Blackout!

I don't know if you can tell but you see that blue cord sneaking along the wall that goes behind those items stacked up in the corner that blue cord goes to a power strip I have mounted on a little box next to my bed that I have all my items that use electricity in that part of the room located. My arm bike, my clock radio, my lamp, my electric bed and a couple of chargers most importantly the charger that I have to plug into every night to my power chair to make sure I have the juice to run around the next day. It's critical that I have this power especially my power bed cuz I use it to raise and lower myself in the bed which greatly assists me in going to bed then in the morning raising me up to a height that I can basically fall into my chair when I get up. So last night I was feeling pretty good because I was actually going to get to bed by 11:00 PM maybe even a shade earlier but just as I was adjusting something on my chair I don't remember what all the sudden the lamp went out and I was in darkness. Luckily I had my cell phone so I turned it on flashlight mode I thought sure the cord where the power strip connected to the extension cord had just come loose I struggled for a few minutes to get to it but it looked like it was okay I wasn't sure what was going on totally frustrated because here I was sitting naked in my chair and the bed won't work the light won't work everything was off. I finally in a fit of desperation called Melissa my home health person and just luckily she was still up in fact she just come in off of a long day of work. And she came over about 11:30 p.m. and Save the Day. She traced the blue extension cord to behind the clothes and sure enough they'll plug it come out of the the plug-in in the wall. She plugged it back in and I was good to go. I really I'm trying to figure out a better plan that I can do when this happens or somebody close close by that can intercede and save my bacon. I guess I should be just thankful that this didn't happen while I was in bed or sometime during the night or something and I was able to get someone to come and fix it immediately. I cannot believe how much energy it takes to be independent. I used to take my Independence so much for granted and now I guard it jealously and try to set things up beforehand that I don't have to rely on somebody or something else to get by.

The days are slowly warming back up again up into the 90s in a couple of days I don't think we're going to see any more triple digit days which kind of breaks my heart but truth is it's almost September with the days will work down from the 90s to the '80s to the 70s and soon fall will be here and it's glory and it's coolness. I need to find some clothes for the coming winter season. I need to find some clothes that are kind of dressy because I think in my new position on the board of directors for the Independent Living Center I'm going to have to be a bit more visible. I sure hope I haven't shot myself in the foot with this new position. 

Some Rainy Discomfort

 I wore a long sleeve shirt today because I wasn't certain how chilly it was going to be. Not only was it overcast but there was precipitation as well. Luckily, I did not get caught in a lot of rain mainly just sprinkles but still uncomfortable getting wet is never appreciated when it's unwanted. I have to admit the long sleeve was uncomfortable but I was glad that I had it by the time the day was over. I am going to have to consider either getting a few fall and winter clothes or where in the old ones I have already but I think I'm getting a little tired of those. I would really like to find some things that fit and looked okay on me. I really need a closed coach that there is such a thing.

I got an email today from the Independent Living Center, that place I've just become a board member of and if I used to work for a number of decades. Interestingly it was a quasi invitation to their summer camp out evening. I'm sure it's something that good board members are going to go to which is a ride up the canyon and then I can't fire a cookout and I think some people even spend the night none of which sounds interesting to me. It would be difficult for me to get there but that's a poor excuse for the Independent Living Center because they would probably happily transport me and I don't know about camping out and what kind of support systems they have but it sounds very intimidating to me. I never took advantage or did the camp out but I work there. The rest of the staff sure did but I was willing to work support from the office especially keeping the office open answering phones and doing General coverage and whatever prep that I could be useful at but jumping down around the buses and going on the out bound trip to wherever they go that wasn't for me and and I doubt I would have done it had I been able bodied who knows? But, I guess that issue I need to rethink my willingness to serve on this board particularly if they want an active person doing a lot of stuff with consumers. Probably wouldn't hurt me to be more involved and doing more stuff and maybe that's what I need to be doing. I'm just not up for it right this second. Maybe once I get my regular power chair back with all the amenities working maybe that might help but the actual going up to the canyon hanging out for a hot dog dinner I can't see that flying too well with me. I'm just an old stick in the mud. Maybe if I'd been more involved this kind of stuff with Denise as well as Dianne they would have kept me around. I Feel Like lyrics of the song about not being any fun anymore. That's a trick this old dog I don't think going to pick up anytime soon.

Dreams and other things

I had another one of those dreams this morning, you know not quite a nightmare and not a terror but a very discomforting dream reflecting a part of my work life that I'm glad that I'm over with basically working with employers/bosses. I don't remember the dream now specifically except for I was a work oriented dream and my boss was involved and I had done something and I was in trouble. Of course, never did find out how the situation ended thankfully I woke and upon waking and the realization of the dream and the great relief I had as knowing that it was just a dream I took a deep breath turned over my pillow and grabbed a couple hours more sleep before I had to rise for the day. But, I don't know if those dreams are becoming more frequent or I'm just remembering specific ones more clearly but it's interesting at this point in my life I think I'm reviewing parts of it that was uncomfortable and that I'm glad that I'm passed.

It is unseasonably cool this August and it's a very strange August I think, we are getting the revenants of a hurricane/ tropical storm that came in the West Coast- which hardly ever happens. Thankfully we are not getting deluged with water as parts of California seem to be and parts of the mountains are being washed away houses with them and I'm sure any number of people as well. We are supposed to get some rain possibly late tonight early tomorrow morning or maybe during the day and possibly till the end of the week. Seasonally cool and Monsoon like moisture. That leaves me with the decision of short sleeves versus long sleeves. Tomorrow most likely will be a long sleeve day since I need to go into town for my weekly meeting and I don't want to get caught freezing to death on the train or should it rain be in the rain without something covering my arms which will definitely make me chilly I am even planning on trading in my regular cap for a stocking cap just to make sure my cap doesn't blow away. I almost lost one of my favorite caps today when I got handled by a gust of wind.

I took the bus again over to Murray to check out Costco. I purchased my glasses from Costco the newest pair the ones I ran over a couple weeks ago I wanted to see if they could pull it back from the brink and make him wearable again even though the lens is pretty messed up. I'm always impressed at what they can do with my frames and lenses. Sure enough I was correct after a short wait in line I gave the challenge to the little person behind the counter who grabbed a hold of them and it's been about a half an hour resurrecting the poor things to the point where I can wear them now full time not revert to my backup pair of glasses which I've been wearing for the last 2 weeks which has been good to have but those are a challenge as well since they were ordered with darkening lenses which has been my Bane as far as glasses go. I was still with Diane when I got these glasses with self-darkening lenses and they just drive me crazy particularly in situations where it's dark a little bit where I'm at like maybe on the bus or something and the handheld screen is kind of dark and the glasses are dark and I can't hardly read anything on the screen so I have to take my glasses off which is no big deal since I pretty much do that anyway. Today I also spent time with my pharmaceutical provider trying to make sure I have baclofen my medication for spasticity when I run out of the current bottle I have now. I tried to get it on one of those 90-day things but that's been a real mess and I had thought it was done last week but then I got an email over the weekend saying they can't fill my prescription I need to talk to my doctor which I did today it's it's messed up but I think I still have some prescriptions at the local pharmacy three more fills so I think I'll just pop over there tomorrow and pick them up. So the day was fairly productive I didn't get any reading done but sometimes I have to be on the road and tomorrow will be another road day possibly a wet one and possibly when it feels like fall. I may even have to dig out a jacket or something if it's raining when I leave in the morning. Wish me luck 

