Happy New Year!

The year is all but over. It has been a very wonderful year for the most part. Maryann and I did get to do some treaveling this year. It has been absolutely marvelous since she had her second hip replaced. She is able to move effortlessly and painlessly. What a miracle. We are constantly amazed and amused at her ability to do things like she when she was much younger.

We are both saddened by the deterioration of her mother's mental health. At age 95 Margaret is doing very well physically, but she has developed a case of demetia that is unfortunate. She does not recognize anyone from the current generation. She does recognize photographs of folks who are long since passed on.

My mother is doing reasonably well at age 92. Her biggest problem is macular degeneration and she, too, is beginning to be pleasantly confused. Her sense of humor is still great. However, she still carries grudges against folks she believes have caused her harm in the past. Just about everyone she has a problem with has passed on. My brother has been the hero in the family because he has chosen to live with Mom in her house. She can no longer live by herself. She has always prided herself in being able to take care of herself and being in control of her life. Now she has to come to grips with the fact she has to relenquish some of that control.

We are looking forward to a very prosperous new year. There will be travel in the coming year. There is at least a trip, perhaps Spain in July and to the Ozarks in Missouri in September. Maryann will have to make a trip to Pennsylvania this Spring and I will have to make trips to El Paso and perhaps Phoenix to visit family.

We wish you all the most prosperous of new years.

Serve well and live fully.

Christmas Greetings to All

Maryann and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Our celebration was as quiet as we expected it to be. As you can see by the photo, we will be warm this winter, and we should eat quite well too.

I place all of our gifts together to be able to get a better photo. After lunch I came back into the den to look for Hazel, our dear cat. She had decided that all of that neat stuff made a very nice, comfortable sleeping area. If you can't find a lap, do the next best thing, make a nest in some new stuff.

We got each other new, warm robes for winter. We also received other articles of clothing, i.e., shirts, sports coats, etc. There were also gifts from our girls. It was a very nice day.

We had arranged to do an instant message chat with the kids. One lives in the Los Angeles area and the other in Portland, Oregon. Before we made that connection our friends in Marsanny le Bois (just North of Dijon), France began instant messaging with us. While "talking" with them our girls came on line. There were five of us in the US on at the same time. Unfortunately we had to call the French connection off a little sooner than we had wanted to.

With the girls we had a very spirited discussion. It is very difficult trying to keep up with everyone and everything that is being said. We did our best and hope to do it again soon. Only the next time I promise not to be such a smart ass and try to one up the others.

After that chat, Julianne and I played a couple of games of Literati. It is a word game like Scrabble. I think I beat her both games. She is really good and it wasn''t easy. Perhaps wc will do that more often.

Well, it is time to rest up or write some more of my book. I am having some difficulty with Chapter Fifteen. You can find it at Things I've Stumbled Across Along the Way.

I wish you well.

Snowy Saturday

The weather forecast indicated we were in for more snow. It was right again. The prognosis is for another 4-6 inches when it finishes on Sunday. The amount is the crap shoot this time. You can never be too sure just how much will fall.

I have already been out once today to shovel it. We are having neighbors in for dinner tonight. It seems the neighborly thing to do to shovel a path for them. I'm reasonably sure the one right next door will walk. As for the neighbors across the corner, they just might drive.

In the meantime Maryann and I have been busy preparing. Actually she has been doing most of the preparing so far. She has baked her scrumptious cheese cake for dessert. Later today I will bake a fresh loaf of parmesan corn bread. I haven't made this one before. If it is anything like the others it will be very good. (That's fact as well as brag.) Besides it should go well with the parsley and parmesan chicken. The Biringer Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2004 should be a nice touch.

Well, I better get back to my duties.

Serve well and live fully!

It is getting closer to Christmas.

Yesterday afternoon the UPS truck pulled up across the street. Maryann and I looked at each other and asked are we expecting anything? I said I was and that this might be it. The box didn't look like I expected it would, but I answered the door. Sure enough it was the one I was expecting. I immediately took to our "gift wrapping center" in the basement and got it wrapped.

With that my shopping is done for this year. The package under the bear on the left is the last one. I am sure Maryann will love it. I don't think she knows what it is. However, she was hinting before it arrived that she might know.


Today was time to bake another loaf of bread. My favorite is this Light Whole Wheat bread. Earlier this year a friend gave me his technique for letting the bread machine make the dough and then letting the dough rise for about an hour and baking it in the oven. Since I have been doing that I have even enjoyed baking bread more.

Last week I was very busy baking three loaves of Pepperoni Pizza Bread to give to friends for Christmas. We had three other couples in for dinner on Saturday. Part of the meal was samples of three different loaves I bake - Pepperoni Pizza Loaf, Whole Wheat Cornmeal, and Light Whole Wheat. There were favorable comments about the Pepperoni Pizza Bread. That was good because that is what they all received.

Marie Jo, a dear friend from France got me started baking about five years ago. We were visiting and she insisted I try it. Even though the first loaf was a disaster I am grateful that she did get me to do it. Within a week of our return home I had my own machine and have been using it ever since. At first I let the machine do all of the work. However, the bread came out very dense. Since I learned about baking it in the oven instead I really love home baked bread.

I hope you have found something similar that brings you pleasure.

Serve well and live fully.

Time Gets Better With Age

I just received this from a dear friend. I thought that more people could see it this way rather then send a bunch of emails.


Read it through to the end, it gets better as you go!

I've learned that I like my teacher because she cries when we sings "Silent Night".
Age 5


I've learned that our dog doesn't want to eat my broccoli either.
Age 7


I've learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back.
Age 9


I've learned that just when I get my room the way I like it, Mom makes me clean it up again.
Age 12


I've learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up.
Age 14


I've learned that although it's hard to admit it, I'm secretly glad my parents are strict with me.
Age 15


I've learned that silent company is often more healing than words of advice.
Age 24


I've learned that brushing my child's hair is one of life's great pleasures.
Age 26


I've learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers have followed me there.
Age 29


I've learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it.
Age 30


I've learned that there are people who love you dearly but just don't know how to show it.
Age 42


I've learned that you can make some one's day by simply sending them a little note.
Age 44


I've learned that the greater a person's sense of guilt, the greater his or her need to cast blame on others
Age 46


I've learned that children and grandparents are natural allies.
Age 47


I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
Age 48


I've learned that singing "Amazing Grace" can lift my spirits for hours.
Age 49


I've learned that motel mattresses are better on the side away from the phone.
Age 50


I've learned that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
Age 51


I've learned that keeping a vegetable garden is worth a medicine cabinet full of pills.
Age 52


I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die.
Age 53


I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.
Age 58


I've learned that if you want to do something positive for your children, work to improve your marriage
Age 61


I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
Age 62


I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catchers mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.
Age 64


I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, the needs of others, your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you
Age 65


I've learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decision.
Age 66


I've learned that everyone can use a prayer.
Age 72


I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
Age 82


I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch-holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
Age 90

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Age 92


I've learned that you should pass this on to someone you care about. Sometimes they just need a little something to make them smile.

Our First Big Snow of the Season

Wednesday night we had our first "major" snow storm of the season. It must have dropped about 8-10 inches.

