Mary Christmas

I am so blessed. Yesterday Mark Anthony cleaned up my kitchen which includes refrigerator! What a wonderful thing for him to do. I hope he does not feel this menial labor to pay for us space on my floor that is currently using. I truly have loved having him here the past two nights and he will be here again tonight. He left early this morning before 7 AM to go over to help with Christmas at his home in Daybreak. I don't know what I was thinking I knew this was going to happen but still I played with the idea of him being around for Christmas dinner. Be that as it may I had Christmas dinner anyway and the dinner was wonderful if only to me.

I learned a lot this Christmas dinner. I thought I was being so brilliant in buying a turkey breast instead of the whole turkey. I was even excited when I saw in the fresh meat section a set of turkey legs. Since I use a bag to roast my meats in I thought great all just include everything in the bag. Closing the bag with little weird zip tie provided by the bag people but I've finally accomplished the task of closing the turkey and closed in the bag. I enjoyed the smell of the cooking bird which filled my apartment. I even peeled and boiled potatoes to mash which I did. I mourned the fact I did not prepare dressing. I mean I know how to make dressing that's not stuffed in the turkey but still ends up tasting like it was. I even would've liked to a gotten stovetop dressing. Stovetop is great it certainly renders the illusion of dressing. I even thought for a moment or two this morning saddling up and going across the street to the market which I'm sure was open and getting a box of stovetop but was afraid of the rocking wear and tear on my butt. I thoroughly enjoyed mashing the potatoes. I thought they turned out great I used a little milk and butter and whipped the Tatars up good.

After a couple of hours the turkey breast is done, the little red button was popped up in the bag was filled with turkey drippings. It is always a challenge for me to remove a cooked anything from the oven. Turkeys and baked chicken's are really challenging. The turkey parts in the bag were totally cooked. There must've been a cup and a half to 2 cups of rendered drippings/juices. What my oven is quite awkward. The oven is low and very difficult for me to try to remove anything especially hot. So I let the fowl rest and cool down a bit before I attempted to withdraw the bird. I then basically grabbed hold of the bag. I almost made it actually. The bag and maintained itself there been no dripping outside the bag. But however there were sharp pieces of bone which had been exposed as the meat shrunk on the turkey legs from cooking one of these bone shards glanced inside the bag. There was no gush of drippings but there is certainly drips. I quickly lifted the pan the beast had been roasted in and then lifted the roast beast into the pan on my shelf and processed enough meat for my Christmas lunch.

The gravy was not nearly as simple. I know how to make gravy from scratch, I have made gravy from scratch. However I don't know what happened but instead is separate if you drippings out putting them in the frying pan mixing in some flour then adding water or milk stirring all the time until boiling I just used the deep frying pan and use all the drippings kept adding flour and stirring until I had a tasty paste which tasted kind of like gravy but was better than nothing to put on potatoes.I swear next turkey will be better especially the gravy.

I couldn't just stop there I decided to bake a pie. And I did I still had a can of pumpkin left over from Thanksgiving and a shell from Thanksgiving as well. Again this is not the world's best pie the leak enough for me for Christmas 2017. My butt hurts today which worries me other than that this is been a pretty good Christmas. Best wishes to all and to all a good night

Holiday Inn And So Much More

It's Christmas Eve and I by myself watching Holiday Inn , I try to watch this movie once during every holiday season. There's a couple other films I would like to watch as well I don't have access to. I have them but they are at the other house the one I don't live in anymore. Scrooged is another film I quite like with Bill Murray. I might even try some of the Bruce Willis holiday offerings. However they are quite violent insert take away from the season but the often to watch and might what's the first of the second in the Die Hard series. Actually I had all the films they can think of this very second in my collection they might include the one Ms. Shirley Temple I believe called the Little Col. And Wee Willie or something like that. If Stephen King had written a specific Christmas volume (and I do not know if he has but now maybe I will check) I would make a point of reading it over the Christmas season if the volume was as good as some of his other works that I do try to read yearly.

This year's Christmas is turning out to be quite unique. My oldest son (I know I confusing the historians) is having some personal struggles and is asked to spend a couple nights with me which is turning out to be quite delightful in a host of ways. So I'm not alone, really this Christmas and just along right now. Mark is over at his family's house helping with Christmas there but should be back tonight to sleep spent some time together tomorrow, Christmas morning. I don't know if he will return to the family tomorrow. They have a history of going to Christie's parent for the holiday meal and large part of the day. I somehow think Mark Anthony will spend the day here are some other of his friends home. I bought a turkey breast couple days ago and a couple turkey legs which I plan to bake tomorrow for the holiday feast. There won't be much turkey, mashed potatoes and I should try to make gravy though I do have a can of chicken gravy I don't know how that would work with turkey but we'll see. I don't have any fresh vegetables to speak of but we do have canned vegetables which I think would work fine. Maybe I'll try to put together a Jell-O tonight or pie for dessert should we need something like that.

Chances are Mark will not even be here for dinner tomorrow. That's okay I'm going to cook the turkey anyway as well as the other offerings I spoke of. It may not be as elaborate for me as I would make for two but it still be a Yuletide celebration for the old guy. So often I think I'm such a cynic and I am but I do have this deep romantic vein and things like holidays have this mystical vision in my head of how I wish they would be because so often they have not been mystical and magical. But as far as I can see this will be a very Merry Christmas for me.

Couch Surfer

I have company coming over tonight. Someone I am very close to is having issues at the house and needs a place to crash and probably talk for a couple of nights. This should be an interesting experience for both of us I'm sure. I'm really glad that my buddy Dave stayed over last week on his trip to Idaho. This turned out to be said of a dry run for tonight. What's cool is that now I know I can do it everything from having the person sleep on the floor to hang around the facility. I wish my clean person had not been sick this go around. There were been nice to have the unit a little cleaned up. I've been really going downhill last couple days. I think it might be related to the wound on my butt.

I'm not sure why the wound is where it is – – I mean, I know it's where I sit, it's how I said is the problem I think and how I said is partially related to my cushion on the power chair and to the condition of the foot pedals of the power chair and how the foot plates make me sit in the chair and puts weird pressure on different parts of my butt. Please ago, wearing my corduroys which I think is the culprit, my skin finally gave way and will and developed very rapidly. Yesterday morning I had my staff put a dressing on the one which surely cut down on the pain during the day, so I thought I was getting better. However on inspection last night in bed it really felt like my wound was open really open. I put Bag Balm on which seemed to help a lot overnight now however I'm beginning to feel the wound again. Hopefully, tomorrow staff will be here again and see what we can do. At least one against damages of the wound I can send I can send to someone (who I don't know really) to see if we can figure out a way to begin the healing process.

I kind of wish now had not been so hard on that little nurse practitioner who is wondering around a couple months ago trying to get me on his service. I still believe I am too active to be considered plus the fact I not ready to give everything up just to go on Medicaid so this little guy can treat me but with the way this wound is it would be nice to have someone who actually came to your apartment and worked on you here.. But as I was saying something in the back of my mind is telling me that I may just have to consider, sooner than later going into long-term care and hope I just get a good facility. As soon as I write this however, I think of all the arguments of how smart it is to keep somebody in their own living scenario as long as possible if nothing else the fact it costs so much less to the system. And heck who knows to me neither be a system to go to the way the federal government is panning out. There you have it I have company for the next couple days – – would've believed? – – And after that who knows? I hope for my guest's sake this time of couch surfing will be quick allowing him to get on the rest of his life.

on

Therapy Pig

Years ago I was on a conference out-of-state. I don't remember if it was to Las Vegas or maybe somewhere in California. The conference had been okay nothing earth shattering, it was a three-day conference and I was ready to be back home. I had forgotten to get a trinket for the people at home so as I swung by the gift shop at the airport I picked up a small pink pig. I did not realize how adorable the pig was when I snatched it. But this little pink pig was just adorable.

