Big surprise, huh? Old Catalyst writing about cats again. What can I say? I lead a quiet life. So anyway. You may recall that the BRD added another kitten to her menagerie a couple of weeks ago. She sent over a couple of pictures recently.
He seems to have run down in that picture. Wrigley, too, seems to be exhausted from trying to keep up with the new cat who, so far, seems to have the name Taz, short for Tasmanian Devil. He is an active little rascal, according to the BRD.
Even Lily seems surprised that little Taz finally has run down but she seems not too relaxed about the intimacy.
Sorry, friends. I've been out of pocket for a couple of days with my computer in the "hospital". Got it back about an hour ago along with a bill for around $85. Turned out a piece of RAM had gone bad and needed to be replaced.
That after I mistakenly suspected a virus and purchased a $60 Norton protection plan. Oh well, at least now I'm protected.
On another front, here's a photo taken at Chase Field Sunday during the Dodgers/Diamondbacks game.
I'm not sure what he was doing there but the D-backs did win, in spite of the blueness of this character's outfit.
My Arizona Diamondbacks had lost two in a row to the Los Angeles Dodgers so it was my duty to go down to Phoenix and take charge for the final game in the series. Amid chants of Beat L.A.! echoing through the stands, the D-Backs took an early 2-0 lead on a home run into the swimming pool off the bat of Kelly Johnson. But the Dodgers fought back and eventually had a 3-2 lead late in the game. But the home team came through as Cody Ransom crushed another two-run home run late in the game and the Diamondbacks bullpen shut down the Dodgers over the last two innings.
Here's a shot of my buddy and host, Steve Torbeck, and I at the game.
The one bad thing about today? 107 degrees in Phoenix. Thanks Diamondbacks for a domed stadium.
I am indebted to my friend Dawn, who lives in Newfoundland for tipping me to the subject of today's post. By the way, check out Dawn's wonderful video of the incoming tide.
But, to today's post. Watch and listen to Tim Hawkins.
Yes, I know. I've been quiet again, especially here on my blog. It's not due to any lingering pain from my angiogram. In fact, I haven't had any. Part of the reason for having the procedure was to see if opening up a couple of veins might eliminate the cramping I'd been having in my right calf. And it seems that worked. I made a trip to Sam's Club the other day, which as anyone who has ever been in one knows is about as big as a major league baseball park. I walked briskly (or as briskly as I walk these days) and did not have a recurrence of the cramp. But I told SWMBO afterward the real test will be when I go to a store and do a lot of slow walking, starting and stopping, and standing in one place for awhile. Strangely, that seemed to bother me more than a brisk walk. Well today was the day. The first Wednesday of every month is what is known hereabouts as Old Farts' Day at a local supermarket. Discounts galore and it draws hundreds, if not thousands, of what are politely called Senior Citizens. We have avoided it frequently but the larder was low and SWMBO decided today would be a good day to load up and to test my leg. There was no disappointment. The store and the parking lot were both jam-packed. I had to park some distance from the entrance, then go back out to find a spare shopping cart in the parking lot. Then I was sent to the deli for a couple of items and stood waiting to be served for probably 20 minutes or more. We got out of the store after something over an hour and all went well with my leg. So that part of the mystery may be solved.
Now as to my Diamondbacks baseball team. They had a very good 9-game road trip, winning six of the games, winning each series with San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco and finally catching the Giants again for first place last night. Unfortunately today's final game was a bit different. The team recently made a trade to acquire pitcher Jason Marquis because of his very good record of mastering the Giants. He made his debut today and gave up 8 runs in 5 innings. Oops! So the Diamondbacks once again are one game behind the Giants. And since it was an afternoon game, I'm looking forward to a quiet evening.
My angiogram this morning went well. Doctor did two or more angioplasty procedures (balloon thingy). I'm back home. All is well
Thanks to all you kind folks who expressed your best wishes.
I have to get up at an unconscionable time tomorrow morning: 5:15 a.m. That's in order to get to the hospital in Prescott by 6:15 to begin the paperwork which will allow me to have an angiogram a little later. I was telling Blackwell about this last night and he said "They're going to do . . . WHAT???"
I'm told it's nothing to worry about, though. Of course that's what they always say when they're going to knock you out and start probing your body. I DO like that idea of being knocked out, though. I was talking to a nurse the other day who said she had to go in for some hand surgery a few years ago and they told her they could just put some kind of shoulder block in which would work as a local anesthetic. She'd be awake but she wouldn't feel any pain. She said she was terrified until she got to the hospital and a nurse there told her that it was her choice. She said "KNOCK ME OUT!" She said she didn't want to know anything about what they were doing to her.
With some reservations, that's pretty much how I feel.
So, with good results, I'm expecting to be home again sometime late tomorrow, hopefully the better for the experience. If not, you may find one of these in my front yard.
