Proper

I have two great, big sisters. I love having my big sisters alive and healthy now but I really loved having them around when I was a kid. I think sisters were not around as long as I would've liked. My big sisters were a result of a blended family when my dad married married my mom. Instantly I got two big sisters of the big brother what a deal the only drawback to the big kids were only with as part of the time. But when they were around good things happened – – always good things for me.

You realize I'm pulling back memories and 66 years or so. I remember starting nights when I was about four or five and I guess my mom and dad were still relatively newly married so they went out on Saturday nights and I was babysat by the older girls Irene and Faye and sometimes the older cousins and sometimes my sister's boyfriends. But I remember most fondly was making popcorn. We had a great old aluminum dishpan and the girls would take out our trusty old stove top or, browned and seasoned through years of use. It's all black plastic handle gnarled from too many close calls With electric burners. They would get the popcorn popper down for in the oil and the popcorn then began shaking the pot over the red-hot burners of the stove. Soon the house was filled with many mini-explosions and the delightful aroma of popcorn. Two or three batches were dumped into the aluminum pan then salted. The result was delightful. I reach back into my memory and vaguely remember Laying on my stomach in front of the old television set and watching Highway Patrol and eating bow after bowl of popcorn.

I've been thinking a lot lately about old popcorn popper. I can't find poppers like that anymore. Did an Internet search and found all kinds of air poppers and there are still poppers but most are these poppers with us crank on them to crank around the popcorn I imagine. I think a good shaking do the trick. They couldn't find just a humble aluminum vessel to pop corn. I actually saw an interesting idea from that weird cooking guy. The illustrated how you take one of those stainless steel bowl to use as a proper. We showed you how to cover the vessel with aluminum foil. Perforate the foil shake the contents over heat And soon you'll be enjoying fresh popcorn. I thought about doing that because I have a great pop But should work but still take a lot of prepping on my part. I still might but shamefully I must confess I ordered a stovetop popcorn popper. Yes I know it's got the dorky little Crank on top. I just want a popper to make some great popcorn with for the rest of my life. I could put the popper on fast order And get my copper by Friday but I said no use the slow method next Thursday would be fine.

I'm really looking forward to this popper. I think I'm going to love using the popper and maybe best of all refreshing the memories of my big sisters on Saturday night.

Pizza Surprise

On Saturday i purchased a roast, a big roast by the name of Chuck. Chuck was a big guy 2.2 pounds Chuck cost me 11 bucks. I purchased Chuck at the Walmart just up the street. The meat looks good. Than the stuff over at First Market and at least as good as the protein over at Harmon's. I should check that Harmon's but that's across the street and that's a lot of work at the time of night that I was at Walmart. On Sunday I decided to cook the meat.

The chuck roast Is the same the Cut . of meat we used to call A blade roast. The flat piece of meat usually around 2 inches maybe a shade more. The piece I got was marbled kind of excited to cook the roast. I decided I would use one of the bags I had in the closet. I know it's a sad way to cook but I like it. The roast was pretty squarely. In fact I dropped it while trying to put the roast in the bag. Luckily the roast do not touch the floor it was well ensconced in the bag. I then added an envelope Lipton's onion soup mix. I love what the Lipton's dry soup does To the taste of the item being roasted our current. So it was no surprise to me that when I was nearly finished that I got call from Mark Anthony wanted to drop by with my granddaughter Jasmine for short visit. Just like the week before when Gail brought over four or five good sized slabs of Meatloaf, just after I made my own meatloaf, Mark brought over the last piece of pizza that he and Jasmine had for dinner. Mark of course one of me to eat the piece and then, a nice piece of pepperoni pizza. But I definitely put him off citing I would like to be secure overnight so I can have it for breakfast nothing I like better than cold pizza for breakfast. Mark Anthony understood.

I can buy pizza if I wanted to just a little too dangerous for me because I see pizza being a bad guy when it comes to weight gain. I really have nothing to baseline conclusion on but something that tastes as good as pizza which is 70% at least bread can't really help with weight control. l lovingly put the piece aside..

I grew up in a home that really rarely went out to eat. However, mom did not have a problem with making pizza and often on a Friday night we might have homemade pizzas. Mom used a lot of pizzas in a box. Essentially we made the pizza. I kind of wished we had around pizza pans thought that would've been so cool. But, we use the flat cookie pans and stretched the dough nicely in the corners. I don't remember making anything but hamburger pizza. I think I would've remembered Canadian bacon or ham (we did eat pork of any kind). I think they would've thought spam been a waste of good meat on toy for and besides I don't think spam would've made it for me on pizza. However we do have lots of onions, close and cheese. In the next three or four hands of pizza and not for the night and of course the morning-after.

The first thing I did this morning was the head in the kitchen and make the coffee. On my way I snatched the pizza and wolfed the pizza down Thankful there's just the one piece and I would gladly gone for two or three and I don't need that. Because of Mark's generosity I now have roast for the week.It's great to have something to look forward to.

And I Like That

It's late in the day to be blogging. I only remembered a few minutes ago that I have not blogged for today that kind of frightens me to let something as important as my blogging be forgotten. I suppose there are a number of items I could blame my forgetfulness on the return to standard Time, the challenge of setting all my clocks back to standard. I folded my clothes and hung them upAnd I cooked a roast. Add to that that Mark Anthony and Jasmine stopped by with a piece of pizza what a fun afternoon. However, this all lead me to forget to blog. Oh I almost forgot I also wrote two letters to the granddaughters in Oregon.

Perhaps it was the return to standard time you know fall back. In the morning to fall back is not such a big deal but come around 3 o'clock things begin to happen, the darkness of the outside begins to fall and Quicken. By 530 darkness had fallen on the community. This kind of concerns me – that's not really – – but I'll be out on the system outside on Thursday with my chapter group but that's not true this Thursday I have you talked Non-Profit for me this Thursday so I'll have to jettison First Chapter for this week and the instructor was going to give me the books for next week when she was not going to be present for the club. I'll just have to click the box week after next for the session. Regardless the case in point is by that time by 5:00 PM when the club was over it will be way dark for my commute homeStill no worries when I worked at Council downtown and was always Dark for my commute home. The commute now will he be even safer since the bus coming home drops you off right at my back gate. I will be okay. Still it is a change but maybe this was enough to throw me off my need to blog's afternoon.

I'm watching way more video that I need to. I noticed this morning I watched the movie while folding clothes. I watched two movies last night one movie while texting my friend Lori. I stayed up till 12 AM. Oddly enough it did not suffer this morning when I got up still I do not want to get into the habit of watching movie after movie or TV series after TV series.

I was pleased with Jasmine tonight. Jasmine was more in contact than usual. Even though she was preoccupied with her technology she did interact and she was pleasant more so than I have known and sometime I like that. I talked about junior high and electives I wish I'd taken. We seem to connect even if briefly we did connect and I liked that. Oddly, I perceive I'm seeing some of my traits and Jasmine. Actually, these are probably not my traits more so than Olsen traits. Maybe they are also traits but also maybe a little bit of me. I like that.

It seems way later than it is. Standard Time. I cooked the roast todayI believe that made it one of the best roasts have ever made especially with the drippings. I used onion Lipton soup mix and is quite easy to call the drippings gravy. I think I will say the drippings as time and make some real gravy. I like that.

