Dear Friends,
Our Monday went as planned except for a few changes. I once again left the house first. I decided to go to Lee, and spruce up the inside of the family home. While I was doing my thing, my sister and my father were with Mom for her two appointments in Pittsfield. I think that I had the easier job, but the sprucing up took almost three hours.
Speaking of Mom, a family and doctor decision was made yesterday that Mom needs some more time in the nursing home. These medical issues have to be resolved before she will be going back home.
After a lunch at our home, Linda went off for an unscheduled dentist appointment. The tooth, which was fixed a few weeks ago, had to be redone. If I heard Linda correctly, the dentist fixed the problem free of charge.
Last evening, Linda went off to her monthly session of BONCO while I finished savoring another book. This one was longer than the "Jessie Stone" short ones. It took me a couple of days to finish the over 500 page book.
Social Calendar -- We have to vote in our Ward today. The polls open from 8 AM until 8 PM. I will vote when the polls open, and then head off to visit Mom at the Nursing Home. Linda has to vote, go in for a body maintenance procedure, and then go to her regular session Tuesday Mah Jongg session from 11:30 AM until 4:30 PM.
Our day won't end until after we attend, what hopefully will be, a victory party for the candidate whom we are supporting. The victory party takes place at the Italian American Club.
Of, course, we could continue on, and party at the Tuesday evening Irish Session at O'Laughlin's Pub. I am betting we will be too tired to do so.
Politics -- Nothing exciting that caught my eye this morning.
Weather-- Today might be the best day of the week. We are at the 32 degree mark right now, but we are going to warm up into the low 50's. It will be a sunny day.
Observation -- I have always contended that the Northeast is not a bad place to live if you can put up with the winters. The natural disasters which do occur in the Northeast are minimal compared to what is going on in other parts of the country. I couldn't bear thought of losing a home to spring flooding, wild fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, mudslides, etc.
It is also difficult to believe that today is the last day of March. Time seems to be flying by. Enjoy every moment that you are on this earth.
Well, I have to grab that second of coffee before finishing my morning routine.
Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Hello on Monday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Sunday went as planned except that I didn't stop in to visit Mother dear.
Speaking of Mother, my father has decided that Mom will be taken care of at home. We haven't worked out all the details, but it is going to happen this week. Yes, we will need to arrange health care workers, and the Lee Visiting Nurse Association to help with the care.
Mom does have two appointments today, and we will go from there. The saga continues!
The Cotsco trip on Sunday went well. The free food wasn't their best offerings on this day. After loading up the trunk of the car with stuff from Costco's, we (there were four of us) decided to eat a Carabba's in West Springfield. The food was great, and we have some leftover's to enjoy today.
I even came home in time to eventually watch four sporting contests. The sporting contests were NCAA Basketball, Tiger Woods coming from behind, and making a birdie putt on the final hole for a win, the Boston Celtics, and the Boston Bruins winning their games also. I even savored a few more pages of my latest book while watching all of these sporting contests.
Politics -- I never did watch Obama on the Sunday morning talk show. I was working on a computer project for Linda. If I wasn't so technically challenged, the project would have taken no time at all.
News -- Even though I am not allowed to have a Face Book account because I often get myself in trouble, I did read about a crime that was solved by a woman who broadcast to all of her friends about the car window smashing incident which happened in her neighborhood. As the story kept on being passed on to friend after friend, an 18 year old boy was eventually apprehended on the street where the vandalism occurred. The woman's husband, who disliked the concept of Face Book, was now singing its praises.
Social Calendar -- Linda has BONCO this evening at a friend's home at 7 PM. My sister, Dad, and I will be with Mom at her two appointments for most of the day. The appointments take place at the hospital, and at the Medical Arts Complex next door.
Weather -- It did rain and hail, and we did have thunder and lightening while I was watching my sporting contests.
We are in for another cool and damp day with the chance of more showers.
Our friend from the eastern end of the State has finished his last round of Chemo. It is now a matter of getting his body to return to a state where he can resume his normal activities. He has been "to hell and back" as the saying goes. Let the good times role!
Have a great week at work or play.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Sunday went as planned except that I didn't stop in to visit Mother dear.
Speaking of Mother, my father has decided that Mom will be taken care of at home. We haven't worked out all the details, but it is going to happen this week. Yes, we will need to arrange health care workers, and the Lee Visiting Nurse Association to help with the care.
Mom does have two appointments today, and we will go from there. The saga continues!
The Cotsco trip on Sunday went well. The free food wasn't their best offerings on this day. After loading up the trunk of the car with stuff from Costco's, we (there were four of us) decided to eat a Carabba's in West Springfield. The food was great, and we have some leftover's to enjoy today.
I even came home in time to eventually watch four sporting contests. The sporting contests were NCAA Basketball, Tiger Woods coming from behind, and making a birdie putt on the final hole for a win, the Boston Celtics, and the Boston Bruins winning their games also. I even savored a few more pages of my latest book while watching all of these sporting contests.
Politics -- I never did watch Obama on the Sunday morning talk show. I was working on a computer project for Linda. If I wasn't so technically challenged, the project would have taken no time at all.
News -- Even though I am not allowed to have a Face Book account because I often get myself in trouble, I did read about a crime that was solved by a woman who broadcast to all of her friends about the car window smashing incident which happened in her neighborhood. As the story kept on being passed on to friend after friend, an 18 year old boy was eventually apprehended on the street where the vandalism occurred. The woman's husband, who disliked the concept of Face Book, was now singing its praises.
Social Calendar -- Linda has BONCO this evening at a friend's home at 7 PM. My sister, Dad, and I will be with Mom at her two appointments for most of the day. The appointments take place at the hospital, and at the Medical Arts Complex next door.
Weather -- It did rain and hail, and we did have thunder and lightening while I was watching my sporting contests.
We are in for another cool and damp day with the chance of more showers.
Our friend from the eastern end of the State has finished his last round of Chemo. It is now a matter of getting his body to return to a state where he can resume his normal activities. He has been "to hell and back" as the saying goes. Let the good times role!
Have a great week at work or play.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Hello on Sunday Morning
Dear Friends,
I was the first one to leave the house on Saturday. I visited Mom at the nursing home. Since the weather was nice, I wheeled her to an outdoor patio, and we got her some go old fresh air instead of breathing in the not so nice odors of the nursing home. Unknown to me, Dad came to visit while we were in the internal courtyard. No one at the nursing home knew where we were, but eventually Dad found us.
When I arrived home, Linda was just about ready to go out with her girlfriend. Since the weather was so nice, I should have done some yard work. Not! This retiree seems to do a good deal of procrastinating.
I decided to savor another book while watching some college basketball.
Linda walks in the house with a handful of stuff during the mid afternoon, and I thought she was done with her recreational shopping. She went off on her own to Walmart. She even asked if I wanted to go with her. My response was "No". She walked in at 7 PM with more treasures, but these were some basic necessities.
What to do for supper? We deiced to go to the East Side and use a pizza coupon that she got at one of those radio auctions.
"Spring Showers bring May Flowers" as the saying goes. We are in for a day of mostly rain, but the temperatures are only going to be in low 50's.
Politics -- Obama is going to be on one of the Sunday morning talk shows. I can't wait!
News -- How about the white guy who stole over 6oo bags at airports in Texas? He would wait until he saw the same bag go round and round with nobody there trying to pick it up. He got caught by accident when he went to sell one of the bags. A guy who bought one of the pilfered bags found a luggage tag in it, and he called the name of the person who was on the tag. This set the wheels in motion for a police investigation, and eventually they caught the thief.
I have been in very few airports where you have to show security your luggage receipts that match the tags on your bag.
Social Calendar -- I might be a participant in a trip to the nearest Cotsco's today (an hour away) with Linda and her girlfriend. If I get tired of shopping, I can eat my way through the free food samples. With the rainy forecast, I am betting the store will be packed. On second thought, I may just stay home and finish savoring my book.
Well, I have two newspapers to read as well as some computer stuff to do for Linda.
Have a great Sunday!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
I was the first one to leave the house on Saturday. I visited Mom at the nursing home. Since the weather was nice, I wheeled her to an outdoor patio, and we got her some go old fresh air instead of breathing in the not so nice odors of the nursing home. Unknown to me, Dad came to visit while we were in the internal courtyard. No one at the nursing home knew where we were, but eventually Dad found us.
When I arrived home, Linda was just about ready to go out with her girlfriend. Since the weather was so nice, I should have done some yard work. Not! This retiree seems to do a good deal of procrastinating.
I decided to savor another book while watching some college basketball.
Linda walks in the house with a handful of stuff during the mid afternoon, and I thought she was done with her recreational shopping. She went off on her own to Walmart. She even asked if I wanted to go with her. My response was "No". She walked in at 7 PM with more treasures, but these were some basic necessities.
What to do for supper? We deiced to go to the East Side and use a pizza coupon that she got at one of those radio auctions.
"Spring Showers bring May Flowers" as the saying goes. We are in for a day of mostly rain, but the temperatures are only going to be in low 50's.
Politics -- Obama is going to be on one of the Sunday morning talk shows. I can't wait!
News -- How about the white guy who stole over 6oo bags at airports in Texas? He would wait until he saw the same bag go round and round with nobody there trying to pick it up. He got caught by accident when he went to sell one of the bags. A guy who bought one of the pilfered bags found a luggage tag in it, and he called the name of the person who was on the tag. This set the wheels in motion for a police investigation, and eventually they caught the thief.
I have been in very few airports where you have to show security your luggage receipts that match the tags on your bag.
Social Calendar -- I might be a participant in a trip to the nearest Cotsco's today (an hour away) with Linda and her girlfriend. If I get tired of shopping, I can eat my way through the free food samples. With the rainy forecast, I am betting the store will be packed. On second thought, I may just stay home and finish savoring my book.
Well, I have two newspapers to read as well as some computer stuff to do for Linda.
Have a great Sunday!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Hello on Saturday Morning
Dear Friends,
Friday went as planned.
Linda's eye exam lasted three hours. Yes, this is not an exaggeration. This is why I never ask her if she wants me to take herto the Optometrist. The new multi-hundred dollar glasses will be arriving soon. My next pair will be similar in price too. I might wait until next year to make an appointment.
Linda and I dined separately on Friday night. As I was gorging myself at Cranwell Resort & Spa, I was asking myself what I was really doing? I really didn't need all the food that was available from appetizers to desserts. It would have more healthy for me if I went with Linda and a couple of friends to the Shamrock and had a Chef's salad.
The editor of the Berkshire gave his support to the person running against my friend. I am hoping that the endorsement doesn't mean much, but you never know.
I finished savoring another book just before starting this e-mail. The was a Michael Palmer book called "The Second Opinion". It was a bit longer than the two Jessie Stone books which I read.
Social Calendar -- I don't see anything listed on the calendar, but that usually changes quite quickly.
Politics -- I am still trying to figure out the mind of a suicide bomber. To kill 40 people at a place of worship doesn't make sense to me. Religion does seem to be a major factor of many of the bad things going on in the world today.
Even the Pope, with his stance on condom use, has caused quite a stir in the world. The world is changing and evolving, should the religions of the world be doing the same. The fire and brimstone teachings, and that we humans are sinners by nature might have to be looked at. The old ways don't always work.
The website for grocery store didn't prove to be fruitful. I could call up the grocery store flier, but the not the $1 off coupons. Oh Darn!
Have a great Saturday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Friday went as planned.
Linda's eye exam lasted three hours. Yes, this is not an exaggeration. This is why I never ask her if she wants me to take herto the Optometrist. The new multi-hundred dollar glasses will be arriving soon. My next pair will be similar in price too. I might wait until next year to make an appointment.
Linda and I dined separately on Friday night. As I was gorging myself at Cranwell Resort & Spa, I was asking myself what I was really doing? I really didn't need all the food that was available from appetizers to desserts. It would have more healthy for me if I went with Linda and a couple of friends to the Shamrock and had a Chef's salad.
The editor of the Berkshire gave his support to the person running against my friend. I am hoping that the endorsement doesn't mean much, but you never know.
I finished savoring another book just before starting this e-mail. The was a Michael Palmer book called "The Second Opinion". It was a bit longer than the two Jessie Stone books which I read.
Social Calendar -- I don't see anything listed on the calendar, but that usually changes quite quickly.
Politics -- I am still trying to figure out the mind of a suicide bomber. To kill 40 people at a place of worship doesn't make sense to me. Religion does seem to be a major factor of many of the bad things going on in the world today.
Even the Pope, with his stance on condom use, has caused quite a stir in the world. The world is changing and evolving, should the religions of the world be doing the same. The fire and brimstone teachings, and that we humans are sinners by nature might have to be looked at. The old ways don't always work.
The website for grocery store didn't prove to be fruitful. I could call up the grocery store flier, but the not the $1 off coupons. Oh Darn!
Have a great Saturday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Friday, March 27, 2009
Hello on Friday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Thursday went as planned for the most part. My hairstylist did a wonderful job on my hair. We had to vacuum the floor, our bodies, and the chair. If it was warmer, Linda would have cut my hair outdoors so that the birds could recycle my hair for their nests.
Speaking of the outdoors, a friend who lives in a neighboring hill town said that the bears have emerged from their winter hibernation. The females will be teaching their newborn cubs where to go for an easy meal especially at the bird feeders in our yard.
Linda and I did visit Mom in Lee. After an hour and one half visit with Mom, we did do lunch at an eatery in Lee.
We then headed to a grocery store which had some dollar off coupons. Linda was carrying her coupons from the Sunday newspaper also. Since Linda knows her prices, we bought specific items where the coupons doubled. Linda loved it when the clerk and the sales slip said that she saved $36 dollars. Linda was thinking of asking friends who don't shop at the "Big Y" to give her their sales flier.
Fence mending -- I spent a couple hours at the Italian American Club with my friends who knew I made a little political mistake thus losing a major food donor. They said "Curley don't worry about it!" They got the food loss covered, and they told me about some other things that better not go into this e-mail.
While at the Italian American Club, I met a former member of UNICO. I went through the whole scenario of what I said. He sort of laughed, and said what trivial stuff this really is. He has a wife who has lung cancer (never smoked, and a runner well into her early seventies). She was told that she had four months to live. He said that he has prostate cancer, and colon cancer. Since he is a carpenter, they are thinking that his wife got the cancer from cleaning his clothes which were often loaded with asbestos type of materials. Like he said, "In the scheme of things, what is the big deal of making thirty or forty pounds of pasta, or making a few containers of egg plant Parmesan, in comparison to waking up daily dealing with life or death issues."
This is why I tell people that "Life is good". Sometimes I have to be reminded of that. Focusing on the little stuff will kill you. Enjoy life every waking moment that you are on earth.
While I was at the club, the candidate whom I supported had to leave. They took his 82 year old father to the hospital. His father has been dealing off and on with colon cancer for years. Here we go again --> Life and death issues take precedent over any of the other stuff.
Social Calendar -- I am on my own this evening. A bunch of us UNICO brothers are going off to a soccer fund raiser after some visibility sign holding for our candidate at 4 PM at a busy intersection. We will then head off to Cranwell Resort & Spa for a Gourmet Dinner like the one which we had at my installation, and not the typical pasta fundraiser. If they were taking their wives, Linda would have been joining me.
Yes, I will squeeze in a visit with Mom at some point today.
Politics -- More U.S. troops are heading to Afghanistan. The war on terrorism is never ending.
Of course there is the usual mayhem throughout the rest of the world.
My sports talk radio program, that I usually put on to help me to get me to go to sleep, actually kept me awake. They brought up the topic of a police chase of the Professional Football Player trying to get his wife to see her mother just before she died of breast cancer. The football player had his flashers on, and stopped, and went through a Red Light. A policeman, with three years experience, chased the car to a hospital parking lot. By the time that the officer got the car and the driver under control, his mother-in-law died while the policeman was arguing with the football player. I can see both sides of the story since four policeman were killed a few days ago in Oakland, CA at a routine traffic stop. Do bad guys drive their cars to a hospital with their flasher lights on? Common sense didn't prevail!
I have to finish my morning routine.
Hope that you all have a great weekend.
The Curley's will be having one for sure.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Thursday went as planned for the most part. My hairstylist did a wonderful job on my hair. We had to vacuum the floor, our bodies, and the chair. If it was warmer, Linda would have cut my hair outdoors so that the birds could recycle my hair for their nests.
Speaking of the outdoors, a friend who lives in a neighboring hill town said that the bears have emerged from their winter hibernation. The females will be teaching their newborn cubs where to go for an easy meal especially at the bird feeders in our yard.
Linda and I did visit Mom in Lee. After an hour and one half visit with Mom, we did do lunch at an eatery in Lee.
We then headed to a grocery store which had some dollar off coupons. Linda was carrying her coupons from the Sunday newspaper also. Since Linda knows her prices, we bought specific items where the coupons doubled. Linda loved it when the clerk and the sales slip said that she saved $36 dollars. Linda was thinking of asking friends who don't shop at the "Big Y" to give her their sales flier.
Fence mending -- I spent a couple hours at the Italian American Club with my friends who knew I made a little political mistake thus losing a major food donor. They said "Curley don't worry about it!" They got the food loss covered, and they told me about some other things that better not go into this e-mail.
While at the Italian American Club, I met a former member of UNICO. I went through the whole scenario of what I said. He sort of laughed, and said what trivial stuff this really is. He has a wife who has lung cancer (never smoked, and a runner well into her early seventies). She was told that she had four months to live. He said that he has prostate cancer, and colon cancer. Since he is a carpenter, they are thinking that his wife got the cancer from cleaning his clothes which were often loaded with asbestos type of materials. Like he said, "In the scheme of things, what is the big deal of making thirty or forty pounds of pasta, or making a few containers of egg plant Parmesan, in comparison to waking up daily dealing with life or death issues."
This is why I tell people that "Life is good". Sometimes I have to be reminded of that. Focusing on the little stuff will kill you. Enjoy life every waking moment that you are on earth.
While I was at the club, the candidate whom I supported had to leave. They took his 82 year old father to the hospital. His father has been dealing off and on with colon cancer for years. Here we go again --> Life and death issues take precedent over any of the other stuff.
Social Calendar -- I am on my own this evening. A bunch of us UNICO brothers are going off to a soccer fund raiser after some visibility sign holding for our candidate at 4 PM at a busy intersection. We will then head off to Cranwell Resort & Spa for a Gourmet Dinner like the one which we had at my installation, and not the typical pasta fundraiser. If they were taking their wives, Linda would have been joining me.
Yes, I will squeeze in a visit with Mom at some point today.
Politics -- More U.S. troops are heading to Afghanistan. The war on terrorism is never ending.
Of course there is the usual mayhem throughout the rest of the world.
My sports talk radio program, that I usually put on to help me to get me to go to sleep, actually kept me awake. They brought up the topic of a police chase of the Professional Football Player trying to get his wife to see her mother just before she died of breast cancer. The football player had his flashers on, and stopped, and went through a Red Light. A policeman, with three years experience, chased the car to a hospital parking lot. By the time that the officer got the car and the driver under control, his mother-in-law died while the policeman was arguing with the football player. I can see both sides of the story since four policeman were killed a few days ago in Oakland, CA at a routine traffic stop. Do bad guys drive their cars to a hospital with their flasher lights on? Common sense didn't prevail!
