What To Do Now?

I really did have great hopes for this day and it was a pretty great day all things considered but the way it ended much less than what I anticipated. I was pretty excited when the day started. I think I was so excited I couldn't sleep well. I woke up at 4:15 AM and really did not get back to sleep. I was having lunch today with an old friend of my, a person I work fairly close with during my career as a transit coordinator will wind up in the learning Center. She was the Americans With Disabilities Act ADA person for the local transit authority. She's been retired now for maybe a year to and we never got together actually until today. For a short time earlier this year she began showing up for the DRAC meeting. It was good to see her at these meetings I did not feel so alone – – Sherry, her name is Sherry, Thought a lot like me. However when things started getting bizarre at the DRAC program particularly the recent ADA anniversary event Sherry dropped out. However, Sherry was still interested and have the event and my feelings. We decided to have lunch to discuss this. I chose the restaurant/bakery I had lunch with last week with my 211 peeps.gourmandies.

We have scheduled to meet at 12:30 PM. I got there early, so you have to not to kill I went across the street to the state wine store. I've been looking for a box of wine but when asked the state work looked at me and said “oh, you would want to go to the regularly store for that, we just handle high-end wines here. And to what extent of the greatest of headed over to the bakery. At one point leaving the wine store I drove on the sidewalk and onto the grass. I was quite shocked when also my power chair jolted and I must have drove into a ditch small ditch on the side of the sidewalk covered with grass. It took me a while to drive back on the sidewalk but was able to do so I didn't pay any more attention. I met Sherry we had a great lunch and visited for hours. When it was time to go my power chair began to act strangely. The left drive wheel was somehow lifted up and could barely touch the ground coffee me to sort of go in circles. I couldn't go forward I would not be able to go home!

The days are hot and the is no different. Sherry worked with me as much as she could trying to figure out what was wrong with my chair and what we can do to get it fixed. I called the shop, wheelchair shop and they were essentially worthless. They said that they could certainly my chair out once I got home that was the problem how to get home? Luckily, Sherry still have friends at the transit authority and they sent out an accessible short van to pick me up and drove me all the way home. As you longtime readers know I have a backup chair just for situations like this. I was hoping RafaelCould help me transfer into my backup chair. We were not able to accomplish this and I really felt that Rafael needed get back to work . Rafael, Who was a supervisor, and only cannot save me because it shares history with the authority. Nobody else would they have done something like this for truly saved my bacon. I called my brother, my good old or brotherWho dropped everything and came out and rescued me once again..

I have a love-hate relationship with this chair is too big for me is very uncomfortable. I hope they fix like chair one day. I don't know how long I could stand this chair I have to spend any amount of time in the chair. I would have to cancel bookclub on Thursday they can't get it fixed tomorrow. I suspicion that something happened when I ran on the sidewalk into that whole. I jammed the wheel or something or maybe broke something on the motor. It's already been costly in time. Let's just hope we can get it done by tomorrow evening.

Maybe Tomorrow

I heard something on NPR today that's really rolling around in my brain and I wondered how true the story actually was – – not that I doubt the story, I would not knowingly cast a shadow of question over the reporting . The story was about the need to to hydrate over these hot summer months, actually to hydrate all the time. I was about ready to blow up the whole story when the reporter interviewed a doctor who wrote the aarticle. Among other reasons to hydrate, according to this reporter, was to stay focused and alert. Significant research has been done showing that clarity of thought is dependent on A hydrated the subject is. Of course the doc is touting the old eight glasses a day standard. I have done eight glasses a day, back in my first rehabilitation days. I swear I almost drown. To ingest that much fluid you have to be drinking all the time you're conscience. They are essentially forced to drink two glasses of fluids per meal and then two more glasses of fluids between classes.

Dianne could do that. She was so good at drinking water I was amazed and a bit envious. So if this information is accurate I have a reason explaining all my episodes of forgetfulness, word finding difficulties and who knows what else I can blame my many inadequacies on? I just have to drink more fluids and does not have to be water! This summer and been drinking a lot more water mixed with flavorings I get from the dollar stores – – or what used to be the dollar stores. I have really been trying to force fluids this summer. Some days I do better than others but I have increased my fluid intake but I cannot recognize an uptick of my cognitive abilities just the amount of catheters I use in a day increased.

I was thinking about how many catheters I use, this morning, while in the bathroom at the wheelchair shop. I was late, I was monstrously late because I had scheduled my wheelchair reconditioning to close to my visit from a home health person, Dana. I thought of been so cool and smart when I set the appointment last week – – I could've had any time in the morning for this event but I wanted early in the earliest I could get was 9 AM. Thank God they could not do 8 AM. I totally spaced out that Monday morning is my standard meeting date and time with Dane and it's always at 7 o'clock in the morning. In my defense I almost made it. I would've been very close even with switching buses at the West Jordan transit station but when I got to the transit station I had to wait half an hour before my bus but even depart. I called the soon as I could to let the wheelchair shop now and they were most gracious. Luckily I was carrying a bottle and one half of water. One bottle was from my meeting with DRAC on Wednesday and a bottle of flavored Springwater when just foisted on me Saturday at the food pantry . Usually I just carry the bottled water my backpack until I tire of it and usually given to someone who looks like they need an 8 ounce drink of water or toss it somewhere. I don't drink on the road as a rule just because I live in constant fear of not being able to find a bathroom that's accessible when I need one. I realized that on any of my tripsI rarely have found the restroom I could not use. Especially new construction. Some of the trendy restaurants made from older buildings still cause me problems but usually I'm okay, especially now that I use a catheter exclusively to relieve myself. Still today while I was out I only drank what was left of my bottled water in the DRAC meeting which is just about half. That in the event considering getting into the sparkling water. The sparkling water just seems to special to drink just because it's hot outside. Maybe tomorrow.

"Hi" You Don't Know Me But....

I am fairly sure, I've decided I'm going to make contact with this mysterious family but seems to have found me through no efforts of my own – – that is unless you count Shelley, my daughter lives in Oregon and got the whole ball rolling a number of months ago when she did Ancestry.com. I've written about the process what happened so many going to that further here do your research.

