Summer nights with emergency lights

It's one of those hot air nights you know middle of the summer, hot days, hot overcast days with a hint of rain but it's all Virga so rai doesn't really touch the ground evaporating due to the heat of the day. I like this kind of nights but way darker than it is right now. I like the lay in bed with the window open and feel the hot Breeze blow across your body. I remember nights like this when my older brother and I would sleep over it our best friends place a farm maybe a mile away from our farm. They were closer to the streets going into the city from the country. In the evening traffic flow was minimal and on hot days like today we would walk on the tower streets and sink a little bit our body weight sinking into the heated tar. The tire wasn't liquid or anything like that it was just sort of soft from the day's Heat. If you want to you could lay down still feel the days warmth on the blacktop. It would probably take all night for the blacktop to lose the Heat only to have it return the next day. I love those days now in the late night as I lay in bed my mind trips back to those days before my body was twisted and mangled never to walk again under its own power wishing that I could.

I was quite surprised this morning after my substitute caregiver got me up and ready for the day and it taken off. I was sitting in front of the stove whipping up my breakfast for the day. I had some spam left over from yesterday which had chunked up into small bits chopped up an onion and fried everything adding eventually two eggs and storing it all together. I really like this kind of breakfast I make them a lot when I'm in a real cooking frame of mind. I was kind of surprised when my regular caregiver walked in. She been gone for a week and she was surprised to see me up dressed and ready to go. She was sure that she had to get be up and ready. I'll sort of getting worried because I had not seen her for a week I thought maybe she'd quit. Her mother died and she had to spend a week with the family making arrangements and all that kind of stuff but she was now back ready to do my care which that will start on Wednesday as opposed to Monday. I will totally be excited to have Melissa back giving me personal care. I've worked with her long enough that she's like a machine that totally committed to my upkeep.

Once again I'm hearing the sirens and horns of the emergency vehicles heading out another run. There is a fire station just a couple blocks down from my apartment complex - I think I've written about this in the past- and every time there's a situation that need professional emergency care the fire engines take off once the big doors are opened. Small squat red and white emergency medicine vehicle takes off follows a few minutes later by the big long truck that has a seat in the very back that a backseat driver sits in that has to do something I'm sure in order to keep a vehicle that long on the road safely. These machines put out a great deal of noise up and down Redwood Road they drive. The small truck always takes off first screaming angrily I said Jets down the road. The big truck follows of course and in the evening and the dark of night you can see where they make the turn either towards the interstate or towards the western part of the city. You can hear their sirens all the way down. One thinks they will never get used to that but they do we do and soon we don't even notice machines now except when you happen to hear they're screaming voices sprinting down the road hopefully to save a life …

 

Sunday Sundown Serenade

The nights have been so weird the last couple of days it'd be in the holiday and everything. Typically the night would be a conchophony of explosions, whistles another noises associated with 4th of July. But this season is a weird season. The drought continues the whole state is a Tinderbox dried out weeds everywhere the slightest spark of Fire will turn the community into an Inferno torch homes and barns and Fields. They catch flame up and burn so fast the authorities really have time to put them out and there's so many this year I think the firefighters themselves are getting burned out and the season just barely begun. But to the point that I was making because of this hyper susceptibility to fire most of the firework displays have been canceled except those under extreme close attention and care. There's been a few diehards that of elected to do their own fireworks but a couple homes have burned as well as some significant property in Weeds and such. Law enforcement is trying to track down a lot of folks who didn't heed the the bands on personal fireworks. Usually when I bed down for the night on these holiday nights it's just one explosion after another sometimes I even see the fireworks but not this weekend and now it's over till the 24th anyway and that's okay by me I think I've enjoyed the silence over the spectacular of the explosion.

For my holiday treat I ended up cooking one of the steaks that I purchased couple days ago. Very thin steaks just two of them and they were $23. I was going to cook them yesterday for the 4th of July but the day pretty much just wound down and I never got the motivation to heat up the kitchen but today was different I pulled out and onion diced up half of it pulled some tater tots out of the freezer to cook with the steak and went to town. I could have used a bigger frying pan but chose to use the little one and just do one steak instead of both of them. So that means I also have one steak left for this week sometime. I don't want to do a major production for just one little steak. But it's fun to have something besides just the piece of meat to ingest. Maybe I'll get some mushrooms to go with the steak and onions next time I cook. These little cookaroonies are not major Productions but just little pieces of enjoyment that I found along the way.

Today was a hot day which I totally enjoyed. I had a breakfast with my son in the morning which is very good and then I pretty much hung out at the apartment for the rest of the day going out a little bit at one point to read and doze in the Sun for a minute. It was really too hot to stay out for any significant amount of time so I did come in and watch a movie or two to get through the day after the 4th of July. I wore my Venom t-shirt it's a new t-shirt and I got at the same time I got the shirt that I wore yesterday that was just a little bit too small and this is also a little bit too small but I wore it anyway and I don't know how much smaller they're going to be after I put it through the wash we'll see it's kind of sad though I really like these shirts I'm just too big. The tooth I had repaired recently still is causing me pain but maybe it's getting a little bit smaller everyday. I had a little ibuprofen this morning and might have a bit more tonight before I crash just so that I'll get him to sleep mode okay and I don't want to have to battle oral pain to get there..

Happy 4th of July

 I resolved early on this morning that I was going to take an early movie and then just kick back the rest of the day read Maybe watch a couple movies on Netflix or Disney Plus my usual way to get through a holiday. However I was pleased when I was contacted by Jasmine indicating that she'd like to come over and hang out for a while. Of course did not tell her that I was thinking of going to a movie because it's more important to me to have any time at all with my grandkids. So it took them a while to get there but they finally did show up and picked up and cleaned up around the apartment pretty well totally appreciate that then Mark Anthony joined us that was exciting as well Mark also got into the act of cleaning things up he watched the dishes cleaned around the sinks and stuff that was pretty nice it was a great Independence Day meeting everybody went their ways of course everyone had other things that they had to do family stuff and though I did not tell them I still was playing with the idea of getting to the movies. I was very pleased to find out that the buses were actually running today and pretty close to the regular schedule. I was totally pleased when sitting at the bus stop outside my apartment that little bus showed up in less than 10 minutes! I was planning on going to a later movie maybe an hour or so later but if I could get there the next 5 or 10 minutes I could get in to the movie that's just starting because it'll still be showing previews and stuff.

I'm pleased to announce that I was able to pull it off get to the to the theater and get my seating area even after some problems about finding my club membership. Today I chose to go to Young Washington a period of timepiece about George Washington as a young individual. Is by an organization called the angel group and I think it's just as it sounds it's a very born again/patriotic type outfits. I did not let that detour me. I thought the movie was well done. It was a real interesting take on the Redcoats and the early Continental Army and George Washington initially wearing a red coat even though he was a local boy. It was also an interesting portrayal of Native Americans and how they served not only the French but also the Continental civilian Army  George Washington was part of. I think I would like to see that developed a little bit further. There was still some aspects of the movie I was somewhat confused with. I would probably be well served to sit through the movie again but I don't know if I'm up for that kind of punishment. I was looking so much surprise though they were quite a few people in the theater with me that's hardly ever the case especially on Sunday.

Later in the afternoon once I came back from the movie I was supposed to cook either one or two of the steaks that I purchased couple days ago. However, I remembered that I have almost full bag of Frito dippers hidden away in the closet and I still have 3/4 of a container of chip dip just what I needed for the movies.

On holiday holiday

It's one of those days where it's a holiday but it's not a holiday. Tomorrow is the 4th of July the real holiday but because it's on the weekend they're celebrating today as they observed holiday. That's all pretty confusing sometimes but nothing federal or anything like that is open so it's just a non holiday holiday. Thankfully the buses were running today I used that early on to go to a movie which was fun. I even had popcorn. Spent more than I wanted to but I had the Sensation that the movie was free because of the program I'm on. My regular care person is still gone so I have Alan the Hispanic and he certainly tries hard. He's operating under the problem of not really understanding perfect English things get a little frustrating sometimes but all in all we get through. I certainly do not have the relationship with him as I do with Melissa. Again it's Friday and that means I don't poop again until Monday at least control it anyway. I'm a little worried because I didn't poop very much today which means I'm holding probably a lot I've got a hold of for two more days kind of freaks me. And with Melissa I could call her anytime and eventually should get over here and clean me up and get me going again I don't think I can do that with Alan. He works for two different agencies hustling and he tries to get some time in there with his family. Plus as much as I can understand he's also trying to start his own agency care Agency. I don't know how much faith I would put in him at this point he seems to be highly motivated however and that's a good thing. I spent $23 tonight or this evening on two steaks not too thick but steaks just the same. I almost had him tonight but I thought I'd wait till tomorrow which is the real holiday. I plan to get him cooked by tomorrow evening so at least I'll have one steak to go by on Sunday. One for tomorrow and one for Sunday I still have lots of potato salad left that's what I had for dinner. I probably should have something green somewhere along the line and I don't know if that's possible I noticed I still have some celery in there that needs to be used I guess that could count as something green from a crunch crunch standpoint. I am still eating off my concoction that's got green peppers or jalapenos in there they're green. I just have to be careful of what I eat now so I don't get too much stuff in me what goes in is got to come out sooner or later.