Hillary's cold shoulder

 I am not beside myself but I must admit that I am somewhat distressed how cool the weather is right now. I don't think it even got to the 80s today here in Salt Lake. Hi clouds and dark clouds from time to time permeated the sky with the sun just peeking through here and there giving the illusion or slash promise that it's going to get water possibly even hot but it just couldn't bring it off today. And I think it's probably going to be like this all week or for however long hurricane Hillary is active. Hurricane Hillary the West Coast hurricane that came ashore last night and it did lose its hurricane status and went down to a tropical storm but still I think where it's the eye of the storm like San Diego they're still getting drenched. I tried to watch the news tonight but as a little late and couldn't get a fix on what's going on with the great storm. And you know it's all climate change the conservatives still refuse to believe it but it's true. I'm sure there's a lot of West Coast territories that's going to get flooded and flooded bad as the storm washes over the West. We could get thunderstorms and that's not bad but this clouds and block into the sun in the heat needs to be rethought that's for sure. I tried to read outside for a little bit but it was just a bit windy and chilly and I kind of kept falling asleep. I could have slept better through the night and I didn't sleep through the night I woke up around 3:00 a.m. and then just light slept for the rest of the night for fear of not being able to get up when it was time to get dressed to be ready for breakfast at 8:0 a.m. I finally got up around 5:45 a.m. but realize I actually didn't get to bed till almost 1:00 in the morning. So it was fitful  sleeping at best. This evening I tried to get lost in one of the Marvel movies but it was just two cold I thought at one point I even had a partial blanket over me. This is just the beginning I'll be interested to see what other pieces of the storm we get here in Utah.

I was feeling a little antsy this afternoon and so even though I had things here I could eat besides I'd go out and try to find something to eat at a fast food joint or something and ended up over at the market Deli section space where I got a small container of mashed potatoes and gravy and the Frozen burrito well I got the burrito from the frozen section and nuked it at the eating area by the deli. It was pretty good I should have had something to drink but it was relatively inexpensive and I was able to hang out at the market. I even treated myself to an ice cream cone they'll have a nice cream cone of Softee for 98 cents. I don't want him to pile too many rims on it but I enjoyed eating it as I was going home from the market. Not much to report and no mind-boggling events happened just me and my own trying to stay warm and make it through the day and the start of a new week. …

Slow Saturday

I totally surprised myself at how functional I am for as little sleep as I tend to get. I can function pretty well on 6 hours of sleep and often that's what I get but last night I did my usual read until 12:00 or so and then go to sleep only to wake up around 2:30 a.m. with a full bladder or what felt like a full bladder. I drained and figured that would be good that I could sleep another 4 hours before 6:00 but I woke again around 4:30 a.m. with what again felt like a full bladder and I just couldn't get everything together to drain before I felt it was time to get up. You will remember that Saturdays have become my 9:30 a.m. mornings over at the coffee shop where I meet one of the folks here at the apartment complex or anybody else who wants to join us for coffee and we just eat on her for an hour or so then go on our way. I would really like to believe that if I didn't have to go to the coffee function that I would turn over and go back to sleep for a couple of hours but I know that once that clock hits 6:00 a.m. I just can't get back to sleep. Like I said I thought I was going to be dragging today but I wasn't too bad and I didn't have the midday Sleepy's like I usually get and try to take a mini nap by laying back in my chair usually out by my tree or someplace else in the shade to enjoy Summer's Heat and such. I really didn't do much of that today. I did take an Excursion over to the market and got a few things that I thought I needed to get through the weekend.

I think my main bit of excitement today was opening up my number 10 can of sliced peppers. I just had a few old Peppers left in the container I purchased a couple weeks ago that will take a whole can at one time. I placed the peppers that were left that were whole into a skinny plastic container that I can use to pull out for burritos and such freeing up the large plastic container for the number 10 sliced peppers. I have to admit I was excited once again as I use the handheld can opener with the crank and opened up the big can. I found that if I pour the juice in first that not only lightens the load at the can but cuts down on the spillage of the pepper juice, brine or whatever the liquid is. The pickled peppers in the can are good but not as good as the one brand that I've been using and enjoying out of the smaller cans. I hope to find the big can number 10 can of this other brand that I really enjoy. The pepper seem a lot more crisp as do the carrots. I also bought three large carrots. I usually buy a bag of carrots throw them in the crisper in the refrigerator then forget about them until I try to use them then they're all so grody and stringy I hate to use them but I will use them but for the same amount these big fresh carrots look like they'll do the job trying to stretch out my pepper money as long as I can with buying a giant can of peppers with pickled carrots and then adding the regular carrots for crunch and deliciousness.

Not much else is going on today no great thoughts and ponderings. There was promise of more monsoonal storming possibilities which never came to fruition aside from a few cracks of thunder and a flash or two of lightning but that's okay there's always tomorrow the freaky West Coast hurricane was supposed to make sure today but I haven't heard anything we'll see tomorrow ellipsis

Funky Friday

It's Friday and who doesn't love Friday? That last day before Saturday and the weekend and as you know I have come to include Friday as part of my weekend going all the way back to high school. I didn't have anything on my agenda today as far as being out of the apartment except for meeting with my friend Duane B for Chinese. We haven't done Chinese before that I remember so this should be an exciting afternoon.

I was able to get a few things done this morning before my morning person showed up. I probably should have done more but I think I got enough done to get me through the weekend anyway. I still have to do some sweeping in the kitchen and maybe use the power mop off and on but I'm not expecting anybody here over the weekend so I'm not that worried about the whole clean apartment thing which I've almost given up on. However, Gloria did show up the other day indicating that I definitely needed some help and she would give me an assist of course for the pay and I totally agree with that. She still recovering from her broken arm or wrist but she's a lot better than I thought she was from what I heard. She always needs quarters for washing so she stopped over for a roll last week. I don't know how soon she would consider doing some housework and I certainly don't want to pressure her but the kitchen floors getting pretty grody. I did some work on the bathroom floor this afternoon spend some time trying to clean between the tiles. What a weird scenario people who have tiles in their bathroom that do nothing but clogged and get dirty. I doubt that I would have those squares again if I were to get a different bathroom floor. I could have done more work in the bathroom but I sort of got it presentable in case anyone should come over. And again I would never let anyone use my toilet I would send them down to the guest toilet at the front of the building. I think most people would gag at my bathroom. I really need to get somebody.

Like I said after lunch in the park I really didn't have anything to do and I didn't want to go spend any money if I didn't have to at the at the market or anywhere else and I'd ridden the bus enough times this week enjoy not having to go anywhere specific. I spent time in the Sun trying to read the new book I purchased yesterday day before but I just couldn't get into reading over sleeping well not at first. After a while, I was okay and I read a little bit but not enough to count.