Swifter than Me

I was back at Walmart today. I was out searching for a Swifter “The all-in-one wonderful mop”, that's what it says on the box. I've been meaning to pick a swifter good up For the past two weeks ever since my cleaning person, Cindy, was last here. Cindy was disgusted with my mop. I thought my mop was okay, A little tattered and torn but basically okay. I was apparently wrong. Actually Cindy volunteered to pick up the Swifter but like a dummy I said I would do it. Each time I went to the market I totally spaced picking up the world's best mop. Today started off with the sole goal of picking up the cleaning device.

I cannot remember the name of the device that Cindy wanted me to pick up. I figured once I got to the cleaning department at Walmart the device would just jump out at me. I sort of had an idea. A device that had a squirter on the end with a broad square Cloth appendage for mopping up the squirted soap and dirt. When I got to the brooms and mops There is only one device that looks like what Cindy requested but didn't seem like the right thing. Luckily I had my cell with me and I took a picture and send it to Cindy who immediately sent back Responded that this was not a Swifter. I was a lost. Then I noticed a little further down the row in an area that had nothing to do with mops and brooms, A device that looks like device that Cindy had told me about. As I got closer I saw the name Swifter the top. Of course the Swifter was on the very top shelf! Luckily Saturday is the main shopping day in Taylorsville and there's lots of folks in the entire. I Commandeered one and asked that he retrieve the Swifter. The gentleman was with his wife Whose eyes burst in the sparkles as she saw what I wanted and said that someone was very lucky to be getting a brand-new Swifter.I took an image And texted the image over to Cindy who sent me back an immediate thumbs-up… I had done good. For split-second I wish I was doing this for Dianne or any wife.

I think I looked pretty goofy one around the Walmart cradling my Swifter Like a trophy. I didn't have a basket or anything as I picked up a few other things I thought I needed. A roast, a bag of walnuts, a couple boxes of theater candy(Theater candy is so much cheaper at the market than at the theater) and a tub of mashed potatoes – – have really been getting this mashed potatoes in the tub. I know I can buy a bag of potatoes mashed my own for what one tub costs . I look pathetic trying to balance all this on my lap while my leg Began to spasm. It was definitely time to go.

The checkout lady was wonderful. I did not think she can do it but she got all the groceries in the one bag and hung it off the back Leaving me to cradle my new swifter all the way home on the bus. I was lucky I made it home before the rain.

My Caffeinated Corridor

There is a void in my house kind of a mini black hole. I guess most homes have one. That event where socks, shoes, pens and everything seems to get sucked into time to time. My void seems to act over time. I have a whole Ziploc bag of zipper-pulls that has been missing for nine months. The void drives me crazy.

Today I cannot find the coffee filters. I have a half a bag of filters that should be readily available. I know I have them I just cannot find them and I've looked for them, my home health professional, Dana has look for them but the filters could be found. Luckily, I'm not someone who goes crazy Just because I don't have my morning coffee. Still it would be nice to have some coffee I was dragging this morning I don't know why I seem to have gotten pretty decent sleep – – I just think it was my coffee dependency. When I went to get my mail I remembered yesterday and got the Taylorsville Journal, the local rag. I can estimate and noted there was a coupon for a free cup of coffee Over at Hidden Valley coffee roasters which is actually directly across the street from my back door. I've purchased coffee beans at hidden Valley and I've had them grind the beans for me as well. They are expensive as all private industries go. They are quaint little operation not quite as Pretentious and Starbucks but they have they have a nice ambiance when I go over there.

I was pleased there is no problems with the coupon. I got my 12 ounce coffee, Italian roast, really want to buy a bag of coffee but I did not need to. Since I purchased the can of ground coffee last week. The coffee is just basic and does not give me great pleasure but it's something to chug down in the morning And then sip on the rest of the day. I was kind of hoping that Hidden Valley would have coffee filters but they did not. I migrated around the coffee shop admiring the heaps of coffee in what looked to be 100 pound burlap sacks. I bulldozed my way through tables to the bulletin board where announcements, business cards and menus to the senior center launches which I thought was kind of strange. I nursed my coffee sitting next to Table of ladies past their prime but not necessarily old. I enjoy the conversations and envied them having a group to have coffee on a cloudy morning in Taylorsville Utah.

For some reason I did not want to go all the way down to the market for the coffee filters and hoped against hope that the polygamist store would have some. I wandered into the True Value and totally enjoyed the experience of being in this counterculture markets. But no coffee filters there so on to Fresh Markets and coffee filters which I had to wait around like it's like somebody to get them off the top shelf. I'm sure now that I've made the purchase my other coffee filters will surface to avoid no longer having reason to torment me. I bought a pack of 40 which should last a significant amount of time time enough to wait out the void.

Mello Jell-O

Today is the apartment inspections from HUD. This is my second HUD– – I find it very difficult to believe I have been here over a year. Last year I was totally freaked the prospect of having an inspection and being in this apartment less than one month. Now, I don't even care – – not really I can see that it's just a formality and like someone said this morning, which is just a way The repair people Knows what needs to be done as far as the place goes. Last year, I was totally freaked like I said, I even had a friend come over and clean as best she could the night before. This year however I have holes the wwalls to doors that are almost completely off the hinges and dings and many of the walls.I have tried to keep the destruction to a minimum. I know that many of the senior women in this facility, who have power equipment have really taken the walls the task. Still, the back of my mind and a little nervous.

They said that I haddid not need to be for the inspection. I took them at their word and jump the bus down to the theater and used my free ticket. I figured I can go to the movie kills maybe 2 ½ hours then head down to the library for Next Chapter. But even more long pants today, which am glad that I did even though the temperature was up in the upper 60s.. I know I would've been cold especially in the movie got out in the sun was going down. Well not quite going down but it was certainly on the way. Next week at the same time I that it will almost the start. Daylight savings time ends this Sunday.. I'm glad I got my movie in this week is next week but pretty unsettled.

The best part of my day however with a phone call I got from Mark Anthony on my way home from Next Chapter. He wanted me to meet him at my apartment. I told him I was on the bus en route and it would be a few minutes he said that was fine uses leaving work. I got home was more than enough time to spare . I have things to do this evening, not very important things really not as important as visiting with a son. Since Mark was coming over I threw together a Jell-O. This is one food item I have to use other people to finish. It's difficult for me to list the Jell-O from the hot state into the refrigerator. I had Mark Anthony do the honors. I look forwarto red Jell-O tomorrow.

As Mark left I tried to focus on my blog but a friend of mine began texting which took the next hour or so. That's okay I enjoyed texting with her but this did take time away from my blog as well as my arm bike. I will just have to be better focused tomorrow and get myself back on track.I do not think I will do any harm bike today. I just run out of day.

Sleep

Today I'm feeling pretty drug-out. I seem to be going through a phase where only gave a few hours sleep at night. I got to the cycle number of times now and know that I just have to work through the cycle and sooner than later I'll be sleeping through the night . Last night I struggled with getting to sleep.. I stayed up later than usual in hopes that my sleep time would be swift and long-lasting but last night. I tossed and turned and at times I even thrashed. I tried not to look at the illuminated clock but the time just crawled. The last time I clearly remember the clock seven 3:15 AM. I woke at 5:15 AM two hours! How was I going to make it through the day with just two hours of sleep..

The two hours had been good sleep deep and rich. In fact I was the middle of a dream. I'm trying to remember the dream but it was a perfect dream. Something worked in the dream. I was enlightened something that would make the difference. I just did not know exactly what the Enlightenment was. I was conflicted because I wanted to tumble back to sleep to see if I can get a few more minutes maybe hours before my staff was due to arrive at 8 o'clock. If I could get just a couple more hours of this deep sensuously I know then I would be all right. But, I knew more sleep was not coming. Even though I tossed and turned two hours and then slept two hours I would soon feel the slight pinch of urgency that my bladder produces when full. Even if I still had 50 100 CC's to its maximum I would begin to work and never get back to sleep.