I have to finish my morning routine.
Hope that you all have a great weekend.
The Curley's will be having one for sure.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Hello on Thursday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Wednesday went as planned for the most part. I headed off to visit dear old dad, and removed at least five bucket's (five gallon size)of sand which were deposited on his driveway throughout the winter. I vacuumed the driveway. Yes, you heard it correctly! I used my Sears 16 Amp wet vac to do the laborious job. I did convince my father that next year we would stick to environment friendly salt, and skip the free sand and salt mixture from the town of Lee.
I did go from the family home in Lee to visit Mom at the Laurel Lake nursing home. She seemed in pretty good spirits for her first night back there. She told me that she fell trying to get up to go the bathroom without assistance. Luckily she didn't hurt herself.
The movie event did happen, but I wasn't invited. Linda went to the movies with a girl friend. They saw one of newest movies with Julia Roberts. Linda hated it it which means I would have been checking my watch every 5 minutes.
There was no food involved before or after the event since her friend just had gastric bypass surgery. I was assuming that I wouldn't see Linda for supper, so I fired up the grill and cooked some chicken leg quarters (which Linda doesn't love). Linda whipped up some rice, and peas, and we ate a coordinated meal.
I finished savoring another book. These last series of books are from the author who created the "Jessie Stone" series of books. Every once and a while, we see one of the books turned into a "made for television" event. The books are so short that they are easily adapted to television.
I got myself in trouble the other day while doing one of my two radio interviews. There is a political race going on our our ward, and I made a comment that "One candidate ( I used her name) knows that I have two signs in my yard for the other candidate (I used his name)." It seems like a harmless comment, but I have written two letters to the editor supporting the other candidate besides making this comment. Her husband is a member of UNICO, and I am President of UNICO, and I did say that the UNICO organization was apolitical. Well, her husband got so upset (but I think that it was her campaign people) that he is withdrawing his help, with respect to food, for two of our major fundraisers. His family is in the restaurant business. I will be spending a good portion of the day trying to find a replacement for the mess that I created.
Actually, I felt like the President when he made the Special Olympic comment. The only problem with what I said is the fact that our ward has a heavy Italian block of voters. Italians never forget, they get even!
On a happier note, did anyone read Dear Abby yesterday? A college girl was seeking advice about her roommate. It seems that her roommate invited a boy to their room the other evening. While this girl was sleeping in the top bunk, her roommate was having sex with her boyfriend in the bed below. The rocking and rolling, and the moaning and groaning below woke the girl up on the top bunk. What advice would you give the girl on the top bunk?
Social Calendar -- The first thing on my agenda is for me to get a hair cut. Linda is so good at it that I don't trust anyone else.
I think that we will head off to Lee, and visit Mom, and then do lunch at an eatery in Lee.
Weather -- It is a balmy 26 degrees right now. The forecasters have predicted a warm up in the lower 50's with rain coming in this evening.
Politics -- You will have to go to CNN.com yourself to see what is going on with the political front. There is the usual mayhem going on throughout the world.
There is a constant theme in war against terror or whatever you want to call it. We bomb, and then we are expected to be an integral part of the rebuilding. I got behind a car the other day with a big sign in the rear window. The sign said that "War is not the answer."
Have a great Thursday.
I have to mend some fences before mine day turns into a good one. The Curley Lad
Our Wednesday went as planned for the most part. I headed off to visit dear old dad, and removed at least five bucket's (five gallon size)of sand which were deposited on his driveway throughout the winter. I vacuumed the driveway. Yes, you heard it correctly! I used my Sears 16 Amp wet vac to do the laborious job. I did convince my father that next year we would stick to environment friendly salt, and skip the free sand and salt mixture from the town of Lee.
I did go from the family home in Lee to visit Mom at the Laurel Lake nursing home. She seemed in pretty good spirits for her first night back there. She told me that she fell trying to get up to go the bathroom without assistance. Luckily she didn't hurt herself.
The movie event did happen, but I wasn't invited. Linda went to the movies with a girl friend. They saw one of newest movies with Julia Roberts. Linda hated it it which means I would have been checking my watch every 5 minutes.
There was no food involved before or after the event since her friend just had gastric bypass surgery. I was assuming that I wouldn't see Linda for supper, so I fired up the grill and cooked some chicken leg quarters (which Linda doesn't love). Linda whipped up some rice, and peas, and we ate a coordinated meal.
I finished savoring another book. These last series of books are from the author who created the "Jessie Stone" series of books. Every once and a while, we see one of the books turned into a "made for television" event. The books are so short that they are easily adapted to television.
I got myself in trouble the other day while doing one of my two radio interviews. There is a political race going on our our ward, and I made a comment that "One candidate ( I used her name) knows that I have two signs in my yard for the other candidate (I used his name)." It seems like a harmless comment, but I have written two letters to the editor supporting the other candidate besides making this comment. Her husband is a member of UNICO, and I am President of UNICO, and I did say that the UNICO organization was apolitical. Well, her husband got so upset (but I think that it was her campaign people) that he is withdrawing his help, with respect to food, for two of our major fundraisers. His family is in the restaurant business. I will be spending a good portion of the day trying to find a replacement for the mess that I created.
Actually, I felt like the President when he made the Special Olympic comment. The only problem with what I said is the fact that our ward has a heavy Italian block of voters. Italians never forget, they get even!
On a happier note, did anyone read Dear Abby yesterday? A college girl was seeking advice about her roommate. It seems that her roommate invited a boy to their room the other evening. While this girl was sleeping in the top bunk, her roommate was having sex with her boyfriend in the bed below. The rocking and rolling, and the moaning and groaning below woke the girl up on the top bunk. What advice would you give the girl on the top bunk?
Social Calendar -- The first thing on my agenda is for me to get a hair cut. Linda is so good at it that I don't trust anyone else.
I think that we will head off to Lee, and visit Mom, and then do lunch at an eatery in Lee.
Weather -- It is a balmy 26 degrees right now. The forecasters have predicted a warm up in the lower 50's with rain coming in this evening.
Politics -- You will have to go to CNN.com yourself to see what is going on with the political front. There is the usual mayhem going on throughout the world.
There is a constant theme in war against terror or whatever you want to call it. We bomb, and then we are expected to be an integral part of the rebuilding. I got behind a car the other day with a big sign in the rear window. The sign said that "War is not the answer."
Have a great Thursday.
I have to mend some fences before mine day turns into a good one. The Curley Lad
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Hello on Wednesday Morning
Dear Friends,
Linda and I both had a long Tuesday. As I suspected she did overdose on Mah Jongg. Her usual Tuesday day session went well, but I think that she came home exhausted after the evening session. I was in bed trying to stay up and watch the 10 PM news, and I missed most of it until a loud commercial woke me up. I think that she came home near 11 PM.
My day started with me savoring a complete book from 5:30 AM until 9:30 AM. I quickly got dressed , and headed off to see dear old mom at the hospital. When the case worker saw me, she set the discharge paperwork in motion. By 2:30 PM, we were exiting the hospital. Mom was put in a wheel chair, and got a ride in a "Cabulance" to the Laurel Lake Rehabilitation Center in Lee. I arrived about 5 minutes after the Cabualnce arrived. Dad met us at the door.
After we got Mom settled, I said my "Goodbye's", and headed home.
I will be off to see Mom at some point today.
While I was dealing with Mom, my sister was flying in from Arizona to Hartford. She was going to visit Mom on her way back to Pittsfield.
The saga continues.
On a happier note, I think that our calendar is totally free today. We haven't had a free day in over two weeks. We might even catch a movie if all goes well.
Politics -- I watched the second half of our President's Speech last evening because I was reading another book, and I forgot that the President was addressing the nation. Actually, I got caught up in a Red Sox vs Yankees preseason baseball game which the Sox eventually lost.
When the person whom you support is speaking, you always thinks that his speech, and the way he answered questions was great.
I did see where Jindal from Louisiana, and a few of his Republican friends want the President to fail in his approach to solving the crisis which we are in. Jindal is one of the few governors who doesn't want to take any stimulus Package money from the Federal Government. I would bet that the constituents from his State are not in agreement with him. His State is still dealing with the aftermath of the Katrina hurricane, and could use as much Federal help as he can get.
Weather -- It is going to warm up today (50's today) before the active pattern throughout the United States heads us, in the Northeast, back to the cooler temperatures. We have some rain coming in later on in the week.
I was thinking about many of our friends who left for Florida just after Christmas. They left with the ground covered with snow, and ice, and they will be returning to spring like temperatures. While I was firing up the snow blower, and shoveling the steps, they were walking on the beaches in summer wear. I used every winter coat, set of boots, and hats, and gloves, drilled holes through ice over 15 inches thick while ice-fishing while some of my friends were playing tennis, Bocce, and playing golf, and jumping in hot tubs.
Our golf courses are finally starting to thaw out, and they will be opening pretty soon.
Am I rethinking the way that retired people should be spending their winters? Many of our friends, have already booked in the winter months to places which have warmer climates. Should Linda and I be doing the same thing?
Have to go, and finish my morning routine. Part of the morning routine might be getting a little trim from my hairstylist, and wife. My hair is starting to be a little wild. I don't want to scare the grandchild the next time that we go to visit her.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Linda and I both had a long Tuesday. As I suspected she did overdose on Mah Jongg. Her usual Tuesday day session went well, but I think that she came home exhausted after the evening session. I was in bed trying to stay up and watch the 10 PM news, and I missed most of it until a loud commercial woke me up. I think that she came home near 11 PM.
My day started with me savoring a complete book from 5:30 AM until 9:30 AM. I quickly got dressed , and headed off to see dear old mom at the hospital. When the case worker saw me, she set the discharge paperwork in motion. By 2:30 PM, we were exiting the hospital. Mom was put in a wheel chair, and got a ride in a "Cabulance" to the Laurel Lake Rehabilitation Center in Lee. I arrived about 5 minutes after the Cabualnce arrived. Dad met us at the door.
After we got Mom settled, I said my "Goodbye's", and headed home.
I will be off to see Mom at some point today.
While I was dealing with Mom, my sister was flying in from Arizona to Hartford. She was going to visit Mom on her way back to Pittsfield.
The saga continues.
On a happier note, I think that our calendar is totally free today. We haven't had a free day in over two weeks. We might even catch a movie if all goes well.
Politics -- I watched the second half of our President's Speech last evening because I was reading another book, and I forgot that the President was addressing the nation. Actually, I got caught up in a Red Sox vs Yankees preseason baseball game which the Sox eventually lost.
When the person whom you support is speaking, you always thinks that his speech, and the way he answered questions was great.
I did see where Jindal from Louisiana, and a few of his Republican friends want the President to fail in his approach to solving the crisis which we are in. Jindal is one of the few governors who doesn't want to take any stimulus Package money from the Federal Government. I would bet that the constituents from his State are not in agreement with him. His State is still dealing with the aftermath of the Katrina hurricane, and could use as much Federal help as he can get.
Weather -- It is going to warm up today (50's today) before the active pattern throughout the United States heads us, in the Northeast, back to the cooler temperatures. We have some rain coming in later on in the week.
I was thinking about many of our friends who left for Florida just after Christmas. They left with the ground covered with snow, and ice, and they will be returning to spring like temperatures. While I was firing up the snow blower, and shoveling the steps, they were walking on the beaches in summer wear. I used every winter coat, set of boots, and hats, and gloves, drilled holes through ice over 15 inches thick while ice-fishing while some of my friends were playing tennis, Bocce, and playing golf, and jumping in hot tubs.
Our golf courses are finally starting to thaw out, and they will be opening pretty soon.
Am I rethinking the way that retired people should be spending their winters? Many of our friends, have already booked in the winter months to places which have warmer climates. Should Linda and I be doing the same thing?
Have to go, and finish my morning routine. Part of the morning routine might be getting a little trim from my hairstylist, and wife. My hair is starting to be a little wild. I don't want to scare the grandchild the next time that we go to visit her.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Hello on Tuesday Morning
Dear Friends,
It never made it to 30 degrees on the North side of the house on Monday. The poor Robins were not successful finding a worm on our frozen lawn. The Robins had to turn to another source of food on Monday.
It is in the teens as I start this e-mail, and we are going to be a little warmer today than yesterday, but the warmth (mid forties) won't arrive until the mid-afternoon.
I made it through two radio broadcasts on Monday before visiting Mom at the hospital. I have a feeling that Mom might be discharged today. She is not ready to go home right now so she will be transported to the Laurel Lake facility.
After leaving the hospital, I headed home to help Linda haul and rearrange buckets, and clean up the storage area in the basement. Easter and spring decorations are in every room of the house, but we have to get the weather to cooperate. Warmer weather is coming our way toward the end of the week.
I just read an article about cutting down on red meat if you want to live longer. We had pot roast last evening, and it was wonderful. We couldn't invite any friends to join us because the roast was on the small side. The crock pot did a wonderful job cooking the roast and all the vegetables. It was so yummy, and those good odors permeated the house all day long.
Linda and her girl friends had a great time playing Mah Jongg at our house last evening.
Today Linda is going to overdose on Mah Jongg. She has her usual Tuesday session (11:30 AM until 4:30 PM) as well as an evening session at a friend's home in a neighboring town. Linda has now entered the super sub category.
Her Pittsfield High School Red Hat group wants to learn how to play Mah Jongg. There are 12 to 16 women who have expressed an interest to learn the game. Linda will be one of the teachers for sure.
I don't have anything on my social calendar except to deal with dear old Mom. I thought that she was in good spirits on Monday. The medical staff thought that she was doing well. The swelling in her leg is almost nonexistent. The antibiotics must be working very well. Now we have to get the strength in both of her legs back so that eventually she can return home. She hasn't been in her own home since Christmas.
I suppose that I could go off to the Irish Session at O'Laughlin's Pub this evening for some fun and merriment while Linda is playing Mah Jongg. Sometimes it is so difficult to leave the comfort of your own home when the nights are so cool.
Politics -- AIG, the Stimulus Plan, the Republicans finding fault with every move the President makes (which the Democrats did when President Bush was running the country, but for just causes) seems to be the constant themes of the day. The stock market did go up almost 500 points on Monday. Somebody must have confidence in President Obama and his staff as well as the direction which the Democrats have this country heading in. Like I said in previous e-mails --> Give this administration a chance to right the ship.
Sports -- I didn't watch the Boston Celtics win their game last evening, but I did finish savoring another book. I used three days instead of the normal one or two for this book.
Kevin and The Phantom Gourmet -- The short segment about Kevin's Pizza, Paninni, and Pasta restaurant called "Dough" which was taped by the producers by The Phantom Gourmet in Boston, was fun to watch. I wish that we could have seen the clip on television instead of on the laptop, but we did get the gist of what kind of foods that are prepared by Kevin and his partner at "Dough East Boston". To get free advertising, which will reach over 2 million viewers, is a wonderful thing. I would bet that the telephone at "Dough" never stops ringing after every rebroadcast.
Well, I have to finish my morning routine before heading off to the hospital.
Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
It never made it to 30 degrees on the North side of the house on Monday. The poor Robins were not successful finding a worm on our frozen lawn. The Robins had to turn to another source of food on Monday.
It is in the teens as I start this e-mail, and we are going to be a little warmer today than yesterday, but the warmth (mid forties) won't arrive until the mid-afternoon.
I made it through two radio broadcasts on Monday before visiting Mom at the hospital. I have a feeling that Mom might be discharged today. She is not ready to go home right now so she will be transported to the Laurel Lake facility.
After leaving the hospital, I headed home to help Linda haul and rearrange buckets, and clean up the storage area in the basement. Easter and spring decorations are in every room of the house, but we have to get the weather to cooperate. Warmer weather is coming our way toward the end of the week.
I just read an article about cutting down on red meat if you want to live longer. We had pot roast last evening, and it was wonderful. We couldn't invite any friends to join us because the roast was on the small side. The crock pot did a wonderful job cooking the roast and all the vegetables. It was so yummy, and those good odors permeated the house all day long.
Linda and her girl friends had a great time playing Mah Jongg at our house last evening.
Today Linda is going to overdose on Mah Jongg. She has her usual Tuesday session (11:30 AM until 4:30 PM) as well as an evening session at a friend's home in a neighboring town. Linda has now entered the super sub category.
Her Pittsfield High School Red Hat group wants to learn how to play Mah Jongg. There are 12 to 16 women who have expressed an interest to learn the game. Linda will be one of the teachers for sure.
I don't have anything on my social calendar except to deal with dear old Mom. I thought that she was in good spirits on Monday. The medical staff thought that she was doing well. The swelling in her leg is almost nonexistent. The antibiotics must be working very well. Now we have to get the strength in both of her legs back so that eventually she can return home. She hasn't been in her own home since Christmas.
I suppose that I could go off to the Irish Session at O'Laughlin's Pub this evening for some fun and merriment while Linda is playing Mah Jongg. Sometimes it is so difficult to leave the comfort of your own home when the nights are so cool.
Politics -- AIG, the Stimulus Plan, the Republicans finding fault with every move the President makes (which the Democrats did when President Bush was running the country, but for just causes) seems to be the constant themes of the day. The stock market did go up almost 500 points on Monday. Somebody must have confidence in President Obama and his staff as well as the direction which the Democrats have this country heading in. Like I said in previous e-mails --> Give this administration a chance to right the ship.
Sports -- I didn't watch the Boston Celtics win their game last evening, but I did finish savoring another book. I used three days instead of the normal one or two for this book.
Kevin and The Phantom Gourmet -- The short segment about Kevin's Pizza, Paninni, and Pasta restaurant called "Dough" which was taped by the producers by The Phantom Gourmet in Boston, was fun to watch. I wish that we could have seen the clip on television instead of on the laptop, but we did get the gist of what kind of foods that are prepared by Kevin and his partner at "Dough East Boston". To get free advertising, which will reach over 2 million viewers, is a wonderful thing. I would bet that the telephone at "Dough" never stops ringing after every rebroadcast.
Well, I have to finish my morning routine before heading off to the hospital.
Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Hello on Tuesday Morning
Dear Friends,
It never made it to 30 degrees on the North side of the house on Monday. The poor Robins were not successful finding a worm on our frozen lawn. The Robins had to turn to another source of food on Monday.
It is in the teens as I start this e-mail, and we are going to be a little warmer today than yesterday, but the warmth (mid forties) won't arrive until the mid-afternoon.
I made it through two radio broadcasts on Monday before visiting Mom at the hospital. I have a feeling that Mom might be discharged today. She is not ready to go home right now so she will be transported to the Laurel Lake facility.
After leaving the hospital, I headed home to help Linda haul and rearrange buckets, and clean up the storage area in the basement. Easter and spring decorations are in every room of the house, but we have to get the weather to cooperate. Warmer weather is coming our way toward the end of the week.
