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My thoughts released; a mind set free |
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These pages contain my thoughts, from meandering ideas and persuasions to deep cerebrations and serious mentations. Why, for what purpose? To release my mind and set creativity free. Somewhere inside the constraints of my mind dwells a writer, a poet, an artist who paints with words. In here I release those constraints and set the artist free. Perhaps, lost somewhere in the depths of thought, is a story or a poem, waiting to be written. 
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| On Saturday one of my stepdaughters and her family came over for an early Thanksgiving dinner together because they live four hours away and usually spend Thanksgiving with other relatives. Also, in our neck of the woods, and their neck of the prairie as well, winter weather can make travel difficult, so we wanted to get together before winter weather hits. It was a fun day, but a bit tiring since we are not used to young children, especially children as full of energy as our twin grandaughters. But, they listen well, are very well behaved, and the weather did provide them some time outside to run and play with the dogs. In fact, they taught Bellah, our Austrailian Shepard how to play volleyball. They would hit the ball back and forth and Bellah would try to get it, but soon she figured out how to jump up and hit it with her nose back to them. |
| Here it is, November already. So far the weather has been kind to us, not too cold yet, and no snow. Further south, in southern Minnesota, it has snowed already, but here it's only been a bit of rain. I haven't been doing much outside, even though there is a lot that could be done. I haven't been working on the HiLo camper despite it still being nice enough to get more done. I kind of ran out of motivation. Why? It's the time of year. Even though the weather is pretty nice for this late in the year, it could change anytime. I do most of my sawing and such in the garage, but it's not insulated or heated, so if it's too cold, it's hard on the machinery; it's also unpleasant to work with freezing fingers. I do know that I could likely get some done, but I don't want to be in the middle of something and then not be able to finish it. Will I get motivated to do more if the weather remains nice, like it did last winter? There are some smaller projects I could work on, and with the furnace going in the HiLo, it's nice inside. I may just talk myself into it. But then again, I may just wait until spring to get back at it. For now, I'm undecided. deny |
| It's just dog-gone confusing sometimes and leaves me wondering what goes through their heads. Tonight I made Finnish Toast (French Toast made with Finnish Cardamon bread) for my dinner. Of course, the entire time I was making it, Max and Bellah were right under my feet waiting and hoping I'd drop something. We don't have a five-second rule, but instead it's the "if it hits the floor it's mine" rule (unless it's something that they can't eat, like a raisin. After I was done cooking, both of these knuckleheads sat and made puppy dog eyes at me while drooling and licking their chops. But another rule we have is they must wait until after we finish eating. With a stern, but loving tone I address them, "Hey you know the rules." They give one last, pleading and desperate glance with even bigger puppy dog eyes and then lay right on my feet to wait. After I finished eating I butter them each a slice and pour a little maple syrup on it, then cut it up into bite size pieces, then set their plates down for them. They sniff the food but don't eat. Instead they sit down and look at me with questioning eyes. Of course they love Finnish Toast as well as French Toast, especially with a bit of maple syrup on it. But usually my wife makes it. I'm feeling a bit insulted over the fact that they scarf hers down and won't eat mine. I coax them a bit, they sniff again, but won't eat. I pick up their plates, switch them and give them the others and they lick the plates clean, no hesitation what ever. Is there any difference? Absolutely none, except that it's the other dogs food. |
| I still have a great deal to do on my camper (HiLo) project and the weather is still great for working on it. Some days it's a warm, but mostly it's fifties or sixties, nice weather to work in. Besides, I have it sealed up pretty well and the furnace works great. So why am I not out there working on it? The answer is simply motivation, or the lack there of. That's the same answer for not doing a lot of things I should be getting done before it gets colder. Where has my motivation gone? How do I get it back? It seems to stem from having so much going on, so many interruptions, and so much disruption through the summer. It seems I've burnt out and am now struggling to get my mojo back. Perhaps it's fear that's robbing me of the will to take on these tasks. Not the fear of failing, but the fear that if I start something I'll be interrupted or disrupted shortly after I start. That has always been a problem for me; I tend to be the type that goes all out on my projects and despise having anything or anyone stop me from reaching the end of the task. Once I get going on something I want to see it through, but if something forces me to stop, it's hell to get back into it. I know I need to overcome this lack of motivation and consistent procrastination; maybe tomorrow. |
| Yesterday was a beautiful day at Maplewood State Park. It was sunny, with just a few wispy clouds decorating the pale blue sky. The temperature was in the mid-seventies with a nice gentle breeze. The ground was littered with colorful leaves, and many of the trees still displayed their vibrant autumn colors. It was my wife's birthday yesterday and my gift was a day spent driving and hiking through the park. Max, my Husky, turned two years old on Sunday, so it was also a birthday gift for him. After a wonderful, relaxing day we returned home for a relaxing dinner. I had put a chicken in the slow cooker, so dinner was ready when we got home. I know, a day in the park doesn't sound like much of a gift, but she loves the fall colors and spending time outdoors. It also kept her from working around the house, which she would have done since yesterday was her only day off until Friday. I took quite a few pictures to share:     |