The dream is a recurring dream I have a couple nights a month. I know something that will make all the difference in my life and everybody else's life if I can just retain the knowledge. However once I wake the details of the dream began to dissipate like tendrils of smoke. I'm left holding the emptiness. I knew if I kept pencil and paper next to my bed that there would be no way I'll be able to write the dreams substance. The best I would be able to do with being too rollover grab my cell phone and try to dictate the stuff of the dream. Again, the minute that I did this I know that the focus would throw me completely from the dream state meaning that I would be blocked from going back to sleep but perhaps if I could hold on to the dream the knowledge of the worth the slumbers sacrifice.

What I would give to be able to be like most people who could, in the middle of the day, lay down and fall into a beautiful map. Even if I could would still have to wrestle myself up again at the end which is very difficult for me when clothed transfer to my chair. But perhaps I should work on this maybe it would be worthwhile to grab back minutes if not hours of sleep during the day. I'm halfway through the day, I have reclined my chair numerous times In an effort to capture a few moments Of renegade Sleep,, maybe I will keep some coffee which I hope might perk me up For the rest of my day in hopes of a better night.

I Deserve

Yesterday I got the call. It was Brian from my newest durable medical provider. My wheelchair guy. I started with this group a year or so ago on the weight of my occupational therapist Kacey.. Casey

was disappointed with all the other wheelchair shops in town. So, I have given this group, this new group IHC wheelchair shop, the benefit of the doubt in my business. This project started in the middle of the summer and now it is almost Winter but I'm okay. Couple weeks ago The foot pedals on my power chair got so bad I called and my brother Carl, once again, to see what you do.Carl is great! Once again he put together a device that he made which spread by the pedals apart given me a place but my feet as well as a place to push off of to assist in getting dressed and undressed. The fix is such a good fix I almost hate to jinx it with the wheelchair shop.

Brian called to advise me, yesterday, that Medicare and come through with the authorization for all the repairs we plan to do with my ppower chair.New batteries, new question, new footplate configuration and an update to the electronics of my chair which have been getting quite worried about in the past couple of weeks. This is going to cost thousands of dollars and in many ways this like getting a new chair. This chair I'm in now (the one getting the overhaul) is only 2 ½ years old and I'm not eligible for another chair for another 2 ½ years. I'm trying not to get excited but the excitement began to creep in. I wish I can have this all done tomorrow but that's not the way it is going to go. IHC is going to amass all parts which I guess is going to take a couple weeks. When the gotten all the equipment that will be replaced they will send a van out to pick up my Chair. They will collect my device in the evening or afternoon and then spend the next day doing the change out. My chair will be returned and the following day. This is the best option all things considered. So, during this time when I chair will be at the shop I will be in my backyard chair. This meeting would have to put the chair of the charger and suffer the discomfort for 24 to 48 hours. I just

Don't know if my butt can handle this time in my backup chair. I am even considering maybe staying in bed for most of that time. I would have to back up chairr next to the bed but basically I would stay in bed over that time. This is nice to think about but I don't know if I could really do it.

So I am trying not to be too excited to many times things that happened and dashed my hopes. But I still got a good feeling all Is going to go well. After all I deserve… Don't you think?

Cookie!

Saturday morning to my delight as I went down to check the sharing shelf And the mail I found the place was too lone sugar cookies.These cookies redecorated for Halloween. One cookie was a ghost, And beautifully round cookie covered with white icing hardened and smooth with facial features made with some sort of chocolate frosting. The other cookie was more of a traditional jack-o'-lantern but it to had a smooth sugar glaze which is hard to a smooth surface all orange with the face of chocolate frosting features. I gaze upon these cookies will seemed great while before I made my choice of the orange, pumpkin face cookie. I have to show strong restraint not to have taken both cookies. I wanted to but figured someone else and enjoy the cookie. I wondered if at one time the plate on which the cookies rested Had been piled with cookies And for somebody else's restraint two cookies remained. I took the back to my room and set it on the table with the idea I would enjoy the cookie later on during the weekend maybe during evening watching a movie. I only needed one cookie anymore would be far more calories than I needed.

I hardly see these kind of cookies anymore. Most of the decorated cookies I see these days coming out of market bakeries are white pieces and barely cooked dough and the frosting is some form of foam sugar hastily applied. I read my share of these little monstrosities over the years only to be disappointed with each bite. Whatever humanity these cookies once had , had been lost In the baking process in the back of the marketplace earlier that morning, way earlier. Glazed sugar cookies a staple of grade school Holiday parties made by dependable room-mothers forever. The room mothers brought Cookies for holidays and cakes for the Carnival the annual event which usually fell around Halloween and was supposedly a fundraiser. The cakes ended up At room 12 the cakewalk room. That one game of chance that kids will put up two of their tickets to try to win whatever cake was awarded To the lucky chair. Nobody called gambling but it definitely was a game of chance.

The cake watched me all day Saturday as I went into and out of my apartment checking the mail and washing and drying my clothes. In fact as I worked I forgot all about the cookie. It was only later that night while I was watching an old Star Trek Enterprise that I remembered the cute little pumpkin cookie I placed on the table earlier in the day. I thought about going over to the coffee maker and sitting along to warm the leftover coffee or even going to the refrigerator and point a box of milk. All Seemed to be a of bit too much effort I thought especially the milk which it necessitates dirtying A glass. In the end I decided just to bite the cookie… It was cookie time.. Looks can be deceiving. The cookie was okay not world-class but still better than one of those junkers you get from the bakery these days. The cookie could have been sweeter and had the texture of sawdust. Still a cookie is a cookie and at 10 o'clock at night anything looks good.

I Sustain

I am a “sustainer”. I'm not a big sustainer as sustainers go but I am a sustainer and I cannot believe I am. I listen the public radio everyday. I'm not proud of that but I need to be honest and upfront I listen to public radio. I'm almost at a point where if I had to I could quit public radio but it would be difficult but I could do it. Especially this last year I've noted with some concern just how plastic NPR has become. Not that I even come close to supporting Trump but sometimes I wonder if he may have something about the liberal news machine. I've noticed, as I have said, the past couple years as the new stable of NPR staff have come online that the new kids seem just a little bit fake to me. It seemed like in the old days that the reporters were making up their own questions, the question seemed authentic. However now the question seemed canned, you can almost tell they were written by the producers somebody else behind the scenes. Even the seasoned reporters I sense a lack of authenticity one in particular, Steve Inskeep is difficult for me to listen to and his energy style.

Maybe it's just the old guy syndrome that I'm falling into. You know anything new is bad thing? I hope not. I have noted the past couple of fundraisers that the stations have gone from just wanting your money to wanting”sustainers”. No longer will it do to offer the caller 20 or 30 bucksAnd you get whatever prize/reward NPR's come up with this season. I've enjoyed the New Yorker over the years. The 20 bucks no longer enough. Somewhere, the great brains and Development has realized as long as you got the person at gunpoint why settle for a one-time donation when you could be getting it every month? What a joke I thought The blatant money grabbing almost made me angry. I had to appreciate however, the brashness, the gall to actually clarify what kind of gift they wanted..