Take made himself at home immediately. He found a place in the TV room, in my area where there is a bookshelf in a pink pig to set and watch over things which he did very well. I don't remember quite how Therapy Pig happened to transform out of the plain pink pig. It seems that there was a quarrel or a discussion with something with the kids who were adolescent at the time. And I think I grabbed the pig and shove them into the hands of one of the kids. The object was to let the kid get the pink pig a personality let the pig talk for the person who was having an issue. The transference was totally amazing. The pig talked and the kids settle down and everyone took turns holding onto the pig and giving their personality over to the pig.

Pink Pig became the family shrink. Pink Pig was skilled not only in pig therapy but also in pig entertainment. At family functions often Pink Pig would make an appearance and begin rooting round the family history patch bringing up all kinds of latent issues and memories with specific family members. This was fun and we laughed many times. Therapy Peg was a great shrink. P Pig was nonjudgmental. Pig was happy to work as long as the person holding him wanted and would say anything that needed to be said..Pig was a professional.

In a cup on the shelf s sat Pig. I've not seen P p P Pigg for years now and I miss him. He was a great piece of pork. You may have been picked up by one of the grandchildren over the years. The grandchildren loved the Pink Pig as much as we did. I hope the pig is resting somewhere in someone's drawer knowing that it is loved by generations.

Flatbush Tom

Passing storm dusted the Salt Lake area yesterday with just a little snow however behind the “storm” freezing their grasp the Valley and of course today was a busy day for me to be out on the tarmac. I was a little worried and I still am to some degree about my butt because yesterday I thought that I really damaged my skin. I wore a corduroys. I have a black pair corduroys that I've hardly ever worn and now I will probably never wear them again. I wish I thought the idea through but I think the chords on the corduroy worked like a file on my skin as I roll around yesterday and might power chair. By evening I felt sure that I had developed a wound, later on going to bed at felt like there was a skin breakdown. Of course this was the last thing I needed today.

For the the past number of years I have been the Santa Claus at the Independent living center holiday party. This is an event that Utah Independent Living Center holds for its clients/consumers and anybody in the community who would like to attend. They dress me up as Santa Claus I go out to pass out candy canes to a line of individuals wishing to have their images taken with Santa.. I did not know how to get out from going to this function without me the would've had no Santa. I suppose I flatter myself to a certain level thinking that I'm the only Santa out there but still the consumers look forward to my Santa. I didn't want them down by saying that I couldn't come because of the skin breakdown though they would certainly understand.

As I said the function is not only for consumers, folks who use our services but also for other government/private nonprofit agencies that service folks with disabilities. Utah State Office Of rehabilitation or rehab works very closely with the center. In fact and I don't want to get into a giant dissertation here, now, Rehab things they on us or the independent living center. So rehabilitation is always had a presence at these kind of functions. Flatbush Tom is the state emissary it seems. Tom always shows up to our functions. I: Flatbush Tom because in his day yet the best pompadour hair style I have ever seen..I wish I had images from the past and Tom look so elegant. When I saw Tom in his glory reminded me of the Lord's of Flatbush, a group New York of the same name. I did not mean the name to be derogatory. Over the years I've lost my hair and all Tom still has ruminants of the pompadour the pompadour is flattened out quite a bit. I like Tom he seemed a little distant as he came up to my table. We greet each other and then he began to talk about having cancer. Tom has cancer. He says is okay. I don't know how you're ever okay with cancer. He qualified his statement by saying it's okay this cancer will not kill me stop that kind but I'm very very tired. I tried to find an element of hope in his face I did not. But spooked me was that what I did see was resignation. Tom I think it's significantly older than myself by about 5 to 10 years at least. I mean I think, I'm sure he was a greaser in 50s and it was cool to be a greaser i.e. pompadour wearer. I wish I could have given a gift. I don't know what however.. I wish I could give them time I don't know if Tom wants anymore time. He seems so, so tired. I don't think I've ever seen that before then again I don't know how many people I have known with active cancer sitting right in front of me dwindling away. I wish to marry Christmas, I was in my Santa get up so I certainly looked the part. I gave in the candy canes that is giving everybody and shook his hand who knows maybe for the last time marry Christmas Flatbush I've always appreciated your hair.

Dr. Tom

I wrestled in junior high. I've written briefly before about wrestling in junior high or different aspects of why I've wrestled in the past. If you type in wrestle you get a number of citations before I discussed or used the word wrestle in previous blog postings. Wrestling takes place between October and February and March depending on how well a person does and tournaments. Wrestling takes place late autumn and winter. It was usually dark when you leave the field house at my junior high and begin the long walk home. Of course, many of my teammates lived fairly close to the junior high I of course did not. I would walk alongside of the road in hopes of my father would often be coming home from work at about the same time would notice me and pick me up. The system is not foolproof that worked fairly well.

One of my fellow wrestlers was a fellow named Tom Powell. Tom is a great guy I really like the guy. We wrestled close to the same weight so we often had to wrestle each other for the right to wrestle in the weekly matches. I most often won. Tom was bright and sophisticated. I doubt there is any way I could've ever competed academically with Tom Powell. I've always been humbled to call Tom a friend. Relatively recent I've been able to make contact with my friend again with social media. What a great device social media. I was totally blown away to find out that Tom Powell, my friend was a trauma surgeon in England! When I learned this I just sat back in my power chair and marveled. I guess Tom had a whole life and career and then elected to go to medical school in England and succeed. How does a person do this? How does a person do this have the energy to do this at about 40 (I imagine)? I wish there is a way I could sit down with Tom and find out how he pulled this off. I'm sure I would get a sanitized version but I bet it's a heck of a story.

I noticed Tom popped up on my active feed this morning or maybe last evening and I thought what the heck I would take a chance and wish him a Merry Christmas since I do not have an address I could post a card. Hours past and then the rest of the night with no activity. I was even encouraged that one time when I saw the little check pop up next to his name indicating that he had seen the comment. I prayed that he did not see me as a nuisance or someone he did not wish to engage with from his past. I must say with some guilt there are few folks I have kind of ditched that way myself. If this were true, I would be so mortified. I've given up hopes of hearing from Tom then this evening, following my evening workout on my hand bike I noticed a posting from Tom by texting feed. Tom and responded! Tom left a great message. The message was a bit short but that's okay. I'm just glad he responded. I was shocked however to realize he had retired from his medical/teaching post. Tom is keeping his fingers and medicine which makes sense. He practices a couple days a week and I'm sure covers other medics are needed I am sure Tom does teach a little as well. I'm just shocked I shouldn't he retire, he's my age? Just seems to go through the trauma of medical school, internship and residency's a person would want to practice as long as possible. At least I would. The job Tom, you've always been a mystery to me and you still are. Good luck and enjoy your retirement.

Verizon Corporate yes

One of the last things we did as a couple before divorcing was to get prepaid Verizon phones. We of course linked the phones to our joint account. This system worked pretty good all things considered. Then when the divorced happened and we're trying to figure out how everything was going to work out the The phones payment system the same or maybe there are so many other things we were wrestling with that the phone payment was pretty far down in the list. We just had other things we were dealing with. Anyway, we've noted the last couple months that the prepaid account was still hitting the joint account and they need to be taken off the account in each of us be responsible for our own prepaid phone systems.

