What Happened?

Here it is...just about the end of August.  I'm not sure where the time goes, but it sure GOES!

Carl likes to come over and spend the night and when he does, I get to do a LOT of NEW THINGS!

Here we are playing soccer...

We do art...

And Carl helped me do a recordable book for Gunney's first birthday!

 Ray has been working on a design for a lift so that I can get upstairs to the walk-in tub more easily.

 He's been here many, many nights, welding and rewelding, changing angles, adjusting the pneumatic seat...

And arranging for the power to drive the lift...Tom's the electrical wizard and Ray's the designer. Between the two of them, I'm going PLACES!



We even did a "test drive"

All of this so that I can take a bath (or as Carl says, "We can make Grandpa soup!"  And sometimes, Carl soup!)  When the air jets are on in the tub, Carl thinks I'm being boiled!  He also insists on adding rubber ducks to the tub along with the bubbles.  Last time I had a bath, Carl whispered to Barbara, "Yay!  We're going to make Grandpa Soup!"  (Recipe follows...courtesy of Carl.  He wrote out the recipe and texted it to Barbara last week.)

Carl’s Text:      “Hi grama I just wanted to tell you that you can come over and                                                 help set up my mommys party”

Barbara’s Text:  That would be my FAVORITE thing to do…but I’m busy making                                                Grandpa Soup!  Can you help me remember the recipe?

Carl’s Text:   I wonted to till you how to make grandpa soop so we ned 1                                          grandpa 1 in a half tub of water and bubls

Barbara’s Text:  Thanks!  That’s what I needed to know. I can’t remember                                           when to add the rubber duckies and how long to cook the soup. Does the soup need to boil?

Carl’s Text:    Add the duckies after the soup boils

Things were going along o.k. until Monday, August 15.  I finished breakfast and was on my way to my favorite chair to watch Judge Judy.  I dropped a paper towel and bent over to get it.  Bad mistake.  I lost my balance and ended up on the floor.  I didn't break anything but the fall has taken quite a toll on me.

Now I have a bed in the family room because there's more room for my wheelchair.

 Can't use the walker now because of a bad groin pull and lots of bruising.

The animals are sticking a lot closer to me...hurts when they jump up, though.  Barbara has put additional padding and another heating pad on my thighs to see if that will help with the pain.

I think the cat is after my Bailey's!

Barbara has people from Hospice coming in three days a week to help me and she's hired another person, Fatima, to come every morning and every night to help her get me get out of bed and back into bed.  I'm not happy about this but what can you do?

Here's my new bed...Once Ray puts the finishing touches on my lift - slight adjustments, more wheels, bigger seat, powder coating, etc., I'm going to move upstairs in order to be closer to the walk-in tub, bigger bathroom, etc.


Here are my controls...TV, DVD, and adjustable bed controls!  Hope I can remember which is which!


Barbara's been painting the room and arranging for an adjustable bed with a foam mattress to be placed upstairs so that I can change positions more easily.  Tom is installing a big screen TV. upstairs and my recliner will also be there.  I'll always be able to move to downstairs if I want, using the lift.

 All the floors have been refinished upstairs so that everything is smooth and even...no more tripping or bending over to pick things up for me!  (Just lots of dust right now!)

****LATEST DEVELOPING STORY AT 6607 NORTHRIDGE.****
Significant gas leak in the line to/from the fireplace so the gas fireplace is out of use for now. What caused it?  Who knows?  Time?  Weather?  Earthquakes? (Who cares?  I don't need it now!) Only problem is, gas is shut off to the house so all cooking is now done outside on the grill...(I always check my eggs for leaves and dirt now!) Ray and Tom to the rescue...and we'll see who else we need...maybe Joe, the plumber followed by Jerry from PG and E?

Hopefully, September will bring better things...

Wrapping Up July

Talked with Herb Jr. today on the phone...he's going under the knife tomorrow for some critical surgery. Told him I'd keep him in my prayers... and will wait to hear from Sharon sometime late tomorrow...

 Meanwhile, I'm still working as a taste tester for Barbara...here's the Blackberry and Lime Meringue Pie from the August issue of Bon Appetit...it's right on the cover (and I love it when I can see what it is that I'm supposed to be eating!)

 Ray, Siobhan, and Carl stopped in so that Carl could show me his newest pets...two Russian Tortoises!  They usually live to be 80 years old...so I hope Carl takes after me and can care for his tortoises for a
 L-O-N-G time.  Ray suggested that Carl name them Boris and Natasha but Carl opted for Boris and Sally.  (My suggestion was "Dead" and "Half-Dead"...just kidding, Carl!)  Here's Boris (or Sally...not sure which...)

Carl also got to spend the night...he LOVED taking a bath in my tub...

and after his bath, he wanted to make music...see how much Biggie enjoyed it?

Barbara has been making contact with lots of her "old" friends and my "old" friends.  She was able to locate Judy Mouhot Brown and Judy sent me pictures of Ellie and me at Barb's 40th birthday party!  Did we REALLY look like that?

That's it for now...

Looking Good...

Two weeks ago, I had to have surgery on my head.  The doctor told Barbara it would probably take 3-5 hours.  Actually, I ended up being under the knife off and on for 7 1/2 hours, start to finish.  I wasn't very happy about it...as you can see.

Here I am...waiting for my Bailey's....

But after a Bailey's or two, I started feeling MUCH better!

The animals all wanted to be close to me after the surgery...even the six-toed cat, "Six" started being a "lap cat"!

Barbara put roses from her garden on the table and next to my chair...(I don't think it helped much, but it made Barbara happy!)

After a week, I went back to the doctor to have the bandage removed.  Looks much better now...even with 42 staples still in for two more weeks!

Leo still waits for me each morning and Barbara keeps tempting me to try new things...here are some home-made bagels and a terrine made with tomatoes from the garden and a hazelnut pesto.  (Good thing I didn't know what it was or I probably never would have tried it!)

Still watching Judge Judy and LOVE playing "Angry Birds"!  (Can you get Carpal Tunnel syndrome in your finger?)

Ray, Siobhan, Carl and Jelly come over to swim...here I am, keeping Ray company while throwing wet tennis balls into the pool for Jelly!

Dogs and kids sure do like water!

Maybe I'll give the pool a try...after the staples come out!

Fourth of July

Well, it's another Fourth of July...my 99th 4th of July...and I'm still celebrating...including decorating my walker for the "parade"!

Ray's dog, Jelly, has been here for the last two weeks.  He LOVES the water and tennis balls.  Even when I'm trying to take a bath, he's dropping his tennis ball into the bathtub!

All that ball playing and water play tuckers a dog out...nothing like a quick nap on the couch!

We're really celebrating with the red, white and blue this year...every square inch has something patriotic!  (I think Barbara misses being in Williamsburg on the 4th of July!)

The weather has been really warm so the pool was the best place to be...for people and dogs alike!

Poor Mr. Big wasn't crazy about the water...he found a safe place right next to me.  He rested and warmed up after his swim and I rolled up my pants to keep cool...and sipped on a Mojito!

A barbecue was the perfect ending to our Fourth!