I just read an article about cutting down on red meat if you want to live longer. We had pot roast last evening, and it was wonderful. We couldn't invite any friends to join us because the roast was on the small side. The crock pot did a wonderful job cooking the roast and all the vegetables. It was so yummy, and those good odors permeated the house all day long.
Linda and her girl friends had a great time playing Mah Jongg at our house last evening.
Today Linda is going to overdose on Mah Jongg. She has her usual Tuesday session (11:30 AM until 4:30 PM) as well as an evening session at a friend's home in a neighboring town. Linda has now entered the super sub category.
Her Pittsfield High School Red Hat group wants to learn how to play Mah Jongg. There are 12 to 16 women who have expressed an interest to learn the game. Linda will be one of the teachers for sure.
I don't have anything on my social calendar except to deal with dear old Mom. I thought that she was in good spirits on Monday. The medical staff thought that she was doing well. The swelling in her leg is almost nonexistent. The antibiotics must be working very well. Now we have to get the strength in both of her legs back so that eventually she can return home. She hasn't been in her own home since Christmas.
Politics -- AIG, the Stimulus Plan, the Republicans finding fault with every move the President makes (which the Democrats did when President Bush was running the country, but for just causes) seems to be the constant themes of the day. The stock market did go up almost 500 points on Monday. Somebody must have confidence in President Obama and his staff as well as the direction which the Democrats have this country heading in. Like I said in previous e-mails --> Give this administration a chance to right the ship.
Sports -- I didn't watch the Boston Celtics win their game last evening, but I did finish savoring another book. I used three days instead of the normal one or two for this book.
Kevin and The Phantom Gourmet -- The short segment about Kevin's Pizza, Paninni, and Pasta restaurant called "Dough" which was taped by the producers by The Phantom Gourmet in Boston, was fun to watch. I wish that we could have seen the clip on television instead of on the laptop, but we did get the gist of what kind of foods that are prepared by Kevin and his partner at "Dough East Boston". To get free advertising, which will reach over 2 million viewers, is a wonderful thing. I would bet that the telephone at "Dough" never stops ringing after every rebroadcast.
Well, I have to finish my morning routine before heading off to the hospital.
Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
It never made it to 30 degrees on the North side of the house on Monday. The poor Robins were not successful finding a worm on our frozen lawn. The Robins had to turn to another source of food on Monday.
It is in the teens as I start this e-mail, and we are going to be a little warmer today than yesterday, but the warmth (mid forties) won't arrive until the mid-afternoon.
I made it through two radio broadcasts on Monday before visiting Mom at the hospital. I have a feeling that Mom might be discharged today. She is not ready to go home right now so she will be transported to the Laurel Lake facility.
After leaving the hospital, I headed home to help Linda haul and rearrange buckets, and clean up the storage area in the basement. Easter and spring decorations are in every room of the house, but we have to get the weather to cooperate. Warmer weather is coming our way toward the end of the week.
I just read an article about cutting down on red meat if you want to live longer. We had pot roast last evening, and it was wonderful. We couldn't invite any friends to join us because the roast was on the small side. The crock pot did a wonderful job cooking the roast and all the vegetables. It was so yummy, and those good odors permeated the house all day long.
Linda and her girl friends had a great time playing Mah Jongg at our house last evening.
Today Linda is going to overdose on Mah Jongg. She has her usual Tuesday session (11:30 AM until 4:30 PM) as well as an evening session at a friend's home in a neighboring town. Linda has now entered the super sub category.
Her Pittsfield High School Red Hat group wants to learn how to play Mah Jongg. There are 12 to 16 women who have expressed an interest to learn the game. Linda will be one of the teachers for sure.
I don't have anything on my social calendar except to deal with dear old Mom. I thought that she was in good spirits on Monday. The medical staff thought that she was doing well. The swelling in her leg is almost nonexistent. The antibiotics must be working very well. Now we have to get the strength in both of her legs back so that eventually she can return home. She hasn't been in her own home since Christmas.
Politics -- AIG, the Stimulus Plan, the Republicans finding fault with every move the President makes (which the Democrats did when President Bush was running the country, but for just causes) seems to be the constant themes of the day. The stock market did go up almost 500 points on Monday. Somebody must have confidence in President Obama and his staff as well as the direction which the Democrats have this country heading in. Like I said in previous e-mails --> Give this administration a chance to right the ship.
Sports -- I didn't watch the Boston Celtics win their game last evening, but I did finish savoring another book. I used three days instead of the normal one or two for this book.
Kevin and The Phantom Gourmet -- The short segment about Kevin's Pizza, Paninni, and Pasta restaurant called "Dough" which was taped by the producers by The Phantom Gourmet in Boston, was fun to watch. I wish that we could have seen the clip on television instead of on the laptop, but we did get the gist of what kind of foods that are prepared by Kevin and his partner at "Dough East Boston". To get free advertising, which will reach over 2 million viewers, is a wonderful thing. I would bet that the telephone at "Dough" never stops ringing after every rebroadcast.
Well, I have to finish my morning routine before heading off to the hospital.
Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Monday, March 23, 2009
Hello on Monday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Sunday went as planned for the most part. Our Sunday Boston Globe was not delivered. We did call our delivery person, but she was without a car when we told her of the problem. If we had called the Boston Globe, the deliverer would have been penalized. We already got her in trouble once before.
I did go off and visit Mom. I thought she was doing okay. I was there when lunch was delivered, and I thought she ate very well. About an hour after lunch, I told Mom that I had some things to do around the exterior of the house. She gave me a kiss goodbye, but her parting comment brought a tear to my eye. She said "Thank You for coming to watch your Mother die."
On a happier note, I did my outdoor project, fed the birds, and put out some new bird houses. I did have a little difficulty with the last item. The ground is still frozen in different parts of the yard, especially in places where I really wanted to put up the poles and bird houses.
Social Calendar -- I am off for my first radio program in a little over an hour. I have to remember to not babble too much. This advice was from adviser, and wife.
I will go from the second radio program to visit Mom at the hospital. The case worker is working on discharge stuff for dear old Mom. She will be discharged, and returned to the Laurel Lake facility in Lee either today or tomorrow.
When I come home, I have to help Linda with those Easter Decoration issues. We never did get to them on Sunday.
We can't postpone this work because Linda is hosting Mah Jongg this evening.
I have the crock pot fired up right now. A crock pot is set for 10 hours. We are having a pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions.
It is still not great grilling weather around here. We are still in the 40 degree for the Highs and Lows in the teens type of the weather. Today, we might not even reach 40 degrees.
Linda and her girlfriend did have a fun time shopping and doing dinner and a concert. I was happy watching basketball, and savoring a book.
Politics -- The usual mayhem throughout the world continues.
The Sunday morning talks show had a lot of action. A lot of politicians have all the answers to many of the recession type problems. Letting all these businesses fail seems to be a common theme. I will stick with the Democratic Party approach that the "Let them fail" concept may not be the best way to attack the problem.
Well, I have to finish my brief morning routine, and head off to the radio station.
Have a great week at work or play!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Sunday went as planned for the most part. Our Sunday Boston Globe was not delivered. We did call our delivery person, but she was without a car when we told her of the problem. If we had called the Boston Globe, the deliverer would have been penalized. We already got her in trouble once before.
I did go off and visit Mom. I thought she was doing okay. I was there when lunch was delivered, and I thought she ate very well. About an hour after lunch, I told Mom that I had some things to do around the exterior of the house. She gave me a kiss goodbye, but her parting comment brought a tear to my eye. She said "Thank You for coming to watch your Mother die."
On a happier note, I did my outdoor project, fed the birds, and put out some new bird houses. I did have a little difficulty with the last item. The ground is still frozen in different parts of the yard, especially in places where I really wanted to put up the poles and bird houses.
Social Calendar -- I am off for my first radio program in a little over an hour. I have to remember to not babble too much. This advice was from adviser, and wife.
I will go from the second radio program to visit Mom at the hospital. The case worker is working on discharge stuff for dear old Mom. She will be discharged, and returned to the Laurel Lake facility in Lee either today or tomorrow.
When I come home, I have to help Linda with those Easter Decoration issues. We never did get to them on Sunday.
We can't postpone this work because Linda is hosting Mah Jongg this evening.
I have the crock pot fired up right now. A crock pot is set for 10 hours. We are having a pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions.
It is still not great grilling weather around here. We are still in the 40 degree for the Highs and Lows in the teens type of the weather. Today, we might not even reach 40 degrees.
Linda and her girlfriend did have a fun time shopping and doing dinner and a concert. I was happy watching basketball, and savoring a book.
Politics -- The usual mayhem throughout the world continues.
The Sunday morning talks show had a lot of action. A lot of politicians have all the answers to many of the recession type problems. Letting all these businesses fail seems to be a common theme. I will stick with the Democratic Party approach that the "Let them fail" concept may not be the best way to attack the problem.
Well, I have to finish my brief morning routine, and head off to the radio station.
Have a great week at work or play!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Hello on Sunday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Saturday went as planned. While I was in Lee preparing lunch (a steak dinner with all the fixings) for Dad and Aunt Gladys, Linda was busy taking down the last remnants of winter, St. Patrick's Day, and putting out Easter decorations. Linda couldn't complete her task because she needed my help accessing buckets, and rearranging them. She did admit that she might be getting a little tired doing these seasonal changes year after year.
I went from Lee to the hospital to visit Mom. She was just getting moved from the bed to a chair. I thought that she was a little groggy, but she still is receiving antibiotics for an infection.
Speaking of steak, the house party which we attended was wonderful. The host and hostess served a perfectly grilled steak dinner with fresh green beans, and and a salad. Our hosts are into eating healthy meals with no carbohydrates, white bread, etc. They did break this rule when it came to desserts. The lady of the house made some puff like things, and stuffed them with vanilla ice cream. She then put out four flavors (3 were heated) of syrups to go over these homemade concoctions. Some of us did have seconds.
Social Calendar -- I am totally free today with the exception of seeing Mom in the hospital. Linda and a girl friend are heading south county to the Lee outlets in the afternoon. They will head even further south to do dinner and a concert which takes place at the Mahaiwe Theater in Great Barrington.
I will be preparing for my two Monday radio shows while watching some NCAA basketball on the tube.
Politics-- The usual mayhem throughout the United States, and the world.
Obama is still feeling the heat from his Special Olympics comment. Not too long ago, people with specials needs were institutionalized. Also, not to long ago, the special education budget was a minimal part of school budgets throughout the country. Today, special education is 25 to 30 % of every school budget.
I was asked by one of of e-mail readers if I would have pooh poohed Obama's comment if President Bush had made the same comment. I would have said it was no big deal in the context of the way it was said. Obama was making fun of his own bowling skills. We often do things through out the day in our daily lives that we might think that we could very easily fit into a Special Olympic venue, but we don't come out and say that.
I had a parent of a special needs student tell me that he appreciated the one on one treatment that his wheel chair bound adopted child was getting from the teacher who was with the student all day long. The parent told me that he was so happy that his child was able to write his name after a year of one on one treatment. He also did say that it didn't seem fair to pay a teacher to deal with one child who could not be a functioning, and productive member of society. I asked him to go to the microphone at a school committee meeting and say what he told me. The parent never did take up my offer.
Well, I better end this e-mail before I get myself into trouble. I don't want the Special Needs people protesting in front of my door.
Have a great Sunday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Saturday went as planned. While I was in Lee preparing lunch (a steak dinner with all the fixings) for Dad and Aunt Gladys, Linda was busy taking down the last remnants of winter, St. Patrick's Day, and putting out Easter decorations. Linda couldn't complete her task because she needed my help accessing buckets, and rearranging them. She did admit that she might be getting a little tired doing these seasonal changes year after year.
I went from Lee to the hospital to visit Mom. She was just getting moved from the bed to a chair. I thought that she was a little groggy, but she still is receiving antibiotics for an infection.
Speaking of steak, the house party which we attended was wonderful. The host and hostess served a perfectly grilled steak dinner with fresh green beans, and and a salad. Our hosts are into eating healthy meals with no carbohydrates, white bread, etc. They did break this rule when it came to desserts. The lady of the house made some puff like things, and stuffed them with vanilla ice cream. She then put out four flavors (3 were heated) of syrups to go over these homemade concoctions. Some of us did have seconds.
Social Calendar -- I am totally free today with the exception of seeing Mom in the hospital. Linda and a girl friend are heading south county to the Lee outlets in the afternoon. They will head even further south to do dinner and a concert which takes place at the Mahaiwe Theater in Great Barrington.
I will be preparing for my two Monday radio shows while watching some NCAA basketball on the tube.
Politics-- The usual mayhem throughout the United States, and the world.
Obama is still feeling the heat from his Special Olympics comment. Not too long ago, people with specials needs were institutionalized. Also, not to long ago, the special education budget was a minimal part of school budgets throughout the country. Today, special education is 25 to 30 % of every school budget.
I was asked by one of of e-mail readers if I would have pooh poohed Obama's comment if President Bush had made the same comment. I would have said it was no big deal in the context of the way it was said. Obama was making fun of his own bowling skills. We often do things through out the day in our daily lives that we might think that we could very easily fit into a Special Olympic venue, but we don't come out and say that.
I had a parent of a special needs student tell me that he appreciated the one on one treatment that his wheel chair bound adopted child was getting from the teacher who was with the student all day long. The parent told me that he was so happy that his child was able to write his name after a year of one on one treatment. He also did say that it didn't seem fair to pay a teacher to deal with one child who could not be a functioning, and productive member of society. I asked him to go to the microphone at a school committee meeting and say what he told me. The parent never did take up my offer.
Well, I better end this e-mail before I get myself into trouble. I don't want the Special Needs people protesting in front of my door.
Have a great Sunday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Hello on Saturday Morning
Dear Friends,
The Queen has asked me to stay away from controversial subjects. I love the discussion traveling back and forth over highways of the internet. I love it when the people who just want to read my e-mail, and not get involved, do speak up. We all have an opinion, and I am so glad to hear their opinion.
My eldest son might be a good candidate to represent the Republican perspective if he runs for political office.
Politics -- I did watch the rerun of the Jay Leno show before we went out last evening. Obama was so good when Jay asked him the difficult questions. Obama answered them with ease. He explained the AIG situation so that the average person could understand how the crisis started in the first place.
The President came across like a person that you would want to "hang out" with as well as "shoot a few hoops" with too.
What a refreshing change from the guy who used to make up words, and murder the English language.
Obama seemed very sincere in his efforts to right a sinking ship. I am so glad that I cast a Presidential vote for Obama.
He did make one error when he referred to his bowling skills to that of a Special Olympian. The apology went out before his plane landed at the President's next venue.
I am convinced that President Obama can make a difference in world politics as well as the rest of the issues which he said that he would address if elected President.
Our dinner and a concert went okay last evening. I will explain the "okay" part as I continue this e-mail. There were seven us at the reserved table. The friend of a friend sat next to Linda. This doesn't seem like a big deal, but the guy and his clothes reeked of cigarette smoke. My decreased ability to smell actually became a positive. For an hour and one half she tried to enjoy her meal as she got whiffs of stale cigarette smoke.
The different foods which we ordered were super.
We did have one little problem as we exited the Pub. The waitress chased us out the door, and said that we didn't completely pay the bill. Linda distinctly remembered putting down two $20 bills plus a couple of ones. The bartender came over to the waitress as Linda and the waitress were looking on the floor at our table, and said that he found a twenty dollar bill on the floor. We will never pay cash for a meal again. A piece of plastic is the way to go.
The Celtic Concert was okay, but not great. The multiple musicians, singers, and dancers did a very job, but they just didn't get the crowd into it. At one point, I thought it was the crowd, but then I realized it was the program itself. Linda bought our tickets at a radio auction. She bid on two tickets for the price of one. We were so glad that we didn't pay full price.
I did visit Mom twice on Friday. The second time was to speak to a case worker who was talking about discharging Mom back to the Laurel Lake Nursing Home. The medical staff are still giving Mom antibiotics, her leg is still swollen, and she still has MRSA. I told the case worker that we didn't want a repeat of the last discharge when Mom lasted 24 hours in the nursing home before being shipped back to Berkshire Medical Center.
In between visits to see Mom I did a preliminary cleanup of the garage. I was moving some of my ice fishing gear, and I checked on the two bait left in my bait bucket. I thought they would be among the departed. These miracle fish are still alive. Two bait, in the same water which I haven't changed in three weeks. They also survived without me giving them any food which we normally never do.
I am almost tempted to get a fish bowl , and put them in it, and actually feed them. These bait need to be in oxygenated water or to be put in a Styrofoam bait bucket if they are going to continue to survive. This has to be some kind of omen. I do hope that it is a positive one.
Social Calendar -- We are off to a house party this evening. This means that Linda and I will have been out for 9 consecutive days. Sunday, Linda is going off to a concert in a neighboring town with one of her girl friends. I finally will have a day of rest.
Sunday, I will be preparing material for the two radio programs which I will be making a guest appearance on. The first program takes place at 7:30 AM on Monday morning.
I just started savoring another book. I think that we finally have a light week coming up, and I might have time to read the book.
If the weather is nice next week, our yard, and flower beds could do with a little work. The ground is still frozen in different parts of our yard.
Today is my sister's birthday. She is out of town for a few days so that means we can't celebrate it with her.
Have to finish my morning routine before heading off to the hospital to visit Mom.
Have a great weekend.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
The Queen has asked me to stay away from controversial subjects. I love the discussion traveling back and forth over highways of the internet. I love it when the people who just want to read my e-mail, and not get involved, do speak up. We all have an opinion, and I am so glad to hear their opinion.
My eldest son might be a good candidate to represent the Republican perspective if he runs for political office.
Politics -- I did watch the rerun of the Jay Leno show before we went out last evening. Obama was so good when Jay asked him the difficult questions. Obama answered them with ease. He explained the AIG situation so that the average person could understand how the crisis started in the first place.
The President came across like a person that you would want to "hang out" with as well as "shoot a few hoops" with too.
What a refreshing change from the guy who used to make up words, and murder the English language.
Obama seemed very sincere in his efforts to right a sinking ship. I am so glad that I cast a Presidential vote for Obama.
He did make one error when he referred to his bowling skills to that of a Special Olympian. The apology went out before his plane landed at the President's next venue.
I am convinced that President Obama can make a difference in world politics as well as the rest of the issues which he said that he would address if elected President.
Our dinner and a concert went okay last evening. I will explain the "okay" part as I continue this e-mail. There were seven us at the reserved table. The friend of a friend sat next to Linda. This doesn't seem like a big deal, but the guy and his clothes reeked of cigarette smoke. My decreased ability to smell actually became a positive. For an hour and one half she tried to enjoy her meal as she got whiffs of stale cigarette smoke.
The different foods which we ordered were super.
We did have one little problem as we exited the Pub. The waitress chased us out the door, and said that we didn't completely pay the bill. Linda distinctly remembered putting down two $20 bills plus a couple of ones. The bartender came over to the waitress as Linda and the waitress were looking on the floor at our table, and said that he found a twenty dollar bill on the floor. We will never pay cash for a meal again. A piece of plastic is the way to go.