The blatant begging for sustainable gifts coupled with the elitist attitude and comments I have began to hear on the NPR shows I like confirms to me that NPR is targeting a specific niche of listener which I'm not sure I am one. My friend Kim, who is actually the person who turned me onto public radio, 20 or 30 years ago began weaning himself off public radio a number of years ago. Oh Kim still listens To public radio maybe not public radio maybe community radio and programming from the BBC. That must be what really cool people do these days but not me. BBC listening is way elitist in a funny sort of way.

Why did it anyway even if I did not really believe. I became a sustainer. I came on board with the least amount a month I could. I actually had to give them access to my bank account so they can suck the money out monthly, five bucks a month. So, instead of $30, or 20 I'm doing $60 a year. I suppose I can do it, and I suppose it doesn't hurt I mean five bucks is less than the movie ticket these days even for disabled old guys.I even chose the dorky coffee cup to my favorite local show Radio West am I pathetic or what?

Another Tablet Down

I lost my tablet today – – I love my tablet but I think it's gone. Last time I remember having my tablet was sitting on my lap under my backpack as heading out for my day. I felt something slip down to my feet but I did not pay much attention because the position of my man bag was square my foot pedals where the bag rarely rides and I did not want to mess With the bag. It was only when I got the bus stop in front of the Arctic Circle but I realized I no longer had my tablet. I of course immediately backtracked hoping against hope that I would come across to the black tablet but to no avail. I even went all the way into the apartments back to my place looked around it that even looked around the front of the complex little bit it's nowhere though

The day started out so positive. I got a bit more sleep than usual and is feeling pretty good. I lollygag in bed until around 8 AM then got up.. I did the wash and dry taking a couple hours because of the double drive resuscitation of the amount of wash. I toted the wash back to the apartment and got ready to head out. Figuring out I would hang and fold close tonight. This is when I must've lost the tablet. I cannot believe the tablet disappeared in the amount of time which elapsed between the time I realized that gone at the bus stop and backtracked to the apartment. I didn't see anybody who could've picked it up there is nothing on the way back to the apartments just me and the sidewalk.

I love this tablet. I have a lot of stuff on the tablet some risqué but a lot of it is stuff that is written or images taken by the camera. I'm hoping most of the older images have been lifted up to the Internet in the sky. Still that camera is great on the tablet and I prefer it to other images I've taken with my cell phone..I also enjoy the tablets voice to text capability it seems to be better than even the software I use on the big computer. I also have some art apps on the tablet which render much better images than anything else that I work with. I'm remarkably not distressed at this loss. I do not think I will replace this piece of equipment quickly even though I could. I don't hold much hope out that some is going to pick it up and be the good Samaritan and return it. But I shouldn't judge quickly weirder things that happened especially to me, weirder in a good way.

I was actually going to write about something else for this day's post but it looks like the lost tablet edged my other topic out and quite frankly I don't even remember what it was now.

Meat Loaf!!

Two or three days ago I picked up a pound of hamburger. No big deal. I've been hankering for a meatloaf for a couple weeks. And I thought the first this week that I would go ahead and make one. Sadly however, the meatloaf has sat in the refrigerator turning brown. Each day is not I would mix the concoction of a meatloaf for that evening but for one reason or another the day happened. Tuesday I was in meetings downtown all day, Wednesday I was downtown with a meeting at DRAC And yesterday I was again involved with volunteer work outside of my apartment and by the time I got home I did not have the energy or drive to put a meatloaf together. I wanted the meatloaf so today I committed.. I did not have anything planned outside for today. The only thing that was on the agenda was my home health person coming in for my program. That was 8 AM and only for an hour. I think I was so excited however about not having to go out today that I really woke up at 430 and couldn't get back to sleep. I stayed in bed till 5:45 manager myself into my chair made coffee and begin prepping for the meatloaf.

I chopped onion, green pepper and tore up a hamburger bun for part of the binding ingredients. I really do love the cooking process when I have the ingredients and utensils needed. I also promised myself a movie today so I set aside the ingredients for the dish and left the apartment about 11 AM for a 12 noon movie. The movie was okay – – a lot of special-effects which is why I went. The storyline was kind of weak but entertaining just the same I can forgive a lot of sins for good special-effectsPeriods

I stayed focused when I got home and even though I was somewhat tired went to work on the meatloaf. Earlier in the week I had my home healthcare person, Dana pull out my heavy-duty mixer. I love this mixer. I had Dana put the mixer on one of my kitchen chairs where I can reach the mixer easily and safely. I dumped everything I needed into the mixing bowl that the switch mixed it up and threw it in the preheated oven.. I had an hour for the meatloaf to cook so I hopped on my arm bike and began my workout but of course the phone rang and it was Gail. Do you want to know if I was home because she was going to bring by a gift. All right. I waited around Gail came and sure enough she did have a treat she had a whole plate of meatloaf she had made for five good slices. She seems so excited to hand me this gift and I was excited to receive but in the back of one mind of course thinking now got to meatloaf's when it rains it pours. Gail can only stay a few seconds she was on her way to another client. She did not smell the odor coming from the oven. My meatloaf was nearly finished.

I am so blessed who would ever thought that I would and the day with meatloaf to freeze. I don't know if I'm going to freeze scales meatloaf are mine and maybe parts of both. But I certainly have meatloaf for the next week. I am so taking care of I have so much to be thankful for.

Halloween Party

I've had so much going on the past two months with all my dental work and other things that seemed to have been happening on Thursdays, I was a bit taken back when I realized after my coffee social I had a great while the week before heading down south to the library for the next chapter book club. Then I remembered I had seen a posting or maybe an email about the annual Halloween party over at the Independent living center for I used to work. So I figured why not go to the center hang out there for a couple hours and then head out to West Jordan library.

I got to the center just as the event was beginning right around 12 noon. I was a bit taken back as I am every time I see my colleagues whom with used to work. Like me we of all aged significantly. I suppose with the exception of Charlotte the witch I am the oldest. Deb the director,, Kim the associate director and Julie (who joined us a bit later) were all there. Deb and Kim now run the center, Julie like I is retired. I was surprised at how many attended this year's party. They're certainly not the same clients we used to serve but still folks with disabilities and folks who deserve a party. Deb and I visited and later Julie Kim dropped and often on he ran around shepherding different events and clients. We talked about our friends who weren't there who for one reason or another are having a hard time with life at this point. It's a shame. Julie, who was a quadriplegic sort like me. She still retains a great deal mobility but has just gone through a very rough year where I think we almost lost her. It seems however she found a physician who knew what he was doing and working with people with spinal cord injury. She is stable now but looking around the table I can see we are all in a precarious position. Anyone of us could be taken any day relatively easy to many of our number have been taken.

I don't know how healthy it was to sit around talking about the possible demise of ourselves or our friends but that's what we did and that's what we do. Deb mentioned that she is seriously thinking of retiring just so that she'll be able to get to do something with her life except work. I kind it would be surprised if that were to happen but maybe. Kim would probably take over but I don't think he's long for work either. Though he still has a couple years before he Turns 60 Let alone 65. I don't know how much time he wants to give himself to retirement.. I bid the people farewell As I had to catch a bus and train to get to my next assignment. I agreed, once again, to be St. Nick at the Christmas party and six weeks, that is if I make it that long… Ho ho ho

A Little Bit Of This A Little Bit Of That

Dana is my new person. I briefly spoke about her earlier in the week. I met her for the first time on Friday morning last week and then again on Monday. Now I have had it for the third time and can see she's solid. She's on time and she's a good worker and she's fun to be around. She takes direction well and clearly has her client's best interest in mind. That's how I feel anyway when she is working with and for me. Dana has all the best characteristics of my previous “good” caregivers without the apparent baggage. I know it's quite early in our relationship but I've not seen anything yet to think she might have issues of one sort or another. She presents a great road history with this particular agency so I don't see any reason why things should get weird. Having said that now, I hope I have not jinxed myself. I mean this CNA actually scouts around my apartment fall I'm on the toilet sweeping up the kitchen, making my bed and getting appliances that I cannot either reach or lift. Time to keep my fingers crossed.