Dwayne got beef and broccoli and egg foo young for lunch. Big Square styrofoam container stack next to smaller containers of rice and who knows what else. We had plates that we just each other we dished up the meal we had a fast meal or good meal anyway. I got the spoils Dwayne sent the remainder of the leftovers home with me. Seriously I think it's enough to go through the whole weekend. I noticed I got one of the boxes a little scary Wampus in the plastic bags as I came home and threw them in the refrigerator now there's a pile of juice that seeped out of one of the dinners hopefully it won't be a problem if I can just get it out of the refrigerator before the bag breaks and gets beef and broccoli juice all over the refrigerator still a good reason to force myself into cleaning the refrigerator again…

Thoroughly Thursday

 I wish I could have gotten a better image of this shoe I passed along the way, today. I was hot and somewhat tired however and even though I took two or three images the one I have here is the best of the three. I even edited the image a bit enlarged the item but still it's not as graphically pleasing as I would have liked it to have been. Of course she all remember my project and my interest in shoes without mates found along the way. I think it's a sad commentary to a certain degree not that the shoes really care but it just seems so symbolic to me where there should be two there's only one looking sad and forlorn often on the side of the road. Anyway that's my image for the day there are others I wish I had taken but didn't get the chance or the opportunity.

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Of course today being Thursday was Coffee Day and I must admit it went pretty well except for when I brought my purchase of cookies that I did last night in for today's treats Marsha looked a little sad because we already have Bunches of cookies from coffee groups from the past. So we should be okay for a while. I thought I had a lunch appointment with my good buddy Dwayne today and embarrassingly I find out that it's tomorrow and it's right there in my messenger between him and me that I set it up for Friday, the end of the week. So I had my whole day ahead of me and it was only around 10:45 a.m. so I decided I would do another trip in to Costco and maybe Barnes & Noble. Once again I noticed that my day was totally evaporating and that if I wanted to get home before 3:00 p.m. so I can listen to Marketplace in the comfort of my apartment while working on my own bike I'd have to forget one of the projects and I ended up being Costco thinking that there's always another day to do Costco but I really need to get something to read before I go to bed so I cut across the street and was at Barnes & Noble. I forget how much I enjoy just hanging around a bookstore even a huge heartless plastic store Lake Barnes & Noble it's still just being around so many books and so many things of interest. I pretty much stayed with fiction I don't want to read about science and other things nonfiction and I don't have the patience for biographies and such- - though I should. I found a piece of literature which looks pretty interesting not quite science fiction are horror but something I think that will be enjoyable however not as long as I would like to have been it'll take me a while to read if I save it just for the evenings before I go to bed. Monsoons have returned to the area with a fairly decent rainstorm this evening. Luckily, I was in for the night and didn't get caught in any of the deluge. I did sit underneath the awning in the back and watch the rain for a while totally enjoying the phenomenon. There was Thunder and lightning to some degree but quite a bit of rain for a little bit and the best part was I didn't get soaked. I'm kind of excited, listening to news tonight, it looks like we'll be doing monsoon for the next week or so with high probabilities of more precipitation. As for now, and once again pretty tired looking forward to an evening with a new book and lunch with my friend tomorrow…

Working Wednesday

  Nothing vexes me so much then to open my mailbox and pull out a returned piece of mail! I could understand this when I was still thinking I could address envelopes by hand and even before my accident my riding was so atrocious that I was some part of a legend in my 6th grade class. Mr Kuntz my teacher brought out my poor penmanship every chance Mr Kuntz seem to get. I wonder now if Mr Koontz had it in for me but it never really showed one way or the other. I like the guy actually past tense he's long gone. I never saw this as him being mean he was just amazed at how poorly I wrote. However, that aside after I started getting letters returned I decided I would go to the printer or the typewriter whichever that would allow me to address a letter. So, I was really distressed when I saw this kid letter returned. I'm still trying to figure out what went wrong because as far as I can tell this letter was sent to the exact same address that the other three letters went to. I did check with the other addresses I have for the family over the years, sometimes I get confused and send a document to one of the other addresses when it comes up on the computer when I'm printing the envelopes. So I was a little concerned that maybe I had picked out one of the other addresses when I send it to this address but I don't think so. I will make contact with Michelle just to make sure I'm not Goofy and resend the document and the monthly stipend- - which I'm most worried about. I'm sure the lowly $10 makes little difference and this budding teenager's life but everything helps especially when getting back into the school frame of mind. I'm really beginning to believe that somewhere either on this side of the post on the other side of the post has it out for me and just loves to return pieces of mail even when properly addressed- - who knows Maybe, I'm just being paranoid.

However the high point of my day was lunch with my old boss Claire. Our relationship is fairly straightforward however before she is my boss she was my friend we shared the same office that what used to be the governor's Council for people with disabilities. And through a series of weird events she ended up becoming my executive director for a number of years. We had a good relationship and since her leaving the state and then my retirement and subsequent medical issues and the pandemic we just have not been able to get together until today at the restaurant. It was good to get together again sadly we don't know how much time we've got that's so true of people our age and with our particular physical challenges but hopefully we have enough time for another couple meetings enjoy your lunch, crab about the politics an the in general and enjoy our time together and you know Claire bought lunch…

A Little Self-doubt and a Free Lunch!

  Nothing vexes me so much then to open my mailbox and pull out a returned piece of mail! I could understand this when I was still thinking I could address envelopes by hand and even before my accident my riding was so atrocious that I was some part of a legend in my 6th grade class. Mr Kuntz my teacher brought out my poor penmanship every chance Mr Kuntz seem to get. I wonder now if Mr K had it in for me but it never really showed one way or the other. I like the guy actually past tense he's long gone. I never saw this as him being mean he was just amazed at how poorly I wrote. However, that aside after I started getting letters returned I decided I would go to the printer or the typewriter whichever that would allow me to address a letter. So, I was really distressed when I saw this kid letter returned. I'm still trying to figure out what went wrong because as far as I can tell this letter was sent to the exact same address that the other three letters went to. I did check with the other addresses I have for the family over the years, sometimes I get confused and send a document to one of the other addresses when it comes up on the computer when I'm printing the envelopes. So I was a little concerned that maybe I had picked out one of the other addresses when I send it to this address but I don't think so. I will make contact with Michelle just to make sure I'm not Goofy and resend the document and the monthly stipend- - which I'm most worried about. I'm sure the lowly $10 makes little difference and this budding teenager's life but everything helps especially when getting back into the school frame of mind. I'm really beginning to believe that somewhere either on this side of the post on the other side of the post has it out for me and just loves to return pieces of mail even when properly addressed- - who knows Maybe, I'm just being paranoid.

However the high point of my day was lunch with my old boss Claire. Our relationship is fairly straightforward however before she is my boss she was my friend we shared the same office that what used to be the governor's Council for people with disabilities. And through a series of weird events she ended up becoming my executive director for a number of years. We had a good relationship and since her leaving the state and then my retirement and subsequent medical issues and the pandemic we just have not been able to get together until today at the restaurant. It was good to get together again sadly we don't know how much time we've got that's so true of people our age and with our particular physical challenges but hopefully we have enough time for another couple meetings enjoy your lunch, crab about the politics an the in general and enjoy our time together and you know Claire bought lunch…

Happy Monday!

 I think I have always loved Mondays. I may have written about this before but Monday's of Summer are a bit different than Mondays during the rest of the year, at least to me. Monday morning signifies the chance to have a whole new week to do whatever you didn't get done the week before or to explore new things you get to do now that it's the first of the week whether it's a job assignment, or finishing a school assignment or going to the movies either way Mondays are fresh. I have course love Monday just because I get to poop since I haven't pooped since Friday. So Mondays are more than special they give me a new opportunity to eat once I evacuate but maybe that's too much information.