We are lucky to have a neighbor who has a snow blower. It wasn't long on Thursday morning before Gale came over and managed to blow the snow off of the driveway. It would have taken me several hours to get it done with the old snow shovel. This was the first year that Maryann was able to wield a shovel and broom on the walkway from the front door to the driveway. We were both ecstatic about her being able to do that. It must have been at least eight years since she was able to do it.

You may remember pictures I posted about the patio. Well here is what it looked like this afternoon. That has got to be almost a foot of snow on the table. The fence is six feet in height. It will take a while for it all to melt.

The kids were happy about all of the snow. They got two snow days. Many of them live in the county and the roads are not all that safe to travel in such weather. With a warming trend coming this weekend they will be able to have classes next week.

What do I Hate? A response to Alison

As I read Alison's blog today I remembered my own admonitions to my daughters about hating things. Much like Alison’s mum, I too, did not want my children so caught up in negativity. I still don’t. However, I do agree with Alison about a number of the things with which she finds fault. The one that caught my attention and brought out an immediate negative response is this one:

I hate:

# Those who insist that there is every good in everything. I call it the 'Pollyanna' syndrome. These are the people who insist on the old adage of 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'. Well NO actually. The body, the mind, the soul and the spirit have only so much fight in it. Otherwise people would not turn to drugs, alcohol, suicide, mayhem through desparation. If only one or two 'bad' things happen to you I can see how you can learn from it. But when there are stories of folk going through one thing after another and feeling weaker, depleted and despair than they feel even worse because they are then judged to be 'less than'. Our indigenous population is a good example of this.

At first I got defensive. Then I thought more about it. I have written elsewhere about such a view of the world - In Everything There is a Blessing. That particular essay says what I want to say here. Suffice it to say that looking for the blessing in everything helps keep me grounded in a positive perspective. I disagree with Alison’s comment about: The body, the mind, the soul and the spirit have only so much fight in it (sic). The body is finite and changes over time. We can keep it in better shape by caring for it properly with proper diet, exercise and rest.

Where I tend to differ is the statement that the spirit has only so much fight. In my weird, wonderful, wacky world the spirit is infinite and therefore has all the energy it needs to persevere. When we get bogged down with the negative (don’t ignore the negative, just don’t let it overwhelm you) we lose the positive energy to make a difference in our world. The difference we make may seem “inconsequential”, but it provided succor to at least one individual. That is very profound to me.

So, while I may “hate, can’t abide, loathe, abhor,” and detest certain things that occur in my world, I do not want to give up my personal power to them. There are occasions where I give myself permission to feel down about a current situation, but I only give myself a very short period of time for that. I much prefer to maintain a positive outlook concerning all things. It is difficult sometimes to find the blessing in everything, but I believe it is there. I believe this approach to life keeps me healthier and certainly happier.

Thanks, Alison for spurring me on to put these thoughts in some order. I hope they are helpful to you.

Weird News(?) from Australia

Our local newspaper, The Kansas City Star, runs a daily item called Weird News. It is usually one of the first things I read. I'm not sure where they find these items, but they are amusing.

This morning's item caught my eye because I have been reading Alison's blog. I would like to share it with you.

"In November, to calm down a growing number of apparently horrified Australians, the Food Authority of the state of New South Wales issued a statement assuring people that meat in their refrigerators that appears to glow in the dark is acutally harmless. The light-emitting bacteria responsible for the glow 'is not known t cause food poinoning' and is naturally present in most meats and fish the authority's director said."

I am a bit perplexed about this. It brings to mind some questions.

1. If refrigerators in Australia have internal lights, how do folks see meat glowing?
2. If refrigerators in Australia don't have internal lights, does glowing meat help them find other things in the refrigerator.
3. Does the Australian Goverment have a secret base to study UFO's in NSW?
4. Is this another method for governments to control the minds of its citizens?
5. If there is glowing meat can other glowing foods be far behind?

Does anyone else have questions about this unique (to me) phenomenon?

Alison has gotten me to thinking

In her latest blog posting Alison has gotten me to thinking more about my own thoughts about the state of things in the "modern" world that seem to be reverting to past situations that have not been too good for most folks. I have been reading some of the writings of David Brin. Among the many things he is writing these are two that ring true and seem to support some of the things that Alison has been saying -- Part I on Modernity, Part II on Modernity and Part II on Modernity. Brin's discussion focuses on the efforts of conservatives to rule with an iron hand and the lack of foresight of liberals to come up with a working plan. Alison is looking at how similar activities are taking place in her homeland. Those activities are being promulgated by religious conservatives who could care less about anyone who is not male and an aristocrat. (My words not hers.) At least that is what I have taken from her comments.

I think that there is a long history of male dominance that has sought to subjugate women to an inferior position. The position may be couched in terms of someone has to bear and nurture the children. But it has been the male who has steadily sought to keep women under control. In the US women are becoming more sure of themselves and demanding their rightful place in the controlling hierarchy. It is a struggle that is no wher near over. I will have more comments on this struggle in future postings, both here and in Things I Have Stumbled Across.

Aluminum and Brass Don't Fit Together Too Well.

Last month when I took our Honda Oyssey van in for routine maintenance the technician indicated that there was some expected wear at the drain plug in the oil pan. He indicated that the oil pan is made of aluminum and the plug is made of brass. Even a rocket scientist will recognize that there is a potential problem of wear at this spot. Sure enough that is just what happened. It is a 2001 model we purchased new and it has about 75,000 miles on the odometer. All of the service has been done at the dealership.

Apparently Honda engineers needed to do whatever they could to minimize the weight, hence the aluminum oil pan. I can only guess that the maintenance techies did there best to not screw the brass plug into the oil pan too tightly. However, they bored out the hole, re-threaded it and installed a larger plug. Well, guess what? That didn't work. I began to notice a spot of liquid on the garage floor.

When we returned from an errand on Monday I finally looked at the spot more closely. Sure enough it appeared to be oil. I made an appointment to get the van in for service. As you have already figured out, the oil pan needed to be replaced -- a rather expensive proposition. (Don't worry kids, we have already got the Christmas presents purchased.) There are no quick fixes beyond what had already been done. It took about three and a half hours to get the job done. Now I can rest easy. Maryann uses the van more than I do.

My vehicle of preferance is a 1995 Honda Civic Del Sol with the VTEC engine. I call it my poor man's Ferrari. Some day I will post photos of both vehicles. In the meantime I have to check on the loaf of Whole Wheat Cornmeal bread I am baking. Maryann says it is excellent. I concur.


#75

More Christmas Decorations

Maryann and I wish you all a very Happy Holiday. We had a great time decorating this year. We will be spending Christmas at home with each other this year. We will miss having the kids being with us. We have planned to have a special dinner out prior to Christmas. There is a fantastic restaurant in the Kansas City area that specializes in French cuisine. The name is Tatsu's. We have been there a couple of times in the past and it is the perfect place to celebrate Christmas.

We thought you might like to see what the lights looked like at night. We are quite pleased.

Christmas is coming and the decorations are here

As usual, the day after Thanksgiving we get serious about decorating for Christmas. This year Maryann and I will be staying home and no one is scheduled to visit. It will be a quiet yet joyous time. The decorating will take two days. We did finish the interior on Friday, and it took most of the day.