| What season is it? Here in our part of Minnesota, we should be seeing the first onslaughts of winter or at least the freezing temperatures of late fall. But this year it's been warmer. I did winterize the campers already, and we have had two nights with hard frost, but other than that, it's been rather temperate and nice. Windy, but relatively nice with temperatures warm enough not to even need a sweatshirt during the day; like today being in the lower seventies. The downside is that the bugs are terrible as the temperature climbs, and they try to find food and shelter before the snow and cold arrive. Also, it's been very windy most days, and since we are in a dry period, it's always dusty outside. We had a pleasant spring, a very wet summer, and now a very dry fall. Today it's pretty calm out, sunny, and already seventy-five degrees out. So, since my beloved is off work today, we are taking the two dogs out to Maplewood State Park to enjoy the fall colors (many trees have already lost their leaves because of the wind, but we should still get to see a lot of colors). It's also her birthday, so after we return, I'll fix her a nice dinner, topping it off with cake and ice cream, and then a relaxing evening, possibly even a fire if she wants to sit out. This means I'll likely not be online much for the rest of the day, but I'll be back for a bit tomorrow. The title? Oh year, "Don't Fall" simply because it should be fall but the weather isn't going there, at least not yet. So, we had summer, then fall, and now we are in a short, but pleasant, don't fall. Hopefully, it will last well into what should be winter, or even till spring -- I wouldn't mind at all. |
| Yes, another entry. Why? First, I need to take a break from catching up in the Newsfeed, my email, and all that I have missed while I was absent. Secondly, I want to share a few things with you. Actually, I was pondering a few other things I missed during my time away. For instance, the twenty- fourth birthday bash. This makes me sad because it's a rather big deal. I do appreciate all of you, the site, and especially all that the The StoryMaster   and The StoryMistress  do for us.I also missed my own anniversary, which is a big deal. I want to thank all of you for your c-Notes, badges, wonderful messages, and everything else. It was very heartwarming to log back in and find so much from so many. Of course, I also missed interacting with everyone and many of the activities you've hosted. I was a bit upset when I discovered that Andre The Blog Monkey's Banana Bar was no longer open, although I understood why. I hope that one day Andre and his side-kick Brother Nature  will return.But, my absence was needed, I had a lot of things going on that demanded a great deal of my time, and I also had a great many distractions and problems that needed to get worked out. I had to step back and find my path, so to speak, so that I can get back to writing again. Writing is, and always has been a big part of who I am, but somewhere along the past few years, that part of me became lost. Somewhere I lost my muse, Halo, and with her a big part of who I am and I needed to reflect, make some changes, and find my way back. I am happy to say I've made progress and I'm once again on the right path. Here is a video that very much fits: |
| The title, yes fact or fiction, it fits the item because I was there and I still don't know if it's real or make-believe. I do know it's a rather long tale, perhaps enough for a book someday. But today is not that day, so here is a summary of what happened, or what may have happened; only the otters know for certain. It was just the other day; no not that day, the other one. Well, to me it was just the other day, here it was the other month! Anyway, it was a cool evening, drizzly and dark, when I noticed a deep blue light in the backyard. I stepped out to investigate and noticed it was shining down through the cloud cover, much like a giant blue flashlight. Because of the clouds, I couldn't see where it was emitting from so I stepped into the light. If you ever hear a voice that says, "Step into the light," don't do it! Anyway, I did and a tingly sensation swept over my entire body. One second I was standing in the yard among the fall leaves, the next me and the leaves began floating up into the light. As I drew closer I caught a glimpse of what looked like a giant, metallic fish. One of the rather large scales on the fish's belly was open and the light was coming from inside. The next thing I know, I'm inside the metallic fish, in a storage hold filled with autumn leaves! I tried to find an exit but was knocked over when the fish began ti rise vertically at a rather rapid speed. I think I passed out. When I woke, I was in a room with bright white lights and this big otter, standing on two legs, was looking down at me. I tried to sit up, but I was strapped down to the examination table and could not move. "Please relax. We mean you know harm." he turned and spoke to another otter standing off to the side, "Dare we release him?" I think the other otter nodded, I didn't hear anything. Then the one standing over me told me, "I'll release you if you give me your word you won't try to harm us, and will stay calm." I nodded and he, or maybe she, it's difficult to tell with six foot tall otters, unhooked the restraints so I could sit up. "Where am I? What's going on?" I had so many questions. "It's difficult to explain, but you are on a spacecraft and traveling through space to our home world." I let out a gasp. "You're aliens?" "Yes and no. We are otters, and we originally came from Earth. But the fur trappers where killing so many of our kind we feared we would become extinct, so some of us more advanced otters built a spacecraft and left in search of a safer planet. We return about once a decade in Earth years to make sure our species is still surviving." He, or she, was quiet for a few minutes while this all settled into my bewildered mind. "We also stop by to harvest." I was about to freak out! "You harvest humans? Are you going to dissect me? Do strange experiments on me?" "No, not humans, we harvest dead leaves. We have discovered a way to use in the process of converting lithium to dilithium crystal which we use foe fuel and energy needs both on this craft and on our home world. Our world is covered in water and has no trees." I let out a sigh of relief at hearing this. He, or she, went on, "I cannot tell you more, and you shouldn't even know about us. But, Allen is still an apprentice and messed up, the damage is done. We are returning you to your home and will be soon. But, there is a problem. Even though you have only been here for a couple of days, the time lapse on Earth will have been longer. I have to go back to the control module now, but Allen will stay here with until it's time to put you back." He, or she, and the other otter left. Shortly after another younger otter came in. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bring you aboard with the leaves, I wasn't watching as I should have, I was playing a game on my phone." I nodded, "It's okay, we all make mistakes, especially when we are still learning." Allen smiled, "When you get back, people are going to want to know what happened to you. I suggest you tell them the truth even though they won't believe you. For Otterkind, honesty is the biggest pillar of our existence. Therefore, we won't ask you to lie for us, and besides, by the look how you people drive, it's going to be a long, long time before you ever make it to our world." Allen and I talked the rest of the trip back, but he wouldn't provide many answers to my questions; I suppose he couldn't. He did offer me a fish, but I declined since it was still alive. After, he escorted me to a platform shaped like a circle with a spiral design upon it. He moved a series of levers on a console and the spiral began to glow blue and spin. The next thing I knew I was descending down from the clouded sky in a beam of blue light and then I passed out. I woke in my backyard, on the ground with my Husky Max licking my face. That's my story, believe it or not. As for me, I hope one day to visit again with Allen the alien otter... |
| Yesterday I bought an older (1996) HiLo fifth wheel camper that is in need of a lot of work. Why? Because the price was right. Do I have anything I can haul a 5th wheel trailer? No. But, they included a 5th wheel hitch and on Tuesday the 9th I will have it installed on my pickup. How much did all of this cost me? I got the camper and 5th wheel hitch for $300.00, and the installation is going to cost about 200.00. or so it's estimated. I haven't checked out everything in the camper, since I don't have any LP gas right now, but the three-way refrigerator works on AC and 12 volts, the air conditioner works, the lift system works (there is a problem with it however). Everything so far works and I'll put in a bottle of gas soon and see if the water heater works as well as the stove, fridge, and furnace. I forgot to take before pictures when I started working today, but I did remember and took some shortly after. The back of the camper sustained some water damage because the previous owner left the windows open. The added weight cause the back of the camper to sag about three inches lower and that is the problem with the lift system. It caused it to bind up and won't come down. I used a hi-lift jack to raise it up to where it should be at and then blocked it up. Because of the water soaked wood, there's some swelling on both back corners, the door could barely be forced open, and the section behind the door has pulled away from the supports. In short, I will likely need to rebuild the section behind the door and possibly the back wall. But, the paneling inside the camper doesn't show any water damage, so I'm hoping the frame is still solid. Now that the top is aligned, the door works fine, there are no soft spots on the floor, and it looks like most of the damage is confined to the section of wall between the door and the back. Oh, and the storage box on the back needs to be rebuilt. It seems most of the water ran down the wall and into the storage box. After aligning the top today I set into the task of cleaning it out. I hauled five kitchen garbage bags of junk out of the camper and then vacuumed the floors, cupboards, and storage areas. What a mess! But not as bad as I anticipated. The person who purchased it second hand used it for one season and then parked it in the yard and let the kids use it for a play house that fall. They left the windows open and the water damage started. It sat like that for two years. I looked for any signs of frozen and busted water lines, but they look intact and it seems it was at least winterized before it sat for two years. In fact, it looks pretty good despite they lack of attention. I likely won't start working on the damage until next week, after we return from hauling a couple of rabbit hutches to our granddaughter. But I'll post about my progress and maybe add a few of the before pictures. The plan right now is to fix the back section so it will raise and lower again before putting time and money into anything else. Until that's done, there isn't much reason to work on anything else. But, once I can raise and lower the top, I'll work on getting it ready to uses. Then, I'll start remodeling the inside a little at a time. |
| Our third camping trip was to a campground we have never visited even though it's only a couple hours away. This was our annual camping trip with my wife's cousin and his wife who we will call Dick and Jane. It was at Glacial Lakes State Park, and it was over the weekend so it was pretty full, but it was quiet. We had adjoining sites with Dick and Jane and enjoyed some warm weather for this camping trip, so no furnace required. Everything went nicely this time around, and what rain we did get was at night. No bad storms but a bit of lightning, thunder, and some light rain made for terrific sleeping. Since we have the two dogs, it's difficult for my wife and I to kayak at the same time, so she went out with Dick and Jane while I took the dogs for nice hike. Later that afternoon I went out kayaking with Dick and did a bit of fishing. I caught a nice large mouth bass, I'd guess about four or five pounds. The next day we all four went hiking with the dogs. We took the trail that went around the lake, about two and a half miles of hills, prairie, and trees. Surprisingly, the bugs weren't very bad and it was an enjoyable hike. We stopped by the swimming area and let the dogs enjoy the water before returning back to camp. We spent the evenings around the fire, cooked over the fire, and dined together. The only down side to this camping outing was I forgot my phone at home so I didn't get any pictures. It was an enjoyable camping trip, but it's not the same as when just my wife and I go camping. I suppose being introverted makes it different as well as when we go with Dick and Jane, they tend to plan out the days. It's always our option to join in or do our own thing, but since we are camping together, we try and join in. The latest camping adventure was lose to home and just the two of us, well and the dogs. I was particularly looking forward to this camp out, but things started going wonky the day before we headed out. My wife was called in to work leaving me to try and get everything packed and organized. Of course, she usually does this so a few things were forgotten. We started out on Sunday, got set up, and enjoyed a nice afternoon. But our only neighbors showed up by dinnertime and the noise started. I couldn't believe how loud they were. After dinner, we