Speaking of crossing fingers, today was the monthly DRAC meeting which was also a planning meeting for an action against one of the local legislators were really trying to screw folks are low-incom which definitely includes people with disabilities. As always DRAC meetings are weird meetings. I have never felt comfortable at the DRAC meeting and before that ADAPT. So many times I have been confused at what the goal of the operation might be. Today,, which is the extension of the meeting we had last week, plus a few housekeeping issues for the organization. But it was like pulling teeth to get an overall feeling of direction and what were going to do and how are going to do it. For the most part now I feel the organization is relatively on the right road going in the right direction. I sometimes feel a general feeling of frustration that decision are not being made fast enough or aggressive enough. Too often I feel that pride often gets mixed up with goal achievement or the need to be out in front of a camera, any camera, anywhere. Today for instance there are actually talking about going to somebody's home way out in Draper to humiliate a person, that we feel is making and influencing legislation directly against our interests, regardless how difficult it is for folks to get there on public transit. I myself feel that taking public transit all the way to the end of their line and still having to hump 2 ½ miles to get to the legislators home and then retrace my steps. I just do not know if these and justify the means. I was relieved when it looked like direction of the action was changing to his office at the Statehouse. This seems much more logistically friendly at least to me.

Dick, my friend I think, ask me at the end how I felt about the discussion and conclusions. I just looked at him without an answer. I may not be in the right crowd, again. Whereas I believe in all discussion for all the reasons being discussed I just have a difficult time getting hot for the conclusion. I will do it – – I don't know if I'd go all the way Draper – – but I'm not afraid of the action I'm just not hot for it. And I think a lot of the folks at the meeting kind of felt the same way. I think they're willing to do what has to be done I just don't know if they know what must be done is going to entail. It's one thing to talk about an action quite another to go through one. But many of these people have been the national actions so they know what to talk about it's just me I just don't know what my commitment level is or if I even have one. But we'll see it's getting time to do another action and hopefully I can be part.

Staying Visible

I feel like I am becoming invisible little by little. I've noticed this for a number of years all started couple of years ago when I was looking information about someone I used to work with, Nurse Betsy. She was a nurse practitioner hired by the community health clinic System I used to work with. I researched the clinic on the Internet and found all kinds of images of the clinic and the folks over there all the folks except me. Not being a member like this kind of hurt , I have worked with the system for about two years. I showed up daily, I rode circuit on the four clinics, The old Chevrolet van José used to drive. I came upon this by mistake, I was looking for something else.

Yesterday, you might recall my concern about the piece of plastic caught in my tree. I was going to call the Utah nonprofit housing Corporation, the private nonprofit agency which owns the property were I Live. I was going ask if the agency might have a Truck was a boom or ladder which might be used to clean the debris from the tree. Because I can never remember the phone number for the agency I often go to their website and this I did yesterday. While I was at the website I thought what the heck, I'll just check it out and of course I clicked on the Board of Directors and imagine my shock when I saw that I was not listed among the Board of Directors! I do not know how long I have served on the board I know at least 20 years because my board service was connected with my employment with the independent living center. As I looked around the website there was no record of me there anywhere. They had a number of images from different functions and programs. Other members of the board are dutifully recorded but I am not. I'm trying to say this is no big deal and it wouldn't be if I had not neglected on the history of the neighborhood health program in Nampa Idaho. It's not that I want to blow my horn so much as I want to be recognized for being there for being somewhere for doing something of having done something. My life is coming to an end in places where I should be recognized I am not. The great vanishing Mark that's me.

I don't know if I'm a boob are exactly what but I'm going to at least contact the folks at the corporate office and see what gives. Am I a board member? Am I counted as a board member,,am I recognized as a board member? I just really want to know.. I'm sure there's more productive things I could do with my afternoon four times a year when there's a board meeting. I am grateful for getting this apartment and sticking with this apartment. I hope the agitation doesn't bother my lease. Perhaps what I really need to worry about is this trend staying visible.

Come on Guys Work with Me!

If you look closely center right you'll see the blemish of which I write

I have a tree. If you read this blog at all over the decades you know I have an affinity for trees.. I don't know if you remember I had this willow tree at the house on Utahna.. The nice willow tree is long gone but I loved that tree. There is a tree in our backyard at the end of our deck. The tree was small only moved in but by the time I moved out and grown fairly large huge even, not compare to the pine trees in the backyard but large enough. That tree is gone, the got diseased.. Now I understand the huge pines may also have Contracted some kind of disease. Once again I hope this is not a pattern directly related to me in my influence on the poor root bound plants. It would not surprise me with my destructive nature.

I have a new tree now, actually have had the tree for about a year or a little more sense that is how long I have lived here at the apartments. I noticed the tree I'm sure the day that I moved in. It's an unpretentious little thing directly across from my patio. I'm surprised I have not written about it before now specially the spring as the tree came back to life From its winter slumber. The tree is nearly perfect in my eyes. However, early this summer or maybe even during the winter somehow a piece of trash plastic I'm sure from the food market across the street has gotten lodged in the trees limbs. I'd hope beyond hope that sometime during the gales of wind during spring and summer that the garbage would be blown away but that is not happened. Like food caught between your teeth this artifact of plastic wrecks the palatial scene Of the park and the tree across from me and my window.

The tree is actually located in a peculiar position on the Parkside of a pseudo-wrought iron fence Lining the driveway into our facility.. The tree is right on the property line about 5 feet above the street level making it difficult if not perilous to get to the offending plastic. I had hoped one of the grounds people, who madly drive around the park on their souped-up riding lawn mowers would stop and remove the obscenity but of course that did not happen. In fact it's going be difficult to reach and somewhat dangerous since the tree is right above the spikes of the wrought iron fence. I have had two ideas. The most exciting was immediately shot down by the manager when I suggested that we contact Taylorsville fire department and have them just dispatch the hook and ladder to tidy up the tree. I mean my plastic is everywhere as important Some silly little beast caught up in the branches. I have now come up with a new idea. This apartment complex is owned by Utah nonprofit housing Corporation, on whose board I sit, not that that means a whole hell of a lot But you never know. I know we have voted on all kinds of trucks and equipment, over the years, and somewhere a bit we have a truck with an extension ladder which could be used to reach up into the tree and free the yucky stuff from the branches. There's a small technicality of course, there always is, in that the tree is not technically on the property adjuster hangs over the driveway. I know I am probably kicking the pricks but I would love to have my tree clean all debris from a holiday pictures after all the holidays are just around the corner.

Pile Of Poop

I cooked yesterday and I cooked this morning. This morning I had a can of spam fried or scrambled three eggs and of course coffee. Was a pretty great breakfast but I set in motion entropy in the kitchen and elsewhere. I've been pulling out dishes and utensils in the dishwasher to use in eating. I wash them off this afternoon or evening after I made dinner. I did put the silver away in the receptacles on the Lazy Susan in the center of the table. I wanted get in the habit of putting the silver away when washed. I'm not doing as well with the frying pans are saucepans but one thing at a time. My goal is to keep from building up dishes and utensils all over the sink area after washing. I also want to maintain the top of the stove as much as I can.