The hot weather is finally gotten back to the Wasatch Front excites me greatly if nothing else just to sit outside in the shade and read that was for me. I didn't sleep well last night so I tend to nod off a lot during the daytime hours. That's what I like to do most in the summer of retired life…

Working through Thursday

My Thursday just got longer by a couple of hours. I found out this morning that who's ever in charge of the coffee group here at the apartment complex has quit the job and there will be no more Thursday morning coffee groups until further notice. This is totally strange to me it's such a good piece of socialization for this place. Granted, a few more people could show up and some of those might be even men, and it's not like we have to have the social group here at the buildings just convenient everybody and certainly gives the building a warmer feeling but that's just me. Obviously not enough people feel this way and quite frankly I will miss the Thursday morning get togethers but on the good side it gives me more time during the day to do things if I may. Today I used the extra time to jump the bus and go over to a cheap deck clothing store not far from my credit union. I had to get to the credit union to get cash for the upcoming holiday weekend. One never knows when runs going to need cash. I know I'm trying to learn to live more on my credit card or plastic debit card but still I like the feel of the scene of cash either in my wallet or in my secret hiding place. It's something I can give my cleaning person straight from the book to her. She doesn't have to Wrangle the check or have to wait when the banks are open. She can grab the money and just take it to spend however she wants. It's not much but it's more than what she had whether it's for gas or for liquor it's all the same to me. He's been some talk about ordering a pizza in over the weekend to split between couple of households. Cash makes cashing out the people for the pizza much easier or to pay my share however that works. I did my bus trip way early t  this morning probably around 10:30 10:45. I waited for the bus to take me over to the Community College where I can transfer them to Route 47 westbound which goes right past my credit union. The credit union is at eventful except for it took seemed like forever to get to a teller because they were all caught in some sort of social dialogue with whoever they were serving and the transaction just went on and on and on. Things work well for me because no sooner had I gotten to the bus stop following my Trans in the credit union that the old 47 rolled up picked us up and brought me back to the Community College and I rolled home from there.

The strength the rest of the day goofing around the apartment. I should be washing dishes and sweeping floors but I didn't get to that today I'd like to think I was too tired but I think it's more like I was too lazy. I did my arm bike and worried about Lissy.   I can't quite remember what kind of relationship she had with her mother I don't think it was a very good one. I hope she's taking the week off for to grieve but somehow I don't think that's the case either way more power to the girl/ woman. I doubt she'll be back tomorrow I think I'll have Alan again to barely English-speaking Hispanic he's okay I just worry about the long shot between tomorrow and Monday morning ut we'll just have to go through it and see what happens…

July beginnings

 It's truly hard for me to believe that I've turned another calendar page for another calendar month! I know it's cliche but it's true time / life is going way too fast for me to even try to absorb. It doesn't do me any good too bitch about it so I won't then get on with my month. Last night I was so focused on getting my kid Letters Out I was doing them up until 10:00 and then I actually ran him down to the post office or letter area not a post office and drop them in the mail slot but in doing so totally spaced off the fact that it was the last day of the month and my rent is due today. In the past I've always prided myself in making sure that I got things done on time. But the space off rent just one more thing that lets me know that I'm aging and making simple mistakes that I used to not make. Hopefully I will still have time tonight and energy to write out the check and run down and drop it off in the Box. Whether I am one or two days late on my rent doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of difference It just does to me.

The only significant thing I really had on my agenda today was getting my tooth taken care of. The tooth with a hole in the side that I kept sticking my tongue in and the dentist inform me the food is probably going in there all the time too which is totally gross. I really thought it'd be a really short visit but it was longer than I would have liked it to have been. Perhaps it's because I elected not to do nitrous oxide the good old laughing gas this time. It was only an extra $61 but I figure I need to start putting the pedal breaks on. There's quite a discussion and a number of images were taken of my teeth are tooth in question. I guess they couldn't figure out why I needed to have the work done I wasn't in necessarily paying and all the stupid pain tricks wasn't happening. So I guess I could have got away with out any dental work today but I don't like sticking my tongue in that hole all the time it also sends me to signal that it could cross over and get into the sensitivity area pretty easily and I hate it when teeth go Nova on me and there's no easy Swift solution. I just wanted the whole patched up and to see if there really was any ongoing Decay to the point that pain would be involved. They gave me two shots of Novocaine just even having one child know okay means that's going to be a while before they start working on you just because they got to have time to do its work. Then when the drilling started there's a super hint of pain from the drilling saw he shot me again. Then there was another break for the painkiller to do further deadening. I truly hope this will stop any further process. And my teeth area in that area of the cavity we'll see what happens tonight. There's also a lot of discussion going on over my head about teeth that are disintegrating or work that's been done that's still holding together and will continue together. They make it sound like it's imminent that it's going to fail and crumble so I just asked my dentist straight out or my teeth going to last are they going to be crumbling on me soon? And if you were a betting man what was he bet with the outcome? He told me that he was pretty sure his dental work without last the rest of my life. Still I had him patch the hole just to be sure …

June's end

 A busy day and another day for the tablet didn't charge appropriately charge it all day and only got half a charge and I used the first half to print Letters Out For Today Mail out tomorrow. Luckily I have the letters written and they've been printed out now I just have to do the envelope so I don't have to use the tablet for that I just need to use the tablet today to dictate today's blog and journal entry. But I can see that doing this straight into the battery pretty quickly will to go till we can't go any further. It's quite a shock today when I got a message from Melissa actually I first I got a call from the agency. I didn't get to the phone fast enough and it went to voicemail and I had to retrain myself to do the voicemail but I did get to Melissa text wise who indicated that due to a death of the family/ her mother/ she would not be doing my attendant care for at least a week! This is kind of freaky to me just because now I have to deal with another person and I know that's been an issue I should have been aware of what happened and I did the back of my mind I was just never really prepared for it. So now I have this guy I think they said his name is Alan I will have to see how that works. I don't think I'll get the service that I get from Melissa if I just tread water to Melissa gets back I think we should be okay but this does bring up the issue of Melissa can't be there forever at least I don't think so and what do we do when we no longer have Melissa forever? It's good to have a backup plan.

It wasn't the warmest day of the year and it wasn't the coldest either so the heat is coming back a little bit by little bit. I should have worn long sleeves but couldn't bring myself to do it this late in the summer. I did okay, got dressed all right out the door on the bus into the city. We did our names at assist, then they turned me loose. I went straight to the Train that's straight to the hospital made good time and had an hour to kill before my appointment so I got myself a lunch at the cafeteria which as you know I love cafeteria food. I got a big sandwich named after a city but I can't remember what it is right now it was probably more food than I needed. Then tonight my neighbor brought over meatloaf and mashed potatoes another great meal and probably more calories than I needed if not just poop material. I certainly appreciate her looking it out for me.

I was pretty tired but I thought I'd better work on the kid letters tonight so it took a while but I got the pages printed out and that was kind of spooky I had to link up the tablet with the printer again for some reason. I thought it wasn't going to work but finally I did something must have held my mouth right or whatever it finally printed. Now I just have to do the envelopes and then stuff the letters in the envelopes and then should be done. I have not even tried to get on the horse today or the arm bike. I'm just going to have to pick it up somewhere along the week before Sunday which I can certainly do.

