed in the context of BRIDGET being so pregnant that the poor girl could deliver at any second. We ate dinner timing the time of the contractions something definitely seems to be happening. So, now its just a matter of waiting.

Dianne and the girls have gone off shopping. Anakah thinks she needs shoes which was a good enough reason to get out to payless and who know where else. i just Asked Dianne to be home before dark unless our little john doe arrives hen who know wwhen dd will be home.

One day at a Time

It really Is quite remarkable that I throw myself out of my bed,into the shower get dressed and fix me something to eat and get out to the bus stop each morning usually totally independent. This sounds like a small thing but for me, doing all this before 6:00 A.M. IS A BIG DEAL! I love being as independent as I am. I am getting more then a little nervous as I age and loose the ability to take care of myself even just a little. Its happening. I am getting by I just don't know for how long. I am sure I still have years of quasi-independence but I just wonder.

A coupe nights ago I was transferring on to the toilet,or trying to and my arm gave out, just a little, or maybe the chair slipped and I started to slide down between the chair and toilet towards the floor. Luckily, Dd was in the computer room which is next to the bathroom an she was able to run in and push my chair up against the commode blocking my fall and I was able to drag myself back up into my chair saving me from what ever I would have had to do to get back up after the floor: neighbors, brother or sons or worse case emergency responders of one sort or another. It's going to happen and I am going to fall its just a matter of time.

This morning started out great, good night's sleep, shower no problems, even was able to eat some breakfast and then transfer into my power chair and then I felt the urge—you now it gas or something else? I caught myself in time it was something else and I made the decision I had better get on the pot ans see what business I could do, even though I only had about 14 minutes before I had to leave the house if I was going to catch my usual bus to the train station. I made it though, I pulled down my pants and transferred onto the throne just in time. Now, mind you this was all done from my power wheel chair which I rarely do. I was not able to make the transfer back to the chair after my movement and after I cleaned my self up. I called and called for Dianne, finally waking her she was able to assist me in getting back into my chair and getting my pants back up. Dianne ended up driving me to the train station and I was only 10 minutes late for work! It could have been a lot worse. I could have been on the train or at work and had the “ accident” pooparama in the pants. The poopaama has only hit a couple of times and the pooparama is not pretty.

So, I made it today, I feel a little unsettled but I made it. Hopefully the rest of the week will run smoother and I will not feel I am living in a crises. I just don't know how long I can keep this up.

So Long Mrs C-

A couple of days my friend's Tom and John's mom died, Mrs C was a great person and a great mother and a great best friends mom. Best friends moms are kind of special because they often are kinda like your second mom and Mrs.C was. Not that I needed a second mom, my mom as just great. I was just over at the C's so much, Saturday mornings many weeks of the school year my older brother and I would be over at the C's sleeping over Friday night to Saturday mornings. The C's always had bacon and eggs on Saturday morning—we did not eat pork in our family illicit bacon was wonderful. Ms C was always at our ball games and I was little league up to Jr. high.

Many morning I would cross the fields from my house to John's early so I could wait for John to finish getting ready so I could hang in their house and feel a little of their lives. Mrs C always made me welcome—gave me extra ice cream at John's birthday and often kidded round with me.

The C's were a young family kind of or maybe an involved family which was a lot different then mine. They supported thgrade school, jr high, high school and even the college which became the university. They were democrats, I think they genuinely loved people of all kinds. They took care of the grand parents right next door, year round till they died—I was impressed. A lot of this was Mrs C's own doing. I knew this—she was one of those folks who made a difference by just smiling—Mrs C lived a long and good life. I am sure she will rest well. I grieve for the family for their loss. It's just not the same once you be come orphaned.