Luckily I had no assignments to do this Monday. I could have gone out and done stuff but what? My goal was kind of to finish Stephen King book I've been reading for the last couple of weeks- - which by the way I did. I had read this volume before that's okay with Stephen King there's always more to find in his words. I finished the volume late this afternoon after two attempts earlier in the day going out and sitting underneath my tree and enjoying the Heat and taking a nap or two along the way. I'm sure there are other things I could have done to be more productive but I thought this was pretty good for today. I did sweep the floors this morning before Alyssa came which was sort of a good job. I dropped a lot of bamboo sticks that she used to eat with you know how to poke stuff. And they are all over the floor of course plus all the bags that I used coming home from the market the number had fallen on the floor as well so I needed to sweep them up break them in half put them in the garbage otherwise they tend to punch her the side of the garbage bag. I had brewed coffee and made my morning vegetable juice drink utilizing the whole peppers that were pickled from Michelle. I need to pull a couple more out now from the big collection of pickled peppers. I laid them on a cutting board take the tops off and then slice them into slices to the best of my ability it's not like I get from the cans but it works. This last batch of vegetable beverage that I put together I'd used diced tomatoes with this weird flavoring to it I can't remember it right now but it was okay but not my liking actually. I suffered through the last of it this morning using it to flavor my drink but that's the last time I'm going to use that kind of diced tomatoes I like the kind that got the tomatoes onions and pepper to certain degree in the chopped mess. I never have really used it for the soup but it would work tastes great. It's going to take a while to use up all these peppers but I am enjoying them just the same. I want to start eating them along with hey bean burrito the way I used to in the days of Murray where I would have a couple every morning before work. I'm sure the peppers will be gone before I know it.

The rest of the day was spent but not finishing the book just watching another Marvel movie and kind of enjoying the time in the apartment. Tomorrow I have lunch with my old boss from the governor's Council that should be fun. I'm sure I'll report more on it tomorrow…

Watermelon Cut

 Aside from a great breakfast with Mark Anthony this morning I really didn't do a whole lot today except enjoy the day. I really only had one meal today since the breakfast was fairly large at the restaurant nothing significant just some kind of omelette and pancakes. Oh, and of course coffee. The granddaughter is in North Carolina this weekend with one of her sisters. Hopefully she'll be back next week. As I said the rest of the day I read a little bit of course and then I actually did more work than I really like to do on a Sunday and I cleaned off the table a little bit and cut up the watermelon or at least half the watermelon. I got the watermelon in a couple days ago and I've been somewhat intimidated to process the piece of fruit or just flat out two tired after some of the days I had this last week.

Like I said the table has become once again a focal point where everything is deposited when I come in the front door with the apartment. This is also where I do a lot of my morning puzzles. So after I cleaned off a fairly decent space I then moved the watermelon from one side of the table to the other and this time or this melon I actually found a good sized washcloth or maybe it was a small hand towel to put underneath the watermelon to catch the juice as I cut into the fruit. Usually I have a handful of paper towels that seem to be totally soaked almost immediately on cutting the villain. But today, to my Pleasant surprise, the towel worked really well not only stabilizing the watermelon but catching a lot of the liquid which there really wasn't a lot and I'm still scratching my head about that. As I did with the last watermelon I cut it lengthwise and took the half that I wasn't going to use today wrapped it up in cling wrap and threw it back in the refrigerator the rest I cut the half of watermelon and half again then cut slices off and put them in a polyethylene cake top container. It's oblong and about 4 in deep and maybe 18 in Long or a little bit shorter. Then I cut the two remaining pieces into smaller slices like triangle slices and cut them off of the watermelon rind which which I didn't put on or in the containers fast the lid on and put it in the refrigerator. My only regret was that I did not do this earlier I was not totally pleased with the watermelon itself. It tasted okay but was getting a little sloppy not the firm Red watermelon that I really like. I also think once the watermelons in the refrigerator for a period of time it'll be it'll be possible. It'll be good with cheese sharp cheddar. I had all kinds of things I could eat besides the watermelon I still have steak left over from Thursday night and then I also have the potatoes I baked which I cut into slices that I'm intending to possibly fry up with some eggs in the near future I also cooked the Jimmy Dean sausage I picked up at the throwaway meat section of my local market so I had things I can peace on but I just, like I said, wasn't very hungry probably due to the fact that the breakfast was kind of large and I didn't want to push more stuff into my colon that might not be wise before tomorrow morning and my Monday morning evacuation of my bowels. So, I watched part of a Marvel movie tonight and that was enough to get me over my fixation to think that I need to watch a movie every night and I'm just enjoying a quiet evening now with my tablet and my bedroom..

Lazy Saturday

This might be a short posting today just because I really didn't do much of anything with the exception of going to coffee which at least got me out and across the street and doing a little bit of socialization with my friend Janet upstairs. As far as days go it was a good day as far as temperature and such not too hot, no clouds to speak of just a nice warm August day. I thought about going to the market but there wasn't anything I really needed since I went yesterday my biggest goal today was to cut the watermelon and open the peppers and put them in the new container. I got the container and the can open which really shocked me that I was able to do it by myself. I really have been holding off to have somebody with decent hands who can clamp the can opener shut while they crank the crank but I was able to do it by myself. Of course, it took a minute or two but I certainly had the time for that. I made the transition scooping out a number of peppers into the Container to the point that I could lift the can by myself up over the edge of the container and plop them in there and it worked. I did leave a couple out that I processed to put into the regular container with the pickled carrots, diced tomatoes and whatever else I'm putting in there. I really wanted to do this so I didn't have to open up another one of the little cans. I still like the little cans of sliced pickled peppers but I need to use these regular peppers and then the can of sliced peppers that I have that I'm holding off in the back. I also watched a few dishes but I didn't get the floor swept either. In the middle of the late afternoon I did spend an hour on the arm bike pumping giving me 180 minutes for this week kind of bumps me out I like to have done the 200 but this will have to do for today and this week.

I'm still somewhat astounded by how well this chair, my backup chair, is acting. If the chair had an elevator function it would be great. I'm always amazed at how much I used the elevator function once I had it. It's kind of hard to go back. Aside from that however, I can get back and forth to the market on and off the bus and do what I need to do. I still wouldn't mind a larger foot - box but so far this is working out splendidly even though I have to wait until the repairs can be done on the other chair. I'm just praying that the repairs will be done under some sort of insurance provisions. Because that can get pricey really quickly. I still have some time before I'll be eligible for another power chair. I hope I just lasted out. Well that's it for another Saturday night and another week. I've contacted Mark Anthony and it looks like we will be doing coffee tomorrow things will be good…

A Bump On The Walk

J It was kind of nice to have a day that wasn't as busy as the days have been this week today. After Melissa finished this morning with my Friday needs and went her way I had only one project I needed to do and that was to cross the street and go get some vegetable juice for my daily drink that I make every morning- - I've rambled on about this before it's in the notes somewhere. Yet at the same time I wanted to make sure I got my 60 Minutes on the arm bike in and a couple chapters read in my book. So it's not like being out on the bus going in and out of buildings crossing streets and such but it still was a bit of a touch all the bases kind of day.

