AUGUST 26, 2018

BORED AND BORING

It is time to do my weekly critique of the news for friend and family.  Needless to say the news is rather lacking in activity but alas, there is much going on around me.

It is proper that I along with America, express condolences to the family of John McCain a patriot and loyal American.  While I believed he, like all men and women, was flawed he unquestionably contributed much to our country and served it well. I can think of no single individual who even comes close in their personal sacrifices to our country.   He marched to his own drumbeat and while I admired that about him, I can’t help but think that sometimes the stroke on the drum could have been heavier or lighter, as the issue may have required.  That said, what finer tribute can there be to a person than to know that they have truly faithfully practiced the decree, “To thine own self, be true”.  From all that I have read and heard he did, in fact, do that.  I admired him greatly but I am not prone to devout Sainthood for any human being.  I believe that acknowledging our flaws and accepting our inadequacies are steps to improving our life and our future.   I hope that his family can take comfort in his great legacy and all of his good work as they now adapt to a life without him.

On a lighter note, depending on your source of news, the not so quiet drumbeat for the head of Donald Trump banged loudly while the stock market seem to take an Oh hum attitude and Melania’s plans for an African trip were revealed.  You really have to admire Donald Trump.  While his detractors (a kindly observation) attack him and all that he does, he carries on with the deliberation of a bull in a china closet.  I have had moments of analyzing my own feelings about this man who is our President and while he is imperfect, it seems to me that we know more about him and how he really feels about issues that affect us all than we have ever known about any other President.  At least, that is my view as reflected in the wisdom of my young life.  He does have a sensitive streak that could be better controlled in his own best interests but you do know where he stands and that he is aware of what is going on around him.

I think when the sun sets and the dust has settled, I might do an analysis of our President and examine how I really feel about him.  As I said in my second paragraph, I am not prone to Sainthood for any human being but neither am I afraid to admit that “there is good in the worst of us, bad in the best of us” and I believe “ it hardly behooves  any of us to speak evil of the rest of us”.  (While many have expressed variable versions of the quoted remarks, I first heard it from my second year High School English teacher although I had to Google the saying to fine tune the ending.) 

Having said all of the above, (and if you read it) you are probably wondering what we did this week.  I am learning that I do not have to abide by any alarm for the time of my rising.  I am learning to sleep in – sometimes as late as 10 AM and it is not surprising that all of my chores still await my attention.  

Our day out was a bit boring with a trip to get gas for the car, lunch and shopping at Costco.  Lauren came up for a visit and brought Oakley.  She invited Oakley to go into the pool but he was uninterested.  He has joined Holly and Cooper in rejection of the pool.  Ungrateful and spoiled dogs they are.  

Ken completed his cardiac rehab Wednesday morning and was granted a certificate of completion.  Wednesday afternoon he had a skin cancer removed from his back that required 23 stitches.  Other than that, we are well and life is good.  

Phil and Sheri came for dinner and we got a recap of Phil's recent five week trip to the East Coast. Gary and Marci are preparing for their Alaskan departure Thursday.  They will celebrate Marci's birthday aboard ship.   

There you have it – not much news of us but rather observations from what was on my mind today.

Until next I take keyboard in hand, have a great week.    

August 19, 2018

CELEBRATING ANOTHER BIRTHDAY

Our week has been typically lacking in excitement.  I complained to the City about the dishwasher permit and, of course, received the bureaucratic response that I expected.  In my youth I think I might have been willing to “go to the mat” but at this stage in my life, too much activity might create more anxiety than effective “due diligence”,

Our big event this week was celebrating Ken’s birthday and though we no longer feel the need to acclaim our aging years, I decided to indulge (or haunt) him.  We have enjoyed many wonderful meals at the Fisherman, a restaurant on the pier in San Clemente.  On our infrequent trips to and from San Diego or when we are in the vicinity of San Clemente we tend to indulge ourselves with a trip to the pier and an appropriate restaurant extravagance.

As a Thank You for our patronage, The Fisherman rewards Ken with a birthday coupon for a free entree.  Ken is always excited with the recognition as well as appreciative of something free.  Most years we can’t coordinate our travel within the dates the coupon is good.  The last time we were at the pier we discovered that Amtrak not only goes right by the pier but that  two trains in the morning and two in the early evening stop at the pier long enough to load and unload passengers.  With this information I decided to treat Ken to a special day and revive our memories of another era.