The first room we finished was the dining room. The small tree on the buffet is an heirloom from Maryann's mother. It is amazing how it has survived with only one broken "bulb". We also took care of the entryway table and hung Maryann's Santa stitchery.


Next we worked on the sofa table in the great room. Fortunately we had some photos from last year to remind us how we might want to do it this year.


We next tackled the small tree in the den. Last year I finally got smart and left the lights on the tree. It was a lot easier this year than in past years.



We also placed a decoration on the door to the den and a computer "Watch Deer".




The last thing on the inside was the large tree in the great room. It comes apart and the work I did last year on the lights worked perfectly.

I hope you enjoy these photos.

Happy Thanksgiving

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. There are so many things for which we can all be thankful that they are too numerous to mention here. I invite you to go to a Thanksgiving Movie
The treat is on me. Enjoy the movie and the rest of your life.

May peace and love be with you!

The Attack of the Moles

They're everywhere! They're everywhere! They're everywhere! Just like Chickenman. Only moles are not here to amuse or fight crime. They do make a mess of a really nice lawn.

Wouldn't you know it, they managed to come up for air or a look around right along the front of our property and near the corner.

This is even a better view of their progress.

This is just one of the piles of dirt from their digging. I guess I am going to have to google moles to determine the best way to deal with them. The folks who took care of our attic mess also deal with critters. In fact they are called Catch-it Wildlife and Pest Control. They will set traps to capture them and remove them. The fee is probably worth it--$129 for 5-12 traps and an additional $59 to remove each critter. They even have a 30 day guarantee. However, the $59 removal fee will still be charged. Maryann and I will discuss it and decide. It has taken a long time and several lawn services to get the yard looking as good as it did this year.

Another Joy of Home Ownership

When we built the house and had it landscaped we thought that the weeping mulberry at the northwest corner of the house would be a very nice little tree. It was for the longest while, like ten years. Then it began to grow closer to the house and the branches would get into the gutters. It also had to be cut back several times year so that the lawn could be mowed without serious injury to the head of the person mowing.



This year we decided to make a change. After all we had to remove the Bartlett pear tree between the houses. It had grown so close to the house that it was misshapen. Last year an early, very wet snow storm came and broke two big branches on the pear tree so we had to have it taken down. It was a beautiful tree. We should have had it planted in the back yard.



This year we decided that the mulberry had to go. We replaced it with a Boulevard Cypress tree. It has a bluish cast to the foliage. It is supposed to grow about a foot a year, and not exceed 5-6 feet in height.


Right now that side of the looks a little barren compared to how it used to look. We hope that as it grows it will look better. With the work to be done on the patio which will include a new fence, that side of the house will look considerably different. We can hardly wait to see the results.

November 17th

Another day in beautiful Lansing, KS. The cold weather arrived and I decided that it was time to test the old adage that we should bundle up in cold weather. If we don't we will get a cold or worse. So Tuesday I decided Not to wear a warm coat over my sports coat when we went out to do our chores. It was probably the coldest day since last winter. The temperature was in the 30's and it rained and snowed at the same time. The wind was gusting at about 35 MPH. It was damned cold and clammy.

We had a good meeting with Phil our financial advisor. Our investments are better than a year ago. We will be making a few minor changes to improve the portfolio.

We then had lunch with a former neighbor. We didn't realize how much we had missed seeing her until we did see her. She used to live across the street and we would sit on her front porch, weather permitting. It was nice to catch up and the lunch was very tasty.

After that we did some shopping and I finally was able to replace the French press coffee maker that had been broken. However, with the cold, I haven't felt much like drinking coffee. Perhaps tomorrow I will feel more like it. One thing about it is that it is larger than the last one.

I have also been communicating with my brother who lives in El Paso. He has a new Mac Laptop. Because we can chat with iChat we do just that. It is an audio instant message. He is learning how to use this one more than the older model this one replaced. It is fun to guide him along. Some of the time he is the guide. The nice thing about it is that we can be viewing the almost identical screen.

It seems his latest project it to lay out a template for a letterhead or prepare a brochure. He has spent most of his adult life as a graphic designer. He is finally looking to the computer to be of assitance. He is also painting more than ever. I hope that we will be able to get his art studio web site up and operational by the first of the year.

More later.

Serve well!

It lasted a little more than a year

An important piece of advise, a French press coffee maker does not make a very good catcher's mitt. This morning as I began the morning ritual of getting ready for breakfast the unthinkable happened. I broke the glass container of the coffee maker. Hazel, the cat had been brushed and fed, now it was time to get my breakfast. My usual ritual is to put the Brita water in the microwave to heat to the appropriate temperature. The next step is to get out he coffemaker. It is kept in an upper storage cabinet. Today there were a number of small items in the way. The shelf space will not accommodate the coffee maker with the top on so I keep the side by side. I removed the pot and was holding it in my left hand while removing the top. It was than that I discovered that a small, plastic container of Aleve has a lot of strength. I accidentally bumped it and, without even trying, caught it in the pot. Much to my chagrin and disappointment, the glass broke.

Well that does it. No coffee for me today. I went to the web site for the company that sells that particular model. I had to send them an email to ask for information on a replacement. I have already received a response. They have discontinued that model.

Well, I guess my other online research will pay off. It is time to visit Bed, Bath and Beyond and pick up the 8-cup version of the Bordum Chambord French Press.

Wouldn't you know it, the flyer we received from Bed, Bath and Beyond yesterday had a $5 off coupon in it. I can foresee a trip in the offing. I just hope I can wait that long. Thank goodness I drink decaf so there won't be any withdrawal problems.

Sonogram results

This afternoon I had the sonogram done on my neck to determine if there was any blockage in my carotid arteries. There was only one very, very, very small bit of cholesterol. It is nothing to be concerned about. There wasn't any doubt in my mind that this would be the outcome. It is great to know that. Now if I can just get to the bottom of my ulnar nerve problem, but that is another story which may not be told here.

New bathroom counters

We recently decided to replace the counter tops in the powder room and the master bathroom. A couple of years ago we saw a variety of counter tops and liked Mystera. Last month we contracted with the company that had replaced the kitchen counter tops to do the work in the bathrooms.

This photo shows the new top in the powder room prior to the plumber installing the new fixtures.

Here is the powder room back in order.

The master bathroom prior to fixtures.

The master bath is now back to a useflul condition. The plumber did have some difficulty with a little leak under the sink on the right.

It will be great be able to brush our teeth without having to go upstairs. It took two weeks from the time the old counter tops were removed to get these installed. After looking at the finished product, we are quite satisfied.

Information from Iraq

I recently stumbled across this web log written by a journalist in Iraq. I think you will appreciate his reporting. I know it made me proud of the Military Police Corps, an organization I served with.
Michael Yon: Online Magazine

Micheal has some interesting perspectives and photos. He is another example of serving well as are the troops and other folks he writes about.

Serve well.

The Patio Now

Looking East.

Looking West.

The concrete and brick will be removed except for the concrete under the hot tub. The new pad will be made of pavers that will be placed on a compacted sand base. There will be no concrete used to keep them in place. The same pavers will be placed around the concrete under the hot tub. The layout will be slightly different. The table will be oriented North/South instead of the current configuration.

The Southwest exterior view.

The four burning bushes will remain. There will be two trees added, one at the Southeast corner and the other inside the new fence.