There is road construction all around my building it really is a challenge trying to find a way to get from point A to point B without having exposure self to either traffic or heavy equipment and again they usually chase you away as far as the heavy equipment goes. There is the long way around however which means I have to go down pass the park then cross the street at 4700 South and Redwood Road. All along the way there's little things that you have to negotiate just the little things enough to drive a person crazy. And today it was the work guys that are working in the holes they've dug on the street for whatever cables they're laying or fixing or whatever they're doing left the hoses across the sidewalk which makes it almost impossible for me to get over them. Actually the hose that's shown in the picture above I actually did get over it but it almost hit me over in the process kind of scared me. I suppose worst case scenario had I gone over these work guys could have picked me up and threw me back in my chair pretty easily but still you have that Terror when for a split second your chair is tipped at a weird position if you don't know if you're going to go or not you just power through it and soon as on the other side of the hose. It's bad enough having the roads torn up and everything but to have these work guys just leave their junk all over the sidewalk pisses me off. Many times they even parked their vehicles on the sidewalk don't they know that people still have to get around? I wish I could go ape shit crazy mad when I confront these people but I end up being civilized and forgiving them for not realizing there are tormenting somebody trying to get from point A to point B and that somebody was me. I made it though mature seems to be still running pretty good. I'm really beginning to enjoy the backup chair now almost maybe as much as I like the regular chair that's in the shop. I do miss the elevator function that light raises me up like 8 in that makes so much difference when you're shopping and stuff as far as trying to get stuff down from an upper shelf or even get things around the apartment in the kitchen area. I think it's going to be some time before they work on my chair and get it fixed and running again. Sometimes I get a little nervous as I'm running around I don't have a backup chair now there's something should happen to this chair I'm really out of luck. I suppose now that I'm a board member of The Independent Living Center I could possibly use some of the equipment they have stored over there which they have quite a bit. We'll have to see if that happens I don't think it will.

It wasn't really hot today it was in the low 90s so I guess it was kind of pleasant there are some Breeze blowing but not uncomfortable. I try to hold on to these memories as long as I can because I know the cold is coming back and the snow and the ice along with it. I hope to live through the winter to enjoy another summer. The Summers go so quickly just a flash in the months of the year. I'll enjoy the Autumn I think to a certain degree as well as the spring but the winter will be a challenge. I kind of think this new job as far as being a ulc board member it's going to keep me pretty busy and there's no harm in that…

Container Envy

  

It's the end of another very long day. It's been a good day however and I feel like I got something done that was worthwhile. Of course today was coffee social and even though it's not my job I sort of have a feeling of responsibility to make sure the thing comes off okay. And it did had a few more than usual at today's function but we also had lots of leftover goodies so we had enough treats that's all I really worry about. The coffee and the pastries whatever they might be and what conversation might be had as well but that's not a big deal with me. Following the coffee group I had a little time said to myself I had a meeting with the Writers Guild at 2:00 for lunch, a late lunch but it sort of worked into my day, and then I had my first uilc board meeting this afternoon. Interesting schedule. I tried to do more than I probably should have because I wanted to get a container for my pickled peppers. Remember I stopped at Walmart yesterday and picked up a very tall canister but it's too big to go into the refrigerator where I needed to go so I decided but I really needed to do was go to standard restaurant equipment which is this Giant superstore for restaurants it's great I can get lost in it forever but if anybody had a container these guys would. And they did but I had to squeeze it in before my meeting with the writer's guild at 2:00. It took some major Power Wheel chairing and bus use but I got to where I needed to go and actually found a container that I think will work we'll have to see once I get the big cans open and stuff it full and see if it'll go into the refrigerator. The only problem I have is that that's charge for a lid that really doesn't fit the canister itself which was $6 and some sense cuz the whole thing came to around $9 and change. Now I'm just excited to do the transfer from the can to the plastic container see if it works. I was just about 17 minutes late to the writers group but it was good to see Lori and Jerry again. Jerry and I had the same thing off the senior menu hamburger patty with onions on top I had mashed potatoes and brown gravy it was actually pretty good for the senior menu. We visited for about an hour and a half and I had to take off to get to the board meeting which was zoomed so I had to go back to the apartment. I should have just dropped into the Independent Living Center cuz that's in the area that I was at but since the director and the assistant director we're at the summer camp there wasn't going to be anybody really there but I should have done that.

I got home with a half an hour to spare before I had to zoom in to the meeting. When it was time for the meeting I thought I was going to have time to print out the agenda previous minutes stuff you have for this kind of meeting but of course my printer is out of ink and I didn't have time to take it upstairs to the printer up there to see if I could get that to print besides I've noticed lately that people tend to steal the paper out of the printer people drive me crazy. But the meeting was okay little unorthodox but I think the new director is kind of an orthodox and that's pretty good that's what that's going to need to shape up the center I think I was invited to be there as a try on type of a thing but they need to have a vote and I was there with the zoom and that's one of those things where they interview you you ask answer their questions and then they ask you to leave the room if they're going to vote that night but there's no way for me to leave the room so they went ahead and voted with me there and I got in yay! And sure enough I was able to take part in the meeting a little bit and it was a little like I said on dorthodox because the director and assistant director ran the meeting from a restaurant up at the summer camp for a consumers. I think the September meeting will be more typical of the meetings. I think the organization is still in the middle of reorganizing itself from the previous director as these things go I think it's only natural so I think it's a good time for me to come aboard if I was going to do it at all. It was nice to have it done when it was done. I had another phone call video chat and then dinner. It's the end of a long day I noticed now how dark it is at 8:00 we are really losing the hours of daylight which I guess is all part of the process…

Hump Day

 Once again I'm very tired and I should not be, well I'm still making up for yesterday. However I thought I did pretty good last night sleep wise I still woke up earlier than I would like to and I woke up because I felt like I needed to pee and I really didn't. However earlier in the evening I did pee quite a bit actually so I don't know what's going on. I fretted for a while about wondering if I had another bladder infection or kidney infection but I don't think so now after living the whole day fairly decent voids and no discomfort to speak of. The only issue I have is feeling drug out somewhat sleep deprived I'm not sure what that's all about.

Listen to the great job this morning as far as my attendant care business goes Plus she swept the floors which I greatly appreciate it especially here in the bedroom where the backup chair or actually the broken chair sat until they picked it up today or yesterday. They did call today though to advise me that they were doing the number of possible repairs but they're going to keep the chair at their office/shop and tell they get authorization from the insurance or whatever and we'll see where we go to from there. That's okay I'm beginning to like this chair I'm in now with the exception of it's still kind of poles to a certain way and kind of makes it difficult to Traverse long distances or go up ramps and I go up a lot of ramps with the bus system. Speaking of the bus system. I'm very anxious to find a container so I can put the jalapeno peppers in that will take the number 10 can size. So to do that I felt the closest way place to go would be Walmart Walmart is off I went. Jump the bus and spend cruising what was available at this particular Market. They had a couple of items and I bought one which now I think may not work because it's too big for the refrigerator I may just have to tough it out and get on back to Standard Restaurant or one of the other restaurant markets and get one of their containers that might fit better in my refrigerator. And actually does Peppers even need Refrigeration? I mean after all they're in a solution that should keep them from breaking down. I'll have to look into this further so maybe I can just keep the peppers backed up the big container and keep the other container that I usually use in the refrigerator keeping chill. Now I just have to get the can opener to work. I may have to wait until Friday now that or when Melissa couldn't be back and we can open up the can together unless somebody else comes by in the interim had the same problem tonight for dinner I made a bologna sandwich and was going to use salad dressing Miracle Whip and I couldn't get the Miracle Whip open it's still got some sort of security device on that does not allow people with limited hand function to get into it at least it seems like that to me kind of pisses me off. Anyway luckily I had Mayo at my disposal which worked out pretty good. Other than that I continue to try to get better. I washed clothes today or at least Melissa started the clothes and I picked them up and brought them back folded and put them away before dinner. Nice to have that particular thing done but I'm going to have to figure out some other items to wear before the cold sets in again seems like nothing ever changes…