The Celtic Concert was okay, but not great. The multiple musicians, singers, and dancers did a very job, but they just didn't get the crowd into it. At one point, I thought it was the crowd, but then I realized it was the program itself. Linda bought our tickets at a radio auction. She bid on two tickets for the price of one. We were so glad that we didn't pay full price.
I did visit Mom twice on Friday. The second time was to speak to a case worker who was talking about discharging Mom back to the Laurel Lake Nursing Home. The medical staff are still giving Mom antibiotics, her leg is still swollen, and she still has MRSA. I told the case worker that we didn't want a repeat of the last discharge when Mom lasted 24 hours in the nursing home before being shipped back to Berkshire Medical Center.
In between visits to see Mom I did a preliminary cleanup of the garage. I was moving some of my ice fishing gear, and I checked on the two bait left in my bait bucket. I thought they would be among the departed. These miracle fish are still alive. Two bait, in the same water which I haven't changed in three weeks. They also survived without me giving them any food which we normally never do.
I am almost tempted to get a fish bowl , and put them in it, and actually feed them. These bait need to be in oxygenated water or to be put in a Styrofoam bait bucket if they are going to continue to survive. This has to be some kind of omen. I do hope that it is a positive one.
Social Calendar -- We are off to a house party this evening. This means that Linda and I will have been out for 9 consecutive days. Sunday, Linda is going off to a concert in a neighboring town with one of her girl friends. I finally will have a day of rest.
Sunday, I will be preparing material for the two radio programs which I will be making a guest appearance on. The first program takes place at 7:30 AM on Monday morning.
I just started savoring another book. I think that we finally have a light week coming up, and I might have time to read the book.
If the weather is nice next week, our yard, and flower beds could do with a little work. The ground is still frozen in different parts of our yard.
Today is my sister's birthday. She is out of town for a few days so that means we can't celebrate it with her.
Have to finish my morning routine before heading off to the hospital to visit Mom.
Have a great weekend.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Friday, March 20, 2009
Hello on Friday Morning.
Dear Friends,
Well, I did stir up a bit of controversy with Thursday's e-mail, which is good.
One of my friend's thought the Funeral Director and Teacher dialogue was the best part of the e-mail.
It is amazing how I tried to make people laugh, but a few of you focused on the health care issue.
I just spent the first few hours of this day untangling a birds nest of yarn. Linda always leaves the tangled mess in a visible spot so that I can readily see that she needs help.
Our Thursday went as planned. I dropped my friend off at the day surgery place for his 10:30 AM appointment. All I know was that my friend's surgery was delayed two hours.
I don't know how the surgery went since I was asleep when Linda arrived home from her book club meeting.
The wife of my friend would have filled Linda in how her husband's surgery went since she is a member of the book club too. I am guessing that my friend is popping pain pills right now. Another friend had a similar surgery a few months ago, and he was back skiing in now time at all.
I did visit Mom on Thursday. She ate her breakfast without her false teeth in again. I hope the food was soft food. She seemed a little groggy, but she ate her lunch sitting up in a chair (with her teeth in). The antibiotics must be working because the swelling in her leg has gone down considerably.
The Pasta Fund Raiser went very well. We served over 250 men, women, and children. You had to have been there to appreciate how well my UNICO brothers and sisters work together both in the kitchen and on the serving line.
The organizers said that they had sold 110 tickets. We are never sure how many people will show up. Italians always have enough food.
Social Calendar -- I will be visiting Mom while Linda is off to her monthly retiree breakfast. We will both be leaving the house a little after 8 AM. If all goes well, I will take an afternoon nap so that I can make it through our evening event. We have reservations (there are 7 of us) at 6 PM at Patrick's Pub, and then we are heading off to the Colonial Theater for an 8 PM "Celtic Concert". I am guessing that the place will be packed with many people of Irish descent.
Politics / World News -- The President was on the Jay Leno show last evening. Linda recorded the program for me. I am going to watch it in a few minutes.
I didn't realize that there is a "Suicide Forest" in Japan where people go to kill themselves instead of getting psychiatric help when life's problems overwhelm them. One guy did go there, but some hiker found him still alive after several days of wandering in the forest after slitting his wrists.
Maybe their health care system doesn't pay for such services. Should we have a suicide forest in the United States? I would bet the friends of Rush Limbaugh would vote for it! I can't believe that I just said that since I wanted people to think happy thoughts as we approach the weekend.
We have a cool day on tap for us today in the Berkshires. The high will be around 40 degrees, and a low in the teens. It will be a turtle neck and a sweater day once again.
I would like to thank my loyal readers for at least skimming my daily e-mails. Think of my e-mail as a daily column in a local newspaper. Yes, I know some of you might just delete the e-mail instead of reading it because I am sometimes a bit long winded.
Yes, I sometimes might appear to have "blinders on", but it is so difficult for me to change from a Democratic philosophy to Republican one. Some of my Democratic friends have changed to Independents hoping that their vote will change things considerably, but it is still a two party system in the United States.
As I have become more mature, I have tended to be a bit more conservative, but I will always vote the Democratic ticket.
Local News -- It was like the "Wild West" in Pittsfield the other day. A person was walking down the street in a tough section of town when a van drove by and someone started shooting at the guy. The guy whips out a gun, and starts firing back. Luckily, no one got hurt including the kids playing in the neighborhood.
After sorting the incident out, the police arrested two brothers from New Jersey. The pair were just retaliating from a prior shooting. Do you think that these wacko's had pistol permits?
Have to go, and finish reading the local newspaper.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Well, I did stir up a bit of controversy with Thursday's e-mail, which is good.
One of my friend's thought the Funeral Director and Teacher dialogue was the best part of the e-mail.
It is amazing how I tried to make people laugh, but a few of you focused on the health care issue.
I just spent the first few hours of this day untangling a birds nest of yarn. Linda always leaves the tangled mess in a visible spot so that I can readily see that she needs help.
Our Thursday went as planned. I dropped my friend off at the day surgery place for his 10:30 AM appointment. All I know was that my friend's surgery was delayed two hours.
I don't know how the surgery went since I was asleep when Linda arrived home from her book club meeting.
The wife of my friend would have filled Linda in how her husband's surgery went since she is a member of the book club too. I am guessing that my friend is popping pain pills right now. Another friend had a similar surgery a few months ago, and he was back skiing in now time at all.
I did visit Mom on Thursday. She ate her breakfast without her false teeth in again. I hope the food was soft food. She seemed a little groggy, but she ate her lunch sitting up in a chair (with her teeth in). The antibiotics must be working because the swelling in her leg has gone down considerably.
The Pasta Fund Raiser went very well. We served over 250 men, women, and children. You had to have been there to appreciate how well my UNICO brothers and sisters work together both in the kitchen and on the serving line.
The organizers said that they had sold 110 tickets. We are never sure how many people will show up. Italians always have enough food.
Social Calendar -- I will be visiting Mom while Linda is off to her monthly retiree breakfast. We will both be leaving the house a little after 8 AM. If all goes well, I will take an afternoon nap so that I can make it through our evening event. We have reservations (there are 7 of us) at 6 PM at Patrick's Pub, and then we are heading off to the Colonial Theater for an 8 PM "Celtic Concert". I am guessing that the place will be packed with many people of Irish descent.
Politics / World News -- The President was on the Jay Leno show last evening. Linda recorded the program for me. I am going to watch it in a few minutes.
I didn't realize that there is a "Suicide Forest" in Japan where people go to kill themselves instead of getting psychiatric help when life's problems overwhelm them. One guy did go there, but some hiker found him still alive after several days of wandering in the forest after slitting his wrists.
Maybe their health care system doesn't pay for such services. Should we have a suicide forest in the United States? I would bet the friends of Rush Limbaugh would vote for it! I can't believe that I just said that since I wanted people to think happy thoughts as we approach the weekend.
We have a cool day on tap for us today in the Berkshires. The high will be around 40 degrees, and a low in the teens. It will be a turtle neck and a sweater day once again.
I would like to thank my loyal readers for at least skimming my daily e-mails. Think of my e-mail as a daily column in a local newspaper. Yes, I know some of you might just delete the e-mail instead of reading it because I am sometimes a bit long winded.
Yes, I sometimes might appear to have "blinders on", but it is so difficult for me to change from a Democratic philosophy to Republican one. Some of my Democratic friends have changed to Independents hoping that their vote will change things considerably, but it is still a two party system in the United States.
As I have become more mature, I have tended to be a bit more conservative, but I will always vote the Democratic ticket.
Local News -- It was like the "Wild West" in Pittsfield the other day. A person was walking down the street in a tough section of town when a van drove by and someone started shooting at the guy. The guy whips out a gun, and starts firing back. Luckily, no one got hurt including the kids playing in the neighborhood.
After sorting the incident out, the police arrested two brothers from New Jersey. The pair were just retaliating from a prior shooting. Do you think that these wacko's had pistol permits?
Have to go, and finish reading the local newspaper.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Hello on Thursday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Wednesday went as planned for the most part. The funeral Mass for our former teacher friend, the visit with Mom, and the Annual Credit Union dinner at the Italian American Club went well. I even had time to squeeze in a nap.
I was thinking about the funeral all day long. I found it difficult to pray to a picture and an urn of ashes. I am so used to a casket surrounded by 6 pall bearers. I suppose that "dead is dead" no matgter what form that the deceased is in.
My mind started to wander in Church even more after I recognized the funeral director, and his wife at the service. These two were married about 10 years ago. For him, it was a second marriage. She was a high school teacher at Pittsfield High School, who was in her early fifties at the time of their marriage. I was trying to visualize the conversation which would take place after a day of work. Here is my version:
Teacher: "How did your day go today?"
Funeral Director: "The Funeral Mass at St. Joesph's went well! We did have a little traffic trouble as we left the funeral home on the way to the Church. The people on the roads didn't make it easy for the funeral procession to make its way to the Church."
Teacher: "What did you do the rest of the day?"
Funeral director: "I had to pick up a body at a nursing home in Lee around noon. The hospital called about 1 PM, and asked me to pick up another body. I had to meet with both families to discuss arrangements. After dealing with the families, I had to embalm both bodies. I contacted "the hair and make up person", and she will be coming tomorrow to prepare the bodies for the wakes."
Teacher: "You sound like you might enjoy a glass of red wine"?
Funeral Director: "Honey, you know that I can't drink red wine after I embalmed two bodies?"
Teacher: "How about a good stiff drink of gin or vodka?"
Funeral Director: "Can you not use the word "stiff" when referring to drinks in respect to the deceased?"
Teacher: "I will get you a very dry martini."
Funeral Director: "So how did your day at school go?"
Teacher: "My students were alive, but pretty much brain dead."
And the conversation continued.
Another thing about the Catholic Mass which disturbs me is the part where you display the sign of peace by shaking the hands of the people all around you. With the MRSA stuff my mother has been going through in the hospital and nursing homes, germ transferal takes place quite often by way of the hands. The Church might want to revert to old non contact way of sharing the peace. If not, should I take those hospital gloves with me when attending Mass. This is not a laughing matter.
Social Calendar -- Linda doesn't have to leave the house until this evening which is when her "Book Club Dinner / Meeting" at the home of a book club member.
I have only three things to do today. I leave the house at 10 AM to take a friend for some knee repair surgery. They will clean up his knee, and discharge him in the afternoon. This, just under 60 year old friend, will be back on his feet doing normal activities in no time at all.
Since the day surgery, and the hospital are in the same complex, I will visit Mom after dropping off my friend.
My UNICO brothers and sisters are cooking another Pasta Dinner Fund Raiser at the Italian American Club from 5 to 7 PM for a softball and baseball team from the same school. Yes, this is three nights in a row that I will have been at the Italian American Club.
Weather -- We did receive a little spring like tease yesterday, and we won't see that 60 degree weather for over 7 days.
We are locked into a pattern of Highs in the forties, and Lows in the twenties with at least one day not quite reaching forty degrees, and hitting the teens for the low. Winter doesn't want to let go!
Politics -- The AIG fiasco dominated the news. I am waiting for the final solution.
Well, I can relax for a while today until my first activity.
Talk to you soon.
Have a great Thursday. The Curley Lad
Our Wednesday went as planned for the most part. The funeral Mass for our former teacher friend, the visit with Mom, and the Annual Credit Union dinner at the Italian American Club went well. I even had time to squeeze in a nap.
I was thinking about the funeral all day long. I found it difficult to pray to a picture and an urn of ashes. I am so used to a casket surrounded by 6 pall bearers. I suppose that "dead is dead" no matgter what form that the deceased is in.
My mind started to wander in Church even more after I recognized the funeral director, and his wife at the service. These two were married about 10 years ago. For him, it was a second marriage. She was a high school teacher at Pittsfield High School, who was in her early fifties at the time of their marriage. I was trying to visualize the conversation which would take place after a day of work. Here is my version:
Teacher: "How did your day go today?"
Funeral Director: "The Funeral Mass at St. Joesph's went well! We did have a little traffic trouble as we left the funeral home on the way to the Church. The people on the roads didn't make it easy for the funeral procession to make its way to the Church."
Teacher: "What did you do the rest of the day?"
Funeral director: "I had to pick up a body at a nursing home in Lee around noon. The hospital called about 1 PM, and asked me to pick up another body. I had to meet with both families to discuss arrangements. After dealing with the families, I had to embalm both bodies. I contacted "the hair and make up person", and she will be coming tomorrow to prepare the bodies for the wakes."
Teacher: "You sound like you might enjoy a glass of red wine"?
Funeral Director: "Honey, you know that I can't drink red wine after I embalmed two bodies?"
Teacher: "How about a good stiff drink of gin or vodka?"
Funeral Director: "Can you not use the word "stiff" when referring to drinks in respect to the deceased?"
Teacher: "I will get you a very dry martini."
Funeral Director: "So how did your day at school go?"
Teacher: "My students were alive, but pretty much brain dead."
And the conversation continued.
Another thing about the Catholic Mass which disturbs me is the part where you display the sign of peace by shaking the hands of the people all around you. With the MRSA stuff my mother has been going through in the hospital and nursing homes, germ transferal takes place quite often by way of the hands. The Church might want to revert to old non contact way of sharing the peace. If not, should I take those hospital gloves with me when attending Mass. This is not a laughing matter.
Social Calendar -- Linda doesn't have to leave the house until this evening which is when her "Book Club Dinner / Meeting" at the home of a book club member.
I have only three things to do today. I leave the house at 10 AM to take a friend for some knee repair surgery. They will clean up his knee, and discharge him in the afternoon. This, just under 60 year old friend, will be back on his feet doing normal activities in no time at all.
Since the day surgery, and the hospital are in the same complex, I will visit Mom after dropping off my friend.
My UNICO brothers and sisters are cooking another Pasta Dinner Fund Raiser at the Italian American Club from 5 to 7 PM for a softball and baseball team from the same school. Yes, this is three nights in a row that I will have been at the Italian American Club.
Weather -- We did receive a little spring like tease yesterday, and we won't see that 60 degree weather for over 7 days.
We are locked into a pattern of Highs in the forties, and Lows in the twenties with at least one day not quite reaching forty degrees, and hitting the teens for the low. Winter doesn't want to let go!
Politics -- The AIG fiasco dominated the news. I am waiting for the final solution.
Well, I can relax for a while today until my first activity.
Talk to you soon.
Have a great Thursday. The Curley Lad
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Hello on Wednesday
Dear Friends,
I hope that you all had a great St. Patrick's Day. Linda and I had a less than perfect one.
The start of the day went very well, but we had some difficulties along the way.
Linda bonded with the Warner Cable Repair guy for almost 8 hours while I was doing my thing. We were having some signal issues, and the repair guy changed multiple, out of date, Radio Shack cables throughout the basement where the main line comes into the house. Linda felt like a trapped animal living in a cage. She was also trying to order flight tickets on line so that we can take a trip to visit our grandchild in Kansas. For hours, she kept on getting kicked off line just as she was ready to hit the "submit" button.
The beginning of my day went very well. Some Sister City friends, musicians, and our Irish Sister City guest from Ireland went off to my old high to do a radio program, and guest lecture in a social studies classroom. This part of my day went very well.
I even booked in to do a radio program on Monday morning at 7:30 AM, and a 8:30 AM show at a neighboring commercial radio station. I will be discussing UNICO stuff and up coming events on both of these programs. I have to do a little homework for these two shows.
I then headed off to visit Mom in the Laurel Lake Rehab / Nursing Home. Mom was returning her chipper self. She ate lunch without any assistance from me. One of her two legs was swollen quite a bit, which the doctors, and nurses keep on saying is normal after the arterial surgery which she had.
After a pleasant visit, I headed home to take a nap so that I continue on with the St. Patrick's Day festivities into the wee hours of the morning.
Just as I was ready to go down for a nap, the telephone rings, and I answered the telephone. My sister tells me that they were taking Mom to the emergency room. The nurses at the Rehab Center didn't like the look of my mother's leg, and the stuff oozing for the place where the incision was made during the operation.
My sister, my father, and me headed off to the emergency room to wait for the arrival of dear old mom. The emergency room was so busy that mom was put into the emergency room corridor for over an hour until a slot opened up. While in the emergency room waiting area, I dosed off several times before I had to leave for our first St. Patrick's Day event.
Mom was eventually admitted to the hospital. She is back on the third floor once again.
We went off to the Italian American Club for a wonderful corned beef and cabbage dinner. The pasta and baked chicken were a good side dish idea. Everyone at the two tables, which we reserved, had a great time. The table full of Linda's Tuesday Mah Jongg friends, and their significant others had a great time. I am going to try and talk them into becoming honorary members of the club since these friends are not of Italian decent.
The kitchen crew at the Italian American Club were pictured in our local newspaper this morning. The kitchen crew were mostly members of UNICO.
Linda was so mentally exhausted from her day, and I was so sleep deprived that we just couldn't physically make it to the 9 PM house party. I am so embarrassed that I said that Linda and I would be attending the house party, and we failed to show up.
When we arrived home it was a little after 8 PM which was too early for the party. I fell asleep while trying to rally so that we could make it to the party.
Social Calendar -- I am going off to a 9 AM funeral service for a teacher friend who used to be the Mathematics Coordinator in the City of Pittsfield during my first few years of teaching.
I will then visit Mom in the hospital. The Church and the hospital are a quarter of a mile from one another.
Linda decided to let me represent the family at the funeral.
Do you seriously think that our day would end at noon time?
We are off to the Italian American Club for a Credit Union of the Berkshires (which used to be the Teachers' Credit Union) sit down dinner at 6 PM. There will be much fun and merriment at this annual dinner.
Because of the funeral, and the credit union dinner, I will not be able to help with transporting our Irish guest to Logan airport. We even missed saying "Goodbye" because we missed last evening's party.
Last evening was our third corned beef and cabbage dinner. We might have had enough corned beef until next year.
My sister took my dad out for a corned beef and cabbage for lunch yesterday while I was visiting Mom. My sister said that their corned beef lunch was "awful". I might have to crock pot a corned beef for dad with all the fixings within the next few days.