I discussed my idea with him and we agreed that we could catch the 950 AM train to San Clemente, have lunch at the Fisherman, walk the pier, grab an umbrella and sit on the beach and catch the 520 PM train back.

Some of our most memorable celebrations with Ken’s Uncle Bob and Aunt Gladys were of similar trips. Back in the day,  we would catch a train to San Juan Capistrano, have dinner and catch the next train back on its way back from San Diego to Los Angeles.  Our memories of those wonderful celebratory events are precious to us today as we recall many treasured times shared with that wonderful couple.
 

I purchased tickets for our planned escapade on line, called our son Gary and asked if he would let us ride with him to Union Station on his way to work and bring us home after work.  The timing worked well and Gary agreed. Thursday dawned bright and early with a slight overcast, but otherwise the day seemed to encourage our youthful enthusiasm for adventure.

We arrived in San Clemente at 1130 AM, enjoyed a lovely lunch of sea food extravaganza at the Fisherman and started our trek up the pier.  The weather was magnificent.  Slightly overcast, a light breeze and near perfect temperature.   It was neither too hot nor too cold.  Ken insisted that I take my walker which helps make my long walking events more tolerable.  However, he failed to consider that he might not be quite as spry in the walking category as he once was.  We made it to the first bench of the 1,296 foot long pier and stopped, ostensibly to watch the surfers below.  Upon resuming what we now recognized might be, for us, the equivalent of a hike up Mt Everest. We  were shocked to realize that our walk on the pier would take the better part of our day.  Fortunately, the benches were well placed for climbers such as ourselves  and we can tell you first hand that every one of the benches on that pier are suitable for sitting! Some needed cleaning and we performed our civic duty in the cleaning category which proved our contributory status even in our old age.

On our way back, we stopped for a brief birthday toast and by then it was nearing 415 PM. Ken was still too full from lunch and too tired to enjoy his intended splurge of the Fisherman’s “to die for” signature mud pie.  Regretfully, we made our way back toward the embarkation area where Ken found a patch of grass and took a nap.  I watched over his nap and contributed by assuring those passing by with a puzzled look that he was okay.  We were waiting and ready when our train arrived at 520 PM  and the conductor helped us aboard.  Terri had worried that Ken would not get his daily nap and we had discouraged her concern.  In retrospect, perhaps we should have listened more carefully and prepared more adequately?

Our schedule worked perfectly. We arrived back at Union Station approximately 10 minutes before Gary arrived on the shuttle from LAX and I can tell you first hand, we were glad to be chauffeured home.  The next day Ken had his regular appointment for rehab and his morning greeting reflected a wish that he did not have to go.  Like the trooper that he is, he rallied his energy and did his scheduled rehab. 

Ken declared the trip wonderful and the memories special while conceding that he may have been made aware of some previously unacknowledged limitations.

Terri has laid the law down.  The next time we should make it a two day trip and she stands ready to pay for our overnight stay.  Sounds like a plan! With an offer like that, a monthly event sounds inviting!

AUGUST 12, 2018 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING 

Time to update my family and absent newsworthy events, vent.  We really lead a very subdued life but maybe that is because we are old and have lost our “get up and go”?  Oh – sorry if I offended anyone with my political “rant” last week but you gotta know – ranting goes with the territory . The good, the bad and the diatribe if you please.

Ken continues with his rehab schedule. He has five more visits to go until done.  He will finish rehab the day of a scheduled removal of a skin cancer on his back so the timing is good.  He has had numerous skin cancers for which we blame his long term exposure to the California sun.  Gary is also having problems with skin cancers and has had two removed recently. It is a plague to the area.

Our week was quiet (of course it was, we are old!) but our weekly outing created a Bickerson moment.  ( Bickerson is Ken’s sister’s nickname for our verbal dueling exchanges).  On Thursday (our day out) it was supposed to be 100+ in the Glendale vicinity but only in the 70’s in Ventura.  Ken decided that we should go to Ventura after stopping in Van Nuys at Costco to get gas.  On our way to Van Nuys I announced that I needed to have a bathroom stop.  Ken immediately asked the GPS to direct us to a McDonald’s. (We have found their bathrooms the most welcome to travelers and generally reliable for cleanliness.)  The GPS (gypsy)  obliged with one just off the freeway.  I always insist that we buy something when we stop unless it is one of several stops during an outing and in that event I take the position that “we already gave”.  I know – different charity but we are on a fixed income.