Briefly speaking

This may be a short entry for today for some reason the charging mechanism didn't work as well as anticipated and I've had to use my tablet for other areas of writing essentially the kid letters so I've used a lot more juice than usual. The weather is finally returning to a normalcy the cool and flat out cold his leaving the state finally. Today was pretty nice tomorrow will be better and back to hot temperatures by the 4th of July. Really just Monday stuff today. I did my arm bike earlier than usual which I really like cuz that frees up my evenings quite a bit. I am sawing through my new book yuppies and it's a challenging read. I got some good feedback from my friend Dennis Dahl who I guess reads this block from time to time- - a major surprise to me. However he gave me some great encouragement to just work my way through the volume which I did today I finally got out of the introduction and into the first chapter. It's slow reading but fairly interesting. I look forward to reading a few pages a day until I'm finished you know eating the elephant went by the time. Aside from that things are good. I have my kid letters pretty much dictated I still have to print the the letters and envelope and stamp them hopefully I'll be able to get them out tomorrow but I have assistant Incorporated in the morning and then time under the drill in the afternoon to get this major cavity taking care of. I really want to get this done so I don't have any surprises over the holiday weekend. Aside from that life goes on I'm enjoying all of it

 

Remotely Disturbed

Another very cool day, temperature wise. I don't think it got out of the '50s today. I didn't notice it so much this morning when I went over to the restaurant to meet mark for breakfast. I did take a hood and draped across my lap just in case it got too cold but I really didn't have to use it I also wore our stockings just to keep the bald head warm. I did remove the Hat after I got to the restaurant. I got to the restaurant just shortly before Mark did. Many times I spend at least a half a cup of coffee waiting for him or the kids to come but not today we had a pretty good conversation and enjoyed our time together I believe. Going home I felt chillier than I did going to the restaurant so much so that I spent a good part of the morning just hanging around the flat screen watching whatever I could find on Netflix are Disney Plus. Oddly later on in the afternoon something happened. I I lost the remote for the big flat screen. This happens to me once or twice a month I carry the remote on my lap often when I watch the screen. I took me a while to find the remote once I realized it was gone. I looked through the house three or four times not finding it getting a little frustrated I re-examined my feet. Often the remote slides off my lap and slides into my foot box. I looked a couple times and couldn't obviously see it. If it's in the Box it usually stands out but it didn't look like it was there so I spent another hour looking for it then finally decided to look very closely which means I have to get one of the big sticks and move my legs so they're off the foot box entirely what I did that I realized I saw the remote sandwich between the wall of the football and the foot cushions. I didn't pay much attention I finally got the stick and push the remote out on the floor then was able to pick it up with one of my lifting devices a metal dustpan. This does pan works very well especially for heavy items. I was pleased when I got the remote that the batteries are still intact. Often when the remote Falls the batteries become just lodged. I'm not sure what happened but I did something to this remote because after I finally got the item free of the footballs the wouldn't work on the flat screen. I don't know what I did but I did something and so the remote no longer works which means I can't really see offerings on Netflix or prime or Disney Plus which is probably a good thing as far as the amount of videos I've been watching lately but still I desire to watch. I thought it might be the battery so I dumped out the batteries put new ones in till nothing. Once I put the batteries in I get a little blue light on the remote which Fades quickly and then nothing seems to work. I'm almost afraid that when I was lifting my foot box I have a controller that lifts the foot box up. When I used it I thought I heard something crunch but I'm not really sure that I did. Now I'm torn I'm wondering if I were to send away for another box control box with that solve the question are the problem? I don't know I really don't know. The control boxes I've seen on things like Amazon Prime and Chrome or even eBay are not like the one that I have now. They have one or two of the channels I want to watch but not all three. I suppose there might be a way to program another one it seems complicated however. I wish it was easy and I wish I didn't have to do it through the mail. Just another thing to ponder and worry about for this coming week..

Chilly Willy Saturday

know what I really hate I hate it when after a good stretch of hot days I mean really hot days all the sudden the cold front comes in with air coming down from Canada and drops temperatures 20 or 30°. And even though the temperature is at 75 and such it feels so much colder just because you've gotten climatized to the hot weather and I'd like the hot weather. It's summer and I don't want to wear long sleeves if I don't have to so I still got on my short sleeve shirt and basically suffer the whole day. I guess perhaps one of the better optionsis situations holds is that at least going to the movies doesn't seem so cold once you get into the movie theater. It's just cold either way. I went to Supergirl this morning it was not what I was expecting it was entertaining however and I enjoyed being at the movies for an early movie. I've been at the coffee shop earlier in the morning nothing big was going on there so I figured I would just book it on home dump off my big cup of coffee and then get across the street and catch the bus to the theater which I did it was a great event for my morning. Remember I went to the theater last week and saw the new Toy Story I noticed that Supergirl was playing. It's getting towards the end of the month now and I really want to Stack as many movies on this particular month is possible. Remember I'm part of that program that lets me go to as many movies as possible for about 20 bucks a month maybe a little more but if you like movies this is really worth it plus you get points towards drinks and popcorn total win win.

When I came out of the movies the cold front had really moved in dark ominous clouds seemed everywhere with brakes every once in awhile for sunlight to filter through and give you the illusion that things might get better but it was much cooler than before. I can't use the term cold cuz it wasn't cold just cool and uncomfortable. Windows still blowing so I couldn't really wear my hat for fear of losing it with the wind gust would come up and blow it off my head. I was fortunate I didn't have to wait long for the bus to come along. I got on came home and basically hung out for the rest of the day. I made white rice and vegetables with onions and used up the last part of my chicken breasts. The rice turned out really well and so I have rice now for Sunday as well as the first part of next week so I can't say that I was totally not productive today. I even did my arm bike. I was afraid I was not going to get my full 200 minutes in for the week and I actually got about 220 minutes in. I pushed my Windows shut or almost closed so I wouldn't get the cool air tonight. It should be cool in the area until Monday and from then the day start warming again and I'll just have Melissa pull the window open again on Monday morning when she's here. Until then I will dream of hot days and warm nights and endless Summers..

 

Movie melon and blowing winds

The day was hot but not unbearable. There is also a great deal of wind as I understand there is a cold front pressing down on our region all the way from Canada and I had to that cold front are these winds. They were somewhat annoying as far as blowing goes in fact I lost my hat twice as I was and about today. At one point a Good Samaritan actually stopped their vehicle got out walked around and handed me my hat when it looked like I was having a difficult time scooping it up with my hook. This was also on the side of traffic which was probably pretty dangerous for me to be doing at the moment. I got so tired of having to get my hat up off the ground that I took it off completely and stuffed it inside of my chair. I felt pretty good after my attendant care this morning so much so I looked up the time of the next movie I wanted to watch and decided to try to make it to the theater before the movie started. I was somewhat pleased with myself because I actually pulled it off and still had about 10 minutes to sit while previews showed themselves. Sadly I got a small popcorn and a drink very small drink and it didn't take me long to dump the popcorn on the floor as well as tip the drink over in my lap as a matter of fact and this was even before the movie started that was pathetic. I'm so pleased that I was the only one in the theater today that's so weird. My caregiver and I were trying to figure out how's that works when the local theater is showing or screening a film with nobody in the audience or one person myself. On the way back to the apartment following the movie I finally went to a giant type that supermarket and got some fruit that I sorely missed over the last couple weeks. I've got some fine green grapes and I even got a mini watermelon. I think this many melon might have been the first one I've ever really gotten. I did this because one they look so cute in two they're a little easier to transport for me they cost significantly less than a large villain. Supposedly I supposed to get this melon for a $1.75 but it was still $3 on the white paper it's got everything listed on how much it costs. Actually now I'm thinking about it maybe it's a dollar 75 a pound that was reduced from I'll have to ponder that further. I cut the mail and open tonight which is something I hardly ever do which is something I need to start doing more of basically opening up the melons right the same day that I buy them. I tend to leave them for a special time and by the time I finally open up the melon it's all Woody Insider all gone mushy which I hate. But the melon was actually fairly firm and much more tasty than the last one that I got last week. Not as much mailing as I got last week but melon just the same I think I might try to do it this way from now on just because I tend to waste the big melons they're so hard handle as well as save. I wish I had more to report it was just sort of a nice day to get back into doing things and not have to worry about pooping in public oh by the way I went to Toy Story 5 it was worth the time.

 

Hail yes!

Finally, we finally got some relief from the excruciatingly dry season I have been enjoying this spring and early summer. I wasn't sure that we were going to get anything even though something was forecast for today I didn't believe there was going to be much chance. I was just focused on getting through the day without having to poop, which I did, get through the day that is without pooping and to have a pretty good lunch with my buddy Dwayne from the old days. There was wind but that is sort of naturally more it seems like and there were clouds not so much in the early morning but towards the noon time and later the clouds begin to build by the time we had finished our lunch date in the park across from my building the clouds began to form and to masses and bunch up and soon a storm was unfolding. The storm with droplets of rain at first then with more wind and then there was hell large pieces of hail falling the size of my thumb. I don't think I've been in hail that significant before. These white pellets of ice actually stung my hands when it hit them and made my feet Jump Around. I chose not to wear shoes today. The meteorological event lasted probably only a half an hour, so not a lot of precipitation happened but enough that I'm sure everybody got a good drink cooled off the Earth a little bit and for a small amount of time into the local drought. We may have some more precipitation tomorrow and that would be nice but I'm not going to hold my breath by any means.

