I'm pretty well disguised . . . but I can see you!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Christmas Joy - - - or whatever
All right. Here goes. It's time for my annual Christmas message.
You see I have a variety of acquaintances. One is a friend who SWMBO called the other day and asked if she was watching a particular program on television. "No," she said. "I was listening to Christmas music."
She told us once that she just loved the Christmas season because the radio stations played Christmas music all the time.
SWMBO didn't tell her that she avoids Christmas music like the plague!
Then . . . while a nurse was attending me in my cardiologist's office today, I asked "Are you all ready for Christmas?" (Gawd, how I do hate myself for asking everyone I see at this time of year that ridiculous question.) The nurse . . . snickered. No, it was more like . . . snorted. So then I asked her if she was ready for Thanksgiving. (Careful followers of daily events will note that Thanksgiving occurred a week ago.) The nurse said something like "that's about it." Then she said the words that endeared me to her. "I just wish I could go to sleep and wake up on January 2nd!"
Now those, I think you'd agree, are the two poles about Christmas. Quite obviously I fall into the second group. But I still enjoy my friend from the first group and listen to her tales of Christmas sewing and cooking and baking and planning and shopping and decorating and parties and get-togethers. She is, quite literally, Mrs. Claus!
On the other hand, SWMBO and I try to ignore the season as much as possible. We may attend one or two events. Or we may not. We very much enjoy the BRD's annual Christmas Eve steak and lobster dinner. We may even accidentally watch one of those Christmas movies that tend to tickle the gag reflex.
But I've gone too far. Let me just say that I could enjoy Christmas a bit more if . . . .
So, what do you think about Christmas? Go ahead. I can take a beating.
You see I have a variety of acquaintances. One is a friend who SWMBO called the other day and asked if she was watching a particular program on television. "No," she said. "I was listening to Christmas music."
She told us once that she just loved the Christmas season because the radio stations played Christmas music all the time.
SWMBO didn't tell her that she avoids Christmas music like the plague!
Then . . . while a nurse was attending me in my cardiologist's office today, I asked "Are you all ready for Christmas?" (Gawd, how I do hate myself for asking everyone I see at this time of year that ridiculous question.) The nurse . . . snickered. No, it was more like . . . snorted. So then I asked her if she was ready for Thanksgiving. (Careful followers of daily events will note that Thanksgiving occurred a week ago.) The nurse said something like "that's about it." Then she said the words that endeared me to her. "I just wish I could go to sleep and wake up on January 2nd!"
Now those, I think you'd agree, are the two poles about Christmas. Quite obviously I fall into the second group. But I still enjoy my friend from the first group and listen to her tales of Christmas sewing and cooking and baking and planning and shopping and decorating and parties and get-togethers. She is, quite literally, Mrs. Claus!
On the other hand, SWMBO and I try to ignore the season as much as possible. We may attend one or two events. Or we may not. We very much enjoy the BRD's annual Christmas Eve steak and lobster dinner. We may even accidentally watch one of those Christmas movies that tend to tickle the gag reflex.
But I've gone too far. Let me just say that I could enjoy Christmas a bit more if . . . .
So, what do you think about Christmas? Go ahead. I can take a beating.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Remotely Problematical
Yesterday apparently was my half-zeimers' day.
It began when I was commenting on a blog post by my friend Meggie in Australia. I was writing about one of our cats, named Blackwell. Except, I called him Blackwood.
Then, a little later, SWMBO was having a problem at a discount store that refused to accept either of her credit/debit cards. We both knew that each account had funds in it. So, I told her on the telephone to go to the bank to get it figured out. After several permutations, the nice lady at the bank told SWMBO that the problem was with the terminal in the store and had nothing whatsoever to do with her cards. As a matter of fact, she said, she had had the same problem with the same store with one of HER cards recently. Apparently the store's card readers get dirty and that's the result.
Of course, as SWMBO was relating this entire story to me, I was getting more and more "worked up" and more than a little ticked off at the store for treating my wife as if she was a common crook and embarrassing her.
Then I had to go run some errands and when I got to the car I found in my hand (1) the car keys, (2) my small camera that I take with me everywhere, (3) a notebook that also accompanies me, (4) my billfold, and (5) the remote control for one of the television sets in our home!
I walked sheepishly back into the house, handed the remote to SWMBO and said "I don't know what I thought I was going to do with this!"
She laughed and said "You certainly would have confused me when I tried to turn the television on."
My response, "Maybe you could have tried one of your ATM cards!"
Yes . . . old age is a b_____ but at least it can be amusing some times.
It began when I was commenting on a blog post by my friend Meggie in Australia. I was writing about one of our cats, named Blackwell. Except, I called him Blackwood.
Then, a little later, SWMBO was having a problem at a discount store that refused to accept either of her credit/debit cards. We both knew that each account had funds in it. So, I told her on the telephone to go to the bank to get it figured out. After several permutations, the nice lady at the bank told SWMBO that the problem was with the terminal in the store and had nothing whatsoever to do with her cards. As a matter of fact, she said, she had had the same problem with the same store with one of HER cards recently. Apparently the store's card readers get dirty and that's the result.
Of course, as SWMBO was relating this entire story to me, I was getting more and more "worked up" and more than a little ticked off at the store for treating my wife as if she was a common crook and embarrassing her.
Then I had to go run some errands and when I got to the car I found in my hand (1) the car keys, (2) my small camera that I take with me everywhere, (3) a notebook that also accompanies me, (4) my billfold, and (5) the remote control for one of the television sets in our home!