Speaking of "corned beef", I did a little research of what "corned beef" means. The "corned beef" refers two two things: The first is the cut of the meat which is called "the brisket". The "corns" refer to the coarse grains of salt used in the brine which the meat has been cured in.
Also, "corned beef" is not an Irish dish which I already knew. In Ireland, corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon because the brisket often has a high fat content.
One of my friends cooked a corned beef in his crock pot (with all the fixings) for his busy wife yesterday. She called Linda to say that the corned beef turned out to be wonderful. My e-mails may be a bit wordy, but you can actually learn something from the Curley Lad.
Politics -- Corporate welfare is turning out to be a financial disaster. 73 AIG executives received million dollar bonuses, and some don't even work for the firm anymore. Let us see if the the President and his advisers can right this wrong.
Well, I have to finish my morning routine, and select the proper attire for a funeral. The deceased died in Florida, and has already been cremated.
Is there a reception after the funeral? Oh no, not another party!
Have a great Wednesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
I hope that you all had a great St. Patrick's Day. Linda and I had a less than perfect one.
The start of the day went very well, but we had some difficulties along the way.
Linda bonded with the Warner Cable Repair guy for almost 8 hours while I was doing my thing. We were having some signal issues, and the repair guy changed multiple, out of date, Radio Shack cables throughout the basement where the main line comes into the house. Linda felt like a trapped animal living in a cage. She was also trying to order flight tickets on line so that we can take a trip to visit our grandchild in Kansas. For hours, she kept on getting kicked off line just as she was ready to hit the "submit" button.
The beginning of my day went very well. Some Sister City friends, musicians, and our Irish Sister City guest from Ireland went off to my old high to do a radio program, and guest lecture in a social studies classroom. This part of my day went very well.
I even booked in to do a radio program on Monday morning at 7:30 AM, and a 8:30 AM show at a neighboring commercial radio station. I will be discussing UNICO stuff and up coming events on both of these programs. I have to do a little homework for these two shows.
I then headed off to visit Mom in the Laurel Lake Rehab / Nursing Home. Mom was returning her chipper self. She ate lunch without any assistance from me. One of her two legs was swollen quite a bit, which the doctors, and nurses keep on saying is normal after the arterial surgery which she had.
After a pleasant visit, I headed home to take a nap so that I continue on with the St. Patrick's Day festivities into the wee hours of the morning.
Just as I was ready to go down for a nap, the telephone rings, and I answered the telephone. My sister tells me that they were taking Mom to the emergency room. The nurses at the Rehab Center didn't like the look of my mother's leg, and the stuff oozing for the place where the incision was made during the operation.
My sister, my father, and me headed off to the emergency room to wait for the arrival of dear old mom. The emergency room was so busy that mom was put into the emergency room corridor for over an hour until a slot opened up. While in the emergency room waiting area, I dosed off several times before I had to leave for our first St. Patrick's Day event.
Mom was eventually admitted to the hospital. She is back on the third floor once again.
We went off to the Italian American Club for a wonderful corned beef and cabbage dinner. The pasta and baked chicken were a good side dish idea. Everyone at the two tables, which we reserved, had a great time. The table full of Linda's Tuesday Mah Jongg friends, and their significant others had a great time. I am going to try and talk them into becoming honorary members of the club since these friends are not of Italian decent.
The kitchen crew at the Italian American Club were pictured in our local newspaper this morning. The kitchen crew were mostly members of UNICO.
Linda was so mentally exhausted from her day, and I was so sleep deprived that we just couldn't physically make it to the 9 PM house party. I am so embarrassed that I said that Linda and I would be attending the house party, and we failed to show up.
When we arrived home it was a little after 8 PM which was too early for the party. I fell asleep while trying to rally so that we could make it to the party.
Social Calendar -- I am going off to a 9 AM funeral service for a teacher friend who used to be the Mathematics Coordinator in the City of Pittsfield during my first few years of teaching.
I will then visit Mom in the hospital. The Church and the hospital are a quarter of a mile from one another.
Linda decided to let me represent the family at the funeral.
Do you seriously think that our day would end at noon time?
We are off to the Italian American Club for a Credit Union of the Berkshires (which used to be the Teachers' Credit Union) sit down dinner at 6 PM. There will be much fun and merriment at this annual dinner.
Because of the funeral, and the credit union dinner, I will not be able to help with transporting our Irish guest to Logan airport. We even missed saying "Goodbye" because we missed last evening's party.
Last evening was our third corned beef and cabbage dinner. We might have had enough corned beef until next year.
My sister took my dad out for a corned beef and cabbage for lunch yesterday while I was visiting Mom. My sister said that their corned beef lunch was "awful". I might have to crock pot a corned beef for dad with all the fixings within the next few days.
Speaking of "corned beef", I did a little research of what "corned beef" means. The "corned beef" refers two two things: The first is the cut of the meat which is called "the brisket". The "corns" refer to the coarse grains of salt used in the brine which the meat has been cured in.
Also, "corned beef" is not an Irish dish which I already knew. In Ireland, corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon because the brisket often has a high fat content.
One of my friends cooked a corned beef in his crock pot (with all the fixings) for his busy wife yesterday. She called Linda to say that the corned beef turned out to be wonderful. My e-mails may be a bit wordy, but you can actually learn something from the Curley Lad.
Politics -- Corporate welfare is turning out to be a financial disaster. 73 AIG executives received million dollar bonuses, and some don't even work for the firm anymore. Let us see if the the President and his advisers can right this wrong.
Well, I have to finish my morning routine, and select the proper attire for a funeral. The deceased died in Florida, and has already been cremated.
Is there a reception after the funeral? Oh no, not another party!
Have a great Wednesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Hello on St. Patrick's Day
Dear Friends,
Linda and I made it through a busy Monday.
My routine check up at the dentist went okay. My dentist said that I have to floss more because gum disease is on the horizon if I don't.
I went from the dentist to the hospital to see Mom. She wasn't as bright and chipper as she was on Sunday.
Speaking of Mom, I did receive a call from my sister as round noon, and we (the doctors & family) decided to have mom discharged to the Laurel Lake Nursing home in Lee.
I don't know how things went because Linda and I went off to a cultural session at noon followed by lunch at the home of an Irish Sister City Committee member.
After an hour break, I went off to run a 4:30 PM UNICO board meeting, and a 6 PM UNICO membership meeting.
Needless to say, I was pretty tired as Tuesday came to an end.
While I was doing my UNICO thing, Linda was off playing Mah Jongg with a third set of friends.
Linda is giving up her Tuesday Mah Jongg session because we have a full schedule on the St. Patrick's Day.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
My day starts in little over an hour. Our Irish Sister City guest from Ballina, and a few of us Pittsfield Sister City members are heading off to my old high school to do a live radio / public access television program at 8:30 AM. My school houses a radio station, manned by students and adult volunteers. I am part of the audience, and not part of the actual program. We have have a couple musicians all set to play a little music too.
After the 30 minute program, we will be visiting a history teacher's classroom where our sister city friend will be the guest lecturer.
After this morning affair, I am heading to Lee to visit Mom in the nursing home. I will come home and take a nap for sure because our day continues until the wee hours of the morning.
For supper, Linda and I and two tables worth of friends, will be going to a sold out function at the Italian American Club. We can't wait for the 6 PM Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner along with Pasta, and Chicken, Irish Soda Bread, etc.
No, the day doesn't end for the Curley's. We have a house party, which starts around 9 PM, at the home of a Pittsfield Irish Sister City Committee member.
I don't know how late we will stay at this event because we are off to a 9 AM funeral on Wednesday morning.
Politics -- I am siding with my Republican friends on this AIG matter. Bailing a company out, and having the company pay bonuses to their executives is a criminal act.
Well, it is time for me to finish my morning routine, and select my wardrobe appropriate for St. Patrick's Day. Even if you don't have know Irish blood flowing through your veins, make believe that you do.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Linda and I made it through a busy Monday.
My routine check up at the dentist went okay. My dentist said that I have to floss more because gum disease is on the horizon if I don't.
I went from the dentist to the hospital to see Mom. She wasn't as bright and chipper as she was on Sunday.
Speaking of Mom, I did receive a call from my sister as round noon, and we (the doctors & family) decided to have mom discharged to the Laurel Lake Nursing home in Lee.
I don't know how things went because Linda and I went off to a cultural session at noon followed by lunch at the home of an Irish Sister City Committee member.
After an hour break, I went off to run a 4:30 PM UNICO board meeting, and a 6 PM UNICO membership meeting.
Needless to say, I was pretty tired as Tuesday came to an end.
While I was doing my UNICO thing, Linda was off playing Mah Jongg with a third set of friends.
Linda is giving up her Tuesday Mah Jongg session because we have a full schedule on the St. Patrick's Day.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
My day starts in little over an hour. Our Irish Sister City guest from Ballina, and a few of us Pittsfield Sister City members are heading off to my old high school to do a live radio / public access television program at 8:30 AM. My school houses a radio station, manned by students and adult volunteers. I am part of the audience, and not part of the actual program. We have have a couple musicians all set to play a little music too.
After the 30 minute program, we will be visiting a history teacher's classroom where our sister city friend will be the guest lecturer.
After this morning affair, I am heading to Lee to visit Mom in the nursing home. I will come home and take a nap for sure because our day continues until the wee hours of the morning.
For supper, Linda and I and two tables worth of friends, will be going to a sold out function at the Italian American Club. We can't wait for the 6 PM Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner along with Pasta, and Chicken, Irish Soda Bread, etc.
No, the day doesn't end for the Curley's. We have a house party, which starts around 9 PM, at the home of a Pittsfield Irish Sister City Committee member.
I don't know how late we will stay at this event because we are off to a 9 AM funeral on Wednesday morning.
Politics -- I am siding with my Republican friends on this AIG matter. Bailing a company out, and having the company pay bonuses to their executives is a criminal act.
Well, it is time for me to finish my morning routine, and select my wardrobe appropriate for St. Patrick's Day. Even if you don't have know Irish blood flowing through your veins, make believe that you do.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Monday, March 16, 2009
Hello on Monday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Sunday went as planned. We had our second corned beef and cabbage dinner, but this time it was at our Italian Lodge.
Today is a busy day for the Curley Lad, but I will be Italian on this day, and not Irish.
After a visit to my dentist for a routine check up and cleaning, I have to make sure Dad makes it to his follow up visit at the pain clinic in Pittsfield at 10:30 AM.
I will squeeze in a visit to see Mom at the hospital before taking an early afternoon nap.
I am off to a UNICO board meeting at 4:30 PM followed by a 6 PM membership meeting. The dinner at our meeting will be delivered by a person who owns a Chinese Restaurant so we won't be having corned beef and cabbage this evening.
I think that Linda doesn't have to leave the house until this evening which is when she goes off to play Mah Jongg in West Stockbridge. This session will take place with a third set of friends. Linda is in demand!
Politics -- The usual mayhem throughout the world took place over the weekend.
I am hoping that the stock market continues to rebound, and head in a positive direction.
The Massachusetts political system is plodding along. Our governor has everyone in an uproar because he filled a position which has been vacant for over 10 years with a person who will receive the usual high priced salary, and the eventual super pension perks.
When will Minnesota make a decision with the race which involved the comedian Al Frankcen? You have an election which is close, you have a recount, you check to see if all the votes were from people who do exist, and then you make a decision as to who the winner is. If I was from Minnesota, I would want to be represented in congress as we progress through these first 100 days during the new President's term of office.
Sports -- I haven't seen a Boston Celtic Basketball Game, or a Boston Bruins game in over a week.
I am concerned about the injuries of certain players of the Boston Red Sox baseball team during Spring training. Pedroia was experiencing so much pain in a leg that he had to go back to Boston to have a medical team take a look. You can't afford to have the league's MVP out of the lineup at the start of the season.
Local news -- Our Berkshire Eagle on Sunday had a multiple page article of one set of people who lived through the Stock Market crash of 1929 / World War II, and then a another article of people who are trying to make it through life in 2009. I liked the comment of one of the people from the current time. He said that he hasn't changed his life style one bit. He spends his whole life living like there is a recession (or depression). He said that he : "Purchases the basic necessities, pays his bills on time". He also said that: he has "always lived a frugal life style", and that he is "perfectly content" to do so.
Well, I have to finish my quiet morning routine before heading off to the dentist. I hope that the routine dentist appointment finds no problems. During the last routine visit, the dentist knocked out a filling, and had to fix it before I got out of the chair. When business is slow, I guess a dentist can create business.
Have a great week, at work or play!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Sunday went as planned. We had our second corned beef and cabbage dinner, but this time it was at our Italian Lodge.
Today is a busy day for the Curley Lad, but I will be Italian on this day, and not Irish.
After a visit to my dentist for a routine check up and cleaning, I have to make sure Dad makes it to his follow up visit at the pain clinic in Pittsfield at 10:30 AM.
I will squeeze in a visit to see Mom at the hospital before taking an early afternoon nap.
I am off to a UNICO board meeting at 4:30 PM followed by a 6 PM membership meeting. The dinner at our meeting will be delivered by a person who owns a Chinese Restaurant so we won't be having corned beef and cabbage this evening.
I think that Linda doesn't have to leave the house until this evening which is when she goes off to play Mah Jongg in West Stockbridge. This session will take place with a third set of friends. Linda is in demand!
Politics -- The usual mayhem throughout the world took place over the weekend.
I am hoping that the stock market continues to rebound, and head in a positive direction.
The Massachusetts political system is plodding along. Our governor has everyone in an uproar because he filled a position which has been vacant for over 10 years with a person who will receive the usual high priced salary, and the eventual super pension perks.
When will Minnesota make a decision with the race which involved the comedian Al Frankcen? You have an election which is close, you have a recount, you check to see if all the votes were from people who do exist, and then you make a decision as to who the winner is. If I was from Minnesota, I would want to be represented in congress as we progress through these first 100 days during the new President's term of office.
Sports -- I haven't seen a Boston Celtic Basketball Game, or a Boston Bruins game in over a week.
I am concerned about the injuries of certain players of the Boston Red Sox baseball team during Spring training. Pedroia was experiencing so much pain in a leg that he had to go back to Boston to have a medical team take a look. You can't afford to have the league's MVP out of the lineup at the start of the season.
Local news -- Our Berkshire Eagle on Sunday had a multiple page article of one set of people who lived through the Stock Market crash of 1929 / World War II, and then a another article of people who are trying to make it through life in 2009. I liked the comment of one of the people from the current time. He said that he hasn't changed his life style one bit. He spends his whole life living like there is a recession (or depression). He said that he : "Purchases the basic necessities, pays his bills on time". He also said that: he has "always lived a frugal life style", and that he is "perfectly content" to do so.
Well, I have to finish my quiet morning routine before heading off to the dentist. I hope that the routine dentist appointment finds no problems. During the last routine visit, the dentist knocked out a filling, and had to fix it before I got out of the chair. When business is slow, I guess a dentist can create business.
Have a great week, at work or play!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Hello on Sunday Morning
Dear Friends,
Hope that you all had a great Saturday because the Curley's did. Dad enjoyed the T-bone steak with all the fixings which I cooked for him at lunch time on Saturday. My meals are a little bit better than "meals on wheels".
While in Lee, I washed both his car and mine. I will wash Linda's car when it warms up today.
The corned beef and cabbage dinner at the Elk's Club went well last evening. A good time was had by all.
We left near 11 PM, but a group of people were going to "party on" at the Polish Falcon Hall. It was Kerioke Night at the Hall. Linda and I went home because we have a long day ahead of us.
We are off to the ITAM at 1 PM for an officer meeting. After this meeting we have a membership meeting which will include the election of officers.
No, we are not leaving the lodge after the meeting because we are staying for a corned beef and cabbage supper.
Politics -- As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I don't like the fact that Northern Ireland had some rioting going on from a splinter group of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). There has been peace in Ireland for 12 years, and this wacko group disrupted the peace.
Obama's positive outlook in these difficult times is the same thing that Reagan did when he took office.
Ice Fishing Bait -- I haven't been ice fishing in over three weeks. I had some left over bait from the last time which I went fishing. I have been removing dead bait on a daily basis, but I have two bait which are still alive. Maybe these super resilient bait are sending me a message that they are ready to help me catch the big one.
The lakes still have plenty of ice on them. There was even a car on the ice on Friday when we went off to the ITAM (overlooks Pontoosuc Lake)function. The ice is getting a little soft around the edges of the lakes. You wouldn't see me, and my car out there at this time of the year.
I just finished baking a couple of Irish Soda breads. They are for our personal consumption. As a matter of fact, we usually would have a house full of friends, and be serving up our own corned beef and cabbage dinner, and soda bread. We have been so busy, and have been going out so much, that we haven't had time to do so.
We still have another corned beef and cabbage dinner on Tuesday night at the Italian American Club. There will be plenty of food, fun and merriment at this affair since it is St. Patrick's Day, and the fact that the Italians are cooking the meal. Italians never ration their food.
In Massachusetts, all State workers, State colleges, etc. have the day off. It is called "Evacuation Day". This is one of those made up holidays created years ago. It really was set aside to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
Well, I have to read the local newspaper, get dressed, and head off to see Mom at the hospital, come home and wash Linda's car, and then head off to the ITAM for that 1 PM meeting mentioned above.
We have a great spring like day on tap for us today. Linda and I don't like the fact that we will be spending most of the time indoors at the ITAM.
One of these days we will have a free day, but that won't happen until the last week of March.
Have a great Sunday!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Hope that you all had a great Saturday because the Curley's did. Dad enjoyed the T-bone steak with all the fixings which I cooked for him at lunch time on Saturday. My meals are a little bit better than "meals on wheels".
While in Lee, I washed both his car and mine. I will wash Linda's car when it warms up today.
The corned beef and cabbage dinner at the Elk's Club went well last evening. A good time was had by all.
We left near 11 PM, but a group of people were going to "party on" at the Polish Falcon Hall. It was Kerioke Night at the Hall. Linda and I went home because we have a long day ahead of us.
We are off to the ITAM at 1 PM for an officer meeting. After this meeting we have a membership meeting which will include the election of officers.
No, we are not leaving the lodge after the meeting because we are staying for a corned beef and cabbage supper.
Politics -- As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I don't like the fact that Northern Ireland had some rioting going on from a splinter group of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). There has been peace in Ireland for 12 years, and this wacko group disrupted the peace.
Obama's positive outlook in these difficult times is the same thing that Reagan did when he took office.
Ice Fishing Bait -- I haven't been ice fishing in over three weeks. I had some left over bait from the last time which I went fishing. I have been removing dead bait on a daily basis, but I have two bait which are still alive. Maybe these super resilient bait are sending me a message that they are ready to help me catch the big one.
The lakes still have plenty of ice on them. There was even a car on the ice on Friday when we went off to the ITAM (overlooks Pontoosuc Lake)function. The ice is getting a little soft around the edges of the lakes. You wouldn't see me, and my car out there at this time of the year.