We expect the work to begin in early Spring. Stay tuned for the updates at that time.

In the meantime enjoy yourselves, and,

Serve well!

Later Saturday

We found the candles and canned corn Maryann was seeking. We also found the whole wheat pastry flour I needed for my wheat bread.

We left the house early enough to be able to spend the requisite time to find the above mentioned items. We had identified one grocery store we were sure would have the corn and flour. As we pulled into the mall where the candle store was located we saw another grocery store that might have the foodstuffs. After taking lots of time browsing through the "My Favorite Things" store and buying the candles, we went to the Price Chopper just down the way. Much to our surprise we found the flour and the corn. There was no doubt we would find the corn. It was the flour that had been giving us a problem.

We had planned to be at Fuzzy's for the game by 6 PM. It was 4PM by this time. Uh-oh, now what. We weren't going to try to drink that much beer. Plan B called for us to go to the other grocery store to see if they had what we needed. There was the corn, but the flour was conspicuous by its absence. We did take about half an hour to explore the Hen House Market. We did manage to score some cheese to be tasted in the hopes we would buy some. We did not give in to the temptation. They were very tatsty. We plan to go back to get some when we know the kids are coming to visit. (We might even take them along for the ride.)

We got to Fuzzy's about 5:35. Still to early. While deciding where to park we notice a liquor store touting the most varieties of wine stocked by any store in the area. With time to spare we went in. They did have some very expensive wines, but we did find some more economical wines. Columbia Crest Chardonnay for $6.99, Lindemans Cabernet and Shiraz for $7.99 each. Two bottle of each and we were set. By now it is close to game time so we proceed across the parking lot to Fuzzy's.

Much to our surprise very few of the alumni group was present. A pitcher of Bud Light, two mushroom, swiss burgers w/fries and a cola each were our staples for the evening. The game was such a romp by Penn State that we decided to go home and watch the remainder there. We got home before the first half was done. At this moment, with about 2 minutes remaining in the third quarter, the score is 56 to 3 in favor of PSU. So I will sign off now and join Maryann cheering on the Nittany Lions. Wow! PSU just scored another TD with an interception.

Ciao.

PS:

Final score 62-10. Go PSU

It's Saturday, therefore it is time to clean up the house

The week has been a rather busy one for us. Tuesday I took the van in for its 75K mile service. Odyssey vans rock. Wednesday I visited my favorite (and only) doctor. The day prior to our two week trip reported earlier I had an MRI on my neck. I have had an interesting tingle on the left side of my neck and jaw. It is an intermittent tingle and I am getting used to it. Now for the results-I have some arthritis around the 5th & 6th vertebrae. Next week I get to have a sonogram on the neck to determine if there is anything else we need to know about. Dr. W. suggested a shot treatment at the 5th & 6th to ease pain from the arthritis. I declined since I have NO pain, just a tingle.

There is also a nodule on the right side of the spine at the second vertebra. It pinches a nerve that causes some discomfort of the ulnar nerve in my left arm. I've had this problem for almost 10 years. It is beginning to more bothersome of late.

Thursday the Mark from the landscape architect firm came by to show the plans for the patio renewal project. It is very detailed and we knew we would have to "walk the land" to insure that there was enough space to accommodate all of the plants.

Friday we went back to Lawrence to take another look at the materials that will replace the concrete. We then checked the space around the patio. We also decided that there were some of the suggested plantings that we did not want. We also stopped by a local nursery to look at trellises. The plan calls for a trellis at the chimney to provide support for climatis plants. It looks like we will have the patio job done in early spring.

Saturday we did clean the house and also went back and bought the trellis. Maryann also decided, and I agree, that we need to replace the weeping mulberry at the northwest corner of the house. We are thinking of replacing it with a boulevard cypress. The local nursery guy will call us to give some advice and an idea of cost on that job..

Later this afternoon we will do some shopping. The highlight of the day will be to assemble with the KC area Penn State alumni group at Fuzzy's South Sports bar to watch the Penn State-Illinois game. Go Penn State.

A Wonderful Weekend in Kansas

This past weekend we toured portions of Central Kansas with our neighbors from across the corner, Gale and George. Maryann and Gale planned and put the whole thing together. It was a blast.

It was the precursor to future travels. What better way to determine if we will be good traveling companions than by taking several short trips. Because of the outcome, this will be the first of many.

We started with a stop at the Wyldewood Cellars winery in Paxico. They specialize in fruit wines which are a bit sweet to my taste buds. The ones we tried were quite nice and I bought a couple of bottles - a dry reserve elderberry, and a chardonnay. The elderberry will serve as a delightful dessert wine.

We then stopped by the Creamery in Alma which is famous for its cheeses. We managed to purchase some of them. Our idea was to stop by these two places and pick up a few things for a later picnic. There was fruit, smoked salmon, home made bread, crackers, Dijon mustard, and some wine we brought from home. We even brought the plastic wine glasses with us. (I know, you shouldn't drink wine from plastic, but they won't break that easily. They are expendable.)

Our next stop was the Tall Grass Prairie National Preserve just North of Strong City. We discovered they were having a special weekend shindig to raise funds for the preserve. Governor Sibelius was there for the occasion.


This is a photo we took while on the bus tour that was given by the US Park Service. Our guide was knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna. He also had a good grasp on the history of the Jones family who owned the ranch snce 1878. You can learn more about this here Tall Grass Prairie National Preserve.

By the time we got on the bus tour, it was obvious we were going miss our picnic. So time for Plan B. We knew those plastic wine glasses would come in handy.
Drop in a few chunks of cheese, some crackers, strawberries and grapes and you have a traveling picnic. A couple of bottles of water and we were set. It did hold us until dinner.

Our plan was to go further south to El Dorado and cut back north on I-135 to Lindsborg. However, our tour of the Tall Grass National Preserve was lengthened to the Governor's speech. Where we parked would have taken us right through the crowd and would have been poor form to say the least. After liberating a wheat weaving from the gift shop we were able to leave. By now we were about an hour behind our tentative schedule. A quick map consultation and we found a short cut across more of the Flint Hills and Kansas farm land. It only took us an hour to get to Lindsborg.

Maryann and Gale decided that we should spend the night at the Swedish Country Inn in downtown Lindsborg. Our accommodations were very comfortable. The typical Swedish breakfast the next morning was more than enough.

Without a doubt the most enjoyable part of the whole trip, besides spending time with Gale and George, was attending a performance of The Real Group If you haven't heard of this group before, you absolutely must get to know about them and their music. They are awesome. The auditorium at Bethany College was packed with people of all ages. The group uses NO musical instruments. They are an a capella group. Their repertoire is varied andthey pleased everyone there.


The main drag along Main Street is about two blocks long. The community has taken great pains to preserve its Swedish heritage. Sunday morning we decided to do some shopping. However, the shops did not open until 12:30 PM.

With a little time to kill we decided to drive around the community to see what it was like. We found ourselves out in the country before we knew it. After driving around for a little while we found our way to the Smokey Hill Buffalo Ranch. We began our buying spree here. We decided that the buffalo summer sausage was tasty enough to bring some home.

We decided not to take the wagon ride to see the buffalo herd, or what was left of it. The buffalo calf in the photo was still born, so the owners had it stuffed and put on display. Apparently it is not unsual for a small percentage of the calves to die early.


