Gayle's father Joe just died. He was 90 years old, a veteran of WWII, and worked most of his life at the Department of Energy plant in Paducah, KY. He was opinionated, contrary, and proud of it. I'll be heading up tomorrow to be with Gayle, and to help her with the arrangements. He'll be buried in the local cemetery that holds his and my mother in laws family.
RIP, Joseph Lindsey
For the few that actually read this blog, send your best thoughts Gayle's way...I'm sure she'll appreciate it.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
tempus fugit
And not just when you're having fun.
I was just looking at Gayle's blog, and saw that her last post had her suffering from a massive case of the "don't want to's". This condition seems to be continuing, as she's not posted anything since. I can relate, though not quite to her level of infection. I've tons of stuff I should be doing, such as packing up the shop upstairs, and starting on my stuff. But every time I walk up those stairs and look at ALL THAT STUFF, I just can't bring myself to start putting it in boxes. Well, I'm on call this weekend, and have a partially planned out Saturday of work, so maybe I'll just give it up and get to it. I could probably get the majority of the stuff boxed up in a day, if I just kept too it.
Of course, I've been saying that for a few months now....
I think one of the underlying causes of this for both of us is the sheer uncertainty of our current existence. We live hours apart, and don't have any way to plan for the next six months, let alone anything past that. We're both of an age when we should be able to do things, like vacations, or spur of the moment weekends at the beach. Instead, we sit in our respective houses, just existing day to day, waiting for this purgatory to finally end.
On that depressing note, I'll shut the hell up and get back to existing. Mikey has just jumped up to remind me that cats are masters at the living day to day, and that they pretty well prefer it that way, assuming that food, water, belly rubs and the occasional treat are in good supply.
I was just looking at Gayle's blog, and saw that her last post had her suffering from a massive case of the "don't want to's". This condition seems to be continuing, as she's not posted anything since. I can relate, though not quite to her level of infection. I've tons of stuff I should be doing, such as packing up the shop upstairs, and starting on my stuff. But every time I walk up those stairs and look at ALL THAT STUFF, I just can't bring myself to start putting it in boxes. Well, I'm on call this weekend, and have a partially planned out Saturday of work, so maybe I'll just give it up and get to it. I could probably get the majority of the stuff boxed up in a day, if I just kept too it.
Of course, I've been saying that for a few months now....
I think one of the underlying causes of this for both of us is the sheer uncertainty of our current existence. We live hours apart, and don't have any way to plan for the next six months, let alone anything past that. We're both of an age when we should be able to do things, like vacations, or spur of the moment weekends at the beach. Instead, we sit in our respective houses, just existing day to day, waiting for this purgatory to finally end.
On that depressing note, I'll shut the hell up and get back to existing. Mikey has just jumped up to remind me that cats are masters at the living day to day, and that they pretty well prefer it that way, assuming that food, water, belly rubs and the occasional treat are in good supply.
Monday, November 7, 2011
late night conversations
I was rudely awakened last night by Mikey jumping up on the bed, walking up to my head and howling in the weird, stupidly loud fashion he has when he's upset or just wanting to make his opinion know. So, I whacked him on the head and advised him that shutting the f**k up would greatly increase the odds of his continued survival. He the plonked down next to me (when this cat lays down by you, he pretty well stretches from knees to chest) and went to sleep. Of course, it took me about 10 minutes to get back to sleep, and I still have no idea what that was all about.
The joys of feline ownership. Go figure.
The joys of feline ownership. Go figure.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Damn, but I'm out of shape!
I'm sitting here enjoying the end to a nice weekend, and pondering just how badly out of shape I am.
I went to Arlington on Friday night, which was interesting...I kept thinking I'd taken a wrong turn. I hadn't, but the thought stayed with me most of the trip. More on this later...
I got up early on Saturday, but really didn't get moving much past a shower and making coffee, due to a slight over indulgence in strong drink the night before. This of course made the work I had planned for Saturday much more interesting than anticipated, but I still got most of the things I'd planned on done. This was mainly hacking back a huge holly bush, and trimming all of the trees around the house that actually touch the roof, in an attempt to keep the critters out. The hacking went fine, but the dragging the huge tarp full of trimmings liked to have killed me. Of course, it didn't help that my right ankle is still playing traitor, and causing massive pain every time I move it wrong. Anyway, I got everything dragged back to the burn pile area, huffing, puffing and sweating like a pig in the 60 degree weather. I've absolutely got to drop this weight, and get back to some semblance of shape. Granted, I don't expect to be 30 again, but damned if I'll behave as if I'm 70, either!