I was contacted by I guess a new sister in law, Carla. This is really awkward to write. Not that it really matters but the sister-in-law is the one who reached out and really made contact with me. I'm kind of getting visions of the wife who gets all involved in her husband's business – – not a bad way but in the way of someone who takes care of that individual on all levels. I am guessing that “sister Carla” is the prime mover for any family functions. I noticed a couple days ago a “friend request” popped up on my Facebook page and it was from Carla. I I should have not been surprised this “Friendship”request was coming. But when the request popped up on my screen, I stopped dead in my tracks. I did not back away from the computer but I sure as hell felt like it. I don't really remember but I'm sure I uttered an (expletive deleted)Statement and just wondered what might really do now?! I must admit I'm a little embarrassed that I think I closed on my screen when off-line for the rest of the night. Then I decided, “what the heck” took a deep breath and hit “accept” on the screen.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting. However I almost immediately realized when you accept a friendship you get access to that individuals page… All of it. So I decided to check out the photos. I don't know if she is what is termed “local culture” i.e. Mormon but she certainly looked the part as did her family and what extended family was pictured. I of course was more interested in her husband my “brother” and I don't even know if I need to put the quotes in anymore. Still for the time being I am using the quotes as of protection – – stupid I know. This is the person that my daughter saw and recognized immediately. I don't see the resemblance except He has a bald head. He also has body type that I feel would be similar to what I have had I not become disabled. I guess is my older brother by just a couple of years. So he would be in his 70s similar to my adopted brothers. (This is so weird and I already am experiencing confusion.) There is also some images posted of other “family members” that have been found by my Sister-in-law. Hopefully, my readers will remember that what has been found Is that my birth mother had quite a habit of dropping kids all over the Northwest. There could be as many as 10 or 11 of us if not more. Interestingly, a couple of family members live in Utah. The closest being my sister-in-law Carla and her husband (my brother) Antonio. That part of the mythology is true there seems to be a very strong Native American/Hispanic lineage going on which is good to finally know. These guys live about an hour south of where I do. I guess the balls my court will have to set up a meeting. I of course will try to meet them halfway at least that they do that on the train. That would be the coolest thing to do. I suppose I could have them come all the way to Salt Lake. But sometimes a trip to Utah County is an adventure worth taking.

Doing Art

I don't know what it is. I don't if I have reached a certain age that I have accepted something about myself or maybe it's just that I'm drawing more this summer that I ever have before. I'm drawing and using colors more than I've ever done before and I like it. I still like the black markers and their affect on paper or whatever surface I'm using to make marks on. Perhaps it's my Association with my friend from the Netherlands, the artist, Elske. She's an instructor at the local community college and Elske has taken time to look at my work And praise it. She's giving me pointers and been very supportive. Of course, I want to please her so I'm drawing more. Also my friend Lori, has also been very supportive. Lori is also a very artsy fartsy type and knows what she's talking about. I trust her in put. All these influences put together has increased output and I like that. My goal this year is to finish one of the handbooks/sketchbooks I've been driving around for years trying to fill up. I think I can do it this summer. I don't know how much, now I'm going to pursue the auditing of art classes at community College. I do not want to disrupt my “primitive” art renderings. I don't know how much I believe these comments or even if the comments are accurate and not folks just being kind to the old guy in a wheelchair trying to draw. One thing I have thought very provocative about my Art instructor is she is not above using herself as a model. Neither am I accept I felt a bit self-conscious. I mean after all, weren't so I'm going to find new and representation of a human body in real life? I am my best model that I have right now – – that might change who knows? What I found very supportive is that Elske has been more than encouraging me to be her model. She likes my form because I have all the curves and the shadows the artist covets. When I shared with her a number of my images (modeling) I thought she was going to start crying she was so pleased to have a ready model of my statuary and accessibility.This of course got wheels turning and I'm wondering should I actually be a model for our classes? Would that not be a hoot? What if I could do this but probably in Europe i.e. Amsterdam. Never have been images being seen in the US? This I'll be too good to be true but let's see what happens. Stranger things have happened

The days continue to be incredibly on sustained heat 90 and above for weeks on end. Everyone else is complaining so of course I am exclaiming how wonderful the heat is. I sure I am driving the old ladies here at the senior living complex. They sit around up front and complain about how horrid the heat. In fact in the heat of the day I took off boarded the bus and went into my Barnes & Noble in search of a book of cryptograms. The heat felt great as well as entering the buses, I swear a rolling morgues . You could really hang meat in those buses. I keep saying I have to cherish these days of heat while we have because it's only a short time before the hot season ends. But, I may be totally wrong. Global warming is now left to global burning. Seems like the whole world is on fire this summer. Increased heat and dry winter and spring's just made way too much fuel and now there are fires everywhere. So maybe This summer's heat will be extended knows how far. Irresponsible or no going to enjoy every minute of the heat.

My Peeps

I am finding that my cynical age that anything that makes me not is of great value if to no one else but to me. A couple of weeks ago actually a couple of months ago I made contact with one of my workmates at the last job I was actually at over at 211 which is a part of United Way.

Readers who follow this blog long time but remember that in my job evaporated with the state that Claire, my boss, worked out a deal with United Way of Utah are Salt Lake to provide me with a phone line in a workstation at two and one Salt Lake County's information and referral system housed at United Way. By being outsourced to 211 allow me to stay an employee of the state of Utah for another year allowing me to finish in time I needed to become fully invested in the state system allowing me to take my full pension which is made all the difference in the world. Though rarely expressed there is also hope that I would become an employee of 211 Information and Referral. I don't not know how good a fit I would've been with United Way overall but I did okay with my group of operators.

The operators at 211 were not ready for me when I came on board. I was a bit of fresh air something completely different to what they had been working with. I was used to work in my own shop and I was pretty radical for a state worker. My style was a little brash but challenging to my callers especially if they had to work within the traditional medical model system. Many of my callers are parents of kids with disabilities and they often needed not only encouragement but a nudge in the right direction opted permission to advocate for themselves since nobody had ever taught them how to do so. I think I only got in trouble twice for advising my callers to challenge the system. Do not totally accept direction of their private nonprofit worker. Especially be wary out input from city County state and even federal officials. I was busy pushing the thoughts and concepts on Independent Living, a national movement of people with disabilities taking control of their lives.

As in any call center our phone calls were often monitored . And I got called on the carpet twice. For the end of my station at 211 I was still radical but not as much center started to be. Actually I worked in I don't think I'll be working long before I would be asked to leave.

My coworker still love me I was really kind of surprised. We were a tightknit group. Members of my calling group took care of me. In the dead of winter but it was so cold and I would wear my big white gangster coat/parka and they would actually pull my jacket over me and made sure I was safe and tucked in before I left the building. Many of our callers are Hispanic and a large number of our operators are bilingual it only makes sense. But they often were shocked when I would give my callers permission to fight the system anyway they could. We became a tight group. Today a large number of the operators I worked with came together at a little restaurant not far from the office and had lunch. This is the first time that this happened with me. It was such a great experience I really liked these people. They are my people and I love them dearly.

Coffee, Book Club and a whole lot more

It's the middle of the day! I'm choosing to write now because I do not know how much energy I will have when I get in this evening. In fact I just got up from resting for about two hours. I never registering today but today I did just so I have advantage. I still have to do my book club and then I have to participate are rather I am participating in an ADA celebration. Today is the anniversary of the Americans with disabilities act. I must admit I am lukewarm, at best, regarding the ADA. I believe 90% of the acts passage was for political gain for the Bush administration. However, everyone clings to it as the Messiah of the Americans with disabilities. The organization DRAC, which I am part of, has thrown together this years celebration and I'm supporting the folks with this event. However, today is hot in the 90s I best be careful.– – This is also a very short posting hopefully  I will be able to will will add more later…

Real World

That have good this morning leaving the apartment and hitting to the bus stop. I was inbound making my way into the county Housing Authority basement where the DRAC meetings going to be. Today felt like a Monday probably because yesterday was a holiday, Pioneer day. I hated holidays and fall in the middle of the week I was working it was like having to survived two Mondays in the week – – now it is like a gift second Monday in the same week. Still I have to admit I was a little dusty in the brain trying to figure out just what and where I was at. I was a little concerned immediately because I knew I was going to have to tell the folks at DRAC that at worst I was not going to be able to make that ADA celebration tomorrow and that best I'm going to be a half an hour to 45 minutes late. I was a little spooked on how this was going to go over.