The spam I made this morning user date was 2013. When I opened the can it looked good,, the spam smell. And tasted good. I sliced up spam steaks And made some scrambled eggs. I thought making toast to decide to hold off on the calories. I drink low-fat milk with my coffee and enjoyed the morning. I have four good pieces of spam but have to scrambled eggs zipped up together in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. I put it this plastic bag next to the roast beef hash. I'm getting a nice bit of Leftovers for the coming week. I had been with bacon soup for dinner with some Fritos. I felt good using that can soup. I think I have about six more that are well beyond their use date. I feel good using my storage.

Cindy my cleaning person has made me commit to not getting any more items from the sharing shelf for my pantry citing that I have too much as of this. She is kind of right. It will be hard for me to pass up good things just because my pantry is messy and a bit overstocked. I love the milk that comes in the food boxes. For the life of me I cannot believe the other folks don't like this milk. It's even lowfat milkAnd I'm still drinking and using it. So I may continue getting the milk whenever I can. I think if I'm cycling through food than stellar issue as far as hoarding goes.

I really have not done anything today except put some close away from yesterday's wash. I've run out of hangers so I cannot put the rest of the Clothes away until I get Some more hangers except for like the shorts which I fold up and just put in the closet.In all honesty I'm a little spooked of going out. I really need to prove feels like I'm sitting on a hand grenade. I'm hoping all goes well tomorrow morning with a new person… If I do get a new person are probably just get Sadie. It should be around 830A.m. But who knows? They are so messed up down there and think anybody knows what's going on from one hour to the next I just hope I don't wake up in a pile of poop.

Let Them Eat Cake

I really am enjoying my new person in my life, my cleaning professional – – note I did not say cleaning lady – – her name is Cindy and she's much much more than a cleaning lady. She likes to have the “client” present when she starts a job. She feels it's a meeting of the minds so that when she's cleaning she's cleaning what I want and not necessarily what she wants which I think is chemical. The only problem I experience if it is a problem is that I tend to yack a lot when she's around, just talk talk talk. I worry that time extending her time by talking. Maybe that's what I really want to pay for: a friend.

We've pretty much got a great start on the apartment she ascribed the bathroom, put my bedroom in order to change my sheets vacuumed both floors in the living room and the bedroom and scrubbed the kitchen floor, literally scrubbed with a less than adequate mop and then the old rags on your feet skate around the floor trick. We went to my closets or my cupboards and in doing so I noticed I had a couple of cake mixes, boxed cake mixes you know, Betty Crocker etc. I've been thinking about baking a cakefor some time now. I probably didn't bake just because the kitchen was such a mess and I didn't want to add to that chaos. But when Cindy left yesterday the house was pretty orderly. The top of the stove and been cleaned off as had the sinks. I really felt enabled to cook which is pretty cool.

Last week I prepared a roast. I enjoy the roast had a number of meals off of it yet still had quite a bit left. I've been pondering about making a roast beef hash. I enjoyed roast beef hash not as much as I enjoy corn beef hash but hashes hash anything to put ketchup on. So this afternoon after I had finished washing my clothes for the week I dived into making the hash. (I think hash making was a plan to circumvent folding clothes.) Well making the hash worked.. I used one of the canceled potatoes but I get on food box they, added one chopped onion three toes of garlic smashed and chopped, carrots peeled and sliced. Sliced up and chopped up the roast beef left over and through everything in a skillet and frighted up. Kind of wish I had one might big deep skillets with the glass lids but I don't. I think I should've tried the roast in the potatoes independently then add the vegetables to finish the dish but I have the vegetables in the roast and the Tatars all the same time. Seemed to work. The garlic really did a great job of smelling up the apartment I really appreciated that.I was a little bummed that all this great hash cooked down significantly. I probably have just enough for one meal after I eat the initial mail. I was hoping out have enough for a number of days. I'm almost out of red beans and rice now too. After I finished my hash and took a quick breather going down the front of the building and visiting the folks there for a minute or two. On my return is ready to start the cake. It was passed 6 o'clock but I didn't care I was up for it. The cake went quickly ttogether. I found a pan that will do the trick greased it and then found the beater and went to work. I added the oil, eggs, cup and a half of water and then beat the hell out of it at a high-speed. I certainly haven't at 350 for 35 minutes and soon had a cake. The cake is pretty light – – I wish it was more dense heavier. I wish I had a can of frosting. But it's a cake and something to snack on that's what I wanted. The cake breaks up easily. I let the cake rest cool off for half an hour to is warm enough that I could get out of it, and without burning myself or tipping the cake over. Cut off the end and to get over to my neighbor she was delighted even without frosting. Still have the force of the big cake and that's probably too much hopefully it will dry out quickly I can use it to pour milk over.

I really felt great doing this cooking and sending the kitchen and entropy but, that's what you get to do with the new cleaning lady.

Don't Be Looking Up

I'm quite fortunate that I live in an apartment complex which is well served by public transit. I don't think I could want a better living situation transportation speaking. All I have to do is to go out my backdoor and through the gate, with the automatic door opener which I have a key that I can open just by pressing my backpack, and there I am right on Redwood road. Whether I am going north or whether I'm going south each direction will land me on a TraX station. During the week the bus runs on 15 minute headways which means every 15 minutes a bus stops at that stop. At different times the day later in the day the buses become less and less frequent and eventually stopping only oonce an hour in the last couple hours of the transit day. Since I travel during the midday time I'm always pleased to enjoy the 15 minute headways. Many times I will get to the bus stop, knowing that I have 10 minutes or so to wait and I will recline in my chair in order to wait shift and skip myself back up to the top of my chair/seat as well is to take the weight off my butt.

Yesterday afternoon I was on my way to the library for the Last Chapter book club reading It was about 3 o'clock on a beautiful afternoon – – the wind had been blowing warm air from the South. As I sat at the bus stop I heard I cacophony above my wheelchair. It did not take long and tilting back in my chair that I realized there was quite a crew of birds sitting on wires above my power chair. The past couple weeks I have enjoyed taking images with my cell phone as I'm in the prone position looking up. I really of harvested some very nice images so I figured why not add this blare cacophony to the list. In the time I was prepping my cell phone camera to take the image I had a fleeting thought of that would be just too funny for some bird room let loose in turn which fell right on me. I shook my head and laughed and thought “nahh, what are the chances?” As soon as I ha said/thought this a black image zoom past my vision and I felt a heavy wet substance at my chest. I could not believe what it happened. Some idiot bird let one go on me! I had to think in the same instant some idiot reclined his power chair underneath a swarm of birds yakking their heads off why wouldn't they take the opportunity to drop a load?

I was pleasantly freaked out. Add one of black longsleeved T and of course the poop was black and white riding right on my chest warm and I'm sure gooey. I sat there a couple seconds before I began sitting myself back up and figuring out what I was going to do with a poop the size of my fingernail of my little finger. Because of where the guano was sitting in the fact that shirt was black I didn't think it called too much attention to itself so I figured if I could get to a fast food joint decoupled napkins I could just scrape the poop off, which I did. I of course smudged the pile of putrid poop.. I got a handful of napkins at the Arctic Circle in back of the bus stop including myself off. I returned the bus stop with the knowledge of staying away from choruses of chirping birds.