I walked sheepishly back into the house, handed the remote to SWMBO and said "I don't know what I thought I was going to do with this!"
She laughed and said "You certainly would have confused me when I tried to turn the television on."
My response, "Maybe you could have tried one of your ATM cards!"
Yes . . . old age is a b_____ but at least it can be amusing some times.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!
I don't care what you say. It's cold! Normally when Northerners laugh at Arizonans who are complaining of cold temperatures, it is because the temperature has fallen down into the 60's. That is not the case today. It's 12:45 in the afternoon right now and, while sunny, the thermometer says it is stuck at 36 degrees outside with an afternoon high of 39 predicted. Overnight, the mercury dropped to 19 degrees and we had snow on the ground yesterday morning. Sure it was just a trace but it was snow. And it snowed again yesterday afternoon though none of that apparently stuck.
Now don't you Northerners give me a lot of static on this. I grew up in North Dakota, just about 50 miles from being a Canadian, and I have known some cold, cold days, weeks and months in my time. But I was smart (or lucky) enough to get out of there 41 years ago and I've managed to live in much warmer climes ever since - Indiana (which had three mild winters while I was there, Arizona, Mexico, Texas and back to Arizona. I have thoroughly enjoyed the balmy days and nights as opposed to plugging my car in at night to keep it warm enough to start in the morning. Or shoveling snow. Or walking daintily on ice. Or much less daintily through drifts of snow that I hadn't shoveled.
I like sunshine and warmth. And right now I only have one of the two. It's supposed to begin warming up tomorrow, though. I can't wait.
Now don't you Northerners give me a lot of static on this. I grew up in North Dakota, just about 50 miles from being a Canadian, and I have known some cold, cold days, weeks and months in my time. But I was smart (or lucky) enough to get out of there 41 years ago and I've managed to live in much warmer climes ever since - Indiana (which had three mild winters while I was there, Arizona, Mexico, Texas and back to Arizona. I have thoroughly enjoyed the balmy days and nights as opposed to plugging my car in at night to keep it warm enough to start in the morning. Or shoveling snow. Or walking daintily on ice. Or much less daintily through drifts of snow that I hadn't shoveled.
I like sunshine and warmth. And right now I only have one of the two. It's supposed to begin warming up tomorrow, though. I can't wait.
Friday, November 26, 2010
My old machine
Those of you who read my pacemaker post get a special treat today. After my surgery, my nurse came in with a plastic bag and said "I thought you might like to see what we took out of you."
Yup! That's my old pacemaker. Presumably there's another one that looks a lot like it back in my body. Actually, just under the skin up by my collarbone. At least my heart is still beating and it wouldn't be if they'd forgotten to insert the new miracle machine.
Yup! That's my old pacemaker. Presumably there's another one that looks a lot like it back in my body. Actually, just under the skin up by my collarbone. At least my heart is still beating and it wouldn't be if they'd forgotten to insert the new miracle machine.
Like a bird on the wire
30 degrees when I went out to buy a paper this morning. It appeared the birds were trying to warm up their wings before flying.
This bird has been flying for some time.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving 2010
I probably have more to be thankful for today than on many other days. Yesterday, I checked into a hospital and spent about 5 hours having my heart pacemaker replaced. (Actually probably only an hour or two in surgery.) The old (3-1/2 years) one's battery had gone down far enough to require the new machine. As one of the nurses told me, they can't recharge them. That had to do with my telling the nurse about my first pacemaker. I was in surgery, scrubbed and shaved and hooked up and about ready to go when one of the technicians said "We can't do this!" Everyone else looked at him in wonder and he said the pacemaker they were about to install in my frame had a very low battery. Apparently it had been sitting on a shelf somewhere and didn't keep its charge. That would not have been a good deal for me so they sent me home with instructions to return in a week.
My introduction to pacemakers came after I was visiting my primary care doctor and her nurse couldn't find my pulse! The doctor ordered an electrocardiogram and, after reading the results, came in and told me I was in atrial fibrillation. To put it simply, that's an irregular heart beat that can result in strokes and . . . death!
She sent me to a cardiologist who put me through a number of tests before determining that I needed a pacemaker.
People ask if I have a lot more energy since I got it. No. Possibly because I have never, to this day, had any symptoms of my heart disease. Actually, I have less energy these days but I attribute that to getting old(er) and the sedentary life to which I've become accustomed.
At any rate, I found that getting the pacemaker replaced was a piece of cake. Didn't take long. All I have is a compression bandage where the doctor sliced and stitched me back up and no pain at all.
Modern medicine continually amazes me.
My introduction to pacemakers came after I was visiting my primary care doctor and her nurse couldn't find my pulse! The doctor ordered an electrocardiogram and, after reading the results, came in and told me I was in atrial fibrillation. To put it simply, that's an irregular heart beat that can result in strokes and . . . death!
She sent me to a cardiologist who put me through a number of tests before determining that I needed a pacemaker.
People ask if I have a lot more energy since I got it. No. Possibly because I have never, to this day, had any symptoms of my heart disease. Actually, I have less energy these days but I attribute that to getting old(er) and the sedentary life to which I've become accustomed.
At any rate, I found that getting the pacemaker replaced was a piece of cake. Didn't take long. All I have is a compression bandage where the doctor sliced and stitched me back up and no pain at all.
Modern medicine continually amazes me.
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