I finally got the courage and opened up the mailing box that my new book arrived in a couple days ago. I did something I hardly ever do is that on a whim I ordered something that for me was relatively expensive. I ordered a book that I had seen and the new book section at the library. It looked interesting enough that I wanted to read it but didn't want to go through the hassle of going through the library system to do so- - I do this from time to time. Anyway I opened up the volume and sure enough it's a fairly academic volume. Is a book titled yuppies. It's kind of a tracing of the history and background of this upper middle class young people that permeated this great country for about the 30s and forward. I spent I don't know how many minutes trying to read this thing and I only got about six or six pages into the introduction. The subject matter does impress me and I'm kind of looking forward to that I don't know if I have the ability to sit through the whole thing and read the whole volume but I think I probably will get a good part of the volume red if not all of it but it won't be fun reading it per se. I went to the library upstairs picked out a paper back that I can use to get through the nights with and that's all I really wanted

Wednesday's work

I made it through the night without a blowout thank goodness. I was a little frightened that my bowels might not go when I did the transfer over to my chair but they held together real well until my caregiver got here and gave me the suppositories and I did my job. I think I did a good amount and I should be okay till Friday but then again I thought that on Monday only to have Mama's anxiety on Tuesday. I'm feeling great right now but we'll see what happens through the night and tomorrow. I have a lunch date with one of my buddies and hopefully I can keep my poop together long enough to at least get through this event. Ideally I would just like my calling to go back the way it used to be a few weeks ago. But we'll see tomorrow and see what the Day brings. I was so anxious to get out and see something besides the local apartment that I jumped on the bus not long after my caregiver left and went to find one of my Credit Union branch and get some change and some quarters. My caregiver was really great about showing up when I needed her this last weekend and not really worried too much about me paying for her time. I usually feel 20 bucks is enough for this kind of service. She only took $10 and that's okay too keep your employees happy and they'll always be happy for you. I was able to do my arm bike for my 60 minutes today that brings me to 180 now so I only have 20 more minutes to go to get my 200 by the end of the week.

Seems like every summer I have to figure out the thermostat and how to turn it low enough to lower the temperature in the apartment but not bottom out. I'm not really sure how to work the convenience so I just pushed numbers up to 77 and then not long afterwards I realized that I was freezing! Somehow I finally figured out how to turn on the air conditioner and that's exactly what I did not want to happen. Though I have learned that bringing the temperature down a little bit can make a big difference on how one spends their days. I continue to like to be outside on the patio under one of the umbrella tables. I had to go out today and bring down the umbrella because of possible and really severe winds tonight as a cold front is beginning to move into the area. The temperatures are going to drop significantly the weather person even said there would be possible need to bring in our cover up tender plants because it might get cold enough to freeze which is kind of mind-blowing. The other person's even forecasting snow in the mountains and freezing to some of the delicate plants one might have in their Gardens.

 

Tuesday's test

I swear this bowel uncertainty is getting really old. I really thought I was settling down but today as I was getting ready to go to my doctor's appointment all the sudden I got a tremendous urge that I'm going to poop and I've been trying to mitigate the issue as much as I could. Fortunately, nothing's really happened yet but just have that Sensation that any second if I hit something the wrong way bump wise in the chair or something it's going to let go and I'm going to have a poop-a-rama. I'm not even that concerned about it anymore it's happened so often but it's certainly allows me not to do anything. That sounds pretty awkward since wise but I'm not going to fix it. I ended up calling and canceling my appointment which is okay by me. The appointment is with my urologist and it was a follow-up appointment from about 6 months ago if I remember right. I rescheduled till next week and hopefully I can get this whole thing settled down but it doesn't really seem to be happening too much. It's now 10:15 in the evening- - I've made it through the day now I just have to be careful that I wrap myself up in pads and stuff that so if I let go during the night the poop will be limited just to the pads that I have surrounding me. I have a senior diaper that I wish I could wear better that I can put on myself better I guess I should say. I can just sort of reach back and kind of put it in the right place to hope for the best. So far the senior diapers have worked fairly well I've been kind of surprised. It's not like I was going to do anything horrendous or big time today anyway and I missed it because of the uncertainty but it's just the idea especially if I have to travel on public transit and should have a problem in the middle of a bus trip how am I going to ride that one out? I guess the answer is you just have to and people give you a wide berth I guess. I know I've pooped before on the bus but nothing horrendous not to the point where people could tell I had just dumped a major load. And luckily I wasn't a large enough load that this odor was anywhere except right on top of me. The driver probably realized when he went to unstrap me but I don't think anybody else did still it's freaky and something I do not want to have to deal with if I don't have to. As it is now I have a lunch appointment on Thursday. Luckily we'll just be going to the park next to the complex where I live and hopefully it'll be in the middle of the day and I won't have to poop at that point. Luckily the first time having lunch with has spent a lifetime in Rehabilitation services so it won't freak him out too much still I'd rather not have to go through that experience..

 

Monday's moans

I'm feeling much better today than I did yesterday. Melissa came last night around 10:30 cleaned me up- - actually I wasn't in too bad a shape not as much as I anticipated but we did put me on the toilet let me do some more and then clean me up and threw me to bed. I really appreciate her acoming over and doing the work so graciously. She really is a good caregiver. Anyway, did some more clean out this morning and so I'm feeling a lot better now at least I'm not feeling urgent like I have been all weekend. I sort of fortified my diet with yogurt and cheese hopefully that'll have some other effect on solidifying some of my bowel movement. And if not I'll just live one day at a time hope for the good days and get through the bad days. I kind of have everything out under control- as much as anyone can control chaos- - it's makes me feel that I can do something if I need or want to. I almost went over to the market today and picked up some more flavor packets for my water but couldn't build the energy up to do that as well as the Heat of the day was pretty warm. I did my bike work out and I enjoyed listening to some NPR while I was doing the workouts. I watched a couple hours of Netflix or Disney Plus. Was able to read a little bit out on the patio General relaxation. Perhaps the most productive thing I did today was actually fill out the paperwork for my certification here at the apartment complex that dreaded document that must be filled out yearly which allows me to live here. Actually while I was sitting out reading the support coordinator walked by and indicated that she would help me fill the documentation out if I needed help. So I went back in and saw what I could do on my own which was basically all of it. Jennifer looked it over when I handed it in and said it was okay. Stuff ed the prettiest work that comes in and I'm sure but it's enough to keep me housed for another year sometimes that's all I need.

I'm a little sleepy tonight just because I worked out for one and secondly when Melissa left last night turned off all the lights except the one in my room against the wall that I keep on all day. It's slipped my mention when she left actually I called her back to turn off the kitchen lights she forgot that. Luckily my chair was blocking the lap mostly so it didn't really bother my sleep that much but did was somehow getting in bed last night I didn't do a good job or Melissa placed me in bed with the patient lift anyway I woke and my leg was hanging off the side of the bed this is never a good thing. I finally was able to get my leg back on the bed and finish my transfer well actually I didn't do that I just went ahead and raise the bed as high as it would go and finished the transfer which my leg was already down everything worked out pretty decent I was surprised. Whatever that made for a weird day. Tomorrow there's no assist meeting but I have the Urology appointment. It's just a checkup I think I should be okay. Somewhere along the line last month somebody gave me a bottle to urinate in and I don't know if it was these guys it makes sense that it would be but I don't remember it as such. I can't find it anywhere. I'll just have to wear a loose clothes tomorrow…

Sum,Sum, Summertime

 It's officially summer, today is solstice the turning point goodbye spring hello summer and all that good stuff. I wish I could have enjoyed the day more however I felt poopy all day in fact I think I just did a number in my pants. I'm sort of waiting for Melissa to get here clean me up hopefully. Or maybe I'll just wrap myself up and just go to bed and do everything in the morning I don't know what's going on but something is. In the old days I could go a year 2 years without an accident now it's having every couple weeks I don't know it's because of accepted it's going to happen and so it's happening or I'm losing the ability to hold my poop from one unloading to the next. I pooped on Friday morning it's really decent but last night I was feeling a little anxious and I was pleased to get through the night and please to get through this morning's breakfast with Mark and Jasmine. Spent the rest of the day in the apartment hold up in case the worst happened. So I watched movies and that was about it.

I have called Melissa and hopefully she's on her way over clean me up if not I'll wrap myself up and pads try to sleep through the night will clean up in the morning. That's in fact what I would like to do but I've already called her I don't know how much more I'm going to do before tomorrow if any. It was a hot day today and it was pretty warm by the time I met the kids over at the restaurant. A little bit later than 8:00 probably close to 9:00 actually. We had a really good discussion. Mark had a lot of passion to put into what he was saying to the point I had to calm him down once or twice cuz I thought he was talking too loud and driving to people in the booth next to us a little crazy. I knew noticed I was getting the fish eye look for one of the guys that, through no fault of Their Own, we're getting quite an earful of what and how Mark thinks. Mark was able to tone down once I've called it to his attention I think you feel a little bad if not embarrassed. We finally got out of there went on a separate ways Jasmine had issues going on with the educational process. Nursing schools really difficult for her it seems like just so much work so little time. I think this is going to be very very challenging for the girl. I'll try to support her as best as I can. I think she'll make it I think she has enough tenacity to stick through to it she certainly smart enough it just has to go through the issues of doing what they ask. Academia can be such a pain in the ass.