sat out by the fire, but their kids were riding bike and would stop right beside us, ring their annoying bike bells, get the dogs worked up, and then ride back, only to repeat this over and over. I finally raised my voice a little and got the point across to quit stopping right there and to lay off the damn bell! Monday they packed up and left, making a lot of noise in the process. My wife got called into work again, so she left shortly after noon. She worked till after midnight, so she just returned home after her shift and came out to the campsite on Tuesday. I was anticipating a very quiet evening with just the two dogs, planning on being lazy around the fire. But, it was very warm our, very humid, and the bugs were terrible. Also, another couple moved into the campsite next to ours. It was an older couple, so I thought at first it would be quiet and peaceful once they got set up. But, they had a couple of little dogs that barked anytime anyone drove past, walked by, and whenever they seen me or the dogs. They also liked to walk past our campsite whenever they needed water (they hauled it in a one gallon watering can so they needed water quite often, despite having a holding tank on their camper), used the vault toilet, or walked their dogs. I should also add, there was a nice trail that sent from their site to the water and toilet that was a shorter distance. Oh, and they didn't walk on the road, they would walk in the grass right next to our mobile tent! On Tuesday, a church group arrived and set up a half dozen tents, but they were pretty quiet most of the afternoon. Or at least anytime we were around. But by eight that night they decided to play soccer and the yelling and noise lasted until after ten. We had thought that camping during the week would mean less people around, but it was very busy the entire time we camped. The lake was bustling with boats, people were hanging around the lakes fishing and swimming. It was hot and humid, and we tried a few times to take the dogs to the lake, but it seemed like wherever we went, someone would show up and spoil the plan. It was like the majority of the people there were rude, intrusive, and went out of their way to encroach upon us. It wasn't a bad camping experience, but it wasn't as peaceful and enjoyable as I had hoped. I was looking forward to some serious quiet and down time after the busy spring we've had. I suppose I'm also a bit over sensitive towards people since it's also been a spring filled with people, interruptions, and demands for my time. Being introverted, I need alone time to refresh, recharge, and rejuvenate myself, and this spring it just hasn't been possible. Next month, we are going to spend four days on a road trip, possibly heading across the painted desert of North Dakota and over to Devil's Tower. It's undecided yet on our destination and if we are going to bring the mobile tent or not. |
| It's almost July and my last entry was back in March. It's been that kind of busy and hectic! Despite this, we have already managed four camping adventures this spring, returning from the latest on June26. The first one was early spring still dropping down to freezing at night. We had an electric site, so we brought along electric heaters to safe on LP fuel. The furnace worked great the first night. I had just gone through it and installed a new blower, so this was a great test. But, we camp in a mobile tent (pop-up camper) and they do not hold heat. Thankfully we had the electric heater as well and between the furnace and electric, it was comfortable. We arrived Friday afternoon and with it being cold and windy, didn't even start a fire. Saturday we had our granddaughter's birthday and didn't get back until late afternoon. It was a sunny afternoon, but windy and chilly. That didn't stop the party north of us, they had music blasting and were yelling over it until about two in the morning. The next day started out the same. The campers across from us woke us early when they started their loud pickup, and the rest of the day was noisy from a church group camped a few sites down from us. But, by late afternoon just about everyone had left the campground and we had our last night camping nice and quiet. it was another chilly evening and cold night, but it just made the fire more enjoyable. Luckily it only dropped to about forty degrees overnight because the furnace quit working. (I believe it was because of the high winds that night blowing straight into the furnace vent.) Our second camp was local and included an online friend of my wife whom we had never met. It all sounded good when we set out, but it soon became another flop of a camping trip. However, the first day was great. We got set up and started a fire to cook over, talked around it until it got too chilly, then went into the camper. With three adults and two dogs, it was a bit crowded, but comfortable. This time, we had no electric hook-up, so we relied on our battery for all power. I brought a second, just in case we needed it, which we did. The first night the furnace did great, and instead of an electric heater, we aided it with a small propane heater. The next morning we woke to rain, thunder, and wind. Being a mobile tent, the wind made it more difficult to hold the heat, so the furnace was running a lot. By early afternoon, it quit; it just wouldn't light. I knew we were low on fuel in the first tank, so I switched them out, but the furnace still wouldn't light. Everything else was working great, but no furnace. I took the cover off to look for any loose connections and jiggled the wires around a bit. Note to self, and I know this; always cut the power before reaching into an electrical component. The back of my right ring finger came into contact with the igniter, and wow, what a rush! No serious injury, luckily, but it left my hand tingling for a few hours. To make a long story shorter, it was a gloomy, rainy day, and I couldn't see well, so I turned on the overhead light. It barely glowed, the battery was almost dead! I switched out the battery and the furnace worked great. Since it rained and stormed all day and late into the night, we stayed inside and played cards and talked. We woke to sunshine the next morning but the day started out rough. The friend who came with, I'll call her Jill, was up super early and went out to enjoy the morning. No problem except in a mobile tent, when one person is up, everyone is awake. I wouldn't have minded, but she let the dogs out without their collars or leashes on! I flew out of bed and rushed out before they could run off chasing something. I confronted her about it, but since I had just woke and hadn't had any coffee, I was a bit gruff about it. I did apologize and explain things a little later, but the damage was done and her feelings were hurt. Also, she hadn't ever gone camping before and didn't want to hike or kayak, and wasn't seeming to enjoy the adventure, so we packed up that afternoon and returned home instead of staying for the next day. That brings us to number three, but I don't want this to get too long, so I'll pick up there in the next entry. |