I just finished baking a couple of Irish Soda breads. They are for our personal consumption. As a matter of fact, we usually would have a house full of friends, and be serving up our own corned beef and cabbage dinner, and soda bread. We have been so busy, and have been going out so much, that we haven't had time to do so.
We still have another corned beef and cabbage dinner on Tuesday night at the Italian American Club. There will be plenty of food, fun and merriment at this affair since it is St. Patrick's Day, and the fact that the Italians are cooking the meal. Italians never ration their food.
In Massachusetts, all State workers, State colleges, etc. have the day off. It is called "Evacuation Day". This is one of those made up holidays created years ago. It really was set aside to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
Well, I have to read the local newspaper, get dressed, and head off to see Mom at the hospital, come home and wash Linda's car, and then head off to the ITAM for that 1 PM meeting mentioned above.
We have a great spring like day on tap for us today. Linda and I don't like the fact that we will be spending most of the time indoors at the ITAM.
One of these days we will have a free day, but that won't happen until the last week of March.
Have a great Sunday!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Hello on Saturday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Friday went as planned for the most part. I visited Mom at the hospital, and Dad in Lee.
Linda and I did lunch at the Shamrock because we had an evening function to attend.
Speaking of the evening function, it was awful. I am so glad that I didn't invite some of my closest friends because they would never return to an ITAM function ever again.
It got so bad that I invited about 15 people to party in the Curley basement for a couple of hours before the first intermission. At first, Linda was a bit crazed because we really had no plans of having this impromptu affair. Luckily, we keep our house in order, so a quick set up of some coffee pots, snack food , and beverages (which we always have in the bar in the basement) could be done before the guests arrived.
After a couple of hours of fun and merriment, some guests headed home while other went off to Pepe's on Wahconah Street where one of our Irish Sister City members is the D.J.
Linda and I decided to pass on this affair especially since I have a busy Saturday.
After finishing this e-mail, I am going to make a couple of loaves of Irish Soda Bread, head off to Lee to cook Dad a healthy meal for lunch, visit Mom at the hospital on the way home, take an afternoon nap in preparation for the Irish American Club function at the Elk's Club this evening.
I am taking a rain check on Marching in the 2 PM Albany, New York St. Patrick's Day Parade as well helping my UNICO brothers and sisters cook for another Pasta Fundraiser at Lenox High School from 5 Pm to 7 PM.
Politics -- Obama is upbeat about the recovery. What else can I say?
Have a great weekend!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Friday went as planned for the most part. I visited Mom at the hospital, and Dad in Lee.
Linda and I did lunch at the Shamrock because we had an evening function to attend.
Speaking of the evening function, it was awful. I am so glad that I didn't invite some of my closest friends because they would never return to an ITAM function ever again.
It got so bad that I invited about 15 people to party in the Curley basement for a couple of hours before the first intermission. At first, Linda was a bit crazed because we really had no plans of having this impromptu affair. Luckily, we keep our house in order, so a quick set up of some coffee pots, snack food , and beverages (which we always have in the bar in the basement) could be done before the guests arrived.
After a couple of hours of fun and merriment, some guests headed home while other went off to Pepe's on Wahconah Street where one of our Irish Sister City members is the D.J.
Linda and I decided to pass on this affair especially since I have a busy Saturday.
After finishing this e-mail, I am going to make a couple of loaves of Irish Soda Bread, head off to Lee to cook Dad a healthy meal for lunch, visit Mom at the hospital on the way home, take an afternoon nap in preparation for the Irish American Club function at the Elk's Club this evening.
I am taking a rain check on Marching in the 2 PM Albany, New York St. Patrick's Day Parade as well helping my UNICO brothers and sisters cook for another Pasta Fundraiser at Lenox High School from 5 Pm to 7 PM.
Politics -- Obama is upbeat about the recovery. What else can I say?
Have a great weekend!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Friday, March 13, 2009
Hello on Friday Morning
Dear Friends,
Happy Friday the 13th of March!
My first adventure on Thursday was to go off and visit Dear Old Mom in the hospital on Thursday. I didn't think that she was doing that well. I am going to blame it on her MRSA infection that is colonized, but not contagious. I really didn't know that she had MRSA until chatting with my sister around 5 PM on Thursday.
Speaking of my sister, she was so sick with Asthma, coughing fits, etc. on Thursday that she had to make a trip to her doctor. She was going to try and make an evening visit with Mom, but I suggested that she shouldn't go in her present condition.
I warned her that sometimes the caregiver gets just as sick as the person who they are caring for.
Could the animals in her house be making her sick? One of her children is very allergic to the animals when he comes to visit.
Our Irish Sister City members, and our Irish guest, Mary Kelly, did do lunch at DelGallo's. This place is a small Mom and Pop operation with Mom and Pop in the kitchen preparing food. The fun and merriment lasted for a couple of hours.
After lunch, I did take a nap because I had two more events on my social calendar.
The City of Pittsfield is changing over their health insurance, and we had a brief presentation of the different health plan options. The open enrollment begins on April 15, 2009.
While I was at this health care seminar, Linda was hosting a session of Mah Jongg.
My final social interaction for the day was a gathering at the Shamrock Restaurant with our guest of honor, and with any Sister City members who could join us. Linda decided to stay home and relax since she was tired, and didn't take a nap like I did.
Local News -- The local married female couple who made the front page of the The Berkshire Eagle on Thursday will probably be making the national news wires soon. The forcible attempt by a drunken mate to inseminate her wife with a "Turkey Baster" with semen from her brother didn't go as planned.
Every time I see a Turkey Baster I will think of this weird scenario.
Politics -- Madoff pleads guilty to his Ponzi like scheme was the biggest news of the day. So?
Will any one who lost money get any of their investments back?
What about his involved family members including his wife? Will they continue to live like the rich and famous do?
State News -- In the Eastern part of the State of Massachusetts, a man was arrested for touching, and exposing himself to a 16 year old girl at The Pleasure Island Tanning and Nail Salon which he and his wife own. Maybe the name of the place should be changed to a less erotic one. The guy must have thought that he really was on Pleasure Island.
Pittsfield and Pot Holes -- I thought that I was the only one upset with the numerous, and large crater like pot holes throughout our fair city. While socializing throughout the day and evening on Thursday, I found out that our friends have blown out tires, lost hub caps, and have been in the repair shop for front end alignments.
There is hope! While on the highways and bi-ways yesterday, the city workers were filling pot holes. They even had crews from our county jail filling pot holes.
Of course, the cold patch lasts for a couple of days. They have to use cold patch because the blacktop processing plants don't open until a couple of week from now, or at least until the black top season begins.
It is a balmy 16 degrees right now with promises from the weather prognosticators that we are going to warm up for the next few days.
Linda chatted with our Pizza, Paninni, and Pasta maker son just as I was waking up from my nap on Thursday. He told Linda how his presentation went at the studio of the "Phantom Gourmet". The Phantom Gourmet program is broadcast on a Boston based television channel which we don't get in the Berkshires.
They taped a five minute program which will be broadcast in two weeks. Kevin said that he and his partner brought (and had prepared some items at the studio) almost every type of food which they offer. Everyone of the crew of the Phantom Gourmet really like Kevin and his partner, Mike.
The filming crew couldn't wait to sample all those Epicurean delights when the taping was over.
The filming went so well, that they filmed it without a retake.
Another good thing is that Kevin and his partner were invited to participate in upcoming Wine and Food Expos in the Boston area. Linda and I have marked our social calendar for two of them already.
Social Calendar -- I will visit Mom this morning as well as do a couple of errands before coming home to take an afternoon nap.
This evening were have a table reserved for some Irish friends at the ITAM (Sons of Italy Lodge) for a function at 7:30 PM. We will be entertained by some Italian minstrels while we eat pizza, and fried dough as well as drink a few glasses of Chianti.
Some of our Irish friends will then go off to a night club around 11 PM, but most likely without the Curley's.
I am making soda bread on Saturday morning for the Irish American Club Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner / Dance on Saturday night, and I can't have a fogging brain while doing so.
Have to finish my morning routine, and head off to the hospital.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Happy Friday the 13th of March!
My first adventure on Thursday was to go off and visit Dear Old Mom in the hospital on Thursday. I didn't think that she was doing that well. I am going to blame it on her MRSA infection that is colonized, but not contagious. I really didn't know that she had MRSA until chatting with my sister around 5 PM on Thursday.
Speaking of my sister, she was so sick with Asthma, coughing fits, etc. on Thursday that she had to make a trip to her doctor. She was going to try and make an evening visit with Mom, but I suggested that she shouldn't go in her present condition.
I warned her that sometimes the caregiver gets just as sick as the person who they are caring for.
Could the animals in her house be making her sick? One of her children is very allergic to the animals when he comes to visit.
Our Irish Sister City members, and our Irish guest, Mary Kelly, did do lunch at DelGallo's. This place is a small Mom and Pop operation with Mom and Pop in the kitchen preparing food. The fun and merriment lasted for a couple of hours.
After lunch, I did take a nap because I had two more events on my social calendar.
The City of Pittsfield is changing over their health insurance, and we had a brief presentation of the different health plan options. The open enrollment begins on April 15, 2009.
While I was at this health care seminar, Linda was hosting a session of Mah Jongg.
My final social interaction for the day was a gathering at the Shamrock Restaurant with our guest of honor, and with any Sister City members who could join us. Linda decided to stay home and relax since she was tired, and didn't take a nap like I did.
Local News -- The local married female couple who made the front page of the The Berkshire Eagle on Thursday will probably be making the national news wires soon. The forcible attempt by a drunken mate to inseminate her wife with a "Turkey Baster" with semen from her brother didn't go as planned.
Every time I see a Turkey Baster I will think of this weird scenario.
Politics -- Madoff pleads guilty to his Ponzi like scheme was the biggest news of the day. So?
Will any one who lost money get any of their investments back?
What about his involved family members including his wife? Will they continue to live like the rich and famous do?
State News -- In the Eastern part of the State of Massachusetts, a man was arrested for touching, and exposing himself to a 16 year old girl at The Pleasure Island Tanning and Nail Salon which he and his wife own. Maybe the name of the place should be changed to a less erotic one. The guy must have thought that he really was on Pleasure Island.
Pittsfield and Pot Holes -- I thought that I was the only one upset with the numerous, and large crater like pot holes throughout our fair city. While socializing throughout the day and evening on Thursday, I found out that our friends have blown out tires, lost hub caps, and have been in the repair shop for front end alignments.
There is hope! While on the highways and bi-ways yesterday, the city workers were filling pot holes. They even had crews from our county jail filling pot holes.
Of course, the cold patch lasts for a couple of days. They have to use cold patch because the blacktop processing plants don't open until a couple of week from now, or at least until the black top season begins.
It is a balmy 16 degrees right now with promises from the weather prognosticators that we are going to warm up for the next few days.
Linda chatted with our Pizza, Paninni, and Pasta maker son just as I was waking up from my nap on Thursday. He told Linda how his presentation went at the studio of the "Phantom Gourmet". The Phantom Gourmet program is broadcast on a Boston based television channel which we don't get in the Berkshires.
They taped a five minute program which will be broadcast in two weeks. Kevin said that he and his partner brought (and had prepared some items at the studio) almost every type of food which they offer. Everyone of the crew of the Phantom Gourmet really like Kevin and his partner, Mike.
The filming crew couldn't wait to sample all those Epicurean delights when the taping was over.
The filming went so well, that they filmed it without a retake.
Another good thing is that Kevin and his partner were invited to participate in upcoming Wine and Food Expos in the Boston area. Linda and I have marked our social calendar for two of them already.
Social Calendar -- I will visit Mom this morning as well as do a couple of errands before coming home to take an afternoon nap.
This evening were have a table reserved for some Irish friends at the ITAM (Sons of Italy Lodge) for a function at 7:30 PM. We will be entertained by some Italian minstrels while we eat pizza, and fried dough as well as drink a few glasses of Chianti.
Some of our Irish friends will then go off to a night club around 11 PM, but most likely without the Curley's.
I am making soda bread on Saturday morning for the Irish American Club Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner / Dance on Saturday night, and I can't have a fogging brain while doing so.
Have to finish my morning routine, and head off to the hospital.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Hello on Thursday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Thursday went as planned. I was the first one to leave the house. I did go off and visit Mom for a short amount of time, but I decided to spend more time with dear old dad in Lee.
When I arrived at the family home in Lee, my father wasn't there. He was doing his normal routine with his senior friends at the local Mc Donald's. The "meals on wheels" person arrived a few minutes before my father arrived home. I decided to treat my father to a homemade meal of stuffed pork chops, asparagus tips, and a baked potato. The meals on wheels was some kind of hamburger helper concoction which I know that my father really doesn't like. Well, dear old dad was a member of the clean plate club. I toasted up a couple pieces of soda bread for dessert.
When I arrived home in the middle of the afternoon, Linda wasn't home. She was off at one of our grocery stores which had one of those "buy one get two items free." Sometimes this is not a deal, but Linda knows her prices.
Our evening adventure went well. I thought that we were going to see the Chinese Acrobats with another couple. Not! It was Linda & I, and the wife of another couple. The husband of the other couple had his last day of ski club (from the high school which he teaches at)at Jimny Peak. He is the chaperon of this ski club. The snow was so awful that the skiing was canceled. This friend did arrive home in time to accompany his wife to the performance. He chose to stay home. I was jealous.
The Chinese Acrobats were very talented, and did put on an entertaining show. Linda and her friend loved every minute of the performance.
For me, the best part of the evening was the meal at Patrick's Pub.
Kyla had a doctor's appointment yesterday. The ultra sound determined that Linda and I will be grandparents of a baby boy in August. Linda and I are so happy for them.
Our Irish guest arrived in Pittsfield last evening about the same time that the Colonial Theater programmed ended. It was only 9:30 PM, and I was ready to party, but had no one (except for Linda) to party with.
Social Calendar -- Our first meeting with our Irish guest is lunch at DelGallo's. This evening I am going to a Health Care Meeting at 6:30 PM. Linda scheduled a session of Mah Jongg at our house around the same time.
I am guessing that we will be doing a little socializing with our Irish friends at some point after our activities.
World Events -- I wish that these people who decide to go on a killing rampages just kill themselves, and not hurt or kill innocent people. Maybe doctors should have access to cyanide pills so that they could write out a prescription for these wacky people.
How about the naked guy who jumped into the frigid waters at Niagra Falls, and survived going over the Falls? I would bet that he wanted to kill himself. He would have been a good candidate for one of those cyanide pills.
It is a balmy 22 degrees outside right now. A cold front will keep us in the 30's all day long. Temperatures moderate by the weekend.
Well, I have to get my raisins, for my next batch of soda bread, and start soaking them in some Irish Whiskey. The raisins will be drunk by the time I bake a couple of loaves of the Irish Soda Bread on Saturday morning. Happy raisins make for a good soda bread.
Have a great Thursday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Thursday went as planned. I was the first one to leave the house. I did go off and visit Mom for a short amount of time, but I decided to spend more time with dear old dad in Lee.
When I arrived at the family home in Lee, my father wasn't there. He was doing his normal routine with his senior friends at the local Mc Donald's. The "meals on wheels" person arrived a few minutes before my father arrived home. I decided to treat my father to a homemade meal of stuffed pork chops, asparagus tips, and a baked potato. The meals on wheels was some kind of hamburger helper concoction which I know that my father really doesn't like. Well, dear old dad was a member of the clean plate club. I toasted up a couple pieces of soda bread for dessert.
When I arrived home in the middle of the afternoon, Linda wasn't home. She was off at one of our grocery stores which had one of those "buy one get two items free." Sometimes this is not a deal, but Linda knows her prices.
Our evening adventure went well. I thought that we were going to see the Chinese Acrobats with another couple. Not! It was Linda & I, and the wife of another couple. The husband of the other couple had his last day of ski club (from the high school which he teaches at)at Jimny Peak. He is the chaperon of this ski club. The snow was so awful that the skiing was canceled. This friend did arrive home in time to accompany his wife to the performance. He chose to stay home. I was jealous.
The Chinese Acrobats were very talented, and did put on an entertaining show. Linda and her friend loved every minute of the performance.
For me, the best part of the evening was the meal at Patrick's Pub.
Kyla had a doctor's appointment yesterday. The ultra sound determined that Linda and I will be grandparents of a baby boy in August. Linda and I are so happy for them.
Our Irish guest arrived in Pittsfield last evening about the same time that the Colonial Theater programmed ended. It was only 9:30 PM, and I was ready to party, but had no one (except for Linda) to party with.
Social Calendar -- Our first meeting with our Irish guest is lunch at DelGallo's. This evening I am going to a Health Care Meeting at 6:30 PM. Linda scheduled a session of Mah Jongg at our house around the same time.
I am guessing that we will be doing a little socializing with our Irish friends at some point after our activities.
World Events -- I wish that these people who decide to go on a killing rampages just kill themselves, and not hurt or kill innocent people. Maybe doctors should have access to cyanide pills so that they could write out a prescription for these wacky people.
How about the naked guy who jumped into the frigid waters at Niagra Falls, and survived going over the Falls? I would bet that he wanted to kill himself. He would have been a good candidate for one of those cyanide pills.
It is a balmy 22 degrees outside right now. A cold front will keep us in the 30's all day long. Temperatures moderate by the weekend.
Well, I have to get my raisins, for my next batch of soda bread, and start soaking them in some Irish Whiskey. The raisins will be drunk by the time I bake a couple of loaves of the Irish Soda Bread on Saturday morning. Happy raisins make for a good soda bread.
Have a great Thursday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Hello on Wednesday Morning
Dear Friends,
Tuesday went as planned. I visited Mom at the hospital. Once again, she enjoyed my soda bread. When I left hospital, she was sitting in a chair.
Dad, on the other hand, is not doing well. His cold has entered his chest, and he didn't sound well over the telephone.
Mentally, he is not doing well home alone since December 25, 2008. I don't know which parent needs more help from my sister and I.
The wake service went well last night. I was in the background, and didn't have a speaking role in the service.
After the short service, I quickly drove to the Pittsfield Library (1/2 mile away) where we had our Irish Sister City Meeting. They were only on the second agenda item when I walked in, so Linda quickly turned the recording secretary job back over to me.
When the meeting ended, Linda and i were supposed to go to O'Laughlin's for a little food, fun, and merriment. Linda decided to to go to the Pub. She is suffering from a new disorder which I named DSTCAD -->Daylight Savings Time Change Affected Disorder. She has been out of whack ever since we moved the clocks one hour ahead.
I represented the family at the Pub.
Politics -- Obama wants to award teachers Merit Pay. As a former Union President, I will give you some examples of things which could make this a not so good idea. When I was still in the teaching business, some teachers at a middle school used to play golf with the Middle School Principal several days per week. Do you seriously think that these teachers ever received a bad evaluation?
Most States are in a strangle hold because of State mandated tests. Do we measure the merit of the teacher by how the students score on these tests? One of my teacher friends happened to be one of the best mathematics' teacher in his school. The school administration decided to have him teach the lowest level of students. Administration assumed that he could improve the test scores of these students. The students, who were in his classes, lack so many core skills, that they still couldn't pass the standardized test. Super teacher did have these students attain a higher level, but still not high enough so that the students could pass the test.