I of course thought this was going to be a duck soup kind of situation. Just drop into a Verizon store and do the deed. Boy was I off. I must admit I've been real busy this December and have either Forgetting about the project of changing the credit card are just not having time left when I did remember that I needed to get this done. So last week I stopped in to the Verizon wireless store on 5400 S. and Redwood Road . I was so enthusiastic I really want to do this grown-up thing redirecting credit card payment. However my balloon was summarily popped when I was informed that the regular Verizon stores found in malls across the state were not what I wanted. The task I wanted to do could only be done through a Verizon corporate store. In the sales guy or gal that I was visiting with had no idea where one of these stores might exist.

And of course tried to call Verizon but soon realized the frustration I was going to feel when I could not land a human being to talk to. Then, the next day, I figured will maybe I can do the whole thing over the Internet! Sure why not isn't this what the Internet was made for? Once again I was defeated by technology. I had to have layer upon layer of security passes to get the somebody who could make the change. I had to have a four digit number, and passwords to validate who I was and to convince the mastermind that I truly wanted to change the credit card account that payments have been made to my own specialized these account.

Today, I found out that a corporate Verizon store was located in the sugarhouse area not far from where I used to go to wellness. I actually stopped at Barnes & Noble and ended up asking to senior volunteer Christmas gift wrappers where the Verizon store was. These ladies really helped, they were great. They hit the same walls that I did but this did not stop them they found me an address and sent me on my way. I was semi-excited. The Verizon store was busy, of course it's Christmas. I found a person who met me at the door and directed me over to where I need to go for what I needed to do. I really wanted someone to just assist me but they were not going to do that. They directed me over to a house phone and the special number to dial for the change. Of course, this is computerized, and I was doing fairly good until I got to the point where I had to enter my visa card number into the system. Mind you I had to cradle the phone between my shoulder in my ear so I can hear the voice and then follow the prompts from the computer voice and while doing this have my cell phone in one hand my credit card on my lap and my other hand which is less than physically useful enter the numbers of the card which invariably I would fail. Mind you by this time I also had a person (a real-life person either from Mexico in the Middle East) also trying to walk me through the process. It is only when my frustration I found one of the wandering Verizon techs who finally walked me through. Somewhere along the line I was prompted to agree to the new charger $40 for the next month but earlier in the day and received an email saying that I had already been charged for the next month. So confusion reigned as I try to explain this to the technician at this point I just wanted to call.

Now I have numerous emails saying that I paid my $40 as well as did I authorize changing the payment of my prepaid account. I think I'm okay. I asked the guy as I was leaving, the technician, who assured me that if I had any issues like a double charge I could come back to that store in me would work it out. It seemed like light sparked off his teeth as he smiled at me – – that fine corporate smile from the Verizon corporate store lackey

Movie Magic

I love going to the movies. I think going to the movies is one of the most enjoyable things I do for myself. I know that sounds incredibly shallow but it's true. Granted, the movie has to be decent and as I age that level of decency or enjoy ability seems to get higher and higher. It's not that I majorly sophisticated it's just that I'm old and can tell the difference between special-effects and acting at least a little bit.

Like a great novel I like getting totally lost in the movie. Even better when I can afford the theater treats. Truth be known I have more than once bootlegged by movie treats in with me with my backpack. I went to the movies today. I went to Star Wars the latest. I wasn't sure how I felt about supporting another trilogy specially with all the original actors fading out one way or the other. But I felt I needed to support the franchise one more time.especially in light of the death of Princess Leia.

The movie was okay. I have to say that because I nearly spent $10 for my ticket. I'm trying not to be critical because it's sort of like talking bad about family member or best friend. But like the last Star Wars I went to I noticed that large parts of the feature seem to be lifted right out of other storylines of previous offerings. I don't know if it's just me but I kept getting a weird movie déjà vu. I let it go of course I just thought it was weird and accepted that's just how this franchise seems to go right now.Also I think it's weird and it's probably because I'm an old fart now but you can almost see comical characters being written into scripts in the hopes of franchising merchandise following the movie. Just blatant commercialization which just kind of irritates me. But this is not to be a movie critique. There are many more people much more talented than I who can critique this movie in others. I just wanted to spend the second talking about how much I do love movies.

I was paid to be an extra in the movie once Maldonado Miracle by Selma Hayek. Truly I did the whole thing. I had to join the actors union , fill outthe paperwork, then get myself to Eureka Utah for the movie set was at. The movie was about a small Catholic Cathedral where miracle happened and so disabled people flocked to the building and I was part of that flock. It was surprisingly hard work, hot, thirsty and hungry . I think I lasted only one day. The golden hour drive to get to the set and a lot of it was on rural road. I don't think I made it into the movie but I was paid and I tenaciously hold on to that experience. I would do it again if I got the chance.

Yes I went to the movies today. I will count this as my Christmas gift for my older brother Ross when in reality it's also a Christmas gift to myself from me.

Merry Christmas Little Bro

Blog 121717 – – Sunday

I missed blogging yesterday – – I hate missing the day of blogging. I am a little concerned I might be coming a little OCD in the blogging department. I hope not I just like to keep a daily writing commitment. It's important to me to write every day my 500 words. However I must guard against feeling that the world is coming to an end because I might miss a day or two. Life goes on if I miss a day of blogging.

Rightly say why I did not make room/time for blogging yesterday. Spent a lot of time in the morning but David before he left for Idaho. I think I got involved with some movies from Amazon and then Lori. Before I knew it was almost 1 o'clock in the morning I finally got finished with Lori. I had let go of my window to blog. Today, I wrote out a card, a Christmas card, to my youngest brother Jay lives in Boise or thereabout. I should've sent the Christmas card when I sent the others to the rest of the family. For one reason or another my brother Jay does not have a mailing address. Oh, I'm sure that he does, even if his living under a bridge somewhere I'm sure he has an address to have is important pieces of mail sent. Well actually I guess he does because I sent the card to my brother Paul, Jay's immediate older brother. I guess the family realizes that if they want to get a hold of Jay they must go through Paul to do so. I'm not sure what this means and I guess I'm a little hesitant perhaps frightened to find out why this system of contact or noncontact has been developed. I think in some way it means my brother Jay is homeless. I do not know if that means he is just couch surfing with friends or that he is actually shuffling from one hallway to another or bridge to another or perhaps living in a tent up in Morris creek Idaho. Paul I guess is the Magic Christian who does take seriously the sentiment that he is his brother's keeper.

My dad was his brother's keeper, not just in the Christian being but literally I think in many ways. My uncle Frank was an alcoholic and I think there was a time when my dad looked after uncle Frank rather closely. I believe I have outlined it and previous blogs about uncle Frank and my dad. Interestingly enough Paul and Jay (of course, who are brothers) are also cousins. It's a long story that I may or may not go into at some point is an interesting story. The big point is even though they are adopted into our family, just as I was, they are actually blood relatives cousins actually. Even more interesting to me is that they are also blood relatives of my father and uncle Frank. My brothers are true Smiths. I really am quite envious of that as well but that too is another story for another blog. What I'm trying to say is that possibly the Smith family line has a gene for alcoholism and Jay got it. Well maybe not alcoholism as much as substance dependency of one sort or another. I don't know it just sort of fits. I love my little brother Jay I hope is okay. I wish there was ways I could help them. I know if I really did I would do it. But I did write a Christmas card and I sent the card off this morning. I wonder if he will be aware that the Christmas card arrived a week after the other cards and well put together the fact that I wrote his last because I basically forgot until the last minute. I hope he knows I love them, I really do and I wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my 

Good times Bad times You No We've Had Our Share

Blog 121617 – – Saturday

Last night a friend of mine spent the night, David was traveling to California on his way to Blackfoot Idaho. This is a long drive and is good to break the drive up even better if you have someplace to spend the night.David got to celebrate around 7 PM which is about what we figured. I could see that David was tired. I volunteered to just up a couple cans of stew or chili but he wanted to go out for dinner. We decided on is the place across the street from my apartment complex easily reached by power chair.