Dala horses are seen everywhere. One this size will cost you dearly. However, they do carve smaller ones. You can get one of those for a very reasonable price, depending on the size. This one is outside of the shop in town that has a woodworking shop where they are carved. You can even have one personalized. The craftsmen were not in on Sunday. We were able to support the Lindsborg economy in the short time we were there.

On the way back we had planned to stop by the Smokey Hill Winery only to find it was closed. So we pressed on toward Abilene. On the way we did stop for our picnic. Because the weather was so perfect the stuff in the cooler stayed very cold. The ice hardly melted. We enjoyed the cheese, salmon, bread and some wine. We even had some homemade oatmeal cranberry cookies baked by our neighbor to the west of us.

Our next stop was the Eisenhower museum in Abilene. Maryann had visited it before, but I had never seen it. George and I took the time to visit the museum while Maryann and Gale walked the grounds, or so they said. Because it was late in the day we only had time for the museum and the meditation site where Ike is buried with Mamie and there first born son who died shortly after birth.

The old homestead is very well maintained. I only wish we would have had a little more time. Perhaps we will take another trip out that way.

As a result of the fun time we are planning other short trips. We think the next one will be to visit some of the wineries near Hermann, Missouri.

Birthday Musings

Looking back on yesterday I am thankful for the wonderful day it was. I didn't do anything differently. Although I planned to do my personal hygiene stuff right after breakfast, I didn't get to it until after lunch.

I ended up here at the computer taking care of blog writing and reading. When I was just about ready for the clean up I got a phone call from my brother in El Paso. He sang "Happy Birthday" to me and wanted to know why I wasn't on the computer. We usually communicate via iChat. I hadn't opened that application because I was only going to be a few minutes with the email and the shower was calling. Needless to say I opened iChat.

I also had the opportunity to talk with my mother. My brother lives with her. At 92 and legally blind she needs assistance. Having been a Very Independent spirit for all those years, she doesn't take to kindly to her situation. However, she is doing very well in spite of it. Her birthday wishes were appreciated.

While endeavoring to talk him through an iPhoto process the phone rings. It is Shannon, our youngest daughter, with a birthday message. (No she didn't sing, but it was a wonderful call.) It is rather difficult to carry on two different conversations on two different media. The kicker to the problem is that my brother's new computer seems to have internal microphone problems. Latley, his outgoing comments are garbled. I will have to research it to find an answer for him. I suspect it will require a trip to the shop. Thankfully it is still under warranty.

By now it is lunch time, I am still on the phone/computer, and Maryann returns from her errands. Lunch and "The Young and the Restless" are calling. Keith gets done the things he needs to get done in El Paso and I can get on to lunch.

After lunch and my personal hygiene, I can continue to do as little as I want. The phone rings again, and this time it is Kevin, Shannon's husband. He, too, has birthday wishes. It was a wonderful surprise. Kevin is a great guy who is made better for having the foresight to marry our daughter.

After dinner, Julianne, our oldest daughter, calls from LA. You guessed it, more birthday greetings. We had a nice chat. She works for the "LA Weekly", and they have just published their annual best in LA edition. She finally had some time to take a breather. It must be quite a chore to put that together.

I also got a happy birthday from Adrianne, my oldest daughter. What more could a person ask for? My day started with my wife wishing me happy birthday before my feet hit the floor for the day and ended with a perfect day to reflect upon. I am truly blessed. I pass my blessings on to all of you.

Serve well!

Another Decade Successfully Navigated

Wow! Another decade has passed, and I am still on my mission quest. I have been truly blessed. For a kid whose conception was a surprise I turned out pretty well. Like everyone else, there are things I have done that I could have done better. But, on the whole, I am satisfied with my life choices. I can only hope that I do as well during my remaining decades.

I have a lot to be thankful for - my family, my education, my gender, my several occupations, my country of birth and life, my discovery of the value of service and loving others, and the sheer joy in recognizing the beauty around me.

Most of the major decisions in my life have been impulsive. Considering where I am, I have done quite well. I just have to remember to serve others, truly care about others and share the love in my heart. What a great way to begin a new decade.

I look forward to the new "coincidences" that will come my way. Thank you for being one of them.

Tuesday 10/11

The weather has turned cooler. There has been just a smidgen of moisture from the sky. More is forecast. This will help those plants we moved last week. So far they seem to be doing quite well.

We are planning a short weekend trip with the neighbors across the corner. There are a couple of wineries we will visit as well as a cheese store/"factory". You know there will be a picnic after that.

The plans include spending the night at the Swedish Country Inn in Lindsborg, KS. Saturday evening we will attend a chorale at Bethany College. It was suggested by the owner of the B&B. It should be fun, particularly with friends.

I may even have some photos of the Flint Hills and Lindsborg.

Make it a great day as only you can!

What a week this one was

We returned late Monday evening from our two week adventure to Milwaukee, Lehigh Valley, PA, and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. We had a very good time while gone. The only downer was Margaret's mental state. She is not remembering nearly as much as she once did. It is quite sad to watch another person, particularly one whom you hold so dear, deteriorate. Physically she is doing quite well for a person who just celebrated her 95th birthday. It is the mental deterioration that is heartbreaking.

Aside from that the other parts of the trip were very helpful and rejuvenating. The best part was our romantic getaway at the Inn on the Biltmore Estates.

But enough of that. Our week has been filled with chores. Tuesay was spent doing laundry, grocery shopping, ironing the laundry and catching up on email.

Thursday and Friday we spent time doing work in the yard. We are planning to have the patio landscaped. There were plants there that needed to be transplanted and that took up a good part of Thursday and Friday. Now all of our azalea plants are in the front of the house. The peonies and tall phlox were also moved to other locations. It will be interesting to see how well they do in their new spots. In the past we have been quite successful at such endeavors.

Saturday we cleaned house and then joined the KC chapter of the Penn State Alumni group met at their favorite sports bar to watch PSU whup up on Ohio State. Maryann is quite pleased the her alma mater is the only unbeaten team in its league.

Today we rested. It was time to rest up. Although I did take time to develop a blog for the Retired Military Police Officers' reunion. It seems to be a good way to have some help identifying the individuals in the photos I took. I need to get back and finish that blog. There is only one small section to add.

So much for today. This evening we will be watching a DVD of "Love Actually". Then to bed.

TA TA.

The Weekend at Biltmore Estates, Asheville, NC

We arrived at the Inn at Biltmore Estates mid-afternoon on Friday, September 30th. We had decided to book the romantic getaway, and was that terrific. There were lots of goodies included in that package--tickets to tour the Biltmore "castle", a beautiful room, breakfast and dinner each day, and a bottle of Biltmore Estates Champagne.



With each evening's bed turn down we received a box of two Biltmore Estate Milk Chocolate. It is not quite as tasty to me as the dark chocolate, but it was a fine touch. The first evening we had dinner in the Bistro at the Winery. The other two evenings we dined in the dining room at the Inn. The food was gourmet all the way at both places.



(You can barely see the champagne in this photo. It's on the desk to the right in the photo.) We decided to open the bottle and take it to the lobby/library area where there was a pianist playing. We didn't finish it all that evening and left it in the bucket where we found it upon our arrival. When we came back to the room the next evening the bottle was still there and the staff had added ice to the bucket to keep it cool. It had lost some of its effervescence, but was still very drinkable.