Up To My Axles

Thursday is my Chapter day. That's where I take part in the program which provides a platform for individuals who are developmentally disabled participate in reading. We meet every Thursday at 4 PM at the West Jordan library. We read for an hour that are turned loose and always book home trying to get home before Market Place is broadcast on local affiliate of NPR. Tonight, I knew I was not going to make it so I thought I would just instead of getting off my regular stop outside my apartment I would go on down to Salt Lake Community College and hit the ATM for my credit union and get cash to pay my cleaning person tomorrow. I did this with no problems. It was probably 6 o'clock by the time I got to the ATM. I got the cash headed back up to street level and headed off towards Redwood Road. The ATM is in the student center which is located pretty much center campus. As I headed out I noticed how dark the evening was becoming. There is still quite a bit of light left but I figured I'd better get on home as quick as I could. I was amazed at how deserted the campus had become. As I rolled Southwest towards Redwood Road. I came upon some construction that has been going on all summer long. I should just To the sidewalk and I usually traverse and not try to course out on the something new but I did. It looked like there is a pretty good shortcut across travel and stones, flagstones set on a path among the gravel. I really thought the gravel is really packed down but I was wrong. I got about a third of the way when the flagstones begin to shift under the weight of my wheels of my chair. My drive wheels wheels slid off the stones and almost immediately spinning in the loose gravel. I knew I was a goner as the power chair dug itself deeper and deeper into the loose gravel.

I tried the drive wheels couple times each time just spinning not getting any traction with all.. I was hoping against hope the snake some late student walking home or to the bus stop from center campus. But since I was in a quasi-instruction area I was deserted. I feebly tried shouting for help but you have to have ears to hear for that to be effective.. I thought perhaps I would call campus police I see them often on but each time I tried to call all I got was recordings of after-hours contact. Stupid, I cannot believe how stupid I am sometimes.. Even when I was able to catch an office that still have personnel on staff they would invariably send me to a phone that was only manned by people 8 to 5. Unbelievable!. The daylight was slipping away darkness was not far off. I had never done this before my phone but I thought I did not have a choice so I dialed 911. And suddenly I had a voice on the other end asking about my emergency. I felt chagrined as I recounted my situation and shortly emergency dispatch had an emergency vehicle out. I gave the best description of my location that I could and I was afraid that they would not be able to find me but in a few minutes I saw a big red fire engine train on the campus a couple minutes after that a software for heads popping up over the hill between me and the main campus. I whistled to bring your attention to my situation and soon they were there happy to see me and syndicated me about off wheeling on campus.

It did not take any effort at all for the guys to get me back on hard ground. They set me on my wayaand I was only too glad to go. Nowhere did anyone say anything about payment and I suppose dispatch can get a hold of me since they had my phone number if they really need to. I'm really thankful these guys were there and that I used them. That's twice since I've lived in this area that firemen have been dispatched to save my butt.

Answer Your Damn Phone!!

I'm waiting, I'm sitting here waiting for you a new staff person to show. It's 8:30 AM, the appointed time as yet no knocking at the door, no door knob turned or Show of support staff. This will until 10 o'clock this morning. After about an hour I began calling in earnest to the agency that nobody would answer the phone. I did have the cell phone for the assignment clerk and she wouldn't answer her phone. Finally around 10:30 AM I got a call from Soda – – the not so great home health assessment who is better than nothing. Gentle calling me to tell me that she was on her way and had better be ready because I only had an hour. I really did not appreciate this cancel that demand but I thought I'd give it a shot which I did.

Soda came in and again reinforced the fact that she had to be out of there in one hour so I better get hopping. Now this is the weird part, Soda does not necessarily disrespect me and she's very attentive when I talk to her but she obviously didn't want to be there this morning. She did indicate that she'd been called by the office to see if she would fill in. I've spoken to the office I think it was yesterday who assured me that they had the problem covered the had a person who is going to come in and do me and should start at 8:30 AM. I hate the way around that long but I said I'd give it a shot I did I really don't know what to do now. Again, Soda got me up in the sling and just showed me around like a piece of meat. Not necessarily hostile she definitely want to get out of there as quickly as she could. Now part of this routine of the shower improved is of course the enema and I use a product called . These are great and efficient. I don't know if it's the new time of day that we are now using for this process or the fact that I was under a bit of stress trying to perform but neither case I did not have a bowel movement which kind of worries me. Soda had resume out of their because she had appointments for pictures of her kid. The whole event stress me a great deal. Now, I feel I'm sitting on a poop bomb. I don't know what it's going to go off I just pray the poop bomb does not go off in publiclike when I'm writing a trained tomorrow for t Next Chapter book club

I am really trying not to be the consumer from hell. I'm really trying to work with a small organization to help them have the best chance of success. I really want to be part of that success and I really do have my needs met as far as bowl and bladder and showering goes. I really did not want to have to go through the trauma of breaking in a new group and one that will probably cost more than what I'm getting now but you pay for what you get though I pay little I get little. I don't know what I would would say if if the agency will you really Soda over my protestations. I doubt that's going to happen but don't want that necessarily to happen, yet at the same time I really don't want to have Soda as my home health person again. I guess I would like to know why they promised me one thing in 24 hours later it's as if we never spoke..

So cross your fingers and hope to make it through the next 24 to 36 hours to my next appointment with the toilet

.

Mega Smile for the Mega Plex

I hate to miss a day of blogging but I did yesterday. Have no excuse really except the day got away from me and I could blame electronic media but I will not the point where is , I weakened I elected to watch TV last night or electronic media instead of writing. Actually I was going to write, but I forgot. I should've written in the morning but I elected not to and by the time came around for my meeting at DRAC I was out the door and didn't come back till 4:30 PM and home health person that have a schedule to meet. Still I hate to miss a day of writing.

I never mentioned that I want a pair tickets from my oral surgeon/dentist couple weeks ago. This was a pleasant surprise to say the least. And I know it most likely is a gimmick but still I'd never got a set of tickets from Drew Luke in all the years that we went to him. I mean have dropped more than $1000 at this new dentist of mine but it feels like I emerged a winner from the laughing gas and the drill. I was pleasantly surprised that even the staff was excited that I had won. None of them really knew why I had won. There finally was a collective agreement that I had when the tickets because I had entered a remark or statement on the good doctors Facebook page, or twitter or whatever social media he is into. I honestly do not remember making such remarks but something happened or maybe they just think I'm cute which very well could be as well.

The offered me a number of different items. They actually had a box of treats to choose from everything from big blocks of candy, the big Hershey's candy bars with almonds (which I thought was a little ironic) there are some physical oriented items as well like passes to a skating place, ice-skating passes, maybe even a ski pass although very minimal. These of course I passed on for the obvious reasons now is not going to use something this valuable as potential gift options. I grabbed the tickets when they were offered. I figured I can always use tickets to movies. I figured that even though the tickets were not for my local theater they should be reachable by bus.

Not to sit and stare at the proverbial gift horses mouth but the tickets are kind of weird.Oh,the theaters are real theaters showing real movies that our first run movies but the movies are just kind of weird. The movies are remote, out-of-the-way places but they are serviced by public transit so no problem there. The theaters are as magnificent as any of the others along the Wasatch front just kind of strange that my doctor would choose these theaters above the others. I just expected he would had one of his employees run out and pick up these tickets on their lunch break sense my little community theater here in Taylorsville just a block or two away. But these tickets are just out-of-the-way/almost elitist tickets. I got two tickets and I'm semi-excited. I'm not watching the movies very closely, there are couple out I wouldn't mind going to. I also not waiting for the holiday blockbusters. Just nice to have a set of tickets and the think that they were a gift/winnings.