The night was pretty cold but the trip was not far. This restaurant is very authentic Mexican food wise. The restaurant is a bit different than regular Mexican restaurants and that they specialize serving Hispanic seafood which is kind of weird at least to me. I somehow don't trust seafood this far inland. I kind of like this place for it authenticity which I adjudicate by the amount of Hispanic individuals eating there. Fortunately for us the staff speaks English, good English which is enables us to order. I thought this joint had a liquor license because when I have dined there before I noticed they had mixed drinks on the menu or I assumed they were mixed drinks but apparently they were not. We were told by staff when we tried to order mixed drinks that this restaurant did not have a liquor license. I was blown away when they accommodated my friend by letting him bring in a bottle of his wine to have dinner.

Dinner was great my friend ordered shrimp tacos (which I never would) and I got the beef nachos, remember this place is authentic,no hamburger on these nachos chopped up roast or steak or something to that effect but they were good – less expensive but good. Paul places expensive I suppose because they sell themselves as a seafood place. I was happy with what I got. We talked until the lights flickered meaning it was time to go. We finished the wine and we suited up for the walk back across Street. We unloaded David's car bringing in only what he needed for the night which were a lot of bags. We talked a little longer to hit the sack.I have a very small apartment but David was flat to have a carpeted floor to a role as yoga mat on. The sleeping bag and blankets finished his little bed on the floor. David uses a CPAP machine. One of those machines that help you breathe through the night by strapping a mask on your face connected to a pump or respirator. You look like Nemo out of 20,000 leagues under the Sea. I expected a lot of noise all night from the CPAP but oddly enough there was no noise. David was completely cocooned on the floor of my apartment. I expected him up by 8 AM but evidently David was so comfortable soft way past that time eventually went to breakfast/lunch close to 11:30 AM.

I met David at the restaurant sense there is no way he can carry me in his vehicle. David packed the rest of his materials so he can take off after the meal. I worry about David. David Has a number of health issues– – serious ones ones that could conceivably make it so I would never see him again. We sort of talk this through his visit. David is a pain physically. He has heart issues and some other issues I cannot go into here that still put David at great risk. I am pleased every time I visit with David over the Internet and even more so when he visits in person. I truly appreciate the time he takes to stop here and visit only does. I hope to see him in a few weeks as he reverses this trip back home to California. If I don't that's good too 

Free Pizza!

One of the things I miss most from my childhood this homemade pizza. I became aware, really aware, in the late 50s early 60s. The availability of delivered pizza was still pretty much a pipe dream if one wanted pizza you really have to go out. Pizza was still a novelty that was not ubiquitous like the pizza of today. My mom made pizza, if she made pizza, was either on Friday or Saturday nights. Pizza was still a novelty, it was like Chinese it was that ethnic food. Makin

g pizza was also a family activity or more realistic a kid occupier. There is something in making pizza that involves the family. Making the dough, processing green peppers, onions, cheese (slicing, grating) slicing onions, mushrooms etc. etc. We did not have nifty round pizza pans. We used, of course, good old rectangular cookie sheets. Since the receptacles for the dough we're working with where rectangle I never got a chance to really learn how to throw pizza dough. I do it now every so on (throw pizza dough). I actually have around pizza pan, the round pizza pan I have is far bigger than most . So I haven't really made much.. The pizza was already, nothing fancy, usually hamburger from the meat. My mom made the sauce. The end product of what divine. Perfect for watching Star Trek or get smart or Gun Smoke. Nothing like the fancy dancy pizza, ordered on phone , computer or cell phone. The end product of course this is like straight to your door.

Today was on Utah Assisted Technology Fund (UATF) meeting. I like this meeting, they usually have a hot meal. Sometimes kind of exotic but always tasty. Today, we actually had pizza! Domino's pizza one of my favorites. Domino's is truly the common man pizza. Nothing fancy, like the Ford, it's job one is to get the job done. I don't know what leader thought but she ordered way too many pizzas. I love it when this happens. Everybody at the fellow pizza of like the leftovers after meeting. There were leftovers, such glorious leftovers. In the meeting finished rather than waiting the boxes of pizza, left over, for the staff they offered it to the board. Remember, the board is made up of people with disabilities and representatives from the public sector no one turns down free food. I only wanted one or two pieces to take with me for this evening but of course they filled the whole box and send it home with me. The pizza made it home with me – – I'm so excited. I may have shot myself in the foot however, I'm trying to lose weight and a mound of pizza in the fridgedoes not help me meet my goal. I intend to take each piece of pizza and slice it and the four pieces and in that way I hope to satiate my taste for pizza and still maintain my weight this can be done.

I love pizza. I love my history with pizza and most of all I love free pizza.

One of the things I miss most from my childhood this homemade pizza. I became aware, really aware, in the late 50s early 60s. The availability of delivered pizza was still pretty much a pipe dream if one wanted pizza you really have to go out. Pizza was still a novelty that was not ubiquitous like the pizza of today. My mom made pizza, if she made pizza, was either on Friday or Saturday nights. Pizza was still a novelty, it was like Chinese it was that ethnic food. Making pizza was also a family activity or more realistic a kid occupier. There is something in making pizza that involves the family. Making the dough, processing green peppers, onions, cheese (slicing, grating) slicing onions, mushrooms etc. etc. We did not have nifty round pizza pans. We used, of course, good old rectangular cookie sheets. Since the receptacles for the dough we're working with where rectangle I never got a chance to really learn how to throw pizza dough. I do it now every so on (throw pizza dough). I actually have around pizza pan, the round pizza pan I have is far bigger than most . So I haven't really made much.. The pizza was already, nothing fancy, usually hamburger from the meat. My mom made the sauce. The end product of what divine. Perfect for watching Star Trek or get smart or Gun Smoke. Nothing like the fancy dancy pizza, ordered on phone , computer or cell phone. The end product of course this is like straight to your door.

Today was on Utah Assisted Technology Fund (UATF) meeting. I like this meeting, they usually have a hot meal. Sometimes kind of exotic but always tasty. Today, we actually had pizza! Domino's pizza one of my favorites. Domino's is truly the common man pizza. Nothing fancy, like the Ford, it's job one is to get the job done. I don't know what leader thought but she ordered way too many pizzas. I love it when this happens. Everybody at the fellow pizza of like the leftovers after meeting. There were leftovers, such glorious leftovers. In the meeting finished rather than waiting the boxes of pizza, left over, for the staff they offered it to the board. Remember, the board is made up of people with disabilities and representatives from the public sector no one turns down free food. I only wanted one or two pieces to take with me for this evening but of course they filled the whole box and send it home with me. The pizza made it home with me – – I'm so excited. I may have shot myself in the foot however, I'm trying to lose weight and a mound of pizza in the fridgedoes not help me meet my goal. I intend to take each piece of pizza and slice it and the four pieces and in that way I hope to satiate my taste for pizza and still maintain my weight this can be done.

I love pizza. I love my history with pizza and most of all I love free pizza.

Candy Woes

I strived for years during adolescence to play the accordion. I don't know the story of how the accordion got our house but the accordion sat in its green box in a closet just off the hallway in our house. I don't know why I got chosen to play this instrument. It must've been something I said that I don't remember the accordion burning a desire within me to learn to play. I can only assume that my mother had some wish for me to play the instrument. The fact that I failed at the piano should have been enough to keep me away from the keyboard. However, every Thursday afternoon mom drove me and my recording to my lesson. She would also give me a quarter which I would use for purchasing five cents Hershey bar with almonds and a bottle of clench and then pocketing the rest of the quarter which was a dime.