Both of us have just enough breakfast to take our medication with on Thursdays because that is the morning out for a brunch like breakfast (breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner).  However, on this day we would be having a late lunch in Ventura and thus, we agreed we would treat ourselves to a “deplorable” sausage and egg biscuit.  (FYI -We thoroughly enjoyed this escape from good dieting practices). We returned to the car and Ken asked gypsy to navigate us to Ventura. (The traffic was bad and he thought gypsy might route us differently.  It did.  It told us to go back onto the freeway East (the way from which we came). I questioned why East and Ken thought it might be taking us to a cut off from the 5 that we have used on occasion when we wanted to do a scenic trip. 

As we proceeded pursuit to direction from our lord and lady "gypsy", we were fast approaching Glendale when I could contain myself no longer and said ”this can’t be right and I thought you had to get gas at Costco”.  Oops,  It seems he was so engrossed in this new direction for Ventura that he had completely forgotten about Costco. Now I was really disgruntled and I said “Forget Ventura.  Let’s just go to Costco in Azusa, get gas and from there decide where we want to have lunch.”

He responded that the “Holy” fire  (the fire at Lake Elsinore) would contaminate the air in Azusa and the surrounding area  but if I insisted, we could do that. I responded, “I insist”.  Reluctantly he agreed  to go to Costco in Azusa for gas and then, we (he) would decide about lunch (I am a quick study to his moods).  On route there were several petty comments about the smoke which I knew were actually “petty” reminders that we should have gone to Ventura.  I reminded him that we could take a freeway South after we got gas which would take us away from the smoke and toward the Southern beaches and, of course that was what he intended all along.  (Our outings tend to be water oriented wherever feasible in his sight.)  

I could go on with our Bickerson commentary but to shorten  my Bickerson story,  our final destination was Duke’s at the pier in Huntington Beach.  After Ken's “sushi” lunch (I had a bbq sandwich) Ken treated himself to a “hula pie” and that greatly improved his attitude.  (He did share his hula pie with me.) Now – all we had to do was waddle to the car, find a place to rest and ready ourselves for a travel laden freeway home. Life can be a beach!

On Saturday we visited friends in a senior living complex for lunch and what they called a “block party” with games and entertainment oriented to the grandchildren of the residents.  Our friends didn’t have any grandchildren close by to invite and they chose us as the closest people they know with childlike behavior.  Seriously, we had a great visit and enjoyed a good lunch in the dining room at the facility and watched as the children entertained the “shut ins” with their vim vigor and vitality.

Oh – my vent for the week.  We have a local web gossip sheet that shares all of the things that nosy people like me thrive on.  The latest “issue” that I have my drawers up in a bunch about is a recently enacted regulation that requires a permit to install a dishwasher.  Now, mind you.  This permit ain’t cheap!  $190 and the stores cannot install without.  We installed a new dishwasher last year without issue but I believe this to be another example of bureaucratic overreach.  I am considering organizing a “protest” and marching on the city demanding that this asinine requirement be repealed post haste.  

As I write, I am gathering my cane, packing up my wheel chair and counting my medications in preparation for my “day of protest”.  On second thought I think I will take a nap and see if I wake up in a better mood before rushing to action.  Being nosy is really stressful.

There you have it  a whole lot of nothing.  Oh I almost forgot.  Gypsy had programmed us to go to Ventura Iowa.  I keep “suggesting” to Ken that he use the State when he is asking for directions but sometimes she reads his mind and he likes to test her.  

                             Your crazy old Aunt

AUGUST 7, 2018 NONSENSE FROM THE WEST

NONSENSE FROM THE WEST 

On Friday, We enjoyed a visit with our lovely granddaughter, Lauren, and had a long awaited visit with our great granddog, Oakley.  For those of you who don’t know, Oakley is a 1 ½ year old beautiful Irish setter that Lauren’s boyfriend gave her a few years back before they broke up. This was Oakley’s first visit with Terri’s dog, Cooper who was a bit overwhelmed by the vim, vigor and vitality of the strange storm that invaded his space.  He found a safe place from which he could observe the action and misdeeds of his dog cousin and stayed quiet.