Long Night Long Day

Monday when my home health person was here I had her open my window next to my bed all the way so I would get all kinds of fresh air. Of course last night the cold front wanders through the Wasatch Front and it feels like gale force winds are blowing cold air on my bald head and making sleep impossible that happened about 158 a.m. I remember looking at the clock. So I did the turtle thing with covers over my head with just a nose hole but it seemed and felt like the whole wind was howling right through my house or apartment. Of course it wasn't I'm sure I was just dreaming a lot of it but I was pretty conscious at the same time. Then it felt like I was getting a kidney infection but I think that's part of the whole night terrorist thing I was dealing with which got me thinking about the end of my existence. Trying to figure out how he's going to get myself into the doctor without adequate transportation. It just made for a really bizarre night. Tonight I'm going to try to shut the window a little bit with some of my sticks and hopefully I won't break the window entirely but I've got to be careful because we're looking at getting back into the 90s by the end of the week. I'll be glad of that I wore long sleeves today cuz I knew I was going downtown and I'd be on the buses and I'd be cold freezing cold. In fact a large part of the early morning thought process I had was I was going to call and cancel my attendance to the meeting but 6:00 approached I start feeling a little bit better and got up without any problems took care of myself got dressed called to make sure that we are having the meeting and we were. Told him I'd be there and I was.

The bus ride and train ride in was uneventful everything worked just fine I was tired but not too exhausted it's not like I yawned all the way through the meeting. We got the work done and turned me loose by noon so I could get back to the apartment because they were finally going to pick up my chair today and I didn't want them to miss me. Fortunately when I called to find out for sure what the time frame was it was between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. so I had more than enough time to stop for lunch which I did and got a child's Burger. There's this place that does serve great burgers are great but they're so huge you don't dare eat one just because you'll get protein overload but I decided I'd get the child's version of The Thing and it was huge and it's a it's a heart attack waiting to happen the hamburger is great it's grilled over a flame but then it's got like I don't know how much corned beef on the burger as well. There's a time when I love these burgers but now they're just sort of gross. In fact I opened up the bird and pulled all day corned beef off and eight just a few pieces of it with the burger. It's probably going to be the last meal for the day for me maybe a little snacking on watermelon before I go to bed but that's about it. I've been somewhat lethargic all afternoon of course. I read a little bit under my tree but like I said the cold front was through even though it was the low 80s it felt chilly. I even wore a long sleeve shirt today the first time since spring. It kept me warm on the buses well I was riding because they keep those buses freezer cold but everything's beginning to feel like autumn I guess the change is coming…. 

Arm Bike Ready

I actually slept pretty good except towards the end when I woke up and saw that it was like 5:00 a.m. so I figured I still had some time. I don't think I went back to sleep but I must have cuz when I turned and looked at the clock again, which I thought was just a few minutes, the clock read 10 minutes after 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. is when I usually get up on a regular day if it's possible. Today being Monday means that my home health person, Melissa, comes today for a shower in the rest the apartment wasn't in too much disarray from the weekend. I kind of cleaned up after myself so I wasn't too worried that way. I was glad to get the Monday morning ritual out of the way however, get dressed and get on with my day. Yesterday when I went down to the common room to check on the giveaway table there was a whole bag of hamburger buns which I grabbed immediately. So my goal today was to do some actual cooking and to make sloppy joes. I plan to use the canned ground beef that I've been picking up off the Sharon Shelf the last couple of months and Jazz it up with real onions and real green peppers which means a foray out to the market.

The sun was not hot today I think we're just about finished with that portion of the summer even with the temperatures going back to the 90s I will not feel hot like it did before because, I believe the sun is now not direct as it was which I think makes all the heat difference in the world. The temperatures today were in the upper 80s quite Pleasant. I thought about heading out to doing something but I was more interested in making the sloppy joes. Off to the market I picked up a green pepper and a bag of onions which I want to try to use before they go bad on me. They're little onions so I might be able to get away with it. I still need to make some spaghetti and maybe even some pizza all of which require onions one form or another. No trips to the dollar store or any place else but I went straight home from the market then went out and read for a while but later on in the afternoon I started cooking dinner which was the sloppy joes. But before that I decided I would actually get back into the arm bike routine which I have neglected for the past 2 months for one reason or another mainly because of my power chair not being able to get underneath the arm bike. So now that I'm in my other chair my backup chair I can there's been a giant mess underneath the arm bike cushions and hoses and plugs and such. I had Melissa clean it all out this morning plus she was able to find my missing glove that allows me to pump my bike. And at my regular time I tried to do my arm bike between 2:30 and 3:30 if I can for the 60 Minute blocks so I can listen to Marketplace while I finish my project or my bike pump. I was a little concerned I didn't think I was going to be able to jump right back into 60 minutes on my first attempt at getting the arm bike running again. But I persevered and got 60 Minutes on today's clock I'm so excited however there's something going on with the arm bike some kind of a glitch which is making the electric electronic screen jump all around Flash and act crazy but it didn't bother the timing mechanism so I was able to keep the minutes going on the clock so I knew where I was at how long I've been there as well as which power level I was at. That second portion the power level I think is a little squirrely as far as an honest level they seems to start 10 to 15 seconds late but I'm pumping but that's okay as long as those regular Clock Works and I know that I've been on the arm bike for as long as it says I'm okay and like I said I did 60 minutes. You remember that my goal is 200 minutes a week. I'm sure this will help me a lot not only in my sleeping Cycles but it might just physical tonation Etc. Now though I think we're going to have to start looking for another arm bike one way or the other this was been a real good one but I don't know how long it can last. But that's okay I got the sloppy joes done and they were okay as well quite a bit different from sloppy joe to make with a pound of hamburger the sloppy joe from the previously cooked canned ground beef tastes okay it's just a different flavor not what you expect and you don't have the ability to mix the flavors together as you would throw in the onions in the green pepper in with the meat Browning. But I put in the tomato juice and the onions and the green pepper and cook them all with the beef ground beef and it turned out pretty good I wanted to find my brown sugar to throw that in there haven't done that for years but I remember when I was first making this stuff I used the brown sugar which is on the recipe but you don't need to. I came away with about 6 burgers which I put into a plastic container which is in the fridge and now I've got dinner for the rest of the week, at least…

Simple Sabbath

 I don't know why but I'm exhausted this evening it's not like I really did anything to speak of that was not unusual for a Sunday. I know however I woke up way early around 3:00 a.m. for the second P of the night which is very rare. And I was totally surprised because it was also 400 CC's liquid. And I also had to pee like at 1:00 or something and it was 400 cc's of very very clear liquid, all great to see you after what I've been passing lately. I'm almost finished with my medication regimen and I'm worried that the infection will come back but I'll deal with that when the time comes it's been nice to have this interlude however. But like I said I woke early and I really wanted to make sure that I oversleep so I be on time for breakfast- - which I was.