The junior high I attended mascot was a hornet, we were called the East Hornets. Right next to our junior high was a student hangout, hamburger joint called the Hornets Nest. I went through period her every morning after getting off the bus I went into the Hornets nest and ordered a cherry coke, maple bar and a Hershey chocolate bar with almonds, for a quarter. Hershey bar was a fair sized chocolate bar. I love that chocolate bar. It cost a nickel.

Nowadays if I'm lucky and the market has a sale going on I can get the same chocolate bar for maybe $.75 if I'm really lucky. Usually cost more than a dollar for one chocolate bar! I suppose the good side of this argument is that less candy bars will be because of its cost. Yesterday when I was at the market while picking up a few things I needed to happen to come across a row of Hershey bars are what Hershey bars. They were actually a package of five Hershey bars with almonds. Little packages of candy bars are offered in the dollar package that breaks down to $.20 a candy bar. I know this is not the deal in fact it's just another way to rip you off but I couldn't help myself. Not that the candy bars them self were cute, which they are that was the cost of one candy bar $.20 today when purchased for candy bars in 1964. The one dollar without the 20 candy bars. Unbelievable. I have to purchase a bag just to convince myself to look candy bars for real and they are. Just a bite-size well maybe too little bites. I was just happy to buy chocolate for under a dollar. I doubt these candy bars will really catch on or maybe they will but for just a second every time I open windows look candy bars pop it in my mouth and taken back to a musical instrument that is essentially a piano on my chest or walking into the Hornets Nest to the strains of I Want To Hold Your Hand and searching for my quarter.

Season of Miracles

I am fortunate that there exists a full shopping hundred just a block away from my apartment. This allows me to do my own shopping ,which I'm currently grateful, the main drawback to having a market this close is that they tend to shop too much. Realizing this, I began to limit my visits to the market or patronizing market further down the street make it more difficult for me to spontaneously shop. Of course, the winter with his challenging temperatures, makes it a little less convenient to shop at a moments notice. Having said all this, this week I have really noticed a lot of my regular items are being consumed to the point where I'm going to have to go back to the market and today I did. I am nearly out of jalapeno peppers, fresh fruit and a few other items.

I am surviving living out my backup chair. I'm not having a but issues I have had in the past is still vastly uncomfortable as well as having a devil of a time staying in the chair itself. Getting into bed last night was a little spooky and it took me two hours from the time I can't the time I was dressed enough to leave my apartment this morning. Luckily, and surprisingly, my repaired sure was returned this evening. Now I just have to figure how to get from my backup chair back into my regular power chair. In the old days I was just jumped from one share the next but not since the stenosis. I think I'm going to have to do now is wait until my healthcare provider worker gets you tomorrow and that make the trade-off when she can help.

I guess I could've waited, perhaps I felt guilty for missing my Assist, Inc. meeting this morning. With the inversion as intense as it currently is mixed with the freezing temperatures coupled with a power chair that is less than convenient/ideal was just enough impetus to call in sick for my meeting. This will be okay since rarely do I this, miss a meeting. And now that I think about it I would've gone out today except for Irene one of the tenants here at the apartment complex wanted me to go with her over to the market.Irene's frail and I was surprised that she won't be willing to go to the market on foot so I really want to encourage Irene to be independent or at least more independent. Turns out she stood me up so I ended up going to the market because I was all dressed up for it.

It is really weird about this market. They only have one basket – – that's right: black basket – – those plastic baskets with the handle that you can carry around your shopping with. It seems like this stores customers stolen all the baskets except one in that basket is never around when I need it. There is always boxes being unloaded at the market so I find a basket size box and do my shopping. Today's box, I found, is quite sturdy and think I will try to keep it around to take with me when I go shopping.

The technician who drove my chair back to the apartments was waiting for me outside my apartment and I got back from the market. It's great to have chair back and look forward tomorrow to be placed back in chair after my shower. I'd like to transfer its night that did not happen and it's all good. I love being a season of miracles.

Christmas Miracle

I'm a great believer in Christmas miracles. I believe everyone has at least one Christmas miracle during the Christmas season. They may not realize the Christmas miracle is there miracle what happens and true one has to look deep, sometimes, to see the miracle. I have at least one Christmas miracle per year and maybe just maybe today was my miracle for this year.

One of my best friends is going through some real challenges in her lifethis Christmas season. We've been spending a lot of cyber time texting the last couple months. My friend instructs that one of the local colleges and now she's off for holiday break. Today, we figured we would have coffee and maybe lunch. The coffee shop is across the street from where I live and very easy access for me it's just a matter of driving my chair out the back door across the parking lot to the gate across the street and there. A coffee was at noon. I have enjoyed my apartment this morning trying to be productive. I washed dishes, checked the mail and were a couple word problems.

I headed over to the coffee shop about 11:50 noon. I was just about to cross the intersection when without warning a church stopped his forward momentum. My power chair stopped entirely! I thought maybe I'd hit a bump and inadvertently stopped my power chair that has been known to happen, not necessarily with this chair but other chairs the land have but this chairs begin to act fairly squirreling the last couple days. I'm not really brought this to the attention of anyone in particular because I'm planning on getting some more work done on my chair very shortly as soon as my insurance comes through. There I was stuck in front of the Exxon station with a chair that would not move. Currently Salt Lake is going through a major inversion. It's colder that has to be here in the valley floor because the direct sunlight is being diverted by all the particle matter in the air. Thank goodness today I wore sweater with a T-shirt underneath. I was carrying my heavy hood on my lap just in case I might need added protection. I cannot believe I chair had failed me again. I was torn between: one of my people like my brother, cousin or even one of my friends who have not seen for a great while. Of course besides those just mentioned I have the option of dialing 911 and hopefully getting someone from the fire department down the street. I chose the fire department down the street everyone else is working. My friend was at the coffee shop waiting for me I called and let her know I was having problems she came out to assist me.

I wasn't freezing but I can tell I was cold and I better do something for something better be done quickly. It was necessarily quickly but some a member of the unified fire departments arrived. We disengage the clutches on my chair and the guy pushed me all the way back when apartment my friend joined us.

Luckily, I have my trusty dusty back up chair. My back up chair is a bitch. It's a little too big for me so it offers no support to my back and so I'm quite twisted and slumped in the chair but you know what? I'm so thankful to have a back up chair and at least some form of mobility. I think the batteries in this chair are pretty bad the tender deplete quickly. I don't think I will go to my meeting tomorrow at assist just because of the inversion and this power chair and the pain that causes my body.

So, you ask, what is the Christmas miracle here? The miracle is the chair breakdown happened in broad daylight, in the middle of the day less than a block from my home and did not happen late at night, one of the all by myself and in relatively great danger. I was with people who like me and the support system which watched out for me and got me to a place where I was safe, warm and in control. Home. I called my durable medical vendor can they set the truck to my apartment about 6 o'clock tonight and collected my chair which I think will be worked on tomorrow. A true Christmas miracle happened today and I will not deny this miracle this true Christmas miracle.

It's Jell-O Time

Some nights I just stare at the screen and hope that I will find something to write about. I do not think it's block per se it's just that I've not done anything to be stimulated any kind of process that would result in a decent posting. I believe a blog should be more than just a journal, and reporting of what went on that day or whatever. I am recording.

The most significant thing, I believe I've done this weekend, is getting the majority of my Christmas cards more specifically I family's Christmas cards. I family is about the only group that I send cards to any more. I would've had all the cards stud today are not lost my Tablet. I had my latest family address list on that tablet. Now I have to generate a new list of family addresses. So besides making a hard copy of the list put in my files I will also keep a list or copy of the list on “my drive”. Hopefully, this will cut down the stress next holiday season.