I don't know if it was the holiday week that this is or the fact that I'm pretty self-involved at this point in my life. I'm not leaving my apartment much. I have everything I need right here especially since I'm trying not to spend any money before the end of the month. I have barbecue, I have crinkled chips, I have two bottles of juice, pantry cookies and a whole lot more. I wandered down to the front of the facility in the morning to check my mail this a little bit then I am back into my unit Point working on drawing, cryptograms and cleaning up here and there. I am self-contained. I have the familiar feeling of coming back to the world as I boarded the bus and the driver and the driver tied me down. The sensation was one of familiarity like coming home are pulling up a chair to the table with an old friend. I was checking back in.

I was an hour early for the meeting which is okay by me. I sat by myself in the basement and sketched little bit and played with my cell phone telling time. I even took a couple notes for possible blog ideas. The team eventually got there – – don't care pizza and water Goodenough. Tomorrow's our ADA celebration. I hope it's not beautiful. Five hours at the county building with intermittent attempts at entertainment some kind of food in answering questions of a celebrated note. I had forgotten that this event was on Thursday and of course on Thursday I have my reading group at the library. I really wanted to do both events bu there is going to have to be some overlap. I just told them going to be about an hour late. Actually two hours late because event starts at 4 o'clock and I have to do bookclub from 4 PM to 5 PM that book has been bound the city County building – – if I'm lucky I'll get there by 5:30 PM and the thing was scheduled to go till eight I think that's enough time. I think they'll be happy if I show up at all. I thought I'd get more stress but once again my view of myself is much different than how I viewed by others and perhaps that's best.

Pioneer Day 2018

I don't know what to think. I've been waiting at my apartment all day for a visit from someone who is going to help me clean the drawer that fell to the floor earlier this week. Not that I was going to do anything today but I could have in fact I was entertained the idea of going to the latest Jurassic Park offering. Oh well, something must've come up. I just hope everything's okay. I know that his wife is getting close to near death and I know that keeps him tethered to the house. I just hope he's alright.

Today's Pioneer day, sort of like founders day for the state of Utah. Typically the day is celebrated with a gigantic parade in downtown Salt Lake it's a world-class parade televised and everything. As riotous holidays go Pioneer day is on the same level as the Fourth of July but I'm not hearing near the level of explosive exuberance as I usually do about this time of the holiday. It's nearly dark and by now I usually hear explosions resounding all around this neighborhood but so far all I can hear is the raucous adolescence from the skateboard park across from my apartment. Mostly adolescent boys taking the same ride on skateboard or bike over and over and over. Isn't this the definition some mental health issue? But no explosions not yet anyway.

The only thing I can think of- in this is way harder for me to believe-but maybe just maybe the idiots and finally got it through their heads that it is too dry and hot to safely launch fireworks except in massively controlled environments like the city sanctioned fireworks show. There is actually a major brushfire up by the capital building today! A few houses came close to being incinerated but they were able to knock the fire down and time. The whole Western region of the US is on fire it seems. There's been coverage of these blazing areas on all news programs. It is the driest I have ever seen. So hopefully people have gotten together and are not going to launch these mega firework displays that is been the fad of these last couple years.

Evidently I spoke too soon. Sigh, I've heard a couple of reports of fireworks exploding. Still nothing like I've heard in years past so maybe there's hope we get by without a major incident.

Resolute

I am resilient that is probably my strongest quality or at least one of my strongest qualities. I have the ability to bounce back which I guess is why I'm here today writing this post.I spent a good part of this day reclaiming my work area or art space. I usually hate this kind of work but today it felt good. Part of the reason I was so focused is that my older brother was supposed to come over this afternoon to help me with my broken drawer. You remember yesterday's post about the drawer I destroyed when cutting off the rear end a corn cob. Doing that number on the corncob broke the drawer a little and then I added some pressure cutting something else up it was all she wrote and drawer crashed the floor.

And the day of the fatal crash in this afternoon I kept looking at the space that destroyed drawer resulted in and I Feeling stronger and stronger that I was to leave the space alone. I could see that I could roll under that area next to the refrigerator minus the drawer and have a solid work area much better than I was using with the drawer. I also saw that with just a little bit of effort I can actually use my kitchen table as an adequate work area. I should've been doing this all on I am such a slow learn. With this in mind I called my brother canceled the visit or at least put it off until tomorrow when he can come over and clean the hardware on the side of the space for the drawer once resided.

I cannot really say I am “half full” kind of guy in fact I don't yesterday morning staff she would say I'm “half empty” kind of guy. I really don't know which I am except I need to survive the immediate situation I might be in any given time and many times is not the best of options. Life is just simpler in the “half-full” universe. I don't cry nearly as much in that universe and I laughed probably more. I live in perpetual hope many times that's all I've got. Whether it's see my bus zoom past just as I get to the bus stop. I know they'll be another bus in 15 minutes – – I can wait 15 minutes I can do that standing on my head :-). Ice cubes on the floor, my floor so sticky ice cubes will help when I mop the puddles of water up. I'm stuck up to my axles in white stone gravel. My neighbors calling the fire department to come yank me out and they do. I bounce back. I broke my neck, paralyzed from the neck down. What a gift! No mission, no Vietnam, college paid for and the vehicle was controls. Not a bad trade-off, quite as severe trade-off I am aware, but I got back I am resilient. It's a gift.

I am beginning to feel my resolute is beginning to fail not too bad right now. But, my moments of doubt are elongating. I have nothing another room not knowing what I'm doing there more and more. Not enough to signal anyone that I'm in trouble – – because I am not I'm just having “senior moments”. We all have those at this stage or so I like to tell myself and convince thyself. I have to convince myself. I didn't even clean my desk when I need to. I can recognize when my household is out of control and entropy is taking over. I can bring some resemblance of order back to my living space right now. I need to vacuum more, file more often that I tend to. I spent all morning filing bills. I don't have destroyed drawer, now I have more accessible and usable kitchen… Now, doesn't that sound much more friendly than “destroyed kitchen”.

Destroying The Math

 trying really hard not to have another bitch and moan session about how destructive it had to be, but as far to ignore evidence that I live with a daily basis. Sometimes someone just has to accept who they are and what they do and it's time for me. Actually, according at this soliloquy. I guess it's time to move on. But before I go one more did into the self abuse pond.

