Monday, September 16, 2013

running running

Not much to see here folks.  I awoke this morning with fluid flowing from my nose  ( GROSS ALERT !!  GROSS ALERT !! ).  A clear, liquid-flow, mighty as a river gushing after the hurricane [ from the previous post ] has unleashed its liquid fury.  
                        One Kleenix, Two Kleenix, 
                        Three Kleenix, A Dollar.  

                        All for Tissues 
                        Stand up and hollar.
.
Today I stand in awe at the "mighty lowly" Tissue.    Continuing our gross alert, the way it works in my head - the nose runs.  If I lay down, it continues, sometimes flowing down the back of my throat.  While I never know it is flowing, it is for sure.  All of this gross-sit-ity is followed by an increasing sore throat. Pretty soon, the ears start to stop up.   That was fun to write.  Start to Stop. Try it, you'll see. 
.
Historically when this first started, it was a spring time, just prior to concert contest.  I went into sight reading unable to hear my students play - everything seemed 5 blocks away.  We were fortunate to have survived that competition - the band did great.  I tried to smile a lot.
.
So, running nose and all, today we went to town.   Gotta go to the bank - the post office - and, of course,  Wal*Mart.  That, plus a few more tissues, and I invite my wife to have lunch at a local Italian place we have never tried.   It was okay.  Big bread rolls brushed with butter and garlic. The portions were large.  My piece of chicken was enormous for a restaurant that is still in business.  We brought home supper plus 2 big rolls.
.
Once home - a half box tissues later - I called an allergy doctor.  Answering service:   "Doctor's answering service," she recites.   I ask, " You are the answering service?"  After all it was early afternoon.   "Yes, they will be back at 1:30."    1:30.    I set an alarm clock for 1:35 and gave them a 2nd call.    Response ---  Tomorrow morning sometime, I will visit my new best friend.  The doctor will look into my eyes, my ears, my throat, and perchance, my nose, if he is wearing plastic protective garb.   He will emit a hmmmmmm and say, "I need you to come back in, and we will do some tests."

You see, I have done this before.  I took allergy shots in Austin for 4 years.  Then, in 2003, I stopped.   Not one runny nose since 2003 until this year.  The allergy devil has re-found me. Tomorrow, a new adventure.  wish me the best.
.
M

misc. & birthday & water

Today, September 15, my wife's birthday.  She was born in Levelland (TX) six weeks before I arrived in Oklahoma.  I am not sure, but I think she may have been the first in her entire family to attend college.  Her parents - pre marriage - moved to Levelland sometime during the 20-30s, went to and graduated from LHS, met had 2 children and so forth.  I would tell you how old my wife is, but you can figure it out on your own in six weeks when I announce my own birthday.   Never ever thought I would hang around with an old lady as much as I do.
.
It may never rain again in this part of the country.  Our lake is going down inches daily.  We are told that it is 10 ft below normal.  Folks, that is a lot of water under the bridge.  From our house looking north, we can see land moving our direction.  The cows from the other side of the lake are starting to move down our shore and eating our weeds.  Not that I would complain.   The rancher rode down last week and had a round up.  On his horse?  you may ask.  Nope, apparently, the four wheeler has taken the place of the rancher's horse.  Sorta sad really.
.
This too shall pass.  All things, if left alone, will return to their normal state.  Of course, it could be that the normal state is 15 ft down - and we have just been having a rainy several years.  That's sorta like global warming.  Just a few years back they were crying about global cooling - this has been during my adult lifetime.  This too shall pass - hurricanes will come again - the snows will once more bless the highlands - glaciers will begin to grow instead of shrink - Republicans will return to office.  You name it.  It will evolve.
.
So we pump water out of the lake to water our yard.  We paid a one time fee, and we get get free muddy water if we are willing to pay for the electric pump to shove it up hill.  We did & we paid & we are willing.  But the lake went down so far that our inlet valve is out of the water. We paid a guy to extend our line somewhere around 400 more ft into the lake.  We pump again.  It was interesting seeing this kid walk out into the lake 400 ft pulling a plastic pipe to be buried in the mud.  We will have water for a while, but without rain, even that pipe will come out of the water. Whatta ya gonna do?
.
I'll tell you.  I have so much influence with all things religious - I have been praying for a hurricane to hit Houston, hit Houston hard, and then, come right up I-45 to my house, replenishing the lake. I know that some of you will find this to be ethically incorrect - known in the world as  E.I.   Sure maybe hundreds or thousands of people will lose everything they own and a few relatives.   But our lake will refill.  And, if you think about it, bus companies will make more money busing people out of the lowlands to west Texas...gypsy roofers will have a great new area to fleece...politicians will make hay from all the visits and concerned looks.  Hurricanes create a whole new world of making money - take house repair - shovels - soap - new cars to replace the drowned older models  (which will be dried off and sold south of the border to unsuspecting Guatemalans - the funeral industry - so many things.  C'mon Hurricane.   I hope it will be named after some female and not one that is hard to pronounce or spell.
.
or we will just wait for the spring rains.
.
Meanwhile, I haul water hoses all over the yard on Thursdays and Sundays sprinkling away.   The Tarrant County water district limits us to Th & S.  Soon it will be limited to one day.   It really is an interesting feeling to look north and see the edge of lake moving - no marching steadily south.  It is almost like Sherman's March to the Sea over Atlanta.  And all those fish are being squeezed south - hungry and confused.
.
A little side note:  the guy fixed our water on a Friday about 3 weeks ago.  He has yet to ask to be paid.  At the time I offered.  He said he had to go home and figure it; call me back Monday.  He didn't.  So I wait, cash in one hand a water hose in the other and a longing eye poised towards any cloud that drifts my direction.
.
Back to birthday.  Did I mention my trip to Walmart where I bought her a black T-shirt with the words  HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY emblazoned across the front?
later,
m