I have become a cynical Christmas card sender. There was a time when I took great pride in jotting down notes of significance in each Christmas card I was sent. I secretly detested getting cards from people with just their names scrawled across the bottom. However, that is exactly what I do now. To my brothers and sisters which I should detail the goings of my life, so that they know that I'm doing okay. But I don't. I handwriting which was pretty bad that even worse now. Yesterday when I started this project I almost built into a trap of trying to figure out how to use the computer to address the envelopes. I use the computer very well with my date the letters. My computer addresses my envelopes just fine which a chance, the long narrow legal type envelope. I wanted to go to a envelope for the Christmas cards. I tried for about three hours yesterday trying to get the envelope addressed and it seems like I'm missing just one small step in the process. So, using one of the lessons I learned this year, I dropped the whole project cold and hand addressed the 10 envelopes. Like I said these envelopes were not pretty but I believe they were readable– – just barely. One of my challenges for this next year is to learn how to reformat my printer to print these envelopes. This really should be a simple task a clear example of computers making a life easier and better right now however, that is not the case. I was going to ask my son, Mark Anthony, when he came over this evening to visit. We spent the evening working on my new tablet To link the tablet with my Wi-Fi system here at the apartments or to link up with my extremity that I purchased so that I could get out to the Internet whenever I wanted since the apartments Wi-Fi is relatively worthless. But of course, I forgot to ask if he knew how to recalibrate printing on different sized envelopes.

The second most significant thing I did this weekend was make green Jell-O with cottage cheese and pineapple. A treat for the end of the weekend which I think I will partake out now.

Dumb !

I thought I was being so smart, I thought I was going to be cool. About a month ago I got a great idea why don't I just get the use tablet also KSL.com? KSL on the call letters for the local NBC affiliate. Their affiliation is not a big deal what is,to me, is that they have a great website with a whole section dedicated to classifieds. I have found all kinds of useful stuff on KSL Classifieds. Over the years I have found catheters, kangaroo bags and free weights. I cannot believe I have not thought of those guys before after I lost my 10.1 Samsung tablet. Now a lot of this information has already been written into this blog. I may be wrong I haven't written a lot about this tablet.

I was intrigued to find a goodly number of tablets for sale. I however narrow my search to Salt Lake City. In the Salt Lake City area the selection was much smaller and there were no 10.1 which is what I had. I like the 10.1 but it is cut awkward due to its size. I finally found two that I sent emails , none of which responded. I finally called the one listing that had a phone number and got hold of a guy named Jared. He sounded young but nice. He's in Davis County not too far from me but not reachable by public transit is not for me. I asked him if he ever came to Salt Lake City and he did every Wednesday night he has a class at the University. I told him great I would buy his tablet for $75.. Jared said he got the tablet at work you want some sort of a contest but since you only have a Kindle the belt he did not need this tablet. The tablet was in the box still never been opened – – this sounded too good to be true but it was true.

I've been out in the cold this week a lot but I just want to get back on tablet. It was very cold today I went to meet Jared Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah. I was to meet him at 5 o'clock he was late and I've been waiting since 4:30 PM in the cold, the sun had set making a cold afternoon even worse. I called Jared and he told me that he was en route and had left Later than he anticipated it would be another 10 minutes.

The machine is much smaller than anticipated. The machine is also smaller illusion seems to be but I generally like the tablet. It's weird though it does not have a camera on the selfie side. Had I done my homework I would've known this, I would also known that this is a very small machine. And had I done my homework and price check realized I could have gotten a new tablet Galaxy Tab Elite for $68 and I paid 75 – – and I would've paid 85 thinking I was getting a deal. I'm such a fool I never do my homework so stupid. Not only does this not have a backside camera I can't seem to have got to my Wi-Fi. I will have: Mark Anthony, in to see if he can help. I just seemed to throw away good money. I will use this machine where I can. But I think I will seek a new 10.1 in the next year.

Another Friday Night

It's Friday night and I have nothing else better to do then to the washing clothes, actually at this point I have the clothes in the dryer I just deposit another $.75 for the next dry. I cannot believe I cannot get his clothes dry with one drive cycle. I can heat and dryer system here. You can only do $.75 cycle not like other places where is your closed you can by $.10 worth of time or even five cents. Here you have to buy a whole dry cycle at the cost is $.75. I write it off as the cost of doing business. Usually, a top the money in the washer or dryer then come back to my apartment. Tonight however, for five of the apartment mates were sitting in the common area. They often do this in the evenings.

It's weird this time of year when the dark comes on so swiftly. The darkness gives an illusion of a much later hour. Each time I look at my watch I marveled that was not even quite 6 o'clock. All the folks older than me it seems, dragging their dogs in and out getting the dogs business done. This period is not called the “the social hour” but that's what it is. The dog people usually spend only a few minutes conversing. However when gentlemen what his close in the upstairs laundry and three or four of the ladies are in for the long haul of early evening conversation. I kind of want to go back back to my apartment but decide to hang out with the others at least for the wash cycle.

A number of those present remark that I've not been seen for almost a week they think. They asked if I been ill or even in the hospital. I of course set them straight that none of that has happened I've just been busy. I pride myself on my answer trying to convince myself of my self-worth. But I do things during the week important enough to drag me out in my power chair in temperatures as cold as we've been running the last couple of days. I'm sure they'll think I'm crazy. There are treats in the room dropped off by people who I guess have nothing else better to do. Tonight there are peanuts in the shell, Hershey's chocolate covered cookies, little baby candy canes and other hard candies related to Christmas.

There are little rat dogs everywhere. Some have little sweaters on, others have just their leashes. All are either trembling from nerves or just plain freezing coming in from outside. All the dogs stare pitifully at the humans eating their little treats. The dogs are eventually used as an excuse to leave the small Association. I told back in my chair to relieve the pressure off my butt. Someone invariably comments on how lucky I am. I really am. By this time the washes down and I throw the clothes into the dryer in three quarters and return to the group. I really wish sometimes I had someplace else to be. I finally extricate myself actually I returned to my apartment but every else leaves for the night. I just dropped three more quarters into my hungry dryer in Mr. big Sears dryer I used to have a home when I lived on Utahna. I give my dryer 10 more minutes then I go back down and check and hopefully that will be it for the night. Another Friday night in Taylorsville at the Plymouth View apartments.

Mr. Cool

Today was First Chapter Book Club that reading group my ex-employergot me involved with a couple months ago. I believe I have blogged about this group before 5/7 kids/folks with developmental disabilities some pretty significant reading each week. It's a good program enough said.

It's still cold but like yesterday there was no clouds so with the sunshine and my new gloves I did not feel nearly as taxed today as I did yesterday. I can still feel the effect of the weather on my person. I had coffee social this morning and sort of took it easy the rest of the morning and afternoon. Today was cleaning day, I have a cleaning woman who again I think I have discussedi n the confines of this blog.I think this talk way too much to Cindy my cleaning person. But she says it helps her with the cleaning process, Cindy says it's speeds her along. But she's fun to visit with and I really do appreciate her taking direction on how I want the apartment cleaned. Once again, last night I did not sleep well but I got by okay today. I really need to get into the habit of taking a nap in the middle of the day particularly if I feel I need to. I'm intrigued by how many of the ladylike visit with here at the apartment complex to a two or three in the morning and stay up but take a nap later in the day they seem to get by really well. Traditionally I hate taking naps but I think I would take more naps now I thought it were fairly simple. But it's not. I would have to take my shoes off then get into bed which is relatively simple getting out of bed completely dressed is a challenge for me. But many feel better during the day to get rid of that sleep drag I often experience when I do not get enough rest during the nights I might be willing to try. I say that but then I never do.