I haven't done the research and the blog but I'm pretty sure I wrote about how my occupational therapists came over and retrofitted the drawer in my kitchen – – my one and only drawer – – his heavy duty mounts. I came up with the brilliant idea that this drawer can be pulled out then with a flat piece of what stretched across the drawer the drawer then ccould function as a workspace. I still believe the concept is a great idea. My brother fashioned a peaceful and to stretch across the drawer and as I said Casey my on special therapist but on heavy-duty mounts. I've been using this piece of equipment/furniture for the past couple of months and I've loved it. I can pull things out the refrigeratorAs well as use the space to place things on before I put them in the fridge. It's worked really well until yesterday when I came home from the food bank with my treasures.

The food bank has a process. Not counting waiting in line to get into the food bank every Saturday, once the doorbell rings and you are allowed in to the food bank the future and stamped and you get voted up with “dry” supplies. Canned goods, macaroni, spaghetti, some baked goods cereals, breakfast cereals then after you finish their you exit the front door and go around the back the building to where you get the”fresh” produce . Fresh produce can consist of any number of sound combinations, but as cherries, cherry tomatoes squash (in season) and usually desert items cakes, boxes of cookies and what other sweets did not fly off the store shelves in the “best used by (fill in date)”Time.

Today the treasure was corn on the cob. Today food bank have boxes and boxes of corn on the cob I chose four ears of corn. I love corn on the cob and wanted to cook this corn away my ex-Dianne taught me with the microwave. I was kind of excited. Anyway, I was prepping an ear of corn for the microwave. At any think about what I was doing, and now that I think about it it really should not been an issue, but I thought it would be a good idea to chop off and of the ear of corn before I microwaved. The previous piece of corn was almost too hot to handle specially trying to get the corn hair off.. I took one of my larger butcher knives and whacked the end corn. I don't think I really get the drawer that hard but immediately drawer dropped about 3 inches on the right hand side. Unbelievable. Right then and there I stopped what I was doing and texted my brother, Carl always saved my butt on things like this. I took an image to send the text. These coming over on Monday to see if or how it can be fixed. However, this morning I was doing something for breakfast getting ready for some sort of meal preparation and must've bumped the drawer more than anticipated because the whole thing fell to the ground.

I think the heavy-duty runners the drawer was mounted on are toast. I have not tried to move the drawer since my brother is coming tomorrow. I will leave it for you. The more I've rolled past the destruction of caused the more I realize you know maybe I don't even need a drawer there since I hardly use it as a drawer but as a work surface. With the drawer gone I could get right under the marble countertop and use it as a service making getting under a lot more convenient and safe. I just have to figure out someplace else to put the items in the drawer.

So maybe this time Mr. Destructo was not Such a bad after all.

I Can Do This

Midsummer Saturday night, the end of another very warm day. The wind came up an hour ago Nice blustery gale which gave promise of rain but very little delivery. There is that great smell of water evaporating hot concrete but that's about all. I took a plastic bag full of watermelon rinds out to the dumpster and the clouds looked fantastic. I may go out and sit know when when I'm finished here. I like to see if any lightning occurs. That would make a splendid Saturday night finale.

For Saturday I have been quite industrious. Washed clothes, hit the food bank, Defrosted chicken and got out on its and then grilled in the middle of the day. I was really hoping there would be overcast skies as predicted. There were clouds but not organized enough to make a sunblock. The barbecue was hot but I enjoyed the and made enough protein to keep me next week. Oh I also scanned watermelon. I'm getting quite good at that. I can't most of the watermelon from the rind and put in plastic containers For the fridge. The kitchen once again is a right mess which means I need to focus on that for a half a day or so, maybe tomorrow but no promises. Of course, I destroyed my workstation: in drawer I had reinforced with a cutting top. I put too much weight on the top preparing some corn on the cob that it was too much for the poor drawer. I called my brother and his stop by next week to see what it'll take to repair. I cannot believe I did that.

As I said the place is a mess way too much entropy going to have to call my cleaning person. I need to wait however tell I get closer to the end of the month. I'm worried about the drain the extra hundred bucks will put on my bank account. I keep telling myself I'm doing okay. I think I'm still suffering from the financial outlay for the van registration for the reunion. I think it may take a couple months to bounce back. That is of course if I have no other issues that will demand financial attention. I have not been this nervous regarding finances. This feeling of in security certainly takes me back. I hate having to wait till payday. Still I need to get the cleaning lady in here it's getting bad. So bad that I may have to actually clean before she gets here just so she won't think I'm a total slob.

Yes I know this is a bit of a rambler. Today has just been taken up with the mundane. I did not go anywhere outside of the apartment complex today and I don't go out I don't get stimulated as far as material goes for the blog. I still have to hang clothes put some of the groceries from the food bank away. I need to make some marks on paper if I can before I hit the sack. So, I have a little more than week to go before the end of the month. I have food, I have quarters for wash I have cable TV and the Internet. I really don't need anything I just need to hunker down and not spend anything untill August I can do this.

Sadie

I'm tired tonight and I really haven't done that much except I got up or rather I first woke around 3:00 AM. I knew I had trouble sleeping because my staff was not coming this morning. I'm going to have to deal with substitute.

Dana is my staff, I know I have written about her in previous postings. Dana took over being my staff when my redhead, Sunny got her cute but dumb ass five because she thought the agency could not get along without her and she demanded her weekend's and who knows what else. I had grown quite Dependent on Sunny. I figured the day was coming I mean really it's not like you really have control ofyour staff when you rent them from an agency—Hell, even if I was doing total private hire there's nothing to say that my staff might up and quit Someday. But I don't people will have staff privately and have kept them all the steps life or all the person's life is worked out beautiful like a marriage.

I think Dana even told me a couple weeks ago that she was going on vacation this week but nothing was said after that, nothing until Wednesday when Dana told me she didn't know what the agency would provide for her cover while She would be gone on Friday. At one time, so totally freaked me out but it did not. I felt comfortable that Joe, the owner of Home Health Solutions would have recovered. I forgot the last time something like this happened in the trauma that followed. I don't remember if I was with Sunny or with Dana when she did something like this (A vacation our finals or something like that). That's when I first met Sadie. Sadie is the second staff I essentially fired. I actually like Sadie or wanted to. She was just too young at least that's my diagnosis. I think I may have had her for a week, she was always late or she didn't show it all. When she was there Sadie's mind never was. She was always on her cell, phone not at all focused on her job: me! I don't think she had any idea at all about how poor a assistant she was. It was then I found out that Sadie was actually Angie's cousin Angie was the front desk person, receptionist as well as assignment clerk or whatever or whoever assigns jobs to various staff.