| An old house and a sealed room — is there a story there? I grew up in an old house, a big two and a half story, stuccoed structure built around 1890. I don't remember the exact date, but it's recorded in the towns history. Originally, it was both a residence and a hospital. The doctor and his family lived in the main part of the house, but there was also a hospital ward that served the miners when required. The doctors brother also resided in the house, but he was terminally ill with TB and was quarantined from the rest of the house. Off of the doctors bedroom was a small entryway that led to a staircase down to the laundry/kitchen area on the ground floor and to a rather fancy room on the east side of the house that was a self contained living quarters with many windows where the infectious brother resided until the end.The room had a large built in closet, dresser, and booth like table as well as a second small closet which housed a wash basin and chamber pot.There was a small door, about two foot square, that opened into the upstairs bathroom and latched from the bathroom side. It was used to empty and clean the chamber pot, as well as the wash basin. I should mention, the brothers room also locked with a skeleton key that hung outside the door as well as with a small dead-bolt on the outside to insure the resident not leave the room and infect others. There are stories about this time-frame, some documented, some not, but most of my history of the house came from an elderly woman who lived next door. I was in my early teens and she was in her late 80's at the time. Her house had been built about 1902 and she was born and raised next to our house and had many memories. There is much yet to be said but not now. Perhaps if there is a story (it would be fiction as it's based on both fact and rumor. Of course, to make the story even more interesting, I would likely add to it with my wonderful imagination. But for now, the true base I would work with. The house served the miners in the area, and we know the mine were unsafe and there were terrible accidents. Because of this, there were some deaths within the hospital part of the house, as well as the brother who also died, locked in his room with only occasional visits from his brother. This resulted in the stories of the house being haunted but did not explain that when my family moved in, the doorway to the brother's room was nailed shut, from the outside! Of course, in time my dad opened the door and we got a look inside. The room was exactly the same as it had been, except there was no one in the single bed, no clothing or personal items, just the room, pulled blinds, and stripped bed. Oh, and decades of dust. The people we had bought the house from provided some answers. Being a small town, about 1200 people, it wasn't difficult to keep in touch. Harry told me the door was nailed shut when he purchased the house from the second owner who had informed him that the door was sealed when he purchased the house from the doctor. He had also been stern that the door should never be opened! Harry had lived in this town his entire life and knew some of the rumors, so he had no ambitions to open the sealed room. Even after my dad had opened it, I was still preteen at the time, he never used the room except to store some junk in. He also ensured the door was always locked and dead-bolted and kept the key in his dresser. Us kids were forbidden to ever go near the room! I had seen the room when he opened it up, I was with him, but that was shortly before the room was locked up again. My mother told me years later that it wasn't until after the door had been opened that the weird things started happening in the house; she didn't believe in ghosts, but she did agree that something haunted our home. Nothing bad ever happened, but doors would open or close, we would hear footsteps at night, and items would disappear only to be found in the strangest places with no explanations. In time my parents sold the house and we all moved on. Years later, I was showing my kids where I lived and grew up. I showed them where I went to school, and where I lived. The house was still much the same, but the brother's room on the east side of the house had been removed! Curious I went to the door and knocked. A middle-aged, pleasant woman answered. I explained I had lived there and was showing my kids where I grew up. I mentioned the east room being removed and asked why. She looked shocked. "You lived here? Then you know why! It was unclean!" She literally slammed the door in my face. That's it for now. I had recently had a dream of the old house and the "unclean" room, and wanted to write a bit about it in my blog. Perhaps there is a good story that can develop from this. I don't know too many people who grew up in a haunted house, and with my imagination, I'm sure I could add some good yarn to the truth. |
| A comment on one of my blog entries brought something to mind that I decided I wanted to write a bit about. Back in the 90's I took a bad fall down some stairs and ended up in the hospital for a few weeks. I had injured my lower spine, had some paralysis in my legs, and uncontrollable muscle spams through my lower back. There was a couple f cracked vertebrae, a shattered tailbone, and two broken ribs, as well as some internal bruising of my kidneys. Two weeks of treatment and I was able to leave the hospital in a half body brace and a wheelchair. After a month I started physical therapy and started getting some feeling and use of my legs, and after four months was able to walk with a cane. I saw a couple different surgeons and was faced with a big decision, do the surgery or not. I opted to not, to wait and try and overcome my injury. After a year I was walking and able to work again, but would suffer bouts of muscle spasms, back pain, and loss of feeling in my one foot or the other, sometimes both. Again, I was told that surgery was the best choice, but I did not like the odds of ending up worse instead of better. I also didn't agree with what they all claimed was the problem. Why? Because the injury should have been consistent, it should have been affected by lifting and various activities, and it shouldn't just go away and return for no apparent reason. Yet, I was now working