Tuesday, March 20, 2018

BELIEVE IT OR NOT . . .

. . . today is the first day of  Spring!




But what's this on the Weather Channel?

Another "nor-easter"?

Yup, snow and wind and coastal flooding and possible tornadoes and heavy rain in the Southeast.

In my environs, it is supposed to be mostly sunny with a high temperature of 66 today.

Happy springtime, Gentle Readers!

Monday, March 19, 2018

FWIW

Montana Mike (Genial Misanthrope/Should Fish More) inquired yesterday after the health of SWMBO and my own self and after reassuring him that neither of us was, as far as is known, at death's door, it occurred to me that I have not posted an update on our relative health for the rest of you for awhile.

So, as the post title says in abbreviated form, For What It's Worth here goes.

The captain of the ship, aka SWMBO aka Judy, is suffering through several weeks of physical therapy torture, as she refers to it.

She had reached a level of agonizing pain in both hips and both knees about a month ago and got in to see her orthopaedic doctor (actually his physician's assistant) to inquire about a shot or two of pain killer into the hip that was bothering her the most.

Instead, after examining her and probing and pressing on her various and sundry pain points, he informed her that an injection wouldn't do any good because the inflammation, or whatever it was, was so widespread.

Instead he prescribed PT at the torture chamber next door.

That was several weeks ago, as I said earlier, and while the massages and exercises are not of a pleasurable nature, the end result has been an improvement.

Her mobility is better and her pain less so labor on she will, at least for the balance of this month.

Judy's problems are caused partially by the femur fracture she suffered last June but even moreso by the fibromyalgia she has endured for many years.

If you have a choice, don't get it.

As for myself, I'm at a bit of a plateau in my weight loss program.

Can't figure out why.


Well there is that.

I have slackened off a bit in my regime in recent days but I'm just happy I haven't gained back any of the pounds I've shed.

And SWMBO reminds me that plateaus are to be expected in any type of diet.

So my next goal is to break the 200 barrier and I'm less than 5 pounds from that as of this morning's weigh-in.

It may seem like a lot of weight to carry to some of you loathsomely lithe Gentle Readers.

But let me remind you that I AM 6-feet and one inch tall  (having compressed in my declining years from 6-foot-2) and I am a stupidly sedate individual.

I mean SOMEONE has to sit in this chair all day coming up with these scintillating sagas of my existence.

And I AM down from 221 at around the first of February and 241 at the height of my slovenliness a year or two ago.

As for my health it is normal for someone of my advanced years.

(Should I survive for a mere five more weeks I will reach the accomplishment of 78 years on the earth, rather than under it.)

My blood pressure is back to a quite satisfying number after I cut the medicine which supposedly controls it in half.

And the extrinsic pathway of coagulation of my blood is returning to a normal ratio since I slightly increased the amount of medication I take for it.

(Note to Mike and others: I have no idea what I wrote in the first part of that last paragraph; I found it on the Interwebs.)

Both medication adjustments, I hasten to add, came under directions from my various medicos.

In general, I have the normal aches and pains and occasional sleep disorders of a dinosaur like myself but I am pleased and somewhat surprised to still be perambulating.

So there.

Now back to my diet.


Sunday, March 18, 2018

Saturday Night's Threatening Clouds

It looked a little scary last night.


But it was only damp this morning and no loud thunder drowned out the concert we watched last night: Roy Orbison Black and White Night 30.

It was a re-edited version of the video that marked the 30th anniversary of the great show at the Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles that featured Orbison, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Presley's TCB Band and backing vocals by J.D. Souther, Steven Soles, Jackson Browne, Jennifer Warnes, Bonnie Raitt and k.d. lang.

A spectacular show.

Saturday, March 17, 2018

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Gentle Readers, it's that day when everyone is Irish, even if you're not.

So have a drink at the Temple Bar in Dublin.


Click here to go to Ireland

And a special thanks to my long-time blogger friend Steve G. in Germany for sending me that link.

Friday, March 16, 2018

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Woe is me.

My basketball season is over.

The Arizona State Sun Devils, the Arizona Wildcats and my alma mater team the Stanley Bluejays all lost out in the first round of their respective tournaments.

What's left for me?

Oh, Tiger Woods is golfing well once again.

And there's something else.

It slips my mind.


Oh, of course.

It's time for the Friday Funnies!

Life is good again.






No, I did NOT forget the pie chart.




Annnnddddd, I think that's enough.

Now listen, Gentle Readers, I desire that you go out and have yourselves an infinitely fine weekend, be wary of those fake Irishmen and women, and always remember to keep laughing.

I'll be right here, ensconced in my recliner, watching for Tiger to make a big move.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(See, I told you so.)


Thursday, March 15, 2018

RAIN

The weather forecast for our part of Arizona says we might have scattered rain or snow showers today and tonight.

Reason enough to show you a closeup of a water color painting I picked up in Seattle some years ago.


It's called Seattle Rain and it might be more appropriate for Seattle than Arizona.

But I like it.

And actually I like the rain when it falls.

I used to love driving in it.

At night.

I'm older and wiser now.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

GO AHEAD. SPOIL ME.

I wouldn't attribute it to jealousy but every once in awhile, SWMBO tries to sabotage my attempt to lose weight.

Most recently it was with this delicious, taste-tempting, scrumptious Quiche Lorraine.


I ate more than my share but I'm back to my regime again and am holding this morning at 205.

And this is only a memory.