Regarding what seems to be changes in my bowel movements and accidents and surprises I just have to be patient and very self forgiving and realize that this is going to be the next part of my life. Certainly have to accept a lot of things that are in Pleasant in the aging process. I really begin to think that's what it's all about as far as getting so fed up with this life you're willing to go to the next just because it's such are so demanding to live on all levels of pain and inconvenience…

Springs end

It's late on the last day of spring, Saturday night, summer heat is already on the wind is blowing my windows open and I'm worried about staying up too late because I'm getting up early in the morning to have breakfast with the kids- - hopefully. I'm a little worried that I might have a bowel movement during the night. My schedule seems to be messed up somehow totally bums me out but anyway I've squandered away another perfectly good day. Will not totally squandered. Last night I lost the use of my television / cable or whatever it is. I could not get to my Marvel movies or even local programming something indeed had changed so I do what I always do as I called my son mark who I think is the technical genius and had him drop over this morning early. I know that he has a lot going on his Saturdays especially in the mornings so I was really pleased that he is willing to take a few minutes to come over here and look at my problem. I knew it would take a few minutes that was all then he can go on and do whatever else but he wanted to do. But we got the TV working are my connection my cable connection found out that I had pushed a connector against the wall in back of my TV system I'm kind of crushed the plug. As usual Mark was able to get the things going again and I'm back online happy as a clam with Disney plus and other programming options. Mark made a suggestion that we go over half coffee yet my little coffee shop across the street. I thought that was a fabulous idea because as you the constant reader knows that I often go over to the coffee shop and just sit by myself and watch everybody else communicate and socialize. Today I will be able to give that illusion as well I was excited. He got over to the coffee shop settled in and then one of the servers are the guys working behind the bar recognize mark they were old friends from another period of time. They started conversation that lasted for the next 45 minutes totally amazing. We were just yammering away at my table. I had my own little group and it was kind of fun even though I was definitely the third man out. These two definitely had a history and they're renewing it. That was kind of it for the day actually for me anyway I went back to the apartment watched something on the flat screen. I went back to the market and got a couple more fried chicken breasts that I want to use in stir fry and other things that I need chicken meat for. I've got these interesting little packs of noodles that if you add chicken to them it makes it a real meal. That's kind of exciting. Back at the apartment I did I washed some dishes try to sweep up a little bit I really made a mess with Cheerios this last week. For a day I did little in I'm pretty tired looking forward to sleep provided I don't you know..

 

Baclofen backup

The night is coming on and there are clouds in the sky. Dark clouds spread across parts of the sky with blue showing through. If I was extremely lucky there would be Rumblings and Thunder and a case of a lightning flashes but these are dry clouds and for what the weather woman says if there is any moisture in these guys the moisture is evaporated long before it hits the ground. In fact we're on high alert fearing anything like Sparks or lightning that could burst grass or trees into instant fires add to that the occasional wind gusts and we're in serious trouble here along Wasatch Front- - actually not so much the Wasatch Front as the Wasatch Back and other places in the Utah area. We're about 2 to 3 weeks ahead of schedule this kind of weather comes later on in July but not this year. I just got back from the market and it's nice and hot outside at 9:00 p.m.

I had not planned on running to the market tonight but I got an announcement on my cell phone that my medications/ prescription was ready. This was a little shocking because before the last two days I've been trying to get my physician to update my prescription so the drug test could fill out my order for Baclofen. Even as late as tonight or 5:30 I called to see if I could find anybody in the pharmacy in the personal answer it indicated that there was nothing there to show that I needed a prescription filled. It was only later in the evening while watching the news that I got a ping on my cell phone telling me that my prescription has been filled and was waiting for me to pick it up. I did not want any other issues to come up, even though they probably would not I'm just gun shy at this point, so I figured it'd be worthy hassle of suiting up and heading over to the market. I'm glad that I did. However, I was not in any real stress just because I have a small bottle next to my bed that may have 30 or 40 Baclofen tablets inside. I've had this little bottle for years in case I need baclofen during the night for spasms and such but also works quite well as an emergency backup system. I feel quite fortunate that the guys at the pharmacy didn't get the holiday off but either way I would have been okay I had a backup system.

My next challenge is tomorrow when I have to call Xfinity to find out why my Disney Plus and other Services have been cut off. My computer is saying I've got a bad connection and the only thing I can think of is somehow I may have pulled a wireless or something. I was hoping my son would be by tonight and he could monkey around in the back and find a problem and hopefully fix it he's very good at that kind of stuff. I can actually get to the subscriptions that I want the hard way the wrong way. It's very difficult and then frustrating. Perhaps it's just as well I can spend more time reading the new novel I picked up the other day from the library plus a brand new book came in the mail so I'm totally excited and have stuff to read an d things to keep me entertained besides the flat screen …

No coffee for me!

 I hope again about 3:45 a.m. and I really felt like I needed to use the restroom. Usually when I'm in this quandary I try to force myself back to sleep regardless of the urgency. Sometimes it works sometimes it does but I know I didn't want to try to stay awake till 9ish or 9:30 when the coffee group is supposed to assemble. Well I did something this morning that I haven't done in months and that was cath myself in bed! This is a bit of a challenge it was a big challenge with my bed wouldn't lift the upper half up but now it does. Trying to cast myself in bed still a trial but this morning around 3:30 a.m. I decided if I didn't try it or use the catheter I would be sorry at some point in time during the day. Luckily I had everything assembled before I went to bed not knowing for sure if I would need some of the materials. I use some of the slippery stuff on the end of a catheter roll over to my side and then insert the catheter up my penis and into the bladder I guess. And that's what I did this morning took me a minute to figure things out but using the top of the bed to lift me up and the middle of the bed I also used which raises the midsection in the lower section up which is great because it puts everything right where I can reach. Like I said it's still a bit of a challenge find that need to be whole while laying down and feeling like you need to go to the bathroom immediately. I was surprised but I felt that I was finished with the void I was amazed to see that it was almost 800 ml which is really quite a bit to void out this early in the morning as well as doing it in bed where just one move could drown me. When I was finished I pulled the catheter out and put it back and in its place.  I used to do this maneuver quite a bit once or twice a week but not for at least a year now. With the void I basically went back to sleep or tried to. I think I slept for about 90 minutes following the void experience. This rarely happens and I was kind of excited. I don't know if I'll have this opportunity again if indeed it's an opportunity. But I sure like to know what I can still do.

Today is Thursday and that's the dedicated reader knows it's coffee social day. That day when coffee is made and everyone sits around the table trying to be interested in everybody else. It's not a mandatory thing so people are there just because they're really interested in the concept. We don't have a lot of folks but those that do sort of look forward to it and I'm becoming one of those. This morning after I finish dressing I rolled on down to the room and it was dark deathly dark. No coffee social today not this week. It's not a big deal certainly not the end of the world but you know seniors don't like to have things pulled on them and they hate to have the routine messed up you know?

Beach crew

Another very early wake up. Last night I had a nice issue with pooping the bed! Fortunately, it wasn't a large movement very small in fact and I was able to mitigate much of the issue by extra sheet savers or pads. My stomach was growly and upset when I went to bed I thought that the bad thing would be the best thing and would not be an issue until this morning when I'd be able to get on the toilet with my caregiver got here. Still it's just a freak out every time something like this happens and sadly it seems to be more and more frequent or maybe I'm not as Vigilant as I used to be and realize the cleanup is just a cleanup and not the end of the world. Just the same Lissy, wonderful about the whole thing and just jumped right in and cleaned everything up. Still there's something like this that takes the wind out of your sales for the whole day at least it does for me. For one I'm always famished but gunshot to eat anything. In fact I'm a big believer in bananas as far as beginning to firm up the bowel again and I'm out. Well I had one banana very underneath some papers on the table which I consumed- - the bananas not the paper. Then I actually went across the street to the market and got a bunch of bananas just so I have enough to continue the process. I also had nice helpings of cheddar cheese and crackers has anything else I thought might clogged me up. I even thought about ordering the cheese pizza but I don't need that many calories. Hopefully tomorrow things will have settled down a bit.