Today I fiddled around the apartment, the clean apartment, and tell 3 o'clock then I went to the bus stop and hopped the 217 southbound. I got the library around 3:30 PM. I want to be sure at the time to hang out check out the new books. As I entered the library and noticed Hector was already at the library's in one of the overstuffed chairs in the lobby. I am kind of impressed with Hector. I'm not sure what his nationality is. I call him Hector. (Hector is not his real name, I am protecting myself in case Hector ever reads this blog. I'm not sure what his disability is. Whatever the disability Hector seems to be doing quite well. I'm always impressed at his reading ability as well as his willingness to help other folks in the group with difficult words. Hector is a quite glad. He's quiet and very deliberate. I'm amused and somewhat impressed with what he knows. I don't know he can be ADHD, somewhere on the spectrum, it's difficult to tell. He really does not engage a whole lot with other consumers in this program. Sometimes he will produce more for the group director. Anyway, I barely noticed him as I rolled in and over to the book sale. I notice and then sitting in the chair sort of absorbed in what he was doing. I did manage to wave to him and he waved back.

Hector reads well. I think Hector does everything fairly well within the limitations of his disability. I suspect those programs like this reading class that allows him to engage by reason to engage in other people and even be an assistant/helper sometimes. He does not necessarily correct a reader just offers the right word or the word if the reader is having difficulty.. As I think we're friends but I do not think we are. I don't think these kids/consumers know what to think of me in relationship to the group I know I really have a grip on what I'm doing their. The one time the group director, Debbie, asked me to take the group on I cannot because of prior commitments. I think Hector can easily teach this group given the opportunity I think he would soar. Maybe one day you'll get the chance

Omen

Now I am not going to pass judgment on the day just because one text message but I am feeling a little en garde as far as what they might bring. Perhaps I'm making too much of this day but I see is kind of pivotal for me perhaps a minor flow of things but still pivotal. Last night I texted a little while with my friend, Lori and we decided to have a meeting this morning at around 10 o'clock. Lori works at the community college down the street from where I work so it's easy to get together at the cafeteria and since this is last day Lori is working this semester we decided it would be a good morning for coffee and discussion.

I slept horribly during the night. I don't know what the issue was or is but sleep last night was a challenge. Beside meeting with Lori the only other task I have today is to meet the owner of the tablet I'm going to purchase this afternoon. This is not really a problem just a challenge. I think he is some sort of young working college student that comes into the city once a week for a night class at the University. In an effort to to make things more doable I told this guy, his name is Jordan, that I would meet him at the University train station or Rice Eccles Stadium. I was really hoping to come into town early so I can get up there and get gone back home ASAP but of course that's not going. He said he can meet their outside p.m. At the Rice Eccles Stadium train station. So not only am I going to be tired and feeling a little weak in and I'm going to be out in fairly cold weather. Yesterday, I was out in the element of good part of the day and I got called. I'm just hoping tonight I can get on the train get to the station to the tablet come straight back. It will be dark by the time I get back but I think I can do it.

Yes I think I can do except for there is a glitch. This morning I got a text message from my home health provider that she was running the hour behind schedule. I'm scheduled for 8 AM to 9 AM which is good. The other day that hour backup would be no big deal. But now that she comes 9 AM to 10 AM – – I'm supposed to meet Gloria at 10 AM so we'll just have to see what I can do_I am going to have to be late.

So I am hoping this is not an omen that the rest of the day may be shadowed same bad luck. I'm going to try to be positive and forge ahead and get through this day. I must place myself however tomorrow afternoon's I am going to be out in the in the cold again for First Chapter Book Club. I can feel my bodily defenses wearing down.

Christmas Cold

Got the heat turned up to 79, 80 seems just too decadent, I have been home now couple of hours and I have finally warming up. It's Tuesday my Assist.Inc. Day– the day I go downtown and if I have any other business I need to do but try to wrap it up in this day as well. The clouds back during the night and the sun shone giving the day of brilliance but little warmth.

My Assist Inc. meeting was short even though we have a full page of requests to consider. Most of the other board members were absent which meant there was far less discussion and we just cruised right along one name after another. I really wanted Christmas stamps for my cards this year so I figured why not go down to the post office and pick some stamps up. I plan to jump the train, the blue line, and get off at the downtown mall. It's just around the corner but soon I was wondering downtown. I eventually got to the post office . I was cold and grateful to be out of the elements. I don't know why I was surprised but there was too long lines of customers that are managed packages and mail hands. This was the downtown post office after all. It's Christmas! My bottom hurt, I tilted my chair back to take the pressure off my butt. I could tell it was going to be a long wait. There are three harried Postal workers assisting customers. One frustrated employee was helping the one customer who did not have any of the information that he needed to trace a piece of lost mail. The computers were down or the computers were working but they cannot access the Internet and USPS Central. For some reason this was a bottleneck in the two remaining clerks just cannot get any momentum with their customers. I laid back and looked at the ceiling and warmed up. Eventually, the consumer gave up agreeing to come back in a couple of hours one for sure that the Internet would be available in the computer problem sorted out. I was amazed. The mood inside the post office changed, was like the sun came out from behind the clouds. The lines begin to flow soon I had my 20 stamps – – Christmas window stamps and a cost of $9.80.

I am always amazed at how the cold now drains my energy. After stops at the Best Buy check up on issue and the market to get salad dressing. I really am going to focus on the salads and effort to lose some Thanksgiving weight gain.I also stopped at the college on the way home to get cash out for tomorrow's purchase of a tablet to replace the one I lost. I felt I had dressed warmly – – which I had. I wore my red jackets with a scarf all I really needed was gloves. I know I have a pair around here somewhere. The gloves are not nice leather gloves like I used to have in better times but they will do. Tomorrow I have to take the red line up to the University around 5 o'clock. Tomorrow will be another cold daysix

Rage Within

I woke to a light dusting of snow on the tree outside my window. The snow fell lightly and intermittently throughout the rest of the morning. I did not go out today at all.|I knew the temperature would be cold as it always is following storm regardless of intensity. There was a protest today, the President of the United States was in town today and one of the groups I have loosely become affiliated with was leading a protest of the state capitol building at the same time that Pres. Trump was in the area. I should have gone but I did not. I just felt too weak to make the effort. However, I didn't notice on the evening news that the number of folks with disabilities did make the altercation. That is good. One of those is a lad named Fuse. I'm not sure how old Fuse is at one time I thought Fuse was older but now that I've seen him lately is seeking a much younger version of the person I thought you was talking about the way just as he was older.

As he new relatively to the DRAC organization maybe even to Salt Lake. I noticed Fuse for the first time earlier this summer. He was definitely a newcomer to the DRAC family. I really did not pay much attention to the fellow except that he was often a contender for the same bus that I use when going up to the capital building or to some other DRAC function. He drives a power chair similar to mine. And he suffers from that peculiarity that I've talked about before of attaching as many things as possible to your chair that you think you might need while out and about. He seems quite during the meetings though he will raise questions and make comments. It seems quiet, not necessarily withdrawn, but committed to DRAC. This is fine DRAC certainly does need new blood there is no question about that.

They couple of weeks ago when we were taking over an office or making a commotion at the state capital I was sitting next to Fuse . And I was startled so startled as incubus visibly notable by folks around. Adam opened his mouth and what came out was anger so pure and undefiled I was astounded. What I heard was pure rage, murderous. I thought to myself if anybody had a weapon this is the kind of emotion outward drive someone to do on speakable acts of violence. I'm sure I visibly backed away from the lad. For the time being I did not want to be anywhere close to this focused protester.

Nothing happened, thank goodness, then was a couple days after I was speaking with my friend Barbara was also at this event and when asked she also indicated she heard Adam roar. The kid can emote. I don't know whether to be concerned about Fuse's ability to tap into his rage or be happy to have a member of DRAC who can get the attention of everyone.Or maybe the guy just needs a friend.