in a sawmill and doing pretty much everything I had done before. I would have my back problems, but there was nothing that seemed to trigger them, and none of the specialists could explain why. The solution they wanted was to fuse three vertebrae in my lower back; that was the only thing that remained constant. After we moved here, things were going great, I hadn't had much for back problems for quite some time, and then it surfaced. I could barely walk, I was having severe back spasms, and I had lost feeling in my lower right leg. I had no choice but to see the doctor, again. Being in a new healthcare system, I had my medical records forwarded to the clinic and went in, expecting to hear the same old routine. But, this Nurse-Practitioner questioned the records, asking the same questions I had been asking. She ordered x-rays and seen the sideways bend in my lower spine, but needed an MRI to show any soft-tissue damage. In order for my insurance to pay for this, however, they required me to go to physical therapy first. Instead, my doctor wanted me to see the clinic chiropractor and work with her about the therapy. I set up an appointment and wasn't expecting much, but after the first hour session she was determined that the spine was in fact not the cause of the problem, my pelvis was. She showed me the x-ray images, measured the length of both legs, did a lot of poking and deep prodding, and confirmed that she did not think my spine was the problem, it was a result of my pelvis being tilted about an inch high on the left than on the right. She put me on the table and worked her magic. Once the muscles were relaxed, she did an adjustment and there was a loud popping sound and instantly I had feeling back in my foot, the spasms stopped, and when I sat up, I was straight instead of bent. Of course, it went right back out by the following day, but I had appointments set for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the first two weeks. I went one day before my pelvis tilted again, then two days, and eventually I was going once a week, once every two weeks, and then once a month and then once every two months. My pelvis had been tilted, as shown in the x-rays since the mid 90's and now, finally eighteen years later, someone discovered what was actually wrong and was trying to fix it. My back still gives me some problems, but nothing as severe as in the past, and I try and have it adjusted or checked to make sure it's in place every couple months. I had never had much faith in chiropractors in the past. But now? Now I'm glad I had to go see this one. This woman fixed what I was told only surgery could help. Yes, surgery would help if all went well, but it would never be right, I would lose quite a bit of mobility, and there was always the chance that it could also be worse. Now I've learned that had I had the vertebrae fused and the pelvis slipped out, the lower back would not have been able to flex to accommodate, instead vertebrae higher up my back would have to bend instead, moving the problem up my spine, and possibly even causing more paralysis. |
| Just sharing some thoughts, yes, actual thoughts, not my usual malarkey and gobbledygook. Our winter has been uncommon and February is more like early spring than winter. What little snow we did get is pretty well all melted, and it's difficult to think we could still get a lot of snow. With the mild weather, my wife and I have been taking the two dogs out hiking, getting some exercise and enjoying the springlike days. Of course, being out of shape, I've started slow and easy, and am working my way up to more, but with our last hike we completed a five mile loop with a mile side track because the signs were down. Yeah, I over did it, but actually wasn't as stiff and sore as I thought I would be today. With challenging trails, it was very difficult, but the worst part is the mud. Uneven terrain, hills, rocks, and mud make for an easy misstep, slipping, and even a twisted ankle. The ankle has been a pain for the last year or thereabouts, with no idea why it's always sore. I don't know of any injury I may have inflicted, and it seems better if I go barefoot than if I wear shoes, boots, or even my slippers. It hurts worse today after the taxing hike and twisting it yesterday, yet there's no swelling or discoloration. I'm thinking I should make a visit to my doctor and get the lowdown on what's up with the ankle, so I can get it healed up for more hiking as we move further into spring. But, since she's laid off, we are temporarily without insurance. She starts a new job next week, and there is insurance pending from her layoff, but we all know how slow bureaucracy moves. Hopefully I'll be able to set up an appointment before the end o fthe month. In the meantime, I have an ankle brace to use so we can still get some hiking in as long as the weather continues to pamper us. |
| In a recent comment I was reminded of what other people sometimes say without knowledge of the person they talk about. This was what I was facing many years ago. I quit high school after a bad, almost fatal accident. But, once I began to heal and had time to think, I decided that I would go back to school and finish. The situation was, however, I couldn't return to my hometown school because of the problems that lead me to quit in the first place. Back in those days, there was no open enrollment, so this created a problem. The solution was, I would stay with family friends in a small community who's school was willing to over look the resident situation. Changing schools in high school is tough, and to finish, I needed to be tougher. So, with an attitude adapted from my Dad, I handled the problems and completed high school. What was the attitude, and phrase my Dad used? "I don't give a rats ass what they think!" This type of an attitude soon resulted in many people talking about me, except for a few friends who actually knew me. Why didn't I try and change other peoples attitudes towards me? Because, for one, I was very introverted, and two, it meant most people just left me alone. After high school, I served some time in the military. Upon my discharge, I returned to the small town I had finished high school in only because my wife of the time insisted we live there. After time passed, we divorced, but since I had three teenagers I was now raising that had only attended the local school, I stayed for them. But, as the years passed, more and more of my fellow townspeople seemed to adopt an idea of me being anti social (introverts are), of having a temper (I do, and I do not like people infringing where they are not welcome), and being ruthless. This stemmed from certain individuals that thought they could bully me and/or my kids. There were even a few who didn't like how I lived and would start a fight. Let's just say that I don't like violence, but if someone starts something, I don't back down, either. I also will make a stand for what I believe in, even if it does result in someone else taking a pop at me. My Mom did try and teach me the "turn the other cheek" rule, but I never seemed to master that one. Being this way meant my share of fights, and being as stubborn as I am, it also meant that I may take a beating, but the other took worse. This, in time, resulted in most of the town believing I was someone best left to self, an idea I fully enjoyed and ensured would stick. Except for a few people I called friends, no body realized, or maybe refused to believe, I had a kind heart and was in fact just the opposite of the what was rumored. |