As a final example, Texas, the home of the presidential Bushes, has standardized testing. The teachers teach to the test every day of the week. Some schools have an over 90 % standardized test passing rate. The college teachers who eventually get these students in there classes have noticed that a good number of these students have no ability to think and reason. They can't spot a student who came from the Texas schools in a heartbeat. These students really struggle in college.
Social Calendar -- After doing the visiting Mom and Dad thing during the day, the Curleys are doing a cultural thing this evening. We are meeting another couple at at Patrick's Pub at 5:30 PM for supper, and then we are off to the Colonial Theater. We will be seeing a Chinese Acrobat Show which starts at 7:30 PM. The program did receive rave reviews.
Our Irish Sister City guest from Ballina, Ireland arrives this evening. Since she will arrive exhausted, us Irish Sister City members will let her adjust to the Eastern Time Zone. We have her on a full schedule right through to next Wednesday.
After visiting Mom yesterday, I went home, and took down every single out door decoration which was Christmas related. I had to chisel out my motorized deer since they were frozen into the ground. Yes, I took a nap after that project.
Well, I have to end this e-mail, and get to writing up the minutes of last night's meeting.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Tuesday went as planned. I visited Mom at the hospital. Once again, she enjoyed my soda bread. When I left hospital, she was sitting in a chair.
Dad, on the other hand, is not doing well. His cold has entered his chest, and he didn't sound well over the telephone.
Mentally, he is not doing well home alone since December 25, 2008. I don't know which parent needs more help from my sister and I.
The wake service went well last night. I was in the background, and didn't have a speaking role in the service.
After the short service, I quickly drove to the Pittsfield Library (1/2 mile away) where we had our Irish Sister City Meeting. They were only on the second agenda item when I walked in, so Linda quickly turned the recording secretary job back over to me.
When the meeting ended, Linda and i were supposed to go to O'Laughlin's for a little food, fun, and merriment. Linda decided to to go to the Pub. She is suffering from a new disorder which I named DSTCAD -->Daylight Savings Time Change Affected Disorder. She has been out of whack ever since we moved the clocks one hour ahead.
I represented the family at the Pub.
Politics -- Obama wants to award teachers Merit Pay. As a former Union President, I will give you some examples of things which could make this a not so good idea. When I was still in the teaching business, some teachers at a middle school used to play golf with the Middle School Principal several days per week. Do you seriously think that these teachers ever received a bad evaluation?
Most States are in a strangle hold because of State mandated tests. Do we measure the merit of the teacher by how the students score on these tests? One of my teacher friends happened to be one of the best mathematics' teacher in his school. The school administration decided to have him teach the lowest level of students. Administration assumed that he could improve the test scores of these students. The students, who were in his classes, lack so many core skills, that they still couldn't pass the standardized test. Super teacher did have these students attain a higher level, but still not high enough so that the students could pass the test.
As a final example, Texas, the home of the presidential Bushes, has standardized testing. The teachers teach to the test every day of the week. Some schools have an over 90 % standardized test passing rate. The college teachers who eventually get these students in there classes have noticed that a good number of these students have no ability to think and reason. They can't spot a student who came from the Texas schools in a heartbeat. These students really struggle in college.
Social Calendar -- After doing the visiting Mom and Dad thing during the day, the Curleys are doing a cultural thing this evening. We are meeting another couple at at Patrick's Pub at 5:30 PM for supper, and then we are off to the Colonial Theater. We will be seeing a Chinese Acrobat Show which starts at 7:30 PM. The program did receive rave reviews.
Our Irish Sister City guest from Ballina, Ireland arrives this evening. Since she will arrive exhausted, us Irish Sister City members will let her adjust to the Eastern Time Zone. We have her on a full schedule right through to next Wednesday.
After visiting Mom yesterday, I went home, and took down every single out door decoration which was Christmas related. I had to chisel out my motorized deer since they were frozen into the ground. Yes, I took a nap after that project.
Well, I have to end this e-mail, and get to writing up the minutes of last night's meeting.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Hello on Tuesday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Monday went as planned, and it turned out to be a very pleasant one.
Linda never left the house until we went off to the Political Fundraiser Roast Beef Dinner at the Italian American Club.
Me on the other hand, made my first stop at the ITAM a little before 9 AM. I left my jacket there on Sunday after the Pasta Fundraiser.
With two slices of soda bread, I headed off to Berkshire Medical Center to visit Mom. Her roommate, who had sinus surgery, was packing up, and going through the discharge process.
Mom's sitter was assigned to a different person in the hospital because the doctors and head nurse didn't think that she needed a sitter. I tried to explain why she still needed one, but I wasn't successful.
After a couple hour visit, I said "Bye" to Mom, and headed off to the East Side Cafe to return some left over paper products from the Sunday Fund Raiser.
Yes, I needed an afternoon nap before going to our evening adventure.
The family style roast beef dinner, at the Politcal Fund Raiser, was wonderful. Since the upstairs room was filled, we ended up at long tables in the bar area along with 50 or 60 other people who didn't make reservations. The kitchen at the Italian American Club is one flight of stairs above the bar area so serving us was not a problem.
When we arrived home it was decision time for me. Do I watched "Dancing with the Stars" with Linda, or the terrorist fighting Jack Bauer from the weekly series called "24". Which program do you think I chose to watch?
Yes, I should of shut off the television, and read a good book, but I just finished savoring one in the morning. I have already read two of the top five books, and I didn't have another book to read. Linda, my book supplier, is working on getting me some new books.
Politics -- Clinton played the Saxaphone, and Obama dances.
Speaking of dancing, a political analyst thinks that Obama is a centrist at the present time.
Social Calendar -- I will be off to see Mom in a little while. Linda has her usual Tuesday Mah Jongg Session from 11:30 AM until 4:30 PM.
Yes, we have evening activities, and a semi conflict. We have an Irish Sister City meeting, at which I am the recording secretary, and a prayer service at a funeral home for a deceased ITAM member. Both events start at the same time of 6 PM. The plan is for Linda to act as the recoding secretary, which she dislikes, and me go off to the prayer service. Luckily the funeral home and the Sister City meeting place is less than a mile from one another. I will be at the Sister City meeting shortly after it starts.
After the meeting, I think that we might be heading to O'Laughlin's for a little food , fun, and merriment since every Tuesday is an Irish Session at the Pub.
Some of you reading this e-mail might think that the Curley's are a bit overbooked, but after dealing with Mom's health issues since December 25, 2008, it is sinking in that the "Golden Years" are just a myth.
While at the Politcal Fund Raiser, we saw the parents of one of Kevin's High School classmates. We asked, the former mayor how his five month old male grandchild was doing, he said: "Not good". The baby is in the hospital fighting for his life. He has MRSA. The doctors tried to find out the reason for the high fever, etc. The grandmother, who has a nursing background, kept on asking them to test for MSRA. When they finally did, that was the diagnosis. The family is surmising that the disease was picked up at the child care facility.
Weather -- We should be exiting the 20 degree range pretty soon. The dirty snow is all covered up with a dusting of the white stuff. We have a wintry mix coming in late this evening before changing to rain. Winter doesn't want to lose its grip in the Berkshires.
Cars, and car commercials -- While watching television last evening, I was bombarded with car commercials. Have you noticed how fast they show the cars, and the angle which they show them. The newest fleet of cars are really small, and short.
When I park my 2000 Subaru Legacy Wagon next to the large SUV's and trucks, I feel like I am driving a toy car. The height of my car is at the height where the gas cap is located on those huge vehicles. Some of the trucks, which my friends own, have more rubber in one of their tires than I have in all of my four tires combined. If I ever got into an accident with these vehicles, I would be the one transported to the hospital.
Well, I have to finish my quiet morning routine before heading off to the hospital.
Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Monday went as planned, and it turned out to be a very pleasant one.
Linda never left the house until we went off to the Political Fundraiser Roast Beef Dinner at the Italian American Club.
Me on the other hand, made my first stop at the ITAM a little before 9 AM. I left my jacket there on Sunday after the Pasta Fundraiser.
With two slices of soda bread, I headed off to Berkshire Medical Center to visit Mom. Her roommate, who had sinus surgery, was packing up, and going through the discharge process.
Mom's sitter was assigned to a different person in the hospital because the doctors and head nurse didn't think that she needed a sitter. I tried to explain why she still needed one, but I wasn't successful.
After a couple hour visit, I said "Bye" to Mom, and headed off to the East Side Cafe to return some left over paper products from the Sunday Fund Raiser.
Yes, I needed an afternoon nap before going to our evening adventure.
The family style roast beef dinner, at the Politcal Fund Raiser, was wonderful. Since the upstairs room was filled, we ended up at long tables in the bar area along with 50 or 60 other people who didn't make reservations. The kitchen at the Italian American Club is one flight of stairs above the bar area so serving us was not a problem.
When we arrived home it was decision time for me. Do I watched "Dancing with the Stars" with Linda, or the terrorist fighting Jack Bauer from the weekly series called "24". Which program do you think I chose to watch?
Yes, I should of shut off the television, and read a good book, but I just finished savoring one in the morning. I have already read two of the top five books, and I didn't have another book to read. Linda, my book supplier, is working on getting me some new books.
Politics -- Clinton played the Saxaphone, and Obama dances.
Speaking of dancing, a political analyst thinks that Obama is a centrist at the present time.
Social Calendar -- I will be off to see Mom in a little while. Linda has her usual Tuesday Mah Jongg Session from 11:30 AM until 4:30 PM.
Yes, we have evening activities, and a semi conflict. We have an Irish Sister City meeting, at which I am the recording secretary, and a prayer service at a funeral home for a deceased ITAM member. Both events start at the same time of 6 PM. The plan is for Linda to act as the recoding secretary, which she dislikes, and me go off to the prayer service. Luckily the funeral home and the Sister City meeting place is less than a mile from one another. I will be at the Sister City meeting shortly after it starts.
After the meeting, I think that we might be heading to O'Laughlin's for a little food , fun, and merriment since every Tuesday is an Irish Session at the Pub.
Some of you reading this e-mail might think that the Curley's are a bit overbooked, but after dealing with Mom's health issues since December 25, 2008, it is sinking in that the "Golden Years" are just a myth.
While at the Politcal Fund Raiser, we saw the parents of one of Kevin's High School classmates. We asked, the former mayor how his five month old male grandchild was doing, he said: "Not good". The baby is in the hospital fighting for his life. He has MRSA. The doctors tried to find out the reason for the high fever, etc. The grandmother, who has a nursing background, kept on asking them to test for MSRA. When they finally did, that was the diagnosis. The family is surmising that the disease was picked up at the child care facility.
Weather -- We should be exiting the 20 degree range pretty soon. The dirty snow is all covered up with a dusting of the white stuff. We have a wintry mix coming in late this evening before changing to rain. Winter doesn't want to lose its grip in the Berkshires.
Cars, and car commercials -- While watching television last evening, I was bombarded with car commercials. Have you noticed how fast they show the cars, and the angle which they show them. The newest fleet of cars are really small, and short.
When I park my 2000 Subaru Legacy Wagon next to the large SUV's and trucks, I feel like I am driving a toy car. The height of my car is at the height where the gas cap is located on those huge vehicles. Some of the trucks, which my friends own, have more rubber in one of their tires than I have in all of my four tires combined. If I ever got into an accident with these vehicles, I would be the one transported to the hospital.
Well, I have to finish my quiet morning routine before heading off to the hospital.
Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Monday, March 9, 2009
Hello on Monday Morning
Dear Friends,
Sunday went as planned, but I did come home exhausted.
I spent a couple hours with Mom during Sunday morning. Her leg pain continues. I was able to get her mind off of the pain when I had her try a slice of my soda bread. She loved it!
Linda had woken up just before I went off to the hospital. She had a few hours of peace and quiet to read the local newspaper, and the Boston Globe. By the time I got home she was getting dressed, getting ready to go off to do her thing, which was lunch and the Shakespearean Play with a girl friend.
Before I headed off to the Pasta Fund Raiser, I had to run an errand at one of our local radio stations. The radio station had a Radio Auction on Saturday. Linda purchased a three items, and the pick up was between 12 and 3 PM on Sunday.
The Pasta Fund Raiser at the ITAM, for the boy who has leukemia, went very well. My UNICO brothers and sisters served over 300 people once again. There was much fun and merriment in the kitchen. I might have a had a glass or two of homemade red wine during the fund raiser. The guy who made the wine can't even drink his own wine. He is on Coumadin, and he is getting ready for a little heart surgery.
Politics / World News -- The usual mayhem throughout the world continues.
British soldiers were shot while laying on the ground in one troubled area.
A Saudia women is going to get 40 lashes for "Mingling". Equal rights for women is a long way off in certain countries.
The world is waiting to see what happens in the United States stock market this week. Let us hope that the downward trend comes to an end.
Social Calendar -- Linda and I are booked into events for the next 12 or 13 days. One or both of us have something during every one of these days. Some days we have multiple events / meetings / wake prayer service, and we will have to decide which ones to attend. We also have a guest from out Irish Sister City who will be with us through the St.Patrick's Day holiday. She arrives on Wednesday evening, and we have a full agenda for her for 6 consecutive days. I am pretty much exhausted just looking at our calendar for March.
Tonight we are going off to the Italian American Club for a Roast Beef Dinner / Political Fund Raiser. I know every one of the kitchen crew, and I am certain that they will put out a meal to remember. The cost is $15 per person which is a bargain in the scheme of things. Anyone receiving this e-mail can join Linda and I if they wish, just for the fun and merriment.
I went to bed too early last night. I am paying the price right now. I will finish savoring a book until Linda wakes up. I will need a nap for sure before our evening event.
My first activity today is a visit with Mom at the hospital. Yes, I will bring her a couple of slices of my soda bread for her mid morning snack.
Have a great week at work or play.
Spring is in the air even though we might get a couple inches of snow during the next few days.
People are still driving their cars and trucks on the lakes in the Berkshires. The ice depth is 23 inches.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Sunday went as planned, but I did come home exhausted.
I spent a couple hours with Mom during Sunday morning. Her leg pain continues. I was able to get her mind off of the pain when I had her try a slice of my soda bread. She loved it!
Linda had woken up just before I went off to the hospital. She had a few hours of peace and quiet to read the local newspaper, and the Boston Globe. By the time I got home she was getting dressed, getting ready to go off to do her thing, which was lunch and the Shakespearean Play with a girl friend.
Before I headed off to the Pasta Fund Raiser, I had to run an errand at one of our local radio stations. The radio station had a Radio Auction on Saturday. Linda purchased a three items, and the pick up was between 12 and 3 PM on Sunday.
The Pasta Fund Raiser at the ITAM, for the boy who has leukemia, went very well. My UNICO brothers and sisters served over 300 people once again. There was much fun and merriment in the kitchen. I might have a had a glass or two of homemade red wine during the fund raiser. The guy who made the wine can't even drink his own wine. He is on Coumadin, and he is getting ready for a little heart surgery.
Politics / World News -- The usual mayhem throughout the world continues.
British soldiers were shot while laying on the ground in one troubled area.
A Saudia women is going to get 40 lashes for "Mingling". Equal rights for women is a long way off in certain countries.
The world is waiting to see what happens in the United States stock market this week. Let us hope that the downward trend comes to an end.
Social Calendar -- Linda and I are booked into events for the next 12 or 13 days. One or both of us have something during every one of these days. Some days we have multiple events / meetings / wake prayer service, and we will have to decide which ones to attend. We also have a guest from out Irish Sister City who will be with us through the St.Patrick's Day holiday. She arrives on Wednesday evening, and we have a full agenda for her for 6 consecutive days. I am pretty much exhausted just looking at our calendar for March.
Tonight we are going off to the Italian American Club for a Roast Beef Dinner / Political Fund Raiser. I know every one of the kitchen crew, and I am certain that they will put out a meal to remember. The cost is $15 per person which is a bargain in the scheme of things. Anyone receiving this e-mail can join Linda and I if they wish, just for the fun and merriment.
I went to bed too early last night. I am paying the price right now. I will finish savoring a book until Linda wakes up. I will need a nap for sure before our evening event.
My first activity today is a visit with Mom at the hospital. Yes, I will bring her a couple of slices of my soda bread for her mid morning snack.
Have a great week at work or play.
Spring is in the air even though we might get a couple inches of snow during the next few days.
People are still driving their cars and trucks on the lakes in the Berkshires. The ice depth is 23 inches.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Hello on Sunday Morning
Dear Friends,
My military son corrected me with respect to daylight savings time. I will be seeing, and hearing the birds later in the evening, and not in the morning.
I didn't win the Soda Bread Contest. I did cut up the winning soda bread, and plated it (there were 13 entries). We were supposed to submit one soda bread cut up into cubes so that the pieces could be picked up with a tooth pick, and the second soda bread for sale. The winner didn't follow directions, but that is okay because his bread was voted the best. His differed from all the rest of the soda breads because he put in caraway seeds. No, I am not going to change my recipe.
Someone did purchase my extra soda bread. They will know how good mine really was.
Linda went off for a little recreational shopping with two girl friends at the Lee Outlets while I was dealing with the soda bread contest set up. I even squeezed in a nap before returning to help with the cleanup.
Politics -- The mayhem throughout the world continues. A United States drone was shot down at one battlefield area. Will people in world ever live in peace and harmony? Most of us in the United states are worrying about the economy, jobs, and how to pay our bills.
How about the shooting at a dance club in Maryland? A conflict arose on the dance floor, and three people were shot, and one person was killed. What happened to a good old conflict being resolved with fists instead of guns and knives? Some of these people do these things just like they do in those darn violent video games. The stupid people can't separate the video game from real life.
Social Calendar -- I am picking up a friend at 1:15 PM today. We are part of the UNICO volunteer crew whom will be preparing, serving, and cleaning up for a Pasta Fund Raiser for an Elementary School boy who is dealing with leukemia. We are serving between 4:30 PM and 7 PM.
Linda will be heading off to do lunch and a Shakespearean Play with a girl friend. I am so happy that she is happy!
While visiting Mom in the hospital, I saw another person whom I know on the same floor. I stopped in their room to say "Hello". The lady was in there because during a routine colonoscopy, the doctor puncture her colon. While I was there, the poor lady's face was swollen because she had an allergic reaction to the pain medicine. Her daughter was there visiting her. The daughter said that she never had a colonoscopy before. After seeing her mother there, I am not sure if she ever will.
My mother is no longer in ICU. She wasn't doing well with respect to leg pain, which the doctors said was normal. Her ankles on both legs were swollen, and causing her quite a bit of uncomfortableness. She wants to get out of bed , and move around, but the condition of her legs won't allow her to do so. She still does have a sitter with her, which is good for my sister and I.
When I stop in to visit her this morning, I will bring a couple of pieces of some buttered soda bread for a mid morning snack.
I did find another thing which a color blind person might need a little help with. My soda bread recipe said to cook until "Golden Brown." What does "Golden Brown" mean for a color blind person?