So in efforts to be proactive yesterday morning, Thursday I called Home Health make sure that I had coverage for this morning. First I found out that management thought that Dana was going to do me this morning after all and I knew that was not going to happen. When I assured them Data was gone and that I needed coverage. Even at this point I was talking with Angie (not Joel, the owner of the outfit). I told Angie do not assign me Sadie under any circumstances. To be honest I kind of forgot about Angie. I had forgotten that Angie was related to Sadie. Late last night I had a call on my cell it was Angie letting me know that Sadie would be in around 6 AM. I balked , I reminded Angie that I would not consider Sadie. That was for Angie reminded me of your cousins and drilled hole that there was no one else available for coverage. I still think that ought to be honest with you and there was a long silence as I pondered my next decision. I wish I had a backup plan. I thought about trying to wait until Monday but I do not want to do that way too long between bowel movements. So I said yes I will Try one time. I figured but I have to lose? I don't have anywhere to go so even if she doesn't come at the time specified still be around.

So I fretted all afternoon about dealing with Sadie. I would get mildly stressed enjoy my shoulders and say everything's going to be all right and I would get by. And you know what? Everything was fine. Sadie was 15 minutes late, she called because she couldn't get in locked doors (you have the combination for the lock on the door its electronic). It was actually nice to see Sadie again. She was really nice I was surprised after I had spoken with Joe. Either Sadie had not heard of my disparaging remarks about her or just flat out didn't care say he was just great. Still Sadie is not a bit like Dana. Sadie just leans against the wall until I dismiss her Then she just goes sits on the bed and plays with your cell phone until I call her.

But we did it! We got to the morning ritual. In my opinion she made some major mistakes but Dana promised to be back on Monday. Actually, if I had the patience I could possibly train Sadie to be just right but who's got patience

Blessed Julio

New remote which came with the cable box just another thing to be confused with.

Today's continue to be hot that's okay by me I can't complain what I want. I was out in the heat today more than I anticipated I would be. Actually, I was hoping I could spend some time on my bed with the weight off my butt completely. I wound are possible will and that I'm trying to minimize the amount of weight on my butt to keep that one from becoming more severe. When I was speaking with Xfinity/ Comcast , I reached out to my Internet provider to just see how much more a month the cost would beTo get basic cable and I was informed that I was already getting cable along with my Internet connection. I am not a that is a long story indeed. But the brief explanation as a been charged for cable box here at the apartments but as getting the basic cable from but I should not been. I have the apartments take out the box and I just been running on my Internet connection but I should've had basic cable all along. So, since basic cable is included with my subscription I already have that I should get the box directly from Comcast but that's going to be a trip to West Valley.

Like I said, I should've come straight back to my apartment after Thursday coffee and got up my butt but I was too excited about getting the cable box since my son was coming over tonight anyway he's got the skills to be out. So I “saddled” up and headed West. I of course did the bus route search and found I got very close on good old 47. I got the cable box and headed back and still had time to at least leaned back in my chair before I have to head south for book club.

Mark stopped by On his way home from work and dropped off a watermelon and requested and jumped into looking up the cable box. It was dreadful for especially since he was under stress of time but he got the basic system connected and all connected to the mothership. The cable box just indicated a phone number with the message call this number we'll working through it together. I didn't have much faith but what else do I have to do on Thursday night I should be off my butt. I am spending my night with two guys from Comcast first Jerry was really nice that Julio who did the heavy lifting and really talked me through the remote and hooking up to the system. In the end at least 45 minutes worth we connected with Comcast Central and the awesome basic cable universe of 144 channels. I dreaded this because of a weak vessel and that's all I need is to feed a media addiction from the cable universe.

After I said my goodbyes Julio graciously thanking him for all time patience Julio had with me , Poor Julio having to deal with silly, old stupid Anglos such as myself. Somewhere, sometime, so now I hope he gets a bonus for working with me

Stop Me If You Have Heard This

2658 that the amount of articles I published on my blog. The numbers even higher if one counts the posts that never made it to the blog itself for one reason or another. Usually, an idea just petered out and never came to fruition. However, it seems that once you save the document it stays around. I guess if I really want to expend the sweat and time I can probably figure out how to get rid of the failed post. But what's the point? The number I have listed 2658 are the number of posts as of last night. With this post number will be one more.

I just finished doing a quick search of a number of different topics I was considering to write on tonight because believe it or not I don't want this blog to repeat itself. I am making a concentrated effort not to wear out a subject. I've come close a number of times and maybe have repeated myself to some extent but I'm careful or I'm trying to be. I was going to write about the motorcycle I was riding the day my accident, 52 years ago day before yesterday. Was going to write about how as a teenager I was so insecure that for people did not know, and there were many, I would tell them I had my accident on a Triumph 300. I was too ashamed to let people know that I twisted on my brothers little Yamaha 80, high tank. My motorcycle or actually motorbike, a hand-me-down from the same brother. My motorcycle was a little 55 Yamaha step through. My brother was out of the state that summer and I figured everything my brother owned was fair game. For some reason Triumph just seemed so much more exotic.Maybe someday I'll write a post about my love for Triumph motorcycles.

I think it pretty hilarious that I even worry about repeating myself for fear that someone is going to see that I have. Perhaps I'm afraid that I'm becoming senile. I fear becoming one of those old who tell the same story over and over and not even realize they're doing so until some smart aleck grandkid makes a point of letting everyone know. I'm just glad I do not booz it up space because I know I would be one of those. As I was researching different articles to consider I thought about writing the same post from different angles. One of my favorite songs of that summer was the Beatles Paperback Writer and was fascinated when I came across the page of multiple covers of the song. Each song conveyed a completely different feeling, at least to me about this piece of music and how I felt about myself as a 15-year-old “ tough motorcycle rider”. I was really fascinated when one of the pages which were returned was the actual radio music chart for the accident my accident.I tried to copy the actual page from the radio music chart that it was a no go… The best and then immediately do is provide a hotlink over to the page. Check it out to be glad you did. https://tunecaster.com/charts/60/week6629.html

Libraries

I really like libraries. Oh, I don't like libraries enough to hang around them all the time like some folk who use a library escape from the heat, from the cold from being homeless. I like the feeling I get when I enter a library, I like the odor , the fragrance of paper old paper and ink. I guess you could say there's a musky odor I'm not really sure what that means except that I tend to associate that descriptor with old libraries not the new edifices to knowledge that now exist. I'm surprised there's any odor at all. The new libraries almost seem antiseptic. To do libraries are certainly freer then than they used to be. People now speak in libraries openly and loudly, children run chaotically many times unsupervised. It seems that libraries have evolved from a religious atmosphere of quiet contemplation and reading to seemingly erupt with joy from the quality of learning experience by the individual.