Now to go back to the first day. After we got settled in our room, there was still time to take formal tea in the Library. The pianist was playing then too. The tea was an extra cost experience that was well worth the price. We got to select the tea we wanted. Jamine is very nice. Then there were all sorts of delicious goodies to include scones, muffins, assorted chocolates and other sweet things. What we didn't finish we took with us and ate them later. Steve, the waiter, also brought out some extra chocolate rum truffles to take with us. He indicated that what isn't consumed is tossed if the staff doesn't finish it. He admitted to gaining a pound or two in the name of conservation and wasting not.

On Saturday we took the tour of the "castle". It is a manificent building. We decided to rent the audio devices to take the self guided tour. The tour was very well planned, and the audio descriptions told us everything we might have wanted to know about the Vanderbilts and how the lived. They led the way in paying decent wages to the help. They managed to fulfill their desire to have the estate become self-supporting. Mrs. Vanderbilt was instrumental in bringing 4-H to the area. There is an active chapter there to this day. They had a small display there on Saturday. We got a chance to talk with the folks at that booth.

We also took time to tour the walled garden. Even though the flowering season was rapidly coming to a close, the garden was quite beautiful. There was a green house which had some very lovely tropical plants. They even have a seedling room where they start their own annuals.

We had such a great time and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a special place to celebrate anything special.

Serve well!

The Pennsylvania portion of the trip

One of the primary reasons for our trip to PA was to see Margaret, Maryann's mother. She has been living in a nursing facility for a couple of years now. We visited her all four days we were in PA. She did not remember who we were. She even introduced Maryann to another resident as her sister.

On the second day we took along some old photos we thought she might enjoy, and she did. She was able to recognize many of the people in the photos. She took time to look at them again when we were sitting in the activity room. The third day we visited she slept most of the time we were there. She was able to win to bingo games, with a little help from her friends. It was good to see her again, but sad that the dementia is taking over so much of her reality.

We had very nice weather while there. I take weather pictures to send into one of our local TV stations. This photo was taken looking North toward the Blue Mountains in Lehigh County. We were just leaving Maryann's nephew Gary and I couldn't resist this opportunity. The cloud formations over the fields made a nice view for me.



We stayed with Maryann's niece and her family. Last year they had just gotten a golden lab puppy that they named Fenwick. As you can see, Fenwick has grown a lot. They told us that they had to put him on a diet because he had gotten much too big. He is an active young dog that likes to play and nip. He needs a lot of exercising.

Quick Update

We are back home now. We decided to drive directly from Ashville, NC to our home in Lansing. We had orginally planned to make it a two day trip, but when we arrived at Clarksville, TN it was still early in the afternoon. It seemed a waste to stop at that time of the day. A quick calculation of time, distance, and speed we decided to press on. We left Ashville at 0900 Eastern time and arrived in Lansing at 2300 Central time. We didn't unload the van until this morning. So here it is, Tuesday evening and we managed to cram the following activities into our day - 2 weeks of laundry, grocery shopping, ironing 2 weeks of laundry, and washing both the van and the Del Sol. I also was able to wade through about 75 email messages.

I will bring you up to date on the trip when I get the photos into this computer from the laptop. I just may be able to do that tomorrow. It looks like rain. If it does rain then there will be no golf. Oh well. Life is fantastic.

Serve well!!!

Monday Evening and We Are in Pennsylvania

We finally arrived in PA and have time to sit down and catch our breath. In fact, we even have time to watch some, maybe all, of the Chiefs-Broncos game.

Friday evening we went to an Octoberfest and ate good German food and Milwaukee beer What a tasty combination. A group of young people. came in and performed a number of German folk dances. They did a marvelous job. it ws easy to tell how much they enjoyed the dancing.



On Saturday Maryann and I decided to visit the Reiman Publications shop. They have a complete collection of all of the "Saturday Evening Post" covers by Norman Rockwell. They even have a display of a specially made mannequin representing Norman Rockwell painting his self portrait cover. it was very cleverly done.


While in the little town of Greendale we visitied some of the shops after lunch. Outside of the restaurant was this fountain and garden. We are particularly interested in the device in the center that spins in the wind. We will be looking for one for our patio which we are planning to redo in the near future.

In the afternoon we did take the tour of the Miller Brewery. It was quite interesting. However, we did forgo the beer tasting. There were a lot of people on the tour and we wanted to beat the crowd to be able to get out of the parking lot more easily.

Saturday evening was the banquet and dance. It was another opportunity to visit with old friends and drink a little wine and, of course, dance. I was unable to get a photo of Maryann and me dancing. Perhaps Jim Anderson got one and will send it to me. If so, I will post it.

Time to get back to the game. The score is 0-0.

Serve well!

Friday in Milwaukee

Today was a great day. It started early for me, 0600. I had to meet the guys to go golfing at 0700. Where to get breakfast? Could I find a place for breakfast? The restaurant in the hotel opened at 0630 and granola with strawberries was great. Then, on to golf. There were only 13 of us played golf. It turned out thqt some of us had to play threesomes in stead of foursomes. I was extremely fortunate to play with two really great guys--my former company commander (Ev) and a fellow (Dave) I had not met until today. Dave consistently hit great shots, while Ev and I let him carry us. I did win a prize for hitting the farthest putt on one of the holes. All-in-all it was fantastic. The weather cooperated by being cool and dry.

Maryann went on a tour and did some shopping. She went to a local winery and said that the tour was very informative and the wine was quite good. So good, in fact, she bought a bottle of pinot grigio to take with us to PA.

Tonight we went to a local Octoberfest. The food was typically German and the beer was too. I will post some photos in a later posting of the event.

We did get to spend time with old friends who we don't get to see very often. Tomorrow, Maryann and I will be doing something on our own. Tomorrow evening will be the banquet and dance. I plan to get some photos of those events as well.

Serve well!

Day One Going on Day Two

We arrived at our motel around 4 PM yesterday. Got settled in and called Jim and Kathy to arrange getting together for dinner. What a great time, but more about that later.

The first day's travel was quite uneventful. We were slowed down a bit by construction on I-88. Even with that we made great time. We were within 20 miles of the motel, following the instructions that we got from MSN maps, when they indicated we should merge with I-290. No problem until we are forced to go west or east. You guessed it, we went the wrong direction. Fortunately we only had to go about five miles out of our way to get back on track.

Now back to dinner with Jim and Kathy. They picked us up and took us to their town house for a drink and discussion. Great time. The zinfandel was very nice, and the conversation was even better. We did have some catching up to do.

They then took us to dinner at a place called Jamesons. Maryann and I keep forgetting that we need to share orders. We both had beef tips cooked in wine and served over fettucini. There was enough on one plate to feed us all. It probably will, because we packed up what we couldn't eat and donated it to Jim and Kathy's fridge. I know they will enjoy it as much as we did.

This morning our wake up call came around 5:30 AM, which would have been great if we had asked for one. Rolling over and going back to sleep is a good thing to do when you don't have to be somewhere at a given time. Hence the time this is posted. I had to do something while Maryann was showering and shampooing. OK it is my turn now. I'll get back to you later,

Remember,

Serve well!