Well, I have to get dressed, and head off to the hospital.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
My military son corrected me with respect to daylight savings time. I will be seeing, and hearing the birds later in the evening, and not in the morning.
I didn't win the Soda Bread Contest. I did cut up the winning soda bread, and plated it (there were 13 entries). We were supposed to submit one soda bread cut up into cubes so that the pieces could be picked up with a tooth pick, and the second soda bread for sale. The winner didn't follow directions, but that is okay because his bread was voted the best. His differed from all the rest of the soda breads because he put in caraway seeds. No, I am not going to change my recipe.
Someone did purchase my extra soda bread. They will know how good mine really was.
Linda went off for a little recreational shopping with two girl friends at the Lee Outlets while I was dealing with the soda bread contest set up. I even squeezed in a nap before returning to help with the cleanup.
Politics -- The mayhem throughout the world continues. A United States drone was shot down at one battlefield area. Will people in world ever live in peace and harmony? Most of us in the United states are worrying about the economy, jobs, and how to pay our bills.
How about the shooting at a dance club in Maryland? A conflict arose on the dance floor, and three people were shot, and one person was killed. What happened to a good old conflict being resolved with fists instead of guns and knives? Some of these people do these things just like they do in those darn violent video games. The stupid people can't separate the video game from real life.
Social Calendar -- I am picking up a friend at 1:15 PM today. We are part of the UNICO volunteer crew whom will be preparing, serving, and cleaning up for a Pasta Fund Raiser for an Elementary School boy who is dealing with leukemia. We are serving between 4:30 PM and 7 PM.
Linda will be heading off to do lunch and a Shakespearean Play with a girl friend. I am so happy that she is happy!
While visiting Mom in the hospital, I saw another person whom I know on the same floor. I stopped in their room to say "Hello". The lady was in there because during a routine colonoscopy, the doctor puncture her colon. While I was there, the poor lady's face was swollen because she had an allergic reaction to the pain medicine. Her daughter was there visiting her. The daughter said that she never had a colonoscopy before. After seeing her mother there, I am not sure if she ever will.
My mother is no longer in ICU. She wasn't doing well with respect to leg pain, which the doctors said was normal. Her ankles on both legs were swollen, and causing her quite a bit of uncomfortableness. She wants to get out of bed , and move around, but the condition of her legs won't allow her to do so. She still does have a sitter with her, which is good for my sister and I.
When I stop in to visit her this morning, I will bring a couple of pieces of some buttered soda bread for a mid morning snack.
I did find another thing which a color blind person might need a little help with. My soda bread recipe said to cook until "Golden Brown." What does "Golden Brown" mean for a color blind person?
Well, I have to get dressed, and head off to the hospital.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Hello on Saturday Morning
Dear Friends,
Our Friday went as planned. I arrived at Berkshire Medical Center before Mom had breakfast. I assisted her with breakfast so that the sitter could take her morning break. A little after 9 AM, I called my sister t, who was baby sitting for one of her grandchildren, and asked her how her evening visit went with Mom on Thursday. Mom didn't even remember that I sat with her from 8 AM until 1:30 PM on Thursday. I changed my strategy about staying with her after that comment. I decided to leave the hospital, and check on my father at their home in Lee. He was winning the battle with his cold. He said that he slept well on Thursday after taking some Nyquil type of product at bedtime. He did say that the check out person asked him his age when he paid for the product. Nyquil products have about 25 % alcohol, and some people might be consuming them instead of purchasing a bottle of booze from the liquor store.
I went home and had some leftovers with Linda, and took a power nap while Linda went off to do a little recreational shopping.
Yes, we did go to the Shamrock for supper, but we dinned with a couple of Linda's female friends whom she also plays Mah Jongg with.
Linda and I went directly home after supper, and I watched a sporting contest while Linda watched some recorded television programs.
Speaking of sports, my Boston Celtics won their game against the number one team in their division. They are now one game behind the division leaders. Go Celtics!
Politics -- The stock market ended "up" for a change, but the increase was small.
Every time I see the value of General Electric Stock at its current level, I think of all the people in Pittsfield and Berkshire County whose nest egg has been reduced to almost nothing. General Electric used to employ 12,000 people in the 70's. They don't exist in Pittsfield anymore, and most people are asking themselves what "good things that they really did bring to life?" We are still dealing with the environmental mess of the PCB's which have leached into the Housatonic River, and beyond.
Pot Holes & Manhole Covers -- I have been putting some serious miles on my car driving to nursing homes, and hospitals since December 25, 2008 which is when Mom had her first health issue. I can't believe the number of pot holes, and sunken manhole covers that are everywhere in Berkshire County. Some are so big, I swear that they can swallow up my car. Today the temperatures should rise into the 50's. I would pay the guys over time just to cold patch these defects in the roads. I don't think that there is any road in and out of Pittsfield which couldn't do with some sort of repair.
Is there are particular way to build a road, and install manholes without them turning into death traps for our vehicles. Maybe the road builders, and the car repair places are in collusion with one another?
Social Calendar -- As soon as Linda wakes up, I have to become baker man. I am going to make a double batch of Irish Soda Bread. Some will be for the Soda Bread Contest at George's Liquor store today from 3 PM to 6 PM, and some will be for Linda and I. I might even have enough to give to my father. I will bring some to Mom at the hospital too. I wish that I had some right now. There is nothing better than butter on a toasted slice of soda bread.
For my soda bread to win first prize won't be easy, but I am up for the challenge
Today our cars will get a good washing and cleaning inside and out. I will clean them in our driveway.
Yes, I will visit dear old mom at some point, but the visit will be brief. She might have already been moved to a regular room. She was disconnected to at least one monitor when I visited her on Friday.
There is a Polenta Dinner (with Chicken & Sausage) this evening at the Italian American Club, but I didn't purchase tickets. I hesitated because I wasn't sure about Mom and her health issues. The Polenta Dinner might be sold out.
Don't for get to change the clocks before you go to bed this evening, Spring ahead! This change is usually not a good one for Linda. I love it! At least, I will be able to see the chirping birds when I get up so early.
Have to finish my morning routine, and then gather the ingredients for my soda bread.
I have a full day ahead of me.
Have a great weekend!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Our Friday went as planned. I arrived at Berkshire Medical Center before Mom had breakfast. I assisted her with breakfast so that the sitter could take her morning break. A little after 9 AM, I called my sister t, who was baby sitting for one of her grandchildren, and asked her how her evening visit went with Mom on Thursday. Mom didn't even remember that I sat with her from 8 AM until 1:30 PM on Thursday. I changed my strategy about staying with her after that comment. I decided to leave the hospital, and check on my father at their home in Lee. He was winning the battle with his cold. He said that he slept well on Thursday after taking some Nyquil type of product at bedtime. He did say that the check out person asked him his age when he paid for the product. Nyquil products have about 25 % alcohol, and some people might be consuming them instead of purchasing a bottle of booze from the liquor store.
I went home and had some leftovers with Linda, and took a power nap while Linda went off to do a little recreational shopping.
Yes, we did go to the Shamrock for supper, but we dinned with a couple of Linda's female friends whom she also plays Mah Jongg with.
Linda and I went directly home after supper, and I watched a sporting contest while Linda watched some recorded television programs.
Speaking of sports, my Boston Celtics won their game against the number one team in their division. They are now one game behind the division leaders. Go Celtics!
Politics -- The stock market ended "up" for a change, but the increase was small.
Every time I see the value of General Electric Stock at its current level, I think of all the people in Pittsfield and Berkshire County whose nest egg has been reduced to almost nothing. General Electric used to employ 12,000 people in the 70's. They don't exist in Pittsfield anymore, and most people are asking themselves what "good things that they really did bring to life?" We are still dealing with the environmental mess of the PCB's which have leached into the Housatonic River, and beyond.
Pot Holes & Manhole Covers -- I have been putting some serious miles on my car driving to nursing homes, and hospitals since December 25, 2008 which is when Mom had her first health issue. I can't believe the number of pot holes, and sunken manhole covers that are everywhere in Berkshire County. Some are so big, I swear that they can swallow up my car. Today the temperatures should rise into the 50's. I would pay the guys over time just to cold patch these defects in the roads. I don't think that there is any road in and out of Pittsfield which couldn't do with some sort of repair.
Is there are particular way to build a road, and install manholes without them turning into death traps for our vehicles. Maybe the road builders, and the car repair places are in collusion with one another?
Social Calendar -- As soon as Linda wakes up, I have to become baker man. I am going to make a double batch of Irish Soda Bread. Some will be for the Soda Bread Contest at George's Liquor store today from 3 PM to 6 PM, and some will be for Linda and I. I might even have enough to give to my father. I will bring some to Mom at the hospital too. I wish that I had some right now. There is nothing better than butter on a toasted slice of soda bread.
For my soda bread to win first prize won't be easy, but I am up for the challenge
Today our cars will get a good washing and cleaning inside and out. I will clean them in our driveway.
Yes, I will visit dear old mom at some point, but the visit will be brief. She might have already been moved to a regular room. She was disconnected to at least one monitor when I visited her on Friday.
There is a Polenta Dinner (with Chicken & Sausage) this evening at the Italian American Club, but I didn't purchase tickets. I hesitated because I wasn't sure about Mom and her health issues. The Polenta Dinner might be sold out.
Don't for get to change the clocks before you go to bed this evening, Spring ahead! This change is usually not a good one for Linda. I love it! At least, I will be able to see the chirping birds when I get up so early.
Have to finish my morning routine, and then gather the ingredients for my soda bread.
I have a full day ahead of me.
Have a great weekend!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Friday, March 6, 2009
Hello on Friday Morning
Dear Friends,
Before I left the house on Thursday to visit dear old Mom, I set up the crock pot with with the ingredients for a red sauce to go on Penne Rigate. The visit, and our supper went very well.
Mom's sitter at the hospital was a really good and caring woman. She treated my mother like she was her own Mom. The sitter has been working at the hospital for over 46 years as a nurse, and in other various capacities.
Mom needed two units of blood on Thursday because her hemoglobin count was low. She had some pain in her heel of one of her legs which the nurse and doctors said was normal. Her blood pressure was starting to return to normal. I stayed with Mom from 8 AM until 1:30 PM. My sister was expected to arrive near 3 PM.
My sister was doing a little baby sitting for one of her grandchildren, and then she was going to go off to see how Dad was doing in Lee before heading to BMC. Dad had picked up a cold, and he was doing so so on Thursday.
We have a little ice outside before a warm up occurs. We have a stretch of weather for several days which will feel like a virtual heat wave compared to what we have been experiencing.
Politics -- The stock market continues to lose ground. Rush Limbaugh wants to debate Obama on his daily radio program.
The Doctor, whose name has been bantered around for the Surgeon General, has declined to take the job. A third child on the way, and giving up his practice at 39 years old were the deciding factors.
World news-- Women in Saudia Arabia are not allowed to drive cars. A twenty year old was arrested after she was involved trying to escape from the police. 125 women have been arrested during the past year.
I made a suggestion to Linda a while back to get rid of one of our cars, and try functioning with only one car. Her response was: "Are you nuts?" Luckily, the United States believes in "equal rights" when it comes to male / female issues.
I woke up to another weird dream. I was flying like Superman, but I wasn't fighting evil. I am trying to figure out why I dreamed such a dream. The only thing that I could think of was that Mom was visited, and blessed by the pastor of my mother and father's Church in Lee on Thursday. Maybe it was my soul, or Mom's soul going off to heaven. I only had one glass of red wine with the pasta supper so it couldn't be a dream fueled by alcohol.
I found two other things which a color blind person wouldn't be good at. We had some beautiful birds at my bird feeders the other day. I took out my "Pederson's Field Guide to Birds", and tried to identify which birds I was looking at. This was an exercise in futility.
I also wanted to try to "Fly Tying" for fishing. I think that might have a little trouble trying to create fly which would match the color of the real thing. The Flys would be quite colorful though.
Social Calendar -- There will be no crock pot supper this evening. Linda and I will be heading for the Shamrock Restaurant for supper. Last Friday, I made the decision that junk food at the Wolftones Concert could be a substitute for a normal supper. This was a huge mistake!
Well, I have to finish my morning routine, and head off to the hospital for a while. Since they have a sitter with Mom, I don't feel so guilty leaving her alone. My father's health is another issue.
Have a great weekend.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Before I left the house on Thursday to visit dear old Mom, I set up the crock pot with with the ingredients for a red sauce to go on Penne Rigate. The visit, and our supper went very well.
Mom's sitter at the hospital was a really good and caring woman. She treated my mother like she was her own Mom. The sitter has been working at the hospital for over 46 years as a nurse, and in other various capacities.
Mom needed two units of blood on Thursday because her hemoglobin count was low. She had some pain in her heel of one of her legs which the nurse and doctors said was normal. Her blood pressure was starting to return to normal. I stayed with Mom from 8 AM until 1:30 PM. My sister was expected to arrive near 3 PM.
My sister was doing a little baby sitting for one of her grandchildren, and then she was going to go off to see how Dad was doing in Lee before heading to BMC. Dad had picked up a cold, and he was doing so so on Thursday.
We have a little ice outside before a warm up occurs. We have a stretch of weather for several days which will feel like a virtual heat wave compared to what we have been experiencing.
Politics -- The stock market continues to lose ground. Rush Limbaugh wants to debate Obama on his daily radio program.
The Doctor, whose name has been bantered around for the Surgeon General, has declined to take the job. A third child on the way, and giving up his practice at 39 years old were the deciding factors.
World news-- Women in Saudia Arabia are not allowed to drive cars. A twenty year old was arrested after she was involved trying to escape from the police. 125 women have been arrested during the past year.
I made a suggestion to Linda a while back to get rid of one of our cars, and try functioning with only one car. Her response was: "Are you nuts?" Luckily, the United States believes in "equal rights" when it comes to male / female issues.
I woke up to another weird dream. I was flying like Superman, but I wasn't fighting evil. I am trying to figure out why I dreamed such a dream. The only thing that I could think of was that Mom was visited, and blessed by the pastor of my mother and father's Church in Lee on Thursday. Maybe it was my soul, or Mom's soul going off to heaven. I only had one glass of red wine with the pasta supper so it couldn't be a dream fueled by alcohol.
I found two other things which a color blind person wouldn't be good at. We had some beautiful birds at my bird feeders the other day. I took out my "Pederson's Field Guide to Birds", and tried to identify which birds I was looking at. This was an exercise in futility.
I also wanted to try to "Fly Tying" for fishing. I think that might have a little trouble trying to create fly which would match the color of the real thing. The Flys would be quite colorful though.
Social Calendar -- There will be no crock pot supper this evening. Linda and I will be heading for the Shamrock Restaurant for supper. Last Friday, I made the decision that junk food at the Wolftones Concert could be a substitute for a normal supper. This was a huge mistake!
Well, I have to finish my morning routine, and head off to the hospital for a while. Since they have a sitter with Mom, I don't feel so guilty leaving her alone. My father's health is another issue.
Have a great weekend.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Hello on Thursday Morning
Dear Friends,
I left the house a little after 8 AM on Wednesday, and headed for the hospital. I checked myself into the emergency room, and remained there until I was discharged around 1:15 PM. I had a leg that was bothering me for a couple of days. Luckily, my self diagnosis of a blood clot proved to be false. The doctor ordered a blood test, and ultrasound. The ultrasound showed no existence of a blood clot. The blood test, which was done twice, showed a false / positive result which the doctor said could of been done by the person drawing the blood.
My leg problem turned out to be a hamstring pull. The doctor asked me if I remember doing something unusual to have caused the muscle pull. Doctor Linda Curley said that it probably was a "recliner chair" injury. Our couches, have ends which turn into recliner chairs. When you get up from the chairs, you have to push hard with the lower part of your legs to snap the bottom of the chair back into the normal position. Did you ever hear of such a thing?
After my ordeal, I went to visit Mom in ICU. She had what they call a "sitter" with her so that she wouldn't pull out tubes which were hooked up to monitors. She finally was allowed to have food and water at supper time. My sister said that she "ate like a trooper." If she continues to get well today, they will most likely transfer her to a regular room.
I have the morning shift of being with Mom today.
Politics -- The usual mayhem throughout the world. Hillary is trying to broker a little peace between the Israeli and Palestinians. Obama is trying to make it through his first 100 days, but it hasn't been easy so far. Every move he makes is scrutinized with a "Fine tooth Comb." Obama can handle the criticism.
Weather -- Even though it is 8 degrees this morning, we will hit the mid thirties by 5 PM. We then have some spring like weather heading our way for several days. It will take more that few days to melt the ice on our frozen lakes.
Social Calendar -- Linda has a Mah Jongg game session scheduled this evening, but it might have to be canceled due to a lack of getting four players together. I will be spending most of my day with Mom.
Sports -- Manny Ramierez signed for the same deal which the Red Sox offered him when he was with Boston. Terrell Owens was released by the Dallas Cowboys. My Boston Celtics won their game during the last few minutes of the fourth quarter.
Well, have a great Thursday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
I left the house a little after 8 AM on Wednesday, and headed for the hospital. I checked myself into the emergency room, and remained there until I was discharged around 1:15 PM. I had a leg that was bothering me for a couple of days. Luckily, my self diagnosis of a blood clot proved to be false. The doctor ordered a blood test, and ultrasound. The ultrasound showed no existence of a blood clot. The blood test, which was done twice, showed a false / positive result which the doctor said could of been done by the person drawing the blood.
My leg problem turned out to be a hamstring pull. The doctor asked me if I remember doing something unusual to have caused the muscle pull. Doctor Linda Curley said that it probably was a "recliner chair" injury. Our couches, have ends which turn into recliner chairs. When you get up from the chairs, you have to push hard with the lower part of your legs to snap the bottom of the chair back into the normal position. Did you ever hear of such a thing?
After my ordeal, I went to visit Mom in ICU. She had what they call a "sitter" with her so that she wouldn't pull out tubes which were hooked up to monitors. She finally was allowed to have food and water at supper time. My sister said that she "ate like a trooper." If she continues to get well today, they will most likely transfer her to a regular room.
I have the morning shift of being with Mom today.
Politics -- The usual mayhem throughout the world. Hillary is trying to broker a little peace between the Israeli and Palestinians. Obama is trying to make it through his first 100 days, but it hasn't been easy so far. Every move he makes is scrutinized with a "Fine tooth Comb." Obama can handle the criticism.
Weather -- Even though it is 8 degrees this morning, we will hit the mid thirties by 5 PM. We then have some spring like weather heading our way for several days. It will take more that few days to melt the ice on our frozen lakes.
Social Calendar -- Linda has a Mah Jongg game session scheduled this evening, but it might have to be canceled due to a lack of getting four players together. I will be spending most of my day with Mom.
Sports -- Manny Ramierez signed for the same deal which the Red Sox offered him when he was with Boston. Terrell Owens was released by the Dallas Cowboys. My Boston Celtics won their game during the last few minutes of the fourth quarter.
Well, have a great Thursday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad
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