I was totally impressed with myself as I dressed being able to get my legs up and over each other in fact I was even able to put my shoes on after I put the shorts on. Good morning was beautiful just few clouds of the sky fairly warm but certainly begin to feel like fall, the change is coming for sure. There are Folk City at the regular table this morning when I got to the restaurant so I had to sit a little bit up front or closer to the front than usual but Mark and I had enough room together and even when Jasmine joined us we were able to have enough room to have a good discussion. Jasmine did not have breakfast of course she really does and she and Mark tend to get into a very spirited discussions and I engage as well. Sometimes gets a little distressing however she seems to be very angry especially angry with her mom and possibly a little bit with Mark which kind of surprises me. They do work close together and I think they do love each other a lot. It was more discussion again about how angry Mark was and probably still is at Karen for the way that she treated them as kids as adolescent. I'm surprised I'm held as in any esteem at all since I sort of got thrown out but I did continue to have contact with them on a weekly basis and they seem to have good memories of that but I visited with them. Mark and shell for sure and the boys I really don't know but I think so at least James and poor Charlie I don't know. Anyway, after breakfast we all went on our way I came back to the apartment and basically read for the rest of the day occasionally napping under the tree just outside my window and reading taking a break for the news and such then watching a couple episodes of Hawkeye. I really like that series I wish they would bring the second series online that would be nice. Other than that that was my Sunday nothing big I did eat the rest of my chicken tortillas and some steak I had left over plus the watermelon which I took apart last night. Keeping it simple that's what I like by Sundays to be

No Tamales Today !!

My Saturday was kind of busy I didn't do any major things to speak of but it was busy for me. Janet of course is gone so I knew there would be no coffee companion for me but I'm hankering for some tamales and the last couple weeks we've missed the tamale man by just minutes it seems like he was coming earlier than we were there and we try to be there at least I do at 9:30 a.m. so he's coming around 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.. so I got up got dressed and went across the street to the coffee shop and waited for an hour. It's kind of a long time if you're just waiting for something but I got my coffee socialized a little bit with some of the regulars that I see every week but not a whole lot. The bottom line the tamale man never showed up I waited an hour till 9:30 a.m. and decided that was enough. Maybe next week

Then I went to the Mexican restaurant directly across the street the new sword which is the English translation. It's really a strange experience because there really is no English spoken there. Fortunately the waitress speaks a little bit or at least between a little Spanish I know and what little English she did and pointing I finally got my meal which was three rolled up chicken somethings comes with beans and rice and covered with lettuce and sour cream. It was kind of a challenge to eat but I did eat most of it made a giant mess on the floor drop my utensils once and then took a take home bag with one rolled up tortilla filled with chicken. The whole thing cost like $12.99 or something I couldn't believe how much they were charging just for that particular meal basically chicken and beans and rice but the population seems to be paying for it and there are a lot of folks in there. I go there every once in awhile just to change things up they had some ground beef somethings but I didn't know what they were and I wasn't about to go through a Spanish ordering lesson right then. Again I'm really surprised the price of the items on the menu for such a low rent operation. Takes forever to get served and then takes forever for them to bust the tables when the people leave and the people working there are ancient at to go back home and take the rest of the day off kind of. The day is nice enough not too hot that I can actually hang out under the tree and read a nap as I would like. Which I did. Interesting enough DJ an individual who I've known here at the apartment complex for 5 or 6 years now stopped and talked to me we had quite a good discussion. We see each other in the weirdest places it usually at the market or sometimes at the restaurants. But this is the longest we've ever communicated it was nice to have a friend nearby.

So my goal today was to get a hold of my older brother and convey to him the best birthday wishes I could since one reason or another I never got to the bank or a card store to get him a birthday card and some money to go in it. Wanted to make sure that he was aware but I tried at least what she was this course you didn't care a bit it actually he doesn't want me to send him any more money but I like to anyway I don't know if I will now but who knows it'll irritated why not? We talked a good deal he'd been shooting things again over just across the Oregon border what she does usually every Saturday and probably Sunday too but he came back early today because it was his birthday and I think the family was doing something for him. I got some stuff done in the kitchen I finally processed the last of the watermelon cut it into chunks and put it in a plastic container and threw it back into the fridge and just did some of it had a couple pieces of steak and that's what I pretty much had for dinner which I think is going to be enough. Oh I forgot I also got a haircut today across the street. Everyone's telling me how much weight I've lost I don't necessarily see it but it's good to hear I don't think the conspiracy wide enough to attack my weight situation so they must be real I'll have to check into that a little bit more I'm wondering if it's because I'm eating so much peppers and carrots and that's about it for many times for breakfast there's a couple spoonfuls of carrots and a jalapenos and the other stuff that goes with it the juice and the diced tomatoes I've been adding to the concoction as well. It's still my favorite morning beverage/ meal I don't know how long I can keep it up. It's not necessarily expensive just involved. I'm toying with the idea of opening up another big can of the whole Peppers that my daughter sent me for Father's Day or birthday or whatever. I almost need somebody else to open it cuz it's got that squeezy handle that you got to squeeze in penetrate the lid or the steel lid and then then you can crank it and open it up. I have some smaller cans and I think I may have enough to get through tomorrow as far as if I have any juice tomorrow if not I can wait until Monday when Melissa will be here and she can open up the bottle of vegetable juice.

It was a sunny bright day today no clouds to speak of but it's not the same kind of heat as before. The summer is broken and I don't think the sunlight is hitting in us directly as it was. Now it's on to Autumn. I shall miss this summer…

Sunshine

 I am so excited and relieved but something has happened with my backup chair the lurchy and jerking that I was getting for so long has stopped. A couple of days ago my person Melissa indicated that my wheel was rubbing against a part of my chair and was shredding part of my tire and that's sort of like what it felt like so what I think happened was that I finally just wore the tire down to the point where is no longer making contact with the chair frame and now my chair is not lurching acting like a normal chair pretty much. There is still something Goofy with the steering mechanism which makes me think that a motor might be going out on me but I definitely think I'll be able to keep this device functional and fairly useful until I can get my other chair repaired and back hopefully by next Thursday. This means I'll be able to go to my assist meeting this coming Tuesday which brightens my day I hated missing the meeting last week. I think my priorities are screwed up.  Having a functional chair again also means being able to go back and forth to the market to get the items I need. Also the change I need for my cash. There is a cash machine for the credit union in the basement of the Student Union at the community college just up the street from where I live easily accessible by my chair especially on the bus. I just have to have a pin number that will work when I try to access cash from that machine. That will make a big difference on weekends holidays and such

The monsoons of finally moved on in clear skies and warmer weather is on the agenda. With that in mind and the seemingly new ability to use my chair I decided I would go to the credit union change my PIN number as well as pull out some cash so I'm not using my card as much. It was a nice morning for traveling I wanted to make sure that I used as many buses as possible just so that I wouldn't be burning a lot of battery time getting from A to B. So I caught the bus outside my apartment dropped off at the community college then picked up 47 westbound to the bank I barely used 3/10 of a mile which I think is good. I did some exploration of the junk store and kind of enjoyed myself as the community tend to dry out from the storms.