Terri and Lauren left Oakley in my care while they went for Sushi. He is a dog used to being entertained and receiving lots of attention.  To that end, he sat a ball in front of me, looked up at me and barked until I realized my duty. When I became distracted i was loudly reminded of my duty. I threw the ball and entertained Oakley for the full 1 and ½ hours the girls were gone. (Ken was taking a nap.) When Lauren returned I told her that I thought baby sitting with Oakley might be similar to baby sitting with a spoiled demanding grandchild. She smiled and acknowledged that he is, indeed, spoiled.  I wonder, do they have a Dr. Spock for dogs?

Of course, as you all know, California is burning.  Fire fire everywhere and not a drop of rain!! (Actually there may have been a few drops in the mountains nearby but not where it was needed.)It is sad to see the destruction of these massive fires and heart breaking to drive through the devastated acres where lush green forests once stood. Current events suggest that Governor Brown and President Trump are engaging in a Twitter exchange that will yield neither rain nor miracles.  Oh well, venting is good. 

I am trying to resolve a dilemma. Glendale has a proposed amendment on the November ballot that will increase our sales tax by  ¾ percent. As I understand it there is a California sales tax maximum of 10.25%. The current rate is 9.5% a large part of which is State and the remainder is disbursed among the cities and counties. There is 3/4% tax rate unfettered and, as I understand it, the City fears that a State or County sales tax might be passed which would distribute the money to the County or State on an equitable basis. Ostensibly it would raise our tax rate to the maximum allowable 10.25% (from the current 9.5%).  and guarantee that the ¾%  tax generated by passage of the proposed ballot measure would be retained in its entirety by Glendale. Admittedly Glendale is not in a bad way money wise (it is not clear how they intend to use the money) but if we do not pass this increase, we might have to share with other governmental entities and it appears to be the position of our City Fathers that we should use the money as they see fit. What will they think of next?  Taxes earned in Glendale should stay in Glendale? 

I am sorry.  California is a beautiful and enchanting place to visit and enjoy but it is fast becoming loathsome as a place to live.  If we were not in round 3 of our 3 round rush to life and have family here, we would find another place to live. Please don't rush to send me your one way ticket out of town.  I am old and cantankerous.

I had my third visit with the neurologist who confirmed what I already knew.  I have neuropathy in both feet.  As I understand it neuropathy is typically associated with diabetes and that has never been a factor in my malaise.  The Doctor prescribed some further blood tests in an effort to identify a possible cause. She has also prescribed a higher dosage of medicine that may reduce my symptoms and increase my comfort level in my day to day activities.   Ken has also bought me a new stationary bike which is an improvement over the old one that belonged to his Uncle Bob who died in 1985.

Ken is continuing with cardiac rehab three times a week. He does good but he tires easy.  Chores that once were simple exercises are now major endeavors.  Ah but the joys of growing old!!  One cannot anticipate the frustration of aging in advance because, like our lifestyle, one size does not fit all.

I had thought that I might avoid a “rant” this week but alas, our pool was green in spite of a full time pool service. I questioned whether we were getting our weekly service and was assured that all was well, the pool was sparkling and everything seemed in order. We keep a cover over it when it is not in use which heats it as well as protects it from any falling leaves. When I called our pool man about the offensive green, his excuse was that we needed to clean the filter.  Well hello there!  I thought that was part of our service and second, why were we not advised that there was a need for extra effort either by us or them?

He finally came on Saturday and found that a nut or something had come off the filter which prohibited its proper functioning. I assigned Ken the responsibility of discussing his schedule and confirming what our agreement was. Ken decided that the pool man was not at fault and he was due back today to clean the filter. He hasn't showed up and I am trying hard to be patient but we may be seeking a new pool service.

It is with reluctance that I acknowledge that I may be “hearing challenged” and to that end, I have new hearing aids. I am not yet entirely committed to the prospect of wearing them full time but so far, my trial periods seem to suggest improvement.  Further updates will be provided.  Ken recently got replacement aids from Costco.   I chose aids advertised on the web for a fraction of that cost so we will see how the two compare.  I consider hearing aids as another tack in the series of nails that are being added to my coffin! 

We are planning a short three day trip to Canada September 7-10 to attend a memorial service for our friend from our RV travel, sail "around the horn" and who shared our around the world adventure. We shared many special adventures, family visits and great experiences with him and his wife, Diane. We will miss him.  Further, we are looking forward to a visit from my niece, Debbie October 10-17.   Nephew, JD keeps promising but California has not made it to the top of his priority list yet. We will wait. 

That’s it for another week.  For someone who has a very mundane lifestyle, I sure do engage in a lot of hyperbole.