There are three libraries I'm intimately involved with or have been over my stay here in Salt Lake. The Salt Lake City Library, the library in sugarhouse in the West Jordan library. Like I said I don't go to the library unless I have a reason. For instance the Salt Lake City library is directly across from the track station of the same name. I get off at the stop for my weekly meetings at Assist, Inc. many times I try to get to the station with enough time that I can leisurely wander through sections of the library before I have to attend a meeting. I also started attending film viewings and lectures at this facility. As I said it's clientele is change significantly over the years sadly if not fortunately the downtown library is a haven for those in need particularly the homeless was nowhere to go after the management throws them out of the on the shelters from 7 to 6 PM. The Sugarhouse library seems to be a relic from another time. I often call the sugarhouse library very Harry Potter. It's a small library two floors probably built in the 20s and 30s vaulted ceilings looking like a set from a Harry Potter movie. The whole experience of entering this library is traveling through time. The library now I am most involved withis the West Jordan library. I have my Thursday afternoon reading at this facility. I always get their early so I can check the free books , hit the bathroom and get ready for my class. This is a basic family library in Mo vill Utah. Kids run around, baby scream and church at soccer moms visit to talk. There is even a baby grand that people are invited to play as long as they are respectable. I've really gotten off this library probably best of all. The Dragon that I have at the front of this post was in a special section earlier this summer, Harry Potter conference/program was offered with papier-mâché creatures from his volumes.

There are a number of other public libraries of course scattered around the city but I've never been impressed with them as much as the three favorites I've written about tonight.

Morning Rescue

WOW! I was going to start out this posting with the story about how early this morning around 9 AM I was out in front of my patio surrounded by five or six firefighters. This event and started innocently enough when yesterday or the day before I hung a couple of cleaning rags on the railing to dry. I guess during the night when blue one of them on it aside my railing into the stones and gravel. I figured it would be an easy snatch for me to take one of my long sticks and then drive out onto the gravel, reach over and grab the rag with my stick with a hook on the end. I really should've known better.

Last autumn I was coming home from a function at the community college down the street from where I live and against the bus stop I had to go quite a ways out of my way to get there on the sidewalks but there was a student path which cut right across a small square right to the bus stop. The only problem being there was a lot of small stones, gravel which made this path. I got stuck there in the cold weather as the sun was going down. This part of the campus seemed to be rarely used at this time day luckily a student came by and rescued me. I should've learned my lesson. Obviously I did not.

I even tested the gravel a little bit and I was able to go forward a bit and I reversed and it okay but once I got on to the full gravel My power chair and myself seemed immediately to sink to the axles. I rocked back and forth as much as I could – – I tried to push myself backwards out of the gravel pit with my stick as hard as I could but to no avail I was stranded. Luckily my upstairs neighbor, Lois came to her balcony to enjoy the morning air and saw me. What could I do? I had a discussion and she got the maintenance guy who said as into deep and called the fire department. This will terrify me at one point but now they've rescued me to maybe three times (and that doesn't worry me a little but I'm good with it) and the boys/men came and rescued me. This was the story is going to write about and I guess I did. I received a comment on my post from yesterday. Anytime, I received a comment I'm just totally amazed at this day was REALLY amazing! The wife of my biological brother had written a comment. She explained a little bit about who she was and who they were and where they lived. They live close by geographically about an hour away. I now have to figure out what I'm going to do I can no longer play the “stupid card”.

Danger To Self…

You know that phrase, “a danger to self and others” that little snippet of phraseology that can mean whether a person is incarcerated in a facility that is safe to himself and others. I don't know… I just don't know if I'm getting close to that point. What a hoot. I was thinking about that this morning as I shaved, I actually slept in till 7:00 AM, which is good I suppose especially for me who has had a history of sleeping just few hours night but getting by oddly enough. As I was shaving my face I got to wondering what it would be like to do this simple pleasure all shaving my face in a long-term care facility. I think I would get by after a period of adjustment just fine. This trickle of thought got me thinking of when my oldest friends, will of course is not dead, Dr. Clarence McIntyre. Clarence McIntyre M.D. Was my boss, my mentor and my friend for a short span of time. I don't know if I've written much about Mac over the years that I've blogged. I possibly should've written more space and maybe I will. What's important in today's blog is that after the death of his life Alice Mac went a little crazy. Perhaps Mac was already crazy and Alice at Mac in toe. Without Alice to rein in Mac started given away all his money – – there is nothing more dangerous to our families fortunate than the Fountainhead truly believing in Christian teachings and following them to the letter. Seriously, this is conjecture on my part, but soon I received word that my friend was in long-term care facility (for his own benefit). I begin writing to Mac once a week just because I could. My point being Mac got along just fine in the facility he ended up in. It sounds like a high-end place, the look after Mac very well and Mac seem to thrive even though he did not say so in his letters. He found a small group of like thinkers hell-bent on rebellion and revolution of “the joint”. I sure miss Mac and now wish I had made more attempts to be a more physical part of his life while he lived here in the West. He got along just fine and so would I.

Yesterday at food bank I got a frozen out of hamburger which I decided to thaw out. I was actually thinking about making real hamburger patties and barbecuing them up, but after last week and still a bit wary. Then I thought about making a meatloaf it's been a while and I do that meatloaf with ketchup. I did not want to risk setting off the fire alarm and as involved in the project of transcription and time got away from me. I decided instead to throw the ingredients together for a meatloaf and then do patties. Meatloaf hamburger patties is almost as good as meatloaf and convenient. I cleaned out the section of the stove and really thought I had cleared the burners. I mixed the patties then painstakingly made the patties and put them on the stove to fry. I put the heat on low so I can watch 60 minutes. I of course was soon interrupted by the smell of plastic. Somehow, I turned on not only the burner for the patties but I also (probably with my elbow) turned on the burner that moved all the plastic to in the smoke was not yet bellowing but was close. I caught this potential disaster in time. I'm still surprised the smoke alarms did not start wailing. I dodged the bullet on this one. But still in the back of my mind I can hear the smoke alarms going and then the fire alarms going in the fire engines coming. Beware for who the siren wails… It wails for thee… With apologies to Ernie Hemingway. 

Free Concert Fast Concert

There is

a free concert tonight's, actually it doesn't matter that it's free or not the point is that there is a concert tonight down at the Western library amphitheater. The concept is not even start until 830 and goes till 1030 and therein is the rub. I can get their okay on public transit but I did not stay for the whole concert. The last inbound bus leaves the amphitheater area at 10:09 PM. I can leave the concert early all things considered. I mean after all 90 minutes is a surefire better concert then zero minutes. I'm sure I can get satiated on the music by then and still make it home safely within the time limits of public transit and my power chair. I guess I could really stay until 1030 then called red tab to see if they can get me with their wheelchair accessible vehicle trouble is that is going to be superexpensive, and I am a cheapskate.

The concert will be Beatles music. I don't know if they have knockoffs that do the actual vocalization or maybe they just orchestrate the hits either way I would certainly be interested in the concert and the fact that the concert is free of charge just asked to be excitement. Now, having said that I was also indicate local culture loves anything free. I mean I don't know if they'll be a stampede are the place of the so crowded will have the ability to enjoy any kind concert will not be doable. The bright side that is getting there and having all those people there certainly makes my decision on leaving the concert early a no-brainer but I would like to listen to a couple pieces before I go.