Getting Ready To Travel

It won't be long now and we will be on the road for a couple of weeks. Consequently, packing was on the agenda for today. (We did get the packing done.) Before we got to that we had to see our respective doctors. Maryann had her regular appointment to see her orthopedic surgeon about her hip. Everything is extremely well with her. She doesn't have to go back until 2007. Huzzah!!

I had intended to drive her to her appointment like I usually do, but I have been having a unique feeling on the left side of my neck. When I first noticed it I got the feeling that a hair was brushing my neck. That was not the case. I have had that feeling for a couple of months. Last week it got "worse". The entire left side of my neck and lower jaw has the feeling. I am not sure what the problem is. As I told my doctor, I am between concerned and worried. I do have some neurological problem with my left arm. About ten years ago I had a neurologist tell me he thought I had a possible pinched nerve around the second or third vertebra. It effected the ulnar nerve in my left arm. At that time I lost a lot of strength in my left arm and hand. I did the required exercises and the strength returned.

Now I have this unique feeling on my neck. The doctor suggested I get an MRI. OK. I figured I would have to put it off until after we returned from our two week trip. Much to my surprise they were able to schedule me this afternoon. Still no comment from the doctor about the results. I do suspect I will hear about it tomorrow. I do know that my doctor

Serves Well!


#50

Sunday Evening and All Is Well

Several good things happened this week. The iMac G5 had to be taken to the shop for warranty work. It just wouldn't start. Apparently the power adapter decided to quit. I'm pleased to say it is back on line and operating fantastically.

This weekend was the second weekend for the September Principles of Real Estate class. It was a smaller group than previous groups. Smaller meant better. The class really got involved in the process and made the experience a marvelous one.

It is a special treat to be able to help folks discover that they have the passion to move onto a new career. Most of them are a bit anxious about having to take a test. That is not unusual among most adults. We do try to give them some tips on improving their odds.

I also got some notices of students from previous classes successfully passing the required exams. They can now go on and get their licenses. They can now go on to,

Serve well!

The Visit Was Great, as Expected

Yesterday was the day to visit the oncologist to get the results of the CT scan and labs. Everything is within the required parameters, just as we expected. For the next year we go back every four months for the CT scan and labs. The following year it is every six months. Needless to say we are ecstatic about this news.

Maryann's exercise regimen is a big help to her continued recovery and staying in front of the lymphoma. There is no doubt that she,

Serves well.

Update from Visit to Oncologist

All systems are a GO!!! How sweet it is. All the numbers are in the green and the CT was clean. I did learn that I had misunderstood the schedule. At two years out from the stem cell transplant we now go to a CT scan every four months rather than every three. It isn't until we get to the fourth year that we go to every six months. But, hey, who's complaining. Not me. Maryann is doing so well. She is going to Curves three days a week and the results are fantastic. I need to get off my dead ass and start exercising. God it is difficult to stop procrastinating.

Serve well!

The Rains Came Again

It is a gentle rain falling this AM. I have been composing/editing articles/essays for Things I Have Stumbled Across. It is a quiet morning. And since I have discovered Absolutely Smooth Jazz on Sky.fm I am absolutely enjoying my writing. The temperature has started to feel like fall.

I had a great time yesterday watching the progress of Julianne's flight from LA to NYC. These widgets are amazing. She started th flight about 20 minutes late and landed about 10 minutes early. What deal. From the info in her blog, she is having a great time. Business trips in the music/publishing industries have got to be the best. Can you imagine having to go to establishments to hear bands/groups perform?

I also took time to respond to Shannon's "test" posted on her blog Our World. It was fun.

I also took time to read David Brin's blog Contrary Brin. I find it very interesting and always thought provoking. I like what he has to say about moving from a discussion pitting the left against the right. It would be more productive to think in terms of past versus future.

This afternoon we get to visit Maryann's oncologist to get the report on the latest CT scan and the lab results. If all goes as well as we expect the next visit will be in six months rather than quarterly. That is a good sign, one I fully expect.

We started getting things ready to pack for our next trip. Next week it is off to Milwaukee to sttend the Retired MP Officers' annual reunion. We had such great time in Louisville last year we decided to do it again this year. After Milwaukee it is off to Pennsylvania to visit Maryann's mother. She is in a nursing facility now. Her dementia is getting "worse". I am not sure if she will even remember who we are. She is such a wonderful person.

After PA we take a weekend at the Biltmore Estates in Ashville, NC. We are looking forward to that trip. We should be back by early October.

Until then,

Serve well!

Learning the Protocols of Blogging

Apparently with blogging there are certain protocols that are helpful to follow. I have been learning these the hard way. I think I am getting a greater understanding of the process. I know that a web log is personal diary, much like the kinds some folks used to keep in a private, locked book. Because they were private, they gave the author the opportunity to vent whatever emotions being experienced. With that in mind, the author could write whatever was important.

With a blog it is also possible for a similar venting of emotions. Blogs usually invite comments from whomever happens upon the blog. However, I am puzzled. The comments can be positive and sometimes negative. I have even received one that was nothing more than a couple of symbols that led to a blog with a couple of similar symbols and a column of letters like an outline. There was nothing more. Very puzzling.

Ah well. Perhaps I will understand it more as I continue to particpate with my blogs.

I just need to remember to,

Serve well!

Labor Day is Here and the Kids Have Gone

When Julianne and David first told us of their intent to visit this Labor Day we were overjoyed. We knew the time would be short. And, it was. We asked if there was anything special they wanted to do. David had heard about Kansas City Bar-B-Q and steak and wanted to try some. Well our marching orders were set. As you already know from a previous posting we had some great BBQ at Gates the evening they arrived. One requirement met quite satisfactorily. The next time they come back we will try another BBQ restaurant.

Sunday we set aside for them to take a tour of historic Leavenworth and then take them to the Country Club Plaza. Julianne had been there many times, but David had not had that pleasure. We also planned it to spend some time at the Fairmont Plaza Lounge for a quiet drink before dinner. As we were heading to the Fairmont we stopped for a photo-op with the Churchills. The Fairmont also had a super jazz group-piano, bass, drums and guitar. It was wonderful, and they hadn't even asked about the jazz. David produces music CD's., (Check out the Lewis Taylor, Stoned CD. It received a high rating in the Kansas City Star this week.)

After that we went to Union Station for dinner at Pierponts. We didn't know it, but on Sunday evenings they have a special on wine. Any bottle purchased with dinner that is less than $50 you get a 50% discount. The menu was wonderful. More gourmet food. This is where we made good the desire for a KC steak. The steak I had was a small filet that was prepared to perfection. Diets were difficult to keep this weekend.

After a whirlwind trip the kids are on their way back to LA. I have been tracking them with a widget I have on the computer, thanks to David. We all had a great visit that was just too short. Sometimes that is the best kind. We look forward to future visits.

I am pleased to report that both Julianne and David,

Serve Well!

The Technology Gods Strike Again

The visit with Julianne and David is going very well. They spent yesterday in Lawrence so Julianne could show him around her alma mater, the University of Kansas. Other than it being a very warm day, they had a great time.

We spent the afternoon with some alumnae from Penn State watching their first game of the year. Penn State prevailed 23-13. We weren't able to stay to watch the last 10 minutes of the game. We had to travel from KC MO to Lawrence to have dinner with the kids. It was a very good dinner. Gourmet dinner says it all. Wonderful dishes with great accompanying wines.