The temperature today was also in the upper 90s and that's just great by me even though it does have an impact on my ability to be clearly focused. I did take the the opportunity to go out and read on the patio again under a umbrella table. That was sort of fun. I just have to deal with folks stopping by and visiting or wanting to. I usually entertain the individual and engage in some banter of communication. I'm trying to finish my paper back soon as possible. The book I ordered yesterday I found that I didn't use an active card so the sale was denied. I only found out this afternoon and that was because I was a little concerned because the book had not come yet and they really went out of their way to stress that it would be here today. So I tried another card and hopefully this card will not be denied and I will have the book by this weekend- - Maybe. I really miss the summer swim. This came up during the family reunion this weekend when the kids were talking about how I used to swim at the bridge at span a small canal in South Boise. It was a great place to swim and many of the people in my part of the neighborhood swam there in the afternoons. I was pretty young at the time so there are a lot of older folks there teenagers as we called them anyone from 14 to 21 or 22. Many days hot like today everyone just hung around the bridge drove over the railing- - in my case they would throw me over the railing- - and we totally cool down to come out of the water down by the beach and get started all over again till one got too hot. I swam her everyday before my accident and after maybe a year after the accident after I got home I continue to swim there with the help of a beach crew the number of volunteers that would throw me over the side of the rail and then Beach me which is pulling me out of the water putting me in my wheelchair push me back up onto the the bridge. I miss those days I wish I had a beach crew...

 

Hot Town Summer in the city

What's today's get hotter I'm finding that I'm being less and less comfortable which is very rare. I'm kind of afraid this is the new me I'm becoming. I fear it's the age thing and I'm aging like everybody else and I guess that's a good thing but it sure is weird. This morning I think I woke up around 4:00 and never really did get back to sleep I had to pee but I've not been peeing very much the last couple nights months in the overnight hours. I didn't have my equipment ready and then reach for me too utilize so I just basically tried to lay there quietly and and rest and try to consciousness. I was also dealing with the fact that it was Tuesday and I do have a meeting today in Salt Lake so I didn't want to lose my advantage time wise by going back to sleep maybe sleeping through my time to get up. And again but I feel strange is that even with all this as far as waking up very early I did manage to get to my meeting fairly functional as well as get back home and do my arm bike. I count the day of success if I do at least two things which I think are fairly significant. Today it was my assist meeting and doing my arm bike for an hour.

Another weird thing which I think might be secondary to aging is my problem with dressing myself. Now I just have to build into everything significant more amount of time. Today I never really did get my shorts totally over my right hip. I'm finding this part of my dressing more and more difficult I'm also finding that something is happening to me and I think I'm going out of my chair. This is difficult for me to say by growing out of my chair I think I'm getting so fat that my chair seems to be shrinking on me! I wish that were not the case. This difference in size seems to be affecting everything from crossing my legs and putting my shorts on and my shoes two working my arm bike and not having my body mass get in the way of my arm crank. There's going to come a time I think relatively soon that I'm not going to be able to dress myself anymore. I thought about asking my caregiver how much she would charge just to come around and trust me daily. I could probably do it but it's really going to be a hit on my wealth as I know it. The mass of my wealth is not much but it's all I've got. As far as my shoes go I have just about one the left shoe out the right she was still fairly intact but I think it's time to get another pair I just have a hard time finding shoes with straps as opposed to laces. These kinds of shoes used to be everywhere not anymore. I have seen some shoes online but then it's that whole thing of buying them online and then if they don't work out you have to send it back and that's where I fall down on a lot of my purchases. The process just intimidates me too much. I wish I had somebody in charge of sending things back but certainly make my life much easier. Finally, I'm getting a second wind I didn't think I was going to get one this afternoon or evening shouldn't last long however plan to go to bed relatively early… the talk is cheap...

Monday at the movies

It's 8:24 in the evening I'm sitting here like a fool waiting for a second wind of a pill me through the rest of the evening. I somehow don't think that's going to happen but at least now I have gotten off base and I'm getting words down on the screen. For me it's been a perfectly beautiful day for a Monday. I didn't have any commitments to do today for any that had to be done immediately. So, after my Monday routine and a couple half attempts at breakfast I checked the movie listings and was surprised pleasantly to see that for the movies I've been waiting for his family arrived. Something called Disclosure, latest offer by Steven Spielberg. I pretty much feel that you can't go wrong with the Spielberg film. I think it was around 10:30 this morning and I saw that the movie would not begin well actually we would start seating at 12:00 with the real movie to start around 12:30. So I had some time to kill so I looked around for something I could smuggle into the movie so I didn't have to purchase anything and then Godly price. I can't remember if I told you that I often get food from food boxes donated by the local food bank and are the LDS Church. One of the items that seems to constantly show up in the Box that I don't really use that much is it Cheerios knockoff called something like Tostitos or toasty oats. I think flavor-wise though identical I really like them for breakfast hard to have with milk just because they're toasted through and through and so they'll keep their crunch through most of the meal. I've never smuggled them into a movie house before so I don't have to buy movie candy but today I thought I'd give it a shot. I went through my plastic boxes and found a sandwich bag filled it with Tostitos and hung it on my power chair. I rarely mind waiting for the bus but in this kind of weather it's ideal. If I were to gripe about anything it would be the lack of shade especially during the noon day. I found a little shade offered by a telephone pole lowered my head back in my chair and kind of rested till the bus came.

I can't believe I caved in and bought a hot dog and a drink at the movie place. I really did believe I was going to do nothing but use the Tostitos to Crunch on during the movie. The dog and the drink came to like 15 bucks or something here about. I just block the price and wandered over to the drink facility to put a lid on the straw in my drink. I got the fruit punch which I like. It's tasty and it's red. Perhaps the saddest part of the whole deal is that I didn't even check to see if I could have gotten the hot dog or the drink through my accumulation of movie points. You know, those incentive points you get each time you go to the movies? Since I don't really purchase my tickets the old fat anyway I don't know if I'm gathering points but I do know I've asked them a couple times and I have had enough points to get a drink or the food item. I have to admit I did enjoy my hot dog it was hot the only problem was that they don't put the condiments on the Beast. They don't have easy mustard ketchup stuff like that you have to tear off the top and squeeze the stuff out. If I had my hands perhaps that wouldn't be a big deal but I don't so I just have to use my teeth to make little holes in the top and squeeze it out. Too much bother to pull the hot dog out open it up squeeze the condiments down the meat so now I just take a bite and suck off some mustard repeat the process till it's all done. I would enjoy the other two items sweet relish and ketchup but I'm happy with just the mustard if that's all I can get…

 

Reunion finish- Flag Day

÷÷I wish I could respond by saying that I really did pull out the work for Flag Day, today! But really I actually forgot today was flag day except that few minutes ago I started thinking about Flag Day then realized it probably was today and when I checked voila it is Flag Day. It's actually just an observance it's not a holiday which is kind of surprising but a long time ago Congress decided that it wouldn't be a holiday just a little observance day. Kind of makes me feel bad for the day but not too bad. This morning we had to going away breakfast for my brother's family who all actually showed up for the reunion. We knocked the time back an hour so admit at 9:00 rather than 8:00 had some really great discussion and sent the guys on their way. Some are going to Idaho so I'm going to Washington State and I think there was another state there one of them was going to but I can't remember where maybe just another place in Idaho. It was great to see everyone and great to have an extension of their Union from yesterday to this morning everybody gone. I was back in my apartment why 10:30 and quite relieved that this event was the biggest thing I had to do today and now I was just looking forward to kicking back and relaxing for a good part of the rest of the day. I cut the watermelon in my brother brought me the other day, I cut the watermelon today it was okay not as sweet as I thought it would be but not mushy or anything either it was a nice watermelon. I think I will have Lissy aka Melissa cut off a couple pieces tomorrow for me to enjoy throughout the hot day. I have an assist meeting on Tuesday of course and then on Thursday I believe I have another doctor's appointment but it might be later in the month. I'm just looking forward to enjoying the rest of this month, the national holiday and the rest of the summer.

One of the best things about this morning's breakfast was being the first to the restaurant and letting them know that there is going to be a party of 13 people coming for breakfast. She usually just myself, my son and granddaughter and her boyfriend. Just the four of us. But today we got to take one of the long tables are a number of short smaller tables and end and request them for our party. There is a large family of Southeast Islanders who meet almost every Sunday for breakfast and some kind of religious service back there at the restaurant. Actually when they left that's when they reserve the tables wiped them all down and set them for us that was kind of cool. My party was kind of late getting there so I was getting a little bit worried that the restaurant people would be sort of vexed at me for taking up all their valuable tables. But there's a bunch of other tables that were open scattered around the facility so I don't think they were too worried that seem like they're happy to avoid me with the tables that they would need to feed all of our party. I truly missed them as they left go their various destinations there are a lot of little bits of small talk hugging and wishing everybody safe conditions and Godspeed and unsaid but definitely in the air looking forward to the next family reunion ellipsis

A

Family reunion day 2

Another hot and exhausting day of the family reunion weekend. Remember last night it was quite late by the time I finally rolled into my apartment and by the time I got to bed it was past 1:00 a.m. it took me that long to just get ready for bed. I just kept to think of things I needed to do and have to get done before the new day. I slept in till about 6:13 a.m. very rarely do I sleep that long and I think mainly just because I went to bed an hour or two later than I usually do. I only read half a page before I clocked out for the night. I really didn't have a deadline to look at this morning so I kind of dialed a little bit getting dressed it took me a while. I got the word finally that lunch would be around 12:00 and to meet over at Carl's Place again. I did okay I think I traveled faster then I did the other day same way with my return trip.