The visit itself was fun, as it's good to actually be able to spend time with Gayle. She did go out for about an hour or so on Saturday afternoon, and I think that her mom spent the whole time in terror of this unknown person in her house. I spoke to her every time I came back in from doing the tree thing, and reminded her who I was, but I don't think that she really understood who I was and what I was doing there. I'll be going back up for Thanksgiving, and will try to make sure I sit down with her at least a couple of times a day, so that maybe my visits won't be quite so tramatizing. This may be futile, as I'm really not sure just how much of what goes on now actually stays in her memory. For the most part, I think she's retreated to a time when she was young, capable, and strong. In other words, anything but the elderly, weak and near helpless woman that she's become. I can't say as I blame her, either.
The drive home was fun...though I did kinda get lost this time, and in broad daylight! I changed my usual route as I needed gas and breakfast, which was easy to find. What wasn't was the way back to US 45E, the road I normally travel. I only added about 45 minutes and associated milage to my trip...live and learn, eh?
Anyway, I've got veggies and round steak in the oven, with about another 40 minutes to cook. It's already smelling way too good (drool, drool). Don't you just wish you were here to help eat it?
I went to Arlington on Friday night, which was interesting...I kept thinking I'd taken a wrong turn. I hadn't, but the thought stayed with me most of the trip. More on this later...
I got up early on Saturday, but really didn't get moving much past a shower and making coffee, due to a slight over indulgence in strong drink the night before. This of course made the work I had planned for Saturday much more interesting than anticipated, but I still got most of the things I'd planned on done. This was mainly hacking back a huge holly bush, and trimming all of the trees around the house that actually touch the roof, in an attempt to keep the critters out. The hacking went fine, but the dragging the huge tarp full of trimmings liked to have killed me. Of course, it didn't help that my right ankle is still playing traitor, and causing massive pain every time I move it wrong. Anyway, I got everything dragged back to the burn pile area, huffing, puffing and sweating like a pig in the 60 degree weather. I've absolutely got to drop this weight, and get back to some semblance of shape. Granted, I don't expect to be 30 again, but damned if I'll behave as if I'm 70, either!
The visit itself was fun, as it's good to actually be able to spend time with Gayle. She did go out for about an hour or so on Saturday afternoon, and I think that her mom spent the whole time in terror of this unknown person in her house. I spoke to her every time I came back in from doing the tree thing, and reminded her who I was, but I don't think that she really understood who I was and what I was doing there. I'll be going back up for Thanksgiving, and will try to make sure I sit down with her at least a couple of times a day, so that maybe my visits won't be quite so tramatizing. This may be futile, as I'm really not sure just how much of what goes on now actually stays in her memory. For the most part, I think she's retreated to a time when she was young, capable, and strong. In other words, anything but the elderly, weak and near helpless woman that she's become. I can't say as I blame her, either.
The drive home was fun...though I did kinda get lost this time, and in broad daylight! I changed my usual route as I needed gas and breakfast, which was easy to find. What wasn't was the way back to US 45E, the road I normally travel. I only added about 45 minutes and associated milage to my trip...live and learn, eh?
Anyway, I've got veggies and round steak in the oven, with about another 40 minutes to cook. It's already smelling way too good (drool, drool). Don't you just wish you were here to help eat it?
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Samhain!
My most favorite holiday of the year. I must admit that it's not been as fun since moving here to the apartment complex as it was back in East Tennessee. There's I'd decorate and we'd have quite a few kids show up. Here, not so much. But, it's the spirit of the thing, so I've gotten some candy (just in case) and have my most evil laugh queued up for anyone who's brave enough to knock on my door. Trick or treat? You tell me....
Bwahahahahahahaha!
I'll be heading to Arlington on Friday this week, so that I'll have all of Saturday to get some things done in the yard, and maybe start in on getting Joe's workshop organized enough to know what to keep and what to just throw away. Then back early on Sunday, to get laundry and housekeeping done (plus a little NFL action, maybe). Then, back to the grind.
The Pacs upgrade went fairly smoothly, and most of our docs are working in it just fine. There's still the daily calls for reminders of how to do specific tasks, which we expected. I'm working now on getting all of our residents (we're a teaching clinic, and have about 40 residents and 6 specialty Fellows working with our docs) onto the new system when they remote in. I'll probably have to disable their access to get the off the old system and onto the new, but we'll see.
Bwahahahahahahaha!
I'll be heading to Arlington on Friday this week, so that I'll have all of Saturday to get some things done in the yard, and maybe start in on getting Joe's workshop organized enough to know what to keep and what to just throw away. Then back early on Sunday, to get laundry and housekeeping done (plus a little NFL action, maybe). Then, back to the grind.