The only thing that really worries me is that I have a wound on my butt is not a wound, at this point, and if I was truly responsible I would have myself down in the weight off my buttocks. I just cannot comply however and hopefully Dana will be able to pull a trick our magic bag on Monday if the wound is semi serious. So this and be a short offering for Saturday night. I still have to relive the bathroom drain the lizard think it over to the bus stop and catch the 217 out to the event. I will still have to wait 45 minutes before the event is to start by got a cell phone and With the backup I should have enough to keep myself occupied.

The concert was okay, very small town but it was a free concert at the library. I never noticed they had this cute little amphitheater which is large enough to house everyone that showed up. Strawberry Fields is made up of four or five professionals local music professionals that always wanted be the Beatles. They played tolerable but in much better drunk as all music is. The concert started 8:30 PM and that probably heard enough by 9 o'clock to satisfy my needs. I want to make sure is able to get home since the buses stopped running at 10:09 PM and I didn't want to miss that late bus so I just figured I would catch the 9:09 PM out which I did. It would've been nice to stay for the whole concert by the would've been kind of painful. I ate way too much food today maybe I'll do better tomorrow.

Looking Good

I think I'm much more of a shy guy that I give myself credit for. I see myself as gregarious outgoing than just a friendly guy as the late great psychologist John Phillips once said of me, “He's just a downright friendly fellow”. But you know I don't think that I really am. I'm kind of jerk, this is been affirmed by at least three wives. I wish that I was not and I actively try not to be a jerk but I consistently lose that battle.

This is a very busy week for me. It seemed that I was on the train or the buses every day of the week with meetings, collecting bus passes and shopping I seemed to be on the go constantly. The week is hot, I'm not complaining, y'all know how much I love the heat but still the week was hot. Being out in the, however enjoyable, can still make one a bit irritable. I sensed this irritability on a number of folks with disabilities I came across over the periodOf this week. One woman in a wheelchair (I wish so much I got an image of her but I did not) she was overweight, crammed into a manual wheelchair which I doubt that she really needed and had a scowl on her face that quite frankly scared the heck out of me. She had one of those weird habits of talking about you but not to your face. When I got on the train the driver asked which stop I needed and I just said 5200 S. and miss sourpuss in a barely audible voice said something like “what a dumb ass everyone knows it's 5400 S.” the driver understood where I needed that's all I cared about. I chose not to engage in enjoyable trip I could until Miss Scowlly Face exited the train.

Yesterday morning after Thursday coffee I called about my bus pass and yes they had found the must pass and it was down at the loss and found at the Salt Lake hub. I wrote about this yesterday. The only training goes directly to this facility is the blueline – – the blueline uses the older cars which are accessed by wheelchair using the switchback ramps. I don't hate the blueline cars but you have to rely the driver to put the bridge down so you can drive on to the train. There is a whole lot of space at the top of the switchback ramps and is no protection from rolling off the ramp. I got off the train and headed for the blueline switchback ramp. I noticed there was another power chair trundling its way over. Great I thought. I got to the train first and got myself squared away on the ramp where I was comfortably safe and in the shade the overhang. The other wheelchair guy chose to set on the ramp itself and wait for the train. Fine by me. I have to admit I was very impressed with this guy and how he was dressed. He looked like I wish that I did. This gimp looked actually damper – – I was totally jealous. No matter what I do I just don't look good in clothes. Not that this is an excuse to be nude but certainly is a good argument as far as I'm concerned. Couldn't help it looks so good I pretended I was taking selfies so I could get one or two good images. The guy was stoic he said a few words to the driver as we boarded but that was about it. The road to train with me and actually got off at the same stop but I did in downtown Salt Lake where he went after have no idea but I sure looked good.

Riding the Cool Train

I stretched my attendance at the coffee klatch this morning to almost an hour. I've noticed a pattern over the weeks I've attended Thursday morning coffee that is everyone starts cutting out about 30 minutes into the event. It seems that like everyone else has somewhere to go. This morning Irene had made sausage gravy on baking soda biscuits one of my favorite dishes in the whole world. Probably more calories than I needed but sometimes I must have sausage gravy on baking soda biscuits.

I returned to the apartment and called UTA lost and found and sure enough by bus pass has been found and was waiting for me at “Lost and Found” , downtown at the Salt Lake Central modalhub.I was so excited to get my bus pass back but I just headed out to the hub. Even though I had a good three hours to kill before I have to be down to West Jordan library I knew I stay focused and time to get away from me. Salt Lake is still under quite the heat dome. I had not paid much attention over the last week or so but I heard a number of comments about how homeless folk and folks that are low income are flocking to the public libraries and the Trax train system in order to stay cool. I get this, still I am somewhat shocked when I am confronted with this phenomenon face to face. I've included a couple of images of folks riding the train for a little comfort. I am also enclosing an image of a fellow who I thought looked pretty good. I wish I looked like this guy. I wish I wore clothes that fit properly. I could tell his fellow had some significant disability but his disability did not stand in his way of looking good. I lost my bus pass Tuesday morning and so I've been very self-conscious getting on and off the bus as well as right to train without proper proof of purchase. I still had three or four tokens bus coupons that my good friend Sherry gave me a couple weeks ago but did not want to spend them until I absolutely have to. I can usually slink off the bus because the driver is always out of his seat and over at the wheelchair station preparing to lock me down when I get back to that area. If the drive is having a bad day don't notice I didn't “Tap on” and he will challenge me. Again many times the driver knows or seen my bus pass, he knows that I have one – – mind you this only happens when the drivers had a bad day or the brand-new and believe everything told him at orientation.

I was so elated at having my bus pass back I bought a watermelon. This the first watermelon I purchased that I carried on on my chair I was not sure I'd be able to pull it off but I did! I did all this before I headed out for “First Chapter” I've had a very busy day in the heat.

Summer Heat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5bUmx-hk-c

I really not a big fan of refrigerated air i.e. air-conditioned. In fact I have not used air-conditioning this summer making my apartment of virtual hotbox. I think the apartment hovers around 84° to 85° possibly a little higher than this is really only if it's like 90+ degrees outside. I like to open my door to my patio especially now that I've figured out how to use the screen door effectively. I also keep the window next to my bed halfway open so not only can I hear the noises from the park but I get breezes throughout the night. I have really enjoyed this past summer, with the elevated heat, has been not using any blankets at all through the night. If and when I needed relief from the hotbox I just opened the door to the hallway. The temperature in a hallway is a cool 72°. In my own self absorbed away have not really thought of other individuals entering my apartment and how this temperature increase may or may not affect them.