| Today my wife and I took the two dogs for a road trip to Lake Carlos State Park (not named after Carlos Santana). We wanted to check out the park and the camping sites for a family camping adventure in August. We are planning a family camping trip for my wife and I, as well as our children and grandchildren. Lake Carlos is about as centrally located as we can find for those who have to drive the furthest and set up for both electric sites and tent sites. We want an electric site, and two other families have campers, so will need electric, the rest will be tenting it. We found a nice area that will accommodate everyone close to the public showers and bathrooms, all six sites are in one semi-private area on the far end of the loop, and there is ample room for children and pets. Now, it's just a matter of getting an approximate head count, figuring out which days will work best for everyone, and reserving the sites. Hopefully everything will work smoothly and everyone will be able to camp together for at least part of the five or six days we are reserving the sites for. |
I was doing some reviews and came across a poem, "Happy Father's Day"  by Prosperous Snow celebrating  that brought back a memory from my youth.I was in high school and had a terrible accident that lead to more problems and eventually I quit school. After a few months, I did return, but I went to a different school and stayed with a friend. His uncle, Jasper, was a true to life mountain man who had recently returned home because of some health issues. He had lived ten years in the Rocky Mountains as a mountain man. My friend and I, being teenagers, liked to go camping, but our camping trips consisted of some hotdogs, a 12 pack of beer, and staying out overnight a short distance from his house. Jasper showed us what real camping was all about. He would help us load up necessities in our packs and we would pick a general direction to start hiking. The necessities included some fishing line and hooks, his old flintlock riffle, lead balls and powder, flint and steel, water purifying tablets, three tin cups, a one quart kettle, our bedrolls (a heavy wool blanket we would roll into. He refused our sleeping bags, they didn't insulate if wet and took too long to dry out), and a change of cloths. Oh, and our canteens. We would gather water when we came across a river or stream, we fished for our meals, and if needed, he would shoot a squirrel or rabbit. On a few occasions we would have partridge if he could shot one on the ground or roosting, since anything other than a head-shot wouldn't leave much to eat. We slept on the ground in the open, under the stars, unless it was raining or looked like rain, then we would help him build a small shelter from pine boughs and branches. We never slept in the same spot, but would hike further each day. He insisted on everything being cleaned up and restored before we broke camp, and we often stayed out at least a week. Some days we didn't have much to eat, but he knew what we could pick and eat, how to find edible mushrooms, and even said we could eat various insects if we got hungry (this was more on the line of a threat if we complained). Being a kid, I did not pay attention to a lot of what he showed us, something I regret now. But, I still hold my love for camping, the more remote the better. "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| Today started with a lot of time to do what ever I decided I'd like to do, which was a lot of nothing, except spend time in here, since I'm still kind of tired from our road trip Wednesday; it was about a four hour drive over to my stepdaughters. One of her children, my granddaughter, was visiting from Montana. Because of certain events with the father, she was lost to adoption as a baby, so my wife and I had never met her. She is a charming young lady, kind of quiet, but very nice. We had a wonderful visit, stayed for homemade pizza, but then had to get going for the drive back around eight. It started out well, the weather was very warm all day and into the evening, but shortly after we left, fog rolled in. It was spotty at first, but soon became very dense. We should have had about three hours left to our return trip, but it ended up taking about five. Of course I was tense driving in near zero visibility, as well as straining to see through the grayness that enveloped us. But, we didn't have any issues or problems. Instead of lounging about in here and reading, as I had planned, we ended up having to drive over to another town to do some shopping. Shortly after we returned, we had company show up and spend the afternoon. After they left, I had to get busy cooking chicken on the pellet smoker for dinner, and now, finally, I have a bit of time to spend here. The company today was a surprise; completely unexpected! Last spring our two adopted daughters decided they didn't want to live with us anymore, or even have anything to do with us. The oldest one stopped by today to apologize. A very sincere, with lots of tears, apology. She didn't ask for anything, and confessed that she had expected us to turn her away after all she and her sister had put us through. It's another entry for tomorrow perhaps. |