My next visit and hopefully but last for some time will be day after tomorrow. I'm getting the crown set on my tooth puts the good doctor saved so heroically a couple weeks ago. I'm sure I'm going to have to pay something like $320 for this final visit. I will be glad to have this behind me. And still a stupid as it might be I feel I cannot like a bandit holding my two tickets by the sparkling new smile thanks to Dr. A period

Red Beans and Rice… Very Nice

I am this close to making red beans and rice. I think I now have all the ingredients that I need for the dish. I think I like red beans and rice a lot more than I've ever put on. I think I might even like the process of making red beans and rice once I get into it there's a lot of chopping goes on. I've often helped prep Dianne when she makes red beans and rice. Dianne makes good red beans and rice and she makes it look effortless to throw together this Louisiana dish.

Yesterday I got six cans of red beans. These are premium red beans that I've been using in salads but I also know they are the same beans used in red beans and rice. I was going to use brown rice that I got a couple weeks ago right about the time I rice makers came in. But I copped out and bought a bag of white rice the market this afternoon along the green pepper I need to make the rue for the red beans and rice. I have to admit a model intimidated and I do not think I'm going to make the dish today because I waited so long in the day. I watched to batch is a close I really do to batch the close in a week but this week is different change sheet so I had sheets to watch plus and begin to wear long pants again because the temperature drops adding to more clothes than usual or at least seems to be.

I've been at the apartments now almost exactly a year. It's weird to go one trip around the sun in a new spot. I'm basically settled in now. I am going to finish unpacking the next couple weeks I believe with the help of the new person coming on this week to help me keep the apartment fairly organized. I'm sort of excited about having her input. Just hope I can afford everything surely I can just I hate to spend. I think she is going to really help me sort through what I have and get rid of a lot of stuff I hope I can do it. Can you don't want to let her down even though I'm paying her to help me do this. Soon after I first moved in, as husband and know the lay of the land here in Taylorsville I thought I needed a new pot or a pot to cook soup, stews, roasts whatever. I found this little pot over at the polygamist store across the street. A paid way too much for it is not really what I wanted. I wanted something with lots of loops there be able to grab with my hook I didn't get it. I've had in the box ever sense and yesterday, while Carl was here I had Carl get the pot down. I was going use the pot for red beans and rice but I think I have another pot that might work is good if not better because I don't want to make a huge amount of red beans. I want to just make enough for a couple meals. I just want taste of red beans and rice that I've made with money rice maker and a couple cans of beans

She Ain't No Honey

The saga of trying to replace Honey continues. For the past two weeks I have been plagued with young home healthcare “professionals” because Honey either quit or was fired I still have not heard the entire story. I've gotten the impression they are sending out people who ever they can get their hands on to meet my needs. One seems to be this girl named Soda – – which of course is not her real name – – Soda seems not to really want to be much of a CNA. In the course of three days Soda has been significantly late. Each time she says the traffic was out of control. I will buy that once but for each of those times I'm big getting to seriously doubt Sodas desire to be a CNA and specifically my CNA. She does great work, I think when she is here. Actually, she doesn't do great work she tends to my needs and gets my toileting and showering done but then there's all kinds of leftover things that need to be done that Honey always did. There's been another CNA named Angie was actually front desk CNA coordinator for the organization. She is six months pregnant but did a great job as far as working with me and getting my toileting and showersand showers completed in a timely manner. I distance myself from Angie just because she's a short timer.. She can have her baby then be off forsix weeks at least. I need to have somebody on a regular basis way before then.

Yesterday, Soda was supposed to be hereat 1:30 PM. This was way early but I figured what the heck is she's up to it I'd be up to it get my stuff down and out of the way and maybe go to a movie in evening or late afternoon. The girl never showed up I kept calling the office and leaving messages but as getting the impression something major was happening or seem to be. Bear in mind, I'm sitting naked in my apartment thinking this person is good show up any minute now and get on with it she never did finally I think around 6:30 PM the office person Kathy calls or I call her I don't remember whichlet me know that no one will be showing up today. I figured this out by then I think I still thought maybe Kathy would come by somebody to do the job but no one is coming by which I guess was okay I could just really used an enema yesterday. Kathy said she would do the job and come out this morning. I was so frustrated and semi-depressed at that point in time I said yes sure not quite believing that she would make a showing. I had only spoken with Kathy over the phone. She seemed one of the only focused people at that agency, especially right now.

8 AM that's when she was to be at my apartment.. I've gotten up around seven make coffee piddling around picking up a little bit. If I got the call she needed the code for the door soon she was here. I was somewhat shocked she was is a 60-ish slightly plump each worker. She's definitely been around the block once or twice which is okay. I would rather have some of the older who knows what they're doing the starry eyed young CNA or CNA want to be. We did it. We got the battery back in the lift got me sling.ssuppository did on to the toilet and job done and then did a quick shower and that was it. I hope she considers doing the job on Monday. She's no-nonsense and pragmatic and works to get the job done that's all I can ask. Kathy is no Honey but I guess there can never be another Honey and we all make do with what we can.

Come On! Give Me A Break…

I know I sound old and that I am complaining about anything new and vibrant and trendy but I really feel motivated to discuss this issue to some degree. I first noticed food trucks in Salt Lake City when I was still working for the state at the Access Utah Network housed with Utah Developmental Disability Council or UDDC. I often went further downtown to explore and find interesting places to eat on my lunch hours. In fact when I was still trading business with Zions First National Bank I often went to the downtown original office. This is when I first noticed a food truck that parked in their lot intermittently. I even bought a couple of items tthinking (Wow, this is kind of cool). There wa a great deal of construction going on downtown Salt Lake at the time. A lot of the construction boys stopped at the food truck. Very inexpensive food with a fairly high quality. There was always somebody around to reach out and either order or grab my food. I thought total lack of accessibility are to be honest I didn't even think of the accessibility issue at the time because I thought this truck was a novelty and didn't pay much more attention.

After I retired and the subsequent operations I haven't really been downtown as much as I used to be which I kind of miss. But, I have noticed the rise of the food trucks. I've noticed the food trucks become more and more sophisticated much more elegant than the roach coaches that offered quantities of food at a lower price than one could grab at local venues downtown or even at concerts and such.Soon the trucks were beginning to develop significant reputations and followings becoming high-end operations. Even in the counterculture newspapers like ThePrivate Eye and others these rolling restaurants republishing their schedules.

Listening to NPR this morning I noticed the chagrin that a number of the events announced by the radio station, and some related to fundraising for the organization highlighted the fact that these events would be served food and beverage from these trucks.. I stopped immediately thinking is the last time I went to such a truck. I think I ordered some form of Asian food you know the kind good food but very sloppy. There is no way I could get the attention of the vendor without somebody else there is no way I could order and there is no way to fetch the end product and offered without the individual cook/vendor actually coming around and down from the perch to give me my food. Something's wrong here! Red lights flashed in my head where have the people with disabilities.?! Why is not DRAC when on top of this? I would like to think this situation needs to be nipped in the bud that somehow there needs to be an alternative for people with disabilities to access these inaccessible food sanctuaries. The whole concept of the food truck is counter to accessible dining. In order to access these trucks one has to be able to stand and in many cases themselves reach up. I've noticed a couple of the trucks have counters that might be close to accessible standards but you still have to reach up way beyond accessible standards.

It's an old story, crap! It's the same old story. If were not watching whether it is transportation, brick-and-mortar restaurants, entertainment, and now rolling stock restaurants people disabilities continued become more and more visible. I wrote a play once about the importance of being visible it was well received but very trite and I think thought very trite but maybe it's time to do another play about being visible enough to get lunch or dinner I can reach totally on my own.