I past a strange night last night. I could've got more sleep but I didn't partially because of issues to my power chair. I was up a half hour later than usual trying to overcome a challenge I was having with my chair. I'm just glad I did not have to stay up all night or have to call the fire department or somebody else save my pathetic but once again. Luckily I solved the problem but I'm sure back asleep affected the way I perceive my day. When my staff (Dana) came in this morning she immediately became emotional freaking out about how hot my apartment was. She was kind of totally freaking out. I was getting worried she was going to walk right out the door and then what would I do? I really was going to on the air conditioner last night before I went to bed but due to all the trauma I completely forgot. My staff was immediately cycling into a migraine headache condition she swears is brought on by excessive heat. I simply had taken care of. I sent her out to the hall to bask in 72° temperature while I suppositories kicked in and kicked out (hopefully 15 minutes). My staff, Dana is great. I do not want to lose her – – she had a veiled threat that if I did not comply with lower temperature she would be forced to stop serving me over the summer months. I'm sure I would survive if she followed through with such a threat but I like her and she really does a great job with me. I can figure out or stand to live in a lower temperature if it means keeping the staff happy. It's not like Dana is holding me hostage, I could easily request the new attendant. I think I would ever be able to replace Sunny when she quit or got herself fired but I did in some ways replacing my dear Sunny was an upgrade. I sure do not want to go through that again but I think I'm going to have to. Dana has dropped a couple ends that she may not be around that much longer. The lesson I think I have to learn is that staff does not last forever still want to keep my staff happy if I can. So whether I like it or not I'm turning on the air conditioner and torquing down the heat.

Meat Glorious Meat

I don't know how I did it this morning I woke up to find two of my toenails hanging off the foot or the toes. I think that most of kind the toenails on the mattress is that as I was getting up. I tend to drag feet over the side of the bed that's all I can think of. When I tried to put on my shoes I was feeling the pain. Luckily, my weekly Tuesday meeting had been moved to tomorrow – that same time same place. I didn't know really what to do. Again this is one of those areas that Dianne would've stepped in and finished but I started. She would evaluate and then do whatever surgical or medical was needed to take care of the problem. The only thing I can think of was getting a hold of my buddy Richard the podiatrists. I can't believe I have a podiatrist but I do. I call the office and luckily he was in. Richard the podiatrist has like three or four offices stretched along the Wasatch front which he spends half the day at each one during the week. It was 9:30 AM and the nurse and I get there by 12 Richard will work me in.

One of my favorite places in Boise Idaho was Smokey Davis Meats. I do not believe I've ever tasted any jerky better than Smokey Davis made. They made a host of other meat products but don't think I ever had anything other than jerky. The establishment was housed in the distinctive A-frame building that was finally destroyed a couple years ago when Boise condemned building for a highway… Unbelievable. One cannot find meat shops like they used to have… Little butcher shops, order chops, roasts or steaks a rack of ribs or anything meat oriented. That is why I sat up and took notice number of months ago as as going out to West Jordan library for First Chapter there was a little butcher shop! It looked as if someone had taken the remains of a 7-Eleven turned into a butcher shop. In order to get to my podiatrist bypassed this butcher shop once again and this time I said to myself “you going to visit that place today”.

The podiatrist experience was okay. Just the short expanse of pain but even if the remaining toenail off my foot/toe. He was operating under the assumption that as a quadriplegic I had no sensation below might trauma level – – wrong! Richard say the other toenail and assured me that the toenail which was removed would grow back. I almost wish I had the courage to do the procedure for they kill toenails and you no longer have to worry or had them cut every six weeks.

On the way back I had the driver stopped at the stop closest to the butcher shop and magically there was a stop right in front of the shop. Of course, the place was clean and cool. The shop has that meaty odor “Hickory smoke” odor, like in deli but this was no deli. This place had all the exotic meat choices a deli offers but no sandwiches are made here. There's a lot of meat wrapped in white paper wrap. This place will actually cut and wrap your beef, deer or other animal you wish “processed”. In fact I tried to buy some hamburger branded with “Archers” which I thought was a meat vendor but actually it was somebody's order and I was told to stay away from the meats with those markings. You can still buy bundles of 50, 100 200 etc. etc. pounds. I was impressed. I bought a pound and a half of hamburger (they don't sell in smaller quantities than a pound and a half). They had the hot dogs I loved. There is no jerky I could see – – though they probably have some brand of jerky but they did not make the jerky themselves. I'm still going back and buy some hot dog/wieners when I get done with my food bank dogs. I hope this place makes it I just love the idea of a local butcher

Oh How Rare

I never knew we were poor growing up. There were times that I somewhat suspicioned . After all, there are usually around seven of us that will in the years before my accident. My dad was a sheet-metal worker, a union man, and probably make decent money but something kids and seven kids. We lived on a farm, a small acreage, I've written about before about 15 acres in the final section. Part of it was pasture and part of the 15 acres was hay. We always had a good-sized garden some years better than others as far as yield went. Basically, we kids just didn't work the ground very well. I'm surprised my dad put up with us as long as he did. I wish I would've tried harder been a better son and pulled weeds, picked tomato worms and produced a garden my dad would have been been proud of. So we raised our food more or less. We slaughtered beef once a year and that fed us for the year.

We had this funky barbecue on wheels I don't know where it came from probably some garage sale or Paul's Main Auction. At least once a week through the summer we would have one cookout at least. I usually got the job of pulling out steaks from the freezer , neatly wrapped bundles of frozen meat for three or four steaks in each package. Pieces of meat so large they would have to be cut in half for the meal. There is no particular person who cooked steaks I know I got saddled with the job it seemed a lot. Mom would be in the house preparing salads and corn on the cob and whatever else we might have for dinner. Ideally dad would be on his way home as we cooked the meat. We wanted everything done before the milking of the cows if possible. We poor but we ate like kings. We just didn't know we were poor.

I am amazed at some of the frozen products I score at the food bank on Saturdays. I got some great bratwurst, Oscar Meyer hotdogs (chicken lips and chicken butts and I'm sure pork remnants), and a giant sack of cracked chicken breasts frozen rocksolid. I've been waiting all summer to use the the barbecue. I use the barbecue a couple times last year and did pretty good. I felt comfortable in you what I was doing. Well yesterday I took the bra off the barbecue fired it up to my pieces of meat on the grill one bratwurst package = 5, three frozen chicken breast thawed and half a pack of Oscar Meyer dogs. I was midly impressed when the grill took right off. I put all the burners down to “low” I figured this heat setting should be okay . The period of time is very short, I had to leave the area briefly to throw a the garbage I created. Smoke was coming out from underneath the grill . About five minutes later I got worried and a little nervous there was too much smoke and I can see flames through the little holes and cracks in the grill cover. I grabbed my stick push the top of the grill up and I cannot believe my eyes. The bratwurst and hot dogs were burned beyond recognition. The chicken looked as if it was not completely destroyed but it had its fair share of carbon. I'm so glad there is no one hanging around to witness this atrocity of protein. I quickly turned off the grill been collected the meat into the pan and brought waited briefly for the pan to cool enough to put the burnt offerings on my legs and slither away.

Somewhere in heaven, paradise or whatever my dad is laboring right now I'm sure he winced observing the amount of waste that created out of perfectly good protein. I'm sure I would've winced at I not gotten the protein from the food bank. I cannot figure what I did wrong but what I'm going to do sometime this week is to reenact the event with the last of the food bank food and see if I can pull this one off. Maybe I just needed to be humbled and the charrin of the food bank certainly did the trick.