I got off the vehicle / bus at 5600 South and got a sandwich at the smoked ham joint which was okay not as good as I would have liked it to be but it was time out and time for me. Following my time at the sandwich place I just went back home and hung out for the rest of the day enjoying the sunshine sitting out and reading a little bit and dozing more than anything else. It's another one of those days for I think I should be doing more but finally I say why? I'm doing just fine as it is

Welcome back Summer Sun

 I guess I was getting a bit stir crazy but I just decided I needed to test these batteries a lI guess I was getting a bit stir crazy but I just decided I needed to test these batteries a little bit better that I've been doing the last couple of days utilizing the chairs problems to keep me from going any where during anything. I had a pretty busy morning sort of, in my weird official capacity of member of the coffee group. One of the members, maria, wanted to have biscuits and gravy but her concept was pretty much different than mine. She she used those biscuits in a package that you have to break open and they puff up and then mixed gravy from a packet. My biscuits would have been different at least they would have been frozen baking soda biscuits and a can of sausage gravy. There was no sausage in Maria's gravy but it was still better than nothing and since I thought I couldn't get out and get cookies or anything because I was afraid my chair may not make it we had to rely on what was left over from last week's cookies and strangely enough we had enough to feed everybody reminiscent of a Biblical tale of one sort or another.

 it was good getting out and feeling some miles underneath the wheels of my chair. I think I have enough courage now that I would try going into the city next Tuesday for my assist meeting. I might bag up a charger just in case I get a little worried. Charger would be a good backup system but I plan to go there and Back Again nowhere else unless I were to go to a wheelchair shop to have this chair looked at but quite frankly I'm so embarrassed because I peed in it so much that really needs to be diffumigated. Hopefully my other chair will be fixed shortly and then I need to figure out a way to get this into the other shop to have them look at it cuz I think it's a relatively easy fix with one wheel seems to be rubbing and if that's the case can something be done cuz other than that it would not be a bad chair I don't think. And the chair I think I could get used to using if I really had to . The major project I'm dealing with now with this backup chair, if I do get the wheels repaired , would be acquiring new batteries.

I'm pleased that it looks like the wet weather / Monsoon is moving on hopefully they warm weather will come back and dry everything out it's supposed to and I'll be pleased with that but I think we're done with the super hot temperatures for this year I think but no one knows because these are different years than ever before. But it looks like for the next couple days anyway the temperatures will be getting back to normal staying in the double digits in the 90s if I'm lucky but they're definitely coming down and August will someday soon become September...

Expired RX Risky Business

 Finally, crazy Cameron called me back and again it was after 5:00 p.m. almost 6:00 p.m. and I just happened to have the phone on the table with me- - in fact I've been carrying the phone all day in hopes that he would call. The phone was not in Easy reach but I finally got it right before the last ring. So I'm set to have my chair picked up on the 9th of August this coming Tuesday that would like to have it done a lot sooner but I don't think that's going to happen. I was civilized I didn't tell him how big a jerk I thought he was he always sounds so friendly when you're talking to him straight on the phone. But I'm still a bit miffed it shouldn't be this long to get something done. I just hope I can survive in this backup chair until then. I've sort of developed a routine much of which is basically staying around the apartment I don't dare go anywhere just because I'm not sure the batteries how long they might last. I haven't even been going over to the market. There's also the issue of this raging bladder infection I think I'm going through. I felt bad that I had to miss my meeting yesterday morning and I think I'll have to miss it again on Tuesday next. Hopefully I'll have a working chair a week from today but you never know. That means if I get the chair back on Wednesday night I won't be able to get into it until Friday morning when Melissa's here. There is the possibility however I could call Melissa on Wednesday and pay her for coming over and put me in the chair we'll have to see how that works out.

As I said I think I've got a full-blown bladder infection. I'm pee in my pants every couple of hours I'm using the pads they work sort of I'm real proud of myself for not waiting the bed but I'm certainly not getting much sleep either. And again since I don't have a way to get to the clinic I'm on my own. Going through my cupboards however, I did find a whole bottle of cephalex which I think, if I remember right, the doc gave me a second prescription just so I will have to come in that's been over a year ago and that by best use date is almost a year past. So I guess my better judgment I started the regimen we'll see what happens. It's really obnoxious though and stinky be sitting in this little piss all the time.

Oh, and one last thing this morning as I was transferring from my bed to my chair I almost didn't make it. I think I had my chair far too back for a decent transfer. I thought I was really going to fall and probably have to call the fire department. However, fortunately that didn't happen it took me a bit of finagling with the chair basically folded it down to a laying position and then basically pulling myself up to a safe Zone on the chair and then securing myself in the chair I'm going on with my morning. I've spent much more time and physical strength and saving myself from precarious positions such as this but I just vexed how I got there in the first place. Then again hopefully when I get my new chair or my repair chair actually it will be safer to transfer them to this guy. I'm still scratching my head though and to what happened in the first place and we'll be hyper Vigilant tomorrow morning…

Ornery August 2023

 I feel tired though I shouldn't I really haven't done anything today. I really can't do anything except just hanging around the apartment complex. I have aligned myself to living in this inferior backup chair. Don't get me wrong I'm thankful to have it but just barely. I don't go anywhere I dare just because I don't know if one I'll make it too. I'll run out of power and three. There's something wrong with the drive mechanism and it just jerks me back and forth all day long and it's kind of wearing. I think I'm really worn out even though I've only gone less than a mile today. I kind of miss my freedom and I'm a little concerned about going back and forth to the market in this bum Out Chair I'm being able to get what I need. I may have to relent and go to the home delivery concept. They probably would make sense all things considered especially with winter coming. Or am I just to come in tomorz-row geriatric provisions. I guess who cares. But like I said between the jerking of the chair and the ability to or inability to go in a straight line most of the time I'm like worn out. On top of that the storm is supposedly coming in and the temperature is dropping So Gone is my hot hot days. At least today it was in the '80s and that's relatively hot if he can find the sunshine to go along with it. After I spent a good time on the phone trying to get a hold of IHC Medical wheelchair shop to get back with me fix the time to pick up my chair which they didn't. I decided just to go read my latest Stephen King my up for the inspection. On top of everything else I think I've got another bladder infection. I'd like to blame it on my chair but I don't know if that's possible. Anyway I'm having frequent or just a urinate right after I have finished urinating which is symbolic to me of a bladder infection of some sort. This will of course entail me going into the Clinic which means significant amount of wheelchair travel with public transit with a less than supportive chair. Maybe if I just ignore the whole situation until I get the better chair it'll run its own course maybe increase my vitamin C intake and maybe even do some Alfalfa tea if I can find my alfalfa. There is a flower shop across the street kind of in the same complex as my coffee shop and I think they have herbs another remedies. I don't know if they're a full-blown hippie outfit or not but maybe if I can get alfalfa tea that would not hurt me in the least. I wet myself today pretty badly luckily I'm all by myself and the Sunshine is enough to dry me out pretty quickly I put a pad in but I don't know what happened because later this evening I noticed that that wet myself again and the pad was in place. Right now I'm blaming everything on the chair hopefully that's doable.