Christmas Cards and Gin

It's Christmas well not actually Christmas yet it still 22 days out but as the Christmas season, the very beginning of the Christmas season at least for me. This morning I realized the start that it was the second day of the month and I haven't even started my granddaughters letters. I told you that I write my granddaughters, two of them anyway, letters every month. I usually try to get me started on the first in the month which for some reason yesterday, Saturday the first day of December the task completely slipped my mind. And probably the only reason I thought it the girls today is because I realized I'd better get on the stick and write Christmas card for the family. I basically keep my cards limited to my immediate family and a couple nieces and nephews I sent to but not many.

Getting into the Christmas card mood is getting harder and harder every year. Last year was sporadic at best since I've only been here for two months. I was still unsettled last year that I barely had the address is correct. I hope now I still have my electronic file that I compiled after contacting one of the brothers and sisters I don't remember which. I've got a couple of boxes of Christmas cards in one of my random boxes. Random boxes are boxes I have that have odds and ends in them. This is where the left over Christmas cards handed out for a couple years. I just hope the family doesn't mind repeats. Actually I'm surprised they even remember and I sent Christmas cards out.

The vision I have in my mind's eye of the writing out Christmas cards snow falling outside my patio window. I have either Christmas carols playing on the radio or White Christmas or Scrooged playing on the DVR in the background as I sip gin and tonics made with real Tanqueray. Of course reality is carving the kitchen table with just enough room to write and scratch out cards for all the addresses I get my hands on. No gin and tonics, usually no music just endless NPR soft talk or whatever.if I'm really lucky I would get the cards out by day seven of December. I got these great address stickers from the Southern Poverty Lot Center in the mail a couple weeks ago (some fundraising gimmick) which work ideally for sending out cards. For the first time my family will know for sure what my mailing address is. My handwriting has never been good, even before the wreck, now my handwriting is part of my art projects. Who knows maybe I get lucky and get some cards before the end of the holiday season.

There's still the issue of gifts. I'm a horrible gifter, I just don't know what to buy for people and then if I get a hard time spend money. I have noticed their here getting worse and worse and caving into electronic gifting. 15 or $20 gifts to Amazon or any other company that does Internet cards (?). Oddly enough I do not mind getting such gifts. I can order of things or virtual things depending how much the gift is for… Even things like movie tickets. I never have but I can send gift cards to restaurants, theaters or anything else. All I have to do is do a search of what is available that persons community. Still not like in a real gift which comes wrapped in brown paper and fits under a tree quietly also quietly giving off Christmas spirit.

Logo Lost

There are only a couple weeks left in this semester. I'm still questing provision to audit a drawing are beginning art class at Salt Lake Community College which is just down the street from my apartment. However, the burn and desire has about fizzle out. The little rinky-dink system of a college over there is pretty much worn me down to the point where apathy has set in. I'm going to make a few more attempts to see if I can email a request to add an instructor to see if I can find a seat. Actually, this is a great idea and I wish had only thought of it earlier.

I've been drawing more donkeys recently. I like driving donkeys driving donkeys on the few things they seem to be able to draw with a little training or no training I have had. The past couple weeks I've had a nagging suspicion that maybe I do not need art instruction right now it's not ever. I'm beginning to fear that by learning how to draw correctly I will lose my edge and my donkeys will go from darling to just plain donkeys accurately drawn and looking how a donkey should look as they should look, as near a photograph as possible. Learning to draw appropriately may drain the angst out of my system leaving pathetically drawn accurately and correct donkeys from the Wild Kingdom. As I've drawn donkeys as last week or so I tried to watch myself. I'm dominant right handed however, due to the accident have forced by known dominant side (left) to act as my dominant side. My right side came back weaker than my left side. If I really want to produce something halfway recognizable I will use both hands to make my marks. Many times my donkeys are minimal or minimalistic. I think I can actually do some minimalistic drawing with only less than 12 lines. And up with a quasi-Picasso like drawing. Many times I've and that drawing donkeys quench the angry and sometimes daemonic. I don't know why these donkeys appear the way they do. I used to hate the drawings I produce. I tend to use black drawing pens. I do like a red and I have a number of I guess they are pastel but with a colorful. I even considered not drawing at all. The renderings I would make with the black ink or marker frightened me. However, I noted a number of Dutch artists/commercial artists tend to make marks on as menacing and then dark is mine. Seeing the renderings of these artists take a major weight off my shoulders. Perhaps my drawings were not as psychotic as I thought.

I love my donkeys, I love the fact that my donkeys have attitude.I love my donkeys just the way they are. Maybe I don't need in our course, I know what I want to draw. Maybe what I need is a place on campus and a feeling of belonging. I want to wear long-sleeved T with MY college's logo on it.

Assist, Inc.Shakedown Open house

How did it get to be the end of another week? Sometimes I am alarmed at how quickly the weeks seem to fly by. In two months I will be 67 I don't know why but this terrifies me. Today is also the first day of December. Today is the Assist, Inc. Annual holiday open house, This is the organization on which I serve on the citizens advisory committee/board. This of course is a volunteer board one that I like being part of. I used to really enjoy the annual open house. I was always impressed with their outlay of alcohol and food. People went to this function and seemed genuinely happy. There were a lot of city and county officials mostly from the housing sector and some from the governmental finance sector as well. I talk about transportation a lot but I talk about my career with independent living/state but I was also heavily involved in housing. Part of my position of the developing in the house inside bus to work with consumers with disabilities assist them find affordable and accessible housing the oversight at position was to work with state County and city officials (statewide ) To bring about more affordable and accessible housing. So these are my people, housing people. I worked with the Executive Director of this organization quite a bit over the years Roger,as well as their housing engineer DavidI guess I was closer to David then to Roger.

In the past, when I was employed, I attended these open houses as part of my job. Identified my time as community involvement in the cultivation strong housing resources for people with disabilities. Roger retired last year and this is the first open house with the new director – – Jason. I must say the open houses are not quite the same. As Jason begins to put his imprint on the agency or organization it becomes somewhat easy to judge his direction against Rogers. All architects, don't seem to be one of the mandates are qualifiers for the director of Assist. Jason was much younger than Roger and Jason is also the local culture and Roger was not. I believe there's a local culture was to put a descriptor on Roger that would be that he was of the world and that would be true. Rogers well-traveled and spends a lot of time in Europe on vacations. Roger had a certain level of sophistication. Jason is young even though it's been an architect for some time he still comes off as young. As a Mormon Jason definitely fits in with a large portion of the local population. Jason is wholesome and it shows pink cheeks and is always is happy. You can help but like Jason. He's fresh, he has ideas which are quite unique.

I spent a couple hours this morning with my friend Lori before she went to work then returned to my apartment and washed clothes and waited for the time I needed to catch the bus and train into town. I make good time and good connections. I'd like to have been to Assist earlier But had to dry my load twice. When I got to the office there some kind of presentation going on. Different members of the staff were giving presentations are no idea how long these presentations have been going on. It will offer about 10 minutes after I arrived may have been longer. Jason finally ended the presentation by showing two checks one check made out for $250 But would only be signed if enough donations were given by those present to reach a certain number I think which was $250. A small church like building had opened doors and Jason challenged folks to donate to the local church to see if assessed can earn the extra $250. This is an old public radio fundraiser tactic. It just seemed tacky to me especially in light of previous open houses from Christmases past. Quite frankly I was a bit embarrassed for my friend David and Assist Incorporated. It's the last private nonprofit I would've thought would use such tactics to raise money. I should not be so harsh on Jason – – It had to be Jason's idea, Jason is the only new variable in the equation.