It was a lunch of cold cuts sandwich Carl had a bunch of sandwiches made for us to dine on it was a great treat with chips and something to drink I guess I didn't have anything to drink. Everyone got together pretty well. More Paul's kids showed up at this particular get together. Mine never did sadly but that's okay we are a weird group, this family of mine. I don't think it was 90° out there today probably in the high 80s not too bad. I hung out at the event until oh later in the day at least 3:30 4:00 till they finally decided to make the break and head out. It was it was a good time to leave things were getting a little weird particularly how different members of the family perceived what was going on as a family at that point in time in the late 50s early 60s. , '70s. Who really is how what perceives what's going on around them is our history kids to be then it all looks different when you get together with other folks and try to compare the comparisons aren't nearly as cut and dry as you think at least inside my mind. I'm so glad I didn't see the atrocities that seem to be happening in my family during that period of time. Very few have a great idea or example of what went on it's all bits and pieces put together like the blind men and the Elephant. It was good to get home and relax a little bit. I'm stuffed that was stuffed I'm still stuffed which is not a good thing. I wish I had a way to go to the toilet. Tomorrow we're meeting a hour later than I usually go to breakfast on Sundays 9:00 at dees. I just hope I make it through the night without an accident... 

Reunion!

I got in from the bus about a half an hour ago it took me forever to get back from Carl's house to mine. The 217 just seem to take forever to get to my bus stop at the transit hub. I should have just drove my chair home on the streets a little bit home about a half hour or 45 minutes sooner than I did. I was pleased however that I was able to make the trip over to Carl's for the staging area for the reunion dinner when we all walked down to Chuck-A-Rama. I'm surprised I acted a civilized as I did. I woke up this morning around 3:00 a.m. as always managed to get back to sleep till about 4:30 and then laid around till 6:00 getting up then. I was a little worried that the lack of sleep but it didn't seem to really bother me a lot during the afternoon and evening but getting to that point I was a little growly bear it seemed like. I was just too tired I felt but somewhere along the line I got a second wind which says last me all day even now I'm just barely getting tired. Well barely might be an understatement the vicissitudes of the day are now beginning to way upon my shoulders.

Today started innocuously enough. I think I woke up first around 4:00 a.m.       so I threw myself back onto the pillow and somewhere along the line I think I did fall asleep for a few minutes here and there. There is that individual in a dream who plays a fairly large role I can't remember what it is. I always recognize it when I see it. I really wasn't too excited about the reunion thing but figured I'd better make a presentation at least a showing so the folks will feel that they got something out of the event hopefully more than 100 bucks they put into it. I was pleasantly surprised when Melissa watching my door a little after 8:00 a.m. she's usually a lot later than that. I think it kind of agree with her that we're not really doing the time thing is good as we should. Hopefully we'll get on top of it but today was early and that was good because I was ready to go through my process and get ready rather like to eat and then head over to my brother's place. It took a few tries but I finally got going but I was still immensely tired. But strangely a miracle happened somewhere between 8:00 and 9:30 when I suddenly got a second wind. I felt calm and actually excited to do the correct thing. To put on my good shorts, tightened my shoes tighter than usual basically turn me loose. Grabbed a few items to eat and then went and caught the 217 over to the Community College which I took the big bus over to the Community College Transit Center there's a quite and sleepy morning with all these devices. I started the list of the new items I'm going to need the next time I go for a one of the markets. I got shorts that are 44 in what round. I went out laid in the  sun of the reason was to take weight off my butt and the other one was just too see if I could get some more sleep when were the other. I've ordered the white vest when it came in which took me into Murray Central. I can't tell if the  staff that check you out to leave the store really know what they're talking about especially when it comes to clothes. But eventually other members of the crew showed up that was kind of fun. I'm exhausted. When I look back and try to read over what I've written so far I can tell that I'm still exhausted. However I will quickly try to get to the 500 words to let you guys have a rest. I heard through the grapevine that it was going to be 6:30 that they wanted to have dinner that's a long time. There is also a lot of talk regarding Ai and how it might be used in the writing area. All very interesting but I was getting pretty tired. I'm sorry this is so disjointed I think that gives you the best picture of how I'm operating at this very moment..

Sore butt Thursday

My butt hurts today. The pain is coming from the area that Melissa indicates that I have a minor issue with. It's hard to say what the pain really is Melissa says I have a scratch back there which I very well could have but I wanted to be very careful with it cuz I certainly don't want it evolving into something larger and more detrimental. So what I've been doing a large part of the day is trying to get my chair back to the point where it's taking the weight off my butt basically laying down in my chair. Luckily it's that time of the week now that I've don't have to go anywhere most of my running around has been done for the week. At least for today. Tomorrow of course I've got the relatives and the beginning of the reunion and the dinner over at Chuck-A-Rama. Carl came over today with the repair to cooking box he made me that I broke the handle on. He also brought me a watermelon or actually I asked him to pick one up but he wouldn't let me pay for it but I didn't fight very much for it either. I really like visiting with Carl because he's such an anchor to the Past the old family. I'm hoping that by taking a little care of my rear end today I'll be able to do the next couple days okay. You know it's really weird? Is that I'm sure we had a reunion last year but Carl swears up and down we didn't and when I sit down and really really think about it maybe we didn't but I thought sure that we did I know I suffered as if we did.

One of the things that my brother and I talked about how he was here was how would have the little brothers have become quite aggressive it's quite amazing if you ask me. He seems to be very angry. He actually was angry at Carl earlier when there was a possibility that this reunion might be canceled and it seems that the other brother had already spent $400 on renting motels in other type of things for the trip. And he was upset and angry that he'd be out the money and Carl actually paid I'm off with his own money Carl's money. That's just too strange makes me want to skip the reunion myself my family is getting quite frightening in the old days I guess I'm part of that but still I don't need any added stress and I already dealing within my life I didn't given time. There are members that don't even show up to the reunions anymore not necessarily for these reasons but other reasons as well we're a family falling apart. I'm really surprised that we've been able to hold together as long as we have it's been a strong illusion that my mother crafted. I dare say we will not be together much longer but I could be wrong one never knows.

  

Wistful Wednesday

 I knew it was going to be a somewhat challenging day from the onset I knew that I would have to take the bus over to the hospital system to get to my doctor's appointment. What was challenges that I set the appointment for 10:15 a.m. thinking that I would have enough time after my shower this morning. Yesterday trying to be a bit proactive I asked Melissa if she could show up earlier and she did she came in a little after 7:00 a.m. and we got too busy and got my stuff done and I was basically out the door in time to catch the bus to get over to the hospital. So it wasn't like it was traumatic or anything it was just a busy day. I knew that the hospital visit would be fairly low level just because of just a checkup but I was feeling good anyway. The doctor I had actually he's a resident and it was his last day seeing me. His first name is Boomer and I thought that was so cool I still think it's cool. I never did ask him but the Boomer name came from or how I'm sure there's a good story there. This was the major point of the day for me I just need to get back home and relax a little bit and get over my trip. I still had to turn my arm bike and blog and journal. I even made a fairly decent dinner I thought. I stopped at the market on the way home but actually bought corn on the cob. So I had corn on the cob I sliced part of the ham steak I bought a while back and cooked yesterday before yesterday. It was a pretty nice little dinner actually. There's a cold front breezing through the area today so it hasn't been that warm I only got up to about 79 ° today but along with that is some significant winds. And even now the front more or less is gone through but there's a lot of wins in the back and it's really blowing the trees outside my window. It's kind of nice listening to the trees in the Wind. It's really decent for sleeping but you want to be somewhat bundled up. Now that the doctor's appointment is finished it's downhill for the rest of the week except for the reunion. Each day is closer and I get a little bit more nervous but I think it's going to be okay I'm just worried about traipsing back and forth so much. Some of that is also going to be coming home in the dark which also it's not a big deal but it's still a bit worrisome.