The Pacs upgrade went fairly smoothly, and most of our docs are working in it just fine. There's still the daily calls for reminders of how to do specific tasks, which we expected. I'm working now on getting all of our residents (we're a teaching clinic, and have about 40 residents and 6 specialty Fellows working with our docs) onto the new system when they remote in. I'll probably have to disable their access to get the off the old system and onto the new, but we'll see.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Weekend in Arlington
I just got back from spending the weekend with Gayle and her mom in Arlington. Now that her dad is in a home, I can visit. It's been somewhere around 6 years since I've been, and this was probably the first time ever that I've actually enjoyed being there.
Gayle's mom either sleeps, or sits in a rocker in the living room, watching Turner Classic Movies. She responded when I talked to her, but wouldn't even look at me when I walked through to the kitchen if I didn't speak to her first. As much as I've always said I'd like to live to be 100, I wouldn't want it to be like what either of my in-laws are living through. My father in law had to be placed in a nursing home with a lock down ward, as he kept trying to escape from the more open facilities, and my mother in law's entire world moves between 3 rooms in a house she never leaves. Dying at 80 with most of my faculties in place would be wildly preferable to that.
I'm planning on going to Arlington at lease 2 weekend a month, to help with things that need to be done (like cuttting back the holly bush that is now over the roofline and blocking a couple of windows). That also should make things easier on Gayle staying there, which she doesn't like doing. Sitting the elderly is much worse than baby sitting an infant...a baby you can plonk into a car seat and take with you, even it it's just a drive to get out of the house. The elderly can't and/or won't go, which effectively ties you to the house. At least the mother in law is pretty sedentary, and can be left alone for an hour or so, if necessary.
I'll also be going through the piles of stuff that Gayle's father has managed to collect over the years. He has a woodworking shop that is amazing...if you can figure out which of the 4 cordless drills work, or what is worth keeping in the many drawers and cabinets. I figure that the woodworking shop will be a major attraction when we hold the eventual estate sale.
Gayle's mom either sleeps, or sits in a rocker in the living room, watching Turner Classic Movies. She responded when I talked to her, but wouldn't even look at me when I walked through to the kitchen if I didn't speak to her first. As much as I've always said I'd like to live to be 100, I wouldn't want it to be like what either of my in-laws are living through. My father in law had to be placed in a nursing home with a lock down ward, as he kept trying to escape from the more open facilities, and my mother in law's entire world moves between 3 rooms in a house she never leaves. Dying at 80 with most of my faculties in place would be wildly preferable to that.
I'm planning on going to Arlington at lease 2 weekend a month, to help with things that need to be done (like cuttting back the holly bush that is now over the roofline and blocking a couple of windows). That also should make things easier on Gayle staying there, which she doesn't like doing. Sitting the elderly is much worse than baby sitting an infant...a baby you can plonk into a car seat and take with you, even it it's just a drive to get out of the house. The elderly can't and/or won't go, which effectively ties you to the house. At least the mother in law is pretty sedentary, and can be left alone for an hour or so, if necessary.
I'll also be going through the piles of stuff that Gayle's father has managed to collect over the years. He has a woodworking shop that is amazing...if you can figure out which of the 4 cordless drills work, or what is worth keeping in the many drawers and cabinets. I figure that the woodworking shop will be a major attraction when we hold the eventual estate sale.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
weddings, strokes and anniverseries
My son got married on the 30th of September. Gayle and i went to Frankfort for the celebration,and it was a good trip all around. The weather didn't cooperate fully, but at least it didn't rain. This was an outdoor wedding, and so of course it was cloudy, very windy and cool. None of that really mattered, as the ceremony was beautiful ( the bride is an antropology major, and included a handfasting ceremony into the standard wedding vows) and everything came off without a hitch.
Here's a picture of Josh and Maurya, presented as Mister and Ms Allen:
Here's a picture of Josh and Maurya, presented as Mister and Ms Allen:
The groom and attendants wore UT orange, and the bride and attendants wore UK Blue. All in all, a wonderful event. Congrats and best wishes always, kids.
Gayle's dad was scheduled to be evaluated by a new nursing home on Friday morning. Instead, he was found on the toilet having had a minor stroke. So, he's in the hospital again. On top of that, we had to give up his bed at his current nursing home due to them wanting $250 + per day to hold it. We think that he'll be accepted at one with a medicare/medicaid ward, but we just have to wait and see. He's already been turned down by the Tennessee Veterans Home as too combative, and the same at 3 other nursing homes. We suspect that the stroke will do away with a lot of the combativeness, at least we hope so.
The end of September brought the 1 year anniversary of my mom's death. RIP, June. At least, don't actively haunt any of us...you were contrary enough during life.
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