Now what does this have to do with the technology gods? Absolutely nothing. But, since I had mentioned they were here for the weekend I thought it would be propitious to mention something about them being here before going on a diatribe or explanation of technology woes.

The newest addition to the technology family is the iMac G5 desktop. You saw that in a previous posting when I discussed the printing problems and pointed out the wireless server. (I still have the printing problems.) It was that magnificent machine sitting on the desk.

Anyway, yesterday I had been working on my two other blogs. (There are links to them at the right of this message. You are cordially invited to visit them.) So I got the links hooked up and things were going very well. I had to turn on the screen saver and go do other chores. When I came back to check email, I discovered that I could not get the screen to come back. Uh oh! What now. OK, let's reboot. The indicator light comes on and immediately goes off when I release the start button. Not to be beaten, I decide to unhook the power cable and try again. No luck. The same light on, light off scenario.

Well now, we are getting close to the time to go watch the PSU game with the gang, so I quit. I unplug the machine and figure I will have to get to it later. Later arrives this morning. Fortunately I have a back up. The faithful G4 powerbook to the rescue. It seems appropriate after trying one more time to plug in and boot up and getting the same results with the big guy, check out the Apple Customer Service web site.

Was that ever easy. With a few clicks of the mouse I am at a place where it tells me exactly what to do. So, once I get the towel and the screwdriver it is press on and follow instructions. Do the obligatory electrical connection test to insure the machine is getting power. Check, it is. That was both through the surge protector and directly into a functioning outlet. Check, still no start up. Next spread out the towel and lay the computer on it "face" down. Check. Next remove three little screws on the bottom of the machine and remove the back. Check and double check. Wow! The innards are very complicated. The green of the mother board is very lovely. Next see if a certain light is glowing. Check, it is. Next push on another button and see if it will start. Check, nothing happens. OK, now, push the button just below the first button to see if it will start. Check, nothing happens. OK, you have a major problem with the computer. Pack it up and take it to an authorized Apple repair place. OK. Baby is back in the box and ready for the trip to the shop on Tuesday.

I just love these machines. Yes!

Serve well!

Head Colds are a Bummer, but There is a Bright Side

The week has gone by rather swiftly. The Principles of Real Estate class ended last Sunday. We then prepared for the visit of our older daughter and her friend from LA. David hadn't visited us yet. One of his requests was to have some authentic KC Bar-B-Q. So, where else to take him, but Gates. Since their flight from LA arrived late around 8:20 PM we chose to go to the KCK restaurant. It was great. The ribs, and combo sandwiches were awesome and worth the trip. (Shannon-the company was delightful. Thanks for the comment.)

Now what the hell does all this have to do with a head cold? Well all week I have been getting that feeling in my head and throat that says, "I'm coming, and I will make you recognize me for a little while." So things were going very well with the visit and all. Although I did feel a little off during the review class in Topeka Friday afternoon.

We leave Topeka. Maryann goes with me on review days. She grades papers. I get to spend more time with her. She even gets lunch and most times dinner on those days. Good help does not come cheap.

We even had a rather special luncheon. I invited some friends to join us for lunch to discuss an idea that has been brewing for sometime in my head. (Perhaps that is what brought on all of the drainage.) Anyway, I use the terms to serve, to care and to share the love in your heart in my classes. It seemed appropriate to get together with folks who exemplify those very concepts and see what would develop. It was marvelous. The only downer was that two of the folks could not be there due to prior commitments. However, I anticipate they will be contributing some fantastic ideas. You will be able to follow along with the growth of the Serve Well group by checking out the link shown here in the sidebar.

Now back to the head cold. We get back to the house from the airport and dinner around ten or eleven. We have a piece of the Nutty Fudge Torte I baked Thursday. Then my body tells me it is time to get to bed. We watch some of the news from New Orleans. (My prayers go out to all of them. I'm sure you all are sending them your prayers and positive energy too.) It is now midnight and time to go to sleep. Here is where the head cold kicks in. At about 0315 hours or so. I wake up because my head is draining through my nose, I am having trouble breathing, nature is calling because the bladder needs draining. So, I get up but I can't get back to sleep due to the head cold.

Which brings me to here. I took the time to clean up the blogs and link them together. I also thought that when I am finished I can at least fall asleep in a more upright position in the recliner next to this computer. And that, dear friends, is where I am headed right now.

Serve well!

The Last Day of Class Was Sunday

The last day of the principles class was Sunday. I thought I was running out of time. I wasn't.

Talking faster helped. Having additional activities is helpful when you catch up on the time.

The breathing exercise will help calm you down prior to and during the exam.

This group was a particularly vocal group which can be a benefit or a curse. This was definitely a benefit. They brought out a lot of important ideas and were able to assist each other grasp the concepts.

As usual the blessings of these groups came to me and I am thankful for that.

I will probably see some of them on Friday for the review. By then a couple of them will have taken their test. We should be able to announce the first successes.

Serve well!

Technology and the gods, Part V

Today was the third day of a four day course. Got in early to set things up. Plug in the coffee. Get the cream cheese out of the fridge for the bagels. Set up the computer and connect it to the projector. Get the music going. What is this? The old projector that caused the difficulties just last week. Yes it is. Well let's see if the technician I talked to the other day worked his magic. Huzzah, he did. It worked all day. I hardly knew how to control myself. I managed to, but it was touch and go at times.

Tomorrow is the fourth day and I am a little bit behind. I guess I'll just have to talk faster.

This is enough for now.

Serve well!

Can your home be a prima donna? Or a drama queen?

Today was the day that the house took center stage. We had contracted to have the contaminated insulation removed from the attic. There was also evidence of mice in the attic. It was confirmed by the professionals. As you can see the technician is doing a great job. It didn't take long to vacuum out the old stuff. It took longer to get the equipment ready and put it away. They had to run the vacuum line through the front window of the upstairs bedroom and then into the attic.They were getting vacuum set up only to discover that the engine for the machine would keep running. Fortunately they were very adept at making the necessary repairs. Sticking carburetor float levels can make any machine difficult to operate.

After the contaminated insulation was removed they then fogged the attic with a very strong disinfectant. The next step was to replace the insulation. Because it was such a small job it was replaced by hand. I didn't realize, until I looked at the photos that there was quite a bit of the insulation floating in the air. Fortunately it is cellulose and not Fiberglas. Fiberglas can really be harmful to your lungs.

The Catch-it Wildlife technician checked around the house to determine where the mice were getting into the house and caulk the openings. While doing that he detected the odor of gas at the gas meter. The meter had been replaced a couple of weeks ago. The gas company responded very quickly and tightened up a loose connection.

Once the insulation was in place you could never tell there was a problem, unless you are not color blind. There is a difference between pink and gray.

While they were taking care of the attic the sales rep from ADT came by and we purchased a new security unit. It was scheduled to be installed Sept. 6th, but a note was made to do it sooner if possible. You guessed it, we received a call asking if it would be alright for the technician to install it this afternoon. He is just finishing the job now. You know, paper work. This one even talks to us to tell us which zone is open.

Well, all is right with the world again. The house is looking good except for the weekly house cleaning. That will be finished soon.

Serve well!