| I'm pretty sure everyone is familiar with, "Sometimes you're the Bug, sometimes you're the windshield", or something similar. Yesterday, I was the bug! Yes, it was one of those kind of days. Actually, it started Wednesday evening when one of our neighbors came over right after we had let the dogs out for the last tie before bed. We gave them their treats, then settled in to watch a little TV before bed, when he knocked on the door. He doesn't come over often, only when he needs something, and this was no exception. His Straight Talk phone wasn't working right, and he needed to use a phone to talk to customer service to get it working right. I agreed to assist him, but it would have to wait until the next day, which was yesterday. Here I should explain a bit about him; he's a nice, elderly, guy who pretty much keeps to himself, unless he's having problems. He lives alone and is a bit of a hoarder, which isn't a problem for me. But, he is also not very clean. He doesn't shower often, wears the same cloths for weeks, and doesn't clean his apartment, doesn't take out his trash, and chain-smokes to the point that everything inside is stained yellowish-brown, not to mention he keeps it about 80 degrees inside and there is a constant fog of cigarette smoke. The day started out like most other days, I was up early and enjoyed some coffee while my wife and I talked about our plans for the day. She had a few things to do around the house, then planned on going over to her elderly mom's to do some cleaning, visiting, and then a bit of shopping before returning home. I planned on spending some time in WdC, going through the Community Newsfeed, engaging in some Small Talk, and wanted to try and pull a poem up from the depths of the abyss for Express It In Eight. I also wanted to try and get a blog entry done for Andre's Banana Bar before spending some time reading another Nameless book I had downloaded from Kindle Unlimited. But, I also had agreed to help our neighbor with is phone, so I wanted to get some of this done before I went over to assist, knowing I would want to shower and put on clean cloths upon returning. We spent about an hour in our Bible Studies, then she grabbed her guitar to do some practicing while I spent some time in WdC. But, her nephew is staying with us for the winter and got up a few minutes after she started her practice. She's just learning, and he sometimes gives her tips and advise. Wednesday, he decided to give tips, advise and instruction. This made it difficult for me to concentrate and focus, so I took the dogs out, then putzed around until it was time for her to leave for her mom's. Since I couldn't do much of anything else, I decided to get the unpleasant task of helping the neighbor out of the way. I could have asked him to do this at our house instead of his, but the dogs continuously try to lick his filthy clothing and we would have to clean and sterilize anything he came in contact with (seriously, he is that bad). But, after trying for about an hour, we were still waiting for someone to answer his call. So, I went back home with the unpleasant task of returning later in the evening, around seven. I showered, changed cloths and thought I would do my time in WdC, read, write, et... but, my wife's nephew decided to sit and visit, watch videos, and just hang out. Since I can't focus with a lot of noise and distractions, I decided to work on our dinner, my own recipe for red beans and rice. By the time I had dinner simmering, my wife was back home, so we visited a bit and then enjoyed dinner. After, it was back over to help the neighbor get his phone working. We got through to customer service after a half hour wait, then went through removing the sims card, turning the phone off and back on a few times, and then were told to hold for a specialist. But instead of being placed on hold, we were disconnected. We called again, we waited again, and we went through a lot more of the same questions, routines, and in the end were told it was something wrong with the phone. Up until now, all that was asked about the cellular data is if it was turned on. I took his phone, turned his data off, then turned it back on and the phone worked like a charm... After, he thanked me. I went back home, took another shower, changed into some comfortable clothing, and relaxed with a glass of Fireball, then off to bed; the day was shot and I hadn't accomplished anything I had planned on--just a bug! |
| To read or not to read is based on multiple things, one of which, is can I. Maybe not so much, "can I" but more like do I want to mess around with the item in question. You see (pun intended) more and more people using fancy fonts (comic and impact) as well as smaller fonts around WdC. This is fine, you can, and should use whatever you prefer. But, when writing for other people to read, keep i mind that not all of us have good eyesight. Many of us older types have difficulty with our eyes, but many younger people also have vision problems. So, if your typing something and use "comic" font, it is more difficult for some to read. If you also decrease your font size, it becomes close to impossible. And, if you type with impact font, it's all in code unless the reader copies it and deciphers it. I cannot speak for other people, even though I see posts and comments stating much the same, but as for me, I have neither the time or the desire to decipher something written in code. My opinion is, if you want me to read it, you'd write it so I can. This also goes for using comic font. Yes, I can read it if it's large enough, but I do find myself straining my eyes unless it's written in a larger than default font. When it's both comic and smaller font, I'll get a headache from reading. I also strain my eyes and have to stop reading completely to let them rest, which cuts into the time I have to spend on site, which is often too little already. So, if you want everyone to read what you've written, be considerate and use the default size or larger, especially if your using a font such as comic. I'm sure there are many individuals around here that would agree. As for me, I'm tired of straining my eyes to read something, so I just pass over it and move on. When I was in college, I took Writing Composition. Our instructor informed us that everything we wrote and turned in had to be in Times New Roman, 12 point font, written with black on white paper. Anything else would (and did) go right into the trash. I understand now why. If this sounds like a rant, it isn't. I really don't care how other's write, that's your choice. I just wanted to address this to let anyone who reads it know my reasoning and why I won't read items that are strain-full and difficult. One last thought, color also matters. It may look pretty, but some colors on some backgrounds are difficult for some of us to read. I don't mind reading colored items, but please, be thoughtful and ensure the contrast is not a source of eye strain. It's really quite simple, if you want people to read your writing, write so they can. There are additional items from other readers posted in the comments, such as: "Too many emoticons". Please read and leave any addition content you feel should be included. Thank you A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
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