Friday, September 6, 2013

MRI Festivo

Not much to this.  Back in June, I think it was, might have been late May.  My wife asked me to go walking with her.  I grumbled "sure" cause I need to do that sorta thing.  She has a route that covers a mile, up and down our hills.  Part of it can be tough on an old guy who is out of shape.  So, I walked up our driveway to the road and took maybe 3 or 4 steps.  
.
All of a sudden there was a pain in my left foot.  I can't remember if I have told this story or not.  So, I walked the mile in minor pain.  Later I figured out it was under my left ankle.  After 2 weeks, I went to my primary care doc  (we use to just call them doctors).  He essentially thought it would get well soon.  3 weeks later I went to my foot doctor.  He felt around, having me move my foot in all directions.

I really don't like people messing with my feet.  He gave me this brace to wear around the ankle.  It was a problem with a tendon, not the Achilles, another one.   I wore the brace for a month and went back.  He told me to continue.  I went for another month and called for an appointment.
.
This time he wanted me to get a MRI.  Aside thought.   That should be   an  MRI.  There is a place near his office.  However, the nurse suggested that I drive 20 miles to Ennis for the work to be done.  She implied it was less of a hassle with book work.  Okay.  Fine.  Sure.
.
Went this morning.  Checked in and paid my $14.19 co-pay.  Hmmmmm   The tall guy took me to a round lady in the back.  She prepared the machine with a device to hold my foot.  Stuck that rascal in their container and laid down.  She turned the lights off in the room and moved my lower half into the round machine.
.
I think I was on that table for an hour listening to hums and noise and seeing a bright red light in between noises.   She had given me ear plugs to cut the noise.  I crossed my arms on the chest and tried to sleep.  I didn't get great sleep.  I was so worried that I'd move my foot and have to start over.  That would not be a joy.
.
MRIs don't bother me.  It is just something you do.  My doc will get the results from another doc who will interpret.  Then a decision will be made about our next step.  Meanwhile, I continue to wear my ankle brace.   What is that old line.  Getting old is not for sissies.
m

Monday, September 2, 2013

Names Names Names

We got an appeal last week to send money to some organization that helps pregnant women and those who have just had a baby - but who are having a hard time. They help the females. That is all well and good. This missive is not to talk about the organization even though that might be a nice thing to do someday.
.
I lost (trashed) the flyer; thus, I cannot tell you the organization. The front cover was a photo shot of a protruding stomach - i.e., a pregnant female's baby bump. It did not identify the female - just a picture of this rounded mass of skin...someone might say that was a beautiful photo. Personally, I think some things should be kept more private.
.
Inside on page 2 was the story of two different females they had helped. Pictures of smiling females and children littered the 4 page flyer. The second story was of a recent mother - her story is important to her and the organization, not to me - what was interesting was her new child.
.
She named the girl Psi Lent.
.
With that, I move on.
===========================
Names. Normally you cannot be blamed for your name. Sure there are folks who go to court and choose a name. Do you know anyone who has done that? Not me. If I were going to choose a different name, it would have to be special ... like, maybe, Abraham Moses Sue. That would make my initials AMS. SLIGHTLY unimportant.
.
FYI: I was named Michael Eugene M. On TV - scanning the channels over the weekend - I arrived at a football game just as some guy made a tackle. His name is Mike Eugene....did think of that as some type of omen.
===========================
moving on a 2nd time.
Local newspaper puts out a slick magazine this time of year featuring all the football teams in the area. It has several shiny pages of football player photos, stories of the team, a well-thought out photo of the cheerleaders, and usually a picture of the band. What caught my eye was the first names of the cheerleaders. As I think this through, I will look at first names of the football players. The band kids are never listed by name.
.
Corsicana Cheerleaders: there are 23 of them. Yes, 23 girls in cheerleading outfits. Some of their names are quite common. Here we go --
Claire, Mariah, Katie, Caroline, Logan, Caroline, Dolcya, Dominique, Emily, Delaney, Moesha, Emily, Jourdan, Alisa, McKenna, Reagan, Payton, Makenzie, Brooke, McKenzie, Kayla, Caraline, and Macy. Those are lovely.
I'll save the football names till later -
.
One final school: We pay taxes to Mildred ISD. FIRST names of the Mildred Eagle cheerleaders: Bethany, Brianna, Kallie, Molly, Callie, Sagen, victoria, Jodie, Maddie, Jessica, Katie, Alexa and Karlie.
.
Enough of that. see ya guys


m