This is kind of way unrelated to today's blog but I think my tablet is possessed if not haunted. Something is strange I don't know what it is it's something that's running underneath the regular images on the laptop. From time to time I get bits and pieces of conversations or comments or something from something else going on underneath my regular screen. It's a woman's voice and it's nothing weird or scary or anything it's just sounds like a narrative of some sort of commercial event going on. I wish I could figure out how to get to different levels of the screen. I know that Marc Anthony can do that but I don't know how to excavate my system..

Free day Follies

 Free day! By free day I mean no meeting at assist inc., I didn't go into the City so I was just able to stay home and enjoy the apartment. I didn't make a production but I have an eye in the slab of pork that I have in my refrigerator sometimes really a slab of ham beside this day would be a good date bring it out Friday and have it for breakfast or at least part of it. The breakfast was a limited production as I have indicated earlier but it was good I fried up the whole slab of ham cut it into sections cooked two eggs and had a nice little breakfast which I ate half and the rest for dinner. Aside from breakfast I didn't do much today of anything. There was a strong wind blew during the night and then say it was a little bit cooler but overcast most of the day a good day for staying inside though I did go out and read a little bit. The temperature wasn't freezing though it wasn't necessarily Pleasant either. Later on in the afternoon the sun did come out and warm things up makes a difference a big difference too have the Sun not impeded with atmospheric clouds. At some point during the morning or just afternoon I did take a couple of coffee cups that I've collected and went over and got some real coffee to drink on to the rest of the day. I tried to actually run some water through the ground today and it made a dark colored clear liquid that kind of tasted like coffee but but the flavor missed mark. Interesting one of the guys here at the building Jimmy an older guy much older than me but very nice an old Union fellow he's over there drinking coffee with a crew of folks and when Jimmy saw me he reached out and grabbed me and made me come back and sit with them which I did. We visited for an extended period of time I was quite impressed. I don't know if they'll be a forever crew but there is certainly a nice to sit around a for a while but it kind of got old. I wanted to get back to the apartment. Call my brother at one point I called and left a message. Carl wanted to talk about yep coming reunion for this weekend. I guess things are in place now pretty much we just now have to see it through the reunion. Perhaps the high point of my day was my brother Carl coming over and retrieving the baking utensil he made for me a few months ago maybe years ago that I'd somehow broken the handle. He came over to pick up the material or the piece and was gone again just back quickly. I don't plan to see that piece come back for some time. He's a very good busy tonight.

I've been in some limited pain today with my butt feet in pain. I don't know for sure what the issue is my skin seems to be doing fairly well. However I do fear there might be some issues arising. I transferred from the bed to the chair I tore off the Band-Aid that Melissa put on yesterday. I spent a good part of the day trying to be off my butt by sitting back in my chair or leaning back in my chair. Hasn't made me look very good but it's hopefully somewhat useful. For the most part I think I've been somewhat incommunicado all day. Seems like I've almost gone through another bottle of the lotion which I need to get another ready cuz I'm putting it on my butt quite often. I'm going to try to get to bed a little early tonight. I doubt if I'll be able to accomplish this already it's almost 9:00 p.m.. I must get up early tomorrow. I've visited with Melissa she's willing to come in 7:30ish or even a little bit earlier which would be good for me because I need to be at the bus stop to get to the doctor's office by a little before 10:00 a.m.. I don't ddxdddd111 any problems but just to be safe I'm having more to come over early.  

Reunion.. soon!

 I believe I've rehearsed this more than once on this blog but I'm a stifled writer. At least I like to think of myself as a writer but sad as it is I haven't really written anything besides this blog for a number of years and that's a shame and it's a little frightening because I sense my time is running out. I don't mean I'm going to drop dead tomorrow- - but I might - - I'm just saying if I don't do something soon I'll leave this earth/planet whatever without anything written at least recently. A week ago or so I was with my son and his quasi wife and it came up that I had written a number of items she was impressed. I wasn't too impressed but it was certainly nice getting the stroke so having somebody impressed that I was or have written in the past. I didn't even bring up the fact that I was published as far as that's concerned which is a big deal for people who like to write or think that they like to write. So, having said this and to reiterate my contempt for AI and silly people who tend to use AI I must confess I'm beginning to consider the possibility of using AI to write. I know that leaves a bad taste immediately in the mouth as well as me doing a fast drop on everybody's opinion poll but today I was thinking. The thing about AI and folks are used AI saying that they've written stuff and it was really AI is that is doing all the work. I know when I first considered the whole Ai and the writing and what was being written as original or whatever from the brain of the artificial was it actually writing it all? So what if I did use AI and I wrote something say a short story and basically AI wrote it but it was my idea and it was my thought process that got the whole thing started. And what if I took the final product or the product that was produced and then truly added more stuff that was me. Since the AI wrote the basic part of the document and is based on me and then I rewrite it all me then quite possibly I could assume that it was my document. I don't have a problem with sharing the work with the AI whoever it is or what it is but it was certainly be something written. I haven't done anything yet but it might be fun to play around with the whole concept a little.

I was across the street at the market this afternoon and so I didn't pay much attention to what was going on in my backpack and when I got home I noticed that my older brother had called me. So this evening I called him back and he informed me that everything was go for the family reunion this coming Friday and Saturday and possibly Sunday. I assured it might be able to make it and that I was planning on it. He let me know everything was in place there is food and his backyard was ready to assume the family who shows up. I am looking forward more than anything else to the reunion being over and getting on with the rest of the summer for me. That's really sad but true. Some of the older folks brothers and sisters I'm looking forward to seeing cuz I don't know how much longer I'll be able to interact with them as living beings. These guys are way older than me and I'm old. Some of us is not all of us don't have much time left and take advantage of each time to be together…

Hankerings

Do you ever get in a specific food kind of mood? You know that feeling when there's just only one thing that will satisfy a craving that you might have, that you didn't even know that you had until that's all that's on your mind. That sort of happened to me this afternoon. My granddaughter came over this morning following me eating at the restaurant for breakfast. She didn't meet at the restaurant her dad and I met for breakfast. It was just us. We had a good conversation and enjoy the time that we had together. But Jasmine was focused on fixing the door or changing the decorations on the door for the next month or holiday or whatever. She didn't really want to do breakfast as much as she just wanted to do the door and get it done. She's in the middle of major studies right now with summer school a couple of classes that are kind of hardcore science oriented classes so she's studying every single minute she can get. I was really quite surprised that she was so funny coming over and changing my door out for the new season.

This afternoon I got kind of a second wind and after it's been left in the apartment was pretty clean I started to get in the hankering for an apple pie. It's been a while since I've done the pie and it's sort of a real challenge for me because you have to stick the pie into the preheated oven which is at 200°. The oven is hot because you wanted to preheat it so I also have to deal with a gush of heat coming out of the oven triggering a fire alarm. Luckily today I did not have to deal with overactive fire alarm. So I went to the market across the street from where I live. Our Market has a very limited supply of frozen fries I was kind of surprised. They're all a high end frozen food operation. The price are on sale for $7.88. That still seems a bit High but I purchased the confession anyway- - I had a hankering. I don't know what I was thinking of when I grabbed the pie but after I got the pie home and started looking at it I realized I'd made a mistake. The part that I got I can't remember what it's called right now but it was Apple but it didn't have any pie crust on top they had this stuff that you sprinkled onto the pie itself after it was cooked and then cook the whole shebang again for 10 minutes. I still can remember that this house operation this store had two or three different kinds of pies to choose from no longer is that the case. After a quick stop at the Dollar Store for some box milk I came straight home. I quickly drop the box of the pie in it when I was trying to make sure the oven was cleaned out sufficient to hold a pie. I have started using the Pie as a utility closet or a closet for frying pans and all kinds of paraphernalia for cooking. Anyway, I eventually was able to get the pie up off the floor and onto the cooking box my brother made. It was a challenge but I got everything into the heated stove I was really surprised that's able to pull that off. I cook the pie for 60 minutes like I was told then opened up the oven scatter the stuff that you sprinkle on top and put it back in for another 10 minutes. Like I said this was not what I thought that I had gotten I want to just the old time pie you know apple pie with crusty top that's very tasty when you eat it with the pie itself. The Pie special name but I can't think of it right now but it's a fancy Dancy pie more than I expected and more than I do. I finally got it out of the oven after cool down for about an hour but it cool down for another hour before I cut out a piece. I couldn't find my pie device anywhere. You know that handheld instrument that looks like a triangle with a attachment on top that you used to scoot the pie from hot surfaces back to the countertop or table. I was proud of myself I cook the pie without anything even let it sit for the 2 hours afterwards it's cool down that it could be handled safely I just had the first piece out of the pie. I would much rather have had the pie with the pie crust on top but that didn't happen but I enjoyed the pie that I did have and now I just have to pace myself not to each not to eat too much at one time. The Pirates great as was the dinner. I watched part of a Marvel movie as I finished the regular meal. The pie was wonderful